The Advocate 08-27-2025

BACK ON CAMPUS

Thousands of students filled the LSU campus on Monday as classes began for the fall semester

ABOVE: Students cross Highland Road at Veterans Drive during the first day of classes on Monday

RIGHT: Sisters Delaney Cousin, a freshman, and Danielle Cousin, a senior, pose together at a photo booth set up on campus for the start of the fall semester

State argues to revoke man’s parole eligibility

Craig convicted of killing LSU student in 1992

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

More than three decades ago, four Baton Rouge teenagers carjacked, kidnapped, terrorized and pistol-whipped an LSU freshman before Dale Dwayne Craig killed the student execution-style.

Craig was a week shy of his 18th birthday in September 1992, when he shot and killed Kipp Earl Gullet at a secluded South Baton Rouge construction site. He was

ä See PAROLE, page 9A

Plans dropped for solar farm

Project near White Castle drew local opposition

BY TIMOTHY BOONE Staff writer

NextEra Energy has dropped plans to build a 2,000-acre solar farm near White Castle, a project that drew strong local opposition.

In a Facebook post Tuesday morning, the Iberville Parish government said the Florida-based company had withdrawn its application for the solar farm, which had been dubbed Coastal Prairie Solar

“Our Parish has never accepted any Solar projects, but also have never denied any as well!”

CHRIS DAIGLE, Iberville Parish president

“While we are not actively pursuing an application for the Coastal Prairie Solar project at this time, our focus remains on identifying opportunities that align with the needs and priorities of Iberville Parish,” NextEra said in a statement. Parish President Chris Daigle said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that Iberville is “at a crossroads” regarding solar farms.

“Our Parish has never accepted any Solar projects, but also have never denied any as well!” Daigle wrote. “We feel that after hearing the public’s concerns at the community meeting in White Castle this past May, NextEra Energy has made the decision to withdraw any future plans for the Coastal Prairie Solar Project.”

He said the Parish Council will make “smart growth” decisions about the future of the parish. No other solar farm project applications are currently under consideration, he said.

The 175-megawatt project would have been built near La. 993. Plans were for Entergy to sign a 20-year contract to purchase the power generated by the farm. It would have gone into

ä See SOLAR, page 9A

Explosion leaves many unemployed

Smitty’s blast drives employees to visit workforce officials

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

Jessie Hughes saw a 15-foothigh flame shooting from the top of a tank and knew he had little time to escape. The 56-year-old had stepped out at midday on Friday to switch hoses on equipment at Smitty’s Supply Inc. near Roseland, only to see the fire when he returned to his work area. Hughes, an 11-year employee of Smitty’s, said there was no time to find and use a fire

extinguisher on the 10,000-gallon motor oil mixing tank. He began evacuating an estimated 50 people from his part of the large lubricants plant.

“I told everyone to get out that was in my location I told them to get out,” he said in an interview Tuesday Hughes, who specialized in mixing additives into the various brands of motor oil packaged at Smitty’s, survived the harrowing moments of the fire and related explosions with his co-workers. But now he is among hundreds of employees out of a job and one of at least 160 who have visited state workforce officials in Hammond for help over the past two days.

Hughes, a Greensburg

ä See EXPLOSION, page 8A

Scientists get peek inside of exploding star

NEWYORK Scientists for the first time have spotted the insides of a dying star as it exploded, offering a rare peek into stellar evolution.

Stars can live for millions to trillions of years until they run out of fuel. The most massive ones go out with a bang in an explosion called a supernova.

Using telescopes that peer deep into space, researchers have observed many such explosions The cosmic outbursts tend to jumble up a dying star’s layers, making it hard for scientists to observe the inner structure.

But that wasn’t the case for the new discovery, a supernova called 2021yfj located more than 2 billion light years from Earth.

The collapsing star’s outermost layers of hydrogen and helium had peeled away long ago, which wasn’t surprising. But the star’s dense, innermost layers of silicon and sulfur had also shed during the explosion.

“We have never observed a star that was stripped to this amount,” said Northwestern University’s Steve Schulze, who was part of the discovery team that published the research Wednesday in the journal Nature. The finding lends evidence to ideas scientists have about how large stars look near the end of their lives, organized into layers with lighter elements on the outside and heavier ones close to the core.

Firefighters try to corral California forest blaze

FRESNO, Calif. — Firefighting crews tried to corral a fastgrowing blaze churning through central California’s Sierra National Forest as forecasters warned Tuesday that lightning strikes from thunderstorms could spark new ignitions.

Since breaking out Sunday afternoon, the Garnet Fire has scorched 14 square miles of grass, chaparral and timber in a remote area known for camping and hiking about 60 miles east of Fresno. There was no containment. Firefighters were aided by scattered rain showers as they worked to protect the tiny Balch Camp community and nearby hydroelectric facilities along the Kings River, according to a Tuesday incident report.

“However, continued strong, erratic winds on top of dry, heavy vegetation will likely test containment efforts,” the report said. Parts of central and northern California are under red flag warnings for increased fire threat from dry lightning that could accompany thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said.

The 10-square-mile Pickett Fire in Napa County wine country saw little growth Monday as crews kept flames contained to canyons about 80 miles north of San Francisco. It was 17% contained on Tuesday There have been no reports of damage to any vineyards from the fire, a spokesperson for the trade group Napa Valley Vintners said Monday

2 tropical storms churn over open waters

MIAMI Tropical storms Juliette and Fernand churned Tuesday over open waters, one in the Pacific Ocean and one in the Atlantic, at the same time as some officials continued to deal with the aftermath of the massive Hurricane Erin which neared the northern Caribbean and U.S. last week. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect for either storm, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Tropical Storm Juliette posed no immediate threat to land, forecasters said. The storm was in the Pacific about 500 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. It had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Fernand also was far from land and forecast to remain over open ocean waters. On Tuesday, it was about 635 miles south of Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and heading northeast at 13 mph BRIEFS FROM

Israel says Gaza strikes targeted Hamas camera

20 were killed in hospital attack

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, MELANIE LIDMAN and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIRAL-BALAH,GazaStrip The Israeli military said Tuesday that its double strike on a Gaza hospital that killed 20 people targeted what it believed was a Hamas surveillance camera. But the first strike killed a cameraman from the Reuters news agency doing a live television shot, according to witnesses and health officials.

The military released its initial findings into the strike, offering no immediate explanation for striking twice and no evidence for an assertion that six of the dead were militants, including two who were identified by their employers as a health care worker at the hospital and an emergency services driver

The dead also included five journalists.

The military said the back-toback strikes on southern Gaza’s largest hospital were ordered because soldiers believed militants were using the camera to observe Israeli forces. But its account appeared to contradict the sequence of events in Monday’s attack on Nasser Hospital.

A senior Hamas official denied that Hamas was operating a camera at the hospital

“If this claim was true, there are many means to neutralize this camera without targeting a health care facility with a tank shell,” Bassem Naim, a member of the group’s political bureau, told The Associated Press in a phone interview

An initial strike hit a top floor of one of the hospital’s buildings. Reuters cameraman Hussam alMasri was killed in that blast while filming from the site, according to a fellow journalist and a doctor at the hospital.

Hospital officials said a second person, who has not been identified, was also killed in the first strike.

Health workers, journalists and relatives of patients then rushed up an external staircase to reach the site of the first blast.

Photos taken from below showed at least 16 people gathered on the staircase, trying to help those hit. Among them were four men wearing the orange vests of emergency responders or health workers. No one on the staircase was seen holding weapons.

Video footage taken by Al-Ghad TV shows the second strike hitting, causing a large boom and engulfing everyone on the staircase in smoke Hospital officials say 18 people were killed in the second

strike.

The military did not elaborate on why it struck a second time or how it would have identified militants among the crowd on the staircase. Its statement was issued after an initial inquiry into the attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “tragic mishap.”

Among the six people killed Monday that Israel claimed were militants were Jumaa al-Najjar, a health care worker at Nasser Hospital, and Imad al-Shaar, a driver with Gaza’s civil defense agency, which operates under the Hamasrun Interior Ministry, according to the agency and Nasser hospital’s casualty list.

Without offering evidence, Israel has in the past identified emergency responders that work under the Hamas-run government as militants to be targeted, including in the killing of 15 medics in March, when Israeli troops opened fire on ambulances in southern Gaza.

The military’s chief of general staff acknowledged several “gaps” in the investigation so far, including the kind of ammunition used to take out the camera.

The initial findings emerged Tuesday as a surge of outrage and unanswered questions mounted, after international leaders and rights groups condemned the strikes.

Swift, Kelce announce their engagement over Instagram

It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes

BY JOCELYN NOVECK and DAVE SKRETTA Associated Press

KANSASCITY,Mo.— Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, they announced Tuesday In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairy tale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base.

“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick.

Kelce was a famous football player when they met — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion but Swift’s unique level of fame catapulted him into a different orbit entirely

Their relationship was documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s “Eras” concert tour as it traveled the globe.

There were those who speculated, with no evidence, that the relationship was not genuine but a cynical ploy for more fame, while some even theorized it was a plot to influence the U.S. elections In the end those voices were quieted by a happy couple who simply looked in love

— now with an engagement ring rivaling the size of Kelce’s three Super Bowl rings.

It’s unclear when and where the two, both 35, got engaged. Representatives

for Swift and Kelce did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment on that detail, though Swift publicist Tree Paine confirmed the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut diamond from Kindred Lubeck. Scarcely over an hour later Kelce was stretching for practice in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Chiefs do not anticipate making Kelce available until next week in Brazil, where they open the season against the Chargers in Sao Paulo.

It’s been just two weeks since Swift — and Kelce last ignited a media frenzy with the announcement of her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” (It comes out Oct. 3.) Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, assisted Swift with the rollout, hosting her on their typically football-oriented podcast, “New Heights.” During the episode, she likened her career to her now-fiancé’s, saying their jobs were “to entertain people for three hours in NFL stadiums.”

Air Force resumes

M18 pistol use

Pause issued after airman’s death

By The Associated Press

BARKSDALEAIR FORCE BASE A

U.S. Air Force command says nearly all of its Sig Sauer M18 pistols can be safely carried at nuclear weapons sites after the death of an airman sparked a monthlong pause and safety inspection of the handguns.

Sig Sauer is currently facing lawsuits over unintentional discharge claims about the civilian version of the pistol, the P320. Other military branches kept using the M18 while the Air Force Global Strike Command reviewed whether its inventory was safe.

The command found 191 of its handguns needed repairs, mostly for wear to their safety lever, striker assembly or sear, which is part of the trigger mechanism, the Air Force said. Nearly 8,000 M18s passed inspection. Security forces at bases were able to use M18s again as of Monday, the Louisiana-based command said in a news release, and enhanced inspection procedures for the guns will be implemented.

“It is paramount that our Airmen trust their weapon systems,” Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the AFGSC commander, said in the news release. A review of weapon discharges showed that none were attributed to weapons malfunction, the news release said.

Lawsuits against Sig Sauer allege the P320 pistol can go off without the trigger being pulled. The New Hampshire-based gunmaker denies the claims, saying the pistol is safe and the problem is user error It has prevailed in some cases.

The pause was enacted on July 21, a day after the death of Brayden Lovan of the 90th Security Forces Squadron, 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base outside Cheyenne The 21-year-old airman began his first active-duty assignment at the base in November 2023. An unidentified airman was arrested on suspicion of making a false official statement, obstruction of justice and involuntary manslaughter, the Air Force said earlier this month.

Trucker crash prompts review of state funding

Investigation launched over deadly U-turn

BY JOSH FUNK AP transportation writer

California, Washington and New Mexico could lose millions of dollars of federal funding if they continue failing to enforce English language requirements for truckers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday An investigation launched after a deadly Florida crash involving a foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn on Aug. 12 found what Duffy called significant failures in the way all three states are enforcing rules that took effect in June after one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders He said the department was also already reviewing how states were enforcing the rules before the crash. Truckers are supposed to be disqualified if they can’t demonstrate English proficiency and Duffy said the driver involved in the crash that killed three should not have ever been given a commercial driver’s license because of his immigration status.

But the crash has become increasingly political with the governors of California and Florida criticizing each other and Duffy highlighting the Trump administration’s immigration concerns in interviews.

But Duffy said Tuesday that it is a safety issue not a political one — because truckers need to understand road signs and be able to communicate with law enforcement about what they are hauling if they are pulled over or what happened if there is an accident.

FANJOy

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BENJAMIN

Harjinder Singh is escorted onto an airplane by Florida

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and law enforcement on Aug. 21 in Stockton, Calif.

“This is about keeping people safe on the road. Your families, your kids, your spouses, your loved ones, your friends We all use the roadway, and we need to make sure that those who are driving big rigs semis — can understand the road signs, that they’ve been well trained,” Duffy said The Transportation Department said California has conducted roughly 34,000 inspections that found at least one violation since the new language standards took effect requiring truck drivers be able to recognize and read road signs and communicate with authorities in English. But only one inspection involved an English language rules violation that resulted in a driver being taken out of service. And 23 drivers with violations in other states were allowed to continue driving after inspections in California.

He cited similar statistics for the other states with Washington finding more than 6,000 violations of safety rules during inspections, but only pulling four drivers out of service for English

language violations New Mexico has not placed any drivers out of service since the rules took effect.

Duffy said the states will lose money from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program if they don’t comply with the rules within 30 days. Duffy said California could lose $33 million, Washington could lose $10.5 million and New Mexico could lose $7 million.

California Gov Gavin Newsom’s press office said on the social platform X that the Trump administration is just trying to deflect responsibility for the crash Washington’s governor declined to comment until after officials review Duffy’s letter, and New Mexico officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“This is rich The Trump Administration approved the federal work permit for the man who killed 3 people — and now they’re scrambling to shift blame after getting caught. Sean’s nonsense announcement is as big a joke as the Trump Administration itself,” Newsom’s office said.

Texas election map for 2026 is racially biased, suit says

By The Associated Press

AUSTIN,Texas

Voting-rights advocates sued Tuesday to overturn a redistricting map drawn by Texas Republicans meant to favor the party in the 2026 midterm elections, saying it weakens the electoral influence of Black voters.

The NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed the lawsuit in Texas.

They accuse Texas legislative leaders of engaging in gerrymandering to prevent Black voters from electing candidates of their choice.

“The state of Texas is only 40% White, but White voters control over 73% of the state’s congressional seats,” Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “It’s quite

obvious that Texas’s effort to redistrict mid-decade, before next year’s midterm elections, is racially motivated. The state’s intent here is to reduce the members of Congress who represent Black communities, and that, in and of itself, is unconstitutional.”

Since the Voting Rights Act was adopted, the state of Texas has been found to have discriminated against Black and/or Brown citizens after every cycle of redistricting, according to the NAACP Black residents for decades have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates.

Texas lawmakers approved the map Saturday adding five new districts favoring Republicans The move came after President

Donald Trump requested it. The effort by Trump and Texas’ Republican-majority Legislature prompted state Democrats to hold a two-week walkout and kicked off a wave of redistricting efforts across the country California Gov Gavin Newsom in response has approved a special election for a redrawn map to help Democrats win more seats.

Republican Sen Phil King, the Texas measure’s sponsor, previously denied accusations alleging that the redrawn districts violate the Voting Rights Act by diluting voters’ influence based on race. “I had two goals in mind: That all

BY RODNEY MUHUMUZA Associated Press

KAMPALA,Uganda The highest-profile detainee that the United States seeks to deport, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, appears to be headed to Uganda, where critics claim that a deal with the Trump administration eases political pressure on a president who’s ruled for nearly four decades. Ugandan officials have released few details about the agreement but have said they prefer to receive deportees of African origin and don’t want people with criminal records. Abrego Garcia is an El Salvador native who has been charged with human smuggling. He has pleaded not guilty Abrego Garcia, the subject of a protracted immigration saga, was detained again Monday by immigration officials in the U.S., and the Department of Homeland Security said he “is being processed for removal to Uganda.” Other African nations already have accepted deportees.

In July, the U.S. deported five men with criminal backgrounds to the southern Afri-

can kingdom of Eswatini and sent eight others to South Sudan, where civil war threatens to erupt again. Rwanda has said it will receive up to 250 migrants deported from the U.S. Opposition figures and others in Uganda on Tuesday questioned the lack of parliamentary approval for the agreement Without such oversight, “the whole scheme stinks,” said Mathias Mpuuga, until recently the leader of the opposition in Uganda’s national assembly

He said the agreement left him “a little perplexed” because Uganda already struggles to look after refugees fleeing violence in neighboring countries like Congo and South Sudan. He suggested the agreement makes sense only as a matter of “economic expediency” for Uganda’s government

It is unclear what Uganda’s government is receiving for accepting deportees, how many it might take or what its plans for Abrego Garcia might be The country’s attorney general, as well as government ministers in charge of refugees and internal affairs, were not immediately available for comment.

Hoax callsabout active shooters stir fear at colleges

At leastadozen campuses have been on alert

BY ANDREW DEMILLO and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press

Miceala Morano scrambled for cover behind a green screen in the University of Arkansasbroadcast room after she received a campuswide alert aboutan active shooter

As officers outside donned bulletproof vests and searched for an intruder, the 21-year-old journalism student called her grandmother,telling her,“As of right now,I’m safe. Ilove you.”

Monday’sthreat turned out to be part of arashof hoax calls about active shooters on college campuses —some featuring gunshots sounding in the background —that have sent waves of fear among students around the nation as the school year begins.

The calls prompted universities to issue textsto “run, hide, fight.” Students and teachers rushed for cover, oftencowering in classrooms and under desks for safety.Officers swarmed over campuses,seeking out any threat.

That the threats turned out to be false doesn’tmuch matter in the moment for terrified students.

“It’s really not funny,” Scanlon said.“If youexperience that real thing, you neverknowwhatcan happen next.”

Hours earlier, Tennessee authorities received similar false calls reportinganactiveshooter withanAR-15 stylerifle at theUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga andfourpersonsshot. Dispatchers reported hearing multiple gunshots on the calls.

“This incident was acriminalact, intendedtobedisruptive andcause chaos,” theschoolsaidina statement.

while responding to ahoax emergency call.

The FBI provided no information about amotive, but said Tuesdaythatitwas working withlaw enforcement on the swatting cases on college campuses, which comeassuch false reports surge nationwide.

Awave of threats three years ago was believed to have come fromoutside the country,the FBI said at the time.The agency provided fewdetails about the recent campus threats, including whether they are coordinated, but the calls appear to share similar traits.

to conceal their identities. Posner said law enforcement also faces the challenge of how easy phone carriers have madeitfor people to obtain anumber

“The only way for this to stop is to have some sort of enforcement and crackdown against the carriers that continuallyallowthistooccur,” Posner said.

Theworry is that hoaxes will create complacency at campuses where active shooter alerts and drills have become aregularpart of life.

“There’sjust these few minutes where all you really feel is fear,whether the threat’sthere or not,” said Morano, whose childhood activeshooter drills taught hertostack chairs blocking the classroom door and to climb into theceilingasa last resort.

The hoaxes and false alarms havehit atleast a dozencollegecampuses.

On Monday alone, law enforcement respondedto callsclaimingactiveshooters at Arkansas, Northern Arizona University, Iowa State,Kansas State, theUniversity of Colorado-Boulder and the University of New Hampshire. More calls were made Tuesday at the Universityof Kentucky,West VirginiaUniversity andCentral Georgia Technical College.

At Villanova University, students were attending Thursday’sOrientation Mass when law enforcement receivedmultiple calls abouta man opening fire on campus with an AR-15 style weapon. Sounds of gunfire could be heardinthe background of the calls.

Chairs banged together andbagsdropped as students fled,recalledRyan Scanlon, whowas in eighth grade at aneighboring school when the mass shooting occurredatMarjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. Now aVillanova senior,he joined others sheltering in the school library,waiting with little news for about an hour beforepolice arrived to clear out buildings.

TheUniversity of South Carolina alsoreceived two calls Sundayreporting an active shooter at theschool’s library,with the sound of gunshotsinthe background

South Carolina Gov.Henry McMaster said authorities must find whoever was behind the calls, comparing them to yelling fireina crowded theater

“It could have been alot worse than it was. Maybe next time it will be worse,” McMaster told reporters. Thegoal of swatting is to getauthorities, particularly aSWATteam,torespondto an address.

In an eraofmassshootings, the calls create aclimate of fear,sap law enforcement resources and can lead to deadly mistakes.

In 2017,for instance, apolice officer in Wichita, Kansas, shot and killed aman

Wisconsinjudge losesbid to drop charges

Justice accused of helping man evadeICE arrest

BY SCOTT BAUER Associated Press

MADISON,Wis. AWisconsin judge accused of helpinga manevadearrest by U.S immigration agents lostan attempt Tuesdaytothrow out the Trump administration’scase against her The prosecution of Milwaukee County Circuit JudgeHannah Dugan has highlighted the push by President Donald Trump’ s administration to confront state and local authorities who resist his sweepingimmigration crackdown.

Democrats haveaccused the administration of trying to makea nationalexample of Dugan to chilljudicialopposition to its deportation efforts. She was arrested at the county courthouse in April and indicted on federal charges in May.She quickly filed amotion to dismissthe charges, arguing that she wasacting in herofficial capacity as ajudge andis therefore immune from prosecution.

However,U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelmanon Tuesday rejected that argument and upheld the July recommendation of amagistrate judge who also ruled that the case could proceed

Adelman said the dispute boils down to Dugan arguing thatthere is ageneral rule of immunity for judges fromprosecution, with some limited exceptions, while the government argues that the cited exceptions are simply examples of types of prosecutions that have been brought

“A review of the relevant history reveals the government hasthe betterofthe argument,” Adelman wrote.

He said that “the particulars of this case may be unusual,” but “there is no firmly established judicial immunity barring criminal prosecution of judgesfor judicial acts.Thereisno basisfor grantingimmunity simplybecause some of the allegations in the indictment describe conduct that could beconsidered ‘partof ajudge’sjob.’

Attorneysfor Dugansaid in astatementthatthey were disappointed with the judge’sdecision, but “we look forward to thetrial which will show Judge Dugan did nothing wrong and simply treated this case like anyother in frontofher courtroom.”

Steve Caballero, spokesman for prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’sMilwaukee, hadnocommentonthe ruling.

Adelman’s decision could be appealed to the 7th U.S. Circuit Courtof Appeals.He scheduled ahearing in the case for Sept. 3.

Dugan has pleadednot guiltytohelping aman in thecountry illegally try to evadeauthorities. No trial datehas been set. She faces up to six years in prison and a$350,000 fine if convicted on both counts. In amotion in May to dismissthe charges, Dugan argued that the federal government violated Wisconsin’ssovereigntybydisrupting astate courtroom and prosecuting astate judge.

Duganalso arguedthat theprosecution under federal law violated the U.S. Constitution’sseparation of powers because it overrides thestate of Wisconsin’sability to administer its courts

The judge rejected her arguments.

Dugan is charged with concealing an individual to prevent arrest,amisdemeanor,and obstruction, which is afelony.Prosecutors say she escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, and his lawyer out of her courtroom through aback door on April 18 after learning that U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the courthouse seeking to arrest him for being in the country without permanent legal status.

Agents arrested FloresRuizoutside the courthouse after abrief foot chase.

Milwaukee police last week released body camera footage of Dugan saying she didn’tknow Flores-Ruiz was in the country illegally.The

Most involvedmultiple calls about an active shooter or shooting, and at least four included the sound of gunshots in the background.

Fred Posner,atelephoning consultant at LOD.com, said advances in technology have madeiteasier forpeople making such swatting calls

“Welive in tornado alley where people go hear atornado warning and go outside to look,” said Mya Norman, a chemistry instructor at Arkansas whohid trembling under her desk as the Fayetteville campus remained on lockdown. “Soitdoes concern me that we could endupwiththatkind of an effect.”

comments were captured three days before her arrest afterDugan called policebecause of potentially threatening flyers sheand family membershad received.

The footage shows Dugan telling policethat media reports hadbeen swirling about how she supposedly “hid” Flores-Ruiz in her courtroom.

Presidentthreatens to deploy troops to Chicago

Residentspoint to downward crimetrend

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO, SOPHIA TAREEN and OBED LAMY Associated Press

CHICAGO President Donald Trump’sthreats to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago sent ripples through America’sthirdlargest city as many residents defended their home against Trump’sescalating rhetoric toward its violent crime, including claims it is a“killing field.”

The threat of federal troops stirred amix of fear, frustration and defiance for residents asthey pointed to historic drops in violent crime. Groups constantly pressing for police reform said sending troops who lacktraining in de-escalating violence or any knowledge about the nuancesof neighborhoods still grappling withviolent crime would undo progress made in recent years.

The sentiment was echoed by people going about their day —commuters heading to work, cyclists weaving through traffic, and friends pausing to take photosalong Michigan Avenue —who said the presence of troops would only heighten tensions, not ease them.

“It’sadirect affront to the progress our communities have made,” said Bradly Johnson, who leads BUILD Chicago. The anti-violence organization focuses its efforts on neighborhoods on the city’sWest Side that have seen persistent crime, even as rates overall have fallen.

“It’snot awar zone,” Johnson said.“They’re vibrant resilient communities

where young people deserve opportunities and not intimidation.”

On Tuesday, Trump called Chicago a“hell hole” and repeated that Chicagoans areasking “Trump to come in”to reduce crime in the city. Thestatementsechoed commentsearlier thismonth when Trump indicated Chicago may be nextfor a federal crackdown, claimingChicago is “a mess” and residentsare “screaming for us to come.”

Trump has long singled out Chicago,makingita recurringthemeonthe campaigntrailinboth2016 and2024. He hasdrawn controversial comparisons betweenthe city andwar zones like Afghanistan, and in 2017, he vowed to “send in thefeds” in response to gun violence.

Butdatapaintsa more nuanced picture of crime one that varies dramatically block by block and that has seen recent progress.

Violent crime in Chicago dropped significantly in the first half of the year,representing the steepest decline in over adecade, according to city data. Shootings are down 37%, and homicides have dropped by 32%, while total violence crime dropped by over 22%

“The empirical data is very clear thatthe Chicago trend is extremely positive,”said John Roman,who directsthe Center on Public Safety and Justice at the University of Chicago. ”... Chicago is doing better than the rest of the countryona lot of really important measures.”

Crime in Chicago also represents persistent, localized

challenges, said Kimberley Smith, director of national programs for the University of Chicago Crime Lab. The neighborhoods with the highest homicide rates experience about68times morehomicides than those with thelowest rates.

Smithattributes much of thedrops in violent crime to afocusinChicago on the systemic driversofviolence,rather than the militaristic approach Trumphas touted in Washington, D.C.

She encouraged more federal investment in researchingthese types of violenceprevention strategies, callingChicago “a hubfor innovation in gun violence prevention.”

Jahmal Cole, founder of thecommunity organization My Block, My Hood, My City,saidTrump’s comments“erasethis work being done on the ground by local leaders, community organizations and residents themselves” to combat gun violence.

“As for Trump’sremarks, it’sworthremembering thatrhetoric alone doesn’t improve public safety,” he said. “Weneed smart, community-focused investments, notsensationalism.”

As ashowofunityagainst the move, Illinois Gov.JB Pritzker,a pot ent ial 2028 presidential contender, convened roughly 100 elected officials, pastors, business leaders andactivistsat asplashy news conference againstthe backdrop of gleaming skyscrapersalong theChicagoRiver.The attendees Monday ranged fromU.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate’sNo. 2Democrat, to the Rev.Michael Pfleger,

BY ROSS FRANKLIN and HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press

PHOENIX— Crews cleaned up downed trees andgot power mostly restored for thousands of people Tuesday after apowerful dust storm roared through the Phoenix area.

The wall of dust towering hundreds of feet high dwarfed the city’sneighborhoods.Called ahaboob, the wind-driven phenomenon blackened skies and knocked out electricity for 15,000 customers late Monday afternoon.

Drenching rainfollowed.

Flights came to ahaltat Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where materialfroma terminal roof blew ontothe tarmac

But by Tuesday afternoon things were mostly back to normal, with only about 100 people still without power in Maricopa

County andonly minor

flight delays reported.

Workers were tracking down andcleaning up leaks in the airport, saidHeather Shelbrack,deputy aviation directorfor public relations.

BernaeBoykinHitesmanwas drivingher son and daughter,ages 9and 11, homefrom school when thestorm arrivedinArizona City,about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix.

She quickly pulledover as the storm engulfed the car.“Icouldn’tsee my hand in front of my face if Iput my hand outside,” she said.

Boykin Hitesman could taste the dust andfeel the strong wind rattling her car until it finally passed about15minuteslater

“I was nervous,”she said.

“My kids were really,really scared,soI was trying to be brave forthem.”

Bird feeders fell from

swaying trees at the home of retired university professor Richard Filleyinthe Phoenix suburb of Gilbert. Fine dust got into “every little crack andspace,”he said.

“The windstorm part of it,I’m glad it’s gone,” he said.“Youlookatthe photosofhaboobs,and they are aspectacular natural phenomenon. They are kindofbeautifulintheir ownway.”

Aweather front or thunderstormcan cause ahaboob. The phenomenon usually happens in flat, arid areas andisnot unusual in Arizona Phoenix has been drier thanusualduring the monsoon season, while parts of southeast and northcentral Arizona have had afair amount of rain, according to Mark O’Malley, ameteorologist withthe National Weather Service in Phoenix.

EmbattledFed governor fights to keep job

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON Federal Re-

serve Gov.Lisa Cookwill sue President Donald Trump’s administration to try to prevent him from firing her,her lawyer said Tuesday

“President Trump hasno authority to remove Federal Reserve Gov.Lisa Cook,” said Abbe Lowell, alongtime Washington lawyer who has represented figures from both major political parties. “His attempt to fire her, based solely on areferral letter,lacks any factual or legal basis. We will be filing alawsuit challenging this illegal action.”

Trump’sunprecedented effort to fire Cook is likely to end up at the Supreme Court and could more clearly define the limits of the president’slegal authority over the traditionally independent institution. The Fed exercises expansive power over theU.S.economy by adjusting ashort-term interest rate that can influence broaderborrowing costs for things like mortgages, auto loans and business loans.

The Federal Reserve weighed in Tuesday for the first time on the firing, saying it would “abide by any court decision.” The Fed also defended its independence from politics: “Congress, through the Federal Reserve Act, directs that governorsserve in long, fixed terms and may be removed by the president only ‘for cause,’”the central bank said. “Long tenures and removal protections for governorsserve as avital safeguard, ensuring that monetary policy decisions are based on data, economic analysis, and the long-term interests of the American people.”

Aspokesperson said the Fed has deferred any decision on Cook’sworkingstatus and added that thereis no official business before the board this week.

Bill Pulte, aTrump appointeetothe agency that regulates mortgage giants FannieMae andFreddie Mac, madethe accusations last week. Pulte alleged that Cook hadclaimedtwo primaryresidences —inAnn Arbor,Michigan, and in Atlanta —in2021 to getbetter mortgage terms. Mortgage rates are often higher on second homesorthose bought to rent

Themostlikely nextstep forCook is to seek an injunction againstTrump’s order thatwould allow her to continue herwork as a governor.But the situation putsthe Fed in adifficult position.

president needsnoreason to remove agency heads because they exercise executive power on his behalf,the SupremeCourt wrote in an unsigned order in May

In that sameorder,the court suggestedthat Trump did not have the same freedomatthe Fed,which the court called a“uniquely structured,quasi-private entity.”

Thelaw that governs the central bank, the Federal ReserveAct, includesa provision allowing forthe removal of Fed governors “for cause.”

the Fed’s former general counsel and now adjunct professor at Georgetown Law “Weknowthere’s allegations by Bill Pulte,but Lisa has not been able to respond yet,” Alvarez said. “So we don’tknowifthey’re true Allegations are not cause.”

Lowell said Monday night that Trump’s“reflex to bully is flawedand his demands lack any proper process, basis or legal authority,” adding, “Wewill takewhatever actionsare neededtoprevent his attempted illegal action.”

But the Fed’sstatement didnot explicitly criticize Trump’sdecision to fire her Trump, aRepublican, has repeatedly demanded that Chair JeromePowelland the Fed’srate-setting committee cutits rate to boost the economyand reduce interest payments on thegovernment’s $37 trillion debtpile.

If Trumpsucceedsinremoving Cook from the Fed’s board of governors, it could erode theFed’spoliticalindependence,which is considered critical to its ability to fight inflation because it enables theFed to take unpopular steps like raising interest rates.

Trumpappointedtwo membersofthe board, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman,inhis first term andhas named Steven Miran,a top White House economist, to replace Gov.Adriana Kugler,who stepped down unexpectedly Aug. 1. If Miran’snomination is approved by the Senate and Trump is able to replaceCook, he would have a4-3 majority onthe Fed’s board.

Trumpcriticized Powell at acabinet meetingonTuesday and said, “We’llhave a majority very shortly” on

theFed.”

The Fed’sboardoversees financial regulations and also votes on allinterest rate decisions. Five of the Fed’s 12 regional bank presidents also have avote, with one of those five alwaysbeingthe New York Fed andthe other four serving on arotating basis.

Legal experts say theRepublican president’sclaim that he can fire Cook, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden in 2022,isonshaky ground. But it’sanunprecedented move thathasn’tplayed out in the courts before, and the SupremeCourt this year has been much morewilling to let thepresident remove agency officialsthaninthe past

“It’sanillegalfiring, but thepresident’s goingtoargue,‘The Constitutionlets me do it,’”said Lev Menand, alaw professor at Columbia University and author of a book about the Fed. “And that argument’sworked in afew other cases so far this year.”

Menand saidthe Supreme Court construes the Constitution’s meaning,and “it can make new constitutional law in this case.”

“Theyhavetheir ownlegal obligation to follow the law,” Menand said. “And thatdoes not mean do whatever the president says. The Fed is under an independent duty to reach itsown conclusions about the legality of Lisa Cook’sremoval.”

Trumpsaid in aletter posted on his Truth Socialplatformlate Mondaythathe wasremoving Cookeffectiveimmediately becauseof allegations she committed mortgagefraud.

Cook saidMonday night that she would not step down. “President Trump purported to fire me ‘for cause’ when no cause exists under thelaw,and he has no authority to do so,” she said in an emailed statement.“I will not resign.”

The courts have allowed the Trump administration to remove commissioners at theNational Labor Relations Board, theMeritSystem Protection Board and other agencies. YetCook’s case is different.

Those dismissals were based on the idea that the

“For cause” is typically interpreted to mean malfeasance or dereliction of duty by an official while in office, not something done before that person is appointed, Menand said.

To establish a“for cause” firing also requires afinding of fact,saidScott Alvarez,

Cook is the first Black woman to serve as agovernor.She was aMarshall Scholar and receiveddegrees from Oxford University andSpelmanCollege, and she has taught at Michigan State University and Harvard University’sKennedy School of Government

resident who has four children, including one in college, filed for unemployment benefits at the GeauxJobs center on Monday and is looking for work.

“I got to do what I gotta do,” he said.

A loss of jobs is only one of the spillover effects of the devastating fire, whose cause remains under investigation by a variety of state and federal authorities. While no one was hurt or killed, the plant was destroyed and pollutants rained down on the surrounding area.

Covering roughly 20 acres, the complex, which had the capacity to store 8.7 million gallons of flammable hydrocarbons and other chemicals, caught fire shortly before 12:52 p.m. Friday, sending a large, black plume skyward and burning for more than three days.

The fire and explosions released unknown contaminants into the Tangipahoa River and surrounding land, sent an unidentified oily, black soot into the air, and forced a 1-mile evacuation area that wasn’t fully lifted until Tuesday, response officials said.

Only a few roads in the Roseland area immediately around Smitty’s remained closed to allow cleanup and containment to continue, parish officials said Tuesday They included U.S. 51 from La. 1048 to just south of Smitty’s and La 10 at the Tangipahoa River bridge.

‘About accountability’

Crews working with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency have also deployed about 5,900 feet of boom in the Tangipahoa River to prevent the multicolored oily residue out of Smitty’s from spreading farther downstream into Lake Pontchartrain. The parish has also closed the river from La. 10 south to the lake.

The fire has already spurred a quick batch of lawsuits filed in state court in Amite against Smitty’s — at least seven between Monday morning and late Tuesday afternoon according to court papers. The text of only five of the seven suits was immediately available Tuesday afternoon, but those five, from local law firms and those out of New Orleans, all sought classaction status.

Accusing the company of negligence in its storage operations and frequently citing the contaminants, evacuations and black soot, the suits name Smitty’s as the defendant A few also name Chad Tate, the CEO of the privately held company.

“This explosion forced families out of their homes, damaged property across the area, and left residents with serious health and safety concerns,” Jeffrey Berniard, a New Orleans lawyer who filed one of the suits, said in a statement. “This lawsuit is about accountability.”

For the first time, Smitty’s officials spoke publicly about the fire.

In a statement on Tuesday, the company expressed its sorrow for the uncertainty it has caused the community

It also offered thanks for the lack of any injuries and for the firefighters and others who fought the blaze. Smitty’s also promised to work with the EPA and other agencies.

“As the damage assessment and cleanup begins in earnest, there is much work to do Smitty’s is committed to rebuilding in Roseland,” the company statement says. Company officials declined to respond to questions offered on Tuesday and referred a reporter

back to the statement.

Gov. Jeff Landry spoke of the disaster at a news conference in Amite on Monday, pledging help for unemployed workers.

“It’s important to recognize that this is not just simply an environmental issue, but this disaster affects the lives of all of the great people who worked in that facility and lived in that region,” Landry said.

‘Going to be a struggle’

With around 465 employees in 2024, Smitty’s was then Tangipahoa Parish’s third-largest private employer, behind only a large Walmart distribution center in Robert and the Sanderson Farms plant near Hammond, according to a school audit.

More current estimates put the employee total at 450 before the fire. Several employees interviewed Tuesday said they were notified by phone or email to seek unemployment benefits. Some also said they have been informed they would receive their last paycheck.

Workforce officials at the GeauxJobs center in Hammond said Smitty’s employees lined up starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday and Tuesday, a half-hour before the center opens, to apply for unemployment

and food stamp benefits. Workers can be eligible for unemployment benefits worth $247 per week for up to 12 weeks.

The center has an extra mobile unit in place to handle the numbers and the center is focused on handling Smitty’s employees through Friday, officials said, but will continue handling them afterward.

Shalonda Chappell, a regional workforce development manager with GeauxJobs, said she could not recall a single layoff in this part of the state that was as large as what’s happened with Smitty’s.

She added that the job loss has happened in a rural part of Tangipahoa Parish with few other large employers like Smitty’s and with few similar jobs that pay at the same rates.

“So, it’s really going to be a struggle as far as transportation-wise and getting them to another place of employment,” Chappell said.

Workforce officials said another challenge specific to Smitty’s employees is that several lost their identification in the fire, such as when purses left behind burned, posing a slowdown in applying for help.

Late Tuesday morning, now former Smitty’s employees were walking in the center, meeting

with counselors about benefits and ways to polish their résumés. They chatted with co-workers who arrived.

Anita Gant, 53, a Navy veteran from the village of Tangipahoa who worked as a lab technician at Smitty’s, was waiting at GeauxJobs to apply for unemployment on Tuesday Gant said she had left work Friday about 10 minutes before Smitty’s caught fire and is still grappling with what happened.

“It just set in yesterday that I didn’t really have a job that just ‘what am I going to go do next?’” she said.

Parish officials said Geaux Jobs and a state workforce rapid response team will be at Florida Parishes Arena, 1301 NW Central Ave., Amite, on Sept. 4-5 for presentations on workers’ job search. Through Friday this week, the Amite arena has been set up as a distribution point for water, drinks, cleaning supplies and comfort items from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The items are available to those who live within two miles of Smitty’s and to former Smitty’s employees. People should bring their Smitty’s identification.

Staff writer Willie Swett contributed to this report.

initiallycondemnedtobe puttodeath for thekilling after ajury convicted him of capital murder two years later

Butthe U.S. Supreme Court commuted his death sentence to lifebehindbars in 2005, when the High Court outlawed executions of defendants who are younger than 18 when they commit capital crimes.

Craig had spent28years behind bars by the time District Judge Eboni Johnson Rosevacated hislifewithout the possibility of parole sentence and granted him parole eligibility two years ago.Inher May 2023 order, the 19th Judicial District judge cited the fact that Craig had beeninfractionfree for several years, he mentored other inmates while at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, and had been recruited by prison administrators to facilitate several programs. Oneof them was avolunteerprogram to train service dogs for disabled military veterans with PTSD.

Johnson Rose found evidence that Craig had “grown, matured and been rehabilitated during his prison term” and ruled he was not among the rarest groupofjuvenile offenders classified as “permanently incorrigible” under federal laws that designate which childkillers should be mandated to life terms

The Louisiana Attorney General’sOffice challenged Johnson Rose,saying she erred in her decision to give Craig ashot at apa-

SOLAR

Continued from page1A

theEntergypower grid for all Louisiana customers

Work was set to begin in spring 2024, with the farm starting operation at the end of 2025.

Astudyled by Gregory Upton Jr.and Gregory Albrecht at LSU found that during construction, the project would have supported $57 million in labor income and earnings for Louisiana. The economic activity of the construction process was anticipated to spin off $8 million in state and local tax revenue, and an additional $510,000 per year once in operation. Throughout its construction and 30-year lifespan, the project would have provided atotal economic impact of around $207 million, the study found.

But the project drew staunch local opposition.

More than 150people showed up at an October 2023 public hearing on the solar farm, with aclear majority opposed to the project.

Much of the opposition focused on fears that the field of solar panelswouldundermine property valuesand destroy the farmland feelof the mostly rural parish.

role board hearing. And on Tuesday,the stateadvanced its arguments to keep Craig confined to prison during a hearing in front of theLouisiana Supreme Court

“What the district court did was aradical reinterpretation of article 878.1,” said Deputy Solicitor General Zachary Faircloth, referring to thestate’sstatute on paroleeligibility hearings for juvenilekillers convicted of first-degreemurder.“If left undisturbed, it hands aticket to one ofLouisiana’sworst murderers to possibly walk Louisiana’s streetsagain.”

Theevening of Sept.14, 1992, Craig convinced three of his friendstohelp him steal acar so he could use it to visithis girlfriendat herhouseinWalker,federal court recordsinhis writ for habeas corpus relief indicate.Those friends were James ConradLavigne, then 19; Roy Maurer,then 17; and ZebbieWayne Berthelot, whowas 16.

The quartet of roving teensinitially sought to break into an unoccupied vehicle, but whentheywere unsuccessful, Craigurged theothers to carjack someone. They descended upon Gullet, who wasreturning home from visitinga friend, as he exitedhis FordBronco in the parking lotofthe Kirby Smith dormitory on LSU’scampus.

Craig spearheaded the robbery,holding his9mm pistol to Gullet’s headashe yelled for his accomplices to getinthe truck before forcingthe victim back inside, accordingtodetails outlined in the federal writ. Maurer drove themaway andGullet sat in the back seat between Craig andLavigne, according to trial records. They

road around nearly an hour and discussed what to do withGullet during the drive. Thestudent “cried hysterically thewhole time,” trial testimonyindicated.He beggedthe fourteensfor mercy, telling themhis parentswere rich and would pay them for his safe return. As he pleaded for his life, Craig taunted him duringthe car ride, according to court records. Authorities said he was intentonkilling Gullet, but seemedtoacquiesce to the three otherabductors’ suggestionthattheyjustbeat him unconscious instead. But when they drove to a secluded construction site in SouthBaton Rouge near Kenilworth Parkway, Craigtold Berthelot to hand his 9mm pistol to Lavigne. Craig and Lavigne then marched Gullet about 80 feet into the construction site, and Lavigne hit the victim in the back of thehead with the butt of his gun. He walked away when Gullet fell to theground. But Craig knelt beside Gulletashelaidinthe fetalposition and fired three bullets intohis skull at point-blank range. He then stood up and shotGullet “a couple more times,” according to federal court records.

Afterward,asthe teens droveaway, Craigbragged to his friends about killing Gullet, telling them he felt theneed to kill him because Berthelot mistakenly mentioned Lavigne’sname in front of him.

Policediscovered Gullet’s body two days later and arrestedall fourteenswithin fivedays. Lavigne,Berthelot and Maurer each gave videotaped confessions,and two of theco-defendants testified against Craig at the

Then-ParishPresident Mitchell Oursospoke out against thesolar farm.

“I cannot support this project here in our parish,”hesaidatthe hearing “Beforethere wasindustry in our parish,everything wasagriculture. Thishas no economicimpact,and I think it can be detrimental for years to come in White Castle.”

TheTrumpadministration has opposed large-scale solar farms on farmland. Last

week, the U.S. Department of Agriculturesaiditwould no longer use tax funding to support solar farms, or allow foreign manufactured solarpanelstobeusedin projects. Officials said solar farms weredisplacing farmlandand making access to land moredifficult for young farmers.

Staff writer Haley Miller contributed to this report.

Email Timothy Boone at tboone@theadvocate.com.

trial to get theircharges reduced.

Lavignewas found guilty of second-degreemurder and sentenced to life. Maurer and Berthelot both pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received 20-year prison terms

Ajuryfound Craig guilty of first-degreemurderfollowing threedaysoftestimony at his October 1994 trial and unanimously agreed that he be put to death for his crime.

Now Craig is fourweeks shyofhis 51st birthday.He hasspent the past 33 years of his life serving time in jails and prisons.

Chief Justice JohnWeimer surmised that during two days of testimony before Johnson Rose,the state offered no rebuttal to evidencethatCraig hasmade a“transformation” over his years in lockup. The AttorneyGeneral’s Officerelied moreheavily on the gruesome nature of thecrime in arguing that he should never have achanceatbeing re-

leased from prison.

“All he’sgot is aparole opportunity. It doesn’tnecessarily mean he’s going anywhere,” Weimer said during Tuesday’shearing.

“His character,apparently, haschanged. His characterisnot frozen to when he committed this crime at 17. It continues to change.”

Faircloth, the attorney for the Attorney General’sOffice, said the nature of the crime should be one of the “North Stars” in deciding whether or nottoamend ajuvenile killer’slife sentence to grant them parole eligibility.He saidevidenceofCraig’srehabilitation should matter only at aparole hearing and told justices Johnson Rose “completely disregarded” the “heinous”crime he committed

“But how do you get to a parole hearing?” Weimer asked.

“He should never get to a parole hearing,” Faircloth responded.

John Landis, Craig’scourtappointedpost-conviction attorneyofthe past 28 years,

describedthe prisoner as a“mature 50-year-old man who is humble, thoughtful, remorseful, peaceful and generous.” He argued that therehabilitation of former juvenile killers is arelevant factor for courts to consider

“Is rehabilitation tantamount to release?” Justice Jay McCallum askedLandis. “Inother words, isn’t therea societal goal in somecrimes where even if the defendant is rehabilitated, that perhaps continuedincarceration serves asocietal purpose of continuing to deter crime?”

“If you’re talking about adult offenders, yes,” Landis answered. “But the Supreme Court has said you cannot treat juvenile offenders in the sameway

“Itdoesn’tnecessarilyrequire release,” he added. “It requires that rehabilitation be balanced with the nature of the crimeand any other factors that the court reasonably deemsrelevant.”

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

Eventduring the month of March! During this event, we will be offering these FREE services:

•FREE Hearing Consultations

•FREE Video Otoscope Exam: Hearinglossorjust earwax?

•FREE Clean &Check on currenthearing aids

•FREE Baseline Audiogram Assessment

•FREE Familiar Voice Test

•FREE Demo of Audibel’s latest hearing technology!

AreYou or Anyone YouKnow Experiencing the Following?

1. Asking people to speak up or repeat themselves?

2. Turning theTVuploud tounderstandwhat is being said?

3. Ringing or noises in your ears?

Audibelis NOW Offering...

•Hearingaids at NO COST to those who qualify!•

• That’s Right...No Co-Pay!NoExamFee! No AdjustmentFee! If youhavethiscard, youmay qualifyfor free hearing aids! Call today to verifyyour benefits

State tests new voting systems

Lawmakers set requirements including paper ballots

machines with “tamper-evident seals” and a prohibition against voting equipment that connects to the internet.

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

For more than three decades, Louisianans have pushed buttons on the same voting machines when casting ballots for everything from local school board members to president of the United States.

On Tuesday, the Secretary of State’s Office held the first of six public demonstrations by companies that hope to compete for the contract for the new voting system. While each is different, they all must comply with requirements state lawmakers estab-

But Louisiana is now in the process of selecting an entirely new voting system, and it could look very different from the current one that state leaders for years have decried as woefully out-ofdate.

Teen dies after road rage attack

Baby born prematurely is healthy, friend says

BY KASEY BUBNASH Staff writer

A baby girl entered the world two months early at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond on Sunday, and despite weighing only 3 pounds and 11 ounces and surviving an emergency C-section She is, by all accounts, perfectly healthy

But her mother 17-year-old Katelynn Strate, won’t live to meet her Strate was shot in the head in Ponchatoula about a half-hour before her baby was born, the victim of what Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office officials described as a road rage attack. Strate was critically wounded and kept on life support to save her baby Monday night.

Strate was taken off life support Tuesday evening after her organs were donated, the Sheriff’s Office saide.

“(Strate’s) mother is devastated,” family friend Katie Cancienne, 36, said. “She just lost her baby and now she’s a grandmother.”

Strate and her boyfriend were headed to his mom’s house the morning she was shot, according to Cancienne. They were riding together on North Hoover Road in a Ford Expedition when “something must have happened,” Cancienne said, with a silver Dodge truck headed in the same direction.

It’s not clear what sparked the dispute, but sheriff’s officials said both drivers began to tailgate and brake-check each other before the driver of the Dodge, later identified as 54-year-old Barry West, opened fire.

Strate, who authorities said was in the front passenger seat when West fired, was hit in the head. The bullet never left her skull, Cancienne said.

Strate’s boyfriend and his sister, who was also in the car, rushed her to a hospital, where she later delivered her baby No other injuries were reported. West was arrested and booked into the Tangipahoa Parish jail on Sunday on four counts of attempted second-degree murder, one count of illegal use of a weapon and obstruction of justice. The Sheriff’s Office upgraded one of the attempted murder counts to second-degree murder Tuesday night. Though West told authorities he believed the occupants of the Ford had fired at him first, the Sheriff’s Office said there was no evidence of a gunshot coming from the Ford and no weapon found in the vehicle.

“These kids were just driving on their way to the interstate and

lished in 2021 — and that includes the use of paper ballots.

“We want our voting machines to actually have a paper ballot component so that we can audit both the machine tabulations and the paper trail,” said Catherine Newsome, first assistant secretary of state.

In addition to the paper trail, the 2021 law mandates several other requirements, such as using

The vendor that is ultimately selected must also disclose to state election officials “any percentage of ownership by a foreign entity,” the law states.

The Secretary of State’s Office, which administers Louisiana’s elections, earlier this year also published dozens of additional detailed requirements that any new voting system must comply with.

At the top of that list is that paper ballots must be “capable of being audited by humans by hand, without use of electronic devices.”

The system must also have guardrails to avoid “undervoting” and prohibit “overvoting” on a ballot, ensure in-person ballots can be cast anonymously, be accessible to people with disabilities, and produce a variety of reports on absentee, early and election-day

ä See VOTING, page 2B

John Foster announces Plaquemine concert

Show part of International Acadian Festival

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Country singer and “Ameri-

can Idol” runner-up John Foster will take the stage along Bayou Plaquemine on Oct. 24 for the International Acadian Festival.

Foster announced the show on his website The Lauren Lee Band will perform at 7 p.m., with Foster beginning his concert at 9 p.m. Gates will open at 4 p.m., according to the festival’s Facebook page.

Tickets can be purchased online for $21 or $26 at the gate. As the Addis native progressed through “American Idol,” locals hoped he would honor the planned

performance at the International Acadian Festival. Foster performed at the Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park in May, and video was used for the finale of the singing competition. That concert packed the venue, with thousands gathering in the park or on boats in the bayou.

Foster came in second in the singing competition to Jamal Roberts, from Mississippi. According to a recent Facebook post, he has not yet signed with a major record label.

“That’s one of my biggest goals, and I’m working day and night to make it happen,” Foster wrote. “But as of now, it hasn’t happened yet.”

Foster has multiple gigs throughout the South and Midwest planned for fall. He is set to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in September in Nashville, Tennessee.

Improving health

ABOVE: Regymen fitness trainer Zach Maurer takes time to explain things like BMI to an attendee at Pennington Biomedical’s Annual Men’s Health Summit on Saturday in Baton Rouge.

LEFT: Dr. Robert Sayes talks with Jason Collins at the Primary Care Plus booth following a talk given by Sayes on Alzheimer’s

Baton Rouge GOP leader blasts LSU arena

Jenkins calls deal ‘scam’ and ‘scheme’ without public input

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

The leader of East Baton Rouge Parish’s Republican Party slammed a plan to build a new arena at LSU, a day before the parish Metro Council was scheduled to vote on allowing a sales tax that would help fund the project.

Woody Jenkins, chair of the parish GOP, lambasted the arena deal at a Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge luncheon Tuesday, calling it a “scam” and “scheme,” all done without public input. “It’s being tightly kept from the public,” Jenkins said, to

applause from some in the audience. “This is fraud. It’s corrupt.”

The GOP leader questioned the selection of developer Oak View Group, whose former CEO was indicted in Texas in early July Federal investigators accused Tim Leiweke of rigging the bidding process for an arena at UT Austin, which has been cited as an inspiration for the LSU project.

But Jenkins devoted most of his 15-minute remarks to a planned Wednesday council vote that would approve an up to 2% sales tax within the LSU Economic Development District, which contains the arena. The council’s vote only authorizes the district to collect the new tax. But documents and officials connected to the project

Search formissing autistic boyendsintragedy

Body of NewOrleans East 12-year-old foundnearwhere he vanished

BY POET WOLFE,MARCO CARTOLANO and MISSY WILKINSON Staff writers

Over nearly two weeks, a frantic search for amissing autistic boy galvanized law enforcementand aNew Orleans East community, drawing volunteers from across state and national borders, before it ended early Tuesday with agrim discovery just 200 yards from where it started.

Aided by adrone, Jon Gusanders, avolunteerwith United CajunNavy, found the body of 12-year-old BryanVasquez floating in a lagoon lined with waterhyacinth.Gusanders quietly separated himselffromthe scene and called his team.

“You need to get here,” he recalled telling them.

Within what felt like “the longest 10-15 minutes of his life,” he said, fellow volunteers and agencies, including the New Orleans Police Department, began to arrive.

They congregated on the Michoud Boulevard bridge near Lourdes Street and overlooked the canal where Bryan was found —the same waterway where he was last seen just before 7a.m. on Aug. 14.

He’d slipped out of the windowofhis Beaucaire Street home at around 5:20 a.m. Surveillance video captured the boy on nearby Sevres Street, which runs alongside the canal and where authorities later discovered his discarded diaper NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick apologized to the Vasquez family for the police response

GOP

Continued from page1B

say some or all of the money will go to Oak View to help fund the arena.

The district, which was approved by thestateLegislature in 2023 and authored by then-state Sen. Cleo Fields, was intentionally drawn so that no residentslive within its boundaries— so voters don’tget asay in whethertolevy the tax,Jenkinssaid.

“Private businesses all around the LSU campus are covered in this district,” Jenkins said. He argued that that the public still knows too little about what this moneywill be used for or how much the taxwill generate, even as thecouncil plans to vote on it.

“We’ve been presented with no planand no budget,”Jenkins said.“In fact, when we’ve talked to cityparish officials, they don’t know how much this sales tax would produce without the arena.”

Wednesday’scouncil vote is the last chance for any kindofpublic input over the proposed tax, Jenkins said, adding that, once approved “It’s done. We’re out of it.”

“I’m here speaking on be-

Continued from page1B

drovepastthe wrong guy,” Cancienne said. Strate’sshooting sent shockwaves through Ponchatoula, which Cancienne described as one of the safest towns you could imagine. “I mean people move to Ponchatoula for safety,” she said. Community members took to social media Monday to sharedisbelief over the harrowing crime and to mournStrate, whofriends described online as akind soul who was looking forward to motherhood Witty,bubbly and often bitingly sarcastic, Strate was also incredibly sweet,

that they andother volunteers had criticized as slow and inadequate. NOPD logs show that theboy was reported missing from the 5300 block of Beaucaire Street at 10:05 a.m., and policearrived at 3:06 p.m.

Family members declined to commentTuesday morning. Kirkpatricklast week launched an internal investigation.

“It was afive-hour delay. We own that. What Idon’t knowisthe why,”Kirkpatrick said at amedia briefing Tuesdayafternoon. She pledged that “this chief and this Police Department are going to take the facts and thenput them in context.”

How long Bryan had been in the water was unclear, Kirkpatricksaid. On Tuesday,she announced an unclassified deathinvestigation,though she saidthere were nosuspects.The New Orleans coroner will perform an autopsy Wednesday,she said.

“Wehave not eliminated foul play,” Kirkpatrick said.

Thesearch had become increasingly desperatein the past few days, with scores of volunteers, city agencies andlaw enforcement canvassing the New Orleans East neighborhood of Village de l’Est. They deployed airboats, thermal dronesand bloodhounds to aidinthe hunt

Theboy’smother,34-yearoldHilda Vasquez,had set up ahome baseand vigil of sorts where neighbors and volunteers gatheredunder borrowed tents throughout the search.

She said in previous interviews thather son would often sneak away from their last home foranearby play-

Friends, neighbors and volunteers gather to prayand console

deadonTuesday.The area wasmostly wooded before the boywent missing,but

agency search.

Manygather to mournBryan Vasquez.

ground. Neighborsthere knew to bring him home, she said, but they’drecently moved.

half of the parish Republican Party. …Until we get thesequestions answered, we must not go forward withthis,”Jenkinssaid.

“Weneed toput apause on this.Weneed to get alot more information, and we should not goforward with levying atax outsideofthe vote of thepeopleorentering into acontract with acompany likeOak View Group.”

LSU did not respond to a requestfor comment.

The new arenahas the support of several prominent BatonRouge organizations, whoargue it could be a“transformational project” that would attract majorevents and other businessto the city.Lastweek,

Cancienne said. She loved to spendtime with her sisters and wasclose with her mom, Kristen Nicole Blow.Cancienneand Blow have played Pokeno together for years, and she said she always looked forward to the days when Strate would tag along for a game.

“They justhad adynamic where you could tell there wasgenuinelove there, shesaid.

Of course, like any teenager,Strate could be atroublemaker and had her fair share of disagreements withher mother

“But all in all,” she said, “the world’snot going to be thesame kind of place withouther.” Cancienne is hosting a baby supply

from10a.m. to

Satur-

former LSU star and NBA hall of famer Shaquille O’Neal announced plans to invest in the arena, the cost of which hasbeen estimated at $400 million.

At least three council members werepresent during Jenkins’ remarks Tuesday,including Jen Racca, Aaron Moak and DarrylHurst. Jenkins’ally,Mayor-President Sid Edwards,was also at the event. On July 23, Edwards told TheAdvocate it was premature to take astance on adeal for the LSU arenauntil afinalplan is proposed.

Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.

dayatFirst United Methodist Church, 201 E. Pine St Ponchatoula, to support Strate’sfamily and her daughter Duplicate items will be donated to anonprofit organizationtoaid other mothersinneed, she said. Fri ends ha ve also launched aGoFundMe page to help support thefamily

The search for the boy brought outmanylocalsto wade daily through the area surrounding thecanal.

VOTING

Continuedfrom page1B

vote counts, amongmany

other requirements. By usinga system that has electronic and paper components, it will have the speed of electronic voting as well as an auditable paper trail, Newsome said.

“What Louisianavoters are usedtoright now is election-night results,” shesaid.

“Andthat is becausewe are able to get our unofficial results on election night, andthatiswhata machine tabulation can do, is provide those electionnight,unofficial results.”

Then,ina postelection audit, officialscan compare thepaper ballots with theelection-night machine vote countsto provide thestate’sofficial election results, Newsome said.

Six systems will be publicly demonstrated as part of thesecretary of state’s selection process. The demonstrations are allbe-

Slidell residents Reginald Hall, 63, and Joseph Stanley, 52, were among them, and Hall said he couldn’tbelieve the body went unnoticed by all the volunteers, drones and cameras deployed in thearea. Kirkpatricksaid Tuesdaythatbodiesin drowning cases often surface later, “and that’swhat we think potentially had happened.”

ing held at the Louisiana OldGovernor’sMansion on the following dates:

n Aug. 26: Hart InterCivic Verity Vanguard 1.0 Voting System

n Sept. 9: Clear Ballot ClearVote Voting System

n Sept. 11: ES&S EVS 6.5.0.0Voting System

n Sept. 15: Democracy Live Omni BallotTablet

n Sept.16: Dominion Voting Systems Democracy Suite 5.20 Voting System

n Sept.18: VotingWorks VxSuite 4Voting System. Each system mustbe certified to be in compliance with state requirementsbeforeitcan move on to thestate’sbidding process.

“After we go through the procurement process with the Office of State Procurement, there is a procurementcommittee thatwill evaluate all of the bids, andtheywillmake arecommendation to the secretary of state,” Newsome said.

“Fromthatrecommendation, we will then go to our oversight committees with the Legislature for more input,” she said.

As volunteers packed up aftertheir searchreacheda heartbreaking end, New Orleans officials issued astatement Tuesday mourning the “bright, charismatic, and energetic young boywhose joy and spirit touched the lives of his family,friends andcommunity.” Neighbors andvolunteers gathered Tuesdaytomourn andconsole oneanother at the scene. “I really wanted to find him. Hopefully,hewas walking somewhere,” Hall said. “I’mgladhe’sbeen found so the mother could have closure, though it’sa sadclosure.” LOTTERY MONDAY,AUG. 25, 2025 PICK

BUSINESS

BRIEFS

Cracker Barrel relents, says its old logo will return Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump protested the company’s plan to modernize.

In a post on its website, Cracker Barrel said it will retain its old logo, which features an older man in overalls sitting next to a barrel and the words “Old Country Store.”

“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the company said in a statement. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”

The tempest over the logo began last week, when the company announced plans for a simplified design featuring only the company’s name. Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel made the change as part of a wider plan to modernize its restaurants and appeal to younger customers.

But many protested the change. Earlier Tuesday, Trump said via Truth Social that Cracker Barrel should “admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” saying doing so could wield “a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity” to their advantage.

Late push sends Wall Street near its records

Wall Street capped a choppy day of trading Tuesday with slight gains for stocks, leaving the major indexes just below their recent alltime highs.

The S&P 500 closed 0.4% higher after wavering between small gains and losses for much of the day The benchmark index finished just 2.6 points below its record high set earlier this month and short of recouping all of its losses from the day before.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average also bounced back from an early slide, finishing with a 0.3% gain. The Nasdaq composite added 0.4%.

The market’s uneven start to the week comes after Wall Street notched big gains last week on hopes for interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. Gains in technology, financial and industrial stocks helped outweigh losses in communication services and other sectors. Chipmaking giant Nvidia rose 1.1% and JPMorgan Chase added 1.2%.

Boeing rose 3.5% for one of the biggest gains among S&P 500 companies after Korean Air announced a $50 billion deal with the company that includes buying more than 100 aircraft. Dish Network parent EchoStar surged 70.2% after AT&T said it will buy some of its wireless spectrum licenses in a $23 billion deal.

Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10year Treasury fell to 4.26% from 4.28% late Monday Trump expands with Crypto.com partnership

President Donald Trump’s personal crypto ventures are expanding again, this time with plans for a digital asset treasury company that holds an alternative cryptocurrency Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates the Truth Social media platform, announced Tuesday that it was partnering with the cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com to form a company that holds CRO, a token created by Crypto.com.

A blank check company tied to Yorkville Advisors is another cofounder of the new firm, called Trump Media CRO Strategy Trump Media said it plans to purchase $105 million worth of CRO. Yorkville said the total expected funding for the company’s treasury will be $1 billion worth of CRO, or about 19% of the token’s market cap, plus $420 million in cash and equivalents and as a $5 billion line of credit. The announcement is part of the hottest trend in crypto, in which a wide variety of companies — many with no obvious ties to the world of digital assets have made buying and holding cryptocurrency a primary part of their business plan. The model is based on MicroStrategy,

August consumer confidence dips in U.S.

Jobs, tariffs, high prices driving most unease

BY MATT OTT AP business writer

WASHINGTON Americans’ view of the U.S. economy declined modestly in August as anxiety over a weakening job market grew for the eighth straight month.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index ticked down by 1.3 points to 97.4 in August, down from July’s 98.7, but in the same narrow range of the past three months.

The small decline in confidence was in line with the forecasts of most of the economists who were surveyed.

A measure of Americans’ shortterm expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market fell by 1.2 points to 74.8, remaining significantly below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead.

Consumers’ assessments of their current economic situation also fell modestly, to 131.2 in August from 132.8 in July

While the unemployment and layoffs remain historically low, there has been a noticeable deterioration in the labor market this year and mounting evidence that people are having difficulty finding jobs.

U.S. employers added just 73,000 jobs in July well short of the 115,000 analysts expected Worse, revisions to the May and June figures shaved 258,000 jobs off previous estimates and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%.

That report sent financial markets spiraling, spurring President Donald Trump to fire Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tallies the monthly employment numbers.

Another government report showed that U.S. employers posted

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Economists say surging wholesale inflation points to rising prices due to tariffs and that higher prices for customers could be on the way.

7.4 million job vacancies in June, down from 7.7 million in May The number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects elsewhere also fell. More jobs data comes next week when the government releases its August job gains and June job openings reports. The Conference Board’s report said that references to high prices and inflation increased again and were often mentioned in tandem

Tariff relief for small orders ends Friday

Some international companies eye suspending U.S.-bound packages

BY MAE ANDERSON AP business writer

NEWYORK Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the United States this week as part of President Donald Trump’s agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods and resetting global trade with tariffs.

An executive order signed last month eliminates a widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less starting Friday, nearly two years earlier than the deadline set in the tax cuts and spending bill approved by Congress. Although the president previously ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will require vetting and be subject to their origin country’s applicable tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%. For the next six months, carriers handling orders sent through the global mail network also can choose a flat duty of $80 to $200 per package instead of the value-based rate.

In response, the national postal services of more than a dozen countries said they would temporarily suspend sending some or most U.S.-bound packages due to confusion over processing and payment requirements. Japan and Switzerland on Monday joined Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Thailand, the U.K. and New Zealand in saying they would pause shipments. The Trump administration

says the exemption has become a loophole that foreign businesses exploit to evade tariffs and criminals use to get drugs, counterfeit products and other contraband into the U.S Former President Joe Biden and members of Congress also discussed the issue Other countries have similar exemptions, but the threshold is usually lower For example, $175 is the value limit in the 20 European Union countries that use the euro as their official currency The U.K. allows foreign businesses to send parcels worth up to $182 without incurring tariff charges.

In the U.S., the “de minimis” — Latin for lacking significance or importance — exemption started in 1938 as a way to save the federal government the time and expense of collecting duties on imported goods with a retail value of $1 or less. U.S lawmakers eventually increased the eligibility cutoff to $5 in 1990, to $200 in 1993 and to $800 in 2015, according to the Congressional Research Service. Since then, the number of shipments claiming de minimis treatment has exploded. A total of 1.36 billion packages with a combined value of $64.6 billion reached the U.S. last year, compared to 134 million packages sent under the exemption in 2015, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency reported About 60% of the 2024 shipments came from China and Hong Kong, according to an analysis logistics firm Flexport prepared based on U.S government data. Multiple countries and regions accounted for the remainder, including Canada, Mexico, the European Union, India and Vietnam.

Proponents of limiting the exemption argue that it has served as a way for China-founded retail

with tariffs.

Othergovernmentdatathismonth showed that while prices at the consumer level held fairly steady from June to July, U.S. wholesale inflation surged unexpectedly last month. Economists say that’s a sign that Trump’s sweeping taxes on imports are pushing costs up and that higher prices for consumers may be on the way

The share of consumers expecting a recession over the next year rose in August to the highest level since April, when Trump’s tariff rollout began.

The share of survey respondents who said they intended to buy a car in the near future rose, while those planning to purchase a home remained stable after July’s decline.

Those saying they planned to buy big-ticket items like appliances fell, but there were big variations among product categories. Respondents who said they planned to take a vacation soon, either inside of the U.S. or abroad, also declined

DOGE action may have put Social Security data at risk

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON More than 300 million Americans’ Social Security data was put at risk after Department of Government Efficiency officials uploaded sensitive information to a cloud account not subject to oversight, according to a whistleblower disclosure submitted to the special counsel’s office Tuesday Whistleblower Charles Borges, who worked as the chief data officer at the Social Security Administration since January, said the potential sensitive information that risks being released includes health diagnoses, income, banking information, familial relationships and personal biographic data.

platforms like Temu and Shein to flood the U.S. with low-priced goods. The National Council of Textile Organizations said the move would help close a “backdoor pipeline for cheap, subsidized, and often illegal, toxic and unethical imports.” But some smaller American companies that rely on imported products and materials benefited from the exemption too.

Kristin Trainor is worried the end of de minimis will also mean the end of Diesel and Lulu’s, her 3-year-old boutique in Avon, Connecticut. Over 70% of the women’s clothes and accessories she stocks comes from small fashion houses in France, Italy and Spain. Trainor places small batch orders each week that fall under the $800 threshold.

“Our business model is to provide casual chic and unique clothes at affordable prices,” she said. “The added customs and duty charges that will go into effect on Aug. 29 will eliminate that affordability ”

Trainor said she was looking to replace her European vendors with ones based in the U.S. But her bestselling product categories, such as apparel made of Italian linen, come from other countries. She estimates a simple linen sundress that cost $30 wholesale at the beginning of the year will rise to $43 next month.

After a corporate career, Trainor opened the store to have more time with her 9-year-old son and her 91-year-old father Raising the boutique’s prices to absorb part of the import charges would help offset higher shipping and logistics costs, but Trainor worries her customers will balk at higher prices.

“I have not made any official announcements to my customers just yet, although they have started to ask if I will stay open as they understand the economic impacts that are occurring,” she said. “At this point, I am leaning more and more towards closing the boutique, sadly.”

“Should bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital health care and food benefits, and the government may be responsible for reissuing every American a new Social Security Number at great cost,” said the complaint. The complaint was submitted by the Government Accountability Project and addressed to House and Senate oversight lawmakers. It requests that authorities “take appropriate oversight action.”

The whistleblower report is just the latest complaint against President Donald Trump’s DOGE and the unprecedented access it was given by the Republican administration to the vast troves of personal data across the government under the mandate of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. Labor and retiree groups sued SSA earlier this year for allowing DOGE to access Americans’ sensitive agency data, though a divided appeals panel decided this month that DOGE could access the information. SSA said in a statement that it takes whistleblower complaints seriously but seemed to downplay Borges’ accusations.

“SSA stores all personal data in secure environments that have robust safeguards in place to protect vital information. The data referenced in the complaint is stored in a longstanding environment used by SSA and walled off from the internet. High-level career SSA officials have administrative access to this system with oversight by SSA’s Information Security team. We are not aware of any compromise to this environment and remain dedicated to protecting sensitive personal data,” the agency wrote.

Borges’ complaint says he disclosed to his superiors that he believed the upload was an abuse of authority and poses a substantial threat to public health and safety and potentially violates the law

Andrea Meza, a lawyer representing Borges, said her client released the information “out of a sense of urgency and duty to the American public.”

Nettles, Shirley Rabenhorst FuneralHome, 825 GovernmentSt.,Baton Rougeat 10:00am.

Nice, Richard

St.GeorgeCatholicChurch,7808 St George Dr BatonRouge,LAat10am.

Obituaries

Ballard,Nancy Ferrara

NancyFerrara Ballard passedawaypeacefullyon August23, 2025, sur‐rounded by love.Through‐out herlife, shehelda strongand unwavering faith that guided herevery step. Nancy’sgreatestjoy was caring forothers. She gaveselflessly, always cooking, providing, and opening herhometofam‐ily andfriends.She will be rememberedfor hergreen thumb,her comforting home-cooked meals, her devotiontoher grandchil‐dren, andthe steadfast support shegaveher chil‐dren. Alifelongresidentof Baton Rouge, LA,Nancy lived her67years with love and grace. Shewas the beloved wife of RickyE Ballard,her husband of 45 years.Together,theybuilt a beautifulfamilyand alife fulloflove. Nancywas pre‐ceded in deathbyher par‐ents, Russelland An‐toinette Ferrara, hersister Annette Ferrara, andher brother DannyFerrara.She leavesbehindher children JeremyBallard (Leslie), RyanBallard,and Allison Meyers(Jeremy), whowill carry forwardher legacy of loveand strength.She was the cherishedgrandmother ofLucyand Emme Ballard, and Arabella,Annette Etta,” andEllison Meyers She is also survived by her lovingsiblings, JanisFer‐raraand RussellFerrara (Missy),aswellasher sis‐ter-in-law, Darnelle Ferrara, wifeofher late brother. Pallbearers will be Samuel Losavio,ClaneyDuplechin, Thomas“Tinker”Ballard

James Jr.Ballard,Michael Legendre, andChristopher Ferrara.Honorarypallbear‐ers areNicholasFerrara Joshua Ferrara, andDanny Lawhun. Nancy’slifewas a testament to love,family, and faith.Thoughshe will bedeeply missed,the warmthofher spirit will liveoninall whoknewher May hermemoryforever bea blessing andher love continuetoguide those she leaves behind.Visita‐tionwillbeheldatSt. Jude Catholic Church,9150 High‐landRd, BatonRouge,LA 70810, on Thursday,August 28, 2025 from 10:30 a.m. until Mass of ChristianBur‐ial at 11:30 a.m. Interment willfollowatSt. George Catholic Church.Nancy wishedfor herlifetobe celebrated, andshe asked that attendees honorher

vibrantspiritbywearing brightlycolored attire.In place of flowers, thefamily kindlyrequeststhatdona‐tions be made to theAmer‐icanCancerSociety

Betz, Howard Ray

Howard RayBetz, 85, was born March11, 1940 and passed awayAugust 23, 2025, surroundedbyhis daughters. He spent his entirelifeinBaton Rouge and was alifelong cattleman.Hewas adevoted husbandtothe late Mary Evelyn McKey Betz for51 years, and proud father to Missy Betz Martin, Traci Betz Gardner, and Amy Betz Russell (Mike). He was blessed with eight grandsons, Matthew(Angela) and Michael Martin; Garrett and GreerGardner; Noah (Blake), Andrew, Asa, and LukeAbadie;greatgrandchildren, Betsy, James, and Matthew Abadie.Hesharedhis love forChrist and God'sgrace with allwho wouldlisten. Known forhis generosity, humor, and strong work ethic, he found joyinraising livestock and caringfor others. He is survived by his three daughters, eight grandsons, three greatgrandchildren, sisters, Katie MaeMyers (Jerry), and Emmalen Betz; sistersin-law, Peggy Betz,Edith Betz,MaxineCompton, and Linda Rogillio; numerous niecesand nephews, and a host of friends. Also survived by AlanMartin,Jeff Gardner, and Jimmy Abadie.Heisprecededin death by his wife, parents, Ferdinand and Katie Dixon Betz;siblings, F.S. Betz, Jr., Donald Lee Betz, and Rita Mautner; and dear friends Milton Harelson and Henry Castello. His grandsons will be pallbearers. The family wouldliketoinvite allwho knew and loved Howard to join them as we commemorate his life. A visitation willbeheld on Tuesday,August 26, 2025, from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817Jefferson Hwy. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Visiting hours willresumeonWednesday at 9:00 am,untilfuneral services at 10:00 am, with graveside servicestofollow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory

August 26, 2025 at theage of 78. Sammy graduated fromBroadmoor High School in 1964 where he was amember of the track team &aneditor of the schoolnewspaper. He became amember of the Army National Reserves in 1967 &was honorably discharged 6years later.He attended LSUfor two years, then joinedthe Instrument Technician schoolatExxonChemical Corporationwhere he worked for many years before becoming disabled and retiring at theage of 48.

Sammy wasa member of theSt. Alphonsus Liguori CatholicChurch for 55 years. He helped with theSt. Joseph's Altar each year &was amember of theSt. Vincent de Paul foodpantry. He was an avid hunter &fisherman enjoying these activities with his family.Heloved traveling with Diane, and sometimeswiththeir family,intheir motor home for 25 years.

Sammy met theloveof his life in middle school& vowed at theage of 11 that he wouldmarry Diane Scardina someday. They became middle &high schoolsweethearts &best friends before they married on August 19, 1967. Together they raised three beautiful children: sons, Rhett Samuel(Tina Stanford), Jason William (AimeeGravois), and daughter, RachelDiane Covington Atwood(Charlie).They havefour grandchildren: Dustin (Bridget), Caleb,Christa& Mary Kathryn Covington, as well as twogreat grandchildren:Landry &Avalyn Covington. He is also survived by half-siblings, Johnell Covington Bass, Felicia Braud Sovinee, and John Robert Covington.

Sammy is preceded in death by half-brother Michael Jean Covington, parents John S. &MerleA Covington& grandparents John R. &DulciaBecker Covington& Claude& Mae BelleArnold

Avisitationfor Sammy willbeheldFriday, August 29, 2025 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Greenoaks Funeral Home,and willcontinue on Saturday, August 30th at St.Alphonsus Catholic Church from 10 am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am. Sammy willbelaid to rest in Greenoaks Memorial Park

John MaynardEvans was born on November 30 1942, theyoungestchild of the family. Oscar“Gramp” and Dorothy“Mimi”Evans boughtClaiborne Planta‐tionwhenhewas ayoung

Dream Address Awaits

radet, andRebecca Mouk His unwavering love and commitmentextended until theend of histimeon earth as they surrounded him in his finalhours re‐membering hisgreat love, sense of humor andfaith Hemarried Diane on SpringBreak in 1965before hegraduated from LSU thenmoved to WhiteCas‐tle andstarted theirfamily. Their earlylives were spent raisingtheir four children, cattle andcrops His dedication wasdeep and loyaltystrongtohis family, theland, hisfaith and histruefriends.Abe Lincoln wasquotedassay‐ing,‘If Ihad 8hours to cut downa tree, Iwould spend 7 hourssharpeningthe axe.’ Always theinnovator and thinker, John took it to the next leveland would spend 7hours redesigning the axe. He designed and built oneofthe firstpro‐duction mechanical sugar caneplantersinthe 80’s, a predecessor to themodels being builttoday.John loved theoutdoorsinclud‐ing hunting, fishingand golf, butmainlybecause heenjoyed thepeoplewith whomhedid it.Inkeeping withhis innovative spirit, hereloadedhis ownshells and bulletsbecause ‘no company coulddoitas wellasI can’,designedhis own truckand boat acces‐soriesand even builta put‐ter in hisfarmshoponce. His office,barn, shop and other places bear theevi‐dence of someonewho was always thinking,al‐waysimproving,always buildingeverythingfrom canewagonstocrawfish boilers to toolboxes. He was alay speakerinthe churchand averyastute student andteacher of the Bible.Heknewand lived the Bibleinbothwordand spiritaswellasanyonein‐cluding some clergy.He helda hard line on theol‐ogy,but in keepingwithhis understanding of the gospelmessage of Jesus was very loving of people ofall andevennofaith.His businessand professional lifefollowedhis ruggedin‐dividualpathand included owningand runningthe Bar Lazy ERanch andClai‐borne Plantation as well as partial ownershipinChee‐burgerCheeburgerRestau‐rants in La.Following his retirementfromfarming, heand hisdaughter, Re‐becca,boughta belea‐gueredAscension Roofing and SheetMetal and turneditintoa thriving business. John wasa for‐mer Presidentofthe Louisiana Cattleman’sAs‐sociation,Chairmanof the WhiteCastleFertilizerCoopBoard of Directors, a 32nddegreeFreeand Ac‐ceptedMason of Lodge #16 in Plaquemine,a long timePlaquemineRotarian and afrequentguest at GonzalesRotary. He also servedasPresident of the Louisiana Land Bank Board,aswellasmany years on theBoard of SouthernFarm(SF)Ser‐vices.Hegraduated from WhiteCastleHighSchool and SewaneeMilitary Academy andhelda BS from- as well as an intense dedicationtothe purple and goldof-LSU.Heissur‐vived by hislovingwifeof over60years,Diane,his fourchildrenand their spouses,TroyMistretta, Clara-Leigh Horn Evans, Craig Sarradet andLee Mouk; 9grandchildren Sarah MistrettaThi‐bodeaux,Chris Mistretta AshleighEvans Poppert, Ainslee EvansHoover, John Garrett Evans, Emma Sar‐radet,ColtonSarradet, Louis Mouk andSophia Mouk, theirrespective spouses;one greatgrand‐child,ShepherdThi‐bodeaux;his sister,Loretta Roberts anda very dear and extended list of nephews,nieces, and cousins.His familyinvites youtoa visitation at

WilbertFuneralHome, 24120 Railroad Ave. PlaquemineonThursday, August28, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m acelebration of his lifeatFirst United Methodist Church 930 North Blvd., BatonRouge onFriday, August 29,at10 a.m., conductedbyRev WeldonBares.Honorary PaulBearers arenephews, David Evans, John Tugwell, AndrewTugwell,Thomas Cox,BoStevens andTed Hyde. In lieu of flowers, pleaseconsidera gener‐ous gift to St Jude’s Chil‐dren’sHospital, United Mi‐tochondrial DiseaseFoun‐dation, Samaritan’sPurse, Tunnels to Towers or Shriner’s Children’s Hospi‐tals. Please sharememo‐riesatwww.wilbertserv ices.com.

Hayes, LauraO.'Tiny'

LauraO."Tiny"Hayes entered into eternalrestat Baton RougeGeneral Med‐icalCenter-Bluebonnet on Sunday, August 24,2025 Viewing at NorthMacedo‐nia Full Gospel Church PastorCliffordSanford,on Saturday, August 30,2025 at9:00amuntil Celebration ofLifeService at 11:00am conducted by Pastor Rudy Harmon. Survivorsinclude her son, DerrickV.Hayes (Yolanda);granddaugh‐ters, Myah Nicole and Megan Yvette Hayes; sib‐lings,TraceyRogers(Vi‐jaya),LeslieOlivier andLl‐welyn Olivier; preceded in death by herparents Arrangementsentrusted to Miller& Daughter Mortu‐ary

Hicks,

Lisa Dianne Mayeaux Hill(1967 -2025) passed away at her home in Springfield, Louisiana. She is survivedbyher husband Kevin Hill; four siblings Sherri CreelZaunbrecher, Emerson Mark Mayeaux, Kevin Mayeaux, and Kyle Mayeaux; twonephews Klayton Mayeauxand Daniel Huval. She is preceded in deathbyher father Emerson Mayeaux and mother Linda Lee Mayeaux. She enjoyed fishing,LSU football,and being outdoors withher pets. She was lovedbymany and will truly be missed.

Richard Eugene"Dick" Nice, of BatonRouge, LA passed away on August 23, 2025, after an inspiring journey with Alzheimer's disease. He was surrounded by family and peacefully went to theLord. Richard, adevout Catholic, received his Last Rites shortly before his passing Richardwas bornin Meadville,PAin1942. He grew up as aprecocious and industrious youngster helping his father Eugene Nice and mother Dorothy Nice (née McClimon) by working in their auto-body shop. Richard always dreamed big and met his future wife, JudithAnn Zuver, in first grade. They married12years later in June of 1961. Richard went to night schoolatAlliance College in Meadvilleand then at GannonCollege in Erie, PA After working twojobs and having twochildren, sons Christopher Thomas "C.T." Nice (1963) and Jeffrey Scott Nice (1967), he graduated with abachelor's in mechanical engineering from Gannon in 1968. Richard continued his educationatPennStateUniversity, where he graduated with amaster's degree in engineeringin1972. Judy, C.T., and Jeff attended Richard'sgraduation and enjoyed aspectacular celebratory dinneratthe Nittany Lion Inn. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Richard—a huge sports fan and loverofthe Cleveland Indians—found time to coach Little League baseball and won3 championships in 5years, eventually coaching his oldest son to aLittle League Championship in Erie, PA in 1973. Shortly after graduating fromPennState,Richard beganworking forAO Smith in Erie, PA—an opportunity which led to the life-changing decision to move his youngfamily to SingaporeinSoutheast

Asia. Richard openedanindustrialinstrumentation office in East Asiaand traveled throughout Asia, Australia, NewZealand, and even to Mainland China. As aguest lecturerin Beijing in 1975, Richard was one of theveryfirst American businessmen to visit China and introduced theChinese to advanced flowmeasurement.

Followingthree incrediblysuccessful years in Singapore, Richard,Judy, C.T., and Jeff returned to the United States in 1977 and settled in Houston, Texas. After Geosource Incorporated acquired AO Smith, Richard was namedVice President of International Sales. Richard continued to travel theworld, solving flowmeasurement challenges for companies across sixcontinents.

In 1980, Richard moved to Baton Rouge to join the industrial instrumentation firm LuMac Incorporated as theVice President of Sales, where he eventually became President.In1986, Richard—withhis muse JudyNice by his side and on the phones—launched Nice Instrument Sales,an engineering technology firm selling technical equipment and solutions

for chemical plants, refineries, and engineering firms. The firmwas headquartered in Baton Rouge andcoveredthe entire Gulf Coast.

During the next 18 years, Nice Instrument Sales became an industry leader in Baton Rouge,distributingacross the south from East Texas to the PanhandleofFlorida. Nice Instrumentsservedhundredsofcustomers and hadasmanyas75employeesacross 7offices throughout thesouth.Nice Instrumentsreceivedthe DowChemicalQuality ChampionAward in 1994 and set numeroussales recordsasone of theindustry'stop instrument technology firms. In 2004, after selling Nice Instruments to Rawson, Inc. of Houston, Richard retiredto begin thenextchapter of hiswonderfullife. During his retirement Richard became president of thePropertyOwnersAssociation at the Country ClubofLouisiana, worked for SCOREasanadvisor to fledgling businessesand entrepreneurs, andplayed as much golf as humanly possible.HejoinedThis ManisYou andparticipated everyweek. Every day,

heteed itupwith acontingent of hisgroup of twenty plus friends at theCountry ClubofLA. He made (at least) 6holes in oneand traveledacross theUS, Scotland, and Ireland, playingthe world'sgreat courses with hisfriends from CCL. Judy and Richard also enjoyed cruising, travelingacross all 4 oceans— andeven venturingtoFijionJanuary 1, 2000, thefirst spot on Earth to welcome the millennium. Richard was adevout Catholic and became aEucharistic Minister at St George Catholic Church alongside thelove of his life hiswonderfulwife Judy. They served mass everyweekend for almost twodecades. Richardwas ahugesportsfan and lovedhis Penn State NittanyLions, his LSUTigers, and hisBoston Celtics. Richard lovedmusic of all kinds andcould sing the lyrics to anysongonthe radio From asmall town in WesternPennsylvania to thecapital of Mainland China—from 13 years of nightschool to president of oneofthe South'smost

Monday’sdedication of the EastCampusof the University of New Orleans Research and Technology Park in honorofformer U.S.Rep Bob Livingston was awelcome development for several reasons.

First, the new Congressman BobLivingston East Campus recognizes the contributions Livingston, who represented Louisiana’s1st Congressional District from 1977 to 1999,made to his stateand nation.

Second, it’sareminder that it is indeedpossible to serve local and nationalneeds whiletrimming the federal budget to more manageable size Third, it highlights anew the importanceof UNO as it works through the process of rejoining the Louisiana State University system, and should inspire Louisianans to revitalize UNO as the excellent research and teaching university it can be.

When he chaired the House Appropriations Committee in the mid-1990s,Livingston proved one of the most successful budgetcutters in U.S. history.But he did it carefully,cuttingduplication and inefficiencies rather than essentials And, more to the point here,hedid it while ensuring that national needswere married to good localprojects.

At the lakefront, Livingstonsecured $220million to consolidate the U.S. Navy’snationwide information technology into two massive buildings at UNO. For aquarter centurynow,the facilities have been serving the nationaldefense, while bringing $350 million in economic benefits to the stateand serving as training grounds foruniversitystudents

Thesesorts of solutions were ahabitfor Livingston, now 82, whoworked with fellowRepublicans as well as Democrats to secure funding for shipbuilding, port expansion, drainage improvements, streetcar lines, the projectthat would grow into the National WWII Museum and more.

Akey lesson is that bipartisan goodwill joined with diligent attention to local needs can indeed produce real accomplishments through spending that is anything but meregovernment bloat.At atime of deep partisan divisioninCongress, it was refreshing to see Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who now represents Livingston’sold district, join Democratic former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu in honoring Livingston’s legacy

This week’sattention to the researchpark also shines aspotlight on UNOitself.Facing major shortfalls in funding and enrollment,the universitynonethelesshas thepotentialtoregain its status as an educationalpowerhouseand a tremendous boon to the city.Asone of only three Louisianaschools witha coveted “R2” designation,signifying research leadership, fromthe Carnegie Classification of InstitutionsofHigher Education, UNO should be abig driver of theentire state’seconomy Noting this week’s20th anniversaryofHurricaneKatrina, GNO Inc. President Michael Hecht saidinhis remarks that “We’re really beginning the process of rebuilding and reinventing Louisianafor the next 20 years.”

That’s abig and worthyambition, one appropriatefor thevision Livingstonhad in 1991 when he began working to bringthe Navy and UNO together

HERE AREOUR

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

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

OPINION

On Aug. 14, Amedisys,Inc., one of thelargest home health and hospice companies in the U.S., was purchased by UnitedHealthcare for $3.3 billion. Amedisysisa company that started in Bill Borne’sliving room in Vacherie and, for decades, was headquartered in Baton Rouge. Executives were moved to Nashville when Borne left thecompany but other operations remained in Baton Rouge. The company is aBaton Rouge success story

From its public offering in 1994, when its revenue was $18 million, Amedisysrose from its listing on the “pink sheets” to areputable NASDAQ company trading on average at $60 per share in recent years. Although initially founded as anurse staffing company, it focused on home care and hospice

services in later years. Itsstock cycles have varied, but shareholders are gettingapremiumreturn on the $101 acquisition share price, especially if they bought Amedisysstock at the IPOprice of $8.

Iamsaddened to see its AMED trading symbol come off of NASDAQ as part of this deal. Baton Rouge provides afertile ground for public company growth. Many have started here and have been acquired,notably The Shaw Group and H&EEquipment. We need more entrepreneurs to grow their companies and tolist on apublic exchange. It brings capital and jobs into our market. It’snot an easy road, but if Amedisys, a“scrappy” homegrowncompany, can do it, others can follow BARBARA CAREY Baton Rouge

The article“Katrina panel recalls storms’ aftermath” by Tyler Bridges deserves to be widely read.Hurricane Katrina demonstrated that the governmental systems designated to protect us failed when they were needed most Thousands of people wereleft abandoned in theheat, without food or water or medical treatmentand having no way out

With 4,000 desperatepeople stranded in aSt. Bernard warehouse, Walter Leger Jr.helped to commandeer the Algiersferries to bring them to safety When there were not enough qualified bus drivers, Benny Rousselle evacuated the Belle Chaseauditorium by handing thekeys to volunteers. He said, “Believe it or not,wegot all the

Ithoroughly enjoyed Kateb NuriAlim Shunnar’s guest column, “Between stories and steam,” and Ilook forward to reading more of his work. I believe that in atime where everyone is constantly looking forward to the next great thing,Shunnar understands we shouldn’tforget where we come from, or one day we will look in the mirror and we see strangers looking back at us. Strangers next door and at our shopping centers. Strangers saying “I do” across from us at our weddings

buses back.” Gen. Russel Honoré broke militaryprotocol to bring relief and hope to abroken city when other leaderswere paralyzed.

What these acts had in commonwas alove of humanity,adesire for results and the ingenuity to fashion anovel solution by thinking outside of the box. The examples in this article were not isolated. In my experienceofhaving spoken to Katrina survivors, many ordinary people didextraordinary things to bring comfort, food, transportation,safety and water to their fellow citizens. It is worth recalling that HurricaneKatrina sometimes brought out the best in us.

JOHN MENZER NewOrleans

and raising our kids. Strangers teaching them in our schools.

This has nothing to do with faces, races or philosophies, but those lessons taught and engraved and instilled into us by our grandparents and true parents. You’re not better than anyone else, but they’re not any better than you either! So love everyone and treat everyone as you would wanttobe treated in kind.

CAVELL

BELONGA Lafayette

Gov.JeffLandry’srecent state of emergencytoreopen Camp J at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is being sold as a necessity.But we must ask, “Necessary for whom, and for what purpose?”

Conflicting accounts arealreadyswirling. Prison staff say immigrants arecoming. Others mention youth over 16. Some suggest amixedpopulation. No agency hasconfirmedwho will be placed there,only thatrepairs areunderway,construction crewsare active and the rules for public oversight have been set aside

Under Louisiana Revised Statute 29:724, the governor can bypass normalbidding, suspend certain regulations andcommandeer resourcesinanemergency But the lawalso requires the declarationtoclearly state the nature of the emergency,the area affected andthe conditions thatjustify it. Where is thatfull explanation? Whatspecific crisis demands we fast-track reopening aunit shut down in 2018 for its deplorable conditions, aplace with faulty locks, crumbling infrastructure anda long record of abuse andextreme isolation on the grounds of aformer slave plantation?

We arealso told an independent contractor has been hired for these repairs. Who owns this company? Whatare its political or financialties? Wasitselected for expertise or connections? And why arepublic safeguards, including competitive bidding, being waivedtopush this deal through?

If the state is preparing to confine immigrants, youth or any vulnerable population in one of Louisiana’s most notorious prison units, we deserve clear,public answers before anyone is moved inside.Transparency is not aluxury in matters of humanliberty; it is the bare minimum.

TIA FIELDS Baton Rouge

Pets akey part of disaster planning,recovery

Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast 20 years ago this week. The devastatingstorm took more than 1,000 lives and inflicted an estimated $170 billion in economic damage.But oftenforgotten are the four-legged victims caught in the devastation of the storm. Twodecades later,new policies help to ensure petsare folded into disaster response plans, but gaps remain. At the time, national television coverage of the humanitarian crisis largely centeredon theSuperdome, which housedthousandsofpeople in the days and weeks following the hurricane. But about 60 miles northwest of that arena, another herculean mission was unfolding The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center became the headquartersofthe largest animal shelter andrescue operation in U.S. history

TheAmerican HumaneSociety was proudtoplay acritical role. Over the course of six weeks, alongside dozensofother groups, morethan 5,000 stranded animals were rescued and evacuated.The helpless creatures were scared and in urgent need of veterinary care.For the rescued animals, dehydration, exhaustion and hunger were an unfortunate daily reality

In one heartbreaking story chronicled in congressional testimony,alittle boy and hisdog were separated during an evacuation from New OrleanstoHouston. The child reportedly cried out for his best friend until he got sick from distress. In other gut-wrenching tales, animals were trapped in flooding cagesorleft to dog-paddlefor hours in an effort to find dry land.

The epidemic of abandoned pets was awake-up call for policymakers and animal advocates alike. It was clear that the status quo unnecessarily threatened animal lives and was in critical need of reform.And to their credit,federal lawmakers and President George W. Bush met themoment.

In 2006, bipartisan legislation was passed by Congress and signed intolaw requiring states seeking federal disaster aid to accommodate pets and service animals in evacuation plans. That includes providing animal-friendly emergency housing.

The law,called the PETS Act, also empowers theFederal Emergency Management Agency to directly rescue, care for and protect animals affected by natural disasters.

Incorporating pets into thenation’s disaster response framework represented alandmark momentfor animal welfare. To-

Stormforceda remake of schools butTFA fueled transformation

Aug. 29 marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina changed New Orleansforever Anniversaries like this oneinvite deep reflection. I’ve spent the last few weeks doing just that —thinking about theLouisianacommunity whereIhave such deep family roots, andthis city that welcomed me andmytwo kids more than adecade ago to plantour own roots. And how every day since, I’ve been part of acommunity of students,families and educators who have rebuilt local educationwith incredible heart

There is no easy way to speak about Hurricane Katrina. What happened here was catastrophic. Lives lost. Homes destroyed. Schools shuttered. Systems broken wide open. But what Iwant to talk about —and what Ihope we neverlose sight of —isthe communitythat came together in the aftermath. The people. Theprogress. The powerful, everyday acts of creation. When IarrivedatKIPP McDonogh 15, nine yearsafter the storm, our classroomswere still housed in FEMA trailers. These temporary structures —originally meant to last only afew months —had become our daily learning spaces There were no traditional hallwaysorshared gathering spots, just long, narrow spaces that werebrokenupinto smaller rooms where creativity and connection hadtostretch beyond the thin walls. But my students didn’twait forapermanent building to start shaping theschooltheywanted. They painted the walls of those trailerswith murals. They planted flowers. They brought color light and life to aplace that had been defined by loss. We got picnic tablesand added umbrellasin Mardi Gras colors —purple,greenand gold.It wasn’tjust aschool —itbecame aplace of healing, transformation and joy That spirit is New Orleans. That spirit is what makes this community my home. And now, as executive director of Teach ForAmericaGreater New Orleans, Iget to work alongsidethousands of educators in and outsideofTFA who continue to buildand reshape education inNew Orleans. Since 1990, more than1,600 Teach ForAmerica alumni have made Louisianahome. Today,they areprincipals, nonprofit founders, school counselors and classroom teachers. Their fingerprints areeverywhere —inthe foundingofschools

andorganizations like New Schools for New Orleans, Collegiate Academies, Rooted,Success at Thurgood Marshall, LiveOak Camp and The 18th Ward —inclassrooms where students are becoming not just readers and writers,but changemakersand critical thinkers.

day,it’salso credited with saving human lives.

Asurvey by PetSmart Charities reveals that morethan 70% of pet owners would ignore evacuation orders if their furry family member could not come along. And 80% said they would give up their spot at an emergency shelter if petswere not permitted entry.In short,Americans are now more likely to follow safety protocols and evacuate danger zones when their pets are part of the plan.

Buildingonthat legacy,we can do more. Elected officials in Washington could amend federal law to expand options foranimalinclusive housing following natural disasters ranging from floods to tornadoes. One idea could be to offer financial incentives, such as tax credits to hotels and motels that temporarily accept guests with pets. That way,families and their pets could moreeasily stay together

State legislatures could pursue other policies in tandem,assome already are. For example, anew law in Washington state, an area often at the epicenter of wildfires, emphasizes that local governments must incorporate pets when planning fornatural disasters. Meanwhile, Florida adopted anew policy this year that makes it afelony to restrain or abandon apet when an evacuation order is in effect.

Many young Americans today were not alive to experience the horrors of Hurricane Katrina unfolding. But through the stories of heartbreak and tragedy,aswell as those of compassion, hope and bravery,wecan ensure that the lessons of 2005 continue to inform policy changes that help keep America’spets safe.

RobinGanzert is the president and CEO of theAmerican Humane Society

Katrinaproved resilience is more than abuzzword

Hurricane Katrina made Louisiana aleader in resilience by necessity

In theaftermath of Hurricane Katrina and asister storm, Hurricane Rita,which hit Louisiana’swestern coast three weeks later, then-Gov Kathleen Blanco charged theLouisiana Recovery Authority,orLRA, with building back safer, smarter and stronger.And we put that vision intoaction.

As aleader in the LRA, I worked hand in hand with other disaster experts, organizations, companiesand government agencies to ensure the devastation suffered by ourresidents could be preventedinthe future

The LRA fought to change the way things were done.Instead of short-term fixes, we focused on long-termsolutions.

schoolsand hospitals would be available whentheygot home. We nowknowthat resilience is more thana buzzword; it is an essentialway of doing business. Being resilient is aboutbuilding safer smarter, strongersystems so thateach and everymember of acommunity can flourish. Communities across the country knowtheir risk andare prioritizing investments in the toolsand technology to planfor risk andbuild betterbeforedisasterstrikes. As hasbeen common parlance in coastalrestoration, resilient communities require “multiple lines of defense,” including social, economicand culturalsystems, alongwith physical restoration of naturaland human-made infrastructure

Isee the next generation of leaders stepping intothis legacy.Like Wilfred Wright,aNew Orleansnative who grew up in theshadow of Katrina and was taught by TFAcorps members in alumniled schools. Today,through thecorps, Wilfred is teaching at Samuel J. Green Charter School.

Andthen there’sDavion Carraby,one of my former studentsatKIPP McDonogh 15. Itaught Davion in the FEMA trailers that once served as our classrooms. Today,she’sback at that very same school —this time as aTFA corps member ProgressinNew Orleanshas been powered bothbyrising leaders, such as Wilfred and Davion, andbythose who have steadily led, year after year. Tanya Bryant is one of them.

Bryant began teachinghere in 2003. When Katrina struck, her school was in the Lower 9thWard. She stayed. She kept teaching. Today, she serves as CEO of ReNEW Charter Schools,leading with the same fierce love and dedication that brought her to theclassroom more than 20 years ago.

This kind of leadership is all around us.

None of this has happened in isolation. Everything that has been built over the past 20 years hasbeen forged in partnership withschools and, most of all, withthe families who have welcomed us into their lives and trusted us withtheir children’sdreams.

This is not astoryofperfection. It’sa story of persistence, creativity and connection. It’s a story still being written by teachers,students andcommunity leaders.

To thepeople of New Orleans: Thank you. For your trust.For your partnership. For allowing me to be part of this incredible journey.The last 20 years have been filled with purpose. And Ibelieve, with everything in me, thenext 20 will hold even more promise.

Ge’ron Tatum is theexecutive director of Teach ForAmerica GreaterNew Orleans

Often this meant challenging ourselvesand our federal partners to go beyond simply replacing damagedinfrastructure and propertiestorebuild with materials anddesigns that could withstand future disasters. We constantly asked: If youcould investinaway thatsaves lives and won’tbreak in the future, why wouldn’tyou?

The stateofLouisiana, our neighborsacrossthe Gulf Coast and the federal disasterresponse and recovery ecosystem have made alot of progress since Louisiana’s twin disasters 20 years ago. Many of the changes that were put in place thenare still protecting us today.

We adopted international building codes to fortify newstructures; we incentivizedcommunities to plan fora safer future; we rebuilt and improved health care and school systems; we invested in quality, affordable rentalhousing; and coastalrestoration became ashared mission. Communities along the coast and upriver have learnedto“live with water,” adopting measurestoprotect against future floodevents.

Andwedidn’tstopthere. We shared what we learned across events and acrossstates. We embedded safeguards into planning beforethe next storm hit. We kept learning. At thetime,wedid notcall this “resilience.” We acted on the premisethat no oneshould have to experience the loss, destruction andtrauma thatresidents of the statehad witnessed. The LRA, and so many others, fought fiercely to make sure that people could come home, small businesses could thrive and critical infrastructure like roads, lights,

Resilienceisnot aone-time investment. It’sa commitment to continuous improvement, to listening andtoacting with urgency andcompassion. Unfortunately,too often, communities acrossthe country including in ourown state, are experiencing catastrophic disasters andhaving to learnlessons we have alreadyexperienced. As the federal government is pulling back critical upfront investments essentialtofortifying communitiesfromfuture threats, the state of Louisiana,whichfaces the risk of heaviercoastalflooding andmorefrequent flood events, recently canceled amajor river diversionthatwould createland andprovide aspeed bump to prevent damage from future storms. These backsteps by the federal andstate governments are compoundedbymarketforces.Insurance costs areunaffordable, if residents can even acquire it —a huge questionmarkasinsurance writers areabandoning coastal communities.

Louisiana showedthe nation what resilience could look like Now,wemust lead again —by building on what we have learned from experience. We should institutionalize this knowledge in an updatedplaybook and share it broadly

This way, we, andour neighbors acrossthe nation, will be safer, smarter, strongerand, hopefully, betterprepared to respond to and rebound from future catastrophic disasters. Our way of life depends on it.

Robin Keeganisa former executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority

continued from Wednesday, August 27th at St. George Catholic Church (7808 St George Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70809),with visitationfrom8:30am until Mass of Christian Burial at 10am, celebratedbyRev Paul Yi. Entombment will follow in the church mausoleum.

successful instrumentation companies—Richard was aman of many talents and worked hard every day. He made many friends, was intenselydevotedtohis family, and would do just about anything to help someone in need. He inspired countless people, sharing wisdom and perspective rooted in his worldwide experiences and his deep faith

The final chapter in Richard's life was just as special as those prior Richard became the dearest of friends with the residents and caregivers of Barclay House. In the months at Barclay, he was the life of the party, the "NICEST" resident, and an inspiration to everyone.He started "the men's table and infused the daily meal periods with joy and laughter. He endeavored to involve everyone, was kind and gracious to all, andof course... he sang the words to all the songs. He was simply ajoy to all who knew him there—and full of life until the end.

The family would like to thank Maria Yiannopoulos of Dedicated Sitters and the Barclay House of Baton Rouge for the wonderful care Richard received this year. And finally, the Lord sent the family Ms. Andrea Parker, who deserves the most heartfelt thank you for taking exceptional care of Richard during his final months. Andrea provided the family tremendous comfort in the knowledge that he was lovinglycared for. Richard is survivedby Judy Nice, his amazing wife of 64 years, sons C T. Nice and Jeff Nice, daughters-in-lawNancy Nice (née Milligan)and Lisa Nice (née Herring), and grandchildren Conner Thomas Nice, Casey Taylor Paul (née Nice), Aubrey MadisonNice, and Rhiannon Elisabeth Nice. Connerismarried to Emilie Nice (née Merck), and they have two boys, Christian Thomas Nice and Caden Taylor Nice, Richard and Judy's great grandchildren. Casey Paul (née Nice) is married to Darren Paul of Poole, England. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Richard's honor to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, acharity the family has supported for over 45 years (stjude.org). Services will be held

Phillips, Windom Adam 'Phil'

Windom Adam"Phil" Phillips II was borninBatonRouge on February23, 1944,tothe union of Windom and Jewel Easley Phillips, and restedfrom thislifeonAugust 22, 2025, at this home

He graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1962,and from Delgado College in 1966, with adegree in Aerospace Maintenance and Technology.

He retiredfromExxon Mobil in 2009, after 42 years of service working in the Petroleum Products Lab, then as Analyzer Technician.

Alongtime memberof Baton Rouge RadioControl Club,and Nick Kalivoda's Bible Class. He enjoyed the hobby of flyingradio control modelairplanes

He is preceded in death by his parents, and two sistersFaithWinston and Patsy Hamberlin.

Survivors include his wifeof57years Pat Phillips, children Missy Phillips Day(Dr. Mike) of Baton Rouge,and Andy Phillips (Robin) of Katy Texas, grandchildren Sam, Benand Amelia DayofBatonRouge, Graysonand AddisonPhillips of Katy, Texas, abrother Farley Phillips, and ahost of other relatives and friends.

He was extremely proud of his grandkids and all their accomplishments.

Services willbeprivate. ChurchFuneral Services & Crematory

DeWanna Jordan

On Friday, August 22, 2025, DeWanna Richard,affectionately known as Peep,passed away at the ageof92. She wasa devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She retired fromAT&T as a telephone operator and became very successful in real estateinvestments laterinlife.She was a member of The Journey UnitedChurch. She was preceded in deathbythe father of hertwo children, Robert JosephRichard; son, Robert Layton Richard; grandson, Justin DeanRichard;parents, Malcolm and Delma Jordan; and her brother, Frank MillerJordan. DeWanna is survived by her son, Malcolm Richard and his wife, Donna Kay Richard; sister, Carol Harrell;grandchildren, Jordan and Elizabeth Richard, Brandon and Kelsi Richard, Katherine and Hunter Andrews; and great-grandchildren, Josiah, Eleanora, Vivian, Bailey,Scarlet,McNeil,and Dolly. Visitation willbeheldatResthaven Funeral Home,11817 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, on Thursday, August 28, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. until FuneralService at 2:00 p.m. Interment willfollowatResthaven Gardens of Memory. Service willbe conducted by her grandson, Jordan Richard. DeWanna was deeply treasured and willbegreatly missed by allofher friends and family.Family and friends may sign theonline guestbookorleave apersonal notetothe family at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.

On August 19, 2025, Donald E. Shipley, 92, of Greenwell Springs, LA passed away peacefullywithimmediatefamily present there togethertosay their last goodbyes.

Don was born on December 27, 1932, to Charles and EvelynShipley in Millville,New Jersey. In his youthheenjoyed sports and went on to excel in both academics and sports.AtMillville High School, he was class president, president of theNational Honor Society and vice president of the Student Council. He was also afour-year lettered athlete and captainofthe varsity tennisteam. After graduation, he attended Rutgers University wherehereceived abachelor's degree and was captain of thecollegiatetennisteam. From there, he attendedthe School of AuxiliaryMedical Servicesatthe University of Pennsylvania. Upon completion, he was granted acertificatetopractice PhysicalTherapy.

After this achievement, he joinedthe UnitedStates Public Health Service.For his first assignment,he was stationedinNew Orleans wherehemet and latermarriedMargaret. After5 years in NewOrleans, he was transferred to the United States PublicHealth Service Hospital in Carville, LA.During his 22 years of service, he had several papers published in medical journals and was an international Hansen'sdisease consultant in Japan, India, and Ethiopia. Hewas also a designated clinical instructor in Physical Therapy programsatLSU,University of Florida, BaylorUniversity, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and State University of NewYorkat Buffalo.

Upon retirementasthe Therapist Director and rank of Captain, he was recognized "forcontribu-

tionsleadingtothe reduction of disabilitiesin Hansen'sdisease patients throughout theworld and foroutstandingservice in theUnited States Public HealthService." Throughouthis life, he enjoyed playing golf, tennis, card games and most of all,lovingand supportinghis family. He will be rememberedfor hiskindness, leadership,generosity, sense of humor, unflappable stoicism, andto many in thetenniscommunity of days goneby, his magician-like tennis skills, especially theheavy topspinonhis wicked lefthandedslice serve.

Donissurvivedbyhis wife of 64 years, Margaret, his3 sons, Don& wife Debbie, Jeff &wife Cheryl, Gary &wife Donise; grandchildren and step grandchildren:Tristan &wife Alex, Colton &fiancé Emily, Tyler &wife Allie,Noelle, Skyler &Christoph, Jack, Wesley &wife Clara, Shannon& husband Casey, Marissa &husbandLuke. Great grandchildrenand step great grandchildren: Thomas,Collins, Hunter Chesza,Ender,Mina, Emma, Emerie, andEvan

He is preceded in death by hisparents Charles and Evelyn andbrother Charles.

Amemorial service will be held on Friday August 29, 2025, at Magnolia United Methodist Church, 16024 Greenwell Springs, LA 70739. Visitation will be from10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Theservice will be at 12:00pm. The burialservice will be at 2:00 PM sharp at Louisiana National Cemetery locatedon303 WMt Pleasant Zachary Rd Zachary, LA 70791.

Gerry retiredfromExxon after 36 years as asecretary, first in thelandoffice andtheninthe geology department.She lovedthe LSUTigers, both football andbaseballand theNew OrleansSaintsand of course, herfamily. Auntie Gerry wasaladywitha brilliantmind anda loving heart. Sheloved to tell stories abouttraveling with Leowhilehewas training to be aB-17 pilot, andwhenhereturned from WWII, they travelled togetherfor Leo's job. She hada wonderfuland excitinglife, andnow,she is reunited with the love of her life. We are quite sure she and hersister,Barbara, went shopping as soon as shearrived. Shewas also an avidanimal lover, especiallycats(Tiddy-wits and Reddyare linedupfor petting time). She is survived by nephew andcaregiver, MarkRussell Normand and hiswife,LauraWeaver Normand, by nephews, Neal Villarrubia (Marilyn), WayneVillarrubia, KelVillarrubia (Teresa), Stephen Villarrubia (Linda) and Charles Villarrubia,and nieces LoriMartin(Tommy) andKaren Castillo Villarrubia, andother beloved nieces andnephews. She is also survived by the Weaver familythatshe adopted later in life. Sheis preceded in death by her husband and the love of herlife, LeoForest Villarrubia; herparents, Webb and GraceRussell andher sister, Barbara Normand. We are very grateful to the nurses, aides,chaplains, social workers,and office staff of CompassusHospice in both Metairieand Baton Rouge.A special thank you to Betty Dixon for theexcellentcare, love andlaughs. Another special thanks to Isabel Aleman for being therewhen we needed you.The visitation will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at Lake LawnMetairieFuneral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.New Orleans, LA 70124 from 8:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. The interment will follow at Lake Lawn ParkMausoleum. Pallbearerswill be Mark Normand, Neal Villarrubia,Kel Villarrubia,Tommy Martin, Mike Sims and Greg Weaver.In lieu of flowers, please consider adonation to the ASPCA,a localanimal shelter, or yourlocal food bank.

Portal opposites

BY REED DARCEY Staffwriter

Coach Brian Kelly drew the proverbial line of demarcationonce LSU had collected the signatures from its 2024 freshman class.

It was December 2023, and you could see the program transforming, Kelly said at the time, from ateam that needed to stockpile transfers just so it could field aroster into one that could pick and choose which positions it would ask those players to fill. But how many transfers would beideal? Where was the sweet spot? Wasthere amagic numberthatwould bringabout some healthycompetition without nudg-

ing away keyreturners? And if so, what was it?

Kelly wasn’tsure then.

Twooffseasonslater,hemay have found his answer “I use my experienceand my sense of when’s theright time to add people to the roster,” Kelly said on Monday,“and Ifelt like this year was the right time.”

So LSU took an aggressive tack.The 18 transfers it identified, recruitedand landed left the 2025 cycle as the nation’s top class, according to 247Sports.

Clemson prefers to find players elsewhere. Under coach Dabo Swinney,it has devoted practically zero resources to recruiting transfers —afactthatwill set up an interesting discrepancy when No. 9LSU begins itsfourth season under Kelly on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC)with a

ofa preseasongameat Caesars Superdome on Aug. 17.

Graves: Southern QB battle undecided

BY TOYLOYBROWN III

Staff writer

Terrence Graves doesn’tknow who will be hisstarting quarterback in Southern’snext gameagainst Mississippi Valley State, he said duringTuesday’smedia availability

Southernat Miss. Valley St. 4P.M. SATURDAy

Thesecond-year coachsaidthe position battlebetween returning redshirt sophomore Jalen Woodsand junior Jackson State transferCam’Ron McCoy, whostarted in the opener,isongoing.

“Both are competing,” Graves said ahead of his team’s gameat4 p.m. Saturday at Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Miss. Southern (0-1) played both quarterbacks in its 31-14 loss to North Carolina Central in Atlanta. McCoy received the vast majority of thesnaps,despite being listed as the backup quarterback on the two-deep depth chart provided in the press box of Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta.

ä See SOUTHERN, page 3C

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

Before the New Orleans Saints’ team meeting Tuesday, Kellen Moore pulled both of his quarterbacks aside.Itwas time to tell them his decision on whowould start the Sept. 7season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. In the end, Moore went with Spencer Rattler Rattler will be the starting quarterback, earning the role over rookie Tyler Shough andJake Haener —the latterofwhom was released as part of New Orleans’ cuts to get the rosterto 53 players.

“Really,really excited for him,” MooresaidofRattler. “He’s done an awesomejob this offseason He’sjust been consistent.He’s made some really good decisions throughout this whole entire process. Hisability to makeplays with his arm and his feet have certainly shown up “He’searned this opportunity He’sgoingto do atremendous job for us.” Rattler gives the Saints aslightly more experienced option. The 2024 fifth-round pickappeared in seven games withsix startsfor theSaints

road gameagainst No. 4Clemson. Both teams have national championship hopes. One plungedinto thetransfer portal toboost itsshot at the crown. The other merely took adip. Swinney hardly uses theportal. Across the last five cycles, he andhis Clemson staff have signed only six total transfers —a third of the numberLSU signed in 2025 alone.

Thekey is retention. Swinney hasn’t pursuedtransfers notonly because he hasn’twanted to but also because he hasn’treally needed to.

Consider thefact that Clemson has lost an average of only 10 players to the last five transfer portalwindows. LSU, in comparison, hasseen more than double that

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

TheNew OrleansSaintshave finalizedthis year’sinitial53-man roster, andKellenMoore’sfingerprintsare all over it. As afirst-time head coach, Moore’sinfluence was felt notably in the bold choice to release quarterback JakeHaener.Indoing so, the Saintsopted to keep two quarterbacks on the roster rather than three.

Let’s take afurther look at the Saints’ decisions: Quarterback(2)

Spencer Rattlerand TylerShough: Haener’srelease was the headliner here—atleast until Moore announced Spencer Rattler as his Week 1starter.But will the Saints adda third quarterback in the coming days? The Atlanta Falcons cut Easton Stick, aquarterback who played under Moore when they were with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023. Perhaps that’saname to watch.

Runningback(4) AlvinKamara,KendreMiller,DevinNeal, VelusJones:Jones was the last man in, and his special teams versatilitymight have been thedeciding factor.The wide receiver-turnedrunning backmade it over ClydeEdwards Helaire, Cam Akers and undrafted free agent Marcus Yarns.

Wide receiver (6) ChrisOlave,RashidShaheed,Devaughn

Vele,BrandinCooks,MasonTipton,CedrickWilson:Dante Pettis was the oddman out. After trading for Devaughn Vele last week, the Saints hadtochoosebetween one of two veterans in Pettis and Cedrick Wilson. While Pettis added some value as areturner,the Saints kept Wilson, whohas familiaritywithMoore and also gives the Saints another big body (6-2, 197) at the position.

Offensiveline(9) Kelvin Banks, Trevor Penning,Erik

McCoy, Cesar Ruiz,TalieseFuaga, DillonRadunz,AsimRichards,LukeFortner and Torricelli Simpkins:The Saints traded for Richards —amove made out of necessity after the Saints were decimated at swing tackle.The Saints placed tackles Barry Wesleyand Landon Young on injuredreserve after waiving Josiah Ezirim and Jonathan Mendoza aday earlier.Richards, a 2023 fifth-round pick, played 177 snaps at left tackle last season for the Cowboys.

BROADCASTHIGHLIGHTS

3p.m. San DiegoatSeattle

10:30 a.m.U.S.

Sinner,Swiatek cruise at U.S. Open

By The Associated Press

NEWYORK Iga Swiatekistrying to do somethingnowomanhas done sinceSerenaWilliams in 2012: win the U.S. Open andWimbledon in the same season.

Jannik Sinner is trying to do something no man has donesince Roger Federer in 2008: repeat as U.S. Open champion.

By the looks of things on Tuesday in Arthur Ashe Stadium as thenow-three-day first round wrapped up, the two players who triumphed at the All England Club last month —and who both served short doping-related bans last year —look ready to contend again in New York. And how

The second-seeded Swiatek was up first in theU.S.Open’smain arena and neededmerelyanhour to dismiss Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-1, 6-2. No. 1Sinner then took only 39 minutes more to finish off his 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 victory over VitKopriva of the Czech Republic.

“Obviously,every year is different,” said Sinner,sporting the white arm sleeve he began wearing after hurting his elbow in afall during Wimbledon. “You come here starting this tournament, hopefully,the best possible way —which Idid.”

He certainly showed no signs of the virus thatforcedhim to quit in the first set of the Cincinnati Open final against his biggestrival, No. 2Carlos Alcaraz, last week

Either Sinner or Alcaraz, who have combined to winthe past seven major titles, can ownthe top ATPranking after these15days. Similarly,Swiatek, Coco Gauff or No. 1Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion, can leaveNew York atop the WTA.

On Tuesday,Sinner savedboth break points he faced and won 33 of 40 first-serve points.

Swiatekwas even more dominant, not only never facing a breakpointbut never even being taken to deuce in any of her eight service games, while accumulatinga 26-5 edge in winners. There was atime when some folks,perhaps swayedbySwiatek’sdominance on the French Open’sred clay,thought she couldn’tsucceed on the speedier surfaces of hard and grass courts. Thatcertainly was not the case, as her championships at Wimbledon in July and at theU.S. Open in 2022 makeobvious.

Tenwomen have split the past 11 trophies in New York;only Naomi Osaka, in 2018 and 2020, won more than one in that span. AndWilliams, with three in arow

from 2012 to 2014, was the last woman to leaveasthe champion in consecutive years. As for themen, no one has collectedtwo in arow at theU.S. Opensince Federer’s five straight titles from 2004 to 2008, before he lost in the 2009 finaltoJuanMartin del Potro.

Sinner was asked why that is.

“Weare heading towards end of theseason, so some players,they aretired. Someplayers, they are feeling different. Many things can change. It’s also the last big trophy of the year Ialways say thatthe future is unpredictable,” he said. “SoIdon’tknow what’s going to happen this time.” In evening action, everything came up rosesfor Osakainher

U.S. Open first-round match. The two-timechampion entered the court with sparkly red roses in herponytail above her red outfit andeven amatching Labubu that she named Billie Jean Bling. Osaka’stennis looked good, too. TheNo. 23 seed from Japanbeat Greet Minnen 6-3, 6-4. Coco Gauff’s first match since enlisting someonetohelpwithher shaky serving gotoff to arocky start.She double-faultedinthe first game. Theonlynumbersthattruly counted in the endwere theones on the Arthur Ashe Stadium scoreboard, and those showed that the No. 3-seeded Gauff held on for a6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5 victory over Ajla Tomljanovic.

Gibson honoredfor breaking colorbarrier

U.S. Open marks75 yearssince Gibson became firstBlack player at amajor

BY STEPHENWHYNO

Associated Press

NEW YORK Images of Althea Gibson are everywhere at the U.S. Open, 75 years since she became the first Black player at a major tennis tournament.

The American Grand Slam event’slogo is multilayered artworkofher face in profile. Clips of Gibson flash across screens inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. A tribute narratedbyVenus Williams is part of the soundtrack during breaks.

“The mostimportantpart is that we are celebrating it and recognizing it because Althea accomplished so much,” Williams said. “A lot of it has not been given the credititdeservesand the attention and the praise.”

While Gibson has been memorialized with astatue at theFlushing Meadows site since 2019, she is nowatthe forefront of the U.S. Open, with signs reading, “Celebrating 75 years of breaking barriers” and two weeks built around honoring her story,a complicated and difficult one without ahappy ending.

“Personally,Ifeel like everybody’swaited too long to really celebrate her,” BillieJean King told The AssociatedPress. “She was the first, and when you’re the first, you should be celebrated the most.”

Gibson fought with the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association just to be admitted in 1950 to whatwas then called the U.S. Nationals. It took apublic letter fromprominent white player Alice Marble to make it happen, and even then it wasn’teasy

“(Organizers) put her ona very back court, No. 14. Hard to get to. The area for people to watch was tiny.And theychanged therules and sent photographers to take pictures of her match, whichwas never allowed for other people,” said Sally Jacobs, author of “Althea: The Life of Tennis Cham-

pion Althea Gibson.”

“Of course many people thought, ‘Well, this could distract her,this could cause commotion.’

This was to bring down hergame. They really weremaking it tough forher.”

Gibson beatBarbara Knapp, anyway,before losing to threetime reigning Wimbledon championLouise Brough. Even as Gibson won Grand Slamtitles —what’snow theFrenchOpen in 1956, along with the U.S.Nationalsand Wimbledon in 1957 and’58 —success did not open doors.

“She grew up in the Southand it wasthe JimCrow era, so she spent most of her time out of the country playing,” former playerturned-executive Katrina Adams said. “I can’timagine her trying to competeinAmerica in the’50s and ’60sand not being treatedas anormal humanbeing, notbeing able to walkinto the front door of these clubsand stadiums and being treatedthe waythat she was, but still risingtothe occasion and beingthe championthatshe was.

Gibsonplayedbeforethe professionalera,soeventhe top tournaments had no prize money As aresult, many of her accomplishmentshave been losttotime, and she wound up quitting to play golf, sing and act

She broke golf’s color barrier, too, released ajazzalbum, appeared in amovie with John Wayne and performed on “The Ed Sullivan Show” twice. Yetshe’s far less knowncomparedtoother pioneers of the time.

“Her storyhas been pushed in manyways to the margins,”National Women’sHistoryMuseum president and CEO Frédérique Irwin said. “You mightthink about Jackie Robinson. Everybody knows who Jackie Robinson was. Yet, does anyone,ifyou walk down thestreet, know Althea Gibson’sname?” Michelle Curry,the administrator of her estate, saidGibson “sometimes becomesinvisible” because she was not loud about her plight. King, who idolized her before thetwo got to know each

Politician replaces Borne as Tiger Stadium voice

Tiger Stadium has anew voice.

LSUchose state Rep.Dixon McMakin of Baton Rougeasthe new public address announcer for games in Tiger Stadium,The Advocate has learned.

McMakin replaces Dan Borne, whodid not call games in 2024 because of health issuesbut officially stepped downinJuly

McMakin also will handlePA dutiesatLSU men’s basketball games, which Borne also has done since the 1980s.

LSU’s football homeopener is at 6:30 p.m.Sept. 6against Louisiana Tech.

Longtime LSU PA announcers

BillFranques andMikeSmith also were finalists amongmore than 40 applications, sources said. Franques works LSU baseball games and filled in for Borne this past footballseason,while Smith calls LSU gymnastics meets

Astros slugger Alvarez backfrom hand injury

Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday after sitting out sinceMay 3while he recovered from afractured right hand. Alvarezreturns after playing four rehabilitation games for Double-A Corpus Christi, where he went 7for 15 with four doubles, four RBIsand astolen base. He has been out morethan 31/2 months withthe small fracture in his right hand that wasinitially diagnosed as amuscle strain. His return should be abig boost to the Astros as the postseason approaches afterheled the team in batting average(.308),home runs (35) and RBIs(86) last season. Houston entered Tuesdayleading the AL West by 11/2 games over Seattle.

RangersRHP Eovaldi

likely finished for season

Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is likely done forthe season because of arotator cuff strain.

Chris Young, the team president of baseball operations, madethe announcementTuesday, aday before Eovaldi’sscheduled start against the Los Angeles Angels when he had another opportunity to take over as MLB’squalified ERA leader.Heis11-3 with acareer-best 1.73 ERA in 22 starts. Eovaldi has been oneofbaseball’sbest pitchers allseason, but he was left off the American League All-Starteamand hasn’t been amongthe qualified leaders after missing mostofJune because of elbow inflammation.

Raleigh in Mantle company after his 50th home run

CalRaleigh hit his 50thhome run on Monday,extending his majorleague record for home runs by a catcher and entering elite company

Raleigh joined Mickey Mantle as the only switch-hitters to hit 50 homers in aseason, and he became the eighth player in major-league history to reach the half-century markinAugust.

Batting from the right side,Raleighsenta 3-2fastball from San Diego pitcher JP Sears 419 feet into the second deck in leftfield. He’sthe second Mariners player to hit 50 homers in aseason. Hall of FamerKen Griffey Jr.hit 56 in 1997 and again in 1998. Salvador Perez had the previous record forhomers by acatcher with 48 in 2021.

other as adults,saw the pressure of people wanting Gibson to speak up more about social justiceand observed, “She was trying to survive.” Gibson’sautobiography,released in 1958, was titled,“IAlwaysWanted To Be Somebody.” Zina Garrison, who reached the Wimbledon finalin1990, said Gibson“never really gother due.”

The USTAsoughtinput from contemporaries andmembers of the Black community to come up withwaystohonor Gibson all these years later andmore than two decades since her death. Chief diversity and inclusion officer Marisa Grimes Galiber said the goal was to make sure people understood Gibson’s history “Thiswas an opportunity to maybe make right what we didn’t do as good ajob of celebrating Althea many years ago that we couldrightthatwrong today,” said NicoleKankam,USTAprofessional tennis marketing and entertainment managing director.

Alabama, WVU football teams cancel series

Alabamaand West Virginia mutually agreed to cancel their homeand-home series that had been scheduledfor 2026 and2027, the schools announced Tuesday Alabama saiditwas making adjustments to itsnonconference schedule in response to last week’s announcement that the Southeastern Conference would go from playing eight to nine league games starting in 2026. West Virginiasaiditwanted to align with the scheduling philosophy followedbymanyteams contendingfor aCollege Football Playoffberth. That meansplaying afellow power-conference opponent, one from the Group of Five and one from the second-tier FCS. Alabamanow will play East Carolina on Sept. 5, 2026, as well as South Florida on Sept. 12 and Florida State on Sept. 19.

Many transfer QBsremaininconference

BY STEVE MEGARGEE AP sports writer

MADISON,Wis. Wisconsin

quarterback Billy Edwards wasn’tnecessarily looking to stay in the Big Tenwhen he decided to leave Maryland and enter the transfer portal. It just worked out that way Edwards is one of several potential Power Four starting quarterbacks who switched schools without switching conferences.

“That’sobviously something in the back of your head, but Idon’tthink that was amain thought of mine,” said Edwards, who threw for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns for aMarylandteam that went 4-8 last season. “I think the best thing for me was just finding the right opportunity,the best opportunity for me. It happened to be in the same conference.”

Some other Power Four starting quarterbacks who previously played witha conference foeare Auburn’s JacksonArnold(formerly at Oklahoma), Kentucky’s Zach Calzada (Texas A&M and Auburn), Florida State’s Thomas Castellanos(Boston College) and Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis (Minnesota).

Kaliakmanis is in his secondseasonasthe Rutgers starter,while the others are new to their current schools.

Calzada played the last two

LSU

Continued from page 1C

average number of defections (21) in each of its first three full offseasons under Kelly Continuity has allowed Clemson to build aroster with more returning production than any other teamin the country,according to ESPN’sBill Connelly.

LSU ranks 24th on that list. It has some essential returners —such as Garrett Nussmeier, Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins —but it’salso asking transfersto fillimportant roles at almost every position. Three will catch passes for Nussmeier Twowill start on the offensive line. Four will rotate in and out of the defensive line.

One will work as LSU’stop outside corner,and two others will man the first-team safety spots.

Clemson, on the other hand, has key roles lined up foronlytwo transfers: for-

SOUTHERN

Continued from page 1C

In the postgame news conference afterthe loss, Graves was asked about the process that arrived at McCoy as the starter

“Wehad some things we had to deal with, and so that’s whywemadethatdecision,” he said.

He didn’telaborate on the matter Tuesday

“It’sanin-housedeal,” Graves said. “As Isaid before,things that we have to take care of in-house,and we’re gonna just leave it at that.” In the North Carolina Central loss,McCoy completed 9of14passes for 71 yards and rushed for 98 yards and atouchdown on nine carries

He also hadone lost fumble. Woods entered the game with 6:12 left in the fourth quarter with a17-point deficit. He finished with 21 yards on 4of5passes. When asked whether the starting quarterback decision would be aweek-byweek decision, Graves said that he’sgoing to play both players

“In this new age of college football, we’re going to play the best players,” he said. “So we’re not going to just necessarilysay we’re going to play one guy.We’regonna play the guys that’s going to giveusthe best chance to win.”

McCoy said Tuesday he is not concerned with how the coachingstaff chooses who will startagainstMississippi State and beyond.

years at FCS program Incarnate Word after stints at Texas A&M (2019-21) and Auburn (2022). Edwardsmakes his Wisconsin debutThursday against Miami (Ohio), whose starting quarterback is in a somewhat similar situation. Dequan Finn was the MidAmericanConference MVP at Toledoin 2023, spent last season as abackup at Big 12 program Baylor and is now backinthe MAC withMiami

mer Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt andformer Alabama outsidelinebacker Jeremiah Alexander

“If Itookajob somewhere else, I’dbe the greatest portal recruiterever,”Swinney said inJulyatACC media days,“becausehalf of my rosterwould begone, and I’d have to put it together.But if youstudyour team, our retention is as good anybody in the country.Guys graduate, they stay and we recruit. Kelly hassaidthathe’d rather not rely so heavily on theportal. The problem is that he andhis staffhaven’t retained their freshman signees at arateonpar with Clemson’s(though no team has).

LSU inked26recruits to its 2023 freshman class— a group that was rated among the five best in the nation per 247Sports composite rankings. Starterssuch as Weeks, DJ Chester,Tyree Adams and Ashton Stamps arrived as part of that haul, but the bulk of the class has since entered the portal.

(Ohio).

In ayear when well over half of the 68 Power Four schools areprojected to start quarterbacks who signed elsewhere outofhigh school, it shouldn’tcome as a surprise that some endupat multiple schools withinthe same conference. But it does reflect how much the game haschanged in thelast few years. Until the summerof2021, the Southeastern Conference

Seventeen of those signees including sixofthe 10 most highly rated recruits,now play for differentteams.

Thoselosses —and the need to replenishthem— arepartofwhatdrove the urgency withwhich LSU built its2025 roster

One of theother drivers, Kelly said, was the need to take advantage of Weeks, Nussmeier andPerkins returning forone finalyear together.IfLSU wanted that trio to anchora team that reaches the College Football Playoff, then it needed to surround them with ready-made contributors. The only place to find those players? Thetransfer portal

“Building aprogram, unfortunately,takes some time,” Kelly said. “Andthe time element —nobody wantstohear aboutit. Iget it. Iunderstand everybody wants to winthe national championship this year. I want to win it as well, but the reality of it is we had some worktodo. And that work

July

“I don’treally focus on it,” he said. “At the end of the day, Ican only be thebest me that Ican be, andit’s their decision.

“I’m not competing versus nobody.It’sjustthey gonna put the best person out there.”

TheJaguars coaching staff, throughout theoffseason,expressed thatitwas Woods’ startingjob to lose. He is the lonereturner at quarterback, and he went from theJaguars’third option to startingintwo of the final threegames of 2024. The Atlanta native didn’t play in the 2024 SWAC championship game because of a concussion Graves said he’snot con-

cernedthatWoodsdid not outright win the No. 1quarterback spotbefore the opener

“Not disappointed at all, Graves said. “Everybody has an opportunity.You gotta makethe mostofyour opportunity.Sojust like he took advantage of his opportunity last year,someone else is goingtotakeadvantageof(the) opportunity

“So that’swhy it’s important everybodyisprepared andreadytogo, because youjust neverknowwhen your number’sgoingtobe called.”

Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@ theadvocate.com.

of theirconference backgrounds is up fordebate. After all, in this era of super conferences, teams don’t faceall their conference rivals.

“I wouldn’tsay there’s anymore familiarity just because he playedinthe league,” Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. “I do think it gives him, not to say credibility, but aleg up in understanding how this league works and how tough it is, how hard it is on the road and different things. Ilike that it bodes well not only for him but forusaswegothrough the season.”

required players who transferred within theconference to sitout aseason of competition. The SEC still prohibits playersfromleaving one conference school for another during thespring transfer window,soUCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava couldn’tconsider an SEC school when he left Tennessee in spring practice. Whether these guys have any morefamiliarity with their newschoolsbecause

was building afoundational piece in this program that was built on consistency and high standardsona day-today basis.That takes some time.”

Ahighly rated transfer class doesn’tguarantee a successful season. The next team to sign morethan 10 transfers and win the national championship will be the first. LSU could become that program, but it must first buck atrend. Each of thefirst three teams to earn 247Sports’No. 1transfer

Florida State knew Castellanos all too well before he joined the Seminoles. After accumulating 305 yards passing and 95 yards rushing in a31-29 loss to theSeminolesin2023, Castellanos threw two touchdown passes and ran for athird score in a 28-13 victory at Florida State last year

Castellanos leftthe team and entered the transferportalafter losing hisstarting spot last year,but Seminoles coach Mike Norvellsaidthe quarterback has been amodel teammate.

“Wehad very high expectationswhenhejoined the team of what he would bring,” Norvell said. “It’s easytosee the athleticism, theskill, the games he’s played, the impacthecan make. I’m very proud of him forjust theinvestment —the investment in others, the investment into the program He brings agreat spirit into this building.” Thelistofstartingquarterbacks whotransferred within theirconference wouldgrow if Oregon’s Dante Moore, Maryland’s Justyn Martin and Oklahoma State’sHauss Hejnywin theirrespective quarterback competitions. Moore started five games at UCLA in 2023 —when both UCLA and Oregon hadn’tyet left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten—before transferring last year Martin made onestartfor UCLA in 2024. Hejny appeared in four gamesbut didn’tattempt apassfor TCU last season. Theability to transfer within aconference does create potentialmatchups between aquarterback and his former school. For instance, Kaliakmanis threwthreetouchdown passes against his old team last year when Rutgers defeated Minnesota 26-19. Edwards andWisconsin host Maryland on Sept. 20. If Martin wins Maryland’s starting job, he will play againsthis ex-team Oct. 18 when the Terrapins visit UCLA.

class ranking —Southern Cal(2022),Colorado(2023) and Ole Miss (2024) missed the CFP Clemson made the 12team field last season without asingle transfer on its roster. Kelly has ateam that he thinks can win theSEC and join that mixfor thefirst time in his tenure. He didn’t before. Then he settled on an approach to the transferportal, one that Clemson will put to the test in the showdown set to kick off Saturday

“Weweren’tready to bring in guys fromthe outside until our own program was in areally good space,” Kelly said. “It took us afew years, andIfeltlike this year we wereinaplace where we could invite people into our locker room —transfers, if you will.”

EmailReed Darcey at reed.darcey@theadvocate. com. For more LSU sports updates,sign up forour newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

Rattlernow will trytowin over fanbase

There really was no rightor wrong choice.

Despite aNew Orleans Saints fan base that was as divided on the SpencerRattler vs. Tyler Shough quarterback battle as it was for Jameis Winston vs. Tayson Hill in 2021, Kellen Moore really couldn’tgo wrong with whichever quarterback he gave the keys to his offense

Walker

The QB race itself was as close as the unscientific poll Iconducted on the social media website Xearlier this week. Fifty-one percent of the fans wanted Rattler as the starter.The other 49% preferred Shough

Asix-word sentence from Moore on Tuesday afternoon brought the back-and-forth debate to aclose.

“Spencer Rattler is our starting quarterback,” Moore said. And with that announcement, Moore finally put to restthe most asked sports question in New Orleans this summer: “Who’sgoing to be the Saints quarterback?”

Well, now we know

“I worked my tail off to achieve this, and now it’shere,” Rattler said. “I’m ready to workwiththe guysand get this season going Ifeel like we are headed in the right direction, and everybody is excited right now.”

Maybeeveryone except some of thoseinthe 49%

Ideally,those fans will accept Moore’s decision and rally around Rattler much like his teammates did when the second-year quarterback led thegame-tyingdrive in the second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Butsome fans won’t. Therewill be those who will say “I toldyou so”every time Rattler makes a mistake

And there are the pro-Rattler fans who would have saidthe exact same thing if thesituation wasreversed and Shough hadwon thejob.

It’ll be up to Rattler to silence the noise. He is going to make some mistakes, which shouldbe expected from aquarterback

whohas just six NFL starts (and zero wins) underhis belt.Shough, wheneverhegets an opportunity, will go through his growingpains, too.

At some point this season, Shough might gethis chance. If he doesn’t,itmeansRattler is performing well.

“This is something you work towards your whole life,” Rattler said. “This is something I’ve dreamed of since Iwas akid.It’s

here now. Idon’twant to waste it. Iwanttogoout and make the best of it.” Rattler,who won the job because of his consistency throughoutcamp,said he’smore comfortable andconfident in his second season. He has 11 days to get ready for the season opener in the Dome against the Arizona Cardinals, the team based in his hometown of Phoenix. That makes getting the job in the season opener

even sweeter.Ithelps that he no longer has to wonder whether he has done enough to win the job.

“I feel like it’saclear mind (now),” Rattler said. “Obviously, I’m excited to be the guy going into Week 1. Iwant to lead this team, lead these guys and just keep fighting. That’sone thing I can promise, is putting my all on that field.”

Rattler knows the fan base was split down the middle all summer

“You’re going to see that in every competition around the league,” Rattler said. “You can’t listen to the outside noise. Yougo out in public and everybody shows love, and it’sgreat. We need our fans this year to support us as a group, big time. That starts Week 1, from the first snap to the last snap. We’re going to need them this year for sure, and Iknow they will bring the juice.”

It took two months and three days of training campfor Moore to decide. It’sarace that came down to the wire. Someone had to win it. Someone had to finish second.

The runner-up finish went to the guy that many of us (myself included) predicted at the start of campwould would win it. The Saints drafted Shough in the second round with the 40th overall pick, so we figured he was Moore’s guy

Shough’stime will come, but it’s Rattler’stime now

“Obviously,I’m super disappointed as acompetitor,” Shough said. “I’m ready to roll andsupport Spencer anywayIcan.” Will the entire fanbase do the same?

Only Rattler can determine that.

Email RodWalker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

Saints bolsterdepletedO-linevia tradewithCowboys

BY LUKE JOHNSON and MATTHEW PARAS Staff writers

Injuries have hit the New Orleans Saints offensive line depth hard, and the team made atrade Tuesday to help address the issue. TheSaints acquired offensive lineman Asim Richards from the Dallas Cowboys. To acquirehim,the Saints and Cowboys agreed to apick swap: Dallas will getthe Saints’2028sixth-rounder while the Saints will receiveDallas’ 2028 seventh-rounder in addition to Richards. Richards,a2023 fifth-round pick, has played 220 offensive snapsintwo seasons with the

RATTLER

Continued from page1C

last season.Although theSaints were winless in those contests, they were valuable opportunities for Rattler —who grew substantially from the reps. That experience was evident in camp as Rattler looked more decisive, and he startedtwo of the three preseason games.

“I’m obviously excited tobethe guygoing intoWeek1,” Rattler said. “I want to leadthis team.I wanttoleadthese guys and just keepfighting. That’sone thingI canpromise is putting my all on that field, andI knoweverybody else will.

“It’sgood to gain that confidence from your coach tomake that decision.”

The Saints were in need of a new quarterback this season after Derek Carr unexpectedly retired in May with ashoulderinjury New Orleans had been awareof the ailment for months before Carr’sdecision. To planfor the future, the Saints drafted Shough with the 40th overall pickinApril. Even with the selection, the Saints opted to holda three-man quarterback competition andlet the best man win.

Shough said he was “superdisappointed as acompetitor” regardingthe decision,but that he would do hisbesttosupport Rattler and the team. He maintained that he was happy to be partof the franchise and would continue competing in practice.

Moore said he values aquarterback’sdevelopment, adding that the Saints would give Shough

SAINTS NOTEBOOK

Cowboys. Morethan 90% of his offensive snaps came at left tackle, though his reps were splitmore evenly between lefttackle and left guard during this preseason.

He played left tackle at North Carolina,starting 37 games there during his college career

Although Richards won’tplay early withNew Orleans, he offers asecurityblanketfor ateam that has been beset by offensive line injuriesinrecent weeks.

Swing tackle Landon Young sufferedan ankleinjuryinthe preseason finale thatMoore announcedTuesday will require season-endingsurgery.Interior offensiveline backups Will Clapp and Nick Saldiveri also suffered season-ending injuries in training camp.

more time to grow

“There’salong list of quarterbackswho have had plentyof successful careers that gettobe scout-team quarterbacks for a certain amount of time,” Moore said. “Bothofthese guys have an excellent opportunity and an excellentpath to be starting quarterbacksinthis league.”

Added Shough: “He (Moore) wasverycomplimentary of the progression (I’ve made).Hesaid he loves everything about it.” Moore took his time to announce astarterinpartbecauseofhow close the competition turned out to be

At the beginning, Rattler looked the best ofthe group as he was decisive, on time and confidentwith each pass. Moore also praised thequarterback’s mobility,notingRattler could create off-schedule plays with hislegs. Shough, bycontrast, initiallyseemed astepslower as he adjusted to the NFL’s pace, going throughalearningcurve typical of arookie. About the time the Saintsdeparted to spend nine days in California fortraining camp, Shough turned acorner.Hestarted to getthe ball out much faster and wassharper on throws.With Shough’sprogression,Moore started to consistently rotate Rattler and Shough with the 1’sin practice —something he avoided for thefirst part of camp,when he opted to rotate his quarterbacks by the day In the preseason, Rattler and Shough both had their moments.

In theteam’spreseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, which Rattler started, Shough was the more productivesignal

Haener decision

In asurprise move, the Saints released quarterback JakeHaener.The 2023 fourth-round pick out of Fresno Statebegan thesummer in the mixfor the starting quarterback job, buthefellout of favor as the coaching staff gave more repsto SpencerRattler and TylerShough as training camp progressed.

Moore said the third quarterback is a“tricky spot” when trying to put the rostertogether

“I kind of lived that world alittle bit,” Moore said about his playing career.“ You’re always trying to keep three(quarterbacks) in aperfect world, but you might be alittle bit shorter in some other spots and you need to address it

“We’ll see how that allgoes for him on apersonal level, and hopefully we’ll see if theopportunitypresents itselffor him to

caller. Though he threw apicksix, the rookie respondedwith an electric 54-yard touchdown pass to Mason Tipton. His performance earnedhim thestart againstthe Jacksonville Jaguars thefollowing week Against the Jaguars, Rattler showedhewasn’tgoing to lose the jobwithout afight. The second-year signal caller engineered three scoring drives including an impressive gametying series that ended with Rattlerhitting Dante Pettisfor atouchdown and converting a two-point attemptona scramble to theend zone. The battle came down to the thirdgame against the Denver Broncos. AndRattler “checked it off” with how he approached that entire week, Moore saidTuesday Thecoach was impressedwith Rattler’sWednesday practice at theCaesarsSuperdomeand carried the momentum into Saturday’sfinale. By the end of the preseason, the stats between the two were nearly even.Shough completed 66.7% (36 of 54) of his passes for 333 yards, atouchdown and an interception while also having one rushing touchdown and afumble. Rattler,bycontrast, completed 69.8% (30 of 43) of his passes for 295 yards,a touchdown and an interception while also losing a fumble. In theend, MoorechoseRattler “Wefeel like he put himself in aposition to have asuccessful start,” Moore said. “And he’sgoing to give us aheck of achanceto compete and go win some games.”

EmailMatthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

getback here.”

AlthoughHaener could return to the Saints on the practice squad, he first has to clear waivers —every other NFL team nowhas achance to claim him and pick up the final twoyearsofhis rookie contract.

Even if Haener does clear waivers, he still mayseek opportunities elsewhere after falling behind two quarterbacks who were drafted afterhim in New Orleans.

Haener,26, appeared in eight gamesfor theSaints. In his lone start —aDec. 15 game against the Washington Commanders —hewas benched at halftime for Rattler

The quarterback also struggled in thisyear’spreseason.Playing with the thirdunit, Haenercompleted 10 of 17 passesfor 78 yards and an interception.

Edwards-Helaire cut ClydeEdwards-Helaire,a formerfirst-

ROSTER

Continued from page1C

Tightend (3)

JuwanJohnson,JackStoll,MolikiMatavao: TreytonWelch’srelease came as aminor surprise as he seemed to outperform Matavao downthe stretchoftraining camp. But it makes sense the Saints wantto keep their seventh-round rookie over someone who likely will land on the practice squad. Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau must miss at least the next four games after being placed on the physically unable to perform list.

Edge rusher (4)

ChaseYoung,CarlGranderson,CamJordan,Chris Rumph:There was some question as to howmanyedge defenders the Saints would keep. It turns out the number was four, which pushed seventh-round rookie Fadil Diggs offthe initial 53-man roster.Diggs wasthe Saints’ last draft pick and the only onewho didn’tmake the team out of camp.IsaiahFoskey,a 2023 second-round pick, wasthe other notable cut here.

Defensiveinterior(6) BryanBresee,DavonGodchaux,Nathan Shepherd,VernonBroughton,Jonathan Bullard,KhristianBoyd:Onthe interior,Bullard madeitoverveteran Jonah Williams, whom the Saints wouldliketokeepontheir practice squad.

Linebacker (5)

Demario Davis,Pete Werner,Danny Stutsman, Jaylan Ford,IsaiahStalbird: D’Marco Jackson started two

round pick and memberofthe 2019 LSU national championship team,did not makethe 53-man roster.

Edwards-Helaire joinedthe Saints late last season after he wasreleasedbythe Kansas City Chiefs,playing in twogames and rushing for46yards on 13 carries. He entered training camp as one of severalplayers vying fora rosterspotbehind AlvinKamara NewOrleans kept four running backs with Kendre Miller,rookie Devin Neal and offseason acquisition Velus Jones backing up Kamara.

Edwards-Helaire is aBaton Rouge native who may be welcome back on thepractice squad, withthe potential to rejointhe active roster at some point.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

of the team’s three preseason games, but he didn’t make the final 53-man roster.Hewas supplantedlatebyFordand Stalbird —whom defensive coordinator Brandon Staley raved about. Staley said Tuesday that both players showed great progress throughout camp Cornerback (6)

Kool-AidMcKinstry,AlontaeTaylor,Isaac Yiadom,QuincyRiley,UgoAmadi,Rejzohn Wright: Astrong finish to training camp andthe preseason pushedWright onto the53-man roster.Wright not only showed anose for the ball with two pass breakups —including akey play in the second preseason game thatled to an interception —but he also showed some ability against the run with 11 preseason tackles. The biggest question about this groupis whether Taylor is ready to play in Week 1; if not, that role should go to Amadi.

Safety (5)

JustinReid,JulianBlackmon,JordanHowden,JonasSanker,J.T.Gray: No surprises here.

Specialists(3)

BlakeGrupe,ZachWoodandKaiKroeger: It’ll be interestingtosee if the Saintsend up keeping Kroeger or search thewaiverwirefor an upgrade at punter.Special teams coordinator Phil Galiano didn’t dismissthe latter ideawhenasked Tuesday,but added he’safan of Kroeger’syouth.

Staff writer Luke Johnson contributed to this report.

EmailMatthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

FOOTBALL PREVIEW n DISTRICT 6-4A

Plaquemine, Brusly lead the pack

BY CHARLES SALZER Contributing writer

With one of the largest districts in the state and a defending champion that returns most of its starters, the task for title contenders in District 6-4A will be formidable.

Plaquemine, which rolled through the nine-team district undefeated in 2024, returns 16 starters and is poised for a repeat performance. One of five league teams that made the playoffs, the Green Devils advanced to the Division II nonselect semifinals and finished 12-2

The remaining top teams — Brusly, Istrouma, St. Michael and West Feliciana — also bring back enough talent to make playoff runs a reasonable goal. New head coaches at Istrouma and West Feliciana will add spice to the mix

The question mark for Plaquemine is in the offensive backfield where it must find new starters at quarterback and running back. There is help up front with a pair of three-year starters in junior offensive linemen Luke Lewis and Reggie Trusclair The two were key contributors for an offense that averaged 44 points last season.

Two players have emerged in the quarterback battle John Walker and Brennan Miles. Last year’s starter, Nico Victorian, is now at Northwestern State.

“We’ll pick a starter for Week 1,

SCHEINUK

Plaquemine coach Donald Williams coaches against Cecilia in a Division II non-select playoff game on Dec. 6 at Green Devil Stadium in Plaquemine.

but right now, they’re still going at it,” Plaquemine coach Donald Williams said of his quarterbacks.

“Our running back will be junior Spencer Collins. He played JV last year, but he had a real, real good

spring, and he looked good in our scrimmage. I’m excited to see him play.”

Plaquemine will have 10 starters back on defense. Another threeyear starter, linebacker Cam Rog-

ers, along with defensive back Roderick Bingham, who had six interceptions last season, will be the leaders. Plaquemine’s closest district games last season were against Brusly and West Feliciana, games the Green Devils won by 23 and 19 points. Those two will be among the league’s top challengers.

Brusly returns the majority of its skill players after a 9-3 campaign. The Panthers will have new starters on the offensive and defensive lines, but coach Hoff Schooler said there is still experience on his team.

“A lot of those guys may not have started, but they’ve gotten meaningful reps in ballgames,” Schooler said. “It’s not like this is brand new to them.”

Among the Panthers key returning players will be running back Patrick Gales and wide receiver Drake Vincent. Linebacker Braden Ray and defensive back Cyren Oxley, both multi-year starters, will also be stabilizing factors.

As for the overall district race, Schooler summed it up this way

“You always expect Plaquemine to have a good football team,” he said. “Then there’s West Feliciana and St. Michael, and Istrouma had a really good season last year You expect a good game in this district every week.”

At West Feliciana, former assistant Terry Minor was brought

LSU commitment’s love for football grows

Karr D-lineman

Anderson to bring versatility to LSU

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Richard Anderson blasted through the Alexandria offensive line and lifted running back JT Lindsey off his feet.

“Then it was like, ‘Bam,’” the Edna Karr defensive line standout said as he clapped his hands together

The memory was a special one. Anderson dominated the LHSAA state championship game in December with six tackles behind the line of scrimmage as the Cougars demolished Alexandria 53-8 at the Caesars Superdome.

Now comes the finale. The returning LSWA all-state selection will complete his high school career as a powerful run stopper and play disruptor before the senior joins the LSU football program as a midyear enrollee.

The 6-foot-4, 340-pound Anderson could have an even more impactful presence after he lost 35 pounds since January giving him a lighter playing weight that could add more quickness to his game and have him lining up at all positions along the defensive front.

“I think that’s why LSU loves him so much, because he could play anywhere,” Karr coach Brice Brown said. “Especially at that weight, where he’s going to be going against some of the best offensive linemen in the country every day.”

The weight loss was only the latest refinement for a player who once struggled to complete conditioning drills in the summer before his freshman season. Anderson spent most of his childhood in Baton Rouge before he returned home to New Orleans just before he started seventh grade at Pierre Capdau School in Gentilly

He arrived at Karr in the summer before ninth grade but did not intend to make football his main sport. He thought of him-

DeVito,

By The Associated Press

14.

self as more of a basketball player

“You could tell the love (for football) wasn’t there at first,”

Karr defensive coordinator Taurus Howard said about the player who showed enough size and quickness for coaches to see his potential even before Anderson saw it in himself.

“He didn’t really understand what we were saying to him, that, ‘Listen, you could be a big-time ball player,’” Howard said. “’You have the size, the skill and the ability.’ I don’t think at that point.

He didn’t even realize that.”

Brown explained to Anderson the potential he had as a football player, that he could be good enough to wear the coveted No. 7 when he was a senior

“He told me he believed in me and that I could do it,” Anderson said. “I could be one of the key players on this team one day.”

Anderson, the only boy and fourth oldest among a group of nine siblings, had college coaches asking about him even before he became a varsity starter.

“I think once he started getting offers as a sophomore, I

think that’s when it was like, ‘OK, listen, I’m a football player,’ ” Brown said.

Anderson fully embraced the sport and quickly became a firstteam all-district selection as a sophomore when he “fell in love with being on the field,” he said.

He relished the playing time and the accountability that came with it.

“When you mess up, someone is on you,” Anderson said. “When they mess up, I’m on them.”

The two-time all-district selection had another standout season as a junior with 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, two interceptions and one touchdown.

“I’ve grown a lot,” Anderson said. “Coach Brice always says, ‘Don’t let your circumstances affect your hustle,’ and that stuck with me a lot. You don’t know what a lot of people are going through outside these walls when they leave this school Some people don’t ever leave this school because of the smile this football team puts on their face.”

Anderson said he was raised in what “wasn’t a stable house-

hold” but has plenty of love for his family

“My little sisters, they put a smile on my face for real,” Anderson said. “They come see me, running, jumping on me. It’s like, seeing them, that’s who I do it for. My older sisters, I’m there when they need me. I’m there when my mom needs me. I’m there when my dad needs me.”

His goal is the NFL.

“I’m going to change my family’s whole life and circumstances,” he said.

The peak of the season last year came in the state final against Alexandria, on the play when Anderson bolted into the backfield and lifted the running back off his feet and brought him to the turf.

“I looked at the sideline and celebrated,” said Anderson, who remembered how “everybody was cheering” when he looked to the large video screen behind the end zone and saw a replay of his stop behind the line of scrimmage.

“I had my brothers out there,” Anderson said as he mentioned the late Corey Adams, an Ole Miss freshman who died in a shooting just outside Memphis, Tennessee, in July

Anderson said Adams would talk with him about the LSU-Ole Miss games they planned to play against each other in the coming years. They played the past two seasons beside each other on the Karr defensive line.

“He was always there with me,” Anderson said. “If I do a good play, he comes and celebrates, the first one there.”

Anderson, now with more muscle and less mass, will play his final high school season with another set of teammates that includes defensive backs Aiden Hall (LSU commitment), Hayward Howard (Texas) and Maurice Williams (Colorado) among the several defenders who will move on to the next level.

At the front of that defense will be the large young man in the No 7 jersey they call “Big Rich.”

Ready to once again burst into the backfield.

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

back to lead the Saints after they went 7-5 last year Minor was previously the offensive coordinator at Catholic High.

“We’re completely different than what we’ve been,” Minor said. “Systematically, we didn’t keep anything they had been doing on offense or defense.”

Minor said his team’s big offensive line will be counted on to pave the way for three quality running backs — Ean Hills, Joshua Dorsey and Ty London. Dedrick Davis will start at quarterback but may be moved around as his backups develop during the season.

St. Michael started 4-1 last season but struggled down the stretch as injuries began to mount. There is excitement around the program that comes with offseason healing and also the opening of the Warriors’ on-campus stadium.

“We had the injury bug last season, and that’s been a big teaching point for us,” St Michael coach Zach Leger said. “You have to be prepared to be the next man up and accept that challenge We’ve got a good crop of kids, and we’ve been really pleased.”

Istrouma won two playoff games to reach the quarterfinals of Division II select. After a 9-4 season, the Indians hired former East Jefferson coach Brian Glover to replace Sid Edwards, whose successful campaign for Baton Rouge mayor-president created the opening.

High school jamborees set around Baton Rouge

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

The high school football season in the Baton Rouge area gets underway this week with a slate of jamborees. There will be seven games played on Thursday and 13 games played on Friday In East Baton Rouge, the Battle on the Bluff hosted at A.W Mumford Stadium on Southern’s campus will feature six total games and 12 teams across the two days. Parkview Baptist will host the Red Stick Rumble, featuring three games among six schools. Baton Rouge area jamborees

Thursday BattleontheBluff

(atA.W MumfordStadium) East Feliciana vs. Belaire, 5:30 p.m. Liberty vs. McKinley, 7 p.m. Northeast vs. Tara, 8:30 p.m. RedStickRumble (atParkviewBaptist)

Dunham vs. University Lab, 6 p.m. Brusly vs. Parkview Baptist, 7:30 p.m.

Othergames Riverside Academy at Episcopal, 5 p.m.

Hammond at Live Oak, 7 p.m. Friday BattleontheBluff

(atA.W MumfordStadium)

Glen Oaks vs. Capitol, 6 p.m.

Istrouma vs. Scotlandville, 7:30 p.m Broadmoor vs. Woodlawn, 8:50 p.m. RedStickRumble (atParkviewBaptist)

Catholic High vs. Madison Prep, 7 p.m.

Othergames Helix Mentorship STEAM Academy at Central Private, 5 p.m. Amite at Southern Lab, 6 p.m. Patterson at Franklin, 6 p.m. Fontainebleau at Baker, 7 p.m. Livonia at Zachary, 7 p.m. Berwick at Centerville, 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart at Centreville Academy, 7 p.m. Kentwood at West Feliciana, 7:30 p.m. West St. Mary at Morgan City, 8 p.m.

Renfrow among players released as teams cut rosters

Tommy DeVito is among the quarterbacks looking for a new team. The New York Giants waived the local fan favorite on Tuesday as teams released more than 1,100 players before the deadline to trim rosters down to 53. Elsewhere, Kyle Trask lost his job as Baker Mayfield’s backup in Tampa Bay after the team chose veteran Teddy Bridgewater to hold the No. 2 position. Tyler Huntley didn’t make the cut in

Cleveland. The veteran QB joined the Browns earlier this month as the fifth QB behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett was traded to Las Vegas on Monday Desmond Ridder, who is 8-10 in his career as a starter, was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dallas Cowboys waived Will Grier The Atlanta Falcons released quarterback Easton Stick, the team’s starter through the preseason as coach Raheem Morris protected starter Michael Penix

and veteran backup Kirk Cousins. The release of Stick and Ben DiNucci temporarily leaves the team with only Penix and Cousins at the position. Trevor Siemian, who is 15-18 in seven seasons, was cut by the Tennessee Titans, leaving Brandon Allen to back up No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Rookie sixth-round pick Kyle McCord didn’t make Philadelphia’s initial roster The quarterback out of Syracuse is a candidate for the practice squad if another team doesn’t sign him. The

defending Super Bowl champions acquired Sam Howell to back up Jalen Hurts and Tanner McKee. DeVito, an undrafted free agent and a northern New Jersey native who picked up the nickname “Tommy Cutlets,” was not expected to make the team after the signings of veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and selection of Jaxson Dart in the first round. Other notable cuts Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, a 2021 Pro Bowl selection who was

attempting to make a comeback after sitting out all of last season with a severe case of ulcerative colitis that caused him to lose 35 pounds, was released by the Carolina Panthers. The team also cut former starting nose tackle Shy Tuttle after rebuilding its defensive line earlier this offseason. The Pittsburgh Steelers released wideout Robert Woods, who has 863 receptions. Diontae Johnson (Browns), KJ Hamler (Bills) and Mecole Hardman (Packers) are among the wide receivers who were let go.

Lauren Cheramie BONVIVANT

Bon vi·vant /noun/ asociable personwho has cultivatedand refined tastes, especially with respect to food and drink

In theknow

SweetSociety,4957 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, is now home to abuild-your-own boba bar Mix and match your favorite toppings and drinks to create something one of akind.

Sweet Society,home to, from left, the Ube (purple yam) and pandan (coconutleaf), aCosmic Strawberry Lemonade and a Dole Whip pineapple, nowhas a newbuild-your-own boba bar.

BacktoSchoolNight:5p.m.to

9p.m. Thursday at Soji, 5050 Government St., Baton Rouge Enjoy aspecial menu at Soji, plus shopping from local vendors.For one night only,select one dish from each category, available for students and teachers for $25:

n DRINK: glass of champagne, classic cocktail or mocktail

n SUSHI: California roll, crunchy roll, Tokyo roll, shrimp tempura roll or spicy tuna roll

n SMALLPLATE: Koreanfried chicken bao, Taiwanese beef roll, kung pao bao or crispy cauliflower

Paintanddine:5 p.m. Friday at Spoke and Hub, 5412 Government St., Baton Rouge Spoke and Hub is hosting apaint night for kids. Tickets are $20 per child, which include apaint set and easel, artistsmock and kids’ meal. Call (225) 529-3550 to reserve aspot.

Newfood on theblock

Trythe pulled porktacowith Hawaiian salsa at MidCityBeer Garden,3808 Government St., Baton Rouge. On Tuesdays, enjoy $8 margaritas and $1.50 beef or veggie tacos starting at 3:30 p.m.

Mark your calendar

InauguralSriLankanFoodFestival:

4p.m. to 7p.m.Sunday,Sept. 14, at Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, 8470 Goodwood Blvd. Get ready for the first

ä See BONVIVANT, page 3D

Tacos from Salt Pepper Oak in Baton Rouge

Like adream

BatonRouge’s AsianSeafood Housereopens as buffet-onlywithdim sum, lobsterand sushi

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

The Asian Seafood House has reopened as abuffet-only restaurant after being temporarily closed for amonth and ahalf.

ASIAN SEAFOOD HOUSE

11294 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge l 11 a.m. to 3p.m. and 4:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m Friday through Sunday

Known for its authentic Asian cuisine anddim sum menu, Asian Seafood House, 11294 Florida Blvd., reopened Aug. 13 after atemporary closureonJuly 30 to remodel thebuffet tables and add asushi station.

Weekend dinner,Friday to Sunday,costs $25.99, Friday lunch is $13.99, andweekday dinner is $19.99.

“I want everybody to enjoy food,” said owner Yuki Chen. “One pricetheycan enjoy everything, including sushi, dim sum, alot of cooked food, fried food likefried fish, fried shrimp. It allcomes with that.”

Thebuffet-only style works in the customers’ favor,Chensaid, becauseifthey want totry thedim sum dishes, they don’thave to buy multiple individual plates and rack up thebill. Now customers can try all the dim sum theywant at one price, she said.

Staff report

Birria Tacos n Salt Pepper Oak, 6721 Exchequer Drive, Baton Rouge

Ihad heard great things aboutSalt Pepper Oak,a relatively new barbecue spot located in the Industriplex. Therestaurant has counter service with delicious and affordable food. We tried thebirria tacos,

For loyal Asian Seafood House fans, onesad note is that, with the newbuffet offerings, the muchloved and stellar Peking duck the restaurant served is no longer available.

Awideselection

The buffethas sections including fried food, vegetables, fruit, sushi andseafood.Some highlights are ginger-seasoned lobster,snow fish, clams, fried oyster,sushi, Korean barbecuerib-eye and roasted duck. There are also some vegetarian optionsfor customers.

which included smoked brisket tacos on seared corn tortillas with aside of birria consommé and topped with cotija cheese, pickled red onions and cilantro. The brisket was smoked to perfection and

Chen orders live seafood from across theentire country—Boston, Seattle, NewYork and California —toensure freshness.

“Our buffetistaken allfromour previous menu,” said employeeSindy Wang. “The most popular items, we converted into buffet-style.” Wang, an incoming freshman at LSU, is oneofChen’scousins working on and off at the restaurant. She said regulars are shocked by howmuchfood they can get for $25.99.

Salescalls are ruiningvacation

DearMissManners: My wife and Ijoined atravel timeshare that we both love. The only thing we hate is how they try to upsellyou. After check-in, you are required to go to the concierge desk to get your arm band or parking pass.Once there the hard sell starts; they try to bribe, encourage or beg you to attend asales meeting. (They call them “updates,” but it is ALWAYS asales meeting.)

in case of emergency.If they are unable, or unwilling, to do that, Miss Manners would tell them you are goingtohenceforthforward all their calls to voicemail —and then ask for awet towel to be usedincase of afire.

nificant alterations toit.

On theother hand, we want all the guests to feel welcomed and cared for What do we do?

Take precautionsbeforetraveling

had old photos of him. Thank God he wasreturned to hisfamily,but if he haddied, no onemight have known what hadhappened to him. —GeorgiaN.,in Charleston,SouthCarolina

Once there, the sales staff lie and manipulate the math on your fees and benefits to get you into ahigher tier Their goal is to scare you into buying more. How can Itell the concierge NO and just get to my room? Ihave used “No, thank you,” but it does not stop them from pushing They will call your room and cellphone to try again each day you are at the resort. Reporting them to management is not an option: The salespeople are told they are doing a greatjob if they are trying to wear guests down to a “yes.”

Gentlereader: Ask them if they could please only call

BEST

Continued from page1D

for the first time, and it won’tbethe last.

Cozy and upscale with warmservice and without any pretentiousness, it’s almost like asecret dining experience. The menuis full of French favorites, but Isettled on the seafood crepe. It was light and filling all at the same time. The perfectly cooked crepe was filled with lots of delicate, sweet crab, and large, tender shrimp along with acreamy white wine sauce,and served with side vegetables.

—Jennifer Brown, senior editor

Coffee and breakfast n HuyaCraft Coffee, 1901 Chemin Metairie Road, Youngsville

Whether I’m craving a sweetorsavory breakfast item (or both), Huya Craft Coffee always has me covered. The menu has avariety of food options, including loadedtoast, hashbrown bowls and homemade pop pastries. My favorite thing to order is abreakfast biscuit, which comes with your choice of meat, an egg and grilled cheddar cheese sandwiched inside adense and delicious biscuit all for $5. Huya also offers deli-

DearMissManners: My friend has coached ourdaughter’ssoccer team for years. At the end of each season,he graciouslyhosts a much-anticipated afternoon barbecuefor thegirls and their parents. Awardsare given, moderateamounts of beer are consumed,and aswell time is hadbyall. This year, Coach received this email from oneofthe parents: “AlthoughImay face someopposition,I am wonderingifwecould do withoutthe adult beverages. Iknow,Iknow, but it is aparty for thekids Please don’t be upset;justa friendly suggestion ” Coach doesn’tknow what to do. He doesn’twant to offendthe author,or make herdaughter feel excluded. On theother hand, it’s a party for the adults, too. It seems wildly incorrect to acceptaninvitation to an eventwhile suggesting sig-

Gentlereader: While criticizing the host’sarrangements is not generally accepted guest behavior, thetopic raised,the larger circumstances and the apologetic way in which theparent raised theissuerequire asubstantive response.

That does not necessarily mean doing what this parent has asked —contrary, apparently,tothe desires of everyone else in thegroup —but it does mean respectfully addressing thefear that motivated the request. The host can do this by calling the parent and assuring them that the kids will have no access to the alcohol, and that in the unlikely event aparent misbehaves, it will be dealt with immediately

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

cious bakery items. The itemthat usually makes it on my plateisone of the homemade pop pastries. Boudin pop pastries are always on the menu, but I’m asucker for asweet treat and almost always order one of the rotating sweet pop pastry options. While the food is reason alone topop intoHuya, its coffee is always spot on. What Ilove most about Huya is the creativity put into the seasonal coffee flavor combinations, which are about $5. —Ashley White, education reporter

STAFF PHOTO By ASHLEyWHITE HuyaCraft Coffee in youngsville offers avariety of food and drinkoptions. This order includes abreakfast biscuit, homemade cookies and cream poppastry and seasonal iced coffee flavor

DearHeloise: Idon’twant to sound morbid, but you never know what will happen on atrip. Whenever my husband and I go on atrip, Itake a picture of our tickets, passports, and any other important documentsonmy phone, then send them to my son before we leave. Ilet him have acopy of our plans in foreign countries and our hotel information,and Istay in contact by sending postcards to friends and family Why all the precaution? A dear friend of ours was in an accident yearsago and could not communicate important information to anyone. He was in acomafor twoweeks and missedhis return flight home, which made his family frantic. His wife didn’tknow where he was staying and only

Hints from Heloise

Thegood times

DearHeloise: Irecommend that young couples establish the practice of taking apicture of themselves in front of every place they live at throughout the years, whether it’sahouse or an apartment. Ialso recommend doing this in front of every car they’ve ever owned. It’s surprising how we forget these parts of our personal histories. —J KeithC.,inOmaha,Nebraska J., it’salways funtolook back and see what we looked like and that we were better-looking than we realized back then. It’s

also funtosee where we lived and how the streets have changed, and maybe it’ll spark up somevery happy memories. —Heloise Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’sright. As good as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocovereverything. Thatmeans if you wantprotection,you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.

The best waytopreventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.

Theprosand cons of rentingand owning

DearHarriette: Igrew up in New York and have been here my entire life. Idecided about ayear ago that Iwanted to move to anew city.I only flirted with the idea at first, but recently,myboss told me that if I’m serious, they could transfer me to the Chicago office. I’ve taken them up on their offer and will be moving within afew months. I’m currently searching for the perfect place to stay,but I’ve never lived on my own, so this is all new to me. Where Ifind aperfect balance of

By The Associated Press

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 27, the 239th day of 2025. There are 126 days left in the year

his 119th base of the season, breaking Lou Brock’s single-season stolen base record. (Henderson would finish the season with a still-unmatched 130 stolen bases.)

reasonablecommute, safe neighborhood and proximity to necessities, Ialso find really high rental prices. Ihave seen some condos for sale, which wouldactually have moreideal monthly rates,but purchasing can be a big commitment. I have people around me advocating for both options,and Istill feel torn between renting and owning. What do you think? —NewCity DearNewCity: Oftenwhen people move to new cities, they start by renting inorder to check out the neighbor-

hood to make sure it is a good fit. Once theyget to know the city, theyhave betterawareness of where they would want to live. That said, buying property is often a good investment. Do your due diligence to seehow the neighborhood is growing or changing, if propertyvalues have increased over time and what prices are like in the surrounding community This will give you asense of the potential resale value if you decide not to stayin Chicago.

Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com.

HOUSE

Continued from page1D

The restaurant specializes in dim sum, whichisa traditional Chinese selectionof small dishes. The revamped buffet kept its most popular dim sum foods, including chicken feet, shrimp dumplings, pork shumai and steamed buns.

Knee-deep in my dim sum plate, Ilooked up to see Chen placing Shanghai soup dumplings on my table. It’s like abite of warm soup.

“They go fast,” she said, and instructedtoeat it whilehot. Business runs in thefamily

The business opened in July 2021 and is one of multiple businesses in thefamily.They also own the Asian Supermarket rightnext door,which is asmall chain with asecond location in Lafayette,and athird will open soon in another part of Baton Rouge, Chen said. Chen said her uncle opened

BONVIVANT

Continued from page1D

Seafood House buffet.

thefirst Chinese buffet in Opelousas,calledCresswell Lane Restaurant, and it’sbeen operating for almost 30 years.

“We’re abig family group helping each other to grow the family business,” Chen said.

Chen wants thecommunity to know they can find authentic food at the Asian Seafood House. Especially forthe Asian community in Baton Rouge, she said,this

fundraiser in support of the Blue Lotus Meditation Center in Baton Rouge. The family-friendly, buffet-style dinnerevent will featureauthentic SriLankan cuisine. Ticketsare $25per person, availablefor purchaseat www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/inaugural-sri-lankanfood-festival.Contact

is food that can remind them of home.

Other Asian buffets in the area are typically AmericanChinese buffets, but theAsian Seafood House is 100% real Asianfood, Chen said, andcustomers are often pleasantly surprised when they walk in.

“Wewant to make asmall little China town in this location, Chen said. “That’smy dream.”

louisianabluelotus@gmail. com for moreinformation.

If you have an upcoming food event or akitchen question, emaillauren. cheramie@theadvocate. com. Cheers!

Todayinhistory: On Aug. 27, 1883, the island volcano Krakatoa erupted with aseries of cataclysmic explosions. The explosions (which could be heard 3,000 miles away) and resulting tsunamis in Indonesia’sSunda Strait claimed some36,000 lives in Java and Sumatra.

Alsoonthisdate: In 1894, Congress passed theWilson-Gorman Tariff Act, which contained a provision for agraduated income tax that was later struck down by theSupremeCourt.

In 1964, thefilm “Mary Poppins”had its world premiere in Los Angeles, California.

In 1982, Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’sstole

In 1990, blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan and four others werekilled in a helicopter crash near East Troy,Wisconsin.

In 2001, Israeli helicopters fired apair of rockets through office windows, killing senior PLO leader MustafaZibri.

In 2005, coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to avoid Hurricane Katrina, which washeaded toward New Orleans.

In 2008, Barack Obama was nominated forpresident by the Democratic National Convention in Denver,becoming the first Black presidential nominee from amajor political party

In 2011, Hurricane Irene madelandfall in the United States; the storm would be responsible for49total deaths and morethan $14 billion in damage. Today’sbirthdays: Author WilliamLeastHeat-Moon is 86. ActorTuesdayWeld is 82. Former U.S. Sen. BobKerrey, D-Neb., is 82. ActorG.W.Bailey is 81. Rock musicianAlex Lifeson(Rush) is 72. Actor PeterStormare is 72.Rock musicianGlenMatlock (The SexPistols) is 68 Golfer Bernhard Langer is 68. Gospel singerYolanda Adams is 64. Fashion designerand filmmaker Tom Ford is 64. ActorChandra Wilsonis56. Baseball Hall of Famer JimThome is 55. RapperMaseis50. ActorSarah Chalke is 49. ActorAaron Paul is 46 ActorPatrickJ.Adams (TV:“Suits”) is 44.Singer Mario is 39. Actor Alexa PenaVega is 37.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Enjoy a midweek break with friends. Interaction is the key to mental stimulation and keeping up with what's trending. Don't share your secrets, but speak passionately about life and your vision.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct 23) Keep your life simple, take care of your responsibilities, listen attentively and choose practicality, patience and kindness. Make equality your guiding principle, and move forward with a positive mindset.

ScoRPIo (oct. 24-nov 22) Don't jeopardize your position by promising the impossible Question what you hear and walk away from whatever appears unrealistic. Now is not the time to make waves but to calm the waters.

SAGITTARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Your input is necessary if you want your vision to unfold properly. Your power is in your ability to weather the storms. What you say and do will have an impact on the financial outcome.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don't play with fire or let spontaneity lead to financial disaster. Domestic problems will arise if you don't nurture relationships or maintain an efficient lifestyle and home.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You're in the groove; let the momentum carry you forward without delays. Intelligence and integrity will make the difference in a competitive situation. Self-improvement will boost your ego.

PIScES (Feb. 20-March 20) You'll bounce back and forth if you lack resourceful-

ness. When doubt sets in, do your due diligence and prepare for whatever comes your way. Refuse to let someone step in and take over or outmaneuver you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) A clear head and disciplined attitude will overcome the obstacles that get in your way. Create a to-do list and get started. Put your muscles to work and proceed with the intent to finish what you start.

TAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Pay attention Refuse to let what others do or say distract you. It's necessary to live up to your promises if you want others to reciprocate.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Push the reset button and redirect your energy to get the best results. Use your physical and mental skills to execute what you want to see unfold. Leave no stone unturned or potential left unfinished.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Avoid chaos by focusing on essentials. Keep your plans simple, and maintain your budget. Balance will make a difference in the outcome of whatever you pursue.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Turn every encounter and experience into an educational pursuit. The more you know, the easier it will be to advance your agenda. Don't wait for someone else to pick up the pieces and run.

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

By PHILLIP ALDER

Philip Seymour Hoffman, an Oscarwinning actor, said, “It’s hardfor anybody who works alot and has children. But Iwouldn’t trade it for anything.” Hopefully all parents agree withthat. Thisweekwearenotingthatdefenders shouldn’ttrade the acronym “trade” for anything. We have reached Afor audition the auction. It is important forthe defenderstousetheinformationgleaned from the bidding to helpthe defense. In this example,Easthas to make the key play. Against four hearts,Westleads the club ace: five, eight, four. West continues with the club king: nine, three, jack.West plays athird club, EastruffingandSouthfollowingsuit.Whatshould East do now?

South’s sequence, opening in spades, thenbidding hearts twice, showed at least5-5 in themajors. North went with the 5-3 heart fit, hoping that some spade ruffs in hishand would help. (Notethat three no-trumpshould be defeated.)

Eastgave ahigh-low to show his doubleton club. And since West was watching,hewas not distractedbySouth’sjack falsecard at tricktwo

EastnowknowsthatSouthstartedwith three clubs. So, as declarer must have

wuzzles

5-5-0-3 distribution, trying to cash the diamond ace cannot be right.Instead, East should exit with atrump, aiming to reduce the spade ruffs in the dummy from three to two. This defeats the contract. If East doesn’treturnatrump,declarercancash histop spades and crossruff home. ©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 cRADLED: KRAY-d’ld: Supported protectively or intimately.

Average mark27words

Time limit 40 minutes

yESTERDAy’S WoRD —SIGnIFIED

Can you find 33 or morewords in CRADLED? send

inside feign fend fiend find fine finis egis deign design dignifies dine ding dinge

thought

when the centurion, which stood over againsthim,saw that he so criedout, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark 15:39

Have youconfessed thatJesus is the sonofGod and trustedhim as your personal savior and Lord?— G.E. Dean

1

3 Meet with ourOptimizeteam. Getthe specificinformation andrecommendation forinstallation on your home: Safe generatorlocation, required clearances, kW Size/NEC load calculation, install details,Optimizeinstall process,and receive your specificquote.