The Acadiana Advocate 10-07-2025

YOUTH MOVEMENT PAYS OFF FOR SAINTS IN WIN OVER GIANTS

PEACEFUL PARK

ABOVE: Landscape architect Dan Spiller right, with Land Architects, talks to guests about the Kergan Meditation Garden plan during a groundbreaking ceremony for the garden on Monday at Moncus Park in Lafayette. The garden will ‘create a peaceful, ornamental garden for reflection, healing, and beauty,’ according to a Moncus Park release.

RIGHT: From left, Ted and Ann Kergan and their son, Luc, hold shovels during Monday’s groundbreaking Construction of the garden is being made possible through a gift from the Kergan family

Shutdown threatens insurance subsidies

La. residents’ health care costs could increase significantly

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

The federal government shut down last week, and at the heart of the standoff is a fight over the health insurance subsidies that keep coverage affordable for hundreds of thousands of Louisianans. These enhanced premium tax credits lower the monthly cost of health insurance for people who buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The enhanced subsidies were first introduced during the pandemic under the American Rescue Plan Act and later extended through 2025. They allow some low-income enrollees to pay no monthly premiums and cap costs for middle-income households at 8.5% of their income.

“There’s no real other option at that point. If you can’t afford the premium on the exchange, you probably then just become uninsured.”

KEVIN CALLISON, Tulane University health care economist

If the subsidies expire at the end of the year, Louisiana would be hit harder than any other state, according to a new analysis from the Urban Institute. The state is projected to see the steepest decline in subsidized marketplace enrollment nationwide a 61% drop, representing roughly 85,000 people losing coverage. Many people who lost Medicaid coverage during the recent unwinding qualified for marketplace subsidies, making it an easy transition, said Kevin Callison, a health care economist at Tulane University Louisiana’s marketplace enrollment has grown from about 120,000 residents in 2023 to nearly 300,000 today Already, people who have access to health insurance through their employers generally aren’t eligible for the marketplace subsidies. That leaves

LSU considers creating new energy extension service

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

Pumping and permanently storing carbon dioxide under vast stretches of Louisiana forest and farmland has triggered grassroots opposition, as the reality of more than 30 such proposed projects has

taken hold over the past two years. Companies proposing to convert hundreds to thousands of acres of farmland into solar farms have faced similar opposition from pockets of rural Louisiana, including in the state’s sugar cane growing regions. The “energy transition” that

some officials and business leaders say has arrived in Louisiana is bringing uncomfortable change and conflict to a state with nearly 125 years of history with oil and gas. During a recent energy symposium, a top LSU executive floated the concept of having the state’s

flagship university create a new cooperative extension service that could serve as an unbiased mediator and science-based information source on energy The concept, however, may step into a potentially sensitive area for LSU, with some having previously raised concerns over whether the university has too close a relationship with the carbon capture and energy industries.

The model, according to the LSU executive, Robert Twilley, could be the LSU AgCenter’s and LSU Sea Grant’s decades-old cooperative extension services. The AgCenter includes the popular Louisiana Master Gardener Program. Twilley, LSU vice president for

ä See LSU, page 4A

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press

Snowstorm traps hundreds on Everest

BEIJING Rescuers were helping hundreds of hikers trapped by heavy snow at tourist campsites on a slope of Mount Everest in Tibet, Chinese state media said.

About 350 hikers had reached a meeting point in Tingri country and rescuers were in contact with another 200, state broadcaster CCTV said late Sunday There was no immediate update on rescue efforts on Monday.

The hikers were trapped at an elevation of more than 16,000 feet, according to an earlier report from Jimu News, a Chinese online site. Mount Everest is about 29,000 feet tall.

A hiker who rushed to descend before snow blocked the way told Jimu News that others still on the mountain told him the snow was 3 feet deep and had crushed tents.

Hundreds of rescuers headed up the mountain Sunday to clear paths so that trapped people could come down, the Jimu report said. A video shot by a villager showed a long line of people with horses and oxen moving up a winding path in the snow The snowstorm struck during a weeklong national holiday in China, when many travel at home and abroad.

In another mountainous region in western China, one hiker died of hypothermia and altitude sickness and 137 others were evacuated in the north part of Qinghai province, CCTV said Monday

The search in an area in Menyuan county with an average altitude of more than 13,100 feet was complicated by the terrain, unpredictable weather and continuous snowfall, a CCTV online report said.

Immune system discoveries net Nobel STOCKHOLM Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for discoveries about how the immune system knows to attack germs and not our own bodies.

The work by Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Dr Shimon Sakaguchi uncovered a key pathway the body uses to keep the immune system in check, called peripheral immune tolerance. Experts called the findings critical to understanding autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus In separate projects over several years, the trio of scientists two in the U.S. and one in Japan — identified the importance of what are now called regulatory T cells. Scientists are using those findings in a variety of ways: to discover better treatments for autoimmune diseases, to improve organ transplant success and to enhance the body’s own fight against cancer, among others

“Their discoveries have been decisive for our understanding of how the immune system functions and why we do not all develop serious autoimmune diseases,” said Olle Kämpe chair of the Nobel Committee. UNESCO nominates Egyptian as director

PARIS UNESCO is slated to have its first director from the Arab world after an Egyptian former tourism and antiquities minister, Khaled el-Anani, was nominated by the agency’s executive board Monday If confirmed by UNESCO’s general assembly next month, el-Anani will inherit an agency reeling from the Trump administration’s recent decision to pull the United States out portending a budget shortfall at the agency best known for its World Heritage sites around the globe.

El-Anani was seen as the front-runner for the position of director-general and won a vote Monday against his only challenger, Firmin Edouard Matoko, an economist from Republic of Congo who promoted schooling in refugee camps.

The decision by the board, which represents 58 of the agency’s 194 member states, is expected to be finalized at a meeting of UNESCO’s general assembly in Uzbekistan next month.

Israel, Hamas launch talks

Emissaries in Egypt as anniversary passes for war in Gaza

BY SAMY MAGDY, MELANIE LIDMAN and WAFAA SHURAFA

Associated Press

CAIRO Israeli and Hamas officials launched indirect talks Monday at an Egyptian resort on a U.S.-drafted peace plan to end the ruinous war in Gaza on the eve of its second anniversary

The talks, which went on for several hours, unfolded amid many questions about the plan presented by President DonaldTrumplastweek,includingthe disarmamentofthemilitantgroup a key Israeli demand — and the future governance of Gaza. Trump has indicatedthatanagreementonGazacould pave the way for a Middle East peace process that could reshape the region.

Despite Trump ordering Israel to stop the bombing, Israeli forces continued to pound Gaza with airstrikes, killing at least 19 people in the last 24 hours, the territory’s Health Ministry said.

An Egyptian official with knowledge of the talks said the parties wrapped up Monday’s round of negotiations at theRedSearesortofSharmel-Sheikh, andthediscussionsweresettoresume Tuesday afternoon. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said the parties have agreed on most of the first-phase terms, which include the release of hostages and establishing a ceasefire.

TheIsraelisareledbytopnegotiator Ron Dermer, while Khalil al-Hayyah leads the Hamas delegation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said foreign policy adviser Ophir Falk would be present for Israel.

Egypt’s state-owned Al-Qahera

News television station reported that the talks began with a meeting between Arab mediators and the Hamas delegation. Mediators were to meet later with the Israeli delegation, the station said.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were also expected to join the talks,

Monday.

local Egyptian media said.

Hamas said negotiations will focus on the first stage of a ceasefire, including the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces as well as the release of hostages held by the militants in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention.

This latest push for peace comes after Hamas accepted some elements of the U.S. plan that Israel also said it supported. Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — about 20 of whom are believed to be alive — within three days. It would give up power and disarm

The talks in Egypt are expected to move quickly Netanyahu said they would be “confined to a few days maximum,” though some Hamas officials have warned that more time may be needed to locate bodies of hostages buried under rubble.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi hailed Trump’s efforts, underscoring the importance of preserving the U.S.-crafted “peace system” in the Middle East since the 1970s, which he said “served as a strategic framework for regional stability.”

El-Sisi spoke in a televised address commemorating the anniversary of the start of the 1973 war with Israel that led to Egypt reclaiming the Sinai Peninsula, where Sharm el-Sheikh is located.

‘Living in fear, war, displacement’ In Gaza, families of Palestinian ba-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EFREM LUKATSKy Netherland’s Prime Minister Dick Schoof, right, shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting Monday in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Ukraine says it struck Russian ammunition plant, oil terminal and weapons depot

BY ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Long-range Ukrainian drones and missiles hit a major Russian ammunition plant, a key oil terminal and an important weapons depot behind the front line, Ukraine’s president and military said Monday, as Kyiv cranked up pressure on Moscow’s military logistics.

The Sverdlov ammunition plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region of western Russia was struck overnight, causing multiple explosions and a fire, the Ukrainian General Staff said. The plant supplies Russian forces with aviation and artillery ordnance, aviation bombs and anti-aircraft and anti-tank munitions, it said Ukraine also hit an oil terminal on the Russia-annexed Crimean Peninsula, starting a blaze, and an ammunition depot of Russia’s 18th Combined Arms Army, the General Staff said.

Russian authorities acknowledged a major Ukrainian drone attack over 14 regions, as well as Crimea and around the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov But they gave few details beyond saying that air defenses shot down 251 Ukrainian drones — making it one of the biggest Ukrainian barrages of Russian territory since the war began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, said that air defenses fended off an attack by 20 Ukrainian drones on a local industrial zone that includes the ammo plant and that no facilities were damaged.

Ukraine’s long-range attacks on refineries and other oil facilities contributed to Russian fuel shortages at the pump in August.

Court rejects appeal in Epstein case

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein.

bies born on the day the war began hoped to celebrate their second birthday with the sound of laughter and cheers instead of the cacophony of bombs and bullets.

The babies’ mothers have been repeatedly displaced and live in constant fear for their safety They also lack access to health care.

Amal al-Taweel and her husband, Mostafa, had their son, Ali, after three years of trying for a child. They now live in a tent without proper sanitation, food, vaccinations or toys.

“I was envisioning a different life for him. He couldn’t experience what a safe family life feels like,” alTaweel said The Vatican marked the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks by condemning the “inhuman massacre” of innocent people in Israel and calling for the return of hostages. But it also said Israel’s razing of Gaza is itself a disproportionate massacre, and called on countries to stop supplying Israel weapons to wage the war

“Those who are attacked have a right to defend themselves, but even legitimate defense must respect the principle of proportionality,” Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said on the eve of the anniversary “The perverse chain of hatred can only generate a spiral that leads nowhere good.”

Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.

France’s premier quits

BY SAMUEL PETREQUIN and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press

PARIS French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned after less than a month in office on Monday and less than 24 hours after naming a new government that prompted a key coalition ally to withdraw support.

The move deepened the country’s political crisis and left President Emmanuel Macron with few options.

The presidency said that Macron, who has been hitting record lows in opinion polls, accepted the resignation.

Lecornu had replaced his predecessor François Bayrou, on Sept. 9 to become France’s fourth prime minister in barely a year during a prolonged period of political instability Lecornu is now the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the Fifth Republic, which started in 1958.

French politics have been in disarray since Macron called an early legislative election last year that produced a deeply fragmented National Assembly. Farright and left-wing lawmakers hold more than 320 seats in the lower house, while the centrists and allied conservatives hold 210, with no party having an overall majority

Despite more than three weeks of efforts to secure enough support to avoid a no-confidence vote, Lecornu was forced out just hours after forming his Cabinet on Sunday, having lost the support of conservatives who hold 50 seats and who objected to his choice for

defense minister Lecornu’s government will manage day-to-day affairs until a new prime minister and Cabinet are appointed.

On the first day of their new term, the justices declined to take up a case that would have drawn renewed attention to the sordid sexual-abuse saga after President Donald Trump’s administration sought to tamp down criticism over its refusal to publicly release more investigative files from Epstein’s case.

Lawyers for Maxwell, a British socialite, argued that she never should have been tried or convicted for her role in luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein, a New York financier She is serving a 20-year prison term, though she was moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she was interviewed in July by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. As is their custom, the justices did not explain why they turned away the appeal.

Trump’s Republican administration had urged the high court to stay out of the case. Maxwell’s lawyers contended that a non-prosecution agreement reached in 2007 by federal prosecutors in Miami and Epstein’s lawyers also protected his “potential co-conspirators” from federal charges anywhere in the country Maxwell was prosecuted in Manhattan, and the federal appeals court there ruled that the prosecution was proper A jury found her guilty of sex trafficking a teenage girl, among other charges.

Maxwell’s trial featured accounts of the sexual exploitation of girls as young as 14 told by four women who described being abused as teens in the 1990s and early 2000s at Epstein’s homes.

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Immigrationagents’ tacticsinChicago questioned

BY SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press

CHICAGO Storming an apartment complexbyhelicopter as families slept. Deploying chemical agents near apublic school. Handcuffing a Chicago City Council member at a hospital.

Activists, residents and leaders say increasingly combativetactics usedbyfederal immigration agents are sparking violence andfueling neighborhood tensions in the nation’sthird-largest city

“They are the ones thatare making it awar zone,” IllinoisGov.JB PritzkersaidSundayonCNN.“They fire tear gas and smoke grenades, and they make it look like it’s awar zone.”

More than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since an immigration crackdown started last month in the Chicago area. The Trumpadministration has also vowed to deploy National Guard troops in its agenda to boost deportations.

But U.S. citizens,immigrants with legal status and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters that pop up daily across neighborhoods in the city of 2.7 million and its many suburbs

Arriving by helicopter

Activists and residents were taking stock Sunday at an apartment building on Chicago’sSouthSide wheretheDepartmentofHomeland Security said 37 immigrants were arrested recently in an operation that’sraisedcalls forinvestigation by Pritzker

While federalagents have mostly focused on immigrant-heavy and Latino enclaves, the operation early Tuesday unfolded in the largely Black South Shore neighborhood that’shad asmall influx of migrants resettled in Chicago while seeking

Federalofficers holddownaprotester Saturdayinthe Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicagoafter protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot awoman Saturdaymorning on Chicago’sSouthwest Side.

asylum.

Agents used unmarked trucks and ahelicopter to surround the five-story apartment building. NewsNation which was invited to observe the operation, reported agents “rappelled from Black Hawk helicopters.”

Agents then wentdoor to door,woke up residents and used zip ties to restrain them.

Residents and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant andRefugee Rights, which canvassed the area, said those who were zip tiedincluded children and U.S. citizens.

Rodrick Johnson, aU.S.citizen

briefly detained, said agentsbroke through his door and placed himin zip ties.

“I asked if they had awarrant, and Iasked fora lawyer,” the67-year-old toldthe ChicagoSun-Times. “They never brought one.”

Dixon Romeo with Southside Together,anorganization that’s also been helping residents, said doors were knocked off the hinges.

“Everyone we talked to didn’tfeel safe,” he said.“This is notnormal.

La. PoliticalHallof Fame to induct 8

BY TYLER BRIDGES

Staff writer

Aformer New Orleans mayor,two noted journalists, aformer state representative and four political consultants and behindthe-scenes party leaders are the next inductees into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame. The best-known member of the incoming class is Sidney Barthelemy,who served as New Orleans’ mayor from 1986-94.Before that, he spent 12 years serving as amember of the City Council and in the state Senate. Barthelemy is joined by:

n Sherman Copelin, who represented New Orleans in the state House from 1986-2000.

n Clancy DuBos, who spent 51 years as apolitical columnist, reporter,editor, political analyst and owner of Gambit, the weekly newspaper now owned by The Times-Picayune |The Advocate.

n John Hill,who covered Louisiana politics for more than 30 years for northern Louisiana newspapers

n Ron Nabonne, aveteran political consultant who worked forBarthelemy and dozens of other politicians over the years

n Norma Jane Sabiston, whoserved as achief of stafftothen-U.S. Sen.Mary Landrieu and who managed political campaigns for her,former Mayor Mitch Landrieu and former Sen. John Breaux. She died in 2023.

n Haywood Hillyer,a

1986-94.

lawyer in New Orleanswho spent morethanthree decadesasa Republican Party stalwart, helping to build theGOP into thedominant force in state politics. He died in 2010.

n BenJeffers,aveteran politicalconsultantinBaton Rouge who servedas chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party With the latest group,the Louisiana PoliticalHallof Fame, which is based in Winnfield,will have 257 inductees.

Acommittee of seven selected the newest members,including John Georges,who co-ownsThe Times-Picayune |The Advocate. The induction ceremony will takeplace in New Orleans on March 28.

Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate com.

It’s not OK. It’snot right ”

Pritzker,atwo-term Democrat, directed state agencies to investigate claimsthat children were zip tied anddetained separatelyfrom their parents, saying “military-style tactics” shouldn’tbeused on children.

Several Democratic membersof the Illinois congressionaldelegation metnear the site Sunday,calling for an end to immigration raids.

DHSofficialssaidtheyweretargeting connections to theTrende Aragua gang. Withoutoffering details on arrests or addressing how children were treated,DHS said “some of the targetedsubjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators.”

Department of HomelandSecurity Secretary KristiNoem on Saturdayposted heavily editedvideo clips of theoperationtoX showing agents blasting through doors, helicopters andadults in zipties, but music playedover mostofthe roughly 1minute video.

Agency officials did not return a

message left Sunday

Brandon Lee, with ICIRR, said while some residents were placed on ankle monitors, others remained unaccounted for.

More tear gas, smokebombs

Meanwhile, the use of chemical agents has become more frequent and visible in the past week. Used initially to manage protesters, agents used it this weekoncity streets and during immigration operations, according to ICIRR.

An emergency hotline to report immigrant agentsightings topped 800callsonFriday, the same day activistssaidagents threw acannisterofa chemical near aschoolinthe city’sLogan Square neighborhood. The activityinthe northwestside neighborhoodpromptednearby Funston Elementary School to hold recess indoors.

The same day Chicago Alderperson JessieFuentes was placed in handcuffs at ahospital.She saidshe asked agents to show awarrant for aperson who’dbroken hisleg while chased by ICE agents who then transported him to the emergency room

“ICE actedlikeaninvadingarmy in ourneighborhoods,” said state Rep. LilianJiménez, aDemocrat.

“Helicopters hovered above our homes, terrifying familiesand disturbing the peace of our community

These shameful and lawless actions are not only aviolation of constitutional rights but of ourmostbasic liberty: the right to live free from persecution and fear.”

Immigration agents shot awoman they allege was armed and tried to run them over after agents were “boxed in by 10 cars.” She and another person were charged Sunday with forcibly assaulting, impeding and interfering with afederal lawenforcementofficer.However, activists saidimmigration agents

causedthe multi-vehicle crashand detained the woman, who is aU.S. citizen Noemhas defended theaggressive tactics, calling the mission treacherous to agents and alleging threats on officers’ lives.

“It’sanextremelydangeroussituation,” she said Sunday on the “Fox &Friends” weekend show Goingtocourt

LeadersofaChicagosuburb that’s home to an immigration processing center have taken theirfight against federal agents to court.

The village of Broadviewhas become afront lineinthe immigration operation. The center in the community of 8,000 people is where immigrants are processed for detention or deportation Protests outside have become tense withnear daily arrests. Civil rights organizationshaveblasted aggressive tactics by agents, while village officials have launchedthree separate criminal investigations againstfederal agents.

Cityofficials have demanded the federal government remove an 8-foot fencetheysay was “illegally” put up outside the facility.They filed afederal lawsuit Friday seek atemporary restraining order and the immediate removal of the fence they say blocksfire access.

“The fence also constitutes an immediate public safety hazard,” the lawsuit said.

Also pending is an expected ruling on alleged violations of a2022 consent decree on how federal immigration agents can make arrests in sixstates including Illinois.While theorder expired in May, attorneys have sought an extension and filed dozensofmore allegedviolationsin thepast month. Associated Press writer AliSwenson contributed to thisstoryfrom NewYork

Voting underway on California maps

BY MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP political writer

LOS ANGELES Themidterm elections mightbeayear away,but the fight for control oftheU.S.Houseisunderway in California.

Voting opened statewide Monday on whether to dramatically reshape California’scongressionaldistricts to addasmany as five Democrat-held seats in Congress —a possible offsettoPresident Donald Trump’smoves in Texas and elsewhereto help Republicansinthe 2026 election.

The outcome of the70word, “yes” or “no” question could determine which party wins control of the closely divided House, and whether Democrats will be able to blunt Trump’spower in the second half of histerm on issues from immigration to reproductive rights.

The proposal is “a starting point for the 2026 race,” said Democratic consultant Roger Salazar

“2026 is thewhole ball game,” he said.

The national implications of California’sballot measure are clear in both the money it hasattracted andthe figures getting involved. Tens of millions of dollars are flowing into the race —including a$5 milliondonation to opponents from theCongressional Leadership Fund, the superPAC tied to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Formeraction-movie star and Republican Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken out to oppose it,while former President Barack Obama is in favor,calling it a “smart” approach to counter Republican maneuverings aimed at safeguarding House control.

The election thatconcludes

Nov.4will also color the emerging 2028 presidential contest in which Democratic Gov.Gavin Newsom —the face of the campaign for the new,jiggered districts —is widely seen as alikely contender

“Heaven help us if we lose,” Newsom wrote in arecent fundraising pitch to supporters. “This is an all-handson-deck moment for Democrats.”

The unusual special electionamounts to aDemocratic gambit to blunt Trump’sattempt in Texastogainfive Republican districts ahead of the midterms, amove intended to pad theGOP’stenuous

grip on the House.

Theduelbetween thenation’stwo most populous states has spread nationally with Missouriredrawing House maps that are crafted state by state. Other states couldsoon follow,while the dispute also has become entangledinthe courts.

Amajor question markhas emergedinTexas,where apanel of federal judges is considering whetherthe state can use aredrawn congressional mapthatboosts Republicans. If theTexas map is blocked even temporarily,it’snot clear how that decision would influenceCalifornia —ifatall

—where voting is underway Newsom haspreviously indicated that California could keep its current mapifother states pull back efforts to remakedistricts forpartisan advantage, but that language wasnot included in the final version of what’sofficially known as Proposition 50. If approved in California, it’spossiblethe newpolitical mapcould slash five Republican-held House seats while bolstering Democratic incumbents in other battleground districts. That could boost theDemocraticmargin to 48 of California’s52congressional seats, up from the 43 seats the party nowholds.

that federal involvement is inflaming the situation.

The lawsuit alleges that “these advances in President Trump’s long-declared ‘War’ on Chicago and Illinois are unlawful and dangerous.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said a court hearing was scheduled for Thursday

“Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,” said Pritzker, a Democrat Pritzker said some 300 of the state’s Guard troops were to be federalized and deployed to Chicago, along with 400 others from Texas.

Pritzker said the potential deployment amounted to “Trump’s invasion,” and he called on Republican Texas Gov Greg Abbott to block it. Abbott pushed back and said the crackdown was needed to protect federal workers who are in the city as part of the president’s increased immigration enforcement.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson confirmed in a weekend statement that Trump authorized using Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” that local leaders have not quelled.

The sight of armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near famous landmarks amplified concerns from Chicagoans already uneasy after an immigration crackdown that began last month. Agents have targeted immigrantheavy and largely Latino areas.

Chicago Mayor Brandon John-

SHUTDOWN

Continued from page 1A

many with few alternatives.

“There’s no real other option at that point,” Callison said. “If you can’t afford the premium on the exchange, you probably then just become uninsured.”

The potential cost difference is significant.

Two 60-year-olds in Louisiana with a household income of $85,000, for example, would see insurance costs rise from around $600 to $2,000 per month, according to a cost calculator from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.

A family of four with two adults in their 50s earning $90,000 would see costs increase from about $390 to $700 a month.

If the credits expire, the Affordable Care Act’s original, pre-pandemic subsidy structure would remain in place, but it offers much less help.

In Louisiana, people earn-

LSU

Continued from page 1A

research and economic development who formerly led the Sea Grant program, said creating a cooperative extension for energy would match a trend happening in some other land-grant universities to expand extension services beyond agriculture.

The cooperative extension services, which have the mission of bringing new research to the public, so the public can apply it, have a physical presence in all 64 parishes that could serve as the home for a new energy cooperative extension, Twilley suggested.

Combined with the recently formed LSU Energy Institute, the effort could tap into the university’s expertise to address the multidisciplinary questions energy raises and, Twilley argued, fulfill an obligation that a public research university has to serve as a trusted source of information.

Twilley told the forum audience that early discussions have occurred, including an idea, as a first step, to give agents an “Energy 101” class so they can field some questions and direct people to more expert LSU sources.

“The key part of the extension service is that people live in these communities,” Twilley said during the LSU Energy Research Symposium on Friday “That’s re-

son said Monday that he signed an executive order barring federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property, such as parking lots, garages and vacant lots, as staging areas for enforcement operations Protesters have frequently rallied near an immigration facility outside the city, and federal officials reported the arrests of 13 protesters Friday near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, citing safety and other factors, said she was limiting protests to 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m.

Elsewhere, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that agents shot a woman Saturday on Chicago’s southwest side. The department said it happened after Border Patrol agents patrolling the area were “rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.”

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said it’s reasonable for agents to use force if they believe they’re being ambushed. He noted officers were redeployed from other parts of the city to assist the agents and that 27 were affected by tear gas.

“We cannot become a society where we just decide to take everything in our own hands and start to commit crimes against law enforcement,” Snelling said. He said it’s difficult to “toe the line” between not helping federal immigration agents and maintaining public safety

In Portland, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut on Sunday granted a temporary restraining order sought by Oregon and California barring the deployment of Guard troops to Oregon from any state and the District of Columbia.

Immergut, who was appointed

by Trump during his first term, seemed incredulous that the president moved to send National Guard troops to Oregon from neighboring California and then from Texas on Sunday, just hours after she had ruled against it the first time.

“Aren’t defendants simply circumventing my order?” she asked. “Why is this appropriate?”

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt criticized the decision and said the president was using his authority as commander in chief.

Portland’s ICE facility has been the site of nightly protests for months, peaking in June when Portland police declared a riot, with smaller clashes occurring since then.

In recent weeks, the nightly protests typically drew a couple dozen people — until Trump ordered the National Guard Over the weekend, larger crowds gathered outside the facility and federal agents fired tear gas. Portland police made multiple arrests.

Most violent crime around the U.S. has declined in recent years, including in Portland, where homicides from January through June decreased by 51% to 17 this year compared with the same period in 2024, data shows.

Since starting his second term, Trump has sent or talked about sending troops to 10 cities, including Baltimore; Memphis, Tennessee; the District of Columbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

A federal judge in September said the administration “willfully” broke federal law by deploying Guard troops to Los Angeles over protests about immigration raids.

ing between about 138% and 400% of the federal poverty level — roughly $21,600 to $62,600 for an individual — are technically eligible for marketplace tax credits if the enhanced subsidies expire, but that is dependent on the cost of premiums in their area.

With the average benchmark silver plan premium for a 40-year-old enrollee about $540 per month, according to KFF, that would mean a single person earning around $50,000 could pay roughly $415 a month in premiums instead of about $270 under the current enhanced subsidies.

Those earning above 400% of the poverty level would no longer qualify for any federal assistance, leaving them responsible for the full premium cost.

Extending the subsidies would cost the federal government around $23 billion next year and about $350 billion over the next decade, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

ally critical because they’re trusted individuals, and they are trained in how to actually deal with being the informed, trusted agent.”

On Monday, Tara Smith, LSU executive associate vice president and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service at the LSU AgCenter, said she wasn’t aware of a formal plan to implement the idea.

Smith, who sat on the forum panel moderated by Twilley, said there would have to be “a lot of future discussions” at the “highest levels to make something like that happen.”

Among those challenges, according to Twilley, is finding the people and money At the forum, he floated the idea of the U.S. Department of Energy providing the dollars to avoid the inevitable credibility questions industry funding might generate.

Other concerns existed for some. State Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Abbeville, who attended the forum and grew up in a family of rice farmers, remarked on the credibility the agricultural extension service had with his grandfather Hensgens asked if having the extension services step into the current “messy” energy debate would harm the trust people have put in the services.

Greg Upton, executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies who has spoken at some community forums to provide informa-

With the shutdown dragging on with no end in sight, frustration spilled onto the Senate floor on Friday

“This shutdown is bonedeep, down-to-the-marrow, stupid,” said U.S. Sen. John Kennedy R-Madisonville “The pandemic is over, and that’s why the Democrats, when they passed the bill, put in a provision that says, at the end of this year those extra subsidies are going to end.”

But at the same time, the cost of health insurance has climbed steadily over the past several years, up roughly 35% in Louisiana since 2018, according to federal marketplace data, from about $560 per month in 2018 to roughly $755 in 2023.

Supporters of extending the subsidies point out that they’ve significantly reduced the number of uninsured people in Louisiana and enticed young, healthy people to the insurance pool, which is needed to keep the marketplace sustainable.

tion on carbon capture, has already faced criticism. Upton is also interim director of the new Energy Institute.

But Smith and another forum panel member, Rex Caffey, an LSU natural resource economics professor and director of the Sea Grant marine extension, said they believe the cooperative model could stay above the fray

“Our stock and trade is to get involved in controversial issues and the way we protect ourselves is to bring science-based information and to not take sides. Our motto is ‘be descriptive, not prescriptive,’” Caffey said.

The cooperative services bring the data, Caffey added, and allow both sides to provide their point of view

“When you lose that objectivity, you’ve lost the whole game and that’s what we have to offer,” he added.

Smith added that there is an “interesting dynamic” happening between agriculture and industry as farmers are being approached about energy deals and have questions.

The AgCenter extension can serve as an information source, but not make recommendations, for decisions that could affect farms for generations, she said.

“So I see it as just another discipline, if that makes sense,” Smith said.

David J. Mitchell can be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

“These premium tax credits are what finally put the affordable into the Affordable Care Act,” said Jan Moller, director of Invest Louisiana. “We should not think about this as just a COVID thing that expired.”

If premiums rise, Moller said, some may feel they can’t afford insurance.

“Their first obligation is to pay the rent, pay the light bill, put food on the table, put gas in the car, and health care is very important, but it

comes after that, especially if you’re a healthy person,” Moller said. People who have chronic health conditions will have little choice but to absorb the higher costs.

Open enrollment for ACA plans begins Nov 1, and insurers will be finalizing their plans assuming the credits will not continue, said Callison. Louisiana residents enrolled through the marketplace — many of them small-business owners, self-

employed workers or people without employer-sponsored coverage — will be most affected. “A lot of people won’t know about it until they get their renewal letter in the mail from their exchange plan that says their premium’s going from $300 a month to $900 a month or whatever it is,” Callison said. Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

BY VÍCTOR CAIVANO and RAMIROBARREIRO Associated Press

PENÍNSULA VALDÉS,Argentina After coming back from the brink of extinction, Southern right whales are swimming in greater numbers off the coast of Argentina’sPatagonia this year,delighting touristsseeking to catch aglimpse of their acrobatics.

Peninsula Valdés, located in the Patagonianprovince of Chubut, is globally important for the conservation of marine mammals and is home to akey breeding population of Southern right whales —once an endangered species—aswellaselephant seals and sea lions.

“I’veseenwhalesinCanadaand California, but this was the best andprobablythe largestnumberof whales I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Tino Ventz, aGermantourist who recently visited the peninsula with his girlfriend.

The Southern right whale was nearlyexterminated by hunting

100,000, before it was decimated to about600. Sincethen, it hasslowly recovered to roughly4,700 whales around Peninsula Valdéstoday Whale-watchingseason in the South American country peaksbetween August andSeptember.This year,more than 2,000 whales have been spotted,though theactual number is likely higher,scientists say Ventz, 24, and his partner joined Argentine AndreaDelfino and her childrenona boat trip. Southern winds stirredthe whales into more acrobatic breaching, aspectacle that leaves an indelible impression on thosewho witness it.

Othertouristspreferredtowatch thewhales from the shore, as is common in neighboring Brazil or Uruguay.

expeditionsupuntil thelastcentury.Before large-scale whaling began, the population in Southern waters was estimated at around

Watchingfrom thebeach, Agustina Guidolín, fulfilled her dream of witnessing“the immensitythat borders on the magical and the wild.” The tourists were at El Doradillo Park, aprotected natural area in Puerto Madryn, where whales

GretaThunbergamong flotilla activistsdeportedfromIsrael

BY MELANIELIDMAN andRENATA BRITO Associated Press

JERUSALEM Israeli authorities said Monday they deported to Greece and Slovakia another 171 people detained for taking part in aGaza-bound aid flotilla, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Israel’sforeign ministry posted on Xthat“the deporteeswere citizens of Greece, Italy,France, Ireland, Sweden,Poland,Germany,Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway theUK, Serbia,and the United States.” The post included photos of Thunberg and other activists wearingwhite T-shirts andgray sweatpants. Thunberg was among dozens of deportees to land in Athens, Greece,onMonday afternoon. Crowds of supporters gathered at the Eleftherios Venizelos international airport and chanted “Free

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Swedish activist GretaThunberg, center, arrives at the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airportin AthensonMondayafter being deported fromIsrael.

free Palestine” as activists disembarked.

“That thismission has to exist, it’sashame. It is ashame,” Thunberg told journalists and protesters shortlyafterarriving.

“I could talk for avery,very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story.”

Instead, Thunberg urged world leaders andordinary citizens to

endtheir “complicity” with the “genocide” being carriedout against Palestinians in Gaza, on the eve of the second anniversary of the war therebetween Israel and Hamas. “Wecannottakeour eyes away from Gaza,”Thunberg said. Israeli authorities againrejected mistreatment accusations that have emerged in interviews with activists who were deported to Turkey,Spain andItalyoverthe weekend. Israel’s governmenthas also vehemently deniedclaims thatits offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide, despite agrowing number of experts denouncing it as such.

Lubna Tuma,a lawyer with the Adalah association representing more than470 Global Sumud Flotilla participants who were detained last week as they attempted to break the Israeli siege of Gaza, said 150peoplewerestill held in Israel’sKtziot prison, including Nelson Mandela’sgrandson, Mandla Mandela.

Southern rightwhalesmakebig showinginPatagonia

spend time close to shore with their young after giving birth.

In addition to Peninsula Valdés andother points in Patagonia, the whales’migration route extends alongUruguay’seastern coast and southern Brazil.

Santiago Fernández, abiologist with Argentina’sNational Scientific andTechnical Research Council, is part of aproject that since 1999 has carried out twotothree aerial surveys each year along 400 miles of Patagonian coastline. This year’s count recorded 2,100 whales —863 of them mothers with calves, and the rest solitary individuals.

“We’re underestimating the numberofwhales in the area,” Fernández said of the census,noting that it representsonly asnapshot, since whales move in and out of the same regionasthey migrate.

He explained that in 1999, “about 500whaleswerecounted alongthat same route,” adding that “we’re currently seeing a3%annual growth rate.” Fernández added that another

project, “Following Whales,”conducted by several national and international organizations, tracks individual whales via satellitetelemetry within the San Matias Gulf to the north, the San Jorge Gulf to the south and beyond to better understand their routes.

From that project, which began in 2014, scientists learned that once the calves grow,the mothers leadthem deeperinto the gulfs whales that are therefore not included in the aerial census.

The growing population is leadingtoadispersal —especially of juveniles and mothers that have already calved —toward the San Matias and San Jorge gulfs,and even as far north as the coast of Buenos Aires province.

This expansion also brings the whales closer to risks posed by human activity,such as fishing nets and boat propellers, researchers have found, basedoninjuries suffered by whalesunable to return to Antarctica at the end and beginning of their natural cycle.

Floridaremoves rainbow crosswalkfromMiami Beach

BY DAVID FISCHER Associated Press

MIAMI Arainbow-coloredcrosswalk meant to celebrate thehistory and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in Miami Beach has been removed from the city’siconic Ocean Drive entertainment district about two monthsafter Florida officials ordered theremoval of all street art throughout the state.

Workers with the Florida Department of Transportationbegan tearingupthe colorful pavers Sunday afternoon, just two days after Miami Beach officials learned they had lost their appeal against thestate order By Monday,the intersection was paved over in asphalt.

Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez said city public works employees collected all of the removed paving stones so that they can be repurposed in the future.

“This represented decades of people who endured housing discrimination, expulsion from the military, workplace discrimination, the stigma of HIV andAIDS, the fight for marriageequality,all the hard-won

battles that took the LGBTQcommunity from being marginalized to now being avisible,celebrated part of the community,” Fernandez said.

TheMiamiBeach crosswalk— aplace to see for multiple tourist guides—was designedbythe Savino &Miller Design Studio and installed in 2018. It featured multicolor terrazzo pavers arranged in an Art Deco pattern,a style withnearlya century of history in the city Fernandezsaidthe crosswalk was designed following federal guidelines and noted that it’sone of the safest intersections in the area, with half as many crashesasthe closest intersection to the south since 2018. The Department of Transportation underRepublican Gov.Ron DeSantis had ordered communitiestoremove the crosswalks and other street art by early last month and threatened to withhold state transportationfunding for noncompliance.

DeSantis has previously explained his administration’srationale: “I think the street art got out of hand. Ithink it’smuch better that we use crosswalks and streets for their intended purpose.”

JanRisher

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Adventures andawalk forlove

Ayear ago, Istarted writing thiscolumndocumenting aweekly adventure. Since then, I’ve done things like:

n helping the groundscrewat Tiger Stadium;

n being amermaid at the Audubon Aquarium (the scariest thing I’ve done in along time);

n becoming ablacksmith (I have the twisted iron to prove it);

n walking to the largest bald cypress tree in the world;

n helping abeekeeper save a hive in midair;

n going behind the sceneswith the mascot, Mike the Tiger,at LSU;

n meeting theGold Maninthe French Quarter;

n “strutting” with the Dancing Dolls, at least in theory (these kind young women were ahighlight of the year).

It’sbeen quite ayear For the first “Louisiana at Large” column,Iwent for awalk in Audubon Park in New Orleans where, by chance, Imet Ciera Ellis. Our time together was areminder of the joy that comeswith meeting new people. On Friday, I went back to Audubon Park, with plans to meet and walk with Ellis. However,atthe last minute,she was called away Iwas already there, so Idid what Idid last year —started walking, hoping to meet someone First, Icrossed pathswith Robyn Ledet. She was finishingup, but said we could walk together for a few minutes. Ledet is aneonatal intensive care unit nurse atManning Family Children’sHospital in New Orleans. We talked about how morenewbornsare ending up in the NICU. She added adetail Ihadn’tpreviously considered —that health advances have made it possible to save preemies earlier thanever before. So, children who wouldn’t have survived years ago now find their places in the NICU. Ilove details that make statistics more understandable. With that quick conversation, Ledet wasoff, and Iwas left wondering, “Now what?” Ichanged directions, thinking about why Iapproach some people and not others. Striking

ä See RISHER, page 4B

Police investigate shooting on Cypress Street

CRIME BLOTTER Advocate staff reports

Aman is recovering after an early Sunday morningshooting in the 100 block of Cypress Street, accordingtothe Lafayette Police Department. Officerswerealready in the area about 12:05 a.m. respondingtoa large fight nearJefferson Street when a gunshot was heard Officials said they found awoundedman andprovided aid until paramedics arrived He was taken to ahospital and is listed in stable condition. Detectives said they areinvestigating what led to the gunfire. Anyone with informationis asked to contact Lafayette police or call Lafayette Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-8477.

ä See BLOTTER, page 4B

Contractor expandstoLafayette

Newfacilityset to create 196local jobs over 10 years

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

ABaton Rouge-based electrical contractor will expand into avacant warehouseinnorth Lafayette, amove that will create 196 jobs over the next 10 years.

MMR Group, the largest openshop electricaland instrumentation contractor in theUnited States, announcedits moveinto the former SouthernGlazer’sWine & Spirits distribution center at 939 W. Pont Des MoutonRoad on Mondaymorning.

The move is part of a$55.2million investment by the company for anew assembly facility that

will expand production of electrical components used in highgrowth sectors such as data centers andsemiconductors, state and company officials said.

The jobs created will offer an average salary of $85,000 and will be part of the company’s3,000jobs acrossthe state, officials said. The retrofittedfacility will allow MMR to produce modularsystems onsite, all critical elements in the constructionofartificialintelligenceand data centers throughout the nation.

MMR clos ed on th e 148,000-square-foot building Sept. 26, according to land records. A sale price was not disclosed. Stir-

ling Properties wasthe seller

“For more than 30 years, MMR Grouphas helped power Louisiana’seconomy,and this expansion proves howvital ourhomegrown companiesare to thestate’s success,”Gov.Jeff Landry said. “This administration is committed to ensuring that MMR, and all Louisiana businesses, benefit from the historic momentum we are seeing across our state, turning growth into opportunity for every region and every family.”

Foundedin1991 in Baton Rouge as asmall electrical service company,MMR Group offers engineering, construction, maintenance and technical services for

industrial and commercial clients worldwide.

It has offered services to key projects in Louisiana, including Venture Global’sLNG facility in Plaquemines Parish. The development occurs during theAcadiana Region leg of Louisiana Economic Development’sDriving Louisiana Opportunitytour, astatewide initiative highlighting employers that strengthen communitiesand fuel growth across Louisiana.

LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois wasscheduledtobeinLafayette on Monday “This$55 million investment is astrong vote of confidence in Lafayette’sworkforce and business climate,” Lafayette Prish

Hierfor thebier

The Roberts Cove Germanfest Folk Singersperform Saturday during the 2025 Roberts Cove Germanfest at Roberts Cove Road in Rayne. The eventfeatured live entertainment, delicious authentic German food, afantastic selection of German beer on tap, folkloredemonstrations and plenty of activities for the kids

ABOVE: Mugs of beer wait to be served.

LEFT: Mike Messian, left, and Start Eastman toast withbeers.

Economist LorenScott released his2026-2027 Louisiana Economic Outlook recently andhas beentraveling around the statespreading the mostly good news. By the end of the year,the stateisprojected to break thethreshold of 2 million nonfarm jobs, and thegrowthwill be spread across the state’s10MetropolitanStatistical Areas in the coming years.

Of course, the big headlines are the Meta project in northeast Louisianaand thetwo major LNGterminals underconstruction alongthe Calcasieu Ship Channel. They willmakeMonroeand Lake Charles the twofastest-growing regions in the state, with an 8% increaseinjobs over the next two years. Scott projects that the state will add jobs at afaster clip thanithas in 2025, with a3.7% increase in jobs statewide on average over the same time period Baton Rouge, where anew Hyundai Steel plant is in the works,will also be astandout

The Capitol region can expect to see 4.9% job growth over the next twoyears. Many of those jobs will come from the $20 million in projects slated for the 17,000-acre RiverPlexMegaPark, amixed-use developmentonthe west bank of the Mississippi River in Ascension Parish.

The 3.3%job growthprojected forShreveport-Bossier could likely be exceeded, Scott said,ifrumored projects, such as adatacenter, come to fruition. The Lafayette region,which is weathering alull in drilling in the Gulf, can expect2.8% job growth. ScottalsonotedthatIberia Parish is abright spot.Nolonger includedin the Lafayette MSA, Iberia, where First Solar is hiring apace for its solar panel manufacturing plant, shows that there is growing economic activity in some of the state’sruralparishes

The New Orleans region canexpect to seea 2.4% increase in jobs, even as it grapples with a lag in tourism and convention business. St. Tammany and Hammond, however,are projected to see a3.4% gain.

We can’tlook upon this forecast with anything but optimism. Scott notes some potential threats on the horizon from tariffs to AI butalso notes that the Trump administration’s policiesregarding energy exploration andreduced regulation will benefit Louisiana greatly

We have praised Gov.Jeff Landry and his administration for changing the game regarding economic development in Louisiana. This jobs forecast marks areal opportunityfor ourstate. We hope our leaders will seize it to makeinvestments in our future, in the health andsafety of our citizens and in the education of ourchildren. After all, attracting jobsare only onepart of the equation. Turning thisstate around and reversing outmigration will require addressing the quality-of-life issues thatloom large when residents decide to leave. It will requireleadersfromall across the statetoput the needs of citizens first. As the job picture looksrosier though, we are finally in aplace tobuild astrong foundation for the future.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

David Mitchell’sarticle about “urging public outreach” for support of carbon sequestration has me wondering why the industry thinks that the public needs to know more. He even quotes Greg Upton, executive director of theLSU Center for Energy Studies, saying, “carbon sequestration is akey strategythat could be used to reduce emissions intensity of products. He makes afirst valid point:CCS (carbon sequestration and capture) is not being used by our industriestoreduce the amount of carbon their fossil-fuel endeavorscreate, but to slightly (if successful), reducetheir intensity.I’m wondering exactly how that translates into reducing the amount of carbon that we’redumping into the atmosphere. And there’sthat big “if” —there are no guarantees thatthe CCS process will capturemorecarbon thanitcreates Americanshave learned that the “benefits” of this supposed process aren’tbenefiting them, unless they’re amulti-national oil operator.Shipping American fossil fuels overseas is a

multi-billion-dollar business.

Addtothat thedeadly aspects of collecting high pressure carbon into pipelines and containment vesselsbefore attempting to force it underground, and you have theprospect of leaks (as has already occurred in the U.S. 76 times since 2010. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shows Denbury is responsible for more CO2 leakage than any other CO2 pipeline company.This is worrisome: Denburyisamajor actor in Louisiana. Then there’sthe acidification of aquifers that accidentally get carbon leaked into them.Carbonic acid is easily formed when water and carbon mix it up. Variations in acidity result in changes to water chemistry and alkalinity, which is not good foraquifers or the people who depend on them for their personal use, crops and industry So, what more does theCCS industry want to tell us?

MARGIE VICKNAIR-PRAY Lacombe

On the last Sunday in September,we honored theGold Star families who absorbthe grief of past war causalities, just as Blue Star families maintain a vigil of support for those serving.Nothing comparestothe loss afamily feels Anytimeone of our servicemembers aretaken, we losealittle piece of ourselves. Unfortunately,the heroes remained on the battlefields, and the lucky ones returnedtoremind our formerenemies thattheir efforts to do battle withAmerica in the past werefruitless. Now theyare fully aware of that.

New Orleans,I’d like to think you’re better thanthis. As aBourbon Street bartender,Ihave seen that the bucket drumming culture is all that’sbad about New Orleans First of all, it’snoisepollution —especially when you have competing drummersnot even ablock apart.You can’t even hear themusic in abar playing music But truly,that’s not the worst of it.It is at least breaking so many child labor laws. There’sa family on theblock whereIwork, and the young girland

And to the present-day terrorists who we arecutting off at each pass, their days are numbered. And to the few misguided who are contemplating any future attacks on this great nation, I would like to be veryserious with these people: For your health’ssake, change your plans. Find another livelihood. Youwill live longer

Becauseour heroes gave their all, true Americans assembled across this free nation to remember and give thanks.

LINK SAVOIE Sunset

young boy are bothnoolder than 10. The mother or grandmother sits in a folding chair in theshade while the kids aggressively chasetourists down for tips. They block sidewalks. They molest tourists. And they don’trepresent the true music cultureofthis great city

To perform on Bourbon or in the Quarteringeneral, do you need apermit or license? Are theypaying taxes? New Orleans and Louisiana, getthis fixed.

DEAN ARNETT

NewOrleans

IamaRepublican, and honestly, Ihave no idea whatprompted that decision, but Iwould like to think it was intellectual, knowing that I have always felt like neither party had long-term positive goals with everyday Americans in mind. We are acomplicated country made up of remarkably diverse groups. Iam very proud to be an American. Idothink Iampractical, fair-minded and smart. America has serious problems, not the least of whichisa staggering national debt nearing $37 trillion (which neither party seems to be paying muchmore than word games to resolve), growing ideological differences that are more often resolved by violence than discussion and an unwavering focus in getting involved in international matters we are convinced we are the only ones capable of solving. Iwould like to see our current national leadership focus on constructively working on bringing our national debt down so our children and grandchildren can live without the overwhelming debt burden. We need to pay more attention to working with our differing ideological partners practically (I know this is very difficult) where compromise maybethe only answer and focus on key structural problems at home rather than abroad. Idon’tbelieve tariffs, reduced tax burden or continuing international confrontations are the answer.Yes, that means Iamnot asupporter of the Big Beautiful Bill, no matter whatyou call it. We have serious problems right here at home, and we need to start working on solutions rather than continually pointing the finger at the other guy.Weare all Americans and need to start acting like it.

CHARLESHARGON Baton Rouge

Inote that Robert F. Kennedy Jr proposes to study the harm done by vaccines of various types. That kind of study is flawed because it doesn’t study the benefits of vaccines as well. Let’shave aproper study which would include both the benefits and the harm

EILEEN BAGNETTO Metairie

CouldCentral La.becomean economic powerhouse again?

Chris Masingill has been in Alexandria just afew weeks, and he’salready abeliever

It’sagood thing, too, because that’s hisjob. As the new head of Louisiana Central, the economic development agency that covers a 10-parish area across the state’smiddle, Masingill is now the region’s foremost business evangelist, preaching the gospel of opportunityto companies that are considering relocating to the area that stretches from theMississippi River in the east to the Sabine River in thewest.

Drive through the region, and you’ll seesome industry,some farmingand a whole lot of pine trees.

Masingill sees nothing but potential. “I am sold, Iamcommitted,”hetold me recently from his car outsidehis officeindowntown Alexandria. “I am so glad Itook the time to dive in.”

That optimism is sorely needed. For decades, central Louisiana, CenLa to locals, has been an economic laggard, alargely rural region caught in the grip of timber industry decline

Earlier this year,International Paper shuttered its mill in Campti, in Natchitoches Parish, laying off morethan400 peopleand closing the parish’slargest individualtaxpayer.The move caught many off guard and sent local officials scrambling, but it wasn’tunprecedented.Itwas just the latest in adecadeslong series of economicgut punches that have left the local economybattered That’s why some of Louisiana’smost intractable problems —decrepit infrastructure, diminishing opportunityand declining population —are all endemic to the CenLa region.

Into that steps Masingill, theformer economic development chief in St. Tammany,where he was known as a fervent and committed proponentof new projects. But the northshorehas things that helped Masingill spread theword:a growing and relatively wealthy population, goodschools andproximityto New Orleans and Baton Rouge. CenLa doesn’thave those.

shuttered paper mill siteintoafacility that uses wood fiber to produce green methanol for ship fuel.

These are good projects, but they’re not enough. Masingill must figure a waytolure other industries, too.

Of course, like every economic development person in thestate, he would love adata center

Andhethinks central Louisiana should be “at thetop of the list” for such aproject, given theavailable sites and welcoming approach. He’s also targeting manufacturing and, controversially in central Louisiana, carbon capture projects. Time will tell if Masingill’sfaith in theregion’spotential will lead to new projects. For it to, CenLawill have to overcome —oratleast improve someofthose long-standing challenges mentioned above.

On infrastructure, Masingill touts the region’saccess to theMississippi and Red rivers, two railroads and anorthsouthinterstate. Butitisstill not as accessible as the state’sother big regions, and local sewer and water systems are frequently in poor condition.

On Aug. 5, 1997, President Bill Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress, led by Speaker Newt Gingrich, enacted the Balanced Budget Act. This bipartisan agreement aimed to balance the federal budget by 2002. Most of the credit goes to Gingrich because Clinton had vetoed previous Republican proposals for reducing the debt. The deal resulted in four consecutive years of budget surpluses, ararity.But the big spending addicts returned and so has the debt, now morethan $37 trillion.

He is unfazed.Heswears thestate’s middleregion can punch above its weight. “There’snoreason we shouldn’tbe leading the stateineconomic impact,” especially when itssize is taken into account, hetold me. That’sambitious, but Masingill is correct to see potential in central Louisiana. Timber,for decades thearea’s economic engine and lately the sign of itsdecline, is undergoing something of arenaissance. Wood, as it turns out, canbeusedtoproduce avariety of new“clean”fuels that have impressive versatility

Central Louisiana has already seen some of that activity, and more is on the way Forexample, Drax Biomass’ LaSalle Parishplant has been open since 2017, producingwood pelletsthat are sold to European customers for electricity generation. And in Pineville, acompany called SunGas Renewables is in the midst of a$2billion project to turn a

More worryingly,CenLa is losing population. According to Louisiana Central’swebsite, the region lost 30,000 residents, about 8%, between 2015 and 2024. Andthe number of people working has dropped from morethan 130,000 in 2020 to about 113,000 now, thewebsite shows.

“Wecan’tafford to loseone person,” Masingill told me. Reversing those downward trends will take all of the persuasion and team-building that he can muster Masingill may see morepotential in central Louisiana than most and sometimes,his enthusiasm seems over the top ButIhope it’sgenuine. Even more, I hope it works.

Masingill doesn’thave to turn CenLa into some sort of Silicon Valley South; he just has to get it moving in the right direction. That alone would be asignificant achievement, one that would see his evangelistic zeal profit theentire state.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

PresidentTrump faceshis generals

When President Donald Trump dropped the bizarre suggestion that the military should use American cities as “training grounds” to fight what he called “an enemy within,” it sounded almost like old news. After all, Trump has talked like this for years. “Don’ttake him literally,” some would say.Or, that’s just Trump being Trump.

Yetfor the past couple of months, Trump has been foreshadowing the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland, and as Iwrite this, citizens of those cities are watching and waiting for it to happen, just as he sent troops to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, purportedly to crack down on crime and support immigration enforcement. But there was adistinct difference in gravity to Trump’srambling at Quantico. He was making his suggestion to a highly unusual gathering of hundreds of the nation’stop military leaders —admirals, generals, top sergeants —who were summonedfrom around the world, on short notice, to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, for apurpose most could onlyguessatbefore the meeting.

Trump, alate addition to the program, apparentlycould not pass up an opportunity to address military commanders on national television —and appeared to be visibly thrown off guard by the absence of applause.

This was, after all,not apolitical rally —or, rather,not supposed to be. The military,especially agathering of seniorrank officers, refrain from showing politically tinged approval or disapproval. (Alas, after speaking to countless political gatherings, the president still seems to be learning his regular job.)

Hegseth’sspeech was notable forits scolding tone. Strutting back and forth in front of agiant American flag, no doubt

“We’ve promoted toomany uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons: based on their race, based on gender quotas, based on historic so-called ‘firsts,’ “ Hegseth said.

He snarled about wokeness, DEI, “dudes in dresses” and “climate change worship,”and concluded by saying “we’re done with that s***.”

Hegseth heralded the return of swashbuckling, manly warriors who “kill people and break things for aliving,” and who will henceforthbeliberated from “stupid rules of engagement.”

set up to recreate the iconic scene from the movie “Patton,” Hegseth declared it was “completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals” in the military. Thatreminded me of my own final weeks in the Army back in the Vietnam era, when our company commander threw abalefullook at my expanding tummy and noted, “You could lose afew pounds there, eh, Page?”

Sir,yes, sir!

Iwas ashort-time draftee by then, silently counting the days until Icould go home. Hegseth’saudience, by contrast, was made up of the men andwomen who lead the premierfighting force on Earth. Andthe popinjay berating themfrom the stage was performing for apolitical audience, not for them.Hegsethand Trump wouldspend theday castigating liberals, andthreateningtobrutalize their cities, andthe assembled generals and admirals were there as props. One can only imaginewhatwas going through their minds.

Hegseth commanded troops at GuantanamoBay and in Iraq and Afghanistan, reaching the rank of captain, but his main qualification for Trump’sCabinet seems to have been his timeworking for Fox News. Andinhis performance at Quantico, his culture warrior chops were clearly in evidence.

The non-military audience listened and wondered, is thata green light for war crimes? We don’tknow what the generals and admirals thought. To eschew politics is their ethos and their training. Their vow is to defend the Constitution

YetHegsethleft little doubt thathis gung-ho ideological bent is integral to how he runs the Pentagon —and thatno duty requires him to check apresident who talks routinely about violating the Constitution and possibly turning our troops against American citizens.

“I told Pete,” Trump told his Quantico audience, “we should use someofthese dangerous cities as training grounds for our military.Because we’re going into Chicago very soon. That’s abig city with an incompetent governor.Stupid governor.Stupid.”

Not stupid enough to take Trump’sbait, Ihope. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine any observer stupid enough not to seethat Trump is playing apotentially deadly game with our constitutional order.And yet we don’tseem to know how to protect it from him

Iamreminded of the immortal wisdom of afigure from my childhood, the comic strip character Pogo: “Wehave met the enemyand he is us!’ It’s an old line, but unfortunately still powerfully relevant.

Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com

Democrats are hoping the current government “shutdown” will be blamed on Republicans as in the past. Perhaps it’stimeto bring back Clinton and Gingrich to worktheir previous magic. As with President Trump’sDOGE, Gingrich exposed large amounts of wasteful and unnecessary spending.

In an email, Gingrich tells me he visited Capitol Hill last month and gave budget committee staffofthe House and Senate a“workbook” detailing how to balance the budget and pay down the national debt.

As fornecessary public support, which he says is crucial, Gingrich believes voters must be convinced debt reduction is anecessity He references a2014 Gallup poll which found respondents believed the government wastes 51 cents of every dollar it spends. A2025 YouGov-Cato found that number had increased to 59 cents per dollar.America’sNew Majority Project reported last month that 69% of voters support aconstitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the budget.

“A major part of any serious balanced budget-debt repayment program,” writes Gingrich, “must include hearings and reports highlighting waste, fraud, inefficiency,and ineffectiveness. The thememust be that amodernized, effective government would deliver better results forthe American people at amuch lower cost. This themeisespecially important in health and health care, which must be improved dramatically if the budget is ever to be balanced. Health care is 18% of the GDP and the largest expense of the federal government. It costs $1.7 trillion versus $910 billion fordefense. More than 27% of all federal spending is focused on health care.”

Messaging is key,hesays, and manymessages should be tried until the right one is found. Among them might be Ronald Reagan’sline: “Wedon’thave deficits because people are taxed too little. We have deficits because big government spends too much.” Gingrich says, “Government spending went up 58% from FY 2019 to FY 2025 while the population only went up 3%.”

The former Speaker proposes three steps: “First, there must be aconcerted communications effort to, in (Margaret) Thatcher’s language, ‘win the argument and then winthe vote.’ One possible future meanseconomic decay,fiscal bankruptcy and massive tax transfers from working Americans to foreign bondholders.

“The effect of that decaying future on the economy,American society and our national security must be driven deeply into the collective mindset. It is simply irresponsible and destructive to allow the current wasteful, selfindulgent and selfish system to continue.

“Second, there must be abroad coalition that sustains this vision foryears.

“The American system,and especially the American newsmedia, has apowerful commitmenttohaving the urgent drive out the important. Elected officials alone do not have the time or communications weight to sustain such abig strategic goal over time. Many people and institutions must be committed to saving America by reestablishing fiscal stability.They must return to this commitment daily,without regard to headlines that seek to distract from the vital long-term goal.

“Third, elected officials, congressional staff and the Executive Branch must commit to be the team that saves America from bankruptcy and economic collapse. If one-third of the Republicans in Congress and the Executive are seriously,constantly focused on balancing the budget and paying off debt, their party and institutions will follow.They must be prideful and militant about doing something historic. The dramatically better future will be worth the time, conflict and frustrations.”

There’smuch moreinthe Gingrich “workbook.” Reducing debt and balancing the budget can again be achieved. All that is necessary is the will.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com

CONTRACTOR

Continued from page 1B

Mayor-President Monique Boulet said. “Just off I-49, MMR will transform an existing building into astate-ofthe-art assembly facility and continue to fuel an industry that powers our everyday lives. It’sproof thatwhen businesses choose Lafayette, they choose growth, innovation and opportunity for everyone.” LED’sincentives package for the projects include a $500,000 performance-based grant forbuildingrenovations and its comprehensive workforce development solutions, LED FastStart. MMR is also expected to participate in the state’sIndustrial TaxExemption and High Impact Jobs programs.

“At MMR, we are committed to excellenceand scaling our business operations to meet the ever-growing needs of our clients,” MMR President and CEO James B. “Pepper” Rutland said. “In doing so, we have the unique ability to provide our core E&I capabilities alongside an in-house suite of specialty services, such as the new modular systems division. This allows us to streamline processes and assist our clients in completingcomplex projects within scope, budget and more efficiently.”

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B

Inmate accused of attempted murder

An inmate at St. Landry Parish jail faces more charges, accused of sending another inmate to the hospitalfor multiple facial fractures, a broken jaw and abrain bleed. Gaige White, 28, of Jennings, was booked on a charge of attempted seconddegree murder

Ashift supervisor at the jail on Wednesday found the victim on the floor,bleeding from an apparent beating, police said. First aid was administered to the inmate and ambulance was summoned.

Police said White punched the victim numerous times and once on the floor,stomped his head repeatedly

Risher,from left,Shyra

Park in NewOrleans.

RISHER

Continued from page1B

up aconversationwith a strangertakes acertain level ofcourage. Over the years, I’ve developed a sixth sense about it.

Speed matters. If someone’smovingtoo fast, I can’t walk andtalk at the same time

Headphonesorearbuds also rule people out: they carry theunspoken message: “Donot disturbme.”

Whenacouple walked by withdogs, Ithought, “Here aremy people.” Iwas right.

Shyra Latiolais andGus Pelias walkinAudubon Park with their muchloved pooches, Barracks and Rampart(like the streets), five days aweek.

Pelias grew up in New Orleans but went to college in Lafayette, where heendedupstaying for another decade and change. Originally from Crowley, Latiolais also movedtoLafayette, wherethe couplemet They’ve beeninNew Orleans for 20-plus years. Minutesafter we met,

we came upona man named Ned. Both Pelias andLatiolaisinquired abouthis dog, Rosie, who hadrecently hadsurgery

They weresofriendly that Iasked how they knew each other

They explainedthatif youwalkinthe park most days, yousee thesame people andeventually get to knowthemand their dogs.

“Thiswill be news to Ned,but yesterdayShyra andI were talking and wondering if we could getNed andHelenetogo have dinnerorlunchor something —whenRosie’s better,ofcourse,” Pelias said.

Iloved seeing these walking friends take friendshiptothe next level.Here’shopingRosie makes afull recovery soon andthe two couples are able to enjoy ameal together

“For years, I’vekind of livedbythatifyou’re walking down thestreet andsomebody’swalking by,you makeeye contact andsmile,” Peliassaid.

“Sometimes people think that’sweird, but sometimes it is an icebreaker to

g approved bytheLPSCas

mately$7.7million

allyinclusive of impacts due to theTax Cuts and JobsAct (“TCJA”),effec‐tiveasofDecember30, 2025.

help, youknow, move the relationshipforward.”

It’saphilosophy Isupport wholeheartedly

He addedthatdogsare great at introducing their humans.

“Gus got ajob teaching at Loyolabecause of dogs,” Latiolaissaid.

“Because ourdog Jackson made friends with adog named Sadie.”

Peliaswentontoexplain that he wasn’t the only one in his familywho tried to spread the good stuff.

Hisbrother,Drew Pelias, who passedaway in June,tried to start a “revolution of love” by spray painting the word “LOVE”ingold all over New Orleans. Then,in 2014, he beganmaking red-and-white “LOVE” signs that he placed all over thecity. We said ourgoodbyes

andpartedways. Iwalked alongthe trail, watching a flock of whiteibiseshaving breakfast andquietly consideredthe beauty of oneman doing his best to carry on his brother’s work.

Maybe the rest of us could getonboardwith his brother’srevolutionof love

Surely,itwas another good morning for awalk.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

SPORTS

YOUTHSERVES

Best part of Saints’ firstwin wasproductionofyounger core

Quincy Riley’sname was thefirst one that Caesars Superdome public address announcer Mark Romig called when the NewOrleans Saintsdefensive starters were introduced Sunday.

Maybe someday,Riley’sname will be the last one,aspot reserved forfan favorites and face-of-the-franchise guys such as Demario Davis, Cam Jordan, AlvinKamara and TaysomHill.

But for now,Rileyisjust fine with having his name called,period He’syoung, but he’sready.That also holdstruefor several of his teammates whoare making an early impact. The

Cajuns

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Coming off abye week,the most pressing issue forULheading into 11 a.m. Saturday kickoff at James Madison is theinjury report.

Coach Michael Desormeaux said Monday there has been improvement during the time off of the field.

as fast as Rashid Shaheed was on his 87yard touchdown reception.

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Coach BrianKelly said Monday that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’sinjured abdominal musclesresponded well to LSU’s open date.

ä South Carolina at LSU, 6:45 P.M. SATURDAy,SECN

Nussmeier,Kelly said, did not throw any footballs last week. Instead, he watched film, rehearsed in-game scenarios on virtual-reality headsets and mimicked his throwing motion witha towel in practice, just so he could work on his mechanics without putting unnecessary strain on his torso.

“He’sfeeling better and better,” Kelly said. “Wedidn’tdoalot withhim last week. We wanted to use that as arecovery week forhim.”

Kelly revealed Wednesday the “torso injury” Nussmeier has been battling since before the season started Aug. 30 wasanabdominal strain. The injury,he said, has healed slowly,but the secondyear starting quarterback is still “onthe backside” of its recovery timeframe. During LSU’sidle week, Kelly also saidNussmeier did notaggravate the injury at anypoint before or during a Sept. 27 loss to Ole Miss. LSU still limited Nussmeier’son-field work during the open date so he can be as healthyaspossiblefor aWeek7 home matchup with South Carolina (6:45 p.m., SEC Network).

Saints are rebuilding, and they are relying on their younger players to contributeright away.IfSunday’s26-14 victory over the New York Giantsisany indication,the youthmovement is about

ä UL at James Madison, 11 A.M.SATURDAy,ESPN2

The most pressing injury is to newstarting quarterback Lunch Winfield, who suffered an ankle injury during the 54-51 doubleovertime comeback winagainst Marshall on Sept. 27. “I’d love to tell you all the injury report is all good and we’re all

“They brought us here to play football,” said Riley,afourth-round draft pick in April. “So at the end of the day, it’sjust playing football and getting adjusted to the different level of this game. Just takingroles and being a sponge around the vets, and they are just helping us be better every day.”

The Saints started four other rookies Sunday: left tackle Kelvin Banks, safety Jonas Sanker,undrafted rightguard

movingforward,but youknow, there’sa lotofthings that we’re still working through there,” Desormeaux said. “He(Winfield) is still pretty limited in practice andhas been. So nottoget too much intothat before we need to, but this isn’tassimple as Imean, he was banged up pretty good at the end of that game.” Tight end Caden Jensen’sprobability of returning is heading “in theright direction.”

Linebacker Jaden Dugger “will probably be good to go.”

RunningbackZylan Perry“is probably 50-50 right now”

Reserveoffensive tackle Xzavier Brown “ought to be back.”

Reserve offensive guard Mackey Maillho is “a full go.”

Also, wide receiverRob

“He stayed involved in everything that we were doing,”Kelly said. “Run game checks. Blitz checks. Things of that nature. We just cut him downfrom the throwing.”

The LSU offense has struggled while Nussmeier has worked through his injury.The Tigers enter their gameagainst the Gamecocks ranked 81st among FBS teams in scoring offense, 83rd in total offense and 45th in passing offense.

The rushing attack is producing only 105 yards pergame, oneofthe 20 lowest rates in the country Nussmeieristhrowing forjust232 yardsper contest—about 100yards fewer than he averaged through the first five games of last season. He’salso thrownseven touchdown passes and three interceptions. Across LSU’sfirst five games last year,hetossed 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.

“Our expectation after talking to him,”Kelly said, “ishefeelsgoodand he’sready to go.”

KellyonLacydevelopments

Kelly respondedMonday to areport that Kyren Lacy’s attorneybelieves he has evidence that shows the former LSU receiver is not to be blamed for a

BY JIM VERTUNO AP sportswriter

AUSTIN, Texas Texashas troubles. The preseason No. 1team is now unranked. Preseason Heisman Trophy favorite quarterback Arch Manning has struggled andistakinga beatingbehind an offensive line thatcan’t protect him Andnext up is resurgent No. 6 Oklahoma in the CottonBowlin oneofthe great rivalriesincollege football. And the Sooners will be eager for payback after taking abeating in Dallaslast season. After two consecutive appearances in theCollege Football Playoff, the Longhorns’ season is on thebrink at the midway point. The Longhorns (3-2, 0-1

Southeastern Conference) were beatenbyFlorida on Saturday andnow must trytoavoid consecutive losses forthe first time since 2021. “There’s no such thing as a championship team without going through someadversity,” said TexassafetyMichael Taaffe, who alsopredictedthe Longhorns were about to go on a“crazyrun” to put the season back on track.“The only ranking thatmatters is at theend of the year.” What ails Texas starts with Manning, who hasstruggledto live up to the hype. His 16 totaltouchdowns and 1,151 yards passing stand up as

On TV

COLLEGE

5:45

2p.m.OLLyonnesatArsenal FC CBSSN TENNIS

5a.m.Shanghai-ATP; Wuhan-WTA Tennis

10 p.m.Shanghai-ATP; Wuhan-WTA

5a.m.Wed.Shanghai-ATP; Wuhan-WTA Tennis

Westminstervolleyballontop again

Powerhouse

BY MIKE COPPAGE

Contributing writer

In Louisiana high school volleyball, Division Vhas been all about the Westminster Christian Crusaders and the Country Day Cajuns for the past three years.

The Cajuns, who havewon nine straight state titles and 13 of the past 14, defeated the Crusaders in the past three championship matches, and theprograms are once again at the top of the LHSAA power ratings in the final month of the regular season. Despite graduating three allstate players —Bethany Stoute, Kristian Thomasand Anna Ware —Westminster (22-7) is No.1 ahead of the Cajuns (10-4), Central Catholic (16-4) and Episcopal School of Acadiana (11-6)

“It’sgoing well,” WCAcoach Keith Leon said.“It’scoming along slowly,but we’re startingto vibe as ateam. We’re starting to really feel it. The girls are really playing well right now.”

After taking perennial largeschool power TeurlingsCatholic to five sets at home on Wednesday, the Crusaders played sixmatches in three days with four wins.

“Wenever gaveup,” Leon said. “Wecould’ve sat downand gave it to them, but we wonthe fourth set. The fifth wentback and forth. Anyone could’ve won the fifth set.”

The actionwas fast andfurious as expected from two elite clubs with one rally lasting more than a minute. TheRebels won 25-19, 1825, 25-19, 23-25, 15-13.

“Wehavea great team that gives afight every time we step on the court,” Leon said

The Crusaders have only one senior in outside hitterLaila Gautier,who leadsthe team with 181 kills andalso hasrecorded 125 digs,15blocks, 10 aces and nine assists.

“Laila is very strong,” Leon said.

“Our two right sides—Sophia Wiltz and Sarah Abrams—are doing great. Wiltzisalsoasetter. She’s avery smartplayer,and Ihave to give it up to ourother right side (Abrams).”

Wiltz, ajunior who has been a

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANKGUNN yankees pitcher Will Warren,foreground, looksonasBlueJaysoutfielder Daulton Varsho, back right,rounds the bases afterhittinga homerun during Game 2ofthe ALDS on SundayinToronto.

Yankeeslooking to staveoff elimination

BY IAN HARRISON Associated Press

TORONTO— After back-to-back beatdowns in Toronto, the New York Yankees don’thave anymargin for error as they head home forGame 3ofthe ALDS on Tuesday night.

Yankees manager AaronBoone put on abrave face after a13-7 loss Sunday in Game 2lefthis team facing elimination.

“Obviously,itfeels like the world’scaving in around you, you lose two games like that in their building whereitdoesn’t go right,” Boone said. “But all of a sudden you go out there and win aballgame on Tuesday,the needle canchange. There’s beena lotof weird things that have happened in baseball this year. This would not be the weirdest, us rallying.”

NewYorkwas held hitless through 52/3 innings on Sunday,unable to get anything goingagainst Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage. The Blue Jays thumped the Yankees 10-1 on Saturday in Game 1. Toronto’s23runs in the ALDS so farare the most by any teamin theopening two games of apostseason series. The Yankees scored 22 runs in the first two games of the2020 wild-card round against Cleveland.

New York has lost eightofnine in Toronto this season butis4-2 at home against the Blue Jays.

“Wehaven’tlost any confi-

ä Blue Jays at Yankees 7:08 P.M.TUESDAy,FS1

dence,” Boone said. “Obviously, they’ve hadour number and gottenthe betterofussofar this year,but Idon’tthink anyone in our room doesn’tfeel like we can’t go outand beat them. We’ve got to play better.We’vegot to pitch and swingitbetter.But we’recertainly capable of it, andwe’ll expect to do that on Tuesday night.”

New York was pushed to the limit by Boston in the wild-card round and hasseenits bullpen tested in thefirst two games of theALDS, with seven relievers combining for 101/3 innings.

“Weknowwhere they’re at in terms of their bullpen and everything,” Toronto infielder Ernie Clement said about theYankees

“Theyjust came off areally tough series.It’sreally importantfor us to work them, just make it as toughaspossibleonthem.”

Yankees left-hander Max Fried, who was chasedafter three-plus innings Sunday, credited the Blue Jays for making it tough on New York’spitchers.

“They’veput up good at-bats against us allyear,”Friedsaid “That’sa goodballclub. They don’tstrike out and they put the ball in playand they play good defense. They’replaying their game, and they’ve hadagood series so far.”

key factorinthe program’s success, has221 assists, 124 kills, 151 digs, 28 blocks and 33 aces. Abrams,asophomore, has 121 kills, 65 digs and19blocks.

“Wehavetwo young middlesin Taylor(Lazard) andLondyn (Pickney),”Leon said. “The middle is our key.Wehave to have some big blocks.”

Lazard (55 kills, 25 blocks) rose to the occasionagainst Teurlings Catholic with multiple blocks. Pickney has provided 68 blocks, 67 kills and 12 aces.

“Taylor played agood game,” Leon said. “We’ve been playing consistent ball with good defense. We’reputting the ball down. We always need to workondefense and clean some things up.”

The Crusaders havetwo setters.

Marley Green has 241 assists, 91 digs and 26 aces. Isabella Guy (285 digs, 28 aces), Kennedi Richard (123 digs, 11 assists, 22 aces) and Ana-CamilleMelancon (165 kills, 106digs, 25 aces)are amongthe statistical leaders.

KenziGeorge(22 kills, 14 blocks, 9digs) has been out with aconcussion.

“I think ourchances arejust as good as any other year,” Leon saidofwhatseems like an inevitable fourth straight showdown vs.Country Dayatthe state tournament. “Wejust have to get up there and play acomplete game against them.”

Tigers home forfirst time in 2-plus weeks

BY LARRYLAGE Associated Press

DETROIT— When the Detroit Tigers walked off thefieldfollowing theirlast home game two-plus weeks ago, no one knew if they would playanother game at Comerica Parkthis year

“Wehad to earn it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch saidMonday.“It took alot to get back home.”

The Tigers dropped aseventh straight homegame against Atlanta on Sept. 21, when theywere clinging to aone-game lead in the AL Central. They bouncedback well enough to have another game in the Motor City on Tuesday afternoon againstSeattle in Game 3 of their AL Division Series.

Detroit eliminated the AL Central-champion Cleveland Guardians on theirhomefieldinanAL Wild Card Series last week, then stayed on the road to play in Seattle over the weekend.

Detroit opened with a3-2, 11-inning win and the Mariners beat Tarik Skubal 3-2 on Sunday night to even the best-of-five series.

When both teams arrived in Detroit,they went in different directions.

The Mariners made their way to Comerica Park while the Tigers took advantage of their first opportunity to sleep in their beds since September

“It’sbeen alongtimesince we’ve been home,” said righthander Jack Flaherty, who is Detroit’sprobable starter for Game 3. “But at the same time, it’sbeen afun kind of bonding experience with theseguys. We’ve spent alot of time witheach other,a lot of time on the road.”

Seattle spent some time throwing afootballaround in the out-

ä Mariners at Tigers.

3:08 P.M.TUESDAy,FS1

field, running, throwing, catching andhitting uponarrivalonMonday afternoon

“Everybody did enjoy their rest and achance to kind of keep the body on alow simmer,” Seattle manager Dan Wilsonsaid. “It was achancefor us to getout here and work out. Ithought it wasimportant toget somejuice flowing here alittle bit andget usedtothe ballpark again.”

Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor is dealing with apersonal matter and Wilson declined to say if he traveled withthe team to Detroit.

“We’ll know moretomorrow,” Wilson said Monday

Seattle seems to be preparing to potentially play without Naylor

“We’ve got aplan in place,” Wilson said.

The Tigers may notmakeanother road trip if they don’tstart hitting better,starting with their opportunities at the plate against Logan Gilbert in his first start since Sept.27.

Detroit has struck out amajor league-high59times in the postseason, fanning nearly12times agame. Its .186 batting average —including .192 with runners in scoring position —and .545 OPS as ateam rank among the worst in baseball during the playoffs

“Welcome to Major League Baseball,” Hinch said.

The Tigershad afour-runinning in a6-3 winoverCleveland last week to advance andscored atotal of 10 runsinthe other46 innings of the playoffs

“We’ve got to pick better pitches to hit,” Hinch said.

Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter grimaces after striking out against the Mariners in Game 2 on Sunday in Seattle.

AP PHOTO By JOHN FROSCHAUER

Pelicans

cuttwo players after trip to Australia

The NewOrleansPelicanshave waived centerGarrison Brooks and forward Jalen McDaniels. Both were signed in early September McDaniels played seven minutes in each of thePelicans’ games in Australia over the weekend. He went scoreless but grabbed two rebounds in the winover Melbourne United. In the winover South East Melbourne Phoenix, he scored three pointsand recorded two rebounds, twosteals and an assist. Brooks played in the second game,grabbingthree rebounds with one assist in seven minutes. The 6-foot-10 Brooks played at North Carolina before transferring to MississippiState forhis final season.

The Pelicans now have 19 players, including three two-way players.

Ex-NFLQBSanchezfaces felony in weekend

fight

INDIANAPOLIS Former NFLquarterbackMark Sanchezisfacing afelony battery charge for what authorities saidMonday wasa fight over parking, in addition to the misdemeanor charges the Fox Sports analyst was already facing fromthe incident earlySaturday in Indianapolis.

MarionCountyprosecutor Ryan Mears announceda newcharge of battery involving serious bodily injury,which carries apotential sentence of one to six years in prison.

Apolice affidavit alleges the 38-year-old Sanchez, smelling of alcohol,accosted a69-year-old truckdriverwho backed into a hotel’sloading docks in downtown Indianapolis, leading to aconfrontation outside the vehicle that promptedthe drivertopull out a knifetodefend himself

Trialunderway

over 2019 death of Angelspitcher

SANTAANA, Calif. Awrongfuldeath lawsuit that accuses the Los Angeles Angels of being responsible forthe 2019 drug overdose death of one of its pitchers began Monday

Jury selection was underway in thelong-awaitedcivil trialover whether the team is responsible after one of its employees wasconvicted of providing drugs that led to the fatal overdose of pitcher Tyler Skaggs on ateam trip to Texas. The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Skaggs’ widow,Carli, and his parents alleges the Southern California team knew or should have known that itscommunications director,Eric Kay,was supplying drugs to Skaggs and at least six other Angels players.

McDavid signs$25M extension with Edmonton ConnorMcDavid did notwanta raise. He wants to winthe Stanley Cup.

McDavidsigned his long-awaited contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, taking farless money than projected forthe best hockey playerinthe world in the aim of pursuing his first championship.

Atwo-year,$25 million contract wasfinalizedonthe eveofthe start of the season. McDavid will count $12.5 million against the cap from 2026-28, the sameaverage salary he has had since 2019.

McDavid will not even be the highest-paid player on his own team,settling for morethan $1 million ayear less thanlongtime running mateLeon Draisaitl.

Thunderrookie Topicto miss at leastfour weeks

OKLAHOMA CITY OklahomaCity ThunderrookieNikolaTopic will miss at least four weeks after having atesticular procedure on Monday.The team said the 20-year-old Serbian guard will be re-evaluated in amaximum of six weeks. Topic was the12th overallpick in the 2024 NBAdraftand missed theentireseason while recovering from atorn ACL. He played summer-league ballthisyearand started the preseason opener Sunday against Charlotte,finishing with 10 points and seven assists in 31 minutesinOklahoma City’s 135-114 win.

The preseason was expected to be acritical part of working Topic into theteam. He’sthe only new piece on aroster that largelyremained the same after winning the NBAtitle.

Moore clarifies why he ruled Young out

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Last week, New Orleans Saints

coach Kellen Moore took the unusual step of ruling out pass rusher Chase Young on Wednesday

The decision raised eyebrows, but Moore revealed the process behind his thinking. There are tactical advantages to keeping injury progress close to the vest, but Moore was hoping to accomplish something on a personal level.

“I just wanted to simplify it for him, let him focus on the recovery process,” Moore said Monday afternoon. “It had nothing to do with a (setback) or an issue in his recovery process. He’s doing everything he can.

“I just know as a player those guys get tired of that stuff. He’s been phenomenal throughout this whole process, and I just wanted him to have that feeling of ‘I don’t have to play this game’ all through the week.”

WALKER

Continued from page 1C

Torricelli Simpkins and undrafted punter Kai Kroeger.

If you need a better indication of the impact the young players had Sunday, look no further than the guys the public-relations staff of the Saints brought to the podium to speak to the media after the team’s first win since December

Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry 23 years old.

Safety Jordan Howden. 25 years old.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler, who turned 25 last week

And Shaheed, who at 27 was the old head among the guys standing in front of the microphones.

“They are understanding their role and doing their very best to make plays,” Shaheed said about the younger players. “You couldn’t ask them to do any more. I’m proud of the young guys. Their preparation is showing up on Sunday.”

It’s not quite a total changing of the guard. Players in their 30s such as Kamara, Davis and Jordan are still doing their share of the heavy lifting. But the shift is starting to happen right before out eyes

TEXAS

Continued from page 1C

throws and misfires to open receivers.

Manning has had his moments, and put up a gritty performance against Florida, but he and the entire offense have been inconsistent at best

A rebuilt offensive line has had him constantly on the run and is committing penalties at an alarming rate. The Gators sacked Manning six times and held the Longhorns to 52 yards rushing Still, Manning earned praise from coach Steve Sarkisian and his Longhorns teammates for playing hard while taking so many hits last week.

“I found out he’s a tough dude,” Sarkisian said. “He stood in there and showed a lot of contact courage. Does he need to play better? Sure. We need to play better around him.” The defense has yet to deliver on its potential as well. A unit led by preseason All-Americans Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill and Taaffe dominated San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston. But it has no sacks in two games against Power Four opponents and got pushed around by the Gators, who also ripped the secondary for big plays.

Continued from page 1C

Williams “has been back at practice and practicing really really good. So that’s a good thing, too.” Wide receiver Shelton Sampson still isn’t ready because “his hamstring, it was a pretty significant rupture That’ll take a little while.”

If Perry can’t play or is limited, Steven Blanco is the obvious replacement in the starting lineup, while true freshman Darrell Smith could round out the rota-

Young, who signed a three-year extension in the offseason, has missed the first five games with a calf injury he suffered in practice shortly before the season opener New Orleans chose not to put him on injured reserve, and Young also said the injury would not sideline him for a long period of time.

Carl Granderson (4.5 sacks) and Cam Jordan (2.5 sacks) have produced at a solid clip, but the Saints were banking on Young as their major disruptor on the defensive front this season.

While Moore acknowledged a longer recovery has been challenging for Young, he said the organization has seen no problem with Young’s rehabilitation, stating multiple times that he has “done everything he possibly can” to return to the field.

“People who matter aren’t questioning him one bit,” Moore said “He’s been awesome through this whole process. When he’s ready he’ll be ready to rock and roll.

“These are some of the most impressive human beings from a physical standpoint that you could possibly imagine, and they go through a lot to get their bodies ready.”

‘Phenomenal’ O-line

Saints quarterbacks dropped back to pass 32 times against the New York Giants in Week 5

And 32 times, those Saints quarterbacks got their passes off.

“The offensive line played elite today,” Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler said after the 26-14 win.

While New York generated pressure on Rattler throughout Sunday, the Saints did not yield a single sack against a Giants team that has devoted considerable resources to its talented defensive line.

The Giants pressured Rattler on 17 of 31 dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats (Taysom Hill had the 32nd dropback). The 53.1% pressure rate was the highest of

Take third-year running back

Kendre Miller, whose snap count has increased in every game this season.

“I feel like the coaches are starting to trust the younger guys,” Miller said “We can’t lean on the older guys forever We are going to have to step up at some point. I feel like they are slowly putting us out there, and we are progressing. We are just stepping up We are just going to have to keep producing.”

They sure did their thing Sunday

Rivalry week could be a scary prospect for a struggling team, and yet it may be just what Texas needs.

Beat Oklahoma (5-0, 1-0) and the Longhorns are back in the thick of the SEC title chase. And that’s the first step to get the Longhorns back into the march toward the 12-team playoff. Texas made it to the conference title game with one loss last season.

“We’ve got a talented group

We’re going to get better each week. We’re going to be tough to beat,” Manning said. “We’re going to play better than (against Florida). I feel confident about that.”

But lose to Oklahoma and the panic in Austin hits new levels in a season that could threaten to mirror 2010.

That year, Texas was coming off an appearance in the 2009 national championship game. The Longhorns started the season No. 5 behind quarterback Garrett Gilbert, a five-star recruit expected to be the next big thing after Heisman Trophy finalist Colt McCoy Texas started 3-0 but was showing early cracks in the armor before cratering to a 5-7 finish.

“You’re never going to feel great after a loss, but it’s a time to come together,” said defensive lineman Hero Kanu, who transferred from last season’s national champion Ohio State. “I need to lean on my brothers right now.”

tion, Desormeaux said. “Darrell will be ready to go,” he said. “He’s going to be a really good player We’ve got a really good situation at running back. If it wasn’t quite what it is, he’d be playing right now.”

The injury situation is critical for the Cajuns (2-3, 1-0) against preseason league favorite James Madison (4-1, 2-0), who is coming off a 14-7 road win over Georgia State.

“Well, I think that’s a huge opportunity this week,” Desormeaux said. “Getting out to a 2-0 start in conference, even though it’s two Eastern Division games, that

any NFL quarterback going into Monday night’s games, according to Next Gen, yet Rattler and the Saints avoided negative plays.

“Zero sacks against that group is phenomenal,” Moore said.

Young tackles Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga enjoyed strong individual performances in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, they allowed one combined pressure in 32 pass-blocking snaps.

“We’ve got two really good firstround pick tackles. They’ve got some of the best edge rush firstround picks the last few years, and for our guys to play that well was a credit to those guys,” Moore said.

“They played arguably as good a game as they’ve played this year.”

Center Erik McCoy has been outstanding in protection all season, as Pro Football Focus has charged him with just two pressures in 197 pass-blocking snaps this season. He did not allow a single pressure against New York.

rookie in 2024, almost blocked a punt.

Stalbird pointed to the fingers on his right hand to show how much of the ball he tipped on the play He was oh so close. He also feels these young Saints are oh so close to breaking through.

“It goes into the coaching staff and the preparation,” Stalbird said. “We’re in the NFL, so we’ve got to always be on our P’s and Q’s. If you ain’t, and you go out there and you’re looking stupid, you’re going to be out of a job.

That’s the reality

Miller’s 41 yards rushing (4.1 yards per carry) led the team.

McKinstry got his first career interception in the fourth quarter

Then he picked off another pass five minutes later Sanker, maybe the most promising of all the rookies, recovered a fumble to go with his seven tackles.

Banks held his own against the edge rushers to make sure Rattler never got sacked.

Riley held his own in pass coverage. Isaiah Stalbird, an undrafted

LSU

Continued from page 1C

fatal wreck that killed a 78-yearold man.

Lacy was accused of negligent homicide in the Dec. 17 crash in Lafourche Parish, but Matthew Ory Lacy’s attorney told HTV 10 news station in Houma last week that the former LSU wide receiver was nearly a football field’s length behind the head-on collision that killed Herman Hall of Thibodaux.

Lacy, a Thibodaux native, took his own life at the age of 24 in April in Houston with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A grand jury was scheduled to begin hearing evidence in Lacy’s case the next week.

On Monday Kelly was asked about his reaction to the report.

“I thought that this is a process that takes time,” Kelly said. “I think I said back when this occurred that let’s wait until all the information comes out. For us to make these universal statements early on, it just doesn’t serve anybody well.”

Kelly added that he doesn’t “have any facts” related to the investigation.

“I’m following it just like you guys are,” he said. “Let’s just be patient, be sure all information gets out. He’s loved by us, was

would still be big That’s a shot in the arm. This is a good football team, too. This would be a great win to be able to go on the road and win one on the road.”

Desormeaux said his team will need to reverse course to do so.

The first two road trips this season produced a 52-10 loss to Missouri and 34-31 defeat against Eastern Michigan.

“We have not played well on the road,” Desormeaux said.

“We didn’t handle an early start well earlier in the year. We didn’t handle playing in a great environment well earlier in the year We have those things in front of us,

The majority of the Giants’ pressure came against guards Trevor Penning and Torricelli Simpkins Through five weeks, the Saints have allowed nine sacks, which rank roughly middle of the pack in the NFL. But their 4.9% sack rate — or the percentage of their dropbacks that have resulted in sacks is tied for the 10th-best mark in the NFL.

It’s a far cry from Rattler’s 2024 rookie season, when he was sacked on 8.8% of his dropbacks, the ninth-highest rate among 39 qualified passers.

Injury update

Moore said the Saints got through Sunday’s game against the Giants with a relatively clean bill of health, though safety Justin Reid is in the concussion protocol.

Reid left the game in the first quarter with a concussion and did not return.

“That’s the only one we’ll have to navigate as the week goes,” Moore said.

“So you can see that whoever we plug in, it’s not going to be a drop-off. Even when we took those losses, you could see our progress. When we had to make big plays today, we made them. That’s taking that next step. We’ve got a ton of potential.”

Stalbird was referring to the young players. But those words should also apply to his young coach. Kellen Moore, who turned 37 in July, is the youngest coach in the NFL He got his first career victory Sunday Moore, in his typical laid-back fashion, didn’t do a whole lot of celebrating afterward. The only difference in Moore was that the smile he usually wears was a little bit bigger

loved before and is loved after There’s not really a need to talk to our team. They follow it and love Kyren. He was a great teammate and is going to be missed.”

Louisiana State Police statements indicate Lacy’s Dodge Charger illegally passed multiple vehicles, causing a Kia Cadenza to swerve to avoid his vehicle prior to the Cadenza’s head-on collision with a Kia Sorrento moving in the opposite direction.

Hall, who was in the Sorrento, died from his injuries after being taken to a hospital.

Ory claims Lacy’s vehicle was too far behind the collision to be considered responsible for the wreck.

A Friday statement from Louisiana State Police said the agency believes it conducted a detailed investigation after the fatal wreck.

“Investigative findings revealed that Mr Lacy’s reckless driving while approaching oncoming traffic led to the events of the crash,” the statement said. “The findings were presented to the 17th Judicial District Court, which approved an arrest warrant based on the evidence collected. As with all investigations leading to arrest, the subjects of the investigation are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law No one disputes that he was behind the crash scene. His swerving, passing cars, and reckless operation caused the

so we have an opportunity to go fix it.”

James Madison has allowed only 25 rushing first downs all season and just 79.8 yards rushing per game. “I think it’s one of the best tackling secondaries that we’ve played,” Desormeaux said. “Their safeties and their corners really don’t miss a lot of tackles. I think that’s the difference in a lot of games.

“They base out of a four-down front, but they jump into some kind of unique looks. You know, a lot of teams get unique and exotic on third downs. They’ll do it

“He didn’t dance or anything, but hopefully we can get him to that level,” Stalbird said. “But he and his family are going to remember that game forever.” There is still plenty of work to do. This was just one win over a struggling Giants team trying to find its way just like the Saints are. It was a much-needed one, though, especially for some of the younger players. Miller, for example, played on a college team that reached the national championship game during his final season at TCU. He hasn’t won many games since then.

“I feel like we won the Super Bowl in here,” Miller said. “I’m glad everybody is happy We have that 1-0 mentality Now we have to get another one next week.”

For Simpkins, who started in place of the injured Cesar Ruiz, this was a new experience. He had no idea what it’s like to win an NFL game.

“It was very lit,” Simpkins said.

“That’s how I want to keep it.”

The bright lights in the locker room weren’t the only thing flashing Sunday

The potential of the young stars flashed brightly, too.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

series of crash events.”

On Monday, the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus called for an independent investigation into the Louisiana State Police’s handling of the crash.

Other injury updates

LSU will get two offensive starters back from injuries on Saturday Kelly said.

Right tackle Weston Davis (broken nose, concussion) and running back Caden Durham (ankle) are expected to play against the Gamecocks, Kelly said. Receiver Aaron Anderson is probable to suit up, and left guard Paul Mubenga (high-ankle sprain) is questionable.

Both Davis and Durham missed the Sept. 27 loss to Ole Miss. Durham injured his ankle the week prior in the Tigers’ win over Southeastern Louisiana. Davis was hurt in pregame warm-ups ahead of the road loss to the Rebels. Both Mubenga and Anderson left the game against Ole Miss with injuries.

Anderson, LSU’s leading receiver, appeared to hurt his elbow, but Kelly said he’s also battling toe and knee injuries.

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

on first down, I mean, second and forward. They’ll jump in and out of these things. So preparation wise, there are some issues with that.” James Madison averages 241.6 yards rushing per game, led by Wayne Knight (61-426, 4 TDs).

Four other running backs have at least 120 yards rushing. “This is a good football team,” Desormeaux said of James Madison. “It’s not like you look at it and say, ‘We’re just going to run the ball down their throats.’ That ain’t going to happen.”

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

The

Here’s ataste of midcentury modern living in BR

BY JOYHOLDEN| Staff writer

When Corey Porche walked into a1962 custom-designed midcenturymodern house in 2018, he knew it was home. He sat down on alow bench in theentrywayand felt certain that theunique Broadmoor houseon 9025 Meadowood Drivewas supposed to be for his family

The terrazzofloors,wood paneling, glass, brick and lightfeatures spoke to him.

“I remember sittingdownthere, and theterrazzo floors brought me back to my elementary school as alittlekid in NewOrleans.I just remember sitting there, being like, ‘Wehave to buy it,’” Porche said. “The house hadn’tbeen on themarketlong. Ididn’t have plans on selling my house. We weren’t really ready to buy,but Iwas like, ‘Whatever it takes, we need to put an offer on this house today.’”

LEFT: Theentryway bench that Corey Porche sat on when he toured the house for the firsttime.

He and his then wife,Danielle Honeycutt, did buy the house, andseven years later,Porche still marvels at the masterpiece.

The housewas designed, owned and livedinbyone owner, Dr.Alfred FosterSanders Jr., alongtime and well-respected generalpractitioner in the city

He wasa WorldWar II veteran in the Pacific who served Baton Rouge as adoctor for 50 years. Sanders andhis family lived in the midcentury modern house until his deathin2018. It was in pristine condition withsome of the original furniture, which was meticulously cared for. Artistry remains When Porche andHoneycutt looked at thehouse thefirst time, Sanders’ childrenled them to their father’soffice where they showed Porche several Frank Lloyd Wright books thatSandersmarked up when he wasdesigning thehouse. He chose certain featuresthat

ä See MIDCENTURY, page 6C

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

“I remember looking at them whiletaking them out of the packages. It wasjustsoexciting to see what wasgoing to come out. It really did feel like Christmas.”

GINGERGUTTNER, coordinator for LSU School of VeterinaryMedicine’s ‘International Exhibition on Animals in Art”

Lawn care

Want to enjoya lush,green yard this fall and winter?Here’s what to do

GARDEN NEWS

As we settle into fall, you’ll begin to notice warm-season turfgrasses turning tan and brownasthey enter dormancy This phenomenon is totally natural, but admittedly not the prettiest. If you’d rather not see your yard meet this fate, you can take action now by overseeding with ryegrass, which thrives in cooler temperatures and allowsyou to enjoy alush, green lawnall fall and winter long. There are afew different kinds of ryegrass out there. Which should you buy?

“Werecommend aperennial ryegrass over annual ryegrass,” said Bert Hammett, ahorticulture agent with the LSU AgCenter in East Baton Rouge Parish. “It’sgoing to give you deeper,darker green foliage, and it tends to fill in a little bit better.” Also makesure you buy perennial ryegrass that’smeant forlawns —not forage production forlivestock.

When

spread the seed from north to south, then from east to west. This crisscross patternhelps ensure even coverage.

Before spreading the ryegrass seed, mow your lawn so the grass blades are quite short. Don’t scalp it —just lower your mower blade abit morethan you usually would, Hammettsaid.

Next, add your seed to a broadcast (sometimes called rotary) spreader or,ifyour lawnissmall, ahandheld spreader.Hammett advises using 5to10pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet, with 8 pounds being asweet spot that works well formost people.

“Fill the spreader with half the amount of total seed and spread in anorth-south direction, then refill with the other half and spread in an east-west direction,” Hammettsaid. Splitting the seed and walking in acrisscross pattern ensures even distribution, which ä See LAWN, page 6C

Musicoverpowers TV show’s dialogue

Dear Heloise: My pet peeve is TV shows where the background music is so loud that you cannot hear the dialogue being spoken.I am not deaf, and it’svery irritating to lose what is going on in the show —Lissa B.,Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

Lissa, Ilove music, but like you, Idon’tlike it when it drowns out all the dialogue. Ican understand how you feel. Maybe you should write to the producer of the program and tell them how you feel. I’m sure many others feel thesame way —Heloise Dispenserpump

When draining hotwater

Dear Heloise: With regardtothe question about anew bottleor jar dispenser not working,I always keep my old bottle until Iknow whether the new one works. If not, Iuse the oldpump on the new bottle or jar —Shirley, in Hamilton, Ohio

Dear Heloise: Pouring boiling water down asink drain can be dangerous due to possiblesplashes when it meets the cold sink and drain piping under the sink. Also, the hot boiling water might cause the thin, plasticdrain-piping connections under the sink to soften, pull apart and leak To prevent this, when Ipour my hot spaghetti water down the sink drain, Irun the cold water at thesametime. —Jim G.,inMerrillville, Indiana

Phone number in wallet

Dear Heloise: My hint for your readers is to make surethat somewhere in your wallet,you have aphone number where you can be reached. Some timeago,I came across awallet withmoney and creditcards in it. Ilooked for aphone number to alert the owner,but there was nothing no phone number on her driver’s license or anything else.

By The Associated Press

Todayinhistory:

from

Iwas finally able to track her down by calling her car insurance agent(off her card) and having himcall her to then get ahold of me. Had Ibeen aless diligent person, Icould have easily given up, kept the cash, and tossed the rest. But I was determined to locate her.She was so grateful that Iwent to the effort to do so. So, Heloise readers, make it easy for someone to findyou if they come across your lost wallet! —K.Micallef,via email Grocerylists

Dear Heloise: I’veseen several suggestions for ways to keep grocery lists,including taking aphotoofapaper list with a phone. I’d like to suggest amore efficientway of using aphone for agrocery list: Iuse my phone’s Notes app to create abullet list forgroceries. As Ishop, Ican mark the bullets to indicate that I’vepicked up an item. Ican also add people as collaborators for the list so that they can add items. Andif they’reshopping with me, they can mark off theitems they’ve pickedupaswell

This really comes in handy when several of us go to the store at the beginning of abeach vacation and shop to stock the kitchen. —Sandy F.,inVirginia Inkaccident

Dear Heloise: Iliketowrite with afountain pen,but thelast time Iwrote with afountain pen, I spilled the ink on my sleeve. NowIneed to get it outofacotton blouse.How can Iremove this stain? —Melody A., in Provo, Utah Melody,afresh inkstain can usuallybeblotted several times, then soaked in milk for 30-40 minutes. Afterward,wash as usual —Heloise

Send ahint to heloise@heloise. com.

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Tuesday,Oct. 7, the 280th day of 2025. There are 85 days left in the year

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants launched air and ground attacks on Israel, killing nearly 1,200 andtaking more than 250 hostages. The attacks, followed hours later by Israelicounterattacks, marked the beginningof the current Israel-HamasWar Also on this date:

In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up colonial grievances against England.

In 1913, the first moving assembly line began operation at the Ford Motor Companyfactory in Highland Park, Michigan

In 1916, in the most lopsided victory in college football history,Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University 222-0 in Atlanta.

In 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijackedthe Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the MediterraneanSea. The hijackers shot and killed Leon Klinghoffer, aJewish American tourist in awheelchair,and pushed him overboard, before surrendering on Oct. 9.

In 1992, trade representatives of the United States, Canada and Mexico initialed the North American Free Trade Agreement during aceremony in San

LAWN

Continued from page5C

Antonio, Texas, in the presence of PresidentGeorgeH.W.Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari. In 1998, Matthew Shepard, agay collegestudent, was beatenand lefttied to awooden fence post outsideofLaramie, Wyoming;hedied five days later Russell Henderson andAaron McKinney areserving life sentences for Shepard’smurder

In 2001, war in Afghanistan started as the United States and Britain launched air attacks against military targets and Osama binLaden’s training camps in the wake of theSept. 11 attacks. TheU.S. military completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan to end the20-year war on Aug. 30, 2021.

In 2003, California voters recalled Gov.Gray Davis and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger their new governor Today’sbirthdays: Author Thomas Keneally is 90. Singer John Mellencampis74. Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) is 72. Cellist Yo-YoMais70. Recording executive and TV personalitySimon Cowell is 66. Singeractor Toni Braxton is58. Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead)is57. Actor Nicole AriParker is 55. Football Hall of FamerCharlesWoodson is 49. SingerTaylor Hicksis49. Actor Omar Miller is 47. MLB outfielder Mookie Betts is 33.

perennial

prevents striping and clumping. Finally,ifrain isn’tinthe forecast, wateryour lawnthoroughly.You must keep thesoil consistently moist for the seed to germinate. Hammett said to avoid applying pre-emergence herbicides to your lawn after overseeding it. Theryegrass seed will not germinate. But, if you’re worried about cool-season weeds,know this: Ryegrass’ densegrowth habit suppresses pesky weeds like annual bluegrass,henbit and chickweed. Once your ryegrassisestablished, which will take about one month, maintain it by mowing a little higher than you would cut your regular turfgrass. When spring rolls around next year, the ryegrass will still be going strong. At that time,you’ll wanttomow it lowsoyour warmseasonturfgrass can come back. Ryegrass is beautiful and adds awelcome splash of green to drabfalland winter landscapes. But overseeding isn’tsomething youshoulddoevery year,Hammett said. This can lead to damage andoutcompeteyour warmseason turfgrass.

MIDCENTURY

Continuedfrom page5C

he wanted to includeintohis midcenturymodernhome, and Wright was his guide.

Porche says thatJim Minton, awell-known master carpenter, helped Sanders withthe extensive woodwork in the home. Theartistry remains.

WhenPorche brushes his teeth in the bathroom, he often looks up to observe that thewood is book matched,meaning two pieces of wood arejoined so that thecut surfaces are facing each other to createasymmetrical, mirror-image pattern that lookslike asingle, wide piece of wood.

“You can tell thatthey just took so much time, so much care, and didn’trush, and it’s just gorgeous,” Porchesaid.

Porche still has some of the original furniture including asilk sofa, bambooset andorange-upholstered chairs.His goal is to keep the house as preservedaspossible.

He pays homagetoSanders every time he sees thedoctor’sname on awooden panel next to therefrigerator.Atsome point, someone took Sanders’ sign from his medicaloffice andplaceditthere Porcheleft it up to honor him

Porchesays he feels “extremely lucky” to have found amidcentury modern house in suchpristine condition.Hetries to keep it in allof its glory and only do what’snecessary to makeitlivable for him and his family “Instudyingmore aboutmidcentury architecture,” he said, “it was designed to be at onewith itssurroundings withnaturalresources like wood, brick, stone and glass to really create an experiencefor thepeople in the home. Iget to experience that on adaily basis Preservation is important,instead of renovation.”

Midcentury modernisminBR

Darius Spieth, an art history professor at LSU,isanexpert in European modernism. He created an inventory of midcentury modernist architecture on FloridaBoulevard in Baton Rouge by studying thecommercial buildings built in the1950s and ’60s.

To reallyunderstand the midcenturymodernaesthetic in the city, Spieth says its important toknow its beginnings.

FrankLloyd Wright guided American architecture toward a more European modernist aesthetic. Hisdesign influence rippled across thecountry allthe way to BatonRouge, in atime when the

EXHIBIT

Continuedfrom page5C

in the vet school’s library untilOct 31,giving visitors enough time to vote for and even buy theirfavorite works. All of thepieces are for sale with a20% commission from each sale benefitting the VetMed and its programs.

“The proceeds from this year’s showwill go toward theschool’s Artist-in-Residence program,” said Guttner,who also is theschool’sassistant director of communications. “In the past, the funds have gone to purchase things fordifferent departments. In thepast, we’ve bought welding gloves for thewildlife hospital and furniture to makeour consultation room more comfortable.”

Even thelibrary, theshow’sexhibit space, hasbenefittedfrom past show sales.

Theexhibition beganin1987 with themissionofhighlighting the importance of animals in the lives of people and the planet.

In 2017, theexhibit was stalled, andthenin2018, thelibrary was remodeled. The show returnedin 2022 but was changedfrom what traditionally was aspring show to afall exhibit.

“So, though we didn’t havea show in thespringof2023, we technically didn’tskip that year because we were transitioning to afall show,”Guttner said. “So we were back in the fall of 2024.”

“Animals in Art”isopen annually to artists age 18 and older,and though all media are accepted, the work must be original.

60 worksselected This year,the showreceived

city was booming and growing.

Michael Desmond, architecture professor at LSU, credits Wright with showing other architects that the Bauhaus and International stylescould be inexpensive and usenaturalmaterials. TheInternational style— which focuses on aminimalistand functionalist architectural style with the use of glass, steel, concrete, flat roofs and rectilinear forms —formed after theBauhaus movement in Europe.

Once central heating became affordable,the large, open floor plans became popular Architect A. Hays Town known for his moreSpanish and French-influenced Louisiana houses —brought modern International style to Baton Rouge. From 1939 to the 1960s, Town’s architectural firm designed several commercial buildings duringthe economic boom of the time, including many banks on Florida Boulevard.

‘Itstirs my soul’

Spieth’sgoal is to bring awareness to the historic buildings in thecity

“What is it that we’re actually looking at?” he asks. “Because youdrive by andyou don’tpay attention to it, and most people don’tknow where it comes from.

“Why was it done at thetime it was done? What are thespecific global design trends that are prevalent at this point in time? I’m interested in recreating that kind of context.”

Spieth says the optimistic mentality after WWII shaped midcentury modernism design, while Desmondnotes that the appeal comes

302 entries from 150 artists representing 30 states, along with artists from Canada, Germany, Guatemala andTurkey.JurorCallie Smith, museum educator and public programs manager forthe LSUMuseumofArt, pared the entries down to 60.

“Weused to show 75 entries, but ourspace haschangedinthe library,” Guttnersaid. “Wedon’t have as much hanging spaceas we didinthe past, so we ask the juror to choose 50 entries and 10 alternates. So far, we’ve been able to hang all of the alternates in the show,aswell.” As for the breakdown of art-

fromthe nostalgia for the “casual openness of ouryouth.” Desmond grew up in one of his father’smidcentury modern homes, and he describes the lifestyle as comfortable with open floor plans and lots of glass and light.

Desmond’sfather,John Desmond, was awell-regardedand highly esteemed midcentury modern architect whodesignedmany houses and buildings in Hammond, and later in his career,community buildings in Baton Rouge. Hismonumentalcontributions to Baton Rouge architecture include the LSU Student Union, built in 1964, Pennington Biomedical Building, Louisiana State Library, Raising Cane’s River Center, Louisiana State Archivesbuilding and USSKidd Veterans Museum, among others. John Desmond’sresidential work in Hammond was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright and included expansive glass that allowedlight to stream in to rooms.

For Porche, the natural elements, use of light, open spaces and craftsmanship create an experience he enjoys every day

“Every timethat Iwalk from my bedroom to my kitchen to make coffee in the morning, that little walk —I think it’sabout 38 steps brings me joy,” he said. “It is such agorgeoushome, and the design features like the light that comes to thehouse, theceiling height,the floors, it stirs my soul and brings me joy every day.”

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

ists, 26 are from Louisiana, 21 are from other states and one is from Canada.

“Weevenhaveaworkbyone of ourstudentsthatwas juried into this year’sshow,” Guttner said. One piece will receive aBest of Show award, and one entry will be chosen to appear on thecover of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Other awards include the Judge’sAward, Honorable Mention,the People’s Choice Award and the School of Veterinary Medicine Awards.

“Noneofthe awards are monetary,” Guttner said. In the past, Guttnercould expect to receive almost as many threedimensional pieces as two-dimensional.

“But this year,they’re all paintings,” she said. “Sometimesit turns out that way.Wehave one three-dimensional piece. It’s small andmade of paper, and it’s really interesting.”

Guttnercan’t help gettingat least alittle giddy when walking past each piece in the library

“I remember looking at them while taking them out of the packages,” she said. “Itwas just so exciting to seewhatwas going to come out. It really did feel like Christmas.”

Exhibit hoursare 8a.m. to 4p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1to 4p.m. Sunday at the LSU VetMed on SkipBertmanDrive, Baton Rouge. Visitorsare asked to check in with front desk personnel, who will direct them to the library. Admission is free. For more information, visitlsu.edu/vetmed/ events/animals_in_art.php.

Email RobinMilleratromiller@ theadvocate.com.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Check facts, err on the side of caution and choose to do, take and give less to avoid backlash. Channel your energy into healthy living, love and leisure time.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Don't be afraid to do things differently. Being unique will attract positive attention. Participating in events that combine business with pleasure will provide a platform to showcase your skills.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Get out and about; participate in functions that relate to your professional goals. Leave nothing to chance when in a competitive situation. Play to win, and victory will follow.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Truth matters; verify information and question anything that sounds too good to be true. Speak up and show your leadership ability, and opportunities will sprout.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to what's happening at home. Hard work and reliability will help you maintain good relationships with clients, employers and anyone else you deal with today.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Stay on top of investments and health issues. Deal directly with institutions to ensure you receive accurate information. Hit the reset button and check the rules and regulations for any updates or changes.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Find innovative ways to simplify your life. Jumping to

conclusions will lead to emotional mayhem. Choose kindness over ego and peace over discord.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Review, adjust and carry on. How you devise your next move and the envision the progress you intend to make will determine the outcome. What you physically accomplish will matter most

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Learn on the go. Attend networking events or reach out to key people at companies you want to work for or do business with, and you'll gain insight and access to valuable information.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Think twice before you agree to do something. Get the lowdown and question the cost involved and the time you must designate to participate before you commit. Don't pay for someone else; offer suggestions, not cash.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Establish a look that boosts your confidence. Keep your emotions out of conversations that can influence your reputation or position. Don't argue; state the facts and walk away.

VIRGo (Aug 23-sept 22) Assess yourself and consider making personal changes that will give you the edge in competitive situations. A kind word or a show of concern will pay off.

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

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

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

toDAy's cLuE: u EQuALs F

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

George Jean Nathan, adrama critic and an editor who died in 1958, said,“An optimistisafellowwhobelievesahousefly is looking foraway to get out.”

At the bridge table, players tend to be optimistsorpessimists. In this deal, for example, look at theEast and North hands. East is defending against four spades. West leadsthe club jack. What shouldEast do?

In Standard American, South’s threespade rebidshows extra values (usually 15-17 high-card points) and agood sixcardsuit.Itisgame-forcingafterNorth’s two-over-one response. If you areusing two-over-one game-force, then three spades promises asolid suit and setsit as trumps. The responder is asked to control-bid (cue-bid) if interested in a slam.Here,Northhasaborderlinehand. He couldjustify afour-diamond or fourheartcontrol-bid. But since South has no side first-round control,hewouldsign offinfour spades. The dummy is depressing. East knows that if declarer needs adiamond finesse, it is working. East can seetwo club winners. Maybe West has atrump trick (but not if Southhas shown asolid suit). What other chance is there?

None, apparently.

Well,thereisone—Westmightbevoid ofdiamonds.Afterwinningwithhisclub king, East should shift to adiamond.

Here, West ruffs,returns aclub to East’s ace, and receives another ruff for downone. Houseflies, be gone! Some playerswouldfindthisruff, but only at trick three. They cannot resist immediatelycashing availabletricks Take your time and think through the deal

©2025 by NEA,Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters 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 wordsare not allowed toDAy’s WoRD HoMoPHonE: HOM-uh-fone: One of two or morewords pronounced alike but different in meaning.

Average mark13words

Timelimit 25 minutes Can you find 18 or morewords in HOMOPHONE?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD —WAyWARDLy

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Bari Weiss named editor of CBS News

NEW YORK — Paramount said Monday that it has bought the news and commentary website

The Free Press and installed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor-in-chief of CBS News, saying it believes the country longs for news that is balanced and factbased.

It’s a bold step for the television network of Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather and “60 Minutes,” long viewed by many conservatives as the personification of a liberal media establishment. The network is placing someone in a leadership role who has developed a reputation for resisting orthodoxy and fighting “woke” culture.

“I am confident her entrepreneurial drive and editorial vision will invigorate CBS News,” said David Ellison, who took over this summer as the corporate leader overseeing the network when his company, Skydance, purchased Paramount. “This move is part of Paramount’s bigger vision to modernize content and the way it connects — directly and passionately — to audiences around the world.”

No purchase price was announced for The Free Press, which has grown to reach 1.5 million subscribers since Weiss started it in 2021 after leaving The New York Times as an opinion editor When she left the Times, she wrote a letter of resignation that spoke of a culture of intolerance at the newspaper and said she was bullied by colleagues who disagreed with her. Stock market keeps setting records

NEW YORK Wall Street keeps setting more records, and excitement about the artificial-intelligence industry keeps leading the way

The S&P 500 climbed 0.4% to set an all-time high following mixed trading on Monday The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 63 points, or 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.7% to its own record Advanced Micro Devices helped lead the way and soared 23.7% after announcing a deal where OpenAI will use its chips to power AI infrastructure. As part of the deal, OpenAI could own up to 160 million shares of AMD if it hits certain milestones. Another chip company, Nvidia, announced a deal last month where it would invest $100 billion in OpenAI as part of a partnership, creating criticism that the AI investment pipeline was beginning to appear like a circle. Nvidia slipped 1.1% following the AMD announcement Because it’s the most valuable stock on Wall Street, Nvidia was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500. Outside of tech, Comerica jumped 13.7% after Fifth Third Bancorp agreed to buy it in an all-stock deal valued at $10.9 billion. The combination would create the country’s ninth-largest bank. Fifth Third’s stock fell 1.4%.

Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ sells 2.7M copies

It’s the life of a saleswoman Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” sold 2.7 million copies in traditional album sales — which include physical and digital formats — in its first day in the U.S That’s according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company The album was released Friday The sales are impressive for a number of reasons. Swift has broken her record for most first week sales in one day Her last album, 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” amassed 2.61 million equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week.

“The Life of a Showgirl” has also become the second-largest sales week for any album in the modern era, since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991. That was also accomplished in just one day Currently, Adele’s “25,” which sold 3.378 million copies in its first week in 2015 in the U.S holds the top spot.

OpenAI, AMD team up on AI infrastructure

Chips will be supplied in resource deal

By The Associated Press

Semiconductor maker AMD will supply its chips to artificial intelligence company OpenAI as part of an agreement to team up on building AI infrastructure, the companies said Monday OpenAI will also get the option to buy as much as a 10% stake in AMD according to a joint statement announcing the deal. It’s the latest deal for the ChatGPT maker as it races to beef up its AI computing resources. Under the terms of the deal, Ope-

nAI will buy the latest version of the company’s high performance graphics chips, the Instinct MI450, which is expected to debut next year The agreement calls for supplying 6 gigawatts of computing power for OpenAI’s “next generation” AI infrastructure, with the first batch of chips worth 1 gigawatt to be deployed in the second half of 2026.

AMD also issued OpenAI with a warrant allowing the AI company to buy up to 160 million shares of AMD’s common stock That amounts to about 10% of the chipmaker based on AMD’s 1.6 billion outstanding shares. The warrant will vest based on two milestones

tied to the amount of computing power deployed, as well as unspecified “share-price targets.”

Shares of AMD spiked 25% before the opening bell Monday

Shares of Nvidia, which have repeatedly set new record-highs this year, fell slightly

“This partnership is a major step in building the compute capacity needed to realize AI’s full potential,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a news release. “AMD’s leadership in high-performance chips will enable us to accelerate progress and bring the benefits of advanced AI to everyone faster.”

The deal is a boost for Santa Clara, California-based AMD, which has been left behind by

rival Nvidia. But it also hints at OpenAI’s desire to diversify its supply chain away from Nvidia’s dominance. The AI boom has fueled demand for Nvidia’s graphics processing chips, sending its shares soaring and making it the world’s most valuable company

Last month, OpenAI and Nvidia announced a $100 billion partnership that will add at least 10 gigawatts of data center computing power OpenAI and its partners have already installed hundreds of Nvidia’s GB200, a tall computing rack that contains dozens of specialized AI chips within it, at the flagship Stargate data center campus under construction in Abilene, Texas.

Cold shoulder from Canada is costly for American distillers

Businesses struggling with global trade tensions

BY BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press

American distillers have gotten a costly cold shoulder from Canada, where their exports plunged 85% earlier this year — topping broad declines in key international markets amid global trade tensions, a spirits industry group said Monday Even a thaw in trade relations may not shake this hangover right away

“Even though things have eased up, we still are not back on the shelf in Canada,” said Kentucky craft distiller Tom Bard. “Probably won’t be for a good long while.”

The majority of Canadian provinces continue to ban American spirits from shelves, though Canada removed its retaliatory tariff on the products weeks ago, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said. There’s another nagging concern — that consumer reaction to the trade conflicts could curb the international thirst for American spirits in key markets.

Overall exports of American spirits fell 9% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to a year ago, the council said in its new report Sharp declines occurred in other crucial markets — the European Union, United Kingdom and Japan, it said. That comes on the heels of a banner year for U.S. spirits exports in 2024, the council said Total firstquarter exports in 2025 edged up by 1% from a year ago. In the ultracompetitive spirits world, the sudden drop-off is a dispiriting development for U.S distillers.

“There’s a growing concern that our international consumers are increasingly opting for domestically produced spirits or imports from countries other than the U.S., signaling a shift away from our great American spirits brands,” Chris Swonger, the council’s CEO said Monday in a release.

Canada remains the only key trading partner that retaliated against U.S. spirits in the latest rounds of trade conflicts spurred by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. The president maintains that open trade cost the U.S. millions of factory jobs and that tariffs are the path to American-made prosperity

But American distilled spirits have been a high-profile target for retaliation.

Trump’s first-term tariffs on European steel and aluminum spurred the EU to retaliate with a tariff that caused American whiskey exports to the EU to plunge, costing distillers more than $100 million in revenue from 2018 to 2021, the council has said. Once the tariff was suspended, EU sales rebounded for American distillers until the latest tensions resurfaced in the first year of

Trump’s second term.

The Distilled Spirits Council is pressing for free-flowing trade for distilled spirits with zero-for-zero tariffs with key markets, saying it would give American distillers the certainty they need.

Global markets are increasingly vital for producers of American whiskey which includes bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey The sector faces a supply-anddemand crunch in the U.S., where a sales slowdown is coinciding with massive stockpiles of whiskey, the council said.

“With the slowdown in the U.S. market, it’s more important than ever for American distillers to have reliable access to international markets,” Swonger said. “Until these trade issues are fully resolved, many distillers are remaining on the sidelines, fearful that without a permanent return to zero-for-zero tariffs, they could once again face retaliatory tariffs. They simply don’t want to risk jeopardizing the investments they’d need to make to reestablish their presence abroad.”

The most dramatic quarterly drop off in exports occurred in Canada, where U.S. spirits exports fell below $10 million amid the 85% plunge in the April-through-June quarter the report showed.

Elsewhere, exports of American spirits to the European Union — the U.S. industry’s largest export market — fell 12% in the second quarter, the council said. Exports to the United Kingdom dropped 29% and exports to Japan decreased 23%, it said.

The pain was felt across a range of spirits categories, with quarterly declines of 13% for American whiskey 14% for vodka, 15% for cordials and 12% for brandy, it said.

The declines were softened somewhat by surging sales to other countries including Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Singapore and South Korea, the council said. Distilled spirits were exported from 43 states last year, with Tennessee and Kentucky ranking first and second, respectively the report said. Texas was third, followed by Florida and Indiana.

Large and small producers alike are feeling the pinch from trade conflicts.

In August, Brown-Forman Corp. reported a 3% drop in first-quarter net sales, but company CEO Lawson Whiting said it is positioned for “resilient results in the face of persistent headwinds.” It posted double-digit net sales drops in Germany and the United Kingdom and a nearly 60% decline in Canada. Brown-Forman produces such brands as Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Woodford Reserve bourbon.

But large distillers possess the capital and market reach to ride out disruptions caused by trade disputes — built-in luxuries that most small producers don’t have.

For Bard, the trade tensions abruptly halted his momentum in securing and expanding his foothold in Canada. He and his wife, Kim, own The Bard Distillery in western Kentucky Their brands include Muhlenberg and Cinder & Smoke bourbons.

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano was named to the newly created position of CEO of the IRS on Monday, making him the latest member of the Trump administration to be put in charge of multiple federal agencies.

As IRS CEO, Bisignano will report to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who currently serves as

acting commissioner of the IRS, the Treasury Department says. It is unclear whether Bisignano’s newly created role at the IRS will require Senate confirmation.

The Treasury Department said in a statement that Bisignano will be responsible for overseeing all day-to-day IRS operations while also continuing to serve in his role as commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

Bessent said in a statement that the IRS and SSA “share many of the same technological and customer service goals. This makes Mr Bisignano a natural choice for this role.” The move to install Bisignano

at the IRS adds another layer to the leadership shuffling that has occurred at the agency since the beginning of Trump’s term.

Bessent was named acting commissioner in August after Trump removed former U.S Rep Billy Long from the role less than two months after his confirmation, and made him ambassador to Iceland.

The four acting commissioners who preceded Long in the job included one who resigned over a deal between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security to share immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and another whose ap-

pointment led to a fight between former Trump adviser Elon Musk and Bessent. With two day jobs, Bisignano joins a number of other Trump administration officials to wear multiple hats, including Bessent, Marco Rubio, Sean Duffy, Jamieson Greer and Russell Vought. IRS and Social Security advocates expressed concern about the new appointment. Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and Disability Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, pointed to Bisignano being named to a position that appears to avoid Congressional approval.