The Acadiana Advocate 07-21-2025

BIGQUESTION:

Rep. Letlow’s next move in Louisianapolitics?

BY TYLER BRIDGES |Staff writer

What is Julia Letlow’snext move?

That’sthe burning question now in Louisiana politics. Within thenext 60 or so days, the U.S. representative has to choose among three tantalizing options: Doesshe run forreelection, challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidyorseek to become president of LSU?

Well-liked by Republicans who either love or loathe President Donald Trump, Letlow, 44, is personableand positive, much more likely topraise someone than tear them down. She is serving her second full term in the House in adistrict that extends from Monroe through Livingston Parish and the Florida Parishes into Baton Rouge, including Central, St.Georgeand LSU’scampus. She has easily won three races to the House, running the first time afterher husband Luke had won the seat in December 2020 andthendied three weeks later from COVID-19. Before that, Letlow served as asenior administrator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe andwas afinalist to be the university’spresident.

and have agood chance of winning. Or she could return to her comfortzone and go back into academia. She is a commodity in all three of those longterm choices.”

sultants and donors contacted for this story,most predicted that Trump will either publicly or privately endorse Letlow and that will prodher to enter the Senate race.

“There is no wrong answer for Julia Letlow because there’snodead end in her politicalfuture,” said MaryPatricia Wray,alobbyist and political consultant in BatonRouge. “She could run for reelection andgainseniority in the House. She could run for the Senate

For now,Letlow is nottipping herhand on what she might do. She did not respond to a request for an interview for this article. In astatement, she saidshe was “grateful for the outpouring of encouragement and support”and added, “I remain committed to workingwith President Trump, Speaker (Mike) Johnson, andMajority Leader (Steve) Scalise to continue delivering results forLouisiana andthe nation.”

Severalpolitical insiders sayshe hasdiscussed with them the possibility of running againstCassidy,a fellow Republican who is running hard for a third term.

The key question is whether Trump would endorse Letlow to punish Cassidy for voting to bar Trumpfrom holding office again under animpeachmentarticle that accused him of “inciting violence against thegovernment of theUnitedStates” with the Jan.6,2021, attack on theU.S Capitol. Of the 30 lawmakers,political con-

Severalpeople said that Gov Jeff Landry,who is closely aligned with Trump, hastold them that he wants hertorun against Cassidy.Landry appeared as the“special guest” at afundraiser forher in LafayetteonJune30, with checks earmarked for the“Letlow Victory Fund.”

TheGovernor’sOffice declinedtocomment.

Cassidy already is facing two major Republican opponents whowantTrump’ssupport: TreasurerJohnFleming and state Sen. Blake Miguez, of New Iberia.

But some Republicansdon’t think Trump will risk losing Cassidy as areliable votein theSenate by endorsing Letlow,Fleming or Miguez, given thenarrowRepublican margin there. And others saythat Trumpoperates by hisown set of rules,sonoone can be sure what he’lldo.

Most people interviewed agreed that Letlow wouldrun for the Senate only if she hasTrump’sblessing, which they saywould open aspigotofcampaign cashfor her.

Judge mullsD.R.

BY MATT BRUCE |Staff writer

West and Alicia Dixon have spent the past threeyears fighting forcompensationfor a homethey say was not built to stand up to Louisiana’s witheringsummertimehumidity. ThecouplesuedD.R.Horton, oneofthe nation’slargest homebuilders, claiming the Youngsville house the Texas-based company sold them in 2014 hada faulty ventilationsystem that caused water damage, moldgrowth and health issues. After years of legal wrangling, the Louisiana couple had their day in court last week and told aBaton Rouge judge about living in ahouse theysaidthey can’tafford to fix and how it has impacted them and their four children. It was testimony that underscored their lawsuit, which claimsD.R. Horton knowingly built substandard homes across southern Louisiana and sales representatives duped them and other buyers into signing sales contracts with arbitration agreements. The case is poised to becomeaclass-action lawsuit involving hundreds of Louisiana residents who purchased homes from D.R. Horton after 2007.

After listening to nearly eight hours of testimonyWednesdayfromthe Dixons and several other D.R. Horton homeowners,

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR |Staff writer

The administration of Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Monique Boulethas presented abalanced $803.7 million2025-26 operating and capital budget forcouncil and public review

Newpositions maybeadded to Lafayettegovernment Boulet

Balancing thebudget, whichcovers the fiscal year from Nov.1,2025,through Oct. 31, 2026, presented challenges because $85 million in COVID-19relieffunds received throughthe American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 has been spentorobligated and no longer available. The budget, an increase over the 2024-25 budget, was presented to the city and parish councils on Tuesday and is available online at www.lafayettela.gov/finance-management/ lcg-budget-documents/proposed-budget. Both the city andparish general funds are budgeted to maintain asavings of at least 20% of operating costs recommendedfor emergencies. The city has historically maintained

ä See BUDGET, page 4A

Syria’s armed Bedouins withdraw from city

MAZRAA, Syria Syria’s armed Bedouin clans announced Sunday they had withdrawn from the Druze-majority city of Sweida following weeklong clashes and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, as humanitarian aid convoys started to enter the battered southern city

The clashes between militias of the Druze religious minority and the Sunni Muslim clans killed hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria’s already fragile postwar transition. Israel also launched dozens of airstrikes in the Druze-majority Sweida province, targeting government forces who had effectively sided with the Bedouins.

The clashes also led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze community followed by revenge attacks against the Bedouins

A series of tit-for-tat kidnappings sparked the clashes in various towns and villages in the province, which later spread to Sweida city, the provincial capital. Government forces were redeployed to halt renewed fighting that erupted Thursday, before withdrawing again.

Interim President Ahmad alSharaa who has been perceived as more sympathetic to the Bedouins, had tried to appeal to the Druze community while remaining critical of the militias. He later urged the Bedouins to leave the city, saying that they “cannot replace the role of the state in handling the country’s affairs and restoring security.”

Pope renews call for Gaza ceasefire

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy Pope Leo

XIV renewed his call on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, asking the international community to respect international laws and the obligation to protect civilians.

“I once again call for an immediate end to the barbarity of this war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” the pontiff said at the end of his Sunday Angelus prayer from his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo.

Leo also expressed his “deep sorrow” for the Israeli attack on the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip on Thursday which killed three people and wounded 10 others, including the parish priest.

“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations,” the pope added.

The shelling of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza also damaged the church compound, where hundreds of Palestinians have been sheltering from the Israel-Hamas war now in its 21st month. Israel expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating.

“We need to dialogue and abandon weapons,” the pope said earlier Sunday, after presiding over Mass at the nearby Cathedral of Albano.

3 still missing from deadly Texas floods

KERRVILLE, Texas Just three people remain missing — down from nearly 100 at last count — since the Texas Hill Country was pounded by massive flooding on July 4, officials said Saturday

Officials praised rescuers for the sharp reduction in the number of people on the missing list: Just days after the catastrophic flooding, more than 160 people were said to be unaccounted for in Kerr County alone.

“This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time,” Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a statement. The death toll in Kerr County, 107, held steady for much of this week even as the intensive search continued.

The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.

Officials: 85 seeking aid killed in Gaza

Israel widens evacuation orders

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, FATMA KHALED, MELANIE LIDMAN and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip

Gaza saw its deadliest day yet for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war as at least 85 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach food on Sunday, the territory’s Health Ministry said.

There was new alarm as Israel’s military issued evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, one of the few areas where it has rarely operated with ground troops and where many international organizations trying to distribute aid are located. One group said several offices were told to evacuate immediately There was no immediate Israeli comment.

The largest death toll was in devastated northern Gaza, where living conditions are especially dire. At least 79 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach aid entering through the Zikim crossing with Israel, Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry’s records department, told The Associated Press. The U.N. World Food Program said 25 trucks with aid had entered for starving commu-

nities” when it encountered massive crowds.

A U.N. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to comment on the incident to the media, said Israeli forces opened fire toward crowds who tried to take food from the convoy. Footage taken by the U.N. and shared with the AP showed Palestinian men running as automatic gunfire was heard.

“Suddenly, tanks surrounded us and trapped us as gunshots and strikes rained down. We were trapped for around two hours,” said Ehab Al-Zei, who had been waiting for flour and said he hadn’t eaten bread in 15 days. He spoke over the din of people carrying the dead

and wounded. ”I will never go back again. Let us die of hunger, it’s better.”

Nafiz Al-Najjar, who was injured, said tanks and drones targeted people “randomly” and he saw his cousin and others shot dead.

Israel’s military said soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who posed a threat, and it was aware of some casualties. But it said the numbers reported by officials in Gaza were far higher than its initial investigation found. It accused Hamas militants of creating chaos.

More than 150 people were wounded, some in critical condition, hospitals said.

Al-Waheidi said Israeli gunfire killed another six

Palestinians in the Shakoush area, hundreds of yards north of a hub of the recently created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.- and Israel-backed group, in the southern city of Rafah. The GHF said it was not aware of any incident near its site. Witnesses and health workers say several hundred people have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to access the group’s aid distribution sites.

Separately, seven Palestinians were killed while sheltering in tents in Khan Younis in the south, including a 5-year-old boy, according to the Kuwait Specialized Field Hospital, which received the casualties.

The new evacuation orders cut access between

the central city of Deir alBalah and Rafah and Khan Younis in the narrow territory The military also reiterated evacuation orders for northern Gaza. Palestinians were startled to see the orders for parts of Deir al-Balah, a relative haven “All of Rafah is under evacuation, and now you have decided that half of Deir al-Balah is under evacuation. Where will we move to?” asked resident Hassan Abu Azab, as others piled everything from bedding to live ducks onto carts and other vehicles. Smoke rose in the distance, with blasts and the sound of a siren.

The United Nations was in contact with Israeli authorities to clarify whether U.N. facilities in the southwestern part of Deir alBalah are included in the order, according to a different U.N. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media. The official said that in previous instances, U.N. facilities were spared from such orders.

The Medical Aid for Palestinians group said several humanitarian organizations’ offices and guesthouses had been “ordered to evacuate immediately” and nine clinics, including the MAP one, had been forced to shut down. It was not immediately clear what other groups were affected.

Russia seeks to achieve Ukraine goals despite ultimatum

Trump gave Moscow 50-day deadline for ceasefire

By The Associated Press

Russia is open to peace with Ukraine, but achieving its goals remains a priority, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday, days after President Donald Trump gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions.

Peskov and other Russian officials have repeatedly rejected accusations from Kyiv and its Western partners of stalling peace talks. Meanwhile, Mos-

cow continues to intensify its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, launching more drones in a single night than it did during some entire months in 2024, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin “has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy,” Peskov told state television in an interview

“The main thing for us is to achieve our goals,” he said. “Our goals are clear.”

The Kremlin has insisted that any peace deal should see Ukraine

withdraw from the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022, but never fully captured. It also wants Ukraine to renounce its bid to join NATO and accept strict limits on its armed forces — demands Kyiv and its Western allies have rejected.

In his nightly address on Saturday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his officials have proposed a new round of peace talks this week Russian state media on Sunday reported that no date has yet been set for the negotiations, but said that Istanbul would likely remain the host city Trump threatened Russia on July 14 with steep tariffs and announced

Japanese PM’s coalition loses majority in upper house election

BY MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press

TOKYO Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ’s ruling coalition failed Monday to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said.

Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have to reach the goal. With two more seats to be decided, the coalition had only 46 seats

The loss is another blow to Ishiba’s coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, and worsening Japan’s political instability It was the first time the LDP has lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party’s foundation in 1955 Despite the loss, Ishiba expressed determination to stay on to tackle challenges such as U.S tariff threats, but he could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner

“I will fulfill my responsibility as head of the No. 1 party and work for the country,” he said.

Ishiba had set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already have Exit poll results released seconds after the ballots closed Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Ishiba’s coalition.

The LDP alone won 38 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and still

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Voters fill in their ballots Sunday in the upper house election at a polling station in Tokyo.

the No. 1 party in the parliament, known as the Diet

“It’s a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely,” Ishiba told a live interview with NHK. He said the poor showing was because his government’s measures to combat price increase have yet to reach many people. The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan’s political stability Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cashstrapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign.

a rejuvenated pipeline for American weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance toward Moscow after months of frustration following unsuccessful negotiations aimed at ending the war The direct RussiaUkraine negotiations in Istanbul resulted in several rounds of prisoner exchanges but little else.

The U.S. president said that he would implement “severe tariffs” unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days. He provided few details on how they would be implemented, but suggested they would target Russia’s trading partners in

an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy In addition, Trump said that European allies would buy “billions and billions” of dollars of U.S. military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine, replenishing the besieged country’s supplies of weapons. Included in the plan are Patriot air defense systems, a top priority for Ukraine as it fends off Russian drones and missiles. Doubts were recently raised about Trump’s commitment to supply Ukraine when the Pentagon paused shipments over concerns that U.S. stockpiles were running low

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70501

Expert:Movetounseal

Epsteintranscripts

likely to disappoint

BY LARRYNEUMEISTER

Associated Press

NEW YORK AJustice Department request to unseal grand jury transcripts in the prosecution of chronic sexual abuser JeffreyEpstein and his formergirlfriend is unlikely to producemuch,ifanything, to satisfy the public’sappetite for new revelations about the financier’scrimes, formerfederal prosecutors say Attorney Sarah Krissoff, an assistantU.S.attorneyinManhattan from 2008 to 2021,calledthe request in the prosecutions of Epstein and imprisonedBritish socialite Ghislaine Maxwell “a distraction.”

“The president is tryingtopresent himself as if he’sdoing something here and it really is nothing,” Krissoff told The Associated Press in aweekend interview

Deputy Attorney GeneralTodd Blanche made the request Friday,asking judges to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell, saying “transparencytothe American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.”

The request came as the administration sought to contain the firestorm that followed its announcement that it would not be releasing additional files from the Epstein probe despite previously promising that it would.

Epstein killed himself at age 66 in his federaljail cell in August 2019, amonth after his arrest on sextrafficking charges,while Maxwell, 63, is serving a20-year prison sentenceimposed after her December 2021 sex trafficking conviction for luringgirls to be sexuallyabusedbyEpstein

Krissoff andJoshua Naftalis,a Manhattan federal prosecutorfor 11 years before entering private practice in 2023, said grand jury presentations are purposely brief. Naftalis said Southern District prosecutors present just enough to agrand jury to get anindictment but “it’snot going to be ev-

erything the FBIand investigators have figured out aboutMaxwell and Epstein.”

“People want the entire filefrom however long. That’sjust notwhat this is,” he said, estimating that the transcripts, at most, probably amounttoafew hundred pages.

“It’snot going to be much,”Krissoff said, estimatingthe lengthat as little as60pages “becausethe Southern District of NewYork’s practice is to put as little information as possibleintothe grand jury.”

“Theybasically spoonfeedthe indictment to thegrand jury That’swhatwe’re going to see,” she said. “I just think it’s notgoingtobethat interesting. Idon’t think it’sgoing to be anything new.”

Both ex-prosecutors said that grand jurywitnesses in Manhattan are usually federal agents summarizing their witnessinterviews

That practice might conflict with the public perception of some stateand federal grandjuryproceedings, where witnesses likely to testify at atrial are brought before grand juriesduring lengthy proceedings priortoindictments or when grandjuries are used as an investigatory tool.

In Manhattan, federal prosecutors “are trying to geta particular result so they present the case very narrowly and inform the grand jurywhat they wantthem to do,” Krissoff said.

Krissoffpredicted thatjudges who presided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases will reject the government’s request.

With Maxwell, apetition is before the U.S. Supreme Court so appeals have not beenexhausted.

With Epstein, thecharges are relatedtothe Maxwell case and the anonymityofscores of victims whohavenot gone public is at stake, although Blanche requested thatvictim identities be protected.

“Thisisnot a50-, 60-, 80-yearold case,” Krissoff noted. “There’s still someone in custody.”

AttorneyGeneral

at the Drug Enforcement Administration in Arlington, Va Bondi requested judges unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against JeffreyEpstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

She saidciting “public intrigue, interestand excitement” about a case was likely not enough to convince ajudge to release the transcripts despite a1997 ruling by the2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appealsthatsaidjudges have wide discretion and that public interest alone can justifyreleasing grand jury information.

Krissoff calledit“mind-blowinglystrange” that Washington Justice Department officials are increasingly directlyfiling requests andarguments in the Southern District of New York, where theprosecutor’sofficehas long been labeled the“Sovereign District of New York” for itsindependence from outside influence.

“Tohavethe attorney general and deputy attorney general meddling in an SDNY case is unheard of,” she said.

Cheryl Bader, aformer federal prosecutor andFordhamLaw School criminal law professor, said judges whopresided over the Epstein and Maxwell cases maytake weeks or months to rule

“Especially here where thecase involvedwitnessesorvictims of sexualabuse, manyofwhich are underage, the judge is going to be very cautious about what the judge releases,”she said.

Bader said she didn’tsee the government’squest aimed at satisfying the public’s desire to explore conspiracy theories “trumping —pardonthe pun— thewellestablished notions of protecting the secrecy of the grand jury process.”

“I’m sure that all the line pros-

ecutorswho really sort of appreciate the secrecy and special relationship they have with the grand jury are nothappy that DOJ is asking the court to release these transcripts,” she added.

Mitchell Epner,aformer federalprosecutor now in private practice,calledTrump’s comments andinfluence in theEpstein matter “unprecedented” and “extraordinarily unusual” because he is asitting president.

He saiditwas not surprising that some former prosecutors are alarmed that the request to unsealthe grandjurymaterials came two days after the firing of Manhattan Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey,who worked on the Epstein and Maxwell cases.

“If federal prosecutors have to worry about the professional consequences of refusing to go along with thepolitical or personal agenda of powerfulpeople,then we areinavery different place than I’ve understood the federal Department of Justicetobein over the last 30 years of my career,” he said.

Krissoffsaidthe uncertain environment that has current prosecutorsfeeling unsettled is shared by government employeesshe speaks with at otheragenciesas part of her workinprivate practice.

“The thing Ihear most often is this is astrange time.Things aren’t working the way we’reused to them working,” she said. Associated Press WritersEric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.

EU to ready retaliation plan as U.S. trade stance hardens

BY ALBERTONARDELLI

Bloomberg News (TNS)

European Union envoys areset to meet as earlyasthisweektoformulate aplan for measures to respond to apossible no-deal scenariowith President Donald Trump, whose tariff negotiatingpositionisseen to have stiffenedahead of an Aug. 1deadline.

The overwhelming preference is to keep negotiationswithWashington on track in abid foranoutcome to theimpasse ahead of next month’sdeadline.

Still, efforts have yet to yield sustained progress following talks in Washington last week,according to people familiar withthe matter Negotiations will continue over the next two weeks.

The U.S. is nowseen to want a near-universal tariff on EU goods higherthan10%,withincreasingly fewerexemptionslimited to aviation,some medical devices and generic medicines, severalspirits, and aspecific set of manufacturing equipment that the U.S. needs, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

Aspokesperson for the European Commission, which handles trade matters for the bloc, said theyhad no commenttomakeonthe ongoing negotiations.

The two sideshavealso discussed apotential ceiling forsome sectors, as well as quotas forsteel andaluminum and away to ring-fence supply chains fromsources that oversupply the metals,the people said. The people cautioned that even if an agreement were reached it would need Trump’ssignoff —and his position isn’tclear

“I am confident we’llget adeal done,” U.S. Commerce Secretary HowardLutnicksaidonCBS’s“Face theNation” on Sunday.“Ithink all these key countries will figure out it is better to open their markets to the United States of America than to paya significant tariff.”

BUDGET

Continued from page 1A

a healthy balance. The parish general fund struggled to do so until 2024.

In the proposed 2025-26 budget, the parish general fund has a $4.8 million balance. The city general fund’s balance is budgeted at $58.2 million. Speaking Tuesday on behalf of an absent Boulet, Chief Administrative Officer Rachel Godeaux said public infrastructure, including drainage, is a significant priority in the proposed

budget. Specific revitalization projects, Boulet wrote in the budget document, include the University Corridor, Louisiana Avenue Extension, Bertrand Drive, Johnston Street infrastructure improvements and the Interstate 49 Connector

“These projects, in addition to strategic utility and fiber expansions, will improve traffic flow, enhance drainage and gateways, and increase connectivity across our region,” Boulet wrote. The proposed budget includes funds for “micro transit services” to be deployed in strategic areas of

we just couldn’t get them on the phone anymore.”

Arbitration hurdle

19th Judicial District Chief Judge Donald Johnson now has a key decision: Should the case remain before him in state court, or should it be litigated in arbitration?

Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue the matter should remain in state court, where they say they would have more access to evidentiary documents and the matter would be less expensive for their clients.

Johnson has presided over the case for much of the past three years since the Dixons originally lodged their petition for damages in March 2022. The case was transferred to a federal district court for about 10 months before a federal judge remanded it to the 19th JDC in September 2023. In a July 8 ruling, the First Circuit Court of Appeal gave Johnson a deadline to rule on two motions filed by D.R. Horton that will settle the arbitration issue in the case. The appellate court ordered Johnson to render his ruling by Tuesday Last Wednesday’s marathon evidentiary hearing provided testimony that can inform his decision.

The hearing marked the first time the Dixons had a chance to tell their story in a courtroom. They were buoyed by expert witnesses and five other D.R Horton homeowners who said the company strung them along with “Band-Aid” repairs to their faulty HVAC systems until the two-year warranty for their respective homes expired.

After that, company officials deserted them and left families on the hook to pay for the expensive repairs, witnesses testified.

“They kept coming out. But they kept coming out and not fixing the issue,” said Anna Pollock, a mother of four who had to evacuate her home in the same Sugar Ridge subdivision where the Dixons live. She and her family were forced to move to Georgia to escape the mold issues that intensified her youngest daughter’s asthma.

“When they realized they weren’t fixing it, they abandoned us,” Pollock testified.

“They just stopped coming, stopped returning texts. They left holes in the wall

One key moment during Wednesday’s hearing came when Dustin Cole took the stand Cole, who owns a Lake Charles heating and cooling company, testified as an HVAC expert. He inspected the Dixons’ home in October 2023 and said he found “negative pressure” that was causing outdoor air elements to be pushed into their indoor environment. It was so bad in their master bedroom, it was depressurizing the entire home, Cole explained to the judge.

“An HVAC is designed to circulate the air throughout the house and return it,” he said. “In the event that it is not allowed to return the air, then you can start having different imbalances You can have a pressure imbalance.”

In a December 2022 filing, the Dixons amended their lawsuit to expand the proposed putative class, setting the stage for a class-action claim that could include as many as 1,000 plaintiffs. The Dixons would become class representatives, suing on behalf of themselves and “all other individuals similarly situated” who bought a D.R. Horton-built home after Jan 1, 2007.

James Alcee Brown, the New Orleans attorney leading D.R. Horton’s legal defense, said the company has sold more than 18,000 homes across Louisiana since 2007. He later clarified that statistic and said nearly 14,000 D.R Horton-built homes were sold statewide between 2007 and the end of 2022.

The Dixons’ amended complaint indicates hundreds of Louisiana homeowners whose residences were built with “defective design and construction” could possibly join the classaction suit as plaintiffs.

In order to reach that milestone in the case, however, the Dixons must first clear the hurdle of arbitration. Lance Unglesby the plaintiffs’ lead attorney, described the evidentiary hearing as a pivotal “mini trial.” The objective was to convince Judge Johnson that the Dixons’ lawsuit should remain in court

Attorneys for D.R Horton have insisted from the outset that the issue should be settled in arbitration, citing the fact that the Dix-

the city, Boulet wrote, “providing flexible, on-demand transportation that shortens wait times and increases overall system efficiency.”

New positions will be added to Lafayette Consolidated Government, including an economic developer dedicated to Lafayette Utilities System.

That employee, Boulet wrote, will focus on “strategic growth initiatives, balancing investment opportunities in both infill and greenfield areas and better aligning infrastructure with community development goals.”

To streamline and lower

legal costs, Boulet also intends to hire an in-house paralegal to handle routine legal matters.

She also plans to increase internal staff in the Parks, Arts, Recreation, & Culture Department and reduce the dependency on contract services, “leading to more consistent service delivery and long-term cost savings.”

The city will be investing in special vehicles for the Fire Department to handle medical calls, Chief Financial Officer Karen Fontenot wrote, since about 40% of all Fire Department calls contain a medical component.

The new vehicles are ex-

pected to reduce the strain on the Fire Department’s trucks.

Drainage maintenance and improvements make up about 15% of the capital funding in the proposed budget, Fontenot wrote.

The budget, she wrote, contains $500,000 in seed funding to buy out or help homeowners elevate homes that have suffered repetitive flooding.

Capital funding is included for improving aging infrastructure like roads and public buildings, including nearby drainage, electrical system and pedestrian and bike safety

Key projects funded in the proposed budget include: Johnston Street, University Avenue, Bertrand Drive, City Hall repairs and renovations, improvements to existing walking paths and planning for future paths, modernization of the Heymann Performing Arts Center, Carmel Drive sidewalks, Pinhook Road turn lane and maintaining the Lafayette Parish Jail to functional standards. The councils will hold a series of special meetings to review the budget and a final public hearing on Aug. 19. Adoption is scheduled for Sept. 11.

ons signed a sales contract with a binding arbitration clause that directs any legal disputes into mediation under construction industry arbitration rules. The two exceptions, or motions for dismissal, that First Circuit Court of Appeal judges ordered Johnson to rule on by this Tuesday were both filed by D.R. Horton in April 2022 — less than a month after the Dixons lodged their original petition.

The motion for the company argues that court is an improper venue for the Dixons’ claims under the U.S. Arbitration Act, the federal law that enforces arbitration agreements.

Brown, D.R. Horton’s lead counsel in the case, drove home that same argument last Wednesday, telling Johnson the courts have no legal authority in the matter

“It is undisputed that the Dixons signed the contract of sale and initialed the arbitration clause on two separate occasions,” Brown said. “We submit that is all we need to prove to the court to carry our burden on our original arbitration exceptions.”

But West and Alicia Dixon said the sales representatives pressured them to sign the contract, telling them the homes were selling fast and it was necessary so they could pay a $1,000 deposit to secure the four-bedroom LaSalle-style house they eventually purchased Both testified that none of the sales representatives ever mentioned the arbitration clause or explained to them that it could prevent them from taking legal action in court. “I would not have signed it,” Alicia Dixon said. “I took it in good faith from the company repre-

sentative that I was buying a home from that what he told me was 100% accurate,” West Dixon said. “That this document was a purchase agreement, and that it was just for the $1,000 we put down to hold the lot.”

West Dixon testified the only hazard sales representatives warned them about was that they could lose their deposit if they backed out of the house purchase after signing the contract.

Adhesive contract

D.R. Horton’s legal team did not cross-examine any of the witnesses. Brown made several objections as plaintiff attorneys questioned

Arbitration under construction rules is a relatively expensive route that would likely cost the Dixons well over $10,000 to pursue litigation. Unglesby, the plaintiffs’ attorney, said D.R. Horton officials knew the HVAC systems installed in the homes were faulty and used the arbitration agreements to ward off lawsuits so they wouldn’t have to honor the mandates of Louisiana’s New Home Warranty Act. That state law requires builders to repair construction defects in new homes for two years after the properties are sold. Unglesby also argued that the couple’s signatures don’t lock them into the contract’s arbitration clauses because they didn’t knowingly consent to

the terms in the contract.”

Email Matt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

the witnesses. But he said he was reserving his questions for arbitration, where all evidence should be presented. The one follow-up question Brown did offer up was to ask West Dixon if he signed the sales contract a second time in June 2014. West said he did. LSU law professor Kenya Smith, a specialist in contracts, testified that the arbitration agreements amounted to an adhesive “take-it-orleave-it” contract that heavily swayed in D.R. Horton’s favor It gave the company exclusive remedies and hidden opt-outs like keeping homebuyers’ deposits or seeking attorney fees — that were not afforded to purchasers who signed the sales contracts. He opined the Dixons didn’t have “nearly the equal bargaining power” in the deal.

Banksy painting in N.O. cutout andtrucked away

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

In 2008, asecretive graffiti painter left extremely valuable artwork scattered around New Orleans. Banksy,the world-renowned British graffiti master painted more than adozen minimurals, presumably intended to raise spirits and attract art-loving tourists during the city’spostHurricane Katrina recovery

On Tuesday morning, one of thosepaintings was cutfrom the wall of an antique firehouse at 514 Jackson Ave. and hauled away by the building’sowner.Itwas the last visible Banksy that remained in its original location. All others have beenpainted over,demolished or removed fromthe sites where they were painted.

LETLOW

Continued from page1A

Fornow,Cassidy hasa big head start. He has $8.7 million in campaign cash, is known statewide and has made aseries of moves aimed at endearing himself to Trump and conservative voters. On Wednesday,Cassidy’steam highlighted that Trump signed abill sponsored by the senator that aims to help law enforcement officials combat the scourge of fentanyl. Cassidy stood directly behind Trump’sleft shoulder during the White House ceremony

“Anyone can enter this race,but it won’tchange the outcome —Senator Cassidy will win,” campaign spokesperson Ashley Bosch said in astatement.

“He’sasolid conservative standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump —workingto secure our southern border, unleash American energy, and champion the America First agenda. Senator Cassidy is protecting our values and delivering real results for Louisiana.”

PresidentofLSU?

But because Letlow hasa doctorate from the University of South Florida anda background in academia, some people believe that she wants to become president of LSU, aposition that opened when William Tate in May announced his departure for Rutgers University.The president’sjob would come with housing and asignificant pay boost for Letlow She has already moved to Baton Rouge with her two small children and has put her house outside of Rayville, in Richland Parish, on the market for $775,000, online records show Letlow has to decide her next move soon becauseof the newcongressional election schedule that requires candidates to qualify for the House or Senate in mid-January for the April 18 closed party primary

The owner,Jaohn Orgon, said he hopes to have the painting restored in time to exhibit it for the20th anniversary of Katrina, whichstruckNew Orleanson Aug. 29, 2005. In 2008, the firehouse in the 500block of Jackson belonged to restaurateur Greg Surrey and his then-business partner Orgon. Surrey said he was introduced to Banksy at the time andgranted theinternationallyacclaimed artist permission to paint on the property

In 2008, Orgon said, he saw thata scaffold wrapped in tarp hadbeen erected on the side of the 19th-century brickstructure where the artist could work without being seen. He may have even laid eyes on theworld’smost famous, yet least-seen artist. But at the time, he admits, he didn’teven know who Banksy was.

The6-foot-tall,stencil-style design that Banksy produced depicted astick figure pleading formercy as it is painted over

Meanwhile, Scott Ballard, whochairs the LSUpresidential search committee, said the committee will step up its effortsinAugustand is aimingtochooseTate’ssuccessorbyyear end LeeMallett, the committee’s vice chair, haspublicly supported McNeese State President Wade Rousse as Tate’s replacement. Mallett introduced Rousse to LSU health care officials at areceptionatthe Governor’s MansiononJune 2. Stay in hercurrent job?

Amid the uncertaintyover what she will do next,Letlow’ssurest betistoseeka third full term in theHouse. Shecruised to reelectionin November with 63% of the vote andispoisedtohold that Republican-majority seat for years.

The biggest potentialbarrier is the U.S. Supreme Court, which said in June that it will rehear in its next term acasethatseeksto overturn the current map for Louisiana’ssix congressional districts. If thecourt does reject the existing boundaries, Louisianamight end up with anew map that gives Letlowa virtually unwinnableBlack-majority district

“If sheforgoesthe Senate race, she’slooking at possibly losing her own congressional race,” said Scott Wilfong, aRepublican political consultant.

No matter how the court rules, the current map will almost certainly remainin place for next year’selections,said Michael Li, a redistrictingexpert at the Brennan Center for Justice in New York anda Tulane LawSchool graduate. That’s because any court ruling will be toolatetoaffect the 2026 elections, hesaid TheTrump factor Political circles arerife with speculation whether Letlow will challenge Cassidy.

Some politicalinsiders say that Trump has alreadymet privately with Letlowand

she missed, said Orgon, who is now soleowner of the property

The painting was subsequently coveredwith atransparent plasticpanel that preventedfurther vandalism.

Overthe past 17 years, the effect of weather andSouthern sunlight hasfaded thepaint.However,Orgon said, the artwork is “in greatshape for beingsoold and whatnot.”

Afew months ago, when Orgon offered the historic property for sale, he began theprocess of removing the artwork and the estimated 5,000-pound section of brickand mortar that holds it.

by New Orleans’ legendary graffitifoe, the late Fred “The Gray Ghost” Radtke.The painting which even then might have sold for hundreds of thousands at auction —was protected by afence. Despitethe barrier,avandal attempted to splashthe artwork with black paint. Happily,heor

offered his support. Others insistthat that hasn’t happened.

One thing is certain: She hasn’tpublicly ruled out the possible race.

Another thingiscertain: Trump has repeatedly shown he holds tremendous animus towardany Republican who voted to impeach him or convict him, taking greatdelight in theretirement or defeat of those who did.

Of the sevenRepublican senatorswho voted toconvict Trump of theJan. 6attack, only threeremain in office: Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine; Sen. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska; and Cassidy After that vote, Trump regularly belittled Cassidy, calling him “Wacky Bill” and other schoolyard names.

Cassidy has done everything he can this year to get back in Trump’sgood graces. He voted to confirm the president’scontroversial Cabinetpicks, including Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.assecretary of health. Cassidy,despitehis strong support for vaccines, hasnot joined critics who have blasted recent moves by Kennedy that havesowed doubt about the benefitsof vaccines.

Earlierthismonth,Cassidy voted for Trump’sOne Big Beautiful Bill,a measure thatextends thepresident’s expiring tax cutsand partiallypaysfor them by cutting Medicaid, the federal programthatprovides health care to the poor.The bill passed 51-50, so Cassidy’ssupport was crucial.

Cassidy’sstaff sends out news releases each time he gets invitedtothe White House.

“Cassidy &Trump ContinuetoWork Together to Deliver Major Wins for Louisiana,” read the Cassidy campaign’snews release on thefentanyl bill signing.

At least for now,Cassidy hasthe financial backing of such majorRepublican donors as business owners BoysieBollinger,Eddie

Photos taken on Tuesdaymorning show therectangularportionof thewall, cradledinasteel frame, beingtransported to aflatbed truck by aheavy-duty forklift.

Orgon’sgoal is to preserve and show thepainting, he said. “Any restoration,” he said, will be “done appropriately.”

He hopes to find aNew Orleans museum willing to put the heavy-

Rispone and Richard Lipsey.

“There’s no reason Iwould change my support for Bill Cassidy,” Lipsey said. “I think he’s done an excellent job. Iwould hope there would be no confrontation between Julia and Bill. I thinkour president is smart enough to put that aside (the conviction vote).”

Bollingerdoesn’tbelieve Letlow will run for Cassidy’s Senate seat because he doesn’tthink Trumpwill support one of Cassidy’sopponents.

“It makes sense for Trump to stayout, as muchashe hates Cassidy for the impeachment vote,” Bollinger said. “He got RFK (confirmed). If Trump opposed him,Cassidy has no incentive to supportthe Trump agenda. Trumpknows that.” Republicans hold aslim 53-47 advantage in the Senate. Murkowski, Collins, Sen. ThomTillis of North Carolina, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentuckyand Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky have

weight artwork on display in time forthe 20th anniversary of Katrina at the end of August, he said. Banksy’ssmall mural of the Gray Ghost with astickfigure is thefifth Banksytobesalvaged from New Orleans architecture for preservation. Banksy’s so-called “Looters” and“Child on aSwing” are on display in the lobby of the InternationalHouse Hotel, 221 Camp St. Banksy’sversion of cartoon character Bart Simpsoncan be seen at theHabanaOutpost restaurant, 1040 Esplanade Ave. In February 2024, Banksy’s painting of the GrayGhost on the cornerofClio andCarondelet streets was removed forrestoration. In April 2024, Banksy’s“Umbrella Girl” was also removed from itslocation at the corner of Kerlerec andNorth Rampart streetsfor restoration.

EmailDoug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate.com.

shown awillingness to vote against Trump. Letlow’s priorities

During hercampaigns, Letlow has said her priorities are getting more federal money for herdistrict, including dollars to fix roads, bridges and sewer systems, making sure farmers receive the aid they need from the government andexpanding broadband internet service in rural areas. Along withall other Republicans in Louisiana’scongressional delegation, she voted forthe One Big Beautiful Bill.

Letlow,during her 41/2 yearsinthe House,has voted with the conservative Heritage Foundation75% of thetime,compared with 89% for the average House Republican.She has a100% voting recordwithNational Right to Life, aleading antiabortion group. Letlow has been building anetworkofdonorsacross Louisiana and has $2.1 million in the bank, the latest

campaign financereport shows. She raised money at fundraisers hostedby lobbyist Paul Rainwater at hishome in BatonRouge in March (withspecial guest Attorney General Liz Murrill), by business owner Phyllis Taylor in Metairie in May (with Scalise as the special guest) and by Lee Mallett at his ranch in Jefferson Davis Parish in May Cardealer SteveTayloris hosting an event forLetlow at his Monroe home on July 25.

“The sky’sthe limit for her,”saidRyanCross, a lobbyist for Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge “Congresswoman Letlow hasshown in short orderan ability to navigate Capitol Hill, to rise in leadership and to deliver results for thepeopleshe represents. That’sa rarity in Congress and an asset forLouisiana.” Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.

A sweet, savory experience at Edie’s

Advocate staffer gets taste of Lafayette institution

BY JUSTIN MITCHELL Staff writer

On my last visit to Lafayette, I ate the same breakfast for three days — a blueberry buttermilk biscuit from the Reve Coffee Roasters downtown location

After writing about my love for Reve’s divine creation, several locals reached out to tell me about other biscuits I should try in Acadiana.

I was back in town this month, so I ventured to Edie’s Biscuits, a Lafayette institution, on a mission to try something sweet and savory

The sticky, syrupy, square masterpiece was nothing short of addictive, so much so that I worked up the nerve to ask the barista and chef what made them so special.

When I walked into the oddshaped building situated in a triangle off West Pinhook Road, owner Stanley Leece introduced himself and could tell immediately I was not a local

“Where do you work? Where are you from?” he asked I explained I was from New Orleans by way of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and was visiting the area and at Edie’s for the first time.

Stanley shook my hand, introduced me to every person working in the kitchen and welcomed me into his shop that has fed Lafayette for decades. Inside, regulars joked with their servers and left empty plates and tips Fresh fruit bowls were so overloaded with grapes, apples and pineapple that they were wrapped with rubber bands. Fresh watermelon sat on the bar for people to sample

Hospital negotiating $50M, 10-year deal

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

Staff writer

Baton Rouge hospital

Our Lady of the Lake has been in talks to pay as much as $50 million over a decade for the naming rights to a proposed new LSU arena. No deal to develop the arena has been finalized, and Lake spokesperson Alexandra Deiro Stubbs said Tuesday that “terms are still under negotiation.”

A draft document dated November sent to developer Oak View Group by LSU officials spells out a proposal with an “existing naming prospect” to pay $5 million a year for 10 years Though a specific entity is not identified in the term sheet, renderings included in other records show the arena bearing the Lake name, and Stubbs has confirmed the hospital was pursuing a naming rights deal. A spokesperson for Oak View Group said Tuesday that the company is still “working closely with our partners at LSU” on the project. As part of this process, we are seeking a naming rights partner who shares a strong commitment to the Baton Rouge community and is dedicated to supporting its long-term cultural and economic growth,” Oak View Group said. “We will share additional details at the appropriate time.” Plan in works for

ä See ARENA, page 4B

Youngsville man dies in single-car crash early Sunday

A Youngsville man died early Sunday in a one-car accident in Lafayette.

Blaze M. Lachapelle, 24, was driving in the 200 block of Southpark Road when his vehicle left the roadway, struck a culvert then hit a tree and caught on fire, Lafayette Police Department officials announced.

Lachapelle was removed from the vehicle by Lafayette Fire Department personnel and transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said The crash remains under investigation.

CAKE AND QUACKERS METRO

I decided to try one savory and two sweet biscuits from Edie’s. The ham, egg and cheese was hearty and filling. The thicksliced pork was smoky and sweet, and the medium fried egg added heft to the breakfast sandwich.

Next, the cinnamon biscuit was so sticky I had to stop in the middle of eating it to wash my hands. And then I dug right back in, because it was that good. Different

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

The Louisiana Partnership for the Arts recently unveiled a new specialty license plate designed by Lafayette illustrator and author Denise Gallagher

The specialty plate features a book to symbolize the state’s literary culture, a pencil and paintbrush representing visual arts, a variety of musical instruments reflecting Louisiana’s music scene and sea creatures that pay tribute to the state’s seafood industry

“I thought of creative ways to represent the arts in Louisiana, including theater, music, dance and visual arts,” Gallagher said. “It was important to showcase the things that make up our rich, creative community.”

After an open call to artists in 2023, Gallagher was selected by the state arts organization to create the plate’s design With a degree in graphic design from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Gallagher has illustrated library cards for the Lafayette Parish Public Library in 2023

Asimple way to lowerauto insurance ratesin

Louisiana

Louisianadrivers paysomeof the highest auto insurance rates in the country.Despite dozensof insurers in the state, premiums keep rising while service stays poor.It’stime for abold, marketbased reform.

Let’sflip the system: Instead of letting every company in, hold a sealed-bid auction once ayear Thetop four bidding insurers would earn the exclusive right to operate in Louisiana for 12 months. The auction proceeds —potentiallytens of millions— would go directly to fixingour roads This isn’tgovernment overreach—it’sabout restoring discipline and accountability. Insurance companies would have to compete hard not just on price andservice, but for the chance to do business here at all We’d also ban paidadvertising, which drives up costs andclutters the market. Instead, all licensed insurers would list their offeringsand claims performance on a state-run comparison website— no mascots, no slogans,justfacts. Some might argue this reduces choice. But the current system gives us dozens of optionsand no real savings. By tighteningaccess and raising standards,we’d create real competition —onmerit, not marketing.

This reform puts consumers first, funds infrastructurewithout raising taxesand forces insurers to deliver value. It’stime to fix what’sbroken.

RICHARD BOYD Lafayette

of policies.

YOUR VIEWS

the full courttorehear the case.

What the5th Circuitmissed on TenCommandmentslaw

Blocking the TenCommandments in student classroomscontinues the weakening of America’sreligiousculture. Pilgrims and immigrantscame to the“newworld” for religious freedom. Religion strengthens ethics, morals andhuman relationships. The Declaration of Independence asks God to help support our freedom.“In Godwetrust”isonour money.In Will andArial Durant’s“The Lessons of History,” the Pulitzer Prize winners declare thatour Judeo-Christian heritage created “cooperation that fostered Western Civilization.”

My second grade public school class opened with the Pledge of Allegiancecontaining “one nationunderGod” and aprayerending “in the name of Jesus Christ.”What’swrong withchildrenreading,“Thou shall notkill,” “Honor thy Mother andFather”and eight morecommandments thatstarted social order for mankind? OurConstitution says themajority of people rule, not minorities.The 5thCircuit Court of

Appeal held that, “unwanted exposure to religious displays”may offend, but Christians and Jews are amajority of Americans. We study and follow the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. Judges are appointed forlife, but Louisianans directly elected our Legislature and governor,and they passed the bill posting theTen Commandments. In thenext session, let’sadd Jesus Christ’s Golden Rule, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

Ihad avery bright Chinese student when teachingatTulane. Iasked himwhat was thebiggest difference between the U.S. and China? He said “In China, we obey the law out of fear of government. In America, you obey thelaw out of love of God.” America’senemies must enjoy the way our courts have weakened our connection to religion. Let’shope the SupremeCourt restores love of God for our kids.

SIDNEYPULITZER NewOrleans

LSUwilllearn howmoney canspoil funincollege sports

The impressivefinancial gymnastics Taylor Jacobs, whooversees name, image and likeness,and her team executed to enable LSU to be financially competitive in paying their athletestoplay gives aliteral definitiontowinning at allcosts. There areliabilities associated withpay to playthat should be considered. Amateurism in college and high school sportsnolonger exists Excelling at sports used to be about fulling a dream to be the best through hard workand sacrifice and toexperience the sheer joyofaccomplishment Now,competing is complicated by apaycheck.

Havecollege athletes become mercenaries playing for thehighest bidder? The moneyhas become preeminent in discussions with players and has irrevocably changed players’ relationships with coaches andtheir teams. Forget about mentorship and team loyalty,just show me the money LSU athletes areprofessionals by definition. They are contract workersbut could become employees if they areallowed to collectively bargain. How will thatwork?

Wining is agood thing except when the costs aretoo high.

JIM ROBERTS St. George

Whyhavewe allowed public discourseto sink so low?

“Have you no decency,sir?” This was the exasperated question by chief counsel Joseph Welch directed in 1954 to Sen. Joe McCarthy during his “Red Scare” congressional hearings.

This reaction came to mind when reading arecent story about a Major League Baseball player being brought to tears by aspectator yelling atrocities about his late mother.More and moreover the last decade, this has becomethe norm.The Pandora’sbox of social media and its cowardly license to engage in anonymous thuggery has transformed our lives.

Itsdeepest cesspool lies in the ceaseless name-calling and unfounded accusations that occur every day in the political arena. Can we all simply reboot our brains? Ifondly recall the days when as a nation we preferred “we” to “they.” There is afundamental difference between disagreeing with others’ positions and demonizing their character.Weare better than this. Let us all worktogether to Make America Gracious Again.

No oneshould want taxcutsat expenseoffuture generations

As an elderly person with conservative principles, Iamdeeply concerned about federal tax cuts that we cannot pay for. This problem is compounded by cuts to the bureaucracy at the Internal Revenue Service. Salaried workers pay taxes with each paycheck. But corporations and the wealthy have access to write-offs that are subject to interpretation. Without adequate staffing IRSpersonnel are ill-equipped to pursue questionable returns. We have also raised the threshold above which estates are taxed. Do we really wanttotell the next generation that hard work is not expected of them?

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com. TO SEND US ALETTER SCAN HERE

Catholic Church should drop outdated ideasonwomen priests

In response to athread started about a monthago by Jim O’Neill and continued by two readers, Itoo feel it is time for the Catholic Church to admit women into thepriesthood.

Responders to O’Neill’sletter seem to debate whether or not the scriptures sanction this idea. Ioffer no scholarship on such adebate, which may be moot, anyway.Ido, however, feel strongly that the idea of Catholics keeping

women in asecond class is woefully outdated and unjust.

Governments local and worldwide, not to mention other religious denominations, recognize the equality of women. The Catholic Church may well find that one of the solutions to declining attendance may be to rectifytheir stale and discriminatory views on this matter

EDWARD TEDROW Slidell

Ourlawmakers in Congressforgotabout neediest Louisianans

Wouldsomeone please explain how Republican representatives in Louisianavote to cut SNAPand Medicaid to thousands? We want to make Louisiana healthier.Really? We are last in almost everything when it comes to services for our residents. Howcan these repre-

sentatives explain what they are doing? Is this who we really are? Who pays the cost? People will die for lack of basic services. The rich will get richer on the backs of the poor JERMAINE DUPLESSISLEWIS NewOrleans

President Donald Trumphas rightly urged members of the European Union to assume financial responsibility fortheir own military defense. That is an example of sound fiscal leadership. Irecently heard state Senate President Cameron Henry speak at aprivate gathering in Old Metairie. He told his listeners that the state cannot spend what it doesn’thave. Yetstates are being told that FEMA grants will not be awarded this year Like everyone else, Iwant my taxes to be as low as possible, but not if my children and grandchildren will be stuck paying downa ballooning national debt.

MARCIA B. COOKE NewOrleans

Entire GOPbuysinto Trump’sdelusion

Donald Trump’spresidency is like the old Woody Allen joke. He is the crazy uncle whothinks he’sa chicken, and the Republican Party keeps him around because they need the eggs. DAVE MEEKS NewOrleans

COMMENTARY

WALT’S CAPTION CONTEST

COURSEPRO

Mini golf is asummer favorite for kids and adults everywhere. No beach vacation is complete until you’venavigated the windmill hole or aced number18 forafree game! But something alittle strangeishappening here. So, what’s going on in this cartoon? youtell me. Be witty,funny, crazy,absurd orsnarky —just trytokeep it clean. There’snolimit on the number of entries. Thewinning punchline will be lettered into the word balloon and runonJuly 28 in our print editions and online. In addition, the winner will receiveasigned print of the cartoon along with acool winner’sT-shirt! Some honorable mentions will also be listed.Toenter, email your entries to cartooncontest@theadvocate.com. Don’t forget! Allentries must includeyour name, home addressand phone number Cell numbers are best. Thedeadline for all entries is July 24 at midnight. Good luck,everyone! —Walt

Protecting hydrogen taxcredits benefits La.

Louisiana has long been acornerstone of American energyleadership From our wealth of oil andnatural gas resources to our expansive pipelinenetworksand world-class ports, thePelican State has helped power the nation for over acentury

It knows firsthand that energysecurity is national security.And as global threats mount and demandfor reliable fuel and power grow,itistime we reaffirm that leadershipbyadvancing the next chapter of American energy independence: hydrogen.

Population policy must center women

Every year on July 11, World Population Day offers amoment to reflect on how demographic trends —births, deaths and migration —shape acountry’sfuture. In the mid-20th century,fears of asocalled population explosion led to coercive population control policies in manynations, including forced sterilizations that disproportionately targeted poor and minority women. Today,the conversation has flipped: Rather than too manybirths, manycountries —including the United States —now fear too few. In response, somegovernments are once again turning to women’sbodies as tools of demographic strategy.Policies such as baby bonuses and restricted access to reproductive health care are framed as solutions to declining birthrates. But these pronatalist policy measures risk repeating history’smistakes —substituting one form of reproductive coercion (preventing births) with another (pressuring women to give birth). These global concerns are central to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)2025 State of World Population Report, which Ico-authored.

The report finds that across the globe, millions of people are unable to have the number of children they desire —whether that number is none, one or five. Though these issues affect people across demographic lines, it is once again poor and minority womenwho bear the brunt of policies andbarriers that limit their reproductive choices. These constraints are not just unjust —they also contribute to worse health outcomes forwomen and children.

Louisiana, too, must reckon with these realities. While the state has not seen the same steep decline in birthrates as the national average, it faces acrisis of maternal and infant health.

Louisiana consistently ranks among the worst states formaternal and infant mortality,with Black womenand infants suffering disproportionately.These statistics are not abstract. They represent lives lost, families broken and futures cut short.

Hydrogenisnot afuturistic dream —itisatechnological solutionavailable today that is flexible, domestically sourced and capable of being deployed across sectors critical to oureconomy and national defense. In fact, Louisiana’senergyintensive industries refining, petrochemicals, shipping andmanufacturing —already use hydrogen in daily operations. Now,with the right policies in place, we have the chance to scale production in away that simultaneously strengthens oureconomy,reduces emissionsand cements U.S. leadership in acritical global market. This is not apartisan issue —itis a strategic imperative.

That’swhy the passage of theOne Big Beautiful BillAct, and thepreservation of the Section 45V hydrogen production taxcredit, marks asignificant milestone for American energy.Withthe credit intact, the U.S. is sending astrong, bipartisan message: We are serious about competing in the global hydrogen economy We commend Congress for recognizingthe value of this policy,and weare especially grateful to Sens.Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy for their steadfast leadership and support for Louisiana’s hydrogen future Congress saw Section 45V for what it is: apro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-security policy.Section 45V is neither ahandout norclimate gimmick. It is atargeted incentive designed to encourageprivate investment in American energy infrastructure —investment that keeps jobs here at home, reduces our dependence on foreign energy sources andstrengthenssupply chains in vital sectors like

agriculture, transportation and defense. Louisiana alone is seeing proposed hydrogen and ammonia projects valued in the billions. These projects are being drivenbyprivate capital, but they depend on thestability andclarity of policies likeSection 45V to move forward. The credit provides thecertainty companies need to break ground, hire workers and produce fuels for energy tradewith key allies in Europe and Asia —countries that are urgently seeking hydrogen and arecurrently looking to China and theMiddle East to meet that demand

Hydrogen is not only an opportunity for domestic supply —itisa powerful newtool for U.S. energy exports. Just as Louisiana helped pioneer America’s leadership in LNG exports, it can now serve as alaunch point for hydrogen andammonia exportstopartners across theAtlantic and Pacific. This means more energy produced and shipped from the United States and more long-term energy trade surpluses that benefitAmerican workers and communities.

While thepassage of this legislation is amajor win, work remains to ensure that Section 45V is implemented effectively.The credit should reward Americaninnovation and efficiency —not punish producersbased on theoretical

models or burdensomered tape. Implementation guidance must be grounded in science and engineering, and flexible enough to support regional realities like those in the Gulf Coast.

This is wherecontinued congressionalleadership matters most. The goal should be to ensure hydrogen development is botheconomically viable and environmentally sound —without overreaching bureaucracy or unrealisticmandates that stifle growth. We need smart regulation, not strangulation

Section 45V stands todeliver enormousbenefits to Louisiana and to the nation —and now,with this legislation passed, we have thefoundation to move forward. Energy policy should be built on strength, strategy and sovereignty. Hydrogen gives us arare chance to check all three boxes. Louisianahas never shied away from leading the nation through the next great energy evolution. With hydrogen, we can continue that leadership —and thanks to Congress, and to Cassidy and Kennedy in particular,wenow have the tools to do it

Adam PetersisCEO of AirLiquide North America. Frank Wolak is president &CEO of the Fuel Cell& Hydrogen EnergyAssociation.

Driving these outcomes are structural barriers: Widespread maternal health deserts, especially in rural parishes, and persistent racial health inequities will be exacerbated by Medicaid cuts. Medicaid is avital lifeline in Louisiana, supporting maternal care and preventive services forchildren. Reducing birth disparities requires more than encouraging childbirth. It requires guaranteeing that womenand families have access to comprehensive, high-quality health care throughout pregnancy,birth and beyond.

Rather than incentivizing births with cash or limiting reproductive autonomy with policy restrictions, Louisiana would be better served by adifferent path —one that centers women’s health and agency.The investments we need are clear:

n Guarantee access to the full range of reproductive and maternal health services in every parish

n Ensure and expand Medicaid reimbursement to sustain maternal care providers, particularly in rural areas

n Scale up midwifery and doula services to provide culturally competent, community-based care

n Maintain and build on postpartum Medicaid coverage beyond 60 days —Louisiana’s12-month extension is astrong start Globally and locally,people are not constrained by lack of desire to have children. They are constrained by economic, structural and geographic barriers that block their ability to choose freely

Yettoo often, public discourse blames womenfor “not having enough babies,” rather than addressing the real barriers that makepregnancy and parenting untenable formany

As the UNFPA reminds us, fertility is not anumber to be engineered. It is amatter of agency and dignity forwomen.

Louisiana must respond not by pressuring womentobear morechildren, but by empowering them with the freedom, resources and support to maketheir own reproductive decisions. That’show we strengthen families, communities and society as awhole.

AnitaRaj is public health researcher based in NewOrleans.

Homebuilders criticize Tammany’szoningchanges

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

It was an unlikely pair

There was Matthew Allen, an environmentalist who frequently opposes new residential developmentin St. Tammany Parish, and Jeff Schoen, alawyer who regularly represents developers.

Normally on opposing sides, they both agreed at a St. Tammany Parish Council meeting in Maytosupport an ordinance creating new building requirementsin coastal areas prone to flooding. The council passed it unanimously,but it’sset to consider even more zoning changes in August, and homebuilders worry it could impact housing affordability

The ordinance passedin May establishes a“coastal resilience” zoning area south of U.S. 190 between Mandeville and Slidell, which falls in the districts of Parish Council members Arthur Laughlin and Joe Impastato.

It requires newhomes to be built 3feet above the base floodelevation level the water levelexpectedin aflood with a1%chance of occurring in agiven year. With afew exceptions, the law also prohibits the use of fill —dirt fill usedtoelevate homes —and restricts the storage of large equipment.

Allen thanked the council for taking a“leap of faith,” saying the regulationswere “probably the biggest step forward in our development practices I’ve seen in 20 years.”

“I do think it’saterrific initiative,” Schoen said, adding that it wasimportant forbusinessand development lawyers to recognize the need for abalanced approach to development.

“Atthis point we’reata no-brainer,” joked council member Arthur Laughlin, who championed the ordinance and called it “my baby.” Residents in his district have been concerned costly flooding may be made worse by development in an area already prone to flooding from both rivers and Lake Pontchartrain. But the new zoning rules have been criticized by homebuilders in the parish, who question its impact on the affordability of homes —aquestion the parish is asking about housing more broadly

In August, the Parish Council will decide whether to Laughl restric ience 190 12. U.S. pastato’ get of tions parish Desire base in construction

in Laughlin andImpastato’s districts.

In thestudy,which kicked off in January 2024 and was finalized this spring,Desire Line foundthe low-lying area has significantflood risksfrom Lake Pontchartrainand rivers like Bayou Lacombe. Amajority of the area was designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be in aflood zone, the study found, and about athird of theparish’srepetitive loss structures —orstructures that flood more than once were concentrated in that area.

The consultants found thatinadequate infrastructure and alargenumber of homes with slabfoundationsbuilt on fill were also contributing to flood risks. They recommended lowering density in some areas and requiring “more resilient housing construction.”

“You can still build aton of houses, it’sjust not at thedensities that are goingto create widespread flooding,” said Alex Carter, founderofDesire Line.

ResilienceOverlay District1,for the areassouth of U.S. 190 in Impastato and Laughlin’sdistricts, is now in effect.The less stringent Resilience Overlay District 2, which would also require raised homes, but place fewer restrictions on fill in an area between U.S.190 andInterstate 12, hasnot yet been adopted.

“It’snot entirely new,”Impastatosaid, saying some partsofhis district already had restrictions. Buthesaid the study helped themmake more informed decisions about it.

“Wewanttoreverse the tide,so-to-speak,onflooding problems.”

“Wewere hoping the second resilience zone would go back to the drawing board,” said Jenny Dexter,executive officeratNorthshore Homebuilders Association, which representsresidential construction professionals in St.Tammany Tangipahoa and Washington parishes.

Some homebuilders have criticized the two resilience overlay zones, sayingmore restrictions could raise costs for homebuyers.

“NHBA supportsthe goal of reducing floodrisk and protecting property,but we have concerns that elements of the Coastal Resilience Land Use Study and the corresponding ordinance will result in unintended conse

recommendations. They also argue that the concernsabout affordability aremisplaced.Evenif the upfront cost of araised homemight be higher,the savings, such as from lower insurancerates, reduced flood costsand higher resale value, can make araised home cost-effective, Carter said.

In acase study published in January 2024, researchersatLouisiana State University foundthata 2,500-square-foot, singlefamily rentalhomeinMetairie that wasraised by 2feet above base flood elevation had acombined net benefit forthe owner and renter somewhere between $14,978 and $23,658.

In astatement, Michael Vinsanau, spokesperson for parish President MikeCooper,also noted the potential cost savings from the new zoning.

“President Cooper’sadministration supports resilient and sustainable constructionpractices which would reduce the likelihood of flood damage andimprove ourratingin (FEMA’scommunity rating system) program, which in turn, lessens flood insurance costsfor our homeowners.”

Cartersaid it was necessary forthe parish to take atwo-pronged approach to planning.

“If you’re lowering density in this area, you have to raisedensity in other areas that are less prone to flooding.”

Laughlinsaidhethought part of the concern about new zoning rules may come from afear that it will take off across the parish, which has found itself in recent yearsstrugglingtobalance growth with residents’ concernsabout infrastructure.

At aParish Council meeting in the spring, council memberPat Phillips, whose district includes an area between U.S.190 and I-12, suggested he might like asimilar study done in his district. Meanwhile, some longtime residents in Laughlin’s district, like Donna McDonald and Chief Elwin “Warhorse” Gillum, have praised the initiative.

“This is not going to stop all the flooding —werealize that, but it’sa tool in the toolbox,”McDonald said.

The Parish Council will have itsnextmeeting on Aug. 7.

Edie’sBiscuits in Lafayette

EDIE’S

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thana cinnamon roll, the biscuit was covered with athin spiced glaze that added asuper-sweet element to the fluffy,savory biscuit.

Thestarofthe show once again, was the crumblyblueberry biscuit toppedwith asweetglaze. It was crispy and soft, gooey in the middle and filled with fresh fruit.

TheEdie’sbiscuit was more traditional and a touch more hearty compared with Reve’smodern take. They arebothequally delicious Ihope on my next trip to Lafayette that Ican sit with Stanley for awhile and talk shop —and try afew more items off the menu.

ARENA

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If the arena deal is finalized, records show,the roughly $400 million facility would standnearNicholson Drive, just south of Gourrier Avenue, on the current site of the LSU Golf Course. Oak View Group would ownthe stadium, while LSU Athletics would hold alease agreementfor men’s basketball, women’sbasketball andgymnastics.The venue would also feature live entertainment acts.

Lastweek, Oak View Group’s then-CEOTim Leiweke was indicted on federalchargesinTexas.

Department of Justice officials sayLeiweke riggedthe bidding processfor OakView Group’s Moody Arena at the University of Texas Austin —afacility LSU officials have repeatedly called the inspiration for the effort fora newarena in Baton Rouge. Thecompany has paid $15 million in fines related to the allegations

The day after the indictment was announced, LSU Athleticssaiditwas “evaluating theimplications” Leiweke’scharges might have on the arena project.

LSU officials in May identified Oak View Group as the lone finalist.

LSUAthletics spokespersonZach Greenwell said much of theprocess

is still under negotiation and the recordsobtained by The Advocate are“preliminary.”

“While apartner of Our Lady of the Lake Health’s stature would clearly benefit thearena project and the region, LSUwill not comment directly on potential naming rights agreementsorother arena-related negotiations as none have been finalized or presented to the board or universityleadership forapproval,” Greenwell said in an emailed statement. “Our Ladyofthe Lake Healthhas been a tremendous partnerfor LSU, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate on waystobenefit the community and university.”

specified time foropen‐ing shallnot be consid‐eredand shallbere‐turnedunopenedtothe sender. Duetolimited meetingspaces, bidders are highly encouraged to callintothe bidopenings atthe followingphone number337-291-5100. In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212 vendors maysubmit their bidelectronicallyat the websitelistedabove Biddingsdocuments are available to view only at the websiteabove.Ven‐dorsmay requestthe bid package electronically fromThomasMetrejean attgmetrejean@

Scheffler dominates in British Open victory

Golfer is one step closer to career Grand Slam

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — The enormous yellow scoreboard above the 18th green at Royal Portrush perfectly illustrated the state of golf these days. Scottie Scheffler’s name was at the top. No one was close.

That’s how it was in the British Open on Sunday when Scheffler never gave anyone a chance from the time his 9-iron settled a foot away for birdie on the first hole until he tapped in for a 3-under 68 and a four-shot victory over Harris English

That’s how it is in the sport, a level of dominance not seen since Tiger Woods.

“He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to,” Masters champion Rory McIlroy said. “In a historical context, you could argue that there’s only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run the one that Scottie’s been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.” Scheffler not only won his second major this year — and fourth in the last three years — he captured the third leg of the career Grand Slam, now missing only the U.S. Open He became the first player in more than a century to win his first fourth major title by at least three shots, and if not for his lone blunder from a bunker on the eighth hole when he had a seven-shot lead, he would have played bogey-free on the weekend.

“Being able to walk up 18 with the tournament in hand is a really tough thing to

ä See OPEN, page 3C

Tigers’ legend Haleigh Bryant on her return to LSU gymnastics as assistant coach

Lafayette native bid farewell to 16-year UFC career with final fight in New Orleans

BY ANDREW VALENTI

It

BY REED DARCEY and SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writers

About two years ago, LSU gymnastics great Haleigh Bryant told Jay Clark she was interested in coaching. The idea intrigued Clark. The timing just had to be right.

Then the stars aligned, giving Bryant an obvious launchpad for the coaching career she’s wanted to pursue ever since she was a college freshman. Ashleigh Gnat, another Tiger great who worked on Clark’s staff for five seasons, decided to step away from her assistant coaching gig near the end of the 2025 season — around the same time Bryant had to start charting the path she’d take after she hit the end of her legendary competitive career

“This sport has been my whole entire life,” Bryant told The Advocate in a phone interview “I want to give back.”

Hamlin survives delay to win Dover

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

DOVER, Del. — Denny Hamlin went back-to-back at Dover Motor Speedway holding a late lead through a rain delay and an overtime finish Sunday for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s series-best fourth victory of the season.

Hamlin won in the No 11 Toyota for the second straight time at Dover to add to wins this season at Martinsville, Darlington and Michigan.

Hamlin has 58 NASCAR Cup Series victories, leaving him two short of Kevin Harvick for 10th on the career list. The 44-year-old Virginia driver might hit that mark this season as he chases his first career Cup championship.

“Winning here at Dover is super special to me,” Hamlin said. “This is a place that I’ve not been very good at the first half of my career. To go back-to-back here the last two years is amazing.”

Hamlin took the checkered flag days after he suffered a setback in court with his own 23XI Racing team’s federal antitrust suit against NASCAR On Thursday, a federal judge rejected a request from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with charters while they battle NASCAR in court, meaning their six cars will race as open entries this weekend at Dover, next week at Indianapolis and perhaps longer than that in a move the teams say would put them at risk of going out of business.

Hamlin vowed this weekend “all will be exposed” if the case goes to its scheduled Dec. 1 trial date.

The courtroom drama hasn’t affected Hamlin’s performance on the track. Hamlin held off JGR teammate Chase Briscoe for the victory Hendrick Motorsports drivers took the next two spots, with Alex Bowman third and Kyle Larson fourth.

“I thought I did everything I needed to,” Briscoe said. “I thought I had him there for a second. I wish the Camry, the back, was about 3 inches shorter I was so close to clearing him. I just couldn’t do it. Obviously, racing a teammate, I wanted to make sure at least a JGR

car won.” Hamlin held off Kyle Larson down the stretch last season to earn the second of his three career wins at the Monster Mile.

The first July Cup race at Dover since 1969 started with steamy weather and drivers battled the conditions inside the car during a relatively clean race until rain fell late and red-flagged the race with 14 laps left. Hamlin said the during the break he planned to change his firesuit — temperatures inside the car soared to 140 degrees.

He also returned to the car after the 56-minute delay with old tires. Hamlin who was the betting favorite to win, per BETMGM Sportsbook - had enough to win on cool tires at Dover and park the Toyota in victory lane.

“We’ve got a lot left,” Hamlin

said. He became the 19th Cup driver to win three times at Dover and the 13th driver to win consecutive races on the mile concrete track.

“I just studied some of the greats here,” Hamlin said. “I was very fortunate to have Martin Truex as a teammate. Jimmie Johnson, watching him win (11) times here. You learn from the greats and you change your game to match it, you have success like this.”

The Tys have it in NASCAR.

It’s Ty Gibbs vs. Ty Dillon next week at Indianapolis to decide the first winner in NASCAR’s $1 million mid-season tournament NASCAR seeded 32 drivers for the first In-season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament that mirrors the NCAA basketball tournaments.

Both drivers are winless and Dillon made it as the No. 32 seed. Gibbs finished fifth Sunday for JGR. John Hunter Nemechek and Tyler Reddick were eliminated. Joey Logano finished 14th for Team Penske in his 600th career start. Logano has made every start since the 2009, 597 straight, putting him within striking distance of Jeff Gordon’s Cup record of 797 straight starts. Logano was 35 years, 1 month, 26 days old when he hits No. 600 on Sunday, making him the youngest driver to reach that milestone. He topped seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty by six months. Petty is the only driver to have won his 600th start.

Collier’s performance leads team to victory

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

INDIANAPOLIS — Napheesa Collier made a statement with her record play on the court and the players made one with warmup shirts for the WNBA All-Star Game.

Collier scored a record 36 points to help her team beat Team Clark 151-131 in the WNBA All-Star Game that was devoid of defense but full of 4-point shots. This record offensive effort came a year after the league’s annual exhibition game was a competitive contest that pitted the U.S Olympic team against WNBA All-Stars.

The game capped off a weekend where negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement took center stage.

Players wore T-shirts while warming up before the game that said “Pay us what you owe us.”

“The players are taking this seriously, I think it sends a really strong message that we’re standing really firm in certain areas that we feel really strong that we need to improve on. I think we got the message across,” said Collier, who was named the game’s MVP As she waited to get her trophy the crowd chanted “Pay them more” and All-Star Brittney Sykes held up a sign saying “Pay the Players.” Captain Caitlin Clark was unable to play for her team because of a groin injury she suffered earlier this week. She still served as ambassador for the weekend. Known for her deep logo 3-pointers, Clark would have loved a chance at the 4-point shot that was added to this game which was 28-feet from the basket. Both teams took advantage

of the deep shot en route to the record-setting offensive night.

They combined to hit 20 of the shots on 65 attempts.

The 151 points scored by Team Collier broke the mark put up by Team Stewart of 143 in 2023 for the most in an All-Star Game.

Collier’s point total broke Arike Ogunbowale’s previous record of 34 points scored last year

The combined total of 282 also surpassed the previous high total of 270 set in 2023.

While there was little defense played, both teams challenged plays in the fourth quarter with the game not in doubt.

One was successful and one wasn’t.

The game also featured rookies Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen making up the largest rookie contingent at the game since 2011.

Citron and Iriafen were on Team Clark, and Bueckers was a starter for Napheesa Collier’s team.

Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever and Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces were announced earlier in the day as starters for Team Clark replacing Clark and Satou Sabally of Phoenix.

Mitchell received a loud ovation from the fans who were happy to have another one of their players in the starting lineup.

Young didn’t actually start as Gabby Williams took her spot as a starter Young injured her hip in Las Vegas’ last game before All-Star weekend.

Besides the 4-point shot, the game also included a 20-second shot clock instead of the normal 24 and the ability for teams to substitute during live play

There also were no free throws shot — not that there usually are many in an All-Star Game until the final two minutes of the

Astros place third baseman

Paredes on 10-day IL

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a right hamstring strain.

Paredes was injured running to first base on a single to left field during Saturday night’s 7-6, 11-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners. Paredes left the game and was replaced by Zack Short.

The 26-year-old is hitting .259 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs this season. Additionally, catcher César Salazar was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land.

In corresponding moves, infielders Shay Whitcomb and Jon Singleton were recalled from Sugar Land.

To make room for Singleton on the Astros’ 40-man roster, infielder Brendan Rodgers was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Sinner, Djokovic, Draper withdraw from Toronto Wimbledon champion Jannik

Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam title winner Novak Djokovic and No. 5-ranked Jack Draper all withdrew Sunday from the Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto, citing injuries.

The No. 1-ranked Sinner blamed his right elbow, which he hurt in a fall in the fourth round at the All England Club on the way to his first title there and fourth major trophy

He won his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto in 2023.

Djokovic said a groin injury was why he pulled out from an event he has won four times.

Draper will miss Toronto and the Cincinnati Masters next month because of a problem with his left arm.

Seahawks release TE Fant ahead of training camp

The Seattle Seahawks released tight end Noah Fant on Sunday ahead of the start of training camp.

The 27-year-old Fant spent the past three seasons with the Seahawks after being acquired in the 2022 blockbuster trade that sent quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver Across his Seattle tenure, Fant racked up 130 receptions for 1,400 yards and five touchdowns.

Fant was entering the final season of a two-year contract, and was due a non-guaranteed salary of $8.49 million this year

The Seahawks will save $8.91 million against the salary cap with the move. In parting ways with Fant, who was a 2019 first-round pick of the Broncos, the Seahawks’ stable of young tight ends figure to be featured more prominently in 2025.

Memphis guard Parker arrested on assault charge

Memphis guard Sincere Parker was arrested Saturday on an aggravated assault charge for an attack on his girlfriend, who told police that he choked her and hit her The attack occurred on May 27 at the Memphis apartment the couple shared where Parker pushed her, slapped her in the face and choked her, leaving her bruised and bloodied, according to a police report. A warrant for Parker’s arrest was issued Friday and the 22-year-old was taken into custody Saturday The 6-foot-3 Parker transferred to Memphis after averaging 12.2 points last season for McNeese, helping the Cowboys and coach Will Wade reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He played his first two seasons for Saint Louis.

Journalism rallies in burst to win Haskell Invitational

Journalism launched a dramatic rally to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Saturday at Monmouth Park. It was Journalism’s first race since the Triple Crown. He was the only colt to contest all three legs, winning the Preakness while finishing second to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

game. Instead players were automatically awarded the points. The only free throws were shot was by Skylar Diggins with 1:01 left in the game. She made both. Diggins also had the first triple-double in AllStar history

All four rules had been used at some point during previous All-Star Games, but not all in the same one.

The All-Star Game brought the stars out in Indianapolis.

Rapper GloRilla performed at halftime while musicians Common and Jennifer Hudson sat courtside near WNBA legends Lisa Leslie and Tamika Catchings.

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton sat in a suite and got the loudest ovation from the crowd when he was shown on the videoboard.

Heavily favored at 2-5 odds, Journalism broke poorly under jockey Umberto Rispoli and wound up trailing the early leaders. He kicked into gear rounding the final turn where Journalism roared down the center of the track to win by a half-length.

The Haskell victory was Journalism’s sixth in nine starts for Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy

describe. It’s a really cool feeling. I have a lot of gratitude towards being able to accomplish something like this,” Scheffler said, the silver claret jug on the table next to him

“It’s taken a lot of work — not only a lot of work, but it takes a lot of patience,” he said. “It’s a high level of focus over 72 holes of a tournament. This was, I felt like, one of my best performances mentally.”

The emotions he showed were telling. Until he had his name etched on golf’s oldest trophy, Scheffler had a week marked by his extraordinary insight on how he views winning. He said celebrations last only a few minutes. He has wondered, “What’s the point?”

He loves the work required to be the best. He thrives on competition. But in terms of fulfillment, he often questions why he wants to win so badly when the thrill of winning is fleeting.

On the golf course, his biggest fist pump was for a par on the sixth hole. As he crouched to line up his birdie putt on the 18th, he rested his head on his hand with a slight smile of deep satisfaction. When he tapped in the final putt, he plucked the ball from the cup and put it in his pocket as if he had just won a regular PGA Tour event. But when he finally found his family — wife Meredith, 15-monthold son Bennett, and his parents — Scheffler went crazy He thrust both arms in the air, pumped both arms, screamed and threw his cap in the air That’s what it’s all about for the 29-year-old from Texas.

“She’s always the first person I want to celebrate with,” he said. “She knows me better than anybody That’s my best friend. It takes

LSU

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Bryant said she wants to run her own program one day For now though, in her role as LSU’s newest assistant coach, she’ll help fellow assistant Courtney McCool Griffeth instruct the Tigers’ balancebeam and floor-exercise lineups

The Tigers are planning to put her in charge of one rotation — be it beam, floor or even vault, her signature event once she’s farther along in her coaching career

“It’s a win-win,” Clark said. “Recruits already respect her tremendously She’s our Heisman winner, our Jayden Daniels or our Joe Burrow The kids don’t remember (Gnat) as an athlete. When I tell them Haleigh is going to be their coach, their faces light up. When she walks into a room, she’s the biggest name in collegiate gymnastics with Jordan Bowers and Jordan Chiles. She’s the gold standard.”

It’s fitting that Bryant is taking over for Gnat.

POIRIER

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A teary-eyed Poirier walked out the Octagon and down the aisle for the final time as a competitor with the Acadiana flag draped over his back as a raucous crowd of 18,000 cheered his exit. This was Poirier’s first loss to Holloway (27-8) in their last two meetings after winning in 2012 and 2019.

“The Diamond” has had a decorated career with two wins against Conor McGregor and owns 15 wins by knockout and eight by submission. Poirier has said he will return home to Lafayette, where he and his wife will raise their daughter and prepare for the birth of their son following his retirement.

While Poirier landed a number of blows throughout the match and knocked Holloway down in the second round, the Hawaii native was the more consistent striker.

“It sucks to do it against a man like that,” Holloway said. “I did it against Korean Zombie and now I did it against Dustin. He’s a great human being, and I have nothing but love and respect for him.”

The co-main event featured two of the best knockout artists in the middleweight division in No. 13 Paulo Costa and No. 14 Roman Kopylov Costa had 11 knockouts in 14 wins, and Kopylov notched 12 of his 14 wins via knockout.

But this match went all three rounds, with the Brazilian Costa coming away with the unanimous decision victory by outstriking the Russian Kopylov

The rest of the main card had all three matches go the distance.

Daniel Rodriguez (20-5) notched a unanimous decision win against the No. 14 welterweight Kevin Holland (28-14). Rodriguez had more strikes and looked to have the edge

a lot of work to be able to become good at this game, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without her support.”

McIlroy had referred to the outcome as “inevitable” when Scheffler built a four-shot lead going into the final round, and it was every bit of that.

The tap-in birdie on the first hole.

A brilliant approach between two knobs to 7 feet for birdie on the fourth. A 15-foot birdie on No. 5

Most telling was his biggest celebration, a powerful fist pump when he made a 15-foot par putt on No. 6.

It was reminiscent of when

Woods saved his biggest fist pump for a par on the 16th hole of his historic 15-shot victory at Pebble Beach in the 2000 U.S. Open, when it was clear Woods was competing mainly against himself.

That’s what it felt like until

Scheffler’s one wobble a double bogey on No. 8 when it took two shots to get out of a fairway bunker

That ended his streak of 32 consecutive holes without a bogey. The lead was down to four shots when Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup birdied the ninth. And then Scheffler birdied the next hole. He played the back nine with eight pars and a birdie because that’s all he needed. No one could catch him.

“I played with him the first two days, and honestly I thought he was going to birdie every hole. It was incredible to watch,” Shane Lowry said. “If Scottie’s feet stayed stable and his swing looked like Adam Scott’s, we’d be talking about him in the same words as Tiger Woods.

His bad shots are really good. That’s when you know he’s really good.”

Scheffler, who finished at 17-under 267, won for the fourth time this year He now has won 20 times worldwide in the last 30 months.

This was the 11th straight time he turned a 54-hole lead into a victory

“I don’t think we thought the golfing world would see someone as

Gnat, Bryant said, was the LSU gymnast who helped show her around campus on the visit she took with the program as an eighth grader A young Bryant — even then a recruiting priority for longtime coach DD Breaux — committed not long after her first trip to Baton Rouge and stuck to that pledge all the way through high school, setting the stage for her all-time great career Bryant, a native of Cornelius, North Carolina, can claim a pair of individual NCAA titles (allaround and vault) five individual Southeastern Conference titles and the highest all-around score in LSU history (39.925). She also posted 18 perfect 10s across her five-year career more than any other Tiger and all but eight gymnasts who have ever competed at the NCAA level and completed both the season and career gym slams (at least one perfect 10 in every event). No LSU gymnast has more career all-around wins (33) than Bryant, and only two have more career event wins (105).

dominant as Tiger come through so soon, and here’s Scottie sort of taking that throne of dominance,” said Xander Schauffele, the defending champion who tied for seventh.

“You can’t even say he’s on a run. He’s just been killing it for over two years now,” he said. “He’s a tough man to beat, and when you see his name up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.”

English capped off a memorable two weeks in the United Kingdom. His caddie of eight years couldn’t get a new travel visa because of a 10-year prison term he served two decades ago. English had a replacement last week at the Scottish Open and another this week.

It didn’t stop him. English closed with a 66 and was runner-up in a major for the second time this year both times to Scheffler as he strengthened his case for the Ryder Cup team.

“The only guy to beat me at the PGA and this week. I’m playing some good golf,” English said. “I wasn’t playing professional golf when Tiger was at his peak. But it’s pretty incredible, just how good of a front-runner he is.”

Li Haotong of China (70), Matt Fitzpatrick (69) and Wyndham Clark (65) tied for fourth. That gets Li into the Masters next year As for McIlroy, there were few complaints. He needed an electric start like he had Saturday and was eight shots behind an hour into the final round. No matter The Masters champion soaked up adulation across Royal Portrush, closing with a 69 to tie for seventh.

“I wish I had have been closer to Scottie going into today and been able to make a real push,” McIlroy said. “But he’s been on a different level all week and he’s been on a different level for the last two years to the rest of us. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to at this point.”

Those accomplishments put her in the company of program greats such as Gnat, who returned to LSU as a coach at the same time Bryant arrived as a freshman. They each then played key roles on the 2024 team that won the Tigers’ first national championship.

“She just fits from a character perspective and a philosophy perspective,” Gnat said. “Being in the gym with her every day, the way she goes about her business, her preparation, I know will carry over to her coaching.”

Bryant says she plans to use her coaching inexperience to her advantage. She can relate to the LSU gymnasts on both a personal and athletic level, she said, because she was “in their shoes” so recently Clark and his staff want to bring Bryant along slowly Because some fortuitous timing allowed her — like she’s executing one of her famous vaults — to springboard down the path she chose in hopes of giving back to the sport that gave her a decorated competitive career.

“I just didn’t think it would happen this soon,” Bryant said.

their title

heading into the third round.

But Holland came out swinging in the third frame and landed a flurry of blows that dazed and knocked Rodriguez to the mat twice. Rodriguez landed multiple strikes later in the round to hold on for the win

Patricio Pitbull (37-8) downed the No. 11 featherweight Dan Ige (19-10) in a unanimous decision.

Lightweight division veteran Michael Johnson (25-19) showed he still has a lot left in the tank after dispatching Daniel Zellhuber (153) also by a unanimous decision. The preliminary fights featured some Louisiana flavor too.

Covington native and the No. 11 middleweight Brendan Allen (25-7) snapped a two-match losing streak via a unanimous decision against No. 10 Marvin Vettori (199-1). While the Italian had some moments in the third round, Allen consistently landed more strikes

Despite ‘awesome week,’ McIlroy falls short at British Open

BY STEVE DOUGLAS The Associated Press

PORTRUSH,Northern Ireland Scottie

Scheffler was walking down the first fairway at Royal Portrush when a shout came from outside the ropes: “Go Rory!”

They were all over the Dunluce Links again Sunday, those passionate supporters of Rory McIlroy cheering on their favorite son in the final act of his homecoming — whether they were watching him or not.

The big disappointment for McIlroy was that he couldn’t deliver what they craved.

“It’s been an awesome week,” McIlroy said after shooting 2-under 69 to tie for seventh at the British Open. “I’ve gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a claret jug, and that’s just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us.”

That might be an understatement.

Scheffler the world No. 1, won by four shots to capture his fourth major title. He was seven strokes clear of McIlroy and playing on a different level in this pretty corner of Northern Ireland. McIlroy even acknowledged as much.

“He’s an incredible player,” he said of Scheffler. “He’s been dominant this week Honestly, he’s been dominant for the last couple years. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to.”

As for Scheffler, he could only apologize for spoiling the McIlroy party

“I know I wasn’t the fan favorite today,” he said, grinning, in his post-round speech on No. 18, “but I did hear a lot of USA and Dallas, Texas chants.”

Scheffler might have won two majors this year and asserted himself as the game’s dominant player Yet, for many, 2025 still belongs to McIlroy after his dramatic win at the Masters in April to complete the career

NFL

Continued from page 1C

three-peat in Super Bowl history

Training camp dates

The Chargers and Lions were the first teams to have their full roster in camp. The Cowboys and Chiefs will have theirs on Monday The rest of the league starts Tuesday The Falcons and Steelers arrive Wednesday Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers face off against Dan Campbell’s Lions in the Hall of Fame game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio.

A pair of division rivalry games will open the season The Eagles will host Dallas to begin the regular season on Sept. 4. The Chiefs and Chargers meet in Brazil the following night.

New head coaches

Pete Carroll is back in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders after just one year out of coaching. Carroll, who turns 74 in September, has a tough task building the Raiders into a playoff contender in a difficult division.

Former Patriots star linebacker

AP PHOTO By FRANCISCO SECO

Rory McIlroy acknowledges the crowd as he walks onto the 18th green during the final round of the British Open on Sunday at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

Grand Slam. Fans came in droves this week to celebrate McIlroy’s achievements, and produced some of the loudest roars he has ever heard on a golf course.

If McIlroy didn’t quite deliver, then Royal Portrush — where he shot 61 as a 16-year-old for the course record — certainly did, gaining widespread rave reviews.

When the Open returned to Portrush in 2019 for the first time in 68 years, McIlroy was so emotional he hit his opening drive out-of-bounds, shot 79 and missed the cut.

He made amends six years later

“I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this in front of this crowd,” McIlroy said.

“Hopefully I’ll have one or two Opens left here, if the R&A decide to keep coming back — probably one while I’m still competitive and another one while I’m more gray than I already am.” McIlroy started Sunday six strokes back from Scheffler after a wild third-round 66, and needed a minor miracle to catch his big rival.

ended up in New York, but the Giants also selected Jaxson Dart in the first round.

Justin Fields has a third chance with the Jets.

J.J. McCarthy is the man in Minnesota after he missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury Saints rookie Tyler Slough gets an opportunity to replace Derek Carr, who retired.

The Titans have No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.

Top camp storylines

Some contract issues still need to be resolved.

The Bengals have yet to sign first-round pick Shemar Stewart and they haven’t agreed to a new deal with All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who wants a raise after leading the league in sacks last season.

and was the more dominant fighter throughout the match.

The win for Allen will more than likely vault him into the top-10 rankings of the division.

Allen still resides in Covington with his family and has been commuting to New Orleans from the northshore during fight week.

“The fight just happened, and there are still so many fights that can come,” Allen said. “We’ll see what UFC wants and what’s next for me. But for now, I’m going to go home and see my kids and my wife and give them a hug and a kiss and tell them thank you and be a dad and a husband for a little while.”

Carli Judice (5-2), who also fights out of Lafayette, downed Brazil native Nicole Caliari (8-4) by a technical knockout in the third round of a flyweight bout. The 26-year-old dropped Caliari to the canvas with a knee straight to the body

Mike Vrabel takes over in New England, replacing Jerod Mayo, who lasted one season after replacing Bill Belichick. The Bears turned to former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The Jets hired former Lions DC Aaron Glenn. Kellen Moore left Philadelphia after one championship season to take over in New Orleans. Liam Cohen’s success as Tampa Bay’s OC landed him the head job in Jacksonville. Jerry Jones gave Brian Schottenheimer a chance to lead Dallas.

Teams with new quarterbacks

The Steelers are going all-in on Aaron Rodgers, hoping the 41-year-old, four-time MVP can take them to the big game.

The Raiders acquired Geno Smith, reuniting Carroll with the quarterback he chose to replace Russell Wilson in Seattle. Sam Darnold ended up with the Seahawks after a career-year in Minnesota. Joe Flacco is back in Cleveland where he was the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2023. The Browns also traded for Kenny Pickett and drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Wilson and Jameis Winston

The dispute with Stewart, a pass rusher the defense needs, isn’t about money; it’s about the team trying to insert language in Stewart’s contract that would trigger thevoidingofhissalaryguarantees with a breach or default by him. Another contract situation to watch involves Dallas Micah Parsons is due for a new deal that’s expected to make him the highestpaid non-quarterback in NFL history T.J. Watt currently holds that distinction after Pittsburgh gave him a $123 million extension worth an average of $41 million per season. Jones waited too long on Dak Prescott and ended up making him the NFL’s first $60 million man last season. Now, he’s going to end up paying Parsons more than anyone else who doesn’t play QB. Quarterback competition

The Browns have to choose between Flacco, Pickett, Sanders and Gabriel. Veteran Daniel Jones is competing with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, has been injured often and has a lingering shoulder problem. Shough and Spencer Rattler are battling in New Orleans. Wilson, Winston and Dart should make it a tough decision for the Giants. Ward has to beat out Will Levis in Tennessee. On the road

Six teams — the Bills, Cowboys, Colts, Chiefs, Rams and Steelers — will spend their entire camp away from their facilities. Dallas, which trains in Oxnard, California, is the only team going out of state.

Pacquiao’s comeback falls short

BY MARK ANDERSON AP sportswriter

LAS VEGAS Manny Pacquiao pushed back against his doubters, the odds and even Father Time on Saturday night — and nearly made some history

But Pacquiao, in the end, fell just short on the judges’ scorecards as Mario Barrios escaped with a majority draw to retain the WBC welterweight championship. Two judges scored the bout a draw, and judge Max DeLuca awarded Barrios a 115-113 victory The Associated Press scored the fight 115-113 in favor of Pacquiao.

“I thought I won the fight,” Pacquiao said.

Barrios landed more total punches (120-101), according to Compubox, but Pacquiao had the edge in power shots (81-75).

Pacquiao, enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame last month, was trying to break his own record for oldest welterweight champion. He was 40 when he emerged in 2019 split decision over Keith Thurman. This also was his first appearance in the ring in nearly four years for the 46-year-old Filipino, a loss by unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugás. Barrios, a 30-year-old from San Antonio, was a -275 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook. He hoped to bounce back from a split-decision draw on Nov 15 against Abel Ramos, but didn’t exactly come away with an emphatic victory in improving to 29-2-2. The heavily pro-Pacquiao crowd loudly booed the decision.

“It was an honor to share the

ring with him,” Barrios said.

“This is by far the biggest event I’ve had to date, and we came in here and left everything in the ring. I have nothing but respect for Manny

“His stamina is crazy He’s still strong as hell and his tim-

ing is real. He’s still a very awkward fighter to try to figure out. Pacman (62-9-2) moved swiftly around the ring from the beginning, often looking more like the younger champion who captured 12 world titles in eight divisions.

He began to be take control in the seventh, lantding several big left hands to win the following three rounds on two cards and two on the other But Barrios was the better fighter at the end, coming out more aggressive knowing he

SCOREBOARD

8. Movistar Team, 165:19:39.

9. XDS Astana Team, 165:31:14. 10. EF Education-EasyPost, 165:40:07. Golf

The Open Championship Sunday At Dunluce Links Portrush, United Kingdom Purse: $17 million Yardage: 7,381; Par: 71 Final Round

S. Scheffler $3,100,000 68-64-67-68—267 -17

H. English $1,759,000 67-70-68-66—271 13 C. Gotterup $1,128,000 72-65-68-67—272 12 W. Clark $730,667 76-66-66-65—273 -11 Matt Fitzptrick $730,667 67-66-71-69—273 11 Hao-Tong Li $730,667 67-67-69-70—273 -11

R. Macintyre $451,833 71-66-70-67—274 10

Rory McIlroy $451,833 70-69-66-69—274 10

X. Schauffele $451,833 71-69-66-68—274 -10

Corey Conners $304,650 74-69-66-66—275 9

Brian Harman $304,650 69-65-73-68—275 -9

Russell Henley $304,650 72-70-65-68—275 9

B. DeChambu $304,650 78-65-68-64—275 9

Rickie Fowler $240,000 69-72-70-65—276 -8

Nicolai Hojgrd $240,000 69-69-69-69—276 8

T. Fleetwood $185,257 73-68-69-67—277 -7

R. Hojgaard $185,257 69-68-70-70—277 7

at Washington (Irvin 7-5), 5:45 p.m. L.A. Angels (Anderson 2-6) at N.Y. Mets (Senga 7-3), 6:10 p.m. San Francisco (Birdsong 4-3) at Atlanta (Elder 3-6), 6:15 p.m. Kansas City (Cameron 3-4) at Chicago Cubs (TBD), 7:05 p.m. St. Louis (TBD) at Colorado (Gomber 0-3) 7:40 p.m. Houston (Gordon 3-2) at Arizona (Gallen 7-10), 8:40 p.m. Milwaukee (Woodruff 1-0) at Seattle (Kirby 4-4), 8:40 p.m. Minnesota (Festa 3-3) at L.A. Dodgers (Ohtani 0-0), 9:10 p.m. Cycling Tour de France Sunday 15th Stage A Hilly 105-mile ride from Muret to Carcassonne 1. Tim Wellens, Belgium, UAE Team EmiratesXRG, 3:34:09 2. Victor Campenaerts, Belgium, Team Visma, 3:35:37. 3. Julian Alaphilippe, France, Tudor Pro Cycling, 3:35:45. 4. Wout van Aert, Belgium, Team Visma, same time. 5. Axel Laurance, France, INEOS Grenadiers same time. 6. Aleksandr Vlasov, Russia, Red Bull-BORAhansgrohe, same time. 7. Jasper Stuyven, Belgium, Lidl-Trek, same time. 8. Jordan Jegat, France, Team TotalEnergies same time. 9. Michael Valgren, Denmark, EF EducationEasyPost, same time. 10. Valentin Madouas, France, GroupamaFDJ, same time. Also 16. Neilson Powless, United States, EF Education-EasyPost, 3:35:45 21. Quinn Simmon, United States, Lidl-Trek, same time. 42. Matteo Jorgenson, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 3:40:16 43. Sepp Kuss, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, same time. 161. William Barta, United States, Movistar Team, 3:56:51. Overall Standings

1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 54:20:44 2. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 54:24:57

3. Florian Lipowitz, Germany, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 54:28:37

4. Oscar Onley, Great Britain, Picnic PostNL, 54:30:02. 5. Kevin Vauquelin, France, Arkea-B&B Hotels, 54:31:05

6. Primoz Roglic, Slovenia, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 54:31:18

7. Felix Gall, Austria, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 54:32:44

8. Tobias Johannessen, Norway, Uno-X Mobility, 54:33:17. 9. Carlos Rodriguez, Spain, Ineos Grenadiers 54:39:10. 10. Ben Healy, Ireland, EF Education-EasyPost, 54:39:25. Team Standings

1. Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 163:35:17

2. UAE Team Emirates XRG, 163:52:08

3. Red Bull — Bora — Hansgrohe, 164:25:55

4. Decathalon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 164:27:55. 5. Arkea-B&B Hotels, 164:27:56

6. Ineos Grenadiers, 165:05:27

7. Groupama-FDJ, 165:13:46

might be in trouble with the judges. All three, in fact, awarded Barrios each of the final three rounds.

“I didn’t think the fight was getting away from me, but I knew I had to step it up to solidify a win,” Barrios said.

Both sides they would be interested in a rematch.

“I hope this is an inspiration to boxers that if you have discipline and work hard you can still fight at this age,” Pacquiao said.

Sebastian Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) retained his WBC super welterweight title when Tim Tszyu (25-3) didn’t come out for the eighth round in the co-main event. Fundora floored Tszyu with a left hand in the first round and dominated the action with 118 power punches, according to Compubox, by repeatedly backing down the Australian.

“I’m the bigger guy,” said Fundora, who led 69-63 on all three judges’ cards “Everyone says I’m a bully in the ring, so I thought I should start really bullying these guys. I just kept working on aggression my whole career and we’ve just been adding.”

It was a big week for Fundora, who was accepted into Harvard and then won the rematch with Tszyu. The first fight on March 30, 2024 was much closer, with Fundora emerging with a split-decision victory The Coachella, California, resident also had been the WBO champion, but that organization stripped him of his belt for not fighting mandatory challenger Xander Zayas.

H. Matsuyama $185,257 74-69-68-66—277 7

Justin Rose $185,257 69-71-68-69—277 -7

Jesper Svnssn $185,257 71-72-68-66—277 7

Tyrrell Hatton $185,257 68-69-68-72—277 -7

John Parry $185,257 72-71-67-67—277 7

Ludvig Aberg $138,040 73-67-68-70—278 6

Lucas Glover $138,040 69-72-68-69—278 -6

M. McNealy $138,040 69-74-69-66—278 6

J.J. Spaun $138,040 73-69-68-68—278 -6

D. Johnson $138,040 73-69-67-69—278 6

Harry Hall $119,950 73-67-68-71—279 5

Oliver Lindell $119,950 72-68-68-71—279 -5

Daniel Berger $104,850 72-70-70-68—280 4

Akshay Bhatia $104,850 73-68-70-69—280 -4

Keegan Badly $104,850 72-67-70-71—280 4

Kristoffer Rtn $104,850 72-68-68-72—280 4

C. Bezuidenht $86,517 67-73-69-72—281 -3

Aaron Rai $86,517 69-72-71-69—281 3

Justin Thomas $86,517 72-69-69-71—281 -3

Sergio Garcia $86,517 70-73-70-68—281 3

Jon Rahm $86,517 70-72-69-70—281 3

Lee Westwood $86,517 69-70-69-73—281 -3

Takumi Kanaya $68,340 71-72-69-70—282 2

Shane Lowry $68,340 70-72-74-66—282 -2

Jordan Spieth $68,340 73-69-72-68—282 -2

Nathan Kimsey $68,340 71-72-68-71—282 2

Jason Kokrak $68,340 71-70-71-70—282 -2

Sam Burns $51,186 70-69-72-72—283 1

Thomas Detry $51,186 72-71-70-70—283 -1

T. Lawrence $51,186 73-70-68-72—283 -1

Matt Wallace $51,186 73-69-66-75—283 1

M. Jordan $51,186 68-72-73-70—283 -1

Jordan L. Smith $51,186 71-68-72-72—283 1 Henrik Stenson $51,186 75-68-69-71—283 -1

Sepp Straka $44,350 72-71-70-71—284 E Sungjae Im $44,350 71-71-67-75—284 E Marc Leishman $44,350 73-68-68-75—284 E Adrien Saddier $44,350 72-71-72-69—284 E Tony Finau $42,333 70-68-72-75—285 +1

Jhonattan Vegas $42,333 72-70-70-73—285 +1 Phil Mickelson $42,333 70-72-76-67—285 +1

Justin Leonard $41,550 70-73-70-73—286 +2

Antoine Rozner $41,550 72-70-73-71—286

IN THE PIPELINE

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

Amysterious blob sits on alab table in TulaneUniversity’s Stern Hall. It’sslimy,squishy anda little biggerthan ahockey puck

Whatcan we do that’snovel?’ And it took us awhile to figureitout,” Grayson said.

Rare attributes

What are some brain conditions that can cause dementia?

Somecommonalities between Alzheimer’sdisease and other dementia and certain brain conditions like tumors and subdural hematomas involve memoryimpairment, difficulty in communication, poor concentration, personality changes, problemsperforming routine tasks, social withdrawal and disorientation.

Typically,with abrain tumor or hematoma, the onset is more rapid and in addition to possible cognitive impairments, the conditions are associated with headaches, vomiting, seizures, incontinence, and somegait and motor dysfunction.

If you or aloved one is experiencing unusual cognitive changes, it is very important to first consult aphysician and undergo testing to confirm a diagnosis. Sometypes of dementia are very treatable and/ or reversible, and symptoms might not necessarily indicate Alzheimer’s, either Brain tumors can be cancerous or noncancerous and can result from several conditions. Any type of brain tumor is a serious risk to an individual’s health and lifebecause of its invasive nature.

Grayson

Chemistry professor Scott Grayson calls it hydrogel, andhis team has spentthe pastyeardevelopingthe material with a grant from theDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a research anddevelopment arm of the Defense Department created in response to the launch of Sputnik in 1957

The nice thing about DARPA projects, Graysonsaid, is thatresearchers completeasmany steps as possibleina fixedamount of time,soit’sfast-paced.The hydrogel is thestart of what will eventually become along-term project lasting adecadeortwo, he said. “Wewere trying to figure out, ‘what canwedothat’sinteresting?

Weighing about apound and a half, theblobofhydrogeliselastic porous and swells in water like those magic, rubbery toyfigurines you’dleave in the bathroomsinkasa child.

Thehydrogel is conductive,whichopens many doors forpotentialfunctions. It can press buttons on phone screenslike a finger can, and can hold an electric current, making it possible to create abody suit with sensors.

Sincethe material is nontoxic and can stretch to five timesits original size, it might be usedto fashion “superhero”suits for the military,completewith wearable body sensors. It might become a special medical tapetohelptreat burn injuries, Grayson said. The hydrogel uses atechnology that theMayas invented —rubber

“If you have rubberbands, you can stretch them at least three, four or five times, but if you do that alot of times …itsnaps,”hesaid. Grayson and his team’shydrogel is even stretchier andstronger, withadditional properties andcapabilities.

Auniquemolecular makeup

It all starts in the hydrogel’smolecular makeup. After researchers addsubstances together,heat them andperform purification anddialysis processes, aliquid base takes the shape of whatever container it dries overnight in, like cake batter,resulting in the hydrogel. If placed in water,the substance takes abouttwo to three days to swelltoits maximum size. To revert to the original shape, researchers can place thehydrogel in theovenat70degreesCelsius (158 F) to dry it out Right now,the possibilities are

ä See BLOB, page 6C

We want to actually figure out …ifwetry to stretchand strain, how much we can stretchand strain.”

SCOTT GRAySON,Tulane Universitychemistryprofessor

Somecommon symptomsof brain tumors include severe headaches, vomiting unrelated to any illness, stiffness in the neck, acute intracranial pressure, behavior changes or rapid decline in cognitive ability

There are no knownenvironmental factors that are directly related to the development of brain tumors. Many inherited diseases may increase the risk of brain tumors, such as Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasia and Type 2Neurofibromatosis. Another brain condition is a subdural hematoma, or SDH, which is aclot of blood just beneath the outer covering of the brain. These clots usually form in conjunction with an atrophy of the brain and typically occur in individuals over 60 years old. Most SDHs becomevery large before they are ever noticed because of the lack of symptomsinthe early stages. Similar to brain tumors, symptomsofa subdural hematomainclude headaches, difficulty recalling memories and also include confusion, physical weakness, impaired vision, nausea and vomiting. In the advanced stages, the condition can cause paralysis or acoma. One of the biggest risk factors for SDHs is brain atrophy linked to aminor trauma, which oftentimes goes completely unnoticed. Other risk factors include alcohol abuse, previous tendencies for seizures, and use of Coumadin or other bloodthinning medications.

Treatments forbraintumors andSDHsvary accordinglywith theindividualand thenature of thecondition. Cognitive impairment is always acause forconcern,and it is always important to fully understandand discuss

Crucialtouse sterilized waterinnasal irrigation

Dear Doctors: Wheneveryou talk about neti pots, you includea warning about always usingdistilledwater.Itseemed to me like an overreaction, but now there’s newsthat someone died from not doing that. Why would that be, whendrinkingwater is treated andgoes through testing?

Dear reader: Nasal saline rinse, or nasal irrigation, is apersonal hygiene practice using warm, sterilized water to gently clear debris from the nasal passages. The debris can include dirt, dust, bacteria, pollen, dander or other allergens. Nasal irrigation also thins out mucus and moistensthe delicate tissues of the sinuses to ease congestion and inflammation

The practicetypically involves the use of asmall, spouted vessel,

GAME NIGHT

Continued from page5C

Trevor Noah, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigen, among others. The parties balance highandlowbrow fun. Themost recent game night Rong, 28, planned was just before the Met Gala, and the dress code called for sweat suits. And last July,Brunson and Questlove teamed up to host one in Los Angeleswith an ice cream truck, Scrabble, anda “GameofThrones”-themed version of Monopoly

“Game Night has always been my thing,” Questlove captioned an October 2023 Instagram post. “Even 10 yearsago.”

They’ve also always been Rong’s, who grew up in California before moving to NewYork City to attend New York University.After working as an executive assistantatGaryVaynerchuck’sVaynerMedia and Complex, Questlove hired Rong in 2022 to help him juggle his various creative projects.

Outside of work, she plays Catan with her friends, obsesses overgaming tables, and hasacloset shelf dedicated just to tabletop games. No-phonespolicy

Admittedly the game nights Rong plans for Questloveare more curated than casual with astrict no-phones policy and an onsite photographer.Previous swag bags have included upscale dice, silk pillowcases, and custom Uno boosters.

None of those, said Rong are required for agood time, but there are still some guidelines for taking game night from adud to aslam dunk.

“Sitting at atable and startingwith the same set of ruleskind of equalizes everyone. There’snoego,” saidRong. “I think of (game nights) as away to be intentional about setting aside time for fun.”

Looking to level up your game nights? Here are Rong’sfour tips for planning agame nightsogooda celebrity might show up Gamesgalore

Agood game night should feel like achoose-your-ownadventure book, according to Rong.

Rong prefers long-form gameslikeCatan andWingspan (a cozy-yet-competitive strategy card game where you collect birds to build

BLOB

Continued from page5C

endless, and researchers are still figuring out the hydrogel’sfull capabilities.

“Wewant to actually figure out …ifwetry to stretch and strain, how much we can stretch and strain,” Grayson said.

Oneofmanylab projects

Students work on multiple projectsevery day in the lab, and thehydrogelisjust one of them. The element of surprise brings graduate student Amman Nadeem back to the lab.

“That was an exciting thing —that if Iset up areaction tonight, then I’m going to come in tomorrow to

Dr.Elizabeth Ko

Dr.Eve Glazier

ASK THE DOCTORS

commonly known as aneti pot. Youfill it with asaline solution (plain water can be irritating) made with warm, sterile water

With the spoutfitted to one nostril, you lean forward and tilt your head, and water flows through thenasal passages and exits the other nostril. Then you repeat this in the other direction.It’scrucial that nasal salinerinses use either

distilled or sterilized water due to risk of infection. Youare correct that tap water in the United States is filtered and disinfected tokill potential pathogens. However,some bacteria, viruses and other organisms can survive this process,including Naegleria fowleri. Commonly known as the “brain-eating” bacteria, Naegleria fowleri is actually an amoeba. When ingested in drinking water,Naegleria fowleri dies in stomach acid, but when it enters thebody through thenose, it can migratealong the olfactory nerve and reach the brain. Once there, the amoeba quickly begins to multiply and destroy brain tissue. This is acondition known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

LESLIE WESTBROOK

STAFF FILE PHOTO By

Agood game night shouldfeel likeachoose-your-ownadventurebook

the best wildlife preserve), but acknowledges thatmost people prefer something you canwin quickly.

“Not everyone has the patience to sit through Catan and pick it up,” Rong said “Some peopleprefer something snappier and faster that can take, like,two minutes around.”

Rong recommendsoffering amix of games. Recent hitsather and Questlove’s parties have been Tetris-adjacent puzzle game Blokus andUno,which Questlove toldHot Ones host Sean Evans he uses as a“personalitytester”for game night newbies.

Another unexpected game nighthit:Speak Out, which asks teams to guess what words or phrases players are sayingthrough amouthpiece and isafavoriteofgame night regularChrissy Teigen.

Howmanyguests?

Whatcomes first: The chicken or the egg, or —er —the games or the guest list?

For Rong, the games in circulation determinehow many people she invites since some —like Catan or mahjong—require aspecific amount of players or extraspace. Andwhile some people like to spectate, game night hosts should notgoin with the expectation that people will be OK sitting out. The point, afterall, is to play

“The numberofpeople doesmatter,” Rongsaid Rong also recommends circulatingYouTube tutorials of lesser-known games ahead of time to level the playing field. It goes without saying that board game haters— and sore losers don’tmakethe cut.

“Beyond personalities, a loveofgaming is the first prerequisite” for beinginvited to her and Questlove’s game nights, said Rong, not

see if itworked, ifitdidn’t work,” Nadeem said Nadeem and other researchers arefully optimizingthe hydrogel recipe, a process that takes time.She learned how important the ratios are when concocting thegel because ifthe ratio of an ingredient is off, the product might notbea gel, or it mightnot bestretchy enough,she said. Now that thefirst year of research has elapsed and the team no longer must submit monthly reportstoDARPA, the hydrogel will soon head to the University of SouthernMississippi, whichhas alab dedicated to polymer research.

Email Maddie Scott at madison.scott@ theadvocate.com

being acelebrity

Finger foods, partyfavors

For thegame nights she plans,Rong enjoys amix of noveltyand self-serve foods, like pizza cupcakes from WholeFoods,ice cream, and cereal bars.AtQuestlove’s most recent game night, Rong tappedBronx-born culinary team Ghetto Gastro to create aspecialmenu of takeout-style finger foods, including oxtail patty burgers, fried chicken topped with caviar,and matchaswirled Swiss rolls.

Rong’s personal game nightsare amore “casual” affair sans swag bags, but shedoesrelish curating the partyfavors for Questlove’s gatherings.

The best goodies, she explained, elevate the gaming experience. Once, Rong said, shecommissioned acustom +25 Unocard themed after her boss for guests.

Competitionrules

Though Rong describes herself as “in themiddle” on the casual-competitive spectrum, she said that some trash talk andlow-stakes rivalry can be agood thing.

Actually,Rongsaid,competition is part of what makes her and Questlove’s gamenights so fun.

Reading-born Swift, for example, is aknown Uno hustlerwho Questlove said takes the card game“to levels of excitementthat I didn’tknowone could do.”

Rong said comedian Trevor Noah is similar,while actress Stephanie Hsuruns the mahjongtable. “She wins like basically every game.”

“Itgetstiringtogoto onePRevent after another this is just like ahobby club,”Rongsaid. “There’s a huge competitive streak in theroom. There’strash talk, there’sspectators. Everyone lets their guard down.”

CONDITIONS

Continuedfrom page5C

withyour family physician which condition is causing the symptoms, as dementia or Alzheimer’sare not always the source.

Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts“The Memory Whisperer.” Emailher at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.

NEWS 24/7 ON

Symptoms of PAMappear about five days after infection. It starts with headache, fever,nausea and vomiting. As the infection progresses, it causes confusion, loss of balance, seizures and hallucinations. The destruction of brain tissue, along with the resulting immune response, causes swelling. This pressure gets so intense that the connection between the brain stem andthe spinal cord eventually severs. This is what can lead to death. There are no effective treatments forPAM at this time.

Naegleria fowleri infection of thebrain is quite rare. In the U.S., we see fewer than 10 cases each year.Most are infections acquired while swimming in warm fresh water.However,PAM is possible

from using tap water fornasal irrigation. In the recent incident you’re referring to, awoman in Texas developed afatal infection after using tap water from a campground to perform nasal irrigation. So, to repeat the warning that prompted your letter,always use distilled or sterilized water fornasal irrigation. Youcan buy sterilized water,oryou can sterilize your own tap water by boiling it forthree to five minutes then letting it cool.

Send yourquestions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla edu, or write: Ask theDoctors c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

Chewinggum decoratessidewalk

Dear Heloise: Itravel through Texas alot with my husband. Inotice most convenience stores we stop at while on the road have numerous pieces of chewing gum glued to thepavement outside the store. So, my hint is very simple: Every piece of gum comes in a wrapper,and since all men’sclothing has pocketsand women tend to carry purses, you can keep thewrapper intoyour pocket or purse. Then you can later wrap the chewed gum into thestored wrapper and drop it intoawaste can. Justanaside for humor: I’ve imagined our country withalarge DNA baseof everycitizen. If such a thing existed, I’d love to invent away to shadowa spotofgum withmyimaginary invention and pull up the owner of each piece. I’d thensend each perpetrator

By The Associated Press

afine of $200 or give them achance to clean up their very own spot of gum. Imust say the accumulation of gum on pavement began to really bother me when I was on awalker for several months. I had to constantly look where Iwas walking. Not littering is just being a good citizen. —Katherine H., in San Antonio Katherine,I have to agree that throwinggum on the ground is abad habit.One other problemwithgum on ourstreets andgrass is that birds can mistakeitfor food andwon’t be able to digest it.Itcan easily kill them in time. So,readers, please dispose of gum, chewing tobacco, wrappers andcigarettes in thetrash andnot on theground. —Heloise Razorblades

DearHeloise: Ihave atip that promotes razor blade

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Monday,July 21, the202nd day of 2025. There are 163 days left in theyear

TodayinHistory On July 21, 1925, the so-called “Monkey Trial” ended in Dayton, Tennessee, withJohn T. Scopes found guilty of violating statelaw for teaching Darwin’sTheory of Evolution. (Theconviction was later overturned.)

Also on this date:

In 1861, during theCivil War, thefirst Battle of Bull Runwas fought at Manassas, Virginia, resulting in a Confederate victory

In 1944, American forces landed on Guam during World WarII, capturing it from theJapanese some three weeks later

In 1954, theGeneva Conference concluded with accords dividing Vietnam into northern and southern entities.

In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong

and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin blasted off from the moon aboard the ascent stage of the lunar module for docking with the command module.

In 1970, construction of the Aswan High Damin Egypt wascompleted.

In 1972, the Irish Republican Armycarried out 22 bombings in Belfast, Northern Ireland, killing nine people and injuring 130 in what becameknown as “Bloody Friday.”

In 2008, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic,one of the world’s top war crimes fugitives, was arrested in aBelgrade suburb by Serbian security forces. (He was sentenced by aU.N. court in 2019 to life imprisonment after being convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.)

In 2011, the30-year-old space shuttleprogram endedasAtlantislanded at Cape Canaveral,Florida,after the135th shuttleflight

In 2012, Erden Eruc

longevity,but Ihave to give credit to the late Dr.Bill Wattenburg —aphysicist, engineer,and longtime radio talk show host at KSFO. Whenasked about this issue, he stated, “What chance do whiskers have against steel?” He then added that “rust is the biggest killer of razor blades.” For years now,I’ve been drying the blade as best as Ican between shaves before storing it in ajar with asmallamount of mineral oil. Inow change the blades maybe once or twice ayear.I find that it also helps to use your skin as astrop, keeping contact with the razor in both directions. Obviously the blades won’tstay good as new forthe entire length of time, but Isimply don’t change them out until I feel the need to. —Fred, in Portland, Oregon Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

becamethe first person to complete asolo, humanpowered circumnavigation of the globe.

In 2023, the “Barbenheimer” buzz reached its peak as the films“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” opened in theaters; the critical and public acclaim forboth filmsled to the fourth-largest weekend box office of all time.

Today’sBirthdays: SingerYusuf Islam(also known as CatStevens) is 77. Cartoonist Garry Trudeau is 77. AuthorMichael Connelly is 69. Comedian Jon Lovitz is 68. Retiredsoccer player Brandi Chastain is 57. Rocksoul singerMichael Fitzpatrick(Fitz andthe Tantrums) is 55. Actor/singerCharlotte Gainsbourg is 54. Actor Justin Bartha is 47. Actor JoshHartnett is 47. Reggae singerDamian Marleyis 47. Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings is 46. FormerMLB All-Starpitcher CC Sabathia is 45. Singer Blake Lewis (“American Idol”) is 44.

CANCER (June 21-July22) Simplifyyour life. Keep information to yourself andconcentrate on personal and professionalgain. Takecare of matters that influence your home, finances or health.

LEO(July 23-Aug. 22) Exploreyour options by participating in eventsthat connect you to people who can help you. Leave nothing to chance whenitcomes to your lifestyle and concerns. Strive for what serves you best.

VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept. 22) Carefully delegate your time and effort. Common sense andgood mannerswillhelpyou navigate any controversy you encounter. Keep an open mind, but make sure to check all information you receive.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.23) Big dreams, temptation and hope will lead to mixed emotions. When in doubt, ask an expert. Don't takeonunnecessary debt, responsibilities or someone else's drama. Pay attention to how youlook and feel

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Reviseyour plans to meet your demands. Trying to accommodate too manypeople will lead to disappointment. Mix business withpleasure and make themost of your day.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Putmore effort into combining functionality and comfort.Awell-run homecan make your lifeeasier andgiveyou more time to nurture your relationships with loved ones.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Honesty will keep youout of trouble. Look for

opportunities and avoid exaggerating or making promises you cannot keep. Set goals, establish boundaries and createrealistic timelines.

AQUARIUS(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You've got all the right moves to get things done and enjoy theoutcome. Focus on home, personal gains and worthwhile partnerships. Self-improvement, networking and heart-to-hearttalks arefeatured.

PISCES(Feb. 20-March 20) Explore people, places and pastimes that pique your interest. Attend eventsthat offer insight into how others live. Put your energy behindyourplans,and it will positively impact your perspective

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Discipline coupled with ingenuitywill help you ward off temptation. Networking and marketing yourselffor success will take you to the winner'scircle

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) An open mind will helpyou gain perspective and reduce the likelihood of getting into ano-win situation. Stubbornness gets you nowhere; find the paththat leads to new beginnings and abetterfuture.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) You'll thrive on change. Whether you instigate it or are swept up in someone else's whirlwind, hang on and enjoy theride.Put your energy to good use. Keeping busywill ward offinterference.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is notbasedonscientific fact. ©2025 by NEA,Inc.,dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Saturday’s Puzzle Answer

BY PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

When you areinatrump contract, perhaps your first question is: “How quickly should Idraw trumps?”

Thereisnosimple answer,but the basic guideline is that the more trumps youhave,thequickeryoushouldremove the opponents’, especially when you can do it without losing the lead.

When you have only eight or nine trumps, you might delay drawing them; in fact,you might never touch them at all. In particular, if you do not have the trump ace, think twice before leading a trump.

In today’sdeal, howshould South plan the play in four spades after West leads the club king?

Declarerlooks at his 13 cards,takes dummy’shighcards into account, and countshis losers. Here, he has five: two hearts, twodiamonds and one club. The minor-suit losers are unavoidable, so Southmustruff his two heart losers on the board.

However, suppose declarer wins with hisclubace,cashesthespadeaceandtop hearts, thenruffs aheart on the board. What happens next?

Yes, South could also duck the first trick,allowing him to ruff aclubinhis hand.

Thisweek we will look at various trump-suit techniques

South cannot get back to his hand. And when he plays, say, aclub, West will win and surely return atrump, killing the second ruff. Instead, declarer should immediately take histop hearts, ruff a heart with dummy’s spade eight (sothe mean and nastyEast cannot overruff), play aspade to his hand, and ruffhis last heart with the spade king. Then10tricks roll in.

©2025 by NEA, Inc dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: 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,”