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T h u r s d ay, J a n u a ry 15, 2026

UL search panel hears from public

Speakers urge group tasked with recommending candidates to lead university to prioritize student success, budget woes

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Landry headed to D.C. for Greenland talks

Governor’s invite to dogsledding event may be in peril BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Committee members listen to public comment during a meeting of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Presidential Search Committee on Wednesday.

Gov. Jeff Landry is heading to Washington, D.C., for talks about President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, even as his invitation to the Arctic territory’s most prestigious dog sledding race may be in peril. Landry, Trump’s freshly ä Top Danish tapped “special envoy” to official says Greenland, still plans to visit ‘fundamental the country and has meetings disagreement’ in Washington on Thursday over Greenland and Friday, said Shane Guidry, remains with a businessman and close ally of the governor who said he Trump. PAGE 3A went hunting with Landry on Wednesday morning. Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry, conﬁrmed that he was headed to Washington to discuss Greenland and “state-speciﬁc issues.” The governor’s visit is set to take place one day

ä See LANDRY, page 5A

BY MEGAN WYATT Staff writer

A committee that will recommend candidates for the next president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette heard Wednesday from faculty, staff, alumni and community members who asked them to prioritize transparency in their search and to choose a leader who will focus on student success and address the university’s ﬁnancial woes. The 21-member committee is chaired by UL system President Rick Gallot and includes eight members of the UL system board, the president of the UL Faculty Senate, the president of the UL Staff Senate, state lawmakers, local business leaders, UL alumni and UL Foundation representatives. Only the system board members and Faculty Senate president can vote. “The process itself is straightforward,” Gallot said. “And we’re committed to maintaining transparency at every step.” The committee voted to approve its charge — to deﬁne a procedure and timeline for the search. In doing so, they plan to visit the UL campus

Gabriela Wilson, director of the Louisiana Center for Health Innovation and a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, addresses committee members during Wednesday’s meeting. and obtain public input from faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members; to screen applicants, to conduct reference checks and interview qualified candidates; to conduct open interviews of semiﬁnalists; and to recommend at least two presidential candidates to the UL system board.

Cassidy and Murrill oppose abortion pills by mail BY EMILY WOODRUFF and ALYSE PFEIL Staff writers

The decision to form a search committee came last year during a Nov. 13 meeting that addressed speculation that the UL system board would forgo a search and install a president at the university without any input from faculty, staff or students.

A U.S. Senate hearing Wednesday placed Louisiana at the center of a national debate over abortion pills, highlighting a clash between Republican state ofﬁcials seeking tighter restrictions and Democrats who say it is an effort to cut off one of the last remaining paths to abortion access for many women. Also on Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom denied Louisiana’s request to extradite

ä See SEARCH, page 5A

ä See ABORTION, page 5A

Gramercy alumina plant secures $450 million investment BY TIMOTHY BOONE

Staff writer

Private equity companies and the federal government are planning to make a $450 million investment in the Atlantic Alumina plant near Gramercy, a move ofﬁcials say will allow the facility to boost production and clean up longstanding environmental issues. Concord Resource Holdings and its majority shareholder, Pinnacle Asset Management, will put up more than $300 million for the plant, and the Department of Defense will invest $150 million, said David LaPlante, a consultant working on the project. The money will allow Atalco to

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bring alumina production up to the 1 million pounds it is capable of delivering. Right now, the plant is producing below that level due to attrition of equipment, LaPlante said. Founded in 1959 by Kaiser Aluminum, the refinery extracts alumina from red bauxite ore. Alumina is smelted and used to make aluminum, and it also has a number of uses in the defense, aerospace and automotive supply chain. Over the years, alumina production has shifted to China because of what chemical industry officials have labeled as unfair trade practices. The Gramercy facility is the last alumina refinery in the U.S. The investment will allow the

plant to keep its current 500 jobs and will lead to some additional hiring when a gallium production facility opens at the plant. It will be the ﬁrst large-scale gallium production facility in the U.S., capable of producing up to 50 metric tons a year. Gallium is used to make semiconductors. The exact number of new jobs that will be created by the gallium production facility has not been determined, and the timetable for construction is not known yet. In a joint statement, Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois praised the investment

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

The Atalco Gramercy complex in St. James Parish has secured $450 ä See ALUMINA, page 5A million in investments.

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2A ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Administration cancels mental health grants

NEW YORK — The Trump administration has made abrupt and sweeping cuts to substance abuse and mental health programs across the country. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on Tuesday night canceled some 2,000 grants representing nearly $2 billion in funding, according to an administration official with knowledge of the cuts who was not authorized to discuss them publicly. The move pulls back funding for a wide swath of discretionary grants and represents about a quarter of SAMHSA’s overall budget. It builds on other, wideranging cuts that have been made at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the elimination of thousands of jobs and the freezing or canceling of billions of dollars for scientific research. SAMHSA, a subagency of HHS, notified grant recipients that their funding would be canceled effective immediately in letters e-mailed Tuesday evening, according to several copies received by organizations and reviewed by The Associated Press. The letters, signed by SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Carroll, justified the terminations using a regulation that says the agency may terminate any federal award that “no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.” Organizations reeling from the news on Wednesday told the AP they had already been forced to cut staff and cancel trainings. In the long term, many were considering whether they could keep programs alive by shuffling them to different funding sources or whether they’d need to stop the services altogether.

Supreme Court revives challenge to ballot law WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday revived a Republican challenge to a law that allows the counting of latearriving mail ballots. The high court majority ruled that candidates can sue over voting-counting rules, even if they haven’t shown a clear effect on the outcome of the race. “Win or lose, candidates suffer when the process departs from the law,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. The court didn’t rule on late-arriving mail-in ballots themselves, but will hear another case on the broader issue this spring. Requiring candidates to show that a rule could affect the outcome before challenging its legality risks court entanglement in elections during late stages of the process, Roberts wrote. The court ruled 7-2 to grant Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., and two other candidates a new day in court, though it didn’t decide their underlying claim. Bost appealed after lower courts tossed out his suit, ruling he lacked legal standing because any ballots that arrived after election day had little impact on his lopsided win. The Illinois law allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they are received up to two weeks later. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia accept mailed ballots received after Election Day as long they are postmarked on or before that date, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Florida deputy captures, returns runaway emu ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A Florida deputy has captured a runaway emu and safely returned the large flightless bird to its home. A St. Johns County deputy responded last Friday to a rural area west of St. Augustine following reports of the bird’s escape, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. The deputy attempted to secure the emu, but the bird kicked several times using its large talons and fled, authorities said. After a short chase, the deputy cornered the emu, secured it with a makeshift lasso and handcuffed its legs together to render the talons useless. The emu was returned to its owners unharmed. No charges were filed.

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D.C. reporter’s home searched

Bondi says action was taken at Pentagon’s request BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — FBI agents searched a Washington Post reporter’s home on Wednesday as part of a leak investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of taking home classified information, the Justice Department said. Hannah Natanson, who has been covering President Donald Trump’s transformation of the federal government, had a phone, two laptops and a Garmin watch seized in the search of her Virginia home, the Post reported. Natanson has reported extensively on the federal workforce and recently published a piece describing how she gained hundreds of new sources — leading one colleague to call her “the

federal government whisperer.” While classified documents investigations aren’t unusual, the search of a reporter’s home marks an escalation in the government’s efforts to crack down on leaks. The Post was told that Natanson and the newspaper are not targets of the probe, executive editor Matt Murray said in an email to colleagues. “Nonetheless, this extraordinary, aggressive action is deeply concerning and raises profound questions and concern around the constitutional protections for our work,” Murray wrote. “The Washington Post has a long history of zealous support for robust press freedoms. The entire institution stands by those freedoms and our work.” Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the search was done at

the request of the Defense Department and that the journalist was “obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor.” “Leaking classified information puts America’s national security and the safety of our military heroes in serious jeopardy,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X. “President Trump has zero tolerance for it and will continue to aggressively crack down on these illegal acts moving forward.” The warrant says the search was related to an investigation into a system engineer and information technology specialist for a government contractor in Maryland who authorities allege took home classified materials, the Post reported. The worker, Aurelio Perez-

Lugones, was charged earlier this month with unlawful retention of national defense information, according to court papers. He has not been charged with sharing classiﬁed information, and he has not been accused in court papers with leaking. Perez-Lugones, who held a top secret security clearance, is accused of printing classified and sensitive reports at work. In a search of his Maryland home and car this month, authorities found documents marked “SECRET,” including one in a lunchbox, according to court papers. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on Wednesday. The Washington Post said Wednesday that it was monitoring and reviewing the situation. An email seeking comment was sent to lawyers for Perez-Lugones, who is expected to appear in court on Thursday for a detention hearing.

U.S. apologizes for deporting student BY MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAN BASHAKOV

A woman gets warm with a hot cup of tea at an emergency center set up to support people during power outages caused by Russia’s regular air attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure Wednesday in Boryspil, Ukraine.

Ukrainians endure freezing temperatures Emergency repair crews working to restore power

BY VASILISA STEPANENKO Associated Press

BORYSPIL, Ukraine — Emergency repair crews are working flat out to restore power in the Kyiv region of Ukraine, ofﬁcials said Wednesday, after relentless Russian barrages on energy infrastructure left Ukrainians at the mercy of the coldest winter in years. At Boryspil, a town in the Kyiv region with a population of around 60,000, workers dismantled and rebuilt burned-out electrical systems as they rushed to ﬁx the damage. They work in the snow amid temperatures of 13 degrees F from early morning till midnight, Yurii Bryzh, who leads the Boryspil regional department of private electricity provider DTEK, told The Associated Press. They have managed to restore the supply for four hours a day. But Bryzh said the problem was “when the power comes back on, people turn on all the electrical equipment that is available in the house” as they dash to wash, cook or recharge their phones. That collapses the system again, he said. The hardship of civilians is acute amid what Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described as the longest and broadest outages since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor almost four years ago. Apartments in the capital are freezing, and when venturing outside people wear heavy layers of clothes against the bitter cold that chills to the bone. Across Kyiv, snow covers the ground and roofs and is piled up next to sidewalks. At night, the

streets are dark and towering apartment blocks show no light in the windows. A married couple, scientists Mykhailo, 39, and Hanna, 43, said the temperature in the bedroom of their 5-year-old daughter Maria has fallen to 13 degrees. They gave only their ﬁrst names for security reasons. They have a gas stove to cook but at night they huddle together in the same bed under heavy blankets. “We have to use all the blankets we have in the house,” Hanna said. The couple take their daughter to work with them during the day, because the premises have a generator whereas Maria’s kindergarten has no heating. Zinaida Hlyha, 76, said she heats water on her gas stove and puts it in bottles that she tucks into bed. She says she doesn’t complain because Ukrainian soldiers on the roughly 600-mile front line have it worse. “Of course it’s hard, but if you imagine what our guys in the trenches are going through now, you have to endure,” she said. “What can you do? This is war.” Raisa Derhachova, an 89-year-old physicist lives alone and sometimes plays the piano in what she calls “this terrifying cold.” “Of course, it’s hard to survive this. We survived World War II, and now this terrible war is upon us,” she said. Russian barrages are aiming at power plants and large substations, and procuring replacement equipment such as transformers can take months, according to Dennis Sakva, an energy sector analyst at Dragon Capital, a Ukrainian investment company. “There are two types of heroes in Ukraine,” he said. “They are the military and energy workers.”

Japan’s PM plans to dissolve Parliament BY MARI YAMAGUCHI

Associated Press

TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve the lower house of Parliament soon to pave the way for a snap election to seek the public’s mandate for her policies, a top party ofﬁcial said Wednesday. Takaichi was elected as Japan’s ﬁrst female prime minister in October. A snap election is seen as an attempt to capitalize her still strong approval ratings of around 70% to help her beleaguered governing party gain more seats. Shunichi Suzuki, secretary general of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters that Takaichi told him and

other top officials her plan to dissolve the lower house “soon” after it convenes on Jan. 23. Takaichi’s scandal-tainted LDP and its coalition has a slim majority in the lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s twochamber Parliament, after an election loss in 2024. Opposition lawmakers criticized the plan as a selfish move that would delay parliamentary discussion on the budget. Takaichi wants to seek the public’s mandate for her policies including “proactive” fiscal spending and plans to further accelerate the ongoing military buildup under the coalition with a new partner, the Japan Innovation Party, Suzuki said.

BOSTON — The Trump administration apologized in court for a “mistake” in the deportation of a Massachusetts college student who was detained trying to ﬂy home to surprise her family for Thanksgiving, but still argued the error should not affect her case. Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, was detained at Boston’s airport on Nov. 20 and flown to Honduras two days later. Her removal came despite an emergency court order on Nov. 21 directing the government to keep her in Massachusetts or elsewhere in the United States for at least 72 hours. Lopez Belloza, whose family emigrated from Honduras to the U.S. in 2014, is currently staying with grandparents and studying remotely. She is not detained and was recently visiting an aunt in El Salvador. At a federal court hearing Tuesday in Boston, the government argued the court lacks jurisdiction because lawyers for Lopez Belloza filed their

action several hours after she arrived in Texas while en route out of the country. But the government also acknowledged it violated the judge’s order. In court filings and in open court, government lawyers said an Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officer mistakenly believed the order no longer applied because Lopez Belloza had already left Massachusetts. The ofﬁcer failed to activate a system that alerts other ICE officers that a case is subject to judicial review and that removal should be halted. “On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter told the judge, saying the employee understands “he made a mistake.” The violation, Sauter added, was “an inadvertent mistake by one individual, not a willful act of violating a court order.” The government maintains her deportation was lawful because an immigration judge ordered the removal of Lopez Belloza and her mother in 2016, and the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed their appeal in 2017.

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‘Fundamental disagreement’ over Greenland territory by repeatedly claimTrump says anything vast ing that China and Russia have designs on Greenland, which less than U.S. control their holds vast untapped reserves of minerals. is ‘unacceptable’ critical The president did not take part in

BY EMMA BURROWS, CLAUDIA CIOBANU and BEN FINLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A top Danish ofﬁcial said Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with President Donald Trump after holding highly anticipated White House talks with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides, however, agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a U.S. takeover of the semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters after joining Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, for the talks. He added that it remains “clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.” Trump is trying to make the case that NATO should help the U.S. acquire the world’s largest island and says anything less than it being under American control is unacceptable. Denmark, meanwhile, announced plans to boost the country’s military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic as Trump tries to justify his calls for a U.S. takeover of the

Wednesday’s meeting. In an Oval Office exchange with reporters following the talks, he reiterated his commitment to acquiring the territory. “We need Greenland for national security,” Trump said. He added: “We’ll see how it all works out. I think something will work out.” Before the meeting, Trump took to social media to make the case that “NATO should be leading the way” for the U.S. to acquire the territory. “NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES,” Trump wrote. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has sought to keep an armslength away from the dispute between the most important power and the other members of the 32-country alliance unnerved by the aggressive tact Trump has taken toward Denmark. Both Løkke Rasmussen and Motzfeldt offered measured hope that the talks were beginning a conversation that would lead to Trump dropping his demand of acquiring the territory and create a path for tighter cooperation with the U.S. “We have shown where our limits are and from there, I think that it will be very good to look forward,” Motzfeldt said.

Denmark bolstering presence In Copenhagen, Danish Defense

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN McDONNELL

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt speak Wednesday at a news conference at the Danish Embassy in Washington. Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced an increase in Denmark’s “military presence and exercise activity” in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, “in close cooperation with our allies.” Poulsen said the stepped-up military presence was necessary in a security environment in which “no one can predict what will happen tomorrow.” “This means that from today and in the coming time there will be an increased military presence in and around Greenland of aircraft, ships and soldiers, including from other NATO allies,” Poulsen said. Other NATO allies were arriving in Greenland along with Danish personnel, he said. Poulsen declined to name the other countries contributing to an increased Arctic presence, saying that it is

up to the allies to announce their own participation.

Greenlanders to U.S.: Back off Greenland is strategically important because, as climate change causes the ice to melt, it opens up the possibility of shorter trade routes to Asia. That also could make it easier to extract and transport untapped deposits of critical minerals which are needed for computers and phones. Trump says Greenland is also “vital” to the United States’ Golden Dome missile defense program. He also has said he wants the island to expand America’s security and has repeatedly cited what he says is the threat from Russian and Chinese ships as a reason to control it. “If we don’t go in, Russia is going to go in and China is going to go

in,” Trump argued anew Wednesday. “And there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it, but we can do everything about it.” But experts and Greenlanders question that claim, and it has become a hot topic on the snowcovered main street in Greenland’s capital, where international journalists and camera crews have descended as Trump continues his takeover talk. “The only Chinese I see is when I go to the fast food market,” heating engineer Lars Vintner said. He said he frequently goes sailing and hunting and has never seen Russian or Chinese ships. In interviews, Greenlanders said the outcome of the Washington talks didn’t exactly evince conﬁdence that Trump can be persuaded. “Trump is unpredictable,” said Geng Lastein, who immigrated to Greenland 18 years ago from the Philippines. Maya Martinsen, 21, said she doesn’t buy Trump’s arguments that Greenland needs to be controlled by the U.S. for the sake maintaining a security edge in Arctic over China and Russia. Instead, Martinsen said, Trump is after the plentiful “oils and minerals that we have that are untouched.” Greenland “has beautiful nature and lovely people,” Martinsen added. “It’s just home to me. I think the Americans just see some kind of business trade.” Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence, can boost its bases on Greenland. The U.S. is party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland.

No decision on request to stop immigration sweeps in Minn. BY STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — A judge on Wednesday gave the Trump administration time to respond to a request to suspend an immigration crackdown in Minnesota, while the Pentagon looked for military lawyers to join what has become a chaotic law enforcement effort in the state. Plumes of tear gas, the deployment of chemical irritants and the screech of protest whistles have become common on the streets of Minneapolis, especially since an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away. Agents have yanked people from cars and been confronted by angry bystanders who are demanding that of-

ficers pack up and leave. “What we need most of all right now is a pause. The temperature needs to be lowered,” state Assistant Attorney General Brian Carter said during the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Local leaders say the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with the surge of law enforcement. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez promised to keep the case “on the front burner” and gave the U.S. Justice Department until Monday to file a response to a request for a restraining order. The judge is also handling a separate lawsuit challenging the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal officers when they

encounter protesters and posting it on X with a com- Security official told The it was diagnosed or his mediobservers. A decision could ment that the military “is Associated Press. cal treatment. be released this week. The official spoke to AP on There are many causes proud to support” the Juscondition of anonymity in of internal bleeding, and tice Department. Military lawyers may join in order to discuss Ross’ medi- they vary in severity from cal condition. The official did bruising to significant blood The Department of Home- Agent said to be injured land Security says it has Jonathan Ross, the Im- not provide details about the loss. Video from the scene made more than 2,000 ar- migration and Customs En- severity of the injuries, and showed Ross and other ofrests in the state since early forcement officer who killed the agency did not respond ficers walking without obviDecember and is vowing Good, suffered internal to questions about the extent ous difficulty after Good was to not back down. The Pen- bleeding to his torso during of the bleeding, exactly how shot and her Honda Pilot tagon is preparing to send the encounter, a Homeland he suffered the injury, when crashed into other vehicles. military lawyers to Minneapolis to assist. CNN, citing an email circulating in the military, says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is asking the branches to identify 40 lawyers known as judge advocate general officers or Visit us today and take the first step toward finding your perfect address. JAGs, and 25 of them will serve as special assistant U.S. attorneys in Minneapolis. Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson appeared to confirm the CNN report, by

Dream Address Awaits

Whole milk returning to schools BY JONEL ALECCIA

Associated Press

Whole milk is heading back to school cafeterias across the country after President Donald Trump signed a bill Wednesday overturning Obama-era limits on higherfat milk options. Nondairy drinks such as fortiﬁed soy milk may also be on the menu in the coming months following adoption of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which cleared Congress in the fall. The action allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole and 2% fat milk along with the skim and lowfat products required since 2012. “Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, whole milk is a great thing,” Trump said at a White House signing ceremony that featured lawmakers, dairy farmers and their children. The law also permits schools to serve nondairy

milk that meets the nutritional standards of milk and requires schools to offer a nondairy milk alternative if kids provide a note from their parents, not just from doctors, saying they have a dietary restriction. The signing comes days after the release of the 202530 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which emphasize consumption of full-fat dairy products as part of a healthy diet. Previous editions advised that consumers older than 2 should consume lowfat or fat-free dairy. Earlier this week, the Agriculture Department sent a social media post showing Trump with a glass of milk and a “milk mustache” that declared: “Drink Whole Milk.” The change could take effect as soon as this fall. Long sought by the dairy industry, the return of whole and 2% milk to school meals reverses provisions of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by former

first lady Michelle Obama. Enacted more than a dozen years ago, the law aimed to slow obesity and boost health by cutting kids’ consumption of saturated fat and calories in higher-fat milk. Nutrition experts, lawmakers and the dairy industry have argued that whole milk is a delicious, nutritious food that has been unfairly viliﬁed, and that some studies suggest that kids who drink it are less likely to develop obesity than those who drink lower-fat options. Critics have also said that many children don’t like the taste of lower-fat milk and don’t drink it, leading to missed nutrition and food waste. The new rules will change meals served to about 30 million students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it ﬁxed Michelle Obama’s “shortsighted campaign to ditch whole milk.”

RFK Jr. on Trump: ‘I don’t know how he’s alive’ BY JESSICA SCHLADEBECK New york Daily News (TNS)

President Donald Trump’s high testosterone levels and ability to survive a fast-food diet “full of poison” have left Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in awe. Days after launching the Trump administration’s new dietary guidelines, RFK Jr. sat down for an interview on

the “Katie Miller Podcast,” hosted by the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. When asked who among his colleagues have the most “unhinged” eating habits, Kennedy was quick with his answer. “The president,” he responded bluntly, earning a laugh from Miller. “The interesting thing about the president is that

he eats really bad food, which is McDonald’s, and you know candy and Diet Coke. He drinks Diet Coke at all times,” Kennedy continued. “He has the constitution of a deity. I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is.” “Dr. Oz looked at his medical records and said he’s got the highest testosterone level that he’s ever seen for an individual over 70 years old,” Kennedy said.

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

21, 2026***, the following described property, to wit:

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the office of the Purchasing Division at the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government Build‐ ing, located at 705 West University Avenue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 11:30 AM. Central Time on the 12th day of February, 2026 for the fol‐ lowing: LASCC Livestock Barn for LCG and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Sealed bids may be hand carried or mailed to the address listed above. The bid opening will be available to attend via zoom. Attendance is not mandatory. The pass‐ code is 841528 and the in‐ vite link is https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/ 87315571990?pwd=6CG JuP4BguD7tBFbIgDhRN3 MD6vMIW.1 . The meet‐ ing will be at the time of the bid opening. Scope of Services: A barn-like building for LASCC. This is a mostly open-air structure that will be used to park vehi‐ cles and trailers that are occasionally used by LASCC to transport res‐ cued livestock to their existing animal shelter on N. Dugas Road. The primary structure will be a pre-engineered metal building supported on a concrete foundation with reclaimed asphalt pave‐ ment infill. Included in the scope of work is a small wood framed stor‐ age room, elevated to be above the base flood ele‐ vation, with ramp ac‐ cess. Required Mechani‐ cal (water) and Electrical Service will be served from the adjacent animal shelter facility. There is no Mechanical HVAC presently included in the scope of work. The scope of work also includes concrete drive access, reclaimed asphalt pave‐ ment exit drive, and fencing. All work to be completed within 120 working days from issuance of Notice to Proceed. In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212., may submit vendors their bid electronically at the website listed above. Bidding Documents are available to view only at the website. Contractor may request the bid package electronically from Keirston St. Amant at kstamant@lafayettela. gov or 337-291-8034. Contractors wishing to submit their bid electron‐ ically must first be regis‐ tered online with Lafayette Consolidated Government as a poten‐ tial supplier at the web‐ site listed above. Bidders submitting bids electronically are re‐ quested to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid. Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid. Copies of the bidding documents are available at the office of Purchas‐ ing & Property Manage‐ ment located at 705 West University Avenue (PO Box 4017-C, Lafayette LA 705062) upon payment of $200.00 per set, non-re‐ fundable. NOTE: NO CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED ONLY CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS MADE PAYABLE TO LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT. Bid Documents shall be available until twentyfour hours before the bid opening date. Questions relative to the bidding documents shall be ad‐ dressed to Keirston St. Amant at kstamant@

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

lafayettela.gov Contractors are re‐ quested to attend a prebid meeting which will be held on January 20, 2026 at 10 AM in the large conference room, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Public Works Administration Building located at 1515 East University Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list of approved bonding companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ fied check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days. No contractor may with‐ draw its bid prior to the deadline for submission of bids. Withdrawal of bids thereafter shall be allowed only pursuant to LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐ wise, no bidder may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the bid opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided within the specifications. The successful bidder will be required to execute per‐ formance and labor and material payment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid docu‐ ments. No contractors may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. The successful contractor will be required to exe‐ cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents. Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractors or contract‐ ing firms submitting bids in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ censed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ sification of “Building Construction”. Bids in the amounts specified above which have not bid in accordance with the requirements, shall be rejected and shall not be read. Additional informa‐ tion relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government for goods and services and labor and material. To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in which disadvantaged businesses are available. Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLISH DATES: 1/15, 1/18, 1/25 DPR 1000470 Afﬁdavit of Publication

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Auction). (Finance)

PUBLIC NOTICE --See agenda documents at: http://www.lafayettela. gov/obcouncil/default. aspx REGULAR MEETING LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL 705 W. University Avenue, Ted A. Ardoin City-Parish Council Audi‐ torium TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026 5:30 p.m.

12. CO-007-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by using prior year fund balance in the amount of $12,786 for salary adjustments within the Utilities De‐ partment. (Utilities)

AGENDA

13. CO-008-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to accept cer‐ tain property described hereinafter for the pur‐ pose of operating and maintaining the neces‐ sary sewer lift station fa‐ cilities. (Utilities)

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

CALL TO ORDER 1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 2. COUNCIL ANNOUNCE‐ MENTS 3. EXECUTIVE/MAYORPRESIDENT’S REPORT RESOLUTION 4. CR-003-2026 A resolu‐ tion of the Lafayette City Council considering and approving the applica‐ tion (#20250533-RTA) for restoration tax abate‐ ment submitted by Hub City Plaza LLC for partici‐ pation in the State of Louisiana Restoration Tax Abatement Program (1800 Northeast Evange‐ line Thruway). (Kenneth Boudreaux) ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION 5. CO-141-2025 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow a convenience store (with fuel sales) in a CM-1 (Commercial Mixed) Zoning District, Case No. 2025-25-REZ 801 Foreman Drive CUP (Con‐ ditional Use Permit), lo‐ cated generally north of Dulles Drive, east of Marie Antoinette Street, and south of Belle Chase Drive. (CD&P) 6. CO-001-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Develop‐ ment Code so as to re‐ classify the property of Case No. 2025-27-REZ 500 Acadian Hills Lane rezon‐ ing, located generally north of I-10 West, west of Acadian Hills Lane, and south of West Pont des Mouton Road; being rezoned from RS-1 (Resi‐ dential Single-Family) to MN-1 (Mixed-Use Neigh‐ borhood). (CD&P) 7. CO-002-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Develop‐ ment Code and the Ofﬁ‐ cial Map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of addi‐ tional land into the cor‐ porate limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No. 2025-28-REZ 233 E. Broussard Road #1 An‐ nexation, located gener‐ ally north of E. Broussard Road, east of Johnston Street, and south of Dun‐ vegan Court; and assign‐ ing a zoning classiﬁca‐ tion of CM-1 (Commercial Mixed) (District 3). (CD&P) 8. CO-003-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow townhouses in a RS-1 (Residential SingleFamily) zoning district, Case No. 2025-29-REZ 101 Halcott Drive CUP (Condi‐ tional Use Permit), lo‐ cated generally north of Dafney Drive, east of Hal‐ cott Drive, and south of Mount Vernon Drive. (CD&P) 9. CO-004-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment Code of Ordinances Subsection (12) of Sec‐ tion 82-111 “Generally,” of Article III “City of Lafayette Sales and Use Tax,” Division 3 “Exemp‐ tions and Exclusions” of Chapter 82 “Taxation” to exempt from local sales and use taxes imposed by the City the furnishing of repairs to tangible personal property at Lafayette Regional Air‐ port. (Legal) INTRODUCTORY NANCES

ORDI‐

10. CO-005-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Govern‐ Consolidated ment to sell at public auction and public inter‐ net auction surplus vehi‐ cles, equipment and other miscellaneous moveable property which are no longer needed for public pur‐ poses, as per the at‐ tached list (Public Auc‐ tion and Public Internet

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11. CO-006-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Govern‐ Consolidated ment to transfer ten (10) shotguns (12 gauge), four (4) Night Enforcer NE6015, one (1) Night En‐ forcer PVS-14 and one (1) OPMOD PVS-14 Night Optic, which are no longer needed for public purposes, to New Iberia Police Department. (Po‐ lice)

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14. CO-009-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute a physical capacity and purchase agreement with NextEra Energy Mar‐ keting, LLC. (Utilities) JOINT INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES 15. JO-001-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to sell at public internet auction surplus equipment and other miscellaneous moveable property which are no longer needed for public pur‐ poses, as per the at‐ tached list (Public Inter‐ net Auction). (Finance) 16. JO-002-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and ad‐ justing manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by adjusting the salary of one (1) Service Station Supervisor posi‐ tion within Traffic, Roads & Bridges – Vehicle Main‐ tenance – Service Station Division. (TR&B) 17. JO-003-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative En‐ deavor Agreement with the State of Louisiana and the Road Home Cor‐ poration DBA Louisiana Land Trust for the pur‐ pose of participating in the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Mitigation Buy‐ out Program as adminis‐ tered through the State of Louisiana Office of Community Development – Disaster Recovery for the purpose of mitigating structures with previous flood losses located within the Coulee Mine East Flood Control Pro‐ ject Area. (CD&P) COMMENT(S) FROM THE PUBLIC 18. Comments from the public on any other mat‐ ter(s) not on an agenda. ADJOURN IN ACCORDANCE WITH LA. R.S. 42:14(E) AS EN‐ ACTED BY ACT NO. 393 OF 2023 AND THE AMERI‐ CANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PLEASE CONTACT JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, COUNCIL CLERK, AT (337) 291-8810 DESCRIBING THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS NECESSARY, IF SPECIAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR AC‐ COMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED. 173860-JAN 15-1T $66.70 PUBLIC NOTICE --See agenda documents at: http://www.lafayettela. gov/obcouncil/default. aspx REGULAR MEETING LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL 705 W. University Avenue, Ted A. Ardoin City-Parish Council Audi‐ torium TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026 4:30 p.m. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 2. COUNCIL ANNOUNCE‐ MENTS 3. EXECUTIVE/MAYORPRESIDENT’S REPORT RESOLUTION

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

4. PR-001-2026 A resolu‐ tion of the Lafayette Parish Council appoint‐ ing a representative to serve on the Local Indus‐ trial Tax Exemption Pro‐ gram (ITEP) Committee for Lafayette Parish for the 2026 calendar year. (Donald Richard) REPORT AND/OR DISCUS‐ SION ITEM 5. Lafayette Parish Growth Plan (CAO) ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION 6. PO-001-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by decreas‐ ing the use of Parish General Fund’s Prior Year Fund Balance in the amount of $1217 to ad‐ just Court Reporters’ salaries for Lafayette Parish’s share in accor‐ dance with LA R.S. 13:961. (District Court) 7. PO-002-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council authoriz‐ ing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute a lease agreement with the 15th Judicial District Pub‐ lic Defenders Ofﬁce re‐ garding ofﬁce space in the building located at 1010 Lafayette Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70501. (Mayor-President) 8. PO-003-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council declaring the Cormier Road Project a public necessity and authorizing the acquisi‐ tion of the necessary rights-of-way, immov‐ able property and other property rights requisite to the construction of said project, either on an amicable basis or through the proper use of the expropriation process, if necessary. (Capital Improvements) 9. PO-004-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by adjusting the manning tables within the Library De‐ partment by deleting one (1) Library Associate I regular less than fulltime position and adding one (1) Library Associate I regular full-time posi‐ tion. (Library) 10. PO-005-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by adjusting the manning tables within the Library De‐ partment by adding one (1) Electrical, Mechani‐ cal, Refrigeration Techni‐ cian regular full-time po‐ sition. (Library) INTRODUCTORY NANCES

ORDI‐

11. PO-006-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council authoriz‐ ing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Parish of Lafayette and the Parish of St. Martin concerning the cleaning of Lateral Ches Brous‐ sard. (Legal) 12. PO-007-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by adjusting the manning tables and budgeted rate of one (1) Secretary position within District Court. (District Court) 13. PO-008-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council authoriz‐ ing the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Gov‐ ernment to sell at public auction and public inter‐ net auction surplus vehi‐ cles, equipment and other miscellaneous property moveable which are no longer needed for public pur‐ poses, as per the at‐ tached list (Public Auc‐ tion and Public Internet Auction). (Finance) JOINT INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES 14. JO-001-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to sell at public internet auction surplus equipment and other miscellaneous moveable property which are no longer needed for public pur‐ poses, as per the at‐ tached list (Public Inter‐ net Auction). (Finance) 15. JO-002-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and ad‐ justing manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by adjusting the salary of one (1) Service Station Supervisor posi‐ tion within Trafﬁc, Roads

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

& Bridges – Vehicle Main‐ tenance – Service Station Division. (TR&B) 16. JO-003-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative En‐ deavor Agreement with the State of Louisiana and the Road Home Cor‐ poration DBA Louisiana Land Trust for the pur‐ pose of participating in the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Mitigation Buy‐ out Program as adminis‐ tered through the State of Louisiana Ofﬁce of Community Development – Disaster Recovery for the purpose of mitigating structures with previous ﬂood losses located within the Coulee Mine East Flood Control Pro‐ ject Area. (CD&P) ADJOURN IN ACCORDANCE WITH LA. R.S. 42:14(E) AS EN‐ ACTED BY ACT NO. 393 OF 2023 AND THE AMERI‐ CANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PLEASE CONTACT JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, COUNCIL CLERK, AT (337) 291-8810 DESCRIBING THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS NECESSARY, IF SPECIAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR AC‐ COMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED. 173857-JAN 15-1T $56.53

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SHERIFF'S SALE CADENCE BANK Versus No. 20255699 LASHALL R. WILLIAMS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***, the following described property, to wit: THOSE THREE CERTAIN LOTS OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS AND THE COMPO‐ NENT PARTS THEREOF, SITUATED IN SECTION 100, T9S, R5E, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOTS 354, 355 AND 356 OF GOLF COURSE ADDITION, SAID LOTS HAVING SUCH MEA‐ SUREMENTS, BOUND‐ ARIES, CONFIGURATIONS AND DIMENSIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DESCRIBED ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY A. R. YAN‐ DLE DATED NOVEMBER 19, 1949, A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 236535, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 203 ATLANTA DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70501

THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT THREE (3) OF MAGNOLIA PARK, EXTENSION NO. 4, A SUB‐ DIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMENSION, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ SUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 1956-344959 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REF‐ ERENCE THERETO; SUB‐ JECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OFWAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 917 MARILYN DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70503 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P. M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.04 SHERIFF'S SALE FARMERS-MERCHANTS BANK AND TRUST COM‐ PANY Versus No. 20256650 KORI DE‐ WAYNNE GOINS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN CONDO‐ MINIUM PARCEL, BEING CONDOMINIUM UNIT SEVEN HUNDRED NINE (709), OF BUILDING SEVEN (7), PLAZA VIL‐ LAGE CONDOMINIUMS, PHASE I, TOGETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND SPECIFI‐ CALLY INCLUDING AN UN‐ DIVIDED ONE-FIFTYSECON (1/52) INTEREST IN AND UNTO THE COM‐ MON ELEMENTS OF PLAZA VILLAGE CONDO‐ MINIUMS, PHASE I, AC‐ CORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY DOMINGUE, SZABO & AS‐ SOCIATES, INC., C.E., DATED MARCH 5, 1981, REVISED JANUARY 11, 1982, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 1982-1831 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO; SAID "CONDOMINIUM PARCEL" BEING SITUATED AND CONTAINED WITHIN THAT CERTAIN TRACT OR PARCEL OF GROUND LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 4, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM DI‐ MENSIONS AND BOUND‐ ARIES AS SHOWN ON THE AFOREMENTIONED PLAT OF SURVEY. BEING THE SAME PROP‐ ERTY ACQUIRED BY SHEILA FONTENOT CON‐ TELLA, BRISTOL J. FONTENOT AND DARREL FONTENOT FROM EVELIE B. FONTENOT BY THAT CERTAIN ACT OF QUIT‐ CLAIM DATED OCTOBER 25, 2010, RECORDED IN FILE NUMBER 2010-42799, AS CORRECTED BY ACT OF CORRECTION TO THE QUITCLAIM DEED DATED DECEMBER 1, 2011, RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2011-49032 BOTH OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT. BEING THE SAME PROPERTY AC‐ QUIRED BY KORI DE‐ WAYNNE GOINS FROM SHEILA FONTENOT AND DARREL FONTENOT VIA CASH SALE RECORDED ON APRIL 25, 2017 UNDER ENTRY N0.2017-00016212. THE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS OF THE ABOVE DE‐ SCRIBED PROPERTY IS 101 WILBOURN BLVD, #709, LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA 70506-5173. ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY PURCHASE THE FULL AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026

MONTE ROAD, DUSON, LA 70529

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $45.05

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS

SHERIFF'S SALE FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Versus No. 20253512 SANDY VONGBOUNEMY A/K/A SANDY BOUDSAVATH VONGBOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY B. VONGBOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY VONG‐ BOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY VONSEG A/K/A SANDY VONDBOUNEMY A/K/A SANDY V. VONBOUNEMY 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT TWENTY-SIX (26) OF SUGAR TRACE SOUTH, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ SUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUX ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING, DATED APRIL 12, 2005, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2005-00017723 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO ("PROP‐ ERTY"). MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 237 BARKSDALE DR., BROUSSARD, LA 70518 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.90 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20254225 BARRY J. MECHE AKA BARRY JOHN MECHE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, WITH ALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS SITUATED AND TO BE CON‐ STRUCTED THEREON, LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 26, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 3 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, CONTAINING 0.43 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 125 FEET ON MONTE ROAD AND A DEPTH BETWEEN PARAL‐ LEL LINES OF 150 FEET AND BOUNDED NORTHERLY BY MONTE ROAD, SOUTHERLY, EAST‐ ERLY AND WESTERLY BY LANDS OF BUNNELL MARTHA VILLIEN, ET ALS, SAID PARCEL BEING DES‐ IGNATED AS "CARROLL L. & DEBRAH VILLIEN, P.O. BOX 608, MAURICE, LA 70555 AREA= 0.43 ACRES LOT 1" AND MORE FULLY LOCATED, DESCRIBED AND BOUNDED ON PLAT OF SURVEY BY WIL J. GUIDRY, DATED OCTOBER 31, 2011 AT ACT NO. 201148754, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID O. 43 ACRES BEING 527.08 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF MONTE ROAD AND LAGNEAUX ROAD, SAID PLAT TO CONTAIN AP‐ PROVAL STAMP OF THE LAFAYETTE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMIS‐ SION; SUBJECT TO RE‐ STRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 115

PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $38.19 SHERIFF'S SALE LLACG COMMUNITY IN‐ VESTMENT FUND Versus No. 20246554 GLORIA GAGO BREAUX AKA GLO‐ RIA GAGO-ARIAS BREAUX 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of AMENDED SEIZURE AND SALE issued in the here‐ inabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: LOT 3, UNIT 3, ST. JOSEPH TOWNHOUSES, AS SHOWN BY REFERENCE TO A PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY RICHARD G. SPIKES, DATED JULY 6, 1983, RECORDED JULY 28, 1983, UNDER ENTRY NO. 83-27618, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, BEING THAT CERTAIN LOT OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING OR IN ANY‐ WISE APPERTAINING, SIT‐ UATED IN THE SECTION 64, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, FRONTING 47.73 FEET ON CURTIS STREET, AND HAVING SUCH OTHER METES AND BOUNDS AS ARE SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY BY CRAIG P. SPIKES, RLS, DATED MARCH 24, 1992, A COPY OF WHICH IS ANNEXED TO AN ACT RECORDED AT ENTRY #92- 010306; SUB‐ JECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OFWAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 200 C-CURTIS ST., LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.69 SHERIFF'S SALE MORTGAGE ASSETS MAN‐ AGEMENT, LLC Versus No. 20255007 THE SUCCES‐ SION OF CHARLES DEAN PIERCE A/K/A CHARLES DEAN PIERCE A/K/A CHARLES D. PIERCE A/K/A CHARLES PIERCE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREUNTO BELONGING, SITUATED IN DEMANADE PARK SUBDIVISION, EX‐ TENSION ONE, IN THE CITY AND PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AND ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID SUBDIVISION ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, IS KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS LOT NO. 218 AND THE NORTHERN THREE (3) FEET OF LOT 219; SAID LOT HAS A FRONTAGE OF ONE HUN‐ DRED THREE (103) FEET ON EAST DEMANADE DRIVE BY SUCH OTHER MEASUREMENTS AND DI‐ MENSIONS AS ARE SHOWN ON SAID PLAT, AND IS BOUNDED NORTH BY LOT NO. 217, SOUTH BY REMAINDER OF LOT NO. 219, EAST BY THE VERMILION RIVER AND WEST BY EAST DEM‐ ANADE DRIVE. FOR DI‐ VERSION OF TITLE SEE ACT NO. 587676 OF THE RECORDS OF THE CLERK

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $33.47 SHERIFF'S SALE CITIBANK, N.A., NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF EFMT 2025-NQMl Ver‐ sus No. 20255516 ADAM BROUSSARD 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● 5A

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out thinking there’s something systemic,” said Keith Credo, an associate professor of management. “So we’re hoping, as faculty, that fundamentally we can have in the next president someone willing to look for creative solutions to perhaps some of the systemic issues that we’re facing.”

Financial concerns came to light last year after UL’s Vice President of Finance and Administration Jerry Luke LeBlanc resigned abruptly in May, and Savoie stepped down in July before his contract was up. After being named interim president, Hebert announced job eliminations and other cost-cutting

measures to try to make up for a $25 million deﬁcit. Gabriela Wilson, a UL professor and director of the Louisiana Center for Health Innovation, said she wants the next president to focus on ﬁscal stability along with strategy and vision. “We need to rebuild trust,” Wil-

son said. “This is a challenging time. Some of us might feel like ‘I need to go elsewhere,’ and I am telling all of my colleagues, ‘This is a place where we can all come together and really rebuild the trust that’s so needed.’” Although asked not to endorse specific candidates, those who did voiced their support for Kolluru. “Dr. Kolluru brings genuine enthusiasm, solution-based advice, especially around workforce development, and that has helped move and attract businesses to the Acadiana area,” said Jerry Prejean, president of First Horizon Bank. “Dr. Kolluru is a collaborative bridge builder across public and private sectors and a careful steward of resources. He listens, he convenes, he acts.” Advertisements for the position have been posted to websites for the UL system, Inside Higher Education, Diverse Issues in Higher Ed, Women in Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Education. The committee is expected to review applicant materials and select semifinalists during a Feb. 19 meeting in Baton Rouge, conduct on-campus interviews with semifinalists Feb. 23-24, and present finalists and conduct interviews to the full UL system board Feb. 27.

ber, said. “It’s not the safety of a drug. It is about the ongoing effort of my friends in the Republican Party to deny the women of this country the basic right to control their own bodies.” The clash underscored the reality of abortion access in Louisiana since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022: While nearly all abortions are banned in the state, abortion has not disappeared. After the ban, in-person abortions in Louisiana fell to zero while requests for mailed abortion pills steadily increased, reaching roughly 900 per month by 2025 — more than before the ban, according to the Society of Family Planning. Mifepristone is a medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to end an early pregnancy, and is also used in medical settings to help manage miscarriages. In 2024, Louisiana classiﬁed it as a controlled dangerous substance, making it illegal to possess the drug without a prescription, with an exception for pregnant women. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill testified at the hearing that federal rules allowing abortion pills to be prescribed online and mailed into Louisiana have allowed for illegal abortions. She said Louisiana has seen cases involving women taking the pills

beyond the medically advised gestational age, coercion and medical emergencies tied to pills obtained through the mail. Murrill sparred with Sanders, who questioned whether Louisiana women should be able to make their own decisions about abortion. “If a woman in Louisiana turns to mifepristone because she has no other option — that’s 10,000 women a year in Louisiana — what do you tell those women?” said Sanders. “Do you think they have a right to make that choice, or do they not?” In response, Murrill said the Louisiana Legislature enacted laws to protect women on a bipartisan basis. “We live in a land of the rule of law, and that is the law of Louisiana,” Murrill said. “They can seek that care in another state.” Medical witnesses offered different assessments of the drug’s safety. Republican witnesses said adverseevent reporting is incomplete and that in-person exams remain critical for safety. A Democratic witness countered that more than 100 peerreviewed studies show mifepristone is safe and effective, including when prescribed via telehealth with screening protocols. The hearing unfolded as Louisiana moves forward with aggressive enforcement actions aimed at doctors in states where abortion remains legal. On Tuesday, Murrill announced

felony charges against a California doctor accused of mailing abortion pills to a woman in St. Tammany Parish. Gov. Jeff Landry signed an extradition request seeking to have California turn the doctor over for prosecution. Newsom said California would not comply with Landry’s request. “My position on this has been clear since 2022: We will not allow extremist politicians from other states to reach into California and try to punish doctors based on allegations that they provided reproductive health care services,” Newsom said in a statement. “Not today. Not ever.” California in recent years has passed abortion shield laws, which are designed to protect providers from legal action or prosecution initiated in states with abortion bans. Amanda Barrow, senior staff attorney at the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy at the UCLA School of Law, said under California’s shield laws, Newsom is required not to recognize a demand for extradition for providing abortion care that’s legal in California. “State agents can’t arrest someone or cooperate with out-of-state efforts to impose liability for providing abortion care that’s lawful in California,” she said. “Generally, California shield laws should prevent a Louisiana criminal ac-

tion against a California provider of abortion care that’s lawful in California from moving forward in the Louisiana state courts.” New York ofﬁcials previously refused a similar request in a separate case involving a New York doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to a minor in West Baton Rouge Parish. Throughout the two-hour hearing on Capitol Hill, Republicans did not say they were seeking a federal ban, but they did advocate steps that would sharply reduce access, such as restoring an in-person dispensing requirement and tightening an FDA safety program called Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, that limits how a drug can be prescribed. Prior to 2021, mifepristone had to be prescribed in person. In Louisiana, where clinics are closed, that would functionally eliminate access to the pills for use in abortions. During a press call with reporters Tuesday, Cassidy did not directly answer whether the hearing was laying the groundwork for a ban, but said the goal was to highlight dangers. “If we really care about the young woman and if we certainly care about the child, then there should be things like an in-person visit required, and we should have a database to see what are the numbers of complications associated with it,” Cassidy said.

asked to go to the event, which he planned to attend in March. But the KNQK statement said the organization “considers the participation of foreign political actors in Avannaata Qimussersua to be wholly inappropriate.” Trump in December named Landry special envoy to Greenland to help pursue the president’s goal of acquiring the territory. Though Trump is threatening to seize Greenland, Landry has painted his own role in the matter as a peaceful one, using Louisiana charm to entice the territory’s residents into joining the U.S. He said on Jan. 6 that he was much more interested in talking to Greenland residents than government offi-

cials, though the exact nature of his position was still being worked out. Just after he was appointed special envoy, Landry said, “All we’re going to do is have us a great conversation with those folks in Greenland.” “We’re gonna bring them some great Cajun food,” he said. Landry’s appointment roiled ofﬁcials in Greenland and Denmark, who have pushed back against Trump’s threats. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, which formerly colonized the island and now funds much of the government’s budget there. KNQK said it learned from a

journalist that Landry had been invited to its annual dog sledding race. “The KNQK Board ﬁnds it unacceptable that political pressure is being exerted from outside,” the organization’s statement said. “The board is currently working closely with patrons to determine who sent invitations to foreign actors.” KNQK did not respond to an inquiry asking whether it would speciﬁcally bar Landry from attending the event. Trump has claimed on social media that the U.S. “needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security.” He has challenged Denmark’s ability to defend the territory and

suggested it could fall to Russia or China. The president appears emboldened by this month’s military operation in Venezuela, when U.S. forces removed then-president Nicolás Maduro and his wife from the country. The United States already has military access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement, and Danish ofﬁcials have said the U.S. can bolster its bases there without acquiring the island. Forcibly taking Greenland could spell disaster for NATO, the 32-country military alliance that includes the United States and Denmark, the leaders of many member countries have said.

when supply chain security has never been more important,” the statement says. The investment will also allow Atalco to address environmental issues that have plagued the facility. Massive waste piles, which are as tall as buildings, lie in hundreds of acres along the Mississippi River. The piles have been a source of dust complaints and caustic liquid leaks. A Southeastern Louisiana University researcher said runoff from the red mud is a potential source of heavy metal and other pollutants in Lake Maurepas,

and leaks may also be reaching the Blind River. Atalco has rejected those suggestions. “This facility has been in survival mode and staying alive under extreme market pressure from China,” LaPlante said. “This will also enable the company to continue to invest in environmental protection, health and safety.” The company has already implemented environmental protection investments. Instead of staking up piles of red mud, water is now being squeezed out of the waste, creating a hard dry material, much like pavement. That allows flat,

compacted layers of waste to be stacked up on one another “like a Doberge cake,” said Renwick Deville, another consultant on the project. That eliminates issues with dust and liquid runoff. The Atalco upgrades and ElementUSA’s demonstration plant will complement each other, LaPlante and Deveille said. But MaryLee Orr, executive director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, which ﬁled a lawsuit in federal court late last year over the ponds of red mud waste at Atalco, said questions remain about the expansion,

given the plant’s troubling track record. “Of course, it is a positive to remove a hazardous material from their waste stream and put it to good and needed use. But will it be done in a way that is protective of the workers, the community, and the environment,” she said in a statement. Orr said governmental agencies need to take care and diligence in regulating the new processes at the plant.

Continued from page 1A Professors and the public pushed back against initial plans to install Ramesh Kolluru, UL’s vice president for research, innovation and economic development, into the job without a search. UL has been without a permanent leader since Joseph Savoie stepped down last summer and Provost Jaimie Hebert took over as interim. Hebert asked during the November meeting to return to his role as provost and recommended that Kolluru be named as interim president, which the board approved. Both have applied for the permanent position. During Wednesday’s public forum, the committee heard from 13 people. They emphasized the need for a leader with strong research and economic development skills who would prioritize student success, maintain the university’s research designation and find creative ways to improve the financial deficit that came to public light last year. “It’s hard to look at the amount of debt that we were surprised to find out about this last year with-

ABORTION

Continued from page 1A a doctor who faces criminal charges in Louisiana for mailing abortion pills to a St. Tammany Parish woman. Both developments highlight how red states are wrestling with blue states over how to enforce conflicting regulations of abortion pills, ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The meeting of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee was led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician. He argued abortion pills endanger women, particularly when they are prescribed without an in-person visit. Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said doctors who dispense the pills by mail have no way to conﬁrm gestational age, rule out ectopic pregnancy or determine whether a woman is being coerced or abused. Democrats pushed back sharply, pointing to decades of research showing that the drug is safe and effective and accusing Republicans of using safety arguments to justify broader abortion restrictions. “Let’s be clear about what this hearing is about,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats and is the committee’s ranking mem-

LANDRY

Continued from page 1A after ofﬁcials from Greenland and Denmark went to the White House to meet with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, amid Trump’s calls for a U.S. takeover of the island. Meanwhile, on Monday, the Greenland Dog Sledding Association, or KNQK, which organizes the Avannaata Qimussersua race, issued a statement saying it was investigating who invited Landry to the event. In a Jan. 6 interview with Fox News Radio, Landry said he was

ALUMINA

Continued from page 1A as advancing national security while supporting advanced manufacturing. “This announcement marks a signiﬁcant win for Louisiana and for the nation. Atalco’s $450 million strategic partnership with the United States government will revitalize a critical industrial facility, retain skilled jobs and position America to produce essential materials domestically at a time

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

OF COURT OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 421 EAST DEMANADE DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70503 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ OFFICE MARKT. IFF'S GARBER, SHERIFF $36.69

CLASSIFIEDS WORK

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Rick Gallot, president of the University of Louisiana system, left, and Mark Romero, chair of the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana system, chat during Wednesday’s public meeting.

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. 20256345 VANTAZIA MAR‐ TICE MASON AND COR‐ NELIUS OCATAVIUS MOR‐ RIS AKA CORNELIUS OC‐ TAVIUS MORRIS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT PARISH OF COURT---STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ***WITH*** appraise‐ h l d

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

pp ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: LOT 59, A CERTAIN PAR‐ CEL OF GROUND IN ACA‐ DIAN LAKES SUBDIVI‐ SION, PHASE 1 "A RESI‐ DENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO‐ DEVELOPMENT", GETHER WITH ALL THE AND IM‐ BUILDINGS PROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS,

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

WAYS, PRIVILEGES, APPURTE‐ SERVITUDES, NANCES AND ADVAN‐ TAGES THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING TO OR ANYWISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED THE PARISH OF IN LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON PLAT RECORDED AS FILE NUM‐ BER: 2020-00043600, OF THE CLERK OF COURT'S OFFICE FOR LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA; SUB‐ JECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OFWAY AND OUTSTANDING RIGHTS OF MINERAL RECORD AFFECTING THE MUNICIPAL PROPERTY. ADDRESS: 313 ACADIAN LAKE DRIVE, DUSON, LA 70529 ANYONE

PURCHASING

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ OFFICE MARKT. IFF'S GARBER, SHERIFF $34.11 SHERIFF'S SALE PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC Versus No. 20256366 MILLER AND MICKIE MICHELLE MILLER 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA

STATE

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following d ib d

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

described wit:

property,

g to

THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL EASE‐ MENTS, RIGHTS, APPUR‐ BUILDINGS TENANCES, IMPROVEMENTS AND THEREON OR THEREUNTO BEING BELONGING, AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT SIXTY-ONE OF GOLDEN (61) MEADOW SUBDIVISION, A OF THE SUBDIVISION PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH MEASURE‐ MENTS, DIMENSIONS AND BOUNDARIES AS SHOWN ON A PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY RICHARD C. SPIKES DATED MAY 14, 1982, A COPY OF WHICH

Email Timothy Boone at tboone@theadvocate.com.

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

FUNDS IS ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED FILE NUMBER UNDER OF THE 1982-17227 RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO; SUBJECT TO RESTRIC‐ SERVITUDES, TIONS, AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 111 RICE CIRCLE, SCOTT, LA 70583

PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ OFFICE MARKT. IFF'S GARBER, SHERIFF $34.97

6A ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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ALMANAC

AIR QUALITY

LAFAyETTE THROUGH 5 P.M. WEDNESDAy

YESTERDAY

TEMPERATURE

High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

GOOD

67°/48° 62°/43° 80° in 1937 19° in 1964

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

READING 47

TODAY

PRECIPITATION

GOOD

24 hours through 5 p.m. Wed. 0.01” Month to date (normal) 2.43” (2.77”) year to date (normal) 2.43” (2.77”)

MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

7:05 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 4:44 a.m. 2:39 p.m.

SOURCE: AIRNOW.GOV

NEW

FIRST

FULL

LAST

JAN 18

JAN 25

FEB 1

FEB 9

THE NATION AND WORLD Today City

LOUISIANA FORECAST

RIVER STAGES MISSISSIPPI

Monroe 52/36

Shreveport 54/41

Jackson 48/32

Longview 54/42

Many 54/35

Hattiesburg 51/30

Alexandria 52/37

FLOOD STAGE 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO

Cairo COMITE

Near Olive

Baton Rouge 54/34 Beaumont 58/43

Port Arthur 58/47

Lafayette

AMITE

Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent

New Orleans 53/38

Lake Charles 57/41

TICKFAW

Montpelier Holden

Houma 56/36

ATCHAFALAYA

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

TIDES HIGH

First FT. LOW

Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 4:46a 0.5 Shell Beach 11:22p 1.1 South Point, Marsh Island 4:38p 1.3 Cypremort Point 7:46p 1.2 Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) 7:21p 0.9 Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 6:34p 1.1 Wine Island 8:29p 1.0

FT.

4:56p -0.3 10:43a -0.6 5:57a -0.9 9:47a -0.7 6:09a -0.6 4:22a -0.8 7:11a -0.7

HIGH

Second FT. LOW

FT.

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Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

-2.90 14.70 18.60 6.70 3.50 2.44 1.50

+0.86 -0.53 -0.10 -0.40 none -0.45 +0.05

14.60

-0.27

-0.78

-0.64

18 29 8

1.39 26.18 3.44

-3.54 -1.20 +0.34

13 15

4.35 9.35

-5.53 +1.69

47 34 29 20 12 6

6.42 4.17 3.83 3.05 2.40 1.85

+0.01 -0.03 -0.06 +0.11 -0.70 -0.21

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

The World Amsterdam Bangkok Barcelona Berlin Brussels Cairo Dublin Frankfurt Havana Hong Kong Jerusalem

Friday

City

65 49 60 12 79 69 32 73 37

43 21 46 4 66 45 26 45 27

s r s sn pc s sf sh c

72 33 60 30 77 68 45 69 50

40 29 35 4 67 44 30 59 31

s pc s i pc s c s pc

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

49 91 58 42 51 67 45 50 77 75 53

44 74 43 33 43 53 33 37 57 63 39

c pc pc pc r s s c r s pc

49 92 56 44 51 69 47 50 72 76 54

41 74 48 31 43 53 37 35 57 62 42

pc pc pc pc c pc c pc s pc pc

Kuwait City London Madrid Mexico City Montreal Moscow New Delhi Paris Rome Stockholm Tokyo

Today

Friday

53 60 39 79 21 41 36 76 60

38 35 22 51 17 21 32 46 38

s c sf s sn pc s c c

67 59 36 80 32 48 45 74 57

49 43 30 51 29 35 20 47 45

s s pc s sn s pc s s

66 49 48 62 29 21 63 54 60 35 55

43 39 42 41 3 6 42 44 42 32 47

pc r r pc sn sn pc c r c pc

60 50 50 68 11 18 65 52 60 37 60

40 43 39 47 8 -2 46 42 40 32 44

s pc sh s s c pc c c c s

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

-10

-0s

10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s

SOLUNAR TABLE 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.

Today Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed.

Major

8:22a 9:09a 9:57a 10:47a 11:09a 12:01p 12:56a

Minor

Major

2:09a 8:47p 2:55a 9:35p 3:44a 10:23p 4:34a 11:13p 5:25a ---6:16a 12:28p 7:07a 1:19p

Minor

2:34p 3:22p 4:10p 5:00p 5:50p 6:40p 7:30p

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

U.S. will suspend immigrant visa processing from 75 nations BY MATTHEW LEE AP diplomatic writer

WASHINGTON — The State Department said Wednesday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries. The State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said it had instructed consular ofﬁcers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with a broader order issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges” in the U.S. The suspension, which will begin Jan. 21, will not apply to applicants seeking nonimmigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas, who make up the vast majority of visa seekers. Demand for nonimmigrant visas is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months and years due to the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, both of which the U.S. will host or co-host. “The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” the

department said in a statement. “Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.” The November guidance on which Wednesday’s decision is based directed U.S. Embassy and consulate officials to comprehensively and thoroughly vet visa applicants to demonstrate that they will not need to rely on public benefits from the government any time after their admission in the U.S. Immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. already undergo a medical exam by a physician who’s been approved by a U.S. Embassy. They are screened for communicable diseases, like tuberculosis, and asked to disclose any history of drug or alcohol use, mental health conditions or violence. They’re also required to have a number of vaccinations. The new directive expanded those with more specific requirements. It said consular officials must consider a range of specific details about people seeking visas,

including their age, health, family status, ﬁnances, education, skills and any past use of public assistance regardless of the country. It also said they should assess applicants’ English proﬁciency and can do so by conducting interviews in English. The countries affected by the suspension announced on Wednesday are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

Catholic Church to start delivering U.S. aid for victims of Hurricane Melissa BY NORA GÁMEZ TORRES

Miami Herald (TNS)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that the Catholic Church will start delivering U.S. aid directly to people affected by Hurricane Melissa in Cuba. “Today, we are announcing the ﬁrst in a series of direct humanitarian shipments to Cuba as part of the $3 million of disaster assistance committed by the Trump Administration following Hurricane Melissa,” Rubio said in a statement obtained by the Miami Herald. “These shipments reﬂect our sustained commitment to the Cuban people as they continue to recover from the devastation.” Melissa ravaged eastern Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane in October, leaving thousands of people without homes and destroying crops, telecommunications, electricity

and water-pumping infrastructure. The State Department said two charter ﬂights will deliver more than 525 food kits and 650 hygiene and water-treatment kits. A ship carrying the rest of the assistance will dock in Santiago de Cuba in a few weeks. The State Department estimates the aid could reach up to 24,000 people in the hardest-hit provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma and Guantánamo. The food kits include rice, beans, oil and sugar to help families meet basic nutritional needs. The church will also distribute water puriﬁcation tablets and storage containers, pots and cooking utensils, sheets and blankets, solar lanterns for lighting during outages and other essentials. The U.S. embargo on Cuba includes provisions to allow sending humanitarian aid, food and medicines.

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T h u r s d ay, J a n u a ry 15, 2026

1Bn

Play takes deep dive into legal backbone of U.S. Production centered around Constitution scheduled for Friday

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

A local theater company is set to stage a unique production in Lafayette that highlights how the U.S. Constitution impacts lives. Tickets are available for “What the Constitution Means to Me,” premiering at the Theater at Baranco at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The play was written by Heidi Schreck, who earned her college tuition in the late 1980s by winning constitutional debate competitions across the country. Schreck also acted in the original run of the play, which premiered on Broadway “The gravity of in 2019. It was finalist everything being afor2019 the Pulitzer said, it deepens Prize for Dracoming from a ma, was named Black woman’s “best play of the year” by pubmouth.” lications like JOSIAH PRICE, Time magazine and The New resident director York Times, and for Black Theatre has been toured Experience around the country — engaging audience members in reﬂection on what the Constitution means, and how it impacts everyday people. The Lafayette production is directed by Josiah Price, the resident director for Black Theatre Experience. BTE is a program with Heritage Parc, which promotes arts enrichment in north Lafayette. They partnered with Performing Arts Serving Acadiana to bring the production to the area. The play’s lead role, originated by Schreck, will be played by actress Tina Burkhalter. Her credits include an original one-woman show called “My Life in Two Acts,” and she is also an associate professor of theater at South Louisiana Community College. According to Price, the impact of the play deepens with a Black woman in the lead role, but its message remains universal. “In the Black Theatre Experience, our mission is to amplify Black voices through storytelling,” he said. “At first I thought we might have to change a lot of the context in this story, since it’s being told by a White woman and about her life as it pertains to the Constitution. But I found we really did not have to change very much at all, because the story still rings true. The gravity of everything being said, it deepens coming from a Black woman’s mouth.”

ä See PLAY, page 4B

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

The front doors at SAS Shoes and Republic Finance are boarded and taped Wednesday after being damaged by gunfire on Tuesday night in Lafayette.

‘It doesn’t feel safe’ Businesses rattled by barrage of gunfire near Cajun Field BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

A shooting on Bertrand Drive on Monday night has left several business owners and customers shaken. At the SAS Shoes store in the same shopping center where the shooting occurred, manager Debra Jules spent part of her Tuesday afternoon sweeping up shattered glass after bullets tore through the store’s front entrance. “It doesn’t feel safe, honestly, and it’s scary,” Jules said. “Thankfully, we weren’t here because we have bullet fragments all over the store. Anyone could have gotten injured.” The Lafayette Police Department responded to reports of a shooting in the 500 block of Bertrand Drive around 7:22 p.m. Monday. Ofﬁcers found one individual suffering from a nonlife-threatening gunshot wound and he was taken to a local hospital. Investigators say the shooting stemmed from an altercation that escalated into gunﬁre. Some bystanders commented on social media that they heard at least 20 gunshots. Others said it sounded like a war zone. Inside SAS Shoes, the amount of damage in the store shows how intense the shooting was. The glass door at the front of the business was completely shat-

Authors to discuss Breaux Bridge probe

Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

tered. Bullet holes were found in the upper windows, shell casings scattered across the ﬂoor, and additional casings were discovered nearly 10 feet into the back of the store. Jules says the store had closed shortly before the shooting occurred. “My sales associate got off at

6:30, and everything was ﬁne,” she said. “Then at 9:38 p.m., I got a call saying the door was shattered.” Living just minutes away, Jules rushed to the store and stayed there for hours while the damage was assessed and the building secured.

ä See GUNFIRE, page 4B

Book details admission Eunice man wanted in kidnapping attempt scandal at La. school BY ASHLEY WHITE

Cast members Tina Burkhalter, left, and Casey Robichaux rehearse recently for ‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ at the Baranco Elementary auditorium.

A bullet hole fractures a front window of SAS Shoes.

educational system that allowed T.M. Landry to thrive. Both reporters will appear at Cavalier House Books in Lafayette at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 for a moderated Q&A. A book signing will follow the discussion. Tickets are free and available online through Cavalier House Books. The unaccredited private school was thrust into the national spotlight in about 2017 when viral online videos showed minority students and classmates’ reactions to being accepted to such schools as Harvard, Stanford and Yale. The school had plans to expand and was drawing national media attention and even had students appear on the “Ellen” show. But when Benner and Green published their investigation in November 2018, the school was hit with scandal. The school and its founders, Michael and Tracy Landry, were investigated by the FBI and Louisiana State Police, though it does not appear charges ever stemmed from those investigations. The school also appeared in a 2022 documentary, “Accepted.”

Two New York Times reporters have published a book chronicling their investigation into a private school in Breaux Bridge accused of fabricating transcripts, coercing students to write exaggerated or false college admissions essays, and abusing students. “Miracle Children: Race, Education, and a True Story of False Promises” by award-winning reporters Katie Benner and Erica L. Green hit shelves Tuesday. The book details Benner and Green’s yearslong investigation into T.M. Landry College Prep, which boasted a 100% college acceptance rate with nearly every student — most of whom were Black and economically disadvantaged — being placed into an Ivy League university. But it was all a scam, the journalists reported. In “Miracle Children,” Benner and Green weave the details of their reporting, follow-ups with students Contact Ashley White at ashley. and families, and the history of an white@theadvocate.com.

Police are searching for a Eunice man accused of attempting to kidnap his young son and leading officers on a high-speed CRIME chase, acto BLOTTER cording the Eunice Advocate Police Destaff partment. reports Jacolby Nunez, 37, was already wanted for failure to appear on a count of felony domestic abuse child endangerment, police said. He will face additional counts of attempted kidnapping and aggravated flight from officers once captured. Ofﬁcers were dispatched about 4 p.m. Monday to a home on Rose Street in Eunice following a report of an attempted kidnapping, Police Chief Kyle LeBouef said. The suspect had left the area before officers arrived, but a vehicle description was provided. Police said Nunez drove

up to the home wearing a camouflage ski mask and attempted to lure the child into the vehicle. The child’s mother has full custody, ofﬁcials said, and Nunez is prohibited from contacting either the mother or the child. A sibling alerted the mother, and the suspect left without the child, police said. A short time later, officers attempted a traffic stop, but Nunez fled east toward Opelousas, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. The chase ended when he abandoned the vehicle on the west side of Opelousas and fled into a wooded area. Despite assistance from other agencies, officers were unable to locate the suspect. Police said the child was not injured. Anyone with information on Nunez’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Eunice Police Department at (337) 457-2626.

ä See BLOTTER, page 4B

OPINION

2B ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

What La. voters need to know before the new party primaries Election after election, we advise Louisiana voters to inform themselves on the candidates’ backgrounds and platforms. This year, we offer an additional assignment: Learn how to vote for the candidates of your choice under drastically changed rules, or risk being denied that opportunity. The 2026 congressional elections — including U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s high-profile bid for reelection — will be the first to happen under a 2024 Louisiana law that instituted party-specific primaries and runoffs for some but not all public offices. In addition to federal elections, lawmakers included contests for the state Supreme Court, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Public Service Commission. Therefore, two special elections to fill vacancies — created when Supreme Court Justice Will Crain became a federal judge and BESE member Paul Hollis joined the Trump administration — will also happen under the new rules. We are glad to see Secretary of State Nancy Landry’s office taking a proactive approach to educating voters with TV ads and videos and other information available on the state’s geauxvote.com website. The switch from the familiar open primary system “will change the way millions of state residents cast their ballots,” according to a useful new guide from the Public Affairs Council of Louisiana, or PAR, which lays out who can now vote in which elections. Here are some of the changes. In the elections affected, registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote in that party’s primary. The 27% of voters who are registered as “no party” can pick a primary, but cannot vote for, say, a Democrat for the U.S. House and a Republican for the U.S. Senate until the fall general election. Voters registered in a smaller party, such as Green or Libertarian, cannot take part in the primary process. We worry that this will cause confusion at the polls, even after the Legislature last year solved one problem by eliminating the “Independent” party, which some voters likely inadvertently joined when they meant to register as “no party.” So we urge everyone to check their registration and make any changes they want ahead of the listed deadlines. Party primaries are scheduled for May 16, with runoffs on June 27 if nobody in the first round tops 50%. General elections will still take place in the fall, but in many instances, the key decisions will be made by primary voters well ahead of Nov. 3. So what’s the point of adding all these complications? The politicians behind the changes, led by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry but also including some influential Democrats, have long sought a system that would produce candidates who are more ideologically in tune with their party bases. Honestly, in our polarized political system, we don’t see that as a plus, and nor do we believe many Louisiana voters do. Still, these are the rules, at least for now. And voters would be wise to learn them, to make sure that their voices will be heard.

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

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

YOUR VIEWS

The fallout from Venezuela will be unending

Look at who profits from anti-immigrant ad campaign As the New Orleans area endures immigration raids already underway under the Department of Homeland Security’s “Operation Catahoula Crunch,” it’s becoming clear that the crisis isn’t only on our streets — it’s also in how DHS is spending our money. Under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s watch, the agency has funneled at least $220 million into a “Stronger Border, Stronger America” ad blitz, sidestepping normal oversight and directing massive contracts to politically connected insiders. One of the biggest winners is People Who Think, LLC, the Mandevillebased ﬁrm run by Jay Connaughton. His company has reportedly pulled in about $77 million from this campaign — an astonishing sum for work that amounts to promoting and sanitizing the very immigration operations now tearing through our region. Connaughton isn’t just any vendor; he’s a longtime Republican political operative with deep ties to highproﬁle campaigns in Louisiana and beyond.

Let’s be clear: This isn’t what public service looks like. Bypassing competitive bidding under a ﬂimsy “national emergency” waiver to hand huge federal contracts to friends and political allies is exactly the kind of backroom dealing that erodes public trust. And doing it while those same ads push a narrative designed to justify aggressive enforcement in immigrant communities like ours crosses a serious ethical line. These raids are already inﬂicting fear and harm on families across southeast Louisiana. Meanwhile, a select few are cashing in — with taxpayer dollars — to produce propaganda that makes those raids easier to sell. New Orleans deserves transparency, accountability and responsible governance. What we’re getting instead is a multimillion-dollar political grift dressed up as public information. We should all be calling it what it is — and demanding immediate oversight.

The United States captured Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and his wife and removed them from Venezuela. While the war on drugs is something every country should continue to fight, the fact that a sitting president of a foreign country was kidnapped is alarming. The justification for capturing Maduro is the so-called “Kerr-Frisbie doctrine.” According to this controversial doctrine, it does not matter how a suspect is brought before a U.S. court. A trial can go ahead, even if it results from an unlawful armed intervention or abduction, provided the suspect has not been severely tortured in the process. By his actions, Trump has now authorized China to invade Taiwan, Russia to complete its takeover of all of Ukraine and signaled to Greenland, Mexico, Panama and Cuba that their countries are the next targets. It should be noted that Trump has previously ordered military strikes on targets in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Nigeria and Iran. Europe is right to worry that the United States will no longer support them in their fight against aggression by Russia. Congress, as usual, will do nothing more than demand briefings and schedule hearings. The briefings will be given to the Republicans only, who will then support the move as necessary and cancel the hearings. The real reason for invading Venezuela is to take over the oil production. The only question remaining is which one of Trump’s children will be put in charge of “rebuilding” the oil infrastructure in Venezuela and how much money the Trump family will make in the process.

JESSICA COGAN New Orleans

Veterans group hopes article sparks interest The Acadiana Veterans Honor Guard would like to thank Jenna Ross and the Advocate for the article that was published online and in the newspaper. The article was beautifully written and illustrated what the AVHG does for the local veterans. We are proud to provide military burial honors to our local veterans around the Lafayette area.

We ended with over 250 events in 2025, which is a new record. We honorably and humbly fulﬁll our mission of providing these services. Thanks for allowing us to tell our story and to hopefully enlist new members.

BARRY DUFOUR membership chairman, Acadiana Veterans Honor Guard

DANIEL NODURFT Harahan

Black bear hunt nothing to be proud of TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

There were conservation efforts to help bring back the Louisiana black bear from their endangered status so that hunters could kill them. How noble. Ironic that lottery fees to kill these bears are applied to monitor them so that there will be enough to ensure availability to destroy them. Deron Santiny posed with a 696-pound black bear he killed in

Redistricting threats fall flat in Indiana

2024, looking so proud of himself. If he didn’t have a gun, that bear could have wiped him out with one slap. Hunters posing with their “trophies” appear to think they are so macho and talented for shooting a bullet. The only creature with dignity is the one not breathing.

It looks like the president’s attempt to have the Indiana Senate pass his redistricting bill has proven once again that folks do not mind being bribed, but they do not like being blackmailed.

DENISE VERRET Breaux Bridge

DAVE MEEKS New Orleans

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● 3B

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COMMENTARY La. officials should block Trump’s conquest of Greenland For the nation’s good, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise should act to make sure Gov. Jeff Landry’s weird new job related to Greenland involves only peaceful diplomacy. All three Louisianans now are in position to affect the fate of this semi-independent nation, as we will soon discuss. Quin To be clear, GreenHillyer land would be a great addition to the United States, with its mineral wealth and its increasingly important geopolitical location. For the right price, it would be terrific to buy the island from Denmark, thus adding territory equal to the whole swath of this nation from Texas through New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California. This only applies, though, if Greenland’s 57,000 residents actually vote to join the United States. Last I checked, our nation was founded on the principle that the only legitimate sovereignty comes via the consent of the governed. Repeat: The only legitimate authority. Everything else is criminally in violation of unalienable rights. The very idea of taking an entirely unthreatening territory by force should be anathema, especially when the territory in question is an ally and when an invasion would so enrage almost every other U.S. ally that it essentially would end the greatest peacekeeping alliance in history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It could even lead to warfare against those allies — literally — while Russia and China would see the chance for all sorts of mischief while the Western world descended into chaos. It would take a lunatic — and one with a dark and benighted soul, at that — to lead the United States down that path. That’s why if Landry’s yet-to-bedefined role is akin to that of Robert Livingston and James Monroe in negotiating the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, then that would be wonderful. But if he is being used as an avatar for military adventurism, completely unwarranted by any action of Greenland’s, that would be unconscionable. This is where his fellow Louisiana Republicans, Johnson and Scalise, have not just a role but a responsibility. Actually, they have not just one but two levers of power. The first is to publicly insist that ab-

Pituffik Space Base is located in Greenland. sent hostilities or emergency (during which a president’s role as commanderin-chief gives him great leeway to respond), the ordinary requirements of the Constitution and statutes both apply. Namely, only Congress, not the president, can declare war. To be clear, an invasion of Greenland is no mere police action that a president can do on his own. By every standard of human decency, an invasion of a nonhostile nation only for conquest requires an actual declaration of war. Johnson and Scalise should lead a nearly unanimous Congress to pass a resolution saying such an invasion would be unapproved and thus unconstitutional. Second, and even more authoritatively, Congress could prohibit President Donald Trump from spending a single nickel to carry out an invasion. The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse. Not a penny can be spent without appropriation (or other sort of spending approval) from Congress. Granted, current military appropriations leave lots of wiggle room for the president to act on his own authority. On the other hand, if Congress passes a law that speciﬁcally prohibits the president from spending money on a military incursion into Greenland — and then, by two-thirds vote, overrides any veto Trump might issue — then Trump would be taking blatently illegal action if he goes ahead with it. This is not debatable: If, by law of

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JIM WATSON

the land, funds are prohibited from being spent for any purpose, then not even the president can violate that law. In 1986-87, President Ronald Reagan easily could have been impeached and removed from office if he had used appropriated tax dollars, against explicit prohibitions in law, to support anti-Communist war-fighters in Central America. (That’s why aides going rogue funneled money from arms sales to Iran instead.) This threat to Greenland is no joke. Trump reportedly already has ordered his military chieftains to draw up an invasion plan. And European nations are already considering putting boots on the ground to deter the U.S. To stop the madness, Congress should pass both a resolution declaring that Trump has no power to act and a bill specifically withholding all funding for any such action. And do it very, very soon. It is long past time, anyway, for Congress to stand up as a coequal branch of government. No more important occasion could be imagined than one where Congress can insist on not ending the NATO alliance and thus handing a massive benefit to the mass murderers who run Russia and China. Come on, Messrs. Johnson and Scalise: Find some backbone. Now. Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

We need a $1.5 trillion defense budget annual spending of all non-U.S. NATO Finally, the United States will follow countries. The percentage increase through on its NATO commitments. would be highest since the KoThat’d be the cheeky interpretation of President Donald rean War and double the biggest Trump’s announcement, via annual increases of the Reagan Truth Social, that he wants the years. U.S. defense budget to be $1.5 “We still talk about the Reagan trillion. This would represent buildup,” Secretary of War Pete a stunning 50% increase over Hegseth said in a speech last Rich the current budget and put the month, “and my kids and yours Lowry U.S. right around 5% of GDP, will someday talk about the the target level that NATO Trump buildup.” countries recently adopted at Trump’s The Trump proposal would not just insistence. be a down payment on that promise, The details and follow-through will but a big step toward fulfilling it. matter, but on its own terms, the Trump If our military is highly proficient — declaration is of epic significance. as demonstrated in the Venezuela raid Such a historic buildup would meet — it also doesn’t have the materiel to the moment — it’s never made sense wage a protracted major war. that the U.S. would enter a period of Defense analyst Mackenzie Eaglin heightened risk of great power conflict of the American Enterprise Institute at a time when it has difficulty replenhas long been ringing the alarm. She recently noted that during the short ishing its missile stocks. Israel-Iran war, we fired 150, or oneIt would match the predilections quarter, of our THAAD missiles, exof a president who enjoys throwing his weight around. If Trump wants to ceeding our annual purchase rate by speak loudly and carry a big stick, it three times. requires the resources to build and In the Red Sea, the Navy fired more maintain the stick. Tomahawks in January 2024 than it And it would match his vision of a bought in all of 2023. world-class military. You can’t have a These shortfalls, as Eaglin points Golden Dome — Trump’s project for out, are especially disturbing when an enhanced missile defense — or a compared to the building capacity of Golden Fleet — his notion of a nextour adversaries. Whereas the Russians generation navy — without a Golden make more than 300,000 artillery shells Defense Budget. a month, we make only 40,000 155mm The scale of spending contemplated shells. “Beijing builds six naval comhere is truly astounding. A $500 billion batant ships,” she writes, “for every 1.8 increase would roughly match the total ships the U.S. builds.”

Even The New York Times — not known for beating the drums for more defense spending — devoted a splashy editorial last month to the sorry state of our military-industrial base. In his new book, “War and Power,” scholar Phillips Payson O’Brien relates how wars between great powers are usually not won by brilliant battle plans, or by the commitment or proficiency of the troops. Rather, it is productive capacity — and the ability to degrade that of the enemy while maintaining or increasing your own — that makes the difference. The Nazis weren’t going to win the Battle of Britain when the Brits were producing twice as many aircraft as Hitler. On top of this, a nation needs to make shrewd choices about what it is building (the Nazis also had the wrong planes for the Battle of Britain — bombers with payloads that were too small and fighters with limited range). The U.S. needs to make sure that it is not overinvesting in the weapons systems of the past, although a defense budget on the scale that Trump is discussing would relieve some pressure from these choices. We could very well have our traditional subs and jet fighters, and our cutting-edge drones, too. Trump’s taste for gilding everything can be over the top. It’d be a national service, though, if he manages to make the U.S. defense budget golden. Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry.

“The anti-ICE crusade seems to have spawned a corps of amateur warriors who believe they can stick it to law enforcement officers without consequence.”

The prime of tough-guy progressivism On Saturday, Larry Krasner, the elected Democratic district attorney of Philadelphia, posted a photo of himself on social media. It was a black-and-white picture of a sternlooking Krasner in a dark suit, one hand to his sunglasses. At the bottom of the photo, in all caps, was “FAFO,” which of course stands for “f*** around and find out.” The accompanying message said, “To [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and the National Guard: if you commit crimes in Philadelphia, we will charge you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Made in the context of the Minneapolis shooting, the post was part of a new wave of toughguy progressivism in which state and local Democratic Byron officials around the country apYork parently hope to intimidate the federal government over the enforcement of federal immigration law. “Get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” said the city’s Democratic mayor, Jacob Frey, addressing his comments to ICE. Back in Philadelphia, Krasner’s Democratic colleague, Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, used street slang to threaten ICE: “If any of them want to come in this city and commit a crime, you will not be able to hide. ... You don’t want this smoke, ‘cause we will bring it to you.” Tough-guy anti-ICE talk is, of course, rampant on social media. A search by Grok finds that 100 to 200 X accounts use “F*** ICE” or some variant in their username or bio. Some have it superimposed on their photos. As for social media content, Grok said that “F*** ICE” appears on the site “thousands of times at minimum across X’s history, and very likely tens of thousands when including all capitalizations and slight variations.” That kind of thing is to be expected. You can find somebody saying f*** anything on social media. What is more interesting, and more concerning, is that the belligerence displayed by some in positions of authority has trickled down to street protesters. There, raw anger and combativeness toward law enforcement can have very serious consequences. On Friday, Fox News correspondent Matt Finn rode through Minneapolis with ICE as agents attempted to warn people against obstructing law enforcement. Standing at the driver’s side window, an agent told a woman who had been tracking ICE vehicles, “If I continually see you following us, interfering with us, honking your horn, blocking our cars, you have a very high probability of making a really bad decision and being arrested today, OK?” With what appeared to be a self-satisfied smile, the woman said, “I think I’m making exactly the right decision. Bad decision — that’s funny, coming from you.” Other videos have gone viral in recent months of drivers across the country organizing to block ICE operations. Most have ended without serious incident. But anyone who has been stopped by the police should appreciate the importance of not only not resisting but being cooperative. The anti-ICE crusade seems to have spawned a corps of amateur warriors who believe they can stick it to law enforcement officers without consequence. Maybe they can, maybe they can’t. The most awful consequence occurred with another tough-guy progressive, Rebecca Good, who is the wife of Renee Good, the woman killed in the Minneapolis encounter with ICE. Just look at Rebecca Good in the video taken by agent Jonathan Ross. “U.S. citizen, former f***ing veteran,” Rebecca Good said to Ross. “You want to come at us? You want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy.” A few seconds later, Rebecca Good urged Renee Good to drive away, even after being ordered by law enforcement to get out of the car. Renee Good hit the accelerator, and the toughguy progressive pose led to disaster. Still, at the moment, tough-guy progressivism is itching for a fight. From Larry Krasner to the streets of Minneapolis, resistance warriors have arrayed themselves for battle against federal law enforcement. That’s never a good idea, but they seem to be very excited about it. Given that, it is unfortunately true that the Minneapolis incident will likely not be the last to end badly. Email Byron York at byork@washingtonexaminer.com.

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4B ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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GUNFIRE

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prepared for everything.” Patout says several customers were dining inside Agave when the shooting occurred. “There were four or ﬁve people at the bar and some in the restaurant,” he said. “Everyone had to hide inside. It’s not a good feeling to know people were here and fearful for their lives.” After nine years in the area without an incident like this, Patout says the shooting served as a wakeup call for him. Three individuals, Travarious Vincent, Mason Williams and Tylus Broussard, have been arrested in connection with the shooting. While arrests have been made, police say the investigation remains ongoing.

Now, the store remains closed as repairs continue. “It really affects us because it brings a sense of fear,” Jules said. “We’re right across from the Cajundome where a lot of good things happen. You don’t expect something like this.” Other businesses were also impacted. Republic Finance reported broken windows but remains open. Although his restaurant was not directly hit, Agave manager Foster Patout says the incident has changed how he views safety and preparedness. “My first reaction was shock,” Patout said. “But Email Ja’kori Madison it also puts things in per- at jakori.madison@ spective. You have to be theadvocate.com. STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris walks onstage at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans on Tuesday.

Harris brings book tour to N.O. BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Former Vice President Kamala Harris told stories of growing up with an immigrant mother who taught her to dream big and ﬁght injustice to a packed house at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans on Tuesday night. And Harris dispensed advice aimed particularly at many of the young Black women, telling them that they shouldn’t allow others to impose limits on them. Inevitably, of course, politics bubbled up into the discussion between Harris and Brandan “BMike” Odums, a New Orleans artist. “We are living under an administration that is authoritarian,” Odums said as he began a question midway through the hourlong event. “Incompetent and corrupt,” Harris broke in, her words overwhelmed by applause from the crowd. “This is a lame-duck president,” Harris said several minutes later, adding, “They’re making a mistake when they think the American people are falling for this.” But not once did Harris by name mention President Donald Trump, who defeat-

ed her 15 months ago. Nor did she discuss her political future. Harris visited New Orleans in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to speak at the Essence Festival of Culture. She returned this week to resume a nationwide tour promoting her book, “107 Days,” an account of what happened after she suddenly became the Democratic candidate when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, 2024, and endorsed her. The book has been on the bestseller list for 15 weeks and has sold 675,000 copies across various formats, according to Simon & Schuster, the publisher. Copies of the book were displayed on shelves behind Harris and Odums, but she referred to it only a few times. Harris also timed her visit to coincide with Monday’s inauguration of her friend, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno. She gave a shout out to Moreno, who was sitting in the front row. Harris swore in Moreno in the morning at the Saenger, picked up lunch from Lil Dizzy’s restaurant — she ordered two pieces of fried chicken, dirty rice, greens and mango lemonade, said

BLOTTER

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Jennings woman accused of feticide in overdose A 28-year-old Jennings woman has been arrested on a count of third-degree feticide after her unborn child died following a suspected drug overdose in December. Shandelynn Benoit was taken into custody Monday at the same residence where the overdose occurred, according to the Jennings Police Department. She was booked into the parish jail without

proprietor Arkesha Baquet — toured the headquarters of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club and then met Moreno for drinks and dinner at the Hotel Chloe. On Tuesday, Harris toured Odums’ studio in the Bywater neighborhood and was fortified for her nighttime event with muffalettas and boudin brought to the Saenger by Moreno from the restaurant Cochon Butcher. Tuesday night’s event was billed as “A Conversation with Kamala Harris.” Odums began by asking Harris about her formative years. “I was raised by a mother who fought for everything she had,” Harris said. “I have seen and experienced, in particular, injustice and the suffering that results from that. Odums asked about the weight of serving as the first vice president who was a woman, Black and also south Asian. “We think status quo means static,” Harris said. “Oh, when you try to mess with status quo, you will see it’s quite dynamic, and it will fight against change. I’ve experienced that in many ways.” People who follow politics want to know whether Harris will run for president again after she announced

incident. The investigation began Dec. 12, when Jennings police responded to a local hospital where a pregnant woman had been admitted after an apparent overdose. Benoit was 37 weeks pregnant at the time. Despite lifesaving efforts by medical personnel, the unborn child was pronounced dead. During the investigation, Benoit admitted to using fentanyl and heroin throughout her pregnancy, police said. Investigators learned she had been repeatedly warned by medical professionals to stop using drugs because of the risk of serious harm or death to the unborn child. Benoit told investigators she

in July that she won’t run this year to be California’s governor, even though many pundits saw her as a shoo-in. Odums never broached the question, noting at one point that he was an artist, not a journalist. James Carville, the Democratic political strategist, praised Harris in an interview for “a really remarkable career” that included stints as San Francisco’s district attorney, California’s attorney general, a senator and ﬁnally Biden’s vice president. That’s as far as she’ll go politically, he believes. “In 2028, I don’t think the Democrats are going to look back to 2024,” Carville said. “I just don’t. Because they lost. There will be a whole flood of really good candidates.” Donna Brazile, a former chair of the Democratic National Committee who is from Kenner, said it’s too early to worry whether Harris will campaign to be president in 2028. In the meantime, Brazile said, “She can play an extraordinary role in reminding voters of what they were looking for in 2024 and the many promises that Donald Trump has broken.”

used fentanyl and heroin to relieve stomach pain before the overdose, rather than seeking medical treatment.

Second arrest made in fatal December shooting A second arrest has been made in connection to the December shooting in Opelousas that resulted in the death of Markee Benjamin. Investigators arrested Kurtel Gallien, 24, on counts of seconddegree murder, attempted second-degree murder, illegal use of weapons and dangerous instrumentalities, and felon in possession of a ﬁrearm. Investigators previously ar-

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Director Josiah Price follows the script during a rehearsal for the play ‘What the Constitution Means to Me’ at the Baranco Elementary School auditorium.

PLAY

Continued from page 1B

the Constitution means for them, their family or community. Said Price, “It’s far more interesting than a civics class. It’s a hilarious show, very smartly written, and it doesn’t tell the audience what to think or how to feel. It’ll challenge your perspective just by asking these open-ended questions. But it’s super witty, funny, fast-paced, and I’ve learned so much about the Constitution through this process that I had no idea about.” The Theater at Baranco is located inside Baranco Elementary School at 801 Mudd Ave., Lafayette.

In her teenage years, Schreck embarked on an in-depth constitutional journey, in particular understanding how it impacts the lives of women and marginalized groups. The play explores major constitutional touchstones, like Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales, where a woman sued the police department for failing to enforce a restraining order. Through looking at how constitutional issues have been reflected through the lives of women in Schreck’s family, audience Email Joanna Brown members have the oppor- at joanna.brown@ tunity to engage with what theadvocate.com.

LeBlanc also stated that investirested Dominique Trotter on two counts of attempted second-degree gators anticipate additional arrests murder, illegal use of weapons and as the investigation continues. dangerous instrumentalities, and felon in possession of a ﬁrearm. The shooting occurred on Dec. LOTTERY 16 at the intersection of Market Street and Church Street. Investigators learned on Dec. 20 at TUESDAY, JAN. 13, 2026 4:52 p.m. Benjamin succumbed to PICK 3: 5-8-4 the injuries suffered during the PICK 4: 1-7-5-0 shooting. Both Trotter and GalPICK 5: 5-9-5-1-1 lien turned themselves into local MEGA MILLIONS: authorities. “We are grateful to the commu16-40-56-64-66 nity members who came forward MEGA BALL: 4 and provided valuable information that helped our investigators Unofficial notification, identify the individuals involved,” keep your tickets. Police Chief Graig LeBlanc said.

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SPORTS

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

Ausberry expects LSU to get ‘physical’ with Kiffin BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

Verge Ausberry saw a lot of the same issues with the LSU football team that fans complained about during the Brian Kelly era. He noticed a lack of physicality and an inability to run the ball without a dual-threat quarterback, two things he believes will change under new head coach Lane Kiffin. It frustrated Ausberry to see a team with those characteristics. The new LSU athletic director likes to study war history, and he has learned an army repeatedly can drop bombs, but until the infantry goes in, he said “you ain’t going to win the war.” He thinks the same idea applies to an offense, comparing the infantry to running the ball. “I always wondered how physical our team was,” Ausberry told The Advocate. “We’re not physical. We’re good, but we’re not physical. We can’t run the ball. And if you can’t run the ball, you can’t win.” Ausberry gave his first extensive interviews Tuesday since he was promoted to full-time athletic director in November after the ouster of Scott Woodward. He shared his perspective on Kelly’s firing, the state of the program and his expectations for Kiffin. Ausberry saw the on-field problems brewing long before LSU fired Kelly in the midst of his fourth season. LSU struggled to run the ball throughout Kelly’s tenure unless it was in the hands of star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who ran for 2,019 yards over two seasons with the Tigers. An LSU running back never went over 1,000 yards when Kelly was the head coach, even though four starting offensive linemen were drafted last year. “We haven’t run the ball well here at all,” Ausberry said, “and we hid it behind Jayden Daniels. I had been seeing those faults in the

ä See LSU, page 3C

T h u r s d ay, J a n u a ry 15, 2026

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ANALYSIS

Saints defensive end put up special season for his age, but what will it take for him to return?

JORDAN RULES BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer Cam Jordan said he needed to talk with his wife, Nikki, before deciding whether to play in 2026. It was a short conversation. “I said, ‘I would love for you to be in full support,’ ” the New Orleans Saints defensive end said. “She said, ‘You got 100% of support.’ So it was pretty quick.” By the end of the season, it was hardly a question. Jordan demonstrated he could still produce at a high level after recording 101/2 sacks in 2025, something the Saints’ own brass didn’t expect. The only mystery now is whether Jordan and the Saints can hammer out a new contract ahead of next season as the 36-year-old is set to become a free agent in March.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU president Wade Rousse, left, and athletic director Verge Ausberry, right, pose for a photo with football coach Lane Kiffin after an introductory news conference on Dec. 1 at Tiger Stadium.

“Until they don’t want me anymore, this is where I’ve always wanted to be,” Jordan said. Jordan’s resurgence creates an interesting wrinkle for what could be a complicated negotiation between the defensive end and Saints. A year ago, Jordan took a pay cut of slightly more than $6 million, but he had built-in incentives to earn back

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

For Princeton Malbrue, there were many reasons to ﬁnish his college career back home at UL. For starters, there’s family ties with the Ragin’ Cajuns. “I just felt like UL is a special place and a special place for me and my family,” said Malbrue, who became UL’s third transfer portal signee Tuesday. “I know my brother (Chaiziere) played at UL and my dad (Mark) is a UL alum, so UL is just a special place for my family. “I saw a great opportunity with coach (Michael) Desormeaux and his staff to take the time to call it home … and make it a place where I can come home and put it out all on the ﬁeld in my hometown.” After helping Lafayette Christian win a state championship in 2020 with 103 tackles, eight sacks and 15 tackles for losses, Malbrue signed with Northwestern State before

better “old guy’ seasons in NFL history. Here’s how:

A rare group There have been only 10 instances of a player reaching at least 10 sacks in a season after turning 36 since

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Saints defensive end Cam Jordan works during the second half of a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Jan. 4 in Atlanta. ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DANNy KARNIK

Ex-LCA linebacker happy to end college career at home Malbrue has two years of eligibility remaining

some of the money if he performed well. But the dynamic is different now after Jordan earned more than $2 million off incentives alone. Jordan is coming off his best season in years, but he also turns 37 in July. The Saints and Jordan have weeks to sort out the situation. But in the meantime, it shouldn’t be lost that Jordan just put together one of the

transferring to LSU after two seasons. He has two years of eligibility remaining because of Covid and suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2024 season opener at LSU. Malbrue has played in 39 collegiate games with 31 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. This past season at LSU, he played in 12 games with three tackles. Malbrue also visited North Texas and Texas-San Antonio prior to his decision to come home, as well as also talking to Liberty, UNLV and Georgia Tech. His former high school coach Trev Faulk influenced his decision. “He (Faulk) had a powerful influence about taking that next step and why not take it back in your hometown?” the 6-foot1, 216-pound Malbrue said. UL quarterback Lunch Winfield did his fair share of recruiting for the Cajuns, too. “He (Winfield) was kind of pushing the decision to come to UL,” Malbrue said. “He made a big impact on me coming to UL as well.” Another factor in his decision was the opportunity to build on his special-teams

ä See MALBRUE, page 3C

Former Cajuns quarterback Howard returns to Ole Miss BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The collegiate journey for former St. Thomas More quarterback Walker Howard took its latest turn Wednesday when he signed with Ole Miss out of the transfer portal. In December 2024, Howard transferred to UL in his hometown from Ole Miss, but things didn’t go as planned. Not a financially based move like many in the transfer portal, Howard was yearning to both come home and compete for playing time after three seasons of being a backup at both LSU and Ole Miss. Howard won the starting job in preseason camp, but he suffered an oblique injury on the first play of UL’s final drive of the season-opening loss to Rice. At the time, many thought it was a season-ending injury, but Howard rehabbed quickly and ended up playing in parts of five more games the rest STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD KEMP of the way. UL quarterback Walker Howard looks for a While Howard was sidelined, Lunch Winfield — who exited camp as the third-string receiver during the regular-season finale quarterback — took over as the Cajuns

against UL-Monroe. Howard signed with Ole Miss on Wednesday.

ä See HOWARD, page 3C

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 5 p.m. New Mexico St. at Liberty CBSSN 6 p.m. Oakland at Milwaukee ESPNU 7 p.m. Coll. of Charleston at Towson CBSSN 8 p.m. Wichita State at FAU ESPN2 8 p.m. Lindenwood at SE Missouri ESPNU 9 p.m. Gonzaga at Washington St. CBSSN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 5 p.m. Louisville at Notre Dame ACC 5:30 p.m. Vanderbilt at Miss. State SEC 6 p.m. Nebraska at Michigan State BTN 6 p.m. Texas at South Carolina ESPN2

6 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m.

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Villanova at UConn FS1 Illinois at Michigan PEACOCK Virginia at Duke ACC Oregon at Iowa FS1 Maryland at Southern Cal PEACOCK Alabama at Auburn SEC FIGURE SKATING Noon European championships * E! 2 p.m. European championships E! GOLF 1 p.m. Latin America Amateur ESPN2 6 p.m. PGA Tour: Sony Open Golf 1:30 a.m. DP World: Dubai Invitational ^ Golf

NBA 1 p.m. Memphis vs. Orlando 6:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at Houston 9 p.m. New york at Golden State NHL 6 p.m. Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 8:30 p.m. Toronto at Vegas TENNIS 5 a.m. Adelaide-ATP/WTA 6 p.m. Adelaide-ATP/WTA * taped ^Friday

PRIME PRIME PRIME ESPN ESPN Tennis Tennis

HIGH SCHOOLS REPORT Boys basketball Monday’s scores Eunice 66, Breaux Bridge 63 Opelousas 57, Church Point 50 Central Catholic 97, Acadiana Renaissance 61 Berwick 52, Erath 45 Iota 54, Basile 27 Loreauville 52, Glencoe 20 Midland 90, South Beauregard 80 West St. Mary 67, Jeanerette 58 Westminster 71, Menard 56 Westminster-LAF 58, Grace Christian 25 Washington-Marion 84, Acadiana 63 Teurlings 48, Carencro 39 New Iberia 47, Franklin 29 Lafayette High 42, Cecilia 24 Lafayette Christian 56, Pitkin 53 Lafayette Renaissance 68, Istrouma 46 David Thibodaux 69, Ville Platte 41 North Vermilion 61, Berwick 28 Peabody 80, Northside 56 Notre Dame 45, Vermilion Catholic 39 DeRidder 47, North Central 42 Grand Lake 52, St. Edmund 49 Westminster 69, Catholic-PC 50 Opelousas 56, Mamou 54 Abbeville 75, Delcambre 33 ESA 35, Kaplan 30 Acadiana Renaissance 87, Northside Christian 33

Lafayette High 42, Cecilia 24

North Vermilion 61, Berwick 28 BERWICK (28) Kayde Acosta 12, Xavier Benjamin 5, Jailyn Collins 6, Vintey Boyd 2, Brennan White 3. NORTH VERMILION (61) Jayvin Gage 7, Zarian Gage 3, RJ Conway 2, Jose Sotomayor 16, Eli Dubois 3, Kylon Martin 6, Mason Dauterive 9, Jaxsen Frederick 13, Johnny Aubrey 2. Berwick 11 3 9 5 — 28 North Vermilion 14 25 16 6 — 61 3-pointers — BER: Acosta 2, White 1; NV: Z. Gage 1, Sotomayor 4, Dauterive 1, Frederic 3. total Fouls: BER 12, NV 8.

Thursday’s games Crowley at Beau Chene St. Martinville at Breaux Bridge Menard at St. Thomas More Livonia at Church Point Oberlin at Iota Hathaway at St. Edmund Westminster at Plainview

Girls basketball Tuesday’s scores Carencro 34, Pineville 31 Hathaway 70, Lafayette High 51 Lafayette Christian 58, Pitkin 44 St. Thomas More 40, Abbeville 35 Opelousas 42, Breaux Bridge 30 Church Point 67, Kinder 39 Catholic-NI 39, West St. Mary 23 Houma Christian 40, Delcambre 5 Cecilia 52, Livonia 47 David Thibodaux 53, Patterson 17 Midland 71, Welsh 6 Basile 44, Ascension Episcopal 22 Highland Baptist 54, Gueydan 22 Jeanerette 60, Central Catholic 32 Iota 46, Eunice 23 St. Edmund 44, Grand Lake 40 Vermilion Catholic 55, WestminsterLafayette 23 Westminster 46, Catholic-PC 45 North Vermilion 44, Berwick 28 Acadiana Renaissance 42, Northside Christian 26

Lafayette Christian 58, Pitkin 44 PITKIN (44) Natalie Nolan 2, Josslyn Johnson 6, Charley Lentz 8, Lylah Maride 5, Lexie Strother 3, Madison Johnson 9, Arkadia Lacaze 2, Deseraigh Powell 2, Bella Bailey 3, Lydia Wisby 4. Totals: 13 (6) 1-3. LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN (58) Shanna Semien 21, Kenadie Jackson 8, Logan Boutte 8, Paityn Dean 12, Savannah Westbrooks 9. Totals: 23 (1) 9-16. Pitkin 17 11 3 13 — 44 LCA 21 17 13 7 — 58 3-pointers — LCA: Westbrooks 1; PIT: J. Johnson 2, Maride 1, Strother 1, M. Johnson 1, Bailey 1. Total Fouls: LCA 12, PIT 13.

Thursday’s games Madison Prep at Lafayette St. Martinville at New Iberia Eunice at Opelousas Catholic Teurlings at Berwick Livonia at Church Point Oberlin at Iota Tara at Lafayette Renaissance Ascension Episcopal at Vermilion Catholic

Boys soccer Tuesday’s scores Lafayette 5, Sulphur 4 New Iberia 4, Westgate 0 Acadiana 2, Barbe 1 Erath 9, Highland Baptist 3 Vermilion Catholic 4, Kaplan 1 Comeaux 8, Washington-Marion 0 Teurlings 5, David Thibodaux 2 Acadiana Renaissance 2, Cecilia 2 Beau Chene 9, Carencro 1

Thursday’s games Kaplan at Highland Baptist Westminster at Lafayette Christian Acadiana Renaissance at Erath Northeast at St. Martinville Carencro at Westgate

Girls soccer Tuesday’s scores Cecilia 5, Kaplan 1 David Thibodaux 4, Erath 0 Comeaux 8, Washington-Marion 0 New Iberia 8, Westgate 0 Beau Chene 4, Carencro 2 Comeaux 8, Washington-Marion 0

Thursday’s games Kaplan at Highland Baptist Westminster at Lafayette Christian Delta at Lafayette Renaissance Acadiana Renaissance at Teurlings Cecilia at David Thibodaux Carencro at Westgate Barbe at Southside

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs added Alex Bregman on Wednesday, ﬁnalizing a $175 million, ﬁve-year contract with the All-Star third baseman. Bregman, a former LSU star, will be formally introduced by Chicago during a news conference on Thursday at Wrigley Field. With Nico Hoerner wearing No. 2 for the Cubs, Bregman will switch to No. 3 with his new team. Chicago is deferring $70 million, which is 40% of the contract. Bregman gets $35 million annually, with $15 million deferred this year and in 2029, $10 million each in 2027 and 28, and $20 million in 2030. His deferred money is due in eight installments each July 31 from 2034-41.

LHP Suárez, Red Sox agree to $130M, 5-year contract

Tuesday’s scores

CECILIA (24) Jermaine Davis 16, Jayden Lewis 6, Briggs Brennan 2. LAFAYETTE HIGH (42) Liam Rountree 9, Jaleel Sinegal 5, Luther Dillon 2, Grant Sliman 2, Sprague Hebert 8, Austin Drew 7, Chase Holliday 2, Kam’Ron Brown 7. Cecilia 5 7 6 6 — 24 Lafayette 9 11 11 11 — 42 3-pointers — CEC: Davis 2; LAF: Sinegal 1, Drew 1, Brown 1. Total Fouls — CEC 13, LAF 10.

Cubs finalize $175M deal with All-Star 3B Bregman

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Cecilia’s Jermaine Davis, left, and Lafayette High’s Luther Dillon go after the ball during Tuesday night’s game at Lafayette High. The Lions allowed just 12 points in each half en route to a 42-24 win.

Lions’ defense roars With offense struggling, Lafayette High shuts down Cecilia

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Sometimes the shots just aren’t falling. That doesn’t mean victory is out of the question, but it requires getting creative to score points. That’s what the Lafayette High boys did in Tuesday’s nondistrict win against Cecilia. With offense hard to come by, the Lions’ defense led the way in a 42-24 victory. “We didn’t shoot the basketball really well,” Lafayette coach Clifton Brown said, “but we just grinded it out in man-to-man on defense and created our offense through our defense.” Even more impressive was how the Lions (14-3) played defense, as they didn’t utilize much full-court pressing or half-court trapping. Instead, they played man-to-man

defense, which led to 16 Cecilia turnovers. “Give Cecilia some credit, because they came out and pulled some tricks out on us,” Brown said. “But we were able to adapt. We like to come out in our 2-2-1 (zone) and see if the other teams’ guards can handle the ball, but then we decide to just play man-to-man. We wanted to stay in front of them and not allow them to go by us.” Half of the Bulldogs’ turnovers were a result of steals by the Lions, who held Cecilia (4-10) to 12 points in each half. “I’m very pleased with the way we played defensively,” said Brown, whose Lions extended their win streak to four games. “Anytime you only give up 24 points, you have to be satisﬁed. At halftime, we told the kids, ‘We know the offense isn’t there, but just continue playing

tough defense. If we continue to play good defense, we’ll be in good position at the end of the game.’ ” The Lions didn’t have a doublefigure scorer, but did have four — Liam Rountree (nine points, four rebounds, two blocks, steal), Sprague Hebert (eight points, six rebounds, three blocks, two steals), Austin Drew (seven points, two rebounds, two steals) and Kam’ron Brown (seven points, three rebounds, three steals, three assists) — score at least seven points. “Sprague is our captain and senior leader,” Clifton Brown said. “He’s the guy who helps us to get into our groove. He didn’t get it going offensively, but he deﬁnitely got us going with rebounds and some key block shots.” Jermaine Davis led Cecilia with a game-high 16 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Simien’s third-quarter hot streak lifts Lafayette Christian by Pitkin BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

Shanna Simien didn’t miss a shot in the third quarter of Lafayette Christian’s win over Pitkin in a meeting of top-ranked girls basketball teams. The junior, who led all scorers with 21 points, was 5 for 5 from the field in the period, while the visiting Tigers made only 1 of 13 field goals in the quarter on Tuesday. “Shanna has been playing lights out,” LCA coach Errol Rogers said. “Defensively, scoring — she’s just been doing some great things.” The Division III select No. 1 Knights turned a 10-point halftime lead into a 51-31 advantage after three quarters and held Class B Pitkin to its lowest scoring output of the season in a 58-44 win. “I thought we did a great job defensively,” said Rogers, who praised Braelyn Green, a stopper usually assigned to the opposing post player. “We were in our gaps. We lost them a couple of times early in transition but started picking them up. If you told me we would have a 22-point lead (50-28 in the third quarter), I would have never believed it, because that’s a really good team.” Senior guard Logan Boutte scored eight points in the first quarter before exiting with an ankle injury. Rogers estimated that she’ll miss a week or two. The Knights (14-5) lost Nicholls State signee Kaliyah Samuels early in the season to an injury but added Savannah Westbrook, a transfer from Hamilton Christian. Westbrook came off the bench to score nine points. “(Westbrook) made some great plays early in the game to kind of lift us,” Rogers said. “Logan was playing at the time, but just to have another person who can score on the offensive side helps us.” Paityn Dean scored 12 points and Kenadie Jackson added nine for LCA. Star junior Charley Lentz scored all eight points for Pitkin (23-3) in the first half. Madison Johnson’s nine points paced the Tigers. “Hats off to our defense,” Rogers said. “They played well. They guarded and boxed out. We did what we’ve

Left-hander Ranger Suárez and the Boston Red Sox agreed Wednesday to a $130 million, ﬁveyear contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. An All-Star in 2024, Suárez had spent his entire professional career with the Philadelphia Phillies after signing at age 16 in April 2012. The 30-year-old from Venezuela pitched out of the bullpen early on but has been a steady performer and mostly a reliable winner since moving into the rotation exclusively in 2022. Suárez was 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA last season in 26 starts covering a career-high 1571⁄3 innings, then became a free agent for the ﬁrst time and turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from Philadelphia in November.

QB Moore to return to Oregon, skip NFL draft

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore decided to return to the Ducks next season rather than declare for the NFL draft. Moore, 20, announced his decision on Wednesday on ESPN. This season, Moore completed nearly 72% of his throws for 3, 565 yards, with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Oregon finished 13-2. Moore had been forecast to be the second quarterback selected in the NFL draft, behind Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. The Ducks are coming off a 5622 loss to Indiana in a College Football Playoff semifinal Friday night. Moore had three crucial turnovers in the first half, leading to three Indiana TDs that gave the Hoosiers a commanding 35-7 lead at halftime.

Ingram, Suh, Donald to enter College Football HOF

Former Saints running back Mark Ingram, the ﬁrst Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy, and Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald, two of the most fearsome defensive linemen of their era, highlight the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class announced Wednesday. Gary Patterson of TCU and Chris Petersen of Boise State and Washington are among four coaches that will be inducted at the National Football Foundation’s awards dinner in December in Las Vegas. Among offensive players joining Ingram in the hall are Peter Warrick of Florida State and Marvin Harrison of Syracuse. Other coaches who will be inducted are Jim Margraff of Johns Hopkins and Ken Sparks of CarsonNewman.

Detry to join LIV Golf, which is upping purse to $30M

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Lafayette Christian’s Shanna Simien puts up a shot against Pitkin during Tuesday’s nondistrict game at Lafayette Christian. Simien scored a game-high 21 points in the Knights’ 58-44 win.

been working on. Again, we were playing against a really good team. I just felt like we executed defensively. Because of that, it made the offense easier.” The ﬁrst quarter was played at breakneck speed with both teams willing and able to push the ball in transition. After trailing 5-4 in the ﬁrst two minutes, the Knights ended the quarter ahead 21-17 with Boutte providing the bulk of the offense. “You can’t take any team lightly,” Boutte said. “We have to play our game, knock out those nerves early, handle our business on defense and everything else will come.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Thomas Detry of Belgium is joining LIV Golf for 2026, the fifth year for the Saudi-funded league that is increasing its total purse to $30 million. The Tour also got statements from Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm that they’re staying. LIV Golf wrapped up a week of previews — the season starts Feb. 4 in Saudi Arabia — that concluded Wednesday with CEO Scott O’Neil saying he had no problem with Brooks Koepka leaving to go back to the PGA Tour and that those who remained were committed to the league. O’Neil also held out hope the Ofﬁcial World Golf Ranking, which has been reviewing the LIV application for more than six months, will decide whether to include LIV before its season opener.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● 3C

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LSU adds former 5-star QB from USC BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

LSU signed former Southern Cal quarterback Husan Longstreet, the school announced Wednesday, adding a former five-star recruit to the quarterback room as the Tigers rebuild the position before their first season under new coach Lane Kiffin. Also on Wednesday, according to multiple reports, LSU redshirt junior wide receiver Nic Anderson stated he plans to enter the transfer portal. Longstreet was considered one of the top 20 players in the transfer portal regardless of position by multiple recruiting services, and he helped address LSU’s most pressing need by signing Wednesday. LSU did not have a scholarship quarterback returning next season, so within the past four days, it also has signed Arizona State redshirt sophomore Sam Leavitt and Elon redshirt freshman Landen Clark. Longstreet spent his freshman year at USC as the backup to

HOWARD

Continued from page 1C

Jayden Maiava, playing only 44 snaps in four games. He completed 86.7% (13 of 15) of his passes for 103 yards and one touchdown in games against Missouri State and Georgia Southern. He also rushed 11 times for 76 yards and two scores, showing mobility that could make him an ideal ﬁt for the LSU offensive scheme. He has four more years of eligibility. Longstreet, who is 6-foot and 200 pounds, does not have experience, but there is potential. He was the No. 25 overall recruit and the fourth-best quarterback in the 2025 class coming out of Centennial High in Corona, California, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He entered the transfer portal last Thursday, and LSU quickly hosted him on a visit that began Saturday. LSU had to find new quarterbacks after the position room was completely emptied at the end of the season. Fifth-year senior Garrett Nussmeier exhausted his eligibility, and sophomore Michael Van Buren and redshirt freshman Colin Hurley entered the trans-

he elected to return to Ole Miss, which is no longer coached by Lane Kifﬁn. As a redshirt freshman in Oxford, he was 3-of-4 passing for 56 yards. In his second season, Howard appeared in two games but did not complete a pass in two attempts. Howard signed with LSU out of high school but completed only two passes for 7 yards and had six carries for 33 yards in limited action that season while playing behind eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. He transferred to Ole Miss after one season.

starter and didn’t relinquish the job while rallying UL to four straight wins to end the regular season and earning a bowl berth. Howard ﬁnished his one season at UL completing 18 of 41 passes for 155 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran 15 times for 82 yards and one score. At the conclusion of the season, his options were to retire from football, stay and compete again for the starting role at UL or transfer. After entering the Email Kevin Foote at transfer portal over the weekend, kfoote@theadvocate.com.

MALBRUE

Continued from page 1C play but also receiving more snaps at linebacker. “I think I fit in very well,” Malbrue said. “Coach Desormeaux talked to me about expanding my role as a versatile hybrid linebacker and just using me in various ways on their defense to help the team out in any way I can.” He’s expected to enter the spring season spending time in both the outside and inside linebacker rooms. Either way, Malbrue is confident his time at LSU will help him at UL. “Being at LSU helped with my physicality and my football IQ. Playing with the best of the best in the best conference in the nation, there’s a lot of things that you experience,” he said. “You meet up against great players. You practice with them every day. I was very fortunate to practice with a Heisman Trophy winner … being around those kind of guys just improves your game in every aspect on and off the field.” Malbrue followed offensive lineman Jayce Mitchell from Tulane and defensive tackle Brodrick Stewart from Tarleton State as UL’s three transfer portal additions in this year’s portal

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C sacks became official in 1982. Jordan became the latest when he brought down Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in the season finale. Just look at some of the names Jordan joined, many of whom appear more than once: 1. Reggie White: 16 sacks in 1998 (age 37, Green Bay Packers) 2. Chris Doleman: 15 sacks in 1998 (37, San Francisco 49ers) 3. Kevin Greene: 12 sacks in 1998 (36, Carolina Panthers) 4. Doleman again: 12 sacks in 1997 (36, San Francisco 49ers) 5. Greene again: 12 sacks in 1999 (37, Carolina Panthers) 6. Julius Peppers: 11 sacks in 2017 (37, Carolina Panthers) 7. White again: 11 sacks in 1997 (36, Green Bay Packers) 8. Cam Jordan: 101/ 2 sacks in 2025 (36, New Orleans Saints) 9. Too Tall Jones: 10 sacks in 1987 (36, Dallas Cowboys) 10. Bruce Smith: 10 sacks in 2000 (37, Washington Redskins) That’s seven players total — five of whom are in the Hall of Fame. Only Jordan and Jones aren’t enshrined. Jordan became the first defender

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker Princeton Malbrue walks on the ﬁeld before a game against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 6. Malbrue signed with UL on Tuesday. period so far. On the flip side, nine former Cajuns have entered the portal: running backs Zylan Perry and Bill Davis, cornerback Lorenzell Dubose, offensive tackle Bryant Williams, linebacker Drenon Fite, defensive tackle Fitzgerald West, wide receiver Charles Robertson, quarterback Walker Howard and deep snapper Carter Milliron. Williams is headed to Arkansas, Davis to Virginia Tech, Perry to Cincinnati, Fite to Texas-San Antonio, Howard to Ole Miss and Milliron to Florida.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

USC transfer quarterback Husan Longstreet attends an LSU women’s basketball game against Texas on Sunday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. fer portal. Van Buren signed with South Florida, and Hurley transferred to Michigan. Kiffin and his staff are in the process of rebuilding the offense, which averaged 22.8 points per

LSU

Continued from page 1C foundation. I had been seeing those cracks a long time ago. It was how we won games. We weren’t dominating games. We were just outathleting people, and we had a quarterback who was the best in the country.” After Daniels left, the rushing offense struggled. It finished 107th and 126th nationally in yards rushing per game the past two seasons, respectively. Ausberry thinks that will change with Kiffin, whose scheme depends on the ability to run the ball. Ole Miss never ranked worse than 44th in the country in rushing offense during his six years with the Rebels. “You’ve got to create that, and it starts in the weight room,” Ausberry said. “Start setting the tone. Start setting the discipline in the program. I think we lost some of that. We lost our toughness, and that’s why you can’t run the ball. Everybody was blaming the running backs. It wasn’t running backs.” Last fall, Ausberry’s concern rose as the season went along. He called LSU’s season-opening win at Clemson “fool’s gold,” skeptical of the preseason hype for both teams. He sensed “something’s not right” after the offense struggled against Louisiana Tech and Florida. A 24-19 road loss to Ole Miss could be withstood, but then came a mid-October loss to Vanderbilt, which finished 10-3 behind Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Diego Pavia. “We got physically beat,” Ausberry said. “For the first time, I watched us get physically beat at the line of scrimmage. I don’t care how good Vanderbilt is. That should never happen. Vanderbilt should never do that to LSU. It should never happen. And then the wheels start coming off.” A week later, Ausberry walked onto the sideline in the fourth quarter of LSU’s 49-25 home loss to Texas A&M. He looked around at a stadium that largely had emptied out after three losses in the previous four games and wondered whether LSU could bounce back with Kelly as the head coach, knowing

game this season. Only a handful of starters are set to return, so LSU is assembling the largest transfer class the team ever has signed. Anderson was one of the highest-

the schedule didn’t get any easier ted other candidates, including with road trips remaining against Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, but Kiffin topped the list from the beAlabama and Oklahoma. “Is the coach and the players ginning. Ausberry said he didn’t connected?” Ausberry said. “I feel comfortable with the idea of thought at that time that he had hiring Kiffin four years ago when pretty much lost that connection.” his name came up, but he did this Kelly was fired the next day. He time because he thinks Kiffin has rejected settlement offers of $25 matured. Going into Kiffin’s first season, million and $30 million, but he said in a letter to LSU officials that he LSU has overhauled the roster, was open to negotiate. Kelly later especially on offense. LSU has filed a lawsuit in which he claimed added 30 transfers as of WednesLSU intended to fire him for cause. day night, including Arizona State The lawsuit was dropped after quarterback Sam Leavitt, one of LSU agreed to fire him without the top players on the market. And cause and pay his full $54 million Ausberry expects Kiffin to hold buyout, which can be offset if he physical spring practices, adding: “I don’t think we had one of those gets another job in football. Ausberry said he “didn’t get in- in a long time.” “This could be a volved in that part team that could reof the process” when “This could be ally get in the playasked why LSU attempted to fire Kelly a team that could offs in his first year,” said. “He for cause. Kelly’s really get in the Ausberry has the tools out lawyers addressed playoffs in his there. He has the multiple letters to out there Ausberry and LSU first year. He has weapons to do it. We’d like to board of supervithe tools out be deeper in some sors member John areas, but I think Carmouche as they there. ... We’d upgraded a sought his full buylike to be deeper we’ve lot.” out. In one, his repin some areas, Wi t h m i l l i o n s resentatives said spent on rosters Ausberry and LSU but I think we’ve through NIL and executive deputy upgraded a lot.” revenue sharing, athletic director JuAusberry said “the lie Cromer told them VERGE AUSBERRy, days of being good Oct. 27 that some LSU athletic director, on at everything just LSU board members Lane Kiffin’s team can’t exist because may look into the liqthe funding is not uidated damages. there.” He has to “We got to pay that note,” Ausberry said. “That’s why think about how much money goes I hope one day that he gets a job to every team. There may come a coaching again. That’s important. day when LSU has to choose which We’re going to try to help him, tell sports it invests more in — but that people to hire him. You know, he’s does not apply to football. “The big thing is that builda good football coach. “You look at Brian Kelly, Brian ing with 102,000 people has to be probably wasn’t a fit here. But great,” Ausberry said. “If we’re what he did at Cincinnati, what not great there, then LSU is not he did at Notre Dame. I mean, the great, the city of Baton Rouge is guy played in the final games. He’s not great and the state of Louisibeen there. It’s not like Brian Kel- ana is not great. You have to be ly’s not a good football coach or he successful in that building. “That’s not winning a national just forgot how to coach football. No, it’s not that. LSU, it takes the championship every year, but you right person. It takes the right fit.” got to be in the conversation. And Ausberry believes he found the I think that’s why we went out right person in Kiffin, who signed and hired a guy like a Lane Kiffin, a seven-year, $91 million deal. somebody who brings that to the The LSU search committee vet- table.”

north of 36 to record double-digit sacks since Peppers in 2017. There have been only 25 defensive players of that age total to log a snap in that span, let alone a sack.

Unexpected season Jordan loves to say that he knew he was still capable of putting together such a season, often noting that all he needed was an opportunity. In those remarks, he’d usually throw a potshot or two toward former Saints defensive line coach Todd Grantham for being the one he felt limited his usage. But Jordan had just two sacks in 2023 and four sacks in 2024. The productivity, or lack thereof, was hard to ignore. “Did we expect 101/ 2 sacks from him?” general manager Mickey Loomis said. “No, I wouldn’t say that we expected that, but I’m excited for him.” Jordan’s 61/ 2-sack jump from the year prior is one of the biggest ever when factoring in his age. The last player who was at least 36 years old to see an increase of at least six sacks from the year prior was Hall of Famer Michael Strahan in 2007. That year, Strahan recorded nine sacks after totaling three in 2006. But in Strahan’s case, his production was cut short at 35 because of a broken foot that limited him to

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA BLACKWELL

Saints defensive end Cam Jordan, right, grabs Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for a sack during the ﬁrst half of a game on Nov. 30 in Miami Gardens, Fla. nine games. There weren’t many questions about Strahan’s play when healthy. Jordan, on the other hand, hasn’t missed a game since 2022 and has been remarkably durable throughout his career, even while battling through some significant ailments. (He’ll note part of his down 2023 season was because of a foot injury that required offseason surgery.) Still, when players reach doubledigit sacks, they typically have

ranked transfers available when he left Oklahoma after the 2024 season, but he did not contribute much in his one season with the Tigers, catching 12 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Anderson has one more year of eligibility. With Anderson’s planned departure, the only LSU wide receiver set to return to the team next season is freshman Phillip Wright, who LSU announced would come back in a recent social media post. LSU signed three wide receivers in the 2026 class, and it has added nine more through the transfer portal entering Kifﬁn’s ﬁrst season. Anderson had a breakout season with Oklahoma in 2023 when he caught 38 passes for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns, the most touchdown catches by a freshman in team history. He missed almost the entirety of the next season before playing in 10 games with three starts for LSU. Anderson missed the last three games of the season after suffering a knee injury, but he returned for the Texas Bowl.

been playing at a high level. Peppers, for instance, put together a respectable 71/ 2-sack campaign in 2016 before ﬁnishing with 11 sacks at age 37 in 2017. Jordan appears to be one of the rare exceptions, which makes it remarkable.

Rotational production This is what might be most impressive regarding Jordan’s turnaround: He did it while playing a

rotational role. The stat sheet will show that Jordan started all 17 games. But once Chase Young returned from a calf injury that sidelined him for the ﬁrst ﬁve weeks, Jordan played less than half of the defense’s snaps in the eight games played between Weeks 7-15. In that span, Jordan recorded four sacks. He then recorded four sacks in his last three games, when his playing time increased, but still never cracked 60%. The Saints have tended to limit Jordan’s snaps as he has gotten older to keep him fresh throughout the season. In all, Jordan played 53.6% of the Saints’ snaps in 2025. Of the 17 players to have at least 10 sacks this past year, according to Stathead, Jordan had the third-smallest percentage of playing time, ahead of only Arizona’s Josh Sweat (12 sacks at 47.1%) and Detroit’s Al-Quadin Muhammad (11 sacks at 41.4%). Since 2012, when Stathead began tracking player snap counts, Jordan’s 590 snaps were the 17th fewest out of the 257 instances in which a player recorded at least 10 sacks in a season. “The Saints have done nothing but show that they want me to be here,” Jordan said. “Now, at what price? Some would say half off this last year. I can’t do that again.”

4C ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Miami high school will celebrate CFP alumni ä Indiana vs. Miami,

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP sportswriter

6:30 P.M. MONDAy, ESPN

MIAMI — Tuesday’s classes at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami have been canceled. There wouldn’t be much learning going on that day. No matter what happens Monday night in the College Football Playoff title game between Indiana and Miami — a game that will be played in South Florida — Columbus will be busily celebrating the sight of alums hoisting the national championship trophy. Thing is, will it be Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner? Or will it be Miami coach Mario Cristobal? “The kids here, that’s all they’re talking about this week,” said Herb Baker, the school’s longtime athletic trainer known by many in South Florida simply as Brother Herb. Columbus, a Catholic all-boys school that sits about 5 miles from the University of Miami campus and about 25 miles from Hard Rock Stadium — where the game will be played — is a house divided right now. There are Miami fans. There are Mendoza fans. The optimist would say the school can’t lose. The pessimist would say the school can’t win. “It’s a no-lose situation,” said Columbus football coach Dave Dunn — who immediately started wondering when the CFP bracket came out if the stars would align for an Indiana-Miami ﬁnal. “You’re really kind of celebrating the success of all of our alums. And to do it on this type of stage is just amazing.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BRyNN ANDERSON

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza kisses the trophy after a Peach Bowl victory in the CFP semifinals against Oregon on Friday in Atlanta. The list of Columbus grads in this game is seven-deep. Indiana has Mendoza at quarterback and his brother, Alberto Mendoza, as the backup. Miami has Cristobal, associate head coach Alex Mirabal, defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald, offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez and backup quarterback Vinny Gonzalez. The kids, the families, they all know each other. Fernando Mendoza, then at Cal, played against Miami last year in what became a wild Hurricanes comeback win. Alberto Mendoza quarterbacked

Columbus to a state title in 2023; the ﬁnal TD pass he threw in that game was to Fitzgerald. Fernando and Alberto Mendoza’s father, also named Fernando, was a teammate of Cristobal and Mirabal at Columbus in the late 1980s. If all that wasn’t enough, the Mendoza family home is less than a mile from the Miami campus in Coral Gables — and Elsa Mendoza, the mother of the Indiana quarterbacks, played tennis for the Hurricanes in her college years. Ties that bind, indeed. “It’s always special when you get

to play with or against guys that you know or knew growing up, competed against, played on the same teams with,” said Cristobal, whose sons attend Columbus and whose nephew is on the Explorers’ football coaching staff. “At the end of the day, your preparation doesn’t change. Your intensity is always driven up the closer and closer you get to game time and as you go deeper into the season. We all know the brand of football played down here in South Florida is special.” Columbus sits in the area of Miami known as Westchester, and the

heavily Cuban-American suburb clearly has divided loyalties right now. Along the fence that separates the school from SW 87th Avenue is a long blue banner, reading “Fernando Mendoza Class of 2022 He15man Winner” — the “15” replacing two letters in “Heisman” is a nod to his Indiana jersey number, and yes, the digits are in the Hoosiers’ crimson. “I think playing a national championship would get anybody fired up and definitely stir up some emotions,” Fernando Mendoza said. “However for myself, I believe it’s going to be a great game. The Hurricanes are a fantastic team, led by a great coach in Coach Cristobal.” Around the corner from the school: a famous hot dog restaurant called Arbetter’s. There are some photos inside of former Hurricanes star Ray Lewis and former university president Donna Shalala, among others. There’s also a “Mendoza Dog” for sale in a nod to the Heisman winner, a quarterpound grilled sausage with sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and potato sticks. Whichever way the title game goes, some at Columbus are certain to be thrilled. “I’m going through it myself,” Baker said. “I like Mendoza, but you know, I’m a diehard Miami fan. So, I’m conflicted, but I made up my mind. I’m going to root for Miami. The conflict was there, but I resolved that I’m a local guy, so I’ve got to root for my team.”

SCOREBOARD Odds College Football Monday

CFP National Championship Miami Gardens, Fla. FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Indiana 7½ 8½ (48½)Miami (FL)

College Basketball Thursday

FAVORITE LINE at LIBERTY 6½ Mercer 10½ at APP STATE 1½ Robert Morris 5½ Elon 1½ at WRIGHT STATE 6½ at N. KENTUCKY 10½ Green Bay 4½ at MONMOUTH 5½ Hofstra 6½ at GEO. SOUTH. 4½ at DELAWARE 1½ at UNC GREENS. 9½

NBA

Thursday

FAVORITE LINE at ORLANDO 5½ at DETROIT 6½ Boston 1½ Oklahoma City 4½ at SAN ANTONIO 7½ at DALLAS OFF at GOLDEN STATE 3½ at PORTLAND OFF at LA LAKERS 4½

Men’s national scores

UNDERDOG New Mexico State at VMI James Madison at IU INDIANAPOLIS at NORTHEASTERN Youngstown State Detroit Mercy at CLEVELAND STATE Drexel at STONY BROOK Old Dominion UTEP Citadel

O/U (231½) (220½) (233½) (221½) (226½) (OFF) (231½) (OFF) (232½)

UNDERDOG Memphis Phoenix at MIAMI at HOUSTON Milwaukee Utah New York Atlanta Charlotte

NFL Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U at DENVER 1½ 1½ (46) at SEATTLE 6½ 7 (45)

Sunday

UNDERDOG Buffalo San Fran.

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at N. ENGLAND 2½ 3 (41) Houston LA Rams 4½ 3½ (48½) at CHICAGO

NHL

Thursday

FAVORITE at BUFFALO at PITTSBURGH at WASHINGTON at COLUMBUS at BOSTON at MINNESOTA at CHICAGO at EDMONTON at UTAH at VEGAS

LINE -115 -153 -197 -176 -175 -161 -112 -180 OFF -138

UNDERDOG Montreal Philadelphia San Jose Vancouver Seattle Winnipeg Calgary N.Y Islanders Dallas Toronto

LINE -105 +128 +163 +146 +146 +135 -108 +150 OFF +117

Pro football NFL Wild-card playoffs Jan. 10

L.A. Rams 34, Carolina 31 Chicago 31, Green Bay 27

Jan. 11

Buffalo 27, Jacksonville 24 San Francisco 23, Philadelphia 19 New England 16, L.A. Chargers 3

Jan. 12

Houston 30, Pittsburgh 6

Divisional playoffs Saturday

Buffalo at Denver, 3:30 p.m. San Francisco at Seattle, 7 p.m.

Sunday

Houston at New England, 2 p.m. L.A. Rams at Chicago, 5:30 p.m.

Conference championships Jan. 25 AFC

AFC lowest remaining seed at AFC highest remaining seed

NFC

NFC lowest remaining seed at NFC highest remaining seed

Super Bowl LX Feb. 8 At Santa Clara, Calif.

Conference championships winners, 5:30 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

College football College Football Playoff National championship Monday

At Miami Gardens, Fla. No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

College basketball Men’s state schedule Wednesday’s games

Kentucky at LSU, n Middle Tennessee at Louisiana Tech, n Alabama-Birmingham at Tulane, n UL at Texas State, n

Saturday’s games

Lamar at Nicholls, 3 p.m. Southeastern at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 3:30 p.m. Louisiana Tech at Jacksonville State, 4 p.m. Southern at Grambling, 4 p.m. Northwestern State at Incarnate Word, 4 p.m. McNeese at Texas-Rio Grande Valley, 4:30 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at UNO, 5 p.m.

Missouri at LSU, 2:30 p.m. Georgia State at UL-Monroe, 2:30 p.m. UL at South Alabama, 3 p.m.

EAST

Holy Cross 82, Army 75

Women’s state schedule Tuesday’s game

Tulane 71, Temple 58

Wednesday’s game Troy at UL-Monroe, n

Thursday’s games

NW State at Houston Christian, 6 p.m. Lamar at UNO, 6:30 p.m. Southeastern at UTRGV, 6:30 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at Nicholls, 6:30 p.m. Middle Tenn. at Louisiana Tech, 6:30 p.m. McNeese at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 7 p.m. UL at Arkansas State, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s games

UL at UL-Monroe, noon Southeastern at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 1 p.m. Lamar at Nicholls, 1 p.m. Northwestern at UIW, 1 p.m. Western Kentucky at Louisiana Tech, 2 p.m. McNeese at UTRGV, 2 p.m. UAB at Tulane, 2 p.m. Stephen F. Austin at UNO, 2 p.m. Southern at Grambling, 2 p.m.

Women’s national scores

Wednesday’s game EAST

Army 61, Holy Cross 46 Fairﬁeld 63, Marist 49 Iona 58, Merrimack 51 Lafayette 62, Bucknell 49 Loyola (MD) 49, Colgate 47 Manhattan 68, Mount St Marys 59 Sacred Heart 70, Siena 58 Saint Louis 66, La Salle 57 UMass 82, Akron 68

SOUTHWEST

FAR WEST

San Diego State 73, New Mexico 56

Pro basketball NBA Conference Glance Detroit New York Boston Toronto Philadelphia Orlando Cleveland Miami Atlanta Chicago Milwaukee Charlotte Brooklyn Washington Indiana

W 28 25 24 24 22 22 22 21 20 18 17 14 11 10 9

L 10 14 15 17 16 18 19 19 22 21 23 26 26 28 31

Pct GB .737 — .641 3½ .615 4½ .585 5½ .579 6 .550 7 .537 7½ .525 8 .476 10 .462 10½ .425 12 .350 15 .297 16½ .263 18 .225 20

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

W 34 27 27 27 24 23 24 22 19 17 16 15 14 10 9

L 7 13 13 14 14 14 16 19 22 22 23 25 25 30 33

Pct GB .829 — .675 6½ .675 6½ .659 7 .632 8½ .622 9 .600 9½ .537 12 .463 15 .436 16 .410 17 .375 18½ .359 19 .250 23½ .214 25½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Tuesday’s games

Minnesota 139, Milwaukee 106 Miami 127, Phoenix 121 Houston 119, Chicago 113 Denver 122, New Orleans 116 Oklahoma City 119, San Antonio 98 L.A. Lakers 141, Atlanta 116 Golden State 119, Portland 97

Wednesday’s games

Cleveland at Philadelphia, n Toronto at Indiana, n Brooklyn at New Orleans, n Utah at Chicago, n Denver at Dallas, n New York at Sacramento, n Washington at L.A. Clippers, n

Thursday’s games

Denver 122, New Orleans 116 DENVER (122)

S.Jones 1-5 0-2 2, Watson 11-16 8-9 31, Gordon 6-15 3-5 16, J.Murray 11-19 8-9 35, Pickett 6-9 0-0 16, Tyson 0-2 0-0 0, Brown 2-5 0-0 4, Hardaway Jr. 4-9 7-7 18, Nnaji 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 41-84 26-32 122.

NEW ORLEANS (116)

Bey 4-8 8-10 17, Williamson 5-12 2-3 12, Queen 5-10 0-0 10, Fears 3-9 4-4 10, Murphy III 11-18 5-5 31, Matkovic 2-3 0-0 4, Peavy 1-5 0-0 2, Missi 2-7 4-5 8, Hawkins 2-5 0-0 6, Poole 4-9 4-4 16. Totals 39-86 27-31 116. Denver 32 28 29 33 — 122 New Orleans 31 34 27 24 — 116 3-Point Goals—Denver 14-35 (J.Murray 5-8, Pickett 4-6, Hardaway Jr. 3-7, Watson 1-4, Gordon 1-5, Nnaji 0-1, S.Jones 0-2, Tyson 0-2), New Orleans 11-29 (Poole 4-7, Murphy III 4-8, Hawkins 2-4, Bey 1-4, Peavy 0-2, Fears 0-4). Fouled Out—Denver 1 (S.Jones), New Orleans None. Rebounds—Denver 32 (Gordon, Watson 7), New Orleans 51 (Queen 13). Assists—Denver 24 (J.Murray 9), New Orleans 21 (Queen 5). Total Fouls—Denver 22, New Orleans 20. A—17,309 (16,867)

NBA Leaders

THROUGH JANUARY 13 Scoring G Doncic, LAL 31 G.-Alexander, OKC 39 Maxey, PHI 36 Jokic, DEN 32 Mitchell, CLE 37 Brown, BOS 36 Brunson, NY 36 Edwards, MIN 33 Curry, GS 31 Leonard, LAC 29 Markkanen, UTA 33 Cunningham, DET 33 Durant, HOU 35 Avdija, POR 40 Porter, BKN 30 Harden, LAC 36 Murray, DEN 36 Booker, PHO 37 Powell, MIA 34 George, UTA 38

FG 322 424 387 339 381 391 370 329 285 283 314 306 325 317 275 268 326 306 271 284

Gobert, MIN Ayton, LAL Williams, PHO Queta, BOS Antetokounmpo, MIL Duren, DET Zubac, LAC Jokic, DEN Allen, CLE Claxton, BKN

FG 182 219 170 164 288 216 215 339 157 183

FG Percentage

Southern Miss 76, Texas State 62

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Late Tuesday

Orlando vs Memphis, 1 p.m., Berlin Phoenix at Detroit, 6 p.m. Boston at Miami, 6:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at Houston, 6:30 p.m. Milwaukee at San Antonio, 7 p.m. Utah at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Atlanta at Portland, 9 p.m. New York at Golden State, 9 p.m. Charlotte at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

Rebounds

Jokic, DEN Towns, NY Gobert, MIN Zubac, LAC Clingan, POR Duren, DET Johnson, ATL Ware, MIA Nurkic, UTA Adebayo, MIA

Assists

G 32 36 40 34 37 31 38 40 32 32

OFF 97 105 156 118 163 127 54 130 88 54 G 32 33 30 31 38 36 30 36 38 31

Jokic, DEN Cunningham, DET Giddey, CHI Doncic, LAL Johnson, ATL Harden, LAC Ball, CHA Murray, DEN Mitchell, MIA Nembhard, IND

FT 289 320 205 203 187 201 190 185 158 168 198 202 189 317 114 275 144 261 165 240

PTS 1036 1245 1114 948 1092 1062 1041 953 871 814 922 882 915 1043 778 927 921 934 811 905

FGA 254 321 258 250 444 341 355 560 266 314 DEF 292 307 298 246 232 203 329 272 232 256

TOT 389 412 454 364 395 330 383 402 320 310 AST 351 321 270 274 309 288 231 271 279 220

AVG 33.4 31.9 30.9 29.6 29.5 29.5 28.9 28.9 28.1 28.1 27.9 26.7 26.1 26.1 25.9 25.8 25.6 25.2 23.9 23.8 PCT .717 .682 .659 .656 .649 .633 .606 .605 .590 .583 AVG 12.2 11.4 11.4 10.7 10.7 10.6 10.1 10.0 10.0 9.7 AVG 11.0 9.7 9.0 8.8 8.1 8.0 7.7 7.5 7.3 7.1

Pro hockey NHL Conference glance EASTERN CONFERENCE Tampa Bay Carolina Detroit Montreal N.Y. Islanders Washington Boston Toronto Buffalo Philadelphia Pittsburgh Florida New Jersey Ottawa Columbus N.Y. Rangers

GP 45 47 48 47 46 47 47 46 44 44 45 45 46 45 46 47

W 29 28 28 26 25 24 26 23 24 22 21 24 23 21 20 20

L OT Pts GF GA 13 3 61 160 116 15 4 60 158 142 16 4 60 149 148 14 7 59 159 154 16 5 55 138 130 17 6 54 153 135 19 2 54 155 146 16 7 53 153 149 16 4 52 143 138 14 8 52 133 132 14 10 52 141 137 18 3 51 139 145 21 2 48 123 143 19 5 47 143 149 19 7 47 140 156 21 6 46 122 139

Colorado Dallas Minnesota Vegas Edmonton Seattle Utah San Jose Los Angeles Nashville

GP 45 47 47 44 47 44 47 45 45 46

W 33 27 26 21 23 21 23 23 19 22

L OT Pts GF GA 4 8 74 182 103 11 9 63 161 133 12 9 61 148 130 11 12 54 144 136 16 8 54 159 157 15 8 50 123 128 20 4 50 145 131 19 3 49 143 162 16 10 48 120 128 20 4 48 129 151

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Anaheim 46 22 21 3 47 153 169 Chicago 46 19 20 7 45 130 146 St. Louis 47 18 21 8 44 117 161 Calgary 46 19 23 4 42 119 140 Winnipeg 45 18 22 5 41 135 142 Vancouver 46 16 25 5 37 125 166 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs.

Tuesday’s games

Ottawa 2, Vancouver 1 Washington 3, Montreal 2, OT Columbus 5, Calgary 3 Tampa Bay 2, Pittsburgh 1, SO Boston 3, Detroit 0 St. Louis 3, Carolina 0 Nashville 4, Edmonton 3, OT Winnipeg 5, N.Y. Islanders 4 Utah 6, Toronto 1 Anaheim 3, Dallas 1

Wednesday’s games

Seattle at New Jersey, n Ottawa at N.Y. Rangers, n Philadelphia at Buffalo, n Vegas at Los Angeles, n

Thursday’s games

Montreal at Buffalo, 6 p.m. Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. San Jose at Washington, 6 p.m. Vancouver at Columbus, 6 p.m. Seattle at Boston, 7 p.m. Winnipeg at Minnesota, 7 p.m. Calgary at Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Dallas at Utah, 8 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Edmonton, 8 p.m. Toronto at Vegas, 8:30 p.m.

Pro golf PGA Tour statistics Through Jan. 11 Scoring Average

1, Scottie Schefﬂer, 68.131. 2, Rory McIlroy, 69.083. 3, Tommy Fleetwood, 69.357. 4, Ben Grifﬁn, 69.692. 5, Russell Henley, 69.757. 6, Harry Hall, 69.764. 7, J.J. Spaun, 69.830. 8, Robert MacIntyre, 69.900. 9, Garrick Higgo, 70.032. 10, Sepp Straka, 70.047.

Driving Distance

1, Aldrich Potgieter, 325. 2, Rory McIlroy, 323. 3, Nicolai Hojgaard, 318.8. 4, Jesper Svensson, 318.6. 5, Kurt Kitayama, 318. 6, Michael Thorbjornsen, 317.8. 7, Chris Gotterup, 316.7. 8, Joseph Bramlett, 316.4. 9, Trevor Cone, 315.4. 10, Niklas Norgaard, 315.3.

Driving Accuracy Percentage

1, Takumi Kanaya, 74.07%. 2, Aaron Rai, 73.85%. 3, Paul Peterson, 73.15%. 4, Ben Kohles, 73.12%. 5, Andrew Putnam, 71.77%. 6, Joel Dahmen, 71.21%. 7, Collin Morikawa, 70.65%. 8, Brice Garnett, 69.39%. 9, Zach Johnson, 69.21%. 10, Brandt Snedeker, 69.03%.

Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%.

Total Driving

1, Michael Thorbjornsen, 54. 2, Rico Hoey, 68. 3, Pierceson Coody, 82. 4 (tie), Luke List and Kevin Yu, 91. 6 (tie), Isaiah Salinda and Kris Ventura, 95. 8, Kevin Roy, 99. 9, 2 tied with 103.

SG-Putting

1, Sam Burns, .983. 2, Taylor Montgomery, .917. 3, Harry Hall, .881. 4, Denny McCarthy, .679. 5, Nico Echavarria, .666. 6, Garrick Higgo, .661. 7, Cameron Young, .642. 8, Sam Ryder, .626. 9, Rory McIlroy, .597. 10, Sami Valimaki, .548.

Birdie Average

1, Garrick Higgo, 4.96. 2, Scottie Schefﬂer, 4.7. 3, Harry Hall, 4.56. 4, Pierceson Coody, 4.48. 5, Justin Thomas, 4.46. 6, Keith Mitchell, 4.43. 7, Jake Knapp, 4.42. 8 (tie), Nicolai Hojgaard and Michael Thorbjornsen, 4.35. 10, 4 tied with 4.3.

Eagles (Holes per)

1, Alejandro Tosti, 66.9. 2, Rory McIlroy, 87. 3, Kurt Kitayama, 88.8. 4, Steven Fisk, 91.1. 5 (tie), Will Gordon and Karl Vilips, 93. 7, Michael Thorbjornsen, 93.4. 8, Rico Hoey, 94.7. 9, David Skinns, 96.4. 10, Scottie Schefﬂer, 102.9.

Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%.

All-Around Ranking

1, Scottie Schefﬂer, 221. 2, Keith Mitchell, 338. 3, Ben Grifﬁn, 346. 4, Kevin Yu, 368. 5, Michael Thorbjornsen, 391. 6, Kurt Kitayama, 392. 7, Rory McIlroy, 397. 8, Alex Smalley, 412. 9, Ludvig Aberg, 414. 10, Sam Burns, 415.

Pro tennis WTA Adelaide International 1 results At Memorial Drive Tennis Centre Adelaide, Australia Purse: $1,206,446 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor

Women’s Doubles

Quarterﬁnals Lyudmyla Kichenok, Ukraine, and Desirae Krawczyk, United States, def. Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, and Jelena Ostapenko (1), Latvia, walkover.

ATP rankings

Singles Through Jan. 13

1. Carlos Alcaraz, Spain, 12050

2. Jannik Sinner, Italy, 11500 3. Alexander Zverev, Germany, 5105 4. Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 4780 5. Lorenzo Musetti, Italy, 4105 6. Alex de Minaur, Australia, 4080 7. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada, 3990 8. Ben Shelton, USA, 3960 9. Taylor Fritz, USA, 3840 10. Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, 3065 11. Jack Draper, Great Britain, 2990 12. Daniil Medvedev, Russia, 2910 13. Casper Ruud, Norway, 2795 14. Andrey Rublev, Russia, 2600 15. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Spain, 2585 16. Holger Rune, Denmark, 2580 17. Karen Khachanov, Russia, 2320 18. Jakub Mensik, Czechia, 2125 19. Jiri Lehecka, Czechia, 2090 20. Francisco Cerundolo, Argentina, 2035 21. Tommy Paul, USA, 2000 22. Flavio Cobolli, Italy, 1955 23. Denis Shapovalov, Canada, 1650 24. Luciano Darderi, Italy, 1579 25. Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands, 1565 26. Arthur Rinderknech, France, 1551 27. Learner Tien, USA, 1540 28. Cameron Norrie, Great Britain, 1538 29. Brandon Nakashima, USA, 1535 30. Joao Fonseca, Brazil, 1510 31. Frances Tiafoe, USA, 1500 32. Valentin Vacherot, Monaco, 1469 33. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece, 1455 34. Corentin Moutet, France, 1383 35. Tomas Machac, Czechia, 1360 36. Ugo Humbert, France, 1355 37. Alex Michelsen, USA, 1350 38. Jaume Munar, Spain, 1295 39. Sebastian Baez, Argentina, 1250 40. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 1240 41. Gabriel Diallo, Canada, 1215 42. Arthur Fils, France, 1210 43. Zizou Bergs, Belgium, 1170 44. Daniel Altmaier, Germany, 1123 45. Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, 1105 46. Nuno Borges, Portugal, 1070 47. Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Argentina, 1028 48. Jenson Brooksby, USA, 1017 49. Alexei Popyrin, Australia, 1000 50. Alexandre Muller, France, 980

Doubles

1. Lloyd Glasspool, Great Britain, 8420 2. Julian Cash, Great Britain, 8270 3. Harri Heliovaara, Finland, 7800 3. Henry Patten, Great Britain, 7800 5. Horacio Zeballos, Argentina, 7115 6. Marcel Granollers, Spain, 7025 7. Mate Pavic, Croatia, 6770 7. Marcelo Arevalo, El Salvador, 6770 9. Neal Skupski, Great Britain, 6580 10. Joe Salisbury, Great Britain, 6490

Transactions BASEBALL

Major League Baseball American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Sent OF Jhonkensy Noel outright to Norfolk (IL). MINNESOTA TWINS — Claimed INF Vidal Bruján off waivers from Atlanta. Designated 2B Mickey Gasper for assignment. National League CHICAGO CUBS — Agreed to terms with INF Alex Bregman on a ﬁve-year major league contract.

FOOTBALL

National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette to a reserve/futures contract. BUFFALO BILLS — Placed WR Tyrell Shavers on injured reserve. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Waived S D’Anthony Bell. HOUSTON TEXANS — Re-signed S Brandon Hill to the practice squad. Released OT Jaylon Thomas from the practice squad. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Signed DE Darrell Taylor to the practice squad. Released RB Elijah Mitchell from the practice squad. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Signed S Andre’ Sam to a reserve/futures contract. PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Signed LS Cal Adomitis, DT Kyler Baugh, WRs Cole Burgess, Max Hurleman and John Rhys Plumlee, DEs Anthony Goodlow and K.J. Henry, DBs Daequan Hardy and Jack Henderson, G Steven Jones, RB Lew Nichols, OLB Julius Welschoff and OL Aiden Williams to reserve/futures contracts. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Signed S Darrick Forrest and TE Hayden Rucci to the practice squad. Released WR Javon Baker from the practice squad. Signed WR Colton Dowell to a reserve/futures contract.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League BUFFALO SABRES — Loaned D Zachary Jones to Rochester (AHL). COLORADO AVALANCHE — Reinstated G MacKenzie Blackwood from injured reserve. Assigned G Trent Miner to Colorado (AHL). OTTAWA SENATORS — Loaned G Hunter Shepard to Belleville (AHL). PHILADELPHIA FLYERS — Reinstated D Jamie Drysdale from injured reserve. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Assigned F Tristan Broz to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL). WINNIPEG JETS — Placed D Neal Pionk on injured reserve, retroactive to Jan. 13. Recalled D Elias Salomonsson from Manitoba (AHL).

LIVING

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

T h u r s d ay, J a n u a ry 15, 2026

5Cn

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Dr. Reuben Battley slices mushrooms as Dr. Madison Flake, center, and Sarah Gray observe his knife skills during a culinary medicine workshop.

FROM THE HEART

When health care meets food, it makes for happy cooking. Here’s how.

CULINARY MEDICINE 101

Spaghetti and a Caesar salad

BY APRIL HAMILTON

Contributing writer

ooking is contagious. I caught the bug in my youth and delight in spreading it wherever I go. I have watched smiles consume a roomful of kindergarteners as they turned flour, yeast and water into turtle-shaped bread loaves. If you told 5-year-old me that decades later I would land in a career combining cooking and health care, I would have called it fantasy. Dreams come true and the smiles endure. The joy shared with me by my mom in our 1960s kitchen began with nutrition education, which felt less like a lecture and more like gospel. Cue my mom’s Alabama accent: “Eat the broccoli stems and leaves; they have more ﬁber and minerals.”

Contributing writer

of her nonnegotiables. “Soda pop is poison; it leaches the calcium from your teeth and bones. Watch out for preservatives. Read the label. Softserve ice cream is full of chemicals. Red dye will kill you.” She was ahead of her time. Mom lived to almost 93 and her words continue to echo. Gospel.

This concept is framed around the Mediterranean Diet principle, focusing more on adding things in than restrictions. The tenets of the Mediterranean Diet are the foundation of Culinary Medicine: n Vegetables. It is suggested to fill half your plate with a variety of veggies. n Legumes. Beans and lentils add protein and fiber and can be sprinkled into most dishes for a flavor, texture and nutrient boost n Fruits, nuts and seeds n Whole grains n Seafood n Oils. Choosing unsaturated (olive oil primarily, with recommendations to limit saturated fats) n Dairy with an emphasis on cultured dairy, like yogurt and feta cheese and

ä See HEALTH CARE, page 6C

ä See MEDICINE, page 6C

A basil garnish sits atop a pot of mushroom and meat spaghetti. “Have an orange with your eggs and spinach to help with iron absorption.” “Balance your plate with protein, vegetables and a starch. Have a variety.” “Make your own salad dressing.” “Did you drink your milk?” “We don’t answer the phone or watch TV at the dinner table. Who wants to start the blessing?” There was also daily discussion

Re-create Anthony Bourdain’s beef bourguignon BY GRETCHEN McKAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) One beneﬁt of being a food editor is that I get the opportunity to try out recipes from the latest cookbooks, often before they have even made it onto store shelves. It keeps me on my toes with what’s trending, and over the years it has had the fringe beneﬁt of greatly expanding my culinary skills. But these days, I’m also tempted on a daily basis by what ends up on my social media feeds.

Click once on a recipe that looks good, and thanks to algorithms that inﬂuence what pops up on your screen, chances are you’ll be inundated with that chef Recipe, or restaurant’s 6C content again and again. Lately, for me, the late great Anthony Bourdain has been making regular appearances on my phone as I food scroll. Known for his straight-talking, unpretentious take on cooking

and exploration of global cuisine through his shows “No Reservations” and “Parts Unknown,” Bourdain was and continues to be loved for his candid and (sometimes) unﬁltered take on food. Home cooks also appreciate his practical cooking tips and techniques. His recipe for beef bourguignon, which popped up on my screen a few days ago, is a great example.

ä See BEEF, page 6C

Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/ TNS PHOTO By GRETCHEN McKAy

6C ● Thursday, January 15, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Can I tell young co-workers Starting fires with cardboard they have bad manners? any of us can do? Dear Miss Manners: I freGentle reader: Although quently attend team there is, today, too much lunches and dinners with blurring of the professional my immediate department members, both supervisors and personal spheres, it was always understood that and associates. These dining experiences are mostly an otherwise promising mentee who did not personal affairs and know how to speak come after a week of or behave in polite hard teamwork. company would be We work in an at a disadvantage industry where in a professional we will be in one career — and that a location for a few Judith good mentor might months, and then Martin have to help make move on to another MISS up this deficiency. city. We all get along MANNERS Perhaps you can and have each othidentify a senior er’s back. member of the team who But here is the problem: might act in this more genThere are two members of our team who are in their eral capacity for these two 20s, and they both have the — as a professional mentor, worst table manners! They that is, knowing that finding set their bread on the bare opportunities for them to table, as well as any soiled improve their table mancutlery. They cut up their ners will be only a part of entire meal into tiny pieces their extracurricular edulike they are toddlers. I cation. This might make a could go on, but you get the positive difference for their idea. careers — while not putting These are nice young anyone in the position of women! They are collegepromising that any second educated. Each one comdates hinge upon the supeplains that they never get rior etiquette discernment a second date after dining of 20-something males. at a nice restaurant, and I Dear Miss Manners: My niece understand why. worked at a well-known I am well aware it is not retail store in the 1980s. She my duty to advise them of told me they were required how to butter a dinner roll. to greet customers because But I feel sorry for them research has shown that and am frequently embarpeople are less likely to steal after a personal exrassed for them. Should I just accept there is nothing change. Now I bristle a bit

and feel insulted when I am greeted at a store. Gentle reader: Rest assured that in a few years, new research will show that the original research was incorrect for any number of reasons. Miss Manners has stopped following the details. Admittedly, though, the next time a hostess greets Miss Manners by name at the door, she may stop to wonder if it is a nefarious way to discourage her from pocketing the silverware. Dear Miss Manners: A good friend asked me to join her and a few other people for lunch. This was not something I wanted to do, so I claimed to have conﬂicts on the ﬁrst two dates she suggested. Then she said, “Well, what would be a good day for you?” I said something about just not being sociable, but it didn’t feel very good. What could I have said, short of “never”? Gentle reader: “Let me get back to you.”

paper rolls, then continue Dear Heloise: My motherstuffing the rolls with lint. in-law taught me a neat Since I have three active little trick that helped me boys and a husband, I have get a fire started in my a lot of laundry and fireplace. She saved lint. — Karen V., in Holevery toilet roll (the cardboard center) land, Michigan and all her laundry Karen, this is a lint in a large plasvery clever trick to get a fire going, and tic bag. Each year, I love the idea that when fall rolled Hints from you are recycling around, we would Heloise something that we stuff the toilet rolls would normally toss with lint, packing it out. America’s landfills are in nice and tight. overflowing with items When she wanted a fire, that should have been reshe would place three wooden logs in the fireplace cycled. If any of my readand about four cardboard ers have recycling hints rolls that were stuffed unthat are fairly new, please der the logs; then she would let us know, and we’ll publight them. It got a fire golish them! — Heloise ing with very little effort, Lock it to keep it and we recycled the paper rolls and lint. Dear Heloise: Regarding the When I started doing this recent advice to keep your same thing at my home, house locked, my neighbor I’d add about three or four left her keys in her car (big drops of lighter fluid to mistake) in an attached the center of the lint in the garage during a yard sale.

Someone stole the car, and it was ﬁnally located about a month later. (It was trashed.) Always lock your car everywhere you go and lock your house during a sale. — A Reader, via email

Onion powder Dear Heloise: In response to Steve, who wrote in regarding onion powder clumping: When I buy a new jar of onion powder, I always store it in the refrigerator. Whenever I use it, the powder ﬂows freely. This works with garlic powder as well. — Robert M., via email Robert, I take a small piece or two of a soda cracker and place it in the container of onion powder. This helps to absorb moisture, which causes the clumping. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners. com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail. com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

TODAY IN HISTORY STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

In 1967, the Green Bay Packers of the National Today is Thursday, Jan. 15, Football League defeated the Kansas City Chiefs the 15th day of 2026. There are 350 days left in the year. of the American Football League 35-10 in the first Today in history: AFL-NFL World ChampionOn Jan. 15, 2009, US Airways Capt. Chesley “Sully” ship Game, known retroacSullenberger landed an tively as Super Bowl I. Airbus A320 safely in New In 1991, Sean Lennon’s reYork’s Hudson River after make of his father’s “Give striking a flock of birds that Peace A Chance” was redisabled both engines shortly leased to coincide with the after takeoff; all 155 people United Nations’ midnight aboard survived the emerdeadline for Iraq to withgency water landing, which draw from Kuwait. The lyrbecame known as “The ics were updated to reflect Miracle on the Hudson.” concerns of the 1990s. Also on this date: In 1992, more than two In 1559, Elizabeth I was dozen European nations crowned queen of England formally recognized Croaand Ireland in Westminster tia and Slovenia as indeAbbey. pendent nations amid the In 1919, in Boston, a tank breakup of Yugoslavia. containing an estimated 2.3 In 2001, Wikipedia, the million gallons of molasses free online encyclopedia burst, flooding the city’s maintained by volunteer North End and killing 21 peo- editors, made its debut. In 2019, extremists ple in what was later dubbed stormed a luxury hotel in the “Great Molasses Flood.” In 1929, civil rights leader Kenya’s capital of Nairobi, Martin Luther King Jr. was setting off explosives and gunning down people at born in Atlanta. cafe tables in an attack In 1943, work was comclaimed by Africa’s deadlipleted on the Pentagon. By The Associated Press

est Islamic militant group, al-Shabab. At least 21 people were killed in the attack and 28 others wounded. In 2022, an undersea volcano erupted in the Paciﬁc island nation of Tonga, shooting millions of tons of water vapor high into the atmosphere. A handful of deaths were blamed on the eruption, and scientists studied the blast afterward seeking to determine whether the water vapor acted as a heat-trapping greenhouse gas. Today’s birthdays: Actor Andrea Martin is 79. Football Hall of Famer Randy White is 73. Actor-director Mario Van Peebles is 69. Boxing Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins is 61. Actor-director Regina King is 55. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is 49. Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees is 47. Rapper-reggaeton artist Pitbull is 45. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is 42. DJ-music producer Skrillex is 38. Singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal is 22.

Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon Serves 8. Recipe is from “Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook” by Anthony Bourdain. color. 3. Sear the meat a little at a time, removing it and setting it aside as it finishes. When all the meat is a nice dark brown color and has been set aside, add onions to the pot. 4. Lower the heat to medium-high until the onions are soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes. 5. Sprinkle ﬂour over the onions. Continue to cook for 1. Season the meat with about 4-5 minutes, stirring salt and pepper. occasionally, then add red 2. In a Dutch oven, heat wine. Naturally, you want oil over high heat until it is to scrape up all that really almost smoking. Add the good fond from the bottom meat, in batches — NOT of the pot with your wooden ALL AT ONCE! — and sear spoon. on all sides until it is well 6. Bring the wine to a boil. browned (not gray). If you 7. Return the meat to the dump too much meat in the pot and add carrots, garlic pot at the same time, you’ll and bouquet garni. Add just overcrowd it; cool the thing enough water (and two big down and you won’t get good spoons of demi-glace if you 2 pounds boneless beef shoulder or chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces Salt and pepper ¼ cup olive oil 4 onions, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup red burgundy wine such as pinot noir 6 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 garlic clove 1 bouquet garni Demi-glace, optional Chopped flat parsley

BEEF

Continued from page 5C Julia Child might be responsible for popularizing the classic, slow-cooked French stew in which chunks of beef shoulder are slowly braised in red wine with onions and carrots until the meat is tender enough to

almost melt in your mouth. But Bourdain, with his devilbe-damned demeanor, somehow makes the dish feel approachable — even though the two chefs’ recipes are pretty similar. With the price of beef going up and up, this could be considered a special occasion dish for a chilly December night. But you also could substitute lean stew-

have it) so that the liquid covers the meat by one-third — meaning you want a ratio of 3 parts liquid to 2 parts meat. This is a stew, so you want plenty of liquid, even after it cooks down and reduces. 8. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and let cook for about 2 hours or until the meat is break-apart-witha-fork tender. You should check the dish every 15 or 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the meat is not sticking or, even worse, scorching. You should also skim off any foam or scum or oil collecting on the surface using a large spoon or ladle. 9. When done, remove and discard the bouquet garni, add chopped parsley to the pot and serve. ing beef. I was lucky to ﬁnd a chuck roast on sale. Be sure not to splurge on the wine for the stew — any good-quality inexpensive dry red wine will work in this dish. I used pinot noir, but cabernet sauvignon or merlot will also work even though they are not burgundies. The stew tastes even better the second day.

Olivia Dinh chops lettuce for a Caesar salad during a culinary medicine workshop at LSU.

Spaghetti with Meat and Lentils The recipe is from the Health Meets Food curriculum (www.culinarymedicine.org). 1½ quarts water ½ cup brown or green lentils 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced 1 large stalk celery, diced ½ large red bell pepper, diced 8 ounces mushrooms, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces lean ground beef (90/10) 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup water 2½ teaspoons Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon salt Black pepper to taste 4 quarts water 12 ounces dried whole wheat spaghetti

1. Bring 1½ quarts water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the lentils and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside. 2. While the lentils are cooking, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. 3. Add the beef to the

vegetable mixture and stir to brown and break up the meat, cooking until no longer pink. Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire, ¼ cup water, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper to taste and the cooked lentils. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Add water in ¼-cup increments if sauce is too thick. 4. While the sauce cooks, bring the 4 quarts of water to boil in a stockpot over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. 5. Divide the cooked pasta into 6 servings and top each with about ¾ cup sauce.

Caesar Salad Recipe is adapted from the Health Meets Food curriculum (www.culinarymedicine. org). The dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. 1. Place the garlic, Worcestershire, pepper, lemon juice, mustard, honey, Parmesan and yogurt in a blender and process until smooth. Alternatively, ingredients can be placed in a 4-cup measuring cup or wide-mouth mason jar and blended with an immersion blender. 2. Transfer dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2

hours or up to one week. 3. Rinse the lettuce and spin dry, or dry with clean kitchen towels. Slice the lettuce crosswise or tear by hand into bite-size pieces. Refrigerate until serving time. 4. Toss the lettuce in a large salad bowl with half of the dressing and toss to coat. Serve with remaining dressing on the side as desired.

class with our physicians and pediatric residents make this Continued from page 5C outline approachable. We prepared ‘Spaghetti Four Ways’ beginning with hard-aged cheese like Par- a classic meat sauce and gradually enhancing the mesan n Meats with a recomfollowing three batches mendation of about 4 ounc- with added vegetables and es of lean meat per day and then added lentils, then all limiting red meat to one vegetables with lentils and no meat. The unofficial serving per week. The recipes we prepared crowd favorite was the one in our Culinary Medicine with the works — tons of

veggies, half the meat, plus lentils and served on whole wheat spaghetti. The Caesar salad was a hit as well. We also debunked the myth that eating healthy costs more. This feast for 20-plus cost $85.70 in ingredients with extra pantry items for our next session. Delicious, nutritious pasta and salad for $4 per serving? That makes everyone happy.

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon black pepper Juice of half a lemon, or more to taste 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey 1½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt Romaine lettuce, about 3 large leaves per serving

MEDICINE

that started at Tulane Medi- taught generations of regHEALTH CARE cal School. The concept istered dietitians, student

Continued from page 5C

Today, I work as a nurse at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital with like-minded doctors, minus the preaching, who paved the path to starting a Health Meets Food Culinary Medicine program. About a dozen years ago when I was chefﬁng in West Virginia, I learned about the program

captivated me, and I am beyond honored to have a role in teaching pediatric residents cooking and nutrition. Rule No. 1 is to have fun. Doctors trade their white coats for chef jackets and the future pediatricians tie on purple aprons to celebrate the university’s theme color. We have a red-carpet welcome into the teaching kitchen on LSU’s campus, where Judy Myhand has

athletes and 4-H kids how to nourish and flourish. When a career change beckoned in my empty nest era and mom was still here, I shared my somewhat fleeting wish of nursing school with her. She voiced her concerns about the long shifts and challenges of the field. As she took her last breath, my first semester began and nutrition was on the syllabus. I know she is smiling now.

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FrAnK And erneSt

bIG nAte

zItS

zodIAC CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Participate, check your options and interact with like-minded people. Be observant and willing to try something different. Opportunities come to those who are open to change. Socializing and romance are favored. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to what's happening at home. Address personal issues and alter your lifestyle to encourage better relationships. Take pride in your work and enjoy the process. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Be aware of what's happening around you and do your part. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of you. Take the high road, and don't hesitate to use your voice to protect yourself and others. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Simplify your life; downsize, sell off what you don't need and focus on what's important. Search for ways to make your life more meaningful and to bring about positive changes. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Keep your momentum flowing, and you'll gain respect. Use your skills to make a difference. Do something to improve your emotional well-being. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Pay attention to your relationships with others. Someone you encounter will take advantage of you if you aren't careful. Focus in establishing and refining ground rules. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Execute your plans with precision and attention to detail. Take steps to deal with someone

trying to oust or thwart you. Be shrewd and secretive, and success will follow. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Avoid impulsive spending and paying for other people's mistakes. Put your energy into a creative outlet that brings you joy and helps take your mind off situations you cannot change. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Rethink your current situation, your relationships with others and how you run your home and personal lives. A change to your surroundings will help to ground you and encourage you to rethink your direction. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take time to consider the pros and cons in your life and what you can eliminate and what you want to implement. Change is doable, but it will require research and boosting your qualifications. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Entertainment will cost more than you anticipate. Set a strict budget and refrain from paying for others. Focus on communication, gathering information and opening doors to new beginnings. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Refuse to let domestic situations grow into something you can't handle. Emotions will fester if you aren't direct about your feelings and plans. Honesty is necessary to avoid regret. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

TODAy'S CLUE: D EQUALS F

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

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CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

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

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

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B.C.

Bridge BY PHILLIP ALDER Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, a 16thcentury French essayist and courtier, said, “He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.” That applies to some stage productions. If a playwright needs the actors to shout for effect, it is usually not well-written. A bridge player needs to be careful when his trump suit is weak. He must try to maintain command of the play. This deal highlights one common technique. West leads the diamond jack against four hearts. How should South continue after he takes the first trick with his queen? South opens one no-trump, 15-17 points in the modern style. North, upgrading becausehehastwoaces(whichareworth nearer nine points than eight), uses Stayman, then invites game in hearts. South is in the middle of his range, but also upgrades because he has two aces and two kings. If trumps are 4-1, South is probably going down. But if they are 3-2, he seems to have only three losers: two hearts and one diamond. However, now count winners. There are six outside hearts, so declarer needs to take four trump tricks: the ace and three ruffs. With this distribution, though, if South immediately plays on clubs, East overruffs the third round and the contract fails.

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

The right line is to duck a round of trumps. Suppose East wins and returns a diamond. Declarer wins with his ace, plays a heart to dummy’s ace, and proceeds with the black-suit crossruff. West gets his trump winner whenever he likes. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

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

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InSTRucTIonS: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAY’S WoRD — oRPHAnS: OR-fans: Children deprived by death of one or

Bizarro

marmaduKe

usually both parents. Average mark 19 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 26 or more words in ORPHANS? YESTERDAY’S WoRD — LoGIcALLY lacy laic lilac lily local locally logic logical logy loll loyal

oily gaily gall gill goal golly cagily cagy call ciao clay

clog cloy coal coil cola alloy ally yoga yogi

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Thus said the Lord, Stand you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16 We may not need the good old days but we sure need the good old ways. Walk with God. — G.E. Dean

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

DOW 49,149.63 -42.36 -0.09%

NASDAQ 23,471.75 -238.12 -1.00%

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street slumps as bank, tech stocks fall

NEW YORK — Losses for several banks and Big Tech stocks pulled indexes lower on Wednesday, even though the majority of stocks on Wall Street rose. The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% for its second straight loss after setting its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 42 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 1%. Wells Fargo helped pull the market lower after falling 4.6%. The San Francisco-based bank reported weaker profit and revenue for the latest quarter than expected, with analysts citing lower trading fees and other miscellaneous items. Bank of America fell 3.8% despite reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected, with some consternation about the size of its upcoming expenses. Citigroup, which is in the midst of a turnaround under Chair and CEO Jane Fraser, fell 3.3% following its own profit report. Companies across industries are under pressure to report strong growth in profits to justify how high their stock prices have run recently. Analysts are looking for businesses across the S&P 500 to report earnings per share for the final three months of 2025 that are roughly 8% higher than a year earlier, according to FactSet.

Verizon outage disrupts services across the U.S. NEW YORK — Many Verizon customers encountered a widespread outage on Wednesday, disrupting calling and other cellular services across the U.S. The carrier acknowledged that there was an “issue impacting wireless voice and data services.” Verizon didn’t specify what was causing the disruptions, but said in an update that it had deployed its engineering teams. Outage tracker Downdetector showed that Verizon customers began to report issues with their service around noon E.T. Reports appeared to peak at more than 175,000 by 11:30 a.m.— but still remained elevated later into the afternoon, sitting at nearly 57,000 as of 2:30 p.m. Impacted users said their phones were in “SOS” mode or had other no signal messages. In cities like New York, alerts were sent out warning that the outage may disrupt 911 calls — urging residents to try landlines and devices from other carriers, if available, or visit a local police or ﬁre station in-person in case of an emergency. Per Downdetector, other major hubs impacted by Verizon’s outage included Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon. But consumers across the country said they were experiencing disruptions.

Calif. investigates child porn on Musk’s Grok SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California announced an investigation into Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI on Wednesday, with Gov. Gavin Newsom saying that the social media site owned by the billionaire is a “breeding ground for predators to spread nonconsensual sexually explicit AI deepfakes.” Grok, the xAI chatbot, includes image-generation features that allow users to morph existing photos into new images. The newly created images are posted on X. In some cases, users have created sexually explicit or nonconsensual images based on real people, including altered depictions that appear to show individuals partially or fully undressed. Others have generated images that appear to show minors, prompting criticism that there are not sufﬁcient guardrails to prohibit the creation of child pornography. The social media site has previously said “we take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.

S&P 500 6,926.60 -37.14 -0.53%

EURO 1.1645 0.0002 0.01%

CRUDE OIL 62.02 0.87 1.42%

GOLD 4,626.30 37.10 0.81%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.61 0.0 0.0%

30-YR T-BONDS 4.79 -0.05 -0.95%

Economist says La. economy is trending up

to meet national employment munities the places that people eral Reserve Bank. But state still lags gle The survey notes that the 2026 growth to pandemic setbacks, want to know, because people have behind national trends when Louisiana was hit particu- a lot of freedom and choice now.” outlook was computed with some

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

The Louisiana economy is moving in the right direction postpandemic, an economist says, but the state still struggles to match national economic growth. State employment surpassed 2 million in May, exceeding prepandemic levels, and continues to grow, but did not rebound as quickly as national employment levels, Stephen Barnes, an associate professor of economics at the University of Louisiana Barnes at Lafayette said. Barnes presented an economic outlook presentation at the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge on Wednesday afternoon. He attributes the state’s strug-

larly hard in tourism, oil and gas. “It’s been on a path of faster growth,” he said of the national economy. “So good that Louisiana is moving in the right direction but concerning that we’re still struggling.” The state is taking the right steps toward economic development, with major projects on the docket like the Meta data center in Richland Parish, but large investments are not new to the state, he said. The missing piece to meeting the pace of national economic growth is investing in public initiatives, pointing to the restoration of the LSU lakes as an example. Barnes said the state can invest further in public education to assure residents that Louisiana is a place they can raise a family. “We’re missing the ﬁnal stretch of the sales pitch for Louisiana,” Barnes said. “We need to be a little bit more intentional about investing in making our cities and com-

While employment lags, other economic indicators like personal income have fared better, with state personal income levels trending higher than the consumer price index since December 2022, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. “The good news is incomes have actually been growing a little bit faster than inflation,” he said. “So as much as we still might be concerned about inflation, generally speaking, there’s still money coming into the economy that can help kind of keep things moving forward.” In the first half of 2026, real GDP is expected to grow by 2% and by 1.9% in the latter half of the year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Livingston Survey. The survey estimates that the inflation rate will fall to 2.8% in 2026 and 2.4% in 2027, still above the 2% benchmark set by the Fed-

economic data either delayed or missing due to the government shutdown in fall 2025. Barnes is keeping an eye on future exchange rates, which are impactful to the Louisiana economy due to the state’s numerous petrochemical plants. The oil and chemical industries are sensitive to changes in the global market, he said. He serves as the independent economist on the Louisiana Revenue Estimating Conference, which other members consist of Gov. Jeff Landry, Louisiana Senate President Cameron Henry, RMetairie, and state House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice. The group computes an estimate for the state general fund for the following year. He said he expects the state revenues to slightly decrease and remain ﬂat in 2026. “It’s good, but it’s not amazing,” he said.

Retail sales had a November that was better than expected Numbers delayed due to government shutdown

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

NEW YORK — Shoppers increased their spending in November from October as holiday shopping kicked into full gear. Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in November, following a revised 0.1% decline October, according to the Commerce Department. The report on Wednesday was delayed more than a month because of the 43-day government shutdown. Retail sales rose 0.1% increase in September, but jumped 0.6% in July and August and 1% in June. The federal government is gradually catching up on economic reports that were postponed by the shutdown. The retail sales figures, which are not adjusted for inﬂation, showed that in most cases shoppers focused on gifts and pulled away from other areas. Sales at clothing and accessories stores rose 0.9%, while online businesses had a 0.4% increase. Business at sporting goods and hobby stores was up 1.9%. But furniture and home furnishing stores posted a 0.1% dip, while consumer electronics and appliance stores saw their business unchanged in November from October. The snapshot offers only a partial look at consumer spending and doesn’t include many services, including travel and hotel lodges. But the lone services category — restaurants — registered an uptick of 0.6%. A category of sales that excludes volatile sectors such as gas, cars, and restaurants rose in November by a solid 0.4%, a sign that consumers are still spending on discretionary items. “Consumers are gloomy, but they are still spending,” said Heather Long, chief

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JENNy KANE

Shoppers increased their spending in November from October as holiday shopping kicked into full gear. economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. “The only areas they are pulling back in are home improvement, home furnishings and some electronics and appliances. Outside of those areas, consumers continue to spend and they are likely to keep that up in early 2026 as they receive larger-than-normal tax refunds. ” The report comes as 41,000 attendees from retailers, brands and technology companies gathered for the annual three-day National Retail Federation convention. Shoppers have been growing anxious about high prices and impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, as well as a souring job market. So the outlook for shopping for this year was a key issue that dominated discussions. Inﬂation cooled a bit last month as prices for gas and used cars fell, a sign that stub-

bornly elevated cost pressures are slowly easing, according to a report from the Labor Department Tuesday. Consumer prices rose 0.3% in December from the prior month, the same as in November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2%, also matching November’s figure. Increases at that pace, over time, would bring inflation closer to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. Many economists had predicted inflation to jump last month as the government resumed normal data collection after the six-week shutdown last fall, so the modest increases that matched the November figures came as a relief. The price of manufactured goods was flat in December, a sign that the impact of tariffs may be starting to fade.

Despite tariffs, China’s trade surplus surges to a record $1.2 trillion BY CHAN HO-HIM Associated Press

HONG KONG — China’s trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion in 2025, the government said Wednesday, as exports to other countries made up for slowing shipments to the U.S. under President Donald Trump’s onslaught of higher tariffs. China’s exports rose 5.5% for the whole of last year to $3.77 trillion, customs data showed, as Chinese automakers and other manufacturers expanded into markets across the globe. Imports ﬂatlined at $2.58 trillion. The 2024 trade surplus was over $992 billion. In December, China’s exports climbed 6.6% from the year before in dollar terms, better than economists’ estimates and higher than November’s 5.9% year-on-year increase. Imports in December were up 5.7% year-on-year, compared to November’s 1.9%. China’s trade surplus surpassed the $1 trillion mark for the ﬁrst

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Economists expect exports will continue to support China’s economy this year, despite trade friction and geopolitical tensions. time in November, when the trade surplus reached $1.08 trillion in the ﬁrst 11 months of last year. Economists expect exports will continue to support China’s economy this year, despite trade friction and geopolitical tensions.

While China’s exports to the U.S. fell sharply after Trump returned to ofﬁce and escalated his trade war with the world’s second-largest economy, that decline has been largely offset by shipments to other markets in South America,

Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe. For the whole of 2025, China’s exports to the U.S. fell 20%. In contrast, exports to Africa surged 26%. Those to Southeast Asian countries jumped 13%; to the European Union 8%, and to Latin America, 7%. Strong global demand for computer chips and other devices and the materials needed to make them were among categories that supported China’s exports, analysts said. Car exports also grew last year. Auto exports surged 21% in 2025 to more than 7 million units, driven by electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry group, on Wednesday. Strong exports have helped keep China’s economy growing at an annual rate close to its ofﬁcial target of about 5%. That has triggered alarm in countries that fear a ﬂood of cheap imports is damaging local industries.

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