The Advocate 10-21-2026

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W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 21, 2026

ELECTION

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‘Everybody ought to vote’

Soldier’s damaged grave site to be addressed Brick burial structure destroyed at Sweet Olive Cemetery

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK

A line of voters heads into the Louisiana State Archives building in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, the first day of early voting.

Residents head to the polls for midterm elections BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Jim Altazan had a simple explanation for why he was among the tens of thousands of people who showed up to cast a ballot Tuesday as the seven-day early voting period began throughout Louisiana. “If I don’t vote, I can’t complain,” Altazan, an engineer, said with a laugh in Baton Rouge outside of the Louisiana State Archives building, which had 18 booths where people slipped behind a curtain to vote from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The early birds showed up in solid numbers throughout Tuesday at 112 locations throughout the state — at the archives, at city halls and at other governmental offices — as voting kicked off in advance of

the Nov. 3 midterm election. Early voting continues every day through Tuesday except for Sunday. As many as 40% of voters will cast a ballot early. Altazan, a fan of President Donald Trump, said he voted for U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, the Republican candidate in the marquee Senate election. “She’ll follow what the president is looking for,” Altazan said. But plenty of people said they showed up early to vote for Letlow’s Democratic opponent, Tensas Parish farmer Jamie Davis. “We need changes,” said Ed Britton, after voting outside the Secretary of State’s Office. “Letlow represents the same old, same old.”

Besides electing one of the two candidates to succeed U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, voters are choosing whether to reelect four incumbents in the U.S. House. Also on the ballot are two open congressional seats and two open seats on the Public Service Commission. There will also be elections for district attorneys, mayors, constables, judges, chiefs of police and a state representative in Kenner — and 10 proposed changes to the Louisiana Constitution. One of them, Amendment 4, would limit governors to no more than two terms, meaning a twoterm governor could not sit out a term and run for a third one. By definition, early voters are more

The final resting place of a U.S. Army soldier killed in action 74 years ago during the Korean War is in shambles, and the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs is on a mission to change that. Louisiana native Samuel Pierre Jr., a private first class, was buried in the historic Sweet Olive Cemetery, which takes up two blocks of South 22nd Street in Baton Rouge. His military casket, made of 20-gauge metal, is intact and remains sealed, though a large dent can be seen across its top. It appears as if the casket was somehow forced upward from the ground, destroying the brick burial structure that had covered it. “Right now, our goal is to protect this grave as soon as possible,” said Daniele Palen, director of communications for the state Department of Veterans Affairs. “We’re going to do everything we can to repair this gentleman’s grave or relocate it in the most respectful way possible.” A 1952 newspaper article informed the department that Pierre was 22 when he died July 1, 1952. A native of New Orleans, he grew up in Baton Rouge, where he attended McKinley High School,

ä See GRAVE, page 6A

ä See VOTE, page 4A

Spending heats up Livingston Parish DA race Nearly $900K has poured into election

it the state’s second-most expensive district attorney race this election cycle. It is the first competitive contest for chief prosecutor BY GIGI LIMAN across Livingston, St. Helena, Staff writer and Tangipahoa parishes in Nearly $900,000 has poured nearly 30 years, since current Cascio Mack into the race between Brad District Attorney Scott PerrilCascio and Sherman Mack for loux was first elected in 1996. will hold one of the most powdistrict attorney in Louisiana’s Whoever replaces Perril- erful offices in the region, 21st Judicial District, making loux, who is stepping down, deciding, for some 280,000

WEATHER HIGH 83 LOW 49 PAGE 8B

people across the three parishes, who gets charged with a crime, who is offered a plea and who is sent to prison. They will also lead more than two dozen attorneys and set trial strategy. The Advocate compiled data from the candidates’ campaign filing reports.

ä See SPENDING, page 6A

Business ......................3B Commentary ................7B Opinion ........................6B Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................4B Nation-World................2A Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

The casket of Samuel Pierre Jr., who was killed in action during the Korean War, rises out of the rubble of bricks that once made up his burial site at the historic Sweet Olive Cemetery.

102ND YEAR, NO. 113

JAGUAR PANDEMONIUM Come meet the 2026 Women’s & Men’s Basketball & Bowling Teams & Coaches Wednesday, October 28th • Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Don’t miss the excitement, giveaways, and a chance to cheer on YOUR Jaguars! Event starts at 6:00 p.m. in the Minidome • Free Admission/Open to the public

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$963K in trading cards stolen from FedEx truck SANTA ANA, Calif. — Police in California are investigating the theft of trading cards worth at least $963,000 that were taken from a FedEx truck parked outside of a company that verifies memorabilia. The truck was broken into on Oct. 13 near Professional Sports Authenticator, also known as PSA, which authenticates trading cards, autographs, comic books, and other memorabilia and grades their condition, Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson Natalie Garcia said in a news release. Pokémon and sports cards were among the items that were stolen, the release said. The driver had left the truck unattended, Garcia said in a follow-up email Tuesday. How long the driver was gone is part of the investigation, she said. The truck’s lock was gone and two pallets were taken, she said. A third pallet was disturbed. “The estimated value of the stolen cards at the time of the incident was $963,000. However, the exact value of the stolen items has not yet been determined,” Garcia said in the news release. Nick Andrews, a card collector near Boston, told The Associated Press the value of what was taken could be much higher. PSA’s parent company, Collectors, said it has “deactivated the certificates for the stolen cards and notified marketplace partners so they can be on the lookout for rare and serialized items.”

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Alberta voters reject independence Referendum overwhelmingly denied in victory for Carney

BY ROB GILLIES

Associated Press

EDMONTON, Alberta — Voters in oilrich Alberta province overwhelmingly backed remaining in Canada, according to referendum results released Tuesday, delivering a boost to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push for national unity as U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats rally Canadians around their country. With more than 1.8 million votes counted and results reported from 84% of voting areas and locations, 75% of voters supported remaining in Canada, while 25% backed beginning a process toward separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta. The referendum was not a direct vote on independence. Approval would have set Alberta on a path toward a future vote on separation from Canada. “It’s a great result for Canada

that Albertans have chosen unity,” Carney told reporters Tuesday before a Cabinet meeting in Ottawa. Carney said that the roughly onequarter of Albertans who voted to begin the separation process did not necessarily want independence, saying only a smaller “hard core” group may actually want to leave Canada. Some voters said they supported another referendum to express frustration with Ottawa rather than a desire to leave Canada. “The result is absolutely clear. It’s a vast majority in favor of staying in Canada. And now is the time to work together for all Albertans and all Canadians,” Carney said. Carney said he spoke with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Tuesday morning about the referendum’s results and greater federal-provincial cooperation, including immigration. He said their first priority was supporting victims and families affected by the

deadly military training fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright. Alberta’s separatists, however, saw a silver lining. “It is fair to say that at least a quarter of Albertans feel that Alberta needs to be treated better,” said Keith Wilson, a leader of the separatist movement. Smith welcomed the early results, saying they showed widespread support for remaining in Canada. “Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada,” Smith posted on social media. Smith, who called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party, or UCP, despite opposing independence, said that she would address the province Tuesday evening about the results and Alberta’s future. “We are a solid country that’s united from coast to coast to coast,” Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Alberta deputy premier who led the For-

Whistleblower program announced Public encouraged to report alleged fraud BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

Man arrested in $126M U.S. postage scheme

LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistani authorities acting on intelligence arrested a man Tuesday accused of running an online counterfeit postage operation that U.S. prosecutors say caused more than $126 million in losses to the U.S. Postal Service, Pakistan’s cybercrime investigation agency said. Faheem Akram, 33, was arrested after a weekslong search involving raids across several parts of the country, a senior official at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, Atif Ameer, told reporters. Akram, a resident of Khanewal in eastern Punjab province, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district said in a Sept. 28 statement. The office alleged that Akram operated LabelsBank.com, an unauthorized website that sold more than 5.1 million counterfeit postage labels to more than 5,200 customers. The labels typically cost $2 each, regardless of a package’s weight, size or destination. The counterfeit labels allowed customers to ship packages at prices far below legitimate postal rates, resulting in lost revenue and shipping costs for the Postal Service, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Its estimate of more than $126 million represents alleged losses to the Postal Service rather than proceeds from the website’s sales. It was unclear whether Akram would be extradited to the United States or face trial in Pakistan.

Official: Attack in eastern Mali kills 48

BAMAKO, Mali — A weekend attack by militants affiliated to the Islamic State group killed 48 people in the Ménaka region of eastern Mali, a lawmaker told The Associated Press Tuesday. Fighters from the Islamic State in Sahel Province, or ISSP, attacked on Sunday night into Monday morning and casualties included children and elderly, Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Tuareg leader and member of the National Transitional Council, said. According to Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, the armed group attacked civilians, accusing them of revealing ISSP positions to the Malian army who had been conducting a drone strike on the group. ISSP operates mostly in the Ménaka region of Mali, where it faces stiff competition from another militant group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and in the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Niger. It has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

ever Canadian campaign against separation, told supporters. Alberta, home to the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves, is cowboy country and a conservative stronghold whose political culture has long had more in common with the American West than much of Canada. Resentment toward Canada’s federal government in Ottawa runs deep, but hasn’t traditionally translated into widespread support for independence. Despite the overwhelming rejection, separatist leaders have said they turned a fringe cause into a movement that won’t disappear. Separatist parties traditionally attracted only 1% or 2% of the vote, former Premier Jason Kenney said. Anger over COVID-19 restrictions helped mobilize activists who later embraced the separatist movement, he said. At a separatist referendum night gathering in Edmonton, the crowd fell quiet as results rolled in. “We’re not going anywhere,” said Jeff Rath of the Alberta Prosperity Project.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY ANDRII MARIENKO

Rescuers with a search dog look for victims among the rubble of a house after a Russian air attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday.

Ukraine to receive early missile warnings again

the U.S. and Ukraine over intelZelenskyy says call with tween ligence sharing and weapons supplies emphatically denied that the Trump Rubio helped with alerts but administration has made any changes to

BY HANNA ARHIROVA and BARRY HATTON Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Kyiv is once again receiving early warnings from its partners about incoming Russian missiles following recent strikes that he said occurred without enough notice, leaving civilians vulnerable. For at least a week, the Ukrainian leader has said that his country has not received early warnings about ballistic missiles aimed at the capital. Such intelligence, he said, saves lives by allowing the public to be alerted and giving military units time to try to intercept the missiles. Zelenskyy said the change happened after talks with his American counterparts, including a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We are thankful that intelligence works now, and I’m speaking about early warning, which is very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians, because we can hear when ballistic is coming,” Zelenskyy said on a visit to Norway. “So we are thankful to American side now that it works.” Speaking to reporters in India, Rubio acknowledged mutual frustration be-

previous policy on either issue.

U.S. envoy to go to St. Petersburg In other developments, Russia unleashed another missile and drone blitz of civilian areas in Ukraine, killing at least nine people, officials said, as Zelenskyy sought more American and European help. Zelenskyy was joined in Norway by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who has tried without success to steer Russia and Ukraine toward a settlement to end the war. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also met with the Ukrainian president in Norway’s capital. Gahr Støre said Witkoff planned to fly to St. Petersburg on Wednesday to meet with Russian leaders, exchange ideas from the Oslo meeting and share proposals from European and American colleagues. “Today was a good day for peace,” Stubb said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is willing to listen to new U.S. proposals about Ukraine but doesn’t expect any “miracle” from Washington. At the White House, President Donald Trump stepped up the pressure on Zelenskyy to come to an agreement with Russia as relations between the two men have soured again.

Pompeii’s grandest house gets $1.6M restoration by private donor By The Associated Press MILAN — An ancient residence believed to be the grandest in the Pompeii archaeological site is being restored with the entire $1.6 million cost being covered by a private sponsor, officials announced Tuesday. The house of Marcus Fabius Rufus, modeled after Rome’s imperial palaces and buried in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvio that destroyed the ancient city in 79 A.D., has been inaccessible to the public since 1980. Originally built on Pompeii’s city walls, it features four floors connected by a maze of corridors and staircases. Part of it is expected to open to guided groups by Christmas, officials for the Archeological Park of Pompeii said. The renovation is being paid for by a German entrepreneur, Frank Hoefer,

who contacted the archaeological park after reading superintendent Gabriel Zuchtriegel’s 2023 book: “Pompeii: The Enchanted City.” “Restoring the spectacular residence of Marcus Fabius Rufus … is a project I find exciting,” Hoefer said in a release. “I also have the impression that Pompeii is very open to innovative approaches to preservation and public access.” Zuchtriegel said the goal is to expand such sponsorships. “This does not mean that from tomorrow on if we had 50 such sponsors we would be able to abolish the entrance ticket, putting it at just a symbolic oneeuro price, but it is a perspective towards which we have to work to develop the site,” Zuchtriegel said in a video statement.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday announced a $25 million program to encourage the public to blow the whistle on suspected fraud in the U.S. government as they ramp up efforts to end the abuse of federal programs and dollars. The White House said that under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, anyone who submits a tip that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible to receive up to $30,000, and that the Justice Department will administer the program. During the announcement, Trump said payments will amount to a 1% commission on the amount of fraud the tip helps uncover. Trump also said

he will decide who gets reward money in cases where more than one person claims to have provided the tip. “I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” Trump in the Oval Office with Vance and other administration officials standing behind him. “It’ll be a binding arbitration.” The Republican president has undertaken an aggressive effort to eliminate fraud in government, establishing a task force on the topic in March and putting Vance in charge of it. Critics have accused Trump and his family of profiting from the presidency through their many business ventures. The White House says Trump acts only with the best interests of the American people in mind. Vance, who said his work leading the task force is “fun,” said tax dollars are being stolen. “The president has said it must stop. It is stopping. And if you want to help us stop it, you get to share in the rewards,” the vice president said.

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Continued from page 1A informed voters. Gary Sharpless, a retired TV and movie producer in New Orleans, said he wanted to perform what he called “my civic duty.” Sharpless said “the current administration needs to be changed,” referring to Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican who will run for reelection next year. “Louisiana is giving away billions of dollars in taxes” for the Meta and SpaceX projects, he said. Landry says they will produce an economic boon for Louisiana. Yvette Oliver, an interior decorator in Baton Rouge, said she came out Tuesday because “a lot of people died for my right to come out to vote. I owe it to them and to my children and to my children’s children.” Susan Brennan, a business owner, said she voted early in New Orleans because she and her husband are traveling to Paris for the Saints’ game on Sunday. “Everybody ought to vote,” Brennan said. Mike Cook, who works for an industrial engineering company in Baton Rouge, was among the many people who said they worked out beforehand on the Secretary of State’s GeauxVote app who they planned to vote for. Cook said he pulled up the app on his cellphone when he was in the voting booth and quickly registered his choices on the voting machine. “I tell everybody in my office to go vote, but only after studying the candidates first,” Cook said. Denise Claflin said she also used the GeauxVote app to come prepared when she voted early in Baton Rouge. “It’s a really good tool,” she said, adding that she voted for Republican candidates because Democrats favor “opening up the border again.”

Geographic splits show Homer Fouquier, a retired insurance company executive in Lafayette, said he voted early for Letlow “because she’s pro-life and pro-Louisiana.” Candyce Tompkins, who works for the city of Carencro, outside of Lafayette, said she voted for Letlow “because she’ll do a great job.” In New Orleans, though, the sen-

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots early on Tuesday at the Louisiana State Archives building in Baton Rouge. timents heavily favored Davis in a city where he is likely to win a huge majority. Whitman Wilcox, who owns Wilcox Academy of Early Learning in New Orleans, said he voted for Davis because “he won’t be a puppet for Republicans. Louisiana is not for sale.” Yolanda Hall said she voted for Davis and for the reelection of U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, a Democrat from New Orleans, because of her anger with Trump. “Jan. 6 is what I’m most upset about,” Hall said, referring to the attack on the Capitol more than five years ago by Trump supporters intent on stopping Congress from declaring that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. In Shreveport, the sidewalk outside the Caddo Parish Registrar of Voters Office was busy in both directions Tuesday morning. “There’s been very few times I

actually voted on Election Day,” said Shreveport resident James Anderson. More than 20 years ago, Anderson had back surgery that caused him to miss his chance to vote on Election Day. Ever since, he said, he’s voted early. “I’ve never missed a day since. I’m going to hit the early election and make darn sure that I don’t miss,” Anderson said. Katherine Brown, another Shreveport resident, said she also votes early in almost every election. She said that’s always been an insurance policy against circumstances popping up that’d keep her from casting a ballot, but this year she feels an early vote is especially important. “It’s important to go ahead and get the vote cast so that any shenanigans that might occur down the road will be eliminated by doing it early,” Brown said. “That’s all the president has been talking

about is doing stuff to muck up the works.”

Home-stretch pitches Letlow and U.S. Sen. John Kennedy held a get-out-the-vote rally before about 100 supporters at Rock ‘n’ Bowl in Lafayette. “My ask, if you want to continue to save this country, and I can’t even believe I have to say it, is to save it from socialism and the socialist Democrats,” she told the crowd, standing in front of a giant American flag. “It’s so important for you to exercise your right to vote, that vote that men and women laid down their lives for. Please, encourage your friends, your family, go invite that cousin who always says he’s going to vote and never does. Bring him to the polls.” Kennedy followed Letlow in speaking to the crowd. “Republicans are not perfect,” he said. “But let me tell you something — the other side is crazy.”

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK Davis, meanwhile, held a get-outthe-vote rally at The Broadside event space in New Orleans. Accompanying him were Carter, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware and Peter RobbinsBrown, assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO in Louisiana. Davis exhorted people to vote, telling the crowd that he wants to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and restore cuts to Medicaid imposed by Congress and Trump in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Davis also said the Iran war is raising the cost of fuel, including diesel for farmers such as himself. Davis held a fundraiser Tuesday night with Carter, Rochester, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, former Gov. John Bel Edwards, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and several members of the New Orleans City Council. Adam Duvernay contributed to this article from Shreveport.

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Benson, officials say protests won’t affect Paris game BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

Louisiana officials, league executives and New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson remained confident Tuesday that the first NFL game in Paris, along with the whirlwind series of pregame festivities and business events, will go on safely as planned despite the recent unrest across France. The team flew straight to France after their win over the Giants in New York on Sunday, the same day that President Emmanuel Macron was addressing his country after riots engulfed Paris and other cities. Gov. Jeff Landry, Mayor Helena Moreno, other local state and local leaders and thousands of Saints fans are also arriving in the country. As of Tuesday afternoon, the major events leading up to the game — and the game itself, set for Sunday morning in the Stade de France four miles north of Paris — are on schedule. “We do not have any concerns,” said Benson during a phone interview as she was making her way to the airport Monday afternoon. She said that she’s been kept up to date on the situation in France by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, who has been in contact with high level officials in both countries. Brett Gosper, the head of Europe and Asia-Pacific for the NFL, said during an interview in Paris on Tuesday that there’s no contingency plan to move the Saints game against the Pittsburgh Steelers to a different site and that the unrest isn’t expected to affect game logistics. “All systems go — totally all systems go,” Gosper said. The remarks came after a weekend of intense protests across the country. Groups set fires in the streets and looted businesses in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities. The violence followed

STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER

French graffiti, which translates in English to ‘the state in flames,’ is scrawled on a wall in Paris on Monday. nationwide protests Saturday against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. French authorities estimated Monday said that 2,400 people had been arrested and that at least 3,000 businesses had been damaged or looted in several cities. And on Monday night, local authorities issued an overnight curfew in two Parisian neighborhoods in an effort to tamp down any additional violence.

Busy schedule The unrest has threatened to upend a carefully planned rollout of events surrounding the NFL matchup, the first-ever in Paris. For the league, the game is part of a long-term play to grow its international fan base. And the Saints, who control the marketing rights in the country and secured the chance to play in Paris two years ago, have spent much of the past year ramping up for the game with grassroots outreach that includes inperson appearances by team members and the creation of flag football leagues. Meanwhile, Louisiana’s economic development arm and several local businesses are seizing the opportunity to connect with European companies and executives. On Tuesday, officials with LED were preparing for a

daylong business expo, Louisiana Now, modeled after a similar event held before the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans. The event is scheduled for Friday at one of the most exclusive luxury hotels in Europe near the famed Champs Elysees. LED Spokesperson Emma Wagner said from Paris that she’d seen scars from some the weekend’s violence on her way to the venue Tuesday, but that life in the busy French capital appeared to returning to normal. “People are bustling about, going to work, sitting in the cafés,” she said. Saints players were set to attend a Champions League soccer match between FC Barcelona and Paris SaintGermain on Tuesday, part of a series of community and cultural events that were planned for the week, the team said. Landry’s staff is also preparing for an exclusive event of 100 or so dignitaries and business leaders scheduled to be held Wednesday night. His spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but during an interview Monday at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Landry said the league and law enforcement agencies were working together to ensure the event would be safe.

“The NFL said that the game is going to go on, and they feel very confident that there’s not threats to the stadium,” Landry told WWL Louisiana during an interview Monday. Gosper, from the NFL, said

the league is working closely with local law enforcement agencies and that no demonstrations are planned for the Stade de France, which located in Saint-Denis north of Paris and away from areas where people have been demonstrating. The Saints players, coaches and support staff are in Versailles, about 15 miles west of downtown Paris, while other club executives are staying in a hotel downtown. Macron, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Landry, Moreno and the executives of major companies — including SpaceX, Meta, Sodexo and Chanel — are among the invitees to the various events, along with many members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation. Moreno said in a news release Tuesday that she

has “a packed schedule of meetings focused on bringing new ideas, partnerships and economic opportunities back home.” Thousands of other Saints fans who won’t be part of the VIP festivities are also are proceeding as planned with their trip. Season ticket holder Rick Madura, a New Orleans environmental engineer, and his wife, artist Rebecca Madura, are already in London enjoying a few days in the British capital before flying to Paris late Thursday. Rebecca Madura, a seasoned traveler who plans to take in a museum while her husband and his friends from back home are at the game, said they’re not worried about the unrest. “Protests should not be a problem,” she said. “Apparently, they’re pretty isolated.”

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How are the candidates spending their money? Brad Cascio and Sherman Mack campaign spending broken down by category. The two are running for district attorney of Louisiana's 21st Judicial District.

BRAD CASCIO

SHERMAN MACK

Total spent: $243,281

Total spent: $379,787

Ads, signs, mailers and campaign materials: $151,334 (62.2%)

Ads, signs, mailers and campaign materials: $285,899 (76.3%)

Other: $3,487 (1.4%)

Other: $7,309 (2%)

Community sponsorships and donations: $24,961 (10.3%)

Polling and voter research: $28,500 (11.7%)

Consultants and campaign management: $35,000 (14.4%)

Community sponsorships and donations: $22,635 (6%)

Polling and voter research: $12,500 (3.3%)

Consultants and campaign management: $46,445 (12.4%)

Source: Data compiled from Louisiana Board of Ethics

SPENDING

Continued from page 1A As of Oct. 19, Cascio, a longtime assistant district attorney, had received $522,760 in campaign contributions and spent $243,281, according to his campaign finance filings. Mack, an attorney and former state representative, had raised $373,018 and spent $379,787, according to his filings. Not included in his contributions is a loan, which he was able to use for campaign spending.

Where is the money from? Most of the money funding both candidates’ campaigns came from donors within the 21st Judicial District. Cascio had received $361,995 from donors within the district, while Mack had received $277,575. These donations amounted to more than 70% of each candidates’ reported contributions. Most of the candidates’ remaining contributions came from elsewhere in Louisiana, with donors outside the state accounting

for about 1% of both candidates’ contributions. Individual donors accounted for 52.1% of Cascio’s contributions ($233,345) and 44.3% of Mack’s ($160,723), according to the filings. Businesses and organizations, including law firms, also provided substantial support to both candidates. Cascio received $233,345 from businesses and organizations, 46.9% of his total contributions, while Mack received $172,904 from them, 47.7% of his total contributions.

Who are the top donors? Brad Cascio The Abene-Mccurdy Agency, LLC — $12,000 David A Smith — $12,000 Premiere Concrete Products Inc. — $12,000 JJS Dirt and Dozer Services LLC. — $11,000 Scott Perrilloux (current 21st JDC district attorney) — $10,000 Sherman Mack CameronPac (Senate President Cameron Henry’s political action committee) — $12,000 Friends of Cameron Henry LLC — $12,000

Staff graphic

US Fire Pump Co. — $12,000 Matthew Dufour — $12,000 Steven Davis Jr. — $12,000

GRAVE

Continued from page 1A then went on to graduate from Gaudet High School in New Orleans. Pierre attended Southern University and entered the Army in April 1951. He was sent to Korea that November. Through its research, the veterans affairs agency has not been able to identify any living immediate family members. “His mother’s obituary shows that she died in 1970. His father would be well over 100 years old today, and no spouse, children or siblings were named in records from the time,” the department said in a statement Tuesday. The agency learned of the state of Pierre’s grave last week, when a man from Florida left a voicemail about it. The caller had seen a picture of the damaged grave

site posted on the social media website Reddit, Palen said. The man was a veteran and had immediately been moved to call the department, she said. A nonprofit community group, Friends of Sweet Olive, has mowed the grass at the cemetery, which was established in 1898, and kept it looking neat for many years, Palen said. “They’ve done a great job,” she said. “We are truly grateful to the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs for their willingness to work toward a solution for Private Samuel Pierre Jr.’s grave,” Markeda Cottonham, founder of the Friends of Sweet Olive, said in a statement Tuesday. “Our hope and preference would be to restore Private Pierre’s grave at Sweet Olive, provided that it can be made secure and preserved for the long term,” Cottonham said. The group noted that two additional, unidenti-

fied graves are in the same burial area with Pierre. “Although we do not yet know their names, their resting places deserve the same care, dignity and preservation,” she said. “At the same time, our priority is the dignity and proper care of everyone resting there,” Cottonham said. “If a thorough assessment determines that restoration at Sweet Olive is not a sustainable option, we would be open to discussing relocation.” Sweet Olive is the resting place of more than 40 veterans, she said. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs said it is working with the Governor’s Office, the Louisiana Cemetery Board and the state Attorney General’s Office to provide a fitting grave site for Pierre. “Any action will comply fully with Louisiana cemetery, public health and historic preservation laws,” the veterans agency said.

How is it being spent? The campaigns are spending on everything from advertising and political consulting to football sponsorships and parade floats. The majority of both candidates’ spending has gone to advertising, where they have put their faces, names and career highlights in digital and print forms across the three-parish district. According to the filings, Cascio has spent $55,000 on cable media buys and more than $18,000 on billboard rentals. Mack has spent more than $60,000 on video production, including digital advertising, digital streaming and graphic design work. The only district attorney race that has out-raised the 21st Judicial District is the 19th Judicial District in East Baton Rouge Parish, where the candidates have collectively raised more than $1 million.

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Houthis attack city in Yemen, cut off supply routes TAIZ, Yemen — Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck a residential area in Yemen’s thirdlargest city on Tuesday, killing two teenage girls and renewing attention on the dangers faced by civilians in Taiz, which has been under attack and siege during the country’s escalating conflict. The Houthis have largely encircled Taiz, cutting it off from most supply routes and putting civilians at “grave risk,” U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said Tuesday. The U.N. says the siege of the strategically important city in southwestern Yemen has left many residents without food and other necessities as prices soar. The attack on Taiz came a day after a Houthi strike on a government military camp killed 73 recruits, the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MARZOUQ AL JABRI

Residents walk on debris of their homes at Seina district in Taiz, Yemen, after a missile strike on Tuesday. deadliest strike since the resurgence of the conflict over the summer, according to a senior Yemeni government official. The conflict has intensified since forces from the internationally recognized government and Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport in July, shattering a 2022 ceasefire deal that largely stopped fighting

in the country’s civil war. Yemen has become a widening front in the Iran war that began in February — and the Houthis have increasingly launched attacks on Saudi Arabia because it supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Britain said on Tuesday that it would expand its military support for Saudi Arabia to include “defen-

Libya approves contentious maritime deal with Turkey rights.” The European Union has Greece, Cyprus sovereign Cyprus also condemned said the agreement violates the vote, calling the memo- the rights of third countries. condemn vote on randum “illegal, null, and Turkey is not a party to the Mediterranean void.” U.N. Convention on the Law The Libyan-Turkey agree- of the Sea. waters Egypt, a longtime backment defines maritime ju-

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CAIRO — Libya’s parliament unanimously approved a contested maritime agreement with Turkey on Tuesday, reversing years of opposition and reviving a dispute with Egypt, Greece and Cyprus over rights in the eastern Mediterranean. The House of Representatives, the eastern-based parliament aligned with military commander Khalifa Hifter, voted to adopt the memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 by Turkey and Libya’s then-government in Tripoli, the Government of National Accord. Greece’s Foreign Ministry rejected the vote, saying in a statement that it “does not alter the illegal, invalid and groundless nature of the memorandum.” The ministry said Turkey and Libya do not have opposite or adjacent coasts that could provide a legal basis for delimiting maritime zones. It said the agreement disregards the rights of Greek islands, which lie between the Turkish and Libyan coasts. “Geography and the international Law of the Sea cannot be changed by unilateral, legally unfounded parliamentary decisions,” the ministry said. It added that Greece had informed its partners and allies and “will take all appropriate measures to safeguard its

THE BEST

E IS

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er of Haftar and Libya’s eastern parliament, also rejected the accord. In August 2020, Cairo and Athens signed their own maritime agreement in response. Greek officials have said it effectively nullifies the Turkish-Libyan deal. Tuesday’s vote means Egypt’s main allies in Libya now endorse an agreement Cairo has opposed. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said he discussed the situation in Libya and the eastern Mediterranean in a phone call with his Greek counterpart on Tuesday, without directly mentioning the vote. The vote follows a rapprochement in recent years between Turkey and eastern Libya. Libya plunged into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The oil-rich country later split between rival governments in the east and west. Dbeibah heads the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, in the west, while Prime Minister Ossama Hammad leads the eastern administration. Haftar, who commands the Libyan National Army, also holds power in the east. The North African country is also a major transit point for migrants from Africa and the Middle East fleeing war and economic hardship and attempting dangerous sea crossings to Europe.

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risdiction areas between the two countries in the Mediterranean, where major natural gas discoveries in recent years have fueled competing claims to offshore waters. Lawmakers also repealed two resolutions passed in 2020, parliamentary spokesman Abdullah Bliheg said. One rejected agreements with Turkey, while the other cut political ties with Ankara. Parliament had opposed the accords at a time when Turkey was backing the Tripoli government against Haftar’s forces. Officials in both camps welcomed Tuesday’s vote. Saddam Haftar, Khalifa Haftar’s son, said in a statement that the decisions reflected “a move toward overcoming disputes of the past.” He called the maritime agreement a tool to protect Libya’s economic interests in the Mediterranean and described Turkey as “a significant regional power.” The Foreign Ministry of the Tripoli-based government, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, called the vote “a positive development” for relations with Turkey. It said cooperation would proceed “in accordance with the relevant rules and principles of international law.” Dbeibah also met Tuesday in Tripoli with Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin. A government statement said they discussed security, regional developments, and migration.

Saudi-backed government forces to avoid using explosive weapons in areas where they could hit civilians and civilian infrastructure. While Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that it intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis, the country has struggled to defend against the rebel group’s missile and drone attacks despite far superior U.S.-supplied arms. “Saudi Arabia is in a very difficult position,” but the United States is not prepared to send troops to help, Tom Barrack, the U.S. envoy to Syria and Iraq, told the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar. Barrack said President Donald Trump “has been clear that he supports Saudi Arabia, and the backing that they need logistically we’ll supply, but America getting involved in a ground kinetic battle somewhere else seems fruitless.”

U

IT

Associated Press

its own casualty figures. A strategic gateway to southern Yemen, Taiz has been a focal point of fighting since the civil war began more than a decade ago; it is also one of Yemen’s most important historic and cultural centers. Houthi fighters began advancing again on Taiz last month, after capturing the port city of Mokha, an area vital to controlling shipping through the Red Sea. The Houthis have besieged Taiz as part of their monthslong offensive, repeatedly targeting Yemeni government forces with missiles and artillery. “Humanitarian aid must be immediately allowed to enter the city and its passage must be facilitated. Civilians wishing to leave must be allowed to do so freely and safely,” Türk, the U.N. human rights chief, said. He urged the Houthis and

R

BY MARZOUK AL-JABERI and SAMY MAGDY

sive” air patrols by Royal Air Force jets. Heavy fighting between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces caused extensive damage in a densely populated residential area of Taiz. Six people were wounded in the Houthis’ deadly attack there. Resident Zainab Ali said she was away when the strike occurred but returned to find her home had been destroyed. “We are a family of orphans, and we do not know what to do,” she said. Late on Tuesday, Yemen’s government forces claimed — without providing evidence — that they had thwarted Houthi attacks in several areas across Taiz and had killed dozens of Houthi fighters. The claim could not be independently verified, and the Houthis did not immediately comment. The rebel group rarely releases

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France announces curfews Ramaswamy takes ‘for as long as necessary’ responsibility for ad Gubernatorial candidate will spend millions to promote attack on opponent

Paris, other big cities impose regulations amid demonstrations

BY TOM NOUVIAN

BY JULIE CARR SMYTH

PARIS — Fresh curfews were being imposed across the city centers of Paris and Lyon on Tuesday after the first quiet night since France’s most destructive rioting in years, as Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said a “massive” security operation was planned for new protests Saturday. Paris police said the curfew in two designated zones — around Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district — had restored “public peace” overnight and would remain in place “for as long as necessary.” The curfew zones leave out other areas hit on Saturday, including the ChampsElysées and the area around the Saint-Lazare train station and parts of the Rue de Turbigo in central Paris, where protesters set up barricades and lit fires. In Lyon, one of France’s largest cities, authorities also renewed a curfew in the city center from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., saying no disturbances had been recorded overnight. Marseille, France’s secondlargest city, imposed a curfew for unaccompanied minors starting Tuesday night. Lecornu said the targeted curfews “helped keep last night calm.” Student unions and groups from the “yellow vest” movement, whose protests over fuel prices shook France in 2018 and 2019, have called for another day of protests Saturday. Soldiers from Sentinelle, the anti-terrorism operation that has patrolled French cities since the 2015 Islamic State group attacks, will take over guarding sensitive sites to free up more police officers and gendarmes for crowd control, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told lawmakers Tuesday. “The deployment (of police forces) for next Saturday will be mas-

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s team confirmed late Tuesday that it produced a controversial advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Amy Acton, and the campaign said it will spend $4 million to broadcast it despite facing bipartisan rebuke for dredging up the painful childhood of his Democratic opponent in Ohio’s governor’s race. Acton, who has made no secret of facing homelessness and sexual abuse as a child, had spent the day pushing back forcefully against the content of the video, whose origins were initially murky. In it, her birth mother Donna Arthur calls her “a liar” and insinuates she has mental health issues. The ad began circulating overnight, just two weeks before Election Day. Acton, Ohio’s former public health director, is in a tight race against Vivek Ramaswamy, a Trump-backed biotech billionaire and 2024 presidential candidate who has benefited from spending on his behalf that has exceeded $120 million. The online ad, which first surfaced in a post by an Ohio political blogger, spread quickly across social media platforms. It did not include the “paid for” tag that is legally required to air on TV so viewers can know who produced and paid for it. D.J. Brynes, who blogs as “The Rooster,” told CNN he got the video from a voter who viewed it as part of a poll and recorded it. Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s campaign, said Acton’s mother was not paid for the one-minute spot. She said the ad will air both online and on TV in the closing days of the campaign. All day Tuesday, Acton con-

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHE ENA

People watch a burned-out car in Paris on Tuesday after a quiet night under curfew, the first since weekend protests over the cost of living turned into rioting and looting across France.

sive,” Lecornu told the National blamed the violence on far-left Assembly, France’s lower house of groups and opportunistic looters. parliament, without giving figures. At least 2,400 people were arrested after rioters in cities across France Suspect held over Limoges fire on Saturday clashed with police, Police on Tuesday arrested a set cars on fire and stormed public suspect in the arson attack that buildings, during nationwide procharred the historic city hall in Li- tests against rising living costs and moges, in central France, Justice poor conditions in schools. On Sunday evening, small groups Minister Gérald Darmanin said, adding that the person was being set fire to trash bins, bicycles and held in police custody and may not other objects in the streets and looted businesses in Paris, Lyon, have acted alone. French media reported that the Marseille and other cities. In Paris on Monday night, a posuspect was close to radical environmentalist movements and was lice helicopter circled over Place on a watchlist of people considered de la République overnight, a cenpotential threats to national securi- tral point in the weekend clashes, ty. Darmanin declined to comment sweeping the square with a searchon the suspect’s profile, but said light to check that the curfew was far-left groups appeared to have being respected. organized to attack symbols of the Early Tuesday morning, workers state throughout France. used a crane to remove a giant fluoFootage of the 143-year-old build- rescent yellow vest draped over the ing in flames, its bell tower collaps- statue at the center of the square, ing, spread widely online over the then used pressure washers to blast weekend. U.S. Vice President JD graffiti off the monument. Louise Belanger, a volunteer who Vance shared it on X, blaming the unrest on immigration and writ- came to help with the cleanup, said ing, “I pray that France, a beauti- she still could not apprehend the ful country of amazing people, will level of violence. “Normally when stop this madness before more of you are 20 you should be optimisits landmarks burn.” President tic, you should be starting to build Donald Trump, who also relayed something. If you are only anger the video, said migrants had “tak- and violence, what are you going to do? This is sad for everybody in en over France.” French officials have instead society,” she said.

demned Ramaswamy for the ad, already suspecting her opponent was behind the attack. “I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about, who today just released an ad using my birth mother, who I was removed from at the age of 12 for severe abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse,” she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio. She said Ramaswamy was accused of similar personal attacks during his run for the GOP presidential nomination: “This is a lifelong pattern with my opponent.” Ramaswamy’s campaign initially issued a statement that did not address if he was responsible for the ad or knew who produced it. In the statement, Luck said Acton “has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of.” In a statement released by Acton’s campaign, her brother, Philip Stearns, said the two were removed from their mother Donna Arthur’s custody as children after their stepfather, Arthur’s husband, was indicted for raping Acton as a child. Acton has not seen Arthur, whose last known address was in Pennsylvania, since they were in a courtroom together in 1978. Later Tuesday, the Acton campaign released a response ad featuring Stearns, who recalls his older sister taking “the worst” of the abuse they faced as children in order to protect him and disparages Ramaswamy and his allies for exploiting the situation. According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton’s biological father reported his alleged conduct to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur pleaded not guilty. He was indicted by a grand jury that September, but failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981. He has since died.

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10A n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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Jane Doe sends letter to Cornell faculty Polymarket removes

Woman who accused students of rape says president’s response made her feel ‘unsupported’ BY LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press

A woman who accused several Cornell students of raping her at a fraternity party says the university’s president questioned why she waited to report the alleged assault, leaving her feeling “unsupported and disbelieved.” The woman’s secondhand account of Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff’s remark, which the university disputes, comes as faculty prepare for a potential vote of no confidence in the Ivy League school’s leadership. The Associated Press on Tuesday obtained a letter she sent to faculty leaders last week. Her lawyer confirmed its authenticity. The former student’s rape allegations, detailed in a lawsuit last month that identified her only as Jane Doe, have sparked campus protests, renewed scrutiny of Cornell’s disciplinary system and led to the reopening

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS MAGANA

Demonstrators march from the Washington Monument to the White House during a ‘Stop Sexual Violence’ protest in Washington on Oct. 8. of a criminal investigation of the alleged October 2024 assault. “The letter was sent for informational purposes only,” the woman’s lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said. “Jane Doe thought it important that the Faculty Senate have this information as it deliberates

and considers the resolutions or motions before it. Jane Doe would ask the Faculty Senate to give her letter whatever weight or credibility it deems appropriate.”

Dispute over remarks In the letter, Jane Doe said her sorority president

told her that Kotlikoff questioned why she waited until the following month to report being assaulted. The sorority leader, who spoke with Kotlikoff in November 2024, interpreted his remark as casting doubt on her story. “President Kotlikoff’s initial response was along the lines of, ‘Why did she wait so long to report it?’ ” Jane Doe wrote in the letter. She said the conversation made her less confident that the administration could handle what happened with the sensitivity and fairness she expected. Cornell’s dean of faculty, however, offered a different account of the conversation. In an email Tuesday to faculty senators and verified by the AP, professor Chris Schaffer said another official who was present for the conversation recalled Kotlikoff asking why bystanders had not reported the alleged assault sooner through the school’s anony-

mous tip line, especially because the allegations were already circulating on social media. Schaffer said he waited to share Jane Doe’s letter with faculty senators until he could get another account of the conversation. He said he forwarded the letter to university lawyers, who passed it on to an independent team investigating Cornell’s response. Schaffer said at a meeting last week that he was against the proposed no-confidence resolution, saying it identified no specific failures or fixes, but acknowledged faculty frustration. “The anger in our community is justified and I share it.” Kotlikoff did not respond Tuesday to an email inquiry about Jane Doe’s letter. A statement from a university spokesperson also disputed her account of the conversation, saying Kotlikoff was asking about bystanders’ actions rather than Jane Doe.

University of Arizona student alleges sexual assault Allegation comes two weeks after fraternity activities suspended

By The Associated Press TUCSON, Ariz. — A sorority member at the University of Arizona has alleged she was sexually assaulted by two men at a fraternity house during a night of drinking in late August. The student told the university’s police department that she consensually kissed one of the men at one point while at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house on Aug. 26 but doesn’t remember agreeing

to sex, according to search warrant records posted Monday night by KOLD-TV in Tucson. The sexual assault allegations surfaced two weeks after the university had suspended activities for its 21 fraternities amid reports of misconduct, including assault, hazing and drug- and alcohol-related behavior. Suspensions on all but five fraternities have since been lifted after they had mandatory meetings with the dean of students. In speaking with an investigator, the sorority member recalled consuming tequila, including sharing a cup of the beverage with friends; witnessing two men sexual-

ly assaulting her, even feeling one man’s breath on her face; awakening the next morning without pants and underwear on; and noticing a difficulty in swallowing, a possible sign of strangulation, according to the records. Later that day, she reported the allegations to police and underwent a forensic exam at a hospital. In a recorded call with the sorority member two days after the encounter, one of the men acknowledged he had sex with her, but he said she had agreed to it and denied that another man had sex with her. He said he had been drunk and “fuzzy” on what happened. He said

people took video of the sorority member and him kissing in a bathroom, according to the records. The Associated Press left email and phone messages with the university Tuesday seeking comment. Its police department said the investigation is ongoing and declined to say if any arrests had been made. The Pima County Attorney’s Office said the case hasn’t been referred to it for prosecution. The university had put Sigma Phi Epsilon on probation from July until May of next year after a hazing complaint. Sigma Phi Epsilon isn’t among the five fraternities that are currently

listed as suspended. The national fraternity organization said they ordered members of the Arizona chapter to comply with any investigation. “The Fraternity has suspended those involved while the investigation proceeds. Any member found responsible will be expelled from Sigma Phi Epsilon, and we will cooperate fully with law enforcement as it seeks accountability under the law,” read a statement from Brian Warren, chief executive officer of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Retaliation against the alleged victim or any witnesses would also not be tolerated, Warren said.

Cornell wager

Bets on fate of accused students had more than $450K BY JAY COHEN AP sports writer

Polymarket has removed a contract from its prediction market platform that allowed users to wager on whether any of the seven men accused of raping a Cornell student in 2024 will be charged with a felony sex crime. The market was made available on Sept. 30 and was slated to close on Jan. 31. It had more than $450,000 in volume before it was taken off Polymarket’s international platform. The company’s U.S. exchange is regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which bans trading related to “activity that is unlawful under Federal or State law.” “Our primary goal at Polymarket is to bring objective, data-driven insight to the most important questions of our time,” a Polymarket spokesperson said Tuesday. “This market addressed whether the government would take action — a process that deserves scrutiny, particularly in a case of such serious concern. That said, we believe in the wisdom of crowds, have heard them loud and clear, and removed the market.” Some outcry over the Polymarket contract has been aimed at its celebrity promoters. Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James has an endorsement deal with Polymarket, and he recently appeared in a star-studded commercial.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ 11A

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Florida execution of 77-year-old is 18th this year Prisoner was convicted in 1987 and again in 1992 BY DAVID FISCHER Associated Press

STARKE,Fla.— Florida carried out its 18th execution of the year on Tuesday under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ aggressive use of the death penalty in his final term. William Reaves, 77, was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the September 1986 shooting death of Indian River County sheriff’s deputy Richard Raczkoski. The death chamber curtain went up promptly at the 6 p.m. execution time with Reaves already strapped to a gurney with an IV in his arm. Asked if he had any last words, he replied ”No, I do not.” The injection began immediately after that. About 30 seconds later, Reaves took several big breaths and then stopped moving. After a few minutes, the team warden shook Reaves’ shoulders and shouted his name, but there was no response. A medic was called in a short time later to check for a heartbeat or any other signs of life, and Reaves was pronounced dead about a minute later. Reaves was the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 put to death this year, highlighting the nation’s aging death-row population as Florida continues to far outpace the rest of country in total executions. Last year, Florida set a state record

His attorneys challenged from his service in the VietFlorida’s three-drug lethal nam War. injection protocol. All FlorMore than 100 military ida executions are carried veterans appealed to DeSanout via injection of a seda- tis to halt the execution in a tive, a paralytic and a drug letter Monday, citing those that stops the heart, accord- factors. A total of 47 people were ing to the Department of executed in the United Corrections. The court has previously States in 2025. Florida led upheld the protocol against the nation that year with 19 similar challenges. Florida’s executions and has accountmethod differs from the ed for more than half of the single-drug injection used 32 U.S. executions — Reaves in states such as Tennessee, included — carried out thus where condemned inmate far in 2026. Christa Pike was rushed to In July, Florida executed a hospital last month after two prisoners in one day, surviving two doses of pen- becoming the first state in nearly a decade to do so. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY DAVID FISCHER tobarbital. On Nov. 5, Jesse GuarReaves’ attorneys also Law enforcement vehicles sit parked outside the Florida state prison in Starke, Fla., on July argued that jurors who rec- dado, 64, is scheduled to 28. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he wants justice to be delivered to victims’ families ommended the death pen- receive a lethal injection alty were never told the U.S. in the same Florida death who have often waited decades for death sentences to be imposed. Department of Veterans chamber. Guardado was with 19 executions in a year, cords. Reaves later acknowlThe Florida Supreme Affairs had rated the Army convicted of robbing and and it’s poised to tie that edged he had placed the call Court last week also reject- veteran as 100% disabled killing a 75-year-old woman mark if another execution from a payphone outside the ed Reaves’ appeals seeking because of post-traumatic while stealing items on a stress disorder stemming crack cocaine binge in 2004. is carried out next month as store. to spare his life. While the two men talked, scheduled. DeSantis, who leaves of- a gun fell out of Reaves’ fice in January after two shorts, officials said. They terms, has said he wants then struggled over the justice to be delivered to vic- weapon, and Reaves eventims’ families who have of- tually regained control of explore Wisconsin flavor ten waited decades for death it. Investigators said the ** deputy was trying to run sentences to be imposed. Marc Raczkoski, the depu- away when Reaves shot ty’s brother, briefly told re- him four times. Raczkoski (a $19.99 value) porters after witnessing the died later that day from his or Item number: Item number: execution that his brother wounds. FX13300 Choose your gift of Butter Toffee or Cheddar Cheese...plus FX13301 we’ll throw in a gift of 24 Petits Fours (10.5 oz.)! Free with Reaves was convicted and finally got justice. Mellow, tangy Handcrafted Wisconsin your order of $50 or more when you Classic Cheddar! But Indian River County sentenced to death about a Butter Toffee order by December 15! 9 oz. net wt. 9.5 oz. net wt. Sheriff Eric Flowers, who year after the shooting. But **TERMS OF FREE GIFT OFFER: When placing your $50 minimum order (excluding shipping, processing and applicable taxes) by mail, phone was also on hand, said at a the Florida Supreme Court or web, use item number FX13301 or FX13300 to receive your Free Gift. If your Free Gift is sent with other gifts to an address, there is NO addipost-execution briefing that overturned the conviction tional delivery charge. If it’s the only item sent to an address, please include $3.99 for shipping and processing. Limit one per customer per year, please. Offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer, promotion or voucher. Cash value $00.00. Offer good through December 15, 2026. he saw the execution as clo- because of a conflict of intersure, not justice. est with the prosecutor and 24 - HOUR ORDERING: 833 - 689 -2991 “Would we all be so lucky ordered a new trial. Reaves to be 77 years old and to die was convicted again and $ 4399 Order so peacefully,” Flowers said. newly sentenced to death Now $ 99 “That’s not justice in any in 1992. Subsequent appeals Item: Savings End way in my opinion.” were unsuccessful. FL13911 Dec. 15th! Raczkoski responded to a The U.S. Supreme Court Best 911 call at a Vero Beach con- on Tuesday afternoon rejectSeller! venience store on Sept. 23, ed Reaves’ 11th-hour appeal 1986, according to court re- without comment.

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Albanian police clash with anti-government protesters

Demonstrations in clashes in the city center. imposition of violence — is one of a num- something that will never continue for 8th day berAlbania of European countries be allowed to happen, in

BY BORIS GRDANOSKI and ZANA CIMILI Associated Press

TIRANA,Albania — Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to push back protesters Tuesday on the eighth straight day of violent antigovernment demonstrations in the Albanian capital, Tirana. High school and university students demanding lower tuition fees, greater state investment in education and protesting corruption in the education system have joined a broader anti-government movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. For days, protesters have hurled rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police who have used batons, water cannons and tear gas

experiencing protests over rising fuel costs, discontent with the state of schools, declining public services and a housing crisis, including France and Italy. In Spain and Portugal, tent camps have sprung up to protest unaffordable housing, while a rally and a protest were also being planned in Greece on Tuesday evening and Wednesday. In Albania, the latest protests follow months of rallies organized by the socalled Flamingo movement, launched in opposition to a major luxury tourism development on Albania’s southern coast linked to an investment firm founded by Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s sonin-law. “A wave of stones, an attempt to overthrow the government and change those in power through the

any form or for any reason,” Rama said after a meeting Tuesday with teachers and representatives of Tirana’s schools. He argued that legitimate concerns were being hijacked by people deliberately causing violence during the protests. “This is a hybrid war that naturally works to the extent that it does because it is based on real concerns, not fantasies. Concerns about the cost of living are certainly real. Concerns about a secure future, housing, and greater opportunities to get ahead are also real,” Rama said. The prime minister accused protesters of “hold(ing) the city under a climate of terror” and said students involved in the protests “belong to emerging currents of political extremism.”

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Police: Driver not a known threat CNN threatens Man is accused new legal action of intentionally hitting Australian lawmaker

president or administraNetwork says it’s tion but to all Americans, CNN and other memstill being denied and bers of the press serve as access surrogates for the public

BY ROD MCGUIRK and CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-MCLAY Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia — A driver accused of intentionally causing serious injury to Australian federal lawmaker Helen Haines by hitting her with his car appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday as police said they were still investigating his apparent motivations. Meanwhile, Haines remained in critical condition after an apparent escalation in political violence that has shocked a nation where such crimes are rare. The 65-year-old independent politician’s condition hadn’t changed since the day before, according to an update Wednesday morning from a Melbourne hospital where she was being treated. No further details have been officially supplied about the injuries she sustained when she was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her office in the city of Wangaratta, in Victoria state, on Monday. Police allege it was a “targeted” incident. Brendan Nugent, a 43-year-old man from nearby Tarrawingee, was charged Tuesday with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official. When Nugent faced Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, he didn’t apply for bail or enter a plea, according to Australian Associated Press. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance in February. Investigators hadn’t ruled out “further serious charges,” Victoria Police Com-

BY JOCELYN NOVECK AP national writer

AAP IMAGE BY JAMES ROSS

People line up on Tuesday to light a candle during a vigil for Helen Haines, an independent federal member of Parliament, at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Wangaratta, Australia. missioner Mike Bush told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday. Bush wouldn’t elaborate on the suspect’s believed motivations but said the question would form the “centerpiece” of the police inquiry. “There was nothing known to us that would have arisen or piqued our interest or given any indication that he was an immediate threat,” Bush said.

Parents are friends According to eyewitnesses cited by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other officials, the suspect drove past Haines as she stood at the trunk of her parked car, before turning and driving back to ram into her. The driver then reversed and struck Haines again, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said. The suspect was subdued by a crowd of bystanders, one of whom removed a knife from the driver’s pocket. Others rushed to help Haines, who was pinned between vehicles. The lawmaker’s family released a statement expressing thanks for the “swift as-

sistance of bystanders” as well as health workers and police. Haines, who was first elected to Parliament in 2019 and had been reelected twice since, was initially taken to a hospital in Wangaratta, a city of 30,000 people. She was airlifted later on Monday to a hospital in the state capital, Melbourne, 147 miles away. Australian news outlets are widely reporting that Haines has had a leg amputated. The Alfred Hospital didn’t respond to a request for comment on the reports. The suspect’s father, Rod Nugent, released a statement Tuesday describing Haines as a “deeply respected, valued and much-loved member of our local community.” “Helen has been our friend for more than 20 years and what happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable,” the father said, adding that he would cooperate with police. The incident shocked Australians as political violence is uncommon and politicians are highly accessible to the public. Most lawmakers are not accompanied by securi-

ty details and go about their work and personal lives on their own.

Growing fears Albanese announced on Monday that the national counterterrorism team was investigating. Police have since said the incident appears to be isolated. But it has provoked an outcry in Australia, partly because recent data shows that threats of political violence in the country have grown. Police reported in 2025 that threats against parliamentarians had doubled over the past three years, with more than 1,000 such threats against politicians in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Australia’s Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters Wednesday that the apparent attack was “what many had been dreading for some time.” Lawmakers were due to meet with Australia’s security agencies on Wednesday to discuss their safety. Such briefings are a regular occurrence but the latest meetings carried added weight after the week’s events, some politicians said.

Already embroiled in a tense legal standoff with the White House, CNN is threatening further action in the courts if its journalists continue to be denied access to Air Force One and the “pool” of journalists who accompany President Donald Trump when he travels. The network has been entangled in legal action with Trump’s administration ever since the president issued its reporters a sudden ban from White House grounds a month ago, along with those from MS NOW and Politico, calling their content “fake news.” Last week, a federal judge granted the news outlets their request for a preliminary injunction against the government ban as the case moves through the legal system. But that only addresses part of the problem. The White House has continued to bar CNN from taking its place in TV pool coverage of Trump’s travel on Air Force One. And so the network may need to take additional action, said Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., an attorney for CNN, in a letter to Justice Department attorney Michael K. Velchik. Boutrous noted in the letter late Monday that CNN has traditionally had “uninterrupted access to the Oval Office and Air Force One for 45 years. That is because those spaces belong not to any particular

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when covering the White House.” Now, though, the White House is engaging in “what appears to be a new unstated policy to interfere with CNN’s ability to fulfill its duties” as part ot the video pool. The pool consists of the five major U.S. networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox, who alternate assignments and share video. Boutrous noted that in his most recent ruling, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly had found the three media outlets were likely to succeed on the merits of their claim that the White House violated the First Amendment and due process with Trump’s ban, and thus were entitled to the relief they requested. Still, though, the White House has selectively denied CNN access to cover the president’s travel on Air Force One — no fewer than four times to date, Boutrous wrote. Such “efforts to retaliate and discriminate against CNN based on the content of its news coverage are mistaken, counterproductive, and unlawful,” the attorney wrote. “If these actions persist, CNN will have no choice but to return to the court to defend its rights, and it is prepared to fight as long as is necessary to secure them.” The Justice Department did not respond to a query from The Associated Press seeking reaction to the letter, in which Boutrous gave the White House two days to respond.

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T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

Attorney dinged for naming victim

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W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 21, 2026

1BN

‘One-stop care for all’

Judge declines punishment beyond a scolding

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Judge Gail Horne Ray issued an order Monday admonishing defense attorney Caitlin Fowlkes for using Madison Brooks’ full name in a motion filed over the summer. As an alleged victim of a sex crime, Brooks’ identity is protected by state law and cannot be included in court documents filed into the public record. A victim’s initials are commonly used as a stand-in. Ray ruled Fowlkes committed contempt, but she declined to punish the violation beyond a scolding. Fowlkes, who represents 21-year-old Desmond Carter in his first- and third-degree rape case, identified Brooks by her full name in the defense’s “pink clothing” motion over the summer. The June motion sought to keep trial spectators from wearing pink clothing, which has been used as a symbol of the Madison Brooks Foundation, a nonprofit created by Brooks’ mother, Ashley Baustert. Fowlkes argued that if Brooks supporters at trial wore coordinated pink clothing or clothing depicting Brooks, it would prejudice the jury against Carter. In that motion, Fowlkes included multiple screenshots of social media posts by Baustert and others, which use Brooks’ full name. Ray ruled against Fowlkes on the pink motion, allowing spectators to wear pink clothing but not anything depicting Brooks.

ä See ATTORNEY, page 2B

Fla. man allegedly exploited Iberville child Nationwide probe leads to arrest

STAFF PHOTOS BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

Fernando Rivera, medical center director of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, third from right, and James Baehr, general counsel of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, fourth from right, are joined by other project and city leaders Tuesday during the groundbreaking for the new Baton Rouge VA outpatient clinic.

New VA clinic in St. George expanding medical services in the region BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

A new Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in the Baton Rouge region is poised to consolidate existing clinics and expand services all under one new roof by 2029. On Tuesday afternoon, more than 50 people gathered for a groundbreaking for the 120,000-square-foot, two-story outpatient clinic at the northwest corner of Pecue Lane and Rieger Road in St. George. Baton Rouge has two existing VA clinics a mile apart off Essen Lane, but those involved with the project say the facilities are at capacity and the VA sometimes sends patients to its New Orleans medical centers as a result. Donovan Hoskins, assistant medical center director at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, said current Baton Rouge clinic services will be moved to the new clinic. After the new clinic opens in 2029, those locations will close. “The intent is to expand and consolidate,” Hoskins said. Hoskins said the clinic will have advanced medical treatments, including MRI, ultrasound, CT scans, pulmonary function testing and dedicated group mental

Veterans Ronald Crowley, from right, Dr. Jerome Buller and Marcel ‘Mack’ Guidry chat Tuesday during the groundbreaking for the new Baton Rouge VA outpatient clinic. health spaces. “It’s going to be able to provide that one-stop care for all of the Baton Rouge residents and all the veterans who come to Baton Rouge for their care,” he said. “We want this to be kind of a standalone care point for veterans to come and get everything that they need as opposed to having to travel.” Hoskins said this will be the second-largest facility in the region, after the New Orleans one, and will have al-

most double the space of the two local clinics combined. An exact cost for the development is not yet available, he said. James Baehr, general counsel of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, spoke at the groundbreaking about the VA’s investments and reflected on his time living in Louisiana. “Right now, a lot of veterans in this region drive to New Orleans for an MRI or a CAT scan … but this clinic

changes everything,” Baehr said. The Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System first announced the location of the clinic in February and said it is funded by the PACT Act, which expands VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances. “This year, the VA is spending nearly $5 billion to

ä See CLINIC, page 2B

BY BLAKE LESCHBER Staff writer

A local and nationwide investigation led to the arrest of a Florida man who is a suspected child predator, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office said. Timothy Barnes, 31, of Fort Myers was arrested Monday and booked into the Iberville Parish jail on 27 counts of production of child sexual material under 13 and a count each of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and indecent behavior with juveniles, Sheriff Brett Stassi said. Barnes was arrested Sept. 29 in Florida before being extradited to Louisiana. “Today we’re putting a name and a face on the boogieman our parents warned us about,” Stassi said. Stassi said the investigation began when a parent contacted authorities after noticing something suspicious with their child’s internet activity. Officials said

ä See ARREST, page 2B

Man dies, child hospitalized after wreck A 44-year-old man died and his 3-year-old child is in critical condition after they were struck by a car Sunday night, Baton Rouge police said. Brandon Dewaunn Square CRIME was walking in BLOTTER the eastbound travel lane of staff the 900 block reports of Blount Road when he and the child were hit by a 2014 Honda Pilot about 11:50 p.m. Square is believed to have been holding the 3-year-old when they were struck by the Honda, which was driving west-

Foster Drive and involved a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and a 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander. Police said the Mitsubishi was driving north on North Foster in the inside lane while the Chevrolet was driving south in the right lane. The driver of the Chevrolet lost control of the vehicle, crossed the southbound lanes and struck the Mitsubishi. The driver of the Chevrolet — a 25-year-old male — and BeTwo people are dead and four yonce Wright, 25, who was the are injured after a crash Monday front-seat passenger, died at the afternoon on North Foster Drive, scene. Four additional people were injured in the crash but are Baton Rouge police said. The crash occurred about 2:49 expected to survive, emergency p.m. in the 600 block of North officials said.

bound. Square died at the scene, while the child was transported to a hospital and is listed in critical condition. The Honda driver stopped at a local business near the scene and called for help, police said. This is an ongoing investigation.

Two dead, four injured after crash, police say

The name of the deceased driver will be released after notifying the family. This is an ongoing investigation.

BR police investigate fatal shooting Baton Rouge police are investigating a fatal shooting last week on Sycamore Street that left a 27-year-old woman dead. The shooting occurred about 1:45 a.m. Oct. 11 in the 3400 block of Sycamore Street. Officers were dispatched and found Danielle Percy, 27, with a gunshot

ä See BLOTTER, page 2B

2B n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

ATTORNEY

Continued from page 1B While the law makes exceptions for identifying deceased victims, it is only when the victim’s death is an element of the case, as in a homicide. Prosecutors argue Carter is not charged in Brooks’ death, so no exception to protecting her identity exists. The state first raised the contempt issue in August, with Assistant District Attorney Sonya Cardia Porter accusing Fowlkes of deliberately naming Brooks. “The point of the motion was to call out the victim’s family and supporters, and the failure to redact information required by law can lead one to believe the failure to comply with the law was possibly to embarrass, intimidate, or pressure the victim’s family,” CardiaPorter wrote. Prosecutors also said Fowlkes had previously been held in contempt for including a juvenile witness’s full name in a filing in a 2017 case, being issued a $100 fine. In a hearing over the Brooks issue on Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Fogan tied in the earlier finding of contempt, saying that “once is a mistake, twice is a decision.” Jim Boren, who represented Fowlkes, said she regrets the oversight of including Brooks’ name in her filing. A redacted version was entered into the record before the hearing. He notes in a written response that the $100 fine against Fowlkes was suspended and does not show

ARREST

Continued from page 1B

that identifying Brooks was intentional. Largely, Boren argued in court that it makes no sense for Fowlkes to purposefully seek to identify a victim whose case and full name were already made public in national news. “Anyone who’s lived in Baton Rouge for the last two years has heard that person’s name,” Boren said. “It’s not called the ‘Desmond Carter case.’ We know that the alleged victim’s family is vocal, and they have every right to be, and have expressed their position. It’s not like it’s a secret.” He included examples of Gov. Jeff Landry and other public officials naming Brooks, as well. Ray, the judge, included Boren’s same arguments in her reasoning not to punish Fowlkes. “In the present case, local and national media outlets routinely publish articles and media segments about the ongoing litigation featuring the alleged victim’s full name and likeness,” Ray wrote, also mentioning Landry’s social media posts naming Brooks. She did not agree with the state that Fowlkes’ previous contempt violation, “from nearly a decade ago,” showed any intentional behavior from Fowlkes to identify Brooks. Carter’s next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5. Multiple pretrial matters are still pending ahead of Carter’s scheduled Dec. 7 trial. Prosecutors are also currently seeking an appeal over Ray’s decision to allow Fowlkes to withdraw several of those pretrial motions.

life in prison, and authorities are aiming for him to spend the rest of his life in prison. The investigation took about two months to get everything together before the arrest, Stassi said. The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and the FBI are all involved in the continuing investigation. “Parents’ involvement must go beyond setting limits on screen time,” Stassi said. “Know where your children are, what communication devices they are using and what they are sharing.” Stassi said he expects more arrests from across the country.

the victim — a 12-year-old Iberville Parish girl — was coerced into creating and producing sexual content online by Barnes. At the time of the crimes, Barnes was three states away. “The images were taken to the darkest place of your mind,” 18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton said. “It’s a disgusting display of what he did to our children. Whatever you can imagine, that’s what he did and even worse.” Clayton said this is one of the worst cases that he has seen in his about 35 years of experience. Email Blake Leschber Stassi said the penalty on at blake.leschber@ each count is 25 years to theadvocate.com.

lll

Water ski team wins championship UL group takes 7th straight title

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns water ski team won its seventh consecutive Division I national championship, bringing its total to 13 titles. The team claimed the title at the Syndicate 2026 National Collegiate Water Ski Association National Championships, held Oct. 15-17 in Rio Linda, California. The Ragin’ Cajuns also won national championships in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2015, 2010, 2005, 2003, 1997 and 1995. The

championship was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The water ski team has won more national championships than any other team in school history. Water skiing is a club sport at UL Lafayette, not an NCAA-sanctioned sport. “The seven consecutive titles represent the longest championship streak in the NCWSA since UL Lafayette joined the association in 1988, and this year’s win caps another undefeated season that stretches back to 2019,” coach Ryan Gonzales said. Teams qualify for the national championships, which began in 1979, based on their performances in tournaments leading up to the

event. The competition features six events — women’s and men’s slalom, tricks and jump — as well as individual national titles in each event and overall women’s and men’s championships. Alana Jones won the national championship in women’s slalom. Jones, who is from Lafayette, has deep family ties to the university’s water ski program. Her grandfather, Jim Davidson, founded the team. Her parents, Scot and Lynda Jones, competed for the Ragin’ Cajuns before marrying and later coaching the team. Megan Pelkey finished second in women’s overall and third in women’s tricks. Katharina Hafner placed third in women’s jump.

In the men’s competition, BG Bickley finished second in jump and third in overall. Alexander Gschiel placed third in jump, and Florian Parth finished fifth. Vincent Ahammer placed fourth in men’s tricks, followed by Jack Silver in fifth. Gschiel and Parth tied for fourth in men’s slalom. “This win was a true team effort and a testament to the hard work and dedication of each student-athlete,” assistant coach Harry Spavin said. “Every year brings its own challenges, and the team did a great job of coming together and rising to the occasion. It’s very rewarding seeing their work pay off and bring another national title back to Lafayette.”

COMMUNITY REMEMBERS FERRY DISASTER Carla Anderson holds a picture of her brother, Hurest Anderson Jr., who died in the George Prince ferry disaster, during a memorial ceremony on Tuesday marking its 50th anniversary at Eastbank Bridge Park in Destrehan. The ferry capsized after colliding with the Norwegian tanker Frosta while crossing the Mississippi River from Destrehan to Luling on Oct. 20, 1976. The disaster killed 77 people, making it one of the deadliest ferry disasters in U.S. history.

STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE P.O. BOx 2406 BatOn ROuge, La 344-STOP

CLINIC

Submit a tip anonymously from our website www.crimestoppersbr.com, or download the free anonymous P3 Tips App. CaLL tOLL FRee 1-877-723-7867

Continued from page 1B

10/21/2026

modernize and repair our facilities, the largest investment of its kind in the department’s history,” Baehr said. “The VA is building again, direct care all over the country. Baton Rouge is proof of that.” At least a dozen veterans sat in the crowd at the groundbreaking, including David Ducote, a local resident who served in the Army. STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS Ducote goes to the Baton James Baehr, general counsel of the U.S. Department of Rouge VA clinic and raved Veterans Affairs, right, and Fernando Rivera, medical center about his experience there. “I love it there,” he said. director of Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care “They can handle every- System, chat Tuesday during the groundbreaking for the thing.” new Baton Rouge VA outpatient clinic. Ducote is even going to the clinic next week to get hear“I might have to come time,” Ducote said about the ing aids. check on the project time to new clinic.

Crime Stoppers will pay a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of these wanted fugitives.

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12/20/2007

BLACK / MALE 5’06 HGT / 110 LBS BLACK HAIR / BROWN EYES ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER & AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

JOHN KNIGHT

06/02/1981

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B wound. Percy was transported to a hospital and died of her injuries on Oct. 17. No motives or suspects have been identified at this time, police said. This is an ongoing investigation. Police encourage anyone with information on the shooting to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 389-4869

or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

Baton Rouge inmate faces new sexual battery count An East Baton Rouge Parish Prison inmate was rebooked on a count of sexual battery after he assaulted his cellmate, authorities said. According to arrest records, on Sept. 16, the cellmate of 32-year-old Dequan Brock was awakened by Brock assaulting him after the man refused to engage in a sexual act.

The cellmate was removed from the cell after he alerted a deputy who was making rounds. Deputies said the incident occurred in an administrative lockdown area of the jail where inmates with disciplinary problems are housed. Brock admitted to the allegations, but he told deputies that the victim was the aggressor and started the actions first. Brock was previously arrested in March 2025 for third-degree rape and obscenity. He was rebooked for the sexual battery count on Oct. 16.

LOTTERY

MONDAY, OCT. 19, 2026 PICK 3: 4-9-9 PICK 4: 1-8-3-7 PICK 5: 1-5-3-7-6 POWERBALL: 8-31-3242-48 (23) Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

WHITE / MALE 5’11 HGT / 210 LBS BROWN HAIR / GREEN EYES RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTOR FRAUD Warrants active as of 10/20/26 IMPORTANT: ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

If you have any information on these fugitives contact: CRIME STOPPERS at 344-STOP (7867), submit a tip anonymously from our website www.crimestoppersbr.com, or download the free anonymous P3 Tips App.

REMEMBER YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOUR NAME TO COLLECT THIS OR ANY CRIME STOPPERS REWARD BUT YOU MUST CALL CRIME STOPPERS.

lll

The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n 3B

BUSINESS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/news/business

DOW 52,495.88 529.85 1.02%

NASDAQ 26,424.82 -6.07 -0.02%

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Netflix posts higher Q3 profit but shares lower Netflix, which announced layoff plans last week, posted a third-quarter profit above Wall Street’s expectations, but investors sent shares down after the streaming company lowered its ad sales guidance, prompting worries about slowing revenue growth. Netflix said Tuesday it earned $3.66 billion, or 87 cents per share, for the July-September period. That’s up 44% from $2.55 billion, or 59 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 12% to $12.87 billion from $11.51 billion. Analysts surveyed by FactSet predicted earnings of 82 cents per share on revenue of $12.87 billion. “With Netflix under pressure to find alternative lines of revenue beyond subscriptions, it’s concerning that the company lowered its estimate for its ad business,” said Emarketer senior analyst Ross Benes. “Revamping content strategy is not enough to fix this challenge but it is a worthwhile start. Guidance is not as aggressive as investors have grown accustomed to.”

S&P 500 7,712.57 21.84 0.28%

EURO 1.1235 0.0023 0.20%

CRUDE OIL 98.54 -2.87 -2.83%

GOLD 4,122.40 -16.60 -0.40%

6-MO T-BILLS 4.37 -0.01 -0.23%

30-YR T-BONDS 5.42 -0.05 -0.93%

Most stocks rise after strong profit reports

BY STAN CHOE

AP business writer NEW YORK — Most of the U.S. stock market rose Tuesday following strong profit reports from Equifax, Hasbro and other companies, while oil prices eased back after nearing their highest levels since the war with Iran began. The S&P 500 added 0.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 529 points, or 1%, while more swings for stocks in the artificialintelligence industry sent the Nasdaq composite to a modest loss of less than 0.1%. Stock prices tend to follow the

path of corporate profits over the long term, and several companies delivered results for the latest quarter that were better than analysts expected. Big expectations for growth generally are what have allowed the U.S. stock market to hit records recently despite worries about high inflation, higher interest rates and other challenges weighing on Wall Street. Equifax rallied 11.3% for one of the market’s biggest gains after reporting a bigger profit for the summer than analysts expected, despite high mortgage rates slowing some parts of its business. Hasbro climbed 11.2% after the

toy company said its “Magic: The Gathering” game made more than $600 million in revenue during a quarter for the first time. 3M rose 5.8% after the company behind Ace bandages and Scotch-Brite sponges likewise reported a stronger-than-expected profit, even as shoppers broadly feel discouraged by high inflation. Stocks got a lift after the price for a barrel of Brent crude erased an early gain to fall 0.7% to $108.79. Earlier in the morning, it got near $112 and approached its highest price since the war with Iran began in late February. The drop in oil prices will relieve

some of the pressure on inflation, if it lasts. Brent’s price has been yo-yoing between $97 and $112 per barrel this month on uncertainty about when the energy industry will return to normal. For now, airlines and other companies with big fuel bills enjoyed the benefit of Tuesday’s drop. American Airlines rallied 3.7%, and United Airlines flew 2.3% higher. Another winner was Braze, a customer engagement platform. Its stock soared 51.7% to $45.57 after Salesforce said it would buy the company for $47.50 in cash for each share.

Instacart settles federal claims of discrimination The federal government has reached a $5 million settlement with Instacart for allegedly discriminating against U.S.-born workers in its hiring practices. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Instacart was advertising jobs through the Permanent Labor Certification, or PERM, program. The program lets employers hire temporary visa holders and sponsor them for permanent resident status as long as they have also made a good-faith effort to hire U.S. workers. The agencies said Instacart created a burden for U.S. workers by requiring that applications be physically mailed to the company for jobs that were listed as part of its PERM recruitment program. Instacart allows electronic applications for its standard job recruitment process. San Francisco-based Instacart said Tuesday that its hiring practices complied with U.S. laws and regulations, but it agreed to the settlement in order to remain focused on its business. “We’re proud to be a U.S.based grocery technology platform, employing thousands of American workers and serving millions of customers, retailers, shoppers and brands,” the company said.

China defends DeepSeek after ban HONG KONG — China hit back Tuesday at a U.S. ban on the use of Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek’s products by federal civilian agencies and warned of retaliatory measures as the two AI powers race to develop the technology. The Department of Homeland Security said the agencies should remove DeepSeek products as well as third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek from their IT systems, according to a notice Monday. The latest warnings reflect “the depth of strategic distrust between Beijing and Washington” even as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping work hard to keep their personal relationship “warm and constructive,” said George Chen, partner and chair of digital practice at Washington-based The Asia Group consultancy. The Homeland Security order, dating back to late July, also blocks civilian agencies from procuring DeepSeek products and services. DeepSeek’s open-source models are widely available in countries including the U.S. and are mostly free to use.

The Boeing 737 Maz 10 airliner has been approved for passenger service after years of delays, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

BACK IN FLIGHT FAA clears way for airlines to put Boeing’s long-delayed 737 Max 10 into service

BY JOSH FUNK and RIO YAMAT Associated Press

Boeing’s 737 Max 10 airliner has been approved for passenger service after years of delays, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday. The Max 10’s certification represents another milestone in Boeing’s efforts to restore its reputation and financial footing after years of safety, quality and production challenges. With production approved, the aircraft can now be sold to domestic and foreign carriers. “After extensive safety reviews — including thousands of hours of test flights — the team at the FAA is ready to approve this critical aircraft for sale,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “This is a major win for American manufacturing and our nation’s status as a global aviation powerhouse.” The Max 10 — the largest version of Boeing’s bestselling 737 family — is an important piece of the company’s effort to regain ground in the narrow-body market. For airlines, the larger plane offers a way to carry more passengers on a single flight, potentially lowering costs per seat. For travelers, it could eventually mean more seats on popular routes, though the impact on fares will depend on how airlines deploy the planes and how much competition they face. Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a

statement that “completing the certification program clears the path for us to deliver a Boeing airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation.” The Max 10 will typically seat 185-210 passengers, according to Boeing, compared with 175-195 on the Max 9 and 160-180 on the Max 8. The single-aisle jet was introduced at the Paris air show in 2017 to help Boeing compete with rival Airbus. But technical and regulatory hurdles repeatedly delayed certification. Boeing said in its 2020 annual report that it expected to make the plane’s first delivery in 2023. The company now expects to begin deliveries in 2027. The delays have held up a key part of Boeing’s business. More than 30 customers worldwide have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has yet to deliver, accounting for more than 30% of its total 737 Max backlog. Major customers for the Max 10 include United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Ryanair. Alaska Airlines joined that list in January, ordering 105 Max 10s, with options for 35 more. Boeing’s struggles have been particularly acute since two deadly crashes involving the smaller Max 8 killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019 off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia. In 2024, a panel flew off of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midair, renewing scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing and safety practices. The Max 10 is intended to compete with

Airbus’s A321neo model family, which entered service in 2017. The largest A321neo can carry more passengers and fly farther without refueling than the Max 10. Still, Boeing designed the Max 10 to carry more passengers while burning less fuel than older aircraft — a potentially attractive combination for airlines facing soaring jet fuel costs amid the U.S. war with Iran. Those rising costs have put added pressure on airlines to control expenses. The Max 10’s certification completes the lineup of four 737 Max models. The FAA cleared the smaller Max 7 for airline operations in August. Certification means the FAA has determined that the Max 10’s design meets safety standards, following engineering reviews and flight testing. But Boeing must continue to show it can consistently build the aircraft to the approved design, and each plane must be cleared before it can fly passengers. In the wake of the fatal Max 8 crashes, the FAA overhauled how it certifies Boeing aircraft. But over the past 18 months, the agency has gradually eased some of its restrictions on the company, increasing the limit on how many planes Boeing can produce. In July, the FAA also said Boeing could once again issue airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 planes at the end of production, allowing the company to take back some responsibility for determining whether finished aircraft are ready to fly.

23andMe to pay $6 million to settle allegations BY CAROLINE PETROW-COHEN Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Chrome Holding Co., formerly known as 23andMe, is set to pay $6 million to the state of California to settle allegations that it failed to protect customers’ genetic data and sold that data without consent during its bankruptcy process. The settlement was filed this week in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Missouri and is pending court approval. It resolves two separate lawsuits — one related to a 2023 data breach that affected nearly 7 million 23andMe customers, and another concerning the 2025 sale of genetic data and biological samples follow-

ing the company’s bankruptcy. “Companies cannot evade California’s consumer protection and privacy laws by filing for bankruptcy,” California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said in a statement. “I am proud to fight for the privacy rights of Californians and to deliver this settlement for consumers who put their trust in 23andMe.” Co-founded by Anne Wojcicki in 2006, 23andMe popularized athome genetic testing, allowing customers to send in a saliva sample and receive a DNA analysis. The Mountain View company attracted celebrity attention and spawned a cottage industry of ancestry hunters and true crime sleuths. After it went public in 2021, 23andMe was

briefly valued at $6 billion. However, the business never turned a profit, failed to attract repeat customers and fell victim to internal squabbles. Last March, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit founded by Wojcicki and based in Palo Alto. The sale raised concerns that sensitive genetic data could fall into the wrong hands. The California Department of Justice tried to block the sale, arguing it was inconsistent with California’s Genetic Information Privacy Act, which requires a customer’s explicit consent before the sale or transfer of genetic data. Although the Bankruptcy Court

and the District Court overruled the Department of Justice’s objection, the department later appealed that decision, leading to this week’s settlement. Meanwhile, TTAM Research Institute has ambitions of reaching 100 million users and is selling ancestry kits as well as more expensive DNA and blood analysis services. The $6 million settlement also resolves allegations against Chrome Holding Co., the corporate debtor name that 23andMe is operating under during bankruptcy. Bonta sued Chrome Holding Co. earlier this year, saying that 23andMe did not do enough to protect its customers’ data.

4B ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

Funerals Today Templet, Feltus

St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church, 1022 N. Burnside Ave., Gonzales at 11:00am.

Obituaries Cedotal, Diana Falgout

Diana Falgout Cedotal, a resident of Ascension Parish, passed away on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the age of 82. Diana grew up in Houma, Louisiana and graduated from Terrebonne High School. She worked as a hair stylist before meeting her husband and starting a family. She dedicated her life to being a wife and mother. She loved her family, and she loved her neighbors. She is preceded in death by her son, Jeremy Cedotal; her parents, Hubert and Louise Falgout; her sisters, Marie Austin (Marion), June Jayroe, Judy Brien (Louis); and her brother, Roy Falgout. Diana is survived by her husband, Glenn Cedotal; her daughter, Melissa Thies (Chris); her brothersin-law; her sisters-in-law; as well as many nieces and nephews that she loved as her own. Visitation will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Diana loved all beautiful things in nature, including animals, butterflies, bees, plants, trees, and flowers. Her favorite part of the day was enjoying the back patio view of the flowers and trees in her yard that she planted with her husband. Memorials in honor of Di-

ana Falgout Cedotal and her love for the natural world can be made to Clean Pelican or any local non-profit with beautification projects. The following link will dedicate your donation in Diana's name for future beautification projects in our local area. https://secure.givelively.or g/donate/clean-pelicaninc/melissa-thies-1. Glenn and Melissa would like to extend their gratitude to Dr. Eric Frusha, Dr. Heidi Nowakowski, Dr. Halina Nowakowski, Camille Tate, APRN-CNP, Keva, Ashley, David, and Yolanda, for the care and respect given to their wife and mother. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthav enbatonrouge.com.

Fitzgerald Jr., Harry John

Harry John Fitzgerald, Jr. passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at the age of 87. Harry is survived by his wife, Marjorie; children, Karen Trappey (Fritz), John Fitzgerald (Kari), Paul Fitzgerald (April), and Shari Ashe (Adam); six grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; sister, Beth Mikovich; and numerous other family members. Harry is preceded in death by his parents, Harry, Sr. and Margaret Fitzgerald. Visitation will be at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 14040 Greenwell Springs Rd., Greenwell Springs, LA, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 11:30am until the Mass of Christian Burial at 1pm.

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Burial will immediately follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park.

Himel Jr., Dr. Eddie Joseph

://sartorprostatefoundatio n.org/donate) in New Orleans. Online condolences can be made at http://www.ordoynefuner als.com/. Funeral arrangements were trusted to Ordoyne Funeral Home, 1489 Saint Patrick Street Thibodaux, LA 70301.

Hodges, Ethel Ann 'Annie'

Dr. Eddie Joseph Himel, Jr., 70, passed away on October 20, 2026 at 9:25 am. Born May 07, 1956, he was a native and resident of Thibodaux, LA. Friends and family will be received at Saint Joseph CoCathedral on Friday, October 23, 2026 from 8:00 AM until service time. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:00 AM at the church with burial following at Saint Francis de Sales Cemetery No. 2. Eddie is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Brigid Grace Himel; children, Gretchen Donnes (Ross) and Sarah Himel; grandchildren Dylan Donnes, Margot Donnes, and Quinn Donnes; father, Leslie Daigle; brothers Thomas Himel, Jerry Daigle, John Leslie Daigle; sister Alice Daigle Roth. He is preceded in death by his mother, Ann Jones Himel Daigle; father, Dr. Eddie Joseph Himel. Eddie was a devoted husband, loving father and doting grandfather. He had a lifelong passion for learning, travel, music and a good party. These passions were only matched by the dedication to his profession, Physical Therapy, which he practiced with his father and brother for 45 years at Daigle Himel Daigle Physical Therapy. The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Oliver Sartor and Haydel Hospice. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Joseph Co-Cathedral, E.D. White Catholic High School or the Sartor Prostate Foundation (https

Ethel Ann Hodges (Annie) On October 15, 2026, our precious mother, Ethel Ann Hodges, went to be with

the Lord.

ed.

Annie was truly the life of every party. With her larger-than-life personality, creativity, and generous heart, she had a special gift for bringing people together and making every occasion memorable.

Above all, Annie loved her family and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was a member of Healing Place Church, and her faith was an important part of her life.

She attended clown school and owned a birthday party business, bringing laughter to countless children. She also operated a daycare, worked as a professional seamstress at Village Fabrics, and served as the entertainment director at Zachary Manor. She loved celebrating holidays, decorating, creating games, gardening, and sharing her many talents with others. Some of her favorite moments were spent baking cookies with her grandchildren, hosting family gatherings, and making sure no one ever left her home empty-hand-

She leaves behind her three daughters, Dutchie Jane Betz (Jeff), Kim Duke Bell (Thomas), and Jill Duke Toural (Lenest); her grandchildren, Brandee Sandusky (Rhett), Blake Betz (Sarah), Thomas Mansur III, Parker Toural, Landry Mansur, and Peyton Toural; and her greatgrandchildren, Madison Sandusky, Cora Jane Sandusky, Wylie Sandusky, Henry Betz, and Walter Betz. She is also survived by her siblings, Dorothy Harvell, Lena Mae Richardson, Bertha Schexnayder, Ralph J. "Sonny" Hughes, William Robert "Billy"

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Hughes, Joseph David Hughes, Jimmy Hughes, Larry J. Hughes and Paul Harvey Hughes.

Hodges, Thomas Edwin 'Hodge'

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph D. Hughes and Laura Graciana Hughes; and her siblings, Charles Eugene Hughes, and Laura Jane Hughes. Annie leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, generosity, and cherished memories that will live on for generations. Though our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing she is at peace in the arms of Jesus. The family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date. Donations may be made to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America in loving memory of Ethel Ann.

Thomas Edwin "Hodge" Hodges, Sr. was born January 25, 1928, in Centreville, Mississippi to Thomas James (Tommie) and Corrie (Smylie) Hodges. He died peacefully, with his son by his side, and welcomed into heaven by his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and his loving wife, Fannie, on September 28, 2026. Hodge built a career with Coca-Cola Baton Rouge. He began as a junior salesman in 1950 and held nearly every position imaginable, including Manager of the McComb, MS plant from 1980 to 1986. Even after his retirement, he worked under contract, going out on "Coke Calls"

to contact customers with special concerns. Hodge was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Fannie, his parents, and his sisters Edna Snody and Hazel Duck and his brother, James Alton Hodges. He is survived by his only child, his faithful & dutiful son, Edwin "Ed" Hodges and wife, Susan, his grandchildren, Aimee Roquet (Eric) and Tommy Hodges and his great grandson, Jace Thomas Roquet, all of College Station, Texas, his sister-inlaw, Olivia Hodges, and many nieces and nephews, throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. Services will be held at Newman Funeral Home in Centreville, MS on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Visitation from 10:00am11:30am, followed by the service with burial at Oaklawn Cemetery, Centreville.

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OPINION T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEW

La. farmers face threats with little support Even in ordinary years, farming is a risky business. Weather, pests or disease outbreaks can ruin crops in the field before they can be brought to market This year, however, the threats to farming income have multiplied. The high cost of diesel fuel and fertilizer due to the war in Iran has squeezed budgets. Tariff and trade policy has limited farmers’ potential markets. Immigration crackdowns have made it hard to find workers. And looming on the horizon, the expansion of new industries like data centers, solar farms and LNG facilities in many rural areas is making farmland more attractive to developers. It’s no wonder then that when this newspaper’s Megan Wyatt talked to farmers across the state — from Richland to Cameron parishes — they expressed concerns about how long they’d be able to continue to till land that for many has been handed down to multiple generations. We know how important agriculture is to Louisiana. As state Agricultural Commissioner Mike Strain likes to point out, it is the top industry in the majority of parishes in the state. In Louisiana, which has fertile land that supports raising everything from cattle to crawfish to soybeans to sugar cane, we’re in better shape than many places, but that doesn’t mean our farmers don’t need help. We previously have urged our delegation in Washington to oppose policies that hurt farmers — including the disastrous cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, which ended food programs that enabled many places around the world to buy Louisiana crops. We also urged Congress to reconsider restrictions on H-2B visas that were hampering the ability of crawfish farmers to get enough workers for harvest season. Those calls fell on deaf ears, so forgive us if we’re not hopeful that Congress will act. The state did take some action to give farmers relief, including an executive order eliminating a tax on red dye diesel, a kind normally used for tractors — a move later followed by the federal government. But most farmers see that as only a drop in the bucket, and we agree. We hope that by continuing to raise awareness as to their plight, they will at least know they are not forgotten. President Donald Trump announced a new $8 billion bailout for farmers affected by high diesel prices on Monday. But we suspect most would prefer changes that help them thrive rather than handouts. We support the aims of the Louisiana Farm Bureau, which is advocating for more sensible policies on trade and on agricultural labor as well as increased competitiveness among farm suppliers. Louisiana farmers are the backbone of our state, making possible much of the cuisine that we are known for throughout the world. We celebrate their contributions at festivals and appreciate their hard work every time we visit a farmers market. But if that support doesn’t extend to the halls of power, it may not help them much after all.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published

identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

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YOUR VIEWS

Trump’s favoring of Putin harms vital partnerships

American children are losing their parents to mass deportation Thank you for your reporting on the fate of Vilma Palacios, a 22-year-old LSU nursing grad from Honduras who had lived in the U.S. since she was 6. After being swept up in our nation’s mindless mass deportation policies last summer and spending months in a detention center in Basile, Louisiana, Vilma was unable to obtain a U.S. visa and chose to launch her nursing career in Canada. As the editors stated, clearly we have lost our way as a country when we no longer welcome those who contribute to society. Our country is only just beginning to see the costs, human and financial, that indiscriminate mass deportation is causing American society, with homes not being constructed or repaired, a shortage of elder-care workers and increased dairy and produce prices. What many are not aware of is how reckless immigration policies are impacting children — our society’s future and most precious gift. A recent Brookings Institute report

found that over 145,000 U.S. citizen children of immigrants lost a parent to detention/deportation from January 2025 to April 2026 as a consequence of indiscriminate mass deportation policies, including over 2,900 U.S. citizen children in Louisiana. Readers with young children will understand how distraught a child would be at the sudden loss of a parent. Why are we doing this to our children? Some may be shocked that so many Louisiana citizen children have been harmed by the traumatizing loss of mom or dad, but not immigrant families and folks walking with immigrants. In my metro-area Catholic parish, we have lost 13 faith-filled, peace-loving, hard-working immigrant parishioners to these cruel policies since January 2025. In the coming election, I urge readers to please vote for candidates who will help our country find our way again.

In February 2022, Russia, a country with hegemonic ambitions, a second-rate conventional military and an economy no larger than Italy’s, invaded Ukraine. In naked aggression, the attack rivaled Germany’s 1939 invasion of Poland. Fighting for over four years, Ukraine, with creativity and courage, has bloodied and blunted Russia. President Donald Trump too often favors the world’s thugs and outcasts ruling our long-time adversaries, especially Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and disparages the elected heads of state governing our longtime friends. A reason may be the president’s sense of personal grievance — that he dislikes those European and other world leaders who he believes fawned over President Barack Obama and privately regard him lightly. But doing so trashes what America has stood for and undermines the partnerships that make us stronger. Recently, Trump has decided to buy diesel fuel from Russia, a financial lifeline to Putin; exempted Russia and its leaders from recently adopted congressional sanctions; criticized Ukraine’s — but not Russia’s — drone targeting of energyrelated installations; threatened that the United States might suspend all assistance to Ukraine, such as military intelligence; and again blamed invaded Ukraine, not the invader Russia, for the war. Over the past 80 years, excluding the Trump terms, America has had 13 presidents, 20 secretaries of state and 26 secretaries of defense. George Marshall, Dean Acheson, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, George Shultz, George H.W. Bush, James Baker, Robert Gates — these are people who helped to make America great. Can you plausibly suggest one who would not have been, or is not, appalled by and cringing at Trump’s longstanding preference and recent intercession for Russia? I cannot. And if we can’t, what does that say about what we are doing?

SUE WEISHAR New Orleans

Protect schools from violence, address causes compassion, respect for life, personal responsibility and care for our neighbors. That work begins at home. Parents must be present, listen closely, set boundaries and work alongside teachers. Churches and communities must support families, help children who are struggling and take warning signs seriously. This is a shared responsibility. Our educators need support, our children need guidance and troubled young people need timely help. Here in Louisiana, we should ask ourselves what we can do today to strengthen those relationships in our own schools. Let us protect our children while doing the patient, faithful work of prevention. We owe them both.

The school shooting in Oregon Oct. 15 weighs heavily on my heart. I pray for the grieving families, the wounded and every child and educator whose sense of safety has been shaken. As a lifelong security professional, chaplain and firm supporter of the right to bear arms, I support Kaylub Giamanco’s courageous intervention to protect innocent lives. I pray he finds peace as he carries the emotional weight of that day. My experience has taught me the importance of sound security, preparation and trained responders. My faith convinces me we must also address the roots of violence long before an attacker reaches a schoolhouse door. I firmly believe bringing God and stronger parent involvement back into our classrooms and halls is essential to that work. Faith must be lived through

NORRIS D. YARBROUGH LaPlace

If Dems win, they plan to reverse what Trump has done With midterm elections rapidly approaching, political consultant Karl Rove complained in The Wall Street Journal recently that the Democrats have no agenda in the event of victory. I think he’s wrong. Their agenda (harbored more than revealed) is to torch any accomplishment connected to Trump, regardless of whether his actions might be

judged good or bad, i.e., in the interest of the nation or of President Donald Trump. That is the predictable outcome of elections in a nation that embraces identity politics. As the Romans would have it, “caveat elector.”

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COMMENTARY President’s war on electric vehicles boomerangs on us Why on earth did Ford stop making its heralded electric truck? As Americans shudder at high gasoline prices, prospective truck buyers are lining up at car lots to buy used F-150 Lightning and other electric vehicles. Ford stopped making the F-150 Lightning last December. There are several reasons American automakFroma ers pulled back from an Harrop earlier determination to enter the electric era with the rest of the world. And for their customers to be left to scrounge when energy prices revived demand. But the biggest reason is Donald Trump, and here’s an educated guess why he had it in for clean, renewable energy: money. During the 2024 campaign, Trump pitched the fossil-fuel industry on a promise, since kept, to gut Joe Biden’s fuel-efficiency and climate rules. That helps explain why oil and gas interests poured $23 million into Trump’s reelection coffers, becoming his fourth biggest source of cash. The Iran War has further raised energy prices, bringing more good news to certain bottom lines. As a recent Wall Street Journal headline put it, “American Oil Refiners Are Printing Money as Wars Shrink Global Energy Supplies.” We’re not saying that Trump is waging war to help his contributors. What’s clear, however, is that by deepsixing Biden’s campaign to reduce America’s dependency on fossil fuels, he left Americans vulnerable to the vagaries of their prices. Now he’s turning against Ukraine in its heroic fight against the Russian invasion, apparently to bring more Russian oil and gas back onto world markets. That could lower pump prices and, Trump hopes, save a few Republican seats in Congress. How did second-term Trump try to kill off the American market for

STAFF PHOTO BY JILL PICKETT

A Chevrolet Blazer EV sits on the lot at Red River Chevrolet in Bossier City, La. electric vehicles, putting domestic carmakers at a global disadvantage? Count the ways: In 2025, Trump pushed Republicans to end the $7,500 tax credit to buy EVs. Ford CEO Jim Farley said that the sharp drop in sales that followed was the main reason his company reconsidered its large EV investments. It’s also why General Motors scaled back, taking a $6 billion charge that included billions in canceled supplier contracts and settlements. He greatly weakened the fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks, which had pushed automakers to produce more energy-efficient vehicles. He froze money allocated to building EV charging stations. Many Americans who wanted EVs put off getting them for fear of running out of power far from a charging area. Trump wanted to keep those fears alive. His Energy Department canceled grants to clean-energy manufacturing programs, including support for making batteries in this country. And Trump filled media with a drumbeat of dumbo remarks about EVs: They don’t go far, they cost a lot to buy, and they’re made in China. EVs do cost more to buy than comparable

gas-powered models, but they are cheaper to maintain and cheaper to power, now very much cheaper. And yes, they are made in China, where automakers are cleaning the clocks of EV makers in North America and Europe. At the recent Paris Motor Show, Chinese companies represented a third of all brands on display. BYD, the world’s biggest selling EV brand, unveiled an SUV that could fill a battery in about five minutes. Chinese EV automakers now have models that allegedly go over 600 miles on a single charge, and even some of their budget models approach 500 miles. Chinese EVs sell big in Europe but are pretty much locked out of the American market due to high tariffs and software bans. Trump recently said they’d be acceptable if built in the U.S. That further freaked out Detroit, which still makes some EVs and plans to introduce more. Trump fought the future. The future won, and Americans are paying the bill. Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

A rumpled Democrat may ride Ohio anti-Trumpism back to the Senate ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Before the interstate president, toward whom almost all conhighway system enabled drivers to gressional Republicans are vigorously enjoy efficiency by forgoing interestsubservient. This year’s surprising annoyances ing experiences, traffic to and from for voters are data centers serving the the East and Midwest on Route 40, artificial-intelligence infrastructure. “the National Road,” flowed through, Inconveniently for Husted, Trump rather than around, cities. At this one, adores them as much as many Ohioans it crossed the famous Y Bridge that spans the confluence of the Licking and detest them. The electricity and water these centers require are hardly inMuskingum rivers. Depending on which fork of superable challenges, but they the Y drivers choose, they can symbolize irresistible change cross the bridge and wind up imposed by unfathomable techon the same side of a river they nocracies. started on. The structure is a Trump was his colorful self metaphor for Ohio’s current (“We’re gonna shove it up their U.S. Senate race. George ass, OK?”) when, in a recent Two years ago, Democrat speech 116 miles from here, Will Sherrod Brown failed to win a he delivered this endorsement: fourth Senate term, losing by “Even if you hate Jon Husted just 3.6 points while Donald Trump was … you’re gonna vote.” He immediately carrying Ohio by 11.3 points. This year, amended his stream of semiconsciousTrump is as unloved in football-crazed ness, saying “nobody” hates Husted. So Ohio as Michigan’s Wolverines. Brown there. probably will turn 80 in 2032 as a senaOn a college campus here recently, Brown spoke empathetically about the tor. Ohio farmer he met who said he will He plunged from Yale into politics, pay an extra $100,000 — approximately elected to the state legislature at age the farmer’s anticipated profit this year 21. His thinking is familiar to Ohioans — because of higher fertilizer prices. after half a century advocating ecoFarmers might blame these on an innomic populism and cultural liberalism. He was for same-sex marriage creasingly disorderly world. Will they during his seven terms in the House of vote as if Trump is somewhat blameRepresentatives, two decades before worthy? the Supreme Court settled the issue. Ohio soybean farmers, most of whom His protectionist credentials are so surely voted for Trump, are suffering impeccable he must feel plagiarized from a promise Trump has kept. Preby Trump. He favored protectionism dictably, other nations have targeted before this foolishness became fashU.S. agricultural exports in retaliation against the tariffs that are Trump’s ionable. signature achievement. Regarding the Brown’s opponent, Sen. Jon Husted, price farmers are paying for diesel was appointed in 2025 to the seat JD Vance filled for just over two years be- fuel, largely because of the Iran war, fore becoming vice president. Husted’s Republicans in Ohio, as elsewhere, say: Let’s talk instead about trans people — thinking might not be a concern for voters. They might reasonably assume boys in girls’ sports, OK? Addressing a late-afternoon gatherhis convictions are supplied by the

ing here, Brown, who will turn 74 six days after Election Day, was younger than many of the 100 or so in the room. Elderly Americans have more time than most others to pay attention to politics. And more reason to. Medicare and Social Security are 36% of spending by the federal government, which is increasingly an elder care institution with a military. Brown spoke about his devotion to Social Security, but not — why spoil a balmy autumn day? — about the 2032 exhaustion of its trust fund. There will be plenty of time after the election to ignore this certainty. The Almanac of American Politics calls Ohio “the first entirely American state,” the first neither to begin as a British colony nor to be carved from three of the original 13. Ohio was a swing state that swung in tandem with the nation in all but two 20th-century presidential elections. Brown, whose two dogs are named Franklin and Walter, for Franklin D. Roosevelt and Walter Reuther, militant head of the United Auto Workers, 1946-1970, might make Ohio less crimson, briefly. With tousled hair, imperfectly pressed clothes and a voice sometimes sandpapery from half a century of selling progressivism in a zillion Zanesvilles, Brown sometimes resembles an unmade bed. But for voters recoiling from the synthetic in politics — Trump’s persona is an acquired taste, but certainly authentic — Brown’s familiarity breeds contentment. He has the unprepossessing manner of someone who actually enjoys the activity that is 98% of what democracy demands of its practitioners: making small talk with strangers. Amazing.

War in Iran exposes intolerable vulnerability of the U.S. Churchill said that “wars are not won by evacuations,” and sometimes, he might have added, they are simply embarrassing. The U.S. hastily flew its B-1 bombers out of RAF Fairford in the U.K. for fear of a potential Iranian drone attack, the latest in a series of successful Iranian operations to crimp U.S. bases, this time more than 2,000 miles away. The Trump administration has found -- by opening a channel to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and blockading Iran -- a strategy to pressure Iran that may yet produce a favorable outcome to the war. Still, the conflict has exposed glaring U.S. military deficiencies, with our inability to protect our bases in the region high on the list. Rich Acting Navy Secretary Hung Lowry Cao has said the Iranians “blew the hell out of Bahrain,” referring to the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in the tiny Gulf kingdom. They have also hit U.S. facilities in Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The vast majority of U.S. casualties have resulted from attacks on our bases. Whereas it once seemed that having so many bases in proximity to Iran was useful to containing the Islamic Republic, when Tehran began firing on these facilities, it became clear that the short distances made them vulnerable targets. Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, where buildings and radar domes were hit, is just over 60 miles away. A number of bases have been fully or partly evacuated, and the effects have been felt on U.S. operations. One reason that there was so much strain on the USS Abraham Lincoln during its lengthy deployment is that Bahrain was no longer available as a supply hub. We had to rely on facilities in Diego Garcia and Singapore, creating a supply chain thousands of miles long. The Iranian missile and drone threat to our bases was foreseeable, and yet we didn’t do enough to protect them. One option now is a broad pullback of our presence in the region. But so long as hydrocarbons power the modern economy, this is a nonstarter. The Gulf states would have an incentive to look elsewhere for strategic partners, most worryingly to Russia or China, and might conclude that they should do more to accommodate an Iran that would have effectively chased us from the Persian Gulf. The answer to the threat to the bases is the same thing that created the threat in the first place -- innovation. We’ve long had bases in the Gulf, including a naval command headquarters in Bahrain since 1948, but the purpose and the nature of the presence has changed over time. As Kristian Alexander writes in an analysis for the Stimson Center, during the Cold War we didn’t have a large land presence at bases. After Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait, that changed. Today, the question is how to reconfigure our presence again to make it more defensible and sustainable. “U.S. bases,” Alexander writes, “remain indispensable for intelligence collection, command and control, maritime security, air and missile defense, logistics and longrange power projection.” One option is to locate more facilities in Israel. Elliott Abrams of the Council on Foreign Relations points out that the Jewish state is much further away -- more than 1,000 miles from Iran -- and would impose fewer restrictions on our access and overflight rights. But we still require bases in the Gulf. We’re going to need to disperse them, harden them (including with more underground elements) and build in more redundancy. The air defense needs to be more robust and layered, and less dependent on expensive missiles that are in short supply. The war with Iran was supposed to represent a short, sharp defanging of the Iranian regime. Instead, it has dragged on and served as a lesson in key shortcomings of U.S. military power that must be addressed, lest they bite us again in a conflict with a much more powerful adversary. Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry.

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

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Baton Rouge 83/49

Lake Charles 83/53

New Orleans 80/57 Houma 80/51

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

0s

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81° 57°

Well, the great weather that we’ve been experiencing since last weekend continues again today. Expect a mostly sunny, warm and breezy day. Temperatures this afternoon will be above average, rising into the mid-80s. The winds today are out of the northeast at 5 to 10 mph, so the air remains dry, dew points low and humidity hardly noticeable. If you’re headed to Paris for the Saints game, expect mostly cloudy skies, lows in the 40s, afternoon highs in the 50s and scattered rain every day.

LOW

80° 56°

TEMPERATURE Jackson 83/50

Beaumont 83/56

MONDAY

YESTERDAY

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Tuesday

Longview 82/49

-0s

HIGH

Monroe 84/49

Many 85/43

SUNDAY

Plenty of sunshine Plenty of sunshine

LOW

Shreveport 83/49

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High/low Normal high/low Last year’s high/low Record high Record low

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) Shell Beach South Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) Wine Island

OCT 25

NEW

NOV 1

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

4:49p 10:38a 2:32a 4:47a 6:01a 5:48a 7:09a

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Lo

52 55 46 47 50 57 55 56 64

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NOV 9

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NOV 17

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76 86 63 75 70 84 72 87 73

Lo

54 53 42 45 52 61 57 55 55

LOW

0.00” 0.00” 3.12” 46.38” 51.00”

FT.

HIGH

0.7 3:15a 0.3 1.6 8:27p 0.8 2.2 7:29a 1.8 1.7 11:07a 1.1 1.2 4:31p 0.6 1.5 2:59p 0.8 1.5 5:33p 0.7

7:11 a.m. 6:27 p.m. 3:50 p.m. 2:32 a.m.

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--- ----- --12:15p 1.9 2:48p 1.3 --- ----- ----- ---

READING 50 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

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8:06a 8:44a 9:22a 10:03a 10:48a 11:40a 12:09a

Los Angeles Miami Nashville New York City Philadelphia Phoenix St. Louis San Francisco Seattle

Hi

73 85 77 61 66 88 75 68 65

1:55a 8:28p 2:33a 9:06p 3:11a 9:45p 3:51a 10:26p 4:35a 11:13p 5:26a ---6:24a 12:39p

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61 71 45 48 45 70 48 57 45

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t s s s s t s sh s

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71 84 77 65 70 82 76 67 58

2:17p 2:55p 3:33p 4:14p 5:00p 5:53p 6:54p

THU. Lo

59 71 46 44 46 64 51 56 45

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

W

t t s s s t s pc pc

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near Olive AMITE Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

4.50 23.20 25.50 11.20 6.50 5.27 4.00

-1.16 -0.43 -0.20 -0.40 -0.40 -0.20 -0.31

40

18.33

-0.93

19

-1.77

-0.14

18 29 8

-1.36 9.65 2.89

+0.01 -0.01 +0.12

13 15

2.44 0.55

+0.01 none

47 34 29 20 12 6

10.42 6.96 5.12 5.01 3.70 2.03

-0.08 -0.03 -0.28 +0.21 +0.40 +0.12

Forecasts and graphics, except for Damon’s Outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

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W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 21, 2026

1CN

P A C E R S A T P E L I C A N S • 7 P. M . W E D N E S D A Y • G C S E N

Life’s easier for Saints while on run BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

VERSAILLES, France — So that is what the New Orleans Saints offense can look like when the run game is going. When the Saints have enjoyed successful offensive performances the last two seasons under coach Kellen Moore, more often than not it was because quarterback Tyler Shough and receiver Chris Olave were dragging the rest of the offense along with them. That was not the case Sunday against the New York Giants. The Saints ran the ball ä Saints 38 times for 175 vs. Steelers. yards. What is some8:30 A.M. SUNDAY, what funny about NFL NETWORK the performance is that the downto-down efficiency was not that great. The Saints’ 37% rushing success rate was a few percentage points worse than their season average. The bulk of their yardage came on explosive plays, which is something new. New Orleans racked up six runs of 10 or more yards, five of them by running backs Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and CJ Donaldson. To put that in perspective, Saints running backs had accounted for four runs of 10 or more yards in the first five weeks of the season combined. The Saints were successful on both zone- and gap-scheme runs, and they also got more out of Shough as a rusher (five carries, 32 yards) than they had all season. Rookie guard Jeremiah Wright, who entered for the injured Cesar Ruiz, definitely played a part in helping unlock some things. All but one of those explosive runs came after Wright checked into the game. New Orleans will have a chance to keep that going this week against a Pittsburgh defense that has allowed at least 4 yards per carry in four of its six games this season.

ä See SAINTS, page 4C

LSU seeks to right SEC road wrongs BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

When Lane Kiffin walked up to the podium on Monday ahead of LSU’s third road game of the year this Saturday at Auburn (11 a.m., ABC), it marked an anniversary of sorts. It had been exactly two years since LSU won a road game in Southeastern Conference play, a fact that hadn’t been lost on the first-year LSU coach. “We haven’t won on the road at LSU in 24 ä LSU at months,” Kiffin said. Auburn. “And yet, there’s one 11 A.M. SATURDAY, other nonconference ABC road game; it was at Clemson, and LSU won.” LSU’s last road win against an SEC foe came midway through Brian Kelly’s third season, a 34-10 win at Arkansas. That night, then-freshman running

ä See LSU, page 4C

STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson poses for a photograph during media day Sept. 28 at the Smoothie King Center.

NOW OR NEVER? BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

New Orleans Pelicans fans thought they’d be dancing by now. Zion Williamson thought so, too. That’s what Williamson promised when he stared into the TV camera that June night in 2019 and said “Let’s dance.” But Williamson enters his eighth NBA season still trying to deliver not only to a city starving for some hoops success but also for himself. The Pelicans are coming off the worst back-to-back stretch in franchise history, winning just 26 games last season and 21 the year before that. They aren’t where they want to be. Neither is Williamson when it comes to his career so far. “I’m not where I want to be,” Williamson said. “Not where I need to be. Not where I want to be.” Where he wants to be is in the playoffs. The Pelicans have made it twice since Williamson arrived in the NBA, but he was injured both times and had to watch from the bench.

Zion enters Year 8 with renewed focus, plans to push Pels toward greatness

Where he also wants to be is among the NBA elite, the place everyone expected him to be by now. Kris Chrisp, who began training Williamson in November, is trying to be the GPS to help Williamson reach his desired destination to finally silence the critics. “Every athlete sees what people say about them,” Chrisp said. “I don’t care how big of a star they are. He saw the comments that people made about his body. He saw the people they say are better than him. I remind him of it. I try to instill so much confidence in him. ‘Hey man, you need to get back to your spot.’” Chrisp admits he wasn’t so sure how things would go with his new client when he was asked to train him. “To be honest, I was a little skeptical given some of the media reports and some of the things I had heard about him,” Chrisp said. “But it felt like a challenge I was prepared for. Once we got started, I was amazed. I said, ‘Bro, you are nothing like what people said you were.’ They said he didn’t work. But he has done every single thing that I have asked him to do.”

ä See ZION, page 4C

Beware unintended outcomes from inevitable expansion of CFP The known universe isn’t expanding as fast as the College Football Playoff these days. Nothing official yet, but multiple reports say there is a handshake agreement between CFP leaders and ESPN for the playoff to expand from 12 to 24 teams, likely next season. To review, college football has gone from no playoff to a BCS championship game after the 1998 season rotating among the bowls, to a separate BCS title game after the 2006 season, to a four-team CFP in 2014, to a 12AP PHOTO BY MARTA LAVANDIER team CFP in 2024, to this. Why is this happening? Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds the CFP “It’s just all money,” Clemson trophy after the Hoosiers’ 27-21 win against Miami in the coach Dabo Swinney said TuesCollege Football Playoff national championship game on day. Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens, Fla. “Follow the money” has always

been sage advice. In this case, though, a doubled CFP hardly promises doubled profits. A 24-team CFP likely would eliminate conference championship games, and ESPN (which televises the SEC, ACC and Big 12 title games) and Fox (Big Ten) will claw back hundreds of millions in rights fees. Including tickets and sponsorships, that’s reportedly $325 million total. According to Yahoo Sports, ESPN/ABC will pay about $345 million on top of its current $1.3 billion annual rights fees for the CFP (some games are on TNT and HBO Max). Ultimately, per Yahoo, that means only an extra $2.8 million per SEC school, $2.5 mil-

Scott Rabalais

ä See RABALAIS, page 5C

2C n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 6 p.m. Louisville at Kansas ESPNU COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7 p.m. N.M. St. at Sam Houston St. ESPN2 COLLEGE GOLF 3 p.m. Abilene Christian Intercollegiate GOLF WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 6 p.m. Kentucky at Tennessee SECN GOLF 9 p.m. BMW Ladies Championship GOLF

GYMNASTICS 12:30 p.m. World Artistic Championships NBCSN HORSE RACING noon America’s Day at the Races FS2 3 p.m. America’s Day at the Races FS2 NBA 6:40 p.m. Minnesota at Miami ESPN 7 p.m. Indiana at New Orleans GCSEN 9:05 p.m. Golden State at L.A. Lakers ESPN NHL 6:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Buffalo TNT

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

MEN’S SOCCER Shakhtar Donetsk at Inter Milan CBSSN Forge FC at CF Montreal FS2 St. Louis City at Columbus CBSSN WOMEN’S SOCCER 9:45 a.m. Japan vs. France FS2 12:45 p.m. Ghana vs. Brazil FS2 TENNIS 9:30 p.m. Brussels-ATP TENNIS WNBA 7 p.m. Golden State at Atlanta USA

2 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m.

LSU women start in Top 10 again BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The LSU women’s basketball program again will begin a new season as a top-10 team. Coach Kim Mulkey’s Tigers took the No. 9 spot in The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll, which was released Tuesday. LSU has been a preseason top-10 team in four consecutive seasons. It began the 2023-24 season ranked No. 1 after winning the 2023 national championship, then started at No. 7 in 2024-25 before coming in at No. 5 in 2025-26. Last year, the Tigers earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 but lost to No. 3 seed Duke on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the Sweet 16. Mulkey and her staff then lost Flau’jae Johnson to the WNBA and three key contributors to the transfer portal. But AP voters decided they wound up adding enough talent to stay in the hunt for a trip to the Final Four. Mikaylah Williams is back for another year, alongside senior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and sophomores ZaKiyah Johnson and Grace Knox. LSU’s top newcomers are former Iowa State point guard Jada Williams, McDonald’s All-America forward Lola Lampley, ex-Florida guard Laila Reynolds, Spanish forward Noa Morro and Russian center Anna Minaeva. LSU is one of seven Southeastern Conference teams that landed spots in the preseason poll. Voters ranked the Tigers behind South Carolina (No. 1), Texas (No. 6) and Vanderbilt (No. 8) but ahead of Kentucky (No. 14), Ole Miss (No. 19) and Oklahoma (No. 21). Mulkey’s new-look group will play three preseason top-25 teams in November and December as part of its nonconference slate: No. 2 UConn on Dec. 20 in Nashville, Tennessee; No. 12 North Carolina on the road Dec. 2; and No. 25 North Carolina State in Fort Meyers, Florida, on Nov. 28. LSU’s season tips off in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Nov. 2 against Southeastern Louisiana. Before then, the Tigers will play two exhibition games in the PMAC — one on Thursday against UNT Dallas and another on Oct. 29 against Loyola-New Orleans. LSU has now been a top-10 team at some point during all six seasons of Mulkey’s tenure, which ties the longest such stretch in program

On Tuesday, the Pelicans exercised a fourth-year option on center Yves Missi, and third-year options on guard Jeremiah Fears and forward/center Derik Queen, the team announced. Missi was drafted by the Pelicans with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2024 draft and was voted to the second team on the All-Rookie team. Fears was drafted with the No. 7 pick in the 2025 draft and averaged 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He played in all 82 games last season. The Pelicans traded up in the 2025 draft to select Queen with the 13th pick. He averaged 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first season. Fears and Queen both were second-team selections on the All-Rookie team last season.

Auburn LB Atkins leaves program, plans to transfer

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn standout linebacker Xavier Atkins is no longer with the program. Atkins made the announcement late Monday on social media, saying he plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens later this year. The Tigers have since removed Atkins from their online roster. “I have nothing but respect Auburn University and will continue to support my teammates this season,” Atkins posted on X. “My focus is on my health, my family and on finishing up the academic semester strong, and I’ll be entering the transfer portal at the appropriate time.” Atkins sat out last week’s upset of then-No. 1 Georgia for undisclosed reasons, with coach Alex Golesh saying he would keep the details “in house.” STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU forward Grace Knox, left, finishes a layup against Tennessee forward Zee Spearman last season at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Knox and the Tigers enter this season ranked No. 9 in The Associated Press poll. history. The program also spent time in the top 10 every year from 2002-08. The Gamecocks received 23 firstplace votes from the 31-member national media panel. UConn, USC, Duke and Michigan rounded out the top five. It is the fifth time in the past seven years that Dawn Staley’s team has been ranked No. 1 in the preseason. “It’s a gift and curse,” Staley said. “I tend to not look at the number, but our players do. They look at it and feel like there’s a sense of respect to being No. 1. They also know that it’s pressure packed with the type of nonconference schedule we have, we’re going to be challenged. If we stand there at No. 1 at the end of our nonconference season, that’s something to be truly to be proud of.” South Carolina will face five ranked teams in the first month of the season, including UConn, USC and Duke. UConn, which lost to South Carolina in the Final Four last season, garnered six first-place votes and

has been ranked in the top 10 of every preseason poll since 1994. This is the third consecutive year that South Carolina and UConn have been 1-2 in the preseason poll, though the Huskies were on top a year ago. The two play each other on Nov. 24 in Uncasville, Connecticut. Southern California picked up the other two first-place ballots. Expectations are high for the Trojans, who have a healthy JuJu Watkins back after she missed last season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The No. 3 ranking matches the one they had two years ago. Texas, Louisville, Vanderbilt, LSU and Iowa round out the top 10. Reigning national champion UCLA is next with North Carolina, Notre Dame, Kentucky and TCU following the Bruins. Washington, Minnesota, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Maryland are 16-20 while the final five in the Top 25 were Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Illinois, West Virginia and N.C. State.

AP TOP 25 POLL Rec. Pts. Prv. 1. South Carolina (23) 0-0 764 1 2. UConn (6) 0-0 746 2 3. USC (2) 0-0 668 3 4. Duke 0-0 647 4 5. Michigan 0-0 644 5 6. Texas 0-0 618 6 7. Louisville 0-0 557 7 8. Vanderbilt 0-0 536 8 9. LSU 0-0 512 9 10. Iowa 0-0 492 10 11. UCLA 0-0 442 11 12. North Carolina 0-0 396 12 13. Notre Dame 0-0 368 13 14. Kentucky 0-0 325 14 15. TCU 0-0 301 15 16. Washington 0-0 272 16 17. Minnesota 0-0 238 17 18. Ohio State 0-0 234 18 19. Ole Miss 0-0 223 19 20. Maryland 0-0 222 20 21. Oklahoma 0-0 206 21 22. Oklahoma State 0-0 202 22 23. Illinois 0-0 128 23 24. West Virginia 0-0 73 24 25. NC State 0-0 51 25 Others receiving votes: Nebraska 47, Arizona State 36, Baylor 31, Virginia 30, Michigan State 16, Kansas 12, Tennessee 9, Alabama 7, Syracuse 5, Villanova 5, Fairfield 2, Oregon 2, Rice 2, Georgia 2, Colorado 2, Virginia Tech 1, Clemson 1

The Big Ten has nine teams in the Top 25, the most ever for one conference in the preseason poll. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LSU men get positive eligibility news on 3 players BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Coach Will Wade had a reason to celebrate two weeks before LSU’s season opener. The Tigers had three players receive positive news with their eligibility on Tuesday: UCLA fifthyear transfer point guard Donovan Dent, 22-year-old Italian-Senegalese wing Saliou Niang and 23-year-old French center Brice Dessert. The Tigers currently have 13 players eligible for the season. Dent remains eligible after being granted a temporary restraining order Aug. 18 in his age-based eligibility lawsuit filed in California. The temporary restraining order was extended after no decision was made at the original Sept. 29 hearing for a preliminary injunction. There wasn’t enough time then for all players and coaches to testify, and the second hearing concluded Tuesday. It’s expected that the NCAA will appeal. Dent will play alongside fellow UCLA transfer Skyy Clark, who was granted a temporary injunction for a fifth season in a Kentucky lawsuit Friday. While Clark was among the original plaintiffs in the same California eligibility lawsuit that Dent is a part of, he signed a request for partial dismissal without preju-

Pelicans exercise options for Missi, Fears, Queen

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK

Saliou Niang warms up before an LSU exhibition game against Central Florida on Oct. 14 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

dice Aug. 13, according to court documents. Attorney Emily Staker of Christine Brown and Partners told The Advocate that Clark’s attorneys — The Texas Trial Group, which represents plaintiffs in the Kentucky and California cases — likely advised him to participate in only one lawsuit. “You can’t take two bites at the apple,” said Staker, a Washington state-licensed attorney for seven years. “You can’t lose one case and just go file in another state with the exact same facts necessarily,

unless there’s some material difference in law and application. “I’m wondering if they said, ‘Hey, it’s going to be frowned upon if you’re basically in two courts at once. We need to pick one court and just go with that.’ That’s my impression of the situation.” A Kentucky judge granted Clark, along with more than 30 other athletes, a request for a temporary injunction, grandfathering athletes from the high school Class of 2022. This reversed an Oct. 2 decision by the Kentucky Court of Appeals that dissolved the case, leaving the athletes ineligible. There is more certainty with the LSU roster now since it’s no longer trying to add RJ Luis, a former St. John’s star who signed an NBA contract in 2025 and was granted a preliminary injunction. Even though he was among the 15 players who were practicing with the team since Sept. 2, Wade said at SEC media days last week that Luis is not on the roster. Unlike Luis, Niang remains eligible despite being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft. The SEC will abide by the NCAA’s ruling because the 6-foot-7 wing’s decision to enter the draft came before he enrolled at a school, according to CBS Sports. Dent, a 6-2 point guard, played in LSU’s two exhibition games. He had 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, nine rebounds and 11 assists in

an 85-81 win over Central Florida at home last Wednesday. He also made the go-ahead layup with eight seconds remaining. The preliminary injunction Dent received came within hours of the NCAA making Niang and Dessert eligible, a source with knowledge of the program told The Advocate. Dessert, Niang and Clark should all be able to participate in the Tigers’ last exhibition game at Florida State at noon Saturday after sitting out the first two contests. Wade now has three of his five initial international commitments on the team. The three who are eligible are 20-year-old Croatian center Michael Ruzic, Niang and Dessert. Gilad Levy, a 24-year-old center from Israel, is waiting for the NCAA to decide on his eligibility. Brazilian center Marcio Santos wasn’t granted eligibility, Wade said Sept. 23. That same day, Wade was asked about Ruzic, Dessert and Niang and what they could provide LSU. “They all bring something different,” Wade said. “They bring some much-needed height, some much-needed physicality. You know, Ruzic’s more skilled. Brice is much more around the basket. Niang reminds you kind of Tari Eason. Very, very similar to him.” The Tigers open their regular season against LSU New Orleans on Nov. 3 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Giants release RB Harris after 2-carry, 4-yard game

NEW YORK — The New York Giants released running back Najee Harris on Tuesday, 48 hours after he had just two carries for 4 yards in a 3427 loss to New Orleans. In the locker room afterward, Harris was critical of his role with the team, saying it was impossible for anyone to get into a rhythm without a steady workload. Harris, who is coming off a torn left Achilles tendon and signed with the Giants late in training camp, rushed for 99 yards in five games this season, an average of 3.2 yards an attempt. The 28-year-old started against the Saints on Sunday when Harbaugh and his staff reduced Cam Skattebo’s role after the second-year running back fumbled in overtime at Washington the previous week.

Commanders WR McLaurin out for season with injury

Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin is out for the remainder of the season with a torn left patellar tendon, coach Dan Quinn confirmed on Tuesday. He will have surgery to repair the injury. McLaurin, 31, suffered the injury on Monday against the 49ers and had to be carted off the field with an air cast on his left leg. He returned to the area and underwent an MRI to confirm the injury. The eight-year veteran has played in five games so far this season and has 15 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown. In his place, the Commanders will turn to Stefon Diggs and rookie Antonio Williams to produce more in the receiving game.

Timberwolves, McDaniels agree to 1-year extension MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves have long viewed Jaden McDaniels as a vital part of their long-term core, and they furthered their commitment by signing the two-way standout on Tuesday to a one-year, $40 million contract extension that goes through the 202930 season. The seventh-year small forward has three seasons left on a five-year, $136 million contract he signed right before the 2023-24 season. The extension also makes McDaniels eligible for another one in two years at a higher rate, thanks to the hefty raise he’ll get from about $29.8 million in 2028-29 to the $40 million in 2029-30. The 6-foot-9 McDaniels had an excellent season in 2025-26, posting career bests with an average of 14.8 points per game, 41.2% shooting from 3-point range and 83.5% from the free-throw line.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n 3C

Reese’s performance gives Dream momentum BY JANIE MCCAULEY

ä Valkyries at Dream.

SAN FRANCISCO — Well before tipoff, Atlanta coach Karl Smesko could see it in his superstar’s face: a sheer focus and fierce determination fixed on a single purpose to take over in every aspect. Angel Reese fully realized her team couldn’t afford to fall behind by two games to the Golden State Valkyries in the best-ofseven WNBA Finals as the series shifts to Atlanta, so she led the charge on both ends and grabbed back some momentum for the Dream as they evened the series at one game apiece Monday night. “Even from going in the locker room, first person I made eye contact with was Angel and I’m like: ‘Oh, I like this look. I like this look,’” Smesko, Atlanta’s secondyear coach, said with a chuckle. “She started off aggressive. One thing we try to do is just give her a couple more breaks during the game, so that she can just keep that intensity going throughout the entire game, and she was just fantastic. Just on both ends of the floor, just a superior performance.” The Dream won Game 2 79-65 as Reese delivered 30 points and 16 rebounds and Rhyne Howard set a WNBA Finals single-game record with six steals. That smothering defense flustered the Valkyries into committing 19 turnovers that led to 24 points for Atlanta. Game 3 is Wednesday night. Now that her team has finally won its first Finals game after an 0-10 showing, which spanned three previous berths, Reese understands the defense and grit

At every chance, Reese called for the ball. “Just the energy that she brings for our team, we feed off of that,” said guard Jordin Canada, who contributed 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. “So when she’s in that mode, we know we’ve got to give her the ball to some form of capacity, and try to give her as much space as she can to attack and do what she does best.” The Dream will now be counting on their home crowd after dealing with the noise from Golden State’s loyal, supportive “Ballhalla” fans. Games 3 and 4 were moved to State Farm Arena to accommodate more people — the Hawks’ arena can host some 17,000 — than Atlanta’s regular 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena. Chase Center, meanwhile, has attracted sellout crowds of 18,064 for every Valkyries game since they started as an expansion franchise last year. One of these teams will capture its first championship, and Reese wants to lead the way in the Dream taking the next big step to building something special for the long term. “I think it’s just the start,” she said. “Throughout the entire year we just continued to stick together and know who we are and we have the city behind us, we have the team, we have the coaches and everybody rally behind us so it feels really good. It’s just the next step of who Atlanta is and who Atlanta is going to continue to be for the next couple years.”

AP sportswriter

7 P.M. WEDNESDAY, USA.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY JUSTINE WILLARD

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese, right, is fouled by Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes during Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Monday in San Francisco. it will take to slow down Gabby Williams and a Golden State team that takes the same kind of pride in its top-notch defense — and did all season long to earn the league’s No. 2 seed in just the second year for the franchise. Reese felt she had failed the Dream when the Vallkyries buckled down on her leading to a scoreless second half in a 6864 Game 1 defeat Saturday. She made sure it went differently Monday. “I was hungry. I wanted one and we let one slip away and

you can’t do that, especially on the road,” Reese said. “This is a good environment and a good team. We all came together and we were pissed. We felt disappointed. We felt embarrassed, and we didn’t like the outcome of that last game.” After Game 2, Golden State point guard Veronica Burton felt similar emotions given her team’s season-high turnovers, noting: “It starts with me.” “It’s controllable, it’s definitely controllable,” coach Natalie Nakase said afterward.

“Just credit to them their effort, their hustle, their fight. I thought they did an excellent job getting into those lanes and creating those turnovers.” The 24-year-old Reese became the youngest player to have a 30-point, 15-rebound performance in a playoff game and one of just six players ever to accomplish the feat in the postseason — joining Jonquel Jones of Connecticut in 2019 and Breanna Stewart for Seattle in 2020 as the only others to do so on the Finals stage.

Brewers frustrate fans with seating placements for ‘Timeless Tickets’ BY STEVE MEGARGEE AP sportswriter

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY CHRIS O’MEARA

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson steals second past Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio during Game 6 of the AL Championship Series in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Monday.

Small-ball Rays are 4 wins from first World Series title BY ROB MAADDI AP sportswriter

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Junior Caminero took bites from a massive bone-in tomahawk steak in between questions from reporters inside a beer-soaked clubhouse as teammates danced around, sprayed bubbly and celebrated the Tampa Bay Rays’ third American League pennant. The Rays and their low payroll and small-ball style are heading to the World Series seeking the first championship in franchise history. After a three-game sweep of the rival New York Yankees in their Division Series, the Rays eliminated the Cleveland Guardians in six games by winning three in a row to close out the AL Championship Series. Next up is a matchup against the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers, another thrifty club from a small market that also has never won a World Series. Caminero, the All-Star third baseman who hit 42 homers during the regular season, finally connected for the first time in the postseason, launching a drive off the left-field foul pole to give the Rays a fourrun cushion in the seventh inning of a 7-3 win Monday night. He savored every second of his home run trot,

emphatically pounding his chest before reaching first base and imitating Randy Arozarena’s signature pose before crossing the plate while his former Tampa Bay teammate watched from the stands. “Tampa, this is for you!” Caminero shouted to fans after the game. “Come on now! Let’s go!” Veteran slugger Yandy Díaz, who guaranteed a Game 6 victory through an interpreter on Sunday, also blasted a two-run shot, going deep in the eighth after the Guardians closed to 5-3. Díaz also celebrated with a slow trot that wasn’t quite as demonstrative. Díaz held the tomahawk steak, a tradition he started when the Rays clinched the AL East title, and flexed his arms while taking sprays of sparkling wine from teammates. “Protein, medium well, big biceps,” Díaz said with a smile. The Rays have time to enjoy their victory before heading to Milwaukee to face the Brewers in Game 1 on Friday night. They got here by winning 98 games in the regular season thanks to excellent pitching, strong defense and a group of unselfish hitters with a knack for bunting and playing fundamental baseball. They opened the season with a payroll of $90.5 million that ranked 26th in the majors.

ä Rays at Brewers. 7 P.M. FRIDAY, FOX.

“These guys deserve it. It’s a special group,” Rays President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander said. “These guys did an unbelievable job coming together, exploding for 98 wins and building belief in one another. I’ve never seen a group come together like this one has with so many different ways to beat an opponent on a given night, so many ways to play to the scoreboard. They don’t bludgeon people; they just find ways to win and a lot of different ways to do it.” The Rays are in the postseason for the sixth time under manager Kevin Cash. They lost the World Series to the Dodgers in 2020 and the Phillies in 2008. This group has dominant pitching led by ace Drew Rasmussen, ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta and closer Bryan Baker. “I thought this team really came together about as well as you could in the spring training setting, given the roster turnover that took place,” Cash said. “There were a lot of new faces. And you could sense it was a pretty close-knit group.” Now, the Rays are four wins from capturing the first World Series crown in the franchise’s 29 seasons.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers ran a promotion over a decade ago offering fans a “Timeless Ticket” granting them admission to any game in the future if they paid $1,000. Now that the Brewers are in the World Series for the first time since 1982, fans who took that deal are eager to redeem those tickets they bought in 2015. That has led to some complications. Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said Tuesday that several hundred fans had indicated they wanted to redeem their Timeless Tickets for a World Series game. Schlesinger acknowledged that “we subsequently erred in our internal communications on the logistics of fulfilling the requests.” “While we were able to accommodate all with seats, we received feedback from some that they were unhappy with their seat locations,” Schlesinger said. “Clearly, even with extraordinary limitations on available seats, we did not live up to the spirit of the program, and we have been working

through a resolution.” Danny Fochesato of Milwaukee bought a Timeless Ticket on his 27th birthday, planning all along to redeem it whenever the Brewers reached the World Series. The promotion enabled a Timeless Ticket holder to redeem that ticket and become eligible to buy three additional tickets to that game for the full retail price. The offer said the tickets “may be redeemed for the best available seat locations, subject to ticket availability at the time of redemption.” “Back in 2015, that was a big selling point from the sales people about this,” Fochesato said. “They really touted, ‘Hey, this is going to be the best available seats. You’re getting the priority just behind season ticket holders. Anything the season ticket holders don’t have, you’ll have dibs at it for the World Series.’ That’s kind of the story they sold.” That would have worked out fine when Fochesato tried redeeming his Timeless Ticket for a potential World Series game in 2018, when the Brewers reached the NL Championship Series. Fochesato said he got

four tickets in the 100 level behind home plate that he could have used if the Brewers had made the World Series that year, when they ended up losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the NLCS. This time, he wasn’t as fortunate. Fochesato said he bargained his way to three 400-level seats for Saturday’s Game 2 with the Tampa Bay Rays and one lowerlevel seat in the right-field corner for Friday’s Game 1. He said he was in line for the public sale of tickets and saw better seats were available than those that were offered to him under the Timeless Ticket program. The Brewers are trying to make amends. Schlesinger said any Timeless Ticket holder who applied for World Series tickets before the deadline will now get to keep those World Series tickets while also being able to retain their Timeless Ticket to redeem for another game in any future season. “We regret our mistake and look forward to welcoming them to American Family Field for their World Series experience,” Schlesinger said.

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lll

Defense heads list of questions for Pelicans PELICANS 2026-27 ROSTER

BY RASHAD MILLIGAN

Staff writer

Fresh expectations arrive with new leadership for the New Orleans Pelicans as former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley takes over for a franchise badly in need of a turnaround. While Mosley brings new eyes to the challenge ahead, the roster isn’t that different from the one that won 26 games a year ago. As the group comes back to the Smoothie King Center with a shared goal of returning to the playoffs, many questions remain about the team that Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has constructed. Here are a few of them ahead of the 7 p.m. Wednesday season opener in the Smoothie King Center against Indiana.

No. Player name Pos. Ht. Wt. Last played 41 Saddiq Bey F 6-8 240 Villanova 8 Malik Dia F/C 6-9 256 Ole Miss 0 Jeremiah Fears G 6-4 188 Oklahoma 14 AJ Johnson G 6-5 175 Australia 2 Herb Jones G/F 6-7 210 Alabama 6 DeAndre Jordan 6-11 280 Texas A&M 24 Bennedict Mathurin G/F 6-6 222 Arizona 17 Karlo Matkovic F/C 6-11 255 Croatia 11 Bryce McGowens G 6-6 202 Nebraska 21 Yves Missi C 6-11 236 Baylor 25 Trey Murphy F 6-9 220 Virginia 5 Dejounte Murray G 6-5 188 Washington 10 Jaron Pierre G 6-6 206 SMU 3 Jordan Poole G 6-4 200 Michigan 22 Derik Queen F/C 6-10 255 Maryland 13 Julian Reese F 6-9 230 Maryland 9 Trendon Watford F 6-8 244 LSU 1 Zion Williamson F 6-6 277 Duke

pointer in the loss. He started only five more games the remainder of the season. He had 24 games in which he didn’t play despite being active. Poole looks like he may get another chance this season, as Mosley played him an average of 21 minutes per game in the preseason. He averaged 14.3 points per preseason contest.

Will the defense improve? Not a day of preseason went by without the word “defense” being mentioned. It’s one of the main reasons Dumars hired Mosley. The team’s improvement on that end of the floor was evident, especially in the final two preseason games. The Pelicans finished second in the preseason in creating turnovers. Now they need that to translate into the regular season. The Pelicans were 25th in defensive rating last season. Any chance the Pelicans have of improving will depend on whether they can truly make this their identity. Defense will keep them in games on nights when the offense isn’t clicking.

Is there enough shooting?

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE

New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi, left, battles for the ball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Williams on Jan. 30 at the Smoothie King Center.

All indications are that Yves Missi will be asked to be their main inside presence. The Pelicans ranked seventh in the preseason in rebounds and eighth in blocked shots. Derik Queen was the team’s best rebounder in the Are Pels big enough? preseason, grabbing 8.8 boards In April, Dumars mentioned per game. If the Pelicans get bulthe team needed to improve its lied in the paint, finding a center physicality in the paint. Despite may become a priority before those words, the Pelicans didn’t the trade deadline or in the offmake any moves in that area. season.

ZION

Continued from page 1C The work started paying off right away. Williamson played in 62 games last season, the second most in his career. When Williamson strained his right hip abductor in November, he was supposed to be out for weeks. He ended up missing just six games, a speedy return for a guy whose injuries normally had lingered. It was that quick recovery that helped Chrisp gain Williamson’s trust. They focused on every detail. Making sure Williamson was getting enough sleep. Making sure he was drinking enough water. That included things as simple as watching videos to show Williamson what a dehydrated muscle looks like and why they are more likely to suffer strains. Once they checked those educational boxes, the strenuous workouts began. Typically, there were two workouts per day. The workouts were more intense during the summer when Williamson would often do three a day. Chrisp made

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

About the finish The Saints took care of the most important thing by winning the game, but they almost let it slip through the cracks against the backup to the backup quarterback. J.J. McCarthy entered for Jameis Winston while trailing 34-10 with about 11 minutes to go in the game. His 243 yards passing in the fourth quarter were the fifth-most by an NFL quarterback in NFL history. McCarthy completed 11 passes against New Orleans in that final quarter, and here is what those plays gained in terms of yardage: 19, 27, 8, 49, 24, 11, 13, 46, 17, 20, 9. That is an average of 22.1 yards per completion — the most by an NFL quarterback (minimum 10 completions) since Derek Carr posted the exact same line (11 completions, 243 yards) for the Saints against the Cowboys in Week 2 of the 2024 season. There was some luck involved. His longest completion, a 49-yarder to Charlie Jones, was a 50-50 pass that Quincy Riley probably should have intercepted. But by and large, New Orleans failed to generate much of a pass rush, allowing McCarthy to

sure to post videos of those workouts on social media. “Leave it up to me, I wouldn’t post nothing,” Williamson said. “I would just go through the whole summer workout and just show up (for training camp).” But Chrisp felt it was important for the rest of the basketball world, from Zion fans to Zion haters, to see what he was seeing. “We’re in a small market,” Chrisp said. “Given the type of athlete he is, if you don’t show it on social media, people don’t believe it happened. They don’t know what the work looks like. I thought it was very important to showcase the level of work he puts in on a given offseason day.” Williamson loves the small market, particularly New Orleans. When Chrisp tried to get him to travel to different places for workouts this summer, Williamson insisted they stay in New Orleans. Chrisp was finally able to persuade Williamson to have some sessions in South Carolina, where he was joined by teammate Saddiq Bey. Chrisp likes what he’s seen. So do the people inside the building like executive vice president of basket-

sit back and pick apart its zone coverage. The Saints generated pressure on only six of McCarthy’s 23 drop-backs.

Looking ahead Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver DK Metcalf may be the biggest names on the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, but the focus for the Saints this week should be on running back Jaylen Warren. The Pittsburgh back enters Week 7 with 460 yards rushing, which ranks seventh in the NFL. His 5.5 yards per carry average is behind only Kansas City’s Kenneth Walker and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson. New Orleans is coming off one of its better performances against the run, but it has struggled to contain some of the NFL’s premier backs. Only four NFL teams have allowed more runs of 10-plus yards than the Saints (21) this season.

Odds and ends n Donaldson isn’t going

How will Zion, Queen coexist?

liamson is supposed to be the face of the franchise, is there room for both bigs to shine in the Big Easy?

The Pelicans finished in the bottom 10 of the league for 3-point attempts, 3-point percentage and 3-point makes per game last season. The preseason numbers weren’t great, either. The Pelicans shot 33.1% in the four preseason games, which ranked 24th in the league. They signed Bennedict Mathurin in the offseason, the only major move they made. Mathurin is known as a shooter, but his 31.5% from beyond the arc last season would have been good enough for only sixth-best on New Orleans last year for players who attempted at least four threes a game.

As Queen surged as a rookie, some began to question whether he could coexist on the floor at the same time as Zion Williamson. Both Queen and Williamson are tweeners who have lapses defensively, can be ball dominant on offense and frequently drive to the basket as opposed to spacing the floor. If Queen continues to build on last season’s momentum while Wil-

Jordan Poole was the biggest mystery for the Pelicans last season. Former coach Willie Green decided to bring him off the bench in the fourth game of the 2025-26 season against the Denver Nuggets, and Poole stared him down on Email Rashad Milligan at rashad. the sideline after hitting a three- milligan@theadvocate.com.

ball operations Joe Dumars. “When you’re a young professional, at some point you just want the player to get it,” Dumars said. “What I mean by get it is this: If someone has to call you every morning to drag you out of bed to get you to work out, you don’t get it yet. But when you’re up and you’re doing it and you’re leading it, then you start looking at that guy and you say, ‘OK, he’s getting it now.’ That’s what I saw from Zion.” His teammates have seen a difference, too. Guard Jeremiah Fears, when asked what has set the tone for the competitiveness during training camp, had this to say: “It starts with Zion,” Fears said. “He sets the tone and everybody else just falls in line.” It hasn’t taken long for Williamson to impress coach Jamahl Mosley, who is in his first season in New Orleans after spending the last five seasons as coach of the Orlando Magic. “To see him from the other sideline, you always knew how competitive he was, how tough he was,” Mosley said. “Now just sitting with him and watching film

and breaking down some of the things he’s working on, (you see) his basketball IQ and work ethic. His ability to continue to put the work in. He’s done that. Trusting his work and his process is something that stands out for me more than anything.” Williamson often has been the last player to leave practice. He’s spending countless hours working with assistant coach God Shammgod on his 3-point shot, something he wants to add to his game. Mosley is the fifth coach Williamson has played for in his eight years. That coaching carousel (Alvin Gentry, Stan Van Gundy, Willie Green, interim James Borrego and Mosley) is yet another reminder of how unsteady things have been since Williamson arrived in New Orleans. “It’s not the way I would have wanted it to be,” he said. “That’s a part of this business, part of this game. All you can do is adjust with it and hope things get better.” How well Williamson plays will go a long way in determining whether things get better or if this will be a season of the same ole same ole. In fact, you could use the same

to get more run, he’s going to have to avoid the type of costly mistakes he made against New York: His fumble with 9:03 to go is what ignited the Giants comeback. n Shough got off to an uneven start, completing just 7 of his first 18 passes. This felt like a combination of good Giants defense and some accuracy issues from Shough. There were a few missed opportunities. On one play in the first quarter, the Saints lined Olave up in the backfield and faked a screen, which was a brilliant call. New York bit hard on the play and left Devaughn Vele open down the right sideline for what would’ve been a gain of 20 or more yards, but Shough sailed the throw. Saints receivers also dropped two passes, and Giants rookie linebacker Arvell Reese blew up a pair of screen passes. Shough eventually got hot, starting with his fourth-down touchdown to Bryce Lance. He completed nine straight passes. n The offensive line had a nice bounce-back effort in pass protection, allowing zero sacks on 30 dropbacks. The Giants pressured Shough on 11 of those drop-backs but often had to rely on the blitz to heat up the Saints quarterback.

to be confused with Jahmyr Gibbs or Robinson any time soon. While he lacks the top end speed to be explosive, he has added juice to the Saints run game. Sunday against New York, he ripped off runs of 11 and 17 yards, and he is now leading the team with an average of 4.8 yards Email Luke Johnson at per carry on 17 attempts. ljohnson@theadvocate. But if Donaldson is going com.

How many minutes for Poole?

LSU

Continued from page 1C back Caden Durham ran for three scores, Whit Weeks intercepted a pass that set up an LSU touchdown and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier completed 23 of 34 passes for 233 yards. LSU has gone 0-8 in SEC road games since, losing to Texas A&M and Florida in 2024; falling to Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Oklahoma in Kelly’s final campaign; and dropping its first two away games to Ole Miss and Kentucky this season. The Tigers’ victory over Clemson to start last season is their only road win since that Arkansas game in 2024. “A lot of times on the road, when you break down your losses and your close losses, it’s usually not (about) how many plays they make; it’s more (about) the mistakes you make,” Kiffin said, “more penalties, more false starts and more turnovers than when you play at home.” Some of their losses have been somewhat justifiable. Last season, Nussmeier played with a spinal cyst that caused abdominal and oblique pain, greatly affecting his capabilities as a passer. Interim coach Frank Wilson was in charge when the Tigers lost to Alabama and Oklahoma last year.

headline heading into Wednesday’s season opener against the Indiana Pacers as the one we used for last year’s season opener. “Is this the season new and improved Zion Williamson delivers for Pelicans? New Orleans hopes so. Williamson hopes so, too. He knows time is ticking, which he reflected on at media day. “Time has flown,” Williamson said. “As I was getting dressed, I said, ‘Wow, this is Year 8 for me.’” Seven years ago, Williamson was supposed to be the future. As he enters Year 8, his future feels like now or never. “I’ve improved with trusting myself and trusting my game and trusting the work I’ve put in where I’m not second guessing myself,” Williamson said. “More leadership. Not just demanding greatness of myself, but of my coaches and teammates and everybody in the building.” But he knows it starts with himself as he tries to get to where he wants to be. Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

But in a handful of those defeats, LSU simply let the game slip away. The Tigers blew a 10-point halftime lead to Texas A&M. In Norman, they surrendered a lead to Oklahoma in the final minutes by allowing a 58-yard touchdown pass. The Kentucky loss two weeks ago was arguably the most frustrating one: a 35-34 overtime loss. “I don’t think there were any secrets; that was a really hard week,” Kiffin said. “Just for the players to regroup, coaches to regroup, after one that in so many ways, obviously, we handed away.” As of Tuesday, LSU is favored by more than a touchdown (7.5 points) over Auburn, but Kiffin likely believes that line is deceiving. In his opinion, winning on the road in the SEC is a challenge like no other. It’s the deepest conference in the country, an opinion backed up by the fact that 12 of the conference’s 16 schools have appeared in the Top 25 poll at some point this year. “You can win because your No. 1 seed is better, like the last couple of years, which is true, and credit to the Big Ten with that,” Kiffin said about the national championships. “That doesn’t mean that your conference is deeper because you win the national championship. So our middle to bottom, whoever you de-

clare those teams, those are still really hard places to play.” LSU’s trip to The Plains is its third of five conference road games, a result of the SEC expanding its conference slate from eight to nine games this season. The Tigers’ remaining road trips are to Tennessee and Arkansas. For LSU to have any hope of making the College Football Playoff — its odds of making the playoff are at 28%, according to ESPN — the Tigers will have to win at least two of the three remaining road matchups and likely need to win all three. Their margin for error is slim because of a frustrating trend that started two years ago. “Winning is hard no matter what level you’re at,” safety Ty Benefield said. “But it is different when it’s the SEC, and especially when you’re (at) those away games.” Email Koki Riley at koki. riley@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

SPORTS 24/7 ON

Southern used bye week to rest, refresh BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

Southern’s bye week came at an ideal time. Not too many players appreciated it more than top running back Trey Holly, who leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in rushing yards (673) and is second in carries (139). “I feel way fresher,” the redshirt junior said at Tuesday’s media availability. “I mean, it was pretty big for not only just me, but for my teammates as well. To get the injured guys — guys like myself and other running backs and players on the team that bodies (have) been hurting — and give them time to recover. So I feel like we needed that bye week.” Southern (3-4, 1-2 SWAC) should benefit from that extra rest when it plays Texas Southern (1-5, 0-3) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Like Southern, the Tigers are coming off a bye week. Faulk was asked whether defensive end Ckelby Givens and freshman running back Champ Davis will be healthy to play. He didn’t give a definitive answer on the return of Givens, who missed the last two games because of a concussion, and Davis, who has been out with a shoulder injury since injuring it Sept. 12 against Houston. “We’ll see,” Faulk said. “They both were at practice active, I should say. So we shall see. Champ is more in the sense of we’re going to see how he feels. Ckelby, because of the concussion, it’s more of what the doctor says as he continues to ramp up his participation in practice, (asking) how does he feel? Can he handle the light?

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C lion for Big Ten teams, and $1.5 million more for Big 12 and ACC teams. So again, why expand? The answer is FOMO: Fear of missing out. LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry and coach Lane Kiffin both favor a 24team CFP, especially since this season the Southeastern Conference went to a nine-game league schedule. Schools also must play one other program from a Power Four conference. “I think you can lose two to three games and still be a team that contends for a playoff,” Ausberry told the LSU Board of Supervisors last week. “There’s a lot of good teams we think in the SEC that can miss out.” SEC football coaches were sold on a nine-game conference schedule with the promise that the CFP would expand. Expansion would mean the difference between likely averaging four CFP teams as in the previous two years to likely double that. Using this week’s AP poll to make a rough comparison, there are nine SEC teams ranked from 5-22. “When the decision was made by the league to go to nine games, I felt we have to go to 24,” Kiffin said Sun-

STAFF PHOTO BY THOMAS B. SHEA

Southern running back Trey Holly, center, dives for the end zone against Prairie View in the first half on Oct. 10 at Panther Stadium in Prairie View, Texas. Southern is coming off a bye week ahead of Saturday’s game against Texas Southern. ä Southern at Texas

Does he have any sensitivity to anything?” Givens, a graduate student, is still second in the SWAC with 9.5 tackles for loss and fifth in sacks with four. Faulk said he doesn’t know whether he’ll have starting defensive end Jordyn Dickerson back against Texas Southern since he’s still nursing an ankle injury and is also “under the weather.” Dickerson, a Chattanooga transfer, has 10 tackles and three quarterback hurries in five games. Faulk said backup defensive end Kai Brown is expected to play Saturday after missing three games.

Sophomore kicker Nathan Zimmer has missed the last two games after sharing field goal and kickoff duties with freshman Chris McKenna and punting with freshman Trey Johnson. Faulk clarified that his absence isn’t injuryrelated. “He didn’t do anything wrong,” Faulk said of Zimmer. “He was just a healthy scratch.” Linebacker and safety Herman Brister, who had two interceptions in the 2814 win at Prairie View on Oct. 10, said the team did some more film-based work along with physical training. “There were enough practices to where we got better,” the redshirt junior said. “We stayed in shape, and we lifted as well. And we did a

day. “Because we’re going to play these nine conference games, we’re going to have seasons with a lot of nine-win teams. “It gives you a better chance to get the right teams in.” One or two 9-3 teams could get in the CFP this year. A 24-team playoff likely will have some 8-4 teams, too. Does an 8-4 team deserve a title shot? Not really. It had its chance in the regular season. “Regular season” is where all the doomsayers say CFP expansion derails college football. Those in favor of expansion say it will enhance the regular season, with more teams in the playoff mix. I’m not in favor of expanding the CFP past 16 teams. But I also can’t say for sure which is right, the expansionists or the status quo crowd. One thing I am sure of: In this headlong rush to expand the CFP, the law of unintended consequences and the scarcity principle are being ignored. It seems every time there’s a major decision in college sports, there’s an unintended consequence or three that has been ignored. This all may lead to a “super league” of the top 32-64 college football programs. Or the top schools may break away even from the

SEC or Big Ten to play as football independents like Notre Dame. If that happens, what about the other sports? The NCAA basketball and baseball tournaments? Don’t tell me women’s tennis or gymnastics don’t matter, because Title IX guaranteeing equal access for men’s and women’s athletes is still the law. Then we come to the scarcity principle. To the surprise of no one, I’m going to make a Masters golf comparison here. The Masters had a field of 91 players this year, compared to 156 in the U.S. Open. Tickets to Augusta National, even for practice rounds, are harder to get than an invitation to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s mansion. Making the Masters a scarce commodity has made it one of the most celebrated annual events in sports. And then there is future expansion. A 36-team playoff, anyone? Forty-eight? I wish there was leadership enough in college athletics so someone had the sense to tap the brakes on all these changes: conference realignment, broken rivalries, NIL, the CFP. Playoff expansion will come. Will the realization one day accompany it that the current powers have disfigured college sports beyond recognition? That I wish I knew.

Southern. 2 P.M. SATURDAY.

lot of conditioning. So we got better still, and we got to recover and rest our legs. So we should be healthy coming into this week.” Southern also used last week to focus more on “selfscouting” to evaluate which areas are succeeding and which are deficient, Faulk said. He said Southern has been “average,” which isn’t surprising with a roster of mostly new players. “I feel like we’re starting to gel and we’re starting to play together,” Faulk said. “I hope that we can continue to do that. “I wish I could take the PV game and be like, ‘OK, we’re here now.’ I can’t. I don’t know that, and that’s why we play the games. We play the games to find that out.”

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n 5C

NFL says ‘all systems go’ despite ongoing protests in Paris BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

PARIS — The NFL expects the historic game between the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers here Sunday to be incident-free and unaffected by the political unrest in the city, a top league official said Tuesday. “All systems go — totally all systems go,” said Brett Gosper, the head of Europe and Asia-Pacific for the NFL. “We don’t believe what’s happening will affect game logistics, and we’re feeling good about the game going ahead on the weekend.” Gosper also said the league has no contingency plan to move the game to another site. “There’s been no conversations about that,” Gosper said. “And that’s how confident we are things will just proceed as planned.” League officials are working closely with local law enforcement agencies to monitor the activities in the area, and Gosper said no demonstrations are planned for the Stade de France, where the game is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 a.m. Central. The stadium is located in SaintDenis, about 5 miles north of the city center and away from the area where most of the violent demonstrations have occurred. The Saints arrived in town Monday, following weekend violence that resulted in more than 1,000 arrests and damage across central Paris. “We’re very aware of what’s happening,” Gosper said. “We’ve got alerts on our phones. The stadium is outside of the city, and at the moment, for now, there hadn’t been anything happening in that area, and

we’re looking at it every day. So I think we’re in good shape for the game.” Saints players, coaches and support staff are staying and practicing in Versailles, about 15 miles west of downtown Paris. Other club executives are housed in a downtown hotel near the Arc de Triomphe. The league has a series of fan events scheduled in the city in the days leading up to the game. Likewise, Saints owner Gayle Benson and city and state officials have daily social and business functions set for Wednesday through Saturday, including sessions coordinated by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development on Wednesday and Friday. All events are scheduled to continue as planned. “We’re in constant contact with the security services, the police security, and we’ve got good engagement with them well before these incidents were happening, so we’re getting daily briefings from the police,” Gosper said. “(Fans have) got to be aware of what’s being announced, because these demonstrations are announced when they’re going to happen. And then at that point you can manage where you are and what you’re doing. “These have happened in pockets of Paris, and they’ve not been near the stadium where we’re operating and so on. But it’s just a matter of being vigilant if things are announced as to where you might be at that time. But nothing’s announced for the coming week. Nothing’s been confirmed. So we’re hoping we’ve got a clear runway now to the game and that there won’t be anything happening, but you’ve got to be alert and aware.”

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STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU president Wade Rousse, left, and athletic director Verge Ausberry flank new coach Lane Kiffin after a news conference on Dec. 1. Ausberry and Kiffin favor a 24-team CFP.

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6C ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Sixers beat champs in LeBron’s debut BY BRIAN MAHONEY AP basketball writer

NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers sent an opening-night message they’ll be a contender for the New York Knicks’ NBA title after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, rallying for a 106-100 victory Tuesday. Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Brown had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first game since being acquired from Boston. James began his NBA-record 24th season by finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The 76ers got three 3-pointers from Anfernee Simons and two from fellow newcomer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, as the reserves took advantage of the open looks they got when the Knicks were caught focusing too much on the bigger names. Jalen Brunson scored 21 points for the Knicks, but the NBA Finals MVP shot just 6 for 19 from the field. Brunson told fans inside Madison Square Garden in a pregame ceremony when the Knicks raised their NBA championship banner

and received their rings that: “The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again.” Maybe they can, but they will have to play a lot better than they did Tuesday while shooting 37% overall and 33.3% on 3s. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 12 rebounds. The Knicks dominated the 76ers in a second-round sweep during their streak of 13 straight victories as part of a 16-3 finish with the highest point differential in NBA postseason history. Philadelphia then went out and traded for Brown and signed James after the NBA career scoring leader decided to leave the Los Angeles Lakers, setting the 76ers up with the potential to be one of the best teams in the league. They certainly didn’t have a smooth start but played better as the game went on. The Sixers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run, capped by Brown’s second straight 3-pointer that came at the buzzer and gave Philadelphia an 83-76 lead. Maxey’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 87-78. The Knicks cut it to 96-95 when Towns

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY FRANK FRANKLIN II

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown, left, celebrates a 3-point basket with guard Tyrese Maxey, right, as New York Knicks coach Mike Brown looks on, center, on Tuesday in New York. made a 3-pointer, but Joel Embiid answered with one and the Sixers stayed ahead. Embiid finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Brunson, wearing gold sneakers for the occasion, couldn’t help the Knicks recover by hitting the type of big shots he did when they repeatedly came back to beat San

Antonio in five games for their first championship since 1973. The festive pregame party gave way to a first half filled with long stretches of fouls and missed shots, not leaving much reason for the cheers to continue. The Knicks went ahead by 10 with one good flurry but it was down 58-54 at halftime.

PISTONS 121, CELTICS 113: In Detroit, Javonte Green scored 19 points after not playing in the first half and Cade Cunningham finished with 22 points and eight assists, helping the Detroit Pistons come back and beat the Boston Celtics. Paul George scored 38 points, the most by a Celtic in his debut. The nine-time All-Star, in his 17th season, showed he’s still got it in his first game with Boston since it acquired him from Philadelphia in exchange for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. Jayson Tatum, though, was off his game. He missed 17 of 23 shots and had 13 points and 11 assists. His lack of hustle on defense allowed Green to take his time for a fifth 3-pointer that gave the Pistons a 13-point lead with 3:33 left. Boston took its biggest lead early in the third quarter at 72-50 after George made three 3-pointers in less than a minute. Detroit cut its deficit to six points after three quarters and surged ahead in the fourth. Green made a go-ahead 3, Duren added a threepoint play and Robinson connected on a 3 to put the Pistons ahead 10799 with 5:10 to go.

SCOREBOARD High schools Volleyball Tuesday’s results

False River 3, Belaire 0 (25-5, 25-10, 25-19) Southern Lab 3, Northeast 0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-23) St. Michael 3, Walker 0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-14) Live Oak 3, Zachary 0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-22) East iberville 3, White Castle 1 (24-26, 25-9, 25-18, 25-22)

Wednesday’s matches

Thrive Academy at Tara, 5 p.m. Glen Oaks at Baker, 5 p.m. Parkview Baptist at University, 6 p.m. GEO Next Generation at West Feliciana, 6 p.m. Port Allen at Brusly, 6 p.m. Mentorship Academy at Collegiate Baton Rouge, 6 p.m. Episcopal at Denham Springs, 6 p.m. Woodlawn at Dutchtown, 6 p.m. St. Amant at East Ascension, 6 p.m. Central at Madison Prep, 6 p.m. Liberty at Prairieville, 6 p.m. East Iberville at Scotlandville, 6 p.m. Plaquemine at Southern Lab, 6 p.m.

Boys golf Monday

Location: Webb Park Team Results: 1. Central High 184. 2. University Lab, 193. Individual Medalists: 1. Aidan Cobb, West Feliciana, 35. 2. Major Robert, West Feliciana, 36. 3. Rodney Lemoine, West Feliciana, 38. 4. Matthew Wall, Central High, 41. 5. James Jackson, University Lab, 44

Holes-in-one Hugh Ross Course: Beaver Creek Hole: No. 17, 119 yards Club used: 9-iron Witnesses: Chris Crick, Mark Rogers, Mike Rogers

Bucky Elofson

Course: Beaver Creek Hole: No. 17, 119 yards Club used: 7-hybrid Witnesses: Jeremy Domingue, Lee Kenyon, Rob Boltway.

Odds NFL Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at CHICAGO 1½ 3 (50½) New England

Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Pittsburgh 1½ 3½ (44½) at NO at CAROLINA 1½ 3½ (44½) Tampa Bay Cleveland 3 1½ (37½) at TENN at NY JETS 2½ 4½ (39½) Miami San Francisco 4½ 3½ (49½) at ATLANTA at HOUSTON 5½ 9½ (43½) NY Giants at MINNESOTA 3 6½ (41½) Indianapolis at BALTIMORE 3½ 2½ (51½) Cincinnati Denver 7½ 4½ (43½) at ARIZONA at DETROIT 1½ 3 (53½) Green Bay LA Rams 8½ 4½ (48½) at LAS VGS at SEATTLE 3 2½ (42½) Kansas City

Monday FAVORITE Dallas

OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3 4½ (44½) at PHILA

College football Wednesday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG N. Mexico St 2½ 2½ (45½) at SAM HOU.

Thursday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Liberty 9½ 10½ (50½) at KENSW ST James Madison12½ 10½ (56½) at APP ST at MEMPHIS 10½ 10 (54½) E.Carolina

Friday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at VIRGINIA 6½ 1½ (47½) Duke at UCONN 15½ 14½ (49½) UMass at TULSA 1½ 1½ (54½) Army Air Force 5½ 4½ (46½) at WYOMNG NC State 7½ 6½ (55½) at STANFRD

Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at SMU 17½ 19½ (55½) Cal LSU 6½ 7½ (51½) at AUBURN at TCU 6½ 9½ (56½) W. Virginia at MIAMI (FL) 23½ 20½ (50½) Pittsburgh at N’WESTERN 16½ 16½ (58½) Rutgers at TOLEDO 2½ 3 (45½) W. Michigan Texas Tech 11½ 10½ (56½) at CINCIN. Indiana 6½ 7 (41½) at MICHIGN at FLA ATLANTC10½ 7½ (52½) Rice Miami (OH) 1 2½ (40½) at C. MICH at KENT STATE 3½ 3 (46½) Akron Baylor 2½ 3 (53½) at KANSAS Oregon 13½ 8½ (50½) at ILLINOIS Hawaii 7 3½ (47½) at N.ILLINS at BUFFALO 4½ 3½ (44½) Bowl. Green at S.CAROLINA 2½ 2½ (50½) Tennessee at GA TECH 5½ 4 (49½) Boston Coll Oklahoma 2½ 4½ (44½) at MISS ST at UCLA 13½ 14 (44½) Mich St at ALABAMA 2½ 14 (50½) Texas A&M North Texas 1½ 2½ (62½) at NAVY at BALL STATE 9½ 14½ (50½) Sacramnt St BYU 9½ 6½ (43½) at UCF Iowa 2½ 6½ (40½) at MINN. Kansas State 2½ 3½ (56½) at ARIZN ST at TROY 17½ 14½ (50½) UL Monroe at OHIO 9½ 12½ (48½) E.Michigan UL 10½ 10½ (52½) at SO. MISS at LA. TECH 8½ 12½ (45½) Old Domin. at NEVADA 5½ 4½ (46½) San Jose St Boise State 16½ 12½ (51½) at WASH ST San Diego State 1½ 1½ (63½) at COLO ST Georgia State 1½ 2½ (58½) at ARK ST at OKLA ST 14½ 13½ (56½) Colorado 1½ 2½ (49½) Va. Tech at CLEMSON at KENTUCKY 9½ 10½ (51½) Vanderbilt USC 1½ 3 (49½) at WISCNSN at ARIZONA 10 10½ (50½) Iowa State at TEXAS 9½ 3½ (53½) Ole Miss at TEXAS ST 9½ 12½ (61½) Utah State Syracuse at N.CAROLINA 9½ 8½ (46½) UTSA 4 2½ (51½) at TULANE at N. MEXICO 3½ 4½ (41½) N. Dak. St. at UTAH 5½ 6½ (56½) Houston

NBA

Late Monday

Wednesday

Tampa Bay 7, Cleveland 3

FAVORITE LINE O/U UNDERDOG at ORLANDO 3½ (236½) Atlanta at WASHINGTON 4½ (239½) Milwaukee at TORONTO 9½ (236½) Chicago at BROOKLYN 2½ (218½) Charlotte at MIAMI 1½ (243½) Minnesota Indiana 3½ (239½) at NEW ORLEANS at MEMPHIS 1½ (239½) Utah at HOUSTON 8½ (230½) Dallas at PORTLAND 3½ (231½) Phoenix at LA LAKERS 6½ (233½) Golden State at LA CLIPPERS 5½ (228½) Sacramento

Pro basketball WNBA playoff glance (x-if necessary)

Finals

(Best-of-5)

Golden State 1, Atlanta 1

Saturday, Oct. 17: Golden State 68, Atlanta 64 Monday, Oct. 19: Atlanta 79, Golden State 65 Wednesday, Oct. 21: Golden State at Atlanta, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Golden State at Atlanta, noon Monday, Oct. 26: Atlanta at Golden State, 7 p.m. x-Thursday, Oct. 29: Golden State at Atlanta, TBA x-Saturday, Oct. 31: Atlanta at Golden State, TBA

Late Monday Atlanta 79, Golden State 65

ATLANTA (79): Hillmon 0-2 2-2 2, Howard 2-7 0-0 5, Reese 10-16 9-11 30, Canada 3-14 5-6 13, Gray 4-11 7-8 18, Bonner 2-7 5-6 9, Okot 0-0 0-0 0, Borlase 0-5 2-2 2, Walker-Kimbrough 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-62 30-35 79. GOLDEN STATE (65): Thornton 1-3 0-0 2, Zandalasini 1-8 2-2 5, Stokes 0-0 0-0 0, Burton 4-9 1-1 11, Williams 3-15 7-7 14, Amihere 1-1 0-0 2, Salaun 0-2 0-0 0, Charles 3-7 0-0 9, Gueye 0-1 0-0 0, Chen 3-4 2-2 8, Hayes 5-11 4-7 14. Totals 21-61 16-19 65. Atlanta 18 21 21 19 — 79 Golden State 21 16 9 19 — 65 3-Point Goals—Atlanta 7-25 (Gray 3-6, Canada 2-6, Reese 1-1, Howard 1-5, Hillmon 0-1, Bonner 0-3, Borlase 0-3), Golden State 7-24 (Charles 3-5, Burton 2-4, Zandalasini 1-4, Williams 1-6, Salaun 0-1, Thornton 0-1, Hayes 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds— Atlanta 36 (Reese 16), Golden State 32 (Stokes 11). Assists—Atlanta 17 (Canada 10), Golden State 10 (Chen, Hayes 3). Total Fouls—Atlanta 18, Golden State 23. A—18,064 (18,064).

NBA glance

Tuesday’s games

Detroit 121, Boston 113 Philadelphia 106, New York 100 Oklahoma City at San Antonio, n

Wednesday’s games

Atlanta at Orlando, 6 p.m. Milwaukee at Washington, 6 p.m. Charlotte at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m. Chicago at Toronto, 6:30 p.m. Minnesota at Miami, 6:30 p.m. Indiana at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Utah at Memphis, 7 p.m. Dallas at Houston, 7:30 p.m. Golden State at L.A. Lakers, 9 p.m. Phoenix at Portland, 9 p.m. Sacramento at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday’s games

Cleveland

Tampa Bay ab r h bi ab r h bi Kwan lf-cf 4 0 1 0 Díaz dh 4 1 1 2 Ramírez 3b 4 0 0 0 Aranda 1b 4 0 0 0 DeLauter rf 5 2 2 0 Hicks c 4 1 1 0 Adell dh 4 0 1 0 Caminero 3b 3 2 2 2 Lowe 1b 3 1 2 1 Simpson lf 4 1 1 0 Bazzana 2b 3 0 0 0 Mesa rf 3 1 0 0 Bailey c 3 0 0 1 DeLuca cf 3 0 0 1 Genao pr-ss 0 0 0 0 Palacios 2b 4 0 2 2 Halpin cf 2 0 0 0 Walls ss 1 1 0 0 Fry ph 1 0 0 0 Martínez lf 0 0 0 1 Rocchio ss 4 0 1 0 Hedges c 0 0 0 0 Totals 33 3 7 3 Totals 30 7 7 7 Cleveland 000 001 020 — 3 Tampa Bay 021 000 22x — 7 DP—Cleveland 0, Tampa Bay 1. LOB—Cleveland 9, Tampa Bay 8. 2B—Adell (2), DeLauter (3), Palacios (2). HR—Caminero (1), Díaz (2). SB—Simpson (2), Mesa (1). SF—DeLuca (1). IP H R ER BB SO Cleveland Armstrong L,0-0 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 Herrin ⁄3 1 1 1 1 0 1 Festa ⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 Cantillo 12⁄3 2 1 1 2 0 Espino 1 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Sabrowski 1 1 0 0 0 1 Smith 1 1 2 2 1 0 Gaddis 1 1 2 2 1 1 Tampa Bay Peralta W,2-0 5 1⁄3 5 1 1 3 3 Booser H,3 1 2⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 2 Wells ⁄3 2 2 2 0 0 Seymour 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 Kelly H,3 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Baker 1 0 0 0 0 0 Armstrong pitched to 1 batter in the 2nd, Seymour pitched to 3 batters in the 8th. HBP—Festa (Díaz), Cantillo (Aranda), Seymour (Martínez). ABS Challenge—Herrin (Ball-Confirmed); DeLauter (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Seymour (Ball-Overturned to Strike). Umpires—Home, Chad Fairchild; First, Nestor Ceja; Second, Carlos Torres; Third, Bill Miller; Right, Jordan Baker; Left, Mark Ripperger. T—2:55. A—40,230 (25,025).

Pro football NFL glance AMERICAN CONFERENCE East

Buffalo New England N.Y. Jets Miami South Jacksonville Indianapolis Houston Tennessee North Cleveland Pittsburgh Baltimore Cincinnati West Kansas City Denver Las Vegas L.A. Chargers

L 1 2 4 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .833 197 171 .667 136 113 .333 112 122 .000 70 132

W 4 2 2 1

L 2 4 4 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .667 154 104 .333 144 164 .333 144 143 .167 84 129

W 4 4 4 3

L 2 2 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .667 .667 .667 .600

W 5 4 3 0

L 0 2 3 6

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 140 83 0 .667 114 125 0 .500 162 162 0 .000 90 151

W 3 2 2 1

L 2 4 4 4

T 1 0 0 1

Pct .583 .333 .333 .250

PF PA 136 140 106 137 151 159 132 172

W 3 2 2 1

L 2 4 4 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .600 .333 .333 .167

PF PA 146 123 142 153 152 178 119 138

W 5 4 4 3

L 0 2 2 2

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .667 0 .667 0 .600

PF PA 109 64 127 125 150 119 164 148

W 6 3 2 2

L 0 3 4 4

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .500 0 .333 0 .333

PF PA 177 110 148 122 126 178 135 138

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Chicago at Milwaukee, 3 p.m. Atlanta at Charlotte, 6 p.m. Dallas at Indiana, 6 p.m. Minnesota at Orlando, 6 p.m. New York at Boston, 6 p.m. Toronto at Washington, 6 p.m. Detroit at Miami, 7 p.m. Houston at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. New Orleans at Utah, 8:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers, 9 p.m. Memphis at Golden State, 9 p.m. Portland at Sacramento, 9 p.m.

N.Y. Giants Philadelphia Dallas Washington South

Friday’s games

Pro baseball MLB postseason glance LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

(Best-of-7)

American League Tampa Bay 4, Cleveland 2

Monday, Oct. 12: Cleveland 7, Tampa Bay 3 Tuesday, Oct. 13: Tampa Bay 3, Cleveland 1 Thursday, Oct. 15: Cleveland 3, Tampa Bay 2 Friday, Oct. 16: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, ppd. Saturday, Oct. 17: Tampa Bay 7, Cleveland 3 Sunday, Oct. 18: Tampa Bay 3, Cleveland 1 Monday, Oct. 19: Tampa Bay 7, Cleveland 3

National League Milwaukee 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 0

Sunday, Oct. 11: Game 1: Milwaukee 2, Los Angeles Dodgers 1 Monday, Oct. 12: Game 2: Milwaukee 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 4 Wednesday, Oct. 14: Game 3: Milwaukee 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 2 Thursday, Oct. 15: Game 4: Milwaukee 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 4

WORLD SERIES (Best-of-7) (FOX)

Milwaukee vs. Tampa Bay

Friday, Oct. 23: Game 1: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Game 2: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26: Game 3: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27: Game 4: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. x-Wednesday, Oct. 28: Game 5: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. x-Friday, Oct. 30: Game 6: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. x-Saturday, Oct. 31: Game 7: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

East

Carolina Atlanta New Orleans Tampa Bay North Minnesota Green Bay Chicago Detroit West San Francisco Seattle Arizona L.A. Rams

Late Monday

College football National schedule Tuesday

EAST Delaware 61, Missouri St. 38 Marshall 20, South Alabama 13 SOUTH Middle Tennessee 26, FIU 23

Wednesday

SOUTHWEST New Mexico St. (2-4) at Sam Houston St. (1-5), 7 p.m.

Thursday

SOUTH Liberty (5-1) at Kennesaw St. (1-5), 6 p.m. James Madison (7-0) at Appalachian St. (4-2), 6 p.m. East Carolina (3-3) at Memphis (5-2), 6:30 p.m.

Friday

W 5 4 2 0

Cleveland at Philadelphia, 6 p.m. Denver at Oklahoma City, 8:30 p.m.

Third Quarter SF—FG Pineiro 33, 5:56. Was—Diggs 1 pass from Daniels (Stevens kick), :15. Fourth Quarter Was—R.White 9 pass from Daniels (Stevens kick), 9:22. A—71,561. Was SF First downs 19 20 Total Net Yards 314 375 Rushes-yards 17-53 29-126 Passing 261 249 Punt Returns 0-0 1-2 Kickoff Returns 3-72 3-82 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0 Comp-Att-Int 29-40-0 21-29-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 4-39 2-15 Punts 3-52.0 4-47.75 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1 Penalties-Yards 7-66 11-88 Time of Possession 30:15 29:45 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Washington, White 7-27, McNichols 5-13, Daniels 4-10, Ekeler 1-3. San Francisco, McCaffrey 16-64, Black 8-34, Purdy 5-28. PASSING—Washington, Daniels 29-40-0-300. San Francisco, Purdy 21-29-0-264. RECEIVING—Washington, Okonkwo 7-69, Diggs 6-44, Burks 4-66, White 4-30, Williams 3-50, Ekeler 2-4, McLaurin 1-27, Brown 1-6, Bates 1-4. San Francisco, McCaffrey 9-53, Kittle 5-69, Evans 3-94, Watkins 1-22, Cooks 1-13, Juszczyk 1-10, Black 1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

PF PA 106 122 137 128 156 132 128 109

San Francisco 23, Washington 17

Thursday’s game

New England at Chicago, 7:15 p.m.

Sunday’s games

Pittsburgh vs. New Orleans at Saint-Denis, FRA, 8:30 a.m. Cincinnati at Baltimore, noon Cleveland at Tennessee, noon Indianapolis at Minnesota, noon Miami at N.Y. Jets, noon N.Y. Giants at Houston, noon San Francisco at Atlanta, noon Tampa Bay at Carolina, noon Denver at Arizona, 3:05 p.m. Green Bay at Detroit, 3:25 p.m. L.A. Rams at Las Vegas, 3:25 p.m. Kansas City at Seattle, 7:20 p.m. Open: Buffalo, Jacksonville, L.A. Chargers, Washington

Monday, Oct. 26

Dallas at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m.

Late Monday

San Francisco 23, Washington 17

3 0 7 7 — 17 Washington San Francisco 13 7 3 0 — 23 First Quarter SF—Kittle 11 pass from Purdy (Pineiro kick), 10:53. Was—FG Stevens 51, 8:48. SF—C.McCaffrey 1 run (kick failed), 4:09. Second Quarter SF—C.McCaffrey 1 run (Pineiro kick), :13.

EAST NC Central (2-5) at Delaware St. (4-3), 4 p.m. Yale (3-2) at Penn (2-3), 6 p.m. UMass (4-3) at UConn (3-3), 6 p.m. SOUTH Duke (4-2) at Virginia (4-3), 6 p.m. SOUTHWEST Army (4-2) at Tulsa (4-3), 7:30 p.m. FAR WEST Air Force (5-1) at Wyoming (4-3), 8 p.m. NC State (3-3) at Stanford (3-4), 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 24

EAST New Hampshire (2-6) at Merrimack (2-5), 11 a.m. Stonehill (2-5) at LIU Brooklyn (3-5), 11 a.m. New Haven (2-5) at CCSU (3-3), 11 a.m. St. Thomas (Minn.) (5-2) at Marist (4-3), 11 a.m. Albany (NY) (4-3) at Rhode Island (4-3), 11 a.m. Wagner (1-6) at Duquesne (2-4), 11 a.m. Cornell (3-2) at Brown (2-3), 11 a.m. Bucknell (1-6) at Holy Cross (2-5), noon Campbell (6-1) at Maine (1-6), noon Lafayette (2-4) at Fordham (2-6), noon Dartmouth (2-3) at Columbia (4-1), 12:30 p.m. Mercyhurst (1-6) at Robert Morris (3-4), 1 p.m. Stony Brook (4-3) at Bryant (5-2), 1 p.m. Princeton (4-1) at Harvard (5-0), 2 p.m. Howard (3-4) at Morgan St. (5-2), 2 p.m. North Texas (4-2) at Navy (2-4), 2:30 p.m. Bowling Green (2-5) at Buffalo (4-3), 2:30 p.m. Lehigh (6-1) at Villanova (3-4), 2:30 p.m. SOUTH Pittsburgh (5-2) at Miami (6-0), 11 a.m. LSU (5-2) at Auburn (4-2), 11 a.m. Rice (1-6) at FAU (4-2), 11 a.m. Jackson St. (6-1) at Bethune-Cookman (4-3), noon ETSU (5-2) at VMI (0-7), 12:30 p.m. Norfolk St. (4-3) at SC State (5-2), 12:30 p.m. Tarleton St. (7-0) at West Georgia (1-6), 1 p.m. Tennessee Tech (6-1) at The Citadel (2-5), 1 p.m. Samford (1-6) at Furman (2-5), 1 p.m. Monmouth (NJ) (5-2) at Hampton (1-6), 1 p.m. Stetson (1-6) at Morehead St. (1-6), 1 p.m. Colgate (4-3) at Richmond (5-2), 1 p.m. Chattanooga (4-3) at W. Carolina (3-4), 1:30 p.m. Nicholls (2-5) at Northwestern St. (0-7), 2 p.m. Ark.-Pine Bluff (3-3) at Florida A&M (2-5), 2 p.m. West Florida (4-2) at E. Kentucky (2-5), 2 p.m. Boston College (3-3) at Georgia Tech (2-4), 2:30 p.m. Tennessee (6-1) at South Carolina (3-3), 2:30 p.m. Texas A&M (4-3) at Alabama (5-2), 2:30 p.m. BYU (6-0) at UCF (3-3), 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma (3-3) at Mississippi St. (4-2), 2:30 p.m. Charleston Southern (3-4) at Tennessee St. (2-5), 2:30 p.m. Georgetown (2-4) at William & Mary (3-4), 2:30 p.m. UL-Monroe (0-6) at Troy (3-3), 3 p.m. Old Dominion (2-5) at Louisiana Tech (4-2), 4 p.m. UL (5-2) at Southern Miss. (1-5), 4 p.m. Virginia Tech (5-2) at Clemson (4-2), 6 p.m. Austin Peay (6-2) at North Alabama (4-3), 6 p.m. Vanderbilt (3-4) at Kentucky (6-1), 6:30 p.m. Syracuse (2-4) at North Carolina (4-2), 6:30 p.m. UTSA (6-1) at Tulane (3-3), 7 p.m.

MIDWEST Rutgers (2-4) at Northwestern (5-1), 11 a.m. San Diego (3-4) at Dayton (5-1), 11 a.m. Indiana (6-1) at Michigan (4-2), 11 a.m. W. Michigan (5-2) at Toledo (5-2), 11 a.m. Texas Tech (6-0) at Cincinnati (4-2), 11 a.m. Akron (1-6) at Kent St. (2-5), noon Presbyterian (4-3) at Valparaiso (3-4), noon Baylor (4-2) at Kansas (2-4), noon Butler (5-2) at Drake (2-5), noon Miami (Ohio) (4-3) at Cent. Michigan (3-4), noon North Dakota (6-2) at South Dakota (6-2), 1 p.m. N. Iowa (3-3) at S. Illinois (3-5), 1 p.m. Murray St. (1-6) at S. Dakota St. (5-2), 2 p.m. Oregon (4-2) at Illinois (3-3), 2 p.m. Chicago State (1-6) at Lindenwood (Mo.) (2-4), 2 p.m. Indiana St. (2-5) at Illinois St. (5-2), 2 p.m. SE Missouri (4-3) at E. Illinois (2-5), 2 p.m. Sacramento St. (1-6) at Ball St. (2-5), 2:30 p.m. Iowa (5-1) at Minnesota (4-2), 2:30 p.m. Hawaii (1-6) at N. Illinois (0-6), 2:30 p.m. UT Martin (3-4) at W. Illinois (3-4), 3 p.m. E. Michigan (4-4) at Ohio (5-2), 3 p.m. Southern Cal (6-1) at Wisconsin (4-2), 6:30 p.m. SOUTHWEST West Virginia (4-3) at TCU (3-3), 11 a.m. California (3-4) at SMU (5-1), 11 a.m. Southern (3-4) at Texas Southern (1-5), 2 p.m. Houston Christian (4-3) at Lamar (5-2), 3 p.m. McNeese St. (3-4) at Incarnate Word (3-4), 4 p.m. UT Rio Grande Valley (3-4) at Cent. Arkansas (2-5), 4 p.m. SE Louisiana (4-3) at Stephen F. Austin (7-0), 5 p.m. Colorado (2-4) at Oklahoma St. (4-2), 6 p.m. Prairie View (3-5) at East Texas A&M (2-5), 6 p.m. Georgia St. (4-2) at Arkansas St. (3-4), 6 p.m. Utah St. (2-4) at Texas State (3-3), 6:30 p.m. Mississippi (5-1) at Texas (4-2), 6:30 p.m. FAR WEST Weber St. (5-3) at Montana St. (6-1), 2 p.m. Michigan St. (2-5) at UCLA (6-0), 2:30 p.m. Kansas St. (4-2) at Arizona St. (3-3), 2:45 p.m. San Jose St. (4-3) at Nevada (2-4), 4 p.m. S. Utah (3-4) at Idaho (2-5), 4 p.m. Utah Tech (0-7) at Cal Poly (4-4), 4 p.m. Boise St. (5-1) at Washington St. (1-6), 5 p.m. Portland St. (2-5) at Idaho St. (4-3), 5 p.m. San Diego St. (3-4) at Colorado St. (2-4), 5:30 p.m. N. Colorado (3-5) at UC Davis (4-3), 6 p.m. Iowa St. (3-3) at Arizona (5-1), 6:30 p.m. N. Dakota St. (6-1) at New Mexico (5-1), 9 p.m. Houston (6-1) at Utah (6-0), 9:15 p.m.

State schedule

LSU (5-2) at Auburn (4-2), 11 a.m. Nicholls (2-5) at Northwestern St. (0-7), 2 p.m. Southern (3-4) at Texas Southern (1-5), 2 p.m. UL-Monroe (0-6) at Troy (3-3), 3 p.m. Old Dominion (2-5) at Louisiana Tech (4-2), 4 p.m. UL (5-2) at Southern Miss. (1-5), 4 p.m. SE Louisiana (4-3) at Stephen F. Austin (7-0), 5 p.m. UTSA (6-1) at Tulane (3-3), 7 p.m. McNeese St. (3-4) at Incarnate Word (3-4), 4 p.m.

Transactions BASEBALL American League

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with RHP Connor Cooke and LHP Jayvien Sandridge on minor league contracts.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES — Signed F Jaden McDaniels to a contract extension.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed LB Bradyn Swinson to the practice squad. Released S Mark Perry from the practice squad. ATLANTA FALCONS — Waived LB Bralen Trice. Signed LB T.J. Quinn to the practice squad. BALTIMORE RAVENS — Waived LB Carl Jones Jr. Signed K Jake Moody to the practice squad. BUFFALO BILLS — Signed CB Tre’Davious White to the practice squad. Released CB A.J. Woods from the practice squad. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Waived OT Albert Reese. CINCINNATI BENGALS — Signed S Russ Yeast from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed LB Emany Johnson and TE Josh Kattus to the practice squad. Released S Isaiah Nwokobia from the practice squad. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed OT Andrew Coker, P Wes Pahl and S John Saunders to the practice squad. Released TE Devin Culp and DT Chris Williams from the practice squad. Placed WR Bub Means on the practice squad/injured list. DALLAS COWBOYS — Waived CB Caelen Carson. Signed S Juanyeh Thomas from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed QB Kyle Trask to the practice squad. DETROIT LIONS — Signed DT Aidan Keanaaina to the practice squad. Released DT Chris Smith from the practice squad. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed DT Mazi Smith to the practice squad. Released RB Damon Bankston from the practice squad. HOUSTON TEXANS — Waived LB Jamal Hill. Signed DT Kyonte Hamilton and DB Collin Wright to the practice squad. Released DT Aaron Graves and QB Mark Gronowski from the practice squad. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed WR Mecole Hardman and P Thomas Morstead to the practice squad. Released WR Eli Pancol from the practice squad. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Waived LB Cam Jones. Designated LB Cooper McDonald to return from injured reserve. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Waived WR Corey Rucker from injured reserve.

LIVING

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 21, 2026

1DN

“There’s always a challenge. There’s always something to do.” FRED SIMONSON, who now owns Louie’s Cafe

A longtime employee now owns Louie’s Cafe in BR BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

On April 19, 1991, LSU freshman Fred Simonson took a job as a dishwasher at Louie’s Cafe, already a Baton Rouge institution since 1941. After 35 years of cooking and management, Simonson now owns Louie’s with his wife, Molly Rivers Simonson, who is the front-of-house manager at Elsie’s Plate and Pie. He is only the third owner since the cafe’s inception. The couple bought the restaurant from Jimmy Wetherford, the owner since 1978, as a way to continue Louie’s legacy. Simonson credited his wife for her vision and restaurant experience. “I want to get the ball downfield,” Fred Simonson said, “and she’s got some ideas to inject, and she’s going to be able to inject some energy that’s not different, but a fresh perspective.” But he assured local fans that all of their favorites will stay on the menu, including the hash browns, omelets and pancakes. “I’m trying to give Baton Rouge this restaurant,” he said. “To do the best we can to give the city a place that’s available seven days a week, that’s democratic in terms of our price point and what we offer — which is somewhere between good value and ridiculous value. It’s honest food.”

STAFF PHOTOS BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

The neon sign seen from the patio at the Historic Highland Road Grill in Baton Rouge.

LEGACY REVIVED The Historic Highland Road Grill pays homage to Louisiana roots

T

PROVIDED PHOTO

‘This is what I know how to do’

ä See LOUIE’S, page 3D

Staff writer

he Historic Highland Road Grill in Baton Rouge was designed to feel like home and spark longtime memories of growing up in the boot. At 8635 Highland Road, the 8,200-square-foot building formerly housed SamHISTORIC my’s Grill, a Baton Rouge staple that HIGHLAND operated for nearROAD GRILL ly 40 years. The building is a second home to many To start, the restaurant will be Baton Rouge losaid local resopen 5 p.m. to 9 cals, taurateur Willie p.m. Sunday, 5 p.m. Chapman. When to 10 p.m.Tuesday he took over the through Thursday building in July to and 5 p.m. to 11 open a new eatery, Chapman felt his p.m. Friday and only choice was Saturday. Hours will to honor the buildeventually expand. ing and memories made inside. “There are so many people that love this building, love the previous businesses here, whether it be Sammy’s or Sneakers or the business before that,” Chapman said. “There are stories on top of stories.”

Former owner of Louie’s Cafe Jimmy Wetherford, from left, with new owners Molly Rivers Simonson and Fred Simonson

With the exception of a semester in 1997 to graduate from college and a brief finance career in New York City from September 2000 to February 2001, Louie’s has been Fred Simonson’s second home. He said that he left the big lights of New York and came back to Baton Rouge because he “missed Louie’s.” “There’s always a challenge. There’s always something to do,” he said. “You don’t have to look very far to find a project to initiate or to fix something, cook something or clean something.” The cafe, which is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. seven days a week, is a staple of the Baton Rouge food scene, especially for those on LSU’s campus. For many years, the cafe operated 24 hours, and Fred Simonson remembers that era all too well, since he worked nights for 13 years as a shift manager. He started at the old location on State Street and became the general manager at the expanded Louie’s on Lake Street in 2014. He said that he’s honored to carry on the cafe’s legacy “When Jimmy offered it as a point of continuance, I was pretty floored,” he said. “He could have done this a different way.”

BY MADDIE SCOTT

Owner Willie Chapman poses in front of the tiger wall at the Historic Highland Road Grill. The restaurant held a soft opening Oct. 15. Between three dining rooms, there’s enough space for 200 diners. Dim lighting gleams above white cloth tables, and the main dining room features a gallery wall filled with framed tiger photos. Green potted plants sit on the windowsills and add to the cozy atmosphere. The interior was designed

by a creative team led by Chapman’s sister, Emily Hazelwood. Another wall is taken up by a massive map of Louisiana, the kind of map that was in your dad’s or uncle’s office, Chapman said. Even one of the staff members’ parents got engaged in the building years ago, one of countless memories

ä See GRILL, page 3D

BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS WEEK

Uncover new fusions to consider at area restaurants Japadog from Oni 225

Staff report

Japadog

n Oni 225, a Baton Rouge pop-up

with regular appearances at Radio Bar, 3079 Government St., and Pelican to Mars, 2678 Government St. Check social media for details.

STAFF PHOTO BY MADDIE SCOTT

I grabbed some drinks with friends at Radio Bar, and right as I was leaving with a grumbling stomach, Oni 225 appeared. They’re an onigiri and

Asian street food pop-up, usually in front of Mid City bars, but they post their schedule every week on Instagram. The “Japadog” grabbed my attention, a hot dog with eel sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, furikake and fried shallots. A truck bed made the perfect perch for indulging in the American-fusion delicacy. This was one of those

ä See BEST, page 2D

2D n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

lll

An evergreen response to unsolicited advice Dear Miss Manners: I have a not merit a genuine “thank young child with a severe you” — something that and visible disability. He sounds either dangerous or is under the care of a wellcritical — the words of your trained team of proresponse are still the correct ones. But in fessionals. those cases, you may My husband and omit the smile and I often receive add a warning coolwell-meaning but unwanted advice. ness to your tone of When we receive voice. Judith unsolicited informaDear Miss Mannersv: Martin I’m fairly new at tion, it is helpful to MISS my workplace, as is remember these MANNERS another lady, who people are usually has been there about sharing it out of a four months longer than place of love because they me. I’m really trying to get care and want to help. I have a practice of taking along with everyone, since my last job was a nighta deep breath, smiling, and saying, “Thank you. That’s mare. I endured relentless something for me to think bullying to the point that I about.” In my experience, got anxiety from it. nearly none of these friends This current job doesn’t follows up. They don’t need involve grueling physical to know I only thought about labor in the heat, but I still it long enough to decide it is find my temperature rising, not worth pursuing. so to speak. Gentle reader: It is gracious I feel that this other lady and correct of you to start looks down on me because from the assumption that I’m a secretary. I have been people are well-meaning — interrupted by this person even if you are, of course, (as has another employee), aware that not everyone is. which I ignored. She’s conMiss Manners would only stantly talking about what add that when you get unshe owns, who she knows, what her husband did for solicited advice that does

work, what they drive, who her daughter’s ex’s dad is (a jailer, apparently) and what brand of clothing or shoes she’s wearing. When her mouth opens, you can bet it’s going to be about her. I’ve tried tuning her out, but she wants everyone to hear just how important she is. What’s a tactful and polite way to let someone know their behavior is rude? Or should I continue to try and ignore it? I know we can’t change others as much as we’d sometimes like to, but it’s grating. Gentle reader: Why bother? You know she is rude, and you also know she is trouble. Remember that this is work — not your social life. It is rude to correct another person’s manners, but then Miss Manners would also think it would be foolish to make an enemy when you have the luxury of a fresh start. Plus, there is the daughter’s ex’s jailer dad.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Wednesday, Oct. 21, the 294th day of 2026. There are 71 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 21, 2014, Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide for shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The conviction was later upgraded to murder; Pistorius was released on parole in January 2024. Also on this date: In 1797, the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides,” was christened in Boston Harbor. In 1940, Ernest Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was first published. In 1944, U.S. troops captured the German city of Aachen — the first German city to fall to American

forces in World War II. In 1959, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum opened in New York. In 1966, 144 people, 116 of them children, were killed when a coal waste landslide engulfed a school and some 20 houses in Aberfan, Wales. In 2013, a seventh grader at Sparks Middle School in Sparks, Nevada, shot and killed a teacher and wounded two classmates before taking his own life. In 2021, Actor Alec Baldwin was pointing a gun on the set of the Western movie “Rust” in New Mexico when it went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Charges of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin were dropped in July 2024. In 2024, jury selection began in the trial of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran,

Daniel Penny, for placing a man who was acting erratically on a New York City subway train in May 2023 in a deadly chokehold. In December 2024, Penny was cleared of all charges, including criminally negligent homicide. In 2025, Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister. Today’s birthdays: Rock singer Manfred Mann is 86. TV’s Judge Judy Sheindlin is 84. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 77. Film director Catherine Hardwicke is 71. Actor Ken Watanabe is 67. Republican Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina is 55. Actor Andrew Scott is 50. Actor Will Estes is 48. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian is 46. Model Amber Rose is 43. Actor Glenn Powell is 38. Country singer Kane Brown is 33. Singer Doja Cat is 31.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

Strawberry and shrimp salad from Jed’s Local in Baton Rouge

Instant shade at the touch of a button. STAFF PHOTO BY JOY HOLDEN

BEST

hot dogs where the quality was evident upon first bite. The extra toppings made it unlike any dog I’ve ever had, and it was delicious. Next time I stumble on the pop-up, I’ll upgrade the dog by a few bucks extra to try the “Snowdog,” which is the same thing but with snow crab. I’m looking forward to it. — Maddie Scott, features reporter

Crawfish cake and shrimp salad

n Jed’s Local Restaurant and

Bar, 672 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge

I stopped in for lunch at Jed’s Local last week because, despite all of the good things I had heard, I hadn’t tried it yet. I was in the mood for comfort food, so I ordered two appetizers, the fried pickled okra and the crawfish cake. I love fried okra, and the pickling was a bonus. The crawfish cake was well sea-

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Mercy Kitchen is known for having various power bowls that are packed with flavor. To the eye, whether reading the menu or looking at the dish, it seems like a lot of food. But after eating only a few bites, I felt full but not heavy, which is what I love about power bowls. I tried the Mykonos bowl at Mercy Kitchen, which features layers of romaine, mint pistachio pesto, cucumber-tomato tzatziki salad, couscous and pickled red onion. The bowl was not only flavorful but also contained ingredients that could be substituted and paired well together. If you’re wanting something healthy, but flavorful and dense, then this would be a go-to meal. — Jakori Madison, features reporter

PROVIDED PHOTO

Mercy Kitchen’s Mykonos Bowl

soned with crunchy batter and drizzled with remoulade sauce — my favorite part was the fried green tomato served alongside the dish. For my entree, I opted for lighter fare to balance out the fried goodness, so I went with the strawberry and shrimp salad. The sauteed shrimp were tasty served over a bed of greens with red onion, strawberries and pecans. The honey-lemon vinaigrette was sweet and tangy, a complement to the seasoned shrimp and fresh strawberries. Although crumbled blue cheese came

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Wednesday, October 21, 2026 n 3D

Getting dogs to take medication Dear Heloise: My vet’s clerk used on lenses because of suggests this way to get the tendency to scratch dogs to take pills. (I’ve tried them. The most common cheese and mixing them recommendation is to use with the dogs’ food, a microfiber towel, but they sniff them although soft cotton out and eat around works well, too. — Jathe pills.) She sugnet P., in Houston gested that I wrap Clean keys them in liverwurst and give them anDear Heloise: You Hints from asked how we clean other chunk right Heloise our keyboards; I use after the loaded one. a disinfectant wipe They can’t smell the and swipe across the whole pill and gobble it down. — keyboard. It cleans well and Bill H., in Bloomsbury, New Jersey Bill, I’ve tried everything evaporates quickly. There’s no worry about water or else, so I think I’ll give this a try. My dog is just so liquid getting down between stubborn when it comes to the keys. — Laurie G., via email taking a pill. — Heloise STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

A large map of Louisiana hangs on a dining room wall at the Historic Highland Road Grill in Baton Rouge.

GRILL

Continued from page 1D

No towels on glasses Dear Heloise: I appreciate the dish soap and water hint for cleaning eyeglasses. But using paper towels to dry the lenses? No! Paper towels are made from wood and should never be

24-hour fan

Dear Heloise: In a recent column, someone wrote in about dealing with fans and suggested turning them off when one’s not in the room. But for those of us in humid climates, this could be a mistake. Mold

and mildew love “still humid air.” I have a ceiling fan that runs quietly for 24 hours a day on its lowest speed for the past 16 years in my master bedroom. There’s no draft, which keeps the air moving. It can’t be using much electricity, but it still provides enough air movement to keep mold from starting. It also maintains an even temperature. This room openly adjoins a bathroom, but there’s never any problems in either space. — R.S.F., via email R.S.F., it’s the same for me. My ceiling fan goes on a little before Easter and runs day and night until nearly Christmas, just as it has for over 30 years. I’ve always admired the pioneers who settled in Texas before airconditioning. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

tied to the space. “That’s kind of what we were looking for when we were shopping throughout the city: anything that resonated with memories,” Chapman said.

Menu rundown Chapman said about 30% of the menu pays homage to Sammy’s Grill, such as the “2 Links,” an appetizer plate with boudin, smoked sausage, a goat cheese ball, cheese and house pickles. One handheld nods to a Sammy’s Grill sandwich — the prime rub press made with chimichurri, onion ragu, mozzarella and au jus. Another chunk of the menu is “Willie-style,” as Chapman puts it. Some dishes pull inspiration from Chapman’s other establishment, Willie’s Restaurant, located at 11260 Coursey Blvd., which specializes in seafood dishes and seasonings. One example is the gumbo fries, a new version of cheese fries from Willie’s. “Our bold seafood and fried seafood is going to be directly from Willie’s,” Chapman said. Another portion of the menu’s dishes are completely new, he said. The menu will see additions in coming months such as pasta dishes and specials. January will see more seafood rolling in. Chapman said he gets asked a lot if there will be crawfish at Historic Highland Road Grill. Fear not, the answer is yes. Down the hall in the restaurant is an old wooden bar that he believes was built in

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

A Willie’s Restaurant staff member stirs a pot of fresh crawfish during the lunch rush. The new Historic Highland Road Grill will share some menu concepts with Willie’s. the ‘60s or ‘70s. Chapman’s wife, Katye Chapman, led the charge on the bar menu. There are currently about a dozen cocktails with classics like an espresso martini, old fashioned and mint julep. One drink is a tribute to a New Orleans classic drink, the Hurricane, though this one probably won’t spark a headache the morning after. It’s called the Historic Storm, a cocktail served frozen on the rocks with light rum, dark rum, passion fruit syrup and lemon. “Everything really is truly one family member or staff member taking the role and taking care of all of it,” he said.

A bit of a fixer-upper Transforming the old space into a modern restaurant was no small feat, and the team spent three months bringing everything up to code, Chapman said. The building had many additions over the decades, each part presenting different issues. “We had to fix some plumbing issues that plagued the

LOUIE’S

Continued from page 1D

building for a while,” he said. “We repainted. We didn’t do much of the layout changes. We fixed the bar restrooms, and we refloored the prep kitchen.” Additionally, all the electrical work was replaced in the bar, private dining space and one of the two kitchens. In the three months leading up to opening, Chapman also trained the staff, and now they’ll be ready to receive customers on Thursday.

Community first Chapman said Baton Rouge is a melting pot home to a community of locals. His priority is taking care of them. “Our goal is to make them proud to have a place they can come and eat in their local neighborhood, and that’s really what we’re focusing on,” he said. “We’re just really thankful for the opportunity.” Hours will grow as staff trains, and Chapman said lunch service may open around the first or second week of November. Reservations are now available to book online.

SHADE. PRIVACY. COMFORT. AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON.

clock. You are the clock.” However, he and his wife are thinking about extending the hours into the evening or possibly offering a food truck in the evenings. “We want to focus on giving people the best product that we can in the hours we are available,” he said. “I’ve been the general manager for a long time. This is what I know how to do. We’re not diluting the brand.”

For those Baton Rouge Louie’s fans who are hoping for a return to the 24/7 days and nights, the new owner PROVIDED PHOTO said he has advice to give to Louie’s Cafe started serving anyone out there who wants LSU students breakfast in to run a 24-hour-from-scratch restaurant adjacent to LSU’s 1941, and the tradition campus. He said that the hu- continues, although the man toll is too great on him location has changed. and his employees. Email Joy Holden at joy. “It’s a relentless grind,” he said. “You’re not racing the holden@theadvocate.com.

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4D ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

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zodIAC LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Set your plans in motion. Don't wait for others to catch up. Lead the way and see what happens. Be the motivator by striking a chord that resonates with like-minded people. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Be kind to yourself. Take time to reflect and to put your plans in proper order. Taking the right step at the best time will lead to success. Don't rush what isn't meant to be. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Knowledge is king when dealing with others. Having an open mind will allow you to shift and sift through other people's thoughts while developing a plan that works. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Use your intuition when dealing with those asking for too much. Comparisons will help you deal with situations and accommodate others adequately without taking a loss. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) No trade-offs will do. Shoot for the stars, ask for what you want and work with what you end up with. Life is about assessing and dealing, doing your part and thriving. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Mixed emotions are rising along with commitment, desire and what's best for you. Don't linger too long or you may miss out on something special. Communication is crucial. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Dominate what you want to see come to fruition. Make the moves, set the pace and indulge in building strong relationships with the

people who can strengthen your position. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) If you are too blatant about your wants and needs, you'll give others the advantage. If you show curiosity and claim what's yours in a quiet but loving manner, you'll find the rewards more gratifying. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) You'll confuse people if you jump from one idea to another without clarification. Speak from the heart, and be accountable for your words. You have plenty to gain if you are true to yourself. cAncER (June 21-July 22) If you lean on your resources, intelligence, connections and ability to charm a crowd, you will outperform any competition that gets in your way. Question others, and refuse to put up with lies and bullying. LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Be kind and generous when dealing with those who oppose you. Weave your way carefully through the crowds until you feel comfortable and at rest with those around you. VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Saddle up and get ready to ride. Put your energy into the power and momentum you require to reach your destination. There is magic in the air. Maintain what's meaningful and walk away from what isn't. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

toDAy's cLuE: X EQuALs s

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ 5D

lll

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday. Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

6D ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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B.C.

Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER We have been looking at deciding between two possible trump suits. Of course, to have this quandary, two suits usually have to be bid and raised. And in this direction, if a fit is found and one player has a two-suiter, he often should show his second suit, especially in a competitive auction. For example, look at today’s deal. Both South and West can help their partner’s high-level bidding decision. After South opens one spade, West passes, North raises to two spades, and East overcalls three clubs, what should South do? If a jump to four spades would silence the opponents, that would be a sensible choice (although it is an overbid). But what if West competes with five clubs? Should North-South let them stew or go on to five spades? Neither player knows. However, if South rebids three diamonds, showing his second suit, North will be aware of the double fit and can happily bid on at the five-level. And, yes, West can also make a good bid. Over South’s three-diamond rebid, West should advance with three hearts. This cannot just be advertising a long heart suit and sufficient values to compete at the three-level, because West did not intervene on the first round. This bid shows heart length and club support

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

(although admittedly not necessarily as good as queen-fourth). Now look at the full deal. You will see that five clubs is unbeatable for plus 600. But five spades doubled goes down only two, minus 500. When you have a double fit, it is usually best to declare, especially with the minority of the high-card points. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

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

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

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” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD — GouRMEt: gor-MAY: A connoisseur of food and drink.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 19 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 29 or more words in GOURMET? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — PARQuEt pare part pate pear peat pert prate pure aper rapt rate

reap quart urea erupt tape taper tare tarp taupe tear trap

true

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Jesus is the One and only way to Heaven. Follow Him. — G.E. Dean

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ 7D

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HOUSE

Baton Rouge Real Estate For Sale

1975 North Vega Drive Large 3BR/2BA with central A/H, LR, den. Rent $1200 Deposit $500 225-357-6436

MOBILE HOME 1, 2 & 3 BR mobile homes, $675 & up 6061 Plank Rd. CALL 225-978-4653 ROOMS FOR RENT Furnished Rooms. $125/wk. $500/mo. 225-933-7560

classifieds.theadvocate.com | 225-383-0111 Announcements ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of any property owner, heir or other related person, in regard to the properties listed below, please contact the East Baton Rouge CityParish, Department of Development – Neighborhood Revitalization Office at 225-389-8680. 250 W WASHINGTON ST FRED MODIES 456 JENNIFER JEAN DR ODIGWE SELIX MOKOGWU 2728 SHERWOOD ST FRANCIS J MARION 2703 HURON ST DRUCILLA HAMILTON TROY HARRIS 1717 AMOS ST LINDA LENOIR 3151 IROQUOIS ST PERCY WILSON 5730 FAIRFIELDS AVE ALINE WALKER ROGERS 915 N 44TH ST DONOVAN DJ BOATNER 2584 COLLEGE DR JUST THE TOOF OF US ON COLLEGE, LLC 13833 RAMPART CT ARMEDIA HAMILTON PAYTON 11928 SUNRAY AVE NICE FRAMES, LLC 8255 THELMA ST TAMMY BROWN 10126 AVENUE I THE ESTATE OF MATTIE MCCRAY PAYNE 10120 AVENUE I DORETHA P REYNOLDS C/O JOHN SIMMONS 5002 SHAMROCK BLVD GARY LANE SULLIVAN, SR 5120 SHELLEY ST D'WAYNE L RUFFIN 12041 PROVINCE PL CHEUNG C WONG 5118 STEARNS ST HENRY DAWSON 3780 TOPEKA ST CYPRUS HOLDINGS, LLC 3301 N SHERWOOD FOREST DR JOHN O EJIM 3004 FAIRFIELDS AVE HOLLINS HOUSING, LLC LEONARD HOLLINS JR. 10642 STANLEY AUBIN LN RICHARD ABNER IAN CURTIS-SMITH 3925 CLAYTON ST TOMMIE ROME 12112 CARDIGAN AVE JOSEPH SAMUEL COLLINS 6113 SHILOH ST WILLIE T VARISTE, JR 2675 FARRAR ST LEE ROBERTSON C/O LUBERTHA A BROCK 525 ELMER AVE KAREN DENISE DANIELS WILLIAMS

Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. #185 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ ment site at www.jeffpar ishbids.net until 2:00 p.m., November 17, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparishb ids.net to register for this free site. Bids will be accepted and received through Central Bidding until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Purchasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: JEFFERSON PARISH WATERLINE IMPROVEMENTS SOUTH NEW ORLEANS SUBDIVISION JEFFERSON PARISH PRO‐ JECT NO. 2023-028-WRB

This Bid is being funded with Federal financial as‐ sistance in the form of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Re‐ covery (CDBG-DR) funds from the Louisiana Office of Community Develop‐ ment – Disaster Recovery under the Resilient Com‐ munities Infrastructure Program (“RCIP” or “Pro‐ gram”) and therefore will include the associated federal requirements in the Community Develop‐ ment Block Grant Pro‐ gram - Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Rider (“CDBG-DR Rider”) as ap‐ plicable in this solicita‐ tion and any resulting contract. Bidder shall comply with all federal requirements applicable to this bid. a. Funding by CDBG-DR (SAM.gov Assistance Listing 14.228) b. Resilient Communities Infrastructure Program (RCIP) c. RCIP Project No. 26LDRC7718 All prospective bidders are invited to attend this non-mandatory pre-bid conference which will be held at 10:00 AM on Octo‐ ber 23, 2026 at Joseph S. Yenni Building located at 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd. Room 405, Elmwood, LA 70123.However, failure to attend the pre-bid con‐ ference shall not relieve the bidder of responsibil‐ ity for information dis‐ cussed at the confer‐ ence. Furthermore, fail‐ ure to attend the pre-bid conference and inspec‐ tion does not relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of furnish‐ ing materials or perform‐ ing any work that may be required to complete the work in accordance with the specification with no additional cost to the owner. Attention of Bidders is called particularly to the requirements for Section 109 (Non-Discrimination) of the Housing and Com‐ munity Development Act of 1974 (see CDBG-DR Rider), Section 503 (NonDiscrimination Against Employees with Disabili‐ ties) (see CDBG-DR Rider), and Section 504 (Non-Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities) of the Reha‐ bilitation Act of 1973 (see CDBG-DR Rider and Invi‐ tation to Bidders Section P), Segregated Facilities (CDBG-DR Rider), and all applicable laws and reg‐ ulations of the Federal government and State of Louisiana. For more in‐ formation, see the CDBGDR Rider attached hereto. Jefferson Parish and its partners, as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds, are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of i i d

149 GRETA AVE ALPHONSO OTIS POTTER, III 2646 COLLEGE DR HOUSE OF GOD OF BATON ROUGE, INC 4101 UNCAS ST JACKSON SERVICES, LLC 13611 KATHERINE AVE L.C. BANKS, JR 248 GLORIA D CHRISTINE PONDER; MONTRELL WILLIAMS; TYQUAN WILLIAMS; KALANI MY BLESSING WILLIAMS 13289 OLD HAMMOND HWY MOUNTAIN PORTIFOLIO OWNER LA 2, LLC 6337 KINCAID AVE EDDIE SMITH 3015 SENECA ST HELEN HAYES BRADLEY 2973 SENECA ST JERRY L BAKER JR 3158 FAIRFIELDS AVE MY TEAM R & R, LLC 4121 O'DELL ST EUDORA TONITA BELL 7076 PERIMETER DR MARIE JAMES LAVERGNE 1020 ARCADIA DR JACALYN DAVIS DIXON 516 CARRIAGE WAY NATALIA GUSTAFSON 3134 OTTAWA DR SHEMEEKA RENAY TAYLOR 8571 RUSH AVE LAIL HAMILTON SHAW III 8603 RUSH AVE GAVIN ELLIS 14832 OLD HAMMOND HWY 14728 OHH, LLC 4867 OSBORNE AVE JAMES NATHAN MARLOW 4829 FREY ST AMANDA C TROSCLAIR 2960 BROWNLEE ST AARON STEVENS 3922 ELM DR LATONYA DENEEN MATTHEWS 3124 CARMEN DR MELEISCHA LAUREN COCHRAN 6032 BLACKBERRY ST CAROLINE N EGBELU 3105 LORRAINE ST ROBERT N NEWMAN 10362 AVENUE D STUDENT ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FOR SUCCESS, INC 9524 SWINGALONG AVE SENOVIAE MCINTYRE 10124 GERALD DR LISO TERRELL THOMAS, SR 11052 TAMS DR STERLING JORDAN, JR 1537 N MARQUE ANN DR FELECIA WASHINGTON

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tracey Ann Morris please contact attorney Larry McAlpine at 225-3171956. 204346-Oct 19-21, 3t $64.90

HOUSE

Windows & Doors WINDOW & DOOR OVERSTOCK SALE! October 26-30 at Holmes Building Materials, 7835 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70815. Shop discounted windows and doors for your upcoming projects. Limited quantities available while supplies last!

SILVER BUY & SELL SILVER & GOLD 225-933-9711 229 CAPITOL STREET DENHAM SPRINGS

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals g minority and/or womanowned business enter‐ prises (DBEs), including MBEs, WBEs, and SBEs, to stimulate participation in procurement and assis‐ tance programs. Successful bidder must have an active Unique Entity ID (UEI), as verified on www.sam.gov, prior to award of contract. Sureties used for obtain‐ ing bonds for this project must appear as accept‐ able on the U.S. Depart‐ ment of the Treasury Cir‐ cular 570. This is required by the funding agency. Any person with disabili‐ ties requiring special ac‐ must commodations contact Jefferson Parish no later than seven (7) days prior to bid open‐ ing: ADA Coordinator/Of‐ fice of Citizens with Dis‐ abilities, 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd., Suite 403 Jef‐ ferson, LA 70123, (504) 736-6086, ADA@ jeffparish.net All bids must be in accor‐ dance with the contract documents on file with the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department, Suite 4400, Jefferson Parish General Govern‐ ment Building, at 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, Louisiana. Late bids will not be accepted. The Jefferson Parish Council reserves the right to reject all bids and to reject bids for just cause, pursuant to the law. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. Megan Grantham Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Pur‐ chasing Department ADV: Baton Rouge Advocate: October 7, 14, and 21, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or call 504-364-2678. 202935 Oct. 7, 14, 21, 2026 3t $273.79 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. #225 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ www. ment site at jeffparish.gov/supplier until 2:00 p.m., November 3, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bidders may sub‐ mit via Jefferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www. jeffparish.gov/supplier to register for this free site.

Bids will be accepted and received through Bridge until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Pur‐ chasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Three (3) Year Contract to Provide and Install Rental Generators and Various Power Equipment on an As Needed Basis for the Jefferson Parish Department of General Services Jefferson Parish strongly encourages the involve‐ ment of small busi‐ nesses, minority busi‐ nesses, women's busi‐ ness enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional

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Pets / Pet Services Directory PETS • SUPPLIES • SERVICES • OBITUARIES • LOST & FOUND

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

cost to the owner. Late bids will not be accepted

p ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams.

g g Facilities; Executive Order 11246; equal op‐ portunity requirements; and all applicable laws and regulations of the Federal Government and State of Louisiana, in‐ cluding bonding and in‐ surance requirements. For more information, see the CDBG-DR Rider in the project manual.

g y Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project:

y on www.sam.gov, prior to award of contract.

All contractors and sub‐ contractors will be re‐ quired to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the DavisBacon Act, the Anti-Kick‐ back Act, and the Con‐ tract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act.

This Bid is being funded with Federal financial as‐ sistance in the form of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Re‐ covery (CDBG-DR) funds from the Louisiana Office of Community Develop‐ ment – Disaster Recovery under the Resilient Com‐ munities Infrastructure Program (“RCIP” or “Pro‐ gram”) and therefore will include the associated federal requirements in the Community Develop‐ ment Block Grant Pro‐ gram - Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Rider (“CDBG-DR Rider”) as ap‐ plicable in this solicita‐ tion and any resulting contract. Bidder shall comply with all federal requirements applicable to this bid.

ADV: The Baton Rouge Advocate: October 7, 14, and 21, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or you may call 504-3642678. 203102-oct 7-14-21-3t $136.33

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. #228 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ ment site at www.jeffpar ishbids.net until 2:00 p.m., December 8, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparishb ids.net to register for this free site. Bids will be accepted and received through Central Bidding until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Purchasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Sewer Lift Station Rehabilitation (D 6-6) 6801 Veteran s Memorial Blvd All prospective bidders are invited to attend this non-mandatory pre-bid conference which will be held at 10:00 AM on No‐ vember 10, 2026 at Joseph S. Yenni Building located at 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd. Room 405, Elm‐ wood, LA 70123. However, failure to attend the prebid conference shall not relieve the bidder of re‐ sponsibility for informa‐ tion discussed at the conference. Furthermore, failure to attend the prebid conference and in‐ spection does not relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of fur‐ nishing materials or per‐ forming any work that may be required to com‐ plete the work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner. All bids must be in accor‐ dance with the contract documents on file with the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department, Suite 4400, Jefferson Parish General Govern‐ ment Building, at 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, Louisiana. Late bids will not be accepted. The Jefferson Parish Council reserves the right to reject all bids and to reject bids for just cause, pursuant to the law. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ i i i i

Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department ADV: Baton Rouge Advo‐ cate: October 21, 28, and November 4, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or call 504-364-2678. 204448-oct 21-28-nov 4-3t $155.53

Jefferson Parish is an equal opportunity em‐ ployer.

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Jefferson Parish and its partners, as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds, are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of minority and/or womanowned business enter‐ prises (DBEs), including MBEs, WBEs, and SBEs, to stimulate participation in procurement and assis‐ tance programs.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. #234 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ ment site at www.jeffpar ishbids.net until 2:00 p.m., December 3, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparishb ids.net to register for this free site. Bids will be accepted and received through Central Bidding until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Purchasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Ames Blvd. Lighting: From Lapalco Blvd. to Barataria Blvd. Public Works Project No. 2025-005-SL This Bid is being funded with Federal financial as‐ sistance in the form of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Re‐ covery (CDBG-DR) funds from the Louisiana Office of Community Develop‐ ment – Disaster Recovery under the Resilient Com‐ munities Infrastructure Program (“RCIP” or “Pro‐ gram”) and therefore will include the associated federal requirements in the Community Develop‐ ment Block Grant Pro‐ gram - Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Rider (“CDBG-DR Rider”) as ap‐ plicable in this solicita‐ tion and any resulting contract. Bidder shall comply with all federal requirements applicable to this bid. a. Funding by CDBG-DR (SAM.gov Assistance Listing 14.228) b. Resilient Communities Infrastructure Program (RCIP) c. RCIP Project No. 26LDR‐ C7708 All prospective bidders are invited to attend this non-mandatory pre-bid conference which will be held at 10:00 AM on No‐ vember 5, 2026 at Joseph S. Yenni Building located at 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd. Room 405, Elm‐ wood, LA 70123.However, failure to attend the prebid conference shall not relieve the bidder of re‐ sponsibility for informa‐ tion discussed at the conference. Furthermore, failure to attend the prebid conference and in‐ spection does not relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of fur‐ nishing materials or per‐ forming any work that may be required to com‐ plete the work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner. The attention of bidders is called particularly to the requirements for conditions of employ‐ ment to be observed and minimum wage rates (federal prevailing wage rates) to be paid under the Contract; Section 3 of the Housing and Commu‐ nity Development Act of 1968; Section 109 (NonDiscrimination) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; Section 503 (Non-Dis‐ crimination Against Em‐ ployees with Disabilities) and Section 504 (NonAgainst Discrimination Individuals with Disabili‐ ties) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Segregated ili i i

Successful bidder must have an active Unique Entity ID (UEI), as verified on www.sam.gov, prior to award of contract. Any person with disabili‐ ties requiring special ac‐ commodations must contact Jefferson Parish no later than seven (7) days prior to bid open‐ ing: ADA Coordinator/Of‐ fice of Citizens with Dis‐ abilities, 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd., Suite 403 Jef‐ ferson, LA 70123, (504) 736-6086, ADA@ jeffparish.net All bids must be in accor‐ dance with the contract documents on file with the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department, Suite 4400, Jefferson Parish General Govern‐ ment Building, at 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, Louisiana. Late bids will not be accepted. The Jefferson Parish Council reserves the right to reject all bids and to reject bids for just cause, pursuant to the law. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. Megan Grantham Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department ADV: Baton Rouge Advo‐ cate: October 14, 21, and 28, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or call 504-364-2678. 203647-oct 14-21-28-3t $282.88

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. #256 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ ment site at www.jeffpar ishbids.net until 2:00 p.m., December 17, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparishb ids.net to register for this free site. Bids will be accepted and received through Central Bidding until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Purchasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, i

Kenner Laketown Am‐ phitheater Jefferson Parish, Louisiana PROJECT NO. 2024-026-REC

a. Funding by CDBG-DR (SAM.gov Assistance Listing 14.228) b. Resilient Communities Infrastructure Program (RCIP) c. RCIP Project No. 26LDR‐ C7723 All prospective bidders are invited to attend this non-mandatory pre-bid conference which will be held at 10:00 AM on No‐ vember 18, 2026 at Joseph S. Yenni Building located at 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd. Room 405, Elm‐ wood, LA 70123. However, failure to attend the prebid conference shall not relieve the bidder of re‐ sponsibility for informa‐ tion discussed at the conference. Furthermore, failure to attend the prebid conference and in‐ spection does not relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of fur‐ nishing materials or per‐ forming any work that may be required to com‐ plete the work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner. The attention of bidders is called particularly to the requirements for conditions of employ‐ ment to be observed and minimum wage rates (federal prevailing wage rates) to be paid under the Contract, Section 3 of the Housing and Commu‐ nity Development Act of 1968, Section 109 (Non Discrimination) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Section 503 (Non-Dis‐ crimination Against Em‐ ployees with Disabilities) and Section 504 (nondiscrimination against individuals with disabili‐ ties) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Segregated Facilities, Executive Order 11246, equal op‐ portunity requirements, and all applicable laws and regulations of the Federal Government and State of Louisiana and bonding and insurance requirements. For more information see the CDBG-DR Rider in the project manual. All contractors and sub‐ contractors will be re‐ quired to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Davis Bacon Act, the Anti-Kick‐ back Act, and the Con‐ tract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. Jefferson Parish is an equal opportunity em‐ ployer. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of minority and/or woman owned business enter‐ prises, small businesses (DBE’s, including MBE’s, WBE’s and SBE’s) along with veteran-owned businesses and labor surplus area firms (See U.S. Department of Labor’s List), and Section 3 Business Concerns to stimulate participation in procurement and assis‐ tance programs. Successful bidder must have an active Unique Entity ID (UEI), as verified i

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

The Jefferson Parish Council reserves the right to reject all bids and to reject bids for just cause, pursuant to the law. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams.

Automotive

ACREAGE 5 Acre Lots for Sale. Houses Only. $175,000. Call Lattie 225-405-5229

APARTMENT AREA 5 1BR $600, 2BR $700 Tigerland. $500 Deposit. 225-475-1737

204351-October 20-26, 7t $3,205.66 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tibberly G. Richard please contact attorney Larry McAlpine at 225-317-1956. 204348-Oct 19-21, 3t $64.90

HOME FOR SALE 8200 LA, 14,000 TA under roof. 4 Acres $990,000 More land available if needed. Owner will spend up to $90,000 for remodeling. 225 405-5229

Any person with disabili‐ ties requiring special ac‐ commodations must contact Jefferson Parish no later than seven (7) days prior to bid open‐ ing: ADA Coordinator/Of‐ fice of Citizens with Dis‐ abilities, 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd., Suite 403 Jef‐ ferson, LA 70123, (504) ADA@ 736-6086, jeffparish.net All bids must be in accor‐ dance with the contract documents on file with the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department, Suite 4400, Jefferson Parish General Govern‐ ment Building, at 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, Louisiana. Late bids will not be accepted. The Jefferson Parish Council reserves the right to reject all bids and to reject bids for just cause, pursuant to the law. Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. Megan Grantham Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department ADV: Baton Rouge Advocate: October 21, 28, and November 4, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or call 504-364-2678. 204289 Oct. 21, 28, Nov. 4, 2026 3t $271.02

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS BID EVENT NO. 246 Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived electronically through our E-Procure‐ ment site at www.jeffpar ishbids.net until 2:00 p.m., November 19, 2026 and shall, at the below listed time and place, be publicly opened and read aloud. At no charge, bid‐ ders may submit via Jef‐ ferson Parish’s electronic procurement page by visiting www.jeffparishb ids.net to register for this free site. Bids will be accepted and received through Central Bidding until 2 p.m. The public bid opening will be held at the West Bank Purchasing Department at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 4400, Gretna, LA 70053 beginning at 2:30 p.m. on each bid opening date for the following project: Terrytown Head Start Center Roof Coating & HVAC Replacement Late bids will not be accepted Jefferson Parish strongly encourages the involve‐ ment of small busi‐ nesses, minority busi‐ nesses, women's busi‐ ness enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance pro‐ grams. work in accor‐ dance with the specifica‐ tion with no additional cost to the owner. All prospective bidders are invited to attend this non-mandatory pre-bid conference which will be held at General Govern‐ ment Building located at 200 Derbigny St. Suite 4400 Gretna, La. 70053 on October 30, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. However, failure to attend the pre-bid con‐ ference shall not relieve the bidder of responsibil‐ ity for information dis‐ cussed at the confer‐ ence. Furthermore, fail‐

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

ure to attend the pre-bid conference and inspec‐ tion does not relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of furnish‐ ing materials or perform‐ ing any work that may be required to complete the work in accordance with the specification with no additional cost to the owner. Megan Grantham Director Purchasing Department Misty A. Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department ADV: The Baton Rouge Advocate: October 14, 21 and 28,2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at https://www.jeffparish. gov/464/Purchasing or you may call 504-3642678 203618 Oct. 14, 21, 28, 2026 3t $138.37 PUBLIC NOTICE --Advocate ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Bids will be received by the Office of Purchasing, Room 213 Thomas Boyd Hall, Louisiana State Uni‐ versity and Agricultural and Mechanical College 70803 until 11:00 AM on Thursday, November 5, 2026. ** Refer to www.centerl inebidconnect.com for bid submission instruc‐ tions. All bids must be submitted via email to lsubids@lsu.edu ** ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY LOUISIANA STATE UNI‐ VERSITY, OFFICE OF PUR‐ CHASING OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMODATION RE‐ QUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. FOR: Furnish Labor and Materials for 4-H Shoot‐ ing Range

LSU SOLICITATION NUM‐ BER: RFQ-0000002920 Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments for this project may be obtained from: www.centerlinebidco Printed nnect.com. copies are not available from the Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most repro‐ graphic firms. Contractors unable to access bidding docu‐ ments at www.centerl inebidconnect.com should contact

Louisiana State University Procurement 3960 W. Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Phone: 225-578-2176 All bids must be accom‐ panied by bid security equal to five percent (5%) of the sum of the base bid and all alter‐ nates, and must be in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or Bid Bond Form written by a surety company licensed to do business in Louisiana, signed by the surety’s agency or attor‐ ney-in-fact. Surety must be listed on the current U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Man‐ agement Service list of approved bonding com‐ panies as approved for an amount equal to or greater than the amount for which it obligates it‐ self in the Bond, or must be a Louisiana domiciled insurance company with at least an A- rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide. If surety qualifies by virtue of its Best’s list‐ ing, the amount of the Bond may not exceed ten percent of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the latest A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide. The Bid Bond shall be in favor of the Louisiana State Uni‐ versity and Agricultural and Mechanical College, and shall be accompa‐ nied by appropriate power of attorney. No Bid Bond indicating an oblig‐ ation of less than five percent (5%) by any method is acceptable. The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ i h f d

Public Notices Bids/Proposals q nish a Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana, in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract amount. Surety must be listed currently on the U.S. Department of Trea‐ sury Financial manage‐ ment Service List (Trea‐ sury List) as approved for an amount equal to or greater than the con‐ tract amount, or must be an insurance company domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. If surety is quali‐ fied other than by listing on the Treasury list, the contract amount may not exceed fifteen percent of policyholders’ surplus as shown by surety’s most recent financial state‐ ments filed with the Louisiana Department of Insurance and may not exceed the amount of $500,000. However, a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A- rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide shall not be subject to the $500,000 limitation, provided that the con‐ tract amount does not exceed ten percent of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the latest A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide nor fifteen percent of policyholder’s surplus as shown by surety’s most recent financial state‐ ments filed with the Louisiana Department of Insurance. The Bond shall be signed by the surety’s agent or attor‐ ney-in-fact. A PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD 11:00 AM, Thursday, Oc‐ tober 22, 2026 LSU AgCenter Pecan Re‐ search Station, 10800 Harts Island Road, Shreveport, LA 71115 Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2163 for the classification of BUILD‐ ING CONSTRUCTION OR MUNICIPAL AND PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION. Bidder is required to comply with provisions and requirements of LA R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1)(c). No bid may be withdrawn for a period of thirty (30) days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214. The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In ac‐ cordance with La. R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1)(b), the pro‐ visions and requirements of this Section, those stated in the advertise‐ ment for bids, and those required on the bid form shall not be considered as informalities and shall not be waived by any public entity. When this project is fi‐ nanced either partially or entirely with State Bonds or federal funds, the award of this Contract is contingent upon the granting of lines of credit, the sale of bonds by the Bond Commission or the commitment of federal funds. The Uni‐ versity shall incur no obligation to the Con‐ tractor until the Contract Between Owner and Con‐ tractor is fully executed. AD RUN DATES: October 7, 14, 21, 2026 202865-oct 7-14-21-3t $205.08

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS SP# 189 Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Procure‐ ment Section of the Divi‐ sion of Administration, 1201 N. 3rd. St., 2nd. Floor, Suite 2-160, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 10:00 A.M. for the follow‐ ing: RFx No. 3000026810, Referral Lab Testing for CLSH-LDH, 11/05/26 Bid proposal forms, in‐ formation and specifica‐ tions may be obtained by accessing the bid num‐ ber in LaPac at www.doa. la.gov/doa/osp/ or from the procurement section listed above. No bids will be received after the date and hour specified. The right is reserved to reject any and all bids and to waive any infor‐ malities.

8D ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Amy Vincent Director of State Procurement FAX (225) 342-8688 204394 Oct. 21, 2026 1t $11.77

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --Notice to Proposers SP# 188 Sealed proposals will be received by the Office of State Procurement, 1201 North Third Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 2-160, Baton Rouge, LA until 10:00 AM f

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

g CT on 11/24/2026 for So‐ Number licitation Doc#2358929885 - Re‐ quest for Proposal (RFP) for Transportation Broker for Medicaid Fee-for-Ser‐ vice Program. The RFP may be accessed at https://portal.us.bn. cloud.ariba.com/ dashboard/public/ appext/comsapsbncd i i f

pp iscoveryui#/RfxEvent/ preview/1110028490?anI d=ANONYMOUS.

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No proposals will be con‐ sidered after the date and hour specified. The right is reserved to reject any and all proposals and to waive any infor‐ malities.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

204393 Oct. 21, 2026 1t $12.05

Home Repairs

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Video Production Services for City Hall Public Meetings The City of St. George is soliciting proposals from lifi d fi i di id

Professional Chimney Sweep & Inspections

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

g p p qualified firms or individ‐ uals to provide profes‐ sional video production services for City Council and Planning and Zoning meetings. Council meet‐ ings are held twice each month on the second and fourth Tuesday at City Hall, 11207 Proverbs Av‐ enue, St. George, LA 70816. Planning meetings h ld h l

g g are held at the same lo‐ cation on the first Mon‐ day of each month at a additional minimum, meetings may be sched‐ uled. Occasionally, spe‐ cial meetings may be called. The contractor will manage all aspects of audio, video, broad‐ cast, and recording to ensure high quality pub‐ li il

g q y p lic access to council pro‐ ceedings. The contractor will familiarize them‐ selves with the City’s equipment and use the City's equipment to per‐ form these services. 204495 Oct. 21, 28, 2026 2t $30.44

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Amy Vincent Chief Procurement Officer Phone (225) 342-8010

Remove & Replace Driveways, Patios and Parking Lots. Install culverts. New Construction & Commercial

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ 9D

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --River Parishes Commu‐ nity College is seeking bids for a CDL Backing Training Pad. To obtain bid package, please visit https://wwwcfprd.doa. louisiana.gov/osp/lapac/ dspBid.cfm?search=dep artment&term=4. The following bids are open: #40005-FY27-013

the Contract between Owner and Contractor is fully executed. 202350 Oct. 7, 14, 21, 2026 3t $117.76 PUBLIC NOTICE --VOUCHER# 26-009387 TO BE PUBLISHED – LEGAL 10/21/26 & 10/28/26 BIDS TO BE OPENED: 11/10/26 THE ADVOCATE BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

204248 Oct. 19- Nov. 5, 2026 18t $98.64 PUBLIC NOTICE Sealed Bids for Camp Beauregard Forest Prod‐ ucts Sale 1126, Camp Beauregard, Pineville, Louisiana will be re‐ ceived until 10:00 a.m. CT on Thursday, November 5, 2026 at the Environ‐ mental Building, 9 Engi‐ neering Training Lane, Camp Beauregard, Pineville, LA. All properly submitted bids will be opened and the bid amounts publicly an‐ nounced. Bidders and/or their representatives are encouraged to attend the Bid Opening. Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments may be obtained without charge by re‐ questing via email at Christopher.L.Robinett4. nfg@army.mil, via mail, or in person at Louisiana Military Department, Camp Minden, ATTN: Forestry Program Man‐ ager (Room #135), 100 Louisiana Boulevard, Minden, LA 71055-7908 or via telephone at 318-3824158. The sale consists of Pine and Hardwood Forest Products located on Three (3) compartments belonging to the Louisiana Military De‐ partment which are de‐ scribed as follows: Description of Sale: The forest products in Item #1, Compartment #4A/4B (Clear-cut) stands on 77 acres, more or less; Item #2, Com‐ partment #21 (Clear-cut) stands on 55 acres, more or less; and Item #3 (Thinning) stands on 490 acres, more or less. Items #1, #2 and #3 are located in Rapides and Grant Parishes. All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid de‐ posit/advance payment of $25,000.00 for Item #1, $14,000.00 for Item #2, and $17,000.00 for Item #3. The form of this se‐ curity shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bid‐ ders included in the Invi‐ tation to Bid Packet for this project. Any person requiring special accommodations shall notify the Forestry Program Manager at 318299-4158 not less than seven (7) days before the bid opening. The Louisiana Military Department reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Bids. The pro‐ visions and requirements of those stated in the ad‐ vertisement for bids and those required on the bid form shall not be waivered. The Louisiana Military Department Di‐ rector and Deputy Direc‐ tor for Contracting and Purchasing do not pos‐ sess authority to waive any informality inciden‐ tal thereto. The Owner shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Electronic or sealed bids will be received by the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, Purchasing Divi‐ sion, City Hall Building, Room 826, 222 Saint Louis Street, 8th Floor, Baton Rouge, LA until 11:00 A.M. CST, November 10, 2026 for the following: M9387 THERMAL IMAGERS Official bid documents are available at Central Bidding (https://www. centralauctionhouse. com/rfpc10656-city-ofbaton-rouge.html) or by request from the City of Baton Rouge at dsstew‐ art@brla.gov. Bids shall be submitted electronically via www. centralbidding.com or on the solicitation bid forms furnished by the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge prior to the bidding deadline. Electronic bids for the solicitation will be down‐ loaded by the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, Pur‐ chasing Division and paper bids will be opened. Beginning as soon as feasible after the bid closing time all the names of vendor submit‐ ting bids will read aloud. Note: The City-Parish has elected to use LaPAC, the state's online electronic bid posting and notifica‐ tion system, in addition to its standard means of advertising this require‐ ment. This Invitation to Bid is available in elec‐ tronic form at the LaPAC website https:// wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/osp/lapac/dspBid. cfm?search=departm ent&term=102. Bids, amendments to bids or request for with‐ drawal of bids received after time specified for bid openings shall not be considered for any cause whatsoever. Inquiries will be received up until 5 pm CST on No‐ vember 3, 2026. Full information may be obtained upon request from the above address or by telephoning Dexter Stewart at (225) 389-3259, Ext. 3264, or via email dsstewart@brla.gov. Any vendor who would like to listen to the open‐ ing of this bid can access the following link, at the date and time of this bid opening: Join by phone +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll Access code: 263 373 080 (followed by the # but‐ ton) Alternate numbers to call if number above is not available, which may occur due to network traffic (use the same Ac‐ cess Code, followed by h b )

Public Notices DEQ Permits

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

the # button):

y

United States Toll (Boston) +1-617-315-0704 United States Toll (Chicago) +1-312-5358110 United States Toll (Dal‐ las) +1-469-210-7159 United States Toll (Den‐ ver) +1-720-650-7664 United States Toll (Jack‐ sonville) +1-904-900-2303 United States Toll (Los Angeles) +1-213-306-3065 These numbers will pro‐ vide you with live audio access to this bid open‐ ing. 204384-oct 21-28-2t $95.12

Public Notices DEQ Permits

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AL QUALITY AND 1 PRIORITY ENVIRONMENT AL SERVICES, LLC The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality and 1 Priority En‐ vironmental Services, LLC (Respondent), Agency Interest Number 204597, 177614, 109814, 2975, 9007, 88078, 107378, 109958, 154565, 208218, 3062, 154900, and 3976, have entered into a proposed settle‐ ment agreement, Settle‐ ment Tracking No. SA-AE26-0044, concerning the State's allegations of en‐ vironmental violations by Respondent in Iberia Parish, Ascension Parish, Caddo Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, Bossier Parish, Calcasieu Parish, and Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, which allega‐ tions are set forth in No‐ tices of Potential Penalty, Enforcement Tracking Nos. AE-PP-17-00446, AEPP-19-00875, AE-PP-2100238, and AE-PP-2100840, and other viola‐ tions included in the set‐ tlement and which are not in the Notices of Po‐ tential Penalty. The Department of Envi‐ ronmental Quality will accept comments on the proposed settlement for the next forty-five (45) days. The public is in‐ vited and encouraged to submit written com‐ ments to the Louisiana Department of Environ‐ mental Quality, Office of the Secretary, Legal Divi‐ sion, Post Office Box 4302, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-4302, At‐ tention: Jay L. Glorioso, Attorney. All comments will be considered by the Department of Environ‐ mental Quality in reach‐ ing a decision on whether to make the set‐ tlement final. Terms and conditions of the proposed settlement agreement may be re‐ viewed on the Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality's website at www.deq.louisiana.gov, by selecting About LDEQ, Enforcement, and Settle‐ ments. The document may also be viewed at, and copies obtained from, the Louisiana De‐ partment of Environmen‐ tal Quality, Public Records Center, Room 127, Galvez Building, 602 North Fifth Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802. To request a copy of the d l

q py proposed settlement, submit a completed Pub‐ lic Record Request Form (DEQ Form ISD-0005-01). The form and instruc‐ tions for completion may be found on the DEQ Website at the following address: http:/Ideg. louisiana.gov/assets/ docs/General/PublicR ecordsReguestForm.pdf, or by calling the Cus‐ tomer Service Center at 1-866-896-5337. Pursuant to La. R.S. 30:2050.7(D), the Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality may hold a public hearing regarding this proposed settlement when either of the fol‐ lowing conditions are met: 1) a written request for public hearing has been filed by twenty-five (25) persons, by a gov‐ ernmental subdivision or agency, or by an associa‐ tion having not less than twenty-five (25) mem‐ bers who reside in the parish in which the facil‐ ity is located; or 2) the secretary finds a significant degree of public interest in this settlement. For further information, you may call the Legal Division of the Louisiana Department of Environ‐ mental Quality at (225) 219-3985. 204459-OCT 21-1T $392.91

PUBLIC NOTICE --ELOS Environmental, LLC on behalf of National Water Infrastructure is requesting authorization to construct an influent pipeline, centralized wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and an ef‐ fluent force main to con‐ vey and discharge treated effluent from the newly constructed facil‐ ity located in the City of Geismar, Louisiana, within Ascension Parish. The US Army Corps of En‐ gineers (USACE) will be accepting public com‐ ments on the project until November 11, 2026. To further review or pro‐ vide comments, addi‐ tional information and plans on the proposal may be obtained at the following website:www. mvn.usace.army.mil/ missions/regulatory/ public-notices (see Ref#: MVN-2022-00246-CJT). If you have any questions, please contact Jaimie Thompson with the USACE, Regulatory Divi‐ sion at (504) 862-1489 or jaimie.l.thompson@ usace.army.mil. 203540-oct 12-nov 12-32t $3,468.52 PUBLIC NOTICE --Notice is hereby given that Tensas Basin Levee District, 505 District Drive, Monroe, La 71202, has applied for a 401 Water Quality Certifica‐ tion to install a tempo‐ rary, portable, water-in‐ flated cofferdam and buoy lines across Bayou Bartholomew near Oua‐ chita City Road north‐ west of Sterlington in Ouachita and Morehouse Parishes. Tensas Basin Levee District is applying to the Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality, Office of Environ‐ mental Services for a Water Quality Certifica‐ tion in accordance with statutory authority con‐ i d i h

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PURSUANT to the provisions of a resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners (the “Governing Authority”) of St. George Fire Protection District No. 2 (the “District”), Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, on June 25, 2026:

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PROPOSITION Shall the St. George Fire Protection District No. 2, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (“the District”) be re-authorized to levy and collect, an ad valorem tax of six (6.0) mills (the “Tax”) in each calendar year on all property subject to taxation in the District for a period of ten (10) years, commencing in the year 2028 to and including the year 2037 (an estimated $9,000,000 is reasonably expected to be collected from the levy of the Tax for the entire first year, and this amount will increase if the value of property subject to taxation increases), and shall the avails or proceeds of said Tax be used entirely and exclusively for development, operation and maintenance of the fire protection facilities, equipment and personnel of the St. George Fire Protection District No. 2 within St. George Fire Protection District No. 2? The said special election will be held at the following polling places situated within the District, which polls will open at seven o’clock (7:00) a.m., and close at eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 18:541, to wit: POLLING PLACES Ward 3

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Location Woodlawn Baptist Church – 5805 Jones Creek Road Woodlawn Baptist Church – 5805 Jones Creek Road BREC Highland Road Park – 14024 Highland Road BREC Highland Road Park – 14024 Highland Road Audubon Baton Rouge School – 7800 Innovation Park Dr. BREC– Cedar Ridge Recreation Center – 13300 Cedar Ridge Ave. BREC– Cedar Ridge Recreation Center – 13300 Cedar Ridge Ave. Lutheran Church of Our Savior – 3555 Jones Creek Road Fire Station – 11010 Coursey Boulevard Jefferson Terrace Elementary School – 5601 Upton Dr. Shenandoah Elementary School – 16555 Appomattox Ave. Shenandoah Elementary School – 16555 Appomattox Ave. Woodlawn Middle School – 14939 Tiger Bend Road Westminster Elementary School – 8935 Westminster Drive Westminster Elementary School – 8935 Westminster Drive Greater Baton Rouge Assoc of Realtors – 14101 Perkins Rd. Greater Baton Rouge Assoc of Realtors – 14101 Perkins Rd. New Rising Sun Baptist Church – 16444 Highland Road New Rising Sun Baptist Church – 16444 Highland Road Ben Burge Park – 9350 Antigua Drive (at Elvin Dr.) Ben Burge Park – 9350 Antigua Drive (at Elvin Dr.) Woodlawn High School – 15755 Old Jefferson Hwy. Wildwood Elementary School – 444 Halfway Tree Road Wildwood Elementary School – 444 Halfway Tree Road Cedarcrest-Southmoor Elementary School – 10187 Twin Cedars Ave.

y y tained in the LAC 33:1X.1507.A-E and provi‐ sions of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. Comments concerning this application can be filed with the Water Per‐ mits Division within ten days of this notice by ref‐ erencing WQC 261001-01, AI 252532 to the following address: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Water Permits Division P.O. Box 4313 Baton Rouge, La 70821-4313 Attn: Water Quality Certifications Comments may be sub‐ mitted by email to DEQWaterQualityCartifica‐ tions@la.gov A copy of the application is available for inspec‐ tion and review at the LDEQ Public Records Center at 602 North Fifth Street, Baton Rouge, La 70802, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The available in‐ formation can also be ac‐ cessed electronically on the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) on the LDEQ pub‐ lic website at www.deq. louisiana.gov 204561-oct 21-1t $206.60 PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special election will be held within the District on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2026, and that at the said election there will be submitted to all registered voters in the District qualified and entitled to vote at the said election under the Constitution and Laws of the State of Louisiana and the Constitution of the United States, the following proposition, to-wit:

Legal Notices

Notice of Proposed Telecommunications Tower: Public Participation Harmoni Towers Gate‐ way LLC is proposing to construct a new 180 foot tall monopole style telecommunications tower approximately 502.64’ from Nicholson Dr. and 384.95’ from River Road, also known as 16100 River Road, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana 30 19’ 59.388” N, 91 08’10.104” W. The height of the tower will be 54.86 meters above ground level (202.2’ feet above mean sea level) and 56.08 me‐ ters above ground level including appurtenances (206.2’ feet above mean seal level with appurte‐ nances). The tower will not require FAA lighting. Specific information re‐ garding the project is available by calling Fore‐ sight Communications, LLC at 806-281-3853 dur‐ ing normal business hours. Interested per‐ sons may review the ap‐ plication for this project www.fcc.gov/asr/ at applications by entering Antenna Registration (Form 854) file no. A1390392 and may raise environmental concerns about the project under the National Environmen‐ tal Policy Act rules of the Federal Communications Commission, 47 CFR § 1.1307, by notifying the FCC of the specific rea‐ sons that the action may have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Re‐ quest for Environmental Review must be filed within 30 days of the date that notice of the project is published on the FCC’s website and may only raise environ‐ mental concerns. The FCC strongly encourages interested parties to file Request for Environmen‐ tal Review online at www.fcc.gov/asr/environ mental-request. If the filer is unable to submit electronically, or if filing electronically would be unreasonably burden‐ some, the request may be submitted by mail to FCC Request for Environ‐ mental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Legal Notices

Street SW, Washington, DC 20554 with a request for waiver under 47 CFR § 1.1304(b). A copy of the Request should be pro‐ vided to Foresight Com‐ munications, LLC, Attn: Daniel Deleon at 18734 Helotes Ridge, Lot 2, Helotes, Tx 78023. 204596 Oct. 21, 2026 1t $235.22 PUBLIC NOTICE --Public Hearings will be held at Zachary City Hall 4700 Main St. during a regular meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission meetingMonday, November 02, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. and the City Council meeting Tuesday – November 24, 2026 - 6:30 p.m. for the for the purpose indi‐ cated: Final Plat - Americana Crossing 21104 Barsket Road 204385-OCT 21-23-3T $47.41 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality announces the following date for the meeting of the Louisiana Motor Fuels Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Advisory Board: Thursday, December 3, 2026 1:00 P.M. The meeting will be con‐ ducted in the Galvez Building, 602 North Fifth Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802, in the Pensacola (Room # C110). Questions regarding the meeting can be directed to Ms. Danielle McCarty, Environmental Project Coordinator, at (225) 2193541 or via email at Danielle.McCarty@la.gov.

y exclusively for the devel‐ opment, operation and maintenance of the fire protection facilities of the District and paying the costs of obtaining water for fire protection purposes, including charges for fire hydrant rentals and service, within the District. A public comment period shall be afforded prior to action being taken on agenda items which re‐ quire a vote. 204386 Oct. 21, 2026 1t $191.31

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Please be advised that the October Board of Di‐ rectors meeting has been rescheduled and will be held as follows: Date: Wednesday, Thursday, November 4, 2026 Time: 12:00 Noon (lunch included) Location: Visit Baton Rouge, 359 Third Street Attached please find the following: • Notice & Agenda for Oc‐ tober 22, 2026 - Board Meeting • Minutes of September 24, 2026, Board Meeting Please RSVP your atten‐ dance to me at 382-3580 or via email at lisa@vis itbatonrouge.com to en‐ sure that a quorum is present. Thank you, c: Tim Boone Chuck Elkins Henry Olinde Ken Dawson Lauralyn Maranto VISIT BATON ROUGE Rescheduled October Board Meeting Notice & Agenda November 4, 2026 Visit Baton Rouge 12:00 Noon 359 Third Street I. Call to Order Rowdy Gaudet II. Opportunity for Public Comment Rowdy Gaudet

PUBLIC NOTICE --Official Public Meeting Notice East Side Fire Protection District No. 5 (E.B.R. Parish) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Arti‐ cle VI, Section 22, of the Louisiana Constitution and La. R.S. 42:19.1, that a public meeting will be held on Monday, Novem‐ ber 23, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the East Side Fire Pro‐ tection District No. 5 Headquarters, 15094 Old Hammond Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70816, to pass a resolu‐ tion calling for the ap‐ proval of the renewal of the levy and collection of the 5.0 mill, ten (10) year, ad valorem property tax, expiring in 2027, on prop‐ erty within the District and authorizing the call‐ ing of an election on Sat‐ urday, May 29, 2027, for submission of the ques‐ tion of this millage re‐ newal to District voters. The renewal will be for the years 2028 through 2037 (inclusive). The esti‐ mated amount of rev‐ enue to be collected in the first tax year from this renewed millage is estimated to be $551,220.31. This tax is dedicated entirely and l i l f h d l

Cedarcrest-Southmoor Elementary School – 10187 Twin Cedars Ave. Westminster Elementary School – 8935 Westminster Drive Westminster Elementary School – 8935 Westminster Drive Westminster Elementary School – 8935 Westminster Drive Westminster Elementary School – 8935 Westminster Drive Baringer Road Park Recreation Center (BREC) – 7401 Baringer Road Baringer Road Park Recreation Center (BREC) – 7401 Baringer Road St. George Fire Department Administration Building – 14100 Airline Hwy. St. George Fire Department Administration Building – 14100 Airline Hwy. Bluebonnet Regional Library – 9200 Bluebonnet Boulevard Bluebonnet Regional Library – 9200 Bluebonnet Boulevard Bluebonnet Regional Library – 9200 Bluebonnet Boulevard Woodlawn Middle School – 14939 Tiger Bend Road Jefferson Terrace Elementary School – 5601 Upton Dr. BREC Highland Road Park – 14024 Highland Road BREC Highland Road Park – 14024 Highland Road Jones Creek Regional Library – 6222 Jones Creek Road Jones Creek Regional Library – 6222 Jones Creek Road Shenandoah Elementary School – 16555 Appomattox Avenue Shenandoah Elementary School – 16555 Appomattox Avenue Ben Burge Park – 9350 Antigua Drive (at Elvin Dr.) Ben Burge Park – 9350 Antigua Drive (at Elvin Dr.) Woodlawn High School – 15755 Old Jefferson Highway Woodlawn High School – 15755 Old Jefferson Highway CrossPoint Baptist Church – 14965 Airline Highway CrossPoint Baptist Church – 14965 Airline Highway St. George Fire Department Administration Building – 14100 Airline Hwy. St. George Fire Department Administration Building – 14100 Airline Hwy. Mayfair Laboratory School – 9880 Hyacinth Ave. Mayfair Laboratory School – 9880 Hyacinth Ave. La School for the Deaf- – 2888 Brightside Dr. La School for the Deaf – 2888 Brightside Dr. Drusilla Lane Park Recreation Center – 2546 Drusilla Lane BREC Perkins Road Community Park – 7122 Perkins Road BREC Perkins Road Community Park – 7122 Perkins Road Woodlawn Middle School – 14939 Tiger Bend Road Woodlawn Middle School – 14939 Tiger Bend Road BREC Mayfair Park- 655 S. Sabine Dr. BREC Mayfair Park- 655 S. Sabine Dr. Bluebonnet Highlands Clubhouse – 10557 Bluebonnet Blvd. Audubon Baton Rouge School – 7800 Innovation Park Dr. Lutheran Church of Our Savior – 3555 Jones Creek Rd. Jefferson Terrace Elementary School – 5601 Upton Rd. Jefferson Terrace Elementary School – 5601 Upton Rd. Greater Baton Rouge Assoc. of Realtors – 14101 Perkins Rd.

III. Approval of the Sep‐ tember 24, 2026 – Board Meeting Minutes Rowdy Gaudet IV. Treasurer’s Report Danielle Prejean V. President’s Report Jill Kidder VI. New Business A. Discussion/action in connection with author‐ ity to amend the CEA be‐ tween VBR and Southern University relating to the creation and completion of the Scott’s Bluff Interpretive Trail. Jill Kidder/ Ken Dawson B. Discussion/action in connection with the rec‐ ommendation from the Raising Cane’s River Center Selection Committee for selection of the Facili‐ ties Management Sub‐ contractor for the Raising Cane’s River Center. Jill Kidder C. Notice of State mandatory Sexual Harassment Training Following the meeting. Lisa Clary

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VII. Old Business VIII. Adjourn 204542 Oct. 21, 2026 1t $31.49

Public Notices Successions

PUBLIC NOTICE --18TH JUDICIAL

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

204577-OCT 21-1T $34.19

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF IBERVILLE STATE OF LOUISIANA PROBATE NO. 10,085, DIV. “D” IN THE MATTER OF THE SMALL SUCCESSION OF HERMAN BENJAMIN GOVERNOR NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO SELL IMMOVABLE SUCCESSION PROPERTY AT PRIVATE SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Chandra Gov‐ ernor, Administratrix of the Small Succession of Herman Benjamin Gover‐ nor, and Herman Gover‐ nor, Jr., children and legatees of the decedent, have petitioned the 18th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Iberville, State of Louisiana, in the above-entitled and num‐ bered proceeding, pur‐ suant to Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Arti‐ cles 3281 and 3443, for authority to sell at pri‐ vate sale all of the inter‐ est of the decedent, Her‐ man Benjamin Governor, in the following de‐ scribed immovable prop‐ erty to SMITH TOWER ES‐ TATE LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company, upon the terms and con‐ ditions set forth in said petition, to-wit: Two (2) certain lots or parcels of land, lying and being situated in the Parish of Iberville, State of Louisiana, in what is known as Dupont’s Annex to the Town of Plaquemine, part of which tract was subdi‐ vided into town lots as per map or plat of survey by J.C. Kleinpeter, Sur‐ veyor, recorded in Con‐ veyance Book 49, Entry 435; designated as Lots No. 13 and 14 of Square 2 of the School Board Plat; said Lot No. 13 measur‐ ing thirty (30’) feet front on the West side of Tay‐ lor Street, by a depth be‐ tween equal and parallel lines of one hundred three (103’) feet, more or less, and having a width across the rear of thirty (30’) feet; said Lot No. 14 measuring thirty (30’) feet front on the West side of Taylor Street, by a depth between parallel lines of one hundred three (103’) feet and hav‐ ing a width across the rear of thirty (30’) feet; all of said property being bounded on the front or East by Taylor Street, on the West by Lots 32 and 33 of the said Square No. 2, on the South by Lot No. 15 of Square 2, and on the North by Lot No. 12 of Square 2. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that any heir, lega‐ tee, or creditor who op‐ poses the proposed pri‐ vate sale must file an op‐ position thereto in the above-entitled and num‐ bered proceeding with the Clerk of Court for the Parish of Iberville within ten (10) days of the pub‐ lication of this notice. If no opposition is filed within that time, the

Public Notices Successions

Court may thereafter enter judgment authoriz‐ ing the sale for the price and upon the terms and conditions set forth above. Respectfully submitted: ______________ Dylan L. Yesso (Bar Roll No. 38948) 1234 Del Este Ave, Ste 202 Denham Springs, LA 70726 Telephone: (225) 380-5057 Facsimile: (844) 203-7664 Email: dylan@yesseau xtitle.com 204609 Oct. 21, 2026 1t $70.20

WBR Public Notices

WBR Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE In accordance with the provisions of Act 953 of the 2026 Session of the Louisiana Legislature, notice is given that West Baton Rouge Parish As‐ sessor Christopher P. Guerin intends to in‐ crease his compensation by an amount not to ex‐ ceed five percent annu‐ ally through calendar year 2029. 203593 Oct. 14, 21, 2026 2t $36.56

SEVEN DAYS

HOME DELIVERED

LOUISIANA OWNED

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Bluebonnet Highlands Clubhouse – 10557 Bluebonnet Blvd. Bluebonnet Regional Library – 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd. St. John’s United Methodist Church – 230 Renee Dr. Woodlawn High School – 15755 Old Jefferson Hwy. CrossPoint Baptist Church – 14965 Airline Hwy. Mayfair Laboratory School – 9880 Hyacinth Ave. Louisiana School for the Deaf – 2888 Brightside Dr. Louisiana School for the Deaf – 2888 Brightside Dr. Great Hearts Harveston School – 11801 Bluebonnet Blvd. Southeast Middle School – 15000 S. Harrells Ferry Rd. Southeast Middle School – 15000 S. Harrells Ferry Rd. Southeast Middle School – 15000 S. Harrells Ferry Rd. The Claiborne at Baton Rouge – 9511 Creekview Dr. Great Hearts Harveston School – 11801 Bluebonnet Blvd. Great Hearts Harveston School – 11801 Bluebonnet Blvd Westdale Heights Magnet School – 2000 College Drive Brightside Fire Station – 3150 Brightside Dr. LaSalle Elementary School – 8000 LaSalle Ave. Drusilla Lane Park Recreation Center – 2546 Drusilla Lane Drusilla Lane Park Recreation Center – 2546 Drusilla Lane Forest Community Park Recreation Center – 13900 S. Harrells Ferry Rd. Wildwood Elementary School – 444 Halfway Tree Road

The polling places set forth above are hereby designated as the polling places at which to hold the said election, and the Commissionersin-Charge and Commissioners, respectively, shall be those persons designated according to law. The said special election will be held in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 5, Chapter 6-A and Chapter 6-B of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other constitutional and statutory authority, and the officers appointed to hold the said election, as provided in this Notice of Special Election, or such substitutes therefor as may be selected and designated in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1287, will make due returns thereof to said Governing Authority; NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that a portion of the monies collected from the Tax described in the proposition shall be remitted to certain state and statewide retirement systems in a manner required by law; NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the total estimated cost of the election involving this proposition is $74,100; and, NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that this Governing Authority will meet at its regular meeting place, the St. George Fire Protection District No. 2 Administrative Offices, 14100 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70817, on December 17, 2026 at FIVE-THIRTY O’CLOCK (5:30) P.M., and shall then and there in open and public session proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the said special election. All registered voters of the District are entitled to vote at said special election and voting machines will be used thereat. THUS, DONE AND SIGNED at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on this, the 25th day of June, 2026.

ATTEST: /s/ Darrell Ourso Darrell Ourso, Chairman /s/ David Carnes David Carnes, Secretary

203073-694534-Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28-4t $ 1,688.20

10D ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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91%

>99%

women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. [1,2]

Five-year relative survival for breast cancer overall. [2,5]

New invasive breast cancer cases are estimated among U.S. women in 2026. [1,2]

Five-year survival when breast cancer is found before it spreads beyond the breast. [5]

THE GOOD NEWS AND THE CHALLENGE Breast cancer death rates have fallen 44% since 1989, helping avert an estimated 518,000 deaths. However, diagnoses are still rising about 1% per year, with faster increases among women under 50. [1,4]

LOUISIANA BY THE NUMBERS

4,250 560 estimated new cases in 2026

estimated deaths in 2026 [3]

Louisiana ranks 4th in the nation for female breast cancer death rates. [15]

THE RACIAL GAP

Black women in Louisiana face a higher risk of dying from breast cancer: • •

28.1 vs. 20.0 deaths per 100,000 Black and White women, respectively. [16] Nationally, Black women have a 38% higher breast cancer death rate than White women, despite being less likely to be diagnosed. [1,4]

KNOW YOUR RISK Risk increases with age. Other risk factors include a family history of breast cancer, inherited gene changes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, and dense breast tissue. However, many women diagnosed have no known risk factors. [5,9]

KNOW THE SIGNS A new breast lump or mass is the most common symptom, but most breast lumps are not cancer. Other warning signs include: •

Breast swelling or skin dimpling

•

Nipple turning inward or unusual discharge

•

Redness, thickening or changes in breast skin

•

Breast or nipple pain [11]

DON’T WAIT — TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR Breast cancer can be found before symptoms appear through screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every two years for women ages 40–74. Individual recommendations may vary based on personal risk and medical history. [13]

KNOW YOUR RISK. GET SCREENED. TAKE ACTION. Sources: [1–16]. U.S. estimates are primarily from American Cancer Society 2026 estimates and NCI SEER; Louisiana data include Louisiana Tumor Registry 2018–2022 data. Sources accessed September 18, 2026. Unless noted, figures refer to female breast cancer.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ 3S

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Mary Bird Perkins puts breast cancer early detection and education at the forefront of care

For Natasha Gay, one of the most important messages about breast cancer screening is one of the simplest: It’s never too late, even if it has been several years since your last mammogram, or you have never had one. As a nurse practitioner with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s Prevention on the Go program, Gay regularly meets women throughout Louisiana and Mississippi who face barriers to routine cancer screenings. Some have no insurance or are under-insured. Others have transportation challenges or limited access to healthcare. Others are not sure when or how often they should be screened. “Some women are embarrassed if they haven’t had a mammogram or know they are overdue,” Gay said. “We always welcome them with a smile. Life happens. I always say, ‘I’m just happy you’re here today.’ I had a patient who was 58 years old and came for her first mammogram. There’s no need to fuss or make a big deal about it. I just say, ‘Let’s get started.’ It’s important to make people feel comfortable and not reprimanded.”

As one of Mary Bird Perkins’ key outreach services, the nationally-recognized Prevention on the Go program brings cancer education and early detection services into communities with mobile medical clinics. The program offers free screenings for breast, colorectal, oral, prostate and skin cancers at convenient locations where people live, work, worship, shop and play. Prevention on the Go has provided more than 125,000 screenings and detected more than 1,000 cancers since it was launched in 2002. Helping women stay aware of symptoms and physical changes During breast cancer screenings, Gay or another nurse practitioner performs a clinical exam before patients move to an adjacent Woman’s Hospital mobile unit for a complete mammogram. “The mammogram takes place in a machine that lightly touches the breasts. It’s not painful at all,” Gay said. “It takes about five minutes and it takes pictures of the breasts from different angles. We usually receive the results in three

Breast CANCER KN W THE FACTS

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

days,thenmailthemtothepatients,sothepatients usually receive the results in seven to 10 days.” Gay said the goal is to detect breast abnormalities or potential problems as soon as possible. If a mammogram shows something concerning, a Mary Bird Perkins patient navigator will contact the person and help them arrange further diagnostic testing. “When breast cancer is detected at an earlier stage, it can provide the patient many more treatment options and improve her overall outcome,” Gay said. “For example, some women may only need radiation or surgery, without chemotherapy. Early detection opens up many more possibilities, and a mammogram can detect breast cancer before a woman has any symptoms or detects anything abnormal. That’s why we recommend clinical breast exams and mammograms every year.” Annual mammograms are recommended for women beginning at age 40 if they are of average risk. Women should speak with a doctor about potentially beginning mammograms before age 40 if they have high breast cancer risk factors, including a strong family history of the disease, dense breasts, obesity after menopause, taking hormones for five years or more (not including birth control), certain genetic mutations, starting their menstrual cycle early or previous radiation treatment. Regardless of their risk level, Gay said she encourages all women to perform monthly breast self-exams so they become familiar with what is normal for their bodies. The self-exams should occur around the same time every month, and within three to five days before or after menstruation for women who have cycles. “You know your body better than anyone else,” she said. “If you detect a lump or something abnormal, you know when you found it or if it

was there the previous month.” Changes that should prompt immediate medical attention include breast swelling, pain, inverted nipples, a lump in the underarm area, skin irritation or dimpling; redness, scaliness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, and discharge other than breast milk. If any of those symptoms appear, Gay said women should make an appointment right away rather than waiting for their next routine screening. Education helps women understand and potentially reduce cancer risk Inadditiontofreescreeningservices,Prevention on the Go shares health education to residents. For breast cancer, Gay said this often means discussing how women can reduce their risk of the disease. “Women can support their breast health by avoiding excessive alcohol, avoiding tobacco altogether, exercising regularly and eating healthier, especially a diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables,” Gay said. “All of those steps can lessen your breast cancer risk. A lot of women are very surprised by that.” While family history can’t be changed, Gay said it is important for women to know if they have a family history of breast cancer, including which relatives had the disease, the approximate age at which they were diagnosed and what their outcomes were. “Knowledge is power,” she said. “Our goal is to help women be more knowledgeable not only about their family history, but about lifestyle choices they can make, what screenings they need, what to look for in their bodies and what treatments are available to them if needed.” Visit marybird.org/get-screened/ to learn more about Prevention on the Go and marybird. org/breast to learn more about breast cancer services at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

said most high-risk patients undergo some type of imaging every six months. “We watch them a little differently than we do theaveragewoman,”Dr.Bowiesaid.“Theyreceive imaging modalities that a woman of average risk would not necessarily receive. None of this takes the place of their yearly mammograms. This is in addition to those. This allows us to take a closer look at the woman’s breasts more often to detect any changes or abnormalities.” When breast cancer is diagnosed, Dr. Bowie said patients have more treatment options than ever.MaryBirdPerkinswillsoonopenLouisiana’s first cryoablation program for the treatment of breast cancer, funded by the Echo Alliance in Baton Rouge. Cryoablation involves inserting a device within the breast that freezes the tumor and is then removed. Patients are able to return home the same day. The procedure has shown to be especially effectively in treating early-stage breast cancer in older patients. “This is one of the latest treatments for that population. We’re really proud to be able to offer it here at Mary Bird Perkins,” Dr. Bowie said.

“It can be a good alternative for patients who may be very fearful of the operating room, or who are not a good candidate for surgery due to other co-morbidities.” Whenabreastcancerpatientdoesneedsurgery, Mary Bird Perkins partners with local healthcare centers to perform necessary procedures. Dr. Bowie said surgeons use the latest techniques for cancer removal and breast reconstruction. “We feel it’s so important for women to look and feel like a woman,” she said. “If a woman undergoes a lumpectomy, we lift both breasts and make them symmetrical. If we have to remove an entire breast, we perform reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue or implants. All of those procedures have become much more advanced in the past 20 years.” By combining close surveillance with education, prevention and access to evolving treatment options, Mary Bird Perkins is committed to giving women an active role in protecting both their breast health and their overall well-being. Visit marybird.org/breast to learn more.

We have a high minority enrollment rate in our trials, which means the outcomes of these trials will better reflect our community as a whole and lead to more effective treatments in the future. I also think our physicians are great at easing patients’ fears, taking the time to go through the risks and benefits, and treating trials like we would any other recommended therapy, in terms of how we offer it to all eligible patients. I also remind patients in clinical trials that they have additional nurses assigned to them. They have more touch points and more access. There’s more data being collected to help ensure the patients are safe and all of their needs are being met. It’s an extremely high quality of care because you have so many personnel involved. How have previous clinical trials improved breast cancer treatment? In general, we have seen a better ability to de-escalate treatment. Maybe the treatment doesn’t need to last as long or patients don’t need the standard dose. They may not need as intensive therapy. That is a huge win. There are so many subtypes of breast cancer,

and what we are seeing more in trials is that certain drug therapies we thought were only going to be beneficial for one type of cancer have actually been wonderful in improving cure rates and life expectancy in metastatic patients. It’s nice to see that crossover among different cancer types. What would you most like patients to know about breast cancer clinical trials? I encourage them to consider all of their options and know that clinical trials are a great option for many people. I encourage them not to dismiss a trial right away. Be open to the possibility of potentially being part of a new therapy that changes the landscape of breast cancer treatment. AsLouisiana’sleadingcancercareorganization, Mary Bird Perkins treats patients throughout the Gulf South and cares for more people each year than any other facility in the region. Visit marybird.org/research or call (225) 215-1375 to learn more about breast cancer clinical trials at Mary Bird Perkins.

Mary Bird Perkins takes comprehensive approach to high-risk breast cancer screening and prevention

When women learn they face an elevated risk of developing breast cancer, it often causes uncertainty and anxiety. At Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, physicians are helping those women turn their concerns into personalized plans for screening, risk reduction and longterm health. The breast surgical oncology program at Mary Bird Perkins offers detailed evaluations that help patients understand their personal breast cancer risk. Information, including family history, genetic markers, and lifestyle factors, are entered into a risk calculator. A personalized screening plan is then created based on their scores. A patient is considered high risk if they have at least a 20 percent chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. “I think the biggest thing we do differently is helping women become proactive to reduce her breast cancer risk,” said Dr. Mindy Williams Bowie, a fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “We take a holistic approach. We talk about their whole body and how they can live longer and have a better quality of life.” Dr. Bowie said she emphasizes risk reduction measures such as exercising four to five times per week, limiting alcohol consumption to no more than three glasses per week, avoiding all

smoking and vaping, and eating a healthy diet. Not only can those steps reduce a woman’s breast cancer risk, but they can also help her avoid other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. “We spend a lot of time educating patients,” Dr. Bowie said. “They feel like they are being proactive and not just waiting to develop cancer. They realize they can do things every day to reduce their risk. We help them channel their anxiety into something positive that can benefit their overall health.” Dr. Bowie said many women are surprised to learn they can be at high risk of breast cancer even if they have no family history or genetic mutations. “Seventy-five percent of women who develop breast cancer have little to no family history,” she said. “When we do genetic testing, 90 to 95 percent of women who get breast cancer are genetically negative.” In addition to education, the breast surgical oncology program provides an increased level of surveillance for high-risk patients. While women of average risk are encouraged to have yearly mammograms beginning at age 40, those at a higher risk can benefit from more frequent mammograms, as well as additional imaging such as breast MRIs or ultrasounds. Dr. Bowie

Clinical trials at Mary Bird Perkins explore new approaches to breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer clinical trials are helping researchers explore not only new therapies, but also new ways to make treatment more personalized and less burdensome for patients. AtMaryBirdPerkinsCancerCenter,sixcurrent studies spanning multiple stages and types of breast cancer, are opening up opportunities for more patients to participate in research. “Ihonestlythinkaboutclinicaltrialswithevery new patient I see,” said Dr. Lauren Zatarain, a medical oncologist at Mary Bird Perkins. “We have several open clinical trials for earlier stages of the disease, so not every trial is only for stage 4 metastatic patients.” Dr. Zatarain shared more about how clinical trials at Mary Bird Perkins are helping both patients and physicians. What are some aspects of breast cancer that are being studied in these trials? The trials are a combination of giving new therapies and assessing their safety and effectiveness, as well as omitting or de-escalating certain therapies that are the current standard of care to see if patients can have similar longterm outcomes. Other trials are about improving patients’ adherence to taking medications at home. If we have better adherence, we may

have better outcomes. Oral chemotherapy in particular has historically been a challenge in terms of compliance. It can be hard for a patient to remember to take it daily, especially if they are not in the habit of taking medication. We’re looking at how we can improve their ability to remember to take those medications and not hold doses intentionally. What factors do you consider when deciding whether a patient is a good candidate for a clinical trial? In general, we look for people who can take care of themselves at home and have the memory and cognition to follow instructions. We also make sure they don’t have underlying health conditions that may make a trial unsafe, such as heart, liver or kidney disease. I’m always very clear with patients that we don’t know if the new therapy in the trial is more effective than the current standard therapy. We’re very careful to frame a trial as something that could be as good, better or worse than the current standard of care. We always make sure the patients understand that all of those are possibilities. What are you most proud of about the clinical trials at Mary Bird Perkins?

4S ■ Wednesday, October 21, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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REDUCE RISK

GET SCREENED

Increase physical activity

BREAST SELF-AWARENESS

Limit alcohol consumption

CLINICAL BREAST EXAMS

Maintain healthy weight

WOMEN AGE 20+ EVERY MONTH

WOMEN AGE 20-40 EVERY 3 YEARS

MAMMOGRAMS & CLINICAL BREAST EXAMS

WOMEN AGE 40+ EVERY YEAR

CALL (225) 215-1390 OR VISIT MARYBIRD.ORG/BREAST TO LEARN MORE OR SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT