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Baton Rouge addresses pedestrian safety Deadly weekend adds to unsettling statistics

BY BLAKE LESCHBER Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY BUTCH DILL

LSU running back Dilin Jones carries the ball against Auburn during Saturday’s game in Auburn,

The deaths of three pedestrians within 21 hours last weekend have prompted calls for improving safety in East Baton Rouge Parish — and underscored statistics that have long placed it near the top for such fatalities both statewide and nationally. Early in the morning of Oct. 18, LSU student Leah Fonte, 21, and her ﬁancé Shane Hirstius, 20, were both fatally struck by a car while walking on the shoulder of Nicholson Drive. That night, 44-year-old Brandon Dewaunn Square was killed while carrying his 3-year-old son — who was badly injured — while walking on Blount Road. Despite efforts in recent years to make the parish’s roads safer — sidewalk and lighting projects are currently underway in several trouble spots — such deaths have kept Baton Rouge high in various pedestrian death rankings. The LSU Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety reports that 23 pedestrians and four bicyclists died in 2025 in East Baton Rouge Parish, the second-highest parish in the state. Orleans Parish had 24 pedestrian and four bicyclist deaths.

ä See SAFETY, page 9A

Ala. For the second week in a row, a Southeastern Conference opponent could do little against Lane Kifﬂin’s LSU football team. The Tigers throttled Auburn 38-17 to end an eight-game road losing streak, pushing their overall record to 6-2 and 3-2 in the SEC. It marks the ﬁrst time that LSU has climbed above .500 in conference play since October of last year. Hawaii transfer Jackson Harris had another huge game as Sam Leavitt’s top deep target, pulling in nine passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. With the win, LSU remains alive in the College Football Playoff mix headed into a bye week prior to a Nov. 7 home game against Alabama. ä SEE COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE TIGER GAME. PAGE 1C

La. colleges work to address nursing shortage Flexible programs, early exposure play bigger roles BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

The nursing students huddled around a medical dummy in a hospital bed as a panel of faculty and staff watched them through a one-way mirror. On the observation side of the mirror, a technician leaned into a microphone. “I’m just in a lot of pain,” he said in an affected, gruff voice.

WEATHER HIGH 82 LOW 54 PAGE 8B

The students considered that, trying to narrow down their simulated patient’s symptoms. “Have you had chest pain like this before?” one of them asked. “No, this is new for me,” the technician answered. The students inquired about possible allergies, then injected their fake patient. “This is going to help the pain we were talking about, OK?” one student said. The group was participating in a simulation run at the Tulane University School of Medicine, where the recently launched

Meta data center sparks land frenzy Shielded sale prices, lawsuits, more as tension swirls around cost of land BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER

Nursing students practice on dummies at the Tulane University School of Medicine facility in New Orleans on ä See NUSING, page 10A Thursday.

Meta’s decision to build one of the world’s largest data centers in a northeast Louisiana rural farming community has made a group of shrewd landowners millions of dollars, but it’s also creating tension around who is benefiting from the sales as the cost of land there soars. Land previously worth a few thousand dollars per acre is now priced at $40,000 an acre or more. The dramatic swings in price have caused some in Richland Parish to question who was “in the know” about the project and benefited from land deals made shortly before Gov. Jeff Landry officially announced it in December 2024.

ä See META, page 8A

Business ......................1E Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................6B Classified ..................... 2F Living............................1D Nation-World................2A Commentary ................7B Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

102ND YEAR, NO. 117

Please join us in welcoming ERIN BALDWIN, MD

INTERNAL MEDICINE Dr. Erin Baldwin is a board-certified internal medicine physician who is passionate about helping her patients feel their best through nutrition, healthy lifestyle habits, and whole-person care. A Baton Rouge native, Dr. Baldwin earned her bachelor's degree from LSU in 2014 and her medical degree from Tulane University in 2019. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 2022. Dr. Baldwin has joined The Baton Rouge Clinic and is accepting new patients.

To schedule an appointment, please call (225) 246-9240 7373 PERKINS RD | BATON ROUGE, LA 70808 | BATONROUGECLINIC.COM

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Israelis rally against Netanyahu before vote

Israelis held a ﬁnal large rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of what has been described as the most consequential election in the country’s history. The vote is set for Tuesday. The crowd heard calls for a commission of inquiry into the security failures that led to the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza. Netanyahu has refused such an inquiry. Netanyahu’s chief rival, Gadi Eisenkot, attended the rally that was an echo of the weekly ones once held to call for the release of hostages taken into Gaza. All hostages or their remains were eventually released, but Netanyahu has been accused of delaying deals to free them sooner. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump bristled when asked how far he was from a possible attack on Iran. He recently said on social media he would not hit Iran again before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. “Do you really think I’m going to tell you if I’m going to do it?” Trump responded. “And there’s a possibility I will. There’s also a possibility we’ll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement.” Trump repeated his assertion that Iran wants to make a deal, “but the problem is, will they hold the deal?”

Fire destroys Eagle’s Nest retreat in Germany

BERLIN — A fire swept through the mountaintop retreat built for Adolf Hitler and known as the Eagle’s Nest as emergency services struggled to tackle the blaze in snow and wind, and a man was arrested on suspicion of arson, authorities said Saturday. Emergency services in the Berchtesgaden district, in the Bavarian Alps in Germany’s southeastern corner, were alerted to the fire by an alarm at about 9:15 p.m. Friday. Firefighters and police rushed to the scene — located at the end of a narrow road that winds up the mountain, in part through a series of tunnels — and could see the flames as they approached. They stopped and arrested a man on a motorcycle driving the other way down the road. Prosecutors said the 33-yearold suspect, a German citizen who has ties to the Berchtesgaden area but doesn’t currently live there, was questioned. They said he showed signs of mental illness and he was being sent to a psychiatric facility, but they also would look into the possibility of a political motive in view of the building’s history. Police said there were no current indications that anyone else was involved. Rain that turned into the season’s first significant snow, accompanied by strong wind, complicated the already difficult task of tackling the blaze and firefighters had to pull out overnight after several hours, officials said. No one was injured in the fire, and firefighters hoped to finish their work on Saturday though they weren’t able to enter the building because of a danger of falling material.

1 rescued after building collapses in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya — One person was rescued from the rubble of a building that collapsed in the capital, Nairobi, more than 24 hours after its ﬂoors pancaked, police said Saturday. The building was under construction on a busy commercial street in the Eastleigh area, which is often crowded with thousands of traders and residents. Police said more than 10 stories were under construction. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said Friday that seven people had been reported missing and rescue teams had made contact with some of those trapped in the rubble. The man was rescued Saturday and taken to a hospital. Government spokesman Charles Owino said the registered owner of the building was deceased, and his family and another party were in charge. Vincent Ochieng, a disaster ofﬁcer with the Kenya Red Cross, said the organization had recorded 31 missing persons but was still verifying the reports.

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Over 400K protest across France Demonstrators challenge Macron as Paris clashes erupt

BY THOMAS ADAMSON, JOHN LEICESTER and TOM NOUVIAN Associated Press

PARIS — Clashes erupted in Paris as a mass march drew to a close Saturday, with more than 400,000 people rallying across France over school funding and soaring living costs in a fresh challenge to President Emmanuel Macron. Police made nearly 1,000 arrests, the government said. The Paris march began peacefully, a week after widespread rioting and looting during protests across the country. But near the demonstration’s endpoint in eastern Paris, masked protesters hurled objects and ﬁreworks at police, who answered with clouds of tear gas, deafening sound grenades and jets of water cannons. Ofﬁcers with megaphones urged protesters to disperse. Some demonstrators panicked as tear-gas canisters landed in their midst, scattering with screams. Veteran protesters shouted after them: “Don’t run!” The Interior Ministry put nationwide turnout at 410,000 — fewer than the 550,000 it said protested last weekend — while the CGT union that helped organize some of Saturday’s protests estimated nearly 800,000. The ministry’s estimate included 110,000 in

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY JEAN-FRANCOIS BADIAS

A protester holds a French flag on Saturday in Strasbourg, France, during a demonstration against rising prices. Paris, where authorities conﬁned the march to the city’s southeastern edge, away from the center. The CGT put the number of protesters in Paris at 250,000. More than a month of unrest that started with protests in high schools for more funding and teachers is testing Macron’s authority in the ﬁnal months of his presidency before voters choose his successor in May. The stakes are high: The far-right National Rally party has accused his government of failing to protect the public and urged people to channel their anger into votes for its candidate Marine Le Pen. On the far left, presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has backed demonstrators and criticized policing that has left some teenage protesters with life-changing

injuries. As dusk fell Saturday, violence erupted at the end of some of the 289 protests counted by the Interior Ministry nationwide. Street fires burned in the cities of Marseille and Lyon. Police used tear gas in Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg and Bordeaux and water cannons in Nice and Nantes, French media reported. In Nice, far-right extremists fought with demonstrators downtown and 11 people were arrested, regional authorities said. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police made nearly 1,000 arrests but added that the number is expected to increase significantly as more are counted. Nuñez said beefed-up policing, with 70,000 officers backed by helicopters, armored vehicles and other

support, helped prevent a repeat of widespread looting and damage to shops the previous weekend. What began last month as a protest over staff shortages at one high school southeast of Paris spread nationwide, drawing students demanding more funding for education and workers seeking help with soaring costs for fuel and other necessities. In Paris, Bénédicte Pittion, a 46-year-old teacher, marched with her 16-yearold daughter, Garance, a high school student — in their ﬁrst protest together. “The young people who have been demonstrating have not been heard, and as a parent and as a teacher, I stand with them,” Pittion said. Garance said she’d been “really scared” after see-

ing the previous weekend’s violence, but felt that staying away would hand the government a victory. Macron met high school representatives Friday. They said he had promised to overhaul university admissions, but they called for protests to continue until concrete measures are announced. Soumaya Abed, a 58-yearold nurse wearing a red CGT union vest, complained that authorities in Paris wanted to stiﬂe protesters by making them march on the capital’s outskirts, keeping them away from the center where the Louvre and other major museums closed exceptionally early. “But it won’t stop the movement. It won’t stop students from demanding better conditions in schools,” she said. Other protesters expressed anger about record poverty and wealth inequality under Macron. Camille Chesnier, 27, said she hasn’t found work despite having an engineering degree and a master’s degree. “There are enormous numbers of people in the same situation as me but who aren’t privileged and who ﬁnd themselves living on the streets and in squats and, frankly, it’s very tough,” she said. In Marseille, police put attendance at 17,000, while the CGT union estimated 100,000. In the southwestern city of Toulouse, 26,500 people joined the protests, according to authorities. Authorities had banned rallies in cities including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier.

Musk says he was behind Starlink speed restriction Ukrainian leader says service restored

BY SUSIE BLANN and ELISE MORTON Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Elon Musk said on Saturday that his company SpaceX had throttled the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, disrupting operations that the country relies on to defend itself against Russia. Musk’s admission on social media came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links has been restored to the speeds it had before restrictions that disrupted front-line

operations for more than a week. Questions have persisted since last week about who ordered the interruptions to the Musk-made satellite internet system that Kyiv has relied on for years to counter Moscow’s attacks. “The speeds are now where they need to be,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that restoration began overnight and were sufficient by Saturday morning, improving frontline logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. After Ukraine said the services had been restored, Elon Musk spoke out on the speed restrictions that began last week. In a post Saturday on X, Musk acknowledged that his company SpaceX throttled the Starlink sat-

ellite internet service. “Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote. “Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week.” But he maintained that the U.S. government controlled whatever changes happened with Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink that is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication. He also defended the role of SpaceX in bolstering Ukraine’s defenses since Russia’s fullscale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Restrictions imposed last week on Starshield

Trump casts his midterm ballot early in Florida BY JOSH BOAK and JILL COLVIN Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump cast his ballot in the midterm elections Saturday, saying he voted for all Republicans in Florida before speaking at a Georgia rally. Trump and ﬁrst lady Melania Trump arrived at their West Palm Beach polling location at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections ofﬁce together after the president spent the morning at his nearby golf course. Trump Trump has been criticized in the past for voting by mail despite his long history of railing against that method of submitting ballots. Asked if he voted the party line, Trump, who was wearing an “I Voted” sticker, said, “Very much so.” Speaking to reporters at the poll site, Trump again defended an ad from Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The ad has faced intense blowback for featuring the estranged mother of Democratic rival Dr. Amy Acton, who lost custody of her chil-

dren after her husband, the children’s stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton when she was 12. Trump also defended his decision to instruct his administration to ﬁle its lawsuit to block certiﬁcation of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses over the inclusion of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan on the ballot. As for the war in Iran, he said, “I may have to finish it off. Or maybe they’ll make a deal, but I’m not sure. Either way, we win.” Melania Trump, who this week brokered a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the ravaged, Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky so that humanitarian aid could be delivered and civilians evacuated, was asked whether she might travel to Ukraine. “We will see,” she told reporters. In Florida, Trump has endorsed Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, who is running against David Jolly, a Republicanturned-independent-turned-Democrat, to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.

alarmed the country’s military and government officials, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions. The restoration follows a new U.S. diplomatic push to end the war. Russia agreed Wednesday to resume threeway negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow also agreed to a localized ceaseﬁre brokered by ﬁrst

lady Melania Trump around Oleshky, a war-ravaged, Russian-occupied town in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. The episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by President Donald Trump’s reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.

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Thousands of protesters march in cities across Europe BY COLLEEN BARRY, DEMETRIS NELLAS and SYLVIA HUI

Repubblica, even as organizers were trying to hold the crowd back using batons and tear gas. In the end, the protesters pulled back when a water cannon was turned on. They retreated to a location about half a mile away.

Associated Press

MILAN — Thousands of young people marched Saturday through the streets of several Italian cities, including Milan, Rome and Turin as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers in a largely successful bid to stave off a repeat of the violent clashes and looting that marred similar protests last week. The demonstration in Milan remained peaceful, but there were brief clashes with police in both Rome and Turin. In Milan, thousands of young people marched the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury boutiques were boarded up, but by late afternoon, most shops had opened, Italian media reported. Premier Giorgia Meloni announced a raft of measures, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large part of the violent protesters last week. In Milan, police detained several minors as a preventive measure, media reported. While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstrations also rocked many European cities Saturday from Milan to Rome to Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana. The protests encompass a broad range of issues from education and corruption to anti-war movements, pensions and housing.

Milan In Milan, huge crowds of mostly young people gathered as night fell, chanting insults to Meloni and holding aloft banners such as “No to lies of the state.” A group of protesters dumped manure outside Italy’s energy regulator and burned a symbolic, oversized electricity bill, images broadcast on local television showed. The 500 soldiers deployed to Milan came in addition to hundreds already stationed there, supporting about 5,000 police and other security personnel. Authorities used drone surveillance, checks at railway stations, rapidresponse units and online monitoring for potential calls to violence. A mayoral hopeful, Pier-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY GREGORIO BORGIA

Members of right-wing student groups march Saturday through the streets of Rome during a demonstration called ‘Unlock Everything,’ organized in opposition to recent leftwing student protests.

hooligans linked to Inter Milan soccer club, made a brief appearance chanting antiimmigrant and anti-Muslim slogans but were isolated by police. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the soldiers deployed Saturday were only recently allowed to use plastic restraint ties and only in areas around train stations, not throughout the city. They are not authorized to carry pepper spray or Tasers, he said.

francesco Majorino, who announced his candidacy Thursday, joined the marchers and remarked how peaceful the day was, according to Italian media. He will contest a center-left primary in early 2027. Milan’s center-left Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who has held the role since 2016, is not running again. Many stores, particularly luxury boutiques within Milan’s fashion district including Omega, Tiffany and Gucci, boarded up their front windows. The Apple store also shut down and remained shut even as others reopened. Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Duomo square. Security measures extended beyond the city center over concerns protesters could move into other neighborhoods. The protesters ended their march peacefully Saturday evening outside the Milan Polytechnic, more than 2 miles from the city center. Ofﬁcials said Saturday they were investigating a 30-yearold freelance journalist said to be the “mastermind” of the newly formed Oct. 17 movement, which has been the main driver of the recent protests in Italy. Milan police say last week’s violence and looting involved about 2,000 very young protesters, many of them “naturalized, second-generation Italians,” alongside foreign nationals. Over two days, police arrested 45 people, including 34 minors. A group of about 30 farright activists, described as

Rome Security was also heightened in Rome, where authorities locked down luxury shopping streets and stepped up controls around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo. A small number of protesters tried to force their way into the Colosseum, but were ushered out by guards. Elsewhere, several hundred students demonstrated peacefully to stress they were not rioters. “I think the images from last week were truly something terrible, especially for the young people, for the students, for the vast majority of the younger generations who want to study ... and do not accept being represented by those who use issues and needs to devastate entire cities,” said Riccardo Ponzio, national president of an Italian far-right student association. A separate anti-war march took place in central Rome. Organizers sought to distance themselves from potential unrest, urging participants to keep their faces uncovered and hands visible. But it was these marchers who brieﬂy clashed with police near the Piazza della

tion in the education system. Some have joined a broader anti-government movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. A separate protest organized by the opposition outside the prime minister’s Albania office turned violent earlier, In Albania’s capital Ti- with some activists lighting rana, riot police used water fires on the street. Rama said Saturday his cannons on large groups of protesters, some of whom government was preparing set government buildings on a response to the students’ fire and threw projectiles at demands and called them to police. Authorities said 2,500 a dialogue. He warned that officers patrolled the streets violent protesters will face penalties. Saturday. For over a week, protesters have hurled rocks, flares, Spain firebombs and fireworks at Thousands of retirees and police who have used batons others marched peacefully and tear gas in clashes in the in Spain’s capital Saturday city center. to demand public pensions High school and universi- aren’t meddled with. “They are threatening us ty students are demanding lower tuition fees, greater with privatizing pensions. state investment in educa- It’s just another thing they tion and protesting corrup- want to profit from,” said

CLOSING SOON!

Poetry Reading and Book Signing with

Dr. Catharine Brosman Monday, November 2, 2026 • Noon Reading from a new collection of poems in her final book entitled Fire in the Mind: Poems New and Selected from Mercer University Press.

Maria José Benito, 68. The protests came ahead of next month’s snap election as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party criticized the conservative opposition Popular Party for making overtures about privatizing public pensions. Spain also has been roiled by protests this fall around the issue of housing, as rental and home costs have risen in recent years beyond what many Spaniards can afford. Taking their cue from Spaniards, protesters in Lisbon demanding affordable housing marched across the city on Saturday. They have also targeted recent measures announced by the government of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro that include easing the cap on yearly rent increases and facilitating the eviction of tenants who fail to pay rent.

What the Fox Knows

On display through

November 8, 2026

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

Officials: Ga. man targeted ICE building By The Associated Press ATLANTA — A 31-year-old Georgia man was charged Friday after he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in downtown Atlanta. Inique Hinton, of Douglasville, Georgia, was charged with attempted arson of a federal building and depredation of government property, according to U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.

attorney for Hinton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and a public defender’s office did not immediately respond to emails asking if he had an attorney. Hertzberg described law enforcement’s quick work to find the suspect as “exemplary.” “We are going to respond with extreme severity when it comes to prosecuting this conduct because we need to send a message that this is not OK,” he said during a news conference.

Security cameras allegedly caught Hinton igniting an item and then throwing it toward the multistory brick building Tuesday night, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. It hit the fence and caused flames to spread, the statement said. Investigators later found burned cloth, lighter fluid, a glass bottle and a lighter at the scene, the office said. Court records don’t list an

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Envoy: Iran says its still open to talks ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY KATE BRUMBACK

The chief executive of Six Flags says the company will install seat belts on the Georgia roller coaster from which a rider fell to his death earlier this month.

Six Flags says it will install seat belts on coaster

Reilly didn’t specify Announcement which other Six Flags coastcomes after ers will get seat belts. But it has temporarily closed eight death at Ga. park additional roller coasters at

BY RUSS BYNUM

Associated Press

The chief executive of Six Flags says the company will install seat belts on the Georgia roller coaster from which a rider fell to his death earlier this month. The company’s rides with similar restraints will also get the safety upgrade. The theme park operator announced the extra safeguard less than two weeks after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died after being ejected from his seat on the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. “We are reinforcing safety precautions at our parks and taking additional measures, including adding seat belts on Goliath and other coasters with a similar restraint,” John Reilly, president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, said in a statement Friday. Goliath remains shut down while state and local ofﬁcials investigate the Oct. 12 death.

five other parks in the U.S. and Canada. Those rides all share the same manufacturer and a similar restraint system. Six Flags hasn’t said when those coasters are expected to reopen. Reilly’s statement said Six Flags has enlisted independent engineers and inspectors to review safety procedures for all rides at its theme parks. Investigators haven’t said what went wrong on the Georgia coaster. Witnesses said they saw Kariem rise up out of his seat and fall headfirst back into the cart before being ejected. Some people who rode Goliath before him that day said they had concerns about its restraints. All nine of the Six Flags coasters taken offline were manufactured by the Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard. They also feature similar clamshell restraints that sit at the top of a vertical bar between each rider’s knees. The bar locks a padded restraint into place over the rider’s lap and upper legs.

Iranian official accuses U.S. of undermining diplomacy BY MUNIR AHMED Associated Press

ISLAMABAD — Iran remains open to talks with the U.S. under a Pakistan-brokered interim deal reached in June to end the conﬂict, Tehran’s ambassador to Islamabad said Saturday, accusing Washington of undermining diplomacy and prolonging the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said that Iran recently conveyed through Pakistan that it was prepared to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington lifted its naval blockade, but accused President Donald Trump of rejecting the proposal by insisting the blockade of Iranian ports would continue. Pakistan and Qatar helped broker the June agreement, which sought to restore shipping through the strait, lift the U.S. naval blockade and begin negotiations toward a broader deal addressing Iran’s nuclear program. Moghadam, speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, said that Iranian ofﬁcials had conveyed their willingness to reopen the strait during visits to Tehran by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Muni r, provided Washington ended its blockade. Moghadam also said that Tehran would study the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey before deciding whether to support it, describing it as a potential instrument for unity. “We will study the Mecca Agreement, and if it is good, we will support it,” he said. The agreement was signed following renewed attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saudi Arabia. The three countries

ISNA PHOTO BY AMIRHOSEIN KHORGOOI

A man looks out over the water as a small boat passes cargo ships anchored Satruday in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran. who signed it said it would strengthen collective deterrence and expand defense cooperation. Turkey has submitted the

agreement to parliament for ratiﬁcation. Turkish and Pakistani ofﬁcials say it is defensive and does not target Iran or any other country.

Turkey has ruled out sending troops into Yemen to attack the Houthis, while Pakistan says its role would be strictly defensive.

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6A n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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N.C. House seat was once a political battleground But redrawn districts change voter preferences BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — In 2022, Democrat Wiley Nickel ran as a moderate and narrowly won North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District by about 9,000 votes. Two years later, the current congressman, Republican Brad Knott, ran as a conservative and coasted into the U.S. House by more than 70,000 votes. Voters didn’t change their minds. Politicians changed their voters. North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature redrew its congressional map to transform what was one of the last remaining swing districts in the South to a safe GOP seat. Lawmakers split the rectangular district into an hourglass shape that carved out Democratic voters in Raleigh and replaced them with a swath of rural counties reaching to the Virginia border. Swing seats, meaning districts a presidential candidate won by 5 percentage points or fewer in the previous election, are disappearing from the national map. For decades after World War II, the number of competitive seats in the House slowly eroded as the nation grew more polarized, voters were less likely to split their ticket and people moved closer to like-minded neighbors, creating Democratic strongholds in urban areas and Republican ones across rural America. That decline accelerated the past year since President Donald Trump sparked a partisan redistricting battle. The number of swing districts fell from 45 to 37. There were 96 House seats that fit the modern definition of a swing seat in 1964, according to one count from the 1970s, when the shrinking number of such districts was ﬁrst noted. That means the overwhelming majority of House

traversing from the old 13th the 13th District are running “They’re blowing smoke,” District to the new one, an- scared. Neither Knott’s office Linwood Parker, the 78-yearchored in subdivisions and nor his campaign responded old mayor of Four Oaks, said soybean and tobacco farms to a request for an interview. of Democrats’ hopes they Barringer, a former health- could win the district. that stretch away from RaParker is a lifelong Republeigh. care lawyer who returned to Here, few are talking about the tree farm in the district lican who knows that gerrythe congressional race. They where he grew up, said he mandering is a decades-old see no reason to vote for any- was previously a Republican tradition in North Carolina. one other than a Republican. but switched parties to run, Democrats used to do it until “It’s just what I’ve always hoping he could attract vot- they lost power in the 2010 wave. Now Republicans do it. been,” said Linda Long, 62, ers of all stripes. “Redistricting is just one a Republican in the town of “I think people are disgrunRoxboro who works at the lo- tled about things that are of the levers that when Rehappening,” Barringer said. publicans, when they are cal Walmart. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BYMATT RAMEY This is what Paul Barrin- “They want people who will in control, have to touch,” A lone sign for Brad Knott, the Republican nominee running ger is up against. find ways to work together.” Parker said. “Otherwise it’s for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District, is seen on a The Democratic nominee National Democrats added like saying, when we play against Knott hopes for an up- the seat to a list that could flip this baseball game, we’re gostreet corner in Clayton, N.C. set in a year when even GOP in such a favorable environ- ing to have three outs, we’ll seats are effectively won in high prices. members in safe seats like ment. But many doubt it. give you two.” There is a long-standing deprimaries, with the support of only a fraction of highly bate among academics as to ideological voters. Nickel how much of the decline can saw the impact during his be blamed on partisan-motiterm. vated redistricting, known “The biggest divide I found as gerrymandering, and how in Congress wasn’t Democrat much on Americans’ increasversus Republican, it was ing proclivity to live among safe seats versus competitive like-minded people who vote seats,” Nickel said. “When the same way. your focus is on running a Multiple studieshave found campaign where you talk to that without partisan gerryevery single voter, you look mandering, the House would at things differently and your have about double the numfocus is on solving problems.” ber of competitive seats it Unite America, an organi- has now. Nickel decided not to run zation pushing alternatives to party primaries, calcu- for reelection after studylated that 87% of represen- ing election returns dating tatives elected to the House to 2016 and finding that no in 2024 were chosen by 7% of Democratic incumbent had held on in a seat where Trump the country’s voters. “Voters don’t have any way took 55% or more of the vote. Trump received 58% of the of holding Congress responsible, except for a narrow vote in the new district. Nickwindow of swing districts,” el eventually ran for district Nick Troiano, the group’s ex- attorney of Wake County, the ecutive director, said in an in- deeply Democratic county terview. “The least competi- that was largely cut out of L O U I S I A N A B O O K F E S T I V A L.O R G tive election of our lifetimes the 13th District. He won his primary and will lead to the least accountable and least representative will take office in January. No Republican ran. Congress of our lifetimes.” That highlights how North Republicans are hoping the narrow range of competitive Carolina, and the country, seats limits what Democrats have effectively become segregated by political party. can win on Nov. 3. Only 15% of North Caro“Both sides are fighting over a narrow House battle- lina’s voting precincts could field,” said Mike Marinella, a be classified as politically spokesman for the National competitive, according to Republican Congressional Michael Bitzer, a political Campaign. “It’s a knife fight scientist at Catawba College. “For the average North in a dark alley.” The alley may be widen- Carolinian, depending on ing this year, but it still is where they live, if they drive an alley. Democrats have an hour in any direction they expanded their political tar- will be in a very different By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Louisiana Blue. gets, with the unpopular Iran North Carolina,” he said. That certainly is the case war and voters angry about

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Pakistan urges Afghanistan to act against militants, denies recruiting Afghan fighters BY MUNIR AHMED Associated Press

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan urged Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Saturday to take veriﬁable action against militants it says operate from Afghan territory, dismissing Kabul’s assertion that Islamabad was shifting blame for its own security failures. In a separate statement on X, Pakistan’s Informa-

tion Ministry rejected allegations that it was arming Afghans to ﬁght the Taliban or recruiting them to ﬁght anti-Pakistan insurgents. Former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad had cited reports of both activities a day earlier. The exchanges come amid heightened tensions between the two sides over militant activity, repeated border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes in Af-

NOV 11

ghanistan, deepening a long-standing dispute over responsibility for crossborder violence. Khalilzad on Friday wrote on X that there had been reports of Pakistan arming Afghans to ﬁght the Taliban inside Afghanistan and of the Pakistani military recruiting Afghans to fight anti-Pakistan insurgents. He offered no evidence, and did not identify the sources of those reports.

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With health insurance enrollment periods and deadlines nearing, now is an ideal time for people to evaluate their coverage and make decisions for 2027. Mike Bertaut, a healthcare economist with Louisiana Blue, said choosing the right plan involves more than comparing monthly premiums. From provider networks and prescription coverage to changes in federal financial assistance, understanding the details of each plan choice/ option can help people avoid unexpected expenses. Here, Bertaut shares more advice on navigating open enrollment and finding coverage that meets individual medical needs and household budgets. What are the main health insurance options? There are four ways to get covered: Medicare, Medicaid,employercoverage oraplanonHealthCare.gov. If you are employed, your first stop should be with your company’s HR department. Most employers subsidize health insurance plans for their employees at a better rate than HealthCare. gov. If you are not working or are a dependent on someone else’s plan, you may be eligible for Medicaid. In Louisiana, many parents have their own health insurance through their jobs, but their children are eligible for Medicaid. If you are 65 or older, or you have certain health conditions or disabilities, you may qualify for Medicare. Why is now the time to think about health insurance? Many employers have open enrollment for next year’s insurance coverage during the last couple months of the year. In addition, individuals can start enrolling on HealthCare.govonNov.1.IfyouwanttobecoveredonJan. 1, you need to choose a HealthCare.gov plan by Dec. 15. The annual enrollment period for Medicare is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. That is the no-harm, no-foul period to change Medicare plans. When people are older, their needs tend to change a little faster, so there is this flexible period each year to move from one plan to another if needed.

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Aside from monthly premiums, what factors should people consider when choosing health insurance? People at different ages and different states of health require different levels of coverage. It’s important to considerhowmuchﬁnancialriskyouwanttotakeon.That includes looking at premiums, co-pays and deductibles. People should also see whether a doctor, hospital or clinic they use is in each plan’s network. When you ask your doctor, make sure you ask if they are speciﬁcally “in network” for your health plan. Many doctors and medical facilities will say they accept a certain insurance, but they may be out of your network, which can raise your costs dramatically. If you’re considering a Louisiana Blue plan, you can visit lablue.com to see which providers are in the plan’s network. If you already have a Louisiana Blue plan, you can check the MyLaBlue app [available at lablue.com, as a mobile app or linked through an existing MyChart account] to see which providers are in the network for your plan. How can an agent help people navigate their options? Buying a health insurance product can be confusing. Sometimes there are lots of choices. Agents can be most helpful in this process. They may ask your age, health

considerations, medications and which doctors you want to use to help you zero in on the plan that is best for you. They will use your ZIP code and income level to see what plans are available to you and estimate your out-ofpocket costs. They are the experts at taking all of those considerations into account, walking you through your options and discussing the pros and cons of each one. HealthCare.gov in particular can be daunting. Our recentStraightTalkblogexplainsthedangersofsearching onlineforplans.Manyonlinesearchresultsunfortunately leadpeopletomisinformation, high-pressure tactics and even fraud. Agents know what is legitimate and what is not. What should people know about HealthCare.gov plans with federal subsidies? When you apply for a policy that includes federal assistance,youareresponsible for providing your income estimatefornextyear.Ifyou misjudge that estimate and receive too much assistance, the IRS will want most or even all of it back when you ﬁle your taxes. In the past there were limits on how much of that money the government would claw back. That has changed this year. The limits are gone. There’s much more risk in making that estimate because the penalties could be much more substantial now. This is another situation where using an agent is helpful. They are integral in making sure your income estimates areconservativeandsensible.It’sneverbeenmoreimportant to have an agent involved who understands what the government will expect and what the consequences of an error could be. And,ifyouenteryourincomeinformationandqualify for the state Medicaid program, HealthCare.gov will let you know that. How often should people change or review their health insurance plans? If you have a plan that is working for you and nothing major has changed in your life, including your health, dependents or employment, it may be ﬁne to stick with it. Still, it doesn’t hurt to look at your options each year. Plans come and go, and what you had before through your employerorHealthCare.govmaybedifferentinthecoming year. What are the main things people should do now, before choosing a health plan? Look at your current coverage, the dependents you are covering and who you will be covering in 2027. For everyone on your plan, look at the medications they take, the doctors they see and the hospitals they use. If you have health insurance through your employer, make sure to know their policies around covering spouses. At many companies, if an employee is married, employers will ask if the spouse has access to health insurance at their own job. If they do, the spouse may either not be offered insurance at all, or there will be a substantial fee to cover them on your employer’s plan. Lastly, remember that you can’t predict everything. Unexpected events can and do happen. The best you can do is make sure you are covering the health needs you know about now. Call 1-800-821-2758 or visit lablue.com to connect with a licensed, experienced agent who can help you review your 2027 health plan options. There’s no obligation to buy, and you do not pay anything to work with an agent.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ 7A

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Preston

Tour bus operator

“The future’s happening here in Richland Parish.” Kaycie

Coﬀee shop owner

Lindsay

Food truck owner

$1.6 billion for Louisiana businesses. Catering for 40 people used to be a good week. Now they hit 400. And that’s just the tacos. From coﬀee shops to bus tours, Meta’s Richland Parish investment is already paying oﬀ for businesses across Louisiana.

The future is for everyone. meta.com/BuildingLouisiana

8A n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

META

Continued from page 1A Those complaints are now being litigated in court. A handful of landowners who sold their acreage near the site at lower rates in the months leading up to the project’s announcement are suing to unwind the deals. They allege that they were shorted on profits by buyers who had inside information about Meta’s plans. The company, state officials and some landowners kept the existence of the project secret through nondisclosure agreements, including one signed by the family that sold much of the land for the data center. Internal Louisiana Economic Development emails also show negotiations dating back to early 2024, and Meta told the state that a property tax break for the project was a “requirement.” The buyers — including owners of one of the biggest real estate firms in the region — deny having inside information about Meta’s deal and said the sales prices were fair at the time. One defendant, a real estate agent, said he discussed the rumors of a potential Meta project with the seller before buying his property that sits next door to the site a few months before the announcement. Attorneys for both the plaintiffs and defendants in the three cases either didn’t respond to messages seeking comment or declined to comment, citing pending litigation. John Lovett, an LSU Law Center professor who studies property law, said real estate values are seeing “sudden and dramatic” changes in places where data centers and other industrial projects are popping up. He expected these lawsuits would be filed after Meta announced the project. “The data centers, if they were suddenly announced but there were insiders who knew about it and were taking advantage of that earlier, there’s a potential these claims could proliferate around the state,” Lovett said. The lawsuits come as Richland Parish, long a quiet agricultural community with high poverty rates and declining population, experiences rapid changes from Meta’s decision to build one of the world’s largest data centers on a sprawling campus in Holly Ridge. And the legal fights, filed last year and still ongoing, are shedding more light on who is benefiting from the deal, at a time when Landry’s administration is welcoming a host of large-scale industrial projects in areas that traditionally have not seen them, including data centers, SpaceX and liquefied natural gas terminals. Another smaller data center is in the works for Richland Parish as well, records show. Prices for unimproved land have long been a few thousand dollars an acre in Holly Ridge, according to local real estate professionals and land records. While Meta and Entergy have shielded the sales price for most of their purchases, records filed in court and data from the local asses-

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of Brown Realty, wrote in filings that they have routinely purchased land in the region, “as is their core business,” and that the plaintiffs have no evidence that anyone broke a nondisclosure agreement to inform them about the impending Meta announcement. “The property at issue sold in September 2024, months STAFF FILE PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER prior to the public discloMeta’s decision to build one of the world’s largest data sure of the proposed Meta centers in a northeast Louisiana rural farming community data center,” the defendants’ has made a group of shrewd landowners millions of dollars, lawyer wrote in court filings. but it’s also creating tension around who is benefitting from “The price for the property at the time of the sale was fair, the sales as the cost of land there soars. reasonable and consistent with comparable land values sor suggest they paid tens of state senator, in two sales in the area.” millions of dollars to acquire of land to Entergy spanning the huge swaths of land to about 300 acres, which the ‘Vulnerable sellers’ build. Some land near the site Franklins and Morris owned Lovett, the LSU law profesis now going for tens of thou- together. sor, said sellers may have a Brown said property tax difficult time proving their sands of dollars per acre. “It has caused a little frenzy millage rates are declining land was worth more if it sold up here,” said Lannie Philley, because of Meta’s data cen- many months before Meta anan appraiser in Mer Rouge, ter. Despite the company’s nounced the deal. referencing Richland Parish. massive tax exemption, it’s However, the sellers have “But they’ve got to need it. It’s still causing a windfall for the one potentially compelling got to be close. ... And prefer- parish coffers. piece of evidence: A large But he said he’s struggling landowner in Richland Parish ably close to a large transmisto find good data on land sales sold a 665-acre plot of land for sion line.” Philley said some hopeful ahead of the next reassessproperty owners miles from ment year, in 2028. the Meta site are listing their “I feel like a mushroom,” property for inflated prices Brown said. “Kind of in the in the hopes that someone as- dark.” sociated with the data center buildout will pay top dollar. ‘True market value’ debate But the high-priced deals are The disgruntled sellers are mostly happening directly on using a law called “lesion beand around the Meta site. Far- yond moiety” that is unique ther away, he said companies to Louisiana and allows sellare mostly renting out land. ers to rescind the sale of a Meta, through two LLCs, property if they sold it for has bought up thousands of less than half the true market acres of property from land- value. The key question playowners in Holly Ridge since October 2024, hiding the sales ing out in court: What was price by listing it as $100. The the true market value of the practice is a common way properties at the time of the for businesses and wealthy sales, which occurred months homeowners to cloak the before Meta announced the true price, listing it as “$100 project? and other goods and valuable In one case, a 73-year-old considerations.” Typically, Rayville resident named Denbuyers and sellers will enter nis Stewart asked his real esinto a separate contract not tate agent to find a buyer for a entered into the record that plot of land he owned in Holly spells out the true sales price. Ridge. That was in August Entergy made similar 2024, three months before the moves, including for a piece Times-Picayune | The Advoof property owned partly by cate broke the news that Meta state Sen. Jay Morris, R-Mon- was considering a project, acroe. Morris, who supported cording to Stewart’s lawsuit. tax breaks for data centers in Stewart declined to comment, the Legislature, didn’t return citing pending litigation. messages seeking comment. Days later, the agent had a He previously told the news purchase agreement ready, outlet Floodlight that there according to documents filed was no conflict in his deci- in court. The buyer was a sion to sell the land and that group of executives at Brown he had no prior knowledge of Realty — her employer — the economic development to and their family members, documents show. The group come there. The hidden sales prices bought the land for $2,850 an and secrecy associated with acre. Shortly after the Meta the deal have fueled rumors in Richland Parish about deal was announced, in Dethe gold rush for land. And cember of that year, Brown they’ve made it difficult on Realty began advertising Lee Brown, the parish asses- tracts near the site for “more sor, who said he’s “grabbing than 10 times what they at air” to try to accurately as- paid Stewart,” according to sess property values amid the the suit. boom. “Had he received the price One of the lawsuits from that defendants value the disgruntled sellers used land at, it would have changed Brown’s assessment data to Stewart and his family’s life,” peg the price of one of the Stewart’s attorneys wrote in Meta parcels at $26 million, court filings. ”Stewart was not or more than $40,000 an acre. an informed seller. He had A person involved in the deal no access to the information who declined to speak pub- that defendants had access to. licly, citing the controversial Defendants had access to innature of data centers, con- formation that led them to befirmed the figure is roughly lieve the property was more accurate. The seller was valuable than the purchase George B. Franklin and Son price and used this informaInc., a large landowner in tion to benefit themselves at the area run in part by Scott the expense of Stewart in vioFranklin. lation of their duty to him.” The Franklin family also The defendants, including partnered with Morris, the the president and treasurer

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around $26 million in October 2024. If plaintiffs can prove that the transaction set the market for land in the area, they could succeed in arguing that their land was worth far more than what they sold it for, Lovett said. “It’s always possible that you have more sophisticated buyers who realize that real estate is actually going up in value or has an alternative use that the current owners don’t appreciate,” Lovett said. The law was designed to protect what he called “vulnerable sellers.” Lovett said he expected these cases would start to pop up around Meta’s site, and he even crafted an exam question about it for his LSU law students. And given the projects by SpaceX and other data centers around the state, he said more sellers could try to rescind their property sales if they missed out on the real estate boom. “Were people exploiting NDAs?” Lovett said about the Richland Parish sales. “I bet.”

Louisiana has become one of the few states where political leaders are vocally welcoming data centers, and another developer appears to be planning another one in Richland Parish near the Meta site, albeit much smaller than “Hyperion.” In April, EDC Monroe LLC, a company tied to a data center developer based in Atlanta, bought a 28-acre tract of land less than a mile from Meta’s data center. The sales price: $1.6 million, or $57,000 an acre. Jeff Churchwell, executive director of the electric utility in the region, Northeast Louisiana Electric Power Cooperative, conﬁrmed the developer has plans for a data center on the property, but declined further comment. EDC didn’t respond to messages. The seller of the land, Floyd Swain, declined to comment on the sale price. He said he doesn’t even know “what a data center is” and was not aware of the buyer’s plans for the property.

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SAFETY

Continued from page 1A Additionally, 55 pedestrians were seriously injured in crashes in East Baton Rouge, compared to 80 in Orleans. East Baton Rouge Parish has the largest population, while Orleans is the third-highest. “Usually, it’s East Baton Rouge and Orleans that have higher rates of pedestrians being killed,” said Gregory Fischer, public information officer for the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. “LSU naturally creates a huge walking environment out there, and many people are walking around at night in those two parts of the state.” A study from Smart Growth America showed that East Baton Rouge Parish is the fifth most deadly metro area in the country for pedestrians, behind Memphis, Albuquerque, Bakersfield and Tucson. New Orleans tied with Riverside, California, for ninth. The study said Baton Rouge has an average pedestrian fatality rate of 4.18 per 100,000, and there were 183 such deaths from 202024. Officials said some of the reasons for the high rate include drunk driving and an infrastructure that’s not built around pedestrian safety. “There are people in the parish who say putting sidewalks down is a waste of taxpayers’ money, but not everybody can afford a car,” said Fred Raiford, director of transportation and drainage for East Baton Rouge Parish. “I want to have infrastructure that can help protect (them).” Rodney Mallett, public information officer for DOTD, said on average, 25% of pedestrian fatalities involve alcohol by the driver, pedestrian or both parties. The 20-year-old driver who fatally struck Fonte and Hirstius had a blood alcohol level of .048, and she was arrested for operating

a vehicle while intoxicated. No arrests were made in the death of Square. Fischer said Louisiana has averaged 166 pedestrian fatalities annually over the past ﬁve years. “It’s not good because we’re working hard to do our part and we’re not seeing it go in the direction that we want it to,” he said.

Sidewalks, crosswalks The city-parish’s major road building and expansion program, MovEBR, also focuses on safety, as do some federal grants. Perkins Road from Siegen Lane to Pecue Lane is widening from a two-lane roadway into a four-lane corridor with a median to reduce traffic. Pedestrians on that stretch were walking in the shoulder of the road or in a dry ditch. In July, St. George officials were awarded $19.2 million for project SAFE Siegen, which will improve pedestrian crossings and bus stops on a 1.35-mile segment of Siegen Lane from Interstate 10 to Airline Highway. MovEBR leaders broke ground on improvements for Nicholson Drive in August. The project will widen the roadway and add bicycle lanes and a side path for pedestrian traffic. Raiford said that along with sidewalks, crosswalks are key. The department installs push buttons for pedestrians to cross the street on busy roads. In subdivisions, they’ll install a well-lit sign and stripe the road. Raiford said in construction zones, the city-parish tries to build infrastructure in the zone for pedestrians, but it’s not always possible. “There are times we have sewer problems, or we’re doing road work, and we have to close the infrastructure,” Raiford said. “I don’t want people to be around contractors who are working and accidentally create an issue.” Raiford said they try to provide alternate routes when construction is in progress, but it’s not always possible.

The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 9A

Staying safe Fischer, the state highway commission safety spokesman, said pedestrians should always cross the street at crosswalks if available and be aware of their surroundings. “If you don’t happen to have a sidewalk, you always want to walk in a lane facing traffic,” Fischer said. “You want to be as close to the edge of the street as possible, but you want to be facing traffic to see what’s coming in case you have to jump out of the way.” Fischer recommended pedestrians wear bright or reSTAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON flective clothing so drivers Construction barriers line the southbound lane near the 5000 block of Nicholson Drive in can see them more easily. There’s a higher level of Baton Rouge on Monday. danger for pedestrians in Speed limits are also a con- infrastructure gives more working on a bus rapid tran- construction zones, and getopportunity to people with- sit project that runs from ting out of the area safely sideration. After the deaths of Fonte in the subdivisions that tie Plank Road to Nicholson. and efficiently is key to stayand Hirstius, the state on into Florida Boulevard to Raiford said the project is ing safe, he said. Wednesday lowered the walk down the sidewalk and providing more bus stop lospeed limit on Nicholson back home without having to cations, improving the road- Email Blake Leschber at Drive from Bob Pettit Bou- drive a vehicle.” way and putting sidewalks blake.leschber@theadvoThe department is also on Plank Road. levard to Brightside Drive cate.com. from 45 to 35 mph, Mallett said. Mallett said state transportation officials, local law enforcement and the city-parish are reviewing 54th Annual additional safety measures there. Construction currently lines the 5000 block of Nicholson — where the couple was hit — due to an in-progress project. “When we finish construction, … that might be one of the best roadways we have,” Raiford said. “This is because it will be safe for drivers from a motor standpoint, but we will also have the proper turning movements that need to be done that will minimize conflict with pedestrians.” Florida Boulevard — a state highway — is the “worst” roadway in the state of Louisiana for pedestrian 150+ Arts & Crafts Booths Antiques Food Court fatalities, according to Raiford. He said the city-parish Children’s Activities Live Music House Tour is continuing to work with the state on increasing safe$8 Adults & Teens Free 12 & Under ty, including adding more House Tours: Additional $15 Free 12 & Under sidewalks and improving traffic signals. FREE PARKING “Florida Boulevard has a lot of businesses on it,” 13034 River Road Destrehan, LA 70047 (985) 764-9315 Raiford said. “Building this www.destrehanplantation.org

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NURSING

Continued from page 1A accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing operates. The program is fast and ﬂexible, with students completing it in four consecutive semesters across 16 months, and offers scholarship incentives to stay in the state after graduation — characteristics becoming more common in nursing education as Louisiana’s colleges and universities attempt to address a worsening workforce shortage. Despite those efforts, Louisiana will have a strained nursing workforce on its hands in the coming years, according to the most recent ﬁgures. A dearth of nurses is a concern nationwide as the babyboom generation ages and healthcare needs become greater, as well as more expensive. A 2025 report from the Health Resources and Services Administration projects a gap between demand and supply of over 267,000 full-time registered nurses by 2028. The shortage is even more acute in rural areas. Among the top 10 states with the largest projected shortages in 2038, Louisiana is ranked number nine, with an expected shortage of 11%, or 5,680 fewer full-time RNs than the state is anticipated to need. “In general, the healthcare outcomes are not what we need them to be in Louisiana,” said Brenda Douglas, dean of Tulane’s nursing program. “A big part of that is because we don’t have enough nurses that we need to pay attention to individual people’s needs.” Louisiana nursing educators and administrators say the shortage is not caused by young people lacking interest in a nursing career. Instead, many say they are having to reject suitable applicants at the door. “I would love to admit every qualified student who applies to our nursing program,” Sandra Brown, dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health at Southern University, said. “Every semester we have over 300 students apply — that’s 600 students a year — and I have to turn away half of those students, because we simply do not have the space, the capacity or the faculty to accommodate them.” National data backs up that experience. According to an American Association of Colleges of Nursing report on enrollment and graduations in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, U.S. nursing schools denied over 92,000 applications in 2025 due to inadequate resources, including faculty, clinical sites and classroom square footage. “The more faculty we have, the more students we can educate,” Brown said. “The more students we can educate, the more nurses we can put out into the workforce. It’s a domino effect.”

STAFF PHOTOS BY SOPHIA GERMER

Nursing students gather with med students to talk at the Tulane University nursing facility in New Orleans.

“The new building is going to elevate into a health science center,” Brown said. “It’ll be more than just a nursing school because we’ll be able to bring all of our nursing and allied health programs under one roof.” In the state’s ﬂagship uni-

versity system, LSU Health New Orleans has opened off-campus instructional sites in Baton Rouge and Shreveport to expand access to nursing programs for students across the state, according to School of Nursing Dean Demetrius Porche. “Addressing Louisiana’s nursing shortage requires more than just increasing enrollment,” Porche said in a statement. “It requires creating accessible pathways into the profession, supporting students throughout their academic careers and ensuring graduates are prepared to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our state and communities.” Tulane is also striving to innovate nursing education, Douglas said. While the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing is not unique, a nursing program housed in the medical school is a less common structure, she said. The

university designed it that way, in part, to allow nursing students to learn how to collaborate on an interprofessional team and utilize the state-of-the-art — yet costly — resources that are typically only available to medical students, such as cadaver labs. She said higher education plays the primary role in tackling the workforce shortage in the state. In addition to training the next generation of nurses, the university eyes students who would be a good ﬁt to join nursing faculty one day, she said. “We’ve made a concerted effort in every single semester to really make students understand that they can make a difference here,” Douglas said. “It’s up to us to inculcate students with this real sense of purpose to stay here in Louisiana.” Email Haley Miller at haley.miller@theadvocate. com.

Nursing students Olivia Shih and Amanda McVay practice on a dummy at the Tulane University nursing facility in New Orleans.

program with her BSN next semester, was born and raised in Oklahoma with family members who frequently got sick. When she was 12, her mom was hit by a car and temporarily lost her eyesight. Vantassel said she never forgot the compassion of the nurse who tended to her family that day. “The nurse that was in there made sure I was the first thing that my mom saw — not my dad, not my brother, but her only daughter,” she said. “That really meant a lot to me. Then my mom had really bad complications from the surgery, and that same nurse was in the ICU unit. Regardless of my mom’s history, regardless of how grown I got, she still provided the same level of care, still asked me how I was doing and if I needed anything. That is the moment I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to be like you when I grow up.’” Other students had their own reasons for going into the ﬁeld, but what they had in common was a formative moment with a nurse in their past. “I grew up doing competitive gymnastics, so I was always breaking bones,” Tulane nursing student Olivia Shih said. “I felt like I was exposed to a lot of nurses from a young age, and I always liked what they did and my interactions with them more than I did with the actual doctors.” Nursing educators said the meaningfulness of the work is what continues to bring new nurses into the profession. None of the universities mentioned recruiting students as a major challenge contributing to the shortage. “You can do a lot of imporEager to enter nursing tant things,” said Jennifer Sarah Vantassel, who is Fernandez, dean of the Chargraduating from Tulane’s ity School of Nursing at Del-

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gado Community College. “But you’re not standing at the bedside on the precipice of life and death.”

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Partnering up For their part in combating the nursing shortage, Louisiana colleges and universities say they are launching accessible education options to remove time and financial barriers to pursuing a nursing degree, training students with hyper-realistic equipment and settings to prepare them for the ﬁrst year on the job and partnering with hospitals to secure job placements. Last year, Delgado received $1.4 million from the Louisiana Department of Health and Ochsner Health to establish an evening and weekend program for licensed practical nurses to become registered nurses. Shifting more into evening and weekend hours allows the college to utilize its current faculty and staff and maximize its clinical capacity, Fernandez said. Delgado is also working to introduce more K-12 students to the nursing field, starting as early as middle school. The college has around 1,000 nursing students between its various nursing programs and over 3,000 pre-nursing students in the pipeline, Fernandez said. “The earlier the exposure to it, maybe we can get them to fall in love with science and healthcare and continue to pursue that,” she said. “They pursue what they’re exposed to.” Southern University, which graduates the largest number of Black nurses in the state, is planning to double its capacity by opening a new 69,000-square-foot classroom, lab and clinical training building adjacent to the existing nursing building in Baton Rouge.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 11A

More rain expected in Four Corners region Area hit by bad flooding

BY JOHN HANNA Associated Press

Hundreds of people lost power and were told to evacuate in the Four Corners area, emergency crews staged overnight rescues, and roads and bridges remained closed Saturday because of severe ﬂooding in Colorado and New Mexico. Authorities expected more rain Saturday in the region PHOTO PROVIDED BY SOUTH FORK FIRE RESCUE where the borders of Arizona, Pickup trucks are submerged Friday along a road in South Colorado, New Mexico and Fork, Colo. Utah meet. Two months of

heavy rains in the area ended a summer drought, and from Wednesday through Friday, a total of 4 inches fell on saturated ground, with another 1 inch possible Saturday. “We may see some ﬂoodwaters receding, but there will be more rain, and the rivers are expected to rise again,” San Juan County, New Mexico, Emergency Management warned in a Facebook post Saturday. The department said it staged 20 rescues in the Farmington and Shiprock, New Mexico, area, where 600 homes had been urged to evacuate and about 1,500 people were without power,

local utilities reported. A 2-mile stretch of U.S. 64 west of Shiprock into the town was closed because of standing water on the roadway, the New Mexico Department of Transportation said. Standing water and flooding over a bridge over the San Juan River also closed a four-mile stretch of N.M. 371 south of Farmington, the area’s largest city, with about 46,000 residents. The area has seen a week of severe weather in which rain swamped dozens of homes in Utah and tornadoes blew off roofs, knocked trees onto houses and downed power lines in Arizona. Farmington

Police Chief Steve Hebbe called the flooding a “once in a generation” event during a Friday news conference. In southern Colorado, flooding was even worse than forecast and a full 3 feet higher than a 100-year flood on the San Juan River only a year ago. While parts of the Southwest are rocky with little vegetation and are naturally prone to flash flooding, the recent rains had saturated the ground and made widespread flooding more likely. The moisture was from the remnants of Pacific tropical systems that had come ashore, forecasters said.

North Korean leader visits China to inaugurate new cross-border bridge BY KIM TONG-HYUNG and HUIZHONG WU Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China on Saturday, inaugurating a new bridge that connects the two countries and vowing to expand cooperation with his powerful neighbor. Kim’s visit to China is his latest move in an increasingly assertive foreign policy as he seeks to align Pyongyang with Beijing and Moscow in a united front against the United States under what he portrays as a “new Cold War.” It’s his first visit in a year. Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong Saturday after crossing the newly opened bridge, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry and China’s official Xinhua News Agency. In Dandong, Kim visited a memorial marking China’s support of North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War and met with Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of China’s Communist Party. At the memorial, Kim said that North Korea will “firmly carry forward the invincible

DPRK-China friendship forged at the cost of blood all the time,” according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name. During their meeting, Kim reaffirmed a resolve to develop bilateral cooperation, while Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings and said Kim’s visit to the memorial was “of great significance” in carrying forward the friendship between the two countries, KCNA said. The two toured a car factory as well, before Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge to send him off, according to KCNA and Xinhua. Experts said the opening of

the New Yalu River Bridge main ally and economic life- ing ties with Russia. China, restore its unique influence this month was a key symbol line, after years of prioritiz- for its part, has sought to over North Korea. of strengthening ties between North Korea and China and reflected their intent to expand trade, as it is expected to accommodate two-way traffic around the clock, including container shipments and heavy cargo trucks. The bridge was opened after more than a decade of delay. While returning home via the bridge, Kim said “the bridge would undoubtedly and correctly fulfill its historic mission of linking the two countries and firmly joining the minds of the peoples of the two countries,” KCNA reported. Kim has recently taken steps to bolster ties with China, the North’s traditional

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Sexual harassment rules for Congress under review the federal government runLawmakers see flurry keep ning, the House Ethics Committee has been caught in the middle of the of ethics cases some of the biggest stories coming

BY KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON — When Rep. Kat Cammack began work on a task force this spring to combat sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill, the Florida Republican soon heard from former staffers who wanted to share their stories. They “came out of the woodwork” she said, and had stayed silent because it was well established that coming forward would be the end of a career they had worked so hard to achieve. “Those were some of the hardest conversations to have,” Cammack said. “And the stories were gutwrenching.” This year’s spike in House Ethics Committee investigations related to sexual misconduct prompted congressional leaders to set up a working group led by Cammack and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M. What they have found is disturbing, Cammack said. Victims are unclear about where they can go for help. They do not trust there will be repercussions for the perpetrator. And the current requirements for reporting harassment can work against them, such as a 180-day “shot clock” for ﬁling a claim after an alleged violation. “It’s a disaster,” Cammack said. “The entire system on Capitol Hill is really designed to create a chilling effect for victims.” The task force is expected to release recommended changes after the Nov. 3 elections with a goal of taking action before the end of the year. In a Congress that has generally struggled this year to do more than

out of Washington. Three lawmakers resigned this year rather than face the prospect of an expulsion vote. Two of those cases involved alleged sexual misconduct. Another member was censured for his interactions with two female aides on his staff. Other investigations are ongoing. Those stories emerged at a time when Congress was confronted by public outrage over the government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. In the previous months, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus had multiple meetings with survivors who were pushing for the release of Epstein-related files at the Department of Justice. In April, the Ethics Committee began an investigation into whether then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision. Swalwell would soon resign as colleagues called for his expulsion. Similarly, Rep. Tony Gonzales, RTexas, resigned as the committee investigated whether he had engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee in his office. Gonzales had acknowledged an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. Most recently, the committee recommended the censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., following an investigation that concluded he engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers in his office. The House went along with the recommendation by a vote of 413-2. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., is also the subject of a committee

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY PATRICK SEMANSKY

This year’s spike in House Ethics Committee investigations related to sexual misconduct prompted congressional leaders to set up a working group. investigation that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct with a House staffer. Gomez said he would cooperate with the investigation but also stressed that his actions were consensual in nature and did not violate the law or House Ethics rules. He also apologized to his family and constituents. The committee is also investigating whether Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., engaged in sexual misconduct or dating violence, among other allegations. Mills has denied the allegations and recently lost a Republican primary. Cammack said that as stories began to surface about some of the cases before the committee, she and colleagues began talking about what they could do to “clean up the House.” She approached Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton., about getting on board. Johnson’s response, she said, was: “Well, good timing, because I was going to come to you and ask you to take this effort up.”

Leger Fernandez was also talking with Democratic leadership about reforms when Cammack reached out to her about working together. “What was neat is on both sides of the aisle, the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the Republican Women’s Caucus were both saying there needs to be structural changes. We need to work together,” Leger Fernandez said. The working group started with listening sessions that included lawmakers and staff. They also reached out to people in the military, corporate America and victims advocacy groups for advice on best practices. Cammack and Leger Fernandez held a packedroom meeting with staff in July. Congress has tried to address the issue of sexual harassment before. It passed legislation in 2018 that among other things required lawmakers to reimburse the Treasury Department for awards and settlements related to sexual harass-

ment cases. It also required that staff have access to a dedicated advocate who can guide them through the process of filing a claim with the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights. Some recommendations from the task force will involve changing House rules. Lawmakers are already banned from having sexual relationships with members of their own staff or their committees’ staff. But the task force wants to expand the ban to include all congressional staff. “If you are looking to advance your love life on Capitol Hill, you’re there for the wrong reason, in my opinion,” said Cammack, who served as a congressional aide for several years before winning election to the House. The working group is also seeking to streamline the reporting system for staff to report harassment. Many simply do not know where to go with a complaint. Another change could be to give alleged victims more time to file a complaint. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces anti-discrimination laws, also enforces a 180-day window for filing a complaint, but that can be extended to 300 days in cases covered by a state or local antidiscrimination law. Increasing the time for filing a complaint would be an update to the Congressional Accountability Act, which requires Congress to follow many of the same employment laws that apply to the private sector. Updating current law would also require Senate buy-in, complicating prospects. The working group is also looking to increase accountability for lawmakers and senior members of their staff who engage in harassment.

In Ohio, Obama assails cruelty and indecency from Trump, his allies BY JACQUELINE GANUN and STEVE PEOPLES

tion’s ugliest midterm ﬁghts as he worked to rally Democratic voters in battleground Ohio. Associated Press/Report for America Obama took speciﬁc aim at ReFormer President Barack publican gubernatorial candiObama on Saturday seized on date Vivek Ramaswamy, who has what he described as cruelty and doubled down on an advertising indecency coming from President campaign featuring the estranged Donald Trump and his Republican mother of Democratic rival Dr. allies, stepping into one of the na- Amy Acton. Trump and Vice Presi-

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dent JD Vance have also defended the ad, even as Republican leaders across Ohio, including Gov. Mike DeWine, have called for its removal. “In recent days, we’ve seen there is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to,” Obama said of Ramaswamy, noting that Acton has “spoken movingly about

her painful childhood and all she’s experienced: abuse, neglect and homelessness.” “There’s a decency we should expect out of our public ofﬁcials,” Obama continued. “And I don’t know what’s happened where the standards of behavior are so low that somebody could run an ad like that.”

Obama, 65, who remains the Democratic Party’s best motivator nearly a decade after leaving the White House, was set to campaign in Michigan later Saturday night. The Midwestern battlegrounds will help determine the balance of power in American politics on Nov. 3, when the ﬁnal votes are cast in the 2026 midterm elections.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 13A

Ukraine, Russia eye peace talks, but obstacles remain BY DEREK GATOPOULOS and SUSIE BLANN Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine and Russia have signaled their willingness to resume U.S.brokered peace talks and are backing a humanitarian mission led by U.S. ﬁrst lady Melania Trump. But deep disagreements over territory and security guarantees that re-emerged this week underscore obstacles to ending the war. The new diplomatic push comes after more than 4½ years of fighting, bringing with it a surprise announcement on Friday: Kyiv and Moscow have agreed to a local ceaseﬁre to allow aid next week into a stranded town in Ukraine’s southern war-divided region of Kherson, following secret consultations between Melania Trump and civilian negotiators from Russia and Ukraine. While the initiative raised hopes of similar humanitarian missions in the future, there were few indications that any of the key positions have shifted. Russia continues to demand Ukrainian territory it does not fully control, while Kyiv insists any agreement must include ironclad guarantees against another invasion. Within hours of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he agreed “in principle” to restart talks, Russia launched a deadly barrage of ballistic missiles and drones on Kyiv. Moscow on the same day said it had destroyed more than 800 Ukrainian drones heading toward its cities.

Talks likely in November U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff secured the latest commitment to talks after shuttling between Oslo,

until a comprehensive agree- out, direct guarantees from the Orthodox Church. Speaking on state televi- ment on its terms is reached. the United States in what Zelsion late Thursday, Putin said enskyy has described as an Moscow remains “ready to Security guarantees “Article 5-like format” and negotiate and seek solutions While Kyiv and Moscow backing by the European-led to this difficult, complex sit- have maintained limited 30-country alliance known as uation,” before adding: “But contact to organize prisoner the Coalition of the Willing. Article 5 of the NATO charif some prefer a different exchanges and the return path, so be it. In any case, all of fallen soldiers, previous ter contains the alliance’s the objectives of the special talks have made no progress mutual-defense guarantee, military operation will be on the security arrange- which establishes that an atachieved.” ments needed to sustain a tack on one is an attack on all. Zelenskyy — who for peace deal. “All of these guarantees months has publicly advocatUkraine believes security are possible on the basis of a ed for peace talks — argues guarantees backed by West- strong Ukrainian army — in that giving up land would ern allies are essential to any terms of both numbers and leave Ukraine more vulner- future settlement, ideally in quality — with clear fundASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY EFREM LUKATSKY able to future attacks. Kyiv the form of NATO member- ing, and not a small amount. A woman looks at a house destroyed in a Russian missile views security guarantees ship — an option Vladimir Our colleagues in Europe and as essential to prevent Rus- Putin has rejected. Ukraine America know this,” Zelenstrike on Thursday in Kyiv, Ukraine. sia from restarting the war in expects to heavily rely on its skyy told reporters ThursNorway, and St. Petersburg, peace, Witkoff secured the the future. own army as the main secu- day at a briefing. Russia, this week to meet release of an American who The Ukrainian president rity guarantee with financial Following the massive Ukrainian President Volody- had been jailed for more has reaffirmed support for backing from its allies. attacks on Kyiv and other than four years on charges a ceasefire that would freeze Other elements of security cities this week, he argued myr Zelenskyy and Putin. A new round of negotia- of fighting as a mercenary front-line positions, followed guarantees being discussed that only increased Western tions would be the fourth bro- in Ukraine. The envoy de- by talks on conditions for range from NATO member- pressure on Moscow would kered by the Trump admin- scribed the Russian leader ending the war. Moscow has ship, which the U.S. admin- change its calculations about istration, following the most as a “humanitarian” at their rejected a break in hostilities istration has currently ruled future peace talks. recent round in Geneva in meeting in St. Petersburg — a remark met with consterFebruary. A Kremlin spokesman said nation in Ukraine. that the next round of talks is likely to be held in Abu Dha- Both sides far apart bi, the capital of the United While both sides back calls Arab Emirates, around mid- for new talks, Russia and November. Western govern- Ukraine are still far apart on ments backing the peace their terms for a settlement, initiative are seeking a new while their armies remain formula to break the impasse locked on the battlefield and while acknowledging that they pummel each other with territorial and security ques- daily long-range strikes. Central to Russia’s detions remain unresolved. President Donald Trump’s mands is full control of four ties with Zelenskyy, mean- Ukrainian regions it illegally while, have sunk to a new low. annexed months after the Moscow has been bolstered start of the full-scale invasion by Trump’s deal for Russia in 2022: Donetsk, Luhansk, to supply the U.S. with diesel Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, and his recent rejection of in addition to Crimea, which Bring a little boo-tiful style into your home this Halloween! Moscow seized in 2014. new Russia sanctions. Russia currently occupies Kyiv has been undermined From hauntingly elegant bouquets to festive gifts, we have by disruptions in satellite about 20% of Ukraine but everything you need to celebrate the spooky season in style. support for its drones after has failed to capture all the rejecting a call by the U.S. territory in the regions over president to halt strikes on which it claims sovereignty. In a long list of demands, Russian oil infrastructure. Ukrainian leaders fear the Moscow also wants Ukraine moves will embolden Putin, to withdraw forces from all giving him little incentive to four annexed regions, reLocated in Town Center and Denham Springs compromise at the negotiat- nounce its bid to join NATO, 7450 Jefferson Hwy., Baton Rouge (Jefferson at Lobdell) reduce the size of its military ing table. As Trump increased pres- and drop restrictions against 121 Bass Pro Blvd., Denham Springs sure on Zelenskyy, accusing the Russian language and a him of being an obstacle to Moscow-affiliated branch of

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14A n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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Central Park’s carriage drivers fear for their future New York City passes ban after tourist’s death

missed!” Trump wrote on social media. Two of Mamdani’s mayoral predecessors had called to end the industry but neither succeeded. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio campaigned on ending the rides on day one of his administration but the effort wilted amid a backlash from unions and a big media blitz involving actor Liam Neeson. Eric Adams, the mayor just before Mamdani, ﬂoated a ban late in his term, but the proposal went nowhere.

BY ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press

NEW YORK — The horsedrawn carriages that have cruised through Central Park for more than 150 years will soon be banished from New York City, ending an iconic tradition beloved by tourists but long opposed by animal welfare activists. For the carriage drivers, it’s unclear what comes next. “No one can come up with an appropriate answer because there is none,” said Alexus Lawson, a 28-yearold carriage driver from Queens who grew up with horses and has worked as a riding instructor. Now, she worries about what would become of 7-year-old Starlight and her other horses. “Without a job, how can I take care of my horses?” The New York City Council passed a bill last week that would ban horse-drawn carriage rides by June 2028, pulling back the reins after the death of a teenage tourist last spring. But the one question that has come up time and again — what to do with drivers whose jobs would be eliminated — remains largely unanswered. The legislation requires Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s ofﬁce to develop a plan by next April to help the more than 150 remaining drivers and the rest of the industry ﬁnd other jobs, though its provisions are vague and doesn’t set clear benchmarks for displaced workers. Instead, it requires City Hall to come up with a program that includes job referrals, career counseling and educational opportunities. It also allows the administration to consider some form of compensation for industry workers. The mayor’s office has

Push to end the rides

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS BY YUKI IWAMURA

A horse-drawn carriage takes passengers for a loop through Central Park in New York.

A carriage horse that takes people on rides through Central Park drinks water at an entrance to the park. been working on a workforce transition program and has started discussions on potential compensation, according to City Hall. “The mayor will sign this bill, and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the stron-

gest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry,” a spokesperson for the mayor said after the Council’s vote.

Carriage drivers’ future Medet Fidan, a former cab driver who traded his steering wheel for a set of reins

after ride-hailing apps upended the taxi industry, said he felt like he was being targeted. “I think the city is leaving us a big mess,” said Fidan, 56. “We’re going to lose our businesses, we’re going to lose our jobs, we’re going to lose our livelihoods.” Council Speaker Julie Menin “will remain engaged in the transition process,” a spokesperson said, adding that the legislation seeks to address the longstanding question of what happens to out-of-work carriage drivers by setting a ﬁrm deadline for City Hall to act. “These workers deserve to be protected,” said Menin, who helped spearhead the ban and has argued horses no longer have a place among Central Park’s pedestrians, cyclists, dog walkers and gawking tourists. The union representing

carriage drivers had vowed to ﬁle a legal challenge “the minute the ink dries” on the legislation. Betsy Smith, the head of the Central Park Conservancy, the nonproﬁt which operates the park, cheered the passage of the bill. “In the modern era, carriages pose a serious — and even fatal — safety risk to Park visitors, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves,” she said in a statement.

Trump opposed ban President Donald Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower is a stone’s throw from Central Park, bemoaned the ban and called carriage rides “a quintessential New York experience.” “It was a Great Tradition. Another piece of History that’s gone. It will be

The latest push began in June after an 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, died after jumping from a runaway carriage during a ride. His death appeared to be the ﬁrst fatality involving a horse carriage in Central Park since the rides began. Mahajan’s family has personally appealed to the city to end the rides, offering tearful testimony that they thought the rides were safe. His uncle, Gaurav Mahajan, praised the proposal during a rally Thursday, saying “the hour of justice has finally arrived,” as he stood beside local lawmakers and animal welfare activists. “We’re turning our shattering loss into an unbreakable shield of kindness for the city. For months, our family hasn’t been allowed to just grieve,” he said. “We’ve had to ﬁght. We’ve had to channel our devastating sorrow into a war for change.” Carriage drivers have expressed sympathy for Mahajan and his family but argue that they are being unfairly targeted because of a single accident. “It does nothing for alternate employment, for the continuation of our businesses,” said Christina Hansen, a longtime carriage driver and industry spokesperson. “Who’s going to pay my rent while I’m looking for a job?”

Rubber ducks still a fan favorite BY CLARE SOLLY Associated Press

NEW YORK — It’s not just a squishy noisemaker. The rubber duck is an American invention with a deep and rich past. The cute, often yellow toys have seen a resurgence in recent years, especially in tourist shops from the U.S. Open to Buckingham Palace, and are beloved across the world. The duck’s origin story was forged in ﬁre, according to popular lore. Charles Goodyear, inventor of vulcanized rubber, is said to have shaped leftover rubber into a duck as a chew toy for dogs and a teething aid for babies. (This heritage lives on in one Ohio minor-league baseball team — the Akron RubberDucks.) Vulcanization made the rubber waterproof and mostly indestructible, but

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

A rubber duck wearing a gold chain necklace and sunglasses.

also heavy. It wasn’t until 1931 that Elenore Shannahan revised the design so it would float and become part of bathtime fun. The patent states her toy could “produce a fountain-like effect, and enable the playing of pranks by one person on another by the squirting of a ﬁne stream of spray upon the face or other parts of a person.” The Walt Disney Co. and

Seiberling Latex Products created a floating Donald Duck water toy in 1938, which helped the rubber duck become popular around the globe. The vinyl duck known today traces to sculptor Peter Ganine’s 1947 design, according to St. Neots Museum. When the rubber duck was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, the museum said its “bright color, smooth texture, and (for some) squeaky or quacky sounds sharpen toddlers’ senses,” solidifying its usefulness around the house. The bath toy also inspired a Billboard hit. “Rubber Duckie” peaked at No. 16 on the Hot 100 in the magazine’s Sept. 26, 1970, issue. The song earned the first Grammy nomination for Jim Henson, the voice of Ernie on “Sesame Street,” according to the Grammy Awards website.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 15A

Whether ‘stringing’ or ‘looping,’ tobacco is the tie that binds State fair pays homage to North Carolina way of life

BY ALLEN G. BREED AP national writer

RALEIGH, N.C. — When Sophie Sunday told her schoolmates she was taking off halfway through the school day, they couldn’t wait to ﬁnd out why. “‘I’m going to loop tobacco at the fair,’” the seventh grader told them. “And they’re, like, ‘What?’ They don’t have a clue.” To be fair, most people don’t. At 12, Sophie was the youngest contestant in the North Carolina State Fair’s annual tobacco stringing contest, which pays homage to a way of life that was already largely past when her parents were kids. Traditionally, tobacco was harvested by hand, hung in a log barn and cured to a golden-brown with a wood ﬁre that had to be stoked day and night. But before it could go into the barn, the green tobacco had to be strung on long wooden sticks. What you called this practice depended on what part of the state you lived in. Because the fairgrounds are in the capital, Raleigh, they call it a stringing contest. “Where I grew up, in the middle of the state, we call it stringing,” said Pat Short, superintendent of the fair’s Heritage Circle. “But down east, in the eastern part of the state, they call it looping tobacco.” Today, North Carolina’s fluecured tobacco crop is harvested mostly by machine and packed tightly into natural gas-heated metal bulk barns that look more like shipping containers. It’s a different world from when 97-year-old Ruth Coats, the oldest contestant, worked her family’s tobacco near the Virginia border. Once the state’s largest cash crop, tobacco was the beating heart of many family farms. Tobacco “allotments” — the rights to grow it — were hereditary. “It was good, hard work, but it made you much stronger,” she said with a giggle. “A lot of memories of my family and friends.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY ALLEN G. BREED

Sophie Sunday, center, gathers tobacco leaves as she competes in the tobacco stringing contest with her mother Annie, right, and great-aunt Darlene Rappa at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, N.C.

“When we were growing up, if people had anywhere from 6 to 10 acres of tobacco, they could actually raise enough money to raise their family,” said Ken Jones, Sophie’s grandfather. “But now, most of the guys contract (with tobacco companies) 400 to 600 acres of tobacco at one time.” Last week, teams with names like The Tie Masters, the Mule Stringers and 89 & Twine battled it out in a white tent as temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit. With a “ready, set and go” from Short, a pair of “handers” gathered clumps of yellow-green leaves from a table and passed them to the stringer, who wrapped twine around the stems of the leaves, then the stick. When they’d strung at least 36 bundles, they wrapped the twine Ruth Coats, the oldest contestant, hands a tobacco leaf to a ‘stringer’ around the stick’s end and tore it during the annual tobacco stringing contest. off. The fastest teams can tie a stick Teams compete Growers produced more than 248 in under a minute. Although North Carolina re- million pounds last year, valued mains the nation’s No. 1 tobacco at nearly $546 million, according Three generations producer, the leaf has fallen to the to the U.S. Department of AgriPeggy Medlin remembers being state’s third most valuable cash culture. Most tobacco ends up in so fast as a teenager that her boss crop, behind corn and soybeans. smoking products. let the other two loopers go.

“And I made $6 for looping 600 sticks,” the 89-year-old recalled with a grin. But it’s not just about speed. Before presenting a stick to the judges, a worker gave each a couple of good shakes to make sure no leaves fell out. “Because in the curing process, that would be a bad thing if it caused it to catch on fire,” explained Andrea Ashby, director of public affairs for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. A dozen teams competed this year. Sophie was one of three generations of her family vying for the $250 first prize. Sandy Jones grew up on a southeastern North Carolina farm and learned to loop from her mother. She taught her own daughter, Annie, when she was about 5, and her granddaughter when she was about the same age. Jones’ squad, the defending champion Maple Hill Loopers, included her husband, Ken, and sonin-law Mike Sunday. Sophie, mom Annie and her great-aunt comprised The 3 Suckers — a play on the small side shoots that can stunt the growth of healthy leaves. The Maple Hill Loopers were edged out by The Benson Nites, which finished with a time of just under one minute and four seconds. The Suckers didn’t place, but that didn’t matter to Sophie. “I think of it as tradition,” she said. Short said the tobacco strung at the fair — which was grown at the nearby Oxford Tobacco Research Station — will be sold to a contractor and likely go into cigarettes. Sophie confessed to being a bit conflicted about tobacco, a plant that has killed untold humans, but is also showing promise in vaccine production and other pharmaceutical research. “Every single year I go, I’m like, ‘Why do we do this? It’s, like, bad for people,’” she said. “But the leaves can also get used for, like, different things, not just smoking.” And when she has kids of her own, she’s going to teach them how to loop. “It makes my heart smile,” her grandmother said.

Nevis to restore Alexander Hamilton museum COMMERCIAL

By The Associated Press HAVANA — The Caribbean island of Nevis has received a financial boost in honor of one of its most famous sons, Alexander Hamilton, who went on to become a founding father of the United States and America’s first treasury secretary. The U.S. government awarded $245,000 to restore the home where some believe Hamilton once lived as the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary. Hamilton was born on Nevis in the mid18th century and spent his childhood living at his adopted father’s home in Charlestown. The 17th-century Georgian stone building is now Hamilton House, a museum that houses documents from the famous forefather’s early years and features exhibits honoring other Caribbean personalities. But it has demanded constant repairs: time and salty air have damaged the woodwork. Nevis Premier Mark Brantley said Wednesday that he’s grateful for the funds. “We have tried valiantly as locals to preserve these very important historical monuments,” he said. Despite Hamilton having lived only the early part of his childhood in Nevis, the premier believes his legacy is inspiring. “Hamilton is significant because I think it’s a demonstration of what a small island like

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ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

American-born actress Cicely Tyson presides over the dedication of the Alexander Hamilton House on the island of Nevis in the West Indies in 1983.

Nevis, a little dot in the ocean, can contribute to the founding of the greatest nation in the world, the United States,” Brantley said. The two-story, Georgian stone building that was originally built around 1680 was destroyed by an earthquake in 1840 and was last restored in 1983. Brantley said the restoration work is important to both the U.S. and Nevis: “Hamilton remains, I think, an iconic ﬁgure for us and a ﬁgure that we can look at his legacy and inspire our own people to achieve and to know that greatness is available for all of us.”

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16A n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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LOUISIANA POLITICS La. is outlier in midterm congressional elections WASHINGTON – Baton Rouge pollster John Couvillon turned on his TV after Labor Day expecting — and like most political junkies, even looking forward to — a deluge of campaign commercials. He saw only two. This past week, however, airwaves began filling with candidate ads going into the final days before the Nov. 3 congressional midterm elections. “Until this week, I haven’t really been seeing the same level of activity relative to previous election cycles,” Couvillon said. The slowerthan-usual rollout suggests that Louisiana isn’t really part of the national Mark wave that will Ballard determine which party controls the U.S. House and U.S. Senate for the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. Partly, that’s because of the chaos surrounding recent changes in Louisiana’s election laws, and partly it’s the result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29 decision in Callais vs Louisiana. Trump’s popularity is at historic lows, and Republicans in traditionally red states — like Texas, Mississippi and Iowa — are suddenly fighting for their political lives. But Louisiana’s competitive congressional races — two open House races and one Senate seat — are likely to go Republican. The U.S. Senate race to replace incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy is between U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, and Democrat Jamie Davis, a farmer and former Tensas Parish Police juror, will be decided when votes are counted, since a primary election already took place.

House races, Gov. Jeff Landry ordered candidates to run in an open primary on Nov. 3. Beyond confusion about which congressional district they landed, many African American voters were angry, said Ashley Shelton, head of the Power Coalition, a New Orleans-based grassroots organization. “Early voting, so far, has been off the charts,” Shelton said. “Callais absolutely played a factor in the turnout we’re seeing.” As of Thursday night, 232,695 ballots were cast early, of which 74,275 were cast by African Americans — that’s more in three days than the 66,824 cast in the full week of early voting in November 2023 runoff for statewide offices, according to results compiled by the Louisiana Secretary of State. Early voting in Louisiana began Oct. 20 and ends Tuesday. “What we’re seeing is voters standing up and saying they want their voices heard,” said Shelton, whose organization has been holdSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER ing meetings across the state to educate voters. A poster of the ‘I Voted’ sticker by Terrance Osborne was on display during early voting for the Nov. 3 ballot. “People have had enough time to kind of figure out what district “The drama was all front-loaded R-Lafayette, do not face any well- cause of Callais.” they’re in,” said Professor Albert in the Senate race,” said Uniknown challengers. Changing elections Samuels, who teaches political However, the races to replace versity of Louisiana at Monroe science at Southern University. Letlow in the 5th Congressional Professor G. Pearson Cross, who Court rulings and redistricting “People are just now beginning teaches congressional politics and District, and Rep. Cleo Fields, the have put this year’s election forto focus, which is later than usual. Baton Rouge Democrat who opthas published a book on changes mat in turmoil. So, if I’m right, what you have in Louisiana politics. A 6-3 majority on the U.S. Sued not to run for reelection in the is a very fluid electorate,” said All the initial attention was on 6th Congressional District, likely preme Court on June 29 found veteran political operative Roy efforts by the Louisiana Repubwon’t be decided until a runoff in Louisiana’s Baton Rouge-based Fletcher, of Baton Rouge, who December. 6th Congressional District was lican Party to punish Cassidy, Rwas part of the Senate campaign The GOP super-majority unconstitutionally gerrymanBaton Rouge, for voting to convict for State Treasurer John Fleming, Legislature changed the state’s Trump on impeachment charges dered for racial reasons. primary system to one where stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021 Several Deep South Republican- which ended in the May runoff that Letlow won. only fellow partisans chose their storming of the U.S. Capitol. run states, including Louisiana, “You got two sides, clearly, but candidates in a May closed party The races featuring House inused the decision to quickly rearon each of those sides you have cumbents are likely to be decided primary. Cassidy came in third. range Black majority seats, held people deciding which candi“It’s like the air was let out without a runoff. Speaker Mike mostly by Democrats, into disof the balloon,” Cross added. Johnson, R-Benton, Majority tricts that favored Republicans date.” “Then you add the strangeness Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferinstead. of starting voting, then stopping Though some primary balEmail Mark Ballard at mbalson, Rep. Troy Carter, D-New it, throwing those votes away beOrleans, and Rep. Clay Higgins, lots had already been cast in the lard@theadvocate.com.

Federal court to hear redistricting arguments

Supreme Court’s ruling. But the Callais plaintiffs say the new map still relies too heavily on race, since it has a majority-Black A federal court will hear argudistrict that stretches from New ments Tuesday on whether CalOrleans up to Baton Rouge. State lais v. Louisiana, the court case that led to seismic changes to the leaders dispute that accusation, saying they drew the map to proVoting Rights Act and a wave of congressional redistricting across tect GOP incumbents like House the country, should Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, be closed. and House Majority Leader Steve A group of White Scalise, R-Jefferson. voters filed the The case is being decided by lawsuit, arguing a three-judge panel sitting in Louisiana’s former Shreveport. The panelists are congressional map former 5th U.S. Circuit Court Capitol — which had two Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart, Buzz majority-Black of Shreveport, who was nomiSTAFF districts — was nated by President Bill Clinton; REPORTS unconstitutional be- and U.S. District Judge David cause it too heavily C. Joseph and District Judge factored in race. The case made it Robert R. Summerhays, both of to the U.S. Supreme Court, which whom sit in Lafayette and were nominated by President Donald issued a ruling that undermined Trump. the section of the Voting Rights Act that courts had long used to require some states to draw majority-Black districts. The Louisiana Legislature responded by drawing a map that Louisiana is getting $5.81 milturned one of the two majoritylion to replace five aging railroad Black districts, currently reprebridges between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, which U.S. Sen. sented by U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, says D-Baton Rouge, into a majorityis a step toward potential train White, Republican-leaning district. Louisiana Attorney General service between the two cities. The money comes from the U.S. Liz Murrill’s office is seeking to end proceedings in the case, argu- Department of Transportation through the Consolidated Rail Ining the new map addressed the

BR-N.O. train system gets $5.8 million

accepted medical use, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. The emergency classification took effect Sept. 18 and was formally published Tuesday; it can remain in effect for up to six months or until officials make the rule permanent. The Health Department did not immediately respond to questions about what prompted the change. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in August designated the three substances as Schedule I drugs under federal law. At the time, the DEA said that the prevalence of kratom has “led to the proliferation of commerSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER cial products containing opioids chemically synthesized” from Travelers walk to the Amtrak train to take the Mardi Gras line bound for that substance. Mobile, Ala., in New Orleans. Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and MGM-15 are being sold in confrastructure and Safety Improvesumer markets and MGM-16 is a “highly potent opioid and shares a ments Program. similar pharmacological profile,” It will pay for the design and construction of the bridges in St. Three synthetic opioids derived according to information released James and St. Charles Parish, from kratom have been classified by the DEA in August. Kratom is an herbal substance making rail service in the southas illegal Schedule I drugs on an eastern part of the state safer and emergency basis by the Louisiana derived from tree leaves native to Southeast Asia that acts as a Department of Health, health ofmore reliable, Cassidy said in a stimulant at low doses and a denews release. ficials announced this week. It also helps lay the foundation Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, pressant at high doses. for a proposed passenger rail MGM-15 and MGM-16 now carry Last year the Legislature route that would connect Baton felony penalties for illegal posses- passed a ban on kratom, which is Rouge, Gonzales and LaPlace to sion or distribution. The Schedule often sold over the counter at gas New Orleans and the New Orstations, convenience stores and I designation indicates a high smoke shops. potential for abuse, no current leans airport, Cassidy said.

Louisiana adds to kratom crackdown

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 17A

EDUCATION A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Principal works to boost student reading scores Community-centered Q&A WITH LISA PERRIN approach creates PRINCIPAL OF ALLEMANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL positive environment

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Lisa Perrin always knew she wanted to be an educator. Growing up in Raceland, Perrin loved school and her parents impressed upon her the importance of education. In her mind, there was never any question about what she wanted to do when she grew up. “I wanted to impact students and help others have a positive experience the way I did,” said Perrin, now the principal of Allemands Elementary School in Perrin St. Charles Parish. Perrin, who was named her district’s 2025 Principal of the Year, is one of 39 school leaders across the country this year to be chosen as a 2026 “Distinguished Principal” by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. The organization, which advocates for and provides training to K-8 principals and assistant principals, highlighted Perrin’s work creating a “thriving school community” while raising student reading scores. Perrin began her career as a social studies teacher in Lafourche Parish before moving to St. Charles in 2003, where she went from working as a technology facilitator, to assistant principal to principal, eventually becoming the top administrator at St. Rose Elementary. In 2017, she became principal of Allemands, a small school in Des Allemands with about 235 students. Over the past decade, the

school’s share of students reading at or above grade level has grown 22 percentage points, reaching 82% last school year. Perrin credits the improvements in part to the school’s community-centered approach, which often involves partnering with the local library to promote literacy events and hosting workshops for parents. Perrin spoke with The TimesPicayune | The Advocate about how she helped create a ﬂourishing school community and raised student reading scores while offering advice to new principals who want to do the same. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

How would you describe your school culture? It’s very positive, and it’s very traditional. Our children and community members are invested in our school. A lot of our former students have kids who attend this school, and I also have teachers who attended as students and now they’re back. Teachers and employees make an effort to get to know the children and put them ﬁrst, and we involve our parents. We’re a Title 1 school (a federal grant for schools that serve students from low-income families), so we do a lot to include our parents and our community in our daily happenings and special events. When you walk in the building, you feel that positive family atmosphere. What do you think a thriving school community looks like? I think a thriving school community is an engaged school community. It’s also a community that’s transparent about its struggles and works to solve problems

together. It’s always about putting children ﬁrst, because it’s an investment in our community. We want students to stay when they become adults and give back to the people here. Student performance is important too, and we’re doing well with that. That’s where we’ve had so much gain in the last ﬁve years. Our school continues to encourage teacher collaboration and professional development as we perfect how we teach different subjects, and we’re seeing gains in our DIBELS scores. Ours were some of the highest in our district over the last few years in K-1 and K-2. What have you done to build a supportive culture? I’m accessible, and I’m out in the school community. I’m at PTA meetings, school events, teacher professional development days. I want people to feel like they can come to me to problem-solve. I implemented an advisory group where parents and community leaders meet monthly to brainstorm and talk about our goals for our children and action steps to achieve those goals. Allemands offers a lot of different workshops through our family center. We have workshops to help parents understand our curriculum and give them a chance to visit the school and work with their students. We also work with the library to promote different events like Literacy Night, where parents come in and they spend time with their kids doing different activities that promote reading and writing. How did you work through challenges that have come up during your tenure? Enrollment has been a big challenge. We’re seeing a decline in student enrollment because of ris-

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK

At Allemands Elementery School in St. Charles Parish, school leaders work with the library to promote different events like Literacy Night, where parents come in and they spend time with their kids doing different activities that promote reading and writing. ing insurance costs and the cost of living in our area. Fewer young families are moving in. However, we had a big boost this year after our district implemented universal pre-K, which helped get more students into our building. Before that, more families were watching their children up until kindergarten, which also made the transition to kindergarten more difﬁcult. The other big challenge has been the state’s new numeracy screener and coming up with a system to administer it. It’s something we’re constantly learning about and using to help us grow as professionals to make sure we’re preparing our students to be successful. What are some of the highlights from your time at Allemands? Being able to really make a difference, helping a child become the person they can be, and help-

ing them see that the future is limitless. Being named our district’s Principal of the Year and receiving recognition from NAESP has also been amazing for being able to collaborate with other educators and showing people how much we do. What advice would you give to new principals? Invest in your students ﬁrst, and don’t get distracted by the managerial part of things. Stay focused on work that helps students learn and grow. If you keep that as the point of your compass, everything else falls into place. Build leaders below you and let them take the lead on different things while offering feedback and support. When you do that, it’s unbelievable how people evolve and blossom. Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.

18A n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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THE GULF COAST Restaurants plan for ‘slow season’ New burger joint

to feature beach volleyball, concerts

Solutions for more traffic include specials, family nights

said of the downtown Ed’s on the John revitalization. “It makes sense to us.” Beach planned perfect Plans for the restaurant, for Gulfport spot which will lease city land,

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

The biggest challenge William Rester is facing this fall at his Long Beach, Mississippi, restaurant is LSU football. Many of the local fans and Louisianans who own second homes on the Mississippi Gulf Coast spend game days glued to their televisions — not dining out. “Saturdays in September are the worst,” Rester, who owns the elevated Southern restaurant Radish, said with a laugh. “There’s no worse weekend vibe killer.” His dilemma is one example of a problem that restaurants are facing across the Gulf Coast region. School is back in session. The height of the tourist season is over. The holiday festivities that drive diners into restaurants have not yet begun. So many chefs and owners are scrambling to brainstorm ideas that will generate enough revenue to carry their businesses through the slump. It is a tough time of year for even some of the most acclaimed restaurants on the Gulf Coast, where the culinary scene is growing and chefs are earning more accolades every year. The slow season, which generally runs from late August until the holidays, is also compounded this year by national economic pressures that are raising food costs and leading fewer families to spend money on dining. At least one Mississippi Coast restaurant — Barracuda Taco Stand location in Bay St. Louis — has already closed. Pat Fontaine, executive director of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association, said many other restaurants on the coast are turning to specials and value offers.“Sales are very soft,” Fontaine said.

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

Well-known restaurateur Robert St. John is planning to build a beach burger joint on the Mississippi Coast that follows a wave of new development in downtown Gulfport. The concept, called Ed’s on the Beach, will be situated along the water in the Gulfport Harbor on land that has been empty since Hurricane Katrina. The menu will resemble another of St. John’s restaurants — Ed’s Burger Joint in Hattiesburg, Miss. — with some seafood additions. St. John is also planning an open-air bar, concerts and beach volleyball. Opening is slated for March 2028. Ed’s on the Beach is the latest new development planned in downtown Gulfport, which is undergoing a transformation. A $105 million mixed-use town center with a hotel, shops and luxury apartments is under construction at U.S. 90 and Highway 49 on the beach. A few blocks away, St. John also opened a breakfast and lunch diner called The Downtowner earlier this year, and lines to eat there are regularly out the door. “We feel excited just to be a small part of that,” St.

PROVIDED PHOTO

White Pillars recently began hosting a Sunday pizza night to attract more families.

in Biloxi, has ﬁlled the days of the week with varying specials — half-price oysters, discounted small plates, a burger night and more. The restaurant recently began hosting a Sunday pizza night in effort to attract more families. “I don’t know that it’s working, but we’re trying,” Sumrall said this week. “You can’t just sit back and hope you make it.” The Sycamore House, a family-run restaurant in Bay St. Louis, has adopted a similar mindset. The restaurant relies on locals and regulars in the off-season and tries to treat them well. Stella LeGardeur, a chef and owner, said she encourages locals who dine at the restaurant to make another reservation before they leave. Sometimes, she even calls regulars who she hasn’t heard from in a while. “We just try to make sure we communicate,” LeGardeur said. Jourdan Nicaud, a restaurateur and developer behind the group that includes Bacchus and Field’s restaurants across the Mississippi Coast, said he is trying to offset losses from fewer fall visitors by booking parties and events over the holidays. But he is noticing some positive signs Pizza nights, discounts, outreach even amid the slowdown. At Nicaud’s Chefs across the Gulf Coast are try- restaurants, the fall slump isn’t as bad ing to ﬁnd solutions to the post-summer as it’s been in the past because many newcomers are moving full-time to the slowdown. Austin Sumrall, the owner and chef at Mississippi Coast and growing the local White Pillars, a farm-to-table restaurant customer base. Nicaud also said recent

summers have been stronger than ever.

Eager for holidays The Gulf Coast’s slow season is distinct from the rest of Mississippi, where visiting football crowds carry restaurants in many college towns through the fall, and from New Orleans, where restaurants are challenged in the heat of summer. But the region’s culinary acclaim keeps growing. White Pillars and Siren Social Club in Gulfport — which Sumrall also runs with his wife, Tresse — both earned a spot on the prestigious Michelin Guide last year alongside the contemporary Asian restaurant Vestige in Ocean Springs. The Sumralls and Vestige have also earned nods from the James Beard awards. Siren Social Club, a tropical speakeasy-style spot, was also named restaurant of the year by a state tourism conference held earlier this month. Still, Sumrall said the restaurant had just nine reservations one recent night. In Long Beach, Rester is focused on booking private events and catering gigs. Radish has opened a small private dining space behind the restaurant, which Rester has so far ﬁlled with several trivia and bingo events. And he’s already booking Christmas parties. “I’m just dying for the holidays to get here,” he said, “so I can ﬁll this up.”

moved forward after the Gulfport City Council approved the agreement last week. Ed’s is also planning to offer beach chairs and cabanas and host a weekend music festival called Ed’s Fest, which city leaders hope will lure more visitors to the Coast. A menu included in the lease agreement includes frozen drinks, burgers, shrimp and fish sandwiches, and milkshakes. It will be the first beach concept for St. John’s New South Restaurant Group, which is also behind Crescent City Grill, Loblolly Bakery and several other Hattiesburg establishments. The restaurant will pay the Gulfport Redevelopment Commission more than $33,000 a year to lease the land, according to city records. The location at the harbor has been empty since Katrina destroyed a restaurant called the White Cap that once stood there. Building on the beach holds deep meaning to St. John, who grew up in Hattiesburg and visited the coast to crab, fish and dine out each summer as a boy. “My love of restaurants came from the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” he said. “To come back to the Coast,” he added, “is very special to me.”

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U.S. designates helium as a critical material Importance for semiconductors cited

BY JENNIFER MCDERMOTT and ALEXA ST. JOHN

Associated Press

The U.S. designated helium as a critical material on Friday because it’s indispensable for making semiconductors that are essential to energy generation, and the global supply is at risk of disruption, according to the Energy Department. The designation by the Energy Department means that more federal ﬁnancing will be available for helium producers and that the government will monitor it more closely. Helium is primarily produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing. The United States is the world’s largest producer of natural gas and of helium. Qatar and Russia are the other top helium producers. Exports of Qatar’s helium supply have been severely curtailed by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a result of its war with Israel and the U.S. Iranian strikes

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Energy Secretary Chris Wright in May. on Qatar’s infrastructure have also impacted supply. Russia imposed temporary export controls on helium in April to protect its domestic supply. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration is freeing America from reliance on foreign sources of critical materials, strengthening domestic manufacturing, supporting American jobs and securing the materials essential to U.S. economic and national security. “President Trump is bringing back America’s manufacturing industry, and that

means making sure we have the materials needed to build things in America again,” Wright said in a statement. Metallurgical coal used for steelmaking was the last one to be added, in 2025. The only other gas on the list is ﬂuorine. To make the critical materials list, a non-fuel mineral element or substance must serve an essential function in one or more energy technologies and there must be a high risk of disruption to the supply chain. Helium makes balloons rise, but that’s not why the

U.N. projections say world losing ground in climate change fight U.S. faulted for increased emissions BY SETH BORENSTEIN AP science writer

WASHINGTON — Losing more ground in the ﬁght against climate change, humanity is heading for a hotter world than experts projected last year — and the United States is a big reason for that, a new United Nations report says. If all the countries do what they promise to reduce heat-trapping emissions, Earth will likely still warm another 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit above current temperatures, according to last week’s update of climate calculations by the United Nations Environment Programme. That’s about two-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit more than last year’s projections by the same science team. “This is a worse outcome than expected last year, as a result of the formal withdrawal of the United States of America from the Paris Agreement and revised estimates of historical emissions,” the report said. The report also blames the United States for increased emissions last year, saying all the other top 20 major economies reduced their carbon pollution or at least slowed the growth in how much carbon dioxide was spewed from the burning of coal, oil and gas. “In terms of magnitude, the increase in the United

States of America (133 megatons of CO2 equivalent) far exceeded that of all other countries and was driven by increased electricity demand and a rebound of coal power generation,” the report said. The 124 countries that increased emissions — not counting the 63 that decreased like most European nations — added 189 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2025, and 70% of that increase came from the U.S., according to the report. The United States is going “hell-for-leather trying to block renewables while actively promoting and subsidizing dirty coal — and its diplomacy is trying to make other countries also pull back on action. It is looking at the fire, denying there is a fire, and then pouring more petrol on it,” said Australian climate scientist Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics, which measures countries’ climate fighting plans. He wasn’t part of the U.N. report but, like several other outside scientists, said it was scientifically sound. The new calculations say that if countries do all they promise in the climate fighting plans they submitted to the United Nations, by 2100 the globe will be 4.7 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than pre-industrial times. If the world continues on its current path — without national promises — it will be 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the last half of the 19th century, the same as last year’s projection. Both of those temperatures blow far past the goal of less than 3.6 degrees

Fahrenheit and preferably 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit adopted by the 2015 Paris climate pact. The world is now at about 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial times and earlier this year — and again in this report — United Nations ofﬁcials conceded that there is no way of limiting warming to the 1.5-degree goal that they had embraced. Instead, officials are pinning their hopes of limiting warming to about 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit and then somehow pulling enough carbon dioxide out of the air to lower temperatures back down to 1.5 degrees. The world is falling “dangerously short” of even those goals, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “but we have the tools to change course and pull back from the brink.” Drastically cutting global carbon emissions — by 18% by 2030 and 69% by 2040 — “is the only way that we can get back to a semblance of a reality that is still largely manageable without major impacts and therefore that makes every sense,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. “The report’s message is clear,” said climate scientist Adelle Thomas, vice chair of a United Nations scientiﬁc assessment on climate impacts. She wasn’t part of this study. “We know what needs to be done. We have the tools to do it. And delay only makes the challenge more dangerous and more expensive for all.”

DOE is interested in it. Helium plays an important role in wind, solar and nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging and research. Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson said helium’s unique properties make it irreplaceable, such as the fact that it’s noncombustible and has the lowest boiling point of any gas. The nation needs an ample supply for semiconductors, quantum and supercomputing, and superconducting magnets, added Robertson, who oversees the Ofﬁce of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation. “We need to make sure that we can build those here. And helium is one of those components that could be a single point of failure, where we cannot let that happen. That’s why we’re designating it within our statutory authority, but I think why it’s important is not necessarily for our birthday parties,” Robertson said in an interview. “It’s really towards the future of American competitiveness and energy security, which we believe is national security.” The United States desig-

nates both critical minerals and critical materials, and there is some crossover between them. The U.S. Geological Survey included helium on a 2018 list of critical minerals, but later lists omitted it because the domestic supply of helium was considered secure. Despite environmental concerns with recovering helium from natural gas, there are also opportunities, said Greeshma Gadikota, director of the Lenfast Center for Sustainable Energy at Columbia University. “If we burn the natural gas, there are a lot of CO2 emissions associated with that,” Gadikota said. “But if you just extract the helium and use it, the uses of it don’t contribute necessarily to greenhouse gas emissions. “So from a climate standpoint, if we are going to continue down the line of extracting natural gas and recovering helium,” she added, “I would prefer to see natural gas being used in a form where we directly produce hydrogen and we produce solid carbon.” Hydrogen is a clean-burning fuel, and solid carbon can provide permanent carbon

sequestration. There used to be a strategic national stockpile in Texas for helium, much like America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Congress mandated in 2013 that it be privatized. The Bureau of Land Management completed the sale of the federal helium system to the industrial gas company Messer in 2024. The U.S. produced 81 million cubic meters of helium in 2025, or 43% of the global supply. Of that, 38 million cubic meters of helium was exported. The U.S. has produced roughly 80 million cubic meters of helium annually since 2021. There are large helium reserves in Wyoming, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah. Though there are abundant helium resources, helium extraction plants are at their limits and it takes years to permit and build new ones, which continues to constrain U.S. production, according to DOE. The plants extracting the most helium, as of 2023, were located in Kansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma, according to federal data.

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ELECTION H

St. George residents face off for EBR school board seat BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

Employee Alexis Parker waters flowers at Clegg’s Nursery on Friday.

STAFF PHOTOS BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

Area dry spell continues

Cooler weather giving gardeners a break in Baton Rouge

A succulent gets watered at Clegg’s Nursery on Friday. While grass is turning yellow and some plants are drooping due to the dry current dry spell, cooler nighttime temperatures are kinder to newly planted flora.

BY ELLYN COUVILLION

Staff writer

It hasn’t rained in Baton Rouge for a month — since Sept. 22 — and it doesn’t help that October is typically the driest month of the year here, a National Weather Service meteorologist said. “It’s going to be dry for at least the next week,” Megan Williams, a forecaster in the weather agency’s Slidell office, said Thursday. Grass is turning yellow and plants are drooping. However, home gardeners have been waiting for a break, and it’s finally arrived — cooler nighttime temperatures and drops in daytime temperatures, too, that are kinder to newly planted flowers and

vegetables. Nighttime lows have been in the low to mid-50s, with highs in the low to mid-80s. “Our summers have been lasting for 30 extra days for the last three to four years,” said Johnny Naylor, horticulture consultant with the local Clegg’s Nursery. “It

used to be fall around September.” It may have arrived in mid-October this year, he said, but now’s a good time to plant fall annuals like pansies, petunias, snapdragons, violas and dianthus.

ä See PLANTS, page 2B

A Republican incumbent is trying to hold onto the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board seat she won two years ago against a Democrat challenger running for the seat for the ﬁrst time. The school board Soulé candidates for the District 8 seat are Emily Soulé, the incumbent, and Melissa “Dani” Altazin. This district is located in the southeast part of the parish and is largely Altazin made up of the city of St. George. The district is generally considered politically conservative, but it can be

ä See SCHOOL BOARD, page 2B

Baton Rouge DA candidates say city’s safety at stake

Race heats up between Hillar Moore, Ryan Thompson

BLUE RIBBON BOVINE

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

ABOVE: Gianna Vaccaro excitedly shows off a longhorn stuffed animal to her boyfriend, Dreu MacKenzie, after the pair were handed the prize by carnival worker Maloney Mitchell at the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair on Friday. LEFT: Vaccaro is hit in the face by the horns of her longhorn stuffed animal as MacKenzie tries to fasten the harness of a ride at the fair on Friday.

If you ask incumbent District Attorney Hillar Moore or challenging attorney Ryan Thompson, the safety of all of East Baton Rouge Parish rests on who wins the Moore district attorney’s race on Nov. 3. Moore has repeatedly said he is running against his own record, but he also said there will be consequences if he fails to secure anThompson other term and the seat goes to “someone who clearly does not like police (and) has no experience whatsoever.” “I believe that were he to be

ä See ATTORNEY, page 2B

2B n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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Women’s groups join together for early voting event 32 organizations encourage civic engagement

BY MACI WILEY

Louisiana State University As midterm elections approach, 32 women-led organizations joined together for a Women’s Early Vote event that brought hundreds of voters to Baton Rouge City Hall on Friday to cast their ballots and encourage civic engagement. Event organizer Myra Richardson, 27, received planning help from 100 Black Women and the Power Coalition. They brought together a variety of women’s organizations, including Collegiate 100 at Southern University, the YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge, the Urban League of Louisiana and several sorority chapters. Following a group photo, the women rushed to the polls to demonstrate their advocacy and political engagement. “Seeing so many women who want to collectively come together to increase voter turnout, to collaborate, to put egos to the side and to put our city up, I think is just admirable,” Richardson said. “I’m just grateful every woman and civic leader is coming together to do this.” Richardson and the other organizers invited food trucks, jazz music and set up games at the event to

PHOTO BY MACI WILEY

Women with the Power Coalition rally at Baton Rouge City Hall Friday for a ‘Women Early Vote’ event put together by 32 women-led organizations. Hundreds of women showed up to vote early. create a festival-like atmosphere. Many organizations saw this as a chance to uplift and ensure everyone involved focused on the community. Participants said they were making sure their voices are heard. The midterm elections are significant as Republicans and Democrats wrestle for control of Congress. But organizers emphasized that the event was nonpartisan and aimed to encourage all women to vote. “At the end of the day, encouraging people to vote is not about encouraging who they should vote for,” said Mia Myers-Ray, a mem-

SCHOOL BOARD

Water drips from the bottom of a flower pot as employee Cindy Adair waters a plant at Clegg’s Nursery on Friday.

Continued from page 1B

STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

PLANTS

Continued from page 1B

ceptible to drought. “Temperatures are going down, but it still gets hot in the middle of the day,” said Blanchard, coordinator of plant trials at the research station. The weather’s improved for vegetable gardening, as well. “Cool-season vegetables prefer the hot days but prefer cooler nights,” said Christine Coker, LSU AgCenter’s state vegetable coordinator. It’s a good time to plant broccoli, cauliﬂower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, beets and leafy greens like collard, mustard greens, lettuce and spinach, she said. Meagan Williams, with the National Weather Service, said an atmospheric ridge of high pressure has been keeping the rain away. “It lowers the humidity and prevents the rain from forming,” she said. “We’re hoping the ridge will start to break down after Tuesday, toward the end of next week,” Williams said.

“Water in the early morning or early evening, not in the hottest part of the day,” Naylor said. That way, the plants won’t lose as much moisture. “We are still mighty warm,” he said. Naylor said young plants are vulnerable when they’re ﬁrst put in the ground — it takes 36 to 48 hours for the ﬁne root hairs to regenerate, he said. Root stimulator products help speed the process, he added. Gardeners with shady spots in their yard can plant shade-loving perennials like ginger, spider plant, inland sea oats and “tractor seat plants” (Farfugium japonicum), said Caroline Blanchard of the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station. “Shade is great,” she said. “When there’s shade, plants don’t need as much water.” But she said it’s still important to water them adequately, because Email Ellyn Couvillion at even shade-loving plants are sus- ecouvillion@theadvocate.com.

ATTORNEY

Continued from page 1B elected, which I don’t foresee, that he would have very few employees left at this office that would be here,” Moore said. “I think that you would see a complete lack of cooperation between law enforcement and him due to multiple statements he’s made or actions that he’s taken.” Thompson, a defense attorney and civil rights litigator, announced his candidacy against Moore in October 2025, becoming the first person to challenge the incumbent since he took office in 2008. He said another six years with Moore as district attorney would keep the parish on a path of high violent crime. “Our parish is going to stay on the trajectory of not being safe. We are still on the trajectory of having almost another 100 homicides for the year,” Thompson said. He cited the recent homicide of 92-year-old Larry Salisbury, whose 45-year-old son Bruce Salisbury is accused of beating him to death. The younger Salisbury had a protective order issued earlier this summer that kept him from interacting with his father. Bruce Salisbury had an extensive record of violating previous protective or-

ber of Collegiate 100’s special programs committee. “Everybody can vote for whoever they want.” The coordinators used word-ofmouth to bring the organizations together. Denaje Piper, president of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, learned about the event at the hair salon she and Richardson both visit. From there, she reached out to Greek-letter organizations, and the event blossomed. They then formed a group text thread for all the organizations and texted frequently. “We can’t do this work alone,”

ders separating him from his exwife, according to court records. But the race has largely cooled since earlier this year, when Moore and Thompson released ads targeting each other’s records. Most of those claims involved the release of violent offenders, either clients Thompson had defended or cases prosecuted by Moore’s office that resulted in sentences Thompson argued were light. In recent weeks, both candidates have returned to touting their own work history and their ties to the parish community. Moore recently released videos on his campaign social media accounts with testimonials from victims of violent crimes or their families. In one clip, Angela Gabriel says she was shot nine times by her significant other in 2017, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. “Hillar Moore stepped in and made sure justice was served for me,” Gabriel says. Thompson’s social media pages have returned to showcasing his door-knocking campaign, which he said shows his grassroots challenge to Moore’s long-unopposed span as district attorney. In conversations with voters, Thompson stresses that he is running to target violent crime more effectively than Moore’s office has. “Are you aware we’ve had 1,800 homicides over the last 18 years?”

winnable for nonconservatives, as in the 2022 election of Katie Kennison, a Democrat. Soulé, a family ministries director at Grace Life Fellowship, is a mom with three children in school. “I am for families and for students and teachers,” Soulé said. “I want East Baton Rouge Parish to have the best schools in the country.” Altazin, a longtime Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts PTO board officer, also has three children in the school system. “Any of the decisions made are ones I will feel — I will feel the same brunt they will,” Altazin said. “I’ve been doing this work for a long time.” The election is Nov. 3, with early voting ending Oct. 27.

Top priorities Soulé is running on a campaign that focuses on having safe schools and retaining strong teachers. As a school board member, she led the district to strengthen campus security by implementing a more rigorous check-in process that screens all adult visitors through a sex offender database. Soulé said that, regarding academics, they need to pilot new classroom techniques, like how Capitol High has two teachers in some classrooms. “We need to have safe, wellmaintained facilities,” she said. “We need to be making sure we are offering a good product.” Altazin wants communities united in “bringing the conversation back to the community” and

Piper said. “This is not for one person. We are greater together, because we can collectively support each other ﬁnancially. This is an opportunity for all of us to shine and show the whole nation that everyone is working together to push the agenda.” They were able to bring organizations that shared differences in both age and demographics. But they said these differences made the event special. Although only a few collegiate organizations participated, the event created an opportunity for younger women to get involved in civic engagement. Myers-Ray of Collegiate 100 said she believes her generation could improve on voting, not just for women but also for men. She went around asking, “Why don’t you guys like to vote?” She said many believed it wasn’t worth their time. “A lot of the time, what I’ve heard is that there are people who vote and they continue to live in the same circumstances for their whole lives,” Myers-Ray said. “I understand why it could be discouraging; my thing is you’ll never be able to see change if you don’t even try.” Throughout the event, both young women and men were seen voting. Some were inﬂuenced by their parents’ participation in the event, and others just wanted to contribute to the change they wanted. Organizer Richardson said she

to hold listening sessions with families and stakeholders across the district. Altazin also wants to address transportation issues. She spearheaded the creation of a “community bus stop” off Bluebonnet Boulevard and would like to implement more across the parish. At a community bus stop, multiple parents drop their students at a single location, where the bus picks them up and drops them off after school. “We deﬁnitely have a bus driver shortage right now — but it wasn’t something we weren’t warned about,” Altazin said. “We need to push to pay them the right rate and make their jobs easier.”

School choice The city of St. George is in the early stages of its plan to create a partnership with charter operators to expand school choice in the area, with the mayor saying he hopes to have a new charter school in the city opening in August 2028. Soulé is a strong proponent of parents having a voice in their children’s education and school choice. She said having multiple options for schools ultimately helps families. “I am for good schools, however they get here,” Soulé said. “I want families to have the best option possible.” Altazin said she is not against school choice but is critical of how some private or corporate charter schools are funded. Some of Altazin’s campaign ads have called out the donations, including one from an out-of-state billionaire, connected to charter school-friendly nonproﬁt the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students. “I don’t have a problem with

Thompson is shown asking one during the hearing. Thompson said he was communiwoman on her doorstep in a video. “Hundreds still unsolved. Families cating with his co-counsel through still waiting for answers,” the cap- texts. He believes Moore’s stated reation states. sons for refusing to meet publicly Late finance reports, no debates are disingenuous and “distractions.” “I think it shows that he’s not In September, the Louisiana Board of Ethics issued Thompson a $2,500 willing to engage with the commufine for failing to submit a campaign nity, with the voters, and we can finance report due at the start of the talk about the real issues for peoAug. 5 qualifying window. ple to make an educated decision He called the missing report an about who our next district attoroversight and submitted it after ney is going to be,” Thompson said. the fine was issued. Moore said the failure to submit Hate crime case photos the report on time showed ThompEarlier in October, Moore reson was unprofessional and unpre- leased a statement addressing a pared to become district attorney. photograph he took with attendees In comments to a local news sta- at a Stars and Stripes Gala hosted tion, Moore said it was also one by the East Baton Rouge Republireason he has declined to attend can Women. any candidate forums alongside The individuals in the photo are Thompson. connected with an ongoing hate “I don’t think I need to debate crimes case involving a 13-yearsomeone that can’t follow the rules old from Central who is accused and chose not to,” Moore said. of wearing Ku Klux Klan robes, While Thompson’s reports have carving swastikas into victims’ since been filed, Moore has said vehicles and painting racial slurs other instances of Thompson’s on a home. lack of professionalism have conIn Moore’s statement, he says vinced him to avoid appearances he had never met those individualongside his opponent. als before and did not know their Moore cited comments federal connection to the case before the Judge Shelley Dick made to Thomp- photo was taken. “My Office has not offered a plea son during a September trial. According to a transcript, Dick deal in this case, and we are prosscolded Thompson for entering ecuting it to the fullest extent of and exiting the courtroom and the law,” Moore’s statement read. implied he was taking phone calls “While I do not discuss the details

hoped to raise the percentage of voter turnout from what it had been in past elections. But she said she believes many potential voters don’t think their votes matter and others don’t educate themselves enough to make an informed decision. “I think those barriers are placed by the things in between your ears,” Piper said. “So I think we get in our own way.” Piper said hosting information sessions and events that educate people and encourage them to vote can help. “The more educated our community is, the more likely they are to engage in conversation,” Piper said. “If they don’t understand it or don’t know what to talk about, they’re going to hide in a corner.” Attendees said they appreciated the intention behind the event and can’t wait to see what comes next. “I appreciated the effort, and I really enjoyed being here,” said Kawana Huggins, a member of the Rose Hill Church. “My church invited the ladies out, and we came out and it was a wonderful event. I really enjoyed myself.”

This story was reported and written by a student with the support of the nonproﬁt Louisiana Collegiate News Collective, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations.

choice,” she said. “I do have a problem when that choice is leaving our most vulnerable kids behind.” Altazin is also one of the cofounders of PULSE, a local group that led the opposition to the proposed St. George school district. Voters both statewide and in East Baton Rouge Parish rejected an amendment in May to form a new public school district in St. George. The school district was part of St. George supporters’ yearslong push for incorporation, which culminated in a 2019 vote and a protracted legal battle ending with a 2024 Louisiana Supreme Court decision that launched the city. “I pushed back against the breakaway school system. I fought for our whole school system,” Altazin said.

Cole future Another issue the school board members will have to address is the future of Superintendent LaMont Cole. Cole was indicted in August on multiple public corruption charges arising from his previous job as an elected member of the Metro Council. Cole’s four-year contract expires June 30, 2028, giving him 18 months left once the new board takes ofﬁce in January. “I am letting the courts work their process, and when the school board needs to make a decision, it will,” said Soulé, who has worked with Cole on the school board. Altazin responded similarly to Cole’s charges. “It’s not my job to litigate — I have no further comment,” Altazin said. Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@theadvocate. com.

of pending prosecutions, no photograph, political affiliation, or personal relationship has ever influenced or will ever influence how my Office handles this or any case.” Thompson and Moore have already sparred publicly over the case, in part because Thompson is representing the victim in a civil case against the 13-year-old’s parents. At a news conference held at the victim’s house in June, Thompson called on Moore’s office to bring harsher charges. In turn, Moore said in a release that one “participant at a press conference” was using the case to “advance a political campaign.” Thompson declined to comment on the photos, citing the ongoing civil case. Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.

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Ethel United Methodist Church, 5113 Highway 19, Ethel at 1:00pm.

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First Pentecostal Church of Wakefield, 10719 Brown Drive, Saint Francisville at 11:00am.

Obituaries Chaney, Willie 'Don'

Willie Don Chaney died October 15 at Lane Regional MC In Zachary, LA. He was 100 years old. Services will be held October 30 at Clinton United Methodist Church with visitation beginning at 9 AM followed by religious service at 10 AM and burial in Rosehill Cemetery. Charlet Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Don was born on Sept. 8, 1926 in Clinton, LA. He was a WWII veteran and graduate of Southeastern Louisiana College. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lee Brown and Nina Roddy Chaney; his brothers Cecil, Kenneth, Clyde and Roy Chaney; his wife of 69 years, Sarah Phares Chaney and one grandson. He is survived by his children, Bill (Barbara Dunaway) of Shreveport, LA, Nancye Roussel of Destin FL, Susan Chaney, and Patrick Chaney (Linda Barrilleaux) both of Clinton, LA; 6 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. In 1951, Don and Sarah moved to Baton Rouge, LA where Don took a position in sales with Graybar Electric Company. He remained with the company for his entire career and raised his family in Baton Rouge. Upon retirement in 1982, he moved back to Clinton to the home Sarah had inherited. Don always enjoyed being outdoors and spent his time tending a small herd of cattle, gardening and maintaining the property surrounding his home. One of his favorite pastimes was riding his tractor and lawn tractor around the property. He was a lifelong fan of LSU sports especially football, holding football season tickets for over 60 years and seldom missing a home game. He and Sarah also enjoyed hitting the open road in their motor home. They travelled extensively across the US but a favorite destination was Omaha, NE for the College World Series. Don will be remembered as a kind and patient father, a loving husband, and someone who was always ready to lend a helping hand to family, friends and neighbors. His ready smile and firm handshake will be missed by all who knew him. Share memories at www.CharletFuneralHome. com.

Cockerham, Dorothy Marie

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." — Psalm 73:26. Dorothy Marie Cockerham, age 98, a native of New Roads, Louisiana, and a resident of Central, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 18, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Born on July 5, 1928, Dorothy was the daughter of the late Joseph Phillips and Rema Bonaventure Phillips. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Dorothy dedicated her life to caring for her family and creating a home filled with love, warmth, and cherished memories. Her unwavering faith, gentle spirit, and devotion to those she loved will remain a lasting legacy for generations to come. Dorothy is survived by her loving daughter, Brenda Felps and her husband, Irwin L. Felps, Jr.; her grandchildren, Amy Stevens and her husband, Gene, Christopher Felps, Keith Cockerham, and Raymie Cockerham; her great-grandchildren, Brody, Baylor, and Bristol Stevens, Brelee, Cambrie, and Harrison Felps; and her brother, Auburn Phillips. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ray Cockerham; her son, Raymond Cocker-

ham; her parents, Joseph and Rema Phillips; her sisters, Rita Mae, Eve, and Bessie; and her brothers, Roy, Clarence, and Adam. A graveside service will be held at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70815, on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., officiated by Reverend Amy Castro of Blackwater United Methodist Church. Serving as pallbearers will be Irwin Felps, Christopher Felps, Gene Stevens, Brody Stevens, and Harrison Felps. Honorary pallbearer will be Auburn Phillips. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Claiborne family and the compassionate staff of Hospice Specialists of Louisiana for the exceptional care, kindness, and support shown to Dorothy and her family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Dorothy's memory. Dorothy's life was a beautiful reflection of faith, love, and devotion to family. Though she will be deeply missed, her memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who were blessed to know and love her.

Comeaux, Barbara Bradford 'Barcel'

Barbara "Barcel" Bradford Comeaux, a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at the age of 79. She was a retired bus driver for Iberville Parish, resident and native of Plaquemine, LA. Visitation will be held at Wilbert Funeral Home, Plaquemine on Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 5 to 9pm and at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Plaquemine on Monday, October 26, 2026, from 9am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11am, celebrated by Father Martin Lawrence. Interment will follow at Grace Memorial Park, Plaquemine. Barcel is survived by her husband, Verner "Bee" Comeaux; children, Angela "Angie" Henson and husband Brady, John "Brad" Drinkwater and wife Fran, Christopher Williams and wife Danielle, Shannon Brown and husband Jim, and Shelley Whitfill and husband Ben; grandchildren, Leighanne Guidry and husband Jason, Brady Henson, Jr. and wife Danielle, Blanche Rinaudo and husband Dylan, Jude Drinkwater, Riley, Cade, and Makayla Whitfill, Ashlyn and Blake Brown; eight great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; four sisters; three brothers; numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her husband, Billy Williams; and parents, Milton and Betty Marionneaux Bradford. Pallbearers will be Jude Drinkwater, Cade Whitfill, Blake Brown, Jacob Barbier, Milton "Bro" Bradford, Jr, and Jonathan Bradford. Honorary pallbearer will be Steve Bradford. Barcel could be found on the dance floor twirling to swamp pop and was an avid football fan especially Plaquemine High and LSU. She will be remembered for flying down the Bayou Road on her big yellow bus and arriving at family gatherings with her bowl of ambrosia having kisses and hugs for everyone including Santa. Family gatherings were an anticipated event for Barcel and became a family tradition that brough plenty laughter, mischief, fusses and fun. Barcel will mostly be remembered for her kindness and presence that touched the lives of many. Special thanks to Comfort Care Hospice especially Tiffany, Monica, Leslie, Annette and her sitter Analisia for their loving care and compassion. Memorial donations may be made to The ALS Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please share memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

Cope, Owen Trevorton

Owen Trevorton Cope was born on October 14, 1947, to Rosalie Scarlett and Cyril Cope in the city of Kingston, Jamaica, W.I. Owen attended the allmale Kingston College Secondary High School, where he began his love for singing, eventually becoming a member of the world renown Kingston College Chapel Choir. In 1968 after high school, he traveled to the United States to attend Chicago's Technical College and obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1972 Owen returned to Jamaica and worked for Jamaica Public Service (JPS) as a Construction Engineer for four years. Returning to the United States in 1976 he went to work for Gulf States Utilities (GSU) in New Orleans, Louisiana. GSU became the Entergy Corporation where Owen worked in numerous capacities until he retired in 2013. Owen will sadly be missed and is survived by his wife Gale Potts Cope, brother Wentworth Copes (Chris) of Kingston, Jamaica, his Children: Owen Cope Jr, Laura "Kim" Cope (Roscoe Gist), Dr.Jude J. Cope, Christopher J. Cope, Christina C. Cope (Matthew Vidacovich) 5, grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, 4 Stepchildren: Damien Potts, Aurelia Roque, Sarah Catherine Roque, John Paul Roque (Ashley), 5 Step Grandchildren and a host of relatives, friends and associates. We the family wish to give special thanks to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Landmark of Baton Rouge and Hall Davis & Son's for the prayers, care and services. A viewing (wake) will be held from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on 2026-10-31 at St. Luke, 8833 Goodwood Blvd. A mass of christian burial will be held from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM on 2026-1031 at St. Luke, 8833 Goodwood Blvd.

Currier, Katherine Diet 'Kay'

Katherine, "Kay" Diet Currier died peacefully in her sleep on October 19, 2026, 5 days shy of her 99th birthday. She was born in New Orleans on October 24, 1927, to Emma Chedville Diet and Ernest Jules Diet and was the beloved baby sister to Ernest Jules Diet, Jr and Beatrice Diet Eversmyer. Kay grew up on Carolton Ave, went to local schools in New Orleans and LSU Music School in Baton Rouge, where she was studying to become an opera singer. She worked briefly as a fashion model. Her university career was cut short by a medical misdiagnosis; however, it was shortly after her return to New Orleans that she met her future husband, the young medical student, Mortimer Currier. They were married at Mater Dolorosa Church and were happily married for 69 years. After Mortimer's service as a Naval Medical Officer during the Korean War, stationed in San Diego, they settled in Plaquemine, Louisiana where Mortimer established a private medical practice. Kay was reluctant to leave New Orleans; however, she thrived in Plaquemine with her many close friends, five boisterous children and civic, creative and social activities. She was a founding member of the Plaquemine Service League and Plaquemine Garden Club. She held every office in the 5th District Medical Auxiliary. She was a member of Les Etudiants study club and the Krewe de Roi in Plaquemine. She was of cheerful disposition, a smart dresser, an avid reader, ace bargain hunter and an antique dealer (for a short period). Kay did intricate needlepoint and beautiful jewelry. Together, Katherine and Mortimer were active in St John the Evangelist Church

in Plaquemine, St Joseph's Cathedral in Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Country Club and regular attendees of Classical music concerts. They travelled widely and were devoted to their grandchildren and many friends. After Mortimer's death in 2017, Katherine's spirits were dimmed, but her face still naturally fell into a smile. She will be missed. She is predeceased by her sons John and Bradford and survived by her children, Mark (Jenise), Douglas (Ann), Lionel (Dana) and Elizabeth; daughter-in-law, Sandy; 9 grandchildren; 4 stepgrandchildren; 3 greatgrandchildren and 7 stepgreat-grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, October 29 at Mater Dolorosa Church, 1230 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, with visitation from 10am until the mass at 11am. Burial will follow at Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans. In lieu of flowers please donate to her favorite charity, The Smile Train.

Fontaine, James H.

James H. Fontaine A loving husband, father and grandfather, he died peacefully at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 21, 2026. He was 74 and a native and life-long resident of New Roads. Visitation at St. Mary's Catholic Church Parish Hall, New Roads, on Monday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at the church at 12 p.m., conducted by the Rev. Miles Walsh, followed by Interment at False River Memorial Park. Jimmy is survived by his wife, Faye Gauthier Fontaine, his two children, Emily A. Fontaine and James H. Fontaine, Jr. and wife Jennifer; his grandchildren, Jules, Piper and Charles Sarullo and James Fontaine III; his sisters Mary Ann Fontaine and Estelle F. Cifreo and husband Brian; his brothers Hewitt J. Fontaine Jr. and wife Patsy, Rodney G. Fontaine and

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ 3B

wife Betty, and Joseph W. Fontaine; 12 nephews, 9 nieces and many beloved great-nieces and greatnephews. We thank our lifelong family friend, Alvina Maya, whose companionship and compassion will always be remembered. Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents Hewitt J. Fontaine Sr. and Pauline Moreau Fontaine. Pallbearers will be Matt Scott, Hall Fontaine, Rodney Fontaine Jr., John Cifreo, Lawrence Thevenot, Adam Gauthier and Ryan Landry. Jimmy served for many years on the Board of Directors for the Bank of New Roads and the Advisory Board of Regions Bank. He continued his father's legacy in the retail lumber business, later pursuing his passions for farming and raising cattle. Jimmy was a devoted parishioner of St. Mary's of False River, serving as a Senior Acolyte of the Guild of St. Stephen. He was a constant source of support and guidance to his family, friends and loved ones. The family would like to express a special thank you to the medical staff of Pointe Coupee General and Pointe Coupee Homebound Health and Hospice for their love and compassionate care of our dear Jimmy. His family would also like to extend heartfelt gratitude to his wonderful friends and for everyone's prayers, kind thoughts and support during his illness. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Mary's of False River Catholic Church, New Roads or Pointe Coupee Health Services Foundation.

Fonte, Leah Victoria

Leah Victoria Fonte was born March 1, 2005, in Metairie, LA and passed away on October 18, 2026, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Leah lived a life that shined with love, intelligence, and selflessness. She is the beloved daughter of Jennifer Kraus Fonte and Robert Paul Fonte, the cherished sister of Anthony Fonte, Harry Fonte, and Carter Goerges, and the devoted fiancée and high school sweetheart of the late Shane Hirstius. She was deeply loved by her grandparents, Donna Mariano Pettus, the late Anthony Kraus, Kathryne Fonte, and Richard Fonte; her step grandfather, Joseph Pettus; aunts and uncles: Joseph Pettus, Jr. (Holly), James Pettus (Kristen), Stephanie Castillo (Desiree), and James Fonte; and many cousins: Bryson Newman, Hailynne Pettus, Brody and Aubrey Pettus, Elijah, Ezra, and Emily Castillo, and Alexis, Alyssa, and Joe Fonte. Leah was the kind of person who made excellence look effortless, but those who knew her understood that her success came from discipline, heart, and an unwavering commitment to doing her very best. She graduated from Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

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How to place a Memorial Ad An “In Memory Of” ad, is a way to pay tribute to your loved one. This remembrance is often printed on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. The deadline is two days prior to the day you want your ad to appear. TO PLACE A MEMORIAL AD GO TO: obituaries.theadvocate.com, click submit an obituary and select create a memoriam.

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in 2023 as a straight A student, and she did so while taking on leadership roles that reflected her character and her drive. She served as a Freshman Academy Mentor and on Student Council, was a member of HOSA, Mu Alpha Theta, and the National Honor Society, and was the co-captain for the Owlettes Dance Team. She also graduated as a Certified Medical Assistant with an internship with Dr. Michael Wiedemann, proving that she was already building a future centered on service, skill, and compassion. Leah carried that same spirit into Louisiana State University, where she continued to rise with purpose and grace. She was a straight A senior and was graduating as a member of Mu Alpha Theta once again, a testament to her consistency and her love of learning. She was a member of the Pre-Dental Society and the Global Dental Brigades Club, where she was elected Fundraiser Chairman for the LSU Dental Brigade. Her leadership was not loud for the sake of attention. It was powerful because it was rooted in action. She went to Panama last year to help bring free dental care and supplies to underserved communities, and in doing so, she showed the world exactly who she was. Leah's life was a message to everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. She reminded others that greatness is not measured only by grades, titles, or accomplishments, but by the way a person loves, serves, and uplifts those around them. Her family and friends will remember her beautiful smile, her steady determination, and the light she brought into every room. They will remember a daughter who made them proud, a sister who brought joy and connection, a granddaughter who was treasured, and a fiancée whose love was genuine and enduring. They will remember a young woman who had already accomplished so much and who still had so much more to give. Though her time here was far too short, the impact of her life will continue to echo through the people she loved and the lives she touched. A memorial service to honor Leah and Shane will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 6400 Airline Drive Metairie, LA 70003. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am with a Memorial Service starting at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please honor Leah's passion with donations to the LSU Global Dental Brigades at https://my.globalbrigades. org/university/louisianastate-university/dental/ donate. Online condolences may be offered at www.garden ofmemoriesmetairie.com.

Garbo, Jim

ing his retirement, he continued teaching for another 10 years at The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A true educator, Jim positively influenced generations of students and continued tutoring for many years after his formal teaching career ended. Jim was a devoted patriot who deeply loved his country and felt called to serve and protect it. His military service began in the Naval Air Force aboard the USS Intrepid in the Mediterranean, where he served for two years. He later served as an Army reservist, completing 20 years of military service. During Operation Desert Storm, he served as a sergeant first class (SFC) and was awarded the Bronze Star. Jim was a member of Christ Covenant Church, where his faith continued to grow through the strong teaching of God's Word. His faith was central to his life and the way he treated others. Jim will be deeply missed by his family and all who knew him. He will be remembered as a humble man, an eternal optimist, and a person whose gentle manner reflected his love for the Lord, his family, his country, and his community. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tony and Mary Ann Garbo; his brothers, Sam and Gathan, and their spouses; and the mother of his children, Connie Garbo. He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Diane Reynolds Garbo; his two children, James Robert Garbo (Grace) of DeRidder, Louisiana and Kara Garbo Feringa (Peter) of Covington, Louisiana; and five adult grandchildren: Brett Feringa, Ellen Feringa, Megan Feringa (Ian Mitchelmore), Jonathan Garbo (Samantha) and Gannon Garbo. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Christ Covenant Church, 1700 Lee Drive in Baton Rouge. A Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers who provided Jim with exceptional care, love, and compassion in his home. Special thanks go to Karla Thompson for organizing a wonderful team of caregivers: Marlon, Hollis, Myra, Nikki, and Chevelle, who were Jim's "gems," and to whom his family will always be grateful for the love shown to him. Deepest gratitude is also extended to the many prayer warriors across the country and in Uganda who faithfully interceded on Jim's behalf. Those prayers were heard and answered. The power of prayer and the love of this extraordinary community will remain in the hearts of Jim's family forever. For those so desiring, memorials in honor of Jim Garbo may be made out to Tunnel to Towers, Christ Covenant Church, Hospice of Baton Rouge, or a charity of one's choice. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbaton rouge.com

Harris, Beverly Knighten

Jim Garbo entered his heavenly home on October 21, 2026, following a brief stay in the Butterfly Wing of Hospice of Baton Rouge. He passed away from Alzheimer's disease with his loving wife, Diane, by his side, just two months shy of his 92nd birthday. He was born on December 19, 1934, in Laurel, Mississippi. Jim grew up in Laurel, Mississippi, where his athletic abilities earned him a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). After playing center for one year, he transferred to Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, to be closer to home and continue playing football. He later played at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where his team won the university's first conference championship in 1957. A McNeese State University graduate, Jim earned his master's degree and over 30 additional graduate hours in secondary education and school administration. He devoted 30 years to education in Lake Charles, Louisiana, serving as a teacher, principal, and adjunct professor. Follow-

Beverly Knighten Harris was born on October 9, 1954, in Clinton, Louisiana, and entered into eternal rest on October 20, 2026, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She cherished time spent in fellowship, laughter, and conversation, and she understood the value of togetherness. Beverly Knighten Harris will be remembered as a woman who loved the Lord, loved her family, and lived her life with purpose and compassion. Her legacy is one of faith, devotion, and selfless love.

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Hirstius, Shane David

Shane David Hirstius, who lived with the spirit of service, laughter, and love, was born on June 22, 2005, in Metairie, Louisiana, and passed away on October 18, 2026, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is remembered with deep love by his parents, Steven Hirstius and Marjorie Marino Hirstius, and his siblings, Brittany Hirstius (Rashaud Joseph), Steven Hirstius Jr., and Sean Hirstius. He was the devoted fiancé and high school sweetheart of the late Leah Fonte, and their bond remains a cherished part of his story. He was also lovingly connected to his grandparents, the late Nicholas & Virginia Marino and Kirk & Leslie Hirstius, his great-grandparents, Darrell & Jeanne Long, as well as his aunts and uncle: the late Andrea Flowers (godmother), Mary Marino, and Nicholas V. Marino Jr.(godfather). He will be dearly missed by his cousins, Analeece and Leah Flowers, and Tyler, Ellie, and Nate Marino, and his nieces, Aubree and Aria, all of whom will carry his memory forward with pride and affection. Shane grew up in a community that helped shape his character, and he gave that community his very best in return. He graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School in 2023, where he made his mark not only in the classroom but also on the field. He played numerous sports through JPRD athletics, especially at Miley Playground, where his energy and determination stood out. As a pitcher for the Rummel baseball team, he showed discipline, focus, and heart. He later attended Delgado Community College and was a member of the Delgado baseball team, continuing to pursue excellence until he discovered an even greater calling in life. Shane was a dedicated public servant who answered the call for both Herbert Wallace Fire Company #1 and the Third District Volunteer Fire Department. He served proudly as a Firefighter/ Operator at both stations, and he carried out that responsibility with courage, humility, and commitment. He did not simply wear the title of firefighter. He lived the meaning of it. He showed up when others needed help, and he stood ready when duty called. Those who knew Shane will remember that he was funny, kind, and selfless. He had a way of bringing light into a room and strength into a difficult moment. He understood that life is not measured only by years, but by the impact we make, the people we lift up, and the love we leave behind. Shane lived with purpose and heart. He lived in a way that reminded others to be brave, to be generous, and to be fully present for the people and responsibilities placed in their path. A memorial service to honor Leah and Shane will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 6400 Airline Drive Metairie, LA 70003. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am with a Memorial Service starting at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation at https://www.firehero.org/ in honor of Shane and his passion for fire service. Online condolences may be offered at www.garden ofmemoriesmetairie.com.

peacefully with her family at Baton Rouge General Mid City on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the age of 88. She was a resident of Baton Rouge, former resident of Plaquemine and native of Bayou Blue, LA. A private family service will be held. Dixie is survived by her daughters, Liz Toomey and husband Michael, Kim Hebert and husband Tony, and Denise "Deesi" Kirkland; and grandchildren, Stephen and Katie Toomey, Emily Hebert Liptak and husband Matt, and Olivia Hebert. Preceded in death by her husband, Louis J. Kirkland; parents, Charles Edward "CE", Jr. and Katie Ruth Owens Hoffman; and siblings, Kay Frances Williams, Georgia Dell Hoffman, Charles Edward Hoffman, III, and Nancy Rae Matirne. Dixie enjoyed quilting, painting, baking and gardening. She also enjoyed camping, fishing and crabbing, especially in Grand Isle. Please share memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

Lemoine, Richard Lewis 'Dick'

Richard Lewis "Dick" Lemoine, 87, a native of Cottonport, La., and resident of Bunkie, La., passed away peacefully at his home on October 17, 2026 in the company of his family and friends. A funeral Mass celebrating Dick's life will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at noon at St. Mary's Assumption Catholic Church 808 Front Street, Cottonport, LA. Visitation will be observed from 10 a.m. until time of services. If you would like to view or sign the guestbook, please visit www.melanco nfunerals.com.

they both knew. Due to her kind and gentle personality you were a friend for life. The camp in Pierre Part many Sunday hosted lunches, crawfish boils, fish fries and family gath‐ erings. She will be deeply missed and remembered by all who knew her. She is survived by her daughter, Marlene (Danny) Cedotal of White Castle; son, Benny (Dana) Sanchez of Willow Springs, MO and David Sanchez of Marrero, LA; grandchildren, Danny Ce‐ dotal, Jr., Jayson, Gavin, Jared and Devin Sanchez; eighteen great-grandchil‐ two great-great dren; grandchildren; sister, Effie Landry; sister-in-law, Inez Leonard; stepson, Ronald (Odette) Leonard of Slidell, stepdaughter-in-law, LA; Leonard of Charlotte Chelsea, AL; step grand‐ children, Patrick Leonard, Alison Williams, Robert Leonard, Krissy Roberts, Teresa Winslow; along with a host of nieces and nephews. She was pre‐ ceded in death by her par‐ ents, Willie and Pauline Landry; her first husband, Riley Sanchez in 1959 and her second husband of 48 years, Elie Leonard; son, Charles Sanchez; grand‐ daughter, Jamie Cedotal Landry; sisters, Therese Theriot, Celine Vaughn, Lucy Mae Pipsair and Lou Anna Simoneaux; brothers, Ines, Willie, Aubrey and Hayward Landry. The pall‐ bearers will be Danny Ce‐ dotal, Jr., Jason Sanchez, Sanchez, Gavin Jared Sanchez, Max Williams, Jace Cedotal, Gage Landry and D.J. Roberts. A special thanks to her caregivers, Debra, Donna, Heather, Penny, Sheila and Yolanda for giving love and com‐ passionate care to our mother allowing her to stay in her home the past 5 years. Also, a special thanks to Dr. Scott Acosta, Dr. Robert Cummiskey III, Hospice of Compassus Metairie and her neighbors always there to help, Ken and Sandy Meynard. Also, a very special thanks to David for your devotion, dedication and care for our mom for the past 10 years. It was appreciated by her and us all. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, Octo‐ ber 27, 2026 from 9:00 am at Ourso Funeral Home until the Mass of Christian Burial at noon at St. Joseph Worker Catholic the Church in Pierre Part. Bur‐ ial to follow in the church cemetery. Father Al David‐ son will officiate.

Leonard, Bessie Landry Sanchez

Loy, Sherry Ann Norris

Bessie Landry Sanchez Leonard, a native of Pierre Part and a resident for 56 years of Marrero, born on July 6, 1931, passed away on October 23, 2026, at the age of 95. She was the 5th of 10 children. A loving and wife, mother, devoted grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbor and friend. Al‐ ways willing to help her family and others, we never had to ask twice if we needed her. Having an memory, she excellent could tell stories about growing up in the 30's and 40's. She was the person to go to if you needed family information or events from the past. Her hobby was buying at thrift stores ﬁnd‐ ing bargains to be given to others. Her cell phone was her way of keeping in touch with everyone, she called family and friends everyday sometimes twice a day! She never met a stranger, somehow during conversation she the would connect someone

children play sports and was a devoted LSU and Saints fan. She was also an active member of Gamblers Anonymous and worked with special needs babies, ages 1-3, at an Early Intervention Program, helping them during the most important stages in their life. Her affection extended to her dogs— both living and stuffed Battle Pups. Sherry is survived by her husband of 60 years, Roland Loy; children, Kenneth Loy (Kristi), Shawn Loy (Rhonda) and Melissa French (Jamison); sister, Lynn Zyla (Larry); brothers, Mack Norris (Nancy) and David Norris; grandchildren, Brennan Loy (Sarah), Phillip Loy, Hannah Loy, Gabriel French, Evan French and Nicholas Loy; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mack and Betty Norris, and her sister, Dorothy McClanahan. Visitation will be held at St. George Catholic Church on October 26, 2026, from 9:30 am until the time of the Funeral Mass at 11:00 am, officiated by Father Yi. Entombment will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers are Brennan Loy, Phillip Loy, Gabriel French, Evan French, Nicholas Loy, Shawn Loy, Kenneth Loy and Jamison French. The family extends special thanks to the nurses and staff at The Barclay House; especially: Peaches, DeeDee, Zara, Fadilla and Nurses Lanie, Dasha and Miss Judy. Memorial donations can be made to St. Geroge Catholic Church, Companion Animal Alliance or Way to Battle (Battle Pups).

Pitts-Ponder, Vanessa Lanette

Vanessa Lanette PittsPonder, 55, of Baton Rouge, LA, was born on August 21, 1971, and entered into eternal rest on October 19, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at United Christian Faith Ministries, 9229 N. Ridgewood Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70814. Visitation begins at 10:00 a.m., followed by the service at 11:00 a.m.

Sherry Ann Norris Loy passed away on October 18, 2026, at the age of 79. She was born in West Palm Beach, Florida and has been a longtime resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sherry found joy in the simple, lasting pleasures that bring people together. She loved traveling, bowling, playing cards, dominos, cooking big holiday meals and baking Christmas cookies. She enjoyed spending quality time with her family; especially her grandchildren, who affectionately called her "Rema". She treasured watching her children and grand-

Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Davis & Sons Funeral Services, 9348 Scenic Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70807.

Seruntine, John Sidney 'Sid'

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of

Kirkland, Dixie Lee Hoffman

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our vibrant Sid, age 78, of New Orleans, Louisiana who passed away peacefully on October 20th, 2026, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sid was a beloved husband, devoted father and stepfather, animated grandfather, dynamic friend, and magnetic spirit whose life was marked by kindness, positivity, generosity, devotion to family, goodness, and other meaningful qualities. He will be remembered for his exuberant personality, the passions he loved, and all those he embraced that made him special. Born on September 10th,1948 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Sid spent his early life playing basketball, running track, and coming of age as an adventurous youth in Gentilly. He secured lifetime friends from middle school and his high school John McDonough. This group would eventually become known as the "Liuzza's Lunch Bunch." Sid became known for the decades he spent dedicated to multiple positions and eventually retiring as Operations Manager at Pat O'Brien's. Later he would open a photography business where he would capture wildlife, New Orleans culture, and family and friends. He'd spend time volunteering for the Swollfest Fishing Rodeo and working with the Benjamin Collection. He found his strength and resiliency representing the American Diabetes Association completing marathons around the world. In 2013, ADA awarded him with "Father of the Year." Above all, Sid treasured his family. He is survived by his beloved wife Sandy, his children Stacey, whom Sandy and Shirley Hardaman, Stacey's mother, lovingly raised together, and step-son Nicholas Rauber, daughter-in-law Samantha, his grandchildren, Holden and Wren, and surviving sister Bethany (Ronald) Cooper and brother Donald Seruntine, as well as a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Alga Agatha Gross and William Lester Seruntine. His family and friends will forever cherish the memories of his dancing, immediate willingness to help or fix anything, and his sporting of the backwards hat while dancing with his camera going full blast. Sid fought a long, devastating fight with Type 1 Diabetes and Dementia as Sandy remained his loyal caregiver and companion throughout it all. The family is especially thankful to the love and care provided by his friends at Bon Jour Social and Leisure Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, St. Joseph's Hospice, The Carpenter House, and all the loving neighbors-turnedfamily of Pecan Drive. His love and influence will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew him. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 21st, 2026 at 12pm at Pat O'Brien's. In lieu of flowers, the

family requests that you grace someone an act of kindness and a dance in Sid's name. Though he will be deeply missed, the love he gave and the memories he leaves behind will remain with us always.

Terrell, Kenneth Michael 'KT'

Totty, Gordon

Sheehan, Frank Edward

Frank Edward Sheehan, 85, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri from Parkinson's disease. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he graduated Alcee Fortier in 1959 later serving in the Army National Guard, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma during the Berlin Crisis. Frank married Karen Hartel, his wife of 63 years and enjoyed a 40-year career in the bearing industry before retiring to Pelican Point, Louisiana. He is survived by Karen, children: Kevin E. (Melanie), Timothy F., and Kerry S. Knott (Dean), nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A Funeral Mass was celebrated with a gathering after. Burial in Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans.

Soileau, Kenneth Roy 'Soileau'

A private celebration of life was held for Kenneth Roy Soileau, 73, in Baton Rouge, LA. Ken passed away peacefully Sunday, September 20th, 2026, after a day surrounded by his family. Soileau, as he was commonly known, was a graduate of LSU's electrical engineering program, was well known in the construction community having worked for many major contractors travelling the world using his passion for troubleshooting and testing electrical systems. Funny, smart, sweet, sarcastic, and kind to all he cared about; he was most proud of his daughters and grandchildren. His memory will live on through his family, as he is survived by his wife Gayle, and two daughters Christine Soileau, and Dominique and Blake Smith; three grandchildren Alyse Mahler, Austin Smith, and Elizabeth Smith; and one brother Caroll Soileau and Mary McDaniel. Ken is preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Exina Soileau; three brothers, Byron Soileau, James B. Soileau and Ronald L. Soileau; and two sisters Ellarene S. Kilgore and Emma D. Fontenot In lieu of flowers or other considerations, please donate to The ALS Association, specifically the Our Lady of The Lake's ALS Clinic.

Kenneth Michael "KT" Terrell, 87, passed away on Monday, October 19, 2026, in Wesson, Mississippi. Born in Baton Rouge, LA, he was the son of Beverly Joseph Terrell, Sr., and Theresa Marie Brignac Terrell. Kenneth was a proud veteran of the United States Army and a retired business owner who specialized in industrial sandblasting and painting. He owned and operated Terrell Coatings and enjoyed spending his leisure time deer hunting and fishing. He is survived by his daughters, Penny Terrell Perkins (Tommy) and Dawn Terrell; his sons, Shane Terrell and Quentin Williams (Veronica); his sister, Judy Terrell Lemoine; and his brother, Ronnie Terrell (Maggie). He also leaves behind eleven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, who will cherish his memory. He was preceded in death by his parents, Beverly "BJ" Terrell, Sr., and Theresa Brignac Terrell; his daughter, Robin Terrell; his granddaughter, Brittney Terrell; his sisters, Rose Furnish and Elaine Richardson; and his brother, Beverly "Buddy" Terrell. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East 11000 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70815. Followed by a 12:00 PM interment at Greenoaks Memorial Park 9595 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70815. Kenneth will be remembered by his family and loved ones for the memories they shared and the legacy he leaves behind.

Gordon Totty, 88, a Baton Rouge-area resident for nearly 40 years, passed away on Saturday, October 17,2026 at his home in Prairieville after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Gordon was born August 5, 1938, in Barnsley, England, a hard-working coal-mining town in Yorkshire, just before the outbreak of World War II. He remembered his family's backyard bomb shelter and victory garden, and watching the iron railings being cut from his house as scrap for the war effort. Smart and artistic, Gordon did well in school, though he occasionally got into trouble for drawing cartoons of the teachers. He went to night school to complete a chemistry degree, and by his early twenties was an industrial chemist at the Star Paper Mill in Barnsley. At 24, he worked up the courage to emigrate to America to seek a better life in the booming plastics industry. He settled in the small town of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and worked for Borden Chemical Company, which provided his children's schools with an endless supply of Elmer's Glue. When Borden left Massachusetts in 1987, Gordon accepted a transfer to Baton Rouge, which became his adopted home for the rest of his life. He lovingly embraced the local lingo, calling any win "lagniappe" and sizing up

road trips with "oh, that's about a two-beer drive," all delivered in an unplaceable Yorkshire-Bostonian accent. Along the way, Gordon pursued passion projects and side businesses that he seemed to enjoy more than his corporate day job. In the early days of the internet, he taught himself ecommerce and website design and founded CajunShop. com selling Louisiana foods and gifts online. He ran the business for twenty years, until his illness made it impossible to continue. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he was a "picker" of rare paper Americana and sold antiquarian books through a mail-order catalog. A talented sketch artist, he also tried his hand as a freelance cartoonist for national magazines. Gordon was funny and loved to make people laugh. Even as his memory began to fail, his mind was continually setting up jokes, even if he couldn't always reach the punchline. His brother Andrew reflected, "He took with him a dry sense of humor that was widespread in post-war Britain — if you can't fix it, you can at least poke fun at it." Calm, considered, and low-drama, Gordon was a natural leader and caretaker, with a soft spot for people who were struggling. This instinct extended to animals, too. Visitors were greeted joyfully by his many rescue dogs (if not by his decidedly less friendly cats). He was a Renaissance man with an adventurous streak: an avid photographer with a good eye, a whiz at science and math, an amateur historian of the American Revolution and Civil War, and he even spoke a little Russian. He enjoyed skydiving until his future mother-in-law made giving it up a condition of

the marriage. On a surprise birthday trip to Europe in 2008, at age 70, he fearlessly rode a Segway through the heart of Paris traffic, dodging buses alongside the young'uns. Gordon was preceded in death by his mother Nora Annie (Peel) Totty; Father Wilfred Totty; brother Alan; and former wife Diane (Kirkbride) Totty. He is survived by his half-brother Andrew Taylor; son Brian Totty and wife Shernaz Daver, of Los Altos, California; son Jeffrey Totty of Berkeley Lake, Georgia; step-grandsons Jai and Rohit, and granddaughter Carina; many nieces, nephews, and cousins in England. As of now no memorial service will be held at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in loving memory of Gordon. Your thoughtful contributions will help support Alzheimer's research ,care and the ongoing search for a cure. Website: www.alz.org

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

OUR VIEWS

New med school offers dose of positivity When we first heard that Xavier University of New Orleans and Ochsner Medical Center had joined forces to open a new medical school in Louisiana, we were ecstatic about the possibilities but knew it would take a lot of hard work to make it a reality. Now, four years later, we are beginning to see that hard work pay off. Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine is set to welcome its first class of around 50 students in 2027. Based in Benson Tower in the evolving Bio District in downtown New Orleans, XOCOM recently received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which allows it to recruit students. It can apply for full accreditation once it graduates its first class. The partnership between Ochsner and Xavier University, the only one of the historically Black colleges and universities in the nation that is also a Catholic institution, makes sense, as Xavier has long been known for graduating students in STEM fields. In fact, for several years running, it has been the number one college sending Black graduates to medical school. XOCOM is only the fifth historically Black medical institution. For Ochsner, a leading healthcare provider in the state, the medical school also offers benefits. While Ochsner trains more than 450 residents and fellows annually through its graduate medical education programs, XOCOM can be another draw for top-tier clinicians who also want to teach. With 60 of 64 parishes designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, there’s no doubt that Louisiana needs more physicians — especially ones who want to practice in underserved areas. And medical school graduates of color are more likely to return to their communities to make a difference. We’ve been impressed by how everyone involved in this project is looking to the future and trying to anticipate what XOCOM students will need to succeed and what they can offer the state. Dr. Leonardo Seoane, XOCOM’s founding dean, pointed out to this newspaper’s Marie Fazio that the classrooms have been designed to encourage collaboration and group discussion. Xavier President Reynold Verret shared that students will be trained to treat the whole person, combining technical knowledge with humanity. And Ochsner President and CEO Pete November expressed hope that the new medical school will “transform lives.” This vision of what a medical school can be is inspiring. We know it has taken much to make it to this point and are eager to see XOCOM progress to the next stage. To all those who have helped move this project along, you deserve a round of applause. While we can readily imagine XOCOM playing a positive role in our state long-term, the short-term prognosis has already given us much to cheer about.

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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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Troubles within Justice of the Peace system is evictions. State law allows JOPs, In most Louisiana communities, juswho are not required to have a law tices of the peace provide a low-cost license, to charge a filing fee to the legal avenue for small claims, marriages and other minor legal matters. plaintiffs, usually the landlords. When those JOPs then rule in favor But in some places, these part-time of the landlords — as several of them elected officials have found a way to do in an overwhelming majormake these cases extraordinarily profitable. ity of cases, sometimes after That’s the conclusion of an hearings that last a minute or in-depth investigation from less — that incentivizes the the American newsroom of landlords to file more evictions an English newspaper, The with those same justices of the Guardian. Reporters there dug peace. Because many leases Faimon allow these costs to be passed deep into data on Louisiana’s Roberts onto renters, that falls on the 390 justices of the peace, and uncovered some alarming renters, too. facts that should prompt seriThis system means that justices of the peace can benefit fious review, and reform, from the Legislature. nancially from ruling in favor of the Chief among the investigation’s find- landlords in eviction cases. That’s a classic conflict of interest. ings is that there are five justices of In some courts, this isn’t even really the peace around the state who, for at least one year from 2023-2025, earned a secret. The clerk of one Jefferson Parish JOP reportedly told an attormore than $220,000 in salary just from their justice of the peace work. ney that the court was “a for-profit One, Harahan-based Chuck Cusimano court,” according to The Guardian, II, earned more than $400,000 — a though the justice denied any knowlhigher yearly salary than Chief Jusedge or endorsement of that comtice John Roberts of the United States ment. Supreme Court. In fact, that justice Other states have reformed their has earned more than Roberts in six justice courts to avoid similar issues. of the last 10 years, The Guardian Mississippi, for instance, changed reported. its system after a 1981 federal court For the high-earners, the cash cow found its similar fee system was a

“malignancy weakening the administration of justice.” Only a handful of states allow justices of the peace to hear eviction cases, according to a Guardian review of state law, and only in Louisiana are the justices allowed to collect income from court fees they charge. On the ﬂip side, The Guardian’s analysis shows that a vast majority of JOPs are not abusing the system. But the ones that are abusing it give the rest a bad name. More than that, their actions expose some critical structural weaknesses. Somehow I suspect that most legislators are not big readers of The Guardian. But in this case, they should be. And they should act. Removing the link between ﬁling fees and income is a common-sense move. And there should be greater oversight and a low-cost appeal option for those who believe they’ve been wronged in one of these courts. Tackling this issue is not glamorous work. But it’s important. After all, what does the legal system exist for other than to ensure that one citizen is not taking advantage of another? Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

Learning from leaders who made a difference It’s not every day you get to hear issues closer to home. from people who have changed the When I meet with community course of history. But there are many groups, I am struck by how much people in Louisiana who have contribwe have in common. All of us want safe communities, clean air uted to the betterment of our and water and better lives for state and nation who still walk future generations. The disamong us. In the Opinions section, we agreements come in how we hope to bring you their stories get there. And those disagreeand their wisdom when we can. ments are valid, but they don’t They have much to teach us, Arnessa mean we should lose sight of and many are still working to Garrett our goals. make a difference. When I talk to activists who Often we focus on national have been successful in changpolitics where the problems can seem ing laws or righting wrongs, it’s beso big. cause they’ve never lost sight of what But when I hear from activists who they are working toward. have made a real difference, they freIf future generations hope to make similar change, there’s much to learn quently say they began their careers from those who came before. Citizens by trying to change things in their coming together around a cause have neighborhoods or communities. It’s a good reminder that sometimes we can a tremendous power — more than any have the greatest effect by focusing on individual working alone. And lead-

ers with vision can inspire us to do more than we ever thought possible. So when we have a chance to share the thoughts and words of true changemakers in the Opinions section, we will. Turning to our letters inbox, for the week of Oct. 15-22, we received 44 letters. The midterm elections and the war in Ukraine were the topics that received the most interest, with four letters each. Then three of you wrote with concerns about the Saints season (it’s still early, fans). Lastly, a range of topics prompted two letters, including the constitutional amendments on the Nov. 3 ballot, immigration, Planned Parenthood and voter fraud. Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | Opinion Page Editor. Email her at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 7B

COMMENTARY Once upon a time, La. had funny political ads

leave Louisiana for the Lone Star National media has been broilState. ing with outrage about a par“Hot damn!” he said, in gleeticularly nasty ad by Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the race for ful anticipation of more loot for governor of Ohio. In Louisiana, Texas. once upon a time, we did much Many analysts believe it was better with political TV. the economic argument, Without dignifying Rathe possibility of massive job losses, that was the maswamy’s odiousness by biggest factor turning a describing it, please walk tight race into an Edwards down memory lane, back landslide. when politics here in the Another anti-Duke ad, Bayou State, even when Quin this time during his 1990 harsh, also had an admiHillyer race for U.S. Senate, was rable cleverness. a classic. Sponsored by One need not necessarthe Louisiana Coalition Against ily subscribe to the messages, or Racism and Nazism, it featured even the fairness, in all the ads. Regardless, though, they had real contestants in a Jeopardy (game show) knock off called “Jabstyle. The best political ad I’ve ever berwocky.” Each “answer” was seen came during the horrid 1991 something outrageous or scary runoff for Louisiana governor be- — neo-Nazi connections, shady tween the reputed “crook” Edwin ﬁnances, or whatever — and each Edwards and the former Ku Klux “question” was “Who is David Duke?” Klan leader David Duke. CourteMoving away from Nazis and sy of an out-of-state conservative scofﬂaws, there was the “Mr. Softteam, the commercial featured a Texas cowboy with one booted ee” ad Jefferson Parish Sheriff foot on a bar stool, talking about Harry Lee ran against challenger how good it was going to be for Art Lentini, a former prosecuTexas if Duke won, because all tor. The ad consisted entirely of the Louisiana businesses would a single visual subject: a melting

ice cream cone with Lentini’s face superimposed on the dairy scoop. The ad said Lentini “talks tough, but has a soft heart, especially when prosecuting criminals. In his last two years as an assistant DA, Mr. Softee tried only eight jury trials while plea bargaining a hundred and thirty-five … including three murders and four aggravated rapes.” And, as the ice cream scoop all but disappeared in a puddle under the cone, the tag line said: “As a crime fighter, Art Lentini, Mr. Softee, has made a mess.” The ad was hilariously brutal. Lee won. Back to Edwards: In his 1983 race to return to the governor’s mansion he had left four years earlier due to term limits, he was running rings around the honorable but snakebit Republican David Treen. With video of a seaborne ocean liner, the ad spoke of “the Louisiana ship of state: With Captain Dave Treen at the helm, Louisiana suffered the largest deficit in the state’s history.” As the attacks on Treen’s record rolled on, the ship’s bow began sinking beneath the waves as a

foghorn blared a distress signal. Edwards won. Sometimes the best Louisiana commercials weren’t attack ads. Two of the best were either largely or entirely positive. In 1976, Republican Bob Livingston had lost a close race for Congress to Democrat Rick Tonry, but Tonry ended up resigning amid corruption charges. Faced with another chance in 1977 to be the ﬁrst Republican to win the First Congressional District in a full century, Livingston did a spot highlighting his somewhat hardscrabble background, including six summers working at Avondale Shipyards. Saying something like, “I don’t do this for a living, but I used to. I know what it takes to put food on the table to raise your kids and family,” Livingston wore a welder’s helmet while giving his message. He ended the ad by closing the helmet and expertly ﬁring up his welder’s torch. In a largely blue-collar district that had not elected a Republican in a full century, the ad was golden. Livingston won.

Then there was the 1987 ad, perfect in tone for that year’s race for governor, by then-Congressman Buddy Roemer. Looking straight into the camera, Roemer said: “Some insiders say I’m not a good politician, because I say things that make some people angry. They’re right: I do. I made some people in Washington angry when I refused to take a congressional pay raise.” What followed were more examples of all the supposedly disreputable groups he made angry: “the bureaucrats and deadheads in Baton Rouge,” “polluters,” the education establishment. He closed like this: “I don’t like Louisiana politics. I love Louisiana. I love Louisiana enough to make some people angry.” Roemer vaulted from ﬁfth to ﬁrst, and he became governor. Sure, Louisiana political ads sometimes could be tough, but they tended to avoid the gutter, while showing attractive humor or verve. Those were the days. Email Quin Hillyer at quin. hillyer@theadvocate.com

Jamie Davis making this a race to watch As the days tick down toward the midTensas Parish, Jamie Davis, whose camterm elections, something fascinating is paign slogan is: “A Louisiana we can all happening: The map of competitive U.S. afford.” Senate seats is growing. Not only that, A better one for this late stage of the it’s tilting south, pulled not just by campaign might be: “What if?” swing states like North Carolina There isn’t a North Carolina-size and Georgia but South Carolina and target on Louisiana at this point, — who would have predicted this or even a Mississippi-size one. But one — Mississippi. there’s a sense that things are stirThat’s right, Mississippi, a state ring enough to make things at least that hasn’t sent a Democrat to interesting. Stephanie Davis’ events are drawing boisterthe Senate since 1982, but where Grace both parties are starting to pour ous crowds. Famed strategist James resources into the contest between Carville is touting his chances. Last incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith week, a Davis fundraiser in New Orleans and Democrat Scott Colom, a district attor- drew a slew of big-name Democrats who surely figured a few months ago that there ney for several counties. was no point: former Gov. John Bel EdA state so close to Louisiana, and yet, in terms of perceived competitiveness, so far. wards, U.S. Rep. Troy Carter and his preOr, maybe not. decessor Cedric Richmond, New Orleans Just like Mississippi was supposed to Mayor Helena Moreno and Orleans Parish help shore up Republicans against a blue District Attorney Jason Williams. wave, Louisiana is a red bulwark. PresiJoining them was just the second madent Donald Trump is deeply unpopular jor out-of-state emissary to campaign around the country and dragging plenty for Davis, Delaware U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt of followers down with him, but he got Rochester, who stopped in Louisiana on a more than 60% of the 2024 vote here, and swing through the states everyone else is was commanding enough earlier this year actually watching. to convince GOP voters to throw out a Rochester said that she’d heard encourpowerful but occasionally independent aging things from her Senate colleague incumbent of his own party in favor of an Cory Booker of New Jersey, and that the unquestioning loyalist. race is starting to cross people’s radar. U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow’s one job was to She said she hoped her visit would help defeat incumbent Bill Cassidy in the new spotlight what she called Davis’ “incredGOP primary, which she handily did. The ible connection to the people.” rest was supposed to be smooth sailing, so That’s a big part of his pitch, and that much so that most prominent Democrats of the seasoned pols now lining up behind stayed on the sidelines. him. The bet is that Davis’ nontraditional, That left the task of carrying the Demodown-to-earth, everyman profile is appealcratic flag to a little-known farmer from ing in this age of cynicism. Davis largely

points, insisting the underlying assumptions are real. Good vibes aside, though, the state’s overall partisan split is daunting. Davis remains, by any conventional measure, a long shot. Maybe that’s why he admitted when we spoke recently that even a strongerthan-expected losing showing, a very real possibility in this environment, would still matter. “The way we turn out in this election will STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER determine what happens in ’27,” he said. “When they know there is a candidate that Jamie Davis, the US Senate Democratic can turn people out, they treat you differcandidate, greets Janice Manuel during an ently.” early voting rally in New Orleans last week. Not that he isn’t aiming for the win. In fact, as Edwards has joined him to camavoids the big ideological fault lines of the paign in recent weeks, the two have talked often about facing naysayers who don’t day, focusing instead on daily struggles believe a Democrat can win in Louisiana. I due to things like the high cost of diesel ﬁgured it only fair to confess to Davis that, fuel and other issues that cut across party when Edwards ran for governor in 2015, I lines. was one of those naysayers. He also surely beneﬁts from an enthusi“You were a naysayer with me,” he asm gap. Democrats around the country are pumped up to vote against anyone con- noted. Point taken — my previous columns have nected to Trump, and recent Republican moves to minimize Black representation in cast the race as Letlow’s to lose — although Louisiana have provided extra motivation. I’m not sure the enthusiasm I’m seeing is And plenty of people who voted for Trump enough to make me believe history will repeat itself. two years ago have soured, which makes Still, stranger things have happened. Letlow’s play-it-safe strategy actually kind They’re happening right now, in states of risky. where Trump did just as well as he did Anecdotally, both Edwards and Carter here two years ago. said they’d had surprising conversations And nobody ever said that Louisiana poliwith people who they never expected to break from Republicans who said they’re tics aren’t strange. with Davis. The campaign is also talking up a single Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadpoll that found Davis trailing by just four vocate.com.

Why it’s worth it to study up on the amendments concerns to the ﬁnish line with If you live in the Baton Rouge proposed constitutional amendarea, you’ve likely heard of state Sen. Franklin Foil. If you live in ments. Jefferson Parish, you know about Each wants voters to push them self-described “Jefferson girl” over the goal line and score. state Rep. Debbie Villio. If you Foil wants you to provide live in St. Bernard Parish, you surviving spouses of disabled should know state Rep. Michael veterans with the opportunity to Robert “Mike” Bayham, keep their enhanced homeJr. of Chalmette. Those stead exemption from one who live in Crowley and property to another. Villio across Acadiana know wants you to change how state Rep. Chance Keith post-conviction bail for agHenry. Those in New Orgravated offenses against minor children work. Bayleans certainly know the Will name of state Sen. Royce ham wants you to consider Sutton changing the amount of Duplessis. These Louisiana legislatime a governor can serve tors represent different districts. our state from no lifetime limit to two total terms. Henry thinks Duplessis is a Democrat. The people who rehabilitate blighted others are Republicans. They have something in common: Each properties should have a propwants you to vote for something erty tax exemption. they think should be enshrined in Louisiana has one of the youngthe Louisiana Constitution. est state constitution of any state. The names of 10 legislators I was in high school in the late aren’t on the ballot, but these 10 1960s and early 1970s as momenworked hard to get the two-thirds tum grew to support a constituvotes required in the House tional convention. In 1974, the and the Senate to bring their state ratiﬁed an updated constitu-

tion. In 1975, it took effect. For some, the 1975 constitution was a big relief. We wouldn’t have to worry about another constitution for a long time, maybe even 100 years. For others, it was a flawed document that needed fixing. Boy, has it been “fixed.” Many people have worked to fix the Constitution. Since the latest Constitution was adopted, 330 amendments have been proposed. Voters approved 221, and 109 have failed. We’re being asked to approve 10 more. That’s 340 proposed amendments in more than 50 years. We’ve had success voting no on all amendment proposals recently. But this is not a time to vote no on all. I’ve heard no one oppose No. 7, what’s called the water amendment. Among advocacy groups, there are a bunch of yeses, with some maybes or neutrals. Some are opposing all property tax proposals. People seem divided about the deceased dis-

abled veteran spouse homestead exemption and the bail proposal. You can vote yes on all 10 this election cycle. You can vote no on all 10. You can vote yes on some and no on others. Or you can skip voting on the proposed constitutional amendments. That is a bad idea. It’s difficult to change the U.S. Constitution. It’s easier to change state constitutions — and states do. I think most smart people believe it’s better to make significant policy, property and tax changes by law through the legislative process rather than adding to or changing a constitution. However, it’s difficult to pull off a constitutional convention when those in power want to keep things as they are — or control the process. With no constitutional convention, we continue making changes by proposing constitutional amendments. There’s good information avail-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

able about each of the 10 proposed amendments. Invest in Louisiana, the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and the Public Affairs Research Council have different goals and purposes, and often different legislative philosophies. Each provides perspective. And you should know who’s behind each proposal. If you wish, you can look up each on the state Legislature’s bill search site. Whatever you do, I suggest you identify the proposals you support before marking your absentee, mail or poll ballot. Start at the bottom of the ballot and move up. Vote yes on the proposed amendments you favor. Vote no on those you oppose. Move up the ballot from there. This can be messy, especially if you’re confused. But it gives you a chance to tell state lawmakers how you really feel. Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

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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8B n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Sunny to partly cloudy

Partly sunny

Times of clouds and sun

Some clouds, then sunny

Mostly sunny

More clouds than sun

HIGH

80° 56°

LOW

82° 57°

83° 55°

Beaumont 81/60 Port Arthur 78/64

Baton Rouge 82/54

Lake Charles 82/58

New Orleans 78/63 Houma 80/57

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

Hattiesburg 81/48

Alexandria 81/53

Lafayette 81/56

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

84° 57°

LOW

83° 62°

TEMPERATURE Jackson 81/50

Many 81/50

HIGH

YESTERDAY

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Saturday

Longview 81/51

-0s

LOW

Monroe 81/51

Shreveport 81/54

-10s

HIGH

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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.

7:37a 2:06a 2:40a 3:48a 9:19p 8:52p 10:27p

FT.

TODAY

71 84 64 70 73 82 59 83 75

52 53 45 45 53 60 43 59 58

FIRST

NOV 9

s pc s s pc pc c pc s

NOV 17

MON.

74 83 70 71 63 81 60 84 78

50 62 47 44 54 62 37 62 57

LOW

0.00” 0.00” 3.80” 46.38” 51.68”

FT.

HIGH

0.7 5:48p 0.2 1.8 10:53a 0.6 2.0 7:55a 0.4 1.4 11:46a 0.2 1.4 6:57a 0.3 1.8 5:14a 0.5 1.7 7:59a 0.4

7:14 a.m. 6:23 p.m. 5:53 p.m. 6:36 a.m.

LAST

City

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Normal year to date

HIGH

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today FULL

PRECIPITATION

83°/51° 78°/55° 83°/52° 91° in 1894 33° in 1917

s pc s s c pc c pc s

FT.

--- ----- --5:15p 2.5 7:54p 1.7 --- ----- ----- ---

READING 67 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

LOW

FT.

--- ----- --8:55p 1.9 --- ----- ----- ----- ---

Today 10:48a 4:35a 11:13p 5:00p Monday 11:40a 5:26a ---- 5:53p Tuesday 12:09a 6:24a 12:39p 6:54p Wednesday 1:13a 7:29a 1:45p 8:01p Thursday 2:23a 8:39a 2:55p 9:11p Friday 3:33a 9:49a 4:05p 10:21p Saturday 4:41a 10:56a 5:11p 11:26p

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

TODAY

82 84 77 66 68 82 78 69 55

60 73 47 48 44 60 54 55 46

s t s s s s pc pc sh

83 83 76 69 72 84 77 68 58

MON. Lo

61 74 49 51 53 62 55 53 46

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

s sh pc s s s pc pc pc

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

1.76 22.20 24.68 10.72 6.19 4.83 3.76

-0.30 -0.24 -0.22 +0.12 +0.19 +0.21 +0.25

14.17

-2.23

-1.73

+0.06

18 29 8

-1.35 9.65 2.40

none -0.01 +0.03

13 15

2.44 0.55

none none

47 34 29 20 12 6

9.42 6.40 4.95 4.68 3.40 2.94

-0.08 -0.01 +0.01 +0.06 none +0.47

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SAT. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

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FLOOD STAGE

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

ULE ED

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

MODERATE

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter. MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

City

TODAY

MODERATE

82° 54°

LOW

AP P

LOW

While the Saints are dealing with clouds, scattered rain, and low temperatures, here in the Baton Rouge area, it’s a much different story. Expect another mostly sunny and warm day with a light breeze. Temperatures this afternoon will be just above average, rising to the low to mid-80s and staying that high for the rest of the week. There is no rain in the forecast today, and winds are east at 5 to 10 mph. The Small Craft Advisory is back today due to winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

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INCONSISTENT JAGUARS Southern falls on the road to Texas Southern, Page 4C

SPORTS

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

S U N D AY, O C T O B E R 25, 2026

‘PURE AMERICAN ORIGINAL’ LSU basketball coach Brown was inspirational, controversial, Page 11C

1CN

Could Saints establish second home? Benson keen on making France a frequent destination for team

ä Saints vs: Steelers 8:30 A.M. SUNDAY, NFLN

Marketing outside the Stade de France promotes Sunday’s NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints on Thursday in Saint-Denis, north of Paris.

Young started to stammer. “17…” Alvin Kamara said, counting down the seconds. “10…” Cam Jordan added. Next to him, Tyler Shough whispered BY MATTHEW PARAS some advice. Young threw his hands up and Staff writer shrugged. “We have fun,” Young said. “And we have a VERSAILLES, France — Chase Young was given great culture.” 20 seconds. The sales pitch may not have been the most A reporter asked the New Orleans Saints defensive end what he would say to the French convincing, but when the franchise plays in about why they should become fans of the the country’s first-ever NFL game Sunday black and gold. The reporter also jokingly is- against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the people sued a time limit so he could keep his answer ä See SAINTS, page 8C brief.

LSU

AP PHOTO BY GREG PAYAN

AUBURN

SMOOTH ROAD RECORD: 6-2 UP NEXT: VS. ALABAMA, NOV. 7, TBD

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY BUTCH DILL

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt runs to get around Auburn linebacker Demarcus Riddick during the first half on Saturday in Auburn, Ala. Leavitt completed 32 of 45 passes for 387 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

LSU snaps eight-game losing streak in SEC away games in dominant fashion

Kiffin, Tigers avoid scare from legend of Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium

BY JON BLAU

AUBURN,Ala. — Auburn once days to beware at Jordanbrought Lane Kifﬁn here for Hare. a “recruiting trip” trying No magic for the home Tito get him to be its football gers, who may have used up coach, with then-basketball their sorcerer’s wand worth coach Bruce Pearl touring in the prior week’s upset at him around Jordan-Hare then No. 1-ranked Georgia. Scott Stadium. No magic needed for the Rabalais “You’ll get a win here visiting Tigers, either. Not every year that you really when you can throttle your don’t deserve,” Pearl told Kifﬁn, opponent until its eyes pop out like “because magical things just hapchampagne corks. pen here.” ä See RABALAIS, page 7C Saturday was not one of those

Staff writer

AUBURN,Ala.— No doubt had been left after No. 18 LSU’s 38-17 win at Auburn, but quarterback Sam Leavitt doubted whether it was the most dominant win of the season. “I probably would have said last week maybe was a little bit more dominant, in my opinion,” Leavitt said, referring to a 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State. A couple of weeks ago, discussions

about LSU tended to revolve around which road loss, Ole Miss or Kentucky, was more crushing to its College Football Playoff hopes. There was a different conversation to be had Saturday. LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC) is rolling as promised under ﬁrst-year coach Lane Kifﬁn, running away from teams with an explosive offense and by suppressing opponents’ point totals with a disruptive defensive line.

ä See LSU, page 6C

winter hoops await r e g i s t e r nov 1- dec 8 brec.org/basketball

Basketball youth leagues

2C n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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IN BRIEF

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV AUTO RACING 1 p.m. NASCAR: YellaWood 500 NBC 3 p.m. F1: United States Grand Prix APPLETV MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL noo nDuke at Kansas ESPN COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY 11 a.m. California at Syracuse ACCN MEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER 1 p.m. Clemson at Virginia Tech ESPNU WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER 11 a.m. Dartmouth at Princeton ESPNU 2 p.m. Mississippi St. at LSU SECN 5 p.m. Purdue at Northwestern BTN WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 11 a.m. Michigan St. at Maryland BTN noon Texas A&M at Kentucky ABC noon Michigan at Wisconsin FS1 noon Vanderbilt at Tennessee SECN 12:30 p.m.SMU at Georgia Tech ACCN

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noon San Francisco at Atlanta FOX 3:25 p.m. Green Bay at Detroit FOX 7:20 p.m. Kansas City at Seattle NBC NHL 6 p.m. Montreal vs.Winnipeg TNT SKIING 4:30 p.m. FIS: Alpine Ski World Cup NBCSN MEN’S SOCCER 9 a.m. Bournemouth at Man United NBCSN 9 a.m. Newcastle at Crystal Palace USA 11:30 a.m.Leeds United at Sunderland USA 2:55 p.m. Real Madrid at Barcelona ABC WOMEN’S SOCCER 8:55 a.m. London City at Liverpool CBSSN 9:45 a.m. Mexico vs.Australia FS2 12:45 p.m.China vs. U.S. FS2 2 p.m. Gotham FC at Orlando CBSSN 4 p.m. Washington at Kansas City ESPN TENNIS 8:30 a.m. Brussels-ATP TENNIS

Pels/Hornets have had moments These 25 headlines encapsulate 25 years in N.O.

The New Orleans Pelicans tipped off their 25th season Wednesday night when they hosted the Indiana Pacers. To commemorate the franchise turning 25 years old in New Orleans, we take a Rod back at the 25 Walker look biggest headlines. I’ll admit, finding 25 was no easy task. In fact, it was so difficult that I almost included the team changing mascot Pierre the Pelican’s appearance because his old costume scared the kids. Here we go. 25. On the move: This list wouldn’t be possible if then-Charlotte Hornets owners George Shinn and Ray Woolridge didn’t decide to relocate to New Orleans. NBA owners approved the move with a 28-1 vote. Led by head coach Paul Silas, the New Orleans Hornets won the very first game they played, beating the Utah Jazz 100-75. 24. Heading West: The Hornets played their first two seasons in the Eastern Conference but were moved to the West to start the 2004-05 season. 23. Draft night 2025: The jury is still out on the trade Joe Dumars made on draft night to move up and select Derik Queen. The Pels gave up their 2026 pick, but Queen was named to the All-Rookie Team. Time will tell how big this one becomes. 22. Fast start: The Hornets started the 2010-11 season, their first year with head coach Monty Williams and general manager Dell Demps, with an 8-0 opening salvo. It’s the best start in franchise history. 21. Holiday season: In the summer of 2013, the Pelicans traded with the Philadelphia 76ers for Jrue Holiday. He went on to become one of the most beloved players in franchise history during his seven seasons. 20. League owned: The NBA took over ownership of the Hornets to bring stability to the franchise after minority owner Gary Chouest decided not to purchase Shinn’s majority interest. 19. Boogie’s missed free throw: Who knows how things would have played out if DeMarcus Cousins didn’t miss a free throw in a regular-season game against the

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY ALEX BRANDON

New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul waves as it is announced he broke the NBA record for consecutive games with a steal during a game against the San Antonio Spurs in New Orleans on Dec. 17, 2008. Paul is one of the greatest players in the franchise’s New Orleans history. Houston Rockets. He popped his Achilles while trying to get his rebound and never played for the Pels again. 18.Scoring binge: Perhaps the greatest performance in franchise history, Anthony Davis scored 59 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a road win over the Detroit Pistons in February 2016. The 59 points are still the record, eclipsing Jamal Mashburn’s old record of 50. 17. Starstruck: New Orleans was awarded its first NBA All-Star Game in 2008. The city got two more over the next nine years (2014 and 2017). Davis scored a then-All-Star game record 52 points and was named the MVP in the 2017 game. 16. Mr. B’s team: Tom Benson, who also owned the Saints, announced in April 2012 that he would purchase the team for $338 million. 15. What’s in a name? The Hornets were the Hornets no more. Benson decided to rebrand the team as the Pelicans. With the change, the team changed its colors from teal, purple, gold and white to blue, gold and red. 14.Do it big: While most of the NBA was going small, the Pelicans went in the other direction. They traded for Cousins, pairing him up with Davis to form what looked like one

of the NBA’s most dynamic duos ... until the aforementioned injury at No. 18 changed everything. 13.That’s all, folks!: The divorce was ugly. Davis wanted out of New Orleans and demanded a trade. He ended up joining LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pelicans got Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart in return. 12. The debut: Who will ever forget Zion Williamson’s first game in a Pelicans uniform? He finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists, including one spurt when he scored 17 straight points (and four straight 3-pointers). 11. Instant success: The Hornets wasted no time getting to the playoffs, making it in their very first season. They lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. 10. Suns series: The Pelicans took the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to six games in the first round of the playoffs in 2022. The series made you think the Pelicans had turned the corner, especially after head coach Willie Green’s “You’ve got to fight” speech against the Clippers in the play-in tournament. The Pels have been back to the playoffs just once since then. 9.Access denied: Chris Paul was set to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a move that would have

paired him with Kobe Bryant. NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade, and Paul ended up getting traded to L.A.’s other team: the Clippers. 8. Clean sweep: The Pelicans swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2018 playoffs, giving the franchise its second playoff series win. They lost to Steph Curry and Kevin Durant in the next round. It’s the last time the Pels won a playoff series. 7. King of the hill. The Hornets won the Southwest Division in the 200708 season. It’s the only division title in franchise history. 6. Home away from home: Because of Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets relocated to Oklahoma City. They played two seasons there before returning to New Orleans. 5. Great Scott! During the 2007-08 season, Byron Scott was named the NBA Coach of the Year. He’s the only coach in team history to ever win it. The Hornets went 5626, the only 50-win season in franchise history. 4. Jackpot: One year after losing Paul, the Hornets landed their next superstar when they won the lottery and drafted Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick. 3. Let’s dance. If you thought fans were thrilled about drafting Davis in 2012, that was nothing compared to the celebration that took place when the team won the lottery in 2019 and drafted Zion Williamson. There was an epic party in downtown New Orleans the night the NBA commissioner called his name. The games he’s missed because of injuries since then could almost be its own item on this list. 2. Game 7: The Hornets beat the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the ﬁrst round of the playoffs in the 2007-08 season. In the next round, they went seven games with the San Antonio Spurs. It almost sounds crazy to think that the Hornets were one win away from making it to the NBA Western Conference ﬁnals. It’s the closest they’ve ever been to a Larry O’Brien Trophy. 1. Face of the franchise: In 2005, the Hornets used the fourth overall pick to select a point guard out of Wake Forest who ended up being the best player in team history. Paul went on to win Rookie of the Year, the only player in franchise history to win that honor. His jersey retirement isn’t on this list, but hopefully someday soon the franchise will do the right thing and hang it in the Smoothie King Center rafters where it belongs.

Valkyries beat Dream to tie up WNBA Finals BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

ATLANTA — Gabby Williams gave a passionate speech to her teammates after Golden State fell behind in the WNBA Finals, saying she had to show a “different type of ﬁre.” The Valkyries leader did just that as she scored 17 points and led a stellar defensive effort to beat the Atlanta Dream 67-62 on Saturday and even the WNBA Finals 2-2. “I didn’t like my last game. I didn’t like who I was in that last game,” Williams said. “So I think stepping up in that role made me step up also individually. If I want to lead my team, I have to be the one that sets the tone and I have to lead by example as well. So I think that motivated me to set the tempo today.” Tiffany Hayes was moved into the starting lineup and scored all of her 13 points in the second half, while Kiah Stokes anchored the defense effort that stymied Angel Reese, who had double-doubles in the ﬁrst

three games. Stokes, who won three WNBA championships while playing with Las Vegas, grabbed 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. After Atlanta rolled to a 9771 victory in Game 3, she told the Valkyries they only needed to worry about winning the next game. Reese, like the rest of her teammates, struggled on offense. Reese had just eight points and nine rebounds after dominating the previous two games while averaging 25.5 points and 14 rebounds in the Dream victories. Reese missed 10 of her 12 shots, including a few layups in the fourth quarter. “I think it was me. I think I rushed a lot on my shots and I didn’t take my time and ﬁnish around the basket like I’ve been doing the last three games,” Reese said. “It happens and I’m just looking forward to the next game and just do it.” Atlanta shot 33.3% overall and only 4 for 23 from 3-point range.

Rhyne Howard finished with 19 points to lead the Dream. Even as poorly as they played at times, the Dream trimmed a 16-point halftime deficit to 61-55 midway through the fourth quarter, bringing fans in the sellout crowd of over 17,000 to their feet. Golden State answered with a 3-pointer by Veronica Burton to briefly silence them. The Dream then scored seven of the next nine points, including a three-point play by Howard with 28 seconds left to get within 66-62. Burton then made the first of two free throws a second later and Atlanta couldn’t convert on the other end as once again Golden State challenged shots led by Stokes. She finished with three blocks and now has a WNBA Finals record of 14 in the four games, surpassing the old record of 12 by Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles. “I just hang my head on defense. I like to block shots,” Stokes said. Coach Natalie Nakase also made a

change in the starting lineup, Hayes and Kaila Charles for Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini. While the Valkyries got off to a slow start again in the early afternoon tipoff with the Atlanta Hawks playing their home opener at night, when Thornton and Zandalasini entered the game they paid immediate dividends. The two helped a key first-quarter run that gave Golden State its first lead since the third quarter of Game 2. Atlanta got within 24-20 on Reese’s basket — her lone one of the first half — but the Valkyries responded with an 18-6 run to close the half. The 42-26 deficit at the break was the largest that the Dream had faced all playoffs. Atlanta had dominated the third quarter in the WNBA Finals, outscoring Golden State 60-35 in the first three games. Atlanta managed just a 19-12 edge in Game 4. Golden State will host Game 5 of the best-of-seven series Monday.

Left knee bone bruise sidelines Pelicans C Missi The New Orleans Pelicans came into the season with a fully healthy roster for the first time since 2018. Two games into the season, that is no longer the case. But at least the first injury doesn’t appear to be as serious as it seemed Friday night. Center Yves Missi has been diagnosed with a left knee bone bruise, the team announced Saturday. An MRI confirmed the injury, which occurred as a result of a left knee hyperextension during Friday’s 120-119 loss against the Utah Jazz. The Pelicans didn’t say how many games Missi would be out. He was ruled out for Saturday night’s road game against the Denver Nuggets. The Pelicans play the Nuggets again Wednesday night at the Smoothie King Center.

Magic forward Banchero will miss weeks with sprain

The Orlando Magic are bracing to be without standout forward Paolo Banchero for what will almost certainly be multiple weeks, after imaging conﬁrmed that he suffered a low-grade high right ankle sprain in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Magic made the announcement Saturday, a day after Banchero got hurt in the ﬁrst half of a 115-93 loss to Minnesota to fall to 0-2 on the season. There is no formal timetable for a return, but a low-grade high ankle sprain typically takes several weeks or even months to heal. If Banchero misses four weeks, that means he’d be sidelined for about 13 games. The Magic went 7-3 in 10 games without Banchero last season.

Top-ranked Rybakina to play Fernandez in Ningbo final

NINGBO, China — Top-ranked Elena Rybakina beat Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday to return to the Ningbo Open final. Defending champion Rybakina hit six aces but needed 11 set points to take the first set in a match that featured erratic serving and a total of 11 double-faults between her and Shnaider. The Kazakhstan star will face Leylah Fernandez for the title after the Canadian beat Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 7-5 in the other semifinal. Rybakina, 27, has won 14 career singles titles, including both the Australian Open and U.S. Open this year. It will be a 28th career final for Rybakina. She has a 3-2 record over Fernandez.

LIV Golf paid $15M to retain executives before bankruptcy

LIV Golf paid $15.6 million to retain seven of its executives, including $6.375 million to CEO Scott O’Neil, in the months between Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund saying it was ending financial support and LIV filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The payments are part of a trove of documents filed late Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey. That included 129 payments to creditors in the 90 days before LIV’s bankruptcy filing and $26 million to Jon Rahm in the year before the Sept. 8 filing. LIV Golf is trying to emerge from bankruptcy without the financial muscle of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which spent upward of $5 billion since the rival league launched in June 2022.

Choi moves into tie for second in South Korea HAENAM, South Korea — Hye-Jin Choi had an eagle and seven birdies on her first 11 holes Saturday on a rain-soaked Pine Beach Golf Links to shoot a 6-under 66 and move into a tie for second place after three rounds of the LPGA South Korea tournament. Second-round leader Haeran Ryu, who birdied her last three holes, still led the tournament by four strokes after a 4-under 68 and a three-round total of 17-under 199. Choi shot 28 on her front nine and was 9-under before she bogeyed the par-5 12th after hitting into a fairway bunker. She made a double-bogey seven on the 17th after missing an eight-foot par putt after hitting into hazard off the green with her fairway wood.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 3C

COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK

SEC ROUNDUP

QB Sellers has 3 TDs as South Carolina rallies to beat No. 11 Tennessee The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY PHELAN M. EBENHACK

Central Florida tight end Grayson Brousseau, front, scores a touchdown on a 4-yard pass to give UCF the lead in the second overtime period as BYU safety Tommy Prassas defends during a game on Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

Unranked UCF upsets No. 2 BYU in double OT BY PHILIP ROSSMAN-REICH Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — Keyone Jenkins threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Grayson Brousseau in the second overtime, and UCF survived a wild finish in regulation to knock off No. 2 BYU 39-31 on Saturday. Needing a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to force a third OT, the Cougars (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) drove to the UCF 4-yard line, but Bear Bachmeier’s fourth-down pass to Walker Lyons fell incomplete, giving the Knights (4-3, 2-2) their first win over a top-5 team in school history. “We set a standard,” Jenkins said. “That standard has got to be upheld week in and week out. We just beat the No. 2 team in the country.” A week after knocking off thenNo. 2 Notre Dame and moving into its highest spot in the AP Top 25 since its national title season of 1984, BYU became the latest unbeaten team to fall in a wild stretch of the college football season. A school ranked in the top 2 has lost to an unranked foe in each of the past three weeks. UCF was driving toward a potential game-winning field goal in regulation when Jenkins lost the ball on a play that was ruled a sack on the field. But after a replay review, the call was overturned to an incomplete pass, and BYU

was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, moving the Knights into kicker Will Stone’s range. But BYU blocked Stone’s 47yard attempt. Stone recovered the loose ball, and since UCF tried the field goal on third down, the Knights would have had a chance at a second attempt had Stone’s helmet not been knocked off on the play. That necessitated a 10-second runoff, which sent the game to overtime. Jenkins finished 25 of 41 for 293 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score in his fifth start since replacing Alonza Barnett, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. “There’s a lot of teams in football with their quarterbacks hurt and their backups aren’t doing great,” UCF coach Scott Frost said. “Our backup is not a backup. He had an unbelievable game tonight.” Tyren Hornes had six catches for 137 yards for the Knights, and Duke Watson ran for 94 yards on 15 carries. “UCF put us on our heels and put us in some uncomfortable positions,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. “I want to give them credit for what they have done. They deserve the win.” Bachmeier threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Kyler Kasper had six catches for 129 yards. The Knights drove to the BYU

1-yard line with less than two minutes left in regulation, but Jenkins was stopped on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal. UCF forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with 42 seconds left, setting up the wild finish to regulation. “That’s the weirdest end of a game I have ever seen,” Frost said. “I thought it would take 31 to win it. It should have if we would have got a sneak in.” In the first overtime, Bachmeier gave BYU the lead when he connected with Legend Glasker for a 28-yard touchdown, and UCF tied it on a single play when Jenkins hit Josh Derry for a 25-yard TD. There were five lead changes in regulation. Jenkins’ 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter put UCF ahead 24-21, and BYU’s Matthias Dunn connected on a 47-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to tie it at 24-all. UCF beat a ranked team for the first time since blowing out thenNo. 15 Oklahoma State in 2023, the Knights’ first season in the Big 12. Fans celebrated with fitting enthusiasm by storming the field and tearing down a goalpost. “It was unreal. It felt like a movie,” UCF running back Landen Chambers said. “I just took it all in.” Sitake thanked security workers for ensuring his team could leave the field without incident.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — LaNorris Sellers accounted for three touchdowns and Malik Orsan nailed a 48-yard ﬁeld goal as time expired to lift South Carolina past No. 11 Tennessee 27-24 on Saturday night. Sellers rallied the Gamecocks (4-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) in the final minutes and the defense got a strip-sack and fumble of Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre with 33 seconds to play to set up the winning kick. Sellers threw for a touchdown and ran for two others, including the tying scored with 1:17 left. Moments later, MacIntyre fumbled after a sack by Dylan Stewart and defensive tackle Tomiwa Durojaiye recovered at the Tennessee 34. South Carolina ran the clock down to three seconds and Orsan easily put the kick through the uprights for the walk-off win. Fans rushed the field to celebrate the second straight ranked victory for South Carolina, which defeated then-No. 16 Florida two weeks ago at The Swamp. NO. 13 ALABAMA 31, TEXAS A&M 20: In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Keelon Russell threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of fourth-quarter scores that helped Alabama pull away, and the 13thranked Crimson Tide beat Texas A&M to end a two-game skid. The Tide (6-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) entered the teams’

ﬁrst meeting since 2023 coming off losses to Georgia and Tennessee. Alabama trailed 20-17 in the second half before taking control with a fourth-down stop and two scoring drives. The Aggies (4-4, 1-4) were up 20-17 to start the fourth, but then Alabama took over. OKLAHOMA 23, MISSISSIPPI STATE 15: In Starkville, Mississippi, John Mateer threw touchdown passes on consecutive possessions on each side of halftime and Oklahoma handed Mississippi State its third-straight loss. Tate Sandell got the Sooners (43, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) on the board with a ﬁeld goal on their first drive. Billy Puckett, who came in at quarterback for Kamario Taylor, got the Bulldogs (4-3, 2-3) all the way to OU’s 6-yard line late in the second quarter, but he coughed the ball up on the next play. The Sooners recovered and marched 96 yards on 14 plays, the last of which was a 36-yard pass from Mateer to Isaiah Sategna, for a 10-0 halftime lead. The Sooners got the ball back out of the break and went up 17-0 on the third play, a 32-yard pass from Mateer to Rocky Beers up the middle. Mississippi State got on the board later in the third on back-toback trick plays. The second one was an 18-yard pass from tight end Sam West to Camden Capehart.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY ARTIE WALKER JR.

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, right, runs away from Tennessee linebacker Jeremiah Telander during a game on Saturday in Columbia, S.C.

TOP 25 ROUNDUP

QB Carr struggles for Michigan in OT loss to No. 6 Indiana The Associated Press ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr made his first start in part because coaches had confidence in his ability to take care of the football. In a 13-6 overtime loss to No. 6 Indiana, he lost a fumble on an illadvised pitch and tossed an interception on a deflected pass that was thrown in traffic to hurt the Wolverines’ chances of pulling off an upset. The grandson of College Football Hall of Famers and the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr took the first snap while Bryce Underwood stood on the sideline. Last week, Tommy Carr came off the bench in the second half in a win over Penn State. Carr was sacked four times, including on snaps from the Indiana 1 and 3 that led to a missed field goal and a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation. After the other two sacks, Michigan made a field goal and punted. Underwood threw two interceptions in the second quarter in that game, increasing his total to six to surpass his five touchdown passes. The sophomore was the nation’s No. 1 recruit last season and is making millions each year with NIL deals and revenue sharing. CINCINNATI 37, NO. 8 TEXAS TECH 24: In Cincinnati, Cole Tabb had a careerhigh 173 rushing yards and a touchdown and JC French IV threw for a career-high four TD passes as Cin-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL

Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr, left, scrambles out of the pocket against Indiana during a game on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich. cinnati stunned No. 8 Texas Tech. It was the Bearcats’ (5-2, 2-2) first win over a top-10 team at home since Nov. 18, 2006, when they defeated No. 7 Rutgers 30-11. Cincinnati won at ninth-ranked Notre Dame in 2021. The Red Raiders (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) failed go 7-0 for the first time since 2013 and were plagued by mistakes all afternoon. NO. 1 MIAMI 52, PITTSBURGH 23: In Miami Gardens, Florida, Malachi Toney had a school-record 16 catches, Dariah Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns and Miami rolled past Pitt in the Hurricanes’ first game as the nation’s top-ranked team in nearly 24 years. The win should keep Miami (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) atop the poll when the AP Top 25 is up-

dated Sunday — ending what has been a three-week run of the No. 1 team dropping in the poll after a loss. Texas was No. 1 before losing to Oklahoma, then Georgia was No. 1 before falling to Auburn. NO. 23 SMU 59, CALIFORNIA 20: In Dallas, Kevin Jennings threw three touchdowns to break SMU’s career record, Kendrick Raphael ran for 104 yards while accounting for three scores, two on fourth-down plays, and the Mustangs beat California. The Mustangs (6-1, 4-1 ACC) trailed at halftime before scoring touchdowns on their ﬁrst six drives after the break. The second of those scores was Jennings’ record-breaking 73rd career TD pass, a 21-yarder to Derek McFall, and the third-year starting quarterback added to that

with a 17-yarder to Jalen Hale with 6:29 left. Freshman running back Christian Rhodes had TD runs of 5 and 3 yards in SMU’s scoring surge in the second half, which Cal (3-5, 2-3) opened with three consecutive three-and-outs. NO. 24 NORTHWESTERN 42, RUTGERS 14: In Evanston, Illinois, Aidan Chiles threw for three touchdowns for the third time this season and rushed for two others to lead Northwestern past Rutgers for a fourth straight victory. Caleb Komolafe rushed for 150 yards and a TD, including a 56-yard dash. Griffin Wilde, who finished with 133 receiving yards, Alex Honig and Drew Wagner caught passes for scores as Northwestern (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) raced to a 28-3 lead late in the first half. MINNESOTA 13, NO. 15 IOWA 10: In Minneapolis, Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired, and Minnesota beat No. 15 Iowa to claim the Floyd of Rosedale trophy for the first time since 2023 and second time in 12 years. Held to a season-low 209 yards of offense, Minnesota (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) also got a third-quarter rushing touchdown from Darius Taylor after an offsides penalty on Iowa negated a fourth-down stop one play earlier. Iowa (5-2, 2-2) was held to 163 yards through three quarters against a Minnesota defense that allowed 464 yards in a 41-13 loss to Purdue in its last game two weeks ago. NO. 9 UCLA 28, MICHIGAN STATE 10: In Pasadena, California, Ty Dieffen-

bach threw a 63-yard touchdown pass and handed off for three others as No. 9 UCLA beat Michigan State for the Bruins’ first 7-0 start since 2005. UCLA (5-0 Big Ten) briefly trailed early for the first time since a 1715 win at then-No. 13 Oregon two weeks ago. The Bruins outgained the Spartans 443-156. The undermanned and underdog Spartans (2-6, 0-5) led 7-0 after Devin Vaught recovered Jalen Woods’ fumble and ran 56 yards to the UCLA 15-yard line. That helped set up third-string quarterback Kayd Coffman’s 14-yard TD pass to Keshawn Williams in the first quarter. NO. 21 BOISE STATE 31, WASHINGTON STATE 10: In Pullman, Washington, Dylan Riley rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns as No. 21 Boise State pulled away from Washington State in the fourth quarter for a victory. Riley scored on runs of 33 and 72 yards for the Broncos (6-1, 3-0 Pac12), who have won six straight after a season-opening loss on the road to Oregon. With the win, Boise State became bowl eligible and pulled even with Oregon State for first in the Pac-12. It was the fifth straight loss for the Cougars (1-7, 0-4), who were eliminated from possible bowl contention with the loss. For the second straight week Washington State started quarterback Owen Eshelman, who threw for 191 yards and was intercepted once.

4C n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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TSU 24, SOUTHERN 21 THREE AND OUT: TOYLOY BROWN’S THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM SOUTHERN’S CLOSE LOSS IN HOUSTON

HEARTBREAKING LOSS Southern suffered its most painful loss of the year. Before this game, every contest it competed in was decided by 13 points or more. Southern had a good chance to win back-toback games for the first time in two seasons.The offense injected life with a late touchdown to potentially force overtime, but Texas Southern did its job. It moved the ball, got into field goal range and trusted Miguel Arana to make a 46-yard kick to hand Marshall Faulk’s group a defeat that could’ve been avoided.

POINTS LEFT ON THE BOARD The Jaguars’ special team issues once again showed themselves.They left a potential six points off the scoreboard. Southern had a 37-yard field goal blocked. Faulk also chose not to attempt a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter on fourth-and-7. He went for it, and it didn’t pay off. Ultimately, Southern allowed an intense but winnable game to slip through its grasp because it couldn’t execute or was fearful that it couldn’t do what’s necessary on special teams.

HOLLY A BRIGHT SPOT AGAIN A consistent silver lining remains Trey Holly.The 5-foot-7, 192-pound junior trusted his offensive line to create gaps and ran through them for 156 yards on 35 carries.When spaces weren’t large enough, he burst outside and bulldozed through multiple Texas Southern defenders in each quarter. Even though his longest run was only for 13 yards, it was rare for him not to have a positive gain. Holly averaged 4.5 yards per carry and looked like the best tailback in the SWAC.

Consistency lacking

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL WYKE

Southern running back Trey Holly jumps past the attempted tackle of Texas Southern cornerbacks Malachi Philen, left, and Fabian Wells during the second half of Saturday’s game in Houston. Holly rushed for 156 yards, but it wasn’t enough in a 24-21 loss.

Southern can’t win second in a row after Texas Southern’s last-second field goal BY TOYLOY BROWN Staff writer

HOUSTON — Every Southern win the past two seasons has been followed by a loss. The Jaguars have been searching for consistency. With a chance to win consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference games on Saturday, the Jaguars couldn’t earn back-to-back wins for the ﬁrst time since 2024. Southern lost 24-21 to Texas Southern (2-5, 1-3 SWAC) at Reliant Stadium. Tigers kicker Miguel Arana nailed a 46-yard ﬁeld goal as time expired, thwarting the Jaguars’ second-half rally. “As you guys saw, highly contested game,” Southern coach Marshall Faulk said. “Met (Texas Southern) coach (Cris) Dishman after the game, and just told him how hard his kids played. Kind of games you want to be a part of. And just you’d rather be on the other side of it, and the game came down to just making a few plays, and they made more plays than we did.” Although Texas Southern quarterback Cam’Ron McCoy, a transfer from Southern, couldn’t get much going through the air with 42 yards on 5-of-8 passing, the Tigers piled up 218 yards and three touchdowns on 43 carries. Athean Renfro led the Tigers with 23 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown. McCoy was at his best on the ground, rushing 16 times for 71 yards and a score. “We weren’t gap sound today,” Faulk said about his defense on McCoy. “We didn’t wait for him to come to us. You know, we had players running around trying to make plays instead of playing the defense. So, when that happens, you find yourself in the position that we are in.” After trailing 21-7, Southern (35, 1-3) tied the game at 21-21 with 4:24 left on a 2-yard run by Trey Holly and an extra point by Chris

Southern running back Mike Franklin is taken down by Texas Southern linebacker Jacob Williams, left, and cornerback Fabian Wells. McKenna. Holly finished with 156 yards rushing and a TD on 35 carries. “Me personally, I feel like I could have ran harder,” the redshirt junior said. “I could have been more of a leader, keeping everybody just motivated.” Texas Southern played with the desperation of a team on a fivegame losing streak. After allowing Southern to score on its opening drive, the Tigers kept their opponent scoreless for the remainder of the first half, entering halftime with a 14-7 lead. Dishman assumed defensive play-calling duties for the first time this season, a responsibility he previously had as a defensive coordinator in the XFL and USFL. The change worked as his defense looked invigorated coming off a bye week. Texas Southern pressured the Southern backfield consistently, calling multiple blitzes that forced quarterback Christian Johnson to escape the pocket and rush through his progressions. “In previous games, their defensive line kind of hovered more around the line of scrimmage,”

Faulk said. “Today they kind of got after it a little bit. “But for the most part, you know, they did the things that we thought that they were going to do. We just did not do our jobs effectively. We didn’t stay on blocks long enough. Our quarterback, we didn’t throw the ball accurate enough. Receivers, we didn’t catch the ball good enough. That’s it.” The Tigers were sound tackling in the open field. Redshirt freshman safety Darius Sims was active early with a team-high seven tackles in the first half. Their biggest defensive play was a strip-sack by linebacker Donovan Jones with 12:35 left in the third quarter. The fumble was recovered by defensive back Ryan Robinson, a New Orleans native, on the Southern 43-yard line. Three plays later, McCoy ran 41 yards for a touchdown. He faked a toss to his running back and sprinted with no defender having an angle on the left side of the field. Texas Southern entered allowing both the third-most points (44.3) and yards (451.3) per game in SWAC play. It had been espe-

cially poor on pass plays, allowing the second-most passing yards per game (283.7) in conference play. The Jaguars appeared to be on their way to a strong offensive showing on their first possession. After a fake handoff, Johnson threw a 40-yard pass to freshman wideout Damien Henderson on the Jaguars’ second pass attempt of the game. Johnson went to Henderson again to finish the drive with a 4-yard touchdown at the 8:17 mark of the first period. Dishman said his team’s adjustment after that Southern touchdown was to tackle better. “It all comes down to simple facts, simple things,” the former 12-year NFL defensive back said. “Tackle with your head up. Don’t put your head down and tackle. Second guy (go) strip the ball. That’s the biggest thing is execution.” Southern began to falter after sophomore kicker Nathan Zimmer had his 37-yard field goal attempt blocked with 2:05 left in the first quarter. On the next possession, Texas Southern marched down the field for a 10-play, 53-yard touchdown drive to tie the game. The Jaguars’ struggling special teams unit influenced Faulk’s decision on a fourth-and-7 from the opposing 24-yard line. Instead of kicking a 41-yard field goal, they went for it and threw an incompletion to turn the ball over on downs while trailing 14-7 with two minutes left in the first half. Dishman relied on his ground game. The first scoring drive ended with a 15-yard rush by Renfro. The 5-foot-9 senior had 13 carries for 96 yards at halftime. Southern defensive end Ckelby Givens returned after missing the last two games because of a head injury. He had six tackles but none for a loss. Southern plays a third straight road game against Florida A&M (26, 1-3) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

Loss tough to swallow for Jaguars BY TOYLOY BROWN Staff writer

HOUSTON — Southern looked sharp to start, lost control after a first-quarter blocked field goal and clawed back only to lose in devastating fashion. Coach Marshall Faulk couldn’t care less that his team outgained Texas Southern by 54 yards or had 87 fewer penalty yards. He doesn’t care about any of the categories the Jaguars won because the team dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference after a 24-21 loss on Saturday at Reliant Stadium. “Man, games aren’t won based on stats,” Faulk said. “The only stat that matters is the score, and we did not win in the scoring department.” Before Faulk called a timeout to try and ice Tigers kicker Miguel Arana, who made the eventual 46-yard game-winning field goal, Texas Southern used a timeout with just one second remaining after a 3-yard carry. Faulk explained why he didn’t have to ask the official to review whether the clock stopped properly. “It was first down. The minute (it’s) first down, clock stops,” Faulk said. “So as the clock stopped, he didn’t have to go down. The minute that he crossed and went down, clock stopped there. So, and regardless of what I say, what I understand from the referees is that it was reviewed.” Southern linebacker Tay James, who had a team-high 10 tackles and two sacks, explained how he felt emotionally after a close defeat. “I ain’t gonna lie, it hurt,” he said. “But the only thing we could do is just look forward. Keep building our days and finish out the season.” Southern defensive leader Ckelby Givens, who came back after missing two games with a concussion, said it’s not surprising that his teammates are down but echoed how his team can’t dwell on the loss. “I mean, obviously you’re not feeling good after a tough loss,” said Givens, who had six tackles. “But I mean, we just got to keep going. Got to keep picking it up, and so on to FAMU.” Consistency is something Southern has failed to achieve as it remains without consecutive wins since the 2024 season. Faulk was asked how he can get his squad over that hump. “Working on it, that’s it,” Faulk said. “I mean, I can’t sprinkle a little fairy dust on them and then boom, we’re consistent. Nah. You know, in practice, how you show up, what you do, just being consistent. That’s the only thing I know. Choosing the hard over the easy way out. That’s how you grow in the consistency department, and that’s what we preach, and that’s what we teach.” A consistent struggle that has plagued the team has been an inability to rely on its kicking unit. The team started to unravel after sophomore kicker Nathan Zimmer had his 37-yard field goal attempt blocked with 2:05 left in the first quarter. That lapse gifted Texas Southern the field position it needed to march 53 yards to the end zone. “I don’t know if it changed the momentum, but it was just a scoring opportunity for us,” Faulk said. “When you look at it, because they then got the ball and went down and scored, it’s a 10-point swing. It’s not just they scored, but they took three off the board for us. Those are tough.”

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SCOREBOARD Odds

7. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 185.506. 8. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 185.301. 9. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 185.101. 10. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 184.822. 11. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 184.858. 12. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 184.847. 13. (7) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 184.790. 14. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 184.776. 15. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 184.719. 16. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 184.694. 17. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 184.683. 18. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 184.644. 19. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 184.644. 20. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 184.630. 21. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 184.516. 22. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 184.356. 23. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 184.310. 24. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet, 184.264. 25. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 184.225. 26. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 184.211. 27. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 184.026. 28. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 184.026. 29. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 183.889. 30. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 183.850. 31. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 183.758. 32. (42) John H. Nemechek, Toyota, 183.691. 33. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 183.638. 34. (62) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 183.227. 35. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 183.224. 36. (78) Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, 183.010. 37. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 182.553. 38. (44) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 182.157. 39. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 181.797. 40. (66) Gray Gaulding, Ford, 181.106.

NFL FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Pittsburgh 1½ 3 (44½) vs. N.O. at NY JETS 2½ 4½ (39½) Miami at MINNESOTA 3 6½ (41½) Indianapolis at HOUSTON 5½ 10½ (42½) NY Giants San Francisco 4½ 2½ (49½) at ATLANTA at CAROLINA 1½ 3 (44½) Tampa Bay Cleveland 3 2½ (37½) at TENNESSEE Cincinnati 3½ 1½ (48½) at BALTIMORE Denver 7½ 4½ (43½) at ARIZONA at DETROIT 1½ 3½ (54½) Green Bay LA Rams 8½ 3½ (48½) at LAS VEGAS at SEATTLE 3 2½ (42½) Kansas City

Monday FAVORITE Dallas

OPEN TODAY O/U 3 4½ (44½)

UNDERDOG at PHILA.

College football Friday’s scores NC Central 31, Delaware St. 12 Penn 24, Yale 21 UConn 35, UMass 16 Duke 19, Virginia 16 Army 38, Tulsa 35 Stanford 31, NC State 28 Wyoming 28, Air Force 14

Saturday’s scores

EAST Albany (NY) 38, Rhode Island 21 Brown 38, Cornell 31 Buffalo 31, Bowling Green 24 CCSU 42, New Haven 20 Campbell 35, Maine 6 Dartmouth 38, Columbia 18 Duquesne 52, Wagner 21 Harvard 35, Princeton 7 Holy Cross 34, Bucknell 3 Howard 26, Morgan St. 20, OT Lafayette 31, Fordham 17 Merrimack 24, New Hampshire 17 North Texas 49, Navy 39 Robert Morris 28, Mercyhurst 14 St. Thomas (Minn.) 35, Marist 13 Stonehill 18, LIU Brooklyn 14 Stony Brook 27, Bryant 17 Villanova 24, Lehigh 18 SOUTH Alabama 31, Texas A&M 20 Ark.-Pine Bluff 31, Florida A&M 28 Bethune-Cookman 24, Jackson St. 21 Boston College 49, Georgia Tech 27 Charleston Southern 20, Tennessee St. 7 Chattanooga 41, W. Carolina 18 E. Kentucky 16, West Florida 13 ETSU 38, VMI 0 FAU 51, Rice 49 Georgetown 28, William & Mary 27 LSU 38, Auburn 17 Louisiana Tech 26, Old Dominion 0 Louisiana-Monroe 21, Troy 14 Miami 52, Pittsburgh 23 Monmouth (NJ) 49, Hampton 13 Morehead St. 38, Stetson 31 Nicholls 31, Northwestern St. 27 Oklahoma 23, Mississippi St. 15 Richmond 13, Colgate 6 SC State 22, Norfolk St. 7 Samford 13, Furman 6 South Carolina 27, Tennessee 24 Southern Miss 35, UL 31 Tarleton St. 49, West Georgia 6 Tennessee Tech 28, The Citadel 13 UCF 39, BYU 31, 2OT MIDWEST Ball St. 34, Sacramento St. 17 Butler 33, Drake 21 Cincinnati 37, Texas Tech 24 Dayton 37, San Diego 32 Hawaii 56, N. Illinois 21 Illinois 21, Oregon 10 Illinois St. 17, Indiana St. 10 Indiana 13, Michigan 6, OT Kansas 25, Baylor 24 Kent St. 35, Akron 20 Lindenwood (Mo.) 44, Chicago State 9 Miami (Ohio) 28, Cent. Michigan 27 Minnesota 13, Iowa 10 Northwestern 42, Rutgers 14 Ohio 24, E. Michigan 20 S. Dakota St. 42, Murray St. 9 S. Illinois 20, N. Iowa 17 SE Missouri 20, E. Illinois 10 South Dakota 26, North Dakota 23, OT Toledo 45, W. Michigan 38 Valparaiso 24, Presbyterian 7 W. Illinois 55, UT Martin 24 SOUTHWEST Incarnate Word 38, McNeese St. 6 Lamar 35, Houston Christian 10 SMU 59, California 20 Stephen F. Austin 45, Southeastern 24 Texas Southern 24, Southern 21 UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros 30, Cent. Arkansas 27, OT West Virginia 24, TCU 20 FAR WEST Arizona St. 28, Kansas St. 17 Boise St. 31, Washington St. 10 Idaho 31, S. Utah 28 Idaho St. 38, Portland St. 8 Montana St. 38, Weber St. 33 Nevada 28, San Jose St. 13 UCLA 28, Michigan St. 10 Utah Tech 43, Cal Poly 26

Major League Baseball World Series glance Best-of-7; x-if necessary; All games at 7 p.m.

Milwaukee vs. Tampa Bay

Friday: Game 1: Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 Saturday: Game 2: Tampa Bay (Rasmussen 16-5) at Milwaukee (Henderson 11-3) Monday: Game 3: Milwaukee (Peralta 10-11) at Tampa Bay (Gasser 5-5) Tuesday: Game 4: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay x-Wednesday, Oct. 28: Game 5: Milwaukee at Tampa Bay x-Friday, Oct. 30: Game 6: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee x-Saturday, Oct. 31: Game 7: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee

Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 Late Friday

Tampa Bay

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Transactions

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY ASHLEY LANDIS

Smooth operator

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman David Hamilton throws out a Tampa Bay Rays runner during the fifth inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday in Milwaukee. The game ended after press time. Mesa rf Williamsn ss Walls ss Vilade ph-2b

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Frelick rf 3 0 1 0 Sánchez ph 1 0 0 0 Lara rf 0 0 0 0 Hamilton 3b 2 0 1 0 Ortiz 3b 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 2 7 2 Totals 30 3 8 3 Tampa Bay 000 100 001 — 2 Milwaukee 200 000 10x — 3 DP — Tampa Bay 0, Milwaukee 2. LOB — Tampa Bay 4, Milwaukee 8. 2B — Caminero (1), Hamilton (1). 3B — Yelich (1). SB — Frelick (1), Simpson (1), Mateo (1). S — Hamilton (1). IP H R ER BB SO Tampa Bay Martinez L,0-1 5 5 2 2 0 5 Matz 1 ⁄3 0 1 1 3 0 1 Kelly ⁄3 3 0 0 0 0 2 Cleavinger ⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 1 Sulser ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Milwaukee Misiorowski W,1-0 5 4 1 1 1 3 Uribe H,1 11⁄3 1 0 0 0 2 Ashby H,1 12⁄3 0 0 0 0 3 Megill S,1-1 1 2 1 1 1 1 ABS Challenge — Mesa (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Simpson (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Kelly (Ball-Conﬁrmed). Pitch timer violations — Misiorowski (pitcher). Umpires — Home, Gabe Morales; First, Nic Lentz; Second, James Hoye; Third, Vic Carapazza; Right, Tripp Gibson; Left, Dan Bellino. T — 3:09. A — 43,250 (41,700).

Pro basketball NBA glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division

Philadelphia Toronto Boston Brooklyn New York Southeast Division Atlanta Charlotte Washington Orlando Miami Central Division Detroit Chicago Indiana Cleveland Milwaukee

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WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division

Houston Memphis Dallas San Antonio New Orleans Northwest Division Oklahoma City Portland Minnesota Utah Denver Paciﬁc Division L.A. Lakers L.A. Clippers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento

Friday’s scores

Chicago 132, Milwaukee 125 Atlanta 128, Charlotte 81 Minnesota 115, Orlando 93

Toronto 112, Washington 102 Boston 107, New York 103 Dallas 121, Indiana 105 Detroit 128, Miami 111 Utah 120, New Orleans 119 Houston 114, San Antonio 110 Portland 128, Sacramento 120 L.A. Lakers 125, L.A. Clippers 117 Memphis 111, Golden State 108

AP basketball writer

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks sought to clear up what they said is “misinformation” regarding the awarding of their championship rings, saying Saturday that employees who were always supposed to get them will do so in about a month. Madison Square Garden again conceded that using an email regarding the selection of rings to train staffers about cybersecurity was a mistake, though “reminding our employees to protect our IP was not.” It was the second straight day the NBA champions responded to criticism of their distribution of the jewelry they earned after winning their ﬁrst title since 1973.

Players were awarded their rings Tuesday night before the Knicks opened the season against the Philadelphia 76ers. But The Athletic reported later in the week that assistant coaches did not get theirs. Madison Square Garden responded to that Friday by saying more than 275 employees were already set to be gifted rings, worth more than $3.7 million. “There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the championship rings. The plan has always been to distribute more than 275 rings and jewelry to the people in the organization who were part of last season’s success,” an MSG spokesperson said Saturday. “As is common with many teams, the players were always supposed to get their rings

Golden State 67, Atlanta 62

L.A. Lakers at Utah, 4 p.m. Indiana at Brooklyn, 5 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m. Orlando at New York, 6 p.m. Toronto at Minnesota, 6 p.m. Detroit at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m. Memphis at Sacramento, 8 p.m.

Utah 120, New Orleans 119 Late Friday

FG FT Reb N.O. Min M-A M-A O-T A PFPTS Murphy III 31:27 4-9 0-0 1-6 3 4 9 Williamsn 33:01 8-12 7-8 1-5 2 5 23 Missi 9:17 3-3 0-0 1-1 0 0 6 Fears 23:44 3-9 0-0 0-0 1 2 7 Murray 30:13 7-15 2-2 1-6 6 2 16 Queen 29:00 4-9 3-4 1-7 2 3 12 Bey 22:08 8-12 1-1 1-3 1 1 20 Poole 19:10 1-8 9-10 0-2 2 5 12 Jones 17:46 1-2 0-0 0-1 0 3 3 Mathurin 15:06 2-5 0-0 1-2 0 3 4 Matkovic 9:07 3-3 1-2 2-4 1 1 7 Totals 240 44-87 23-27 9-37 18 29 119 Percentages: FG .506, FT .852. 3-Point Goals: 8-26, .308 (Bey 3-5, Jones 1-2, Queen 1-2, Fears 1-4, Murphy III 1-4, Poole 1-5, Mathurin 0-1, Williamson 0-1, Murray 0-2). Team Rebounds: 11. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 5 (Queen 2, Bey, Missi, Poole). Turnovers: 15 (Murray 3, Bey 2, Fears 2, Mathurin 2, Murphy III 2, Queen 2, Williamson 2). Steals: 15 (Murray 3, Poole 3, Williamson 3, Matkovic 2, Queen 2, Fears, Murphy III). Technical Fouls: coach Jamahl Mosley, 6:24 second; Poole, 5:49 third.

GOLDEN STATE (67) Charles 2-6 1-2 5, Hayes 5-10 3-3 13, Stokes 2-5 0-0 4, Burton 4-17 3-4 13, Williams 7-21 3-3 17, Salaun 1-1 0-0 2, Thornton 1-2 0-0 3, Zandalasini 4-8 1-1 10, Chen 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-72 11-13 67. ATLANTA (62) Hillmon 2-2 2-2 6, Howard 6-14 5-7 19, Reese 2-12 4-6 8, Canada 3-8 4-6 10, Gray 1-7 3-4 5, Bonner 1-5 1-2 4, Okot 0-0 0-0 0, Borlase 3-6 3-4 10, Walker-Kimbrough 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-54 22-31 62. Golden State 16 26 12 13 — 67 Atlanta 11 15 19 17 — 62 3-Point Goals — Golden State 4-25 (Burton 2-7, Thornton 1-2, Zandalasini 1-3, Hayes 0-2, Stokes 0-2, Charles 0-3, Williams 0-6), Atlanta 4-23 (Howard 2-8, Borlase 1-3, Bonner 1-4, Reese 0-1, Canada 0-3, Gray 0-4). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Golden State 38 (Stokes 16), Atlanta 37 (Hillmon, Reese 9). Assists — Golden State 10 (Burton 5), Atlanta 9 (Canada 4). Total Fouls — Golden State 26, Atlanta 19. A — 17,099 (18,118)

Auto racing NASCAR Cup lineup YellaWood 500

After Saturday qualifying; race Sunday At Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, Ala. Lap length: 2.66 miles (Car number in parentheses) 1. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 186.065 mph. 2. (33) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 185.949. 3. (88) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, 185.877. 4. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 185.707. 5. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 185.607. 6. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 185.549.

Reb

UTAH Min M-A M-A O-T A F PTS Bailey 21:42 2-8 1-2 1-7 2 2 6 Markknen 34:08 6-13 0-0 2-6 3 0 16 Jackson 33:14 7-15 8-10 4-10 3 4 24 George 32:25 6-12 4-6 0-1 10 2 19 Peterson 29:58 6-12 2-2 3-3 1 3 15 Hayes 25:57 7-8 3-3 2-5 2 3 17 Mykhailiuk 21:24 1-4 1-2 1-4 1 2 3 Collier 18:02 3-5 4-6 0-2 7 3 10 Sensabgh 15:35 3-6 2-2 1-3 2 2 10 Filipowski 7:35 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 Totals 240 41-84 25-33 14-42 31 21 120 Percentages: FG .488, FT .758. 3-Point Goals: 13-35, .371 (Markkanen 4-9, George 3-7, Jackson Jr. 2-4, Sensabaugh 2-4, Peterson 1-2, Bailey 1-6, Collier 0-1, Mykhailiuk 0-2). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 5 (Jackson Jr. 3, Hayes, Sensabaugh). Turnovers: 18 (George 6, Filipowski 3, Jackson Jr. 3, Collier 2, Bailey, Markkanen, Mykhailiuk, Sensabaugh). Steals: 4 (Filipowski, George, Markkanen, Mykhailiuk). Technical Fouls: None. New Orleans 28 24 38 29 — 119

as part of the opening night ceremony and then everyone else will receive theirs in about 4-6 weeks.” The Athletic report also said that in September, MSG employees received an email reading: “Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here.” It showed a graphic with two ring styles that could be selected, but those who clicked on the link at the bottom of the email were forced to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class. “Regarding the phishing email, the process of securing and reminding our employees to protect our IP was not a mistake but the choice to use the ring to do so was a mistake and we apologize to our employees and the fans,” MSG said.

120

Oct. 17: Game 1: Golden State 68, Atlanta 64 Oct. 19: Game 2: Atlanta 79, Golden State 65 Oct. 21: Game 3: Atlanta 97, Golden State 71 Saturday: Game 4: Golden State 67, Atlanta 62 Monday: Game 5: Atlanta at Golden State, 7 p.m. (USA) Thursday: Game 6: Golden State at Atlanta, 7 p.m. (USA) x-Saturday, Oct. 31: Game 7: Atlanta at Golden State, 7 p.m. (USA)

Sunday’s games

—

No. 4 Atlanta 2, No. 2 Golden State 2

Charlotte 115, Miami 110 Brooklyn at Cleveland, n Milwaukee at Philadelphia, n San Antonio at Dallas, n Washington at Chicago, n Houston at Atlanta, n New Orleans at Denver, n Golden State at Phoenix, n

WNBA Finals

Saturday’s games

Knicks trying to clear up ‘misinformation’ about rings BY BRIAN MAHONEY

Utah 31 31 24 A — 17,867 (18,206). T — 2:21.

FOOTBALL National Football League ATLANTA FALCONS — Activated CB A.J. Terrell from injured reserve. Signed DE Drake Jackson to the active roster. Placed OT Michael Jerrell on injured reserve. ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed RB Evan Hull to the active roster from the practice squad. Waived DB Wydett Williams from the active roster. BALTIMORE RAVENS — Placed LB Tavius Robinson on injured reserve. Signed G Kyle Hergel from the practice squad. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Placed LB Thomas Incoom on injured reserve. Activated LB Bam Martin-Scott from injured reserve. Signed DB Malcolm DeWalt to the practice squad. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Activated RB Dylan Sampson from injured reserve. Placed OL Teven Jenkins in injured reserve. DENVER BRONCOS — Activated RB Jonah Coleman and OLB Jonathon Cooper. Placed RB Tyler Badie and OLB Jonah Elliss on injured reserve. DETROIT LIONS — Activated DB Brian Branch from the PUP list. Activated C Cade Mays from injured reserve. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Activated RB Josh Jacobs from exempt status. Activated DT Jordan Riley off reserve/physically unable to perform list. Signed WR Coleman Owen from the practice squad to the active roster. HOUSTON TEXANS — Activated WR Tank Dell from injured reserve. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Released P Thomas Morstead from the practice squad. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Placed RB Brashard Smith on injured reserve. Activated LB Cooper McDonald from injured reserve. Signed RB Jaydn Ott to the active roster from the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Activated LB Kyle Louis from injured reserve. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Activated RB Jordan Mason from injured reserve. Released CB Natrone Brooks from the practice squad. Signed RB DeeJay Dallas to the practice squad. NEW YORK GIANTS — Activating CB Paulson Adebo off injured reserve. Placing LB Tremaine Edmunds on injured reserve. NEW YORK JETS — Placed LB Kiko Mauigoa on injured reserve. Signed LB Jaden Keller to the active roster. PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Activated S DeShon Elliott from the injured reserve list. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Signed DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to the practice squad. Released DT Kevin Givens from the practice squad. Activated WR Christian Kirk from injured reserve. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Activated G Anthony Bradford from injured reserve. Signed DB Trevon Diggs to the practice squad. Signed WR Irvin Charles from the practice squad. Waived WR Montorie Foster. TENNESSEE TITANS — Signed DT Timmy Horne to the active roster from the practice squad. HOCKEY National Hockey League CAROLINA HURRICANES — Reassigned RW Unger Sorum to Chicago (AHL).

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LSU 38, AUBURN 17

BOX SCORE

NOTEBOOK

No. 18 LSU 38, Auburn 17

LSU 10 21 0 7 — 38 Auburn 3 7 0 7 — 17 First quarter LSU — FG Starzyk 30, 10:54. AUB — FG McPherson 23, 6:50. LSU — J.Harris 10 pass from Leavitt (Starzyk kick), 3:48. Second quarter LSU — T.Green 15 pass from Leavitt (Starzyk kick), 9:48. AUB — By.Brown 1 run (McPherson kick), 5:42. LSU — J.Harris 70 pass from Leavitt (Starzyk kick), 4:29. LSU — Leavitt 4 run (Starzyk kick), :17. Fourth quarter LSU — D.Jones 12 run (Starzyk kick), 13:56. AUB — Ti’a 7 run (McPherson kick), :24. A — 88,043. LSU AUB First downs 29 16 Total Net Yards 552 271 Rushes-yards 34-165 35-67 Passing 387 204 Punt Returns 0-0 1--1 Kickoff Returns 0-0 0-0 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0 Comp-Att-Int 32-46-0 20-30-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-2 7-48 Punts 3-33.3 7-48.6 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 7-50 6-48 Time of Possession 33:41 26:19 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING — LSU, D.Jones 21-92, Leavitt 8-54, Durham 3-22, Berry 1-(minus 1), Clark 1-(minus 2). Auburn, Brown 19-21, Ti’a 4-18, Cobb 5-14, Mabson 3-13, Washington 3-5, (Team) 1-(minus 4). PASSING — LSU, Leavitt 32-45-0387, Clark 0-1-0-0. Auburn, Brown 15-24-0-160, Ti’a 5-6-0-44. RECEIVING — LSU, Harris 9-178, T.Green 5-50, Watkins 4-40, Wilson 4-37, D.Jones 4-27, Z.Grace 3-33, Elzy 1-11, Mothershed 1-6, Barber 1-5. Auburn, Singleton 4-64, Spencer 4-41, Neptune 3-13, Koger 2-30, Nimrod 2-7, J.Johnson 1-19, Mabson 1-13, Cobb 1-8, Boardingham 1-6, Echols 1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS — None.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown is sacked by LSU cornerback DJ Pickett during the first half on Saturday in Auburn, Ala. LSU sacked Auburn quarterbacks seven times in the game.

LSU

Continued from page 1C Leavitt completed 32 of 45 passes for 387 yards and three touchdowns at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Leavitt, who also rushed for 54 yards and a score, found his emerging No. 1 receiver Jackson Harris nine times for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He also dished to newly healthy tight end Trey’Dez Green five times for 50 yards and a score in his return. For the first time in two years and five days, LSU notched a Southeastern Conference victory away from Tiger Stadium. Saturday’s win snapped an eight-game losing streak in SEC road games, going back to an Oct. 19, 2024, win at Arkansas. “This is what the whole thing was supposed to look like when we put it together, and the pieces come together, where you can be explosive on offense, where you get ahead, and pay really good rushers at the edge that end games,” Kiffin said. “They showed up today.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY BUTCH DILL

LSU coach Lane Kiffin reacts to a play during the first half against Auburn on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kiffin gambled early in the second quarter on fourth-and-2 from the LSU 31, and it paid off in an eventual touchdown.

Gamble puts LSU in control

Kiffin’s decision to defy the analytics paid off on pivotal drive

BY REED DARCEY

Staff writer

After his decision to go for it on fourth down paid off, coach Lane Kiffin smiled and did a quick Sign of the Cross. The first-year LSU coach looked relieved. Sam Leavitt’s errant firstdown throw hadn’t been intercepted after all, and the trick play that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. dialed up on fourth down had fooled the Auburn defense, which allowed the visiting Tigers to stay on the field and score a pivotal touchdown on Saturday in their 38-17 win. The early second-quarter drive had to rise from the dead before it entered the end zone. Had Auburn safety Eric Winters secured Leavitt’s errant throw and not let the ball hit the ground on the second play of the eventual 14-play, 95-yard drive, he would have given the Auburn offense a short field and a chance to tie the game 10-10. Instead, LSU ran two more plays, dialed up some deception on fourth-and-2 from its own 31yard line and marched 58 more yards for a touchdown that gave it a 17-3 lead. Leavitt found tight end Trey’Dez Green for both the fourth-down conversion and the score. “If it didn’t work,” Kiffin said, “everybody would be saying, ‘The defense is playing really well. Why did you do that?’ That was actually against the book.”

LSU finished with a 552-271 edge in yards. Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown was held to 21 yards rushing on 19 carries after logging consecutive 100-yard outings, including 115 in last week’s win over then-No. 1 Georgia. Kiffin, always seeking an edge, said he was rooting for unranked Auburn’s upset because “relief syndrome,” a letdown after a big win, is a real challenge. Whatever the reason, LSU had the upper hand in a traditionally unpredictable stadium, and it sets up Kiffin and Co. well for what comes next. LSU heads into its bye week with Green, one of its No. 7s, already back. Alabama and Texas await, with LSU’s other No. 7, linebacker Whit Weeks, hoping to return at some point after the open date. A pair of home wins substantially would improve LSU’s CFP chances. Everything is progressing as LSU would have hoped, and one trend — losing on the road to SEC foes — was emphatically squashed. “It’s always so good to get a win, especially just being able to get that done on the road, which we

Kiffin said that punting would’ve been the analytically sound decision to make at that moment. His numbers told him he should leave his offense on the field in that situation only if it needed to pick up 1 yard — not 2. “I don’t know,” Kiffin said, “I just really felt good about our matchups in this game, how our offense was coming into the game and just felt like there were going to be some situations where I told myself we’re going to err on the side of being aggressive and put it on our players.” One of those players, Leavitt, nearly threw away the drive, but that pass was his only mistake of the day. The redshirt junior carved up Auburn, completing a career-high 32 passes for a career-high 387 yards and three touchdowns. For the second straight week, Leavitt did not turn the ball over ... after replay reversed the initial ruling on his errant throw. On the crucial fourth down, running back Dilin Jones took a direct snap in the shotgun and handed the ball off to Leavitt, who faked a toss to receiver Winston Watkins and floated a pass to Green in the flat for an 11-yard gain. Earlier in the season in LSU’s loss to Kentucky, Kiffin controversially passed on a chance to convert a fourth-and-1 near midfield with a chance to secure the win. And earlier against Auburn, he had punted on fourth-and-2 from the LSU 36.

haven’t done,” said LSU running back Dilin Jones, who had 92 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. “Emphasized on it, big time.” LSU moved the ball all day, even if its first drive — which started near midfield — stalled for a 30yard field goal. The next possession, with the game tied 3-3, moved 65 yards on 6-of-6 passing from Leavitt, including four completions to Harris. Leavitt, under pressure and falling backward as he threw it, found Harris streaking across the middle for a 10-yard touchdown to pull ahead 10-3. The quarterback would record at least a 70% completion rate for a fifth game in a row. “I would say Kentucky was kind of the first game I felt like I played a lot better and more complete, getting to the check-down and all that,” Leavitt said, “and that stretches them laterally and opens up a lot of our crosser windows and things like that. “It’s a constant progression, and I thought today was another step forward.” LSU went three-and-out on its next possession, but that was a

The one Kifﬁn actually tried to pick up was 5 yards closer to his own end zone, and the numbers told him not to do it. That is likely part of the reason why the LSU coach acknowledged a higher power after his offense picked up the ﬁrst down.

Veteran RB gets a shot Running back Caden Durham touched the ball only nine times in LSU’s first seven games. But the junior received three touches against Auburn on Saturday, when he worked behind Jones as the Tigers’ clear-cut No. 2 tailback for the first time this season. Durham was the leading LSU rusher in each of the first two years of his career, but he’s spent most of his junior campaign buried on the depth chart behind Jones, sophomore Harlem Berry and Central Florida transfer Stacy Gage. Kiffin and his staff have been rotating their No. 2 backs all season. Gage got the first crack at the job, then ceded it to Berry by Week 4. Berry has carried the ball only four times in the last two games, though, and Gage lost a fumble last week in LSU’s win over Mississippi State. So now it’s time for Durham to get a crack at the job. He picked up 22 yards on the three carries against Auburn.

won an SEC road game in more than two years. A loss to Auburn would’ve been the ninth straight league matchup that LSU had dropped away from Tiger Stadium, and it would’ve put the Tigers just one more SEC road defeat away from matching the longest skid of such losses in program history. LSU has two separate streaks of at least nine SEC road losses — one that ran from 1998-2000 and one that ran from 1974-76. The Tigers’ most recent SEC road losing skid started with the loss they suffered at Texas A&M on Oct. 26, 2024. The streak extended to six games before Kifﬁn took over the program, and then it widened to eight once his newlook group dropped road matchups with Ole Miss and Kentucky this season. LSU has two more road trips left: one to Tennessee on Nov. 21 and another to Arkansas on Nov. 28 in the last week of the regular season.

Historical context LSU’s 21-point win was its most lopsided road victory over Auburn in program history. Before Saturday, the Tigers never had won by more than 14 points on The Plains.

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign Losing skid ends up for our newsletter at theadvoBefore Saturday, LSU hadn’t cate.com/lsunewsletter

momentary delay. The next series went 95 yards on 14 plays, including a fourth-and-2 on the LSU 32 converted on a direct snap to Jones, who handed off to Leavitt, who then hit Green for 11 yards. The drive ended with Leavitt ﬁnding Green over the middle for a 15-yard catch and run across the goal line to make it 17-3. Auburn (4-3, 2-3) answered with its only touchdown drive of the day, but LSU would have two more before the half ended. One lasted just three plays, thanks to a 70yard touchdown for Harris on a pass threaded over the middle by Leavitt on third-and-5. The next drive, 74 yards on 10 plays, was more methodical, draining most of what remained of the first-half clock. The possession was powered by rushes of 9, 16, 10 and 12 yards by Jones. Leavitt finished the first half with an exclamation point, diving across the line on a 4-yard touchdown run that gave LSU a 31-10 lead going into the locker room. “We came in here and kind of shut out the crowd pretty early,” Leavitt said.

Jordan-Hare steadily emptied in the second half, because there was little to keep Auburn fans’ attention offensively. LSU kept Brown bottled up, notching 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks (six of them on Brown). Auburn’s first three possessions of the second half traveled just 29 combined yards on 15 plays, and Jones helped put the game away, spinning out of a tackle on his way to a 12-yard touchdown run that made it 38-10 LSU just over a minute into the fourth quarter. Auburn scored a garbage-time touchdown with 24 seconds left to cut the deficit back to 21 points, which was tighter than what LSU achieved a week ago against Mississippi State. Leavitt just shrugged it off. “How much did they finish with? 17?” Leavitt asked reporters. “Last play of the game, whatever.” LSU left no doubt. November awaits, which will provide the Tigers with many meaningful opportunities to notch their best performance yet.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 7C

LSU 38, AUBURN 17 THREE AND OUT: SCOTT RABALAIS’ TOP THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM LSU’S ROAD VICTORY IN AUBURN

EARLY START, EARLY FINISH Saturday’s road game marked a second straight 11 a.m. kickoff for LSU. Early to play, early to rise up for the visiting Tigers, who played one of their best halves of football this season to take a convincing 3110 halftime lead. LSU was up 10-3 when a bad pass by quarterback Sam Leavitt resulting in an interception was reversed on review. Leavitt threw for two scores and ran for one after that as the rout was on.

WELCOME BACK, TREY’DEZ GREEN Out since suffering a knee injury Sept. 19 at Ole Miss, Green was the subject of much speculation all week after being left off LSU’s availability report. Green started and played a big part, catching a 15-yard touchdown pass from Leavitt after that reversed interception to complete a 95-yard drive. Green finished with five catches for 50 yards, not a dominant day but an excellent sign for LSU heading into the final month of the season.

DUAL THREAT, LITTLE THREAT Much was made about the dual threat of Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown after he had 265 yards of total offense (150 rushing, 115 passing) in the Tigers’ 27-24 upset of No. 1 Georgia. Brown did break free on a 34yard run to set up his 1-yard keeper for Auburn’s first touchdown, but the LSU pass rush wreaked havoc on him with six sacks. He finished with 21 net yards rushing as Auburn managed just 67 yards on the ground.

AERIAL SHOW FLYING HIGH TE Green’s return puts foes’ secondary in danger zone

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

AUBURN, Ala. — The snap came so fast that Sam Leavitt wasn’t ready for it. At least that’s what it looked like, though nothing in Lane Kiffin’s offense happens by accident. The LSU quarterback still handled the hot snap with ease and found Trey’Dez Green over the middle while the Auburn defense was fast asleep. Green then turned, trucked through four defenders and dove into the end zone for a 15-yard score. Before Auburn could blink, LSU led 17-3 with nearly 10 minutes left before halftime. This is what LSU had missed for four weeks. Green, who returned this weekend after injuring his knee in Week 3, was the centerpiece of the passing attack before an Ole Miss defender collided with his knee and forced him to sit for a month. But Saturday was not just the Green show. Jackson Harris — the transfer wide receiver from Hawaii who stepped up after Green’s injury — had nine catches for 178 yards and two scores as the combo lifted LSU past Auburn 38-17 on Saturday. “Having Trey’Dez on the field along with Jackson is (having) two dominant one-on-one players,” Leavitt said. “How are you going to cover two dominant one-on-one players? You can’t double them both.” On LSU’s next drive after Green’s second-quarter score, Harris found the end zone on a 70-yard catch-and-run that pushed the lead to 24-10. He had seven catches for 10-plus yards and finished the first half with 139 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions. The 70-yard score was LSU’s longest play from scrimmage this year. “Feel players. And when I say that it’s just the way that you feel space,” Leavitt said of Harris. “He feels it very well, and he’s very long to go catch back-shoulder balls.” Green caught five passes for 50 yards

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C “When games are dominated,” Kifﬁn said, “the score, yardage, almost all areas, it means a lot of people are doing things right.” After so many things went wrong for LSU in its ﬁrst two road games, lost by a combined nine frustrating points at Ole Miss and Kentucky, the Tigers exercised not just two games but two years of road demons in this one. On this bright, blue Saturday on the plains, LSU didn’t take long to put Auburn’s lights out. For the second straight week LSU just went out and squeezed the life out of a Southeastern Conference foe — 31-0 the previous week against Mississippi State, up 31-10 at halftime in this one en route to a 38-17 decision over Auburn. A sheet-sized sign held up by an

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY BUTCH DILL

LSU tight end Trey’dez Green carries the ball in for a touchdown against Auburn during the first half on Saturday in Auburn, Ala. and had four receptions by halftime. His addition to the lineup didn’t take anything away from Harris or LSU’s other weapons; it only enhanced what LSU already had. “You just feel different when he’s there,” Kifﬁn said of Green. “That’s why I was so in the tank when Dashawn and the two sevens (Green and Whit Weeks) went down because they’re impactful players. It’s kind of like, I don’t know, like fishing with really good bait and tackle.” Since Green’s absence, the LSU passing attack has improved after an upand-down start. Leavitt’s accuracy has improved over the last four weeks, completing more than 70% of his passes.

LSU fan in the rapidly emptying Jordan-Hare stands during the closing minutes said it all: “Kifﬁn says: ‘Save your toilet paper!’ ” The local supporters had no cause to roll the live oaks at Toomer’s Corner after this one, trees that still held tattered remnants of the post-Georgia victory celebration. It was practically a 180-degree reversal of that, as No. 18 LSU (6-2, 3-2 SEC) recorded its biggest road margin of victory ever over Auburn, topping a 14-point win here in 1973. LSU’s previous four wins at Auburn dating back to 2008 were by a combined 12 points. LSU buried a lot of bad SEC road voodoo in this one, snapping an eight-game conference road losing streak that stretched all the way back to October 2024. “When we don’t screw games up,” Kifﬁn said, rather ruefully, “we’re really hard to beat.” LSU really had only one big

And the LSU weapons, especially Harris, have gotten more comfortable in the offense. Running back Dilin Jones has become a reliable check-down option for Leavitt. Troy transfer Roman Mothershed and freshman Corey Barber have earned larger roles. LSU led the SEC in passing yards before Saturday without its most dangerous weapon for more than half of the year. Getting Green back makes the aerial attack harder to defend. “Every time you get man (coverage),” Leavitt said, “throw the ball to seven.” Green’s return comes at the perfect time. Alabama has a dangerous defensive line that should challenge Leavitt’s

chance to make a mess of things. Up 10-3, Sam Leavitt rolled right and threw deep and wild and into the arms of Auburn safety Eric Winters. But wait. After further review, the point of the ball touched the turf. Incomplete. A do-over. The kind of second chance LSU didn’t get in its 35-34 overtime loss two weeks earlier at Kentucky. The Tigers pounced on the opportunity. And At Auburn Kiffin, unlike At Kentucky Kiffin, was the aggressor. On fourth-and-2 from LSU’s 31, he made the fourth-down gamble he was unwilling to make on fourth-and-1 from the LSU 43 in Lexington. Not only did LSU go for it, the Tigers did so with panache: a direct snap to Dilin Jones, who tossed to Leavitt, who threw in the right flat to Trey’Dez Green for 11 yards. Nine plays later, Leavitt threw again to Green, who 18-wheelered his way into the end

ability to get the ball out to his weapons when the Tigers return to acton on Nov. 7. The two opponents after that, Texas and Tennessee, have two of the best defenses in the country. Saturday was a promising step in the right direction for the LSU offense. It has to keep it up to remain in the thick of the College Football Playoff race. “This is what the whole thing was supposed to look like,” Kifﬁn said, “when we put it together.” Email Koki Riley at koki.riley@ theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter

zone on a 15-yard scoring play that put LSU up 17-3, capping a 14-play, 95-yard drive. Green, who missed the last fourplus games with a knee injury, was worth his 242 pounds in gold to the LSU offense. He had five catches for 50 yards, not matching wide receiver Jackson Harris’ stellar day (nine catches, 178 yards, two scores) but adding a dimension to the offense that the Tigers definitely missed. “As much as the play of him, it’s the feel of him,” Kiffin said. “You just feel different. Just to have him back in uniform just felt good.” Leavitt went off after his near mistake, finishing with more than 400 yards of total offense (387 passing, 54 rushing) and four touchdowns. He got a mulligan, but that’s now two straight games without an interception for the transfer quarterback who seems to be truly grasping the Kiffin/ Charlie Weis Jr. offense.

“It’s a constant progression,” said Leavitt, who did nothing to hurt his standing as the SEC’s top passer. “Today was another step forward.” LSU now heads home for the season’s only open date before opening up the well-publicized November gauntlet: Alabama and Texas at home, another road trip to Tennessee before closing things out at Arkansas. Maybe this is the year a 9-3 team makes the 12-team College Football Playoff, but neither LSU nor anyone else can count on that. The Tigers have to play like there is no margin for error. Could be that loss at Kentucky will haunt the Tigers in the end, but there is nothing LSU can do about that now. But here is a history lesson that can beneﬁt the Tigers in the big games to come: If they play as they have the past two weeks in the next four, there is no game LSU can’t win. No magic required.

LSU SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Sept. 5

Sept. 12

Sept. 19

Sept. 26

Oct. 3

Oct. 10

Oct. 17

Oct. 24

31-0 38-17 W W L W 63-14 W 35-34 L W W

51-10 45-14 32-24 35-6 OVERALL: 4-2 ACC: 2-1

OVERALL: 5-2 SUN BELT: 3-0

OVERALL: 5-1 SEC: 3-1

OVERALL: 4-4 SEC: 1-4

OVERALL: 3-5 SOUTHLAND: 2-3

OVERALL: 5-1 SEC: 3-1

OVERALL: 4-3 SEC: 2-3

Nov. 7

Nov. 14

Nov. 21

Nov. 28

Alabama TBA TV: TBA

Texas TBA TV: TBA

at Tennessee TBA TV: TBA

at Arkansas TBA TV: TBA

OVERALL: 6-2 SEC: 4-2

OVERALL: 4-2 SEC: 1-2

OVERALL: 6-2 SEC: 3-2

OVERALL: 3-4 SEC: 1-3

8C n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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SAINTS GAMEDAY

ROSTERS SAINTS No. Player Pos Ht Wt Exp College 1 Kool-Aid McKinstry CB 5-11 199 3 Alabama 2 Spencer Rattler QB 6-0 211 3 South Carolina 4 Oscar Delp TE 6-4 245 0 Georgia 5 Kendre Miller RB 6-0 220 4 TCU 6 Tyler Shough QB 6-5 219 2 Louisville 7 Jonas Sanker SAF 6-1 211 2 Virginia 10 Daniel Carlson K 6-5 222 9 Auburn 11 Zach Wilson QB 6-2 214 6 BYU 12 Chris Olave WR 6-0 187 5 Ohio State 14 Devaughn Vele WR 6-5 210 3 Utah 17 Ryan Wright P 6-3 245 5 Tulane 18 Bryce Lance WR 6-3 204 0 North Dakota St. 19 Barion Brown WR 5-11 177 0 LSU 20 Pete Werner LB 6-3 242 6 Ohio State 21 Justin Reid SAF 6-1 207 9 Stanford 22 Martin Emerson Jr. CB 6-2 201 5 Mississippi St. 23 Julian Blackmon SAF 6-0 202 7 Utah 25 D. Richardson CB 6-2 192 4 Mississippi St. 28 Danny Stutsman LB 6-3 233 2 Oklahoma 29 Quincy Riley CB 5-11 195 2 Louisville 31 Jordan Howden DB 6-0 209 4 Minnesota 33 Anfernee Jennings DE 6-2 255 7 Alabama 36 Lorenzo Styles SAF 5-11 194 0 Ohio State 41 Alvin Kamara RB 5-10 215 10 Tennessee 42 Mike Reid SAF 6-2 200 1 South Dakota 43 CJ Donaldson RB 6-1 230 0 Ohio State 44 Isaiah Stalbird LB 6-1 215 2 South Dakota St. 49 Zach Wood LS 6-3 255 10 SMU 50 Colby Wooden DL 6-4 273 4 Auburn 51 Cesar Ruiz OG 6-4 316 7 Michigan 52 Christen Miller DT 6-3 321 0 Georgia 53 Jaylan Ford LB 6-2 240 3 Texas 55 Kaden Elliss LB 6-2 238 8 Idaho 58 Chris Rumph II LB 6-2 244 6 Duke 65 Jeremiah Wright G 6-5 331 0 Auburn 66 William Sherman G 6-4 300 2 Colorado 72 Asim Richards OL 6-4 307 4 North Carolina 74 Mason Murphy T 6-5 315 0 Auburn 75 Taliese Fuaga T 6-6 324 3 Oregon State 76 David Edwards G 6-6 308 8 Wisconsin 78 Erik McCoy C 6-4 303 8 Texas A&M 82 Treyton Welch TE 6-4 240 1 Wyoming 83 Juwan Johnson TE 6-4 245 7 Oregon 87 Noah Fant TE 6-4 249 8 Iowa 91 Vernon Broughton DL 6-5 311 2 Texas 92 Davon Godchaux DL 6-3 330 10 LSU 93 Nathan Shepherd DL 6-4 315 9 Fort Hays State 94 Cameron Jordan DE 6-4 287 16 California 95 John Ridgeway III DL 6-5 321 5 Arkansas 96 Carl Granderson DE 6-5 261 8 Wyoming 97 Khristian Boyd DL 6-2 320 3 Northern Iowa 98 Tyree Wilson DE 6-5 263 4 Texas Tech 99 Chase Young DE 6-5 265 7 Ohio State

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH

TOP TOPICS FOR WEEK 7

Mayﬁeld returns vs. Panthers

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Niners want to pressure Falcons Rams behind in playoff chase

The NFC South’s last-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in need of a spark. Baker Mayfield would seem to be the right guy to provide it when he makes his return to the field Sunday against division rival Carolina. Mayfield missed the past three games with a dislocated right thumb, but he returned to practice this week wearing a protective white glove designed to add support to the area. He said Thursday the thumb has “gotten to a place where it’s strong enough to be able to play.” Mayfield is 6-1 against Panthers as a starter, with five of those coming with the Bucs.

San Francisco 49ers defensive linemen Keion White and Osa Odighizuwa will take aim at Atlanta Falcons right tackle Jawaan Taylor and right guard Chris Lindstrom. White leads the 49ers with 3½ sacks and Odighizuwa has three. If the 49ers take notes from the Bears’ defensive game plan last week against the Falcons, they also can be expected to utilize blitzes to put pressure on Atlanta QB Michael Penix. The Falcons’ hopes of keeping Penix on his feet will start with blocking the left side of the defensive front. Atlanta has allowed 16 total sacks this season.

WR Chase takes aim at Baltimore Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase usually gashes his division rival Baltimore. In 10 games against the Ravens, Chase has averaged 7.5 receptions for 120.4 yards. In 2024, he had 21 catches for 457 yards and five TDs in the two games against Baltimore. Keep an eye on how safety Kyle Hamilton is deployed as the Ravens try to balance the desire to be aggressive against the need to avoid allowing the big play. Chase was in concussion protocol and fellow wideout Tee Higgins had an adductor injury, but both played in a win over Miami on Oct. 11.

The losses are piling up for the Los Angeles Rams, which entered the season as the heavy Super Bowl favorite. They go into Sunday’s game at Las Vegas at 2-4 with the odds considerably stacked against them to even make the playoffs, making this matchup against the Raiders (3-3) close to a must-win. Since the playoffs expanded from 14 teams in the 2020 season, only seven of the 36 clubs that opened 2-4 have made the postseason. Should the Rams improve to 3-4, the numbers are 10 of 41. Only four of the 33 teams that began 2-5 made the playoffs.

Packers could air it out on Lions Keen an eye on the Packers’ passing game against Detroit in this NFC North clash. Green Bay WR Christian Watson has 538 yards receiving and six TDs while teammate Matthew Golden has 501 yards receiving and three TDs this season. They are the only duo to rank among the top 10 in yards receiving. The Lions are last in the league in passing defense, allowing nearly 300 yards per game. The Packers have allowed 24 points during their three-game winning streak, the lowest point total they have given up in a three-game stretch since 2021.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Seahawks host old friend Walker, Chiefs BY ANNE M. PETERSON

AP sportswriter

As the Seahawks prepare to face former teammate Kenneth Walker, they are searching to reestablish the running game he spearheaded during their Super Bowl journey last season. His former backﬁeld mate, running back Zach Charbonnet, still hasn’t played this year and was ruled out for Sunday when Seattle hosts the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks’ run game has struggled for much of the season and they could use Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in January and spent the first six games of the season on the physically unable to perform list. He was activated and practiced Wednesday and Thursday, but he’s still not ready. Seattle is ranked 18th in the league with an average of 107.2 total yards on the ground this sea-

son. They have ﬁve rushing touchdowns. Rookie Jadarian Price, who was expected to help, is out with a chest/shoulder injury. Charbonnet rushed for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Seahawks last season before he was injured. Of course, one of the reasons why Seattle’s run game has dipped this season is the loss of Walker, their Super Bowl MVP who went to the Chiefs as a free agent in the offseason. “But I think there’s mixed emotions. We’re happy for him, but also, we’re trying to figure out ways to stop this guy, too,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. Walker rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns in Kansas City’s 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. It was the fourth game he’s topped 100 yards rushing this season. Walker is averaging a league-leading 133

yards rushing per game and has scored a combined eight touchdowns. Walker became the Seahawks’ top back after Charbonnet was injured, and he ran for 135 yards in the Super Bowl against the Patriots to earn MVP honors. Chiefs coach Andy Reid expects Walker to treat his return to Seattle as he does every game. “I think the boys there will try to get after him a little bit,” Reid said. “But he’s a pretty level-headed guy. The way he plays, you’re going to get a good rep when he gets the ball in his hands,. He kind of has one speed: He’s coming at you. It doesn’t matter who he’s playing or where he’s playing.” The Seahawks’ run defense is allowing an average of 96 yards a game, with four total rushing touchdowns. Seattle has not allowed a rusher to go 100 or more yards in 35 straight games, the league’s longest current streak.

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

W 5 4 2 0

L 1 3 4 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA Home Away .833 197 171 2-1-0 3-0-0 .571 160 143 3-0-0 1-3-0 .333 112 122 1-1-0 1-3-0 .000 70 132 0-2-0 0-3-0

AFC NFC Div 3-1-0 2-0-0 0-1-0 4-1-0 0-2-0 2-0-0 2-1-0 0-3-0 0-1-0 0-3-0 0-2-0 0-0-0

W 4 2 2 1

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AFC NFC Div 3-2-0 1-0-0 0-1-0 1-4-0 1-0-0 1-1-0 2-3-0 0-1-0 2-1-0 1-3-0 0-2-0 1-1-0

W 4 4 4 3

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Pct .667 .667 .667 .600

PA Home Away 122 3-0-0 1-2-0 128 3-0-0 1-2-0 132 1-1-0 3-1-0 109 1-1-0 2-1-0

AFC 2-2-0 2-2-0 2-1-0 2-2-0

NFC Div 2-0-0 2-0-0 2-0-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-1-0

W 5 4 3 0

L 0 2 3 6

T Pct PF PA Home Away 0 1.000 140 83 3-0-0 2-0-0 0 .667 114 125 3-0-0 1-2-0 0 .500 162 162 1-2-0 2-1-0 0 .000 90 151 0-3-0 0-3-0

AFC 5-0-0 2-1-0 2-3-0 0-4-0

NFC Div 0-0-0 3-0-0 2-1-0 1-1-0 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-2-0 0-3-0

W 3 2 2 1

L 2 4 4 4

T 1 0 0 1

Pct .583 .333 .333 .250

PF 136 106 151 132

PA Home Away 140 3-1-0 0-1-1 137 1-2-0 1-2-0 159 1-2-0 1-2-0 172 1-1-1 0-3-0

AFC 1-0-0 1-1-0 1-1-0 0-1-0

NFC Div 2-2-1 1-0-1 1-3-0 1-0-0 1-3-0 1-1-0 1-3-1 0-2-1

W 3 2 2 1

L 2 4 4 5

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .600 .333 .333 .167

PF 146 142 152 119

PA Home Away 123 1-1-0 2-1-0 153 0-3-0 2-1-0 178 0-3-0 2-1-0 138 0-4-0 1-1-0

AFC 0-1-0 0-2-0 1-1-0 0-3-0

NFC Div 3-1-0 1-0-0 2-2-0 1-1-0 1-3-0 0-1-0 1-2-0 0-0-0

W 5 5 4 3

L 0 2 2 2

T Pct 0 1.000 0 .714 0 .667 0 .600

PF PA Home Away 109 64 2-0-0 3-0-0 180 143 3-1-0 2-1-0 127 125 2-1-0 2-1-0 164 148 2-0-0 1-2-0

AFC 1-0-0 2-0-0 1-0-0 1-1-0

NFC Div 4-0-0 2-0-0 3-2-0 0-2-0 3-2-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 0-0-0

W 6 3 2 2

L 0 3 4 4

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

PF 177 148 126 135

AFC 2-0-0 2-1-0 1-0-0 0-2-0

NFC Div 4-0-0 3-0-0 1-2-0 1-1-0 1-4-0 1-2-0 2-2-0 0-2-0

PF 106 137 156 128

PA Home Away 110 4-0-0 2-0-0 122 2-1-0 1-2-0 178 0-2-0 2-2-0 138 1-3-0 1-1-0

WEEK 7

WEEK 8

Thursday’s game Chicago 30, New England 24 Sunday’s games Pittsburgh vs. New Orleans at SaintDenis, 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’s Game Dallas at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 29 Carolina at Green Bay, 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 Arizona at Dallas, noon Atlanta at Tampa Bay, noon Baltimore at Buffalo, noon Cleveland at Pittsburgh, noon Indianapolis at Jacksonville, noon Las Vegas at N.Y. Jets, noon Minnesota at Detroit, noon Tennessee at Cincinnati, noon L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams, 3:05 p.m. Kansas City at Denver, 3:25 p.m. New England at Miami, 3:25 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington, 7:20 p.m. Open: Houston, N.Y. Giants, New Orleans, San Francisco Monday, Nov. 2 Chicago at Seattle, 7:15 p.m.

NFL BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MATT ROURKE

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches the ball for a touchdown in front of Carolina Panthers cornerback Will Lee on Oct. 18 in Philadelphia.

Eagles to go sans WR Smith on Monday

Ravens face Bengals without QB Jackson

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles will play without wide receiver DeVonta Smith on Monday night against Dallas because of a hamstring injury. Smith will miss his third game this season because of the hamstring. The Eagles also will play without wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks because of an ankle injury. The Eagles (2-4) have lost four straight games and are expected to play the rest of the season without QB Jalen Hurts because of blood clots. The Cowboys are also 2-4.

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens have ruled out star quarterback Lamar Jackson for Sunday’s game against Cincinnati because of an ankle injury. The Ravens went 1-1 against Atlanta and Cleveland without Jackson. He was able to practice on a limited basis this week and even spoke to reporters, but Baltimore announced Saturday that he would not play against the Bengals. He had told reporters that he still feels pain in the ankle when running. That leaves Tyler Huntley in line to start again.

Niners receiver Evans won’t go vs. Falcons

Browns DT Graham returns after 2 games

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers star receiver Mike Evans will miss Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons because of Achilles tendinitis. Evans tried to play through the injury last week against Washington before leaving the game late in the ﬁrst half and has been unable to practice this week. He will miss the game on Sunday and then have a week to rest when San Francisco is on a bye before the next game on Nov. 8 at home against Las Vegas.

Mason Graham’s season appeared to be in jeopardy when the Browns defensive tackle went down with a knee injury during the ﬁrst half against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 1. It turns out, Graham had to miss only two games and will be back in the lineup on Sunday when the Browns hit the road to face the Tennessee Titans. Even though it was originally feared that Graham might have suffered a torn ACL, it ended up being a left MCL and ankle sprains.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 11C

COLLEGE BASKETBALL LSU falls to Florida State in ﬁnal exhibition game Wade starts three newly eligible players

BY TOYLOY BROWN Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY JOHN MARSHALL

LSU coach Dale Brown and members of the team celebrate on the floor of the Omni in Atlanta after they defeated Kentucky in an NCAA Tournament Southeast regional final on March 22, 1986. Brown was the first coach to lead an 11th-seeded team to the Final Four.

ONE OF A KIND

LSU had its ﬁnal rehearsal before the season starts, playing an exhibition game against Florida State on Saturday with multiple new players recently ruled eligible. Despite having all but two scholarship players available, the Tigers fell 89-87 to the Seminoles in Tallahassee, Florida. The new players LSU had available were fifth-year UCLA transfer Skyy Clark and international signees Saliou Niang and Brice Dessert. All three were part of the starting lineup. The non-walk-on players sidelined were center Gilad Levy of Israel and Austin Nunez, an injured ﬁfth-year transfer from UTSA. The Tigers trailed for much of the exhibition but stayed within single digits most of the way. They had a chance for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining. However, LSU fifth-year point guard Donovan Dent — who led the team with 24 points and nine assists — threw the ball away on a sideline inbounds pass to Clark. Clark had his best showing among the new players. He had 21 points, making 7 of 12 from 3-point range. The 6-foot-2 guard also had eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in 33 minutes. Dessert, a 6-11 center,

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK

LSU coach Will Wade has a heated exchange with a referee during an exhibition game against Central Florida on Oct. 14 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. played 16 minutes, the least of any LSU player. The 23-year-old from France had four points on two field-goal attempts, two rebounds and one block. He also had two fouls and three turnovers. Niang had five points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal in 24 minutes. The 6-7 wing’s best moment was an alley-oop dunk in the second half. The LSU team website listed 14 players on its roster Wednesday. In June, that total was four, and it was just 10 players for the McNeese State exhibition game on Oct. 8. Clark obtained eligibility Oct. 16 through a temporary injunction for a fifth year in a Kentucky lawsuit. While he was among the original plaintiffs in the same California eligibility lawsuit that fellow UCLA transfer Dent is a part of, he signed a request for partial dismissal without prejudice Aug. 13, according to court docu-

ments. The NCAA cleared Dessert and Niang to play for LSU on Tuesday, the same day Dent had his preliminary injunction granted after being eligible previously through a temporary restraining order. The lone player awaiting eligibility clearance is 7-3 center Levy, 24. He is listed on the Tigers’ 14-player roster after being the last player to commit to the program on Aug. 25. There is paperwork still left to be taken care of for Levy, a source with knowledge of the program told The Advocate. LSU won its two previous exhibition games before facing Florida State. The Tigers beat McNeese State 63-60 in Lake Charles on Oct. 8 and beat Central Florida 85-81 at home on Oct. 14. The next time they take the court will be the season opener against LSU New Orleans on Nov. 3 at the PMAC.

Former LSU coach Brown was inspirational, controversial

“Unique” is one of the most overused words in the English language. But for Dale Brown, no word better applies. The Hall of Fame LSU men’s basketball coach, who died Friday at age 90, was a true American original, his life a bona ﬁde Oliver Twist-like tale of a boy who grew up fatherless in the height of the Great Depression to scale the heights of his chosen ﬁeld. When Brown retired in 1997 after 25 years as the LSU coach, he had 448 wins, second-most in Southeastern Conference history behind only Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp. Nearly three decades later, Brown impressively still ranks fourth on the all-time list. But mere wins are a small part of Brown’s legacy. For him, basketball was the highly visible platform from which he championed countless causes. Make no mistake, Brown wanted to win. He couldn’t have led LSU to two Final Fours, four SEC regularseason titles, the Tigers’ only SEC Tournament championship and a total of 15 NCAA and NIT appearances (when the NCAA Tournament was smaller and making the NIT was a bigger deal) if he didn’t have a drive to win. For Brown, the struggle, the journey, the battle against what he saw as injustices and inequalities in the world were more important than what the scoreboard read when the buzzer sounded. Brown’s world view extended far beyond the basket or the baseline. As he once said of himself, “I know the Louvre isn’t an inbounds play.” There were times when his passion bubbled over the top. Got him into trouble. Like the famous incident at the 1992 SEC Tournament when he ran onto the court to shove Tennessee’s Carlus Groves away from Shaquille O’Neal,

Scott Rabalais Brown’s greatest player, after Groves intentionally fouled him. Brown drew a reprimand from the SEC and Will Wade-like ire from SEC basketball fans. LSU lost O’Neal to an ejection but won the game, 99-89. In the November 1985 Sports Illustrated, then the unrivaled authority on American sports, there was a cover story on the wild antics of LSU athletics. The magazine put Brown on the cover under the banner headline, “Crazy Days at LSU.” Inside, the proﬁle of LSU’s controversial coach read, “Hello, trouble, I’m Dale Brown.” “From the moment they snipped the umbilical cord,” Brown said in that 1985 proﬁle, “I’ve been in the middle of controversy.” Brown spent his life challenging authority and making waves, like how he referred to the NCAA and its draconian rule-makers as “Gestapo bastards.” People may have frequently questioned Brown’s antics or motives, but he never wavered in his convictions that he was doing the right thing. Trying to do the right thing for people. It showed up in the way he stayed after former players to go back to college and earn their degrees, often for years. Or the way he tried to champion rights for players everywhere. That took years too, but agree or not, in true Dale Brown fashion, many of the things he wanted for student-athletes in terms of NIL compensation, stipends for cost of attendance and relaxed rules on

simple things have come to pass. “He was a motivator,” John Tudor, a guard on Brown’s 1981 Final Four team, told KLAX in Alexandria. “He was always an optimist. He was an excellent coach and a good human being who cared equally for all of his players.” The “excellent coach” part is something Brown’s detractors quibbled with. His amazing 1989-90 team that included four future NBA first-rounders — O’Neal, Stanley Roberts, Chris Jackson (Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) and Geert Hammink — reached only the second round of that year’s NCAA Tournament. In his three NCAA Tournament matchups against the fiery Bobby Knight, Brown was 0-3, including that 1981 Final Four. A 1987 onepoint loss to Knight’s Indiana team in the Elite Eight in Cincinnati kept LSU from making a Final Four appearance at the Caesars Superdome. But Brown’s Tigers beat 28 top-10 teams, including Kentucky’s 1978 national champions in overtime after all five LSU starters fouled out. If you had one game to win and needed someone to coach your team, especially as an underdog, you wanted Brown on your bench. He once traveled the length of the Mississippi River in a speedboat (with my former sports editor and mentor, Sam King, tagging along), tried to climb the Matterhorn and searched for Bigfoot. “I always thought if I was to die it would be in a fall off the Matterhorn or being eaten by Bigfoot,” Brown said after recovering from a stroke at 67. Bigfoot wouldn’t have had the guts. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate. com/lsunewsletter

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12C ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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THE VARSITY ZONE WEEK 8 FOOTBALL REPORT Friday’s scores Area

Ascension Christian 52, Highland Bap. 13 Dunham 55, Episcopal 6 Glen Oaks 48, Belaire 12 Zachary 54, Woodlawn 0 East Iberville 42, White Castle 13 Tara vs. McKinley at Olympia Stadium East Ascension 48, Parkway 32 Catholic High 41, Central 14 Walker 27, Live Oak 18 Prairieville 42, St. Amant 35 Slaughter Charter 19, Northeast 14 University 58, West Feliciana 30 Donaldsonville 38, Springﬁeld 14 North Iberville 44, Benjamin Franklin 7 Dutchtown 17, Denham Springs 14 Northside 30, Liberty 20 Carencro 44, Livonia 0 Pope John Paul II 21, Albany 18 Lutcher 42, Vandebilt Catholic 40 St. James 43, Patterson 6 Dunham 55, Episcopal 6 Riverside 34, Ascension Catholic 0 Kentwood 36, Catholic High PC 6

Statewide

Abramson def. Carroll, forfeit Sacred Heart-GC 25, North Central 8 Alexandria 27, Ruston 21 Ascension Christian 52, Highland Baptist 13 Avoyelles 42, Oakdale 40, OT B.T. Washington 38, Woodlawn (SH) 0 Barbe 59, Sam Houston 29 Beau Chene 38, Breaux Bridge 31 Belle Chasse 42, Discovery 14 Benton 41, Natchitoches Central 35 Block 54, Acadiana Christian 21 Bogalusa 40, Loranger 38 Buckeye 42, Plain Dealing 6 C.E. Byrd 28, Evangel Christian 24 Caldwell Parish 38, Oak Grove 34 Carencro 44, Livonia 0 Cedar Creek 62, Arcadia 6 Central Lafourche 41, Riverdale 0 Church Point 26, Crowley 21 Country Day 56, Covenant Christian 7 Covington 49, Hammond 21 DeQuincy 41, Pickering 0 DeRidder 24, Kinder 20 Delta Charter 42, LaSalle 36, OT Destrehan 49, Terrebonne 0 E.D. White 49, Assumption 7 East Ascension 48, Parkway 32 East Beauregard 40, Pine Prairie 6 Ellender 39, Morgan City 6 Erath 37, Abbeville 12 Eunice 40, Mamou 13 General Trass 38, Delhi 22 Glenbrook 44, Lena Northwood 6 Hahnville 13, East St. John 12 Hannan 31, Pearl River 28 Haughton 42, Airline 21 Haynes Academy 21, Reed 19

Haynesville 53, Lincoln Preparatory 0 Homer 40, Green Oaks 8 Houma Christian 55, Gueydan 32 Independence 41, St. Thomas Aquinas 6 Iota 55, Ville Platte 0 Iowa 53, Westlake 22 Jeanerette 34, Central Catholic 20 Jena 44, Bunkie 34 Jesuit 24, John Curtis Christian 8 Kaplan 57, St. Martinville 7 Lafayette 61, New Iberia 23 Lafayette Christian 23, Loreauville 6 Lafayette Ren. 54, Acadiana Ren. Charter 6 Lake Charles Prep 42, North Vermilion 0 Lakeshore 56, Franklinton 34 Lakeside 41, Oberlin 0 Landry/Walker 51, Cohen 0 Leesville 62, LaGrange 0 Logansport 50, Ringgold 0 Loyola Prep 50, Bastrop 16 Mandeville 36, Saint Paul’s 29 Mansﬁeld 48, Red River 12 Marksville 30, Grant 14 Minden 52, Southwood 13 Notre Dame 41, Lake Arthur 21 New Iberia Catholic 45, West St. Mary 6 Newman 49, Fisher 7 North Caddo 35, Magnolia Excellence 8 North DeSoto 78, Franklin Parish 64 Northshore 28, Fontainebleau 3 Northside 30, Liberty 20 Ouachita Parish 49, Peabody 15 Patrick Taylor 33, S. B. Wright 6 Port Barre 36, Holy Savior Menard 32 Sacred Heart 28, JS Clark 24 Salmen 47, Sumner 6 Shaw 24, Calvary Baptist Academy 7 Shreveport Northwood 44, Bossier 14 Slidell 42, Ponchatoula 3 S. Lafourche 32, South Terrebonne 30 S. Plaquemines 24, West St. John 16 Southside 17, St. Thomas More 14 St. Augustine 49, Brother Martin 35 St. Charles Catholic 55, Berwick 0 St. Edmund 42, Opelousas Catholic 21 St. Helena 44, Northlake Christian 0 St. John def. Capitol, forfeit St. Louis 42, Washington-Marion 35 St. Mary’s 58, Lakeview 6 Sterlington 48, North Webster 15 Thibodaux 27, H.L. Bourgeois 14 Tioga 52, Wossman 22 Union Parish 47, D’Arbonne Woods 0 Vermilion Catholic 42, Centerville 14 Vidalia 56, Delhi Charter 22 Vinton 43, Rosepine 26 Welsh 43, Basile 0 West Monroe 51, Pineville 0 Westgate 44, Teurlings Catholic 32 Westminster-LAF 55, Hanson 0 Winnﬁeld 40, Many 30 Young Audiences 44, Willow 33

WEEK 9 SCHEDULE Thursday

Varnado at Central Private Denham Springs at East Ascension University High at Port Allen McKinley at Scotlandville East Iberville at North Iberville Donaldsonville at Northeast Fisher at Ascension Christian Destrehan at Zachary Live Oak at Prairieville Belaire at West Feliciana Kentwood at East Feliciana Dutchtown at St. Amant Livonia at Cecilia Madison Prep at Plaquemine Lutcher at St. Charles Vandebilt Catholic at St. James Dunham at Slaughter Community Charter Episcopal at Springﬁeld Catholic-PC at Riverside Academy

Brusly at Broadmoor Southern Lab vs. St. John at Plaquemine High Collegiate Baton Rouge at Parkview Baptist Glen Oaks at Helix Mentorship Academy Albany at Walker

Friday

St. Michael vs. Tara at Broadmoor High South Plaquemines vs. Ascension Catholic at Floyd Boutte Memorial Stadium Istrouma at Baker Woodlawn vs. Catholic at Memorial Stadium Liberty at Central

Dunham QB breaks record; U-High offense impresses BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Dunham quarterback Elijah Haven continues to rewrite the record books after he collected another state record on Friday night. The Alabama commit tossed five touchdowns in a 55-6 win against Episcopal. His third score tied Brock Berlin’s record for most passing touchdowns in a career (formerly 145) that was set in 1999. Haven’s fourth and fifth put him in first with 147. Haven now owns four state records, three of which he set last year. He holds the state record for total touchdowns in a career (196), passing touchSTAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON downs in a single season University High quarterback Knox Kiffin, left, dives forward for a first down against West (62) and total touchdowns Feliciana in the first quarter on Friday. in a single season (73). Dunham is 5-3 after winning its last two games in ing and receiving touch- They’re playing off one an- safety came from senior Haven’s return from an down each. His top target, other great, and they have Jamyris Allen, who has more than 10 sacks this injury. Kevin Smith, has proven a great relationship.” to be one of the top receivBellard noted how dif- year. U-High fireworks “We executed all of our ers in the area ,with offers ficult it is for defenses to plays,” Allen, a Nicholls The Cubs faced one of from Ole Miss, Miami and deal with Odell and him. “We’ve got two backs in commitment, said. “We’re their biggest tests of the Vanderbilt. Smith caught year Friday night against all three touchdowns Fri- the back that you’ve got to a team, so we’ve got to play stop,” Bellard said. “You’ve as team.” West Feliciana, which was day night. The Chargers are allowundefeated entering the The run game is also got to see us. It’s too many matchup. The most points reaching its full potential weapons on the team.” ing just 13.9 points per the Saints had allowed in with the duo of Corbin game this year. The deany game prior to Week Odell and three-star recruit Madison Prep defense fense has compiled three 8 was 23 points, but they Caiden Bellard, who ran for The Chargers defense has shutouts. Madison Prep failed to slow down a potent 82 yards on 11 carries and been a problem for teams has won its last five games U-High offense. three touchdowns. Odell all season, and Thursday and is allowing just 4.6 University High piled up added 58 yards on 10 car- night was no different. points per game during the points in a 58-30 win, ries. Madison Prep defeated St. that stretch. showing why the team is Paired with an electric of“They’re monsters,” Michael 32-3 on the road No. 2 in the LSWA Class Cubs coach Andy Mar- and held the Warriors to fense guided by freshman 3A poll. Quarterback Knox tin said. “You see it in the just 99 yards of offense. QB Jacobe Shannon, the Kiffin threw three touch- fourth quarter. They’re Madison Prep collected Chargers could be a real downs and passed for 206 fresh all the time. They three interceptions and threat to make a deep run yards. He also had a rush- want each other to do well. forced two safeties. One in the playoffs.

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in a 42 Playof “Th Staff writer wide in the perDid season ended The perfect ter? W that . place table fect almost inevi pionship ficia It seemed nal cham winn natio h the LSU’s fourt in New Orleans, in the touc would be won Superdome, where Mar Mercedes-Benzands of hometown voic- nigh est sound of thous the stadium’s deep fron into es boomed “ for years to spe chambers. s will echo Those voice of the night No. 1 LSU the e ory d wn

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LIVING

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

S u n d ay, O c t O b e r 25, 2026

1dn

Jan Risher

Grief, faith and why people love being scared When J. Gerald Kennedy was about 13 years old, his school let students order paperback books. He picked “Ten Tales by Edgar Allan Poe.” He thought it might be fun. The stories were powerful and frightening. Many were about death. That same year, his grandfather was dyKennedy ing of cancer. “I thought somehow maybe my grandfather would enjoy reading the book,” Kennedy said. “So I loaned it to him.” Sixty-six years later, he still doesn’t know whether his grandfather read it. “I’ve spent my whole life hoping he didn’t,” he said. That boy grew up to become chair of LSU’s English Department and Boyd Professor of English. He taught American literature at LSU from 1973 to 2015 and began publishing on Poe in the 1970s. He’s written a long list of books, articles and essays — many about Poe. He’s appeared in a number of Poe documentaries. Now, he’s writing a biography of Poe for W.W. Norton, due out in a couple of years. He’s writing it to be accessible to general readers. Most mornings, Kennedy gets in four good hours of work on the project. In full disclosure, Kennedy and I go to church together. After my column about the wooden raven that arrived at my home from Spain, he told me he appreciated my restraint in not mentioning Poe. The bird, now named Carl after a reader’s suggestion, remains a mystery. Talking with Kennedy for 30 minutes about Poe turned out to be a master class in looking beyond the gloomy man in the black coat. Kennedy has Poe scholar friends in Japan, Spain, Italy, France and India. He said Poe is probably the American writer read by more people around the world than any other. When I was growing up, nearly every Disney hero had lost at least one parent. From

GETTY IMAGES ILLUSTRATION

With panels, book signings and more, the Louisiana Book Festival includes all treats, no tricks for Halloween

BY JOY HOLDEN | Staff writer

he 22nd Louisiana Book Festival may fall on Halloween this year, but the authors and panels will be full of treats — not tricks. With over 70 panels and 202 authors participating in book signings, the festival is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Baton Rouge. Each author’s schedule is available online at louisianabookfestival.org, and there will be a printed book signing schedule at the event. “We’ve got something for everyone,” said Robert Wilson, executive director for Louisiana Center for the Book and the Louisiana Book Festival. “The fact that we are on Halloween this year, we have a little more of the horror elements: some ghosts, some monsters and just a little bit of everything to tickle that fancy.” Due to restoration work being done at the State Capitol, the festival will be held near the State Library on Fourth Street around the Capitol Park Museum, Iberville and Bienville buildings. ä See BOOK FESTIVAL, page 6D

ä See SCARE, page 6D

Nominate someone extraordinary for our 2026

INSPIRIT AWARDS

Know someone in Louisiana who is making a positive difference? We’re looking nominees for our 2026 Inspirit Awards — people of any age who do their best to make their local community a better place, whether in their work, at schools, in organizations or in neighborhoods. Nominate someone at nola.com/site/forms/the_ inspirit_award by Sunday, Nov. 1. Recipients will be announced in December. Be sure to include details and examples of how you think their efforts can inspire others. We’re eager to share their stories.

George Rodrigue Foundation unveils contest theme Paintings in George Rodrigue’s ‘The Bayou Collection’ were featured in the LSU Museum of Art’s ‘A Bayou State of Mind’ exhibition. STAFF PHOTO BY ROBIN MILLER

Staff report The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, in partnership with the Trombone Shorty Foundation, announced the theme of its 2027 Scholarship Art and Songwriting Contest: “Rising Waters, Enduring Roots: 100 Years After the 1927 Flood.” This year’s theme invites Louisiana students to explore the relationship between water, memory and resilience, marking the 100-year anniversary

of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The theme is inspired by George Rodrigue’s Cajun heritage, his mother Marie’s firsthand experience of the ﬂood and his artworks depicting Louisiana’s high waters. Students are challenged to express the dual nature of water as both destructive and life-giving. Through art and songwriting, they can reflect on personal

ä See CONTEST, page 6D

2D n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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COMMUNITY COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

PROVIDED PHOTO

Assumption Parish Schools Napoleonville Elementary Student Cooper Phelps, left, receives the 2026 Reserve World Champion Jr Division award from IMBA President Cory Hazen.

Assumption student wins world bull riding title

PROVIDED PHOTO

Friendship Force of Baton Rouge Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser was a guest speaker at the local Friendship Force of Baton Rouge club’s quarterly meeting at Drusilla Seafood Restaurant on Oct. 7. Gathered are, from left, Nungesser, FFBR President Art Vingiello, Karen Vingiello, FFBR Vice President Sherry Dodson and Tony Dodson.

The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors. Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. Because of space limitations, organizations that meet monthly or more are limited to one photo per month. If submitting digitally, we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger. If taking a photo of a group, have them stand or sit shoulderto-shoulder. If more than six people are in the photo, arrange them on multiple, distinct rows.Avoid strong background light sources. Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row.We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@ theadvocate.com.We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821.A phone number must be included.

Baton Rouge Navy Club

Cooper Phelps, a sixth grader at Napoleonville Elementary School, was recently named the International Mini Bull Riders Association World Finals Champion in Ogden, Utah. Phelps competed against more than 40 junior riders in his age division from across the United States and Australia. Phelps rode all four bulls he drew, earning the 2026 Reserve World Champion Jr. Division title in IMBA Bull Riding and a $4,000 cash prize.

The Baton Rouge Navy Club, USS Kidd, Ship 661, held its monthly luncheon at Piccadilly Restaurant on Oct. 13. Shown are, from left, front row, Tom Hirschey, Jeanie Streat, Jerry Pugh, Raymond Acosta, Gidget McIntyre and Rick Munch; back row, Tommy Straight, John Harrell, C W Streat, Bus Di Palma, Jack Laws and Doc Le Compte. PROVIDED PHOTO

PROVIDED PHOTO PROVIDED PHOTO

Lakeshore Lions Art A luncheon was held at Northdale Academy to judge artwork from students at Northdale Academy and St. Lillian Academy for entry into the Lions district and possibly international competitions. Shown are, from left, Dan Braun, Lakeshore Lions; Alisha Herbert, Northdale Academy principal; Eric Hogan, Lakeshore Lions president; Elissa McKenzie, St. Lillian Academy director; Wayne Martin, Lakeshore Lions; Kelvin Doss, Northdale Academy art instructor; and Gaylynne Mack, Big Buddy executive director.

Attic Trash & Treasure The past presidents of Attic Trash & Treasure held their quarterly luncheon at Mansurs on the Boulevard on Oct. 13. Chris Jackson was the hostess and the theme was Halloween. Shown are, from left, seated, Iris Eldred, Alice Greer, Jackson, Linda Montagnino, Miranda Papizan and Sue Rainer; standing, Moo Svendson, Susan Lipsey, Katheen Howell and Bobbie Stiglets.

Son decides to quit medical school and picks up modeling instead Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITY

Dear Harriette: My son quit medical school about a year ago to chase his passion of becoming a model. He moved to New York City, but he hasn’t been able to book many jobs. He also works part time as a server to be able to cover his living expenses. I will admit I am disappointed that he quit medical school to pursue a path that isn’t working out how he wants it to. He recently told me he wants to move back home to Colorado and asked

if I thought that was a good idea. I honestly wasn’t sure how to respond in the moment because I don’t want to be the mom who tells her son to give up on his dreams, but the other part wanted to tell him to come back to Colorado. I know moving back home doesn’t necessarily mean he has to give up on modeling, but I wonder if leaving New York would make it harder for him to pursue his dream. I also worry that he may feel like he has failed if

he comes home, even though I don’t want him to see it that way. Part of me wants him to stay and give modeling more time, while another part thinks he should focus on building a more stable future. How do I help him make the right decision without making him feel like I am giving up on his dreams? — Supporting My Son Dear Supporting My Son: Your son needs to hear that you will support him no matter what as he goes through this uncertain

period. He has a lot to ﬁgure out. Is his interest in being a doctor completely dead? How passionate is he about modeling? This is a ﬁckle industry that is even tougher for men. Does he have what it takes to go on endless auditions and face multiple rejections with the hopes of a big break? What might he want to do now? What does coming home to Colorado mean for him? A time to reset? The need for a hug? Another

pivot? Consider inviting your son to come home for a moment — say a week’s visit — before deciding to move. Agree that you will talk about everything, and you will do your best to support his process. What he needs most is to know that you have his back. The other thing he needs is to make the decision himself. Send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 3D

TRAVEL Seven upcoming concerts worth a road trip BY JUDY BERGERON Staff writer

Ah, the adventure of the open highway, watching towns and cities go by out the window. Road trips are Americana at its best, whether it’s families heading to see “the Big Mouse” or adventure-seekers behind the wheel of an RV on the hunt for their next starry night stay-over stop. When a music concert is the destination, it adds another layer of fun to the journey. Here are seven concerts scheduled in the next six months that require no more than a day of travel time:

ASHLEY McBRYDE When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 Where: Thalia Mara Hall, 255 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson, Mississippi Nearby places to stay: Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hyatt Place, Hampton Inn & Suites and The Westin The Arkansas-born country music singer-songwriter released her ﬁfth studio album, “Wild,” on May 8. Tickets start at $40.75 at ticketmaster.com. With a musical style blending country with rock, bluegrass and pop, McBryde’s hits include “One Night Standard,” “Light on in the Kitchen,” “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” and her Grammywinning duet with Carly Pearce, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl.”

PAM TILLIS/LORRIE MORGAN When: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15 Where: Hard Rock Live, 777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, Mississippi Nearby places to stay: White House Hotel, Hyatt Place, Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and Holiday Inn Express Tillis and Morgan were literally born into country music — Tillis the daughter of Mel Tillis and Morgan’s father being George Morgan, legends in the genre. The women, with accomplished careers of their own, have collaborated on projects including albums “Dos Divas” in 2013 and “Come See Me and Come Lonely” in 2017. Their successful “Grits and Glamour” tour ﬁrst kicked off in 2009. Tickets are $74 and up at https:// www.eventticketscenter.com/.

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM QPRIME

Hit the road to see country artist Ashley McBryde in Jackson, Miss., on Nov. 15.

FILE PHOTO BY MAX BECHERER

Lyle Lovett will take the stage at The Ellis Theater in Philadelphia, Miss., on Jan. 29.

LYLE LOVETT When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29 Where: The Ellis Theater, 311 Byrd Ave. N., Philadelphia, Mississippi Nearby places to stay: Holiday Inn Express and Suites (Winona), Best Western Plus and Chilpley’s Squareview Inn (Carthage) Not one to be pigeon-holed, Lovett’s singing and songwriting directions have spanned alternative country, Americana, rockabilly, blues, jazz and swing. His discography spans 14 albums and 25 singles, among them

FILE PHOTO BY JEFF STROUT

Catch Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli on the road in Houston on Feb. 7.

the No. 10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, “Cowboy Man.” The four-time Grammy winner’s most recent album was 2022’s “12th of June.” Tickets start at $65.50 at ticketmaster.com.

ANDREA BOCELLI When: 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7 Where: Toyota Center, 1510 Polk St., Houston Nearby places to stay: Three Hilton properties — Hilton Americas,

Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton; Best Western, Embassy Suites. Italian tenor Bocelli’s discography spans both classical and pop, with his most famous song thought to be “Con te partirò,” known throughout the world as “Time to Say Goodbye.” Tickets are $191 and up at gotickets.com. Bocelli’s other hits include “The Prayer” (duet with Céline Dion), INVISION/AP PHOTO BY SCOTT A GARFITT “Vivo per Lei” (duet with Giorgia and other international artists), Harry Styles will perform several “Perfect Symphony” (collabora- shows at AT&T Stadium in tion with Ed Sheeran), “Fall on Me” Arlington, Texas, in April. (duet with his son, Matteo Bocelli). The Grammy-nominated Bocelli, 68, also holds World Music From the British music competiAwards, Classical BRIT Awards tion series “The X Factor” and the and Billboard Latin Music Awards, boy band One Direction, Styles among other honors. went solo with his debut album in 2017, featuring the hit “Sign of ROD STEWART the Times.” The British pop-rock When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, phenom is a three-time Grammy winner with four studio albums, March 10 Where: Mississippi Coast Colise- and had the world’s biggest single in 2022, “As It Was.” um, 2350 Beach Blvd., Biloxi Styles’ other hits include “AperNearby places to stay: White House Hotel, Hyatt Place, Hampton Inn, ture,” “American Girls” and “WaCourtyard by Marriott and Holi- termelon Sugar.” Tickets are $68 and up at ticketsmarter.com. day Inn Express. At 81, the British rock-pop singing and songwriting giant, whose EARTH, WIND & FIRE career began in 1962 with a harWhen: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17 Where: Brandon Ampitheater, monica in his hand, continues to thrill concert audiences, dancing 8190 Rock Way, Brandon, Missisacross the stage as if it were still sippi the ’80s. Nearby places to stay: Spark by HilHis signature raspy voice has ton, Courtyard by Marriott (Pearl), belted out hits like “Maggie May,” Holiday Inn Express & Suites “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” “Sailing,” (Brookhaven), Hampton Inn (Flo“Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Al- wood) and Wingate by Wyndham right),” “Hot Legs” and “Forever (Ridgeland) These guys have been around Young.” Rock and Roll Hall of Famer since 1969 with soul, R&B, disco, Stewart, who’s sold more than funk, rock, and jazz sounds that 120 million records worldwide, is have sent generations to the dance among the best-selling music art- ﬂoor. “September,” “Let’s Groove,” ists of all time. And that’s Sir Rod “Boogie Wonderland” and “ShinStewart, as he was knighted by ing Star” are among the band’s Prince William in 2016. Tickets greatest hits. start at $96.40 at ticketmaster.com. EWF has sold 90 million-plus albums and has received 20 GramHARRY STYLES my nominations. Over the years, When: 7:45 p.m. Friday and Sat- the band has had over 50 members, urday, April 9 and 10; Wednesday, although not at the same time. The April 14; and Friday and Saturday, band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. April 16 and 17 Where: AT&T Stadium, 900 E. Ran- Tickets are $53 and up at ticketdol Mill Road, Arlington, Texas master.com. Nearby places to stay: Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott (Dallas), Email Judy Bergeron at Live by Loews, Comfort Suites. jbergeron@theadvocate.com.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER By Christopher Elliott

Priceline left customer with bill after canceling hotel reservation I booked two rooms at the Hampton Inn in Islandia, New York, through Priceline.com for a stay over the holidays.The total cost was $502.A few days later, Priceline canceled the rooms without my knowledge or consent and issued a refund. I immediately called Priceline to ask for a Christopher rebooking at my original Elliott rate.An agent told me no and said Priceline would not offer anything. I then rebooked the same rooms on the same website for the same dates, but this time I was charged $862. I’ve spent weeks calling and emailing Priceline. During these conversations, a

Priceline agent actually confirmed that my original reservation was canceled by an agent without my consent. Despite admitting to the error, the company refused to refund the $360 price difference. I have been very diligent and honest. I provided a full log of my calls and the original receipts. I even filed complaints with the California and New York attorneys general to try to get some movement. I even had an attorney send a demand letter for the refund. Priceline kept telling me that the matter had been escalated to a management team and asked for my patience, but nothing has happened for months. I did not cancel this trip, and I should not have to pay for a mistake the company admitted it made. Can you help me get my money back? — Charles Marcus, San

Francisco Priceline should have honored your original rate. If its own agent canceled your reservation by mistake, the company is responsible for making it right — either by restoring the original booking or covering the cost of the new one. You did the right thing by trying to resolve this through the ofﬁcial channels, but when a company admits it made an error and still holds on to your cash, it’s time to escalate. You can avoid a lot of this frustration by keeping a meticulous paper trail, which you did. If the front-line agents are stuck in a loop of “we’re looking

225-400-8040 & 225-938-0748 info@weknowblinds.com customblindsbr.com

into it,” you should send a brief, polite email to an executive. I publish the names and email addresses of the Priceline executives on my advocacy site, Elliott. org. In hindsight, though, I think it might have been better to wait for a resolution instead of booking a replacement room. Generally speaking, online agencies are reluctant to refund customers who book on their own and then bill the company. But getting something in writing — not a confession by phone — that promises to ﬁx the problem, that’s usually a sure thing. I contacted Priceline on your

behalf. Priceline asked you for more evidence, including phone logs and the previous email where Priceline admitted its error. Priceline ﬁnally did the right thing. You received an email authorizing a full refund of the $360 difference. It’s a reminder that persistence pays off, especially when you have the receipts to prove the company is wrong. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

4D n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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FAITH

From father to son Chip Luter takes the helm at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church

BY BOB WARREN

Staff writer

The seeds of the Rev. Fred “Chip” Luter III’s journey to the leadership of one of the largest Baptist churches in Louisiana were planted at a Catholic high school. Luter was 16 and a student at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans. Though his father, the Rev. Fred Luter Jr., was the lead pastor at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, the younger Luter wasn’t sure about making church work a family business. Architecture had grabbed his interest, spurred by a career day chat with an architect who fascinated him with tales of drawing designs and watching them come to fruition. But fate would intervene in 2001. “I was asked to do a ‘student reﬂection’” for the school’s Grandparents Day Mass, Luter recalled. Inside the packed Brother Martin gym, Luter, who was going into his senior year, spoke about his relationship with his grandparents. Afterward, a woman caught up with him and his mother outside and spoke glowingly of Luter’s poise and polish. “She really praised me,” he said. Luter began to feel a pull he couldn’t totally describe at that point in his young life. The presentation, and the compliments the woman had lavished on his mother, made Luter wonder if perhaps public speaking was a gift that he had received. So perhaps he was interested in following in his father’s footsteps, after all? “I was already wrestling with it,” he said. “But I said, ‘Lord, evidently you want me to do this, even if I’m not sure I want to.’” And, being a teenager, the notion came with no small measure of hubris. “I thought, ‘If it doesn’t work out, it’s your fault, God,’” he laughed. “The arrogance of a teenager!”

Big shoes Chip Luter will become the leader of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and its roughly 7,000 members in November, as the church marks the retirement of his father. A formal ceremony will follow in February. Fred Luter Jr.’s ﬁngerprints are on just about everything at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, the megachurch he nurtured and has led for nearly 40 years. In 1986, Luter, at the time a selfdescribed “street preacher from the Lower 9th Ward,” was elected by the 65 members of the then Franklin Avenue Baptist Mission Church as their new pastor. The decades that followed saw the church blossom under his leadership — and an initiative he called “FRANgelism,” in which members invited friends to join them at services. The congregation grew into the thousands. Franklin Avenue twice moved into larger buildings. The congregation moved into its current site on I-10 Service Road in New Orleans East in December 2018. Nearly 130,000 square feet of space includes a 3,500-seat sanctuary and represents a $35 million

STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER

The Rev. Fred ‘Chip’ Luter III will soon take over as lead pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church.

enue Baptist and, many figured, the natural heir apparent. It didn’t hurt, of course, that Fred recommended Chip for the job. “I’ll be 40 years this coming October (2026),” Fred Luter Jr. said. “This is my only church. Me and Chip started talking ﬁve years ago. He was preaching in Florida. “If I didn’t have him as my retirement plan, I don’t think I’d be retiring.” As in many Baptist churches, the choice of a new pastor was put to a vote and the congregation overwhelmingly voted last November for Chip Luter. Since then, Luter and his wife, Jasmine Luter, and their three children have been preparing for the transition. Chip Luter, who turned 42 this month, is eager to pay homage to his father’s legacy, but also understands that to be successful he must also establish his own style. Is he nervous? “This may be a weird way to answer it, but it may be more so the pressure of letting down, rather than living up to an expectation,” he said. “My dad, he would say stuff publicly all the time. ‘Chip’s my retirement plan.’ Even though we didn’t have an active plan at that moment, he just always knew I’d be there.” Chip wants to step outside his father’s shadow, but it’s clear as he shows off the mementos and photos on the walls of his father’s ofﬁce that Fred Luter Jr. is one of his heroes. “How could he not be?” Chip asked.

of Lake Forest Charter School, said both Luters have great personalities. Both are approachable and adapt well to any situation. And both are great at remembering names — an important talent in the church leadership role, she said. “Pastor (Fred) Luter allows all the young pastors, including Chip, to come up with new things. They embrace change,” she added. Father and son are different, however. “I’m old school!” Fred said, laughing. “He has an iPad, man, and he’s walking back and forth. He has props.” Chip Luter has a degree in psychology from Dallas Baptist University and a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from the New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He served stints as pastor at churches in Dallas and Tampa before settling in at Franklin Avenue, where, since 2021, he has been senior associate pastor. Fred wanted to clear out the old photos from the walls of the big ofﬁce Chip will soon occupy. “He said ‘Chippy, I’ll take those out,’” Chip Luter said. “ I said, ‘No, Pop, we’re keeping them.’”

’Mission stays the same’

As he started the transition, Chip asked his father for a list of things to know, a blueprint of sorts. “My dad had a document of, like, 40 items,” Chip Luter said. The points on the list covered a range of ground. “Even things as personal as, ’Hey, make sure you’re getting your annual physical, make sure your health is important, make sure you have your day off for your family,’” he said. Chip also began preaching more. “Last year, I preached on one Sunday a month,” he said. “This year, it was two Sundays a month.” After he formally becomes the lead pastor, he’ll preach weekly for the most part. “Every Sunday, The Rev. Fred Luter, Jr., left, and his son, Fred ‘Chip’ Luter III, take the yeah.” pulpit during services at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. Asked about noticeable differences between him and his father, Chip joked, “Well, one. I don’t wear suits as much.” Then, more seriously, Chip said his father hasn’t pushed him to adopt a certain style. “It’s a blessing that my dad allowed me (to be different),” he added. One thing that will remain, Chip says, is Franklin Avenue Baptist’s role in the community. Over the years, the church has often served as much as a social and community hub as a place for weekly services. Those programs, such as a community baby shower the church recently organized, will continue. “The church has to really be flexible and adaptable in ways,” he said. “But the mission stays the Like father, like son same: Exalt the Savior, equip the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church is located in New Orleans East along Mardele Early, who has attended saints, and evangelize the sinner. Interstate 10. “That’s always been the mission. Franklin Avenue Baptist for nearly 30 years, watched Chip grow The language is not changing with investment — a far cry from the must-make stops of the city’s po- up. She sees so much of Fred Jr. me.” days of 1986 when Fred Luter Jr., litical class. in him, and, she says, that’s a good Reporter Bob Warren covers all of 30 years old, took the helm. When the elder Luter announced thing. Over the decades, the church’s his retirement in October 2025, “I always prayed that (Chip) Louisiana faith and spirituality. proﬁle grew along with its surging many eyes naturally turned to his would be our next pastor. I think Email him at bwarren@theadvomembership numbers. Franklin son, Chip, who at the time was an it’s a perfect ﬁt,” she said. cate.com Avenue Baptist is often among the assistant pastor at Franklin AvEarly, who was the founding CEO

Some of America’s witty church signs aim to inspire They also attract drivers and passersby BY GIOVANNA DELL'ORTO

The Associated Press

WOODBURY, Minn. — “Forecast: God reigns and the Son shines.” In midSeptember, the large electronic sign of a Lutheran church ﬂashed this message by a throughfare between growing subdivisions and cornﬁelds in a Twin Cities suburb. The messages on Resurrection Lutheran Church's sign range from witty to practical to profound. It’s an effort to inspire and attract drivers and passersby that’s uniquely popular in churches across America, the quintessential land of open roads and advertisements. “This is about people saying, ‘this makes a difference to me,’ and … sensing they’re loved by God,” says Heather Hultgren, who's in charge of Resurrection's daily sign changes. There’s nothing unusual about

posting writings to church doors — that’s how tradition says the Protestant Reformation got started in 16th-century Germany. But for the last few decades, U.S. pastors have gotten creative, aiming to brighten a commuter’s day, spur a reﬂection while chauffeuring to football practice, and maybe persuade a lapsed Christian or two that it’s not all ﬁre and brimstone inside. “It’s a way to bring something lighter in the world,” says the Rev. Karna Moskalik of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, in the historic river town of Stillwater, Minnesota. Moskalik likes “invitational” signs, like the classic — “CH - - CH What’s missing? U R!” Some humorous messages that get social-media shoutouts across the U.S. originated with “the sign guy,” Our Savior’s pastor in the early 2000s. He published a collection entitled, “If there were no Lutherans, would there still be green Jell-O?” At Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City, a weather pun during the latest brutal heat-

wave caught many eyes — “Lord, whatever you’re baking, it’s done.” Elizabeth Pustinger says people stop to ask about the historic church’s sign as she’s manually changing it weekly, and sometimes later attend services. “It’s a very powerful ministry,” adds the Rev. Susan Sparks, whose favorite sign is the dark warning to drivers, “Honk if you love Jesus, text if you want to meet him.” Laughter can help process tragedy or serve as a wedge to probe big questions — that’s why Jewish and Christian scriptures have humorous passages, says Rolf Jacobson, professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. “God’s business is turning mourning into gladness, Good Friday into Easter Sunday,” he says. So chuckle away next time you speed past a church sign. But spare a thought for the sweaty person of God who invented this perennial favorite: “Too hot to keep changing sign. Sin bad. Jesus good. Details inside.”

A positive message is displayed on the sign for Locust Grove Free Will Baptist Church in Locust Grove, Okla. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 5D

LOUISIANA INSPIRED

Veteran finds new purpose after losing her sight She’s inspiring fellow veterans with resilience and determination

BY JA'KORI MADISON Staff writer

Lafayette veteran Shawtina Gibson never expected to lose her sight while serving in the military. She also never expected that, years later, she would be rock climbing, skydiving and running 10-mile races. Those adventures were far from what she imagined when an eye disease began damaging her vision while she was serving in the military. At the time, Gibson was a single mother worried about how she would care for her daughter. “When I first lost my sight, the hardest part was not being able to help my child,” said Gibson. “Helping her with simple tasks like homework just weighed on me.” A U.S. Navy and Army National Guard veteran, Gibson began seeking medical care for her eye problems in 2013. What she initially thought was pink eye was later connected to an immune system disorder that progressively damaged her vision, she said. By the time doctors discovered the extent of the damage, much of it was irreversible. Gibson eventually lost sight in her left eye and was left with only limited light perception in her right. “For the first four or five years, I just tried to manage, but it was the hardest time of my life,” Gibson said. She eventually moved to Lafayette to access rehabilitation services and develop the independent living skills she needed while raising her daughter. There, she found support among fellow blind veterans and learned about adaptive sports through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Operational Rebound program.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Lafayette resident and blind veteran Shawntina Gibson’s fearless approach earned her the nickname ‘Daredevil Superwoman’ among fellow blind veterans. At ﬁrst, Gibson wasn’t looking to become an athlete. After treatments that included steroids and chemotherapy, she wanted to improve her health and reduce her reliance on medication. “I honestly just wanted a gym membership to my local gym, just to see if I could at least be healthy and work on getting off a lot of the meds,” Gibson said. That modest goal led to her ﬁrst adaptive sports trip in Colorado, where she spent a week trying rock climbing, mountain biking,

kayaking and hiking. The experience opened the door to new challenges including running a half-marathon, participating in triathlons and pursuing other endurance activities. Her fellow veterans were impressed by how far she was willing to push herself. Her fearless approach earned her the nickname “Daredevil Superwoman” among fellow blind veterans. “They were amazed and said, ‘Oh, well, we draw the line, but you are a daredevil, and that’s

Mars platform

where the name came from,’” Gibson said. For Gibson, sports became more than a way to stay active. Each new challenge gave her a reason to work on other parts of her life. She found herself returning home motivated to learn braille, improve her computer skills, and become more independent. “I would come back home and work on something that I couldn’t do. So what I did poured over into my personal time,” she said. Technology eventually gave Gibson another way to navigate the world more independently. For about two years, she has used Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses equipped with artificial intelligence to help interpret her surroundings, read signs and prices, and access information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain independently. The glasses became part of a milestone she had spent years working toward: traveling alone. “It took me 12 years. I took my first trip to Savannah, Georgia, by myself in September,” Gibson said. Rather than relying on an organization to coordinate her travel, Gibson booked her own flight, took an Uber to her resort and met up with a blind friend. The two women went shopping and visited restaurants, using their glasses to help interpret their surroundings. “We were literally like two girls having a girl’s trip, having a good time,” Gibson said. While shopping, the glasses could describe items and read prices. At restaurants, the women could use the technology to explore menus without asking someone else to read the options aloud. For Gibson, those features offered greater control over experiences many people take for granted. The glasses did not simply provide information; they helped her make decisions and enjoy a trip on her own terms. That same sense of indepen-

dence carried into the Army TenMiler in Washington, D.C., where Gibson recently completed the 10-mile race using Oakley Meta smart glasses designed for athletes. As she ran, the glasses’ live AI features helped her identify mile markers, locate upcoming water stations and learn about landmarks along the course. “It helped me follow the race and better understand what was happening around me. I felt very connected to the experience,” she said. Gibson’s experience comes as Meta has pledged to donate AI glasses to blinded veterans nationwide in recognition of their service. According to Meta, more than 130,000 American veterans are legally blind and will be eligible for the initiative. Each pair includes access to training resources designed to help veterans use voice commands to identify objects, read text and manage everyday tasks. For Gibson, expanding access to technology matters because veterans may not receive all the benefits or financial assistance others assume are available through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her experience has also shaped how she supports other veterans in Lafayette. Gibson organizes an annual golf day in Lafayette that pairs blind veterans with sighted veterans, helping those who have lost their vision return to a sport they once enjoyed. With adaptive equipment, including specialized golf balls and tees, and guidance from their partners, participants can find new ways to play. She hopes others facing vision loss or a major life change will give themselves time to adjust and seek support. “Just focus on one thing at a time because you’re going to gradually get there, and there are people that can help you get there. Don’t give up,” Gibson said. Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori. madison@theadvocate.com.

“It’s just a great sense of pride to be part of the energy past and energy into the future. We have produced a billion barrels and we are not done yet.” Billy Lott Operation Supervisor

reaches historic 1-billion barrel milestone

Since 1996, the Shell-operated Mars platform has played a defining role in deep water energy production. Designed for waters nearly 3,000 feet deep, Mars was a bold step forward at the time and helped redefine what was possible offshore. Nearly 30 years later, continued investment, enduring engineering, and the commitment of generations of people have helped bring Mars to this landmark achievement. To be the first platform in the Gulf to reach one billion barrels is a momentous milestone, but for those who have been part of Mars, it has never been just about the number. The Mars community identifies as Martians, united by the enduring principle, “once a Martian, always a Martian.” This milestone carries the weight of long days offshore, shared challenges, and moments of problem-solving that happen when people rely on one another. It reflects years of dedication and quiet perseverance, and the deep sense of pride that comes from being part of something that continues to move forward.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry joined Shell GOA and Pipeline staff to commemorate one billion barrels produced from the Shell Mars asset via the Mars booster station in Port Fourchon. From L to R: Greg Mouras, Nick Stone, Ken Duplantis, Jeff Bergeron, Gov. Jeff Landry, Lynn Belanger, Shawn Danos, Wayland Neil, Colette Hirstius, Chris Nace, Kevin McMahon, Richard Krebs, Sean Guillory

shell.us/louisiana | #PoweringProgress

6D ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BOOK FESTIVAL Continued from page 1D

First time for these authors

For the first time, the Louisiana Writer Award is going to a romance novelist, Edgard native Farrah Rochon. She is the 27th recipient of the award that recognizes “outstanding contributions to Louisiana’s literary and intellectual life exemplified by a contemporary Louisiana writer’s body of work.” Rochon, a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, went to Xavier University of Louisiana for her undergraduate degree and started writing seriously in college. While attending graduate school for a master’s degree in psychology at Southeastern Louisiana University, Rochon was also writing her first novel, “Deliver Me,” published in 2007. She was a twotime finalist for Rochon the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award and was a Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award nominee. Rochon served on the national board of directors of Romance Writers of America for five years Outside of the romance genre, Rochon is perhaps known best for her Disney’s Young Adult Twisted Tales novel, “Almost There,” which is her take on “Princess and the Frog.” She has gone on to publish other novels and short stories with Disney Publishing, with more to come in 2027 and 2028. Her latest novels, “Pardon My Frenchie” and “Pugs and Kisses” of her Forever series, focus on dogs and their owners in New Orleans. Another first is happening for Marianne Rabalais Sulser, who is attending the festival as an author for the first time for her debut novel “Like Snow Before Sun.” Sulser, an Alexandria native who now lives in Colorado, Sulser says she is looking forward to returning to Baton Rouge. She is a graduate of LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, with a son who attends LSU now. “I’m super excited and honored to be included as a featured author, particularly as a debut author, and I’m really excited about what the Louisiana Book Festival is doing,” Sulser said. “Not only about promoting reading and literacy but also promoting Louisiana’s rich culture and our own literary heritage.”

Customers browse books for sale at the 2025 Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge.

ing at the schedule of events. The go-with-the-ﬂow attendees can shop for books in the Cavalier House tent, mingle among the family activities and attend the panels of their choosing. One area of speciﬁc attention this year is American History to celebrate the United States semiquincentennial. “We wanted to have our toe in the America250 celebration, so they asked me to put together a stronger-than-normal history selection,” Wilson said. “It’s a very loose chronological history.” Below are a few panels across various genres. AMERICAN HISTORY n Moderator Jared Wells will lead “The Wider Story: Untold Histories of the American Revolution and Expansion” 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Capitol Park Museum in the auditorium. Authors participating include Richard Bell, of “The American Revolution and the Fate of the World,” Denise Kiernan, of “Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution” and Alexander Mikaberidze of “The Louisiana Purchase: The Grand Bargain and the Making of America.” n Moderator Gaines Foster will lead “Lincoln’s Republic: Election, War, and the Struggle for the Union” 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Capitol Park Museum in the Make a schedule auditorium. Authors participatFor those festival attendees ing include A.J. Cade, of “Death who want to prioritize certain or Victory: The Louisiana Native authors and panels, it’s best to Guards & the Black Military’s make a plan beforehand by look- Significance in the Civil War,”

SCARE

Continued from page 1D “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” to “Snow White,” a little grimness came with the happy ending. I asked Kennedy whether Poe offers grown-ups something similar: a way to face frightening things from a safe distance. “Poe had a genius for making frightening situations and feelings understandable and illuminating,” he said. Poe was an orphan himself. His mother died when he was 3. The foster parents who took him in never adopted him, and his foster father eventually disowned him. The mother of a school friend, a woman he adored as a teenager, died suddenly. His foster mother died when he was 20. He married his cousin Virginia, who caught tuberculosis young. “The Raven” came out in January 1845. Kennedy calls it a poem about grief and how a person comes to terms with losing someone who means everything. “He knew his wife was dying when he writes a poem about a man who has already lost the woman he loves,” Kennedy said. “It’s really a kind of rehearsal for his own loss.” Virginia died two years later. She was 24. Poe died

Jonathan Earle, of “He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860” and Scott Ellsworth of “Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America.” SATIRE n The National Book Foundation will present “Southern Satire” 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the State Library in the Seminar Center with Ben Fountain, author of “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” and “Rasputin Swims the Potomac,” and T. Geronimo Johnson, author of “The Occidental Book of the Dead.” POETRY n Poetry programs will run throughout the day under the West Tent outside the Capitol Park Museum. n Featured sessions begin at 9 a.m. with “Diving Into Nature: An Eco-Poetry Anthology of Louisiana,” an ensemble reading that gathers more than a dozen poets. Among them are Jack B. Bedell, Julie Kane, Biljana D. Obradovic and Andy Young, to read work rooted in the state’s landscape and waters. John P. Travis will host. n Louisiana Poet Laureate Gina Ferrara will anchor a twopart showcase of poets working across the state. “The Louisiana Poet Laureate Presents Louisiana Poets, Vol. I” is at 10:45 a.m. and brings together Taylor Clement, Rodney Jones, Justin Lacour, Jonathan Penton and Jennifer Polson Peterson, each reading from a recent collection. n “The Louisiana Poet Laure-

surance, blessed assurance.” So why do so many of us read him anyway? “We all have moments of doubt,” Kennedy said. “We all have bad dreams from time to time.” The fear Poe returns to again and again is death, STAFF PHOTO BY JAN RISHER something everyone lives This carved wooden raven with and tries to come to appeared in a package at terms with. Kennedy, 79, columnist Jan Risher’s door called that “an ongoing process as we age.” on the autumnal equinox. “There is a lot in this She’s not sure who sent it world that scares the dayor why. lights out of us,” he said. A scary movie or story at 40. can neutralize fear, he exKennedy sees Poe’s life plained. A person watching as a long struggle between can always think, “I’m not believing in a loving God in this. This is not happenand an everlasting life, and ing to me.” fearing that this world was I’ve always wondered all there is, “that you died why we make room for so and everything went dark.” much darkness this time of As a boy in Richmond, year. Years ago, someone Poe attended Monumentold me the veil between this world and the next tal Church, where Bishop grows thinner in late OctoRichard Channing Moore preached. Kennedy has ber. Kennedy said the idea read the bishop’s sermons is ancient. and calls him “years ahead In the Celtic calendar, of televangelists.” After his Oct. 31 marked the end of foster father disinherited the old year. On that threshhim, Poe mostly stopped go- old, “the spirits of the dead are able to rise and roam,” ing to church. Kennedy said. “It was a struggle,” KenI couldn’t help but think nedy said. “A struggle to about the Celtic knots hang on to something that carved into Carl the raven. could hold him up.” On Sunday morning, KenI thought again about the book he’d handed his grand- nedy is teaching a Sunday School class on Poe, grief, father. God and “The Raven.” “You don’t read Poe for I’ll be out of town, so I’m comfort,” Kennedy said. “You don’t read Poe for reas- sending Carl in my place.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

ate Presents Louisiana Poets, Vol. II” is at 12:45 p.m. featuring Emily Cosper, Bill Lavender, Obradovic, Ann Plicque and Ed Ruzicka. CHILDREN n Books & Music will feature the Louisiana classic “Mama Don’t Allow” by Thacher Hurd. Participants will engage in multiple musical activities as they listen to the story. The event is designed for ages 3-11, but all are welcome from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Author Tent Three. n An all-ages panel discussion “Little Books, Big Lives: Picture Book Biographies” is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Iberville Building, Le Francois Room B. The panel will feature Frank Murphy, Charnaie Gordon, Anastasia Magloire Williams, Carlotta Wells Lanier, Lisa Frazier Page, Jason Peterson and Artie Bennett. n Activities for tween and teen readers include games and arts and crafts. The papermaking tent, balloon artists and face painting return this year. n A children’s Halloween costume is scheduled for 1 p.m., while the teen contest starts at 3 p.m. THRILLERS AND HORROR n Moderator Karen E.B. Elliott will lead “Demons of Our Own Making: Southern Gothic Hauntings and Family Secrets” 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at the State Library in the Capitol View Room with David Armand, author of “Walk the Night,” and Emily Carpenter, author of “A

CONTEST

Continued from page 1D and family stories, cultural heritage, environmental change and the strength it takes to rebuild, celebrating the spirit and deep roots of Louisiana communities. Louisiana high school juniors and seniors are invited to submit original artwork or songs exploring the power of water, the lasting effects of natural disasters and the connections among family, culture and place. The foundation will choose 13 ﬁnalists who will share $25,000 in college scholarships. The submission deadline is Jan. 22, 2027. To date, the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts has received over 7,800 applications to its annual art and songwriting contest and has awarded over $680,000 in college scholarships to over 280 students across Louisiana. This year’s contest is being presented and sponsored by Louisiana Sea Grant, a research, outreach and education program based at Louisiana State University that is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s network. “Art is one of the few ways to integrate a community’s experiences and memories in a medium that transcends traditional re-

Spell for Saints and Sinners.” n Moderator Megan Holt will lead “Unholy Hell: Horror Novels of Cult Indoctrination, Fanatical Devotion and Twisted Faith” 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the State Library in Serials room with Kevin Johnson, author of “Twas the Night,” and Bethany C. Morrow, author of “The Body.” n Moderator June Pulliam will lead “Into the Woods: Horror Novels of Monsters, Secrets and Survival” 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the State Library in the Serials room with Luke Larkin, author of “The Unheld,” and Carrie Lee South, author of “In the Woods They Wait.” n This year’s One Book, One Festival pick is Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire.” Gary Richards, a professor of English at the University of Mary Washington, will lead a book discussion 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the State Library.

Parking and other details In addition to parking along the street, there will also be parking lots near the State Capitol and the Galvez Parking Garage. Information centers are located near the corner of North 4th Street and North Street, near the intersection of Spanish Town Road and North 4th Street and in the ground ﬂoor breezeway of the State Capitol. Free wheelchair accessible parking is available in the south parking lot of the State Library (enter from North 3rd Street) and in designated spaces at the southeast corner of the Capitol.

porting. It is a way for us to remember, reﬂect, honor and grow,” said Dani DiIullo, director of education and engagement at Louisiana Sea Grant, in a news release.

Visual arts competition All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Contest judges will select 10 finalists — five juniors and ﬁve seniors — to share $19,000 in college scholarships. Following the scholarship awards luncheon in the spring, the winning entries will tour on exhibition across Louisiana. Individual artwork will be judged on the following criteria: n Concept/Design: Does the artwork address the theme in a clear and inventive way? n Technical Skill: Does the artwork show an understanding of visual art principles such as use of color, shading, light, and form? n Creativity: Does the artwork showcase an original point of view? Does it provide a fresh perspective on the theme?

Songwriting competition n All high school juniors and seniors in the state of Louisiana are eligible to apply. A selection of three finalists will share $6,000 in college scholarships.

Following the scholarship awards luncheon in the spring, the first-place winner will have the opportunity to perform during the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Shorty Fest, in May 2027, as well as additional opportunities in partnership with the Loyola University New Orleans’ College of Music and Media. Song submissions will be judged on the following criteria: n Structure and Composition: Does the song have clearly identifiable sections (verse, chorus, etc.)? Is the song between 2-5 minutes? Does the song have a clear theme and cohesive structure? Does the music have an identifiable rhyme scheme or pattern? n Melody: Does the song have continuity and coherence in melody, as well as tone and style? Does the song offer something unique, different, and totally original? Does the music keep the listener interested and engaged? n Lyrics: Are the lyrics creative and original? Do they inspire an emotional or visceral reaction from the listener? Do the music and lyrics fit together in a cohesive way? For more information on GRFA’s 2027 Scholarship Art & Songwriting contest, visit georgerodriguefoundation. org.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 7D

AT THE TABLE

Oven-roasted teals recipe is hearty for fall Oven Roasted Teals

BY DEBRA TAGHEHCHIAN

Contributing writer

“When you get off the bus today, we will be driving down to Pecan Island for the weekend. Daddy will be teal hunting with your brothers,” said Momma as I was walking out the door to walk down our long gravel driveway to catch the bus. This was typical for our weekends. My mom and I would drive together in her car, and my dad would take his truck with all his supplies. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and he was always having to tote equipment for the various activities. Sometimes it was large ice chests, fishing poles and nets; other times it was guns, ammunition and camouflage gear. I truly loved the hour drive from our farm to the camp. My grandmother’s house was on the way and sometimes we stopped to visit. Her refrigerator was always stocked with cold, small glass bottles of Dr Pepper or CocaCola. But what I truly enjoyed most was watching the clouds along the way. As we traveled further and further south to the Gulf, the cloud formations became more and more interesting. I would imagine various animal shapes. Even now, I marvel at the beautiful blue Louisiana skies with white cotton clouds. Pecan Island truly embodies the motto found on Louisiana license plates, “Sportsman’s Paradise.” My father’s mud boat was parked right behind our camp for easy access to the coastal marshes where he would hunt teals, mallards and other waterfowl. He also caught redfish and crabs. Mother Nature’s bounty was right in our backyard. When my dad came in from the marsh, the work continued. If he was lucky enough to have gotten ducks, they were then brought to

Serves 6; Recipe by Debra Broussard Taghehchian 6 teals, well cleaned and patted dry 1-2 tablespoons Steen’s Cane Syrup or other cane syrup 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon red cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon granulated garlic 1 link of beef and pork smoked sausage 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped medium dice 1 stalk celery, chopped medium dice ½ green bell pepper, chopped medium dice 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chicken broth or water

Oven-roasted teal with rice, blackeye peas and baked sweet potatoes. local duck cleaners. These were usually local women who took on this seasonal work of plucking and cleaning the ducks. If not, my dad would melt down parafﬁn wax, dip each duck into the wax, then immediately plunge it into ice-cold water. The wax would solidify, and the feathers were peeled off in one large piece. Any feathers left on the ducks were then singed off using an open ﬂame. I know that many people might not have access to teals because they are not available for sale in markets. My best advice is to befriend a hunter, or as in my case, my brother was able to get teals for me from a friend who is a hunter. Fresh teals can be frozen and keep well frozen, but I suggest that you cook them fresh and treat this meal as a seasonal treat. I recently visited with my high

school friend, Mark Briley, and we talked about Pecan Island, hunting and the best way to cook teals. He is a hunting guide and camp cook who has hunted the Pecan Island and Forked Island areas for many years. We compared notes, and he had one suggestion that stuck with me — rub Steen’s Cane Syrup over the teals before browning them. This will help to brown the teals and create a deep brown gravy, and the slight sweetness helps to tame the gamey ﬂavor from wild fowl. The sweetness is not apparent, but it does the trick. A few things to note for cooking teals: Clean teals very well inside and out. Pat the outside skin. Use a heavy cast-iron pot or a heavy aluminum pot with a cover.

PROVIDED PHOTO BY DEBRA TAGHEHCHIAN Allow three hours for cooking time. Teals are usually served with rice and black-eyed peas, and baked sweet potatoes in their jackets are typical side dishes. The rice soaks up the gravy, the black-eyed peas add a savory note, and the sweet potatoes add sweetness to offset the robust ﬂavor of the game birds. Even the smokiness of the pork and beef sausage plays a part in marrying the ﬂavors. Although my father is no longer with us, and the camp was washed away during one of the many hurricanes that affected the area, I still like to travel down to Pecan Island to remember and enjoy the serenity that untouched nature provides. Soon, that region of Louisiana will have major changes. I am grateful to have had the experience of enjoying it.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Rub the outside of each teal in cane syrup. Season each teal with salt, red cayenne pepper and granulated garlic. 3. Cut sausage into 6 pieces and insert 1 piece into each teal cavity. 4. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron or heavy aluminum pot such as a Magnalite roaster. 5. Brown each teal, turning and browning until all sides of the teals are browned. 6. Remove teals from the pot and add chopped onions, bell peppers and celery. Sauté until vegetables are lightly browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. 7. Return teals to the pot, breast side up. Add 1 cup of chicken broth or water. 8. Cover the pot and bake for 1 hour. 9. Remove pot from oven. Turn teals to breast side down. Add 1 cup chicken broth or water. 10. Cover and continue baking for 1 hour. 11. Remove pot from the oven and check for the tenderness of the teals by using a fork inserted into the breast meat. If it is tender, the teals are cooked. If there is still resistance, add ½ cup chicken broth or water, cover and cook for 30 minutes longer. 12. Remove teals from the pot and add water if needed to make gravy, or cook gravy longer if needed to concentrate the liquid.

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BOOKS

‘Great Black Hope’

Danny Heitman

‘Fire in the Mind’ recaps poet’s long career

Five judges — Grooms, Edward P. Jones, Opal Moore, Francine Prose and Patricia Towers — read submitted manuscripts throughout the year to choose the recipient of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence Grooms said the entire panel was impressed that “Great Black Hope” is Franklin’s ﬁrst publication. “We were surprised that a young writer had written something in such a mature voice,” Grooms said. “Not only was there strong writing but also very good storytelling. It very successfully blends genres — part murder mystery, part introspective novel about generational relations and responsibilities.” Franklin’s setting in New York City is not unique, Grooms said, but for the novel to focus on more of a bohemian and artistic community instead of a professional one was new for the panel. For Franklin, he says winning the award named for such a giant of African American literature is a huge honor. “I think there are some interesting parallels because I’m writing about, in part, the American South, and trying to depict a milieu with this Southern Black bourgeoisie that I feel like I haven’t seen a ton of in popular culture,” Franklin said. “I feel very honored to be working in a tradition that he helped to deﬁne.”

Since the publication of her debut collection, “Watering,” in 1972, Catharine Savage Brosman has been writing poetry at a steady clip, even as she taught French at Tulane University. Now retired, she’s divided her time in recent years between Houston and New Orleans. Brosman will be back in Louisiana on Oct. 31 for the Louisiana Book Festival in and around the State Capitol in Baton Rouge, with a reading scheduled for noon in the West Tent near Capitol Park Museum. The Brosman program will draw from “Fire in the Mind,” a new book that collects her best work from more than half a century. The book opens on a valedictory note, dedicating its poems to “family members and cherished friends, and in memory of those deceased who were dear to me.” That backward glance is understandable for a poet who’s now 92, her long life an instruction in what time gives and what it takes away. There’s also a sense of summing up in Brosman’s introduction to these poems, which offers a capsule summary of her career. It includes a funny anecdote about an early professor who noted that Brosman was “awfully intellectual,” cautioning her that it’s “only half of what’s necessary.” Presumably, he was nudging her to embrace feeling on the page, too, and there’s plenty of that in “Fire in the Mind.” The mere titles of these poems, scanned casually in the table of contents, are a feast of sensations. From “Eating Pears at Midnight” to “The Effects of Clouds: New Orleans” to “Gumbo” to “Melons,” they suggest experience as something that registers on the fingertips, the nose and the tongue. When these poems unfold within a New Orleans setting, their sensibility chimes naturally with a city where life announces itself so palpably on the skin. In “Report from New Orleans: Saturday Night,” Brosman points to the pageant of wonders a weekend evening in the Garden District can bring, including “clusters of people in fancy clothes,” “a rosy priest with his entourage” and a restaurant window that reveals “the phosphorescent fauna of the night.” Amidst the splendor, a “poor man carrying a lumpy sack” appears, much like other street dwellers “wearing cracked shoes and faces of bewilderment.” In the spirit of “Pink Dog,” Elizabeth Bishop’s famous poem about suffering within the celebration of Brazil’s Carnival, Brosman deftly explores how plenitude can be touched by loss. In “Crab Cakes,” another New Orleans poem, two old flames reminisce at Galatoire’s: “We cheated carpe diem in our youth; embracing, we acknowledge now its truth.” Advancing age understandably figures as a theme in Brosman’s later poems, as in “Deep Maturity,” where she suggests that imagination can somehow make a whole of past, present and future “as I stand here beneath a waning moon. / Its luster silvers me. Old I am not.” It’s vintage Brosman, expressing the voice of a poet resolved to be luminous until the end.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@theadvocate.com.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman. com.

Ernest Gaines award honors Rob Franklin and his novel BY JOY HOLDEN

in his 20s who is in the throes of grief and alienation while he reconciles with his identity. Smith is partying with the New York elite in the Hamptons when he is arrested for a small amount of cocaine. As the son of a prestigious historically Black college president and a successful attorney, Smith knows his mistake will derail his parents’ hopes for him as well as his own blurry idea of his future. As a part of his attorney’s advice, Smith starts on a sobriety journey that is sharpened by the intense grief of losing his best friend and roommate, Elle, to a mysterious overdose. Smith navigates this year of his life while monitoring his other best friend’s erratic behavior. Throughout the novel, Smith gains conﬁdence, composure and a new group of friends who are creators instead of destroyers. Franklin’s poetry foundation is evident in his vivid prose. “Great Black Hope” is full of precise imagery and detail that evokes the singular experience that Smith is having.

Staff writer

Each October, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation presents one of the most prestigious literary prizes given to Black American writers, the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. To honor celebrated Louisiana writer Gaines, the award serves to inspire and recognize rising African American ﬁction writers at a national level. The Baton Rouge Area Foundation will give the 19th annual honor to Rob Franklin for his novel “Great Black Hope” at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Manship Theatre at the Shaw Center, 100 Lafayette St., Baton Rouge. Community members can attend the event by registering at ernestjgainesaward. org/rsvp. “All the judges feel that we are doing something important by honoring one of the great writers in the American canon, Ernest Gaines,” said Anthony Grooms, one of the judges for the award. “It’s a big responsibility to bring some attention to emerging African American writers, particularly for a writer like Rob Franklin, who we think is a real talent.” The book award, initiated by donors of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, comes with a monetary award of $15,000 to support and enable the writer to focus on their craft. The foundation also sponsors the winner’s travel to Baton Rouge to receive the prize at the ceremony, where Franklin will read an excerpt from “Great Black Hope,” which was published in June 2025. While in town, Franklin will speak to students at Baton Rouge Community College, visit the Gaines family in New Roads and visit the church and cemetery that Gaines restored.

Forging his own voice Franklin, 33, has been traveling through Louisiana since he was a child. An Atlanta native who now lives in New York, Franklin frequently visited his grandmother in Texas, and along the way, his family would stop overnight in New Orleans. Franklin holds a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and a Masters of Fine Arts from New York University’s Creative Writing program. He teaches writing at School of Visual Arts, a private art school in New York City. Since high school, Franklin has had an interest in writing, but he started out with poetry. He became serious about the craft after reading Richard Siken’s poetry collection, “Crush.”

Rob Franklin

PROVIDED PHOTO

“It’s really the book that made me want to write because I think it really reinvigorated what I understood poetry could do,” Franklin said. “It was very different from the poetry we’d read in English class. It was experimental, urgent and queer.” He said that he “forged” his own poetic voice in college, although he dabbled in short stories. After college, Franklin wrote while working as a consultant in the corporate world. He was four years into the development of a novel set in Berlin when the inspiration for “Great Black Hope” changed his path. While home with his parents in Atlanta, he had free written a few pages that turned into a character sketch of who would become Smith, the main character of “Great Black Hope.” “It was this character who was very shaped by familial expectations, history and the lessons of Black respectability politics,” Franklin said. “I was so interested in this question of how those particular lessons for some people can be the motivational force that they are intended to be, and other people crack under the pressure because there can be a psychological toll that they’re not totally prepared to bear.”

Upward mobility, downward spiral “Great Black Hope” features Smith, a young, upwardly mobile Black man

‘A mature voice’

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 9D

HOLLYWOOD SOUTH

Dew Drop Inn doc to premiere at film fest N.O. nightclub has storied history

Nearly five years ago, filmmaker Michael Murphy had lunch with Curtis Doucette after learning of his plans to restore New Orleans’ iconic Dew Drop Inn, which suffered years of decline following Hurricane Katrina. Murphy and his producing partner, CiLeslie lista Eberle, Cardé figured a film about the rebirth of a lounge and hotel that attracted legends like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Little Richard and a whole host of other talented musicians would be of interest to everyone. That notion, however, would encounter a major stumbling block. “As it turned out, there were no performances of any kind that existed on film,” Murphy remembered. “Not even photographs. Nothing. If there had been, Katrina wiped it out. So essentially, there were no assets. So, we said to ourselves, this film about the grand reopening of the Dew Drop Inn with all these great performances could no longer be what we had planned.” But digging deeper, the underlying story of the Dew Drop turned out to be far more compelling. When the nightclub opened in 1939, segregation permeated the city with restrictive Jim Crow laws. Owner Frank Painia believed that

The Dew Drop Inn is pictured when it opened in the 1930s.

Murphy

Eberle

Black and White musicians should be able to play together, and his mixed audiences should not be divided by a wall. His open deﬁance culminated in police raids and arrests, until he hired renowned attorney A.P. Tureaud to sue the city. That legal victory led to the desegregation of all New Orleans bars and res-

TODAY IN HISTORY Today is Sunday, Oct. 25, the 298th day of 2026. There are 67 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 25, 1929, former Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall was convicted of accepting bribes in exchange for oil field leases at Teapot Dome in Wyoming and the Elk Hills and Buena Vista oil fields in California. As a result of the “Teapot Dome scandal” Fall would become the first U.S. Cabinet member to be imprisoned for crimes committed while in office. Also on this date: In 1415, England’s King Henry V’s forces defeated a much larger French army at the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years’ War. In 1760, Britain’s King George III succeeded his late grandfather, George II. In 1859, radical abolitionist John Brown went on trial in Charles Town, Virginia, for his failed raid at Harpers Ferry. (He was convicted and later hanged.) In 1962, during an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson II demanded that Soviet Ambassador Valerian Zorin confirm or deny the existence of Soviet-built missile bases in Cuba. Stevenson then presented the council with photographic evidence of the bases, a key moment in the Cuban missile crisis. In 1971, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing the People’s Republic of China as that country’s sole legitimate representative to the United Nations, expelling representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the world body and effectively casting out Taiwan. In 1983, a U.S.-led force invaded Grenada at the order of President Ronald Reagan, who said the action was needed to protect U.S. citizens there. In 1986, in Game 6 of the World Series, the New York Mets rallied for three runs with two outs in the 10th inning, defeating the Boston

Red Sox 6-5 and forcing a seventh game; the tie-breaking run scored on Boston first baseman Bill Buckner’s error on Mookie Wilson’s slow grounder. (The Mets went on to win Game 7 and the Series.) In 1999, golfer Payne Stewart and five others were killed when their Learjet lost cabin pressure, flew hundreds of miles off course on autopilot, and crashed in a field in South Dakota. Stewart was 42. In 2002, Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone of Minnesota was killed in a plane crash in northern Minnesota along with his wife, daughter and five others, a week-and-a-half before the election. In 2022, Rishi Sunak became Britain’s first prime minister of color after being chosen to lead the governing Conservative Party. He resigned the post in 2024 after his party’s general election defeat. In 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden formally apologized to Native Americans for the “sin” of a government-run boarding school system that for decades forcibly separated children from their parents, calling it a “blot on American history” during a visit to Indian Country in Arizona. Today’s Birthdays: Actor Marion Ross is 98. Former Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart is 91. Author Anne Tyler is 85. Rock singer Jon Anderson (Yes) is 82. Guitarist Glen Tipton (Judas Priest) is 79. Basketball Hall of Famer Dave Cowens is 78. Olympic gold medal wrestler Dan Gable is 78. Olympic gold medal hockey player Mike Eruzione is 72. Actor Nancy Cartwright (TV: “The Simpsons”) is 69. Rock drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 65. Violinist Midori is 55. Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez is 55. Author Zadie Smith is 51. Pop singer Katy Perry is 42. Singer Ciara is 41. Golfer Xander Schauffele is 33. MLB All-Star Juan Soto is 28. Actor Dallas Young is 20.

taurants. “We knew about the history, and we knew about the artists that played there, but we really didn’t know what the culture that surrounded it was all about, which was the most surprising part of my research,” Eberle recounted. “So, the movie quickly expanded to include what was going on behind the scenes in Central City and how places like the Dew Drop Inn and Dooky Chase’s became meeting places where participants could gather safely to talk about civil rights.” That newfound understanding has led to a new documentary, “The Dew

PROVIDED PHOTO BY MICHAEL MURPHY PRODUCTIONS Drop Inn: Resistance and Resilience,” premiering Sunday at the New Orleans Film Festival. For writer and director Murphy — who had interviewed dozens of musicians for his other films, like “Up From the Streets — New Orleans: The City of Music” or “Make It Funky!” — this film would prove to be the most challenging, yet rewarding, of his career. “You often hear stories about the good times at the ‘swankiest music club in New Orleans,’” Murphy noted, “but I learned of its importance during the struggle for civil rights and an end to Jim Crow. This is ultimately the fight of Black

Americans for constitutional rights and how that fight directly impacted the legal and human rights benefiting all Americans today.” The film is eye-opening in its candor about the indignities Black musicians encountered as they toured the country, knowing they were not welcome at most hotels. It was common practice in New Orleans to allow performers to entertain within the confines of a hotel, but not to allow them to spend the night. For those who were playing on what was known as the Chitlin’ Circuit (performance venues in the South, East and Midwest), it was

critical to secure lodging wherever they performed. For instance, in New Orleans, Black musicians might play the Blue Room at the Roosevelt Hotel, then stay up all night jamming with the artists at the Dew Drop Inn, which had lodging available. It created an incubator for different musicians to learn from each other, and, as Eberle noted, the music of New Orleans wouldn’t have been the same without that. The Dew Drop Inn reopened in 2024 and has become home to a newer generation of artists like Tarriona “Tank” Ball, of Tank and the Bangas, Big Freedia, PJ Morton, Questlove and Trombone Shorty. “The work of preserving historic places like the Dew Drop Inn is critically important in this moment because I believe that more Americans want to reconcile our racist past,” said Brent Leggs, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We want to heal from the divided bridges so that we create a better future, a more inclusive future where everyone can see one another’s humanity.” “The Dew Drop Inn: Resistance and Resilience” is screening Oct. 25 at the Contemporary Art Center’s Worklight Pictures Warehouse Theater starting at 8 p.m. A Q&A session with the ﬁlmmakers follows the 60-minute movie. The afterparty, sponsored by Paramount, is at The Dew Drop Inn, 2836 Lasalle St. Contact Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail. com.

When ‘thanks’ doesn’t seem like enough Dear Miss Manders: How do you thank who have expressed their support physically, emotionally and people for their support after financially after this tragedy. a devastating fire destroys One final PSA, if I may, your home? please: If you have a fire in We just had a grease fire in your gas grill, don’t wait for it our propane grill. I did what I to go out. Go get the fire extinalways do: I turned the burners off and shut the propane guisher as quickly as you can Judith tank valve, then closed the and put it out ASAP. Martin lid and waited for it to go out. Gentle reader: Noted. MISS Well, this time it didn’t Write back to as many of MANNERS go out. Instead, it burned these kind people as possible, through to the area where the expressing your thanks and propane tank is stored. adding a small present (flowers, etc.) We evacuated immediately — no to anyone who took you in for an shoes on our feet, no ID, nothing but extended stay. Speak of it widely, in the clothes on our bodies. Somehow hopes that this gets back to everyone I grabbed my cellphone, or we’d be who showed support. even more lost. And then resolve, as Miss Manners We picked up the dogs and cat and has no doubt you already have, to ran outside. Thank God we were all show the same kindness to anyone safe and uninjured. who endures a similar calamity. The outpouring of support from Sadly, it seems that lately there are our neighbors and local community ample opportunities. is overwhelming. In these times, it Dear Miss Manners: I am writing reis a comfort to know that people are garding our mahjong’s group’s polistill good, and there for you when cy on health and attendance. Lately, you least expect it. there have been several instances My wife and I are trying to figure where players have asked if they out how we can possibly thank the should attend while experiencing hundreds, if not thousands, of people symptoms of illness.

While I appreciate the offer to wear a mask, I want to be clear about my personal boundary: I do not feel comfortable playing in person with anyone who is unwell, regardless of the precautions taken. Since this situation comes up frequently, I would like to establish a standard that if someone is feeling under the weather, they should stay home until they are healthy. This helps ensure that the game remains a comfortable environment for everyone. I value our time together and want to make sure we can all enjoy our games without any added concern. How do I articulate this? Gentle reader: Say it when everyone is healthy. “Flu/cold/allergy season is coming up, and I want to make sure that we all stay as healthy as possible. Let us agree that if we are not feeling well, we will stay home and take care of ourselves.” Miss Manners recommends you disinfect those tiles anyway, just in case. Send questions to Miss Manners at dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

Be cautious of drained batteries Dear Heloise: I wanted to write in box, as opposed to the ones that need response to the suggestion from to be cut from the package. — Jay, in Mary M., about hearing-aid batteries Nebraska and her keeping them in an empty Jay, thank you so much for this medicine bottle. One of the reasons helpful tip! Finding easier ways to why hearing-aid batteries handle packaging makes such a are separated onto a cardbig difference. I appreciate you taking the time to share this with board sheet is to keep the me and my readers. — Heloise ends of the batteries from touching each other. A persistent runny nose Batteries are polarized. If you get opposite Hints from Dear Heloise: I read the letter poles touching each other, Heloise from Louise W., who suffers they’ll drain the battery. from a constant runny nose. InYou could easily wind up stead of living with the problem, with a medicine bottle full of dead she should consult her doctor and batteries. — Roy R., in Fullerton, California determine if she’s suffering from Roy, thanks for the tip! This makes rhinitis. There are two types: allera lot of sense. I’ll make sure to keep gic and nonallergic rhinitis. There batteries in their cardboard. — Heloise are treatments for both that’ll make life easier for her. I’d suffered with Packaging makes a big difference nonallergic rhinitis for years until I brought it up to my physician, and Dear Heloise: In regard to the childhe prescribed a nasal spray that proof packaging of hearing-aid batstopped my nose from running all teries, I buy my 312 batteries online. day. This is an embarrassing condiIf you look carefully, you can ﬁnd batteries that are in an easy-to-open tion that she may not have to live

with. — Dennis C., via email Dennis, it could be caused by any number of different reasons, but she’ll need to see a doctor to determine what the root cause happens to be. I’m sure that a physician could help her, but she needs to make an appointment to see her doctor. — Heloise

Light bulb safety Dear Heloise: A number of people like to use petroleum jelly on the end of a light bulb to keep it from sticking. However, there are a couple of things that they need to remember. n Heat sensitivity: Petroleumbased products are highly ﬂammable. High heat from a running bulb can cause the jelly to melt, become tacky, smoke or potentially ignite. n Electrical issues: Petroleum jelly is an insulator. If it gets on the contact points at the base or socket, it can cause the bulb to ﬂicker or fail to work at all. — Sandra, via email Send a hint to heloise@heloise.com.

10D ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Q&A: Historic rehabs fuel contractor’s growth 3E

Broussard company ﬁnds niche in 3D printing 7E

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

S U N D AY, O C T O B E R 25, 2026

1EN

Pan-American Life CEO targets ambitious new goal

STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE

José S. Suquet, board chair and CEO of Pan-American Life Insurance Group, has led the New Orleans-based company’s global operations over the last two decades, driving profits to record-breaking highs.

115-year-old south Louisiana-based firm with a global footprint is on track to surpass $2B in revenue BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

IDEAS &

INNOVATION

Insurance industry veteran José Suquet’s bags were nearly packed for a job in Miami in 2004 when recruiters looking to ﬁll the top job at Pan-American Life Insurance Group in New Orleans came calling. After studying the now-115-year-old company’s history, challenges and opportunities, he decided the role was too good to pass up, so he ﬂew back to New York to pitch his family on a new game plan. It turned out to be a good decision for all

involved — especially for the legacy New Orleans-based insurer that was losing market share and seeing proﬁts erode at the beginning of the millennium. Since reporting for work in November 2004, Suquet has led Pan-American through a two-decade turnaround, helping boost its annual revenue from $284 million in 2004 to an expected $2 billion this year, an all-time high. Today, the company’s 2,200 employees worldwide help sell life, health and accident insurance to groups and individuals throughout the United States and in 21 Latin

American and Caribbean countries. Suquet said he and his team reversed PanAmerican’s fortunes by shedding unproﬁtable lines of business, selling the two New Orleans skyscrapers it owned, maintaining a conservative investment strategy and, most important, focusing on the markets that gave it its start — even though that means underwriting risk in some countries marked by political and economic volatility. As a result, a business that at one point was in danger of getting downgraded by

ä See PAN-AMERICAN, page 2E

Major projects step up pressure on La. road, bridge work BY IANNE SALVOSSA, JONAH MEADOWS and ADAM DAIGLE

Staff writers

For more than a decade, planners have been talking about a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, though there’s still no timeline for a groundbreaking, much less completion. In St. Bernard Parish, a major transit corridor considered key to the Louisiana International Terminal deep-water port is still in the early planning stages and years from reality. And in Lafayette, an extension of Interstate 49 that has been publicly debated since the 1990s is ﬁnally inching forward, though design and construction won’t start before next year at the earliest. Major infrastructure projects

“These infrastructure projects go hand in hand with economic development. We need to invest in roads and bridges across our state to bring projects like SpaceX, Meta and Hyundai Steel to our state.”

worth of projects planned for the next 20 years, long-delayed road and bridge improvements are taking on a new sense of urgency and showing signs of moving forward, according to Glenn Ledet, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development secretary. “These infrastructure projects go hand in hand with economic development,” Ledet said last week. “We need to invest in roads and bridges across our state to bring GLENN LEDET, Louisiana projects like SpaceX, Meta and Department of Transportation Hyundai Steel to our state.” and Development secretary Still, major questions remain about funding, environmental impacts and even the speciﬁc lotake a long time. In Louisiana, cation of some of these projects it would seem, they drag on for — issues that need to be resolved years or even decades, if they before the ﬁrst pile is driven. happen at all. Here is a rundown on where Now that the state is in the things stand. throes of a new explosion of indusä See ROAD, page 2E trial expansion, with $250 billion

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

A long-awaited third bridge across the Mississippi River in the capital region is slowly making its way through the final planning stage, promising at least some relief to the gridlock that has plagued the Interstate 10 corridor for decades.

2E n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate

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PAN-AMERICAN Continued from page 1E

insurance industry ratings agencies instead began an era of unprecedented growth. It’s a remarkable comeback for an enterprise that Tulane University business professor Peter Ricchiuti describes as the “biggest New Orleans business that few people have ever heard about” — and it’s a win for a city that has lost many corporate headquarters in recent decades. It’s the kind of success that leaves Pan-American’s board wanting more — and Suquet said he plans to take the company to the next level. The longtime CEO and chair of the board, who turned 70 in May, said a succession plan is in place but that he’s not retiring anytime soon. “We’ve been able to bring this ‘grand old lady’ that had lost its luster to where we are now,” he said. “And we have very ambitious plans over the next ﬁve years.”

‘Lost their focus’ Pan-American Life was founded in 1911, when New Orleans was the largest city in the South and one of the United States’ most important gateways to Latin America. Co-founder Crawford H. Ellis recognized an opportunity to sell life insurance to individuals and businesses throughout the Americas during his time as an executive at the United Fruit Co., the storied enterprise that a century ago was responsible for importing millions of bananas a year from Central America and the Caribbean. One of the company’s first markets was Panama. Over the decades, it entered new countries and added new products, along the way weathering several wars, the Great Depression and all manner of political upheaval. By the early 1950s, Pan-American was in business in nine Central and South American nations as well as half the U.S. states. And, by 1980, its New Orleans employee count had reached roughly 900, causing the company to move from its midcentury modern headquarters on Canal Street into a new 28-story granite skyscraper on Poydras Street in the Central Business District. Crawford led the venture he cofounded for more than a half century before his death in 1966. Several leadership groups followed, including executives in the 1990s who prioritized expansion in the United States. But that strategy didn’t pay off, Suquet said, which is why, by the time a recruiting firm was searching for new leadership in 2004, the firm’s board of directors wanted a course correction. “Management at the time tried to be this company that they’re not, which is a large American insurance company, competing with the giants like Northwestern Mutual,

ROAD

Continued from page 1E

STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE

José S. Suquet, center, board chair and CEO of Pan-American Life Insurance Group, speaks during a meeting in New Orleans.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD

By the 1980s, the Pan-American Life Insurance Group, founded in 1911, had grown to 900 employees in New Orleans, prompting a move into a 28-story building on Poydras Street in the Central Business District.

Prudential and MetLife,” Suquet “We had just under $300 million said. “But they had lost their focus of premium then for the total comon their core market, which was pany, and no profits,” he said. “We Latin America.” were not making any money.” One of the first things Suquet ‘All the opportunities’ did was to ask ratings agencies, Suquet, who began his career in which were “knocking on the door the 1970s as a life insurance agent to downgrade us,” for time to make after graduating from Fordham changes. Then he began selling University, had already notched underperforming U.S. assets that nearly three decades in the in- were expensive to operate and redustry when the opportunity to quired massive scale to be profitlead Pan-American came along. able. He wanted the job so badly that These included a compliancehe hired his own consulting firm heavy broker dealership, a disand spent time analyzing the com- ability insurance business, and a pany’s financials and strategy to product designed to cover funeral create a business plan before he costs. The insurer also got out of the started. His early days on the job were real estate business, selling its “rough,” he said, with unpaid headquarters building in 2006 and claims piling up in one storeroom, the InterContinental next door in and enough empty space on an- 2013. The company now leases other floor to set up a volleyball only two floors of the office tower that bears its name. tournament.

PALIG today

The elevated highway could charge tolls and connect the planned Louisiana International Terminal with Interstate 510 510

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PLANNED CONTAINER TERMINAL 39

POYDRAS Source: New Orleans Regional Planning Commission

commitment to ﬁgure out the has the backing of state and ways to move forward.” federal officials who say Louisiana needs a new conSt. Bernard corridor tainer terminal to handle In August, the Port of New larger modern ships that Orleans got the go-ahead can’t ﬁt under the Crescent from the U.S. Army Corps of City Connection. But the massive termiEngineers to begin work on the $2.6 billion Louisiana In- nal planned near the Violet ternational Terminal, which Canal will need a new road

“As long as you manage the risk parameters on your investments, you’re going to do OK,” he said. “Ninety-seven percent of ours are in investment-grade corporate bonds. It’s not very exciting, but you don’t want to be exciting in insurance.” These days, as three company presidents manage day-to-day operations, Suquet takes the long view, planning for the risks and opportunities created by the rise of artificial intelligence, everchanging political landscapes and other factors. “In our footprint, we have hurricanes, volcanoes, changing weather patterns, government turmoil, coups and everything imaginable,” Suquet said. “We’re always going to have the macro issues, whether they’re government inflicted, technology or catastrophes.” He’s also setting ambitious goals. It took Pan-American a little over a century to reach its first billion-dollar year — a milestone met in 2016 — and an additional decade to double that number. Suquet said he’s challenged his senior leadership team to hit the $3 billion mark within five years. And at a time when a company like Pan-American could be headquartered anywhere, Suquet said he and his fellow leaders are resolute about keeping the business in the city where it all began. “There’s just absolutely no reason to explore any other options,” he said. ”We have a rich history here, and our costs would go up dramatically if we moved.”

Pan-American is much bigger and more decentralized today than it was when Suquet arrived. The company sells employee beneﬁts and group insurance to a “who’s who” of American and international companies, including Walmart, Amazon, Dell and Microsoft — many of whom use Panama or Costa Rica as a hub for their operations in Latin America. In 2004, the company had 500 employees in New Orleans and an additional 300 worldwide. Now it has over 300 in Louisiana plus another 300 across the U.S. The rest of its workforce is located in Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia and other countries. Suquet said the company’s goal is to bring in more in premiums than it pays for claims and administration costs, while investing the money it collects in safe assets to Email Rich Collins at rich.colgenerate additional income. lins@theadvocate.com.

St. Bernard Transportation Corridor route proposals

New bridge for BR A long-awaited third bridge across the Mississippi River in the capital region is slowly making its way through the final planning stage after years of study, promising at least some relief to the gridlock that has plagued the Interstate 10 corridor for decades. DOTD is waiting on the completion of an environmental assessment, which is required for a permit from the Federal Highway Administration, according to Ledet. Once the permit is obtained, which could happen by the end of this year, planners can finalize selection of the route — connecting La. 1 on the west bank to La. 30 on the east bank. Design and construction come next. Ledet said DOTD will hold a public hearing for the plans in the first quarter of 2027 before giving final approval. Still uncertain is funding for the roughly $2 billion project. State officials have set aside $400 million over the past several years, and planners are looking into the feasibility of tolls and bonds to provide additional funds. The combination of local, state and federal officials working on project planning and capital investment in the state shows progress, he said. “I know folks have waited for these projects for a long time and talked about it for a long time,” he said. “But I think we’ve just made that

“We didn’t want to have 60% of our capital tied up in two buildings in the path of hurricanes,” Suquet said. While Pan-American was making these changes, it also was reinvesting in Latin America — a largely untapped market that has been growing rapidly in recent years and shows no signs of slowing down. It expanded in the region through a 2012 acquisition of MetLife assets in multiple countries, and it focused its efforts on existing in business in Colombia, where premiums grew from $1 million annually two decades ago to $200 million this year. “We modernized it, invested in it and got a professional CEO down there,” Suquet said. “It’s been like that with every country we’re in.”

Staff map

— the St. Bernard Transportation Corridor — to make room for the hundreds of trucks that are anticipated to come and go every day. A feasibility study identified three potential routes for the corridor, and state officials hired Stantec to assess the relative traffic benefits and

wetland impacts of each. Depending on how significantly the new road is projected to affect the surrounding wetlands, the firm’s study will result in either an environmental assessment, which could be complete within a year, or a much more rigorous environmental impact statement, which could take as long as two years. “From there, we will have formal public meetings as well as public hearings that will relay all of the alternative routes, as well as the final selection of the preferred alternative,” Ledet said. Consultants are weighing tolls, container fees or both as potential revenue sources. At the same time, Port NOLA’s staff is sounding out investment banks, equity funds and financial advisers for feedback on how to foot the roughly $1 billion bill through a public-private partnership. State and federal appropriations are covering $75 million of the cost of preliminary work. Officials will seek hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure grants for construction costs once federally required environmental reviews are complete, which is anticipated in 2028. Matt Gresham, Port Nola’s vice president of governmental relations, hopes to move quickly into the final design and construction phase once Stantec’s work is complete.

significant jolt earlier this month in the form of a $50 million federal grant. The funding will go toward overhauling the intersection of U.S. 90 and Kaliste Saloom Road, a significant part of the I-49 Connector, Lafayette Consolidated Government officials announced earlier this month. The connector is a $2 billion, 5.5-mile project that will connect I-49 at its terminus at I-10 in Lafayette to the current U.S. 90 that stretches to New Orleans. The intersection with Kaliste Saloom, which is adjacent to a railroad crossing and has been identified as being among the 100 worst freight bottlenecks in the U.S., will be redesigned to include onramps and flyover bridges to avoid train conflicts. The connector is still awaiting a final decision from federal officials, anticipated in the first quarter of 2027. That will clear the way for further design and construction.

New Calcasieu bridge

After years of planning and delays, work got underway earlier this year on a replacement for the nearly 75-year-old span over the Calcasieu River in Lake Charles, which is known as much for its steep grade and intimidating height — 135 feet — as for its dueling pistol guardrails. In April, Gov. Jeff Landry celebrated the groundbreaking on the new $2.3 billion bridge. It’s scheduled to be I-49 Connector completed by 2031. Staff writers Courtney A major highway project Pedersen and Claire Taylor that’s been publicly debated contributed to this story. since the early 1990s got a

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 3E

TALKING BUSINESS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Contractor grows from historic, passion projects BY GRACE MAYER

happen to the economy. Now, with the 2028 College Football Playoff National Championship coming up and the new Convention Center For Ryan Gootee, CEO and business coming in two years, the founder of Ryan Gootee General time is now to get those renovaContractors, worktions done. We’ve seen a lot of that, ing on historic including work we’re completing projects in New on the Omni Royal Orleans hotel. Orleans is always There is a lot of demand for industrial a passion project. projects in the state. Are you guys chasing To date, Gootee, any opportunities there? Do you feel any a self-described pressure to go after that work? history nerd and a A lot of contractors have chased fourth generation Gootee and followed the data center work, builder, and his and we have made contact with firm have worked on 146 historic some of these companies develrenovations, totaling $330 million. Historic projects make up about a oping these projects. If the right third of the company’s portfolio. opportunity came along, we’d go The Metairie-based contractor and follow it. We’re not afraid has restored and renovated the of it. We know we can do it. Like New Orleans Jazz Museum, The with SpaceX, we may have some Historic New Orleans Collection opportunity in that arena, and we and the Omni Royal Orleans hotel. may be looking to go over there in Currently, the firm is working on Vermillion Parish but it’s got to be STAFF FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER restorations to the St. Louis Cathethe right opportunity. A temporary enclosure is in place at the historic St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter as it undergoes You’re the fourth generation in your family dral. Winning work as the general major renovation for the major renovation. to work in construction. How are you thinking contractor on the project is affirabout succession planning? Do you want it mation of his team’s expertise in to continue as a family business? restorative work, Gootee said. thedral, we’ve been working on My kids are still in school or just “If you had to pick the most iconrenovations to the Historic New FOUNDER OF RYAN GOOTEE GENERAL CONTRACTORS Orleans Collection, and a lot of the starting their careers. But last ic building in the city, that would week, I told them next year, we’re things we learned from that projbe it,” Gootee said. “It’s like renogoing to sit down and decide who ect, like doing historic masonry vating the Lincoln Memorial. It’s wants to be in the business and and stucco, were relevant to the just something that’s been around toric fabric of a building — which his business. who doesn’t, because I need to cathedral. forever.” can jeopardize funding. So can Responses have been edited for plan. If my kids don’t want to be It’s also a logistical nightmare Before RGGC became a go-to falling behind on meeting a projlength and clarity. trying to work in the French Quar- involved, I’ll eventually sell all my contractor for such projects, How did RGGC become a go-to contractor ect deadline, because you have to shares out to nonfamily members. Gootee spent 10 years working at for historic projects? complete a project within the fiscal ter. It’s a lot of moving parts, a lot I currently share ownership his family’s business, Gootee ConWe landed a lot of construction, year for the tax credit to apply that of people, there’s not a lot of space, of the company with Michael and I think we had a really good struction, a mechanical contractor renovation and cleanup work after year. A developer might not be DeGruy, our company president. Katrina. When all that work dried able to hold the carrying costs of plan on how to approach it. also in Metairie. After Katina in Over the last few years, I’ve been up, I educated myself on the hisnot getting that chunk of money. Where are you seeing new opportunities 2005, he decided to go out on his selling some of my shares to MiWe just got good at these projfor growth? own, though he still works closely toric tax credit program, because Work in the hospitality industry with Gootee Construction and ofI knew it would present a lot of ects over time. Now, we’re doing chael, who now owns 30% of the is a bright spot right now. We’re company. I’ll probably sell my ten hires them as a sub on projects. opportunities and funding for con- no-bid, no-selection process projshares to some other key people RGGC is on-track to grow revects where people come to us say- seeing a lot of hotels asking for struction projects. So many buildrenovations. I think everybody in the coming years. I want to give ing, “we want you to do the job.” ings in New Orleans are historic, enue by 12%, hitting about $65 just didn’t know what to do until some people who have earned it You did have to compete for work on the million this year. The company em- and when you get 45 cents on the after the city was done hosting the a seat at the owner’s table. I want St. Louis Cathedral. How did you guys win ploys a 50-person team at its office dollar back on qualifying restora2025 Super Bowl and, of course, to let them sit where I’ve sat, and in Metairie. tion expenses, that’s a lot of money. that project? Mardi Gras. Hotels didn’t want to handle the risks and rewards of We have a pretty large portfolio In this week’s Talking BusiThere is a lot of pressure to get put their properties in the middle being an owner. these projects done in a timely and of projects in the French Quarter, ness, Gootee discusses the chalof renovations or out of commisand I think that helped us stand correct manner. I’ve heard about lenges of navigating historic projEmail Grace Mayer at grace. out from other contractors. Down instances where a contractor took sion during those events. They ects, the opportunities he sees for the street from the St. Louis Caout a beam or messed up the hisalso didn’t know what was going to mayer@theadvocate.com. growth, and long-term plans for Staff writer

Q&A WITH RYAN GOOTEE

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ACROSS THE REGION

North Louisiana hospitals to be sold Minden Medical board members resigned amid unpaid taxes, threats of fines

BY LIZ SWAINE

Staff writer

After six members of Minden Medical Center’s Board of Governors resigned, that hospital and three others owned by Allegiance Health Management are being put up for sale. The Allegiance hospitals that are pending sale are Minden Medical Center, Northern Louisiana Medical Center in Ruston, Acadian Medical Center in Eunice and Mercy Regional Medical Center in Ville Platte. All four of the Allegiance hospitals pending sale were warned in July by the federal government to either be more transparent about their basic pricing information or risk millions in federal penalties. They were on a list of 27 around the state singled out for not disclosing actual prices for common tests and procedures. Allegiance, which is based in Bossier City, also owns medical facilities in Arcadia, Oakdale, Many, Marksville, Winnﬁeld, Monroe, Eunice, and DeQuincy, and in Greenville, Mississippi. Scott Prouty, chief operating officer and executive vice president, said in a statement, “Our highest priority is protecting the delivery of quality healthcare service and ensuring that patients, employees, physicians and the communities these hospitals serve experience as little disruption as possible.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY JILL PICKETT

Minden Medical Center in Minden is among four Allegiance Health Management-owned hospitals being put up for sale. “The planned transactions remain subject to customary processes and approvals. Additional information regarding the potential new ownership and timing of the transitions will be shared as appropriate.” The move comes after Minden Medical board members resigned in protest of what they said in a statement are concerns about the hospital’s financial conditions and direction under its Bossier City-based ownership, according to a statement from former members. Members of the board, including Dr. Melissa Madden, who submitted the statement, said their decision to resign “was based on serious and continuing concerns about the financial condition” of the hospital. In the statement, Madden said the situation there deserves transparency. “We believe that the financial challenges facing the hospital deserve transparency, accountability and careful scrutiny,” the statement said. “Ultimately, we reached the point where we

could no longer remain in our positions without feeling that our continued service might be viewed as a stamp of approval for the financial circumstances and decisions surrounding Minden Medical Center and its relationship with Allegiance Corporation. We were not willing to have our names or our positions interpreted as an endorsement of a situation about which we have significant concerns.” These financial issues are not new. In 2018, Allegiance paid $1.7 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing Medicare for services that were not medically reasonable or necessary, according to a Justice Department release. More recently, the IRS has filed liens totaling more than $30 million against Allegiance hospitals and clinics for unpaid taxes. In October 2025, Allegiance Health Management President and CEO Rock Bordelon said he was working to

resolve the situation. Bordelon said rural hospitals have been “grossly underfunded for years, particularly since Medicaid expansion was enacted in Louisiana.” At the time, Bordelon said that changes proposed by Louisiana and approved by the federal government have started to address funding issues and “the future for these hospitals now looks bright.” In recent years, rural facilities have been hit hard by rising healthcare costs and dwindling reimbursements from insurers and the federal government. The largest of the structural cuts from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the federally mandated Medicaid work requirements, take effect in early 2027. The National Rural Health Association estimates those cuts may cost small-town hospitals $155 billion over 10 years and push hundreds of rural hospitals to make severe cuts or close completely. Email Liz Swaine at liz. swaine@theadvocate.com.

PEOPLE IN BUSINESS Staff report

chief Bill Hankins. Whittington previously South Louisiana business- worked as operations dies and nonprofit groups rector at DISC of Louisirecently announced the ana, where he helped develfollowing promotions, new op the spine surgery clinic. hires and resignations. Doussan Music Group, a Baton Rouge concert promotion compaEric Morvant has been hired ny headquartered in Covby Jones Walker as special ington, has opened a second counsel in office in Nashville, Tennesits Baton see, and announced the reRouge of- cent hiring and promotions fice, return- of three senior leaders. Hale Neitzschman has been ing to the firm after named director of finance, working as Rebecca Saladis has been propublic af- moted to director of bookfairs man- ing, touring and artist relaMorvant a g e r f o r tions and Anna Margaret Kilgore Entergy Louisiana. was hired as talent buyer. Before joining the utility, Morvant represented cliPeter Morrison has been ents in commercial, energy, hired as the chief growth environmental and regu- officer of Nest Health, a latory disputes in Jones New Orleans-based comWalker’s litigation practice pany that provides primary group. care for families on Medicaid. Brian Keller has been proMorrison, who has premoted to president and viously worked for UnitCEO o f edHealthcare, Centene, Louisiana Deloitte and school-based Blue, suc- care provider Goodside c e e d i n g Health, was most recently CEO Bryan the senior vice president C a m e r - of strategy and head of linck, effec- growth at Pair Team, an tive Dec. 1. artificial intelligence-enK e l l e r abled medical group servKeller had been ing populations on Medicthe insurer’s executive vice aid and Medicare populapresident and chief growth tions. officer. Jean-Marc Germain has been New Orleans appointed to the board of Jomel Whittington, president Pool Corp. Germain is the former of the Avala Physician Network, was CEO of Constellium SE, an p r o m o t e d aluminum company, where to CEO of he now serves as special Av a l a , a advisor to the board. Covington-based Do you have personnel health net- changes to share or other work and ideas for our business h o s p i t a l , coverage? Drop us a line Whittington f o l l o w i n g at biztips@theadvocate. the retirement of longtime com.

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TECHNOLOGY

Consumer apprehension grows amid use of AI pricing tools BY DEE-ANN DURBIN and ANNE D'INNOCENZIO AP business writers

U.S. consumers aren’t just frustrated with high prices. They’re angry and confused about the increasingly high-tech ways that restaurant chains and major retailers are setting those prices. Digital price tags are rapidly replacing paper ones in grocery aisles. Artificial intelligence tools help businesses decide what to charge by predicting how customers might respond. Terms like “dynamic pricing” and “surveillance pricing” are stirring anxiety on social media, where users wonder if different people are getting different prices for the same product. Americans have grown accustomed to changing prices when booking flights, hotel rooms and rides, but the prospect of everyday spending shaped by algorithms they don’t understand and personal data they may not realize they’re sharing has touched a nerve. “There are major tensions happening right now between who’s really going to have the power with some of these algorithms and usage of bots and AI: the companies or the shopper,” said Katie Thomas, who leads an internal consumer behavior think tank at the management consulting firm Kearney. Companies using the technology say some concerns stem from misconceptions about how their pricing tools work. Walmart CEO John Furner said in a blog post last month that digital price tags save workers’ time and keep prices up to date. He said the labels aren’t used to raise prices based on the weather, time of day or individual shopper. “We price the product, not the person,” Furner wrote. But companies aren’t always transparent about the customer data they collect and how it’s used, which has made consumers suspicious and led to speculation. For

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY JEFF DEAN

Digital price tags are rapidly replacing paper ones in grocery aisles. Artificial intelligence tools help businesses decide what to charge by predicting how customers might respond. Terms like ‘dynamic pricing’ and ‘surveillance pricing’ are stirring anxiety on social media, where users wonder if different people are getting different prices for the same product.

“There are major tensions happening right now between who’s really going to have the power with some of these algorithms and usage of bots and AI: the companies or the shopper.” KATIE THOMAS, of management consulting firm Kearney

example, social media posts falsely imply that electronic shelf labels Walmart plans to put in all its U.S. stores scan shoppers’ faces or cellphones to set individualized prices, Thomas said. Lawmakers and regulators are taking action. Legislators in at least 30 states have considered pricing bills this year, including measures addressing algorithmic and personalized pricing, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Federal Trade Commission has proposed an enforcement policy warning businesses that failing to disclose their use of personal data to set individualized prices could violate consumer protection law. One of the latest trends is algorithmic pricing, which uses soft-

ware to recommend or automatically set prices. Companies have used such systems for decades. AI can help the software identify patterns in sales, competitors’ prices and other information to predict demand and estimate how different prices would affect sales and proﬁts. These tools can support both dynamic and personalized pricing. It’s unclear how widely retailers use AI to help set prices, but research suggests businesses across industries are adopting it. Simon-Kucher, a global consulting company, surveyed more than 2,200 business leaders in 28 countries and 39 industries last year, and 41% said they used AI software to gather market intelligence, including competitors’ prices. Another 28% said they

used it for “real-time price optimization.” Price optimization means choosing prices that advance business goals, such as increasing profits, attracting shoppers or clearing unsold goods. The National Retail Federation, which represents big and small stores, said algorithmic pricing is a new method of doing what retailers have always done: monitor and adjust prices depending on supply, demand, seasonality, competitors’ prices and other factors. Some lawsuits have alleged companies used pricing algorithms to undermine competition. A 2023 anti-monopoly lawsuit the FTC brought against Amazon challenged, among other practices, an algorithmic tool codenamed Project Nessie. The agency alleged Amazon used the tool to identify products whose prices it could raise with competitors likely to follow, generating more than $1 billion in excess profits. A trial is scheduled for next year. Amazon said the FTC allegations “grossly mischaracterize” the pricing tool. Project Nessie was intended to stop retail price-matching practices from creating unsustainably low prices, the e-commerce giant said. Amazon said it tested the tool for a few years but it didn’t work as intended and was scrapped before the federal agency’s lawsuit. A recent consumer lawsuit against McDonald’s alleged that its pricing system uses nonpublic sales data from competing locations to coordinate prices. The Chicago-based burger giant said the lawsuit was “filled with inaccuracies” and that the company makes the tool available to U.S. franchisees to help them set prices at their individual restaurants.

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The Advocate n theadvocate.com n Sunday, October 25, 2026 n 7E

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

3D printer preps workforce for next gen manufacturing BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Jace Dugas was ready for a change. He had worked in traditional manufacturing, mostly for the oil and gas industry, for the whole of his two-decade career. During his time as operations manager at a machine and tool shop in New Iberia, he’d helped the company cut down on its error rate and improve its productivity. Yet the business remained vulnerable to volatility in the energy market. “It was just constantly riding an up-and-down roller coaster,” Dugas said. “They weren’t diversified enough to maintain through slowdowns in the oil and gas industry.” So Dugas decided to pivot from “subtractive,” or traditional manufacturing, to “additive” manufacturing, which includes 3D printing. Today, his company, Additive Innovators, generates more than $1 million in annual revenue, sells nearly 100 3D printers a year and counts Exxon, Chevron, the LSU AgCenter and the U.S. military among its clients. He’s founded a nonprofit, the Louisiana Advanced Manufacturing Association, aimed at building an advanced manufacturing hub in the state by promoting 3D printing as a solution for industry and training a workforce to use it. Five years in, Dugas has nine employees between the two ventures. And he finds life as a small-business owner both less risky and more lucrative than working for someone else. “How hard I work dictates how much money I make,” he said. “I go work for somebody, and work as hard as I want, and the money don’t change.”

STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS

Jace Dugas, founder of Additive Innovators, holds a microfluidic device.

Adding it up Unlike subtractive manufacturing, which involves taking some piece of raw material — whether metal, resin, wood or something else — and cutting it down to the desired size, additive manufacturing tools, such as 3D printers, form new products out of a wide variety of forms of feedstock. “With subtractive, you have to whittle away. You waste the material,” Dugas said. “Additive, you don’t waste no material.” Prior to the pandemic, Dugas had been in talks to purchase his own 3D printing machine and fulﬁll a contract to produce specialized parts for fire suppression systems for a New Orleans company — parts that otherwise would have taken up to 18 months to acquire via the existing supply chain. But the coronavirus put the kibosh on that plan. So Dugas pivoted to producing

Plexiglas shields and providing COVID cleaning services, winning contracts from more than 50 clients, including Southern University and Travel Centers of America stores across the state. By 2021, Dugas was ready to return to his pursuit of additive manufacturing. He met with equipment manufacturers and potential customers to figure out what they needed. Then, he acquired equipment and began a partnership with the LSU AgCenter, which now uses more than 130 3D printers to develop custom research tools and equipment for studying organisms, among other things. Additive Innovators today operates out of a 20,000-square-foot warehouse in Broussard, while also keeping some consignment equipment in Houston and other parts of the country. The company sells more than just 3D printers, which

retail for about $5,000 to $10,000 a piece. Among Additive Innovators’ other product offerings are 3D blue-light scanners, which sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and can capture precise physical geometry and generate dimensional reports in minutes, and laser projection systems that can beam 3D blueprints directly onto physical parts to eliminate the need for tape measures, stencils and paper drawings. Dugas said he has been able to expand his business without needing to borrow money from banks, crediting the Geaux Engage networking referral group with aiding its growth. “We outsourced a lot of stuff, so that just kept us lean and operating, building up cash ﬂow,” he said.

Shaping the future Though the public may lack much familiarity with additive manufacturing

beyond using 3D printers to produce plastic trinkets, it is nevertheless ramping up. The industry as a whole grew 11% last year to more than $24 billion, according to consulting firm Wohlers Associates. “It’s here, it’s now,” Dugas said. “These companies that are using it, they don’t just print out one or two parts — they print out like 30 tons of material in a year.” Business intelligence firm IDTechEx projects that metal printing, one of the most technically demanding parts of the market, will nearly triple over the coming decade. “There’s a lot more that goes into metal printing,” Dugas said. “They have a whole metallurgy science behind it, down to machines that X-ray the parts to make sure it’s built correctly.” The oil industry is especially interested. The ability to print new parts on demand, especially for old equipment for which spare parts are no longer produced, can be invaluable, not to mention a much quicker timeline for delivery. Dugas said Exxon has been among the largest contributors to his nonprofit industry association and now has inhouse additive manufacturing technology, which has cut the turnaround time to produce equipment from nine months down to three days and reduced the cost by 85%. “I promise you, a company like them, they’re not going to be spending money on anything that they don’t see a tremendous value,” he said. Currently, Houston-based Baker Hughes is the only U.S.-based company certified by the American Petroleum Institute to make tools up to the standards needed

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for the oil and gas extraction. Dugas said Additive Innovators and the Louisiana Additive Manufacturing Association have partnered with Baker Hughes to develop a joint training curriculum for students to develop skills. And, starting in 2023, the association began hosting an annual conference, convening major industry players like Halliburton to explore the latest tools and see how they can be used by industries in the region. The third LAMA Advanced Manufacturing Expo is set for Dec. 10 at L’Auberge in Baton Rouge and will feature companies from across the country and Europe across military, aerospace, petrochemical and other ﬁelds. Among those expected to be in attendance, are the vendors who provide the equipment used by SpaceX to make their rocket engines. SpaceX has been a leader in the space industry’s adoption of additive manufacturing, using 3D printers to produce rocket engines, exhausts and other components. Dugas said he’s already seen some of his Acadiana customers getting new welding, fabrication and manufacturing work in the wake of the announcement of SpaceX’s proposed $100 billion investment in Vermilion Parish. Going forward, he’s hoping his small business can get a piece of that spending. “If you don’t make an opportunity of this, man, you’ll let everything go by,” he said. “You’ve got to have at least something you can sell them.” Email Jonah Meadows at jonah.meadows@theadvocate.com.

8E ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Announcements Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Angela Yvette Spears, please contact B. Kyle Kershaw, Attorney at Law, 212 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70801, telephone number (225) 336-9600. 205000-Oct 24-26, 3t $90.10

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

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Join Our Nursing Team For a complete list of opportunities and beneﬁts, visit BRGeneral.org/Careers or call Human Resources for more information at 225-381-6464.

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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 204351-October 20-26, 7t $3,205.66

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Harmony Center, II, INC. please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 204965-Oct 24-26, 3t $69.10 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of John Carl Kolb please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 9060050. 204964-Oct 24-26, 3t $67.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Kimberly Deshawn Rogers please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 204958-Oct 24-26, 3t $67.00

PETS • SUPPLIES • SERVICES • OBITUARIES • LOST & FOUND

PLACE YOUR PET SERVICES INFORMATION IN THE PET SERVICES DIRECTORY TODAY! • IT IS FAST AND EASY! • CALL 225-383-0111

CKC YORKIES vet checked shot worming meet in Gulfport $750.00 334-467-3416

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate of Elnora Proﬁt Johnson please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 204960-Oct 24-26, 3t $73.30

BATON ROUGE GARAGE SALE Huge Estate Sale 921 Woodgate Blvd. Antiques, Collectibles, Corvette, Loaded Tool room, See pics at estatesales.net

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate of Jeanettaer Bell and the Estate of George Bell Sr please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok At (225) 906-0050. 204957-Oct 24-26, 3t $85.90

BATON ROUGE GRAYWOOD ESTATE SALES 9345 Hilltrace Avenue THE BEST OF THE BEST ESTATE SALE

WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889

FRIDAY 10/23 SATURDAY 10/24 SUNDAY 10/25 MONDAY 10/26

Any person having knowledge of the whereabouts, identity, or contact information of any heirs or descendants of EMMA NELL WAL TON STEPHENSON, LINDEL CHARLES BARNARD and/or DAVID WALTON is requested to contact the below attorney immediately. 204972-Oct 24-26, 3t $109

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graywoodestatesales.com BATON ROUGE SAVE UR $$$$! NL’s Comin…with the biggest sale of the year! Forget the rest… We’ve got the Best!!

Automotive 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! IF YOU WORKED WITH LESTER MALVEO IN THE 70S OR 80S PLEASE CALL ME 205-335-9553. 202729-Oct 3-30, 28t $439.40

Employment ENGINEERING MMR Constructors, Inc is seeking 3 Process Analyzers in Baton Rouge, LA. Must have a Bach's deg in electrical engrg or a closely reltd field. Employer will accept 3 or 4-yr US or foreign deg. Must have 9 yrs of exp in Process ana‐ lyzer design, engrg, or analyzer mgmt. Qualified Applicants mail resume to ATTN: J. Courville, 15961 Airline HWY, Baton Rouge, LA, 70817 GENERAL HELP The Diocese of B.R. Child Nutrition Pro‐ gram is seeking FT school Cafeteria Mgrs., Cooks, & Porters. HS Diploma or Equiv. and BG Check req. Apply at www.cnpbr.org/employment.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc.: Software Developer in Lafayette, LA: Research, dsgn, dvlp, &/or modify en‐ terprise-wide systs &/or apps soft. Telecomm. permitted up to 60% from assgnd loc. All offers of emp are contin‐ gent upon successful comp of a back‐ ground chck, which may incl drug screen depending on work assgnmnt. Multiple positions available. Email re‐ sume to recruiting@cgifederal.com & ref job code 351668.

CEMETERY PLOTS GreenOaks, Section 15, Lot #40, Spaces 1-4. Will sell separately. Make offer. 225-304-8964 CEMETERY PLOTS GreenOaks Memorial Park: Section 15, Lot 147, Spaces 1&2. $12,200 Firm. Text/LM 225-587-5728 SILVER BUY & SELL SILVER & GOLD 225-933-9711 229 CAPITOL STREET DENHAM SPRINGS

Public Notices

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 204248 Oct. 19- Nov. 5, 2026 18t $98.64

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Garage Sales BATON ROUGE ESTATE SALE Huge Estate Sale 921 Woodgate Blvd. Antiques, Collectibles, Corvette, Loaded Tool room, See pics at estatesales.net

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Coretta S Davenport please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 204961-Oct 24-26, 3t $67.00

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Edna Washington Calvin and Norwood Thomas Calvin please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 204959-Oct 24-26, 3t $75.40

Merchandise

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Norma Gauthier Sterling and Elvin Sterling please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050. 204962-Oct 24-26, 3t $73.30

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Armstrong Jarbah Freeman, Nyengiendo J Freeman, Troyann Alex Tammy Freeman and Susannah Roberts Freeman please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (2250 9060050. 204955-Oct 24-26, 3t $90.10

Pets / Pet Services Directory AKC Toy Poodle Puppies 10 weeks, vet checked, first set of shots. $1,000.00 504-598-6407 angcelino@gmail.com

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Landmark Bank please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 9060050. 204963-Oct 24-26, 3t $64.90

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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

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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

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Why you need dental insurance in retirement. Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care. Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.

When you’re comparing plans ...  Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.  Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.  Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1

Previous dental work can wear out.

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2

Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.

Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need. Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $274 for a checkup ... $299 for a filling ... $1,471 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

1 “Medicare & You,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2025. 2 “Aging changes in teeth and gums”, medlineplus.gov, 4/17/2022. 3 FairHealth, Inc. National average dental fees. Data current as of July 2025; subject to change.

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A dietitian’s (and mom’s) approach to Halloween PAGE 3

DISCOVERY | INNOVATION | LIVING WELL

HEALTH

LOUISIANA

N O L A.C O M & T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

S U N D AY, O c t O b e r 25, 2026

Molly Kimball 1 1N

’Tis the season for RSV wheezin’

GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

HIP FINDINGS

Two Tulane students discover new muscle attachment in the hip BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Dominic Roy and Cooper Bruce were two 19-year-old sophomores working for the summer at Tulane University’s cadaver lab a couple of years ago, studying a biometric tool that could create 3D digital scans of cadavers. They and lab director R. Shane Tubbs, a professor of neurosurgery, had never expected to make a possible discovery. Tubbs “It was my ﬁrst time working with a human body, so it was deﬁnitely a really impactful experience,” said Bruce, a Pennsylvania native who was exploring his options between medicine and research, working both there and in another New Orleans lab. Roy, originally from Madisonville, spent five days a week at the Tulane lab, interested in the clinical application of Tubbs’ research. Tubbs had asked the two to dissect about 20 cadavers to

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DOMINIC ROY

Tulane University undergraduate students Dominic Roy, left, and Cooper Bruce discovered a new muscle attachment in the pelvis during their summer at Shane Tubb’s cadaver lab on campus. look at the fusion points of the two large muscles in the hip, the psoas major and the iliacus. Those muscles become one at some point between the hip and the top of the femur. “It’s different in everyone,” Roy said. “It’s really cool. It

varies in every single specimen.” They were instructed to also look for a “controversial muscle” — a muscle not conﬁrmed by all scientists — under the iliacus connecting the larger muscle to the hip bone, Roy

said. They found this muscle in some of the cadavers, but about a quarter of the way through their dissections, Roy noticed something else that was interesting. In one cadaver, when Roy peeled back muscle, he saw another tether in the renal region, “the crotch area” toward the midline of the body, Roy said. “I looked at that. I was like, ‘Oh, we didn’t talk about this in the morning meeting,’ ” he recalled. Bruce didn’t know what it was either. Neither did the senior fellows in the lab. When they asked Tubbs what they were looking at, they learned he had never seen it. “There was just something off about it,” Bruce said. “It was kind of surprising to hear (Tubbs) say that it was odd. That’s when the interest really piqued.” The pair, under the instruction of Tubbs, went to anatomical research — books and studies and history — to look for previous evidence of the muscle attachment. Roy

Same-day cancer care ochsner.org/EndCancerBR

David Osafo, MD Hematology Oncology

ä See HIP, page 2X

This is a column in a series from Dr. Scott Hamilton, director of the pediatric emergency department at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, offering practical guidance on preventing and treating illnesses and injuries so kids can stay healthy and out of the emergency department. RSV is back again. If babies could talk, they would recount the miseries of the winter virus and how it’s similar to influenza. Humorist Dave Barry described how, when he and his wife got the Dr. Scott flu, they spent Hamilton days in bed achy, congested and DOCTOR feverish. “There SAYS has been a mound of blankets on my wife’s side of the bed,” he wrote long ago. “I think it might be my wife ... the only way to tell for sure would be to prod it, which I wouldn’t do” for fear that poking her could be fatal. Dave, espousing a more active lifestyle, attempted to crawl to the bathroom. In addition to cough and congestion, babies with RSV get fevers and aches like the flu. Adults can get RSV, too, but infants are more often severely affected. Sometimes congestion happens deep in their lungs and they struggle to breathe and get enough oxygen. Also, with noses clogged with mucus, they can’t breathe and feed at the same time, which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration dries out the mucus, which becomes stickier and harder to hack out of their throats and lungs. The other bugaboo about RSV is that, again like flu, it’s highly contagious. Maybe your child’s daycare is great about handwashing, but RSV flies around the room with every cough, to be inhaled by other nearby infants and picked up from contaminated surfaces. Parents and grandparents may carry it home from work or shopping, while older siblings bring it home from school. If babies aren’t the only child at home with obsessive hand-washing parents who stop every visitor at the door to inspect for sniffles and grubby paws, they’re at risk. RSV is difficult to treat. Babies’ lungs wheeze like kids with asthma, but breathing

ä See RSV, page 2X

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER

RSV season has returned to Louisiana.

2X ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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HEALTH MAKER

Layla Kiffin opens fitness studio near LSU campus She hopes visitors will embrace red light rooms at facility

BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

Layla Kiffin knew she wanted to find a wellness community in Baton Rouge when she moved from Los Angeles in early summer. She didn’t anticipate opening her own fitness studio. Kiffin, the 52-year-old ex-wife of LSU football coach Lane Kiffin, moved to the bayou state with her daughter and son. She’s always been into her health, she said: marathons, supplements, yoga classes, weight training, red light therapies and more. She shopped around for yoga studios in the city. They were all great, she said, but none reminded her of the spaces she was accustomed to in California. So she started a studio herself, right across the street from LSU’s campus. LIVIN Studio, at 3636 Nicholson Drive, opened in July. “When I was looking all around, I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself in one area,” Kiffin said. “Nicholson is a thoroughfare to (so many) neighborhoods. It’s definitely student heavy and athlete heavy.” Kiffin, a former interior designer, went for a simple, modern design for her new studio with a sleek gray welcoming space and one workout room outfitted with infrared heaters and a dehumidifier. But the heart of Kiffin’s brainchild studio are the four curtainedoff red light therapy lounges in the back of the studio. Although popularized to treat wrinkles, acne, scars and redness, Kiffin believes red lights are also beneficial for athletic performance and recovery and for chronic pain. Sessions with pinned-up red light mats and red light masks are available for 30-minute increments. “It helps with your circulation, relaxation, all of your skin damage, muscle recovery, joint recovery,”

STAFF PHOTO BY PEARL SPURLOCK

Layla Kiffin sits in the red light area of LIVIN Studio in Baton Rouge. Kifﬁn added.

What the science says Science is not conclusive about the claims behind red light therapies. NASA initially experimented with red lights to grow plants and heal wounds for astronauts in space. The bright lights activate mitochondria, the powerhouse of cells, giving them more energy to work more efﬁciently, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Wavelengths of red light, typically between 630 and 850 nanometers, penetrate the surface of the skin and underlying tissues. Compared with visible red, an 850 nanometer wavelength scatters less and penetrates deeper, delivering light to muscles, tendons, joints and peripheral nerves, according to a 2021 study of a collection of research published in the National Library of Medicine. The gold standard of studies to determine if a product is effective

is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. So far, none of the red light therapies have passed this scientiﬁc muster. But red light therapies have no indication of being unsafe. They aren’t associated with any side effects if used short-term and as directed, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Still, wellness gurus and health enthusiasts such as Kiffin claim to reap the beneﬁts of regular red light therapy treatment. Bringing

the red lights to Baton Rouge was a risk for Kifﬁn, even when coupled with heated group exercises in her studio. “My concern was that I was going to create this and no one would come,” Kifﬁn said. “But, I have to say, every morning our classes are wait-listed. For being open a month, I’m really pleased.” Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com

HIP

Continued from page 1X and Bruce pored over the literature, some in other languages such as French and German, to verify their discovery was novel. “To our knowledge, this is the ﬁrst report of an iliac attachment of the psoas major in humans,” Tubbs said in a statement. “Most people think anatomy is pretty static and doesn’t change, but we contribute to it, change our understanding and broaden it.” Roy and Bruce finished their lab work that summer of 2024 looking for the new muscle attachment in the existing cadavers. They found a few that matched their original discovery. The two went back the following summer as well, and determined that the attachment is known as an anatomical variation. Some humans have it, and others don’t. The students studied 200 additional hips and found it was present in 28% of donated specimens. Some cadavers had it in both hips, others in just one. “Making a discovery like that is crazy because you would think that we, by now, would have everything under control and have (all the muscles) documented,” Roy said. The results of the research were published in the journal Clinical Anatomy this year. “The newly identified body part is a small muscu-

RSV

Continued from page 1X treatments and steroids we use for asthma don’t work for RSV. Infants and toddlers who become seriously ill need hospitalization for oxygen supplementation and IV ﬂuids to keep them hydrated. Sometimes they need more intensive care,

IMAGE PROVIDED BY TULANE UNIVERSITY WITH ELEMENTS BY ISTO

The newly identified muscle attachment is found deep in the pelvis, near the front of the hip, where it connects with the larger psoas muscle that helps move the hip and stabilize the body. lar head found deep in the pelvis, near the front of the hip, where it connects with the larger psoas muscle that helps move the hip and stabilize the body,” according to Tubbs in a statement from Tulane. “The new muscle attachment, dubbed the iliac attachment of the psoas major, may help steady the psoas muscle and could be important for surgeons operating in and around the hip.”

“Knowing there’s an extra attachment might tell the surgeon that there’s another attachment that needs to be dealt with,” Tubbs said in his statement. “Hopefully this study will help people.” The research could help people with diseases, injuries or tendon irritation in their hip region, according to the journal article. “Obviously it’s really fun to discover things in person, but the literature review

and some infants die. Of course, the best medicine is prevention: Don’t let your baby get it! Fortunately, there’s now a shot that’s effective at preventing RSV. Babies can receive it on their ﬁrst ofﬁce visit after birth, or pregnant moms can get it before delivery, passing immunity to baby through the placenta. We hope RSV will become like measles or polio: one

more deadly virus tossed to the scrap heap of history. Maybe ten years ago this would have been true. However, misinformation on social media and now in government have sowed doubt about preventive shots, and some parents are confused trying to decide what’s best for their children. Listen to your kid’s doctor: RSV shots are safe. Getting RSV is not.

took a lot of the time,” Bruce said. “There’s a lot of questions to answer.” Most of Bruce’s writing background consisted of what he learned in high school English courses, he said, and getting the experience to contribute, research and submit his own scientiﬁc literature “was deﬁnitely an experience.” Roy said he isn’t holding his breath when it comes to seeing the new muscle

to dissect the cadavers for research. Roy, however, is passionate about having cadavers in academic medicine, despite a steady move in universities toward synthetic or digital cadavers for student study. “We have medical students now graduating without ever even touching another human body in their anatomy labs,” Roy said. What he and Bruce found that summer “is a great example of variational anatomy and how complex the human body is in that it varies amongst everyone.” “The placement of everything is totally different in every single cadaver,” Roy continued. “Getting that hands-on experience before becoming a practicing physician, I feel is extremely important.” Both Roy, 22, and Bruce, 21 graduated with their undergraduate degrees from Tulane a year early. Roy is now in Tulane’s masters program in anatomy and Bruce is in the masters program for neuroscience. They both have their sights set on medical schools in the spring. “Dominic always knew what he wanted to do. He was really interested in anatomy. I remember he was helping me a lot when we were in the Tubbs lab together,” Bruce said. “Even though we were listening to the fellows, he was giving me advice too. It was kind of cool.”

attachment in textbooks or in clinical practice anytime soon. “I think (Tubbs) said it could take about 17 years to even reach clinical applications,” Roy said. The discovery came through the Willed Body Program, where medical students at Tulane can use cadavers in their studies. After their school year has Email Margaret DeLaney ended, the team in the anato- at margaret.delaney my department can continue @theadvocate.com

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state. This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ 3X

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Eat Fit Live Fit B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

A dietitian’s (and mom’s) approach to Halloween Guest column by Brittany Craft, a registered dietitian with Ochsner Eat Fit

love Halloween, and to some, that’s surprising! I have never watched a horror movie, I don’t particularly enjoy scary decorations and even more surprising — I’m a registered dietitian. The truth is, for me, Halloween has never been about the candy (or the spooky stuff). It’s about the memories of running around my neighborhood with my sister and parents, staying up past my bedtime and getting to feel like a storybook character or princess in my elaborate costumes. I remember giggling as we passed the tree where our neighbor would hide in the branches, shaking them and making spooky noises to scare trick-or-treaters. There was also the house with the best decorations, where we could walk through lights and smoke to pick out a small toy. The joy has always been in the experience and now it’s so fun to watch my kids enjoy Halloween as much as I did. But for some parents, the piles of candy that inevitably come after the holiday can be scarier than the decorations. Don’t fret! Here are some things that we implement in our home that make Halloween full of fun, not fright!

cheese puffs or 100% fruit strips or leathers. Again, my daughter gets just as excited about these as a snack and they’re the perfect ﬁller in between candy treats as we canvass the neighborhood.

Keep the Big Picture in Mind

crackers, cheeses, meat, veggies and fresh fruit. Pro tip: Cutie oranges make the best jack-o’-lanterns to accent your spread — just draw on a face with a Sharpie!

Use It as a Lesson in Respect

Halloween is an excellent opportunity to teach kids to grab just one piece of candy per house (unless the neighbor speciﬁes otherwise) and say “thank you” to every neighbor before leaving. Setting this expectation can help keep the amount of candy they collect in check.

Set the Example

We are HUGE fans of non-candy treats. Set the example with the bowl you leave by your own house. They are often the

same price (or cheaper) than candy and so much more fun to collect! When my daughter was two, her favorite Halloween treasure was a tiny rubber duck she received while trick-or-treating. She carried it all evening. Now in elementary school, she still loves the non-candy treats including fun tattoos, stickers, sticky hands, spider rings and glow sticks. They are more exciting than the run-of-the-mill candy she gets at every other house. Another beneﬁt is that non-food treats can help make Halloween more inclusive for children with food allergies or certain medical conditions. If you feel like you’re being a bummer by not giving out candy (I promise, you’re not), you could always opt for Halloweenthemed food snacks, such as pretzels,

Start With a Filling Meal

The last thing I want is to send my kids out trick-or-treating with empty bellies, waiting to be ﬁlled with just candy. Our house is usually the gathering spot and I make sure to have a spread of food for our family and friends to feast on before we hit the streets. We love to make a charcuterie board with whole-grain

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonproﬁt initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media. Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

And now, perhaps the biggest question: How do you navigate the piles of candy that your child promptly dumps on the living room ﬂoor to sort through as soon as trick-or-treating is over? Personally, I don’t make Halloween night about limiting how much candy my kids can eat. For one, I keep things in perspective: Halloween is one night and, for most healthy children, one evening of eating more sweets than usual is unlikely to make a meaningful difference in the grand scheme of things. I’m more interested in creating a positive association with food that is free from guilt or morality for my children and teaching them to listen to their bodies. In the days that follow, we incorporate the Halloween candy mindfully, offering candy after some (but not all) meals and snacks. The candy doesn’t disappear overnight, but it also doesn’t become the main event. Eventually, the excitement fades and we move on. At the end of the day, Halloween is about so much more than candy. It’s about dressing up, running around with friends and making the kind of memories your kids will carry for years to come. As a dietitian and a mom, that’s what I want my kids to remember the most.

BY THE NUMBERS

GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN? CDC LISTS AVERAGES FOR ADULTS The protein craze was cemented by the federal government’s dietary guidelines released this year. Data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that protein consumption among American adults is down overall in the last decade. Prioritizing high-quality, nutrientdense protein foods, including eggs, poultry, seafood and meat is essential for health, according to the American Heart Association. American guidelines target around

1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (roughly 80 to 100 grams for a 150-pound adult). Between August 2021 and August 2023, adults age 20 and older consumed 15.5% of calories from protein on a given day, according to CDC estimates. The recommendation is that 10% to 35% of daily calories come from protein. Among all adults, males consumed more calories from

protein, at 15.7%, than females, at How much protein are people eating? 15.3%. Mean percentage of calories from protein among American adults between 2021 and 2023. Also among adults, the Male Female All percentage of calories consumed Age group from protein decreased from All ages 15.70% 15.30% 15.50% 16.1% in 2013-2014, according 20-39 15.90% 15.30% 15.60% to the CDC estimates. 40-59 15.90% 15.50% 15.70% As for type of proteins consumed, 60 and older 15.40% 14.90% 15.10% the top five sources among adults Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Staff graphic over 20 were sandwiches (15.6%), poultry (9.4%), mixed meat dishes (6.4%), meat (6.0%) and mixed grain dishes (4.8%).

HEALTH NOTES

LSU Health N.O. establishes department of radiation oncology BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

LSU Health New Orleans recruited radiation oncologist and physician-scientist Dr. Puneeth Iyengar to establish and lead the medical school’s first academic Department of Radiation Oncology, a part of LCMC LSU Health Center’s push to become a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, a moniker awarded to institutions that Iyengar meet the federal standard for cancer research, prevention and clinical care. Iyengar will oversee the creation of a statewide, digital early-phase clinical trial network platform that will integrate and connect cancer physicians and patients in the state. In addition, he will create a group of researchers from the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center, Pennington Biomedical Research Center and LSU Health Shreveport to better understand how

metabolic health and nutrition can affect cancer care and outcomes.

State health department congratulates pharmacist T.J. Woodard was named the 2026 National Community Pharmacists Association Willard B. Simmons Independent Pharmacist of the Year, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Woodard, owner of Prescriptions to Geaux, a pharmacy with two Baton Rouge locations, received the award during the association’s annual convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The award recognizes a pharmacist who demonstrates “exemplary professional leadership, service to community, and commitment to independent pharmacy,” according to the association. He and his wife, Aimee, also a pharmacist, opened their first Prescriptions to Geaux location in downtown Baton Rouge in 2013.

Pennington researchers examine gut-brain link The purpose of a Gut-Brain Rate

study at Baton Rouge’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is to better understand how nutrients are sensed by the brain. Participants of the study will need to report to Pennington for a screening visit, including blood draws, brain MRIs, height and weight measurements, energy expenditure measurements and body composition tests. After the screening, there will be two food pick-ups and two monitored overnight stays at the center’s inpatient unit over a period of two months. To qualify for this research study, participants should be between 18 and 45 and have either a BMI between 18.5 and 27.5 or a BMI above 30. Participants in the trial can receive up to $750 in compensation.

Ochsner LSU Health welcomes breast surgeon Shreveport native Dr. Christopher Sockrider joins Ochsner LSU Health after two decades in breast surgery, expanding access to specialized breast care for patients across north Louisiana, according

to a release from the hospital system. Sockrider specializes in the evaluation and surgical management of breast disease Sockrider and breast cancer, including services like needle biopsy, lumpectomy, mastectomy and lymph node surgery.

Hospital hosts ‘look good, feel better’ workshops Woman’s Hospital, at 100 Woman’s Way in Baton Rouge, will host in-person workshops to provide hands-on tips, tools and techniques to help manage appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment. The session from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 3, will cover skin and nail care, makeup application, wig selection and styling scarves, turbans and hats. The Look Good Feel Better program, a collaboration of the Look Good Feel Better Foundation and the Professional Beauty Association, is free and open to all women

with cancer who are undergoing treatment. Registration is recommended and can be done at the hospital’s website.

Baton Rouge General hosts life support course Baton Rouge General — Mid City, at 3600 Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge, will host a one-day, instructor-led course for cardiac life support recertification on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The course is $175 and registration is required on the hospital’s website, brgeneral.org. The course highlights the importance of team dynamics and communication, systems of care and immediate post-cardiac-arrest care. It also covers airway management and related pharmacology, according to Baton Rouge General. Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret. delaney@theadvocate.com.

4X ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Adult acne is real, but there are ways to treat it BY ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN AP science writer

NEW YORK — As a teenager, Gillian Maegan Montalbo’s pimples weren’t too bad — just a few bumps on her forehead and nose. But as an adult in the workforce, the breakouts returned and intensiﬁed. The acne on her cheeks and chin made her hesitant to look her bosses in the eye. “It really took a toll on my self-esteem and my selfconﬁdence,” said Montalbo, a marketer and content creator who lives in the Philippines. Pimples and acne are an uncomfortable hallmark of teenage years, but adults can have breakouts too. Acne can also happen on other parts of the body like the chest and shoulders. And then there’s bacne, the internet’s term for back breakouts. The best treatments vary from person to person depending on what’s causing the acne and how it looks. And breakouts can leave behind dark marks and scars that take even longer to heal. Pimples come and go, but if breakouts stick around and cause discoloration or changes in skin texture, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist. “We know how to treat acne. We know the cause of it. So don’t suffer alone,” said Dr. Crystal Aguh, a dermatologist and director of the Ethnic Skin Program at Johns Hopkins School of

Medicine.

Causes of acne can vary Teenage acne tends to affect the forehead, nose and cheeks. Older adults and women in particular can experience hormonal acne that pops up along the jawline and chin, Aguh said. Taking steroids can also trigger acne for some people. Pimples happen when tiny pores in the skin get clogged by oil, bacteria and dead skin cells. They can fade over the course of weeks to months, but if patches persist and spread, it could be a sign of acne, which dermatologists consider a medical condition. “Essentially, you’re not getting a break from a breakout,” Aguh said. Acne is caused by many factors including genetics, hormones, environment and even diet — like eating excessive amounts of dairy. The causes of facial and body acne are similar, although skin bacteria sometimes plays a larger role in body acne. Breakouts can look like milder, painless white bumps or dark specks known as whiteheads and blackheads, or more painful red bumps and deeper cysts — a mark of cystic acne.

Treatments for acne Don’t pick or pop your pimples, no matter how strong the urge or how satisfying it might be. “Everyone wants to pick and squeeze. That will almost

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY ERIN HOOLEY

Pimples and acne are an uncomfortable hallmark of teenage years, but adults can have breakouts too. always make things worse,” said Dr. Lauren Fine, founder of Fine Dermatology in Chicago. Picking can drive inﬂammation deeper into the skin and cause acne to spread. It also increases the risk of marks and scarring. For darker-skinned people, those marks take longer to go away because their skin produces extra pigment when stressed, Aguh said. Treatments for acne range from over-the-counter creams and lotions to prescription-strength medications. Dermatologists say it’s somewhat easier to treat acne on the face compared to the rest of the body because the face has more sweat

glands and doesn’t dry out as easily. It’s also harder to apply some treatments like creams to hard-to-reach areas like the back, so doctors often prescribe oral medications. For milder forms of face acne, dermatologists may recommend face washes or creams containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinoids like adapalene. For more frequent breakouts, they might prescribe higher-strength regimens like antibiotics or medicines with tretinoin. Isotretinoin may be an option if those medicines don’t work, or for cases of severe cystic acne. Treatments for adult hormonal acne, particularly

in women, can differ from what’s done for teens. Some dermatologists recommend birth control, which can help stabilize hormones, or treatments like spironolactone. Shots of cortisone can help treat active acne spots in a pinch, but they aren’t a longterm ﬁx, Fine said. Pimple patches containing a gel called hydrocolloid can absorb fluids from oozing pimples and stop you from picking at them. Aguh said they are suited only for mild forms of acne; Fine said the patches have given some of her patients discoloration and she doesn’t recommend them.

Exfoliants, face washes Experts say exfoliants

and face washes containing glycolic acid can help discoloration fade. Over-thecounter products containing adapalene and retinol creams can also help. For more serious scarring, dermatologists can recommend more aggressive treatments like lasers that probe deeper into the skin. It can take time to develop the right treatment plan, and longer still to see results. When starting a new treatment, some people can also experience skin purging: breakouts that happen when a product quickly brings clogged pores to the surface of the skin. Montalbo’s acne cleared up within a year after seeing a dermatologist, but she was still dealing with acne scars. After that, she had to rebuild her self-conﬁdence. She said a strong support system was essential to getting through some of the hardest moments. Her dad, who also struggled with acne, was the one who encouraged her to see a doctor and find the right products. She also had a close friend who traveled with her overseas for a vacation during the worst of the breakouts, and mentioned in passing that she’d never even noticed Montalbo’s acne. “When you are with the right people, they won’t mind how you look,” Montalbo said. “Because to them, what’s important is how you treat them.”

University of Pennsylvania helps test mRNA cancer vaccine BY KAYLA YUP

The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) PHILADELPHIA — Denise Fitzsimmons knew that removing the fastgrowing lump above her eyebrow in 2024 didn’t eliminate the possibility that her melanoma could return. But a clinical trial at Penn Medicine offered the 63-year-old grandmother from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, hope of a more enduring remission. It tested a novel vaccine, based on Penn’s groundbreaking mRNA research, that trains the patient’s immune system to find and kill cancer cells. That technology has become the ﬁrst mRNA cancer vaccine to succeed in a late-stage clinical trial, according to preliminary ﬁndings released last month by Merck and Moderna, the pharmaceutical giants developing it. The vaccine extended the time a patient survived without their cancer returning or spreading, according to the companies, which announced recently that they would share the full trial results at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Spain. The drugmakers merely said that the results were positive. Without knowing the exact numbers involved, or how long the benefit lasted, it’s still unknown if the results will prove clinically meaningful for patients. The companies also have not announced a commercial price tag for the therapy, called intismeran autogene, though similar immunotherapies can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The trial could mark a turning point for mRNA technology, which has proven useful against infectious diseases but hadn’t had the same success in cancer. Melanomas typically contain thousands of genetic mutations due to sun damage, making them an ideal target for the approach, which teaches the immune system to respond to unique markers on cancer cells. “It’s a very big step forward after many negative studies in the

DREAMSTIME/TNS PHOTO BY ANUPONG THIPROT

The vaccine extended the time a patient survived without their cancer returning or spreading, according to the companies, which announced recently that they would share the full trial results at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Spain. last few years,” said Ravi Amaravadi, the lead investigator of the Penn trial site, one of more than 100 around the globe. mRNA vaccines gained widespread attention in 2020 when used to develop the first immunizations for COVID-19. These shots used the mRNA platform developed by Nobel Prize winners Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, a University of Pennsylvania professor. Since then, mRNA vaccines for RSV and the flu have gained approval. “This was kind of the wake-up call that RNA vaccines in cancer have an enormous future,” said Weissman, who was not involved in the trial and has no financial stake in Merck or Moderna.

How the vaccine works Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes — the cells that give skin its color — grow out of control. This trial tested the vaccine in patients whose melanomas had already been removed through surgery. The goal was to destroy any remaining cancer cells and prevent the disease from returning or spreading to other parts of the body.

“It’s the deadliest form of skin cancer because it can metastasize,” Amaravadi said. Penn’s site was one of the first trial locations to open in the United States. Scientists personalized the vaccine for each patient by analyzing their tumor samples for unique genetic mutations. That enabled them to design mRNA — a molecule that carries genetic instructions — that would encode bits of protein that look like the tumor. When the immune system encounters those proteins, it learns to recognize the cancer and attack it. It’s similar to vaccines for the flu or COVID-19, which train the body to identify and fight off specific viruses. If the immune system is trained in this way, it could produce a longlasting memory against the cancer, Amaravadi said. “We are now able to train the immune system to look for the tumor, arguably for the first time, in the most effective way,” Amaravadi said, referring to the mRNA platform. That mRNA was loaded into a nanoparticle (which acted like a delivery truck hauling cargo) and injected into the arm as a shot.

Two-thirds of the 1,137 partici- free for the last two years. “My fifth granddaughter is on pants were randomly chosen to receive the vaccine in combination her way,” she said. “So I have a lot with Keytruda, a standard-of-care to live for.” immunotherapy, while the remaining third received Keytruda alone. The future of mRNA RNA offers a few key advantagThe trial es as a treatment. Its effects are transient and conTrial participants who received the vaccine had fewer metastases trollable. The material lasts only a compared to patients who got the couple of days in the body before it immunotherapy alone, Amaravadi degrades and disappears. said. It’s also relatively easy to make. However, the company has only “We made billions of doses of the announced that the results were COVID vaccine within a year. No positive. Without knowing the other vaccine or therapeutic can data, it is hard to say whether the be expanded that quickly,” Weissresults are also clinically meaning- man said. He believes RNA vaccines could ful, Amaravadi said. “We are hopeful we’re going to beneﬁt people with genetic mutasee the same absolute beneﬁt when tions that put them at higher risk we see the data published,” he said. of cancer, such as BRCA carriers. Amaravadi also wants to see If people receive the vaccine whether there were any unex- before their tumors form, it could pected side effects that patients kill off any early cancer cells that should consider before taking the arise. “That way you prevent the cantherapy. Another data point of interest: cer from ever forming, instead of How many patients agreed to re- trying to treat it after it’s already ceive the treatment but ultimately there,” Weissman said. Conversely, he doesn’t think couldn’t receive it. In some cases, patients’ tumor samples were too RNA vaccines would work well in small, didn’t contain enough us- someone whose advanced cancer able genetic material, or were of cannot be removed. The immune too poor quality to actually make system has a hard time killing large tumors, he explained. the treatment. This trial tested the vaccine as If this were a consistent problem, the technology used to analyze tu- a follow-up to surgery, targeting mors’ genetic makeup would need leftover tumor cells. Other ongoing trials are testing to improve. “It’s still a little bit of a bottle- mRNA vaccines in pancreatic, neck for some patients to get ac- breast, colon, lung, prostate, and other cancer types. cess to the treatment,” he said. Outside of cancer, clinical trials Fitzsimmons, a grandmother living in the small Berks County are testing mRNA vaccines for town of Birdsboro, participated herpes viruses, malaria, tubercuthrough Penn’s site. She doesn’t losis, Zika, chikungunya, and noroknow whether she received the virus. Scientists are also exploring treatment or a placebo (that infor- whether mRNA technology could mation is kept secret from both be used to treat allergic and autopatients and researchers to avoid immune diseases. bias.) This work has continued to adBut she recalls feeling flulike vance, even as Health and Human symptoms the day after each Services Secretary Robert F. Kenshot — including body aches and nedy Jr. last year slashed $500 milsweats — making her speculate lion designated for mRNA vaccine that she may have received the development. vaccine. COVID-19 mRNA shots “The potential for RNA to treat often prompt similar reactions. many different diseases can’t be Fitzsimmons has been cancer- ignored,” Weissman said.

New nasal spray ﬂu vaccine to boost immunity of aging lungs BY KARL HILLE

The Baltimore Sun (TNS) BALTIMORE — A single dose of a new nasal spray inﬂuenza vaccine can breathe new life into older lungs while providing broad protection against multiple inﬂuenza strains, researchers reported. In trials with mice, the spray, which combines a boost of manganese ions and another immunestimulating molecule, gave older mice a powerful immune reaction

similar to younger mice, the researchers reported. Better yet, testing showed the immune system in the lungs of the mice was working more like younger mice in a control group. “Given the poor efficacy of current inﬂuenza vaccines in elderly adults, the study holds the potential for safeguarding aging populations, who are disproportionately vulnerable to seasonal outbreaks and pandemics,” Shilin Gao, of Harvard Medical School,

and her colleagues wrote. They published their ﬁndings in the September issue of Science Immunology. Older adults are recommended to get an annual flu vaccine to prevent flu-related complications. Vaccines with adjuvants, or additional ingredients designed to stimulate the immune system, are particularly recommended by National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Those older than 65 who catch

the flu increase their risk of heart attack three to five times and double or triple their stroke risk in the ﬁrst two weeks of the infection. But the illness can contribute to 6-times higher risk of dying from complications for another few months. Getting an annual ﬂu vaccine lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke as well, the NFID reports. The researchers developed a nasal-spray vaccine boosted by the adjuvant combination called AM-

nESTI, which stands for AEC-targeting MN Encapsulated STING agonist. They analyzed RNA from the mice to evaluate how the vaccine affected their base-level immunity. Human trials will be needed before the drug can be found in your local pharmacist. The authors also hope to develop new trials to test the benefit of combining their AMnESTI booster with other respiratory vaccines with pandemic potential.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ 5X

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Personalized care, powered by innovation: How Ochsner is transforming breast cancer treatment

LEFT: Nicole D., breast cancer patient at Ochsner Cancer Center of Acadiana. TOP RIGHT: Claire C., breast cancer patient at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center. BOTTOM RIGHT: Michelle A., breast cancer patient at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Ochsner Cancer Center - Baton Rouge.

Rouge, said there have been specific surgical options with breast cancer patients, she also talks about improvements in treating triple neghow each procedure will affect ative and hormone-positive forms of them in the future. the disease. This story is brought to you “A lumpectomy generally “The advances in treating triby Ochsner Health. has a shorter recovery time and ple-negative breast cancer have been less surgical intervention,” she For patients diagnosed with breast around a regimen with immunothersaid. “A mastectomy involves a cancer, treatment looks different from apy, not simply chemotherapy. In adlonger recovery and more risk one person to another. At Ochsner Health, dition, the targeted therapies Kimberly LeBlanc, MD Hematology Oncologist of complications. With reconphysicians combine specialized expertise, for hormone-positive breast Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer struction, there may be multiple coordinated care and advances in medi- cancers have shown great adCenter in Baton Rouge surgeries. We talk about whethcal technology to develop individualized vances in preventing cancer er the patient is inclined to have treatment plans and help patients navigate recurrence,” Dr. LeBlanc said. The individualized nature of modern less surgery and more follow-up after, or a their diagnoses. “I’ve had patients ask why their treatment breast cancer treatment means several spe- larger surgery that may not require those may be different from someone else with the cialists are often involved, including surgeons, other obligations.” Regardless of the procedure, Dr. Rivere same type of cancer. It’s because breast can- hematology oncologists, radiation oncologists, said improved surgical imaging and techcer treatment has gotten incredibly person- nurses and other support professionals. “For the patient, the goal is coordinated niques allow surgeons to often preserve alized with collaboration among multiple care. Instead of looking at one part of treat- more healthy breast tissue than ever before, specialists and pathology testing to ment in isolation, we are consid- place incisions where they are less visible tailor therapies to each individual ering how each piece fits into the and improve cosmetic outcomes. person,” said Molly Thomas, MD, he“Our goal is to treat the cancer approprioverall plan,” Dr. LeBlanc said. matology oncologist, Ochsner Cancer “When I speak with a patient, ately while also considering how the patient Center of Acadiana – Lafayette. I always tell them it is a fluid will recover and live with the results of surDr. Thomas said Ochsner physiprocess, and our conversation gery long after treatment is complete,” she cians evaluate numerous variables is based on the information we said. “I try to get to know their personal prefwhen developing a treatment plan. have that day. Things can change erences as well and take those into account.” Those include the cancer’s stage, Dr. Rivere said imbased on the results of another tumor size, location, whether it Molly Thomas, MD test or scan. I try to prepare proved breast imaging has spread to lymph nodes and Hematology Oncologist technology, including 3D them emotionally for the fluidcertain biological characterisOchsner Cancer Center mammography, contrast of Acadiana - Lafayette ity of the process.” tics like hormone involvement or enhanced mammograOchsner’s clinically integratgenetic markers. phy and breast MRI, has Those evaluations often begin with the ed partnership with MD Anderson Cancer changed how surgeons work of fellowship-trained breast radiolo- Center has also opened up more clinical triapproach their work. gists, Dr. Thomas said. These experts have al opportunities for breast cancer patients To d a y, surgeons extensive experience reviewing mammo- in Louisiana. Amy Rivere, MD begin a procedure with a “When someone is in Stage IV, grams, ultrasounds and breast MRIs, and Breast Surgical Oncologist much clearer picture of help guide discussions on the extent of the those trial treatments may save Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer cancer, the size of the tumor and its type. In their life or prolong their life unCenter in New Orleans how much cancer is present and where it is locatLafayette, their input is shared with a mul- til another treatment becomes tidisciplinary team of surgeons, medical available. I find that for my patients ed. That means less chance of subsequent oncologists and radiation oncologists, who with advanced disease, they are critical,” operations and a smoother process overall. “There are fewer times where the canthen meet with each patient in one coordi- Dr. LeBlanc said. “For early stage cancers, those trials can give us good information cer is underestimated prior to surgery,” she nated day of visits. said. “We use real-time images to make sure “The patient gets a good idea of the en- about potential side effects.” we remove all of the areas the radiologist intire treatment plan. I find that their anxiety dicated. It’s a gift to us and to patients to be lessens after we meet with them in the mul- Modern techniques bring able to use advanced imaging technology to tidisciplinary clinic and we take a proactive greater precision to surgery Surgery remains a core part of treatment make surgical decisions in real time. That’s approach in their care,” Dr. Thomas said. for most breast cancer patients, said Amy Ri- really what we mean when we talk about vere, MD, breast surgical oncologist, Ochs- coordinated multidisciplinary care.” Individualized treatments ner MD Anderson in New Orleans. Each offer new approaches to care Advances in targeted therapies and im- patient’s surgical plan is developed based Specialized expertise and munotherapies continue to expand treat- on their specific diagnosis, extent of the can- early detection strengthen ment possibilities for patients with different cer and personal preferences. Some patients treatment approaches O c h s n e r ’s i n t e g r a t i o n w i t h types of breast cancer. Kimberly LeBlanc, may undergo a lumpectomy, while a mastecMD Anderson provides another layer of MD, hematology oncologist, Ochsner tomy may be more appropriate for others. Dr. Rivere said that when she discusses specialized support. Ochsner physicians in MD Anderson Cancer Center in Baton By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

For the patient, the goal is coordinated care. Instead of looking at one part of treatment in isolation, we are considering how each piece ﬁts into the overall plan.

Kimberly LeBlanc, MD

Hematology Oncologist Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge and New Orleans can consult with MD Anderson clinicians and researchers on complex cases, and Ochsner MD Anderson’s eight locations, including those in New Orleans, Covington, Slidell and Baton Rouge, follow MD Anderson treatment protocols and practice standards. “ Wo r k i n g s o c l o s e l y w i t h MD Anderson has vastly expanded my network of colleagues in different areas of oncology. We consult them in particular for the rarest types of breast cancer, when the cancer doesn’t ﬁt into normal guidelines or is otherwise out of the ordinary. That is where it is extremely beneﬁcial,” Dr. LeBlanc said. “It also means all of our patients receive that advanced level of care close to home.” While breast cancer treatment continues to advance, early detection remains the most important way to improve outcomes. Recommendations call for women of average risk to begin annual mammograms at age 40. Women with higher risk factors should discuss screening with their doctor, as earlier tests may be recommended. Family history and genetic mutations can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer, along with lifestyle choices. Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol consumption and eating a healthy diet can all help reduce risk. “As breast cancer treatment becomes increasingly personalized, Ochsner MD Anderson is bringing together advanced diagnostics, leading-edge therapies and a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time close to home,” Dr. Rivere said.

Ochsner Health is the leading nonproﬁt healthcare provider in Louisiana, Mississippi and across the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit ochsner.org.

6X ■ Sunday, October 25, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

Expert cancer care. Today.

Scott Sonnier, MD Hematology Oncology

Ochsner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center have clinically integrated to provide advanced cancer care, right here in Louisiana. That means access to life-saving clinical trials for innovative therapies, more specialists and more resources for our patients. Through this collaboration, Ochsner is the ﬁrst and only provider in Louisiana with a fully integrated cancer program based on MD Anderson’s standards and treatment plans. Same-day appointments are available. Learn more at ochsner.org/EndCancerBR.

Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Ochsner Cancer Center – Baton Rouge

Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Ochsner Medical Complex – The Grove

SUNDAY, OctOber 25, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr.

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

ROSEBUDS / by Supr Dee

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / by Stephan Pastis

wonderword

scrabble grams

word game

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

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 — MArMoset: MARmoh-set: A small monkey with claws instead of nails. Average mark 52 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 66 or more words in MARMOSET?

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2026 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Sudoku

ken ken instructions: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

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 Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “Teasing does iT” By pam amiCK KLawiTTer aCross 1 Muted hue 7 “I’m off!” 12 Signs fraudulently 18 Queen of mystery 19 Like a major artery 20 “South Pacific” song 21 Light fare after a breakup? 23 Line judges? 24 Ramen mushroom 25 Caffeine-rich nut 27 Sleeveless tops 28 General vibe 32 Way out 36 Archaic possessive 37 __ penguin 40 Tree on the Lebanese flag 41 Curved paths 43 Haberdashery clip 44 Deal that generates interest 46 __ as a pin 48 Large med. facilities 51 Like the first little pig? 54 Save from ruin 56 Hit that clears the bases 57 Blokes 60 Enter traffic 61 Brazilian icon known as “The King of Football” 64 “Unstoppable” singer 65 Visual 67 Longtime language columnist William 68 Bird: Pref. 69 Best time of year to visit a pawn shop? 72 Afternoon

refresher 73 Pan coating 75 Fancy pitchers 76 Genetic letters 77 Some NCOs 78 Oscar winner Tatum 79 Play thing 80 Will, given a chance 82 Chemical variant 84 Golf club that’s almost too heavy to swing? 90 Like butter ready for whipping 91 Baby sheep 94 Dec. 25 95 Charcuterie slice 96 “Not That Fancy” writer McEntire 98 “Tiny Alice” playwright 100 Snippets of time 101 CBS forensic franchise 103 Over the moon 107 Part of a classroom lineup 108 76-Across strand shape 110 Unflappable 111 Drug cops 114 Put to work 116 One who makes relocating even harder than it already is? 123 Broadway honor 124 Paperless event notices 125 Over-the-top 126 Partake (in) 127 Barber’s tool 128 “You’ll love doing this!” down 1 Friskiness 2 Huntsville’s st. 3 Camera choice, initially 4 Vietnamese celebration 5 Source of some lake-effect snow 6 Swann who won four Super Bowls

with the Steelers 7 Sega hedgehog 8 Bullpen stat 9 Short “... need I go on?” 10 Went on and on and on 11 One who didn’t get a seat 12 Rage 13 “Last Week Tonight” host John 14 Formal ceremony 15 Task for a haunted house after Halloween? 16 Habitat for humanity 17 Actress Spacek 19 Satisfies one’s curiosity, in a way 20 Boyfriend 22 One on the move 26 Legends 28 Team whose mascot’s head is a baseball 29 Skip over 30 Abbr. on old phones 31 Primary event 33 Smoothie berry 34 Teller’s partner in magic 35 Bye line 38 Flirty growl 39 “Only the Lonely” singer 42 Staff symbol 44 Player coached by JJ Redick 45 Resource in Minecraft and Catan 47 Core muscles 49 Toddler, slangily 50 Brews 52 Like a large-scale tale or fail 53 Tumbler 55 Somali supermodel 58 Get old 59 Numbs, as pain 61 Local lingo 62 “Despite that ... “

63 Youngest sibling’s lot? 65 Likely to err 66 Ballpark fig. 67 Scoundrel 69 Graphic start 70 __ Jima 71 Hidden hiccup 74 Hot drink with foam art 77 Ready for the laundry 79 Shell game pellet 80 The Marlins, on scoreboards

goren Bridge

81 Zurich transport 83 Scheme 85 Chopped down 86 Jean Grey’s cohort 87 Wind indicator 88 911 responders: Abbr. 89 Board game played on a map 92 Bueno’s opposite 93 Late __ 97 Olympic sport since 1904 99 Luxury

wuzzLes

watchmaker bought by Citizen in 2008 100 “Jeopardy!” creator Griffin 101 Laundry slide 102 __ Hall University 104 Included, in a way 105 Baltimore’s __ Harbor 106 Bugs or badgers

109 “Heated Rivalry” role for Connor Storrie 112 Big Four bank name 113 Bank opening 115 “The Batman” actress Kravitz 117 To wit, for short 118 Skater Midori 119 Word in many California place names 120 DOJ division

121 “We’ll settle this later” letters 122 __ sequitur

super Quiz

Good choice

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

Today’s deal is from a match between a team from Turkey and a team from Spain. Most players with the North hand would insist on playing in spades after partner’s one no-trump opening. The Turkish North here was willing to settle for a no-trump contract. That was a good choice on this lie of the cards, as it is hard to see 10 tricks coming in a spade contract. South won the opening heart lead with his ace and led a spade to dummy’s jack, learning of the bad split. He ran the 10 of hearts to West’s jack and West exited with his last heart. South won and cashed his long heart, putting West under discarding pressure early in the deal. A diamond discard would allow South to lead a low diamond from his hand, coming to a second diamond trick whether West played the king or ducked. West chose to discard his low club. South led a low club from his hand to West’s now singleton ace. West reverted to spades, dummy’s 10 winning the trick. South might have discarded two diamonds on the ace-king of spades and led a club toward his queen for a ninth trick. Instead, he chose to play three rounds of spades, discard-

SUBJECT: PORTMANTEAU

7. Gidget

WORDS

Answer________

Identify the two words

8. Bananagrams

that are combined to make the given portmanteau word. (Exam-

Answer________ 9. Popsicle

ple: Yelp. Answer: Yel-

Answer________

low pages and help.)

10. Cockapoo Answer________

FRESHMAN LEVEL

ing all the clubs from his hand, and putting West back on lead with only diamonds in his hand. West led the king of diamonds, but South ducked, forcing another diamond lead and making his contract. Nicely done! Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

1. Amtrak

PH.D. LEVEL

Answer________

11. Pokémon

2. Stagflation

Answer________

12. Fluff

3. Microsoft

Answer________

13. Genome

4. Camcorder

Answer________

14. Prissy

5. Electrocute

Answer________

15. Infomercial Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL 6. Dumbfound

ANSWERS TO ALL PUZZLES ARE ON NEXT PAGE

Answer________

zodiaC SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Share your feelings and intentions. Don’t mince words or let anyone make decisions for you. Avoid poor behavior and people who are manipulative or misleading. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Fix up your space, learn something new, explore what’s available to you in your neighborhood or reach out to family and friends who can help you make your dreams come true. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take a step back and rethink your next move. Reach out to someone you trust to point out the complications

your plans can unleash. Don’t limit what you can do for something that isn’t tangible. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Look before you initiate a change or commit to something that can sprout hidden costs. Elevate your position using caution and putting a plan in place that gives you more wiggle room to work with. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) What you already have looks promising if you do your research and plan your actions carefully. Refuse to let someone with fewer scruples lead you to shortcuts that can end up costing you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Use your creativity to follow through with determination. Have a plan in place, and finish what you start. Engage in events that offer insight into career options. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Put anger aside, and channel your energy into something you enjoy doing. Taking a break from life’s little aggravations will help you see obstacles differently. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Study, plan and implement changes that encourage you to use the skills and talents you enjoy the most. Step outside your comfort zone,

and choose to use discipline and innovation to stand out. CANCER (June 21-July 22) If you stick to rules and regulations, it will be easier to bring about change. Protect your position, reputation and rights by making sure you finish what you start and keep everything up to date. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Set your sights on what you want to achieve. Research, then note what you can do to ensure you reach your goal. Learning is the key to opening doors that can help you advance. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take a break to go over details, fact-check

and decide what’s feasible and what isn’t. The cost of something you want will have hidden costs. Don’t make premature decisions. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Share your feelings, and direct your energy into relationships that you want to explore or take to the next level. A physical connection may lead you into a situation that lacks mental stimulation or compatibility. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

Answers to puzzles super quiz 1. American and track. 2. Stagnation and inflation. 3. Microcomputer and software. 4. Camera and recorder. 5. Electric and execute. 6. Dumb and confound. 7. Girl and midget. 8. Bananas and anagrams. 9. Pop and icicle. 10. Cocker spaniel and poodle. 11. Pocket and monster. 12. Flue and puff. 13. Gene and chromosome. 14. Prim and fussy. 15. Information and commercial. SCORING: 24 to 30 points — congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer Saturday's Cryptoquote: It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon. — Sarah Addison Allen

word GAme Answer maestro mare marmot mart maser mast master mate meat memo mesa meta metro moat more mores most

mote aero arms arose aster atom rate ream rest roam roast rose rote oast orate osar same

sate seam sear seat seta smart smear soar some sora sore sort stammer star stare steam stem

store storm stream east tame tamer tare taro team tear term tome tore tram tsar

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

jeFF mACnelly’s shoe / by Gary Brookins & Susie MacNelly

sCrAbble Answers

FoXtrot / by Bill Amend

wuzzles Answers

Ken Ken Answers

hidAto Answers