The Acadiana Advocate 11-10-2025

ABOVE: Members of the Lafayette Fire DepartmentHonor Guard presentthe colors during the Salute to Service presented by the Lafayette Veterans Affairs Committee, in partnership withLafayette Consolidated Government, the Acadiana Veteran Alliance and Moncus Park at Moncus Park in Lafayette on Sunday.The program included a flag presentationtoMark Collazos for his service and aplaque honoringPaul Hilliard. LEFT: Veteran Paul Hilliard,left, looks at a plaqueona flagpole that wasdonated in recognition of his service in WWII by Badger Oil PresidentMark Price during the Salute to Service event.

STAFF PHOTOSByBRAD KEMP

Volunteers help plant 16,000 squarefeet alongJefferson Street

BY STEPHENMARCANTEL

If you’ve driven downtown lately,you might have noticed that some new plantings of ferns and lilies havebeen placed alongside the cypress trees on Jefferson Street. On Saturday,inanevent hosted by Parish Proud in collaboration with DowntownLafayette and Scapes Inc., green-thumbedresidents took part in Downtown in Downtown Lafayette gets aferny face-lift

ä See VOLUNTEERS, page 5A

electionsdebut in spring

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

When Louisiana votes next spring in its new closed primaries, registered Republicans will vote for Republican candidates andregistered Democrats will vote forDemocratic candidates anda largeswathofunaffiliated voters will get to pick one party or the other

But someLouisiana Republicans aren’thappy with thatsystem. They think that their party’sprimary should be limitedonly to those who have signed up as amember of the GOP.

“Weshouldn’tbeallowing anyone to come into ourparty,our organization, whohas chosen not to be part of it and have avoice,” saidChristy Haik, aconservative activist andmember of the state party’sgoverning body

“A nonmember coming into this club and having avoice and avote —how is that fair in anyorganization?” she said. On the otherhand, some state leaders —including some Republicans think completely closingprimaries is abad idea.

Lt.Gov.Billy Nungesser, foryears an outspoken advocate forLouisiana’s open primaries, said they draw amore representative,lessextreme crosssection of voters. Closed primaries, he argued, push candidates toward the far ends of the political spectrum

“The rhetoric is gonna getworse,” he said.

When the Republican-controlled Legislature earlylast year approved closed primaries, lawmakers ultimately agreed to give unaffiliated “noparty” voters the option to cast aballot in either the Democratic or Republican primary

Now,the state Republican Party is resurfacing the debate, passing aresolution urging the Legislature to reconsider the decision —and gearing up for potential legal action.

“The first step would of course be to

Vietnam War pilot’s remains return to Va. NORFOLK,Va. Capt. Thomas Edwin Scheurich, a Vietnam War pilot missing in action for 57 years, was repatriated to Norfolk on Friday

His remains were identified earlier this year at the crash site of his plane, which vanished on March 1, 1968, after completing a bombing mission. His children, Tom Jr of Virginia Beach and Marianne of Richmond, attended the homecoming, with burial set for Friday at Arlington National Cemetery Scheurich, a Nebraska native, was assigned to Attack Squadron 35, Air Wing 9. He chartered a plane from Naval Station Oceana in December 1967 and deployed aboard the USS Enterprise.

Forensics showed the A-6 that Scheurich had been piloting on that March evening had dropped its bombs and headed back to base. But Scheurich and the aircraft’s bombardiernavigator, Lt. Richard Lannom, never returned. Decades later, an eyewitness account of a plane crash from that night led investigators to the site.

Lannom’s remains were identified in 2018. Six excavations later additional remains were recovered in 2024, only 40 yards from where his plane made impact Early this year, Scheurich’s remains were identified.

“My dad was a really really smart farm kid,” Scheurich Jr previously told The VirginianPilot and Daily Press “He was a very easygoing, mild mannered person a very loving, caring guy.”

VIRGINIAN-PILOT PHOTO

The plane carrying the remains of Navy pilot Capt. Thomas E. Scheurich, whose plane went down 57 years ago during the Vietnam War, arrives at Norfolk International Airport on Friday.

3 dead in tidal surge on Spain’s Canary Islands

BARCELONA,Spain — Strong waves killed three people on Spain’s Canary Islands by pulling them into the Atlantic Ocean during a tidal surge, officials said Sunday

Another 15 were injured in four different incidents along the coast of the island of Tenerife on Saturday, according to emergency services.

A man and a woman died and several others were injured after strong waves pulled them into the ocean in the municipalities of La Guancha, Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, emergency services said. A third man was found dead floating in the ocean near a beach in Granadilla.

Authorities had warned people of a tidal surge and strong winds, advising them not to walk along coastal paths and avoid putting themselves at risk by taking photos and videos of the rough seas.

Powerful quake strikes off the coast of Japan

TOKYO A powerful quake rattled northern Japan Sunday evening, followed by several more temblors, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency A tsunami advisory was issued.

The earthquake, with an upgraded magnitude of 6.9 and depth of 10 miles, struck off the coast of Iwate prefecture at 5:03 p.m. Japan time. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, or any reports of abnormalities at the two nuclear power plants in the area.

The agency issued an advisory for a tsunami of up to 3 feet along the northern coastal region, and subsequently said the water could reach as high as 10 feet in some spots. The tsunami advisory was lifted about three hours after the initial quake, but the meteorological agency told reporters the area was at risk for strong quakes for about a week, especially the next two or three days.

Israel receives remains of soldier killed in 2014

BY MELANIE LIDMAN and KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel Israel on Sunday confirmed it had received the remains of Hadar Goldin, a soldier killed in the Gaza Strip in 2014, closing a painful chapter for the country

The 23-year-old was killed two hours after a ceasefire took effect in that year’s war between Israel and Hamas. Goldin’s family waged a public campaign for 11 years to bring home his remains. Earlier this year, they marked 4,000 days since his body was taken.

Israel’s military had long determined that he had been killed, based on evidence found in the tunnel where his body was taken, including a blood-soaked shirt and prayer fringes. His remains had been the only ones left in Gaza predating the current war between Israel and Hamas.

The remains of four hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which sparked the current war, are still in Gaza.

The return of Goldin’s remains were a significant development in the U.S.-brokered truce, which has faltered during the slow return of bodies of hostages and skirmishes between Israeli troops and militants in Gaza.

Dozens of people gathered along intersections where the police convoy carried the remains to the national forensic institute, paying last respects.

Many more gathered later outside the home of Goldin’s parents, who noted the “many disappointments” in their efforts over the years and said that Israel’s military and “not anyone else” had brought home their son apparent criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu told the weekly Cabinet meeting that holding the body for so long caused “great

agony of his family, which will now be able to give him a Jewish burial.”

For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. Ahmed Dheir director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, said that the remains of 300 have now been returned, with 89 identified.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has returned to Israel to help press ahead with ceasefire efforts, a person familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity because the visit hasn’t been publicly announced.

Kushner, a top adviser to Trump, was a key architect of Washington’s 20-point ceasefire plan. The deal that took effect Oct. 10 has focused on the first phase of halting the fighting, releasing all hostages and boosting humanitarian aid to Gaza. Details of the second phase, including deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas and governing postwar Gaza, haven’t been worked out. Goldin’s family had held what his mother, Leah Goldin, has called a “pseudo-funeral” at the urging of Israel’s military rabbis. But the lingering uncertainty was like a “knife constantly making new cuts.”

Leah Goldin told The Associated Press earlier this year that returning her son’s body has ethical and religious value and is part of the sacrosanct pact Israel makes with its citizens, who are required by law to serve in the military

“Hadar is a soldier who went to combat and they abandoned him, and they destroyed his humanitarian rights and ours as well,” Goldin said. She said that her family often felt alone in their struggle to bring Hadar, a talented artist who had just become engaged, home for burial.

Super Typhoon Fung-wong slams into the Philippines

BY JIM GOMEZ Associated Press

MANILA,Philippines — Super Typhoon Fungwong slammed ashore on Sunday in the northeastern coast of the Philippines, where the massive storm had already left at least two people dead and forced more than a million people to evacuate from flood- and landslide-prone areas, officials said

The typhoon blew into Dinalungan town in Aurora province Sunday night after setting off fierce rain and wind in northeastern Philippine provinces all day from offshore, with sustained winds of up to 115 mph

The biggest typhoon to threaten the Philippines in years, Fung-wong could cover two-thirds of the archipelago with its 1,118-mile-wide rain and wind band, forecasters said. It approached from the Pacific while the Philippines was still dealing with the devastation wrought by Typhoon Kalmaegi, which left at least 224 people dead in central provinces on Tuesday before pummeling Vietnam, where at least five were killed.

A villager drowned in flash floods in the eastern province of Catanduanes and another died in Catbalogan city in eastern Samar province when she was hit by debris, officials said.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has declared a state of emergency due to the extensive devastation caused by Kalmaegi and the expected calamity from Fung-wong, which is also called Uwan in the Philippines.

Tropical cyclones with sustained winds of 115 mph or higher are categorized in the Philippines as a super typhoon, a designation adopted years ago to underscore the urgency tied to more extreme weather disturbances.

“The rain and wind were so strong there was nearly zero visibility,” Roberto Monterola, a disaster-mitigation officer for Catanduanes, told The Associated Press by telephone.

Over a million people were evacuated from high-risk villages in northeastern provinces, including in Bicol, a coastal region vulnerable to Pacific cyclones and mudflows from Mayon, one of the country’s most active volcanoes.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr warned about the potentially catastrophic impact of Fung-wong in televised remarks Saturday He said the storm could affect a vast expanse of the country

More than 30 million people could be exposed to hazards posed by Fung-wong, the Office of Civil Defense said. Teodoro asked people to follow government orders and seek shelter away from villages and towns prone to flash floods, landslides and coastal tidal surges. “We need to do this because when it’s already raining or the typhoon has hit and flooding has started it’s hard to rescue people,” Teodoro said.

2 at BBC resign after criticism of editing of Trump speech

BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON — The head of the BBC and the British broadcaster’s top news executive both resigned Sunday after criticism of the way the organization edited a speech by President Donald Trump. The BBC said Director-General Tim Davie and news CEO Deborah Turness had both decided to leave the corporation.

Britain’s publicly funded national broadcaster has been criticized for editing a speech Trump made on Jan. 6, 2021, before protesters attacked the Capitol in Washington.

Critics said that the way the speech was edited for a BBC documentary last year was misleading and cut out a section where Trump said that he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully In a letter to staff, Davie said quitting the job after five years “is entirely my decision.”

“Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility,” Davie said. Turness said that the controversy about the Trump documentary “has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC — an institution that I love. As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me.”

“In public life leaders need to be fully accountable, and that is why I am stepping down,” she said in a note to staff. “While mistakes have been made, I want to be absolutely clear recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.”

Trump posted a link to a Daily Telegraph story about the speech-editing on his Truth Social network, thanking the newspaper “for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’ These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election.” He called that “a terrible thing for Democracy!” Pressure on the broadcaster’s top executives has been growing since the rightleaning Telegraph published parts of a dossier compiled by Michael Prescott, who had been hired to advise the BBC on standards and guidelines.

As well as the Trump edit, it criticized the BBC’s coverage of transgender issues and raised concerns of anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.

The broadcaster has been criticized from all angles over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. In February, the BBC removed a documentary about Gaza from its streaming service after it emerged that the child narrator was the son of an official in the Hamas-led government.

GET IN TOUCH

Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 337-234-0800 News Tips /Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM

Obituaries: 225-388-0289• Mon-Fri9-5; Sat10-5; ClosedSun

Advertising Sales: 337-234-0174•Mon-Fri8-5

Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111•Mon-Fri 8-5

Subscribe: theadvocate.com/subscribe

E-Edition: theadvocate.com/eedition Archives: theadvocate.newsbank.com

Lauper, Salt-N-Pepa, OutKast join rock hall

BY ANDREW DALTON Associated Press

LOSANGELES Cyndi Lauper turned “True Colors” into a defiant call for courage and the music of OutKast, Soundgarden and the White Stripes brought waves of emotion Saturday night at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony

Partway through the song, Lauper shouted the line “don’t be afraid!,” thrust her fist in the air and kept it there as the music stopped for a long and dramatic stretch.

She was then joined by Raye to sing “Time After Time” and Avril Lavigne for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” backed by an all-female band that included Gina Schock of the GoGo’s. As Lauper called for the ladies to sing with her, Salt-N-Pepa who earlier in the night donned their old tri-color jackets to rock the crowd with “Push It” for their induction — came dancing out and joined her.

Chappell Roan, who inducted Lauper while wearing a huge, ornamented, showgirl-style headpiece, said Lauper “redefined what a pop star could look like, sound like, sing like.” Lauper looked at Roan during her speech when she said, “I know that I stand on the shoulders of the women in the industry that came before me. And my shoulders are broad enough to have the women that came after me stand on mine.”

Lauper came back for an all-star jam and sang a verse of inductee Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends” along with Teddy Swims, Bryan Adams and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. Cocker’s was one of several posthumous inductions, including a moving tribute to late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell.

The power of women in music was called out loudly earlier in the evening at the Peacock Theater in Los An-

geles during the induction of Salt-N-Pepa.

“This is for every woman who picked up a mic when they told her she couldn’t,” Cheryl “Salt” James said in a rousing speech accepting her, Sandra “Pepa” Denton and DJ Spinderella’s entrance into the hall.

OutKast

OutKast didn’t perform together for the first time since 2016 as some had hoped, but the duo stood together on stage, surrounded by a crew of friends and cohorts as they gave grateful

speeches after doing rockpaper-scissors to decide who would go first. Andre 3000 gave a long, rambling funny speech — “I’m freestylin’ y’all!” that ended in tears when he talked about their very beginnings in a basement “dungeon” in Atlanta in the early 1990s. He choked out the words, “Great things start in little rooms.”

Andre sat out the performance but Big Boi, wearing shorts and a fur coat, started off an express tour through

the Atlanta duo’s discography that included Tyler the Creator, JID and Killer Mike Soundgarden

Emotions ran deep during Soundgarden’s segment of the night, starting with the induction speech of Jim Carrey, the actor and Soundgarden superfan who seemed to be fighting off tears throughout as he talked about Cornell, who died from suicide in 2017.

“When you looked into his eyes, it’s like eternity was

staring back,” Carrey said.

Each of his band mates, all major godfathers of the Seattle grunge scene, paid their own tearful tributes.

Taylor Momsen, who costarred as a child with Carrey in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and Brandi Carlile showed serious vocal power with their versions of Cornell’s mighty wail, backed by his band mates on “Rusty Cage” and “Black Hole Sun.”

Bassist Hiro Yamamoto was among the few who brought up the politics from the stage.

“Thanks to my parents, whose story is American citizens who are rounded up and placed into prison camps just for being Japanese during World War II,” Yamamoto said to some of the biggest cheers of the night. “Well that affected my life greatly, and it really echoes strongly today Let’s not add another story like this to our history.”

White Stripes

The White Stripes reunion that some fans had also hoped for didn’t happen. Their induction was among the highlights of the night anyway Twenty One Pilots brought the house down with a version of the duo’s stadium-shaking anthem “Seven Nation Army” and Olivia Rodrigo and Feist delivered an acoustic version of “We’re Gonna Be Friends.”

Their fellow Detroit rock legend Iggy Pop began his induction speech by leading the crowd in a chorus of “Seven Nation Army” then remembered his thoughts on meeting them.

“Cute kids, they’re gonna go places,” Pop said “And they did.”

Drummer Meg White, who has led an almost entirely private life since the band broke up in 2011, did not show up for the ceremony, but Jack White said Meg his ex-wife, helped him write the speech he delivered while wearing the band’s

signature red and white. Jack White shouted out several great duos from across culture and said that kind of one-on-one collaboration is “the most beautiful thing you can have as an artist and musician.”

He nearly cried several times as he told an Adamand-Eve-like tale of “the boy and the girl” who made magic together

Absent inductees

Stevie Wonder led a funky and flashy tribute to the late Sly Stone to open the show that streamed live on Disney+. An edited version airs on ABC on Jan 1. Wonder was joined by Questlove, Leon Thomas, Maxwell, Beck, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers for renditions of Sly and the Family Stone hits “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People” and “Thank You.” Jennifer Hudson joined them to wail through “Higher.” Stone, who was inducted into the hall in 1993, died in June. Brian Wilson, who died two days later, got his own tribute from Elton John, who took the stage late in the show to sing the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac inducted Bad Company, calling the British group founded by Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs in 1973 “classic rock legends.” The late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon was inducted by David Letterman, a friend and superfan who made Zevon a regular on his NBC late-night show, including an appearance when Zevon was dying of cancer in 2002.

“Warren Zevon is in my Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Letterman said. “Actually his own wing.”

Other inductees who got video tributes in the theater were Chubby Checker, session bassist Carole Kaye, session piano man Nicky Hopkins and record producer and executive Lenny Waronker

Al-Sharaa to become first Syrian president to visit White House

BY ABBY SEWELL

Associated Press

BEIRUT Two decades ago Ahmad al-Sharaa was held in a U.S.-run detention center in Iraq after joining al-Qaida militants fighting against American forces there.

Few would have predicted that he would go on to become the first Syrian president to visit Washington since the country’s independence in 1946.

Since rebel forces he led ousted former Syrian President Bashar Assad last December, al-Sharaa — who cut ties with al-Qaida years earlier — has gone on a largely successful charm offensive to establish new ties with countries that had shunned Assad’s government after its brutal crackdown on protesters in 2011 spiraled into a 14-year civil war

Al-Sharaa met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, where Trump announced that he would lift decades of sanctions.

The two men will meet again on Monday in Washington, where Syria is widely expected to officially join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group. AlSharaa arrived in the U.S. on Saturday ahead of the meeting, according to Syrian state media.

Apart from that agreement, al-Sharaa will use the visit to push for a full repeal of the Caesar Act, which imposed sweeping sanctions over human rights abuses by Assad’s government and security forces.

The Caesar sanctions are currently waived by presidential order, but a permanent repeal will require a congressional vote.

Syria’s Ministry of Information said in a statement Sunday that al-Sharaa will “emphasize the importance of lifting economic sanctions, particularly the Caesar Act, to allow for Syria’s economic recovery and investment growth” and will also “reaffirm (Syria’s) commitment to

southern Syria and pushed for a demilitarized zone south of Damascus. The two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations, have been negotiating a potential security agreement.

Advocates say it is unfair to keep sanctions that were specifically imposed on Assad’s government as leverage over the new authorities and that the threat of a Caesar snapback would prevent international companies from investing in rebuilding the war-battered country

Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, which lobbied for the imposition of the Caesar sanctions but is now trying to get them removed, said the U.S. government can impose new targeted sanctions if warranted.

you’re going to kill the person you’re operating on,” Moustafa said.

A strengthened alliance

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said last week that Syria will “hopefully” soon join the coalition of some 80 countries working to prevent a resurgence of IS.

A Trump administration official said al-Sharaa is expected to sign an agreement to join the coalition during his visit. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to comment when asked about the possibility

continuing the fight against terrorism and promoting regional security.”

Push to lift last sanctions Days ahead of al-Sharaa’s visit, Trump told reporters that he had moved to lift sanctions from Syria “to give them a fighting shot, and I think (al-Sharaa’s) doing a very good job so far.”

“It’s a tough neighborhood and he’s a tough guy, but I got along with him very well, and a lot of progress has been made with Syria,” he said.

On Thursday, the U.N. Security Council voted to lift sanctions from al-Sharaa and his interior minister, and the U.S. then removed them from its “specially designated global terrorist” list.

Meanwhile, senators have advanced a repeal of the Caesar Act through an annual defense authorization bill, but the final legislation is being negotiated with the House, where some top Republicans want to put conditions on it.

Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has expressed reservations about a full repeal Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South

Carolina Republican who is close to Trump, has also pushed for conditions on the repeal, including security and representation for religious and ethnic minorities, “maintaining peaceful relations with other states in the region, including the State of Israel,” and removing foreign fighters from government and security institutions.

Skeptics of al-Sharaa point to eruptions of sectarian violence over the past year during which pro-government Sunni gunmen killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite and Druze religious minorities. Al-Sharaa has promised to hold perpetrators accountable, but minority communities remain

wary

The advocacy group Save the Persecuted Christians sent a letter signed by 100 U.S. religious leaders calling on Trump to address the “massacre” of minorities in Syria and to push al-Sharaa to open a humanitarian corridor from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights to the Druze enclave of Sweida in southern Syria. Since Assad’s fall, Israel has seized a formerly U.N.patrolled buffer zone in

“But to use Caesar for that is like using a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel

Another U.S. official with knowledge of the situation said that while Syrian forces had already been fighting IS, their formal entry into the coalition will be a “milestone” and will enable U.S. forces to work more closely with the Syrians. Both officials were not authorized to comment pub-

licly and spoke on condition of anonymity Syrian officials declined to comment on the discussions about joining the coalition. Before Assad’s fall, alSharaa — then known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamic insurgent group controlling much of northwestern Syria. It was formerly an offshoot of al-Qaida but later split from it. HTS and IS were rivals, and al-Sharaa cracked down on Islamic State cells in the area he controlled. The main U.S. partner in the fight against IS at the time was the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the country’s northeast. Since al-Sharaa took power, the U.S. military has expanded its cooperation with Damascus and Washington has pushed for a deal to merge the SDF and new Syrian army

USDA demandsstates‘undo’SNAPpayouts

BY SCOTT BAUER and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

President Donald Trump’sadministration is demanding states “undo” full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits paid out under judges’ orders last week, now that the U.S. Supreme Courthas stayed thoserulings, marking the latest swing in aseesawing legal battle overthe antihunger program used by 42 million Americans.

The demand from the U.S. Department of Agriculture came as more than two dozen stateswarned of “catastrophic operational disruptions” if the Trump administration does not reimburse them for those SNAP benefits they authorized before the Supreme Court’sstay

Nonprofits and Democratic attorneys general sued to force the Trump administration to maintain the program in November despite theongoinggovernmentshutdown. They won the favorable rulings last week, leading to the swift release of benefits to millions in several states, and the Trump administration belatedly said the program could continue.

On Friday night, however,Justice Ketanji BrownJackson temporarily paused the tworulings ordering the SNAP disbursement while the nation’shighest court considered the Trump administration’sappeal. That led the USDA on Saturday to write state SNAP directors to warn themit nowconsiders payments under the prior orders “unauthorized.” States couldfacepenalties

“Tothe extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized,” PatrickPenn, deputy undersecretary of agriculture, wrote to state SNAP directors. “Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP ben-

efits for November 2025.”

Penn warned that states could face penalties if they did not comply.Itwas unclear if the directive applies tostates that used their own fundstokeep the program alive or to ones relyingonfederal moneyentirely.The USDA did not immediatelyrespond to arequest for comment.

In afiling in federal courtonSunday,the agency said states moved too quickly and erroneously releasedfullmoney SNAP Benefits after last week’s rulings

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, RAlaska, on Sunday called the directive “shocking” if it applies to states,likehers, that used their own money to propupthe program.

“It’sone thing if the federal government is going to continue its

level of appeal through the courts to say, no,thiscan’tbedone,” Murkowskisaid. “But when you are telling the states that have said this is asignificant enough issue in our state, we’re going tofind resources, backfillorfront load, whatever term youwant,tohelp ourpeople, those states should not be penalized.”

‘Wewillsee himincourt’

Democratic Gov.Maura Healey of Massachusetts said SNAP benefits were processed and placed on EBT cards before the U.S. Supreme CourtorderFridaynight in line withthe previous guidance from the USDA. She said that if Trump attempts to claw back the money,“we will see him in court.”

“Massachusetts residents with

funds on their cards should continue to spenditonfood,” she said in astatement Sunday. “President Trump shouldbefocusing on reopening the government that he controlsinstead of repeatedly fighting to takeaway food from American families.”

Democrats have hammered Trump for targetingthe anti-hungerprogram during thegovernment shutdown, contending the administration could have maintained it even with other parts of thegovernment idle.

Wisconsin, for example, loaded benefits onto cards for 700,000 residents once ajudge in Rhode Island ordered the restoration of benefits last week, but after the U.S. Treasury froze its reimbursements to the state,itanticipates running out of money by Monday, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration warned in alengthy statement on Sunday

The lack of money could leave vendors unpaid and trigger escalating legal claims, the states warned.“Statescould face demands to return hundreds of millions of dollars in the aggregate,” the states’ filing at the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals says.

Thatsituation “would risk catastrophic operationaldisruptions for the States, with aconsequent cascade of harms for their residents,” the filing concludes. Evers issued aquick response to the Trump administration’sdemandtoundo the payments. “No,” the governor said in astatement.

“Pursuant to and consistent with an active court order, Wisconsin legally loaded benefits to cards, ensuring nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites,including nearly 270,000 kids,had access to basic food and groceries,” Evers said. “After we did so, the TrumpAdministration assured Wisconsin and other states that they were actively working to implementfull SNAP benefits for November and would ‘complete the processes necessary to make funds available.’ Theyhavefailed to do so to date.”

As senators worked through the weekend on adeal to end the stalemate, theirbipartisan package of agreed-upon measures to keep open some aspects of government included fullfunding of SNAPprograms and aprovisionthat would ensure reimbursements for expenditures made during the shutdown. More than two dozen states represented by Democratic attorneys general on Saturday warned in a court filingthat, even before theSupreme Court put therulings on hold, the Trumpadministration was refusing to reimburse them for those legally-ordered SNAPpayments. 4different directives in 6days

Dailyflightcancellations top2,000

Secretarywarns of Thanksgiving travel slowdown

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON U.S.airlines

canceled more than 2,100 flights on Sunday as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic in the U.S. could “slow to atrickle” if the federalgovernment shutdown lingers into the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday season.

The slowdown at 40 of the nation’sbusiest airports is nowinits third day and beginning to cause more widespread disruptions.The FAAlast week orderedflight cuts at the nation’sbusiest airports as some air traffic controllers, who have gone

unpaid for nearly amonth, have stopped showing up for work

In addition, some 7,000 flight delays were reported on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware, awebsite that tracksair travel disruptions. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Friday, and more than 1,500 on Saturday TheFAA reductions started Friday at 4% and will increase to 10% by Nov 14. They areineffect from 6a.m.to10p.m. and willimpact all commercial airlines.

Hartsfield-JacksonInternational Airport in Atlanta had themost cancellations Sunday,with more than 570, followed byNewarkLiberty International Airport in New Jersey,with at least 265.

The FAAsaid staffing shortages at Newark and LaGuardiaAirport in New

York were leading toaveragedeparture delays of about 75 minutes

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne CountyAirportin Michigan was mostlyempty Sunday morning, withminimal wait times at security checkpoints as delays and cancellations filled the departures andarrivalsboards.

Duffy warned that U.S. airtraffic could decline significantly if theshutdown persists.Hesaid additional flight cuts —perhapsupto 20% —might be needed, particularly after controllersreceivenopay for a second straight pay period.

“More controllers aren’t coming to workday by day, the further they go withouta paycheck,” Duffy told “Fox News Sunday.” And he preparedAmericansfor what they could

face during the busy Thanksgiving holiday

“As Ilook two weeksout, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, Ithink what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to atrickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy said.

With “very few” controllersworking, “you’ll have afew flights taking off and landing” andthousandsof cancellations, he said.

“You’re going to have massive disruption. Ithink alot of angry Americans. I think we have to be honest about where this is going It doesn’t getbetter,” Duffy said. “It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”

The government has been short of air trafficcontrollers foryears, and multiplepresidential administrations have tried to convince retirementagecontrollers to remain on the job. Duffy said the shutdownhas exacerbatedthe problem, leading some air traffic controllerstospeed up their retirements. “Up to 15 or 20 aday areretiring,” Duffy said on CNN. Duffy deniedDemocratic charges that theflight cancellations are apolitical tactic, saying they were necessary due to increasing nearmisses from an overtaxed system “I needed to take action to keep people safe,” Duffy said. “I’m doing whatIcan in amess that Democrats have put in my lap.”

BY STEPHENGROVES and KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON As the Senate held arare Sunday session, the Republican leader said apotential dealwas “coming together” on the government shutdown but there was no guarantee it would end an impasse now stretching to 40 days. There have been few signs of progress over the weekend that could be crucialina funding fight that has disrupted flights nationwide, threatenedfood assistance formillions of Americansand left federal workers without pay TopRepublicans are working to present alegislative packagethat would reopen the governmentinto January while also approvingfullyear funding for several parts of

government.The necessary Democratic support for that effort was far from certain “A deal is coming together,” Senate Majority Leader JohnThune, R-S.D., said as he walked in to open the chamber.Hewarned, however, that it was not adone deal. Democraticleaders are pushing hardfor an extension of subsidies for health plansoffered under the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Republicans have rejectedthat offer,but signaled openness to an emerging proposal from asmall group of moderateDemocrats to end the shutdown in exchange for alater vote on the “Obamacare” subsidies thatmakecoverage more affordable.

For those enrolled in health exchanges,premiums on average are expected to more than double

next year if Congress allows the enhanced subsidies to lapse.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,said the pledge to hold avoteonextending the subsidieswould be a “wasteful gesture” unless “you have the commitment of the speaker of the House that he will support it and thatthe president of theUnited States will sign it.”

PresidentDonald Trump has made clear he is unlikely to compromise anytimesoon.OnSunday, he pressedRepublicansoncemore to abolish theSenate’s filibuster rulesthatprevent thechamber from advancing on most legislation unless there is support from 60 senators. “Be theSmartParty,” he said in asocial media post.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and others have been discussing bills that would payfor parts of

government —food aid, veterans programs andthe legislative branch, amongother things —and extendfunding foreverything else until December or January.The agreement would only come with the promise of afuturehealth care vote.

It wasunclear whether enough Democrats would support sucha plan. Even with adeal, Trump appears unlikely to support an extensionofthe health benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, hassaidhewould notcommittoa healthvote.

Republican leaders in the Senate only need five additional votes to fund thegovernment, and the group involved in the talks has ranged from 10 to 12 Democraticsenators.

SomeRepublicans have said they are open to extending the CO-

VID-19-era tax credits as premiumscould skyrocket for millions of people, but they want new limits on whocan receive the subsidies.

“THE WORST HEALTHCARE FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE,” Trump calledthe current system in apost Sunday Trumpwants Republicans to end theshutdown quicklyand scrap the filibuster so they can bypass Democratsaltogether. Vice President JD Vance, aformer Ohio senator,said Republicans whowant to keep the filibuster are “wrong.”

But Republicans have rejected Trump’scall. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told NBC’s“Meet the Press”onSundaythatbecause of thefilibuster,“theSenate is the only place in ourgovernment where both sides have to talk to each other That’sagood thing for America.”

Bloom, helping to finish planting the rest of the street, from Loft at the Municipal to Keller’s Bakery About 100 people signed up, said Sarah Mary Toce-Donolon, Parish Proud’s development director

“We’re super excited,” ToceDonolon said. “Scapes has been moving and grooving, and downtown looks incredible.”

Prior to the streetscaping efforts in the late ‘90s, downtown Lafayette was relatively uninviting, said Downtown Lafayette CEO Kevin Blanchard. It lacked shade trees, and the car-centric streets appeared rather plain.

Streetscaping added cypress trees, limited street parking and created wide, pedestrian-friendly walking paths It created an area that people wanted to stay in for longer Blanchard said, playing an essential role in downtown’s slow but steady growth “If people don’t enjoy, don’t feel safe, don’t feel comfortable, don’t feel valued while their walking downtown, then they’re not going to come downtown,” Blanchard said.

The landscaping of Jefferson’s 16,000 square feet of flower beds is funded by $250,000 from the city’s general fund, Blanchard said But it’s money well worth it, he said, citing studies that show adding landscape features boosts customer spending as they spend

more time in the area and elevates overall curb appeal. The Downtown Development Authority provided around $20,000 in funding.

“Direct economic benefit,” Blanchard said. “It’s kind of like when you go to the mall. You think you just walked into the mall and shop. But there’s been a lot of thought that goes into setting up that experience.”

But the plants provide nothing if they aren’t maintained, he added.

The Downtown Ambassador Program will water the beds as part of its regular cleaning duties.

“It’s just our job,” Blanchard said “This project was already underway before we ever came up with the idea of getting the ambassadors.

VOTERS

Continued from page 1A

make the request to the Legislature,” said party Chairman Derek Babcock. “If the Legislature does not honor that request, then we’d have to file a lawsuit to close our primaries.”

A change to primaries could have significant impacts on Louisiana politics. U.S.

Sen. Bill Cassidy

R-Baton Rouge, is trying to hold onto his seat in the 2026 midterm elections

But many Republican voters want to boot him out in favor of a candidate they see as more aligned with President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again political movement.

A running debate

Since the 1970s, Louisiana has mostly held elections under an open “jungle” primary system, in which all candidates compete with each other regardless of party and voters regardless of their party affiliation, can cast a ballot for any candidate.

The state GOP for years has been pushing to close primary elections, however

he quickly pushed for a switch to closed party primaries, in which Republicans and Democrats hold separate primary elections to choose their nominee to run in a general election.

Landry succeeded in instituting closed primaries for U.S House and Senate races and a few other major offices. But he compromised on an important part of the plan after U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, helped broker a deal:

illier and Senate President Cameron Henry said it would be up to the Legislature as a whole to decide whether to exclude unaffiliated voters from the closed party primaries, though Henry said he’d be “surprised” if lawmakers were ready to change the closed party system they approved so recently

Unaffiliated noparty voters get the choice to participate in either the Republican or the Democratic closed primary

Of Louisiana’s nearly 3 million registered voters, just over 800,000 are unaffiliated with a party

There are 1.08 million registered Democrats and 1.05 million registered Republicans.

Republican Party weighs in

“We just put it in place two years ago. I don’t know whether the Legislature has changed its thought on that yet,” Henry said. “I guess anything’s possible.”

“I wouldn’t support it,” he added.

The next regular legislative session is scheduled to start March 9.

A special session could be called before then to redraw Louisiana’s congressional map ahead of the spring primaries for the 2026 midterms. But that prospect depends on an unpredictable outcome in a Louisiana redistricting case that’s pending before the U.S Supreme Court and could be decided any time between now and July Louisiana’s spring primaries are scheduled for May 16.

Babcock acknowledged that, as that primary draws closer, concerns about timing could become an issue.

That effort has at times revealed a fault line among Republicans here. Party activists and more rightwing candidates are often on one side, while those with more moderate leanings — or seeking the support of more moderate voters are on the other

In the early weeks of 2024, after Gov Jeff Landry took office,

The Republican State Central Committee earlier this month passed a resolution sponsored by Haik that asks the Legislature to prohibit no-party voters from casting a ballot in the 2026 Republican primary elections. It also declares that, falling short there, “it is in the best interest” of the party to “investigate taking appropriate legal action to ensure that the 2026 and all subsequent Republican Primaries are ‘Republican voters only’ primaries.”

“We’re certainly not trying to leave people out,” said Babcock.

“We just want Republicans picking Republican candidates.”

Babcock said he’ll discuss the issue with lawmakers “between now and whenever the next session is called.”

Both House Speaker Philip DeV-

“If the Legislature denies the request to close the primary, then when litigation is filed to do so, I’m sure Purcell is gonna come into play,” he said, referring to an informal legal doctrine known as the Purcell principle, which discourages courts from changing voting rules close to an election date to avoid confusing voters.

Secretary of State Nancy Landry, Louisiana’s chief election official, launched a campaign in September to educate voters about the new closed primary rules.

In a statement, secretary of state spokesperson Joel Watson did not give the latest date a change could be made regarding no-party voter participation, but said, “Our office will work with the legislature to

implement changes to the closed party primary process, provided the proposed changes are possible.”

Watson noted the secretary of state didn’t take a position on closed primaries when they passed in 2024.

“Our office continues to take no position on closed party primaries or the position taken by the Republican Party of Louisiana,” he said. How it could affect races

Cassidy for years has been plagued politically by his 2021 vote to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. Over the last several months, Cassidy has worked relentlessly to project alignment with the president.

At the same time, a crowd of Republican opponents looking to unseat him next year has gathered, most of whom are wielding Cassidy’s impeachment vote against him and branding themselves either more MAGA or more truly conservative.

LSU political science professor Robert Hogan said that, even under the current rules that allow unaffiliated voters to cast a ballot in the Republican primary Cassidy faces a difficult path to reelection.

“The vote to impeach President Trump is something the party activists can’t get out of their minds,” he said.

If the rules change to limit the GOP primary only to registered Republicans, Cassidy would have an even smaller pool of voters to draw from, presenting an even greater challenge, Hogan said.

Cassidy didn’t respond to a request for comment about the Louisiana GOP proposal to limit the 2026 primary to registered Republican voters.

His opponents took varied stances on the issue.

Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, who is endorsed by the conser-

The project has already caught the attention of some downtown shops, like Beausoleil Books.

“It’s been a beautiful transition to watch,” said manager Lauren McBride. “I definitely think it’s a matter of beauty It will add the vibe, add to the aura of downtown.”

“One of the arguments I made in favor of getting the ambassadors was we were about to do this giant landscaping project, and I’m not sure if we’re ready to take care of it. The city only has so many resources. The Ambassador Program is really about plugging in the gap where the city just doesn’t have the manpower.”

vative group Haik leads, said unaf-

filiated voters shouldn’t have a say

“It should be Republicans that decide who their candidate is, not people outside the party,” Fleming said. “Republicans want to determine who their nominee is.”

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta said he’s “concerned about Louisiana’s new closed Republican Primary.”

“For decades, conservative Democrats and independents have helped elect Republican leaders by voting their values,” he said in a statement. “Now if modified, unless they formally declare as Republicans, they’re locked out of the GOP primary.”

People like seniors won’t change their party affiliation just to vote in the primary, Skrmetta said. The Republican Party needs to take action to “welcome them into our big tent,” he said.

State Rep. Julie Emerson, who authored the Landry-backed legislation that set up the closed primaries last year noted the bill originally would have instituted a pure closed primary, which she supported. Emerson said regardless of a possible change now, she’ll run on her “conservative record and principles.”

State Sen. Blake Miguez didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Both Babcock and Haik said the proposal to exclude no-party voters from the primary wasn’t targeted at Cassidy

“We are a deeply red state. We’re a conservative state. And we want to stay that way So that’s really the crux of it,” Haik said.

“By virtue of the fact that he voted to impeach President Trump I just don’t think that we can say that Bill Cassidy is a conservative Republican and supports President Trump,” she said.

Email Alyse Pfeil at alyse.pfeil@ theadvocate.com.

Fridge opens to help community

Donations sought to keep shelves stocked

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

When Lafayette resident Andrew Mullins heard that federal food assistance like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could pause, he responded by building a 24-hour community fridge on his front lawn.

“I’ve relied on those programs like SNAP before,” Mullins said.

“They were there when I needed them, so I can’t imagine not having that security.”

In Louisiana, 800,000 people re-

Along with his partner, Lauren Elizabeth, Mullins launched the Space Cat Community Fridge at 213 Mudd Ave. The community is welcomed by a brightly painted, always-open pantry where neighbors can take what they need or leave what they can.

2 new indoor family spots coming

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Aside from Louisiana’s feisty bugs, dropping temperatures can make outdoor activities a little less fun. Luckily for families in Lafayette, two new indoor play venues are opening just in time to keep the fun going through the colder months.

Playtopia is an all-ages indoor playground owned by Angela Galer, who says the community needs more options for families when it’s either rainy, cold or scorching hot.

“It’s good to have these kinds of places for families to enjoy without worrying about weather interruptions,” Galer said. “It’s a controlled environment where everyone can have fun.”

Taking on a more relaxed approach to fun, Playtopia, 1515 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, will be inclusive for ages 6 months and up, with parents even being able to join in on the fun. The space will feature a remotecontrol racetrack, an RC fourwheel pit and a construction zone

2

dead after crash in Vermilion Parish

BY CAITIE ZEILMAN Staff writer

Two people died following a Friday afternoon crash on La. 14 in Vermilion Parish, according to Louisiana State Police.

Julien Lawrence Jr., 65, and Alexis Jackson, 41, both of Kaplan, died at the scene, State Police said in a news release.

Troopers responded to the crash, just east of Pirates Lane, shortly after 2 p.m. Troopers determined Lawrence was driving a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria east on La 14, with Jackson in the back seat, while a 2023 Cadillac Escalade was traveling west.

One of the two vehicles crossed the center line and struck the other head-on as they approached a small bridge. Which vehicle crossed the center line and why remains under investigation, troopers said. The driver and the passenger of the Cadillac, as well as a third passenger in the Ford, were taken to nearby hospitals.

Toxicology samples were collected from both drivers

Additional details were not immediately available.

ceive SNAP benefits, one of the highest rates in the country At a time when some families are struggling to pay for food due to the shutdown of the federal government and President Donald Trump’s refusal to use emergency reserve funds for SNAP benefits, community fridges are especially critical in neighborhoods where traditional forms of assistance are difficult to access.

Mullins, who has worked in substance abuse recovery, said he sees how easily someone can fall through the cracks when support systems fail.

“The only difference between me and a lot of people I meet is that I had a safety net,” Mullins said. “When those supports disappear, people who are already struggling can’t climb out of the hole.”

The fridge operates in partnership with Feeding Others Outreach & Distribution, a La-

fayette nonprofit that diverts surplus food from local restaurants. Volunteers pick up extra meals that would otherwise be thrown away, package them and distribute them to fridges around the region. On its first day open Monday, the Space Cat fridge saw a steady flow of both donors and visitors.

Ready-to-eat meals disappeared the fastest, followed by produce, hygiene items, diapers

Second graders practice dance moves Wednesday at Green

segment of ‘Empowered with Meg

On the big screen

Arts program to be featured on national TV series

BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer

Ensuring Acadiana students can experience the arts — through theater, music, dance, visual art, creative writing and spoken word — is at the core of the Arts in Education program organized by the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

Since its inception in 1979, the program has grown significantly, working in five parishes, reaching more than 58,000 students and working with 60 teaching artists.

The program, and its partnership with public Louisiana schools, will be highlighted in actress Meg Ryan’s “Empowered” TV series.

“It was a great opportunity to showcase our Arts in Education program and the impact it has on students,” said Elijah List, the marketing and communications coordinator for the AcA.

As part of the program teachers of all subjects can request artists to help supplement their lessons.

“A lot of school districts can’t invest heavily in their own arts programs,” he added. “(Arts in Education) allows us to come in and do the heavy lifting.”

The partnership brings “tremendous value” to students, Lafayette Parish schools Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr said in a statement. It also promotes the district’s core values of opportunity, growth and culture.

“Arts education strengthens the academic experience, supports a positive school culture and gives students meaningful ways to express themselves,” he said “Families appreciate

that their children are exposed to opportunities beyond the core subjects, and our students genuinely enjoy the programming. It encourages them to come to school ready to learn, which aligns with our districtwide focus on improving attendance.” The “Empowered with

Meg Ryan” TV series, which launched in 2023, highlights programs and partnerships that make an impact on the community. Episodes are filmed in a documentary style and air on public television stations nationwide.

A film crew interviewed teachers, artists and the AcA

staff last week. It also filmed the program in action at Green T. Lindon Elementary School. In one class, students learned how to dance zydeco. An English class practiced spoken word poetry In another English class, students reading “Don Quixote” used their imaginations to sculpt ocean creatures. The spotlight is special for the arts center and will hopefully inspire other communities to emulate the Arts in Education program.

“(Louisiana) has so many programs like this that are enhancing our education system,” List said “What if this model was replicated in other districts? What kind of turnaround could we see?” The episode is set to air in the spring.

Email Ashley White at ashley.white@theadvocate. com.

Commentary of Voting Rights Act misses essential point

In histhoughtful interrogation of the Louisiana redistricting case by theU.S. Supreme Court, the commentator Quin Hillyer is certainly right about one thing. Section 2ofthe Voting Rights Act is fundamentally flawed. Clearly,itwas an imprudent solution to what at the timewas viewed as an emergency political problem.Black voters were beingsystematically denied their right to voting equality. States hadeffectively erased thepower of Black voters to elect congressional candidates of their choice. TheVRA successfully diminished theeffects of racially based gerrymandering.

But Hillyer’sessay neglectsto point out two essential components for any interpretation such as his. While correctly arguing thatBlack people can sometimes get Black candidates elected in local White majority voting districts, he equates thesewith gerrymandered congressional districts. They are not thesame. Simply compare the number of Black representatives in Congress before and after the passage of theVRA to get aroughapproximation of its effect. Should Section 2ofthis act be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, he is not bothered by the almost inevitable probabilitythat the mapping of congressional districts, controlled entirely by white Republicans,willrevert to an equally racially based inverse of the current system. How many Black representatives will Louisianathen return to the House? Perhaps even more importantly, Hillyer offers no rationalsolution to the problem of nonracially influenced congressional district mapping. On what basisshould we draw congressional districts, andtowhom shouldthat duty be left —the political partyin power? There are rational cartographic solutions. One is theleast total boundary distance method. That map whose total congressional boundary lengths measure less than any other proposed map wins.

JAYD.EDWARDS Baton Rouge

MetawillgiveRichland Parish economynew life

Some have called Meta’s$10 billion data center in Richland Parish arecklesscorporate deal. In reality, it’sone of the mostpromising economic opportunities ever to reach rural Louisiana Fordecades, Richland Parishhas relied on agriculture and small industry —stable but limited sources of income. The Meta project represents achance to diversify theeconomy andconnect our region to thegrowing digital infrastructure that drives moderncommerce. Critics dismiss the5,000 constructionjobs as temporary,but theirimpact will be lasting. Every dollar spent on labor,materials,housing and food circulatesthrough local businesses. Roads are beingimproved, utilities upgradedand broadband capacityexpanded —investments that remain longafter the workcrews aregone The 500 permanent jobs at the facilityare high-skill, high-wagepositions. They will

anchor new opportunities in logistics, maintenance and technology support, while giving local students and workers areason to stay and build careers at home.

Meta’spresence also raises Richland Parish’s national profile, signaling to other industries that north Louisiana is ready forhigh-tech investment. The company’scommitment to renewable energy and advanced efficiency standards will strengthen, not burden, local infrastructure. This project is not aboondoggle —it’sa bridge to the future. It bringslasting infrastructure, meaningful jobs and the credibility that attracts more opportunity.For too long, communities like Richland Parish have been left behind. Now,with vision and collaboration, they have achance to lead.

WOODYBILYEU Winnfield

AI is agrowing threat to workers

Those whoown the means of production have beenanxioustoreduce their often most expensiveinput, labor,for as long as workers havebeen seeking higher wages. This backand-forth has surely produced cautionary tales andmisery,but has also led toastounding innovation, safety and prosperity. This is especially true in industries with strong, positive relationshipswith labor AI is different. U.S. job losses in 2025 are approaching 1million. Manufacturing continues to slowly shed jobs, but manyofthese cuts have impacted white-collar workers. One million losses haven’t been seen since the pandemic andare increasingly related to AI. This is thetip of the iceberg. AI is to shareholders and companyowners what fentanyl is to an addict: impossible to resist and singularly destructive.

“If we could just get rid of all these workers, we could really get some work done around here” maybemore than amanagement joke in the ageofAI. Short-lived, however.Ifthe

predicted 10 to30% unemployment resulting from AI’sadoption materializes, who will buy all the stuff? Vacations, plumbers, health care, theendless garbage we buyonAmazon, cars, roads, clean water,defense, healthy children —the economyispaid for by people with jobs. Think your trade job or consumer products company is safe? Good luck. Those we count on to chart asustainable course for our country through debate and compromise as our Constitution demands are instead focused only on sustaining inane, unsatisfying culture wars. Politicians should bear in mind, however,that when 30% of thenation is unemployed, thepublic won’tbethinking about 10 transgender people in the NCAA. More likely,they will be looking fortheir torches and pitchforks. It’s comforting, though, that the tech billionaires can escape to theiryachts and bunkers

BRIAN HENNESSEY NewOrleans

Giving thankstoa leader who hasinspired residents for decades

Ninety years ago, one of America’sfinest men was born in Minot, North Dakota.From the dayofhis birth to his 90th birthday, Dale Brown has brought hope andhealing to countless people throughout Louisiana WhenLouisianawas at its lowest, Brown redeemedit through his convictions andcompassion, reviving the state back to its glory through loving allpeople. Whenyou seepeople from various backgrounds loving each otherthroughout our city andstate,you have Brown to thank forbringing thatto life.Whenwethink of how far Louisiana hascome,weowe “Daddy Dale” ourgratitude for his voicethathas echoed to us since1972. Brent Musburger once calledDaleBrown “Billy Graham in sneakers,” and Shaqhas said thatBrown is the man who opened the door to basketball for him. At 90, Brown is still sharing the good news of life with his heart and opening the doorsofjoy with his hands, bringing hope to all of Louisiana.I knowofnoone whose words have matched his actions more thanBrown. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death andlife areinthe power of the tongue,and those who love life will eat its fruits.” Thanks forspeaking hope andlife for90years, Dale Happy Birthday, my friend. CARYHUGHES Baton Rouge

It’s time forvoters to demand change

OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone 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 ALETTER SCAN HERE

Movieisacautionarytalefor Trumpera

Watchingthe Trumpadministration unfold often feels eerily similar to watching the 2006 film“Idiocracy.” The movie, intended as satire, imagined afuture where society’sintelligence andvalues had decayed to thepoint where ignorance wascelebrated andexpertise mocked What once seemed like far-fetched comedy began to mirror reality during Trump’spresidency In “Idiocracy,” thenation is led by aloud, self-promoting celebrity who governs through slogans, spectacle and emotion rather than reason. Facts are dismissed as elitist, and science is treated as amatter of opinion. The administration’s casual disregard for truth, from “alternative facts” to climate denial, reflected themovie’swarning about what happens when critical thinking is replaced with entertainment andtribal loyalty Yet, thecomparison also reveals something

deeper about us as citizens. The film wasn’t just mocking stupidity; it was awarning about complacency.Democracies fail because of bad leaders and because peoplestop valuing knowledge, civilityand accountability.When leaders can say or do almost anything without consequence, when expertise becomes suspect and outrage becomes normal, we inch closer to that dystopian future Mike Judge tried to warn us about The Trumpera should serve as awake-up call, not just apunchline. “Idiocracy” was never supposed to be aprophecy,but acautionary tale. If we want to prove it wrong, we must once again value education, truth and empathy over spectacle and division. Otherwise, we risk living in aworld where satire is no longer satire. It’sjust theevening news.

KARL ALBRITTON Central

In Louisiana, all our representatives in Congress are Republicans but two. Our two senators are Republicans, our governor and mostofour legislators are Republicans. The current administration in Washington, D.C., all three branches are controlled by Republicans. We have the Speaker of the House and No. 2top man in the House from Louisiana.

My question is, with all of this political power in Baton Rouge and in Washington, D.C., whyisLouisiana last or near last in everything good and first or near first in mostthings bad? Ithink this is aquestion that should be answered by all the people Ijust mentioned. Nextyear at the midterm elections, let’seliminate the red and blue and vote foran independent.

CLIFF LEONARD Hammond

COMMENTARY

WINNER: KERIANNESTIEGLER, NEW ORLEANS

NEWLOOK NEEDED! We received 642 in thisweek’s Cartoon CaptionContest. From presidential pardons to turkey necks, these were agreatmix of creativeconcepts. Our winnerhit thejackpot witha deep-fried delight.Well played, everyone! As always, when we have duplicate entries, and we always do,wepick the earliestsent in Great job! Walt

LYNN WISMAR, KENNER: “For astarter can youdosomething about this turkey neck?!”

KEITH G. C.TWITCHELL, NEW ORLEANS: “I don’t have to quack likeaduck, Ijust have to look likeaduck!”

MARYH.THOMPSON, GREENSBORO, GA: “I don’t want to look… overdone.”

JAYDARDENNE, BATONROUGE: “That’s outrageous. If you’re gonnacharge me a leg and aleg Imay as well geteaten.

BETTY BORDELON, KENNER: “Anything butanAtlanta Falcon, Doc!”

BILL POTTER, BATONROUGE: “you are going to do what with achicken and a duck!”

JIMMIE PAPIA, METAIRIE: “A big set of antlers, and abright shinynose. ”

ERIN O’SULLIVAN FLEMING, RIVER RIDGE: “I need amakeover….. something tasteless.”

JOE ALFORD,BATON ROUGE: “I wantto look GOOD,but not APPETIZING!!!”

CHARLES THEAUX, PONCHATOULA: “I cameheretohavemyneck skintightened. Whywas your assistant putting abuttery glaze on every partofmebut my neck?”

MARIANO HINOJOSA, BATONROUGE: “I’m tiredofalwayslookingoverdressed.”

DENNIEWILLIAMS,ALEXANDRIA: “Is there anyway Icouldget abreast and thigh reduction before Thanksgiving?”

BOBUSSERY, NEWORLEANS: “I’drather go under the knife here than on the kitchentable.

CAMILLE JUPITER (2NDGRADE), LANGSTONHUGHES ACADEMY,NEW ORLEANS: “I need to look likeapigeon.”

MICHELE STARNES,KENNER: “I want to look less ‘farmfresh’ and more fabulous!

LAUREN A. GAUTHIER, KENNER: “yes,you heardmeright, Iwant to be pink with long legs. I’m retiring to Florida!”

JAYFOX,MADISONVILLE: “No, Idon’t mind my neck,but my giblets are sagging.”

DENISE CHETTA, NEWORLEANS: “yeah, doc, this is not agood look forthe

holidays!”

PETER KOVACS, BATONROUGE: “Canyou makemelook likeanutria?”

BILL HUEY,BATON ROUGE: “My pardon fell through.you’ve gottodosomething!”

JOHN WEGER, BATONROUGE: “I just need something to getmethrough November.”

DAVIDA.BRIGGS,NEW ORLEANS: “I was thinkingalong the lines of acrow, because no one wants to eatthat.”

HOWARD KISNER, BATONROUGE: “Cancel the turducken look!”

SCOTT BODET, METAIRIE: “Wait… why is there adeep pan and an oven behind you??”

RALPH STEPHENS,BATON ROUGE: “you need to startcutting before someone starts carving.”

KEVINSTEEN, CORPUS CHRISTI,TX: “I was hopingfor some lipo;I am tired of beinga butter ball.”

JIM KERRIN, NEW ORLEANS: “COOKOFFS?!!?”

Dick Cheney’s complicatedlegacy

WhenGeorgeW.Bush ranfor president in 2000, he faced awidespread public perception that he was callow and inexperienced, even though he was 54 years old and the governorof Texas. That’snot an unheard-of situation in presidential politics; the solution is for the less-experienced candidate to pick an older and more experienced running mate to give the ticket some gravitas. That is what Bush did. It’sfair to say that Bush’s choice, Dick Cheney,fitthe bill, and more. Cheney,who died lastatage 84, probably knew more about the workings of the U.S. government than any man active in politics at the time. Hehad been the youngest White House chief of staff ever,for President GeraldFord. Then he served 10 years in the House,representing his home state of Wyoming. Thenhe was tapped by President George H.W Bush to serve as secretary ofdefense. Cheney later became CEO of amajoroil services corporation, Halliburton. That’s quite aresume. So Cheney added weight to the GOP ticket.Maybe just enoughweight— Bush-Cheney lost the 2000 popularvote but won the presidency onthe strength of 537 votes in the Florida recount. In the next few months, the team enacted much of its campaign agenda, passing the Bush tax cuts and making substantial progress on the president’seducation initiative, the No Child Left Behind Act At that point, just eight months into the term, the Bush-Cheney administration seemed oddly without direction, with little else to do.

When Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the cancellation of any official observance of “cultural awareness” months in the military service, Iimmediately wondered what it would mean forthe legacy of Milton Olive.

In case you didn’tknow, Milton Lee Olive III wasthe first Black American soldier to receive the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War.

Sadly,hedid not live long enough to receive it in person.

He was18years old on Oct. 22, 1965, when he and four others, including his platoon commander,were pursuing aband of Viet Cong through thick, tangled growth near Saigon, running into varying degrees of enemy fire.

“As the platoon pursued the insurgents” through the jungle together,according to Olive’scitation, “an enemy grenade was throwninto their midst. Pfc. Olive saw the grenade, and then saved the lives of his fellow soldiers at the sacrifice of his by grabbing the grenade in his hand and falling on it to absorb the blast with his body.”

The citation continued, “Pfc. Olive’sextraordinary heroism,atthe risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Armyand reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.”

On April 21, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to his father and stepmother

Later that year,Mayor Richard J. Daley led the unveiling, along with Olive’sparents, of amonument in his honor at the newly renamed Olive Park, near Navy Pier

When Imoved to Chicago in 1969, fresh out of college and still draft-eligible, Olive’ssacrifice in the controversial war wasstill being talked about and widely honored.

When my draftboard caught up with me, Ivividly recall, Ihad Milton Olive on my mind and drew somespiritual strength from my desire to do his memoryproud. As it happened, Inever wenttoVietnam, but Ialso neverforgot Milton Olive or the split-seconddecision he made to give his lifesohis battle buddies could live.

Now,morethan ever,itisimportant to remember men and womenlike Milton Olive, and indeed to memorialize them,as PresidentDonaldTrumpand his White nationalist movement wagewar on diversity, equity and inclusion.

took aleading role in formulating what became known as GWOT —the Global WaronTerror It would taketoo long to recount all thedetails.But first, the U.S. attackedAfghanistan, aiming to find and kill every personwho planned, executed,financed or otherwise aided or abetted 9/11.That is what Bushand Cheney began, but after making initial progress, the mission went on and on, became bogged down in nation-building and, in more than seven years, failed to find and kill the one manmostresponsible for theattack —Osama bin Laden.

Meanwhile, around theWhiteHouse, there was talk suggesting that Iraqi dictator SaddamHussein had some connection to 9/11 and thatthere was some link betweenSaddam and al Qaeda. Then the White House argued thatSaddam had weapons of massdestruction, which in a maddictator’shands created an intolerablydangerous situation for the United States. Cheney became the administration’smostaggressive promoter of invading Iraq, toppling Saddam and neutralizing the WMD.

Everyone knows what happened next. The intelligence was wrong, therewere no WMD, and thewar in Iraq turned into adisaster.That was not because of any failure by the U.S. military —they performedbeautifully.But Bush and Cheney hadbeen dreadfully wrong about the premisefor invading.

ClearPolitics average of polls.

In the caseofCheney,herewas a man withbroad and deep knowledge of how the world and the U.S. government worked, who dedicated himself to protecting the United States in the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack in history, who meant well —and who made terrible mistakes that ensuredhis time in office would be seen as afailure.

Cheney’stime in office also changed Republican politics.Itisimpossible to imagine the 2016 GOPprimaryracegoing the way it did absent the legacyofthe Bush-Cheneyadministration. The BushCheneyteam was in the field in 2016 in the person of Jeb Bush. Candidate Donald Trump took great delight in bashing Jeb, andhewas remarkably effective at it.

Trump called the Iraq war “a big, fatmistake,” and Republican crowds applauded. He called the entireBushCheney administration a“disaster.” He dumped all over the Bush-Cheneylegacy and went on to win the Republican nomination. Things had changed.

Still, Cheney actually supported Trump as the Republican nominee in 2016.Only after theJan.6,2021, Capitol riotdid Cheney declare Trump a“coward” and a“threat to our republic.” Cheney ended up casting his last votefor president for Kamala Harris in 2024.

Earlier this year,inhis zeal to root out everything “woke” in the military,Hegseth directed the Department of Defense to purge the department’swebsite of mentions of historically significant American fighters, including the Navajo code talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen and many Medal of Honor recipients simply because they were members of minorities —and despite their significant contributions to defending American freedom.

Also at Hegseth’sorders, out went Black History Month in February,Women’sHistory Month in March, Pride Month in June, and National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from mid-September until mid-October Interestingly,Sig Christenson, an investigative reporter at the San Antonio Express-News, couldn’tfind anyone who had aclear reason forwhy these observances had to be banned, or whyStPatrick’sDay remains honored.

Goodquestion. I’mBlack, but I’malso aproduct of Chicago culture, and we celebrate St. Patrick by turning the Chicago River green forthe big parade day I’ve also recently discovered, thanks to 23&Me, that I’mgenetically about 19% Irish. As John Mellencampsang, “Ain’t that America?”

Such is the nature of our diversity,which Ilike to think is afeature, not abug, of America’smelting pot.

Afellow veteran whosays he agrees is C. Douglas Sterner,who has published about adozen books on decorated military heroes and whooperates the HomeofHeroes website, which documents the stories of Medal of Honor recipients, among other heroes.

Then came Sept. 11, 2001, and Bush, Cheney and the nation had an urgent new direction for the future. Cheneywas at the White House when it happened; Bush was in Florida on atrip to promote child reading. From that moment on, Cheney

Afterahuge loss in the2006 midterms, Bush and Cheney tried to salvage the situationinIraqwitha“surge”ofU.S troops.But the war ended in amassive failure.And then,asfate would have it,as the Bush-Cheney administration entered its finalstretch, theeconomy nearly collapsed. Disaster upon disaster.Bythe time of the 2008 election, Bush hadajob approval of 24.6%, according to theReal-

By then, Cheney’sbrand of Republican politics, whatever you might think of it, had receded far into the past.The man who was Gerald Ford’schief of staff half acenturyearlier could find no placein today’sGOP politics. The bitter irony was thatCheney,withthe misadventure in Iraq and thecalamitous end of the BushCheney administration, had himself contributedtocreating Trump’sRepublican Party

Byron York is on X, @Bryon York. Email him at byronyork@yorkcomm.com.

“Saddened deeply” by the DoD’sscrubbing of our “women and ethnic minority heroes” earlier this year,Sterner collaborated on anew book titled “Beyond Woke: The Diversity of U.S. Military Heroes.”

The cover art depicts Milton Olive in the act of saving his fellow GIs,ending his own lifebut living on, Ihope, in the memories of our grateful nation.

Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@ gmail.com.

Mangetstwo life sentencesin2021doublemurder

Couple shot inside Tigerlandapartment

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Shotgun blasts killed aBaton Rouge couple as they slept inside their Tigerland apartment nearly five years ago

On Thursday afternoon, inside aBaton Rouge courtroom packed with familymemberswearing

T-shirts adorned with pictures of the two victims, ajudge sentenced the man convicted in their deaths to two life sentences.

Brian Alexander Lavergne, 38 shot and killed LaQuincia Jackson, his 26-year-old ex-girlfriend, and her boyfriend of five years, 33-year-old Fredrick Hollins. He used a12-gauge shotgun to shoot both at point-blank range as they

slept in their apartment in the 4600 blockofEarlGrosAvenue theevening ofJan. 23, 2021. He was tried on two counts of second-degree murder in October 2024, but ahung jury was unableto reach averdict and thepresiding judge declared amistrial.

Acontentiousretrial ended Aug. 25 with ajuryfinding Lavergne guilty of both murder counts following fourdaysoftestimony District Judge Louise Hines Myersimposed two life sentences without the possibility of parole —aformality under state law for second-degreemurder convictions —and ranthe prison stints on the two charges at the same time.

Afterward, family members of the twovictims took solace in the fact thatthey had finally received justiceafter41/2 years.

Hollins’mother,Agnrus Hollins, stood outside the courthouse with

otherrelatives andbaskedinthe fact that Lavergne was finally going to prisonfor killing heronly child.

“Itwas bittersweet,” shesaid “Wegot justice, and we thank God for that. He got two life (sentences) —not one, two. It’sarelief off me and my familybecause now my son can rest. We don’thave to come back here; we’ve been going through it forfouryears. It finally came, and we are very satisfied with thedecision that was made by thestate.”

Inside the courtroom, loved ones of both victimsremembered them fondly.Jackson, the oldest of seven siblings in aclose-knit family,was described as an adventurous songbirdaffectionately nicknamed “Nanny.”

Hollins was afather of two remembered by loved ones as kind and compassionate.

Lavergne and Jackson stayed friends for years, even after their romantic relationship ended, and Lavergne remained close to her family.Heattended family functionsand maintainedties to Jackson’s aunts andsiblings.

During Thursday’shearing, two of Jackson’ssisters seethed with angeroverthe betrayaland the violence Lavergne unleashed on her “You probably thought thatyou were abovethe law, or invincible to being held accountable,” said Sara Patterson,one of Jackson’s youngersisters. “You probably thought youwere so smart Butlookatyou now, sitting there powerless. Knowing there’snothing thatyou can do or say to stop justice from being served.”

Another sister, Destiny “Booty” Jackson, talked about the impact the murder had, shattering their

entire family.“Youkilled her while she was nakedand asleep,” she said in awritten statement. “Howcould yousay you loved her anddothat? Youwerefamily.” Destiny Jackson recalledgoing through photos forthe funeral andhaving to seeLavergne’sface in many of the pictures from family gatherings. “No one in my family is the same. We are all broken,” she said. “Nanny was the glue that held my sisters and me together but she’sgone. We literally don’t talktoeach other because you took ourglue away “I say all this to say: Brian Lavergne, Ihope you rot in hell for killing my sister and Fred. They didn’tdeserve it,” she added later.

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

BR mangets18years in crashthatkilledWalkerteen

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

ABaton Rouge man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the carcrash that killed Walker High School senior Blakeleigh Weems.

More than 50 people packed theLivingston Parish Courthouse on Wednesday for the sentencing, with 15 people sharing emotional victim impactstatements about the teen’sdeath.

Weems, 17, died on New Year’sDay 2024 in acrash in Denham Springs.

Shawn Robertson, 33, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with five years without the possibility of supervised release and a$2,000 finefor thefatal crash.

Robertson pleaded guilty

Oct. 15 to vehicular homicide, second-offense DWI, reckless operation of avehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia,driving with asuspended licenseand no seat belt.

Originally,Robertson pleaded not guilty to the charges in May, but he changed his plea in October The District Attorney’sOfficealso hadupgraded the original charge of negligent homicide to vehicular homicide, andthe chargeofpossession of drug paraphernalia was recently added as well.

Robertsonwas alsogiven additionalsentencesof sixmonths and 60 days in parish jail, someofwhich he has already served, for the misdemeanor charges.

Weems’ parents, grand-

parents, other family membersand friends delivered emotional impactstatementsfor twohoursinthe courtroom Wednesday

Ch as ity Joh nsto ne , Weems’ mother,described her late daughterasher “world” and her “best friend.”

“Every day feels empty without the one person who mademefeel whole,”Johnstone said, sittinginfront of Robertson.

Johnstone talked about how her daughter had plans to attend LSU lawschool and “had her whole life planned out.”

She said her daughter had acontagious laugh and a heart of gold, andthatshe was abright light in people’s lives.

Her statement ended with, “Live like Blake.”

FRIDGE

Continued from page1B

and baby formula, Mullins said. The Space Cat fridge accepts donations of all these items.Heencourages neighbors to drop off what they can to help keep the shelves stocked.

“Weneed to do what we can to take care of each other,” he said. “If you care about your neighbors, just do what you can.” Other community organizers are also asking residents to help by donating cooked meals andfood items to local community pantries andrefrigerators.

Other pantries around Acadiana include: n Lafayette Community Fridge, pantry and refrigerator,2905E.SimcoeSt., Lafayette n St. Barnabas Episcopal Church,pantry and refrigerator,400 Camellia Blvd., Lafayette

n OasisCommunityFood Pantry,MLK Center,309 CoraSt.

n Creole GranniesPantry &Garden, 300 14th St Lafayette n T-Boy’sFlea Market Fridge &Pantry, 620 Charity St., Abbeville n KiwanisCommunity Pantry,210 E.St. Peter St., City Hall Pavilion, Carencro

n Clinton Street Pantry & LittleLibrary,124 Clinton St.,Lafayette

Email Ja’koriMadison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

Nelson Weems, the victim’s father,and other friends andfamily members told Robertstonthat she would have forgivenhim for causing her death.

“She would stand right here, right now in thecourtroom andforgive you,”he said. “I don’tforgive you, not today,not tomorrow.”

Walker High School cheer coach SavannahNormand andother former Walker High studentsspoke about how involved Blakeleigh Weems was in school.

“She was an exceptional leader.She was inclusive. She was bold,”the coach said.

Thecoach describedhow theteam set out Weems’ cheer pompoms in formationinher honor for 23 basketball games after her death.

FAMILY

Continuedfrom page1B

where kids can operate mini RC construction vehicles. There’salsoasoft play area, acozy reading nook and, whattruly sets it apart —a giantindoor sandbox.

For both kids and adults looking to burn energy indoors, Urban Air Adventure Park is also preparing to open its doorsat 3617-A Ambassador Caffery.Thisnew destination for family funwill offer climbingwalls, laser tag, go-kart tracks, bowling andmore.

Playtopiaisexpected to open in early December, while Urban Air’sofficial opening date has yet to be announced, though its social media hints it’ll be “coming soon.”

“Every timeitwas hard,” she said. The Robertson family also delivered,through an attorney,awritten statement to the victim’sfamily and friends. “Weare profoundly sorry,” apart of the statement said. “Our hearts are with you.”

Other indoor venues throughout Acadiana include:

Family entertainment

n Kart Ranch, 508 Youngsville Highway Lafayette n Cajun Fast Track, 1145 N. Barn Road, Breaux Bridge n Dave &Buster’s, 201 Spring Farm Road,Lafayette

Play spaces

n Children’sMuseum of Acadiana, 201 E. Congress St., Lafayette n Miko’sPlayhouse, 5421 Johnston St. C, Lafayette n We Rock the Spectrum, 425 St. De Porres St. No. 102, Broussard

Indoor parks

n Elevation Station, 40 St. Nazaire Road, Broussard n Sky Zone, 3814 Ambassador Caffery Parkway,Lafayette

n Surge Entertainment Center,2723 W. Pinhook Road, Lafayette n Epic Entertainment, 130 N. Ambassador Caffery,Scott

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

LSU, Kellyatoddsovercontractbuyout

Former LSU coach Brian Kelly watchesa playagainst South Carolina on Oct. 11. Kelly is requesting the full sum of his buyout

New Orleans, Saints lost a friend in Tagliabue

New Orleans lost afriendSunday. Former NFL commissioner PaulTagliabue died at his home in CapeCod,Massachusetts, at the age of 84. His health had been in decline for monthsashebattled Parkinson’sdisease. The apparentcause of deathwas heart failure

Former football coachrequestsfullbuyoutsum,attorneys

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

Former LSUfootball coach BrianKelly has requested that the school pay his full buyout of nearly $54 million, according to documentsobtained by The Advocate, as negotiations continue two weeks after he was firedduring his fourthseason. In aNov.5letter sent to LSU athletic director VergeAusberry and LSUBoard of Supervisors memberJohn Carmouche, Kelly’sattorneys asked for writtenconfirmation by 5p.m. on MondaythatLSU will “fulfillits contractual obligation” to pay the full sum.

“Absentthiswritten confirmationbythat date, coach Kelly will pursue all available legal remedies,” the letter states. Kelly is owednearly $54 million if fired without cause, asum thatwould be paid in equal monthly installments through the end of his contract in 2031. Kelly’sattorneys claimed in documentsthat LSU fired him without cause,inwhichcaseKelly is owed 90%ofhis remaining annual compensation under theterms of the deal.

Theletter states Kelly would still be “open to anyadditional offers” to settleif he receives thewritten confirmation. LSU offeredlump-sum payments of $25 million and $30 million the day Kelly was fired, doc-

uments said, but Kelly rejected them.They were made when Scott Woodward wasstill LSU’sathletic director.Heand the school parted four days later

The two sides are expected to have ameeting Monday, sources said, before the deadline set by Kelly’srepresentatives.

Kelly’sattorneys said in the letter he was firedwithout cause during an in-person meetingOct. 26 between himand Woodward, Ausberry,LSU executive deputy athletic director Julie Cromer and LSU associateathletic director of football administration Austin Thomas.

SHOUGH ANDAWE

Jeff Duncan

New Orleanians will forever owe adebt of gratitude to Tagliabue forhis serviceto the city and the Gulf Coast region in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In thefinal year of his 17-year tenure as commissioner,hedeftly managed thecrisis and spearheaded the New Orleans Saints’ return to the city It’stoo simple to say the Saints wouldn’t have returned to NewOrleans if it weren’tfor Tagliabue. But it’s fair to say they wouldn’thave returned as successfullyasthey did without his shrewd leadership.

One of Tagliabue’sfavoritesayings was “A friend in need is afriend indeed.” New Orleans learned that firsthandfrom Tagliabue when it needed it most

It was Tagliabue who assuaged thenSaints owner TomBenson’s fears in the wake of the storm and facilitated the club’s return to the citybyfast-tracking resources to the club and cutting through redtape on Capitol Hill.

It was Tagliabue who rallied support for the team by arranging aseries of meetings with local and regional business leaders, including apivotal gathering at local businessmanTommyColeman’scamp along the Mississippi River batturenear the Orleans-Jeffersonparishline. The meeting featured some of the city’s richest and most powerful men and women —awho’s who of banking, energy,shipping and real estate —and served as the catalyst forthe Saints’ return. And it was Tagliabue who showcasedthe city’spost-Katrina recovery on aglobal stage by putting the Saints’ returntothe SuperdomeonMondayNight Football, the league’spremier platform

“The whole thing turnedaround in

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ELIOTKAMENITZ Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, right, speaks next to Saints ownerTom Benson during anewsconferenceonJan. 11, 2006. Tagliabue playedapivotal role in the Saints’return to NewOrleans after Hurricane Katrina.

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Kellen Moore delivered the play call over his headset and said nothing else to Tyler Shough. There was no need. It wasthird-and-12late in Sunday’sgameagainstthe Carolina Panthers, and the New Orleans Saints’ coach andtheir rookie quarterbackunderstoodwhat was on the line. After Moorenotably took the ball out of the quarterback’shands for the previous fewthird downs, the momentcalled for an obvious passing situation withthe Saints trying to preserve alead.Itwas time for the Saints to truly see what they had in the26-year-old. No motivational speech. No encouragement. Just executethe call.

“Kellen knew the importance of finishing that drive,” Shough said. “Mymindset is I’malways goingtobeaggressive.”

So, Shough got aggressive. As the second-round draft pickscanned the field, Shoughimmediately realized the high-low concept the play intended forwasn’tthere.But as the pocket collapsedand he drifted to hisleft, Shough sawtight end Juwan Johnson —the last player in the quarterback’s progression —break off from his man. The quarterback let it fly Touchdown. Shough hit Johnson fora 30-yard score to seal NewOrleans’ 17-7 winover the Panthers, earning New Orleans’

5:30

5:30 p.m.

Pelicans sharpshooter starting to heat up

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Trey Murphy knew the shots would start falling.

So he wasn’t really fazed by his rough start to the season

A night like Saturday would eventually come.

Murphy poured in 41 points in a 126-119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, tying a career-high that he reached both last season and in the 2022-’23 season.

While Murphy would have much rather have had a win to go with it, it’s good to see him get back to the form of a player who has All-Star aspirations.

Murphy couldn’t get anything to fall the first four games of the season. He made just 18 of 52 shots, including only 5 of 23 3-pointers. That came with back-to-back games where he scored just seven points against the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets. But since then, he’s heated up. He’s made 21 of his last 47 3-pointers (44.7%)

He hopes to continue that Monday night when the Pelicans (2-7) play at the Phoenix Suns (5-5)

“I think the biggest thing is just shooting the ball with confidence and getting back into the flow of things,” Murphy said last week.

“Law of large numbers. The more of a sample size you get, the more it’s going to go back to where it’s supposed to be.”

Murphy shot 15-of-22 from the floor Saturday He buried a 38foot jumper at the end of the third

quarter His night also included nine rebounds, one shy of his season-best 10 boards he grabbed in the first game against the Spurs. He’s averaging a career-best 6.7 rebounds per game.

“Trey is a fantastic basketball player,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “He’s opening up the floor for his teammates. He’s putting a ton of pressure on the defense

right now, and those are some of the things that we want him to continue to do.”

And his teammates are making things easier for him. Particularly rookie Derik Queen.

“Big credit to DQ as well,” Murphy said. “Me and DQ are starting to find some synergy together He’s a really good player And he’s going to be really good in this league. I feel like me and him complement each other really well.”

After Monday’s game against the Suns, the Pelicans return home for a 5-game homestand. The Pels host the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday They follow that up in the Smoothie King Center with a brutal four-game stretch against the Los Angeles Lakers (Friday), Golden State Warriors (Sunday), Oklahoma City Thunder (Nov 17) and Denver Nuggets (Nov 19).

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com. IN

LSU women hit century mark again in win

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The LSU women’s basketball team enjoyed one of its best shooting games in program history on Thursday in an 89-point win over Southeastern Louisiana. And the No. 5 Tigers (3-0) still haven’t cooled off.

On Sunday, they defeated Georgia Southern 118-70 on the road in a homecoming game for star senior guard Flau’jae Johnson LSU shot 53% from the field and 9 of 20 from 3-point range against the Eagles, and now it’s scored at least 100 points in each of its first three contests.

The Tigers have strung together at least three 100-point outings to start a new year only once before in their NCAA-era history They hit that mark five straight times to begin the 2022-2023 season, the year in which they took home the program’s first national championship.

The 118 points LSU scored on Sunday is a season-high.

“A lot of people can score the ball,” coach Kim Mulkey said. Mulkey likes to schedule nonconference games in or near her star players’ hometowns. Angel Reese played a game in Baltimore. Aneesah Morrow went back to Chicago. Mikaylah Williams returned home for a contest in Bossier City And now, Johnson has played in Statesboro, Georgia, a city about 50 miles west of her hometown of Savannah. She notched 19 points,

LSU

Continued from page 1C

Kelly’s attorneys further claimed LSU officials confirmed Kelly was fired without cause during a phone call Oct. 27 with Ausberry, Cromer and Kelly’s representatives. The letter said LSU “intended to honor the terms of the agreement pertaining to termination without cause.”

During the Oct. 26 meeting, Woodward said LSU wanted to enter negotiations to pay Kelly a lump-sum payment of $25 million instead of the full buyout, the letter said. LSU offered “one or more accelerated payments,” documents said, and the elimination of mitigation or offset language that would reduce the cost of the buyout if Kelly gets another job in football.

Later that day documents said Cromer raised the offer to $30 million over two installments with the removal of mitigation or offset clauses.

LSU has not put Kelly’s termination in writing with negotiations

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson shoots against Georgia Southern on Sunday in Statesboro, Ga

six assists and four rebounds in Sunday’s game, which doubled as LSU’s third nonconference matchup of the new season — and its third beatdown of an overmatched foe.

“It was more fun,” Johnson said.

“Like, it wasn’t any pressure. It just felt like I was right at home.

“So, this was just unbelievable. I was smiling the whole game, even on turnovers. Sometimes I was like, ‘OK, just smile.’”

The Tigers converted nine of their first 11 field-goal attempts to build a 19-4 lead in the first quarter Jada Richard canned a transition 3-pointer from the left wing.

Then Kate Koval buried an 18-foot jumper, and MiLaysia Fulwiley mixed in three layups, including

LSU has not put Kelly’s termination in writing with negotiations ongoing, sources said, so it is continuing to pay him in monthly installments.

ongoing, sources said, so it is continuing to pay him in monthly installments.

It could complicate the situation that Woodward and LSU parted ways Oct. 30, a day after Gov Jeff Landry criticized him and said he would not hire LSU’s next football coach. Landry called Kelly’s buyout a “liability.” While Landry claimed Louisiana taxpayers could be on the hook for the money, Carmouche said at a news conference, “the state has never the taxpayers have never — paid for a coach and never will.”

Carmouche, the head of the LSU board’s athletics committee, is a key figure in the negotiations on LSU’s side. A local trial attorney, he has experience negotiating multi-million dollar settlements.

Kelly’s contract states that if

one after she stole away a possession and started her own fast break.

Fulwiley was one of six LSU players to score in double figures on Sunday She scored 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Williams added 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Koval — a transfer center from Notre Dame — scored 12 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while freshman forward ZaKiyah Johnson chipped in another 17 points. She’s scored at least 11 in all three games. Georgia Southern shot it well from 3-point range. In the first half, the Eagles sank seven of the 19 long-range shots they attempted.

The problem, of course, was

that LSU never slowed down on offense.

The Tigers assisted 25 of their 46 field goals, committed only 12 turnovers and took their largest lead of the game (48) in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter

“We’ve got to get better defensively,” Mulkey said. “We gave up too many points, in my opinion. But the third game in, I don’t hesitate to put anybody out there, and that’s one through 12.

“Now, it may change, but if we can do that for a long period of time, I just think you’re gonna develop players that you grow confident in, and it’ll make us better.”

Johnson’s homecoming game officially drew 5,322 fans — the largest crowd in Georgia Southern women’s basketball history

LSU next will return to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to face Charlotte at 7 p.m on Wednesday The 49ers (2-1) lost to Auburn in their season opener, then defeated Campbell 61-50 on Thursday before knocking off UCF 66-64 on Sunday to pick up a win on the road.

The Tigers won’t face a powerconference opponent until at least Nov 29, when they can meet Washington State in the championship game of the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

LSU will play four more games before then, all against mid-major opponents.

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

MLB pitchers charged with taking bribes to rig pitches

NEW YORK Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.

According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly-paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched.

Griffin wins in Mexico for third PGA Tour title of year

LOS CABOS Mexico Ben Griffin avoided the mistakes that slowed his two challengers Sunday and rolled in three long birdie putts for a 9-under 63 to win the World Wide Technology Championship for his third PGA Tour title of the season.

Griffin two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th at El Cardonal at Diamante for a two-shot victory He joined Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy as the only players with at least three wins, with one of those for Griffin a team event in New Orleans at the Zurich Classic.

Griffin, playing for the second time since his Ryder Cup debut, ran off five straight birdies starting at No. 8. Griffin moves to a career-best No. 9 in the world ranking.

Rai edges past Fleetwood in Abu Dhabi playoff

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates Aaron Rai of England overcame a shocking short miss with a pair of late birdies for a 5-under 67 and beat Tommy Fleetwood (66) on the first playoff hole with a 10-foot birdie putt to win the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Rai returned from a two-month break to win for the first time this year and pick up his third European tour title — his first on the tour since defeating Fleetwood in the 2020 Scottish Open. He won the Wyndham Championship in August 2024 for his first PGA Tour title. Rory McIlroy started the back nine at Yas Links with five straight birdies and closed with a 62, matching his low score on the European tour

Oladipo joins Milwaukee’s NBA G League affiliate OSHKOSH, Wis Two-time All-Star guard Victor Oladipo who hasn’t played in the NBA since suffering a major injury in 2023, has joined the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA G League affiliate.

The Wisconsin Herd announced Sunday they had added the 33-year-old Oladipo to their roster The Herd acquired Oladipo from the Santa Cruz Warriors after he had entered the NBA G League’s player pool.

would then have seven days to respond. His attorneys said in the letter LSU did not satisfy those requirements and added it would be “entirely baseless” if LSU asserted cause for firing him.

“LSU has not asserted at any time that coach Kelly was terminated for cause, or that any potential justification for such a termination exists,” the letter states.

After he was informed of the intention to fire him on Oct. 26, Kelly sent an email to LSU athletic officials at 5:43 p.m In part, he said he is “open to your desire to reach a settlement of what’s owed to me under the contract, although of course it would have to make sense financially.”

LSU signed Kelly to a 10-year deal worth more than $100 million when it hired him away from Notre Dame at the end of the 2021 regular season. If paid in full, his buyout would be the secondlargest in college football history behind the $76 million that Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher

he were to be fired for cause, LSU would have to provide written notice and a statement on the grounds for the termination. Kelly

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

Oladipo tore his left patellar tendon while playing for the Miami Heat in a 2023 first-round playoff series with the Bucks. Oladipo hasn’t been in the NBA since, though he appeared in some NBA preseason games this year while playing for the Chinese Basketball Association’s Guangzhou LoongLions.

Big Ten: USC’s fake punt was unsportsmanlike ROSEMONT Ill. Southern California should have been assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during its game against Northwestern for having a reserve quarterback who executed a fake punt wear the same number as the Trojans’ regular punter, the Big Ten announced Sunday Early in the second quarter of Friday’s game in Los Angeles, third-string quarterback Sam Huard lined up in the punter’s spot wearing jersey No. 80 on a fourthand-6 play He took the long snap and completed a pass to Tanook Hines for a 10-yard gain. The Trojans scored five plays later and won 38-17.

Sam Johnson, the Trojans’ regular punter who wears No. 80, punted for the first time on the next possession.

CAJUNS 42, DEMONS 39

THREE AND OUT: KEVIN FOOTE’S TOP TAKEAWAyS

1

SHUT DOWN TOO QUICKLY

A week ago, in UL’s 31-22 road win over South Alabama, coach Michael Desormeaux may have gone into run-out-theclock mode a hair too early It took a goal-line stand and a late interception to keep the Jags from being in position for a mad comeback. Against Texas State’s offense, he definitely got conservative too early, especially considering how focused the Bobcats’ defense was on limiting Lunch Winfield’s rushing prowess.Against most offenses, it was probably a sound tactic, but the Bobcats don’t have the most explosive offense in the Sun Belt for nothing Fortunately, the offense delivered.

2

WINFIELD DOES IT AGAIN yes, he threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-27 passing and also ran for 49 yards on 18 carries. But all of that pales in comparison to what the redshirt sophomore quarterback did with 2:54 left in the game. With Texas State now owning all the momentum and UL facing a third-and-13 from its own 19, Winfield calmly stood in the pocket and hit Shelton Sampson for a 19yard pass to extend what turned out to be the game-saving drive It was like a big thirddown completion to Charles Robertson in the Marshall win. That kind of composure is why he looks so special

3

ROLLER-COASTER DEFENSE

It was really good at times for UL’s defense and really, really bad in other moments for coach Jim Salgado’s unit. On the plus side, without Jordan Lawson’s sack fumble and Kody Jackson’s interception off a Courtline Flowers pass defense, UL doesn’t likely win that game. Again, an offense this good, turnovers were required. On the flip side, that same defense looked almost without hope on the final two drives, allowing Texas State six plays over 35 or more yards while collecting 528 total yards. It was the fifth game this season over 500 total yards. It’s a good thing Texas State botched both 2-point conversion tries.

One more time

QB Winfield once again secures win for UL

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

For the second time this season, UL quarterback Lunch Winfield has done it.

It’s not something just any old quarterback can pull off, even once. In his heroic second-half performance against Marshall back on Sept. 27 at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium, Winfield displayed incredible composure to hit Charles Robertson for a 16-yard gain on third-and-13 from his own 15 to keep the Cajuns alive in a comeback win for the ages

On Saturday, Texas State stole the momentum from the Cajuns after trailing 42-20 just less than 10 minutes earlier in the fourth quarter

The Bobcats’ offense had just scored touchdowns on three straight drives and suddenly the Cajuns were facing a third-and-13 from their own 17 — almost identical to the Marshall game.

And once again, Winfield calmly connected with Shelton Sampson over the middle for 19 yards to ignite the game-saving possession that ran out the clock to preserve the 42-39 win.

“The first two plays were negative plays, and everybody in the huddle was like, ‘That’s my fault. That’s my fault,’” Winfield said. “And I told them, ‘It happened twice. Now we got this down, we got to fix it.’” Winfield did just that with the gamesaving completion to Sampson. No one can appreciate the composure required for Winfield to do it again with his team’s fortunes hanging in the balance more than a former college quarterback in coach Michael Desormeaux

UL 42, Texas State 39

Texas State107319—39 UL7280742

First Quarter

ULL—Sampson 10 pass from Winfield (Sterner kick), 8:06.

TXST—FG Robles 25, 4:45. TXST—Pare 54 run (Robles kick), :27

Second Quarter

ULL—Jensen 27 pass from Winfield (Sterner kick), 11:24.

ULL—B.Davis 12 run (Sterner kick), 8:29

ULL—Sampson 12 pass from Winfield (Sterner kick), 5:36. TXST—Lyons 24 pass from B.Jackson (Robles kick), 4:26.

ULL—Winfield 1 run (Sterner kick), :21 Third Quarter

TXST—FG Robles 24, 2:57. Fourth Quarter

ULL—Winfield 3 run (Sterner kick), 13:02

TXST—B.Sparks 49 run (pass failed), 12:05

TXST—B.Sparks 38 pass from B.Jackson (run failed), 8:19. TXST—Dawn 21 pass from B.Jackson (Robles kick), 3:12. A—14,231. TXSTUL First downs 22 27 Total Net Yards 528 384 Rushes-yards 24-168 52-192 Passing 360 192

Punt Returns 1-11 0-0 Kickoff Returns 6-98 5-86

Interceptions Ret. 2-5 1-4

Comp-Att-Int 26-33-1 17-27-2

Sacked-Yards Lost 3-9 0-0

Punts 1-48.0 3-38.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-Yards 11-114 8-65

Time of Possession 22:02 37:58

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Texas State, Pare 10-89, B.Sparks 1-49, Burrell 3-15, B.Jackson 10-15. LouisianaLafayette, Davis 18-87, Perry 14-59, Winfield 18-49, (Team) 2-(minus 3). PASSING—Texas State, B.Jackson 26-33-1360. Louisiana-Lafayette, Winfield 17-27-2192. RECEIVING—Texas State, B.Sparks 10-186, Dawn 7-89, Pare 7-50, Lyons 1-24, B.Smith 1-11. Louisiana-Lafayette, Sampson 5-80 Jensen 3-28, Chappell 3-17, Strother 2-21 T.Miller 1-16, Robertson 1-13, Perry 1-9, Davis 1-8. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

you’ve got to put the ball in their hands, and that’s what we did.

“He’s just one of those guys that I think the moment’s never too big.”

Winfield also wants some praise heaped on the level Sampson has been playing in recent weeks.

“I watched this guy since he got here,” Winfield said of Sampson. “Really, before he got here, I watched him in high school. This guy is a dog and he’s putting the world on notice, and I would say he still hasn’t played his best game yet.”

After such a clutch throw it’s also nice to be able to run that same quarterback later in the drive on fourth-and-2 from the Texas State 31, and he delivers with a 7-yard run to run out the clock.

“There’s no better advantage than a quarterback run with a running back as the lead block, so that’s kind of what the thought was,” Desormeaux said. “The field goal wasn’t worth it at two minutes. Both times we had it on fourth down, down there at the end of the game, there was really no question you had to go for it.”

“There’s no better advantage run than a quarterback run with a running back as the lead block, so that’s kind of what the thought was,” Desormeaux said.

State’s explosive offense.

“Yeah, you’re managing, running the clock and burning time and you’re managing potential incompletions,” Desormeaux said. “We could have done a better job there, probably in the fourth quarter of maybe opening it up more, I don’t know

“But the last thing you want to do is turn it over and give them a short field again, or something like that. So yeah, it’s a juggling act.”

In fact, what looked like a safe pass to a tight end resulted in a deflection for Winfield’s second interception and a short field for Texas State.

“I thought we were playing really good on defense,” he added. “We had only given up one field goal in the second half at that point. Then the floodgates kind of opened a little bit and they made some plays.”

The Bobcats showed how fun and explosive their offense can be. Even Desormeaux was impressed with some of Texas State’s play designs.

“... Yeah, you don’t like the way that the game gets tight in the end, but it is what it is,” he said. “They hit some trick plays that were well designed.”

At this point in the season, it’s about keeping the bowl dream alive and the Cajuns were able to win their second do-or-die contest.

UL coach ‘not happy’ with postgame skirmish

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

On the final drive of UL’s 4239 win over Texas State on Saturday there was some pushing and shoving. Tempers were beginning to flare.

The Cajuns were completing a 13th consecutive victory over the visiting Bobcats in 13 tries. After the game, there was more than just pushing and shoving. No, it wasn’t a fullfledged brawl on the field as the teams shook hands near midfield, but punches were thrown as several skirmishes took place on the field. There was also another confrontation in the tunnel, which quickly ended the usual meeting of players with their families near the top.

UL coach Michael Desormeaux was not impressed.

“It pisses me off the way the game ended,” he said. “I thought that was completely classless on their part. After the play, when we’re trying to kneel the ball, it starts there, and then it continues all the way up the tunnel. So I think there’s no room for that in college football.”

There was no specific explanation for the confrontations.

“I think we’ve been playing these guys for 13 straight years, never had anything like that happen,” Desormeaux added.

“It’s embarrassing. And now we got a locker full of guys that are pissed off after a game that they just won because of this bull crap after the game.

“So, yeah, I think that’s a really crappy way for a good game to end, a great football game to end.”

UL’s head coach expects to get to the bottom of what happened.

“I didn’t see it, but I was told how it started,” he said. “We had another player that got hit coming up the tunnel at the end.

So I’m not very happy about it. I’m hoping that we got some video, that we can figure out who started this thing, because if it is what I thought it was, it’s really inexcusable.

“I’m not going to say something I didn’t see, though.” Veteran defensive end Jordan Lawson was asked where he was in the fracas.

“Hey, man, this is my sixth year, man,” Lawson said. “I’m in the back with the police I’m leaving that to my young guys.”

Another new face

After giving up several big plays to Texas State’s offense in the first half, a new face emerged in the Cajuns’ secondary in redshirt freshman Lake Bates of North DeSoto.

It was similar to Collin Jacob’s entry into the game in the home win over Marshall. The recent injury to senior safety Jalen Clark also complicated the situation.

“Lake was a walk-on for us, from North De Soto,” Desormeaux said. “Last year, he was on the scout team the whole year In the spring, he was with the third group. In fall camp, you felt like he performed really well in fall camp, was behind some good players in seniors, and kind of just kept moving up.”

The 5-10, 180-pound Bates acquitted himself well with four tackles off the bench.

“The guy is just an elite competitor,” Desormeaux said of Winfield. “You know the situation you understand the situation, but it’s like everything just slows down in those moments. That’s how he is.” Desormeaux said Winfield’s progression on the completion to Sampson was impeccable.

“The field goal wasn’t worth it at two minutes Both times we had it on fourth down, down there at the end of the game, there was really no question you had to go for it.”

“We had field rotation and he comes back to the back side,” he said. “He did a good job with his eyes, kept everything over there. He stands in the picket when he needs to, no matter how many hits he takes, which is really hard to do, and when the guy gets in that zone,

Thanks to that game-clinching run, the Cajuns were finally able to do what Desormeaux had been trying to achieve throughout the fourth quarter — run out the clock with the lead. For some, Desormeaux began that process too early It worked in the previous win over South Alabama. It almost bit the Cajuns against Texas

“You just can’t waver, and you can’t blink and you can’t flinch,” Desormeaux said. “Our togetherness and our belief had to be an advantage. It has to be an advantage for us every week going forward. We were left for dead a couple of weeks ago, and the only people that I think believed that we could try to get to a bowl game this year was probably those guys in that locker room.

“And I told you all this, the way that they worked told me what this team was about.”

“I think he’s a really smart player,” Desormeaux said. “He’s been on special teams for us pretty much all year He’s earned his role; he’s grown into that Guys who work really hard, they just seem to take advantage of all these opportunities, and the reality is that at the end of the day, that’s what this thing’s all about.

“He’s one of those guys who has absolutely optimized every day that he’s been here. Tonight, he had a really good night. He played well for us. I’m certainly glad he was ready to go.”

SAINTS 17, PANTHERS 7

BY THE NUMBERS

Jordan notches 125th career sack

exactly where I’m at.”

Orleans, Kamara

Neal 4-22, Hill 7-20, Shough 4-(minus 3). Carolina, Dowdle 18-53, Hubbard 3-14, Young 2-6. PASSING—New Orleans, Shough 19-27-0282, Hill 0-1-0-0. Carolina, Young 17-25-1124. RECEIVING—New Orleans, Olave 5-104, Johnson 4-92, Kamara 3-32, Neal 3-9, Moreau 2-16, Vele 1-15, Mitchell-Paden

1-14. Carolina, McMillan 5-60, Sanders 5-32, Coker 3-21, Dowdle 3-10, Hubbard 1-1.

PUNT RETURNS—New Orleans, Pettis 2-8. Carolina, Etienne 2-15.

KICKOFF RETURNS—New Orleans, Pettis

1-31. Carolina, Hubbard 3-78, Etienne 1-30.

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS—New Orleans, McKinstry 4-2-0, Taylor 4-1-0, Werner 3-3-0, Riley 3-0-0, D.Davis 2-5-0, Bresee 2-2-0, Jordan 2-0-1, Shepherd 2-0-1, Reid 1-4-0, C.Young 1-2-0, Stutsman 1-1-0, Granderson 1-0-0, Godchaux 0-2-0, Sanker 0-2-0, Stalbird 0-2-0, Bullard 0-1-0. Carolina, Moehrig

6-1-0, Smith-Wade 6-0-0, Scott 4-2-0, D.Brown 3-6-0, Wallace 3-1-1, Wharton 2-50, Wonnum 2-4-0, Scourton 2-2-1, Robinson

2-2-0, Rozeboom 2-2-0, Ja.Horn 2-1-0, Umanmielen 2-1-0, Cherelus 1-2-0, Ransom 1-1-0, M.Jackson 1-0-0, Gipson 0-1-0. INTERCEPTIONS—New Orleans, Taylor 1-11. Carolina, None. MISSED FIELD GOALS—Carolina, Fitzgerald

48. OFFICIALS—Referee Brad Allen, Ump Marcus Woods, HL Sarah Thomas, LJ Walter Flowers, FJ Rick Patterson, SJ Chad Hill, BJ Tyree Walton, Replay Kevin Brown.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

second victory of the season — and the team’s first with Shough under center

The Saints now enter the bye week with a 2-8 record, and for the first time all season, the Saints played true complementary football. The defense shut down the league’s hottest running back in Rico Dowdle and forced two turnovers. The offensive line and the Saints’ running backs imposed a physicality upfront that allowed the black and gold to run out the final 7:35 of the game clock

But little mattered more than Shough. He was always going to be the main focus over the back half of the Saints’ season. The Saints have to find out whether he can be a franchise quarterback, or whether they’d be better off using what will likely be a high pick in the draft on another signal-caller

Beating the Panthers (5-5) may not provide a definite answer to that question, but Shough’s outing — 282 yards for two touchdowns on 19-of-27 passing — was impressive, nonetheless.

“Tyler took an awesome step (in his second start),” Moore said.

“He’s been playing well,” Johnson said. “That’s really encouraging.” The most encouraging aspect

BY MATTHEW PARAS AND LUKE JOHNSON Staff writers

CHARLOTTE,N.C. The last time Cam Jordan was at Bank of America Stadium was one of his darkest days with the New Orleans Saints.

He played a career low 10 snaps and was so frustrated that he was captured wandering almost aimlessly outside the locker room after the game. His team had just lost to the Carolina Panthers, their seventh straight defeat of the season. And coach Dennis Allen was fired the next day

“Top 3 (lowest) moment, sure,”

Jordan said Thursday

His next time at Bank of America Stadium was a different story

Jordan recorded his 125th career sack in Sunday’s game against the Panthers, putting him half a sack behind Pro Football Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney on the all-time list — something Jordan was well-aware of.

“I grew up idolizing the spin move guy, so I really wanted that next one,” Jordan said. “I know

of Shough’s performance might have been what he was able to do on third down — an area that had been a lost cause for the Saints for most of this season, particularly outside short-yardage situations Against Carolina, Shough went 7 of 10 for 201 yards on third down with both of his touchdowns. He converted even on plays that appeared dead on arrival, such as when he danced around the oncoming pass rush to find Johnson for a 52-yard strike on New Orleans’ opening drive Shough’s willingness to push the ball downfield helped the Saints offset what the team lost days earlier at the NFL trade deadline. By sending wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks and guard Trevor Penning to the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the more pressing questions regarding the Saints is whether the moves would hurt the quarterback’s chances to develop.

But the Saints felt confident they had enough talent to get a fair evaluation of Shough — and that looked to be the case Sunday It helps, for instance, to still have Chris Olave With 9:21 left in the second quarter, Shough saw a streaking Olave in one-on-one coverage against cornerback Jaycee Horn down the sideline and ripped off a pass that traveled 55.6 yards through the air Olave outmus-

Jordan’s sack — his third-and-ahalf of the year — Sunday came with 5:32 left in the first half. The 36-year-old beat Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu on an inside move to get a clean hit on quarterback Bryce Young The play resulted in a 9-yard loss for Carolina.

The hit was part of a strong overall performance from the Saints’ defensive line. New Orleans had two sacks and sped up Carolina’s offense throughout the game. Jordan began the season as a main part of the Saints’ defense, but he’s been relegated to a more rotational role since Chase Young returned from a calf injury in Week 6. Even then, the 15-year vet has found ways to contribute — with his sack on BryceYoung being the latest example. It was also his first sack since New Orleans’ Week 4 loss to Buffalo.

Blocked kick explained

For a moment, the Saints looked like they’d made a huge play to preserve a 10-7 lead when Nathan Shepherd got his hand on a 48-yard field goal attempt with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter

Then the officiating crew reviewed what happened after the block during the ensuing com-

cled Horn to complete the catch — proceeding to take it to the house for a 62-yard score to give the Saints a 10-7 lead, their first in a game since Week 6. The touchdown was rewarding for Olave who suffered a season-ending concussion just a year ago on this field but it also said a lot about Shough.

Not only did the throw demonstrate Shough’s aggression, but it also showed what he could do

mercial break. They saw Jordan attempt to fall on the ball and not maintain possession beyond the line of scrimmage, and they saw the Panthers recover and they determined the Panthers retained possession upon the recovery

Speaking to a pool reporter after the game, NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth explained the ruling.

“The ruling on the field was a failed fourth down,” Butterworth said. “We go back and doublecheck everything. (Jordan) touches the ball past the line of scrimmage, and once the defense touches a blocked kick past the line of scrimmage, the ball becomes live after he touches it.

“When it becomes live, whoever recovers it, it’s a first and 10.”

The failed recovery ultimately didn’t matter: Four plays later, Carolina fumbled the ball on an end-around, and Saints linebacker Pete Werner recovered.

After the game, Jordan owned up to the mistake.

“I didn’t know where the ball was,” Jordan said “First instinct is to secure the ball, and then I was skidding on the turf. You’re supposed to get out of the way, but the reaction made me head towards the ball.”

with a clean pocket.

For most of the afternoon, Shough was under duress and navigated hectic pockets with the Saints deploying three backup offensive linemen. The rookie quarterback slipped and weaved his way through traffic, taking only two sacks.

In a way however Shough’s ability to handle Carolina’s pressure was also a sign of growth.

In training camp, the 26-yearold looked a step slow when tasked with diagnosing blitzes. While that could be expected of most rookies, it was one of the reasons that Shough wasn’t named the starter out of the gate with Spencer Rattler winning the summer’s quarterback competition.

But over the course of the season, Shough improved — and his coaches and teammates saw it. Each week on the scout team, Shough would be asked to handle the planned blitzes and pressures that defensive coordinator Brandon Staley would scheme up for the upcoming game. And although Shough wasn’t running New Orleans’ exact playbook in this setting, the chaos created on these plays made Shough comfortable facing the speed of an NFL pass rush.

“I’ve been watching him closely, trying to see what type of quarterback he is,” Olave said. “He excels in the scramble drill.” Added Johnson: “People don’t re-

Welcome to Fines

The hit that left Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough needing therapeutic needles to ease the pain in his jaw last week resulted in a hefty fine for Los Angeles Rams pass rusher Byron Young The NFL fined Young $8,417 for the hit, in which the crown of his helmet connected with Shough’s jawline. Young recorded a sack on the play, but was penalized for unnecessary roughness, prolonging a drive that would ultimately end in a Shough touchdown pass. Officially, the fine was for a “blow to the head/neck.” After the game, Shough laughed the play off, describing it as his “welcome to the NFL moment.”

Odds and ends

Tight end Jack Stoll was not active for Sunday’s game, the only one of the Saints’ five questionable players not to suit up. With Stoll out, Zaire Mitchell-Paden made his Saints debut After two straight weeks of winning the coin toss and receiving the opening kick, the Saints won the toss and deferred this week Veteran Dante Pettis handled punt and kick return duties after the team traded Rashid Shaheed to Seattle this week.

alize how athletic he is.”

It was encouraging for the Saints that Shough seemed to take lessons from his first start, a beatdown against the Los Angeles Rams just one week ago. And unlike last week, the quarterback also received considerable support from his teammates.

The defense never appeared to get fazed, even when the unit seemed headed for another long day after Demario Davis’ interception was wiped out by a penalty and Carolina went on to score on its opening drive.

The Saints always responded. There was Pete Werner’s fumble recovery, just two plays after officials ruled the Panthers recovered a blocked field goal that New Orleans accidentally touched once the ball hit the ground. There was cornerback Alontae Taylor’s interception, which set up Shough’s pivotal, game-sealing drive.

Afterward, Shough nodded his head when it was pointed out that he was the Saints’ first rookie quarterback to win a start since 1981.

“I think it was Archie (Manning), right?” Shough said.

It was actually Dave Wilson, reporters corrected quickly But it’s OK if Shough doesn’t know the exact history of the Saints. As long as he keeps this up, he’ll be around long enough to learn.

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

SAINTS 17,PANTHERS7

THREEAND OUT: JEFF DUNCAN’S

TYLER SHOUGH LOOKED LIKE QB1

In his second startsince taking over for Spencer Rattler,Shough commanded the office with poise and command, while completing 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards and twotouchdowns.His passerrating was anifty 128.9. Most of all, he injected some muchneeded juice into the passing attack by connecting with Chris Olave,Juwan Johnson and AlvinKamara forbig-play passes of 61, 52 and 26 yards,respectively. He added a30-yard touchdown pass to Johnson that essentially sealed the outcome. Shough also showed moxie. On the big completion to Johnson, he eluded pressure and kept his eyes downfield to find thetight end forabig gain.

THEDEFENSE DOMINATED

2

In their most dominant overall performance of the season, the Saints held the Panthers to season lows of 175 yardsand 7points. Carolina averaged just 3.5 yardsaplayand converted only 3of9 third downs.The Saints heldBryce young to 124 passing yardsand shut down the Panthers’ vaunted running game, holding Carolina to 73 yardson32carries.Theyonly surrendered one runofmore than 10 yards, a13-yarder by Rico Dowdle early in the game. It was atotal team effort, led by Demario Davis (seventackles, pass defensed and an overturnedinterception) and Alontae Taylor (interception, pass defensed and tackle for loss).

3

NOTICEABLE ENERGY,EFFORT

The Saints entered the game witha fourgame losing streak, and theylooked and playedlikea desperate team.After falling into an early 7-0hole, the Saints playedinspired football and stormedback to takea10-7halftime lead, only their second lead at the intermission this season. The momentum carried over to the second half as the Saints dominated playonboth sides of the balland playedwith an energyand enthusiasm that was evident in their bodylanguage. The Saints were the hungrier team on Sunday, and theysure played likeit.

‘WEPLAYEDTOGETHER’

With win, Saints proved

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C.— Here was an interesting development for ateam that hasspentmostofthe last two months trying and failingto win football games: The New Orleans Saints played with a sense of togetherness at the exact time everyone expected them to fall apart.

It was earlier in the week when the Saints shipped off two of their starting players at the trade deadline. Theyentered Sunday’sgame with a1-8 record, withthe last three lossesmakingthemlooklike ateamclosetofalling apart. And then they aligned as one and punched an ascending CarolinaPanthers team in the mouth. Carolina mustered just175 net yards against the Saints defense. Running back Rico Dowdle, who’d rushed for more than 650 yards in the previous five games, managed just53yards and 2.9 yards per carry against New Orleans. With the run game shut down, Bryce Young looked flustered against the Saintsrush.

“We’ve been talking about it and it cameto fruition today: We played together,”saidsafety Justin Reid.“We played disciplinedfootball Guysstayed in theirgap;itwas gap sound, and we trusted each other.Guys playedfast.”

The performance againstthe runwas especially impressive. Dowdle hadcome intoSunday’s contest havingrushed for 206, 183and 130yards in recent weeks, and he looked like he might be on track for another big performanceearly.He punctuated the Panthers’ opening drive with a 5-yard touchdown run,then opened theensuing Panthers drive witha 14-yarder

His longest run after that went for just 4yards.

Continued from page1C

remarkably quick time,” Tommy Coleman told me for acolumn Iwrotein 2015. “Paul was really the inspiration behind it all. He’sreally aphenomenal guy.Hedidn’twant to see anything happen to the franchise in New Orleans. He made it happen.” Ever the diplomat, Tagliabue expertly handled the politically sensitive situation. Privately,heworked behind the scenes to steer the Saints

they’restill aproud

“Great player;you look at his film, he’smaking explosives all over the tape,” said Saintsdefensive lineman Nathan Shepherd. “Wejustkind of told ourselves as adefense, hey,not one of us can go stophim,but we’vegot to stop him with all11.”

With the run game snuffed out, the Saints zeroed their sights in on Young. The former No. 1 pickfound very little room to breatheagainst theSaints, who brought consistent pressureand stayed glued to theCarolina pass catchers in the back end.

All 11 were consistently doingtheir job, even when they were gettingintheir ownway.New Orleans committed several penalties that nullified third-down stops,including one roughing penaltyonReid that negated aDemario Davis interception. Those types of miscues have sunk this Saints team at times this season, but not Sunday The buy-in camefrom everyone,including (andmaybe especially) from those who weren’t sure they’d be there.

Alontae Taylor stood behind alectern at Bank of America Stadium and acknowledged the truth: Earlier this week,hehad no idea where he’dbeplaying on Sunday It comes withthe territory for atalented young playeronanexpiring contract whois playing for ateam that had won justone of its first nine games. He woke up on Tuesday morning as aSaint, but as theday stretched toward the3 p.m. trade deadline, he had several conversationswithhis agentabout the possibilitythat another team would trade for him.

No deal was struck. Taylor remained with the Saints, then playeda central role in the club’s best defensive performance of the season.

back to New Orleansafter theclub’s relocationtoSan Antonio, Texas, after Katrina.Publicly,hedefended Benson and had the owner’sback after fans in the city pilloriedhim for his post-Katrina flirtations with San Antonio.

“People like to fit others with black hats or white hats in life, when I have found there are usually more shades of gray to everyone,” he said in ameeting with theTimes-Picayune editorial board in 2005. Tagliabue fell in love with New Orleans in the early1960s when his GeorgetownHoyas basketball team

defense

“I enjoy this group, Ienjoy this team.I know we’re in arough patch right now,but Ilove goingtoworkwiththese guys,” Taylor said. “I’m glad to be here,super excitedtofinish outthis season.”

Taylor picked off apass and contributed to another turnover.Hemade five tacklesand atackle for loss, and he got into Young’shead whenhe showed pressure off the edge.

“Big time,” Reidsaid. “Just ahugeperformance by him. Andhe’scapable of doing that every week. That’sthe type of player he is. I’mso proud of him that he wasable to shine like that, and when we come back from this bye week, the first thingI’m going to tell him is we need more of it.”

Rememberthe season opener last year,when Taylor sacked Young three timesina blowout Saints win? Thatmemorymay have lingered when Young saw Taylor walk up to the line of scrimmage with 13 minutes left, the Saints leading 10-7.

But instead of blitzing, Taylor quickly dropped back intothe flat. Young either didn’tsee him or made apoor decision. Either way,Taylor made an easy interception, setting up the offense’sfinal touchdown drive of the game.

“I madealittle bold movemyself going super close to the line of scrimmage, but Iknew what my job was andtrusted everybody else around me,” Taylor said. That was the nameofthis gamefor the Saints this Sunday:Whenthe worldthinksyou’re falling apart, show them how much youtrust the guys next to you.

“Everybody was doing their job …and when you do that good things happen,” Taylor said.

played in theSugarBowl Classic basketball tournament. He grewto lovethe spirit, passion andculture of the city and South Louisiana. He developed an affinity for Cajun Zydeco music and returned to the area often after he retired as commissioner in 2006. He even took a tour of the Tabascoplant in Avery Island. “Paul was agreat friend, notonly to me and my husband, Tom, but also to the city of New Orleans, hostingthreeSuperBowls during his tenure,” Saints owner Gayle Benson said in astatement.

On avisit to New Orleans years after Katrina, Tagliabue had dinner with Gary Solomon, the CEO of Crescent Bank and Trust, who was one of the power brokers in attendance at the 2006 summit meeting at Coleman’scamp. Solomon asked Tagliabue why it meant so muchtohim to ensure New Orleans’ recovery from Katrina. “He told me,‘My daddy taught me never turn aback on your friend,’” Solomon said. Email JeffDuncanatjduncan@ theadvocate.com.

LCA, Westminster Christian earn No. 1 seeds

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association released the football playoff brackets Sunday, and the Acadiana area is well-represented with 33 teams — 16 select and 17 nonselect — qualifying for the playoffs.

Of those teams, the Lafayette Christian Knights and the Westminster Christian Crusaders are the lone area teams to earn No 1 seeds in their respective divisions. The Knights (9-1) and the Crusaders, who are 10-0, are the top seeds in select Division III and IV

“Getting the No. 1 seed is a big deal for us,” Knights coach Matt Standiford said. “Getting the No. 1 seed is a huge accomplishment for our kids. Getting the top spot, you feel like you have put yourself in the best position.”

While the Knights are thrilled to be having the road to the dome come through them, Crusaders coach Byron Porter was kind of indifferent.

“We were No. 1 going into our game (Thursday), so I didn’t see us dropping,” Porter said “So, I thought we’d be the No. 1 seed but, in the end, where you are seeded doesn’t really matter When the postseason begins, we are all going to be 0-0. Wherever we would’ve been, we would have just showed

up and played.”

The Acadiana area also has two teams — Teurlings Catholic (10-0) and Notre Dame — that received No. 2 seeds. The Knights, Crusaders, Rebels, Pios, Lafayette Renaissance (No. 7 Division III select), Jeanerette (No. 4 Division IV nonselect) and Ascension Episcopal (No. 7 Division IV select) have all earned first-round byes.

“We felt the best would be No. 2 and the worst would have been No. 3,” said Rebels coach Michael Courville, whose team received a first-round bye. “I don’t want to say I’m indifferent, but the bye week has merit depending on your situation Having a bye week can help you heal up, but it isn’t ideal to have a week of practice and not have a game at the end.”

On the nonselect side, the Southside Sharks are hoping they are able to make a run as the No 8 seed in Division I. And while some may be disappointed for not receiving a first-round bye, Sharks coach Jess Curtis isn’t among them.

“I’ve never been crazy about bye week,” Curtis said. “I don’t like losing momentum. It’s good to get healthy, but there is good and bad about bye weeks. I’m totally fine with us not having one.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

SCOREBOARD

2-3 18, Jones 6-11 0-0 15, Matkovic 2-3 0-0 4, Peavy 0-4 0-0 0, Queen 5-14 2-2 13, Alvarado 2-3 2-2 8, Hawkins 2-6 0-0 5. Totals 45-94 14-17 119. SAN ANTONIO (126) Barnes 6-8 0-0 15, Vassell 6-13 0-0 16, Wembanyama 8-19 0-0 18, Castle 5-13 4-4 14, Fox 9-14 4-5 24, Bryant 0-1 0-0 0, Champagnie 4-7 4-5 14, Sochan 5-6 0-0 10, Waters III 1-2 0-0 3 Johnson 4-7 4-4 12. Totals 48-90 16-18 126. New Orleans22362734119 San Antonio28382634—126 3-Point Goals—New Orleans 15-38 (Murphy III 5-11, Jones 3-7, Alvarado 2-2, Bey 2-5, Looney 1-2, Hawkins 1-3, Queen 1-4, Peavy 0-1, Fears 0-3), San Antonio 14-40 (Vassell 4-8, Barnes 3-5, Champagnie 2-4, Fox 2-5, Wembanyama 2-9, Waters III 1-2, Johnson 0-1, Castle 0-6). Fouled Out—New Orleans None, San Antonio 1 (Castle). Rebounds New Orleans 40 (Murphy III 9), San Antonio 43 (Wembanyama 18). Assists—New Orleans 27 (Queen 8), San Antonio 31 (Castle 14) Total Fouls—New Orleans 19, San Antonio 20. A—18,611 (18,581)

Pro golf

World Wide Technology Championship Par Scores

Sunday At El Cardonal Golf Course Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Purse: $6 million Yardage: 7,452; Par: 72 Final Round Ben Griffin

65-65-66-63—259 -29 Chad Ramey 64-65-67-65—261 27 Sami Valimaki 61-67-69-64—261 27 Trevor Cone

67-64-65-66—262 -26 Garrick Higgo 68-65-61-68—262 26 Patrick Rodgers 67-65-67-64—263 -25 Carson Young 67-65-63-68—263 25 Nick Dunlap 61-67-71-65—264 24 Matti Schmid 64-63-71-66—264 -24 Eric Cole 69-63-68-65—265 23 Matt Kuchar 65-68-68-65—266 -22 J.J. Spaun 67-70-63-66—266 22 Jackson Suber 71-65-67-63—266 22 Nicolas Echavarria 69-68-67-63—267 -21 Thorbjorn Olesen 66-68-67-66—267 21 Jeremy Paul 69-68-65-66—268 -20 Beau Hossler 67-66-67-69—269 19 John Pak 71-65-69-64—269 19

T. Rosenmueller 68-69-64-68—269 -19

Vince Whaley 64-69-68-68—269 19 Rico Hoey

19, Richard 1-3 2-2 5, Williams 6-11 0-0 15, Joyner 2-9 1-2 5, Knox 4-5 5-7 13, Yarnevich 1-2 0-0 2, Bourrage 1-2

2-4 4, Fulwiley 9-14 1-1 19, Gilbert 0-5 0-0 0, Hines 3-5 0-0 7, Totals 46-87 17-26 118 GEORGIA SOUTHERN (1-2) Kishyah Anderson 1-6 2-2 4, Eddings 5-13 1-1 13, Fuller 2-2 3-4 8, Garrett 1-7 0-0 3, Simmons 4-8 2-2 10, Lia Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Cleaveland 3-7 1-1 10, Hosley 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 0-2 0-0 0, Bryant 5-11 5-6 18, Jones 1-2 2-2 4, Totals 22-59 16-18 70 LSU31362130—118 Georgia Southern16202311—70

3-Point Goals—LSU 9-20 (F.Johnson 4-6, Richard 1-1, Williams 3-5, Fulwiley 0-2, Gilbert 0-3, Hines 1-3), Georgia Southern 10-33 (K.Anderson 0-1, Eddings 2-8, Fuller 1-1, Garrett 1-5, Simmons 0-1, Cleaveland 3-6, Brown 0-2 Bryant 3-8, Jones 0-1). Assists—LSU 25 (Richard 7), Georgia Southern 15 (Garrett 6). Fouled Out—Georgia Southern Fuller, Simmons. Rebounds—LSU 59 (Koval 14), Georgia Southern 25 (Fuller 6). Total Fouls—LSU 20, Geo. South. 22. Technical Fouls—None A—5,322. Men’s State Schedule Saturday’s games Tulane 79, Texas State 71 UNO 115, SUNO 73 Sunday’s games Louisiana Tech 93, Lyon College 35 Grambling 73, Howard 70 Monday’s games Ecclesia College at Southern, 11 a.m. Rust College at UL-Monroe, 6:30 p.m. College of Biblical Studies at McNeese, 6:30 p.m. UNO at LSU, 7 p.m. Southeastern at Georgia Tech, 8 p.m. Men’s national scores Sunday’s games EAST American 84, Pennsylvania 78

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Italy, Mercedes, 71, +10.388 seconds, 18. 3. (19) Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 71, +10.750, 15. 4. (6) George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 71, +15.267, 12. 5. (4) Oscar Piastri, Australia, McLaren, 71, +15.749, 10. 6. (8) Oliver Bearman, England, Haas, 71, +29.630, 8. 7. (7) Liam Lawson, New Zealand, Racing Bulls, 71, +52.642, 6. 8. (5) Isack Hadjar, France, Racing Bulls, 71, +52.873, 4. 9. (10) Nico Hulkenberg, Germany, KICK Sauber, 71, +53.324, 2. 10. (9) Pierre Gasly, France, Alpine, 71, +53.914, 1. 11. (12) Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, 71, +54.184. 12. (20) Esteban Ocon, France, Haas, 71, +54.696. 13. (15) Carlos Sainz Jr., Spain, Williams, 71, +55.420. 14. (11) Fernando Alonso, Spain, Aston Martin, 71, +55.766. 15. (16) Franco Colapinto, Argentina, Alpine 71, +57.777. 16. (14) Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 71, +58.247. 17. (17) Yuki Tsunoda, Japan, Red Bull Racing, 71, +1:09.176. 18. (13) Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Ferrari, did not finish, 37. 19. (3) Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, did not finish, 5. 20. (18) Gabriel Bortoleto, Brazil, KICK Sauber, did not finish, 0. Driver Standings 1. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 390 points. 2. Oscar Piastri, Australia, McLaren, 366. 3. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 341. 4. G. Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 276. 5. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 214. 6. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Ferrari, 148. 7. A. Kimi Antonelli, Italy, Mercedes, 122. 8. Alexander Albon,

LIVING

By

Christopher Rice: ‘I had fun in the French Quarter during the years when Iused to have fun. Ithink there is alot of angst and pain anyyoung person goes through growing up.It’sbetter to do it in NewOrleans, where there’sgood food.’ |

STAFF PHOTO

BRETT DUKE

More research needed to determineif cinnamon has health benefits

What role does cinnamon playinlowering the risk of Alzheimer’sdisease?

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Christopher Rice returnstoN.O.tohonor hisfamousmotherand reflectonthe past

BY POET WOLFE | Staff writer

Onacool Wednesdaymorning, sunlight slipped through thecurtains of ahotel suite in downtown New Orleans, where Christopher Rice was staying forthe week

Starting with thebroad balcony overlookinghigh-rises and ablue sky,hegave abrief tour ofthe palatial suite before takingaseat at thedining table near apicture window.Black coffeekept arriving in thick-rimmed mugs while two plates of powdered beignetswaited nearby. Rice appeared relaxed —dressed in agreen knit polo and blue jeans, hisbrown hair gelled to theside.

ä See RICE, page 8C

District home.

Autumn’s gentle reminder to go outand take awalk

Every autumn, as the sun hangs lower for the season, it seems to rest beside me while I sip morning coffee and scan the headlines.Light floods the window near my armchair its presence so sharp that Isometimes squint as Iread the newspaper

There are other mornings when the stubborn brilliance in our front room feels like atug on my sleeve, the new day inviting me to join it beyond the threshold.

Cinnamon is full of antioxidants and has been shown to assist in inflammation in the body,cuts the risk of heart disease, fights bacterial and fungal infections, treats digestion, and can even lower blood sugar In 2013, scientists at the University of California at Santa Barbara released outcomes of their studies on the possibility of cinnamon to prevent Alzheimer’sdisease, concluding that the two compounds found in cinnamon —cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin —has shown somepromising results in preventing the development of the filamentous “tangles” found in the brain cells that characterize the disease. During the process of Alzheimer’sdisease, aprotein madeupof twisted fibers (tangles) called tau form inside dying cells. In healthy brain areas, tau assists in keeping the cell-to-cell transport on course, but in the areas of the brain where tangles are forming, the twisted strands break up this transport system and the nutrients and other essential supplies can no longer move through the cells, and thus, eventually die, leading to Alzheimer’s. Brain tissue in individuals with Alzheimer’sdiseaseisexposedto oxidative stress during the course of the disease. Scientists studiedthe compounds found in cinnamon and in the research found thatitprevented the tauknots fromforming by protecting taufromoxidative stress, an imbalanceinradical production of reactive oxygenand antioxidative defense.Italso hinderedthe tau protein’saccumulation in the brain. The compounds in cinnamon tended to protect the tauprotein by binding cysteine (amino acids) residues

Staff report

Danny Heitman AT RANDOM

That’sjust the encouragement Ineed to start my morning walk. My neighbor,Paul, is often in hisyard as Istroll by “This is our reward,” he told me the other day as we compared notes on the comfortably cool weather.“We earned this by going through August.”

It was anice reminder that themorning in which we’d landed, cool as acellar and bright as adime, was exactly what we’d hoped for when our most recent Louisiana summer wilted our resolve. Ifelt glad that the sunlight had drawn me outdoors. My breakfast reading hadgiven me much to think about, but it’shealthier,Isuppose, nottospendtoo much time living inside your own head As Iworked my way to the neighborhood park,mymind driftedback decades to my high school days,when honor students were rewarded with a Saturdayof tubing down alocal river.Glancing at myfriends in their inflated rings, Ithought abouthow great it wastosee

us all outside. We were bookish kids, theones who made good grades because of hours passed in libraries or solemn study sessions at the kitchen table. We floated past abig log where afew turtles savored the sun. Until then, Ihad thought about light only as something to help me see. Those turtles, slowly stirred to life by the warmth of the sky,told me that light might be something deeper,akind of sustenance.

I’ve been revisiting that idea moredeeply this year as my grown son settles into anew job in New England. The region first entered my thinking in college, whereRalph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were assignedreading. Emersonand Thoreau lived in Concord, Massachusetts,aspolitical divides in the country sowed the seeds of

the Civil War. In spite of those challenges, Emerson and Thoreau both pointed topossibility in their writings, an optimism that becamevery much apart of our national creed. Their sense of hope grew from several sources, but thetwo writers bothenjoyed longwalks as part of their daily routines. In connecting withthe outer world so closely,they developed inner worlds that still inspire us.

We’renavigating our own social divisions these days, and while there’snosingle cure for what ails us, one thing might help. Take awalk around your neighborhood this autumn. What you see might do you good.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

Louisiana Inspiredisall aboutshining alight on people and organizations who are working toward solutions in Louisiananeighborhoods,communities, towns, cities and throughout the state —it’swork that takes extra effort by special people,demonstrating the good stuff of the humanspirit. Nominate someone youknow who is making apositive difference in the livesofothersatnola.com/site/forms/ the_inspirit_award by Nov.17. We encourage nominations of people of allages —those who systematically go aboutdoing theirbestto makethe world abetter place. The nomination process focuses on people who are working toward solutions in their workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, communities and state. Be sure to include stories of impact and details of personal stories that inspire change. Award recipients will be announced in December in Louisiana Inspired.

Pain in knee suggests mild MCLinjury

Dear Doctors: Iwas on the couch with my right leg on an ottoman when our black Lab rammed into the inside of my knee. The next day,itreallyhurt to extend or turn my knee. (Notpainfulto the touch, though, which seemed weird.) It felt better in aweek, but Iwant to know what got hurt. Dear reader: Theknee is the largest joint in the body,and it’s one of themost complex. It’sa hinge joint with anetwork of muscles, tendons and ligaments. These connect it to the femur (thigh bone) above, and to the tibia (shin bone)below.Although designed for bending and straighteningthe leg, the anatomyofthe knee also allows for some slight rotation. All of this provides the strength

RICE

Continued from page7C

It was one of his few idle days in the city he grew up in, after his television appearance that morning, before he would hosta celebration at Orpheum Theatre on All Saints’ Day for his late mother Anne Rice, the New Orleans-born Gothic author best known for her 1976 novel “Interview with the Vampire.”

The celebration of her life on AllSaints’Day,Nov.1, tookRice and his longtime collaborator,author Eric Shaw Quinn, about 5yearsto create —aprocess requiring intricate production work that called for “a different side of the brain than the writer’sbrain,” he said. The two put together what Rice describes as “an anthology of documentary films” that unfold the life of Anne Rice before and after her fame

Thefilmstraceher early days after moving to Texas, achange that “really broke her heart. She neverleft New Orleans in her heart,” Rice said. There,she met his father,poet Stan Rice, in highschool. Thetwo would eventually pack an old beatup truck and follow the Beat Generation to SanFrancisco to become artists. Once her big break came as anovelist in the 1980s, she returned home to New Orleans with her husband.

These are just afew chapters revealed by the documentaries, with the helpof roundtable interviews with people who were close to Anne Rice. Ultimately,the documentary films weave in moments that allow her fans to grieve —they couldn’tdoso at apublic servicewhen she died during the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 —and “to walk away inspired by the story of her as aperson, as a character,assomebody who could not be trampled on, who followed her dreams at all costs,” Rice said.

“We’ve put so much into it. It is like making amovie which thenreleases and puts out into the world. What do you do next?” he said. “The answer is: alot of what we want to do.” The last few years of his career haven’t been entirely consumed by the celebration. Rice and Quinn regularly produce episodes fortheir true crime podcast,“The Dinner Party Show.” In 2023, the two helped solve a1990 cold case murder in Los Angeles. And just this month, Rice was invited to interview actress Donna Mills for afeature in Vogue magazine.

This week, though, his focus centers on Anne Rice and the local haunts she loved. One stop is Commander’sPalace

CINNAMON

Continued from page7C

which can ensure proper functioning of the protein.In other words, the cinnamon is apowerful antioxidant which helps neutralize cellular processes and prevents oxidation in the brain. More research needs to be done regarding the useof cinnamon and Alzheimer’s disease risk and prevention; however,because of its many evidence-based health benefits, cinnamon itself is not atreatment for Alzheim-

Dr.Elizabeth Ko

Dr.Eve Glazier

ASK THE DOCTORS

and stability needed for all the demandswemakeonthis hardworking jointaswewalk, run, turn, crouch,jump and balance. From yourdescription of the event, it soundslike you sustained amild injury to the medial collateral ligament, or MCL. This is theband of tough,fibrous tissue that anchors the femur and the

—she once warned the staff about her mock jazz funeral across the street at Lafayette Cemetery,where shewas famously carried in acoffin to abook signing at Garden District Book Shop, another destination on hislist. He’s also visiting Vincent’sItalian Cuisine because “their corn and crabmeat bisque kept her going for years,” he said.

Rice’sown relationship with New Orleans iscomplex. He hasn’tlived here since 2001, when he permanently moved to LosAngeles.

Hisfirst10years were in San Francisco, until his parentstold himthey were spending asummer in New Orleans —except they had bought ahouse there and enrolled him in Trinity Episcopal School. Rice quickly realized it wasn’tavacation; it was arelocation. He called the move “an absolute cultural shock ”At his school in San Francisco, grades weren’tgiven at all to spare feelings, andstudents linked armsin protests aroundCityHall. Aprivate school in Uptown felt worlds away “I don’tthink (my mother) minded me connectingwith abigger set of points of view outinthe world,”Rice said. “She was alifelongDemocrat anda liberal, but she wanted me not to assume that everybody around me feltthe way thatI did.”

Forhighschool,hetransferredtoIsidoreNewman School, where he still felt out of place as acloseted gay teenager and theater kid atan athletics-obsessed institution

He channeled that anger into his first novel, “A Density of Souls,”a NewYorkTimesbestseller written while his motherwas in adiabetic coma. In time, though,herealized just how privileged he had been, he said.

He neverplannedtobea novelist. At Brown University,Rice expected to conquer the theater department, but he never got acall back. That rejection fueled his love for prose. He had written screenplays, but avoided books —he didn’twant to invite comparisons to his mother. By the time he left Brown, his perspectivehad shifted. Writing novels wassomething he could control completely

“Nobody could tell me not to do it,” Rice said.“They couldn’tstand in between me and the computer.”

His fear of comparison eventually dissolved.In 2017, he andhis mother collaborated for the first time on their novel called “Ramses theDamned: The Passion of Cleopatra” —asequel to Anne Rice’sbook “The Mummy or Ramses The Damned.”

The two spent 6months working in the desert of Coachella Valley, whereshe was living at the time. Dur-

er’sdisease.Mostexperiments in the studiessofar have been conducted in cells grown in the labsoitisunclearifthe same effects will be seen in animal modelsor humans, or if there will be any impact on the function of brain cells. Additionally the levels of cinnamonan individualwould have to eat to replicate the results of many of the experiments that have takenplacewould be toxic.

Yet, it doesn’thurttoincorporate cinnamon in an overalldiet plan for its numerous health benefits as it is adelicious and healthyspice for

tibia to theinner,ormedial, side of the knee joint. This type of soft tissue injury can happen when you get hit on the inner part of the knee while your leg is extended. It can also occur when your foot is planted on the ground, which is why this is afairly common injury in sports suchassoccer, football and rugby Force to themedial side of the knee can also cause other injuries. Abump to theknee could affect the other threemajor ligaments, the four major tendons in the joint,the cartilage within the knee capsule, or the articular cartilage thatcoatsthe ends of the bones, the shin and the thigh. Repetitive impact can inflamethe bursa within the knee. Bursa are small,

ing the writing sessions, Anne Rice would scrawl big notesonasketchpad while hersisterjoggedtheir memories of the first book.

Collaboration with another writer can feel like acustody battle for the story.That wasn’tthe case for Rice and his mother.She offeredtwo gentle suggestions to him: more hats on characters, considering it was set in the Victorian era, and no true villains.After all,her vampire characters were mirrors of thehumancondition —conflicted,damned and isolated, despite their supernatural nature.

“I don’treally do villains,” shetold him. “Mywhole thing, theworld that Icreated, was about going into thepoint of view of the vampire andmakingyou relate to them.”

During the pandemic, they beganthe third novelofthe series. Meanwhile, Rice grew intrigued by romance fiction and the e-book revolution, when authors were defying the traditional expectations of publishers.

Mornings were for the Ramses novel; afternoons when he would normally hit the gym, became time fora series of gay romance novels under the pseudonym C. TravisRice—his“alterego.”The “SapphireCove” series began light, thendarkened, tackling addiction and suicide beneath theglossofa poshSouthern California beach resort

Years prior,in2013, he had written “The Heavens Rise” —his “attempt to writealess angry novelabout NewOrleans” thanhis debut. That resentment never returned.

Growing up, his mother interpreted the city forhim —teaching him to admire the purple sunsetsand hum of cicadas. Now he carried his own reverence. When storms approached, especially during Katrina,whenthe places he loved were washed away, he felt afierce protectiveness.

As morning gave way to noon on Wednesday,his love for New Orleans became vivid. Over asecond cup of black coffee, he recalled his mother’slegendary vampire balls everyHalloween —he and his theater friend singing show tunestill dawn in a cabaret room. Hisfavorite were the Mardi Gras parties, when her Lower Garden District home became arevelry of king cake, flowing beer and plastic beads flung against windows and live oaks.

“Wewere very privileged. Igot agreat education,” Rice said. “I had fun in the French Quarter during the years when Iused to have fun. Ithink there is alot of angst andpainany young person goes throughgrowingup. It’s better to do it in New Orleans, where there’s good food.”

food andbeverages. Adding cinnamon to yourcoffee, or tea, sprinkling it on toast, cerealoroatmeal and shaking it on bakedorraw fruit are just some ways to include it in your daily nutrition plan. Cinnamon can also be taken as asupplement, in capsule form(two 500 mg daily are recommended).

Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’sadvocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.”Email her at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.

fluid-filled sacs that act as across between cushions and shock absorbers. Bone bruises and strained or torn muscles are also possible. In your case, because your thigh was supported by the couch, it stayedfairly still in this incident. But the bump fromthe dog —and Labradorsare pretty solid —was forceful enough to shift the lower leg out of alignment for an instant. Ligaments, which provide stability, have limited elasticity.That sudden collision likely overstretched the MCL, causing your injury.Your recovery time of aweek suggests amild strain. This is when the ligament itself remains intact, but the tissue develops microscopic tears. It can causethe type of pain and limited

range of motion you described. The pain is asignal that the tissues need time to heal. Treatment for amild strain begins with resting and elevating the joint. In the past, icing wasadvised. Newer thinking suggests this practice mayslow healing. Anti-inflammatory medications can help manage the pain. Due to the complexity of the knee, it’sagood idea to get a medical assessment of an injury even when the injury is mild.

Sendyour questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu, or write: Ask theDoctors c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Monday

Nov.10, the 314th day of 2025. There are 51 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Nov.10, 1898, amob of up to 2,000 White supremacistskilled dozens of African Americansin Wilmington, North Carolina, burned Black-owned businesses and forced themayor,police chief and aldermen to resign at gunpoint before installing their own mayor and city council in what became known as the “Wilmington Coup.”

Also on this date:

In 1775, theU.S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress.

In 1954, theU.S. Marine Corps Memorial, depicting the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima in 1945, was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Arlington, Virginia.

In 1969, thechildren’s educational program “Sesame Street” made its debut

on National Educational Television (now PBS).

In 1975, the Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in asevere storm on Lake Superior, claiming the lives of all 29 crew members.

In 2019, Bolivia’sfirst indigenous president, Evo Morales, resigned after weeks of public protests in response to alleged fraud in ageneral election that year

In 2021, Kyle Rittenhouse took the stand in his murder trial, testifying that he wasunder attack and acting in self-defense when he shot and killed twomen and wounded a third during aturbulent night of street protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (He would be acquitted of all charges.)

In 2024, ashooting during homecoming weekend at Tuskegee University in Alabamaleft one person dead and 16 others wounded, adozen of them by gunfire.

Today’sbirthdays: Lyricist TimRice is 81. Country singer Donna Fargo is

sCoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Try not to exhaust yourself or spend too much time on matters you cannot control. Look around you, and you'll recognize opportunities that will help you move forward.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Review your expenses and initiate changes that will reduce your overhead Do your best to ease stress and to transition to a path that encourages you to put yourself first.

CAPRICoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Look for opportunities that encourage you to use your skills and charm to draw others to see and things your way. Acting on your plans and utilizing your physical attributes and abilities will spark interest.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb 19) Emotions will surface. Make personal adjustments that increase your happiness. Understanding and compassion are necessary, and words and actions will count for much.

PIsCEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Slow down and take your time; let the dust settle and your temper dissipate. Snap decisions and heated conversations will lead to chaos if you let them. Discipline and patience will be called for

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) With change comes opportunity; a chance to switch positions, earn more, have an investment pay off or achieve financial gains. Now is not the time to neglect meaningful relationships.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Take a deep breath and relax. Refuse to let the little things get to you. It's essential to keep your thoughts to yourself if you want to keep the peace. Consider how you can reduce your overhead.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Talk is cheap, but it can provide you with a good sense of what's doable and what isn't. Follow your heart, your instincts and your passion, and you'll find your happy place.

CAnCER (June 21-July 22) Be straightforward and display your talents. Renegotiate old deals, and you'll come out on top. Do your best not to put yourself in physical jeopardy.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Pay attention, be mindful and nurture your home, your loved ones and yourself Make positive changes and learn as you proceed.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Listen carefully, find common ground and do your best to make adjustments that meet demands. Life is too short to let trivial matters ruin your day or your relationships with others.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Keep situations in perspective. Getting a change of scenery, meeting a group with whom you share much in common or learning something new can help you rethink what's best for you.

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

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

nea CroSSwordS

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.

Saturday’s PuzzleAnswer

La TimeS CroSSword

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Confucius said, “The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget thatdangermaycome.Wheninastateof security, he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come.”

For someone who died in 479 B.C., he came out with some doozies.

At the bridge table, an expert always wonders about dangers — distributions that might upset his contract. This deal would be misplayed by the unwary, who would assume all will be secure. But how would a careful declarer proceed? South is in four spades. West leads the heart ace, cashes the king and shifts to a low club.

South’s two-club rebid was New Minor Forcing. It promised at least game-invitational values and asked partner to describe his hand further. Here, North bid two spades to show three-card support.

South has two losers outside the trump suit, so he can afford one spade loser but nottwo.Regardless,themathematicians tell us that five missing cards will divide 3-2 a whopping 76.8 percent of the time. So what’s the problem? Win the third trick, play a spade to dummy’s king, and return a spade to the ace and go down one. We forget that a 4-1 split has a probability of 28.3 percent — not a lot short of one time in three. As no doubt you have noticed, on the second round of trumps, South should play his 10. When it wins, he can claim. Butifitlosestothejackorqueen,spades are breaking 3-2 and the contract is safe. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist.

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuCtIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as

Shown is today’sweather.Temperatures aretoday’shighs and tonight’slows.