The Advocate 10-08-2025

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‘THIS ISN’T US’

Iberville Parish mourns deputy killed in shooting

Second deputy wounded in Monday incident remains hospitalized

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Residents waited somberly outside the Iberville Parish Courthouse on Tuesday, with the flags at half-staff and two mobile blood collection trucks parked outside the entrance — the only indication that something tragic had happened there the night before.

They traded rumors and scraps of information as they stood in the grass, preparing to donate blood in honor of a deputy who was killed and a detective who was injured Monday night in a shooting at the courthouse.

“This isn’t us,” resident Kayla Garvin said. “This isn’t Iberville.”

One deputy was killed and a detective was critically wounded during a struggle with suspect Latrell Clark, who was being questioned in connection with a sex

struck the three men. Responding Deputy Charles Riley and Clark died in the hospital. Stassi Jr., son of Sheriff Brett Stassi, remains in critical but stable condition as of Tuesday afternoon.

For the community of Iberville Parish, the killing adds “another layer of sorrow” to a year already fraught with grief, according to a statement from the city of St. Gabriel In addition to Riley’s death, St. Gabriel police Capt. Devin Boutte was found stabbed to death in his home in July

Reactions of shock and sadness poured in Monday night and into Tuesday as the public and elected officials alike mourned the loss of Riley

Senate confirms Kurt Wall for U.S. attorney

He joins 107 others OK’d in single vote

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON It took several tries and imposition of the “nuclear option,” but Kurt Wall finally was confirmed Tuesday for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the federal district based in Baton Rouge. Wall was nominated May 6 and cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee the first time on July 24. The Senate approved Wall on a vote of 51-47 for the job along with 107 others in a single vote without debate after the rules were changed. The nominees’ names weren’t even read aloud on the Senate floor

“I am extremely grateful to President Donald Trump for this opportunity to serve,” Wall said after the vote. “We have a lot of important work to do to make our community safer, and I am ready to hit the ground running.”

“Kurt is the man for the job,” U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said after the vote.

“I am extremely grateful to President Donald Trump for this opportunity to serve. We have a lot of important work to do to make our community safer, and I am ready to hit the ground running.”

KURT WALL, U.S. attorney

crimes investigation, according to the Louisiana State Police. Clark was also killed.

According to the Louisiana State Police, Clark attempted to disarm Capt. Brett Stassi Jr after learning he was under arrest resulting in a flurry of gunfire that

Thompson to run for district attorney

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

Staff writer

Local attorney Ryan Thompson announced Tuesday he will challenge longtime East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore in the 2026 election.

In deciding to run, Thompson, 44, pointed to heightened crime rates in Baton Rouge during Moore’s tenure and argued the justice system needs a fresh approach.

“Nothing matters more to me and more to voters than public safety My family calls this community home,” Thompson said. “The past 16 years have been the deadli-

est on record for the city of Baton Rouge.” Homicides peaked in Baton Rouge in 2021 at 149 but have since steadily declined, though recent numbers remain higher than the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Thompson

“Despite th e lo ss and pain so many families have endured, we’ve seen little in the way of new or innovative ideas to address crime or rebuild trust between the

ä See THOMPSON, page 8A

“Rest in Peace Deputy Charles Riley,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill wrote on X. “I’m praying for his family, friends, and his fellow officers at the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office. Please continue to pray hard for Captain Stassi to make a full recovery after the horrific shooting last night.”

Gov Jeff Landry missed a news

“He’s ready to protect Louisiana families and enforce the law.” No senator objected to Wall’s nomination, but it was collateral damage in a political fight over Trump’s push for lifetime appointments for federal judges that Democratic senators found too ideologically extreme. Democrats have control of 47 of the Senate’s 100 seats, which is not a majority but is enough to block confirmation of nominees, which

ä See WALL, page 8A

Contrasting accounts emerge in Lacy probe

State Police maintain stance on

fatal crash

BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer

Nearly half a year after former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy took his life, two contrasting narratives are publicly emerging over how Louisiana State Police handled the investigation that led to his arrest three months before his death.

Lacy was accused of causing a Dec. 17 crash that killed 78-yearold Herman Hall, a military veteran from Thibodaux.

While Lacy’s car never collided with others, State Police claim

Lacy’s reckless driving caused a chain of events that led to the crash. In January, the 24-year-old turned himself in to State Police on counts of negligent homicide, felony hit and run and reckless operation of a vehicle.

Lacy was seen by many as destined for a bright future in the NFL. A former transfer from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, he was the SEC co-leader for receiving yards during the 2024 season. After the accident, the NFL withdrew its invitation for him to participate in the annual draft combine. Then, in April, two days before

ä See LACY, page 11A

Quantum technology work wins physics Nobel STOCKHOLM Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for research on the strange behavior of subatomic particles called quantum tunneling that enabled the ultra-sensitive measurements achieved by MRI machines and laid the groundwork for better cellphones and faster computers.

The work by John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M Martinis, who work at American universities, took the seeming contradictions of the subatomic world — where light can be both a wave and a particle and parts of atoms can tunnel through seemingly impenetrable barriers — and applied them in the more traditional physics of digital devices. The results of their findings are just starting to appear in advanced technology and could pave the way for the development of supercharged computing.

The prize-winning research in the mid-1980s took the subatomic “weirdness of quantum mechanics” and found how those tiny interactions can have real-world applications, said Jonathan Bagger, CEO of the American Physical Society The experiments were a crucial building block in the fastdeveloping world of quantum mechanics.

Speaking from his cellphone, Clarke, who spearheaded the research team, said: “One of the underlying reasons that cellphones work is because of all this work.”

When quantum mechanics

first came to light in 1926, it was explained by the example of a cat in a box that was both alive and dead at the same time. The three Nobel winners showed that the idea is not just a thought experiment, and science can put it to work, said Physics Today editor-in-chief Richard Fitzgerald, who worked in a competing research group in the 1990s.

“They didn’t take it that far, but they showed that it can be done,” Fitzgerald said.

New Ariz. representative has yet to be sworn in Adelita Grijalva won a special election for a House seat on Sept. 24, but has been unable to actually represent her district in Congress until the speaker officially swears her into office House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, has so far refused to accommodate her request to officially take office while the House is not conducting legislative business during the government shutdown.

Johnson did not elaborate on what he meant Tuesday by saying he would swear her into office as soon as she wants However, Grijalva could be sworn in during one of the House’s proforma sessions. The next one is Wednesday

Once she officially takes office, Grijalva has said she will join a legislative maneuver to force a vote in the House on a bill that would require the Department of Justice to release the case files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Teen decapitates mom’s boyfriend, NYPD says NEWYORK A troubled teenager lopped off the head of his mother’s boyfriend in a bloody knife attack inside the bathroom of their Staten Island home Monday afternoon, police said. “I did something bad,” the 19-year-old suspect told his 16-year-old sister after she came home from school to the bloody scene about 4:20 p.m. Monday, according to police sources. “Go to your room.” The sister called their mother, who raced home and called 911.

The mother “just kept saying to her son, ‘Why would you kill him? I still loved him!’ ” said neighbor Jennifer Diaz, who witnessed the aftermath to the slaying.

On Tuesday, cops charged the son, Damien Hurstel, with murder The suspect’s mother had called cops five times on her boyfriend starting in 2021, police source said. In the first incident, she said her boyfriend had been drinking, had a gun on him and was breaking things in the home.

‘Conversion therapy’ case heard

Justices seem to be leaning in favor of a Christian counselor

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON A majority of Supreme Court justices on Tuesday seemed likely to side with a Christian counselor challenging bans on LGBTQ+ “conversion therapy” for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights.

Kaley Chiles, with support from President Donald Trump’s administration, argues the laws passed by about half of U.S. states wrongly bar her from offering voluntary, faith-based therapy for kids.

She’s challenging the law in Colorado. The state says its measure simply regulates licensed therapists by barring a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.

But the court’s conservative majority didn’t seem convinced that states can restrict talk therapy

aimed at changing feelings or behavior while allowing counseling that affirms kids identifying as gay or transgender Justice Samuel Alito said the law “looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.”

Therapist says law silences her Chiles contends her approach is different from the kind of conversion therapy once associated with practices like shock therapy decades ago. She said she believes “people flourish when they live consistently with God’s design, including their biological sex.”

Her attorneys argue the bans make it difficult for parents to find a therapist willing to work on gender identity unless the counseling specifically affirms transition.

“Ms Chiles is being silenced, and the kids and families who want her help are unable to access it,” said attorney James Campbell. Violating the law carries potential fines of $5,000 and license suspension or even revocation.

The Republican administration argued the Colorado law suppresses therapists’ speech, and

should be subject to the higher legal standard of strict scrutiny, one that few measures pass.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned why the Colorado law should be struck down, while the court upheld a different measure from Tennessee that bans transition-related treatments for transgender kids.

The Justice Department counters that Tennessee’s law is different because it involves medical treatments rather than conversations between a patient and their therapist.

State says therapy is health care

Families who have spoken in favor of restrictions include Linda Robertson, a Christian mom of four from Washington state whose son Ryan underwent therapy that promised to change his sexual orientation after he came out to her at age 12. The techniques led him to blame himself when it didn’t work, leaving him ashamed and depressed, she said. He died in 2009, after multiple suicide attempts and a drug overdose at age 20.

Motorists lift helicopter to rescue woman in crash

BY HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press

A medical helicopter crashed on a highway in California’s capital, critically injuring three people aboard, including a woman who was pinned underneath and was rescued with the help of motorists who lifted part of the aircraft, officials said.

The helicopter landed upside down Monday evening and left debris scattered across U.S. 50 east of downtown Sacramento. The aircraft had departed a hospital after dropping off a patient when it experienced an “in-air emergency” and went down just after 7 p.m., said Captain Justin Sylvia with the Sacramento Fire Department

A pilot, nurse and paramedic were taken to hospitals in critical condition, he said No one on the highway was injured, he said, calling that “mind blowing” given that the helicopter crashed in the center of the eastbound lanes.

“People reported that they basically saw the helicopter kind of going down quickly So all the traffic slowed down,” Sylvia said.

An injured woman was trapped underneath the helicopter and a crew from the fire department was able to work with

motorists to push the aircraft off and get her into an ambulance.

“It took every ounce of all approximately 15 people to move that aircraft up just enough to get her out,” he said.

Aimee Braddock was among those who helped. She told KCRA-TV that she rushed to the crash site after seeing the helicopter plummet to the pavement

“As soon as I saw that everybody was moving to try to push the helicopter out to help the first responders get to the passenger, I just ran over and got in the line of people and was just pushing it as much as I could,” Braddock recounted. “Then we held it for several minutes, so the first responder could get the person out.”

The helicopter did not catch on fire, Sylvia said.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they were investigating the crash of the Airbus EC-130 T2.

Eastbound lanes of the highway were closed throughout the night and reopened Tuesday morning.

The aircraft was a REACH Air Medical helicopter according to the company, which said in a statement that they “are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers.”

N.H. justice takes plea deal

after accusations of influencing probe

By The Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. — A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor Tuesday after facing charges that she tried to interfere with a criminal investigation into her husband, who ran the state’s division of ports and harbors.

State Supreme Court Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi was indicted in October 2024 by a Merrimack County grand jury for two felonies and five misdemeanors. Under a plea deal approved by a judge on Tuesday those charges were dismissed, and Marconi pleaded no contest to criminal solicitation of misuse of position, which is a misdemeanor Marconi had been accused of soliciting then-Republican Gov Chris Sununu to influence the attorney general’s investigation into her husband, telling him that the investigation was the result of “personal petty and/or political biases.” According to the indictment, she told Sununu

there was no merit to the allegations and that any investigation into her husband “needed to be wrapped up quickly because she was recused from important cases pending” before the court.

Authorities have not disclosed the nature of that investigation, but Marconi’s husband, Geno Marconi, has been charged with interfering with it by deleting voicemails and providing confidential motor vehicle records to a third party. Geno Marconi, the director of the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors, faces two felony charges — witness tampering and falsifying evidence — and four misdemeanors of obstructing government administration and violating driver privacy Bradley Cook, chair of the port division’s advisory council, also was charged with perjury and false swearing and is accused of lying to a grand jury about Marconi.

Marconi will pay $1,200 fine for pleading no contest and state prosecutors will agree that her offense does not fall under the definition of a “serious crime.”

“What happened in conversion therapy, it devastated Ryan’s bond with me and my husband,” she said. “And it absolutely destroyed his confidence he could ever be loved or accepted by God.” Colorado argues its law does allow for wide-ranging faith-based conversations, and it exempts religious ministries. No one has been sanctioned under the 2019 law

State attorneys say that therapy is health care, and that Colorado has a responsibility to regulate it.

“Providers have a duty to act in their patients’ best interest and according to their professional standards. The First Amendment affords no exception,” Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson said.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, though, questioned whether the same argument could have been used to restrict pro-LGBTQ therapy in previous decades, when the mainstream medical view was different. “What if a state back then might have passed a law prohibiting talk therapy that affirmed homosexuality?”

Judge blocks effort to alter teen pregnancy prevention programs

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press

A judge Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from requiring recipients of federal teen pregnancy prevention grants to comply with Trump’s orders aimed at curtailing “radical indoctrination” and “gender ideology.”

The ruling is a victory for three Planned Parenthood affiliates — in California, Iowa and New York — that sued to try to block enforcement of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services policy document issued in July that they contend contradict the requirements of the grants as established by Congress.

The policy requiring changes to the pregnancy prevention program was part of the fallout from a series of executive orders Trump signed aimed at rolling back recognition of LGBTQ+ people and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In the policy, the administration objected to teaching that promotes same-sex marriage and that “normalizes, or promotes sexual activity for minors.”

The Planned Parenthood affiliates argued that the new directives were at odds with requirements of the program — and that they were so vague it wasn’t clear what needed to be done to follow them. The decision applies not only to the handful of Planned Parenthood groups among the dozens of recipients of the funding, but also nonprofit groups, city and county health departments, tribes and universities that received grants.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell blasted the administration’s policy change in her written ruling, saying it was “motivated solely by political concerns, devoid of any considered process or analysis, and ignorant of the statutory emphasis on evidence-based programming.”

Guard members from Texas are in Illinois

BY ERIN HOOLEY and CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press

ELWOOD,Ill National Guard

members from Texas were at an Army Reserve center in Illinois on Tuesday, the most visible sign yet of the Trump administration’s plan to send troops to the Chicago area despite a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders.

Illinois Gov JB Pritzker, who has accused President Donald Trump of using troops as “political props” and “pawns,” did not immediately comment on the development

The Associated Press saw military personnel in uniforms with the Texas National Guard patch at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, 55 miles southwest of Chicago. Trucks marked Emergency Disaster Services pulled in and out, dropping off portable

toilets and other supplies.

Trailers were set up in rows

The exact mission was not immediately clear, though the Trump administration has an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city, and protesters have frequently rallied at an immigration building outside the city in Broadview

The president repeatedly has described Chicago in hostile terms, calling it a “hell hole” of crime, although police statistics show significant drops in most crimes, including homicides.

Trump’s bid to deploy the military on U.S soil over local opposition has triggered a conflict with blue state governors Illinois and Chicago are urging a federal judge to intervene and stop “Trump’s long-declared ‘War’” on the state. A court hearing on their lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday In Oregon, a judge over the weekend

the phone and called me. Not once,” Pritzker said Tuesday at a gathering of business, cultural and political leaders in Minneapolis.

The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military’s role in enforcing domestic laws. Trump has said he would be willing to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to dispatch active duty military in states that are unable to put down an insurrection or are defying federal law Months of tension

tion agents and others from using city-owned property, such as parking lots, garages and vacant lots, as staging areas for enforcement operations.

In Memphis, Tennessee, meanwhile, police Chief Cerelyn Davis said Guard troops could arrive by Friday She said a small group of commanders were already in the city, working on planning and logistics.

blocked the Guard’s deployment to Portland, Oregon.

Ill.: We don’t need troops

Pritzker had predicted Monday that Illinois National Guard troops would be activated, along with 400 from Texas. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott posted

a picture on social media showing troops boarding a plane and declared, “ever ready.”

Pritzker said he “literally canceled everything” Saturday in anticipation of a call from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“They have not picked up

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

The Chicago mayor signed an executive order Monday barring federal immigra-

Republican Gov Bill Lee, who supports the effort, has said the troops will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to “play a critical support role” for local law enforcement, though that role hasn’t been precisely defined yet.

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

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly deflected questions as she sought during a combative congressional hearing on Tuesday to defend herself against growing criticism that she’s turning the law enforcement agency into a weapon to seek vengeance against President Donald Trump’s political opponents Democrats sought to use the hearing, coming on the heels of the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, to warn of what they view as the politicization of

a department that has long prided itself on remaining independent from the White House.

against Trump — was the one that had been weaponized.

turn his 2020 election loss to Biden, a Democrat.

withstand political pressure from the White House.

Bondi brushed aside with seeming disdain questions about her tumultuous tenure, flatly refusing to answer time and again as Democrats pressed her on politically charged investigations, the firings of career prosecutors and other matters Her refusal to engage on the questions meant little if any fresh insight was offered about her actions and decisions, with Bondi instead opting to respond to Democrats’ attacks by echoing conservative claims that President Joe Biden’s Justice Department — which brought two criminal cases

“They were playing politics with law enforcement powers and will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust,” Bondi said of the Biden Justice Department “This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day.”

The hearing split early along deeply partisan lines, with Republicans repeatedly leaping to her defense to highlight the criminal cases against the president that they say show the institution she inherited was deeply politicized. They pointed to revelations from a day earlier that the FBI had analyzed phone records of several Republican lawmakers as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to over-

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“This is an outrage, an unconstitutional breach and ought to be immediately addressed by you and Director Patel,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the committee, told Bondi, referring to FBI Director Kash Patel.

Democrats, meanwhile, accused Bondi of destroying the department’s credibility and eroding its longstanding independence from the White House as the Republican president publicly calls for the prosecution of his political foes.

The hearing marked Bondi’s first before the panel since her confirmation hearing, when she pledged to not play politics with the Justice Department a promise Democrats pounced on as they pressed the attorney general on whether she can

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DMinn., reminded Bondi of that commitment and asked her if she thought she had upheld it. Bondi replied that she believed she absolutely had.

“I pledged that I would end the weaponization also of the Justice Department and that America would once again have a one tier system of justice for all,” Bondi said. “And that is what we are doing.”

Bondi refused repeatedly to discuss matters, including a bribery investigation into Trump border czar Tom Homan that was shuttered under the Trump administration. That drew the ire of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, who accused Bondi of responding with “far-right internet talking points.”

She also declined to say whether she talked to the

president about the case against Comey, who was charged last month with lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee when he said he had not authorized anyone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about a particular investigation. His indictment came just days after Trump appeared to publicly implore her on social media to take that action against him and other perceived political enemies. Comey is set to make his first court appearance on Wednesday in the case, which was brought despite career prosecutors’ reservations about the strength of evidence, after the Trump administration raced to install a new prosecutor to secure the charges following the resignation under pressure of the experienced leader of that office.

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BY JULIE WALKER and JOHN RABY Associated Press

Francine the calico cat is back home at aLowe’sstore in Virginia after going missing for afew weeks, hitching aride on atruck that turned up at asister facility in another state.

Twoemployees from a Lowe’sinRichmond made the90-minutedrive early Monday to pick up Francine, who disappeared in September and recently wasdiscovered at the company’sdistribution center in Garysburg North Carolina.

Shewas back on thejob Tuesday,playing with customers, posing forphotos and soaking in affection

past surveillance video. Therewere glimpses of her in the appliancesection and thenthe receiving department, whereshe darted into atruck. An overnight manager is then seen shutting thetruck’sdoor and off it went to Garysburg, about 85 miles to thesouth.

“And then,ofcourse, when she got down to the distribution center,she shot off the truck,”Sida said. “That’s when we found out where she was and she was missing.”

On Saturday,Francine was spotted on cameranear the distribution center.After more humane traps were installed, avolunteer checked each trap throughout the night. Finally,one of the traps triggered and Francine’smeows could be heard.

Schneider and Sida got in a car early Monday and drove to get Francine.

At the Lowe’sstore, Francine “justshowedup,”Sida said. “Wehad abit of amice problem. So, of course, I’m like, wow.I like this cat alot because it’shelping me.”

“That ride going down, knowing that we weregoing to get her,was just heartwarming. Knowing she’s safe andthatshe’s coming back to the store to get off hertwo-week vacation,” Schneider said.

Francine spends much of hertime either at thecustomer service desk or in the store’sseasonal area. But things went awry in Sep-

“Francine is one of us,” store supervisor Wayne Schneider said in atelephone interview. “She’sjust amazing. What she means here to the store and the employees, you really can’t imagine the outpouring that theemployees andalso the customers giveher daily.”

Jan. 6probe analyzed

CQ-Roll Call (TNS)

WASHINGTON Federal investigators collected and analyzed call records from the personal cellphones of eight senators and one representative as partofan investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol building, the office of Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said Monday

The FBI in 2023 sought the data about phone use from Jan. 4, 2021, to Jan.7, 2021, and it shows when and to whom acall was made, as well as the duration and general locationdata of the call, Grassley’soffice said. The data does not include the content of the call.

Grassley’soffice released an FBI record that states a special agent did a“preliminary toll analysis on limited tolls records” associated with the nine GOP lawmakers. They are Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee,Josh Hawley of Missouri, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Ron Johnsonof Wisconsin and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming andRep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania. “What I’ve uncovered todayisdisturbing andoutrageous political conduct by the Biden FBI,” Grassley

saidinanews release. “The FBI’s actionswere an unconstitutionalbreach, and Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel need to hold accountable those involved in this serious wrongdoing.”

Aspokesperson forGrassley’s office referredtoanews release when asked why the senator described the actions as unconstitutional,orif there was information about whatauthority the FBI used to get the phone records. The newsrelease said the document wasfound as part of the Iowa Republican’soversight efforts since 2022 intoanFBI probeeventuallyassigned to special counsel John L. “Jack” Smith.

Agrand jury in 2023 indicted Donald Trump on four federal charges tied to his effort to overturnhis loss in the 2020 election,one of two cases Smith brought against the formerpresident Graham, in avideo reaction,saidthe FBIcalledto tell himSmith “asked phone companies to provide records of who Icalled, as a sitting senator,chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committeein January 2021, tryingtofigure outifIshould certify theelection.”

“Tobelieve thatthe Department of Justice, or a special counsel,would subpoena who Icalled,where I called from, should bother everybody,” Graham said

tember as the store brought in itemsfor the upcoming Christmas season. Store generalmanager Mike Sida saidthatdisruptionmay have prompted Francine to seek comfort elsewhere.

After store employees hadn’tseen Francinefor afew days, they reviewed

An animal controloffice setuphumane traps at the distribution center,where photos of Francine were postedthroughout. The center haddozensofmonitoring cameras, and Lowe’s brought in thermal drones to surveythe area. An Instagram accountunaffiliated with Lowe’sdedicated to finding Francine grew to morethan 34,000 followers

Francine was astray when she started living at the Lowe’sstore more thaneight years ago. Cats are common sightings aroundfeed stores and garden centers, which contain large amounts of grainand seed that canbe attractive to mice and rats.

Lowe’sdoesn’thavean official policy about cats in stores.Asked whyFrancine wasn’ttaken to someone’s residence after showing up, Sida said she is loved by employees and the community “Francine pickedus. We didn’tpickher,” Sida said “Later,wewould embrace her being our store cat. But at theend of theday,she came to us. Where she’satis where she wantstobe. She does whatever she wants.” Unlike Lowe’semployees, Francine does not wear a vest. She had been previously outfittedwith several collars but escaped them all. Nowthey plan on fitting her with aharness that includes identifying information.

GOPlawmakers’phone records, senators say

“It certainly bothers thehell out of me.”

The Supreme Court raised protections for cellphone location information in 2018 undercertaincircumstances,though it is not clear if that applies in this situation.The majority noted the privacy concernsthat “a phone goes wherever its owner goes, conveying to thewireless carrier not just dialed digits, but adetailed and comprehensive record of theperson’smovements.”

And the majority wrote that “when theGovernment tracks the location of acellphone it achieves near perfect surveillance, as if it had attached an ankle monitor to thephone’suser.”

Hawley and Tuberville reacted to the release by saying theyhad their phones tapped, which typically is shorthand for listening to thecontent of aperson’sphone conversations. Hawley,ina social media post, said“Biden’sStasi” had “tried to tap thephones of their political enemies. Including mine.”

“This is an abuse of power beyond Watergate, beyond J. EdgarHoover,one that directly strikes at the Constitution, the separation

of powers,and theFirst Amendment,” Hawley said. “Weneed afull investigation of allinvolved: whoknew about it, who ordered it, and who approved it.Anyone and everyone who violated thelaw must be prosecuted. The way to save thecountry

is to restore the rule of law.”

Trump successfully delayed the Washington case brought by Smith for months in the run-up to the 2024 election, which included a Supreme Court decision that found presidents are immune from federal charges

formost official acts. Smith dropped the charges after the election, pointing to the Office of Legal Counsel’snew determination that thecase hadtobedropped in such an “unprecedented” situationofa federaldefendant winningthe presidency

Judgetosseslawsuit to make La.AGdefendvotingmap

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Ajudge has dismissed alawsuit

filed by the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus seeking to compel Attorney General Liz Murrill to defend the constitutionality ofthe state’scurrent congressional map, which has two majority-Black districts. The Black Caucus last month asked the 19th Judicial District Court to eitherrequire Murrill to

defend as constitutional the state law that created the currentcongressionalmap or to take no positionwhen her solicitorgeneral, Ben Aguiñaga, goes before the U.S. Supreme Court next week for oral arguments. Murrill arguedthat thelegislators hadneither alegal basisnor standing to sue under the law they had cited, astancethe judge agreed with “This wasthe properresult,” Murrillsaidina statementabout

Senate confirmation of Trumpnominee cements shakeupofrightsagency

BY ALEXANDRA OLSON and CLAIRE SAVAGE Associated Press

TheSenate confirmed

President Donald Trump’s pick to fill acritical vacancy at the top agency for worker rights, restoring it to the full power needed to deepen hisoverhaulof civil rights enforcement.

The confirmation of Brittany Panuccio as acommissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Tuesday established aRepublicanmajority at the agency and restored the quorum needed to make major policy and enforcement decisionsin pursuit of Trump’scivil rights priorities, including stamping out diversity and inclusion programs and rolling back protections for transgender workers

The Senate voted51-47to confirm Panuccio and more than 100 other Trump nominees under rules adopted by Republicans to make it easier to confirm large groups of lower-level, nonjudicial nominations.

Leading Democratic senators have said they won’t confirm Trump’snominees to the EEOC unless he reverses his unprecedented firing in January of two

Democratic commissioners before their terms were up, saying themove stripped the agency of its historic bipartisanship and independence.

Theirdismissals removeda key obstacleto implementingTrump’scivil rightsagenda but also temporarily left the commission withoutthe quorumrequired to bring some major lawsuits, revise regulations for implementing laws and take other decisions.

Republican senators have welcomed the prospect that the EEOC will rescind certainpolicies on DEI,genderidentity and abortionthat they argued overstepped the agency’s authority

Acting EEOC ChairAndrea Lucas, who was confirmedto asecondtermas commissioner in July,has taken key steps to fulfill a slew of Trump’sexecutive orders on civil rights. The EEOC has dropped lawsuits on behalfof transgender workers and subjected incoming complaints related to gender identity to heightened scrutiny.Lucas leveraged the EEOC to help the Trump administration target privateinstitutions over their DEI programs.

Judge Eboni Johnson Rose’s ruling. “Our focus is on arguments in the United States Supreme Court and addressing the flaws in the court’s jurisprudence that deprivesthe Legislature of their constitutional duty over drawing maps.”

LouisianaLegislative BlackCaucus Chair state Rep. Edmond Jordan, the Baton Rouge Democrat who filed the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to arequest for comment Tuesday The U.S. Supreme Courtis

scheduledtohear asecondround of oral arguments on Oct. 15 in the case Louisiana v. Callais. The high court’seventualdecisioncould alterthe federalVoting Rights of 1965, which fordecades has fueled court rulings requiring states with ahistory of disenfranchising Black voters to drawmapswith majority-Black voting districts. This summer,the justices asked theparties involved in the case —including the state of Louisiana, agroupofWhite voters and a

group of Black voters —toaddress whetherthe Voting Rights Act is constitutional. Murrill previously arguedthe state’s congressional map is constitutional. But in response to the Supreme Court’srequest this summer,she changed her stance and nowsaysthatusing race as afactor in drawing voting maps violatesthe U.S. Constitution.

Email Alyse Pfeil at alyse.pfeil@ theadvocate.com.

Trumpthreatens no back payfor federalworkers

BY LISAMASCARO AP congressional corespondent

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’sadministration warned on Tuesday of no guaranteed back pay for federal workers during agovernment shutdown, reversing what has been longstanding policyfor some 750,000 furloughedemployees, according to amemo beingcirculatedbythe White House.

Trumpsigned into law after thelongest government shutdown in 2019 legislation to ensure federal workers receive back payduring anyfederal fundinglapse But in the new memo, his Office of Managementand Budgetsays back pay must be provided by Congress, if it chooses to do so, as part of any bill to fund thegovernment.

“There are somepeople that don’tdeserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of theminadifferent way,”Trump said during an event at the White House. He saidback pay “depends on who we’re talking about.”

Askedasecond time about back payfor furloughed federal workers giventhat the requirement is spelled outinlaw,Trump said: “I follow thelaw,and what the law says is correct.”

Refusing retroactivepay to theworkers, some of whom must remain on thejob as

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essential employees, would be astark departure from normsand practices and almostcertainly would be met withlegal action.

While federal workers as well as service members of the military—have often missedpaychecks during past shutdowns, theyare almostalways reimbursed once the government reopens.

“That shouldturn up the urgency and thenecessity of the Democrats doing the right thing here,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at the Capitol.

Johnson, R-Benton, alawyer,said he hadn’tfully read the memo but “there are somelegal analysts who are saying” that it maynot be necessary or appropriate to repay thefederal workers.

In the memo draft prepared forTrump’sOffice of Management and BudgetDirector RussellVought, first reported by Axios,the office’sgeneral counsel Mark Paoletta lays out alegal rationale for no back pay for federal workers.

Thememo explains that while theGovernment Employee FairTreatment Act of 2019 says workers shall be paid after federal funding is restored, it argues the action is not self-executing. Instead, the memosays,repaying thefederal workers would have to be part of subsequent legislation, presumably in the bill to reopen the

government. The OMB analysis draws on language familiar to budget experts by suggesting that the 2019 bill created an authorizationtopay the federal workers but notthe actual appropriation.

Congress, it says, is able to decide whether it wants to pay the workers or not. Congress remains at a standstill,withneither side northe White House willing to budge. Democrats arefighting forhealth care funds to prevent alapse in federalsubsidiesthat threaten to send insurance rates skyrocketing.

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need 60 votes.Republicans have 53 seats and the majority. Democrats had slow-walked confirmation of Trump’sjudicial andlaw enforcement nominations by strictly following the Senate’s rules. In the past, to speed confirmations along, senators fromthe party in the minority agreed to forgo the rules and approve noncontroversialcandidates by aquickvoice vote rather than aroll call tally which could take about two hours

for each nominee.

Sen. James Lankford,anOklahomaRepublican involved in the negotiations, said the Senatewould need900 hours tohandle thebacklog ofnominationsseeking Senate confirmation

Negotiations broke down, promptingSenate Majority Leader John Thune,R-S D ,torun aseries of proceduralvotes that allowed asimple majority of senators to confirm nominees in groups —adramatic overturning oflong Senate precedent. Themaneuver is calledthe “nuclear option”because it minimizes minority involvement in the Senate’s constitutional “advise and consent” duty.Critics have warned

it likely will comeback to haunt theRepublicansinthe future when they fall into theminority in the upper chamber

But Thune said the backlog had gotten too large and Democratic intransigence too great “Weneed to vote. We need to fix this,” Thune said. “By going nuclear today,Republicansare saying, ‘Wedon’t want to do our jobs’,” saidSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.,addingthatRepublicans took another stepindoing whatever Trump wantsand “turning this chamber into aconveyorbelt for unqualified Trumpnominees.” Republicans called the holdup

unprecedented, noting that, back to PresidentGeorgeH.W.Bush, theSenate had used voice votes to confirm presidential nominees. But Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., pointed out thatwhenhewas a senator from Ohio, Vice President JD Vance had put ahold on U.S. attorney nominations for18months. And before that, ArkansasSen TomCotton did the samething. In preparation for the “nuclear option,” the Senate Judiciary Committeerecommended Wall to the full Senate for athird time, this time as part of agroup with six othernomineesfor U.S. Attorney positions around the country.This thirdvote wasnecessary to set up

an en banc vote on the Senate floor once the rules werechanged. Wall prosecuted violent crime, drug andwhite-collarcases as an assistantdistrict attorney in Livingston Parish and before he worked in theEast Baton Rouge Parish. Wall will succeed RonaldC Gathe Jr.asthe chief federallaw enforcementofficer forthe U.S MiddleDistrict of Louisiana, which includes Ascension, East BatonRouge,WestBaton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee and St. Helena parishes. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

community and the justice system,” he said.

Thompson, aDemocrat, has served in Baton Rouge’s Public Defender’sOffice and also pursued several prominent suits against the Baton Rouge Police Department through his civil practice, the ThompsonJustice Institute.

He’srecently represented plaintiffs suing the city-parish in separate cases involving the “BRAVE Cave,” a now-shuttered interrogation facility where his clients allege police abusedthem.

In those cases,Thompson said he “witnessed firsthand the depth of the problems” within BatonRouge’scriminal justice system, in which he believes officers face “no real accountability,” eroding the public’strust.

“It’sclear that ourparish needs fresh eyes, new ideas and arenewed commitment to fairness and safetyfor everyone,” he said.

The 70-year-old Moore, also aDemocrat, has not facedachallenger for the district attorney seat since his initial run in 2008, when he won with 74% of the vote over Republican Dan Claitor In astatement Tuesday, Moore did not directly ad-

dress his challenger,but said he doesn’t ownthe sixyear seat after 17 years in office. He said he welcomes voters’ review of his first threeterms as he vies for a fourth

“My focus remains where it has always been:making our community safer,reducing violent crime, supportingour youthand working across political and community lines to deliver results,” Moore said. “I am proudof the broad coalition we have built —Republicans, Democrats, Independents, faith leaders and business leaders —who share the same goal: astronger,safer Baton Rouge.”

Originally from Birming-

ham, Alabama, Thompsongrew up in Inglewood, California, and graduated fromhigh school in Compton,California. He went on to earn abachelor’s degree in criminaljusticefrom Southern Utah University amaster’sdegree in public health from Charles R. DrewUniversity of Medicine andScience and alaw degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge.

“Over thepast year,many people have encouraged me to consider running for district attorney to continue theworkofbringing justice to families and restoring confidence in our system,” he said.

Thompson said the public can expect another formal announcement soon as he assemblesa campaign team.

Thompsonservedas deputycampaignmanager for Gary Chambers during arun for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021 Chambers cameinthird in

the primary with 21% of the vote.

Chambers has long knocked Moore’sdecisions as district attorney,taking part in protests outside Moore’shomein2020, in which he criticizedthe district attorneyfor not charging law enforcement officers with crimes involving Black residents. Moore worked as an investigatorfor then-Baton Rouge District Attorney Ossie Brown before also earning alaw degree at Southern. He workedasa criminaldefense attorney before running foroffice.

conferenceabout Medicaid in order to visit the injured detective in the hospital, Secretary of Health Bruce Greenstein said.

In an update Tuesday morning, Stassi Sr.said his son is in intensive care and “continues to fight for his life.”

“Our deputiesare deeply hurting as we grieve the loss of one of our own and pray for another’srecovery,” the sheriff said. “Please continue to keep the men and women of the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office in your thoughts as they navigate this tragedy together.”

Friends described Rileyas a“jokester,”afamily man and abeloved presence in the community

He served with the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office for six years in the Uniform PatrolDivision. For St. Gabriel resident and friend Sarah Haydel, he was the person to give her teenage sons their first speeding tickets.

“Even though he gave them their first speeding tickets and lectured them, they were still extremely close with Riley,” Haydel said.

Her boys learned of his death before she did, she said.

“They walked in the room, and my son just broke down,” Haydel said. “He said, ‘Mama, it was Riley.’ And Ijust started cryingimmediately.”

Riley’sformer police partner,Josh Eaton, said Riley loved his family dearly and always spoke with pride about his children.

“His legacy is his kids,” Eaton said.

Riley’scharacter as adeputy was best illustratedin atraffic stop they made together,Eaton said.A young womanwas leaving town with her child to escape a bad situation, he said, and didn’thave achild car seat.

So, Riley removed his per-

“We’re veryclose on the east bankofIberville.

We’reaverysmall community.A lot of the peoplehavelived there their whole lives. When you become our family,welove you with everything we have. It’s going to be such apiece that is missing.”

SARAH HAyDEL

sonalcar seatout of the back of hiscar and gave it to the mother

“He went to his unit and grabbed it outthe back and said,‘Take this, make sure your kid’ssafe, andget to a safe area,’” Eaton said. “He even installeditinthe car

for her.Itwas that in-depth, and that was the type of person he was.”

Funeral details for Riley have not been released yet

TheIbervilleParish Sheriff’sOffice is asking people to donateblood in Stassi

Jr.’sname to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge to aid in his recovery

With Boutte’sdeath earlier in the year,Riley’s death is goingtohit thecommunity

“even harder,” Haydel said.

“We’re very close on the eastbankofIberville,” Haydelsaid. “We’re avery small community.Alot of thepeople have lived there theirwhole lives. When you become our family,welove you witheverything we have. It’s going to be such a piece that is missing.”

Lacy’s case was set to appear in front of a grand jury, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Houston while fleeing police as a result of a separate incident.

On Friday, attorney Matt Ory, who represented Lacy and has claimed his innocence from the beginning, appeared on a news station in Houma to reveal evidence collected by the Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office.

The findings — which Ory says absolve Lacy of responsibility for the crash have sparked a mix of public outcry and confusion on social media, among sports commentators and among public officials.

On Monday, the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus demanded an independent investigation into the State Police handling of the case, while the NAACP has called for the resignation of the State Police colonel. On nationally televised “Monday Night Football,” former LSU player Ryan Clark described Lacy’s fate as an injustice a sentiment echoed by other figures in the sports world, including Pat McAfee and Scott Van Pelt.

“Guys, Kyren Lacy was supposed to be in the NFL,” Clark said. “Kyren Lacy was being accused of something and was being investigated for something that he didn’t do.”

Meanwhile, Louisiana State Police have doubled down, defending their investigation On Tuesday, State Police released 11 minutes of surveillance and body camera footage recorded on the day of Lacy’s crash, plus additional evidence, including Lacy’s arrest warrant and witness statements. Attorney General Liz Murrill has said the findings support accusations of Lacy being responsible for the crash, but added she is continuing to review the case. Ory told a local ESPN ra-

dio host Tuesday evening that the evidence released by State Police didn’t change “a single thing.”

Kyren’s dad, Kenny Lacy, was also present during the emotional interview

“The last four days have almost been like getting that phone call saying Kyren is gone again,” Kenny Lacy said. “This is difficult for everyone involved.”

According to his arrest warrant, Lacy was driving southbound at around noon on a busy two-lane portion of La. 20 in Thibodaux when he crossed into the northbound lane and illegally passed four vehicles, including an 18-wheeler.

One witness claimed he saw the green Dodge Charger driving “at least 80 mph” in the 40 mph speed zone. The Charger rapidly approached a gold truck, which was forced to “emergency brake” and drive off the roadway to the right Immediately behind that gold truck, a Kia Cadenza also took evasive action, but swerved left into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on with a Kia Sorento. Hall, a passenger in the

Sorrento, was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries. More than 20 surveillance videos were used to identify Lacy as the driver of the Charger

During his 45-minute interview with HTV’s Martin Folse Ory presented findings from an independent investigation conducted by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“I’m here simply comparing and contrasting the District Attorney’s Office and State Police with this matter,” Ory said.

In the footage of the crash Ory presented, Lacy’s Charger can be seen driving into the frame about four seconds after the collision. Despite Lacy illegally passing four vehicles, Ory said the District Attorney’s Office determined Lacy was over 70 yards behind the cars involved in the crash — and back in the correct lane during the time of impact That was much too far away for him to be considered responsible, Ory said.

“That is not how this story was ever painted, never,” he said. Ory also presented po-

taking a witness statement from the driver of the gold truck. The driver had left the scene of the crash before police arrived, and the questioning took place five days after the incident occurred.

“Just make sure you add in there that you had to slam on the brakes to avoid that Charger,” the trooper said.

“I didn’t skidmark or nothing; I wasn’t even going fast,” the witness said in the video. “That lady in the back of me, she didn’t see what’s happening. I say she caused that wreck.”

“But the Charger was going right at you, right? Make sure you include that,” the trooper responded.

Ory said the video indicated a “clear suggestive nature” by the officer Ory showed the driver’s witness statement, which did not include any mention of the woman driving behind him.

Over the witness signature portion of the paperwork, “refused” is written.

Meanwhile, the State Police’s 11-minute video, released to the public Monday, does not include that body camera footage Instead, it includes body camera footage of a trooper as he interviews two witnesses at the scene of the crash, both of whom immediately describe a green Dodge Charger driving into oncoming traffic.

“When the green Charger came, he went and caused this whole big traffic, so everybody went and hit their brakes,” said the driver of an 18-wheeler that Lacy had allegedly passed.

“The green Charger had stopped, but then kept going,” another witness said. The trooper then interviewed the driver of the Cadenza while she was still

BY ERIC MARTIN Bloomberg News (TNS)

KyrenLacy’s greenDodge Charger passes

Continuedfrom page11A

to passthe other car,” she said. “I was trying to dodge by not hitting him.”

StatePolice also included additional surveillance footage of Lacy’svehicle speeding, before abruptlybreaking and returning to the correct lane.

“As theDodge Charger returns to itsproperlane, immediatebraking and decelerationcan be heard,”a narrator of the State Police video says.

And thenthe sound of a crash can be heard, though Ory claims theaudio and video areout of sync.

“Since theincidentoccurred, State Police never reported that the green Charger impacted any of the involvedvehicles,”the narrator said.

Morefootage shows the green Charger driving in the correct lane, twocars behind theKia Sorento, slowing after thecollision before driving around the scene.

was involved in acar chase that spanned several miles beforehecrashed. Lacy shot himself beforethe car crashed, according to apreliminary investigation by the Sheriff’s Office homicide detectives and crime sceneunits.

In thedays after Lacy’s death,Ory said in astatement that he believedthe evidence would have led to a“declination of charges.” Ory addedhewould demand areview of the police investigationintoLacy’s involvement in theDecember crash. On Tuesday,Ory claimed the evidence currently available to the publicwas just thetip of the iceberg.

“There is so much more coming,”Ory said during theESPNinterview.Heindicated that an independent investigation would likely need to be conducted by the Attorney General’sOffice, adding, “We’ll let it play its course.”

On Monday, LSU football head coach Brian Kelly was

askedabout his reactionto Ory’spresentation of the evidence.

“I’m followingitjust like you guys are,” he added. “Let’s just be patient, be sure all information gets out. He’sloved by us, was lovedbefore andisloved after. There’s not really aneed to talk to our team. They followitand love Kyren. He was agreat teammateand is going to be missed.”

As thestory becomes more viral, Kenny Lacy has warned againstvilifying the woman whose car swerved

into the victim’svehicle.

“Y’all gonnapushthat young lady intothe same mind state Kyren Lacy was in, andIdon’t wishthaton nobody’skid,”Kenny Lacy wrote on Facebook He endedthe Tuesday evening interviewbyaddressing thosewho judged his son without knowing him: “I wish them the best. Ipromise he would have changedyourmind.”

Email Aidan McCahill at aidan.mccahill@ theadvocate.com.

Mugs, shirts,hats,

Tenminutes after the crash,Lacy stopped at a business11miles away and called apersonal injury and defense attorneyinthe BatonRouge area,State Police said. Both Ory and Kyren’s father have said that attorneywas Kyren’sstepfather, who he had acloserelationship with.

Staffgraphic

Note:Graphic nottoscale

Source:Policereports

“The evidenceisnot disputed here.The Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office was preparedto present the case to a grand jury that showed KyrenLacyreturning to his lane.However,that does not absolve Kyren Lacy of responsibilityin this matter,” Murrill said in astatement.“Every witness identified thegreen ChargerKyrenLacy was determined to be driving, as having put theevents in motion that led to the head-on collision, which killed 78-year-old veteran Herman Hall.”

On theday he died,Lacy was fleeingpoliceinHouston after afamily member reported he shot agun into the ground during an argument.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, he

WASHINGTON PresidentDonald Trump has called off U.S. diplomatic engagement with Venezuela, people familiar withthe move said, adecision that favors Secretary of State Marco Rubio’smorehard-lineapproach and may leadtofurther military escalation.

Trump told RichardGrenell, alongtime aide who had been leading diplomacy with Venezuela, that he should stop pursuinga deal with Nicolas Maduro’sadministration, accordingtothe people, whoaskednot to be identified because they weren’tauthorized to speak publicly.Grenell had been speaking to Venezuelan officials every few days. The decision wasreported earlier by the New York Times. It marks avictory forRu-

bio,who had waged aturf war withGrenell andfavors amore hard-line approach to the Maduro government.The White House and State Department didn’timmediately respondtorequests for comment.

Trumphas alreadyordered multiple strikes on drug traffickingvesselsatsea andhas recently suggested he could order theU.S.militarytoescalatethose attacks by hittingcartel infrastructure on land —a move that may alsoinvolve risky strikes on Venezuelan militarytargets.

Last week, the White House declared that the U.S. was in a“non-international armed conflict”withdrugcartelsflooding thecountrywith illegal drugs like fentanyl.

While hisadministration has openly called Maduro an illegitimatepresident and has a $50millionbounty on him for narco-terrorism,”aU.S. military attack on asovereign nation would still be adramatic turn for Trump.

Gaza talksenter second dayonwar’s anniversary

BY SAMY MAGDY and DAVID RISING Associated Press

CAIRO— Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed at an Egyptian resort city on Tuesday,the two-year anniversary of the militant group’ssurprise attack on Israel that triggeredthe bloody conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The second day of indirect negotiations at the Red Sea resortofSharm el-Sheikh is focused on aplan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump last weekthat aims to bringabout an endto the war Khalil al-Hayya, asenior Hamas official, told Egypt’s Qahera TV that Hamas wanted guarantees of alasting ceasefire as part of any deal to return the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive. It appeared to be his first public appearance since an Israeli strike targeting him and other top Hamas leaders in Qatar last month killed six people, including his son and office manager Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted Trump’splan, which calls for the immediate release of the hostages. The plan also calls for Gazatobe

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Stripcarry posters withportraits of their loved ones during aprotest demanding their immediate release and calling for aceasefire in Jerusalem on Tuesday,the second anniversaryofHamas’ cross-border attack on Israel on Oct. 7,2023,which sparked theongoing warinGaza.

placed underinternational governance and for Hamas to be disarmed, elements the militants haveyet to accept. Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday that Israel was “cautiously optimistic,” framing thetalks as technical negotiationsoveraplan that both sides already had approved

The planhas received widespread international backing, and Trump told reporters on Monday that he thought there was a“really goodchance” of alasting deal. In asign the talks were

gaining momentum,Qatar said itsprime minister and top diplomat,Sheikh Mohammed binAbdulrahman Al Thani, would travel to Egypt on Wednesday to jointhe negotiations.Trump’sMideast envoySteve Witkoff and the president’sson-in-law,Jared Kushner,aswell as topNetanyahu adviser Ron Dermer,are also expected to join the talks then Trump’speace plan

The plan envisions Israel withdrawing itstroops from Gaza afterHamas disarms, and an international security

Pro-Palestinianprotestsheldon anniversaryofHamas’attack

BY SUZAN FRASER Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey Protesters gatheredinseveralcountries Tuesday to condemn the war in Gaza as Israelis marked the secondanniversary of the Hamas attack that sparked the fighting that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and spilled violence across the MiddleEast.

More than 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched to the U.S. EmbassyinIndonesia’scapital of Jakarta to denounce Israel’sblockade of Gaza and the detention of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla that tried to breakthrough lastweek Chanting “Free free Palestine” and waving flags, demonstrators called for the activists’releaseand condemned two years of Israeli military action in Gaza.

Authorities in Indonesia —the world’smost populous Muslim majoritynation and one that has no formalties with Israel —deployed over 1,000 police to secure the embassy Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 people in the Oct. 7, 2023,attack during a major Jewish holiday.Most hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals.

Israel’sretaliatory offensiveinGazahas killed more than67,000people, destroyed vast areas of the strip, displaced around 90% of the population of

some 2million and caused ahumanitarian crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine.

Theconflict has sent ripplesacross the region, bringing Israel into combat with Lebanon’sHezbollah group, Yemen’sHouthirebels and militant groups in Iraqand Syria alongwith theirpatron, Iran, which suffered majorlosses in a12-day war with Israel in June.

U.S. embassies across Europewarned Americans to stay vigilant on theanniversary of theattacks citingpotential threats and protests. The coordinated notices from embassiesin Armenia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany,Greece, Iceland, Norway,Spain and Turkey urged heightened awareness and personal security precautions.

In Japan, hundreds of protesters,including Palestinians, marched through downtown Tokyo demanding aceasefire inGaza and the hostages’release. Similar protests were held in Osaka and other major cities.

Lena Grace Suda, a 30-year-old Tokyo resident who joined therally,called for sanctionsagainstIsrael.

“Recognizingthe state of Palestineisnot enough if you’re still complicit in thegenocide,”she said. A growing numberofexperts, including those commissioned by aU.N. body,have said Israel’soffensive in Gaza amountstogenocide —anaccusation Israel ve-

hemently denies.

Hundreds of students and staff from universitiesin London and elsewhere in the U.K. joined protestsdemanding an end to the war in Gaza, defying warnings from Britain’sprimeminister that such demonstrations risk fueling antisemitism.

Keir Starmer hadwarned protesters that marching on theanniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks were “un-British” and disrespectful.

Many of thoserallying carried flags and placards bearing pro-Palestinian slogans.

“Ifyou thinkthatmeprotesting for human rightsofa group of people is offensive towards you, then that is your problem,”saidMuhlisa Husainova, 19.

In Turkey,where public support for Palestinians runs deep, hundreds of demonstratorstookpartin arally organized by various civil society groups, waving Palestinian flags and calling for an end to Israel’sactions in Gaza.

Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s libertarian PresidentJavier Milei, avocal supporterofIsrael, paid tributetothe victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7attack at acampaign eventthatfelt morelike arock concert.

“Israel is the bastion of theWest, andthat’swhy terrorists and theleft wing aretogether,”Milei told the crowd. “They knowby destroying Israel, they’re destroying theworldand Judeo-Christian culture.”

force being put in place. The territory would be placed underinternational governance, with Trumpand former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it In astatementissued Tuesday,Hamas reiterated itslongstanding demands for alasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza butsaid nothingabout disarmament

The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200people,mostly civilians, andabducted 251. Most have since been released in ceasefires or other deals.

The ensuing war has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry,and left the territoryinruins.

Theministry does notdifferentiate between civilians and combatants, but says

around half of the deaths were women and children.

Theministryispartofthe Hamas-run government, and the United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartimecasualties.

Agrowing numberofexperts, including thosecommissioned by aU.N.body, have said Israel’soffensive in Gaza amountstogenocide —anaccusation Israel vehemently denies.

Promiseofrelief

Ahead of the resumption of talks, U.N. SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said the hostilities have created “a humanitarian catastrophe on ascale that defied comprehension.”

Trump’sproposal “presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end,” Guterres said in astatement.

Egypt and Qatar,which have been mediating between the sidesfor most of thewar,are facilitating the latest talks. Majedal-Ansari, aspokesman for Qatar’sForeign Ministry,said Monday’s talks went on for around four hours. Witkoff and Kushner are expected to join the talks on Wednesday, according to a U.S. official whowas not authorized to brief reporters because the trip has not yet been formally announced. Dermer, Netanyahu’stop adviser,was also heading to Egypt on Wednesday,according to an Israeliofficial speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Part of the plan is to surge humanitarian aidintoGaza, where more than2 million Palestinians arefacing hunger and, in someareas, famine.

Court reverses defamation ruling

Judge says claims by librarian were dismissed too early

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

An appeals court has ruled that a Livingston Parish librarian’s defamation lawsuit against conservative bloggers who implied in online posts that she was promoting porn in libraries will be heard again in the trial court. Louisiana’s 1st Circuit Court of

Hotel Indigo sold to A&R Group

Alabama firm expands into Louisiana market

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Downtown’s Hotel Indigo has a new owner Alabama-based A&R Group purchased the hotel from Project King LLC in a deal that closed last Friday. The sale price was undisclosed. Morgan Doffee, the director of communications for the A&R Group, said the company is trying to expand its reach in the Gulf Coast.

Hotel Indigo is A&R Group’s second Louisiana property, following the acquisition of the Hampton Inn in Metairie. The company owns properties in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Colorado and has an upcoming development in California.

Doffee said the Greater New Orleans area tourism drew the group to the Louisiana market. Baton Rouge’s Mardi Gras celebrations, LSU and proximity to the business district will draw patrons to the downtown hotel, she said.

“It will be a destination for business and leisure,” Doffee said. The branding, which Doffee said models Baton Rouge’s “unique

Appeal ruled Tuesday to reverse and remand the original ruling from a district court in October 2022, which had dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by school librarian Amanda Jones.

Judge Erika Sled, of the 21st Judicial District Court, dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Jones was a limited public figure and that the bloggers’ posts were opinions. The judge also later denied the librarian’s request for a new trial. The appellate court ruled that the district court dismissed Jones’ claims too early and that

Jones had presented sufficient evidence to suggest that some of the posts might be deemed defamatory

The appellate court’s decision calls for the district court’s judgment to be overturned and that the lawsuit will be sent back to that court to be heard again, according to the judgment.

“The truth will always eventually prevail,” Jones said Tuesday about the ruling.

Jones filed the lawsuit after a 2022 meeting of the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control, where discussions took place

about restricting access to books that some attendees deemed inappropriate for children.

Jones, who is a librarian for Livingston Parish Public Schools, spoke out at the meeting against possible book banning and censorship.

Michael Lunsford, a blogger and executive director of Citizens for a New Louisiana, spoke at the same meeting, alleging that some books were inappropriate and should be restricted.

Following the meeting, Jones said she was the target of several blog posts by Lunsford and

Ryan Thames, implying she was grooming children and promoting pornography in the libraries. Thames lives in Denham Springs and operates the Facebook page Bayou State of Mind. Jones, who was president of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians at the time, said she received at least one death threat following the meeting and posts. She said Tuesday that the latest ruling shows it is not acceptable to defame individuals who speak

Dwight Mayeux demonstrates writing with a quill pen made from a feather during Harvest Days at the LSU Rural Life Museum on Saturday in Baton Rouge.

Rural life

Ex-pediatrician sentenced for child pornography

Belda faces deportation after 10 years in prison

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Three years ago, Antonio Felipe Belda was a Canadian-born transplant living the American dream. He had a wife, a son on the horizon and a cozy home in Baton Rouge’s Garden District He also had made good on his dream of becoming a doctor

But Belda’s charmed life came crashing down in September 2022 when a little more than a month after he was hired as a pediatric cardiologist at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, he was arrested for possession of child pornography

On Tuesday, a federal judge in downtown Baton Rouge sentenced Belda to 10 years in prison.

U.S. District Judge John deGravelles called the allegations

against Belda “extremely troubling” and described them as “shocking.” When authorities raided Belda’s house, they found more than 3,000 images and 171 videos downloaded to his devices. Some of the content depicted girls as young as 8 years old being sexually assaulted, and at least one photo showed alleged animal abuse, according to the judge.

“Something is driving a young man who’s very smart, very talented to do these things It’s something that you’re going to have to figure out what it is and turn it around,” deGravelles told Belda. “Because if you don’t, you’ll get out and this will happen again Then you’ll be back in front of some other judge, for a longer period of incarceration.”

Belda, 40, faces the likelihood of being deported back to Canada and disconnected from his wife and 2-year-old son when he is released from prison.

According to a federal complaint, special agents with Homeland Security Investigations

received a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that ignited the investigation into Belda’s online activity

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies assigned to the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations’ Cyber Crimes Unit traced explicit photos and videos to Belda’s Google account and IP address and determined he uploaded the child pornography on Aug. 27, 2022, and various other dates. Deputies and HSI special agents raided Belda’s Belmont Avenue house about a month later and seized the hard drive from his second-floor office.

In November Belda pleaded guilty to the child porn charge in federal court, admitting that his illegal online activity stretched back to at least December 2020.

In court Tuesday Belda apologized and shed tears of remorse for his actions as his wife and other relatives sat in the courtroom watching.

“I feel disgusted by the fact I’ve caused harm to these victims

and that I’ve perpetuated a cycle of trauma to a group of people that have already had so much taken from them,” he said. “I’ve spent so much of my life trying to help and serve others, but my actions here went in direct opposition to that and I feel deep regret for the pain that I caused them.” Federal prosecutors emphasized that in addition to downloading pornographic child sexual content, Belda roamed around Baton Rouge and other areas producing lewd videos of his own. Investigators found 105 videos he filmed that showed unsuspecting young women in public places, like the LSU Student Union. Several of the girls he followed appeared to be as young as 15. Belda zoomed in on the females’ buttocks and crotch regions so closely their genitalia were visible through their underwear He then edited the videos and uploaded footage online through a MediaFire account.

CDC: 17% of La. adults binge drink

State tied with Maine at 30th

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of Americans drink alcohol, 17% binge drink and 6% drink heavily Louisiana, although known for its year-round Mardi Gras spirit and drive-thru daiquiris, ranks 30th (tied with Maine) in the nation for adults who binge drink with 17.7% of adults reporting binge drinking in 2022. Binge drinking is defined as when an adult female has four or more drinks or an adult male

2arrestedinburglaryofSaintsplayer’shome

Suspects

identified in Old Metairie incident

BY MICHELLEHUNTER Staff writer

TwoGeorgiamen have been arrestedand two more arewanted forallegedly burglarizing the Old Metairie home of New OrleansSaintsplayerCam Jordan. The burglary occurred Sept. 14 as the defensive endwas playinga noon game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish SheriffJoseph Lopinto said Tuesday “Within 12 hours, we had the vehicle identified. In 16 hours, it was over,and we had …(detectives) driving to Georgia,” Lopinto said AuthoritiesinGeorgia have arrested Donald Robinson, 28, of Stockbridge, and Jadon Brown, 19, of Conyers, Lopinto said. Warrants have beenissued for Jahaun Suber,20, and Devell Ortiz, 19, both of Conyers. Once extradited to Jefferson Parish, the men could face several charges, including simple burglary and possessionofstolen property,Lopinto said They could also be facing additional federal charges

SENTENCED

Continued from page1B

The judge noted Belda sharedand traded his videos by posting them on a voyeuristic pornography website.

Assistant U.S. Attorney

as the FBI is involvedinthe investigation,Lopinto said. Theinvestigationrevealedthatthe suspects renteda vehicle in Atlanta and then made thedrive to the New Orleans area, breaking intoJordan’s house during the game, according to Lopinto. He did notdisclose whatwas taken from thehome. The burglary was discovered later that evening

EdwardWarner said Belda continued to make the videos even after becoming apediatrician, ajob that gavehim access to minors. Warnersaidthe brazenness of Belda’scrimes made him athreat to public safety DavidRozas, Belda’s attorney, agreed thebe-

when Jordan’s wifereturned home,hesaid. The Sheriff’s Office burglarydivisioncanvassed the neighborhood and used videotoidentify asuspect vehicle. Thedepartment typically uses amix of videos from home surveillancesystems, mounted crimecameras and licenseplate recognition cameras. The department tracked the suspect vehicle back

havior was “reckless and unfiltered.” But he told thejudge none of Belda’s searches for pornography involving prepubescent teens or sadistic sexual content was intentional, accordingtoadefense expert’sforensic analysis. The childporn on hiselectronic devices, he said, was

to Georgia, where Conyers police conducted atraffic stop,taking oneofthe suspects into custody, Lopinto said. Asecondsuspect was arrestedthe following day. Investigators did recover propertystolen in the burglary, Lopinto said.

Jordon referenced the burglaryinXpostTuesday, saying “Yah, that Sunday sucked. …The most important things, my family,was

from bulk files thatstored automatically when Belda downloaded the photos and videos.

Rozas also told the judge Belda’s toddlerson suffers from arare neurodegenerative disease thatrequires daily therapy andconstant care.

“This is aman that hasno

DRINK

Continuedfrom page1B

and is safe.”

Lopinto could notsay whether Jordan’sburglary was directly related to similar break-ins targeting professional athletes during away games

In February, federal authorities in Ohio indicted four Chilean nationals with the Dec. 9burglary of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home in Hamilton County,Ohio, according to an ABC news story

“Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the allegedtip of theiceberg of South American theft groups committing crimes throughout ourdistrictand elsewhere,” said U.S.Attorney KennethL.Parker said following their indictment.

Lopintosaid theburglaryofJordan’s home mayhavebeen acopycatact,but didnot say whether those arrestedare suspected in any similar burglaries

He alsodid not speculate on whetherthe burglary suspects had anything to do with their proximity to the Saints’ division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, but said, “I’m sure he’ll get his revenge on the playing field whenwegoback and play Atlanta.”

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

prior record, he has accepted responsibility,complied fully with supervision, and has been active in therapy and rebuilding his life,” Rozas said. “He has shown real remorseand genuine change.”

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

n Bienville, Claiborne, Lincoln and Webster parishes at 17%.

Continued from page1B

outagainst book censorship at public meetings Lunsford said Tuesday he is ready forthese legalproceedings to be over after along three years and hopes it is not another three years. “I think we’ve got the same shot we had before,” Lunsford said. Tuesday’sdecision comes afterthe Louisiana Supreme Court in December vacated an appellatecourt judgment in favor of Jones and ordered the matter be reconsidered on its merits.

HOTEL

Continued from page1B

character,” andstaffing of the hotel will remain the same. General manager Braylon Hyde said the transfer of ownership has been asmooth transition forthe hotel and its staff. The Hotel Indigo brand is managed by InterContinental HotelsGroup. The building was formerly the historic HotelKing, whichopenedin2011at 200 Convention St. after undergoing a$25 million renovation that transformed it into an upscale, boutique lodge.The 93room buildinggot a$10 million “Red Stick industrial” makeover last year

has five or more drinks on one occasion.

Ascension and Lafayette parishes had the highest percentage of adultswho excessivelydrink,with 23%ofadults reporting heavy or binge drinking.

Drinking heavily is definedaswhen an adult femalehas eight or more drinks or an adult male has 15 or more drinks in aweek. Nearly alladults who drink heavily also binge drink, according to the CDC.

Beauregard, Cameron, Jefferson,Jefferson Davis, Livingston, Orleans, St. Charles,St. Tammany andWestFeliciana parishes had thenext-highest percentage of excessively drinking adultswith22% of adults reporting heavy or binge drinking.

People who bingedrink are at higherrisk for serioushealth effectsfrom alcohol compared to people who do not binge drink. Excessive alcohol use has also been linked to cancer,high blood pressure, heart and liver disease, stroke, memory problems and mental health conditions

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY

MONDAY,OCT.6,2025

In Louisiana,the parishes with the smallest percentageofadults who reported binge or heavy drinking include, in ascending orderare:

n East Carroll and Madisonparishes at 15%

n Tensas Parish at 16%

PICK 3: 5-7-2

PICK 4: 9-3-1-5

PICK 5: 9-9-5-0-1

POWERBALL: 28-29-3266-67 (3) Unofficial notification, keep your tickets

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Fire disrupts aluminum supply for automakers

Ford Motor Co. said it’s working to minimize manufacturing disruptions after a fire took out a New York plant that supplies roughly 40% of the aluminum sheet used in the auto industry Aluminum makes up the bodies of the automaker’s F-Series trucks, the country’s best-selling vehicles that drive the company’s earnings A late-night fire on Sept. 16 at Atlantabased Novelis Inc.’s Oswego, New York, plant damaged a building with the company’s hot mill that supplies the aluminum sheets for automakers, rendering it unusable. A major part of the plant will be offline until early next year Ford declined to provide details on the fire’s impact, including whether vehicle production has been affected. Dearborn Truck Assembly, one of Ford’s plants that produces F-150s, was running Tuesday, said Tony Richard, first vice president of United Auto Workers Local 600 that represents employees at the plant. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the fire’s automotive sector disruptions. About a dozen automakers use aluminum from Novelis, including Ford, Chrysler-maker Stellantis NV, Toyota Motor Corp., Hyundai Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Stellantis spokesperson Jodi Tinson said the company is monitoring the situation at Novelis.

USDA: Hello Fresh’s spinach may be tainted with listeria Federal health officials late Monday warned people not to eat certain Hello Fresh subscription meal kits containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria.

The U.S. Agriculture Department issued a public health alert for the meals, which were produced by FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California-based company linked to an expanding listeria outbreak tied to heat-and-eat pasta meals.

The products include 10.1-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and 10-ounce containers of Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. Both were shipped directly to consumers.

The pork pepper pasta is identified with establishment number Est. 47718 and lot code 49107 or Est. 2937 and lot code 48840. The unstuffed peppers with ground turkey is identified with Est. P-47718 and lot codes 50069, 50073 or 50698.

Toyota recalls nearly 400K Tundras and Sequoias

WASHINGTON Toyota is recalling nearly 400,000 vehicles because the rearview camera may not display when backing up, increasing the risk of a crash, federal traffic safety regulators said. Included in the recall are 2022-25 Toyota Tundras and Tundra hybrids and 2023-25 Sequoia hybrids. The number of automobiles in the recall totals 393,838, with the nonhybrid Tundra making up more than half of them.

The camera display malfunction is caused by a software problem, which will be fixed with an update by dealerships free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov 16 Owners can contact Toyota’s customer service at (800) 331-4331. The numbers for the recall are 25TB10 and 25TA10 Tesla drops prices on two models

NEW YORK Tesla rolled out new, cheaper versions of two of its electric car models on Tuesday in hopes the offerings will help revive flagging sales.

The new Model Y, costing just under $40,000 with a stripped-down interior follows a slump in Tesla sales covering most of the past year due to anti-Elon Musk boycotts targeting the company The company is also offering a cheaper version of its Model 3 for under $35,000.

The company is under intense pressure to lift sales but is facing big challenges. In addition to anti-Musk backlash, it is contending with a likely hit to demand after a federal tax credit worth as $7,500 for EV purchases expired at the end of September Compared

Stocks snap 7-day winning streak

Gold price tops $4,000 per ounce

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK Wall Street’s recordbreaking rally ran out of momentum on Tuesday after the price of gold topped $4,000 per ounce for the first time.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.4% from its latest all-time high and broke a seven-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7%.

Stocks took a pause following a nearly relentless rush higher since April on hopes that the economy will remain resilient and that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates. Tesla was the heaviest weight

on the market and dropped 4.4% after unveiling cheaper versions of two of its electric car models. The stock gave back most of its leap from the prior day, when speculation and hype built after Tesla hinted at a coming product announcement.

Oracle also helped drag the market lower It fell 2.5% after a news report suggested it’s making thin profit margins on a key line of business related to artificial-intelligence technology

The frenzy around AI has been one of the biggest trends guiding Wall Street to record after record recently It’s been so strong that it’s raised worries that prices have potentially shot too high across the market.

On Tuesday Dell climbed 3.5% after executives talked up the company’s opportunity for growth because of AI at an investment conference. Advanced Micro Devices rallied 3.8% to add to its surge from Monday, when it announced a deal where OpenAI will use its chips to power AI infrastructure. IBM rose 1.5% after announcing a partnership that will integrate Anthropic’s Claude AI chatbot into some of its software products.

In Toronto, shares of Trilogy Metals more than tripled after the White House said late Monday that it’s taking a 10% equity stake in the Canadian company while allowing the Ambler Road mining project in Alaska to go forward.

President Donald Trump late Monday ordered the approval of a proposed 211-mile road through an Alaska wilderness to allow mining of copper cobalt gold and other minerals used in production of cars, electronics and other technologies. Trilogy is seeking to develop the Ambler site along with an Australian partner

Much is riding on expectations that the AI investment boom will pay off by making the global economy more productive and driving more growth. Without that increased efficiency, inflation could push higher due to upward pressure coming from the mountains of debt that the U.S. and other governments worldwide are building. That has optimists on Wall Street buying tech stocks and pessimists buying gold, according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group.

Trump mulls trade deal

Canadian leader expresses concerns over negotiations among North American countries

BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was open to extending the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada through a renegotiation or seeking “different deals” as he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House.

Carney made his second visit to the Oval Office ahead of next year’s review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and as one of the world’s most durable and amicable alliances has been affected by Trump’s trade war and annexation threats.

The free trade agreement was enacted during Trump’s first term, and it allows the majority of Canadian and Mexican goods to be shipped to the U.S. without tariffs.

But Trump has made it clear since returning to office that he wants to reshape the relationship, and he expressed ambivalence over the process as long as he feels like he’s able to improve America’s position.

“We could renegotiate it, and that would be good, or we can just do different deals,” he said.

“We’re allowed to do different deals if we want. We might make deals that are better for the individual countries.”

The remarks suggested that Trump is willing to let uncertainty over the agreement’s future linger

‘Natural conflict’

Carney entered the visit hoping to find some relief on sectorspecific tariffs. There is fear in Canada over what will happen to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is critical to

Canada’s economy More than three-quarters of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. Trump showed a fondness for Carney — something he didn’t display toward Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau — but noted there was a “natural conflict” between the two countries, a point to which the prime minister politely disagreed.

“We want Canada to do great,” Trump said. “But you know, there’s a point at which we also want the same business.”

Asked why the U.S. and Canada have failed to reach a deal on trade, Trump said it’s a complicated situation.

“We have natural conflict,” he said. “We also have mutual love.”

Carney balked at Trump’s use of the word “conflict.”

“There are areas where we compete, and it’s in those areas where we have to come to an agreement that works. But there are more areas where we are stronger together, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

‘Outright rebellion’

Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state and his tariffs have Canadians feeling an undeniable sense of betrayal. The U.S. president made a joking reference to a “merger” between the two countries at the top of his remarks Tuesday Relations with Canada’s southern neighbor and longtime ally are at a low point.

“We’ve had ups and downs, but this is the lowest point in relations that I can recall,” said Frank McKenna, a former Canadian ambassador to the United States and current deputy chairman of TD Bank.

“I talk every day to ordinary citizens who are changing their

vacation plans, and I talk to large business owners who are moving reward trips away or executive business trips,” McKenna said. “There is an outright rebellion.”

Carney has said the USMCA is an advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market. Carney has said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that more than 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs.

But Trump has some sectorspecific tariffs on Canada, known as Section 232 tariffs, that are having an impact There are 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, for example.

Asked by a reporter about the prospect of Canada getting some relief in steel and aluminum tariffs, Trump said it would be something they would discuss.

Close connections

The ties between the two countries are without parallel. About $2.5 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. There is close cooperation on defense, border security and law enforcement, and a vast overlap in culture, traditions and pastimes.

About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada.

Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security

Official says shutdown adds stress on air traffic controllers

that small communities rely on to help subsidize airline service. Controllers are expected to continue working without a paycheck Duffy said, so they are now worried about how to pay their bills in addition to worrying about keeping flights safe. And there have started to be instances of controllers calling out sick, leading to delays at several airports Monday “Now what they think about as they’re controlling our airspace is, how am I going to pay my mortgage? How do I make my car payment? I have a couple kids at home. How do I put food on the table? I’m working six days a week. Do I have to take a second job and drive Uber when I’m already exhausted from doing a job that’s already stressful to think about how I can make extra money because the government may not provide me a paycheck?” Duffy said.

The Transportation Department has been able to keep the air traffic controller academy in Oklahoma City open for now with funding from previous years, but Duffy is still concerned about the potential impact on efforts to hire and train new controllers in the hope of eliminating a longstanding shortage. Duffy said the support staff who train controllers after they come out of the academy could be laid off.

By Monday evening, the FAA was reporting that staffing shortages were creating delays in the Burbank, Newark and Denver airports. The worst problems were in Burbank, where California Gov Gavin Newsom said no controllers were on duty during the evening, leading to average delays of 21/2 hours at that airport.

The Essential Air Service program that subsidizes airline service to small communities across the country will also quickly run out of money Duffy said that program enjoys strong bipartisan support and provides an important lifeline to many small communities. It is especially important in Alaska, where flying is the only way to travel between many communities.

“That money runs out this Sunday So there’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their community,” Duffy said.

George,James

Church,2250 Main St BatonRouge LAat 11am

Spradley,Thomas FirstUnitedMethodist Church,930 North Blvd, BatonRouge,LAat11am.

Obituaries

Barry, Robert Joseph 'Bob'

Robert Joseph "Bob"

Barry, of Baton Rouge,LA passed awayatthe age of 89 on October 5, 2025 surrounded by loved ones at St. James Place. Born on March 16, 1936 in Plaquemine, LA to Patrick and Connie Barry,and aresident of Baton Rouge for the last 60 years, Bob was adored by his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends. Bob was adevoted father, aproud US Marine, asuccessful insurance agent and alifelong LSU sports fanatic. He loved meeting new people, and never forgot aname or a face, or your favorite football team. His mischievous sense of humor provided endless stories that entertained anyone of any age. His ability to cite sports statistics was legendary, and it is rumoredthat since the age of 12 he never missed an LSU football game kickoff (even if he had to wear aradio earpiecewhile attending your wedding, or his own daughter's).

Bob attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge and graduated from Plaquemine High School, where he lettered in football, basketball,baseball and track. He attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL before transferring to LSU, where he joined Sigma Nu fraternity. In 1956hejoined and honorably served in the US Marine Corps before returning to LSU, where he graduated with aBSinBusiness Administration. Bob had a long and successful career as an insurance agent until his retirement in 2016. He is survived by his children, CarolineBarry Atkinson (Dudley Atkin-

son)ofBaton Rouge, MaryAdelleBarry(Trey Goodwillie)ofTampa, FL, Patrick O'KeefeBarry of Tampa, FL, and hisfive grandchildrenMaryGrace Thurmon of SanFrancisco CA,Olivia Thurmon Beaumont (Stephen) of New Orleans, LouisThurmon of Seattle,WA, LilaGoodwillie of New York,NYand Kate Goodwillie of Tampa, FL. Bob was also amuch-loved uncle and great-uncleto many, but his niece Liz Rubenstein Wancuraof Salida, CO was especially close to his heart. Bob was preceded in death by his father Patrick P. BarrySr.,motherConstance"Connie"Rhorer Barry, and siblings Patrick P. BarryJr.,MaryGrace BarryKinberger and John O'Keefe "Jack" Barry.

The family is extremely grateful to the care team at St. James Place Highland CourtMemory Care, TheHospice of Baton Rouge (especially his wonderful Nurse Susie) and his primary care doctor of many years, Dr. Adrian Landry. Special thanks to the wonderful caregivers who provided companionshipinhis final years, Marcy Hammond McInnisand Paulette Steely.Wefind comfortinknowing Bob is now at peace, enjoyingthe freedom and joyofGod's eternal kingdom.

Avisitation willbeheld on Thursday October 9, 2025 at Rabenhorst Funeral HomeonGovernment Street at 1pm, with afuneral service beginning at 2pm, and receptiontofollow

St Rose —Irene MokryckiEstay passedaway Saturday October 4th, 2025, surrounded by love. Known forher dedication to family, Irene leaves behind her husband of 54 years Tommy, son Stephen(Shanna) daughter Sarah(Ashlynn) and two beautiful granddaughtersAlyssa &Chloe. She is also survivedbysistersChristina, Johanna, and Stephanie. Proud of her Polish ancestry,Irene is proceeded in death by her parents Stefan and Helana Mokrycki.At Irene's request, there will be no services.Withholiday and family gatherings deeply important,she made it known she wanted us alltosharea laughand raise aglass in honorof her journey home. Acelebrationofher lifewill be held at alater time.

Harvey, David Thompson

DavidThompson Harvey,Jr.,92, of Winter Park, Florida, passed awayon Friday, August 22, 2025. He was born December 21, 1932,inBaton Rouge, Louisiana.Davegraduated from Suwannee Military Academy, Suwannee,TN, and Louisiana State University,Engineering. After

graduationheworked with Naval SeaSystems Command,InteriorCommunications in WashingtonDc. He retired in 1989 as the first civilian to receive their newly created Award forExcellence.Heissurvivedbyhis loving wife of 53 years, Nancy Palmer;a belovedniece Jeanne James (David), agreat niece Sara J. Svendson (Wade), and twogreat Nephews Williamand Carter James. He was preceded in deathbyhis dear sisterJeanHarveyCuret (Louis), abeloved nephew David James,jr. and hisfather David T.Harvey Sr.and MotherJeanne Medevielle. Burial was September 13th Roselawn Cemetery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana witha graveside serviceconducted by Rev. Meredith Barber, The UnitarianChurch of BatonRouge.There will be aCelebrationofDavid's life 11:00am Saturday, November 1st,First UnitarianChurch of Orlando. To share memories or condolences, visit https:// www.dignitymemorial.com /obituaries/

Lloyd John Hebert, born October15, 1948, passed away peacefully after a battle withcancer and pneumoniaonOctober5, 2025. He was married to his highschoolsweetheart, Sharon McCroryHebert, foralmost 58 years.

Lloyd was agraduateof East AscensionHigh School, Class of 1967. He completedthe Millwright Apprenticeship Program at Baton Rouge Vo-Tech and was aproud member of Millwright Local720 of BatonRouge for over50 years. He also assisted his wife in her real estatebusiness for 43 years. He lovedriding horses, spending timewithhis friends and family,dancing to swamp pop music, drinking his CoorsLight, playing the baritone saxophone,and lending ahand to anyone in need.

He had themost gentle soul and lovedeveryone unconditionally

He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin "Pete" Hebert Sr. and Lena Hebert; sister, Dolores Diez; brother,Carroll "Snag"Hebert; fatherand mother-in-law, Loy "Sonny" McCrory and Mary "Sister" McCrory;and sister-in-law, Marilyn Balfantz.

He is survivedbyhis wife, SharonMcCrory Hebert;son and daughterin-law,Trampas and Jayann Hebert; daughter and son-in-law,Wendi and Omar Rodriguez;granddaughter, RylieHebert (Ray Borne); grandsons, Aaronand Dylan Rodriguez, andEvan Chandler (Sarah Chandler); greatgrandchildren, Raeganand LukeChandler; brother, MelvinHebert Jr. (Norma Burns); and sister, Carolyn Sholar (GlenSholar).

Pallbearers willbe Trampas Hebert,Omar Rodriguez, Dwight Braud,Larry Babin, RoyDeveer, and Fred Waites. Honorarypallbearer is Melvin Hebert Jr.

Visitation willbeheldat St.John theEvangelist CatholicChurch in Prairieville, La., on Saturday, October11, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. A Mass willfollow at 11:00 a.m.,withburialimmediately after at themausoleum. Allare welcome to join and celebrate his life afterwardatthe St.John ActivityCenter The family wouldliketo thank theBaton Rouge GeneralICU department (dayand nightcrews) for theexceptional care providedinhis final days

Henry, anativeofAddis, passed on Thursday, October2,2025 at theage of 75. Viewing is Wednesday October8,2025 from5pm7pmatRoscoeMortuary Funeral Service is Thursday, October9,2025 at 10:00 a.m. St.Mary AME Church Addis, LA 70710 Rev. Floyd Womack, Pastor Interment in Louisiana National Cemetery.Roscoe Mortuary in charge.

Philip S. Korosecof Biloxi,Mississippi,and formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on October 3, 2025, while doing something he lovedtraveling to England to cheeronhis beloved Cleveland Browns. Bornand raised in Cleveland, Philip attended St.Jerome's School and St. JosephHighSchool, later graduatingfrom the UniversityofDayton.Hespent his career in thepetrochemical Industry where he patented 11 oiladditivesused in oilproducts around theworld today. He carrieda lifelong pridein his Cleveland roots and his faith, as well as adeep love of family,sports,and adventure. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jean and Stanley Korosec, and by his belovedwife,Patricia AKorosec. He leaves behind hischildren, Chris Korosec, KathleenHolmes, Alan Korosec, Jeanne Korosec, and Philip Korosec; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren, along with an extended family,all of whomwill miss his warmth,and unwavering support Those who knew Phil willremember hisgenerous heart,his senseoffun, and his abilitytobring people together. He lived life fully,and even in his final days, he was doing exactly what brought him joy. Plans fora celebration

of hislifewillbeshared with familyand friends at alater date.

Leggio,Jerome Philip 'Jerry'

Jerome"Jerry" Philip Leggio, Jr passedaway in hishomeatthe age of 90 on Wednesday, October1, 2025. He was born in Baton Rouge,Louisianaon September 23, 1935, at the Old Lady of theLake Hospital to Jerry, Sr., andAudrey Cotton Leggio. Jerryand hisloving wife,Gloria, were marriedfor 67 years. He graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1953, and from Louisiana State University in 1957. After college, Jerrydiscovered hislove for theater. He couldoften be foundon stage at the Baton Rouge Little Theaterand the CabaretTheater.Some of hisfavorite plays he starredinwere"AStreetcarNamed Desire," "Inherit theWind," "TheKingand I," "Carousel,""Kismet," "Camelot," andmanyothers. Giving up thespotlight in NewYorkand Hollywood, he chose to stay close to home and family to bringthe filmindustry to Louisiana. Agrantfrom Gulf SouthResearch Institute,where he waspersonneldirector, andsupport from John Wayne, ledto hisimpact in thecreation of Hollywood Southin Louisiana in 1969. He went on to lead amulti-state committeetoformthe National Cineposium. In 2014, he earned theAnnePrice Lifetime Achievement Award as recognitionfor hislifelongefforts to grow thefilmindustry in Louisiana. Jerrywas aregular on theWBRZshow, "HIT OR MISS." In 1965, Jerry establishedthe motion picture casting system for Louisiana. He lovedwriting stories aboutlifeevents, films, andaccomplishments on hisblog, "MustardSandwiches." After Jerry's retirement from GSRI, he lovedworkingat theCatholic Charities Diocese of Baton Rouge and theEast Baton Rouge Parish Library. Jerryloved walking, biking,reading, birdwatching, goingtothe beach,playingpiano telling stories,and laughingwith hisfamilyand friends. He also lovedgoingout to eat with friends andfamily. Jerryissurvived by his wife,Gloria Gartman Leggio; brother Dr.Louis WayneLeggio (Lynn); childrenFelicia Leggio Braud (John), Charles Michael "Mike" Leggio, Darrell Anthony Leggio (Kathy), and Charles Thomas Gartman, IV;12grandchildren, Lucas Leggio, DaniellaLeggio, Shane Leggio, Eva Braud, Micah Braud, JolieBraud, KatherinLeggio, John Michael Leggio, Scott Bearden, Allissa Leggio, Tyler Leggio, andBrandonLeggio (Caroline); 4greatgrandchildren, Jace Leggio, Ethan Gill, PresleyBrenner, andElaine Leggio; and numerousnieces and nephews. Jerrywas precededindeathbyhis parents Jerome and Audrey Leggio, hisson Jerome "Jerry"PhilipLeggio, III (Claudia), anddaughter-inlaw Johnnie Michelle BeardenLeggio. Visitation will be at RabenhorstFuneral Home, 825 Government

Street in Baton Rouge,on Tuesday, October 7, from 5:00 PM until8:00 PM. Afuneralmass will take place at SacredHeart of Jesus Catholic Church,2250 Main Street in Baton Rouge,on Wednesday, October8,at 11:00 AM.Burial will follow at Roselawn Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to SacredHeart of Jesus Catholic Church at 2250 Main Street,Baton Rouge LA 70802. Jerrylived along andwonderfullifeand will truly be missed by all who knew andloved him. Break aleg, Jerry! Exit Stage Right.

Marciante, Theodore Joseph

Theodore J. Marciante, theaccomplished writer, poet, historian, researcher, andteacher,diedonOctober6,2025, at Lafayette General Hospital.Hewas 84. He wasthe only son of TheodoreCharles and Angeline Luke Marciante of NewOrleans Mr.Marciante wasa lifetime resident of New Orleans. He lived in Lafayette for 24 years and 3months. He wasthe lecturer and usherofSt. GerardParish for theHearing Impairedin NewOrleans andthe Deaf Action Center of Lafayette. He wasanindependent writer. Oneofhis books, "From Slavery to Freedom in Louisiana 1862 -1865,"m wasone of thetop five best-sellersatthe online store of hispublisher, Dorrance PublishingCo., of Pittsburgh,PA.

Mr.Marciantemay be thefirst Deaf writerto come outofLafayette. His book told thestory of everyday people as they learned to copewith the climate of social change andeconomicupheaval wrought by theCivil War andEmancipation Proclamation.Thiswell-told tale hasbeen called"well-researched," andone reviewer wrote that Marciante"concludes that what is valuedinthe 1860s is what we still value today: thefundamental need for dignity andthe worth of all human beings".

Mr.Marcianteattended theChinchuba Institute of theDeafinMarrero, the Colton PublicSchool, and theJohnMcCrady Art School in NewOrleans,and theLouisiana School for theDeafwith honorsinBaton Rouge,and studied writing at famed Gallaudet University in Washington, DC,the world'sonlycollege for thedeaf.

Mr.Marcianteissurvived by no immediate relatives.Hewas attendedto especially by JamesH.Lalande and Bruce Dunn of Lafayette. Visitation willbeThursday, October9,2025 from 9:00 AM to 12 NoonatDelhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette. Burial willbein Lake LawnMetairie Cemetery in Metairie, Louisiana at 3:00 PM Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 BertrandDrive Lafayette, Louisiana, was in charge of all funeral arrangements.

Lawrence "Larry" Emerson Perdue, III, passed away on Sunday, October 5, 2025, at the age of 82. Born on April 5, 1943, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,Larry wasthe cherished son of the late Emerson L. and Agnes James Perdue. Larry had apassion for learning and teaching others. He earned his BA in Education in 1965 from Northwestern State University and completed his M.Ed at Louisiana State University in 1968, along with extensive coursework toward a Doctorate. He dedicated his career to education, beginning as ateacher and eventually serving as Principal at St. Amant Elementary from 1965 to 1985, followed by his role as Head Master at Christian Life Academy from 1985 until his retirement in 2005. His love for teaching shaped the lives of countless students, and he was atrue beacon of knowledgein the community. Larry was adevout member of Christian Life Fellowship and Healing Place Church, where he found joy in studying God's word, and taught Sunday School for many years. He was an ordained minister and his commitment to his faith extended beyond the classroom, as he participated in mission trips to India and Russia, sharing the message of hope and love. In his leisure time, Larry found solace in reading and exploring history, particularlyhis passion for Civil War history. Larry is preceded in death by his parents, his son, Darren Keith Perdue, grandson, Taylor Tupman; and niece, Jennifer Lynn Campagna; paternal grandparents, Lawrence E. and Eva Webb Perdue; and maternal grandparents, Marshall and Lela Broussard James. He is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Pamela Smith Perdue; daughters, Stefanie Ruff (Phillip) and Milét Phillips; sister, Barbara Campagna (Mickey); uncle, Walter Perdue Sr; grandchildren, Gabriel and Camille Ruff, McKinsey and Miles Shilling, and Christopher Keith Perdue; 2nephews Michael Mark Campagna (Jessica) and Andrew Lawrence Campagna (Annette). Also survived by his great nieces and nephews, Claire, Michael James, Malachi, Isaac, Cecilia Maggie, and Joan Campagna. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Jody Lafield and Wayne Austin for their unwavering friendship. Also to the ladies at Landmark South, Renata, Brenda, Sherela, Assuria, Crissy, Monique, and Kimberly for their exceptional care during Larry's time with them. The family would like to invite all who knew and loved Larry to join them as we commemorate his life. Avisitation will be held on Friday, October10, 2025, at ResthavenFuneral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy.,in Baton Rouge, from 9:00 am until funeral servicesat 11:00am, with graveside services to follow. In lieu of flowers, we would like donations made to Casa de la Luz, an orphanage in Mexico started by the late Ollie h dd i

Lovett. Theaddress isRancho Louisiana, 19202Highland Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

Provost, Myrthie Alexander'Myrt'

Myrthie“Myrt”Provost passedawayonSaturday, October 4, 2025, aftera well-lived life of 90 years. MyrtgrewupinPortAllen Louisiana as oneofthe eight children of Joseph “Butch” Alexanderand Josephine “Mame” “Mrs Jo” CarrierAlexander and spent alot of time in her formative yearsworking in the family grocerystore –Alexander’s Meat Market When Myrt was20years old,she meta young man from Port Arthur,Texas, Emile “Sonny”Provost Jr while attendinga wedding reception.Myrtand Sonny heldtheir ownwedding re‐ception afew yearslater in 1958. Both coming from large Catholic families Myrtand Sonnythenset about creating theirown large Catholic familyin‐cluding Josephine(1959), Sharon(1960) Michelle (1962),Emile III (1962), Kelly (1964),Patricia(1970) and LauraJean(1973) Myrt stayed home for years managing afull house of babies,children, and adolescentsbefore venturing again into the world of paid work where she learnedthe artand the science of the floral busi‐ness, andlater,the daily routinesofthe Port Allen CityCourt.Myrtworked wellintoher eighties and regardlessofthe rolesand positions sheheldduring her career herrealjob was alwaystosupport andup‐liftothers. Sheenjoyed the simpleand familiar things inlife: real conversation overa cupofcoffee, serv‐ing herparishchurch,fam‐ily celebrations,romance novels, supporting thosein need,hand-in-foot card games with herfriends praying therosary, T-bone steaks, spoiling thegrand‐children, and well-made old fashioneds.Myrtwas a personofdeepfaith and great capacity to love and beloved.She loved Sonny with allher heart. They weremarried 67 yearsand eight months.Myrtwas precededindeath by her parents,Joseph“Butch” Alexander andJosephine “Mame Mrs. Jo”Carrier Alexander,her siblings, Joan Pinell Smith, Ida Lushute, Paul “Polly” Alexander,Peter “Pete” Alexander,and hergrand‐daughterCarolineWalker. She is survived by herhus‐bandEmile “Sonny Provost Jr., threesiblings, her sevenchildren, four sons-in-law,one daughterin-law, fourteen grandchil‐dren, andseventeen great grandchildren.Surviving siblings: Alfred “Al” Alexander,Charles Alexan‐der,and John Rogge Alexander.Surviving sonsin-law: Rudy Gomez, Leslie Brown, DouglasWalker, and ChristopherAlvarez Surviving daughter-in-law: JoliceProvost.Surviving grandchildren:Jesse Downs (Patrick), Mark Gomez (Jennifer),Thomas Gomez (Jessica), Mary Schauster (Matthew), Giles Gomez,Katherine Rudolph (Kyle), KatieBuvens (Joseph), Matthew Hyde (Christen), CamilleProvost Luc Provost, Tori Erickson (Ronald), Hannah Brown, BradyWalker(Jordan), and

BrandonAlvarez.Surviving great grandchildren: Julia Downs,Jacob Downs,Char‐lie Downs,OliverGomez, BenjaminGomez,Madison Gomez,PenelopeGomez, EleanoreSchauster,Skyler Buvens, Parker Buvens, LoftonHyde, Bryleigh Er‐ickson, Ella-KateBrown, Brock Erickson,Drake Er‐ickson, Chandler Erickson, and Olivia Walker.Visita‐tionwillbeatWilbert Fu‐neral Home in Port Allenon Friday, October10th, from 5 p.m. to 8p.m.and again atHolyFamilyCatholic Church in Port Allenon Saturday, October11th, from8:30a.m.until Mass ofChristian Burial at 10:30 a.m., celebrated by Rev. Jerry Martin.Burialwillfol‐low in St.Johnthe Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery inBrusly. Memorial dona‐tions to St.JudeChildren’s Hospital. Please share memoriesatwww.wilbert services.com.

Annis Dowden Tarver, a retired educatorand former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education, passedaway on Saturday, October 4, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was bornonDecember 26, 1938, and grew up in Peason, arural community near Florien, Louisiana, in Sabine Parish. She graduated as valedictorian from Mount CarmelHighSchool in 1956 and earnedaB.S degree in chemistry in 1959 from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. WhileatNorthwestern, she was amemberofPiKappa Sigma sororityand PhiKappa Phi honor society. Afterseveral years of working for private industry and thefederal government,she returnedtocollege, graduatingwith aB.S.degree in science education from LSUin1972 and an M.Ed.degree in educational administrationand supervision fromNorthwestern StateUniversity in 1979. She earneda Ph.D in education fromLSU in 1987. After teaching science at FlorienHighSchool in Sabine Parish and Scotlandville Magnet High School in BatonRouge, she worked at theLouisiana Department of Education. She was amember of First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. She is survivedby her daughter and son-inlaw, Elizabeth and Robert Landry, her grandchildren, Reed and Paul Landry, and her sisters,Gwenda McKenzieand Mary McCollough (Thomas), as well as her nephews, nieces, and cousins.She is preceded in death by her husband John Reed Tarver, her son John MarkTarver, and her parentsTom W. Dowden and VirginiaGelee Cummings Dowden. Aprivate family burial willbeheldata later date. Donations may be madeinher name to The Hospice of Baton Rouge, 3600 FloridaBoulevard,Ba-

tonRouge,Louisiana 70806, (225) 767-4673.

ZeringueJr., Leonard 'Buster'

LeonardAntoine Zeringue Jr. fondly known as "Buster" passed away peacefully on October 1, 2025 at theage of 71. He was born in White Castle, grew up in Donaldsonville and was alongtime resident of Galvez. He leaves behind to cherish hismemory, his loving wife Rhonda Cousin Zeringue; his two sons, HeathElias Zeringue and Daniel Joseph Zeringue;his grandson An-

thonyCamille Zeringue; hissiblings, CaroleRaborn (Jim), Phyllis Martin (Robert "Bob"), Richard "Dickie" Zeringue(Kelly) andLarry"Chris" Zeringue (Toni) andnumerous nieces, nephews, family members andfriends.Heis preceded in death by his twoinfantsons, Daniel Joshua andAnthony Michael; hisparents Leonard& Iva "Peggy" Zeringue; hissister Paula Haik and hisnephew Jake Zeringue. Buster wasalways a hard workerand dedicated familyman. He workedat Glennwood Sugarmillfor over 20 years and then went to ISCasa truckdriver whereheeventuallyretired. He wasveryinvolved with theRoyal Rangersat hischurch for many years. Buster lovedwatchingold boxing matches and Raider football. As achild he enjoyed playing cowboy and ridinghis bike.Asa young man he also enjoyedriding dirt bikes.Helovedspendingtimewith hisfamily, especially goingonfamily vacations. He is nowhome with theLordlisteningto all hisfavorite old gospel songs. Buster willbegreatly missed by all of those whoknewand lovedhim.

Thefamilywould like to thank thestaff of Gentiva Hospice forall of theircare andcompassion. Familyand friends are invited to attenda Funeral Service on Friday, October 10, 2025 at OursoFuneral Home, 13533 Airline Hwy Gonzales, LA 70737. The visitation will begin at 9AM untilthe time of service at 11AM.Buster will be laidto rest at Serenity Oaks Memorial Garden in Prairieville,LA. Fond memoriesand wordsofcondolencecan be expressed at www.OursoFH.comfor the Zeringuefamily.

OUR VIEWS

La.delegation should brew up arguments againsttariffs on Brazil

Now that better relations are percolatingbetween President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Louisiana’s legislative delegation should urge Trumpto eliminate massive tariffs on Brazilian goods —including coffee, which is akey commodityshipped through Louisiana ports.

Trump has imposed an extra 40% tariff, on top of his standard 10%, on Brazilian goods. Those levies are particularly damaging to Louisiana because coffeeisthe largest containerized import at the Port of New Orleans,with 42% of those beans coming from Brazil.Asreporter Anthony McAuley wrote in these pages, thecostofwholesale Arabicabeans rose from$1.20 perpound before the pandemictoarecord highof$4.40 now with asignificant portion of the increase due to the tariff.

Louisiana coffee traders say theirfinances are suddenly precarious, as it is they, not Brazil, who actuallymust pay the tariff. Such businessestypically operate on thin margins,which the tariffs are squeezing or even obliterating “We’ve been around for decades, but nothing in our experience compares to this moment,” said Matt Madary,head of thehalf-century-old International Coffee Corp., amajor Metairie-based wholesale trader.“Every day isa new calculation. We’re constantly weighing prices, shipping delays and now the legallandscape.It’sexhausting.”

The good news, of asort, is thatTrump’stariff decisions are mercurial. He blitzed Brazil’simports, even though the U.S.actuallyruns ahefty trade surpluswith Brazil, because he didn’tlike the prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Now, though, current President Lula has established arelationship withTrump, and after an Oct.6phone call, Trumpsaid they soonwould meet in person. Lula’s office said Lula specifically asked for the removal of the 40% tariff.

This is now agood timefor Louisiana’s congressional delegation to weigh in. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, are thekey agents of Trump’sagenda, and the other Republicanmembers of the delegation all seem to be in Trump’s good graces. They shouldbeperfectly placed to prevail uponTrumpthat his Braziliantariffs are harming American importers and costing jobs at ports, retailers androastingcompanies right here in Louisiana, not tomention forcing price hikes for coffee nationwide.

The last thing Trump needs politically is consumers nationallyangry at him for exorbitantly priced cups of joe.

Also, it is worth noting thatthe U.S. andBrazil are the West’stwo largest democracies, andthat aunited front with Brazil could helpTrump counterthe communists in Venezuela and thecrisis of political violence in Haiti —where the U.S.is leading United Nations efforts to combat gangs, and where Brazil in the past has putboots onthe ground to assist.

Allofwhich providesLouisiana lawmakers good grounds to argue that the extra tariffmust end.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

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TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

OPINION

Aug. 29 marked 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana. Iwas adoctor,teaching medical studentsand treating patients in theLSU public hospital system Louisianans lost homes, schools, hospitals and hope. Where government failed, neighbors stepped up. Volunteerscared for families as we turned an abandoned Kmart into ahospital, while communities across thestate sheltered the homeless.

Afterward, manyasked: Could Louisianadobetter? Iran for office to makeour statesafer,stronger and prosperous. These are still my goals.

In Congress, Isecured billions to strengthen levees, restore thecoastline and rebuild roads. To protect

This was arough summer for tourism in New Orleans. American touristsare reluctanttotravel due to aslowing economy,weak jobs market and fear of rising costs.

Foreignvisitors,vital to New Orleans’sslow summer tourist season, are avoiding the U.S. to protest theUnited States’ disruptive trade policies and inhumane treatment of immigrants.

Small businesses in New Orleans that rely on tourism are struggling. Many hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, nightclubs and music venues are closing or in danger of closing. Workers in thetourism and hospitalityindustries could lose their jobsoralready have.

When thepresident falsely describes New Orleans as sounsafe as to need outside help, he contributes toanationwide perception that New Orleansistoo dangerous to visit New Orleansneeds dedicated resources toachieve the safety we want for all New Orleanians, but theNational Guard’sdeployment to

Louisianafamilies, President Donald Trumpsigned my HALTFentanyl Act to stop deadly drugs from flooding our communities. To create prosperity,President Donald Trumpand Ipassed the Big BeautifulBill. We madeAmerica energy dominant again, supporting oil and gas, because Louisianaisanenergy state. When Louisianapowers the world, we create thousands of jobs.

I’mproud of what President Trump and I’ve delivered. Together,we’ll keep working and winning forastronger Louisiana.

SEN. BILL CASSIDY Baton Rouge

As adoctor,Iknow prosperity also meanslowering health care costs. President Trumpsigned my No Surprises Act, preventing over one million surprise medical bills monthly.Healso signed abill Ico-authored eliminating gag clauses on pharmacists, allowing them to tell patients how to get lowercost medicines. Asafer America means stronger borders, defending life and protecting common-sense values. As acommittee chairman, I’ve fought the far-left’sradical transgender ideology in schools. Icare about results. Louisiana is safer,more secure and moreprosperous than 20 years ago. I’ve contributed by showing up, listening and working behind the scenes. That samedrive took me to Kmart in 2005 and guides me in the Senate.

New Orleanswill make us less safe. The impact of cratering tourism will inevitably lead to morecrime, long after the spectacleofthe National Guard in American cities is over New Orleanians applaud the work theNational Guard doesintimes of natural disasters and real crises. However,National Guard troops are neither trained nor qualified to do thechallenging work of urban policing. It is wrong to use theNational Guard to symbolically occupy American cities, especially when their deployment causes economic harm,asitwill in New Orleans. These young people volunteered to serve their country,not waste their time picking up garbageorguarding federal buildings from imaginary threats.

New Orleanswelcomes all visitorstoenjoy our legendary cuisine, culture, festivals, parades and music, but theNational Guard has no business right now in New Orleans.

ANNMARIE COVIELLO NewOrleans

Regarding syndicated columnists Kathryn Jean Lopez’sassertion that “rights” come from God, Ican’thelp but ask:IfGod created theworld in just one week —and presumably created humanrights at thesametime why did women have to waitthousands of years for the same rights?

AARON SHIPPER NewOrleans

Is “unctuosity” aword? If it isn’t, it should be, as in the sentence, “Donald Trump’srecent cabinet meeting set arecord for unctuosity that is unlikely to ever be exceeded.” Except, perhaps, for his next sycophantic, obsequious conclave.

The meeting lasted three hours and 17 minutes, during whichevery single attendee wasobligated to deliver extravagant praise for and to the president that surpassed that of his/her predecessors. Unctuosity squared, cubed, from the likes of puppy-killing Kristi Noem, vaccinescause-autism Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shockingly incompetent Pete Hegseth and others. This was the cabinet meeting during which Trump, so eloquent and articulate, said that slavery wasn’tsobad, that Cracker Barrel should not change its icon, nominated himself for the Nobel Peace Prize and said that he could do whatever he wants sinceheis the president. That meeting reminded me of asimilarly unctuous praise-fest gathered by Joseph Stalin of his advisers, during which the ruthless dictator delivered an endless recitation of his own accomplishments, mainly, of course, of sending millions of comrades whomhedid not favor to the gulag. After his endless soliloquy,all of the attendees stood and applauded. And applaudedsome more, and even more. All of them,until one guy,exhausted, finally sat down and ceased applauding —and that unfortunate adviser was hustledout of the meeting and never heard from again. But so far in the United States, Iamglad to report, it seems thatno secretary of this or that has disappeared each having fulfilled her or his responsibility of unctuosity

ARNOLD PULDA NewOrleans

What Sec. Pete Hegsethgot

Theexpressionless faces of the generals, admirals, commanders and officers at the all-hands meetingin Virginia remindedmeofteenagers when their parents are lecturing them. Impenetrable.

Defense Secretary PeteHegseth —who changed his department’sname from defense to war,because we don’tplay defense —basically told everyoneat the gathering that they had to get in shape or get out. Our military,though the best in the world (for now), is about to get leaner,meaner and— more masculine, clean-shaven and proudtobe thebiological gender one was assigned at birth. Like so much coming outofWashington, Hegseth’spromised retrofit of hiswar machine to its pre-DEI “woke” incarnation at times seemed to have been hatched at acomedy writers’ sleepover.Between his farcical facial antics and superior posturingtoward warveterans twice his age, his directives were abarrage of platitudes: To ensurepeace, we must prepare for war. The only mission of thenewly restoredDepartment of Waristhis: war fighting.Enemies gather.Threats grow. There is no time for games. We must be prepared. The time is now,and the cause is urgent. It is perhaps better to read than watch Hegseth’sassault on ourmighty military.His overallmessage was we can do better,and we must because we might go to war soon. Everything inhis arsenal pointed to an inevitable clash with China or Russia or both at once. Not to mention Memphis

The need for astrong defenseto avoid war is always urgent, andundoubtedly our foes have long beenencouraged by what Hegseth described —overweight troops and “wokeness” in the ranks all the way up to thePentagon, meaning policies inthe name of diversity,equity and inclusion.He also railed against lowered standards to accommodate those whocan’tmeet the highest male bar.Inother words, women.

Let’spause here. Having written about the military for more than two decades, Ican testifytothe erosion of standards, primarilytoadvancewomen with an eye on directcombat. There were good reasons to keep female soldiers off the front lines, but women don’tget promoted in thePentagon without combatrecognition.Obstacles to mixed-gender combat started coming down in 2012,and full inclusion of women in combat wentintoeffect nearly 10 years ago.

Right before New York’sDemocraticmayoralprimary, political seers declared with enormous confidence that Andrew Cuomo would easily beat Democratic SocialistZohran Mamdani. They were wrong. Now,about amonth before the general election, whereCuomo is running as an independent, the same blowhards are barking that Mamdani has it all butin the bag. They may be wrong again

By

Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth, center,sits withU.S.militarysenior leadership as theylisten to PresidentDonald TrumpspeakatMarineCorpsBase Quantico in Quantico,Va.

I’ve interviewed too manyinfantry menand women about thepros and consoffemales in direct combat to believe this was thecorrect course. In war,getting killed or wounded requires no special talent. It’swell documentedthat many women died alongsidemen from IED explosions, which isn’tthe way we historically viewed combat, the definition of which hasbeen expanded to include almost any kindofengagement. Butthis definition-tweakingwas apolitical move that madewomen into heroes for dying or surviving “in combat.” Until 2012, combat had aspecific meaning —todirectly engagethe enemy up close and personal Can some women do it? Absolutely Are women as brave as men? You bet. All things being physically equal, Hegsethsaid,his militarywill welcomewomen into battle. Meanwhile, acertain level of fitness will berequired for all personnel, including Hegseth’s“fat generals” waddlingthrough Pentagon corridors. They,like everyone else, will be required to pass aphysical training test twice ayear.And all troops, he says, will have to meet thesame male physicalfitness.

First off, fat generals areprobably a bitolder and, therefore, might not be in stellar shape. To require afitness test

seems insulting even if the Pentagon does takeage intoaccount. Adeskbound general doesn’tneed to perform 50 pullups and 100 pushups in less than 10 minutes.

If Hegsethcan toughen our forces while advancing artificial intelligence and other technologies to stay aheadof China’smilitary expansion, then he will have performed his job well. Americans should be reassured by his intent even if they’re also annoyed by his selfrighteous bravado.

Critics who say Hegseth could have delivered his directives in an email are missing thepoint of theater —audience. He wanted the world to hear about his new,improved “screw up and find out” military machine. But like much propaganda, themessage was double-edged. The world didn’t just see atough-talking hombre on the stage; they saw weakness—America’s highest-ranking militaryofficers ridiculed and minimized by astrutting, self-involved television personality Speaking of which: If optics are what we’re after,shouldn’tthe very top brass —Donald Trump—beheld to thesame standards as the officers and troops he commands? Aweighty subject perhaps for another day Email Kathleen Parker at kathleenparker@washpost.com.

It was believedthat Mayor Eric Adams had splitthe non-Mamdani votes with Cuomo and that if heleft therace, Cuomo’spoll numbers would rise. A handful of hours after Adams did drop out, CNN’s“Chief Data Analyst”Harry Enten was bellowing that themayor’s departure provedto be “a giantdud” for Cuomo, becausehis numbers improved just slightly

Many Adams supporters probably didn’teven know then that their candidate had bowed out. This was abeautiful fall Sunday.Enten said he based his conclusion on “poll after poll” without naming the polls. Nor did he say when the polls were taken.

It’strue that the general election is only about amonth away.It’salso true that alot can happen in aNew York minute. The Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa,still holds agood piece of the electorate. Almost everyone, many Repub-

licans included,wanthim to drop out to give Cuomo abetter shot. Despitehis fiery vows to stay in the race, Sliwamight still do the right thingand end his campaign. GiveMamdani this: He is a master politician. He’s centered hiscampaign on makingNew York more affordable at atime whenthe cost of housing keeps rising.

But aNew York mayor cannot unilaterally impose arent freeze. And any rentfreeze would affect only rentstabilized apartments, afraction of the apartments.

Interviewers keep asking Mamdani that if he’selected, would he moderate his views. He answers that he will erect a“bigtent”and listen toeveryone. That’sthe clever way of not answering the question. The Cuomoside is now running ads. They note that Mamdani has no experience runninganything. He’s held payingjobsfor all of three years and now imagines he can oversee thecity’s$104 billion budget. Mamdaniisnow trying to erase his 2020 outrageous and childish call to “defund” and“dismantle” the New York City Police Department. But just three years ago, StateAssemblyman Mamdani voted to cut 1,300 officers from a“racist” NYPD. It happensthat lower-income New Yorkers of color tend to live in neighborhoods highly reliant on police for

protection. That can explain why Black voters preferred Cuomointhe primary,asdid voters in the Bronx.

Andother constituencies are unlikely to go his way Most Jews do not like Mamdani’s dancing around his “intifada” talk or his vow to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits New York. Jews may have mixed feelings about the Israeli leader but want to know why only him? They have their guesses. About 12% of city residents are Jewish.

For Italians, about 6% of the population,there’sthe picture of Mamdani giving themiddle finger to astatueof Christopher Columbus, alongside a tweet demanding, “Take it down.”Columbus remains ahero to manyItalian Americans.

AndWhites of all backgrounds may not appreciateMamdani’spromiseto raise taxes on richer,“whiter”neighborhoods.

The temperature on primary day was atorrid 105 degrees.Many Cuomo supporters, believing their man was a shoo-in, undoubtedly figured he would win without their venturing outside into theheat.And in theend, only 12% of all registered voters chose Mamdani.

The stakes have changed. Andthere are many more New York minutes to go before Nov.4

Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

President Donald Trump has openly boasted about wielding the full power of the federal government to punish his enemies, from universities and foundations to law firms and media companies. But when he personally engineered the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey on twocounts of lying to Congress, his vindictiveness reached awhole new level of persistence and peril. His clear goal is to annihilate individuals, not just intimidate institutions, and his pursuit of Comey is only the beginning of an iniquitous inquisition to burn heretics at aproverbial stake. “There will be others. Imean, they’re corrupt,” Trump told reporters. “You can’tlet this go on.”

The Comey indictment, said aNew York Timeseditorial, marks “a dark new stage in President Trump’seffort to turn federal law enforcement into apersonal tool of oppression and vengeance. He is undermining acore promise of the American justice system: the fair and equal enforcement of the law.”

“Weare realizing now that our justice system really relies on those who are entrusted with power exercising that power in good faith,” Liz Oyer,aformer Justice Department attorney who was fired by Trump, told the Washington Post. “That has worked throughout our history, but it is no longer working because we have an elected leader who has intentionally decimated all of the safeguards within the system, has loaded the department with people who are blindly loyal to him and is willing to tear down the whole system to get what he wants, which is revenge against his enemies.”

The last time apresident tried to trash “all of the safeguards within the system” is known as Watergate, one of the ugliest chapters in our nation’shistory —and we know what happened to Richard Nixon as aresult.

After Watergate’sprofound shock to the judicial system, anew framework and understanding was established. Yes, the attorney general and the FBI director serve at the president’s pleasure. But they also serve asecond master: the rule of law.They must preserve acritical measure of independence from partisan interests. That independence has been bolstered by hundreds of career professionals who serve all administrations and remain loyal to legal principles and processes.

During Trump’sfirst term, his attorneys general occasionally resisted his pressures for total loyalty.Jeff Sessions drove Trump crazy by recusing himself from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and was eventually fired. Bill Barr pointedly contradicted Trump’sclaim that the 2020 election had been stolen and was forced from office. In his second term, however,Trump has systematically dismantled all of those guardrails. The president has fired more than 40 career prosecutors, reports the Post, “making the dismissaloffederal attorneys —generally amove reserved for cases of misconduct —almost commonplace.”

Justice Connection, an advocacy group for former Justice Department employees, estimates that in all, more than 200 career professionals have been terminated. Moreover,adds the Post, “The firings account for only asmall portion of the departures from the Justice Department, where many more have resigned or retired after they were demoted or moved into different jobs, according to employees and formeremployees.”

Trump chose Pam Bondi for attorney general. Bondi, aformer chief lawyer in Florida, has totally abandoned any hint of independence, as the vendetta against Comey graphically demonstrates.

The United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, a15-year career professional, told the administration that the cases against Comey and other Trump enemies were not strong enough to prosecute. Enraged, Trump forced out Siebert and posted this message on social media, directed at Bondi, “We can’tdelay any longer,it’skilling our reputation and credibility.They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

Siebert was replaced by Lindsay Halligan, a White House operative with no experience as a prosecutor

Her case was so weak that the grand jury rejected one of three proposed counts and barely approved the other twocharges.

“By using the flimsiest pretexts to direct the prosecution of his perceived enemies,” warned the Times, Trump “is tearing at the basic notions of fairness that hold the country together

Misusing the power to imprison people is uniquely chilling in afree society.Our country has entered agrave new period of injustice.”

But Trump’sreign of “injustice” is igniting an insurrection, at least in some quarters. In vowing to fight the charges against him, Comey declared, “Wewill not live on our knees, and you shouldn’teither.”

Steven Roberts can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com

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SPORTS

BRIGHT SIDE

S.C. The

LSUremains in SEC, national chaseamidother powerprograms’ faulty starts

Every LSU loss, likethe Tigers’ 24-19 defeat two Saturdaysago at Ole Miss, casts apall over Tigertown. But it’samere early-morninghaze compared to the cloudshangingover Austin, Texas; State College, Pennsylvania; and Clemson,SouthCarolina, right now

The preseason Associated Press Top 10 is in the shredder.Preseason No.1 Texas is not even in theTop 25 after being stunned 29-21 at FloridaonSaturday.Neitherispreseason No.2Penn State after an even more stunning 4237 loss at previously winlessUCLA, by far the worst loss for any ranked team

this season. Andpreseason No. 4Clemson? LSU helped greaseits skid out of the polls with a17-10 defeat to start theyear Combiningthe records of the Longhorns, Nittany Lionsand Tigers (orangeversion), you get avery mediocre 8-7.

Preseason No. 6Notre Dame started 0-2 and is still ranked only because of its strenuous early strength of schedule —the Irish’stwo losses were to current top-five residents Miami and Texas A&M —followed by athreegamewinning streak, but its marginfor-error card is all used up. If it’schaos you crave, you’ve come to theright sport. Against that backdrop, LSU’s4-1 record and No. 11 national ranking looks rosy With the2025 campaign nearing the clubhouse turn for home this week, we

ä See RABALAIS, page 4C

Turnoversnot turningintopointsfor LSU

Tigers have scored just 13 points off of eighttakeaways

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

When the ball landed in PJ Woodland’shands, the game shouldhave flipped on adime.

LSU trailed Ole Miss by a touchdown in the third quarter when the sophomore cornerback snatched his first career interception. LSU was in position to turn thegame in itsfavor as Woodland returned the

throw 31 yards intothe Rebels’ side of the field. But the Tigerscouldn’tfully capitalizeonquarterback TrinidadChambliss’ mistake. LSU gainedjust 16yards on five playsand settled for a48-yard field goal

The kick was good, but an opportunityfor agame-turning touchdown failed.LSU eventually lost 24-19 in aperformance that raised more questions than answers aboutits offense. Amongthose questions is the Tigers’ inability to capitalizeon turnovers.

“I think your point is well taken; those (turnovers) have

turned intofield goals. We need to turn those into touchdowns,” coach BrianKelly said Monday. “I don’tknowthatthey’ve beenempty possessions, but theyhaven’tbeen impactful possessions for us offensively.”

LSU has seven interceptions and one fumble recovery through five games, but the Tigers have only 13 points off of those turnovers. Sophomore safety Dashawn Spears’ pick-six against Floridaisthe only time LSU found the end zoneasa result of aturnover this season. Besides the Woodland interception against Ole Miss, the only other time the offense

scored off aturnover was against Florida when senior Damian Ramos hit a45-yard field goal after senior safety AJ Haulcy grabbed LSU’ssecond interception of the night.

The 10 pointsLSU scored on turnovers proved to be the difference in its win over Florida. Still, LSU won by only 10 despiteforcing five interceptions and turning the ball over once, whichcould be seen as abig red flag.

“This is about playingmore consistent footballoffensively for fourquarters and then

ä See TURNOVERS, page 4C

BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer

Southern coach TerrenceGraves expects to have startingsafety Horacio Johnson andstarting right tackleBryan Wallace back from injuries this week, he said at Tuesday’smedia availability Southern’supcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference gameis against Bethune-Cookman at 2p.m Saturday at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach,Florida The second-year coach didn’t state what either player’sinjury was. On Johnson, he said he “should be available” andhas been“running around” on the field in practice Johnson, who was apreseason All-SWACfirst-teamdefender, was

Redzone hasbeen dead zone forN.O.TDs

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Over the first month of the season, the Saints have made strides on offense. In Sunday’swin over the New York Giants, quarterback Spencer Rattler finally got an explosive play to detonate when he hit Rashid Shaheed for an 87-yard touchdown

The week beforethat saw the run game find somemuch-needed consistency

The offense is still farfrom an elite unit, but the improvements matter to coach Kellen Mooreashetries to turn around the franchise.

Thenext step? TheSaints have to start converting in the redzone.

The Saints went 0for 4ontouchdowns inside the opposing 20 againstthe Giants, bringing New Orleans’seasontotal to 7of 17 —alowly41.2%. Only three teams rank worse in the red zone than the Saintsthis season:the LosAngeles Chargers (38.5%), theLas Vegas Raiders (35.7%) and theGiants (31.6%).

Thestruggles in thearea are even more frustrating because the Saints have done a solid job of sustaining long drives. Theyhave strung together aleague-high 14 drives of at least10plays

But of those14, the Saints have scored only sixtouchdowns.The team’stouchdown rate on those10-plusplaydrives ranksexactly league average at 42.9% Againstthe Giants,the Saints hadthree drives of 10 plays or more. They settled for field goals on all three, two of which entered the redzone.

“Ultimately,you need to score touchdowns down there,” Moore said. Through five games, the red-zone problems could be boiled down to amix of accuracy issues andcurious play-calling. While Rattler’scompletionpercentage hasimproved in his second season —from57% to 67% thequarterback isn’t hitting his targets at nearly the same rate when the space is often condensed inside the red zone. Rattler’s48% completion rate (12 of 25) ranks sixth-to-last among 33 qualified passers ButMoore isn’t free of blame, andthe first-year coach said he needed to be better. Moore pointedtothe team’s lack of efficiency on first down, saying the Saints have to improve at running the ball in those scenarios As aplay-caller,Moorealsohas made some questionable decisionsinthe red zone. Against theBuffaloBills in Week 4, his choice to run the Philly Special trick play led to aChris Olave interception. Then on Sunday,the Saints bypassed achanceto ä See SAINTS, page 5C

ä Southern at Bethune-Cookman. 2P.M. SATURDAy

injured during Southern’s38-13 homeloss to Jackson State on Sept. 27. In thepostgame news conference, Gravescalled thegraduate student the team’s“bell cow”inthe defensive backfield andthatlosing himmade it difficult for thegroup to remain strong on the back endof the defense. Southern (1-4,0-1 SWAC) gave up aseason-high 337 yards passing, which were 55 more yards than in its 56-7 loss at Fresno State. Southern linebacker Mike Jones saidthat Johnson’savailability againstBethune-Cookman (2-4, 1-1)

should help

“Hopefullyit’sa big impact,” Jones said. “Horacio, he’saveteran guy,sowelook forward to having himback.”

Johnson is third on the team in tackles with 32 andsecondinpass breakups with four.Last year,he had74tacklesand two interceptions The offensive line also should getalift with theexpected return of Wallace,who alsostarted at the endoflast season.The 6-foot-3, 305-pound sophomore hasbeen back practicing since Thursday “He’smovingaround, so it’s good to have himback as well,” Graves said.

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Mariners topTigersfor a2-1 lead

BY LARRY LAGE AP sportswriter

DETROIT The Seattle Mariners are on the brink of aspot in the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

Cal Raleigh hit atwo-run homer, Eugenio Suarez and J.P.Crawford had solo shots and Seattle beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Tuesday night to take a2-1 lead in the AL Division Series.

The Marinersare within awin of their first AL Championship Series since 2001. Their first chance to advance is on Wednesday afternoon in Game 4atComerica Park and if necessary,another opportunity awaits on Friday back in Seattle for adecisive Game 5.

“The Seattle Mariners deserve where we’re at right now,” Suarez said.

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said not to count his team out after it showedresolve following ahistoric collapse in theregular season and bounced back by eliminating Cleveland in an AL Wild Card series, then won Game 1against Seattle.

“We’ve had to play more and more back-against-the-wall-type games,” Hinchsaid. “I know our guys are going to be ready.

Seattle’sLogan Gilbert gave up one run on four hitswhile striking outseven and walking none over sixinnings.

“Can’tsay enough about what Logan did,” Mariners managerDan Wilson said. “Justanincredible outing. He had everythinggoing.” Raleigh, who had amajor leaguehigh 60 homers during the regular season, hit a391-foot, two-run homer to left-center in the ninth to make it 8-1.

The offensively challengedTigers were limited to four hits and one run through eight innings before suddenly generating some offense in the ninth against Caleb Ferguson, who allowed three runs on three hits and awalk without getting an out.

Spencer Torkelson hit atwo-run

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByPAULSANCyA

Seattle Marinersthird baseman Eugenio Suárezhits asolo homerun during the fourth inning in Game 3 against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.

doubleand Andy Ibanezfollowed with an RBI single. All-Star closer Andres Munoz entered with one on and no outsand ended Detroit’s comeback hopes with aflyout and game-ending double play

Detroit’sJackFlahertylasted just 31/3 innings, allowing fourruns (three earned) on four hits and three walks. Seattle scored two runs in thethird afterstarting the inning with three hits and awalk. Victor Robles led offwith adoubleand scored on an error,which wascredited to left fielder Riley Greene for an errant throw that could have been fielded on abounce

by catcher Dillon Dingler “A little bit of abreakdown all the wayaround,”Hinch said. RandyArozarena’sRBI single putthe Mariners ahead 2-0 in the third. Suarez sent a422-foot shotto left in the fourthtomake it 3-0. Raleigh’stwo-out RBI single in the inning gave Seattlea four-run cushion. The Tigerswere hoping their first home gameintwo-plus weeks might makethem morecomfortable at the plate, but it didn’thelp and they lost an eighth straight at ComericaPark.

Detroit finally scoredinthe fifth

on Kerry Carpenter’s fielder’s choice on what waspotentially an inning-ending double play.Crawford’sthrow from second base pulled first baseman Josh Naylor offthe bag andhedidn’tsecure the ball in his glove, allowing Dingler to score. Crawford’s homer in the sixthrestored Seattle’sfour-runlead TheTigersallowed the Mariners to scoreasecond unearned run in the eighth inning after Carpenter droppedVictor Robles’ fly in right field, allowing Luke Raleytoadvance to third andtoscoreonCrawford’ssacrifice fly

Priester sets sights on ending Cubs’year

BY STEVE MEGARGEE AP sportswriter

MILWAUKEE Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester hasexperienced postseason baseball at Wrigley Field before, onlyfroma much different perspective than the one he’sabout to have.

Priester grew up in theChicago area and was in Wrigley Field’s stands for Game 5of the2016 World Series. The 25-year-old right-hander will be back at Wrigley on Wednesday as he continues his breakthrough season by trying to pitch the Brewers into the NL Championship Series.

“I was in the last row in the nosebleeds,” Priester said aboutthat 2016 experience. “My mom and I had our backs against the chainlink fence up there drinking hot chocolate because it waslate OctoberinChicago anditwas freezing.”

Priester watched the Cubs beat Cleveland 3-2 that night to begin theirrally from a3-1 seriesdeficit thatearnedthemtheir first World Series title since 1908.

Now he wants to make sure the Cubsdon’tstart asimilar comeback. Milwaukee carries a2-0 lead into Game 3ofthisbest-of-5 NL Division Series. This start will mark Priester’s postseason debut. Jameson Taillon is starting for the Cubs.

Priester went 13-3 with a3.32 ERAduring the regular season whilewinning 12 straightdecisions at one point. According to Sportradar,that was the longest streak within asingle year by any pitcher since Gerrit Cole won 16 consecutive decisions for Houstonin2019

“He’sbeen sensational for us,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said The Brewers needed starting pitching duetomultipleinjuries when they acquired Priester on April7 from theBostonRed Sox for minor league outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, the 33rdpick in the 2024 draft,and minor league pitcherJohnHolobetz Priester,the 18th overall selectioninthe 2018draft, had a6-9 record and6.23ERA in 21 career appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Red Sox at the timeof the trade

certainly felt like Ihad ashot at it

ä Brewers at Cubs. 4:08 P.M.WEDNESDAy,TBS

in withsome goals, talked to all of our guys, started to go about the lineups alittle bit differently.”

Priester pitched 24 more times the rest of the regularseason and allowed more thanthreeruns in just twoofthose appearances. “The Cubs blistered this guy,and he wanted to continue pitching andhis competitive nature came out,and actually the last couple innings of that outing he was pretty darned effective,” Murphy said. “I think that failure, if youwill, for him,like, launched him into open ears, ‘OK, howdoIfigure this out?’

And we got the best version of him because of his competitive nature, and we got the best version of him going forward, andit’sbeen miraculous.”

Priester added acutter this year that he nowthrows about20% of the time to complement his sinker and slider, while he abandoned his four-seam fastball. Priester averages lessthan one strikeout per inning, but he has aknack for inducing ground balls and weak contact while working quickly

Beckham accepts 6-game suspension after failed test

Free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr.accepted asix-game suspension from the NFLafter he reportedly faileda performance-enhancing drug test last year,hesaidonthe Pivot podcast Tuesday Beckham will not be eligible to play until Week 12, the NFL told The Associated Press. Beckham, 32, said on the podcast he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs. He played nine games with the Miami Dolphins last season, catching nine passes for55yards,both of which were career-lows by awide margin. Despitethe news,the 10-year NFLveteran said he hopestocontinue his career this season.Beckham, afirst-round pickinthe 2014 draft, posted 1,000-yard seasons four of his first five years in the league with the NewYork Giants.

Gardner-Johnson signed to Ravens practicesquad

The Baltimore Ravens signed safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the practice squad Tuesday,two weeks after he was cutbythe Houston Texans. Baltimore (1-4) is desperate for help on defense after allowing 177 points through five games. Safety Kyle Hamilton missed last weekend’sloss to the Texans, and the Ravens also were without linebacker Roquan Smith.

Safety Ar’Darius Washington tore an Achilles tendon in the offseason and defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike is outfor the season because of aneck issue. The Texans released the27-year-old Gardner-Johnsonafter only three games with the team. They had acquired him from Philadelphia in an offseason trade. He had six interceptions last season for the Eagles.

CowboysownerJones fined

$250K for obscene gesture

The NFL said Tuesday it has finedJerry Jones $250,000 for an obscene gesture toward fans at MetLife Stadium that the Dallas owner said was “inadvertent” and intendedfor fans of the Cowboys, not the NewYork Jets.

The incident camelate in Dallas’ 37-22 victory on Sunday.Jones said on his radio show Tuesday he intendedtoflasha “thumbs up”for celebrating Cowboys fans.Jones is considering an appeal, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. Jones was caught on avideo that went viralsmiling widely as he pointed toward fans before briefly flashing the gesture. Jones’ gesture camesoon afterDak Prescott’sfourth touchdown pass gave the Cowboys a37-14 lead with 4:31 leftinthe game.

Giants QB Dartsays he’ll play againstEagles

Jaxson Darthas been playing through ahamstring injury since making and winning his first NFL start late last month. He does not plan to let it keep him off the field. The rookie quarterback brushed off any concern about the sore hamstring Tuesdayand insisted he’llplayfor the New York Giants on Thursday night when they host reigningSuper Bowlchampion Philadelphia.Afterbeing listedasa limited participant on the practice report Monday,Dart was estimated to be full go Tuesday,though the Giants did only what coach Brian Daboll calls a“jog-through.” Dart missed time on Sept. 28 against the Los Angeles Chargers while being evaluated for aconcussion but played the entire gamethis past weekend at New Orleans.

Aftera

“I had followed him for years,” Brewerspresident of baseball operationsMatt Arnold said. “Obviously when guys come up to the big leagues, especially as pitchers, theydon’talways have success immediately,but we thought there were somereally good ingredients there.

When Idid get traded, Iwas super excited forthe opportunity.Being close to home was super exciting for me andmyfiancée, being able to seefamily.And obviously,being in Pittsburgh, every year, you’d see how well the Brewers seemed to play.” Priester wasn’tasfamiliar at the timewiththe Brewers’reputation for getting thebestout of pitchers who hadn’tencounteredmuchsuccessbefore arrivinginMilwaukee. He’ddevelop into the latestexample. The turning point came against the team he faces Wednesday Priester gave up sevenruns over 41/3 innings in a10-0 losstothe Cubs on May2,raising his ERA to 5.79. That immediately followed astart in which he allowed five runs over fiveinnings in a6-5 loss at St.Louis.

He understands the raucousatmosphere he’s going to encounter Wednesday. When Priester was in thestandsfor that 2016 WorldSeries game, Priester recalled how “KrisBryanthit ahomer and I thought the stadium was going to collapse.”

But he also entersthis game with the confidence that comes from spending the last fewmonths livinguptoall theexpectationsthat accompanied his draft selection.

17-year hiatus, Skins Game to make return

The return of the Skins Game shows how muchhas changed in 17 years. The four players are among the top six in the world, it’smoving from the California desert to South Floridaand it will be broadcaston PrimeVideo.

Until the Cincinnati Reds beat Priester 3-1 on Sept. 26, the Brewers had won 19 straight games in which Priesterhad pitched.That stretch included 16 starts and three appearances in which he had followed an opener

Priesterquicklywarmed up to the idea of pitching in Milwaukee.

The Skins Game to be played on the Friday after Thanksgiving will feature Ryder Cup star and FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley,Justin Thomas and XanderSchauffele.Itwill be held at Panther National, anew course in Florida that opened two years ago andwas designedbyThomas and Jack Nicklaus. Bradley,Schauffele and Thomas all live in the area. The Skins Game, which beganin1983 with some of golf’s biggest stars, was last played in 2008 and won by K.J.Choi. On TV COLLEGE FOOTBALL

“I was really surprised,” Priester said.“Ifeltlike Iwas kind of in the mix for the rotation in Boston. I

“Thatwas thekind of themoment when Ifeltthings needed to change,” Priester said. “What Iwas doing, it’snot like Iwasn’ttrying, but what Iwas tryingjustwasn’t working. And so Istarted to write some things down every day,came

“I think it was just kind of aticking time bomb waiting for ayear like this to happen for him,” Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick said. “I’m superhappywegot him when we did because Ijust kind of knew it was coming for him.”

St.Michaelrallies past Dunham

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Dunham closedout thefirstset with eight straight pointstotake a 1-0 lead against St. Michael.

Warriorscoach Latashia WiseJackson pulled her team around her after losing the first set and told her players to turn the page.

“It’snow how you start,” WiseJackson said. “It’show you finish. Keep looking in front. Don’t look behind at what happened. Nothing good happens behind; everything good happens in front.”

The message lit aspark under St. Michael, and the Warriors opened thesecondset with a10-0lead. St. Michael (20-1) wouldgoonto win the last three sets in a3-1 win over Dunham on the road Tuesday night.

“Volleyball’sall aboutmomentum,” Warriors senior Bella Leblanc said. “Those 10 balls, it felt amazing, and really whatgave us the boost to go through the game.” Leblanc ledthe team with 10 kills and sevendigs.Junior Skylar Towner had eight killsand three blocks.Senior libero AvaRodrigue finished with seven aces and nine digs.

Leblanccredited thecoaching staff for keeping them focused after falling in the firstset.

Rodrigue missed the lastset after she started grabbing at her foot with an injury.Wise-Jackson credited her bench for stepping up and

finishing out thewin

“Wehave areally good supporting cast,” she said. “What you saw was acomplete team effort.”

Duringthe fourth set,bothsides

traded points. Dunham picked up apoint to cut the deficit to 16-15, butSt. Michael grabbed momentum withfive straight points. SeniorBella Bravata totaled three

straight acesduring the run.

The Warriors would closeout the set and match, 25-20.

“Wejust kept building on each point,” Bravata said. “Tried to keep ourenergy levelnot too crazy,but not too low.Wedid apretty good job at that.”

St. Michael opened the third set with a9-2 lead. Dunham clawed back to cut the lead to 21-17 later in the set, but the Warriors closed them out 25-19.

After the Warriors opened the second setwitha 10-0 lead,the Tigers outscored them 13-7topull withinfour. Three kills from Towner and Leblanc put St. Michael ahead 22-14.St. Michael would go on to win the second set 25-18. Dunham (19-5) won the first set 25-18 but failed to capitalize on the early momentum.

“Wejust didn’thaveour feet on the gas,”Dunham coach Meagan Herrington said. “Weare asuper physicaloffense, and when we’re notphysical consistently, theother team finds an opening.”

Tigersjunior Zadi Huggins had 17 kills and 14 digs.

Wise-Jackson said any win on the road is huge, but Tuesday’swin in aplayoff environment gave her confidence aboutwhather team can accomplish.

“When thebig dance happens, it’sgoing to be on the road,” WiseJackson said. “This gives me very good confidence that our team can respond in those big moments.”

Hamilton: 7kills, 14 digs,4aces, Isabel Cosnahan: 13 assists, 2digs, 1ace Team records: Covington 8-14, Baton Rouge 9-12 St. Michael 3, Dunham1 Dunham25181920 St.Michael 18 25 25 25 Team leaders:

Phillies starsHarper, Schwarberfightpostseason slump

BY BETH HARRIS Associated Press

ä Phillies atDodgers. 8:08 P.M.WEDNESDAy,TBS

LOS ANGELES Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are mired in the same kind of postseason slump that wrecked the Los Angeles Dodgers twoyears ago. Back then, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts were acombined 1for 21 as the Dodgers were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacksin the 2023 NL Division Series. Their lone hit was an infield single by Freeman Harper and Schwarber are 1for 15 with eight strikeouts, putting the Philadelphia Phillies on the brink of elimination. They trail 2-0 in the bestof-fiveNLDSwithGame3 on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

as possible because anyatbat can change the course of agame or change the course of aseries,” Harper said Tuesday Betts remembers the frustrationhefelt knowing how much the Dodgers were counting on him andFreeman, but nothing they tried madeadifference.

Good luck to those guys and we’ll see if they have theanswer ”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson was bench coach for the New York Yankees in 2017, when they rallied from a2-0 deficit against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS to win and advance to the AL Championship Series.

Thomson said. “Don’ttry to do too much.” Betts is not discounting the Phillies.

“They got on the plane withfull intentionsofgoing back foraGame 5,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to withstand the punches that they’re going to throw and be able to throwsome back.”

day With Nick Castellanos on second, third baseman Max Muncy rushed home plate to field abunt by Bryson Stott, turnedand perfectly threw to shortstop Betts, who was covering third. Betts got the out while being upendedby asliding Castellanos.

“I thinkinthe postseason you’ve got to flushasquick

“Whenyou get in that rut and it seems like it’s quicksand, it’s tough,” Betts said. “Hell, Ididn’tget out of it, so Ihave no advice or anything.

Behind 2-0, Mercurydown butnot outofWNBAFinals

BY DAVID BRANDT Associated Press

PHOENIX The Phoenix Mercury is already experienced at comebacks during this postseason, dropping the first game in each of the firsttwo seriesbeforerallying and advancingtothe WNBA Finals. It will need to climb outof an even bigger hole to win the championship.

The Las Vegas Aces have a 2-0 advantage in the best-ofseven series as the Mercury prepare to host Game 3on Wednesday.Phoenix hopes achange of scenery,complete with araucous homecrowd advantage,can help the Mercury overcome a frustrating first two games.

“Starting out on the road is tough,” Mercury veteran DeWanna Bonner said. “That’snot an excuse, because in ordertowin a championship, you’ve gotto win on the road. But Ithink being home,we’re more comfortable.

“Welacked alittle bit of confidence (in Vegas), so hopefully we get that back tomorrow.”

Mercury coachNate Tibbetts doesn’tbring up his NBA experiencemuch with his players, but his famil-

Mercury forward Satou Sabally works toward the basket as Aces guard Chelsea Gray, center, defends during Game 2ofthe WNBAFinals on Sundayin Las Vegas.

AP

ä Aces at Mercury. 7P.M.WEDNESDAy,ESPN

iarity with what it takes to win aseven-game series has helped himstay optimistic despitethe 2-0deficit. Tibbetts spent more than adecade as an assistant in the NBA with the Cavaliers, Blazers and Magic.

This is the first time the WNBA Finals havebeen abest-of-seven series,expanding from theprevious best-of-fiveformat

“We’ve done agoodjob of resettingafter wins and losses, getting back and finding ourselves,” Tibbetts said. “In aseven-game series, alot of times the home team wins thefirst two. Now it’sour responsibilityto protect ourhome.” If the Mercury is going to make this atight series, its defensealmost certainly has to improve.

TheAcesedged theMercury 89-86 in atight Game 1 but were much moredominant inGame 2, winning 91-78 on Sunday while controlling the entire second half. JackieYoungscored 32 points —including arecord 21 in the third quarter —whileA’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds.

LasVegas shot 49.3% from thefieldand wonthe rebounding edge 43-34.

Tibbetts said “the reason we’re(in thefinals) is because of our defense and to give up 89 and 91, that’sjust too much.”

“Listen, they’re great players —Jackie andA’ja,” the coach said. “They’regoing to score, butyou just need to make it tough. We’renot playing 1-on-1 or 2-on-2, we’re guarding it 1vs. 5and we need to understand that, showing them bodies.

Phoenixhas actually been the early aggressor in both finals games, taking a50-45 halftimelead in Game 1and a27-24 lead after one quarterinGame2.Bothtimes, Las Vegas responded.

Wilsonsaidshe’s proud of theAces’ resiliency,but falling behind game after game isn’tarecipefor success, particularly on theroad. The two-time reigning MVP said defensewillbecrucial in making sure the Mercury doesn’tget on an early roll.

“It’s goingtobemore important now more than ever,” Wilson said. “Our starts in Vegas wereawful, andweknowwecan’t come in here and do that. It’sa different type of feel.Defensively,we’ve got to lock in.”

“You’vegot to slow things down —one inning at atime, really,and comeout and relaxand be yourselves,”

Wheelplay

The Dodgers successfully executed adefensive wheel play in the ninth inning Mon-

“It’ssuch abasic play,” Betts said. “Itwould be like the Lakers. They won the NBAchampionship running the2-3 zone.That’show I view it.”

You knowhim well.Scotthas been covering LSU since 1992. He is theauthor of three highly acclaimed booksonLSU and was chosen as an LSU Expertfor ESPN’s SEC 150 Documentary

Each Monday,Scottwill puthis thoughts on the last week’sgameand thenextweek’sgame into avideo essayplacing the game in its context anddrawing historical parallels

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Making more plays than mistakes

young QBs getting plenty of run in Big Ten

BY LARRY LAGE AP sportswriter

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Bryce Underwood took a shotgun snap, dropped back, stood tall and delivered a 33yard pass to Donaven McCulley up the sideline with perfect placement to show a flash of his talent in a win over Wisconsin.

Three snaps later, the Michigan quarterback looked like the freshman he is.

Underwood rolled left and threw left, losing control of the football as it came out of his right hand and sailing a pass over his target that was nearly picked off by the Badgers.

The 15th-ranked Wolverines are one of several Big Ten teams who are starting quarterbacks in their first or second year of college and are living with good moments and growing pains.

Maryland freshman Malik Washington, Ohio State redshirt freshman Julian Sayin and Minnesota redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey along with sophomores Dylan Raiola of Nebraska and Demond Williams of Washington are making many more plays than mistakes.

Sayin won the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award with top-ranked Ohio State for the second time this week, matching Washington’s total. Underwood and Lindsey have each won the Big Ten honor once.

Underwood enrolled last winter as the nation’s top-ranked recruit and intentionally stayed quiet, not wanting to overstep with upperclassmen, before speaking up more often during the spring, summer and this season.

“I think the guys gained a lot of trust in me, to trust in what I see and say,” he said.

Underwood became the fourth freshman to start at quarterback for Michigan (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) and is coming off a season-high 270yard passing performance with a touchdown throw against the Badgers.

“Just seeing him grow from January to now is crazy,” McCulley said after he had six catches for a season-high 112 yards and a score last week. “He’s becoming more of a vocal leader. He’s always had good poise that is only getting 10 times better.”

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said the Wolverines are not putting a lot on Underwood’s plate.

“It’s not too much on him right now,” Fickell said. “He’ll grow and grow and grow, but he’s as talented

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

a season-high 270-yard passing performance with a touchdown pass against the Badgers

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA S GRATZ

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has started all 18 games since he arrived as a freshman last year Raiola has completed 74.5% of his passes with 12 touchdowns against two interceptions this season.

as there is.”

Sayin, an Alabama transfer has completed 80% of his passes for Ohio State (5-0, 2-0) to lead all major college football quarterbacks.

He has 13 touchdown passes and only two interceptions, helping him rank among the Big Ten’s highest-rated quarterbacks.

“He’s got a bright future ahead of him,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said after Sayin was 22 of 28 for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Washington two weeks ago.

Raiola has started all 18 games since he arrived as a freshman last year After struggling during the second half of last season, his numbers have improved through the first five games for the Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten). He has completed 74.5% of his passes for 266 yards per game with 12 touchdowns against two interceptions.

have what we thought we would have in the Southeastern Conference and across college football at large: A huge pack of very good but not great teams dotting the transfer portalfruited plain. Right now, you easily could figure 20, 25, even 30 teams having a shot at earning one of those 12 coveted golden tickets into this season’s College Football Playoff.

Despite their loss to the Rebels, despite an anemic offense, despite how much you love or loathe LSU coach Brian Kelly, the Tigers are very much in that number. All of LSU’s goals are legitimately attainable.

The road for LSU is, of course, daunting According to ESPN, the Tigers face the nation’s 10th toughest remaining schedule, starting with Saturday’s home game against South Carolina (6:45 p.m., SEC Network).

The Gamecocks were yet another team that graced the AP preseason poll (at No 13) that now finds itself on the outside looking in. South Carolina is 3-2, a start that includes wins over a Virginia Tech team that already has fired its coach; in-state rent-a-win South Carolina State; and a Kentucky team whose coach Mark Stoops is fending off reports that he has gone to UK officials to negotiate terms of a buyout.

LSU, through retention and the transfer portal, has a roster on paper that is CFP worthy, maybe even SEC championship game worthy. That the Tigers didn’t play like it against the Rebels is a huge “X” in the demerit column, but it was just one game.

LSU can still be a national player if well, you know what “if” means, don’t you? If the offense can start to produce above the 25.6 points per game it has averaged so far — a number that does not include seven points for Dashawn Spears’ pick-six return against Florida but does include 56 points rung up on Southeastern Louisiana. Against their three Power Four opponents — Clemson, Florida and Ole Miss the Tigers are averaging a paltry 16.3 ppg on offense.

The biggest knock against Raiola has been his tendency to hold the ball for too long, which has exacerbated pass-protection issues. Since the start of last season, Raiola has taken 42 sacks, fifth-most among FBS quarterbacks.

“Ultimately it’s me, so I’ll take that and we’ll learn from it and be better,” he said. Washington has started for the Terrapins (4-1, 1-1) since Week 1, and they already have matched their win total for all of last season. He has thrown nine touchdowns with only two interceptions and has run for three scores.

Williams has eight touchdowns with only one interception and has two rushing touchdowns for the Huskies (4-1, 1-1).

Lindsey made the most of his redshirt season last year with the Gophers (3-2, 1-1), learning behind six-year transfer Max Brosmer

ASSSOCIATED

Maryland freshman Malik Washington has thrown nine touchdown passes with two interceptions while also running for three scores. The Terrapins are 4-1.

He fits with the program’s preference to develop players over the long term rather than frequently plug in newcomers from the transfer portal. Lindsey was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Arkansas high school football in 2023, but without an offer from his home-state Razorbacks, he went north to the state where his grandfather, Jim Lindsey, played seven seasons as a running back for the Super Bowl-bound Vikings.

Lindsey went 31 for 41 for 324 yards and three touchdowns to lead Minnesota past Rutgers 3128 last month. He was 6 of 7 for 72 yards and a score on the go-ahead touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter

Coach P.J. Fleck’s message to Lindsey before the final drive?

“We’re putting it on your shoulders, big boy,” Fleck said.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU coach Brian Kelly talks with the team before the start of the second quarter against South Carolina on Sept. 14, 2024, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C LSU rallied to win 36-33.

Kelly knows the score when it comes to the Tigers’ aspirations, and it doesn’t include the offense continuing to produce 16.3 ppg against their remaining six SEC opponents.

“We just have to play a complete game,”

Kelly said at his weekly Monday news conference. “It hasn’t shown itself yet, but it will.”

Confidence is a valuable currency but it doesn’t buy touchdowns and field goals. The Tigers have to break through what to date has been a frustrating barrier against the higher echelon teams on its schedule. And they must do it quickly considering the competition ahead. Of the Power Four teams LSU

Continued from page 1C

Wallace was seen on the sideline during the Jackson State game with a boot on his left foot. Southern center Juan Gonzales, a graduate student, said that Wallace’s likely return is crucial because the offensive line has chemistry that brings out the best in each other

“It’s real big,” Gonzales said. “When one of us go down, it’s like we’re not together you know we’re family So one of us go down, we all go down I feel like having him back, it’s a great asset.”

Graves said that one of the benefits of having bye weeks closer together — one last week and the week of Sept. 15 is the extra time players have to get healthy without missing as many games.

“We had several guys that got banged up and some guys that couldn’t go from the Fresno State game, and then we had some guys get banged up a little bit in the Jackson game,” Graves said. Other Southern players who were seen on the sideline and not dressed to play against Jackson State were redshirt sophomore quarterback Jalen Woods, graduate cornerback Xavier Spencer, graduate cornerback Eric Reed, senior defensive end Demetrios Walker, redshirt junior wide receiver Jordan Dupre and freshman running back Amariyon Asberry Woods returned to practice last week after being placed in concussion protocol after his hit to the helmet on Aug. 30 against Mississippi Valley State. He is Southern’s lone returning quarterback and has been steadily making progress in his recovery

FILE

has played so far, only Ole Miss at No. 4 is currently ranked. Four of the teams on the Tigers’ remaining schedule are in this week’s AP poll, with three in the top 10. According to ESPN, if the season were to end today the Tigers would be on the cusp of making the CFP, likely only boxed out of the last spot in the 12-team field because a bid has to be reserved for the fifth highest-ranked conference champion. At least LSU has a chance. Compared to where some other schools find themselves at this point of the season, that is certainly worth quite a bit.

TURNOVERS

Continued from page 1C

taking advantage of your opportunities,” Kelly said, “whether it be special teams, which they have, (or) turnovers, which they have.”

There are a variety of reasons why LSU has struggled to score points, let alone capitalize on turnovers.

Senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has dealt with a torso injury since the preseason, an ailment that has affected his ability to push the ball downfield and make tight-window throws.

LSU also has had trouble complementing its passing attack with a strong run game. The Tigers enter this weekend 15th in the Southeastern Conference in yards per rush and yards rushing per game.

“We want to run the ball more efficiently, but I see the signs of that coming together,” Kelly said, “so we expect that to get better and better as the season goes on.”

The defense has done its job through five games. The Tigers looked more vulnerable on that side of the ball against Ole Miss, but overall they are third in the SEC in points allowed per game. Between forcing stops and creating turnovers, the unit has created ample opportunities for the offense to find its footing and put points on the board. But through the first five games, that hasn’t been the case, even as the likes of Woodland keep snatching balls out of the hands of opposing receivers.

“We just need to play a complete game where our offense complements our defense and special teams,” Kelly said. “That hasn’t shown itself yet. It will.”

Email Koki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.

MARCIOJOSE SANCHEZ

Special footballsused forkicks and punts areplacedinfront of aball crewmember during the firsthalf of agame between the LosAngeles Rams and the SanFrancisco 49ers on ThursdayinInglewood, Calif.

Here’s onereasonNFL fieldgoals flying farther

BY JOSH DUBOW AP pro football writer

SANTACLARA, Calif. The

field goals of 50-plus yards that once were ararity in the NFL arenow as routine as far shorter kicks ageneration ago. The range for many kickers now exceeds 60 yards, changinglategame strategy in amajor way.The kicking revolution has sparked questions about whether the balls are juiced Not quite,but there is a major difference this year, with teams now having the chance to prepare kicking balls before game day and practice with the same balls they use in games. The added length had Philadelphia defensive coordinator Vic Fangio comparing it to the home run explosion during baseball’ssteroid era starting in the late 1990s.

“It’salmost like they need an asterisk here,” Fangio said. “The way they’ve changed the ball, the NFL, the kicking ball has drasticallychangedthe field goals.”

Fangio’scomparison might be abit hyperbolic, with kickers sayingthe more broken-in ballstravel only afew yardsfarther,but even that could put records for long-distance field goals in jeopardy

There already have been four kicks made from at least 60 yards this season one shy of the single-season record —with Tampa Bay kicker ChaseMcLaughlin hitting a65-yarder against the Eagles in Week 4, just 1 yard shy of Justin Tucker’s record set in 2021.

Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey made a64-yarderin Week 2, and Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell and Minnesota kicker Will Reichard also made kicks of at least

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

60 yards Fangio predicted Aubrey will eclipse the 70-yard barrierthis year.

Aubrey said he believes the biggest change is the more consistentballs providing more peace of mind.

“The nice part about the rule is nowyou getto the point where you don’thave to think about the balls,” he said. “You don’thave to be, ‘Is this ball going to be in good shape or not?’ Now it’s, ‘OK, the balls are going to be whatthey’re supposed to be.’

Long-distancekicks have becomefar moreprevalent as thequality ofkickers has improved thanks tomore training and specialized coaching. The NFL has set records in each of the last four seasons for made field goalsofatleast50yards, with the total reaching 195 in 2024 —doubling the total from every NFL season until 2015.Kickersare making 72.5% of field goals from at least 50 yards —nearly double the rate from three decadesago

“I thinkit’sdefinitelyan advantagefor specialists this year,” said49ers long snapper Jon Weeks, who is entering his 16thseason in the NFL. “You’re starting to see the field-goaldistance line back up alittle bit. That’sjust kind of natural.”

While the trendtoward longerkicks hasbeen a steady one the past two decades,ithas increased even more this season after thechange in rulesfor the “K ball,” with the 28 made kicks fromatleast 55 yards themost ever through five weeksand more than in any entire season until 2022.

The change this year came afterseven teams —Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia, Las

Vegas, Minnesota andWashington —made aproposalto reduce thestress on equipment staffs on game days.

Before this season, balls designated for use in the kicking game were shipped directly to the officials and brought to the stadium on game day

Teamsthen had a60-minute window to prepare three kicking balls,using only a wet towel, adry towel anda special ball brush.

Now,teams are given 60 “K balls” before theseason to prepare for games, with each team getting three each gamethatare approved by thereferee.

No ball can be used in morethanthree games.

The initial rules for kickingballs werefirst put in place in 1999 after specialists were allegedly doing all sorts of thingstomanipulate the ball, including using microwave ovens, dryers and saunas to soften the leather and make them easier to kick.

Initially,only the officials wereallowed to prepare the balls,and kickers andpunters complainedtheywere too slick. That changed afterthe 2006 season,with teams gettingashort window on game day toprepare the ballsafter Dallas quarterback Tony Romo dropped asnap as the holder on apotentialgame-winning field goal in aplayoff losstoSeattle

Now the balls for thekicking gamecan be preparedin advance— just like the balls for the rest of the game but teams are mostly limited to usingthe towels and aspecial Wilson-branded brush.

Balls can’t be subjected to high heat like dryers or microwaves and the shape can’tbealtered at all.

Struggling Bengalstrade forBrownsQBFlacco

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

Joe Flacco is on the move again.

The Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) acquired theveteran quarterback from theCleveland Browns alongwith a 2026 sixth-round draft pick on Tuesday for afifth-round pick next season.

The40-year-old Flacco gives Cincinnatianother option.JakeBrowning has struggledsince replacing Joe Burrow,who is out with atoe injury sufferedin Week 2.

Flacco startedthe first four gamesfor theBrowns (1-4) this season, completing 93 of 160 passes for 815 yards and two touchdowns with six interceptions.

“Joe is an experienced quarterback withahistory of winning,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “He is a leader with askill set that

will fit ourpersonnel well He is agifted passer with astrongarm,and we are excited to have him on our team.”

Rookie DillonGabriel replaced Flacco in thestarting lineup and played well in Cleveland’s21-17lossto Minnesota in London. Rookie Shedeur Sanders nowmoves to thebackup spot.

“I gotthattextduring practice. Idon’t care. I don’tgive adarn aboutthe Browns at all.I care about the Colorado Buffaloes,” said his father, Colorado coach Deion Sanders. “I do love me some Shedeur Sanders, though,believe that Icareabout him. The rest of that mess,I don’t. I’ma coach trying to winjust like they’re trying to wingames. Icould carelesswho they traded.”

Flacco, who was Super Bowl MVP with the Balti-

moreRavens13years ago, has played forthe Broncos, Jets, Eagles, Jets again, Browns, Colts, Browns again and now the Bengals. If Flacco starts against Green Baythis week, he will becomethe seventh QB sinceatleast1950 to start against the sameopponent twice in aseason with adifferent team Kyle Orton did it twice. The Bengals were4-3 with Browning in 2023, andheled them to acomeback win in Week 2against the Jaguars after Burrow leftthe game. But Cincinnati has lost each of histhree starts, and Browning has six TDs and eight picks so far. The Bengals released Brett Rypien after the trade. Flacco has thrownfor 46,512 yards, 259 TDs and 168 INTsin18seasons. He is 10-6inthe playoffs with 3,530 yards passing, 26 TDsand 12 INTs.

Jaguarscontinuetoride

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Kansas City Chiefs on Mondayin Jacksonville, Fla

QB Lawrence roller coaster

BY MARK LONG AP pro football writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. It must be somewhat maddening to coach Trevor Lawrence.

The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback makes headscratching decisions like leaping over thegoal line on adesigned tush push,running twosteps past the line of scrimmagebefore releasing theball anddeclining easy dump-offs in favor of tougher throws down thefield —often into harm’s way Then he makes plays like he didtoclose outa 31-28 victory against Kansas City on Monday night.

Lawrence had two of the best throws of his five-year NFL career in the final minute,anabsolute dime to former LSU receiver Brian Thomas for 33 yards followed by a13-yard bull’s-eye to DyamiBrown on the other side of the field.

Those set up Lawrence’s crazy scramble for the winning score that hada packed

SAINTS ADD VETERAN CORNERBACK DAVIS, RELEASE RUNNING BACK JONES

take ashot at the end zone with 11 seconds left in the first half and insteadthrew ashort passthat resulted in a1-yard loss. Asked about the latter,Moore said he had calledfor a“man beater,” given theGiants’ tendency to play manto-man defense, but that New York played off coverage and matched thepatterns well. The Saints proceeded to take a quick shot at the end zone on the next play,though Rattler was forcedtothrow out of bounds so that he could leave enoughtime on the clock forashort field goal.

The Saintsreshuffledparts of their roster and practice squad Tuesday. The Saintssignedveteran cornerback Michael Davis and released runningbackVelus Jones from the 53-manroster,the team announced. NewOrleans also madechanges to thepractice squad,signing wide receiver Ronnie Bell and tight end Moliki Matavaowhile cuttingdefensive endGarrettNelson, tackle Sataoa Laumea and wide receiver Tommy Mellott.

Davis’signing comesafter Isaac yiadom suffered ahamstring injury in practice last week and missedSunday’swin overthe Newyork Giants. Davis, 30, spent last season with the Washington Commanders, but he spent his first sevenyears with the Los Angeles Chargers —where he was coached by nowSaints defensive coordinator Brandon Staleyfor three of those seasons. Davis, 30, has started 76 of his122 games.The 6-foot-2 cornerback started onlytwo of 15

Cam Jordan played 63 snaps against

stadium, both teams and millions more watching from home wondering what they just witnessed on anational stage.

“Competitive greatness is being your best when your best is required,” first-year head coach Liam Coen. “Obviously thefunky playatthe end,but he willedhimselfto getintothe endzone. Iwas really proud of theway he competed.”

Lawrence ran 10 times for ateam-leading 54 yards and twotouchdowns, usinghis legs as much as he hasinany previous start.

Takeaways have been the key to Jacksonville’sturnaroundthisseason. TheJaguars have aleague-leading 14 takeaways —five morethan they hadin2024 —and are an NFL-best plus-eight in turnover margin.

Jacksonville’sthird-down defense remains awork in progress. The Jags have allowed opponents to convert 47% on the crucialdown, whichranks 30th in the league

He nearly had another rushing score, but the ball gotknocked outofhis hands when he improvised at the goal line early in the second quarter and went high instead of low.His final run of thenight— on his26th birthday, no less —was even more surreal.Lawrence fell when aguard stepped on his right foot to start afirst-and-goal playfrom the1 He stumbled trying to get up, finally reached his feet, slippeda shoestring tacklein thebackfieldand then scrambled fora1-yard touchdown with23seconds remaining. “Yeah, it’sagoofy finish, but what atough momentfor him to be able to say he wasn’tgoingtolose,”Coensaid. “That’s really whatitcomes down to. He wasn’t going to lose.” Jacksonville (4-1) hosts Seattle(3-2) on Sunday,ashort weekthat forces players and coaches to move on quickly after beating the three-time reigning AFC champions in prime time.

Young stillout with acalfinjury, the Saintsare playing their starting defensive ends at astaggering rate. Carl Granderson and Jordan haveplayed 80.1% and 72.4% of the snaps this season, respectively 32.6%:The Saintsdid not make life easy on Giants rookie Jaxson Dart. They blitzed him on 32.6% of hisdropbacks, the second-highest rate at whichNew Orleans has sent an extra rusher this season. Only in the Seahawks game did the Saints blitz more, but Seattle had only 21 passattempts,and the outcome was decided early Up next

It’sa clash of the 2024 quarterback draft classwhen Rattler has to face offagainst Drake Maye andthe New England Patriots. The Patriots are coming off their biggest win of theMaye era, upsetting the Bills in a23-20 road win on “Sunday Night Football.” Maye

was phenomenal in prime time, but the Patriots offense is humming as of late thanks to the re-emergence of All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Coming off an ACL tear, he hashad twostraight gamesof at least 100 yards. He caught 10 passes for 146 yards against his formerteam Sunday Defensively,the Patriots are starting to gel under new coach Mike Vrabel —the formerPatriotslinebacker who had asuccessfulsix-year coaching stint in Tennessee. Therun defensehas been particularly imposing, holding Bills starrunning back James Cook to only 49 yards.

Email MatthewParas at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

Penalties-Yards

Time of Possession

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: Kansas City, Mahomes 6-60, Hunt 7-49, Pacheco 7-36, Worthy 1-9, B.Smith 1-4. Jacksonville, Lawrence 10-54, Etienne 12-49, Tuten 4-6. PASSING: Kansas City, Mahomes 29-41-1-318. Jacksonville, Lawrence 18-25-1-221.

RECEIVING:Kansas City, Kelce 7-61, Worthy 6-42, Brown 4-48, Thornton 3-90, B.Smith 3-32, Pacheco 3-20, Smith-Schuster 2-17 Hunt 1-8. Jacksonville, Thomas 4-80, Hunter 3-64, Etienne 3-9, Washington 2-16, D.Brown 2-15, Strange 1-22, Mundt 1-7, Tuten 1-5, Long 1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS: None. Pro basketball WNBA Finals

(x-if necessary) (Best-of-7)

Lauren Cheramie BONVIVANT

menu to raise awareness

Bon vi·vant /noun/ asociable personwho has cultivatedand refined tastes, especially with respect to food and drink

Newfood,drinksonthe block

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PROVIDED PHOTO

For everyorder of the chicken Parmesan po-boy, Jed’sLocal will donate moneytoAdult Literacy Advocates.

Bin 77,10111 Perkins Rowe, Baton Rouge, is serving cherry cannolis thismonth in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Apercentage of the proceeds will be donated to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

The featured cocktail of the month at Solera,4205 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, is the “Tigerita,” afrozendrink made with butterfly pea flower Speaking of cocktails SoLou,2112 Perkins Palm Ave., Baton Rouge, dropped its fall cocktail menu, including: n Pearfect autumn spritz, made with house-made pear syrup, gin, Campariand Prosecco n Copper and chai mule, made with chai tea, vanilla, vodka, orange and ginger beer n Banana fall-ster martini, made with Noël Distillery rum, banana,butterscotch and white chocolate finished witha cinnamon-sugar rim

n Brown butter rosemary old-fashioned, made with brown butter fat-washed bourboninfused with fresh rosemary,stirred with maple simple syrup and bitters Rocca Pizzeria,3897 Government St., Baton Rouge, has a few new fall specials on the menu, including duck confit pizza with an apricot brandy glaze, pesce and lemon orzo withcharred broccolini and ‘nduja pizza with shaved Brussels sproutsand smoky ‘nduja —aspicy,spreadable pork sausage from the Calabria region of Italy

In theknow

Steak night: 5p.m. to 8p.m. every Tuesday in October at Restaurant 1796, 7747 U.S. 61, St. Francisville

Steak Night Al Fresco is back at Restaurant 1796 on the courtyard with Iverstine Butcher. Enjoy differentcuts of steak each week, wine and cocktails. No reservationsrequired.

Leola’sAfter Dark: 6p.m. to 9p.m Friday at Leola’s, 1857 Government St., Baton Rouge

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

Finding good food in unsus-

pecting places feelslikea treasure hunt

When it comes to theBaton Rouge Department of Public Safety’s cafeteria, there may as well be an Xmarking thespot

The combination of Southern, home-cooked-style food, warmcamaraderie and low prices makes the cafeteria feel secure, out of harm’s way.Well, that, and the fact that it’s thepublicsafetycafeteria. It is probably one of the safest places in BatonRouge.

The food on the menuatthe 7901 IndependenceBlvd. facilityiscooked by inmates recruited across thestate.

The staff includes four civilians and10inmates feeding 250-300 people on an average day,said cafeteria manager Teresa Bernard.

On days thedepartmentholds a class, the cafeteria staff knows to expect more hungry stomachs.

“Less than 3% of the inmate population is actually allowed to come to DPS,” she said. “We’re very, verystrict on who we allow here.”

Bernard takes interviews from different prisons across thestate

and looks for applicants with culinary experience. If offered the job, inmates are housed in theState Police barracks in Zachary off U.S. 61. Inmateemployees can’thave certain offenses or write-ups, Bernardsaid. For example, if theirbed isn’ttucked in, they get written up.

Winner winner chickendinner

The menuisdifferent every day, but Wednesday is the sameevery week. It’s acrowdpleaser

“We’reknown throughout the community forChicken Day,”Bernard said. “Pre-COVID, we used to

“It’s agreat privilege to be able to come here,” Bernard said. “This is oneof(the prisoners’) goals when they getlocked up.Bythe time they get to me, they’re close to getting out.”

CAFETERIA

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have a line that was out the door.”

On Chicken Day, visitors have a choice of fried or baked chicken with side options of macaroni and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed vegetables and grits. The grab-and-go boxes offer even more options: a chef’s salad, ham sandwich or chicken and rice, so there’s something for everybody Bernard hopes to add a protein bowl station where customers can pick their protein, starch and toppings.

Baton Rouge Public Information Officer Shelby Mayfield’s favorite meal at the cafeteria is Chicken Day

“If you ever need to catch me in here and you need to guess what day, it’s always going to be Wednesday, for sure,” Mayfield said. Mayfield says she enjoys eating at the cafeteria because of the people and the hearty food.

Options galore

The hot plate lunch special on Sept. 18 included baked or fried pork chops, rice and gravy, smothered okra, cornbread and a baked sweet potato The entree and choice of two sides plus bread is $8 and comes in a to-go box.

The rotating menu also includes lasagna days (Bernard’s favorite dish), which comes about every three weeks, and they cook 18-20 pans of it each time.

Chicken and sausage gum-

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Enjoy an arts market at Leola’s with local vendors, drinks, brisket paninis, chicken paninis and live music.

Mestizo Restaurant, 2323 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge, is celebrating Mes De Los Muertos through Nov 2, with eight specialty

fried porkchop meal with

bo appears often, especially in the fall and winter Pork jambalaya fried/baked fish, shrimp creole and spaghetti with meat sauce are rotating dishes as well.

“A lot of our food is a home-cooked kind of food,” Bernard said. “We don’t use a lot of frozen foods or anything like that. Everything we cook, we cook.” Bernard said she’s trying to revamp some things to improve business.

The cafeteria has gone through a few upgrades, like a self-serve frozen coffee machine with squeeze bottles of caramel and chocolate syrup on the side. A few paces from that is the softserve ice cream machine.

There’s also an entire wall

cocktails and an ofrenda to honor deceased loved ones, guiding their spirits back to the living with offerings of favorite foods, photos, marigold flowers and other personal items.

Learn something new Flavor of the Far East: 6 p.m to 9 p.m. Oct. 14, at Ruffino’s, 18811 Highland Road, Baton Rouge

of baskets holding condiments from tartar sauce to blue cheese dressing to syrup.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as they say, and the cafeteria offers a-la-carte breakfast items 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. every weekday, including oatmeal, eggs grits, bacon toast, biscuits and waffles.

“It’s more than just a job,” Bernard said. “I love it here.”

Department of Public Safety Cafeteria, 7901 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open 7 to 8:30 a.m. every weekday for breakfast and 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for lunch. Closed Saturday and Sunday

Southeast Asian cuisine is the focus of Ruffino’s October cooking experience — a five-course dinner inspired by the food of Thailand, Vietnam and beyond. Each dish is prepared live by the chefs and paired with wines and cocktails. Tickets are $150, available for purchase at ruffinosrestaurant.com. If you have an upcoming food event or a kitchen question, email lauren. cheramie@theadvocate. com. Cheers!

By The Associated Press

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 8, the 281st day of 2025. There are 84 days left in the year Today in history:

On Oct. 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire began; more than 300 people died and more than 17,000 structures were destroyed during the three-day blaze.

Also on this date:

In 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series as the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5, 2-0.

In 1997, scientists reported the Mars Pathfinder had yielded what could be the strongest evidence yet that Mars might once have been hospitable to life.

In 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on the Pakistan-India border killed an estimated 86,000 people.

In 2016, Donald Trump

vowed to continue his campaign after many Republicans called on him to abandon his presidential bid in the wake of the release of a 2005 video in which he made lewd remarks about women and appeared to condone sexual assault.

In 2020, authorities in Michigan said six men had been charged with conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov Gretchen Whitmer in reaction to what they viewed as her “uncontrolled power.”

In 2022, an explosion caused the partial collapse of a bridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia, damaging an important supply artery for the Kremlin’s war effort in southern Ukraine.

In 2024, two pioneers of artificial intelligence — Canadian John Hopfield and American Geoffrey Hinton won the Nobel Prize in physics for helping create

Delivery mensteal medication

Dear Miss Manners: Ihave seen aclose relative in the news for something nefarious. Iknow they must be upset by the reports, and I sincerely feelbad for them, as Iknow this action was out of character. Should Iacknowledge the incident and comfort them, or just ignore the whole thing? Iwant to let them know things will be OK but don’twant to embarrass them. Gentle reader: Miss Manners notes that the action was not, however, so outofcharacter that you appear to have any doubt about the facts. The approach to take is to ask how they are doing. Youwill not need —orwant —tomention the incident directly,oreven add any special inflection when you ask how they are. Most people are well-informed

abouttheir own lives, so they will make theconnection and you can then follow that lead

Dear Miss Manners: My husband diedunexpectedly three months ago. It wasa shock andIamnot OK. But sometimes I have to gogrocery shopping. As Istart to movearound in the world again, peoplestop me frequently andask how I’m doing. This is difficultto answer,and Iunderstand they are trying to be kind.But then they often go ontoshare with me painfulstories of thespouse,sibling,child or dear friend they lost,and howhard itwas for them Ithink this is an effort to show solidarity or demonstrate that I’m not alone in my grief. But it ends up with me shouldering theburden of gathering

heartbreaking, sometimes traumatic, stories as Igo through my day.This nearconstant reminder of how unhappy people are inside is not making things easier; it’smakingmewanttogo back to hibernating. When someone, maybe with good intent, starts oversharing, how do Ipolitely get them to just not?I’m sure their pain is real and that they also need support,but Iamnot the person to give it right now

Gentlereader: “Thank you so much for asking. I’mstill at that stage where everythingreminds me of my loss, which is why Iamnot going out.Iwould love to see you again and talk more when I’m able to. Excuse me.” The difficult —but critical —next step is then to walk away Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

BEST

Continued from page1D

complements the other ingredients. I’m avegetarian, but you can add chicken for extra protein. I’ve had it three times since it was added to The Gregory’smenu.

—Deanna B. Narveson, deputy metro editor

Five cheese lasagna with meatball n DiGiulio BrothersItalian Cafe, 2903 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge

If I’m being honest, I haven’thad lasagna in probably 10 years. Atravesty,I know,especially whenit’s this good at DiGiulioBrothers. Any trip to the Perkins Overpass-area restaurantis atreat, and it was genuinely hardtopick something from the menu. Iwanted to try everything, including the specials on the board, but Istuck with aclassic. The lasagna itself is meat-

less and instead filledwith ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, provolone and mozzarella cheese. It’sserved with one meatballthat’s bigenough to cut into at least four pieces.

Thewholething was rich, fillingand incredibly cheesy in thebest waywith homemade redsauceand noodlesthat melted inmy mouth. It was the kind of dish that mademedance in my seat.

—Lauren Cheramie, features coordinator

Veal Parmesan

n Ruffino’s, 18811 Highland Road, Baton Rouge

When aspecial occasion called for aspecial meal

with extended family,we turned to Ruffino’s.

From steaks toseafood to Italian specialties, Iopted for theveal Parmesan, which did not disappoint. Twolarge, thick,lightly breaded and fried tender beef cutlets sat atop abed of capellini (a thin pastawith adiameter just slightly thicker than angel hair).Asubtly sweet house marinara covered both. Lots of melted mozzarella and agarnish of freshly chopped parsley completed thedish —aflavorful combination of classic Italian components.

Afew words about the size of this menu item: As soon as it arrived, Iknew ato-go box was in my future. Making it through about 25% of the plate, the leftovers madefor two lunches

Andasfor our special occasion, the staff made it feel like acelebration from start tofinish, including sweet,fluffy cotton candy for thehonoree.

—Judy Bergeron, Features assistant editor

Dear Heloise: Irecently had anew sofa delivered to my home, and the two men who delivered theitem were rather young. One fellow asked if he could use my restroom,and Itold him that he couldn’tuse it but that there was afast food place at the end of the street.They have clean restrooms there. He wasn’t happy and threw the paperwork at measheleft So, why did Isay “no”? About four months ago, we had anew dishwasher delivered and installed, and the guys asked if theycould use the restroom.Foolishly,I said “yes.” They stole medication thatmyhusband uses

roomsagain Ieven called the delivery company,and they told me their employees do not steal. Well, they stole from us! —Elaine and GregR., Anaheim,California Elaine and Greg, I’msorry to hear about this, but yours is not the first letter I’ve received concerning this problem.Apparently it’sbecoming aproblem in other states besides California. —Heloise Manners, please!

Dear Heloise: Twonights ago, my husband andIwentout to averyniceplace fordinnertocelebrate my birthday. My husband askedthe waiter,“Excuse me, we love

to ours wanted another glass of wine and shouted, “Hey,I need another glass of red, and hurry up! I don’tlike waiting.” They madelittle effort in hurrying with his request. The point of my telling you about this is to show that good manners will earn you respect and cooperation, while being rude seldom gets you what you want. Agreat manypeople work hard foraliving, and they don’tappreciate being treated as though they’re stupid or subservient. —HilaryV., in Denver

Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Look for solitude when dealing with personal matters and how you want to live your life. Refuse to let others dictate what's best for you. It's up to you to maintain peace.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Don't hide out when you should network. To succeed, you must participate. Attend events, make cold calls and share your history, thoughtsandexperiencewithotherplayers who share your concerns and interests.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Consider your health and well-being before agreeing to something that may be physically taxing. Clear-cut rules, standards or hours will make a positive difference for you and those you plan to work alongside.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Lookatthebig picture; consider where your steps lead if you put your energy into combining both domestic and professional needs. Love looks promising.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Lookforunique possibilitiesthatresonatewithwhatmotivatesyouaswellasthosewithwhomyou want to maintain a good relationship. A financial investment or job opportunity looks promising.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Count your blessings and do whatever it takes to push your journey forward. Engage in activities and events of interest that expand your circle of friends and human contact.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Listen carefully and consider the suggestions and infor-

mation you receive. You may not like what you hear, but if you turn the information into something positive, it can ultimately become a win-win situation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Explore your options,feelings,andwhatandwhoinfluences and affects your life. Physical and emotionalchangesappearpromisingand help address issues you're struggling with.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Gather data and base decisions on facts. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you when effort on your part is necessary Timing iscritical if you want to get the best results.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Attend events that combine work and pleasure, and you'll connect with people who interest you personally and professionally Home improvements can enhance your comfort and convenience.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Put a plan in place before you start sharing your intentions with loved ones or associates Your charm will only get you so far; a combination of brain and brawn will be impossible to resist.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Sit tight, wait, watch and put together possible options. Preparation will make a difference, so pay attention to detail and have alternatives ready in case anyone questions your intentions.

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

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Who said, “We do not learn by inferenceanddeductionandtheapplicationof mathematics tophilosophy,but bydirect intercourse and sympathy”?

Interestingly, when hunting suitable quotations for these columns, this is the first I found exactly word for word credited to two different people; in this case, Henry David Thoreau and Richard M Nixon. Is it possible thatNixon borrowed from Thoreau?

Whichever, clearly neither was a bridge player. Our game is full of inferences from which we learn information aboutadeal.Becausesomeonedidsomething, he must have this or cannot have that.

Today’s deal is a testing example of this. South is in four hearts. West leads the diamond three, dummy’s 10 taking the trick. How should South continue?

South has only nine winners: six hearts and three diamonds. He probably needs to guess clubs.

However, before doing that, he should draw trumps, cash his diamond tricks andexitwithaspade.Here,supposeEast wins with his queen and cashes the ace. Then his best play is immediately to shift toalowclub Ifhedoes,shouldSouthplay his jack or king? Probably, though, East will try to cash a third spade. Declarer ruffs, crosses to dummy with a trump, and leads a club up.

AC ENTEN NIAL CELEBR AT ION

WHE N

Friday, October 10, 2025 Frida 7PM-11PM

WHY

To raise funds forLASM’s unique educational mission and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the historic railroad depot with the museum’snew exhibition, Crossroads & Connections: ACentury of the Railway in Baton Rouge

WHER E

Louisiana Art &Science Museum

100 River Road South, Baton Rouge FREE PARKING &SHUTTLE 301 Lafayette Street

WEAR

Cocktail or Costume: Costume:Put on the ritz with your best fits andbust out the flapper dresses, fringe, andfeathersfor a night of roaringfun and dazzlingstyle!

ABOUT THE GAL A

Step into the glitz and glamour of the 1920s andjoin us foranight of fundraising at Baton Rouge’sfavorite and longest-runningparty forapurpose!

Featuring:

•Grand RaffleofDiamond Necklace, from Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry

•Casino

•Curated SilentAuction

•Dancing withDJDigital

•Fabulous Food &Drinks

•Roaring 20s Décor

Proceeds support LASM’sunique educational mission, withprograms andspaces that inspireover22,000 studentseach year,and exhibitions that create lifelong explorersofart &science.

FRIDAY, OC TOBER10, 2025 Honoring 100 Years of BatonRouge’sHistoric Train Depot

Fourteen-CaratWhiteGold Tennis Necklace .95carat total weight Valued at $5,500 RaffleTickets: $50 each Need not be presenttowin PROVIDED BY

SILENT AUC TION GRAND RAFFLE

CuratedSilentAuction featuringA Experiences, Food &Wine, andF Bidnow at galabid.com/lasmgal