The Times-Picayune 08-12-2025

‘IT’SWORKING’

U.S. SecretaryofEducation McMahonpraises gains in readingscoresin Louisiana during visittoBRschool

U.S. SecretaryofEducationLinda McMahon, center,talks withLouisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley whiletouring Jefferson Terrace Academy on Monday in Baton Rouge. At left is Shanna Beber, Louisiana Department of Education executivedirector of literacy.

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited aBaton Rouge elementary school on Monday morning to praise Louisiana’simproved reading scores, her first stop on a cross-country tourasthe Trumpadministration pushes to dismantle the Department of Educationand grant more educationalauthority to the states.

McMahon said duringa stop at the Jefferson TerraceAcademy that she embarked on the “Returning Educa-

tiontothe States” tour to collect best practices that have shown educational success With Louisiana’sunprecedented improvement in nationalrankings, the state seemed anatural starting point,she said.

State Superintendent Cade Brumley,EastBaton Rouge Parish Superintendent LaMontCole, Baton Rouge Republican U.S.Sen.Bill Cassidy andother officials toured classroomsMondaymorningatthe East Baton Rouge Parish public school with McMahon, theformerheadof World Wrestling Entertainment and

theadministrator of the Small BusinessAdministrationinPresident Donald Trump’sfirst term. McMahonwatched intently as Melanie Arceneaux’sfirst grade class satcross-leggedonthe carpet and broke down words that use a“short A” sound. Following Arceneaux’slead,the group spelledout C-A-T,tapping on each letter sound with their fingers before writing the word.

“It’sjust like being back in first grade,” McMahonsaid as shewalked

ä See WORKING, page 5A

Abortion pill fighthas high stakes

La., N.y. case couldhelp define post-Roe v. Wade era

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’sDobbs decision in 2022 ended aconstitutional, nationwide right to abortion, states have passed their own, oftentimes widely divergent laws. Louisiana has anear-total ban and criminal penalties for providers, for example, while in New York, there is an “absolute right”toabortion until 24 weeks in apregnancy

As somestates outlaw abortion, others have passed shield laws to protect abortion providers and patients within their borders from states that have restricted

ä See ABORTION, page 4A

Firm hired to repair orphan wells sued

Statealleges leadersdrained money ‘for personal gain’

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Louisiana is suing acompany it had tasked with plugging orphan oil and gas wells, alleging its leadersengagedin“self-dealing” withthe help of aformer state official whooversaw them

The lawsuit, filed Friday in the 19th Judicial District Court, asks ajudge to issue atemporary restraining order preventing the Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association and its directors from getting rid of business records or spending funds as the state seekstorecover money from the company Louisiana terminated itsdeal withLORA after an audit andafinancialreviewofthe companyraised questions about its spending —including facilitating a$700,000 “bridgeloan” to help thestate official buy ahouse.

The lawsuit states LORA misrepresented its finances; it failed to plug mostofthe wells for which it was responsible or pay the state to do so; and it collected unauthorized late fines from operatorswho failedtopay their fees whenitshould have reported those operators to the state. It also lacked financialcontrols,breached its fiduciary dutiesand collected more money in

ä See WELLS, page 5A

BY JOSH BOAK and DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trumpsaid Monday he’staking over Washington’spolicedepartment and activating 800 members of theNational Guard in thehopes of reducing crime, even as city officials stressed crime is already falling in the nation’scapital.

The president, flanked by his attorney general, his defense secretary and the FBI director,said he was

declaring apublic safety emergency and his administration would be removing homeless encampments.

“We’re going to take our capital back,” Trumpdeclared, adding he’d also be “getting rid of the slums.” ForTrump,the effortto take over public safety in Washington reflectsanescalation of his aggressive approach to law enforcement. The District of Columbia’s status as acongressionally established federal district gives him aunique opportunity to push histough-oncrimeagenda, though he has not proposed solutions to the root causes of homelessness or crime.

Attorney General Pam Bondi will assume

ä See TRUMP, page 4A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Ousted FDA vaccine

chief returning

WASHINGTON A Food and Drug Administration official is getting his job back as the agency’s top vaccine regulator less than two weeks after he was pressured to step down at the urging of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump.

Dr Vinay Prasad is resuming leadership of the FDA center that regulates vaccines and biotech therapies, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement

Monday

Prasad left the agency late last month after drawing ire of rightwing activists, including Laura Loomer, because of his past statements criticizing Trump.

A longtime a critic of FDA’s standards for approving medicines, Prasad briefly ordered the maker of a gene therapy for Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy to halt shipments after two patient deaths. But that action triggered pushback from the families of boys with the fatal condition and libertarian supporters of increased access to experimental medicines.

Prasad’s decision to pause the therapy was criticized by The Wall Street Journal editorial board, former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum and others. The FDA swiftly reversed its decision suspending the therapy’s use. Loomer posted online that Prasad was “a progressive leftist saboteur,” noting his history of praising liberal independent Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Appeals court nixes

Maine election law

PORTLAND Maine Maine can’t enforce a voter-approved foreign election interference law that a federal appeals court said likely violates the Constitution by limiting political donations. Voters overwhelmingly approved a ban on foreign governments and companies with 5% or more foreign government ownership from donating to state referendum races. The law is one of a handful around the country that attempt to limit foreign influence on U.S. elections.

The law has been on hold pending federal lawsuits from utilities companies and media organizations that raise constitutional challenges about it. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston said in court papers in July that it affirmed a lowercourt ruling that the law likely violates the First Amendment.

“The prohibition is overly broad, silencing U.S. corporations based on the mere possibility that foreign shareholders might try to influence its decisions on political speech, even where those foreign shareholders may be passive owners that exercise no influence or control over the corporation’s political spending,” Judge Lara Montecalvo wrote.

Summer’s best meteor shower peaks soon

WASHINGTON Summer’s most dazzling meteor shower the Perseids, peaks early Wednesday At the same time, Venus and Jupiter will converge in the sky — overlapping like a very bright star

If your focus is the meteor shower, it’s worth knowing that this year a bright moon will dampen viewing during the predawn peak, so some experts recommend waiting a week or so to glimpse shooting stars against a darker sky

The Perseids “are an incredible meteor shower,” said Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium program coordinator at the Bell Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota. Under dark skies with no moon, the Perseids can produce between 60 to 100 meteors per hour, he said. Since the moon will be around 84% full during the peak, skywatchers might expect between 10 to 20 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society

CORRECTION

A story Monday said New Orleans has set aside a 25-mill tax for the repayment of bonds. It is a 14.5-mill tax. The Times-Picayune regrets the error.

STAFF PHOTO By OHAD ZWIGENBERG

Journalists, aid-seekers killed in Israeli strikes

Australia backs Palestinian statehood

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli forces killed at least 55 people across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Monday including a well-known journalist Israel said was a militant as well as people seeking humanitarian aid, according to local health officials.

Hospital officials reported at least 34 people were killed on Monday, not including journalists who were slain in a tent shortly before midnight More than 15 people were killed while waiting for aid at the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza, said Fares Awad, head of the ambulance services in northern Gaza. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to questions about the deaths. Earlier on Monday, it said air and artillery units were operating in northern Gaza and in Khan Younis, where resident Noha Abu Shamala told The Associated Press that two drone strikes killed a family of seven in their apartment Among the dead were at least 12 aid seekers killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to reach distribution points, or awaiting aid convoys, according to officials at two hospitals and witnesses.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its Saraya Field Hospital received about 30 injured from the Zikim area. Al-Shifa hospital received five bodies and over 70 wounded, said Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the hospital’s director Relatives said casualties included children and an infant. Witnesses to gunfire near the Morag corridor said they saw barrages of bullets and later dead bodies, describing the grim scene as a near-daily occurrence

Witnesses who were among the crowds in central Gaza, the Teina area and the Morag corridor said that Israeli forces had fired toward the crowds.

“The occupation (forces) targeted us, as they do every day,” said Hussain Matter, a displaced father of two who was in the Morag corridor “Out of nowhere, you find bullets from everywhere.”

Aid seekers were killed from nearly 2 miles to just hundreds of yards from sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, according to Nasser and Awda hospitals The United States and Israel support the American contractor as an alternative to the United Nations, which they say allows Hamas to siphon off aid. The U.N., which

has delivered aid throughout Gaza for decades when conditions allow, denies the allegations.

The latest deaths raise the toll to more than 1,700 people killed while seeking food since the new aid distribution system began in May, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry

U.N. agencies generally do not accept Israeli military escorts for aid trucks, citing concerns over neutrality, and its convoys have come under fire amid severe food shortages.

The deaths came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called reports about conditions in Gaza a “global campaign of lies,” and announced plans to move deeper into the territory and push to dismantle Hamas.

Five more Palestinians, including a child, died of malnutrition-related causes in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said.

Israel increased the flow of supplies two weeks ago amid such concerns.

Israel’s military targeted an Al Jazeera correspondent with an airstrike Sunday, killing him. The strike killed a total of eight people, including six journalists and two other civilians, according to Shifa Hospital. Press advocates described the attack as a brazen assault on those documenting the war

The network said that along with its correspondent, four others of the slain journalists also worked for Al Jazeera.

The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strike. It came less than a year after Israeli army officials first accused correspondent Anas al-Sharif and other Al Jazeera journalists of being members of the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, an allegation that Al Jazeera and al-Sharif have previously dismissed as baseless.

Al Jazeera called the strike a “targeted assassination” while press freedom groups denounced the rising death toll facing Palestinian journalists working in Gaza. Mourners laid the journalists to rest in Gaza City.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday added his country to a list moving toward recognition of a state of Palestine along with France, Britain and Canada. He said his government’s decision aimed to build momentum toward a two-state solution, which he called the best path to ending violence and bringing leadership other than Hamas to Gaza.

“The situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world’s worst fears,” he said. “The Israeli government continues to defy international law and deny sufficient aid, food and water to desperate people, including children.”

Judge won’t release Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts

BY LARRY NEUMEISTER, MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

NEW YORK Transcripts of grand jury testimony that led to sex trafficking charges against Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell shouldn’t be released, a judge ruled Monday in a stinging decision suggesting the Trump administration’s real motive for wanting them unsealed was to fool the public with an “illusion” of transparency

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said in a written decision that federal law almost never allows for the release of grand jury materials and that making the documents public casually was a bad idea.

The judge also belittled the Justice Department’s argument that releasing grand jury materials might reveal new information about Epstein’s and Maxwell’s crimes, calling that premise “demonstrably false.”

The decision was a blow to President Donald Trump, who had called for the release of transcripts as he seeks to dispel rumors and quell criticism about his long ago involvement with Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019. Trump campaigned on a promise to release files related to Epstein, but was met with criticism — including from many of his own supporters — when the small number of records released by his Justice Department lacked any real bombshells.

In his ruling, Engelmayer wrote that after privately reviewing the grand jury transcripts, anyone familiar with the evidence from Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking trial would “learn next to nothing new” and “would come away feeling disappointed and misled.”

“The materials do not identify any person other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor They do not discuss or identify any client of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s. They do not reveal any heretofore un-

known means or methods of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s crimes,” Engelmayer said. He said the materials also don’t reveal new locations where crimes occurred, new sources of Maxwell and Epstein’s wealth, the circumstances of Epstein’s death or the path of the government investigation.

The best argument to release the transcripts might be that “doing so would expose as disingenuous the Government’s public explanations for moving to unseal,” Engelmayer wrote. “A member of the public, appreciating that the Maxwell grand jury materials do not contribute anything to public knowledge, might conclude that the Government’s motion for their unsealing was aimed not at ‘transparency’ but at diversion aimed not at full disclosure but at the illusion of such,” he said.

Another federal judge is weighing whether to release transcripts from the separate grand jury proceeding that led to Epstein’s indictment.

Florida lawyer Brad Edwards, who has represented nearly two dozen Epstein accusers, said he didn’t disagree with the ruling and most wanted to protect victims “The grand jury materials contain very little in the way of evidentiary value anyway,” he said. Maxwell, Epstein’s exgirlfriend, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping Epstein sexually abuse several underage girls. Her lawyer, Bobbi Sternheim, declined comment. The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment. The Epstein saga has again become a national flashpoint years after Epstein served jail time and registered as a sex offender after pleading guilty to Florida prostitution offenses in a 2008 deal that let him avoid federal charges then. Trump raised questions about Epstein’s death, and Trump allies stoked conspiracy theories that dark secrets were covered up to protect powerful people.

BY MARC LEVY, GENE PUSKAR, MICHAEL CASEY and PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press

CLAIRTON, Pa. — Explosions at a U.S. Steel plant that shook the ground near Pittsburgh left one dead and sent at least 10 to hospitals Monday, with emergency workers still searching the badly charred rubble hours later for a missing worker, officials said One worker was pulled from the wreckage hours after the explosions sent black smoke spiraling into the midday sky in the Mon Valley, a region of the state synonymous with steel for more than a century Allegheny County Emergency Services said a fire at the plant started around 10:51 a.m. A search and rescue effort was still active on Monday afternoon and officials said they had not isolated the cause of the blasts.

The explosions sent a shock through the community and led to officials asking residents to stay away from the scene so emergency workers could respond.

“It felt like thunder,” Zachary Buday, a construction worker near the scene, told WTAE-TV. “Shook the scaffold, shook my chest, and shook the building, and then

when we saw the dark smoke coming up from the steel mill and put two and two together, and it’s like something bad happened.”

At a news conference, Scott Buckiso, U.S. Steel’s chief manufacturing officer did not give details about the damage or casualties, and said they were still trying to determine what happened. U.S. Steel employees “did a great job” of going in and rescuing workers, shutting down gases and making sure the site was stable, he said.

Buckiso said the company, now a subsidiary of Japan-based Nippon Steel Corp., is working with authorities. He also said search teams were still looking for one person who was missing. They think they know the general location of that person, but weren’t sure, he said.

“Obviously, this is a tragedy that we want to understand,” Buckiso said.

Allegheny Health Network said it treated seven patients from the plant, and discharged five within a few hours. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said it is treating three patients at UPMC Mercy the region’s only

and burn center

Trumpsuggestshe’ll know quicklyifPutin wantsdeal

BY WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump saidMonday that he expected to determine mere moments into his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week whether it would be possible to work out adeal to halt the war in Ukraine.

“At the end of that meeting, probably the first two minutes, I’llknow exactly whetherornot adealcan be made,” Trump said at aWhite House news conference that he called to announce plans for afederal takeover of Washington’spolice force to help combat crime.

He said he thought Friday’s sitdown with Putin in Alaska wouldbe“reallya feel-out meeting.” Trump added that “it’ll be good, but it might be bad” and predicted he may say,“lots of luck, keepfighting. Or Imay say, we can make adeal.” Putin wants to lockinRussia’sgains since invading Ukraine in February 2022 as Trump presses for aceasefire that has remained outof reach.

Trump’seagerness to reach adeal has raised fears

in Ukraine and Europe about such an agreement favoring Russia,without sufficient input from Ukraine. Trumphas alternately harshly criticized both leaders after promising —and so far failing—to swiftly end the conflict Trump on Monday ducked repeated chancestosay that he wouldpush for Ukrainian President VolodymyrZelenskyy to take part in his discussions with Putin,and wasespecially dismissive of Zelenskyy andhis need to be part ofaneffort to seek peace

He said theUkrainian president had been to “a lot of meetings” without managing to halt awar that Russia started.Trumpalso noted that Zelenskyyhad been in powerfor thedurationofthe war and said “nothing happened” during that time. He contrasted that with Putin, whohas wielded power in Russia for decades.

Trump saidthat,after his meeting with Putin, “The next meetingwill be with Zelenskyy andPutin” but it couldalsobea meeting with “Putin and Zelenskyy and me.”

European allies have

pushed for Ukraine’sinvolvement, fearful that discussions could otherwise favor Moscow

To that point, Trump said he would call Zelenskyy and European leaders after his discussion withPutin to “tell them what kind of adeal I’m not going to makeadeal. It’snot up to me to makea deal.”

Trump spent theearly part of his administration decry-

U.S. andChina extend trade truceanadditional90days

BY PAUL WISEMAN and DIDI TANG Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump extended a trade truce with Chinafor another 90 days Monday, at least delaying once again a dangerous showdown between the world’stwo biggest economies. Trump postedonhis Truth Social platform that he signed the executive order for the extension, and that “all other elements of the Agreement will remain the same.” Beijing at the same time also announced the extension of the tariff pause

viathe officialnews agency Xinhua.

The previous deadline was set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.Had thathappened the U.S. could have ratcheted up taxes on Chinese imports from an already high 30%, and Beijing couldhave responded by raisingretaliatory leviesonU.S. exportsto China.

Thepause buys timefor the twocountries to work out some of theirdifferences, perhaps clearing the way for asummit later this year between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and it hasbeenwelcomed by the U.S. companiesdoingbusi-

ness with China.

Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, said the extension is “critical” to give the two governments time to negotiate atrade agreement that U.S.businesseshopewould improve theirmarket access in China and provide thecertainty needed for companies to make medium-and longterm plans.

“Securing an agreement on fentanyl that leads to a reductioninU.S. tariffs and arollback of China’sretaliatory measures is acutely needed to restartU.S.agricultureand energy exports,” Stein said.

Police say3 killed in shooting at Target in Texas; suspectdetained

BY NADIA LATHAN Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas Agunman opened fire Monday in the parking lot of aTarget store in Texas’ capital, killingat least three people, before stealing two cars during a getaway that ended with police usinga Taser to detain him on the other side of the city,authorities said AustinPolice Chief Lisa Davis said the suspectisa man in his 30swith “a mental health history.” Davis said the suspect fled the scene in astolen car, wrecked that car and then stole another from adealership. He was capturedabout

20 miles away,insouth Austin, where he was takeninto custody,she said during a newsconference She said officersresponding to acall about 2:15 p.m. foundthree people who had beenshot in the Target parking lot.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services ChiefRobert Luckritz said twopeople were pronounced dead at thescene and one person was taken to ahospital where they were pronounced dead. He said another person wastreated on the scene for unrelated injuries.

“Thisisa very sad day for Austin. It’savery sad dayfor us alland my condolencesgo

out to the families,” Davis said. She said she hadnoinformation to release about the victims.

Lonnie Lee, 22, said she had visited the Targetwith hersister just acouple of hoursearlier before they left to getlunchwith their grandparents. When they returned to the area to continue shopping, she said they were shocked to seethat theparking lot was cordoned off and filled with police.

Theshooting came amid back-to-school shopping ahead of theupcoming academic year.Target corporate hasnot respondedtoan email from The Associated Pressseeking comment.

ing Zelenskyy,even suggesting he was adictator because his country hasnot held elections during the war.Zelenskyy was hounded out of the Oval Office in February afterTrump andVicePresident JD Vancesuggestedhe hadn’tbeen grateful enough for U.S. support

Morerecently,Trump has expressedfrustration with PutinthatRussia hasn’tappeared to take apush for a

ceasefire more seriously,and softened his tone toward Zelenskyy.His comments Monday suggested he might have had another change of heart.

“President Putininvited me to get involved,” Trump said. He noted that he thought it was “very respectful” that Putiniscomingtothe U.S for Friday’smeeting, instead of insisting that Trumpgoto Russia.

“I’d liketosee aceasefire.

I’d like to see the best deal thatcan be made for both parties,” Trump said. The president repeated that any major agreement could involve land swaps, withoutelaborating.Hehad threatened Moscow with more economicsanctions if moreisn’tdone to work toward aceasefire,but suggested Mondaythat, should Friday’smeeting be successful, he could seeaday when the U.S. and Russia normalize trade relations.

Putin is expected to be unwavering in his demands to keep all theterritory his forces now occupy and to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO,withthe longterm aimofreturning it to Moscow’ssphere of influence.

Zelenskyy insists he will never consent to any formal Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory or give up abid for NATO membership. Putinbelieveshehas the advantage on the ground as Ukrainian forces struggle to hold back Russianadvances along the 600-milefront. On the front lines, few Ukrainian soldiers believe there’san end in sight to the war.

Colombiansenator andpresidential hopefuldies2

BY ASTRID SUÁREZ Associated Press

BOGOTA,Colombia AColombian senator and presidentialhopeful whose shooting at apolitical rallyinJune recalled someofthe darkest chapters of the country’s drug-fueledviolencedied Monday

The family of Miguel UribeTurbaysaidthe politician diedatahospital in the capital, Bogota. Uribe,39, was shot three times, twice in the head, while giving a campaign speech in apark andhad since remained in

months aftershooting

an intensive care unit in serious condition with episodes of slightimprovement.

“Rest in peace, love of my life. Iwill take care of our children,” his wife, María ClaudiaTarazona, wrote in asocial media post confirming his death. “I ask Godto show me the way to learn to live without you.”

Ateenage suspect was arrested at thescene of the June 7attack in aworkingclass Bogota neighborhood. Authorities later detained several other people, but they have not determined who ordered the hit or why

The shooting, which was caught on multiple videos, alarmed Colombians who have not seen this kind of political violenceagainst presidential candidates sinceMedellin drug lord Pablo Escobar declared war on the state in the 1990s. Uribe’sown mother,wellknown journalist Diana Turbay,was among the victims of that period. She died during apolice rescue after being kidnapped by agroup of drug traffickers led by Escobar seeking to block their extraditiontothe United States.

responsibility for Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, Trump said, as he also railed against potholes and graffiti in the city and called them “embarrassing.” The president did not provide a timeline for the control of the police department, but he’s limited to 30 days under statute unless he gets approval from Congress. As Trump spoke, demonstrators gathered outside the White House to protest his moves. And local officials rejected the Republican president’s depiction of the district as crime-ridden and called his actions illegal.

“The administration’s actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful,” District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. “There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia.”

Schwalb, a Democrat, said violent crime in the district reached historic 30-year lows last year and is down an additional 26% this year Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said she would follow the law regarding the “so-called emergency” even as she indicated that Trump’s actions were a reason why the District of Columbia should be a state with legal protections from such actions.

“While this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I can’t say that given some of the rhetoric of the past, that we’re totally surprised,” Bowser said.

The president dismissed the idea Washington needed to enlarge its 3,500-officer police force even as he seeks to have more armed personnel going through the city with the goal of reducing crime.

“What you need is rules and regulations, and you need the right people to implement them,” he said.

Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home

ABORTION

Continued from page 1A

the procedure.

The clashing state regulations could put Louisiana at the center of an unprecedented legal conflict, one that experts say is likely to make it to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Louisiana’s criminal prosecution of Margaret Carpenter, a New York doctor who mailed abortion pills to West Baton Rouge Parish for use in an abortion may be the spark for what legal scholars have called a looming “war between the states.”

“It can feel a little bit like an arms race,” said Carmel Shachar, a professor of law and health policy at Harvard.

She gave an example: “Louisiana and Texas brought cases against Dr Carpenter, so a lot of shieldlaw states are adding provisions eliminating provider information from the prescriptions written for shield law patients.” Carpenter is one of the founders of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, a group formed after the Dobbs decision whose mission is to support “clinicians who make safe, timely, and affordable telemedicine abortion care available to patients in all 50 states.”

The majority of women who have an abortion do so by taking pills, a number that has risen steadily ever since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug mifepristone for abortion 25 years ago, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. And now with the rise of telehealth, an increasing number of women are accessing abortion pills online, according to data from the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion access A grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish indicted Carpenter for the felony of “criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs” for mailing abortion pills to the mother of a pregnant Port Allen teen. New York Gov Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has said she will not allow the doctor to be extradited or turned over to Louisiana for prosecution, “not now, not ever.” But Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the case “is far from over.”

Rule Act in an executive order to declare a “crime emergency” so his administration could take over the city’s police force. He signed a directive for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to activate the National Guard While Trump has portrayed himself as a friend to law enforcement and enjoyed the political backing from many of their groups, he pardoned or commuted the sentences of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including people convicted of assaulting police officers.

About 500 federal law enforcement officers are being tasked with deploying throughout the nation’s capital as part of Trump’s effort to combat crime, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

More than 100 FBI agents and about 40 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among federal personnel being assigned to patrols in

Washington, the person briefed on the plans said. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Marshals Service are contributing officers.

The person was not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity The Justice Department didn’t immediately have a comment Monday morning.

Bowser, a Democrat, has previously questioned the effectiveness of using the National Guard to enforce city laws and said the federal government could be far more helpful by funding more prosecutors or filling the 15 vacancies on the D.C. Superior Court, some of which have been open for years.

Bowser cannot activate the National Guard herself, but she can submit a request to the Pentagon.

“I just think that’s not the most efficient use of our Guard,” she said Sunday on MSNBC’s “The

Weekend,” acknowledging it is “the president’s call about how to deploy the Guard.”

Bowser noted that violent crime in Washington has decreased since a rise in 2023. She stressed during a Monday news conference that she believed Trump’s views of the city were shaped by the “challenging times” of the coronavirus pandemic, when he faced protests and crime spiked as the country began to recover from the outbreak.

Trump has emphasized the removal of Washington’s homeless population, though it was unclear where the thousands of people would go, and he did not give details at his news conference Monday

“The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote Sunday in a social media post. “We will give you places to stay but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong.” Jesse Rabinowitz, an advo-

the provider or the patient, she said.

“Until recently, that answer was always wherever the patient is physically located at the time,” she said.

“We are continuing to evaluate our options to ensure that Dr Carpenter faces justice in Louisiana,” she said. Tony Clayton, the local district attorney prosecuting the case, echoed that sentiment.

“We will take all legal measures afforded to us to extradite Dr Carpenter back here, and you will see something along those lines in the not-so-distant future,” he said

In Texas, officials are pursuing a civil case against Carpenter for prescribing abortion pills via telehealth.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton late last month said he filed a legal petition in New York to force a court there to enforce his state’s judgment against the doctor. Paxton sued and won a default judgment against Carpenter for $100,000 in damages But a New York county clerk this spring refused to file the judgment, citing the state’s shield law Legal and abortion scholars speculate that disputes arising from Louisiana or Texas could land before the Supreme Court.

When a federal right to abortion was overturned in 2022, abortion bans and other restrictions took effect in many states across the country. In response, some other states enacted laws specifically protecting doctors, patients and others involved in an abortion from prosecution by those states, legal protections known as shield laws

There are abortion shield laws in 22 states, eight of

which protect telehealth providers regardless of where the patient lives, according to the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy at UCLA, which maintains a guide of shield laws across the country

New York’s shield law prohibits law enforcement there from cooperating or sharing information with out-of-state investigations into abortion care that is legal under New York law And courts there can’t issue subpoenas for out-of-state proceedings related to legal care.

New York’s shield law also blocks law enforcement from arresting or extraditing anyone for providing abortion care that’s legal under New York law in response to out-of-state proceedings.

It’s among the states that protect providers from civil and criminal liability imposed by other states when providing services via telehealth to patients in other states.

Without cooperation from New York, Louisiana’s criminal case against Carpenter is stalled, and Louisiana’s options to move it forward remain murky

“Telehealth has become this flashpoint between states that are choosing really different directions to go on this question of abortion,” said Shachar, the Harvard law professor

Because the practice of medicine is regulated at the state level, each state gets to decide whether its regulations view telehealth as taking place at the location of

But abortion shield laws are now “flipping that assumption,” with some states changing their rules about the location of telehealth services, Shachar said. “So then you have this conflict where essentially you have two states trying to claim ownership over the same telehealth visit.”

There is an entire area of the law known as “conflict of laws” that deals with situations that could be handled in more than one jurisdiction and that raise “choice of law” questions about which jurisdiction’s laws should be used.

Many legal scholars argue that the state-by-state patchwork for abortion laws is raising unprecedented legal questions in this area. That’s because regulations from one state to another could now be in direct conflict — especially between states trying to impose liability for abortion-related actions on people located in other states and those with shield laws batting away those attempts.

“On the subject of abortion, the so-called ‘United’ States of America are becoming more disunited

cate for homeless people, called Trump’s plan “fascist” and a “waste” of resources. He said the move wasn’t about safety “It is about power and it is about fascism and authoritarianism,” said Rabinowitz, the campaign and communication director for the National Homelessness Law Center “If Donald Trump wanted to keep D.C. safe, he would fund housing and support. Instead, the Republicans just gutted health care, and they’re passing through a budget that will make homelessness worse. They do not care about helping people.”

Police statistics show homicides, robberies and burglaries are down this year when compared with this time in 2024. Overall, violent crime is down 26% compared with this time a year ago.

The president has criticized the district as full of “tents, squalor, filth, and Crime,” and he seems to have been set off by the attack on Edward Coristine, among the most visible figures of the bureaucracy-cutting effort known as the Department of Government Efficiency Police arrested two 15-year-olds in the attempted carjacking and said they were looking for others.

“This has to be the best run place in the country, not the worst run place in the country,” Trump said Wednesday

He called Bowser “a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances.”

Trump has repeatedly suggested the rule of Washington could be returned to federal authorities. Doing so would require a repeal of the Home Rule Act of 1973 in Congress, a step Trump said lawyers are examining.

Bowser acknowledged the law allows the president to take more control over the city’s police, but only if certain conditions are met.

“None of those conditions exist in our city right now,” she said. “We are not experiencing a spike in crime. In fact, we’re watching our crime numbers go down.”

than ever,” George Washington University law professor Paul Schiff Berman wrote in a 2023 article titled “Conflicts of Law and the Abortion War Between the States.”

“These partisan and geographic divides create perhaps the biggest set of nationwide conflicts of law problems since the era of the Fugitive Slave Act before the Civil War,” wrote Berman and his co-authors.

“We cannot predict with certainty which state’s law would apply in an interstate abortion situation,” Susan Frelich Appleton, a law professor at Washington University, wrote in a 2023 paper analyzing abortion and choice of law issues.

Legal scholars also note that jurisdictional issues between states don’t often come before the Supreme Court, leaving little direct precedent to guide abortion and choice-of-law conflicts.

In the Carpenter case, Louisiana courts and New York courts will assess those in fundamentally different ways.

“The thing that will probably drive these cases to the Supreme Court is that conflicts of law aspect, because what you’re going to have is basically two parallel legal structures,” said Shachar

“Really, the only way to resolve it is to take it out

of New York and Louisiana and bring it to the Supreme Court,” Shachar said. “That’s part of what the Supreme Court was designed to do, is resolve conflicts between the states.”

Just one constitutional issue in the Carpenter indictment stems from the extradition clause of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution, which regulates the relationship between the states.

The extradition clause says that states have to respect extradition requests from other states for fugitives who commit crimes and “flee from justice.” Carpenter, however, was never physically in Louisiana, nor did she flee from that state to New York.

Typically, states cooperate on extradition requests, but with the rise of conflicting abortion laws, that cooperation could break down.

Clayton, the district attorney, said that because Louisiana can show probable cause that Carpenter caused harm through an act that is criminal under Louisiana law, other states are required to honor that finding.

“We’re called the United States of America for a reason,” he said. “You can’t have folks go run to another state and hide under the political leadership of their state and avoid prosecution.”

out of the room. During a discussion with state education officials following the classroom visits, McMahon praised Louisiana’s recent literacy gains, which Brumley attributes to the state’s implementation of Science of Reading training for teachers and rigorous tutoring programs.

After long being stuck at the bottom of the pack, Louisiana made unprecedented reading improvements on a national test known as “the nation’s report card,” jumping from 49th place five years ago to 32nd this year Fourth grade students jumped from 42nd place in 2022 to 16th place in reading last year “It’s working,” McMahon said. “It’s incredibly important to get out and see what is happening in our states. Across the board, let’s take best practices. Let’s put together tool kits so that we can distribute that information to our states.”

Jefferson Terrace, a “D”-rated school, has implemented the new reading initiatives The school, which improved from an “F”rating the year before, was highlighted by the district in January for starting a program of “high dosage tutoring,” giving students 120 minutes of focused tutoring each week.

McMahon’s tour took place as the Trump administration continues its effort to break apart the Department of Education Trump, making good on a campaign promise, issued an executive order in March calling for the federal department to be dismantled.

Conservatives have long attacked the agency, which Congress established in 1979, calling it federal overreach and saying it has failed to improve student outcomes.

McMahon was tasked with carrying out Trump’s plan what she called the agency’s “final mission.”

She has said that eliminating bureaucratic bloat at the department would allow more money to flow to schools and that transferring “educational oversight” to states would promote local autonomy and decision-making.

Brumley has endorsed Trump’s call to abolish the department, arguing that education decisions

WELLS

Continued from page 1A

administrative expenses than was allowed, misusing funds that should have gone to plugging orphan wells, the state has argued.

LORA has gone 10 weeks without fulfilling the state’s request to provide a full accounting of its funds and spending, according to the lawsuit.

“As a direct result of the Defendants’ activities, the State of Louisiana and its citizens have been and continue to be harmed in a manner that money damages cannot adequately compensate,” the lawsuit states. “Every day of delay is another day that Louisiana orphaned wells are left unplugged, putting Louisiana’s environment and the lives, property, and ‘health, safety, and welfare’ of the citizens of Louisiana further at risk.”

LORA has made a $5 million partial payment to the state, the lawsuit states, but Louisiana has been unable to determine the full extent of damages.

“LORA is proud of the work it did to plug orphan wells in Louisiana,” David LaPlante, a spokesperson for LORA, said in a statement. “LORA understands that the current administration has different plans for addressing orphan wells. LORA is winding down its operations and will respond to the State’s allegations through the legal process.”

LORA was set up in 2019 to deal with the long-standing problem of “orphan” oil and gas wells. A well can become orphaned either when its operator abandons it without plugging it, or when the operator stops maintaining the well in accordance with state regulations. Louisiana has some 4,971 orphan wells, which pose public health and environmental hazards.

LORA collected fees from well operators in exchange for “financial security,” meaning it would take responsibility for wells if their operators went out of busi-

should be made locally He said he also supports removing restrictions from federal grants that specify how the money can be used, such as to support homeless students or English learners, and allowing states to decide how to spend the money In an interview after the school visit, Brumley said his relationship with McMahon “positions Louisiana very well to be able to do the things that we need to do for our students.”

McMahon said she calls Brumley to “bounce ideas off him” and ask how initiatives would play out in Louisiana. “I value his opinion; I value what’s being done in Louisiana,”

ness either by plugging the well itself or by paying the well’s promised financial security amount to the state.

But the lawsuit states the arrangement had red flags from the start. It alleges that Johnny Adams, a former senior attorney and assistant commissioner for the Office of Conservation, had a preexisting relationship with Van Mayhall III, LORA’s president. Yet Adams “was extensively involved in and greatly influenced” the creation of LORA’s cooperative endeavor agreement, which “greatly favored LORA, while prejudicing the state,” the lawsuit states.

It is unclear just how much control Adams had over LORA’s arrangement with the state. An advisory opinion issued by the state ethics board last year said it was the conservation commissioner who controlled the contract Adams sought that opinion to see if Arkus Management Services could employ his daughter

In addition to Mayhall, Adams also had preexisting personal relationships with LORA’s four other directors, dating back to at least 2012, according to the lawsuit. It lists those directors as Jacob Dickinson, Andrew Berthelot, Phillip Marchiafava and Lance Chad Lott Sr

All four men, along with Mayhall and Adams, are named as defendants in the lawsuit, along with a host of companies linked to LORA’s directors. They include Arkus, Chromos Wealth Solutions, the LORA Foundation and Willow Lake Well Services.

State business records and federal tax filings show that at least one of LORA’s directors manages each one of those entities, except for Willow Lake Well Services, which is managed by Arkus.

LORA paid management fees to Arkus, and it paid investment fees to both Arkus and Chromos, the lawsuit states.

LORA first fell into the spotlight in October, when news broke that East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies were investigating

McMahon said. “I’m very happy that I can be able to have him as a good resource and a good friend.”

McMahon also reiterated her vision to rid the Department of Education of “bureaucratic red tape.”

She said the Trump administration hopes to shift to a “block funding” approach that allows states to decide how to spend federal funding dollars.

“If the secretary and her team are able to move to more formulaic funding,” Brumley said, “then I feel we can align those dollars to the priorities we have in Louisiana, such as early childhood education, Science of Reading, foundational math, redesigning these high schools and school choice.”

Adams for possible malfea-

sance in office. A subsequent state review of LORA found the company had, through Chromos, loaned Adams $780,000 to buy a house.

John McLindon, Adams’ attorney, has repeatedly emphasized that Adams dealt with Chromos, not LORA.

“All I can tell you is John borrowed money from a company called Chromos. What happened between Chromos and LORA, we have nothing to do with that,” McLindon said.

The money was a bridge loan that Adams paid off in full, with interest, early, McLindon said.

“I don’t know why they left that part out of the lawsuit,” McLindon said.

He contended the lawsuit has little to do with his client

“Ninety-nine percent of the lawsuit doesn’t apply to Johnny The documents that they ask that he not dispose of, he already turned them over,” he said.

LORA, meanwhile, issued a filing opposing the state’s request for a temporary restraining order The filing disputes the state’s allegation that LORA breached its cooperative endeavor agreement, arguing instead that the state itself violated the agreement.

It states LORA distributed its funds appropriately

The filing notes that in 2023, Mayhall, LORA’s president sent a letter to the state with suggestions for how to improve the agreement to “better serve the State’s interests and LORA’s dual mandate to provide low-cost financial security for operators and to plug and abandon orphan wells.”

LORA plugged many orphan wells for which it was not responsible, the filing states, adding that the state requested that LORA plug such wells.

Marchiafava, one of the individual defendants in the lawsuit, declined to comment. Mayhall, Dickinson, Berthelot and Lott either did not respond to requests for comment or could not be reached. No criminal charges have been filed in the case, according to officials.

Emphasizing that major federal school funding, such as IDEA and Title funds, would still be allocated to states through other means if the Department of Education was dismantled, McMahon acknowledged that some programs could get a “haircut.”

Trump’s recent budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 called for a $4.5 billion reduction to federal grant programs for homeless students, rural schools and after-school programs.

McMahon said that while “reducing the bureaucracy and regulatory environment” will make it less expensive to implement the programs, “there’s some opportunity to look at whether all the pro-

grams that are part of those grants are necessary and are good ones.”

When asked whether states would have less oversight and accountability without the Department of Education, Brumley said that states would still be held to federal laws.

While Congress would likely need to approve the Education Department’s complete elimination, the Trump administration has already started downsizing it, cutting half of the agency’s staff and shrinking the divisions that collect educational data and enforce civil rights laws.

Staff writers Patrick Wall and Charles Lussier contributed to this report.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Stocks slip as Wall Street awaits update

U.S. stocks edged back from their record heights on Monday in Wall Street’s final moves before an upcoming update on inflation.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.3% after flirting with its all-time high, which was set two weeks ago, earlier in the day The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 200 points, or 0.5%, while the Nasdaq composite shaved 0.3% off its own record.

The highlight of this week for Wall Street will likely arrive on Tuesday, when the government will report how bad inflation was across the country in July

Economists expect it to show U.S. consumers had to pay prices for groceries, gasoline and other costs of living that were 2.8% higher from a year earlier, a slight acceleration from June’s 2.7% inflation

Inflation has remained above 2%, even if it has improved substantially from its peak above 9% three years ago. And the worry is that President Donald Trump’s tariffs could push inflation higher

That in turn is raising fears about a potential worst-case scenario called “stagflation,” where the economy stagnates but inflation remains high.

AOL to pull the plug on dial-up service

AOL will pull the plug and end its dial-up internet service after more than 30 years.

The ISP said it will discontinue dial-up — along with its memorable, high-pitched connecting noise and “You’ve got mail” greeting — and “associated software” on Sept. 30.

“AOL routinely evaluates its products and services and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet,” the company stated.

“This service will no longer be available in AOL plans As a result, on Sept. 30, this service and the associated software, the AOL Dialer software and AOL Shield browser, which are optimized for older operating systems and dial-up internet connections, will be discontinued.”

Free AOL email accounts and services will not be affected.

Roughly 163,000 households (about 0.1% of the nation’s household internet subscriptions) had dial-up as of 2023— the most recent year data available — according to the U.S. Census Bureau The 2019 census revealed that 265,331 people solely went online through dial-up.

The company said it would provide connectivity options based on location for customers still using the service.

America Online launched its dial-up service in 1991. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, America Online had more than 25 million subscribers in the U.S. The service was synonymous with the internet and became a mainstay in pop culture in movies like “You’ve Got Mail” and TV shows like “Sex and the City.” Paramount to be new home to UFC Paramount will become the new home to Ultimate Fighting Championship events across the U.S. next year, through a seven-year agreement announced with TKO Group on Monday Under the deal, Paramount will exclusively distribute the UFC’s full lineup of its 13 marquee numbered events and 30 “Fight Nights” on its streaming platform Paramount+ — with select numbered events also set to simulcast on CBS starting in 2026.

It’s a shift away from the UFC’s existing pay-per-view model which Paramount and TKO say will allow the mixed martial arts programming reach more consumers nationwide. UFC events currently air on ESPN — which has offered tiered pricing for fans to view content across the sports network’s TV offerings and streaming platform ESPN+ since 2019

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

The Associated Press

NEW YORK Nvidia and AMD have agreed to share 15% of their revenues from chip sales to China with the U.S. government, as part of a deal to secure export licenses for the semiconductors.

The Trump administration halted the sale of advanced computer chips to China in April over national security concerns, but Nvidia and AMD revealed in July that Washington would allow them to resume sales of the H20 and MI308 chips, which are used in artificial intelligence development

President Donald Trump confirmed the terms of the unusual arrangement in a Monday news conference while noting that he

originally wanted 20% of the sales revenue when Nvidia asked to sell the “obsolete” H20 chip to China.

The president credited Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang for negotiating him down to 15%.

“So we negotiated a little deal. So he’s selling an essentially old chip,” Trump said.

Nvidia did not comment about the specific details of the agreement or its quid pro quo nature, but said it would adhere to the export rules laid out by the administration.

“We follow rules the U.S. government sets for our participation in worldwide markets. While we haven’t shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export control rules will let America compete in China and worldwide,” Nvidia

wrote in a statement to the AP

“America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America’s AI tech stack can be the world’s standard if we race.”

AMD did not reply to a request for comment.

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on China, expressed concern over the deal.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, said he would seek answers about the legal basis for this arrangement and demand full transparency from the administration.

“Our export control regime must be based on genuine security considerations, not creative taxation schemes disguised as national security policy,” he said. “Chip export controls aren’t bargaining chips, and they’re not casino chips either We shouldn’t be gambling with our national security to raise revenue.”

“There are questions about the legal basis for doing so,” he said “Export controls are a frontline defense in protecting our national security, and we should not set a precedent that incentivizes the government to grant licenses to sell China technology that will enhance its AI capabilities.” The top Democrat on the panel also raised concerns over the reported agreement, calling it “a dangerous misuse of export controls that undermines our national security.”

BY MARC LEVY Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Amid rising electric bills, states are under pressure to insulate regular household and business ratepayers from the costs of feeding Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers.

It’s not clear that any state has a solution and the actual effect of data centers on electricity bills is difficult to pin down. Some critics question whether states have the spine to take a hard line against tech behemoths like Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta.

But more than a dozen states have begun taking steps as data centers drive a rapid build-out of power plants and transmission lines.

That has meant pressuring the nation’s biggest power grid operator to clamp down on price increases, studying the effect of data centers on electricity bills or pushing data center owners to pay a larger share of local transmission costs.

Rising power bills are “something legislators have been hearing a lot about. It’s something we’ve been hearing a lot about. More people are speaking out at the public utility commission in the past year than I’ve ever seen before,” said Charlotte Shuff of the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, a consumer advocacy group. “There’s a massive outcry.”

Some data centers could require more electricity than cities the size of Pittsburgh,

BY BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press

Cleveland or New Orleans, and make huge factories look tiny by comparison. That’s pushing policymakers to rethink a system that, historically, has spread transmission costs among classes of consumers that are proportional to electricity use.

“A lot of this infrastructure, billions of dollars of it, is being built just for a few customers and a few facilities and these happen to be the wealthiest companies in the world,” said Ari Peskoe, who directs the Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard University “I think some of the fundamental assumptions behind all this just kind of breaks down.”

A fix, Peskoe said, is a “can of worms” that pits ratepayer classes against one another Some officials downplay the role of data centers in pushing up electric bills.

Tricia Pridemore, who sits on Georgia’s Public Service Commission and is president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, pointed to an already tightened electricity supply and increasing costs for power lines, utility poles, transformers and generators as utilities replace aging equipment or harden it against extreme weather

The data centers needed to accommodate the artificial intelligence boom are still in the regulatory planning stages, Pridemore said, and the Data Center Coalition, which represents Big Tech firms and data center developers, has said its members are committed to paying their fair share.

But growing evidence suggests that the electricity bills of some Americans are rising to subsidize the massive energy needs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ford Motor Co will invest nearly $2 billion retooling a Kentucky factory to produce electric vehicles that it says will be more affordable, more profitable to build and will outcompete rival models. The automaker’s top executive unveiled the new EV strategy at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant, which, after producing gas-powered vehicles for 70 years, will be converted to manufacture electric vehicles. “In our careers, as automobile people, we’re lucky if we get to work on one, maybe two, projects that really change the face of our industry,” CEO Jim Farley told plant workers in Kentucky on Mon-

of Big Tech as the U.S. competes in a race against China for artificial intelligence superiority

Data and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie published a report in recent weeks that suggested 20 proposed or effective specialized rates for data centers in 16 states it studied aren’t nearly enough to cover the cost of a new natural gas power plant. In other words, unless utilities negotiate higher specialized rates, other ratepayer classes — residential, commercial and industrial are likely paying for data center power needs.

Meanwhile, Monitoring Analytics, the independent market watchdog for the mid-Atlantic grid, produced research in June showing that 70% or $9.3 billion of last year’s increased electricity cost was the result of data center demand.

Last year, five governors led by Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro began pushing back against power prices set by the mid-Atlantic grid operator, PJM Interconnection, after that amount spiked nearly sevenfold. They warned of customers “paying billions more than is necessary.”

PJM has yet to propose ways to guarantee that data centers pay their freight, but Monitoring Analytics is floating the idea that data centers should be required to procure their own power

In a filing last month, it said that would avoid a “massive wealth transfer” from average people to tech companies.

At least a dozen states are eyeing ways to make data centers pay higher local transmission costs.

say that electric vehicles are the future and there is no going back. The first EV to be produced by the revamped Louisville production process will be a midsize, four-door electric pickup truck in 2027 for domestic and international markets, the company said

The new electric trucks will feature plenty of interior space to fit five adults and pack enough power

to have a targeted 0-60 time as fast as a Mustang EcoBoost but with more downforce, Ford said The electric trucks will be powered by lower-cost batteries made at a Ford factory in Michigan. The Detroit automaker previously announced a $3 billion investment to build the battery factory

The automaker sees this as a “Model T moment” for its EV business — a reference to revolutionary changes on the production line led by the company’s founder, Henry Ford, when it began churning out vehicles from a factory more than a century ago. Farley said the changes will upend how electric vehicles are made in the U.S.

Trump’s new congressional map in Texas still stymied

Calif. governor urges president to give up

BY BILL BARROW, NADIA LATHAN and SOPHIA TAREEN

Associated Press

AUSTIN,Texas Texas Republicans were unable again Monday to approve new congressional districts to meet President Donald Trump’s demands as California Gov Gavin Newsom and other Democrats urged Republicans to stand down and avoid a partisan brawl spanning multiple statehouses. Texas Democratic lawmakers remained outside of Texas after leaving the state to deny their GOP colleagues the quorum necessary to vote on Trump’s aggressive redistricting play and push the stalemate into its second week. The president’s agenda also spurred Democratic governors, including Newsom, to pledge retaliatory redistricting efforts in their states — setting up the possibility of an extended standoff that could upend the 2026 midterm elections.

Newsom urged Trump in a letter Monday to abandon his scheme, telling the president he is “playing with fire” and “risking the destabilization of our democracy.”

At the Texas Capitol, House Speaker Dustin Burrows ad-

journed another attempted session within minutes of its early afternoon opening. He used the brief gathering to chastise dozens of Democrats who have civil warrants out for their arrest.

Because they are out of state, those lawmakers are beyond the reach of state authorities Burrows said Texas law enforcement agencies have been to the residences of the absent legislators, “conducting surveillance, knocking on doors” and calling their cellphones trying to bring them to the statehouse “The search continues, and it will not stop,” the speaker said. Later he added, “Eventually you will be here.”

Burrows’ GOP House majority wants to redraw districts so that five more Republicans can be elected.

Trump, who has said the GOP is “entitled” to the seats, is pushing other Republicancontrolled legislatures to follow suit as he tries to avoid a repeat of the 2018 midterms. Those elections during Trump’s first presidency yielded a new Democratic majority in the U.S. House that stymied his agenda and twice impeached him. Existing maps nationally put Democrats within three seats of a House majority at a time when there are only several dozen competitive districts out of 435.

“Stealing congressional districts — mid-decade — is wrong,” Texas Rep. Trey

Martinez Fischer, one of the lawmakers who left the state, said Monday “It’s just nothing other than old-school cheating.”

Texas Democrats intend to run out the clock on their current special session, which cannot extend beyond Aug. 19 But Gov Greg Abbott said he’ll call lawmakers back to the Statehouse again and again until enough Democrats show up to reach the attendance threshold required to vote on the bill.

Responding to Texas, Newsom and other California

Democrats are considering new boundaries to yield a five-seat shift toward Democrats, neutralizing any Texas change. That would require, however, getting California voters to set aside existing maps drawn by an independent commission. New York Gov Kathy Hochul and Illinois Gov JB Pritzker have promised similar efforts in their Democratic-run statehouses.

In his letter to Trump, Newsom said he prefers that independent bodies draw political districts rather

than partisan legislatures, as is done in Texas and most GOP-controlled states. But, Newsom wrote, “California cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds.”

If Texas and “the other states call off their redistricting efforts,” the governor added, “we will happily do the same. And American democracy will be better for it.”

The absent Texas lawmakers are staying in Illinois, New York and elsewhere. They have appeared with Newsom, Pritzker and Hochul at various points and

say they have no intention of returning as long as Republicans are intent on mollifying Trump.

Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a U.S. Senate candidate, want state courts to remove Democratic lawmakers from office, asserting that they have abandoned their posts. Paxton has asked an Illinois court to enforce the Texas warrants issued for absent lawmakers so they could be arrested beyond Texas’ borders.

State Rep. Rhetta Bowers, who’s also staying in Illinois, pointed back to some white politicians’ tactics during the Civil Rights Movement. She noted the proposed Texas maps would disproportionately affect districts represented by Black and Latino Democrats, and she raised concerns about Abbott and Paxton’s use of law enforcement and the justice system against their political opponents. Those are “the very same tactics used against Black and brown Americans” who pushed for passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, she said.

“Their fight is our fight, and just like the Civil Rights heroes of the past, no matter the cost we are prepared to see it through to the end,” Bowers said. At the very least, the Democrats face $500 fines for each daily absence under legislative rules.

Milwaukee area recovers from record rain and flooding

BY SCOTT BAUER Associated Press

MADISON,Wis. — The Milwaukee area began drying out Monday after weekend rain hit unofficial records in Wisconsin of more than 14 inches in less than 24 hours, leading multiple rivers to flood at record-high levels, washing out vehicles, flooding basements and cutting power to thousands of homes.

No fatalities had been reported as of Monday morning from the storms that began Saturday night and stretched into Sunday Road closures were more isolated Monday as flood warnings continued in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Ozaukee counties. About 2,000 homes in the area remained without power as of Monday afternoon.

Residents couldn’t believe what they saw as rains pounded the area Saturday night.

Colby McMillan and a friend were driving home around 11 p.m. in Milwaukee when their car stalled out in what McMillian thought was just a puddle. Then the water started coming in under the door “As the water was coming in, it was like, ‘What is happening?’” McMillan said

Monday “It was very, very shocking to me. We had to get out of this car and out of the rain. I had never seen anything like this before.”

They escaped and helped others avoid getting stuck like they did. But the car was totaled, McMillan said.

The city of Milwaukee was still assessing the extent of the damage Monday as floodwaters were receding, said the city’s public works director, Jerrel Kruschke

Rob Sieracki lives across the street from a dog park that he said was completely underwater One car was

submerged, something Sieracki didn’t realize until he saw a photo the next day

About two feet of water came up the front of his house, built in 1890, resulting in several inches of flooding in his basement. He also lost power for 15 hours.

“Because we’re on a hill, we turned out to be relatively OK,” Sieracki said. “Some water did come in, it’s stinky water, we think it’s sewage, but we’ll be OK.”

The flash flooding led to the cancellation of the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis outside of Mil-

waukee on Sunday, as well as USA Triathlon’s Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships in Milwaukee Thousands of athletes from around the country were expected to participate in that event

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he’s hearing stories of residents across the city, including his own

uncle, who had water all the way up to the top of their basement.

“I certainly hope that a storm like this does not visit on the city for at least another millennium,” Johnson said.

BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press

NEW YORK The man who attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Friday

fired more than 180 shots into the campus and broke about 150 windows, with bullets piercing “blast-resistant” windows and spattering glass shards into numerous rooms, according to information circulated internally at the agency It may take weeks or even months to replace windows and clean up the damage, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention personnel said.

A Georgia man who had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal opened fire late Friday, killing a police officer No one at CDC was injured.

enforcement official has told the AP The official wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The 30-year-old man, Patrick Joseph White, later died, but authorities haven’t said whether he was killed by police or killed himself

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr toured the CDC campus on Monday CDC security pointed out broken windows across multiple buildings, including the main guard booth, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services statement.

ment on social media Friday night that said at least four CDC buildings were hit in the attack.

The National Weather Service predicted more rain for the area Monday night, but nothing like the prolonged deluge Saturday into Sunday that caused the flash flooding.

“There could be some areas that get some heavy downpours,” said Sarah Marquardt, a National Weather Service meteorologist at the Milwaukee/Sullivan office. That could prolong areas with standing water but not result in additional flooding, she said.

The shooter was stopped by CDC security guards before driving to a nearby pharmacy and opening fire late Friday afternoon, a law

The extent of the damage became more clear during a weekend CDC leadership meeting. Two CDC employees who were told about what was discussed at the meeting described details to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to reveal the information. Details also were also in an agency memo seen by an AP reporter Building 21, which houses Monarez’s office, was hit by the largest number of bullets. CDC officials did not say if her office was hit CDC employees were advised to work from home this week. Kennedy issued a statement Saturday that said “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others,” and that top federal health officials were ”actively supporting CDC staff.” Man fired 180 shots, breaking

HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and CDC Director Susan Monarez accompanied him, according to the statement. Kennedy also visited the DeKalb County Police Department, where he met with the police chief. Later He also met privately with the widow of the fallen officer, David Rose. Monarez posted a state-

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LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Alushgreen tourist attraction

Houmas House’s 70-year-old owner seeksbeautyatsite

Back in 2003, Kevin Kelly bought Houmas House on the Mississippi River in rural Ascension Parish. Shortly after the purchase, he held agrand affair to launch his endeavors toturn the plantation into amajor tourist attraction. If the 4,000 or so people who attendedcame for ashow,they got one,Kelly explained Friday morning, sitting in the driver’s seatofagolf cart in front of the massive home built in 1829.

As he talked, guides in period dress occasionally sauntered across the porch with tour groups following, as Kelly,70, pointed out key spots of that day long ago. He had promised aspecial ceremony back in 2003 —the invitation said “paws” instead of “pause,” adetail that many assumed was atypo. It was not.

When the masses gathered on the front lawn, they proceeded to witness the spectacle of Kelly’s two beloved Dutch Labradors, Grace and Sam, getting married. The groom arrived in an 1828 Houmas House hunting carriage pulled by four horses through the stately oaks.The bride followed in Cinderella’scarriage drawn by Belgian Draughts. Kelly waslooking for publicity —and he got it.

Notahistory buff

The spectacle should have been asign that Kelly was not interested in playingbyany rules that went with owning ahistorical plantation.

He is not ahistory buff. He is simply interested in pretty In the 23 years since he bought the place, Kelly has set about to make the home and gardens as pretty as possible —and he has gone to elaborate lengths todo so. The result? Plenty of pretty. And plenty of criticism,too.

METRO

MontañotoleadAudubon operations

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

GilbertMontaño, who resigned from his roleasNew Orleans’ chief administrative officer in late July, will be chiefofstaff at the Audubon NatureInstitute in September if thatentity’sboard approves Montañowill “oversee all the operationsfor Audubon” —a collection of parks, museums andenvironmental attractions throughout New Orleans,includingthe AudubonZoo,said Audubonspokesperson Melissa Lee. His start date is Sept. 2, Lee said.

Montaño announced his res-

ignation from CityHall on July 30, ending his seven-year tenure as the city’smost senior official beneath Mayor LaToya Cantrell, during which he shepherded the city’sbudget through apandemic,federal aid injections and soaring inflation.

Montaño, who increasingly broke with Cantrell and other administration officials over city decisions in recentmonths, announced his resignation five months before the closeofCantrell’sfinal term.

“Hebrings so much experi-

ence not only administratively but in fiscal matters,” said Lee, whoaddedthatMontaño was a“really good fit” because he is “committed to the city and Audubon is such an important part of NewOrleans.”

Montañodeclinedtocomment

Monday.

As one of the institute’stop officials, Montaño will be responsible for overseeing acollection of attractionsacrossthe metro area including thezoo, Woldenberg Park, theAudubon Aquarium andInsectarium, and theAudubonLouisiana Nature Center,among others.

The institute has been without an operational director since

former ChiefOperating Officer Kyle Burks left Audubon in November,Lee said. Michael Sawaya, former president of the Ernest N. MorialConvention Center,succeeded Ron Forman as president and CEO of theorganization in January.

Montaño will alsooversee an ambitious project to turn the former Esplanade Avenue and Governor Nicholls Street wharves intoariverfront recreational area at the edge of the French Quarter that will link Crescent Park, on the downriver side, with the Moon Walk and Woldenberg Park upriver.Workonthe Gov. Nicholls Streetwharf is underway,Lee said.

“That’ll be thefirst big thing that comesonline once Gilbert gets started,” Lee said.

PRICE DROP

TraderJoes’sto open Thursday

Tulane Avenue location is first oneinNew Orleans

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

The much-anticipated Trader Joe’sgrocery store on Tulane Avenue, the popular chain’sfirst in New Orleans, will open its doors Thursday,the company said Monday

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

More than two years after putting the historic Loews State Palace Theater on Canal Street up for sale, the owners of the nearlycentury-old building are nowseekingtosell the property for $4.9 million, dropping the originalasking price by athird in hopes of finally finding abuyer

It’sthe latestattempt to jumpstart interest in an iconic local landmark that has been vacant since Hurricane Katrina.The price had previously been reduced to $5.9 million from $7.2 million. In the weeks since the latest pricecut, whichhappenedin July,the brokers marketing the

ä See THEATER, page 2B

Manconvicted of manslaughter

Cheekfound guilty of killing girlfriend in 7thWardhome

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

ANew Orleans man wasconvicted of manslaughter in the October 2022 killing of his girlfriend in the7th Ward, where he attempted to cover up the crime by claimingthe victim diedbysuicide, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams said Monday

away out and away from these abusers.” On Oct. 8, 2022, Cheek called911 about 3a.m. from the couple’s7th Ward residenceonthe 1900 blockofHopeStreet and reported Horrigan’ssupposed suicide, officials said. Horrigan was founddeadonthe toilet with ashot to the chest from an AR-15style rifle.The rifle wasonher lapwith both of her hands draped across it, police said in court records.

“Imade ajoke one time about 15 years ago that Iwant Houmas House to be the Disneyland of plantations,” he said. “All I meant by that was Iwanted tobe aplace where people vacation andspend their money happily, becauseGod knows Disney is way too expensive for anybody Still, they go to Disney.” Kelly wanted people to have a similar,positive experience at Houmas House.

“My story has never been

Theproject has been in theworks for more than twoyears and has been broadly welcomed by locals in the Tulane/Gravier neighborhood, as well as by city economic development boosters, who see it as asign of further progress in their effortstobuild a Medical/BioInnovation District down through the Tulane Avenue/Canal Street corridor

Trader Joe’s, aCalifornia-based chainknown for its relativelylow prices and quirky house brands, said there will be an official opening ceremony just before doors open at 9a.m.

The new storeislocated at 2501 Tulane Ave., at the intersection with South Rocheblave Street across from the VeteransAffairs hospital. It was developed with theowner of the land, the Feil Organization, aNew York-based real estate management companywhose Greater New Orleans holdings in-

Ajury found Zachary AlexanderCheek, 29,guiltyofmanslaughter,being afelon in possession of afirearm and obstruction of justice on Thursdayinthe shooting of Sarah Horrigan, 25, according to court records. He was initially charged with second-degree murder Williams held anews conference Monday following theconviction, and someof Horrigan’sfamily members were in attendance.

“Unfortunately,some of our loved ones find themselves in the throes of aviolent relationship beforethey even realize they’rethere,” Williams said. “Sometimes it’ssoentrenched and they can’tfigure out

CheektoldpoliceHorriganhad been drinking after she lost her job and suffered from depression and paranoia, saying she tried to cut her throat earlier that night. Friends and family of Horrigan, aformer Marine,had disputedCheek’s characterization.

In aconversation between Cheek and their roommate, Kaleb Lodrigue, that was recorded on the 911 call, authorities said Cheek could be heard telling Lodrigue, “I pulledthe trigger.I pulledthe trigger.It was an accident,” at which point Lodrigue told Cheek that he had moved the rifle from the bathroom to another room The Orleans Parish Coroner’sOffice laterdetermined the trajectoryofthe shot wasinconsistent with aself-inflicted wound. The couple’s2-year-old son was also in the house at the timeofthe shooting, po-

Claiborne Avenue bridge to open during rush hour

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

Two weeks after partially reopening the Judge William Seeber Bridge to alleviate traffic backups, the Department of Transportation and Development has dialed back operating hours to address new maintenance issues. The drawbridge, commonly called the Claiborne Avenue bridge, is open temporarily to vehicles during rush hour between 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday through Friday It will be closed outside of these timeframes including weekends

DOTD spokesperson Daniel Gitlin said rather than close the bridge while crews tackle electrical problems with the lift sys-

RISHER

Continued

about slavery and our dark history,” he said. “It’s not an interest of mine. Most people who do not like Houmas House say that it’s because I don’t tell the story of slavery here. So then, I opened the Great River Road Museum (on the grounds) and I tell the story of slavery there.”

He thinks the story of slavery can be told in one place or the other “But you don’t need to tell it in both places,” he said.

Kelly says he understands how much some people feel negatively toward plantations, but he thinks the feelings aren’t completely fair After all, he says, other places were built using slave labor and they are still celebrated — including the White House and many of the mansions in New Orleans.

First-grade art appreciation

Kelly made his money largely in warehouses and real estate in New Orleans. He bought his first warehouse in 1983. Over the next 30 years, he went from owning a 50,000-square-foot warehouse to owning 3.5 million square feet of warehouse space — much of which has foreign trade zone status.

He is a product of New Orleans but has been amazed how much he likes the quiet of Houmas House — enough to build multiple restaurants and a bar so he could enjoy evenings much like he did in New Orleans.

He says it was his early education that planted the seed for pretty things.

“I went to a private school in the Gentilly area. And at that private school, in first grade, they taught you fine arts,” he said. “You take a class, and they show you the great paintings in the Louvre, and they taught you about them. And all I can imagine is from that class, the seed got planted.”

He went to high school at Brother Martin and on to graduate from Loyola, where he rarely went to class. Instead, he explains that he sat with various friends near the snack bar on campus and played spades every day He went to class only on test days.

“I can ace a multiple-choice test on any subject matter at all,”

CONVICTED

Continued from page 1B

lice said.

Cheek was a four-time convicted felon at the time of the shooting and should never have had access to a rifle, said Assistant District Attorney Andre Jeanfreau, another prosecutor on the case.

“Had he not broken the law and made those choices, Sarah would still be with us today,” Jeanfreau said. “We’ve got to stop those kinds of things; we’ve always got to ask people when you see these kinds of things, let us know.” Assistant District Attorney Adele Krieger said there was no excuse for Cheek’s actions.

“He pulled that trigger He chose to end her life,” she said Monday

While Jeanfreau said he could not speculate on why the jury landed on manslaughter after the four-day trial, he said Cheek maintained that the shooting was an accident, which Jeanfreau said was contradicted by forensic and ballistic evidence. Prosecutors explained to the jury that even if they could accept that shooting was not intentional, he was still in the midst of committing a felony by possessing a weapon as a felon, which is enough for a manslaughter conviction

tem, it will remain open during rush hour to accommodate commuter traffic and an anticipated traffic increase as kids return to school.

The popular route over the Industrial Canal connects New Orleans to St. Bernard Parish. It closed for three weeks last month to undergo structural repairs and partially reopened earlier this month.

Alternative routes include the St Claude Avenue Bridge and the Florida Avenue Bridge. Interstate 10 provides access to Chalmette via the Interstate 510 exit.

In the event of an emergency or major storm the bridge would be accessible to vehicles as necessary, Gitlin said Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com

he said. “There’s one realisticlooking answer and there’s three stupid answers, and you can look at it and tell.”

These days, he lives upstairs in one of the bedrooms at Houmas House. Each day he has to be up and out of his room for the tours to start by 10:30 a.m.

He’s given some thought to his legacy He has no children. He does have a niece and nephew who he plans will inherit everything. He has set up a foundation that owns his River Road Museum. When he dies, Houmas House and Gardens will go to the foundation — and only at that point will he allow it to apply for a historical landmark designation.

THEATER

Continued from page 1B

property have fielded several fresh inquiries and received a letter of intent from a potential buyer, which signals interest but is not an offer or a legally binding document.

“It’s too soon to say whether it will materialize into something,” said Daniel Marse, a commercial broker with NAI Rampart which is listing the property. “We’ve had others before that didn’t pan out.” When it opened in 1926 in the 1100 block of Canal, the Loews was billed as the largest movie theater in the Deep South, celebrated not only for its size — 3,000 seats — but also for its Spanish colonial revival-inspired façade and ornate interior.

It sits on a little more than half an acre in what was once a glamorous theater district that also included the Saenger, the Orpheum and the Joy In more recent decades, the upper end of Canal Street has struggled with disinvestment and high vacancy rates, though a handful of new businesses are signaling hope for the area.

Sandra Herman, a civic leader who has been leading a new ef-

fort to revitalize Canal Street, said putting the Loews back into commerce would go a long way toward breathing fresh life into the area.

“The Loews State Theater is not just a building It’s a New Orleans landmark steeped in history; an essential part of Canal Street’s past,” said Herman, who is calling her effort Celebrate Canal. “We’re excited to explore ways to ensure the theater remains a central part of the street’s identity for decades to come.”

Storied past

The theater was built in the mid-1920s as a silent movie house for first-run MGM films at a cost of $1.5 million, equivalent to roughly $26 million today At the time, it was among the most “deluxe” theaters in the region.

In the mid-20th century, facing competition from suburban multiplex cinemas, it was remodeled to include three theaters. In the 1980s, it was converted back to a single auditorium and in the 1990s, it hosted live music performances and became a haven for raves. It flooded during Katrina and has remained in a state of disrepair ever since. Others theaters in the immediate vicinity have successfully

clude the Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairie. At just under 10,000 square feet, the Tulane Avenue store will be slightly smaller than the chain’s typical branches and includes a parking lot with 123 spaces. It also borders on Banks and Dorgenois streets.

Trader Joe’s and Feil completed construction of the store despite a pending lawsuit that challenged the legality of the zoning process that granted the developers concessions over parking and other aspects of the site. The lawsuit was appealed by the city of New Orleans and is due to be heard by the appeals court later this year It is not clear what action would be taken if the zoning was found to be illegal. The new store will be the chain’s third in Louisiana — there is one on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge and one on Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie. A second New Orleans store is being built Uptown on Freret Street, and a location is also planned for River Ranch in Lafayette.

Trader Joe’s said in a statement that the new “store captain,” Rachelle Haddad-Martinez, who previously worked at the Metairie location, will preside over the pre-opening ceremony Thursday, together with other store employees.

“As a neighborhood grocery store, Trader Joe’s prides itself on hiring from our local community,” Trader Joe’s said in a statement. “The store hired 80 new crew members from surrounding areas and transferred in others from neighboring Trader Joe’s stores.” The store’s statement also noted that via its “Neighborhood Shares Program,” the new store will donate 100% of products that go unsold but remain fit to consume to a range of nonprofit, community-based organizations.

The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. The city’s plans to foster a BioDistrict as a hub of research and entrepreneurial activity finally started to take shape three years ago when the City Council agreed on a taxpayer funding plan to pay for infrastructure improvements. The first spending approved this year is expected to pay for new landscaping, lighting and other amenities along Tulane Avenue.

Until then, Kelly says, he plans to continue making Houmas House and gardens just the way he likes it — lavish, colorful and ready for a wedding.

For Kelly, it’s all about the show. Pretty will always come first.

Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

undergone renovation and been returned to commerce, including the city-owned Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts in 2019, the Joy Theater in 2011, the Saenger and Civic theaters in 2013, and the Orpheum Theater in 2015. But none of those projects was easy and all involved public investments.

‘Vision and wherewithal’

The current owners are local investors Chen Horng Lee and Chin Li Lee, who also own the Wyndham Garden Baronne Plaza hotel in the Central Business District. They purchased the Loews for $3.5 million in late 2015 from developer Gregor Fox, who’d acquired it for that same price some 15 months earlier but was unable to secure an investment partner to help shoulder the cost of redevelopment. The Lees’ plans called for constructing a 17-story, glass hotel atop the original theater They spent six years securing city approvals, trying to win over preservationists and piecing together financing for their $100 million project.

Just as their plans were beginning to gel, however, the coronavirus pandemic shut down the city’s tourism industry and

“Thursday’s opening of Trader Joe’s marks a transformative milestone in the resurgence of the Tulane Avenue corridor and the Feil Organization’s long-term vision for this city,” said Colette Wharton, regional director/ asset manager at the Feil Organization.

“We saw the potential in this site from the very beginning, and now, that belief is becoming a reality,” she added. Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate. com.

threw into question the future of entertainment venues. Even after the sector rebounded, supply chain disruptions more than doubled construction costs, interest rate increases made the cost of borrowing money more expensive and insurance rates went through the roof. When they put the theater up for sale in 2023, broker Rich Stone with NAI Rampart, who is listing the building with Marse, said it would take the right kind of buyer with time, energy and resources to bring the building back to life.

Two years later, his views are unchanged.

“It’s a special property that will require someone with vision and wherewithal,” he said. “I am optimistic we can get there.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

Fleming, Jolan

Layman,Audrine

Orlansky,J

Treaudo, Shirley Treaudo, Shirley

Layman,Audrine

Mrs. Sheila Cuneo passedawayonThursday July 31, 2025, at theage of 67. Sheila Cuneoissur‐vivedby7 sisters, Jacque‐line Washington,Wanda (Charles)Andrews,Edmo‐nia(Victor)Dorsey, Emelda Torregano, Brenda Black‐well, MicheleTyran andAn‐gela TyranWilliamsand 2 brothers,Lionel(Portlyn) Tyranand Mitchell Tyran. Preceded in deathbyher husband (Tyronne Cuneo) parents(Jack andAlber‐tine Tyran) andnephew, (Dominique Washington). Also,a host of nieces, nephews, otherrelatives andfriends.Familyand friendsare invitedtoat‐tend theCelebration of Life ServiceonWednesday,Au‐gust 13, 2025, for10:00 a.m. at TheBoydFamilyFuneral Home,5001 Chef Menteur Hwy.,New Orleans, Louisiana70126. Visitation will beginat9:00a.m.Dr. Calvin W. Woods, Jr offici‐ating. Intermentwillfollow at ResthavenMemorial Park,10400 OldGentilly Road,New Orleans, LA 70127. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com(504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D. Boyd Owners/FuneralDi‐rectors.

Fleming, Jolan

Jolan Fleming departed thislifeonAugust4,2025. DaughterofIrvin and SarahFleming. Sister of Yolanda Ray. Jolanisalso survived by nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, otherrelatives, and friends. Amemorial celebration willbeheldonTuesday, August12, 2025, at 10:00a.m. at Destiny ChristianCenter, 612 Main St., Laplace, LA 70068, PastorSteve O. Allen, Sr., pastor/officiant.

Professional Services entrusted to Hobson Brown Funeral Home 134 Daisy St., Garyville, La 70051 (985) 535-2516.

Layman, Audrine

Anne Poché

Audrine"Audrey"Anne Poché Layman, 99,passed away peacefullyonAugust 9, 2025,inMetairie, Louisiana,surroundedby theloveofher family.Born in Marksville,Louisiana, shewas the youngestof hersiblings—Alan Poché Alden Poché,and Hazel PochéMayeaux Stevenson—and grew up with astrong spirit that wouldcarryher through life'smany challenges Audrey married the loveof herlife, the lateWilliam Frederick Layman, and together they builta life rootedinfamily,resilience, and faith. She issurvived by her devoted son, William Stratford Layman, andhis wife,Sharon LeBlanc Layman. Her greatest joywas being MawMaw to William Brian Layman(Shannalyn), Melissa Layman Fernandez,SaraLayman Clark, and LaurenLayman, andMeMaw to hergreatgrandchildren, Laila Fernandez,Jolie'Clark, William Brody Layman Rocco Fernandez,and Caiden Clark.A womanof quiet strength and unwavering determination, Audrey faced every hardship with grace and never a complained. She believed in rollingupher sleeves, gettingthe job done,and loving her family fiercely along the way.Her favorite saying—"A bushel and a peck and ahug around yourneck"—was more than justwords;itwas a reflectionofhow shelived, offering warmth and affection to everyone sheheld dear.She also hada playfulsideand adeeplove for sports, nevermissing a NewOrleans Pelicansor New Orleans Saints game.

Whether her teams were winning or losing,she cheeredthem on withpassion and loyalty, her enthusiasmfilling theroom. Audrey's life was abeautiful example of resilience, devotion, and love that will continue to inspire her family for generations to come. She leaves behind a legacy and countless memories her lovedones willcarry in their hearts. A visitationwillbeheldon Wednesday,August 13, 2025 from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. NewOrleans, LA 70124. The intermentwillfollowinAll Saints Mausoleum, which is on thesame grounds as thefuneralhome

Orlansky, J. David

Judge J. David Orlansky passed away at home on August 2, 2025, at theage of 94. Born in Greenville MississippionOctober5, 1930, he was raised in Drew, where his immigrant parents operated adry goodsstore.David was the onlyone of threechildren to survive to adulthood, and graduated fromDrew High School in 1948, having played basketball (notparticularly well, he noted) and been Captain of the Eagles Marching Band. David then attended LSU, becoming thefirst member of his family to go to college.Hewas amemberofthe GoldenBand From Tigerland,a fact he consciouslyconcealed from his fellowOle Miss boosters in lateryears. He also served as thePresident of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity before graduating in 1952. By far themost important event during his years at LSUwas hismeeting abrilliantand beautiful coed from Alexandria, named Shirley RuthEttinger. Insteadofusing his bachelors degree in Commerce to join thefamily business back in Drew, David enrolled in theOle Miss Law School. Hisrecollections of that experience focused on striving to earn thefavor (or, at least, tolerance) of theintimidating Professor John Fox; breakfasts at Smitty's; and the Rebels' landmark football victory over Maryland in November of 1952. He

served on theeditorial boardofthe Mississippi LawJournal and as Chairman of the MootCourt Board, and was awarded hisBachelor of Laws (later converted to Juris Doctor) degree in August of 1954. During his second year in law school, David made thefateful decision to drivea number of classmates to theAmerican Law StudentsAssociation (now theStudent Division of theAmerican Bar Association) meeting in Houston. He agreed to do so because he knew that Shirley (withwhom he'dhad no contact since she left LSU threeyears prior)was working there.Hetracked down her address and wrote to her, asking that she be his date forthe weekend and that she find dates foreight of his classmates. She acceptedboth thedateand thechallenge The rest is history, and in what he often referred to as "the best decisionofmy life," David married Shirley on May 27, 1954. After brieflypracticing lawinDrew, David entered theU.S.Armyand was stationedatFortJackson, South Carolina, where he won commendation forhis workinthe development of theArmyCommand Management System, which was then being tested at FortJackson. After his dischargein1956, David andShirleysettled in Greenville.Hepracticed lawthere until1975, when he was appointedthe first full-time UnitedStates MagistrateJudge forthe NorthernDistrict of Mississippi. For thenext 20 years, he held courtinGreenville, Clarksdale, Oxford and Aberdeen, earning areputation forthe thoroughness of his pretrialconferences Lawyers declining to stipulate to material factswere expected to be able to justify theirpositions. He also pridedhimself in thesuccess rateofhis settlement conferences, in which his goal was "a mutuallyunsatisfactorysettlement," which he considered generally preferabletothe cost and uncertaintyoftrial In Greenville,David served as President of the Washington County Bar Association, theKiwanis Club, theChamber of Commerce, theUnitedFund and twice as President of Hebrew Union Congregation. He was alongtime Rotarian in Greenville and the NorthJacksonclub,which he joinedafter he and Shirleymoved to Madison in 2008. They were members of Beth IsraelCongregation, where David served on theJacksonJewishFilm Festival film selection committee and delivered Meals on Wheels.Inretirement,David and Shirley discoveredthe joys of travel,especiallycruising. Most memorable to the family is theAlaska cruise to which David andShirley treated their childrenand

grandchildrenincelebration of their50th wedding anniversary in 2004. David wasa devotedfather,grandfatherand great-grandfather, taking great interest and pride in milestones andachievements large and small.The grandchildrenand greatgrandchildrenknewhim as "Da." Lawyerswho appeared before therather humorlessJudgeOrlansky wouldhave been surprised by the"Da face," in which he contortedhis lips and tongue for the children's amusement David waspredeceased by hisparents, Abeand Dora Sklar Orlansky, and by Shirley, whodiedin 2018. He is survived by his children, Steve andBeth OrlanskyofJackson,Larry andNaomi Orlanskyof NewOrleans,and Linda andDr. Mark PosnerofBaton Rouge;grandchildren Abram Orlansky(Jackson, MS), Jonny Orlanskyand Dr.Jessica Reeves (Philadelphia, PA), Benji andEmilyOrlansky (Austin,TX), Shana Orlansky and Ben Halverson (Chicago, IL),Adamand BlairOrlansky (Denver, CO), Joshua andMegan Posner (Denver,CO), Aaron Posner (Seattle, WA)and RachelPosner (San Francisco, CA); and seven great -grandchildren. Thefamilyisgratefulto Chris Funkhouser,NPfor hiscompassionatecare of David, andtoEssie Ross for herlengthyand diligent assistance to David and Shirley.

Afuneral service was held at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson,onTuesday, August 5, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., and burialfollowedatBethIsrael Cemetery. Thefuneral service canbeviewedathttps://w ww.youtube.com/@bethisr ael7676

In lieu of flowers, the familyrequests that friends consider memorials to Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, MS,the Institute of SouthernJewish Life in Jackson, Jewish Children'sRegionalService in NewOrleans or the CommunityStewpot in Jackson.

ShirleyKellerTreaudo peacefully answered the Lord’s call on Monday,July 28, 2025. Alifelongresident of NewOrleans,Shirley wasbornatCharity Hospi‐taltoher proudparents thelateJessieFosterand MamieSimpson on Novem‐ber3,1949. Shewas a graduate of Booker T.

Washington High School andwentontoattend Southern University at New Orleans. Shirleywas ade‐votedmother, grand‐mother andgreat-grand‐mother.She is survived by herfourchildren, thirteen grandchildrenand two great-grandchildren. In ad‐dition to herparents Shirleyisalsoprecededin deathbyother beloved familymembers,Marie Payne, Alex Chapman, Clarence Payne, Ernest Keller, SamKellerand Willie MaeBurton. Apro‐fessionalhomemaker, Shirleywas well-knownfor hercreativityinthe kitchen andthe deep love sheextendedtoher chil‐dren andgrandchildren Hernurturing spirit,home‐made mealsand unwaver‐ingsupport left alasting impact on everyone blessedtoknowher.A memorial servicehonoring thelifeand legacy of the late ShirleyKellerTreaudo will be held in theChapel of Charbonnet Labat GlapionFuneralHome, 1615 St.PhilipStreet,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Thursday,August14, 2025 at 1pm. IntermentPrivate Visitation 12 noon in the Chapel.Pleasesignonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors(504)581 4411.

Rememberingyou on your birthday.Memoriesofyour smileand your loving ways will notbeforgotten Forever remembered and forever missed Love younow andforever Keepingmemoriesofyou andGrandmother Eula &Uncle Rayalive MotherGwen,Brother Justin,Sons,RamonMalik RamadJ’On,Godparents PatandLawrence,Uncle WilsonJr.,AuntBrenda andfamily.

No better time to be back to school in La.

At the start of the school year,there’salways afeeling of newness. The hundreds of thousands of K-12 studentsreturning tothe classrooms acrossLouisiana this monthlikely have new backpacks and notebooks. They’re sporting new shoes and freshly cut hair.Their teachers, too, are ready with new books and lesson plans.

But this year,more than ever,feels like a new day for education in our state. After jumping from 42nd to 16th in the country in fourth grade reading since 2022onthe National Assessment of Education Progress, or NAEP, state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said he wants to bring the same level of focus to math instruction this year.Indeed, the pace of education reforms pushed by Brumley and state leaders has been as strategic as it has been ambitious. Instead of expecting big changes everywhere all at once, they have set specific goals and given educators the tools they need to meet them, making standards more stringent along the way.That’s arecipe for success. It’snowonder then that more states are lookingtoLouisiana as an example of how to innovate in education. And it’s fitting that U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon kicked off her “Returning Education to the States” tour at Jefferson Terrace Academy,aBaton Rouge elementary school, on Monday

While we haveconcerns with the administration’sstated goal of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, we are glad that McMahon acknowledged the success Louisiana has had. We wouldbealittledismayedif, just as Louisiana students are climbing the national rankings, those measures get less emphasis in the future. Private and parochial schools, which serve more than 110,000 studentsacross the state, are also part of the picture. This year,the state invested in the LA GATOR scholarship program in an attempt to give more students in failing schools access to other options. We know that many hoping to attend private schools were disappointed that the program did not fund more scholarships. However,we believethe Legislature was wise to seewhat demand there is in this first year and expand it when funding sources are clearer

We recognize there are challenges on the horizon with declining enrollment at both public and private schools as thestate loses population, prompting some tough discussions about schoolclosures. Also concerning is the rise of unregulated and often unstable nontraditional schools, which are increasingly luring homeschooling parents. Despite this, we are bullish on education in Louisiana.

If the state is to solve its long-festering issues, we have to invest in the talents of each new generation of students. We haven’talways done that well, but those attending Louisiana schools this year will experience agolden era that generations past can only envy.Weurge them to make the most of it.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

ProjectNOLAinvades our privacyinnameofsecurity

The board of my condo association has decided to contract with Project NOLA to install ultra-high-resolution cameras with adirect video feed to law enforcement. This presents ahuge encroachment into theprivacy of the residentsof our home and our guests. Ourhome should be asafe place for law-abiding citizens.

The Project NOLA system is currently embroiled in controversy because of its use by individual NOPD officers without theknowledge or approval of city management or the superintendent of police and because of limitations placed on the use of facial recognition technology by city ordinance in 2022.

The technology provided by Project NOLA provides facial recognition of every person within 700 feet of their high-resolution cameras. Not only is there aknown problem withthe accuracy of facial recognition software, often identifying people inaccurately

Contrarytowhat letter writer Thomas Shepley wrote, Mandonna Kashanian did commit one serious crime, admitting marriage fraud at leastonce, confirmed by the5th U.S Circuit CourtofAppeals.Marriage fraud is punishable by up to five yearsimprisonment and a$250,000 fine (a seriousfelony).

She came into the U.S. in 1978 on a student visa. She made adefensive asylum requestwithanoutstanding deportation order.Itwas denied in partbecause of her sham marriage, afelony.She appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals,which turned her down and then to the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, which affirmed the BIA ruling.

The letter writer’s assertion that Kashanian lived in the U.S. for nearly 50 yearsand committed no crime

Iwonder what our leaders in Washington were thinking when they chose to pass thenew budget bill.

How can you even think of cutting major funds for healthcare and education while increasing funding for defense spending? There should have been an increase in funding for Med-

(particularly women, the elderly and people of color),but it is afurther step toward our governmenttrackingthe daily lives of allresidents. Under the current administration, employees of DOGE have managed to gather appalling volumes of data on all citizens and potentially have provided that data to unknownother parties, including large corporations and other nation states. Such enhanced surveillance is a huge invasion of the right to privacy in the United States. Federal law enforcement is now budgeted at the level of apolice state. It is truly terrifying newsthat thebuilding that Icall homeisvoluntarily providing tracking of the whereabouts of our residents and visitors. We must protect ourselves from capricious actions by those who may not agree withour politics, religion or race.

CYNTHIA SHERIDAN NewOrleans

is false.

It’salsofalse that Kashanian was kidnapped (She was arrested upon a federal deportation order issued by afederal immigration judge.) and false that agents displayednoidentification (badge and commission were displayed.)

What is morally wrong is the calumny,pejorative and reprehensible comments heaped uponafederal law enforcement agencythatisdoing itsdutyinprotecting the public.

This letter in no way is meant to disparage Kashanian, as in the evidence Ihave seen,she is indeed a good person.However, it is both possible for one to be agood personand, at times, engage in bad or illegal conduct.

JOE IAFET Metairie

icaid, as well as education, and less for weapons. Maybe if someofour leaders were in the shoes of the many Americanswho will lose their coverage, then Ithink thevotes would have been different

VINCENT

YOUNG Baton Rouge

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter brought Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., Nanette Barragán, DCalif., and Robin Kelly,D-Ill., to New Orleans to discuss the harmful impacts of the budget reconciliation law.While the panel did agreat job explaining how the bill hurts health care access in Louisiana, they failed to offer any solutions. They encouraged the audience to spread the word ahead of the next election about how Republicans hurt us, but they failed to articulate whatDemocrats will do if they take back power. When asked directly if they would support Medicare forAll, Carter and Jeffries couldn’tcommit. His other distinguished guests remained quiet. If Democrats wanttoundo the horrors that TrumpRepublicans are doing in Washington, they need to offer solutions, not just complaints. One smart and compassionate solution would be asingle-payer system that provides health care based on patient need, not on profit. Ihope Carter pushes Democratic leadership to publicly and enthusiastically back Medicare forAll.

HUEYFISCHERGARCÍA NewOrleans

Opinions lead to musings on issues of theday

Theletters to you on July 12 sparked interest and inspired my comments. The ideas proposed for asensible immigration solution presented agreat outline.

Next, that universities are more liberal is understandable. While they should be aplace for lively discussion, rioting, intimidation and aggressive behavior must not be allowed.

Iagree that President Donald Trump can be labeled reactionary.Ibelieve that being reactionary is called for to correct movements, themselves reactionary,that were contrary to the good of our country And to the point of some citizens not being aware of blessed law enforcement, to that Iamdisappointed. For one to act outside of acceptable and proper protocol is inexcusable.

Being agood citizen does not necessarily require aword-for-word memory of cherished words from our civics class, but it does require an understanding of those ideals. Hopefully,wecan cometogether with respect and work to build anation for all of us.

JEAN HAYDEL

River Ridge

Donald Trumpshouldget

hisnew census —in2030

Donald Trump wants anew census.

If, by this, he means asnap-census before the scheduled 2030survey,he’s demanding that the federal government undertake agargantuan task with minimal planningand no discernible source of funding. In statistical terms, it’d be like launchingD-Day after amonth’s preparation. If the WhiteQueen believes six impossible things before breakfast, that the Census Bureau could pull this off would qualify as one of them

The agency couldn’tevencompetently conduct the last regularly scheduled census in 2020.

Given that conducting thecensus is acore function of the federal government —indeed, mandated by the Constitution —itisoutrageous thatthe last survey missed so badly.It undercounted Florida and ahandfulofother Red states(as well as Illinois) and overcounted New York and anumber of Blue states (plus Ohio andUtah)

Because the apportionment of congressional seats depends on population as determined by the census, these were highly consequential errors that can’tbeallowed to happen again There’snolegal mechanism for fixing it,though. We just have to do better in 2030. Trump is also, understandably,chagrined that illegal immigrantsare included in the census and declares that, going forward, they “WILLNOT BE COUNTED.” Here he’s goingtorun smackinto the relevant legal texts

Article1 Section 2ofthe Constitution refersto“the Whole Number of free Persons,” while the 14th Amendment says “the whole number of persons in each State.” In similarfashion,the U.S. code calls for a“tabulation of total population by States.”

So it’shard to see how illegal immigrants can be excluded from the count. As it happens, they don’tseemto have much of an effect on thepartisan breakdown of congressional seatsone wayorthe other.Althoughthe highest number of illegal immigrants live in California, they are spread around the country,and there are also large num-

bers in Texas andFlorida.

Achange that Trumpwanted in the 2020 censuswas the inclusion, once again,ofacitizenship question. This is highlyrelevant information that it’s entirely appropriatetoask.

There was along period from the 19th century through 1950 when the survey had acitizenship question. Then,it was relegated to the so-called “long form.” Finally,the long form itself was axed after 2000.

Now,it’sconsidered ascandal to even think about reviving thequestion. Trump’sproposal to ask thequestion on the2020 census encountered stiff resistance andthe SupremeCourt squashed it. By the way,non-citizens do have a notable impact on congressional apportionment. Recent research by theCenter for Immigration Studies found that all immigrants (naturalized citizens as well as all other categories of immigrants) shifted 14 congressional seats to Democratic states on net in 2020.

Non-citizensalso distort the composition of congressional districts. Accordingtothe study,there are thesame number of citizens in the 13 congres-

sional districts with thehighest share of non-citizens as in the 9districts with the lowest share of non-citizens. In other words, thecitizens in those 9 low-immigration districts get 4fewer representatives than the citizens in the 13 high-immigration districts.

It’sone man,one vote—with an asterisk To takeanexample from Texas, the Democratic-held 33rd district, where non-citizens are nearly 30% of the population, has 208,000 fewer voting-age citizens than the Texas 21st district. So thecitizens in the 33rd district have marginally moreclout and representation,thanks to apopulation tilted toward those who can’tvote. Ultimately,the way todiminish these effects is to reduce thelevel of immigration. Early indications are that there has been alarge exodus of illegal immigrants sinceTrump’selection, and theU.S. will have net negative migration for the first time in ahalf century If Trumpwants to fully capture the changes he’seffecting in immigration policy,heshould indeed want anew census —in2030.

Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry

No easy waytostoplooming debt disaster

Successful democracies endanger their success because of the complacency success breeds. They solve problems only when lashed by necessity: Britain considered Winston Churchill aCassandra —until the German army reached the English Channel ports. In the 1960s, Americans realized they could not have domestic tranquillity without new civil rights laws.

in goldbullion. FDR abrogated those clauses. Although theSupremeCourt upheld (5-4) his power to do this,it was, Mankiw says, “without doubt” a default.

Remember when then-candidate Donald Trump said during an Iowa campaign rally in 2016 that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody,and I wouldn’tlose any voters, OK?”

Iquickly put that aside as just another example of the New Yorker’soutlandish braggadocio, but like other political observers, Ihave since been impressed by Trump’sseeming wall of invulnerability to scandal.

However,asthe Jeffrey Epstein scandal boils up around our ears, Ihave begun to notice some cracks.

The difference is apparent as new questions arise about Trump’srelationship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while in jail awaiting trial on charges that he hadsextrafficked teenage girls.

Instead of calming the waters, demands from skeptical corners of the public have ledtomore curiosity,particularly from Trump’smost deeply committedMAGA (“Make America Great Again”) base of supporters.

The irony for Trump is the fervor of the conviction that Epstein’scrimes are the rottencore of the U.S. political power structure.It’sabelief that Trump and his surrogates promoted when they suggested that Epstein’spolitical associates were Democrats. It was one of arich arrayof conspiracy theories that Trump has usedtowhip up his populist movement.

The MAGA faithful have clung to Trump throughout the many tribulations of his first term and interregnum: the impeachments, the failed insurrection at the Capitol, the stolen documents investigation and sexual assault lawsuit. But that steadfast support seems to be weakening. For example, recent polling from CBS News and YouGov found nearly 90% of Americans —including 83% of Republicans —think the Department of Justice should release all the information it has regarding the case against Epstein. That’sthe opposite of what Trump, already busy with trade talks, warfare in the Middle East and other challenges, wants to talk about now

After the Wall Street Journal report described arisque drawing that Trump wassaid to have sent to Epstein decades ago, Trump sued the paper,its owner and reporters. Add to that the Journal’sreport that Trump was informedthat his name appeared in the Justice Department’s investigation of Epstein, and it should be no surprise that Americans on all sides of the political spectrum have questions.

Youcould even say that the Epstein scandal has led to one of the most unified moments in recent political history —unified, that is, against Trump’shandling of the mess.

The discontent shows up in the ranks of his own party,which has been abig source of strength. For example, apoll from Quinnipiac University found that only 40% of Republicans approve of Trump’shandling of the release of the files on Epstein, while more than athird of them (36%) disapprove.

Today’scrisis of the nation’s fiscal trajectory elicits apeculiar optimism: Necessity,inthe form of the exhaustion of theSocial Security trust fund, will lash Congress into reforming two entitlement programs (Social Security, Medicare) that are driving the nation’sindebtedness.

This optimism is delusional. To understand why,read arecent lecture on “The Fiscal Future” by Harvard economics professor and former chair of President George W. Bush’sCouncil of Economic Advisers, N. Gregory Mankiw

There are, he says, five waysto“stop this upward trajectory” of debt: extraordinary economic growth,government default, large-scale money creation, substantial cuts in government spending and large taxincreases. The probability of each is low

Extraordinary growth?The internet managed to “revolutionize” work and leisure without igniting extraordinary economic growth. Cominginnovations (e.g., artificial intelligence, biotechnologies) will be life-changingbut are unlikely “to establish an entirely new growth path.” Government default? The United States “is not immune to thepolitical and economic forces thatcan make defaultanattractive option.” When Franklin D. Roosevelt took the nation off the gold standard,manyU.S bonds had clauses ensuring their value

In 2016, candidate Donald Trump, in an exchange with areporter,was asked how he would handlethe national debt.He answered: “renegotiate” it. “You go back andyou say hey,guess what, the economy crashed, I’m going to give youback half. Trump, Mankiw notes, has shown “that he is willing toexpand the Overton Window (therange of policies and arguments deemed acceptable in political discourse).Remember this exchangethe next time someonesays that adefault on U.S. government debt is unimaginable.”

Large-scalemoney creation? This would be intended to fuel inflation, which is aslow-motion repudiation of debts. Bondholders are paid back in dollars worthmuch less than those they used to purchasethe bonds. Substantial spending cuts? Remember Elon Musk’sU.S. DOGE Service. Itsrole in thefirings of federal workerswas entertaining theater,but compensation for civilian government employees is only about 4% of the government’sbudget.Mankiw: “Federal civilian employees made up about 4.5% of theeconomy’stotal nonfarm employment in the 1950s. Today,it’sunder 2%.” Significant spending cuts can only comefrom Social Security and health programs. Good luck. Large tax hikes? Closing the fiscal gap between outlays and revenue would require, Mankiw estimates, increasing overall tax revenue 14%. Economically,this is, he says, “entirely feasible.”But politically? Mankiw: “There is now abipartisan consensus about acentral tenet of tax policy.The

Republicans don’twant to raise taxes on anyone (except universities with large endowments). The Democrats want to raise taxes only on the richest 1%. So, thetwo parties essentially agree that 99% of Americansshould not have to endure higher taxes.”

Today’snational debt is an immense intergenerational transfer of wealth from unborn future Americanswho will inherit the debt obligations to today’sconsumers of government goods and services. The political class is moreunited by class interest than it is divided by ideology.Politicians and their constituents enjoy having huge deficitsthroughout thebusiness cycle. Mankiw believes alarge tax increase is “inevitable,” and he recommends a value-added tax,which mostnations have. He warns: “Change might occur only when the bond market loses faith in American political institutions.”

Optimists believe change will come soon. The reform-forcing event supposedly will occur by 2033, when Social Security’strust fund will be exhausted: Without reform, benefits will be cut morethan 20%. Butthat happening is not believable. With just afew words, thelaw can be amended to say that Social Security’srevenue shortfall will be filled withgeneral revenue, which meansenlarging thenow-constant borrowing binge. Those amending thelaw will dismiss worries that thebond market will demandmuch higher interest rates.They will reassuringly say this has not happened during decades of promiscuous borrowing. Mankiw,however,reminds us of an axiom:“In economics, things takelonger to happen than you think they will, and then happen faster than you thought they could.”

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

Quite frankly,ifI were advising Trump’scampaign, ahighly unlikely possibility,Iwould make arecommendation to whichIamconfident he would notlisten: Stop talking so much.

Sure, he can’tseem to help himself. Anyone who hasbeen in apress pool covering Trump will tell you that the manloves the sound of his own voice.

But this time, Trump’scritics in the media are not only coming from the center and left. Some of Trump’susually loyal supporters have been outraged by the possibility that Team Trump is holding out on them or outright misleading them.

For example, many were disappointed after the Justice Department said Epstein did not leave behind a“client list,” contradicting anarrative that has been amainstay on the right’s conspiracy theorists’ circuit. AttorneyGeneral Pam Bondi suggested in February thatthe list was on her desk, although she later explained, unconvincingly to many,that she wasreferring to the overall case file.

Plus, she said DOJ staff were sifting through a“truckload” of previously withheld evidence But the Justice Department ultimately decided not to disclose any more material on the case.

In mid-July,influential Trumpistas suchas Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer and Steve Bannon were huffing and fuming over the lack of transparency,and some observers wondered whether anger over Epstein would divide the MAGA faithful.

Well, Iwouldn’tbet on it. Democrats and others on the left still have alot of work aheadto get their own acts —and activism —together. But whenIsee Trump scurrying around to put out fires in his own MAGA movement, I can’thelp but wonderhow long he can reunite a movement that seems increasingly divided by the array of fears and paranoid notions of which he never seems to get enough.

Email Page at clarence47page@gmail.com.

SPORTS

BIG SWINGS?

Breaking down takeaways after Saints’ first preseason game

BY MATTHEW PARAS and LUKE JOHNSON Staff writers

IRVINE, Calif The Saints have one preseason game in the books. After Sunday’s 27-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the coaching staff now gets a full game of tape to dissect, break down and pick apart the quarterback competition — and so much more. And so do we.

With beat writers Luke Johnson and Matthew Paras still out west for training camp, the two took a moment to ponder some lingering questions from the team’s first exhibition game of the year

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, right, celebrates with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase after a firsthalf touchdown against Mississippi State on Oct. 19, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Both Burrow and Chase are part of The Advocate’s All-Quarter Century Team.

Did your view on QBs change?

Luke Johnson: If we’re talking a full picture, then it changed only a few degrees for me: I think the gap between the two still exists, but it is closing. Tyler Shough continued the upward trajectory that we’ve seen out of him in the last week of training camp as he has gotten more comfortable operating Kellen Moore’s system. Although he’s improved, Shough is by no means a finished product. There’s more to tap into — and the Saints also must be willing to live with mistakes. I still feel the same about Rattler too: He’s a good, functional athlete who can operate an NFL offense. I just don’t know if an offense can operate at a consistently high level with him.

Matthew Paras: Yes, it did. Shough might not quite be the favorite to win the starting job, but he did well enough that Moore should

Tough lineup to crack

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

If you put the best LSU football players from the past 25 years on one team, what would the starting lineup look like? Well, we tried to answer

Sumrall: Team needs to play with better leverage

BY GUERRY SMITH

After reviewing the video of Tu-

lane’s first scrimmage, coach Jon Sumrall echoed most of what he said Saturday night with one notable addition.

His new takeaway is the defense needs to play with better leverage.

“In a couple of those explosive plays in the run game, we should have turned it back in,” he said after Monday morning’s practice, the 10th of camp. “We gave up big plays because we maybe got a little too nosy at a spot or two Leverage on defense is uncompromising. All of a sudden you’re sticking your nose where it shouldn’t be, and the next thing you know it’s a touchdown.”

Maurice Turner bounced outside and turned the corner untouched for an 18-yard score against the first-team defense on the opening series. Jamauri McClure raced more than 50 yards to the end zone after making a cut to the outside near the end.

The same issue affected last year’s otherwise solid defense, which ranked second in the American Conference in yards and points allowed. Opponents ripped off seven runs or more than 45 yards.

“Playing good defense, you have to eliminate explosive plays,” Sumrall said. “You have to make the other team earn it. We have to do better at overlapping with secondand third-level guys, rallying to the ball and gang tackling.”

Saturday night may serve as a wake-up call for the defense, which was dominant for most of spring practice and looked good at the start of camp, too. It was challenged more than at any time this calendar year, although it still held the offense out of the end zone for eight consecutive possessions after the opening touchdown before giving up another one on a two-minute drive.

Brendan Sullivan kept the first drive going with two third-down completions. Jake Retzlaff hit Zycarl Lewis for a long gain on third and 11

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

number of spots on offense, defense and special teams, not everyone could make the hypothetical starting lineup. In selecting the team, we considered what the players accomplished at LSU, how they influenced team success, individual honors and their production throughout their college career Five former LSU players from the era — none of whom made the list — were consulted for their thoughts It was difficult to choose

among some of the best players in school history, but ahead of the 2025 season, The Advocate made an AllQuarter Century Team to look back on what has been the most successful era in LSU football history Quarterback

JOE BURROW: In 2019, Burrow led LSU to an undefeated national championship season by directing the most prolific offense in college football history He won

Lot to choose from for LSU’s top players of past 25 years ä See CENTURY, page 4C

Once Garrett Nussmeier saw single coverage and noticed that receiver Barion Brown had gained a step on cornerback Ashton Stamps, the LSU offense had found the highlight of Monday’s practice. Brown tilted his head back, secured an over-the-shoulder catch and dragged a foot inbounds as he tumbled to the ground. Stamps was right there. Nussmeier just placed it where only Brown could catch it, giving him a chance to connect on a long touchdown pass thrown from outside of the red zone. There wasn’t much the defense could do.

“(Nussmeier’s) a pain in the butt,” LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker said with a laugh. “I know that.” LSU rehearsed the two-minute offense in Monday’s practice — a lightly padded session with no live tackling. Nussmeier and his receivers looked sharp. On its first drive, the offense used a series of quick passes to the sideline to march all the way to the goal line. On the second, it strung together four completions to set up the deep touchdown toss to Brown. At times during camp, the defensive

front has controlled team drills. It’s stopped runs behind the line of scrimmage. It’s also fought through an

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Familiar NFLfaces findnew places

Carroll, Rodgers amongthose who foundnew teams

BY ROBMAADDI Associated Press

Aaron Rodgers joined Pittsburgh. Davante Adams went to Hollywood. Cooper KuppisinSeattle. Russell Wilson’slatest stop is the Big Apple. But the most veteranface in anew place this NFLseason is 73-year-oldPeteCarrollonthe sideline in Las Vegas. Carroll is leading the Raidersafter aone-year hiatus fromcoaching following 14 years with the Seahawks. Rodgers and Wilson are the most notable quarterbacks who changed teams Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, Justin Fields and Jameis Winstonalso found new homes. Several star wide receivers joined Adams and Kupp on the move, including DK Metcalf, Deebo Samuel, Stefon Diggs and George Pickens. On thedefensive side, Super Bowl standouts Josh Sweat and Milton Williams cashed in after helping the Philadelphia Eagles dominate Patrick Mahomes and theKansas City Chiefs. Teammate Darius Slay alsomoved on. Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick swapped teams. Jonathan Allen, Grady Jarrett, Joey Bosa, Talanoa Hufanga andDre Greenlaware wearing newuniforms.

Here are 25 of the top players on new teams:

AaronRodgers

The four-time MVP chose to extend his career with the Steelers after two disappointing seasons with theNew York Jets.Rodgers, 41,had the worstrecord of his career last season, going 5-12. But he still threw for 3,897 yards with 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a90.5 passer rating.The

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

Steelersand coach Mike Tomlin arehopingRodgers has one more runinhim to helpthem overcome their recent playoff failures

RussellWilson, Jameis Winston

The10-timePro Bowl QB is on hisfourthteam in five seasons.

Wilson started6-1 in Pittsburgh last year, but the team lost five straight to end the season. Wilson had 2,482 yards passing, 16 TDs, five picks and a95.6 passer rating in 11 games in the regular season. He signed with the New York Giants, who also added Winston and then drafted QB Jaxson Dart in the first round.

Geno Smith

Carroll reunited with Smith in LasVegas following atrade with theSeahawks. Smith, atwo-time Pro Bowl pick, gives the Raiders stability at QB.

SamDarnold

After abreakout year in Minnesota, Darnold cashed in with theSeahawks in free agency.He threw for 4,319 yards, 35 TDs, 12 picks and a102.5passer rating while going14-4 with the Vikings.

Justin Fields

The No. 11 overall pick in 2021 by Chicago showed promise in Pittsburgh, going 4-2insix starts. He’ll get an opportunitytoprove

start him in next week’spreseason game againstthe Jacksonville Jaguars.Shough’s growth has been evident lately,and he told reporters thathefeels he’sbuildingmomentum. The Saints need to let that playout Biggestconcern afterthe game?

Johnson: Let’sjust paint witha broad brush andsay the rushing attack.The offensive lineinjuriesare aconcern, but theSaints had four of theirfive regular starting linemen out there early against theChargers backup defense and couldn’tget anything going. We haven’tseen manyexplosive runs during training camp, but that’salways been couched by the fact that there’snotackling in training camp. Take out thefive QB runs Sunday,and the other 15 carries went for29 yards.

Paras: While we don’tknowthe severity with some of the injuries that happened against the Chargers, it could be ahuge problem for New Orleans if Trevor Penninghas tomiss time. Imagine saying thatayear ago. Heck, eventwo months ago. TheSaints retooled their offensive line this offseason, but their depth remains abig concern.That could be said about most teams, but it’sespecially glaring here. Dillon Radunz definitely looks better suited for guard than tackle,which puts swing tackle high on thelist of priorities.

Hottesttakeorbiggest overreaction?

Johnson: Matt toldmetomake it spicy,so here we go: I’m back on theCharlie Smyth hype train. This has been an unfortunately rough training camp for the Irishman, who acknowledged recently thatsomething has been off. He missed several field goal attempts during ascrimmage Friday,afew of which were from extra-pointrange.But he drilleda50-yarder against theChargers with plenty of room to spare,and Idofeelit’sgoing to click for him eventually —itjustwon’t be here. Blake Grupe was great last year, and he’sbeen better than great in training camp. My original take that Matt flaggedfor cowardice: Tyler Shough will be the starter

himself withthe New York Jets.

DavanteAdams

Thethree-time All-Pro went from Las VegastoNew York last season andback to theWest Coast with theLos Angeles Rams Adams had 85 catches for 1,083 yards and eight TDs last season.

Cooper Kupp

The Seahawkstraded Metcalf and signed Kupp, the 2021 AP Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP. Kupp hasn’t played afull season since ’21 but had 67 receptionsfor 710 yards and six TDs in 12 games in 2024.

DK Metcalf

Before Rodgers officially signed with the Steelers, they gave him a No.1receiver. Thetwo-timePro Bowl pick had66catches for992 yards and fiveTDs in 15 games last season for Seattle.

DeeboSamuel

The Washington Commanders gave Jayden Daniels another playmaker,acquiringSamuel from San Francisco.

Stefon Diggs

Coming off atorn ACL, thefourtime Pro Bowl wideout headed to New England to give Drake Maye atop option.

George Pickens

TheDallas Cowboysacquired

the mercurial Pickensfrom Pittsburgh to team with CeeDee Lamb and bolster DakPrescott’soptions.

Laremy Tunsil

The Commanders got the fivetime ProBowlleft tackle from HoustontoprotectDaniels’ blind side.

JoeThuney

Atwo-timeAll-Pro guard, Thuney was dealt from Kansas City to Chicago, whichrevamped its offensive line.

Josh Sweat

Sweat turned21/2 sacksinthe SuperBowlintoa $76.4milliondeal from theCardinals.

Milton Williams

Aftergetting two sacks in the Super Bowl,Williams receiveda $104 million deal from the Patriots.

Darius Slay

The six-timePro Bowlcornerback stayed in Pennsylvania, goingfromthe Eagles to the Steelers.

JalenRamsey, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jonnu Smith

Pittsburgh also boosted itscoverage unit by trading forRamsey the three-time All-Pro cornerback. TheSteelerssentFitzpatrick,a three-timeAll-Pro safety, to Miami in the trade thatalso brought tightend Smith to Pittsburgh.

Jonathan Allen

After two Pro Bowl seasonsin eight years in Washington,Allen signed with the Vikings to boost the interior of their defensive line.

GradyJarrett

The two-time Pro Bowldefensive tackle joined Chicago after 10 seasons in Atlanta.

TalanoaHufanga, DreGreenlaw

An All-Pro safety in 2022, Hufanga left San Francisco forDenver.Sodid Greenlaw,the veteran linebacker

Joey Bosa

The five-timePro Bowl edge rusher signed with the Buffalo Bills after nine seasons with the Chargers.

sooner rather than later

Paras: I’mready to give Alvin Kamara the Saquon Barkley treatment, and I’m only half-kidding.Kamara might notbeableto withstand aworkload of 345 carries like Barkley did last season when Moore was the Eagles’ play-caller.And Kamara has historically shown to be moreeffective when he has acomplement to provide that 1-2 punch. But none of the running backs were very inspiring against the Chargers with Kamara resting. More broadly,the Saintsprobably won’t win manygames running only 15 times per game. The team’srun-pass ratio was skewed by theteam’sneed to evaluateits quarterbacks, but come the regular season, it’sKamara time.

What were surprisesafter Sunday?

Johnson: Some things Ithought I’dsee more of,given what we’veseen in practice: Tyler Shough in the designed run game,Spencer Rattler going for an aggressive shot down-

Clarkmaking progress in recoveryfrom groin injury

INDIANAPOLIS Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White said Monday that All-Star guard Caitlin Clark is progressing from an injured right groinbut still is not practicing.

Clark hasnot playedsince suffering the injury in the final minuteofan85-77 victory over Connecticut on July 15.

Team officials have already ruledher outofTuesday’s matchup againstrookie Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.

There’sstill no timetable for when one of the league’s most popular players could return.

“No return to practice, she’s been able to get alittle bit moreof herfull-court running with allof herbodyweight,” White said following practice.

Yankees aceCole makes throws off of flat ground

NEW YORK Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took another step in his recovery from Tommy Johnsurgery on his right elbow by making 20 throwsoff flat ground on Monday

“It felt really good today,” Cole said before New York opened a three-game seriesagainst the Minnesota Twins at YankeeStadium. “I was fairly accurate and Ihad a good time.”

Cole beganhis throwing programfive months aftergetting an internal brace inserted into his elbow in an operation by Los AngelesDodgers team physicianDr. NealElAttrache.

The normal rehabilitation time is about14monthsand Cole had been building up to getting off flat ground for the past few weeks. Colesaid hisinitial progressing will last for afew months before he can offamound, andthen he will getshut down and expects a normal offseason.

Lions safety in concussion protocol after scary hit

ALLEN PARK, Mich. Detroit Lions safety Morice Norris, whowas taken off the field in an ambulance late in apreseason gamelast week, is in concussion protocol and doing well, coach DanCampbell said Monday “We’re going to take it nice and easy here to makesure he’sgood over the next 10 to 14 days and reassess,” Campbell said. “That’s good news.”

After spending Friday night in an Atlanta hospital followingthe exhibition gameagainst the Falcons, Norris flewback to Detroit on Saturdayand returnedtothe Lions’ facility on Sunday

“It was great, everybody was fired up to see him.It’sa breath of fresh air,” Campbell said.

Chiefs losesafety for season; cornerbacksits

ST.JOSEPH, Mo. Chiefs starting cornerback Jaylen Watson was placed in theconcussionprotocol and backup safety Deon Bush lost forthe season to aruptured Achilles tendon in what proved to be a costly first preseason game for the Kansas City defensive backfield Watsonmissedmostofthe 2024 regular season after breaking his tibia and fibula in aWeek 7win at San Francisco. But after undergoing surgery,the fourth-year pro managed to make it back in time to help the Chiefsontheir playoff run.

Bush has appeared in 24 games over the past three seasons in KansasCity. He spent his first six years in the NFLinChicago.

Spainreplaceswomen’s

coachwith Bermúdez

field earlyand maybe asplash play or two fromrookie defenders Danny Stutsman andQuincyRiley. Instead, it was Rattler as arunner(22 rushingyards,a team-high, which: woof), Shough making the aggressive downfield shots (he threw two, connected on one) anditwas aseventh-round rookie defenderwho commanded my attention. Fadil Diggs, fresh offa two-sack scrimmage, racked up four tackles, asack and two tackles forloss. Paras: Iwas mildly surprised we didn’tsee thecaliber of run defense we’ve watched throughout camp, but onlybecause Ididn’t realize that Davon Godchaux wasonthe “must preserve at all costs” list. Godchaux didn’tplay against the Chargers, and his absence was felt. The Chargers rushed for148 yards on 34 carries, though48ofthose yards were from quarterback Trey Lance. With Godchaux, and also safety Justin Reid, Ifeel optimistic that the run defense will improve this fall.

MADRID Spain’swomen’snational team is making acoaching change twoweeks after reaching thefinalofthe European Championship.

Montse Tomé will not have her contract renewed andwill be replaced by former player Sonia Bermúdez, the Spanish soccer federation said Monday

Another former Spain player, Iraia Iturregi, was named the team’s second coach.

The decisionwas made by the federation’sboard members after Tomé led Spain to the Euro 2025 final,which it lost to England in a penalty shootout on July 27.

Tomé replaced formercoach Jorge Vilda following the team’s WorldCup titlein2023. She led Spain to the title of the inaugural Women’s Nations League in 2024.

Outgoing USAGym leader eagerfor break

She’sled organization outofdark times

BY WILL GRAVES AP national writer

Li Li Leung repeats the question out loud, leans back and then does something that’sbeenall toorare during her transformative tenure as the president and CEOofUSA Gymnastics.

She stops.

“What have Ilearned?” Leung said again.

After abrief exchange to buy some time, she settles on an answer that,intypical Leungfashion, saidalot by saying only alittle.

“I haven’thad time (to think about it),” Leungtold TheAssociated Press. “And that’sthe whole point, is like,Ihaven’t hadtime to digest everything that hashappened over the past sixyears.”

It’sone of the many reasons and perhaps the mainreason —it’s time for her to step away

From the day Leung walked into the organization’s then dungeonlike Indianapolis office (it has since moved to one with farmore natural light) in March 2019 at the height of the LarryNassar sexual abuse scandal, through this weekend’sU.S. Championships, shehas been in perpetual motion.

And while partial blamefalls on Leung’sinherent work ethic, the reality is the former Michigangymnast knew she didn’treally have a choice. Oneofthe crown jewels of the U.S. Olympic movement was in tatters, fiscally —USA Gymnastics had all of six weeks of cash flow at the time Leung tookover— and, far more pressingly,culturally Trust, both internallyand externally,had eroded. Restoring it would take time. It wouldalso take the kind of compassion that Leung’simmediate predecessors had been unable to muster Before Leung accepted the job,

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT USA GymnasticspresidentLiLiLeung walks on stageafter the senior men’s finals of the U.S. Gymnastics Championships on Saturdayatthe Smoothie King Center

one of her mentors told her to avoid trying to “boilthe ocean,” thattrying to become everything to everyonewas afool’serrand. It might have been theone bit of advice shereceived that she didn’t take.

“My response to him was, ‘Well, I’m goingtoboil as much of it as I can,’ “Leungsaid.

Quietcompassion

Whilethe former NBAexecutive began the process of trying to keep theorganization financially viable, Leung knew earlyonthat themost importantaspect of hermission was to restore faith among the organization’shundreds of thousands of members—and just as vitally, the hundreds of women who were abused by Nassar under theguise of medical treatment.

While Leung was limited in what she could say publicly as the lengthy mediation processbetween USA Gymnasticsand the survivors played out, sheand USAG board chair Kathryn Carson made it a pointtoattenddozensofhearings listening to the experiences of the women abused by Nassar andusing quiet moments whenthe tape recorder was off to reconnect.

“(We) had the opportunity to express personally how much we cared abouttryingtodothe right thing andheard theirstories directly,” Carson said. “There were

alot of tears.”

Andeventually,progress.While therecord $380 million settlement offered abit of closure, Leung understood it was merelyone milepost in aprocess that she understands will never be over

When Leung toldthe organization’sleadership group in early June thatshe was stepping down at the end of the year,her message wasn’ttoreflect on how far theorganization has comebut how far there still is to go.

“I waslike, ‘You guys got this, ”Leung said. “And they have it Imean,I think Ihaveinstilled in themthat we’re never done. There’salways more that can be done, always challenge ourselves to be better.Wetalk about it in our meetings all the time.‘Whatelse can we be doing better?’ And I thinkthey understand that.”

Coming full circle

It’s one of the reasons why Leung is hesitant to reflect. Growing up in New Jersey,her parents instilled in Leung and her twin sister MayMay ahumbleness that even now— after steering USA Gymnastics out of thedarkness —she is reluctant to turn the spotlight on herself.

Leung would much rather deflect, pointing out that the work of the team she assembled is just as important as anything she hasdone.

It’satrait that —alongwithher

Browns formulatingplan to name starting QB

BY JOE REEDY AP sports writer

BEREA, Ohio KevinStefanski has committed to one thing when it comes to selecting the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

Stefanski didn’tsay that he would announce astarterfor the Sept. 7opener against the Cincinnati Bengals nextweek, but he did say there wouldbemore clarity after Saturday’spreseason game againstthe Philadelphia Eagles andtwo days of joint practices.

“I thinkyou take everything into account, but we’llsee how we get through this week and then make adecision. on when to make adecision,” Stefanski said Monday Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy who hadhis first1,000-yard receiving season last year after being traded by Denver to Cleveland— also indicated that Stefanskihasn’t told the team when adecision will be made.

“As areceiver group,wecan’t really toomuch focus on the quarterback competition but just focus on our job, ourexecution and making ajob easier forwhicheverquarterback’sin the backfield,” he said. “I think we’ve grown alot. Alot people arealot more confident within the playbook,soonce youknow theplaybook down, it’sall about executing it andIfeellikeeverybody’sbeen doing agreat job with that.”

With Kenny Pickett unable to be afull participant in practice since July 28 because of ahamstring injury,Joe Flacco has taken most of the snaps with the first-team offense. Pickett did have three touchdown passes during asevenon-sevenred zone drillMonday, but he hasn’ttaken part in work during 11-on-11 periods since July 26. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was limited lastweek because of astrained hamstring, but he

did some 11-on-11 work Monday.

Fellowrookie Shedeur Sanders had most ofhis work with the second team as he looks to continue his momentum after directing three touchdowndrives and playingnearlythree quarters in Friday’s30-10 victory over the CarolinaPanthers. Theheralded fifth-round pickcompleted 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards andtwo TD passes. Jeudywas impressed with Sanders’secondTD, a12-yard toss to Kaden Davis to put the Browns up 14-7 in the second quarter

“Shedeur’s gota greatarm very accurate,” Jeudy said.“He threw two great, accurate balls andthe last onewas as he went through all his progressions. It was the lastread. Forhim as a young quarterbacktobeable to

background in asport that can be equal parts thrilling and unforgiving —helped her navigate those crucialearly days when everythingfelt so tenuous.

“She did notallowherself to get rattledattimes that anyofthe rest of us might have been,” Carsonsaid. “The biggest thing that she did was exercise her passion for thesport by being just there in thecommunity,everywhere, with every different type of person.”

While Leung had nothing to do with the systemicbreakdowns that created aculture in which the balanceofpower tilted toofar away from theathletes, sheunderstood howimportant it wastolet those mostaffected be heard and part of thesolution.

Leung had been on the job five months when Olympic champion Simone Biles, herself aNassar survivor,calledout USA Gymnastics ahead of the2019U.S.Championships for its repeated inability to protect its athletes. Five years later, Biles credited the organization for “putting in the work” to make the changes necessary to restore trust.

Three decades ago, Dominique Moceanu becamethe youngest national champion in USAGymnastics history.Ayear later,she was part of the“MagnificentSeven” that earned Olympic gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games

Moceanu also —long before Nassar’scrimescametolight —became an outspoken critic of coaches who were physically and emotionally abusive. She felt like a“pariah” and figuredher relationship with USA Gymnastics was over Yetthere shewas on Sunday night,waving to the crowd inside the Smoothie King Center on the 30th anniversary of hertriumph, afull-circlemoment that wouldn’t have happened without Leung and thechanges Moceanu sees in the sport at large.

“Li Li’sbeen aconstant and a stable leader,which has been very good, and Ithink there are things that are shifting,” Moceanu said.

“Andthat’sa sign thatUSAG is starting to heal as well, in asense, from the wounds andthe damage andeverythingthathad happened.”

Moving forward

The healing process is far from

over.And Leung is acutely aware that allthe progress that’sbeen madeover the last sixyears can unravelquickly without constant vigilance.

“Wewant to make our environmentasunwelcome aplace as possible forpredators,”she said. “And that’skind of aphilosophy that we use whenwetalk about how we try to mitigate (problems). How we try and have zero tolerance and create accountability.”

It’s telling of how farUSA Gymnastics has come on just about every front that ajob nobody wanted six years ago —not even Leung, initially —issuddenly remarkably more attractive.Ithelps that membership has risen to more than 240,000 athletes, coaches and gym owners during Leung’swatch. The corporate sponsors that fled after Nassar have returned. Just last week USA Gymnastics announced apartnership with NBC Sports that will run through the 2032 Olympics.

Leung is serving as an adviser in the search for her successor.While she thinks it would be “beneficial” if the next president was agymnast, she strongly believes whoever it is must be aformer athlete.

“(They need) someone whounderstands sports and understands high-pressure environments and high-pressure competition,inorder forthat person to be successful,” she said. As forLeung, she says she wants abreak. The last fewmonths have been challenging in her personal life, reinforcing the need for her to step away and hit reset.

How long that might take, she’s not sure, pointing out that how she feels in early August might not be the way she feels on Dec.31.

Leung has received numerous overtures from other entities in recent years as USAGymnastics found itselfonincreasingly firmer footing. She said no to themall. She might say no to them some morebefore moving on to what’s next.

The one thing she will do,however,islisten.IfLeung haslearned anything over the last six-plus years, it’sthat. Listening leads to growth, apersonal philosophy that has also becomeone of USAGymnastics’ guiding principles.

FloridaQBisthrowing 70 passes aday while rehabbingstrainedcalf

BY MARK LONG AP sportswriter

GAINESVILLE, Fla. Florida quarterbackDJLagwayisthrowing 70 passesaday while working his way back from astrainedleftcalf.

Coach Billy NapiersaidMonday thatLagway is “on schedule” with his rehab but will remain “modifed for awhile” in practice. The sophomore who went 6-1 in seven starts last season sat out Saturday’sscrimmage andhas yet to take part in 11-on-11 team drills.

The 15th-rankedGators open theseason Aug. 30 against Long Island University

“His workload is high,” Napier said. “It’s justnot with apass rush, you know? We’re controlling the environment, trying to takecareof him from asoft-tissuestandpoint.”

Lagway strained acalf muscle whilerunning with teammates a week before the Gators opened training camp. It was the latest injury forthe Heisman Trophy hopeful who missedspring practice with ashoulder injury after undergoing sports hernia surgery

not able to do that.” The silver lining: Lagway’sabsence has allowed the Gators to get abetter look at three QBs vying forthe backup job.And freshman Tramell Jones Jr.has been so impressive that he’snow pushing returner AidanWarner andcollege journeyman Harrison Bailey forthe spot behind Lagway Napier calledJones’ performance “buzz worthy.”

make those reads, make that progression, kudostohim.”

Stefanski hasn’t outlined how the snaps will be dividedamong the quarterbacks in Philadelphia.

The best scenario would be for Flacco to get his work in thejoint workoutsalong with Pickett if he makesprogress over the next couple of days. That would allow Sandersand Pickett, if healthy, to get the playing time in thegame alongwith some snaps in the joint workouts.

“That’swhy you do thesepractices,Ithink,” Stefanski said. “And both sidesviewitthatway,typically,because you script thepractice so that the ones get thevast majority so that then your guys that are getting thetwos and threes reps can getthe majority of their reps in the game.”

Florida’s star player also was limited last fall withshoulder soreness and slowed in November because of astrained left hamstring.

“Any football playerwould be better off taking the reps,” Napier said. “The key is to be creative in terms of howweformat practice, formatthe walkthrough. We’vegot to maximizeall the mental reps, theprocessreps, the communication reps.

“It’snot ideal. That’sthe way I’ve tried put it in the past, and Istill kind of stand by that. In a perfect world, he’d be 100% and taking every single rep. Buthe’s

“He’sstill got to operate much quicker,got to process quicker, communicatebetterunderthe gun andthe playclock,his ability to manage the problems as they arise. All those things need to improve,” Napier said. “But he throwsareally good ball. He’s very accurate. He’sgot arm talent, and Ithink he’sasmartkid.” Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024. He took over the startingroleafter Graham Mertz tore aknee ligament at Tennessee in October

PreseasonAPTop 25 poll ataleoftwo Tigers

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Howvaluableisthe AP poll in 2025? Especiallyin aworld where the College Football Playoff exists? The value it holdsisthe debate it creates among college football fans and pundits alike. It’safun exercise, andisn’tthat thepoint of watching sports? To have fun?

I’m one of 66 voters on the AP football pollthis season

It’smysecond year voting in the poll, and aftergetting my feet wet last year,Idecided to write aweekly column to pair with my rankings this season. My hope isn’t to convince everyreader that my rankingsare right andeveryone who disagrees with me can take ahike. Instead, Iwant to shed some light on the thought process behind my decision-making each week

Here’smypreseason AP poll coupled with my thoughts on ahandful of teams heading into thisyear

My preseasonAPballot

1. Clemson, 2. Penn State, 3. Texas, 4. LSU, 5. Alabama 6. Ohio State, 7. Notre Dame, 8. Georgia, 9. Oregon, 10. ArizonaState,11. Illinois,12. Oklahoma, 13. Texas A&M, 14. Kansas State, 15. Michigan, 16. Miami, 17. South Carolina, 18. Texas Tech, 19. Iowa State, 20. Duke, 21. Baylor,22. Auburn, 23. Pittsburgh, 24. SMU, 25. Indiana

Just missed: TCU, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Missouri

WhyClemson at No.1?

The margins among Clemson, Penn State and Texasat the top are extremely thin, but Ilandedonthe Tigers for afew reasons. They have more returning talent at critical positions in comparison to Texas. Iprefer their

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AP TOP25POLL

starter undercenter.Garrett Nussmeiercracked my preseason AP All-America ballot. The defense also will be improved, thanks to the return of linebacker Harold Perkins and the No. 1transfer portal class in thenation With this roster,there’sno reason LSU can’tmake the CFP

Rest of theSEC

Texas is my topteam in the Southeastern Conference headinginto 2025.

The Longhorns may have lots of new pieces on offense, but thedefense is likelythe best in thenation.

TULANE

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to setupafield goal on thesecond series and connected with Garrett Mmahat to convert a thirdand 12 on the 2-minute touchdown drive

“It was not agood start, but when you watch the tape,it was just acouple of plays,” defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato said.“It’sjusta coupleofguys here and you make that one play and you’re offthe field. We have alot to clean up, but they (theTulane offense)dothings the right way. If you make amistake, they aregoing to make you pay for it. It’sbeen good for us to get that back and forth.” Monday’spractice, which was moved to the Saints’ indoor facility for fear of astorm cell that never arrived,featuredmoregive and take.

quarterback, CadeKlubnik, over Arch Manning (Texas) or Drew Allar (Penn State), and theyenterthe yearwith thebest defensive line in the nation, ledbyPeter Woods and TJ Parker. It’shard to bet against a team that’sbringing back a top-tier quarterback, multiplestarters at widereceiver andmajor contributors on both lines of scrimmage Clemson isn’tastalented as last year’sOhio State team, but the Tigers have the best roster in collegefootball heading into 2025

LSU’sranking LSU’squestionmarks along the offensive line left coach Brian Kelly’ssquad a step below Clemson,Penn State andTexas, butthere aren’t many issueswith this roster once you get past the line.

UnlikeAlabama, Ohio State, NotreDame, Georgiaand Oregon,LSU won’t be breaking in afirst-year

the Heisman Trophy by thewidest margin ever —becoming LSU’s secondwinner of the award —and he set multiple records, including the NCAA mark for single-season yardage. Joe Burreaux turned into aLouisiana icon.

Also considered: Jayden Daniels

Runningback

LEONARD FOURNETTE: Aconsensus first-team All-America selection in 2015,Fournette finished hiscareer fourth in LSU history with 3,830 yards rushing— even thoughdefensesknew LSU wanted to run the ball. Despite being limited by an ankle injury his junior year,Fournette was the fastest player in LSUhistorytoreach 3,000 yards. Also considered: Jeremy Hill, Joseph Addai and Clyde EdwardsHelaire Wide receiver

JA’MARR CHASE, JUSTIN JEFFERSONAND

JOSH REED: Even though heplayed only two seasons at LSU, Chase cemented himself as one of the best players in school history.Heset then-SEC single-season receiving records for touchdowns(20)and yards (1,780)in2019 to win the Biletnikoff Award. Chase was the first wide receiver in LSU history to become aunanimousAll-America selection. Another catalyst for the2019 offense, Jefferson holds an LSUsingle-season recordwith 111 catches. He had 1,540 yards that year, the fourth-most in LSU history, and caught 18 touchdowns. His24 career touchdown catches are tied for the third-most behind Dwayne Bowe and BrandonLaFell—and four of them came in the first half of aCollege Football Playoff semifinal.

Reed set the standardfor LSU receivers for almost two decades Despite playing in arun-firstera, he had 3,001yards receiving, now the second-most in LSU history behind Malik Nabers. In 2001, Reed caught 94 passes for 1,740 yards to win theBiletnikoff Award. He still has theSEC recordfor most catches in agame with 19 against Alabama in 2001. Also considered:Malik Nabers Michael Clayton, Dwayne Bowe,

Edge rusher Colin Simmons, safety Michael Taaffe, cornerback Malik Muhammed andlinebacker Anthony Hill have returned I’malso cautiously optimistic aboutManning. His size, speed and strong feel for thegame should allow him to thrive in coach Steve Sarkisian’squarterbackfriendlyoffense as afirstyear starter

I’m higher on Oklahoma, Florida andTexas A&M than most of my colleagues in the poll.

The Sooners were dreadful on offense ayearago, but alot of that had to do with horrible injury luck. Thisseason, they add John Mateer at quarterback —a clear upgrade over Jackson Arnold —and also bring over his offensive coordinator from WashingtonState in Ben Arbuckle. California transferJadyn Ottwas also an excellentspringaddition at running back Florida hasone of the mosttalented quarterbacks in the nation in DJ Lagway The Gators are also strong on both lines of scrimmage andhaveapotentially explosive receiving corps to pair with an experienced running back room.

Ihad troublefinding reasonsnot to place this team in the top 10.

Brandon LaFell, Brian Thomas and OdellBeckhamJr.

Tightend

MASONTAYLOR: Who can forget Taylor’scatch to beat Alabama on a2-point conversion in overtime as atruefreshman? But it’s not justthat.Athree-year starter, Taylor became themost productive tight end in LSU history with 129 receptions for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns. He caught 55 passes his junior year,arecordfor themostinone seasonbyanLSU tight end. Also considered:Richard Dickson Tackle

ANDREWWHITWORTH, WILL CAMPBELL: Whitworth was one of thebest offensive linemen in LSU history He started 52 games over four years, andthe onlytime he missed practice was to attendgraduation. Whitworth was atwo-time firstteam All-SEC selection. He led the team with 1,008 snaps during LSU’s2003 national championship season.

Aftertaking overatleft tackle duringhis first spring practices, Campbell went on to earn consensus All-America honorsin 2024 and be named atwo-time first-team All-SEC selection. As a junior,hewas aco-winner of the SEC’sJacobsBlocking Trophy Campbellallowed only five career sacks, and he was even awarded the No. 7jersey Also considered: La’El Collins, Ciron Black Guard

STEPHEN PETERMAN, HERMANJOHNSON: Aconvertedtight end and defensiveend, Peterman turned into atalented guardhis sophomore year.Hestarted39games over thenextthree seasons, twice earningfirst-team All-SEC honors.

As asenior on LSU’s2003 national championshipteam, Peterman received first-team All-America recognition

Johnson was 6-foot-7 and 386 pounds, and he could move. A starter on LSU’s2007 national championship team,Johnson appeared in 52 games and made 38 starts.

He was atwo-timefirst-team All-SECselectionand earnedan All-America honor in 2008. Also considered: Trai Turner

Damien Lewis

Sumrall praisedthe scrimmageperformance of all three of hisquarterbacks. Unofficially,Sullivan finished 9of11for 88 yards. Retzlaffwent 8of11for 120 yards and atouchdown, while Kadin Semonza was 9 of 13 for 94 yards and one interceptionwhenhethrewoff of his backfoot while under pressure. The competition for the startingjob willcontinue “That’sall youcan ask for as acompetitor,” Sullivan said.“These are world-class guys. We are alljust each other’sbiggest fans.There’s no animosity in the room. We’re allcompetitivewinners. Whoever playsisgoing to play,and at the end of the day we’ll be supportive of who thatis.” Retzlaff liked his progress, pointingout that he called out ablitz he would nothaverecognizedaweekearlier after joiningthe teaminlate July.

“It’s fun to have thatcamaraderie in the room,” he said. “If youare in acompetition, youare notcompetingwitha guy; youare competingwith yourself. I’m playingagainst the defense, not the other quarterbacks.” The only downside from the scrimmage was apair of injuries. John Bock, aredshirt senior transfer from Florida international who wasworking as the first-team right offensiveguard, exited early with afoot injury. “It’s notlike aseason-ending deal, but it’snot going to be acouple of days, either,” Sumrall said.

Freshman tight end Cam Roberts got hurtafter leaping to catch along passnear the end of the scrimmage. Although he bounced up and walked off the field, Sumrall said the leg issue was“alittle more significant than we’d hoped” and that Roberts wouldbe“outfor awhile.”

right reads and get theball out quickly.Nussmeier has even mixed in afew scramble runs, such as the one he broke off on Monday to pick up afirst down when no receivers were open.

“He’sa really,really good player,” Baker said of Nussmeier.“He’svery smart. He does aphenomenal job understanding coverage and how to look that coverage off.

“He’sdone areally,really good job this camp.”

Here’swhat else stood out from LSU’s10th practice of preseason camp, the entirety of which was open to reporters.

JohnsonbackatRB?

LSUhas sophomore Ju’Juan Johnson listed as a quarterback, but on Monday he worked as arunning back in bothindividual drills and team periods.

The change comes three days after JT Lindsey —a freshman from Alexandria who was practicing in camp as the Tigers’ fourth

Center

BEN WILKERSON: Wilkerson became thestartingcenter as atrue freshman and went on to start 41 games. He helped LSU win the 2003 national title. Ayear later,hewas a co-winner of the 2004 Rimington Trophy,whichgoes to thenation’s best center.Healso was named a consensus All-American despite missing thelastthree games of the season.

Defensiveend

MARCUS SPEARS,TYSON JACKSON: A three-year starter,Spears finished hiscareer with 341/2 tackles for loss —the mostbyone LSUplayer this century— and 19 sacks. He returned an interception for atouchdown to help LSUwin the 2003 national title. His senior year,Spears was aconsensus All-American after he recorded nine sacksand 17 tackles for loss. Jackson was aforce on the edge at 6-5 and 290 pounds. He led the2007 national championship team with 15 hurries, and he even ranked second with 10 pass breakups. Jackson finished his career with27tackles for loss and 181/2 sacks. He was atwo-time second-team All-SEC selection who became thehighest-drafted LSU defender

Alsoconsidered: Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery,Danielle Hunter,Arden Key Defensivetackle

GLENNDORSEY, KYLEWILLIAMS: One of thegreatest players in LSU history,Dorseywon theLombardi Award, Outland Trophy,NagurskiAward andLottAward as a senior in 2007. He wasthe most important player on that championship team —while playinghurt through the second half of the season. Dorsey was the 2007 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and atwo-time first-team All-America selection. He waslater inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Williams wasn’tthe biggest defensive tackle at 6-2 and 295 pounds, but he knew how to be disruptive. Once he becameastarter midway through his sophomore year in 2003, Williams became a critical piece of the defensive line. He finishedhis career with 161/2 sacksand 26 tackles for loss. As a senior in 2005, he earned first-team All-SEC and All-America honors.

scholarship running back —turned himself in to authorities after awarrant wasissued forhis arrest. He now faces acharge of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder,and he’ssuspended from team activities until the case is resolved.

Lindsey’ssuspension left LSU with three scholarship tailbacks. Johnson, a former Lafayette Christian Academytwo-way star, might be the fourth.

The sophomore enrolled last season as adefensive back, but LSU moved him to running back early in the year after veteran John Emery suffered aseason-ending knee injury.Thenthe Tigers added him to their quarterback room once the season ended largely so it could experiment with wildcat packages.

Now it appears that Johnson will begin his sophomoreyear as arunning back.

Long fieldgoaltry

LSU does not have a kicker competition as Damian Ramos is back as the starter But in team drills Mon-

Also considered: Chad Lavalais, Bennie Logan, Michael Brockers

Linebacker

DEVINWHITE, BRADIEJAMES: After originally signing with LSUasa runningback,Whiteturned into one of the program’sbest linebackers. He hadback-to-back seasons with at least 123 tackles. In 2018, he earned consensus All-America honors and won theButkus Award, making him the first LSU player to winthe award forthe nation’s top linebacker. James finished his career with 418 tackles,the second-mostin LSUhistory.Hemade aschool-record 154 in his senior year alone, when he received first-team AllAmerica recognition. James was also atwo-time first-team All-SEC selection.

Defensiveback

PATRICK PETERSON, TYRANNMATHIEU, COREY WEBSTER, DEREK STINGLEY,LARON LANDRY: The winnerofthe 2010 Bednarik and Thorpe awards, Peterson is arguably the best cornerback in LSU history.Heplayed in 39 games, starting 30 times, and finished his career with 135 tackles, 22 pass breakups and seven interceptions. He also scored four touchdowns. He was voted aconsensus All-American in 2010. Even though he played for only twoyears, few players have ever generated the mystique of the HoneyBadger. Mathieucreated 14 turnovers, including 11 forced fumbles, and scored four touchdowns in 26 games. In 2011, Mathieu won theBednarik Award, was afinalist forthe Heisman Trophy andwas voted an unanimous first-team All-American. Websterwas not LSU’sfirst great cornerback,but he startedthe “DBU” tradition. Atwo-timefirstteam All-America selectionand two-time semifinalist forthe Thorpe Award, Webster ranks second in LSUhistory with16careerinterceptions. He had an NCAA-record 32 passes defended as astarter on the2003 championship team. Stingley was alockdowncorner as atrue freshman on the 2019 national championship team. He led the SEC with six interceptions and 21 passesdefendedthatseason to earn consensus All-America honors. Limited by injuries, Stingley wasn’t as effective therestofhis career,but he still receivedfirstteam All-America recognition as a

day,the second-team offense’sstalled drive gave coach Brian Kelly and his staffa chance to try something different. They lined up fora60-yard field goal with sophomore kickoff specialist Aeron Burrell as the kicker Alow snap foiled his kick, which landed in the end zone wellshort and wide right. Kelly has said that Burrell may one day kick field goals forLSU.Monday showed that his first chance could come as soon as this season, perhaps when the Tigers are forced into long tries that stretch beyond Ramos’ range. Burrell has the stronger leg.

Injury updates

Receiver Aaron Anderson (knee) returned to practice Saturday for limited work. On Monday,hepracticed without restrictions for the first time since LSU opened camp. Transfer cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson leftMonday’ssession early after he appeared to sufferalowerbody injury in one-on-one reps against receivers. He spent the bulk of practice on an exercise bike.

sophomore. Landry,a 6-2 and202-poundsafety,was not afraid to hit. He made 315 career tackles—tiedfor the most ever by an LSU defensive back —and he ranks third in LSU history with12career interceptions and 40 career passes defended. He started as afreshman for Nick Saban. There were alot of worthy candidates forthis spot, butone former teammate summed up Landry likethis: “He was terrifying.”

Also considered: Morris Claiborne, JamalAdams,Grant Delpit, Eric Reid, Craig Steltz Kicker

CADE YORK: Is there amoreimpressive kick in LSU history than York’sgo-ahead 57-yarderthrough the fogatFlorida in 2020? He also made thesecond- and third-longest kicksinLSU history.Noone has been better from more than 50 yards, and York waspretty consistent, too. His career field goal percentage of .818 ranks third. Also considered: JoshJasper, Colt David Punter

DONNIE JONES: Jones still holdsthe record for the longest punt in LSU history,an86-yarder at Kentucky in 2002. After starting for fouryears, he also has school records for the most punts (233) and mostpunt yardage (9,798) in acareer.His career average of 42.0 yards per punt ranks eighthinLSU history. Also considered: Brad Wing Long snapper

REID FERGUSON: Afour-year starter, Ferguson was consistent throughout hiscareer.Heonly hadone bad snap, which happened as afreshmaninhis first home game. Ferguson played in 51 games at LSU. He is nowentering his ninth season with the Buffalo Bills. Also considered: Blake Ferguson All-purpose/return specialist

ODELLBECKHAM JR.: Beckham won the Hornung Award in 2013 as the most versatile player in the nation. He did alot of his work as a widereceiver,catching 59 passes for1,152 yards, but he also earned first-team All-America honors as akickreturner. Thatyear,heset asingle-season LSU record with 2,315 all-purpose yards. Also considered: Skyler Green, Trindon Holiday

ahome runduring the seventhinning againstthe White Soxon SundayinChicago.

Clevelandcutsinto itsALCentral deficit

Guardiansonatear despitechallenges offthe field

BY NOAH TRISTER Associated Press

It has been atough fewweeks for the Cleveland Guardians except on the field.

Star closer Emmanuel Clase joined teammate Luis Ortizinbeing placed on leave as part of an investigation into sports betting. Then the front office traded away formerCyYoungAward winner ShaneBieber as he neared areturn from Tommy John surgery —not exactly the type of movea team makes when it fanciesitself acontender

And yet, the Guardians have won nine of their past 11, even after aloss Sunday to the ChicagoWhite Sox. Cleveland wasa half-game behind the New York Yankees for the final wild card in the American League heading into Monday night’sgames. The Guardians had the night off. After losing to Detroit on July 6—just overamonth ago —the Guardians had dropped 10 in a row andtrailed the AL Centralleading Tigers by 151/2 games. That lead is now six. If Cleveland actually catches Detroit and wins thedivision, it wouldbethe biggest comebackinthe divisional play era.

Here are the largest comebacks to date, according to Sportradar 1978New York Yankees (14 games): NewYork won the AL East thanks to Bucky Dent’shomer in aonegame playoff at Fenway Park, andalthough this wasa painful episode in Red Sox history,the Yankees won this more than Boston lost it. New York went30-9to finish the regular season. After stumblinginearlySeptember, theRed Sox later won eight in a row to force the playoff.

1995 Seattle Mariners (13 games): Afterawin on Aug. 2, the California Angels led Seattle by 13 in the AL West and Texas by 11. Then theAngels went 22-34 therest of theway while the Mariners were 36-20. When the teams metina one-game playoff, it wasa9-1 blowout in Seattle’sfavor, and although wild cards wereinthe playoffs for the firsttime, California couldn’teven salvage one of those.

2012 Oakland Athletics (13 games):

Freshoff twostraight pennants, the Texas Rangers led the Angels by 61/2 and theA’s by 13 at theend of June. But Oakland went 3313 downthe stretch, forcingthe Rangers to settle for awild card.

1973 NewYork Mets (12½games): Tug McGraw’sfamous phrase —“Ya gotta believe!” —was arallying cryofthiscomeback. NewYork was 121/2 back in early July and still in last place in lateAugust, but theMets took aweak NL East with an 82-79 record andthen beatCincinnati to winthe pennant

2006 Minnesota Twins (12 ½games): Detroit was 35-14 and led the Twinsbyovera dozen games, butthere wasenoughtimeleft for Minnesota to edge theTigers in theALCentral when Detroit dropped five in arow to endthe regularseason. Although there are similarities between 2006 and this year,the good news forthe Tigers is they didmakethe World Seriesthat season as awild card.

Trivia time

Which team did the Red Soxa momentary favor by routing the Yankees9-2 to help force that playoff game in 1978?

Line of theweek

SheaLangeliers had five hits —including three solo homers forthe Athleticsa16-7 win over Washington on Tuesdaynight Langeliersbecame thefourth catcher with twothree-homer games, joiningJohnny Bench, Gary Carter and Travis d’Arnaud.

Comeback of theweek

The NewYork Mets led Milwaukee5-0 in thefourth inning Sunday,but nobodywho has watched those two teams recently should have been shocked when the Brewers chippedaway andeventually won 7-6 on asolo homerbyIsaacCollins in thebottom of theninth.

Milwaukee, which had awin probability of 7.1% in the fourth according toBaseball Savant, haswon nine in arow to takea five-game lead over the Phillies andBlueJays for baseball’s bestrecord.The Mets,onthe other hand, have dropped seven straight and lead Cincinnati by only 11/2 gamesfor theNational League’sfinal wild card.

Trivia answer

Cleveland, which won just 69 gamesthatseason.

Driver dies aftermedical emergencyduringrace

ByThe Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.— Aveteran

stock-car driver at aNorth Carolina short track died over the weekend after suffering amedical emergency while competing in arace, officials said.

Robbie Brewer’scar struck head-on awall on the quartermile trackatBowmanGrayStadium in Winston-Salem andcame to astop near the start-finish line.

Track workers peeled away the roof to remove the53-year-old Brewer,and an ambulance took him to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist hospital, after which he died, the Winston-Salem Journal reported.

“Weare saddened by the passing of Robbie Brewer after he was transported to an area medical facility following an on-track medical incident,” track officials said Sunday in astatement. “Robbie was atalented and passionate racer,and highly respected

Pawolearns praise for herworkbehindplate

Umpire breezes throughher first majorleague games

BY CHARLESODUM Associated Press

ATLANTA— Jen Pawol breezed through Sunday’sMarlins-Braves gameasifbreaking agender barrier was just another day on the job.

Considering Pawol becamethe first femaleumpiretoworkbehind theplateinthe majors, making history appear to be routine was especially impressive.

“I think Jen did areally nice job,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said after Atlanta’s7-1 win over the Marlins.

“I think she’svery composed back there. She handled andmanaged the game very well. And big day for her.Big day for Major League Baseball. Icongratulated her again on that because it’s quite theaccomplishment.”

It was an impressive cap toa memorable weekend for Pawol. She made history in Saturday’s doubleheaderasthe first female umpire to workaregular-season gameinthe majors. She called the bases in the doubleheader before moving behind theplateonSunday, placing herinthe brightest spotlight for an umpire.

Pawolnevershowedany indication of being affected by theattention, even whileknowingevery call would be closely watched. She called balls andstrikes with 93% accuracy,according to Ump Scorecards.

“Congrats to Jen,obviously,” said Braves left-hander Joey Wentz,who earned the win by allowing one run in 51/3 innings.

Askedabout Pawol’scalls, Wentz said, “I try not to focus on the zone, to be honest with you. Ithought it was good though.”

Therewere few opportunities

for disputes as Wentz and Miami starting pitcherCal Quantrillcombined foronly threestrikeouts.

The first called third strike came in thefifthinning, when Pawol used a fist pump when calling out Miami’s Kyle Stowersona pitchthatwas close to the edge of the plate.

McCullough wasseen in the Marlins dugout with his palmsheld up as if askingabout the pitch call. He saidafter thegameit’snot unusual to question aclose called strike.

“Over the course of the game, there are anumber of times that you just aregoing to be asking for clarityonone,ifyou aren’t sure,” McCulloughsaid.“So it couldhave been that.”

The 48-year-old Pawol was called up as arover umpire, so her next assignment in the majors hasnot been announced.

“I wish herthe best moving forward as she continues to, I’msure, hopefullyone daybeupfull time you know,apermanent big league umpire,” McCullough said.

Pawol also receivedpositive reviews from Braves manager Brian

Snitker, who on Saturdaysaid, “You can tell she knows whatshe does.” Pawol’swork in the minor leagues began in 2016 whenshe wasassigned to the Gulf Coast League. She worked in the Triple-A championship gamein2023 and in spring training games in 2024 and again this year “Wecertainly didn’tcallher up from Aball, right?” Quantrill said. “So yeah, I’m sure she waswell prepared. And like Isaid, Ithink, youknow, part of the game moving forward is that if this is normal, then we’re going to treat it normal, too. So,you know, Ithought it was fine. Ithink she did she did aqualityjob And yeah,Ithink she’d be very proud of herself.And, you know,it’skind of acool little thing to be part of.” Pawol spoke to reporters on Saturday when she said, “The dream actually cametrue today.I’m still living in it. I’m so grateful to my family and Major League Baseball for creating such an incredible work environment. …I’m just so thankful.”

BYNATERYAN Associated Press

Labelingstatistics as “kind of an American thing,” Shane van Gisbergen avoids dwelling on his record-setting rookie season in the NASCARCup Series.

competitor among his peers. Our thoughtsand prayersare with Robbie’sfamilyand friends at this time.”

Details of the medical emergency weren’treleased.

Brewer was competing in a 20-lap Sportsman Series race at Bowman Gray,where thousands of racingfansturn out weekly on Saturdaynightsinthe spring and summer for races across four divisions. Bowman Gray also was thelocale for this year’spreseason NASCAR Cup Series exhibition eventinearly February

Brewer’sfirst career start at the oval came in1990, and he made nearly 260 starts in the Sportsman Division, winningthe points championship in 2011, the newspaper reported FellowBowman Gray driver Brad Lewis, whose race shopis near where Brewer lived, said Brewer “was likeabig brother to me even though we were not that far apart in age.”

“It normally hitsmeonthe plane ride home or at 4a.m. after afew beers,” vanGisbergen saidSunday after conquering the Watkins Glen International roadcourse in New York for hisfourth victory this year.“Itry to reflect on it,but Ialso try and get to thenext week pretty quick. I’ll trynot to tweet at 4a.m. this morning.

If the laid-back Kiwi were into chest-pounding on social media, thelist of heady accomplishments includes being the third driver with four consecutive Cup wins on road or street courses, joining2020 championChase Elliott andNASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.

It also includes being the first rookie withfour victories —breaking atie with seven-time champion Jimmie Johnsonand three-time champion Tony Stewart —and the largest margin of victory(11.116 seconds) in Watkins Glen history andsecondlargest this season behind his 16.567-second win at MexicoCitythatwas thebiggest

gap from first to second since 2009. Thenext achievement could be theloftiest yet forthe driver from Auckland,New Zealand, who strugglesmassively on the ovals that comprise mostofthe season. Can vanGisbergen be alegitimate championship contender in Year 1? Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks, who put his reputation on theline andconvinced sponsors to risk millions on an audacious plan to make the Cup playoffs with an inexperienced and unheralded rookie,suggests adeep run awaits theNo. 88 Chevrolet.

“Shane just continues to go showcase whywe’ve madea longtermcommitment to him,why we brought him over here from New Zealand and built thisteam around him,” said Marks, who signedvan Gisbergen to amultiyear extension last week.“Because in asport like this where winning is so important and so hard to do, if you can catch somelightning in abottle like we’ve got with SVG,you’ve gottoreally lean into it. That’s what we’ve done. It’slike seeing a plan cometogether.”

The plan now has apath to the doorstep of aCup title.

The first round of 16 drivers is contested on three ovals, but van Gisbergen has asizable 22-point

cushion (victories are worth five points apiece for the playoffs) to overcome a26.9 averagefinish on ovals.

Pared downto12drivers, the second roundfeaturesa road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Awin there would catapult a driver into the third round, where eight drivers will square off for fourberths in thechampionship finale at Phoenix Raceway

“He’sinareally good position,” Marks said. “I think we have areal opportunity to get to the Round of 8.” The playoffs open at tricky Darlington Raceway,among the most difficult layouts in NASCAR due to its odd shape, but van Gisbergen is more concernedabout the firstround cutoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway.Hefinished 38th in his April 13 debut on the Tennessee short track.

“I ran terrible there,” said van Gisbergen, who finished20th a weekearlier at Darlington. “Bristol wassofar from anything I’ve ever done, and that’sareally tough place. That’sprobably the biggest worry.Darlington,I feel fine,especially nowthatwehavealot of points. You’ve just got to have three solid weeks, and you might get through.”

Family dinner is aback-to-schoolsecretweapon

BY AVERYNEWMARK

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

Just as quickly as we rocked out to “School’sOut,” we’re diving headfirst into supply runs,schedule shuffles and weeknight chaos. And if finding time for ahome-cooked meal sounds impossible, you’re not alone. Who even has the energy?

But according to Susana Solomon, alicensed professional counselor, core faculty at theUniversity of Phoenix,and mom of three, it might be time to rethink that assumption.

“If we nevermake the time, we won’thave the time,”Solomon, who is based in Atlanta, said.

“Evenifit’sjust, dare Isay,putting your Domino’spizza in the oven

just to get people together over a meal that they love.”

Betweennurturing kids’mental health andstrengthening bondsin the process, enjoying asharedmeal afew times aweek can become one of themost meaningful partsof your family’sroutine.

Here are afew tips Solomon recommends for makingfamily din-

ners work —nomatter whatyour evenings look like.

Whydinnertimematters

With years of experience counseling families in schools, youth detention centers and private practice, Solomonhas seenjusthow transformative dinner time can be.

“I always ask families, ‘If Iwere

afly on the wall during your last family meal,whatwould Isee?’” she said. “Sometimes the answer is that they haven’teaten together in weeks —and that’snot about shame. It’s aboutstarting where youare.” Studiesshowconsistency with shared meals,even just twoor

BY POET WOLFE | Staff writer

Hulk Hogan, whosereal name was Terry Bollea, became the face of professionalwrestlingduring itsrise in the 1980s. His signature horseshoe mustache, colorful headbandsand massive biceps he dubbed his “24-inch pythons”ignited Hulkamania —anenthusiastic fandom that evolved into a phenomenon

TIMES-PICAyUNE ARCHIVE PHOTO HulkHogan wrestles the Iron Sheik in 1986 at theSuperdome.

But before he found global stardom,Hogan madeapivotal stopin New Orleansand came back many times throughout the years. Hogan, theshirt-shredding showman whohelped transform professional wrestling intoabehemoth entertainment powerhouse, died

August 1980. An undefeated Hogan played “the heel,” or the villain, against the 500-pound wrestler Hogan returned for two bouts, one six years later and the other in 2014.

Iron Sheik, TheRock, ‘Silverdome’ In March 1986, Hoganreturned forWWF’sfirst appearance in New Orleanstowrestle hislongtimerival, Iron Sheik, at the Superdome. Thedim-lit arenawas packed with 16,000 spectators captivated by agrisly concoction of suplexes, body slamsand sleeper holds in the ring. As the crowds occasionally belted out “USA!”, children raced to the merchandise table for

Giant several times before, including his first trip to New Orleans for their bout at the Superdome in

ä See HULKHOGAN,

BY ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press

Tracee Ellis Ross,the actorbestknown for her roles in shows like “black-ish” and “Girlfriends,” happenstobesingle andwithout children, but she doesn’tlet either hold her back from experiencing afulfilling, joyful life, especially when it comes to vacations. When friends and familycan’t join her,orifshe just wantsto decompress, Ross will jet-set by herself and have afabuloustime doing it. She says she takes at least onesolo tripa year,and if vacationing with others,might stay a little longer to include alone time In anew three-part docuseries streaming on The Roku Channel, “Solo TravelingwithTracee Ellis Ross,” acamera crew follows the actor on solo tripstoMarrakech, Morocco; Cancún, Mexico; and Marbella, Spain. Ross saysher first solo travel experience was in her 20s, and she’slearned over theyears that even the uncomfortable moments of being by herself have given her coping skills for everyday life.

“What Ifind is thatI gain amuscle strength around being uncomfortable,” she told The Associated Press in arecentinterview “It’s like when abaseball player

Help!Someone mightoverhearhow oldIam!

Dear Miss Manners: WhenIam picking up aprescription,the druggist usually asks for my birth date, sometimes in front of other people. Must Isay the year? I bristle at this. Aren’tladies allowed to hide their ages? Isn’tthe name, date and month enough?

strangers picking up their own prescriptions mightoverhear your birthdate. Miss Mannersbegs you not to hang on to this humiliating idea.

Judith Martin

Gentle reader: Oh, please don’teven think that way Yes, the idea has long been prevalent that alady should be able to conceal her age. Do you know why? Because only nubile females were considered worthwhile —making it an embarrassment for women toage. Youapparently believe this, or you wouldn’tbefrettingthat

MISS MANNERS

Dear Miss Manners: I’m throwing asurprise 90th birthdayparty for my father —atruly wonderful and well-loved man. Iwant this celebration to feel intimate and meaningful, centered around his closest friends, beloved neighbors andfamily In tryingtodecide whom to invite, Itook asomewhat roundabout approach: I’d casually ask my dad, who is still unaware of the party,ifhe’d recently spoken

Reusinggreetingcards

Dear Heloise: Saved greeting cards are cluttering up my closets —Christmas cards, birthday cards, and Mother’sDay cards! I have shoe boxes full of them, but some of them Ican part with So, Icut out the images on Christmas cards and write “to” and “from” on the backs to make gift tags. This saves me from buying more gift tags and keeps some paper out of the recycle bin.

have beendoing thisfor over 40 years andrarely have bitter coffee. —Lynda D.,via email

Nightlight

with so-and-so. If he hadn’t, Itook it as asign that that person was not central tohis life at this time, and Ileft them off the guest list.

Here’swhere thingsgot tricky: Someinvited guestsasked to bring others, or suggested Iinvite additional people. Afew even informed me they had already told others about the party

To maintain themore intimate feel of themain event, Itold those gueststhat while the official party ends at 5, anyone they wanted to invite could stop by afterward. I let them know that there wouldn’t be another meal, but we’dhave beverages and snacks.

Somepeople didn’teven ask they simply increased their RSVP numbers without explanation. I

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Hulkamania shirts andlife-size posters —atestament to Hogan’s vast influence on all age groups.

wasn’tsure how to respond to this without sounding rude or ungracious, and I’mstill wrestling with whether Ihandled everything the right way Wasitinappropriate to suggest thatuninvited guests comeafter 5? Should Ihave just said “no” to adding more guests, even if it riskeddisappointing some people? Am Iabad person for trying to prioritize intimacy over inclusion?

This party meanssomuch to me; Iwant it to be worthy of my father’swarmth and legacy.But I’m struggling with boundaries, expectations and etiquette.

Gentlereader: Of course the host is in charge of the guest list, and is justified in explaining that the list is closed. The polite way is to

express regret and say you hope to see those proposed guests on another occasion.

Butinthis case, MissManners suggests that youmean it —not just therejection, but thesubsequent occasion. “I’m sorry Ican’t accommodate those friends now,” youcould say,“but I’msure my father would love to see them.Why don’tyou getintouch withhim after this,and arrange another visit?”

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mailtoMiss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.

Iuse birthday and other greeting cards the same way,and it is fun when the tag that gets cut from acard endsup on agift to the personwho sent me the card!

Ialso tape the top edge of the gift tag onto the package or gift bag so that it can be lifted up to show who gets the gift. Youcan also use apaper punch to makea hole for aribbon to slip through.

—Charlotte Kelly,inChristiansburg, Virginia Cinnamon’s thetrick

Dear Heloise: Iread the letters in arecent column regarding bitter coffee. Many years ago, Iwas told by an Italian gentleman to use about one-fourth of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to counteract the bitter taste. This smallamount does not affect the taste of the coffee. Just sprinkle it over the ground coffee before brewing!

Cinnamon provides several health benefits. If you are acinnamonlover,you can addmore to flavor your coffee this way. I

Dear Heloise: Ireceived abook reading light that clips ontobooks. Ilove it. I recently found myself stuck in awheelchair for seven weeks. Iused this book lighttohelp me navigate aroundmy house at night. Iclippedittothe dresser drawer and to the wheelchair itself tofind my way to the bathroom. Even my physicaltherapist thought it was a clever idea. —Pat B.,via email Hiding abag in thecar

Dear Heloise: Iwent to arestaurant with friends andparked my vehicleonthe street. Ihad alargesoft-sided tote with me that Ididn’twanttocarry inside, but my bag wastoo largetohide under thefront seats of my SUV So,Ipulled up thefloorofthe cargoarea in the trunk, which exposed thespare tire. Ithenplaced my bag on top of the tire and replaced thefloor panel.While the fit was not perfect, it was impossible to tell this from outsidethe car.Ihad completepeace of mind!You can also putathintowel over the tire for cleanliness. Ilove yourhints. —D.J.F., in Houston

Send ahint to heloise@heloise. com.

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday,Aug. 12,the 224thday of 2025. There are 141 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On Aug. 12, 2017, adriver sped into acrowd of people peacefully protesting aWhite nationalist rally in the Virginia college townofCharlottesville, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring more than adozen others. (The attacker,James Alex Fields, was sentenced to life in prison on 29 federal hate crime charges, and life plus 419years on state charges.)

Also on this date:

In 1867, President Andrew Johnson sparked amove to impeachhim as he defied Congress by suspending Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton,with whom he had clashed over Reconstruction policies.(Johnson was acquitted by the Senate.)

In 1898, fighting in the SpanishAmericanWar came toanend.

In 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,home to the Indianapolis 500, first opened

In 1944, during World WarII, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., eldest son of Joseph and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy,was killed withhis co-pilot when their explosivesladen Navy plane blew up over England.

In 1953, the Soviet Union conducted asecret testofits first hydrogen bomb.

In 1960, the first balloon communicationssatellite —the Echo 1—was launched by the United Statesfrom Cape Canaveral

In 1981, IBM introduced its first personalcomputer,the model 5150, at anews conference in New York.

In 1985, the world’sworst single-aircraft disaster occurred as acrippled Japan Airlines Boeing 747 on adomestic flight crashed into amountain, killing 520 people. Four passengers survived.

In 1990, fossilcollector Sue Hendrickson found one of the largest and best preserved Ty-

rannosaurusrex skeletons ever discovered; nicknamed “Sue” after Hendrickson, theskeleton is nowondisplay atChicago’sField Museum.

In 1994, in baseball’seighth work stoppagesince 1972, playerswent on strikerather than allow team owners to limit their salaries.

In 2000, the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk and its 118mancrew were lost during naval exercises in theBarents Sea.

In 2013, James “Whitey” Bulger, the feared Boston mob boss who became one of the nation’s most-wanted fugitives, was convicted in astring of 11 killingsand dozens of other gangland crimes, many of them committed while he was saidto be an FBI informant. (Bulger was sentenced to life; he was fatally beaten at aWest Virginia prison in 2018, hours after being transferred from afacility in Florida.)

In 2022, Salman Rushdie, theauthorwhose writing led to deaththreatsfrom Iran in the 1980s, was attacked and stabbed in the neck by aman who rushed the stage as he was about togive alecture in western New York.

Today’sBirthdays: Investor and philanthropist George Soros is 95. Actor GeorgeHamilton is 86. Singer-musician Mark Knopfler(Dire Straits) is 76. Singer Kid Creole (Kid Creole and the Coconuts) is 75. Film director Chen Kaigeis73. Jazz guitarist PatMethenyis71. Actor Bruce Greenwood is 69. Basketball Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard is 66. Rapper SirMix-A-Lot is 62. Actor Peter Krause is 60. Tennis Hall of Famer PeteSampras is 54. Actor-comedian Michael Ian Black is 54. Actor Yvette Nicole Brown is 54. Actor Casey Affleckis50. Boxer Tyson Fury is 37.Actor Lakeith Stanfield is 34. NBA All-Star Khris Middleton is 34. Actor Cara Delevingne is 33. Tennisplayer StefanosTsitsipas is 27.

“It amazes me. It’s like thearena in ancient Rome, andthese guys arethe gladiators,” asecurity guard told The Times-Picayune.

Hogan, alongside Dwayne Johnson, made his final visit to theSuperdome in 2014 to host WrestleMania XXX. Sporting ared bandanna and asleeveless shirt, he strutted therunway and addressed thecrowd.

It was then when Hogan mistakenly referred to the Superdome as the Silverdome —amoment thatbecame the subject of jokes through thenight.

“I’m sorry,itisthe Superdome, brothers. Iwas just thinking about body slamming Andre the Giant, but yes, we are here in the Superdomewithout adoubt,” he said.

Like its earlyembrace of the UltimateFighting Championship, New Orleans’ recurring role in Hogan’s career underscored thecity’slongtime openness to combat sports, decades beforeitwas mainstream in American entertainment.

MardiGrasmambo

Hogan also reignedasking at

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swings with two bats, andthenby the time they gettothe onebat, it feels lighter.When you get back into your regular day life and uncomfortable things happen, Ihave musclememory to knowhow to walk through this on my own.”

Ross sharedtips to traveling as a partyofone:

Ease into it

“Start by going to dinnerby yourself,” Ross says. “Andifyou feel nervous aboutdoingthat, go to dinner by yourself on aTuesday night at 6o’clock and workyour way up to going to dinner by yourselfonaSaturdayorFridaynight at 8o’clock.

“Walk up to the host and say,‘I need atable for one.’ Seewhatit feels like to be in that experience because it will only be that times 10 on vacation.”

She suggests bringing something like abook or an iPad when you’re eatingalone, andalso for when you’respending time in your room. That way,“if you end up having to stay in your hotel room the wholetimeand only going to a restaurantinyour hotel or somewhere just around the corner,you don’tfeel like you have ruined your tripand done something stupid.

Know whyyou’retakingthe trip

Ross says there are different reasons for solo trips and you need to understand what yours is.

DINNER

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three times aweek,builds emotional safety and self-esteem in kids. Solomonsaid the impact is even greater when paired withsimple rituals like “rose, thorn and bud,”where each person sharessomething good from theirday,achallenge they faced and somethingthey’re looking forward to or want to improve.

“Children thrive when there’s predictability,” Solomon explained. “And aregular shared meal offersthat.”

Redefining thetable

The modernversion of dinner might happen at 9p.m. after alate shift, or withgranola bars in the

the 2008 Krewe of Bacchus parade —atitle he accepted partly to meet the patientsatChildren’s Hospital.

In March of that year,Hogan lead thekrewe of 31 floats toward theBacchus Rendezvous ball, showering revelers with doubloons along the way.For just a

where

“Are you going on asolotrip because you’re single andwantto meet other people?Are yougoing on asolotrip because your life is overwhelmed with your children, your dogs, your cats, your job, yourlife, your survival, all the things, and you’re going to have amoment to sort of rechargeand getaway by yourself? Or are you going for an adventure?” she asks.

Once you’ve decided whatkind of experience you’re seeking, you canmake plans to achieve it realistically and safely

Safety,safety, safety

No matterhow independent you are, certain kinds of travelers are morevulnerable than others, especially if they’re by themselves, Ross notes.Takesafety seriously

car between gymnasticsand tutoring. That’sOK. What matters, according to Solomon,isintention “Toschedule with intention is important,” she said. “The fact of the matterisifyou don’tcarveout time for your schedule like youwould for adoctor’sappointment or abusiness meeting …we’re (going to) continue to miss (opportunities).”

For families who feel unsure how to spark connection, Solomon says it startswith parentsmodeling openness. “Kids don’twant to feel interrogated,”she said. “Lead with vulnerability.Share something that happenedinyour day,then invite them in.”

Technology at thetable

Ditching screensentirely may

few hours, he tore away from his famously aggressive image, one The Times-Picayune once called “the wrestling embodimentof truth, justice andteen-aged American lust.”

Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe@ theadvocate.com.

when mapping out your itinerary

“You might notfeelvulnerable, but depending on where you’re going, it might leave you vulnerable. That’savery specific distinction and something to plan forinorder to have agood experience,” she says.

“Ifyou are aBlack woman,if youare awoman,ifyou areLGBTQIA, if you are non-binary,if you are differently abled —that might leaveyou vulnerable in a foreign place. Make sure you do the best diligence you can to make sure you’re going somewhere that can create asense of safety for youwith whateverthose vulnerabilities,” she says.

Ross prefers to travel to destinations with resorts where she can feel safeonher own. “Itallowsme to nothavetoadventure offproperty,” she said. And she returns to places whereshe’s found comfort “all the time.”

Do your trip research

Ross says she’saplanner by nature and does alot of research online. She also asks around for info about best navigating the experience from beginning to end. She likes to know whether particular airports are busy and what to expect when she gets there.If it’s abig airport andthere’salot of walking, she makes sure she has comfortableshoes.She also will pack apersonal fan if it’sgoing to be hot.

Knowing whattoexpect won’t just lead to feeling prepared and comfortable in general but feelingprepared and comfortable by yourself

not feel realistic, but Solomon recommends settinga 20-minutetechfree window during mealtimes and sticking to it.

“Turn offthe sound to the world and turn the volumeuptousconnecting,” she said.

Eventually, she says, thedinner table can feel like asanctuary where kids know they’re safe to vent, laugh or just be quiet.

“(Itbecomes) aplace where I’ve got your back andI want to know what’sbeen happening with you.”

Connection doesn’thave to be complicated. It just has to be intentional.

“Make time today.Ifwedon’t make time,we’ll never have the time,” she added. “These moments, no matter how brief,are the building blocks of connection.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Follow your heart and use your intelligence to navigate your way forward with confidence. Put your energy where it can work its magic and bring the return you crave.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) A change will make you feel uncomfortable, but don't hesitate if it's necessary. Take a deep breath and proceed with your eyes wide open, ready to make a difference.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Use your energy wisely. Refuse to waste time on nonsense you have no control over. A little ingenuity and discipline will ensure that you receive the acknowledgment you deserve.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Listen and observe, but when it comes to personal preferences, take the initiative to choose what's best for you. Feeling good about how you present yourself will change the dynamics of your conversations.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) You are in the zone and ready to achieve whatever you set out to do. Leave nothing to chance. Take control and see your dreams manifest into something concrete.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Be careful what you wish for Be on the lookout for negativity, deception and false claims. Verify information and distance yourself from anyone or anything that appears dubious.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You're on the right track. Maintain the momentum

and keep your communication with key people open. Partnerships and progress will go hand in hand, providing you with plenty to work toward.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Refuse to let a change to your environment unnerve you or make you reluctant to voice your opinion. When in doubt, ask; don't be afraid to say no or move forward on your own.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Mixed emotions will permeate your day, leaving you uncertain about how to respond. Talks look promising and will help you keep whatever's festering from turning into a meltdown.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Believing in yourself and your abilities is the best route forward. Distance yourself from anyone who puts a damper on your day. Trust your instincts and lead the way.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Take hold of whatever change appeals to you, and don't look back. Walk away from situations that are damaging to your ego, reputation or the lifestyle you want.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Take stock of how you live and where you are heading. Honesty is necessary if you want to bring about positive change. Don't get wrapped up in someone else's plans. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

J.P. Morgan of banking famesaid, “A man always has two reasons for doing anything —agood reason and the real reason.”

Abridge player chooses abid for two reasons —todescribehis hand as accuratelyaspossible andtoreach the right final contract. Of course, they are symbiotic, one helping the other. However, sometimes it isn’t obvious what bidtomake. Look at theSouth hand. You open one spade, and partner responds two clubs. What would you rebid?

Acolumnist explained that with6-4 shape, opener rebids in hissix-card suit with aminimum, but showsthe sidesuit when he has extras. That is true only whenthe four-card suitisa minor.When it is amajor, opener always showsit. To rebidtwospadeshereinprincipledenies four hearts.

NowlookattheWesthand.Whatwould you lead against sevenhearts?

The writer gave abizarre auction before discussing the play in seven heartsafterWestleads alow club. South wins withhis queen, then shouldruffa spade,cashtheheartking,playaheartto his ace, ruff another spade, ruff aclubto establishthesuit,drawEast’slasttrump, and claim, the diamond ace being the entry to the club winners. He takes one spade, three hearts, one diamond, five clubs and the three ruffs.

Butwhy wouldWestlead aclub?

Perhaps he hoped that East wasvoid in the suit.But if he had been, he probablywouldhave made aLightner Slam Double, asking for alead in the first suit bid by dummy.Adiamond lead defeats sevenhearts.Ingeneral,donotleadsuits bidbythe opponents ©2025 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed toDAy’s WoRD InFERRInG: in-FUR-ing: Deriving as aconclusion fromfacts or premises.

Average mark11words Timelimit 25 minutes Can you find 23 or morewords in INFERRING?

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

useofdbl garg JOAN FARABAUGH* 504-723-5767. Re/MaxAffiliates* 504-834-7656. Ea ofcindependently o&o.

10,000 AptHomes and 75 Locationswith Studio,1,2 &3 Bedrooms Pools, Access Gates, Garages (504)

NEWORLEANS EAST 10686 HayneBlvd. 2BR/1.5BA, Apt. D, $1100/dep/mth. Call 504-908-4291

TITLE: NortheastParking Lot &EastParking Lot–Phase1 &2 EVENTNO: 4370 TYPE OF SOLICITATION: Public Works DBEOPPORTUNITY: 38.10% RELEASED ON: Monday,August11, 2025 at 8:00 AM CST DEADLINETORESPOND: Friday September12, 2025 by 1:00 PM CST PRE-BIDCONFERENCE: TBD Datesaresubject to changesvia an adden‐dumpostedbythe Bu‐reau of Purchasing on theCity’ssupplierportal. If youwishtoreceive no‐tification of addendum posted by theBureauof Purchasing aboutthis event, register as asup‐plierorupdateyoursup‐plieraccount (ifalready registered)and select thefollowing commodity code(s): COMMODITY CODE(s): 951-07

TheCityofNew Orleans strongly encourages mi‐nority-ownedand women-ownedbusi‐nesses, socially andeco‐nomicallydisadvantaged businessesand small businessestorespond to this solicitation,orto participateinsubcon‐tracting opportunities pursuant to this solicita‐tion Formoreinformation aboutthisevent,goto www.nola.govand click on “BRASS SupplierPor‐tal” under “BIDS& CON‐TRACTS”. Once on the SupplierPortal, search “OpenEvents. Thankyou foryourinter‐estindoing business with theCityofNew Or‐leans. JamesC.Simmons,Jr ChiefProcurement

4502

TYPE OF SOLICITATION: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

DBEOPPORTUNITY: WAIVED

RELEASED ON: AUGUST 5, 2025

DEADLINETORESPOND: SEPTEMBER2,2025

PRE-BIDCONFERENCE: AUGUST 20, 2025

Datesare subjectto changesvia an adden‐dumpostedbythe Bu‐reau of Purchasing on theCity’ssupplierportal.

If this solicitation is fed‐erally funded,prospec‐tive bidder/respondent must payparticularat‐tentiontoall applicable laws andregulations of theFederal government andthe Stateof Louisiana.

TheBureauofPurchas‐ingusescommodity codestonotifysuppliers of therelease of asourc‐ingevent andsubse‐quentmodificationsvia addendum. Note that you wouldreceive thosenoti‐ficationsifyou selected thefollowing commodity code(s) before there‐leaseofthe sourcing event: COMMODITY CODE(s): 962-58 TheCityofNew Orleans strongly encourages mi‐nority-ownedand women-ownedbusi‐nesses, socially andeco‐nomicallydisadvantaged businesses andsmall businesses to respondto this solicitation,orto participateinsubcon‐tracting opportunities pursuant to this solicita‐tion

Formoreinformation aboutthissourcing event, go to www.nola. govand clickon“BRASS SupplierPortal” under “BIDS& CONTRACTS” Once on theSupplierPor‐tal, search “Open Events.” Thankyou foryourinter‐estindoing business with theCityofNew Or‐leans. JamesSimmons,Jr. ChiefProcurement Officer

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