The Acadiana Advocate 01-23-2026

McMahon pushes ‘patriotic education’

Secretary of education visits La. charter school

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

The country’s top education official returned to Louisiana this week as part of a nationwide tour where she praised the state’s educational gains, joined the governor in a school second-line and played the role of national cheerleader for what President Donald Trump has called “patriotic education.

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon‘s visit, which included stops on Wednesday at Sophie B. Wright Charter School and The National WWII Museum, was part of a cross-country tour celebrating America’s 250th anniversary this year and promoting an unapologetically pro-America civics and history education. That promotion started as soon as she addressed the hundreds of students

gathered in the Sophie B. Wright auditorium.

“I want to hear a resounding cheer from all of you,” she said, “for the greatest country in the world: the United States of America!” How to teach America’s story to students is a perpetually contentious topic, but today’s political

MAKING THEIR MARKS

ABOVE: Artist Dirk Guidry, center speaks before the first paint strokes on the recently commissioned Children’s Museum of Acadiana mural at the museum on Thursday. To officially kick off the project, children from CathedralCarmel School were invited to paint the mural’s ceremonial first stroke.

RIGHT: Art student Elise Sims, center, from Cathedral-Carmel School, paints one of the mural’s ceremonial first strokes.

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

Arctic blast timing changes

Ice accumulation risk persists in forecast

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

An Arctic blast is still forecast to move over the Acadiana area this weekend, but the timing has changed.

Humid, warm conditions are expected through Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, but much colder air is expected to push through the Lafayette area late Friday into Saturday Temperatures are no longer expected to dip below freezing then because of the delay of the front.

An extreme cool-down is expected overnight Saturday into Sunday, the weather service said. The chance for ice accumulation and freezing rain has decreased but is still possible. How far south the ice will reach in central Louisiana remains in question.

An early morning forecast Thursday suggests a 20% to 45% chance of measurable ice accumulation between the Interstate 10 and U.S. 190 corridors and up to a 25% chance of measurable ice accumulation south of I-10 to the coast.

Along and north of the U.S. 190

See ARCTIC, page 4A

St. Landry Parish Council seeks AG opinion on cockfighting ban

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

The St. Landry Parish Council

voted unanimously Wednesday to request an opinion from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office on the constitutionality of the state cockfighting ban. A crowd of around 100 stood in the pouring rain Wednesday in anticipation of the council’s decision. Another 40 or so packed inside the council chambers. Even more waited for updates from abroad.

“I’ve got people from Oklahoma and Tennessee texting me, calling me asking me if anything’s happened,” one man was overheard saying. “Get ready to put Sunset back on the map,” another chimed. Inside, council members deliberated over whether and how to make a request for a cockfighting permit from the state.

Council member Timmy LeJeune, who first placed the cockfighting discussion on the agenda following a request by famed cockfighter James Demoruelle at a December council meeting, reiterated previous claims that legal cockfighting would bring needed revenue to the parish.

“We know that we need the revenue. Nobody in this parish can say that we don’t. This is an opportunity to generate revenue,” LeJeune said. “This is going to be the same thing as the racing industry It’s not going to be a cockfight in the backyard of somebody’s house or in the neighborhood. It’s going to be monitored by the state.” Demoruelle, who spoke before the council on behalf of cockfighting, gave a similar argument. “The money is really out there,” he said.

ä See ST LANDRY, page 4A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Human fetal tissue use in NIH research banned

The Trump administration announced Thursday that human fetal tissue derived from abortions can no longer be used in research funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The policy, long urged by anti-abortion groups, expands restrictions issued during President Donald Trump’s first term.

The tissue, which otherwise would be thrown away, has been critical for certain research, including ways to fight HIV and cancer Opponents of fetal tissue use say there are now alternatives, although many scientists say there aren’t always adequate substitutes.

In a statement Thursday, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya acknowledged the agency “has long maintained policies governing the responsible and limited use of human fetal tissue in biomedical research.”

NIH documents say the policy doesn’t end the use of “cell lines” created years ago from fetal cells. Those are cloned copies of cells, such as embryonic stem cells, adapted to grow continuously in labs.

Playground covered with more than 50 swastikas

NEW YORK A crew of vandals covered a Brooklyn playground in a Jewish neighborhood with more than 50 swastikas during a two-day attack, police and city officials said Thursday

Members of Community Board 12 alerted the 66th Precinct on Tuesday after the hateful graffiti was found peppered throughout the park.

After board members and police toured the playground, the vandals returned Tuesday night, drawing more than 25 swastikas on the playground equipment, the sidewalk and the handball courts, bringing the total over two days to 57.

Pictures of the vandalism shared by Community Board 12 show red and blue swastikas on the handball courts along with the words “Adolf Hitler.” Fla. AG’s memo taunted minorities, Democrat says TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was being deliberately provocative when he released a memo on Martin Luther King Jr. Day stating he wouldn’t enforce or defend dozens of laws that mention race, the Florida House minority leader said Thursday “I think he did it, basically, to flaunt that he has the power and to do it to taunt Black and brown people in Florida,” said Democratic Rep. Fentrice Driskell.

On Monday, Uthmeier issued a news release announcing an opinion identifying more than 80 state laws that he wrote “promote and require racial discrimination on its face.”

“Therefore, I requested, and I am now giving, an official legal opinion in writing on a question of law relating to my official duties,” the opinion states.

The list of laws varies widely, from programs to recruit minority physicians to student scholarships and efforts to encourage minority-owned businesses to bid on government contracts He wrote that he would not defend or enforce “any of these discriminatory provisions.”

Hiker who forged on alone found dead

LOS ANGELES Another hiker has died while attempting to summit the highest peak in the contiguous U.S., marking the third reported death on Mount Whitney this season.

The hiker was reported missing Monday after failing to descend the mountain and reunite with a hiking companion, who had decided the prior afternoon to turn around early due to safety concerns, according a post from Inyo County Search & Rescue.

The hiker who was later found dead had decided Sunday afternoon to continue onward alone A rescue team located the hiker during an aerial search, recovering the body from the north face of Mount Whitney, below the notorious “final 400” stretch, a dangerously steep chute along the route that is particularly challenging to navigate in the winter months.

UVALDE SCHOOL SHOOTING

Acquittal shifts focus to next case

Officer found not guilty of child endangerment

BY JIM VERTUNO Associated Press

AUSTIN,Texas

With the acquittal in the first Texas trial over the hesitant police response to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting, prosecutors must now decide how to try their case against the only other officer who was charged.

Adrian Gonzales’ trial was a rare prosecution of an officer accused of failing to save lives by preventing a crime.

For nearly three weeks, Uvalde County’s district attorney laid out a case to jurors how Gonzales did nothing to stop the gunman and bore responsibility for failing to protect the 19 fourth-graders killed in one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history

But jurors found Gonzales not

guilty after seven hours of deliberations, leaving Pete Arredondo, Uvalde’s former schools police chief, as the only officer still facing trial over the response to the May 24, 2022, attack, which also killed two teachers.

Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell declined immediate comment Thursday on plans to proceed against Arredondo, but legal experts said prosecutors will likely consider changes to how they present evidence and witness testimony Prosecutors also will face pressure from victims’ families, some of whom have spent years questioning why more of the nearly 400 officers who rushed to the school the day of the attack weren’t charged.

“Again, we are failed. I don’t even know what to say,” Javier

Cazares, the father of 9-year-old Jackie Cazares, told reporters after Wednesday’s verdict. Gonzales and Arredondo were both indicted on felony charges of child abandonment or endangerment, but the actions behind the counts are markedly different.

Gonzales, who was one of the first officers to arrive that day, was accused of abandoning his training and duty to confront the gunman. Arredondo, who was deemed the incident commander, is accused of failing to enforce the school district’s active shooter response plan through a series of decisions that led law enforcement to wait more than an hour before entering the classroom where the gunman was.

While officers waited, children and teachers lay dead or wounded inside, and some made emergency calls pleading for help.

The case against Gonzales focused on what he did in the first

NASA, astronauts’ families mark Challenger accident

Space shuttle broke apart at launch 40 years ago

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Families of the astronauts lost in the space shuttle Challenger accident gathered back at the launch site Thursday to mark that tragic day 40 years ago.

All seven on board were killed when Challenger broke apart following liftoff on Jan 28, 1986.

At the Kennedy Space Center memorial ceremony, Challenger pilot Michael Smith’s daughter, Alison Smith Balch, said through tears that her life forever changed that frigid morning, as did many other lives. “In that sense,” she told the hundreds of mourners, “we are all part of this story.”

“Every day I miss Mike,” added his widow, Jane Smith-Holcott, “every day’s the same.”

The bitter cold weakened the O-ring seals in Challenger’s right solid rocket booster, causing the shuttle to rupture 73 seconds after liftoff. A dysfunctional culture at NASA contributed to that disaster and, 17 years later, shuttle Columbia’s.

Kennedy Space Center’s deputy director Kelvin Manning said those humble

and painful lessons require constant vigilance “now more than ever” with rockets soaring almost every day and the next astronaut moonshot just weeks away Challenger’s crew included schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, who was selected from more than 100 teachers representing every state. Two of her fellow teacher-in-space contenders — both retired now attended the memorial.

“We were so close together,” said Bob Veilleux, a retired astronomy high school teacher from New Hampshire, McAuliffe’s home state.

Twenty-five names are carved into the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy’s visitor complex: the Challenger seven, the seven who perished in the Columbia disaster on Feb. 1, 2003, the three killed in the Apollo 1 fire on Jan. 27, 1967, and all those lost in plane and other on-thejob accidents.

Relatives of the fallen Columbia and Apollo crews also attended NASA’s Day of Remembrance, held each year on the fourth Thursday of January The space agency also held ceremonies at Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery and Houston’s Johnson Space Center

“You always wonder what they could have accomplished” had they lived longer, Lowell Grissom, brother of Apollo 1 commander Gus Grissom, said at Kennedy “There was a lot of talent there.”

Recovery of missing dog brings hope after Spain’s train crashes

BY SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press

MADRID After back-to-back fatal train crashes sent shock waves through Spain, some good news arrived on Thursday: Boro, the missing dog, was found.

Days earlier, Boro’s owner Ana García issued a desperate plea to help find him after the dog bolted Sunday in the aftermath of the high-speed train crash in southern Spain that killed at least 45 people. García, 26, and her pregnant sister were traveling with Boro on the train that derailed

On Thursday forest firefighters in southern Spain found the black-andwhite pooch, and posted images that showed García with one of her legs in a brace embracing Boro.

“Many thanks to all of Spain and everyone who has got involved so much,” she

said. “It gave me great hope and we’ve done it.”

Photos of Boro, a medium-sized black dog with white eyebrows, went viral alongside phone numbers for García and her family Spanish television broadcasters and newspapers covered the search.

García, her sister and the dog had been traveling Sunday by high-speed train from Malaga, their hometown in southern Spain, to the capital Madrid, when the tail of their train car jumped the rails for reasons that remain unclear, and smashed into another train.

The collision killed dozens and injured more than 150 people Rescue crews helped García and her sister out of the tilted train car That’s when she briefly saw Boro before he ran.

On Thursday, she had a bruise beneath her eye but, with Boro back by her side, also a smile plastered across her face.

frantic seconds and minutes after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos began shooting at the school.

Gonzales said he never saw the gunman before he entered the building. Gonzales also noted that he was among the first group of officers who tried to reach the classroom before they retreated under gunfire.

Arredondo was indicted on 10 charges stemming from the excruciating time period when Ramos was inside a classroom while dozens of officers gathered in the hallway, and hundreds more were outside. Arredondo’s decisions included negotiating with the gunman he considered contained. A tactical team eventually forced its way into the classroom and killed Ramos.

Gonzales and Arredondo were indicted on the same day in June 2024, but Arredondo’s trial has been delayed.

Budget

office wants data on money sent to Democratic states

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press

Pres id ent Do na ld Trump’s budget office this week ordered most government agencies to compile data on the federal money that is sent to 14 mostly Democratic-controlled states and the District of Columbia in what it describes as a tool to “reduce the improper and fraudulent use of those funds.”

The order obtained by The Associated Press, comes a week after Trump said he intended to cut off federal funding that goes to states that are home to “sanctuary cities” that resist his immigration policies. He said that would start Feb. 1 but hasn’t unveiled further details.

A memo to federal departments and agencies did not explain why those states were targeted. All but one — Virginia — were either included last year on the administration’s list of sanctuary places or were home to at least one jurisdiction that was. There is no strict defini-

tion for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“This is a data-gathering exercise only,” the memo said. “It does not involve withholding funds.”

Trump said at a White House news conference Tuesday — the same day the memo went to federal departments — that he still intended to cut off funding.

“We’re not going to pay them anymore. They are sanctuary for criminals,” he said. “They can sue us and maybe they’ll win, but we’re not giving money to sanctuary cities anymore.”

The list of targets includes all fully Democratic-controlled states except Hawaii, Maryland and New Mexico And it includes all the states with nearly all the sanctuary jurisdictions But it does not include some other states that are home to cities or counties on the list: Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

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Smithdefends hisinvestigationsofTrump

BY ERIC TUCKER, MARYCLAREJALONICK, LISA MASCARO and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON FormerJustice Department special counsel Jack Smith defended his investigations of President Donald Trump at acongressional hearing Thursday in which he insisted that he had actedwithout regard to politics and had no second thoughts aboutthe criminal charges he brought.

“No one should be above the law in our country,and the law required that he be held to account. So that is what Idid,” Smith saidof Trump.

Smith testified behind closed doors last month but returned to the House Judiciary Committee for apublic hearing that provided the prosecutor with a forum to address Congress and the country more generally aboutthe breadthof evidence he collected during investigations that shadowed Trump during the2024 presidential campaign and resulted in indictments.

The hourslong hearing immediately split along partisan lines as Republican lawmakers sought to undermine the former Justice Department official while Democrats tried to elicit damaging testimony about Trump’s conduct andaccused their GOP counterparts of attempting to rewrite history

“It was always about poli-

theincoming and outgoing phone numbersaswell as thedurationofthe calls but notthe contentofthe communications, but Rep.BrandonGill, R-Texas, said the episode showed how Smith had “walked all over the Constitution.”

Smith hasrepeatedly justified the move as necessary to documentany contact that Trumporsurrogates may have had withlawmakers as he was pressing them to delaythe certification of his2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

“My office didn’tspy on anyone,” Smithsaid, explaining that collecting phone records is acommon prosecutorial tactic.

Wide-ranging conspiracy

forDonaldTrump,who had campaigned forhim and who wantedhim to win the election,” Smith said.

Smith was appointed in 2022 by Biden’sJustice Department to oversee investigationsintoTrump, who has denied any wrongdoing.

Both investigations produced indictments against Trump, but the cases were abandoned by Smith and his team after Trumpwon back the White House because of longstanding Justice Department legal opinions that say sitting presidents cannot be indicted.

ery turn” and “circumventing constitutional limitations to the point that youhad to be reined in again and again throughout the process.”

tics,”saidRep. JimJordan of Ohio, thecommittee’sRepublican chairman.

“Maybe for them,”retorted Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin,referring to Republicans. “But, for us, it’sall aboutthe rule of law.”

The president posted on his Truth Social account that “Deranged Jack Smith should be prosecutedfor hisactions” andassertingwithout any evidence that the prosecutorhad committed perjury

Smithtold lawmakers that he stood behind his decisions as special counsel to bringcharges against Trump in separate cases that accused the Republican of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election afterhelost toDemocrat Joe Biden and hoarding classi-

fied documentsathis Mar-aLago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

“Our investigation developed proof beyond areasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity,” Smith said.

Sparoverphone records

Republicans from the outset sought to portray Smith as an overly aggressive, hard-charging prosecutor who had to be “reined in” by higher-ups andthe courts as he investigated Trump. They seizedonrevelations that the Smith team hadsubpoenaed the phone records of agroup of Republican lawmakers on and around Jan. 6, 2021, the dayTrump’s supporters stormed the Capitol.

The records revealed

‘Sinners’makes history,

BY JAKE COYLE

AP film writer

Ryan Coogler’s bluessteeped vampireepic “Sinners” led all films with16 nominations to the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday,setting arecord for the most in Oscar history Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vot ers showered more no had ever breaking tion mark Eve,” “T Land.” Along ture, Coogler for best screenplay star Michael rewarded nomination, Paul Thomas father-daughter ary saga Another ing into in second Four of do DiCaprio Benicio Penn —w In those the film force behind ceral and American connected national Jim Cr rare horror academy’ amythical life. In

Another,” adormant spirit of rebellion is revived in an out-of-control police state. For Coogler,the 39-yearoldfilmmaker of “Fruitvale Station” and “Black Panther,” it was acrowningmoment. One ofHollywood’s most esteemed yet humble filmmakers, Coogler has called“Sinners” —a film that he will own outright25

Under questioning, Smith describedwhat he said was awide-ranging conspiracy to overturn the results of theelection and recounted how theRepublican refused to listen to advisers who told him thatthe contest had in fact notbeen stolen. After he was charged, Smithsaid, Trumptried to silenceand intimidate potential witnesses against him

Smithsaid onereasonhe felt confident in the strength of thecase that prosecutors had prepared to taketotrial was theextent to whichitrelied on Republican supporters of Trump.

“Someofthe mostpowerful witnesses were witnesses who, in fact, were fellow Republicans who hadvoted

The hearing unfolded against the backdrop of an ongoing Trumpadministration retribution campaign targeting theinvestigators whoscrutinized the Republican president and amid mounting alarmthatthe Justice Department’sinstitutional independence is eroding under the sway of the president.

Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., also asked Smith at one point if he was concerned theTrump administration would try to prosecute him

Smith responded: “I believe they will do everything in their power to do that because they’ve been ordered to by the president.”

GOP sees othermotives

Republicans, fortheir part, repeatedly denounced Smith, withRep.KevinKileyofCalifornia accusing him of seeking “maximum litigation advantage at ev-

Rep.Ben Cline,R-Va., challenged Smith on his team’srequested court order to restrict Trump from making incendiary commentsabout prosecutors, potential witnesses and other people involved in the case. Smithsaidthe order wasnecessary becauseof Trump’s efforts to intimidate witnesses, but Cline asserted that it wasmeantto silence Trumpinthe heat of the presidential campaign. And Jordan, the committee chairman, advanced afrequent Trumptalking point that the investigation wasdriven by adesire to derail Trump’scandidacy “Weshould never forget what took place, what they did to the guy we,the people, elected twice,” Jordan said. Smith vigorously rejected those suggestions and said the evidence placed Trump’s actions squarely at the heart of acriminal conspiracy to undo the 2020 election.

“The evidence here made clear that President Trump was by alarge measurethe most culpable andmostresponsible person in this conspiracy,” Smith said. “These crimes werecommitted for hisbenefit. Theattackthat happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him.The other coconspirators were doing this forhis benefit.”

settingOscarsnominationrecord

Guillermodel Toro’s lush Mary Shelley adaptation “Frankenstein,” Josh Safdie’speriod ping-pong odyssey“Marty Supreme” and Joachim Trier’sfamily drama “Sentimental Value” all scored nine nominations. Chloé Zhao’sspeculative Shakespeare drama “Hamnet”collected eightnods. With the notableexception

alongwith Rose Byrne (“If IHad Legs I’d Kick You”), Kate Hudson (“Song Sung Blue”), Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”)and two-time winnerEmma Stone, who landed her sixth nomination, for “Bugonia.”

The year’smost-watched movie, “KPop Demon Hunters,” scored nominationsfor both best song (“Golden”) andbestanimatedfeature Sony Pictures developed andproduced thefilm, but, after sellingittoNetflix, watched it becomeaworldwide sensation. Blockbusters otherwise had adifficult morning. Uni-

versal Pictures’ “Wicked: For Good” wasshut out entirely.The biggestbox-office hitnominated forHollywood’s topaward instead was“F1,” an Apple production that landedfournominations.The streamerpartnered with Warner Bros. to distribute the racing drama.

polarization has cranked up the controversy On the political left, Democrats and some educators — including McMahon’s predecessor, Miguel Cardona — have made the case for history instruction that incorporates diverse perspectives and draws a line from past institutions like slavery to present-day inequality On the right, Republicans have called that approach divisive and overly negative, with President Donald Trump saying it “warped, distorted, and defiled the American story.”

Trump has moved to dismantle the Education Department, arguing that it has done little to improve student outcomes At the same time, his administration continues to wield it to influence what happens in the nation’s schools. Last year, the department said it will fund projects that promote “patriotic education” in schools, and it launched a civics education campaign focused on celebrating the country’s anniversary and “renewing patriotism.”

Trump is “really hopeful that this celebration of patriotism, of respect for the flag, of respect of our rights,” will remind students and citizens “that this is the greatest country in the world,” McMahon said during an interview at the National World War II Museum, which she visited after the school. The push for a more patriotic education has been echoed at the state level. In Louisiana, Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley in 2022 led a reworking of the state’s social studies standards, known as the Freedom Framework, to emphasize “American

ARCTIC

Continued from page 1A

corridor, forecasters said to expect a 45% to 80% chance of ice accumulation.

If ice accumulation reaches a quarter to a half inch, it can cause dangerous driving conditions and power outages as the ice weighs down power lines

Temperatures are expected to drop dramatically over the weekend and early next week, with temperatures in the Lafayette area dropping into the 20s Monday and Tuesday mornings and barely rising above freezing on Monday

Wind chills, how the temperature feels to exposed skin, are expected in the teens in the Lafayette area Monday and Tuesday mornings. The lowest wind chill is expected to dip to 9 degrees between midnight and 6 a.m. Monday in Lafayette.

ST. LANDRY

Continued from page 1A

“You’re probably looking at a billion dollars of economic impact in the first year for St. Landry Parish You shouldn’t ignore that because we’re going to maybe throw away some chickens.”

Demoruelle’s main argument, however, was grounded in personal freedom.

“The constitution is there to protect the individual from the majority. I’m asking for my rights as an individual to be protected. I’m

exceptionalism” while providing a fuller account of the nation’s origins and “journey towards freedom.”

Brumley said during McMahon’s visit that the standards have led to more rigorous history instruction that helps students learn to think critically

“It’s built on the concept of American exceptionalism,” he said, “but it doesn’t bias the students towards that belief.”

Still, some teachers view the Trump administration’s changes as part of a broader effort to limit what students learn about the nation’s darker chapters while putting a relentlessly positive spin on the past.

“Our job as history teachers is to examine the past, not pre-decide

Lafayette is forecast to spend about 16 hours between noon Sunday and noon Monday below freezing, which is 32 degrees. It is expected to spend 15 hours below freezing between noon Monday and noon Tuesday

Gov Jeff Landry urged all Louisiana residents to plan ahead for the inclement and potentially dangerous weather conditions

“We are preparing for significant impacts across the state starting as early as Friday in our northwestern parishes,” Landry said Thursday during a news conference about the bad weather “I beg you, please take this serious.”

Both the governor and State Climatologist Jay Grymes said the worst impacts will be in central and north Louisiana, with a maximum of 1 inch of accumulated surface ice in some areas.

“These accumulation amounts would be crippling,” Grymes said.

“Add in a 3-day-long continuous freeze: that’s a formula for potential widespread closures into next

a second-class citizen, because of what I did legally before, of what I love to do When that was taken away, I lost my protection.”

Several council members expressed skepticism.

“We have people shooting dice.

We have people wanting to dog

fight. If we want to repeal that law could we do that too? What’s going to stop us from using this ‘reve-

nue’ argument every time?” asked council member Nancy Carriere.

“My concern is what are we open-

ing the door to. We have people starving all around the world. This, in my opinion, is not something we need to add to our slate.”

the message for students,” said Christopher Dier, who teaches U.S. history at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans. “For us, patriotism means engaging and grappling with the country’s history.”

Trump has long called for “patriotic education” to counter what he has called anti-American ideologies that he says students are exposed to in public school including the idea that “America is a wicked and racist nation,” as he put it during a speech in 2020.

Last year, he directed the Education Department and other agencies to advance patriotic education, which was defined as teaching American history in a way that is “accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling.”

McMahon’s “History Rocks!”

week.”

Grymes said north Louisiana should prepare for a “triple whammy”: first ice, then snow, and finally cold air

The threat of dangerous ice is most pressing in Louisiana’s central and northern parishes, Grymes said. He’s also holding out hope that future projections will shift the “icing line” north, taking the I-10/I-12 corridor out of the freeze’s threat zone. The Department of Transportation and Development will have crews out scouting bridges and overpasses, the department said in a Thursday statement, with DOTD field crews being ready to begin pretreating measures as necessary

The weather service advises residents to start preparing by checking their emergency supplies in their home and car checking their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and ensuring they have enough fuel for their car and heating sources.

Other members of the cockfighting community spoke in favor of seeking legalization in the parish, including Nadea Comeaux, who drove from Abbeville to address the council.

“This is something that brings every human being together It brings together people of all races,” Comeaux said. “When you go to these cockfights you see men. This is a man’s sport. It takes discipline, and this can fill the void that some of these children are missing.”

The council debated several options for proceeding with the cockfighting discussion, the first

tour is part of that effort, along with the “America 250 Civics Education Coalition” that the Education Department announced in September The coalition, which was tasked with creating educational programs to mark the anniversary of the country’s founding in 1776, is made up of more than 40 conservative groups.

They include the Heritage Foundation, a think tank that helped craft Trump’s second-term agenda; PragerU, which produces “proAmerica” educational content; and Turning Point USA, a youth organizing group founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk that seeks to “advance God-centered, virtuous education for students.”

In 2024, Brumley said Louisiana teachers could use PragerU’s

videos to teach social studies. The move drew criticism from Democratic state lawmakers who called the group “right-wing extremists.”

During her visit, McMahon praised the state’s academic progress under Brumley, with Louisiana students leading the pack on reading growth on the most recent national test.

“To start from next to the bottom then to be more towards the middle of the pack and growing very quickly,” she said, “it’s just really been amazing.”

In August, McMahon celebrated the gains during a tour of a Baton Rouge school. On Wednesday she was accompanied by Brumley, state Board of Education members and Gov Jeff Landry on her visit to the Uptown charter school. She told the students that America’s 250th birthday is an occasion to celebrate the “courage and the exceptionalism that built this wonderful nation.”

“Let’s stand united in upholding what has made America and Louisiana great,” she said.

Brandon Phelps, a senior at Sophie B Wright, helped escort McMahon on a tour of several classrooms before giving her a feathered parasol to carry during an indoor second-line led by the school’s brass band.

“I felt like it was a great honor,” he said, “to share our Cajun culture.”

After the event, which included a trivia game with questions about U.S. and Louisiana history, 12th grader De’Miyah Doyle said she believes it’s important to learn all aspects of history, including parts that are painful.

“It makes you more humane,” she said, “because you can see from other perspectives how history has treated and affected other people.”

of which involved lobbying local state legislators to change the state’s statutory ban on the practice.

“What we need to ask for is a recommendation or request for the state of Louisiana to amend the statute and allow St. Landry parish to have cockfighting,” said St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard. “They have to change the law in order for us to do it here.”

The council voted on a resolution to request state representative Dustin Miller to introduce legislation changing the Louisiana state statute, which bans cockfighting. However, this vote failed

6-7. The tiebreaker vote was cast by newly elected council chairman Wayne Ardoin. Following the first measure’s failure, a second resolution simply requesting an opinion from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office on the statute’s constitutionality, passed unanimously

The official request will be drafted by LeJeune alongside the parish’s legal adviser Garrett Duplechain.

Any opinion from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office would not be legally binding and would not legalize cockfighting in any jurisdiction.

3 involved in Minn. church protest arrested

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO and JACK BROOK Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an antiimmigration enforcement protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Thursday, even as a judge rebuffed related charges against journalist Don Lemon.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Nekima Levy Armstrong in a post on X. On Sunday protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor Bondi later posted on X that a second person had been arrested, followed by a third arrest announced by FBI Director Kash Patel.

The Justice Department quickly opened a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” the attorney general wrote on X. Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and

Nekima Levy

lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads the local ICE field office Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.

Church lawyers praise arrests

Prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have come to the church’s defense, arguing that compassion for migrant families affected by the crackdown cannot justify violating a sacred space during worship.

Attorneys representing the

church hailed the arrests.

“The U.S. Department of Justice acted decisively by arresting those who coordinated and carried out the terrible crime,” said Doug Wardlow, director of litigation for True North Legal, which calls itself a public interest civil rights firm, in a statement.

Levy Armstrong, an attorney and prominent local activist, had called for the pastor affiliated with ICE to resign, saying his dual role poses a “fundamental moral conflict.”

“You cannot lead a congrega-

tion while directing an agency whose actions have cost lives and inflicted fear in our communities,” she said Tuesday “When officials protect armed agents, repeatedly refuse meaningful investigation into killings like Renee Good’s, and signal they may pursue peaceful protesters and journalists, that is not justice — it is intimidation.”

Protesters appear in court

A longtime activist in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Levy Armstrong has helped lead local protests after the high-profile police-involved killings of Black Americans, including George Floyd, Philando Castile and Jamar Clark. She is a former president of the NAACP’s Minneapolis branch.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a photo on X of Levy Armstrong with her arms behind her back next to a person wearing a badge. Noem said she faces a charge under a statute that bars threatening or intimidating someone exercising a right.

Patel posted on X that Chauntyll Louisa Allen, the second person Bondi said was arrested, is charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which prohibits physically obstructing or using the threat of force to intimidate or interfere with a person seeking reproductive health services or seeking to participate in a service at a house of worship.

Patel said William Kelly has also been arrested.

It’s unclear which attorneys would represent Allen and Kelly Allen and Levy Armstrong are part of a community of Black Minnesota activists who have protested the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police.

Kelly defended the protest during a news conference Tuesday, criticizing the church for its association with a pastor who works for ICE.

In court Thursday, federal magistrate judge Doug Micko granted the women bond and restricted them from traveling outside Minnesota or from going near the church. The government said it would appeal.

Levy Armstrong’s attorney said he offered for her to turn herself in peacefully, but the Trump administration insisted on arresting her “They wanted a spectacle,” LevyArmstrong’s husband Marques Armstrong said, recalling around 50 agents came to detain his wife.

The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church protest stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into the killing of Good. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said last week there was “no basis” for a civil rights investigation into her death.

Administration officials have said the officer acted in self-defense and that the driver of the Honda was engaging in “an act of domestic terrorism” when she pulled toward him.

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE, JULIE CARR SMYTH and STEVE PEOPLES Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS Insisting that he was in Minnesota to help

“lower the temperature,”

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday blamed “far-left people” and state and local law enforcement officials for the chaos that has convulsed the state during the White House’s aggressive deportation campaign.

He also defended federal agents who detained a 5-year-old boy while making an immigration arrest. The recent turmoil “has been created, I think, by a lot of very, frankly, far-left people also by some of the state and local law enforcement officials who could do a much better job in cooperating,” the Republican vice president said. “We’re doing everything

that we can to lower the temperature,” Vance said, adding that he wants “state and local officials to meet us halfway.”

The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota’s Democratic leaders, including Gov Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, over whether they have obstructed or impeded law enforcement through their public statements.

Wa lz a nd Frey have described the investigation as an attempt to bully the political opposition.

Federal officers stood in a row behind Vance as he spoke, and there were two Immigrants and Customs Enforcement vehicles emblazoned with the slogan “Defend the Homeland.”

His visit follows weeks of aggressive rhetoric from the White House, including President Donald Trump, who has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act — and send in military forces to crack down on unrest in the state. Asked about that option, Vance said, “Right now, we don’t think that we need that.”

Trump dispatched thousands of federal agents to Minnesota after reports of child care fraud by Somali immigrants. Minneapolisarea officials, including Frey, as well as the police, religious leaders and the business community have pushed back, and outrage grew after an agent fatally shot a woman during a confrontation this month.

Vance has played a leading role in defending that agent, and the vice president previously said Renee Good’s death was “a tragedy of her

House approves final spending bills as Democrats denounce ICE funding

BY KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON The House passed this year’s final batch of spending bills on Thursday as lawmakers, still smarting from last fall’s record 43-day shutdown, worked to avoid another funding lapse for a broad swath of the federal government.

The four bills total about $1.2 trillion in spending and now move to the Senate, with final passage needed next week before a Jan. 30 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Three of the bills had broad, bipartisan support They funded Defense and various other departments, including Education, Transportation and Health and Human Services. A fourth bill funding the Department of Homeland Security was hotly disputed as Democrats voiced concerns that it failed to restrain President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.

Republicans were able to overcome the Democratic objections and muscle the Homeland Security bill to passage in a 220-207 vote.

The broader package, which funds a 3.8% pay raise for the military passed in a 34188 vote. Before the votes, House Democratic leaders announced their opposition to the Homeland Security bill as the party’s rank-and-file demanded a more forceful stand in response to the Republican president’s immigration crackdown. Trump’s efforts have recently cen-

tered in the Minneapolis area, where more than 2,000 officers are stationed and where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good, a mother of three.

In a joint statement, the Democratic leaders said Trump promised the American people that his deportation policy would focus on violent felons in the country illegally, but instead, ICE has targeted American citizens and law-abiding immigrant families.

“Taxpayer dollars are being misused to brutalize U.S. citizens, including the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good. This extremism must end,” said the statement from Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar Democrats had few good options to express their opposition to Homeland Security funding.

Lawmakers, when confronting a funding impasse, generally turn to continuing resolutions to temporarily fund agencies at their current levels. But doing so in this case would simply cede more Homeland Security spending decisions to Trump, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. Also, there was concern that a failure to fund Homeland Security would hurt disaster assistance programs and agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, while ICE and Customs and Border Protection would simply carry on. They could use funding

from Trump’s big tax cut and immigration bill to continue their operations ICE, which typically receives about $10 billion a year, was provided $30 billion for operations and $45 billion for detention facilities through Republicans’ “one big beautiful bill.”

This year’s Homeland Security bill holds the annual spending that Congress provides ICE roughly flat from the prior year It also restricts the ability of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to unilaterally shift funding and allocate federal dollars as she sees fit The bill also allocates $20 million for the purchase and operations of body cameras for ICE and CBP officers interacting with the public during immigration enforcement operations. And it will require Homeland Security to provide monthly updates on how it plans to spend money from Trump’s bill.

“It’s not everything we wanted. We wanted more oversight. But look, Democrats don’t control the House. We don’t control the Senate or the White House. But we were able to add some oversight over Homeland,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, a member of the Appropriations panel.

Republicans countered that the Homeland Security bill helps lawmakers accomplish their most important duty — keeping the American people safe.

“This legislation delivers just that and upholds the America first agenda,” said Rep Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

own making.” On Thursday, he repeated claims that Good “rammed” an agent with her car, an account that has been disputed based on videos of the incident. Minnesota faith leaders, backed by labor unions and hundreds of Minneapolisarea businesses, are planning a day of protests Friday. Nearly 600 local business have announced plans to shut down, while hundreds of “solidarity events” are expected across the country, according to a MoveOn spokesperson.

Vance pushed back against

such criticism and defended ICE agents who detained the young boy as he was arriving home from preschool.

“When they went to arrest his illegal alien father, the father ran,” Vance said. “So the story is that ICE detained a 5-year-old. Well, what are they supposed to do?”

The boy who was taken by federal agents along with his father to a detention facility in Texas, was the fourth student from his Minneapolis suburb to be detained by immigration officers in recent weeks.

During an appearance

in Ohio earlier in the day, Vance praised the arrest of protesters who disrupted a church service in Minnesota on Sunday and said he expects more prosecutions to come. “They’re scaring little kids who are there to worship God on a Sunday morning,” Vance said. “Those people are going to be sent to prison so long as we have the power to do so.” He added: “Just as you have the right to protest, they have a right to worship God as they choose And when you interrupt that, that is a violation of the law.”

Emersonexits Senate race unexpectedly

Republican fieldshiftsafter Letlow’s entry

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

State Rep. Julie Emerson

dropped out of the U.S. Senate race on Thursday,becoming the first political casualty of U.S.Rep.

Julia Letlow’ssudden entry into the election two days earlier Emerson’smove comes as no

big surprise —she hadsaid she was running only because Letlow hadn’tdeclared her candidacy

Letlow,R-Baton Rouge, became aformidablechallenger to Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, after President DonaldTrumpendorsed heronSaturday

“With Congresswoman Letlow’s entry into therace, the path to

ELECTION 2026

victory thatwas visible acouple of months ago has diminished,” Emerson posted on social media Thursday.“Isupport President Trumpand respect hisdecision to endorse Julia Letlow to defeat Bill Cassidy.” Emerson, 37, is aRepublican from Carencro, just north of La-

GeorgeMarks servessalads during lunch at thenew Café NUNU located in NUNU Arts and CultureCollective in Arnaudville Friday. NUNU Arts &CultureCollectivehas become acultural hub in Arnaudville. Visitors canexperiencelocal art, language and music, and anew cafe is offering an intriguingblend of cuisine to go withthe culture.

ARNAUDVILLE’S CULTURAL HUB

NewAcadiana cafe offers global cuisine with Louisiana flairinthisartistcommunity

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

The town of Arnaudville, located 30 minutes northof Lafayette at the intersection of BayouTecheand Bayou Fuselier,has long attracted athriving communityofartists and craftspeople.

Louisiana artist and sculptor George Marks, who is an Arnaudville native, founded NUNU Arts &Culture Collective more than 15 years ago to showcase local art and music in acollaborative setting. Housedina former lumberyard off the scenic Courtableau Highway,the volunteer-run organization hosts language tables, local and visiting bands,artist exhibitions, agallery shop, residency space —and now, asmall cafe that highlights

Customersgatherfor lunch at the newCafé NUNU on Friday

thecreativity NUNUArts & Culture Collective is known for “Through the years, we’ve had all these partnerships with different groups from all over,” Marks said. “They

would come in andalways wanttocook for us and share their cuisine with us Everybody leaves apiece of them behind, andthat’skind of what makes Louisiana so special. We’re acultural

gumbo.”

Café NUNUpresents a range of internationaland localcuisinesasinterpreted by ChefSam Vizier,aLafourche Parishnative. Open for lunchWednesdaythrough Sunday, weeklyspecials include beansonWednesdays, pressed sandwiches on Thursdays, Mediterranean cuisine on Fridays, gumbos and rice dishes on Saturdays, andcomfort food on Sundays On Friday,Vizier offered a dishoflemon orzo with roasted vegetables, highlighting theway that coastal kitchens —from the Mediterranean to the Gulf —continually evolvebased on howpeople, traditions andspices move around the world. Another

ä See HUB, page 4B

Thomas announcesScott police chiefcandidacy

Currenttop official Legerset to retire

fayette, who was running as a fresh-faced conservative who knowshow to get things done. Serving in herthird andfinal term, Emerson chairs the Ways andMeansCommittee, oneof the two most sought-after chairs, thanks to her closeness with House Speaker Phillip DeVillier,R-Eunice. Thecommittee writes tax

ä See EMERSON, page 4B

State starts sprint to work on bridges

Newinfrastructure office gearsup

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

The new Office of Louisiana Highway Construction on Wednesday broke ground on its inaugural projectasitaimstorepairorreplace 62 minorbridges throughout thestate by Dec. 31 —agoal officials say they are on track to achieve.

Gov.JeffLandry and Archie Chaisson III, executive director of the highway construction office, celebratedthe launch of the$2.1 million project —replacing asmall bridge with one about 40 feet long and 25 feet wide over Morgan Branch on La. 424 in Washington Parish. “Weare transforming how Louisiana delivers infrastructure through asmarter,more efficient approach thatbrings real results, real progress, and real value fortaxpayers,” Landry said in astatement.

ä See BRIDGES, page 4B

Lafayette barearns JamesBeard nomination

Wild ChildWine singledout forits unique offerings

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

The full list of 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists has been released, and one downtown Lafayette bar has been singled out for its unique offerings. Wild Child Wine, located at 210 E. Vermilion St., is asemifinalist for “Outstanding Bar” in the prestigious culinary awards. Theyare the only bar in Louisiana to be nominated in this category OwnedbyDenny andKatie Culbert, Wild Child has offered curated

ä See NOMINATION, page 4B

enforcement

veteran, Thomas served as the department’sassistant chief for the last two decades and worked closely under Leger,according to the announcement.

“I love Scott, Louisiana,” Thomas said. “This community means everything to me, and Iwould be honored to serve as itsnextChief of Police.” With nearly three decades in law enforcement, Thomas said

he brings extensive operational experience, integrity and aforwardthinking approach to the role. He added he has an understanding of budgets and strategic planning.

Thomas

“ChiefLeger has been an outstanding leader andmentor,” Thomas said. “His commitment to Scott and itscitizens has set ahigh standard, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside him.”

Leger took office as chiefofpolice for the city of Scott in January 2003, and in November 2022, he was elected to his sixth term, becoming thelongest-serving elected official in thecity’shistory,according to the department’s website. As Assistant ChiefofPolice, Chief Leger and Iworked side by side with aproactive leadership vision, brought advanced training to ourstaff andprovided officers with the most up to date equipment available,” Thomas added.

In Minneapolis, echoes of HurricaneKatrina

Living in Minnesota during the federal occupation and in New Orleans during the federal flood can feel eerilysimilar

First, there’sthe rage: adumbfounded rage in which you find yourself repeatedly asking, “How can this be happening?” to nobody in particular.Itwas there in 2005; it’shere now Then there is the betrayal. In 2005, as Bruce Springsteen said duringhis post-Katrina Jazz Fest performance, we were betrayed by agovernment that is “supposed to serve American citizens in times of trial and hardship.”

Earlier this month, Springsteen said in concertthat thenew betrayal comes in the form of “heavily armed masked federal troops invading an American city and using Gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens.”

I’ve learned, among other things, that it’snever agood sign when your city is name-checked in aSpringsteen song intro.

Then as now,there is acast of villains we wish we’d never met, certain underlings that history will always associate with these horrors. If incompetencehad a facein2005, it was the doughy countenance of then-FEMA di-

BETTCHER

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADAM

Protesters confront lawenforcement Jan. 9outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis.

rector Michael D. Brown. Now, the crueltyofthis time can be seeninthe figure of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, currently stalking around Minnesota in what appearstobea World War II Axis commanderreenactment outfit.

Yetmore than rage, betrayal and blame, theclearest echo that Inotice this past month is a renewal of alove of place. Often an amorphousthing, it becomes more defined in an attack, and more deeply felt. In New Or-

leans,wewept when John Boutté sang, “They’retrying to wash us away.” In Minnesota, we weep when we witness our fellow citizens sliding on theirprotest signs down asnowy hill to assemble at arally

Only in New Orleans, we’d say Only in Minneapolis,wesay Other times, the two places nearly collapseinto each other When you attenda protestinthe Twin Cities,it’sagood idea to listen for atuba and then follow the sound to acircle of people gath-

Better advocacy needed forcancerpatients

ered around Brass Solidarity,a New Orleans-style brass band that formed after the murderof George Floyd andcontinues to gather people together to simultaneouslyresist andcelebrate, singing “This Little Light” and “StandByMe” and, yes, “When theSaints Go Marching In.”

In crisis, this love of place has thechancetogrow more expansive.

Iremember an interview during Katrina with aman who had been boating around New Orleans, rescuing people from rooftops. He said he’d traveled on water into neighborhoods he’d never visitedina car.

Ithought of thatinterview this pastmonth, when Ifound myself in places in the Twin Cities I’d not previously entered. ASomali-Americanmall filled with the spicy scent of fresh samosas, with signs on its doors stating ICE is notallowed inside. ASpanish-language church now headquartering amassive food deliveryeffort for people afraid to leave their homes—much like FatherJerome LeDoux once transformed St. Augustine Church into astaging area for young CommonGround volunteers.

In New Orleans, it was often these volunteerswho cleared land and restored atype of faith. Yetmuch of the heavy lifting,

as anyNew Orleanianshould recall, wasperformed by tens of thousands of Latino immigrants —the same population now being terrorized both in Minnesota andinLouisiana,and across the country.Louisiana’sstatewide elected officials who support the current ICE surge seem to have forgotten —orsimply don’tcare about—Katrina’s lessons.

Iwas reminded of perhaps the most important of these lessons by the Minnesota poet Ollie Schminkey, who wrote of the riverthattiesthe two statestogether, andhow this is the “land of the mississippi river’sbirth /landofsmall things turning mighty.” Schminkey wrote the poem during the current occupation, concluding it with afew linesabout alocal custom that we calla “Minnesota goodbye”— alengthy,reluctant parting that sounds alot like post-Katrina Louisiana to me, as well: didn’tyou know? we are bad at saying goodbye to those we love. we could stay here all night, shoes on in the entryway refusing to open the door These days, as in 2005, hanging on to each other might be the best we’vegot

MichaelTisserand is an author He was theeditor of Gambit Weekly from 1998 to 2005.

Cost of living coming down, butCongresscan do more

the fall, Iheard stories of hope and healing from breast cancer patients who, through new treatments and innovations,are living longer and breaking free fromthe disease. And while I’m happyfor these patientsand their families, it also hurts because my family was not so lucky.Wewere robbed of hope andhealing by my mother’s health insurance company.Because of denials and delays, my mother died of metastatic breast cancer at only 55 years old. Mom, or “Jammie” as my son called her,was one of a kind. She loved life. She was the lifeofthe party,and as alabor and delivery nurse, she loved bringing anew lifeinto the world. When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, she fought hard, forgingher own path and making decisions abouther treatment and care. But when the cancer metastasized in 2018, mom worked with a dedicated team of oncologists who were determined to get her the care she needed. But as we soon learned, hard work and dedication are stillnomatch forovercoming the mazeofburdens and hurdles that insurance companies and their pharmacy benefit managers put in the way of patients —eventhe verysickest of cancer patients It allhappened veryquickly.InmidApril of that year,Mom’snew oncologist prescribed atreatment that she felt would give her the best chance of stavingoff disease progression. Over thenext month,the insurancecompany refused to pay forthe treatment and denied and delayed theappeals process. They tried every trick in the book, includingrepeatedly asking the doctor’soffice to send in paper copies of forms that had alreadybeen completedonline. It would be laughable if it wasn’tsopainful to watch Mom had no treatment during this time and ended up in the hospital fortwo weeks Ironically,the same day she was admitted to the hospital, the treatment approvalfinally came through. But it was too late Those six weeks of insurance denials robbed my mother of precious time and of the hope that comes with having options

time thatmay have cost her life. Because of the delays, she didn’thave the chance to trythe medication thatmay have extended her time with us. She was released from the hospital to hospice, because she told me she wanted to die at home. She passed away ashort time later. Alifecut short at just 55 years old. My brother and Iwill never know if that treatmentwould have madeadifference. It is so incredibly awful to watch someone you love to suffer,and there’s nothing you can do about it. Our family has been forever changed. My nieces and daughter will neverknow Jammie. My son who does remember her asks for her often.

No family should have to endure what ours did. My mom deserved the chance to fight,but insurance denials stole thatfrom her.Families acrossthe country facethe same roadblocks—delays,denials and decisions made by insurance middlemen insteadofdoctors.

And it’snot just breastcancer patients People battling chronic blood, stomach andother serious cancers are facing the same uphill fight —not just against their diagnosis, but against an insurance system thattoo often stands in the way of clinical care.

Theseinsurance practices have sunk to adangerous new low,and something needs to bedonetostop this from continuing to happen. My brother and Ihave spoken out. We’ve been to Washington totalk with Sen.Bill Cassidy

We’resupportive of any legislation that putsthe power of treatmentand prescribing backinthe hands of the doctors where it should be. Congress can start by advancing PBMreformtobring transparency and accountability to insurers and middlemen, and by passing the commonsense reforms like the Safe Step Act to ensure patients get timely access to the treatments their doctors prescribe.

We’re fighting for patientslike our mom, who deserved better from the system thanwhat she got. Cancer already takes so much. No one should have to fight their insurer,too.

Gabriella Burst is apatient advocate based in Metairie.

It’sa new year,but many Louisianians are still missing the old prices that they were paying before President Joe Biden took office. The Biden administration’sbad policies drove up prices by 21%injust four years. In turn,the average Louisiana household hadtospend an additional $28,426 to cover thecost of inflation over thecourse of Biden’sfour years in office. It’sa mess, but Republicans in Washington have already begun to clean it up. We started by peeling back excessive regulationsthat raise the price of goods and services. President Biden added more regulations thanany presidentinhistory,and it cost American businesses roughly $2 trillion to comply withthisred tape President Donald Trump vowed to cut ten regulations for everynew rule he put in place. By March, he hadalready eliminated $1.3 trillion worth of bad Biden-erarules.Congress joinedthe fight by permanently invalidating some of the worst Biden administrationrules through theCongressional ReviewAct President Trumpsigned two of my regulatoryrepeals into law to save consumers money on their energy pricesand bank fees

Theseregulatory repeals have already unleashed aflurry of investment in Louisiana. The Interior Department, for example, recentlyannounced that it had raised $279 million from oil and gas leases after scaling back President Biden’s offshore drilling ban. These offshore leasesales not only generate revenue to reinvestinAmerica, but theyalso help drive down gas prices to below$3per gallon from record-high prices

In addition to cutting regulations, Republicans in Washingtonpassed the OneBig BeautifulBill. This legislation secured our border,doubledthe child tax credit and eliminated taxes on tips and overtime. By extending the 2017 tax cuts, we saved Louisianians from an average tax increase of $1,214 per family

Inflation is now down to 2.7%per year from upward of 9% underPresident

Biden. Thatdoesn’tmean, however,that the lowprices from President Trump’s first term will come back.Lower inflationonly means thatprices arenot growing as quickly.Ifwewanttobring the costofliving within reach for more Louisiana families, we must increase incomes Fortunately,real wageshave already begun to climb under President Trump. In fact, wages for blue-collar workers increased faster in the first half of this year thantheyhaveinany time in recenthistory.Add in the fact thatAmerica’sGDP grew at astaggering 4.3%, and Louisianians have alot of reasonstobe optimistic aboutthe high-paying jobs on the horizon.

We’re offtoagreat start, but Congress still hasa lotofwork to do to keep wages growing andreturn asense of normalcy to the pocketbooks of Louisianians. We need to address ourbroken health care system, bolsterour immigration policies,reformour burdensome regulatory state andaddress the soaring price of housing.

To do anyofthis, though, we need 60 votesinthe Senate.You don’thave to be asenioratCaltech to know that most of my Democratic colleagues hate President Trump. They’ll never cast avoteto help the Republican agenda, and that’s their right. The only wayaround the 60-vote requirement is to use the 1974 CongressionalBudgetAct’s reconciliationprocess. This procedure allows us to pass legislationwith 51 votes—just like we did with the One Big Beautiful Bill.

We still have two opportunities to use reconciliationtopass legislation with a simple majority.That’swhy Ihave been hounding Senate leadership to put reconciliation to use to address the cost of living in America, with or without our Democratic friends. Prices may notsoonreturn to where theywerebeforePresident Biden destroyedthe costofliving in America, but the right policies can ensure that Louisianians have the income theyneed to breathe easy in this new year

John Kennedy represents Louisiana in theU.S.Senate.

ISSUEOFTHE WEEK MINNESOTA

After Renee Good, aU.S.citizen, was shot and killed by an Immigration and CustomsEnforcement agent in Minneapolis, tensions have continuedtobuild in the city as residents opposeICE raids President Donald Trumphas said he couldsend troops into the state to restore orderasclashes between protestersand immigration enforcement officers shownosign of easing.Theconfrontation between aRepublicanpresidentand aDemocratic-run city and state is testingthe limitsoffederal power. Meanwhile, as Trumpappears to have backed away from someofhis harshest words,somesay state leadersinMinnesotaalso have adutytoratchet down the rhetoric. Hereare twoperspectives

What if Trumpmade warand nobody came?

President Donald Trump’sapproval ratings are down the drain. The midterms are coming, andifDemocrats prevail, his agenda gets boxed in fast. What can he do to avoid that outcome? Well, what’sworked in the past?Immigration!

Minnesotaand the battle to crippleICE

Former President Joe Biden had irresponsibly left borders open for too long, afailure that suited Trump just fine. Abipartisanfix emerged, and Trump pressured Republicans to reject it. He needed ashow

Few foreigners are entering the country illegally these days, and so Trump had to create the appearance of anew immigration crisis. Easy Send armies of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into Minneapolis. In doing so, he tried to link afraud investigation —one involving many membersofthe Somali community —toillegal immigration. The swindles are outrageous, but most of the Somalis involved are in this country legally.That is not an immigration issue, but Trump is an expert at mixing things up.

Another advantage to making war in Minneapolis was the knowledge that many in that generally liberal city would give him that war and provide street theater for media coverage. The performers came out on cue and put on shows. Some were clownish, though most were peaceful. Others threatened violence andbrought tensions to aboil.

Cecil B. DeMille had nothing on Trump in creating spectacle. Unlike DeMille, Trump casts “order” as the hero and ragtag discontentsasthe villains. The ICE officers didn’tsend themselves into these cities. Trump did. Some may have acted badly,but they arehumans.

They were being used by Trump on oneside while being provoked by the other

There was really no excuse for aprotest at achurch in St. Paul, where apastor reportedly also worked as an ICE agent. The ICE agentsreally are not the

enemies here. It’sthe people who put theminimpossible situations. What transpired in thefatal shooting of Renee Good should be settled by an in-depth federal investigation. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said thatthe morethe Trump administration refuses to conduct one, “themore frustrationbuilds hereamong the people I speak to.”

To stoke more chaos, the Trump administration has given ICE daily quotas on the number of arrests. That forces —or incentivizes —them to hassle brown people without cause. Trump campaigned on thepromise to at first limit these resources for undocumented immigrants who had committed crimes. He broke that promise, and his brutal campaign against immigrants, legal or otherwise, is abig reason his poll numbers on immigration went negative.

Theworry for Democrats isthat some of their prominent figures may help Trump by playing the“Abolish ICE” card again. That was very bad for them last time. MostAmericans supportimmigration but want it kept legal. “AbolishICE” sounds alot like “Defund the Police.” (“Abolish ICE” probably cost Wisconsin Lt. Gov.Mandela Barnes and Democrats —aSenate seat in 2022. He lost to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson by ahair.)

What if these armies of agents showed up and the town answered by pulling the shades and turning on the TV?Confrontation is Trump’spreferred setting, andconfusion caused by amultitude of playersblursthe lines

Note that Trump hasn’tsent the forces intoconservative Texas or Florida —stateswithfar higher percentages of undocumented immigrants than Minnesota. Andhehas cut back on raids in California farm country,whereundocumented immigrants provide much of the labor.

Trump’slatest verbal escalationcontainedinthreatstoinvoke the Insurrection Act and send in active-duty troops suggests he’sworried thetemperature may soon drop. Democrats,don’t be suckers

Froma Harrop on X@FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

You’ve seen videos of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers struggling to apprehendillegalimmigrants in Minneapolis and elsewhere around the country.Many of those immigrants have criminal records. The reason ICE struggles to detainthemis thatheavily Democratic jurisdictions,suchas Minneapolis, specifically make it hard forimmigration authorities to detain criminal illegal immigrants That’s thepoint of sanctuary laws —toerect abarrier between the illegal immigrant and federal immigrationlaw.Inamore normal world, when aperson who is in the country illegally and who has committed another crime is released from jail, local authorities would notify federal immigration officials, who would thenpickupthe illegal immigrant and put them on thepath to deportation. Not in sanctuary jurisdictions. Their laws, passed by Democratic local and state governments, forbid local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. If ICE wantstodeport acriminal who is in the country illegally,ICE will have to find them itself. That is what often leadsto the scenes of ICE officers showing up in neighborhoods. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C.,a bitter debate about the future of ICE is underway and likely to intensify in thecoming days as Congress attempts to pass ahomeland security funding bill. Many Democrats see thisastheir opportunity to take asledgehammer to ICE. There is ahard core of progressive Democratswho have signed on to the “Abolish ICE” cause that flourishedfor awhile in the first Trump administration. On the other hand, some Democrats are afraid the momentumtoabolishICE will grow and become aliabilityfor the party.The Searchlight Institute, amoderateDemocratic think tank, recently said that while the idea of abolishing ICE might appeal to some in theparty, “it means that you support getting rid

of theagencyresponsible forenforcing immigration andcustomslaws, creating alawless system wherepeople who enter thecountry illegally can stay here indefinitely, leaving no agency charged withfinding andremoving them.This will, inevitably,incentivizeothers to come to theUnited States illegally.” Whenthe time to vote comes, it seems likely there will be enough moderate Democrats to joinwithRepublicans, who nearlyunanimouslysupport ICE, to getthe bill through theHouse of Representatives. Whatwill happeninthe Senate whenDemocrats force thefunding bill to get60votes to go forward is anybody’sguess.

Finally,anti-ICE activisminMinneapolis hit anew high, or low, withthe invasion of achurch serviceonSunday Several protesters claimed they had aFirst Amendment right to bargeinto theservice, interrupt worship with theiryelling, andshut thechurch down. That’snot howthe First Amendment works, of course; theFirst Amendment’s right to free speech does not allowprotesters to cancel others’ First Amendment right to religious expression.Inaddition, theprotesters, ledby a“civil rights lawyer,”likely violated alaw calledthe Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which was passed in 1994 to protect access to both abortion clinicsand churches. The FACE Act mandates fines or imprisonmentfor anyone who“by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction,intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes withorattemptstoinjure, intimidate or interfere withany person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise theFirst Amendment right of religious freedom at aplace of religious worship.”That seemsanexact description of what theprotesters did Now, theJustice Departmentislooking intothe church matter,while local officialssearch forfurther ways to obstruct ICE, and someDemocrats in Washington seek waystocut back or shut down theagency. The Battleof Minnesota goes on,both in Minnesota andinWashington,withnoend in sight. Email Byron York at byork@ washingtonexaminer.com.

Plaquemine official faces felony charges

Investigation reveals voter registration irregularities

BY AIDAN McCAHILL

Staff writer

A Plaquemine City Council member is facing five felony charges after allegedly registering out-oftown voters to support her

in the 2024 general election.

Council member Wanda Jones is accused of submitting voter registration applications for at least 28 people who did not live within Plaquemine city limits. The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office is waiting for Jones to turn herself in, according to Sheriff Brett Stassi.

Iberville District Attorney Tony Clayton said Jones enlisted some of her

children and grandchildren in the effort. She now faces five counts each of election offenses affecting registration and election fraud, most involving the family members, he said.

“We decided those would be the easiest to prosecute,” Clayton said. Attempts to contact Jones for comment were unsuccessful.

A Registrar of Voters employee noticed irregularities in the applications and

reported them to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office, Stassi said. The Secretary of State’s Office then conducted an investigation and turned the results over to the District Attorney’s Office, Stassi said. Clayton agreed to the five charges and notified Stassi In the Nov 5, 2024, election, Jones defeated fellow Democrat Mary “Beth” Bueche 269–183, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s records.

HUB

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menu item, pasta alla puttanesca, featured noodles simply dressed with herbs, tomatoes, garlic and olives.

Chef Vizier imparts an unmistakable Louisiana flavor to the entrees, creating an intentional culinary fusion that sparks discussion about how foodways influence each other and evolve in distinct ways. Wednesday, or beans day, could feature a French cassoulet, or a traditional Louisiana red beans and rice — with a side of culinary exploration into how the dish came to re-

EMERSON

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legislation and plays an important role in determining which state construction projects get funding.

In 2024, Emerson sponsored the legislation, pushed by Gov Jeff Landry, that creates the closed primary system for federal elections beginning this year Under that system, candidates will qualify from Feb. 11-13 for the congressional and Senate primaries to be held on May 16 If no candidate wins at least 50% in

Continued from page 1B

shelves of natural wines, and gastronomic offerings like tinned fish, house-made breads, imported pantry items and other elevated food and hosting accouterments since 2020.

“We’re pretty shocked to be nominated,” said Denny Culbert. “We still consider ourselves a mostly retail wine shop, but we’re incredibly proud of the wine service side of our place too. Our shop crew deserves all the credit for this nomination. They know our downtown community and take pride in this place as much as Katie and I do.

“Wild Child is the kind of place that we would seek out in any other city in the world when we travel

flect how locals cook, work and serve their families and community

“Every person that comes through here creates a ripple in the space, and that is how the menu begins to develop,” said volunteer Gene Paquette, a former bookseller who curates the wide selection of art books in the shop at Café NUNU. Vizier added, “My grandpa loves to cook, and whenever he was in the kitchen, he would tell me, ‘It’s the cook that makes the difference.’ You can take a recipe and give it to multiple people, and it will all be different. Whenever I’m cooking I remember that, and I make it my own.”

Her family traditions shine

the party primary, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on June 27. Her legislation ended the jungle primary system for federal elections.

In 2024, Emerson also sponsored the legislation that repealed the corporate franchise tax, which is a levy on corporate assets.

In 2024, Emerson shepherded through the House a measure that gives parents greater opportunities to use public dollars to pay for their children to study at private schools. The bill setting up the program, known as LA GATOR, was sponsored by Sen. Rick Ed-

We’re happy other people like it too.”

The James Beard Foundation presents the James Beard Awards annually to celebrate excellence in food and hospitality, including awards for outstanding restaurateurs and restaurants, best regional chefs, outstanding bakeries and more. Lafayette chefs and restaurants have been recognized previously in the James Beard Awards. Madonna Broussard, chef at Laura’s II in Lafayette, was a semifinalist last year for “Best Chef” in the South. Other Lafayette nominees include Justin Girouard with The French Press, who was a “Best Chef” semifinalist in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Manny Augello with Bread & Circus Provisions (closed in 2021) was a “Best Chef” semifinalist in 2018,

through the cafe’s tiramisu, constructed with the “’tit gateau sec” dried tea cookies common to Louisiana kitchens, instead of ladyfingers.

“We all grew up on these little dried cookies,” said Marks. “A lot of food was prepared that way because it was easy It held for longer and when people were traveling, they would pack a bunch to eat along the journey She’s taken these ideas and put a spin on it.”

Lunchtime visitors can enjoy a stroll around NUNU’s shop and gallery space, where books, textiles, pottery, prints and found materials create an atmosphere worthy of lingering. Café NUNU is located inside the

monds, R-Baton Rouge.

In 2025, Emerson pushed for big tax cuts. The House passed the measures but they were derailed by the Senate because the cost to the treasury would have led to big budget cuts.

With Emerson’s departure, the other Republicans in the Senate race are Cassidy, state Sen. Blake Miguez of New Iberia, state treasurer John Fleming, Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta and St. Tammany Parish Council member Kathy Seiden.

Three little-known Democrats have said they plan to run as well.

at 1510 Courtableau Hwy., Arnaudville. Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

BRIDGES

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Chaisson said the firm that designed the bridge, Crescent Engineering & Mapping, did so in less than 90 days, and the construction contractor, RNGD, is scheduled to complete the work by July or August.

“It’s harnessing the power of that private sector,” Chaisson said in an interview

Washington Parish President Ryan Seal said the project demonstrates “what can be achieved when state leadership, local government and technical teams are fully aligned.”

“That collaboration allowed the state to move from concept to construction far more efficiently than traditional timelines,” he said.

Of the 62 bridges most less than 150 feet long and 30 feet wide and crossing ditches, canals and creeks — contracts for construction on 10 others have been signed and work should get underway in the next few weeks, Chaisson said.

For the entire package of bridges, engineering plans are complete for roughly 40% and contractors are on board for about 25%, and completion of all is on target for the end of 2026, he said.

Looking to private sector

The Office of Louisiana Highway Construction handles upkeep of 4,000 miles of rural and local roads and 2,800 bridges across the state that aren’t big enough to qualify for federal funding for repairs. And, with a staff that likely won’t grow beyond three people this year, the office will hire private companies for maintenance or construction work.

An executive management officer who will handle administrative work starts Monday and a project manager will join the office eventually “I think for now we’re go-

ing to hold it steady at three people and really lean on the private sector when it comes to not only engineering and construction but the maintenance side as well,” Chaisson said. He said whether the work involves bridges, potholes, stop signs, or “whatever the case may be,” the office will look to the private sector to handle it.

In addition to the bridges, the office is also working on three asphalt preservation projects, Chaisson said Two of those in Olla and Shreveport are under contract and a third in Assumption Parish is close to an award.

State leaders at the groundbreaking in Washington Parish also said they’re looking at putting together a second package of 54 bridges for next year Quicker bids

To help the new transportation office, state lawmakers gave it temporary emergency procurement powers letting it bypass lengthier standard public bidding procedures aimed at fairness and transparency That allowed the office to quickly select engineering firms for this year’s 62 bridge projects.

The office’s emergency procurement authority could be extended by state lawmakers this year, Chaisson said. The bridges would need to be in serious need of repair, he said.

“We’ve talked to the (House) speaker and Senate president about doing that,” he said. “We’re asking them to at least extend it to the end of 2026 to help us get through these 62.” The Office of Louisiana Highway Construction in September took over rehabbing those bridges from the Department of Transportation and Development. State officials said they wanted that office, rather than DOTD, to take the lead and take advantage of the less restrictive bidding procedures to expedite work.

and in 2020 Lafayette’s Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant, with Vermilion Architects, were nominated in the Outstanding Restaurant Design category Final winners across all categories will be announced June 15 at a ceremony in Chicago.

LOTTERY

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21, 2026

PICK 3: 9-5-6

PICK 4: 3-0-7-6

PICK 5: 0-7-9-4-4 EASY 5: 20-22-24-29-32

LOTTO: 7-8-11-17-20-21

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

LSU athletics finished with a $3.8 million surplus and the football team turned a record profit during the 2025 fiscal year, according to an annual NCAA financial report.

The department recorded $223.4 million in revenue, a slight uptick from the year before, while spending $219.6 million. As a result, LSU ended up with a higher profit than the year before, when it had one of $1.73 million in the 2024 fiscal year

Financial summaries sent by schools to the governing body of college sports are available through public records law The figures covered July 2024 to June 2025, a period that included a national championship in baseball, former football coach Brian Kelly‘s third season and the last full school year under former athletic director Scott Woodward.

It was the last financial report before the implementation of revenue sharing rules that allowed schools to directly pay players in exchange for the use of their name, image and likeness rights. LSU said it would meet

SPORTS

track

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

Lexi Zeiss has gone to great lengths to pursue her gymnastics dreams. She left her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, after her freshman year of high school to train in Minneapolis at one of the nation’s top gyms: Twin City Twisters. Her parents, Dana and Jess Zeiss, kept their home in Omaha, rented another in Minneapolis and spent three years shuttling back and forth between the two cities.

“My wife and I had many date nights in the Delta club at the Minneapolis airport switching off,” Jess Zeiss, said. There are sacrifices required to pursue the highest goals in sports. And debts to be paid. Lexi Zeiss made them and paid them. She was home-schooled her last three years of high school, a common practice for elitelevel gymnasts. The routines she was doing, with more

length and difficulty than those of collegiate gymnastics, took a toll on her physically Ultimately, in March 2023, it all came crashing down. Zeiss traveled to Stuttgart, Germany, as part of the USA Gymnastics team for the DTB Pokai meet there, but the night before, in vault practice, she shredded the deltoid muscle in her ankle. Soon after, she injured her other ankle as well. The injuries ended Zeiss’ hopes of making the U.S. Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Zeiss’ parents asked their only child if all the moving, all the training, all the not having a normal life was worth the effort. “It came with consequences,” Jess Zeiss said.

“My injury was really hard,” Zeiss said. “My recovery didn’t go the way it was planned. It was supposed to be faster I was constantly in pain and we couldn’t get it to go away.”

Gradually, Lexi Zeiss got her health back Her joy in

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Things were looking promising for the UL Ragin’ Cajuns in Thursday’s game at Appalachian State.

Jaxon Olvera’s steal and layup gave the Cajuns a one-point lead with 8:49 left to play in a game UL had led for 17:52 of the first 31 minutes. Then Mountaineers’ shooting star Jalen Tot completely took over the game for the next five minutes of the game to send UL home with a 72-58 loss to Appalachian State at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, North Carolina.

After scoring zero points in the first half, Tot scored all of his 21 points in the second half. His impressive stretch began with a four-point play for a 51-48 lead at 8:17. He then followed with 3-pointers at 7:33, 5:44, 5:00 and a really long one at 3:41 to push the Mountaineers’ lead to 65-52 in the double-digit win.

Tot’s six 3-pointers in the second half helped App State make 13 as a team — three of which came from Michael Marcus —

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

The NFL released the finalists for its most prestigious postseason honors Thursday, and one New Orleans Saints player made the cut.

Quarterback Tyler Shough is officially a finalist for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award, which is considered the definitive honor that will be unveiled at the annual NFL honors gala.

Joining Shough as finalists for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award are New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Emeka Egbuka, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson and Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

Shough engineered an impressive turnaround for the Saints after taking over as the team’s starting quarterback for a Week 9 contest against the Los Angeles Rams. He led New Orleans to a 5-4 record in his nine starts, finishing the season with more team wins than any other rookie quarterback despite starting only half the season. Three of the five wins Shough authored featured game-winning drives in the fourth

Djokovic one away from 400

Serbia star cruises to win at Australian Open

BY JOHN PYE AP sportswriter

MELBOURNE, Australia Novak

Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka made it a day for the ages at the Australian Open.

Djokovic improved to 399 wins in Grand Slam matches with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Francesco Maestrelli on Thursday, making the 38-year-old, 24-time major winner just one shy of becoming the first player ever to 400. He’s aiming to win an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title And if he does, he’ll beat Ken Rosewall’s record (aged 37 in 1972) as the oldest man in the Open era to win a major singles championship. The Rosewall name was prominent on Day 5 at Melbourne Park, where he was among the invited VIPs.

Wawrinka, at 40 years, 310 days, became the first man over 40 to reach the third round of a major since Rosewall in 1978. It took a 4 1/2-hour 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3) comeback victory over 21-year-old qualifier Arthur Gea. That’s the longest match of the 2026 tournament so far Wawrinka, who is retiring at the end of the year, will next face No. 9 Taylor Fritz. Before then, he told the crowd at John Cain Arena: “I think I’ll pick up a beer I deserve one!”

His was one of three high-profile matches that finished around the same time, with Jannik Sinner continuing his bid for an Australian Open three-peat after beating James Duckworth 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.

The defining feature of Naomi Osaka’s first two rounds quickly moved from fashion to friction when her 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea ended in tension.

“I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it,” Osaka said. Day and night

With Sinner facing an Australian wild card, he got the prime time night slot and bumped 10-time Australian Open winner Djokovic into the afternoon session

That didn’t bother Djokovic as much as the dropped service game in the third set — his first of the tournament It stung Djokovic, who broke the Italian qualifier at love in the next game and finished on an eight-point roll.

He said he took extra time out in the offseason and fine-tuned some skills as he chases his biggest goals.

“When I have more time, then I obviously try to look at my game and different elements that I can really improve Otherwise, what’s the point?” he said. “That’s the kind of mentality I try to nurture.

It’s been allowing to me play at the highest level at this age.”

Iga wi tek beat Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-3 and later said she’s been trying to take lessons from Djokovic’s attitude to sustained success and longevity.

“It’s good to look at people like that and find inspiration,” the sixtime major winner said. “For sure I’ve got to learn to appreciate every single match,” she said.

Keys to success

Defending champion Madison Keys was down a double break in the second set before rallying to

beat Ashlyn Krueger 6-1, 7-5 and advancing to a third-round match against former No. 1 Karolina Plíšková.

Melbourne is where Keys made her Grand Slam breakthrough 12 months ago and since her return people have been asking her how confident she is about retaining the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.

“Whether or not I do repeat it,” she said, “I still get to keep Daphne at home!”

In that tough quarter of the draw, No. 4 Amanda Anisimova fended off doubles champion Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4 and sixthseeded Jessica Pegula won 6-0, 6-2 over McCartney Kessler, her doubles partner

Anisimova, who has been runner-up at the last two major tournaments, will next play fellow American Peyton Stearns. Pegula will next face Oksana Selekhmeteva, who upset 2025 semifinalist Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-4. No. 5 Elena Rybakina advanced over Varvara Gracheva and No. 10 Belinda Bencic was ousted by Nikola Bartunkova.

Men’s draw

Eighth-seeded Ben Shelton, a

semifinalist here last year, reached the third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny

His fellow American Eliot Spizzirri beat Wu Yibing in five grueling sets and will next face Sinner

Two men’s seeds tumbled: Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open winner, ousted No. 21 Denis Shapovalov and Tomas Machac upset 2023

Australian Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).

Big, big crowds

The combined day and night crowd set a tournament record for the fourth time in five days, rising to 103,720. The cumulative total for the main draw so far is 508,430, prompting a lot of chatter about crowding.

Light will win

Before the start of the night session, spectators were asked to join in a moment of silence to remember the 15 people killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack last month. It was designated a national day of mourning in Australia and signs in Melbourne Park highlighted the message: “Light Will Win.

Pacific Life seeks to dismiss Busch lawsuit

BY JENNA FRYER AP auto racing writer

Pacific Life Insurance Company on Thursday asked a federal court to dismiss the $8.5 million lawsuit filed by NASCAR champion Kyle Busch and his wife over policies the Buschs claim were sold to them under false and negligent representations as tax-free income for retirement. The filing in the Western District of North Carolina the same court that just heard the Michael Jordanled antitrust suit against NASCAR alleges the Buschs purchased five separate Indexed Universal

policies between 2018 and 2022 to provide more than $90 million in insurance protection for the twotime NASCAR champion. The IUL policies were intended to provide immediate death benefit protection and “the opportunity to accumulate cash values when the policies are held for the long term.” Pacific Life claims Busch failed to fully fund the policies, let some lapse and surrendered the others.

Busch has claimed he is out $10.4 million and filed suit in October alleging Pacific Life failed to reveal the true risks of the policies.

his claims for breach of fiduciary and negligent misrepresentation come seven years after he began purchasing the policies and are therefore outside the three-year statute of limitations.

“A plaintiff cannot avoid the statute of limitations by remaining ‘willfully blind’: A man should not be allowed to close his eyes to the facts readily observable by ordinary attention, and maintain for his own advantage the position of ignorance,” Pacific Life wrote. “Such a principle would enable a careless man, and by reason of his carelessness, to extend his right to recover for an indefinite length of time.”

Rees joins Falcons as offensive coordinator

The Atlanta Falcons have named Tommy Rees offensive coordinator the team announced Thursday It’ll be a reunion for Rees and newly-appointed Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski. Rees worked under Stefanski for two years in Cleveland He was initially brought on as tight ends coach and pass game specialist in 2024 before being promoted to offensive coordinator prior to the 2025 season. He took over play-calling duties from Stefanski in Week 10 after a 2-6 start. Rees replaces Zac Robinson, who was recently hired as the offensive coordinator of NFC South foe Tampa Bay after two seasons in Atlanta. The Falcons also announced the hiring of Jacqueline Roberts, who will serve as the manager of coaching operations.

Liberty annonuce May 8 start to regular season

NEW YORK The Liberty are set to begin the WNBA’s 30th season on May 8 — if the league and the WNBPA are able to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement and avoid work stoppage. The spring matchup against the Connecticut Sun would be the WNBA debut of new Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco at Barclays Center The Friday evening matchup is the first of a 44-game WNBA schedule.

It’s still unknown how the initial 44-game schedule announced Wednesday will be impacted if CBA talks continue through the winter as spring approaches There’s no guarantee for play to begin on May 8 or if the 44-game season will remain as currently structured.

Mets acquire pitcher Peralta in Brewers trade

NEW YORK The active New York Mets acquired ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers from Milwaukee on Wednesday night in a trade that sent two prized young players to the Brewers. Milwaukee received pitcher Brandon Sproat and minor league infielder/outfielder Jett Williams. Both were rated among the game’s top 100 prospects by Baseball America.

Peralta gives the new-look Mets a frontline starter after their rotation faltered in the second half of a hugely disappointing 2025 season. Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting.

Lions’ Skipper retiring, will pursure coaching

DETROIT — Dan Skipper is reporting as retired.

Skipper, a fan favorite with the Detroit Lions, made the announcement via Instagram on Thursday “24 years of putting on pads and a helmet every fall. This year I’ll trade that out to pursue a career on the other side in coaching,” Skipper, 31, wrote “The memories and experiences that the NFL has brought me and my family are hard to put into words. Thankful for every person that has been apart of my journey.”

Skipper is reportedly volunteering as an offensive line coach for the East-West Shrine bowl, which is hosted in Texas.

Skipper has spent the last few seasons as the Lions’ swing tackle and their extra offensive lineman.

‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to be Olympic torchbearers

“Rather than accept responsibility for their own decisions, Plaintiffs now attempt to blame their negative outcome on the IUL product.”

An IUL is a combination life insurance policy that provides a

Pacific Life countered in its request to have the suit dismissed that both Buschs signed multiple documents acknowledging they understood the policies, including one that indicated the couple would pay planned premiums and hold the policies over 30 years through age 70 and beyond. “Instead of keeping the policies long enough to capitalize on their growth potential, Plaintiffs failed to timely pay planned premiums, failed to monitor allocation of their policy values between indexed and fixed accounts and surrendered the policies or allowed them to lapse,” Pacific Life wrote in the filing.

death benefit with a cash value component. The cash value growth is tied to a stock market index, supposedly with built-in protections against market downturns.

When he filed the suit last year Busch said he was told that if he paid $1 million for five years, he would be able to take out $800,000 a year once he turned 52. Busch claims when he received a sixth premium notice he began asking questions and discovered almost all of his money was gone.

Pacific Life has countered that the Buschs acknowledged understanding the policies, but also that

Pacific Life also maintains that all of the Buschs claims on misrepresentation are false due to the “express, repeated disclosures” they signed. Additionally, all five policies come with a cover letter that in bold capitalized letters says “READ YOUR POLICY CAREFULLY” and offered a 20-day cancelation window in which premiums would be refunded.

Both Buschs signed a form that certified they had received the policies and understood they must carefully review them, Pacific Life said The Buschs also named agent Rodney A. Smith in their lawsuit for steering the Buschs into an unsustainable, high-risk product, along with charging an up-front 35% commission they were unaware of.

MILAN The actors Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie who costar in the hit hockey romance TV series “Heated Rivalry” are set to be among the torchbearers carrying the Olympic flame on the way to the Opening Ceremony for the Milan Cortina Games.

The organizing committee announced Thursday that Williams and Storrie will take part in the torch relay The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 6. The series based off “Game Changers” books has captivated viewers with the fictional story of a Canadian and a

UL captures first Sun Belt victory of season

Junior Manley takes charge, leads Ragin’ Cajuns to victory with 25 points

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

After enduring more than enough frustration during the season, UL junior guard Mikaylah Manley and the Ragin’ Cajuns were due for a victorious night Manley exploded for 25 points to lead the Cajuns to their first Sun Belt victory of the season with a 69-66 win over Coastal Carolina on Wednesday at the Cajundome.

“I feel great,” Manley said. “I’ve just been trusting my work for real I definitely felt different tonight. My shots were falling in shootaround; it just felt good.”

The victory improved UL to 2-17 overall and 1-8 in league play, while Coastal Carolina dropped to 9-11 and 2-6. The Cajuns will next play at 6 p.m. Friday against Appalachian State in the Cajundome in a game originally scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday

ATHLETICS

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a $20.5 million spending cap in the first year of the system, which administrators said would create a financial deficit in the 2026 fiscal year. LSU has now exceeded $200 million in revenue for three straight years. It generated a slight increase in revenue in Fiscal Year 2025 compared to the year before in large part due to an increase in media rights payouts. LSU made $53.1 million from media rights after bringing in $43.6 million the previous year

As revenues continue to rise in major college sports, so have expenses. LSU spent $219.6 million, which was roughly $1 million more than the year before. The highest expenditures came from $82.7 million in combined compensation for coaches, support staff and administration. LSU also spent $27 million on unspecified operating expenses.

As usual, LSU football was the big money-maker. It reported $117.5 million in revenue and $50.7 million in expenses, resulting in a $66.8 million surplus, which is believed to be a record for the team. LSU football had never cleared a $60 million profit, according to available financial reports that date back to 2004. It generated a $52.4 million surplus the year before.

The increase was mostly thanks to multi-million dollar bumps in ticket sales ($43.6 million), media rights ($18.6 million) and conference distributions of bowl-generated revenue ($13.1 million). The team also received $28 million in outside contributions. Its total revenue was $9.6 million higher than the year before.

LSU football’s expenses mostly remained the same, with one ex-

“During warmups, I was feeling it,” said Kahlen Norris, who contributed 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal to the win. “In the pregame speech, I kind of just had this feeling in my heart, like ‘This is our game.’ The energy was so good.”

The Cajuns took a 31-30 lead into the halftime session and then trailed 47-46 entering the final period. That had happened several times during league play, only for the Cajuns to falter in the fourth quarter

That didn’t happen this time around Instead, UL opened up the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run on 3-pointers from Manley and Norris and a putback from Norris for a 54-47 lead with 6:25 left.

“I told her (Manley) to forget about scoring,” UL coach Garry Brodhead said of Manley, who added six rebounds, an assist and a steal “I needed her to rebound and defend. If she rebounded and defended, the scoring was going to come.

“She worries too much about scoring when she’s missing shots, and she didn’t tonight. She’s got to help us elsewhere and she did that tonight.”

Things got a little testy down the stretch. UL began the night with eight available players and then foul trouble set in. Three players

ception. It spent $4.3 million less on unspecified “other operating expenses” than the year before, which includes non-team travel and team banquets or awards.

The only other team to record a profit was men’s basketball, which made $2.5 million in head coach Matt McMahon’s third season.

Even though the team went 14-18 overall and 3-15 in the SEC, its media rights increased to $6.8 million, providing a larger financial cushion as expenses held steady Despite its issues on the court, LSU men’s basketball has made money for four straight years.

LSU women’s basketball lost the most money of the teams on campus, a regular occurrence ever since the school hired coach Kim Mulkey and decided to invest more in the program. LSU spent $12.09 million on the team, with the larg-

est expense coming on salaries and benefits ($6 million) for Mulkey and her staff.

LSU women’s basketball lost $7.9 million during a season in which it went 31-6 overall and made it to the Elite Eight. Though ticket sales continued to go up, reaching $1.6 million, the team does not receive much from NCAA and SEC distributions. It also does not make any money on media rights the way men’s basketball does.

In baseball, LSU baseball lost $921,607 as it won the national championship for the second time in coach Jay Johnson’s four seasons That was less than the year before, when it lost $1.9 million, but operating the team has become more expensive than it used to be. LSU spent $10.9 million that season, compared to $5.9 million three years earlier

—

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

ä Appalachian State UL

6 P.M. FRIDAy ESPN+

four fouls while collecting eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal.

As a result, the Chanticleers cut UL’s lead to 67-66 with six seconds left after two Tessa Grady free throws.

Fortunately for the Cajuns, Amijah Price made two free throws with three seconds left to secure the win. Price finished with 10 points and six boards.

Free throws were a huge part of UL’s win — making 23 of 28 tries for 82.1% compared to Coastal only making 60.6% of its 33 attempts.

Defensively, the Cajuns limited the Chanticleers to 6-of-30 shooting from 3-point land for 20%.

“When we came out at halftime, we went to that 1-2-2 zone,” Brodhead said. “It has the same principles as our man-to-man, where you’re running everywhere our man isn’t about sliding, it’s about running. I thought that kind of caught them off guard.”

and

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

performance in a Week 18 loss to the Atlanta Falcons a game the Saints played without most of their top offensive play-makers — allowed McMillan to pull back ahead in the race. McMillan was recently named the Pro Football Writers Association Rookie of the Year, though Shough made the All-Rookie team at quarterback ahead of Dart.

The last time a Saints player won Rookie of the Year honors was in 2017, when both Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore took home the offensive and defensive honors. Running backs George Rogers (1981) and Rueben Mayes (1986) also took home the AP’s top rookie honors. Shough was also recently named a finalist for the Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Year a promotional award that is determined by fan vote.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1C

while UL only made six and shot 24% behind the arc. One game after being the hero with two clutch 3s at South Alabama on Saturday, Olvera struggled mightily for the Cajuns. For much of the 23-4 run, the Mountaineers enjoyed turning a tight game into a blowout. Tot’s bombs were followed by Olvera’s misses on his way to finishing 3-of-14 from the field and 1-of-9 behind the arc.

Dorian Finister finished with 16 points behind a 6-of-6 showing at the line, but UL’s only other double-figure scorer was De’Vion Lavergne with 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Finister settled for nine points in Saturday’s win, snapping a streak of 10 straight games with at least 14 points for the Cajuns. The Cajuns only had six turnovers in the game, but just had no answer for App State’s nine 3s in the second half.

Todd Jones and Jeremiah Evans both scored six points on

3-of-4 shooting and combined for 10 rebounds, but the Cajuns’ perimeter game was off the mark in this road contest. The Mountaineers shot 52.1% from the field for the game, compared to 37.9% for UL. App State outrebounded the game 39-24 in the win.

Tot was one of four doublefigure scorers along with Kasen Jennings with 7, Marcus with 13 and Luke Wilson with 11 points and nine rebounds. Wilson had a key offensive rebound of a missed free throw and two dunks during App State’s decisive 23-4 run down the stretch.

Appalachian State is now 32-7 at home over the last three seasons to improve to 12-9 overall and 5-4 in Sun Belt play Because of dangerous weather conditions, the Mountaineers will now play UL-Monroe at noon on Friday Meanwhile, UL’s Saturday game at Old Dominion has been moved to Feb. 16, so the Cajuns (5-16, 3-6) will return to the court against Georgia State on Thursday at the Cajundome.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

doing gymnastics back. Though she does take some LSU classes online, the Tigers’ sophomore finds enjoyment in something mundane for most college students: simply going to class. She also has found joy in the team aspect of collegiate gymnastics: eight of her teammates stayed at the Zeiss home in Omaha during LSU’s run to the 2025 College World Series title.

“I’ve really just started to enjoy competing again,” Zeiss said Monday as the Tigers began preparations for Friday’s home opener against Kentucky (6:30 p.m., SEC Network). “I lost that a little before I got here I’m just being free and doing it for everyone. For the team. Just doing my normal. I’m being better at self-care. It’s a good mix of everything.”

A two-event competitor in 2025 as an LSU freshman on vault and uneven bars, Zeiss has extended her repertoire with balance beam as well in the Tigers’ first two meets. Her scores have been consistently strong in this early part of the season when scoring has been tight across the nation: three 9.85s, two 9.875s and a 9.90 on bars this past Friday at Georgia. Actually, LSU coach Jay Clark argued vociferously at the Sprouts Collegiate Quad meet two weeks ago that Zeiss’ 9.85 on beam should have been at least a 9.875 because one

judge incorrectly devalued one of the skill elements and, in his view did not correctly upgrade the score after the error was made. Just that fraction of a deduction kept LSU from an outright victory in that meet instead of a tie with Oklahoma at 197.500. “A 9.875 (by Zeiss) would have won the meet,” he said. Still, LSU’s performance in the Sprouts meet was an encouraging one, the Tigers’ highest road score in a season opener in program history One week later at Georgia, LSU was not celebrat-

ing, as the Tigers had to count two poor scores of 9.65 and 9.575 in a frustrating 197.200-196.850 loss to the Bulldogs. It marked the fourth straight year that LSU (2-1-1 overall, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) has lost its SEC road opener Clark this week stressed the importance of not looking back at past performances good or bad, but only being focused on moving forward to try to be the championship-caliber program LSU has eventually been after those three early SEC road losses. Zeiss said the Tigers have gotten

the message.

“Our main approach is moving on,” she said. “We addressed what we needed to address (after Georgia) in a team meeting. It was a good, athlete-led meeting. “It’s early We’re growing and focused on ourselves and how we can improve.”

While LSU had its frustrations in the Georgia meet, the Tigers still carry a 197.175 season average that still has them ranked No. 4 in the country This week’s opponent, Kentucky has had much bigger struggles. Though

the Wildcats have two gymnasts ranked in the top-10 individually — Anna Flynn is tied for fourth on vault with LSU’s Kailin

Beltrán’s wife intently followed HOF vote-tracker

BY ALEX RUBINSON Associated Press

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y Carlos

Beltrán’s wife followed Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame votetracker with the intensity of an investor tracking the markets.

“My wife would wake up every morning and she was like, ‘Yes,’ and I was like, ‘What happened?’” he said Thursday during his first visit to the Hall of Fame since his election. “She was like, ‘We got five votes,’ and then she was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on? We lost five points.”

Making his fourth appearance of the ballot, Beltrán received 358 of 425 votes for 84.2% from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in voting announced Tuesday That was 39 above the 319 needed for the 75% threshold.

Andruw Jones, in the ninth of 10 possible appearances, was picked on 333 ballots for 78.4%.

Beltrán fell 19 votes short last year Jessica kept him informed of this year’s projection.

“She made me aware every single morning where I was, and if it was going to be a good day or a bad day,” he said.

Just two center fielders had been elected by the BBWAA in the previous 45 years, Ken Griffey Jr. and Kirby Puckett.

“I never dreamed about being a Hall of Famer,” Jones said. “It’s kind of a weight off of my shoulders. All of my family was telling me about it. All of my fans, all of my friends, they were like ‘oh when are you going to get that call’, and I just said ‘I’m just living like it’s probably never going to happen.’”

Beltrán was the only Houston Astros player mentioned by name in

a report by Major League Baseball regarding the team’s illicit use of electronics to steal signs during the teams run to the 2017 World Series championship his final season.

“Honestly, I know that’s part of my story,” Beltrán said. “There’s no doubt that as a team, we altogether put ourselves in that position. Looking back, understanding what we did and where we were and how we were able to do it as a

team, there’s a lot of times you get caught up thinking on that moment, and there’s a lot of times when you think of: We did take it to a different level, meaning on finding ways to beat the opposing team.”

“As a group and as an organization, we also felt being able to find a way to take advantage of the opposing team is something that every team will do whatever it takes to win in baseball,” he added.

“When you hear the name Carlos

Beltrán, that’s something that’s going to be attached to my name, and at the same time, that doesn’t really define the person that I am.”

Beltrán has helped grow baseball in his native Puerto Rico, where he has a school that provides developmental and educational opportunities.

“Perfection is part of no one’s life,” Beltrán said.

When Beltrán reached the major leagues with the Kansas City Roy-

SCOREBOARD

112. NEW ORLEANS (104) Bey 4-12 11-11 20, Williamson 2-5 0-3 4 Queen 2-2 1-2 5, Fears 4-8 4-4 12, Murphy III 6-19 3-3 17, Looney 2-2 0-0 4, Matkovic 2-3 0-0 5, Peavy 7-11 0-0 17, Missi 2-4 0-0 4, McGowens 1-3 3-3 5, Poole 4-17 3-4 11. Totals 36-86 25-30 104. Detroit 34 34 21 23 — 112 New Orleans 30 32 22 20 104 3-Point Goals—Detroit 15-39 (Robinson 4-9, Green 2-3, Ivey 2-5, Harris 2-6, Jenkins 2-6, Holland II 1-1, Stewart 1-4, Sasser 1-5), New Orleans 7-32 (Peavy 3-5, Murphy III 2-9, Matkovic 1-2, Bey 1-5, Fears 0-2, McGowens 0-2, Poole 0-7). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Detroit 47 (Duren 15), New Orleans 46 (Looney, Peavy 7). Assists—Detroit 26 (Jenkins, Sasser 4), New Orleans 19 (Queen 8). Total Fouls—Detroit 21, New Orleans 20. A—15,502 (16,867) Pro tennis Australian Open results Thursday At Melbourne Park Melbourne, Australia Purse: AUD111,500,000 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Men’s Singles Second Round Jakub Mensik (16), Czechia, def. Rafael Jodar, Spain, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. Karen Khachanov (15), Russia, def. Nishesh Basavareddy, United States, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. Valentin Vacherot (30), Monaco, def. Rinky Hijikata, Australia, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Luciano Darderi (22), Italy, def. Sebastian Baez, Argentina, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. Ben Shelton (8), United States, def. Dane Sweeny, Australia, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Lorenzo Musetti (5), Italy, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Ethan Quinn, United States, def. Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-1. Novak Djokovic (4), Serbia, def. Francesco Maestrelli, Italy, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, def. Juncheng Shang, China, 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-3. Eliot Spizzirri, United States, def. Yibing Wu, China, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 4-6, 6-3. Marin Cilic, Croatia, def. Denis Shapovalov (21), Canada, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 Tomas Machac, Czechia, def. Stefanos Tsitsipas (31), Greece, 6-4, 3-6 7-6 (5) 7-6 (5) Stan Wawrinka, Switzerland, def. Arthur Gea, France, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3) Taylor Fritz (9), United States, def. Vit Kopriva, Czechia, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4)

Jannik Sinner (2), Italy, def. James Duckworth, Australia, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Casper Ruud (12), Norway, def. Jaume Munar, Spain, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. Women’s Singles Second Round Madison Keys (9), United States, def. Ashlyn Krueger, United States, 6-1, 7-5. Jessica Pegula (6), United States, def. McCartney Kessler, United States, 6-0, 6-2. Oksana Selekhmeteva, Russia, def. Paula Badosa (25), Spain, 6-4, 6-4. Karolina Pliskova, Czechia, def. Janice Tjen, Indonesia, 6-4, 6-4. Anna Kalinskaya (31), Russia, def. Julia Grabher, Austria, 6-3, 6-3. Peyton Stearns, United States, def. Petra Marcinko, Croatia, 6-2, 7-5. Linda Noskova (13), Czechia, def. Taylah Preston, Australia, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. Wang Xinyu, China, def. Jelena Ostapenko (24), Latvia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Amanda Anisimova (4), United States, def. Katerina Siniakova, Czechia, 6-1, 6-4. Maddison Inglis, Australia, def. Laura Siegemund, Germany, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (7). Elise Mertens (21), Belgium, def. Moyuka Uchijima, Japan, 6-3, 6-1. Iga Swiatek (2), Poland, def. Marie Bouzkova, Czechia, 6-2, 6-3. Tereza Valentova, Czechia, def. Linda Fruhvirtova, Czechia, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Naomi Osaka (16), Japan, def. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Elena Rybakina (5), Kazakhstan, def. Varvara Gracheva, Russia, 7-5, 6-2. Nikola Bartunkova, Czechia, def. Belinda Bencic (10), Switzerland,

als in 1998, he was just trying to develop a consistent approach to stay at the big league level

“I was lucky to come up here with an organization like the Kansas City Royals next to George Brett, who was very passionate about sharing information, helping the younger players develop, so after that year, I put such a good year as a rookie, now I was thinking I got to repeat this again,” Beltrán said. Jones received just 7.3% in his first blalot appearance in 2018 and didn’t get half the total until receiving 58.1% in 2023. He increased to 61.6% and 66.2%, falling 35 votes short last year

He had an annual tradition on the day vote totals were announced, going to a sushi bar and drinking sake regardless of his total. He changed his routine in 2025.

“I stayed home and when I didn’t get the call, I was like, ‘Man I could have been having good sake right now,’” Jones joked. Beltrán, among only five players with at least 400 homers and 300 stolen bases, arrived at the museum’s plaque gallery 45 minutes before the news conference. He made his way around the room to take in his newest teammates, saying the experience was overwhelming He showed his family the names who gained baseball’s highest honor and their accomplishments.

“I will encourage baseball fans to come to Cooperstown and understand the story of baseball,” Beltrán said. “The story of baseball is not about one player. It’s about multiple players, different nationalities, different backgrounds, understanding where the game began and where the game is today.”

Costumed creativity

BatonRougeGaller y, 1515 Dalr ympleDrive,

againhostits Sur real Salon Soireecelebration blending ar t, music and costumes galore from 7p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Advance tickets, $40for galler ymembers, $50 for nonmembers;$60 at the door.batonrougegallery.org

LIVING

BRMardi Gras Fest reveals lineup

Staff report

Blues, soul,R&B,reggae,jazz, pop/rock, contemporaryChristian, spoken wordand dance —visitors can experience all of thematthe 13th annual Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 7p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at North Boulevard Town Square, 222 North Blvd.

In addition to continuousmusic, the family-friendly,free festival will offer avendor’s villageand food court. Seating is on the lawn, so guests are encouraged to bring chairs.

Kerwin Fealing and Free Spirit will host. Performers will be Henry Turner Jr.& Flavor, the Listening Room All-Stars including Ervin “Maestro”Foster andthe Better Half Band, Kelton ‘Nspire Harper,King Solomon and Princess Teha.Returning acts include the Phoenix Rouge Dance Troupe, Big Queen Tanya Sylvas, Uncle Chess and SmokeHouse Porter and the Gut Bucket BluesBand.New to the festival will be Texans Celeste Marie Wilson and SysiaDeNae

Popartist Celeste Marie Wilson will perform at 2:20 p.m. Saturday, Feb.14, for the Baton RougeMardiGras Festival.

Audiences can also catch screeningsof“We’reGoing Down to the Mardi Gras:The Making of Henry Turner Jr.’s Mardi Gras Festival” at the River Center Branch Library, next to the festival grounds at 250 North Blvd. Times are 2p.m., 3:30p.m.and 5p.m. Turner narrates the 44-minutedocumentary, which was produced by Michele Barnes forher Rebirth Shield Film Productions. For more information, including VIP packageswith covered seating, food and drink tickets, call(225) 802-9681 or visit ultimatelouisianapar.wixsite.com/ brmardigrasfest. Apre-party from 7p.m. to midnight Thursday,Feb. 12, at HenryTurner Jr.’sListening Room, 2733 North St., will giveasneak peek of some of the talentscheduledtoplay on ä See FESTIVAL, page 6C

BY JUDYBERGERON| Staff writer

looks like an eclectic mix of country,Christian, rock and more are on the concert calendar for 2026. Under the category of “oldiesbut goodies,”there’sBob Dylan, “Weird Al”Yankovic and Emerson, Lake &Palmer.Relative countrynewcomers Bailey Zimmerman, Zach Bryanand James Dupré also aremakingittotown this year

With that, here are 12 of theconcertshappening in Baton Rouge andGonzales this year.All concerts are in Baton Rouge unless otherwise noted.

RaisingCane’sRiver Center

WINTER JAM2026: 7p.m. Thursday,March 12, Arena

Christianartists Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Katy Nichole, Hulvey,Disciple, Emerson Day and Newsong areinthe lineupfor theevening. Zane Black will speak, while a6 p.m. pre-jam partywill feature Jeremy Rosado, Heath Brothers and Cliff Preston. $15 donation at the door raisingcanesrivercenter.com.

RANDYTRAVIS: MORE LIFE TOUR: 7:30 p.m. Friday,March 27, Arena Although astroke has left Country MusicHallofFame vocalist Travis unable to perform, he will appear on stage duringthe show.Louisiana’sJames Dupré (“The Voice”) andTravis’ longtime band will perform his No. 1hits including “On TheOther Hand,” “Forever and Ever,Amen”and “Three Wooden Crosses.” $53-$249+. raisingcanesrivercenter.com.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

BAILEY ZIMMERMAN: DIFFERENT NIGHT SAME RODEO TOUR 2026: 7p.m. Friday,April 3, Arena Country musicbreakout starZimmermanhas already reached the topofthe chartswithhits including “Rock anda From Winter JamtoWeird Al, upcoming concerts to look

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC: CaneRiver Pecan CompanyPie Bar, New Iberia, 5p.m

RORYSUIRE: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m.

SEMI-CHARMED: The Ruins Lounge, Lafayette, 6p.m.

THE DAPDUO: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m.

JULIE WILLIAMS: Charley

G’s Seafood Grill,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette,6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6p.m.

MIKE BROUSSARD: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

DOYLE TAUZIN: Buck& Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

CEDRIC WATSON &BIJOU

CREOLE: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

THE GRAYWALKER

BAND: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m

12/16 TRIO: Whiskey and Vine, Lafayette, 7p.m

LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m.

SHOWSTOWATCH

JAMES MCMURTRY: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

JOHNNYMARKS: Toby’s Lounge,Opelousas, 8:30 p.m

SATURDAY

LEROYTHOMAS &THE ZYDECO ROADMASTERS: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8a.m.

TROYLEJEUNEBAND: Fred’s, Mamou,8 a.m.

CONCERTS

Continued from page5C

Hard Place,” “Religiously” and “Fall in Love.” He’s known for raw lyrics, powerhousevocals and heartfelt storytelling. Special guests will be Hudson Westbrook and Blake Whiten,two rising voices in country music. $25-$200+. raisingcanesrivercenter.com.

BOBDYLAN: ROUGH AND ROWDY

WAYS TOUR: 8p.m. Monday, April 27, Theater for Performing Arts What hasn’t been said about this prolific, iconic American singer-songwriter who, at 84, has had a68year music career and sold 125 million records worldwide? Among his most famous hits are “Blowin’in the Wind,” “The Times They Area-Changin’,” “Likea Rolling Stone” and“Knockin’ on Heaven’sDoor.” This show will be aphone-free experience. $121-$499+ raisingcanesrivercenter. com.

”WEIRD AL”YANKOVIC: BIGGER

&WEIRDER 2026: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday,Sept. 23, Arena Yankovic returnswithhis full-production multimedia comedy rock show.He’ll play his earworm hits as well as some never-performedlive-before fan favorites. The five-time Grammy Award winner is best known for his parodies of the biggest musical artists over the last 40 years, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Queen, U2 and Lady Gaga. $55-$233+. raisingcanesrivercenter.com.

LSU’sTiger Stadium

DEATH VALLEY LIVE: ZACH BRYAN: WITH HEAVENONTOUR: 7p.m. Saturday,March 28 Bryan, amultiplatinum country artist and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, will openLSU Athletics’ new “Death Valley Live” series. The last show in the stadium was in 2022 when superstar Garth Brooks played for acrowd of 100,000-plus. Caamp, an American folk band,and J.R. Carrollwill be the opening acts for the Bryan show Bryan’sbiggest hits are “Something in theOrange,” “Pink Skies,” “I Remember Everything” and “Sun to Me.” This won’tbeBryan’sfirst headlining showina Louisiana football stadium. In July 2024, he made atour stop at

‘ZOOTOPIA’

Continued from page5C

The film has earned the bulk of its money overseas, with an international box office total of $1.31 billion. In the U.S. and Canada, “Zootopia 2” has made $390 million. The movie’slargest international haul has come from China, where “Zootopia 2” grossed $610 million thus far The first “Zootopia” was a surprise hit in China, where

Touchet’s Bar,Maurice, 2p.m

ABI

CLAIRE: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m

JULIE WILLIAMS: Charley

G’sSeafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s

Brick Oven Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-nDuson,Duson, 6p.m

CHEAPER THAN THERAPY

TWO-O: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

BLAKELUQUETTE: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Pat’sAtchafalaya Club,Henderson 7p.m

LANDON ROMERO &2ND

GENERATION: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m

BAJAAJAZZ QUINTET: Whiskeyand Vine,Lafayette, 7p.m

SETH SPELL AND CAJUN

CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9a.m

SATURDAYMORNING

JAMSESSIONS: The Savoy Music Center, Eunice, 9a.m

CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC

JAM: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1p.m

CAJUN JAMSESSION:

the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for aconcert that attracted about40,000 fans. $34-$681. lsusports.evenue.net/events/CON.

Manship Theatre

BAND OF HEATHENS: 7:30 p.m.

Thursday,April 23, Manship

Theatre Formed in Austin in 2005, The Band of Heathens’ sound blendscountry and rock. The band looks back at its career for itsupcoming album,“Country Sides.”

“Principal songwriters Ed Jurdiand Gordy Quist give the bandits collective focus and provide the DNA to the songs beloved by folks around the globe,” according to aManship Theatre news release

Nearly15yearslater,the band’s2011 song “Hurricane” wentgold and eventually was certified platinum.

Local performersClay Parker andJodiJames will open the show,which is presented by RedDragon Listening Room. Tickets are $72.24-$94.34. manshiptheatre.org.

AN EVENING WITH EMERSON, LAKE &PALMER: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April28

Ah, what modern technology can do.Thisshow will combine video performance of the English prog rock band’slatemembers KeithEmerson and Greg Lake from asold-outRoyal Albert Hallshowfrom 1992 with live-on-stage performances of Carl Palmer and hisown ELP Legacy band (PaulBielatowicz and Simon Fitzpatrick)

Expectthe musicians, all playingtogether in sync, to perform hits like “Lucky Man,” “From the Beginning,” “KarnEvil 9”and “Fanfarefor the Common Man.”

ELP garnered nine RIAAcertified gold record albums in the USand sold an estimated48million records worldwide.

Alimited numberofVIP pre-show add-on tickets (whichinclude aQ&A and photo op) also are available. $70-$90.manshiptheatre org TOMMYPRINE IN CONCERT: 7:30 p.m. Saturday,May 16 RedDragonListening Room also is bringing singer/songwriterTommy Prine to town again. Prine is indeed theson of legendary songwriter John Prine, but is forging his own way through the music world, a release states.

audiences connected with rabbit copJudy Hopps’ storyline of moving fromasmall rural village to the big city,as well asthe unconventionalrelationship between Judyand her partner Nick Wilde,afox, Disney executives have said. Disney then built on that popularity by opening a “Zootopia”-themed land in Shanghai Disneyland —the only suchthemedareain any Disney park Butthe warm response in China was not agiven. Adecade ago, Hollywood

HEARTBEAT: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas

8:30 p.m.

5TH AVENUE: Rock ‘n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9p.m.

SUNDAY GLENN ZERINGUE: Whiskey&Vine, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: TanteMarie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro, 11:30 a.m.

BALDUDIMANCHE DIKKI DU &THE ZYDECO

KREWE: Vermilionville Lafayette, 1p.m.

CAJUN JAM: BayouTeche Brewing, Arnaudville 2p.m

RUSTY METOYER: Rock ‘n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 5p.m.

JULIE WILLIAMS: Charley G’sSeafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

STRONG: La Poussiere Cajun Dancehall, Breaux Bridge, 8p.m

STILL LIFEFOR HUMANS AND SWAMP DIESEL: Blue Moon Saloon,Lafayette, 8p.m

LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m

DAVID BUTTS &LA.

Prine haspreviously sold out three shows at Red Dragon.

“Tommy will be armed with hisacoustic guitar and an armload of great tunes, manyofwhich will appear on his upcoming album,” therelease also said. $72.24$94.34. manshiptheatre.org.

L’AubergeEvent Center

MARCBROUSSARD: 8p.m. Friday,Jan. 30

Louisiana soulsingersongwriter Broussard, a Carencro native, brings it on home for an evening of his hits(“Cry to Me,” “Give You the World,” “Home”) along with selections from his new studio album,“S.O.S.V: Songs of the’50s,” dueout Friday

The 11-song Artist Tone Records project will include renditions of soul, blues, rock andpop classics from the ’50s, two hits from the early’60s and aBroussard original.

The new album is Broussard’s latest entry in his philanthropic album series benefiting thenonprofit organization, Love of People, basedinLafayette. $15$57+ (general admission as well as elevated seats). lbatonrouge.com.

JOSH TURNER: THE COUNTRYMUSIC THING TOUR: 8p.m. Friday, Feb.20

South Carolina-bornsinger-songwriter Turner is knownfor his bass-baritone vocalsand traditionalistapproach to thegenre. Hishits include “Your Man,” “Would YouGoWith Me,” “Firecracker” and“Why Don’t We JustDance.” $59-$125. lbatonrouge.com.

Lamar-DixonExpoCenter (Gonzales)

BULLS,BANDS,& BARRELS: 5:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Saturday,March 14, Arena

“This isn’tyour grandpappy’srodeo!” is how LamarDixon is describing this combination event.

Tracy Lawrence will headlinethe eventwith special guest Tyler Nance. The music will follow “an adrenaline-packed night of bull riding and barrelracing,” Lamar-Dixon also states. $52.55-$195.47.bigtickets. com.

Staff writer Patrick Sloan-Turner contributed to this report.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

blockbusters thatgot government approval could count on the China market to boost their international box office totals. But since the COVID-19 pandemic, the recentgeopoliticaltensions between theU.S.and China andthe growth of thelocal filmindustry,that kind of reception has been much more unreliable. Thelast Disney filmthat was released in China and earned morethan $100 million was 2024’s“Alien: Romulus.”

Cafe Habana City, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

AUDREYBROUSSARD: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m

“HADESTOWN”: Heymann Center,Lafayette, 7:30 p.m

TUESDAY PAUL TASSIN: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

GLENN ZERINGUE: Whiskeyand Vine,Lafayette, 6p.m.

TERRYHUVAL &FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant Lafayette, 6p.m.

GREENLIGHTSESSIONS OPEN MIC: Jefferson Street Greenroom, Lafayette, 7p.m.

FORET TRADITION: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson,7 p.m.

SWAMP BLUES REVIVAL: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m

THE NIGHTJARS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m

MONDAY

PATRICIO LATINO SOLO:

“HADESTOWN”: Heymann Center,Lafayette, 7:30 p.m

WEDNESDAY DULCIMERJAM: St. Landry VisitorCenter Opelousas, 10 a.m.

KC JONES AND DANCOOLIK: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6p.m.

MICHALIS: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette,

6p.m.

ANDREW WAIN &LOGAN

TURNER JAZZ: Whiskey and Vine, Lafayette, 6p.m.

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

BRANDON MENARD: Tap Room, Youngsville,8 p.m

THURSDAY

JACK WOODSON: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

CHARLES &WENDY

TRICHE: Whiskeyand Vine,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6p.m.

RORYSUIRE: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m

MAJOR HANDY: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

JOHN BOUTTÉ: Acadiana Center for theArts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m

Compiledby MarchaundJones

Want yourvenue’s music listed? Email info/photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY forthe following Friday’spaper.

Howtoavoid oniontears

Dear Heloise: Iread your “freezing onions” hint to avoid crying allover them when slicing. Iuse another method that I have found successful: Wetapaper towel (or several)and place them beneath theonions when slicing. This eliminates the onion fumes that cause the tearing agony —Joe S.,in Chester,Virginia Wooden keepsakes

this with their children. Heloise

Sweatersaver

stead of having “study hall,” whynot use this time to teach geography?

Dear Heloise: To celebrate my children’sfirst Christmas,Itraced their little hands ontobalsa wood, cut them out, and painted them. Imade ornaments out of them for my Christmas tree! Now everyyear, thekids can see how much they have grown, and they love it! —Linda S.,via email Linda, Ihad afriend who did something similar on her children’sfirst birthday.She madewooden hands and painted the hands various colors over theyears. She wrote the dateinthe middle of each wooden hand. She did this with all three of her children. Twoyears ago, her oldest songot married, and his wife has decided to do

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, Jan. 23, the 23rd day of 2026. There are 342 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Jan. 23, 1870, approximately 200 Piegan Blackfoot tribe members, mostly women, children and older adults, were killed by U.S. Army troops under the command of Maj.Eugene MortimerBaker in Montana, in what becameknown as the BakerMassacre.

Also on this date: In 1789, Georgetown University was established in present-day Washington, D.C. In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive amedical degree in theUnited States.

In 1973, President RichardNixon announced an

FESTIVAL

Continuedfrom page5C

the festival’sTown Lawn Stage. Pre-party admissionis $30 and includes abuffet andno-hostbar.Performersexpected to appear are HenryTurner Jr.&Flavor, the Listening Room AllStars and special guests. The event is presented by Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room Museum Foundation, a501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Dear Heloise: Ihave cashmeresweaters, manyof which now have holes in them.The sweaters are stored in aplastic hanging bag with cedar sachets. Any suggestions on how to keep these expensive sweaters from being destroyed?

—Wanda, viaemail Wanda, first things first: The holes are likely caused from mothlarvae. Drycleaning and repairing the holes in cashmere sweaters is an expensive proposition, but it’slikely worth it. Remove the sweaters from the plastic bags and store them in adry,airtight container.Aplastic box with atight-fitting lid should be fine. Acedar sachet is OK,but it’sprobably not pungent enough to be toxic to moths. —Heloise

Speaking up on education

Dear Heloise: What is wrong with our schools? Iunderstand that they no longer teach cursive writing, and someschools have stopped teaching geography.In-

TODAYINHISTORY

accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris.

In 1986, the Rock and Rock Hall of Fameinducted its first members, including Chuck Berry,Little Richard and Elvis Presley

In 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl waskidnapped by extremists in Pakistan while researching Islamic militant groups, leading to the beheading of the American journalist weeks later in captivity

In 2020, Democratic House prosecutors presented arguments before skeptical Senate jurors at Donald Trump’sfirst impeachment trial over his dealings with Ukraine, accusing him of abuse of power.(The Republican-

Let’sextend school hours to 8a.m.-4 p.m.I feel like our children are being shortchanged when it comes to education. We’re falling behind in science and math, while kids in China, Russia, Vietnam and other countries are moving ahead. Now that the Department of Education has been gutted, how can we improve our schools? AshleyD., in Madison, Indiana Ashley,the first place to start is probably with your school district. Youneed to start agrassroots protest with others whofeel the sameway you do about the “dumbing down” of education. The underlying question is why? Why are students underperforming? Why are certain subjects not being taught? Demand answers from the school board. Write to your representatives in Congress and ask them whythey stand idly by while America’s education becomes so weak and unimpressive. If you stay silent, it will only get worse. —Heloise Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

led Senate would later vote to acquit Trump, and he would also be acquitted at another impeachment trial in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot).

Today’sbirthdays: Football Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer is 90. Jazz musician Gary Burton is 83. Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 76. Retired airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (‘Miracle on the Hudson’ landing) is 75. Rock singer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) is 73. Princess Caroline of Monaco is 69. Actor Mariska Hargitay is 62. Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan is 57. CBS News senior correspondent NorahO’Donnell is 52. Actor Tiffani Thiessen is 52. Actor Jack Reynor is 34. Singer and actress Rachel Crow is 28.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

10 A.M.-10:30 A.M.: Hosts Kerwin Fealing and Free Spirit

10:30 A.M.-11 A.M.: Ervin“Maestro” Foster andThe My Better Half Band (smooth jazz) 11:15 A.M.-11:35 A.M.: Dixie Rose (folk) 11:50 A.M.-12:10 P.M.: Kelton ‘Nspire Harper (motivational) 12:15 P.M.-12:45 P.M.: King Solomon (blues) 1P.M.-1:30 P.M.: SysiaDeNae (R&B) 1:45 P.M.-2:10 P.M.: Uncle Chess (R&B/soul) 2:20 P.M.-2:50 P.M.: Celeste MarieWilson (pop) 3P.M.-3:45 P.M.: Henry Turner

Jr. &Flavor(blues/soul/reggae)withBig Queen Tonya Sylvas 4P.M.-4:20 P.M.: Phoenix Rouge Dance Troupe(belly dancing) 4:30 P.M.-5 P.M.:

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Trump sues JPMorgan over being ‘debanked’

NEW YORK President Donald Trump sued banking giant JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion on Thursday over allegations that JPMorgan stopped providing banking services to him and his businesses for political reasons after he left office in January 2021.

The lawsuit, filed in MiamiDade County court in Florida, alleges that JPMorgan abruptly closed multiple accounts in February 2021 with just 60 days notice and no explanation. By doing so, Trump claims JPMorgan and Dimon cut the president and his businesses off from millions of dollars, disrupted their operations and forced Trump and the businesses to urgently open bank accounts elsewhere.

“JPMC debanked (Trump and his businesses) because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so,” the lawsuit alleges.

Debanking occurs when a bank closes the accounts of a customer or refuses to do business with a customer in the form of loans or other services. Once a relatively obscure issue in finance, debanking has become a politically charged issue in recent years, with conservative politicians arguing that banks have discriminated against them and their affiliated interests.

In its statement, JPMorgan said that it “regrets” that Trump sued the bank but insisted it did not close the accounts for political reasons.

Under Armour looking into data breach

BALTIMORE Clothing retailer Under Armour is investigating a recent data breach that purloined customers’ email addresses and other personal information, but so far there are no signs the hackers stole any passwords or financial information.

The breach is believed to have happened late last year, and affected 72 million email addresses, according to information cited by the cybersecurity website Have I Been Pwned. Some of the records taken also included personal information that included names, genders, birthdates and ZIP codes.

In an Under Armour statement acknowledging its probe into the claims of a data breach, the Baltimore-based company said: “We have no evidence to suggest this issue has affected UA.com or systems used to process payments or store customer passwords. Any implication that sensitive personal information of tens of millions of customers has been compromised is unfounded.”

Ryanair CEO dismisses Musk buying airline

LONDON Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary on Wednesday dismissed Elon Musk’s idea of buying the budget airline and shrugged off insults from the billionaire, in a war of words that erupted over installing Starlink systems on aircraft.

The spat between one of the world’s richest individuals and one of Europe’s most outspoken corporate bosses has been escalating for days. O’Leary said last week that the airline had ruled out putting Musk’s Starlink satellite Wi-Fi on Ryanair planes because the extra fuel drag from the system’s antennas would be too costly Responding to Musk’s accusations that he was “misinformed,” O’Leary told an Irish radio station that “I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk, he’s an idiot.” Musk fired back on his social media platform X, calling O’Leary an “utter idiot” and an “imbecile.” He posted, “Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge?” and polled his followers on the idea of buying the airline, with 76.5% responding yes

O’Leary told reporters in Dublin, where Ryanair is based, that non-European citizens can’t own a majority stake in a European airlines. Musk was born in South Africa and lives in the U.S. O’Leary, who’s known for trolling critics, thanked Musk for “additional publicity.”

Stocks up after tariff threat nixed

BY STAN CHOE

Associated Press

NEW YORK U.S stocks rose again

Thursday and regained more of their losses for the week following the latest walk back by President

Donald Trump from tariffs he had earlier threatened

The S&P 500 gained 0.5% and added to its big gain from Wednesday, when Trump said he had reached “the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland” and called off 10% tariffs for European countries that he said opposed his having the Arctic island. The index has recovered most of the losses it took after Trump shook financial markets with his initial tariff threat.

It’s the latest example of Trump making a big, initial threat, only to pull back after seeing how much pain it created in financial markets. The pattern has led to the

“TACO” acronym, suggesting that “Trump Always Chickens Out” if markets react strongly enough. Tuesday’s drop for the U.S. stock market was the worst since October and large enough that Trump, who often takes credit when Wall Street is doing well, acknowledged “the dip.”

But the pattern has also led to deals for Trump that outsiders may have initially considered unlikely if not for his market-shaking opening moves.

Details are still sparse about the framework of a deal on Greenland that Trump said he reached with the head of NATO. And it is not a signed deal yet.

Financial markets were still showing some signs of nervousness on Thursday Gold’s price swiveled between small losses and gains before turning 1.6% higher Its price often rises when investors are looking for something

safer to own. The value of the U.S. dollar also weakened against the euro and several other foreign currencies.

But Treasury yields held relatively steady in a signal that foreign investors weren’t rushing out of the U.S. bond market.

Yields got some support from reports on the U.S. economy’s strength that came in better than expected. One said fewer U.S workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected in a potential signal that the pace of layoffs remains low A second suggested the U.S. economy grew at a faster rate during the summer than the government initially estimated.

A third said that inflation in November was close to economists’ expectations, while spending by U.S. consumers was a touch better than expected.

On Wall Street, Northern Trust

climbed 6% after reporting a stronger profit for the end of 2025 than analysts expected. CEO Michael O’Grady also said that the financial services company is entering 2026 with “strong momentum across all our businesses.”

Procter & Gamble added 2.6% after likewise delivering a better profit than analysts expected. Revenue for the company behind the Downy, Pantene and Tide brands, though, fell just shy of expectations amid what CEO Shailesh Jejurikar called a “challenging consumer and geopolitical environment.”

Shares of BitGo, a company that helps crypto businesses and traditional financial firms hold and manage digital assets, rose 2.7% in their debut on the New York Stock Exchange. The company priced its stock at $18 per share in its initial public offering, above its earlier estimated range of $15 to $17.

FDA reviews Zyn advertising proposal

Philip Morris wants to market nicotine pouches as less harmful alternative for adults who smoke

BY MATTHEW PERRONE AP health writer

WASHINGTON Americans who smoke may soon be hearing a lot more about Zyn, the flavored nicotine pouches that have generated billions in sales while going viral on social media.

The Food and Drug Administration convened a public meeting Thursday to consider whether Philip Morris International should be allowed to advertise its pouches as a lessharmful alternative for adults who smoke cigarettes.

Government documents and presentations made at the meeting suggest FDA regulators are leaning toward approving the company’s request.

But a panel of independent experts asked pointed questions about the company’s research, the risks of underage use and whether the new marketing language would really steer smokers away from cigarettes. Nevertheless, they said the proposed risk statement is likely accurate.

“There are very few things that are legally available and worse for you than cigarettes, so it’s a pretty low bar to be safer than cigarettes,” said Lisa Postow, a panel member and scientist at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

The FDA is not bound to follow the panel’s guidance and will make the final decision on whether to approve the marketing claims There is no deadline for a decision.

Zyn contains nicotine powder and comes in 10 flavors, including mint, coffee and citrus Nicotine pouches have been a rare source of growth in the tobacco industry, where companies have struggled to replace shrinking revenue from cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other legacy products.

Philip Morris asked the agency to approve new marketing language for Zyn, emphasizing its relative health benefits when compared with cigarettes.

Specifically, the company wants to say that using Zyn reduces the risk of “mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke” and other smoking-related diseases Adding that language to Zyn promotional materials would further cement the brand in the U.S., where it

advertise its Zyn pouches as a less-harmful alternative for adults who smoke cigarettes.

dominates sales of nicotine pouches.

Last January, the FDA authorized Zyn to remain on the market after years of federal review, saying company data showed the small pouches are less harmful than cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products. Zyn was the first nicotine pouch to win FDA authorization. If FDA signs off on the “reduced risk” claims, Philip Morris would be able to use the language in ads, mailing materials and online posts.

“Adults who smoke need accurate information about different tobacco products and the relative risks associated with them,” said Keagan Lenihan, a Philip Morris vice president.

FDA scientists appeared to back the company’s proposal, saying “the totality of the evidence” supports the statement that Zyn reduces the risk of various smoking-related illnesses.

But the outside experts noted that Philip Morris did not conduct long-term studies of Zyn users or whether reading messages about lower risks led more smokers to switch.

“Whether or not the claim is going to accelerate that switching, there is no data here to answer that question,” said Cristine Delnevo of the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, who led the panel.

Philip Morris already sells a similar oral tobacco product, snus, a type of tobacco pouch popular in Sweden and other Scandinavian

countries. Studies in those countries have consistently shown lower rates of lung cancer, mouth cancer and related diseases among snus users when compared with smokers.

The FDA approved a reduced-risk claim for the company’s snus in 2019 and panelists noted that there has been little uptake of those products by U.S. smokers But Philip Morris executives said the language could have an impact over time.

“The more you communicate to adult smokers with this type of claim it will hopefully only increase switching to Zyn,” Lenihan said. In addition to considering potential benefits for smokers, the FDA is required to review the potential harms to young people and nonsmokers.

Representatives from anti-tobacco groups pointed to worrying signs: Videos from “Zynfluencers” and other young people using the pouches have racked up tens of millions of views on social media platforms in recent years.

Andrew Tardiff of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids noted that Philip Morris did not test how its marketing messages might influence teenagers.

“Zyn has features that enhance its appeal to young people. It’s sold in a variety of flavors. It’s easy to conceal. And it can be used discretely,” Tardiff said, citing similarities to Juul, the e-cigarette widely blamed for sparking the recent trend in teenage vaping.

R.I. may ditch Mr. Potato Head license plates

Hasbro moving headquarters to Boston

BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press

PAWTUCKET, R.I It’s been no small potatoes that Rhode Islanders have been able to choose the image of Mr Potato Head as a specialty license plate for decades.

Yet with Hasbro’s decision to move its headquarters from the smallest state in the U.S. to Boston, two lawmakers say it’s time to hash out whether Rhode Island should continue promoting one of the company’s most iconic characters. Under the proposal introduced earlier this month, Rhode Island’s

Division of Motor Vehicles would stop providing Mr Potato Head as an option for a specialty license plate. Currently the plate costs around $40, with half of that amount going to help support the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Rep. Brian Newberry, a Republican, said in an email that he filed the legislation because Hasbro leaving the state will cause “untold economic harm and loss of tax revenue.”

“There is no reason we should be advertising their products on our license plates,” Newberry said. “It may seem trivial compared to many other things but it’s a matter of self-respect.”

Mr Potato Head license plates were first issued in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the beloved toy, which notably has

appeared in the “ Toy Story ” films.

The plates include a small image of Mr Potato Head holding a sign of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and “help end hunger” at the bottom of the plate.

“The license plate started at a time when Mr Potato Head was all over the state and was having a moment,” said Kate MacDonald, spokesperson for the food bank, which has received nearly $60,000 over the years due to the plate.

“And while it has tapered off over the years, it’s been a steady way for people to contribute.”

An email was sent to Hasbro seeking comment. The toy company announced last year that it would be moving to Boston by the end of 2026 after operating in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, for nearly 70 years.

Lew Pryeor, who helps collect and distribute food donations to hungry Rhode Islanders, said he was upset when he heard about Newberry’s bill.

“My concern is, any cuts into the food programs is gonna affect some people,” said Pryeor, who lives just north of Providence, the state capital, and often sees people of different backgrounds who need help finding a warm meal.

“For him to say that he doesn’t like the plates, well, that’s your prerogative,” he added. “Don’t buy them. If it’s making money for the state, let it.”

Mr Potato Head has been around since the 1950s, when the original toy didn’t come with a plastic potato. Instead, kids had to supply their own vegetable to poke eyes, a nose or mustache into.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Structure your daytomeet demands. Organization, along with dedication and attention to detail, will get you where you want to go. Romance is on the rise.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Getinthe game of life andplaytowin.Use your intuition to guide you and your discipline to keep you out of trouble and avoid temptation. Challenge yourself mentally, physically and emotionally.

ARIEs (March 21-April19) Participation is thebest antidote to feelingdown in the dumps. Join an organization that shares your concerns and offer whatever support you can. Emotions will surface, and theresponses you getfromotherscan make or break your day. Reach out with apositive attitude

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Youcansitdown and put up withannoyances, or youcan change your plans and take control of what youdoand whomyou spend time with. Participate in community services thatcan enrich your life.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Seizethemoment, go where the action is and discover new people, places and activities that stimulate your mindand keep youuptodate. An interviewormeeting willturn out better thananticipated.Romance is favored.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Dig in and finish what youstart. Focus, alongwithdiscipline andintuition, will lead to positive physical or emotionalchange and potential profit. Be receptive to suggestions and willing to try something new

LEo(July 23-Aug. 22) Letthe electricity flowwhen you walk into aroom, and the attention you receive will change how you feel about yourself.You have plenty to gain by joining forces withpeople as dynamicand proactive as you are.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) An eventorday tripwillhelpyourethinkyourfuture.The peopleand surroundings you encounter will confirm what's possible. It's up to you to create opportunities and to make your dreams come true.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Take some "me time" and enjoy it. Get back to basics, start an activityyou enjoyortakeona project thathas meaningand purpose. Make choices that excite you.

scoRPIo(oct. 24-nov. 22) Keep interactions withothers light, playful and entertaining, and you'll avoidgetting into a harmful debate.Bethe onetocalm the storm instead of fueling the fire sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec.21) Set abudget before you begina project. Your generosityordesiretopleasewillcostyou You can't solve everyone's problems or pay for others' mistakes.Offer akind word or suggestions,nothing more. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Partnerships will offer positive results. Financial help, joint ventures and shared expenses will lead to high returns. Domestic improvements you start today will pay off.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2026 by NEA, Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobjectistoplace the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

Bridge

By PHILLIPALDER

Arne Glimcher, an artdealer,film producer and director,said,“When Robert Benton wasdoing the movie ‘Still of the Night,’ I’dchoreographed the auction sceneand suppliedthe paintings and had abit part —Iwas bidding against Meryl Streep.”

Except for the occasional passout, every bridge deal beginswiththe bidding. It is intended primarily to help the side with the balance of power, but each call gives information to the opponents. In this deal, South opened one spade in the second seat, and North responded three spades, agame-invitational limit raise. Now South should have raised to four spades because it was unlikely that North could cover all of South’slosers. However, South control-bid fourclubs, hoping North had the spade king-queen, diamondaceandasingletonheart.North control-bid four diamonds. AndSouth signed offinfour spades, telling the world that he did nothave aheart control. Then North, sincehedid not have oneeither, passed. Now it was easy forWest to lead the heartnine.Eastwonwithhisjack,cashed the heart ace and heart king, then led his last heart. Should South have ruffed high or low?The auction told Westwhat to lead.

But it alsotold South, who almost certainly heldthe spade queen. East passed as dealer, but had already produced 10 high-card points in hearts. If he had held the spade queen too, he surely would haveopenedthebidding.SoSouthruffed withhis spade ace, ranthe spade jack through West, and made his contract. ©2026 by NEA,Inc dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzleisaword riddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOONGOOD =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 “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” maynot be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAy’s WoRD MEMoRIZED: MEM-muh-rize’d: Learned by heart.

Average mark 25 words

Timelimit 40 minutes

Can you find 35 or more words in MEMORIZED?

yEsTERDAy’s WoRD —nIcoTInE

Icall to remembrance theunfeignedfaith that is in you, which dwelled first in your grandmotherLois, and your mother Eunice;and Iampersuaded that in youalso.” 2Timothy 1:5

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