The Times-Picayune 10-07-2025

YOUTH MOVEMENTPAYSOFF FORSAINTS IN WIN OVER GIANTS

ELECTION 20 25

Earlyvotingturnout up significantly in N.O.

Residents wait their turntovote at the Algiers Courthouse on Sept. 27, the first dayofearly voting

39,000 votescastmorethandoubles number from eightyears ago

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staffwriter

Turnout in early votingfor New Orleans’ Saturday election was more than double what it was for the city’s2017 municipalprimary,a sign of excitement among votersas they decide who should lead the city next.

Nearly 39,000 voters cast their ballots in person and via mail during the weeklong early voting period that ended Saturday,far surpassing the more than

16,500 people whodid so eight years ago whenthe NewOrleans mayor’s race lacked an incumbent, according to preliminary data published by theLouisianaSecretaryofState‘s Office. The 2025 number,which for now represents more than 14% of the city’sregistered voting population, should grow as more mail-in ballotsare received.

“It indicates that one, people are enthusiastic aboutthe election,and two, the campaigns weresuccessful at getting their supporters to early vote,”

said Ed Chervenak, apolitical science professor at the University of New Orleans who compiled and analyzed the voter data.

This year’searly voting turnout was largerthanevery NewOrleans primary election with amayor’srace going back to at least2010, according to Chervenak.Iteasily eclipsed theroughly 23,900 ballotscast early in the 2021 primary,whenMayor LaToyaCantrell

ä See VOTING, page 4A

Shutdown threatens insurance subsidies

Louisiana residents’ health care costscould increase significantly

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Afederal appeals court on Monday vacatedanearlierrulingthat struck down Louisiana’scontroversial law requiringpublic schools andcolleges to post theTen Commandmentsinclassrooms, setting the stage for anew round of argumentsinthe high-stakes case. In June,a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that thelaw is “plainly unconstitutional” and cannot be enforced.But in aMonday evening order,the courtagreed to a request by Louisiana for thefull 5th Circuit to rehear the case, nul-

lifying the earlier ruling.

The decision by amajority of judges on the courttoreconsider the case could leadtoavery different outcome than thepanel’s ruling. Twoofthe three judges on thepanel were appointed by Democrats, while 12 of 17 active judges on thefull court were appointed by Republicans, with six selected by President Donald Trump. Thefull 5th Circuit is widely considered

“There’snoreal other optionat that point.Ifyou can’tafford the premium on the exchange, you probably then justbecome uninsured.”

KEVIN CALLISON, Tulane University healthcare economist

The federal government shut downlast week, and at the heart of the standoffisa fight over the health insurance subsidies that keep coverage affordable for hundreds of thousands of Louisianans. These enhanced premium tax credits lowerthe monthly costofhealth insurance forpeoplewho buycoverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The enhanced subsidieswerefirst introduced during the pandemic under the American Rescue Plan Act and later extended through 2025. They allowsomelowincomeenrollees to pay no monthly premiums andcap costs for middle-income households at 8.5% of their income. If the subsidies expire at the endof the year,Louisiana would be hit harder than any other state, according to anew analysis from the Urban Institute. The state is projected to see thesteepestdecline in subsidized marketplace enrollment nationwide —a 61% drop, representing roughly 85,000 people losing coverage. Many people who lost Medicaid coverageduring the recentunwinding qualifiedfor marketplacesubsidies,makingit an easy transition,saidKevin Callison,a health careeconomist at Tulane University.Louisiana’smarketplace enrollment hasgrown from about120,000 residentsin ä See SHUTDOWN, page 4A

thecountry’smost conservative federal court of appeals.

In the meantime, aU.S. District Court’spreliminary injunction will stand, barring thestatefrom enforcing the law

The TenCommandmentscase has been closely watched as atest of the traditional divide between church andstate, and legal observers say it’slikely that the U.S. Supreme Court ultimatelywill hear thecase.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill saidMondaythatshe looks forward to arguing thecasebefore the full appeals court, knownasan “en banc” hearing.

“Glad to see the 5th Circuit is taking this en banc,” shesaidina statement.

The case, Roake v. Brumley, stemsfrom alawsuit by agroup of

ä See LAW, page 5A

13TH yEAR, NO.56

BRIEFS

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 Donald Trump last week, including the disarmamentofthemilitantgroup a key Israeli demand — and the future governance of Gaza. Trump has indicated that an agreement on Gaza could 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 the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-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,

on 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.

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 of fic e 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

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. 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.

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

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.

ICEfacilityatAngoladraws ACLU suit

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

The federal government is using the “Louisiana Lockup” at Angola to illegally punish immigrants twice for the same offense, the American Civil Liberties Union claimed Monday in alawsuit against President Donald J. Trump’sadministration.

The federal lawsuit, filed Monday in the Middle District of Louisiana, argues that adetainee is being held at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola even though his deportation order is more than 6 months old, which the ACLU says is unconstitutional. And by holding immigrants at a facility located on the grounds of the country’s largest maximum-security prison, the Trump administration is using the is immigration system, whose proceedings are civil, to dole out criminal punishment, the lawsuit says Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security and

Gov.Jeff Landry’soffice did not respond to requests for comment on thelawsuit. In astatement,Departmentof Public Safety and Corrections spokespersonTiffany Dickerson said the agency was “unable to provide aresponse” to amedia inquiry and directed questions to Immigration andCustoms Enforcement.

“I haven’tbeen to the facility —it’srun by thefederal government. Ihavenoreason to believe that they aren’t following federal guidelines for ICE detainees,” state Attorney General Liz Murrill said in astatement.

Thestate is nota named defendant in the lawsuit

On Sept. 3, Landry, U.S. Attorney GeneralPam Bondiand Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unveiled the Louisiana Lockup, located at Angola. Noem touted Angola’s“notorious” history,describing it as a place fit to hold the “worst of the worst.”

“If you commita violent crime in this country— if yourape a child, if you commita murder, if youcommitahorrible, heinous crime, we aregoingtoprosecute you here and we are going to keep you here for therest of your life,” Bondi said. Also knownasCamp 57, thefacility is inside awing of Angola that has been out of use since 2016 and was previously used to punish inmates who broke the rulesby placing them in solitaryconfinement. It is oneofa series of high-profile detentioncentersopenedsince the Trumpadministration began its campaign to detain and deport immigrants in record numbers. Othersinclude Alligator Alcatraz in Florida and the Cornhusker Clink in Nebraska.

“Opening Angola to immigrants whohavealready served their time for crimes previously committed is unprecedented and must be rectified,”the lawsuit says. The ACLU filed itslawsuit on be-

half of Oscar Hernandez Amaya, who came to the United States from Honduras in 2005, according to thecourt record.

In 2018, Amaya wasconvicted of attempted aggravated assault and illegal possession of aweapon, the lawsuit says. He served approximately two years out of a41/2-year sentence and was released on good time credits, it says. ICE took him into custody in 2023, but he fought against his removal, thelawsuit says. In March, ajudge blocked his deportationto Hondurasunderthe Convention AgainstTorture, which prevents the U.S.fromreturning people to countriesifthey may be tortured there, it says. Six months have passed, and becausethe government has tried andfailed to deport Amaya to a different country,heshould be released immediately,according to thelawsuit.

It also asks the court to declare the use of Camp 57 to detain immigrantsunconstitutional.

In acourt filing, Amaya says the facility was not in fit condition to house immigrants, as the shower waterwas black when he arrived. He also claimed that detainees are receiving yellowish and foul-tasting drinking waterand that Camp 57 is full of mold.

ICE officials previouslydenied claims that conditions are inhumaneatthe facility

When ICEfirst opened Camp57, the agency released alist of 51 immigrants it said were detained there. They had been convicted of eithermurder, rapeorsex offenses against children, according to the agency But since then, officials have released no information about who is being housed there. Thefacility has about200 detainees,according to the lawsuit. Camp 57 is named after Landry, the 57th governor of Louisiana. Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

Agents’tactics in Chicagoquestioned

BY SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press

CHICAGO Storming an apartmentcomplex by helicopter as families slept. Deploying chemical agents near apublic school. Handcuffing aChicagoCity Councilmemberata hospital.

Activists, residents and leaders say increasingly combative tactics used by federal immigrationagentsare sparking violence and fueling neighborhood tensions in the nation’sthird-largest city.

La.Political Hall of Fame to induct 8

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Aformer New Orleans mayor,two noted journalists, aformer state representative and four political consultants andbehindthe-scenes party leaders are the next inductees into the Louisiana PoliticalHall of Fame. The best-known member of theincoming class is SidneyBarthelemy,who servedas New Orleans’ mayor from1986-94. Before that, he spent 12 years serving as amember of the CityCouncil and in the stateSenate. Barthelemy is joined by:

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

n ClancyDuBos, whospent 51 years as a political columnist, reporter,editor,political analyst and owner of Gambit, the weekly newspaper now owned byThe TimesPicayune |The Advocate.

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

n Ron Nabonne, aveteran political consultantwho workedfor Barthelemy and dozens of other politiciansoverthe years.

n Norma Jane Sabiston, who served as achief of staff to then-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,alawyer in NewOrleans whospent more than threedecades as aRepublican Partystalwart, helping to build the GOP into the dominant force in state politics. He died in 2010.

n Ben Jeffers, aveteranpolitical consultant in Baton Rouge who served as chairof the Louisiana Democratic Party. With the latest group, the LouisianaPolitical Hall of Fame, which is based in Winnfield, will have 257 inductees.

Acommittee of seven selected the newest members, including JohnGeorges, who coownsThe Times-Picayune |The Advocate. Theinduction ceremonywilltakeplace in New Orleans on March 28

“They arethe ones that are making it a war zone,” Illinois Gov.JBPritzker said Sunday on CNN. “They firetear gasand smoke grenades, and they make it look like it’sawar zone.”

More than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since an immigration crackdown started last month in the Chicago area. The Trump administration hasalsovowed to deployNational Guardtroops in itsagenda to boost deportations.

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

Arriving by helicopter

Activists andresidents were taking stock Sunday at an apartment building on Chicago’sSouth Side wherethe Department of Homeland Securitysaid 37 immigrantswere arrested recently in an operationthat’sraised calls for investigation by Pritzker.

Whilefederal agents have mostly focused on immigrant-heavyand Latino enclaves, theoperation early Tuesday unfolded in the largely Black South Shore neighborhood that’shad asmall influx of migrants resettled in Chicago while seeking asylum

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

Agents then wentdoor to door,woke up residentsand used ziptiestorestrain them

Residents and theIllinois Coalition for Immigrantand RefugeeRights, which canvassed the area, said those who were zip tied included children and U.S. citizens.

RodrickJohnson,a U.S. citizenbrieflydetained, said agentsbroke throughhis door andplaced him in zip ties

“I asked if they hadawarrant, and Iasked for alawyer,” the67-year-old told the Chicago Sun-Times. “They neverbrought one.”

Dixon Romeo with Southside Together an organization that’s alsobeen helping residents, said doors were knocked off the hinges

“Everyonewetalked to didn’t feel safe,” he said.“This is not normal. It’snot OK.It’s notright.

Pritzker, atwo-term Democrat,directed state agencies to investigate claims that children werezip tied anddetained separately from theirparents,saying “militarystyletactics” shouldn’tbeusedonchildren.

Several Democratic members of the Illinoiscongressional delegation met near the site Sunday,calling for an end to immigra-

SidneyBarthelemy was mayor of New Orleans from1986-94. Federal of

Border Patrol

Saturday morning on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

tion raids.

DHS officialssaidtheywere targeting connections to the Tren de Aragua gang. Without offering details on arrestsoraddressing howchildren were treated, DHS said “someofthe targeted subjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators.”

DepartmentofHomeland SecuritySecretaryKristiNoem on Saturday posted heavily edited videoclips of the operation to Xshowing agentsblasting through doors, helicopters and adults in zip ties, but music played over most of theroughly 1minute video.

Agencyofficials did not return amessage left Sunday

BrandonLee, with ICIRR, said while someresidents were placed on ankle monitors, others remained unaccounted for. More tear gas, smokebombs

Meanwhile, theuse of chemical agents has become more frequent and visiblein the past week. Used initially to manage protesters, agents used it this week on city streetsand during immigration operations, according to ICIRR.

An emergencyhotline to report immigrant agentsightings topped 800 calls on Friday,the same day activists saidagents threw acannisterofachemical near a school in the city’sLogan Square neighborhood.The activity in the northwest side neighborhood prompted nearbyFunston Elementary School to hold recess indoors.

The sameday Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes was placed in handcuffs at a hospital. She said she asked agents to show awarrant for apersonwho’d broken his leg while chased by ICE agents who then transported him to theemergency room

“ICE actedlikeaninvading armyinour neighborhoods,” said state Rep. Lilian Jiménez, aDemocrat. “Helicopters hovered aboveour homes, terrifying familiesand disturbing thepeace of ourcommunity. These shameful and lawless actions are not only aviolation of constitutional rights but of our most basic 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 andanother personwere charged Sunday with forcibly assaulting, impeding and interfering with afederal lawenforcementofficer.However,activists said immigrationagents caused the multi-vehicle crash and detained the woman, who is aU.S. citizen. Noem hasdefendedthe aggressive tactics,calling themissiontreacherousto agents and alleging threats on officers’ lives.

“It’sanextremely dangerous situation,” she said Sundayonthe “Fox &Friends” weekend show

Goingtocourt

Leaders of aChicago suburb that’shome to an immigration processing center have taken their fight against federal agents to court.

The village of Broadviewhas become a front line in the immigration operation. The center in thecommunity of 8,000peopleis where immigrants areprocessed for detention or deportation.

Protests outside have become tense withneardaily arrests. Civil rightsorganizations have blasted aggressive tactics by agents, while village officials have launched three separate criminal investigations against federal agents.

City officials have demanded the federal government remove an 8-foot fence they say was “illegally” put up outside the facility.They fileda federal lawsuitFriday seek atemporary restraining order and the immediate removal of the fencetheysay blocks fire access.

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

Also pending is an expected ruling on allegedviolationsofa2022 consent decree on how federalimmigration agents canmake arrests in six states including Illinois. While the order expired in May, attorneys have sought an extension and fileddozens of morealleged violations in the past month.

Associated Press writer Ali Swenson contributed to this storyfromNew York.

Deadly EF5 tornado was nation’s

BY SARAH RAZA Associated Press

A deadly tornado that tore across southeastern North Dakota this summer has been upgraded to an EF5 with winds topping 200 mph, the strongest classification of tornado and the first confirmed on American soil in a dozen years, meteorologists said Monday

The June 20 twister near the town of Enderlin killed three people and at its largest was 1.05 miles wide, carving a path across the prairie for just over 12 miles. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks estimated the tornado’s winds reached 210 mph, according to the newly released analysis.

The 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado in Oklahoma holds the record of the strongest winds ever recorded in the U.S. at 321 mph

Since the National Weather Service began using Enhanced Fujita scale in 2007, there have been 10 tornadoes categorized as EF5. The 12-year gap between top-of-thescale ratings is the longest since the agency started keeping records in 1950.

“In the last kind of 12 years, there’s been several strong tornadoes that have come close, but there haven’t been known damage indicators at that time to support the EF5 rating,” said Melinda Beerends, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service in Grand Forks.

“It’s hard sometimes to get tornadoes to hit something,” she said.

The morning after the EF5 tornado, meteorologists from the Grand Forks office headed into the field to assess the damage. They studied how the twister had uprooted trees, tipped over fully loaded rail cars, toppled transmission towers and destroyed farmsteads, includ-

ing one that had its foundation swept clean with just the basement remaining.

“The city of Enderlin, other than losing power, pretty much went unscathed,” said Mayor Deon Maasjo. Two men and a woman were killed at two locations east of the town, which is about 40 miles southwest of Fargo.

Determining a tornado’s strength usually takes days or weeks, as meteorologists study the damage to buildings and trees. This case took much longer because of the unusual damage to rail cars, including one that was picked up and hurled far from the rest. The meteorologists worked with engineers and wind damage experts to conduct additional surveys and forensic analysis to determine the

SHUTDOWN

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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 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 in-

VOTING

Continued from page 1A

bested more than a dozen challengers to win reelection outright.

At the top of Saturday’s ballot is the race to succeed Cantrell for mayor with candidates that include state Sen. Royce Duplessis; City Council Vice President Helena Moreno, the race’s frontrunner; and District E council member Oliver Thomas, as well as several lesser-known contenders.

The ballot also features citywide races for sheriff, assessor, clerk of criminal court and two at-large seats on the City Council. Four out of five council district seats are also up for grabs Voters will also decide whether to change the city’s charter to bar local laws that discriminate against a person based on conviction history

While there’s been an uptick overall in the number of early votes cast, the share of Black early voters is down this year when compared with years past.

Black voters account for around 57% of the early in-person and mail-in votes counted so far In 2021, Black voters accounted for 64% of early votes, and in 2017, nearly 66% of early votes. Meanwhile, the share of early ballots cast by White voters jumped to 37% this year an increase from around 31% in 2021.

John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge-based pollster who has done work for the political action committee supporting Moreno’s mayoral

crease 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 earning 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.

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

Early voting started on Sept. 27 at four locations in New Orleans including the lakefront polling place.

run, said he suspects the lower turnout among Black voters in early voting will carry through to Saturday “If I’m seeing a drop this noticeable in early voting, I’m of the opinion you don’t turn around seven days of lower performing early voting with a stellar performance on election day,” he said. There are around 263,000 registered voters in New Orleans. Around 142,000 — or 54% — are Black and around 96,000 — or 36% — are White.

In the last three mayoral primaries, the share of Black voters who cast their ballot early outpaced White voters by at least 2 percentage points.

This year, they were nearly equal, with 15% of registered White voters and 15.5% of registered Black voters casting their ballot

early

“You would assume that would benefit Moreno,” said Chervenak, pointing to a UNO poll conducted shortly

before early voting began that showed an overwhelming majority of White respondents, or 76%, intended to back Moreno for mayor

The Black vote in that poll was more fragmented. Moreno received support from 28% of Black respondents, while Duplessis received 24% and Thomas received 21%. One-quarter of Black respondents were undecided.

The data provided by the Secretary of State’s Office shows which voters cast their ballot but not who they voted for Even as early voting has increased in recent years, the total number of ballots cast in New Orleans primaries featuring mayoral races has declined, from around 89,000 in 2010 to a little more than 75,300 in 2021.

“It looks like we’ll see a jump this time around,” Chervenak said.

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com.

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.

“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.”

EF5 rating, up from the initial estimate of EF3.

The tornado was caused by warm, moist air in a place that’s ripe for a thunderstorm, Beerends said. But there was also a high amount of wind shear, which is a variation of wind speed and direction that created the conditions for the tornado. In recent years, tornadoes have been occurring with greater frequency east of the Mississippi River said Victor Gensini, professor of atmospheric sciences at Northern Illinois University

“If you look 40 to 50 years ago, the tornadoes that were happening in places like Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas are kind of happening there with less frequency, and we’re seeing more tornadoes in places like Birmingham, Little Rock and Memphis,” he said.

Though meteorologists aren’t sure what’s causing the trend, the higher frequency of tornadoes in the Mid-South and Midwest is notable because it’s closer to population centers, Gensini said, so there’s a greater chance a tornado may hit something.

The last recorded EF5 tornado was on May 20, 2013, in a town outside Oklahoma City, killing 24 people and injuring more than 200 others That tornado tore through hundreds of homes, a school, hospital and bowling alley in Moore, where nearly a decade later, droves of moviegoers lined up to watch the 2024 film “Twisters.”

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 Cal-

lison. Louisiana residents enrolled through the marketplace — many of them small-business owners, selfemployed 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.

Chicagoand Illinois suetostopdeployment

Move comesafter courtblocks

Guardfrom Portland

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press

CHICAGO Illinois leaders went to court Monday to stop President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops to Chicago, escalating aclash between Democratic-led states and the Republican administration during an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city

Thelegalchallenge came hours after ajudge blocked the Guard’sdeployment in Portland, Oregon.

Thelawsuit in Chicago also raised the stakes after aviolent weekend: Authorities said awoman wasshot by afederal agent when Border Patrol vehicles were boxed in and struck by other vehicles. Thecity’s police superintendent rejected suggestions that his officers were on the government’s side in volatile situations like that one.

The Trump administration has portrayedthe cities as war-ravaged and lawless amid its crackdown on illegal immigration. Officials in Illinois and Oregon say military intervention isn’t needed and that federal involvement is inflaming the situation.

The lawsuit alleges that “these advances in President Trump’slong-declared ‘War’ on Chicago andIllinois are unlawful and dangerous.”Illinois Gov.JBPritzker said acourt hearing was scheduled for Thursday

“Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal efforttomilitarize our nation’scities,” said Pritzker,aDemocrat.

Pritzker said some 300 of the state’sGuard troops were to be federalized and deployed to Chicago, along with 400 others from Texas.

Pritzker said the potential deployment amounted to “Trump’sinvasion,” and he called on Republican Texas

LAW

Continued from page1A

public school parents from different religious backgrounds who said that posting the TenCommandments in every classroomviolates students’ First Amendment right to practice their faith free of government interference. The legal groups representing the families who sued the state said Monday that they believe the earlier ruling was well reasoned, followed binding Supreme Court precedent and did not need to be revisited.

“Nevertheless,welook forward to presenting our clients’ case to the entire

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at anewsconference in ChicagoonMonday

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.

WhiteHouse spokespersonAbigail Jacksonconfirmed in aweekend statement that Trump authorized using Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” thatlocal leaders have not quelled.

Thesight of armed BorderPatrol agents making arrestsnear famouslandmarks amplified concerns from Chicagoans already uneasy after an immigration crackdown that began last month. Agents have targetedimmigrant-heavy and largely Latino areas.

Chicago Mayor Brandon

courtofappeals, and we remainconfident that the constitutional values and principlesatthe heartofthe First Amendment,which guarantee religiousfreedom for allstudents and families, will prevail in the end,”said astatementfrom

“DonaldTrump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities.”

ILLINOISGOV.JBPRITZKER

Johnson said Monday that he signed an executive order barring federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property,suchasparking lots,garages andvacantlots, as stagingareasfor enforcementoperations.

Protesters have frequently ralliednear an immigrationfacilityoutside the city,and federal officials reported the arrests of 13 protestersFriday near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building

AmericansUnited for Separation of Churchand State, the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLUofLouisiana andthe Freedom From Religion Foundation. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as pro bono counsel.

in Broadview

Mayor Katrina Thompson, citing safetyand otherfactors, said she was limiting proteststo9 a.m. to 6p.m.

Elsewhere, theDepartment of Homeland Security acknowledgedthatagents shot awoman Saturday on Chicago’ssouthwest side Thedepartmentsaid it happened after BorderPatrol agents patrolling thearea were “rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.”

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling saidit’s reasonable for agents to use force if theybelieve 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.

“Wecannot becomeasociety where we just decide to take everything in our own hands andstarttocommit crimes against law enforcement,” Snelling said. He said it’sdifficult to “toe the line” between not helpingfederalimmigration agents and maintaining public safety

In Portland, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut on Sunday granteda temporary restraining order sought by Oregon and California

barring the deployment of Guard troopstoOregon from anystate and the District of Columbia.

Immergut, whowas appointed by Trump during hisfirst term,seemedincredulous thatthe president moved to send National Guard troops to Oregon fromneighboring California and then from Texas on Sunday,just hours after she had ruled against it the first time.

“Aren’tdefendants simply circumventingmyorder?” sheasked.“Why is this appropriate?”

WhiteHousespokesperson Karoline Leavitt criticized the decision and said the president was using his authorityascommanderin chief.

Portland’sICE facility has been the site of nightly protests for months, peaking in June whenPortland policedeclared ariot, with smallerclashesoccurring since then. In recent weeks, the nightly protests typically drew a couple dozen people —until Trumpordered the National Guard. Over the weekend, larger crowds gathered outside thefacility andfederal agents fired tear gas. Portland police mademultiple arrests. Most violent crime around the U.S. hasdeclined in recentyears, including in Portland, where homicides from January through June decreasedby51% to 17 this year compared with the same periodin2024, data shows.

Sincestartinghis second term, Trump has sent or talked about sending troops to 10 cities, includingBaltimore; Memphis, Tennessee; theDistrictofColumbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Afederal judge in September said the administration “willfully” broke federal law by deploying Guard troops to Los Angeles over protests about immigration raids.

NOLA.COM/BIZ

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

Social

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.

Security leader named to new IRS CEO position

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.

Voting underway on Calif. maps

BY MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP political writer

LOS ANGELES The midterm elections might be a year away, but the fight for control of the U.S. House is underway in California. Voting opened statewide Monday on whether to dramatically reshape California’s congressional districts to add as many as five Democrat-held seats in Congress a possible offset to President Donald Trump’s moves in Texas and elsewhere to help Republicans in the 2026 election.

The outcome of the 70-word, “yes” or “no” question could determine which party wins control of the closely divided House, and whether Democrats will be able to blunt Trump’s power in the second half of his term on issues from immigration to reproductive rights.

The proposal is “a starting point for the 2026 race,” said Democratic consultant Roger Salazar “2026 is the whole ball game,” he said.

Newsom wrote in a recent fundraising pitch to supporters. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Democrats.”

The unusual special election amounts to a Democratic gambit to blunt Trump’s attempt in Texas to gain five Republican districts ahead of the midterms, a move intended to pad the GOP’s tenuous grip on the House.

The duel between the nation’s two most populous states has spread nationally, with Missouri redrawing House maps that are crafted state by state. Other states could soon follow, while the dispute also has become entangled in the courts.

The national implications of California’s ballot measure are clear in both the money it has attracted and the figures getting involved. Tens of millions of dollars are flowing into the race including a $5 million donation to opponents from the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC tied to House Speaker Mike Johnson Former action-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 that concludes Nov 4 will 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 a likely contender “Heaven help us if we lose,”

A major question mark has emerged in Texas, where a panel of federal judges is considering whether the state can use a redrawn congressional map that boosts Republicans. If the Texas map is blocked even temporarily, it’s not clear how that decision would influence California — if at all where voting is underway Newsom has previously indicated that California could keep its current map if other states pull back efforts to remake districts for partisan advantage, but that language was not included in the final version of what’s officially known as Proposition 50.

If approved in California, it’s possible the new political map could slash five Republican-held House seats while bolstering Democratic incumbents in other battleground districts. That could boost the Democratic margin to 48 of California’s 52 congressional seats, up from the 43 seats the party now holds.

Liberal-tilting California has long been a quirk in House elections — the state is heavily Democratic but also is home to a string of some of the most hotly contested congressional districts in the country a rarity at a time when truly competitive House elections have been dwindling in number across the U.S.

Greta Thunberg among flotilla activists deported from Israel

BY MELANIE LIDMAN and RENATA BRITO Associated Press

JERUSALEM Israeli authorities said Monday they deported to Greece and Slovakia another 171 people detained for taking part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X that “the deportees were citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the United States.” The post included photos of Thunberg and other activists wearing white T-shirts and gray sweatpants.

Thunberg was among dozens of deportees to land in Athens, Greece, on Monday afternoon. Crowds of supporters gathered at the Eleftherios Venizelos international airport and chanted “Free free Palestine” as activists disembarked.

“That this mission has to exist, it’s a shame. It is a shame,” Thunberg told journalists and protesters shortly after arriving. “I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story.”

Instead, Thunberg urged world leaders and ordinary citizens to end their “complicity” with the “genocide” being carried out against Palestinians in Gaza, on the eve of the second anniversary of the war there between Israel and Hamas.

“We cannot take our eyes away from Gaza,” Thunberg said.

The interception of the flotilla led to large-scale demonstrations in cities across the world.

Israeli authorities again rejected mistreatment accusations that have emerged in interviews with activists who were deported to Turkey, Spain and Italy over the weekend. Israel’s government has also vehemently denied claims that its offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide, despite a growing number of experts denouncing it as such.

Lubna Tuma, a lawyer with the Adalah association representing more than 470 Global Sumud

Florida removes rainbow crosswalk from Miami Beach

BY DAVID FISCHER Associated Press

MIAMI — A rainbow-colored crosswalk meant to celebrate the history and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in Miami Beach has been removed from the city’s iconic Ocean Drive entertainment district about two months after Florida officials ordered the removal of all street art throughout the state.

Workers with the Florida Department of Transportation began tearing up the colorful pavers Sunday afternoon, just two days after Miami Beach officials learned they had lost their appeal against the state 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 and AIDS, the fight for marriage equality, all the hard-won battles that took the LGBTQ community from being marginalized to now being a visible, celebrated part of the community,” Fernandez said.

The Miami Beach crosswalk — a place to see for multiple tourist guides — was designed by the Savino & Miller Design Studio and installed in 2018. It featured multicolor terrazzo pavers arranged in an Art Deco pat-

tern, a style with nearly a century of history in the city.

Fernandez said the crosswalk was designed following federal guidelines and noted that it’s one of the safest intersections in the area, with half as many crashes as the closest intersection to the south since 2018.

The Department of Transportation under Republican Gov Ron DeSantis had ordered communities to remove the crosswalks and other street art by early last month and threatened to withhold state transportation funding for noncompliance.

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

Flotilla participants who were detained last week as they attempted to break the Israeli siege of Gaza, said 150 people were still held in Israel’s Ktziot prison, including Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela.

Forty of them were on hunger strike, including many Tunisians.

“Some stated that they prefer that their food go to the people in Gaza,” Tuma said during a briefing on Monday that was broadcast on Adalah’s and the flotilla’s Instagram accounts. Others were also refusing to drink water “until medical treatment is given to all detainees,” she said.

The association’s legal team said the remainder of the activists — including those from countries that don’t maintain diplomatic relations with Israel were expected to be deported on Tuesday

Adalah lawyers have seen most, but not all, of the activists Tuma said Israeli authorities have repeatedly violated activists’ rights.

Tuma said it started with their interception in international waters and continued with their transfer to Israel and detention in a maximum security prison, where Tuma said activists were subject to physical violence and humiliation.

Israeli authorities have strongly rejected the claims, reiterating that the detainees’ rights had been respected throughout their deten-

tion. Israel’s foreign ministry accused one activist of biting a female medical staff member

Several activists have given testimonies alleging mistreatment by Israeli authorities.

“There was some dehumanizing and violence and shouting,” Roos Ykema, a Dutch member of the flotilla who was deported to Madrid on Sunday, told The Associated Press. “But we got the European treatment,” she added.

North African nationals who were detained told the AP they faced harsher treatment than their European counterparts.

“When I showed my Belgian passport their behavior towards me changed completely,” said Houssem Eddine Rmedi, a dual TunisianBelgian citizen.

Others said they weren’t so lucky

“The moment you show your Tunisian, Algerian or Moroccan passport, they start beating you,” said Moroccan activist Ayoub Habraoui, who added that he and others were kept kneeling under the sun for nearly six hours.

Several governments that had citizens taking part in the flotilla have said their embassies in Israel were working closely with Israeli authorities to make sure activists were released and sent home as swiftly as possible.

Ghaya Ben Mbarek contributed reporting from Tunis, Tunisia.

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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 atMan-

ä See RISHER, page 2B

Attacks escalate in N.O. court clerk’srace

70 lawyersdefend challenger’s innocence claim

New Orleans Criminal Court

ClerkDarren Lombard this weekend escalated attacks against astiff election challenge he faces, accusing challenger CalvinDuncan in avideoof “killing an innocent man”even though Duncan was cleared of criminal charges after serving 28 years in prison. Now those tactics, which have rende red the clerk’sraceamong themostvolatile in New Orleans’ municipal cycle, are undermounting criticism from attorneys, who say they lack legal basis. Loyola College of Law professor Andrea Armstrong, University of Virginia law instructorThomas Frampton and Baton Rouge defense

Teachers to getpay bumps

Stipends aideducatorrecruitment effortsinJefferson Parish

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

SomeJefferson Parish teachers and other school employees will soon geta temporarybump in theirsalary,withupto$2,700 headedtheirway this school year underaseries of state-funded stipends.

The districtplans to disburse theadditional payintwo waves, according to anoticesent out to teachers last week, withthe first stipends fromthe state coming Nov.7

The one-time payouts are in-

tended “to assist with addressing unique market needs in therecruitment and retention of classroom teachers,”according to the notice.

The checks are arriving as Jefferson Parish, which has the state’s largest public school district, continues to debate whether and how to raise teacher salaries aftervotersnarrowly rejected atax proposallate last year that would have funded permanent pay increases. Jefferson Parish teachers make an average starting salary of $51,000 ayear,whichislower

than theirpeers in neighboring districts, including St. Charles and New Orleans.

Certified staff, meaning all employees on the district’steacher payscale, will receive $2,000. That includes occupational and physical therapists, nurse practitioners, project managers and central office specialists. All part-timeteachers andsupport staff,such as paraprofessionals, bus drivers, crossing guards, cafeteria workers and custodians, will get $1,000.

Someemployees, including contractors, substituteteachers,

coaches and special program employees, such as driver’seducation instructors, are not eligible. Afew of the district’seducators will also get an additional onetimepayout this spring. Under astate Education Departmentpolicy,teachers in subjects the districthas deemed “critical shortage” areas, which it identified as K-12 special education and middle andhighschool math and science, will get$700, to be paid out by June 30,accordingtothe notice sent to teachers.

MASS GATHERING

ABOVE: Members of thelegalcommunity gather andline up in Jackson Square before the processional into St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans for aRed Mass on Monday.

RIGHT: Gov.Jeff Landry, back left, and hiswife, Sharon, chat with former Gov.John Bel Edwards, right, following the Red Mass.

News stationplaces Lucieonleave amid investigation

BYJOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

WDSU television has placed its chief meteorologist on leave afterhis arrest early Sunday in adomestic incident in Jefferson Parish, according to arrest re-

cordsand the news station. Devon Lucie, 48, was booked on counts of domestic abuse child endangerment and resistinganofficer by refusing to identify himself. According to arrest documents, alongtime dating partnerofLucie’stold deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office that thecouple had argued at amusic festival in Gretna Lucieleft the festival,and the

woman got aride back with her mother, thenpried open the door to Lucie’shomeinMarrero She told detectives they continued to argue at thehome. Police said Lucie leftthe home but returned and began to punchher in thebedroom as hertwo children sleptin the living room, according to records.

“She said that they wrestled, andshe fought back in self-defense,” the document states.

The woman had “several small cuts and scratches on most of her upper body,aswell as several whelps on her forehead and face,” adeputy wrote. The report states that Lucie refused to give his name or dateofbirth, refused to put on clothes or shoes,and “refused to clean his dried bloody injuries.” Areport on WDSU’s website states that Lucie was placed on leave pending the investigation.

Louisiana Black Caucus seeks Lacy investigation

State Police maintain findings in Dec 17 fatal crash

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus is calling for an independent investigation into Louisiana State Police’s handling of a Dec. 17 fatal car crash that troopers said was caused by former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy Lacy’s attorney, Matt Ory, has questioned the police narrative of the crash, saying in a Friday interview with Houma television station HTV that videos and documents show Lacy’s car was too far away from the crash to have caused it.

“Recent evidence released by his attorney raises serious questions about the accuracy, integrity, and fairness of the investigation conducted by the Louisiana State Police,” the Louisiana Legislative

Black Caucus said in a statement Monday “The new information, including video footage and witness statements, appears to contradict earlier allegations that led to criminal charges against Mr Lacy prior to his untimely death.”

Lacy was arrested on counts of negligent homicide, felony hitand-run and reckless operation of a vehicle. Herman Hall, a 78-yearold from Thibodaux, died in the crash. Hall was the passenger in a vehicle that was struck head-on by another car that Lacy was not driving.

Asked Monday about the new information revealed by Lacy’s attorney, LSU football coach Brian Kelly said the process “takes time” and called for patience.

“Let’s wait until all the information comes out,” Kelly said. “For us to make these universal statements early on, it just doesn’t serve anybody well.”

“He’s loved by us,” Kelly added.

“He was a great teammate and is going to be missed.”

Lacy had not yet been official-

ly charged in the case in April, when, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Houston. Lacy was driving there when law enforcement tried to stop him and he fled, eventually crashing after a chase, the Sheriff’s Office said. Lacy shot himself before the car crashed, a preliminary investigation showed.

Questions about police narrative

State Police said that during the December crash in Lafourche Parish, Lacy’s Dodge Charger illegally passed multiple vehicles causing a Kia Cadenza to swerve to avoid the Charger The Cadenza then crashed head-on with a Kia Sorento traveling in the opposite direction, State Police said.

On Friday, State Police issued another statement reaffirming its finding.

“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.”

The statement continued: “No one disputes that he was behind the crash scene. His swerving, passing cars, and reckless operation caused the series of crash events.”

But Ory said during the Friday TV interview that, while Lacy did illegally pass four other vehicles, he was nearly 100 yards behind the cars involved in the head-on collision, which Ory said is too far for him to be considered responsible.

On Saturday, the Louisiana Democratic Party, in a statement, also called on Attorney General Liz Murrill to “launch a full-scale, independent investigation into the wrongful accusations made against Mr Lacy.”

“The people of Louisiana deserve answers, and those responsible for spreading false information must be held accountable un-

MD Anderson, Ochsner expand partnership

Slidell hospital added to list of affiliates

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

A nationally recognized cancer treatment network with a footprint across the nation is expanding its partnership with Ochsner Health and adding a Slidell hospital to its list of affiliated facilities.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Ochsner on Monday announced a new partnership with Slidell Memorial Hospital at an unveiling ceremony in Slidell. It’s the eighth cancer center in Louisiana to be affiliated with MD Anderson. Others include the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center in Jefferson Parish, the Ochsner

POLITICAL

Continued from page 1B

lawyer James Boren were among 70 attorneys who signed a letter Monday saying the 2021 vacation of Duncan’s conviction left no doubt about his innocence under the law Loyola law school Dean Madeleine Landrieu, who vetted Duncan’s record before Loyola awarded him an honorary degree this summer, said separately Monday that reviewing Duncan’s file had led her to the same conclusion.

“It is clear to me that the trial court found that Calvin met the burden of proving his factual innocence when it vacated the judg-

Cancer Center in Baton Rouge and the St Tammany Cancer Center in Covington. Ochsner Health and MD Anderson first announced their partnership in June 2023.

“By fully integrating with MD Anderson’s expertise, we are transforming the cancer landscape in Slidell,” said Matthew McElveen, medical director of Slidell Memorial’s regional cancer center The partnership will affect everything from diagnosis to treatment, he told The Times-Picayune.

The accuracy of diagnoses will be more carefully tracked, the treatment will follow MD Anderson’s protocols, and patients will now have access to clinical trials run by MD Anderson, McElveen said For very rare cancers, patients may still have to go to Houston, he said, but this partnership will help facilitate that process.

ment and the DA dismissed the indictment,” Landrieu said. “I’m surprised at the tenor of (Lombard’s) attack.

The incumbent struck a gentler tone Monday, focusing on Duncan’s résumé in a statement.

“We can spend the rest of the week bringing in any number of opinions, but the fact is Mr Duncan has no experience,” Lombard said.

Political observers have called Lombard’s attacks unusually bold even by the often bare-knuckle standards of Louisiana politics.

“This somehow might be a new low for political attacks in Louisiana,” said Eric Holl, a Democratic operative who worked for former Gov John Bel Edwards and is not involved in the campaign. “Mor-

Cancer physicians had to undergo special training to participate, and some also will serve as adjunct faculty at MD Anderson, McElveen said. Staff at the hospital includes six medical oncologists, two radiation oncologists and four nurse practitioners.

“We spent the last year trying to get our services up to a level to be qualified as being an MD Anderson Center,” said Walter “Dub” Lane, a health care economist at the University of New Orleans who also serves on Slidell Memorial Hospital’s board of commissioners.

“It’s not just a label they hand out; we had to earn it,” he said in an interview. “They gave us a checklist of like 60 things we had to do.”

Lane expects the cancer center to draw people from Mississippi as well as eastern St. Tammany, potentially alleviating pressure from

ally, I wouldn’t be able to stomach making an attack like this. And professionally, I’d advise that in these specific circumstances this is so nasty and so factually baseless that it’s likely to backfire.”

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill last week argued that Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams should have recused his office from the proceedings which resulted in Duncan’s conviction being vacated. Williams had previously represented Duncan as a defense lawyer, Murrill said.

Her office cited court minutes which described Williams being in court on dates when Duncan had hearings prior But Williams said he was representing another client, George Toca, at those times.

Ochsner’s other area cancer centers like the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center in Jefferson Parish.

The announcement comes after voters in eastern St. Tammany in May approved a $51.5 million bond for Slidell Memorial Hospital to cover a handful of different projects, including at the cancer center, which will see four additional exam rooms, as well as upgrades and replacements of imaging equipment like MRIs and CT scans.

The improvements to the cancer center funded by the bond are unrelated to the partnership with MD Anderson, according to Slidell Memorial Hospital CEO Sandy Badinger But, she said in an interview they will help.

In addition to Ochsner, MD Anderson has partnerships with six other hospital systems across the country

Both Duncan and Toca were primarily represented at the time by Innocence Project New Orleans attorney David Park The Innocence Project had also hired additional co-counsel for each client, Park said Monday: Williams for Toca and another attorney for Duncan.

“Their representations were limited to their respective clients,” said Park, who stopped working for the Innocence Project in 2010.

“There was no overlap. At no time was Mr. Williams ever Mr Duncan’s attorney.” Murill’s spokesperson, Lester Duhe, declined to comment further on Monday New Orleans’ municipal primary is on Saturday

der the law,” said Dadrius Lanus, executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party Murrill on Monday said in a statement that she has “been in touch with Louisiana State Police about independently reviewing all the witness statements and evidence in this case.”

Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Chair Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, said the inconsistencies in the case “demand an immediate and transparent review.”

“We are requesting a formal investigation, as well as public hearings, because we believe that a truly independent inquiry — free from internal influence — is essential to restore public trust,” Jordan said.

The caucus on Monday sent a letter to Louisiana House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, urging him to appoint a special committee “to conduct a thorough public inquiry into the actions of the Louisiana State Police in this case.”

TEACHERS

Continued from page 1B

Districts have until Dec 15 to give out the statewide stipends, though several school systems have agreed to pay them out earlier Teachers in Livingston, St. Helena, St. James and Tangipahoa parishes have already received their compensation or can expect it this week.

Teachers in West Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge and St. Tammany parishes will get their stipends later this month.

The Orleans Parish School Board approved $13.7 million for state stipends at a September board meeting, but the timing of the distributions to teachers will vary by charter network.

In December, Jefferson Parish voters narrowly rejected a proposed millage tax that officials said would have brought in enough money to raise teacher salaries by $8,300 — a move that would have given the district’s teachers the highest starting salary in the greater New Orleans area.

“A stipend is helpful and it’s always nice to receive, but teacher pay is still an issue,” said Jefferson Federation of Teachers President Sandra Hauer, pointing to what she described as educators’ ever-growing workload. “We have a high turnover rate, and a lot of it is due to workload and pay.”

Despite the millage rejection, Hauer noted that the School Board has made attempts to selffund teacher raises, pointing to a small increase teachers received after the district opted to close six of its schools in 2023 as part of a restructuring effort due to declining enrollment.

ning Family Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.

We talked about how more newborns are ending up in the NICU. She added a detail I hadn’t previously considered — that health advances have made it possible to save preemies earlier than ever before. So, children who wouldn’t have survived years ago now find their places in the NICU.

I love details that make statistics more understandable. With that quick conversation, Ledet was off, and I was left wondering, “Now what?”

I changed directions, thinking about why I approach some people and not others. Striking up a conversation with a stranger takes a certain level of courage. Over the years, I’ve developed a sixth sense about it. Speed matters. If someone’s moving too fast, I can’t walk and talk at the same time.

Headphones or earbuds also rule people out: they carry the unspoken message: “Do not disturb me.” When a couple walked by with dogs, I thought, “Here are my people.”

I was right. Shyra Latiolais and Gus Pelias walk in Audubon Park with their much-loved pooches, Barracks and Rampart (like the streets), five days a week.

Pelias grew up in New Orleans but went to college in Lafayette, where he ended up staying for another decade and change. Originally from Crowley, Latiolais

also moved to Lafayette, where the couple met. They’ve been in New Orleans for 20-plus years.

Minutes after we met, we came upon a man named Ned. Both Pelias and Latiolais inquired about his dog, Rosie, who had recently had surgery They were so friendly that I asked how they knew each other.

They explained that if you walk in the park most days, you see the same people and eventually get to know them and their dogs.

“This will be news to Ned, but yesterday Shyra and I were talking and wondering if we could get Ned and Helene to go have dinner or lunch or something — when Rosie’s better, of course,” Pelias said.

I loved seeing these walking friends take friendship to the

next level. Here’s hoping Rosie makes a full recovery soon and the two couples are able to enjoy a meal together

“For years, I’ve kind of lived by that if you’re walking down the street and somebody’s walking by, you make eye contact and smile,” Pelias said. “Sometimes people think that’s weird, but sometimes it is an icebreaker to help, you know move the relationship forward.”

It’s a philosophy I support wholeheartedly. He added that dogs are great at introducing their humans.

“Gus got a job teaching at Loyola because of dogs,” Latiolais said. “Because our dog Jackson made friends with a dog named Sadie.” Pelias went on to explain that

he wasn’t the only one in his family who tried to spread the good stuff. His brother Drew Pelias, who passed away in June, tried to start a “revolution of love” by spray painting the word “LOVE” in gold all over New Orleans. Then, in 2014, he began making red-and-white “LOVE” signs that he placed all over the city

We said our goodbyes and parted ways. I walked along the trail, watching a flock of white ibises having breakfast and quietly considered the beauty of one man doing his best to carry on his brother’s work.

Maybe the rest of us could get on board with his brother’s revolution of love. Surely it was another good morning for a walk.

Permanent pay increases fail

This is the third year educators across the state will be getting stipends instead of a permanent raise after the state’s Legislature again opted for one-time payouts last spring.

Louisiana teachers make around $5,000 less on average than their peers in other Southern states. They have long pushed for permanent pay bumps, though whether they can expect to see their salaries increase any time soon remains unclear

In March, voters overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment governing the state’s taxes and finances that would have also made the one-time stipends educators received last year a permanent part of their salaries.

Lawmakers voted this spring to repackage the proposal and will ask residents to vote on a simplified version of the amendment, which would eliminate three constitutionally protected education trust funds in favor of raising teacher pay

Lawmakers say that vote will likely not happen until April. Staff writer Marie Fazio contributed to this report. Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.

Guma,MichaelJoseph

Newjudge could overseeBRtrial

Courtdatein

high-profile rape case setfor December

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Casey John Carver is set to become the first of threemen triedfor rape in the high-profile Madison Brooks case later this year, and anew judge could be assigned to determine his guilt or innocence.

District Judge Gail Horne Ray has presided over Carver’scase since he wasindictedonfirst- and third-degreerapecharges in May 2023. She’smade several pivotal pretrialdecisionsoverthe past two years.

State prosecutors sought to have Ray recused from the case last month. Because their motionwas filed under seal, their reasoning is not publicly available at this time. Now,another 19th Judicial District Court judge will determine whether or not Ray should remain on the case.

Shesignedanorder on Friday puttingthe state’s motion for her recusalup for adifferent judgeto hear.Courtrecords show the matter was allocated to District Judge Brad Myers, who will hear the prosecution’sarguments for Ray’sremoval. By Monday afternoon, no date had been set for the recusal hearing. It’sakey decision for Carver,a21-year-oldDenham Springs man who faces amandatory life sentence if he’sconvicted of aggravated rape.Hewas indicted on several charges of sexual assault along with DesmondCarter,20, and Kaivon Deondre Washington, 21. All three are being tried separately,and Ray is presiding over Carver and Carter’scases. Chief Judge Donald Johnsonishandling Washington’scase.

Court records indicate that prosecutors have not sought to have either judge recused from Carter or Washington’scases.

Carver is poised to become the first of the three defendants to proceed, with atrial date set for Dec. 1. Last month, Ray granted his attorney’smotion for a bench trial, which means the judge willrender guilty verdicts or acquittalson Carver’scharges after listening to evidence and testimony

“The widespread publicity and misinformation that has permeated this case has made afair jury trial impossible forthe accused,” Joe Long, Carver’s attorney,said in his Sept 16 filing. “Racialanimosity and hatred towards all accused is so common regarding this case that the accused must waive his right to ajury to ensure

this case be heardwithout passion orprejudice.”

Delegator, David

Guma,Michael

Mott, Bernice

Brooks

Ray granted thedefendant’smotionduring a Sept. 25 heari ng inside her courtroom. It was during that heari ng that prosecutors introduced theirintentions to have Ray recused as judge in thecase.

Brooks was a19-year-old LSUsophomorewho died early the morning of Jan. 15, 2023, after anight of heavy drinking in Tigerland.

Authorities said Brooks leftReggie’sbar with Carter, Carver,Washingtonand anotherman who was not indicted.She gotin the car with the four men, and sheriff’s deputies said Carver pulled hiscar intoa residential driveway in the 900 block of Jennifer Jean Driveand parked there for 20 minutes.

Thatiswhereprosecutors allege Carter and Washington sexually assaulted Brooksin the back seat of thecar,while Carver cheered them on from the front seat and recorded portions of the encounter with his cellphone.

Afterward, themen dropped off Brooks in the Pelican Lakes development, deputies said.Minutesafter shegot out of the car,she wasstruck andkilledonBurbank Drivebya passingLyft driver

Attorneys for the men have argued the sex was consensual, while prosecutors maintain Brooks was too intoxicated to give consent. She registered ablood alcohol content of 0.282, well over three times the legal driving limit,according to awrongful-death lawsuit filed by her parents.

Ray has made key rulings regarding evidence disclosuresand issueda gag order two years ago, which barred attorneys from publicly disclosing certain documentsin the case file.

She sided with Carver’s attorney last year in afight over Brooks’ past sexual history.Long sought to havean LSU student testify about an alleged sexual encounter he had with Brooks the daybefore shedied, saying it could refuteprosecutors allegations that Washington and Carter caused the sex-relatedinjuries listed in Brooks’ autopsy report.

Ray ruled it admissible, but the 1st Circuit Courtof Appeals overturned her decisioninMarch,excluding evidence of Brooks’past sexual history

Email MattBruceat matt.bruce@theadvocate com.

Mott, Bernice

Sutton, Leonard

Guma,Michael

Delegator,David Harry

David Harry Delegator, of Cincinnati, OH, beloved husband and friend, passed away on October 3, 2025, fromcomplications of multiple myeloma He was 77. He fought for over 10 years under thewonderful,expert care of Dr. Essell, and allthe staff at OHC Kenwood. The care, concern and kindness of Tracy, allofthe phlebotomists, treatment room nurses, Deanna, and Carla was incredibly special to him.

Born on May 4, 1948, to thelateMaurice and Anna BelleDelegatorinNew York City. TB thecat was hisconstant protector, watching over himinhis crib. From birth, David was never without acat in his life.Atthe age of 5, the family returnedto Cincinnati, OH where David attended North Avondale Elementary school, Woodward High School and theUniversity of Cincinnati.

Michael JosephGuma passed away peacefully on October3,2025, in Mandeville, Louisiana. Born on January 31, 1949, in NewOrleans, Louisiana, Michael was adevoted husband, father and PawPaw with alifelong passionfor music and education.

Michael graduated Cum Laude with his Bachelorof ArtinMusic fromLoyola UniversityNew Orleans in 1970 and enjoyed afulfilling career as aprofessional musician.Hebrought joy to many playing trombone and bass guitarina variety of musicalensembles. Michael's musical talents couldbewitnessed on the stages of famous New Orleans venues (Crazy Shirley's, theFamous Door, and The Court of Two Sisters), at numerouscarnival ballsoronthe parade routewatching His Majesty's Bandwagon in theKrewe of Rexparade. He also performed internationallyinEcuador, Portugal and France, and entertained guests cruising theCaribbeanaboard theCommodore Cruise line.Michaelwas the founding member of the Milneburg Joys, his Dixieland Jazzband,which went on to recordanalbum.

Educationwas aprofound part of Michael's life,bothasa student and music educator. Michael embodied thecommitment to education that ran deep in his family:teaching guitarlessons alongsidehis parents at Werlein's, carrying on his father's legacy as band directoratIsidore Newman school, as coownerofMobileMusic Labs -bringing music educationtooutlying communities and as abanddirector for countless elementary,middle and high schoolers. Histeaching career spanned nearly six decadesand even extended to hischildrenand grandchildrenwho he guidedinmath, musicand even driving lessons.

tion at 10 am followed by a Memorial Service at noon on Thursday, October9, 2025 at E.J. FieldingFuneral Home, 2260 West 21st Avenue, Covington,LA. In lieu of flowers, contributionscan be made in his memory to St.Jude Children'sResearch Hospital (https://www.stju de.org/donate)orthe Northshore Humane Society(https://www.nort hshorehumane.org/give).

E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. Please sign the guestbook at www.ejfieldingfh.com

Mott, BerniceBailey

LeonardJ.Suttonpassedawaysurrounded by familyathis residenceon Sunday,October 5, 2025 at theage of 93. He wasborn in Reserve, LA andwas a resident of LaPlacesince 1956. Leonardwas astar football player forLeon Godchaux High School and PearlRiver Junior College. Leonardproudly served his countryinthe U. S. Army during theKoreanWar.He wasa master roofer by traderetiringatthe ageof 84. He lovedspendingtime with hisgrandchildren hunting, fishingand watching them play sports Belovedhusband of 69 yearstoBeverly Duhe Sut‐ton. Loving father of Amy Sutton Broussard(thelate Daryl),JaneSuttonReine (Kent) andthe late Mar‐lene Sutton Lions(thelate David).Grandfather of Brande LionsReyer (Jimmy), Matthew Brous‐sard (Cher),David Lions (Shantel),Byron Broussard (Abby),Leonard “Lenny” Sutton Broussard(Casey) Amanda LionsOrtego (Kevin), Addy ReineJohn‐son(James),and Nicholas “Nick”Reine (Kaitlyn). Great-grandfatherof17 great-grandchildren. Son of thelateOliverJoseph Sutton,Sr. andLolita WeberSutton. Brotherof Raymond“Teco”Sutton, Patricia Martin,Philip “Pooka” Sutton andthe late Oliver Sutton,Jr.,Ruth Bourgeois,Antoinette Sut‐ton, Norman Sutton,Ethel Champagne, Dorothy Champagne, FloydSutton, Lois Faucheux,Francis Gary Sutton,and Blanche Brady. Also survived by many nieces,nephews and hisfurry friend,Docile.The familywould like to thank everyone at NotreDame Hospicefor thekindness andcaregiven to himdur‐inghis illness. Wordscan‐notexpress howgrateful we arefor hiscaregivers KarenSterling, Mary Breaux,MonaLee and Chinafor thekindand lov‐ingcaregiven to ourdad forthe past year.Relatives andfriends areinvited to attend theFuneralService on Thursday,October 9, 2025 at St.JoanofArc Catholic Church,529 W. 5th St LaPlace. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with theFuneral Mass to immediatelyfol‐lowat12:00 p.m. Interment in St.JohnMemorialGar‐dens Cemetery.Arrange‐mentsbyMillet-Guidry Fu‐neralHome. To sharemem‐oriesorcondolences please visitwww.milletg uidry.com Sutton, Leonard

After graduating from UC, David workedinradio during theoriginal days of WAIF. After living in Oregon, David moved to NewOrleans in 1978 where he continued his radio workradio at WWNO. It was therehemet hiswife Terri Upshaw. Eventually, he left radio and worked formany years for theIRS at thewalk-incounter where he helped countless people with their taxissues. In 1998, he returned to Cincinnatitocare forhis Mom. He returnedtoradio with aWednesday evening jazzshow at WVXU. In addition to his jazz show, he didbookreviews,author interviews, and thought piecesfor NPR.

Davidloved Jazzand the Blues, his wife Terri, his cats, his family and friends.Heattended the NewOrleans Jazz Festival every dayfor many, many years, starting in 1979. He lovedtrying new restaurants, reading cookbooks and cooking.HeNEVER saw adozenraw oysters that didnot need eating David lovedfootballand baseball, and rootedfor theReds, Bengals, New Orleans Saints,and through marriage, Alabama football and softball

David was gregarious and could talk to anyone He madenumerous lifelong friendswherever he lived.

David is survivedbyhis wife of 37 years, Terri Upshaw, along with cousins, and dear friends David was precededin death by his parents, and his belovedGrandmother, Rose, and allthe cats over theyears that shared his life

Funeral service will be held at Weil Kahn Funeral Home,8350 Cornell Road, Cincinnati, OH on Thursday,October 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM with visitation beginning at 10:00 AM.

Burial willfollow at Love Brothers Cemetery (Ohav ShalomCemetery), 1619 Rosemount Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45205. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be madeinDavid's memory to theMultiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF.org). Though thetwinklein his eye, and grin on his face willbedearlymissed, David's spirit willforever remain in our hearts.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Michael proudly served his countryinthe Army National Guard,stationedatFortSam HoustoninSan Antonio. He cherished fishing trips with his family and friends and annual summer family beach vacations. Hislove of tennis was renewed in retirement and earnedhim themoniker, "the Godfather," amongst the Northshore tennis community.

Michael was preceded in deathbyhis parents, A.J. Guma and Dorothy Guma. He is survivedby his wife, CherylAnn Guma; his daughters, Lora Shea (Thomas), MichelleTheriot (Jay), VirginiaRomero (Juan);grandchildren, Hannah, Sarah, Charlotte, Amelia, Skyler, Mia; and siblings, Alan Guma (Susan) and Ginger Guma.

Michael leaves alegacy of love,music and education. Hissongswillecho in our heartsforever.

Familyand friends are invitedtoattend avisita-

BerniceBaileyMott passedawayonSeptem‐ber29, 2025, at theage of 80. AnativeofDes Alle‐mandsand resident of Jef‐ferson Parish,she was knownfor herloveofcook‐ingand outspokenperson‐ality. Berniceworkedoff‐shoreasa cook forOtto CandiesInc.for many yearsand laterbecamethe proudproprietorofBer‐nice’s Cafe’Restaurant. Sheissurvivedbyher lov‐ingand devotedchildren: Alfred Craig, RonChristo‐pher (Terry Fleming) and TiffanyRichelle Mott (Mar‐cusLee) of Hattiesburg, MS,grandchildren,Lynn ChristopherSimmons (Brione) of Houston, TX andMarcusMalik Leeof Hattiesburg,MSand greatgrandchildren, Blakeand Blaise Simmons of Hous‐ton, TX.She also leaves to cherishher memories,sib‐lings: MelbaRankin (Percy), EmilyDiane Hall, LloydGriffin, III (the late Barbara),Bruce andSonjia Griffin, Gail Howard (John) LouisBailey, Mary Jane Triche,PatriciaLewis Cheryl Puryear(Nathaniel), TheresaDabon,EasterSi‐moneauxand SonyaSmith aunts: GeraldineDorsey Hill andMargueriteDorsey of NewJersey, godchildren: WilmaLucas,Donna Sim‐mons,Aline Williams Evers, KaylaMorris-Garcia,An‐tionette Ardion andEmelda Blanco,her devotedfriend &companion Joseph Jones, best friend BarbaraJohn‐son, ahostofnieces, nephews, otherrelatives, friendsand hergrandpup‐pie, Jericho. Sheispre‐cededindeath by herpar‐ents,VioletH.Griffin (Lloyd,Jr.)and Lester Bai‐ley, Sr., siblings:Katherine Faye Johnson(Louis), Brenda Haynes,Beverly Simmons(Walter)and Lester Bailey,Jr. Family friends, membersofMt. ZionB.C.-Ama, FirstBaptist Church of Paradis, Antioch B.C.,Des Allemands, neigh‐boring churches,friends & customersofJae Flem Cafe’are invitedtoattend Bernice’sCelebration of Life ServiceonFriday, Oc‐tober10, 2025, for11:00 a.m. at Mt.ZionBaptist Church,10867 RiverRoad Ama, LA.Visitation/view‐ingwillbegin at 9:00 a.m. until servicetimeonly. Pastor Nichelle Burt-Con‐erly,officiating, andRev Sha’Teek A. Nobles,Host Pastor of Mt.ZionB.C.In‐termentwillfollowatMt. Zion BaptistChurch Ceme‐tery,Ama.Livestreaming will be availableonwww facebook.com/people/MtZion-BC-Of-Ama/1000802 75269161/#and www facebook.com/theboyd familyfuneralhome/Online Guestbook:www.anewtra

OUR VIEWS

Jobs forecast provides hope and opportunity forthe state

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

OPINION

Public knowsenoughtobe suspicious of carbon capture

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

Wishingthe best to ChrisRose, whohas no equal

I’m sitting here in tearsafter reading, “In his own words: Chris Rose reflectsonKatrina anniversary,what changed and what remains.” No one getsNew Orleansbetter than Chris Rose. His “One Dead in Attic” is the best writing to come out of the horrors of that awful time, and this latest article written on asad anniversaryof it is the same. The 20-year commemoration of atime Iwant to forget was aturn-off for me. Irefused to read or watch any of it, except for the article by Chris Rose. Thank you for printing it. This son from elsewhere, whose rootsrun as deep as my own native ones, understands this city better than anyone. How Iwish he were still imparting his wise words about it and us on aregular basis. The spirits that inhabit this city of “mystery wrapped in ariddle inside an enigma” surely washed away Chris Rose’ssins and tearslong ago. May he live along time in aworld of soft and quiet snow KATHY HIGGINS Metairie

Bucket drummers on Bourbongivebad impression

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

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

Bravo! Aspecial thank you and congratulations to the Jefferson Performing Arts Society,Paul Soniat, Aleen LeBeouf and Scarlett Saizan forbringing “Our City of Saints” to the stage during the recent Katrina 20 commemoration weekend.

The production wasalove letter to faith, family and our community, and it demonstrated how our Saints inspired us during someofour toughest times. We hope to see this becomeanannual presentation for our community so that moreaudiences can be inspired by the music, the story and the spirit of the show “Move dem curtains!” MARK ROMIG NewOrleans

On the Katrina anniversary,the newspaper offered adisparity of emotions forthis reader: the ceremonial announcement of the worktostop the damage done by 20 years of decay and deterioration of water intrusion to the Municipal Auditorium,Chris Rose’ssad lamenttohis beloved New Orleans and, finally,the NewOrleans & Company’sglorification of progress “acknowledging how farNew Orleans has come —rising as a global symbol of strength, culture, and joy.” If our city leaders were snails or tortoises, we would have progressed quicker and further in 20 years.

LORRE LEI JACKSON River Ridge

What’s missingasRFK Jr lookstostudy vaccines

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

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

with meteorologist DamonSingleton

the upper 80s to low 90s. Feels-liketemperaturescould be in the mid- to upper90s. Rainchances are at 20 to 30%,soexpect some spotty showers.The UV index is at the very high level, so protect your skin.

Southern rightwhales return from near extinction

Animal seen swimming offthe coastofArgentina

BY VÍCTOR CAIVANO andRAMIROBARREIRO Associated Press

PENÍNSULA VALDÉS,Argentina

After coming backfrom the brink of extinction, Southern right whales are swimmingin greater numbers off the coast of Argentina’sPatagonia this year,delighting tourists seeking to catch aglimpse of their acrobatics.

Peninsula Valdés, located in the Patagonian provinceof Chubut, is globally important for the conservation of marine mammals and is hometo akey breeding population of Southern right whales—once an endangeredspecies —as well as elephant seals and sea lions.

“I’ve seen whales in Canada andCalifornia, but this was the best and probably the largest number of whales I’veeverseen in my life,” said Tino Ventz, aGerman tourist who recently visited the peninsula with his girlfriend

The Southern right whale wasnearly exterminatedby huntingexpeditions up untilthe last century.Before large-scale whalingbegan, the population in Southern waterswas estimated at around 100,000, before it was decimated to about 600. Since then, it has slowly recovered to roughly 4,700 whales aroundPeninsula Valdés today Whale-watching seasonin the South American country peaksbetween August and September.Thisyear, more than 2,000 whales have been spotted, though the actual number is likely higher,scientists say Ventz, 24,and his partner joined Argentine Andrea Delfino and her childrenon aboat trip. Southern winds stirredthe whales into more

ASouthernright whale breaches off the coast of Puerto Piramides,Argentina, onSaturday.

acrobatic breaching, aspectacle that leaves an indelible impression on thosewho witnessit.

Other tourists preferred to watch the whales from the shore, as is commoninneighboring Brazilor Uruguay Watching from the beach, AgustinaGuidolín, fulfilled her dream of witnessing“the immensity thatborderson themagical and the wild.” Thetourists wereatElDoradillo Park, aprotected natural area in PuertoMadryn, where whales spend time close to shore with theiryoung after giving birth.

In addition to Peninsula Valdés and other points in Patagonia, the whales’ migration route extends along Uruguay’seasterncoastand southern Brazil. Santiago Fernández, abiologist with Argentina’sNational Scientific andTechnical Research Council, is part of a project that since 1999 has carried outtwo to threeaerial surveys each year along 400 miles of Patagoniancoastline. 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 represents only asnapshot, since whales move in and out of the

same region as they migrate.

He explained that in 1999, “about 500 whales were counted along that same route,”adding that “we’re currently seeing a3%annual growth rate.”

Fernández added that another project, “Following Whales,” conducted by severalnationaland international organizations, tracks individual whales viasatellite telemetry within the San Matias Gulftothe north, the San Jorge Gulf to thesouth and beyond to betterunderstand their routes.

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

The growing population is leading to adispersal —especially of juveniles and mothersthathave alreadycalved —toward the San Matiasand San Jorge gulfs, and even as far north as the coast of Buenos Airesprovince. Thisexpansion also brings the whales closer to risks posed by human activity, such as fishing nets and boat propellers, researchers have found, based on injuries suffered by whales unabletoreturn to Antarctica at the end and beginning of their natural cycle.

SPORTS

YOUTHSERVES

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

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

Rested and ready for East Carolina on Thursday night after an open date, the Tulane football team can begin its earnestpursuitofafourth consecutive appearance in the American Conferencechampionshipgame.

Unlike fellowcontenders Memphis, South Florida, Navy and North Texas, the Green

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

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

Coach BrianKelly said Monday that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’sinjured abdominal musclesresponded well to LSU’s open date. 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 EastCarolina at Tulane, 6:30P.M.THURSDAy,ESPN

Wave (4-1, 1-0) is neither ranked norreceiving points in the latestAssociated Press Top25poll, but everypreseason goal is still in front ofitasit prepares for thePirates (3-2, 1-0).The key is building on what worked well in aleague-opening 31-14 win at Tulsa and fixing what went

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

wrongduringanunevenbut mostlyproductive start to the year

TheAmerican has 32 statistical categories on its official website, andTulane is in the bottom half of 16 of them. The Wave is first in only one— percentage of made field goals— and in the top three in five —adding time of possession, opponents’ fourthdown conversion percentage, interceptions and fumble recover-

ies to the list.

Atough nonconference schedule that featured three Power Fouropponentsfactors in heavily,but the Wave is no higher than fifthinthe American in scoring, totalyards, rushing or passing on offense or defense.

“Wecan play alot better,” coach Jon Sumrall said. “The statistic that matters mostis

Unranked Texassputtersintoits rivalryweek

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 respectable, but they belie a 60% completion rate, indecisive

“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.”

4:30

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Dodgerswin Game 2overPhillies

BY DANGELSTON Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA Blake Snellstuck out nine over six shutout innings of one-hit ball forthe Dodgers before relievers Alex Vesiaand Roki Sasaki thwarted Philadelphia’sninth-inning rally,sending Los Angeles to a4-3 victoryover the Phillies in Game 2oftheir NL Division Series on Monday night.

Shohei Ohtani deliveredanRBI single for his first hit of theseries in afour-run seventh, and the Dodgers took a4-1 leadinto the bottom of the ninth.

NickCastellanos slid headfirst into second base, barelyeluding a tag, for atwo-run double off Blake Treinen that at lastsent the Philadelphia crowd into afrenzy and made it a4-3 game.

Vesia came in to face Bryson Stott, who tried to advance Castellanoswithabunt. Butthird baseman Max Muncy wheeled and threw to shortstopMookie Betts sprinting over to cover thebag in time to get Castellanos.

Pinch-hitter Harrison Bader singled and Max Kepler grounded into afielder’schoice that leftrunners at the cornerswith twoouts.

off no-hitter against the Reds, Snell had one going until Edmundo Sosa’stwo-out single in the fifth.

Snell —who walked four —was tangled in apitchers’ duel with Jesús Luzardo until the decisive seventh.

Luzardo threw24pitches in the first before the left-hander settleddown andretired 17 straight Dodgers until Game 1star Teoscar Hernández singled to lead off theinning. Freemandoubled and that was all forLuzardo.

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

Sasaki entered and retired NL batting championTreaTurner on agroundout to second for his second save of the series.FreddieFreeman madea game-saving play at firstbase,going to his knees to pick Tommy Edman’s poorthrow on hisbackhand while keepinghis righttoe on the bag before rollingoverontohis back with the ball.

TheWorld Series champion Dodgers took a2-0 lead in thebestof-five series and can advance to their 17th National League Cham-

By

ASSOCIATED PRESS

pitcher Will Warren, foreground, looks on as BlueJaysoutfielder Daulton Varsho,back right,rounds thebases afterhitting ahomerun during Game 2ofthe ALDSonSundayinToronto.

Yankeeslooking to staveoff elimination

BY IAN HARRISON Associated Press

TORONTO— Afterback-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 been alot of 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 theALDSso farare the most by any team in theopening two games ofa postseason series. The Yankees scored 22 runs in the first two games of the2020 wild-card round against Cleveland.

ä Blue Jays at Yankees

7:08P.M.TUESDAy,FS1

dence,” Boone said. “Obviously, they’ve hadour number andgottenthe 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 pushedtothe limit by Boston in the wild-card round and hasseen its 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.

pionship Serieswith aGame 3 win Wednesday night back home in Los Angeles. Atwo-time Cy Young Award winner,Snellwas sensational against another punchless effort from thePhillies in the playoffs Turner,NLhome run champion Kyle Schwarber and two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper wentacombined 1for 10 with five strikeouts.

On the 15-year anniversary of Phillies ace Roy Halladay’splay-

After Orion Kerkering got a strikeout,Kiké Hernández hit a slowinfield roller to shortstop Turner, who rushed an off-target throw home that allowed Hernandez to score. Will Smith lined atwo-run single for the 3-0 lead and Ohtani— whostruck out four times in the opener andagain leadingoff Game 2— ripped a run-scoring single off left-handed reliever Matt Strahm Up next

The Dodgers send right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamototothe mound in Game 3. Yamamoto struck out a postseason-high nine while pitching into theseventh inning in the wild-cardclincher against the Reds. Baton Rouge native Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies.

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 traveledwith the 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.

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

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

“Wehaven’tlost anyconfi-

“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.”

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

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. On

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.

CLASS 5A-4A

1. Edna Karr (5-0): A goal-line stand followed by a 99-yard touchdown drive swung the game in a win against St Augustine that extended the state-best winning streak to 18 games. Karr will host Brother Martin on Thursday.

2. John Curtis (4-0): The Patriots outlasted Warren Easton in a backand-forth contest that had four late lead changes, plus a final stop on defense to remain undefeated before facing Holy Cross on Friday.

3. St.Augustine (4-1): Can the Purple Knights get back to their high-scoring ways this week against Jesuit? They averaged better than 56 points through the first four games before scoring only two TDs on offense vs. Karr.

4. Destrehan (3-2): A secondhalf surge helped avenge last season’s loss against Terrebonne. Now begins the countdown to the Week 9 showdown against one-loss Hahnville.

5. Jesuit (4-1): Only a last-second field goal by Brother Martin two weeks ago stands in the way of Jesuit holding an undefeated record The Blue Jays, set to face St.Augustine, won last week against Holy Cross.

6 Rummel (3-2): The Raiders impressively held Brother Martin to one touchdown in a lopsided win and will face Warren Easton on Thursday.

7. Brother Martin (4-1): Starting with Karr on Thursday, the Crusaders will begin a three-week stretch of

John Curtis quarterback

Easton defender Myron

games against teams listed in the 5A state rankings.The other two are Curtis and St.Aug

8. St. Charles (4-1): The Comets lost for the first time when St. James scored the winning touchdown on the final play. Up next is 5A challenger Terrebonne.

9 Shaw (3-2): The Eagles, coming off a win against De La Salle, will continue their challenging nondistrict schedule when facing St. James, the fourth state-ranked opponent this season.

10. Belle Chasse (5-0): The Cardinals haven’t played the strongest of schedules, but

outscoring opponents 270-13 is hard to ignore.They’ll play Thursday at Willow.

CLASS 3A AND BELOW

1. Kennedy (2-3): A rout of John Ehret capped a stretch of five consecutive Class 5A opponents, and Kennedy now begins district play against Booker T.Washington.The Cougars have won 15 consecutive district games.

2. Riverside (4-1): The Rebels have won four in a row and reached 40 points for the third week in a row ahead of their district opener this week against St. Martin’s.

3. Newman (2-2): The Greenies,

with an open date this week, have won two in a row after opening the season with losses against a pair of state-ranked opponents.

4. Northlake Christian (2-2): Could the win against Breaux Bridge last week be the start of a six-game win streak to end the regular season?

That’s how last season played out Kenner Discovery is next

5. South Plaquemines (4-1): The Hurricanes, at No. 1 in the LHSAA Division I nonselect power ratings, will open district play this week against Sarah T. Reed.

6. De La Salle (0-5): The Cavaliers, after playing one of the more challenging nondistrict schedules in the state, will open district play against Sophie B.Wright

7. Pope John Paul II (3-2): The Jaguars, coming off a win against St. Martin’s, will open district play against St.Thomas Aquinas this week with the key district game against Northlake to follow in Week 7.

8. Country Day (3-2): Hudson Wright threw seven touchdown passes in a rout of Patrick Taylor, helping the Cajuns to a third consecutive victory before opening district play Saturday against Cohen.

9.Young Audiences (3-0): District play begins this week against Jefferson Rise.

10. Livingston Collegiate (2-3): The Wolves lost to reigning state champion South Plaquemines and will open district play against L.B Landry.

Christopher Dabe

Dodgers lead in days lost to injuries for third straight season

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK The Los Angeles Dodgers led the major leagues for the third straight year in days on the injured list, including stints for eight of their 11 pitchers in the NL Division Series while the Detroit Tigers had the biggest increase and the San Francisco Giants the biggest drop. The defending World Series champion Dodgers used the IL 37 times for 2,585 days, according to Major League Baseball. They led last year with 2,219 days and in 2023 with 2,465 after finishing with the sixth-highest total in 2022.

“It certainly speaks to the way

the front office can kind of add depth and navigate the waiver wire on the development side,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve had some young guys cut their teeth that probably weren’t ready but had to rise to opportunities.” Dodgers with lengthy IL stays this year included pitchers Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Kyle Hurt, River Ryan and Gavin Stone (195 days each), Evan Phillips (178), Tony Gonsolin (159), Michael Kopech (156), Roki Sasaki (137), Blake Snell (121), Edgardo Henriquez and Blake Treinen (102 apiece), Emmet Sheehan (92), Tyler Glasnow (72) and Clayton Kershaw (60).

Los Angeles pitchers on the Division Series roster who had IL stints included Glasnow (right shoulder inflammation), Kershaw (foot and knee surgery), Sasaki (right shoulder impingement), Sheehan (right elbow surgery), Snell (left shoulder inflammation) and Treinen (right forearm tightness). They were joined by Tanner Scott (31 days for left elbow inflammation) and Alex Vesia (17 days for right oblique strain). In early July, the Dodgers had 12 pitchers on the IL. Houston was second with 2,310 IL days, followed by the New York Mets (2,279), Baltimore (2,123) and Boston (2,064).

Glasnow is one of many Dodgers pitchers who spent a lengthy amount of time on the

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.”

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.

After record season, Eagles RB Barkley getting bottled up

BY DAN GELSTON

AP sports writer

PHILADELPHIA Maybe Saquon

Barkley should fire off a cryptic social media post in the next day or two if he wants to carry the ball more than six times. What else would it take for the Philadelphia Eagles to remember they have a 2,000-yard rusher and the 2024 AP Offensive Player of the Year in the backfield?

Forget chasing history as the first running back to get consecutive 2,000-yard rushing seasons. Barkley might not even crack 1,000 yards at his paltry rate through five games for the Eagles (4-1). Barkley rushed for only 30 yards — he got 17 of them on one carry in his longest run of the season in Sunday’s 21-17 loss to Denver and has only 267 yards total on the season. For a quick refresher on just how dominant Barkley was last season, he ran for a franchise-record 255 yards and 205 yards in two games against the Rams.

Barkley returns to his first NFL home to play the New York Giants on Thursday night looking for any kind of spark to get his season going. Of course, he’s not the one calling the plays; that falls on firstyear offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo (with game-planning input from coach Nick Sirianni), and he’s the one who decided to give Barkley a season-low six carries.

One possible reason for the decline in carries against Denver: The Eagles listed Barkley on their Monday injury report with a knee issue. The Eagles did not practice Monday but estimated Barkley would have sat out. The Eagles tried to placate their

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

“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

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.

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.

Buffalo laments mistakes in loss to Patriots

BY JOHN WAWROW AP sportswriter

receivers after A.J. Brown caused

a minor stir last week with a post that seemed to indicate he was unhappy with his role. Brown later clarified his post was much ado about nothing, though it’s clear the Eagles listened. DeVonta Smith had his first 100-yard receiving game of the season, and Brown was targeted eight times (with five catches).

Barkley actually topped Brown in receiving yards 58-43 thanks to a 47-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter that stretched the Eagles’ lead to 17-3 Denver scored a pair of fourthquarter touchdowns as part of a comeback that saw the Eagles get shut out in the final frame.

“You always want to come out of that game with Saquon getting enough touches for the type of player he is,” Sirianni said. “We’ll look for solutions. We’re on a short week trying to get better to put ourselves in position to go play against another NFC opponent.”

Barkley — who in March signed a two-year contract extension with $36 million guaranteed — took the high road when pressed on his light workload.

“I’m not really going to get too caught up in that,” Barkley said.

“At the end of the day, whether we ran the ball enough or not, we had an opportunity to win a football game. We didn’t.”

Barkley ran for 176 yards in his only game against the Giants last season and sat out the finale with nothing at stake for the Eagles except his shot at topping Eric Dickerson for the NFL season rushing record. Barkley’s postseason run did help him set the NFL total season rushing record with 2,504 yards.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — It was difficult enough for Josh Allen to watch helplessly on the sideline as New England quarterback Drake Maye marched the Patriots 37 yards to set up Andy Borregales’ decisive 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left.

What was worse for the Bills quarterback is knowing how much of a hand he and his teammates played in the 23-20 loss on Sunday night.

As if three turnovers, two by Allen, were not enough: The offense came up short on a final drive that stalled at the New England 27, leaving Buffalo settling for Matt Prater’s game-tying 45-yard field goal with 2:17 left.

“We just played sloppy,” Allen said. “Not gonna win a football game turning the ball over three times. That’s just bad football, and we just did not play good tonight.”

In dropping to 4-1, Buffalo joined the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost to Denver in being the NFL’s final two unbeaten teams to lose Sunday The outcome also ended Buffalo’s regular-season home winning streak at 14, one short of matching the team record.

And suddenly the five-time reigning AFC East champions find themselves in a divisional race that has the upstart Patriots (3-2) on their heels.

“Respect to them. They came in, they knew what they had to do. They took care of the football. We didn’t,” Allen said.

The first sign of trouble came on Buffalo’s opening drive, which ended with Allen losing a fumble on a botched handoff to Dawson Knox at midfield. Two series later, wide receiver Keon Coleman lost a fumble, which the Patriots recovered at the Buffalo 11.

Credit the Bills defense for limiting the Patriots to a field goal off the first two turnovers.

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

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

The turning point came with Allen’s interception in the third quarter Trailing 13-10 and facing second and 13 at the New England 19, Allen forced a throw over the middle intended for Khalil Shakir only to have defensive back Marcus Jones jump in front and pick it off.

Maye responded with an 11play 90-yard drive capped by Rhamondre Stevenson’s second touchdown run to build a 20-10 lead.

“I really don’t think that was a force. It was just a bad ball,” Allen said of the interception. “I saw Khalil and I just left it a little inside and the kid made a good play.”

Adding salt to the wound was having former Bills star receiver Stefon Diggs finish with 10 catches for 146 yards in his first trip back to Buffalo since being traded to Houston in April 2024. It was the type of outing the Bills were accustomed to seeing Diggs perform in a Buffalo uniform during his four-year stint with the team.

The sloppiness was uncharacteristic of a Bills team that had

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

“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

turned the ball over once this season — Allen throwing an interception in a 31-19 win over New Orleans the previous week. Before being picked off last week, Allen had committed just one turnover in his previous 12 starts, including the playoffs.

The opening-drive turnover came after Buffalo scored touchdowns on the first possession in each of its first four outings this season — and 12 total, dating to the start of 2024.

The offense struggled overall with New England bottling up the running attack James Cook was limited to 49 yards rushing and no catches, the first time he’s failed to crack 100 yards from scrimmage this season. Cook also had his franchise-record streak of scoring a touchdown rushing end at eight games.

Penalties didn’t help, with Buffalo flagged 11 times for 90 yards.

“Woulda, shoulda, coulda, right?” coach Sean McDermott said. “It wasn’t anything they did. But, again, all learning opportunities for us as a team, and that’s what we need to do.”

“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.

UCLA plansonmakingmorehitsthisseason

BY BETH HARRIS AP Sportswriter

LOS ANGELES There’sjoy in the UCLA football program for the first time this season. An improbable upset of then-No. 7PennState gave the Bruins their first win and enthusiasm for the restofthe season.

“The best thingabout itisjust seeingour playersand coaches smileagain,” interim coach Tim Skipper said Monday.“We haven’t had alot to smileabout.”

Losing their firstfour games, the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster,the departuresoftwo coordinators andweakattendance at the Rose Bowl made for an ugly situation.

The Bruins were 251/2-point underdogs against the Nittany Lions on Saturday,but they ledall the way in earning a42-37 win andbecoming the first 0-4 team to beata top-10 opponent in 40 years. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava had five touchdowns in his best game since transferring from Tennessee.

“Nico brought those guys together,” said Jerry Neuheisel, the tight ends coach who called the offensive plays. “His understanding, his willingnesstodothe extra work, to learn the game plan and then go coach the guys when he wasnot in practice theother day, he is special.”

Now the Bruins (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) are tasked with backing up their play at MichiganState (3-2, 0-2) on Saturday

“Wedon’twant to be one-hit wonders,” Skipper said. “Our mentality,our mindset is to have agood week of practice, stay in the now What’simportant now is how we’re going to win.”

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throws and misfires to open receivers.

Manning has had his moments, and put up agritty performance against Florida,but he and the entire offense have beeninconsistent at best.

Arebuilt offensive line has had him constantly on the run and is committing penaltiesatanalarming rate. The Gators sacked Manning six times and held theLonghorns to 52 yards rushing.

Still, Manning earned praise from coach Steve Sarkisianand his Longhorns teammates for playing hardwhile takingso many hits last week.

“I found out he’satoughdude,” Sarkisian said. “He stood in there and showed alot of contact courage. Does he needtoplay better? Sure. We need to playbetter around him.”

The defense hasyet to deliver on its potential as well. Aunitled by preseason All-Americans Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill and Taaffe dominated San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston.But it hasnosacks in two gamesagainst Power Four opponents and got pushed around by the Gators, who also ripped the secondary for big plays.

Rivalry week could be ascary

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howmanywins andhow many losses, but there arealot of areas wherewehavenot played maybe our best. Idon’tcare who you’re playing.The standard you play at has to be your standard.”

Tulane ranks last in the league in penalties(40) and penalty yards per game (75.2).Sumrall disputed afew roughing-the-passer penalties, saying the Wave did nothingwrong and he would not coach his passrushers any differently,but he knows the other mistakes need to disappear.

“What Iget frustrated the most by is when we don’tplay clean,” he said. “The cleanestwe played from an operational standpoint was game one (a 23-3 win againstNorthwestern). Itold our guys let’sdothe simple things better.Let’sfunction andoperate better.Wehave alot of areas to grow.”

One of them is the passing game. Jake Retzlaff, who arrivedoncampus in late July,islast among 11 qualified American quarterbacks in completion percentage. Sumrall noted he stepped forward when he completed 13 of 23 against Duke, regressed significantlyina5-of-17 performance againstOle Miss and was up and down whilegoing 17 of 30 against Tulsa. “The biggest challenge for him

Neuheisel willcall offensive plays againthisweekend. Only this time,he’ll have more than three days to prepare. He foundout last Tuesday that he’d be tasked with thejob against Penn State. He slept about three hours between then and game day.After the win, the playerscarried Neuheisel off the field.

“Everybodytalks about the play-calling part of it,” Skipper said, “but the numberone thing youhave to do,you have to get the players to believe in you. He did that really,really quickly.”

What didn’twork so smoothly was Neuheisel’scommunication with Iamaleava via his headset.

“There’slike multiple times duringthe game I’mcalling theplay but the headset is flippedupbecauseI’m used to beingaposition coach,” Neuheisel said. “Then all of asuddenI’m pushing thewrong part of the button tryingtotalk to him. It was amess.”

Iamaleava, for his part,heard silence at times, leading him to call his own plays. The first one worked, with the quarterback getting abig scramble. The last one didn’t, when the Bruins got stuffed on fourth and 1.

“He just has to remember to push that button,” Iamaleava said with asmile.

Neuheisel, aformer Bruins quarterback andthe son of former UCLA coach RickNeuheisel, said “delusional optimism” setinlast Friday when he saw the players’ enthusiastic buy-in to what he was telling them

“Hopefully,wegot moreofthese days coming,” he said The rest of the season includes games at No. 7Indiana andNo. 1 OhioState.

prospect for astruggling team, and yet it may be just what Texas needs Beat Oklahoma (5-0, 1-0) and theLonghorns are back in the thickofthe SECtitle chase. And that’s thefirst steptoget the Longhorns back into the march toward the 12-team playoff. Texas made it tothe conference title gamewith one loss last season.

“We’ve gota talented group. We’re going to get better each week. We’regoing to be tough to beat,” Manning said. “We’re going to play better than (against Florida). Ifeelconfident about that.”

But lose to Oklahoma andthe panic in Austin hits new levels in aseason that could threaten to mirror 2010.

That year,Texaswas coming offanappearanceinthe 2009 national championship game. The Longhornsstarted theseason No.5 behindquarterbackGarrett Gilbert, afive-star recruit expected to be the next bigthing after Heisman Trophy finalist Colt McCoy Texasstarted 3-0but wasshowing early cracks in the armor before cratering to a5-7 finish.

“You’renever going to feel great after aloss, but it’satime to come together,” said defensive linemanHero Kanu, who transferred from last season’snational championOhioState. “I need to lean on my brothers right now.”

UCLA running back AnthonyWoodsruns past Penn State safety ZakeeWheatley

on SaturdayinPasadena, Calif.

While the Bruins try to turn things around, UCLA has formed asearch committee to find its next head coach.

“I haven’tthought about that one ounce,” Skipper said. “I’m not a dwell-on-the-pastordream-aboutthe-future kind of guy.”

At thesame time, the 47-year-old

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KellyonLacydevelopments

Kelly responded Monday to areportthat Kyren Lacy’sattorney believes he has evidence thatshows theformerLSU receiverisnot to be blamed for afatal wreck that killed a78-year-old man. Lacy was accused of negligent homicide in theDec. 17 crashin LafourcheParish, but Matthew Ory, Lacy’s attorney,toldHTV 10 news station in Houmalast week that the former LSUwidereceiver was nearly afootball field’slength behind the head-on collision that killedHerman Hall of Thibodaux. Lacy,aThibodaux native, took his own lifeatthe ageof24inApril in Houston with aself-inflicted gunshotwound. Agrand jury was scheduled to begin hearing evidence in Lacy’scase the next week.

On Monday,Kelly was asked abouthis reaction to thereport.

“I thought that this is aprocess that takes time,” Kelly said. “I think Isaidbackwhenthis occurred that let’s wait until allthe information comes out.For us to make these universal statementsearly on, it just doesn’t serve anybody well.”

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

“I’mfollowing it justlikeyou

hasspent nearly 25 yearspaying hisduesasanassistant at eight different schools, including alma materFresno State, where he spent last season as interim head coach.

“I always wanted to be ahead coach, Ireallydid. That’sjust me, Ilike to be at the highest of thehighest no matter what

guys are,” he said. “Let’sjust be patient, be sure allinformation gets out. He’s loved by us, was loved before andisloved after.There’snot really aneed to talk to our team They follow it andlove Kyren. He was agreat teammate and is going to be missed.” Louisiana State Police statements indicateLacy’sDodge Chargerillegally passed multiplevehicles, causing aKia Cadenza to swerve to avoidhis vehicle prior to the Cadenza’shead-on collisionwitha KiaSorrento movinginthe opposite direction. Hall, who wasinthe Sorrento, diedfromhis injuriesafter being taken to ahospital.

Ory claims Lacy’svehicle was too far behind the collision to be considered responsible forthe wreck.

AFriday statement from Louisiana State Police said the agency believes it conducteda detailed investigation after the fatal wreck.

“Investigative findings revealed that Mr.Lacy’sreckless driving while approaching oncoming traffic led to the events of the crash,”the statement said. “The findings were presentedtothe 17th Judicial District Court, which approvedanarrest warrant based on theevidence collected. As with all investigations leading to arrest, the subjectsofthe investigation are presumedinnocent until proven guilty in acourt of law.Noone disputesthathewas behind the crash

hasjustbeenunderstandingthe timing and rhythm part of who am Ithrowingtoand what’shis pace,” Sumrall said. “Each player is alittle different,and he’sonly been here for acouple of months.He’slearning about people.”

The wide receivershelpedhim outatTulsa,combining foraseason-high 16 catches for 234 yards. OmariHayes, ShazzPreston, Bryce Bohanon, Anthony Brown-Stephens and ZycarlLewis all had catches of 17 yards or longer after combining

forseven such gainsthrough the first four games. “Weare getting better every day,”Preston said. “Wejust finished throwing with Jake extra after (Monday morning’s) practice to keep building that chemistry. We

I’m doing,” Skipper said. “Head coaching jobs are like the highest peak that you could be in the coachingprofession, so Ienjoy that and that’smygoal to always be that. But right now sitting here today Iamall about getting readytogoplayMichigan State.”

scene. His swerving, passing cars, andreckless operation caused the series of crash events.”

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

Otherinjuryupdates

LSUwill gettwo offensive starters back from injuries on Saturday, Kelly said.

Right tackle Weston Davis (broken nose, concussion) and running back CadenDurham(ankle) areexpected to playagainst the Gamecocks, Kelly said. Receiver Aaron Anderson is probable to suit up, andleft guard PaulMubenga (high-ankle sprain) is questionable. Both Davis and Durham missed the Sept. 27 loss to Ole Miss. Durham injuredhis ankle the week prior in the Tigers’ winover SoutheasternLouisiana.Davis was hurt in pregamewarm-ups ahead of the road loss to the Rebels. Both Mubenga andAndersonleft the gameagainst Ole Miss with injuries. Anderson, LSU’sleading receiver,appeared to hurt his elbow,but Kelly saidhe’salso battling toe and knee injuries.

Email Reed Darcey at reed darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSUsports updates, signupfor ournewsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

can’tafford to go backwards. The ball is in our court, and if we keep elevating, we are going to be adangerous group.”

The Tulane defensive linewas more thandangerous against Tulsa,making four sacksand accounting for7.5 of the team’s season-high 13 tackles for loss after much less noticeable performances in pre-conference games. With starters Santana Hopper and HarveyDysonplus four more rotational players newtothe program, defensive coordinatorGreg Gasparato expects similar outings the rest of the way

“That’smaybe the norm in college footballnow withthe amount of new players on rosters every single year,” he said. “Theyare starting to play off each other alittle morenaturally and know what each other is going to do.”

Lagniappe

Tulane’shomegamewith Army on Oct. 18 will have an 11 a.m.kickoffand will be televisedbyESPNU, the American officeannounced Monday. …ESPNSportsCenter will conduct twoshows from Tulane’s campus on Thursdaybefore the6:30p.m. kickoffagainst East Carolina, whichisalso on ESPN. Studio host MattBarrieand analyst TomLuginbill will be on hand for a1 p.m. broadcast and aspecial 4p.m.edition, live from Berger Family Lawn.

Fashion on a budget

How to shop secondhand clothing sustainably and look cool doing it

BY KIKI SIDERIS Associated Press

More online platforms are giving secondhand shopping a digital upgrade, rolling out features like livestream shopping and AIpowered search to make thrifting faster and more exciting. Although choosing secondhand over new is often the more sustainable option, experts say it’s not a license to overconsume. They warn that resale has its limits, since buying more than you need still fuels waste, and shopping online can add emissions from servers and shipping, thrifted or not.

Here’s how industry experts and fashion-forward shoppers shop secondhand sustainably — and how to find quality pieces that last while looking

Online secondhand fashion

At eBay’s secondhand runway shows in New York and London, models wore pre-loved designer pieces that guests could shop live. Secondhand items like those make up 40% of the company’s sales, said Alexis Hoopes, eBay’s vice president of fashion.

“One of our big priorities is making secondhand just as good as shopping in the primary market,” she said.

ThredUp and The RealReal have reported record sales this year, signaling that the online resale market is growing quickly Live-auction apps like Whatnot are giving shoppers more platforms to bid on used clothing.

Shoppers navigating growing online options with an eye toward sustainability can still end up buying more than they need

“People who buy secondhand clothing were found to buy more clothing than people who don’t,” said Meital Peleg Mizrachi, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University who researches textile waste. “Not only that, they tend to get rid of those clothes faster than other consumers. So they’re ending up creating more textile waste because they’re buying more and using that clothing for a shorter period of time.”

Less than 20% of clothing donations to charities are resold in their stores, according to the Council for Textile Recycling. The rest is downcycled, exported — often to countries in the Global South — or ultimately discarded in landfills Online resale also generates emissions from shipping and packaging, and running massive e-commerce platforms consumes energy, all factors that need to be considered, said Alana James, a fashion professor at Northumbria University But all of that pales in

GUARDIAN ANGELS

Gentilly overpass gets an artsy facelift thanks to N.O. painter

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Drivers tapped their horns as they passed under the railroad bridge that crosses Gentilly Boulevard on a steamy September afternoon, signaling their support for artist Ivan Barry Watkins’ new mural, “The Guardians of Gentilly.”

Watkins stood on a scaffold, brushing sinewy lines of purple on one of the elegant figures he’d applied to the bridge pillars. From time to time, a rumbling, rattling diesel locomotive towed freight cars over the 77-year-old structure.

Like the trains, Watkins’ figures had traveled a great distance to get there 1,053 miles to be exact.

The artist, who grew up just a few blocks away from the bridge, said his goal was to provide a facelift to the old overpass that marks the divide between Gentilly Boulevard and Chef Menteur Highway

Watkins said he admired the subtle art deco design of the bridge and intended to carry that style into his design. Art deco, a style that got its start a century ago, “was all about elevated states of consciousness,” Watkins explained.

As Watkins researched art deco

birds and local

subject matter that would be compatible with the bridge, he happened upon the “Guardians of Traffic,” a set of giant guardian angels carved into the pylons of the Hope Memorial Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio The winged giants, conceived by an art/architecture team in the early 1930s, were ideal, and Wat-

kins reproduced them on the Gentilly

In living color

With one big difference. While Cleveland’s “Guardians of Traffic,” have the pale brown hue of

Actor Charlie Sheen took a long road to sobriety

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. Iamnot 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. Maybeyou should write to the producer of the program and tell themhow youfeel. I’m sure many others feelthe same way —Heloise Dispenserpump

be dangerous due to possible splashes when it meets the cold sink and drain pipingunder the sink. Also, the hot boiling water might cause the thin, plastic drain-piping connectionsunder the sink to soften, pull apart andleak

To prevent this,when Ipour my hot spaghetti water down the sink drain, Irun the cold water at the same time. —Jim G., in Merrillville, Indiana

Inkaccident

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

When draining hotwater

Dear Heloise: Pouring boiling water down asink draincan

By The Associated Press

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

Todayinhistory: 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

SHEEN

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Memoir broughttolife

Amid jokes and lighthearted prodding, Duchovny applauded the memoir,which he described as “not vindictive at all. There’s no animus against any other personinthe book, even yourself, which Ireally appreciate. Not just your gentleness with other people, but your gentleness with yourself.”

Thebookchronicles Sheen’s life from anear-death experience during hisbirth in 1965 to themoment he decided to getsober in 2017. It carries aunique writing style, with certainwords purposefully misspelled and instead written the way Sheen sees them in his mind, he said. Dude, for instance, became “dood.”

Sheen said he was inspired by the narration andrhythm in “Apocalypse Now,”the 1979film his father,Martin Sheen, starred in.

“I wanted it to feel like the reader waskindofinthe room with me or at the small dinner party hearing this story,” he said. His drug addiction and recovery is at the center of the book and addressed in the latterhalf of the discussion. Sheen spokeon the“intense sexual component of alot of the drugs he grew relianton, includingcocaine. When substanceabuse is “the first bridge you build,” the actor said, “that’sthe one you’ll keep walking across.” Sheen said he figured out early on that alcohol helped calm his stutter,which had negatively impacted his acting, and it turned into “the most difficult drug for me to deal with.

“The only part of the drinking

and ethnohistorianIvanWatkins

Gentilly,’ which wasinspired by

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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.

that Icould navigate was the first hour,” Sheen said. “But, it’s the next 500hours or just thenext 12 hours. So, once Ican just abandon that fantasy of living inside that hour,then it is not abig deal.” Sheen struggled to answer whether he’d be open to acting in the future, noting that “writing the book wasthe most challengingjob I’veeverhad andhands down the most rewarding one.

“It was incredible to have ajob where Ididn’t havetoget approval it’sjust you and thepage,” he said. “Maybe Ineed to write the next thingIact in.”

Home movies unveiled

Sheen’scareer beganwhenhe was young,makinghomemovies withchildhood friends like the Penn brothers, Chris and Sean, in his Malibu, California, neighborhood.

Clips from the movies, which had previously only been enjoyed by family and friends, will be featured in Sheen’supcoming Netflixtwo-part documentary, “aka Charlie Sheen,”which will be released Wednesday Themovies, Sheen said, had simple plots, often revolving arounda crime,a villainand someoneseekingrevenge.They were filmed on oldcameras with propshandeddownbyhis father,MartinSheen, andthe Penn brothers’ parents, who were actors and directors themselves.

“Everybodywas surfingor skateboarding or doing other stuff and we just found away to, just kind of emulateormimic or copywhat our parentswere doing,” Sheen said.

Thedocumentary,which includesinterviewswith Sean, felt like “theperfect place for them to finally be put on full display,” he said

the sandstone from which they were carved,Watkins reimagined them in brilliant colors. Theguardians on the east side ofthe Gentilly railroad bridge have asomewhat somberblue cast, while those on the westside burn with red, orange and yellow

Thepsychology of color is important to Watkins. Thepointof inviting Cleveland’straffic guardians to Gentilly was to “promote safety,” he said,but alsoto“make the whole area more vibrant and colorful.”

“My agenda is to usechromatherapy,” Watkins said, “touse public art and color as social catharsis, to heal people, to uplift people.” The guardian angels were perfect to lend the project acertain spiritualquality.

But, Watkins said,“even if they (viewers) don’tbuy into the allegory or the imagery thatI’m painting or thestory I’m trying to tell, they’ll leave withamoreuplifting feeling in their gut,fromthe colors.”

Rightstyle,right location

Anyone would agree that to pass under theold bridge as the sun sets, with the warm light glinting off the gold paint thathalos the headsofWatkins’ westernguardian angels, is certainly amood booster. Likewise,the easternangels bring acalmingvibetothe busy thoroughfare.

Mastermuralist Richard Thomas said he’sknown Watkins’ street art sincethe 1990s,when he painted murals on columnsunderInterstate 10 over NorthClaiborne Avenue. Thomas saidherecently drovethrough Watkins’ “Guardians” mural, admiring the art deco figures and striking colors.

“They lookliketheybelong there,” Thomas said of the angels. He particularly likedthe placement of the mural. “I think it provides an entry tothatcommunityfrom either way,” Thomas said, “fromold Gentilly and from newer Gentilly.” Artist,ethnohistorian, Wild Man Watkins, 56, is both an artist and

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comparison to the environmental impact of producing anew garment, she said.

Experts say truly sustainable fashion requires breaking away from the fast-fashion mindset theconstantpressureto“buynow and the manufactured sense of scarcity that fuelsoverconsumption

“Haul” culture —the social media trend of showing off massive shopping sprees —shows overconsumption in anew way,said Katrina Caspelich, communications director for Remake, an advocacy group for human rights and climate justice in fashion.

“Responsible secondhand shopping meanschoosing pieces you’ll truly wear,investing in qualityand resisting the pull of endless trend cycles,” she said. Spotting thebest

It can be difficult to determine quality when shopping online,but askingthe seller aboutthe garment’s composition can help, said Wisdom Kaye, amenswear content creator Natural fabrics are agood place to start,said Caspelich.

ethnohistorian who is absolutely devoted tothe cultural complexity of the CrescentCity. He split his high school days between Brother Martin and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts before heading off to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he earned abachelor of fine arts degree, followed by amaster’sdegreeinsocial science at the UniversityofChicago.

Early on, Watkins aspired to be an animator,then branched into documentary videography and muralpainting. He’sproduced public art from California to Connecticut.InNew Orleans, his bestknown piece may be his “Wallof Heroes” mural at A.L. Davis Park, thegathering spotofMardi Gras Indians.

For Watkins, the Black Masking Indianstradition is more than subject matter.Hemasks with the GoldenFeather Hunters and formerly served in the role of Wild Man with the Yellow Pocahontas tribe.

The Wild Man, Watkins explained, “is the sergeant at arms,” of the tribe. “He protects the chief and sets things right.”

Watkins is all about setting things right. In away,heisaguardian himself, just like his brightly hued angels.

As traffic whooshed by and Watkins painted, he discussed his pas-

“Look forsilk, cotton, bamboo —things that breatheand last versus synthetics like polyester or nylon,” she said.

Shoppers should look foritems that arelined and makenote of the quality of thestitching, said Julian Carter,amenswear content creator

Othersecondhandbuyerswant to buy heftier clothing madebefore the mid-1990s, when more U.S. products were made without outsourced laborora lotofcostcutting, said Wesley Breed, afashion history content creator From the year to the color,shoppers sifting throughhundredsof thousands of search results online should be very specific about what they want, said Aimee Kelly,a fashion content creator

“It helps you find the cooler pieces,”she said. “And have patience look around, you’re gonna find it.”

Making your pieces last

Finding the right item is only the first step —caring foritensures it stays in circulation. Stuffbagstomaintaintheir shape, keepclothingingarment bags,and use muslin bags and lavender sprays to keep out moths that eat natural fabrics like silk, wool and fur,saidLiana Satenstein, host of eBay’sEndless Runway secondhand fashion show

sion forBlack Indian masking and all it represents. Though he didn’t finish his doctoral degree in urban studiesatUNO, in the course of his studieshebelieveshe’sthe first to have proposed the term Black Masking Indians as asubstitute for the moresimplistic term Mardi GrasIndians. It’s atermmeant to honor all involved.

WelcometoNew Orleans

Beneath the Gentilly railroad bridge, the shadows are dappled with rectangles of sunlight falling between the web of girders that support thetracks. In that architecturally challenging area, Watkins painted examples of the homes in the nearby Gentilly Terrace neighborhood, as well as the sorts of birds found in the wooded area, acardinal,a blue jayand mockingbird.

Watkins saidhe’smostlyfinished withthe work, though he’s still adding details. Soon, he said, he’ll sign it.

The “Guardians of Gentilly” may be recenttransplants from Cleveland, but it won’t be long before they can peel acrawfish, pronounce Tchoupitoulas Street, root forthe Saints no matter what, and otherwise becomefull-fledged NewOrleanians.

Email Doug MacCashat dmaccash@theadvocate.com.

People can also wear clothes more between washes, spot-clean and air-dry clothes, and learn to sew

“You’d be shocked how many people just toss acardiganbecause abutton fell off,” Caspelich said. Keepingfashion in theloop

Secondhand sustainability isn’t just aboutkeeping clothes out of landfills.

People who try to sell or give away theirclothes shouldbemindfulofwhere they’re going, said Mizrachi, the Yale researcher

“Try to give them to smaller community stores or shelters— places that you know are happy to get those clothes,” Mizrachi said.

Zara, H&M and other brands have launchedrecycling programs. eBay recently partnered with British retailerMarks &Spencer for atake-back program that lets shoppers return items in-store to be resold on eBay

But the most sustainable choice is simply buying less,Mizrachi said. The only waytomakefashion companies change how they do business is to makeoverconsumption unprofitable —which means buyers need to change their habits, she said.

“Wecan’tpurchase ourway out of the climate crisis,” Mizrachi said.

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

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

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

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

ken ken

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

6346 MILNEBLVD. $2,400/mo Excellent condition! Move rightin. 1-storyRaised3Bd/2Ba Ranch home in convenient location,1 blockoff HarrisonAve.9ft ceilgs, refrigerator,W&D incld. Off-st prkg &fncdpatio.Pet allowed subjecttoowner's approval JOAN FARABAUGH* 504-723-5767. Re/Max Affiliates* 504-834-7656. Ea ofcindependently o&o.

YES RELEASED ON: October7 ,2025 DEADLINETORESPOND: October23, 2025 4:00 PM CST PRE-BIDCONFERENCE: October14, 2025 9:30 am CST MicrosoftTeams MeetingID: 276 933 221 223 9 Passcode: 9BQ3oM9t Dial in by phone +1 504-356-4110, 700065953# United States NewOrleans PhoneconferenceID: 700 065 953# Datesare subjectto changesvia an adden‐dumpostedbythe Bu‐reau of Purchasing on theCity’ssupplierportal.

If this solicitation is fed‐erally funded,prospec‐tive bidder/respondent must payparticularat‐tentiontoall applicable laws andregulations of theFederal government andthe Stateof Louisiana.

TheBureauofPurchas‐ingusescommodity codestonotifysuppliers of therelease of asourc‐ingevent andsubse‐quentmodificationsvia addendum.Notethatyou wouldreceive thosenoti‐ficationsifyou selected thefollowing commodity code(s) before there‐leaseofthe sourcing event: COMMODITY CODE(s): 863

TheCityofNew Orleans strongly encourages mi‐nority-owned and

PUBLIC NOTICE DOCUMENT 001113 ADVERTISEMENTFOR BIDS Section001113 -ADVER‐TISEMENT FORBIDS Sealed bids will be re‐ceived forthe Stateof Louisianabythe LouisianaStadium and Exposition District (LSED),atthe officesof LegendsGlobalExecutive Offices, CaesarsSuper‐dome,GateF,Plaza Level, NewOrleans Louisiana70113 (504-5873920) until 2:00 PM on Monday November 3, 2025. Questionsabout

De‐velopment-Disaster Re‐covery (LOCD-DR)for the releaseofCommunity DevelopmentBlock Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR): Resilient Community Infrastruc‐ture Program (RCIP) fundsthrough theDisas‐terReliefSupplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub.L.117-43, as amended);inFederal Docket No.FR-6303-N-01, to undertakea project knownasFat City Leisure Park andAnnexfor the purposeofmakingre‐siliency improvements andeconomicrevitaliza‐tion to theareaknown as FatCityalong 18thStreet between Division Street andHessmer Avenue,in theamount of $3,499,300.00. Theproject includes developmentof acommunity park and parking lot. Theenvi‐sioned park will feature amenitiessuchasseat walls, stormwater reten‐tion systems, lighting systems, anda desig‐natedcrosswalk.The parkinglot will include newparking spaces green infrastructure,per‐meable pavements, bioswales, andnative plants to reduce flood‐ing.

BE TERMINATED BY OP‐ERATIONOFLAW IF YOU DO NOTTAKEFURTHER ACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW: TaxBill2023-LIZARDIST ALICEPONDERCARTER, CITY OF NEWORLEANS kamron m. brazil,keiana daniels, keithcartwright jr russellponder SQ 985 LOT5 B37X 120 LIZARDI ST FR SGLE 5/RM A/R Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 2023 LizardiSt, NewOrleans LA 70117 TaxBill2254-NGALVEZST TEDJ.NELSON, U.S. SMALLBUSINESSADMIN‐ISTRATION, ROBINSON DELCASTILLOSR.,SHER‐WANDAHARRISDEL CASTILLO,ARGENT MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC, CITY OF NEWOR‐LEANS, COLONIAL FUND‐INGNETWORK,INC denise apicella,adamj bass, andrew reiser,jen‐niferballard SQ 1023 LOTS 30X159 N GALVEZ ST DBLE/FR7/RM A/R2254-56 NGALVEZST Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 2254 NGalvezSt, NewOr‐leans, LA 70117 ill7530-

River, accordingtosur

FINDINGOFNOSIGNIFI‐CANT IMAPCT JeffersonParishhas de‐termined that theproject will have no significant impact on thehuman en‐vironment. Therefore, an EnvironmentalImpact Statementunder theNa‐tional EnvironmentalPol‐icyAct of 1969 (NEPA) is notrequired. Additional projectinformation is containedinthe Environ‐mental Review Record (ERR) on file at Jefferson Parish Consolidated Gov‐ernment, Department of Community Develop‐ment,1221 Elmwood Park Blvd,Suite 605, Jefferson, LA andmay be examined or copied weekdays 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENTS Anyindividual, group, or agency maysubmitwrit‐tencommentsonthe ERRtoJefferson Parish Department of Commu‐nity Development. All commentsreceivedby Thursday October23, 2025 will be considered by JeffersonParishprior to authorizingsubmis‐sion of arequest forre‐leaseoffunds. Com‐mentsshouldspecify whichNoticetheyare addressing ENVIRONMENTALCERTI‐FICATION JeffersonParishcertifies to TheLouisiana Office of Community Develop riod StephanieBrumfield Director,Jefferson Parish Office of Community De‐velopment 161389-OCT7-1T $97.15