The Advocate 09-17-2025

LIVINGSTON PARISH

AG sues LibraryBoard

Panelaccused of violating open meetingslaw when it

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

firedlibrary system’s director in July

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill on Monday filed alawsuitagainstthe Livingston ParishLibrary Board, alleging the board violated the open meetingslaw when it ousted the library system’sdirector in July

The attorney general’slawsuit alleges the board, which includes Parish President Randy Delatte as ex officio and overseesthe parish’spublic librarysystem, violated mandatory agenda requirements, misled the public and suppressed participation in public comment at its July 15 meeting.

During the July 15 meeting, Delatte and amajority of boardmembers voted not

to renew thecontract of Library Director Michelle Parrish.

Thevotefollowed atwo-hour executive sessionfor Parrish’sannual evaluation, which the public initially was told would not result in any action. The meeting’sagenda also did not originally have an item to renew,ornot renew,Parrish’s contract.

Several Livingston Parishresidents filed aformal complaint to the Attorney General’sOffice after that meeting.

“We’ve reviewed theopenmeetings law complaints concerning the Livingston ParishLibrary BoardofControl andthe response to it by the board, andconcluded that areviewbythe court is appropriate,” Murrill said in astatementTuesday

Thelegal petition was filed in the21st

Judicial District Court in Livingston Parish. In it, the attorneygeneral requests that theboard’s vote not to renew Parrish’s contract be invalidateddue to the violations surroundingthe action.The lawsuit also asksthe court to impose civil penalties on any board member who knowingly andwillfully violated the law, according to court records.

“The Open Meetings Lawisa statutory embodiment of aconstitutional promise: that the public hasthe right to know, to observe and to participate in the actions of its government. The Livingston Parish Library Board of Controlviolated that promise,” Murrill’slawsuit states.

Theboard, through recently appointed

ä See LIBRARY, page 4A

La.doctor picked for vaccine panel

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON U.S. Health Secre-

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

Scott Perrilloux, longtime district attorney for the 21st Judicial District, is retiring after30years, saying he doesn’t plan to seek reelection in 2026.

“It has been an honor and

privilege to serve those who liveinthe district andothers who have needed theservices of theDistrict Attorney’soffice,” PerrillouxsaidTuesday in anews release.

Perrilloux will have served as district attorney for three decades when he retires af-

ter first being elected in 1996.

Thejudicialdistrict includes Livingston, Tangipahoa andSt. Helena parishes The district is one of thelargestinthe state, and Perrilloux’s office hasmaintained a90% or higher criminal conviction rate, accordingtohis office’s

website.

Perrilloux, aHammond native, is in his fifthterm in office. Before that, he served as cityprosecutorand assistant city attorney forHammond, assistant district attorney and judge pro tempore. The election fordistrict at-

tary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.has appointed aBaton Rouge physician to the committee that recommends vaccination policies to the federal government—and she has repeatedly questioned COVID-19 vaccines and other inoculations forchildren.

“I am very,veryskeptical,” Dr Evelyn Griffin said in 2024 while speaking to the congregation of the Rev.Tony Spell’sLifeTabernacle Church near Central City.“For alot of us,the COVIDexperience has really opened our eyes. You know that Ihave alot of concerns. Oneofthose concerns, Iwould say, is about the COVIDvaccine.” Spell becameaface of resistance to then-Gov. JohnBel Edward’s pandemic restrictions, defying orders to stop holding services and winning acourt challenge against Edwards.

Griffin told the congregation concerns about the COVIDvaccine promptedher to study other vaccines: what they’re made of, how they’re doing, and how those vaccines got on the childhood vaccination schedule.

“Many physicians, like myself, areseriously questioning the vaccine schedule,” she said.

Griffin did not respond Tuesday to arequest forcomment.

Kennedy tapped Griffin on Monday night to join the civilian Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which recommends vaccines and vaccination policies to the Centers forDisease Control

Griffinhas questioned need forinoculations forchildren ä See DOCTOR, page 6A

Longtime 21st Judicial DistrictAttorneyPerrillouxtoretire

torney will be held in fall 2026. He will finish the current term, whichends on thesecondSunday of 2027.

Hillar Moore, who serves as districtattorneyfor East Baton Rouge Parish and the 19th

Perrilloux ä See RETIRE, page 4A

79

BRIEFS

Judge shields identities of two in Epstein case

NEW YORK The identities of two women once listed as potential co-conspirators of Jeffrey Epstein will remain sealed for theirsafetyandprivacy afederal judge ruled Tuesday

In a written decision, Judge Richard M. Berman rejected an NBC News request to make their identitiespublicafterlawyersfor the women and the U.S. Justice Department opposed the unsealingrequest.Hewrotethatthreats to the safety of the individuals persist and releasing their names would threaten their safety and privacy

In requesting the unsealing, attorney Alexander Ziccardi for NBCNewscitedtheFirstAmendment and said there was a “presumptive right of access” requiring that the names redacted from a July 2019 government letter to Berman be released publicly

The 2019 letter, filed by prosecutors opposing bail for Epstein, was written in part to answer questions the judge had raised at a bail hearing about two unidentified individuals prosecutors cited in their arguments against granting Epstein bail. House approves changes to D.C.’s justice system

WASHINGTON The House passed legislation Tuesday that would overhaul how youth who commit crimes are prosecuted in the District of Columbia as congressional Republicans mobilized behind President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on crime in the nation’s capital.

One of the bills, called the “DC Crimes Act,” would lower the age of a youth offender in the federal district from 24 to 18 and require that criminal sentencing be at least as long as the mandatory minimums for adults, overruling local D.C. policy It would also require the D.C. attorney generaltoestablishapublicwebsite that would publish statistics on youth criminal acts.

The bill passed 240-179, with 30 Democrats joining Republicans in support.

A second bill, the D.C. Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act passed by a narrower 225-203 margin, with eight Democrats backing the measure and one Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voting against it Judge denies Menendez brothers’ bid for new trial

LOS ANGELES A California judge has rejected a request for a new trial for Erik and Lyle Menendez, shutting down another possible path to freedom for thebrotherswhohaveserveddecades in prison for killing their parents in 1989 at their Beverly Hills mansion.

The ruling Monday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan comes just weeks after the brothers were denied parole. Ryan denied a May 2023 petition seeking a review of their convictions based on new evidence supporting their claims of sexual abuse by their father

The judge wrote that the new evidence that “slightly corroborates” the allegations that the brothers were sexually abused does not negate the fact that the pair acted with “premeditation and deliberation” when they carried out the killings.

“The evidence alleged here is not so compelling that it would have produced a reasonable doubt in the mind of at least one juror or supportive of an imperfect self-defense instruction,” the judge wrote Divers recover artifacts from Titanic’s sister ship

ATHENS, Greece Divers have recovered artifacts from the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, for the first time since the ocean liner sank in the Aegean Sea more than a century ago after striking a mine during World War I.

The Culture Ministry in Greece said Monday that an 11-member deep-sea diving team conducted a weeklong operation in May to recover artifacts including the ship’s bell and the port-side navigation light.

The White Star Line’s Britannic, launched in 1914, was designed as a luxury cruise liner, but was requisitioned as a hospital ship during World War I.

Israeli military begins its ground offensive

Aggressive operation aims to overwhelm Gaza City

BY MELANIE LIDMAN, JON GAMBRELL and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

JERUSALEM Israel launched its offensive in Gaza City on Tuesday, vowing to overwhelm a city already in ruins from nearly two years of war as thousands of Palestinians fled in vehicles strapped with mattresses and other belongings that clogged a coastal road.

The operation into the largest Palestinian city escalated a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushed any ceasefire with Hamas farther out of reach. The military would not offer a timeline for the offensive that aims to crush the militant group’s ability to fight, but Israeli media suggested it could take months.

“Gaza is burning,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared as the operation began. Heavy bombardment pounded the city, and troops began moving in from the outskirts after weeks of airstrikes and buildup toward the renewed assault.

The offensive began the same day that independent experts

commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel rejected the allegation, calling the report “distorted and false.”

One woman, Saud al-Sakani, said her daughter, son-in-law and their children were killed in a strike that flattened their home with about 40 people inside. “An entire family!” she cried, weeping over their bodies at Shifa Hospital’s morgue. “Many are still under the rubble.”

On a brief visit to the region, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that there was a “very short window of time in which a deal can happen” to end the war

The new assault did not deter another invitation to the U.S for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said Tuesday that President Donald Trump invited him to the White House on Sept. 29, after the Israeli leader addresses the United Nations General Assembly It will mark Netanyahu’s fourth visit since Trump took office in January

Meanwhile, a missile fired by

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen set off rocket sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv The Israeli military said it was working to intercept the projectile, which was fired after Israel carried out airstrikes on the rebel-held port city of Hodeida in Yemen.

The Houthis have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel in what they say is solidarity with the Palestinians. The vast majority have been intercepted or landed in open areas without causing casualties or damage. Israel has carried out waves of retaliatory strikes on Yemen.

Israeli forces have carried out multiple large-scale raids into Gaza City over the course of the war, causing mass displacement and heavy destruction, only to see militants regroup later. This time, Israel has pledged to take control of the entire city, which experts say is experiencing famine.

An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines, said the “main phase” of the Gaza City operation had begun and troops had started moving.

Democrats stake out opposition to spending bill

Threat of government shutdown looms

BY KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON Democratic leaders lashed out Tuesday at a short-term spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the month, warning Republicans they will not support a measure that doesn’t address their concerns on the soaring cost of health insurance coverage for millions of Americans.

House Republicans unveiled the spending bill Tuesday It would keep federal agencies funded through Nov 21, buying lawmakers more time to work out their differences on spending levels and policy for the coming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Republicans said that they were providing exactly what Democrats have insisted upon in past government shutdown battles — a clean funding bill free of partisan policy riders.

“It’ll be a clean, short-term continuing resolution, end of story,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters. “And it’s interesting to me that some of the same Democrats who decried government shutdowns under President Biden appear to have no heartache whatsoever at walking our nation off that cliff right now I hope they don’t.”

The bill would generally fund agencies at current levels, with a few limited exceptions, including an extra $88 million to boost security for lawmakers and members of the Supreme Court and the executive branch. The proposed boost comes as lawmakers face an increasing number of personal threats, with their

concerns heightened by last week’s assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries have been asking their Republican counterparts for weeks for a meeting to negotiate on the bill, but they say that Republicans have refused. Any bill needs help from at least seven Democrats in the Senate to overcome procedural hurdles and advance to a final vote.

The two Democratic leaders issued a joint statement Tuesday after Republicans unveiled the short-term funding bill, saying that by “refusing to work with Democrats, Republicans are steering our country toward a shutdown.”

“The House Republican-only spending bill fails to meet the needs of the American people and does nothing to stop the looming healthcare crisis,” Schumer and Jeffries said.

Authorities: Suspect left note saying he planned to kill Kirk

BY JESSE BEDAYN, HANNAH SCHOENBAUM and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

PROVO, Utah Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.” DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

“The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.

Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a boltaction rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and said he would appoint an attorney to representhim.Robinson’sfamily has declined to comment to The AssociatedPresssincehisarrest. Authoritieshavenotrevealeda clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “Ihadenoughofhishatred.Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray

acting Executive Director Kyla Webb,and allninedistrict board members and Delatte are named in the lawsuit.

Brandon Browning, deputy chief administrative officerfor Delatte’soffice,said the office does not comment on pending litigation but said, “That’saboard decision. The board will need to get together and come to a conclusion on what they are going to do.”

Browning said Delatteis not president or vice president of the board.

Delatte said at the meeting that he voted not to renew the director’scontract because issues still existed betweenthe library and thecommunity, suchasrecent contentious split board votes, despite hisrecent shake-up of the board.

“The only constant that we have is Michelle. We still have the same issues,” he said then.

Parrish took the helm in 2023 after her predecessor, Giovanni Tairov,unexpectedly resigned after months of commotion surrounding the system’scontent restrictions for minors.

Parrish’sremoval, prompted by amotionfrom Delatte,came as ashock to some because hours earlier,

RETIRE

Continued from page1A

Judicial District Court, has known Perrilloux for about 30 years. He said Perrilloux was one of the several district attorneysthat met with him and encouraged him to run for the office in the 2000s. Moore described Perrilloux as not only agood friend, but as an evenkeeled,well-respectedman who created agreat staff environment in his district.

Library BoardPresident JenniferDorhauer said the privateevaluation session would not elicit any decision, which no one outrightly disagreedwith

“I thought there would be no actionable issue once we wentintoexecutive session,” Dorhauer said at the time. “I could blockhis motion currently,but (Parrish) hasrequestedthatwego ahead and vote on this.”

Dorhauer said“no comment”inresponse to being asked about thelawsuit.

After theJuly 15meeting, several Livingston Parish residentsfiledaformal citizen complaint to the AttorneyGeneral’sOfficealleging the open meetings law violations.

Jordan Gonzales, one of the residents who put his name on the complaint, said he didn’tthink Murrill would take this action

“I was pretty surprised,” he said.

Gonzales was one of the many people who left the building duringthe executive sessionbefore thevote on Parrish’s contractrenewal

“I was upset Ididn’tget to have avoice in this situation,” Gonzales said.“I wanted to trust my local officials.”

The petition filed by the attorney general comes afteryears of turmoil for the board. Theremoval of the library director had been

“Scott’sa really goodman anda great district attorney,” Moore said. “When he speaks, people listen.” Moore said the district court has bigshoes to fill with Perrillouxleaving LivingstonParish Sheriff JasonArd saidhewas workingasauniform patrol deputywhen Perrillouxwas first elected “As alaw enforcementofficer,mygoal then —and now— wastoprovide a strongcase to ourDAfor prosecution,” he said. The sheriffdescribed him as aleader from the jump

Livingston Parish Library Board

dismayofparish

preceded by years of battlessparkedbycomplaints aboutyouth access to sex and gender related books.

The LivingstonParish Library Alliance posted a statement Tuesday calling the board’s“mess” outrageous.

“The Attorney General did this independently.Itspeaks

whowas professional and passionate.

“What Istill admire about him to this dayisthathe standsupfor what’s right andhas no problem making tough decisions,” Ard said. “I hope the next person selected to fill this role has the samefire and fight.”

In Tangipahoa Parish, Sheriff Gerald Sticker,who was firstelected in 2024, said he appreciated the partnership with theDistrictAttorney’sOffice during his tenure so far andthanked him for serving thecommunity “TangipahoaParishSher-

volumes as to the seriousness of the situation,” the local group wrote. Library public information officer David Gray said the library does not commentonpending litigation.

Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@ theadvocate.com.

iff’sOffice hasappreciated apartnership with the DA’s Office that has included accessibility,adviceand collaboration, which has been the direct result of Scott’s leadership,” Sticker said.

Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@ theadvocate.com.

Landry backs Trump plan for National Guard

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

Three days after national media outlets reported on plans the Pentagon has drafted to deploy 1,000 troops to Louisiana, Gov

Jeff Landry said Tuesday that he would welcome the federal resources but declined to share any details on planned enforcement

“We appreciate any federalresourceshewantstosend us, whether it’s prosecutors, more FBI agents, more ICE agents,” said Landry, speaking at a meeting at the state’s economic development agency Tuesday “We’re going to do whatever we need to stem the violence, to get our cities and streets under control.” Landry did not say when or where he would request the deployment.

Landry’s comments came after The Washington Post and other outlets reported Saturday that the federal government planned to deploy 1,000 troops in Louisiana’s “urban centers.” The draft plan called for deployments to support law enforcement in multiple cities, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, if Landry requests it, the Post reported.

President Donald Trump cited Louisiana last week as one of the places he is considering sending troops after he sent them to Los Angeles and Washington D.C A spokesperson for Landry did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday Shane Guidry a New Orleans business owner who is one of Landry’s confidants and his point-person for New Orleans issues, said the administration’s plans for how to use any federal resources were still being discussed He declined to

comment on where in the state Landry intends to deploy any National Guard troops that may be sent.

Speaking for himself, Guidry said he supported the use of National Guard troops in New Orleans for larger events but questioned whether they were necessary in the city day to day “Certainly we can use National Guard help for lots of things to protect the patrons when they come into the city for big events,” Guidry said “Do you need National Guard in neighborhoods? Probably not.” Instead what’s needed, Guidry said, is funding to expand the State Police force. Guidry also said Landry’s administration had done “an amazing job bringing the State Police into New Orleans,” referring to Troop NOLA, a dedicated State Police troop launched by Landry in August 2024. Guidry said “there are different parts of the state that can certainly use attention. In his comments Tuesday, Landry highlighted state

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Terrorism charges against Mangione tossed

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and DAVE COLLINS Associated Press

Judge keeps murder charges in killing of CEO of UnitedHealthcare ASSOCIATED

NEW YORK A New York judge on Tuesday threw out terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, rejecting the Manhattan district attorney’s theory in a state murder case that the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was “intended to evoke terror.” Judge Gregory Carro kept other charges in place, including a second-degree murder count that requires prosecutors to prove Mangione intended to kill Thompson but not that he was doing so as an act of terrorism.

The ruling eliminated the top two charges in Mangione’s state case, sparing him the possibility of a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. The 27-year-old Ivy League graduate is also facing a parallel federal death penalty prosecution. Carro said the defense’s argument that the dueling prosecutors amounted to double jeopardy was premature.

Mangione, a cause célèbre for people upset with the health insurance industry, appeared in good spirits and raised his eyebrows at supporters as police officers led him out of the brief hearing after Carro issued his ruling. In a written decision, the

DOCTOR

Continued from page 1A

and Prevention. The panel is slated to meet next on Thursday Kennedy in June forced all 17 members of the panel to resign. He promised to pick replacements with strong scientific credentials and without preconceived notions.

A prominent anti-vaxxer, Kennedy was criticized after choosing for the panel several health care professionals who made a name for themselves on conservative media talking against vaccines.

Kennedy also laid off thousands of agency employees, proposed cutting the agency’s budget, pulled funding for further vaccination research using one of its most promising platforms, and fired the director of the CDC less than a month after she was confirmed.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Baton Rouge Republican who chairs the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, was among those raising questions about Kennedy’s promises not to undermine the nation’s vaccination protocols. A longtime promoter of vaccinations,

judgesaidthatalthoughthere isn’t any doubt that Thompson’s killing last December wasnoordinarystreetcrime, state law in New York doesn’t consider something terrorism simply because it was motivated by ideology

“While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to ‘intimidate and coerce a civilian population,’ and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal,” Carro wrote.

The judge also said there was insufficient evidence that Mangione intended to influence or affect government policy by intimidation or coercion another element of the terrorism charges. He noted that federal prosecutors hadn’t charged Mangione with terrorism offenses even though the federal terrorism statute was a model for the state law

But in keeping the seconddegreemurdercharge,Carro ruledtherewassufficientevidence that Mangione “murdered Brian Thompson in a

Cassidy particularly was concerned that Kennedy’s replacements for the advisory panel didn’t have much experience in the sciences connected to vaccines

But, after voting to confirm Kennedy to the job, he said the new secretary would consult with him.

Cassidy did not respond Tuesday to requests for comments. His committee is meeting Wednesday to take testimony from the CDC director who Kennedy recently fired. Griffin is an obstetrician and gynecologist who has practiced in Baton Rouge for about 20 years. Griffin praised Republican Gov Jeff Landry who has been critical of Cassidy. A native of Poland when it was controlled by communists, Griffin grew up in Canada where her family immigrated. She moved to Baton Rouge with her husband after college. Griffin said she initially didn’t question vaccines because, like all medical students, she was overwhelmed with information “like drinking from fire hose,” she said — that basically spread a message of vaccines are good and as a doctor she should just memorize the schedule.

During testimony in 2022

premeditated and calculated execution.” That charge carries a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole.

Afterward, Mangione lawyer Marc Agnifilo told TMZ: “It’s a big win and it’s the first of many.”

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office issued a brief statement, saying, “We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts.”

Carro scheduled pretrial hearings in the state case for Dec. 1, just days before Mangione is next due in court in his federal case.

Mangione, who has been locked up since his arrest, arrived in court in beige jail garb, handcuffs and ankle shackles. Making his first appearance in Carro’s courtroom since February he was mostly silent, quietly conferring with his lawyers as the judge outlined his decision.

Echoing the scene at his last hearing a few dozen supporters — mostly women — packed three rows in the rear of the courtroom gallery Some were dressed

before the Louisiana House Committee on Health and Welfare, Griffin said that she observed in her patients “bizarre and rare conditions” that she couldn’t pinpoint as being caused by the vaccine or by the disease itself.

“The average doctor is not asking questions, such as, could this be an aftereffect of the vaccine? And not asking these questions is scary as well as not scientific,”

Griffin said when she testified in favor of an anti-COVID vaccine bill.

Kennedy himself testified before the same committee in 2021, before he was health secretary.

In testifying in favor of another measure, Griffin said the hospitals with which she was associated had refused her requests to dig down on the data about the efficacy of vaccinations in general and the COVID medicine in particular

“I was told repeatedly no and that was is because they felt that would create vaccine hesitancy if someone should possibly present a counter narrative,” Griffin said. “I can tell you that there is something wrong that is going on.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

in green the color worn by the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi. One woman sported a “FREE LUIGI” T-shirt. Across the street from the courthouse, cheers erupted from a pro-Mangione rally as news spread that the judge had dismissed his terrorism charges.

Mangione pleaded not guilty late last year to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shoot Thompson from behind on Dec. 4 as the executive arrived at a midtown Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione was arrested five days later in Altoona,

Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of New York City

Mangione’s lawyers have argued that the simultaneous state and federal prosecutions violate double jeopardy protections meant to prevent people from being tried multiple times for the same crime But Carro rejected that argument, saying it would be premature to make such a determination because neither case has gone to trial.

Bragg’s office contended that there are no double jeopardy issues, in part because the state and federal prosecutions involve different legal theories. The federal charges allege that Mangione stalked Thompson and do not involve terrorism allegations.

Mangione’s lawyers said the two cases have created a “legal quagmire” that makes it “legally and logistically impossible to defend against

them simultaneously.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in April said she was directing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Mangione for “an act of political violence” and a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.” Bragg’s office quoted extensively from Mangione’s handwritten diary as they sought to uphold the terrorism charges. In a June court filing, they highlighted his desire to kill an insurance honcho and his praise for the late Theodore Kaczynski, the convicted murderer known as the “Unabomber.” In the writings, prosecutors said, Mangione mused about rebelling against “the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel” and said killing an industry executive “conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming.”

We areDr. ScottLeBlanc andDr. Dana LeBlanc, ahusband andwifeteam, that ownLeBlanc Spine Center.Wehave helped thousandsofpatientsget outofpainwithSpinalDecompression therapy treatments,and we love what we do.Discissues arecommon, andpatientssufferingare usually givenlimited optionsoftreatment.Werun these bignewspaperadvertisementstolet people in thecommunity know thereisanotheroption of treatmentfor pain-without medication, injections,orsurgery!

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IcametoLeBlancSpine Center because Ihad been suffering with extremebackpainand legpainfor severalweeks.I hadtriedother treatments, massage, NSAIDs andTylenol, butIwas stillinpain. Ibegan Spinal Decompression treatments andnow Ifeel100% improved! What Ilikemost aboutmytreatment is that it is non-invasive anditeliminated my pain.Mytreatment appointments are notlong, andthe treatmentispain-free Sincebeginningtreatment at LeBlancSpine Center, Iamnow able to do allofmyprevious activities andworkwithout pain.I also have morerange of motion Iwould highly recommend LeBlancSpine Center!

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•“We thus submit that decompressiontherapy should be considered first, before thepatient undergoesasurgicalprocedure which permanentlyaltersthe anatomyand function of theaffectedlumbarspine segment.”-Journal Of Neuroscience Research

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•“Good to excellentrelief in 86%ofpatientswith Herniateddiscs”- The American JournalofPain Management

•“Decompression Therapy reported a76.5% with complete remission and19.6% with partial remissionofpainand disability”-Rio Grande Hospital,Departmentof Neurosurgery

At LeBlancSpine Center, we utilizeadvanced, FDA-cleared technology that is provento effectively alleviatepain. It’s importanttonotethatnot everypatient is acandidate for

Iwas sufferingwithlower back pain foryears, anditwas gettingworse andworse.It wassopainful that Icould not function.I couldnot get outthe bedwithout fallingtothe floor. Ihad triedorthopedicdoctors medication,scans,physical therapy- alltonoavail IcametoLeBlancSpine Center, andI startedSpinal Decompression treatments in August…and Inow feel 100% improved! Iamnow sleeping better,driving withoutpain, walkingfurther –all of these activities Ican nowdo, andI have energy that Ionlyhad when Iwas young. Iamtreated wonderfully by thestaff at LeBlancSpine Center. They are so polite and caring.Dr. Scottand Dr.Dana are unbelievably helpful. The treatmentisnot painful, and Ienjoy themusic whileIam theretoo!

If askedtorecommend LeBlancSpine Center, Iwould saythatIamconvinced that youwillimprove abig amount if not100%. Decompression therapyisthe waytogo!

RonnieHebert (Civil Engineer) Hometown -Plaquemine, LA

Ihad beensuffering with lowerbackpain, sciaticpain, andnumbnessinmyfeet. I began Spinal Decompression treatments at LeBlancSpine Centerand Iamnow 80% improved! Ican nowstand and sitfor longer periods without anypain, andIamabletowalk longer distances. Iamfeeling so much better Thestaff here treats me excellent. Oneofthe best things aboutmycare at LeBlanc SpineCenteristhatIamshown care andconcern. Iwould recommendLeBlanc SpineCenterand thetreatmenteveryone here is so nice andit hasbeensohelpful!

TessaGuerin (Bus Driver) Hometown -Maurepas, LA

Spinal Decompression, whichiswhy we prioritize athorough individual assessment foreachpersonwho walks throughour doors. Ourhighsuccess rate in pain relief stemsfromour commitment to only taking on patients whom we confidently believewecan help

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Patelclashes with skepticalDemocrats

BY ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON FBI Director Kash Patel clashed with skeptical Democrats at a contentious Senate oversight hearingTuesday,defending hisrecordamidcriticismthat he has politicized the nation’s premier federal lawenforcement agency and pursued retribution against perceived adversariesofPresidentDonald Trump.

The appearanceTuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee represented the first oversight hearing of Patel’syoung but tumultuous tenure and provided ahighstakes platform for him to try to demonstrate that he is the right person for the job at atime of internal upheaval andmountingconcernsabout political violence inside the United States, athreat laid bare by last week’skilling of

record,pushesbackoncriticism

conservative activist Charlie Kirk at acollege campusin Utah.

The hearing broke along starklypartisanlines.Republicans rallied support for PatelevenasDemocratssaidhe haddebased the integrity of the nation’spremier federal law enforcement agency Patel, for his part,accused Democrats of grandstanding for cameras and looking to score political points in aseries of testy shouting matches that punctuated more sedate testimony about thecriminal and national security threatsfacing the U.S. “You are thebiggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate, you are adisgrace to this institution and you are an utter coward,”

Pateltold Democratic Sen Adam Schiff of California, raising his voice during one particularly testy exchange “You can make an internet

troll the FBI director,but he will always be an internet troll,” Schiff shot back as Patelcontinued to shout over him.

Patelsoughttokeepthe focusonwhathesaidwas a series of accomplishments in fighting violentcrime, protecting childrenfrom abuse and disrupting the flow of fentanyl. He similarly touted the FBI’swork in arresting within 33 hoursthe man suspected in Kirk’sassassination,but also facedquestions over confusion he caused soon after the killing when he posted on social mediathat “the subject” was in custody Thatperson was later released afterinvestigators determined he had no connection.Patel said he had been trying to be transparent withthepublicanddidn’tconsider thepost amistake, but acknowledgedhecould have been clearer

Trump’sU.K.visit will mixtalks,royal pomp

BY JILL LAWLESSand MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

LONDON U.S. President DonaldTrump arrived in theUnited Kingdom on Tuesday fora statevisit during whichthe British government hopesamultibillion-dollar technology deal will show thetransAtlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East andthe future of the Western alliance. State visits in Britain blend 21st-century diplomacywithroyal pageantry.Trump’stwo-day trip comes complete with horse-drawn carriages, military honor guards and aglittering banquet inside

a1,000-year-oldcastle— alltailoredtoapresident with afondness for gilded splendor. King CharlesIII will host Trump at WindsorCastle on Wednesdaybefore talks the next day with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the British leader’s ruralretreat Starmer’soffice said the visit will demonstrate that “the U.K.-U.S. relationship is thestrongest in the world, built on 250 years of history” —after thatawkward rupture in 1776 —and bound by shared values of “belief in the rule of law and open markets.” There was no mention of Trump’s market-crimping fondness for sweeping tariffs.

The White House ex-

“Within afew months, ChatGPTbecame Adam’s closest companion,” thefathertold senators. “Always available. Alwaysvalidating andinsistingthatitknew Adam better than anyone else, including his own brother.”

ized conversationswiththe chatbot.

BYMATTO’BRIEN

AP technology writer

Parents whoseteenagers killed themselves after interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots testified to Congress on Tuesday about the dangers of the technology

“What began as ahomework helper gradually turned itself into aconfidant and then asuicidecoach,” said Matthew Raine, whose 16-year-old son Adam died in April.

Raine’s family sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altmanlastmonthalleging that ChatGPTcoached the boy in planning to takehis own life.

Megan Garcia, the mother of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III of Florida, sued another AI company,Character Technologies, for wrongful death last year,arguing that before hissuicide,Sewell hadbecome increasingly isolated from hisreal life as he engaged in highlysexual-

“Instead of preparing for high school milestones, Sewell spent thelast months of hislife beingexploited andsexually groomed by chatbots, designedbyanAI company to seem human, to gain histrust, to keephim and other children endlessly engaged,” Garcia told the Senatehearing.

Also testifying was aTexas mother who suedCharacter lastyear and was in tears describing howher son’s behavior changed after lengthy interactions with its chatbots. She spoke anonymously,with aplacard that introduced herasMs. Jane Doe, and said theboy is now in aresidentialtreatment facility

pects the two countries will strengthen their relationship during thetrip and celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of thefounding of theUnited States, according to asenior White House official who wasnot authorizedto speak publicly andspoke on the condition of anonymity.Itwas unclear how the U.K. was planning to markthat chapter in their sharedhistory

“The trip to the U.K. is going to be incredible,” Trumptoldreporters Sunday.Hesaid Windsor Castle is “supposed to be amazing” andadded: “It’sgoing to be very exciting.”

Trump is the first U.S. presidenttoget asecond state visit to the U.K.

Actor, director Robert Redforddies

BY BOBTHOMAS Associated Press

Robert Redford, the Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscarwinningdirector,liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-lovedcharacters,died Tuesday at 89.

Redford died “at his home at Sundance in the mountainsofUtah —the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” publicist Cindi Berger said in astatement. He died in his sleep, but no cause was provided.

After rising to stardom in the 1960s, Redford was one of the biggest stars of the ’70s with such films as “The Candidate,” “All the President’sMen” and “The Way We Were,” capping that decade with the best director Oscar for 1980’s“Ordinary People,” which also won best picture in 1980. His wavy blond hair and boyish grin made him the most desired of

independent cinema, died Tuesdayat89.

leading men, but he worked hard to transcend his looks —whether through his political advocacy,his willingnesstotake on unglamorous

roles or hisdedication to providing aplatform for low-budget movies. His rolesrangedfrom Washington Post journalistBob Woodward

Blackcollege studentfound hanging from tree on Mississippicampus

Police sayno signsoffoulplay

BY SOPHIE BATES Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss.— Police on

Tuesday were investigating the death of aBlack college student found hanging from atreeatDelta State University in Mississippi, stirring onlinerumorsthatevokedthe state’shistory of Jim Crowera racist violence evenas authorities said there was no initial evidence of acrime.

The campuspolice chief said there are no signsof foul play in the death of the 21-year-old student, whose body was discovered by a staff member early Monday near the campus pickleball courts.

Delta State PoliceChief Michael Peelersaidthere was also no evidence of athreat to students and faculty. He told reporters Monday the death investigationwas being assistedbythe Mississippi Bureau of Investigationaswell as local police andsheriff’s deputies.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced Tuesday that he hasbeenretained by the student’sfamily and will undertake an independent investigation into the death.

“Wecannot acceptvague conclusionswhen so many questions remain,” Crump said in astatement.“Istand with this family,and Iwill lead ateam of civil rights leaders and organizations in pursuing transparencyand answers.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep.Ben-

nie Thompson, aMississippi Democrat, called for the FBI to investigate.

“The FBIhas the toolsand experience necessary to conduct athorough,unbiased inquiry,and time is of theessence,”Thompsonsaidina statement.

Delta State saiditplanned anews conference Wednesdaywith state andlocal law enforcement agencies.

Online rumors that thestudent was found with broken limbs were disputedbyBolivarCountyCoronerRandolph Seals Jr.Inastatement cited by local news outlets, Seals said his office conducted a preliminary examination and concluded the student did not suffer any lacerations, contusions, compound fractures broken bones or injuries consistent with an assault.

to amountain manin“Jeremiah Johnson” to adouble agent in the MarvelCinematic Universe,and his co-stars included Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep and TomCruise. But hismostfamousscreenpartnerwas hisoldfriendandfellowactivistand practical joker Paul Newman, their filmsavariationoftheirwarm,teasing relationship off screen. Redford played the wily outlaw opposite Newman in 1969’s“ButchCassidy andthe Sundance Kid,” abox-office smash from which Redford’sSundance Institute and festival got its name.HealsoteamedwithNewman on 1973’sbest picture Oscar winner,“The Sting,” which earned Redford abest-actor nomination as ayoung con artist in 1930s Chicago. Film roles after the ’70s became moresporadicasRedford concentrated on directing and producing, andhis new roleaspatriarch of the independent-film movement in the 1980sand’90sthroughhisSundance Institute. But he starred in 1985’s best picture champion“Out of Af-

rica” andin2013 receivedsome of the best reviewsofhis career as a shipwrecked sailor in “All is Lost,” in which he was the film’sonly performer.In2018, he waspraised again in what he called his farewell movie, “The OldMan andthe Gun.” “I just figure that I’ve had along career that I’m very pleased with. It’s been so long, ever sinceI was 21,” he told The Associated Press shortly before the film cameout. “I figure now as I’m getting into my 80s, it’s maybetime to movetoward retirement and spend more time withmywife and family.” Redford hadwatched Hollywood grow more cautious and controlling during the1970s andwanted to recapture thecreativespirit of the early part of the decade. Sundance was created to nurture new talent away from the pressures of Hollywood, the institute providing a training ground and the festival, based in Park City, Utah, where Redford had purchased land with the initialhope of opening aresort.

offIndependence Daycelebrations at theZocalo, Mexico City’smain square.

Mexicanpresident marksindependence

Sheinbaumthe firstfemaleleader to presideovercountry’s celebrations

By The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY President Claudia Sheinbaum became the first female leader to preside over Mexico’sindependence celebrations in 215 years, with amessage that she won’taccept foreign intervention,asignificantstatement as she negotiates pressure from the United States.

Sheinbaum led atraditional ceremony from the balcony of the National Palace in MexicoCityknown as the “grito,” or “shout” in English, Monday night. It’s an annual tradition whenon Sept. 15, the president rings abell marking the call to arms during the 1810-1821 fighttowin independence from Spain.

Independence Day is formallycelebrated Sept. 16, but the grito” ceremony hasbeenperformed the night before for over acentury

Atraditional military parade followed Tuesday,and Sheinbaum reiterated that “No foreignpower makes decisions forus.” In aspeech before her Cabinet and thousands of soldiers, Sheinbaum added that “no interference is possible inour homeland” and although she didn’tmention any particular country,her words come at amoment when the U.S. government has asked Mexico to do more to crack down on drug cartels and strengthen border security

U.S. President Donald Trump’sadministration has even offered to send U.S. troops to fight cartels, some of them declared as terrorist organizations by his government, but Sheinbaum has repeatedly rejected it.

Heradministration has been more aggressivein pursuing thecartels than herpredecessor, handing over dozens of cartel figures to American authorities and pointing to lower fentanyl seizures at theU.S.border

But Sheinbaum insists that the actions have been carried out because they’re good for Mexico, not because of U.S. pressure.

Sheinbaum took power in October as Mexico’sfirst female president

Ghanacontradicts lawyers, says immigrants sent home

BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI, CHINEDU ASADU and EDWARD ACQUAH Associated Press

ACCRA, Ghana Authorities in Ghana pushed back Tuesday on claims that four African immigrants recently deported by the U.S. remain in Ghanaian detention, reiteratingtheir assertion that all such migrants have been returned to their home countries. The government said Monday that all 14 of the deportees had been returned to their countries of origin in West Africa. On Tuesday, Ghana’spresidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said in an interview with The Associated Pressthat 13 Ni-

geriansweresenthomeon abus and that one Gambian wassent homeonaplane

Lawyersfor four of the Nigerians said in U.S. court filings Mondayand in interviews withthe AP that the fourwere still being held in afacility in Ghana.The lawyers saidthe Nigerians faced persecution in their home country,but ajudge rejected their request for a court order to return them to the U.S., though she expressed alarm over thedeportations.

The Ghanaian government spokesperson denied knowledge of sucha facility.“None of them arestaying in this country. Nobody is being held in any camp andnobody’s righthas been

Zelenskyypushes forair defensesystem

BY ILLIA NOVIKOV

Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Russian forces bombarded the southern Ukrainiancity of Zaporizhzhia with rockets overnight, wounding 20 people, including four children, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday as he urged European leaders to make the continent safe by building an ambitious air defense umbrella.

With the war grindingon since Russia’sfull-scale invasionofits neighbormore than31/2 years ago, therehas been no let-upinRussian strikesoncivilianareas of Ukraine and its army’spush on the frontline.

Asettlement to end the war appearstobenocloser

despite months of U.S.-led peaceefforts.PresidentDonald Trump’sultimatums and deadlinesforPutintoengage with proposals to stopthe fighting have passed without obvious consequences.

Just over the past two weeks, Zelenskyy said on Telegram, Russia has launchedmore than 3,500 drones,morethan2,500powerfulglidebombsandalmost 200 missilesattargets inside Ukraine Russianglide bombs, usually dropped by jets at high altitude andfar behind the front line, and drone swarms are amajor challenge forUkrainian defenses. Glide bombsaren’tvery accurate, but they leave big craters, andUkrainehas no effective countermeasure

against them Russian drones also recently landed on Polish soil, prompting NATO to beef up thealliance’sEuropean air defenses as tensions with Moscow mounted.

“Now is the time to implementthe jointprotection of ourEuropean skies with amultilayered airdefense system. All the technologies for this are available,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram. “Weneed investments and desire, we need strong actions anddecisions fromall our partners.”

Trump, heading to the United Kingdom for astate visit, told reporters in Washingtonthat“Zelenskyy is goingtohavetomake adeal” to end the war, though he didn’telaborate.

abused,”Ofosusaidofthedeportees in aphone interview

The AP could notindependently verify the current location of thedeportees. However, alawyer forthe Gambian individual, from a differentlaw firm, confirmed thattheir client was in Gambia.

Nigerian andGambian government officials told the APtheywereneithernotified aboutthedeportationsnorinvolved in theprocess.

Meanwhile,aU.S. judge said that she was powerless to preventGhana from returningdeportees in itscustody to their home countries, declining to intervene in the case, in avictory for the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Crackdowns by ICE intensifyacrossBoston

BY LEAH WILLINGHAM, MICHAEL CASEY and HOLLYRAMER Associated Press

BOSTON Immigrants are beingdetainedwhile going to work, outside courthouses, and at store parkinglots inMetroBostonasPresident Donald Trump targets socalled sanctuary cities in his effort to ramp up immigration enforcement.

As families hole up in homes —afraid to leave and risk detainment— advocates are reporting an increased presence of unmarked U.S. Immigration andCustomsEnforcement vehiclessitting in parking lots and other public areas throughout immigrant communities, where agents appeared to targetwork vans

One man captured avideo of three landscapers who were working on the Saugus Town Hallpropertybeingarrested after agents smashed their

truck window.

Just north of Boston, the city of Everett canceled its annualHispanic Heritage Monthfestival after its mayor said it wouldn’tberightto “hold acelebration at atime when communitymembers may not feel safe attending.”

Theactions have been praised by public officials likeNewHampshireRepublicanGov.Kelly Ayotte,who signed legislation this year banning sanctuary citypolicies in her state, vowing not to letNew Hampshire “go the way ofMassachusetts.”

ICEthissummerbegan utilizing aNew Hampshire airport about an hour from Boston to transportNew England detainees However,othersargue that ICE’spresence in Massachusetts is doingmore harm than good.

“This is really increasing thefear in communities, which is already incredibly

high,” saidElizabethSweet, executive director of the MassachusettsImmigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

Cities like Bostonand Chicago—whereMayor Brandon Johnson has also condemned the Trump administration’srecentimmigration crackdown,calling it an example of “tyranny” —havebecometargetsfor enforcement in recent days. Trumpalsothreatenedtopotentially deploy the National Guard to Chicago, though he hadwavered on amilitary deployment last week. The U.S. Department of JusticeonSept.4 filed alawsuitagainst Mayor Michelle Wu,the cityofBoston and itspolicedepartmentover its sanctuarycity policies, claiming they’re interfering withimmigration enforcement. In response, Wu accused Trumpof“attacking cities to hide his administration’sfailures.”

Analyst: DNAmatches man accusedoftryingtokillTrump

BY DAVID FISCHER Associated Press

DNA sampled from arifle, as well as multiple other items, found near where PresidentDonald Trumpwas playing golf in SouthFlorida lastyear matches that of a man accused of trying to assassinate Trump thatday,an FBI analyst testified Tuesday Tuesday was thefourth day of testimony in the trial of RyanRouth, who prosecutors said spent weeks plottingtokillTrumpbeforeaiming arifle through theshrubbery as Trump playedgolf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach countryclub.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attemptingtoassassinate amajor presidentialcandidate, assaulting afederal officer and

several firearm violations.

U.S. DistrictJudge Aileen Cannon had initially blocked offmore than three weeks for trial at the Fort Pierce federal courthouse. But prosecutors have said they should be able to rest their case by Thursday,and Routh’switnesses have been subpoenaed to appear by Friday Prosecutors continued to callexpert witnesses on Tuesday,according to local news outlets. Aballistics expert testifiedabout two metal plates found mounted to the golf course fence, which would have beennearly impossible for handgun rounds to penetrate. Investigators believe Routhhad planned to use the plates for cover One analyst testified that Routh was apotential DNA contributor to more than two

dozen items collected from the crime scene, including an SKS rifle. Another expert described how Routh’sGoogle and Facebook accounts were loggedintoseveral phones recovered from his SUV and containedlocation data that tracked his movements over the weeks leading up to the attempted attack.

Routh has indicated that he plans to call afirearms expert, as well as several character witnesses. He hasn’tsaid whether he plans to testify himself.

Recounting the incident at the Trump International Golf Club, aSecret Service agent testified last week that he spotted Routh before Trump cameinto view Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire,causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing ashot.

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Summit targets hazing culture

La. leaders admit practice difficult to curtail on campuses

BY AIDAN McCAHILL

Staff writer

As thousands of college students across Louisiana vie for membership in Greek life and other campus organizations, higher education and law enforcement leaders spent Tuesday in Baton Rouge discuss hazing which has proved difficult to curtail on college campuses in the state. The summit followed the March death of Caleb Wilson, a 20-yearold Southern University engineering student and marching band trumpet player who died during a pledging ritual with Omega Psi Phi fraternity His death rattled the university and local community and spurred the creation of a statewide antihazing task force.

Murrill calls for historic artifact return

Former house speaker accused of last having missing board

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Find it and give it back.

That was Attorney General Liz Murrill’s message Tuesday for former House Speaker Clay

Schexnayder regarding an ancient cypress board that was displayed at the State Capitol for decades but disappeared last year after being in Schexnayder’s district legislative office in Gonzales.

“I will confer with the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and will take any action that may be appropriate under the circumstances,” Murrill said in reply to a request for help from Julius Mullins, a retired Baton Rouge doctor whose grandfather Walter Stebbins donated the board to the state in the 1950s.

“Schexnayder knew he had it, he knew that it was in his office and he was responsible as the custodian of state property,” Murrill added. “I think he’s responsible for it regardless of how it came to be present in his district office. He needs to return it.”

As was reported last week, the board was last seen 18 months ago in Schexnayder’s district office.

Schexnayder said he doesn’t know of its current whereabouts

The leasing manager for his office says his team never removed it. The board’s disappearance has frustrated Stebbins’ grandchildren, with Mullins acting as the family’s lead sleuth to find it

“Would it be possible for you to help my family find this valuable piece of history which has gone missing and return it to the Capitol?” Mullins asked in separate emails to Murrill and the current House speaker Phillip DeVillier R-Eunice.

Devillier didn’t respond to either Mullins or a request for comment

Tuesday

The board which measures about six feet by 20 feet and has words engraved of its origin into it — came from a tree that was estimated to be 1,264 years old when it was cut down in 1936. Wording on the board indicates that it was given to the state in 1955 and hung on the wall in the breezeway on the ground floor of the Capitol until about 10 years ago.

Schexnayder said then-Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, asked him in 2013 to put the board in his district office because it came from a tree in Ascension Parish. Kleckley, however, doesn’t recall giving it to Schexnayder,

Wilson’s mother and sister sat in the front row during the five-hour seminar Tuesday “They represent why we have to do better,” said Kim HunterReed, commissioner of higher education. “I knew today would be heavy.” Before Wilson’s death, Louisiana had made efforts to strengthen hazing laws. In 2018, the Leg-

islature passed the Max Gruver Act named after a LSU freshman who died of alcohol poisoning during a fraternity hazing incident making hazing a felony and requiring universities to improve reporting standards Recently passed federal legislation will also soon require universities nationwide to adopt more comprehensive prevention and reporting policies.

Hazing remains widespread on college campuses, often taking the form of humiliating or dangerous acts fueled by alcohol or physical abuse as a requirement for group membership. National surveys show that about 55% of college students report experiencing hazing of some kind.

“There’s been progress that we’ve made,” Attorney General

ä See HAZING, page 2B

Michelli plays with the water fountain while walking with his mother Ashley Michelli at the ninth annual A Taste of the Deep South Festival on Sunday at the Main Library at Goodwood in Baton Rouge.

Child fatally struck by semitruck on Lindale Ave.

Driver says he asked crowd to clear road

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

A 7-year-old boy was fatally struck by a semitruck Monday night in Baton Rouge, moments after the driver stopped to lean out the window and tell a nearby crowd of people to make sure the kids were out of the roadway,” police said.

Saleiman Hamideh was struck on his bicycle by the truck, which was pulling a trailer on Lindale Avenue

The driver, who was eastbound on Lindale about 8 p.m., stopped before the intersection with Cottondale Avenue to tell a nearby crowd of people to make sure children weren’t in the street, according to a news release.

The driver continued to the intersection and turned right He parked the truck near Delcourt Avenue, where officers were able to find him and he returned to the scene. The driver was unaware that a child had been in the roadway and didn’t know he had hit anyone.

The rear driver-side tire on the trailer struck the child. Video surveillance showed the boy riding his bike around the front of the truck before the driver continued on, then disappearing from view on the driver’s side before the truck began to move again.

“It is believed that due to the truck starting again from a full stop, it may have experienced shaking due to having a fully loaded down trailer,” police said. “This would have potentially make it difficult to feel any disturbance from the impact with the child.”

Surveillance video and witness statements confirmed that the driver stopped and spoke to the crowd on Lindale and that someone told him “they had the kids,” so he proceeded through the intersection.

The truck and trailer were traveling slowly, moving about 7-12 miles per hour, according to the video. Though police said they do not suspect impairment, they conducted a blood draw on the driver, they said. No arrest is expected in the incident, a police spokesperson said.

Email Ellyn Couvillion at ecouvillion@theadvocate.com.

Sanity questions again delay trial

Man accused of causing pursuit that killed Brusly teens

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

A West Baton Rouge Parish judge agreed to delay once again the trial of a man accused of causing a deadly police car chase on New Year’s Eve 2022 that killed Brusly teens Caroline Gill and Maggie Dunn. Recent court documents show the trial of Tyquel Zanders, who is charged with two counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated flight from an officer, will be continued until November as the question of his mental competence remains unsettled.

“I don’t know if he’s malingering,” 18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton said. “What he’s doing, I don’t have a clue. I just have to wait to see what the doctors say.” The case goes back to Dec. 31, 2022, when Baton Rouge police said they received a call that Zanders had stolen his father’s car What became a high-speed police car chase led the units across the river into West Baton Rouge Parish, where officers from Brusly and Addis also joined. During the pursuit, an Addis police officer, who later pleaded guilty to manslaughter, ran a red light and slammed into the car occupied by Gill and Dunn, killing them both and badly injuring a third passenger Zanders had been

Twofound dead in Brusly ID’d

staff reports

Aman and woman found dead insideaBrusly mobile home Tuesday morning have been identified, and the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Officeisinvestigating the deaths as amurdersuicide.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m., deputies with the Sheriff’s Office responded to acall in the mobile home park along South River Road.

Jesus Hernandez, 19, is believed to have shot 21-year-old Christine Martinez before taking his own life, based on evidence collected at the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Martinez lived at the mobile home,while Hernandez resided nearby in the same mobile home park, according to the Sheriff’s Office

The circumstances leadinguptothe incidentremain under investigation.

Firearmfound in student’sbackpack

Astudentatthe Math, Science &Arts Academy-East in Iberville Parish wascarryinga magazine for afirearm in their backpack Tuesday morning and is now facing disciplinary action, the superintendent announced in arelease.

“Wewant tobevery clear that no weapon wasfound; onlyanempty magazine was discovered,” Iberville

schools Superintendent Louis Voiron Jr.said.

An administrator discovered theunloadedmagazine in the student’sbackpack during aroutine security check,Voiron continuedin therelease.

“Wewanttoassure you that at no time was thesafety of anystudent or staff membercompromised,” Voiron said.

Thesuperintendent emphasized thatthe finding of the deviceprovesthe importanceofthe security checksthe school system began implementing two yearsago.

“Wewill continue to perform these checksdaily to ensure asafe learningenvironment for everyone,” Voiron said.

or 2004

ARTIFACT

Continued frompage1B

saying such arequest by him involving ahistoric state artifact would have beeninappropriate.

Both last week and on Tuesday,Schexnayder said he didn’ttake the board from his district office when his legislative term ended at the beginningof last year His office was located in Suite 205 in astrip mall next to the Pelican Point subdivision on La. 44 in Gonzales.

“WhenIturned in the keys, that’s the last Iseen it, that’sthe last Iknow, Schexnayder said Tuesday.“The last Iknow is the board was in the office when Ileft.” Thanks to term limits, his 12-year legislative career ended in January 2024.But he said he kept using the office as late as Feb. 20 that year,according to atext exchange at the time with Rep. Dixon McMakin, RBaton Rouge, who contacted Schexnayderonbehalf of Mullins, afamily friend. In atext to the newspaper on Tuesday,Schexnayder confirmed he still used the office as of February 2024.

Douglas Diez, adeveloper in Gonzales whoowns the strip mall, said when tenants depart and are up to date in their payments, “Weusuallydon’tchange the key in the office. Even though Clay movedout,he or any one of his people could have come back.”

Todd Pevey,who works for St. John Properties and manages leasing at the strip mall for Diez, said in an email that “tenants are responsible for removing all

SANITY

Continued frompage1B

previously found incompetentto assist in his defense in 2024, when he was hospitalized with substance use disorder,chronic depression, characteristics of a personalitydisorder and previous lack of cooperation with taking medications,according to asanity commissionreport.

Despite alater finding of competence, his lawyer argued Zanders was unable

materials andbelongings from the premises upon vacating. Neither I, nor any otherSt. John Properties employee or representative, have removed any of the client’s items from the space norare we in possession of any items that were ever in the premises.”

When Schexnayder left office last year,the speaker’soffice collected acouple of pieces of stateequipment,but Schexnayder exercised his right to buy thelaptop, printer and fax he hadbeen using, at adepreciated price, according to state records. The governmentinventory didnot include the board since it hadn’tbeen officially given to him.

Schexnaydersaid someone at hisrequestnotified someone from the state that he hadthe board as he was leaving office. Hewouldn’t identifyeitherperson.

“I’mnot going to go and start blurting out names,” Schexnayder said. “That’s not who Iam.”

Complicatingthe effort to locate the board is this: No entity within state government is claiming ownership of it

Officialsatthe Secretary of State’sOffice, the Department of Agriculture and the Culture, Recreation and Tourism branch of theLieutenant Governor’sOffice all said last week the board doesn’tbelongto their agencies.

Taylor Barras,the commissioner of administration, saidhis agency,which overseesconstructionof state buildings, also has no record of it.

“I am as confused as most where that trail leadsus,” said Barras, who incidentally was speaker inbetween

to assist in his own defense andrequested additional sanity evaluations. Themost recent report saidZanders refused to cooperate, and no determination of his mentalcompetence could be made.

“Atthis time, Iamunable to assess Mr.Zanders’ present ability to stand trial and to assist counsel inhis defense,” Dr.Jose Artecona wrote in areport dated July 14, 2025.

Email Haley Millerat haley.miller@theadvocate. com.

HAZING

Continuedfrom page1B

Liz Murrill said. “Butthe job is notdone; quite frankly,it’snever done.”

Walter Kimbrough,former president of Dillard University,was Tuesday’s keynotespeaker.The nationally renowned expert on hazing spoke bluntly “Weare notgoing to end hazing,” Kimbrough said. “Managinghazing is for theschools.It’snot for the students because they are not listening. …Honestly, you’redoing this to protect yourselves if there is alawsuit.”

Lawenforcement efforts East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore, who oversaw the Gruver and continuingWilson cases, saidat the summit that prosecuting hazing deaths remains exceptionally difficult, largelybecause of the groupdynamicsinvolved “Nobody wants to be the rat,”hesaid.

He said close coordination with campus police and student affairs has been critical in handling high-profile caseslike the Gruver investigation as well as in developing preventionefforts. Moore meetsannuallywithfraternities,sororities and cheer groups to talk about hazing, while most Greek organizations nowrequire their leaders to sign paperwork acknowledging their responsibility to prevent hazing.

“Wehaveasigned statement thatthey’ve read the law,” Moore said. “That shows abig benefit forus now.”

fluence over others,” Murrill said. “Putting the pressure on to the up theante.” Another challenge, Kimbrough noted, is “extended adolescence” —the influence of alumni and former fraternity members, includingsomeparents, whocontinue encouraging or orchestrating rituals long aftergraduation.

In Wilson’scase, all three defendantshad already graduated fromSouthern University,with one as old as 28.

LSU interim President Matt Lee notedhehas had to deal with alumni in their 60s who have fought against changing certain traditions.

“This is partofthe problem, this intergenerational transfer of culture,” Lee said. “Accountability has to reach beyond just those students who are currently involved.”

ButKimbrough cautioned againstoverly harsh laws that may discourage students from reporting violations

“It’snuanced. Youneed levels of accountability,” he said.

Education, empowerment

But laws andpolicies canonlygosofar.Virtually all the speakersTuesday agreed that effective long-term strategies lie in education and culture change. Kimbrough suggested yearly antihazing training for students along with public service campaigns through commercials, billboards and documentaries

Increasing transparency would also make students safer,Kimbrough said.

said.

Partofthe education component, experts said Tuesday,isalso recognizing hazing goes far beyond Greeklife, most notably in athletics andmarching band culture, but also honor societies, religious organizations and postgraduate programs like medical residencies

“Wehave zero dormitories, we have zero Greek life,” said Monty Sullivan, whooversees the state’s12 communitycolleges. “But let me tell you, we have hazing. It happens in the welding shop and in the nursing labs in no different away than it happens in Greek life.”

Speakersalso stressed investing in student affairs staff who can build rapportwithorganizations at the highest risk, like those with lower GPAs and higher drinking rates.

“Weneed to have staff that areeffective in buildingrelationshipswiththe toughest students on your campus,not necessarily thechoir,” said Steve Veldkamp, astudent affairs expert at Penn State.

However, themosteffective tool in mitigating hazing, most speakers said, will be empowering students at ayounger age to recognizewhen to speak up, either forthemselves or for others. Nearly half of students arrive on campus having already experienced hazing, according to the Hazing Prevention Network

“If we arenot attacking it at the high school level then Ithink we aremissing ahuge opportunity,” Murrill said.

to

ago,

on Tuesday.Mullins said

Kleckleyand Schexnayder. “It’s kind of gray where thatownership originally resided.”

Afrustrated Mullinshas an explanation for that. “Nobody kept records whenitwas donated,” he surmised

Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.

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BothMoore andMurrill also notedthatmosthazing deaths involve ahandful of ringleaderspushing boundaries, including adefendant in the Gruver case who “has nevershown remorse,” Moore said. “Frequently there is one individual in that group that exercises outsize in-

Louisianahighereducation institutions reported 43 hazing incidents over thepastfive years,according to hazinginfo.org, yet thereport said only 18% of campuses comply with BoardofRegents rules requiring public disclosure —well below the national average of 50%.

“Everybody needs to make sure that data is prevalent,” Kimbrough

“Wehave to be creative in bringing in the state superintendent,superintendents of thedistricts, the high school athletic association, and really figure out how we start dealing with thismuch earlier,” Kimbrough said. Email Aidan McCahill at aidan.mccahill@ theadvocate.com.

BUSINESS

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street edges back from its record heights

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks edged back from their record heights on Tuesday as the countdown ticked toward what Wall Street expects will be the first cut of the year to interest rates by the Federal Reserve.

The S&P 500 fell 0.1% from its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 125 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1% from its own record set the day before Stocks have run to records on expectations that the Fed will announce the first of a series of cuts to rates on Wednesday in hopes of giving the economy a boost

The job market has slowed so much that traders believe Fed officials now see it as the bigger danger for the economy than the threat of higher inflation because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The Fed has been holding off on cuts to rates because inflation has remained above its 2% target, and easier interest rates could give it more fuel.

Tesla door handles being investigated

Federal auto safety regulators opened an investigation Tuesday into possible defects in Tesla doors that have reportedly left parents with children trapped in the back seat and forced to break windows to get them out.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the preliminary probe is focused on 2021 Tesla Model Ys after receiving nine reports of electronic door handles not working possibly due to low battery voltage.

The company run by billionaire Elon Musk has installed manual door releases inside the vehicles but NHTSA noted that a child may not be able to reach or know how to operate the releases. In four cases, the parents had to break the windows to get inside.

The investigation into Tesla’s most popular model comes after numerous reported incidents in recent years of other problems with opening Tesla doors, sometime trapping drivers in burning vehicles after accidents and a loss of power.

Trump extends TikTok shutdown deadline

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump formally extended the deadline to keep the social media app TikTok available in the United States until Dec. 16, giving time to complete the framework of the deal announced Monday after talks between American and Chinese government officials.

The executive order signed on Tuesday by Trump was the fourth time he has bypassed federal law to prolong the deadline for the China-associated TikTok to sell its assets to an American company or face a ban. The original deadline set by Congress was Jan. 19 of this year, a day before Trump took the oath of office for his second term Trump was asked Tuesday about the framework deal he announced a day earlier and repeated that he would discuss TikTok with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday He has said there are companies that want to buy the social media app owned by ByteDance and that details about its potential suitors would be announced soon

“I hate to see value like that thrown out the window,” Trump said as he departed the White House, with his wife, first lady Melania Trump, for a state visit to the United Kingdom.

Fed convenes interest rate meeting

Panel includes new Trump administration appointee

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — After a latenight vote and last-minute ruling, the Federal Reserve began a key meeting on interest rate policy Tuesday with both a new Trump administration appointee and an official the White House has targeted for removal.

Stephen Miran, a top White House economist who was confirmed by the Senate with unusual speed late Monday, was sworn in Tuesday as a member of the Fed’s board of governors.

He will vote on the Fed’s interest rate decision on Wednesday, when the central bank is expected to reduce its key rate by a quarter-point. Miran may dissent in favor of a larger cut.

Also attending the meeting is Fed governor Lisa Cook, whom the Trump administration has sought to fire in an unprecedented attempt to reshape the Fed, which historically is considered independent of day-to-day politics. An appeals court late Monday upheld an earlier ruling that the firing violated Cook’s due process rights. A lower court had earlier also ruled that President Donald Trump did not provide sufficient “cause” to remove Cook.

The Fed on Wednesday is widely expected to cut its key rate by

a quarter point to about 4.1%, which would be the first reduction since last December The central bank reduced rates three times last year because, like now, it worried that job gains were weakening and unemployment was rising. Some borrowing costs, such as mortgage rates, have already declined in anticipation that the Fed will start cutting rates this week. Should the Fed reduce borrowing costs again at its next meetings in October and December, rates on mortgages, car loans, and credit cards could decline further

With both Cook and Miran in place, the Fed’s two-day meeting could be unusually contentious for an institution that typically prefers to operate by consensus.

It’s possible that as many as three of the seven governors could dissent from a decision to reduce rates by just a quarterpoint in favor of a half-point. That would be the first time since 1988 that three governors have dissented. Economists also say that one of the five regional Fed bank presidents who also vote on rates could dissent in favor of keeping rates unchanged.

On Tuesday, the White House said it would appeal Cook’s case to the Supreme Court, though did not specify when.

“The President lawfully removed Lisa Cook for cause,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. “The Administration will appeal this decision and looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue.”

Landry seeks to ‘reduce red tape’

Initiative intended to streamline processes for homegrown businesses

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Gov Jeff Landry announced initiatives to streamline processes between Louisiana Economic Development and state agencies to promote homegrown businesses.

Project Lightning Speed will appoint liaisons in the governor’s Cabinet to communicate among the agencies and quicken crossCabinet processes. Landry said he wants to move at “the speed of business and not the speed of government.”

Project Lightning Speed will launch with an executive order, and he says the designated liaisons will “reduce red tape” for those conducting business in the state.

“It’s something that I experienced as a business owner myself, was how government can be an obstacle, rather than an aid in making your businesses successful,” Landry said at the news conference Tuesday morning. Ultimately, the four-prong plan aims to integrate Louisiana-grown businesses in large investments in the state, like the $17.5 billion Woodside Energy liquefied natural gas facility under construction in Calcasieu Parish, so parishes aren’t left in the wayside following project completion.

Landry said he is exploring ways to promote the usage of Louisiana companies in projects that receive incentives from the state, like disclosing which businesses are involved. Landry said he wants to reward companies that partner with local businesses and operate in Louisiana.

Louisiana vendors can register their informationintoSourceLouisiana.com,astatewide directory of Louisiana-based businesses. Landry said the site will platform local businesses and connect them to projects across the state. Vendors can input information on their certifications and capacity to fill needs on projects like the $10 billion Meta data center in Richland Parish or the $5.8 billion Hyundai steel mill in Donaldsonville, he said. LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois will begin a tour of the state’s eight economic development areas. The tour is part of the agency’s Nine by Ninety plan, an 18-month initiative to nurture existing businesses and garner new investments, and the agency plans to visit 800 businesses this fiscal year Bourgeois and Landry visited Paris in June to attract investments and promote the state at the Paris Air Show When Bourgeois was tapped to lead LED last year, she said she intended to implement changes to the agency’s practices and bolster in-state economic opportunities to retain residents.

“This isn’t a listening tour,” Landry said. “We’ve listened. This is an action tour.”

Retail sales up 0.6% in August even as tariffs lead to price hikes

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

NEW YORK — Shoppers increased their spending at a better-thanexpected pace in August from July, helped by back-to-school shopping, even as President Donald Trump’s tariffs start to hurt the job market and lead to price increases.

Retail sales rose 0.6% last month from July, when sales were up a revised 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department’s report. In June, retail sales rose 0.9%, the government agency said.

The August performance, announced Tuesday was also likely helped by the continued efforts by Americans to keep pushing up purchases ahead of expected price increases.

The sales increases followed two straight months of spending declines in April and May

Excluding auto sales, which have been volatile since Trump imposed tariffs on many foreignmade cars, retail sales rose 0.7% in August. Sales at auto vehicle and parts dealers rose 0.5%. The data showed solid spending across various other outlets. Business at electronics and appliance stores was up 0.3%, while online retailers saw a 2% increase Business at clothing and accessories retailers rose 1%

And business at restaurants, the lone services component within the Census Bureau report and a barometer of discretionary spend-

ing, rose 0.7%. Business at furniture and home furnishings stores was down 0.3%

A category of sales that excludes volatile sectors such as gas, cars, and restaurants rose last month by 0.7% from the previous month.

The figure feeds into the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s consumption estimate and is a sign that consumers are still spending on some discretionary items.

“This is further evidence that we shouldn’t underestimate the strength of the consumer,”

Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman wrote in a note Tuesday “Back-to-school shopping was a key theme in August, as evidenced by the strong clothing and electronics sales.”

Government retail data isn’t adjusted for inflation, which rose 0.4% from July to August, according to the latest government report. That was faster than the 0.2% pace the previous month. So that could have inflated the sales figures as well.

Consumer prices increased 2.9% in August from a year earlier, the Labor Department said last week, up from 2.7% the previous month and the biggest jump since January Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 3.1%, the same as in July.

Both figures are above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

Stronger-than-expected retail sales, coupled with higher inflation as well as data showing soaring

applications for unemployment aid, all create a complicated picture of the economy Such data put the Federal Reserve in an increasingly tough spot as it prepares to cut rates at its meeting this week, economists said.

Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers companies, government agencies and nonprofits — added 22,000 jobs last month, down from 79,000 in July and well below the 80,000 that economists had expected.

Carl B. Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, noted the retail sales increase “will not be enough of a surprise to stop the Fed from cutting rates this week, but it should support a hawkish message from the Fed Chair that a knock-on rate cut is not assured.”

Major retailers including Walmart, Macy’s and Best Buy recently reported their quarterly results, underscoring that shoppers are still buying, but are choosy Some have raised prices ,but many have described the hikes as modest.

Still, so far, shoppers haven’t felt the big sting as some economists predicted earlier in the year as many retailers ordered goods ahead of tariffs and absorbed a big chunk of the costs as they came in, worried about passing on any hefty price increases The price gains have also been gradual enough to mute changes

in consumer behavior, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told analysts last month.

But Walmart and others said they expect to see costs increase as they replenish inventory at post-tariff levels.

Jewelry maker Pandora hasn’t announced specific price increases, but Pandora CEO Alexander Lacik said in a call with analysts last month that the company is monitoring the scenario.

He noted that “the U.S. consumer will eventually have to bear the brunt of these tariffs,” but added, “it’s not just on jewelry, it’s on many product categories. So the big question mark is, what happens with inflation in the U.S., unemployment rates, all sorts of other macro drivers, and I think this is ahead of us.” Matt Priest, president and CEO of trade group Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, told reporters Monday that members are starting to pass along price increases to shoppers. Its members had previously paid a total of $3 billion in tariffs annually for years; that number is now on track to hit $5 billion by year-end. He warned that women’s shoes will be affected first.

“Women’s shoes are more fashion-oriented,” Priest said. “Our ability to front-load women’s product based on fashion trends was limited, and so we are seeing that those increases start to hit consumers first.”

Lindsly,Kenneth Greenoaks Memorial Park,Baton

Rouge,LAat10am.

Magee, Gary

ResthavenFuneralHomeat12pm.

Smith,Marilyn

Ascension FuneralHomein

Gonzales,LAat12pm

Taylor,Erwin

ColyellBaptistChurch at 10:30am.

Obituaries

Chandler,RosemaryD. Rosemary D. Chandler entered into eternalrestat St. ClareManor on Wednesday,September 10, 2025. Shewas an 85-year old native of NewOrleans, Louisiana anda resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Viewing at ShadyGrove First MissionaryBaptist Church on Friday,Septem‐ber 19, 2025 at 8:00 am until Celebration of Life Service at10:00 am conductedby her son, Dr.Kenneth W Chandler; intermentatMt OlivetCemetery, New Or‐leans.Survivors include her children,PamelaM and Rev.RobertChandler, Jr (Marlene),New Orleans; Dr. Chandler(Amy); and DarrylChandler(Sandra), Harvey, Louisiana; 15 grandchildren;host of great-grandchildren; sib‐lings,Helen Saverinand Arthur Barnes;Godson, Willie Earl Jones, Jr.; host ofnieces, nephewsother relatives andfriends;pre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐band, Robert LeeChandler, Sr.;son,JohnLee Chandler; parents,Willie, Sr.and RosanaDorseyDandridge; siblings, Cleveland, Willie, Jr.,Curtisand StanleyDan‐dridge; Sherry D. Chandler Arrangementsentrusted to Miller& Daughter Mortu‐ary

Coreil, BarbaraAnn Hill

BarbaraAnn Hill Coreil

LouisianaNursing Hall of Famein2004. Upon receiv‐ing this prestigiousaward, she said:“Ialwayswanted tobea nurse;there was never anything else I wantedtobe. To me,the patientsalwayscame first.”Barbara served in leadershippositions in manyother organizations including theELSHHospi‐tal Auxiliary, theGreater Baton RougeMentalHealth Association,the Jackson HighSchool Band Boosters, and theDiocesanCouncil ofCatholic Women. She was amemberofOur Lady ofPerpetual Help Catholic Church in Jacksonfor 30 years;St. George Catholic Church in BatonRouge for 11years;and most re‐cently, St.Johnthe Evange‐list Catholic Church in Plaquemine, where she lived forthe past 14 years. Barbara enjoyedmany hobbies,including history and travel.She visitedIre‐land, Scotland,England France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Thailand,China,and Canada. Shealsotraveled throughoutthe U.S.,includ‐ing Hawaii andAlaska, and enjoyed bustrips with friends.She wasa history enthusiastand particularly enjoyed Louisianahistory and architecture.Inher re‐tirement, sheservedasa tourguide at theOld Gov‐ernor’s MansioninBaton Rouge.For 10 years, she was active in theSenior Olympic Games, primarily inhorseshoes, at thedis‐trict,state,and national levels. In Plaquemine,she joinedthe IbervilleParish Council on Aging, where she metmanydearfriends Overthe years, shealso loved to read,watch old movies, attend musical productions,and play cards,dominoes, and BINGO.She taught her13 grandchildren howtoplay these games, which be‐camea favorite eventat holiday gatherings or any timetheyvisited “Granny. Barbara will be remem‐bered best forher unwa‐veringselflessdedication toher children andgrand‐children(whomshe adored),for hercompas‐sionate care as anurse,for her volunteerservice to numerousorganizations for herfriendshiptomany, and forher quietstrength, resilience, and integrity. Her children will neverfor‐get allthe sacrificesshe madetobuild aloving, sta‐ble home forher familyin the face of many hard‐ships.Barbara is survived byher sevenchildren: Kathryn (Charles)Elkinsof Plaquemine; Karen Deni‐akosofLaurel, MS;Kim CrouseofGreensboro, NC; Kerne MauriceCoreil, Jr of Huntersville,NC; Kelly Cor‐eil of BatonRouge;Kristine Coreil(JeffreyMathews)of McKinney, TX;and Karla Coreil(KevinKuperman) of Baton Rouge; 13 grandchil‐dren: KathrynElkins(Bren‐dan Lovasik);Charles ElkinsIII; Lawrence Elkins; Jacob Deniakos (Diana Bozner);ArmandDeniakos; Casey (Maggie) Crouse; JackCrouse; Kerne(KateLyne) Coreil III; Christian (Chelsea) Coreil; Christo‐pherCoreil; DevonMath‐ews;LaurenMathews;and DrewAlvarez;six great grandchildren:Paige Lo‐vasik;Matthew,Isabella, and AlexandraDeniakos; Josephand Landry Coreil; sisterPatsy (Keith)Bur‐bankofNorman, OK; brother-in-lawRobertHand ofBaton Rouge; sister-inlaw Vivian Tsao of Brook‐lyn,NY; many extended familymembers;and her giganticcat Henry. Avisi‐tationwillbeheldatSt. John theEvangelist Catholic Church in Plaque‐mineonFriday, September 19, from 8:30 a.m. until MassofChristian Burial at 10a.m celebrated by Rev. GeraldMartin. Burial will beprivate at Resthaven Gardens in BatonRouge Pleaseshare online condo‐lencesat www.wilbertserv ices.com. If desired, dona‐tions in Barbara’smemory may be made to St.John the Evangelist 100-Year Capital Campaign,57805 MainStreet, Plaquemine LA70764

erswillbeDanielAlle‐mond, Gary Metcalfand MurphyClark.Lisawas a 1975 graduate of South BeauregardHighSchool.In lieuof flowers, donations may be made to FirstBap‐tistChurch ZacharyBuild‐ing Fund,4200 Main Street Zachary,LA70791. Share sympathies, condolences, and memories at www.Cha rletFuneralHome.com.

DeweyLevon Mizell, 85 a resident of Zachary, LA, entered into thejoy of his Savior, JesusChrist, on Sunday, September14, 2025. Deweyfoughtthe good fight, finished the race, andkeptthe faith Dewey wasborninhumble beginningsinIsabel, LA,to parents Willie andLela Mizell, thethird of four children. He proudly servedhis countrywith honor in theNavyfrom 1957 to 1961. Aftermilitary service,Dewey worked for Exxon Refinery fortwentyseven yearsand,uponhis retirement, co-founded Masseyand Mizell Con‐tractorsInc., building many fine homesfor the citizensofZachary.Dewey loved people,never meta stranger, andtreated oth‐ers with dignityand re‐spect.Hewas afaithful memberofFirst Baptist Church of Zacharyfor manyyears,serving sev‐eralterms as adeacon, teachingSundaySchool, and volunteeringfor nu‐merousministriesand pro‐grams,until he wasphysi‐cally unable in hislatter years.Dewey wasalsoa memberofthe Rotary Club ofZachary and, fora time, servedasPresident.Dewey willberememberedas being well-lovedbyhis family, church,and com‐munity.Dewey’s otherpas‐sions in life included his family, travelingwithhis wife, andridingmotorcy‐cles. He is survived by his wifeof36years,Sheila GravesMizell; daughter, Kathy Hill;stepchildren, CaraBuzbeeand Jay Buzbeewithhis wife Dei‐dre;son-in-lawScott Neff; grandchildren:Gregory, Donnie, andMatthew Neff; Joshand Rick Hill;Abigail Aaron,Emma,and Sean Buzbee; great-grandchil‐dren, Valerieand Victoria Neff. He is preceded in death by hisparents;two brothers, Dave andBill; a sister, Nelda; anddaugh‐tersLelaNeffand Lisa Menard. Thefamilywishes toextendsincere gratitude toLynette Cryar, who was his caregiverfor seven years,and MattieNelson, his ever-faithfulcaregiver who regularlyvisited Dewey at theLAWar Vets Home. Also,a special thanksisgiven to theHos‐piceofBaton Rouge, his nurse MelanieViccellio,so‐cialworkerJeanSpears, chaplainJeffMitchell, and the caring andskilled staff who attended to himat boththe WarVeterans Homeand theButterfly Wing at theBaton Rouge General Mid-City.Pallbear‐ers will be grandsonsGre‐goryNeff, AaronBuzbee, and Sean Buzbee, along withTommy Harrell, Matthew McLemore,Alan Sandifer, Will Steen Jr., and GregStovall.Visitationwill beonThursday,September 18, 2025, from 10:00 am until funeralservicesat 12:00 noon at theFirst Bap‐tistChurch of Zachary. Bur‐ial will be at theLouisiana NationalCemeteryat1 pm immediatelyfollowing the funeralservice.Share sym‐pathies,memories, and condolences at www.Cha rletFuneralHome.com (http://www.charletfune ralhome.com/).

at 10:00 am until Celebra‐tionofLifeService at 11:00 amconducted by Minister TrevorHolmes. Survivors include hisnephew, Milton Quire;other relativesand friends.Arrangementsen‐trusted to Miller &Daugh‐ter Mortuary

Taylor,JohnGrove

John GroveTaylor, 86, of Millington, Tennessee, passed away peacefully at home after alongillness, surrounded by family.A retired restaurant and bar owner who never met a stranger madefriendseverywhere he went.Anavid gardener, he lovedthe flowers and landscapes of theSouth.His grandchildren were at thecenter of everything he did. He loved them dearly; he was so proud to see them happy and giving him greatgrandkids, and he litup when agreat-grandkid came in theroom. After his kids grew up,his dogwas always thebright spot in life.Heloved hisdog; his favoritewas probably MaggieMae,who preceded him when she passedin 2021. He is preceded in death by his parents, James R. and Anita Tims Taylor, and twosisters, Faye Dedon (Gayle) and Mina Reynolds (Bob). He is survivedbyhis wife, PatriciaTaylorofMillington, TN, adaughter, Terri Blumberg (Marc) of Simi Valley, CA, a son, BobbyTaylor (Angela) of Millington, TN,twelve grandchildren, Mike Braud (Paris), Nick Braud (Maricor), Dylan Falkengren, KellyArnold (Chris), Kyle Blumberg, Josh Taylor, EthanTaylor(Allie),Caleb Taylor,Jesse Kirkland,RileyKirkland, Sarah Taylor, and Sophie Taylor, and seven great- grandchildren

In lieu of flowers, please make adonation to The Alzheimer'sAssociation

Weston, Victor Frederick

Victor "Vic"F.Weston, a game changer for the construction industry, passed away peacefullyon September 15, 2025. Born in NewOrleans,Louisiana, Vicspent much of hislife in Baton Rouge,where he built both aremarkable career anda legacy that continues to impact theconstruction communitytoday.

Vicissurvived by his devotedwife,Joy,with whom he shared 59 years of love and partnership; theirson,GregoryWeston, andson-in-law Marc Dupre; as well as two adoredgrandchildren

William Weston and Matthew Dupre, sister Elizabeth Weston Orgeron and numerousnieces and nephews. Vicwas preceded in death by his father, Charley Lessley,mother, MarionK.Lessley,brother HerbertLessley andhis beloveddaughter, Elizabeth GraceWestonDupre.

Vicand Joy's love story began in their younger years. Their bond grew quickly, andtheir marriage became thefoundation of alifefilledwithsharedexperiences, adventures, and adeep love forone another.Their life together, spanningfivedecades, is a testament to their unwavering commitmentand mutual support.

Vic'slifestory is oneof dedication,service,and leadership.After serving in theU.S. Marine Corpsfor six years, Vicgraduated from Loyola University in NewOrleans in 1971. While attendingnight classes, he workedatthe Louisiana Department of Transportation,pavingthe wayfor his futureinthe construction industry. In 1975, Vic took a bold step, purchasing TriState Road Boring Inc.,a general contractingfirm that wouldlater flourish underhis leadership. He spent more than 40 years as presidentand ownerof

thecompany, specializing in highwaydrainage,industrial servicesfor petrochemicalcompanies,and innovative drilling techniques across theGulf South. Vic'scareerwas defined notjust by his business acumenbut by hisdedication to improvingthe industry he loved. Oneof Vic'smost lastinglegacies was hisremarkable involvementwith the Louisiana Associated General Contractors (AGC). As an active andengaged member of theorganization for manyyears, Vic's contributions were instrumental in shaping theconstruction landscape in Louisiana andbeyond. In 1986, Vicwas appointedto theLouisiana State LicensingBoardfor Contractors, whereheservedwith distinction for 32 years, including as theBoard's Treasurer. Histimeonthe boardallowed himtoadvocate for contractor interestsand promote industry standards that helped elevateLouisiana's construction sector.His work with theNational Association of State Contractors LicensingAgencies andhis effortsincreatingthe NASCLAAccreditedExami-

Smith, Kenneth L.

December21, 1937- Sep‐tember13, 2025. Barbara Ann Hill Coreil, of Plaquem‐ine,La.,diedpeacefully on September 13,2025.She was 87. Barbarawas born in1937 in ruralArkansas, arriving prematurelyand weighinglessthanthree pounds. Againstall odds she survived—not only at birth butfollowing hercan‐cer diagnosisin2022. Al‐thoughBarbara arrivedin thisworld in tiny fashion, her life was filledwith big accomplishments,yet she remainedtruetoher hum‐ble beginnings throughout Barbara movedtoOkla‐homawhenshe wasin fourthgrade and, in 1955, graduated valedictorian fromMcLoudHighSchool. She left Oklahoma to at‐tendHotel Dieu School of Nursing in NewOrleans, earning herRNdiploma Whilethere,she metand later marriedKerne Mau‐riceCoreil, Sr., MD,ofVille Platte,La.,who wasat‐tending LSUSchool of Med‐icine.Barbara beganher career as anurse at theVA HospitalinNew Orleans and made Louisianaher home. Sheand herhus‐bandweremarried for13 years andhad sevenchil‐drentogether before he diedin1972; Barbarawas a singlemotherwho dedi‐cated herlifetoher chil‐dren(andlater to her grandchildren). Shebe‐lievedinthe importance of education andwas most proud that allofher chil‐drenearnedcollege de‐grees.Secondonlytoher childrenwas Barbara’sde‐votiontoher life as a Catholic (convertingin early adulthood)and her workasa nurse.Because education wassoimpor‐tanttoBarbara,she con‐tinuedher owneducation, earning abachelor’sde‐greeinnursing in 1988 fromSoutheastern Louisiana University anda master’sdegreeinpas‐toral studiesfromLoyola University, NewOrleans,in 1996. Forthe last 25 years ofher career,she worked asa psychiatricnurse at EastLouisiana StateHospi‐tal (ELSH) in Jackson, La., retiringin1997 as Assis‐tantDirectorofNursing Barbara wasa founding memberofthe Feliciana DistrictNursesAssociation and served as its firstsec‐retary, apositionshe held for 10 years. Shewas a long-time member of the AmericanNursesAssocia‐tionand theLouisiana State Nurses Association, andwas inducted into the Medicare doesn’t pay fordental care.

Kiper, Lisa Shirley Lisa ShirleyKiper passedawayonMonday, Sept. 15,2025, at herhome inZachary,surrounded by her family.She was67 years old. Visitation will be atFirst BaptistChurch in Zachary on Friday,Sept. 19, 2025, from 9amuntil ser‐viceat11amconducted by Dr. EddieWren. Burial will beat2pm at LouisianaNa‐tionalCemetery, Zachary. She is survived by herde‐voted husband of 45 years, Malcolm Kiper. Her mother, Bobbie GraceCoo‐ley Shirleyand hersister, LynnetteShirley Allemond and husband,Chris.She is precededindeath by her father, WilliamEarlShirley Jr. PallbearerswillbeChris Allemond, AltonTeekle, Bob Knight,GlenAllemond, GerardChristand Kenneth Butler.Honorarypallbear‐

KennethL.Smith en‐tered into eternalrestin Baton Rouge, Louisianaon September 4, 2025 at the age of 67. ViewingatMace‐donia BaptistChurch,2800 Wyandotte St., Rev. Byron K.Sanders,pastor, on Sat‐urday, September20, 2025

working life, through employer-provided benefits. Whenthose benefits end with retirement, paying dentalbills out-of-pocketcan comeasa shock, leading people to put offorevengowithout care.

Simply put—without dentalinsurance, there maybe an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

That’s right.Asgood as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocover everything. That means if you wantprotection, youneed to purchase individualinsurance.

Early detection canprevent smallproblems from becoming expensive ones.

The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.

nation for Commercial General Building Contractors helped shape amore mobile and accessible licensing process for contractors across multiple states. As aleader, Vic was known for his vision, integrity, and commitment to education. He founded the Contractors Educational Trust Fund, aboard that has distributed millionsof dollars to support educational programs benefiting Louisiana's construction industry. His passion for education and collaboration was reflected in his work with Louisiana universities, particularly in developing industryacademia partnerships that have since been replicated by other industries across the nation. Working tirelessly to bridge the gap between industry and academic programs, Vic served on the Construction Industry Advisory Council at Louisiana State University for 12 years and founded the Trenchless Technology Center at Louisiana Tech University in 1989,as well as served on its advisory board since inception. Vic's leadership within Louisiana AGC was just as significant. He served on the Board of Directors for over two decades, holding various key positions, including ayear as the organization's state president in 1992. For 30 years, he was the treasurer, providing fiscal guidance and strategic oversight. Additionally, Vic's leadership extended to the Summer Conference, where he served as chair for 25 years, overseeing one of the organization's flagship events. He also contributed his expertise to the Finance, Legislative, and Legal Affairs Committees, helping to shape policies that influenced the growth and integrity of the construction industry. On the national stage, Vic's involvement in AGC of America was equallyinfluential. He served as National Treasurer and as a National Governor for30 years, dedicating his time to advocating for the interests of contractors across the United States. His role as Chair of the Membership Administration Committee and Underground Infrastructure Division allowed him to influence major industry developments and champion initiatives that benefited contractors nationwide. Vic also played acritical role in the

Build America Awards committee, celebrating and recognizingthe achievementsofthe best in the construction industry

Notably, Vicwas an instrumental advocate for AGC's Education andResearch Foundation, which provides scholarships and educationalopportunities to constructionstudents across the country. His passion forthe development of futureleaders in thefield mirroredhis deep commitment to the successofthe industry he loved. Vic'spassion forthe constructionworld extended to his workwith Louisiana One Call, where he helped raise awareness aboutunderground safety and was instrumental in launching the nationwide 811 campaign. As chairof the Common Ground Alliance in 2007, he played a pivotalrole in promoting safedigging practices and advocating for uniform one -calllawsacross the country

In recognition of his tireless efforts, Vicwas inductedasanhonorary lifetimememberofthe

Louisiana AGC Past Presidents' Council, inducted into the Louisiana State UniversityConstruction School Hall of Honor in 1993,inducted into theLSU College of Engineering Hall of Distinction in 2018-2019, as well as inducted into the University of Louisiana Monroe School of Construction Management Hall of Fame in 2019,all an honor that underscored hisimmense impact on the organizations.His leadership and dedication earned him numerous accolades throughout his career, including the CIAC Randy Rebowe Member of the Year Awardin2020,the 2018 MostValuable Professional of theUCTA/Underground Construction, the Trenchless Technology Center Lifetime Achievement Award,the Nevada's AGC of America'sPresident's ChoiceAward in 2002,and the Louisiana OneCallPilot Light award as well as several awards named in his honor, such as the Vic Weston Damage Prevention Champion Award and the Louisiana OneCallVic Weston Award. In 2024,the Louisiana AGC building was named in hishonor, a fitting tribute to hisdedication and service Beyond his professional achievements, Vichad a

love for lifeand thesimple joys it offered.Heenjoyed long walks with his wife around LSULakes, attending LSUfootball and baseball games, traveling and watching thesunsetfrom theporch of his summer home in Pass Christian. He cherished thetime spent with his children, grandchildren, and friends.

Vic's dedication to his faithwas paramount.He served at St. JosephCathedral wherehewas achartermember and Grand Knight of theKnightsof Columbus Council #13632 and achieved standing at theFourth DegreeKCAssembly.Heworked on the St.Joseph Cathedral Development Committee,the Finance Committee,and the PreservationCommittee as wellasthe Cemetery Board. He and his wife, Joy, were recipientsofthe St JosephApprentice Award in 2009. He directed the RCIA programinhis parish and servedasthe parish's Catholiclay minister. Vic also served on the Boardof Directorsfor the YMCA.

Vic's legacy willliveon throughhis dedication to his family,countless individuals, and contributions to theconstructionindustry. He touched many lives throughhis leadership, generosity,and unwavering commitment.

AcelebrationofVic's life will be held on September19, 2025 at St.Joseph Cathedral located at 401 MainStreetinBaton Rouge. Visitation willbegin at 1:00 p.m. and afuneral mass willfollow at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers,those wishing to honorVic's memory may contribute to theSt. JosephCathedral PreservationSociety or the St.Joseph Cathedral Cemetery Board. Avisitationwill be held from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM on 2025-09-19 at St Joseph's Cathedral,401 Main Street

OPINION

Transportation agency gets offtogood startwithplan to fixbridges

Few things have the potential to improvethe daily lives of Louisiana residents like repairs to the roads they drive on each day.That’s why we were so optimistic about the overhaul of theDepartment of Transportation and Development passed by theLegislature this year with the leadershipofGov.JeffLandry. The reform aimedtoallow the state to move faster in addressingour chronicallylonglist of road projects. Legislation createdthe Office of Louisiana HighwayConstruction, independent of DOTD, whosesole focus is toget projects moving along the 4,800 milesofstate roadways that don’tqualify for federal funding.

Nowweare beginning to see the fruitsof thatchange.The agencyrecently announced itsfirstambitious goal: fixing 62 small bridges across rural parts of the state by theend of next year.Insome cases, the bridges have been out for years, adding hours to thecommutesofdrivers and creating headachesfor industry

TheLegislature is putting $100 million from astate savingsaccount toward thebridge effort.The initiallist of projectswill cost from $1 millionto$3million, and most will take60 to 90 days. Some bridges will require complete demolition,and thatwork is set to beginbefore theend of October. Butall thework will be donebyDec. 31, 2026, saidArchie Chaisson III, the former Lafourche Parish president whom Landry appointed to lead theOffice of Louisiana Highway Construction.

What’smaking this expedited timelinepossible is emergency procurement authority the Legislature granted the agency forsix months, which lets it bypass normal public bidding rules. DOTDSecretary GlenLedetsays his agency is taking advantageofthataswellby partnering with the newagency on someofthe bridgesthat are along federal routes.

Officials saythe newprocess allowsthem to selectengineers and contractors quickly. And while thegoal is speed, they say there will be no skimping on safety or quality of thework The bridges are groupedinto eightproject bundles based on their location,and eight engineeringfirms have each been assigned a bundle.

We have to say we are encouraged by how thiswork has beenpresented, with cleargoals that make it easy to hold officials accountable. For far too long, the money we spend on roads hasseemedtodisappear into ablack hole as projects languish with no discernabletimelinesor priorities.

Fixing andmaintaining roadsare basicfunctionsofgovernment thatweinLouisiana have aright to expect. We are glad to seeour state leaders seem to have finally gotten it.We will be watching as the projects progress, but for the first time it appears more Louisiana drivers will seeasmoother road ahead

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

YOUR VIEWS

NewYMCAisn’t better than theold one

Afew years ago, Iwrotetwo letters skeptical of the motivations for tearing down avery good YMCA and replacing it withapartments and anew facility.Idon’tknow all the facts related to maintenance costsofthe old facility,but hereismyview of what $30 million produced:

The new gym is nice, but no better than theold Ygym.

The workout area is nice, but no better than theold Yworkout area.

The aerobics studioiscomparable to thevery good aerobics studio at the old Y.

The new locker rooms are small and much worse than the old locker rooms.

Separatedry and wet saunas and hot tubs existed in boththe men’sand women’slocker rooms. Now these facilities are coed and entered by first going outside. Theold situation was better

Parking has been greatly decreased. YouthLeague basketballfans have to park in theAlbertson’slot.

The indoor walking path (it’snot for running) is fine, but not as good as the outdoor walking/running path before.

The new lap pool, similar in quality to theold outdoor pool, is towered over by thenew apartment complex. There is no longer an indoor pool, whichwas avery nice feature of the old Y.

The Ydoesn’tevenown the new building: They’ll be renting fromthe owners of the apartment complex. What could possibly go wrong?

Iwill reiterate the main goal of this project was not to provide YMCA members abetter facility.For three years, themembers were greatly inconvenienced, andover time they’ll see they were pawns in asocial justice project (affordable housing).

KEVIN W. KELLY Baton Rouge

Reform ElectoralCollege;don’t abolishit

After thesecond election of Donald Trump, Iwas hopeful that people would begin to question amethod of election that could bring such aman to power Iwas disappointed. In fact, the one thing that Ibelievewould prevent such amistakeisthe veryinstitution that is blamed for it

As originally conceived, the Electoral College was to be comprised of a single group of men selected by each state who would each vote for the candidate of their choice.

The number of astate’selectorswas to be based upon itscongressional representation, which would rise or fall with thestate’spopulation. Consequently,the number of each state’s electoral votes would be directly proportional to itspopulation. Selecting electorswho would evaluate each candidate and vote their consciences was intended to avoid thedangers inherent in apopular election, it being accepted that the general public is too easily misled and prone to temporary passions.

The 1929 Permanent Apportionment Act was passed to limit the number of U.S. representatives to 435. This was done without providing ameansto allow the number of state electors to continue to remainproportional to a state’spopulation. If each state had itsown, single setofelectors, each state’selectors would have time to meet directly with each candidate fortwo or three weeks, during which various activities could be engaged in to determine thedifferent qualities of each candidate.

And, of course, any candidate who refused to give straight answers to direct questions, or whodemonstrated childish desires to use the officeto exact revenge on opponents, could be immediately rejected. Such amethod would also eliminate theneed for billions of dollars, since theonly expenses wouldbefor the candidates’ and electors’ travel, room and board.

WAYNE

PARKER Baton Rouge

Overpass in Tiger Town at Perkins wouldaid pedestrian safety

Crossing Perkins Road in the Overpass District is normally alifethreatening ordeal. There are afew faded white stripes on the road, but the drivers whowhip through there much faster than the posted 35 miles per hour either don’tsee them or ignore them.However,atthe “Perk Up Perkins” Demo DayEvent recently, local residents, businesses and community organizations madethe vision of apedestrian-friendly overpass district areality.Volunteers from Keep Tiger Town Beautiful and local kids cleaned up unsightly trash. Donated greenery from MeMoe’sand sidewalk chalk drawings beautified the roadsides. And seeing (temporary) white road stripes and (temporary) crosswalk signs from the Center forPlanning Excellence, passing cars actually slowed down, allowing families, retirees and solo shoppers to movewith ease between the manythriving businesses lining both sides of the street.

Apetition calling forahybrid beacon-style crosswalk at Ferndale and Perkins and improvements to other crosswalks has over 500 local signatures. The resident-led grassroots effort to improve safety has worked with community organizations and elected officials like District 12 Councilperson Jen Racca since January.InJuly,atawell-attended neighborhood meeting, Racca and Mayoral Chief of StaffLon Vicknair voiced support and announced that afunding plan was in place fora crosswalk at Perkins and Ferndale with atimeline of six months for completion. This kind of leadership and engagement is exactly what our community needs —and I’mgratefulfor it. But as of now,noofficial start date has been announced, and no detailed plans have been released. Residents are ready and the need is undeniable. Ilook forward to city officials keeping the momentum going and turning these promising words into permanent, on-theground improvements that will better serve our families and turn this one-day event into an everyday

LATTIN

FrankieBeverly’s family had pain.N.O.gavethemjoy.

Frankie Beverly was born inPhiladelphia, the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection. ButFrankieBeverly was at home musically with the people of New Orleans. Beverly’sdeath on Sept. 10,2024, sent shock waves acrossthe world. His family asked for privacy.Reactions, messages, posts andtributes poured in. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said hewas “devastated” by the news. Acouple of daysafter Frankie’sdeath,Beverly fans in Philadelphia gathered on Frankie Beverly Way, AKANorwood Street, in the Somerville section of East Germantown, the place where Howard Stanley Beverly was born andreared It was anice gathering. There was dancing, music. Agood timewas had by all. But it wasn’tNew Orleans.

This week is the anniversary of the Crescent City’ssecond lineinBeverly’s honor that drew hundreds, maybeeven more. It was what happened in New Orleans that gained worldwide attention —and the attention of Frankie’s family Ayear ago Tuesday,the 6th Ward Steppers Social Aid and Pleasure Club hosted aFrankie Beverly farewell secondlineatHunter’sField in thecity’s Treme neighborhood. The Steppers, andmany others, at least hundreds, observed Beverly’spassingasonly New Orleans could. Some say thousands were out there. Some wore Beverly’s stage signature white.

As the family grieved day afterday, they received condolences from extended family and friends. They were comforted knowing that they had spent as much time with “Frank” and“Pop” as they could during the lastdays of his life.

“Weall gave up alot of ourselves to spend time with him,” his son, Anthony Beverly,told me. “I moved here from L.A. to spend time with him. We moved to northernCalifornia from the L.A. area in 2022 to be closer and spend more time with him. Imoved to the new town overfrom him, so Isaw him very often. My children were already here in the area, so we all gathered

Howlong will we tolerate the madnessin ourstreets?

In her response to the murderofIryna Zarutska on alight-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, the city’smayor demonstrated the mindset thatallowedthe heinous act to happen in the first place.

with him often.”

My longtimefriend Pam Moore was FrankieBeverly’slife partner for 39 years. Theirs was an extra special love. He was aworld famous entertainer.As eveninganchor at KRON-TV,she was the queen of local television news in theBay Area. She is so big that the station namedthe newsroom studio after her uponher retirement.

Buttheirlives together were personal, andprivate. After Frankie took his last breath, the family gasped and grieved. They heard aboutall the messages of mourningand prayers, theappreciations and tributes. It wastoo much. They avoided most of it.

Butwhat happened in New Orleans was different.

“The first time Isaw it it brought tears to my eyes,” AnthonyBeverly said. “There was alove affair with the city,and that showed. Nobody could’ve done what New Orleans did.”

He said person after person senthim videos of the second line as it was happening. He continued to get links to videos of the New Orleans love for his dad that day,the next day,that week, the next week and for months after Anthony Beverlyhad seen fans who liked his dad’smusic for years. Huge applause. Bus stop dancing. Bigsmiles. Cheers. Calls for encores Butitwas when he was with his dad here in the 1980s that he realized that things were different. Onetime his dad, band members and others ate at

K-Paul’sand he decided to walk back to thehotel, against cautions by others. About 200 people ended up following them. It was like his dad was Black Elvis, he said. The 2024 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans featured aspecial tributetoBeverly.Former Mayor Marc Morial, Mayor LaToyaCantrell and others greeted our adopted homeboy with some physical tokens of appreciation

“Thank you, thank you, thank you my people,”said Frankie Beverly at the time. “Thank you for this nod. Thank you for caring. AndI’m going to make you proud of mevery soon. Thank you and Ilove you from thebottom of my heart.”

Idon’tknow what Beverly had in mind, but Ican say without apoll or survey that New Orleanscared for him deeply,loved him deeply,and he made us happy We had great joy with Frankie Beverly for decades, and that will continue forever.It’sgood to know thefamily appreciated what they saw and what they felt ayear ago. The day of the second line we had happy feelings. The outpouring of love was real. We didn’t want to let him go, but we know life ends for all of us.

New Orleans, know that Frankie Beverly loved us —and his family thanks us for that everlasting love.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

From asuckerpunch to CharlieKirk’sdeath

Right after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president in 2017 someone punchedWhite nationalist Richard Spencer in the faceonlive television. This led to several days of the internet asking whether it is okay tosucker punch Nazis.

world damage. If reports are correct, there is no “reasonable gun control” that could have stoppedthe attack on Kirk; the shooter appears to have used aboltaction rifle, about the last category of weapon that would be banned.

MayorViLylescalled the murderofthe young Ukraine refugee woman, “a tragic situationthatsheds light on problems with society safety nets relatedtomentalhealthcare.”

This is euphemistic prattle. What Lyles calls “a tragic situation” wasagruesome crime, andlack of “societysafety nets” must be herway of admitting thatCharlotte serially failed to confine aderanged repeat offender so he couldn’tcontinue to menace the public.

The allegedkiller, Decarlos Brown, was schizophrenic. His mother reports that, after he gainedreleasein2020 from a five-year sentence for robbery with adeadly weapon, he begantosay strange things and behave aggressively (he assaulted his sister). She gothim evaluated and then got an involuntary commitment order

Aftertwo weeks of monitoring, he wasdiagnosedwith schizophrenia andreleased.His mother couldn’thandle Brown andkickedhim outofthe house,rendering him homeless. Afterthat, Brown repeatedly demonstrated his out-of-control madness, and still, no one hadthe sense to take him off the streets. Policeinteracted with Brown three different timesin2024 andreferred him to “resources,” although no oneknows what that means. Then, in January 2025, he told policewhile theywereconducting “a welfare check”on him that“man-made materials” in his body were controlling him, aclassic paranoid belief. Whenthe copstoldhim they couldn’thelp him with that, he called911. Thatresultedin acharge forabusing the emergency-response system.

One judge released him in exchange for a “writtenpromise” that Brown would come back for ahearing, andthen —after his attorneyfileda motion questioning his “capacity to proceed”—another judge ordered aforensic evaluationthatwas nevercompleted. Not thathis conditionwas amystery.If anyone hadaskedBrown’sfamily or the cops, theysurely would have said he wasout of his mind.

This is the history Mayor Vi Lylesrefers to when she says thatBrown “has long struggled with mental health and appears to have suffered acrisis.” Well, yes, he wassuffering a years-long crisis.

ega McArdle M n Will Sutton

(The answer,for those who missed that session, is that no, it is not okay to sucker punch people who have noxious views, because it is not okay to sucker punch people, period.) At the time Iwas deeply disturbed to see how many people were willing to endorse political violence. In retrospect, this seemsalmost quaint

We don’tknow the full motive of the shooterwho killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The shooting may have been politically motivated, or simply abid for fame, or it may have been the result of some psychoticobsession incomprehensibletoa normal mind.

We’ve seen more violent protests, from antifa to the Jan. 6mob, and more targeted attacks. The decade has brought us attempted assassinations of aconservative Supreme Court justice, Republican legislators and of course, Trump, along with the killing of ahealth care CEO, apolice officer who responded to an attack on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionand aDemocratic statelegislator and her husband in Minnesota. The people who do these things are notinany sense normal.The United Statesdoes not have the kind of organized political violence you see in countries tippinginto civil war.The Second Amendment makes it easy for those people to get guns thatdoreal-

Themost obvious place to start is with thelegions of keyboard warriors, 101st Chairborne Division, who enjoy spinning online fantasies about hurting their political opponents—orglorifying thosewho do, like LuigiMangione. Almost all those peopleare just talking, trying to signal theirideological purity or make themselves feel tougher and more courageous than their nondescript white-collar job would otherwise suggest. Butthey aregiving ideas tothose who want to do more thantalk, including the idea that hurting otherpeople can be ashortcutto fame. So stand down and knock it off. There has long been aleft-wing cottage industry using dodgy data to conjureupanexaggerated threat from right-wing “domestic terrorism.” (The threat exists, but thenumbers thrown aroundare inflated.) On liberal social media, one cannot go long without stumbling acrosssome expert claiming to have diagnosed America’s descentinto fascism, rather thanmore ordinarily bad governance. Thereare just as manyself-panickers on the right ranting about deep state conspiracies andcultural Marxism. In the wake of Kirk’sshooting, some of those folksannounced that “they” haddeclared war on conservatives,as if the entireleft(mostofwhom were appropriately horrified by thekilling) hadvoted to putaguy on that rooftop. With relish, conservatives shared and reshared the samehandful of low-follower social media accounts celebratingthe violence.

In acountry of more than 340 million people, there will be people who do terrible thingsand manymore who say terrible things —but while these people are too numerous, they are statistically atiny share of our overwhelmingly sane and law-abiding electorate. Actingasifthey are representative or comparing your opponents to your least favoritedictatorship risks provoking weak minds toviolent countermeasures against thedire threat you’ve conjured. Which brings me to afinal point: Stop monstering your opponents. In thewake of Kirk’skilling, alot of the responses from theleft ran along the lines of, “Sure, he was human garbage, but you still shouldn’tkill him.” When others pushed back, people stood their ground. Why shouldn’twespeak ill of the dead or those who offered respectful eulogies, if they were terrible people?

Oneanswer is that it’sa bit cowardly to criticize the dead, who can’treply Another is that politically,it’sa bad look; adding to the pain of afamily in mourning seemsspiteful and petty in the face of the momentousness of death. Butthe mostimportantanswer is that this country needs fewer impassioned denunciations and more understanding of our opponentsas complicated people who can hold bad ideas while also exhibiting praiseworthyvirtues. Of course, it’smore satisfying to fight monsters than flawed humans who are, like you, struggling their way through this vale of tears. Butifyou insist on hunting for monsters,you run therisk that some of your hunting companions will decide to go in for thekill.

Megan McArdle in on X, @asymmetricinfo.

Brown’sstory is shocking, yet all too familiar. It recurs over and over again in cities that tolerate the untreated mentally ill sleeping on grates. Sincethe great wave of de-institutionalizationinthe 1960s, we’ve lost the collective will to insist thatthose suffering from serious mental illness gethelp, in an institution if necessary This requiresspending more resources on psychiatric beds andchanging laws to make it easiertomandate treatment and institutionalization. To acknowledge this does not entail, as the mayor put it in her statement, “villainizing” the mentally ill. It is true that most people suffering from these disorders don’tcommit actsofviolence. Still, it does no one any favors —not the mentally ill, or the generalpublic to letthemgountreated, living lives of squalor in public places “Wewill neverarrest our way out of issues suchhomelessness and mental health,” Mayor Vi Lylesinsisted. It is true that too many mentally ill people endupinjails. The only acceptable options, though, are to imprisonthe deranged who commitorthreaten criminals act,ortoforce themtoget treatment, perhaps in institutions.

The third optioniswhat we’ve done for decades.Itistolookthe otherway,toleave families no good options in dealing with their sickloved ones,topretend it is an exercise of liberty to letdisturbed people molderonthe streets, to treat the “unhoused” as aprivileged victim group, andtomumble the same oldnonsense afteranunspeakable crime.

We’ve hearditfrom the likes of Mayor Vi Lylesbefore— and, sadly and infuriatingly, inevitably will again RichLowry is on X, @RichLowry

Baton RougeWeather

SPORTS

How offense looked with new man calling plays

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Trey Holly’s 5-yard run on third and 1 was wiped away after an illegal formation penalty

Southern was pushed back 5 yards to Fresno State’s 20 with seven minutes left in the second quarter Saturday The Jaguars’ best chance to get a touchdown, after spotting Fresno State 21 unanswered points, seemed on the verge of faltering.

ä Jackson State at Southern.

6 P.M. SEPT 27

On third and 6, quarterback Ashton Strother was in shotgun formation. He stepped up to his offensive line to relay a message and gestured with his hands to the rest of his team.

He threw a quick short pass to the left to Darren Morris on the wide side of the field. The redshirt junior caught the football, avoided the cornerback, turned upfield and reached the 1-yard line.

A couple of plays later Holly leaped over the line of scrimmage for a touchdown — Southern’s only score in its 56-7 loss to Fresno State at Valley Children’s Stadium.

The touchdown wouldn’t have occurred if it weren’t for the first important third-down conversion in the Fred McNair era as the Southern play-caller The quarterbacks coach was named co-offensive coordinator, along with Mark Frederick, and the offensive play-caller on Sept. 9.

Coach Terrence Graves said he made the change in roles on his staff because he wanted to make use of McNair’s expertise as a former offensive-minded head coach at Alcorn State, where he won four Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division titles and two SWAC championships (2018 and 2019).

In the loss to FBS foe Fresno State, the Jaguars offense often stalled because of a major gap in talent between the teams.

The easiest way to spot this was in the running attack, which had only 11 yards rushing on 27 carries. Graves said Fresno State was “bigger and stronger” than his group, which is still fourth in the SWAC in rushing yards per game (165.5) after the poor outing.

That didn’t stop Southern from still being true to its run-first identity McNair had the Jaguars throw 18 passes and run 27 times. In their previous game at home against Alabama State, they threw 29 times and had 37 runs.

The lack of a running game versus Fresno State placed more pressure on succeeding through the air The first three drives ended quickly with starting quarterback Cam’Ron McCoy. The junior Jackson State transfer couldn’t connect on short passes or rely on his mobility in the runpass option. He completed 1 of 4 passes for 4 yards and had a loss of 6 yards on five rushes.

The offense improved once Strother entered the contest with 10:58 left in the second quarter

SOUTHERN,

Altered approach

LSU offense leans more conservative as defense establishes dominance

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The season is still young, but LSU is punting nearly twice as often as it did last year

That stat does a nice job of capturing the offense’s shaky start to the season, its fourth under coach Brian Kelly Yards and points have proven elusive, so Kelly has adjusted. Now LSU is on pace to punt more

times this year than it did in any of the previous three seasons.

“This year I’m playing it a little bit different based upon the strength of our defense,” Kelly said on Monday “Last year, we needed to score more points.”

This year, LSU doesn’t have to score as many points. The defense is playing so well that Kelly has changed the way he manages games He’s ask-

ing offensive coordinator Joe Sloan to take a more conservative tack to play calling, and he’s trotting out the punting unit almost five times a game. The approach has helped the No. 3 Tigers start the season 3-0.

But Kelly knows that LSU can’t just play stout defense for the rest of the year The offense must improve and keep punter Grant Chadwick off of

the field — or else another season could end without a College Football Playoff berth.

“Now as we move forward,” Kelly said, “we’re gonna need to do both.”

The Tigers are one of only three FBS teams that haven’t converted a fourth down this season. They’ve tried just once, and Kelly has said that

ä See LSU, page 4C

Saints looking to Olave without big results

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

The Saints and quarterback Spencer Rattler have made it a priority to send a steady stream of footballs Chris Olave’s way For the second straight game, Olave led the Saints in targets. Through two weeks, only Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (25) and Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (24) have been targeted more than Olave (23). The usage rate is encouraging, but through the small two-week sample size, it hasn’t manifested in big production. Olave is tracking toward career lows in several statistical categories, including catch rate (56.5%), air yards per target (9.8) and yards per route run (1.4), according to Next Gen Stats. Rattler and Olave have connected on a few important plays one of the biggest being a leaping catch for 14 yards on third and

8.3 yards per reception. There also have been some concerning moments. Olave was open for a touchdown in the first quarter against San Francisco after he fooled cornerback Renardo Green with a head fake to the outside before curling his route back toward the middle of the field. But a poor ball from Rattler, who threw behind Olave, resulted in a pass he couldn’t haul in. Facing third and 6 on the ensuing play, Olave was lined up as the inside receiver in a

ä See OLAVE, page 3C

6

8

QB injuries necessitate shuffling

For Vikings, Wentz finally will throw to WR Jefferson

BY ROB MAADDI AP pro football writer

Carson Wentz finally gets to throw to Justin Jefferson five years and five teams later

J.J. McCarthy’s ankle injury opens the door for the Wentz-toJefferson combination that Philadelphia Eagles fans desperately wanted to see in 2020 Now, it’ll happen for the Minnesota Vikings. Several other teams could be turning to backup quarterbacks in Week 3. The Bengals (2-0) won’t have Joe Burrow for a few months because of a toe injury, so Jake Browning will start against Wentz and the Vikings (1-1).

Browning led Cincinnati to a comeback win over Jacksonville after Burrow went down early in the game.

Jayden Daniels has a knee injury that could force the Washington Commanders (1-1) to face Las Vegas without the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Veteran Marcus Mariota would replace him.

Justin Fields is in the concussion protocol for the New York Jets (0-2) so Tyrod Taylor would start against Tampa Bay if Fields can’t return in time.

The 49ers (2-0) already played a game without Brock Purdy defeating New Orleans behind three touchdown passes from Mac Jones on Sunday It’s uncertain when Purdy will be ready to return.

No matter how much the league tries to protect quarterbacks there have been 19 roughingthe-passer penalties through two weeks injuries will happen in a violent sport.

McCarthy got hurt on a 16-yard run in the third quarter and stayed in the game but struggled during Minnesota’s loss to Atlanta The 2024 first-round draft pick missed his rookie season following knee surgery Wentz joined the Vikings only a couple of weeks ago. He’s in line to make a start for a sixth team in six seasons, extending his record.

The 32-year-old Wentz was the

No. 2 overall pick by the Eagles in 2016. He finished third in NFL MVP voting the following season but suffered a serious knee injury that December and watched Nick Foles lead Philadelphia to a Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. In 2019, Wentz became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards without having any wide receiver go over 500 yards receiving. Entering the 2020 draft, it was obvious the Eagles would target a wide receiver Instead of taking Jefferson at No. 21, Jalen Reagor was Philadelphia’s choice. The Vikings were considering cornerbacks when the Eagles were on the clock because they expected Jefferson would be their pick.

Minnesota coaches and frontoffice executives celebrated when Philadelphia took Reagor The Vikings immediately chose Jefferson with the next pick.

Reagor lasted two seasons in Philly and has 86 career receptions. Jefferson is a two-time AllPro, was the 2022 Offensive Play-

er of the Year and has averaged 108 catches, 1,626 yards receiving and nine touchdowns per season. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell helped Sam Darnold have a breakout season last year He gets another opportunity with Wentz, who once had a lot of success but hasn’t been a full-time starter since going 2-5 in Washington in 2022.

Russ cooked Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns, including a 48-yard pass to Malik Nabers for the go-ahead score with 33 seconds remaining in a game the New York Giants still lost. Not bad for a guy many people wrote off.

“Russell Wilson can’t play anymore,” former NFL coach Rex Ryan said on ESPN. Ryan and others were calling for the Giants to bench Wilson and play rookie Jaxson Dart, who took three snaps, handed off twice and lost 3 yards on a keeper Wilson threw an interception on his final pass after some miscom-

munication with Nabers, spoiling an outstanding performance. But he perhaps gives New York its best chance to compete especially behind a porous offensive line.

Dynamic Lions

Maybe Dan Campbell, Jared Goff and the rest of the Detroit Lions won’t have to hear anymore about the impact of losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

The skeptics were out after Detroit’s offense struggled in a season-opening loss to Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers, whose defense was excellent again in Week 2 against Washington.

But the Lions bounced back with a 52-21 win over the Chicago Bears and Johnson, putting up 511 total yards on offense.

While coaches deserve credit for developing players, it also helps to have talent.

Johnson had success with Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta. He has a long way to go with Caleb Williams and the Bears.

Brady’s dual roles continue to raise questions

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

The questions about Tom Brady’s dual roles as a Fox Sports NFL analyst and partial owner of the Las Vegas Raiders have intensified after he was shown in the team’s coaching booth with a headset on during a 20-9 loss Monday night to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks on Tuesday sidestepped any such questions about the perception of a possible conflict of interest

“I’m not going to answer that one. Good question, but not gonna answer that,” Shanks said when asked during Front Office Sports’ Tuned In event if he could sympathize with Chicago Bears fans who might see a conflict Brady will be in Dallas on Sunday when the Cowboys host the Bears. The following week, Chicago is at the Raiders.

“I think if there’s a conversation that needs to be had after last night, we’ll have it,” Shanks added.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email to The Associated Press that Brady was sitting in the booth Monday night in his capacity as a Raiders limited partner.

“There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches’ booth or wearing a headset during a game,” McCar-

“I think Tom’s really tried to honor that strictly with the concerns you’re talking about ... He’s very respectful of what he does otherwise. He’s of the opinion he doesn’t want to be that kind of factor and he’s not.”

PETE CARROLL, Raiders coach

thy said. “All personnel sitting in the booth must abide by policies that prohibit the use of electronic devices other than league-issued equipment such as a Microsoft Surface Tablet for the Sideline Viewing System.”

Raiders coach Pete Carroll said he knew Brady would be in the booth and pointed out that Brady also was in the booth when the Raiders played the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason game on Aug. 16 in Las Vegas.

Carroll said he understands the attention and concerns Monday night’s appearance has generated.

“I think Tom’s really tried to honor that strictly with the concerns you’re talking about,” Carroll said. “He is not planning games with us. He is not talking to us about anything other than our conversations that are really random.

“He’s very respectful of what he does otherwise. He’s of the opinion he doesn’t want to be that kind

of factor and he’s not.”

The NFL has previously placed restrictions on Brady in his role as a broadcaster, though the league eased some of those this season. Brady is now allowed to participate in production meetings with teams ahead of a game, as long as they are conducted virtually or via Zoom. He still isn’t allowed to watch another team’s practices or set foot in a team’s training complex.

The Brady rules were put in place because the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback has a 5% ownership stake in the Raiders.

Last season, Brady couldn’t do production meetings until the Super Bowl in New Orleans, when he was allowed to attend meetings with Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles players and coaches He wasn’t able to view practices.

Hans Schroeder the NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution, said to the AP on Aug 27 that this year’s adjustments felt like a natural step forward.

Brady still isn’t allowed to be in another team’s facility or hotel He can conduct an interview offsite with a player which he did a couple times last season.

Many of the network broadcast crews have done their production meetings with teams virtually, even though some still prefer getting into a city on Fridays to watch the home team and then talk to the visiting team at their hotel the next day Brady did not answer a question posed by AP on Monday night

Florida assistant suspended for his role in LSU scuffle

A Florida football assistant coach has been suspended for his role in an altercation that took place before LSU and Florida played Saturday night inside Tiger Stadium. Jabbar Juluke, the associate head coach and running backs coach, was suspended for three games, the SEC and Florida announced Tuesday night. In a statement, Juluke specifically apologized to the unidentified player involved. He will miss games against Miami, Texas and Texas A&M.

LSU and Florida players got into two scuffles during pregame warmups. One occurred near the Gators’ sideline while the other took place as Florida players walked past the LSU student section. When shoving began, a referee threw a flag in an effort to break the players apart.

Dallas star Bueckers wins WNBA Rookie of the Year

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers was a runaway choice for WNBA Rookie of the Year after one of the best debut seasons in league history

Bueckers received 70 of the 72 votes from sportswriters and broadcasters in balloting announced by the league on Tuesday

The other two went to Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron. Bueckers, who in a whirlwind week last spring went from leading UConn to its 12th national championship to being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick, was a bright spot on a team that tied the Chicago Sky with a league-worst 10-34 record. The AP Rookie of the Year, she averaged 19.2 points on 47.7% shooting along with 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals.

Bengals place Burrow on IR after turf toe injury

The Bengals placed quarterback Joe Burrow on injured reserve Tuesday after he suffered a turf toe injury during the first half of Sunday’s 31-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Burrow is expected to be out at least three months because of the injury to his left foot. A timeline for surgery and rehabilitation has not been announced.

Jake Browning will take over as Cincinnati’s starting QB beginning with this week’s game at Minnesota.

Browning went 4-3 as the Bengals’ starter in the final seven games of the 2023 season after Burrow was sidelined with a right wrist injury, and Brett Rypien will be Browning’s backup after he was signed off the practice squad.

Astros slugger Alvarez out after ankle sprain

about the easing of the broadcast restrictions.

Fox Sports analyst Greg Olsen, who also was a speaker at the Front Office Sports event in New York, said it’s up to the teams to decide how to handle production meetings, whether it is with Brady or another broadcast crew

“There are some teams that are very guarded with their information, and it doesn’t matter if you’re an owner of another team or not: They give you very little on the calls. It’s the minority,” Olsen said. “The vast majority of the coaches, especially the ones that you develop a good relationship with, are amazing on these calls. They really give you great insight that does make a difference.

“Every team can decide how they want to handle those, and whatever factors they place value on, that impacts how they handle them, that’s their every right to be as forthcoming or not so with the production crews that they want.”

Fox’s top crew of Brady, Kevin Burkhardt, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi opened the season with the matchup between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants. Both teams face the Raiders later this season, but Commanders coach Dan Quinn didn’t seem fazed by Brady’s dual roles.

“It’s unique for sure, but they have a job to do, too, so I get that like that’s our responsibility to help them give some insights, what it could be, what could be there for the game. So, it’s really just for this game, like that’s what I think about,” Quinn said.

Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez has a “pretty significant” ankle sprain that is going to keep him out indefinitely, manager Joe Espada said Tuesday Alvarez was injured when he turned his left ankle at home plate after scoring in the first inning of Houston’s 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night. After scoring from first base on a throwing error by Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter on Carlos Correa’s infield single in the first inning, Alvarez turned his ankle and hobbled toward the dugout. He was tended to by an athletic trainer outside the Astros’ dugout and then helped down the steps. He had imaging done Tuesday and Espada refused to say if the team planned to place Alvarez on the injured list.

Rams coach McVay injures foot during game vs. Titans

Sean McVay says he tore his plantar fascia while coaching the Los Angeles Rams to victory over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday McVay revealed his foot injury Monday night on his “Coach McVay Show” produced by the Rams. The youngest coach to win a Super Bowl didn’t say exactly when it happened, but he appeared to pull up awkwardly while moving to call a timeout during the 33-19 win. The plantar fascia is a thick tissue running along the sole of the foot.

McVay didn’t say whether he would need to wear a walking boot as his injury heals.

The 39-year-old McVay played wide receiver at Miami of Ohio. The Rams (2-0) visit defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia on Sunday

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier reacts after aplay against the Atlanta Falcons during a preseason game on Aug. 22 in Arlington, Texas

By TONy GUTIERREZ

EmergencyQBs aluxury notmanyNFL teamsuse

BY SCHUYLER DIXON

AP pro football writer

DALLAS Brian Schotten-

heimer is twogames intohis head coaching career with the Dallas Cowboys, and he didn’thave an emergency quarterback designated for either one.

This after ayear as Dallas offensive coordinator when theCowboyshadTreyLance available as athird quarterback every week because they wanted to protect him from waivers.

The NFL is into its third season since the return of an old rule that essentially allows afree rosterspot on game day with the emergency designation on aquarterback. Yet, the provision has been utilized by less than half theteams throughthe first two years. The Cleveland Browns areamong those to use it this season. They have four quarterbacks on the roster and Shedeur Sanders has been the emergency third QB each of the first two games. Only once has “3QB”— the designation on official NFL game reports —actually played, and it involved theBrownslastyear.Jameis WinstonfollowedDeshaun Watson, who was injured, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was pulled in the fourth quarter after his second interception in a21-14 loss to Cincinnati.

“I go back and forth,” Schottenheimer said. “Literally,you asked the question, so my mind is processing. It wouldbegreat to have three guys active just in case. But they certainlyhavedone thestudies andknowkind of what they’re lookingfor We’re all dealt the same cards, and you decide how youwanttouseyourroster.”

Will Grier has the spot Lance occupied lastseason, but he is on the practice squadratherthanthe 53man active roster.During the theCowboys’wild40-37

OLAVE

Continued from page1C

incomplete.

overtime winagainst the NewYork Giants on Sunday, Grier was unavailable behindDakPrescottandJoe Milton. About this time lastseason, roughlyhalfofthe NFL’s32teamshad athird quarterbackonthe active roster.The percentageis about the samenow.Gameday rosters are smaller,usually 48 players.

Theteams that don’t have athird QB on the active roster have at least one on the practice squad. Just before the season started, Detroit was the onlyteamwithout athird quarterback, but the Lions signed C.J. Beathard to the practice squad.

The teams without athird QB on theactive roster have prioritized other positions over something that could be viewedasaluxury

“I thinkit’sa freebie(on gameday),butit’sstilltough because of the numbers,”

Grier said.“Ithink it just comes down to the teams with the numbersand the ability to dothat.”

Numbersmake it tough forthird quarterbacks in another way.Since practice repsaresoimportantforthe starter,and the backup to a lesser degree, the rest of the QBs arelargelyleftontheir own to try to develop.

“In my opinion, nonexistent ”Grier said whenasked whathethoughtofquarterback development in the NFL.

Trevor Siemian, the 33-year-old QB3 on Tennessee’spractice squad, wouldn’t argue.

“I think just the onus is on you,” said Siemian, a seventh-round pick out of Northwestern who started 24 games over his second and third seasons with Denver but movedonafter threeyears,includingastint with the Saints. “Thisispro sports.There’s notmuch hand-holding in this league. And if there is,itdoesn’tlast very long.”

Titansquarterbackscoach

It wasastrangeplayfor Olave, whom the Saints are counting on to lead the receiver corps. It’sstill early,and the Saints are clearly feeding him targets, so this could turn around.

Still TBD

Ayear ago, the Saintshad oneofthe worst run defenses in theNFL. They appear to be improved through two weeks, but how much is stillto be determined Sunday’sgame againstthe 49erswas a step in the right direction. Aweek after giving up 146 yardsrushing against the Cardinals, afigurethat included a52-yard run, the Saints limited Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers to 80yards and 3.5 yards per carry (excluding kneel-downs) Eleven of San Francisco’s22designed runs gained 2orfewer yards, including seven that were stuffed fornogainora loss. The 49ers’longest runwas a13-yard scramble by quarterback MacJones

According to Next Gen Stats, the 49ers averaged only 0.44 yards before contact. The New Orleans defensive interior clogged running lanes, allowing linebacker Demario Davis to clear things up. The 49ers gained just 9yardsonsix carries running between thetackles, doing most of their damage on theperimeter.

Numberstoknow

3:Each of Rattler’sthree touchdown passes against the 49ers targeted receivers who’d lined up in the slot, allagainst man coverage.

Twoofthose plays includedmotion and

Mayfieldthrivingunder pressure as Bucs start2-0

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

Bo Hardegreedescribed a post-practice scene in which the QBs behind rookie starter Cam Ward would go back through that day’sscript on reps theydidn’tget.

Schottenheimer said the Cowboysdosomethingsimilar,with quarterbacks coach Steve Shimko having Milton and Grier mirrorany throw Prescottmade in practice.

“So they’re getting their throws,” Schottenheimer said. “They’re getting their footwork. It’snot perfect, but they are getting the work and thethrowsthat theyneed.”

The NFL had the emergencyQBrule from 19912010 and brought it back in 2023. The rule’s return was promptedbythe NFC championship gamethe previous season.

BrockPurdybadlyinjured hiselbow on SanFrancisco’s first possession in a31-7 loss to Philadelphia, and backup Josh Johnson exited with a concussion earlyinthe second half. Purdy returned, but basically couldn’tthrow He had two short completions. The49ers had47 yards in the second half and 164 for the game.

“That probably shifted a lot of focus just becauseof theprominent momentthat thatwas,” said New Orleans coach Kellen Moore, aformerquarterbacks coach andoffensivecoordinator.“I think it’sa luxury and when it’savailable to us, certainly we want to utilizeitasmuch as youcan just because it gives you theinsurance policy thatyou need.”

With Lance having moved on to theLos Angeles Chargersinfreeagency—where the 2021 No. 3overall pick is thebackup to Justin Herbert —Schottenheimer said the Cowboys have emergency plans fora third QB when Grier is inactive. He didn’t want to reveal specifics.

It’s safe to saythe same is true for the other teams that don’thave an emergency QB3 on game day

some sort of rub concept,where theSaints tried to create space by having receivers runconverging routes.

6:The Saints sent five-man pressures on six of MacJones’42drop-backs, none of which resulted in asack.

83.1%:The Saints have been in the shotgun on 113 of their 136 offensiveplayssofar this season. Only the Washington Commanders (86.2%) are runningitatahigherrate.

Nextup

There will be alot of chatter this week aboutthe Seattleoffense because of the play-caller: Former Saints offensivecoordinatorKlint Kubiak nowholds thesame rolewith the Seahawks, andhetook several members of his Saints staff withhim

But thegame maycomedown to what the Saints can do on the road against a tough Seahawks defense.

Throughtwo weeks,Seattle leads the NFLinbothoverall pressures (38) and pressure rate (49.4%), according to Next Gen Stats. TheSeahawks have done that while blitzing on only 13% of opponent passingplays —the second-lowestpercentageinthe NFL.

The Seattle defensive front also has providedsome tough sledding for opposing rushing offenses. Opposing offenses have runthe ball 57 times against theSeahawks with just tworuns of 10-plusyards, with thelongest being 13. Like theSaints, the Seahawks operate outofa3-4 base defense (Seattle head coach MikeMacdonaldisalso the defensive play-caller), andtheir best defensive players are on thefront.Leonard Williams (six pressures,10run stops) and 2024 firstrounder Byron Murphy (eight pressures, seven stops) are ahandful, and edge rushersBoyeMafe and Derick Hall lead the team in pressures.

TAMPA, Fla. Playing in a prime-time game in his home state with anational audience watching, Baker Mayfield againthrivedunder pressure. The TampaBay Buccaneers are2-0 for thefifth straight season thanks to Mayfield’s final-minuteheroics two weeks in arow Mayfield scrambled 15 yards on fourth and10to extend the drive and then connected on five straight passes for 51 yards,setting up Rachaad White’s2-yard touchdown run with six seconds remaining that gave the Buccaneers a20-19 victoryinHouston on Monday night It wasacostly winfor TampaBay,however.Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey suffered atorn pectoral muscle that will require season-ending surgery, aperson with knowledge of the injury told TheAssociatedPress. Without Kancey,the defense gave up the go-ahead score late in thegame.

But it came down to another standout performance by Mayfield, whorevived his career in Tampa Bay afterreplacing TomBrady in 2023.

The Buccaneers went from the Greatest Of All Time to perhaps the most underrated quarterback in the NFL. Mayfield leads the league with74touchdown passessince arriving in Tampa Bay.Hehas helped theBuccaneers win two of their four consecutive NFC Southtitles,and he is aiming to take them on adeeper playoff run.

“In thesetwo-minute close games, we were not on the right side of things for the pastcouple years,” Mayfield said. “It’s good to see that we haven’teven played closetoour bestball

in all three phases, and we’re still finding ways to win on the road and that’sreally important. To not lose sight of that, we’re finding ways to win, but also we do need to getthings fixed. Some of these games, we could make it easier on ourselves and try and put teams away earlier, but this is agood team that we played, so we expected a hard-fought battle,and it’s nice to be on the rightside of it.” The Bucsopenedthe seasonwith a23-20 victory in Atlanta when Mayfield connected with rookie Emeka Egbuka on a25-yard touchdownpass with 1:04 remaining and secured the winona missed field goal.

Mayfield came out firing against Houston’stough defense, tossing apair of touchdownpasses on the firsttwo drives. Butthe Buc-

caneers couldn’tget much going again until the end.

Bucky Irving andthe run game steppedup, andthe Bucs finished with169 yards on the ground.

Therun defenseagain wasstellar,limiting the Texans to 57 yards rushing, excluding 27 by C.J. Stroud on scrambles.

The pass rush improved, sacking Stroud three times and pressuring him into several hurried incompletions. But the gamecamedown to Mayfield and he delivered.

“Wetalk about culture and culture helps youwin ballgames, especially on the road,” coach Todd Bowles said.“Resiliencyand the times we practice it over and over again. We have some good battles in practice, and they know what to do about whatcoverageand what to see. Everybody’sbought in.”

Y

ou knowhim well.Scotthas been covering LSU since 1992. He is theauthor of three highly acclaimed booksonLSU and was chosen as an LSU Expertfor ESPN’s SEC 150 Documentary

Each Monday,Scottwill puthis thoughts on the last week’sgameand thenextweek’sgame into avideo essayplacing the game in its context anddrawing historical parallels

LSUnot runningafoul of availability reports

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

The Southeastern Conference in-

stituted availability reports in 2024 for football and men’sand women’s basketball for SEC games.

But LSU quarterbackGarrett Nussmeier,who coachBrian Kelly said Monday has been battling through a“torso injury” since preseason camp, was not on any of the Tigers’ availability reports leading up to the team’s20-10 victory Saturday over Florida.

According to Herb Vincent, the SEC associate commissioner for communications, that’s within the letter and intent of the availability report guidelines. Guidelines, Vincent said, that differ from injury reports in the NFL.

“It’suptothe schoolto say whether he can play or not,” Vincent said.

Since LSU knew Nussmeier,who took every offensive snap for the Tigers,would play against the Gators, he did not have to be listed

“It’snot an injury report,” Vincent said. LSU is not required to issue availability reports this week

because it is playing anonconference game Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana (6:45 p.m., SECNetwork). The school will resume reports next weekleading up to its Sept.27 gameatOle Miss (2:30 p.m., ABC).

Availability reports are issued daily beginning three days before agame, with afinal reportreleased 90 minutes before kickoff. Players are listed as “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful” or “out” before game day, and “available,” “game-time decision” or “out” on game day

Kelly was not specific Monday aboutNussmeier’sinjury,but he did say the fifth-year quarterback feels “tightness” that has limited him in practice. Kelly wentonto say that he didn’tthink Nussmeier would havetimetosufficiently heal until LSU’sopen date after the Ole Miss game.

Nussmeier remains one of the nation’stop Heisman Trophy candidates despite amodest start to the 2025 campaign.Through three games, he has completed 69 of 106 passes (65.1%)for 689 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Big12’sunexpectedrisers shooting forstaying power

BY DAVE SKRETTA AP sportswriter

Willie Fritz began his coaching career more than four decades ago at Pittsburg State, aDivision II school tucked into the corner of Kansas where he had played defensive back in the late 1970s and early ‘80s.

In other words, thecurrent Houston coach has seen just about everything in college football, whether it be as the head man at the junior college level(Blinn), the Division II level (CentralMissouri), the FCS level (SamHouston State), thelower tier of FBS (Georgia Southern), the middletierof FBS (Tulane) or now at the Power Four level with the Cougars.

Yes, his team is off to a3-0 start Andyes, it is too early to startselling tickets to the Big12title game “I tell the team allthe time,” Fritz said after lastweekend’s win over Colorado, “this only counts as onegame. Fortunately,I’ve been doing this for along time, and by the time Iwake up tomorrow, I’ll be on to the next one. Itold the guys to make sure they celebrate for acouple of days and have fun with their families, butwe’vegot to move on.”

Houston, Utah, Central Florida and Arizona were all Big 12 bottom-dwellerslast season, fodder for the programs thatwere in a logjam at the top of the league. This year? They areacombined 11-0.

Houston hasn’teven been tested in wins over Stephen F. Austin, Rice andthe Buffaloes. Utah’s drubbing of UCLA helped getBruinscoach DeShaunFosterfired UCF has passed its first two tests in the Scott Frost Era Part II. And the Wildcats landed the best win of

SOUTHERN

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On his first drive thatended with atouchdown, Strother accurately wasputting theball in places where his receivers could make short catches and gain yards after the catch. The passingconcepts weren’t unlike what the Jaguars had used during the first three games, but theoffense felt different. Besides playing apocket passermore against Fresno State,the offense huddled up far more frequently It went to ano-huddle offense only three times. Against Alabama State, the Jaguars wenttoa no-huddle offense 12 times in the first quarter alone.

Southern’smore deliberate style in organizing itself didn’t prevent it from some untimely penalties on the offensive line, which Graves said he’s notconcerned about. Butthe slower pace might have helped with communication andallowed Strother to ease his wayinto each play

The junior transfer from Coahoma CommunityCollege was seen talking to his offense several times before snaps. He said his vocal approach is among his greatest strengths as aplayer

“My leadership,” Strother said “just getting the teamto all gel

them allbybeat-

ing Kansas State, which is more pretender than Big 12 contender at this point As league play getsgoing in earnest, will the upside-down nature of the Big 12 bear outthe rest of theway?

“Ifyou sitaroundand revel in past successes,” Fritz said, “you will never be as good as youcan be Or when you haveabad outcome, if yousit around andpout about it, you’re not going to getany better.Wejust try to move on.Even though (beatingColorado) was abig win forour program, if we want it to be areally big win, we’ve got to keepgoing.”

Houston had plenty of bad outcomes last season,going 3-6 in the league and 4-8 overall. Butthe Cougars already have oneBig 12 winheading into thisweek’s bye, and they can match their win total fromlastseason nextweek against Oregon State.

Utah,UCF andArizona were all 2-7 in theBig 12 last season. All of themhave reason to believe their turnaroundisreal.

The Utes climbed to No. 16 in the AP Top25poll this week, and they have the biggest opportunity of the weekendwith No.17Texas Tech visiting town. The lasttime Utah started 4-0 was in 2008, when Kyle Whittinghamled the Utes to a13-0 mark, awin over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl andultimately aNo. 2 finish in the final AP poll.

“We’ve got to be up for theoccasion,” Whittinghamsaid of the showdown with the RedRaiders, perhaps the most impressive of Big 12 teamssofar this season.

“Our fanswill be there in full force. It’ll be agreat environment for us. The degree of difficultyis gettinghigher,and that’swhat you would expect, and we’re excited about the challenge.”

The Knights wrap up theirnonconference schedule against Bill Belichick andNorth Carolina, which hasalreadylostinlopsided fashion to Big12brethren TCU. Take care of business Saturday andthe Knights will carry momentumintotheir conference opener against Kansas State.

Those Wildcats, who were pegged as possible College Football Playoff contenders before the season, are still smarting from the losstoArizonathatdroppedthem to 1-3. They also lost their conference opener to Iowa State and fell at home to Army

As for the other bunch of Wildcats, thewin over Kansas State doesn’t count as aconference win forArizona becausethe series was made before it joinedthe Big12. Butitnevertheless was abig one for coach Brent Brennan, whois trying to build on a4-8 first season in Tucson made even more humbling by watching Arizona State’s quick turnaround last year

The Sun Devils went from 3-9 in their final year in the Pac-12 to Big 12 champions and CFP participantsin2024.

Perhaps the Cougars, Utes, Knights or Arizona can makea similarly stunning climbtothe top of the league this season.

“I feellikethere’sdefinitely been alot of growth this year,as farasresponding. It’sshowing out there,” Arizona running back IsmailMahdi said. “The only thing youcan do is compare games, whetherwerespondedlastyear or not. Andwe’re responding.”

together andmaking us be one band, one sound.” Graves has been impressed with Strother’sintangibles since the time he joined the team less than aweek before the Aug. 23 season opener

“He hasagreat attitude. He wants to learn,” Graves said.

“He’sa competitor, and, you know, he does the little things that you want to see as acoach.

“He went out and he played well. Of course,hemissed some throws

or missed afew things, but all in all, he didagood jobofleading our program on offense.”

No starting quarterback has been chosen for Southern’supcoming matchup against Jackson Stateat6 p.m. Sept. 27 at home. Regardless of whoisundercenter, the Southern offense with McNairasplay-caller will have a crucial test as SWAC play begins. Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy brown@theadvocate.com.

LSU

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he shouldhave kicked afield goal on that playinstead of trying to pickupafirst down right before halftime against Clemson. LSU hasn’tlineduponfourth down since, though opportunitieshave presented themselves.

On Saturday,the Tigers faced fourth and 1fromtheir own 34yard line in the first quarter, fourthand 3from the Florida 46 in the secondand fourth and 1at midfield in the third quarter Kelly decided to punt each time,defying the guidance that his analytical model gave him That strategy is anew onefor LSU. The Tigers have attempted at least four fourth-down conversions through the first three games of each of thefirst three seasons they’veplayedunder Kelly.In2023, LSU went for it on fourth downeight times in the first three contests. Now —because Garrett Nussmeier is nursing an upper-body injury, and the rushing attack is struggling while the defense is not—the Tigers are playing a risk-averse style of offense.

“Anditcame up big forus, Kelly said, “because it resulted in ascore.” Chadwick, aMiddle Tennessee State transfer, dropped four puntsinside the 20-yard line in thewin over Florida. He’s already notched six such punts through threegames —half as many as twopunterscombinedtorecord all of last season forLSU

Oneofthose punts —the one Chadwick put on Florida’s14yard linewith 1:17 leftinthe second quarter —helped LSU take a 13-10 lead into halftime. Quarterback DJ Lagway threw hissecond interception of the night five plays later,setting up the offense on the edge of field goal range LSU rantwo plays,thenasked Damian Ramos to break a10-10 tie by kicking a45-yard field goal.

The Tigers could have been more aggressive, but because they trust their punter andtheir defense, they called arun on third and 5from Florida’s48-yard line. Caden Durham then picked up 2yards, and Chadwick punted on fourth and 3, teeing up the sequencethatled to the field goal LSU kicked before halftime.

“(Sloan) is doing what he’s asked to do to manage the games the way we need to,” Kelly said. “Wehave atop-10 defense, I believe, in the country,and we need to playtothatstrength. So sometimes, you have to pull back alittle bit here and there. He’sbeing agreat coach from thatperspective.”

ButLSU is stillstruggling to sustaindrives. It ranks108th in scoring offense and95th in total offense.Its rushingattackagain sits near the bottom of the SEC, andit’sscored touchdowns on only five of 11 tripstothe red zone —one of the 25 lowest rates in the country Last season, the Tigers convertedthird downs at the sixthhighest rate in the nation (49%). Now their third-downconversion rate (41%)ranks 70thamong FBS teams.

LSU has plenty of room forimprovement —and plenty of time to improve.

In the meantime, Kelly knows his team can winbyplaying stout defense and flipping thefield. It’show the Tigers have stayed unbeaten ahead of their tune-up againstSoutheastern Louisiana on Saturday (6:45 p.m., SEC Network) and the meat of their SEC slate. “I know it didn’tlook the way it wants to be,” Kelly said, “but trustme, that offenseisgoing to have to scorea tonofpointsat some time during the year,and we’re going to have to turn that loose.”

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSUsports updates signupfor ournewsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

Scheffler comeslongway from beinglastRyder pick

NAPA, Calif. Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in golf, still remembers the time he was last.

Duplantis’ fiancée washis motivation to learnSwedish

BY STEPHEN WADE Associated Press

The Ryder Cup being next on the horizon serves as yet another reminder ofhow quickly his absurd level ofdominance came together. The day Scheffler arrived in Napa was the four-yearanniversary of him being announced as acaptain’s pick for his first RyderCup. He was at No. 21 in the world with 13 other Americans ahead of him. He had yet to win onthe PGATour. Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker was on the phone.

“I think it was fairlyobvious Iwas probablythe last guy on the team,” Scheffler said. “I remember getting the phone call. Ididn’tknow if he was going to callme and give me really bad newsorreally good news. It’skind of weird preparing for something you don’t knowifit’sgoing to be amazing or if it’sjustgoing to absolutely break your heart.

“But it was agreat phone call,” he said. “I was very emotional.” It was abig week for the Americans at Whistling Straits —a19-9win, their largest margin of victory overEurope —and for Scheffler.Hewas sent outearly in the third singles match to play No. 1Jon Rahm, the No. 1player in the world. After four holes, Scheffler had four birdies and a4-up lead. The rout was on. To this day,Scheffler still carries the yardage book cover from that RyderCup. Stricker said the final pickcamedown to Scheffler,Sam Burns and PatrickReed who had been hospitalized for five days with pneumonia during thepasttwo qualifying events, and whose criticism ofhis captain and teammates after the Paris loss in 2018 didn’thelp his cause.

Stricker recalled being impressedwhen he was paired with Schefflerfor thefinal round of the PGA Championship atKiawah Island. He remembered how Scheffler mowed down in successionIan Poulter,Rahm and Matt Kuchartoreach the final of the Match Play.And he asked the six automatic qualifiers to weigh in. The scales kept tilting toward Scheffler. “It’ssuper cool,” Strickersaid of where Scheffler wasthenand where he is now

“Andtosee him carry that yardage book cover, that tells you right therewhat it means to him, what it did for his confidence,the belief in himself and all that.

“Taking down Jon Rahm on Sunday,I’ve got to believe all that played apartinwhat he’s doingnow,” he said. “Weall need that moment whereweget that boostofconfidence.”

Scheffler, one of the ringleadersingetting the Ryder Cup team to Silverado leading up to next week’smatches at Bethpage Black\, made up an eight-shot deficit last weekend to win for thesixthtimethis year. It was aunique week withall but twoof theRyderCup players playing in asleepy tournament among thevineyards in September.And then thetournament started, anditwas business as usualfor Scheffler.

He became only the fifthplayer in the past 75 years to have back-to-back seasons of at least six wins.The otherswereTiger Woods,Jack Nicklaus,Arnold Palmer and SamSnead. And while his style and approach are morereminiscent of Nicklaus, the numbers allow for comparisons with Woods Here’s another landmarkScheffler achieved in Napa —ittook him three years, seven months and one day to go fromhis first PGA Tour title to his 19th. That’sthe shortest timeinPGA Tour history (Woods took three years,seven months and22 days)

The Ryder Cup undoubtedly played a role in this —both of them for Scheffler, goodand bad.

Scheffleralsoshared memories from the last Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.They weren’t happy ones.

Scheffler and Brooks Koepka wereon thelosingend of the most lopsided 18hole matchinRyder Cup history,9and 7 to Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Åberg in foursomes.Scheffler was in tearsashe watchedfromthe sidelines that afternoon What will thenext RyderCup bring?

For Scheffler,ithas always been about preparation. That was his regret from Marco Simone, and one reason he wanted to compete ahead of Bethpage Black.

“We’reall excited to get there to Bethpage and start the tournament,” he said.

“We’ve gotthreedays to seewho’sthe betterteam, and it’s going to be agood battle.”

St.Michael staysunbeaten with winoverSt. Joseph’s

BY CHARLESSALZER

Contributing writer

It hadtohappenatsome point. The St. Michaelvolleyball team came into Tuesday’s match against St. Joseph’s Academyriding awinning streak of 19 consecutive sets. That streak came to an end,but it wasasmall setback as the Warriorsstayed unbeaten overall with a3-1 win over the Redstickers. Played before afull crowd at the St. Michael gym, the match featured apair of teams playing as well as anyone in the Baton Rouge area. St. Michael (80) won the individual sets 25-18, 25-20, 22-25 and 2522, scoresthat show how competitive the match was.

“Most of my players haveplayed club ball for (first-yearSt. Joseph’shead coach Donna Pixley), so there was alot on the line,” St. Michael coach Latashia Wise-Jackson said. “They wanted to play for her, make herproudand show what they’ve learned from her.This is the kindofatmosphere that you want to play volleyball in.” The atmosphere helped

fuel the intensityfor St Michael, which got 24kills from Skylar Towner and 20 from Bella Bravata. Libero AvaRodrigue had 12 digs while Marielle Gary stepped up with 47 assists. Towner had seven kills and ablock inthe deciding fourth set.

“At the endofthe day, we know we’re good, we know they’re good, so you have to pumpyourself upand do the best you can,” Towner said. “It was really exciting because they moved me around alot. Whenever it was my chance, there was no mercy.I just slammed the ball home.”

St. Joseph’s(6-3) kept close throughout the match. TheRedstickers were unabletofind the finish they wanted until thethird set. After trailing most of the set,St. Michael tied it up 22-22 on Bravata’sback row kill.

Anet violation on the Warriors gave thelead backtoSt. Joseph’s, and Mackenzie Chuilli served outthe last twopoints for theRedstickers.

The fourthset had six ties andthreelead changes before an SJAhittinger-

ror gave St.Michael the lead for good at 17-16. St. Joseph’sstayed close, but a late service error provided thefinal Warriors point in a 25-22 win.

“Whenever you can get this kind of competition without having to leavethe city —that’s always agood thing,” Pixley said. “Tasha is doing agreat job. Their kids executed andI’m really happy for them. Iwant to win, butI’m still happy for that group.”

Gracie Mann led the Redstickers with 15 kills and 13 digs. Other factors were Caroline Hultberg with 11 kills and Chuilli with 23 digs. Caroline Burkhalter helped direct the offense with 12 assists.

In the firstset, neither team led bymorethan four points until Towner’s kill tied things up 17-17. The Warriors went on to take eight of the next nine points as they won the set 25-18.

Three kills andablock from Hultberghelped the Redstickers move outto a17-13 leadinthe second set.The Warriors then won sixstraight points,five on Gary’sserve, to takecontrol.

Istrouma at Capitol,5 p.m. Dominican at Dutchtown, 5:30 p.m. Catholic-P.C.atAscensionChristian, 6p.m. Tara at Glen Oaks, 6p.m. North Iberville at Collegiate Baton Rouge, 6p.m. MentorshipAcademyatEast Iberville, 6p.m. McKinley at FalseRiver, 6p.m. Slaughter Community at GEONext, 6p.m. Central at Live Oak, 6p.m. Northwest at Livonia, 6p.m. Christ Episcopal at Madison Prep, 6p.m. East Ascension at Parkview Baptist, 6p.m. Southern Lab at Plaquemine, 6p.m. St. Michael at St. Amant, 6p.m. PonchatoulaatWalker, 6p.m. University Lab at Zachary 6p.m. Friday TBAatBrusly,TBA TBAatBrusly,4 p.m. TBAatBrusly,4 p.m. Northeast Louisiana Christian Home School at ChristianHome Educators Fellowship, 6p.m. Saturday Ascension ChristianTournament, 9a.m. Brusly Tournament, TBA

TOKYO— As every secondlanguage learner knows, Louisiana-born Mondo Duplantis needed motivation to learn —inhis case —Swedish.

The globe saw his inspiration MondayatJapan’s National Stadium when he clambered into the stands after setting aworld record in the pole vault,hugged his fiancée, Swedishmodel Desiré Inglander,and followed up with amade-for-Hollywood kiss and embrace.

Duplantis called meeting Inglander in 2020 his “most important” factor in gaining fluency

“That made it actuallydecent,” he joked.

Therewere other educational moments, of course. He grew up in Lafayette with aSwedish mother and an American dad. There were those summers with grandparents in Sweden and adecision to competeinternationally for Sweden with all that entails.

“I’m marrying aSwedishgirl— andher family is,ofcourse, allSwedish,” Duplantissaid. “I’vehad to make sure that the Swedish was on par— up to game enough —tomakesure when we’re having familydinnersorwhatnot, just hanging out,that Ican go with theflowwith everything.”

He has only amild South-

ern accent. But when speaking in Swedish, he described his accent as “very weird” in acountry where he said even local accents change markedly depending on the location.

“Obviously,myAmerican accent seeps throughvery very hard, Ithink.”

Duplantis’ Swedish is strong enough to do interviewsinthe language, make televisionappearances and do promotions. When you ask afew Swedes, they call him “fluent.”

“They’re probably being very,very kind,” he said.

Duplantis was asked if he felt extra pressure from the Swedish public to keep setting records. The question was prompted by acomment reportedly made by American vaulter Sam Kendricks. Kendricks wasthe silvermedalistbe-

hind Duplantis ayear ago at theParisOlympics. He was also the last to winthe world title —inDoha in 2019 —before Duplantis took over Monday wasthe 14th time Duplantis has set the world record.

“I think that’sprobably alack of understanding of Swedishculture to think that theexpectationsare superhighonmeasfar,as the Swedesare concerned,” Duplantis replied. “I think they’re (Swedes) not the mostharsh in that kind of way.I have no complaints.”

“I think that alot of people expect world records outof me alot of thetime,” he said. “I think that there’salsoa pretty fair reason for that toobecauseI’vebrokenthe record alot of times. And I’ve shown thatwhenever the conditions are right, I’m really up forit.”

Capitol, 5p.m.

By Amanda McElfresh| amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This articleisbrought to youbyBally’s

Fewtraditionscapture thespiritofLouisianaquite like tailgating on LSUgamedays. Even before sunrise, theair around TigerStadium fills with thearomasofCajun delicacies.Friends andstrangers clad in theirbestpurpleand gold greetone anotherwithcheersof“GeauxTigers” throughout theday.For many,tailgatingisjust as importantasthe game itself –atimetoreconnect, celebrateteampride andwelcome newfansinto theTiger family Over theyears,KOCKA Tailgating has become oneofthe premier tailgating groups on theLSU campus.The partystartsat5a.m.on gamedays with afull setupthatincludescornhole, washers, beer pong,aTVtowatch theday’s other matchups,hours of thelatestmusic andclassic hits from BrannonSimar (aka BigBThe DJ)and thefamous8 ManFunnelofDeath–a funnel with eighttubes wheretailgaterscompete to drinkthe most beer Themenucan vary foreachgameday,but Louisianafavorites like jambalayaand gumbo areprettymuchguaranteedtobeavailable Youmight recognizeKOCKA Tailgating from itsslogan: GeauxUglyEarly –areminderto show up well before kickoff anddon’t letupuntil afterthe game clockreads allzeroes. JamesRoy oneofKOCKA Tailgating’s main organizers,said that dedication is just thecrew doingits part to honorLSU tradition.

“It’sthe best fora reason,sowegot to live up to thestandard,”Roy said LSUtailgatingismorethananevent afew timesayearfor KOCKA. They keep thespirit aliveall year long with aFacebookpageand website, andnew membersare always welcome. Official KOCKAmembers payduestohelpcover thecostofsupplies, although anyone canjoinin thegameday party. Roysaidthe groupcan range from 50 to 300peoplethroughoutthe day. In addition to Royand Simar, otherKOCKA key organizers areBrannon Ogden, BenBuecheand Kindra Menard KOCKATailgatingcan be foundonthe Old FrontNineparking lot, theirsitehardtomiss with a40-foot flagpolebearing theAmerican andLSU flags As for what makesthe best tailgate,Roy said it’s simple: “havingthe best time of your life everytime.”

Bally’sCorporationbringsVegas-stylegaming andanelevatedhotel experience to BatonRouge with Bally’sBaton RougeHotel,The QueenBaton Rouge, votedBestCasinoinBaton Rouge, andThe BelleofBaton RougeCasino. Thenewly renovated Bally’sBaton RougeHotel offersthe most suites in thecity. An all-newentertainment complexwill also debutlater this year.Visit www.ballys.com to learnmore. 21+gambling problem? Call 1-877-770STOP

CC’sCoffee House,with various locations in the city,iscelebrating its 30th anniversary with limited-time birthday cake beverages and abirthday cake cookie. On social media, the business is hosting giveaways of merchandise, gift cards and free coffee for ayear Marketsand more

Farm Fête:6p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25,atRed Stick Farmers Market, 501 Main St., Baton Rouge

The annual Farm Fête fundraiser benefits BREADA’s outreach programs,including the Red Stick Farmers Market, strengthening the local food system and ensuring access to fresh healthy food for all. Candlelight quartet:6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday,Oct. 31, at The Plantry Cafe, 5454 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge

The restaurant’s“Music of the Night” evening will feature fourmusicians from the Original Magnolia Quartet, athreecourse dinner and an optional wine pairing. Guests will get afront-row experience to the live, classic performance while enjoying The Plantry’splantbasedcuisine.Ticket prices vary.For more information, call (225) 505-7411.

Mark your calendars

Black Lagoon:Oct. 1-31, at Pelican to Mars, 2678 Government St., Baton Rouge The Halloween pop-up celebration Black Lagoon is making its way to Baton Rouge at Pelican to Mars. Founders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage are in their fifth year of the bar takeover concept with 38 cities participating in October.This year’s cocktail menu features four original drinks:

n GRISELDA’SREVENGE: made with Fords Gin, Lustau Vermut Blanco, Giffard Liqueur Mangue, tarragon, lemon,Bitter Queens Thai Spice andsoda

n NOCTURNA COLADA: made with Kraken Black, Kraken Gold, Mr Black Liqueur,passionfruit, coconut, pineapple and Bitter Queens Coffee Cardamom Bitters

n CORPSE FLOWER: made with Lalo Tequila Blanco, ube, Giffard Banane,lime and Lustau Amontillado Sherry

n DEATH’S DOOR (NON-ALCOHOLIC): aspirit-free alternative made with Giffard Pineapple, miso falernum, lime and soda.

Thanksgiving buffet:11a.m. to

ä See BONVIVANT, page 2D

Rising anew

BY MARGARETDELANEY

Staff writer

With onesip of Magpie Café’s black coffee, Kyle Wilkinson had found his new favorite coffee shop. It was 2012, shortly after thecafe first opened on Perkins Road. Later,hebrought his now-wife, Taylor, on their first date there.

“You could say we fell in love with Magpie at thesame time we were falling for each other,” Kyle Wilkinson said. Their relationship witheach other andthe cafe’s owners, James and Lina Jacobs, grew so much so that they held their wedding at the Jacobses’ house. In 2023, after the Jacobses moved to Hawaii, the Wilkinsons embarked on anew adventure:taking over ownership of the cafe.

Since becomingthe “bossman” of the cafe, as KyleWilkinsonis fondly referred to by his staff, he has changed thelayout, thewalls and more at the coffee shop.

In July,Magpie closed fortwo weeksfor construction andrenovations.The ownerschangedthe wood panelling interiortohaveforest green walls,restructured the cafeline andaddeda pastry box. They’re slowly adding back hang-

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM MAGPIE CAFÉ

Anew mural at Magpie Café at 3205 Perkins Road waspainted by Louisiana artist Kristen Serio.

ing photographs and art for sale to thespace.

However,just12hours afterthe conclusion of the saferroads event alongPerkins RoadonAug. 16, someone drove through Magpie’s patio, and in the process, knocked outthe water line and destroyed

much of the outdoor gardens.

“Itwas devastating to us,” Wilkinson said. “Wedidn’tknow where to begin.”

Thevines andtrees in theback courtyard werea staple of Magpie’s charm. Acup of coffeeunder the shady trees was perfect for hot summer days andbreezy autumn mornings. Thetrees andvines overhanging the graveled courtyard wereclose to providingjust enough coverfor springand summertime rains in Baton Rouge, he said.

“They were getting just big enough to fully cover our customers during the rain,” Wilkinson said. “That’sall gone now.”

Now, the cafe will start anew but with somenew ideas.

Building agardenfromscratch

Ellen Herndon, apassionate gardener who started at the cafe in 2024, expandedMagpie’s garden withsupport fromthe team, customers and her dad. The goal:toproducequality ingredients and contribute to a healthier environment.

“Fresh produce from the garden elevates dishes and drinks,” Herndon said. This year’ssummer menu featuredstrawberry basil lemonade, whichwas made withhomegrown basil, andthe arugula adds flavor

Well, that’s just peachy

Dear Miss Manners: We invited over some of my partner’sfriends who all have young children. Our children are grown, but we adore kids. We understand that kids make messes. We childproofed by moving breakable objects out of reach. We brought out aselection of toys for them to play with. We offered cookies and crackers, and fully expected to have to vacuum after their visit. But one set of parents did something that left me flummoxed.

eatingadripping peach. He dropped it on the carpet, leaving avisible smear of sticky juice, andthe parent picked up thepeach, washed it, and then handed it backtothe toddler

By The Associated Press

TODAYINHISTORY

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Thetoddler dropped it again and theparent threw away thehalf-eaten peach and then selected ANOTHER peachand handed it to the child,who proceeded to continue to eat and drop the second peach.

We have afruit bowlin our kitchen that was out of reach for the small children. It was not on the table forguests to grab, like the other snacks, but guests could easily see it. One of the guests wanderedover,selected a peach and handed it to her toddler.The toddler then marched around the house

Theparents were completely unconcerned about themess thekid made, and didn’tseem to notice or care when Iwas on thefloor scrubbing the stains(somewhat theatrically).

Iwas so taken aback that Ididn’tsay anything. What could Ihavedone?

Gentle reader: Aright instinct —not to step between parentsand their children —inthiscase led you to a wrong,and incidentally in-

effective, action. Youthink theparents did not notice, but if thegoo cleanup was as dramatic as you say,itmay simply have embarrassed them. Either way,itunderlined therudeness being committed without providing asolution. If, instead, you had taken apeach, removed thepit and cut abite-sized slice for thechild —all while engaging theparent in witty conversation —you would have charmed the parent, immobilized the child and prevented further damage to thehouse, all while appearing theperfect host.

Miss Manners has seen similar quick thinking save manyarug.

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.

Today is Wednesday, Sept.17, the 260th day of 2025. There are 105 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Sept.17, 1787, the Constitution of theUnited States was completed and signed by amajority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

Also on this date:

In 1862, more than 3,600 men werekilled in the Civil WarBattle of Antietam in Maryland.

In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crashofapowered aircraft, the Wright Flyer,atFort Myer,Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The pilot, Orville Wright,was seriously injured but survived.

In 1944, during World WarII, Allied paratroop-

ers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands.

In 1978, after 12 days of meetings at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the CampDavid Accords, aframework forapeace treaty

In 1980, former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza wasassassinated in Paraguay

In 2001, six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flag-waving reopening of Wall Street.

In 2011, ademonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in NewYork, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world.

In 2021, aLos Angeles jury convicted NewYork

real estate heir Robert Durst of killing his best friend 20 years earlier (Durst, whowas sentenced to lifeinprison, died in 2022.)

Today’sbirthdays: Sen. ChuckGrassley, R-Iowa,is 92. Mountaineer-explorer

Reinhold Messner is 81. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jacksonis80. Indian PrimeMinister Narendra Modi is 75. ActorCassandra Peterson (“Elvira,Mistress of the Dark”) is 74. Directoractor Paul Feig is 63. Film director BazLuhrmann is 63. SingerBeBeWinans is 63. ActorKyle Chandler is 60. RapperDougE Fresh is 59. Author Cheryl Strayedis57. Actor MatthewSettle is 56. Designer-TV personality Nate Berkus is 54. NASCAR driverJimmie Johnson is 50. NHL forward AlexanderOvechkin is 40. Actor Danielle Brooksis36.

especially on acolder day when fall weather kicks in.

—Maddie Scott, features reporter

Fish Chalmette

n Phil’s Oyster Bar, 4335Perkins Road, Baton Rouge

On this particular day,the fish in the fish Chalmette dish at Phil’swas catfish. And it was tasty. The meal featured pansauteedcatfish served over crawfish spoonbread and topped with crawfish cream saucewith asparagus on the side. The flavors were rich, with alittle sweetness on the backend because of the spoonbread.

If you’re not extremely hungry,there’senough on the plate to have leftovers.

—Lauren Cheramie, features coordinator

Grilled boudin and jalapeño poppers

n NuNu’s Market, locationsin Youngsville, Maurice, Milton and Scott

The best thing Iate this week was far away from any restaurant, or even much cell signal. It was a link of boudin and baconwrapped jalapeño poppers from NuNu’sMarket, purchased in Youngsville before driving out toLake Fausse Pointe State Park for an afternoon of camping and grilling. Yes, just the afternoon. As the weather (barely)cools, daycamping isa funway to

Continued from page1D

2 p.m. Thursday,Nov.27, at Houmas House, 40136 La. 942, Darrow Houmas House and Gardens is hosting its annual Thanksgiving buffet under the Allee of Oak,weather permitting. Themenu features roasted pork loinwith herb demiglace, prime rib, roasted duck breast with pralinesauce, tasso cornbread dressing,garlic mashed potatoes, adessert displayand more.Tickets

ease into one of my favorite cool weather activities, eating outdoors. Just bring everything you want to snack on and play with for afew hours, park near an open grill in abeautiful state park, and be sure to bring everything away with you. Many local Cajun meat marketswill offer almost anything you’dlike to grill, already seasoned, portioned and ready to go. NuNu’s Market (in Youngsville, Maurice, Milton or Scott) is one of my go-tos —their boudin is especially good on the grill, with ahunk of fresh French bread and plentyoffresh air

—Joanna Brown, staff writer

are $95 for adults and $55 for children, available for purchase by calling the gift shop at (225) 473-9380.

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

Ways to remember thedate

Dear Harriette: Afew weeks ago, Ihad areally embarrassing accident at work. Itripped in the office and split my pants right in front of my colleagues. On top of that,I sprained my ankle in the fall, so Ihad to take some time off to recover While Iwas out, Ikept imagining everyone replaying that moment in their minds, and Iworried about what they thought of me. Now that I’m finally cleared to return to the office, Ifeel amix of anxiety,dread and self-consciousness. Ikeep picturing co-workers whispering or laughing behind my back, even though most of them probably don’teven think about it anymore. The thought of walking back into the office makes me physically tense, and I’ve been considering asking to work from home longer just to avoid facing everyone. Iknow that it was an accident and everyone has embarrassing moments, but emotionally,Ifeel like I’m trapped in that one humiliating instant.

Iwanttobeprofessional and get back into my routine, but I’m not sure how to shake off this embarrassmentorrebuild my confidence in front of my co-workers. How can Ireturn to theoffice without lettingthis oneincidentbother me? —Back To Work

Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy

Dear BackToWork: It is highly unlikely that your co-workers have been fixated on your fall. They should be doing their jobs. Additionally,most people are so self-absorbed that theydon’tobsess over other people’sissues. Go back to work with your head heldhigh. When someone asks how youare doing, give an uplifting report.Ifsomeonementions the fall or you splitting your pants, laugh it off. It wasa moment in the past.Bein the present and get back to work.Ifyou let it go, they will, too.

Dear Harriette: My husband recently lost his job. There is aton of paperwork to fill out, and he is dragging his feet instead of doing it WheneverI ask himabout it, he blowsmeoff andsays

MAGPIE

Continued from page1D STAFFPHOTO By MARGARET DELANEy Magpie Café servesloaded grits with Borsin cheese, crispybacon, afried egg and fresh chives withahot Americano.

to thebaconand egg asiago breakfast panini. The loaded grits include fresh tomatoes and chives from the pots just outside the back door

Herndon was also responsible for growing the mini pepper and tomato pots in the courtyard that are for sale for customers to bring home their own fresh garden produce.

“Westarted with green onions and basil, but now we have cherry tomatoes, wildflowers, marigolds, arugula, microgreens, jalapeños, banana peppers and bell peppers,” Herndon said. Some of those plants, but not all, were destroyed in the accident in August. But the destruction has not stopped Herndon from planting anew.

“Wehave to start small and build from there,” Herndon said. “I want peopleto still come to Magpie for the gardens. I’m not letting that dreamgo.”

The replanting of the garden will start from the ground up, beginning with

Iamnagging him. Hehas always been the principal breadwinner in our family and Ineed him to takethis situation seriously.Icannot jumpinand handle it all. Some thingsonly he can do. How can Iget him to focus and handle his business?We have threekids, and Ineed him to stepupand figure out his next steps. —What To Do Dear What To Do: Sit down with your husband again.Tellhim youdon’t mean to nag; you just want to help. Ask him if youcan see the paperwork that hastobefilledout and help where youare able.In as pleasantatoneasyou can muster,urge him to carve outtime to make aplanfor his next steps so that he can continue to protect the family.Ifheneedstoapplyfor unemployment benefits, look it up online andshowhim the website. While he may getangry,dowhatever steps youcan to makeiteasyfor him to complete the tasks at hand. This is atense time. Trytostay calmand notto take his snippiness personally

Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com.

perennials and pollinator plantslike marigolds, lavenderand herbs.

“Futureplans include composting, offering coffee grounds forgardenersand hosting workshops to further enhance the customer experience,” Wilkinson said.

Bringing theart inside

The Magpie owners asked Kristen Serio to paintamural on the wall inside the coffee shop. They wanted something graphic, somethingbold

“It was alittle challenging Iadmit,” Serio said. “I had to thinka little outside thebox, but it’sbeen really fun.

The mural is afloor to ceiling orange, green and blue

graphic design featuring a large and detailed magpie bird. Customers can observe themural while they wait in line to order “Wewanted to bring some of the life that we had outside to ourindoor space,” Wilkinson said.

Whilethe coffee shop slowly comes back to life after theaccident, the owners are going back to theirroots.

“Wewant to getback to what we do best,” Wilkinson said. “Making good coffee.”

Magpie Café, at 3205 Perkins Road, is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6p.m.Monday through Friday and 8a.m. to 6p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Dear Heloise: Irene from Beaverton, Oregon, wrote that she used sticky notes on her bathroom mirror to remember appointments.I understand her dilemma. Iused to do this, too, but then Itook it one step further

Several years ago, Iput acalendar on the wall right next to my mirror and put all my appointments andeventsonit. As she pointed out,you notice it every timeyou look in the mirror.Some places still give out free calendars at the end of the year,orIwill go to alocal dollar store and get one in the size that Ilike. Iremember my appointments, and the mirror is easier to clean with nothing on it.

Lorrie M., via email

Food labeling

Dear Heloise: My hubby is acardiac patient, and

Hints from Heloise

Ihelp him by preparing healthy meals. Iweigh each ingredient in arecipe and calculate the protein, calories, carbs, potassium, sodium and phosphorus foreach item When Ifinish, Iweigh the final product and calculate the nutritional values per ounce. Because it is very timeconsuming, Icook in batches and label the containers with the nameand date it was prepared. Ipost it on alist on the fridge and also in anotebook. Extra containers go in the freezer until they’re needed. If acontainer is overlooked and found at alater date, it is easy forhim to find the nutritional values inside the notebook. —Judy P.,in Boerne,Texas

Judy,I admire the excellent care you give your husband. He is fortunate to have such adevoted caregiver —Heloise Babypowderconcern

Dear Heloise: Irecently read your uses forbaby powder.I think it should come with somecautions. —Barbara, via email Barbara, the jury is still out on this matter.Personally,I would moveinthe direction of caution. Read the labels very carefully and remember that there is always cornstarch available as asubstitute.

Above all, rely on scientific research, not urban gossip. Yes, science occasionally makes mistakes, but at least it is specifically based on finding out the facts. —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Reach out to institutions to ensure you have your paperwork in order. Overcompensating for others will slow you down. Stay focused on results, not on gaining popularity.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Helping a cause will be uplifting and encourage interesting connections with people who have something to offer. Don't feel pressured to donate cash when your time and skills will bring richer results.

ScoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Search for opportunities to utilize your skills, but don't let anyone take advantage of you in the interim. Work toward what you long for most. Reach out to someone you want to reconnect with.

SAGIttARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Think less and do more. Let your actions speak for you, and you'll get the highest return. Make the most of your day, and you'll surpass your expectations.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Think, research, bide your time and avoid being bamboozled into putting your efforts behind someone else's dream. Look for opportunities that align more closely with what you want out of life.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Gravitate toward what's new and exciting, but don't rush into or finalize something. Share your likes and dislikes with someone you love.

PIScES (Feb. 20-March 20) Deal with relationship issues swiftly to avoid

situations becoming unmanageable. Use your intelligence, look for common ground and suggest a plan that fosters compatibility.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Explore and discover what's available and do your best to expand your connections. Set a budget that allows you the freedom to pursue your heart's desires.

tAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Take a moment to evaluate your life and how you can make the most of each day Design your space and lifestyle to ensure you find the happiness you're searching for. Live life your way.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Participate in functions, and volunteer to make a difference using your skills and connections. Disagreements will set you back. Choose peace over discord.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) You can think big, but don't let impulsive behavior lead to mistakes. Avoid emotional situations that can lead to temptation or hinder your long-term plans. Financial gain is apparent.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Change begins with you. Revise your plans to suit your needs. Take control of the situations you encounter. It's what you do that will help you get into the winner's circle.

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. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

Don Hewitt, best known for creating “60 Minutes,” said, “Let’s give the conventionsback to thepoliticians. If we thinkthere’s any news, we can tack it on afterward as commentary. But the conventions should be their show, not ours.”

Let’s give the bidding conventions back to the experts. Let’sconcentrate on the card play, winning the necessary numberoftricks.Whateverconventions are used, often the same final contract will be reached.

Intoday’sdeal,Southisinsixno-trump West leadsthe spade 10. Declarer wins with dummy’s king, thencalls for alow club, gettingready to claim. But when East discards aheart, how shouldSouth react? South opened with astrong and artificial two clubs. North responded three clubs to show five-plus clubs and eightplus points. Then North’s four-diamond rebid wasamodern convention, Redwood —Roman Key Card Blackwood in clubs. South’s reply showed four key cards (three aces and the club king, or four aces).Northput hispartner into six no-trump, awise choice given thebad club break.

Declarerhasonly11topwinners:three spades,four hearts,two diamonds and two clubs. If he gives West the club king now, Southwill be forced to find the diamondqueen.Instead,heshouldwinwith hisclubace,thenleadtheclubfive.West must duck; otherwise, Southclaims. Then, after winning the trick withdummy’squeen,declarerplaysaspadetohis aceand runs thediamond jack through West.Even if the finesse loses, South has three spades, four hearts, three diamonds and twoclubs for hiscontract. ©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 GunStocK: GUN-stok: The support to which the barrel of a shoulder-fired weapon is fixed.

Average mark18words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 32 or morewords in GUNSTOCK?

yEStERDAy’S WoRD —toRSIon

snoot snort soon soot sort stir inro into intro iron noir nori

Rouge Parish Council Of TheProposed Ordi‐nance(s) Introduced By TitleAugust28, 2025 As SetForth Hereinafter. An OrdinanceToAmend AndReenact Part III (Uni‐fied DevelopmentCode) Chapter111 (Administra‐tion andEnforcement), ArticleIV(Zoning En‐forcement),Sec.111-78 (Special,Conditional Use Requirements andProce‐dures) A PUBLIC HEARING will be held by theWest BatonRouge Zoning Commission relative to therezoningrequests. Date:Tuesday,October 7, 2025 Time:5:30pm A PUBLIC HEARING will be held by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council relative to there‐zoning requests Date:Thursday,October i

CITY OF ST.GEORGE

NOTICE ZACHARYCOMMUNITY

BOARD MINUTES September2,2025 TheZachary Community School BoardMeeting washeldonSeptember 2, 2025, at 7PM, at the ZacharyCommunity School BoardOffice,3755 Church Street,Zachary LA 70791

BY COUNCIL MEMBER MURRELL: ORDINANCE NO. 2025 -044

TO ENACT TITLE 9, CHAPTER 13 RELATIVE TOLICENSINGAND REGULATION OF TIREBUSINESSES AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATEDMATTERS

WHEREAS, theCityofSt. George desirestorequirelicense and regulate tirebusinesses in the CityofSt. George; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the St. GeorgeCity Council, StateofLouisiana as follows:

Section 1. Enactment

Chapter 13 of Title 9ishereby enacted to read as follows: Title9 LICENSING ANDREGULATION OF TIRE BUSINESSES CHAPTER 13. TIRE BUSINESS LICENSES

Sec. 9:1307. Purpose.

The purpose and intent of the City is to protect the publichealth, safety,and welfareofits citizens, prevent the spread of disease and creationofnuisances, andtoprotect and enhance the quality of its environment. Thepurpose of this article is toinstitute and maintain a comprehensive program forused andwaste tire storage anddisposal that does not adversely affect thehealth, safety,and wellbeing of the public and doesnot degradethe quality of the environment.

Sec. 9:1308. Definitions.

As usedinthisarticle, thefollowing words and phrases shallhave the meaning ascribed to them herein:

Abandoned means waste tires and/orwaste tire materials discarded withoutadhering to theproper disposal or processing standards required by LDEQ, Title 33,PartVII, Subpart2,Chapter 105.

DestinationFacility means afacility wherewastetires and/orwaste tire material areprocessed, recycled, collected, stored and/or disposed of aftertransportation

Disposal meansthe removal ofwaste tiresfroma tirebusiness to a Destination Facility by aWaste Tire Hauler

Illegal Disposal/Dumping means the depositing, dumping, or placing of waste tires or wastetirematerial ontoany land orwater so that such waste tires, waste tire material, or any constituent thereof may have the potential forenteringthe environment, orbeing emitted into the air, or discharged into anywaters of the State of Louisiana.

LouisianaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality(LDEQ) means the body or branch of the State ofLouisiana government.

Manifest means thepaper mechanism provided by LDEQ or other governing authority,used for identifying the quantity,type, origin transportation, and destinationofwaste tiresand/orwaste tire material from thepoint of generation to the authorized destination.

Person means anyand allpersons, natural or artificial,including any individual, business firm or association.

Processing means anymethod or activity that alterswhole waste tires sothat they arenolongerwhole, such as, cutting,slicing,chipping, shredding, distilling,freezing,orother processes as determined by LDEQ. At aminimum,a tireisconsidered processed onlyifits volume has been reduced by morethanhalf.

Recappedorretreaded tire means any tirethat has been reconditioned and soldfor useona motor vehicle.

Storage means location wheretires arekeptprior tosale ordisposal Tire means acontinuous solidorpneumatic rubber covering encircling or intended to encircle thewheel ofanautomobile, truck,trailer,tractor or other vehicle.

Tire business means any place orestablishment engaged in the business of selling or resellingtires or that generates waste tiresand is occupied, used or maintained for the purpose of offering, transporting, repairing, processing, storing,utilizing,ofany and all types ofsuch tires

Tiredealer means anyperson, business or firm thatlawfullyengages inthe sale of neworused tires.

Unauthorized waste tire pile means an accumulationofmorethan five waste tires whosestorage and/or disposal is notauthorized by the City

Used tire means atirethat can be salvaged and sold as afunctional tire consistentwithdefinitions contained in the Louisiana Department of Public Safetyregulations

Wastetire means atirethat is no longer suitable forits original purpose because of wear,damage or defect and/or has been discarded by theconsumer

Wastetiregenerator meansany personorentity whose activities, whether authorizedorunauthorized, result in the productionofwaste tires. This may include, butisnot limited to,tiredealers, repair shops, salvage yards, etc

Wastetirehauler means anyperson engaged in the business of picking up or transportingwaste tiresfor the purpose of removal and transporting to atirerecyclingfacility,waste tire disposer,processor,end user or disposal facility

Wastetireprocessor means aperson or entity that processes waste tires Sec. 9:1309. Tirebusiness permit.

All tiredealers located withinthe City engaging in the sale orresale of tires or the generation of waste tires shall be required to obtain an annual permit from theCityfor anon-refundablefee of $100 annually. Tire businesses with multiple locationsmust purchase apermit foreach location.The revocationofa tirebusiness permit shall requirethe payment of an additionalannualfee for the reinstatement orre-establishment of the permit.

(a) Application. Each person firm or corporationobligated to comply with thepermitrequirement set forth herein shall makea written applicationtothe city.The applicationshall set forth, among other things, thefollowing:

(1)Name, physical address, telephone number,email,and cell phone number ofthe applicant.

(2) Taxidentification number or taxpayer identification number.

(3) Proof of currentbusiness license issued to the applicant at theproposed business address by the City

(4) Name, mailing address, telephone number,email of the owner of the tirebusiness (ifdifferent fromnumber (1) above).

(5)Name, mailing address, telephone number,email of the owner of thepropertywherethe tirebusiness is located.

Church Street Zachary LA 70791. TheInvocationwas led by Mr.Mackie. ThePledgeofAllegiance wasled by Mrs. Freeman. ROLL CALL: Dr.Lathon, Mr.Talbot, Mr.Gaines, Dr.London, Mrs. Free‐man, Mr.Dayton, Dr.TaylorJarrell, Mr.Hughes, Mr Mackie RECOGNITIONS OF RETIREE Mr.Necaise recognized Mrs. Betty Williams for herretirementand awardedher atrophy. BETA STATEAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Superintendent Necaise recognized KendallLon‐donPayne andCaleb Conner, students at Northwestern Middle School,for winningBETA Stateand National Championshipsbygiving them medallions and certificatestocommem‐

certificates to commem‐oratetheir victories. SUPERINTENDENT’S UP‐DATE Superintendent Necaise gave theSuperinten‐dent’s Update andin‐formed theBoard of up‐coming datesfor district functions. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr.Mackiemoved to ap‐provethe minutesfrom August 5, 2025, Re‐sourcesCommittee, Work Session, andBoard Meetingand August 12, 2025, Policy andGover‐nanceCommittee Meet‐ing. Mr.Daytonseconded themotion. Therewas no public comment VOTE:YEAS9 NAYS 0AB‐SENT 0 RESOLUTION OF ZACHARYCOMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARDREGARD‐INGEMPLOYMENTOF LEGALCOUNSEL y 9, 2025 Time 5:30 pm Public hearings will be held at theWestBaton RougeParishGovern‐mental Building,880 N. Alexander, Port Allen, LA 70767 RunSept17, 24 andOcto‐ber1st,2025 157984 Sept. 17, 24, Oct. 1, 3t $468.27

Arollcallvotewas taken to approve/disapprove theResolution. Dr.Lathon-Yea, Mr.Tal‐bot-Yea, Mr.Gaines-Yea, Dr.London-Nay, Mrs. Freeman-Yea, Mr.Dayton-Yea, Dr.Tay‐lor- Jarrell-Yea, Mr Hughes-Yea,Mr. MackieYea. Therewas no public comment VOTE:YEAS8 NAYS 1AB‐SENT 0 CONSIDERATIONOFTHE STRATEGICFUNDING AND TAXINITIATIVEPRIORI‐TIES PLAN Mr.Hughesmoved to ap‐provethe StrategicFund‐ingand TaxInitiativePri‐oritiesPlan. Mr.Talbotsecondedthe motion Therewas no public comment. VOTE:YEAS9 NAYS 0AB‐SENT 0 SALARY SCHEDULE

(6)The estimated number of tiresthat will be stored on site

(7) The current physical address of thesite

(8)A statement setting forth and describingthe available space forproperlyaccommodatingand protecting alltires including butnot limited to thetypeof fire protection system

(9)SitePlanwithdetailsoffencing, buildings, containers, etc. andlocationoftires stored on site

(10) Proof of insurance

(11) Such otherand further information [the] department of environmentalservicesmay require.

(12) WasteHauler Name,address, phonenumber,and LDEQ WasteTireTransporterNumber (maylistmorethan one, if applicable).

(b) Annual fees. Allpermit feesare dueannually by January 1of each calendar yearatthe DepartmentofEnvironmental Services. These annualfees shallbepaid in advance of theissuance of such license.

(c) Issuance. The permitting office shallissuea permit to atire businesswhich submitsthe required application, pays thefee as required in this section, and has demonstratedcompliance with this section and allapplicable ordinances. Eachtirebusiness registered in accordance with theprovisions of this section shall immediatelycause such permit to be posted in aconspicuous placewithin thepremiseswheresuchtirebusinessisthereby authorized to be established, maintained or operated.

(d) Changeofownership. Any andall changes in ownership of a tire business shallimmediately causethe revocation of apermit issued forthattirebusiness, and shallrequirethe new owner to obtaina new permit

(e) Effectiveperiod. The permitsshall be effective, beginning on January 1untilDecember 31,afterwhich date it shallbenulland void, unless renewed

(f) Each tire business shallhave sixmonths from theeffectivedate of theordinance, from which this articleisderived,tocomply with theprovisions setforth herein. Failure to complywiththis requirement shallbegrounds for revocation of thetirebusiness permit set forth above.

Sec. 9:1310. Records

Tire businesses shallkeeprecords as prescribedbythe LDEQ, Title 33,Part VII, Subpart 2, 10519,Standards andResponsibilitiesofWaste Tire Generatorsand Sellers of Tires. Recordsincludedbut arenot limited to:

(a)PurchaseOrders, Records Invoices andReceipts: Pertaining to theacquisition of neworusedtires

(b)TireSales Invoices: Documenting thequantity of neworused tiressold.

(c)InventoryRecords:Trackingthe number andtypes of alltires on hand;categorized individually as new,usedorwaste.

(d)ShippingRecords:Documenting themovement of alltires; categorizedindividuallyasnew,usedorwaste.

(e)Waste TireManifests:Documenting theproperand legal processing of wastetires generated by thebusiness.

(f) Copies of each monthlywaste tire fee report submittedtoLDEQ.

Sec. 9:1311. Operational guidelines

(a)Tires must be stored in accordance with Section1312.

(b)The outdoor displayoftires is limited to thebuilding frontageonly andnomorethan 5tires at anygiven time. Displaytires shallnot be placed in theright-of-way

(c)All wastetires shallbeseparate from neworusedtires offered forsalebythe business.Waste tiresmustbedisposed of in accordance with Section1313.

Sec. 9:1312. Storage of tires.

Atirebusinessshall properlystore tiresateachfacilityinaccordance with local, stateand federal law. To eliminatethe potentialnuisance of litter,insectbreeding fire hazardsand other healthrisks,eachtire business shallatall times during storage:

(a)Store no morethan500 used tiresand/or150 wastetires at any one time at asingletirebusiness.

(b)Store tiresinacovered or enclosed area adequate to exclude water from thetires, provide insectand vermin control,and to preventand controlstandingwater in thestorageareain accordance with applicablehealthand safetylaws, including, but notlimited to theCity’s fire preventioncode

(c)Screenall tiresfrompublic view if not stored within an enclosed building or transportable collectioncontainer.Indoorstorage of tiresmustbeinaccordance with fire preventioncodesand permittedaccordingly

(d)Iftires arestoredbehind afence,the fence must be legally permitted, fullyenclosed, aminimum of 6feetinheight and maximum of 8feetinheight,and which may be constructed of chain-link wire with fully opaquescreenorother weatherand damageresistantmaterials,includingwooden pickets,metal panels,orsolid plasticpanels.

(e)Securetires at each facilitytoprevent easy access or theft. Lock, chain, or storeinside abuilding or othersecurable area

(f) Accumulateand storetires in accordance with theCity’s fire preventioncode

(g)Notires shallbestoredcloserthan10feet from lotlines unless completely enclosed within abuilding or transportable collection container.

(h)Isolatetires from other stored materialsthat maycreatehazardous productsifthere is a fire,including, butnot limited to,lead acid batteries, fuel tanks, solvent barrels, andpesticide containers.

Sec. 9:1313. Disposal of tires

(a)Any wastetireasdefinedhereinshall be properlytransported to an LDEQ approved Destination Facilitywithin 30 days

(b)Itshall be unlawful for anyperson or tire business to cause,suffer or allowthe disposal of tiresatany placeinthe City including, without limitation, in or on anypublic highway, road,street, alley, or thoroughfare, includingany portion of theright-of-way thereof any public or privatepropertyorany watersinthe City

(c)Itshall be unlawful for any person or tire business to cause, suffer orallow thedisposal of whole tiresina landfill

(d)Tires and/ortirematerialshall be properlytransportedand manifested in accordance with theLDEQ, Title33, PartVII,

STIPEND Mrs. Freemanmoved to approvethe Salary Schedule Adoption for StateAppropriated Stipend. Mr.Gainessec‐ondedthe motion Therewas no public comment VOTE:YEAS9 NAYS 0AB‐SENT 0 UNINSURED/UNDERIN‐SUREDMOTORISTBODILY INJURY RESOLUTION Mr.Gainesmoved to ap‐provethe Uninsured/Un‐derinsured Motorist Bod‐ilyInjuryResolution. Dr London seconded the motion Therewas no public comment VOTE:YEAS9 NAYS 0AB‐SENT 0 2025-2026PUPIL PRO‐GRESSION Mr.Hughesmoved to ap‐provethe 2025-2026Pupil Progression. Mrs. Free‐d d th

Subpart 2, Chapter 105. Tire businesses contractingwitha tire hauler(s) forthe proper disposal of tiresgenerated by such business shall requiresuchhauler(s) utilize atransmittal manifest documenting the pickup anddelivery of the tirestoanauthorized tire disposal or tire recycling facility

Sec.9:1314. Denial of permit; renewal,suspension or revocation of permit.

In additiontoany otherpenalties or fines, St.Georgemay refuse to issueorrenew atirebusiness permitormay suspend or revoke such permitif:

(a) The applicant or permitholderrefusestoallowentryinto the tire business by authorizedrepresentatives of theCityorotherwise willfully obstructsthe inspectionofthe tire business;

(b) There arerepeated or serious violation(s) of anyCityordinance by the tire business;

(c) The tire business failstocomply withany provisions of this section and/orany otherapplicableCityordinance(s);

(d) The tire business failstocomply withany applicablestate or federal law, rule or regulation;

(e) The tire business knowingly authorizes atiretransporter who is not properly permitted as required in Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 33, Part VII, Solid Waste -Subpart 2, Chapter 105 to transport tiresonbehalfofsuchbusiness.

Sec.9.1315. Right of entry, andinspection.

(a) Rightof-entry. Enforcementofficers shall have theright to enter the premises of anytirebusiness to determinewhetherthe tire business useriscomplying withall requirements of this part. Tire businesses shall allowthe Cityready access to allparts of the premises forthe purposes of inspection,observation measurement, recordsexamination andcopying, photography documentation,and the performance of anyadditionalduties

1. Where atirebusiness hassecuritymeasuresinforce whichrequire proper identification andclearance before entry into itspremises, thetirebusiness shall make necessaryarrangementswithits personnel so that,uponpresentation of suitableidentification enforcementofficers willbepermittedtoenterwithout delay for the purpose of performing specificresponsibilities

2. Any temporary or permanentobstructiontosafeand easy access to the facility to be inspected shall be promptlyremoved by the useruponrequest andshall not be replaced.

3. Unreasonable delays in allowing the Cityaccess to the premises shall be aviolation of this part.

Sec.9:1316. Violations andpenalties.

Any tire business violating or failingtocomply withany provisionof this article shall be guilty of apenalty as follows:

(a) The improper storage or display of one or more tiresshall constitute aseparateoffense per tire andbepunishable by a fine of $50 foreachimproperlystoredtireonthe location of the tire business. Eachday of continued violation of this subsection constitutesa separate offense

(b) The transport of one or more waste tireswithout the required permitshall constitute aseparateoffense per waste tire andbe punishable by a fine of $50 foreachtirebeing transported in violation of this article

(c) The improper dumpingofaused or waste tire shall constitute aseparateoffense andbepunishable by a fine of $50 per tire

(d) Failuretomaintain accuraterecords, as required, shall result in a fine of $125 fora first violation;and uponasecond violation withina two-year period, apenalty of $250; anduponathirdand anysubsequent violationswithina two-year period, apenalty of $500.

(e) Failuretoobtaina permitannually shall result in a fine of $250 for a first violation;and upona second violation andany subsequent violationsa penalty of $500.

(f)Unresolved LDEQ Compliance Orders, LDEQ delinquent notifications, failureto file monthly tire feereportwithLDEQ, or othernoncomplianceissueswithLDEQ in excess of 90 days shall result in terminationofthe Tire Business Permit.

Sec.9:1317. Injunctive relief

In additionto, andcumulative of,all otherpenalties herein provided, the city shall have theright to seekinjunctive relief, forany violation(s) of this article

Sec.9:1318. Administration/enforcement.

(a) Administrationand enforcementofthis sectionshall be pursuant to Title 4. The City, by andthrough itsauthorized representatives, is hereby authorizedtoenterany property regulatedbythis article,atreasonable or necessarytimes to properly inspect for violations.

(b) Tire businesses allegedtobeinviolation of this ordinanceshall receive noticetoappear at an administrative.

Sec.9:1319. EffectiveDate. This Ordinanceshall be effectiveupon publication

This ordinancehaving been submitted to avote; the vote thereon was:

For: Cook, Edmonds, Monachello,Murrell, Talbot, Dellucci,Himmel

Against: Absent/Abstaining /Recused:

Adopted this day of September, 2025

Signed this day of September,2025

Delivered to the Mayor on the dayofSeptember,2025

LorraineBeaman,CityClerk

Approved:

Dustin Yates, Mayor

Received from the Mayor on the _day of ,2025

LorraineBeaman,CityClerk

Adopted Ordinancepublished in The Advocateonthe day or ___, 2025.

CoastalManagement (OCM)has received the followingapplication(s) fora CoastalUse Permit (CUP)inaccordancewith theState andLocal CoastalResources Man‐agementAct of 1978, as amended, (La. R.S. 49:214.21-214.41),and the rulesand regulationsof theCoastal Resources Program Applications forthe proposed work maybeinspected at 617 North3rd Street,Room 1078, BatonRouge,LAor on theOCM webpageat: http://dnr.louisiana.gov/ index.cfm?md=pagebui lder&tmp=home& pid=591. Copies maybe obtained upon payment of cost of copying. Writ‐tencomments, including suggestionsfor modifi‐cationsorobjectionsto theproposedworkand statingthe reasons thereof, arebeing so‐licitedfromthe public Commentsmustbere‐ceived within 25 days of thedateofpublication of this notice.Comments should be uploaded to ourelectronicrecord, but maybemailedor emailedtothe desig‐natedOCM Reviewer.All comments must contain theappropriate applica‐tion numberand the commenter's full name andcontact information. Anypersonmay request, in writing, within the comment period speci‐fied in this notice,that a StateorFederal public hearingbeheldtocon‐siderthisapplication.Re‐quests forpublichear‐ings shallstate,withpar‐ticularity,the reasonsfor holdinga public hearing andmustcontain the name andcontact infor‐mation of therequester Beloware thereferenced application(s): OCM; P. O. Box 44487, BatonRouge,LA 70804-4487; Phone: (225) 342-5069; Email: heather. evans@la.gov;OCM Re‐viewer:Heather Evans; CUPNUMBER: P20250615 Name:St. Mary Levee District c/oT.Baker Smith, LlcP.O.BOX 2266 HOUMA,LA70361 Attn: Troy SehlingerLocation: SaintMaryParish, LA; Lat29-40-58.11N,Long91-10-19.47W;Section 40 T16S R13E;Description: Proposed flood protec‐tion viaatie-inbetween theexistingAvoca Island leveeand theAvoca Is‐land CuoffLocks.Ap‐proximately436 cubic yardsofearthen fill will be used to connectthe locksystemand theex‐isting leveeonAvoca Is‐land to preventwater flow between theexist‐inglevee system NOTICE theLa. Dept. of Energy andNatural Re‐sources, Office of CoastalManagement (OCM)has received are‐questtoextendfor the referenced CoastalUse Permit in accordance with theState andLocal C l with the State and Local CoastalResources Man‐agement Actof1978, as amended, (Louisiana R.S. 49:214.21-214.41),and the rulesand regulationsof theCoastal Resources Program.Applicationfor theproposedworkmay be inspectedat617 North 3rdStreet,Room 1078, BatonRouge,LAoron theOCM webpageat: http://dnr.louisiana.gov/ index.cfm?md=pagebui lder&tmp=home& pid=591. Copies maybe obtained upon payment of cost of copying. Writ‐tencomments, including suggestionsfor modifi‐cationsorobjectionsto theproposedworkand statingthe reasons thereof, arebeing so‐licited from thepublic. Comments must be re‐ceivedwithin10daysof thedateofpublication of this notice.The sole rea‐sonfor notallowingex‐tensionbased upon pub‐liccomment shallbethat therehas been achange in theconditionsofthe area affected by theper‐mitsince thepermitwas originally issued.Com‐mentsshouldbeup‐loaded to ourelectronic record,but maybe mailed, faxed or emailed to thedesignatedOCM Reviewer.All comments must containthe appro‐priate applicationnum‐berand thecommenter's full name andcontact in‐formation. OCM, P.O. Box 44487, BatonRouge,LA 70804-4487, Phone: (225) 342-0566, Email: lorna. putnam-duhon2@la.gov, OCMReviewer: Lorna Putnam-Duhon, CUP NUMBER:P20220907 (Ex‐tended) Name:Lafourche Parish Government,4876 Hwy. 1Mathews,La 70375 Attn:Aaron Fry‐moyer Location: LafourcheParish, LA;Lat 29 44' 35.69"N/ Long -90 46' 01.87"W; Section013 T15S R17E;40Arpent Canaland Lefort Bypass, Thibodaux, LA.Descrip‐tion:Proposedremoval andreplacement of an existing bridge over the 40 Arpent Canal on Lefort Bypass. Theex‐istingstructure andpil‐ingswillberemoved.The slopes of thecanal will be reshaped anda new bridge structurewillbe builtinthe same place. Approximately1200 c.y. of material will exca‐vatedand 250 c.y. of rock,stone andasphalt will be broughtinas fill 158467-sept 17-1t $54.36

1 Municipal Address: 6738 Ford St,Baton Rouge, LA 7081; DIST:1ST WARD CITY/MUNI/TWP:EBATON ROUGEPARISHWARD: 12, SUBDIVISION: ZION CITY,LOT:B,BLOCK:14. RESUB. 1983(4-PLEX). 1995. (560-10627).2000. (200-11154).2003. (495115) 2. MunicipalAddress: 9616 El ScottAve,Baton Rouge, LA 70811; DIST:3RD WARD CITY/MUNI/TWP:EBATON ROUGEPARISHWARD: 30, SUBDIVISION: BRYAN ESTATES, LOT: 95-B. (ONE UNIT OF DUPLEX)1995. (187-10628).1999. (51710987).under theterms andconditionsprovided in thepurchaseagree‐ment filedinthese pro‐ceedings Notice is nowgiven to allparties whom it may concern, includingthe heirsand creditorsofthe decedents, andofthis estate,thattheybeor‐deredtomakeany oppo‐sition whichtheyhaveor mayhavetosuchappli‐cation,atany time,prior to theissuanceofthe orderorjudgmentautho‐rizing,approvingand ho‐mologating that applica‐tion andthatsuchorder or judgment maybeis‐sued after theexpiration of sevendays, from the second date of publica‐tion of such notice,all in accordance with law. 155407 Aug. 27, Sept.17, 2t $76.98

LOUISIANA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTALFACILITIES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

On themotion of Camardelle andseconded by Rabalais,the following resolution was adopted: RESOLUTION

ARESOLUTION AMENDINGAND RATIFYINGAND MAKING CERTAIN FINDINGS WITH RESPECT TO ANDAUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEEDFORTY MILLION DOLLARS ($40,000,000)LOUISIANALOCALGOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITIES ANDCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYHOSPITAL REVENUE BONDS (GENERAL HEALTH SYSTEMPROJECT) IN ONE OR MORE SERIES; APPROVING THE FORMS OF ANDAUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THE INDENTURE AND THE LOAN AGREEMENT; AUTHORIZING THEEXECUTION AND DELIVERYOFTHE TAXREGULATORYAGREEMENT ANDOTHER DOCUMENTS, CERTIFICATES OR CONTRACTSREQUIREDIN CONNECTION THEREWITH; ANDAUTHORIZING THE OFFICERS ANDDIRECTORSOFTHE AUTHORITY TO DO ALL THINGS NECESSARYTOEFFECTUATE THIS RESOLUTION.

WHEREAS the Louisiana LocalGovernment Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority (the “Authority”) isapolitical subdivisionofthe State of Louisiana established forpublic purposes pursuant to Chapter 10-D of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended (La. R.S. 33:4548.1 through 4548.16) (the “Act”);and WHEREAS,the Authority adopted resolutions on March13, 2025 and May 8, 2025 (collectively the “Prior Resolutions”),authorizing theissuance of the Authority’sHospitalRevenueBonds (General Health System Project) in one or moreseries in an amount nottoexceed $55,000,000 on ataxable or tax-exemptbasis, pursuantto the Act at therequestof and on behalf of GeneralHealth System (the “Corporation”), aLouisiana nonprofitcorporation organizedand existingunder the lawsofthe State of Louisiana and an organization describedinSection 501(c)(3)ofthe Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the“Code”), and exempt from federal income taxationpursuant toSection 501(a) of the Code, whichPrior Resolutions authorized the loan theproceedsthereof to the Corporation for the purpose of (i) financing allora portion of thecosts of thedesign, construction and equipping of an approximately 40,000 square footmedical complex to be locatedinLivingstonParish,Louisiana (the Project”), (ii) funding capitalized interest on the Bonds, if necessary or desirable, as determined by the Corporation,and (iii)paying allora portion of thenecessary costs in connection with the issuanceof the Bonds; and WHEREAS,State Bond Commissionapprovedthe issuance of the Bonds by the Authority at its meeting held on April 22, 2025; and WHEREAS,the Bonds willbeissuedunder aTrust Indenture(the “Indenture”), by and betweenthe Authorityand Hancock WhitneyBank, as trustee (the “Trustee”); and WHEREAS,pursuant to aLoanAgreement(the“LoanAgreement”) by and betweenthe Authority andthe Corporation, the Authority will loan the proceeds of theBonds to the Corporation andthe Corporationwillbe obligated under the Loan Agreementtomakepaymentssufficient to pay the principal, premium, if any, andinterestdue on the Bonds andother required payments thereunder; and WHEREAS,the payment obligationsunder the Loan Agreementwillbe secured by amortgage and assignment of leasesand rentsonthe Project infavor of the Trustee (the “Mortgage”);and WHEREAS,inorder to ensure compliance with theprovisionsofthe Code and theincome tax regulations proposed or promulgatedthereunder, theCorporation and the Authoritywillenter into aTax Regulatory Agreementinconnectionwith the Bondstobedated the date of delivery of the Bonds(the “Tax Regulatory Agreement”);and WHEREAS,the Bonds wereproposedtobesoldtoJ.P.Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.through DNT Asset Trust,a Delawarestatutory trust and whollyowned subsidiary of J.P.MorganChase Bank, N.A. pursuant to a commitment/bond purchase agreement; and WHEREAS,the Corporation has advised the Authority that tnow has entered into acommitmentletter(the“Hancock Commitment’)with Hancock Whitney Bank, astate banking corporation, to purchase the Bonds in an amountnot to exceed$40,000,000and,accordinglythe Authority desires to ratify and amendits PriorResolutionstoacknowledge Hancock Whitney Bankasthe purchaser (the “Replacement Purchaser”) of the Bonds, and the Authority hasdetermined that such salewillbein furtherance of the public purposes intended tobeserved by the Act; and WHEREAS,all consents andapprovals required to be givenbypublic bodies in connection with the authorization,issuanceand sale of the Bonds as authorized by the Indentureand

,beitresolved

and Community

Authority,that: SECTION 1.Pursuant to the authority of the Act, the Authority hereby ratifies and authorizes theissuance of not to exceed $40,000,000 LOUISIANA LOCALGOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTALFACILITIES ANDCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HOSPITALREVENUE BONDS (GENERAL HEALTH SYSTEM PROJECT) in oneormoreseries (the “Bonds”). This Resolution amends and ratifies the priorResolutions solely forthe purpose of authorizing the saleofthe BondstoHancock Whitney Bank,asthe Replacement Purchaser in an amountnot to exceed $40,000,000 pursuant to the Hancock Commitment. Thedetails of the Bonds, including any change in the nameofthe Bonds, and the other provisions of their issuance, security and payment shall be as set forth in the Indenture,withsuch additions, omissions and changes as may be approvedbybond counsel and counsel to the Authority.The Bondswill be issued only as fullyregistered bondsinthe denominationsauthorized by the Indenture.The Bondsshallmaturenot laterthan forty (40) years from date of issuanceofany applicable series and shall bearinterest at a fixed or variable rate not to exceed ten percent (10%) perannum. The Bonds may be issued as fullyregistered bondsinthe denominationsofat least $100,000 or any integral multiple of $5,000 in excess thereof.Ifthe Bonds arerated “BBB/Baa” (orequivalent) or betterbya national rating agency, and with the written consent of the Authority,the Bondsmay be issued or transferred in denominations of $5,000 or any integral multiple in excess thereof.The Replacement Purchaser shall execute an investor letter,inthe form approvedbybond counsel and counsel to the Authority inconnectionwiththe initialpurchase of the Bonds. The Bondsshallbe secured by payments under the Loan Agreement,which payments will be assigned and pledgedtothe Authority forpayment of principaland interest on the Bonds, whichpayments underthe LoanAgreement aresecured by the Mortgage.

SECTION 2.The Bondswillbesoldtothe Replacement Purchaser and aresubject to the provisions of acontinuing covenantsagreement betweenthe Replacement Purchaser and the Corporation; providedthat the parameters of the termsofthe Bondsand set forth in this Resolution are notexceeded. The form and substance of the Bondsshallbeacceptable to bond counsel and counsel to the Authority

SECTION 3.The forms, termsand provisions of the Indenture and the Loan Agreement arehereby ratified and approvedinsubstantially thesame form as submitted to the Authority and filed with the official minutesofthe Authority,all of theprovisions of whichare hereby made apart of this resolution, with such additions, omissions and changes as may be approvedbybond counsel to the Authority.The Chairman,Vice Chairman,Secretary/Treasurer,Assistant SecretaryorExecutive Director of the Authority (each,an“Authorized Officer”) be and they arehereby authorized, empowered and directed to execute the Indenture and the Loan Agreement for, on behalf of and in the name of the Authority,in accordance with the provisions and requirements of the Act.

The Bondsare issued under and secured by the Indenture which providesa complete description of the pledged property and revenues constituting the Trust Estate (as definedinthe Indenture), thenatureand extentofthe security,a statement of the termsand conditions on which theBonds areissuedand secured, the rights, duties and obligations of the Authority,the rights,dutiesand immunitiesofthe Trustee, and the rights of theownersofthe Bonds.

The Bondsare limited andspecialobligations of the Authority and do not constitute or create an obligation,general or special, debt, liability or moral obligation of theState or of anypolitical subdivisionthereof,within themeaning of any constitutional or statutory provisions whatsoever and neitherthe faith or credit nor the taxing power of the State or of any political subdivisionthereof is pledged to the payment of the principalof, premium,ifany,orthe interest on the Bonds. The Bondsare not general obligationsofthe Authority (which has no taxing power and receives no funds from anygovernmental body),but they arelimited andspecial revenue obligations of the Authority payable from theincome, revenues and receipts derived or to be derived from payments made pursuant to theLoan Agreement SECTION 4.Any of the Authorized Officers of theAuthority shall have prepared and shall execute forand on behalf of the Authority the Bonds and the signatures of any of the Authorized Officers may be evidence by their facsimilesignatures and shall deliver the same to the Trustee for authentication. The Trusteeshall,uponauthentication of the Bonds, deliver thesame to the Replacement Purchaser in accordancewiththe Indenture andshallreceive from the Replacement Purchaser

action

by lawinconnection withthe authorization,issuance, sale anddelivery of theBonds. Said officers areherebyfurtherauthorizedand directedtoapprove for, on behalf of, andinthe name of theAuthority anychanges, additions or deletions in anyofthe documents, instruments or certificatesreferredtointhis resolution, providedthat allsuchchanges, additions or deletions, if any, shallbeapprovedbybondcounsel to theAuthority andcounsel to the Authority andshall be consistent withthe authority providedbythe Act. Thesignaturesofany of theAuthorizedOfficers uponsuchdocumentsset forth above,orasmay be otherwise required forornecessary,convenient or appropriatetothe financing described in this resolution, aredeemed to be conclusiveevidenceoftheir due exercise of theauthority vested in them hereunder SECTION 6.The AuthorizedOfficers of theAuthority areherebyfurther authorizedtotake such action as is necessary,onthe advice of bond counsel to theAuthority andcounsel to theAuthority,toeffectuate and implement this resolutionincludingthe publication hereof as required by theAct

SECTION 7.Byvirtue of theAuthority’s applicationfor,acceptance andutilizationofthe benefits of theState Bond Commission’s approval, theAuthority understands andagreesthat such approval is expressly conditioned upon, andfurtherunderstands,agreesand binds itself, its successorsand assigns, to full andcontinuing compliancewiththe “State Bond Commission Policy on ApprovalofProposedUse of Swaps, or other forms of DerivativeProducts, Hedges, Etc.,” adopted by theCommission on July 20, 2006,astothe borrowing andother matterssubject to the approval, includingapprovalundersaid Policy of theimplementation or useofany swapsorother productsorenhancementscovered thereby.

SECTION 8.Thisresolutionshall be published in TheAdvocate, the official journalofthe Authority andthe StateofLouisiana published in BatonRouge,Louisiana SECTION 9.Thisresolutionshall becomeeffective immediatelyupon itsadoption. This resolutionhaving been submitted to avote, thevote thereonwas as follows:

Executive CommitteeMemberYea NayAbsent Abstaining

Mack Dellafosse,Chairman X Jim Holland, Vice Chairman X

Mayor David Carmardelle

Secretary/Treasurer X

Mayor David C. Butler X

Johnny BerthelotX

David B. Rabalais X Ms. Mary Adams X

Theresolutionwas declared adopted on this 11thday of September, 2025 LOUISIANA LOCALGOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTALFACILITIES AND COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENTAUTHORITY

ATTEST:By: /s/TyE.Carlos Ty E. Carlos,Executive Director

By:/s/ AmyK.Cedotal

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING GOVERNMENT BUILDING 880 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen Thursday,August 28, 2025 5:30 PM

The Following Minutes AreSummarized For Brevity,For Precise Meeting Information Please Refer To Meeting Audio Or Video

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER &REQUEST ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES BE SILENCED ARegular Meeting of the West Baton Rouge Parish Council was held on Thursday,August 28, 2025 and called to order at 05:30 PM. Council Chairman Carey Denstel asked that all electronic devices be placed on silent.

2. OPENING PRAYER

Councilman Atley Walker Jr.led everyone in an opening prayer

3.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chairman Denstel recognized Mr.Curtis Ducote who led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

4. LOG ATTENDANCE The following members wererecorded as being present: Messrs. Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel Alan Crowe, and Mrs. Katherine Andre. Absent: Messrs. Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph.

Also present were, Mr.Jason Manola, Parish President, Mr.Phillip Bourgoyne, Executive Assistant, Mr.Chance Stephens, Director of Finance, Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne, Director of Public Works, Ms Kristen Canezaro, Special Legal Counsel, and Mrs. Michelle Tullier Council Clerk.

5. MINUTES APPROVAL

A. Approval of Minutesfromthe Regular Meeting of August 14, 2025. Amotion was made by Council Member Kirk Allain, seconded by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin to approve Approval of Minutes from the Regular Meeting of August 14, 2025.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre) NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:2 (Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph) ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

6. CONSIDER ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA Therewerenoitems to consider at this time.

7. PARISH PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Parish President Jason Manola was recognized and covered the following items: Prayers go out to the Minnesota victims and their families; SNT Global announcement 59.4-million-dollar project down Choctaw Rd. in Brusly creating approximately 275 new jobs.

8. PUBLIC COMMENTS Therewerenocomments at this time.

9. COMMUNICATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND/OR ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIALS

Mr.Phillip Bourgoyne, was recognized and gave abrief overview of the recent ongoing projects of the Roads and Drainage crews in the Parish.

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne, gave abrief update on the La1/415 connector project.

10. NEW BUSINESS

A. Consider Adoption of 2026 Budget Schedule

Mr.Chance Stephens presented the Council with the proposed 2026 Budget Schedule.

Amotion was made by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin, seconded by Council Member Brady Hotardto approve Consider Adoption of 2026 Budget Schedule.

Thevote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker, BradyHotard, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:2 (Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

Acopy of said schedule can be found at the end of these minutes.

B. Accept/Reject AdministrationBid Recommendation on 2025 Pickle Ball Court Project

Mr.Phillip Bourgoyne was again recognized and brieflygave arecommendation on the aforementioned bid proposal. The administration is recommending accepting the low base bid of Quality Court LLC. of $784,100 dollars and rejecting Alternate #1 in the amount of $180,400 dollars.

Amotion was made by Council Member Kirk Allain, seconded by Council Member Brady Hotard, to Accept the Administration Bid Recommendation on 2025 Pickle Ball Court Project for the base bid of $784,100 dollars submitted by Quality Courts LLC. and reject the Alternate #1 in the amount of $180,400 dollars.

The votewas recorded as follows:

YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:2 (Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

Chairman Carey Denstel said afew wordsinregardtopartnering with Placid on aproject like this, and how much of an honor that it is. The Chairman introduced Mr.Rob Beadle, President of Placid Refining. Mr.Beadle thanked the Council and administration, and noted this was aspecial project in recognition of the 50year anniversary of Placid Refining being in West Baton Rouge Parish.

Mr.Beadle ended his comments with “West Side is the Best Side” and in closing thanked everyone for their help over the years working with Placid.

11. PUBLIC HEARINGONPREVIOUSLYINTRODUCED ORDINANCES

A. An Ordinance authorizing the Parish of West Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana to proceed with anot to exceed $9,160,000 financing throughthe Louisiana Local Government Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority;authorizing and ratifying the Parish’srequest of theLouisiana Local Government Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority to issue its revenue bonds; authorizing the borrowing by the Parish of the proceeds fromthe sale thereof; approving and ratifying within certain parameters the terms of the sale of the bonds; authorizing the form of and execution of the Loan Agreement; authorizing the form of and execution of an Agreement for the purchase of the bonds and ancillary

providing with respect thereto.

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker Brady Hotard, CareyDenstel,Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 2(Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Ordinance 36 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

B. An Ordinance Adopting the 2025 Council Amendments to the FireDepartment Budgeted Expenses for the Fiscal Year beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2025. The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item. Mr.Chance Stephens was again recognized and explained the reasons for the adjustments to the FireDepartment budgeted expenses for 2025, and offered to answer any questions. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The CouncilChairman at this point declared the Public Hearing closed. Amotion was made by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin, seconded by CouncilMember Kirk Allain to approve An Ordinance Adoptingthe 2025 CouncilAmendments to the FireDepartment Budgeted Expenses for the Fiscal Year beginning January 1, 2025 andending December 31, 2025 as presented.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel,Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 2(Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Ordinance 37 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

C. An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map (Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning Map For Rezoning Request of Brittany T. Free Etals. Regarding Property located at 5855 Horner Road Port Allen LA 70767 File #2025-18: Described by the WBR Assessor as: 14.64 AC SD CLYDE HORNER PROP DESIG AS: LOT B-2 CONT 7.14 AC &TRACT CCONT 7.50 AC 13A-82. Rezoning approximately 1.015 acres from AG-3 (Agricultural Large Scale) to AG-1 (Agricultural Small Scale). MASTER PLAN CHANGE

The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item. Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and gave abrief explanation of the reasons for this rezoning request, and noted the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the same. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the PublicHearing closed. Amotion was made by Council Member Katherine Andre, seconded by CouncilMember Brady Hotardtoapprove An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map(Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning MapFor Rezoning Request of Brittany T. Free Etals. Regarding Property located at 5855 Horner Road Port Allen LA 70767 File #202518: Described by the WBR Assessor as: 14.64 AC SD CLYDE HORNER PROP DESIG AS: LOT B-2 CONT 7.14 AC &TRACT C CONT 7.50 AC 13A-82. Rezoning approximately1.015 acres from AG-3 Agricultural Large Scale) to AG-1 (Agricultural Small Scale). MASTER PLAN CHANGE

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel,Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre) NAYS: 0(None) ABSENT: 2(Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph) ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Ordinance 38 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes. D. An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map (Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning Map For Request of Walter and Tiffany LeBlanc. Regarding Property located at 5950 Rambin Road Brusly LA 70719. File #2025-19: Described by the WBR Assessor as: TRACT SB-2-B

CONT 5.31 AC IN SEC 61 T8S R12E P/O BABIN PROP47A-17. Rezoning 5.31 acres from AG-3 (Agricultural Large Scale) to RM (Residential Minor). MASTER PLAN CHANGE

The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item. Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and gave abrief explanation of the reasons for this rezoning request, and noted the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the same. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the PublicHearing closed. Amotion was made by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin, seconded by CouncilMember Alan Crowe to approve An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map(Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning MapFor Request of Walter and Tiffany LeBlanc. Regarding Property located at 5950 RambinRoad BruslyLA70719. File #2025- 19: Described by the WBR Assessor as: TRACTSB-2-B CONT 5.31 AC IN SEC 61 T8S R12E P/O BABIN PROP 47A-17. Rezoning 5.31 acres from AG-3 (Agricultural Large Scale) to RM (Residential Minor). MASTER PLAN CHANGE

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel,Alan Crowe, KatherineAndre)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:2 (Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Ordinance 39 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes. E. An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map (Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning Map For Request of AG Logistics, LLC. representing East West Landco LLC. Regarding Property located at 3790 Rosedale Road, Port Allen LA 70767. File #2025-20: Described by the WBRAssessor as: TRACT A-2-B-1 CONT 29.26 AC IN SEC 116 117 &118 T7S R12E P/O CARRUTH PROP 44-56. Rezoning a4+- acreportion of 29+- acres from R-SF-2 to AG-3 with a Special Use Permit for Agriculturestorage and distribution, heavy. MASTER PLAN CHANGE. The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item.

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and gave abrief explanation of the reasons for this rezoning request, and noted the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial by a unanimous vote due to location, dirt, dust and number of trailers near aschool zone.

The following members of the public spoke out against the request for numerous reasons, such as dirt, dust, location, accidents, school zone proximity,curve proximity,and number of trucks in and out daily. Mr.Matt Miltonwith BeardConstruction, Mrs.Melanie(Mimi) Robique, Mr.Loyd LeBlanc, and Mr.Rodney Robique.

Mr.Todd Doironwith AG Logistics was recognized and noted they have done everything the Parish has asked over the years and are only asking to be able to operate on this site.

Mr.Heath Morris, Mr.ScottStassi,and Mr.Donald Schexnaydre

wererecognized in support of this location, echoing the statements made by Mr.Doiron. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the PublicHearing closed.

Councilmember Brady Hotardnoted he wouldbeabstaining from the vote due to RS: 42:1120. Therewerequestions by Mr.Doiron in regardtoadditional turning lanes on RosedaleRd. Mr.Bourgoyne explained he would look into this with the State.

Councilmember Hotardasked

Therewerenoitems to consider at this time.

13. RESOLUTIONS Therewerenoitems to consider at this time.

14. CONSIDER SUBDIVISION PLATS,CONDEMNATIONS, WAIVERS AND MATTERS RELATED THERETO A. File #2025-24: PRELIMINARYPLATOFSUGAR POINTE LOTS 1THRU 48, TRACTS ‘Y’ &‘Z’ BEING LOT TO-1 OF THE 164.378 ACRE TRACT LOCATED IN SECTION 13, T7S-R11E, SOUTHEASTERN LAND DISTRICT,WESTOFTHE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WESTBATON ROUGE PARISH, LOUISIANA FOR F& AINVESTMENTS, L.L.C 314 WESTWOOD BOULEVARD PORTALLEN LOUISIANA 70767. WITH WAIVER FOR BLOCK LENGTHS. Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and gave abrief explanation of the preliminary plat being presented for approval, and noted the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the same with the listed waivers for block lengths Mr.Francois Boulanger was recognized and explained the reasons for the even larger lots than expected and the reason for the waivers needed. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the Public Hearing closed. Amotion was made by Council Member Brady Hotard, seconded by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin to approve with waiver/s for block lengths File #2025-24:PRELIMINARYPLATOFSUGAR POINTE LOTS 1THRU 48, TRACTS ‘Y’ &‘Z’ BEING LOT TO-1 OF THE 164.378 ACRE TRACT LOCATED IN SECTION 13, T7S-R11E, SOUTHEASTERN LAND DISTRICT,WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH, LOUISIANA FOR F& A INVESTMENTS, L.L.C 314 WESTWOOD BOULEVARD PORT ALLEN LOUISIANA 70767.

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 7(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker, Brady Hotard, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre) NAYS: 0(None) ABSENT:2 (Kenneth Gordon, Gary Joseph) ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

15. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES Mrs. Tullier,Council Clerk read by title the below proposed ordinance/s being introduced and publicized by title, and considered for adoption following apublic hearing on October 9, 2025 at 5:30 pm in the Council Chambers, located at 880 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen, La. A. An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact Part III (Unified Development Code) Chapter 111 (Administration and Enforcement), Article IV (Zoning Enforcement), Sec. 111-78 (Special, Conditional Use Requirements and Procedures)

16. CORRESPONDENCE REPORT

17. ADJOURN Therebeing no further business, amotion to adjournwas made by Council Member Kirk Allain and was adopted by acclamation at 06:41 PM. ALL MEETING INFORMATION INCLUDING MINUTES AND VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE WBRPARISH.ORG UNDER THE AGENDA AND MINUTES TAB.

7/28/2025 2026 BUDGET SCHEDULE

AUGUST 28, 2025 THURSDAYCOUNCIL APPROVES SCHEDULE September 1,2025 MONDAYBUDGET PROCESS BEGINS

OCTOBER 3, 2025 FRIDAYALL BUDGETS DUE IN COUNCIL OFFICE

SEPTEMBER 25 & OCTOBER 2, 2025 THURSDAYPUBLICATION OF ALL SPECIAL MEETINGS

OCTOBER 9, 2025 THURSDAYCOUNCIL PRESENTED COPIES OF THE BUDGET

OCTOBER 27, 2025 MONDAY5:30 PM SPECIAL MEETING BUDGET REVIEW

OCTOBER 28, 2025 TUESDAY5:30 PM SPECIAL MEETING BUDGET REVIEW

OCTOBER 31, 2025 FRIDAYDEPARTMENTS MAKE CHANGES AND/OR ADJUSTMENTS TO PROPOSED BUDGETS PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION &ADOPTION.

NOVEMBER 13, 2025 THURSDAY5:30 INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE CALL FOR PUBLICHEARING

DECEMBER 11, 2025 THURSDAY PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT 2026 BUDGET

NOTE: ALL MEETINGS WILL BE HELDAT5:30 PM

ORDINANCE _36_ OF 2025

As Introduced by the West BatonRouge ParishCouncil At TheRegular MeetingofAugust 14, 2025 And Adopted at the Meeting of August 28, 2025

The West Baton Rouge ParishCouncilmet in its regularsession, duly called, advertisedand convened at the West BatonRouge ParishCouncil Governmental Building on Thursday,August 28, 2025, at 5:30 p.m with the following members present: Present Absent Carey Denstel, District VI, Chairman X Kirk Allain, District IX Daryl Babin, District II X Atley Walker,Jr.,District III X Brady Hotard, District IV X KennethGordon, District VX Alan Crowe, District VII X Katherine Andre, District VIIIX Gary Joseph, District IX X Also present wereParish President,Jason P. Manola,and Council Clerk, Michelle Tullier

The meeting was called to order and the roll calledwith the above result

ORDINANCE _36_ OF 2025

The following Ordinance having been introducedatameetingheld onAugust 14, 2025, notice of its introduction having been published in the official journal and apublic hearinghaving been held thereon,was offered by Alan Crowe, seconded by Katherine Andre, and adopted with the following vote:

YEAS: 7(Crowe, Andre, Allain, Babin, Walker,Denstel, Hotard)

NAYS: 0None)

ABSENT:2 (Gordon, Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

Andthe Ordinance providesasfollows:

An Ordinance authorizing the ParishofWest BatonRouge State of Louisiana to proceed with anot to exceed $9,160,000 financing through theLouisianaLocalGovernment Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority; authorizing and ratifying the Parish’srequest of the Louisiana LocalGovernment Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority to issue its revenue bonds; authorizing the borrowing by the Parishof theproceeds from the sale thereof; approving and ratifying within certain parameters the terms of the sale of thebonds; authorizing theform of and execution of the Loan Agreement; authorizing the form of and execution of an Agreement forthe purchase of the bonds and ancillary financing documents; and otherwise providing with respect thereto

WHEREAS, it is the purpose of the Louisiana LocalGovernment Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority (the “Authority”) to encourage public infrastructureand public works of all types, and to assist political subdivisions in constructing public works and in financing and refinancing the constructionofpublic infrastructure and public works; and WHEREAS, the Parish of West BatonRouge,State of Louisiana (the“Parish”) is aparticipating political subdivisionofthe Authority in accordance with the Act; and WHEREAS, the Parish Council of the ParishofWestBatonRouge, State of Louisiana, acting as the governing authority of the Parish(the “Governing Authority”), has requestedthat the Authority authorize, sell andissue its not to exceed $9,160,000 Revenue Bonds (Parishof West Baton Rouge Sewer System Project), in one or moreseries (the “Bonds”), the proceeds of which will be loaned by the Authority to the Parish (the “Loan”) pursuant to the provisions of aLoan Agreementby and between the Authority and the Parish(the “Loan Agreement”), which Loan proceeds will be used by the Parish to (i) provide funds to finance improvements to the parish-wide sewer system,including but not limited to the consolidation and improvement of packageplants (the “Project”); (ii) fund areserve fund or purchase areserve fund surety,ifnecessary; and(iii) pay the costs of issuance of the Bonds, including the cost of a municipal bond insurance policy,ifrequired.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Parish Council of the Parish of West Baton Rouge,State of Louisiana, as the governing authority of the Parish (the “Governing Authority”), that:

SECTION 1. The Parish hereby requests the Authority to authorize and issue the Authority’sRevenueBonds (Parish of West BatonRouge Sewer System Project), in one or moreseries (the “Bonds”) in an aggregate principalamount not to exceed $9,160,000, the proceeds of which shall beloaned to the Parish pursuant to the Loan Agreement and will be used by the Parish to (i) finance theProject; (ii) fund areserve fund or purchase areserve fund surety,ifnecessary; and (iii) pay the costs of issuance of the Bonds, including the cost of amunicipal bond insurance policy,if required.

SECTION 2. The Bonds shall be issued and sold by the Authority only as fully registered bonds in the denominations of at least $5,000 or any integralmultiple thereof. The Bonds shall maturenot laterthan thirty (30) years from the date of their issuance and shall bear interest at arate not to exceed seven percent (7.00%) per annum.

SECTION 3. The form and termsofaLoan Agreement, aBond Purchase Agreement andall other ancillary documents arehereby authorized and approved in the forms approvedbybondcounsel to the Authority.The Loan Agreement shall obligate the Parishtopay to the Authority amounts necessary from an irrevocable pledgeand dedication of Lawfully Available Funds of the Parish, to allow the Authority to make principal and interest payments on the Bonds and to securethe payment thereof.The execution and delivery of aPreliminary Official Statement, an Official Statement and aBond Purchase Agreement,inthe forms approvedbybondcounsel to the Authority,are hereby authorizedand approved.

SECTION 4. The Parish President,the Chairman of the Governing Authority,the Council Clerkofthe Governing Authority,the Chief Administrative Officer of theParish and the DirectorofFinanceofthe Parish arehereby authorized to execute and deliver the Loan Agreement, the Bond Purchase Agreement and any and all otherancillary documents related thereto and necessaryfor theconsummationofthe transaction as contemplated by the Loan Agreement and the Bond Purchase Agreement

SECTION 5. The Parish President,the Chairman of the Governing Authority,the Council Clerkofthe Governing Authority,the Chief Administrative Officer of the Parish and the Director of Financeofthe Parish arehereby authorized and directedto take all further action necessary or reasonably required to effect the loanfromthe Authority evidenced by the Loan Agreement and is specifically authorized to approve any changes to the Loan Agreement and all otherancillary documents approvedby bond counsel to the Authority,within the parameters set forth herein, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by its executionthereof.

SECTION 6. The Authority is hereby requestedto take all actions necessary to issue and sell the Bonds.

SECTION 7. The Parish President,the Chairman of the Governing Authority,the Council Clerk of the Governing Authority,the Chief Administrative Officer of the Parishand the DirectorofFinanceof the Parish arehereby authorized and directedto do any and all things necessary and incidental to carry out the provisions of this Ordinance and effect the completion of the Project and to assist the Authority in carrying outits functions in connection with the financing.

SECTION 8. This Ordinance shall becomeeffective immediately And the Ordinance was declared adopted on this, the 28th day of August, 2025.

ATTEST:

STATEOFLOUISIANA PARISH OF WESTBATON

ROUGE

I, the undersigned Clerk of the Parish Councilofthe Parish of West Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the Governing Authority”),acting as the governing authority of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, do hereby certifythat the foregoing constitutes atrueand correct copy of an Ordinance adopted by the Governing Authority on August 28, 2025, authorizing the Parish of West Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana to proceed witha not to exceed $9,160,000 financing through the Louisiana Local Government Environmental Facilities and CommunityDevelopment Authority;authorizing and ratifying the Parish’srequest of the Louisiana Local Government Environmental Facilities and CommunityDevelopment Authority to issueits revenue bonds; authorizing the borrowing by the Parish of the proceedsfromthe sale thereof;approving and ratifying within certainparameters the terms of the sale of the bonds; authorizing the form of and executionofthe Loan Agreement;authorizing the form of and executionofanAgreement for the purchase of the bonds and ancillary financing documents; and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

IN FAITHWHEREOF, witness my official signatureand impress of the official seal of the Parish Councilofthe Parish of West Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, on this, the 28thday of August, 2025.

ORDINANCE 37 OF 2025

As Introduced by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council At the Regular Meeting of August 14, 2025 And Adopted on August 28, 2025

An Ordinance Adoptingthe 2025 CouncilAmendmentstothe Fire Department Budgeted Expenses for the Fiscal Year beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2025.

BE IT ORDAINED by the Councilofthe Parish of West Baton Rouge, Louisiana in regular session convened that:

SECTION 1:The attached detailed 2025 Councilbudget amendmentsto estimate of expenditures for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2025.

SECTION 2:The attached detailed 2025 Councilbudget amendmentsto estimate expenditures for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025 and endingDecember 31, 2025 be and the same is hereby adopted as budget of expenditures for the Parish during the said period

SECTION 3:The adoption of these 2025 Councilbudget amendments tothe Fire Department expenditures budget and the same is hereby declared to operateasanappropriation of the amounttherein set forth within the terms of the budget classification.

SECTION 4:Amountsare available forexpenditures onlytothe extent included withthe 2025 amendedbudget as attached hereto.

NOWTHEREFORE BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Parish Council of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that thisordinance shall becomeeffective pursuant to Section 2-12 (C) of the Home RuleCharter

NOWTHEREFORE BE IF FURTHER ORDAINED by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council, that allotherordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewithare hereby repealed in theirentirety

NOWTHEREFORE BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Parish Council of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that if any provision or item of thisordinance or the applicationthereof is held invalid,such invalidityshall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this ordinance whichcan be given effect without the invalidprovisions, items, or applications of thisordinance arehereby declared severable.

THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE AFTER PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONSIDERED, ANDUPONMOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER Daryl “Turf” Babin WASSECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KirkAllain, ANDA VOTE BEING TAKEN, THEFOLLOWINGRESULTWAS HAD:

The foregoing ordinance having been submittedtoa vote was adopted by the following vote:

YEAS: 7(Babin, Allain, Walker,Denstel, Hotard, Crowe, Andre)

NAYS:0 (None) ABSENT: 2(Gordon, Joseph)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

WHEREUPON,the ordinance was declared to be adopted on the 28th Day of August,2025.

ATTEST:

ORDINANCE 38 OF 2025 As Introduced by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council At the Meeting of July24, 2025 And Adopted on August 28, 2025

An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To IncorporateAmended Zoning Designation Map(Zoning Plan) UnderSection 104-3 Establishment OfDistricts, Official Zoning MapFor Rezoning Request of Brittany T. Free FromAG-3toAG-1

NOWTHEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by the West Baton Rouge Parish Councilinlegal session that Chapter 104 Zoning, Sec.104-3 Establishment of Districts, Official Zoning Mapofthe CompiledOrdinances of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, Louisiana is amendedand re-enacted to read as follows: Sec.104-3.Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning MapFor Rezoning Request Of Brittany T. Free Etals. Regarding Propertylocatedat5855 Horner Road Port AllenLA70767 File#2025-18: Described by the WBRAssessoras: 14.64 AC SD CLYDEHORNER PROP DESIGAS: LOT B-2CONT 7.14 AC &TRACT CCONT 7.50 AC 13A-82. Rezoning approximately1.015 acres from AG-3 (Agricultural Large Scale)toAG-1 (Agricultural Small Scale). Public Hearing Date: August 28, 2025 BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council that thisOrdinance shall also serve as aMaster Plan Change. THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the West Baton Rouge Parish Councilthat thisordinance shall becomeeffective pursuant to Section 2-12 (C) of the Home RuleCharter THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council, that allother ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewitharehereby repealed in theirentirety NOWTHEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Parish Council of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that if any provision or item of thisordinance or the applicationthereof is held invalid, such invalidityshall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalidprovisions, items, or applications of thisordinance arehereby declared severable. THEFOREGOING ORDINANCE AFTER HAVINGBEENSUBMITTED TO APUBLIC HEARING WASCONSIDERED,AND UPON MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER KATHERINE ANDRE, WHICH WASSECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BRADYHOTARD.THE ORDINANCE WAS SUBMITTEDTOA VOTE ANDRESULTEDINTHE FOLLOWING:

August, 2025

ATTEST:

ORDINANCE 39 OF 2025 As Introducedbythe West BatonRouge Parish Council At theMeetingofJuly24, 2025 AndAdopted on August 28,2025

An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104ZoningToIncorporateAmended ZoningDesignation Map(ZoningPlan) UnderSection 104-3Establishment Of Districts, OfficialZoningMap For Request of Walterand Tiffany LeBlanc Rezoning From AG-3 to RM

NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council in legal session that Chapter 104Zoning, Sec. 104-3Establishment of Districts, OfficialZoningMap of theCompiled Ordinancesofthe Parish of West BatonRouge,Louisianaisamended andre-enactedtoreadas follows: Sec.104-3.EstablishmentOfDistricts, OfficialZoningMap For Rezoning Request Of Walterand Tiffany LeBlanc. RegardingProperty located at 5950 RambinRoad Brusly LA 70719. File#2025-19: Describedbythe WBR Assessor as: TRACT SB-2-B CONT5.31 AC IN SEC61T8S R12E P/O BABINPROP 47A-17. Rezoning 5.31 acresfromAG-3(Agricultural LargeScale)toRM(Residential Minor).MASTERPLANCHANGE. Public HearingDate:August 28,2025

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council that this Ordinance shall also serve as aMaster PlanChange. THEREFORE,BEITFURTHER ORDAINED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council that this ordinance shall become effective pursuantto Section 2-12 (C) of theHome Rule Charter. THEREFORE,BEITFURTHER RESOLVED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council, that allother ordinancesorparts of ordinancesinconflict herewithare hereby repealed in theirentirety NOWTHEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by theParish Council of theParish of West BatonRouge,Louisiana, that if anyprovision or item of this ordinance or theapplication thereofisheldinvalid, such invalidity shall notaffectother provisions, items or applications of this ordinance whichcan be given effect without theinvalidprovisions, items, or applications of this ordinance arehereby declaredseverable

THEFOREGOING ORDINANCE AFTER HAVINGBEEN SUBMITTED TO APUBLIC HEARINGWAS CONSIDERED, AND UPON MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER DARYL “TURF” BABIN_, WHICH WASSECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER _ALANCROWE THEORDINANCE WAS SUBMITTED TO AVOTEAND RESULTEDINTHE FOLLOWING:

YEAS: 7(BABIN,CROWE, ALLAIN, WALKER,DENSTEL,HOTARD, ANDRE)

NAYS: 0(NONE)

ABSENT:2 (GORDON,JOSEPH)

ABSTAIN: 0(NONE)

WHEREUPON theordinance wasdeclaredadoptedonthe 28th Dayof August, 2025

ATTEST:

ORDINANCE 40 OF 2025 As Introducedbythe West BatonRouge Parish Council At theMeetingofJuly24, 2025 AndAdopted on August 28,2025

An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104ZoningToIncorporateAmended ZoningDesignation Map(ZoningPlan) UnderSection 104-3Establishment Of Districts, OfficialZoningMap For Request of Dylan A. Manske representingLarry A. AmondJr. Rezoning From AG-3 to AG-2

NOWTHEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council in legal session that Chapter 104Zoning, Sec. 104-3Establishment of Districts, OfficialZoningMap of theCompiledOrdinancesofthe Parish of West BatonRouge,Louisianaisamended andre-enactedtoreadas follows: Sec.104-3.Establishment Of Districts, OfficialZoningMap For Rezoning Request Of Dylan A. Manske representingLarry A. AmondJr. Regarding Property located at 6254 PoydrasBayou Dr.ErwinvilleLA70729.File #2025-21:Describedbythe WBR Assessor as: LOT2-B-2CONT16.37

AC IN SEC12T6S R11E SD OF ACLINE6-4B. Rezoning aproposed 2+-acres tract from AG-3 (Agricultural Full Scale) to AG-2 (Agricultural ModerateScale). BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council that this Ordinance shall also serve as aMaster PlanChange. THEREFORE,BEITFURTHER ORDAINED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council that this ordinance shall become effective pursuantto Section 2-12 (C) of theHome Rule Charter. THEREFORE,BEITFURTHER RESOLVED by theWest BatonRouge Parish Council, that allother ordinancesorparts of ordinancesinconflict herewithare hereby repealed in theirentirety NOWTHEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by theParish Council of theParish of West BatonRouge,Louisiana, that if anyprovision or item of this ordinance or theapplication thereofisheldinvalid, such invalidity shall notaffectother provisions, items or applications of this ordinance whichcan be given effect without theinvalidprovisions, items, or applications of this ordinance areherebydeclaredseverable THEFOREGOING ORDINANCE AFTER HAVINGBEEN SUBMITTED TO APUBLIC HEARINGWAS CONSIDERED, AND UPON MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER _DARYL “TURF” BABIN,WHICH WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER _KATHERINE ANDRE. THE ORDINANCE WASSUBMITTED TO AVOTEAND RESULTEDINTHE FOLLOWING:

YEAS: 7(BABIN,ANDRE,ALLAIN, WALKER,DENSTEL,CROWE, HOTARD) NAYS: 0(NONE)

ABSENT:2 (GORDON,JOSEPH) ABSTAIN: 0(NONE)

WHEREUPON theordinance wasdeclaredadoptedonthe 28th Dayof August, 2025

ATTEST:

YEAS: 7(ANDRE,HOTARD, ALLAIN,BABIN,WALKER, DENSTEL, CROWE) NAYS:0 (NONE) ABSENT: 2(GORDON,JOSEPH)

ABSTAIN: 0(NONE)

WHEREUPON the ordinance was declared adopted on the 28thDay of

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