SAVE up $ 00 to 3
largest selection & lowest prices on wine, spirits & beer LB
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9 Woodbridge 1.5 LITER SELECTED
NEW!
$ 99 LB
or Sutter Home Wine
SAVE $ 00 6
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750 ML
17
$
99
John Sloat NAPA Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
visit rouses.com for more weekly ad specials!
10oz Rouses Dark Cherries in Bourbon $4.99
750 ML
Ghost Tequila
29
$
99
infused with a pinch of ghost pepper
THC
— ONLY —
750 ML
31
$
1792 Small Batch Bourbon
99
LIMIT 3
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24 PK 12 OZ CANS
26
$
Michelob Ultra
99
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4 PACK 12 OZ
Mary Jones THC Seltzer
17 99
$
Prices good at all Baton Rouge, Zachary, Gonzales and Prairieville stores October 22nd - 29th, 2025.
THE
ADVOCATE T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
|
F r i d ay, O c t O b e r 24, 2025
$2.00X
2025 LEGISLATURE
GOP election delay plan draws fierce opposition
Six invited to apply for LSU post
Presidential search panel trims list of 30 BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
Sen. Gary Carter Jr., D-New Orleans, fiercely criticized the plan. His questioning of First Assistant Secretary of State Catherine Newsome turned heated, and the senator appeared visibly frustrated. “If this bill were to pass, it interferes with Louisiana’s currently scheduled U.S. midterm elections,” he insisted angrily, after Newsome refused to agree with that
The LSU Presidential Search Committee invited six potential candidates to apply to be the university system’s next president, including interim President Matt Lee and McNeese State University President Wade Rousse. Search firm SSA Consultants presented the committee with a list of 30 interested people, and arranged them into different levels of qualification. At the end of Thursday’s meeting, the committee voted 11-4 to invite a half-dozen to apply, including Lee; Rousse; Julius Fridriksson, vice president of research at the University of South Carolina; Giovanni Piedimonte, vice president of research at Tulane; and Dr. Robert Robbins, former president of the University of Arizona. A sixth person on the list whose name and background information remained confidential was invited to apply, should they publicly identify themselves by Wednesday, when interviews are scheduled. Opening the meeting, Chair Scott Ballard said the meeting marked “a pivotal moment in our process.” “Our discussion today will move us closer to the interview phase, where we’ll have the opportunity to engage directly with those whose leadership qualities and experiences align most closely with our priorities as a system,” he said. Christel Slaughter, president and CEO of search firm SSA
ä See ELECTION, page 6A
ä See POST, page 5A
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
Rep. Rodney Lyons, D-Marrero, center, shakes hands with Rep. Kendricks Brass, D-Vacherie, during the first day of the special legislative session at the State Capitol on Thursday.
Legislation would allow more time to possibly draw new congressional map BY ALYSE PFEIL
Staff writer
Democrats in the Louisiana Legislature quickly put up a fight on the first day of a special session Thursday, opposing a Republican plan to push the state’s closed party primaries from April to May. The GOP effort is aimed at creating more time before the 2026 midterm election cycle to respond to a possible U.S. Su-
preme Court decision in a consequential voting rights case — and to allow state lawmakers to potentially draw a new congressional map with one or two fewer seats favoring Democrats. Democrats in the Legislature don’t have the votes to stop the plan, but they spent hours asking pointed questions during a public vetting of the legislation in the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.
LSU alters security, traffic for game day
NBA coach, player charged in sprawling gambling schemes BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, TIM REYNOLDS and PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press
NEW YORK — The head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and a player for the Miami Heat were arrested Thursday along with more than 30 other people in a takedown of two sprawling gambling operations that authorities said leaked inside information about NBA athletes and rigged poker games backed
WEATHER HIGH 83 LOW 64 PAGE 8B
by Mafia families. Portland coach Chauncey Billups was charged with participating in a ä Pelicans conspiracy game in 2023 to fix high- integral in stakes card case against games tied Rozier. PAGE 1C to La Cosa Nostra organized ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By TERRANCE WILLIAMS crime families that cheated Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier is accused of unsuspecting gamblers out
exploiting private information about players to
ä See GAMBLING, page 4A win bets on NBA games.
Additional law enforcement to patrol area
Beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the section of Highland Road that runs through campus will be closed to all vehicles without LSU football parking permits, according to a release from the university. BY AIDAN McCAHILL Similar restrictions have Staff writer been implemented in the past, After LSU officials an- though not within the past few nounced heightened game day years. According to Lt. Bransecurity measures last week, don Johnson, who oversees the school has released more game day traffic for the Baton details ahead of Saturday’s Rouge Police Department, fans matchup against Texas A&M. should expect increased gridFor the majority of fans, the lock near campus. biggest change will likely be ä See SECURITY, page 5A traffic.
Business ...................10A Commentary ................7B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................5B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
101ST yEAR, NO. 116