The Advocate 09-19-2025

Stolen silver statue turns up in pieces

Parts of sculpture taken from Houmas House found in pawnshops

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

It was Sunday, Sept. 7, when Kevin Kelly owner of the Houmas House plantation in Ascension Parish, learned that his antique, solid silver statue of Abraham Lincoln had been stolen The foot-tall Lincoln sat pensively on a bench, stovepipe hat by his side, the weight of history on his shoulders, when suddenly, a nearby window shattered.

As Kelly explained, a thief had simply walked onto the plantation property, found a small stone statue of a dog outside the 19th-century building, used it to bash in a window grabbed Lincoln through the broken glass and fled.

If the thief was a crazed art lover who had kidnapped the 16th president for his or her own secret collection, Kelly said, he knew he would never see the statue again But if the burglar intended to fence the glinting Lincoln on the black market or sell it for its value as 64 pounds of precious metal — an estimated 46 grand — the miscreant might get caught, and the rare, precious statue could possibly be re-

turned Kelly was right. Last week Lincoln came back home, but not in the condition he had hoped. Heartbreakingly the stunning little statue had been brutally carved up into chunks, a decapitated torso and other odd shapes. It was far beyond repair

The artwork that was stolen in Ascension Parish was disposed of in Metairie. According to Sgt. Brandon Veal, spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the department was told to be on the lookout for the stolen Lincoln by investigators in Ascension Parish soon after the theft Sure enough, pieces of the lost Lincoln statue turned up in a handful of suburban New Orleans locations. Jefferson Parish investigators identified a 28-year-old named Steve Coronado, of Raceland, as the person who allegedly brought pieces of the statue to pawnshops and a precious metal exchange to sell. At one shop, Coronado sold shavings of silver, according to Veal. At another he received cash for selling a sizable chunk of the statue. Deputies served a search warrant at a residence on Garden Road in Avondale on Sept. 10, recovering yet another piece of the ruined artwork.

Beth Higgins, manager of the venerable Southern Coin and Precious Metal shop in Metairie, said that someone

Fall enrollment at UNO down again

yearslong slump fuels financial crisis

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

The University of New Orleans is down about 800 students this fall, a significant decrease for the small institution where a yearslong enrollment slump has fueled an ongoing financial crisis.

About 5,700 students are enrolled at UNO this school year, according to a fall head count shared with faculty and staff this week that includes undergraduate and graduate students, as well as high schoolers who take courses at UNO. The total is down from about 6,500 students last fall and a far cry from the university’s peak of 17,000 students. UNO President Kathy Johnson said in an email to faculty and staff this week that the university’s revenue

will be $1.1 million less than anticipated due to the enrollment decline. The reduced revenue comes as the university’s financial crisis has led to layoffs and furloughs, building closures and other cost-cutting measures over the past year

“Enrollment was lower than we’d hoped,” she wrote, “yet understandable given the challenges we’ve experienced over the course of the past year.”

ä See UNO, page 5A

Trump takes Fed firing to Supreme Court

President wants emergency order to remove member of board of governors

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors. The Republican administration turned to the high court after an appeals court refused to go along with ousting Cook, part of President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape the Fed’s seven-member governing board and strike a blow at its independence.

The White House campaign to unseat Cook marks an unprecedented bid to reshape the Fed board, which was designed to be largely independent from day-to-day politics. No president has fired a sitting Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history Cook, who was appointed to the Fed’s board by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has said she won’t leave her post and won’t be “bullied” by Trump. One of her lawyers, Abbe Lowell, has said she “will continue to

ä See FIRING, page 4A Cook

Gonzales mayor limits council contact with workers

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

A new Gonzales policy restricts the communication of city employees with City Council members, requiring any and all questions to be directed through the Mayor’s Office.

Wade Petite, the disputed chief of staff for the city, said the policy was instituted a few weeks ago. He said the new rules require any questions council members have for employees to be submitted to Mayor Tim Riley’s administration.

“If you’re here to ask them how their day is, that’s fine. If you want to ask them about

ä See GONZALES, page 4A

PHOTOS PROVIDED By KEVIN KELLy

The sculpture of Abraham Lincoln was cut to pieces by thieves hoping to sell it for the price of the silver

A moody sculpture of Abraham Lincoln by John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum was stolen from Houmas House plantation earlier this month.

House panel advances bill for vehicle AM radio

WASHINGTON A panel of U.S. House lawmakers advanced a bill this week that would require the inclusion of AM radio in all new vehicles for eight years.

“I know quite well how crucial AM radio is for receiving emergency alerts during hurricane season, for consumers and rural communities to people stuck without electricity or internet during a national disaster,” said U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla. He is the chief sponsor of the measure.

The measure, amended Wednesday by the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is an apparent compromise between emergency management groups, automakers and fans of talk radio shows that are broadcast primarily through AM channels. The auto industry has opposed AM requirements in new vehicles, citing costs and declining AM radio listenership.

The bill directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to, within a year, issue a rule requiring automakers to offer AM radio in their new vehicles at “no additional” cost “beyond the base price of the passenger motor vehicle.”

Teen’s body found in car registered to singer d4vd

A decomposed body found inside an impounded Tesla in Los Angeles has been identified as that of a teenage girl who went missing last year

Several news outlets reported the vehicle was registered to the singer d4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, 20. Neither his representatives nor police responded to requests for comment. Authorities have not implicated d4vd in her death

Celeste Rivas, 15 was found dead inside the vehicle, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Wednesday Officials have not determined her cause of death

The body was discovered Sept. 8 at a tow lot in Hollywood after someone noticed a stench coming from the Tesla, police said, according to news outlets In a statement, the medical examiner’s office said the body “was found severely decomposed.”

An unnamed representative for d4vd told NBC Los Angeles that the singer has been cooperating with authorities since the body was found. It’s not clear why his car had been impounded.

D4vd (pronounced “David”) is a Houston-born singer-songwriter who went from recording music in his sister’s closet to becoming one of Gen Z’s most buzzed-about artists. His music blends indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop, which has made him a fresh, genre-bending voice in today’s alt-pop scene.

Autopsy finds Miss. student died by suicide CLEVELAND,Miss.— An autopsy by the office of Mississippi’s state medical examiner concluded that a Black student found hanging from a tree at Delta State University died by suicide, police said Thursday

The police department in Cleveland, where the campus is located, announced the findings in a news release. It said the autopsy results were consistent with a preliminary examination of the body by the Bolivar County coroner, which found no evidence of foul play

The 21-year-old student’s death was discovered early Monday

Even before the autopsy results were announced, the student’s family and their lawyers had called for an independent autopsy and implored police to show them any security camera recordings and other video gathered as evidence. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has said he will lead an independent investigation.

Crump’s office did not immediately return an email message seeking comment Thursday Cleveland police released no details of the autopsy’s findings other than to say the cause of death was hanging and the manner of death had been ruled a suicide. It said results of toxicology tests are still pending and could take weeks.

The statement said police are still investigating the death

Judge blocks deportations

Administration trying to deport Guatemalan migrant children who came to U.S. alone

BY REBECCA SANTANA and VALERIE GONZALEZ Associated Press

WASHINGTON A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from immediately deporting Guatemalan migrant children who came to the U.S. alone back to their home country, the latest step in a court struggle over one of the most sensitive issues in Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Timothy J Kelly comes after the Republican administration’s Labor Day weekend attempt to remove Guatemalan migrant children who were living in government shelters and foster care.

Trump administration officials said they were seeking to reunify children with parents who wanted them returned home. “But that explanation crumbled like a house of

cards about a week later,” Kelly, who was nominated by Trump, wrote. “There is no evidence before the Court that the parents of these children sought their return.”

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement insisted on the administration’s initial claims that parents requested being reunited with their children “This judge is blocking efforts to REUNIFY CHILDREN with their families. Now these children will have to go to shelters,” McLaughlin said. “All just to ‘get Trump.’ This is disgraceful and immoral.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advocates for the children also submitted a whistleblower account to the court that suggests many of the children who were

found eligible for deportation had likely been victims of child abuse, like death threats, gang violence, and human trafficking, Kelly noted in his order

“The court saw through the government’s repeated misrepresentations of critical facts to try to justify the indefensible targeting of vulnerable children who would have faced danger if forcibly sent to other countries,” Efrén C Olivares, vice president of litigation & legal strategy at the National Immigration Law Center said in a statement.

There was already a temporary order in place preventing the removal of Guatemalan children. But that was set to expire Tuesday Kelly granted a preliminary injunction extends that temporary protection indefinitely, although the government can appeal. Kelly did rebuff advocates’ push to block the removal of children

Stalking suspect ambushed Pa. police officers, killing 3

Prosecutor says shooter was armed with a rifle at his ex-girlfriend’s home

BY MARK SCOLFORO, TASSANEE

MARC LEVY

VEJPONGSA and

Associated Press

NORTH CODORUS, Pa. — A suspected stalker armed with a rifle hid at his ex-girlfriend’s home in the rolling farmland of southern Pennsylvania and ambushed police officers who came to arrest him, killing three of them, a prosecutor said Thursday

Police arriving at the scene Wednesday noticed the door to the home was unlocked even though the ex-girlfriend and her mother had locked it before leaving the property for their safety

They opened the door and were immediately fired upon by the suspect, 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth, who was carrying an AR-style rifle with a suppressor, York County District Attorney Tim Barker said He said the suspect fired multiple rounds at the four officers at the door killing three of them. A gunfight then ensued between Ruth and two officers outside. Ruth wounded a sheriff’s deputy

before police shot the gunman to death, Barker said.

Detective Sgt. Cody Becker, Detective Mark Baker and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser were the officers who were killed, he said. They all worked for the Northern York County Regional Police Department.

Investigators later found the ex-girlfriend’s dog had been shot dead in the basement.

Neighboring departments stepped in Thursday to help shoulder the workload as agency personnel grieved.

The violence erupted Wednesday afternoon as officers sought Ruth, who they believed had been at the property the night before. A woman he had briefly dated lived there. Her mother called police late Tuesday after she spotted a man wearing camouflage looking into the home with binoculars.

Officers also spoke with the daughter, who had a photo from a trail camera showing someone carrying a rifle outside and aiming a scope at the house, according to a police affidavit.

Ruth eluded police that night, leading them to return the next day with misdemeanor warrants for his arrest. The young woman’s car had been set on fire in August and she said she suspected he may have been involved.

Senate confirms dozens of nominees

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Senate has confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees at once, voting for the first time under new rules to begin clearing a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats.

Frustrated by the stalling tactics, Senate Republicans moved last week to make it easier to confirm large groups of lower-level, non-judicial nominations. Democrats had forced multiple votes on almost every one of Trump’s picks, infuriating the president and tying up

the Senate floor

The new rules allow Senate Republicans to move multiple nominees with a simple majority vote a process that would have previously been blocked with just one objection. The rules don’t apply to judicial nominations or high-level Cabinet posts.

“Republicans have fixed a broken process,” Thune said ahead of the vote.

The Senate voted 51-47 to confirm the four dozen nominees. Thune said that those confirmed on Thursday had all received bipartisan votes in committee, including deputy secretaries for the Departments of Defense, Interior, Energy and others.

Among the confirmed are Jonathan Morrison, the new administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump’s 2020 campaign and was once engaged to Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr Democrats have blocked more nominees than ever before as they have struggled to find ways to oppose Trump and the GOP-dominated Congress, and as their voters have pushed them to fight Republicans at every turn.

from additional countries, though he said any attempt to remove those children in a similar way would likely be unlawful. Legal advocates working with Kids in Need of Defense visited Honduras last week and found government officials and nongovernmental organizations working “furiously” to receive as many as 400 children back from the United States. Contractors for Immigration and Customs Enforcement picked up the Guatemalan children from shelters and foster care and transported them to the airport. The government has said in court filings that it identified 457 children for possible removal to Guatemala although that list was eventually whittled down to 327. In the end, 76 got as far as boarding planes in El Paso and Harlingen, Texas, on Aug. 31 and were set to depart to Guatemala in what the government described as a first phase.

Man dies from injuries after riding coaster

at Universal Orlando park

BY JEFF MARTIN and MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — A man who was unresponsive after riding a roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort’s newest park died from blunt impact injuries, a medical examiner said Thursday Joshua Stephany, the medical examiner for the Orlando area, ruled the death an accident after performing an autopsy

The statement from Stephany did not mention any details about the injuries, including where on the body they were found.

The man in his 30s was found unresponsive after riding the coaster at Epic Universe on Wednesday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando said He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead

Dennis Speigel, CEO and founder of consulting firm International Theme Park Services, called the autopsy’s conclusion “pretty shocking,” and he said it

raised more questions than it answered.

“Was it the head or the chest? Was he banging around? Was he in his seat properly?” Speigel said. “Was it an accident caused by the ride or him doing something?”

The roller coaster involved was Stardust Racers, Universal officials said in a statement. It’s described on the resort’s website as “a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph.” Universal opened the park in May It has five themed sections and a 500room hotel. It’s the first major traditional theme park to open in Florida since 1999, when Universal Islands of Adventure debuted.

Florida’s largest theme parks are exempt from state safety inspections Instead, the largest theme parks conduct their own inspections and have their own protocols, but they must report to the state any injury or death.

Kimmel’s future in balance after suspension

BY DAVID BAUDER AP media writer

NEW YORK Jimmy Kimmel’s television future hung in the balance Thursday after ABC suspended his late-night show following the host’s comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, leaving the network’s parent company to decide whether supporting him is worth the risk to its business.

Two other companies that operate dozens of ABC stations came out against Kimmel, and they are being cheered on by a Trump administration regulator who can make life

difficult for ABC’s owner, the Walt Disney Co.

Kimmel

But advocates for free speech say it’s time for the company to take a stand Kimmel made several remarks on his show Monday and Tuesday about the reaction to the conservative activist’s killing last week, suggesting many Trump supporters are trying to capitalize on Kirk’s death “The MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from

it,” Kimmel said. The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, said Kimmel appeared to be making an intentional effort to mislead the public that the man accused in the fatal shooting was a right-wing Trump supporter Authorities say 22-year-old Tyler Robinson grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology.” Kimmel has not commented on the suspension. His supporters

say Carr misread what the comic said and that nowhere did he specifically suggest that Robinson was conservative.

60+ affiliates refuse to air show

ABC, which has aired “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since 2003, announced the suspension Wednesday shortly after Nexstar Communications Group said its stations would not show Kimmel because his Kirk remarks were “offensive and insensitive.” Nexstar operates

28 ABC affiliates.

Sinclair Broadcast Group said it would not air the show either The company called on Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s family and make a “meaningful personal donation” to the activist’s political organization, Turning Point USA. Sinclair said that its 38 ABC stations will air a tribute to Kirk on Friday in Kimmel’s time slot.

Local affiliates in the past occasionally grumbled about some shows from the network and even refused to air them. What’s new is that so many stations are working together to apply the pressure at the same time, said Robert Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University The refusal by 66 stations to air a program represents a significant financial hit. Roughly 230 stations across the country carry ABC programming. The network owns and operates eight of the largest stations, in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

Pending business deals

Disney is seeking regulatory approval for ESPN’s acquisition of the NFL Network, and Nexstar needs the Trump administration’s blessing to complete its $6.2 billion purchase of broadcast rival Tegna.

For both companies, reinstating

Kimmel after a suspension would risk angering Trump, who has already inaccurately claimed that the show has been canceled.

The Kimmel suspension was met with anger and disappointment in some political circles and the creative community

“After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like,” former President Barack Obama said Thursday on X.

U.S. Sen Elizabeth Warren, DMass., said: “First Colbert, now Kimmel it sure looks like giant media companies are enabling his authoritarianism.”

Kimmel would appear to have “a very narrow path” back to the air on ABC, said Bill Carter, author of “The Late Shift” and an authority on late-night TV Disney is doubtless getting pressure from stakeholders to avoid a fight.

But Disney CEO Bob Iger has no doubt learned that giving in to a bully doesn’t make him go away, Carter said. Iger may see that capitulation in the form of permanently taking

Kirk’s Turning Point USA taps his widow as next leader

BY JILL COLVIN and JONATHAN J COOPER Associated Press

PHOENIX Turning Point

USA, the organization Charlie Kirk founded to mobilize young, Christian conservatives, has seen a massive surge in interest and support since the activist’s assassination last week. As conservatives mourn Kirk’s death, the group appears poised to remain a MAGA juggernaut as it plots its future without Kirk at the helm.

The group’s board announced Thursday that Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, had been unanimously elected as its next leader and will serve

as CEO and board chair

“This was what Charlie hoped for and wanted and he said so numerous times,” Tyler Bowyer, the group’s chief operating officer, said on social media. Erika is one with Charlie and Charlie is one with Erika.” Turning Point became a multimillion-dollar operation under Charlie Kirk’s leadership, and was credited with helping to return President Donald Trump to office.

Since Kirk’s killing, his podcast and social media have attracted millions of new followers. There has been an outpouring of interest in expanding Turning Point’s footprint on college and high school campuses, the group’s

spokesperson says, and future large-scale events are continuing as planned.

“It will grow,” said Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet, who is also a producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast. “What we’re seeing is that Charlie’s legacy will be much greater, broader, and bigger than we even realized in life.”

Both Turning Point and Kirk’s other ventures have received unprecedented interest since he was killed.

Kirk’s podcast is now the top show on Apple, his social media accounts have gained millions of followers and his clips have garnered millions of views.

Turning Point has also re-

Trump threatens licenses of TV stations that criticize him

BY CATHERINE LUCEY and KATE SULLIVAN Bloomberg News (TNS)

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump suggested that U.S. broadcast networks should face scrutiny over their licenses if their content is overwhelmingly critical of him, and defended ABC’s decision to suspend late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s show indefinitely over remarks about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk “That’s something that should be talked about for licensing too. When you have a network and you have evening shows, and all they do is hit Trump,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “They’re licensed. They’re not allowed to do that. They’re an arm of the Democrat party.” Trump praised FCC Chair Brendan Carr and drew a direct link between coverage that the president views as negative and the prospect of TV licenses being revoked as a consequence.

“I read someplace that the networks were 97% against me again, I get 97% negative. And yet I won it easily I won all seven swing

states, the popular vote, whatever They’re 97% against. They give me totally bad publicity, the press,” Trump said. “They’re getting a license. I would think maybe their license should be taken away It will be up to Brendan Carr I think Brendan Carr is outstanding. He’s a patriot.”

Walt Disney Co.’s ABC network said it is taking “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air indefinitely following a backlash from conservatives over the late-night host’s comments about Kirk.

Earlier Thursday, Trump backed ABC’s decision to remove Kimmel amid pressure from network affiliates who had said they were pulling the show

“Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” Trump said Thursday during his news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

“Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person,” Trump continued. “He had very bad ratings, and they should have fired him a long time ago. So, you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”

ceived over 60,000 inquiries to start new campus chapters, Kolvet said Thursday The group currently has 3,500 chapters on college campuses and in high schools across the nation.

Aubree Hudson, president of the Turning Point chapter at Brigham Young University that helped organize the Utah Valley University event where Kirk was assassinated, said hundreds of students have reached out about getting involved.

“That’s the beautiful part of this tragedy, that his movement, Turning Point, is exploding,” she said. She predicted conservatives who have been afraid

to share their views at school will start speaking up.

Turning Point USA is not just a campus advocacy group promoting conservative causes. It and its affiliated group, Turning Point Action, played a crucial role in the 2024 election, helping to turn out voters who don’t typically cast ballots.

It is also a fundraising behemoth. The group’s two primary nonprofit arms collectively took in nearly $100 million in 2024, according to forms filed with the IRS.

A separate nonprofit wing called the Turning Point Endowment has another $60.9 million in the bank.

Kirk’s widow and the

mother of their two children, Erika Kirk, has vowed to continue the group’s mission. She said during an emotional broadcast from her husband’s studio that a planned campus tour this fall would go on, as would the podcast and one of the group’s marquee events — “America Fest” planned for December Erika Kirk has a following in her own right. The former 2012 Miss Arizona USA has worked as a model, actress and casting director, according to a biography on her website. She founded a Christian clothing line, Proclaim, and a ministry that teaches about the Bible.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAE C. HONG

Demonstrators picket Thursday in response to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif.

GONZALES

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particularfunctions that need to be done, or they wantdone, or they want to ask aboutpolicy?” Petite said. “… One, we need to know about it. And secondly,they are putting employees in adifficult position that our employees don’t want to be in.”

Under the new policy,Riley will either respondorconnect council members with city staff, Petite said.

“Wewill designate the appropriate employeetoanswer the question,” he said. “In some instances, we may determine that the question is bull**** and donefor motives that are not pure, andwemay withhold that answer.”

Several council members objected to the policy when reached for comment. Division Bcouncil member Kirk Boudreauxsaidhe has calleddepartment supervisors to relay problems he hears from constituents.

“It’snot fair to us not to be able to communicate with the employees and supervisors, and it’snot fair to the citizens that we represent that we can’tspeak to employees,” he said. The new rule stems from council

informed of conversations requiring actions fromthe city,such as road repairs. “Ifacouncilman called in to makearequest, Ididn’thavea problem. Youknow, theycalled adepartment head; thatwas fine, that was fine,” he said. “But what I requested wasfor the department head to at least let me knowwhat it was.”

He did not require allquestions about the city to be reported to him, he added.

Council member Tyler Turner called therules “concerning” in a writtenstatement, saying council members relied on open communication to understand daily operationsinGonzales.

cil members.

Earlier this year,the city’sbudget failed to pass, with Boudreaux voting it downalong with council membersTylerTurnerand Terri Lambert. Much of theirobjection stemmed from Petite’srole in the city administration as the alleged chiefofstaff, apositionthe council did not create.

In late August,the budget passed with amendments introduced by Boudreaux that excluded the salaries of four newroles andtwo existing positions that were part of the mayor’sproposal.

sold the store abarely recognizable piece of the silver sculpture for $3,300. But she said,the shop staff was already aware of the Lincoln statue theft and “instantly reached out to the (Sheriff’s Department) investigator before it got lost in the abyss.”

“Wewant to see stolen items returned to the owners,”Higgins said. “That’snot the game we want to play.”

Coronado is lockedupat the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna after being booked with theft and three counts of possession of stolen property. Hisbailis

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carry out her sworn duties as aSenate-confirmed Board Governor.”

Separately,SenateRepublicans on Monday confirmed Stephen Miran, Trump’s nomineetoanopenspot on the Fed’sboard. Both Cook and Miran took part in Wednesday’svote in which the Fed cut its key interest rate by aquarter-point.

The nextopportunity for Cook to cast avote will be at the meeting of the Fed’sinterest rate setting committee,scheduled for Oct. 28-29.

Trump sought to fire Cook on Aug. 25, but afederal judgeruled last week that the removal probably was illegal and reinstated herto the Fed’sboard. Trump has accused Cook of mortgage fraud because she appeared to claim two properties,in Michigan and Georgia, as “primary residences” in June and July 2021, before she joinedthe board. Such claims can lead to alower mortgage rate and smaller down payment than if oneof them was declared as arent-

members asking employees about “the administration’sintent,”accordingtoPetite.

“Wehave employees who feel likethey’re beingharassed by council membersand being put in precarious situations and being asked uncomfortable questions about policy that they don’tfeel like they shouldbeinaposition to have to answer,” he said.

PreviousGonzales mayors had similar policies, he said.

set at $37,500. And he wasn’tthe only one busted. Alma Fontenot, 20, of New Iberia, andBruce Shelvin, 49, of Avondale, were each arrested by the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Officeoncounts of simpleburglary and felony theft over $25,000, accordingtoreporting by The Advocate.

The alleged bad guys may have been rounded up in record time, and the silvermostlyrecovered, but it’snot ahappy ending. Houmas House’s little statue of Lincoln wasalways morethan apiece of high-value metal. It wasanartistic marvel.

The moody depiction of Lincoln was sculpted byJohn Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum, the same artist whocarved MountRushmore, the quartet of monumental presiden-

al property or secondhome.

“Put simply,the President mayreasonably determine thatinterest rates paid by theAmerican peopleshould notbeset by aGovernor who appears to have lied about factsmaterialtothe interest rates she secured for herself —and refuses to explain the apparent misrepresentations,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in his Supreme Court filing. But Cook hasdenied any wrongdoingand hasnot been charged with acrime. According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cook did specifythat herAtlanta condo would be a“vacation home,” according to aloan estimateshe obtained in May 2021. And in aform seekingasecurity clearance,she described it as a“2ndhome.” Bothdocuments appeartoundercut the Trump administration’s claims of fraud U.S. District Judge Jia Cobbruled that the administration had not satisfied a legalrequirement that Fed governors can only be fired “for cause,” which shesaid was limited to misconduct while in office. Cook did not join the Fed’sboard until

Speaking Wednesday evening, Riley alleged thatformer Mayor Barney Arceneaux prevented city employees from speaking with him when he was acouncil member

“The supervisors were told not to answer me,” he said.

Arceneaux did not respond to a request for commentWednesday about Riley’s allegation. On Tuesday,hesaid he had apolicy of asking department heads to keep him

tial portraits—including Lincoln —chiseledinto amountainside in SouthDakota. According to Kelly,the silver miniatureofLincoln may have been intended as agift to benefactors who donated to agrand-scale statue of Lincoln that Borglum envisioned, but never completed. Thenumber of identical silver castings that Borglum produced is unknown.But it is certainly a rare artifact Kelly,a businessman, bought Houmas House in 2003 and set out to convert the historic site into a “luxury entertainment”destination. Televisionshows such as “Top Chef” and “The Bachelor” have used the picturesque spot for location shoots. Acouple of years after he bought

out cause.

“Restricting this essential flow of information risks creating silos, fosteringmisunderstandings, and ultimately hindering our collective ability to address the needs of our cityefficientlyand effectively,” he wrote.

Petiteresponded by saying that “theywill have open channels to city staffasdesignated by the administration,” and called on council members to meet with him and themayor in person to discuss issues.

The policy,and reactions to it by council members, highlights the ongoing division between Riley’s administration and several coun-

the property in Darrow,Kelly spottedthe silver Lincoln at an upscale garage sale on Audubon Boulevard in New Orleans,where awidow was divesting herselfofsome of her late husband’sacquisitions. Kelly said he bought the piece for $1,200, which he knew was a“great steal.” It may seem surprising that Borglum’ssilver statue of the Great Emancipator would enduponan 18th- and 19th-century plantation that long ago profited by the labor of enslaved people.But historically speaking, it wasaperfect fit. According to Kelly,asateenager, Abraham Lincoln traveled south on the Mississippi River in 1828 and1831, certainly passing the plantation. Lincoln and apartner had steered aflatboattoLouisiana in order to

Division Acouncil member Eddie Williams andDivisionC councilmemberCynthia Gray James,who have usuallyvoted in support of Riley’sadministration, did not respond to requests forcomment about thecommunication rules.

In awritten statement, Division Ecouncil member Terri Lambert called the directive a“gag order.”

“Not only does the Mayor’s‘gag order’ to allCity employees violate the First Amendment, it also interferes with theCouncil’sability to do the job we were elected to do,” she wrote. “Whenthe Mayor blocks employees from talking to Council members, he’sblocking accountability andtransparency to the people we were elected to serve.”

sellgoods— possibly bacon and corn —tothe riverside settlements. There,Lincolnbeheldthe system of slavery he would one day abolish. Somewhere alongthe line,the two young men were attacked and injured by aroving gang.

According to Kelly,the future president’sbrush withdeath may well have taken place at alanding near Houmas House. Kelly said that eight pieces of the Lincoln statue were returned to him. He plans to producesome smalldisplayofthe ruinedartwork that is now even more redolent of history. “There is no other choice,” he said. Security at the site, he said, has been increased Reporter Michelle Hunter contributed to this story.

2022.

Cobb also held that Trump’sfiring would have deprivedCook of herdue process, or legal right, to contest thefiring. By a2-1 vote, apanel of the federal appeals court in Washington rejected theadministration’s requesttolet Cook’sfiring proceed.

Trump’slawyers have argued that even if the conduct occurredbefore her time as governor, her alleged action “indisputably calls into questionCook’s trustworthinessand whether she can be aresponsible steward of the interest rates and economy.”

Trumphas previouslywon orders from thecourt’sconservative majority to fire thepresidentially appointed leadersofother independent federal agencies,including the National Labor Relations Board andthe Federal Trade Commission, even as legal fightscontinue.

Thosefirings have been at will, with no cause given. The SupremeCourthas distinguished theFederal Reserve from those other agencies, strongly suggesting that Trump can’tact against Fed governors with-

In itsnew filing to the Supreme Court, theadministration is asking Chief

Justice John Roberts for atemporary order that wouldeffectively remove Cook from the board and

amore lasting order from the whole court that would be in place while her legal casecontinues.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

GonzalesMayor TimothyRileyhas instituted anew policy that restricts thecommunication of city employees with CityCouncil members.

Grouprepresenting workers, bystanders gets tentativedeal

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

Nearlysix yearsafterthe Hard RockHotel collapsed on Canal Streetwhile under construction, the committee that represents more than 400 workers, bystanders and business owners who claimtheywereharmedby the disaster have reached atentative settlement with the building’sowner Attorney Walter Leger Jr announcedthe “agreement in principal” with 1031 Canal Development and its insurers on Thursday morningin Orleans Parish Civil District Court. It came during ahearing that had been scheduled ahead of an upcoming trial in the case. Details of the settlement must still be finalized and will not be disclosed publicly,said Leger,co-lead counsel for the plaintiff steering committee. Thedeal does not apply to dozens of other lawsuits filed by victims— as well as by 1031 Canal Development —against the engineer, contractors and steel manufacturer involved in building the 18-story hotel.

UNO

Continued frompage1A

Still, Johnson said, the university is not operating at a deficit, as it was last school year,and officials did not plan to make more cuts. Instead, UNO will fill only “critical” positions, including employees who work directly with students or in health or safety.Johnson also asked faculty to limit spending by not purchasing equipment, software or office supplies unless absolutely essential or paid through external funds.”

The enrollment decline comesasthe university prepares to transitionfromthe University of Louisiana to the LSU system, amove endorsed by state policymakers and lawmakersbut that UNO’saccrediting agency must still approve. Supporters hope that shifting the university to LSU, where enrollment has climbed to record highs, will help UNO attract more students.

“The future remains incredibly bright,” Johnson said in the email, “as we prepare to transition backto the LSU system with arealigned budget.”

UNO’slong-term loss of students —enrollment peaked at 17,000 students before Hurricane Katrina —has wreaked havoc on the university’sbudget.

Facing a$15 million operational deficit at the beginning of last school year, Johnsoninstituted layoffs andfurloughs,consolidat-

ing, steel provider Suncoast Projects andCitadel for their roles in the disaster and fined the firms acollective$220,000.

Allthreecompanieshave since settled with the agency,according to records.

An attorney for 1031 Canal Development declined to comment.

Several attorneys representing individual victims contacted Thursdaysaid they hadbeen advised by JudgeKernReese,who is overseeing the case, not to comment andreferred all questions to the plaintiffs committee headed by Leger

members said Thursday’s development brought up familiar feelings. Angela Magrette has been keeping the memory alive of herbrother,Anthony Magrette, with ashrine in the Terrytown home theyshared. She also holds amemorial for him every year on the Oct. 12 anniversary of the collapse. She said she is glad other victimsofthe disaster will be compensated fortheir pain and suffering, but she doesn’tthink justice has been served.

ed adeal from the plaintiff’s committeeonthe eve of the fifth anniversary of thecollapse, negotiations broke down and the plaintiffs asked the court to set adate foratrial.

“This is onlya partial settlement,” Legersaidin an interview afterthe hearing. “Wereserve our rights to suethe othersand so does 1031 …But it is abig,big step andthe first stepinsettling this case.”

The development comes less than amonth before the sixthanniversary of the massive structuralfailure, which caused thetop three floors of the $85 million buildingtopancakeand collapse, killing three workers, injuring hundreds of others andshutting down commerce on surrounding city streets for months. In thewakeofthe disaster, more than130 lawsuits were filed against developer1031 Canal Development, which is

ed colleges and enacteda spending and hiringfreeze. This summer,with only about4,100 studentsenrolled,universityofficials said they would get rid of most adjunct professor positions to further cutcosts In her latest email, Johnson said recent challenges at UNOhavecontributed to lower enrollment, includingsnafus as theuniversity shifted to anew studentmanagement software system, theloss of key staff in student-facing positionsand “uncertaintyabout the future of theuniversity regularly reflected in thepress.”

The university also enacted apolicythat restricts students from enrolling in classes if they havenot paid tuition and fees. Johnson told staffthat UNO has made progress addressing those issues.The university also received funding from thestate Legislature this year to help close its budget gap In aseparate email in response to questionsfrom TheTimes-Picayune,Johnson said that officials had been expecting reduced revenues this school year, but they do not anticipate operatingatadeficit.

Christopher Summa, an associate professorofcomputer science and president of UNO’s faculty senate, said faculty members have begun community outreach to recruit students.

He noted that faculty have been workingtoobtain grants tohelpstudents attend the university,includinga recent $2 million

owned by MohanKailasand his family; Citadel Builders, the generalcontractor; dozens of subcontractors; and theirinsurance companies

The cases were eventually consolidated, and settlement talks began in 2023.

While adozen or so individual suitshave been settled by 1031 Canal —including those filed by thefamilies of thedeceased workers,Jose Ponce Arreola, Anthony Magrette and Quinnyon Wimberly —most of the cases were unresolved until now No criminal charges were ever filed in connection with the disaster. ButinApril 2020, thefederal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited building engineer Heaslip Engineer-

awardfrom the National Science Foundation to provide scholarships to low-income students studying biology and computer science.

“I very much believe in thequalityofeducation that UNO provides,”Summa said. “For many years our facultyhave been asked to do more with less, butwe continue to maintain high standards in accreditation and thequalityofour programs.”

Many facultyand staff memberscontinued working during furloughs earlier this year,recruiting studentsand planning classes even as they wentwithout pay,said UNO’s chapter of the United Campus Workers, aunion thatrepresents UNO employees.

“The front line workers of UNOremainits strongest advocates,” the union said, “helping studentsnavigate broken systems, teaching independent studies withoutcompensation, andpromotingthe universityinthe community.”

Meanwhile, UNOofficials saythey are optimistic that the shifttoLSU will help boost enrollment In her email, Johnson said atransitionteam will launch in October.She addedthat “excitingopportunities” related to LSU will help UNO recruitprospective students, though she did not share specifics.

In response to questions, Johnsonadded that it will be easier for studentsto transfertoUNO when it’s part of the LSU system.She also said the move will allow

The former Hard Rock constructionsite, at the intersection of Canal and Rampart streets, has been cleared butneverredeveloped. Nearby businesses that wereshuttered for months have reopened. Anew hotel next door to thesiteisupand running, and much of the city hasmoved on.But the families of the men who died continue to grieve.

Thefamiliesofthe three deceased victims are not technically affected by the proposed settlementagreement announced Thursday as they settled their own wrongful death lawsuits in early 2024. The amount of thepayout, which went to thechildren of the workers, was never disclosed.

Still, somevictims’ family

UNO to expand recruitment to targetadult learners and out-of-state students who maybeinterestedinonline degree programs.

“Wehavehigh hopes that the transition to the LSU system will allow us to recalibrate potential students’ impression of us,” Summa said, “and highlight our unique positionasthe New Orleansregion’sonly public urban research and teaching institution.”

“A financialsettlement is notthe same thing as owning up,” Magrette said Thursday by phone. “It’sjust away of trying to makethis go away Iwant to make sure it is never forgotten.”

Thursday’stentative agreement comes after more than two years of mediation in the case. Last fall, afterthe developers reject-

In the months since, however,the twosides returned to the negotiating table, even while preparing for trial. While the tentative agreement is asignificant step towardresolving thecase, Leger said it’stoo soon to say howlongitwillbebeforea final settlement is filed and approved by the court. Even once it is, it will likely be under seal.

Leger declined to provide range of payoutamounts that victimscould potentially receive. But he said settlementfunds will be placed into atrust and divided according to the termsofa court-approveddistribution plan.

Chicagoactivists escalate tacticsagainst agents

BY SOPHIA TAREEN and CHRISTINEFERNANDO Associated Press

CHICAGO As encounters with federal immigration agents around Chicago increase, tacticsused by activists and immigrant leaders to fight back are also escalating.

The Trump administration has singled out Chicagoasits latest mark for immigration enforcement, using traffic stops in immigrantheavy areas and targeting day laborers outside hardware stores.

“Wewill not back down,”Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted Thursday on X, recirculating dramatic footage of arrests at asuburban Chicago home days earlier.

Activists andlocal leadersare alsodefiant, tryingtodeter agents, warn residents and keep attention on aman killed by an immigration officer last week.

Focusing on daylaborers

As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched a new operation this month, the focus appeared to be on trafficstops in largely immigrant and Latino neighborhoods and suburbs. This week, activists say arrestsofday laborers are on the rise, echoing enforcement trends elsewhere.

Federal agents were spotted at roughly half adozen HomeDepot and Menards stores in the Chicago area, resulting in individualarrests, according to activists.

“Our neighbors who build,paint, fix and beautify this city have been the target of these unwarranted attacks,” said Miguel Alvelo Rivera with the Latino Union, whichadvo-

cates for day laborers.

He spoke Thursday near aHome Depot in theheavily Latino Brighton Park neighborhood whereICE agents were spotted aday earlier

In immigrant and activistcircles, the arrests are commonly referred to as abductions because many agents wearmasks, drive unmarked vehicles anddon’thave insignia on their clothes.

Giselle Maldonado, 23, saidtwo of her uncles—Gabriel Soto-Rivera, 40, andEder Nicolas Jimenez Barrios, 37 —were detained Monday by ICEinChicagoasthey were driving to work as HVAC technicians. She found outthrough social media videos.

Maldonadosaidshe immediately thought of Gabriel’stwo young children

“Who’sgoing to be there for them?” she said. “They’re babies.” Bike patrolsand whistles

Chicago’sactivists have quickly dispatched volunteers tosightings of immigrationagents.They record video and gather information to notify families

Activistscirculatethe license plates of suspected ICE vehicles on social media and take part in disruptive demonstrations outside hotels where agents are believed to be staying. Bike patrols look out for agents, while some follow vehicles on foot and warn those in thevicinity

One neighborhood on Chicago’s southwest side is making alot of noise, literally When word of increased enforce-

ment in Chicagoramped up, Baltazar Enriquez startedbuyingorange emergencywhistles to warn others of nearby ICE agents. He said theyare reliable even when technology fails.

“If they hear thatsound, they immediatelystart closingtheir doors, locking their gates,” he said of neighbors. “Thishas workedfor us here. People are asking us, ‘Can Iget awhistle?’

ArrestsinChicago

Arrests have been difficult to track. TheDepartmentofHomeland Security hasoffered details on afew dozen, while an Illinois congresswoman briefedbyICE this week said thenumberwas 250.

However,skepticism remains as some information circulated by ICEincluded out-of state-arrests In at leasttwo instances, U.S. citizens were taken into custody Before dawn on Tuesday,federal agents, Noem and Gregory Bovino, aBorderPatrolagent central to a LosAngeles operation, stormeda home in suburban Elgin. They blew open adoor as helicopters hovered.

Elected officials deemed it a stunt. DHS saidfive people were arrested. They were filmed for videos later posted to Noem’ssocial media accounts.

Joe Botello, who was born in Texas, told Chicagomedia outlets he was among the menkept in handcuffs until he showed identification. DHSconfirmedhewas in custody, but disputed thecharacterization as an arrest.

“No U.S. citizen wasarrested, they were briefly held for their and officers’ safety while the operation in the housewas underway,” DHS

said. Another man arrested at the home wasordered released withoutbondThursdayashis case continues, with Magistrate Judge Keri Holleb Hotaling noting Carlos Augusto Gonzalez-Leon “has acriminal history of nothing.” In court records, federal officials said he was previously arrested and deported to Mexico at least three times between 2013 and 2022.

His lawyer,Daniel Hesler,described Gonzalez-Leon as ahard worker who is providing for his family,including awifeinhospice care.

Criticismovershootinggrows

The death of aMexican manat the hands of ICEagents has drawn questions from the president of Mexicoand many Illinois elected officials.

Authorities say immigration agents were pursuing aman with a history of reckless driving who had entered the country illegally.They have said Silverio Villegas Gonzalez evaded arrest and dragged an officer with his vehicle. DHS said the officer fired because he feared forhis life.

Noem praised the unnamed officer as brave, referring to Gonzalez as “a criminal illegal alien” who resisted arrest.

Many in suburban Franklin Park doubt authorities’ claims, remembering him at avigil as akind family man

The 38-year-old wasfrom the state of Michoacan in western Mexico, according to the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago, which said it would “closely monitor” the investigation.

Hurricanecentereyesnew system whileGabrielle spinsinAtlantic

BY RICHARD TRIBOU Orlando Sentinel (TNS)

The National Hurricane Center on Thursday continued to track Tropical Storm Gabrielle while also eyeing atropical wave moving off the coast of Africa that could become the season’snext named storm. As of theNHC’s 4p.m.advisory on Gabrielle, the system had 50 mph sustained windslocated

about 700 mileseast-northeast of theCaribbean’s northernLeeward Islands, headed west-northwest at 13 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 290 miles from its center Gabrielle became the season’s seventhnamed stormafteritintensified from atropical depression that formedearlierWednesday “This motion is expected to continue overthe next coupledays, followed bya northwestwardturn

this weekend,” forecasterssaid. “Little change in strengthisforecastoverthe next 24 hours, but some gradual intensification is forecast shortly thereafter.”

Its forecast path has shifted and could be athreat to Bermuda. Projectionshave it growing intoaCategory 1hurricane by Sunday,and thenCategory 2byMonday with 100 mph winds, which would be only the second hurricane of the season.

“The NHC intensity forecast is raisedfrom the previous one, but not as high as the model consensus mostly due to continuity,” the NHC stormdiscussion reads. “There are agrowingnumberofhurricane models that are indicating Gabrielle could approach major hurricane strength after the weekend.”

Atropical wave wasright on the coast of Africa producing disorganized thunderstorm activity

“Some gradual development of

this system is possible over the weekend through the middle of next week while it moveswestnorthwestward acrossthe eastern andcentraltropicalAtlantic,” forecasters said.

The NHC gave it a20% chance to develop in the next seven days.

Theclimatologicalpeak of the Atlantic hurricaneseason wason Sept. 10, but 60% of annual activity has historically happened after this date, the NHCstated.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NAM y. HUH

People talk with federal agents and security guards outsideofaU.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview,Ill., on Wednesday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOSByMAHMOUD ILLEAN

Demonstrators holdphotos depicting the faces of Israeli hostages whoare being held in the Gaza StriponTuesdayinJerusalem during aprotestdemanding their release from Hamas captivity and againstthe Israeli offensiveinGazaCity

More Americanssay Israel hasgonetoo faronGaza

BY AAMER MADHANIand LINLEY SANDERS Associated Press

WASHINGTON At amoment ofgrowing international alarm about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, more U.S.adultsviewIsrael’smilitary action in the Palestinian territory as excessive than at the beginningof the war,according to anew poll. About half of Americans say the military response from Israel in the GazaStrip has “gone too far,” according to the surveyfrom The AssociatedPress-NORC Centerfor Public Affairs Research. That’supfromNovember 2023, when 40% said Israel’smilitaryaction had gone too far.ThatAP-NORC poll was conductedshortly after Hamasstartedthe conflict by launchinganOct.7,2023,assault on Israel in which militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

But at the same time, Americans overall, particularly Republicans, are less likely to say that negotiating aceasefire shouldbe a high priority for the U.S. government than they were just afew months agowhen the U.S. was holding ceasefire talks with Hamas.

The shift in Americanattitudes about Israel’sactions comes as Israel begins an expanded ground offensive on Gaza City Israel is facing increased international scrutiny over its conduct in Gaza, with ateam of independentexperts commissioned by the United Nations’ HumanRights Council this week announcing it has concluded that Israel is committing genocide.

“The level of innocent women and children suffering,” said Renee Hollier,of Lafayette, who described herself asapolitical independent and mother of atoddler “There’sjust no justification for thiskindof suffering to continue.”

Bipartisan uptick in ‘gonetoo far’ view

The poll found abipartisanuptick in Americans finding Israel’smilitary response has “gone too far.”

About 7in10Democrats say thisnow,up from 58% in November 2023.And roughly half of independents say the same, compared with about 4in10in the earliermeasure. Republicans have also moved slightly, from 18% to 24%

Concern about overreach from Israel was high in January 2024, when 50% of U.S. adultssaid Israel had“gonetoo far,”but that fell slightlyasthe war continued. And 45% of U.S. adults now say it’s“extremely or “very” importantfor theU.S.toprovide humanitarian relief to PalestiniansinGaza, similar to Americans’ views atthe startof the war but up slightly from 41% in March

Changing viewsonnegotiating ceasefire Despite thegrowing view that Israel has overstepped,Americans are less likely to consider it ahigh priority to negotiate apermanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas than they were when the Trump administration was heavilyinvolved in negotiations.

That downwardshift is primarily driven by Republicans. About half of U.S.adults sayit’s“extremely”or“very” important,down from 59% in March but in line with views from last year Republicans havegrownlesslikely to say it’s “extremely” or “very” important for theU.S. to negotiate apermanent ceasefire since earlier in the year,while Democrats haven’tshifted.

Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu has said theconflict will continue until Hamas is eliminated and the remaining hostages are released from captivity.Hamas has saidits assault was in response to the more than decadelong blockade of Gaza, Israeli raids inside West Bankcities, increasingattacks by settlersonPalestinians and the growth of settlements.

In interviews, Americans across the political spectrum were dour about the prospects of the Trump administration mediating a lastingceasefire. During the campaign, Trump pledged to quickly end the IsraelHamas war as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He’sstruggled with both.

Approval of Trump’shandling of the conflictisdown slightly amongU.S.adults to 37%, compared with 44% in March.

Dems prioritize two-statenegotiations

Larry Kapenstein, 71, aDemocrat from Middletown, Pennsylvania, saidhe’sworried about the conflict’slong-term ramifications for Israel’s economy and standing in the world. “I side withIsrael, and Ithink they’re inthe right in this, but Ithink Netanyahu hasjusttaken this toofar,” Kapenstein said. “There’sgot to be abetter way.”

About 3in10U.S.adults saiditis“extremely” or “very” important to negotiate theestablishment of an independentPalestinian state, unchanged from January 2024. But that belief is especially pronounced among Democrats: About half now say this is highly important, up from 41% in 2024. That compareswith19% of independents and 14% of Republicans.

Thesurveyalso found slightly less support for militaryaid for Israel. About 2in10 U.S. adults said it is “extremely” or “very” important for the U.S. to provide aid to Israel’s military to fight Hamas, down from 36% at thewar’sstart. The decline has been particularly dramatic amongDemocrats, from 30% at thebeginning of the war to 15% now Lehks Wright,50, of Albany,Georgia,who is an independent, said it’sdifficult to justify spending billions of dollarsbackingIsrael’s military when theTrump administration is calling for sweeping cutsinfederal spendingonhealth care and other social programs.

The AP-NORC poll of 1,183 adults was conducted Sept. 11-15, using asample drawn from NORC’sprobability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed tobe representative of theU.S.population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus orminus3.8 percentage points.

BY FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press

UNITEDNATIONS The United States once again vetoed aU.N. Security Council resolution Thursday that had demandedanimmediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza andthe releaseofhostages after sayingthat the effortdid not go far enough in condemning Hamas.

All 14 other members of theUnited Nations’most powerfulbodyvoted in favor of the resolution, which described thehumanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic”and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 millionPalestinians in the territory.The outcome further highlights U.S. and Israeli isolation on theworld stage regarding the nearly two-year war in Gaza.

The vote came just days

ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, where Gaza will be amajortopic andwhere major U.S. allies areexpectedto recognize an independent Palestinian state. It is a largely symbolic movethat is vehementlyopposed by Israel andthe U.S., dividing the Trump administration from close allies, including the U.K. and France.

The resolution, drafted by the council’s10elected members whoserve twoyear terms, goes further thanprevious drafts to highlight what it calls the “deepening of suffering” of Palestinian civilians.

It also reiterates demands fromprevious resolutions, including forthe release of all hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups following their Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack in southern

Israel that launched the war in Gaza. In opposing similar resolutions since November, the U.S. has complained that thedemands,including aceasefire, were not directly linkedtothe unconditional release of hostages and would only embolden Hamas militants. Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. blastedthe newresolution, saying that it would “not release the hostages and will not bring security to the region.” “Israel will continue to fight Hamas and protect its citizens, even if the Security Council prefers to turn ablind eye to terrorism,” he said in astatement Thursday

The resolutionalso expressed “deep alarm” after areport said Gaza City has becomegripped by famine, and thatit’slikely to spread.

Trump wraps up U.K. visit with gratitude for hosts

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE, JILL

LAWLESS and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

— Presi-

AYLESBURY, England

dent Donald Trump said Thursday that he was “tremendously thankful” for the pageantry and splendor lavished on him during his second state visit to the United Kingdom as he wrapped up a trip that largely sidestepped major public disagreements over difficult trade and geopolitical issues.

The mutual warmth, along with Trump’s abundance of kind words bestowed on the host country, suggested that an all-out charm offensive by the royal family and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had its desired effect, even though there was a notable lack of progress on some key matters.

Trump and Starmer signed what both sides hailed as a historic agreement on science and technology, and they held a roundtable with global business leaders where they suggested the deal could mean significant job gains. Among the topics tackled mostly in private talks between Trump and Starmer were the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and U.S. tariff rates on steel imported from Britain.

“The bond between our countries is like no other anywhere in the world,”

ful beyond words” for the hospitality

Even high-profile points of dissent, such as Britain’s impending move to recognize a Palestinian state, stayed cordial. “I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score,” Trump said, adding that “it’s one of our few disagreement, actually.”

Trump’s Scottish heritage, and a parachute demonstration He also was shown the archive of wartime leader Winston Churchill, who coined the term “special relationship” for the bond between the allies.

Trump said at a news conference at Chequers, the 16thcentury manor house northwest of London that serves as a rural retreat for British leaders. The U.S. and U.K., the American president said, have “done more good for the planet than any other nation in history.”

Starmer said that “time and time again, it is British and American men and women, side by side, changing the path of history and turning it towards our values, towards freedom, democracy and the rule of law.”

The very end of the trip saw Trump’s helicopter carrying him from Chequers to the airport at Stansted for his

flight to Washington make an unscheduled landing at a local airfield due to what the White House called a “minor hydraulic issue.” No one was injured, and a backup chopper completed the journey

The Trump-Starmer mutual admiration followed King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s feting of Trump and first lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle on Wednesday with all the pomp the monarchy can muster, including the biggest military honor guard ever assembled for a state visit.

Trump called the king and queen “two fantastic people” and said he was” “tremendously thankful” and “grate-

When Trump was asked about his lack of progress in brokering a deal to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine and he acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “let me down,” Starmer escalated the flattery a notch. The prime minister said he and Trump had discussed how to “decisively increase the pressure on Putin” and that Trump had “led the way here.”

‘Genuinely like each other’

At an earlier signing ceremony for the agreement meant to promote tech investment, Starmer referred to the Republican president as “my friend, our friend” and spoke of “leaders who respect each other and leaders who genuinely like each other.”

The Trumps’ final day in Britain began by bidding farewell to the king and queen at Windsor Castle and flying by helicopter to Chequers for more spectacle: a ceremonial honor guard with bagpipers, in a nod to

It’s something Trump’s British hosts have stressed repeatedly, almost 250 years after that relationship endured a rocky start in 1776.

To coincide with the visit, Britain said U.S companies had pledged $204 billion in investment in the U.K., including $122 billion from investment firm Blackstone in the next decade. Investment will also flow the other way, including almost $30 billion by pharmaceutical firm GSK in the U.S.

Little change on Ukraine

BY MIKE STOBBE and LAURA UNGAR Associated Press

ATLANTA U.S Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked vaccine advisory committee on Thursday recommended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopt new restrictions on a combination shot that protects against chickenpox as well as measles, mumps and rubella.

The panel advised that the vaccine known as MMRV not be given before age 4 and that children in this age group instead get separate vaccines — one against MMR and another for varicella, or chickenpox. The vote was 8-3, with one member abstaining.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices put off an expected vote on hepatitis B shots given to infants on the day they are born. On Friday — when it also takes up COVID-19 shots — it’s expected to decide whether to recommend that some babies can wait a month for those shots. The committee makes recommendations to the CDC director on how alreadyapproved vaccines should be used. CDC directors have almost always accepted those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs.

Public health experts worry the votes will raise unwarranted concerns among parents. Kennedy, a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, has made or proposed numerous changes to the nation’s vaccine system, including firing the entire 17-member panel earlier this year and replacing it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices. Experts are also concerned the panel’s actions could narrow access to the vaccines. The group voted 8-1, with three abstentions, to keep MMRV covered for kids as young as 12 months under the Vaccines for Children program, which pays for about half the shots given to kids in the U.S Several committee members expressed confusion during that follow-up vote on whether to align payments under the program with the more restrictive vaccine guidance they had just passed. Another federal official noted that there are other government insurance programs, including Medicaid, that will need to stop paying for that early combo dose. Focus on rare seizures

Discussions on the MMRV vaccine focused largely on rare instances of feverish seizures associated with the first dose that is currently given to kids between ages 1 and 2

Committee member Dr Cody Meissner said such seizures may be “a very frightening experience”

for families, but medical experts agree they’re not linked to brain function or school problems.

The panel last dealt with the issue in 2009, when it said either the combination shot or separate MMR and varicella shots were acceptable for the first dose, but that separate doses were generally preferred. Today 85% of kids receive separate doses for the first round, according to information presented at the meeting.

Some doctors and public health experts say they are not aware of any new safety data that would explain the revisiting of those vaccination recommendations — and, in fact, many of the studies discussed Thursday were more than a decade old.

Discussion of hep B shot

As many as 2.4 million people in U.S are estimated to have hepatitis B, which can cause serious liver infections, and half are unaware of infection, a CDC presenter told the panel.

In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during use injection-drug use. But it can also be passed to a baby from an infected mother, and as many as 90% of infected infants go on to have chronic infections. The virus can also live on surfaces for more then seven days at room temperature, and unvaccinated children living with anyone with a chronic infection is at risk of infection. A hepatitis B vaccine was

first licensed in the U.S. in 1981. In 2005, the ACIP recommended a dose within 24 hours of birth for all medically stable infants who weigh at least 4.4 pounds. Infant vaccinations are stressed for women who have hepatitis B or those who have not been tested for it. The infant shots are 85% to 95% effective in preventing chronic hepatitis B infections, studies have shown.

Following the 2005 recom-

U.K. officials say the deal will bring thousands of jobs and billions in investment in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear energy It includes a U.K. arm of Stargate, a Trumpbacked AI infrastructure project led by OpenAI, and a host of AI data centers around the U.K. American companies are announcing $42 billion in investment in the U.K.’s AI sector, including $30 billion from Microsoft for products including Britain’s largest supercomputer British officials said they have not agreed to scrap a digital services tax or water down internet regulation to get the deal, some details of which have yet to be announced. There was less movement on tariffs. Talks on lowering duties on steel and aluminum to zero from their current level of 25% have stalled even with a promise four months ago of a settlement within weeks. Trump was asked in a Fox News Channel interview, taped in London and aired while he flew home, whether he would be willing to decrease tariffs on U.K. steel. He was noncommittal, saying, “We’re making a lot of money.”

mendation, hepatitis B cases among infants fell from 5,494 cases per year in 2005 to 2,214 cases in 2023.

During Thursday’s discussion, some committee members questioned whether babies born to moms who test positive for hepatitis B are the only ones who truly need a vaccine in the first day of life. By giving virtually all babies the hepatitis B right after birth, “Are we asking

While the prime minister has played a major part in European efforts to shore up U.S support for Ukraine, Trump’s visit offered few major advancements. Trump even insisted at one point, that the conflict “doesn’t affect the U.S.” The president has expressed frustration with Putin, but has not made good on threats to impose new sanctions on Russia. The king, in his state banquet speech Wednesday night, offered Trump a gentle nudge, noting “as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.”

our babies to solve an adult problem?” asked committee member Dr Evelyn Griffin. But Meissner expressed bewilderment at some of this discussion. “This an absolutely safe vaccine,” he said. “I’m not sure what we’re gaining by avoiding that first dose within 12 to 24 hours after birth.” He later added: “We will be creating new doubts in the mind of the public that are not justified.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

President Donald Trump and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer smile while holding a memorandum of understanding between the two countries’ governments after a business roundtable Thursday at Chequers near Aylesbury, England

La. unemployment benefit rising

Employer tax set to decrease

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

The maximum weekly unemployment benefit in Louisiana will soon increase from $275 to $282 after state leaders on Thursday got an updated economic forecast of the state’s unemployment claims.

Employers can also expect a

cut in the unemployment insurance taxes they pay per employee into the state’s unemployment fund. The wage base, or the wages businesses pay the tax on each year, will decrease from $7,700 to $7,000.

“On average overall, Louisiana employers will see about a 9 to 10% drop in their tax burden,” said Susana Schowen, secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

“Each employer is going to see something slightly different,” she added.

The changes are set to take effect Jan. 1. and are happening because the state’s unemployment fund is expected to grow more than previously forecast.

The balance in the fund is projected to increase by $82 million and reach roughly $1.196 billion by August 2026, according to updated official economic projections adopted by state leaders on Thursday The current balance is $1.114 billion.

The fact that the fund is on track to surpass $1.15 billion triggers the lower employer taxes and

higher benefit payments. “Good policy and an efficiencyminded administration result in better outcomes for our businesses and our people,” Schowen said.

During the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the money in the unemployment fund dwindled. In late summer 2020, it held just $188 million, though it was steadily replenished over subsequent years. The expected growth in the fund is partially a result of recent changes that cut back on how long unemployment can be claimed.

CLEAN STREAK

Lee Taylor uses a leaf blower to clean foliage and dirt off his sidewalk recently in the Garden District.

Victim ID’d in fatal BR shooting

CRIME BLOTTER staff reports

The victim of a shooting Wednesday night in Baton Rouge has been identified by officials as 19-year-old Joseph Mitchell. The shooting happened at about 6:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of Eleanor Drive, near Linden Street, according to Baton Rouge police. Responding officers found the victim dead from a gunshot wound. No suspects or motives have been developed at this time, police said in a news release. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call BRPD’s Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

Baton Rouge police arrest suspect in fatal shooting

Baton Rouge police announced they have arrested a man suspected of fatally shooting another man Saturday evening on Sycamore Street Tre’Vionte Simpson, 27, of Baton Rouge, was arrested Monday and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of second-degree murder, illegal possession of firearms and felon in possession Simpson is suspected of shooting 27-yearold Jaray Washington Police found Washington unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds after being called to a Sycamore Street address around 7:45 p.m Saturday. Police believe Washington attempted to intervene in an argument before Simpson shot him. Washington was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries, police said Sunday morning.

Police say Simpson had left the scene of the incident on Saturday and was at-large until Monday Court records show Simpson has a lengthy arrest history of burglaries.

Judge denies new trial in BR toddler killing

Man convicted of burying child’s body

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

A Baton Rouge man will not get a new trial after a jury convicted him of stuffing his live-in girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter in a suitcase after he found her unresponsive, driving her to a marsh in Mississippi and burying her body in a shallow grave along the banks of the Pearl River

A Baton Rouge judge denied Phillip Kegan Gardner’s request to be tried before a new jury after his attorneys argued that jurors at his original trial used unlawful rationale to find him guilty of second-degree murder earlier this year That conviction, under state law fates Gardner to a mandatory life term in prison when he goes before District Judge Fred Crifasi to receive his sentence Oct. 8.

State prosecutors and Gardner’s attorneys submitted briefs and squared off before Crifasi on two different hearing dates before the judge issued his Sept. 12 ruling denying the defendant’s motion for another murder trial. Gardner conceded his guilt to obstruction of justice for the part he played in trying to cover up Nevaeh Allen’s killing. But his attorneys sought to convince Crifasi that it was excessive to convict him of murder, subjecting him to a life sentence, because he had no direct role in the abuse that led the toddler’s death.

Lanaya Brittany Cardwell, Nevaeh’s mother who lived in an apartment with

Gardner and several other children, beat Nevaeh the morning of the girl’s death, according to police. The child suffered internal head trauma wounds and later died.

“Mr Gardner was not a principal to Ms. Cardwell’s cruelty,” Assistant Public Defender Jeanna Wheat argued during a Sept. 4 hearing in Crifasi’s courtroom. “There is nothing that would suggest Mr. Gardner caused those injuries.” Cardwell was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder and is slated to be tried in November

Crifasi noted that Gardner was the lone adult in the apartment with Nevaeh when he found her unconscious, pale in

In 2024, state lawmakers and Gov Jeff Landry altered Louisiana’s unemployment program. Previously, people out of a job could get benefits for up to 26 weeks. Now under the current scheme, the length of time a jobless person can collect unemployment benefits is tied to the state’s unemployment rate At Louisiana’s current unemployment rate of 4.5%, people can collect benefits for up to 12 weeks. Email Alyse Pfeil at alyse.pfeil@ theadvocate.com.

Baton Rouge attorney suspended

Client trust account probed

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Another prominent Baton Rouge attorney landed in hot water with the Louisiana Supreme Court this week.

Six days after the state’s high court issued an order sidelining civil rights and defense lawyer Ron Haley, justices on Tuesday unanimously agreed to revoke probation for longtime practitioner Chester James “Jamey” Rothkamm Jr In doing so, the Supreme Court handed down a one-year, one-day suspension for Rothkamm that had previously been deferred.

Next month marks the 35-year anniversary for Rothkamm’s legal career in Louisiana. He was admitted to the state bar in 1990 and has become one of the busiest criminal defense attorneys in East Baton Rouge Parish, representing hundreds of defendants in the 19th Judicial District Court and beyond.

But his troubles began when the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel began investigating allegations that he mishandled his client trust account, a special kind of bank account where a lawyer holds money on behalf of a client. The ODC determined the mismanagement caused Rothkamm to commingle and misappropriate funds and said he failed to direct or supervise electronic transfers from the client trust account, according to findings that the body sent up the ladder to the state Supreme Court.

Justices agreed with the disciplinary board’s recommendations and issued a one-year suspension for Rothkamm in May 2023, but deferred that suspension and ordered him to complete two years of supervised probation.

In Tuesday’s order, Supreme Court justices cited reports from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel that Rothkamm failed to comply with the mandates of his probation. The ODC recommended his probation be revoked, and Rothkamm consented to the revocation, the report said. The Supreme Court noted investigators from the disciplinary board may have uncovered new findings of misconduct and did not rule out the possibility of new charges against Rothkamm. The high court agreed to impose the one-year suspension that had been lingering over the attorney’s head in case he failed to keep in line with the conditions of his probation. Rothkamm’s probation period took effect Aug. 29, 2023, and was set to expire late last month. But the Office of Disciplinary Counsel filed a motion to revoke his probation in June.

A hearing committee scheduled an August conference to take up arguments on the motion. But Rothkamm and his attorney signed a consent agreement several days before then, acknowledging he failed to comply with many of the nine conditions of his probation. According to the consent agreement, he did not respond to all the Office of Disciplinary Counsel’s requests and make himself readily available for

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

PHOTO PROVIDED By LOUISIANA STATE POLICE

2-year-old Nevaeh Allen’s body was found in a suitcase in a shallow grave along the banks of the Pearl River in Mississippi in September 2021.

BR manpleadsnot guilty in cold case

2014 shooting left 7-year-old dead

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

The accused triggerman ina murder case that remained unsolved after more thanadecade stood handcuffed in aBaton Rouge courtroom Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to charges that he shot and killed a 7-year-old boy Rashad Montreal Turner,33, was indicted by agrand juryonSept 3onafirst-degree murder charge and four counts of attempted firstdegree murder.East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office detectivesused “cyberDNA”technologytolink Turner to an August 2014driveby shooting that killed Terrez Coleman.

The boy was riding in acar with his family when abullet ripped through the vehicle’sback door, grazed one of his older sisters and struck him in the torso.

It was years before detectives could even develop Turner as a possible suspect in the shooting, and even more timebefore technology emerged that investigators used to establish enough probable cause against him.

Deputies arrestedTurner on

KILLING

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the face and without apulse hours after the alleged beating. He didn’tcall 911 or seek medical attention when she remained unresponsive after he tried to revive her Instead, he packed the toddler’slimp body into asuitcase, dragged the luggage down stairs, stuffed it in his car and raced to aremote patch of woods across theMississippi state linein Hancock County,just northeast of New Orleans. He buried Nevaeh deep in the woods, then returned home and reported the child missing, setting off atwostate search for Nevaeh involving the FBI and several other law enforcement agencies. It took four days for authorities to figure out the report of her disappearance was ahoax to conceal thefactthat thechild was actually killed.

ATTORNEY

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ODC conferences. He repeatedly failed to disclose bank records and transactions from his client trust account to ODC probation monitors forquarterly audits. The disciplinary board said little more than $278,000 was deposited into the client trust account during Rothkamm’sprobationary period, while nearly$309,000was disbursed from the account. State regulators determined more than $144,000 of the money deposited into the Chase Bank account was proceeds froma 2023 property sale, and Rothkamm failed to pay that money to the property owneritbelonged to. He converted the funds for his own use instead, prompting legal action, accordingtothe committee’sreport. The disciplinary board found that Rothkamm was “dishonest with the court and opposing party as to the reason for his delays in producing the succession funds,” the report indicated.

ACameron Parish judgein February held Rothkamm in contempt and orderedhim to repay the property owner.

May12— three days after the Sheriff’s Officereceived areport from Cybercheck, an AI-powered data intelligence tool many law enforcement agencies have used in recentyearstocrack cold cases

The report pinpointed Turner’slocation nearthe scene at the time of the fatal shooting. The Cybercheck report also placed Turner within yardsofa September2013 vehicle burglary in Ruston, where the gun used to kill Terrez was stolen.

Turner pleaded notguiltytothe murder and attempted murder charges when hestood before District Judge Carson Marcantel on Wednesday during an arraignment hearing inside the 19thJudicial District Courthouse. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar

Moore said that hisoffice has yet to decide whether it will pursue thedeath penalty

The shootingoccurred late the night of Aug. 16, 2014. Deputies have describeditasanapparently random drive-by.According to an arrest affidavit, theColemans were leaving afamily reunion, driving west alonga wooded stretch of PrescottRoad.Parents

Terry andFelicia Coleman were in thefront seats, and Terrez wassitting betweenhis 11-year-old twin sisters in the back seats.

As the family neared the inter-

Crifasi, in his ruling, said it wasreasonable fora jury to conclude Gardner’scriminal negligence directlyled to Nevaeh’s death. That was consistentwith thefelony murder doctrine for seconddegreemurder with cruelty to ajuvenile as the underlying crime,hedetermined in affirmingthe jury’s verdict. “There were no irregularities in thetrial,” Crifasi wrote. “As such, this ground for anew trial fails.”

Gardner’sculpability

According to trial testimony,LanayaCardwell was in thebathroom preparing to go to workfor themorning of Sept.24, 2021, when Nevaehpickedupher mom’s contact lenses and ripped one, policesaid. Alivid Cardwellthen struck her daughter in thetorso with a closed fist. Nevaeh fell backward and hither head on acabinet before her mother “forcefully grabbed” her and took her to anotherroom, according

sectionofJoorRoad,theypassed avehicle traveling in the opposite direction and hearda“pop” sound. Investigators determined asingle shotwas fired from the passing vehicle into the Colemans’car

Deputies saidthe bullet penetrated the rear driver’sside door andgrazed oneofTerrez’solder sisters in the stomach before it struck him in the torso Following the shooting, thefamily continued about amile west to theDistrict 6FireDepartment in the 7800 block of PrescottRoad to getmedical help. Terrez diedalmost instantly, accordingtoprevious reporting. Hissister was taken to ahospitaltobetreated, but survivedher wound,according to the affidavit. The parents and their other daughter were not injured.

Investigators initially had little to go on,just avague description of the passing vehicle and agrainy picture. Evenafter the Sheriff’s Office sought informationfrom thepublic, deputies weren’table to find any leads todevelopa suspect.

But in November 2016, deputies nabbedTurnerinatraffic stop in the6100 block of Antioch Road Officers found andseized narcotics as well as a.40-caliber Smith& Wesson from thevehicle. Turner was arrested and charged on sev-

to arrest records. Gardner later told police thatfrom the next room, it sounded like “two adults fighting.” Nevaeh emerged from the room afterthe beating with alarge bruiseonher forehead.

Gardner drove Cardwell to workand returned home to the couple’sapartment in the 12600 block of West La Belle Avenue with Nevaeh and two of her siblings. At somepoint later that morning, the child becameill and Gardner senther to bed to rest. He later found her unresponsive on the couch Thinking shewas dead, he foldedher body into asuitcase and drove to Mississippi, where he buried Nevaeh along the Pearl River

Ajury convicted Gardner of obstruction of justice and second-degree murder on May 9atthe endofatwoweek trial at the19th Judicial District Courthouse. Gardnerwas supposed to receive his life sentence July 30. But his attorneys raised

eral drug and weapon charges. The pistol proved to be stolen, anda ballistics report that investigators received in March 2017 showed the gun matched ashell casing foundinthe road at the scene of the 2014 shooting involvingthe Colemanfamily,according to Turner’sarrest affidavit. Abulletprojectile that wasinTerrez’s clothing alsotiedback to the stolen firearm, according to deputies. The gun was reportedly stolen from avehicleburglarized late the night of Sept. 16,2013. Investigators saidTurner wasenrolled as astudent at GramblingState University at the time. The vehicle break-in happened aboutfive miles from theGrambling campus. Investigatorsgot asearchwarranttosubpoena and review Turner’scellphone records, which showed he was in the general area of boththe 2013 vehicle break-in and the fatal shooting months later,according to his arrest report. That made him asuspect in the homicide, but detectives still didn’t thinkthey had probable cause to make an arrest.

But earlier this year,detectives establishedstrongerevidenceon Turner’s whereaboutsbothwhen the weapon used to kill Terrez was stolenand at thetime of theactual shooting. The Sheriff’s Office began contracting with Cybercheck

their petition for anew trial, arguing thatjurors they interviewed after thetrial told an investigatorfrom thePublic Defender’sOffice that they convicted Gardner under the guise thathewas criminally negligent.Crifasi postponed argumentsonthe motionfor amonthsohe could review statutes on the jury shieldlaw.Whenthe hearing reconvened Sept. 4, he sustainedprosecutors’ objection and wouldn’tallow theinvestigator totestify as athird-party on his discussions withjurors about their deliberations. Gardner’sdefenseattorneys tried to get any criminal negligence provisions removed from the jury’s trial instructions, but Crifasi denied thatrequest. Wheat, the public defender,said that ruling factored intothe jury’sverdictand opened the door for themtofind Gardner guilty

“By allowing the juryto consider criminal negligence in thecontext of a

to use the company’sopen-source intelligence framework. Thetechnologyusesa blendof artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyzevast amounts of data to detect any discernible cyber-based occurrences, such as an email pinging off awireless accesspoint,tolink apotential suspect, victim or person of interest back to an alleged crime.

Sheriff’sdetectives received the findings of the Cybercheck that showed one of Turner’scellular or email devices was on the street of the Ruston vehicle break-in on the night the murderweapon was stolen, and adevice that traced back to him tried to access the internet in the 7700 block of Prescott Road the night Terrez was killed. Satisfied that was enough evidence to place Turner at the scene of both crimes, deputies arrested him three days later Turnerremains jailedwithout bond on the murder chargeas he awaits trial. His BatonRouge attorneysGerardTorry andKarleigh Gwyn told Marcantel on Wednesday they have filed motions to receive evidence disclosures from the District Attorney’s Office, and ahearing is set for Oct. 16 to discuss discovery in the case. EmailMatt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

murder conviction, that is direct prejudice Mr.Gardnerhas suffered,”Wheat said during thehearing earlier this month. “And Ido believe that had that been struck from jury instructions, Mr.Gardner likely would have either been acquitted or convicted of a lesser included offense.”

Kathleen Barrios Heap, the assistant districtattorney wholed Gardner’sprosecution, told Crifasithat the state presented jurors a multifold theoryofmurder at his trial.One hinged on Gardnerbeing involvedin the juvenile cruelty that led to Nevaeh’sdeath, another argument wasthat his failure to seek help made him culpable formurder

Heap said another theory, based on circumstantial evidence, was that Gardnercould have caused the fatal head trauma injuries to Nevaehhimself after returning back to the family’sapartment that morning. SheremindedCrifasi

of trial testimony from East Baton Rouge Deputy Coroner YenVan Vo,the forensic pathologist who conducted Nevaeh’sautopsy.Votold jurors the toddler suffered at least12distinctblows to the head andsurmisedthe effects of those wounds would have been apparent immediately,Heap argued. The prosecutor said video surveillanceshowed Nevaeh leaving homewith the family afterthe alleged attackbyher mother,and shewas walking upright, unassisted and showing no apparent signs of head trauma “The evidence shows that there is no person other than Phillip Gardner who could’ve inflicted that head trauma upon Nevaeh Allen and killed her,” she argued. Crifasi agreed that wasa possible theory thatcould have laid the foundation for jurors to find Gardner guilty Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

BUSINESS

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Bed Bath & Beyond to return to Louisiana

Bed Bath & Beyond is coming back.

The company announced

Tuesday it plans to rebrand all of the Kirkland’s Home stores, including the 9 Louisiana outlets, to Bed Bath & Beyond locations Bed Bath & Beyond purchased the Kirkland’s name and brand assets from The Brand House Collective for $10 million in a deal that closed the same day

The rebrandings are set to take place over the next two years. Kirkland’s has stores in Baton Rouge, Lafayette Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Denham Springs, Slidell, Covington and Harvey

The plan to go back to retail locations is a change in strategy for Bed Bath & Beyond

The retailer was known for its blue and white coupons offering deep discounts on kitchen gadgets and home furnishings. By 2019, it had more than 1,500 stores in North America. But the company hit a prolonged sales slump and by 2023 it filed for bankruptcy and liquidated all of its brick and mortar stores. In June 2023, online retailer Overstock.com acquired its intellectual property assets for $21.5 million, and rebranded itself as Bed Bath & Beyond.

After serving as an onlineonly business for a couple of years, Bed Bath & Beyond moved back into the physical retail business.

Hyundai expanding raided Georgia complex

Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday confirmed it is going forward with previously announced plans to expand its Georgia plant, just weeks after an immigration raid delayed the startup of an electric vehicle battery plant at the site. As part of a broader investment strategy, Hyundai said it would spend $2.7 billion to increase production capacity at the Ellabell site by 200,000 over the next three years, to a total of 500,000 vehicles a year

The company first announced the expansion in March at the grand opening of the plant west of Savannah, and had said in August that it would invest an additional $5 billion in United States overall. But the raid, which included arrests of more than 300 South Korean citizens, led to questions about the wisdom of the Asian nation investing in the U.S.

The company said it now plans to produce 10 models of electric and hybrid gas-electric vehicles in Georgia.

Starbucks workers are taking legal action

Starbucks workers in three states took legal action against the coffee giant Wednesday, saying it violated the law when it changed its dress code but refused to reimburse employees who had to buy new clothes.

The employees, who are backed by the union organizing Starbucks’ workers, filed class-action lawsuits in state court in Illinois and Colorado. Workers also filed complaints with California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency. If the agency decides not to seek penalties against Starbucks, the workers intend to file a class-action lawsuit in California, according to the complaints. Starbucks’ new dress code went into effect on May 12. It requires all workers in North America to wear a solid black shirt with short or long sleeves under their green aprons. Shirts may or may not have collars, but they must cover the midriff and armpits.

Employees must wear khaki, black or blue denim bottoms without patterns or frayed hems or solid black dresses that are not more than 4 inches above the knee The dress code also requires workers to wear black, gray, dark blue, brown, tan or white shoes made from a waterproof material

Wall Street rolls to more records, led by a rally for tech stocks

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK Wall Street rolled to more records on Thursday as Nvidia and Intel led a rally for technology stocks after announcing a deal that includes a $5 billion investment.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and is on track for a third straight winning week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 124 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9%. All three set all-time highs.

Encouraging reports on the economy sent Treasury yields climbing in the bond market, meanwhile, including one that said fewer U.S. workers applied for

unemployment benefits last week than expected. That could indicate the pace of layoffs is slowing, and it was a relief after the prior week’s data showed a disconcerting leap to a four-year high. The job market has slowed so much that the Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its main interest rate for the first time this year in order to give it some help. The Fed also indicated more cuts may be on the way though Chair Jerome Powell warned that the Fed is in a precarious position and may have to change course quickly That’s because the economy is in an unusual situation where the job market is slowing while inflation is remaining stubbornly high at the same time.

Expectations are high on Wall Street that the Fed will keep cutting interest rates, and an unexpected halt could send stocks tum-

bling. Critics say stock prices have already shot too high and become too expensive, in part because of heavy bets on continued cuts in rates.

On Wall Street, smaller stocks led the way They can be some of the biggest beneficiaries of easier interest rates, and the Russell 2000 index of small stocks rallied 2.5% to join its bigger rivals in setting all-time highs. It topped its prior record, which was set in 2021.

Stocks in the cryptocurrency industry jumped to strong gains, including rises of 7% for Coinbase Global, 20.7% for Bullish and 7.2% for Circle Internet Group Bitcoin climbed above $117,500 following the Fed’s cut to interest rates.

Novo Nordisk saw its stock that trades in the United States rise 6.3% after the Danish company said a newly published study showed its once-a-day pill version of Wegovy helped people lose sig-

nificant weight. It also said that its Ozempic product reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke and death for patients versus another treatment for some people with type 2 diabetes.

On the losing end of Wall Street, the company behind Olive Garden and other restaurant chains sank 7.7% after it reported a profit for the latest quarter that was below analysts’ expectations. Darden Restaurants also raised its forecast for revenue growth this fiscal year, but not by much more than analysts expected.

The Walt Disney Co. slipped 1.1% after the entertainment giant announced that its ABC television division had suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely after comments that he made about Charlie Kirk’s killing led a group of ABC-affiliated stations to say they would not air the show

Nvidia to invest $5 billion in Intel

Companies to work on custom data centers and personal computer products

BY KELVIN CHAN and MATT O’BRIEN AP business reporter

Nvidia, the world’s leading chipmaker, announced on Thursday that it’s investing $5 billion in Intel and will collaborate with the struggling semiconductor company

Nvidia said it will spend $5 billion to buy Intel common stock at $23.28 a share. The investment, which is subject to regulatory approvals, comes a month after the U.S. government took a 10% stake in Intel.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called it “a fusion of two world-class platforms” that combines Intel’s strength in making conventional computer chips, known as CPUs, that power most laptops, with Nvidia’s focus on the specialized graphics chips that are critical for artificial intelligence.

“This partnership is a recognition that computing has fundamentally changed,” Huang told reporters Thursday “The era of accelerated and AI computing has arrived.”

Intel soared 22.8% for its best day since 1987. Nvidia climbed 3.5% and was by far the strongest force lifting the S&P 500 because it’s Wall Street’s most valuable company

For data centers, Intel will make custom chips that Nvidia will use in its AI infrastructure platforms. While for personal computer products, Intel will build chips that integrate Nvidia technology

The agreement provides a lifeline for Intel, which was a Silicon Valley pioneer that enjoyed decades of growth as its processors powered the personal computer boom, but fell into a slump after missing the shift to the mobile computing era unleashed by the iPhone’s 2007 debut.

Intel fell even farther behind in recent years amid the AI boom that’s propelled Nvidia into the world’s most valuable company Intel lost nearly $19 billion last year and another $3.7 billion in the first six months of this year, and expects to slash its workforce by a quarter by the end of 2025.

The U.S. government stepped in last month to secure a 10% stake 433.3 million shares

of non-voting stock priced at $20.47 apiece — making it one of Intel’s biggest shareholders. Federal officials said they invested in Intel in order to bolster U.S. technology and domestic manufacturing. The news of Nvidia’s investment caused Intel’s stock price to surge more than 5% in Thursday afternoon trading, resulting in a one-day gain of $2.4 billion for the U.S. government’s stake.

Huang said Nvidia has been in talks with Intel for about a year Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who joined the press call with Huang on Thursday said he’s been talking to Nvidia since he was named Intel’s new leader in March.

“This is a very big, important milestone,” Tan said. “I call it a game-changing opportunity that we can work together.” Nvidia has soared because its specialized chips are underpinning the AI boom. The chips, known as graphics processing units, or GPUs, are highly effective at developing powerful AI systems.

The deal between the two chipmakers comes as China moves to be less dependent on U.S. semiconductor technology This

week, Chinese officials reportedly forbade several large domestic technology companies from purchasing Nvidia chips, and Huawei announced that it was expanding its development of AI chips and manufacturing. While Nvidia and Intel, both headquartered in Santa Clara, California, will work together to develop new chips, a manufacturing deal has yet to be struck between the two. The potential access to Intel’s chip foundries by Nvidia poses a risk to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which currently manufactures the tech giant’s flagship processors. Huang emphasized Thursday that both his company and Intel remain “very successful customers” of TSMC.

Of Nvidia’s own Intel stake, Huang said “the Trump administration had no involvement in this partnership at all,” though “would have been very supportive, of course.”

Huang has been in Britain on a visit that coincides with Trump’s trip to the country, and he has been attending events with the president along with other Silicon Valley bigwigs.

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN Associated Press

The Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general sued Ticketmaster and its parent company Thursday, saying they are forcing consumers to pay more to see live events through a variety of illegal tactics.

The FTC said Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, have deceived artists and consumers by advertising lower ticket prices than what consumers must pay and falsely claiming to impose strict limits on the number of tickets consumers can buy for an event.

In reality, the FTC said, Ticketmaster coordinates with ticket brokers who bypass those ticket limits. The FTC said brokers use fake accounts to buy up millions of dollars worth of tickets and then sell them at a substantial markup on Ticketmaster’s platform Ticketmaster benefits from the additional fees it collects from those sales, the FTC said.

The Associated Press left messages seeking comment Thursday with Beverly Hills, Californiabased Live Nation Entertainment.

Ticketmaster controls 80% or more of major U.S. concert venues’ primary ticketing, according to the FTC. Consumers spent more than $82.6 billion buying tickets from Ticketmaster between 2019 and 2024, the agency added.

“American live entertainment is the best in the world and should be accessible to all of us. It should not cost an arm and a leg to take the family to a baseball game or attend your favorite musician’s show,” FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a statement.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Joining the lawsuit were the attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.

Ticketmaster has been in lawmakers’ sights since 2022, when it spectacularly botched ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour The company’s site was overwhelmed by fans and attacks from brokers’

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MAHESH KUMAR A. Visitors give commands to a robot at Nvidia’s booth during the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing in July

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PHELAN M. EBENHACK

4B

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Chandler,Rosemary ShadyGrove FirstMissionary Baptist Church at 10am

Coreil, Barbara St.John theEvangelistCatholic Church in Plaquemineat10am.

■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

Today southeastuntil theirretirement in 2014 Heissurvivedbyhis wifeHelen Bean and childrenToddBean(Mary), Victor Bean (Ashley), Sondra Hewett(Ben), Rhonda Rick (Ken), Perry Montgomery (Paula)and Shawn Bean (Elizabeth)and 17 grandchildrenand step grandchildren, and six great grandchildren

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Duhe', Thomas St.Thomas More Catholic Church 11441 Goodwood Boulevard, at 10 a.m. Hayes,Alta

Mt.PilgrimBaptistChurch at 11 a.m.

Hills,Michael Greater NewGalileeBaptist Church 9185 Wilbur Street,Baton Rouge,LAat

10am.

Kiper, Lisa

FirstBaptistChurch in Zacharyat 11am Weston, Victor

Freddie Lee Freemana native and resident of Baton Rouge died at 2:19 am, Thursday, September 4, 2025 at OurLadyofthe Lake Hospital. He died (9) ninedaysshortofhis eighty-six(86) birthday.

theRosary, which will be prayed at 10 AM. Internment willfollow at Greenoaks Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers,donations can be madetoSt. Thomas More Church at theaddress above.

Guerin Jr., Albert

Albert Guerin Jr.

Erwinville, LA

Albert Guerin Jr. departed this life on September 10, 2025, at theage of 86.

Batiste, Josephine 'Butterbean' Funeralservicesfor Josephine "Butterbean"

Batiste will be held Satur‐day,September 20,2025 at NazareneBaptist Church, 1707 SpanishTownRd. A publicvisitationwillbe heldfrom9:00a.m.until 11:00 a.m. with religious servicesbeginning at 11:00 a.m.Interment:Southern MemorialGardens.Profes‐sionalservicesentrusted toCharles Mackey Funeral Home.

Bean, Ernest 'Ernie'

Ernest Lee Bean, age 89 passed away on September 12th, 2025. He was born June 10th, 1936 at his home in Valley Station, KY. He enjoyed traveling and loved taking his grandchildren with him on trips all over the world. He wasa member of First Baptist Concord. He attended Valley High School and joined the Navy at age 17. He attended boot camp in Bainbridge, MD, then played football for the Navy in Newport,RI. Wanting to see the world he transferred to an LST out of Charleston, SC for 6 months and then adestroyerescort DE148. Before his discharge in 1958 he sailed to South America, Europe, New Zealand and the South Pole and played fast pitch softball in the United States and New Zealand for the Navy. He returned home to Louisville,KYand began working for International Harvester and coached Little League football and baseball. After beginning a career with the Independent Order of Foresters he was transferred to Baton Rouge, LA in 1973 and worked opening offices in that area. After his position was phased out he and his wife formed their own company in 1984 promoting gun and knife shows throughout the

Amemorialservice will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025atSt. Paul the ApostleCatholic Church, 3912 Gus Young Ave. at 10:00 am conducted by Fr. Arockiam. Freddieissurvived by his wifeof65years Laura BirchFreeman, their three children, Fredrena Freeman Johnson (Richard), Dwight M. Freeman, and MelonieFreemanStewart, five grandchildren, five great grandchildren and one brother-in-law Michael Birch.

Gaudin, Frances

FrancesMarie Rayburn Gaudinpassed away peacefully at herhome on Wednesday,September 17, 2025.She wasborn in Scioto County,OhioonAugust 20, 1933 and was the second of eight childrenof Irvin and StellaRayburn. Frances grewupinOhio and graduated from Wheelersburg High School in1952 as the class valedictorian. Sheattendedthe Bethesda HospitalSchool of Nursing in Cincinnation afullscholarship, and upon graduation she worked at the Jewish Hospitaland becamehead nurse.Itwas in Cincinnatithatshe met the love of her life,Louis Benedict Gaudin, and they were married in 1958.Their honeymoon was along and lovely drivefromOhio to NewOrleans, Louisiana and aftera fewyears they movedto Baton Rouge. Frances worked at the BatonRougeWoman's Hospital and later workedwith her husband to co-found G Squared Engineered Products. They workedtogether every dayuntil their retirement. They wereactive in their parish St. Thomas More CatholicChurch, enjoyeddining out forlunch and loved to spend time with family and friends Theyalsoloved to travel, visiting many countries and completing over 30 cruises. They were blessed with alongand lovingmarriage of 58 years. Frances is survivedbytheirfive children andtheir spouses: Richard (Stephanie),Florence Brennan (Ed), L. Ben (Debra), Doug, Stephen (Anne Marie). Sheisalso survived by herbrother Paul Rayburn and sister Rose Ann Havens. Frances was proud of all of her grandchildrenand their spouses, who lovingly calledher GG; Joshua Simonds (Amber), Andrew Simonds(Sami), Jessica Bell (Kasey), Abigail Lechkun (Sean), LouisB.III "Trey",AlexandraFriend (Jack), Ryan (Maddy), Austin, Kendall Holden ( Patrick), Joseph, Stephen (Natalie), Edward Brennan and Catherine Brennan. Francesisalsosurvived by her great-grandchildren Conley, Kyelynn, Daphne and Elise. She is proceeded in death by her husband Louis; her siblings Mary, Lucille,John, Eugene, Carl, infant Rayburn; her daughter-in-lawEllen; and her grandchildrenMorganand Sean Michael.The family wouldliketoextenda heartfelt thank-you to her wonderful caregivers Nyoki, Erica, Melissaand Deborah. Pallbearerswillbeher grandsons.Visitation will be Saturday, September20 at Saint ThomasMore CatholicChurch, 11441 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70815 beginning at 9AMuntil mass of Christian Burial beginning at 11 AM. The familyinvites you to join them for h hi h ill b

BorninVentress, Louisiana, Albert was a longtime resident of Erwinville, Louisiana. Adevotedmember of his communityand faith, religious services willbeheldatSt. Augustine Catholic Church in NewRoads, LA,onMonday, September 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. He is survivedbythree sons: Fredrick Guerin of Conyers, GA; KirbyGuerin; and John Young,bothof Staten Island, NY.Healso leavesbehindfour brothers: Kirby Guerin of Erwinville, LA;J.Rubin Guerin of Baton Rouge, LA; Charles GuerinofMinnesota;and RogerGuerin of NewRoads, LA.Two sisters,MaryAnn Guerinof NewRoads, LA,and Rita May Guerin of NewYork. Albert was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Beulah Guerin; his sister, JosephineGuerin Gremillion; and three nephews.

Fannie PearlHarbinde‐partedthislifeonMonday, September 8, 2025, at As‐cension Oaks Nursing HomeinGonzales, LA.She was 81, anativeofMobile, ALand aresidentofGon‐zales,LA. Visitation on Sat‐urday,September 20, 2025 atShekinahGlory Christian FellowshipChurch from 10:00am to religiousser‐vices at 11:00am.Inter‐mentinthe church ceme‐tery. Arrangements by Williams &SouthallFuneral Home, 101 Loop 945, Don‐aldsonville,LA70346. (225) 473-1900. To sign theguest book or offercondolences visit ourwebsite at www williamsandsouthallfune ralhome.com.

Harp, Bennel Marie

BennelMarieHarp,born January31, 1952, joinedher mother, father, brothers, and theangels in eternal rest on September 11, 2025. She was thekindofwoman who livedlifeexactly on herown terms, withno needfor pretenseorpolish. Unbotheredbymaterial things and indifferentto vanity, she spokeher mind with refreshing honesty and compassion.Those who knew her quickly realized that her directness was matched onlybyher kindness.She was generous with her time, her friendship,and her heart—always shining light on others, never seeking thespotlightherself. An athlete in her younger years, she spent timeasa florist before stepping into her true calling: alongand respectedcareer in Corrections. There, she earned admirationnot fromdemanding respect, butfrom giving it freely and consistentlythroughher actions. Quietly powerful and unassuming, she embodiedauthenticity in every chapter of herlife

Thoughshe never had children of her own, she adored her nieces, nephews, and thechildren of her closestfriends, many of whom she

claimedasher own in the way onlyshe could. She valuedfamily,friendship, comfort, and good conversation—oftenaccompanied by acoldbeer. Her life was arare and striking blend of strength, humor, loyalty, and independence. She willbedeeplymissed by her family,her circle of friends, and allwhose lives she touched. She is survivedbyher devoted sister and brother-in-law, Donna and EJ Hahn; brother,Sidney L. Harp II,and his wife, Brenda; nieces and nephews, LydiaHahn, EddieHahn (Candi), Courtney Cassard (Gerald), Amy LaGraize(Paul), and Brooke Hebert; great-niecesand nephews, Breanna Hahn, Darren Hahn, Dlayna Jackson, CamilleHahn Ramos, Elbie Hahn, Cruz Cassard, Thomas LaGraize,Harper LaGraize,Noah Hebert,and Adam Hebert; and greatgreat-nieces, Bry'Onna Hahn, BraylaSteward,and Brinique Steward;along with ahost of special friends, includingher chosen family-Dana Aucoin Kurt Westerman, Cameran Aucoin and Deanie Daigle. She waspreceded in death by her parents, Bennett Robert and ElsieOurso Harp; brothers, Wayne Richardson-Harp and BennettRobert Harp Jr.; grandparents, Sidney and Aimee FalconOurso and Sidney and Flossie Babin Harp; and agreat-niece,Lytecianna Hahn. Friends and family are invitedtoa visitationand memorial Mass on Saturday, September20thatAscension of Our Lord CatholicChurch, 716 Mississippi Street,Donaldsonville from8:30am until Mass time at 11:00am. Interment to follow in Ascension CatholicCemetery. Father MattDupre willbe officiating.Feelfree to come comfortably,asBennel was nota fan of dress shoes or fancy attire! If youknow, youknow!

Hawkins, Hattie Funeralservicesfor Hat‐tie Hawkinswillbeheld Saturday, September20, 2025 at NewRisingBaptist Church,16444 Highland Rd A public visitation will be heldfrom8:00a.m.until 10:00 a.m. with religious servicesbeginning at 10:00 a.m. Interment: Cherry

FieldBaptist Church Ceme‐tery, 1854 Cherry FieldRd. Woodville, MS 39669. Pro‐fessional services en‐trusted to CharlesMackey FuneralHome.

Hernandez, Ronald Bryant

Ronald BryantHernandez, January8,1978September 4, 2025.

Ourdearly belovedson Bryant passedpeacefully September 4. He wasa member of Chapel on the Campussince ayoung age. He acceptedJesus Christ as hisLordand Saviorduringa mission trip. Bryant is nowwith hisHeavenly Father, familyand friends whohave gonebeforehim. Bryant enjoyed boating, fishingand gardening,especially gardenbedsof flowers.

Bryant is predeceased by hispaternalgrandparents Pearl FletcherFaser andChris Faser, and Ray J. Hernandez.Alsopredeceased by hismaternal grandparents Joyce N. Speckand Francis P. Naquin, Sr.and Lena Naquin.

Bryant is survived by his parents Nancy N. and Ronald P. Hernandez; daughterCamryn andhusbandChristian Buvens; brotherBlake and wife Anna andnewborn son Donavan BryantHernandez; numerousaunts, uncles and friends.

Prayersfor Bryant's familyand friends willbe greatly appreciated

Thefamilyrespectfully suggest donations may be made to achurchorcause of choice

Acelebration of Bryant'slifewill be held at alater date.

Jenkins, Pennie Funeralservicesfor Pen‐nie Jenkinswillbeheld SaturdaySeptember 20, 2025, at Ministry of New Life, 951 EddieRobinsonDr. Apublicvisitationwillbe

ManshipJr.,Douglas Lewis'Doug'

Douglas“Doug”Lewis Manship,Jr.,a beloved husband,father, grandfa‐ther, brother, andfriend, passedpeacefully on Wednesday,September 17 2025, surrounded by family after alongand coura‐geous journey. Born into the fourth generation of Baton Rouge’s firstfamily ofmedia,Doughelped steward thelegacyofCapi‐tal City Pressand Manship Media,the familyenter‐prise that shaped local journalismthrough TheAd‐vocate, WBRZ-TV, and WJBORadio.Manship earneda degree in radio/televisionspeech fromthe University of SouthwesternLouisiana now knownasthe Univer‐sityofLouisiana at Lafayette.Heservedased‐itorofthe school newspa‐per,The Vermilion, during his senior year.Duringhis career at TheAdvocate, Douggainedexperience acrossthe breadthofthe newspaper’s operations Heworkedinadvertising the pressroom, andasdi‐rectorofpromotionsbe‐forebecomingthe paper’s firstfull-time Washington, D.C correspondent. He later served as news fea‐tures editor,spent more thana decade as an editor‐ial writer,and became the firstdirectorofonlineop‐erationsinthe late 1990s In 1999, he wasnamed publisher of TheAdvocate, a role he held until hisre‐tirementin2007. Underhis leadership, thepaper mod‐ernized itsproduction, re‐placing itsold presseswith a computerized center on BluebonnetBoulevard that latermoved to itscurrent

Davis, Christopher CharletFuneralHome, 4230 High Street in Zachary, at 10 a.m.

Harbin,FanniePearl

home on Rieger Road

Doug’ssteadyhandand forward-lookingapproach helpedensurethatthe familynewspaper kept pacewithtechnological changewhile remaining truetoits journalistic mis‐sion. Alongsidehis broth‐ers Richardand Davidand his sister Dina,Dougcar‐riedforward atradition of civic responsibility and community servicerooted inthe vision of hisgrandfa‐therand father.Heand his siblingsextendedthis legacythrough atransfor‐mationalgifttothe LSU Manship School of Mass Communication,establish‐ing theDouglas Manship, Sr.–DoriJ.Maynard Chairin Race, Media, andCultural Literacy, andthrough manyother philanthropic endeavors.Dougissur‐vived by hislovingwife, Di‐anne Manship; hischer‐ished daughter,Julia Man‐shipGay,her husband Cameron,and theirson Logan; hisstepson,Kirk Fisher, andwifeMichelle, and theirchildrenClaire FisherHebertand husband Christian,SydneyFisher, and GrantFisher. He is also survivedbyhis brothers David Manshipand Richard Manship andwifeClaire, and hissisterDinaMan‐shipPlanche andhusband Patrick.Inaddition,heis survivedbyhis sister-inlaw MargoDelaune and husband Owen;his grand‐childrenJeremyBeasley and wife Samantha,Lauren Masserekand husband Collin; andbyhis nieces and nephewsJakeMan‐ship, LeighEllen Planche, DennisPlanche,Hunter Manship,and Paul Kadair Hewas preceded in death byhis parents, DouglasL Manship,Sr.,and Jane FrenchManship.The fam‐ily offers specialthanksto his extraordinarycare‐giversLizzy Pooleand Rosie Whitefor theirre‐markablecareand sup‐port. Beyond hispubliclife, Dougwillberemembered mostasa quiet, thought‐ful,and generous man. An avidreaderand lifelong lover of music, he found joy in thesongs of Willie Nelsonand JimmyBuffett In hisyounger years, he ex‐ploredthe depths of the ocean as amasterscuba diver,drawn to discovery and adventure, andpaired his journeys with apassion for photography.Doug’s greatestdevotionwas to his family. Hiswife, Dianne, was hisunwaveringcom‐panionand caregiver, em‐bodying alovethatonly deepened as hishealthde‐clined. Doug’s selflessness, generosity, andgentle spirittouched allwho knewhim.Hegavefully of himself to hisfamily, friends,and community His legacy will endure not onlyinBaton Rouge’scivic and cultural life butalsoin the hearts of allwho were fortunate to love him. Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to attend theVisita‐tionfrom11:00 a.m. until 2:00p.m.onSaturday, Sep‐tember20, 2025, at Resthaven FuneralHome, 11817 JeffersonHighway in Baton Rouge. Privateser‐vices will be held forthe family. In lieu of flowers, the familykindlyrequests thatmemorialcontribu‐tions be made to theLSU Manship School of Mass Communication,LSU Foun‐dationfor ManshipExcel‐lence Fund,3796Nicholson Drive,Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802,inhonor ofDoug’slifeand legacy Familyand friendsmay signthe online guestbook orleave apersonalnoteto the familyatwww.resthav enbatonrouge.com.

McPherson, Audrey Mae

Audrey MaeMcPherson departedthislifeonFriday, September 12, 2025, at her residence in Thibodaux, LA. Shewas 68, anativeof Thibodaux,LA. Visitation onSaturday, September20, 2025, at MorningStarBap‐tistChurch,101 BruleRd. Thibodaux,LAfrom9:00am toreligious services at 11:00am.Interment in the churchcemetery. Arrange‐ments by Williams & SouthallFuneral Home 1204 ClevelandSt.,Thibo‐daux, LA 70301. To sign the guest bo lences,v

www.williamsandsouthall funeralhome.com.

Pearl, Maurice Cottrell 'Moe-P'

Mauricetransitioned from earthtoglory on September 14, 2025,atthe Crossing Hospice Facility of Baton Rouge, LA, at 10:18p.m. Public visitation willbeheldonSaturday, September 20, 2025 at Star Hill Baptist Churchbeginningat8:00 a.m. Acelebration of life willbeheldat 10:00AMon 2025-09-20 at StarHill Baptist Church, 1400 N. Foster Dr.

Brenda Ann Powers, a native and resident of Plaquemine, bornonJuly4, 1953 to the late Iola Williams and JamesH Dawson. She married Arthur L. Powers. Brenda retired after 45 yearsof customerservice in theretail industry. On Wednesday morning, September10, 2025 Brenda transitioned to her heavenly home at the ageof72. Sheleaves to cherishher memories, herhusband, ReverendArthurL.Powers, 2children, Rochelleand Marlon (Tyla), 9grandchildren, 2great grandchildren, 5siblings,Linda,Lionel Sr., Coretta, Nolan, Christine, other relatives andfriends.Visiting, 5-7pm on Friday, September19, 2025 at The Greater Pilgrim Rest BaptistChurch 23030 Talbot Drive Plaquemine LA. Homegoing Services at 12, Saturday, September 20, 2025conducted by ClydeE.McNell Sr., Pastor. IntermentinGreaterPilgrim Rest Baptist Church Cemetery.

Roberts, Gary

Well-known among jazz musicians in Baton Rouge, Gary performedlive on a variety of instruments: notablydrums,vibes, and flute. Whether forafestival, localbrunch, corporate event or wedding reception, Garyalwayslaid down an appropriate groove with astylistic touch gainedfromextensive listening and playing experience.While attending LSUand earning a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, Gary played drums with the Copas Brothers before moving to Boston during the 1980stostudy jazz at the BerkleeCollege of Music. He returned to Baton Rouge to playwith a variety of groups, including the Will James Band, the Expanded Trio, Betsy Braud and the JazzNurse Prescription, the Bill Kimbrell Trio, the JazzSouls, and In Harmony Jazz. A voracious readerand avid movie/concertgoer,Gary enjoyed longwalks and travelledextensively through Europeand the US In addition to hismany talents and easygoing manner,Gary is remembered as atruefriend indeed. A memorialservice is plannedfor Wednesday, October 1st, 5-8pm at the MidCity Ballroom in Baton Rouge.

(cousins); Wayne and Jane Herrington (uncle and aunt) and their children: Renee Smith,Steven Herrington, and Tim Herrington(cousins).

Robillard, Ronald Spooner'Ron- Ronnie'

Native of Baton Rouge, LA resident of Texas. Leavestocherish his memories: Rose RHall, mom; SheveliaRussell, Celeste and Cedric Robillard,children;Madisynn, Leetah, Isaiah,Elijah,Aniyah and Jordan, grandchildren; WilliamA., WilliamJr, Janice and Willie Robillard Sandra Russell, Margaret Randle, Mary Pryor, and Jacqueline Payne, siblings. Memorial 11:00 am September 20, 2025. The Calvary Third B.C. 1911 Georgia St BR LA 70802

Memorial services for Mrs. Lana RuthMynatt Sandefur willbeheldat 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2025, in the Chapel of Rush Funeral Home,Oakdale, with Lane Grisby, Dr. Robert Janot and Diane Baconofficiating.Visitation willbegin at 12:00 noon under thedirection of RushFuneralHome, Oakdale.

Mrs. Sandefur, 81, of Oakdale, entered eternal rest on Saturday, September13, 2025, at Our Lady of theLakeRegionalMedical Center, Baton Rouge, LA

She was born on October30, 1943, in Chattanooga,Tennessee.Lana was thedaughterofT Ellery and RuthDuncum Mynatt. A1965 graduateof Tennessee Wesleyan College,she was aproud member of Kappa Delta sorority, acheerleader, and abeloved "Moonlight Girl."In1968, Lana married her husband of 57 years, Dr. James Sandefur, and togetherthey builta beautiful life in Oakdale, Louisiana withtheir two children, of whom she was always so proud

Lana taught elementary schoolinOakdalefor nearly twentyyears and was lovedand adored by allher students. She was alongtime member of theOakdale GardenClub.She and Dr. Jim enjoyed their lake home in Marco, Louisiana and spent lots of time thereafter Jim's retirement. She lovedher grandchildrenand cherished every moment with them. She couldoftenbefound witha crosswordpuzzle in hand and Luluthe dogby her side. Lana was avery special person and was wellloved by everyone who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, T. Ellery and RuthMynatt; one brother, Roger Mynatt; and one sister, Joan McEwen.

Those left to mournher loss and cherish her memoryincludeher loving husband of fifty-seven years, Dr. JamesSandefur of Oakdale; one son, James "Jamey" Sandefur, Jr. (Erin) of DenhamSprings; one daughter, Alana Sandefur Karam (Michael) of Creswell,Oregon; one brother, TillmanEllery "Ned" MynattofCloudland, Georgia; onesister, Dolores Mynatt Reynolds of Englewood, Tennessee; and seven grandchildren, KnoxKaram, Colton Karam, CarsonKaram King, Georgia Karam, Grace Sandefur, Brooke Sandefur, and James "Jimbo"Sandefur, III.

Lana Sandefur was adevotedsupporter of South-

ern College of Optometry, her husband's alma mater. To honorLana's partnershipand commitment to Jim's distinguished career in Optometry, giftsmay be madeinLana's memory to Southern CollegeofOptometry, where her legacy willbenefitfuture eye doctors through theMrs. James D. (Lana) Sandefur Memorial Scholarship. https://www.sco.edu/give Friends may post online messages of condolences for theSandefur family by visiting www.rushfh.com

Scott Sr., AllenR

He willberemembered forhis kind heart,steady faith, and theway he made everyone feelwelcome. A CelebrationofLife Memorial willbeheldSaturday, September 20, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 4200 Main Street, Zachary, LA 70791. He is deeply lovedand willbe forever missed by his family and allwho knew him.

Louis St. Romain, Jr.entered into eternal rest on September 9, 2025, at hisresidence duetoa suddenheart attack.Hewas just two weeks shy of his 60th birthday. Joewas born September 23, 1965, in BatonRouge to Joseph Louis Sr. and Brenda AcostaSt. Romain. He is survivedbyhis mother, BrendaAcostaSt. Romain, sister, Melinda Marshall (Rick), stepmother, Cathy St. Romain, stepsister, Amy Nebel (Charles) and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins Joewas apassionate fan of allsports and alover of allmusic. He lovedcooking,gardening and working in theyard.One characteristic well known by those that knew him was that once he was your friend,hewas your friend for life.A true people-person, hisfull bodylaugh and smile wouldengage youinstantly.Hewillbe

missed by hisspecial lifelongfriends and loved ones. Hisfaithcarriedhim throughlifeand hiscaring spirit will be felt forever. Joeisprecededindeath by hisfather, Joseph Louis St.Romain, Sr paternal grandparents Clovisand NoelieSt. Romain andmaternal grandparentsHonoreand Clara Acosta. Burial will be aprivate gravesideservice

Tannehill, Iris Jeanette

Iris Jeanette Tannehill, age88, passed away peacefully at herhome surroundedbyfamilyon Tuesday, September16, 2025. Alifelongresident of Walker, Louisiana, Iris was adevoted Christian anda faithfulmember of Shady Bower Pentecostal Church Shelived herlifewith a servant's heart, always putting herfaithand family first. Iris wasa loving homemaker whofound joy in cooking for herfamily andtook pride in keeping a warm, welcominghome. Shealso had agift forgardening,and in herspare time couldoften be found tending to herbeautiful flowers. Shewill be rememberedasanexceptional mother, grandmother,and great-grandmother whose love and presence will be deeply missed.

Iris is survived by her daughters, AnnTannehill Arceneaux andhusband Arlis andBrendaTannehill Rice Covington andhusbandRonnie; son, Ernest Tannehill andwife Paula; daughter-in-law, Shellie Tannehill; 9grandchildren, Esther, Casey, Nathan, Bryan, Brent, Brandon, Jonathan, Jessica,and Megan; and19greatgrandchildren.

Iris is preceded in death by herhusband, Edwin Tannehill; son, Murray Tannehill; parents, Sylvester andI.D. Galloway; grandson, Joshua Tannehill; brothers, Donald Galloway and VaireyGalloway; and sisters, Lovonia Craig andDorothyRobinson. Relativesand friends of

thefamilyare invited to attend avisitation from the chapel of Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home 7738 Hwy. Florida Blvd Denham Springs, LA 70726, on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. untilthe Funeral Service at 12:00 p.m. Intermentwill follow at VickersCemetery. Pallbearers will includeNathan Rice,BrandonRice,Jonathan Rice, Bryan Tannehill,Brent Arceneaux, Ethan Robert; andhonorary pallbearer, ElijahRobert. Condolencesand other information may be found at www.thompsoncares.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brandon G. ThompsonFuneral Home.

Weiler, John Henry John HenryWeiler, 81 of Merritt Island,Florida passedawaySeptember 3, 2025. John wasbornFebru‐ary 17, 1944, in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana.Preceded indeath by parents, Don‐ald A. Weiler& Marjorie (Pons)Weiler; wife,Nancy (Bernard);and daughters, Kristinaand Katherine Weiler. Survived by his wife, Barbara(Stutes) Weiler; daughter,ReginaA Weiler, stepchildren Kirsten (Stutes) Sambor and husbandJack, Blaine Stutesand wife Jennifer, and KennyStutes; grand‐son,Chase Winebarger and wifeBrittanie;4 greatgrandchildren,Emma & Callan(Cox) andAlexander & Augustus (Winebarger) brother,RobertF.Weiler and wife Marie, andmany cousins,nephews and nieces. He will also be sorelymissedbyPhoenix (afeistyWeimaraner) and Ginger(aslow-moving BassetHound). John wasa Patriot.Hewas an Eagle Scout andgraduated from LSU in 1966 with adegree inNuclear Engineering. VisitationwillbeatSt. Johnthe BaptistCatholic Church,402 SouthKirkland Street,Brusly, LA on Satur‐day,September 20th, from 10amuntil Mass of Christ‐ian Burial at 11 am,cele‐bratedbyRev.Jamin David. Burialofashes will follow inthe church cemetery See www.wilbertservices com forfullobit.

(nieces); Kay Couch, Cary Couch, and Kenneth Couch

St.RomainJr., Joseph Louis

Joseph"Joe"

Sandefur,Lana Mynatt

Powers, Brenda Ann

OPINION

Case againstChevron aboutfacts,not politics

investment.

Louisiana is unapologetically pro-energy.Our people proudly support and participate in exploration, production and refining oil and gas We won’tapologize for powering our nation. As Louisiana’sattorney general, Iled the nation fighting the Biden administration’s flawed energy policies. Louisiana successfully blocked a moratoriumonoil and gas leasing and led the attack on overzealous permitting requirements, aban on LNG exports, flawed social cost of carbon metrics and more But fighting for responsible energy policy does not require us to ignore environmental impacts. In its continued efforts to avoid accountability,however,Chevron and its surrogates are taking a new tack: misdirection. Chevron’s strategy is flawed for two reasons: First, its conduct is indefensible; and second, it’sjust plain wrong in its characterization of the coastal zone litigation. The trial that took place in Plaquemines Parish is agood example of what’snecessary to impose liability.InPlaquemines Parish, generations worked in the oilfield, their livelihoods dependent on continued oil and gas industry

But in thefirst of 42 cases to go to trial, aPlaquemines jury found Chevron responsible for about 25% of $2.7 billion in damages to the parish.

How did such an oil and gas industry friendly jury reach such a result? Easy: Because the evidence revealed Chevron’spredecessor Texaco unlawfully dumped four billiongallons of toxic wastewaterinto the Louisianamarsh for decades, while knowingly and intentionally ignoring permitting requirements. At the same time, it profited from selling storagetootheroil companies. Thoseare the facts that recently leda jurytohold Chevronaccountablefor itsrole in the destructionofthe Louisianacoastline.Eventhen, the jury only held Chevron accountable for about 25%ofthe damage,recognizing that other factors contributed to someofthe damage.

The coastal casesare distinctly different from frivolous climate change “nuisance”lawsuits,contrary to Chevron’sattempts to characterizethemasthe same Ihave vigorouslyopposed those kinds of actionsbecause even if such acause of action could supply avehicletosue,proving that aparticular defendant’s actions directly causedparticulardamage is virtually impossible.

Boaters travelnear Shell Island, abarrier island west of Buras in Plaquemines Parish. In the first of 42 coastal damagecases to go to trial, aPlaquemines juryfound Chevron responsible forabout 25% of $2.7billion in damages to theparish.

Not so with the coastal suits: These lawsuits require proof that aparticular defendant engaged in unlawful activitybefore1980 thatcontinued after 1980, and that caused actual identifiable harm. The Chevron case is atextbook caseofpollution and direct permitting violations, not vague nuisanceclaims. From the mid-1940s through the mid-1980s, Texaco discharged four billion gallons of toxic wastewater intothe marsh in the Delacroix field. This was an illegal discharge under then-applicable rulesand regulations. It getsworse.Texaco flatly

OneBig BeautifulBillwill enhance, notharm, Medicaid

ignored thepermitting rules established under Louisiana’sState and Local Coastal Resources Management Actof1978. The linchpin for liability is proof of activity continuing after the act’sSept. 20, 1980, effective date. There were safer alternatives. Useofdisposal wells was the industry standard, as Texaco’s internal documents and its operations elsewhere proved. And it was feasible —several sites could have been converted at minimal expense. Texaco even owned adisposal well in anearby field and charged

other companies to dispose of their toxic wastewater,while dumping Texaco’sown waste into our marsh. This conduct continued until the late 1980s, while Texaco lied to regulatory authorities about its activities, including dates of discharge, volumes and lab data.

Dumping 4.2 billion gallons of toxic waste for four decades into our marsh was irresponsible and illegal. But why does Chevron have to pay? Because it assumed the liabilities of Texaco, and it has profited (and continues to profit) from that purchase.

The verdict did not hold Chevron accountable for damage it did not cause, such as erosion caused by hydrology changes or hurricanes. The Plaquemines jury award of $645 million reflectsthoughtful deliberation, not“hometown” justice.

The facts disproved Chevron’s case —itliedabout itsconduct being lawful; it liedabout theduration of itsunlawfulactivity; anditlied aboutthe breadth of itsunlawful activity.

Quitesimply,Chevron chose profits over people andthe law— anditcontinues to do so every day it refuses accountabilityfor itsactions. This is not controversial Liz Murrill is Louisiana’s attorney general.

Saving historic buildingsfirst line of defenseagainst storms

Some people in Washington enjoy scaring Americans to score political points. The current debate on Medicaid is aprime example Since President Donald Trumpsigned the 2025 reconciliation bill, which some callthe OneBig Beautiful Bill, intolaw, those opposing the legislation,mostly Democrats, have been telling anyonewho will listen that the new law will cut Medicaid benefits to Americans in need If you believe that,you also believeinthe Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, and that Jimmy Hoffa died of natural causes. Here’sthe reality:Anyone who loses Medicaid benefits under the OBBB was not eligible for them in the first place.Infact, Medicaidwill grow 2.7% each year for the next decadeunderthe new law.Does that soundlike acut to you?

TheOBBBdoes not cut Medicaid benefits for those who need them, butit does make sure that people who are not eligible forthese benefitsdo notcollect them.Since 2019,Medicaid spendinghas increased 60%. It’sunsustainable. If we wanted to ensure that Medicaid exists for current and future generations, Congress had to get to the bottom of thisunsustainable growth rate and makesome significant changes. One reason Medicaid costshave ballooned is that states such as California, Illinois and Minnesota expanded Medicaid accessto illegal immigrants. An estimated 1.4million illegal immigrants collected Medicaid benefits in violation of federal law.The OBBB stops this. It ensuresthat Medicaid only benefits American citizens in need —not foreign nationals livingin our country illegally

The OBBB also protectsMedicaid by stopping fraud. Awoman in Louisiana, for example, was recently charged with Medicaid fraud after underreporting her income to claim she qualified forbenefits. Officials became suspiciousafter the woman purchased aLamborghiniand underwent cosmetic surgery

The OBBB will helpensurethatLamborghini drivers are not among themillions

of Americans who collect Medicaid. The newlaw requires those on theprogram to confirm their income twice ayear so officials can find themillionaire Medicaid recipients and send them packing and/or put them in jail.

The new law will also help block doubledippers. Millions of Americanshave signed up for Medicaid in two states or for both Medicaid and taxpayer-subsidized Obamacare. There are 2.7 million doubledippersthat we know of. This costs the American taxpayer $14 billion per year

TheOBBB will stop it.

Afinal change that the OBBB makes to protect Medicaid benefitsfor those in need is to add awork requirement. Under thenew law,healthy people with no dependentswill have to work, look for work, go to school or volunteer for 20 hours per week to keep their Medicaid benefits.

Most fair-minded Americans believe that thefederal government should save Medicaid forthose who truly need it: individuals withillnesses or other disabilities, pregnant mothers, full-timecaregivers andthe elderly.But manypeople on Medicaid can work but choose not to.

We cannot afford to pay thebenefitsof those whodonot need them, and the new law will ensure that those who can work do workifthey want Medicaid. Sometimes thebest way to get back on your feet is to getoff your butt.

So yes, it’strue that the OBBB cuts Medicaid for some individuals. But therest of the story is that they weren’teligible for Medicaid in thefirst place.

Many of thosepublic officials telling lies aboutthe OBBB are doing it because they needtojustify voting againstthe main provisioninthe OBBB: thebiggest tax cut in Americanhistory.They know most Americans are too busy going to work and raising their families to read through the Medicaid provisions in thebill, and they are choosing to scare people withlies about cuts to the program.

The truth is that the OBBB will leave Medicaid stronger than ever by protecting benefitsfor those who truly need them.

John Kennedy represents Louisiana in the U.S. Senate.

In the20years since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleansand the people who live here have been described as resilient so often that somenow cringe at the term. Extreme weather has become ordinary,and the expectation that people should repeatedly bounce back from disasters has become exhausting. At thePreservation Resource CenterofNew Orleans, we expect thatbuildings, unlike people,can and should remain resilient. The chiefpurpose of buildings is to protect people,and theyare a primary line of defense in keeping NewOrleans aresilient city

The devastationfrom Hurricane Katrina was unprecedented, creating layersoflossthathave continued to manifest over two decades. The impact on neighborhoods, from Katrina and subsequent storms, remains visible in vacant lots where houses collapsed or were demolished, or in blighted properties that were abandoned when families were unable or unwilling to return. Even in mild weather,water remains thebiggest adversary to historic structures here. Moisture and other aspects of New Orleans’ harsh climate take a toll on thebuildings we rely on, with near constant humidity,extremeheat, frequent flooding and termites. Despite this, historic buildings remain ubiquitous, and that is no coincidence. Not every building in the past was built to last, but thebuildings that have survived are proof of both quality construction and resiliency.Historic buildings were built with thelocal environment in mind. Foundations were raised to allow water to rise and recede without entering the house, shutters protected windows from wind and debris and roofs were pitched to discourage rain from pooling. Using suitable materials was as critical as these design features. Old growthwood, especially native-grown cypress, had more time to grow,mak-

ing it denser than the lumber available today,aswell as moreresistant to rot and the appetites of insects. Historic plaster,unlike modern drywall, can dry if it gets wet during astorm.Additionally,akey ingredient in plaster is lime (made from limestone), which is mold resistant. If properly maintained, the durability of these historic materials makes it harder to damage them. When damage does occur,repairs are often possible instead of wholesale replacement. Savingthese quality materials from the landfill and encouraging (and when necessary,enforcing) proper maintenance of historic buildings is agood place to start when thinking about building resiliency.However,skyrocketing insurance costs have introduced additional threats to New Orleans. For this reason, appropriately incorporating new and robust building strategies, with proven historic construction methods and materials, is imperative to NewOrleans’ future. For example, fortified roofs that are designed to prevent damage from high winds, hurricanes, hailstorms, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes can be installed on historic buildings. The Louisiana Department of Insurance is funding a$10,000 lottery-style grant for homeowners who install afortified roof on their home, and hopefully the program will continue to expand. The lottery opened on Sept. 2and closed on Sept. 12. The more roofs of this kind installed, the more likely it is residents will see discounts on insurance rates. The PRC wasone of many local organizations that mobilized immediately after Katrina to get families back into their homes. Now,the PRC’swork to keep people in their homes remains more crucial than ever,educating about and advocating for smart preservation practices that save what has worked in the past while integrating what New Orleans needs forthe future.

MaryNellNolan-Wheatley is the Preservation Resource Center’s advocacy coordinator and public policyresearch director

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

ISSUEOFTHE WEEK OUR POLITICAL CLIMATE

The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk —the latest in aseries of recent violent assaults on prominent political figuresfrom both parties —has left the countryonedge. It’s also prompted nationwide soul-searching over whythis keeps happening, what canbedone to stop it,how to preserve free expression despite deep divisions and howtoconductcivil conversations acrossideological lines. Here aretwo perspectives on where we stand at thisfraught moment.

Have we enteredanother eraofpolitical violence?

In his life’swork, CharlieKirk, the rising star in conservative politics, did not give me, or millions of Americans like me in the political center or left, agreat deal of optimismabout the direction of our nation’spartisan politics.

But his brutal assassination,captured in horrific video images none of us can unsee, poses adire threat to our democracy,and it is theduty of all of us, regardless of political loyalty,to renounce and defuse any further political violence.

Ideplored Kirk’spolitics. Istilldo. But hispolitics did not merit violence of any kind. In the outpouring of rage that followed the news of his shooting, many voices on theright,from the exalted studios of Fox News to the lowest sloughs of social media, bayed that the “left” did this, and that theleft would pay Ididn’twish violence on Charlie Kirk. NobodyIrespect,oreven know, wished for it.

Quite the opposite.I actually appreciated Kirk’ssuccess at motivating young people —mostlydisenchanted and disengaged young men —toengage in politics as ameans to building thenationtheywantedtolive in. Kirk’senergy,dedication andtalent in that direction were truly impressive. What, Isometimes wondered, were the folks on my side ofthe political divide doing to reach outtothe young in this way? Whowas ourmovement builder? Kirk is gone, and Iknow what that must feel liketohis friends and admirers on the right. Butwehave had more than enough wacky politically motivated violence in recent times. We have barely recovered emotionally from the June assassinationsof Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman, her husband, Mark,aswell as the attempted assassination of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and hiswife Yvette, and daughter Hope. Hortman and Hoffman were Democrats, as were most of the70potential targets found on alist compiledby thesuspectedassassin, VanceLuther Boelter Boelter was indicted in Julybya federal grand jury on sixcounts, some of which carry the deathpenalty. We don’tknow his motive, althoughit seems to have been political.

But I’m unaware of any Democratic politician or voice with any reach in American politics that called for reprisal for his crime with violence.

Indeed, Boelter’s crimes were cited by Democrats and others after Kirk’s assassination to counter claims by PresidentDonald Trumpand others that political violence was aproblem produced by “radicals on the left.”

In stark contrast to how politicians should actattimes like this —namely, callingfor unity and calm and for allowingjustice to take its course Trump, certain membersofCongress and an unfortunate stream of voices in right-wing media sounded moreeager to throw more kerosene on thefire.

As someone who has promoted free speech, regardless of which side is tryingtospeak out,Ihope that Democrats andRepublicans can approach this crisis with compassion, humility andself-reflection, and even learn some things from theother side.

Remember that California Gov Gavin Newsom invited Kirk to be the first guestonthe Democratic governor’s“This is Gavin Newsom” podcast in March. Among other interesting thingsthat emerged from that encounter was Newsom’sadmission that his 13-year-old son wanted to stay home from school to meet Kirk, whom he followed on TikTok.

Iunderstand.Myown adult son hasbecome my unofficial right-wing political adviser,filling me in on who Kirk was and how he seems to have more pull with afeisty,irreverent sector of the“manosphere” than the more conventional pols.

Butasanold geezer,Iremember the sort of tit-for-tat violence that plagued this country in the1960s —and I dread its possible return.

Ihave no desire to see thereturn of such eruptions.

Neither does Michael Fanone, the former Metropolitan Police officer who was beaten almost to deathbythe Jan.6mob at the U.S. Capitol.

“I have nothing but contempt for Kirk’s politics,” said Fanoneina Facebook post after Kirk’sdeath. “He poisoned young minds withgrievance, conspiracy,and hate. Butviolence has no place in American politics. None.”

Fanone learned first-hand what the threat of democracy slipping away feels like. He’drather not feel it again. Neither would I. EmailClarence Pageat clarence47page@gmail.com.

CharlieKirkleaveslegacy of free speech,anti-violence

For thoseofusofacertain age, the assassination of CharlieKirkbrought back memories of othermomentous assassinations —the moment of disbelief and then stomach-turning horror on first hearing the news, the sense that events were tilting wildly out of kilter,the fear thatmoreterrible things were in the offing.

Iwas acollege sophomore visiting another school on thatsunny Friday afternoon in November 1963 when Iheard, andfor afew seconds did notbelieve, that President John Kennedy had been shot and killed in Dallas. Ihad been intending to attend aSaturday football game, which, of course, was canceled, and somehow made it back home, dazed, on abus.

In thedays that followed, Kennedy’s family and admirers, and muchofthe media, attributed his assassination to an atmosphere of right-wing hate in Dallas. It was solemnly asserted that America was fundamentally aviolent nation.

Butinthe messier and not universally accepted reality, the assassin was acommunist who hadlived and married in Russia and had been in touch with Soviet agents.

In theyears that followed, Icame to think that Americans had been especially shocked and shaken because this assassination was notconsonant with the popular narrative of American history.Inthe nation’stwo bloodiestwars, thecountry was led by two commandersinchief who died suddenly just aboutatthe moment of victory.

President Abraham Lincoln was struck down by aConfederate supporter just days after the surrender at Appomattox. President Franklin Roosevelt died suddenly of acerebral hemorrhage just weeks before thesurrender of Germany and four months beforethe atomic bombs produced thesurrender of Japan.

After their deaths, they were seen as martyrs who aged before their people’seyes and seemed to give theirlives to thecause of making the nation stronger and better

The death of Kennedy was not like this at all. He was famously vigorous and had not seemed to age significantly in office (though secretly he wasin dreadful health) Disorder followed. Less than five yearslater,aWhiteracist murdered

Martin LutherKing Jr., andaPalestinianterrorist murdered Robert Kennedy.These were yearsofunsuccessinVietnamand violent riots in major cities, of unanticipated inflationand of largely unpunished terrorist bombings andhomicides, years in whichfourconsecutive presidents were driven from office. Americanolonger seemed providentially blessed. All these thoughts cameinto my head with the news of the assassinationofCharlie Kirk, 80 yearsafter the deathofRoosevelt, and twice 80 yearsafter the assassination of Lincoln. Kirk wasnot as prominent afigure as these leaders, and at 31 was not as prominent yetasKing or Robert Kennedy were when they were taken from us.

The assassinationofKirk, as many have noted, is just one of many instances of violenceagainst political figures, including the two attempts, onenearly successful, to assassinate President Donald Trump.

People my ageusedtoask each otherwhere theywerewhen they heardthatPresident Kennedy was assassinated. Today,young people tell me thattheir parents were not yetalive on thatawful daynearly 62 yearsago.People my age rightly lament thatAmericanhistory is not properly taught, andIgather that few Americansanymore contemplate the awfulsymmetry of their successful commanders in chieffalling at the moment of victory

Perhaps thatcan be an advantage

Perhaps it is easiertonavigate the rapids of political controversy withoutthe expectation of providential blessing. Perhaps it is well to remember that the wartime Presidents Lincoln and Rooseveltwerehugely controversial in their terms, hated by millions of their fellowcitizens, by no means assuredofthe electoral majorities the recordbooksshowthey won. Many of their policies and procedureswereindeed departures from the norms of the time,asmany of the policiesand procedures of the current president are. People will disagreeabout suchthings. The optimist in me wants to think that most Americanswill emerge from this tragedy andbemoreinclinedtorespectfully tolerate disagreement. Is that too much to hope for?

MichaelBaroneisonX @MichaelBarone.

Clarence Page

Michael Barone

STAFFPHOTO By ALySE PFEIL

Amemorial honoring conservativeactivistCharlie Kirk is held Sept.12atthe LSUStudentUnion Theater

BY LUKE JOHNSON

Staff writer

Alot changed for the New OrleansSaints between the end of last year and thestart of this one, but when trainingcampopened their wide receivergroup was essentially the same as the one they fielded in 2024. The only addition New Orleansmadeto its receiving corps was BrandinCooks,a 31-year-old entering his 12th NFL season. And Cooks didn’tfeel like much of achange: He is roughly similar in size andskillset to the Saints’ two starters, and he spent three seasons in New Orleans to start his career Now fast forward to mid-September,and theSaints have added threenew receiverstotheir group, two by trade andone by

LSUset to induct six to athletics Hall of Fame

Former greats include Johnson, Brady, Dupree

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

On Friday,LSU will induct six members into its athletics hall of fame at the Manship Theater in BatonRouge

The latest inducteesinclude women’s basketball point guard Temeka Johnson, former men’sbasketball coach JohnBrady, former men’sgolf coach J. Perry Cole, gymnast Rheagan Courville Branton, women’s basketball All-American Cornelia Gayden and men’sbasketball guard Ronald Dupree. Here’sacloser lookateach inductee Temeka Johnson

Johnson was afour-time All-Americanand the winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award in 2005, an honor handed tothe nation’stop point guard. Shefinished her LSU career first all-time in assists, also finishing eighth in Division Ihistory in the same statistic Johnson’sexcellence helped guide LSU to its first two Final Four appearances (2004, 05). She also holds the LSUrecordfor assists in agame (17 against Georgia in 2005).

“I was small andalwayscame up against so many people that always told me what I couldn’tdo,” the 5-foot-3 Johnson said in an LSU news release. “That hasmade mefeel that every area of my life is asuccess.” J.PerryCole

In 11 seasons as men’sgolfcoach,Cole led the program to national championships in 1940 and 1942. He helped star golfer Earl Stewartwin an individualnationalchampionship in 1941 and led LSUtofive Southeastern Conferencetitles Cole also served in World WarI,and during World WarIIhelped start theLouisiana StateGuard. For his efforts, he was upgraded from therank of majortothe honorary rank of colonel.

“He was aleader in battle,inhis family, andinthe classroom,” Chris Garcia, who accepted the honor on behalf of Cole’sfamily,

ä See HOF, page 2C

ä Saints at Seahakws 3:05 P.M. SUNDAy,CBS

waiver claim. Devaughn Vele, Ja’Lynn Polk andTreyPalmer have all joined the Saints since Aug. 20. Of thethree, only Vele has appeared in a Saints uniform, but that seems beside the point: Thesemoves all appeared to be made with one eye on the future.

“We’re alwaystrying to getbetterasa team, both nowand in the future,” said head coach Kellen Moore. “. .Wefeel like we have areally good receiver room, and we’re really trying to build it intoabig-time strength.Wewere able to acquire these guys, we’ve got aton of depth in that group, and …I thinkithelps us nowand in the fu-

ture as we continue tobuild this thing.” New Orleans now has six receivers on their active roster.Ofthem,Cooks is the only one who has morethan four yearsof NFL experience.

Each of the three receiversthe Saints acquired has at least one more year remaining on their rookie contract after this season, with Vele andPolk both having twoyears left.None of them will have acap numberhigherthan$2.2 million on theremainderoftheir contracts. That figures to be important as both Chris Olave andRashid Shaheed are coming up on new deals. Polk will not play this season,asheison

ä See SAINTS, page 4C

BYWILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

Theonlyother time LSU playedSoutheastern Louisiana in the modern era, it had asloppy offensive performance earlyinthe 2018 season. TheTigers still won 31-0, but they puntedsix times andwerenearlyheldscoreless in the second half inside their own stadium.

Thelastthing No. 3LSU needs right now is another game like thatagainst Southeastern at 6:45 p.m. Saturdaynight. LSU’soffense hasstruggled to get going the first three weeks,ranking last in theSEC with20points scored per game. In theory,playing Southeastern gives LSUachance to work on its issues and play its backups in the secondhalf. That’s really what this gameshould be for theTigers:

one moretuneup before SEC play begins to heat up at No.13Ole Miss next weekend.Ifit’snot,that would be ared flag.

Here are four things to watch for.

HasGarrett Nussmeierreallyturnedacorner?

LSU coach Brian Kelly revealed this week that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier hasbeen playing through atorso injury that he developed in preseason camp.It limited what he could do at practice, Kelly said,and so LSU was “not doing alot” in the vertical passing game. But Kelly said repeatedly that Nussmeier has turned acorner,sohebelieves Nussmeier needs to play against Southeastern instead of taking aweek to rest. Nussmeier

See LSU, page 3C

SECscheduleformattoberevealedTuesday

is expected to add

BY SCOTTRABALAIS Staff writer

TheSoutheasternConference on Tuesdaywill announceeach school’s three “annual” football opponents and their six rotating opponentsfor 2026, The Advocate haslearned. SEC schools votedinAugust to move from an eight- to anine-game conference schedule beginning next season. The move

Ten, Big12, ACCorNotre Dame each season SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has used theterm “annual” opponents forthe three teams on each school’sschedule every year instead of “permanent,” because the conference has built four-year “look-ins”

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton makesa catch during warmupsahead of agame against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 6at TigerStadium.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MARK SALTZ

LSU guard Temeka Johnson drives past Vanderbilt’sJenn Hall on Feb.19, 2004, in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.Johnson is settobeinducted into LSU’shall of fame on Friday.

The recipe for ‘biggest golf event ever’

Ryder Cup might be most anticipated one

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

Take the loudest and rowdiest event in golf. Put it on a public golf course in New York notorious for its proud and raucous crowds. Now fill it with 50,000 flag-waving fans at Bethpage Black. It’s a recipe that has made this Ryder Cup the most anticipated of them all.

“I think hands down it’ll be the biggest golf event ever,” said Justin Thomas, the most experienced American on his team despite playing in only his fourth Ryder Cup. If all that isn’t enough, President Donald Trump wasn’t about to miss out on the ultimate “us versus them” sporting event. He plans to be there for the opening session on Sept. 26 when the Americans try to win back the Ryder Cup. The passion is unlike any other golf tournament, all for a 17-inch gold trophy donated by an English seed merchant (Samuel Ryder) for a friendly golf competition between teams on both sides of the Atlantic in 1927. After nearly a century, it doesn’t seem all that friendly at times.

“When you’re a part of it, it really, it changes you forever, it really does,” said U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, who has gone 11 years since he last was part of it.

Rose Ladies Open in England earlier this month when he needled the Americans trying to bond as a team.

“I think America have tried too hard to become a team whereas Europe is a bit more natural and organic, and I think it comes from deeper roots in a way,” Rose said.

Europe had all but one of its 12 players at the BMW PGA Championship in England. They met one night and received virtual reality equipment that would allow them to experience some of the noise and heckling that might occur at Bethpage Black.

Kershaw to retire after 18 seasons with Dodgers

LOS ANGELES Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will retire at the end of this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Thursday

The 37-year-old left-hander who got his 3,000th strikeout in July will make his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium on Friday night against the San Francisco Giants.

The 11-time All-Star and 2014 NL MVP is in his 18th major league season, all with the Dodgers, which ties him with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most years in franchise history Kershaw won World Series championships in 2020 and 2024.

Kershaw has a career record of 222-96 and 15 shutouts, which lead active major league players.

McLaughlin-Levrone makes history in 400

Bradley never unpacked his suitcase from his Ryder Cup debut in 2012. It’s still in his garage at his Florida home. He has pledged not to open and remove whatever is in there — in whatever condition it’s in — until he’s part of a winning team.

Bradley nearly took matters into his own hands, on the verge of becoming the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since 1963 until he decided against it. All he wants is the trophy Luke Donald returns as captain, trying to join Tony Jacklin as the only European skippers to win back-to-back and fully aware it might not be as easy as it looked in Rome. He returns the same 12

faces, one different player — Rasmus Hojgaard replaces his identical twin Nicolai.

“Even though we have a lot of continuity, this is a different animal,” Donald said. “We understand how difficult it is.”

The U.S. team made sure to avoid the mistake from two years ago, when all but two of its players went a month before the Ryder Cup without playing. They practiced together and played together at the Procore Championship last week in California, and retreated to a mansion among the vineyards as their private hang. That got the attention of Justin Rose. He was doing a Q&A at his

“I think we’ve been talking about the Ryder Cup in Bethpage probably for 10 years, the anticipation of it, what it’s going to be like, how intense it’s going to be,” Rose said. “New Yorkers are crazy and I think they become sort of caricatures of themselves. I think they feel like they have to live up to that reputation. So, fully expect absolute chaos out there.”

That’s one reason winning a Ryder Cup on the road hasn’t been easy the last decade.

The Americans won on home soil four years ago with their biggest shellacking ever against Europe, 19-9 at Whistling Straits, which prompted Jordan Spieth to say, “If we play like we did this week, the score will look the same over there.”

But it didn’t.

Europe won for the seventh straight time at home in 2023 by a five-point margin. That prompted Rory McIlroy to say winning a Ryder Cup away from home is the biggest accomplishment in golf.

LSU hoops to face UCF in exhibition game

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

LSU men’s basketball team will play Central Florida in an exhibition game at noon on Oct. 26 at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, according to a Thursday release from UCF

TOKYO Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone became the first woman in nearly 40 years to crack 48 seconds in the 400 meters, running 47.78 in a historically fast one-lap race at the world championships Thursday Pushed by second-place finisher Marileidy Paulino, who clocked a 47.98 of her own on the rain-slickened track in Tokyo, McLaughlinLevrone captured her first global title in the 400 flat after dominating the hurdles for the past four years. The second- and third-fastest times in history in this race trail only the 47.60 by East Germany’s Marita Koch, set Oct. 6, 1985 one of the last remaining vestiges in track from an Eastern Bloc doping system that was exposed years after it ended.

This will be the first time a coach Matt McMahon-led LSU team will play a power conference opponent in an exhibition game. The fourthyear head coach had his team play Loyola-New Orleans in an exhibition contest last season, winning 110-48.

West Virginia Jalen Reed, who returned to Baton Rouge for his redshirt junior season, had 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal.

LSU played UCF last season in the sixth contest of the regular season. The Tigers won 109-102 in triple overtime in the thirdplace game of the Greenbrier Tipoff Classic held at the Colonial Hall at The Greenbrier in

This upcoming matchup will be the first time in program history that the Tigers visit the Knights’ home arena. Excluding the exhibition, LSU will play four high-major teams in

its 13-game nonconference slate. Its toughest opponent will likely be Texas Tech on Dec. 7. The Red Raiders return an AP secondteam All-American in JT Toppin and are coming off an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers’ first regular season game will be Nov 5 against Tarleton State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Former S.C. QB Shaw stable following collapse GREENVILLE, S.C. — Former South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw was in stable condition Thursday a day after he collapsed while coaching his son’s flag football team. The City of Simpsonville stated that Shaw was coaching at Gracely Park on Wednesday, and the incident occurred approximately 15 minutes after the game began. Shaw 33, was taken by emergency services to Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital. The City of Simpsonville reported that he was in stable condition as of Thursday morning.

Shaw was South Carolina’s starting quarterback from 2011 to 2013. He passed for 6,074 yards and ran for 1,683 while posting a 27-5 career record. He was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.

Spain overtakes Argentina to lead FIFA rankings

said, “but above all else, he was dedicated to LSU.”

Rheagan Courville Branton Courville Branton’s gymnastics résumé speaks for itself. The former Tigers star earned 23 All-American honors, won 26 allaround titles (the most in school history) and matched a school record with five SEC individual titles. Additionally Courville Branton was a two-time NCAA national champion in the vault and scored at least 9.90 on 110 routines in four seasons at LSU.

“I’ve always had a passion for LSU,” Courville Branton said “I grew up cheering for every sport; my whole family loved LSU, it was really just in my DNA. It was the school I wanted to represent ever since I was a little kid.”

Ronald Dupree

Dupree finished his four seasons in Baton Rouge with at least 1,000 points, 200 assists and 100 steals. He’s one of just 16 players in program history to accomplish such a feat. In LSU history, Dupree is ninth all-time in points and rebounds He’s one of just five LSU players to crack the top 10 in both categories, joining former greats Shaquille O’Neal, Bob Pettit Jasmin Mitchell and Rudy Macklin.

John Brady

ZURICH — Spain and Lamine Yamal took top spot from Argentina and Lionel Messi in the FIFA men’s rankings published on Thursday, and lead for the first time since being dethroned as world champion in June 2014. Spain’s two-win start to a 2026 World Cup qualifying group this month — against Turkey and Bulgaria — lifted the European champion from second place behind 2022 World Cup winner Argentina, which fell to third.

Argentina’s loss in a World Cup qualifier in Ecuador also let France rise one place to No. 2. England stayed at No. 4, and Portugal climbed one place to No. 5. Mexico and the United States were Nos. 14 and 16 respectively as the World Cup co-hosts both fell one place. Canada, the third co-host next year, is No. 26.

Brady guided the Tigers to their last Final Four appearance in 2006 and that year led LSU to its first outright SEC championship in 21 seasons.

In 10 seasons at LSU, Brady had the third-most wins for a coach in program history and was the only coach in LSU history to defeat two No 1 ranked teams. He reached the Sweet 16 twice and won the SEC Coach of the Year award two times.

“When I received the call, I was so emotional that I couldn’t speak,” Brady said. “How humbling it is to be in a list of outstanding athletes and coaches who have come through LSU. I’m grateful for the players and the coaches who allowed me to be in this position.”

“It means a ton. It means validation for all the work,” Dupree said “This means ‘I did it.’ People appreciate and identify the contributions that I have given and was blessed to be able to give.”

Cornelia Gayden

Despite standing at just 5-9, Gayden averaged more than 22 points and eight rebounds over four seasons in Baton Rouge. She led the SEC in points from 19931995 and was an AP All-American in 1995. Against Jackson State in 1995, she set the NCAA record for 3-pointers in a game with 12 and finished her LSU career with the NCAA record for 3-pointers made (337).

“Words can’t describe how grateful I am,” Gayden said. “It means the school, the officials, and everyone on the committee thought enough about me to say that I was one of the best.”

Email Koki Riley at Koki Riley@theadvocate.com.

Indy runner-up Malukas replaces Power at Penske Team Penske finally confirmed Thursday that David Malukas will replace Will Power in a decision that has dogged Power — in his 17th and final year with the organization — since it was rumored to have happened as early as the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HEATHER McCLELLAND

LSU gymnast Rheagan Courville performs on the balance beam in a meet against Florida on Feb 20, 2015, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

FILE PHOTO

LSU’s Cornelia Gayden takes a shot during practice. Gayden will be inducted into LSU’s hall of fame on Friday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By HEATHER KHALIFA

United States captain Keegan Bradley, left, and Europe captain Luke Donald pose for a photo with the Ryder Cup trophy after a news conference on Oct 8 in New york.

14 former NC State athletes

lawsuit alleging abuse

BY AARON BEARD AP sportswriter

RALEIGH, N.C. — Fourteen former N.C. State male athletes have filed

a lawsuit in state court alleging sexual abuse under the guise of treatment and harassment by the Wolfpack’s former director of sports medicine, expanding a case that began with a federal lawsuit from a single athlete three years ago

The lawsuit filed Wednesday evening in Wake County Superior Court alleges years of misconduct by Robert Murphy Jr., including improper touching of the genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing

Murphy at N.C. State from 2012-22, is among nine defendants named individually Others are school officials accused of negligence in oversight roles.

Twelve athletes are “John Doe” plaintiffs to protect anonymity, while two former men’s soccer players are named. One is Benjamin Locke, who filed the original complaint in August 2022. The other is one of two athletes who filed their own federal lawsuits in February and April 2023. The Associated Press typically doesn’t identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted or abused unless the person has spoken publicly which Locke has done.

Durham-based attorney Kerry Sutton, who has represented plaintiffs in all four lawsuits, filed to dismiss those pending Title IX lawsuits before moving the case to state-level jurisdiction — though now with 11 additional plaintiffs. Wednesday’s lawsuit outlines similar allegations of Murphy’s conduct and the school’s response. It alleges concerns about Murphy reached former athletic director Debbie Yow and other senior athletics officials, but nothing substantive was done to investigate nor prevent Murphy from “free rein” in working with male athletes despite being told to stop

The lawsuit alleges Murphy’s conduct was known to the point that athletes on multiple teams joked derisively about it, while multiple athletes refused to let Murphy treat them again It also alleged Murphy’s observation methods while collecting drugtesting samples were “unsettling and undignified,” with athletes exposed from calves to chest and

LSU

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has done “some things in practice he hasn’t done in the last month” this week, Kelly said.

“We had to limit a lot of things that we did the first three, four weeks,” Kelly said. “He’s finally coming to practice, feeling good and getting into a good rhythm. This was his best week of practice. So, we want him to go and play the game at a level where he’s comfortable. To hold him back at this point would not be the right thing for him.”

If that’s the case, will he be able to throw deep? Nussmeier is 4 of 13 for 132 yards, one touchdown and one interception on passes more than 20 yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus. He badly underthrew a ball deep down the left sideline against Louisiana Tech, and it got picked off. Nussmeier can show whether or not he’s able to make that kind of throw again regardless of the competition level.

Ideally, Nussmeier won’t even play the whole game, giving sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren a chance to get reps It looked like LSU would have an opportunity to play Van Buren against Louisiana Tech but that never happened because the start-

KARA DURRETTE

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By

A lawsuit filed Wednesday evening in Wake County Superior Court alleges years of misconduct by former director of sports medicine Robert Murphy, including improper touching of the genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing

sometimes with Murphy standing closely in the same bathroom stall.

“These 14 athletes have come forward together hoping to encourage others abused by Rob Murphy to see it wasn’t just them, they did nothing wrong, and NCSU should have protected them,” Sutton said in a statement on behalf of co-counsels Lisa Lanier and Robert Jenkins.

“A culture of fear in the NCSU athletics department led to this tragic set of circumstances. Athletes afraid of losing their scholarship or their spot on the team, trainers afraid of reporting their boss, coaches afraid of getting involved, directors afraid of harming NCSU’s reputation. Murphy took advantage of those fears to get away with abusing what we believe may turn out to be hundreds of former Wolfpack athletes.”

Seth Blum, who has represented Murphy along with fellow Raleighbased attorney Jared Hammett, said Murphy has been falsely accused.

“In three years of representing Robert Murphy in and out of court, we have yet to see one scrap of credible evidence that he assaulted anyone,” Blum said in a

ers struggled to put the game out of reach. Two weeks later, there ought to be a chance to evaluate the backup quarterback.

Third-down execution

One of the things Kelly circled this week that LSU needed to improve the most on offense was its execution on third-and-short.

LSU is 17 of 41 on third down, which ranks 70th in the country It went 4 of 14 on third down against Florida, and it failed to convert four third downs that were within 4 yards of the line to gain.

“We stayed ahead of the chains in most instances, but now you’ve got to go convert in short yardage,” Kelly said. “I think short-yardage conversion needs to be a high percentage for us, and it should be.”

Though it will be tough to judge if LSU has really improved against an opponent that should be overmatched, it’s an area of focus.

Perhaps we’ll get some clues as to whether or not LSU has changed anything through its play-calling and formations. Jack Pyburn as a fullback again, perhaps?

Wide receivers

Chris Hilton has only been targeted three times, and he has one catch for 1 yard, which he then fumbled. Much bigger things were expected of the senior wide receiver He showed what he can do

statement Thursday “He is a talented professional who has been targeted as an early victim in the new frontier of mass torts: suing universities for spurious allegations of sexual assault.

“Put simply, Robert Murphy did not do this.”

Defendants include Yow, who retired in 2019; former chancellor Randy Woodson; and current AD Boo Corrigan. In an email Thursday, spokesman Mick Kulikowski said N.C. State wouldn’t comment on pending litigation. Yow declined to comment, deferring to the school, in a text message to the AP Locke’s 2022 lawsuit stated he learned during the Title IX investigation that former men’s soccer coach Kelly Findley allegedly told a senior athletics official in February 2016 that Murphy was engaging in conduct “consistent with ‘grooming’ behavior.” That was a key point when a federal appeals court in January reversed the dismissal of the “John Doe 2” lawsuit, determining that Findley’s comment was “objectively” an allegation qualifying as notification to school officials.

Clemson coach Swinney says high player pay comes with responsibility

By The Associated Press

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney believes the more college football players are paid, the more responsibility they should carry

“I mean, you can’t have it both ways,” Swinney said this week, according to The Post and Courier “It’s more than just a scholarship. Revenue-share is based on performance, right? These aren’t lifetime contracts. It’s no different than the next level. You’ve got to perform.”

Swinney’s comments come as he faces pressure from the Tigers’ 1-2 start. This is the first season where athletic departments are sharing revenue with players, up to a $20.5 million ceiling per school over the school year Athletes remain able to secure third-party name, image and likeness agreements alongside school revenue shares.

Most of Clemson’s direct revenue sharing is going to football, as is the case for most top programs.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik, reportedly being paid $2.5 million, is struggling with three touchdown throws and three interceptions in three games. Defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker reportedly are earning seven figures. Swinney said Woods has been solid, but said Parker has

SEC

Continued from page 1C

league starting in 2024. LSU expected then that its annual opponents would be Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama, but that may not be the case when the schedule revealed.

Coach Brian Kelly speaking Thursday after LSU’s final major practice session in preparation for Saturday’s home game with Southeastern Louisiana (6:45 p.m., SEC Network), said athletic director Scott Woodward has been made aware of the Tigers’ annual opponents, but he has not.

“The AD here knows, but the head coach doesn’t,” Kelly said “You can make a case for a halfdozen teams to be (LSU’s) natural rivals, but other teams want those games as well.”

Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, speaking Wednes-

Green questionable, Weeks doubtful to play

LSU sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green is questionable to play and fifthyear senior linebacker West Weeks is doubtful to play on Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana, coach Brian Kelly said on Thursday.

Green suffered a knee injury during the fourth quarter of LSU’s home opener against LouisianaTech before sitting out Saturday’s win over Florida with the injury.

“He was out at practice today,” Kelly said,“moving around, throwing the ball to him a little bit.”

Weeks injured his calf in the third quarter last weekend against the Gators. Kelly said on the SEC Network on Monday that LSU doesn’t believe Weeks’ injury is a “long-term situation.”

Besides Weeks and Green, Kelly said freshman defensive lineman Zion Williams was a full-contact participant in practice on Thursday after sitting out last week’s game while in concussion protocol.

Freshman offensive lineman Solomon Thomas has also been out since the beginning of preseason practices with a broken foot. Kelly said last week that the former Florida State pledge is out of his walking boot and “moving around.

I think he’s probably a few weeks from being in a position where he can take reps,” Kelly said.

at the end of last season with 198 yards and three touchdowns in two games, and unlike so much of his career, he isn’t injured.

“I think we’ve got to get Chris Hilton involved more in the vertical passing game,” Kelly said Monday

Similarly, Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson hasn’t been much of a factor He only has four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown.

Koki Riley

Against Clemson and Florida, he played a combined 35.2% (43 of 122) of the offensive snaps. Anderson and Hilton are clearly in rotational roles behind LSU’s starting receivers at the moment.

A look at the freshmen

After flashing against Louisiana Tech, freshman running back Harlem Berry only played four snaps against Florida. He had one carry

been “good but not great.”

“I didn’t grow up dreaming to play college football to go make money I grew up dreaming of playing college football and run out into a stadium with 100,000 fans,” Klubnik said. “It’s not necessarily (something) that I asked for, it’s just kind of something that’s happened. So I don’t feel like I should be held responsible for that, I guess.” Swinney said its possible that money has affected some players’ performances.

“I don’t think guys get too full of themselves,” he said. “I just think sometimes the expectations can become the focus as opposed to just the process. These are young people. So, yeah, for this particular group, they have never dealt with that.”

Arkansas, like Clemson, is grappling with revenue questions. Athletic director Hunter Yurachek said his program doesn’t have the money to compete for a national title, but there’s enough to be competitive in the Southeastern Conference. “I don’t think there’s been any question that in the NIL era, we didn’t have the same amount of money, nor close to the same amount of money as a lot of teams that we’re competing against,” Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman said.

day on SEC Network host Dari Nowkhah’s radio show in Oklahoma City, said that at one time OU thought its three permanent opponents would be Texas, Missouri and Arkansas for geographic reasons.HesaidOUwillplayTexas annually,butthattheschoollearned early on in the process that it would not get Mizzou and Arkansas. The SEC created a temporary eight-game schedule for 2024 and 2025 with the arrival of OU and Texas and the elimination of East and West divisions. LSU and Oklahoma were paired as season-ending opponents for both seasons, with LSU making its first-ever trip to Norman, Oklahoma, on Nov 29. LSU needs a season-ending opponent who does not have another bigger rival it traditionally plays around Thanksgiving weekend That rules out schools like Texas A&M and Texas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State, and Alabama and Auburn.

for 2 yards. Kelly has said multiple times that Berry, the No. 1 running back recruit in the nation last year, has to learn more about how to play running back within the system. That means understanding protections and reads.

“There is some development there where he’s a little bit behind everybody,” Kelly said on his radio show last Thursday, “but it’s unmistakable his running ability.” Kelly said LSU would have to find ways to get Berry on the field that don’t require him to do all those things. That did not come to fruition against Florida, a game in which Caden Durham (30 snaps) and Ju’Juan Johnson (21 snaps) handled the workload at running back But Berry should get a lot more playing time this week.

Same thing goes for freshman offensive lineman Carius Curne, who has only played one snap this season.

Kelly said last week Curne had to get a shot in his knee at some point because he had a pinched fat pad, which “was a very difficult situation for him to manage early on.” But he was taking second-team reps again last week.

This would be an ideal game for him to get playing time It would help his development, and LSU could see if he’s ready to challenge redshirt freshman Weston Davis at right tackle.

Saints bring back Dekkers (again), cut Wilson

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Hunter Dekkers has made yet another appearance on the New Orleans Saints transactions log, and this time the team let a veteran receiver go to make room for the young quarterback on the roster

The Saints terminated the contract of veteran receiver Cedrick Wilson in order to bring Dekkers back. Wilson signed a two-year deal with the Saints before last season, but he did not make the 53-man roster out of training camp.

After adding several receivers in the last month, Wilson’s path to the playing field was extremely limited. He caught 20 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown in 15 games with the Saints last season. Since first joining the team after a tryout this summer, Dekkers has been signed six times and waived five times — and this is his second time signing back with New Orleans this week. New Orleans has used his roster spot as needed to plug various leaky positions as injuries have cropped up.

New Orleans wants to develop Dekkers, but he’s had scant opportunity to participate in practices with three quarterbacks in front of him.

“A fourth quarterback can be tricky on the roster, especially as injuries come up and you’ve got to navigate it as best you can,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “We like Hunter obviously we’ve invested a lot of time, we’ve tried to utilize as

many resources as we can to keep him here.

“Unfortunately there are some challenges with the roster at times.”

Fuaga DNP again

Last week, Taliese Fuaga missed Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury but returned later in the week and played in the Saints loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

He did not follow a similar pattern this week.

Fuaga (back/knee) was one of four Saints players who did not participate in practice Thursday, joined by defensive end Chase Young (calf), guard Dillon Radunz (toe) and receiver Trey Palmer (hamstring).

With New Orleans traveling to Seattle on Thursday evening, the team already made the decision to rule Radunz out for the game because he did not travel with the team. Radunz started the first two games of the season at left guard.

Fuaga’s absence suggests the Saints may be without him for their Week 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks.

If Fuaga were not able to play against Seattle, the Saints may have to lean on Asim Richards, whom they acquired in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys last month in exchange for future draft considerations.

Richards played 32 offensive snaps in relief of Fuaga during a Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, allowing 2 pressures in 23 pass blocking snaps.

during the second

Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.

NFL kickoffs require a new set of skills for kickers and returners

BY NOAH TRISTER AP sportswriter

The biggest gaffe of the NFL season so far may have occurred in Pittsburgh last weekend, when a Steelers rookie let a kickoff bounce into the end zone and left the ball sitting there, apparently unaware that Seattle could — and did score a touchdown by falling on it. That type of mistake is a coach’s nightmare, but for the league it was probably a sign of progress. Kickoffs are no longer a dull formality After more rule tweaking this season, it really does feel like anything can happen.

“Is this better than 12 touchbacks a game? Yes,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

The NFL introduced the so-called dynamic kickoff last year, limiting how far the coverage team has to run and establishing a landing zone inside the 20-yard line. This year touchbacks on kicks that reach the end zone on the fly put the ball on the 35 instead of the 30. Now there’s a big incentive for kickers to land the ball between the 20 and the goal line, and that’s altered the nature of the job.

“Essentially, what we used to do on kickoffs is almost obsolete for most kickers,” Tennessee Titans kicker Joey Slye said. “I’m having honestly more of a trouble keeping it in play out of the end zone than really past the 20. So I think a lot of kickers are having that issue as well.” Booming the ball into — or through the end zone for a touchback used to be a perfectly good option. Even last season, that approach was common. With touchbacks putting the ball on the 35, however it makes more sense to try to force a return with a short-

season opener The Saints have maintained throughout that his injury is not something that will keep him out long term, though the pass rusher is on track to miss his third straight game

New Orleans also added receiver Devaughn Vele to the injury report Thursday Vele was limited with a hip injury while guard Trevor Penning — the likely starter at left guard if healthy was limited for the second straight day

‘Solid debut’

Rookie safety Jonas Sanker made his starting debut with the Saints last week in place of the injured Julian Blackmon, and while he didn’t earn a rave review from his defensive coordinator, he did show some encouraging signs.

“It was just a solid debut,” said Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley “He looked like he belonged. There were no catastrophic rookie plays. And I thought that he flashed enough on the tape.

“Ithoughtitwasagoodtacklingperformanceforhim,andthat’swherehe needs to start. And then hopefully, as he gets more experience, then you’ll see even more playmaking.”

er kick If the ball doesn’t make it to the 20, then the opposing team takes over on its own 40 — not that much worse for the kicking team than the 35 after a touchback.

And if the ball hits the ground before it reaches the return man, that brings even more uncertainty into play

“It’s not a basketball, and you don’t know how it’s going to end up ricocheting off the ground doing a bunch of different things,” Miami Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said. “So the biggest thing that we tell our players is, hey, once it’s on the ground, it can roll anywhere. And that’s the best part about the kick.” For kickers, there’s been an adjustment.

“I think it takes away when you have a good kicker because good kickers, you separate yourself by being able to kick it higher and farther and placing it, and the hang time and all that,” Bills kicker Matt Prater said. “But now, hang time’s irrelevant and distance is irrelevant. So for young strong guys, I think it takes away their strengths.”

The touchback rate on kickoffs has plummeted from 65.5% last season to 16.7% in 2025. That’s resulted in almost no change in postkickoff field position, which has averaged right around the 30-yard line this season and last, but there’s been an uptick this year in action, unpredictability and variety

Kaleb Johnson was the poor Pittsburgh return man who let the ball go through his hands and into the end zone, allowing George Holani of the Seahawks to recover the live ball for a TD. Although distance isn’t a priority anymore for kickers, they do have a chance to show off their creativity trying to create tricky bounces for returners.

Moore said Wednesday that Fuaga’s absence was more related to the back injury than it was the

knee that bothered him in Week 1. Young has not practiced since injuring his calf days before the

Sanker played each of the Saints’ 68 defensive snaps, finishing with eight tackles (five solo). According to Pro Football Reference, Sanker was not charged with a missed tackle, and several of his plays came one-on-one against 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey in space.

Bucs aim for first 3-0 start in 20 years

BY ROB MAADDI AP pro football writer

TAMPA,Fla The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to a 2-0 start for the fourth straight season under coach Todd Bowles.

They haven’t been 3-0 yet.

“That’s a problem that we’ve got to try to solve. We’re looking more ahead for that as opposed to just being happy being 2-0,” Bowles said “It’s a long season. We’ve got a lot of work to do and we’ve got a lot of things to get better at. We haven’t been 3-0. So, that’s a big challenge for us this week as opposed to sitting there and saying we’re 2-0 and being happy and then getting our (tails) kicked on Sunday.”

It’ll be a throwback day for the Buccaneers when they host the New York Jets in their home opener Baker Mayfield and his teammates will wear the original white creamsicle uniforms to commemorate the franchise’s 50th season. More than 100 former Buccaneers will be in attendance to join the celebration.

“I think that’s great, but that’s not going to help us get to 3-0,” Bowles said.

The Jets won’t have starting quarterback Justin Fields because of a concussion. Tyrod Taylor will take his place in the lineup.

New York’s Aaron Glenn is still looking for his first win as head coach. Mayfield and the Bucs faced him in each of the past two seasons when he was the Lions defensive coordinator

Mayfield had 349 yards passing, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a 31-23 playoff loss in Detroit on Jan. 21, 2024. He threw for 185 yards, one TD, one pick and ran for a score in a 20-16 win over the Lions last September

“Obviously Aaron being in Detroit, the way they’re coached overall under Dan Campbell and that philosophy of (having) a complete unit — physical, they play really, really hard,” Mayfield said. “Their defensive coordina-

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injured reserve with a shoulder injury, making the 2024 secondrounder a clear future play by the Saints. The speedy Palmer is eligible to play now, but has not yet appeared in a game after the Saints claimed him following roster cuts, and his path to being an impact player is perhaps the most limited of the three.

Vele is the one who provides clear help in both the immediate sense and in the future.

New Orleans has brought Vele along slowly since acquiring him in a trade with the Denver Broncos in August which was the plan. The Saints intended to

tor, Steve Wilks, is somebody I’ve been around in a couple different places. They just fly around, do what they’re supposed to do, and do it at a high level.”

Wilks was an assistant coach in Carolina when Mayfield spent half of a forgettable season with the Panthers.

Special showdown

The game features a matchup of old friends among the head coaches with Glenn and Bowles.

Glenn, who is in his first year as an NFL head coach, played for the Jets for eight of his 15 NFL seasons — including in 2000, when Bowles was New York’s secondary coach. Glenn spent two seasons with Dallas, in 2005 and ’06, where his secondary coach was again Bowles.

Now, Glenn is in the position Bowles held for four seasons from 2015-18 — as the Jets’ head coach.

“This is a personal game for me from the aspect of, I know Todd Bowles on a level that is unlike a lot of coaches relationships I have in this league,” Glenn said. “I’ve leaned on him quite a bit throughout my coaching process and he’s been a really good friend. So, when I

limit Vele to a specific menu of plays until he became more comfortable with an offense that his teammates have been exposed to since this spring.

“I definitely feel a lot more comfortable with the playbook; things are clicking a lot better,” Vele said.

“I’m understanding the guys and understanding my role as well, and trying to fulfill that role they have for me. I’m happy to be here.” The 6-foot-5, 210-pound receiver has played only 41 offensive snaps in the first two weeks, with the bulk of his playtime coming on running downs, and has only seen three targets. But he’s made them count.

In the opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Vele made a nice 13-yard catch on the sideline that moved the chains as the Saints

say ‘personal,’ that’s where that comes from.”

Familiar foes

Taylor was Cleveland’s starting quarterback in 2018 when the Browns took on the Jets in Week 3. It was the last game he started for the franchise.

Taylor suffered a concussion shortly before halftime and was replaced by his backup: Mayfield. The No. 1 overall pick that year made his NFL debut and led the Browns to a comeback victory Mayfield started the rest of that season. Both quarterbacks have ended up in several other spots since, and the two will face each other as opponents Sunday They last squared off in 2021, when Mayfield was still in Cleveland and Taylor was with Houston and the Browns won 31-21.

“Happy for Baker,” Taylor said. “He’s a competitor Haven’t caught up with him much since we parted ways in Cleveland, but I always watch him from afar and I’m proud of the way he’s been able to handle himself and the way he’s carrying the Tampa Bay team and just his success over the years.”

made a late push to attempt to tie the game. Then, last week against San Francisco, he lined up in the slot and used his body to out-leverage the cornerback, beating him for a 3-yard touchdown.

“The targets haven’t shown up yet; that’s just a matter of time,” Moore said. “... He’s a really good football player, and we feel really good about him.”

“A matter of time” might be a good phrase to keep in mind when thinking of the Saints receiver room. They reshaped the group in the span of a month, and while it has yet to truly impact the games, the team clearly has a plan for what it wants the position to look like.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV Tennessee Titans kicker Joey Slye, right, celebrates a field goal with guard Blake Hance

half against the Los Angeles Rams on

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints quarterback Hunter Dekkers throws a pass during a Organized Team Activities on June 5. Since first joining the team this summer, Dekkers has been signed six times and waived five times — and this is his second time signing back with New Orleans.

ASSOCATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is stripped of the ball in the second half against the Houston Texans on Monday in Houston.

THE VARSITY ZONE

LUTCHER 27, LIBERY 20

Lutcher holds on

Bulldogs halt late Liberty drive to get first win of season

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Lutcher clung to a slim touchdown lead against Liberty, and had its back against the wall with 17 seconds left Thursday night at Olympia Stadium.

The Patriots faced fourth and goal at the Bulldogs 1-yard line, looking to possibly send the game into overtime Lutcher coach Dwain Jenkins kept his message to his defense brief.

“Just go win the next play,” Jenkins said.

Liberty handed the ball off to backup running back Abednego Stephens. Before he could punch it in, Lutcher defensive tackle Quantez Joseph bursted through the right edge and brought Stephens down behind the line to preserve a 27-20 win Bulldogs freshman quarterback Terron Charles had 102 carries on 18 carries and one touchdown. He also had one passing touchdown.

Running back Jaimylon Joseph added 96 yards on 13 carries and had two rushing scores for the Bulldogs (1-2).

75-yard march and the Patriots trailed 14-6 with 2:04 left in the first.

The Bulldogs scored again to go up 21-6 after Joseph raced up the middle for a 24-yard TD run. Lutcher had 143 yards rushing on just nine carries in its first three drives.

Liberty leaned on Foster on the ensuing drive as he had seven carries for 60 yards and capped it with a 16yard run.

Denham Springs twins identical in appearance,

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Seeing Da’Jean and Da’Sean Golmond for the first time, the twin brothers’ identical appearance is clear But watching them on the football field, another factor is clear their drive to push each other to be the best.

Da’Jean is the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback, while Da’Sean plays wide receiver The twins have played football since they were 4 years old, but their chemistry began to blossom 10 years ago when Da’Jean made the switch to quarterback.

With less than a minute to go in the first half, Charles found sophomore wideout Johnny Jones who won a jump ball over a Liberty defensive back to bring down an 11-yard touchdown reception to make it 27-14 at halftime.

“It shows that you can win games,” Jenkins said, “and we’re capable of winning games both ways.”

The Bulldogs took an early 14-0 lead, opening the game with a seven-play, 68-yard drive that ended in a 45-yard TD run by Charles. Lutcher then recovered an onside kick, and six plays later Joseph burst through the middle for a 32-yard TD run with six minutes left in the first period.

Liberty (2-1) scored on its first drive after Zaiden Foster took off for a 36yard touchdown to cap a nine-play,

After scoring 27 points in the first half, Lutcher was shut out in the second. However the defense stood tall and allowed just six points after halftime.

Foster took over to start the second half. He carried the ball five times and broke off a 44-yard run to set up a 1-yard run by quarterback Brice Preston to cut the deficit to 27-20 with 8:55 left in the third.

The Patriots got the ball back with 7:06 left in the game and steadily marched down the field, using 15 plays to drive to the Lutcher 1 with just 17 seconds left. After an injury to Foster, Liberty went to Stephens, who was tackled in the backfield to seal the Lutcher win.

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

The Week 3 high school football slate is here for the Baton Rouge area. Here’s five key games and what to watch Friday night.

Catholic at University High

Five games to watch

The Bears head over to the Cub Complex for their first road game against University High in one of the area’s best matchups Friday night. Catholic (2-0) is ranked No. 2 in the LWSA Class 5A rankings, while the Cubs (1-1) dropped to No. 5 in the Class 3A rankings after their loss to Rummel. Catholic defeated St Thomas More at home 35-28 in Week 2. Both sides getting the run game working will be key to who will come out on top.

Bears junior Jayden Miles rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries against STM. U-High’s duo of senior Sage Ingram and junior Corbin Odell combined for 208 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries against Woodlawn in Week 1. St. Charles at Dunham Dunham hosts St. Charles in what should be one of their toughest tests of the regular season The Comets are 2-0 and ranked No. 8. The Tigers are ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A poll and will look to build off of their 63-42 win against Live Oak last week. Junior Elijah Haven finished with a combined 535 yards and eight total touchdowns in the win. Dunham wide receiver Jarvis Washington had 11 receptions for 259 yards and four TDs. The Tigers have scored at least 49 points in both of their wins. St. Michael at Istrouma

The Warriors take on the Indians in a battle of early unbeatens. St. Mi-

chael defeated Episcopal, which received votes in the LWSA poll, 41-21 to open the season.

St Michael then played its first home game in their new stadium last Friday The Warriors dominated Tara in a 42-8 victory Istrouma has shut out both of its opponents. The Indians took down Collegiate Baton Rouge 58-0 in Week 1 and defeated McKinley 24-0 in Week 2. Istrouma’s defense will be put to the test against a St. Michael side that’s scored at least 40 points in each of its first two games.

John F. Kennedy at St. Amant

The name to watch in this matchup is Cooper Babin. The senior quarterback is one of the top players for St. Amant and flashed his talent in a 60-56

win over Cecilia. Babin had four rushing touchdowns and four passing touchdowns in the win. He also combined for 550 yards. He’ll continue his stellar play against the Cougars (1-1).

Central at Walker

Central visits Walker in a battle of Wildcats. Central is 2-0 after a 34-28 rivalry win at Denham Springs

After giving up 21 points in the first half, Central held the Yellow Jackets to seven points in the second half. Junior quarterback Max Gassiott entered the game in the second quarter and helped spark a second-half comeback, throwing two touchdowns. Walker (1-1) fell to Woodlawn 20-17 in Week 2. Walker defeated Ponchatoula 27-26 in Week 1.

While most players start building trust on the field, the pair’s connection started in the yard outside their house.

“We go against our little brothers a lot,” said De’Sean, whose 1-1 Yellow Jackets host Woodlawn (11) at 7 p.m. Friday “Going against them helped us. I know where he’s going to put it. If they’re somewhere, I know he’s going to put it where they can’t get it.”

Da’Jean said the two know the ins and outs of each other and the expectations they have for one another when they step out on the football field.

Da’Sean often doesn’t even need his brother to tell him the route. He already telegraphs where the ball is going to be and where he needs to reach to bring down the reception.

Having that built-in connection is a luxury for Denham Springs coach Brett Beard.

“They make us look good at times,” Beard said. “You can’t appreciate that enough. They’re twins, so they’re synced up a little differently than the rest of us.”

While the rest of the players on the field are seeing one thing, Beard said the two are on a different page when a play breaks down, which can make the coaching staff look really good.

Beard said the biggest thing they bring besides their brotherly connection is their love for Denham Springs and their drive to compete.

“On the sideline, we get after each other a lot,”

Da’Sean said. “During practice, we get after each other a lot because we expect a lot out of each other.”

Da’Jean cited their game last Friday against Central, saying the brothers aren’t afraid to let one know they messed up during games. They continue to hold each other accountable every day on the field.

Beard said it sometimes gets to the point where he has to get on them for being too tough and chippy with each other Even though he has to reel them in at times, he still loves the competitive spirit they bring.

“They want to prove they can win,” Beard said. “It’s a lot of fun to watch them

work every day and get to this point.”

Da’Sean and Da’Jean don’t settle for complacency, and if there’s one thing Beard knows about them, it’s that they want to make each other look good. Their spirit as competitors is what makes them so good, he said.

Beard described them as tacticians who want to get each play right. The two still have aspects of the game they need to work on, but Beard is confident they’ll give their all to become complete players.

“They want to almost be too perfect,” Beard said. Their connection also offers another advantage most quarterbacks don’t have with their wide receiver — having a teammate just down the hall.

“I think the biggest advantage is we don’t got to go over to each other’s house,” Da’Jean said. “He’ll come into my room, then we’ll just watch film.” Another perk of their relationship is Da’Jean’s ability to diagnose coverages and show Da’Sean what he’s seeing on any given play The pair work hard to make each other better, but their ultimate motivation is to win games. Da’Jean said his teammates will do anything for each other, and they all share that same drive to win games in their senior year Beyond just the twins and their team, they’re also playing for Denham Springs.

“It means more to me just to be playing for this city,” Da’Sean said. “That’s where we were raised. To be able to wear the Denham Springs on our chest one last year It means a lot.”

Their family has had players on the Denham Springs football team, but never a set of brothers like this year The two started football together and cherish the fact that they’ll finish their high school football career together For their last season, they’re giving their all to bring a state title to Denham Springs. “We’re going to go out and we want to bring something to the city that we haven’t had ever,” Da’Jean said. “We just want to win.”

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Denham Springs quarterback Da’Jean Golmond throws a pass against Central last Friday in Denham Springs.

By HILARy SCHEINUK

Lutcher wide receiver Kayde Randle

on Thursday at Olympia Stadium.

SCOREBOARD

SouthernMiss. (2-1) at LA Tech (2-1), 6:30 p.m. UL (1-2)atE.Michigan (0-3),2:30 p.m. E. TexasA&M (0-2)atGrambling (2-1),6 p.m.

McNeese St. (1-2)atUtah St. (2-1),7 p.m.

Friday’s game

TOP25 No. 22 Indiana (2-0)vs. Indiana St.(2-0), 5:30 p.m.

Saturday’s games

TOP25 No. 3LSU (3-0) vs.Southeastern (2-1),6:45 p.m.

No. 4Miami (3-0)vs. Florida (1-2), 6:30 p.m.

No. 6Oregon (3-0)vs. Oregon St. (0-3),2p.m. No. 7Flor. St. (2-0)vs. Kent St. (1-2),2:30 p.m. No. 8Texas (2-1) vs.Sam Hou. St.(0-3),7 p.m.

No. 9Illin. (3-0) at No.19Indiana(3-0),6:30 p.m.

No. 11 Oklah. (3-0)vs. No. 22 Auburn (3-0), 2:30 p.m. No. 13 Ole Miss (3-0) vs.Tulane(3-0),2:30 p.m.

No. 15 Tenn. (2-1)vs. UAB(2-1),11:45 a.m.

No.16Utah(3-0)vs.No.17Tex.Tech(3-0),11a.m.

No. 18 Geo. Tech (3-0) vs.Temple (2-1), 3:30 p.m.

No. 20 Vander. (3-0) vs.Georg. St.(1-2), 6:30 p.m.

No. 21 Mich. (2-1) at Nebraska(3-0),2:30 p.m.

No. 23 Missouri (3-0) vs.S.Carolina (2-1), 6p.m.

No. 24 ND (0-2) vs.Purdue (2-1), 2:30 p.m.

No. 25 S. Cal (3-0) vs.Mich.St. (3-0), 10 p.m.

Thursday’s games

SOUTH Rice 28, Charlotte 17 Friday’s games

EAST Columbia(0-0) at Lafayette (2-1), 5p.m. Iowa (2-1)atRutgers (3-0), 7p.m. SOUTHWEST Tulsa(1-2) at Oklahoma St. (1-1),6:30 p.m. Saturday’s games

EAST Central St. (Ohio) (0-0)atMorgan St.(0-3) 11 a.m. Holy Cross (0-3) at Yale (0-0), 11 a.m. North Texas(3-0) at Army(1-1),11a.m. San Diego (1-2) at Princeton(0-0),11a.m. Villanova (1-1)atMonmouth (NJ) (2-1),noon Delaware St. (2-1)atSt. Francis (Pa.) (0-3), noon Troy (1-2)atBuffalo(2-1),2:30 p.m. Ball St. (1-2)atUconn (1-2), 2:30 p.m. Howard (2-1)vs. Hampton (1-2), Md., 3p.m. Youngstown St. (2-1)atTowson(2-1),5p.m. Lehigh (3-0)atBucknell (2-1), 5p.m. Cornell(0-0) at Albany(NY) (0-3), 6p.m. SOUTH SC State (2-1) at South Florida (2-1), 11 a.m. Bowling Green (2-1)atLouisville (2-0), 11 a.m. Arkansas (2-1) at Memphis (3-0), 11 a.m. Syracuse (2-1)atClemson (1-2), 11 a.m. Wofford(0-3) at VirginiaTech (0-3),11a.m.

UAB(2-1) at Tennessee (2-1), 11:45 a.m. BluefieldSouth (0-0)atPresbyterian (3-0) noon Harvard(0-0) at Stetson (1-2), noon VMI (1-2)atRichmond (1-2),1p.m. Mercer (1-1)atThe Citadel(1-2),1 p.m. Samford(0-3) at W. Carolina(0-3),1:30 p.m. EdwardWaters (0-0)atBethune-Cookman (0-3), 2p.m. James Madison(1-1) at Liberty (1-2),

DINOS AND LEGOS

‘Jurassic Quest’ and ‘Brick Fest Live’ arejoining forces to present aweekend of interactive, educational fun at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales From animatronic dinosaurstoover1 millionbuilding bricks,it’sall happening Friday-Sunday. Tickets startat$26. lamardixonexpocenter.com/events.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

SONNY LANDRETH TRIO

7p.m. Friday l The Freyhan Cultural Center,4727 Cr-426, St. Francisville l $76.45$97.85 l facebook.com/ RedDragonListeningRoom and sonnylandreth.com

‘It’sso important to honor the heroes’

As guitar star SonnyLandreth prepsfor show,he also reflectson CliftonChenier

BY JOHN WIRT

Contributing writer

Sonny Landreth, the singer, songwriter and slide guitar master from Lafayette, will return to the Baton Rouge area for aFriday performance at the new Freyhan Cultural Center in St. Francisville.

Chris Maxwell, the longtime owner of the recently closed Red Dragon Listening Room in Baton Rouge, is co-presenting theshow Landreth also is at work on a new album, his fourth for the Dutch music company Mascot LabelGroup. True to his fiery style,Landrethhits the studio running “I do anumber of dates, come home andgorightinto thestudio,” he said. “I get ahead of steam that way,creatively and physically,having the chops up, as opposed to cooling down.”

PROVIDED PHOTO By GREG

Adelighted SonnyLandreth participated in twotributes to the late zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier at this year’sNew Orleans Jazz and HeritageFestival.

Some songs for the new album willbearranged for Landreth’s trio. Others are more intimate, reflecting the singer-guitarist’s recentone-man shows.

His upcomingengagements includefoursolo gigs in Japan

“Some rockers, big blues influence,” Landreth said of the music he’scrafting for his album-in-progress. “Nothing unusualthere. And some ballads. The subtleties of the solo materiallends itself to that.Ilike a broad range of material.”

Landreth’sthree appearances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival have been among this year’sLouisiana performances. Alongsidehis longtime bandmates,bassist

HER WAY

Aone-night immersiveexperience, “Her Lens: Louisiana CreativeUprising” will spotlight women-led creativity through films, visual art, performanceand wellness. Starting at 4p.m.Sunday at the Manship Theatre, and ending with card games and drinks. $11. manshiptheatre.org

CHECK THIS VIEW

Weather permitting,viewing of the shadowand disc of Titan sliding onto the disc of Saturnwill be possible from 11 p.m. Fridayto1 a.m. Saturday at BREC’sHighland Road Park Observatory. This is the last full transit of the Titan across its parent planet. For those 6and older.Free. brec.org

FUNISIN THEAIR

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

Although it doesn’t feel like au tumn just yet,the fall calendar filled with fairsand festivals every weekend from now to the Christ mas season. Yes, it’s only 96 days until thebig holiday,but don’tworry about that now.There are funnel cakes tob eaten, arts and crafts to peruse, live music to hear —you get th picture. With that, here’sour list for fall fun.Notethat events areinBaton Rouge unless otherwise indicated. Don’tsee your fair or festival listed here? Let us know by email ing red@theadvocate.com with th details

SATURDAY

KREWE OF ERIN CELTIC HERITAGE

FESTIVAL: 9a.m.-7 p.m.,Ponchatoula

Kiwanis Park &Club, 201 W. Magnolia St., Ponchatoula. Family-friendly event featuring Celtic musicians, dance groups, performing groups, educational workshops, arts and crafts vendors, food and children’s activities. Free. https://www kreweoferin.com/.

THURSDAY

SHADOWS-ON-THE-TECHE 8TH

ANNUAL FARM FEST: 4p.m.-8 p.m. grounds of theShadows,317 E. Main St., New Iberia. The family-friendly event offers avariety of games from old-fashioned carnival ones to Farm Fest staples, face painting,crafting and apetting zoo. Also, food, drinks and liveentertainment. $10 per family.https://www.shadowsontheteche.org/.

OCT. 1-5

TANGIPAHOAPARISH FAIR: 12614 Arena Drive, Amite. Atraditional fair with rides, food, aparade, livestock show, cooking contests, and talent contests. tangifair.org.

OCT. 4

tiquedistrict.net/ds-antique-villagefestival-information.

OCT. 4-5

FALLFEST: 9a.m.-4:30p.m., Denham Springs Antique Village, North Range Avenue. More than 160 booths, food, music, special sales in stores. https://www.denhamspringsan-

PLANTFEST!: 9a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdayand 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday,LSU Hilltop Arboretum, 11855 Highland Road. Discovermorethan 3,000 plants and morethan 300 species of nativeand traditional trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, ferns, succulents and grasses. https://lsu.edu/hilltop/. GERMAN FEST: 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m Saturdayand 9a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday, 7212 Roberts Cove Road, Rayne

SipGerman beer and enjoyfolklore demonstrations, liveentertainment and authentic German food.robertscovegermanfest.com.

OCT. 10-12

FESTIVALS ACADIENS ET CRÉOLES: GirardPark, 500 GirardPark Drive, Lafayette. The Cajun and zydeco festival features performances by local musicians,cultural workshops and culinary experiences, and is a showcase for local artisans. Also includes theBayou Food Festival.

BR MusicStudios to celebratenew creative hub

MILES

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday,Sept. 19, the 262nd day of 2025. There are 103 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Sept. 19, 2022, GreatBritain and the world said afinal goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II at astate funeral that drew presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers —and crowds who thronged the streets of London

Also on this date:

In 1796, President George Washington’sfarewelladdress was published. In it, America’s first chief executive advised, “Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peaceand harmony with all.”

In 1881, the 20th presidentof the United States, James A. Garfield, died 21/2 months after being shot by Charles Guiteau;hewas succeeded by Vice President Chester A. Arthur In 1955, President Juan Peron of Argentina was ousted aftera revolt by the army and navy.

In 1957, the United Statesconducted its first contained underground nuclear test, code-named “Rainier,”inthe Nevada desert.

In 1985, the Mexico Cityarea was struck by adevastating earthquake that killed at least 9,500 people.

In 1988, Olympic diver Greg Louganis suffered aconcussion after striking his head on the diving board during the preliminary roundofthe 3-meter springboard diving competition at the Seoul Summer Games; Louganis would recover from the injury and win agold medal

LANDRETH

Continued from page1D

Dave Ransonand drummerBrian Brignac, he burned theBlues Tent down on the festival’s final day.Two days prior,the delighted Landreth participated in two tributes to thelatezydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier

In the centennial yearofhis birth, Chenier has been fêtedby multipletributeconcerts; anallstar album featuring the Rolling Stones and other international stars plus many Louisiana musicians; and Todd Mouton’sChenier biography,“The King of Zydeco: The Life,Music, andLegacy of Clifton Chenier.”

Landreth joinedChenier’sRed Hot Louisiana Band in early 1980 After an action-packed year with Chenier,the guitarist periodically joined the king of zydeco on stage, until Chenier’sdeath in 1987 at 62 years old.

“I’m thrilled about the attention to him, honoredtobepart of that in any way,” Landreth said of the centennial tributes. “It’s so important to honor theheroes and not forget.”

Landreth didn’tsee his membership in the Red Hot Louisiana Band coming.One weeknight at the Bon TonRouley club in Lafayette, Chenier just happened to hear the young guitarist sit in with the Red Beans and Rice Revue.

“Cliff came in with his friends, his littleentourage,” Landreth recalled. “Their table wasright next to my speakercabinet.He heard me play and invitedmeto sit in at theBoucherie in St.Martinville. Ithought that wouldbe it. Iremember telling afriend, ‘Man, last night was the height

in the eventthe following day

In 1995, The New York Times andThe WashingtonPost published the manifesto of Unabomber TedKaczynski, which proved instrumentalinidentifying and capturing him.

In 2004, Hu Jintao became the undisputedleader of China with the departure of former President JiangZemin from his top militarypost.

In 2008,struggling to stave off financialcatastrophe,the Bush administration laid out aradical bailout plan callingfor atakeover of ahalf-trillion dollars or more in worthless mortgages and other baddebt held by tottering institutions. Relieved investors sent stockssoaringonWallStreet and around the globe.

In 2011, Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees recorded his602ndsave, making him baseball’sall-time leader in the category

Today’sbirthdays: Actor Rosemary Harris is 98.Singer-songwriter PaulWilliams is 85. Singer Bill Medley(The Righteous Brothers) is 85. Singer Sylvia Tyson (Ian and Sylvia)is85. R&B singer FredaPayne is 83.Actor Jeremy Irons is 77. Model-actor Twiggy Lawsonis76. TV personality Joan Lunden is 75.MusicianproducerNile Rodgers is 73. Rocksinger Lita Ford is 67. Musician Jarvis Cocker(Pulp) is 63. Country singer Trisha Yearwood is 61.Republican Sen. TimScott of SouthCarolina is 60. News anchorSoledadO’Brien is 59. Actor SanaaLathan is 54. “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon is 51. Actor Columbus Short is 43.

of mycareer.That was thebest thing I’ve ever beenapart of.’

Cheniersurprised Landreth with asecond sit-ininvite, this time in New Orleans. Then came the offertojointhe Red Hot Louisiana Band.

“I was alloverthat,”Landreth said. “That was the quickest response anybody has ever got from me.”

Performingwith Chenier was among the most impactful experiences of Landreth’slife and career,he said.Many of theshows wentfourhours straight, no breaks

“Clifton totallycommandedthe audience and the show,” Landreth told New Orleans’ OffBeat magazine in 2016.“He hadsucha vast repertoire of songs. He changed the keys of the songs, so he really kept you on your toes. Andifhe didn’tlike what you wereplaying, you’dknowit. Onenight at Tipitina’s…magic was happening during ‘Got My Mojo Working.’Clifton grabbed me by my belt buckle and pulled me out to the front of the stage. I’mright in the middle of asolo. He says, ‘Young man! Go!’ The crowd started screaming. It was one of those moments.”

Landreth regrets that he never recorded astudio album with Chenier.That disappointment was soothed by the 2023 release of “Clifton Chenier: Live At Tipitina’s,” featuringone of the many performances Sonny Schneidau, then sound engineer at Tipitina’s, recorded at the fabled New Orleans music venue in the late 1970s andearly ’80s.

“Finally,there’ssomething that documentsmeplaying with Cliff,” Landreth said. “I can’tget over how good it sounds.”

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@msn. com.

FESTIVALS

Continuedfrom page1D

https://festivalsacadiens.com/.

OCT. 11-12

HAMMOND NORTHSHORE REGIONAL

AIRSHOW: 600 Judge Leon Ford Drive (off U.S. 190),Hammond. In addition to the showupabove,thereare a kids zone, helicopter rides, food and more. hammondairshow.com.

OCT. 16-19

INTERNATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL: 303 N. Parkerson Ave.,Crowley.Festivalgoers can participate in ariceeating contest, the Crowley High 5K Run Walk and the fiddle and accordion contests. ricefestival.com.

OCT. 17

FARMERS AND ARTISANS MARKET: 1:30 p.m.,Baker Branch Library Shoplocal vendors for homemade crafts, homegrownvegetables and homecooked goodies. (225) 7785960.

OCT. 17-18

BOUCHERIE &BALLOON FESTIVAL:

9690 Airline Highway, Sorrento. Observeasky filled with hot air balloons. Also, jambalaya and cracklin cook-offs, music, food and craft vendors. boucheriefestival.com.

OCT. 18

BATONROUGE MAKER FAIRE:

10 a.m.-4 p.m.,Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. This year’s focus is filmmaking, celebrating all the makers who create moviemagic behind the scenes. Live film scoreand screening, live stunt demonstrations, animatronics seminar, panel of local filmmakers, green screen and costume activities and writers room simulation. Free. batonrouge.makerfaire.com.

FALL FESTIVALATTHE FARM:

10 a.m.-2 p.m.,Lazy LFarms, 30060 Peak Lane,Walker. Games, s’mores, animal feedings, photo area and more. $20; children 5and younger free with purchase of adult ticket. https://bit.ly/FallFarmFest25.

ACADIA MUSIC FEST: PercyBrown Road, Thibodaux. This one-day musicevent welcomes local and

HUB

Continuedfrom page1D

Founded in 2006, BRMSbegan as an after-school lessonprogram with just ahandful of students.

Over the years, it grew into an established creative educationcenter,offering private instruction rockand popbandmentorships, and student performance opportunities throughout theregion.

FormerBRMS students have gone on to tour nationally,work for recording studios, join booking agencies, and build careers across

OCT. 31-NOV.2

national artists to thestagewhile festivalgoers can enjoySouthern food and artsand crafts. acadiamusicfest.net.

OCT. 18–19AND 25–26

BOO AT THE ZOO: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m (last entry at 4p.m.), BREC’sBaton RougeZoo, 3000 ZooCircle (via 13350 La. 19). Festive activities, live entertainment and seasonal treats. Highlights include: Photoopportunities, princess&character meet-andgreets, face painting, entertainment in the plaza, animal enrichments, pumpkin patch and treats, costume extravaganzaand The Children’s Village. Regular admission applies. https://brzoo.org/

OCT. 23-NOV.2

GREATER BATONROUGE STATEFAIR: 5p.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Airline Highway Park/Fairgrounds, 16072 Airline Highway.LegoExtravaganza,carnival midway, petting zoo, livemusic, roaming entertainers food and more. gbrsf.com.

OCT. 25

YELLOW LEAF ARTS FESTIVAL: Commerce Street at Burnett Road, St. Francisville. Artists, musicians,writers, actors, poets can enjoyexhibits from over 40 artists and craftspeople along withlivemusic and art activities. artsforallwestfeliciana. com/event-details/yellow-leaf-artfestival.

BREWSARTSFESTIVAL: 217 E. Thomas St., Hammond.Sip on your pick of 65-plus craft beers, peruse the arts market and dance to live music. hammondarts.org/brewsarts-festival.

ANNUAL SWEET DOUGH PIE FESTIVAL: 231 Burleigh Lane, Grand Coteau. The public judgesthe sweet dough pie contest, and manypies areavailablefor purchase. cajuntravel.com/events/sweet-dough-piefestival.

OCT. 26

FALL FESTFOR ALL: 11 a.m.-7 p.m., in and around theShawCenter for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St. Live music, arts market,food and family fun. Free. artsbr.org.

CITY OF GONZALES FALL FEST: 1p.m.-4 p.m., Price LeBlancPACE Center,2824 St. AnthonyAve., Gonzales.Freeactivities, music and food.

themusic industry,according to a BRMS news release.

The new BRMS Creative was born outofthe desire to expand beyond lessons andband mentorships, creating afull ecosystem where young artists and professionals can engage in the realworld creative process. The new hub combines music education, recording andproduction facilities, liveperformance spaces and collaborative programming under one roof.

Asoft opening began in March.

“BRMS Creativerepresents the next chapter of ourvision, saidDoug Gay,founder of Baton

HARVEST FESTIVAL ON FALSE RIVER: 5p.m. Friday-6 p.m.Sunday,211 W. MainSt., NewRoads. Food,rides, arts and crafts vendors,family fun. https://www.harvestfestivalnewroads.com/

NOV. 1

LOUISIANABOOK FESTIVAL: downtown Baton Rouge.Bookworms from all overcan enjoypresentations from alineup of authors and participate in activities related to reading. louisianabookfestival.org.

NOV. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-30AND DEC.6-7

LOUSIANARENAISSANCE FESTIVAL: 46468 River Road, Hammond.Travel back to 14th-through 17th-century Europe, an experience withover600 artisans, entertainers and educational demonstrations. Tickets start at $20. larf2023.org

NOV. 7-9

ANTIQUE TRADE DAYS: 9a.m.5p.m., commuter parking lot,East Pine Street at SE Railroad Avenue Ponchatoula. Over 200 local and national vendors withantiques, crafts, art and collectibles; food vendors https://ponchatoulachamber.com/ antique-trade-days/. HOLYGHOST CREOLE FESTIVAL: 788 N. UnionSt., Opelousas. Experience foods likefried catfish or barbecue pork steak, gospel hymns andthe Creole Festival Parade; bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets. hgcatholic.org

NOV. 13-16

PORTBARRE CRACKLIN FESTIVAL: Veterans Memorial Park, 129 Park St., Port Barre. Firstheldin1985, this multiday eventhosts astreet fair, pageant and parade while raising moneyfor thePort BarreLions Club cracklinfest.com.

DEC.5-6 AND12-13

LISTENING ROOM FILM FESTIVAL: 3p.m.-midnight Saturday and 3p.m.-9 p.m.Sunday,Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 2733 NorthSt. Films followedbyquestion and answer sessions,industrypanels and musical performances. https://hitcitydigital.wixsite.com/htjmuseum/ Staff writer Maddie Scott contributed to this report. Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@ theadvocate.com.

Rouge Music Studios. “This is morethan amusic school. It’sa place where artists of allages can collaborate, record, perform and grow.Webelieve Baton Rouge deserves avibranthub forcreative expression, andwe’rethrilledto open ourdoorstothe community …Now it’s time to expand our practice field to include digital and print media, and recording and videography technology all of the tools creatives use in therealworld.The projectswe create withour studentstoday are preparing them to collaborate with peersinthe workforce tomorrow.”

PHOTO By FRANCESy.SPENCER

Brother and sister duo, Cam and Caylen DeLaney, performOct. 26 at the music tent of the 2024 yellowLeaf Arts Festival.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By ROBIN MAy Earline Thomas holdsone of her famous sweet potato pies for sale at the Grand Coteau Sweet Dough Pie Festival in 2023.

FRIDAY

THE WALRUS (BEATLES

EXPERIENCE): LiveAfter Five, Rhorer Plaza, 5p.m.

JEFF BAJON PROJECT: Smokehouse 74, 5:30 p.m.

MIKE ESNEAULT: Stab’s Restaurant, 6p.m.

DON POURCIAU&KONSPIRA-

CY: Pedro’s-Siegen, 6p.m.

DOC HEARL: Court To Table, 6p.m.

TAYLOR RAE: Galvez Seafood Prairieville, 6p.m.

ROCKIN’ ROUGE: T’Quilas, Zachary,6p.m

SOUTH OF CENTRAL: Blue Iguana, 6p.m.

HISTORICAL HAPPYHOUR

FEATURING DOUGBROUSSEAU: West Baton Rouge Museum, Port Allen, 6p.m.

HONKY TONK PLAYBOYS: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6p.m.

UNITED WE JAM: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6p.m.

JOSHUAMAGEE: BLDG5 6p.m.

RACHAEL HALLACK &ERIC

CANTRELLE: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 6p.m

HOTTUNICA: Curbside Burgers, 6:30 p.m.

KIRK HOLDER: PizzaArt Wine, 6:30 p.m.

ISSY DUO: 18 Steak at L’Auberge, 7p.m

ALLISON COLLINSTRIO: Bin 77, 7p.m.

TOBY TOMPLAYDUO: Crowne Plaza, 7p.m.

RHODES,MAURER &FRIENDS: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 7p.m.

ACOUSTICRATS: TheBrakes Bar, 7p.m.

MARLON JORDAN QUINTET/ THE MUSICALIVE ENSEMBLE: Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, 7p.m.

PHIL CHANDLER: Riverbend Terrace II at L’Auberge,8 p.m.

JOHN RUIZ JR. &DOMINICK

MICHAEL: Spanky’s, Dutchtown, 8p.m.

KENDALL SHAFFER BAND: Coop’s on 621, Gonzales, 8p.m.

HENRYTURNER JR. &ALL-

STARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s ListeningRoom, 8p.m.

THE CHEE WEEZ: L’Auberge Event Center, 8p.m.

THE RICOCHETS: Phil Brady’s 8p.m.

KEEPIN’TIME BAND: Charlie’s Lounge, Addis, 8p.m.

CATAHOULA BAND: Court To Table, 8:30 p.m.

PEYTON FALGOUST: Icehouse TapRoom, 9p.m

SWEET SOUTHERN HEAT: Churchill’s, 9p.m

DOWNBEATLOUISIANA: The Edge Bar at L’Auberge, 9p.m.

MIKE HOGAN: The Vineyard, 9p.m.

JONATHON “BOOGIE” LONG: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville, 9p.m

JOEL COOPER &HEATH

RANSONNET: FatCat Saloon, Prairieville, 9p.m.

DOWNFALL: Big Mike’s Sports Bar &Grill, Denham Springs, 9p.m.

CHRIS LEBLANC BAND: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris,St. Amant, 9p.m.

DAMON TROY: Moonlight Inn, French Settlement, 9:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

TAYLOR NAUTA: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.

RARE GROOVE: LSU Tiger Fan Zone, 1:45 p.m.

BRITTON MAJOR: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 5:30 p.m.

RODNEY BOYD: Zilantro’s, 6p.m.

PAPO YSON MANDAO: Pedros, Denham Springs, 6p.m.

EDDIE SMITH: El Paso,Denham Springs, 6p.m

ORYVEILLON: Court To Table, 6p.m

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM BRANDTIMAGES.COM

The Walrus: ANew Orleans Beatles Experience will performfor LiveAfter Five from 5p.m. to 8p.m. Friday at Rhorer Plaza in downtown Baton Rouge. Admission is free.

PERIQUE: TheBrakesBar 7p.m.

PETERSIMON: 18 Steak at L’Auberge,7 p.m GRAND COUNTRYJUNCTION: Suma Crossing Theatre, Satsuma, 7p.m.

WADE HAYES: Southern Rhythm, Denham Springs, 8p.m.

ACOUSTIC SATURDAYSW/ HENRYTURNER: Henry Turner Jr.’s ListeningRoom, 8p.m.

CHRISOCMAND: Riverbend Terrace II at L’Auberge, 8p.m.

STASH HOUSE: CourtTo Table, 8:30p.m. I-10 BOUND BAND: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant 9p.m.

JUSTIN CORNETT: Sandy’s Daiquiris, Port Allen, 9p.m

VOYAGE: Churchill’s, 9p.m.

CHRISLEBLANC BAND & ZYDECO MIKE: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville,9p.m.

BTB ACOUSTIC: FatCat Saloon, Prairieville, 9p.m. THE SPECS: Pura Vida Coffee Bar, 9:30 p.m.

JOEL COOPER&SCOTT JORDAN: The Vineyard, 9:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

KIRK HOLDER: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 11a.m.

ROBERTCALMES: Cocha, 11 a.m

JUSTIN BURDETTE TRIO: Superior Grill-MidCity,11a.m.

MIKE HOGAN: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m

CONNOR UNDERWOOD: Crowne Plaza, 11 a.m

CHRISALLEN: RedStick Social, noon

BRMS STUDENTS: BRMS Creative,2 p.m

CAJUN MUSIC JAMWITH HOST WALLACE TRAHAN: West BatonRouge Museum, Port Allen, 3p.m.

MIKE HOGAN: IcehouseTap Room, 4p.m.

SONGWRITER SUNDAYS: La Divina Italian Cafe, 5p.m.

RED STICK RHYTHMS: Main Library at Goodwood,6p.m.

HENRYTURNER JR.: The Edge Bar at L’Auberge, 6:30 p.m.

OPEN MIC JAM: FatCat Saloon, Prairieville, 7p.m.

MONDAY

MIKE ESNEAULT: Stab’s Restaurant,6 p.m

AMBER RAE DUO: Superior Grill MidCity,6 p.m

ACOUSTICRATS: Phil Brady’s, 6p.m.

NICK PERKINS: El Paso,Denham Springs, 6p.m.

TUESDAY

JOSIE OLIVA: Bin 77, 5:30p.m.

TREY MORGAN: Superior Grill-MidCity,6 p.m

RALPH DAIGLE: Rio Verde Mexican, Gonzales, 6p.m.

EDDIE SMITH: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30p.m.

WEDNESDAY

JOVIN WEBB: BLDG 5, 5:30 p.m.

CHRIS LEBLANC DUO: Superior Grill-MidCity,6 p.m.

MIKEESNEAULT: Stab’s Restaurant, 6p.m

BEN RAGSDALE: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

KIRK HOLDER: Bin 77, 6:30 p.m.

SONGWRITERS OPENMIC W/ HEATH RANSONNET: Coop’s on 621, Gonzales, 7p.m

ANDYPIZZOTRIO: Hayride Scandal, 7:30 p.m.

OPEN MIC JAM: O’Hara’s Irish Pub, 8p.m

THURSDAY

THE ROUX TONES: T’Quilas, Zachary,6 p.m.

THE REMNANTS: Rock N Rowe,PerkinsRoweSquare, 6p.m

MELISSASINGS: Pedro’sSiegen,6 p.m.

HYDRA: Zilantro’s,6p.m

RACHAEL HALLACK &ERIC

CANTRELLE: Superior GrillMidCity, 6p.m

FLOYDBROWN BAND FEA-

TURING JODYMAYEUX: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6p.m

KYBALION: El Paso-Sherwood, 6p.m

STEVE GUSTAFSON: Stab’s Restaurant, 6p.m

SHELBE, MASON &EVIE: La Divina Italian Cafe,6 p.m.

2DOMESTIC 1IMPORT: Thai Kitchen,6 p.m.

DAMON KING &BOJAMISON: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

JEFF BAJON PROJECT: The Station, 6:30 p.m.

RHETT ANTHONY: Bin 77, 6:30 p.m.

KENNY FIFE &FRIENDS: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St Amant, 7p.m

BEN BELL &THE STARDUST

BOYS: The Brakes Bar, 7p.m

THE BISHOP ELLIS TRIO: Hayride Scandal, 7p.m

HENRY TURNER JR. &ALLSTARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8p.m

BRITTON MAJOR: O’Hara’s Irish Pub, 8p.m

JOSH GARRETT: Spanky’s, Dutchtown, 8p.m

BLUES JAM: Phil Brady’s, 9p.m

RHETT GUILLOT: The Vineyard,9 p.m.

N’TUNE: Churchill’s,9 p.m.

OUTLYING

FRIDAY

JOSH GARRETT BAND: The Mallory,St. Francisville, 6p.m

COUNTRYKINGSWITH JAY DUPUIS AND BRANDON

BENNETT: HolidayInn, Hammond, 7p.m

ELIZABETH SHAR: Big J’s Side Porch, Clinton,6 p.m.

LIL BAYOUBAND: El Mejor, St Francisville, 6:30 p.m.

LIL’RAY NEAL BLUES BAND: The Mallory,St. Francisville, 8p.m ERIC JOHANSON: The Mallory,St. Francisville, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY

BRIAN RITTENHOUSE: Small Town Daiquiris, Clinton, 7p.m

THURSDAY

KENNY ACOSTA: El Mejor, St Francisville, 6:30 p.m.

Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s musiclisted? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper

STAFF FILE PHOTOByMICHAEL JOHNSON

Aplayermoves aknight duringone of 15 games beingplayedinasimulchessmatchon International Chess DayonJuly20atthe SouthBranch LibraryinBaton Rouge. Join the Baton RougeChess Club to playand learnfrom 6p.m. to 8p.m.TuesdaysatLaDivina Italian Cafe.

FRIDAY

38TH ANNIVERSARYCELEBRATION: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., The Elizabethan Gallery, 680 Jefferson Highway. Refreshments and specials all day. elizabethangallery.com

BUTTERR &FRIENDS: AN IMPROVCOLLIDER SHOW: 7:30 p.m.,Manship Theatre’s Hartley/Vey Studio Theatre, 100 Lafayette St.Ashowcase of theimprov teams Just in the Femur, Baton Rouge; Two Friends,New Orleans;and Butterr, Baton Rouge. $14. manshiptheatre.org

FRIDAYNIGHT LECTURE: 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.,BREC’s Highland Road Park Observatory,13800 Highland Road. Skygazing tips, physics phenomena, space programs and famous events arecovered. Forages 14 and older. Free. hrpo.lsu.edu. Also, evening sky viewing from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

SATURDAY

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 8a.m.tonoon,Fifth and Main streets, downtown. Farm-fresh produce, goods, cooking demonstrations. breada.org.

FAMILY-HOURSTARGAZING:

10 a.m.,Irene W. Pennington Planetarium at the Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Learn about the stars and constellations in the local nighttime sky, followedbyanall-ages show. lasm.org.

BOOKSAND MUSIC WITH THE KIDS’ ORCHESTRA: 11 a.m., Bluebonnet Branch Library 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd. Experiential learning session for children ages 3-11. kidsorchestra.org.

TUESDAY

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET:

3p.m.-6 p.m.,Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods, cooking demonstrations. breada.org.

BATONROUGE CHESS CLUB: 6p.m.-8 p.m.,LaDivina Italian Cafe, 3535 Perkins Road, Unit 360. Achance to playand learn; all levels welcome. Free.

THE DAILYLIVES OF LOUISIANA HUMMINGBIRDS —AND THE GARDENS THATATTRACT THEM: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., LSU Hilltop Arboretum Beverly BrownCoates Auditorium,11855 Highland Road. Presentation led by Dennis Demcheck.$10, students and members of Hilltopand/or LMNGBR; $15, non-members; and free,Hilltop members at the Magnolia Level($250) and above.Registration onlineat www.lsu.edu/hilltop.

TRIVIA NIGHT: 6:30 p.m., Burgersmith,18303 Perkins Road. Collect your team and jockey for first place. loom. ly/y-CKtQ4.

AROUND BATONROUGE

WEDNESDAY

RED STICKFARMERS MARKET:

9a.m. to noon, ExxonMobil YMCA, 7711 Howell Blvd Farm-fresh produce,goods and more. www.facebook com/redstickfarmersmarket.

TRIVIA NIGHT: 6:30 p.m Burgersmith, 27350 Crossing Circle, Suite150, Denham Springs.Collect your team and jockey for firstplace loom.ly/y-CKtQ4.

THURSDAY RED STICKFARMERS MARKET: 8a.m.-noon, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Road. Farm-fresh produce,goodsand more. facebook.com/redstickfarmersmarket.

THE ENTREPRENETICS EXPERIENCE: 6p.m.-9 p.m., Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St. A liveevent where identity-first entrepreneurship,education and innovation collide. Bold ideas, real conversations and aliving previewofthe world’s firstcoded formula for entrepreneurship.Free. manshiptheatre.org

WEEKLYSOCIAL BIKE RIDE: 7p.m., Geaux Ride, 521 N. ThirdSt., SuiteA.Free. fareharbor.com.

TRIVIA NIGHT: 7p.m., Bayes Oyster Bar, 315 NorthBlvd. Test your trivia skills with your friends and family.Free.

ONGOING BATONROUGE GALLERY CENTER FORCONTEMPORARY ART: 1515 Dalrymple Drive Group exhibit by RobLamb Carpenter,David Dubose, Ross Jahnkeand Jill Stoll, through Sunday.batonrougegallery.org.

CAPITOL PARK MUSEUM: 660 N. FourthSt. “Billy Cannon: They CalledHim Legend,” through Jan. 10. “Groundsfor Greatness: Louisiana and the Nation” and “The Louisiana Experience:Discovering the SoulofAmerica,” permanent exhibits. (225) 342-5428 or louisianastatemuseum.org.

CARY SAURAGE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER SHELL GALLERY: 233 St. Ferdinand St. “InGood Form,” Southern University Visual Art Faculty through Sept. 27. Hours are from 9a.m. to 4p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Saturday.artsbr.org.

GLASSELL GALLERY: Shaw Center for theArts, 100 Lafayette St. “DiskFull: Christine Breuning and Janna Ahrndt,” through Oct. 9. LOUISIANAART &SCIENCE MUSEUM: 100 S. River Road. “Landscapes Along the Railway:The Art of John Cleaveland,” SoupçonGallery; “Going Places: Transportation Toys of thePast,” DiscoveryGallery; “Shelf Queens: Model Train Masterpieces,” ColonnadeGallery; “Threads of Evolution: Engineering a

CommunityThat Sparkles,” engineering meets imagination through thework of Jaime Glas Odom, founder and creative director of fashion brand Queen of Sparkles, through Nov. 9. (225) 344-5272 or lasm.org.

LOUISIANASTATE ARCHIVES

GALLERY: 3851 Essen Lane. “55th Annual River Road Show,” anational, juried show,through Tuesday. Free. Gallery hours arefrom8a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Monday through Friday

LSU MUSEUM OF ART: Shaw Center for theArts, 100 Lafayette St. “A BayouState of Mind,” highlighted by the exhibition “The BayouCollection,” aseriesof40paintings by George Rodrigue,through Jan. 4. “Carved and Crafted: The Art of Letterpress,” through Sunday.(225) 3897200 or lsumoa.org.

MANSHIP THEATRE GALLERY: 100 Lafayette St. “Michalopoulos:HappyTimes, Summerinthe City,”through Oct 10. Hours are9 a.m.-4 p.m Monday, 9a.m.-10 p.m Tuesday-Thursday, 9a.m.11 p.m.Friday,10a.m.-11 p.m Saturday,and 11 a.m.-5 p.m Sunday

MAGNOLIA MOUNDMUSEUM +HISTORIC SITE: 2161 Nicholson Drive.Guided and selfguided tours.Hours arefrom 10 a.m. to 4p.m. MondaySaturday and from 1p.m. to 4p.m. Sunday.brec.org/facility/MagnoliaMound

OLD GOVERNOR’SMANSION: 502 NorthBlvd. Open for tours.Hours arefrom9 a.m. to 4p.m. Monday-Friday.Free admission. oldgovernorsmansion.com.

OLD STATECAPITOL: 100 NorthBlvd. “Contemporary Viewsofthe Castellated Capitol,”exhibit celebrating the 175th anniversaryofthe OSC and featuring theworks of 19 well-known Louisiana artists. Free. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.

USS KIDD VETERANS MUSEUM: 305 S. River Road. Displaysofavariety of artifacts that celebrate veteran and navalmilitary history.Note: Vessel is in Houma for dry dock repairs.usskidd.com. WEST BATONROUGE MUSEUM: 845 N. Jefferson Ave., Port Allen. “Radbwaêtiretik-layé: The Art of Jonathan Mayers,” through Oct. 12. (225) 3362422 or westbatonrougemuseum.org.

CompiledbyJudy Bergeron. Have an open-to-the-public eventyou’dlike to promote? Email details to red@theadvocate.com. Deadline is 5p.m.Friday forthe following Friday’s paper

When youneed thenews. Wherever youreadthe news

VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept. 22) Take the high road regardless of what others do. Keep an open mind, but sticktothe script that works best for you. When youfeel unsure, step away and conduct some research.

LIBRA(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Expressyour thoughts, gatherinformation from experts and align yourself withpeople heading in asimilar direction. The connectionsyou make will be helpfulmoving forward.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Distance yourself from people trying to wreak havoc or bring about changesthatcan be disruptive to your life andprospects. Put yourself first and protect your possessions and assets.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) When in doubt, step aside and become aspectator. What you learnwill be valuable and help you when it is time to act. What you start now will lead to higher income, abetter position and greater prosperity.

CAPRICORN (Dec.22-Jan. 19) Youcan't buy love, but you can protect yourself from people trying to take advantage of you. Ask questions, be agood listener and lookfor signs thatofferinsight into other people's intentions.

AQUARIUS (Jan.20-Feb.19) Pay attention to money, contracts and health issues. Take responsibility, ask questions andadopt aproactiveapproach to ensure you receive thebest possible advice.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Expect the unexpected and act accordingly. Examineeveryangleand consider how to utilize your attributes to excel.Networking will help you discover what's possible.

ARIES(March21-April 19) You are overdue forachange.Beoriginal, collaborate with someone you love to be around and make plans that will lead to fond memories. Don't getangry; get moving andsee whathappens.

TAURUS (April 20-May20) Express yourself through your actions. Looking and feelingyour bestwill enhance your love lifeand boostyour confidence. Pick up thepace, andyou will thrive.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Shareyour thoughts,entertain, and participate in events and activities that pump you up. Refuse to letemotions and ego prevent youfrom doing what's right.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Howyou approach peoplewill be the deciding factor in what you receive in return. Be open to suggestions, and something good will transpire.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Avoid temptation Verify information beforeenteringa joint ventureorsigning up for something that maynot deliver what you expect. Time is on your side.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by NEA, Inc dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

CelebrityCipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.Eachletterinthe cipher stands foranother.

TODAy'SCLUE: yEQUALS M

FAMILYCIrCUS

For better or For WorSe

SALLYForth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Casey Stengel, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, said, “Without losers, where would the winners be?”

In bridge, of course:Awinner for one pair is aloser for the opponents. And when you are the declarer, you are advisedtocount your losers before playing from the board at trickone.After doing that, if you can also count your winners in areasonable lengthoftime —say, five minutes! —you should do so.Iestimate that on about20percent of deals, counting winners will make the best line of play apparent.

In this example, Westleads the spade jack against four hearts. Howshould South play?

South hasfour potential losers: onein each suit. And if thatisasfar as declarer went, he would probably win thefirst trick in his hand, cash the club ace and playa club to dummy’squeen.Whenit losttoEast’skingandaspadecameback, South would winonthe board and try the diamond finesse (a better bet than the heart finesse, which would need East to have exactly king-doubleton). But when thatfinesse lost also, declarer would go down one and complain about bad luck.

Nowcount winners. South has 10: two spades, five hearts, two diamonds and oneclub. All he needs to do is win with

hisspadeking,cashthediamondace,and play the diamond queen. West wins and leads another spade, but declarer takes thatontheboardanddiscardshisremaining spade on the diamond jack. Thenhe plays on trumps, homeand dry. Count losers and winners; at least one will help. ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. Forexample: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

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

toDAY’sWoRD REJoInDER: rih-JOYN-der: An answer to areply.

Average mark 27 words

Time limit 50 minutes

Can you find 42 or more words in REJOINDER?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD —sLIPsHoD

today’s thought

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato mallard