The Acadiana Advocate 07-09-2025 by The Advocate

The USS NewOrleans lost its bowbattling the Japanese in the Southwest Pacificin1942.

PROVIDED PHOTO

FROM THE DEPTHS

BowfromUSS NewOrleans,lost during WWII,found in PacificOcean

BY MARKBALLARD | Staff writer

WASHINGTON— On adark night with no moon andheavily overcast skies on Nov.30, 1942, the USS New Orleans was one of 11 cruisers and destroyers sailing in formation into the waters near theSolomon Islands in the south PaciﬁcOcean.

“A light southeast breeze scarcely rufﬂed the surface of the water,” aNavy report on that night’seventsstates.

Then came the surprise attack.

EightJapanesedestroyers and an unknown number of submarinespounced on theAmerican ships. The BattleofTassafaronga —one of theU.S.Navy’smost disastrous days of WorldWar II was underway Afew minutes after the USS New Orleans opened fire, the American force’slead cruiser, theUSS Minneapolis, was struck by two Japanesetorpedoes on the left side, according to the damage report.

To avoid acollision, the New Orleans abruptly made asharp right turn and was struck by aJapanese “Long Lance” torpedo, which ignited ammunitionstored at the front of the ship. An explosiontoreoff the front thirdofthe vessel.More than 180 sailors werekilledinthe blast;

threewere posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for their actions.

Theship’sbow tore looseand was observed ﬂoating intact and upright behind the New Orleans before sinking, according to the damage report.

Butsomehow,the surviving crew managed to keepthe restof the ship aﬂoat

“By all rights, this ship should have sunk, but due to the heroic damage control efforts of her crew,USS New Orleans became oneofthe most grievously damaged U.S. cruisers in World WarII to actually survive,” said Samuel J. Cox, aretired U.S. Navy rear admiral and director of the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington.

ä See WRECKAGE, page 7A Court clears wayfor

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way forPresidentDonald Trump’splans to downsize thefederal workforce despite warnings that critical government services will be lost and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be out of their jobs. The justicesoverrode lower court orders that temporarily froze the cuts, which have been led by the Department of Gov-

ernment Efﬁciency. The court said in an unsigned order thatno specific cuts were in front of the justices, onlyanexecutiveorder issued by Trump and an administration directive for agencies to undertake job reductions.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was theonly dissenting vote, accusing her colleagues of a“demonstrated enthusiasmfor green-

lighting this President’slegally dubiousactions in an emergency posture.” Jackson warned of enormous real-world consequences.“This executive action promises mass employeeterminations, widespreadcancellationoffederal programsand services,and the dismantling of much of the Federal Government as Congress has created it,” she wrote. The high court action continued aremarkable winning streakfor Trump, whothe justices have allowed tomove forward with signiﬁcant parts of his

plan to remake thefederal government. The Supreme Court’s interventionsofar hasbeenon the frequent emergency appeals the JusticeDepartment hasﬁled objecting to lower-courtrulings as improperlyintruding on presidential authority. The Republican president has repeatedly said voters gave him amandate for thework, and he tapped billionaire ally Elon Musk to lead thecharge through DOGE.Muskrecentlylefthis role.

ä See CUTS, page 5A

Bill brings changesto Medicaid,

BY JULIAGUILBEAU Staff writer

After months of inﬁghting and political haggling, Republican congressional lawmakers in Washington, D.C.,cametogether to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill, President Donald Trump’smainpolicy agenda, last week.

Theact,which Trumpsignedintolaw at aceremony Friday,sets out aspending plan and tax cuts forthe country With nearly 900 pages included in the far-reachinglaw,the legislation willaffect health care, taxes, social safety nets, immigration and more. Here’salook at the maincomponents and how the changes could play out in Louisiana.

Taxcutsand changes

What’schanged: Much of the focus of the One Big Beautiful Bill surrounded creating additional tax cuts, while offsetting much of the subsequent revenue loss by slashing spending. Someofthe maintax changes added were:

n Retained tax breaks: The lawmakes permanent aseries of tax cuts passed in 2017 during Trump’sfirst presidential term, keeping roughly $3.8 trilliondollars of temporary individual and business tax breaks.

n New taxbreaks: Several new tax breaks were added, including those that add new deductions forovertimeand auto loans, allowbusinesses to writeoff equipment and research costs, andquadruplethe capon state and local deductions.

n Tipchanges: The bill temporarily allows workers to deduct tips and overtime pay n Boost for older adults: Most adults 65 and olderwho earnnomore than $75,000 a year can now temporarily get a$6,000 deduction. This change is in effect from 2025 to 2028.

In Louisiana: Generally, taxanalysis expertsestimate that 85% of thenation’s

ä See BILL, page 5A

Ruralhealth care impacts likely won’tbe felt rightaway

BY STEPHENMARCANTEL Staff writer

Louisiana’srural health care landscape is already on shaky ground, and President DonaldTrump’s recentlypassed domestic agenda aims to test that even more. However,the impact of the bill on rural hospitalsand clinicswon’t likelybefeltuntil at least 2029, when $1.1 trillioninMedicaid cutsfromTrump’sOne Big Beautiful Bill start takingeffect. While someexperts say it’sstill too early to sound the alarm, they agree that changes are coming.

“There’sgot to be amajor reset in how rural health care is provided across the state,” said JeffReynolds, executive director of the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition.

The reductions, whichwere initially set to be immediate, take agradual approach, reducing by 10% yearly starting in 2029 and ending in 2035, Reynolds added. The cuts represent roughly $414 millioninannual reduction to a$4billionprogram forthe state.

ä See RURAL, page 7A

Trump

Dog helps rescuers find man who fell in glacier GENEVA Rescuers are hailing as a “four-legged hero” a furry Chihuahua whose pacing atop an Alpine rock helped a helicopter crew ﬁnd its owner, who had fallen into a crevasse on a Swiss glacier nearby

The man, who was not identiﬁed, was exploring the Fee Glacier in southern Switzerland on Friday when he broke through a snow bridge and fell nearly about 26 feet, according to Air Zermatt, a rescue, training and transport company

Equipped with a walkie-talkie, the man connected with a person nearby who relayed the accident to emergency services. But the exact location was unknown. After about a half-hour search, the pacing pooch caught the eye of a rescue team member

As the crew zeroed on the Chihuahua, the hole the man fell into became more visible. Rescuers rappelled down, rescued the man and flew him and his canine companion to a hospital.

“Imagine if the dog wasn’t there,” Air Zermatt spokesman Bruno Kalbermatten said by phone. “I have no idea what would happen to this guy I think he wouldn’t survive this fall into the crevasse.”

On its website, the company was effusive: “The dog is a four-legged hero who may have saved his master’s life in a lifethreatening situation.”

Greece shuts Acropolis due to high temps

ATHENS, Greece Authorities in Athens closed the Acropolis to visitors for several hours Tuesday due to high temperatures as work restrictions remained in effect in other parts of Greece.

The closure lasted for 4 hours, the Culture Ministry archaeological service said.

Mandatory work breaks were imposed in several other regions, mostly on islands and parts of central Greece, where temperatures exceeded 104 degrees. The measures started Monday for outdoor workers. Workplaces that don’t comply face a $2,350 ﬁne per worker Authorities said the risk of wildﬁres, already at “very high” across the eastern mainland, is expected to increase during the week.

Elsewhere in Europe, a wildﬁre in northeastern Spain burned roughly 7,400 acres on Tuesday with authorities ordering some 18,000 people in Tarragona province to remain indoors.

Italy outraged at killing of heroic police dog

ROME The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped find nine people over the course of his sniffer-dog rescue career, has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers.

Bruno, a 7-year-old, 195-pound bloodhound, was found dead Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. Caressa said he suspected the killing was revenge against him — not Bruno — for his volunteer animal rescue work.

“It was deliberately a horriﬁc act to cause the dog intense suffering, because feeding him bites filled with nails means tearing apart his insides, tearing apart his esophagus and internal organs and causing excruciating pain,” Caressa said Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was photographed with Bruno after one of his heroic rescues, said that his slaughter was “vile, cowardly, unacceptable.” Lawmaker Michael Vittoria Brambilla, a longtime animal rights activist, filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors under a new law that she helped push through stiffening penalties for anyone who kills or mistreats an animal.

The editor of the Il Giornale daily Vittorio Feltri voiced outrage, saying Bruno had done more civic good in Italy than most Italian citizens.

Caressa said that he had told prosecutors he suspected that he was the ultimate target of Bruno’s killers, and that Bruno was killed “to get to me.”

Caressa runs a volunteer public animal rescue organization that rescues dogs from dogﬁghts.

Over 160 still missing in Texas, governor says

Hotline set up for families as rescue operations continue

BY NADIA LATHAN and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

HUNT,Texas

More than 160 people are believed to be missing in Texas four days after ﬂash ﬂoods killed over 100 people during the July Fourth weekend, Gov Greg Abbott said Tuesday

The huge jump in the number unaccounted for — roughly three times higher than previously said — came after authorities set up a hotline for families to call.

Those reported missing are in Kerr County, where most of the victims have been recovered so far, Gov Greg Abbott said. Many were likely visiting or staying in state’s Hill Country during the holiday but did not register at a camp or hotel, he said during a news conference.

“We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Abbott said during a news conference in Hunt, Texas, after taking a helicopter tour of the area.

Search-and-rescue teams are using heavy equipment to untangle and peel away layers of trees, unearth large rocks in riverbanks and move massive piles of debris that stretch for miles in the search for the missing people. Crews in airboats, helicopters and on horseback along with hundreds of volunteers are part of one of the largest search operations in Texas history

The flash flood is the deadliest from inland flooding since Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon flood on July 31, 1976, killed 144 people, said Bob Henson, a meteorologist with Yale Climate Connections. That flood surged through a narrow canyon packed with people on a holiday weekend, Colorado’s centennial celebration.

Public ofﬁcials in charge of locating the victims are facing intensifying questions about who was in charge of monitoring the weather and warning that ﬂoodwaters were barreling toward camps and homes.

The Republican governor, who took a helicopter tour of the disaster zone, dismissed a question about who was to blame for the deaths, saying, “That’s the word choice of losers.”

“Every football team makes mistakes,” he said. “The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame. The championship teams are the ones who say, ’Don’t worry about it, man, we got this. We’re going to make sure that we go score again and we’re going to win this game.’ The way winners talk is not to point ﬁngers.”

Abbott promised that the search for victims will not stop until everyone is found. He also said President Donald Trump has pledged to provide whatever relief Texas needs to recover Trump plans to visit the state Friday Outside the cabins at Camp Mystic where the girls had slept, mudsplattered blankets and pillows were scattered on a grassy hill that slopes toward the river

Also in the debris were pink, purple and blue luggage decorated with stickers.

Among those who died at the camp were a second grader who loved pink sparkles and bows in her hair, a 19-year-old counselor who enjoyed mentoring young girls and the camp’s 75-year-old director

The ﬂash ﬂoods erupted before daybreak Friday after massive rains sent water speeding down hills into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet in less than an hour The wall of water overwhelmed people in cabins, tents and trailers along the river’s edge, pulling them into the water Some survivors were found clinging to trees.

Questions mounted about what, if any, actions local ofﬁcials took to warn campers and residents who

were spending the July Fourth weekend in the scenic area long known to locals as “ﬂash ﬂood alley.”

Leaders in Kerr county, where searchers have found about 90 bodies, said their first priority is recovering victims, not reviewing what happened in the hours before the flash floods.

“Right now, this team up here is focused on bringing people home,”

Lt. Col. Ben Baker of the Texas Game Wardens, said during a sometimes tense news conference.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county’s chief elected ofﬁcial, said in the hours after the devastation that the county does not have a warning system. Generations of families in the Hill Country have known the dangers. A 1987 ﬂood forced the evacuation of a youth camp in the town of Comfort and swamped buses and vans. Ten teenagers were killed.

Local leaders have talked for years about the need for a warning system. Kerr County sought a nearly $1 million grant eight years ago for such a system, but the request was turned down by the Federal Emergency Management Agency Local residents balked at footing the bill themselves, Kelly said. Some camps were aware of the dangers Friday and monitored the weather At least one moved several hundred campers to higher ground before the ﬂoods. But many people didn’t move or were caught by surprise.

Four days have passed since anyone was found alive in the aftermath of the ﬂoods in Kerr County, ofﬁcials said Tuesday

AI used to mimic Marco Rubio and contact officials, U.S. says State Department warning diplomats

BY MATTHEW LEE AP diplomatic writer

WASHINGTON The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artiﬁcial intelligence, according to two senior ofﬁcials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates.

The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was ﬁrst reported by The Washington Post.

The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press.

“The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently monitoring and addressing the matter,” department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. “The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously take steps to improve the department’s cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents.”

It’s the latest instance of a high-level Trump administration ﬁgure targeted by an impersonator, with a similar incident revealed in May involving President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Su-

sie Wiles. The misuse of AI to deceive people is likely to grow as the technology improves and becomes more widely available, and the FBI warned this past spring about “malicious actors” impersonating senior U.S. government ofﬁcials in a text and voice messaging campaign.

The hoaxes involving Rubio had been unsuccessful and “not very sophisticated,” one of the ofﬁcials said. Nonetheless, the second ofﬁcial said the department deemed it “prudent” to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase.

The ofﬁcials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity

“There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised,” the cable said.

The FBI has warned in a public service announcement about a “malicious” campaign relying on text messages and AIgenerated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. ofﬁcial and that aim to dupe other government ofﬁcials as well as the victim’s associates and contacts.

This is not the ﬁrst time that Rubio has been impersonated in a deepfake. This spring, someone created a bogus video of him saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service. Ukraine’s government later rebutted the false claim.

Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy

Trump avoids talk of scrapping FEMA

President plans to visit state on Friday

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has avoided talking about his plan to scrap the federal disaster response agency after the catastrophic ﬂash ﬂood in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including children attending a girlsonly camp. Asked shortly after the disaster whether he still intended to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Trump said it wasn’t the right time to talk about it.

Nor did he mention such plans during a nearly two-hour meeting with his Cabinet on Tuesday

The Republican president instead opened the meeting by having Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem talk about her visit to Kerrville, Texas, on Saturday, a day after ﬂoodwaters swept away riverside campers and homeowners in the wee hours of the Fourth of July holiday Her voice breaking, she recounted leading the federal response, telling the meeting that she was overcome with emotion during the trip and had “kind of fallen apart.”

“Very emotional,” she said, “but also just so tragic.” Noem said “Texas is strong” but insisted that, “we, as a federal government, don’t manage these disasters. The state does. We come in and support them, and that’s exactly what we did here in this situation.”

“We’re cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate,” Noem said of Trump’s promise to scrap the agency. Noem added, that Americans helping one another after such tragic events is proof that “God created us to take care of each other.”

Trump said his wife, ﬁrst lady Melania Trump, will accompany him when he visits Friday It will be his second trip to survey the wreckage of a natural disaster

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Volunteers help clean up a house after flooding in Kerrville, Texas, on Tuesday.

Trumpsaysweapons to Ukrainewillresume

Presidentslams Putinatcabinet meeting

BY AAMER MADHANI, SEUNG MIN KIM andTARA COPP Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’sdecision to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine came after he privately expressed frustration with Pentagon ofﬁcials for announcing apause in some deliveries last week

—amove that he felt wasn’t properly coordinated with the White House,according to three people familiar with the matter

The Pentagon, which announced last week that it would hold back some air defense missiles, precisionguided artillery and other weaponspledged to Ukraine because of what U.S. officials said were concerns that American stockpiles were in short supply.Trump said Monday that the U.S. will have to send more weapons to Ukraine, effectively reversingthe move.

Twoofthe people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the sensitive internaldiscussions, said there was some internal opposition amongPentagon brass to the pause —coordinated by Pentagon policy

President DonaldTrump, center,addresses

House in Washington.

chief ElbridgeColby—before it was announced

Oneofthe people described Trump as being caught “ﬂat-footed” by the announcement.The White Housedid notrespondto queries about whether Trumpwas surprised by the Pentagon pause. The pause in critical weaponsdeliveries had come at adifficult moment for Ukraine, whichhas faced increasing —and more complex— airbarrages from Russia during the more than three-year-old war

Trump acknowledgedthat in announcing thereversal on Mondaynight, saying, “They have to be able todefend themselves.They’re gettinghit very hard now.”

Askedbya reporter Tuesday who approved the pause, Trumpbristled at the question while he was gathered withhis Cabinet. “I don’tknow. Whydon’t you tell me?”

The president alsolaid into Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting he was unnecessarily prolonging thewar that Trumphas said

Trumppledges that he won’tpuntontariffs again

Says he mayset EU rate soon

BY STEPHANIE LAI Bloomberg News (TNS)

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said he would not offer any extensionsfor the implementation of increased tariffs on many goods imported into the U.S., pledging that new rates would hit at the beginning of August.

“TARIFFS WILL START

BEING PAID ON AUGUST 1, 2025. There has been no change to this date, and there will be no change,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday “In other words, all money will be due and payable starting AUGUST 1, 2025 —Noextensionswillbe granted.”

Trump begannotifying trading partners of the new rates on Mondayahead of what was initially adeadline this week for countries to wrap up trade negotiations with his administration. But the new letters, unilaterally setting duties on countries that had failed to reach deals,came alongside an executive order delaying the tariff date for three weeks, effectively giving trading partners an extension for talks.

Trump also said Monday

night thathis Aug. 1deadline was “not 100% firm” when speaking withreporters, indicatingthenthat he could beswayed by offers of additional concessions.

That caveat —paired with Trump signaling that he was still negotiating additional deals— fueled skepticism among some in Washington and on Wall Streetthat the president would follow through on his latest tariff threats.

On Tuesday,Trump adopted amore stridenttone as he addressed reporters during aCabinet meeting, saying that despite previously indicatinghewas close to atradedeal with India, he still planned to punishthe countryfor its participation in the BRICS forum. Trump said the group of developing countries was “set upto hurt us.”

“I can play that game too so anybody that’sinBRICS is getting a10%” tariff addition, Trump said.

Trump also saidthathe was close to sending the EuropeanUniona letterunilaterally setting tariff rates, despite reported progress in trade talks with thebloc.

The president said that while Europeannations were now “treating us very nicely,” he remained frustrated over longstanding tradedeficits and digital services taxes andfines impacting U.S. technology

companies.

“We’re probably two days off from sending them aletter,” Trump said.

And, Trump said, he would imposetariffs of 60% or 70% on some nations as he issuedadditionalletters in thecoming days.

“I just want you to know a letter meansadeal,” Trump said.

Trump’slatest posturing came after tradersseemed to initially shrugoff his tariff demand letters issued Monday

But following his post on Tuesday, equities hit session lows,suggesting traders may believe thepresidentis hardening in his determination to pushforward.

The move was only the latestinatradeagenda that hasseen numerous delays and reversals as Trump has used the threat of tariffsto reshape global tradeﬂows and pressure companies to shift more manufacturing jobs to theUnited States, roiling ﬁnancialmarketsin theprocess.

Trump initially announced thehigher reciprocal rates on over 50 trading partnersonApril 2, but lowered those rates temporarily to 10% for90days, allowing time for negotiations. That deadline was set to expire thisweek, but Trumpsigned an executive order on Monday pushing implementation until Aug. 1.

he’sdetermined to quickly conclude. Trumphas struggledtofind aresolution, with talks between the sides stalled.

The Republican leader hassoundedincreasingly exasperated with Putinin recent days. The two spoke by phone last week.

“Weget alot of bull*** thrown at us by Putin,ifyou want to know the truth,” Trump said during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. “He’svery nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”

He hasthreatened,but

BY STEVEKARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS Minnesota

stateSen. John Hoffman, who was shot nine times by agunman posing as apolice ofﬁcer who authorities say went on to kill another lawmaker,isout of the hospital and is now recovering in a transitionalcareunit, his family said.

“John has been moved

held offon, imposing new sanctions against Russia’s oil industry to try to prod Putin into peace talks.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said last week that Trumphas given him the goahead to push forward with abill he’sco-sponsoring that calls, in part, fora500% tariff on goodsimported from countries that continue to buy Russianoil. The move would have huge ramiﬁcations for China and India, two economic behemoths that buy Russian oil.

Trump said Tuesday that he’s “looking at it very strongly.”

Theweapons pauseannounced last week impacted shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and howitzerrounds and more, taking not only Ukrainianofficials andotherallies by surprise but also U.S. lawmakers andother parts of the Trumpadministration, including the State Department.

ThePentagonsaidlate MondaythatatTrump’s direction, it would resume weapons shipments to Ukraine “toensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure alasting peace and ensure the killing stops.”

Still, spokesman Sean Parnell addedthatits reviewfor Trump to evaluate military

shipments worldwide continues as part of “America First” defense priorities.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to arequest forcommentonwhether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth consulted withthe WhiteHouse prior to pausing weaponsshipments and whether or not those shipments have now resumed. It’s also unclear which weaponry would nowbe sent,though Trump said that the U.S. will primarily be assisting Ukraine with defensive weapons.

On Tuesday,each of the services andthe combatantcommands —the multiserviceorganizationsthat spearhead U.S. military operations around the world —were still sending up information on theirstockpiles of specific munitions to Pentagon leadership, aU.S. official said. “They are literally still doing the math,” the official said. The information was being presented on astoplight chart —where munitions wereeither in ared,yellow or green status, similar to slides that had been created the weekbefore, the official said. That earlier study had concludedthatsome munitions were OK to keep sending to Ukraine —but others were reaching concerning levels.

to arehab facility,but still has along road to recovery ahead,” the family said in a statement Monday night.

Thefamily released a photo showing asmiling Hoffman giving athumbsup while standing witha suitcase on rollers, ready to leave the hospital.

Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were awakened around 2a.m. on June 14 by aman pounding on the door

of their homeinthe Minneapolis suburb of Champlin who said he was apolice ofﬁcer Yvette Hoffmantoldinvestigators they opened the door,and they realized that theman was notapolice ofﬁcer.Hethensaidsomething like “this is arobbery.” The senatorthen lunged at the gunman and was shot nine times. Yvette Hoffman washit eight times.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

members of his cabinet Tuesday at the White

households would receive atax cutin2026because of the bill. Lowerincome ﬁlers would save about $150. Middle income ﬁlers, who make $66,801 to $119,200 annually, would see about a$1,750 tax reduction on average. High income filers, those earning over $217,100 annually, would save about $12,540on average. The median household income in Louisiana was $58,229 as of 2023, according to thelatest available U.S. Census Bureau data.

Workers whoreceivetips in Louisiana will also see a boost. According to Louisiana Workforce Commission data, over 197,000 people in thestate reported working in accommodationand food servicesatthe end of 2024, an industry that frequently relies on tip wages.

Medicaid

What’schanged: To pay for the additional tax cuts, the legislation reduces federal spending on Medicaid by 18%, a$1.1 trillion reduction over the next 10 years. Around 17 million Americans would lose health care coverage under the plan,accordingtothe Congressional Budget Ofﬁce.The full changes include: n Work requirements: The law will require most adults fromthe ages of 18 to 65 to work, volunteer or goto school at least 80 hours a month in order to qualify States will have to verify eligibility twice ayear beginning in 2027.

n New copays:Anew $35 copaymentcan be chargedto some patients using Medicaid services under the act n State contributions:The legislation adds restrictionson how states can tax hospitals, clinics and other health care providers to raise money for their portion of Medicaid expenses. In Louisiana: Louisiana has the nation’ssecond-highest percentage of residents on

CUTS

Continued from page1A

“Today’sU.S. Supreme Court ruling is another definitive victory for the President and his administration. It clearly rebukes the continued assaults on the President’sconstitutionally authorized executive powers by leftist judges who are trying to prevent thePresident from achieving government efficiency across the federal government,” White House spokesperson HarrisonFields said in astatement. Tens of thousandsoffederal workers havebeen fired, have left their jobs via deferred resignation programs or have been placed on leave. There is no official figure for the job cuts, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation and thousandsof probationary workers have already been let go.

Medicaid, with one-third of the population enrolled in the program. The KaiserFamilyFoundation and other nonpartisanexperts estimate that 267,550 Louisianans could lose their Medicaid coverageover the next 10years becauseofthe changes.

Louisiana is oneofmany states that have relied on providertaxes on hospitals to fund Medicaid. Some healthcare leaders worry limiting those taxes could affect Louisiana hospitals.

Theadjustmentsmay also lead to Louisiana paying an estimated$4billion more for theprogram. If thestate chooses not to pay the extra costs,itwould have to let somepeoplegowithout health insurance. However, many ofthe changes do not go into effect untilafter midterm elections in 2026.

Food stamprestrictions

What’schanged: As another cost savingmeasure,the OneBig Beautiful Bill shifts some of the payments for food assistance, or SupplementalNutrition Assistance Program benefits, from thefederal government to states. Stateswill now have to pay 75% of administrative costs for the program —upfrom 50%. Additionally,starting in 2028,states will be required to payaportion of SNAPfood beneﬁts if their payment error rate, whichincludesunderpaymentsand overpayments, is above6%.

The newlaw also expands work requirements for SNAP, requiring that most adults under 65 work or volunteerfor 80 hours amonth Previous rules required work or volunteer hours for adults 54 andunder In Louisiana: Around 840,000 Louisianans, or about 18% of the state’spopulation,receive food stamps, accordingtodata from the Louisiana Department of Children &Family Services.InMay, 75% of the state’sSNAP recipients lived below the poverty level. Work requirementsare likely to decrease those numbers.

In May,U.S.District Judge Susan Illston found that Trump’sadministrationneeds congressional approval to make sizable reductions to the federal workforce. By a2-1 vote, apanel of theU.S.9th Circuit Court of Appeals refusedtoblock Illston’sorder,ﬁnding that the downsizing could have broader effects, including on the nation’sfood-safety system and healthcare for veterans.

Illston directed numerousfederal agencies to halt acting on the president’s workforce executiveorder signed in February anda subsequentmemo issued by DOGE and the OfﬁceofPersonnel Management. Illston was nominated byformer Democratic PresidentBill Clinton

Thelabor unions and nonproﬁt groups that sued over the downsizing offeredthe justices several examples of what would happen if it were allowed to takeeffect,including cuts of 40%

Louisiana’sshare of SNAP administrative costs for the 2025 ﬁscal year is expected to be around $38.5 million, according to DCFSspokespersonAmy Whitehead. If costs remained the same next year,Louisiana would need to paymore than $9 million moreunder theact’s new rules.

In 2024, Louisiana had a 6.62% payment error rate, according to the USDA.If the state maintainedthat same rate by 2028, it would be required to pay between 5% and15% of SNAP beneﬁts.

Border enforcement

What’s changed: Trump’simmigration plansreceiveda majorfunding boost thanks to thenew legislation, which set aside $350 billion for bolstering national security, ﬁnishing the borderwalland ramping up deportation efforts. Of that,$45 billionis allocated for immigration detention centers and another $30 billion is setaside to hire moreImmigrations andCustoms Enforcement personnel.

In Louisiana:Though it’s not clear yet how themoney will be distributedamong ICE facilities across the U.S Louisianahouses nine immigration detention centers —the thirdmostinthe country —and could see them, and their staff numbers, grow One of ICE’s25field ofﬁces, in charge of managing

to 50% at several agencies. Baltimore, Chicago andSan Francisco were among the cities that also sued.

“Today’s decision has dealt aserious blow to our democracyand puts services that theAmerican people rely on in grave jeopardy.This decision does notchange the simpleand clearfactthat reorganizinggovernment functions and laying off federal workers en masse haphazardlywithout any congressionalapproval is not allowed by our Constitution,” theparties that sued said in ajoint statement.

Among the agencies affected by the order are the departments of Agriculture, Energy,Labor,the Interior, State, the Treasury and Veterans Affairs. It also applies to theNational Science Foundation, Small Business Administration, Social Security Administration and Environmental Protection Agency

The case now continues in Illston’scourt.

immigration enforcement andoperations, is also located in New Orleans.The office is responsible for enforcement operationsin Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Offshore oilrevenue

What’schanged: Alesstalkedabout provision in theOne Big Beautiful Bill changes

the formula that determines the share of offshore revenue that Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama receive each year,increasing the amount of money the states can get. In Louisiana: As the state that receives themostoffshore oil andgas revenue,Louisiana could see up to around $50 millionmore per year for over adecadebecause of the change in revenue sharing. The extramoney must be used for coastal protection and restoration projects, agrowing need in the state.

Cleanenergycuts

What’schanged: Taxbreaks designed to boost clean energy projects, specifically wind andsolar power, were rolled back dramatically as part of the new law

The tax credits, created underformerPresident Joe Biden, will phase out swiftly in the next few years. Projects would need to start construction within the next year to qualify forthe old tax credit.

In Louisiana: The tax credit rollback will likely threaten jobs and solar and wind investments in thestate, and slow Louisiana’sefforts to grow its clean energy industry alongside its oiland gas industry

Currently,Louisiana has 14 utility-scale solar farms, ﬁve of whichwere built last year,according to clean energy project tracker Clearview

Though there aren’t any land-based wind farmsin Louisiana yet, currently, at leastﬁve utility-scale wind projects are in development in the state.

However,last-minute tweaks by the U.S. Senate keeping sometax breaks for hydrogen, battery storage and nuclear plants protects some Louisiana-area investments, including aproposed $4.7 billionfacility in Ascension Parish.

TheAssociated Press and staff writers Mark Ballard and Blake Paterson contributed to this report.

White House on Friday.

b1Bank reaches deal for $79.9M acquisition

b1Bank said it has reached a $79.9 million deal to acquire north Louisiana-based Progressive Bank.

B1Bank will issue more than 3 million shares of stock to Progressive shareholders, which will give them a 9.3% stake in the business. At the end of Tuesday, b1Bank stock closed at $26.07 a share.

The deal, which is set to close in early 2026, has received unanimous approval from the board of directors for both banks. It still needs approval from regulators and Progressive shareholders. Progressive Bank was founded 50 years ago in Winnsboro The bank has nine branches in Winnsboro, Monroe, West Monroe, Bossier City and Shreveport.

Progressive Bank had $680.7 million in deposits as of June 2024, according to the fdic.gov. Baton Rouge based b1Bank had nearly $5.6 billion in total deposits.

B1Bank is the largest Louisiana-based bank, in terms of total deposits statewide Ofﬁcials said the deal will expand the bank’s presence in north Louisiana

“It deepens our Louisiana footprint, strengthens our deposit and liquidity proﬁles, and results in an economically strengthened shared franchise,” Jude Melville, b1Bank chair, president and CEO said in a statement. Plans are for George Cummings III, chair and CEO of Progressive Bank, to join the b1 board of directors. David Hampton, the president of Progressive Bank, will become b1Bank’s vice chair of the north Louisiana market.

Wall Street ends mixed amid new tariff deadlines

A choppy day in the markets left major U.S. stock indexes little changed Tuesday as the Trump administration pressed its campaign to win more favorable trade deals with nations around the globe by leaning into tariffs on goods coming into the U.S.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% a day after posting its biggest loss since mid-June The benchmark index remains near its all-time high set last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gave back 0.4% The Nasdaq composite eked out a gain of less than 0.1%, staying near its own record high.

The sluggish trading came as the market was coming off a broad sell-off following the Trump administration’s decision to impose new import tariffs set to go into effect next month on more than a dozen nations.

Trump Media files for ‘Crypto Blue Chip ETF’

President Donald Trump continues to expand his crypto-related offerings, this time with a planned exchange-traded fund tied to the prices of ﬁve popular cryptocurrencies

Trump Media & Technology Group, a Florida company that operates the Truth Social media platform, announced Tuesday it had ﬁled paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for approval to launch the “Crypto Blue Chip ETF” later this year

The proposed ETF would have 70% of its holdings in bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, 15% in ethereum, the second-most popular and 8% in solana, a cryptocurrency popular in the meme coin community

The fund would hold 5% in the cryptocurrency developed by the company Ripple and 2% in the crypto created by the exchange Crypto.com, which will act as the ETF’s digital custodian.

Trump Media previously announced plans for a crypto ETF with just bitcoin and ethereum. It’s unclear if the company plans to move forward with that ETF offering. Trump Media did not immediately return a request for comment.

Cryptocurrency-based ETFs make it easier for investors to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies without having to buy them directly These funds have exploded in popularity since bitcoin ETFs began trading in U.S. markets last year

Amazon extends its Prime Day discounts

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

NEWYORK Amazon is extending its annual Prime Day sales and offering new membership perks to Gen Z shoppers amid tariff-related price worries and possibly some consumer boredom with an event marking its 11th year

For the first time, Seattlebased Amazon is holding the now-misnamed Prime Day over four days. The e-commerce giant’s promised blitz of summer deals for Prime members started Tuesday morning and ends Friday Amazon launched Prime Day in 2015 and expanded it to two days in 2019. The company said this year’s longer version would have deals dropping as often as every 5 minutes during certain periods.

Prime members ages 18-24, who pay $7.49 per month instead of the $14.99 that older customers not eligible for discounted rates pay for free shipping and other beneﬁts, will receive 5% cash back on their purchases for a limited time.

Amazon executives declined to comment on the potential impact of tariffs on Prime Day deals. The event is taking place two and a half months after an online news report sparked speculation that Amazon planned to display added tariff costs next to product prices on its website.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced the purported change as a “hostile and political act” before Amazon clariﬁed the idea had been floated for its low-cost Haul storefront but never approved.

Amazon’s past success with using Prime Day to drive sales and attract new members spurred other major retail chains to schedule competing sales in July

Best Buy, Target and Walmart are repeating the practice this year

Like Amazon, Walmart is adding two more days to its promotional period, which started Tuesday and runs through July 13. The nation’s largest retailer is making its summer deals available in stores as well as online for the ﬁrst time.

Amazon expanded Prime Day this year because shoppers “wanted more time to shop and save,” Amazon Prime Vice President Jamil Ghani recently told The Associated Press.

Analysts are unsure the extra days will translate into more purchases, given that renewed inflation worries and potential price increases from tariffs may make consumers less willing to spend. Amazon doesn’t disclose Prime Day sales ﬁgures but said last year that the event achieved record global sales.

Adobe Digital Insights predicts that the sales event will drive $23.8 billion in overall online spending from Tuesday to Friday, 28.4% more than the similar period last year In 2024 and 2023, online sales increased 11% and 6.1% during the comparable four days of July

Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that Amazon’s move to stretch the sales event to four days is a big opportunity to “really amplify and accelerate the spending velocity.”

Caila Schwartz, director of consumer insights and strategy at software company Salesforce, noted that July sales in general have lost some momentum in recent years. Amazon is not a Salesforce Commerce Cloud customer, so the business software company doesn’t have access to the online giant’s e-commerce sales and so is not privy to Prime

Day ﬁgures.

“What we saw last year was that (shoppers) bought and then they were done, ” Schwartz said. “We know that the consumer is still really cautious. So it’s likely we could see a similar pattern where they come out early, they’re ready to buy and then they take a step back.”

Amazon executives reported in May that the company and many of its third-party sellers tried to beat big import tax bills by stocking up on foreign goods before President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. And because of that move, a fair number of third-party sellers hadn’t changed their pricing at that time, Amazon said.

Adobe Digital Insights’ Pandya expects discounts to remain on par with last year and for other U.S. retail companies to mark 10% to 24% off the manufacturers’ suggested retail price between Tuesday and Friday

Salesforce’s Schwartz said she’s noticed retailers becoming more precise with their discounts, such as offering promotion codes that apply to selected products instead of their entire websites.

Amazon Prime and other July sales have historically helped jump-start back-to-school spending and encouraged advance planners to buy other seasonal merchandise earlier. Analysts said they expected U.S. consumers to make purchases this week out of fear that tariffs will make items more expensive later

Brett Rose, CEO of United National Consumer Supplies, a wholesale distributor of overstocked goods like toys and beauty products, thinks shoppers will go for items like beauty essentials.

“They’re going to buy more everyday items,” he said.

TSA eyes shoes-off policy end

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP business writer

For the ﬁrst time in almost 20 years, travelers may no longer be required to take off their shoes during security screenings at U.S. airports.

The Transportation Security Administration is looking to abandon the additional security step that has for years bedeviled anyone passing through U.S airports, according to media reports. If implemented, it would put an end to a security screening mandate put in place almost 20 years ago, several years after “shoe bomber” Richard Reid’s failed attempt to take down a ﬂight from Paris to Miami in late 2001.

The travel newsletter Gate Access was first to report that the security screening change is coming. ABC News reported on an internal memo sent to TSA ofﬁcers last week that states the new policy allows travelers to keep their shoes on during standard screenings at many U.S. airports, beginning Sunday That would expand to all airports shortly

The plan is for the change to occur at all U.S. airports soon the memo said. Travelers have previously been able to skirt the extra security requirement if they participate in the TSA PreCheck program, which costs around $80 for ﬁve years. The program allows airline passengers to get through the screening process without removing shoes, belts or light jackets.

All passengers between the ages of 12 and 75 are required to remove their shoes, which are scanned along with carry-on luggage.

The TSA has not ofﬁcially conﬁrmed the reported security screening change yet.

“TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance passenger experience and our strong security posture,” a TSA spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday “Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through ofﬁcial channels.”

The TSA began in 2001 when President George W. Bush signed legislation for its creation two months after the 9/11 attacks The agency included federal airport screeners that replaced the private companies airlines had used to handle security Over the years, the TSA has continued to look for ways to enhance its security measures, including testing facial recognition technology and implementing Real ID requirements.

One of the most prominent friction points for travelers is the TSA at screening checkpoints. Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asked the public in an April social media post what would make travel more seamless.

Investors snap up growing share of U.S. homes

Traditional buyers struggle to afford one

BY ALEX VEIGA AP business writer

LOS ANGELES Real estate inves-

tors are snapping up a bigger share of U.S. homes on the market as rising prices and stubbornly high borrowing costs freeze out many

the share of homes bought by investors averaged 18.5%. All told, investors bought 265,000 homes in the January-March quar-

ter an increase of 1.2% from the same period a year earlier, the

said. Despite the modest annual increase, the rise in the share of investor home purchases is more a reﬂection of how much the housing market has slowed as traditional buyers face growing affordability constraints, according to BatchData. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since early 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Home sales fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. They’ve remained sluggish so far this year as many prospective homebuyers have been discouraged by elevated mortgage rates and home prices that have kept climbing, though more slowly As home sales have slowed, properties are taking longer to

sell. That’s led to a sharply higher inventory of homes on the market, beneﬁting investors and other home shoppers who can afford to bypass current mortgage rates by paying in cash or tapping home equity gains.

“As traditional buyers struggle with affordability, investors with cash and ﬁnancing advantages are stepping in to maintain transaction volume,” according to the report.

BatchData analyzes U.S. home sales records to determine which properties were purchased by investors. These could include vacation homes or rentals, but not a homebuyer’s primary residence. Investors bought 1.2 million homes in 2024, up from an average of 1.1 million homes a year going back to 2020, according to BatchData. Even so, investor-owned homes account for roughly 20% of the

nation’s 86 million single-family homes, the ﬁrm said. Of those, mom-and-pop investors, or those who own between 1 and 5 homes, account for 85% of all investor-owned residential properties, while those with between 6 and 10 properties account for another 5%.

Institutional investors that own 1,000 or more homes account for only about 2.2% of all investorowned homes, the ﬁrm said. And that number could get smaller, amid signs that large institutional investors are scaling back home purchases.

Out of a group of eight of the biggest companies that own and lease single-family houses, including Invitation Homes and American Homes 4 Rent, six sold more homes in the second quarter than they bought, according to data from Parcl Labs.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DAVID ZALUBOWSKI

E-commerce giant

ends Friday.

WRECKAGE

Continued from page 1A

The crew was able to keep the heavy cruiser aﬂoat and sailed to Australia for mending enough to return to the United States, traveling backward, where the ship was repaired and continued ﬁghting for the rest of World War II.

On Monday, more than 70 years after the battle, researchers identiﬁed the bow of the USS New Orleans on the seaﬂoor near Guadalcanal.

“To ﬁnd the bow of this ship is an opportunity to remember the sacriﬁce of this valiant crew even on one of the worst nights in U.S Navy history,” Cox said.

Crucial battle, historic find

The discovery was made during a four-hour dive in a remotely operated vehicle investigating the seaﬂoor in what is called Iron Bottom Sound, where ﬁve major naval engagements took place between August and December 1942 as part of the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the major turning points in the war with Japan.

More than 20,000 personnel were killed during the ﬁve-month period. Some 111 naval vessels and 1,450 aircraft were lost between Allied and Japanese forces

The bow represents the

Continued from page 1A

That hit was softened when the Senate added a $50 billion package called the Rural Transformation Program, which Reynolds expects to bring in $200,000 to $300,000 yearly to the state for rural hospitals and clinics starting in 2027. While appreciated, Reynolds said it does not cover the losses the state will see. Nationally federal Medicaid spending in rural areas is expected to be reduced by $155 billion. For the time being, Acadiana’s rural hospitals are unlikely to see any reductions in services or staff, he said “We’re talking four years away; a lot of things can change.” Reynolds said, “I’m not going to say that there deﬁnitely is gonna be reductions in services or reductions in personnel at this point. When we get closer to these implementation dates of reductions in funding, we’ll have to revisit it and see what service would have to be reduced in order to maintain the budget and maintain the viability of rural hospitals going forward.” Work requirements for Medicaid coverage are set to begin in 2027. That would mean people between the ages of 19-64 would need to prove that they work 80 hours per month to be considered eligible for coverage. In Louisiana, 69% of Medicaid adults are working part-time or full-time. Enrollees would also have to check in every six months to prove their eligibility, starting Dec. 31, 2026. In January Biden-era en-

largest piece of the ship still in existence, said Cory Graff, curator and restoration manager at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans

The rest of the vessel was scrapped in 1959 in Baltimore.

The bow also represents a war grave, he added.

“Some 183 USS New Orleans sailors were killed on the ship that night, and many went down with the number one turret and separated bow section,” he said.

The National WWII Museum on Magazine Street is preparing an exhibit on the city’s namesake ship to open next year.

Working with the families of veterans, the museum plans to use artifacts, including ﬁre-scorched coins found on the deck after the battle and a slice of the wooden shoring that stabilized the front of the vessel, as well as documentation to tell the story of the “venerable vessel that nearly ‘saw it all’ in

hanced premiums subsidies will expire. Louisiana Affordable Care Act enrollees would see their premiums increase 100% or $780 annually

In October 2028, Medicaid expansion enrollees will need to pay a $35 copay. Cuts to Medicaid do threaten the viability of the rural hospitals, according to a June letter from Sen. Ed Markey D-Mass., and other Senate Democrats The study predicts that 338 hospitals nationwide are at risk of staff or service reductions or possible closure. Louisiana ranked second on that list with 33 rural hospitals flagged as financially vulnerable. That’s in addition to a 2024 study, which found that 25% of rural hospitals in the state were under threat of closure, primarily due to population decline In Acadiana, those at risk include Iberia Medical Center in New Iberia, Mercy Regional Medical Center in Ville Platte, Acadian Medical Center in Eunice, Franklin Foundation Hospital in St. Mary Parish, and Savoy Medical Center in Mamou. Allegiance Health Management, which owns and operates several hospitals on the list, did not respond to requests for comment Of the 267,500 residents projected to lose Medicaid coverage, those disproportionality impacted will be rural residents, said Denae Hebert, of the Louisiana Rural Health Association. Currently, 36% of rural residents and 59% of their children rely on Medicaid

Anywhere from 30% to 60% of patients at rural hospitals are on Medicaid, with reimbursements making up one-fourth of hospital rev-

the Paciﬁc War, from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Japanese surrender,” Graff said in an email.

The bow was first identified during mapping operations by the University of New Hampshire’s uncrewed surface vessel DriX. A crew of archaeologists and experts aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus analyzed structural details, paintwork and anchor configuration to confirm the wreckage as part of the USS New Orleans (CA32), then took images.

“The wreck was located during seafloor mapping operations by an uncrewed surface vehicle, then investigated shortly thereafter by a deep-diving remotely operated vehicle, imagery from which was viewed in real-time by hundreds of experts around the world, who all worked together to make a positive identification of the ﬁnding,” Daniel Wagner, chief scientist with Ocean Exploration Trust, said in a

enue.

“Many of (the rural hospitals) are already operating at a negative margin or very close to a negative margin, so (ending) a signiﬁcant portion of their income, we do risk having to close down service lines. Worst-case scenario would be a hospital shutting down, which we definitely want to avoid,” Hebert said.

Not having coverage doesn’t mean that those patients will stop using the hospital. In reality, they will likely end up using more expensive services, such as emergency visits, as they delay care, Hebert said. Clinics, which operate on even tighter margins and tend to have a higher proportion of Medicaid patients, also face the threat of closure. The lack of preventive and primary care will also likely result in more emergency visits.

The inability of those patients to pay for services will be passed on to those who are able to pay and those with private insurance, Reynolds said.

“I think it’s too early to tell. We anticipate that there will be significant reductions in revenue to our rural facilities. We know how many people are relying on Medicaid, and if those people lose that insurance coverage that they will still go to the hospital because they will have to and so there will be a lot of uncompensated care,” Hebert said.

Stephen Marcantel writes for The Acadiana Advocate as a Report for America corps member Email him at stephen. marcantel@theadvocate. com.

statement

Ocean Exploration Trust is a nonproﬁt trust supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean Exploration, which was authorized by Congress in 2009. In addition to NOAA Ocean Exploration, the explorers included the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, the government of the Solomon Islands, the University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, and representatives from Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

A highly decorated vessel Cruisers like the USS New Orleans were combat vessels used to ﬁght off air attacks and bombard targets. They were smaller, faster and cheaper than battleships, but more heavily armed than destroyers.

This particular version of the USS New Orleans was built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and launched on April 12, 1933. It was sponsored by

Cora S. Jahncke, the daughter of Ernest L. Jahncke, who was president of Jahncke Shipbuilding Co. in New Orleans. He had been the assistant secretary of the Navy under President Herbert Hoover and oversaw the construction of the seawall along Lake Pontchartrain from the West End to Spanish Fort.

The USS New Orleans was at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and responded to the Japanese air attack. Later, the vessel pulled USS Lexington sailors from the water during the Battle of the Coral Sea and screened the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier during the Battle of Midway Even getting its bow blown off wasn’t enough to stop the ship.

Stabilized, the New Orleans proceeded to the nearby island of Tulagi. By the next daybreak, the crew had camouﬂaged the ship, as the Japanese were nearby They then cleared away wreckage, removed damaged equipment, made minor repairs and attached timber stays to

stabilize the damaged front of the ship, according to the Navy damage report. The New Orleans then sailed 1,800 miles to Cockatoo Island near Sydney, Australia, for more extensive repairs. The ship then headed 7,800 miles back to the U.S., making brief stops at Pago Pago and Pearl Harbor

The USS New Orleans spent ﬁve months being refurbished and repaired at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard near Seattle. The New Orleans reentered the war in August 1943. The vessel then participated in the bombardments of Wake Island, the Marshalls and Caroline Islands, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. It was part of the invasions of Okinawa and the Philippines. The vessel was decommissioned in 1947. The USS New Orleans received 17 battle stars, among the most awarded during World War II. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

Appealscourt rejectssubdivision

feet in some areas.

50-acreproject wasplanned in LafayetteParish

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

An appeals court has ruled that Lafayette Parish ofﬁcials were within their rights to rejectplans for a 50-acre, 189-unit residential subdivision because the road it would beon is inadequate to accommodatethe added trafﬁc.

Athree-judge panel of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appealsmade the ruling Wednesday. JBreauxEnterprises sued the Lafayette Parish Council and LafayetteParish Planning Commission for rejectingits preliminary plat application forasubdivisioncalled Ivywood off Bayou Tortue Road in unincorporated Lafayette Parish. A15th Judicial Court ruledagainst the company and the appealscourt agreed.

Study tallieskills from menhaden fishing

Resultsshow redfish bycatch belowlegal levels

BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer

Aclosely watched study of how manyredﬁsh and other species the industrial menhaden industry nets andultimately kills offofLouisiana’scoast shows the numbers are not as bad as some had feared, but recreational anglers called the results concerning nonetheless.

Industry officials pointed to the study as evidence that they didnot deserve to be vilified, particularly given their economic contributions to the state.Conservationists highlighted the effects on redfish in particular while callingfor further precautions. The results showed the industry’soverall bycatch for all species remains significantlybelow the amount allowedunder state law Still, further battles may beahead over where and how the menhaden industry should drop its expansive nets.

State Rep. Joe Orgeron, R-Golden Meadow,who haspreviously worked to tighten regulations on the menhaden industry,praised therigor of the study and said he was glad to see the survivability of redﬁsh that become entangled in menhaden netswas higher than previously thought “At least we’ve got abaseline now on how this very important industry here in Louisiana operates,” Orgeron said. “I look forward to continuing to see where this takes us.”

The study released Tuesday is the latest chapter in along struggle involving recreational anglers, chartercaptains andthe three plants that process menhaden caught in waters offLouisiana. The oily ﬁsh, also known as pogy and averaging about 8inches long, are groundup for use in products such as animal feed, fertilizer and supplements. Louisiana accountsfor nearly all Gulf menhaden commercial catch. Other Gulf states,known for their beach tourism, have far tighter

Lafayette officialsargued, and the courts agreed, that it is within officials’ rights to reject an application based on traffic and environmental concerns.

Bayou TortueRoad is classified as substandard,withcrumbling asphaltand lane width of less than 10

The company first appealed to the Lafayette Parish Councilafter theplanning commission rejected its request for preliminary platapproval.

Company representativessued, alleging the decision was arbitrary, capricious and unlawful because theapplication complied with existing regulations.Trafﬁc andenvironmentalstudies would come after preliminary plat approval, representatives said.

Appeals Court Judge Clayton Davis, in explaining the court’sdecision, referredtoLouisianaRevised Statute33:101.1, which declares “the approval/disapproval of asubdivision plat to be: alegislativefunction

involving theexercise of legislative discretion by the planning commission, based upondatapresented to it” whether the area is zoned or,as in this case, unzoned. Because the propertyisnot zoned, Davis wrote, the parish government hasapprovednolawfuluses for it. If applyinga “use by right” principle, as JBreaux attempts, any use would be acceptable,which he called “an absurd result surely not contemplatedbylaw.The solution? Decide what is bestfor public health, safety andwelfare, andruleaccordingly.”

HIGH IN THE SKy

Instructor Erin Welch works with Amelia Carpenterasshe swings on silks.

Kids go through an obstacle course during Circus Creations summer camp for kids ages 6to 9onTuesday at Sky Craft aerial arts studioin Lafayette.

LESLIE WESTBROOK

Second person arrested in triple shooting

Vermilion Parish sheriff’s deputiesarrested asecond person in connection with ashooting at aparty Saturday that wou nd ed three people.

CRIME BLOTTER Advocate staff reports

Aminor arrested Monday now faces three countsof attempted firstdegreemurder, one count of illegal possession of ahandgun by aminor, and 50 counts of aggravated assault with aﬁrearm,according to aVermilionParish Sheriff’s Ofﬁceannouncement

The minor’s bail was set at

$810,000.

Tazavian Andrews,18, of Abbeville,was arrested Sundayand faces three counts of attempted first-degreemurder. His bail is set for $750,000.

The shooting occurred at a party alongLa. 338 in Vermilion Parish on Saturday evening. The shooting left threepeopleinjured

The victimswere taken to Abbeville General Hospital withgunshot wounds that werenot considered life-threatening. Police ID mankilled in shootout withofficers

Louisiana State Policehave

identified theman who diedduring the officer-involved shooting in LakeCharles on Thursday Lake Charles23-year-old DiamonteLafenette died during the officer-involved shooting that occurred near the intersection of 12th Street and 7th Avenue on July 3, according to Louisiana StatePolice Troop D. Around 7:40 a.m. Thursday,the LakeCharles Police Department received acallthataman,who waslater identified as Lafanette, was pointing afirearm at passing motorists on 12th Street.

according to anews release from State Police. “An initial exchange of gunfire occurred between Lafanette and the officers, after which Lafanette fled on foot.”

The police officers set up aperimeter in theresidential neighborhood. While the police werein the containment area, Lafanette emerged from behind aresidenceand opened fireonthe officers, which prompted asecond exchange of gunfire.

Lafanettewas shot by policeand transported to ahospital,where he died from his injuries.

The detectives found ahandgun

ä See BLOTTER, page 4B ä See MENHADEN, page 4B

“When ofﬁcersbegan arriving in the area, they encountered Lafanette brandishing afirearm,”

STAFFPHOTOS

OUR VIEWS

Delays to riverbridge projectare disappointing

Anyone who drives through Baton Rouge regularly understands what achoke point the Mississippi River Bridgecan be.

Officially named the Horace Wilkinson Bridge, the Interstate 10 crossing is notorious for regular,lengthy backups that can push traffic back formiles in both directions. For years, officials and residentshave known that anew bridge, the third in the capital region, is necessary That’swhy we, along with members of the Capital Area Road and Bridge District, are very disappointed to learn that the process of buildingthat bridge has been pushed back again. The latest delays were announced last month after officials received sitestudieslater than expected. That meansthata federal environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, which will take at least a year and had been expected tobegin this week, won’tstart until later in the summer.That study could, in turn, trigger amore in-depth environmental review,which would take even longer

As of now,the earliest thebridge could open would be 2033, two years later than previous estimates.

That’sjust too long.

For comparison, the Huey P. Long Bridge in Baton Rouge, often known as the “Old Bridge,” opened in 1940. The Horace Wilkinson Bridge opened 28 years later,in1968, 65 years earlier than the current 2033 target datefor the new bridge

These days, approximately 100,000 cars per day cross the Mississippi River Bridge. It, and the interchanges on either side, were simply not build to accommodatethatlevel of trafﬁc. Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle expressed the frustrations of many when he learnedofthe latest delay

“It’sjust something always delaying the project,” he said. “And here we are again.” Former Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Joe Donahue, who sits on the district board, described himself as “ata loss” over the project’sglacial pace.

We certainly understand that the construction of a$2billion project is abig undertaking and must be accompanied by the proper preparation. Currently three routes, identiﬁed in 2022, are being studied, each of which would cross the river in Iberville Parish.

We also agree that local input should be taken into account. Each of the proposed routes could have anumber of impacts, from neighborhood trafﬁc and the moving of utilityor industry infrastructure to the bisection and potential demolition of the rare old-growthcypress forest in the Plaquemine Point community

These are significant concerns that should be fairly addressed, but it is long past time for that to have happened already.Commuters and travelers, from Louisiana and everywhere, deserve to know when their long traffic nightmare will finally be over

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone 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.

OPINION

Teachers finallysee payraise, butitmay be cold comfort

Iamwriting to proclaim how happy Iamthat thestate government has ﬁnally decided to raise teacher pay,but also I’m frustrated that this sudden act of generosity comes after years of Louisiana utterly failing to do even thebare minimum for its front-line teachers.

After all, this new pay raise comes at the end of aprocess that started with the Jindal administration’sdestruction of the New Orleans public school system and ended with the legislative pearl-clutching at theidea of local cities daring to levy taxes on BigOil.

For far too long, thestate leaned on thegood hearts of elderly teachers who were already collecting retirement, being talked intoreturning to theclassroom as long-term substitutes, often forcing them to pause theirretirement beneﬁts entirely

Irun asmall school for children and adults with autism. Most of them are on the more profound end of the spectrum,i.e., their needs are signiﬁcant. Because of this, we have an extremely low student-to-teacher ratio. This makes ourﬁnancial situation rather tenuous. We makeupfor shortfalls in several ways,including fundraising and grant writing. We also form strategic partnerships withother organizations. Oneofthese is AmeriCorps. Modeled after the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps places volunteers in underresourced communities throughout theUnited States. My school getsone to three volunteers every year.Inad-

Iwas verysad after reading Edward Pratt’slastcolumn, “A fond farewell, for now,” in thenewspaper on June 14 For years, Ilooked forwardtoreading hiscolumns,asthey provided insight, wisdom and guidance. Prattoften introduced me to ideas, people, places and situationsIwould otherwise never have known. He offered me adifferent perspective along withaninvitation to seemyown life through adifferent lens. For all of this and more, Ithank him and encourage him to keep writing.

Starting teacher salaries in Louisiana are 46th in the country,with an average starting salary of $45,593, making theaverage take-home pay, barely enough to cover rent in the state’slargest city

Now the state has ﬁnally decided to try andpermanently raise teacher pay just in time for the federal government to start slashing educational and Medicaid funding for the entire country.Iamforced to wonder if the state’smodest raise will really be worth it once so many schools in Louisiana lose their federal grants and theirstudentslose their health care coverage. Allofthis proves that our state’s climb in national rankings for education was accomplishedinspite of the state government, notbecause of it. DANGALLO Metairie

dition to helping us balance ourbooks, thevolunteers acquire critical job skills and work experience. Many of them end up working fornonproﬁts like ours. It is aclassic win-win. The Department of Government Efﬁciency,orDOGE, recently cut funding to AmeriCorps. Thousands of employees were immediately laid off, and social programs across the countryare currently being scuttled. Our volunteer’slast day wasinJune. LosingAmeriCorps impacts our budget.This, in turn, affects ourprogramming. Ultimately,itends up hurting our community’smost vulnerable.

FOLWELL DUNBAR NewOrleans

But Ican certainly understand his desire to quit.The hostility and egregious actsofhatred that he and his family have endured are simply unconscionable. All Ican sayisthat Iamvery sorry, and Isincerely hope that Pratt understands thatthere are many,like myself, who appreciate his stories. In today’s world, he offersa light for us all. I pray he continues to write and shine brightly

CATHERINE

ALTAZAN Port Allen

The tenor of J. Gerald Kennedy’s recent letter stipulating that liberalism is moreprevalent on college campuses because it is somehow moreintellectual illustrates the real problem It exposes the left’ssanctimony,its belief that its opinions are correct and just, whereas those of the right are uninformed and thus, unjust. Its greater intelligence trumps those uninformed, informationally uncurious hordes with whom it disagrees. He fails to mention that liberalism is no longer,bydeﬁnition, liberal. In fact, it is illiberal. It protests against conservatives at universities nationwide and often disallowsspeakers with differing viewpoints from delivering addresses on campus. Its“theater of the politic” protests regularly prevent right-leaning free speech while falsely declaring that its speech is under attack. Itsprofessors and their minions intimidate conservative thinkers at colleges, hoping to deprogram them of their ignorance or simply exclude them entirely

This country is in dire need of intellectual, unemotional discourse with areal exchange of ideas without recrimination. And it will not be found on today’suniversity campuses. The pomposity of the uberintelligent leftwill never permit it. CHARLEY IRELAND Robert

Shaking my head as Isaw another display against the “greatest threat to democracy” —you know the left’s favorite foolish phrase —inNo Kings Day protests across the state. Ithought honoring the results of a free and clear election was the true sign of democracy.Amajority vote winmeans nothing to those whoresist because the winner wasn’ttheir choice. We had to live though the last four years with whoknowsrunning the country.Itcertainly wasn’tJoe Biden. As always, the left’shollow protests fall on deaf ears.

BETTY CHAMPAGNE Covington

HasEssence lost itsessence?

TheEssence Festival of Culture wasbirthed by NewOrleans, in New Orleans, and through NewOrleans, it reached the nationand the world.

Igrew up in the Lower 9th Ward and Gentilly with Ebony and Jet on my family’sliving room tables, along with the Louisiana Weeklyand The Times-Picayune They were an important part of keeping up with our Blackpeople, businesses, communities, entertainment and all things Black. But something was missing. In 1970, Essence magazine was launched. Iwas ateen then. ABlack mother birthed me, Ihad Black sisters, cousins, grandmothers and girlfriends They were captured in some of thepages of the other periodicals,but Essence highlighted my collectivesisters with beauty,fashion and news —through a Black prism. We didn’trealize whatwe had been missing.

The magazine celebrated 25 years of success in 1995, and aone-time celebration in New Orleans was plannedwith then-Mayor Marc Morial.Aswesaid back in the day,itwas so nice,theyhad to do it twice. Then again. And again. Andit’sstill going.

There have been challengesthrough the years. And this year feltdifferent There weren’tasmany signs promotingthe festival. The big Essence letters were missing outsidethe convention center.There were longwaits in between entertainment acts at night. One act didn’tfinish until 3:37a.m. Saturday.There were hurt feelings with fans who were expectingatraditional Superlounge experience,only to find that things had changed. Essenceapologized. Essence fans and supportershave had concerns, andthey’velet Essenceand others know U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,homefrom his duties in Washington, D.C., attended the festival and got an earful. “I have been there since Day One,” he told me. “I was ayoung City Council memberwhen Marc Morial broughtthistoour city.” He said things have changedand he doesn’tlike what he’sheardthis year Essence is important to New Orleans and Louisiana, he said,and the festivalcannot disconnect from its New Orleans-specific cultural roots. That means engaging local businessesand

staying connected withour local culture,headded. “Recognizing that this yearthings were out of whack, and therewereafew hiccups,” thecongressmansaidit’simportant to learn from these lessons,these mistakes and move beyond 2025.

One high-profile nonprofit executive told me that it’stoo difficult to do business with Essence now,and that’s whythere area number of “Essenceinspired,” ‘Essence-related” and “Essence-adjacent”eventsnot connected with the festival.

“I’mconﬁdent that theleadersofEssenceare goingtohear what their fans andcustomersare saying about the experience, and Icertainly urge them to hearand take heed to forever be on the sideofmaking Essence better,” added Morial, the president and CEO of the NationalUrban League for morethan 20 years. “Thehistoric team had built relationships with theleadership and the community. from the beginning Ithink the newleadership of Essence. have to think anew about how they build andrebuild some of thoserelationships —and Ibelieve (Essence Ventures owner)RichelieuDennis is committed to that.”

DuringaMorial Convention Center festival conversation Saturday afternoon,Dennistoldmeheiscommitted to making Essence better.Hetold me his company is in thethird year of a ﬁve-yearplan and they’remaking decisions based ondata and businessplanning. There has been negative festival chatterinhotel and venue hallways androoms, among family and friends texting and in quiteanumber of nega-

tive social media posts.But Dennis said that’snot the whole story. He acknowledged some problems, attributing them to growing pains. “We’ve grown this festival almost twice its size,” he said. “With thatgrowthcomes alot of changes,challenges.” He said real-time data collected during this year’sfestival shows festival-goersare moreengaged and more satisfied. People are staying at the daytime festival eventslonger.There were complaints about not being able to get intosome scheduledevents, including film festival showings.Hecharges that to quality programming. People can’tshow up and expect to get in the door.“It’s athing of effectiveness, efficiency and delivering on apromise,” he said. Through theyears, things have changed. Jet is gone. Ebony is ashadow of what it was.Essenceisstill here. New Orleans has Carnival, second-line and other traditions thatwill live on forever.But the cityisn’twhat it was when Iwas growing up. There are parades, krewes and festivals thatdidn’texist. The festival isn’twhat it used to be. Nor should it be.But it is an important part of New Orleans that we want to see thrive. While some say thefestival has lost its luster,Dennis says thefestival will never loseits foundational purpose, but it mustevolve. The question for New Orleans and Dennis is,can we get through these changes and evolve together? The answer is easy: Like real love in committedrelationships,wemust.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

Not many people today remember the exhilaration so many Americans felt after Israel’svictoryinthe Six-Day War in June 1967. The liberalfolks around me at workand law school then had been frustrated and puzzled at the lack of progress being made in Vietnam by the 448,000 U.S. troops stationed there, and the sudden and astonishing success of the Israel Defense Forces, symbolized by the eye-patched Gen. Moshe Dayan, was arefreshing contrast. No talk then of Israelisascolonialist settler oppressors Youwill not encounter much in the way of exhilaration in similar milieus today at Israel’smultifront and even more astonishing victory,capped off by the U.S. bombing of Iran’snuclear facilities, in what is now called the 12-day war of June 2025.Incontrast to the success in 1967, when therewas minimal Americaninvolvement,this success owed much to American collaboration, appropriately kept secret before the fact. It came also amid aseries of signiﬁcant and largely unexpectedpolicysuccesses for President Donald Trump —China trade concessions, NATO summit agreeing to 5% of GDPdefense spending, Supreme Court overturning of single-judge national injunctions, G7 ﬁnance ministers’ climb-downonglobalcorporate tax, negotiation of aRwanda-Congo peace deal, Canada’srepeal of adigitalservices tax, S&P stock index at an all-time high, Senate passageofthe “Big Beautiful bill.” We are at “Peak Trump,” as Matthew Continetti wrote in The Free Press. Democrats’ sour responses to Trump’s domestic successes, based on some mix of principled disagreements and opportunistic politicking, are understandable. Their sour responses to the Israeli and American success against the Iranian regime’snuclear program are another matter The result of the Six-DayWar elated both liberal and conservative Americans. The result so far of the 12-day war

LETTERS TO

was, by many Democratsand manyin thepress, denounced as the overture to amassive ground war like the 2003 Iraq invasionand deconstructedbyleaked memos suggesting the mullahs would have their nuclear weapons program up and running in afew weeks.

has surely gotten Putin’sand Xi’sattention.

Goodnews! Republicans ﬁnally found away to bring downcosts. All it took wasmagically declaring expensive things to be free.

At least, that’sthe lesson of their ginormous budget bill, whose passage last week required reinventing the lawsofaccounting.

There are manyunpopular features in the GOP’sOne Big Beautiful Bill, including draconian cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, higher energy prices and trillions of dollars in additional debt. Both Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trumpseem to realize this, given that they’re jammed the bill through with little timefor the media (and, by extension, voters) to catch up to what’sinit.

They’ve also spent recent weeks smearing the refs, including the Congressional Budget Ofﬁce and the Joint Committee on Taxation, the professionals tasked with crunching numbers on the bill’sconsequences. And recently,Republicans hid from the Senate parliamentarian to avoid hearing her latest rulings about the cost of their bill.

Always agood sign when the response to “Do you wanttoknow what this thing costs?” is “La la la, Ican’thear you.”

Earlier in the week, GOPlawmakers wenta step further.Asthey had previously signaled they might do, they voted to stop pretending to care about what the bill costs or what the parliamentarian rules. Instead, they simply declared huge chunks of it to be free. Here’show:

The package’stax provisions alone would cost, on net, $4.5 trillion over the next decade. But Republicans said, “Eh, mostofthat tax package [about $3.8 trillion of it] shouldn’treally count as costing anything.”

That’sbecause Republican lawmakers had passed similar provisions in 2017, which are scheduled to expire at the end of this year Republicans argue that Americans got used to having that part of the tax code around. So extending these lower tax rates wouldn’t, you know,feel different.

As I’ve explained before, this is not how budgets work. It’s like saying renewing your Netﬂix subscription should count as free, because you got used to having the streaming service already.Oreach time you buy another Starbucks coffee, it doesn’tcost you anything, because you’ve enjoyed Frappuccinos before.

The reason we’re discussing these arcane accounting acrobatics is that when Republicans ﬁrst passed their regressive tax-cut package in 2017, they deliberately scheduled their tax cuts to “turn off” early,in2025, rather than last forever.They did this to makethe cost of what they were doing look smaller.What to do when those tax cuts expired —and how to pay for them —would be tomorrow’sproblem

Well, tomorrow has arrived. And GOPleaders’ solution is not just to cook the books; it’s to torch them entirely,bypretending their tax cuts werealready baked into future budgets, when they deliberately weren’t.

It’s hard to resist The Wall Street Journal’sWalter Russell Mead’sconclusion that Trump’ssecond term is “the most consequential foreign-policy presidency since Richard Nixon left the White House.”His scorn for outworn shibboleths and changed circumstances has produced successes thatdeserve respect, if not total agreement from his domestic opponents, instead of the knee-jerk oppositionand shopworn sloganeering seen so far

The aggressive nationalism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, both rooted in historictradition, has relegated the hopes of the Clinton and Bush eras that apost-communist Russia and apostimpoverishedChina would adhere to internationalrules and foreswear predatory expansion. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted NATO partners, which ignored the Obama administration’squiet goal of 2% defense spending, to agree to Trump’slouder demand and meet his raise to 5%. Farfrom destroying NATO, as his critics feared, he has strengthened it. Similarly,hehas ignored demands, like thoseof2024 vice presidential nominee TimWalz, that he pressure Israel to accept the outworn goal of a“two-state solution.” Instead, he is working for a Middle East free from the Iranian nuclear threat and open to mutually beneficial agreements like his first-term Abraham Accords. Trump’sadherence to his pre-escalator vows that Iran should not get nuclear weapons, while flummoxing supporters like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon,

They surely didn’tmiss, when Israel began its precision bombing and targeted drone attacks on June 13, thatTrump told Reuters thathehad given Iran 60 days to reach an agreement,“and today is the 61st day.” Democratswere still busy disparaging Trump’swillingness to back down on trade deals with the acronym TACO (“Trump always chickens out”).But Xi maynot want to risk a61st day on Taiwan. And while Democratsdismiss Trump’sboast thatPutin didn’tlaunch an attack on Ukraine while he was president, the fact is thathedidn’t. Will he risk a61st-daysurprise if Trump, losing conﬁdence as his recent statementssuggest he has in his good intentions, sets a time limit on his aggression in Ukraine?

Israel’sstrikesonIran, the historian Niall Fergusonposted, are “a decisive victory for the West.” Just as the Six-Day Warlargely removed the threat of Israel being overrun, the 12-day war largely removed the threat of Israel being annihilated by an Iranian nuclear attack.

The Six-Day Warwas followed in time by Nixon’sresupply of Israel in the October Warof1973 and by his simultaneous maneuver of splitting Russia and China in what had been astalemated bipolar world. His opening to China, though criticized in bothparties’ presidential primaries, was followed by presidents of both parties past well behind what now appears to have been its sell-by date. What will follow the 12-day war can’t be known for sure. But it looks like Trump’spolicies have moved toward a more peaceful Middle East, aEurope more alert to Russianaggression, and perhaps an increasing caution by the leaders of Russiaand China. These are consequential achievements, like Nixon’s, that deserve tobetaken seriously even by the president’sdetractors.

Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone.

Meanwhile, Republicans who should knowbetter are outright lying to the public about what’s happening. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called himself a“ﬁscal hawk” on BloombergTV and declared that “everyone believes this is a start” to reducing the national debt. Other(ostensibly) ﬁnancially literate aides in the administration have made similar claims.

Most voters probably haven’tnoticed these comments or might be moreconcerned about the prospect of losing their insurance. But you know who(or what) is paying attention? Bond markets.

For decades, U.S. Treasury instruments have been considered the safest assets to invest in. This was true even as we ran up enormous deﬁcits without any plan to ever deal with them which is not usually afeature of sovereign debt considered essentially risk-free. Nevertheless, investors around the world remained willing to lend us money on the cheap because no one questioned whether,ultimately,wewould repay them

But the tide might be turning. In May Moody’s, the last outstanding major credit agency that had still considered U.S. debt to be effectively riskless, ﬁnally downgraded it. Moody’sspeciﬁcally cited the expectation that Congress would extend these costly tax cuts the ones that it is calling “free” —asareason forits decision.

Shortly after,aroutine auction forU.S. Treasury debt didn’tgosowell. Fewer buyers than expected were interested in lending us money At the time, this waswidely interpreted as reflecting jitters about the One Big Beautiful Bill and the country’sswelling debt. The Republicans’ accounting gimmick might seem obscure, but it sets aterrible precedent forhow future Congresses will handle difficult budget choices. And it’sabig, fatwarning sign to bond investors. We might not have been terribly serious about getting our deficits under control before, but at least we attempted to tally them correctly.Now,you can’teven say that.

Email Catherine Rampell at crampell@washpost.com.She is on X, @crampell.

STAFF PHOTO By KEITHSPERA Tenminutes before the performance of Ms. Lauryn Hill started,most of Caesars Superdome was empty during the2025 Essence Festival of Culture. Catherine Rampell

Michael Barone

Will Sutton

regulations on industrialscale ﬁshing. Louisiana’s river-nourished coastal habitat also means menhaden are especially plentiful here. Mixed results

Charter captains and conservation groups have repeatedly raised alarms over what they see as damage to the state’s already fragile redfish and speckled trout populations. The industry has stressed the jobs and residual economic beneﬁts it brings to the state, while contending its bycatch is minimal in comparison to the overall recreational catch.

The bycatch study, financed by the state but carried out by an independent ﬁrm under the guidance of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, was conducted in 2024 The results were detailed at a meeting of the state’s Wildlife and Fisheries Commission on Tuesday

The numbers were mixed They showed that significantly more redfish survive after being netted and released by the industry than some had feared, and total bycatch of all species amounted to 3.6% by weight

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B

near Lafanette that had been reported stolen.

The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information, pictures or video is urged to share that information with detectives. Residents may anonymously report information through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting lsp.org and clicking on Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity or calling the State Police Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

Man indicted in girlfriend’s death

A Lafayette Parish grand jury has indicted a New Iberia man in the death of his girlfriend in Lafayette. Court documents show Jarvon Montague, 46, was formally charged with seconddegree murder in the death of Shantee Broussard, 44, of Lafayette, following a domestic ﬁght.

Officers with the Lafayette Police Department responded Feb. 20 to a call for medical assistance on Carmel Drive near Louisiana Avenue. Upon arrival, they helped paramedics do CPR on Broussard, who was then taken to a hospital. She was later pronounced dead. Due to suspicious circumstances, investigators were called to the scene.

An autopsy found that Broussard suffered injuries consistent with strangulation and blunt force trauma. Montague remains in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on a $750,000 bail.

well below the 5% threshold allowed by law

The raw numbers showed about 22,000 redﬁsh, ofﬁcially known as red drum, killed by the industry in 2024. An estimated 791,000 redfish were landed by recreational anglers in the same year, though that number does not include fish that were thrown back and later died.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries used the results to extrapolate

Police investigate after shooting death

One person is dead after a shooting Monday in Church Point.

Officers responded just before 8 p.m. Monday to a report of a gunshot victim at Acadia St. Landry Hospital. Authorities said the victim died from a single gunshot wound. The victim’s name was not released.

Police said the shooting happened on North Wilson Street off West Martin Luther King Jr Drive. They said a person of interest has been identiﬁed as the possible shooter, but that person was not identiﬁed.

Police intentionally crashed van in chase

A crash that closed Interstate 10 eastbound Monday afternoon between Lafayette and Baton Rouge was intentionally caused by a state trooper ofﬁcials said.

A driver was being pursued after failing to pull over for a trafﬁc stop by Baton Rouge police, according to a statement from Louisiana State Police.

Troopers were notified at 12:15 p.m Monday of a vehicle pursuit involving a stolen 2017 Chevrolet Express van and ofﬁcers from the Baton Rouge Police Department, according to the statement. Troopers in the area responded to assist with the ongoing pursuit, and one trooper became the lead unit

“Based on prior crashes that occurred and the dangerous driving behavior of the suspect, the Trooper determined that the ﬂeeing vehicle posed an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the pub-

across the decade from 2015 to 2024. Its scientists calculated that the industry accounted for 9.9% of dead redﬁsh, measured by weight, over that time period and recreational anglers the remainder

As for trout over the same period, the menhaden industry killed an estimated 2.7% by weight, it said.

Additional steps?

The results prompted

lic and pursuing ofﬁcers,” State Police said. “To mitigate this threat, the Trooper utilized a pursuit termination technique, making intentional contact with the van as it traveled eastbound on Interstate 10. The van lost control and began to rotate.”

The driver, a 41-year-old male, was ejected from the vehicle and was initially unresponsive, authorities said He was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, and a female passenger in the vehicle suffered minor injuries.

No law enforcement ofﬁcers were injured during the incident, police said.

The driver of the stolen Chevrolet will be charged with aggravated flight from an officer, State Police said, and Baton Rouge police are expected to bring charges related to the initial reason for the traffic stop and pursuit.

The investigation remains active. Anyone with information, pictures or video is urged to share that information with detectives. Residents can anonymously report information through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting File a Report, or calling the State Police Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

LOTTERY

MONDAY, JULY 7, 2025

PICK 3: 2-4-6

PICK 4: 6-8-0-9 PICK 5: 8-0-0-9-3

sharply different conclusions.

Francois Kuttel, president of Westbank Fishing, whose

menhaden fleet fishes out of Empire, said the industry had adopted equipment upgrades for 2025 related to its excluder devices that had helped improve the survivability of redﬁsh. Further upgrades were being evaluated. He said the study “corrected the perception that this industry is out there just raping and pillaging.”

“It’s shown us a way forward, and it’s not necessarily the way forward that we’ve been going at each other up until now,” he said, referring to battles with recreational anglers and conservation groups.

Chris Macaluso, of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said the estimated 22,000 redﬁsh killed last year still signaled a problem, especially since many of those fish were likely of spawning age. His organization also pointed to the tens of millions of smaller ﬁsh important to the food chain killed by the industry “I would suggest that

there be some potential additional steps that could be taken in this industry to allow more of those redfish to escape and survive and therefore spawn,” he said at the meeting. The long-brewing controversy led to changes last year that extended the buffer zone for menhaden fishing from a quarter-mile to a half-mile off the coast for most areas. Larger buffer zones are in place for sensitive areas such as Holly Beach and Grand Isle. A series of spills and resulting dead fish by the industry helped draw attention to the issue. Industry officials say they have since invested in significantly stronger nets that have greatly reduced such incidents. The industry says it includes some 700 jobs and contributes $25 million in state and

PRESSURE RAMPSUP

Big12’s Yormark says

BY STEPHENHAWKINS AP sportswriter

FRISCO,Texas Big12Commis-

sioner Brett Yormark is doubling down on his preferencetostay with only ﬁve automatic qualiﬁers if the College Football Playoffdoes expand from 12 to 16 teams as many expect after this season, instead of eachofthe four powerconferences being guaranteed multiple bids.

Wind blew confettiingreat swirls around the LSU Tigers on that bright and glorious June Sunday afternoon in Omaha, Nebraska, as they celebrated another College World Series title. Theskies ﬁlled with ﬁreworks three days later at Alex Box Stadium for another championship victory party

The confetti and the ﬁreworks may have been cleared away,but acouple of weeks past those championship parties the good vibes remain for an LSU program that occupies the pinnacle of itssport.That will probably be thecase until the start of next baseball

Scott Rabalais

season, at least, when the 2026 Tigers will be charged with chasingCWS title No. 9. Forall the feel-good energy created byLSU’seighth CWS crown,there is abyproduct, like the spentradioactive fuel from anuclear reactor.And it’s aimed rightatthe LSU football team and coach Brian Kelly While LSUbaseball and its

coach, Jay Johnson, have been properly feted for their second national championship in three seasons, thevictory has served as areminder for what Kelly and LSU football has not done. Not only no national championship, which of course is somethingmightydifﬁcult to do, but no contention for one on Kelly’swatch, which now enters its fourth season as well (he and Johnson started in 2022). The Tigers’ one and only appearance in the College Football Playoff came in 2019, when the Joe Burrow/Ed Orgeron LSUteam went all the way to the championship. It is unfair to label Kelly’s

tenure at LSU as unsuccessful to this point and ridiculous to say he is on the hot seat. In three seasonshis Tigers have had aHeisman Trophy winner in Jayden Daniels in 2023, reached the SEC Championship Gamein2022 and won all three of their bowlappearances among a29-11 record overall.

Despite some woefulparts of the program (see special teams in 2022, defense in 2023), Kelly’stimeatLSU can in no way be realistically labeled afailure.

For failure, see Florida State

“Wehave the responsibility to do what’sright for college football not what’sright for one or twoor moreconferences,” Yormark said Tuesday at Big 12 football media days. “I think 5-11 is fair.Earn it on the ﬁeld, assuming we wantto expand. Ilove the current format, but if we’re going to expand, let’s do it in away that’s fair andequitable and gives everyone achance.”

While theSoutheastern Conference and Big Tenwill have more of asay on the playoff format starting in 2026, when ESPN’s $7.8 billioncontract kicks in, Yormark believesthe 5-11 formatwould be good fornow and in the future. He said ACC Commissioner JimPhillips feelsthe same way,and is expected to express that during his league’smedia days in twoweeks. “Wedonot need aprofessional model because we are not the NFL,” Yormark said. “Weare college footballand we must act like it.” In the12-team format still in place for this season, the five

High-flying rookie from McNeese impressing N.O. coachesearly on Rod Walker

Christian Shumate is such ahigh riserthathe landed aspot on ESPN’s“SportsCenter” Top10 plays nine times this past season Dunking comes easy forShumate. The Chicago native threw downhis ﬁrst slam the summer heading into hisseventh-gradeyear Now Shumate is hopingtosoar even higher as he tries tomakethe leap from undrafted rookie to theNBA. Shumate,a6-foot-6 forward on the New Orleans Pelicans Summer League roster,getshis opportunity just three hours away from LakeCharles wherehe starredatMcNeese State.

“It means the world to me,” Shumate said.“I’ve grown to callLouisianahome.WhenIfound out that I’dbe stationed here for the timebeing as far as Summer League, Iwas really excited. I’ve been through some of the lowest timesofmylife and some of the highest timesofmy life in Louisiana. So I’m kind of rooted here anditwas kind of afull circle moment being able to comebackhereand try to make strides to stay.It’sbeen ablessing. I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

One of those low points at McNeese came in the 2022-’23 season when the Cowboys ﬁnished 11-23. Shumate, whose career started at Tulsa,entered the transfer portal and contemplated whatwould have been his third school. McNeese hiredWill Wade and Shumate stuck it out andbecame akey cog in theprogram turning things around and winning58 games over the next two seasons.

There have been just six players fromMcNeese to ever play in an NBA game. Shumate would like nothing more thanto become theseventh, joininga list that includesPelicans’ executivedirector of basketball operations Joe Dumars. Shumate and Dumars are both on McNeese’sall-

time scoring list. Dumars is first; Shumateisninth. Shumate is third on the rebounding list and first in double-doubles (40). He averaged 10.4 pointsand 6.5 rebounds this past season and helped McNeese to its first NCAA Tournament victory in school history He was named the Southland Conference’sDefensive Player of theYear Shumateisalso thefirst player in McNeese State to hit the1,000 markinpoints, rebounds, blocked shots, assistsand steals. It’sthat abilitytodoalittle bit of everything that he wants to put on display in Las Vegas. The Pelicans play their Summer League opener Thursday Shumatelooking to make

BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP tennis writer

LONDON Aryna Sabalenka was having ahardtime dealing with her Wimbledon quarterfinal opponent’sunusual gamestyle. The mistakeswere mounting Tuesday.The stress was rising. The deficit was troubling. As thingswentawry,Sabalenka would look at her box with aquizzical expression andraise her hands. After missing one forehand off ashort ball, she knelt on the grass near the net, the very picture of exasperation. Amonth after her loss to Coco Gauff in theFrenchOpenfinal, Sabalenka knew she needed to keep her emotions in check and straighten out her strokes. Did just that, right on time. Sabalenka trailedbya set, then twice was down abreak in the third, before grabbing the last three gamestoreturn to the semifinals at the All England Club by overcoming 104th-ranked Laura Siegemund4-6,6-2,6-4 at Centre Court.

“She pushed me so much,” saidSabalenka, No. 1since October. “After the ﬁrst set, Iwas just looking at my box, thinking, ‘Guys, Imean, book the tickets. Ithink we’re about to leave this beautifulcity,country,place.’

Wimbledon is theonly Grand Slam tournament where Sabalenka neverhas been to atitle match.She can change that this week if she beats No. 13 Amanda

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO

Aryana Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after losing apoint against Laura Siegemund of Germany during theirquarterfinal match TuesdayatWimbledon. Thetopseeded Sabalenka rebounded for a4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

Anisimova of the United States on Thursday.Anisimova reached herfirst major semifinal sincethe 2019 French Open, when she was just 17, by getting past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 7-6 (9). The first men’ssemifinal was establishedTuesday, too: No. 2Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion, against No. 5 Taylor Fritz. Sabalenka won the Australian Open twiceand theU.S.Open once, andwas therunner-up at this year’s Australian Open (losing to Madison Keys) and French Open (losing to Gauff) The 27-year-old Belarusian lost in the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2023. Sabalenka hadn’tdropped a set during this year’strip to the grass-court major until Tuesday —but she also hadn’tfaced an opponent quite like the37-year-old Siegemund. TheGerman, who

Yormark

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU coach Brian Kelly watches the spring game on April 12 at TigerStadium.Kelly and the Tigers sawthe baseball team winits eighth national championship in June. The expectations will be nearly as highwhen the LSU football team kicks off Aug. 30 at Clemson.

6:05p.m.

6p.m.

9p.m.

Brown readyfor pressure as coach

BY BRIAN MAHONEY

AP basketball writer

GREENBURGH, N.Y.— Mike Brown knows there’sgoing to be pressure that comes with coaching the Knicks. He also knows there’s a great roster and greatrestaurants waiting in New York.

He’sexcited about all of it

The new Knicks coach shook off any concerns abouttaking over a team that fired TomThibodeau despite getting two wins from the NBAFinals,pointing to thepositives Tuesday that made him want the job.

“Nobody has any biggerexpectations, first of all,than Ido. Imean,myexpectations are high,” Brown said. “But this is the Knicks. Italked about Madison Square Garden being iconic. You talk about our fans.Iloveand embrace the expectations that come along with it, so I’m looking forward to it.” Brown was hired alittlemore than amonth after the Knicks surprisingly fired Thibodeau despite getting to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Brown didn’twant to talk too much about that decision, nor the Sacramento Kings’ choice to fire him last season.

“First of all, Tom’satremendous coach and he is afriend of mine, but Idon’twant to get to thepast,” Brown said. “I’m just excited about the roster.I’m excitedabout the things that we’re goingtoput in place here and wherewecould go with the guys that we have.”

The Knicks went 51-31 last season andhaveone of the strongest starting ﬁves in the league, headlined by All-NBA selections Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. They would have gone into next season as one of the favorites in the East if they brought back their same team.

Instead, team presidentLeon Rose and owner James Dolan decided they neededtochange coaches as they continue searching for their ﬁrst championship since 1973.

“Our goal, starting with Mr Dolan to Leon to the players all the waydown to thefans, is to build a sustainable, winningculture that

Alcarazmakes quickwork of Norrie at Wimbledon

By The Associated Press

LONDON Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcarazreached the Wimbledonsemiﬁnals by beating Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 23 matches and became the just second Spanish player in history to reach the men’ssingles semiﬁnals at Wimbledon on three occasions —the otherwas Rafael Nadal. After Norrie held serve to open the match on Centre Court, the second-seededAlcaraz took control by rattling off the next five games against the left-handed Briton. Alcaraz never let Norrie into the match —facing only five break points andsaving allofthem.He compiled 39 winners and 13 aces to go with 26 unforced errors.

“Tobeable to play another semifinal here at Wimbledon is super special,” Alcaraz said in an oncourtinterview after finishing off the quarterfinal match in 1hour,39 minutes.

Alcaraz will face No. 5Taylor Fritz for aspot in the ﬁnal.

produceschampionships.That’s why I’m here,” Brown said. “I’m fortunate to know what it takes to create that success: alot of hard work,ahigh level of commitment andafocusontoday.”

Browntalkedabout wanting to win and called New York “a great place that has like thinking.”Heis eager to build apartnership with Rose, the former playeragent who represented LeBron James when he played for Brown in Cleveland.

“And then looking at the roster andthe reality of it is,Rosaid, ‘We better movetoNew York because I’m afoodie,” Brown said,referring to his ﬁancee who was seated in the front row.“So when you combine all those things, it was a no-brainer for me.”

Brown is 454-304 in 11 seasons, winning NBA Coach of the Year honors in 2009 with Cleveland and

2023 in Sacramento, when he led the Kings to the playoffs forthe ﬁrst time since 2006. They ﬁred him11/2 seasons later

The Knicks equally valued his success as an assistant coach, winning an NBA title in 2003 underGregg PopovichinSan Antonioand threemorechampionships under Steve Kerr in Golden State. He alsoled the Nigerian team to an upsetvictoryoverthe U.S.in apre-Olympic exhibition gamein 2021.

“When Iwas in SanAntonio with David (Robinson)and Tim(Duncan),itwas about playing insideout, andnow fast-forward to my time with Steve it’sabout pace andspace and that’swhere the game is,” Brown said. “If you can’t evolve you’re going to get left behind,and so Ifeel like I’mtrying to do that andhopefully we’ll be

able to bring someofthat here.”

Brown believes he takes over ateam that canplayfast like he prefers, but also has the versatility to play other stylesthanks to Brunson. He added that the Knicks’ successinthe postseason shows their potential.

The road to go even further next season is open forthe Knicks, withIndiana and Boston likely to be weakened after starsTyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum sustained Achilles tendoninjuriesin the postseason. But Brown said there is plenty of worktodo.

“They’re alot of good teams outthere.Doesn’tmatterifthose guys are injured or not,” Brown said.

“Atthe end of theday,teamsare going to ﬁnd ways to win. So we don’tfeel like it’sgoing to be any easier just because of injuries.”

Electronic line-calling

system malfunctions during match

BY KEN MAGUIRE AP sportswriter

LONDON Amalfunction with Wimbledon‘snew electronic linecalling system required apoint to be replayed during aquarterﬁnal matchbetween TaylorFritz and Karen Khachanov on Tuesday

Thelatest issue with the system occurred during the opening game of the fourth set on Court No. 1after Fritz had served at 15-0 andthe players exchanged shots. Then came arandom “fault” call.

Chair umpire Louise AzemarEngzellstopped play and afew moments later announced:“Ladies and gentlemen, we will replay the lastpoint due to amalfunction.”

The system had tracked Fritz’s shot in the rally as if it was a serve, the All England Club said.

“The player’sservice motion began whilethe (ball boy/ball girl)was still crossing thenet andtherefore thesystem didn’t recognize the start of thepoint. As such thechair umpire instructed the point be replayed,” theclub said in astatement.

After the “fault” call, aperplexed Fritz turned to theumpire’s chair and spread his hands as if asking“what was that?”

Neither player seemed upset andKhachanov wonthe replayed point, but the ﬁfth-seeded Fritz advanced to thesemiﬁnals with a 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4)victory

“If it would happen on abreak point or deuceormaybe tiebreaker,OK, you can getmore mad,” the17th-seeded Khachanov said.

“But it was just beginning of the set, 15-Love or Love-15. Idon’t

FROM

Nussmeieramong LSU playersfor SEC MediaDay Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, wide receiver Chris Hilton and linebacker Whit Weekswill joinLSU coach BrianKelly at SEC Media Daynext weekwhen the four-day event is held in downtown Atlanta. SEC Media Daystakes place July 14-17 at the Omni Hotel and the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. LSU will be joined on Day 1byOle Miss,South Carolina andVanderbilt.LSU’srotation runs from 8a.m.until 11:45 a.m Nussmeier is the thirdquarterback in LSU history to make two appearances at SEC Media Days, joining Jordan Jefferson(2010-11) and Zach Mettenberger (2012-13). LSU reports to camp later this month to begin preseason practice in advance of the season opener at ClemsononAug.30inwhatisexpected to be aTop 10 matchup.

LSU LHPace Anderson wins Corbett Award

Kade Anderson,the ace lefthanded pitcher for the LSU baseball team, wasselected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl’sJames J. Corbett Award winner as the top male athlete in Louisiana. Anderson, anative of Madisonville anda St.Paul’sgraduate, closed oneofthe toppitching seasons in LSUhistory by turning in apair of sensational College World Series outings to earn Most Outstanding Player honors as LSU captured its eighth national championship. For the year,Anderson recorded a12-1 record with a3.18 ERA and180 strikeouts (No. 1inthe nation) in 119 innings (tops in the SEC). Opponents hit just .211 against him andhewalkedjust 35 batters.

Clarkset to returnafter missingfrom groin injury

INDIANAPOLIS Caitlin Clark expects to playWednesdaywhen theIndiana Fever host theGolden State Valkyries after missing the past five games with aleft groin injury The All-Star captain participated in practice Monday whichwas open to season ticket holders, playing in a5-on-5 scrimmage. It was the first time she’d done that since getting hurt on June 26. Barring anysetbacks, Clark will be available to play Wednesday It was Clark’ssecond injury of the season. She’sonly played in nine of the team’s 18 games this season as well as the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final which saw the Fever beat the Minnesota Lynx. Clark had a left quad injury that forced her to miss five games last month.

NHL, NHLPAratify CBA extension through 2030

remember.Itwas maybe not that important moment. That’swhy I stayed really focused and calm.” Wimbledon switched this year to the electronic system that replaced human line judges but it’s been anything but smooth.

On Sunday, there was aglaring mistakeatCentre Court during Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova’s three-set victory over SonayKartal in thefourth round. Ashot by Kartal clearly landedpast the baseline but wasn’tcalled out by theautomated setup —called Hawk-Eye —because it had been shut off.

On Monday,club officials blamed “human error” for the oversight. Club chiefexecutive Sally Bolton said the technology

was “inadvertently deactivated” by someone forthreepoints in thematch.

Fritz, who will faceeither defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Cameron Norrie for aspot in theﬁnal, saidhestill prefers the new system.

“There’sgoing to be some issues here andthere but, to be honest,Istill think it’smuch bettertojusthave the electronic line-calling (system)calling the lines as opposed to umpires,”he said.

“I do like not having to think about challenging calls in the middle of points,” Fritz continued. “I do like that we don’thave to argue about calls and all this stuff. Ithink it’sa bettersystem.”

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have ratiﬁed their extension of the collective bargaining agreement, securing labor peace in the sport through 2030.

The league and union announced in ajoint news release Tuesday that the deal had been approved. It took avote of the Board of Governors andthe full NHLPAmembership.The sides cametoa tentative agreementonthe four-year extension late last month.

It includesan84-game regular season with less exhibition play, shorter maximum contract lengths, aplayoff salary cap,nomandatory dress code for players and the creationofa full-time traveling goaltender position to eliminate the practice of emergencybackup goalies from entering games.

Bonnerrejoins Mercury after signing as freeagent

PHOENIX DeWanna Bonner has rejoinedthe Phoenix Mercury, signing as afree agentonTuesday She helpedthe franchise win two WNBAtitlesinher previous stint with the team which drafted her fifth in 2009. Bonner spent the first 10 years of hercareer with the Mercury and helped them wintitles in 2009 and 2014. She left for Connecticut and helped the franchise reach the WNBA semifinals forfive straight years from 2020-24. The37-year-old Bonneristhird all time on the league’sscoring list and is asix-timeAll-Star.She originally signed with Indiana as a free agent to start the year before deciding that the fit wasn’tright forher and asking to be waived by the franchise.

AP PHOTO By KIRSTy

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByKIN CHEUNG

Taylor Fritz of the U.S. reacts during his men’s singles match against Karen KhachanovofRussia at WimbledoninLondon on Tuesday

ASSOCIATDPRESS PHOTO By SPENSER HEAPS

Newyork Knickscoach MikeBrown,who took over from the fired TomThibodeau, said expectations willbe high in Newyorkafter the team went 51-31lastseason.

RABALAIS

Continued from page1C

ﬂopping out of the preseason top 10 to ﬁnish 2-10 this past season, or Big 12 contender Oklahoma State going 0-9 in the league. But the pressure is real for Kelly and his krewe. And the comparisons to LSU’sother top-level successful programs raise that pressure with each passing title.

It’snot just baseball.

Three of the ﬁve major hires LSU athletic director Scott Woodward has made have won national championships when you include women’sbasketball’sKim Mulkey (2023) and gymnastics’ Jay Clark (2024). Again, no one should expect that if LSU doesn’t make the CFP this season, much less play for or win

SABALENKA

eliminated No. 6Keys last week, was the oldest and by far the lowest-ranked of any woman in the quarterﬁnals, as well as the one with the fewest career titles (two) She arrived at Wimbledon with acareer record there of 2-5 and with a4-9 mark on tour in 2025.

acollegefootball national championship,that Kelly’s job is in jeopardy. He’sdone too well, too reasonably well, for that to betrue. If you wantareal hot seat, look under men’s basketballcoach MattMcMahon, another Woodward hire

But thewoodand kindling to build abonﬁre under Kelly’s seat is stacking up pretty high, and it’s not only in the form of national championship trophies won byKelly’s fellow LSU coaches.

His former program at Notre Dame reachingthis past season’sCFP title game brings amatch.And Kelly doesn’tmind letting the fuse burn by saying that the team LSUhas assembled for this season with returningplayers, transfer portal pieces and high school recruits is his most talented Tigers team yet.

There are those who still wonder how much Kelly wants it —“it” being the elusive major college national championship trophy that is the one empty space in his College Football Hall of Fame résumé. They wonder even when he pounds thetable in apost-loss news conference in Las Vegas with frustration, questioning whether his motivations are genuine.

To that Isay that we must takeKelly at his word for literally putting his money where his ambitions are. In December,heannounced he would match up to $1 million in NIL donations to LSU’sBayou Traditions collective. By Februarywhen thefundraiser ended, it had generated atotal of $3.23 million If Kelly was not serious about making arun at the top then he would have sent his money to aSwiss bank,

Continued from page1C ASSOCIATEDPRESS

But her ability to change the depth, speed, angles and spins of her shots over and over can frustrate any opponent and dull the type of power that Sabalenka brings. And, make no mistake: Sabalenka was frustrated, especially in the ﬁnal set.

“It’snot like it’sanannoying game.It’sasmart game. She’sreallymaking everyone work against her,” Sabalenkasaid. “You know you have to work for every point. It doesn’tmatter if you’re abig server,ifyou’re abig hitter. Youhaveto work. Youhave to run.And you have to earn the win.” Trailing 4-3inthe last set, Sabalenka broke to open her match-ending run. In the next game, she delivered her lone two aces,at103 mphand 116 mph. When Sabalenka produced avolley winner to break againand endthings after nearly three hours, she shut her eyes, spread her arms wide and let out abig scream.

BIG 12

Continued from page1C

Who’splaying next?

not Bayou Traditions.

Butnow that run has to takeplace. That’swhat makes this season so huge, so impactful, not only for Kelly but LSUfootball’s standing in the game’s hierarchy.Inatime of so much change, can LSU not only stay relevant in a10 wins aseason, going to bowl games sort of way,but ﬁnd an opportunity to break back through to thetop as theTigers have three times since 2003?

Arguably,this will be LSU’stoughest sports championship hill to climb compared to all the others. What will be in theair for theTigers when this coming season reaches its end? Will it be ﬁlled with confetti and ﬁreworks or something much less celebratory?

FormoreLSU sports updates, sign up for ournewsletter at theadvocate.com/

Continued from page1C

against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I think Ican bring versatility and energy,” Shumatesaid. “I’m an athletic guy.I have areally high motor.I’ve been working on my shot alot, so Ican pretty much be a‘3and D’ guy.I can knock down someshots. Ioffensive rebound very well. But I think the highest things would be my motor and toughness.”

Shumate didn’ttake long to show off his athleticism at practice this week, skying to catch amissed shot and slamming it home.

“He’sareal athlete,” said Pelicans’ Summer League coach Corey Brewer “Somedudes are athletic, but he’sanathlete.”

Brewer and the Pelicans staffknew that already It’s the other parts of Shumate’sgame that have really opened eyes. Particularly Shumate’sability to score.

“Incollege, he wasn’treally knownasashooter,” Brewer said. “But the last three days he’sreally shot the ball amazingly.And he’sathletic. Christian has been the surprise and has really helped himself.”

Shumate hasn’tsurprised only his coaches. In

away,he’seven surprised himself

“I’ve learned that I’m moreversatile than I thought,” Shumate said. “I’ve always been not onedimensional, but Itried to do what Iwas good at all the time. But there are morethings that I’mgood at on the ﬂoor that Itry to go to moreoften. So I think that’sbeen the main thing. Trying to show my skill in alot of different areas instead of just the mainthing.”

That doesn’tmean the dunks they referred to as ShuSlamsinLake Charles are going away.He’ll still likely create aposter or twoinVegas. But he’s equally focused on what he can do below the rim and not just above it. He’s not just trying to show fellow McNeese alum Dumarswhat he can do. The other 29 NBAteams will be watching, too.

“He’sproven that he has guard skills and he can do alot of different things,” Brewer said. “I thinkfor guys like that, when you’re in college, youkind of get put in abox. Thenyou get out here and you’re able to do different things and you surprise yourself. Ithink he hassurprisedhimself and that conﬁdence is going to help him.” Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

“It will. Ihavealot of faith in Bryan Seely,” Yormark said of the former Major LeagueBaseball executive namedCEO of thenew CSC. “Itshouldcreatea level playing field, and I’m not giving that up.”

The Big 12 was already in transition and still at 10 teamswhen Yormark arrived in 2022. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston andUCF joined the leaguethe followingyear Texasand Oklahoma, who wonfootballnationalchampionships while in the Big

The last twowomen’s quarterﬁnals areNo. 7Mirra Andreeva vs. Belinda Bencic, and No. 8Iga Swiatek vs. No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova. Themen’s matchups are No. 1Jannik Sinnervs. No. 10 Ben Shelton, and 24time major champion Novak Djokovicvs. No.22Flavio Cobolli.

12, completed their longplanned movetothe SEC last year

That is when Pac-12 schools Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah came intowhat is now a16team Big 12.

“I think parity matters, andI think ultimately over time,and that’shopefully sooner than later,there’ll be acouple of our schools that will emerge, you know,as elite schools that are always part of the conversations at thehighest levels. And that’swhat we’re working toward,”Yormark said.

“Butitstarts with parity and being competitive top to bottom. AndIthink we’re there.”

By KIN CHEUNGP Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. celebrates winning her quarterfinal match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkovaof Russia on TuesdayinLondon. highest-ranked conference champions areguaranteed spots in the playoff. The difference this year is that thetop four highest-ranked champions are no longer guaranteedthe top four seeds that come with firstround byes. Among potential 16-team formats would be four automatic qualifiers from both the SEC and Big Ten, and two each for the Big 12 and ACC. The Big 12 last season had only conferencechampion Arizona State make the playoff last season. “Wewant to earn it on the field,”Yormark said. “It might not be the best solution today for the Big 12, given your comments about (automatic qualifiers), but long term, knowing the progress we’re making, the investmentswe’re making, it’sthe right format forus.” Yormark, who is going into his fourthyear as Big 12 commissioner,believes that the landmark NCAA House settlement will have apositiveimpactfor all conferences, especiallyifthe College Sports Commission worksthe way it is intended in enforcing therules in the remade system

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU baseball coach JayJohnson raises the championship trophyduring the Tigers’ national championship celebration on June 25 at Alex Box Stadium.

Comeaux’sDugal gets national Hall of Fame honor

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Regardless of the sportshe was coaching during her nearly fourdecade high school career, Ruthie Dugal never wanted the story to be about her But for one day —although there were others being celebrated Dugal couldn’thelp but to allow herself to be the center of attention. Dugal, aformer coach and

teacher at Comeaux High School, was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches AssociationHall of Fame in June.

“It was definitely as urprise,” Dugal said. “I was really surprised and in shock. I neverwant ittobeabout me. Everything that Ido, Idofor

the teams and the state. It’sa tremendous honor.”

Dugal,who became theﬁrst female president forthe Louisiana High School Ofﬁcials Association which was founded in 2008, said herinduction was forher contributions notonly as acoach but “service to theLHSAAand girls sports.”

“Itmeanssomuchtome,” said Dugal, who in 36 years has coached basketball, volleyball and softball. “It’s asuper-huge honor.”

Dugalsaid it’s difﬁcult to put into words what she wasfeeling as the magnitude of the honor began to sink in.

“Itwas difﬁcult because there was apart of me that wondered ‘DoIreally deserve it?’ Dugal said. “But I’m very grateful for thehonor.”

Dugal, who also has been an ofﬁcial for more than 30 years, was oneoftwo former coaches from Louisiana to be inducted intothe NHSACA Hall of Fame, as she

SCOREBOARD

SG-Putting

Mets (Peterson 6-4) at Baltimore(Sugano 6-5), 6:05 p.m. Colorado (Senzatela 3-12) at Boston (Giolito 5-1), 6:10 p.m. Miami (Alcantara4-8) at Cincinnati (Abbott 7-1), 6:10 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Horton 3-2) at Minnesota (Festa 2-3), 6:40 p.m. Pittsburgh(Falter 6-4) at Kansas City (Bubic 7-6), 6:40 p.m. Washington (Gore3-8) at St. Louis (Pallante 5-4), 6:45 p.m. Arizona (Pfaadt 8-6) at San Diego (Cease 3-8), 8:40 p.m. Atlanta (Elder 2-6) at Athletics (Spence 2-4), 9:05 p.m.

Golf

PGA Tour Statistics Through July 7 FedExCupSeason Points 1, Scottie Scheffler, 3,976.2,RoryMcIlroy, 2,974. 3, Sepp Straka, 2,493. 4, Russell Henley, 2,246. 5, Justin Thomas, 2,222. 6, BenGriffin, 2,212. 7, J.J. Spaun,2,097.8,Keegan Bradley 1,715. 9, Harris English, 1,700. 10,Tommy Fleetwood, 1,699. Scoring Average 1, Scottie Scheffler, 68.478.2,RoryMcIlroy 69.249. 3, TommyFleetwood, 69.862. 4, Sepp Straka, 69.967. 5, J.J. Spaun, 69.977.6,Russell Henley,69.989. 7, Ben Griffin, 70.058. 8, Thorbjorn Olesen, 70.078. 9, Harry Hall, 70.088. 10, Ryan Fox, 70.100. Driving Distance 1, AldrichPotgieter, 328.4. 2, Rory McIlroy, 320.6. 3, Niklas Norgaard, 319.3. 4, Jesper Svensson,318.8. 5(tie), Kurt Kitayama and Michael Thorbjornsen, 317.2.7,Chris Gotterup, 316.5. 8, RasmusHojgaard, 315.2. 9, Nicolai Hojgaard, 314.6. 10,Keith Mitchell, 314.3. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Aaron Rai, 74.04%. 2, Paul Peterson, 73.76%. 3, Collin Morikawa, 72.68%. 4, Ben Kohles,72.50%. 5, Takumi Kanaya,71.22% 6, Andrew Putnam, 70.53%. 7, Zach Johnson, 69.84%. 8(tie), LucasGloverand Brandt Snedeker, 69.18%. 10, Brice Garnett, 68.84%. Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with 00%. Total Driving 1, Rico Hoey,61. 2, Michael Thorbjornsen, 72. 3, Kevin Roy, 76. 4, Kevin Roy,79. 5, Thomas Rosenmueller, 86. 6, Kevin Yu,89. 7, Luke List, 90. 8, Ricky Castillo, 96.9,Steven Fisk, 98. 10, 2tied with 103.

1, Sam Burns 977. 2, HarryHall, .809. 3, Sam Ryder 711. 4, JacobBridgeman, .681. 5, Rory McIlroy 647. 6, Nico Echavarria, .643. 7, Taylor Montgomery 642. 8, Sami Valimaki .632. 9, Denny McCarthy, .595. 10, Brandt Snedeker, .576. Birdie Average 1, JustinThomas,4.57. 2, Sepp Straka, 4.53. 3, Harry Hall, 4.47.4,ScottieScheffler, 4.46. 5(tie), JakeKnapp and KeithMitchell, 4.41. 7, Collin Morikawa, 4.38. 8(tie), Nicolai Hojgaardand Michael Thorbjornsen, 4.35. 10, Sam Burns,4.32. Eagles (Holes per) 1, AlejandroTosti, 64.3. 2, Steven Fisk,67.8. 3, DavidSkinns, 81.4(tie), Charley Hoffman and Rory McIlroy,84. 6, Karl Vilips,85.5. 7, Kurt Kitayama, 90. 8, Scottie Scheffler,91.6. 9, Antoine Rozner,94. 10, Rasmus Hojgaard, 96. Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. All-Around Ranking 1, Scottie Scheffler, 220. 2, KeithMitchell, 235. 3, Sepp Straka, 302. 4, AlexSmalley 332. 5, KevinYu, 337. 6, Sam Burns, 367. 7, Justin Thomas, 377. 8, Kevin Roy,384. 9, Lee Hodges, 386. 10, 2tied with 389. LPGA Tour Statistics Through July7 Scoring 1, Jeeno Thitikul, 69.43. 2, Nelly Korda, 69.57. 3, Angel Yin, 69.94.4,Yealimi Noh, 70.11. 5, Minjee Lee, 70.12. 6(tie),Hyo Joo Kimand Somi Lee, 70.15. 8, Jin Young Ko,70.22. 9, HyeJin Choi,70.38. 10,Ayaka Furue, 70.41. Driving Distance 1, Polly Mack, 289.17. 2, JuliaLopez Ramirez 287.16. 3, Auston Kim, 285.1. 4, Emily Kristine Pedersen,283.66. 5, Weiwei Zhang, 280.53. 6, Maude-Aimee Leblanc,279.24.7,Bailey Tardy, 278.72. 8, BiancaPagdangnan, 277.9. 9, Manon De Roey,277.71. 10, ALim Kim, 277.6. Greens in Regulation 1, Haeran Ryu,.78%. 2, RioTakeda, .77%. 3 (tie), Allisen Corpuz,Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Yealimi Noh, .75%. 6(tie), Hye-Jin Choi, Akie Iwai and JeenoThitikul, .74%. 9, 2tied with .73%. Putts per GIR 1, Jeeno Thitikul, 1.71. 2(tie), Minami Katsu, Yuka Saso and Yahui Zhang, 1.72. 5(tie) RobynChoi and Angel Yin, 1.73. 7, Mao Saigo, 1.74. 8, 7tiedwith1.75. Birdies 1, Rio Takeda, 200.2,Celine Boutier, 193. 3, Somi Lee, 184. 4, AyakaFurue, 182. 5, Minami Katsu, 177. 6, Auston Kim, 176. 7, Akie Iwai, 171. 8, ALim Kim, 170. 9, 2tied with 169. Eagles 1, Mi Hyang Lee, 9. 2(tie), YealimiNoh and Madelene Sagstrom, 8. 4(tie), Rio Takeda and Chanettee Wannasaen, 7. 6, 8tied with 6. Sand Save Percentage 1, XiaowenYin, .67%. 2, JinHee Im, .60%.3 (tie), Madelene Sagstrom and JennyShin, .59%. 5(tie), HyoJoo Kim, Miyu Yamashita and Ruoning Yin, .58%. 8, 3tied with .57%. Rounds Under Par 1, Rio Takeda, .69%. 2, Somi Lee, .70%. 3, AyakaFurue, .63%. 4, CelineBoutier 60%. 5, Hye-Jin Choi, .69%. 6, Jeeno Thitikul 76%. 7, Mi Hyang Lee, .59%. 8, Minjee Lee, .66%. 9, Jin Hee Im, .60%. 10, Angel Yin, .72%.11, Mao Saigo, .67%. 12, Miyu Yamashita, .60%.

Tennis

Wimbledon Results

Tuesday At All England Lawn Tennisand Croquet Club London Purse: £19,414,000

Surface: Grass LONDON Results Tuesdayfromthe Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (seedings in parentheses): Men’s Singles

Quarterﬁnals Taylor Fritz (5), United States, def. Karen Khachanov(17),Russia, 6-3,6-4, 1-6,7-6 (4). Carlos Alcaraz (2),Spain,def. Cameron Norrie, Britain, 6-2, 6-3,6-3. Women’s Singles Quarterﬁnals Aryna Sabalenka(1),Belarus, def. Laura Siegemund, Germany, 4-6, 6-2,6-4. Amanda Anisimova(13),United States,def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, 6-1, 7-6 (9). Men’s Doubles

Quarterﬁnals David Pel, Netherlands, and Rinky Hijikata, Australia, def. Marcelo Melo and Rafael Matos, Brazil, 7-6 (5), 6-4 Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo ArevaloGonzalez (1), El Salvador, def. Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, and Hugo Nys(10) Monaco, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5).

Women’s Doubles Quarterﬁnals Desirae Krawczyk, United States,and Olivia

Gadecki,Australia,def.Soﬁa Keninand Caroline Dolehide (16),UnitedStates, 6-2, 6-3. VeronikaKudermetova,Russia,and Elise Mertens (8),Belgium, def.Gabriela Dabrowski,Canada, and Erin Routliffe (2), New Zealand, 7-5, 7-6(4)

MixedDoubles Semiﬁnals Katerina Siniakova, Czechia,and Sem Verbeek, Netherlands,def.Timea Babos,Hungary,and Mate Pavic (8), Croatia, 6-3, 7-5. Joe Salisbury,Britain, and Luisa Stefani, Brazil, def. Zhang Shuai,China, andMarcelo Arevalo-Gonzalez (2), El Salvador, 7-6(6) 7-6 (4).

wasjoined by Frank Monica at the ceremonyheldinRapid City,South Dakota.

“It was my first time meeting him,”Dugal said. “Wewere all sitting at the same table. He was super nice and enjoyable to be around.”

Although shedoesn’t know what’snext, Dugal does know how she’d like to be remembered moving forward.

“Just as agood person,” Dugal said.

1. Mathieu vander Poel, Netherlands, Alpecin-Deceuninck,16:46:00. 2. TadejPogacar, Slovenia,UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Sametime 3. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark,TeamVisma Leasea Bike,16:46:08. 4. Matteo Jorgenson, USA, Team Visma Leasea Bike,16:46:19.

5. Kevin Vauquelin,France, Arkea-B&B Hotels, 16:46:26. 6. Enric Mas, Spain, Movistar Team, 16:46:48. 7. OscarOnley,Great Britain, Picnic PostNL, 16:46:55. 8. Joao Almeida, Portugal, UAETeamEmirates—XRG, same time 9. Remco Evenepoel, Belgium, Soudal QuickStep, 16:46:58. 10. Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark, Lidl-Trek 16:47:02. Team Standings 1. Groupama-FDJ,38:41:03. 2. Coﬁdis, 38:42:55. 3. Decathalon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 38:43:03. 4. TotalEnergies, 38:43:06. 5. Arkea-B&BHotels, 38:43:52. 6. Team JaycoAlula,38:46:54. 7. EF Education —EasyPost, 38:47:06. 8. Team Picnic Postnl,38:48:11.

p.m.

Tour de France

Tuesday 4th Stage A108 mile ride from Amiens MetropoletoRouen 1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia,UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 3:50:29. 2. Mathieu vander Poel, Netherlands,Alpecin —Deceuninck, same time 3. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Visma Lease aBike, same time 4. Oscar Onley,Great Britain, Picnic PostNL, same time. 5. Romain Gregoire,France, Groupama FDJ, same time

6. Joao Almeida, Portugal, UAETeam Emirates —XRG, same time 7. Remco Evenepoel, Belgium, Soudal QuickStep, 3:50:32. 8. Matteo Jorgenson, USA, Visma-Leasea Bike, same time 9. Mattias Skjelmose,Denmark, Lidl-Trek, 3:50:36. 10. KevinVauquelin, France, Arkea-B&B Hotels, 3:50:39. Also 50. Neilson Powless, USA, EF EducationEasyPost, 3:52:59. 51. Sepp Kuss, USA, Team Visma ‘Lease a Bike, same time 70. Quinn Simmons, USA, Lidl-Trek,3:56:36. 160. William Barta, USA, Movistar Team, 4:05:41. Overall Standings

The digital era

‘Social Studies’ team on cellphone bans, Instagram age limits and more

BY GLENN WHIPP Los Angeles Times (TNS)

LOS ANGELES “If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie.’”

That Los Angeles Times headline ran on an August story about Greenfield’s acclaimed five-part docuseries that followed Los Angeles-area high school students during the 202122 school year, tracking their cellphone and social media use for a revealing portrait of their online life.

Greenfield remembers the headline.

“I’ve heard that from parents,” Greenﬁeld says. “And I keep hearing it whenever we screen the series.”

Greenﬁeld has taken “Social Studies” to schools around the country since its premiere last summer airing episodes and answering questions, speaking alongside a rotating group of the show’s subjects. And, yes, the most common takeaway remains: Parents have no idea what’s going on with their teenagers — though “horror” is in the eye of the beholder Today, Greenﬁeld and three of the “Social Studies” participants — Cooper Klein, Dominic Brown and Jonathan Gelfond, all now 21 are in a Venice bungalow, just back from showing the series to some 6,000 teenagers in San Francisco — young people who, by and large, had a much different reaction than their elders to the depictions of online bullying, body-image issues, partying, hooking up and FOMO culture

These teens were sometimes gasping and talking to the screen, laughing at points, fully immersed, fully relating, even feeling nostalgic for TikTok trends that were popping three years ago. In one episode, teenager Sydney Shear is having a text exchange with a guy Greenfield describes as “creepy.” We see the message he sends: “Permission to beat.” Right after she tells him no, the group of girls sitting behind Greenfield screamed, “You know he did anyway!” “It’s really fascinating how differently adults versus adolescents reacted to the show,” says Klein, now a junior at Vanderbilt. “Adults are terrified by it, but young people find it funny It’s like watching reality TV.”

Much has changed for these “Social Studies” subjects since Greenfield stopped filming in 2022. How could it not? The years immediately following high school usually bring about intense growth and change and, hopefully, a little maturity The world around them is different Palisades Charter High School, which many of the students in the series attended, was heavily damaged in the January wildfires. (“The show’s like a time capsule,” says Gelfond, a Pali High grad. “Looking back, the series is even more special now.”) Some things haven’t changed at all, though. Technology remains addictive, they all agree Even when you are aware that the algorithms exist to snare

ä See 'SOCIAL', page 6C

WHO’S GOT THE MEATS?

Cajun barbecue is rarely part of the national conversation. It’s time that changed.

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

For too long, there’s been a Texas-sized chokehold on the national barbecue conversation.

Well, that’s not completely true. Kansas City has passionate fans, you can’t go wrong with a Memphis-style pulled pork, and even the Carolinas have staked their barbecue claim to fame with regionally speciﬁc mustard- or vinegar-based sauces.

But here in Louisiana, Texas smoked meats — especially brisket — exert a pull that’s compounded by proximity After all, Michelinrated spots like Pinkerton’s and Truth BBQ in Houston are only about a four-hour drive from Lafayette, leading many to assume a false food binary: Texas for barbecue lovers, and Louisiana for aﬁcionados of Cajun and Creole cuisine.

But that’s not the full story Across Acadiana, meat markets, restaurants and drive-thrus are offering barbecue plates that are as unique to Cajun country as whole hog is to Eastern North Carolina. Barbecue is a Sunday thing around

A barbecue chicken and sausage lunch, with rice dressing baked beans, potato salad and roll, are on the menu at Billeaud’s Meat & Grocery.

here, and it’s become tradition for me to start the week off in a line of people waiting for their to-go box of pork steak, smoked chicken, Cajun sausage, brisket or ribs. Try to get there early — a lot of the barbecue joints around here sell out during the after-church rush.

What defines Cajun barbecue?

Well, it’s what happens when a Louisiana chef exchanges the black pot for the smoker Instead of inducing fall-off-the-bone tenderness from hours of smothering meat, the pit is used for that juicy, smoky, delectable ﬂavor

You’ll hear a lot about the “bark” on the brisket over in Texas, and that’s something that’s missing from Cajun barbecue, which is less focused on building texture and more about the direct presentation of a great, fork-tender cut of meat that amply highlights the shop’s proprietary seasoning blend. It’s not dripping in sauce, either Many places around here use their version of a sweet, tangy barbecue sauce, lightly brushed on the meat and available on the side in a condiment cup.

I like to think of Cajun barbecue as akin to a crawﬁsh boil — simple ingredients, simply presented, with unmatched ﬂavor that has nowhere to hide. Even the sides we like with our barbecue can also be found at a boil, or alongside a bowl of gumbo

See BARBECUE, page 6C

American classics, bold flavors top our favorites

The 3 Sisters pressed sandwich features a warm,

HOLDEN

STAFF PHOTOS By JOANNA BROWN Seasoned meats ready for the barbecue pit from Billeaud’s Meat & Grocery, located in Broussard

Family ambushed by housewarming party

Dear Miss Manners: My parents decided to throw us a housewarming party —the day after we moved our family of ﬁve into anew home. They invited some people around town who’d known me as akid. They also invited my friends, andthen asked them to invite more people. And they brought their own snacks. We had been cleaning the apartment we had moved out of, and still needed to put up curtains and assemble beds in the new place. The guests were polite, but did not help us unpack, except for my

brother, who helped me with my daughter’sbed.

Wasthere apolite way Icould haveasked these unexpectedguests to leave so we could continue working?

thebank.

Gender revealsnot foreveryone

One giftisenough unless you wanttogive asecond one, but this is entirely up to you. Personally,I’ve only attended one gender reveal party,and no one brought agift.

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Gentle reader: Trying to explain to guests that, while it is true they were invited to your newhome, you are notresponsible for making them feel welcome because youwere unaware an invitation hadbeen sentisabit like trying to explain to the police that, althoughyou admit to drivingthe getaway car,you had noidea your friendintended to rob

BEST

Continued from page5C

My husband ordered The Vintage ﬂatbread, aclassic ﬂatbreadwith marinara, pepperoni, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Simplebut quality ingredients gave it a savory,pizza-like moment

The Vintage may have great drinks and coffee, but the food is also tasty

—Joy Holden, Louisiana Inspired coordinator

Barbecue, desserts

n Salt Pepper Oak, 6721Exchequer Drive,Baton Rouge

There are places that serve barbecue, places that pride themselves on their barbecue, and then there’s Salt Pepper Oak —arestaurantthat smells like barbecue as soon as you pull into the parking lot, livestreams trimming brisket throughout the day and somehow manages to have amazing dessert options.

One does not go to aplace

BARBECUE

Continued from page5C

in the fall. Cajun-style potato salad is abig one, along with green beans, baked beans, ﬁeld peas or dirty rice.

If barbecue is all about coaxing thebest out of what you have, Louisiana pitmasters have that skill in spades —and it’sproduced yet another unique, regionalbrand of barbecue based on Acadiana’scelebrated ﬂavors and food culture. So next time you’re hungry for barbecue, try one of these local spots —and let me know how you think Cajun barbecue comparestothe rest.

Billeaud’s Meat &Grocery

n 111 E. Main St., Broussard

This hometown meat counter makes the classics with love —from their tender

‘SOCIAL’

Continued from page5C

your time and attention, it can be hard to stop scrolling. If the takeawayfrom the series was that parents couldn’t fully comprehend how technology shapes and defines their teens’ lives (“They’re the guinea pig generation,” Greenﬁeld notes), watching “Social Studies,” either together or alone, has served as aconversation starter

“It made me more grateful for the way my parents navigated all this,” Kleinsaid. “I

Your audience will be skeptical —ifnot outright hostile —and you cannot rely on the people who know thetruthtoback up your story

Miss Manners says this to encourage you to pay greater attention to your parents’ plans in thefuture, in case you missed an earlier opportunitytosquelch this one. By thetime everyone had arrived, the most you could do politely was look so tired andoverwhelmed that the guests decamped voluntarily —orpitched in.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

Choppedbarbecue

like Salt Pepper Oak without orderingbrisket

It’sworth thehype. It’s legitimately very good barbecue,and thesides are prettygood too, but if you go, youneed to get yourself achocolate-chip cookie or acheesecake from the dessert case. They arephenomenal

—SerenaPuang, features writer

Ground Pat’i Burger

n The Ground Pat’i,2303 JohnstonSt., Lafayette

The GroundPat’i reopened its original location on Johnston Street this year, near the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The cozy diningroom with its dark wood andfriendly booths is much the same as

pork steak, to aclean, simple potato salad that providesthe perfect note of creaminess alongside just-spicy-enough Cajun barbecued meats.

Dwight’s Restaurant n 4800 Johnston St., Lafayette

One of the most wellknownbarbecue spots in Lafayette is apopular meeting place on Sundays, with multiple generationsoffamily and friends gathering for piles of brisket, and one of my favoritesidesofdirty rice in town.

Menard’sCajun Grocery n 7499 CameronSt.,Duson

The daily plate lunches coming out ofthishumble country store inDuson are priceless, and that goes double forSundays, when Menard’s becomes barbecuecentral. Whenyou stop in,consider grabbing oneof their barbecue burgers to go

thought they were overstepping boundaries,tryingto protect me too much. And Ithink this show validated that they didareally great job.Becausewewerethe ﬁrst generation,they were kind ofﬂying blind.”

Now Kleinwonderswhat she’d do differently if she ever has kids. She startedon Instagram at 12. If shecould go back, she’d probablydelaythat entry, even though Klein saysit now seemsnormal forkidstojoin theapp when they turn8 or 9. So what wouldbethe ideal starter age? “Maybe I’m crazy for say-

Dear Heloise: Iagree that gender reveal “parties” are just another way of asking for gifts. You’ll probably be invited toababy shower and take agift, and to me, one gift is plenty.

I’ve also seen “sprinkle” parties for asecond or thirdchild, which they say is ascaledback baby shower To me, theseexpectant parentsare just asking for too much nowadays. —Margie, in Lisbon, Ohio Margie, Ihave to agree and disagree. Iknow most ﬁrst-timeparents are excited about their ﬁrst child and love to celebrate this happy occasion. Idon’t believe in giving agift at a gender reveal partyifyou have already given them a gift or have one that you’re ready tooffer them at a baby shower

By The Associated Press

it always was —and so are therecipes.

Ihad the signature Ground Pat’iburger,a half-pound of charbroiled meat withthe restaurant’sfamous shredded cheese on top. Cooked well done, the ﬂavors of the grill shine through on this burger,which is ahearty sandwich on atoasted bun withcrunchy lettuce and onions on top.

Ground Pat’i has been a staple for the Lafayette and universitycommunity for decades, and it’s easy to see why this burger has fans. It’snot overdressed, and it doesn’tcome with any gimmicks—but when you’re craving agreat burger, Ground Pat’i’sdoors are open.

—Joanna Brown, staff writer

with their ribs —you won’t regret it

CaribbeanIce Company n 2905 Loreauville Road, New Iberia

This Iberia Parish drivethru is known for burgers, ice cream, sno-balls and a line of cars that snake out to the road on Sundays,ordering barbecue plates that come in massive portions

Kelly’sMeatBlock &Diner n 1531 S. UnionSt.,Opelousas

When there’sa diner next to ameat marketinSt. Landry Parish, youknow you’re about tohave agreat meal.Kelly’s BBQmeals are served with riceand gravy, which is aspecialLouisiana touch next to someofmyfavoritebrisket in theregion.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

ing this, but Ithink it should be 16,” Brown says. Greenﬁeld nods herhead, noting Australia recentlybanned social media —Snapchat, TikTok,Instagramand X— for children under 16.

“I gotonInstagram when Iwas 10 or 11, and Ihad no idea of theworld that Ihad just gained access to,” Brown continues. “You should wait until you gain critical thinking skills.Sixteen,17, 18, maybe.”

“It is the end of childhood,” Greenﬁeld says. “You getthat phoneand everything that comes with it, anditisthe end of innocence.

Hints from Heloise

—Heloise

Composting tips

DearHeloise: Ihave been amaster recycling volunteer for 12 years and have taught composing to dozens of audiences. In addition to your list of what can go into compost, other critical components include shredded paper (no tape, cellophane or staples), water and air.Paper (carbon) should make up two-thirds of the mix to avoid getting asoupy mess. The water and air are crucial forthe microbes (largely bacteria), which are doing the “work” of decomposition. Throw in

TODAYINHISTORY

cility in Little Ferry,New Jersey,destroyed mostof the studio’ssilent ﬁlms.

Today is Wednesday, July 9, the 190th day of 2025. There are 175 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment tothe US Constitution was ratiﬁed, granting citizenship and “equal protection under thelaws” to anyone “born or naturalized in theUnited States,” including formerly enslaved people.

Also on this date:

In 1896, William Jennings Bryant delivered his famous “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In 1918, 101 people were killed in atrain collision in Nashville, Tennessee, in the deadliest U.S. rail disaster in history

In 1937, aﬁre at 20th Century Fox’s storage fa-

In 1947, the engagement of Britain’sPrincess Elizabeth to Lt. Philip Mountbatten wasannounced.

In 1965, the Sonny & Cher single “I Got You Babe” wasreleased by ATCO Records.

In 1982, Pan Am Flight 759, aBoeing 727, crashed in Kenner shortly after takeofffrom New Orleans International Airport, killing all 145 people aboard and eight people on the ground.

In 2004, aSenate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIAhad provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq that the Bush administration had relied on to justifygoing to war.

In 2018, President Donald Trumpnominated Brett Kavanaugh to ﬁll the

afew handfuls of native soil (not potting soil and no chemicals), and you’re adding trillions of decomposers. Voilà! Free fertilizer! —Kris La M., in Oregon Paperproblem

Dear Heloise: Recycling clean paper is important to our communities, but there can be issues with processing shredded paper.Local rules about recycling shredded paper vary from one community to the next. In my community, shredded paper is only accepted forrecycling if it is bagged. Other clean paper is not supposed to be bagged. Before recycling things, people should know the local rules because not following the rules can muck things up. —Kenton M., via email

Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

seat leftvacant by the retirement of SupremeCourt Justice Anthony Kennedy Today’sbirthdays: Artist David Hockneyis88. Author Dean Koontzis80. Actor Chris Cooper is 74. Musicianand TV personalityJohnTesh is 73. Country singerDavid Ballis72. Business executive/TVpersonalityKevin O’Leary(TV:“Shark Tank”) is 71. SingerDebbie Sledge (Sister Sledge)is71. Actor Jimmy Smitsis70. U.S. Sen. LindseyGraham, R-S.C., is 70. Actor TomHanks is 69. SingerMarcAlmond is 68. Actor Kelly McGillis is 68. Rock singerJim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 66. Actorrock singerCourtneyLove is 61. Actor PamelaAdlon is 59. Actor Scott Grimes is 54. Actor Enrique Murciano (TV: “Without aTrace”)is 52. Musician/producer Jack Whiteis50. Rock singermusician Isaac Brock (ModestMouse)is50.

STAFF PHOTO By SERENA PUANG

with six-cheese mac and Creole potatoes

STAFF PHOTO By JOANNA BROWN AGround Pat’i burger in Lafayette

CANCER(June 21-July 22) Be open to suggestions, but do what you feel is right and best for you. Let your emotions and insight carry you toward your goal.Happiness is your responsibility.

LEO (July23-Aug. 22) Participation will change how you feel about the people you encounter. Monitor situations as they unfold and pay closeattention to relationships, and you'll knowexactly what to do.

VIRGO(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Organizeand host events that encourage connecting with people who can helpyou bring about thechangesyou want. Your emotions and money matters will clash.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Engage in physical activity, travel or skill-based tests. Opportunity comesfromchallenging yourself and expanding your mind. It's your life; choose what makes you happy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Afinancial opportunity looks promising. Consider all the pros and cons,and fact-check the information youreceive. Don'tfeel pressed to take the firstoffer

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Chill, observe and let yourintuition lead the way. Serious talks withsomeone who emotionallyimpactsyou will help clear any misconceptions about your direction.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Sit tight, let situations unfold and gauge your next move, and you'll control the outcome.

Participating in events or activities that challenge you to use your abilities will easestress.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep your feelings to yourself. Yourconfidence will get the boost it needs if younegotiate personalorprofessional deals with key peopleyou want to impress and stand alongside.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Open doors can lead to opportunities. Market and demonstrate what you can offer to grabsome interest. Take the initiative and leave nothing undone.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You'llbeprone to overreaction.You can learn alot by observingothers andimplementing whatyou learn intoyourplans. Explore possibilities andturn your ideas into something concrete.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Offer handson help, not lectures. Take the high road andlook at the positives in any situation. Youhave more to gain if you are supportive, create asafe atmosphere and offer sound advice.

GEMINI (May21-June 20) Refuse to let what others do or sayget in your way or deteryou from following your heart. Start slow; build asolid base that will stand the test of time, and youwon't have regrets.

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms arecreated from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipherstands for another.

For better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle basedona9x9 grid with several given numbers. The objectistoplace thenumbers 1to9inthe empty squaressothat each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains thesamenumber onlyonce.The difficulty levelofthe Sudoku increasesfromMonday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

A.J. Liebling, ajournalist and author whodied in 1963, said, “Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” That doesnot seem to be guaranteed. Outside influences might exert pressure.

At thebridge table,some plays are guaranteed;oneexampleisasafetyplay. Otherplays,though,arenotsuretowork. You just hope that they do.

In today’s deal, against four spades, Weststarts with the heartqueen: six, four,two. What should West lead at trick two?

After North openedone club and East overcalled one heart, South’s one-spade response guaranteedatleast afive-card suit, because with only four spades, he would have made anegative double. West applied maximum pressure with his jumptofour hearts —inacompetitive auction, usually bidtothe 10-trick level with a10-card fit. Then North raisedtofour spades. This wasaslight overbid.IfWesthadpassed,Northwould have rebid three spades.But in competition you may bidone level higher than youwouldhavedoneinanoncompetitive sequence. Also, maybe both four hearts and four spades were making. Westcannot be sure where four defensive tricks will come from. But unless East has the spade king, the defenders need three minor-suit tricks. Although not underwrittenbyLloyd’s of London, West’sbest shiftistothe diamond queen. Here, Southwill win withdummy’s kinganddrawtrumps,butwhenheturns to clubs, East takes atrick and returnsa diamondthroughSouth’sjack, whichis trapped by West’s A-10 tenace. ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

EachWuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or moreletters.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 BEGRuDGED: be-GRUJ’D: Conceded reluctantly or with displeasure.

Average mark27words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find36ormorewords in BEGRUDGED?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD— LIAIsons

wuzzles

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

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