The Acadiana Advocate 10-29-2026

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U.S. warns of renewed fighting with Iran, sources say

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T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 29, 2026

Panhandling problems persist

Potential military activity would come after midterms Associated Press

ä See FIGHTING, page 3A

Staff writer

ing all of Lafayette, and the department has no system to track the calls with complete precision. The complaints come against a changing legal backdrop. Lafayette repealed portions of its panhandling ordinances in 2022 after a federal lawsuit challenged their constitutionality. Two years later, Louisiana expanded its state law prohibiting solicitation on interstate highways to include public rights-of-way, including public roads and sidewalks. The law took effect Aug. 1, 2024, and carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail, a $200 fine or both.

Could Jamie Davis, the Democratic Senate candidate, possibly knock off Julia Letlow, his heavily favored Republican opponent? That question acquired increased currency Wednesday as political insiders digested the full results from the seven-day early voting H H H H H H period that ended Tuesday — results that showed INSIDE a big overall turnout so far, more ä Trump,Vance, D e m o c r a t s Obama make voting than closing appeals for Republicans midterms. and a disproportionately Page 4A large share ä Lafayette Parish of Black vot- sees sharp increase ers casting in early voting. ballots. Page 1B All three elements are key to Davis potentially shocking the political world by defeating Letlow next week in a state that Donald Trump won by 22 points only two years ago. Still, overcoming that Republican advantage presents a huge challenge, and here’s another one: No African African has won a statewide election in Louisiana in 150 years. Political analysts said Letlow’s side showed its first bout of nervousness Wednesday when a super PAC began spending $400,000 to broadcast the first attack ad on Davis, a third-generation farmer from Tensas Parish. “His values are not Louisiana’s values,” the ad states in block letters. Few political pros on Wednes-

ä See PANHANDLING, page 3A

ä See TURNOUT, page 3A

ELECTION

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK

A man holds a sign asking for help near a sign warning motorists about giving to panhandlers at the intersection of Pinhook Road and the Evangeline Thruway in August.

Police report 123 calls this year but data in logging inconsistent, official says

BY DEAN BOUDREAUX Staff writer

Lafayette police estimated they received 123 panhandling complaints from January through October, compared with 19 during the same period in 2025, but the department said differences in how calls are categorized make it impossible to determine whether panhandling has increased. The department cannot confirm an increase because dispatchers do not consistently categorize and log the calls, making a direct comparison “inconclusive,” Sgt. Robin Green said in written responses to questions. The figures are estimates cover-

and the community, as the Construction on Hyundai facility set to begin ect construction phase is expected to Staff writer

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has approved Hyundai-POSCO’s air permit for its $5.8 billion steel mill, allowing construction to begin on the 1,700-acre site on the west bank of Ascension Parish. The 96-page approval was issued

WEATHER HIGH 84 LOW 60 PAGE 6A

Black voter turnout up in La. BY TYLER BRIDGES

State OKs air permit for $5.8B steel mill BY ANNAKATE FREELAND

Letlow

Davis

Early voting numbers give hope to Davis’ Senate campaign

BY AAMER MADHANI and SAMY MAGDY WASHINGTON — U.S. officials have told several Middle East countries and regional allies to be prepared for potential renewed military action against Iran after next week’s midterm elections in the United States — as well as the possibility that Iran will attempt to retaliate against them, according to two diplomats briefed on the matter. Both of the diplomats spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment about the sensitive warnings conveyed by U.S. diplomats and defense officials. President Donald Trump has not made a final decision on whether to carry out new strikes against Iran, the diplomats stressed. The president, however, has repeatedly said that he is weighing ordering new military action once the critical Tuesday elections in the United States are over. Those threats and the fresh U.S. urgings for allies to prepare for potential retaliation are putting the region on alert that a return to major operations could now be on the horizon. The White House and U.S. officials declined to comment. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday in a post on X that Tehran “continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed” and is working with mediators to review ideas that Tehran included in a proposal floated last month — summarily rejected by Trump — that the Iranians still want to see used as the basis to return to a ceasefire. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates foreign ministry issued a statement urging the sides to “exercise wisdom and pursue political solutions to help contain tensions” and prevent a return to full-scale operations in the war that began in late February. The U.S. has told regional allies

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Friday. The permit is set to expire at midnight on Oct. 23, 2031, unless a renewal is submitted at least six months before. In September, Hyundai held a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant but acknowledged it was not authorized to begin building until the permit was approved. “This milestone marks an important step forward for the proj-

bring significant additional economic growth and opportunities to the area,” said Stephanie Malin, senior manager of media relations for Hyundai-POSCO. The approval comes just six weeks after the public comment period closed on the 2,165-page permit and eight weeks after DEQ hosted a public hearing on the per-

ä See PERMIT, page 3A

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A groundbreaking ceremony for the HyundaiPOSCO Louisiana Steel Mill is held in Ascension Parish on Sept. 4. STAFF FILE PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

102ND YEAR, NO. 121

2A l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

School shooting plot suspects had floor plan ATLANTA — Three people arrested over an alleged plot to carry out a shooting at a Georgia high school had gotten a floor plan of the school and chosen a date to carry it out early next school year, according to arrest warrants. Shane Keith Taylor, 17, and Michael Brandon Terry, 21, had reached an agreement with an unidentified juvenile suspect to provide weapons and had planned outfits and discussed buying body armor, video cameras and combat boots, according to arrest warrants. They chose next Aug. 20 as the date, just a couple of weeks after the first day of school on Aug. 2. The suspects are accused of planning a shooting at Cherokee High School in Canton, about 45 miles north of Atlanta, and are charged with conspiracy to commit murder, police said. The juvenile is also accused of disrupting or interfering with the operation of public schools. A lawyer for Taylor, who is considered an adult under Georgia criminal law, said he had just gotten the case and did not have a comment. Online records show that he was being held without bond and has a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 13. It was not immediately clear whether Terry, who was awaiting transfer from California to Cherokee County, had a lawyer.

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RFK Jr. eases access to peptides FDA scientists oppose the unproven health products

BY MATTHEW PERRONE

AP health writer

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Wednesday acted to ease access to unproven peptide drugs favored by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Food and Drug Administration scientific staffers had little input on the decision and opposed the changes, according to six people familiar with its development. The draft policy posted online by Kennedy’s Department of Health and Human Services covers a handful of injectable peptides promoted within the wellness industry for uses such as building muscle, healing injuries and boosting energy. The government will take comments on the measure for two weeks. The document, primarily written by HHS, faced overwhelming pushback among FDA drug staff-

ers who warned it could undermine the agency’s long-standing mission of keeping unproven health products off the U.S. market, according to the people familiar with its development. The people spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential government deliberations. The policy directs the FDA not to take action against specialty pharmacies that sell a half-dozen wellness peptides, including BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV. Under FDA rules, those chemicals would otherwise be considered illegal drugs because they have not gone through the agency’s rigorous review process for safety and effectiveness. According to the newly posted document, Kennedy determined the change “advances patient choice and freedom” while protecting people in the United States from peptides sold online that are often made

from unscreened ingredients. Kennedy has called himself a “big fan” of peptides and previously described using BPC-157 to treat a muscle injury. Lee Rosebush of the American Academy of Peptide Medicine said in an online post that HHS had taken “a huge step for patient and provider medical freedom.” The group, which is not a medical professional organization, represents people who prescribe or sell peptides. The peptide business has caught the attention of major telehealth providers, including Hims & Hers, which recently announced plans to offer wellness peptides once the government changed its policy. Wall Street analysts estimate the market could be worth more than $2 billion. Some peptides occur naturally in the human body, where they trigger hormones needed for growth, metabolism and healing. Drug companies have brought several to

Mason-Dixon map going up for auction BY ALLEN G. BREED AP national writer

Mali drone strike kills 13 near border

BAMAKO, Mali — At least 13 civilians were killed in an overnight drone strike by Mali’s military earlier this week near the border with Mauritania, local human rights activists and a separatist armed group said Wednesday. The Malian military said in a statement Wednesday that it had targeted terrorists “gathered under cover.” Mali has been plagued for over a decade by al-Qaida-linked militants, including the JNIM alliance, and fighters affiliated with the Islamic State group, as well as a Tuareg separatist rebellion in the north. “They had taken care to hide their motorcycles in an isolated location separate from their gathering place,” the military statement said. “After confirming the target, the position was successfully struck.” A local human rights official said a Tuareg camp was bombed overnight Sunday into Monday in the town of Hassi Laghdaf near the border with Mauritania. “The bombs struck two tents and killed 13 people in their sleep, including women and children,” Tilla Ag Zeini, secretary-general of the Kal Akal Association, said. Ag Zeini said the motorcycles belonged to a family of civilians from the Tuareg community, which he described as “peaceful.”

U.S. imposes sanctions on Rwandan ministry

DAKAR, Senegal — The U.S. imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s defense ministry on Wednesday over the country’s involvement in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where fighting continues between the Congolese government and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels despite peace efforts from the Trump administration. The sanctions come after a U.S.mediated peace agreement was signed late last year by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Washington, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on the Rwandan ministry of defense, which it said “deployed thousands of troops across eastern DRC’s North and South Kivu provinces, where they conduct operations alongside M23 and provide the armed group with military equipment, supplies, logistical support, and training.” Rwanda’s government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told The Associated Press that “Rwanda remains ready to fully implement the Washington Accords, concurrently with the willingness of the DRC to fulfill those commitments, and with the mediator holding all parties accountable.” She said the commitments from the DRC “are wholly unmet, and with no accountability,” including the promise to neutralize forces.

market as medications, including mainstay treatments for diabetes and weight loss. The chemicals subject to the new policy have not been approved as safe and effective by the FDA. Still, they are promoted for a range of medical uses, including insomnia, anxiety, inflammatory conditions and migraines. Dr. Peter Lurie, a former FDA official, noted that the FDA has approved rigorously tested drugs for all of those conditions. As people “are diverted from those drugs toward this stuff, there will be more unnecessary pain and suffering,” said Lurie, who now leads the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. He also questioned the timing of the change, days before the midterm election. “This is a wink and nod to the MAHA faithful in the hope that they’ll show up at the polls,” said Lurie, referring to Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MANU FERNANDEZ

Emergency services work at the scene of a collision between two trains in Urda, Spain, on Wednesday. A train operated by the state-owned RENFE company struck the rear of another train operated by private company IRYO that was stopped.

High-speed train wreck kills at least 68 in Spain

rail system operator ADIF said Collision is second deadly theSpain’s crash occurred Wednesday morning in the central province of Toledo, involving rail crash this year two high-speed trains carrying hundreds

BY JOSEPH WILSON and ALICIA LEÓN Associated Press

URDA, Spain — A high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks in Spain Wednesday, killing at least 68 people and injuring dozens in the second deadly rail collision this year. The regional government of Castilla La Mancha confirmed the death toll and said another 58 people were receiving medical treatment at hospitals. Rescue workers searched the wreckage through the day for survivors and bodies. The collision came just nine months after another deadly crash involving highspeed trains operated by the same two companies in southern Spain in January. “Today all of Spain is grieving,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said from the crash site, where he announced that his government would declare three days of national mourning. Sánchez called for increased safety measures to restore confidence in a highspeed rail system that was once a source of national pride. “It is unacceptable for a country like Spain to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in the same year,” said Sánchez, who faces a national election on Nov. 29.

of passengers and heading south in the same direction from Madrid to Seville. A train operated by the state-owned RENFE company struck the rear of another train operated by private company IRYO that was stopped. The collision derailed two carriages on the tail of the IRYO train and the front of the RENFE train. Samy Paul, a British tourist, described the shock of the impact to The Associated Press after being rescued from the RENFE train. “Suddenly, everything started falling apart. Bang! We fell down,” he said. “We realized carriage two, carriage one, all gone, all smashed. There was blood all over.” David Gómez, a construction worker, was working nearby when he heard the crash and ran to help, he told the newspaper El País. “People were trying to get out through the windows ... We cut through some fences to access the area and treated people with the first-aid kits we had brought until emergency services arrived,” he said. “As I was trying to pull a young woman out, there was a piece of a leg.” Rail service was suspended between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia.

Dolores Huerta, influential labor leader, civil rights icon, dies at 96 BY SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press

Dolores Huerta, the legendary labor organizer whose advocacy improved conditions for migrant farm workers in the nation’s fruit and vegetable fields and persuaded presidents to do more for women’s equality and immigrant rights, died Wednesday. She was 96. Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union with César Chavez, was celebrated for her enduring rallying cry “Sí, se puede!” — which translates to “Yes, it can be done!” She died of cancer at

was marching in protests and encouraging activists to keep speaking out about race, poverty and LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. “It seems like history continues to repeat itself,” she told The Associated Press in August. “You see what’s AP FILE PHOTO happening right now in our country, and we know that United Farm Workers people have to stand up.” leader Dolores Huerta, Huerta’s resolve cementleads a rally in San ed her place in history as Francisco’s Mission one of the nation’s most inDistrict in 1988. fluential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist her home in Bakersfield, activists. Her three-word California, surrounded by Spanish-language slogan family, said Erik Olvera, a was grounded in the belief that people who take action family spokesperson. Well into her 90s, Huerta can affect change.

It’s perhaps the most consequential map in American history. And it could be yours. The hand-drawn chart of the Mason-Dixon Line that eventually divided the free from the slave states is going up for auction. Remounted on backing made of Japanese rice paper, the document will go on sale Thursday in a livestreamed auction. “It’s not that often that you can really get this close to something that is so historically important,” said Lauren Brunk, vice president of Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina. “And it was aweinspiring, really.” Brunk estimates it could fetch anywhere from $800,000 to $1.2 million for the anonymous seller. The survey by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon was originally meant to settle a border dispute between the then-colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania. But when it was

used in the 1820 Missouri Compromise to establish the limits of human bondage in the still adolescent United States, it became synonymous with the fundamental divisions that exploded into civil war four decades later. “The Mason-Dixon Line that most Americans know is this dividing line between the northern free states and the southern slaveholding states,” Brunk said. “But the line was not drawn for that reason.” A popular theory is that the term “Dixie” comes from Dixon, though the true origin is disputed. Soon after it was drawn, the linen-backed strip of paper — 76 inches long and 6.5 inches tall — was given to the family of attorney Benjamin Chew, who represented the descendants of Pennsylvania founder William Penn. The map remained in the family’s hands until 1982, when late publisher Malcolm S. Forbes outbid the Library of Congress and bought it for $360,000, Brunk said.

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PANHANDLING Continued from page 1A

Residents have raised safety concerns about people soliciting money at busy south Lafayette intersections, including Camellia Boulevard and Johnston Street, KLFY reported. The station also reported unverified claims that people were living under the Camellia Boulevard bridge, amid attention to the area’s unhoused population following recent motel closures. Green said police received a complaint about the bridge. The

department’s community engagement lieutenant, police chief and deputy chief each visited the site but found no one living there. Green said panhandling poses safety, traffic and social risks to people soliciting and to the wider community. Soliciting on medians and at busy intersections raises the chance of crashes, she said, because drivers who stop unexpectedly in active lanes risk causing rear-end collisions. Police recorded one fatal crash this year in which a driver had a medical emergency, left the roadway and struck a pedestrian holding a sign on the sidewalk along Southeast Evangeline Thruway,

Green said. She did not say whether the pedestrian was asking for money. The department does not track near-misses, she said, because they are rarely reported. Although the department cannot confirm that panhandling has increased, Green said reports indicate that people soliciting money earn more on Lafayette’s south side. She attributed the apparent increase in panhandlers “largely to the community’s generosity.” She said linking the panhandler increase to recent motel closures is “complex,” and “assuming every panhandler is unhoused is inaccurate and unfair.” She did not say whether the police have seen a

The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l 3A

change in calls since the closures. Lafayette Consolidated Government launched its “Change the Way We Give” campaign in July, urging residents to support local nonprofits rather than give money at intersections. The initiative is part of the administration’s broader effort to address homelessness through housing, behavioral health services and outreach. The city has also encouraged residents to report nonemergency concerns through the Acadiana Regional Coalition on Homelessness and Housing’s outreach system so workers can connect people with available services. According to Green, the department balances First Amendment

TURNOUT

are expressing their dissatisfaction at the ballot box.” The overall turnout of early voters of 522,000 this year was the highest in a nonpresidential election since 2008, when early voting began to be popular in Louisiana, said John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge-based pollster and political analyst. Digging into the numbers, Couvillon found several positive results for Davis: The turnout of voters in heavily blue Orleans Parish and purple Jefferson Parish was 73% higher than in 2022, when Louisiana last held a Senate election. But the turnout in red Tangipahoa and St. Tammany parishes was only 43% higher, Couvillon found. Yet another positive sign for Davis: Democrats held the edge over Republicans during early voting, 42%-39%, noted Greg Rigamer, a New Orleans-based pollster and political analyst. Because a chunk of Democrats typically vote Republican, Rigamer expects that Democrats and

Republicans will essentially cancel each other out on Election Day. “Independents will tip the scale, absolutely,” Rigamer said, noting they account for about 28% of the electorate, while Republicans and Democrats each account for about 36% apiece. Couvillon said his polling in various races around Louisiana shows 10% to 20% of Republican voters defecting to Davis — numbers that make him competitive with Letlow. But to win, Davis must overcome a strong conservative tide in Louisiana that has led Republican candidates to win the last five Senate elections since 2010. In a Democrat’s best finish since then, Sen. Mary Landrieu lost her reelection in 2014 by 12 points. Randal Gaines, the Democratic state chair, told listeners on WBOK that he spoke on Tuesday with Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, about Davis’ race. But no national Democratic money has come to Louisiana so far. Letlow’s team expressed confidence.

In the meantime, Davis came under attack from an ad by the Accountability Project, a super PAC run by political operatives connected with Gov. Jeff Landry that slammed state Treasurer John Fleming during the Republican primary election with commercials that Fleming said were dishonest and misleading. Roy Fletcher, a longtime political strategist in Baton Rouge who works for Democrats and Republicans, including Fleming, said Let-

low’s side broadcast the ad to rally conservatives to vote. “They have a problem,” Fletcher said. “It’s called turnout.” In the ad, viewers see an image of Davis walking slowly toward the camera until his face takes up half the screen. In 30 seconds, the ad says that “California and New York are bankrolling his campaign.” Information provided by the Accountability Project says the two are his top fundraising states. The ad also says Davis wants “gun rights taken away,” favors “socialized medicine,” wants “illegals to become citizens,” wants “ICE eliminated” and favors “weakened sentences for criminals.” The group — which is run by conservative political operatives Jay Connaughton and Jason Hebert — cites various comments from Davis earlier this year on its website. In an interview two weeks ago with conservative talk radio host Joe Cunningham in Lafayette, Davis said he carries a rifle with him when he drives around his farm in case he spots a feral hog. “I have to open up on them,” Davis said. “I’m a gun-packing Democrat.” During that same interview, Davis said, “I want the borders closed.” In an interview earlier this month with The Times-Picayune | The Advocate, he said he wants U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus on “criminals” and that undocumented immigrants who have been in the country without violating the law for 10 years “should have a fair way of becoming a citizen.” The Davis campaign contested the ad’s claims on Wednesday. “Instead of debating Jamie Davis, Julia Letlow is hiding behind dark-money groups pushing a distorted version of his record, including ads featuring a fake, AI-generated image of Jamie,” the Davis campaign said. “She wouldn’t enter this race without Trump’s endorsement, she won’t defend her own record in a debate, and now she’s relying on a super PAC’s last-minute desperate attacks rather than answering for her own decisions.”

complicated. The conflict has spread, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels carrying out attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure and airports. A Saudi-led coalition has responded with its own deadly attacks on Houthi-held territory in Yemen. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Gulf nations being briefed to be prepared for potential escalation by the U.S. It’s unclear how soon after Election Day that the U.S. military would be ready to potentially resume strikes. The Pentagon late last month deployed the USS Theodore Roosevelt, along with a series of amphibious landing ships with Marines aboard — roughly 9,000 troops in all — from San Diego to

the Persian Gulf to bolster the U.S. military in the region. At the time, one U.S. official said this deployment could lead to an unusually high naval presence of more than 20,000 sailors and Marines, as well as hundreds of aircraft, in the region, which has only occurred a handful of times in the last two decades. The Navy had three carrier strike groups in the Middle East in April for the first time since 2003. Trump, who has focused in recent weeks on campaigning for Republicans ahead of the Nov. 3 elections, has been evasive about what he plans to do next with Iran. The war has proved to be a heavy weight on Republican candidates as they make their case to voters who are fatigued by rising

gasoline prices, a byproduct of the war that’s driven up costs across nearly every sector in the global economy. The cost of fighting the Iran war to American taxpayers has grown to $47.1 billion, according to the latest estimate the Pentagon has provided to Congress. While campaigning for Republicans, Trump has consistently assured voters that the war’s end is near, while also threatening that a new round of bombing could be coming once the election passes. During a campaign stop in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, Trump said a conclusive end to the eightmonth-old conflict could be coming “in a couple of weeks, if you don’t mind.” “Somebody asked me before,

when will the war in Iran end?” Trump said earlier in the same address. “I said, ‘Whenever I want it to end.’ It’ll be very quick, but we have to have it end properly, with total and complete — a total statement, they will never have a nuclear weapon.” Trump may be looking at a postelection timeline for possible action, but the region is on edge that Tehran could do something provocative before then — especially if they feel U.S. actions is imminent, said Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank. “Why would they wait until after the elections here ... if they could initiate it and potentially gain the upper hand?” he said.

them in six weeks. It’s not possible,” she said. According to the approval document, the permit was “approved on the basis of the emissions reported, and the approval in no way guarantees the design scheme presented will be capable of controlling the emissions as to the types and quantities stated.” The permit was processed on an expedited basis, which allows applicants to pay for overtime or outside contractors so the state can speed up the review, a process Rolfes has criticized, arguing it reflects a broader trend of complex industrial permitting decisions being moved through the state with limited public scrutiny. “It is a rubber-stamp agency intended to let industry have its way with Louisiana. We understand they are not — despite its name, it is not an agency that protects peo-

ple, and I think what’s especially concerning in this case is now the speed at which they are handing out permits,” Rolfes said. The Sierra Club, the largest environmental group in the U.S., said DEQ did not require Hyundai to significantly reduce pollution. “Hyundai Steel says it wants to be a catalyst for the future steel industry and hydrogen ecosystem, but its air permit tells a different story. The company made some improvements to its facility in response to public pressure, but it needs to do more to reduce dangerous pollution through electrification and make a firm commitment to green hydrogen,” Sierra Club campaign director Matthew Miles Goodrich said in a statement. In May, Hyundai made significant changes to its air permit following months of criticism from environmental groups, reducing

predicted greenhouse gas and smog-forming emissions. In the permit, Hyundai proposed replacing nine natural gas industrial heaters with electric heaters and adding two additional selective catalytic reduction systems designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions The plant is scheduled to begin operations in 2029. Once complete, the facility is expected to produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually, with the goal of every Hyundai vehicle manufactured in the U.S. being made with steel produced in Ascension Parish. “The approval of Hyundai Steel’s air permit is an important milestone because it allows this historic investment to move from plans into construction. That’s when communities really begin to see the economic impact: Jobs ramp up, Louisiana contractors

and suppliers gain new opportunities, and increased activity flows to businesses throughout the region,” Emma Wagner, a spokesperson for Louisiana Economic Development, said in a statement. “This is what we mean when we talk about momentum in action. Major investments like this create ripple effects that strengthen local businesses, workers and communities during the build-out and for decades to come.” The mill is a collaboration between two South Korean manufacturing giants. Hyundai is the world’s third-largest automobile maker and POSCO is the seventhlargest steel producer. The project will bring 1,300 permanent jobs with an average salary of $95,000. It is also expected to generate 4,800 construction jobs at its peak building phase and 4,100 indirect jobs.

Continued from page 1A day were willing to say that Davis on Tuesday would defeat Letlow, a third-term member of the U.S. House. But most of them believe that Davis has transformed a romp for Letlow into a tight battle. “He’s been a strong candidate,” acknowledged Derek Babcock, the chair of the Louisiana Republican Party, during an interview Wednesday on WBOK-AM in New Orleans. Scott Wilfong, a veteran Republican political operative in Baton Rouge, predicted Wednesday that Letlow would outpace Davis by six to 10 points — a much closer result than what he expected a few weeks ago. Speaking with talk show host Jim Engster on WRKF-FM in Baton Rouge, Wilfong cautioned that Davis has no guarantee that on Election Day he will replicate his strong showing during the early voting period.

By the numbers The figures released by the Secretary of State’s Office on Wednesday show that Black voters accounted for 34.4% of the early voters — yet their share of the overall electorate is only 31.3%. Davis needs to receive at least 90% of the Black vote to win on Tuesday, while collecting about 30% of the White vote, according to the conventional formula for a Democrat to triumph, which also calls for a Black voter share of at least 32%. The problem for Democrats is that the turnout of Black voters usually lags their share of the electorate. Trey Ourso, a veteran Democratic political operative, noted that when then-Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, was narrowly reelected in 2019, his team was thrilled when Black voters accounted for 31.3% of the early voters. The 34.4% share this year, he said, “says there is a lot of enthusiasm among minority voters, which corresponds with everything we’re seeing around the country. People

FIGHTING

Continued from page 1A that the new round of military action could last for several days, but regional officials are bracing for Iran and its proxy groups to retaliate — leading to a fight that could last even longer, the diplomats said. The allies have also been urged by U.S. officials to take precautionary measures in anticipation that Iran’s response will include retaliatory strikes on energy facilities and other crucial infrastructure. While the U.S. has not carried out a strike against Iran since early September, the situation in the Middle East has become more

PERMIT

Continued from page 1A mit. The four-hour hearing drew divided views. Some touted the economic benefits the mill would create for the area, while others argued it would compromise their health, safety and quality of life. Anne Rolfes, director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an environmental group that has sued several state agencies over the Hyundai project, questions the unusual speed in which DEQ was able to approve a permit for a project as big as Hyundai’s. “A number of organizations, including ours, that had complex comments found significant holes and flaws in the permit, and there’s just no way that they both considered these comments and fixed

rights with public safety, traffic rules and community concerns. Police intervene when solicitation turns coercive, such as touching, following, threats or pounding on car windows. They also enforce no-trespass orders at private storefronts and work with mental health, substance abuse and housing outreach teams when a call suggests the need. Green urged residents to support local organizations directly instead of giving money at roadsides. Volunteering, serving a meal, donating supplies or giving to local nonprofits can help address panhandling “safely and effectively,” she said.

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK

Early voting results in Louisiana showed a big overall turnout so far, with more Democrats voting than Republicans and a disproportionately large share of Black voters casting ballots.

“Julia Letlow is going to win because she has a proven record of delivering real results for Louisiana,” her campaign said in a statement. “Louisianans know she has secured hundreds of millions for our communities, fought for parents’ rights in education, and worked to lower costs for working families, a record that stands in stark contrast to an opponent who would be nothing more than a rubber stamp for Chuck Schumer and the radical left.”

Attack ad begins

4A l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

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Trump, Vance, Obama make closing stretch appeals Campaigns hope to sway voters in pivotal states

BY MIKE CATALINI and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

President Donald Trump’s whirlwind campaign to keep Republicans in control of Congress after next week’s midterm elections was returning to Ohio on Wednesday for the third time in a month, while former President Barack Obama is rallying Georgia Democrats. With Election Day looming, Trump is keeping his focus on states that he won handily two years ago as Americans confront record fuel prices, rising costs and an unpopular war in Iran. Vice President JD Vance also hit the road, heading to North Carolina, where Republicans have been pessimistic about retaining a Senate seat. Former national party chair Michael Whatley faces Democrat Roy Cooper, a former governor, in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. “I don’t just want the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY PAUL SANCYA

Former President Barack Obama speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at Cass Technical High School on President Donald Trump dances at a campaign rally at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center on Tuesday in Lubbock, Texas. Saturday in Detroit. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY ALEX BRANDON

American dream for me or for my generation. I want it for you, and I want it for the generation that comes after us. I want young people to be able to afford a home. I want my kids to raise a family in a country that is vibrant and thriving and free and prosperous,” the vice president said during an airport rally in Kinston, North Carolina. He accused Copper of working for “far-left activists,” and said, “I want the simple things,” adding, “I don’t want the government to do everything for me. I

don’t want the government to be my nanny.”

Trump sticks to red states Trump’s stops in the closing stretch of the campaign reflect Republicans’ defensive posture as the party’s finances — and the president’s signature super PAC, MAGA Inc. — have helped sustain candidates. He visited Mississippi on Monday and made yet another trip to Texas on Tuesday, and plans to be in South Carolina, Florida, Kansas and Iowa in the coming days. The last Democratic pres-

Netanyahu, top rival will need to build coalition allies

Early results indicate party has 16.2%. Arab-led had 15%. no clear majority in parties Results indicate that neither Netanyahu’s nor Eisenparliament kot’s coalition blocs would BY CARA ANNA, AREEJ HAZBOUN and AUDREY HOROWITZ Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Israelis braced for perhaps weeks of political uncertainty Wednesday after an election that has challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s grip on power and raised the almost unthinkable possibility of some Jewish and Arab parties teaming up in an effort to unseat him. Final election results could come as early as Thursday evening, though no clear winner is expected to emerge. Arab-led parties made a historic showing, but it’s not clear if the other opponents of Netanyahu’s far-right government would form a coalition with them to reach a majority of seats in parliament. Issues around the Palestinians and their descendants remain incredibly sensitive, and Israelis are already renewing a debate about the identity of the nation founded as a state for the Jewish people. On Wednesday, Netanyahu warned against a “dangerous government” that might include Arab parties, whose constituents make up 20% of Israel’s population. And even as it leads in the vote count, Netanyahu’s Likud party claimed that Tuesday’s election was “stolen” by Arab parties and asked Israeli authorities to investigate. It did not provide specific evidence to support its claims. The elections committee has said that reports about irregularities were much lower than in previous elections. Netanyahu seeks to remain the country’s longestserving prime minister. His top challenger, centrist former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, has left the door open to partnering with Arab parties under certain conditions, including their recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and of Hamas as an extremist group. Some of Eisenkot’s likely partners have ruled out such an alliance but could change their minds to force Netanyahu from office. Another much-debated option among Israelis is a unity government with Netanyahu and Eisenkot. Israeli voters choose parties, not individuals. With 88% of votes counted, Netanyahu’s Likud party has 20.7% and Eisenkot’s Yashar

reach the 61 seats needed for a majority in parliament, the 120-seat Knesset. Local media projected 53 seats for Likud and allied parties, 48 for Yashar and allied parties and 19 for Arab-led parties.

Netanyahu faces setback Counting absentee ballots will last until Thursday evening, said Elad Naveh, control manager at the Central Elections Committee. There are an estimated half-million of them from military personnel and diplomats. They are not expected to significantly change the results. Nearly 78% of eligible voters turned out, the highest since 1999. Voting reflected unease over Netanyahu’s alliance with the far-right and anger in a war-weary nation over military draft exemptions for the significant ultra-Orthodox Jewish population. The Likud party’s share of the vote declined from 23.4% in 2022. But results suggest opponents were unable to capitalize on the grief caused by the Hamasled Oct. 7, 2023, attack to decisively push him from office. One far-right partner losing support was national security minister Itamar BenGvir. For many Israelis, he represented the worst strain of Netanyahu’s government, openly taunting Palestinian detainees and asserting that many in Gaza are “not even people.” Vote-counting suggested Likud would remain the largest party and most likely to be tapped to form a government by Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog. The president, however, isn’t required to task the leader of the party holding the most seats. “We must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections,” Herzog said Wednesday. The most obvious path to a parliamentary majority could involve Eisenkot partnering with Arab-led parties, but that’s politically challenging. If no one can put together a majority coalition, new elections could be held early next year. Israel held five elections between April 2019 and November 2022 because of a similar stalemate. It is unclear whether thousands of Israelis living abroad would again fly back home to vote, and whether Arab voters would again surge to the polls.

ident to serve two terms, Obama is increasingly campaigning for his party, acting as a foil to Trump. In Michigan recently, Obama criticized the Republican over his White House renovations and for becoming wealthier while in office. Obama, meanwhile, is appearing in Georgia with former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is seeking to become the first Black woman elected governor in the United States, and Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for reelection and is considered a potential future presi-

dential candidate. In Ohio, the Republican ticket includes wealthy biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy for governor and Sen. Jon Husted, who hopes to fulfill the remainder of Vance’s term. Husted, who played football in college, has been the recipient of Trump’s lavish praise for Republican candidates’ physical appearance, and the president often diverts into tangents about the senator’s physique no matter where he is campaigning. Former Sen. Sherrod

Brown is the Democratic nominee. Ramaswamy faces former public health official Amy Acton. His campaign has created a late-season controversy over an ad it ran, with Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calling her daughter “a liar” who “needs help” due to “a serious problem” being honest about her past. Arthur has not seen her daughter in nearly 50 years and lost custody of her children after her husband, the children’s stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton when she was 12. Acton, Ohio’s former state health director, says she has not seen her mother since 1978. Trump backed the ad but other Republicans, including Husted, have distanced themselves from it. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who appeared with the president in Texas on Tuesday, where Trump coaxed him on stage, pulled down plans to travel to the Ohio rally, according to a State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity because Rubio’s schedule had never been formally released.

.theacadianaadvocate.com Announcements Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Glinda S. Caston, please Contact the law office of Garrison Youn Forte & Mulcahy At 504-527-0100 or lprestigiacomo@garrisonyount.com. 204695-Oct 22 & 29, 2t $131.20 Charles Curtis and Wanda Curtis d/b/a CWC Bar & Pool is applying to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of St. Landry at the following address: 320 Church Street, Melville, LA 71353. Charles Curtis and Wanda Curtis CWC Bar & Pool Members: Charles Curtis, Wanda Curtis 205284 Oct. 29 1t $99.22 I AM APPLYING to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell alcoholic beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of Lafayette at the following address: Fete Brewing Company, LLC d/b/a Fete Brewing Company for the premises located at 1001 Savoy Rd., Units 4 & 5, Youngsville, LA 70592. /s/David Lafranca, member 205219 Oct. 29 1t $95.98

Public Notices

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following ordinance was adopted at a regular meeting of the City Coun‐ of the City of cil Louisiana, Youngsville, held on October 8, 2026. ********** The following Ordinance was offered by Lindy Bol‐ giano and seconded by Niland, as Nicholas amended: ORDINANCE NO. 519-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, AMENDING LOUISIANA THE CODE OF ORDI‐ NANCES CHAPTER 130 USE REGULA‐ “LAND TIONS” AS IT RELATES TO REGULATIONS OF BARS, LOUNGES AND NIGHT‐ CLUBS. BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the of Youngsville, City of Lafayette, Parish that: Louisiana WHEREAS, the City Coun‐ of the City of cil Youngsville desires to amend the Youngsville of Ordinances, Code Chapter 130 “Land Use Section Regulations”, 130-2 “Definitions”; and WHEREAS, the City Coun‐ of the City of cil Youngsville desires to amend the Youngsville of Ordinances, Code Chapter 130 “Land Use Section Regulations”, 130-4 “Land use types”; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Youngsville desires to amend the Youngsville of Ordinances, Code Chapter 130 “Land Use Section Regulations”, 130-5 “Requirements, re‐ and re‐ strictions, sponses”. NOW, THERE‐ FORE, BE IT FURTHER OR‐ DAINED, by the City Council of the City of Youngsville, Parish of Lafayette, Louisiana that: SECTION 1: All of the aforedescribed “WHEREAS” clauses are herein adopted as part of this Ordinance. SECTION 2: The City of Youngsville of Ordinances, Code Chapter 130 “Land Use Section Regulations”, “Definitions” is 130-2 hereby amended as fol‐ lows: When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, un‐ less the context indi‐ cates a different mean‐ ing: Agricultural means land devoted to the pro‐ duction for sale, in rea‐ sonable quantities, of plants and animals, or their products, useful to man, and agricultural land under a contract with a state or federal agency restricting its use for agricultural produc‐ tion. Bar, lounge, or nightclub means an es‐ tablishment principally engaged in the sale of al‐ coholic beverages for i h

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Legal Notices

Legal Notices

g consumption on the premises, including an establishment in which alcoholic beverages con‐ the primary stitute source of gross revenue, whether or not food, en‐ tertainment, or dancing is also provided. The term does not include a restaurant as defined in this section. Restaurant means an establishment whose principal business is the preparation and service of food to the public for consumption on or off the premises. An establishment selling alcoholic beverages shall qualify as a restaurant for purposes of this chapter only if it meets the restaurant establish‐ ment requirements of R.S. 26:73(C)(1) or R.S. 26:272 (C)(1), as applica‐ ble. Buffer means a buffer is adjacent land, and is in addition to a greenbelt. Buffers pro‐ vide distance between the development and an‐ other land use, and can be developed (with an‐ other land use), be va‐ cant, be barren, be treed, or be agricultural, etc. Fence. A fence, for the purpose of this chapter, shall be constructed of solid, rigid material, and be completely non-trans‐ parent, and all portions of uniform color, includ‐ ing posts. The uniform color shall be white or black, or any shade of beige, brown, or gray, or dark green; the color shall be approved by the administrator planning or his designee prior to installation of the enclo‐ sure. All portions of the fence shall be of uniform color, including posts. A fence shall be of uniform height, and a minimum of six feet tall, and shall be of uniform construc‐ tion. It shall be able to withstand wind loads and other requirements established by the cur‐ rent International Build‐ ing Code. The fence shall not contain any poster, graphics, or advertising of any kind; unless man‐ dated by federal or state law, signs shall comply with the requirements of chapter 145, the sign or‐ Greenbelt dinance. means an area of prop‐ erty that encircles the development. The green‐ belt will be provided as part of the development tract and shall com‐ pletely surround the area used for the land use, and shall have a mini‐ mum of 40 Type "A" trees or 80 Type "B" trees per acre and maintained on a regular basis in accor‐ dance with the require‐ ments of chapter 12, arti‐ cle II, the noxious weeds ordinance. (1) Type "A" trees are trees that nor‐ mally grow to an overall height of approximately 50 feet, shall be a mini‐ mum two-inch caliper and minimum height of 12 feet when planted, and include, but are not limited to, the following: southern magnolia, pine, live oak, willow oak, bald cypress, and elm. Other species may be consid‐ d ( )

p y ered. (2) Type "B" trees are trees that normally grow to an overall height of approximately 25 feet, shall be a minimum of 1½-inch caliper and mini‐ mum height of ten feet when planted, and in‐ clude, but are not limited to, the following: river cedar, redbud, birch, dogwood, mayhaw, silver bell, crape myrtle, sweet‐ bay magnolia, wax myr‐ tle, and sweet olive. Other species may be considered. Light pollu‐ tion means excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light that may disrupt the activity, com‐ fort, or balance of human or animal life. Planning administrator means an individual appointed by the mayor, and shall be the administrator of this chapter. The administra‐ tor has no authority to waive any portion of this chapter. Final authority on all matters rest with the mayor and the city council. Strip mall means a one-story building and its amenities, where the building houses multiple tenants, and the parking and drives are shared by all tenants. Visual barrier means a method of blocking the view of a development from an‐ other land use. The method used may be fencing, landscaping, or other means proposed by the developer and ap‐ proved by the planning administrator. SECTION 3: The City of Youngsville of Ordinances, Code Chapter 130 “Land Use Section Regulations”, 130-4 “Land use types” is hereby amended by re‐ vising subsection (b)(5) as follows: (5) General business land use (GB). The primary intended land use is business, in‐ cluding air conditioning and services, sales amusements (commer‐ cial), animal hospitals, auditoriums, automotive parts sales, automotive automotive sales, rentals, automotive re‐ pairs, automotive service stations, car washes, drive-in establishments, electric contractors and wholesalers, electric re‐ exterminators, pair, glass stores, hotels and motels, laundry, lounges, nightclubs or barrooms (subject to section 1305(s) including its geo‐ graphic exemptions from city council approval), marine stores, motorcy‐ cle sales and services, signs, pawn off-site shops, pet stores, plumb‐ ing shops, printing and publishing, radio and television broadcasting studios and transmitters, radio and television re‐ pair, restaurant supply sales, retail manufactur‐ ing, seafood markets, shops, storage sign taxidermists, garages, trailer sales, travel trailer parks, antique shops, ap‐ and accessory parel shops, dance studios, in‐ terior decorators, jewelry manufacturing, jewelry stores, personal service shops, seamstresses or dressmakers or tailors,

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Legal Notices

and stationery stores, bakeries, banks, busi‐ nesses and/or profes‐ sional colleges, catering clinics, dairy shops, sales, deli‐ product catessens, diaper ser‐ vices, drive-through es‐ tablishments, dry goods stores, fix-it shops, fruit and/or vegetable stands, funeral homes, furniture repair, gasoline or diesel fuel sales (retail), gro‐ cery stores, gymnasi‐ haberdasheries, ums, hardware stores (retail), hospitals and/or sanitari‐ leather stores, ums, liquor sales (package), loan offices, nursing or convalescent homes, of‐ supplies, optical fice and/or surgical supply stores, parking garages or lots, printing and graphics, reducing sa‐ lons and/or health clubs, restaurants, shoe stores, sporting goods stores, strip malls, studios for work or professional teaching, tailor shops, theaters, toy stores, uni‐ form sales, variety sales, YMCA/YWCA, appliance stores, automobile deal‐ erships (franchised, with related services) depart‐ ment stores, dry clean‐ garden supply ers, stores, paint stores, post offices, and public of‐ fices (state, local, and federal). SECTION 4: The City of Youngsville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130 “Land Use Regula‐ tions”, Section 130-5 “Re‐ quirements, restrictions, and responses” is hereby amended by adding sub‐ section (s) as follows: (s) requirements, Specific and re‐ restrictions for bars, sponses lounges, and nightclubs. (1) Except for the geo‐ graphic exemptions pro‐ vided herein, no new bar, lounge, or nightclub shall be established, opened, relocated, expanded, or issued land-use approval within the city unless first approved by the city council at a public meet‐ ing. City council approval under this subsection shall not be required for a bar, lounge, or night‐ club otherwise qualifying as a General Business land use and located within any of the follow‐ ing areas: (a) The Major Arterial District associ‐ ated with Youngsville Highway, limited to the segment between Am‐ bassador Caffery Park‐ way and Fortune Road; (b) The Major Arterial District associated with Chemin Metairie Park‐ way; (c) The Metairie Centre development; or (d) The commercial de‐ velopment located at 327 Iberia Street. (e) Ambas‐ sador Caffery. Establish‐ ments within these areas be reviewed shall through the otherwise applicable General Busi‐ ness land-use process and remain subject to all applicable requirements, conflictrestrictions, level provisions, buffers, setbacks, greenbelts, requirements, parking and other provisions of this chapter. Outside these areas, city council l h ll b

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Legal Notices

Legal Notices

y approval shall be re‐ quired only where the use is otherwise eligible under this chapter. City council approval under this subsection shall not waive any otherwise ap‐ plicable requirement of this chapter. (2) An appli‐ cant seeking city council approval under this sub‐ section shall submit to the planning administra‐ tor, in addition to all other required materials, the proposed floor plan maximum occu‐ and pancy; hours of opera‐ tion; parking and sharedparking information; pro‐ posed outdoor seating or entertainment; type and of amplified location music; security and light‐ ing plan; anticipated per‐ of revenue centages from alcoholic beverages and from food and nonal‐ coholic beverages; and the location of any exist‐ ing bar, lounge, or night‐ club within 500 feet of the proposed premises. In determining (3) whether to approve the use, the city council shall consider the concentra‐ tion of existing bars, lounges, and nightclubs in the surrounding area; the combined nighttime parking demand of all uses sharing the site or parking area; traffic cir‐ culation and ingress and egress; noise and hours of operation; proximity and compatibility with residential uses; lighting, and publicsecurity, impacts; and safety whether reasonable con‐ ditions can mitigate any adverse impacts upon neighboring property or the public health, safety, and welfare. (4) The city council may approve, ap‐ prove subject to reason‐ able site-specific condi‐ tions, or deny the re‐ quest. Conditions may address hours of opera‐ tion, occupancy, parking, outdoor activity, ampli‐ fied sound, lighting, se‐ curity, buffering, and other impacts identified during review. Any denial or condition of approval shall be based upon one or more of the factors identified in paragraph (3), with the identified impact and the basis for the decision stated in the record. Conditions shall be reasonably related to mitigating an identified land-use or public-safety impact of the proposed use. Approval shall apply to the premises and op‐ erational plan presented to the city council. A change in ownership alone shall not require renewed land-use ap‐ provided the proval premises and approved operational plan remain substantially unchanged. This provision does not waive any alcoholic-bev‐ erage permit or licensing requirement applicable to the new owner. (5) A restaurant shall not be subject to this subsec‐ tion solely because it sells alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. The planning administrator may re‐ quire reasonable docu‐ i f f d

q mentation of food-ser‐ vice operations and rev‐ enue percentages to de‐ termine whether an es‐ tablishment qualifies as a restaurant under sec‐ tion 130-2. (6) This sub‐ section shall not require initial or renewed city council approval for a bar, lounge, or nightclub lawfully operating before its effective date, unless the establishment is re‐ located, physically ex‐ panded, or materially changes its occupancy, hours, outdoor activity, entertainment, or man‐ ner of operation. For an lawfully establishment operating before the ef‐ fective date without a city council-approved op‐ erational plan, its lawful operating characteristics on the effective date shall serve as the base‐ line for determining a material change. A mate‐ rial change means a change reasonably ex‐ pected to increase or alter the land-use im‐ pacts considered under paragraph (3), including impacts associated with occupancy, parking, traf‐ fic, noise, outdoor activ‐ ity, hours of operation, security, or neighboring properties. A change in ownership alone shall not require initial or re‐ newed city council ap‐ proval if the premises and operating character‐ istics remain substan‐ tially unchanged. Initial or renewed city council approval shall not be re‐ quired under this sub‐ section for an establish‐ ment located within an exempt area identified in paragraph (1), provided the proposed use or change otherwise com‐ plies with this chapter. Nothing in this subsec‐ tion relieves an estab‐ lishment from complying with alcoholic-beverage permitting, occupational licensing, building, fire, noise, or other applicable requirements. SECTION 5: All Ordinances, or parts thereof, in conflict here‐ with are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 6: This Ordinance shall be in full effect as permitted by law. This Ordinance hav‐ ing been introduced on September 10, 2026, and published by title only giving Notice of a Public Hearing on October 8, 2026, was submitted to a and the vote vote thereon was as follows: YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Bolgiano, Matt Lindy Romero, Nicholas Niland, Simone B. Champagne. NAYS: None. ABSTAINED: None. ABSENT: None. This amended Ordinance was declared adopted on this 8th day of October, 2026. /s/ Ken Ritter, Mayor /s/ Nicole Guidry, City Clerk 205193 Oct. 29 1t $181.74

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, October 29, 2026 ● 5A

Everybody has a story.

Louisiana has 64 parishes and about 4.6 million people. That’s 4.6 million stories. I’ll run out of years long before I run out of stories.

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Your support of local news pays for the afternoon on somebody’s porch, the second visit and the follow-up call. That kind of reporting takes time, and time costs money. Thank you for your support,your postcards and your messages along the way. Hearing from you reminds me that this work is a conversation.

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6A l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

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Lake Charles 85/60

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PRECIPITATION

81°/57° 77°/56° 82°/58° 89° in 1919 31° in 1898

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today LAST

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

LOW

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

New Orleans 80/64

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

0s

Hattiesburg 84/55

Alexandria 84/56

Lafayette 84/60

HIGH

81° 62°

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Wednesday

Jackson 84/56 Many 84/53

LOW

81° 67°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 84/61

-0s

LOW

Monroe 85/56

Shreveport 85/59

-10s

HIGH

82° 65°

Well today expect a mostly sunny to partly cloudy and warm day with a light breeze. Temperatures this afternoon will be above average rising to the low to mid-80s. Winds are out of the northeast at 5-10 mph. The dew points remain low, the air is dry and humidity is hardly noticeable. Rain chances are at 10% today, rise to 20% tomorrow and possibly to 40% or greater on Saturday. Keep in mind, everyday without rain makes drought conditions worse. The drought monitor report will be updated today.

0.00” 0.89” 4.31” 47.05” 53.01”

FT.

HIGH

10:19p 0.0 3:40p 0.3 10:53a -0.3 2:50p -0.1 11:20a -0.1 9:45a -0.1 12:22p -0.1

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

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

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

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

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-0.01 none

47 34 29 20 12 6

8.35 5.67 4.53 4.25 3.50 3.46

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data as of 7 a.m. Wednesday

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

Officials: Ceasefire holding as Lawsuit seeks to Moscow, Kyiv await U.S. talks block ICE from hiding locations of detainees

Localized truce in place through Sunday

ing a “historic number of injuncPolicy targets tions” from courts blocking their The agencies have denied immigrants with final efforts. that they are disappearing detainees, saying they remain free removal orders to make phone calls.

BY HANNA ARHIROVA and DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press

KHERSON, Ukraine — A planned six-day ceasefire in and around a Russia-occupied city in southern Ukraine held for its first day and night, officials said Wednesday, but Moscow and Kyiv battered each other elsewhere as they awaited a date for the next round of U.S.brokered talks. The localized truce in the devastated southern city of Oleshky began Tuesday and is due to last through Sunday as a humanitarian operation races to get urgently needed food and medicine to about 2,000 remaining residents, as well as evacuate those who want to leave. If the ceasefire holds, it will be the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than 4½ years ago that the two sides have observed a significant truce. Previous attempts to stop the fighting have either failed to take hold or quickly unraveled amid deep mistrust.

U.S. will join Oleshky mission A representative from the United States will join civilian officials from Russia and Ukraine when they go into Oleshky, Ukraine’s lead negotiator for the aid mission said. “As soon as the road (into Oleshky) is de-mined and the humanitarian cargo is delivered there, representatives of three countries — Ukraine, the United States, and the Russian Federation — will be present on the spot,” Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. Evacuated residents will be free to choose between Ukraine and Russia as their destination, he said in an interview with Ukraine’s private 1+1 television. Authorities will try to ensure that aid will keep flowing into Oleshky for anyone who wants to remain, he said.

Thankful to Melania Trump Negotiators involved in the aid mission said doctors, medicines,

BY RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press

PHOTO BY UKRAINIAN 93RD MECHANIZED BRIGADE IRYNA RYBAKOVA

A local resident leaves her damaged home after a Russian airstrike in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Tuesday. food supplies and water would be sent to Oleshky before any evacuation corridors are opened. Russia’s occupying forces impose strict limits on who can enter Oleshky, and there was no news on how the humanitarian operation was unfolding. Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, both said Wednesday there had been no ceasefire violations in Oleshky for 30 hours. The plight of the city in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region caught the attention of U.S. first lady Melania Trump, and the White House said that she brokered the humanitarian mission. Pope Leo XIV also spoke this month with Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin of Russia, urging them to allow humanitarian aid into Oleshky and the safe evacuation of civilians, the Vatican said. Both Ukrainian and Russian officials, eager to win U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval as he pushes for an elusive peace settlement, thanked Melania Trump for her role.

and Kyiv officials back to the table next month for technical talks on how to move forward on ending the war, even though neither side shows signs of backing down from their key demands. Talks between delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States that are expected to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in November haven’t been scheduled yet, because Washington is awaiting developments in the Middle East, Zelenskyy told reporters in remarks released Wednesday. Zelenskyy said during a visit to The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday that he hopes a date can be scheduled for the talks, possibly between Nov. 6-10, after the Nov. 3 midterm election. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, meanwhile, said that European representatives won’t be invited to the meeting. Western officials and analysts say Putin wants to cut out Europe and negotiate Ukraine’s future directly with Washington. Zelenskyy said that the leaders of Finland and Norway, who spoke with Putin by phone on Tuesday, U.S. awaits Middle East events told him that Russia is “serious” The ceasefire coincided with about discussing steps to de-escaU.S.-led plans to bring Moscow late the war.

Groups that provide legal services to immigrants filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to stop the Trump administration's new policy of hiding the locations of tens of thousands of detainees with final deportation orders. The policy, adopted suddenly last month to expedite deportations, interferes with immigration lawyers’ rights by making it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to locate their clients, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston. It asks a judge to issue an order blocking the “unlawful and inhumane” change. “No one should be denied a meaningful opportunity to defend their rights because the government has made it impossible for their lawyer to find them,” said Jacquelynne Bowman, executive director of Greater Boston Legal Services, one of the four groups listed as plaintiffs. “This arbitrary new administrative change leaves hundreds of thousands of people at risk of potentially lifealtering consequences without essential legal help." The lawsuit challenges U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's decision, first reported by The Associated Press, to remove the locations of people facing final removal orders from its Online Detainee Locator System and to instruct staff not to reveal their whereabouts. As of last month, the move affected more than 16,000 of the nearly 69,000 detainees who were in ICE custody. ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, have not publicly confirmed the change but have said they are prioritizing people with final removal orders for deportation. They have also said they are fac-

“Illegal aliens in detention have several ways to communicate with their family members and lawyers,” DHS said in a statement responding to the lawsuit. “The appropriate process due to an illegal alien with final deportation orders is removal, plain and simple.” Since 2010, lawyers and family members have used ICE's online system to track detainees as they get moved from facility to facility through ICE's sprawling detention network. Approximately 1.4 million people living in the U.S. are subject to final orders of removal, which means an immigration judge has ruled they should be deported and the decision has been upheld on appeal or not appealed. Those individuals still have several options to challenge the conditions of their detention and looming deportations, including asking to reopen proceedings, seeking relief from removal to third countries and challenging violations of their rights. Federal judges have ruled thousands of times that detainees should be released or granted bond hearings. Since the change went into effect, lawyers have been unable to find clients and potential clients and have spent “significantly more time” tracking down others, the lawsuit says. Calls to ICE, including to its Detention and Removal Information Line, “lead to long wait times on hold, sudden hangups, a general lack of information or no answer at all,” it says. As a workaround, some lawyers have tried to find their clients through an ICE program that schedules legal calls, but only a small percentage of detention centers use it, the lawsuit says. The result has been delayed or missed legal filings and fewer cases taken, according to the organizations.

METRO

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

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T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 29, 2026

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Lafayette’s early voting numbers strong

Trend reflects increased participation nationwide BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

During early voting, 26,858 voters went to the polls in Lafayette Parish to participate in Tuesday’s elections, showing a sharp increase across the board in turnout from 2022, but still lagging behind

the statewide average. About 16.5% of voters in Lafayette Parish cast ballots during the early voting window compared with 11.47% four years ago, reflecting nationwide trends of increased voter participation. As with 2022, the parish fell below the statewide turnout percentage,

which held at 17.49%. The increase in Lafayette Parish comes amid a broader rise in early voting. Statewide, 520,942 Louisiana voters cast early ballots, up from 377,428 during the 2022 midterm election, according to figures from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office. The share of regis-

voters to an Associated Press analysis. ELECTION tered who voted The AP noted that expanded earlyH

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early rose voting opportunities and changes from about in how states report voting data 12.5% in 2022 account for some of the increase. to 17.5% this Lafayette’s stronger perforyear. mance this cycle was powered priNationally, more than 13 million marily by a sharp increase in turnAmericans had cast early or mail out among registered Democrats, ballots at a comparable point be- despite the fact that the party fore Election Day, compared with ä See VOTING, page 4B about 9 million in 2022, according

WADE AROUND

STAFF PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK

A great egret wades in the shallow still water beyond a cluster of cypress knees at Heymann Park in Lafayette on Monday. Fallen leaves floating on the surface and cooler days signal that fall has finally settled over Acadiana.

Johnston land sells for $1.7M Buyer plans to build gas station

Staff report The land along Johnston Street that most recently housed Acadiana Bicycle Co. has been sold to a Lake Charles group that will build a gas station on the property. An LLC registered to Sukhdev Thind and Satnam “Bobby” Singh with Friends Construction of Lake Charles bought the 3.16-acre property at 4617 Johnston St. for $1.7 million, land records show. An LLC registered to Steven Ortte of Lafayette was the seller. The buyers will build a large gas station on the property, said Mark Johns of Elifin Realty, who represented the seller. The property is zoned commercial heavy, which allows convenience stores with fuel sales without a conditional use permit. The property has been on the market for over two years and netted over 30 offers to buy it, Johns said. The building that was on the property was demolished earlier this year after getting a demo permit in January. The buyers have built other stores in the Lafayette market in recent years, including the nearly complete Wellcome Country Store & Smokehouse at 1002 N. University Ave. that is now listed for sale at $3.2 million, records show.

UL lab receives grant in USDA funding Initiative set to expand to more rural entrepreneurs

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has received a share of $1 billion in funding to help develop infrastructure and economic opportunity in rural Louisiana. In fiscal year 2026 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development invested in grants across the state to support ru-

ral communities, including over $79 million in Richland Parish to build a new hospital. UL was granted $174,565 to support its Rural Economic Development Innovation Initiative. The money will help establish the Rural Enterprise and Innovation Accelerator, which will support business owners with small-scale manufacturing resources, training and technical skills. It’s the second USDA award that REDII has received, and will expand the program’s offerings across Acadiana, according to the university. REDII is based at UL’s Louisiana

Immersive Technologies Enterprise Center, and has provided resources to rural entrepreneurs in advancing prototypes and bringing products to market. This funding will also build on REDII resources like the FabLab, established through UL’s first USDA Rural Development Grant. The lab is a free makerspace that is open to the public, and contains 3D printers, computers and tools like a laser cutter and engraver for small-scale design, prototyping and production. “This grant will connect small manufacturers and entrepre-

neurs with university expertise, product development resources and technical assistance that can help them grow, create jobs and pursue new markets, including opportunities to become suppliers within Louisiana’s expanding advanced manufacturing and aerospace sectors,” said UL President Ramesh Kolluru. Fontenot Beef LLC in Iowa also received over $35,000 in USDA funding to help expand access to local beef in southwest Louisiana. Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@theadvocate.com.

Nominations sought for outstanding educators the “Breakout All-Star community. All nominees must Nonprofit celebrating teachers, support staff egories: Award” celebrates a teacher be employees of the Lafayette

BY JOANNA BROWN

schools. The Education All-Star awards are supported by LaThis week, members of the fayette nonprofit Love Our public have an opportunity to Schools, and nominations are celebrate teachers and school open through Friday at 11:59 support staff who create a posi- p.m. Teachers can win in two cattive impact at Lafayette Parish Staff writer

with one to three years of experience, while the “Hall of Fame” awards honor teachers at the elementary, middle school and high school levels. School support staff are eligible for the “All-Heart Award” for their impact in the school

Parish school system. Last year’s winners included teachers and staff from Cpl. Michael Middlebrook Elementary, Acadian Middle, Comeaux High School, Edgar Martin

ä See NOMINATIONS, page 4B

2B l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

How we treat detainees reflects on us as a society A ruling last week from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals based in New Orleans will have real consequences for noncitizens detained by the government. Yet, even those of us whose American citizenship isn’t in question are tarnished by its implications. In Sosnava Rodriguez v. Ortega, the court ruled Friday that illegal immigrants do not have the right to due process when challenging their detention. That is, they can be detained indefinitely without a bond hearing to determine their dangerousness or flight risk. The case involved three men who had no criminal record and had lived in the United States for years without legal status. They were detained in Texas after routine traffic stops. The full court decided to rehear the case after its three-judge panel upheld the unauthorized immigrants’ right to due process in July. The full 5th Circuit voted 10-7 to reverse that decision. The court, which covers Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, is one of the most conservative courts in the country and has routinely supported the Trump administration’s aims. It matters more than other court rulings on the issue because a large number of those detained in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown have found themselves in detention centers across Louisiana. It also matters, though, because we believe with this ruling the court has gone further than before in undermining the values that we have stood for as a country for 250 years. And though we believe the court’s interpretation of our key constitutional rights cannot be ignored, let’s agree to leave legalities aside for a moment just for the sake of moral clarity: Detaining people indefinitely with no recourse to justice is the mark of regimes across the world that the United States has long rightly condemned, using our voice to secure the freedom of the voiceless. It is a stain on our country and diminishes us as a people when we countenance similar treatment of detainees on our own soil. The court gave an opening for Congress to act to enumerate the rights of detained noncitizens, and we hope it will, but the case will likely end up at the Supreme Court for a final decision. In the meantime, we take heed of the words in Matthew 25:31-46, in The Judgment of Nations, when the Lord asks all to account for their actions. “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

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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YOUR VIEWS

Decorum is lacking in senator’s manner

Why are ‘public’ officials making these secret deals? It is inconceivable to me that a public official such as the governor can enter into a secret agreement and legally sign a nondisclosure agreement, the contents of which can never be known to the public. Doesn’t this defy the meaning of “public” official? This means the governor or any public official can obligate us, the public, to any tax, cost or commitment of any kind, thereby leaving us responsible for anything that they agree to. And if past is prologue the negotiating skills of our politicians are lacking, to say the least. We will not be able to sue the data centers or Elon Musk’s SpaceX plant, thus relieving them of any liability and allowing them to create any nuisance or danger to the public that could drastically reduce property values while

Not long ago, I heard that Sen. John Kennedy may run for president in the next election. That news brought to mind the recent Senate judiciary hearing when Kennedy was questioning the former Special Counsel Jack Smith. I had seen some of these government meetings before and knew there was a lot of showboating, but this surpassed showboating and got into the realm of gratuitous exhibitionism. In the span of 10 minutes, Kennedy asked a number of inane and superfluous questions. For instance, “Do you believe in the Tooth Fairy?” “Do you believe in the Easter Bunny?” “Can you define ‘arrogant’ for me?” and “Can you define ‘self-righteous’ for me?” Some questions seemed moderately reasonable (e.g., about Smith’s wife’s work), but in the context of the other comments and questions, even these questions seemed out of place. Kennedy’s entire interaction with Smith appeared tantamount to a comedian coming on Capitol Hill and doing a monologue while being cagey with an audience member. Of all places, in federal government proceedings you would expect a modicum of decorum from our government representatives. Kennedy ended his questioning of Smith with this statement: “You make me want to throw up in my mouth.” Government is to serve the people. This is serving little else than Kennedy’s political aspirations. We can do better.

simultaneously rendering large areas uninhabitable. Meta and Musk send in professionals who are paid millions of dollars to negotiate with amateurs who become giddy at the sight of large dollar figures, but those dollars will never flow to us. These agreements will end up being worse than the oil company contracts of the past that have left Louisiana both the richest and the poorest state in the nation. Politicians never look beyond the next election, and their math skills are limited to counting the amount of money donors contribute to their next campaign. Never be so foolish as to think that your welfare is a part of their consideration.

JIM GRICE New Orleans

Trump must end attitude toward NATO Trump and Winston Zelenskyy. The American president appears to function as Putin’s goon. Trump seems to function as the Russian president’s agent working to destabilize Western Europe and promote Russian interests and aggression. Putin seems intent on restoring the glory days of the old Soviet Union. Trump’s recent executive order to waive sanctions against Russia has accurately been described as beyond irresponsible. It is time for a change regarding the war in Ukraine. The goal must be the full restoration of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea. My strongest hope would be for Trump to stand up to Putin. Unfortunately, I think we are more likely to see a Russian flag flying over the White House.

President Donald Trump’s efforts to make a deal for Ukraine defy logic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fought fearlessly to restore the sovereignty of Ukraine, an independent nation. He and his people have overcome overwhelming odds to defend themselves against a much larger economic and military force. The United States has provided aid, as have the nations of Western Europe and beyond. Trump’s attitude toward Europe and NATO is an embarrassment to our nation. It fails to recognize how heavily we are invested in the European continent. He ignores the thousands of crosses and Stars of David resting permanently in World War I and World War II American cemeteries across the continent. There are three major actors in the current drama unfolding in Ukraine. I describe them as Adolf Putin, Neville

MARK HAASE River Ridge

Dale Brown’s impact went far beyond basketball

COL. FRANK B. ARNEMANN JR. U.S.A.F. (Retired) Metairie

I was saddened to learn of the passing of legendary LSU basketball coach Dale Brown. Coach Brown’s impact went far beyond the basketball court. He spent decades inspiring young athletes, building relationships and leaving a lasting mark on Louisiana. His passion for people and his love for this state will never be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with the Brown family, his former players and the entire LSU family. Rest easy, coach. Forever a Tiger,

Media should dig deeper into suspicious land rush I recently read several articles about people making money by purchasing land before a big announcement and then profiting from the rise in value once the announcement is made. Then it’s reported that the deals were secret. What I don’t understand is why some investigative reporter cannot go to the clerk of court’s office and look them up. I suspect that you would find what is probably the equilavent of insider trading.

Obviously people with prior knowledge are making these deals, and I suspect many are even elected officials. I, for one, am really fed up with politicians somehow becoming incredibly weathy. I would love to see some news media dig into the details of these type of transactions and report them to the public. I believe we have the right to know.

FREDERICK ZEAGLER Baton Rouge

PAUL BACON Hallandale Beach, Florida

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COMMENTARY The public good that think tanks do Ten years ago this week (Oct. 27), Kevin Kane died at age 50 of gastrointestinal cancer. Most Louisianans won’t recognize his name, but Kane’s death was a great loss for the state, even though his beneficial legacy remains vibrant. For now, though, let’s learn from Kane’s example that plenty of public service is done by people who aren’t public officials. And, too, that Quin Louisiana is a state parHillyer ticularly worth serving. By now, you’re wondering who Kane was. Kane was the founder of the Pelican Institute, the state’s premier conservative think tank. The backstory is instructive — and Kane’s particular type of service, mirrored by other venerable research organizations, has become an essential part of the publicpolicy process. Kane, a native New Yorker, captained Tulane University’s rugby team before earning a law degree at Loyola. After several years working in New Orleans, job opportunities took him and wife Lesley to New York City, but they badly missed Louisiana’s culture, especially its music. At a gathering of freemarket conservatives in New York on Oct. 24, 2007 — nine years and three days before Kevin died — he found himself talking with conservative columnist Deroy Murdock, a frequent visitor to Louisiana. With each of them lamenting reports that, two years post-Hurricane Katrina, the state was still struggling to recover, they spoke of how creative, conservative ideas could help. The next morning, Kane emailed Murdock to ask if he knew of “any movement” to start a state policy institute in Louisiana. “I can’t think of a place that would benefit more” from one, he wrote. Murdock loved the idea, suggested “Pelican Institute” for a name, and forwarded Kane’s email to about a dozen think tank sponsors and Bayou State natives. Kane had no immediate source of funds, few remaining connections in Louisiana and no background in policy work or politics. Still, he and Lesley and two young daughters forfeited a steady income to move back to New Orleans on the proverbial wing and a Saints’ prayer.

PROVIDED PHOTO In nine years, Kane and Pelican, operating on a shoestring budget, notched policy accomplishments related to fiscal discipline, coastal restoration and school choice, while Kane also served on the oversight board for three charter schools. Soft-spoken, Kane was a consensus builder rather than a bomb thrower. His signature achievement, one not ordinarily seen as a conservative imperative but for which he marshaled arguments conservative and humane, involved nursing into passage a set of criminal-sentencing reforms that kept tough penalties for serious offenses but pushed alternative punishment and rehabilitation for minor crimes. All throughout, in myriad ways for national audiences, Kane served as an ambassador for Louisiana’s culture and business potential. Kane’s premature death was a great loss, but his example inspired local supporters to keep Pelican alive while conducting a national search for a new director. That director, Daniel Erspamer, has continued Kane’s style of constructive, courteous policy research and advocacy, while making it a powerhouse of ideas — including big successes with legislative passage of tax reform and the LA GATOR scholarship, among others. Now let’s return to lessons mentioned earlier. The first is that Louisiana is wonderful enough, magic enough, that Kevin and Lesley Kane took a big financial risk by moving their young family cross-country to help it recover. Just to see Kevin, in my memory, with his eyes closed and silently nodding in

perfectly metered pleasure at a live traditional jazz band, is to gain a palpable sense of his deep love for this state. The second lesson has nothing to do with Louisiana or with political philosophy. It concerns the beneficial roles that public-policy research institutions play in American local and national governments. Journalists cite their studies. Congressional staffers lean on them for facts and ideas. State legislators, often lacking staffs of their own, look to them for policy expertise. Here in Louisiana, (with apologies to any I’ve failed to mention,) nonideological outfits such as the statewide Public Affairs Research Council and the New Orleans-focused Bureau of Governmental Research are reliable, invaluable tools for objective data and analysis. Ditto the Public Policy Research Lab at LSU. From the political Left, Invest in Louisiana is a thoughtful — and not always disagreeing — counterweight to Pelican. And the reformist Leaders for a Better Louisiana is business-oriented. Most of the top staff of these organizations could surely earn more money or garner more accolades in other jobs. But they do policy work for the love of Louisiana and a desire for good government. Public affairs need more of these sorts of people. We need more Kevin Kanes, rest his soul. And when, as Louisiana does, we are fortunate enough to have them, we should give them appreciation and support. Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

What’s ahead if polls are right, or wrong turf, and if the polls prove to misfire With less than two weeks until the that way again, Democratic gains may midterm elections, things look bad for turn out to be minimal. President Donald Trump’s Republican Republicans could hold on to a SenParty. Generic polls show significant movement away from Republicans ate majority in that case. That means and toward Democrats since Trump Trump appointees to federal courts, defeated former Vice President Kaincluding the Supreme Court, could be confirmed, and impeachment trimala Harris by 50% to 48% two years ago. als would likely go nowhere. Republicans seem doomed to What about the consequences lose their exceedingly narrow further out, specifically for House majority, although redis2028? Minimal losses for Republicans might lead to a tricting by both parties over the presidential endorsement and past two years has reduced the Michael nomination of Vice President number of competitive seats Barone JD Vance. The risks of damage and will likely limit their losses. from Trump’s personal preoccuMore surprisingly, in view of the 2024 results, Republicans’ Senpations — from tariffs to the triumphal arch — may seem less serious than ate majority seems in jeopardy, as the risks of outright rebellion against Democrats have been leading in polls in Alaska, Iowa, Ohio and Texas, states a leader eager to punish anything less than full devotion. that Trump carried easily three times. But a “thumping” — George W. And Democratic leads in two SouthBush’s term for his party’s repudiation ern states that have been seriously in 2006 — could leave many Repubcontested in each presidential cycle, Georgia and North Carolina, are so sol- licans wondering whether the party needs, after a decade of domination by id that Republicans have written them Trump, to take a different course. Secoff as irretrievably lost. Two questions remain unanswered. retary of State Marco Rubio’s erudite The first will be settled by the election speeches in February in Munich and results, although that could take weeks this month in Athens, combined with given Alaska’s ranked choice voting his careful defenses of administration system and California’s breathtakingly foreign policy, provide an alternative slow counting of ballots in contested approach that chastened Republicans House races. The second will shape might prefer. election analysts’ forecasts for at least The result of one Senate contest in the next two years. particular, the race in Michigan, may The first question is whether polls affect the course forward. There, Demare understating Republican support, ocratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed has as they did in the presidential cycles led Republican Mike Rogers in every of 2016, 2020 and 2024. The second is public poll since late September, but whether the move away from Repubin only one of eight polls by more than licans and toward Democrats will turn 2 percentage points. A polling error would not be shocking in Michigan, and out to be a realignment away from the while El-Sayed went into the August rough partisan parity that has preprimary with a 50%-to-40% polling vailed for more than 30 years. lead, he beat the more centrist Rep. In past years, RealClearPolitics Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) by only 48.4% analyst Sean Trende has argued, polls have overstated Democrats’ chances in to 47.6% in actual votes. A victory for the articulate El-Sayed Republican states and vice versa. This year, the close races are on Republican would make him a national leader of

“progressive” Democrats. An El-Sayed defeat would give Republicans a seat held by Democrats since 1978 and might convince many Democrats and some in the press that “Medicare for All” at home and opposition to Israel abroad are not a formula for their party’s success. And what of the prospects for realignment beyond 2028? You could argue that it seems to be on schedule, perhaps overdue. The 1992 presidential and 1994 congressional elections were propelled by Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich, both baby boomers by the definitions in Strauss and Howe’s “Generations.” The seven presidents in the previous 40 years, all with military service in World War II, were born between 1911 and 1924. The five presidents since, three of them born in 1946 and the other two in 1942 and 1961, had no military service except for George W. Bush’s in the Texas Air National Guard. Starting in the 1990s, the South became the electoral heartland of the Republican Party, and the Northeast and Pacific coasts became the electoral heartlands of the Democratic Party. Starting in the 1990s and accelerating after Trump’s first run, Democrats have made gains among the affluent and college-educated, and Republicans among blue-collar workers and noncollege graduates. Few predicted these trends, established politicians tried to buck them, and many thoughtful citizens haven’t absorbed them yet. I’d like to say I’ll describe what happens next, but having started writing for publication about these things in 1963, I’m not sure I’ll be in a position to do so. Perhaps answers will come from Marco Rubio, born in 1971; Vance and El-Sayed, both born in 1984; and Ocasio-Cortez, born in 1989. Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone.

ICE agents’ smartphone searches trash privacy rights The fifth time U.S. border guards seized and searched George Anibowei’s smartphone, they discovered something: the limits of his patience. Now he is carrying on the tradition begun by Revolutionary-era Americans for whom an especially annoying government practice became a reason to reach for their muskets. Anibowei has reached out to the George Supreme Court, which soon will Will decide whether to hear his case. It should interest you, if you have a 21st-century smartphone and an 18th-century prickliness about privacy. Anibowei, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is an immigration lawyer who lives in Dallas. He frequently travels internationally for business and to visit family in Nigeria. Ten years ago, returning from abroad, he was detained by border agents. Such agents are authorized, by directives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to conduct, without warrants, what are called “basic” or “manual” searches of travelers’ electronic devices. The agents need not have any individualized suspicions about particular travelers. ICE’s directive says, daintily, that agents may analyze information “encountered” during phone searches. Bumped into? Stumbled over? In the simmering American crisis before 1776, Britain’s colonial governments relied on informers to help them enforce provocative laws restricting the colonists’ economic rights. Those governments also used “writs of assistance,” which empowered customs officials to search buildings for smuggled goods. These search warrants were not limited to particular times and places, and could be issued without any specified suspicion of illegal activity. In 1791, lingering resentment of writs of assistance resulted in the Bill of Rights, including the Fourth Amendment. It guarantees a right “of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” So, why do the tens of millions of smartphonecarrying travelers who enter the United States each year not have a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding their phones? What reasonable reading of the text and history of the Fourth Amendment exempts border agents from its strictures? What permits them to examine travelers’ contact lists, call histories, messages, voicemails, emails and photographs? No one in 1791 — or, for that matter, in 2007, when the iPhone arrived — could have anticipated how such a device would become woven into people’s lives, public and private. Today, the authoritarianism of federal, state and local governments during the pandemic is fresh in memory. As is the unprofessional, reckless and occasionally lethal behavior by ICE agents. Anibowei is an immigration lawyer with clients dealing with ICE as an adversary. Their confidential information is on his phone. According to the tenacious Pacific Legal Foundation, representing Anibowei, he has been detained by border agents five times, from two to five hours. Once this made him miss a flight. The border agents’ behavior has caused him to travel without a phone that is indispensable to his profession. The Supreme Court, Anibowei’s brief says, has affirmed the privilege of traveling for the purpose of “lawful commerce, trade, or business without molestation.” Any Supreme Court justice who doubts that Anibowei has been seriously injured should try leaving his or her phone at home when next he or she travels abroad. Border searches of travelers’ phones are apt to yield far more private information than is captured by even an exhaustive search of a home. Anibowei: A smartphone, which gathers years of correspondence and intimate communications, “is entitled to at least the protection the founding generation gave a sealed envelope.” However hard the justices squint, they will not see how the promotion of a legitimate government interest depends on border agents scrolling, for unstated reasons, through travelers’ phones. Digital contraband is borderless. It can be viewed in the U.S. without crossing a border. It can be imported by storing it in the cloud, then downloading it to a clean phone after the phone has been carried across the border. Seven circuit courts have held that warrants are never necessary for phone searches. Other circuits say warrants are sometimes required, and that various suspicions must support them. Anibowei says: In resolving these disagreements among the circuits, the Supreme Court “originalists” should not need to squint in order to see this: The Fourth Amendment prohibits, or at least severely limits, border agents’ power to seize travelers’ phones and rummage through travelers’ “effects.” Some courts have analogized a phone’s contents to “papers.” Otherwise, the constitutional rights of travelers will depend on where — in which circuit’s jurisdiction — they enter the country. That cannot be countenanced by the original meaning of the amendment’s words. Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

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Avondale Global Gateway invests $50M in expansion Railway line to be doubled; new warehouse construction set

BY GRACE MAYER Staff writer

Avondale Global Gateway, the private port facility and logistics hub on the site of the former Avondale Shipyard, is planning a $50 million expansion of its west bank campus ahead of a major new tenant expected to move to the facility next year. Avondale officials have signed a five-year lease with a “major energy original equipment manufacturer” involved in the power generation business — the first of what could be several industrial service companies tied to the state’s artificial intelligence data

center construction boom and the need for new power plants to keep them running. “That demand is being driven by this whole AI build-out, all these turbines and different components of power plants,” said Adam Anderson, CEO of Avondale parent company T. Parker Host. “We expect to handle quite a bit of that business here at Avondale over the coming years.” The expansion, which will include the construction of a new warehouse and the extension of an existing rail line, will create at least 100 new permanent jobs. The planned expansion, announced Wednesday, comes as Host is gaining some traction at Avondale, which it purchased in 2018 and has sought to position as a privately-owned alternative to Louisiana’s five public ports. In May, Avondale welcomed Brazilbased Suzano, the world’s largest wood pulp supplier, as its newest

tenant. And earlier this month, it launched a new trade route that will bring thousands of tons of aluminum into the U.S. each year. The 275-acre campus is operating at capacity and facing growing demand, Anderson said. Railway capacity is maxed out, some ships are waiting for days to anchor and unload cargo at the campus, and all leasable warehouse space on the campus is occupied. “Within Louisiana, Avondale is kind of the place to be because of the logistics and the massive storage yards we have,” Anderson said. “Not every facility has hundreds of acres available. A lot of ports are space-constricted.”

begin in November and is scheduled to be completed in May, when the company is expected to move in. Avondale is also spending $15 million on a railway extension that will more than double its operating capacity. The project, which is expected to take about a year to complete, will add 22,868 linear feet of rail, bringing its total to 30,240 feet, or 5.7 miles, Avondale spokesperson Susan Moody said. The campus will also open a fifth “deep-water” dock. Constructing the dock, already underway, will increase Avondale’s capacity from four to six ships, and should be operational by the end of January. “Recently, we had some ships Adding capacity, jobs wait as much as 10 days to come As part of the new expansion, into Avondale, because we just Avondale will build a $15 mil- didn’t have the capacity,” Anderlion warehouse for its new ten- son said. “We needed to add that ant, which it plans to announce dock yesterday.” Part of the projects will be next year. Construction on the 200,000-square-foot facility will funded by about $7 million in state

and local funds, including from the Louisiana Economic Development’s FastSites Program and Jefferson Parish. With the expansion, Avondale plans to hire 100 new warehouse operators, forklift operators and office workers, among other roles. Avondale will also need to double its rail workforce from 30 to 60 employees, Anderson said. Currently, the campus has 600 workers between its own employees, tenants and contractors working on construction projects on-site. Avondale intends to fill those 100 positions, along with 86 other current job openings, by the end of 2027. “The average wage would be above 20 bucks an hour,” Anderson said. “They’re really good jobs. These aren’t construction jobs. These are real, permanent jobs.” Email Grace Mayer at grace. mayer@theadvocate.com.

man accused of Council sets workforce housing rules Lafayette shooting woman, himself some protections in “My only concern is to Applicants must also comDonaldsonville have place for the people in the make sure that whatever is mit to providing at least 20 city so you don’t have tem- done, when all of the indus- housing units on any proissues guidelines porary housing just thrown try is over, is that we’re not posed property, a rule Long left with a bunch of houses says ensures that tempoon temporary up all around.” On the 17,000-acre Riv- that are abandoned,” he rary houses stay in one lodging erPlex Mega Park near said. “With all of the devel- large space.

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer

As billions of dollars in industrial development bring construction activity to the west bank of Ascension Parish, Donaldsonville is putting rules in place to govern where and how developers can build temporary housing for workers. After months of discussion, the Donaldsonville City Council approved a temporary workforce housing ordinance Tuesday, establishing requirements for developers seeking to provide housing. “If someone wants to do something in the city, we didn’t have anything in place to regulate it or have any rules in place,” City Attorney Spencer Long said. “It’s mostly just going to

Modeste, major projects are set to bring in thousands of construction workers. In August, CF Industries broke ground on a $3.7 billion ammonia plant, which is expected to create 3,900 construction jobs over the next four years. Hyundai-POSCO’s steel mill is expected to generate 4,800 jobs at its peak construction phase. Hyundai held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project in September, though construction has yet to begin. Mayor Leroy Sullivan has made it clear that he does not want anything to resemble a “man camp,” made up of modular buildings, trailers or shipping containers. He said ideally that he would like for any land being used as temporary housing to be turned into permanent subdivisions.

opment and interest in the city of Donaldsonville, we have to be very careful as to what we’re going to do and where we are going to allow it.”

What’s allowed? The ordinance allows temporary housing in any zoning district. Applicants must have their permit approved by the City Council. The City Council will also hold a public hearing and publish notice in an official journal as well as mail a written notice to owners within 300 feet of any proposed site. The permit may be approved for 12 months at the most, allowing extensions of up to six months, though no permit should be in effect for more than three years, according to the ordinance.

“If you have a vacant lot around the corner, you can’t just go put up three temporary units right there. You have to have sufficient space for them,” he said. According to the ordinance, if the council sees fit, it could require applicants to provide employee transportation, shuttle service, designated loading areas or other measures to minimize traffic impacts. Applicants must also provide a site plan showing location, layout of units, access points and parking. They must show a plan for decommissioning, removal and site restoration. Once units are removed, applicants must restore the property to a “safe and stable condition.” The property then must be used in accordance with its underlying zoning classification.

‘Booms’ aim to improve New Orleans drainage

the city’s drain- canal, trapping it before it litter booms haven’t collectProgram to install through age system. The trash can moves through the drainage ed significant trash over two up the system and help system. Employees from the years, they can be removed 40 interceptors clog cause flooding before ulti- S&WB and Osprey Initiative or relocated to better adaround the city mately ending up in Lake will work together to collect dress the problem, said Don

BY MARGARET KATES Staff writer

Workers clad in red life jackets descended on a New Orleans canal on Wednesday, wading into a longstanding problem to float a potential solution. They were installing an orange and black floating chain across the Monticello Avenue Canal, which runs along the Orleans-Jefferson Parish line. The chain is a “litter boom,” a device designed to capture the mounds of plastic bottles and other trash floating down the canal. It’s one part of a larger initiative from the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, a nonprofit and private partners to cut down on the amount of litter coming

Pontchartrain. “It’s hugely important to keep that trash out of the system, and to prevent it from getting into our waterways,” said Corey Miller, community engagement and education director with the Pontchartrain Conservancy, a partner on the project. “It’s critically important that we try to get ahold of this problem.” On Wednesday, workers from the Osprey Initiative, a company based in Mobile, Alabama, worked to install four litter booms in three canals across New Orleans: in the Monticello canal, in the St. Charles Canal in New Orleans East and in a canal in the Lower 9th Ward that flows through Pump Station Five. The booms will capture litter that floats down the

the accumulated trash and maintain the booms for the next two years. Trash that is collected will be quantified and measured to ascertain the kinds of litter most common in the canals and peak trash times during the year, Miller said. In addition to the booms, 40 “litter interceptors” will be strategically installed in storm drains around the city during times when littering surges, such as Mardi Gras or festival season, Miller said. Data from those interceptors — essentially sieves that fit into the drains — will be collected as well. At the end of two years, the Pontchartrain Conservancy and S&WB hope to have enough data to issue recommendations on how to reduce the amount of litter in the city’s drainage. If the

Bates, who founded Osprey Initiative. The program is called the Comprehensive Aquatic Litter Plan for Orleans Parish. Pontchartrain Conservancy will also visit schools and community groups for education programming as part of the plan. It’s funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program, which also helped fund removal of derelict boats in Terrebonne Parish. In total, the CALPOP project is expected to cost around $793,000, according to the Pontchartrain Conservancy.

records. She told the Coroner's Office court court that on May 30, Rohad held her down and identifies shooter chon choked her until she almost

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

The Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office has identified the man who authorities say shot and critically wounded a woman in Metairie before killing himself Tuesday night. The gunman was identified as Ahmad Alexander Rochon, 26, of Lafayette, the Coroner’s Office said. The injured woman, 23, was still hospitalized in critical condition on Wednesday after she was shot multiple times in the parking lot of an office building in the 100 block of Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie, according to Capt. Jason Rivarde, spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Investigators did not disclose how Rochon knew the victim other than to say that they were acquainted. But according to court records, the woman had a protective order against Rochon, a former dating partner whom she accused of violent abuse and threats. Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a Veterans Boulevard parking lot about 5:40 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a call reporting a disturbance, Rivarde said. Email Michelle Hunter at Rochon is accused of shoot- mhunter@theadvocate.com. ing the victim while she was inside a vehicle in the parking lot, then leaving the scene in LOTTERY another car. Deputies followed Rochon TUESDAY, for just under a mile to the OCT. 27, 2026 intersection of Oaklawn PICK 3: 5-0-3 Drive and Toulouse Street PICK 4: 2-7-0-5 in Metairie, where Rivarde said Rochon shot himself. He PICK 5: 8-9-5-8-7 was pronounced dead at the MEGA MILLIONS: scene, the Coroner’s Office 14-19-21-45-67 said. MEGA BALL: 3 No other details were immediately available about the Unofficial notification, shootings as of Wednesday afkeep your tickets. ternoon. The victim filed for a protective order against Rochon Funerals Today in Jefferson Parish court back in July, according to LeBlanc, Ryan

The 15 Education All-Star finalists will be announced in January, before winMiddle and Carencro Bob ners in each category are Lilly Elementary. Winners revealed at a University of received a $1,000 grant to Louisiana at Lafayette bas-

VOTING

Continued from page 1B holds a lower percentage of all registered voters than it did four years ago. Twenty percent of registered Democrats voted early this election cycle compared with 12% in 2022. Republicans also saw an increase in turnout, with 18% of their voters showing up early, compared with 14% in 2022. Nationally, early voting has increased in several

competitive states, including some with closely watched Senate races. The Associated Press has reported larger early-voting totals in states such as Texas, Kansas and North Carolina compared with the same point in the 2022 midterm election. The increases do not necessarily indicate which party will benefit on Election Day. Several downballot races in Lafayette Parish, including an intense battle for Youngsville chief of police, seem to have sparked inter-

mitted online through the Love Our Schools website, and each finalist is selected after a review process with Love Our Schools and school principals.

est in early voting as well. Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters Charlene Menard confirmed that the East Regional Library early voting location, located closest to Youngsville, received the most daily traffic of all three early voting locations with around 1,200 people per day. Election officials in Lafayette Parish say that despite the larger crowds they experienced during early voting, no major issues arose and they anticipate a smooth Election Day.

Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette, LA at 11am.

IRS Back Taxes Got You Worried?

their classroom ketball game. NOMINATIONS support and school community. Nominations are sub-

Continued from page 1B

passed out. She also accused him of breaking her finger when he slammed a door on her hand. The woman claimed Rochon had been stalking her online, calling from random numbers and threatening her, according to court records. She reported that Rochon told her, “I know where you live,” and “I will get what I want.” Rochon warned the woman that he was watching her and told her, “Something’s gonna happen soon,” according to records. The temporary protective order barred him from any contact with the victim. But the court continued hearings on the matter in August and October after they couldn’t find Rochon to serve him, according to court records. The next hearing was set for December. Victims of domestic violence living in the sevenparish region of the New Orleans area have a number of resources available for emergency help, counseling and shelter. A list of those resources can be found here: https:// www.nola.com/news/noladomestic-violence-help.

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

Benson: Saints have ‘much to be proud of’ Team owner writes letter to fans after Paris game

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T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 29, 2026

1CN

TENSIONS REKINDLE

BY ZACH EWING Staff writer

In an open letter to the public, New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson expressed gratitude as she reflected on the team’s week in Paris as the focal part of the NFL’s first foray into France. “While the outcome on ä Browns at the field was not what we Saints NOON had hoped for, we have much to be proud of from NOV. 8, CBS our time together,” Benson wrote. “We represented the New Orleans Saints, our beloved city and the entire state of Louisiana with class and pride on an international stage.” The Saints lost 16-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at the Stade de France to fall to 2-5, but Benson’s letter focused on off-field accomplishments and experiences. Along with Steelers owner Art Rooney II, Benson met with French President Emmanuel Macron. She also took part in several events with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, including a Mass at the

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU coach Lane Kiffin waits for the next play in the first quarter against Mississippi State on Oct. 17 at Tiger Stadium.

Kiffin's words, judge's ruling on Luis keep LSU, SEC at odds If you thought the tension between LSU and the Southeastern Conference had cooled down, or that this would be a sleepy little open date week for the LSU football team, Wednesday came parading down Victory Hill with a whole new marching band full of issues for everyone. On the SEC football coaches teleconference, Lane Kiffin said he was shocked when it was announced Monday that LSU’s Nov. 7 home game with Alabama would be a 2:30 p.m. kickoff instead of a night game. Then surprise was converted to cynicism because he felt “the SEC wanted to give LSU less advantage (because) of how well LSU plays at night and how intimidating it is to play here.” Not to be outdone, attorneys for RJ Luis, basketball’s version of the Flying Dutchman, have gotten a judge to sign an injunction preventing the SEC from penalizing LSU for allowing him to play.

I could use a couple of aspirins. At least. Let’s start with Kiffin because, you know, it’s football, and any time he makes an utterance The Associated Press flashes a bulletin. We’re learning a lot about the firstyear LSU coach, and he seems to feel the world is against him. There’s some reason for that, but then again, Kiffin is living in a house of the perception of himself that he helped create over his career. The flip side of Kiffin’s complaining is self-serving, but in a clever way. He’s spent this whole season stoking the “us against the world” flames under his team, the goal to galvanize this United Nations-like squad of players from all over the USA (and in the case of Ty Benefield, parts of Canada) under one collective flag. In this case, a cause can’t hurt.

Scott Rabalais

STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP

UL forward Aminata Sowe will be counted upon more now that teammate Ndioba Lo is out for the season with a knee injury.

UL suffers early injury blow ahead of final exhibition BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The UL women’s basketball team didn’t get to its second exhibition game before the first significant injury of the season occurred. On Wednesday, coach Garry Brodhead said 6-foot-3 freshman forward Ndioba Lo suffered a torn ACL in Tuesday’s practice and is out for the rest of the season. “It’s just kind of heartbreaking,” said Brodhead, whose Cajuns play Mississippi Christian in an exhibition game at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Cajundome. “The kid worked hard, and yeah, that’s going to hurt our program. It just seems like we can’t, for some reason, can’t get away from it, but I guess it’s part of the game.” A native of Dakar, Senegal, Lo showed a lot of potential in UL’s first exhibition game with 15 points and 14 rebounds in only 13 minutes. The Cajuns still figure to be larger and more physical than they’ve been in recent years with another 6-3 freshman from Senegal, Aminata Stowe, and 6-2 fresh-

ä See UL, page 3C

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C

Injunction shields LSU from SEC penalties for playing Luis Tigers, SEC to appear at next hearing Nov. 13

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

RJ Luis’ legal efforts to play college basketball were rewarded Wednesday. The former St. John’s star is temporarily eligible to play for coach Will Wade at LSU after a Baton Rouge judge signed an injunction enjoining LSU and the Southeastern Conference, which stops the conference from imposing penalties on the program for rostering Luis, said Tony Clayton, one of Luis’ attorneys, on Wednesday afternoon. Representatives for LSU and the SEC will appear at a preliminary injunction hearing Nov. 13 that will deAP FILE PHOTO BY STEVEN SENNE termine whether Luis will remain eliSt. John’s guard RJ Luis takes a shot gible. Presently, there isn’t anything that could be done to stop Luis from against Omaha during a first-round playing in the Nov. 3 season opener NCAA Tournament game on March against LSU New Orleans at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. 20, 2025, in Providence, R.I.

ä LSU New Orleans at LSU 7 P.M.TUESDAY, SEC NETWORK+

“Right now they are temporarily enjoined, so they can’t do anything to him,” Clayton said. “He can practice, he can play games, whatever, until the 13th.” An LSU spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment about whether the Tigers plan to roster Luis until the Nov. 13 hearing. Attorneys Clayton and Elliot Abrams asked the Louisiana judge to block the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey from penalizing LSU if he’s placed on the roster, according to a petition filed Tuesday obtained by The Advocate. Clayton said that the petition sent to the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge amended an Aug. 3 lawsuit to include the SEC, specifically Sankey, and the LSU Board of Supervisors as defendants. Luis’ representatives want nothing to prevent LSU from following

ä See SEC, page 3C

2C l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL 6 p.m. SC State at Morgan St. ESPNU 6:30 p.m. FAU at North Texas ESPN 6:30 p.m. Troy at James Madison ESPN2 WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER 5 p.m. Louisville at Virginia ACCN 7 p.m. Duke at Florida St. ACCN WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 6 p.m. Ohio St. at Penn St. BTN

6 p.m. 8 p.m.

Creighton at Marquette FS1 Northwestern at Illinois BTN GOLF 3 p.m. PGA Tour: Mexico Open GOLF 8:30 p.m. LPGA: Maybank Championship GOLF HORSE RACING noon America’s Day at the Races FS2 NBA 7 p.m. Sacremento at New Orleans GCSEN 7 p.m. Cleveland at Atlanta NBATV

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

NFL 7:15 p.m. Carolina at Green Bay WOMEN’S SOCCER 9:45 a.m. China vs. France 3 p.m. PSG at Man City TENNIS 8:30 p.m. Vienna-ATP WNBA FINALS 11:30 a.m. Golden State at Atlanta

PRIME FS2 CBSSN TENNIS USA

Expect more small ball for LSU women BY REED DARCEY

Staff writer

Coach Kim Mulkey didn’t think her new LSU roster had much depth. Then she looked at the team that won the 2023 national title and remembered that she had only 10 scholarship players that year. The lesson? LSU can win with a bigger roster, and it can win with a smaller one, too. What matters more than filling up a 15-player roster is nailing a solid eight-player rotation that Mulkey can use in February and March — and building a style of play around what those contributors can offer. “You learn how to adapt to what you have,” Mulkey said. And what the LSU women’s basketball team has, at least for now, is a smaller, more versatile bunch that knows how to defend the perimeter and play in transition. That group l o o k e d ä Loyola at LSU. sharp in its 7 P.M. THURSDAY, SECN+ first exhibition contest of the season, and now it has one more tune-up against Loyola-New Orleans at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center before the real games begin Monday. The starting lineup Mulkey used in the first exhibition featured four perimeter players — Jada Williams, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Mikaylah Williams and ZaKiyah Johnson — and one post player, the 6-foot-3 sophomore Grace Knox. The first two contributors who entered the game off the bench were 6-foot guard Laila Reynolds and 6-2 forward Lola Lampley. LSU didn’t have 6-3 forward Noa Morro (shin) and 6-5 center Anna Minaeva (quad), so it was considerably smaller than it would’ve been had those two frontcourt players been healthy enough to play. Morro’s out until at least late November, and Minaeva is a 17-year-

Contributing writer

Dane Fontenot and Michael Landry’s ability to move around to different positions has been a driving force behind Westminster Christian-Lafayette’s undefeated record this season. Fontenot switched positions on both sides of the football, sliding to offensive tackle from tight end for the Chargers (8-0, 5-0 District 7-1A), who travel to Jeanerette (6-1, 4-1) on Fontenot Friday. “I honestly loved it,” Fontenot said. “I kind of play a little of everything. It’s not much difference ... we don’t catch many passes in this offense. The main goal is to block.” With Fontenot at one tackle position and Landry at the other, the Chargers have rushed for close to 3,000 yards with 50 touchdowns and are averaging 11.7 yards per carry. “We’re having a record-breaking season,” Landry said. “Everybody is stepping up and playing their role.” On defense, Chargers coach Kent Gable moved Fontenot inside to tackle from end, while Landry shifted from tackle to end. “They’ve been anchors for us for three years,” Gable said of the senior Landry duo. “They were probably starters before I got here. They’re both extremely tough and play extremely hard. They don’t come off the field, except for special teams. I’m lucky to have those two.” Fontenot has 27 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while Landry has 35 tackles, five tackles for loss and 11 quar-

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Tucker to their practice squad on Wednesday, giving the five-time All-Pro kicker a second chance in the NFL after serving a 10-game suspension last year for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Tucker spent 13 seasons with the Ravens, earning a reputation as one of the league’s best kickers, before his tenure in Baltimore ended in controversy. The Baltimore Banner reported in 2025 that he had been accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists at high-end spas, accusations that Tucker called “unequivocally false” and “tabloid fodder.” The Ravens released him that May. And while Tucker was never criminally charged or sued in civil court, the NFL suspended him for the first 10 games of the 2025 season.

Eagles’ Barkley: NFL forced divestment in Polymarket

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Jada Williams, right, defends UNT Dallas guard Janea Walls on an inbounds play on Oct. 22 at the PMAC. old who’s acclimating to college basketball’s speed and physicality. So the Tigers are gearing up to play about as much small ball in the first chunk of their regular-season games as they did in their exhibition win last Thursday. They’re hoping those lineups can achieve similar results. “It works well because we’re little,” Mikaylah Williams said, “so we have to run. That’s something that we have to do. We’re not as big as we used to be right now, so we have to run.” LSU scored 82 points off turnovers and 61 points on the fast break in the exhibition it played against NAIA squad the University of North Texas at Dallas. Its starters outscored the Trailblazers 60-5 in the 14 minutes they spent on the

floor. “You gotta use your athleticism,” Mulkey said, “and you use that with speed and quickness, which we do have. And does that mean we’re gonna have to, in some big games, extend our defense to play more full-court pressure? How long can they last?” And how well will they clean the glass? LSU has been one of the nation’s five best rebounding teams for each of the last four seasons. Last year, the Tigers pulled down more boards than all but two Division I programs even though they didn’t have either Angel Reese or Aneesah Morrow. Now, Mulkey and her staff have to replace the production on the glass they received from Kate Koval and Amiya Joyner — their

two leading rebounders in 2025-26. Knox will have to crash the glass. So, too, will Johnson, Morro, Lampley, Reynolds and Mikaylah Williams. The group is not as physically imposing as some of the teams Mulkey has built in her career. But it’s chock-full of speed, length and athleticism, which Mulkey plans to take advantage of when the 2026-27 season begins Monday against Southeastern Louisiana. “You adapt, you adjust,” Mulkey said, “and I feel like I have a coaching staff that will help me realize that our best team for a long period of time this year might be small. And you go with what you think is going to give you an opportunity to win until your bigs become comfortable.”

Versatile WCA-Lafayette Despite early tipoff, WNBA duo plays bigger than size Finals Game 6 is a sellout BY MIKE COPPAGE

Tucker joins Chiefs’ practice squad after suspension

terback hurries. “Both of them are doing a really good job defensively,” Gable said. “We like to move Dane around to keep defenses guessing. With his personality and the way he plays the game, inside is usually the better fit.” The Chargers will try to slow down a Jeanerette team that is averaging 50.5 points over its last four games and features several college prospects, including sophomore offensive lineman Blair Lewis (6-foot6, 320 pounds). “We’ve never gotten off the bus and been the bigger team,” said Fontenot, who is listed at 5-11, 212 pounds. “That’s not what we do, right? We’re going to play our game and see who wins in the fourth quarter.” Sophomore Pierce Gable ranks second among area rushers with 1,261 yards on 102 carries with 22 touchdowns. Junior quarterback Zade Prejean has rushed for 813 yards on 46 carries with 13 scores, and he’s also completed 18 of 28 passes for 425 yards and four TDs with no interceptions. “The line is the key to everything,” Kent Gable said. “If you’re going to have a really good veer team, it’s because the guys up front are having good years.” Landry (6-foot, 235 pounds) said the Chargers will be prepared to offset a size disadvantage against the Tigers, who are led by all-state senior lineman Gregory Green (6-2, 300 pounds). “We can’t back down,” he said. Gable echoed the comments of his two senior linemen. “We’re never going to win ’the get off the bus award,’ “ he said. “We’re never going be the biggest team, but our kids play extremely hard for 48 minutes. That’s the key to what we do.” Jeanerette’s only loss was a onepoint setback (31-30) to Ascension Episcopal, which WCA-Lafayette defeated 27-26 in Week 6.

BY CHARLES ODUM AP sportswriter

ATLANTA — Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between Atlanta and Golden State on Thursday is a sellout despite its muchcriticized 11:30 a.m. tipoff, the Dream announced Wednesday. The Valkyries lead the series 3-2 and can clinch their first WNBA title with a win in the matinee at State Farm Arena. The Dream need a win to force a Game 7 on Saturday night in California. There were concerns the early tipoff would have the teams playing the potentially decisive Finals game in a half-empty arena because of fans having work and school obligations. Instead, the sellout means another Atlanta turnout of approximately 17,000 is expected for the third time in the series. “I think it’s good,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said Wednesday. “I’m glad we’re at State Farm and they got everything worked out. Everybody understands it’s going to be an early start time. Hopefully the crowd gets there early and is ready to support us to a win.” The Dream played most of their regular-season home games at Gateway Center Arena, which has a capacity of about 3,500. On Oct. 6, the team announced it will play all its home games at State Farm Arena beginning next season after landing a multiyear agreement with the venue. For the Finals, however, the Dream and WNBA have had to negotiate scheduling conflicts because of a concert and NBA Hawks home games at State Farm Arena. Because the Hawks had a home game against Cleveland scheduled for Thursday night, the decision was made to schedule the early tipoff instead of hold-

ä Valkyries at Dream.

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he was forced to divest his equity stake in Polymarket because of league rules that ban NFL players from investing in or endorsing gambling or prediction-market companies. Barkley told Front Office Sports that any involvement with prediction markets is no longer allowed by the NFL. “I was in it before, but no bueno,” he told Front Office Sports for a story published Wednesday. The NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and MLS all have deals with either Kalshi or Polymarket or both. Prediction markets provide an opportunity to trade on the result of future events. Sports account for a major portion of the volume generated.

Announcer Johnson leaving ‘Inside the NBA’ after 37 years

NEW YORK — Basketball announcer Ernie Johnson is stepping away from “Inside the NBA” after almost 37 years behind the anchor desk. The 70-year-old broadcaster says that the current NBA season will be his last one working alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. Johnson said health is part of the reason for his departure, but above all “It’s just time” to walk away. “As the years have gone by and I turned 70 this past summer, folks have asked me, ‘So, how long are you going to keep doing ‘Inside?’ ’’ he said on Wednesday. “This will be my last season. Totally my decision. It’s just time.” Johnson started doing NBA games and league analysis with “Inside the NBA” in 1990.

11:30 A.M. THURSDAY, USA.

ing a primetime game at the much smaller Gateway Center Arena. The decision generated criticism of the Dream, the Hawks and the WNBA. The Dream ownership group of Robyn and Larry Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair and Renee Montgomery responded with an open letter to fans on Tuesday. The letter said the league was slow to respond to concerns about scheduling conflicts that were raised two months ago. “As we moved through the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns,” the owners wrote. “Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved. Perhaps it was assumed that the Dream would not make it this far. Perhaps, our place in the Finals was not accounted for. Whatever the reason, the reality is that we are here. We earned our place in the Finals, and our city deserves the opportunity to show up for its team.”

Reese promises points to come Angel Reese said she remains confident in the Dream’s offense. “It’s just knowing who we are,” she said. “We watched a lot of film, and the mistakes that we made have really just been us. Kudos to Golden State for their defense for sure, but we’ve gotten a lot of great looks. We just haven’t hit the shot yet. It’s coming. I don’t believe it’s not coming. “We put the work in every single day, Karl has us the most prepared team, so that’s why we have no doubt. I have no doubt this team will come back and fight back and win this Game 6, and then we’ll go on from there.”

Timberwolves say Edwards, knee will be ‘good as new’

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves believe Anthony Edwards will be “good as new” following arthroscopic surgery for a lingering injury to his right knee, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said Wednesday. Edwards was scheduled for the cleanup procedure Thursday, after which the Timberwolves will have a clearer timetable for his return later this season, whether that becomes a matter of weeks or months. “We’re just concerned about his long-term health. We want to make sure we’re putting him in the best position he can be so he can be the best version he’s going to be for a long time,” Connelly said before the Timberwolves hosted Golden State.

Rams DE Garret will not practice, to miss 7th game

LOS ANGELES — Myles Garrett will not practice with the Los Angeles Rams this week, and the star defensive end will miss his seventh consecutive game for his new team on Sunday. Coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that the Rams (3-4) will not open the practice window this week for Garrett, who has been on injured reserve since undergoing knee surgery last month following his zero-tackle debut for the Rams in Australia. McVay also said receiver Davante Adams underwent surgery on his hamstring injury, and the Rams are optimistic he will return close to the six-week minimum projected absence. The Rams also got some good news on their lengthy injury list as star cornerback Trent McDuffie returned to practice on a limited basis.

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UL

Continued from page 1C man Kayllis Walker from Mississippi. “We still have some strong girls,” Brodhead said. “KWalker is very strong and so is Imani (Daniel). The way we rebounded (60 boards) in the first exhibition game, I hadn’t seen us do that much recently. “K-Walker is going to surprise you on how fast she is. She doesn’t look fast, but she’s as fast as anybody on our team. She moves well. So you’re going to see her able to guard, and I think that’s going to be the big part it.” Because of the team’s progress in rebounding, the coaching staff has been able to work more on pressure defense since the last exhibition game. “We kind of started to do a little bit more pressing,” Brodhead said. “I really like what I see. I think we’re going to be pretty good at it. So we kind of put that in to see if we can speed up the tempo of the other team, make them play a little bit faster and try to get some steals on it to help our transition game.” In other injury news,

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C As for the Bama game being a 2:30 p.m. kick, well, it certainly isn’t ideal for LSU and not when Tiger Stadium is typically at its best. And this is the first Alabama day game in Tiger Stadium since 2010 when, let the record show, LSU won 24-21. ESPN dictates the TV slates for the most part. SEC schools certainly benefit from slices of a very large TV rights pie. So, sometimes you get stuck with a less tasty time slot. It could be worse. ESPN has BYU and Utah, two top10 teams, playing at 10 a.m. Mountain time next week. Nov. 7 is a REALLY huge day in college football. The biggest game on the slate is Miami at Notre Dame, a primetime affair on NBC. It definitely appears ESPN doesn’t want LSU-Alabama, traditionally a TV ratings bonanza, to go up against the Hurricanes-Fighting Irish blockbuster. So Georgia at Ole Miss is on ABC (both 6:30 p.m. kicks). Now, if LSU’s Nov. 14 home finale against Texas is a day game, I will arch a Mr. Spock-like eyebrow over that decision. I’ve

LSU

Continued from page 1C through on its earlier plans to add Luis to the roster. “My client, Mr. Luis, felt that it was in his best interest to file this claim against LSU and the SEC because of the commissioner’s actions and the commissioner’s threat,” said Clayton, a West Baton Rouge district attorney. “LSU may be intimidated by ‘Kim Jong’ Sankey, but we’re not.” Clayton explained why LSU is being added to the lawsuit in its pursuit of a preliminary injunction and permanent injunction. “The reason why we brought LSU into the suit is because LSU is being threatened by Mr. Sankey,” Clayton said. “LSU is a great institution. Coach Wade is a good guy, a good coach, but both of them need to be forced to allow RJ to play basketball since he’s obviously qualified. And not have the threat of the SEC, which is threatening LSU. In effect, stopping coach Will Wade from letting this kid exercise his fundamental right to play basketball.” Clayton clarified that LSU and its basketball program have no involvement in his client’s latest legal actions. “LSU has nothing to do with it,” he said. “I’m sure LSU doesn’t like the fact that we sued them. I know coach Wade does not like the fact that I had to sue his immediate supervisor. But it’s not about them.

a year ago, including junior Malaya Jones, senior Jazmyne Jackson, freshman Bailey Timmons, sophomore Amijah Price and senior Kahlen Norris. Scoring is what Brodhead expects Jackson to bring to the table. “She had a great summer,” Brodhead said of Jackson. “I think she’s just a shooter. If she catches and shoots it without putting it on the floor, I mean, she’s going to make it. I always tell her STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP that, we don’t need you to put the ball on the floor. We UL coach Garry Brodhead don’t need you to be lookwaits for a calll during a ing for all these passes that game against LSU Alexandria you’re looking for. We need you to score. So I think she’s on Oct. 22. going to be a scorer.” “We still got a A lot of the season will boil down to the younger players ways to go. We’re getting Brodhead’s style of better in help than defense in the early going. “We still got a ways to go,” we were last year.” Brodhead said about his GARRY BRODHEAD, team’s defense. “We’re better Cajuns coach, in help than we were last year. Last year was the team that on the team’s defense they just couldn’t help. We had some people who could junior-college point guard kind of guard but were never Kennedi Johnson is likely in help. When Imani Daniel is going to be out two weeks in the game, she’s going to be after a foot injury suffered a big part of our help.” in the first exhibition game. The good news is UL has Email Kevin Foote at more ballhandlers than kfoote@theadvocate.com.

thought all along that between the Alabama and Texas games, one would be day and one would be night. On Nov. 14, the main competition for an SEC primetime slot is Missouri at Georgia and Florida at Kentucky. We’ll know about that Monday. As for LSU’s home record, the Tigers are 30-3 overall since 2022. In that time, they’re 2-2 in night games against ranked opponents and 1-1 in day games against ranked teams. Overall, LSU is 158-26 since 2000 at home and a solid 37-10 in day games during that span. So, hardly a death knell to the Tigers’ hopes of vanquishing the Crimson Tide. Back to the basketball court, or just the courts, and Mr. Luis. This latest legal maneuver looks very much like a play for monetary gain since his NBA career was a no-go. I stand by what I have said all along: Luis should not be allowed to play in college again. He gave up eligibility at St. John’s to turn professional and now he’s trying to maximize his current earning potential, such as it is. Unfortunately, LSU and men’s coach Will Wade decided to get caught

“It’s about RJ Luis, and I hope that LSU understands it. If they don’t, that’s on them. It’s not about LSU. LSU is being forced not to allow RJ to exercise his constitutional right to play basketball. So it’s not personal.” During SEC media days on Oct. 13, Wade was asked about the status of Luis, who had previously been practicing with the team, after he didn’t show for the first exhibition game against McNeese State five days earlier “We’re going to follow all the SEC protocols with him,” Wade said on a virtual call. “I think it’s been pretty clear what the SEC protocols are on all that. He didn’t travel with us to McNeese, and he hasn’t been rostered.” The SEC established penalties for programs that added an athlete who previously signed a pro contract with an NFL, NBA or WNBA franchise, including a fine equal to 50% of a team’s budget and a half-season suspension for its coach. “This controversy is ripe,” Luis’ petition states. “LSU is harming Mr. Luis because of the policy and will continue to do so unless a court directs otherwise. Mr. Luis is entitled to a declaratory judgment and an injunction against the LSU Board.” Luis’ petition also directly stated that it isn’t asking the court to “order LSU to roster him, to play him or make any coaching decision.” The petition said the order would protect LSU by preventing the SEC’s rules from taking effect, so “any penalty the Conference imposes on LSU for complying would punish

up in his basketball net. Luis’ attorney, Tony Clayton, told The Advocate on Wednesday that LSU “has nothing to do” with this latest legal maneuver. I doubt the SEC and its 15 other member schools will see it that way. That’s one big reason why the SEC’s federal lawsuit against LSU still exists. I was going to write this week that it was time for the SEC to drop said suit against LSU. Now, I don’t see why it would or should. LSU has given no indication that it will roster Luis before his Nov. 13 preliminary injunction hearing — the Tigers open the season Tuesday against LSU New Orleans. But in legal terms, the possibility still remains. So, the strained relationship between the SEC and LSU, one of its charter members, goes on. I also continue to think that the chance of the SEC kicking LSU out is slightly above zero, but folks in and around LSU are doing little at this point to bring the relationship between league and school back to normalcy. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

obedience to an order of this Court.” Clayton said that if a preliminary injunction is granted, the next step would be a trial for a permanent injunction. Luis, who previously signed an NBA contract after going undrafted in the 2025 draft, was granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA by Judge Ronald Johnson on Aug. 24 in a Baton Rouge court. This made him eligible for another season despite leaving college basketball after his junior season at St. John’s to pursue his NBA career. An SEC spokesman told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it had no immediate comment on the latest actions from Luis’ lawyers. The SEC is already defending a federal lawsuit in Alabama over LSU’s efforts to add Luis, arguing the school failed to comply with the conference’s professionalism rule. Before Luis’ connection to LSU, he was a part of two NBA organizations. After going undrafted in 2025, he signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz in June 2025 before being traded to the Boston Celtics two months later. Luis was waived by the Celtics in October 2025 before signing a deal with its NBA G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics. He was waived by the G League team before the start of the season because of an injury. Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@ theadvocate.com

The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l 3C

Saints owner Gayle Benson, center, walks through a replica of the Arc de Triomphe as she enters the stadium to watch her team play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Stade de France.

STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C Notre Dame cathedral and a Louisiana Economic Development summit. “Above all, I will treasure the people: familiar faces so far from home, new friendships, thoughtful conversations and the joy of sharing this historic occasion,” Benson wrote. “Your enthusiasm was a wonderful reminder that wherever the Saints play, the Who Dat nation is there with us.” Despite the loss, Benson’s tone was much different than her speech at the New Orleans Quarterback Club two weeks ago, when she called out general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore by name, suggesting change was needed if the team didn’t improve. The team defeated the New York Giants the next Sunday before traveling to Paris. The Saints are off this week before returning home to face the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 8. Here is the complete text of Benson’s letter: Dear Friends, What an extraordinary and memorable week in Paris! As we return home, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to each of you who traveled to France

to be part of this historic Saints game. Your presence made the occasion even more meaningful to me and our entire organization. I know this journey required an enormous amount of time, planning and commitment. Whether you joined us as a devoted fan, corporate partner, business leader, community advocate, or elected official, I am deeply grateful that you chose to share this special experience with us. While the outcome on the field was not what we had hoped for, we have much to be proud of from our time together. We represented the New Orleans Saints, our beloved city and the entire state of Louisiana with class and pride on an international stage. Everywhere we went, you shared the warmth, hospitality and passion that make our community so special. The week also offered valuable opportunities to strengthen the ties between Louisiana and France. Conversations among government officials, business leaders and cultural organizations opened many doors for business development, investment, tourism and cultural exchange. I look forward to seeing these relationships grow and bring lasting benefits to both our city and state.

Above all, I will treasure the people: familiar faces so far from home, new friendships, thoughtful conversations and the joy of sharing this historic occasion. Your enthusiasm was a wonderful reminder that wherever the Saints play, the Who Dat nation is there with us. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to Commissioner Roger Goodell and the National Football League for their leadership in bringing this historic game to Paris, to our gracious French hosts for their hospitality, and to everyone who worked so hard to welcome and care for those who made the trip. Football brought us together in Paris, but the memories, friendships and partnerships we built will endure well beyond the game. Thank you for cheering us on and bringing a piece of home to Paris. Your friendship, loyalty and continued belief in the New Orleans Saints and the future of our great city and state mean so much to me. It was a privilege to share this remarkable experience with you, and I will always be grateful that you were part of it. With heartfelt appreciation and warmest regards, Gayle Benson New Orleans Saints Owner & CEO

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4C ● Thursday, October 29, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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VARSITY ZONE

SCOREBOARD Odds

Tuesday’s scores

NFL Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U at GREEN BAY 7 3½ (47½)

Sunday

UNDERDOG Carolina

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at J’VILLE 4½ 9½ (46½) Indinaplis at NY JETS 1½ 1½ (45½) Las Vegas at BUFFALO 2½ 3½ (54½) Baltimore at DETROIT 4½ 3½ (46) Minnesota at PITTSBURGH 6½ 3½ (39½) Cleveland at CINCINNATI 6½ 10½ (46½) Tennessee at TAMPA BAY 4½ 2½ (44½) Atlanta at DALLAS 10½ 7 (54½) Arizona at LA RAMS 3½ 6½ (45½) LA Chargers Kansas City 1½ 1½ (40½) at DENVER New England 7 7 (44) at MIAMI at WASHINGTN 2½ 5½ (40½) Philadelphia

Monday

FAVORITE at SEATTLE

OPEN TODAY O/U 4½ 3½ (46½)

College football Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U at J. MADISON 17½ 19½ (49½) at N. TEXAS 13½ 13½ (77½)

UNDERDOG Troy Fau

FAVORITE Tulane Baylor Kent State

UNDERDOG at CHRLTTE at UCF at SAC. ST.

Friday

Saturday

STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE

Southside quarterback Parker Dies looks for an opening during the Sharks’ 17-14 upset of St. Thomas More on Friday. The Sharks are hoping to earn a home playoff game over the final two weeks of the regular season.

POWER BOOST Area teams can up playoff seedings in last two weeks of season

Suddenly, there’s only two weeks left in the high school football regular season. That means it’s time for fans to start checking out how their teams stand in the LHSAA’s power rankings. For some, it’s about getting a home game in the playoffs. For others, it’s about getting the highest seed possible. For still others, it’s about qualifying for the postseason. Perhaps the most interesting team in the area is Southside. The Sharks are No. 13 in the Division I nonselect rankings coming off a 17-14 upset of St. Thomas More on Friday. Good teams who fall in the 11-13 or 20-23 seeding range typically get good first-round draws. The thing with Southside, though, is the Sharks (5-3) play at Acadiana (No. 9 in Div. I select) on Friday and finish with Barbe (No. 2 in Div. I nonselect) at home. That’s a lot of potential upward mobility if Southside can pull off two more wins. What an impressive finish to the regular season that would be. The Division I select side also has some intriguing possibilities. St. Thomas More (6-2) is No. 7 and finishes with Sam Houston (3-5) and Sulphur (5-3). Meanwhile, Lafayette High (5-3) at 11th, just two spots behind Acadiana. The two teams finish the regular season against each other next week, but Acadiana must first play Southside on Friday. The busiest bracket for the Acadiana area is the Division II nonselect bracket with 10 teams in the top 32. Leading the way is unbeaten Westgate in the No. 2 spot behind top-ranked Neville, but first the Tigers must deal with Lafayette Renaissance — No. 7 in the select

Carencro (4-4) has rebounded well from a rough start and has two opportunities to improve upon its current No. 15 spot with Beau Chene and Cecilia left. Besides Southside, the other most interesting team is Teurlings Catholic (1-7). The Rebels were 10-0 last season, but stand at No. 22 in the 24-team bracket. Division II bracket — Friday in Teurlings, which just scared hopes to maintaining that lofty Lafayette Renaissance and Westposition. gate pretty good, has an open Only two spots behind Westdate this week and finishes with Northside (2-6). So some unlucky gate is undefeated Eunice at No. 4. If the Bobcats can avoid upsets high seed may not be happy to see the Rebels as their firstfrom Crowley and Iota to finish round opponent. the regular season, they might In Division III nonselect, Lostay in the top four. Fresh off a dramatic 50-48 win reauville (5-3) is hoping to earn a over Cecilia, Opelousas (6-2) home game at No. 14 with West stands No. 7 and will be heavily St. Mary and Delcambre left. Abfavored to win out with Breaux beville is on the outside looking Bridge and Beau Chene left. in at No. 31, but an upset of KaCecilia’s three losses are to plan on Thursday could change Barbe, Notre Dame and Opelouthat. sas and yet the Bulldogs are at In the Division III select brackNo. 17 and are hoping wins over et, Notre Dame (8-0) appears safe Livonia and Carencro would earn at No. 1, followed by Lafayette them a home playoff game. Christian (6-2) at No. 2 and CathoBeau Chene (7-1) is No. 15, but lic-New Iberia (5-3) at No. 9. will have its work cut out with That sets up a nice Week 10 Carencro and Opelousas remaining. matchup with LCA and CatholicNew Iberia. Northwest (5-3) is also fightOn Friday, Westminster-Lafaying for a home game at No. 16. The Raiders have a tough one ette (8-0) travels to Jeanerette with Church Point on Friday. The (6-1). The Chargers are No. 7 in Bears are No. 4 in the Division the select Division IV bracket III bracket and will likely need with Jeanerette No. 11 in the nonto beat Northwest to stay in the select Division IV rankings. top four. Meanwhile, Ascension EpisThen there’s Erath (4-4) at copal (4-3) is No. 10 in the select Division IV bracket and plays No. 21, North Vermilion (5-3) at No. 22 and Iota (4-4) just fighting No. 21 Vermilion Catholic on to earn a spot in the top 28. Friday. Erath must play Kaplan — No. Also, JS Clark (4-4) is hoping to 7 in Division III — in Week 10, so maintain its playoff positioning that won’t be easy. at No. 18 in its first year of In the Division II select brackLHSAA play. et, Lafayette Renaissance (6-2) could rise above No. 7 with a win Email Kevin Foote at kfoote over Westgate on Friday, while @theadvocate.com.

Kevin Foote

PREP REPORT Football

Receiving

Player Khylon Edwards, Catholic-NI Cayden Lancelin, Westgate Carter Champagne, Erath Markez Davis, Northwest Jaylon Owens, Opelousas Jackson Semien, North Vermilion Ashton Joseph, Lafayette Renaissance

Week 9 schedule All games at 7 p.m.

Thursday’s games

Beau Chene (7-1) at Carencro (4-4) Kaplan (6-2) at Abbeville (2-6 Catholic-NI (5-3) at Franklin (4-3) W. St. Mary (4-4) at Loreauville (5-3) Elton (5-3) at Gueydan (1-6)

Avg. 19,1 20.4 15.9 23.3 15.0 31.0 10.6

TD 4 9 6 6 5 6 5

Tuesday’s results

Southside (5-3) at Acadiana (5-3) Lafayette (5-3) at Sulphur (5-3) Barbe (7-1) at New Iberia (1-7) St. Thomas More (6-2) at Sam Houston (3-5) Lafayette Christian (6-2) at Delcambre (5-3) Westminster-Lafayette (8-0) at Jeanerette (5-2) Notre Dame (8-0) at Kinder (1-7) Ascension Episcopal (4-3) at Vermilion Catholic (2-6) Opelousas (6-2) at Breaux Bridge (0-8) Livonia (1-6) at Cecilia (5-3) Lafayette Renaissance (6-2) at Westgate (7-0) North Vermilion (5-3) at LaGrange (0-7) Northside (2-6) at Acadiana Renaissance (3-5) Lake Charles Prep (7-1) at Rayne (3-5) Church Point (5-2) at Northwest (5-3) Eunice (8-0) at Crowley (3-5) Erath (4-4) at St. Martinville (2-6) Mamou (2-6) at Iota (4-4) JS Clark (4-4) at Berchmans (3-5) Hanson (3-5) at Highland Baptist (0-8) Opelousas Catholic (1-7) at North Central (4-4) Westminster (4-4) at St. Edmund (5-3)

Area leaders

Player Justin Williams, Southside Thomas Carter, Loreauville Pierce Gable, Westminster-Lafayette Joseph Clues, Opelousas Kristian Aubrey, Acadiana Renaissance De’Maurion Cormier, Kaplan Blathon Citizen, Church Point

Att. 180 153 97 130 149 115 104

Yds. 1310 1147 1121 1075 1025 976 950

Avg. 7.2 7.4 11.5 8.2 6.8 8.4 9.1

TD 16 18 18 14 12 12 14

Player Kennan Brown, Lafayette Renaissance Noah Antoine, Westgate John Parker Robison, Catholic-NI Landen DeRouen, Erath Carson Gurzi, Carencro Grayson Hemard, St. Thomas More Collin Rideau, Opelousas

Com. 115 93 95 79 92 83 73

Att. 166 132 156 120 156 156 127

Yds. 1554 1426 1401 1236 1202 1144 1129

TD 18 20 11 15 8 17 11

Passing

Yds. 613 553 494 490 451 435 415

Volleyball

Friday’s games

Rushing

No. 32 27 31 21 30 14 39

ESA def. Ascension Episcopal 3-1 Catholic-NI def. North Vermilion 3-0 St. Thomas More def. St. Michael 3-0 Westminster def. Barbe 3-0 Catholic-NI def. Acadiana Renaissance 3-0 Lafayette Christian def. Southside 3-0 Rayne def. Acadiana 3-1 St. Thomas More def. David Thibodaux 3-0 Delcambre def. Highland Baptist 3-2 Iota def. North Vermilion 3-0 Sulphur def. Lafayette 3-1 Sacred Heart-GC def. Port Barre 3-1 Rayne def. Abbeville 3-0 Breaux Bridge def. Northside 3-0 Carencro def. Lafayette Renaissance 3-0 Teurlings def. Cecilia 3-0 Crowley def. Opelousas 3-0 Eunice def. Northwest 3-0 Sam Houston def. Beau Chene 3-1 Northside Christian def. Westminster-Lafayette 3-0 Acadiana Christian def. David Thibodaux 3-0 Northside Christian def. Highland Baptist 3-1 Opelousas Catholic def. Livonia 3-2 Welsh def. St. Edmund 3-0

Catholic-New Iberia def. North Vermilion 25-16, 25-18, 25-15 CHNI: Amelia Trappey 14 kills, 8 digs, 2 assists, 1 ace; Renee Frederick 19 assists, 6 kills, 5 aces, 2 digs, 1 block; Mackenzie Batiste 13 assist, 7 kills, 1 ace, 8 digs; Camille McGowan 4 aces, 5 digs, 2 assists. Record: CHNI 26-4.

Iota def. Crowley 25-7, 25-10, 25-14

IOTA: Camrynn Lantier 6 kills, 4 blocks, 6 aces; Ella Lopez 8 kills, 2 blocks; Greta Brown 8 kills; Addison Toups 5 kills, 3 aces, 6 digs, 6 assists; Jaycie Willis 2 aces, 6 digs, 13 assists; Avery Short 5 assists; Regan McGee 10 digs; Cadence Floyd 7 digs.

Thursday’s schedule Acadiana at Southside, Carencro at St. Edmund, Westgate at Delcambre, Cecilia at Breaux Bridge, Northside at Franklin, Northside Christian at Sam Houston.

UNDERDOG Chicago

OPEN TODAY O/U 13½ 10½ (47½) 2½ 1½ (48½) 9½ 9½ (46½)

San Antonio 130, Sacramento 103 Boston 125, Brooklyn 124, OT New York 111, Detroit 97 Portland 136, L.A. Lakers 129

Wednesday’s games

Charlotte at Detroit, n Miami at Atlanta, n Philadelphia at Indiana, n Washington at Cleveland, n Orlando at Toronto, n Denver at New Orleans, n Golden State at Minnesota, n Houston at Milwaukee, n New York at Chicago, n San Antonio at Utah, n Oklahoma City at Dallas, n L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers, n

Thursday’s games

Cleveland at Atlanta, 7 p.m. Sacramento at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Memphis at Portland, 9 p.m.

WNBA Finals

Golden State 3, Atlanta 2

Oct. 17: Game 1: Golden State 68, Atlanta 64 Oct. 19: Game 2: Atlanta 79, Golden State 65 Oct. 21: Game 3: Atlanta 97, Golden State 71 Oct. 24: Game 4: Golden State 67, Atlanta 62 Monday: Game 5: Golden State 64, Atlanta 55 Thursday: Game 6: Golden State at Atlanta, 11:30 a.m. (USA) x-Saturday: Game 7: Atlanta at Golden State, 7 p.m. (USA)

Pro football

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at DUKE 7½ 7 (47½) B. College at S. FLORIDA 7½ 7½ (42½) UAB at IOWA 4½ 3½ (36½) Wisconsin at W. MICH. 14½ 13½ (44½) B. Green Notre Dame 28½ 30½ (57½) at NAVY at TEXAS TECH 7½ 3½ (54½) Arizona at NC STATE 7½ 7 (56½) Cal SMU 10½ 10 (58½) at SYRACUSE Illinois 2½ 2½ (54½) at MARYLND Michigan 14½ 14½ (47½) at RUTGERS at OLE MISS 10½ 13½ (57½) Auburn Marshall 2½ 2½ (43½) at OLD DOM. Kansas State 2½ 1½ (47½) at COLO. at GEORGIA ST. 6½ 6½ (58½) Co. Carolina at E. CAROLINA 4 5½ (50½) Temple at AIR FORCE 2½ 1½ (51½) UConn Louisiana Tech 5 5½ (58½) at S. ALA. at LOUISVILLE 20½ 22½ (60½) Stanford Southern Miss 3 3½ (56½) at ULM at BYU 17½ 16½ (48½) Arizona State at INDIANA 22½ 20½ (41½) Minnesota at OREGON 7½ 3½ (47½)Northwestern at TCU 4½ 5½ (46½) Kansas at GEORGIA 12½ 11½ (55½) Florida at UTAH STATE 3½ 6½ (63½) Colo. State at LIBERTY 11½ 13½ (45½) Fiu at N.D. STATE 26½ 24½ (42½) UTEP Utah 9½ 6½ (56½) at CINC. at W. FOREST 13½ 12½ (49½) Virginia New Mexico 14½ 14½ (42½) at S. JOSE ST. at PENN STATE 7½ 7½ (54½) Purdue at UCLA 23½ 22½ (44½) Nevada at OKLAHOMA 5½ 4½ (44½) S. Carolina at GA. SOUTH. 3½ 5½ (56½) App. State at FLORIDA ST. 1½ 6 (50½) Clemson Wash. St. at SAN DIEGO ST. 2½ 2½ (48½) Oklahoma St. 9½ 8½ (58½) at IOWA ST. Ohio State 7½ 6½ (51½) at USC Miami (FL) 14½ 14 (52½) at N. CARO. at TEXAS 20½ 20½ (50½) Miss. State at PITTSBURGH 6½ 7½ (54½) Georgia Tech Missouri 9½ 9½ (49½) at ARKANSAS at NEBRASKA 9½ 7½ (49½) Washington at MEMPHIS 7½ 5½ (60½) Army at BOISE STATE 11 10½ (63½) Texas State at UNLV 24½ 24½ (54½) N. Illinois Oregon State 6½ 5½ (57½) at FRESNO ST.

NFL glance

Major League Baseball

San Francisco Seattle L.A. Rams Arizona

World Series glance Best-of-7; x-if necessary. All games at 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay 4, Milwaukee 3 Late Tuesday Milwaukee

Tampa Bay ab r h bi Díaz dh 4 0 1 0 Mateo pr-dh0 0 0 0 Aranda 1b 5 0 0 0 Caminero 3b5 1 1 0 Mullins pr 0 1 0 0 Hicks c 5 0 2 0 Fortes pr 0 1 0 0 DeLuca cf 5 1 1 1 Simpson lf 5 0 3 1 Vilade rf 1 0 0 0 Mesa ph-rf 3 0 0 0 Willimsn ph 1 0 1 1 Palacios 2b 4 0 0 0 Walls ss 4 0 0 0 Totals 43 3 8 3 Totals 42 4 9 3 Milwaukee 000 110 000 001 — 3 Tampa Bay 010 100 000 002 — 4 E — Hamilton (1), Ortiz (1), Hicks (1). DP — Milwaukee 1, Tampa Bay 0. LOB — Milwaukee 8, Tampa Bay 6. 2B — Pratt (2), Chourio (2), Simpson (1). HR — Hamilton (1), Pratt (1). SB — Pratt (1), Mateo (2). IP H R ER BB SO Milwaukee May 3 3 2 2 0 3 Romero 1 0 0 0 0 0 Uribe 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Hall 12⁄3 1 0 1 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Megill 0 0 3 Ashby 21⁄3 0 0 2 ⁄3 0 1 0 1 1 Senzatela Drohan L,0-1 BS,0-1 0 4 1 1 0 0 Tampa Bay Jax 4 4 2 2 2 6 Kelly 1 0 0 0 1 1 Martinez 2 1 0 0 0 1 Baker 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wells 12⁄3 0 0 1 ⁄3 0 0 0 1 1 Booser Seymour W,1-0 1 2 1 1 0 1 May pitched to 1 batter in the 4th, Drohan pitched to 4 batters in the 12th, Jax pitched to 1 batter in the 5th. WP — Jax. ABS Challenge — Contreras (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Mitchell (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Hicks (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Mitchell (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Hall (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Vaughn (StrikeOverturned to Ball); Caminero (StrikeOverturned to Ball); Wells (Ball-Confirmed); Contreras (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Senzatela (Ball-Confirmed); Seymour (BallConfirmed). Umpires — Home, James Hoye; First, Dan Bellino; Second, Tripp Gibson; Third, Gabe Morales; Right, Nic Lentz; Left, Jim Wolf. T — 4:20. A — 40,514 (25,025). ab r h bi Chourio lf 6 0 2 0 Bauers 1b 6 0 0 0 Yelich dh 3 0 0 0 Contreras c 4 0 0 0 Turang 2b 4 0 0 0 Frelick rf 5 1 1 0 Pratt ss 5 1 4 2 Mitchell cf 5 0 0 0 Lara cf 0 0 0 0 Hamilton 3b 3 1 1 1 Vaughn ph 0 0 0 0 Ortiz 3b 2 0 0 0

Pro basketball NBA glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division

Detroit Cleveland Indiana Chicago Milwaukee

Houston Memphis San Antonio Dallas New Orleans Northwest Division Oklahoma City Portland Minnesota Denver Utah Pacific Division L.A. Lakers Phoenix L.A. Clippers Golden State Sacramento

Jacksonville Indianapolis Houston Tennessee North Cleveland Pittsburgh Cincinnati Baltimore West Kansas City Denver Las Vegas L.A. Chargers

NFC East

N.Y. Giants Dallas Philadelphia Washington South Carolina Atlanta Tampa Bay New Orleans North Minnesota Chicago Detroit Green Bay West

W 5 4 2 1

L 1 3 5 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .833 .571 .286 .167

PF 197 160 137 98

PA 171 143 150 157

W 4 2 2 1

L 2 5 5 6

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .286 .286 .143

PF 154 154 165 108

PA 104 180 170 156

W 5 5 4 4

L 2 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .714 .714 .667 .571

PF 133 153 163 169

PA 146 138 122 167

W 5 5 3 0

L 1 2 4 6

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .833 .714 .429 .000

PF 143 144 183 90

PA 103 141 197 151

W 4 3 2 1

L 2 4 5 4

T 1 0 0 1

Pct .643 .429 .286 .250

PF 163 189 127 132

PA 161 179 175 172

W 3 3 2 2

L 3 4 5 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .500 .429 .286 .286

PF 159 171 162 162

PA 166 173 151 194

W 6 5 4 4

L 0 2 2 3

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .714 0 .667 0 .571

PF 125 180 184 144

PA 74 143 165 145

W 6 4 3 2

L 1 3 4 5

T 0 0 0 0

PF 197 168 170 142

PA 139 125 159 208

Pct .857 .571 .429 .286

Thursday’s game

Carolina at Green Bay, 7:15 p.m.

Sunday’s games

Arizona at Dallas, noon Atlanta at Tampa Bay, noon Baltimore at Buffalo, noon Cleveland at Pittsburgh, noon Indianapolis at Jacksonville, noon Las Vegas at N.Y. Jets, noon Minnesota at Detroit, noon Tennessee at Cincinnati, noon L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams, 3:05 p.m. Kansas City at Denver, 3:25 p.m. New England at Miami, 3:25 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington, 7:20 p.m. Open: Houston, N.Y. Giants, New Orleans, San Francisco

Monday’s game

Chicago at Seattle, 7:15 p.m.

College football National scores, schedule Tuesday’s score

Missouri State 24, Sam Houston State 3

Wednesday’s games

Kennesaw St. (1-6) at Middle Tennessee (4-3), n Jacksonville St. (5-2) at New Mexico St. (3-4), n

Thursday’s games

SOUTH Troy (3-4) at James Madison (7-1), 6:30 p.m. FAU (5-2) at North Texas (5-2), 6:30 p.m.

Friday’s games

Baylor (4-3) at UCF (4-3), 6:30 p.m. Kent St. (3-5) at Sacramento St. (1-7), 9:30 p.m.

State schedule Friday’s game

Tulane (3-4) at Charlotte (1-6), 6 p.m.

Saturday’s games

Northwestern St. (0-8) at Incarnate Word (4-4), 1 p.m. å (3-5) at McNeese St. (3-5), 2 p.m. Louisiana Tech (5-2) at South Alabama (4-3), 2 p.m. Southern (3-5) at Florida A&M (2-6), 2 p.m. Southern Miss (2-5) at UL-Monroe (1-6), 2:30 p.m. Southeastern (4-4) at East Texas A&M (2-6), 3 p.m. Grambling (4-3) at Texas Southern (2-5), 7:30 p.m. Open date: LSU, UL

Hockey NHL glance Tuesday’s games

Columbus 4, Philadelphia 3, OT New Jersey 5, Dallas 1 Chicago 2, Los Angeles 1 Florida 5, Winnipeg 1 Carolina 2, Boston 1 Montreal 2, St. Louis 0 N.Y. Islanders 4, Nashville 3, SO Minnesota 3, Utah 1 Vegas 4, Ottawa 1 Vancouver 6, Anaheim 5, OT Buffalo 2, San Jose 0

Wednesday’s games

3 3 2 1 0

W 1 1 1 3 4

L Pct .750 .750 .667 .250 .000

GB — — ½ 2 3

W 3 2 2 1 0

L 1 2 2 2 4

Pct .750 .500 .500 .333 .000

GB — 1 1 1½ 3

W 3 2 2 1 1

L 1 1 2 3 3

Pct .750 .667 .500 .250 .250

GB — ½ 1 2 2

W 4 4 2 2 0

L 0 0 2 2 3

Pct 1.000 1.000 .500 .500 .000

GB — — 2 2 3½

W 4 3 3 1 1

L 0 0 1 2 3

Pct 1.000 1.000 .750 .333 .250

GB — ½ 1 2½ 3

W 3 1 1 1 0

L 1 2 2 3 4

Pct .750 .333 .333 .250 .000

GB — 1½ 1½ 2 3

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division

Buffalo New England N.Y. Jets Miami South

Dallas 38, Philadelphia 21

Oct. 23: Game 1: Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 Oct. 24: Game 2: Milwaukee 5, Tampa Bay 4 Monday: Game 3: Milwaukee 10, Tampa 1 Tuesday: Game 4: Tampa Bay 4, Milwaukee 3, 12 innings Wednesday: Game 5: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay, n x-Friday: Game 6: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay x-Saturday: Game 7: Tampa at Milwaukee

Charlotte Atlanta Washington Orlando Miami Central Division

East

Monday’s game

Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 1

Philadelphia Boston Toronto New York Brooklyn Southeast Division

AFC

Philadelphia at Washington, n Calgary at Edmonton, n New Jersey at Colorado, n Toronto at Seattle, n

Thursday’s games

Columbus at Carolina, 6 p.m. Utah at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. Winnipeg at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m. Chicago at Detroit, 6:30 p.m. Boston at St. Louis, 7 p.m. Montreal at Dallas, 7 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Minnesota, 7 p.m. Washington at Nashville, 7 p.m. Buffalo at Anaheim, 9 p.m. Ottawa at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. Vancouver at San Jose, 9 p.m.

Transactions FOOTBALL NFL ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed OL Kingsley Eguakun from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed WR Zay Jones to the practice squad. DETROIT LIONS — Designated S Kerby Joseph to return from the physically unable to perform list. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed TEs Devin Culp and Bryson Nesbit to the practice squad. Placed WR Michael Briscoe on practice squad injured reserve. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS — Signed WR Van Jefferson from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed OLB Kyle Kennard to the practice squad. Placed WR Terry McLaurin on injured reserve. Designated DT Jer’Zhan Newton to return from injured reserve. HOCKEY NHL COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Placed D Carson Soucy on waivers.

LIVING

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

| T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 29, 2026

5CN

Escape to Greece with Shrimp Saganaki BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)

Recently, I visited a new Greek restaurant and enjoyed a dish called Shrimp Saganaki. Succulent shrimp were simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce and topped with crumbled feta cheese. The dish gets its name from the sagani, the traditional twohandled pan in which it is prepared. Thinking of this tasty dish, I decided to make a simplified version of Shrimp Saganaki at home. While the shrimp simmer gently in the tomato sauce, the side dish of zucchini and rice comes together quickly in the microwave. HELPFUL HINTS: n If shrimp is frozen, a quick way to defrost is to place them in a bowl of cold water. n 1 cup chopped onion can be used instead of frozen chopped onion. n 4 crushed garlic cloves can be used instead of minced garlic.

TNS PHOTO BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER

Shrimp Saganaki

FALL’S DELIGHT Pumpkin fondue dish worthy of being in the center of a fall table

Shrimp Saganaki Makes 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.

BY REBECCA DeLATIN

P

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided use 1 cup frozen chopped onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 cup finely chopped canned tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon sugar ½ pound zucchini cut into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups) 1½ cups microwave brown rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¾ pound shrimp 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 ⁄3 cup crumbled feta cheese 1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and onion and saute 2 minutes. 2. Add garlic, tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes. 3. While sauce simmers, add the zucchini to a microwavesafe bowl and microwave on high 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and add microwaveable brown rice. Microwave 1 minute or according to package instructions. 4. Measure 1½ cups rice and add to the bowl with the zucchini. Toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. 5. Divide in half and place on two dinner plates. Reserve remaining rice for another meal. 6. After sauce simmers for 5 minutes, stir the shrimp into the sauce. Simmer 2 minutes. Add the parsley and mix into the sauce. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top and place the skillet under the broiler for several minutes. NUTRITION INTO PER SERVING: 579 calories (32 percent from fat), 20.4 g fat (6.6 g saturated, 7.5 g monounsaturated), 301 mg cholesterol, 45.9 g protein, 56.1 g carbohydrates, 7.4 g fiber, 498 mg sodium.

STAFF PHOTOS BY PEARL SPURLOCK

Pumpkin pie fondue

Contributing writer

umpkins are everywhere this time of year, spilling out of grocery store bins and perched on porches with their best friends, the potted mums. They are gorgeous in all their shapes and colors, fun to carve delicious to eat. Recipe, and My favorite 6C pumpkin recipe is one that is both decorative and delicious. Every October, I start searching for the pie pumpkins that can decorate my porch for Halloween, then be transformed into pumpkin fondue come Thanksgiving. Roasted pumpkin fondue has been a family favorite for many years. One recipe uses a savory herband garlic-infused cream and the other a spiced maple cream. The slightly sweet and savory flavors complemented each other well — one having notes of Thanksgiving dinner, while the other is reminis-

Rebecca DeLatin scoops up the pumpkin pie fondue to taste test. cent of a warm chai latte. The aesthetics of this dish are beyond pleasing. The pumpkins come out of the oven with deep orange, burnished skin, and under their lids is creamy, stretchy cheese and tender pumpkin ready to be scooped onto toasts or ginger snaps. I sent a photo of my test batch to a friend, and they asked where I managed to find such perfect ceramic pumpkin serving dishes, not realizing they were real pumpkins.

But if you’d rather carve a pumpkin than eat it, there are tips for that, too. I’d consider one of my hidden talents to be pumpkin carving. It all started with a “Napoleon Dynamite” portrait I carved in high school, which has led to an expectation among my friends who ask, “What are you carving this year?” I usually go with characters from my favorite movies or TV shows with an occasional meme or political candidate thrown in. My pumpkin portfolio includes Ron Swanson from “Parks and Recreation,” Bernard the Bull from “Where the Wild Things Are,” Eleven from “Stranger Things” and the internet-famous Grumpy Cat saying “Boo.” Over the years, I have gathered an arsenal of tools and tricks of the trade. Here are a few to consider.

Cleaning out your pumpkin Some of the best tools for the job are a kitchen glove to protect the

ä See FONDUE, page 6C

Lemon pesto pasta with almonds brightens a fall day Pasta with Lemon Pesto and Spinach

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/ TNS PHOTO BY GRETCHEN McKAY

BY GRETCHEN McKAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) With pumpkins, apples and jewel-colored squashes the showpieces of fall farm stand displays, choosing to make a meal that leans heavily on citrus might feel misguided on a cool, sunny day in October. Peak season for lemons, oranges and grapefruit doesn’t kick off until late November, when specialty and heirloom

citrus fruits like minneola tangelos and Meyer lemons find their way from and CaliRecipe, Florida fornia onto store 6C shelves. Standard lemons, however, are produce section staples you can easily find year-round, often by the bag on sale in larger grocery stores. Not only are they an extreme-

ä See PASTA, page 6C

6C l Thursday, October 29, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

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Pumpkin Fondue Times Two Makes 8-10 servings. Recipe by Rebecca DeLatin, inspired by Roast Pumpkin with Cheese “Fondue” from Epicurious 2 pie pumpkins (each about 5-6 inches in diameter) 1 baguette or French bread loaf, thinly sliced into rounds 12 ounces Swiss and Gruyère shredded cheese blend 2 tablespoons olive oil FOR THE SPICED MAPLE CREAM: 1 cup of whipping cream ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend 2 teaspoons 100% maple syrup ½ teaspoon salt FOR THE HERB-INFUSED CREAM: 1 cup of whipping cream ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth 2 crushed garlic cloves STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK 3-4 thyme sprigs Rebecca DeLatin adds pumpkin pie spice to the pumpkin 1 sage sprig (4-5 leaves) 1 rosemary sprig pie fondue. 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon white pepper 6. Gently warm the mix- You may have leftover OPTIONAL GARNISH: Ginger thins, tures on low heat. Take care cream or cheese. cranberry-studded crackers and 10. Return pumpkin tops to avoid boiling, which could fresh herbs curdle the cream. Stir occa- and generously coat the outsionally, allowing flavors to side of the pumpkin in olive 1. Carefully cut the tops infuse for about 20 minutes. oil. off the pumpkins to cre7. Transfer cream mix11. Wrap the stems in foil ate a bowl shape. Keep the tures into separate liquid to avoid charring. (Optionknife at a 45-degree angle measuring cups. Strain and ally, at this stage, pumpkins to create a rim for the lid to discard solids from the herb- can be refrigerated until rest on. Thoroughly clean infused cream mixture. ready to bake and serve.) the inside of the pumpkins 8. Layer toast rounds on 12. Bake for 1-1½ hours by scooping out seeds and the bottom of the inside of until the filling has puffed scraping away stringy flesh each pumpkin, then spread a and the pumpkin flesh is with a metal spoon. generous handful of cheese just tender. Remove the lid 2. Adjust the oven shelf to blend over the toasts. Pour and test pumpkin flesh with the lower third of the oven, over some of the cream un- a knife from the inside, takenough so that the pumpkins til approaching the top of the ing care not to pierce the in their dish have clearance. cheese. For one pumpkin, outer skin. Preheat the oven to 450 F. use the herb-infused cream, 13. Allow pumpkins to 3. Toast baguette slices in for the other pumpkin, use briefly rest until cheese stops the oven until golden brown. the spiced maple cream. bubbling. Garnish with fresh 4. In separate saucepans, Whisk cream mixtures oc- herbs and a sprinkle of pumpadd 1 cup of cream and ½ casionally as you go to re- kin pie spice to differentiate cup of broth. distribute any spices that the two flavors. Add a serving 5. For spiced maple cream, may have floated to the top spoon to each pumpkin. add pumpkin pie spice or settled to the bottom. 14. Serve with remaining blend, maple syrup and 9. Repeat the layering pro- toast rounds, thin ginger salt to the first cream and cess, taking care to press snaps and/or cranberrybroth saucepan. Whisk to down on the toast rounds to studded crackers arranged combine. For herb-infused compact the layers as you around the pumpkins. cream, add garlic, thyme, go. End with a cheese layer 15. Instruct guests to scoop sage, rosemary, salt and pep- on top. Leave ½- to 1 inch of some of the tender pumpkin per to the second cream and space to allow room for the along with the cheese onto filling to expand as it bakes. their toasts. broth saucepan.

FONDUE

Continued from page 5C skin from the sticky, sometimes skin-irritating, pumpkin goo and a cheap spoon with a rough edge that can scrape away all the slippery, stringy bits. A trash baglined crawfish tray allows for quick cleanup. Thanks to my sister-in-law, a veteran woodworker, I was given a major pumpkin preparation upgrade: a scoop knife. Scoop knives are designed for carving spoons and bowls from hardwood, so its sharp, round blade

makes quick work of the inside of a pumpkin. A set of wood carving gouges (curved or V-shaped chisels) are also excellent tools for more advanced carving.

directly on the pumpkin. Dry erase can be removed from the smooth skin of a pumpkin, but be aware that the ink can settle into rough spots or cut areas.

Creating your image

Cutting your pumpkin

A clear baking dish over tap lights can serve as a do-it-yourself light box for tracing an image. After taping an image to the pumpkin, a push pin can be used to create tiny dots along the edges of the image that can be highlighted with a dusting of flour or baby powder after removing the paper. Dry-erase markers can also be used to draw

I’ve tried different kitchen knives and wood saws over the years, but the cheap grocery store pumpkin carving saws are my favorites. Their thin blades and rough edges chew through the tough outer skin with short up-and-down strokes. When cutting the top off the pumpkin, a small V-shaped notch in the back can help realign the lid easily.

Pasta with Lemon Pesto and Spinach Serves 4. Recipe is adapted from Milk Street. If you want your pesto to stay bright and super-fresh, always sauce it off-heat, Milk Street advises. This will preserve the color, aroma and flavor as much as possible. 4 lemons Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1½ teaspoons white sugar, divided 1 pound uncooked pasta ½ cup slivered almonds 1 ounce (without rind) Parmesan cheese, cut into rough, 1-inch pieces, plus finely grated Parmesan to serve 1 ⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve 2-3 cups baby spinach, depending on taste 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 1. Using a vegetable peeler (preferably a Y-style peeler), remove the zest from the lemons in long, wide strips; try to remove only the colored portion of the

PASTA

Continued from page 5C ly versatile ingredient for the home cook — they can be used to tenderize meat; add a zip to sauces, marinades and dressings; or flavor sweet treats like bars and cheesecake — but they also provide a lot of bang for the buck. You can use every single part of the fruit, including the rinds along with the zest and juice. This creamy pasta dish is a classic example. A traditional Italian pesto is often made by mixing crushed, fresh basil and pine nuts

peel, not the bitter white pith just underneath. You should have about 2⁄3 cup zest strips. 2. In a large pot, combine 2 quarts water, 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and half of the zest strips. 3. Bring to a boil and to cook for 2 minutes, then remove and discard the zest. 4. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. 5. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the remaining zest strips, the almonds, Parmesan, the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. 6. Process until the mixture resembles coarse sand,

10-20 seconds. Add oil and process just until the oil is incorporated (the mixture will not be smooth), about another 10 seconds; set aside until the pasta is ready. 7. Drop the fresh spinach leaves straight into the steaming hot pasta, letting the residual heat wilt the leaves in about-1-2 minutes. Add pesto and ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water, then toss to combine; add more reserved pasta water as needed so the pesto coats the noodles. (I added about another ¼ cup.) 8. Toss in the chives. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with additional oil and with additional grated Parmesan on the side.

with garlic, grated Parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil into a paste. Here, thick strips of lemon peel and slivered almonds stand in for herbs and (very expensive) pine nuts. Boiling the peels before tossing them into a food processor with other ingredients not only softens some of their bitterness but also makes it easier to blend them into a creamy paste. It also gently flavors the pasta water with a hint of sunny lemon. The original recipe calls for long, thin strands of spaghetti, but any twisted, ridged short-cut pasta also works since it traps the pesto in its grooves.

I added a couple generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach for a pop of green, but depending on the season, you also could stir in sautéed asparagus, roasted broccolini (sweet) or sautéed rapini (bitter) to the pot. Never one to waste ingredients, I used the peeled fruit to make homemade lemon curd. A glass of a bright, herbaceous white like sauvignon blanc pairs perfectly with this dish. The pasta is very satisfying as an entrée, but if you’d rather dish it up as a side, serve alongside grilled shrimp or chicken or a flaky fish like baked salmon.

Gift becomes a must-have tool Tom F., in Colorado Springs, Colorado Dear Heloise: One Christmas, my good friends A portable safe surprised me with a gift called a “SaladShooter” (a Dear Heloise: In reply to motorized rotary grater). your query about unusual Before I could mute my in- gifts received, 35 years ner thoughts, I blurted out: ago, my husband and I received a portable “What am I going safe as a wedding to do with that?!” gift. We thought it (So much for awkwas a bit odd, but it ward moments!) remains one of the Over the years, the most-useful items SaladShooter has that we own. It conbecome one of my most-prized kitchen Hints from tains our passports, Heloise birth and marriage tools; it makes short work of salads, certificates, gold vegetables, hash browns, coins, and other valuables; cheese, etc. I’m a kitchen it’d be the first thing we tool/gadget/thingummy grabbed if we ever needed nut, and the SaladShooter to evacuate our home ranks high in my pantheon quickly. — Mai, via email of the best tools ever. Walking with music I lost touch with these friends shortly afterward Dear Heloise: Your response and wish I could heartily to Irene K., in Hillsboro, thank them anew for the Oregon, was good to a gift that reminds me of point. Walking while wearthem every time I use it. — ing headphones isn’t a good

idea. You need to be aware of what’s around you at all times, especially if you’re walking alone. Thanks for all the good information and ideas from your column! — Carol W., via email Carol, thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your thoughts on this topic. You’re absolutely right — being aware of your surroundings, especially when walking alone, is incredibly important for safety. However, a lot of people do choose to use headphones while walking or running, so other suggestions include using one earbud, turning down the volume enough to hear passing traffic and noise, or pausing the music when crossing the street. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Thursday, Oct. 29, the 302nd day of 2026. There are 63 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 29, 1929, “Black Tuesday” descended on the New York Stock Exchange. Stock prices collapsed amid panicked selling, $14 billion in value was lost, and thousands of investors were wiped out, triggering America’s Great Depression. Also on this date: In 1787, the opera “Don Giovanni” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had its world premiere in Prague. In 1922, Benito Mussolini, the founder of fascism, was appointed Italian prime minister by King Victor Emmanuel III. (He was dismissed by Emmanuel in 1943 after the Allied invasion of Italy and was executed by partisans in 1945). In 1956, the Suez Crisis

began as Israel invaded Egypt to seize control of the vital waterway, backed by France and Britain, after its nationalization by Egypt. (Their forces eventually withdrew after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration refused to back the effort and threatened sanctions). In 2012, Superstorm Sandy slammed ashore in New Jersey and slowly marched inland, devastating coastal communities and causing widespread power outages; the storm and its aftermath were blamed for at least 182 deaths in the U.S. In 2018, a Boeing 737 MAX operated by the Indonesian airline Lion Air crashed after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. (Five months later, an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board;

the 737 MAX was grounded worldwide, and a flight-control system was implicated in the crashes.) In 2022, more than 150 people were killed and dozens more were injured in South Korea after being crushed by a large crowd pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in Seoul. Today’s birthdays: Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is 88. Actor Richard Dreyfuss is 79. Actor Kate Jackson is 78. Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin is 73. Actor Dan Castellaneta (TV: “The Simpsons”) is 69. Actor Joely Fisher is 59. Actor Rufus Sewell is 58. Actor Winona Ryder is 55. Actor Tracee Ellis Ross is 54. Actor Gabrielle Union is 54. Olympic gold medal bobsledder Vonetta Flowers is 53. Actor Ben Foster is 46.

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR HOME FINF OUT WHAT

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1-833-671-6635

CALL TODAY

THINKING

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

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

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Take a moment to get your thoughts in order before starting a discussion that can influence your position, reputation or relationship with someone special. Keep life simple. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Show off your attributes and be effervescent, and you'll have an impact on those you encounter. The sky's the limit if you present, perform and promote what you can do. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Finish what you start before you make demands. Size up the competition, reduce any momentum they have and secure your position. Proving your worth will help you gain the acceptance and perks that you desire. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) A change will do you good. Diverting your attention to something that brings you joy will push you down the right path. Having gratitude will attract positive energy. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Scrutinize information from unknown sources. It's your call to offer legitimate information if you expect to get high returns. Don't let unrealistic promises tempt you to overspend. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Step out of your comfort zone and do things differently. Let your uniqueness shine through, and present what you can offer with pride and confidence. It's all about how you engage with others. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Speak up and take care of unresolved issues before

they turn into something you cannot control. Avoid costly entertainment or someone trying to sell you something you don't need. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Implement change with finesse, integrity and gratitude. Knowledge, accuracy and living up to your promises will dictate the returns you receive. Take nothing for granted. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Take your time, observe what's unfolding around you and be discreet. Venture out and gather information and insight into something that can help you bring about a positive change. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Actions speak louder than words. Do what you do best, and present and promote yourself with dignity and charisma. Hard work will grab attention and help you pay the bills. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Speak up. You have plenty to gain if you ignore those trying to derail your efforts and pour your energy into finishing what you start and promoting your endeavors to the powers that be. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Keep the momentum flowing. Don't slack when time is of the essence. Laziness will be seen as weakness, so buckle up and deliver the charm you possess and the intelligence and genius you can bring to the table. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

TODAy'S CLUE: J EQUALS S

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Thursday, October 29, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

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

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

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La TimeS CroSSword

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, October 29, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge BY PHILLIP ALDER W.C. Fields said, “My illness is due to my doctor’s insistence that I drink milk, a whitish fluid they force down helpless babies.” Hand strength is a fluid, not static, value. Look at the North hand and the start to the auction. What should North rebid over two diamonds, if anything? A hand starts with a certain number of high-card points, but its value may decrease, remain constant or increase as the auction progresses. The relevant factor in this deal is North’s short suit once the diamond fit becomes known. At the table, North passed over two diamonds. That was much too cautious. North at the very least owed his partner a raise to three diamonds. Then South, with a known nine-card fit, would probably have continued with four clubs as a game-try, highlighting his heart shortage. North would have raised to five clubs, and South would have retreated to five diamonds. Maybe West would have started the defensewithtworoundsoftrumps.South would win, cash his two club winners and the spade ace (discarding a heart from the dummy), ruff a spade, cash the club king, and claim when the suit splits 3-3. Instead,supposeWestleadsalowheart,

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

East wins with his eight and returns a low heart. South ruffs, unblocks his two club honors, and leads a trump. With the favorable breaks, the contract cannot be touched. Yes, South could easily face worse distribution, but even so, it is worth going for the game bonus. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

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

toDAY’s WoRD — PAssAGEWAY: PAH-sij-way: A path, channel or corridor.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 17 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 26 or more words in PASSAGEWAY? YEstERDAY’s WoRD — DELIRIuM deli demur diel dime dire drum duel emir lemur lieu lime

lure lurid idem idle idler ride rile rime rude rued rule

meld midi mild milder mile miler milieu mire mule

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “In my distress I cried to the Lord, and he heard me.” Psalms 120:1

Tell the Lord your need. He cares about you. — G.E. Dean

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

DOW 52,475.10 97.53 0.19%

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BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wendy’s gets offer to go private via buyout

Wendy’s shares jumped more than 14% Wednesday after noted investor Nelson Peltz made an offer to buy the chain, which has been struggling with high beef prices and aging stores. Peltz’s Trian Fund Management and several partners are offering Wendy’s $7.35 per share in cash in a deal that would take the company private. Wendy’s, which is based in Dublin, Ohio, confirmed receipt of the unsolicited proposal in a statement Wednesday and said its board has formed an independent committee to evaluate it. At the end of last year, Wendy’s had 5,969 restaurants in the U.S. and 1,428 outlets in 38 countries. Wendy’s, founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas and named after his daughter, is known for its square burgers and Frosty desserts. Wendy’s share of U.S. burger chain sales fell from 11.5% in 2019 to 10.4% last year, according to Technomic, a market research company. The company closed 240 restaurants in 2024 and said earlier this year that it planned to shutter up to 358 locations in 2026. Then, last month, one of the largest U.S. franchisees for Wendy’s filed for bankruptcy protection after the chain tried to terminate its franchise agreement. Michigan-based Meritage Hospitality Group operates 314 Wendy’s restaurants in 15 states.

S. Korea fines Google, Apple over app markets SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea on Wednesday fined Alphabet’s Google and Apple a combined $47.6 million, saying they abused their dominance in app store markets by forcing local developers onto their own payment systems and by unfairly delaying app reviews. The Korea Media and Communications Commission, the country’s media and telecommunications regulator, spent years investigating the U.S. tech giants for allegedly violating a 2021 law that prohibits app store operators from forcing developers to use specific payment systems. The commission fined Google $32 million and Apple $15.5 million and ordered both companies to let South Korean developers use external payment links within their apps and to improve their app review procedures. In a statement to The Associated Press, Apple said it “respectfully” disagrees with the decision, arguing that its current practices comply with South Korean law and that it is evaluating its legal options. Google did not respond to a request for comment. Although the companies technically allowed third-party payment systems within apps, they charged developers a 26% commission and withheld some features available through their own systems, effectively forcing developers to use only their in-app payment systems, the commission said.

DoorDash could buy delivery service Instacart DoorDash, the popular service that delivers meals and retail items to customers’ doors, is in talks to acquire grocery delivery platform Instacart, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. The rival companies compete with several other online delivery services. Instacart focuses on grocery delivery rather than restaurant-prepared meals. DoorDash could finalize its acquisition of Instacart as soon as this week in a deal that values Instacart at around $17 billion, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Instacart had a market value of around $13 billion before Monday’s report on the possible acquisition. DoorDash, whose market value is around $73 billion, went public in 2020, and Instacart listed in 2023.

S&P 500 7,743.98 21.38 0.28%

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Fed keeps key rate unchanged Board gives little signal of next move

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve kept its key rate unchanged Wednesday at about 3.9% despite stubbornly high inflation, while providing little hint about the central bank’s next moves. “Inflation remains elevated,” the Fed said in a statement released after its two-day policy meeting. Holding off on an increase will allow “the accumulation of more information” that will help determine what policy the Fed should pursue “to ensure a timely return of infla-

tion” to the central bank’s 2% inflation target, the statement said. The Fed, led by Chairman Kevin Warsh, raised its benchmark rate last month for the first time in three years, defying President Donald Trump’s demands for rate cuts, in an effort to get inflation back to its 2% target in a “timelier” manner. The Fed is tasked by Congress to combat inflation, and it does so by lifting rates to slow borrowing and spending and cool price increases. The statement leaves the Fed’s next moves unclear, even though officials last month penciled in another rate hike for this year. Wall Street investors have also priced in a rate hike in December, according to futures markets.

The Fed’s decision comes just six days before a midterm election that has focused heavily on concerns around the cost of living and affordability. Consumers have generally soured on an economy weighed down by more expensive gas, groceries and clothing, among other items. Warsh denied the election played a part in the Fed’s staying pat. “Politics played no role in the decision,” he said at a news conference following the announcement. “I just spent two days with my colleagues upstairs. I didn’t hear an utterance about politics.” Parts of the economy are being hit by higher rates, which were lifted by market forces, even before the Fed hiked last month.

The average 30-year mortgage rate reached a three-year high of 7.4% earlier this month, though it has since slipped a bit. Higher mortgage rates have made buying a home unaffordable for 5 million more Americans since the beginning of the year, according to Oxford Economics, a consulting firm. Over time, Fed rate hikes can make mortgages, auto loans and credit card borrowing more expensive, adding to Americans’ sense that things like homes and cars are getting pricier. Warsh denied that consumers would lose faith in the Fed’s ability to get inflation back to its 2% target, given its decision to forgo a rate hike. “There is no soft inflation target,” he said.

U.S. cruise ship suspends global voyage in Asia due to fuel costs 200 passengers stranded on ‘permanent home’

BY SOPHENG CHEANG

Associated Press

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia — A U.S. cruise ship on an around-the-world voyage that touted its cabins as floating homes suspended its three-year voyage in Cambodia due to fuel costs, forcing hundreds of passengers to disembark. The MV Odyssey set sail two years ago on a voyage to the seven continents marketed as combining long-term living at sea with global travel. Its operator had offered to “make the Odyssey your permanent home,” with the purchase price of a suite for the lifetime of the vessel starting around $230,000. For now, it is docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand, with no certain departure date. The ship has been carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members, according to Cambodian officials. It has a 650-passenger capacity. Its Florida-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, said monthly fuel expenses per cabin that historically averaged $1,800 have reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia due to the war in Iran. The company said it sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset the surging costs. Traffic has been curtailed in the Strait of Hormuz since the war in Iran began, squeezing supplies of all kinds of petroleum-based fuels, especially in Southeast Asia, and sharply increasing prices. “We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” Villa Vie Residences said in a statement issued Tuesday. “Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees” while it tries to restructure. “The company is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements,” it said.

Hoped to sail for years to come Passengers, however, said they received no support and had to make their own arrangements after being given seven hours notice on Tuesday to disembark. Some were devastated and expressed hope a new company could rescue the venture so life at sea can continue. Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming, said they bought a window cabin and had expected to sail for years. They boarded the ship 17 months ago in Panama.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY HENG SINITH

A U.S. cruise ship, the MV Odyssey, docks at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Wednesday. Paul praised the concept of residential cruising but said the shipowner lacked the expertise to make the business financially sustainable. While rising fuel costs had been cited publicly as the reason for the suspension, he said the company had already been struggling. Changes to itinerary, unreliable internet access and declining food quality had pushed many residents to leave the ship in recent months, he said. Lynn said residents were repeatedly asked to contribute additional money for fuel and other expenses, including a fresh call to raise funds for fuel to get out of Cambodia. She said the crew members were also not paid. “We were tired of every two to four weeks being asked for money for fuel, money for everything,” she said. “We had hopes but they just kept sinking further and further into the hole through mismanagement.” The company could not immediately be contacted for comment.

Venture was a risk worth taking Carol Larson, 69, and her sister Crystal Lavering, 72, occupied separate cabins aboard the ship for 18 months. The siblings, from California, described the suspension as heartbreaking, and hoped the cruise would be resuscitated. “I hope there is a movement for the residents to buy the ship and I am hoping that goes through because it’s a dream to live on the ship and I don’t want it to end,” Larson said. Lavering said her health improved during her time on the ship, and that she didn’t need

to use a cane to walk anymore. “You come to this ship to live. … It’s just sad that it’s all over.” Larson bought her cabin for $120,000, paid in installments, in addition to monthly maintenance fees, under a plan that had promised the possibility of living aboard for up to 15 years. She said she blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for the ship’s woes as fuel costs spiked due to the Iran war, in addition to poor management. But she said she didn’t regret her investment. “From the very first day, I said to myself that if it lasts a year, I can walk away and feel like I got my money’s worth. … I still feel that way. I feel blessed to have been part of the experiment of residential cruising,” she said.

Cruise began in Northern Ireland in 2024 The ship arrived in Sihanoukville last Friday and was scheduled to depart Wednesday, according to a statement from Long Dimanche, the deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province. He said it was now expected to refuel and depart Cambodia on Saturday, but the ship’s operator has not yet publicly confirmed any date. Built in 1993 and operated under different names by several cruise lines over the years before being becalmed by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Odyssey was bought by Villa Vie Residences in 2023. Its current cruise, originally intended to last 3½ years, began in October 2024 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the ship had been refitted. A second cruise had been tentatively scheduled to end in August 2030.

FTC wants details on companies’ use of consumer data al data when setting compensation from one person to the next based sonal information or web-browsCompanies deny rates. on factors such as participation in ing history to set individual prices. “We intend to scrutinize the loyalty programs or analysis of Press reached using targeted pricing opaque methodology that some personal data, the agency said. outThetoAssociated Walmart, Target, Door-

companies in these industries may be using to determine how much consumers pay or how much gig AP business writer workers are paid for the same The U.S. Federal Trade Commis- product or service,” FTC Chairsion said Wednesday it is ordering man Andrew Ferguson said in a Delta Air Lines, Walmart and oth- statement. Orders were also issued to Uniter companies to provide detailed information on how they use con- ed, JetBlue, Lyft, DoorDash, Instasumers’ data when they’re setting cart and Target, the FTC said. Each company must share inprices. The commission said it is also formation that will allow the comstudying how ride-sharing and mission to assess whether pricing delivery companies like Uber use for tickets, rides, food delivery or their independent drivers’ person- other products and services varies

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN

The FTC said it is also examining whether companies compensate workers based on personal data like their phone usage or their history of accepting rides or deliveries. If the companies fail to turn over data, the FTC said it could compel compliance in federal court. Delta said in response that it has “zero tolerance for discriminatory or predatory pricing” and fully complies with pricing and advertising laws. JetBlue said it doesn’t use per-

Dash and others for comment. Walmart’s CEO said in a statement last month that the retailer doesn’t use personal information like income, shopping history or a customer’s willingness to pay to set prices, and it won’t be doing so in the future either. Legislators in at least 30 states have considered pricing-related bills this year, including measures addressing algorithmic and personalized pricing, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.