The Advocate 11-04-2025

“We just don’t have the dollars, the manpower, the food, to give that much food out at one time, at a time that was already at an all-time low.”

PAT R.VAN BURKLEO,

executive director of Feeding Louisiana

SNAP shutdown strains Louisiana food banks

After court rulings, administration says it will fund half of program

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON Louisiana food banks have seen an influx in demand as federal funding for food stamps expired due to the federal government shutdown, which has gone on 34 days with no end in sight Monday Louisiana started using state money Saturday, when federal dollars stopped, to provide some benefits to the elderly disabled people and children. But that has not covered all of the nearly 800,000

Judge voids LNG buildout permit

Ruling cites failure to study climate risks

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

A

first-of-its-kind ruling by a Louisiana judge has interrupted the state’s rapid buildout of its LNG industry, raising questions over whether regulators will have to look more closely at the facilities’ environmental impacts before granting permits. The recent decision struck down a key permit for a liquefied natural gas plant over failing to consider the impacts of climate change, effectively halting construction for the multibilliondollar project in Cameron Parish Environmental and community groups applauded the decision as an incremental win in

ä See LNG, page 4A

people in the state who use the program about 53,164 people considered ablebodied adults will not receive state-funded assistance, the state Department of Health said. And state officials are looking to the feds to renew the program soon.

The Trump administration, after rulings from two federal courts, announced Monday it would start providing funds for about half the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that provides food stamps for about 42 million Americans.

But just when, how and who will receive

benefits is still being worked out.

Meanwhile, the Health Department suggested in a statement that SNAP recipients not receiving benefits should go to local food banks.

But that could prove problematic as the food banks already are receiving less money and fewer foodstuffs from previous budget cuts, said Pat R. Van Burkleo, the executive director of Feeding Louisiana, the Baton Rouge-based trade association for the state’s local food banks.

ä See SNAP, page 7A

Board set to select president for LSU

Field narrowed to three finalists

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

LSU is set to pick its 29th presi-

dent Tuesday from a field of three: a Louisiana university president with a business background and two out-of-state candidates with lengthy academic records at large research institutions.

The LSU Board of Supervisors is to choose among Wade Rousse, the president of McNeese State University, who some close to the search say has the inside track; James Dalton, the executive vice president and provost of the University of Alabama; and Dr Robert Robbins, a former president of the University of Arizona.

The three men have presented different visions of LSU’s future. Rousse has emphasized his significant business background, saying he aims to court companies to help fund research and institute metrics for success across the system.

“This leader needs to be very politically savvy,” he told the LSU Presidential Search Committee last week.

Dalton touted his “student-centric” approach, advocating for more support services to increase student graduation and success rates.

“If we’re going to admit a student to LSU, we’ve got to do everything that we can to make sure that they’ve got a path out of here with a degree in their hand and a line on a job,” he said.

Robbins said doubling LSU research funding was an “achievable goal,” saying he was able to achieve that during his time in Arizona.

“You’ve got to have a leader that expects excellence, expects to be successful, expects for this place to grow,” he said.

The next president will replace William F. Tate IV, who left earlier this year for Rutgers University He touted his expansion of

ä See LSU, page 7A

Judge recused from Brooks rape case

Defendant’s text messages trigger

decision

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

The judge who, for nearly three years, has presided over criminal proceedings for the driver in the Madison Brooks rape case has been recused by another judge on the 19th Judicial District bench.

In his order Monday, District Judge Brad Myers cited a number of text messages defendant Casen John

Carver wrote about District Judge Gail Horne Ray, where he suggested she and his family were friends and indicated “she knows to help us.”

Prosecutors from the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office moved to have Ray removed from Carver’s case in September after he opted for a bench trial, meaning the judge would decide his guilt or innocence from the bench instead of a jury Myers listened to arguments from prosecutors and Carver’s attorneys during a

ä See JUDGE, page 4A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Mass murderer George Banks dies in prison

HARRISBURG,Pa. George Banks, one of the most notorious mass murderers in the U.S., has died.

Banks, 83, died Sunday afternoon at Phoenix state prison in Pennsylvania, the state Department of Corrections said. Banks died of complications from renal neoplasm, or kidney cancer, said Montgomery County Coroner Dr Janine Darby

Banks had been in prison since 1982 after shooting 14 people, and killing 13, including his own children, during a rampage in Wilkes-Barre. At the time, it was considered one of the worst mass murders in American history

He was convicted of 12 counts of first-degree murder and one count of third-degree murder

Banks had been drinking at a party late at night before using an AR-15 rifle to start the rampage at his home.

Five victims were his children, ages 1 to 6. Four more were the mothers of his children. Other victims were bystanders, including an 11-year-old child who sometimes stayed with his family, a 7-year-old child and a teenager who saw Banks leaving his home armed with the rifle and recognized him.

Banks killed three women and five children at his home, authorities say Then, dressed in green Army fatigues with an ammunition bandolier around his chest and shoulders, Banks left, when he saw four teenagers walking to their car from a nearby friend’s house. He shot one fatally, and another, who survived, authorities said.

Ukraine gets more Patriot defense systems

KYIV, Ukraine Ukraine has received more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to help it counter Russia’s daily barrages, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian drones killed a man and injured five of his family members, including two children, in the latest nighttime attack.

Russia’s relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago has killed thousands of civilians. It has also targeted the energy supply to deny civilians heat and running water in winter, as well as disrupt industrial production of Ukraine’s newly developed drones and missiles

The sophisticated Patriot systems are the most effective weapon against Russian missiles. Zelenskyy has pleaded with Western partners to provide more of them, but production limitations and the need to maintain stockpiles have slowed their delivery

“More Patriots are now in Ukraine and being put into operation,” Zelenskyy said on social media late Sunday “Of course, more systems are needed to protect key infrastructure sites and our cities across the entire territory of our state.” He thanked Germany and its Chancellor Friedrich Merz for the Patriots. Germany said three months ago it would deliver two more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine It agreed to the move after securing assurances that the U.S. will prioritize the delivery of new Patriots to Germany to backfill its stocks.

Judge rejects plea deal for funeral home owner

DENVER A Colorado judge on Monday rejected the plea agreement of a funeral home owner accused of stashing nearly 190 decaying bodies in a bug-infested building after family members of the deceased argued that the agreement’s 15- to 20-year sentence was too lenient

“The sentence negotiated by the parties does not adequately account for the harms that these crimes have caused,” said State District Judge Eric Bentley, describing his rare decision to forego an agreement reached by the prosecution and defense for funeral home owner Carie Hallford. Carie Hallford and her husband, Jon Hallford, owned Return to Nature Funeral Home and are accused of dumping the bodies between 2019 and 2023 in a building in Penrose, Colorado, about a two-hour drive south of Denver and giving families fake ashes.

Shutdown may become longest ever

Trump says he ‘won’t be extorted’ by Democrats

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON The government shutdown is poised to become the longest ever this week as the impasse between Democrats and Republicans has dragged into a new month. Millions of people stand to lose food aid benefits, health care subsidies are set to expire and there are few real talks between the parties over how to end it.

President Donald Trump said in an interview that aired Sunday that he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats who are demanding negotiations to extend the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies Echoing congressional Republicans, the president said on CBS’ “60 Minutes” he’ll negotiate only when the government is reopened.

Trump said Democrats “have lost their way” and predicted they’ll capitulate to Republicans. “I think they have to,” Trump said. “And if they don’t vote, it’s their problem.”

Trump’s comments signal the shutdown could drag on for some time as federal workers, including air traffic controllers are set to miss additional paychecks and there’s uncertainty over whether 42 million Americans who receive federal food aid will

be able to access the assistance. Senate Democrats have voted 13 times against reopening the government, insisting they need Trump and Republicans to negotiate with them first

The president also reiterated his pleas to Republican leaders to change Senate rules and scrap the filibuster Senate Republicans have repeatedly rejected that idea since Trump’s first term, arguing the rule requiring 60 votes to overcome any objections in the Senate is vital to the institution and has allowed them to stop Democratic policies when they’re in the minority

Trump said that’s true, but “we’re here right now.”

“Republicans have to get tougher,” Trump told CBS. “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”

With the two parties at a standstill, the shutdown,

now in its 34th day and approaching its sixth week, appears likely to become the longest in history The previous record was set in 2019, when Trump demanded Congress give him money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Trump’s push on the filibuster could prove a distraction for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, RS.D., and Republican senators who’ve opted instead to stay the course as the consequences of the shutdown become more acute.

Republicans are hoping at least some Democrats will eventually switch their votes as moderates have been in weekslong talks with rank-and-file Republicans about potential compromises that could guarantee votes on health care in exchange for reopening the government. Republicans need five additional Democrats to pass their bill.

Thune told reporters Monday that he was “optimistic” that the Senate could vote to reopen the government by the end of the week.

But he also added, “If we don’t start seeing some progress or some evidence of that by at least the middle of this week, it’s hard to see how we would finish anything by the end of the week.”

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday there’s a group of people talking about “a path to fix the health care debacle” and a commitment from Republicans not to fire more federal workers. But it’s unclear if those talks could produce a meaningful compromise.

Democrats feel differently, arguing that the marketplaces set up by the ACA are working as record numbers of Americans have signed up for the coverage. But they want to extend subsidies first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic so premiums won’t go up for millions of people on Jan. 1.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said last week that “we want to sit down with Thune, with (House Speaker Mike) Johnson, with Trump, and negotiate a way to address this horrible health care crisis.”

As Democrats have pushed Trump and Republicans to negotiate, Trump has showed little interest in doing so. He called for an end to the Senate filibuster after a trip to Asia while the government was shut down.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that the president has spoken directly to Thune and Johnson, R-Benton, about the filibuster But a spokesman for Thune said Friday that his position hasn’t changed, and Johnson said Sunday that he believes the filibuster has traditionally been a “safeguard” from far-left policies.

Trump said on “60 Minutes” that he likes Thune but “I disagree with him on this point.”

Trump said in the “60 Minutes” interview that the Affordable Care Act — often known as Obamacare because it was signed and championed by then-President Barack Obama — is “terrible” and if the Democrats vote to reopen the government, “we will work on fixing the bad health care that we have right now.”

Israel hands over bodies of 45 Palestinians

Move comes after Hamas returns the remains of 3 soldiers

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israel handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians on Monday, the Red Cross said, a day after militants returned the remains of three hostages. Israeli officials identified the three as soldiers who were killed in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that triggered the war in Gaza

The exchange marked another step forward for the tenuous, U.S.-brokered ceasefire intended to end the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas.

Since the truce took effect on Oct. 10, Palestinian

vehicles

Israel on Sunday to be transferred to Israeli authorities in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip.

militants have released the remains of 20 hostages, with eight now remaining in Gaza.

For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. With Monday’s return, the bodies of 270 Palestinians have been handed back since the start of the ceasefire.

The Red Cross said it had facilitated the transfer of 45 Palestinian bodies to Gaza on Monday morning.

Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson at the Gaza Health Ministry, told The Associated Press that Nasser Hospital received the bodies around noon. Only 78 of the bodies returned so far have been

Man charged in U.K. train stabbing that wounded 11

BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON U.K. police on Monday charged a 32-yearold man with attempted murder over a mass stabbing attack on a train that wounded 11 people, and revealed that he may have stabbed two other people in the 24 hours before the attack.

British Transport Police said Anthony Williams is charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one of actual bodily harm and one of possession of a bladed article over the attack on Saturday.

He is also charged with attempted murder over an earlier incident at Pontoon Dock light rail station in

London just before 1 a.m. on Saturday, in which a victim “suffered facial injuries after being attacked with a knife” by an assailant who fled the scene. Another police force, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said it is investigating whether Williams was involved in three incidents in the city of Peterborough — a Friday evening stabbing in which a 14-year-old boy received minor injuries and two reports of a man with a knife at a barber shop on Friday evening and Saturday morning. In all three cases, the suspect quickly left the scene and police did not detain anyone. Police say they are not treating the train stab-

bings as an act of terror and are not looking for other suspects. A second man initially arrested as a suspect was released without charge on Sunday Williams, a British citizen living in Peterborough, made a brief appearance at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday Flanked by four security officers as he stood in the dock wearing a gray prison tracksuit and handcuffs, Williams was ordered detained until his next hearing on Dec. 1. He was not asked to enter pleas. The charge of actual bodily harm is for allegedly hitting a police officer and breaking his nose after Williams’ arrest.

identified, the ministry said Forensic work is complicated by a lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza, it added. The ministry posts photos of the remains online, in the hope that families will recognize them. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office identified the three hostages, whose bodies were returned to Israel on Sunday night, as Capt. Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli,

he loved and defended,” Neutra’s mother, Orna, told reporters Monday in Tel Aviv

CoastGuard responds to gasleakinLafourche

Planstoplug wellhead in place as boom deployed

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday prepared aplan to plug anatural gasleak in southern Lafourche Parish after deploying thousands of feet of boom to contain it over the past few days.

The gas release first reported Friday morning re-

mains uncontrolled, and the federal agency is working alongside state and local authorities to contain the pollutionand plug the wellhead. A sheen is visible onthe water nearby,but the Coast Guard says that it “disperses and evaporates quickly,and thereare no indications of significant environmental impact.”

Theagency said thegas release currently poses no risk to Golden Meadow.The wellhead is about 31/2 miles southeast of the town

“They have vessels currentlymonitoring theair as well as thewater,”saidCoast

Miss.motherkills escapedmonkey

BY MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press

One of the monkeys that escaped last week after a truck overturned on aMississippi highway was shot and killed early Sunday by awoman who says she feared for the safety of her children.

JessicaBond Ferguson said she was alerted early Sunday by her 16-year-old son who said he thoughthe had seen amonkey running in the yard outside their home near Heidelberg, Mississippi. She gotout of bed, grabbed her firearm and her cellphone and stepped outside where she saw the monkey about 60 feet away Bond Fergusonsaid she and otherresidents had been warned that the escaped monkeys carried diseases so she fired her gun.

Guard Lt. Joshua Turner

The agency is staging aplan to plug the gas release now, and it hopes to be ready to implement it by Wednesday

The agency saidithad deployedabout 5,100 feet of hardboom —ahard barrier meant to keep oil contained in aparticulararea— as well as 106 bales of absorbent boom, whichhelpto absorbthe gas out of the water

The well is owned and operated by Castex Energy, aHouston-based company that owns about130 oiland gaswells across Louisiana according to records from

thestate’sDepartment of Conservation and Energy

Only 11 of the company’s wells areactive,state recordsshow. The remaining wells are largely permanently plugged, but six are temporarily shuttered and may produce oil again.

The leaking well was first drilled on Nov.19, 2012, and hasbeen brought in andout of activeproduction nine times since then, records show Matt Driscoll, apublic information officer for Castex, declined to comment and referred furtherquestions to theU.S. CoastGuard.

State Rep. Joe Orgeron, R-Golden Meadow,said he stoppedbythe site of the leak over the weekend after he received inquiries from constituents.

“I’m getting questions from people from out of townwho have camps back there,” he said. Theycan’t access theirproperty, he said, because the canals they use to get to their camps are blocked off with containmentbooms. “I spoke to some of the cleanup people,” Orgeron said. “Theytoldmethat, one, the well hadnot been contained and, two, that it was messier than one might imagine.” Orgeron stressed that he hadnot yetspokentoanyone at Castex, nor hadhebeen briefed by the Coast Guard.

Group: Famine gripsregions of Sudan

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

CAIRO— Tworegions of

TheJasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmedina social mediapostthat ahomeowner had found one of the monkeys on their property Sunday morning but said the office didn’thave any details. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took possession of the monkey,the sheriff’s office said Before BondFerguson had gone out thedoor,she hadcalled thepolice and was told to keep an eyeon the monkey.But she said she worried that if themonkey gotaway it would threaten children at another house.

The Rhesus monkeys had beenhoused at theTulane University National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, which provides primates to scientific research organizations, accordingtothe university

“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Bond Ferguson, who has five children ranging in age from 4to16, told The Associated Press. “I shot at it anditjust stood there, and Ishotagain, and he backed up and that’s whenhefell.”

war-torn Sudanare enduringa famine that is at risk of spreading to otherareas of the sprawling northeastern African country,where paramilitary fighters have been battlingthe military for power for more than two years, aglobal hunger monitoring group said Monday Famine is happening in el-Fasher,amajor city in thewestern Darfur region, and the town of Kadugli, in thesouthern South Kordofan province, theIntegrated Food Security Phase Classification saidina newreport. It is also threatening 20 other areas in Darfurand central Sudan’sKordofan region, where fightinghas intensified in recent months, ac-

Displaced women and children stand Mondayatacamp where theysought refugefrom fighting between government forces and the RSF in Tawila,Darfur region, Sudan.

cording to the IPC, the leading internationalauthorityon hunger crises.

“Famine and the risk of famine are urgent priorities, buttheyare only themost severe symptomsofafar broader and deepening cri-

sis affecting millions across Sudan,” the IPCwrote in its report. “This is aman-made emergency, andall steps neededtoprevent further catastrophe are clear.”

The Rapid Support Forces besieged el-Fasher for18

months, cutting offmuch of the food and other suppliestotensofthousands of people.Lastweek,the paramilitary group seized the city,which had been the military’slast major holdinginDarfur,and reportedly unleashed attacks that killed hundreds of civilians, though the scope of violence is unclear because communications are poor

The RSF has also besieged Kaduglitown for months, with tens of thousands of peopletrappedasthe group tries to seize more territory from the Sudanese military

The warhas been tearing apartSudansinceApril 2023. More than 40,000 people have been killed, according to figures kept by the United Nations, which described the war in March as theworld’s worst humanitarian crisis.

By The Associated Press

DETROIT Two20-year-old men whohad acquired highpowered weapons and practiced at gun rangeswere scouting LGBTQ+ bars in suburban DetroitinSeptem

social media posts.

The FBI said it became interested in Ali, Mahmoud and the third person while investigating another man and picking up information

on agroup call in July that was recorded by aconfidential source. Aliand Mahmoud were chargedwithreceiving andtransferring guns and

ammunitionfor terrorism. They made brief appearances in federalcourt Monday and will remain in custody at least until aNov.10detention hearing.

hearingWednesdayafternoon

While he came away fromthat hearing still confidentinhis colleague’sability to conduct afair trial,Myers felt theneedtoreallocate the case to another judge to avoidthe appearanceofanimproper conflict. He said Carver’s text messages compelled him to recuse Ray to “safeguard public confidence in the integrity andimpartiality of the judiciary,” according to his written ruling.

“Taken in avacuum, these statements may not be sufficienttojustify arecusal, particularlysince the court does not believe Judge Ray would do anything improper,” Myers wrote. “But the statements have to be viewed in thecontext of all the unique facts andcircumstances of this case.”

Brooks was a19-year-old LSU sophomore who died early the morning of Jan. 15,2023, aftera night of heavy drinking in Tigerland. Police said she wasraped in acar before being dropped off in a subdivision and fatally struckby avehicle.

Carver,a21-year-old Denham Springsman,isslatedtobetried Dec. 1oncharges of first-and third-degree rape along with video

LNG

Continued from page1A

an ongoing fight against the LNG export expansion in southwest Louisiana, which they stress will damage the coast and emit pollutingfossilfuels.

State officials, meanwhile, vowed to appeal the rulingand praisedthe federal government forgiving the facility anextensiontobuild.

Judge Penelope Richard, of Louisiana’s38th Judicial District Court, ruled Oct. 10 that state regulators arerequired by law to consider the impacts that the export terminal willhave on the coastalzoneand nearby communities. She mentioned potentialharms to “those living in poverty,and those who fishnot only for recreation but for their livelihood,which has always been adefining characteristic of Cameron Parish.”

The decision invalidated acoastal use permit that the Louisiana energy department hadgranted to Commonwealth LNG,the company building the terminal. The approved facility is one of 13 LNG terminals existing, approved or proposed in Louisiana. Richard noted in her judgment that Commonwealth wouldbe thethird LNG facility on the Calcasieu Ship Channel, located

voyeurism. If found guiltyofthe aggravated rapecharge,hefaces amandatory life sentence.

He and three othermen werein the car with Brooks when prosecutors allegeshe was sexually assaulted

Three of the four —Carver; KaivonDeondre Washington, 21; and Desmond Carter, 20 —werealso indictedwith aggravated rape, among other charges. The fourth manwas not indicted.

Thetrio of defendants are being tried separately. Ray was presiding over Carver and Carter’scases. But for now,she’sbeen peeled away from Carver’scase.

“Judge Myers drafted avery well-reasoned opinion tracking the law asitappliestorecusal and grantingthe state’srequestfor recusal,” District Attorney Hillar Moore said in astatement on the order Monday.“His ruling reflects that he carefully considered thearguments, pleadings, and evidence filedintothe record; he appliedall of it to the unique facts of this case.

“In reviewingthe court’sopinion, andthe law outlined, the recusal is not basedonany perceived bias or personal relations but basedonthe facts and law unique to this case,” Moore continued. “As the judge wrote, based on the factsand law this recusal is required. We support the court’s reasoned opinion andlook forwardtohaving this

nearLake Charlesand the Texas line.

The state regulatorshave an obligation to consider allimpactsof the project,“including thepotential impacts on storm severity or sealevel rise in the coastal zone togetherwith two other LNG facilities,” shestated

The state energyagencymust prove thatthe benefits of the projectoutweigh thecosts of the community beforegivingthe company the green lighttobuild.

The Louisiana Bucket Brigade andtwo national nonprofits, the Sierra Club andthe Turtle Island RestorationNetwork,brought the case against theLouisiana DepartmentofConservation andEnergy (formerly theDepartmentofEnergyand NaturalResources).

Eric Huber, an attorney at the Sierra Club, noted that the rulingwas unprecedented: the first time that acourt has invalidated an LNGpermit based on climate changeand environmental justice.

Clay Garside, another attorney for theplaintiffs, called theruling a “warning shot over the bow” for LNG companies and regulatory authorities that these concerns can’tbeignored.

Houston-based Commonwealth LNG did not respond to requests forcomment. Thedepartmentsaid it cannotcommentonpending litigation

Tyler Gray, the director of the

matter tried as expeditiously as possible.”

Prosecutors saidthe judge heard information about Brooks’ sexual history that was later ruled inadmissible for trial. She also made determinations aboutBrooks’ credibility by rulingtoadmit testimony on her past encounters Prosecutorsalleged Rayshowed bias againstthe state, but saidthe judge’srecusal wasn’tnecessary until Carver waived ajury trial.

Myers rejected that argument and concluded the state failed to prove Ray exhibited and bias.

“The prior rulings by Judge Ray and her exposure to allegedly prejudicial information regarding the victim’sprior sexual history do not justify recusal,” he wrote. “The court knows Judge Raytobeaconscientious andhard-workingjudge who, because of hertraining and knowledge of thelaw,isfully capable of disregarding any informationtowhich she has been exposed during pre-trial proceedings and making afair andimpartial decision on the admissible evidence.”

It was thetext messages with which Myers took issue.

In aFebruary 2023 text to his father,Carver wrote: “Andthe judge we are getting, Ithink u know about but we are friends with her and she is really good for our case. Her son was accused of rapeawhile backsoshe knows to

state energy agency until he stepped down in September,disagreed with the judge’s conclusion that the agency was required to independently analyze the impacts of climate change and environmental justice.

He also noted that the state reliedona federal environmental analysis in approving the permit “Why shouldn’tyou be able to use that in your ownanalysis?”Gray said. “Why do youneedyour own?”

He pointed to acourt case decided last year between the Louisiana energy agency and environmental groups that reached the opposite conclusion, affirming the state’s coastal permit for apipelinerelated to another LNG facility

“Eventually this is what’s going to happen,”Graysaid.

Federalapproval

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the stateisappealing thedecision. The ruling overreads state law and“ignoresthe actual facts in therecord,”Murrill wrote in an email. She applauded federal regulatorsfor doing “theright thing”ingranting Commonwealth afour-year extension to finish construction of the facility

In order to moveforward with the proposed project, the company needs approval at boththe federal and state levels. The Federal Energy Regulatory

help us.”

Nelson DanTaylorJr.,Ray’s 46-year-old son, wasconvicted of two counts apiece of forcible rape andaggravated burglary in 1997. Ray was oneofhis trial attorneys, according to court records.

In December2023, Carver sent hisfatheranother text message just before Ray was expected to make apivotal pretrial ruling.He suggested his defense attorney, Joe Long, told him the outcome would be in their favor

“Because you know Iwas stressed about today but he still says we are good and judge is on our side,” the text stated.

After the hearing was postponed, Carver texted someone that “everything is good” and Ray reset the hearing for the following week.

“Shehad aproblem openingall the discovery forthe phones. But Joe said she is going to rule in our favor,” Carver’stext said.

Whenthe case reconvenedDec. 13, 2023, Ray ordered prosecutors to give Carver’sdefense attorneys videos that appear to show theseconds around the incident, despite objections fromthe state that some of the footage contained sexually explicit snippets.

Myersfound the defendant’stext messages before the ruling in his favor to be problematic.

“These arenot the ‘musings’ of ateenagerwho was hoping forthe

CommissiononTuesdaygavethe company until the end of 2031 to finish construction.

The extension was in response to an Oct.2letter from an attorney for Commonwealthciting past litigation and “historic, unprecedented delays” underthe Biden administration as primary reasons that thecompanyhad not finishedconstructing andbegun operations. The companylawyers did not mention the separate state lawsuit in the extension request to FERC.

Environmentalconcerns

Louisianahas positioned itself as the epicenter of the global LNG export market. In 2023, thestate produced more than 60% of the nation’sLNG exports. Thetechnology at these massive facilities converts natural gas into liquid form by supercooling it, allowing the fueltobeloaded on tankers and exported worldwide.

ProponentsofLNG tout jobcreation and the importance of supplying U.S. allies with fuel long seen as burning cleaner than coal.

TheBidenadministrationhad pausedapprovals fornew export permits for LNGplantsinpart to study the facilities’ impact on global warming, while the second Trumpadministrationhas approved LNG terminals and relaxed barriers that restricted use of the

best outcome in his case,” Myers wrote in his recusal order Monday

“These are affirmative statements that show Mr.Carver believed the judge ‘knew to help him’because of an alleged friendship with him or someone he knewand the judge’s son’sinteractionwith the criminal justice system.Likewise, an affirmative statement that the judge was ‘going to rule in ourfavor’ appears to be morethanthe merehope that he gets afavorable ruling, which would have been expressed that way.”

Ray’sstanding in the case is far from settled. Long, Carver’sattorney,said Monday he plans to file a writ with the1st CircuitCourtof Appeal to challenge Myers’ judgment.

“The recusal hearing wasthe first ruling in along action,” Long said. “No matter who won the hearing, the other side wasgoing to appeal, and no matter who wins at the courtofappeal,the otherside will appeal to the SupremeCourt of Louisiana. This has been the nature of the case. We respect Judge Myers andthe workheput into the opinion. He found no bias or prejudice in JudgeRay,but ruled to recuse anyway.Werespectfully disagree with hisruling and will seek supervisory writs.”

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

fuel.

Recentstudieshave found that naturalgas may be no betterthan coalwhentaking into account leaks across the supply chain of methane, apowerful heat-trapper Making LNG is more energy-intensive than burning natural gas alone, accounting for even more emissions.

Watchdog group Environmental Integrity Project released areport last weekthat reviewed public records and found all operating LNG export terminals in the country violated airpollution rules. The report highlighted multiple Louisiana facilities as some of the biggest polluters.

“We’rethe bullseye of this destruction,” said Anne Rolfes, director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade.

State industry leaders discredited thevalidityofthe report Tommy Faucheux, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, said the findings were “another in along line of attempts to fearmonger by an activist organization.”

“U.S. LNGisone of ournation’s mostheavily regulated industries, which has set the globalstandard forproviding cleaner-burning and reliable energy to the world,” he said.

Email Josie Abugov at josie abugov@theadvocate.com.

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Microsoft to ship Nvidia AI chips to UAE in deal

WASHINGTON Microsoft said Monday it will be shipping Nvidia’s most advanced artificial intelligence chips to the United Arab Emirates as part of a deal approved by the U.S Commerce Department.

The Redmond, Washington, software giant said licenses approved in September under “stringent” safeguards enable it to ship more than 60,000 Nvidia chips, including the California chipmaker’s advanced GB300 Grace Blackwell chips, for use in data centers in the Middle Eastern country

The agreement appeared to contradict President Donald Trump’s remarks in a “60 Minutes” interview aired Sunday that such chips would not be exported outside the U.S Asked by CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell if he will allow Nvidia to sell its most advanced chips to China, Trump said he wouldn’t. “We will let them deal with Nvidia but not in terms of the most advanced,” Trump said. “The most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States.”

Despite EV declines, Ford sales up in Oct.

Ford Motor Co.’s larger SUVs and trucks outweighed a downward sales trend from the expiration of the federal government’s plug-in vehicle tax credit, propelling the Dearborn automaker to a 1.6% increase year-over-year in October U.S. deliveries.

Ford’s EV sales declined almost 25%, and hybrids fell 4%, while internal combustion engine vehicles represented 87% of sales. CEO Jim Farley has forecasted U.S. EV sales will halve as a result of the lost upto $7,500 tax credit for eligible electrified vehicles as obstacles among many consumers persist around EV affordability, accesses to charging stations, range anxiety, grid reliability and behavioral changes.

Average transaction prices for new EVs rose to $65,021 in October, the second-highest on record, according to auto information website Edmunds.com Inc. Cox Automotive Inc. was predicting a “collapse” in EV sales in October after a record high in the third quarter Overall, Cox was predicting a more than 3% decline in U.S sales last month Ford in total last month sold 175,584 vehicles Trucks rose 4.9%, SUVs fell by 4.7% and the Mustang coupe grew by 43%. The Ford brand rose by 2.5%, while the luxury Lincoln brand fell by 13.4%.

AI darlings soar as most other stocks fall NEW YORK More gains for Nvidia, Amazon and other AI superstars propped up Wall Street on Monday

The S&P 500 rose 0.2% and pulled closer to its all-time high set last week, even though the majority of stocks in the index sank. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 226 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5%.

Nvidia was the strongest force lifting the S&P 500, just like it has been for the year so far The chip company rose 2.2% to bring its gain for the year to date to 54.1%.

Amazon was the No. 2 force pushing the market higher It rallied 4% after announcing a $38 billion agreement with OpenAI, which will use Amazon’s cloud computing services to run its AI workloads

IREN, an AI cloud service provider, jumped 11.5% after Microsoft announced a $9.7 billion contract with it that will give the tech giant access to some of Nvidia’s chips. Palantir Technologies, which came into the day with a stunning 165% gain for the year so far rose another 3.3%.

Traders pushed the AI darling higher in the final hours before the data platform company reported its latest quarterly results after trading closed for the day

OpenAI, Amazon sign $38B deal

Systems would run on cloud services

By The Associated Press

SEATTLE OpenAI and Amazon have signed a $38 billion deal that enables the ChatGPT maker to run its artificial intelligence systems on Amazon’s data centers in the U.S OpenAI will be able to power its AI tools using “hundreds of thousands” of Nvidia’s specialized AI chips through Amazon Web Services as part of the deal announced Monday

Amazon shares increased more than 4% after the announcement.

The agreement comes less than a week after OpenAI altered its partnership with its longtime backer Microsoft, which until early this year was the startup’s exclusive cloud computing provider California and Delaware regulators also last week allowed San Francisco-based OpenAI, which was founded as a nonprofit, to move forward on its plan to form a new business structure to more easily raise capital and make a profit.

“The rapid advancement of AI technology has created unprec-

edented demand for computing power,” Amazon said in a statement Monday It said OpenAI “will immediately start utilizing AWS compute as part of this partnership, with all capacity targeted to be deployed before the end of 2026, and the ability to expand further into 2027 and beyond.” AI requires huge amounts of energy and computing power and OpenAI has long signaled that it needs more capacity, both to develop new AI systems and keep existing products like ChatGPT answering the questions of its hundreds of millions of users. It’s recently made more than $1 trillion

worth of financial obligations in spending for AI infrastructure, including data center projects with Oracle and SoftBank and semiconductor supply deals with chipmakers Nvidia, AMD and Broadcom. Some of the deals have raised investor concerns about their “circular” nature, since OpenAI doesn’t make a profit and can’t yet afford to pay for the infrastructure that its cloud backers are providing on the expectations of future returns on their investments. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last week dismissed doubters he says have aired “breathless concern” about the deals.

Tylenol maker to be purchased by Kimberly-Clark in $48.7B deal

Massive health goods company to include Band-Aid, Listerine

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN Associated Press

Kimberly-Clark is buying Tylenol maker

Kenvue in a cash and stock deal worth about $48.7 billion, creating a massive consumer health goods company

Shareholders of Kimberly-Clark will own about 54% of the combined company Kenvue shareholders will own about 46% in what is one of the largest corporate takeovers this year The deal must still be approved by the shareholders of both companies.

The combined company will have a huge stable of household brands under one roof, putting Kenvue’s Listerine mouthwash and Band-Aid side-by-side with KimberlyClark’s Cottonelle toilet paper, Huggies and Kleenex tissues. It will also generate about $32 billion in annual revenue.

Kenvue has spent a relatively brief period as an independent company, having been spun off by Johnson & Johnson two years ago. J&J first announced in late 2021 that it was splitting its slow-growth consumer health division from the pharmaceutical and medical device divisions.

Kenvue has since been targeted by activist investors unhappy about the trajectory of the company and Wall Street appeared to anticipate some heavy lifting ahead for Kimberly-Clark

Kenvue’s stock jumped 12% Monday afternoon, while shares of Kimberly-Clark, based outside of Dallas, slumped by nearly 15%.

Kenvue shares have shed nearly 50% of their value since approaching $28 in the spring of 2023.

Morningstar analyst Keonhee Kim said Kenvue’s volatile journey as a public company may have been driven in part by poor execution and a lack of experience operating as a stand-alone business.

He said the leadership of a more-established consumer products company like Kimberly-Clark could help unlock some of Kenvue’s value.

He also noted that Kenvue brands include Neutrogena, Benadryl and other names that have been in store consumer health aisles for decades. Kim said he thinks KimberlyClark may have seen upside in adding those products.

“I think that may have made the deal a lot more attractive especially after the past couple of months of Kenvue’s stock price decline,” he said.

Kenvue and Tylenol have been thrust into the national spotlight this year as President

Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr promoted unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines and the complex brain disorder autism.

Trump then urged pregnant women against using the medicine. That went beyond Food and Drug Administration advice that doctors “should consider minimizing” the painkiller acetaminophen’s use in pregnancy amid inconclusive evidence about whether too much could be linked to autism.

Kennedy reiterated the FDA guidance during a news conference last week. He said that there isn’t sufficient evidence to link the drug to autism.

“We have asked physicians to minimize the use to when it’s absolutely necessary,” he said.

Kenvue has continued to push back on the Trump administration’s public statements about Tylenol and acetaminophen, the active ingredient it contains.

“We strongly disagree with allegations that it does and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents,” Kenvue said in a statement on its website.

The merger could face other hurdles. Citi Investment Research analyst Filippo Falorni said he is concerned about the deal’s size given the recent history in the sector, particularly given the challenges faced by Kenvue. In July, Kenvue announced that CEO

Thibaut Mongon was leaving in the midst of a strategic review, with the company under mounting pressure from activist investors unhappy about growth. Critics say Kenvue has relied too much on its legacy brands and failed to innovate.

Industry analysts also point out the poor track record for mergers involving consumer packaged goods companies. In September, Kraft Heinz said it would break up its decade-old merger Its net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.

Kimberly-Clark and Kenvue, like Kraft Heinz, are facing increasing competition from cheaper store brands. In 2024, 51% of toilet paper and other household paper products sold in the U.S were store brands, according to Circana, a market research company, while store brands held a 24% share of sales of health products, including medications and vitamins.

On Monday, a bottle of 100 extra-strength Tylenol caplets cost $10.97 on Walmart’s website. A bottle of 100 extra-strength acetaminophen caplets from Walmart’s Equate brand cost $1.98.

Inflation drove some of that buyer behavior, Circana said. Shoppers are also shifting their purchases to stores with more privatelabel brands, like Aldi and Costco. And stores are improving their offerings and adding more of them; last year, Walmart and Target both launched new store brands to complement their existing ones.

OPEC+ halts first-quarter production hikes

Abu Dhabi hosts oil summit

BY JON GAMBRELL

oil summit Monday with officials offering bullish optimism that power demands for artificial intelligence and global aviation will boost energy prices, just hours after OPEC+ paused production increases planned for next year

The comments at the annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in the Emirati capital highlighted the contradictions in the market

and in the United Arab Emirates, a major oil producer that hosted the United Nations COP28 climate talks in 2023.

Sultan al-Jaber, the head of the state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. who led COP28, described the energy market as needing “reinforcement, not replacement.” U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum applauded al-Jaber’s remarks and criticized what he described as “a set of policies that have been driven by an ideology around climate extremism.”

“The demand for power is going to go up and up and up,” Burgum said. “Today’s the day to announce that there is no energy transition. There is only energy addition.”

On Sunday, OPEC+ met and de-

cided to increase its production by an additional 137,000 barrels of oil beginning in December However, it said other adjustments planned in January, February and March of next year would be paused “due to seasonality.”

OPEC+ includes the core members of the cartel, as well as nations outside of the group led by Russia.

Benchmark Brent crude sold Monday around $65 a barrel, down from a post-COVID high of some $115 a barrel after Russia’s fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It had fallen to $60 a barrel in recent days over concerns that the market had too much production.

“Yes, OPEC+ is blinking, but it’s a calculated move,” said Jorge

León, the head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy “Sanctions on Russian producers have injected a new layer of uncertainty into supply forecasts, and the group knows that overproducing now could backfire later By pausing, OPEC+ is protecting prices, projecting unity and buying time to see how sanctions play out on Russian barrels.”

Suhail al-Mazerouei, the Emirates’ energy and infrastructure minister, however, dismissed any idea long-term of too much oil being in the market.

“I’m not going to talk about a an oversupply scenario,” he said. “I can’t see that. I can’t justify that. And I think all of what we are seeing is more demand.”

If everyone rushes to the food bank, there will definitely be some food shortages going on in the state of Louisiana and across the country,” Van Burkleo said Monday “We just don’t have the dollars, the manpower, the food, to give that much food out at one time, at a time that was already at an all-time low.”

Louisiana food banks, which are seeking additional funds from private sources and the government, don’t have the resources to cover the onslaught For every meal a food bank can provide, SNAP can provide nine meals, Van Burkleo said.

The Health Department and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which administer the food stamps the federal government pays, have furloughed about 1,100 state employees who work on SNAP and receive half their pay from the federal government.

How Louisiana’s payments work

The state Legislature put aside about $150 million to cover what the federal government can’t during the shutdown when Congress has no legal authority to spend money

“We’re utilizing the dollars in the existing (Health Department) budget first,” said Louisiana House Appropriations Committee Chair Jack McFarland, R-Winnfield. “Any dollars we have that don’t have to be used right now for other things, we’re going to use for that.”

The Department of Health is sending $11 million to cover the first week of the month’s benefits for about 200,000 people The elderly and disabled get their SNAP benefits from the first to the fourth day of each month. Then the cards used to buy food in grocery stores are refilled for others throughout the rest of month to about the 23rd day

The cards are receiving 25% of the monthly allotment each week, according to the Health Department.

After that money is used up, the state will tap the $2.5 billion Revenue Stabilization Fund, which was set aside generally for emergencies. Louisiana is OK for November and December but if the government doesn’t reopen, the state will have some problems

“I mean, we just couldn’t keep going to revenue stabilization, because then you start jeopardizing

Continued from page 1A

research activity at LSU, which translated into spending $540 million, most from federal grants, last academic year That record amount was nearly $200 million higher than in 2020.

Some political insiders say Rousse is Gov Jeff Landry’s favored candidate for the job and has an inside track with the Board of Supervisors. The Governor’s Office has declined to comment on the search.

But some prominent LSU supporters have criticized Rousse’s credentials as head of a much smaller university and someone without a prominent research background.

“Our president, Bill Tate, left LSU for Rutgers, the 41st ranked university in the country,” said

your bond rating and other things that would cost you on the back end,” McFarland said.

McFarland said Monday he doesn’t know yet how the Trump administration’s decision to start funding part of SNAP will affect Louisiana’s finances. No details have been released yet.

“If the federal government decides to disperse dollars, then (the Health Department) will have to identify those individuals and those are less dollars that we would have to put out on the state level,” he said.

Could the feds step back in?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds SNAP, stated in court filings Monday that the agency has enough money to provide food assistance for about half their benefits in November In separate rulings, U.S. District

James Carville, the Democratic political pundit who has undergraduate and law degrees from LSU and taught at the university for four years.

“Landry wants to hire the president of McNeese, which is the 80th best regional university in the South.”

Several LSU professors have pushed for a president with a strong academic background who understands the research process, saying that’s crucial to attracting both money and top student and faculty talent.

LSU political science professor Belinda Davis, who spoke at last week’s search committee meeting in her capacity as a parent of LSU students, said she was “gravely concerned” about Rousse.

“I truly believe that Dr Rousse’s lack of research experience will result in faculty attrition and difficulty in faculty recruitment,” she said.

During his public search com-

Judges John McConnell, of Providence, Rhode Island, and Indira Talwani, of Boston, on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue supporting food stamps.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on his return from Asia last week, said he would not appeal the decisions because he too wanted to find the money for SNAP, he just wanted to know how

The Trump administration had argued that it could not tap a fund set aside for contingencies, like disasters, because legally that fund could not be touched since the underlying support for SNAP was suspended due to the government shutdown.

In a court filing, Patrick A. Penn, the deputy undersecretary who oversees SNAP, reversed the administration’s position after the court rulings. He agreed to use the $4.65 bil-

mittee interview, Rousse was asked by Lee Mallett, the vice chair of both the LSU board and the search committee, about concerns that his academic background isn’t deep enough.

Rousse, who first joined McNeese as dean of the College of Business in 2019 and rose to become the president in July 2024, said he was “unapologetic” for it.

“I don’t run away from my nontraditional path,” he said, comparing his role to that of a CEO moving between different companies. “I simply don’t agree with the fact that you have to come from the research channel to lead a research institution.”

Mallett is close with the governor and has previously said he wanted someone from Louisiana.

“I don’t understand why we have to think we have to bring someone from out of state,” he said in an interview in September “Then we have to teach them the culture and

lion left in the emergency fund “to cover 50% of eligible households’ current allotments. This means that no funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely.”

But Penn also wrote that the USDA wouldn’t tap the Child Nutrition Program to cover the remaining $4.5 billion needed to fully fund SNAP for November because that “merely shifts the problem to millions of America’s low-income children that receive their meals at school.”

Speaking at a news conference Monday morning before the Trump administration’s announcement, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, noted that SNAP costs about $9 billion a month.

teach them the politics.”

The board will also discuss the LSU system’s organizational structure immediately following the presidential pick, according to the meeting agenda.

It’s unclear what changes are being considered, and officials with the Board of Supervisors couldn’t be reached for comment Monday on the matter

But during the presidential search, one issue that surfaced during interviews with the board was whether to return to an administrative structure with separate president and chancellor positions.

A chancellor used to oversee the Baton Rouge campus, while the president led the entire, eightcampus system until both roles were combined in 2012. Then-Gov Bobby Jindal called for the consolidation, and board members said it would streamline the university’s structure and make it more efficient.

“It’s not as easy as hitting ‘go send’ on a computer You’ve got to go through and recalculate partial payments to the 42 million recipients of the program. That’s a huge burden,” Johnson said. It may take a few weeks for the funds to be disbursed because each state administers SNAP differently

Like Trump and other Republican leaders, Johnson argued that Senate Democrats should just approve the House-passed resolution to continue government operations.

“The simplest way to get all these issues resolved health care, everything else, to get it all finished up for the year — is for them to just reopen the government,” he concluded.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

At the search committee interviews last week, the two out-ofstate candidates — Dalton and Robbins — said they would discuss the structure with the board. Rousse, however, strongly advocated bringing back a chancellor position to the university “We’ve got chancellors at all the other campuses,” he said. “I absolutely believe you’ve got to have a chancellor at A&M.” He argued the president’s role should be about leading the system and focusing on the larger statewide picture.

“If we don’t have a president of the system, I feel as though the natural tendency is for the head of each one of the campuses to work in their own self-interest,” he said. Staff writer Tyler Bridges contributed to this report.

Email Christopher Cartwright at christopher.cartwright@ theadvocate.com.

N.Y. mayor’s race enters home stretch

BY ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press

From Coney Island to the Bronx, the candidates in New York City’s mayoral race spent Monday crisscrossing the five boroughs in a final, frenzied day of campaigning on the eve of Election Day

As candidates made final pitch to voters, President Donald Trump urged New Yorkers to cast their ballot for former Gov Andrew Cuomo over Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in an effort to defeat Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani The president posted that voters “really have no choice.” The campaign hurtled toward its end after more than 735,000 votes were cast during the city’s nine days of early in-person voting more than four times the number of ballots cast during the only other mayor’s race to allow early voting, in 2021. The tally was well short of the nearly 1.1 million early, in-person votes cast during last year’s presidential election, but some voting locations saw large crowds Sunday, the last day of early voting. The line at one polling place in downtown Brooklyn snaked around the building and, at one point, took an hour to cast a ballot.

Cuomo’s schedule was packed Monday, with stops in each of the boroughs for

a get-out-the-vote effort. He wasted little time in attacking Mamdani. At one early stop, the former governor likened a potential Mamdani administration to leftwing governments in Latin America

“Socialism didn’t work in Venezuela. Socialism didn’t work in Cuba. Socialism is not going to work in New York City,” he said. Cuomo, 67, is trying to make his return to political office after resigning as governor four years ago following a barrage of sexual harassment accusations that he denies. A Democrat running as an independent, he’s shifted to wooing Republican voters to bolster his centrist base, pitching himself as the only candidate who can stop Mamdani.

Mamdani kicked off the

day by crossing the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise By the time the sun went down, he was giving a pep talk to canvassers in Queens.

“With close to just 24 hours until the polls close, let us leave everything out there on the field, my friends,” Mamdani told cheering supporters. “Let us do it together Let us work so hard this evening and tomorrow that we never have to ask ourselves the question: ‘What if?’”

Mamdani, a state assemblymember who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, beat Cuomo in the primary with an energetic campaign focused on making the city a more affordable place to live.

Mamdani’s busy weekend of campaigning included nightclub appearances, watching the Buffalo Bills

at a bar with Gov Kathy Hochul and attending a Knicks game — in the nosebleed seats, drawing a contrast with Cuomo’s courtside view a few weeks earlier Sliwa, the red beret-wearing creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, visited a subway stop in Brooklyn, laying a wreath for a woman who died last year after being set on fire at the station, before setting off to rally his supporters in the outer boroughs.

“This will be a race where the billionaires, the influencers, the insiders will not pick the next mayor of the city of New York. The people are going to pick the next mayor,” Sliwa told supporters at an evening campaign stop in Brooklyn.

Trump, a former New York resident of note, has loomed over the race for months. The Republican president has threatened to arrest Mamdani, deport him and take over the city if he wins.

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said New Yorkers have “no choice” but to vote for Cuomo, throwing his support behind the former governor as he reiterated a threat to withhold federal funds from the city if Mamdani wins.

“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job,” Trump wrote.

Typhoon moves across central Philippines

BY JIM GOMEZ Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines

— A fastmoving typhoon barreled across the central Philippines Monday after slamming ashore overnight from the Pacific, leaving at least one person dead, causing flooding and power outages and displacing tens of thousands of people, of-

ficials said. Typhoon Kalmaegi was blowing over the city of Sagay in central Negros Occidental province midmorning with sustained winds of up to 93 miles per hour and gusts up to 115 mph after making landfall around midnight in the town of Silago town in the eastern province of Southern Leyte. Kalmaegi, the 20th tropi-

cal cyclone to batter the Philippines this year, was moving northwestward at 16 mph and was forecast to start shifting away from the western section of the archipelago into the South China Sea later Tuesday

An elderly villager drowned in floodwaters in Southern Leyte, where a provincewide power outage was also reported, officials

3-time Oscar nominee

Diane Ladd dies at 89

By The Associated Press

OJAI, Calif. — Diane Ladd, a three-time Academy Award nominee and actor of rare timing and intensity whose roles ranged from the brash waitress in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” to the scheming parent in “Wild at Heart,” has died at 89.

Ladd’s death was announced Monday by daughter Laura Dern, who issued a statement saying her mother and occasional costar had died at her home in Ojai, California, with Dern at her side.

Dern, who called Ladd her “amazing hero” and “profound gift of a mother,” did not immediately cite a cause of death.

“She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” Dern wrote. “We were blessed to have her She is flying with her angels now.”

A gifted comic and dramatic performer, Ladd had a long career in television and on stage before breaking through as a film performer in Martin Scorsese’s 1974 release “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” She earned an Oscar nomination for supporting actor for her turn as the acerbic, straight-talking Flo, and went on to appears in dozens of movies over the following decades.

tied to the arts. Tennessee Williams was a second cousin and first husband Bruce Dern, Laura’s father was himself an Academy Award nominee. Ladd and Laura Dern achieved the rare feat of mother-and-daughter nominees for their work in “Rambling Rose” and they also were memorably paired in “Wild at Heart,” a personal favorite of Ladd’s and winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. In the dark, farcical David Lynch noir her character Marietta, is willing to try anything — including murder — to keep her daughter (Laura Dern) away from her ex-con lover, played by Nicolas Cage. Ladd would be called upon by the director for some Lynchian touches, and countered with some of her own. “One day the script said that Marietta gets in bed, curls up with her baby dog, and is sucking her thumb,” she told Vulture in 2024 “I looked at him and said, ‘David, I don’t want to do that.” He said, ’What do you want to do? I said, ‘I want to put on a long satin nightgown, I want to stand in the middle of the bed holding a martini and drinking it, and I want to sway to the old music within my head.’ He said OK, I did it, and he loved it.”

said in an initial report without providing other details. Ahead of the typhoon’s landfall, disaster-response officials said more than 150,000 people had evacuated to safer ground in eastern Philippine provinces. Authorities warned of torrential rains, potentially destructive winds and storm surges of up to nearly 10 feet.

Her many credits included “Chinatown,” “Primary Colors” and two other movies for which she received best supporting nods, “Wild at Heart” and “Rambling Rose,” both of which co-starred her daughter She also continued to work in television, with appearances in “ER,” “Touched by an Angel” and “Alice,” the spinoff from “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” among others.

Through marriage and blood relations, Ladd was

A native of Laurel, Mississippi, Ladd was born Rose Diane Ladner and was apparently destined to stand out. In her 2006 memoir, “Spiraling Through the School of Life,” she remembered being told by her great-grandmother that she would one day in “front of a screen” and would “command” her own audiences. Before “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” she had been working in television since the 1950s, when she was in her early 20s, with shows including “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke” and “The Big Valley.”

JanRisher

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

If this secret room couldtalk

Late Saturday afternoon, a friend came over to our home and said, “I have amission for you.”

Ididn’tknow what kind of mission he meant —but Iwas in He went on to explain that Ross Dellenger,formerly of thisnewspaper,now with Yahoo Sports, wrote astory titled “The sordid taleofLSU football, the Louisiana governor and ayearslong feud,” chronicling thetopsy-turvy madness of the past 10 days of LSU football, the state’sgovernor and the remaining cast of characters that could rival any teledrama.

Speaking about Scott Woodward, Dellenger wrote, “Like any good Louisiana politician, he’d prefer to keep things quiet, work inthe shadows, possibly even operate in the backroom of abackroom in acertain Baton Rouge seafood house.”

Years ago, Dellenger wrote that he had been to the secret room, entering through a“trap door built into the wall of the eatery’s backroom, revealing beyond it acove with atelevision, mini kitchen and —wouldn’t you know it —acard table.”

My mission was simple:find the back room. It was enough tomake my heart sing. Consultingavariety of sources, within minutes, Ihad narrowed my options.Idecided,“Why not go tothe horse’smouth?” and messaged Dellenger,who confirmed my suspicions.

It’sPhil’sOyster Bar on Perkins Road. On Monday,Idrove to Phil’s, aBaton Rougeinstitution Ihad somehow never visited. Iarrived 10 minutes before it opened and watched people approach, waiting for the magic hour of 11 a.m. —on aMonday morning, mind you. By the time Ientered at 11:09 a.m., 23 people were seated in Phil’s.

Iexplained to the hostess why I was there. She took my business card and said, “Let me go talkto themanager.”

Afew minutes later,she asked if Iwould like atable. Isaid,“Yes.”

Celeste Thomas, who haswaitressed at Phil’sfor nineyears, approached within nanoseconds. If Central Casting was searching for the ideal waitress, Thomas would be the pick. Isat with the menu, notsure what would happen next. Afew minutes later,Anthony Piazza walked toward me,handextended. Istood up and shook his hand.

“Miss Jan,” he said, “I’m the owner,and Idon’twant to talk about the back room.” Well, Ithought, so much for my mission.

Piazza explained that hisfather, who passed away in 2007,had worked in Louisiana government for awhile before he got into the restaurant business.Phil’sclosed after his father’sdeath, but Piazza and his brother reopened itin 2016, at 4335 PerkinsRoad. He was tight-lipped about the secret room.

“I want people to feel like they can come here and be themselves and not worry aboutwhat somebodymight say or about what they hear back there,” Piazza said. “So, it’sjust something that we tryto keep in-house.”

Iawkwardly invited Piazza to sit down at atable at his own restaurant.Hedid. We chatted. His grandmother’srecipe of spaghetti and meatballs, he said, was his favorite menu item. He explained the 120-person capacity restaurant was open seven daysa week,employing 70 people, about 30 being full-time employees.

Iconfessed that it was my first visit to Phil’sbecause oystersare rarely at the top of my list, but to

ä See RISHER, page 2B

Michelin recognizes 2inBRarea

Restaurantsincludedinrecommended list

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

TheMichelin Guide’shighly anticipated American Southregional restaurant guide was officially released Mondayevening in Greenville, SouthCarolina. Unofficial reports, however,had already revealed that twoBatonRouge-area restaurants and three in New Orleans madethe list.

Theguide covers sixnew states —Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee —along withpreviously listed Atlanta restaurants. In all, it features228 restaurants, including 19 awarded Michelin Stars.

The Michelin Guide tapped Elsie’sPlate &Pie in BatonRouge and the St.Francisville Inn & Restaurant in St. Francisville as “recommended” restaurants

Anews release listing the Michelin Star picks and other distinctions appeared mysteriously online Mondaymorning, hours before the official awardsceremony in Greenville.

AMichelin Star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking.AnonymousMichelin inspectors “takeinto account five universal criteria: the qualityofthe ingredients,the harmony of flavors, the masteryof techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and, just asimportantly,

consistency both across the entire menu andovertime.”

In addition to its coveted stars, Michelin also recognizes Bib Gourmand and recommended restaurants. TheBib Gourmand distinction highlights places serving excellent food at agreat value, while “recommended” restaurants are endorsed by Michelin inspectors but not at the star level. Of the 160 “recommended” restaurants, Louisiana’sinclude Elsie’sPlate &Pie in Baton Rouge and TheSt. Francisville Inn & Restaurant in St. Francisville New Orleans earned 11 BibGourmand listings,18recommended restaurants and three Michelin Stars: Emeril’sRestaurant with

twostars andSaint-Germainand Zasu with onestareach

Opened in 2017 by high school sweetheartsPauland Lindsay Dupré, Elsie’sPlate &Pie at 3145 Government St.offers Southern comfort classics, burgers and its signaturepies.The familyowned restaurantgainednational attentionafter beingfeatured on Guy Fieri’s“Diners, Drive-Ins andDives.”

The St. Francisville Inn &Restaurant, at 5720 Commerce St., opened in 2019 as aboutique hotel and restaurant with 11 guest roomsand amenu led by chef Michael Dardenne. Earlier this year,former executive chef Jaime Hernandez,50, of Zachary diedwhena treefellonhis car in West Feliciana Parish.Dardenne returned to helm TheSaint Restaurantthis year

HOLy GROUND

ABOVE: The Rev.Bryan Owen andthe building committee standwiththeir shovels after breakingground during the ceremony for thenew church building at St.Luke’s on SundayinBaton Rouge. RIGHT: Aband and altar boys lead parishioners to thegroundbreaking.

FranUtostart project to improveretention

BYIANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University will launch aproject to boost retentionand enrollment rates after receiving a$2.2million grant fromthe U.S. Department of Education. Project FRANCIS, short for Faithfully Retaining, Advancing, Nurturing and Cultivating Indispensable Students, is supported by aTitle III StrengtheningInstitutions grant, which was deployedOct. 1. Brian Rash, FranU provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the project will hire staff and launch

academic programstoboostthe number of students moving from preclinical programs to clinical programs, and ultimately graduating.

The goal is to meet thehigh demand for health professionals. The Bureau of Labor Statisticsprojects 189,100 openings for registered nurses each year over the next decade.

“Weneed nursesthat are highly skilled professionals, integrated thinkers andfaithfulcitizens, which is part of ourmission,why we’re here, howwestarted over 100 years

ä See FRANU, page 2B

BY AIDANMcCAHILL Staff writer

sheriff’s deputies were called to aresidence on GSRI Avenue in Baton Rouge shortly after 11:30 p.m. Saturday.There,they found the girl suffering from life-threatening injuries,including an amputated leftleg. Recordssay shewas transported to ahospital and rushed intosurgerytotreat the leg and internal injuries Awitness at the scene, who said he had worked with Soza, reported seeing the 19-year-old arguing with an unknownindividual, records say.During the confrontation, police say Soza accelerated his silverHonda Man,

A19-year-old manwas arrested Sunday,accused of attempting to ram afamilywith hiscar outside their residence in Gardere.Police say he hit a 3-year-old girl,causing herto loseher left leg. Jose Soza, 19, of Baton Rouge, was booked in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prisononfour counts of attempted first-degree murderand onecount each of hit-and-run and aggravatedcriminal damage to property According to Soza’sarrest records, EastBaton Rouge Parish

See TODDLER, page 2B

Ownermournshorseskilledin Slidellfire

9diedinearly

Saturday blaze

BY BOBWARREN Staff writer

Gregory Lewis got word just after 3a.m. Saturday that the stable where he housed four of his horses was on fire. By the time he madeitfrom New Orleans to Slidell “30to40minutes” later,his heart wasbreaking “I thought it was maybe asmall fire at the barnor something.Iwas hoping it was just the barn and the horses got out,” Lewis said Monday morning. But soon after arriving fromNew Orleans, Lewis discoverednot allthe horses made it to safety,and that three of his four had died in the flames.

“I’m still tryingtowrap my head around it,” he said “Theseweren’t just animals —they’re my family.” Investigators with St. Tammany’s1st Fire Protection District spent the weekend combingthrough the debris at Lewis Stables. On Saturday,the fire districtsaidthatninehorses died in the blaze, but that 28 others had managed to get outsafely.

The owner of the stable was not immediately available for comment Monday Brian Macaluso, assistantchief of fire prevention forSt. Tammany Fire District 1, said theblaze wasreported at 3:19 a.m. and firefighters were on the sceneat3:26 a.m. Twenty-

twofirefighters were on the scene, he said. He said Mondayafternoon that acause has not yet been identified. “We’re still investigating several different avenues,”Macaluso said Macaluso said thereare several differentstables on thesite, andthe fire was contained to one of them. He said initially firefighters

thought 10 horses haddied, but later found one of the horsesinthe neighborhood near the stable

“Twenty-eight to 30 horses were saved. That’sgood news,” he added.

Lewis,who is no relation to thestable owners, said he’s kept horses there for years. He and other horse owners often work together to take careof

the animals there, atimeconsumingand demanding process.

“Horses require alot of care. It’severy day,”Lewis said. “It’snot ahobby when it comes to horses. It’spart of your life.”

Lewissaid he wasthankfulthat oneofhis horses, amare called “Lotto,” survived.

“At leastone made it,”he said.

Lewis,aformer member of the Buffalo Soldiers Horse Riding Club, said his four horses marched in amultitude of parades and second-lines over theyears. They were used in photoshootsand birthday parties as well, he said.

“They’remybabies,” he said.

SectionofTangipahoaRiver reopensafter plantfire

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

The lower section of the Tangipahoa River was reopened to the public Friday, more than two months after acatastrophicexplosion spilled millions of gallons of oiland otherpetroleum products into the waterway and ponds miles to the north state regulators said.

The reopened section stretches from the river’s mouth at Lake Pontchartrain upstream to Lee’s Landing aprivate marina and public launch south of Ponchatoula that has been one of ahub of

TODDLER

Continued from page1B

sedan and abruptly turned left toward the person he was arguing with.

Soza then struck the child, who was standing next to her mother and grandmother,records indicate. He also hit a stairwell and the corner of the nearby residence. The arrestaffidavit does not specify whether anyone else was injured.

The witnessthen saw Soza flee the scene and, after being shown a picture of the photo on Soza’sdriver’slicense, told authorities he was “100% sure” Soza was the man driving the sedan, recordssay.Video surveillance footage later corroborated the witness’sstatements, police added. Following the incident, Soza arrived at the BatonRouge Police Department’s3rd District, telling officers he needed to “turn himself in,” and made additional statements indicating he was involved in the incident, accordingto his arrest records. Records add that before further questioning, Soza,unprompted, asked detectives, “Is there any way Ican find out if the girl is OK?” The toddler’scondition is unknown at this time.

cleanupefforts for weeks. Miles more of the river remain closed from Lee’s Landing north to the Roseland area, wherethe explosion and fire occurred Aug. 22 at theSmitty’s Supply Inc. plant.

Thefire destroyed Smitty’s northern Tangipahoa Parish lubricants and bottling plant, unleashing chemicals and oils from its destroyed storage tanks into the surrounding watershed, in additiontocreatinga large, black plumethat dropped soot frommiles aroundand forced an evacuation of a 1-mile area.

State regulators added on Friday that, even in the reopened section, crews, booms and other equipment are still on theriver.They asked residents to “be mindful” of them. “These crewswillcontinue cleanup operations to ensure thatthe river remains safeand open to the public until cleanup is fully complete,” officials with the LouisianaDepartment of Environmental Quality said Friday.“Boom operations will remain in place at select locationsalongthe river as work continues.”

The reopening is another

sign of some return to normalcy to the riverregion andRoseland. Aweekago, statehighway officialsreopened sections of U.S. 51 andLa. 10 in Roselandthat hadbeen closed since the fire.

La.10stillhas alternating laneclosuressoworkers can continue to cleanditches andother areas next to the highway

Also, in mid-October,the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency transferred cleanup of theSmitty’sproperty back to thecompany, andcleanup outsidethe site to DEQ.Federal dollarsare

still being used to finance thework, andEPA officials remain on the scene.

Despite the reopening of thelower TangipahoaonFriday,aparish governmentrequired no-wake zone remains in effect from La.22 to Lake Pontchartrain, DEQ officials said.

DEQofficials urged residents with environmental concerns to call the agency at (225) 219-3640, visit tangipahoa.org, or follow agency social media.

DavidJ.Mitchellcan be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

RISHER

Continued from page1B

mysurprise, themenu has allsorts of things. “I think that’sthe biggest misconception about this restaurant because of the name,” he said of the full menu.

It was 11:15 a.m. on aMonday,and theplace was two tablesaway from being at full capacity

He told me that Pam Beard,awaitress, has worked at the restaurant for 42 years. He explained that she’sabig part of what makes thebackroom special

“Honestly,she makes the backroom what it is. She has regulars back there every day,” he said. “She knows what they want before they

order it. So, they come for that treatment —that’salso whatmakesthatroom really special.”

How doesone get into the secretroom, Iwondered.

Iaskedifthere wasa secret password to get in.

“No,” he said. “It’sone of those things. If you know you belong, you belong. You just kind of walk backthere and sit ”

He acknowledgedthe following:

n Technically,there are twobackrooms —the original backroom and the one through the trapdoor

n The roomcan be reservedfor private events, but there’sstill mystery behind it.

n He wants people who use it to be able to continue using it.

n The roomoperates on Vegas rules: “Whatever hap-

pens back there, stays back there.”

“Honestly,it’smore of a boys club, Iwould say,” Piazza said.

In the evenings, the room canbereserved for private events and is usedfor overflow dining, especially on Fridaynights or busy weekends.

It’s lunchtimewhen the realconversations happen.

“It’sa roomwhere regular guys go multiple times a week,”hesaid. “Some influentialpeople andsome regular Joes who mixand match and just talk about daily things and daily happenings and try to make decisions basedonwhattheyhear, I guess.”

Iaskedwhose ideaitwas to add the trapdoor through acinderblock wall. Piazza said he and his brother came up with that idea

ago,” Rash said. “Soideally,we’re going to use these funds to get more of thosestudents over thefinishline into our clinics and our hospitals and providing qualitycaretothose most in need.”

The project will fund a summerbridge program for students coming into their first semesterat the university, expanding on orientation programs to include assistance on topics like best studying practices and howtotakeexams on computers. Rash said the program will also allow coaches and mentors to get to know students’ academic challenges beforethey enter the classroom so they can formulateplans to help them succeed.

The universitywill hire additional staff for itsLearning Resource Center,including adirector of student success, with support from the grants. The numberof additional staff was not disclosed.

“It intends to create a continuity with respect to students when they come on to campus afterthat summer bridge program, when they’re in class, when they’re on campus, fromthe first semester all the way through the lastsemester they graduate,” Rash said.

Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions grants aregiven to higher education institutions where half of the students areneed-basedaid recipientsorhave a“substantial” amount of Pell Grantrecipients.Schools must also have low educational and general expenses

Thirty-five percent of FranUundergraduate students are Pell Grant eligible, and the summer bridge program willconnect students with financial need to resources such as food pantries, free transportation and career services

Students during the bridge program can take assessments on their proficiency in classes that aretypically the most challenging. Nursing students tend to struggle with the pathophysiology course,Rash said, which they take the semester they apply to their clinical program. He saidresources from Project FRANCISwill help students passthe courses, matriculate intotheir clinicalprograms and eventually graduate.

Then, he said the magic words Ihad been waiting for: “Do you want to see it?”

Ileft the meatball quesadilla Ihad ordered and followed Piazza through the original backroom, a secret door,downahallway and into adark room with a beautiful round table in the middle.Its walls were decorated with signed Kentucky Derby banners (signed by some of the room’soriginal inhabitants).

Dogs smoking cigars could have been playing poker in the corner,and Iwouldn’t have been surprised.

The secret room was exactly as Ihad imagined it to be —proof that sometimes the best missions are ones that lead you right where you hoped.

EmailJan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

Agoal of the project is to reduce from 30%to 20% the percentage of students who have their admission to the nursingprogramrevoked due to failing prerequisitecourses,Rash said. Other project goals include increasing the number of students in thephysical therapy assistant program from 15 to 20 to its capacity of 26 and expanding overall undergraduate enrollment by 10% over five years. At thetime of submitting the project proposal in 2023, FranU’sundergraduate enrollment was morethan 850. The project plans to bring the number up to about 1,000.

Email Ianne Salvosa at ianne.salvosa@ theadvocate.com.

AntieJr.,JosephEvans

Joseph EvansAntie Jr passedawayathis home in Bueche surrounded by hisfamilyonSaturday, No‐vember 1, 2025, at theage of 85. He wasa Marine Vet‐eran andretired operator from Exxon.Visitation will be at Immaculate Concep‐tion Catholic Church in Lakeland,Thursday,No‐vember 6th, from 10 a.m. until Mass of ChristianBur‐ialat12p.m., concele‐brated by Rev. AmritRaj and Rev. Matthew Lorrain. Entombment will follow in thechurchcemetery. Pall‐bearerswillbehis grand‐sons.Josephissurvivedby hislovingwifeof61years, FrancesRumfola Antie; their five children,Michelle AntieTuckerand husband Rowdy, Gina AntieDugas andhusband Steven,Dean Antieand wife Beth,An‐gela AntieMusso andhus‐band John, Brad Antieand wife Crystal; twosiblings, Fred Antieand wife Car‐olyn,DebbieAntie Nichols; 20 grandchildren, Trent, Lindsey(Eric), Laura (Joaquin), Leah,Bryant, Gracie (Ryan,)Caleb,Car‐ley, Ashley,Allison (Jacob) Janie(Brenda), Evan Nathan,Josie,Anna,Brit‐tany,Hunter,Logan, Caro‐line,Bronson;7 greatgrandchildrenwith2 more arriving soon.Josephis preceded in deathbyhis parents, Joseph Evans Antie, Sr andGrace Morgan AntieBergeron; anda sib‐ling,June AntieBallard Joseph enjoyedtraveling with hiswife, who he lov‐inglyreferredtoashis angel. He took greatpride in hisfamilyand spending time with hisgrandchil‐dren.The familywould like to extend specialthanksto Dr.Michael Castineand staff, Dr.AndrewGahagan andstaff, andHaley Bour‐goynewithBridgeway Hos‐pice.Inlieuof flowers, memorial donationsmay be made to Catholic Chari‐ties or St.JudeChildren’s Research Hospital.Our hearts arebroken, andhe will be deeply missed. He wasa brilliantman with a sharpwit andsmart ass remark forevery occasion He kept everyone laughing even in thehardest of times. Please sharememo‐ries at www.wilbertserv ices.com

away peacefully on Saturday, November 1, 2025at her home. Shewas bornor October20, 1936, in Williamsburg, WestVirginia, the daughter of Dave Edward Johnsonand Eva HuffmanJohnson. In addition to herparents, she waspreceded indeath by her husband J. W. Browning Jr., ason Dave Wilson Browningand abrother DaleDavid Johnson. Charlotte retired from the state of Louisiana.She loved collecting and soldantiques in theantique village in Denham Springs for anumber of years. Charlottewas aChristianwithstrong faith. Sheloved visiting with family and friends. Shelovedtocook andwas known for herhospitality. Sheoften told people "Come backanytime, you're always welcome. People often left her home after agood cup of coffee and dessert. Charlotte is survivedbydaughters Cheryl Browning Collins andhusband Sonny,Stacy Browning Easley and husband Steve and her daughter-in-law BeateBrowning; grandchildrenJason Collins, Susanna Collins, Nicole EasleyFarrelland husband Josh, Dylan Easley and wifeVictoria, and ElioraBrowning; great grandchildren Brooklynn Crehan, Adalyn Farrell, BodenFerrell andHunter Easley. Charlotte is also survivedbya brotherLowellE.Johnsonand wife Rebecca of Lewisburg, West Virginia, and hergood friend ShirleyReuther. In lieu of flowers,contributions canbemadetoa charity of your choosing.

JohnKay, Sr. passed peacefully into eternal life on Thursday, October30, 2025, at the ageof80. John wasborn on November22, 1944, to FrancesMitchell and Walter Kayin Powhatan, Louisiana.He was educatedinthe Natchitoches Parish School System and graduated fromSouthernUniversity in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with adegreeinaccounting. John wasa United States Army Veteran during the Vietnam Warserving in the1st Missile Defense Battalion,65th ArtilleryPlatoon in Okinawa, Japan. For more than50 years, John ran asuccessful carpet installation and custom rug business, serving South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region. John wasanavid fisherman, he lovedtocook and spend time with his family. He accepted Christatanearly age and remainedstrong in his Christian faithand service to the Lord as a Deacon at New St. John Baptist Church until his death. John was preceded in death his parents; sister Bessie Kay Winn; brothers WalterKay,Jr.,AlvinKay, Willie Kay, and Eddie L. "Buddy"Kay,Sr. John is survivedbyhis wife of 59 years, Sadie HollowayKay; one daughter, RobinKay; one son, JohnKay,Jr.;sister Roberta E. Kay;a host

of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends;a special group of caregivers, and thehomenurses and aides at Heart of Hospice. Avisitation for John will be held Tuesday, November 4, 2025 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at Greenoaks Funeral Home 9595 FloridaBlvd, Baton Rouge, Louisiana70815. On Wednesday,November 5, 2025 from10:00am to 11:00am avisitation will take place at NewStJohn Baptist Church, 1455 South Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. The funeralservice willfollow starting at 11am, burialwillfollow at LouisianaNational Cemetery,303 WMtPleasant Zachary Rd,Zachary, LA 70791.

Norman JosephMajor, Jr. anativeand resident of NewRoads, La, passed away on November 1, 2025 at theage of 93. Norman served in theUnitedStates Army from 1953 until he was honorably discharged in 1955. He then went on to own his own electrical business for5 years. Norman wouldgoontoown and operateNorman Major Grocery with his father in 1960 beforehewouldeventuallyretireafter 73 years in 2004. He was amember of theAmerican Legionfor 72 years, Woodmen of The Worldfor 60 years, Manresa Retreatsfor 40 years and was alifetime member of KnightsofColumbus. In 2006, Norman started a hobbywhich became afull time business of building Cajun stylebird houses and finallyretired in 2024. Norman is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sadie Ballard Major; threesons, Mitchell, Brian (Amy)and Philip (Amanda); grandchildren, Rebecca Gonzales(Abraham), Amanda Major, Parker Major and EstelleMajor; 11 great grandchildren; and 1greatgreatgrandson. Preceded in deathbyhis parents, Norman Major, Sr.and Stella Robillard Major.The visitationwillbeheldatNiland'sFuneral Home in NewRoads, La on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 10:00 am until 11:45 am. The Mass of Christian burial willfollow at St Mary'sCatholic Church at 12:00 noon.The entombment willfollow in False RiverMemorial Park Mausoleum.

Aspecial thanksto PointeCoupee Home Health and Hospice,Alexis Whatley, Katherine David and Dr. Bordelon

Blacher, DebraBlacher, Denois Wills, and Tony Moore.Moore was preceded in death by: (father) Monester Moore Sr (mother) Ethel Mae Taylor, (brothers) Monester Moore Jr,LarryMoore Sr Melvin Moore,and (sister)Yolanda Moore

WarrenAsphalt Paving,to hisloved ones, andtothe many passionsthat broughthim joy. He loved barbecuing,mowingthe yard,dancing in the kitchen, andentertaining familyand friends.

Relativesand friends are invited to attendvisitation at First Presbyterian Church (763 North Blvd)at 11:00 on Wednesday November 5th. Funeral serviceswill begin at 12:00. If you wouldliketobea part of continuing Moore's mission, you candonate to 'FriendsofOpenAir Ministries', PO Box 3513, Baton Rouge,LA70821. Venmo @friendsofopenair. Avisitationwill be held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on 2025-11-05 at First Presbyterian ,763 North Blvd

Afuneral service will be held from12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on 2025-11-05 at First Presbyterian Church,763 North Blvd.Visitationat 11:00.

LawrenceR."Larry" WarrenJr., ahardworking anddevoted familyman passed away peacefullyon November 2, 2025, at the age of 73 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Funeral serviceswill be held at 3p.m. on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at Moore Funeral Home in Hattiesburg followedbyintermentin Roseland ParkCemetery Visitation will be priorto theservice,beginningat 1:30 p.m.

Born in Baton Rouge Louisiana, on December 9, 1951, Larry lived alife marked by dedication—to hisworkatWarren and

Atrueworkingman, Larry took great pride in everythinghedid.Hewas also aloyal fan of LSUand USM, nevermissing a chance to cheer on hisfavorite teams. Thosewho knew himwill remember hissteady presence, sense of humor, andthe deep love he carried for hisfamilyabove all else. He wasprecededin death by hisparents, LawrenceR.Warren Sr andMildred ReynaudWarren, andhis sister,Faye Kling.

Larry is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Cathy Warren;his children Joshua Warren(Wendy), Jacob Warren(Yumina), Stacey Tregre (Mike), Candice Rymer(Jason), and DanielWarren;and his cherished grandchildren, JustinWarren (Katie), RachelVicknair, Brooke Warren, BreannaWarren, JackRymer, Michael Rymer, DawsonWarren, Luke Warren, andChandler Warren. He is also survived by hissisters, SharonDunham(Kenneth), AnnJolissiant (Dennis), Sheila Couvillion, andTammy Hunt

Lawrence's legacy of love,strength,and dedication will live on throughall whowereblessed to know him.

PastorJoseph Earl Moore came into this world on May 4, 1948 in NewOrleans, LA and he entered into eternal glory on October 27, 2025. Moore was raised in Cheneyville and North Baton Rouge alongside his 5siblings. Across thestreetstood a firehouse where he watched themen serving andworking—awakening in him an appreciation for community,honor, and the desire to be part of something biggerthanoneself. He attended Scotlandville High School and after graduationjoined the UnitedStates AirForce. Yet anotheravenue forserving.Inthe early1970s Moore marriedand settled back in BatonRougewhere he had 3beautiful children and joinedthe Baton Rouge Fire Department—becoming like themen he'dlooked up to allthose years ago.During his tenure with theBRFD he started Operation XCEL, an initiativeaimedtoinvite moreminoritiesintothe department In 1977 Moore felt the Lord calling him intoministry and went to study God's wordina Dallas seminary. Aftergraduation he pastored3 small churches in and around Clinton,LAwhilecontinuing withthe Fire Department.Lifetooksome unexpected turnsand Moore found himselfstruggling to keep allofthe ballsinthe air—times were tough. Littledid he knowthe Lord was using these very trials to grow him and prepare him for something big.. As his life begantostabilize,Moore couldn't forget thatthere were other people out there stillstruggling. He started going back in to rough areas of town trying to meetthe needs of thepeople: both their basicneeds and their needfor love,dignity, and Jesus. And thus OpenAir Ministries was born. Which Moore was quick to point out was God's project not his. Forthe last 20 years of his life he poured his blood, sweat, and tears into servingthe homeless in our community.Literally. Going into the darkestcorners of our city to shine light,offer thehopeof Christ,and lend ahand with any practicalneed. He placedhis strong and gentlehandsonthe people BatonRouge had forgotten and used hisvoice to tell them God had not. Moore had asheerforceofwill like no other; he always found away. Although full of humility, he was agiant forThe Kingdom and he leaves behind ahugevacuum of love and service. Mooreissurvived by 3 childrenhewas very proud of: Jermaine Moore, Aisha Moore, and Jerrod Moore; as wellasgrandson Brannon Moore and godsonHyma Moore Sr;along with many special nieces and nephews. He is also survivedbyhis siblings: Napoleon Moore, Linda

Changesto election laws

Last week, as expected,the Legislature approvedameasure that will push back the dates of the springtime elections by onemonth,a move aimed at perhaps drawingnew congressional district lines after apotential Supreme Court ruling in aLouisiana case later this year That case, Louisiana v. Callais, could have wide-ranging applications forvotingrights if, as some hope, thenation’s highest court rules that Louisiana’scurrent map, withtwo majorityBlackdistricts, is unconstitutional. If thathappens, legislators would likely reconvene early next year to redraw the districts, potentially creating another seat that would likely be won by Republicans and help that partymaintain its slim majority in theU.S. House. The move is just the latest in ablizzard of election-law changes pushed throughbyGov Jeff Landry and the state’sRepublican supermajoritysince the beginning of 2024. These rapid-fire adjustments do little to improvethe integrity or fairness of Louisiana’s elections while almost certainly adding to voterconfusion and disinterest.

To recap briefly: Last year,the Legislature redrew the state’s congressional map to include District6,a twisty majority-Black district that was the state’ssecond, amove lawmakersconsiderednecessary in order to prevent afederal judgefrominvalidating theentire mapand perhaps imposing one on the state.

State leadersalso partially convertedLouisiana’spopular open-primary systemtoclosed party-primaries, meaningthat, forsome offices, voters registered as DemocratsorRepublicans will be able to vote only in the primaryfor candidates of the party they belong to, while voters choosing the “no party” option can picktheir primary.Candidates now have to win aparty primary, aparty runoff andthen the general election. They also tightened rules around voterregistrationdrivesand absentee voting.

This year,some of those same leaders who defended the congressional map lastyear attacked it in the hopes that the conservativemajority on theSupreme Court will strikedownthe longheld interpretations of Section 2of theVoting Rights Act, which consider astate’sracial makeup when determiningwhether mapsare fair.Louisiana’spopulation is aboutone-third Black. Federal courts and officials bear some of the blame for this morass.Over the years, they have offeredconfounding guidance on Section 2, making it difficult and sometimesimpossible for legislaturestocomply with bothconstitutional requirementsand jurisprudence

We think making so many changes soquickly is bad for Louisiana’sdemocratic process.Redrawinglines in the middleofthe normaldecennial cycle and getting ridofthe state’s open primary system—which recent polls have shown is very popular. It should be abedrock principle thatencouraging voting and participation in electionsisa good thing. The more people vote, the better we are. Louisiana already has aproblem with lowturnout elections. These steps will makeit worse.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

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

Planstosell Louisiana’swater to Texas at first seem simple. Texas needs water; Texas has money.Louisiana has water; Louisiana needs money Butthe value of water is complicated. Transferring water from Toledo Bendwill prevent it from flowing downstream intoSabine Lake and the adjacent coastal wetlands. That will makethe coastal wetlands around Sabine Lakemore like Texas’ coastal wetlands around Galveston Bay and Matagorda Bay,which support fewer fish (andsofewer recreational and commercial fishermen) fewer ducks (andsofewer duck hunters and hunting leases),fewer alligators (and so fewer alligator hunters, fewer alligator eggs and fewer farm-raised alligators), fewer migratorysongbirds and waterbirds (andso fewer birdwatchers) and fewer acres of marsh grasses (andsolessofa

We need morevisionaries.Even when things are at their worst in our country,weare still great Ourpoliticians and leaders may be lessthan we want, need or deserve, but we the people have thepower and ability to rise above it. We just have to step up anddoit. Peacefully, nonviolently but actively,visibly and in ways that ourelected officials and corporate executives cannot ignore. Actions that will affect the direction that these “leaders” takegoing forward.

Be avisionary! We need visionaries, not ideologues

Think Walt Disney,the Wright brothers, Steve Jobs,Henry Ford, our Founding Fathers. Not perfect people but ones who had thecourage, dedication and imagination to initiate and nurture not denigrateand destroy.Visionaries who embodied life, liberty andthe pursuit of happiness

What if some deitydecided to return to Earth to renew our faithinour respective beliefs?

Would we accept this identity to actually be thesavior or like everything else these days to be ahoax? Anymir-

speed bumptoslow storm surges moving inland) than in the coastal marshes around Sabine Lake. This situation is caused partly by the fact that wetland owners are not paid for many of theeconomic activities that their wetlands support, and partly by thefact that most people whoeconomically benefit from wetlands that they never see are unaware that some of their expenses will increase as those wetlands change and/or convert to open water

The full economic costs of diverting freshwater from Sabine Lake probably cannot be accurately estimated, but that does not mean that the costs are zero or should be ignored

Unfortunately,the $50,000 study will focus only on water levels in Toledo Bendand ignore salinity in the coastal marshes around Sabine Lake.

J.A. NYMAN Baton Rouge

and embraced thedeclaration that we are all created equal —not identical —equal. People who understood and embraced the blessings andopportunities of being aUnitedStates citizen. Visionaries are unique and essential. They institute enhancements to our lives but don’ttell us how to live them.

No organization, foundationor political entity has the authority to eliminate an individual’sliberty nor stipulatethat there is only one “right” way to live.

That’snot what our Founding Fathers risked theirlives to provide for us.Their vision was forabetter, more respectful society than our current political leadersare fostering. Look pastthe tangible, unwelcome negative aspects of our current political situation. Be avisionary

STEVE PEARCE Mandeville

acle would be considered atrick and prophecy to be alie. Hope it’snot too late to recognize the real saints from thedeceivers.

STEPHENPOL Baton Rouge

If Iwere afederal employee today, I’d be looking for another job. Notbecause Idon’tvalue public service —I do —but because our government has become too unstable to trust. Shutdown threats have become routine. Congress no longer functions as agoverning body but as astage for partisan performance. Elected officials chase headlines instead of solutions, treating every disagreement as abattle to be wonrather than aproblem to be solved. This dysfunction has real consequences. Federal workers miss paychecks. Veterans face delays. Public services stall. Behind every political stunt are real people trying to get by This isn’tabout party.It’sabout the absence of maturity,responsibility and basic respect. We were built on the idea that disagreement could coexist with dignity.But today’spolitics rewards outrage and punishes cooperation.

Worse, we’ve seen faith twisted into apolitical weapon. Many leaders preach morality but practice cruelty Using religion to divide while ignoring its core values —compassion, humility,honesty —isn’tjust hypocrisy It’samoral failure.

America doesn’tneed perfect leaders —just decent ones. People who can admit mistakes, seek common ground and put service over spectacle.

Until that becomes the norm, it’sno surprise that trust in government is eroding.

We deserve better —now,not someday.Remember your vote matters, and remember who put us in this position.

Because agovernment that refuses to govern with civility won’tjust lose effectiveness. It will lose the moral authority to lead.

CHRISTINE

DILL FORREST Houma

So, explain how this works: We are in agovernment shutdown. We are losing health care, jobs and hospitals. People are working forfree. We can’tafford groceries. Somehow,we can find $40 billion to give Argentina. Why? We don’tneed Congress. They serve no purpose. When are we going to say enough?

JERMAINE DUPLESSIS LEWIS NewOrleans

Landry’s role in LSUcoaching saga puts La.inabad light

Let’sstart with what Gov.Jeff Landry got right.

He’scorrect that ScottWoodward hasbeen responsible for two of the biggest coaching contracts in college football history: Jimbo Fisher’s10-year,$75 million deal at Texas A&M in 2017 and Brian Kelly’s10-year,$95 million pact at LSU. Neither coach lived up to high expectations and both were eventually fired, triggering large buyouts. So the governor’s criticism of LSU’snow-terminated athletics director for richly rewarding football coaches who ultimately didn’tdeliver is legitimate.

Also props to Landry for noting that massive buyout provisions are good foronly one of acontract’s parties: thecoach. They leave the universities holding the bag.

Taken on their face, neither of these critiques is out of bounds. But everything else about Landry’srole in the LSU saga has been wrong.

Landry has bashed Woodwardfor hisactions at both schools, but Woodward was not technically responsible for Fisher’s$77 million buyout in 2023.

That buyout was the result of the extension and raise Woodward’ssuccessor gave to Fisher two years after Woodward left for LSU.

More importantly,Landry messed up when he decided to publicly kneecapone of the flagship university’stop officials.

It began Wednesday,when he was asked at anews conference about the LSUcoachingvacancy,and he took aimatWoodward

“I can tell you right now,ScottWoodward is not selecting the next coach,” Landry said. “Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select it before Ilet (Woodward) do it,” Landrysaid.

Even though Landry then insisted thatLSU’sBoard of Supervisors would

process, but getstoblame somebody else if it goes badly

With those statements, Woodward’s departure became littlemore than a formality.Landry had publicly ridiculed the six-year AD whobrought LSU athletics an impressive runof success.

During Woodward’stenure, LSU teams won sixnational titles, including two in baseball under Jay Johnson (Woodward hire),the first by gymnastics under Jay Clark(Woodward hire) and the first women’sbasketball title under Kim Mulkey (Woodward hire).

Of course, Woodward’sdeparture means another buyout,this one about $6.7 million.

form acommittee to pick thenext coach (apparently asurprisetoBoard ChairmanScott Ballard), Landry’s own words made his meaning plain: Power in this situation flows from him alone.

Landry could havebackpedaled at thispoint, realizing that theoptics of having the governor this deeply involvedincoachingdecisions does not reflect well on the university or the state. Instead, he doubled down when he went on ESPN’sPat McAfee show Thursday “There’sanumber of bad contracts thatseem tohave followed Scott Woodward,” he saidonthe show Landry then again insisted he would not be picking the coach.

“That is not my job,” he said. He also said that whoever getsthe jobwill have a“patently different contract.”

So, to sum up: Landry decides who will hire the next coach and gets to approve the contract, but he doesn’t hire the new coach. He controls the

Landry didn’tmention that, though. The governor’s roleinthis sagadid serveone purpose: It put LSU’scoaching search and Landry at the centerof thesports media spotlight —and not not in agood way Now,much of the rest of the sports world is chuckling and noting that Louisiana is “its own country,” as McAfee said, or “less astate than a rogue nation,” as The Dallas Morning News called it.

Landry would have done well to takehis cues from Texas.Gov.Greg Abbott, like Landry,isaconservative firebrand, buteven he stayed out of the fray when the Aggies ponied up to JimboFisher.And look how it’s helped: Texas A&M got agood coach, beat thecrap out of LSU and is now enjoying its best season in years. Whether Landryrealizes it or not, coach contracts, outrageous though they may be, arethe products of a market-based system. If LSU is not willing to offer top dollar for top talent, somebody else will. Thereare anumber of premier jobs already open: PennState andFlorida, for example. LSU was considered agreat job.Isit still? Idoubt it.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

ObamachallengesTrump’s remappower grab

Friends who are frustrated bythe current White House regime still ask me, “Where is Obama?” As ifhemight miraculously arise again in the politicalskies like Mighty Mouse singing, “Here Icome to save the day!” Dream on, Ipoint out. Havingserved two full terms, Obama hasmaxed out of his constitutional eligibility. But, behind the scenes,hehas found more to do than, say,add to therising outrage over President Donald Trump’s demolition of the East Wing of the White House. Specifically,Obama has lent his support to aplanto counteract Trump’splans to lock in aRepublican majority in theHouse of Representatives through gerrymandering. Unfortunately,that effort looks a lot like gerrymandering itself Republicans in several states, at Trump’surging, have set about an unprecedented mid-decade wave of redistricting. Typically,redistricting happens every decade, after the U.S. Census. However, Trump has accurately intuited that the thinGOP majority in the House is in peril thanks to hishighly polarizing policies. To help extend Trump’sabsolutecontrol of theU.S. government, TexasGov.Greg Abbott convenedaspecial session of the state legislature lastsummerto redraw Texasdistricts in away thatis likely to deliver five more Republicans to Congress.

Democrats would have to fight fire with fire

At aboutthe sametime, California Gov.Gavin Newsom, aDemocrat, met with legal experts to explorehis state’s options, including how to workaround aconstitutional requirement of nonpartisan redistricting —without looking too hypocritical.

The situation brings to mindanold saying well known to observers of politics in the Windy City.They are the words, uttered more than acentury ago, bythe notoriously colorful, corrupt and charismatic Alderman Paddy Bauler:“Chicago ain’t readyfor reform.”

It’seasy for wags on the other side of the partisan divide to call out Newsom, Holder and Obama for conveniently abandoning their high ideals, but at this pointtostick to apolitical redistricting in blue states looks alot likeunilateral disarmament

Obamaand Holder supported Newsom on thegrounds that his plans for redistricting were temporary and required the approval of California’s voters. By mid-August, Obama had become anational advocate for Democrats taking up the redistricting fight. Illinois also got into the action when Texas Democrats slipped away to the Land of Lincolnfor two weeks to temporarily blockaGOP vote on thenew map.

takingdirection from apartisan White House that is effectively saying: Gerrymander for partisan purposes so we can maintain the House despiteour unpopular policies, redistrict right in the middle of adecade between censuses —which is not how thesystem was designed. Ihave tremendous respect for how Gov.Newsom has approached this.”

Obama also filmed an ad for Prop 50, Newsom’sredistricting ballot initiative, aimed at motivating Democrats and independents, saying, “California, thewhole nation is counting on you Democracy is on the ballot Nov.4.”

The ad also featured video images of Trumpand National Guard and Immigration and CustomsEnforcement in U.S. cities.

“Republicans want tosteal enough seatsinCongress to rig thenext election and wield unchecked power for two moreyears,” says the narration. “WithProp 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks.”

Efforts to redraw U.S.Housedistricts for partisan advantage have been taken up in Republican-led Missouri, where thelegislature approved revised districtsbut thechanges are being legally contested, and officials in more states are considering following suit. So, to those who are wondering, Obama is doing his part for his party as it struggles to unify itself after itsdevastating defeat by Trump’swell-oiled machine.

In late July,Obama spoke withhis former attorney general, Eric Holder, about how Democrats should respond. Notably,both Obama and Holder have been outspoken advocates of independent commissions to draw congressional districts free of thepolitical gerrymandering. Holder founded the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which advocates drawing nonpartisan maps, and Obama has endorsed its efforts.

According to an in-depth Washington Post report, Obama and Holder concluded that those aspirationswould have to be put on hold, andthatthe

When Texas Republicans threatened to arrest thedissident lawmakers andremovethem from office, Obama called in to one of the Democrats’ meetingsatasecret location in Illinois to lendsupport to their stance —and later released aportion of the call to the public.

Afew dayslater,ataMartha’sVineyard fundraiser for Holder’sredistricting committee, Obama gave his fullthroated endorsementofthe California proposal

“I want to seeasa long-term goal that we do nothave political gerrymandering in America. That would be my preference,” Obamasaid. “Texas is

That machine operates at ascale of thoroughgoing corruption and coercion that would have blown Paddy Bauler’s mind. The United States government is in desperate need of reform. The question is whether the Democrats, in their post-Biden funk, are able to sell the American electorate on theproposition that they can deliver it.

Obama, apolitician who knows a thingortwo about overcoming corrupt political machines, can help the Democrats make aconvincing case.

Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com

The Justice Department is evaluating a criminal referral accusing former CIADirector John Brennan of lying to Congress. In the referral, Republican members of the House allege that Brennan lied to investigators trying to figure out what the nation’sintelligence agencies did in their pursuit of President Donald Trumpover the Russia collusion matter.The case is astrong one. It started back in 2017. Congressional Republicans were trying to trace the FBI,CIA and other agencies’ activities in what is often knownasthe “Russia hoax.” One central focus was the Steele dossier,the collection of false and salacious accusations that Trumpconspired with Russia to steal the 2016 election.

The dossier,aseveryone knowstoday,was apolitical opposition research job. It wasput together by aformer British spy who was hired and paid by operatives working on behalf of the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign. As an investigative document, it was100% BS.

That, of course, did not stop the FBI from embracing it. The bureau accepted the dossier as a legitimate source. Here waswhere things did not add up forHill investigators. Given what the FBI wasdoing, one might have expected that the CIAwould also have played somerole in the whole dossier saga. But Brennan, then the head of the CIA, swore under oath that the CIAhad nothing to do with the dossier GOPinvestigators wanted to know: Wasthat conclusion based on the dossier? Did Brennan’s CIAsupport including the dossier in the assessment? In testimony on May 23, 2017, Brennan said absolutely not, that the dossier played no role in the CIA’swork. Brennan told lawmakers the dossier “was not in any wayused as abasis forthe Intelligence Community Assessment.” Six years later,onMay 11, 2023, Brennan again found himself answering questions from Hill Republicans, and he again denied CIAinvolvement with the dossier.“Iwas not involved in analyzing the dossier at all,” Brennan said. “I said the first timeI actually saw it, it was after the election. And the CIAwas not involved at all with the dossier It was[the FBI’s]purview,their area, not ours at all.” Brennan also reiterated earlier testimony when he said, “The CIAwas very much opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele dossier in the Intelligence Community Assessment.”

Nowitappears that what Brennan told congressional investigators was false. The current CIAdirector,John Ratcliffe,who used to be one of the House investigators looking into the Russia matter,has declassified documents from Brennan’stimeatthe agency which show that, farfrom keeping the dossier at arm’sreach, Brennan actually forced CIAanalysts to use it and overruled those whowanted to leave the dossier out of the Intelligence Community Assessment.

Ratcliffe has also declassified a2020 House Intelligence Committee report, which the CIA had kept under wraps, that outlined Brennan’sinvolvement in the dossier.The report, based on the committee’sinterviewswith CIA staff, said that “twosenior CIAofficers,” both with extensive Russia experience, “argued with [Brennan] that the dossier should not be included at all in the Intelligence Community Assessment, because it failed to meet basic tradecraftstandards, according to asenior officer present at the meeting. The sameofficer said that [Brennan] refused to remove it, and when confronted with the dossier’smany flaws responded, ‘Yes, but doesn’titring true?’ Taken together,these accounts show that significant portions of Brennan’scongressional testimony about the dossier and the Intelligence Community Assessment were untrue. Here’sthe bottom line, which Republicans have believed foralong time. In the politically supercharged atmosphere of late 2016 and early 2017, the FBI and CIAboth knew the dossier was BS.

And then, under oath before Congress, Brennan lied about it. In arecent letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-OH, wrote that the 2020 House report and the CIA’sanalysis “confirm not only that the Steele dossier was used as abasis for the Intelligence Community Assessment, but that Brennan insisted on its inclusion.” Brennan’stestimony to Congress, Jordan continued, “was abrazen attempt to knowingly and willfully testifyfalsely and fictitiously to material facts.” Jordan asked Bondi to investigate whether Brennan’sstatements warrant acriminal charge of making false statements. Nowitisuptothe attorney general. Will Brennan contend that he somehow was telling thetruth when he made the above statements? Of course he will. But if he is charged, that will be ahard case to make.

Byron York is on X, @Bryon York

Former ADsdetail obstaclesin LSUsearch

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Mike Alden calls them investors.

Sure, most college football people would label them as donors or boosters, but Alden —who was the Missouri athletic directorfor 17 years —said they are investors because their investment comes with asense of power over thedecisions that aremade within the program.

ä LSU at Alabama, 6:30 P.M. SATURDAy,ABC

The introduction of NIL and revenue sharing isn’tthe firsttime collegiateathletes have beenpaid, but creating adirect correlationbetween theathletes anddonors haschanged the power dynamics within college sports, Aldensaid.

“Investors believe they’re goingtohavea higher say into what takesplaceinanathletic program,” Alden said, “probably than ever before.”

Perhaps no school has experienced this shift more violently than LSU last week LSUfired coach Brian Kelly on Oct. 26, watched Gov.Jeff Landry declare threedays later that athletic directorScott Woodward wouldn’thire Kelly’s replacement andthen parted ways with Woodward the day after Landry’scomments.

The whiplash and chaos of the week didn’t settle until Friday,when LSU announceda five-man committee, led by interim athletic director Verge Ausberry,that will select the next coach.

“Verge is the ideal person tolead this department through this change,”said John Carmouche, the chairmanofthe LSU athletic committee on the LSU BoardofSupervisors. “And Iwant to be very clear,he

Hopefully, Benson feels N.O. sports fans’agony

SPORTS

MiLaysia Fulwileydecided she‘needed to leave’ the placeshe spenther whole life.Thisiswhy LSUwas herpreferred destination

ANEW PATH

he feeling hitMiLaysia Fulwiley when shewoke up one morning in April. She needed to get out.It wastime for somethingdifferent.A fresh start.

Fulwiley’s whole life had unfolded within thesame 10-mile radius in Columbia, SouthCarolina. It was her home. She was first labeled agenerational talent there, then christened a hero there once she helped her hometown South Carolina Gamecocks win anational championship.

If Gayle Benson didn’talready knowhow bad her two professional franchisesare,an embarrassing four-hour windowSunday afternoon should have madeitloud and clear HerPelicans got stomped 137-106 in Oklahoma City. At the same time, her Saintswere experiencing asimilar beatdown in California: a34-10 thrashingbythe Los Angeles Rams. On theday we turned our clocks back an hourtoend daylight saving time, the Saints turned the clock all the way back to 1980. That’s the last time theSaintsstarted aseason worse than this one. The timechange caused it to get dark around here Sunday around 6p.m. That’sright about thetime things goteven darker for New Orleans’ sports fans. The Saints (1-8) and Pelicans (0-6) have combined for one win. The Saints’ last win camea monthago against the New York Giants. The Pelicans haven’twon agame sincelateMarch.Sunday’sloss to the Thunder was their13thin arow,tied for the longest losing streak in franchise history Owning the worst team in theNFL and NBAatthe same time isn’tagood look. It’s anew low for sports in New Orleans, acity where fans are known to wear paperbags over their heads. The paper bags aremakinga comeback. Somewerespotted at SoFi Stadium on Sunday for the Saints’ debacleagainstthe Rams.Therelikelywillbeplentymore when the Saints return to the Superdome in afew weeks. Heck, there may be some in the Smoothie King Center,too. Frustrationisatanall-time high.Last season, Benson’stwo teams combined to win 26 games. The Saints went5-12 and the Pelicans were 21-61. They could smash that dubious mark this season the wayboth teams have played.

“When Ileft there, Ijust cut out all the distractions,” Fulwiley told The Advocate, “and now it’sjust strictly

ä SEASONOPENER Houston Christian at LSU 7P.M.TUESDAy,SEC NETWORK+

basketball, strictly focused on my goals and where Iwant to be in life.”

In April, Fulwiley decided she wanted to be in Baton Rouge instead. That’swhere her junior season will begin when her LSUwomen’sbasket-

He says LSUmen’s coach needstomakeBig Dance

BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer

Coach Matt McMahon called the NCAA Tournament the “North Star” for LSU basketball acouple of times this offseason. Everyrosterdecisionand newstaff hire—such as Ronald Dupree as the program’sfirst general manager— has been motivated by the team’sdesire to return to The BigDance for thefirst time since the2021-22 season That mission starts at 7p.m. Wednesday when LSU faces Tarleton Stateatthe Pete MaravichAssembly Center

In chargeofleading theTigers fora fourth year is McMahon, who fielded ateam that went 14-18 overalland 3-15 in the Southeastern Conference lastyear

TheAdvocate spoke to 11-year ESPN national collegebasketball writer Jeff Borzello about McMahon’sjob securityentering the 2025-

ball team hosts Houston Christian on Tuesday (7 p.m., SEC Network+) in the first gameofits fifth season under coach KimMulkey

Hundreds of women’s college basketball players entered the transfer portal in the offseason. Noneofthem settled on amore intriguing destination than Fulwiley,the dynamic

See FULWILEY, page 4C

ä Tarleton State at LSU, 7P.M.WEDNESDAy,SECN+

26 season.This interview happened before LSU fired football coach Brian Kelly McMahon’sposition on the hotseat is cleartoBorzello. He hasanSEC recordof14-40 in three years andno NCAA Tournament appearances. “You takethatina vacuum, and that’senough to be on the hot seat,” Borzello said. “Throw in the fact that, again, even with an improved roster, they’re not projected to make the NCAA Tournament. And so just those two things combined, it’spretty easy to make acasethatheisonone of the hottest seats in the PowerFive level right now.” McMahoninheriteda basketball programin2022 withwhatBorzello called a“dark cloud” hanging over it. The previous coach,Will Wade, wasfired for cause after committing NCAA violations. McMahonsigned acontract that lasts until 2029 to re-

5:30

7:30

LSU coaches reaching out to recruits

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

Often when a head coach gets

fired, some of the team’s recruits back off their commitments.

So far for LSU, that has not happened in the wake of Brian Kelly‘s firing. A little more than a week later, the Tigers’ 2026 class has remained intact.

A month out from the early signing period Dec 3-5, interim coach Frank Wilson shed some light Monday on how the coaches are trying to keep the class together

“For us, it’s the 30-day countdown to signing day,” said Wilson, a key figure in LSU’s recruiting the past four years. “So, we have a plan, a systematic plan, and the responsibility of the primary recruiter, the coordinator, the head coach and the support staff that will allow us to do that.”

Wilson said he would spend Monday night calling recruits in the 2027 class. He has already talked to all 17 players committed in the current cycle, and he said he would speak to at least 10 of them again Tuesday On Wednesday LSU coaches will talk to more prospects.

“The whole key is communication, and so to be able to speak on our behalf and not allow someone to speak on behalf of us is the most important part,” Wilson said “When there’s a void, someone else steps in and says, ‘Hey, you hear what’s going on at LSU? This is what I heard. This is what I know.’ And we tell our committed guys, ‘You don’t have to listen to that because you have a direct line to the source.’ ” Injury updates

injury after Curne went down in the fourth quarter of a loss Oct. 25 to Texas A&M.

LSU is already down its starting left tackle after redshirt sophomore Tyree Adams got hurt against Vanderbilt. Adams has a “long-term” injury, Wilson said.

Curne started in his place against Texas A&M.

“We’re hopeful,” Wilson said.

“We’re taking it day-by-day.”

If Curne can’t play, Wilson said redshirt sophomore DJ Chester would “probably” play left tackle, which he has done multiple times this season. Wilson said LSU is also considering moving right tackle Weston Davis to the other side of the line.

Arkansas game time set

LSU’s kickoff time against Arkansas has been set. The Tigers will play at 11:45 a.m. inside Tiger Stadium on Nov. 15, it was announced Monday The game will air on SEC Network.

It will be LSU’s first home game since the firing of Kelly

After playing Alabama, LSU has games left against Arkansas, Western Kentucky and at Oklahoma. Arkansas will be the last SEC opponent the Tigers play at home.

Fuaga expected to miss Saints’ game this week

New Orleans Saints right tackle Taliese Fuaga suffered a high ankle sprain against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday and probably won’t be available to play this week against the Carolina Panthers, head coach Kellen Moore said Monday Fuaga, the Saints’ 2024 firstround draft pick out of Oregon State, was seen in the locker room Monday wearing a protective boot on his right foot.

Fuaga was injured in the Saints’ 34-10 loss to the Rams. He left the field on a cart late in the fourth quarter with a towel covering his face. Asim Richards replaced Fuaga in the lineup.

Fuaga has dealt with several injuries this season, including knee and back injuries.

Dolphins trade edge rusher Phillips to Eagles

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. The Miami Dolphins are trading edge rusher

Jaelan Phillips to the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick in next year’s draft, a person with knowledge of the move said Monday The move reunites Phillips with Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who was in that same role with Miami in 2023. Phillips was on pace for a huge year that season before a season-ending Achilles tendon tear, with 61/2 sacks and 43 tackles in only eight games. Phillips figures to be an instant boost for the Eagles’ pass rush. Philadelphia has only 16 sacks through eight games, tied for ninth fewest in the league so far this season.

Star linebacker Whit Weeks and freshman offensive lineman Carius Curne are questionable to play against the Crimson Tide, Wilson said.

Weeks missed the past two games with an ankle injury It is the same right ankle that re-

Wilson gave an update Monday on the Tigers’ injured players heading into their game Saturday night against No. 4 Alabama.

has full authority to do so, that includes leading the search for our next head coach and hiring our next head coach.” But the drama of the past week at LSU has made hiring the next coach more difficult.

“We are not going to let this program fail,” Ausberry said Friday “LSU has to be in the playoffs every year in football; there are 12 teams that make it. It’s going to expand here. We have to be one of those at LSU.”

LSU is without a full-time athletic director or a sitting university president, greatly complicating matters in its coaching search. Before Woodward’s dismissal, LSU president William F. Tate IV suddenly left his post in May to become the next president at Rutgers. Having an athletic director and president in place is critical on two fronts during a search. Not only does it help the university make the right choice for a new coach but a sound structure also helps reassure coaches who are interested in the job that the chain of command at the school is solid.

“I learned something several years ago (from) a governor of a state in our country A very admired person this is what that person shared with me directly ” Alden said. “Governors appoint boards. Boards hire presidents. Presidents hire chancellors, and chancellors hire athletic directors, and athletic directors hire coaches, and you always have to keep that alignment.”

A typical football coaching search involves the athletic director working with the university president and maybe a small handful of other individuals.

For this LSU search, instead of having that typical alignment in place, the school has created a committee to hire its next coach, including Ausberry, Carmouche, LSU Board of Supervisors chairman Scott Ballard, former LSU of-

fensive lineman Ben Bordelon and Francis Missionaries of Our Lady Health System president and CEO EJ Kuiper.

Bordelon is a major booster for LSU football, and Kuiper leads an organization that is also a significant donor for the program, meaning that boosters will be directly involved with the coaching search.

That’s something Gene Smith never experienced in his decades as an athletic director at Iowa State, Arizona State and Ohio State. If anything, the boosters he dealt with at Ohio State wanted nothing to do with hiring the next coach.

“I’ve been in the industry for a long time, so I was fortunate to make the selections without donor involvement,” said Smith, who retired as the Ohio State athletic director in June after 19 years.

“... I didn’t have an environment where donors would call me and say, ‘I want to be involved in the search,’ or call our president and say, ‘I want to be involved in the search.’ “ Smith acknowledges that the situation at LSU, where there is no sitting president or athletic director, makes it so the search committee may need different perspectives in the room, including using the expertise of donors.

But Alden is skeptical of how boosters can be a significant help to a program’s coaching search outside of their financial contributions. He points to former AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson’s involvement in reshaping the Oklahoma football program as an example of why he believes direct donor involvement can complicate an athletic department’s decisionmaking process

“When you see all these different people with no experience that are being involved to try to make that type of decision, it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out,” Alden said, “because that would not take place for AT&T when they’re trying to identify who the next CEO is.”

Affecting matters further is Landry’s involvement Besides declaring that Woodward wouldn’t choose the next coach, he also said

quired surgery after he suffered an injury during the Texas Bowl.

“We’ll get him out there (Tuesday) to see what he can do,” Wilson said, “and kind of measure it and we’ll build it as the week goes on based on his pain tolerance.”

Curne participated in a walkthrough Sunday, Wilson said. He did not specify the nature of the

LSU wouldn’t hand out a major contract to the next coach, incorrectly stated that Kelly’s buyout may need to be paid by taxpayers and blasted the agents who construct major coaching contracts.

Just hours before Kelly’s firing was announced, Landry also hosted a meeting at the governor’s mansion regarding the financial logistics of Kelly’s buyout

Smith never consulted with a governor when it came to his decision to hire a coach.

“We always communicated with the governor once we made a choice, so he wasn’t caught off guard. Just from a communication point of view, it was appropriate,” Smith said, “but I never had a situation where he was involved in a search.”

Witnessing a governor take this much action for a college football coaching search is something Alden said he’s never seen He believes Landry’s comments have complicated matters for potential candidates as they would wonder who they’d report to if they take the job.

“Who is it that I work for? Do I work with this person, or do I have these 12 people (I work for)?

Or is it the governor that I’m answering to? I mean, who am I answering to here?” Alden said.

“Because once you’ve broken that seal by making those kinds of comments, then you’ve created confusion. You’ve created misalignment, not sharing exactly what’s going on.

“How do you get clarity on that when you’re out recruiting your next coach? I don’t know I’m sure that’ll get solved, but that certainly is a big challenge.”

LSU hopes Ausberry can create that alignment. The longtime LSU administrator is in his 24th year working for the department and has been the executive deputy director of athletics since 2019.

Both Alden and Smith have great respect for Ausberry and his work at LSU. Smith went as far as to say that Ausberry deserves to become the next full-time athletic director

“I just respect him, and I’ve seen him on panels, and I just think he’s

Both LSU and Arkansas will have an interim coach. LSU appointed Wilson, and Arkansas is being led by Bobby Petrino after the midseason firing of Sam Pittman Arkansas is 2-7 overall and 0-5 in the SEC heading into an open date before it plays LSU. The Razorbacks rank 24th in the country in scoring offense at 35.4 points per game, but they have the worst defense in the SEC.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

been through every job that exists in that athletic department,” Smith said, “and so I just think he understands the culture, and he obviously has great respect on the board because he was chosen to be the interim.”

Alden also noted that Ausberry has had “plenty of opportunities” to further his administrative career around the country but his commitment to LSU has kept him in Baton Rouge.

“He’s a person that has been seen as being professional, consistent, respectful, knowledgeable and engaging,” Alden said. “And I think when you have all of that kind of stuff, there’s a value-added piece to that also means he is fully committed to LSU.

“At the end of the day, LSU is really fortunate that they have a guy as talented as Verge Ausberry.”

Ausberry still faces a steep hill to find the next LSU coach. He has donors he’ll need to manage on his search committee and a governor peering over his shoulder who’s already created confusion and misalignment, all while dealing with the typical pressures of hiring the next coach of a program that has won three national championships this century

It’s a wild situation for Ausberry one that was borne from an environment that already has affected schools across the nation.

“I think the genesis of it,” Alden said, “was when athletic directors and presidents (were) going out and asking people, ‘Hey, for us to be in the game, we’ve got to have you not only donate what you donate on a regular basis to our annual fund, but we have to ask you to step it up even more so that we can be out there in a more aggressive space,’ in the NIL and now the revenue-share space.

“And when you did that, you created a direct connection between donors and a student-athlete. And that is completely foreign towards what the model has always been in college athletics.”

Email Koki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.

Braves promote bench coach Weiss to manager ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves hired Walt Weiss on Monday as their manager, promoting from within for the successor to 2021 World Series winner Brian Snitker Weiss has been the Braves’ bench coach since 2018 and was on Snitker’s staff four years ago when they won the fourth championship in franchise history Snitker also was an internal hire, coming from Triple-A in 2016, when he replaced Fredi González midseason and then got the full-time job the following year

This is Weiss’ second major league managing job after four seasons with the Colorado Rockies (2013-16). Weiss finished his playing career as a shortstop with Atlanta from 1998-2000.

Delgado, Kent, Sheffield, Valenzuela join Hall ballot

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy were held over on the Hall of Fame’s contemporary baseball era committee ballot and will be joined next month by Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.

The 16-person committee meets on Dec 7 at the winter meetings in Orlando, Florida, and a 75% vote is necessary for election. Anyone elected will be inducted on July 26, along with anyone chosen in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote, announced on Jan. 20.

Albert Belle, Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling were dropped after appearing on the previous contemporary era ballot in December 2022.

Bus trip to take Southern fans to Alcorn State game

The Blue and Gold Fan Club is providing an opportunity for Southern football fans to see the Jaguars take on Alcorn State on Saturday in Lorman, Mississippi. The club is providing a bus that will transport fans to and from the game. The bus will leave Lorman immediately after the game is over

The cost is $130 and includes the round trip, a game ticket, food and refreshments.

The Jaguars defeated the Braves last season at A.W Mumford Stadium 24-14. The last time the teams played in Lorman in 2023, Alcorn came away with a 44-21 victory The last time Southern prevailed at Alcorn was during the 2016 season For more information, contact Craig Pierre at (225) 324-7234.

SCOREBOARD

MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.

College basketball Women’s State Schedule Monday’s games Southeastern 105, Centenary 49 McNeese 100, PensacolaChristian College38 Nebraska103, NorthwesternState 46 Tulane 74, Campbell 72 Nicholls 72, Alcorn 66 Bowling Green 55, UL 46 Iowa 86, Southern 51 Oklahoma State 109, UNO 48 UL-Monroe 80, Eastern Michigan 73 Tuesday’s games Grambling at Southern Methodist, 11 a.m. Louisiana Tech at Arkansas,6:30 p.m. Houston Christian at LSU, 7p.m. Men’s State schedule Monday’s game Arkansas 109, Southern 77 Ball State 75, UL-Lafayette 64 Grambling 91, Huston Tillotson 47 McNeese 110, Champion ChristianCollege 46 UNO 78, TCU74 Northern Illinois100, UL-Monroe 80 TexasA&M 98, NorthwesternState 68 Tulane 85, Samford72 Ole Miss 88, Southeastern 58 Tuesday’s games Nicholls at Kentucky,6p.m. Louisiana Tech at Nevada, 9p.m Men’s national scores Monday’s games EAST Bucknell 78, Delaware 70 Buffalo85, Southern Miss 79 Central Connecticut 117, Northern VermontJohnson 55 Drexel 93, Widener 59 Duquesne 83, Niagara63 Georgetown 87, Morgan State 70 Le Moyne 94, SUNY-Cobleskill 50 Maryland 83, Coppin State 61 Missouri 88, Howard 67 Penn State 76, Fairfield 68 Pittsburgh 74, Youngstown State 59 Rhode Island 93, Stetson

Fumbles-Lost

Penalties-Yards

Time of Possession27:18

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING_Seattle, Walker 11-42, Charbonnet 8-25, Smith-Njigba1-11,Holani 3-9, Barner 1-1. Washington, Rodriguez 12-65,Daniels 10-51, Croskey-Merritt12-38, Samuel 1-3, McNichols1-0. PASSING_Seattle, Darnold 21-24-1-330. Washington, Daniels 16-22-1-153.

RECEIVING_Seattle, Smith-Njigba8-129, Horton 4-48,Barner 3-24,Arroyo2-29, Walker 2-19, C.White 1-60, Charbonnet 1-21.Washington, Samuel 5-41, Ertz4-46, Lane3-29, Bates 2-20, Burks 1-14,Croskey-Merritt 1-3

TOP25ROUNDUP

Arizonaknocksoff reigning champFlorida

BY W.G. RAMIREZ Associated Press

LAS VEGAS Freshman Koa

Peat scored30points to lead No. 13 Arizona to a93-87 win over third-ranked and reigningnational champion Florida in the Hall of Fame Series on Monday night.

Peat was impressive in his college debut, shooting 11 of 18 from the floor and adding seven rebounds and five assists. He was fouled making adefensive rebound with 14.2 seconds left and hit his two ensuing free throws to seal the victory But, it was consecutive dunks by Peat late in the second half that sent the crowd at T-MobileArena into a frenzy and punctuated his first college game.

Jaden Bradley was also impressive, scoring 27 points —including 11 of Arizona’sfinal 18 points —to help seal the win.

Ivan Kharchenkov shook off an injury late in the first halfthatsenthim to the locker room and finished with12 points for the Wildcats.

Thomas Haugh led Florida with 27 points, Xaivian Lee scored 14, and Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten each had11. The Wildcats shot 49.2% (30 of 61) from the field, whileFlorida’s poor second-half shooting(14 of 38, 36.8%) sealed its fate.

The Gators opened the game strong, pushing their lead to 12 points after hitting 11 of their first 16 shots.

The Wildcats clamped down on defense andheld Florida to 5-for-16 shooting the rest of the half while going on a32-16 run by hitting 11 of 18 shots down the stretch. Arizona, which shot 50% from the floor in the first half, led 50-46 at halftime.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By IAN MAULE

Arizona forwardKoa Peat shoots against Florida forward Alex Condon during the second half of agameonMonday in Las Vegas.

No. 20 AUBURN 95, BETHUNECOOKMAN 90 (OT):InAuburn, Alabama, Keyshawn Hall scored seven of his 28 points in overtime to lead No. 20 Auburn to avictory against Bethune-CookmaninSteven Pearl’scoachingdebut.

TheTigers led 81-78 in regulation when Elyjah Freeman fouled Arterio Morrisona half-court heave just before the buzzer.Morris knockeddown all three free throws to send the game into overtime. Hall took over from there.

KeShawn Murphy added 17 points, eight rebounds andfour assists forthe Tigers. The6-foot-10 transfer from Mississippi State has beendealing with akneeinjury butgaveAuburnsome much-neededsize against theWildcats. Bethune-Cookman dropped to 0-29 all time against ranked teams.

No.15ALABAMA 91, NORTH DAKOTA 62:InTuscaloosa, Alabama,LabaronPhilonhad 22 pointsand eight assists Houston Mallette added 15

points. and No. 15 Alabama opened the season with a victory against North DakotaonMonday night. Philon scored or assisted on 32 of Alabama’s48firsthalf points, more thanmaking up for the Crimson Tide’s short-handed bench. Alabama played without guards Aden Holloway (wrist) andLatrell Wrightsell(Achilles)and transfer forward KeitennBristow (ankle).Transfer guard Jalil Bethea, who injured his foot during practice in September,remained sidelined.

No.18TENNESSEE76, MERCER 61:InKnoxville,Tennessee, Nate Amentscored 18 points and had nine rebounds to lead No. 18 Tennesseetoa victory over Mercer Ament, regardedasone of thetop freshmen in the country,was much more efficient shooting against Mercer (6 of 11) than he was in last week’sexhibition loss to Duke (5 of 19).

J.P.Estrella chipped in 12 pointsand Jaylen Carey had 10 rebounds.

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.

FULWILEY

Continued from page 1C

guard who left the Gamecocks so she could play for their top rival. Why did Fulwiley turn to the other side in the LSU-South Carolina rivalry?

On Friday, after a light practice, the 5-foot-10 guard sat down in the Tigers’ training facility and said she needed some things that the Gamecocks could no longer offer her

A chance to show WNBA scouts she can play point guard A distraction-free environment that she could tailor solely to her development as a basketball player

A new place that could strip away everything else and show her who she really was.

“My real close people and people that’s really in my circle and know me in real life,” Fulwiley said, “they understand why I made that move, and they never questioned it because they already knew They see me every day They knew that I needed to leave.”

‘The best-kept secret’

It’s not unusual to see a bigname coach walking around WJ Keenan High School in Columbia. The place tends to produce college basketball players. Longtime boys basketball coach Zachary Norris has coached his fair share of Division I talents, which means he’s also hosted his fair share of Division I coaches.

Like Gregg Marshall, the disgraced former Wichita State men’s basketball coach. He was watching Keenan’s team practice one day when a smaller, younger player caught his eye. She played with the girls Sometimes, she’d practice with the boys.

“Who’s that?” Marshall asked Norris.

“I said, ‘That’s MiLaysia Fulwiley,’ ” Norris said. “ ‘That’s the best-kept secret around here.’ ” Norris — a South Carolina Hall of Famer beginning his 39th season as a high school basketball coach — used to tell his team that he’d be late to pregame meetings because he wanted to watch Fulwiley play in her middle school games. Even then, she was a big deal. Reggie McLain, the Keenan girls coach, let Fulwiley join his varsity team when she was in seventh grade.

A year later The State newspaper in Columbia ran a story about a local basketball star who was seeking her second high school state championship — before she even started high school.

The subject, of course, was Fulwiley She already was a dazzling talent magnetic enough to attract a few spectators at her first varsity practice, then later, draw crowds large enough for games that Keenan’s coaches brushed up on the fire code.

“She was just a great person,” Norris said. “Great to be around. Always made you laugh and smile. And then on the court, she was just, oh man, amazing. Just the things that she could do, some of the guys couldn’t even do them.”

As a freshman in high school, Fulwiley scored 54 points while South Carolina coach Dawn Staley watched from the bleachers. As a junior, she dueled with future LSU star Flau’jae Johnson. Keenan had to start turning fans away from that game. Inside, the two traded deep 3s, trash talk and crafty tran-

LSU MEN

Continued from page 1C

build the program. His buyout, if fired after this season, is roughly $6.5 million.

“We’ve seen it on the football side that many times that amount of money is not going to stop a school from making a move if they feel that it’s time,” Borzello said.

Borzello thinks McMahon will be gone if LSU misses the tournament again, but he can also see a scenario where McMahon stays if the team is one of the first four out when the bracket is revealed. What also would factor into the decision is the risk of losing players from the high school recruiting trail and the following season’s transfer portal cycle. Regardless, the only way for McMahon to “feel safe” is by making the tournament.

“I don’t know if LSU — with the resources they have and with the resources they use on this year’s roster — just don’t know if they’re going to go into year five without being to a tournament under McMahon,” Borzello said. “I wouldn’t say it’s guaranteed he gets fired if he doesn’t make the tournament, but I don’t think he’ll feel safe at all if they find themselves on the

sition layups, foreshadowing their subsequent matchups in college. Fulwiley committed to South Carolina as a senior then helped her hometown Gamecocks win a national championship as a freshman. Bradley Elementary, her former school, invited her to speak to its students that spring.

So, too, did Keenan On that visit, Fulwiley wore a shirt that read “Homegrown Champion.”

“She had a dream,” said Kezia Myers, principal at Bradley, “and now her dream is reality. They can do it as well. So, she inspires other people, even if she knows it or not. Because they look up to her.”

Now, with Fulwiley at LSU, Columbia residents have to do so from afar

“I respect her for what she did,” Norris said. “I really do. Because it takes a lot to leave your hometown and leave your family and everything. It takes a lot. But to me, that’s a part of maturity, too, and maybe she needs another avenue to show her stuff and the skills that she has.

“But it hurts now because I can’t go down to (South Carolina) to watch her, you know?” Norris said with a laugh. “I’m kind of caught in between on that one.”

‘Get the best of her’

In the memoir she published in May, Staley called Fulwiley “a younger, savvier version of myself.” She’s naturally reserved, the South Carolina coach wrote, and quiet. She’s also a “show woman.”

She embraces the spotlight when she’s playing well and shies away

outside looking in on Selection Sunday.”

Winning more games than last season, especially during SEC play, will alleviate some pressure.

Being a competitive team in the conference is a possibility that’s not outlandish, Borzello said. He said LSU did a “quietly good job” improving its roster with mostly older players who can be “plug and play.”

The crown jewel of the overhaul is the new junior point guard from UNLV.

“I love Dedan Thomas,” Borzello said. “I’ve liked him since high school Really good point guard, really good passer, one of the better non-Power Five point guards in the country last year.”

The SEC will be deep again after a season where an NCAA-record 14 teams made the tournament

While the top of the conference won’t be as elite, several teams in the middle and back half of the standings should be vying for bids again.

Finding a way to “thread the needle” will be tough, but it’s something LSU is capable of achieving.

“From a pure talent perspective, I think there’s certainly enough on the roster,” Borzello said.

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

from it when she isn’t.

Fulwiley is also “prideful,” Staley said. She doesn’t want to need anything, and she’d rather not ask for help.

Staley penned that description of her former star guard in a chapter she wrote about the importance of developing good habits. That wisdom is what the Gamecocks coach spent the previous two seasons trying to instill in Fulwiley, as she said in an April appearance on “The Breakfast Club” radio show

“I thought MiLaysia was getting better,” Staley told the show’s hosts. “I saw a whole lot of growth, on and off the court. LSU’s gonna get the best of her now.”

Fulwiley is one of the country’s most electrifying players. She’s quick and fast. For a guard, she’s tall and long, and she can swarm opposing ballhandlers at the point of attack. Few players are more adept at navigating tight spaces, dishing out crafty passes or finishing layups from difficult angles.

At South Carolina, Fulwiley changed the complexion of games.

She scored a career-high 24 points in an SEC Tournament final win over LSU as a freshman The next season, she notched 16 of her 23 points in the second half of a tight NCAA Tournament victory over Maryland, propelling the Gamecocks into the Elite Eight.

Staley, however, preferred to play Fulwiley in spurts.

Sometimes, she’d commit a costly turnover or miss a defensive assignment.

Fulwiley played at least 30 min-

utes in only one of the 77 games she appeared in as a Gamecock. Before she was unleashed last season in the Sweet 16, she was benched in the second round. Those struggles were carrying over from one round of the tournament to the next, so Staley tore into her in the third quarter of the game against the Terrapins, then watched her catch fire the next time she checked in.

“I think what we saw over her time at South Carolina is decision-making being a big thing for Dawn Staley,” ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said on a recent conference call with reporters, “in terms of on the offensive end of the floor and her improvement there.

“Also, on the defensive end of the floor, you just saw her grow and mature throughout the last couple of years, and I think you will continue to see those things.”

South Carolina’s last chance to climb back into its national championship loss to UConn last season was starting to slip away Then Fulwiley checked in late in the third quarter and gave the Gamecocks a chance. She banked in a runner Blocked a shot. Stole a pass and assisted a fastbreak layup. Huskies coach Geno Auriemma, sensing a shift, called a timeout.

“She can change the course of a game in just a few possessions,” Lobo noted on the broadcast.

The run was short-lived. On the first play after the break, UConn star Sarah Strong caught Fulwiley out of position and passed to the open sharpshoot-

ing guard Azzi Fudd, who buried a corner 3-pointer that negated what South Carolina had done on the previous few possessions. The broadcast then captured Staley yelling in frustration on the bench. Her reaction was quickly clipped and plastered across social media, and now it’s immortalized in gif form.

“You don’t help off the strongside corner,” Lobo said.

A month and a half later, Fulwiley signed with LSU, and Staley was booked for a press tour of her book.

“We went through the hard part of just smoothing some rough edges,” Staley said on the radio show, “and getting her to create good habits. I do think habits are the thing that allows you to elevate. So, I think what we’ve given her and what she’s given us, will allow her to have much better days, much more consistent days, than she had with us at her next stop.”

‘Mixed views’

LSU checked every box for Fulwiley

She can play point guard there. She can compete for a national title there. She can play the only way she knows how to there — fast, loose and free and she can do so in the SEC, arguably the most competitive league in the country She didn’t want to leave the conference.

Still, Fulwiley’s decision rocked the college basketball world while puzzling some folks from her hometown — and rankling others.

“At first, I was trying to figure out why,” said Norris, the Keenan boys basketball coach.

Said McLain, her high school coach: “The thing that I think shocked the people was the destination.”

Myers, the principal at Fulwiley’s elementary school and an avid South Carolina fan, said Fulwiley’s move was “totally her decision.”

“She has to make her own way,” Myers said, “so we are extremely proud of her and know that she’s going to do well.”

Running point in Mulkey’s system has its challenges. Hailey Van Lith chose LSU for the same reason in 2023, and she reentered the portal after one rocky season with the Tigers, though she later said her initial decision to move to Baton Rouge helped her get drafted into the WNBA in 2025. Fulwiley is following that same path, except her transfer move happened to spice up one of the sport’s bitter rivalries.

“I think you’re gonna have mixed views,” McLain said. “You got some that’s still gonna support her like us. We’re gonna support her and her coaches and family You got a lot that are not gonna support her They didn’t like the decision. They were not for it.”

But Fulwiley wants those folks to know she simply did what she thought was best for her and her family and that above all else, it was important for her to choose a team that she could help win a national title.

“I also wanted to be on a team that fit my style of play,” Fulwiley said, “where I can just be myself, but also be coachable and be disciplined while being myself. And I felt like this was one of those programs.”

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

Pels look to ‘turn page’ starting against Hornets

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Willie Green understands the frustration that comes with an 0-6 start to the season and a 13-game losing streak dating back to last season So as the New Orleans Pelicans return home from a three-game road trip to host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night at Smoothie King Center, Green is viewing it this way

“Turning the page,” he said “Obviously we’re all disappointed, frustrated with our start. But we continue to come in, work at it and address it.” Green said he and executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars talk daily about where the team stands.

“We all echo the same sentiment,” Green said. “We’ll continue to work at it. We are all frustrated and want to be better We’re all a part of making sure that we do what we can to be better.”

After a tough road trip against three Western Conference heavyweights, the Pelicans will try to pick up their first victory since last March. The Hornets bring a 3-4 re-

ä Hornets at Pelicans 7 P.M.

TUESDAy, WAFB

cord to the Smoothie King Center

“We are definitely in a spot where we need to win games,” forward

Trey Murphy said. “We are not happy with what’s going on right now We will have to play better as a team. We are going to have to go out there and fight and compete. That’s the biggest thing right now.”

Competing wasn’t always the case through the first six games

The Pels have lost three of those games (Celtics, Nuggets and Thunder) by at least 30 points.

The Pelicans rank 27th in the league in offensive efficiency and next-to-last in defensive efficiency

“Not to make any excuses, but it’s a new group playing against really experienced teams,” Green said. “With Boston, Denver and OKC, if you don’t compete for 48 minutes — play hard and play together against groups like that they expose you.”

Green understands that as the losses mount, so does the displeasure among fans.

“When you take these positions, this is what comes with it,” he said.

“There is no way around that. If the team doesn’t do well or doesn’t start the way you want it to, I’m up front and center It’s my responsibility to continue to help these guys get on track.”

The season is still young, and Murphy isn’t discouraged by the slow start. There is still time to turn things around.

“A lot of times you need just one (win),” Murphy said. “My rookie year, we started 1-12 and we ended up making the playoffs. It’s not about how you start It’s how you finish.”

Zion Williamson (left hamstring soreness) and Yves Missi (illness) are both listed as questionable for Tuesday It’s the first of back-toback games for the Pelicans. They play at the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. They follow that up with a road game Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs and a road game Monday against the Phoenix Suns.

The goal is to end some of the frustration Tuesday night against Charlotte.

“I totally understand the frustration from fans,” Green said. “We all feel the same way and we want to get it right.”

Quinn takes blame for Daniels’ dislocated elbow

BY NOAH TRISTER AP sportswriter

Jayden Daniels has a dislocated left elbow, and Washington coach Dan Quinn did not have a timetable for his return when he provided an update Monday

Some Saints putting trade rumors aside

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Asked how

he’d go about the next few days, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed said he wouldn’t dwell on Sunday’s 3410 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, adding he and his teammates would be ready to work.

But at his locker, Shaheed had to be politely corrected about what the reporter meant.

How would he go about handling Tuesday’s trade deadline?

“It’s not really up to me,” Shaheed said. “That’s not my decision. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I have no idea. It’s kind of up in the air.”

Before Shaheed answered, a few of his teammates chuckled nearby The wide receiver can be forgiven if he’s not used to his name being in rumors, but that’s changed of late. Shaheed is one of the Saints’ most frequently mentioned trade candidates, arguably even more so than teammate Chris Olave.

Pro Football Talk reported Saturday that the 27-year-old Shaheed is “seen as widely available” around the league, and the Saints reportedly are asking for at least a third-round pick in return.

Shaheed is in the final year of his contract, and the Saints are rebuilding at 1-8.

“I just take it as respect from other teams,” Shaheed said of the interest. “They feel that way about me, and that’s a good thing. But you know, I’m here, and that’s where I want to be.”

Shaheed’s future with the Saints is in question in part because of his contract uncertainty While Olave confirmed the Saints have been discussing a contract extension with him since the beginning of the season, Shaheed said his own negotiations with the franchise have been quiet.

The same agent represents Olave and Shaheed, but Olave’s deal isn’t up until after the 2026 season, because the Saints decided to pick up the former firstrounder’s fifth-year option.

“We haven’t really talked about it much since the season has started,” Shaheed said. “I can’t really say much about it.”

It remains to be seen whether any team will meet the Saints’ reported asking price, or if New Orleans would accept less when push comes to shove The Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Seattle

WALKER

Continued from page 1C

The Saints are just past the midway point of their season, but they have some winnable games (I think) left against struggling teams such as the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans.

The Pelicans are just six games in. It’s too soon in an 82-game season to hit the panic button, but it’s more about the way the Pelicans have lost. Three of the losses have been by 30 or more points.

Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers have been among the teams reportedly looking for help at receiver Shaheed has 44 catches for 499 yards and three touchdowns in nine games this season. If Sunday was his final game for the Saints, he finished his time in New Orleans by leading the team in receptions (five) and receiving yards (68). But the performance arguably wasn’t splashy enough to boost his trade value.

The Saints have only five picks in next year’s draft after making several trades earlier this season. The team sent its fourth-rounder and 2027 seventh-rounder to the Denver Broncos in exchange for wideout Devaughn Vele. And in March, they sent a seventh-round selection to the New England Patriots for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. New Orleans also could gain a fourth-round compensatory pick to account for Paulson Adebo’s departure to the New York Giants.

Shaheed and Olave also have not been the only Saints mentioned in rumors Cornerback Alontae Taylor is in the final year of his deal and declined to comment Sunday about whether he and the Saints have had conversations about an extension. The Saints, like with Shaheed, are reportedly seeking at least a thirdround pick for Taylor

“Man, I’m a God-fearing man; I feel like that’s all up to God,” Taylor said. “I love being here. I enjoy being in this locker room, with this team and this squad. If I can stay here and be here, that’s where I want to be. But I just want to be wherever God wants me to be.”

As many as a dozen Saints have been floated in trade rumors over the last few weeks, including veterans such as running back Alvin Kamara and linebacker Demario Davis.

Kamara threatened to retire if traded, while Davis recently said he doesn’t worry about matters out of his control.

“I’ve had a blessed career here,” said Davis, who has been with the Saints since 2018. “It’s been everything that I can ask for and imagine in terms of a team to be on. I’ve been able to help the team, and this team has helped my career This city means so much to me and my family “But at the end of the day, it is a business. And you have to be aware of that.”

away in June to move up in the 2025 draft.

So neither of these teams will be fixed overnight. It’s going to take some time.

It’s almost fitting that this is being written on Nov 3. On that date a year ago, Dennis Allen coached his final game for the Saints in Charlotte, North Carolina, against the Carolina Panthers. He was fired the next day The Saints, after striking out on several coaches they targeted, hired Moore.

Across the parking lot, the Pelicans fired executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin at the end of the second-worst season in franchise history and replaced him with Louisiana native Joe Dumars.

Both hires were supposed to be a fresh start and a turning point for the franchises. Neither has been yet.

“By Wednesday and Thursday, I’m sure I’ll be able to update that a little bit further, once other opinions and those things are there,” Quinn said “It’ll knock him out for a while, for sure.” Quinn began his video conference by admitting it was a mistake to leave Daniels in the game in the fourth quarter Sunday night The Commanders were down 38-7 to Seattle in a game they’d eventually lose 38-14, and Daniels already had missed time this season with knee and hamstring problems. The second-year quarterback was hurt with 7:29 remaining, when he was tackled and his non-throwing arm bent gruesomely after he put his hand on the ground. Quinn said that was going to be the last drive for a few key players, and the plan was to avoid having Daniels run the ball, but that wasn’t enough to keep him out of trouble. He took a shotgun snap near the goal line, faked a handoff and then moved to his right to avoid pressure before being brought down.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NICK WASS Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is helped off the field after injuring his arm during a play in the second half of a game on Sunday in Landover, Md.

“That’s where I missed it,” Quinn said. “Of course, he could scramble. It’s Jayden. It’s what he’s special at. That is 100 percent that’s on me.” Daniels was apparently in so much pain that he started swinging his right leg back and forth while lying on the ground, but perhaps fortunately for him and the Com-

manders, the injury wasn’t related to his legs. Quinn said it’s just a dislocation, no fractures.

Although Quinn stopped short of ruling Daniels out for the season, the Commanders (3-6) might need to make a significant run without him for his return later on to make much sense. “Haven’t even gone there,” Quinn said. “That’s a way-downthe-line space to get into.”

Things were so rough Sunday that you could have a serious debate about whose defense was worse: Willie Green’s team or Kellen Moore’s team? Green’s Pelicans gave up 108 points through the first three quarters against a Thunder team missing three of its four best players. Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort all sat out. Moore’s Saints allowed 438 yards of offense and had no answer for Matthew Stafford and his offense. To be fair, the overmatched Saints and Pelicans were playing teams that very well could be lifting the Lombardi Trophy and Larry O’Brien Trophy at seasons’ end. But Sunday also showed just how far away the Saints and Pels are from being on the same tier with those elite teams Neither of Benson’s teams is trending in the right direction. If there is some light somewhere at the end of the tunnel, the tunnel is too long to actually see it. The Saints currently are in position for the No. 1 draft pick in next year’s draft. But one draft pick won’t solve all of the issues on the roster Mickey Loomis and his staff have put together The Pelicans are in line for a very high draft pick, too. Well, except they traded their first-round pick

Green, whose seat is as hot as it’s ever been, and Moore are both optimistic they can get things turned around.

“The biggest thing is just stay together,” Green said after the Pelicans’ loss Sunday “Keep fighting for each other, (and) let’s try to string together a consistent game.”

A little over an hour later, about 1,300 miles away in Inglewood, California, Moore had a similar message.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “We are going through a challenging storm. We’ve faced some adversity We’ve got to keep pushing. We’ve got to keep pushing together You get through this storm, you’re going to tell one heckuva story But you’ve got to get there. We’re not there yet.” Sunday showed neither team is even close.

Players are frustrated.

Fans are frustrated.

Mrs. Benson should be, too. Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

THE VARSITY ZONE

BATON ROUGE AREA FOOTBALL TOP 10s

1. Plaquemine (8-1): The Green Devils defeated Istrouma 58-12 in

2. Catholic-BR (7-2): The Bears rolled Woodlawn 47-7 to extend their winning streak to four.The Bears are unbeaten in District 4-5A

3. Denham Springs (7-2): The yellow Jackets continue to light teams up offensively after a 6234 win over Walker Denham Springs has scored at least 40 points in each of its past five games.

4 Central (7-2): The Wildcats notched a major comeback win on the road against Zachary, 3533. Central is 3-1 in District 4-5A

5 Brusly (8-1): The Panthers held on to take St. Michael down 27-24 to remain second in District 6-4A.

6. Zachary (6-2): The Broncos fell at home to Central, 35-33, to fall out of contention for the District 4-5A title.

7. East Ascension (6-3): The Spartans maintained their first-place tie in District 5-5A with Denham Springs after a 30-28 win over Dutchtown.

8. Dutchtown (5-3): The Griffins fell to East Ascension 30-28 to make it two losses in their past three games.

9. St.Amant (7-2): The Gators have won two straight after they defeated Prairieville at home, 49-24.

10. Liberty (5-4): The Patriots could be poised to make it back to the playoffs after defeating Scotlandville 52-31 to get to 2-2 in District 4-5A play.

CLASS 3A AND BELOW

1. Dunham (8-1): The Tigers continue to rip off big wins after taking down Episcopal 42-7.

2 University High (7-2): The Cubs won District 6-3A after winning a defensive showdown against Madison Prep 14-8.

3. Madison Prep (7-2): The Chargers saw their five-game winning streak snapped after a close 14-8 loss to University High.

4. St. James (7-2): The Wildcats shut out Patterson in a massive 57-0 win.

5.Ascension Catholic (7-2): The Bulldogs rolled White Castle 72-21 to stretch their winning streak to five in a row.

6. North Iberville (8-1): The Bears took down East Iberville 40-8 to bounce back from their loss

in Week 8 to Ascension Catholic.

7. Catholic-PC (7-2): The Hornets defeated Sacred Heart 36-24 to get back on track after a Week 8 overtime loss to St Edmund.

8. Donaldsonville (7-2): The Tigers dominated Berwick 49-6 to get their first District 7-3A win.

9. East Feliciana (6-3): The Tigers ended a twogame losing streak with a 28-9 win over Baker

10. Slaughter Charter (7-2): The Knights returned to their previous form defensively from earlier in the year with a 35-0 win over Broadmoor

Jackson Reyes

Brazile leads No. 14 Hogs past Southern

ERIC W. BOLIN

When, howto plant bulbsfor spring blooms

Gardening often is an exercise in thinking ahead. Being able to enjoy flowers, foliage and food from the garden depends on whether you ticked off the requisitelist of to-dos in previousseasons. That’sdefinitely the case with flowers like daffodils that grow from bulbs.

While they won’tbloom until spring, now through November is when you need to plant these bulbs. This is because many of them require acertain amount of time in the chilly groundto trigger their beautiful blooms in February,March and April. Don’tknow much about bulbs? Don’tbeintimidated you might know more than you think. Consider the onion thatmay be sitting around in your kitchen. That’sabulb that happens to be edible.

Abulb is an underground structure that some plants use to store their food supply It also produces shoots —so abulb simply functions as a sort of giant seed that can be used to grow anew plant. Over time, that plant may eventually produceclumps of more bulbs called bulblets or

Many people order their bulbs from seed catalogsand websites. Your local garden center probably has agood selection of bulbs, too. (If you’re lucky,you might have agardening friend who has divided and saved their ownoffsets and is willing to share from their stash.) Wherever you shop, you’re likely to come across many bulbs labeled as various kinds of narcissus. This is areference to the Narcissus genus, manymembers of which are commonly called daffodils. These classic spring flowers come in shades of yellow,pink, orange, coraland white. For most daffodil species,each stem produces asingle, large, trumpet-shaped bloom. The Narcissus genus also includes species that feature clusters of smaller bloomsthat are highlyfragrant, such as jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla) and paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus)

Bulbs typically are packaged in perforatedplastic or paper bags, and they look alot like onions —round withpapery skins. If you’re shopping in person, take some time to carefully examine the bulbs. Squeeze them —they should feel firmwith no soft spots.

ä See BLOOMS, page 2D

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

olenda hand to whoever takes thereins of LSU’s storied —but lately beleaguered —football program, our newspaper staff hascompiled ashort list of Baton Rouge homes for consideration.

Someare within shoutingdistance of TigerStadium, while others offer abit moreprivacy

When it comes to helping LSU coaches find the rightfit, no one knows thatterritory better than Quita Cutrer

She workedwith Nick Sabanon multiple Baton Rouge real estate deals, including theso-called“Saban Estate” on Highland Road. She helpedLes Miles andhis family find their Bocage-area home. She found and listed the home Brian Kelly ended up buying, which wasn’teven on the market at the time.

Cutrer says there are several potential houses foranew coach to consider,depending on what area of town he chooses to live in,including one that sheknows of that

isn’tonthe market yet

It all depends on what the new coach is looking for in ahome

“Nick (Saban)wanted land. He liked theprivacy of his home on Highland —and I’ve already had a call from the seller willing to make adeal for the new coach,” she said.

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

“Brian Kelly wanted to be within a mile of LSU.”

Lookingfor theinsidescoop

The biggest difference in working in real estate withhigh-profile

PROVIDED PHOTO

Function andbeauty combine in this one-of-a-kindwinding staircase in Brian Kelly’s current home on East Lakeshore DriveinBaton Rouge.

HOMES

Continued from page1D

coaching jobs, Cutrersays, is theconstant barrageof questions from people wanting the inside scoop. If the new coach wants to livecloser to LSU, Cutrer recommendsthe Lakeshore area —where Brian Kelly purchased his home on East Lakeshore Drive, situated with an enviable view of the lakes and LSU in the distance. The house is expected to go on the market soon and is drumming up alot of real estate talk in and around Baton Rouge, according to Cutrer She said Kelly wanted to be near LSU’scampus so he could use his home for recruiting purposes.

“I’ve been getting calls relentlessly about the house.

‘Is it going to go on the market? How much is it going to be listed for?,’”she said of Kelly’shome, which required no renovations when he moved in early 2022. Move-in ready is anearuniversal requirement for a coach’sfamily. The rest depends on the family’sspecificneeds.Do they have young children? Are they empty nesters? Do they have abig dog? Do they want alot of privacy?

Until the Kelly era at LSU, Cutrer worked with most of the football coaching staff to help them find their homes as well.

Her ties to the LSU Athletic Department go back to Skip Bertman.

“Skip Bertman would recommend me to all the coaches. He called me when he hired LesMiles and told me to get over to the football office and take out anew coach’swife,” she said. She says she’seven had some coaches look as far out as the Country Club of Louisiana for homes, which would make for alonger drive to Tiger Stadium. De-

BLOOMS

Continued from page1D

Make sure there are no signsofmold growing on them. Once you bring your bulbs home, chooseawelldrained bed that is sunny in thewinter and early spring. Fullsun is preferable, and part sun is OK. Steer clear of shady locations or you’ll have fewerblooms and floppy plants.

Don’tplant the bulbs as deeply as advised on their packagelabels. LSU AgCenter horticulturists recommend planting larger bulbs no more than 4to5inches deep and smaller bulbs 1to 2inches deep. We usually aren’tatrisk of the ground freezingduring winter in Louisiana, so it’sunnecessary to bury the bulbs as deeply here. Planting too deeply also can cause bulbs to rot in our climate.

OUTBACK

Continued from page1D

The Advocate.“Thiswas a business decision that is not areflection of the management or staff.”

pending on traffic, it could be more than ahalf-hour drive.

Even forbig-timecoaches, theBaton Rouge real estate decisioniscrucial —for the same reasons it is foranyone else.

With all the movingcoaches dointhe new version of collegefootball, one factor to considerisresale. However,other pieces ofthe puzzle gettothe nitty-gritty of each family

“Thisistheir home wherethey’regoing to live, hopefullyfor awhile,” Cutrer said.“Butit’slikeany other real estate transaction,whichmeans it’sconfidential.”

Building awinner

There is one optionthat standsout:the aforementioned home of Saban is on themarketat6326 Highland Road.

At $4.99 million, thesixbedroom/seven-bath home comes in at 6,494 square feet on a5.38-acre lot, though 14 additional acres are also available if thenew coach is really interestedinprivacy

The home’sdescription says it wasformerly known as “The Saban Estate” and comes with “timeless French Chateau elegance with unmatched modern amenities” and achef’s kitchenwith an oversized island, triple sink and Miele six-burner cooktop. Oh, and there’s acharming guest housewith its own kitchen and private parking, “a true storybook experience for visitors or extendedfamily.”

It also offersprivacy and proximity with two entrances offHighland Roadand one off Burbank Drive. Plus, it’sonly 3miles andabout an 11-minute drive fromTiger Stadium

Traditionand elegance

Whynot buy an A. Hays Town home? Doing so will give thefamily instant style credibility andbeall the evidence needed toprove that

While many springflowering bulbs should be plantedinOctober and November, thereare some exceptions—notably hyacinthsand tulips, which you’llalso find forsalethis time of year.These need to be planted later,but go ahead andbuy them, as they take some additional prep work

You’llneed to refrigerate hyacinth and tulip bulbs for aminimum of sixtoeight weeks before planting Place them in paper bags

Daly said some of thelocation’semployees will have the opportunity to transfer to other locations,and all will receivea transition bonus.

Baton Rouge has one remaininglocationat2415S Acadian Thruway,and Gonzales hasaspotonSouth

Therapistfeels burned outatwork

they appreciate tradition.

Thehomeat1525 Brame DriveinBaton Rougecomes with majesticlive oaks, complete with aswing, in thecase of young children or grandchildren.

It was built in 1963 and “thoughtfully expanded in 2006,” according to its online listing, blending “timeless architecture withmodern luxury.” It’s availablefor $2.35 million.

The home has 6,303 square feet under roof and 1,200 square feet of porchesdesignedfor year-round enjoyment —though it may be on thesmaller side with only four bedrooms and five bathrooms.

The property includesa private pond and can be accessed through alandscaped alleyway off Hyacinth Avenue.

TigerStadiumproximity

Location. Location.Location For amere$2.25 million, if the new coach is an empty nester anddoesn’t want a house that’stoo big, perhaps he and his family would like to snag this three-bedroom/ five-bath, 5,017-square-foot homeat3109 E. Lakeshore Drive?

It’s an elegant home with allthe trimmingsand luxurious details

Plus, it hasagated driveway,anelevator and an outdoor dog wash station

Alittlefurther out

For thecoach who wants to put alittle distance between home and work and live on agolf course,there’s 17835 E. Augusta Drive, for $3.5 million

With fivebedroomsand six baths, the homeoverlooks the fifth hole at theCountry Club of Louisianaand includesanoutdoor kitchen, asaltwater pool for summer days and a1,500-square-foot guest house.

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

and store them in the fridge away from fruits, which emit ethylene gas as they ripen. This substance can damage the bulbs and prevent them from flowering. Wait for acold, wet day in January to plant. Youmay be miserable, but those conditions are ideal for putting these bulbs in theground. Hyacinths, tulipsand manymodern daffodils available in the general market likely will produce flowers for just one year We tendtotreat these bulbs as annuals in Louisiana because our climate just isn’t conducive to repeat blooming. North Louisiana may see better reblooming of these selections. Finding high-performing, perennial Southern bulbs takes alittle research. These heirloom varieties with proven heat tolerance and little demand for chilling are much better suited for naturalizing and providing years of enjoyment.

VeteransBoulevard, part of the13total locationsinLouisiana.

“Weappreciate the community’ssupport over the past 24 years,” Daly said, “and hope to see them at our Acadian and Gonzales restaurants.

Dear Harriette: I’ve been a therapist for over 20 years, and while I’ve found deep meaning in helping others heal, lately the work has becomeemotionally exhausting. Ilisten to people’spain all day,and Ican feel it sinking into me. Sometimes Icome homecompletely depleted, withnothing left to give to my own family or myself. I’ve tried takingbreaks, going to supervision, even attending therapy myself but theburnout doesn’tseem to lift. I’m starting towonder if I’ve simply given all Ican in this field. Everyone around me tells me Ican’tstop.My clients say I’vechanged their lives. My colleagues tell me I’m one of the mostempathetic, insightful therapists they know Even my friends remind me that Ihave a“gift”for this work and that walking away would be aloss to the people who depend on me. Ifeel torn between my dutytomyclients and my own mental health, and I don’tknow how to balance thetwo. Is it selfish to put myself first after years of caring for others? Howdo Iknow when it’s truly time to step away,and how do Idoitwithout feeling like

I’mletting everyone down?

—Turning Point Dear Turning Point: Maybe it’s just timetotake abreak. If you can afford it, take acouple of months off and rejuvenate. If needed, see if you can get disability insurance to pay for the timeyou don’t work. Youmay come back feeling energized and ready to get back to work. If not, think about what else you might be able to do workwise if the break needs to be extended.

Dear Harriette: Anew friend Imet at aworkout class suggested we grab lunch together and mentioned it would be her treat. I thought that wasreally kind, and Iwas excited to get to know her better outside of class. When the bill came, it sat on the table forawhile; neither of us touched it. Eventually,I picked up the check and asked if she wanted to split it, and she said yes immediately.I wascaught off guard because she had clearly said beforehand that she wanted to treat me, so Ihadn’texpected to pay.It’snot about the money —I don’tmind paying formyself —but it left me feeling alittle awkward and unsure if Ihad mis-

understood her.Was she just being polite when she offered, or did she forget what she had said? Idon’twant to make things weird by bringing it up, but it’sbeen bothering me because it felt misleading. Should Ijust let it go, or is it worth clarifying to avoid confusion in the future? Ireally enjoyed our conversation and would like to stay friends, but I don’twant small misunderstandings like this to create tension. I’mnot sure if Ishould take this as ared flag about her character or just an innocent miscommunication. —Unclear

Dear Unclear: Next time you speak to her,ask her directly what happened. It’s good to clear the air Tell her that you remember her offering to treat you to lunch and that it felt awkward when she didn’t do that. Emphasize that you are fine with paying your way,but she had set a different expectation. See what she has to say.You want to build friendships with people whoare honest.

Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/oAndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St.,Kansas City,MO 64106.

Therealturkeyis

Dear Miss Manners: What is the etiquette for who cooks the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner? We have family memberswho requested that our daughter cook and bring theturkey after she makes a 12-hour drive with two toddlers and her husband.

Gentlereader: Whoops, etiquette does not have arule designating theturkey cook. Should it be theperson who is closest to theoven? The one who does it best? The one who didn’tdoit last year? The one who actually volunteers?

drawing of abreed of dog whom we both are fond of. As she gave me the card, she noted that she had to really debate whether she wanted to give it to me, as she liked it so much.

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Iallowed that it wasanice card, but if she really wanted it, she could keep it. She refused the offer,soI kept the card safe, thinking that Iwould frame it forher and she could have it back.

Miss Manners can think of exceptions that should be madetoany of these. So it is fortunate that thematter can be settled by manners principles, of which there are agood supply For example, consideration of others. Asmidgeon of that might suggest that an all-day drive in a crowded car with toddlers isn’tgood for aturkey,let alone the passengers.

Dear Miss Manners: Two years ago, afriend and I met for lunch and to celebrate our birthdays. She presented mewith acard that featured astylized

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday Nov.4,the 308thday of 2025. There are 57 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Nov.4,2008, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois was elected the first Black president of the United States, defeating theRepublican candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Also on this date: In 1922, theentrance to King Tutankhamen’stomb was discovered in Egypt In 1979, theIran hostage crisis began as militant studentsstormed theU.S. Embassy in Tehran, seizing its occupants; 52 of the hostages were held for 444 days and were released on Jan. 20, 1981.

When we metfor our next birthday lunch, I reminded her of the card and how she had been reticent to give it to me. I said that Ihad kept it safe, then presented her with the picture. Initially,she was pleased, but by the end of the meal she was complaining that she had no place to put it on atable at her home. Ipointed out that she could hang it up, and she grumbled there was no free wall space, but she did take the picture with her

Fast-forward to this year, when Ireceived apackage from her and inside was that sameframed picture as abirthday present. Ifound it irksome. If she had not wanted it, she

TODAYINHISTORY

In 1980, Republican Ronald Reagan wonelection to the White House forthe first timeashetrounced Democratic President Jimmy Carter In 1991, Ronald Reagan opened his presidential library in Simi Valley, California; attending were President George H.W Bush and former Presidents Jimmy Carter,Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon—the first-ever gathering of five past and present U.S. chief executives.

In 1995, Yitzhak Rabin, prime ministerofIsrael, was assassinated by arightwing Israeli minutes after attending apeace rally In 2007, King Tutankhamen’sface wasunveiled for the first time to the public more than 3,000 years after the pharaoh was buried in

could have just given it to acharity Gentle reader: Unfortunate as this is foryour friendship, it is fascinating to Miss Manners as an illustration of etiquette’s subtext. On the surface, your behavior wasreasonable and considerate. Your friend admitted to wanting the card, so you tried to give it back to her.Twice. But presents (unless they are merely plucked from the recipient’swish list) are loaded with symbolic meaning: “I know you, I understand you and Iwant to please you.” To return apresent to its donor is therefore to respond with, “Well, you failed.” (Therefore, discretion is required in disposing of what is unwanted which is fine to do, as long as the giver doesn’tknow.) Youshould undo that unintended message by telling her how much you value the card and didn’t really wanttolet it go, except that you value the friendship more. And send her adifferent birthday present reflecting another interest of hers.

Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners.com.

his Egyptian tomb. In 2016, the Paris climate accord, reached the previous year,took effect; the first global pact to fight climate change called on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution but imposed no sanctions on countries that didn’t. Today’sbirthdays: Blues musician Delbert McClinton is

SCoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) It's up to you to promote what you can do. Stick to the truth. If you promise more than you can deliver, it will lead to unnecessary stress. Keep your message strong, honest and reasonable.

SAGIttARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Take the initiative and make things happen. Relying on others to do things for you will lead to disappointment. Rise above negativity and walk away from whatever and whoever holds you back.

CAPRICoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Let go of toxic or indulgent situations. Ask what you can do that will help you get back on track. Being in a stalemate situation will continue to numb you. Shake things up and learn something new.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Amentalreset may help you change course. Make yourself aware of what's adaptable and what isn't. Learn how to manipulate your happiness. Implement something that will bring joy to your routine.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Spontaneity will work against you. Don't feel pressured to make a purchase, a choice or a move. Refuse to let outside influences infiltrate your decision-making.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Stick to basics, be direct and verify information before sharing it. Excess is the enemy, and discipline is your ticket to flourishing. Nurture meaningful relationships.

tAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Emotions will run high when dealing with personal

and business relationships. Clutter and indulgent tendencies require your attention. Let go of dead weight

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Unresolved issues will take a toll on you emotionally. Verify information, confirm facts and address matters directly. Avoid purchasing costly products promising unrealistic things.

CAnCER (June 21-July 22) Being receptive to new technology or ways of doing things will help you advance. Don't fall behind because you don't like change. Look at what you cannot control as a new adventure.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Socializing more will enhance your curiosity and lead to new friendships and pastimes that bring you a sense of vitality. Don't drown yourself in screen time when physical connection is what you need.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Address financial, medical and legal matters that are weighing you down. You have more options than you realize. Exhaust your resources and put out a call for help. LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Aggressive moves will not resolve issues. Consider what's stopping you and adapt rather than try to change what's heavily rooted. Let go of negative partnerships.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist.

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

toDAy'S CLuE: B EQuALS y

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

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

Alexander Smith,a19th-century Scottishpoet,said,“Everythingissweetened by risk.”

Notwhen you are adeclarer!Then, you shouldaim to make your contract withoutrisk.

However, declarer usually faces various dangers. In today’s deal, he must work to keep aparticular opponentoff the lead.

Southcruises into four spades. West, whoovercalled in clubs, leads thediamond king. After Eastsignals with the jack, how should declarer plan the play? In the modern style, North responded three spades, showing aweak hand with four-card spade support. With agameinvitational hand, North would have cue-bid three clubs.This is agood idea becauseitallows responder to bid both constructively and obstructively.

Declarerstartswithninetoptricks(six spades,twoheartsandonediamond)and hopes to establish dummy’s heartsuit. But he is in danger of losingfour tricks: one heart, one diamondand twoclubs However,heriskslosingthosetwoclubs onlyifEast gains lead.

South must duck at thefirst trick avoidance play number one. East’s careful play of the diamond jack indicates thathealso has the 10, apotential entry card.

Then,aftertakingthesecondtrickwith his diamond ace, declarer draws trumps endingontheboardandleadsalowheart to his10— avoidance play number two. West winswithhis queen, but cannot do better than cash the club ace to stopan overtrick.

Note that if South takes the first trick or plays off three rounds of hearts, East gets on lead to pushaclubthrough South’sking.

©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 SIAMAnGS: SEE-uh-mangs: Black gibbons of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.

Average mark12words

Time limit 30 minutes

Can you find 22 or morewords in SIAMANGS?

yEStERDAy’S WoRD —DRuPES

today’s thought “Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1Corinthians 3:16

Interested in Print?

Sign upfor home delivery of thenewspaper in addition to full digitalaccessonyourphone, tabletorcomputer. Access to thedaily e-replica of thenewspaper is also included.

For the Meeting of Mayorand Council City of Zachary,LA Council Chambers, 4700 Main Street Tuesday,October14, 2025, 6:30 P.M.

A. CALL TO ORDER Mayor McDavid called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday October 14, 2025, at the Zachary City Hall located at 4700 Main Street, Zachary,LA.

B. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Invocation by Councilman Councilwoman Landry Pledge of Allegiance by Mr.TyStephens

C. OPENING PROCEDURES

1. ROLL CALL MAYOR David McDavid COUNCIL MEMBERS John LeBlanc– District 2 James Graves –District 4 Jennifer Landry –District 5 ABSENT Brandy Westmoreland –District 1 AmbreDeVirgilio –District 3

2. READING OF CITY POLICY RELATIVE TO OPEN MEETINGS Beforeproceeding with the meeting, Mayor McDavid read astatement into the recordregarding the Open Meetings Law,and citizens’ right to participate in public meetings. The statement sets forth general rules of conduct of the public meeting and outlined the process through which acitizen can have items placed on the Council agenda. Acopy of the rules is available at City Hall, Mayor’sOffice or by calling the Clerk of the City Council. The rules will also be available at every Council meeting.

3. CHANGES/ADDITIONS TO AGENDA

The motion was made by Councilwoman Landry

The motion was seconded by Councilman LeBlanc

To approve to amend the agenda to move item N4 to O3.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

The motion was made by CouncilwomanLandry

The motion was seconded by Councilman Graves

To approve to amend the agenda to combine items I2C, I2E, I2F on the agenda.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

D. READING OF THE MINUTES

1. Approval of Minutes of the September 23, 2025, regular meeting, and Minutes of the September 23, 2025, Code Enforcement Office Workshop and approve them as written.

The motion was made by Councilman Graves

The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To approve the Minutes of the September 23, 2025, regular meeting, and Minutes of the September 23, 2025, Code Enforcement Office Workshop and approve them as written.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

E. HONORS, RECOGNITIONS, AND INTRODUCTIONS

1. Recognition of October 15, 2025, as White Cane Awareness Day Councilwoman Landry spoke and presented proclamation to Anna Clara Gayle, an advocate for the rights of the visually impaired.

2. Recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month Councilman Graves spoke regarding Breast Cancer awareness and presented proclamation to Tamara Dayton, aZachary resident, along with his family members: Diane Moran, Letha Pfister,and Deshore Pfister

3. Mr.Bill Sherman, Communications Director for Sid Edwards spoke in favor of the Thrive EBR Plan, Millage renewal.November 15, 2025, is the election date for this item.

F. CONTRACT ITEMS/CONTRACTS OR ITEMSRELATING TO PROJECTS

1. Street/Road Projects

a. Pay Request #2 for Road Project #11807 –Road Rehabilitation Project (2025) The motion was made by Councilman LeBlanc

The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To approve the Pay Request #2 for Road Project #11807 –Road Rehabilitation Project (2025) in the amount of $217,714.85.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

b. Request authorizationto advertise for bids for Mt. Pleasant Blvd. Crosswalk. (Phase 1) The motion was made by Councilman LeBlanc

The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To approve the Request authorization to advertise for bids for Mt. Pleasant Blvd. Crosswalk. (Phase 1)

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

2. Sewer

3. Subdivision Inspections

4.

&ZONING MATTERS

1. Receive Minutes of the Regular meeting of _____, of the Planning Commission and the Minutes of the Regular meeting of ____, of the Zoning Commission.

2. Planning matters REQUIRING aPublic Hearing

a. FP-2-25 (Brook Hollow,2nd Filing) —Proposed final plat for Lots 83-93, 99-117, 138-145, 168-173 &33, Tracts CA-6, CA-7, P-3, P-4, &Lot 7-A-1 of the Brook Hollow, 2nd Filing on property located at 3600-3700 Rollins Road, Zachary,La 70791. The PUBLIC HEARING was opened at 7:02 p.m. Christopher Maestri, 9345 Interline Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (MR Engineering &Surveying), was present to speak in favor of the final plat. Therebeing no one else to speak in favor or against the final plat the PUBLIC HEARING was closed at 7:03 p.m.

The motion was made by Councilman LeBlanc

The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To approve FP-2-25 (Brook Hollow, 2nd Filing) —Proposed final plat for Lots 83-93, 99-117, 138-145, 168-173 &33, Tracts CA-6, CA7, P-3, P-4, &Lot 7-A-1 of the Brook Hollow,2nd Filing on property located at 3600-3700 Rollins Road, Zachary,La70791.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Landry

NAYS: Graves

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None (Motion failed due to lack of aunanimous vote by virtue of minimum quorum voting)

The motion was made by Councilwoman Landry

The motion was seconded by Councilman LeBlanc

To approve to amend the agenda to combine items I2B, I2D on theagenda.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

b. RZ-8-25 (2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road) —Torezone Lots1,2,& 3ofthe Calvin Stevenson, Jr.Tract from Estate Residential (RE)toSuburban Residential (RS), on property located at 2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road, Zachary,La 70791 (Related to case COB-1-25)

d. COB-1-25 (2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road) —Proposed combination of lots of Lots 1, 2, &3into Lots 1-A and 3-A of the Calvin Stevenson, Jr.Tract, on property located at 2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road, Zachary,La70791 (Related to case RZ-8-25) The PUBLIC HEARINGwas opened at 7:11 p.m. (Applicant was

present in favor, didnot want to speak). Therebeing no one else to speak in favororagainst the Rezone and Proposed Combination, the PUBLICHEARING was closed at 7:12 p.m.

The motion was made by Councilman LeBlanc

The motion was seconded by Councilman Graves To approve RZ-8-25 (2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road) –(To rezone Lots 1, 2, &3 of the Calvin Stevenson, Jr.Tract from Estate Residential (RE) to Suburban Residential (RS),onproperty located at 2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road, Zachary, La 70791 (Related to case COB-1-25) To approve COB-1-25 (2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road)— Proposed combination of lots of Lots1,2,& 3into Lots 1-A and 3-A of the Calvin Stevenson, Jr.Tract, on property located at 2453, 2457 &2413 Old Baker Road, Zachary, La 70791 (Related to case RZ-8-25)

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

c. RZ-9-25 (6585 Ronnie Street) —Torezone Lot 11-A of the Andrew B. Benton Property from EstateResidential (RE) to Suburban Residential (RS),onproperty located at 6585 Ronnie Street, Zachary,La70791 (Related to cases RESUB-6-25 and CUPMH-3-25)

e. RESUB-6-25 (6585 Ronnie Street) —Proposed resubdivision of Lot 11-A into Lots 11-A-1 and 11-A-2 of the Andrew B. Benton Property,onproperty located at 6585 Ronnie Street, Zachary,La70791 (Related to cases RZ-9-25 and CUPMH-3-25)

f. CUPMH-3-25 (6585 Ronnie Street) —Proposed manufactured home to be placed on Lot 11-A-1 of the Andrew B. Benton Property,onproperty located at 6585 Ronnie Street, Zachary La 70791 (Related to cases RZ-9-25 and RESUB-6-25)

The PUBLICHEARING was opened at 7:11 p.m. Shane Nicholas (Surveyorfor project)4211 Spring HollowCourt,was present to speak in favorofthe rezone, resub, and Conditional Use Permit Manufactured Home; Therebeing no one else to speak in favor or against the Rezone, Resub, and Conditional Use Permit Manufactured Home, the PUBLICHEARING was closed at 7:12 p.m. The motion was made by Councilman LeBlanc The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To approve RZ-9-25 (6585 Ronnie Street) —Torezone Lot 11-A of the Andrew B. Benton Property from EstateResidential (RE) to Suburban Residential (RS),onproperty located at 6585 Ronnie Street Zachary,La70791 (Related to cases RESUB-6-25 and CUPMH-3-25)

To approve RESUB-6-25 (6585 Ronnie Street) —Proposed resubdivision of Lot 11-A into Lots 11-A-1 and 11-A-2 of the Andrew B. Benton Property,onproperty located at 6585 Ronnie Street, Zachary,La70791 (Related to cases RZ-9-25 and CUPMH-3-25)

To approve CUPMH-3-25 (6585 Ronnie Street) —Proposed manufactured home to be placed on Lot 11-A-1 of the Andrew B. Benton Property,onproperty located at 6585 Ronnie Street, Zachary La 70791 (Related to cases RZ-9-25 and RESUB-6-25)

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

3. Planning Matters NOT requiring aPublic Meeting

4. Zoning Matters REQUIRING aPublic Hearing

5. Zoning Matters NOT Requiring Public Hearing

a. ZOI -55452-SS (19190 Plank Road) —Proposed resubdivision on Tract A-1-A-1 into Tracts A-1-A-1-A,A-1-A-1-B,A-1-A1-C &A-1-A-1-D of the Tate Property,onproperty located at 19190 Plank Road, Zachary, La 70791. The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry To approve ZOI -55452-SS (19190 Plank Road) —Proposed resubdivision on Tract A-1-A-1 into Tracts A-1-A-1-A,A-1-A-1-B,A-1A-1-C &A-1-A-1-D of the Tate Property,onproperty located at 19190 Plank Road, Zachary, La 70791.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

6. Other Matters WAIVER -Rear Setbacks -2215 Saint Andrews Avenue. The motion was made by Councilwoman Landry The motion was seconded by Councilman Graves To approve WAIVER –5 additional feet, Rear Setbacks -2215 Saint Andrews Avenue.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None

ABSENT: Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

J. RECEIVE RECORD OF PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

1. Receive accounts payable for September 2025 and the natural gas bill when it is received. The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To Receive accountspayable for September 2025 and the natural gas bill when it is received.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

K. BUDGET AND FINANCIAL MATTERS

L. OLD BUSINESS PENDING FOR FINAL ACTION

1. Public Hearing and Adoption of Ordinance 2025-18

ORDINANCEAUTHORIZING THECITYOFZACHARYTOAMEND §§2-199, 2-200 AND2-201 OF THECODE OF ORDINANCESFOR THE CITYOFZACHARYTOPROVIDE FOR THESETTING AND ADMINISTRATION OF SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN THECITYOFZACHARYAND FOR OTHER MATTERS IN FUTHERANCEOFTHIS PROVISION.

The motion was made by Councilman LeBlanc

The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry

To table The Adoption of Ordinance 2025-18 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THECITYOFZACHARYTOAMEND §§2-199, 2-200 AND2-201 OF THECODE OF ORDINANCESFOR THECITYOF ZACHARYTOPROVIDE FOR THESETTING ANDADMINISTRATION OF SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN THE CITYOF ZACHARYAND FOR OTHER MATTERS IN FUTHERANCE OF THIS PROVISION

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

2. Public Hearing and Adoption of Ordinance 2025-20

ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THECITYOFZACHARYTOAMEND ANDTHE ZACHARYMUNICIPAL CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 14, ARTICLE 1, §14-6 RELATED TO CHARGES AND FEES FOR ROOFINGCONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS AND PERMITS ANDOTHER MATTERS IN FUTHERANCE

The PUBLICHEARING was opened at 7:44 p.m. Therebeing no one to speak in favororagainst the Ordinance, the PUBLICHEARING was closed at 7:44 p.m. The motion was made by Councilman Graves

The motion was seconded by Councilman LeBlanc

To approve The Adoption of Ordinance 2025-20 ORDINANCE

AUTHORIZING THECITYOFZACHARY TO AMENDAND THE ZACHARYMUNICIPAL CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 14,

ARTICLE 1, §14-6 RELATED TO CHARGES ANDFEES FOR ROOFING CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS ANDPERMITS AND OTHER MATTERS IN FUTHERANCE.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

M. OLD BUSINESS PENDING

N. NEW BUSINESS

1. Determine/set aWorkshop date to discuss Council Clerk position and/or Elected Official Salaries. The motion was made by Councilwoman

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves,

p.m. to 8:00 p.m. YEAS: LeBlanc,

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

3. ApprovalofSpecial CounselContract for Graham Arnold related replacement of counselinthe matter- PierceMaughanvCoZ19th JDC #759185 §33. The motion wasmade by CouncilwomanLandry The motion wassecondedbyCouncilmanLeBlanc To approve aSpecial CounselContract for Graham Arnold related replacement of counselinthe matter-PierceMaughanv CoZ -19th JDC #759185 §33.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

O. CODE ENFORCEMENT

1. Subpoenas for Junk Vehicles and Junk Properties Hearing on, discussion andconsideration of items andindividuals currently undersubpoena,and authorization to issue new subpoenas relatedtojunk vehicles andjunk properties in violation of City’sCode of Ordinances.

The motion wasmade by CouncilmanGraves

The motion wassecondedbyCouncilwomanLandry To table 2715 March St. to the next meeting October28, 2025. Owner waspresent at meeting. YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

The motion wasmade by CouncilmanGraves

The motion wassecondedbyCouncilwomanLandry

To table 5516 Rush Dr.tothe next meeting October28, 2025. Owner waspresent at meeting.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

The motion wasmade by CouncilwomanLandry

The motion wassecondedbyCouncilmanGraves To table 5236 EMae St. to the next meeting October28, 2025. Owner waspresent at meeting.

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

2. Subpoena Issuance Follow up Review of properties andvehiclessubject to subpoena for code violations; andconsideration of authorization to issue subpoenas for junk vehicles andjunk properties as defined underthe City Code

Mr.TyStephens added that: -4123 Cherry St. could not be served; theywill try again. -2651 ChurchSt. wascompleted. -1817 Debby Ave(owneriswheelchairbound) Mr.Stephens tabled this address to the October28, 2025, meeting. -5276 St. Louis is completed -5145 MainSt. is completed -5233 MainSt. is completed -4535 OakSt. is completed

Original itemN4was moved to O3

3. Request to go into an Executive Session of the Council andofthe Mayor pursuant to: LSA- R.S. 42:17 (A)(2)with regardtoa specific civil litigation matter- PierceMaughanvCoZ -19th JDC #759185 §33. The motion wasmade by CouncilmanGraves

The motion wassecondedbyCouncilmanLeBlanc

To approve aRequest to go into an Executive Session of the Council andofthe Mayor pursuant to: LSA- R.S. 42:17 (A)(2)with regardtoa specificcivil litigation matter-PierceMaughanvCoZ -19th JDC # 759185 §33. YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

The motion wasmade by CouncilmanLeBlanc

The motion wassecondedbyCouncilmanGraves

To approve aRequest to come out of an Executive Session of the Council andofthe Mayor pursuant to: LSA- R.S. 42:17 (A)(2)with regard to aspecificcivil litigation matter- PierceMaughanv CoZ19th JDC #759185 §33. YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

P. CONDEMNED BUILDINGS –PUBLIC HEARINGS OR OTHER ACTION REGARDING BUILDINGS BEING CONSIDERED FOR CONDEMNDATION AttorneyHopewell discussed thatthe newCity AttorneyMrs. Wilson is getting acclimatedonnew procedures regarding condemnation. They have already received chargesfor two demolished housesand expect moredemolitionsand lien filings soon.

Q. REPORTSFROMDEPARTMENT HEADS 1. Receive the Monthly Inspection Report

The motion wasmade by CouncilwomanLandry The motion wassecondedbyCouncilmanLeBlanc

To approve to Receive the Monthly Inspection Report

YEAS: LeBlanc, Graves, Landry

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Westmoreland, DeVirgilio

ABSTAINED: None

R. DISCUSSION OF BUSINESSNOT ON AGENDA (No Action May Be Taken UnlessDeclared an Emergency) CouncilmanLeBlancdiscussedunpermitted food trucks operating in the city,especially on weekends. Mr.Dixon will provide alist of approvedvendors andinvestigate better ways to manage andenforce permits.

S. ADJURNMENT The meeting wasadjourned at 8:21 p.m.

Karen Burdette Acting Clerk of City Council CITY OF ZACHARY PARISH OF EASTBATON ROUGE STATEOFLOUISIANA CERTIFICATION

Karen Burdette DavidMcDavid,Mayor Acting Clerk of the City Council

CITY OF ZACHARY

PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATEOFLOUISIANA

I, KarenBurdette, do hereby certify thatIamthe duly appointedand acting Clerk of the City Council for the City of Zachary, Parish of East Baton Rouge,Louisiana

Ifurthercertify thatthe above andforegoing is atrueand correct copy of the minutesofthe regularmeeting of the Mayor andCouncil of the City of Zachary,Louisiana,heldonTuesday,October14, 2025, aproper quorum being there andthenpresent.

Karen Burdette,Acting Clerk of the City Council