The Acadiana Advocate 06-18-2025

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Senate’s bill changes raise alarm

State hospitals warn of jeopardizing services

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON — Representatives of Louisiana’s largest hospitals converged Tuesday on Capitol Hill after a Senate committee released its recommendations to squeeze more spending cuts out of Medicaid than the House did in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Louisiana’s hospitals are still

evaluating the suggested Medicaid cuts, but a first read of the 549page bill released Monday night is not optimistic, said Paul A Salles, president and chief executive officer of the Louisiana Hospital Association.

“Unlike the House bill, which takes a more balanced approach to controlling Medicaid spending, the new proposal from the Senate Finance Committee includes

devastating reductions that could jeopardize rural access, medical education and essential services such as maternity care, children’s services, behavioral health and access to specialty care for patients across Louisiana,” Salles said Tuesday

The legislation, which includes most of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda, cleared the House by a single vote. It would

cut spending over the next 10 years by $1.6 trillion, mostly from Medicaid reductions, but add $2.4 trillion to the national debt, mostly from tax breaks. An estimated 10 million people would no longer be able to enroll in the state-federal program that pays for health care services for low-income Americans, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Senators promised significant changes to the House-passed bill. Their suggestions go much further on Medicaid than the House by cracking down on strategies states have used to raise more money for their share of Medicaid, which brings in more federal “match” dollars. That would have the effect of transferring the costs from taxpayers around the country to just those in a state. Officials from Louisiana’s largest health systems gave U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy an earful Tuesday morning, both Cassidy and hospital administrators in attendance

Trump calls for Iran surrender

Israel says top Iranian general killed in latest round of attacks

BY JOSEPH KRAUSS, JON GAMBRELL and NATALIE MELZER Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Israel claimed Tuesday to have killed a top Iranian general as it traded more strikes with its longtime foe, and U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran’s residents to evacuate while demanding that Iran surrender without conditions.

Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters: “I’m not looking at a ceasefire. We’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”

When asked to explain, he said the U.S. wanted to see “a real end” to the conflict that could involve Iran “giving up

entirely.” He added: “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.” Later on social media, he warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the U.S knows where he is hiding and called for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.” It was not clear whether that was a suggestion for Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.

Trump posted that there were no plans to kill Khamenei “at least not for now.” Despite warning that U.S. “patience is wearing thin,” he indicated that diplomatic talks remained an option, and said he could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians. Iran offered no immediate

ä See TRUMP, page 5A

Miguez to take on Cassidy for Senate

GOP state senator from New Iberia claims to be ‘the MAGA choice’

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana state Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, announced his candidacy Tuesday for U.S. Senate, with an opening salvo targeting Republican incumbent Bill Cassidy’s vote to convict President Donald Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial. The initial frames of a video announcing Miguez’s run for office show Cassidy labeled as a “RINO” Republican in Name Only — as he says, “I voted to convict President Trump.” Then, Miguez appears and says, “I’m running for the U.S. Senate because Bill Cassidy sucks.” He also touts his deep Louisiana roots and showcases his skills as a competitive shooter, wielding various firearms throughout the video to metaphorically target concepts conservatives oppose, like “Marxism.”

Miguez is also branding himself as “the MAGA choice” for the U.S. Senate.

At the State Capitol, he has championed some hallmark conservative causes, including gun rights and anti-immigration policies.

He’s spearheaded Louisiana’s passage of permitless concealed carry laws and last year sponsored

Short-term property owners file lawsuit over Lafayette rental rules

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Two Lafayette property owners filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging a city ordinance that prohibits short-term rentals such as Airbnbs in areas zoned for single-family residences and seeking an injunction prohibiting the city from enforcing the ordinance against their properties.

Michael Deselle and Rebecca “Becky” Guidry sued Lafayette Consolidated Government over a short-term rental law approved by the City Council in October 2023, alleging the ordinance violates the Takings Clause and Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution The ordinance prohibits shortterm rentals of less than 30 days in single-family zoned areas, of which the lawsuit alleges 75% of residential areas in the city are zoned. Calling the ordinance bad policy and manifestly unconstitutional, the lawsuit alleges that the shortterm rental restrictions equate to the government taking private property by depriving owners of income. As a result, the plaintiffs allege the city owes the property owners compensation. Deselle owns property at 527 St. Joseph St., which includes a singlefamily home and a converted detached garage in which he invested about $90,000. He rented the units for about three years with a 90% to 100% occupancy that brought in about $6,000 a month, according to the lawsuit. When the ordinance was adopted, Deselle converted the property to long-term rentals that brought in less income, causing him to put the property up for sale. Guidry owns property at 102 Steeple Chase Drive, near her own home. After she inherited the property from her father, Guidry invested in upgrades and offered short-term leases from 2022 until the summer of 2024, earning about $50,000 a year, according to the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while flying aboard Air Force One en route from Calgary, Canada, to Joint Base Andrews, Md on Monday

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Smoke rises from the building of Iran’s state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, on Monday

ä See SENATE, page 4A

Tropical storm expected to become hurricane

MEXICO CITY A hurricane warning was issued Tuesday for a portion of southern Mexico as Tropical Storm Erick gained strength in the Pacific Ocean, forecasters said.

The National Hurricane Center said Erick was expected to rapidly intensify and become a hurricane by late Tuesday or early Wednesday. The cyclone was centered about 240 miles southeast of Puerto Ángel, Mexico, on Tuesday afternoon

The tropical storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, the Miami-based center said. It was moving west-northwest at 7 mph and forecast to approach the coast by late Wednesday

The storm’s projected path would take its center near the resort of Acapulco, which was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared.

At least 52 people died in Otis and 32 were missing, after the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort town’s hotels.

Guerrero state Gov Evelyn Salgado said Tuesday that lessons were learned from that storm. She announced the closure of all schools across the state for Wednesday and said 582 shelters were prepared to receive people who might evacuate their homes.

A hurricane warning was in effect from Puerto Ángel to Punta Maldonado in coastal southern Mexico

Combs unlikely to testify as jurors deliberate soon NEW YORK The possibility that music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs might testify at his federal sex trafficking trial all but vanished Tuesday after his lawyer predicted a defense presentation lasting as little as two days and a judge said jurors could begin deliberations as early as next week.

Attorney Marc Agnifilo offered the hint when Judge Arun Subramanian asked him for an estimate on the length of the defense case, and the attorney said their presentation could last less than two days — but not more than five.

If Combs testified, it was likely his testimony would take longer than a week. Testimony by two of his former girlfriends consumed two of the trial’s six weeks.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges He has been jailed at a federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September arrest at a Manhattan hotel.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey said prosecutors would rest as early as Wednesday and no later than Friday morning.

The estimates were provided Tuesday after the irate judge scolded prosecutors and defense lawyers, saying information about a closed court proceeding involving a juror last Friday had leaked to a media outlet.

Baby delivered from Ga. woman on life support

ATLANTA

The baby of a woman in Georgia who was declared brain dead and has been on life support since February was delivered early Friday morning, her mother said.

April Newkirk told WXIA-TV that 31-year-old Adriana Smith’s baby was born prematurely by an emergency cesarean section early Friday, the Atlanta station reported Monday night. She was about six months into her pregnancy The baby, named Chance, weighs about 1 pound and 13 ounces and is in the neonatal intensive care unit.

“He’s expected to be okay,” Newkirk told the TV station.

“He’s just fighting. We just want prayers for him.”

Newkirk said her daughter had intense headaches more than four months ago and went to Atlanta’s Northside Hospital where she received medication and was released. The next morning, her boyfriend woke to her gasping for air and called 911. Emory University Hospital determined she had blood clots in her brain and she was declared brain-dead. She was eight weeks pregnant, according to WXIA. Newkirk said Smith would be taken off of life support Tuesday

G7 leaders try to salvage summit

BY ROB GILLIES, JILL LAWLESS and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

KANANASKIS, Alberta — Six of the Group of Seven leaders were wrapping up their summit on Tuesday, attempting to prove that the wealthy nations’ club still has the clout to shape world events despite the early departure of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his counterparts from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Japan were joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte and discussed Russia’s relentless war on its neighbor at what has essentially become just the G6.

Zelenskyy said after overnight Russian attacks killed 15 people and injured 150plus in his country that “our families had a very difficult night, one of the biggest attacks from the very beginning of this war.”

“We need support from allies and I’m here,” Zelenskyy said. He added, “We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire. I think it’s very important. But for this, we need pressure.”

Carney said the attack “underscores the importance of standing in total solidarity with Ukraine, with the Ukrainian people” and pledged $2 billion in new aid that would fund drones and other military items. Numerous meetings continued, and the remaining leaders agreed to jointly attempt to combat what they called non-market policies that could jeopardize global access to critical minerals.

They similarly pledged to limit the potential downsides of artificial intelligence on jobs and the environment while still

embracing the potential of the “technological revolution.”

But, notably, the leaders did not release any joint statements on Russia’s war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy had been set to meet with Trump while world leaders were gathering in the Canadian Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis, but that was scrapped.

The U.S. previously signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources amid Russia’s ongoing war in Zelenskyy’s country The summit opened with the specific goal of helping to defuse a series of pressure points, only to be disrupted by a showdown over Iran’s nuclear program that could escalate. Israel launched an aerial bombardment campaign against Iran and Iran has hit back with missiles and drones.

Trump departed before the final day began. As conflict between Israel and Iran intensified, he declared that Tehran should be evacuated “immediately” and has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

Before leaving, Trump joined the other leaders in issuing a statement saying Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and calling for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.” Getting unanimity even on a short and broadly worded statement — was a modest measure of success for the group.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he sat next to Trump at Monday night’s summit dinner “I’ve no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement there was in relation to the words that were then issued immediately after that,” he said.

Ex-Argentine president allowed to serve sentence at home

By The Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina A federal court on Tuesday granted a request by former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to serve a sixyear prison sentence for corruption at her home in Buenos Aires.

Judges ruled that Fernández, 72, can serve time in the apartment where she lives with her daughter and her granddaughter, citing her age and security reasons. Fernández was the victim of an attempted assassination three years ago.

In the ruling, obtained by The Associated Press, the court said that Fernández “must remain at the registered address, an obligation that she may not break except in exceptional situations.”

The court also ordered that Fernández be placed under the watch of an electronic surveillance device to monitor her movements.

Last week, Argentina’s highest court upheld Fernández’s sentence in a ruling that permanently banned her from public office over the corruption conviction that found she had directed state contracts to a friend while she was the first lady and president.

The ruling left Fernández, Argentina’s charismatic yet deeply divisive ex-

leader, sent her supporters pouring into the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, and blocking major highways in protest.

The ruling barred Fernández from running in this fall’s Buenos Aires legislative election just days after she launched her campaign.

On Tuesday the court dismissed prosecutors’ request that Fernández serve time behind bars.

Judges said that the physical integrity of the political leader “would become complex in a situation of prison confinement in coexistence with any type of prison population.”

Seeking to serve the sentence at home, the former president had argued that she is more than 70 years

FDA to faster review companies promoting ‘national priorities’

BY MATTHEW PERRONE AP health writer

WASHINGTON U.S. regulators will begin offering faster reviews to new medicines that administration officials deem as promoting “the health interests of Americans,” under a new initiative announced Tuesday Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency will aim to review select drugs in one to two months. FDA’s long-standing accelerated approval program generally issues decisions in six months for drugs that treat life-threatening diseases. Regular drug reviews take about 10 months.

Since arriving at the FDA in April, Makary has repeatedly told FDA staff they need to “challenge assumptions” and rethink procedures. In a medical journal commentary published last week,Makarysuggestedthe agency could conduct “rapid or instant reviews,” pointing to the truncated process used to authorize the first COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed.

For the new program, the FDA will issue a limited number of “national priority vouchers” to companies “aligned with U.S. national priorities,” the agency said in a statement. The special designation will give the selected companies access to extra FDA communications, streamlined staff reviews and the ability to submit much of their product information in advance.

Speeding up drug approvals has long been a priority of the pharmaceutical industry, which has successfully lobbied Congress to create a variety of special programs and pathways for faster reviews.

Many aspects of the plan announced Tuesday overlap with older programs. But the broad criteria for receiving a voucher will give FDA officials unprecedented discretion in deciding which companies can benefit from the fastest reviews.

“The ultimate goal is to bring more cures and meaningful treatments to the American public,” Makary

said in a statement. Makary said he will prioritize vouchers for companies pursuing products that address health crises, deliver “innovative cures” or address other unmet public health needs.

An administration official said the program wouldn’t change FDA approval standards.

“Without altering how new treatments are evaluated just when the FDA’s new voucher program is a common sense reform that maintains rigorous clinical standards while streamlining needless bureaucracy,” Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, wrote in an emailed statement Tuesday Separate from this week’s announcement, Makary recently suggested the FDA should be willing to ease its scientific requirements for certain drugs targeting rare conditions. In such cases, the agency could consider waiving its requirement for randomized studies, in which researchers track patients over time to evaluate drug safety and effectiveness. Such trials are generally considered the gold standard of medical research, though the FDA has increasingly been willing to accept smaller, lessdefinitive studies for rare or life-threatening diseases. In several recent cases, the FDA has faced criticism for approving drugs based on preliminary data that didn’t ultimately show benefits for patients. The push to rapidly accelerated drug approvals is the opposite approach that Makary and his boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have taken on vaccines.

Promising a “return to gold-standard science,” Kennedy previously announced that all new vaccines would have to be compared to placebo, or a dummy shot, to win approval. Kennedy and Makary also have announced a stricter policy on seasonal updates to COVID-19 shots, saying they will have to undergo new testing before they can be approved for use in healthy children and most adults.

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old — an extenuating circumstance taken into account by the justice system to grant the privilege.

Fernández dominated Argentine politics for two decades and forged the country’s main left-wing populist movement known as Kirchnerism — after her and her husband, former President Néstor Kirchner She rejects the charges as politically motivated.

During Fernández’s eight years in office from 2007–15, Argentina expanded cash payments to the poor and pioneered major social assistance programs. Her governments funded unbridled state spending by printing money, bringing Argentina notoriety for major budget deficits and sky-high inflation.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Calgary International Airport on Monday in Calgary, Canada, on his way back to Washington.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NATACHA PISARENKO

Supporters of former Argentine President Cristina Fernández gather outside her home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Tuesday, one week after the nation’s Supreme Court upheld her corruption conviction.

NYCmayoral candidateis arrested at immigrationcourt

BY CEDAR ATTANASIO Associated Press

NEW YORK New York City

Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by federal agents at an immigration court Tuesday after he linked arms with aperson authorities were attempting to detain.

Areporter with The Associated Press and other journalists witnessed Lander’s arrestata federalbuilding in Manhattan,the latest confrontation between U.S agents and aDemocratic politician objecting to the Trumpadministration’seffort to jail and deport mass numbers of immigrants. The immigrant Lander escorted out of the courtroom was also arrested.

Lander was released from custody after afew hours The U.S. attorney’soffice said it was investigatinghis actions and would decide later whether to charge him with acrime.

Lander had spent the morning observing immigration court hearings and told an AP reporter thathe was there to “accompany” some immigrants outofthe building In the moments before Lander was handcuffed agents could be seen trying to physically separate him from theman they hadcome to detain. Lander struggled to stay close, keeping his arms locked with the man, demanding to see ajudicial warrant. Videos taken by journalists show agents struggling to separate Lander from the man he’d linked armswith

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

Newyork City Comptroller Brad Lander is placed under arrest by Immigrationand CustomsEnforcement (ICE) and FBIagentsoutside federal immigration courtonTuesdayin Newyork.

for more than40seconds before wresting thetwo apart. Multiple agents then grabbedLander’sarms and put them behind hisback.

“You’re obstructing,”an agenttold Lander “I’m not obstructing, I’m standing right hereinthe hallway,”Lander said as he was beinghandcuffed.

In astatement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security AssistantSecretary Tricia McLaughlin said Lander“was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding afederal officer.”

Afterhis release, Lander told reporters that all he was trying to do washold the arm of theman whowas being detainedand said he “certainly didnot”assault an officer

“I am happy to report that Iamjustfine.I lost abutton,” Landersaidafterhis release.

“I believe it is important

to show up and bear witness and accompany people,” he said.

He addedthatthe man “ripped” from his armstoday “doesn’thave alawyer” and will sleep in afederal detention center

“So Iamgoing to keep coming here week after week,” he said, emphasizing aneed for nonviolence, to not give Trump “an excuse to ratchet” things up.

The episode occurred as federal immigrationofficials are conducting largescale arrests outsideimmigration courtrooms across the country. In many cases, immigrants are arrested after ajudge grants agovernment request to dismiss their case, making them eligible for expedited removal.

“Theyremove any opportunity for due process,” Lander had toldreporters earlier in the day after witnessing anotherperson’s hearing.

Disgracedformer Sen. BobMenendez arrivesatprisontobegin sentence

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRYNEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEWYORK— Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez arrived ata federal prison on Tuesday to begin serving an 11-year sentence for accepting bribesof gold and cash and acting as an agent of Egypt. The New Jersey Democrat has been mocked for the crimes as “GoldBar Bob,” according to his own lawyer The federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that Menendez was in custody at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill in Minersville,Pennsylvania. The facility has amedium-security prison and aminimumsecurity prison camp. Given the white-collar nature of his crimes, it’slikely he’ll end up in the camp. The prison is about 118 miles west of New York City It’s hometoabout 1,200inmates, including ex-New York City organized crime bossJames Coonan and former gas station owner Gurmeet Singh Dhinsa, whom the New York Post dubbed

“Gas-StationGotti” forhis ruthless, violent ways. Menendez, 71, maintains his innocence.Lastweek, afederalappealscourt rejected his last-ditch effort to remain free on bail while he fights to gethis bribery convictionoverturned. A three-judge panelonthe 2nd U.S. CircuitCourt of Appeals deniedhis bail motion. Pleading for leniency, Menendeztolda judgeat his sentencing in January: “I am farfrom aperfectman Ihavemade more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions. I’ve done far more goodthan bad.”

Menendez has also appeared to be angling for a pardon from President Donald Trump, aligninghimself with the Republican’scriticismsofthe judicialsystem, particularly in New York City

“This process is political and it’scorrupted to the core. IhopePresidentTrump cleans upthe cesspool and restores the integrity to the system,” Menendez toldreportersafter hisJanuary sentencing.

In posts Tuesday on the social platformX thatwere later deleted, Menendez criticized prosecutors as politically motivated and opposed to his foreign policy views and praised Trumpfor “rising above thelaw fare.”

Menendez resigned last year after he was convicted of selling his clout for bribes. FBIagentsfound $480,000 in cash in his home,some of it stuffed inside boots and jacket pockets, alongwith gold bars worth an estimated $150,000 anda luxury convertible in thegarage.

In exchange, prosecutors said, Menendez performed corrupt favors forNew Jersey business owners, including protecting them from criminal investigations, helping in business dealswith foreign powers andmeeting with Egyptian intelligence officials beforehelping Egypt access$300 million in U.S. militaryaid.

Menendez, who once chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, resignedamonth after his conviction. He had been in the Senate since 2006.

Judgesaysgovernmentcan’t limitpassportsex markers

BY MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

BOSTON Afederal judge hasblocked the Trumpadministration from limiting passport sexmarkers for many transgender and nonbinary Americans.

Tuesday’srulingfrom U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick means thattransgender or nonbinary people who are without apassport or need to apply for anew one can requestamale, female or “X” identification marker rather than being limited to the marker that matches the genderassigned at birth.

In an executive order signed in January,the president used anarrow definition of the sexes instead of a broader conception of gender. The ordersaid aperson is maleorfemaleand re-

jected the idea that someone can transition from the sexassignedatbirth to another gender Kobick first issuedapreliminary injunction against the policylastmonth, but that ruling applied only to sixpeoplewho joinedwith theAmerican Civil Liberties Union in alawsuit over the passport policy

In Tuesday’sruling she agreed to expand the injunction to include transgender or nonbinary people who are currently without a valid passport,those whose passport is expiring within ayear,and those who need to applyfor apassportbecause theirs was lost or stolen or because they need to changetheir name or sex designation.

TheWhite House did not immediately respond to a

request for comment.

The government failed to show that blocking its policy would cause it any constitutionalinjury,Kobick wrote, or harm theexecutive branch’srelations with other countries. The transgender and nonbinary people covered by the preliminary injunction, meanwhile,haveshown that the passport policy violates theirconstitutionalrights to equalprotection, Kobick said.

“Even assuming apreliminary injunction inflicts some constitutionalharmon the Executive Branch, such harm is the consequence of the State Department’s adoption of aPassport Policy that likely violates the constitutional rightsof thousands of Americans,” Kobick wrote.

PHOTO By OLGA FEDOROVA

acknowledged.

“I’m very much conscious of the impact that would have on our providersback home, but that’sthe setting in which this is occurring,” Cassidy said after meeting with Louisiana health care officials. The Baton Rouge Republicanisamemberof the Senate Finance Committee and chair of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee.

“States have gottenincredibly greedy about pulling down money from the federal taxpayer as governors and legislatureshave decided to spend their own dollars on things besides Medicaid,” Cassidy said.

Cassidysaid the tax breaks in thebillwillenergizethe U.S. economy and Louisiana workers.

Cassidy and the hospital executives note that the bill as released serves as abase for negotiations and is along way from the shape it’ll be in when the legislation heads to the floor for Senate passage.

But the language now has worriedhospitals in rural areas of the state,whose patients are mostlyonMedicaid, said Jeff Reynolds, executive director for the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition.

“Right now,the way the bill reads,” Reynolds said, “all my member hospitals would havetosee what programs they could reduce and what layoffs they’d have to order to stabilize” their finances In particular,wording was changed to require “state

MIGUEZ

Continued frompage1A

legislation to ban “sanctuary” immigration policies This year,healsosponsored Make America Healthy Again legislation that bans some ultra-processed ingredients in food at schools.

In responsetoMiguez’s announcementonTuesday Cassidy defended his conservative bona fides and argued he has been an effective senator on issues important to Louisiana.

“I supportedthe president 90% of the time in his first term, which is among the top of all Republican senators,” he said. “He’sgot two Cabinet secretariesthat he would nothave unless Ihad gotten them approved.”

Cassidy continued: “It won’tbethe last attack ad, that’sall Ican say.The more the merrier.”

Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, also aRepublican, in December announced his run for the seat— alsoby highlighting Cassidy’simpeachmentvote, which he called “a huge mistake.”

“I think that makes him ineligible for reelection in astate that’svery,very supportive of President Trump,” he said. Fleming on Tuesday touted

directed payments” for Medicaid programstoequal the rate paid for Medicare, whichisthe federal health careprogram forthe elderly. The rulesnow allow the upper limit of those paymentstobecalculated from theaverage commercial rate for hospitals and nursingfacilities.

For Louisiana, the rural hospitals are set to receive $245millioninthe state’s budget for thefiscal year the moneycoming primarilyfromthe “state directed payments”the bill targets —tohelpoffset providing health care services that cost more than theamount Medicaidcovers.

If theSenate’sproposed legislation becomeslaw, equalizing those payments with the Medicare rate would immediately drop the amount thestate receives

his own MAGA credentials, notingthathewas afounding member of theU.S House Freedom Caucus as amember of Congress, was appointed to three different positions in the first Trump administration and wonthe president’sendorsement when heran for treasurer

“I was part of the development ofMAGA,”Fleming said. Miguez’scandidacy has beenrumoredfor months.

While his announcement isn’ta surprise, it does throw the race “into acomplete tizzy,” said Pearson Cross, aprofessor of Louisiana and American politics at the University of Louisiana at Monroe

That’sdue to the “vastly” increasedchances for arunoff in April’sclosed party primaryrace, he said.

Butany outcome is far from certain

“I think at this moment, all threecandidateshaveashot at winningthis race depending on their fundraising,” Cross said.

He elaborated: Cassidy,the incumbent,has amassed asignificant war chest,Fleming has name recognition around Louisiana and thecapacityto fund his own campaign should he choose, and Miguez“is making aname for himself in conservative circles in Louisiana.”

to $211 million. Then the federal government would start withholding 10% annually until thecalculated rate equals the Medicare rate. Eventually,payments woulddroptoabout $128 millionannually,Reynolds said. Statelegislators would have to cover the difference —orthey could cutMedicaid services

“SenateRepublicans are activelylookingatwaysto support ruralhospitals,” Cassidy said. “Asa doctor who worked in the charity hospital system,seeing referralsfrom rural parishes, Iunderstand the importance of these hospitals and will work to maintain themin Louisianaand elsewhere.”

Additionally,the Senate Finance Committee basically reduced theamount astate can taxhospitals, clinics and other health care providers

Despite efforts to use Cassidy’simpeachmentvote against him, Cross said the incumbent still stands a chance.

“I think it’stoo early to discount atwo-term senator with asizable war chest, even if it is aclosed primary,” he said.

Louisiana lastyear decided to endso-called jungle primaryraces —when all candidates compete against each other on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation —and instituted closed partyprimary racesfor several major elections, including U.S. Senate.

The Aprilelection will be thefirst that sees the2024 changes implemented.

Under the new rules,votersregisteredasRepublican must vote in the Republican Party primary,and votersregisteredasDemocrat mustvote in theDemocratic Party primary Unaffiliated voters who register as “no party,” however,can choosetovotein either theDemocraticor Republican primary

Sammy Wyatt, chief compliance and investigation officer at LSUHealthShreveport,has also announced a bid for Cassidy’sseat.

Staffwriter Mark Ballard contributed to this report.

Email AlysePfeilatalyse. pfeil@theadvocate.com.

from 6% to 3.5%. Louisiana andmost other states use thetaxes to offset the portionthey owe for services rendered, which leads the federal government picking

moreofthe costs.

Nobody knows for sure how much this provision would cost the state treasury,but lowering those percentages would shift the burden of raising the state’s match to the state’staxpayers.

“Frankly,states have backed out of their commitment to the Medicaid program and use provider taxes to replace the state commitmentwithfederal taxpayer dollars. When we say federal taxpayer dollars,that’syou and me,” Cassidy said.

Less in theregulatory weeds is theproposed change likely to attract the mostattention: Able-bodied adults with children over the ageof14years aregoing to have to work or volunteer at least 80 hours amonth to qualify for the health insurance program TheHouse’swork requirementwas only forchildless adults. In the House version, theCongressional Budget Officeestimatedabout 5million beneficiaries would lose

their Medicaid —mostly from being unable to keep up with the paperwork and confusion over the qualifications. Those estimates likely would grow as thenumbers required to work increases dramatically in theSenate version.

HouseSpeakerMike Johnson, R-Benton,has repeatedly asked senators to take alight hand in the changes they make, pointing out that House leadership crafted the bill’sprovisions to win over GOP reps who had opposed the legislation. The measure passed the House in May by asingle vote. Johnson’s staffonTuesday said the speaker wasn’t ready to comment on the Senate’sideas forchanges. Senate leadership hopes to get avote on the bill next weekand begin negotiations with the House on final language anddelivertoTrump by July 4.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

Mehmet Oz, center,administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is joined by Republican senators as theyspeaktoreporters followingclosed-door policy meetings at the Capitol on Tuesday.

response to the president’s posts, but the country’s military leaders vowed that Israel would soon see more attacks.

“The operations carried out so far havebeen solely for the purpose of warning and deterrence,” Gen. Abdul Rahim Mousavi, the commander in chief of Iran’s army,said in avideo. “The punishment operation will be carried out soon.”

Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about theevolving situation over the phone on Tuesday according to aWhite House official whowas not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity Uncertainty roiledthe region on the fifth day of Israel’s aircampaign aimedatIran’s military and nuclear program. Residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog for the first time said Israeli strikes on Iran’smain uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz had also damaged its main underground centrifuge facility,not just an above-ground facility,as previously acknowledged. Israel says its sweeping assault is necessary to prevent Iran from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. Thestrikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran. Iran has retaliated by launching some 400 missiles and hundreds of dronesat Israel. So far,24people have been killed in Israel Iran did not immediately commentonthe reported killing in Tehran of Gen. Ali Shadmani, whom Israel described as the most senior military commander Shadmani waslittleknown in the country before being appointed last week to achief-of-staff-like role as head of the paramilitaryRevolutionary Guard’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. The appointment followed the killingof his predecessor,Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, in an Israeli strike. Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin announcedanew wave of strikes on Tuesday evening as explosions and anti-aircraft fire boomed throughout Tehran, shaking buildings. The Israeli military said its warplanes had targeted 12 missile launch sites

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and storagefacilities. It said theIsraeli Air Force was conductingstrikes around Tehran earlyWednesday

Israel’s military warned thepopulation to stay close to shelters as Iran fired new salvos of missiles, but officialssaidmost were intercepted.Sirens blaredin southern Israel, including in the desert town of Dimona, theheart of Israel’sneveracknowledged nuclear arms program. Iran launched another barrage early Wednesday. Israelirescueservices hadnoimmediate reports of injuries.

Iran has fired fewer missiles in each of its barrages, with ahandfullaunched late Tuesday.Ithas not explained thedrop in missiles fired, butthe decline comes after Israel targeted many Iranianlaunchers.

Trump warned on social media that “everyone should immediatelyevacuate Tehran,” echoinganearlier Israeli military call for some 330,000 residents of adowntown neighborhood there to evacuate.

Tehranisone of thelargest cities in theMiddle East, with around 10 million people,roughlyequivalent to Israel’sentirepopulation.

People have beenfleeing since hostilities began. Asked whyhehad urged the evacuation, Trump said: “I just want peopletobe safe.”

Downtown Tehran emptiedout early Tuesday,with many shopsshuttered,as well as the ancient Grand Bazaar,which hasclosed only in timesofcrisis,such as during the2022 anti-governmentprotests andthe coronavirus pandemic.

On the roads out of Tehran to the west, trafficstood bumpertobumper. Many

nation by LCGbecause those owning single-family homes in neighborhoods in different zones are exempt from the short-term rental ban.

“Lafayette made the intentional decision to burden certainpropertyowners

middle- and upper-class Iranianswereheadedto theCaspian Sea, apopular getaway spot.Long lines snaked from Tehran’sgas stations Iranianauthoritiesappearedtobecurbing the public’saccess to theoutside world. Phone and internet service was disrupted, with landline phones unable to receive or dial international calls. NetBlocks, an internet monitoring group, reported that it had detected asignificant drop in internet traffic from thecountry Iran,which hasrestricted important communications tools in past nationwide protests and during the 1980s Iran-Iraq war,did not acknowledge any restrictions. International websites appeared to be blocked, but local websites were functioning, likely signalingthatIran had turned on the so-called “halal net,” its locally controlled version of the internetaimed at limiting what thepublic can see.

Iran’sstate TV on Tuesday urged thepublic to remove themessaging app WhatsApp from their cellphones, alleging without evidence that theapp gathered user information to send to Israel. In astatement, WhatsApp said it was concerned that “these falsereports will be an excusefor our services to be blocked at atime when people need them the most.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it believedthatIsrael’s first aerial attacks on Iran’sNatanzenrichment site had directly affected the facility’s underground centrifuge facility

Satellite imagery collected after Friday’sattacks

while exempting similarly situated homeowners,” the lawsuit alleges, “without any legitimate, reasonable, or even rationalbasis for this action.”

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

showed “additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls,” the watchdog said.

TheIAEAearlier reported that Israeli strikes had destroyed an above-ground enrichment hall at Natanz

andknocked outelectrical equipment that powered the facility,which is 135 miles southeast of Tehran.

Most of Iran’senrichment takes place underground to protect from airstrikes.

Israel has struck Natanz repeatedly and claims to have hurt itsunderground facilities, which experts assess contain 10,000 centrifuges that enrich uranium up to 60%.

Iran maintains itsnuclear programispeaceful, and theU.S.and others haveassessed that Tehran has not hadanorganized effort to pursue anuclear weapon since 2003. But the IAEA has repeatedly warned that thecountry hasenoughenriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so.

WhileNetanyahu claimed MondaythatIsraeli strikes on Iran’snuclear sites have set the country’s nuclear program back a“very,very long time,” Israel has not been able to reach Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility,whichisbuilt deep into amountainside.

Hitting Fordo would require the U.S. to get involved militarily and deploy B-2 stealth bombers to drop itsbunker-busting bomb The 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive OrdnancePenetrator uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets. Before leavingthe G7 summit, Trumpjoined the other leaders in ajoint statement saying that Iran “can neverhaveanuclear weapon” andcalling fora “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including aceasefire in Gaza.” French President EmmanuelMacrontold reporters that discussions were underwayonaceasefire between Israel and Iran, but Trump shot thatdowninhis comments on social media, saying, “Wrong! He has no idea whyI am nowonmyway to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with aCeaseFire.Muchbigger than that.” lawsuit. After passage of the ordinance, Guidry also converted the property to longterm rental but has only had sporadic successinrenting it, according to the lawsuit Both invested in their properties before the ban, with theintent of earning extra income, accordingto the lawsuit. They also allege discrimi-

BY MOHAMMAD JAHJOUH, SAMY MAGDY and JOSEPH KRAUSS

Associated Press

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip At

least 51 Palestinians were killed Tuesday and more than 200 wounded in the Gaza Strip while waiting for U.N. and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and a local hospital.

Palestinian witnesses told The Associated Press that Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on a nearby home before opening fire toward the crowd in the southern city of Khan Younis.

The Israeli military said soldiers had spotted a gathering near an aid truck that was stuck in Khan Younis, near where Israeli forces were operating. It acknowledged “several casualties” as Israelis opened fire on the approaching crowd and said authorities would investigate what happened. The shooting did not appear to be related to a new Israeli- and U.S.-supported aid delivery network that rolled out last month and has been marred by controversy and violence.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs, or OCHA, said the people killed were waiting for food rations arriving in U.N. convoys

Also on Tuesday, the main Palestinian telecoms regulatory agency based in the West Bank city of Ramallah reported that Israeli strikes had cut off fixedline phone service and internet access in central and southern Gaza.

‘Aren’t we human beings?’

Yousef Nofal, an eyewitness, said he saw many people motionless and

bleeding on the ground after Israeli forces opened fire. “It was a massacre,” he said, adding that the soldiers continued firing on people as they fled from the area.

Mohammed Abu Qeshfa reported hearing a loud explosion followed by heavy gunfire and tank shelling. “I survived by a miracle,” he said.

The dead and wounded were taken to the city’s Nasser Hospital, which confirmed 51 people had been killed Later Tuesday, medical charity MSF raised the death toll to 59, saying that another 200 had been wounded while trying to receive flour rations in Khan Younis.

Samaher Meqdad was at the hospital looking for her two brothers and a nephew who had been in the crowd.

“We don’t want flour

We don’t want food. We don’t want anything,” she said. “Why did they fire at the young people? Why?

Aren’t we human beings?”

Palestinians say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds trying to reach food distribution points run by a separate U.S. and Israelibacked aid group since the centers opened last month.

Local health officials say scores have been killed and hundreds wounded.

In those instances, the Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots at people it said had approached its forces in a suspicious manner

Deadly Israeli airstrikes continued elsewhere in the enclave on Tuesday Al-Awda Hospital, a major medical center in northern Gaza, reported that it has received the bodies of eight Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on a house in the central Bureij refugee camp.

Senate passes crypto regulations

BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI, MARY CLARE JALONICK and ALAN SUDERMAN

Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would regulate a form of cryptocurrency known as stablecoins, the first of what the industry hopes will be a wave of bills to bolster its legitimacy and reassure consumers.

The fast-moving legislation, which passed by a 6830 vote and will be sent to the House for potential revisions, comes on the heels of a 2024 campaign cycle in which the crypto industry ranked among the top political spenders in the country, underscoring its growing influence in Washington and beyond.

Eighteen Democratic senators crossed the aisle to vote for the legislation on Tuesday, siding with the Republican majority in the 53-47 Senate. Republican Sens. Josh Hawley and Rand Paul were the only members of their party to oppose the measure.

It was the second major bipartisan bill to advance through the Senate this year, following the Laken Riley Act on immigration enforcement in January

Still, most Democrats opposed the bill. They raised concerns that the measure does little to address President Donald Trump’s personal financial interests in the crypto space.

“We weren’t able to include certainly everything we would have wanted, but it was a good bipartisan effort,” said Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., on Monday. Alsobrooks, a co-sponsor of the bill, added, “This is an unregulated area that will now be regulated.”

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., the bill’s sponsor, said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote that the legislation will have “far reaching implications” for the financial system — a “paradigm shifting develop-

ment” that he believes will bring it into the 21st century

“With this bill, the United States is a step closer to being a global leader in crypto,” Hagerty said.

Known as the GENIUS Act, the bill would establish guardrails and consumer protections for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency typically pegged to the U.S. dollar The acronym stands for “Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins.”

The bill only needed a simple majority vote to pass Tuesday, after it had already cleared its biggest procedural hurdle last week in a 68-30 vote, with 18 Democrats siding with Republicans. But the bill has faced more resistance than initially expected. Trump’s stake in crypto

There is a provision in the bill that bans members of

Congress and their families from profiting off stablecoins. But that prohibition does not extend to the president and his family even as Trump builds a crypto empire from the White House.

Last month, the Republican president hosted a private dinner at his golf club in Virginia with top investors in a Trump-branded meme coin. His family holds a significant stake in World Liberty Financial, a crypto project that launched its own stablecoin, USD1.

Trump reported earning $57.35 million from token sales at World Liberty Financial in 2024, according to a public financial disclosure released Friday A meme coin linked to him has generated an estimated $320 million in fees, though the earnings are split among multiple investors.

The administration is

broadly supportive of crypto’s growth and its integration into the economy Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the Senate to pass the bill, saying it could help stablecoins “grow into a $3.7 trillion market by the end of the decade.” Brian Armstrong,

PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

suspect, Vance Boelter, at a house Sunday in Belle Plaine,

Lawmakers named by suspected Minn. shooter vow not to bow down

BY RIO YAMAT and HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press

From a legislator in downtown Minneapolis to a veteran Ohio congresswoman, many lawmakers included in the suspected Minnesota gunman’s writings and list of targets have vowed not to bow down.

Vance Boelter, 57, was charged with federal murder and stalking, along with state charges, following a nearly two-day search that culminated in his capture in the woods near his home. He is suspected of shooting and killing former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday. He is also accused of wounding Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

The dozens of politicians included in Boelter’s writings were Democrats, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson. Authorities said the writings contained the names of about 45 Minnesota state and federal elected officials but have not identified them publicly

Members of Congress from at least five other Midwest states said law enforcement told them that their names were in Boelter’s writings. They included U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Nikki Budzinski of Illinois. Authorities have not provided a motive for the shootings. Manny Atwal, Boelter’s lead attorney, declined to comment, saying the office just got the case. Here’s how some lawmakers are reacting to the violence:

Minn. Rep. Esther Agbaje

Agbaje spent the weekend with friends and family after learning that her name was on Boelter’s list and said she is still trying to make sense of the violence. Since his arrest, the law-

maker, whose district includes portions of northern and downtown Minneapolis, has returned home. She said she now feels “more committed than ever” to her work as a legislator

“We cannot allow people to divide us and then use violence to keep up those divisions,” she said.

Mich Rep. Debbie Dingell

A day after Dingell learned her name was included in Boelter’s writing, she held a town hall Monday in a high school auditorium in Dexter

“We cannot let terror terrorize us,” she told the audience, who cheered.

Dingell, who represents the Ann Arbor area said some people wanted her to cancel the event After the town hall, she reflected on her habit of going out in public without her staff because she always wants people to be able to talk with her After the shooting, law enforcement officers have told her to be more careful.

“We can’t let elected officials be cut off,” she said.

“We can’t let elected officials become afraid.”

“Look, I’m going to keep fighting for the people that I represent I’m going to keep being a voice for those that want me to make sure their voice is heard at the table,” she added.

Minn. state Sen. Ann Rest Rest, who represents New Hope in Hennepin County, said she was made aware that the suspect had been parked near her home early Saturday. She said in a statement Monday that the “quick action” of law enforcement officers saved her life.

While she was grateful for the suspect’s apprehension, she noted in the statement that she was grieving the loss of the Hortmans and praying for the Hoffmans’ recovery

Mich Rep. Hillary Scholten Scholten, who represents Grand Rapids, said she was

postponing a Monday town hall after learning she was a potential target.

“Out of an abundance of caution and to not divert additional law enforcement resources away from protecting the broader public at this time, this is the responsible choice,” Scholten said in a statement.

Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur Kaptur’s office said in a statement that her name was included in Boelter’s writing but that it will not get in the way of her work “to make life better for families across Northwest Ohio.”

“Uplifting those who she has the honor to serve has been her sole focus every single day she has served and nothing will deter her from doing so now,” the statement said.

Minn. Rep. Alex Falconer

Falconer, whose district includes a portion of the Twin Cities, said he woke up Saturday while on vacation with his wife and kids to a flurry of text messages about the shootings. The police chief then called to warn him about a list of targets.

Falconer said he later learned he wasn’t on the list, but his family decided to stay away until the suspect was in custody The police chief increased patrols in his neighborhood and stationed a police car outside of his house, he said.

While the question of whether to stay in politics was top of mind for him this weekend, Falconer said, “They win if we quit.”

Falconer and his Democratic colleagues in the Minnesota House gathered at the Capitol on Monday to seek comfort in one another and share stories of Hortman, Falconer said. It was the first time they could meet since the shooting because they had been told by law enforcement to not leave their homes while the suspect remained at-large, he said.

BY MICHAEL R. BLOOD Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Los Ange-

les Mayor Karen Bass lifted a curfew in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday that was imposed in response to clashes with police, looting and vandalism amid protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the city

The curfew set in place June 10 provided “successful crime prevention and suppression efforts” and protected stores, restaurants, businesses and residents, the Democratic mayor said.

On Monday, she trimmed back curfew hours after a drop in arrests in the area.

The curfew covered a relatively tiny slice of the sprawling city — the area

of concern was concentrated in a section of downtown where the looting and vandalism occurred.

Bass faulted a relatively small group of “bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community,” a nod to thousands of protesters who exercised their rights peacefully

On June 8, thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to Trump’s deployment of the National Guard, blocking off a major freeway as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to control the crowd.

A day later, police officers used flash bangs and shot projectiles as they pushed protesters through a popular downtown commercial area where bystanders and restaurant

workers rushed to get out of their way Some protesters set off fireworks and threw water bottles at the officers, yelling, “Shame!”

Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire.

Trump ordered the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to the nation’s second-largest city following protests over his stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws.

On Sunday, Trump directed federal immigration officials to prioritize deportations from Democratic-run cities, a

ASSOCIATED

Members of law enforcement agencies search for shooting

Minn.

YOUNGSVILLE

Woman arrested at local massage parlor

Residentscomplained of alleged illegalactivity

BY STEPHENMARCANTEL Staff writer

Youngsville police,with theassistanceofthe Office of Homeland Security,arrested awomanonan immigration count at alocal massage parlor ZhilinZhao, 47, was arrested Monday and faces one count of unlawful entry or reentry into Louisiana by an alien, accordingto astatement from the Youngsville Police Department.

Thearrest followed resident complaints of alleged illegal activity at Relax Spa Massage at 905 Savoy Road Suite 10,according to police. Youngsville PoliceChiefJP Broussard did not confirm what illegal activity was happening atthe business.

Zhao faces no other chargesat this moment. She is being held at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.Bail information isunavailable.

An investigation is ongoing

The Youngsville arrestfolloweda similar incident inBaton Rouge,wherenine massage parlors were raided on June 11 after state search warrants alleged prostitution and pandering at the businesses, according to previous reporting.

The raids led to the arrestsof 10 women who Homeland Security Investigations were interviewing to determine theirimmigration status.

Those investigation began in November,when East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies began working with the Louisiana Board of MassageTherapy,the Baton Rouge Fire Department,East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’sOffice and other local agencies to investigate complaints of prostitution, said Casey RaybornHicks, aSheriff’s Office spokesperson. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, which was not involved in the Youngsville arrest, did not respond to questions aboutwhether alarger operation targeting massage parlors in the parish wasunderway President Donald Trump’sadministration recently lifted abrief pauseonimmigrationarrestsat farms, restaurants and hotels put in place after Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins told Trump of the growing labor shortages in the American agrisphere

The momentary shift came asa surprise butonSunday,the president reinforcedhis commitmentto mass deportations on TruthSocial, stating, “nothing will stopus from

RELENTLESS RAIN

With continuousstorms forecast, floodwarning issued forVermilion River

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Lafayette is expected tosee continuous thunderstormsand downpours this week,according to aNationalWeather Service forecast. An advisory flood warning has been issued for theVermilionRiveratLafayette untilThursday afternoon. A Monday reading of theSurreyStreet

gauge found thewater was at 10.4 feet, according to theweather service. At 10 feet, minorfloodingofHeymann Park off U.S. 90 will occur

Therainypattern was expected to continue at least through Wednesday, creating opportunitiesfor potential flooding.

Achanceofshowers will occur Wednesday morning, and rain is likely to continue throughout midday and into the night. Rainfall amounts between aquarter andhalf of an inch are possible. That rainwill push outThursday and Friday and therain chances will start to decrease, said Nick Slaughter,aweath-

Rhythmsonthe River concertseriesends

Production costs exceeded revenue, groupsays

BYJOANNA BROWN Staff writer

After 25 years of music, Rhythms on the River hasheld itslast concert in Lafayette’s River Ranch neighborhood. Arecent community vote held by the River Ranch homeowners association found residents overwhelmingly in favorofdiscontinuing the long-running event, according to Ryan Furby, whositson the River Ranch HOAboard of directors.

er serviceforecaster

The National HurricaneCenter has forecast this hurricaneseason to be slightly aboveaverage,Slaughter said, which meansthe conditions in theAtlantic are more favorable for tropical storms compared to atypical year.But the pattern of heavy rain in Lafayette this week is what is typically found duringsummer in south Louisiana, with afternoon thunderstormsand showers.

“At this time,for the next sevendays at least, we don’thave any tropical threats, but it’simportant to still stay prepared and keep an eye on the forecast,” Slaughter said.

Church Point police arresteda man accused of being involved in an animal fighting ring.

Several animals werefound dead when police showed up to afight, according to aChurch Point Police Department statement.

Ni cho la s Daigle, 44, of Church Point, wa sa rrested Fridayand faces one count each of cockfighting, cruelty to animals, possession of marijuana and interfering with alaw enforcement investigation.

On Friday evening, police investigatedanallegation of chicken and dog fighting along St. Jude Street. Officersarrived to find an active chicken fight happening. Several bloody chickens were located. Several chickens and onedog were found dead.

Several attendees of the cockfight ranoff afterDaiglewarned them of the officers’ arrival, according to police.

Daigle is being held at the Acadia ParishJail.

An investigation is ongoing, andadditional arrests areexpected.

Police: Shooting leaves one injured, one arrested

One manwas injured andanother wasarrested in aSaturday shooting in Broussard.

Donald Richard,18, faces one countofattemptedmanslaughter,according to aBroussard Police Department announcement. Policerespondedat11:40 a.m. to reports of aperson being shot in the 1200 block of Young Street. Upon arrival, police learned aphysical altercation ledtoa gun being pulled out. Police said Richard gained controlofthe gun, shooting the victim multiple times.

Officers assisted the victim, whowas later taken to ahospital. He is listed in critical condition. Richard is being held at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Stormclouds roll in over Cajun Field and the Cajundome on Tuesday in Lafayette.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Martha Domingue, left, and JerryMiller dance to themusic of Swampland Revival duringa 2024 Rhythmsonthe River concert at Town Square in River Ranch. The long-running event has been canceled.

Trialdate setin2023Baton Rougerapecase

LSUstudent fatallystruck shortlyafter encounter

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

One of the three men indicted on charges tied to former LSU studentMadison Brooks could be tried by the end of the year District JudgeGail HorneRay set aDec. 1 trial date for Casen John Carver during ahearing last week, according to 19th Judicial District Court records. Thatwould make the 21-year-old Denham Springs man the first

defendant to face aBaton Rouge jury in the high-profile case. Carver;DesmondCarter, 20;and Kaivon Deondre Washington, 20, wereall indictedoncharges of firstdegree and third-degree rape. Prosecutors later added avideo voyeurism indictment forCarver The state got indictments against the three men in three separate dockets andintends to try them separately. Ray is presiding over the casesofboth Carterand Carver.Temporary JudgeJewel Welch is presiding over Washington’scase, but District Judge Eboni Johnson Rose will take over handling the case when she returns to thebench fromher Loui-

siana SupremeCourt-imposedsuspension later this year Ray scheduled Carver’s trial date during ahearing where prosecutors merged the voyeurism chargewith his original indictments. All threecharges ste m from the sameincident involvingBrooks,who was a19-year-old LSU sophomore when she died after beingstruckbyacar near herBaton Rouge residence early on the morning of Jan.15, 2023. Authorities said Brooks, following anight of exces-

sive drinking, left Reggie’s —aTigerland bar that has since been shuttered with Carter,Carver,Washington andanother man who wasnot indicted. She got in the car with thefourmen,and sheriff’sdeputies said Carver pulled his car into aresidential driveway in the 900 block of Jennifer Jean Driveand parkedthere for20minutes. That is where prosecutors allege Carterand Washington sexually assaulted Brooks in the back seat of the car,while Carver cheered them on from the front seat andrecorded portions of the encounter with his cellphone.

Afterward, the men droppedoff Brooksinthe

PelicanLakes development,deputies said. Minutes after she got out of the car,she was struck and killed on Burbank Driveby apassing vehicle driven by aLyft driver

Attorneys for the men havearguedthe sexwas consensual, while prosecutorsmaintain Brooks was too intoxicated to give consent. She registered ablood alcohol contentof0.282, well over three times the legal driving limit, authorities have said. Carver faces amandatorylife sentence if he is convictedoffirst-degree rape,the most severe charge.

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

Driver facesmorecountsinattackonofficer

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Aman who was arrested Monday,accused of intentionally ramming aBaton Rouge police officer on motorcycledutyisnow facing ahate crime charge.

Gad Black, 41, of Baton Rouge, has been booked on additional counts of resisting an officer andhate crimes against law enforcement. Black was arrested Monday on acount of attempted first-degree murder Sgt. Caleb Eisworthis “still critical, but showing signs of improvement,” officials said Tuesday morning.

“The investigationhas revealedthat Sgt. Eisworth was targeted specifically because he is alaw enforcement officer,which makes this act not only violent, but hate-driven,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said in astate-

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executing ourmission, and fulfillingthe Mandate to the American People,” adding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementofficers were to do “all in their power to achieve the very important

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An investigation is ongoing.

Sheriff’s Office investigating remains

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’sOffice and Vinton Police Department areinvestigatinghumanremains found in awooded area off aroadway Sheriff’sdeputies were dispatched for“suspicious circumstances” around 7a.m.Mondaytothe 5400 block of U.S. 90 West in Vinton, accordingtoanews release, after someone found “what is believed to be human remains in awooded area off the roadway.”

The sheriff’s detectives and the Forensic Investigation Unit were at thescene

ment to TheAdvocate. Under Louisiana state statute, ahate crime arrest can accompany other violentcrime charges when the victim is believed to have beentargeted for their “race, age, gender,re-

ligion, color,creed, disability,sexualorientation, national origin, ancestry…or perceived employment as alaw enforcement officer, firefighter,oremergency medical services personnel.”

Thecrash occurred on Joor Road near Prescott Road about 11 a.m. Monday Police said Black followed Eisworth for ashortdistance before striking him with his pickup. Someone using the name Gad Black posted on social mediaminutesafter the crash Monday: “Check Him OutOnJoorRd. Stretched One.”

Another post from minutes later read, “Rodney Hinton I’m Rite DereWitcha Homie,” referencing an incident in Ohio that gained national attention where a father allegedly targeted a police officer,fatally striking him withacar,inretaliation for the policekilling of his 18-year-old son “Let me be absolutely clear: violence motivated by hatred for those who wear the badge is an attack on every officer and every citizen who relies on them. It will never be tolerated,” Gautreaux said. “Wewillensure theindividual responsible is held fully accountable under the law,including for thehate-

based motivation behind his crime.”

Black was previously arrestedfor trying to ramBaton Rouge policevehicles during aFourthofJuly chasein2014 involving Baton RougePoliceDepartment ChiefThomasMorse, whowas an officer at the time

Black’sgirlfriend, Asia Raby,40, wasalso booked Mondayoncounts of obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact to attemptedfirst-degreemurderofapoliceofficer

According to policerecords, Raby calledpolice to report thecrash,saying, “I think apolice officer justgot hitorkilled.”Raby made statements that the drivermight have been suffering a“mental breakdown.

When dispatchers asked about the status and location of both Raby and the pickup,she disconnected the call.

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

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“The cost far exceeded revenue,” said Furby.“It’sfunded exclusively by residents and asmall number of sponsors, and basically exhausted all funds set aside for resident events annually.”

Furby said the associationplans to solicit ideas from residents on how to usethe freed-up funds.

Last month, thehomeowners association announced it wasplanning to pause Rhythms on the River for the fall season. At that time, officials said the event lostover$40,000 last year,and was projected to lose another$20,000 over the spring season, which ended May 1with ashow by The Good Dudesand Mid-City Maven.

Rhythms on theRiver is freetothe publicand takes place at the River Ranch town square over several weeks each spring and fall. Performers like The Molly Ringwalds, LVVRS and Wayne Toups have played at the event.

“Rhythms on theRiver wasagreat part of the development of this community andcity,” said Furby.“We really enjoyed hosting it for all of those years, and want to thank everybody for coming out and supporting it.”

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History ” The short reprieve to hotel workers came to ascreeching halt on Tuesday at Delta Downs, ahorse racetrack, casinoand hotel, when ICE showed up and launchedan investigation into theVinton business. No arrests have beenan-

at 11 a.m. Monday The remains will be given to theCalcasieu Parish Coroner’sOffice for further testingand identification

Second arrest made in Easter shooting

U.S. marshals arrested a second suspect, an East Baton RougeParish man,inan Easter Sunday shooting in Rayne.

The shooting left multiple people injured and threatened nearby children, officialssay.Two people were shot in the headbut managed to drive themselves to thepolice station.

Courtney KendellRogers, 35, was located in Baton Rougeand arrested Thursday.Hefaces one count of attempted first-degree murder,illegaluse of weapons andaggravatedcriminal damage to property,according to aRaynePolice De-

nounced as of Tuesday afternoon.

There have been several reports of ICE raids throughout Acadiana but residents were unwilling to go on record andofficial agencies would not confirm.

Email StephenMarcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.

partmentannouncement

On Friday,Rayne police took Rogers from East Baton Rouge Parishtothe Acadia Parish Jail. His bail is set at $700,000.

Demond Marquise Tenner, 22,ofBaton Rouge,was arresteda fewdaysafter theshootingand faces fourcounts of attempted first-degreemurder,aggravated criminal damage to property,and reckless and illegal use of weapons.

Rayne police responded around 7:30 p.m. April 20 to theshooting in the900 block of Lyman Avenue.

After being shot,police said, two victims, an 18-yearold woman and a28-year-old man, drove in aprivate vehicle to the Police Department seeking help.

Afterfirst aid was given, thevictims were taken to a Lafayette hospital for further treatment.

Brooks

JPSO settlesfacialrecognition technology suit

physical differences between Reid andthe purse thief seen on camera. JPSO rescinded the warrants, and Reid left thejail.

through this for people comingafter me is why Istarted it.”

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Jefferson ParishSheriffJoe Lopinto’sofficehas agreed to pony up six figures to aGeorgia man who was jailed for nearly aweek over abad identification using facial recognition technology.

The $200,000 payout to Randal Quran Reid was sealed last month in federal court in New Orleans, according toa transcript. It resolves acivil rights lawsuit that Reid, now 31, filed against Lopinto’soffice over his arrestinDeKalb County,Georgia, on awarrant signedbyJefferson Parish Judge Paul Schneider Reid was accused of helping steal thousands of dollars in high-end purses from aMetairie consignment shop.He was pulled over outside Atlanta on the day after Thanksgiving in 2022 and remained in jail for six days, clueless about the crime, he said then “They told me Ihad awarrant out of Jefferson Parish.I said, ‘What is JeffersonParish?’”Reid told the TimesPicayune in 2022. “I have never been to Louisiana aday in my life.” In hislawsuit, Reid accused Lopinto andJPSODetective Andrew Bartholomew of violatinghis rights by failing to verify amatch flagged by Clearview AI, the facial recognition provider Lopinto’s office enlisted in 2019under a$25,000 contract. It didn’tend there. ABaton Rougepolicedetective borrowed JPSO’sidentification of Reid to secure another arrest warrant against him,alleging asimilar crime at ashop on Jefferson Highway.The thieves allegedly stole well over $10,000 in Chanel and Louis Vuitton purses Reid insisted he wasn’tone of them. His attorney in Louisiana, Tommy Calogero, said he alerted Lopinto’soffice to

Court records show that JPSO also secured, then recalled,warrants fortwo other meninthe scheme, bothfrom New Orleans. Theyalsowere accused of theft andbank fraud.

The affidavits supporting all of those warrants make no mention of facial recognition. They cited only “acredible source” for the suspects’ identities.Schneider signed thewarrants for all three.

Reid suedfor negligence, false arrestand malicious prosecution in alawsuit that startedinGeorgia but was transferred to the federal courthouse in New Orleans. Reid claimed Lopintohad failed to establish apolicy and training forfacial recognition.

His story and lawsuit drew national media attention.Reid accepted the$200,000 payout at aMay 13 court hearing. Lopinto’sofficedid notrespond to arequest for comment.

“I’m definitelysat theoutcome. Ifinally Igot some type of Reidsaid in aphone view on Tuesday.“ personwho likes or attention. KnowingI

Gary Andrews, one of Reid’sattorneys with the Atlanta-based The Cochran Firm, said Lopinto’soffice did not admit fault in the settlement.

Andrewssaid police bodyworncamerafootage of Reid’sarrest during ahighway traffic stop supports hisclaim of ignorance.

“Itwas amisidentification of an individual that was put in jailfor something he did not do,” Andrewssaid.

The casehighlights the pitfalls of atechnology that more police agencies are adoptinginLouisiana and across the country,including in New Orleans,where some officials are pressing to expand its use.

Court records show that inside Lopinto’soffice, top brass recognized amistake early on.

In aJanuary 2023 memo,

Deputy Chief Jack Russo wrote that investigators had been toldfacial recognition wasanother tool, and that “supporting evidence or investigative leads need to be

that has shown higher rates of bad facial recognition matches for some populations, including Black people It’sunclear if theracial bias identified in thosesystems has lessened since the arrest of Reid, who is Black, more than two years ago.

Clearview AI,one of the mostprominent facial recognition providers for law enforcement, scrapes billions of imagesfrompublic sites such as YouTube and Facebook to amass its capabilities.

Somecities and states have put clamps on their police departments’ use of it and other facial recognition tools. Several cities, including NewOrleans, have backed offbans on thepractice, in favor of tight limits and oversight.

New Orleans officialsare now considering looser rules over facial recognition and other technology after the deadly Jan. 1vehicleattack

on Bourbon Street andthe escapelast month of 10 Orleans Parish jail detainees. One of theescapees was captured in the French Quarter after afacial recognition hit from the privately-runProject Nola system.

Recently,the NOPD asked theCity Council to authorize it to receive those “live alertsfromProject NOLA once more,and perhaps develop its ownsystem, after Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick suspended the alerts in April. Kirkpatrick said last week that shewas concerned thatreceiving themviolated thecity’s 2022 ordinance.

“We’re asking the council to change the rules to allow us to useitinreal time,”Kirkpatrick said last week.

The Washington Postrecently reported thatthe city’s use of the Project NOLA alert system madeitthe first police force in the U.S. to deploylive

facial recognition citywide.

“I supportfacial recognition technology.With boundaries, becauseI also support privacy,and Idonot believe in surveilling the American public,” said Kirkpatrick, who has alaw degree. “But is this asecurity tool or asurveillance tool? For me, thisisall about security When you commit crime on the streets, you lost your privacy.” Critics, including theACLU of Louisiana, arguethat the technologyenables surveillance andthat the cityshould stop to consider safeguards. Up to now,the NOPD’s use of facial recognitionfor criminal investigations has been spotty.Audits show only rare matchesfrom requests madethrough the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Exchange.

The City Council is slated to take up proposed changes to thecity ordinance next week.

OPINION

Immigration enforcement needed, butnot this way

There’snodoubt that most Americanswant an orderly and just immigration system.Polls show that large majorities favor the Trumpadministration’sstrict enforcement of ourimmigration laws, and we agree thatour laws should be respected.

Yetwhen it comes to thespecifics of how those laws are enforced, that’swhereconsensuscan start to breakdown—and forgood reason. Increasingly,the tactics being deployed by Immigrationand Customs Enforcementasitseeks to carry out mass deportation effortsare ensnaring even those who are trying to workthrough the system to gain American citizenship. Take, for instance, the case of Paola andAdrian Clouatre. The Baton Rougecouple with two small children knew Paola’simmigrationstatus was aproblem. She had entered the countryillegally from Mexicowithher motheratage 14 and applied for asylum. Themother anddaughter never showedupwhentheir case washeard two years later,however After she married Adrian lastyear,Paola appliedfor agreen card just as Adrianwas finishing afive-year stint in the Marines. Whenthey arrived in May for acitizenship appointment in NewOrleans, though, things did notgoas planned. ICE agentstook Paola intocustodyon an active deportation order that thecouple says they had onlyrecently learned about.

Paola wasput in detention in Mississippi, then brought to afacility in Monroe. Nowthe father brings his nine-week-old daughter and1-yearold son to the jail twice aweek to visit their mother Their case is not unique. We are seeing grandfathers, daughters and sonsgettingsuddenly plucked from their families after yearsofliving in the United States peacefully.AsICE steps up enforcement at farms, hotels andrestaurants, theseare the kinds of cases that make us question whether we have losttrack of the goal and our values. Enforcement at courthouses, as in Paola’s case, also raises alarm bells. Astrong immigration system has to treat people fairly,sothey are not so fearful that they give up on the system altogether

The Clouatres say theywere honest with immigration officials about her status everystep of the way.They never tried tohide anything. They were just hoping for abreak, forsomeone to listen, understand and give them achance. As Adrian put it, it’snot thepeople enforcing the law who deserve blame. “It’sthe system itself that won’tlet them exercise discretion.It’s like apower vacuum sucking everythingup.” It doesn’thave to be this way —evenifyou favor tough immigration enforcement. Since our founding, partofthe American ethos is that we are awelcoming people, that thosehuddled masses who arrive at ourshorescan expect to be treated with dignity.Ifwe lose that as we strive to protect our borders, maybe we also lose part of what makes them worth protecting.

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

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

Listeners, viewersmustincrease supportofpublicbroadcasting

On May 1, President Donald Trump issued apersonal decree (executive order) seeking to end congressionally appropriated funding tothe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which locally supportsWRKF,aNational Public Radio affiliate, as well as theLouisiana Public Broadcasting TV network. The president has detected what he considers alack of appropriate right-wing political slant at CPBonthe news, emergency response, cultural and educational programming services that we all get at no cost. Baton Rouge public radio and TV stations are morethan 90% supported by appeals to appreciative listeners and viewers,

but residentsoutsidethe cities are moredependent on federal funds from CPB. Thepresident’s edict does not yet have theeffect of law and may ultimately turn out tobeunconstitutional. ButBaton Rouge residents should notignore effortstosquelch our best independent sources of reliable international, national andlocal information.There is definitely something all of us can do to respondtothis threat, and that is to immediately commit to doubling our donationstopublic radio and television.

Driversshouldkeepeye outfor wildlife

Referring to the May 28 article by Patrick Sloan Turner,“Treadmill, copier gone from Baton Rouge center; audit puts scrutiny on ex-councilwoman:” This stinks to high heaven. Audits are necessary to keep control of assets paid for by taxpayers and used by the agency for citizens. Missing property must be accounted for The high usage of credit cards in 2024 sticks out as abig issue, along with the missing property

The “visionary leadership” cited by District2 Metro Council member Chauna Banks comes with the responsibility to protect taxpayer dollars.

My heart is breaking today.Welive on aquiet cul-de-sac on alake. We have frequent visitsbyseveral families of geese. It is wonderful to see the parentsasthey teach their goslings to swim,flyand grow Acouple of days ago, several of the birds, adultsand goslings, were wiped out as they crossed La. 74. On our culde-sac, they know they are safe. We slow down when they are crossing the road. They knew nothing of the danger of the highway.Ihope this slaughter was an accident, but Ialso know that too manyyoung men in their soupedup big trucks go speeding downthat road every day.These innocent geese gave great pleasure to us and our neighbors. Pleasehave somerespect for their lives —slow down!

Iamaresident of St. James Place in Baton Rouge, and as such, live arather peaceful life; nothing out of the ordinary seemstohappen here in our retirementcenter.Weeat and sleep, and attend the various lectures and events that occur here regularly.Wealso visit happy hour religiously and share such exciting events as, “Did you know that Sarah is now gettingaknee replacement,” or Did you hear that Mike fell again in his bathroom?” Andsoon. Onemight say “we live life well boring but well.” Until about aweek ago, when one of thestranger experiences of my life happened. For two days, Iseemed to continually hear themeowing of acat in or near my car.Iwould look over the vehicle and not see it,but Icould surely hear it.Even after driving to thestoretwice at adistance of two miles,the sounds continued. Where was it?Bythat Saturday afternoon, it seemed half of St.James Place had heard of mynew but unseen

SHARILYNN AUCOIN Geismar

pet.Numerous people offered their suggestions: Call thefire department, go to an oil change place, do this, do that. Meanwhile, the cat was getting hungrier and louder Finally,one of our staffmembers, Kellie from the transportation department, stopped toassessthe situation. By this time, thecat had madeits way to theback of the undercarriage, but we still couldn’tsee it; we could only hear itsplaintive cries forfood, water and help. Then Kellie noticed asmall head peering out With asmall can of cat food, she coaxed the animal down, until it eventually came out on its own. So all was well. Anote of thanks to another St. James staffmember, who valiantly tried to reach my furry friend by removing parts of the engine shrouding, but to no avail.And now, Kellie has anew,but starving, kitten. AndIslept well that night.

LARRYVANDERLEEST

Baton Rouge

“Global thinking” is not needed for alocal community center.Attention should be focused on local community needs.

Transparency in budgeting is necessary to prevent property loss like this.

This audit should be followed up on, and action should be taken, not swept under the rug.

Not only that, every agency in this state should be thoroughly audited.

ANNE JAMES Baton Rouge

This letter is in response to the opinion letter by Kerrie Slaton on June 5. Slaton incorrectly states that “wethe people have been paying for the tariffs on the United States.” There’snoway aforeign governmentcan charge Americans for exports because the American exporter is the seller,not the buyer Tariffs on U.S. goods are not paid by U.S. businesses or its citizens. Tariffs are paid by the businesses and consumers of the country imposing the tariff. Likewise, U.S. tariffs on imports are paid by U.S. businesses and consumers of those imports. Tariffs result in increased prices on imported goods forthe country imposing the tariff.

DAVID BERGERON River Ridge

GEORGE PAUL KEMP Baton Rouge

DA WINNAS ANDDALOOZAS

Iknow.Iknow.Itold everyone Iwas retiring at the end of 2024. But,asMichael Corleone famouslylamented, “Just when Ithought Iwas out, they pull me backin.” Andwhat stronger “pull” thananother my last, and this time Ireally mean it edition of “Da Winnasand Da Loozas” for Louisiana’s annual legislativesession? State lawmakers doubtless felt at times that they,too, were getting pulled back in. Back into MAGA’s andGov Jeff Landry’s divisive culture wars.Back intofights over who or what causes Louisiana’ssky-high auto andproperty insurance rates. Back into aquagmireof special-interest and sometimes just plain bad government legislation.

All this and more in an annual session that was supposed to focus on fiscal matters.

That’snot to say nothingworthwhilehappened.Somegoodthings managed to slip through. Which brings us to our annual tally of the legislative session’s victorsand vanquished, aka “Da Winnasand Da Loozas,” startingwith…

DA WINNAS

1. Nursing home operators:Nursing homes are hands-down the mostpowerfullobby in state government, even though the federalCenters for Medicareand Medicaid Services consistently rates Louisiana’s skilled nursing facilities among the nation’s worst. Most lawmakers respect powerover prudence,which explainsanew law limiting nursing home operators’ liability for wrongful deaths and maltreatment. The change classifies nursinghomeoperators as “health care providers” underLouisiana’s Medical Malpractice Act, which caps civil damages at $500,000, and individual providers are liable for only the first $100,000 of that. The rest comes from the state’sPatient Compensation Fund, which is funded by surcharges on patients’ medicalbills.Worst of all, House members defeated aproposed amendment to excludenursing homes rated “D” or “F” —literally,the worst of the worst —from the “med mal” cap. Edmund Burke was right: The greaterthe power,the more dangerousthe abuse.

2. Gov.Jeff Landry:Once again, the governor pushed an ambitious agenda. He didn’t get everythinghewanted— no governor does unlessheorshe aims low —but Landry scored some notable wins …and some losses.His wins includedseveral bills dealing with auto-accident litigation andameasure authorizing Insurance Commish TimTemple to reject rate hikes he deems unreasonable —apowerTemple does not want. That law gives Landry a“not my circus, notmy monkeys” excuse when rates go up.The guv also convinced lawmakers toradically restructure the Department of Transportation and Development, the Department of Children and FamilyServices and thestate Workforce Commission in ways that will undoubtedly enhance his alreadyconsiderable power and influence.

3. CVS —The pharmacy company iswholly owned by Caremark, the second-largest pharmacy benefit manager and No. 6on the Fortune 500 list. PBMs negotiate drug pricesbyacting as middlemen between manufacturers and the insurance companies and pharmacies thatprovide drugs to consumers. PBMs didn’texist 15 yearsago, but today they are the profit centers of the pharmaceutical industry —they’re bigger than Big Pharma —even thoughtheydon’t manufacture anything but profits. Critics claim PBMs don’tsharethe savings from reduced drug prices with consumersand may actually engage in price fixing (the feds are investigating PBMs nationally). The governor made alast-minutepushto prohibit Louisiana pharmacies from owning or operating aPBM, butCVS killedthe measure by sending asky-is-falling text message to its customers—one of whom happens to be Mrs.Jeff Landry,according to sources at the Capitol. That explainsthe guv’sirate threat to convene aspecial session, probably in August,toreconsider the ban.Thiswas apyrrhic victory forCVS and PBMs. The issue never had apublic hearing, which is why the Senatekilledit, but the votesare probably there to passthe banwhen it returns 4.The Senate:Once again, senators were the adults in the room. They bottled upthe hastily concocted, last-minuteanti-PBM bill, sent aHouse-passed anti-diversity, equity and inclusion bill to Siberia by denying it acommittee assignmentand generallyheldthe line againstthe governor’s

and theHouse’sexcesses. Senate President Cameron Henryisthe Bubba Henry(no relation) of his political generation. Bubba was the father of legislative independence in Louisiana when he served as House speaker in the 1970s. Cameron is building on that legacy in the Senate.

5. UNO:The UniversityofNew Orleans notched several winsasitprepares to rejoin the LSU System and deal with amassive structural deficit.Itwill get $20 million to address its financial challenges, and rejoiningthe LSUSystem should help both UNO and LSU —provided theLSU Board of Supervisors recognizes UNO’spotential to be acrown jewel of the system rather than amere satellite campus.

6. Sheriffs:Never bet against Louisiana’s sheriffs. They got a$17 million annual increase in their per-day ratefor housing state inmates in local jails.

7. Newmomsand newborns:Lawmakers passed measures to provide insurance coverage of home visiting services for newbornsand young children, offer Medicaid coverage for and expanded access to doulaservices, require health insurance coverage foraminoacid-based elemental formulas, mandate care and insurance coveragefor perinatal psychiatric care and guarantee informed testing and insurance coverage forSTIs in pregnant women.

8. Publicschool teachers:After voters in March soundly rejected Landry’soverloaded Amendment 2, which contained a provisionfor permanent teacher raises, K-12 teachers got one-time stipends of $2,000 for athird consecutive year.But they’ll get another shot at areal raise next spring when voters consider astand-alone constitutional amendment to redirect a portion of education trust funds to higher teacher pay.

9. High-performinghigh schoolers:They will soonqualify for enhanced TOPS awards, thankstochanges in thestate’scollege scholarship program

10. Domestic violence victims:The governor’s proposed budget had no funding for domestic violence victims’ services,but lawmakers restored $7 million —the same amountthat’sinthe current fiscal year’s budget but still less than what they got under theprevious administration. Meanwhile, lawmakers created aVictims’ Bill of Rights and established notification procedures for events —including jailbreaks

that endanger DV victims. Which brings us to DA LOOZAS

1. Grandmaand Grandpa:The new law insulating bad-faith nursing homeoperators from wrongful death and negligent care lawsuitsisa stain on Louisiana’sgood skilled nursing facilities —and on theindustry in general —but thereal harm is to vulnerable seniors whose families cannot find or afford better care for their beloved parents and grandparents.

2. Gov.Jeff Landry:The governor lost some high-profile fights. Senators killed his proposal to morethan double funding forhis LA GATOR (read: K-12 voucher) program, along with the anti-PBM bill that Landry pushed in thefinal days. Hismove to gut thenominating committee and eliminate theexecutive director’sjob forthe East BankFlood Authority was reduced to afew tweaks that actually makesense. Elsewhere, he failed to block“tort reform” measures that his trial lawyer allies were counting on him to kill, though he could still vetoone or more of those bills, as he did last year

3.TimTemple:Lawmakers approved several “tort reform”measures that Temple supported, but those wins paled in comparison to aLandry-backed bill giving the insurance commissioner authority to reject premium hikes he deems“excessive.” The latter makes Temple the face of higher insurance rates in Louisiana, while giving Landry aconvenient fall guy when rates go up. Because rates WILL go up.

4. Drivers and homeowners:The never-ending fight between insurance companies and trial lawyers ended in adraw.They each scored awin or two and took afew losses as well, but none of the so-called tort reforms will lower insurance premiums for drivers and homeowners in the foreseeable future.

5.Transparency and ethics: These twoindicatorsofgood government go hand in hand, this year in defeat. Lawmakers amended thePublic Records Act to give themselves “protections” that ordinary citizens don’t have, gutted thealready weakened ethics laws to insulate all elected officials from ethics enforcement (which is now officially an oxymoron in Louisiana) and raised the contribution limits on campaign donations to further enhance all incumbents’ reelec-

tion chances.

6. Culture warriors: Senators killed aHousepassed anti-DEI bill forstate government that drove apainful —and very public —race-based wedge between Black and Republican lawmakers. The bill wasalso completely unnecessary and irrelevant, a hallmark of culture wars.

7.Vouchersupporters: Here again, the Senate stood up to the governor by keeping LA GATOR funding at its current level of $43.5 million, meaning no additional taxpayer-funded seats at private schools.

8. Carboncapture proponents:They defeated efforts to kill or seriously weaken the industry,but several new lawsimpose restrictions and add procedural hurdles to future carbon capture projects. One new law makes local courts the venue for all expropriation fights involving carbon capture, which could tip the scales in favor of local opponents. At aminimum,itwill makecarbon capture morepainstaking and moreexpensive.

9. Childrenofgun owners:The House rejected achild-protection bill that would have madeitamisdemeanor foranyone to negligently or intentionally leave aloaded firearm where akid winds up hurting himself or others with it. It’s yet another reminder —asifweneeded one —ofhow fearful lawmakers are of the NRA.

10.Average Louisiana citizens:I’ve always been tempted (and encouraged) to make“us folks” perennial Loozas, but Itry not to overstate the obvious. Now that I’monthe threshold of actually retiring from my beloved profession, I’mgonna go ahead and say it: Average citizens got next to nothing. Again. Sorry,folks.

In closing, as Ivow once moretoavoid Michael Corleone’s“they pull me back in” fate, Idosowith adeep sense of gratitude to the anonymous Capitol sources who have generously shared their insights and helped me compile my legislative version of “DaWinnas and Da Loozas” forthe past 40-plus years. Ialso thank my friend, editor and colleague Stephanie Grace, whoprovided significant insights and assistance of her own these last fewyears.

Y’all are all “winnas” in my book. Clancy DuBosisaretired political columnist forGambitand The TimesPicayune |The Advocate.

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Gov. Jeff Landryaddresses the Louisiana Legislature on opening dayoflegislativesession, April 14 at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. Senate President Cameron Henry R-Metairie, left,speaks with Sen Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, on May12.

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Louisiana Commissioner of InsuranceTim Temple has the authority to reject premium hikes he deems ‘excessive.’

Clancy DuBos

CO LL EG EW OR LD SE RIE S

WINDELAY

LSU shortstop StevenMilam throws to first base over UCLA right fielder AJ Salgado to complete adouble playon Tuesdaymorning in Omaha, Neb.LSU wonthe resumption of Monday night’ssuspended game 9-5.

LSUanswers wake-upcall, finishes what it startedMonday

BYKOKI RILEY Staffwriter

OMAHA, Neb.— In the third inning Monday night, LSU wasingood shape The Tigers led 5-3 over UCLA in the winner’s bracket of the 2025 College World Series. Their second ace, junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson, hadsettled into the game with twoscoreless inningsafter surrenderingthree runs in the first Awin would secure another day off and place LSU avictory away from reaching the CWS final.

Then theweather came.

Just before thestartofthe fourth inning, lightningand rainlit up the night skyfor two hours and 53 minutes. Thematchupwas suspended at 10:13 p.m. Monday’sgame was givena restart of 10:03 a.m.Tuesday.A loss to UCLA would force the Tigers to play againTuesday versus Arkansas in an elimination game. LSUneeded someone to reverse itsmisfortune.That’swhenLSU coach Jay Johnson turned to Casan Evans. The freshman right-hander toed the rubber to begin the restart-

ed game and excelled, allowing just two runs in 41/3 innings to guide LSU past theBruins 9-5.

“Coach Johnson had toldmethat once we got out of the delay that I would be on themound, andthen it got rolledover to today,”Evans said. “Just went back to thehotel and got readyfor today.Woke up early.”

With the win, LSU will face the winner of Tuesdaynight’s eliminationgame between UCLAand Arkansas at 6p.m. Wednesday

OMAHA, Neb The LSU Tigers, it seems, have an answer foreverything.

The UCLA Bruins began their battle of College World Series unbeatens Monday night by roughing up LSU co-pitching ace Anthony Eyanson, mainly by putting alot of balls in places where the Tigers found making outs arduous.

No problem

UCLA hung three runs on LSU in the top of the first and the Tigers answered with four in the bottom of the frame, mostly thanks to a387-foot homerun to right-center by Jared Jones that nosed just over the glove of right fielder AJ Salgado and into the bleachers.

“Wetalk about winning every inning,” Jones said. “Obviously,they put up a three spot in the top half,sotowin the inning we’ve got to put up at least four.And it just so happened.”

“Itjust so happened.” Youmake it sound simple, Jared. See ball, hit ball, see ball go over the wall.

Another bad break soon followed, though. After Eyanson bailed out his boat and plugged the leaks, retiring eight of the last nine UCLA batters he faced, the gamewas halted by weather in the top of the fourth inning. If there’sanything this LSU team has knownthis year —other than winning it’sweather delays. This was the 19th of

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

OMAHA, Neb For two hours and 53 minutes, LSU had to wait. And then wait and wait and wait some more. Agame that began at 6:08 p.m.Monday didn’tconclude until12:32p.m.Tuesday

That’sbecause Monday’smatchup between LSUand UCLA was halted through anearly three-hour weather delay that technically didn’tend until the next day. Instead of resuming the game Monday night, the matchup wassuspended and didn’tresumeuntil 10:03 a.m. Tuesday It took awhile,but the Tigers eventually took down UCLA 9-5 in their second gameatthe College World Series. The win meansLSU will face the victor of Tuesday night’sgamebetween Arkansas and UCLA at 6p.m. Wednesday

“That’swhat this tournament is at times. Had delays here, night games that ended

STAFF PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK

Scott Rabalais

Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander enter lore

OKC duo joins exclusive NBA Finals club for scoring

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

OKLAHOMA CITY Jerry West and Elgin Baylor did it often. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James did it a couple of times. Magic Johnson and Jamaal Wilkes were among those who did it once. And now, Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have entered NBA lore.

Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night marked just the 14th time in league history that a game saw somebody score at least 40 points in a title-round game while one of his teammates scored at least 30 Williams had 40 and GilgeousAlexander finished with 31 in Oklahoma City’s 120-109 win over Indiana, a victory that gave the Thunder a 3-2 lead in the series.

“These guys are really good players,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said “Obviously.”

A look at the history when a team has a 40-point and 30-point scorer in the same finals game: West and Baylor, Lakers

This 40-30 combination has happened 14 times in NBA Finals history Jerry West and Elgin Baylor are responsible for half of them, and they made it almost seem commonplace back then — while hardly any set of teammates has done it since

April 8, 1962: West scored 40, Baylor scored 36 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 129-122 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of those finals.

April 18, 1962: Baylor scored 41, West scored 35, but it wasn’t enough and the Celtics beat the Lakers 110-107 in Game 7 for the title that season.

April 17, 1963: West scored 42, Baylor scored 38 and the Lakers beat the Celtics 119-99 in Game 3 April 21, 1963: Baylor scored 43, West scored 32 and the Lakers beat the Celtics 126-119 in Game 5. The Celtics would prevail in six games.

April 17, 1966: West scored 41, Baylor scored 36 in the Lakers’ 133-129 win over the Celtics in Game 1 of that series.

April 24, 1966: Baylor scored

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, left, and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stand on the court after Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on May 28 in Oklahoma City

41, West scored 31 and the Lakers beat the Celtics 121-117 in Game 5. But Boston would win the title again, prevailing in Game 7.

April 25, 1969: West scored 31, Baylor scored 32 and the Lakers beat the Celtics 118-112 in Game 2 that year And once again, the Celtics would win, this time in another Game 7 and the 11th and final title for Bill Russell.

Irving and LeBron, Cavaliers

They did it in back-to-back seasons for Cleveland, both times against Golden State. The Cavs won the title in 2016, then lost in 2017.

June 13, 2016: Both Kyrie Irving and Lebron James scored 41 points and the Cavs beat the Warriors 112-97, cutting Golden State’s series lead to 3-2. This was the season Cleveland successfully rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the title.

June 9, 2017: Irving scored 40 and James scored 31 as the Cavs avoided a sweep by beating the Warriors 137-116 in Game 4 of that series. Golden State went on to prevail in five games.

Johnson and Wilkes, Lakers

They did it once, in the clincher

0-1, Caruso 0-3, Gilgeous-Alexander 0-3). Fouled Out — None. Rebounds — Indiana 50 (Mathurin 8), Oklahoma City 45 (Holmgren 11). Assists — Indiana 23 (Haliburton 6), Oklahoma City 24 (Gilgeous-Alexander 10). Total Fouls — Indiana 25, Oklahoma City 24. A — 18,203 (18,203)

of the 1980 finals for the Lakers against the Philadelphia 76ers. May 16, 1980: Magic Johnson scored 42 and Jamaal Wilkes scored 37 in the Lakers’ 123-107 road win in Game 6 to secure the title.

Chamberlain and West, Lakers West’s name pops into the list again, this time with Wilt Chamberlain in the Lakers’ 1970 finals appearance against the New

LOUISIANA SPORTS HALL OF FAME

ä Thunder at Pacers. 7:30 P.M.THURSDAy ABC

York Knicks. May 6, 1970: Chamberlain scored 45, West scored 33 and the Lakers beat the Knicks 135113 in Game 6 of that series. New York would win the title two nights later in Game 7. Havlicek and Howell, Celtics Hard to believe it’s happened only once in Celtics lore, but that’s indeed the case. The Boston teammates did it against the Lakers in 1968.

May 2, 1968: John Havlicek scored 40, Bailey Howell scored 30 and the Celtics won 124-109 in Game 6 of that series, clinching yet another championship.

Hagan and Pettit, Hawks

Not the Atlanta Hawks, the St. Louis Hawks.

Cliff Hagan and Bob Pettit were the first members of the finals 40-30 club.

April 5, 1961: Hagan scored 40, Pettit scored 30 and the Hawks lost to the Celtics 116-108 in Game 2 of that series. Boston won the series in five games.

Soileau’s quick hands cemented his legacy

BY RAYMOND PARTSCH III

Contributing writer

This is an entry in a profile series of inductees for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The induction ceremony is set for June 28 in Natchitoches.

George “Bobby” Soileau taught his son how to throw a punch. Every day after coaching and teaching students at Sacred Heart High School, Soileau would come home to his wife and three sons and put on his worn-out gloves and show his youngest son, Robert, how to throw a jab.

“He always loved to put the gloves on and box with me when I was little,” Robert Soileau said.

“Every day, it is what we did together We would box in the backyard or even in the living room I was 6 or 7 years old, and he would get on his knees and box me.”

The older Soileau does not always remember those days of bonding with his son. There are more days than not when he does not recall being one of Louisiana’s elite boxers with a fierce left jab that helped him claim four state championships and an individual national championship in college.

Dementia has taken that away from the 89-year-old Soileau. His accomplishments are slight flickers of light now as Soileau is unable to relive those moments that will see him be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame on June 28 in Natchitoches.

“He just doesn’t understand,” his son said “I ask him the same questions every single day because the doctors told us that it helps. To his credit, he can still tell me his momma’s name, his brothers’ names and their nicknames. He even remembers being a boxer He will sometimes say, ‘Yeah, I was a national champion at LSU.’ “ In the 1950s, boxing was one of the more popular high school sports in Louisiana. For kids in that era, the passion for the squared circle began at an early age.

His prep career began in the eighth grade at Sacred Heart under famed coach Jack Reed, and he won the 90-pound state championship in 1950. He would take the 100-pound crown in 1951, the 110-pound title in 1952 and the 125-pound championship in 1954, the same year he was awarded the prestigious Francis G. Brink Trophy for being the state’s best boxer In his five-year career, Soileau went 96-2-1, won four state championships, and finished as state runner-up in 1953 when he lost to Plaquemine’s Bruce Boudreaux in the 115-pound title bout, a fight considered to be one of the greatest in state history

Soileau received a boxing scholarship from LSU, which was established as one of the best boxing programs in the country The Tigers had won the NCAA team national championship in 1949.

“We had a good boxing team,”

Soileau said in 2017 “We couldn’t box against people around Louisiana. We had to go thousands of miles away to find people who were still boxing in college. We won most of our boxing matches that we went to out of state.”

As a sophomore with the Tigers, he helped the team to a 7-11 dual-meet record and won the 1956 NCAA national title in the 125-pound division.

Soileau’s time at LSU was cut short.

The LHSAA decided to drop boxing as an officially sanctioned sport in 1958. At the same time, universities were eliminating their boxing programs. LSU did it in 1956, and the NCAA in 1961.

“I had just won the national championship in college, and my coach called me in one day and he said I got some bad news, we are losing boxing,” Soileau said in 2017.

Soileau considered turning professional, but breaking his shoulder during a practice at the Olympic Trials in Wisconsin for the 1956 Summer Olympics derailed that, as did a pinched nerve that bothered him for the rest of his life.

Every day when Robert Soileau leaves the nursing home where his father resides, he goes through a familiar routine, which he learned from sparring with his dad six decades ago. Now he gives that precious gift

Phillies OF Castellanos benched over comment

Nick Castellanos was benched by Phillies manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday for “an inappropriate comment” the outfielder made after he was pulled for a defensive replacement a day earlier, ending Castellanos’ streak of 236 consecutive starts.

Castellanos played right field and singled in four at-bats against the Marlins on Monday before Johan Rojas replaced him in the bottom of the eighth. Max Kepler moved to right and Rojas played center

The 33-year-old Castellanos who is in his fourth season with the Phillies, is hitting .278 with seven homers and 36 RBIs. Castellanos, born and raised in South Florida, often has dozens of relatives and friends in the stands when the Phillies visit the Marlins.

Mets rotation loses Megill with right elbow sprain

The New York Mets lost a member of their rotation for at least one month on Tuesday when righthander Tylor Megill was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said before Tuesday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves the team would wait for inflammation in Megill’s elbow to decrease before being able to determine the severity of the injury

The 29-year-old Megill is 5-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 14 starts. Mendoza says the team likely will find a spot starter to fill Megill’s next start on Friday at Philadelphia. The rotation could have more options soon as the team is awaiting the returns of Frankie Montas (lat) and Sean Manaea (oblique) from injuries.

Judge calls to settle bitter NASCAR antitrust battle

A federal judge urged NASCAR and two of its teams, including one owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, to settle their legal fight over the stock car series during a hearing on Tuesday

The hearing was a request to toss out NASCAR’s countersuit, which accuses Jordan business manager Curtis Polk of “willfully” violating antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in negotiations. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of North Carolina grilled both NASCAR and teams on what they hoped to accomplish in the antitrust battle.

23XI and Front Row Motorsports were the only two organizations that refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it offer from NASCAR last September

Lyles, Hill race canceled for ‘personal reasons’

Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles will not race Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill due to “personal reasons,” according to the New York Post, bringing to end a near yearlong saga of trash talk and back-and-forth.

PROVIDED PHOTO

George ‘Bobby’ Soileau won four state boxing championships while in high school in Louisiana. He also won an individual NCAA championship in 1956 while boxing at LSU

back to his father

“Before I walk out, I put my hands up and ask if he can still move,” Robert Soileau said. “Without hesitation, he throws me a few of those left jabs. His hands are still really fast. He is still in there.”

Hill originally challenged Lyles to a 50-yard race — just days after the sprinter had won gold in the 100 meters at the 2024 Paris Games.

The eight-time Pro Bowler has long since claimed to be one of the fastest people on the planet and wanted to use a race against Lyles to prove it.

It’s unclear whether the race will be postponed indefinitely or called off all together Regardless, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is likely happy that he won’t have to answer any more questions about it.

Wings forward Siegrist on shelf with knee injury

Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist is recovering from a right knee injury that won’t require surgery but will keep her out of the lineup for some time.

The Wings said Siegrist was diagnosed with an anterolateral tibial plateau (shin) fracture. Siegrist suffered the injury in Wednesday’s loss at Phoenix. The Wings said Monday that the injury won’t require surgery and that the third-year player is expected to make a full recovery and return to the lineup “later this season.” Dallas drafted Siegrist third overall out of Villanova in 2023, and she

Louisville eliminates Oregon St. afterblowing lead in ninthinning

BY ERIC OLSON AP sportswriter

OMAHA,Neb. Eddie King drove in the winning run with asacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninthinning that gave Louisville a7-6 victory over Oregon State on Tuesday and knocked theBeaversout of the College World Series The Cardinals (42-23) avenged a 4-3 walk-offloss to Oregon State on Fridayand advanced to the Bracket 2final. They must beat Coastal Carolina on Wednesday and again Thursday to reach the best-of-three CWS finals. Just likeOregon State (48-16-1) on Friday,Louisville squandered a

lateleadonlytocome backand win.

Kellan Oakesfaced thetop of theLouisvillelineup to start the bottom of theninth.AlexAlicea walkedand LucasMoore was awarded first base for catcher’s interference when his bat nicked Wilson Weber’smitt as he fouled offapitch. The Cardinals loaded the bases when Matt Klein put down abuntthat Oakes booted, the Beavers’ third error of the day andeighth in three CWS games. That brought onfreshman Zach Edwardstoface Jake Munroe, whogot caughtlookingatstrike three. Up came King, who sent aflytocenter.Alicea tagged up from third, and CanonReeder had

no chance tomake athrow home. King was mobbedbehind first base,with teammates squirting their water bottles at him and chanting “Edd-ie! Edd-ie!” Munroe and Zion Rose homered, andLouisville pitchers repeatedly worked out of trouble until they couldn’tinthe top of the ninth.

AivaArquette homered toleftcenter on Wyatt Danilowicz’sfirst pitch, and Gavin Turley, Weber and AJ Singer reached to load the bases withnoouts.

TheBeavers tied it 6-6when Tyce Peterson’sslow roller glanced off shortstopAlicea’s glove and into the outfield grass, allowing two runs to score.

RABALAIS

Continuedfrom page1C

theTigers’ 65 games affected by inclement conditions. On theForrest Gump scale of weather,they’ve seen it all. Little bitty stinging rain. Big ‘ol fatrain. Rain that flewinsideways. They even had arain delay that masqueraded as hours of sunshine during the NCAA super regional in Baton Rouge. (Near as Icould ever figure, there was someconcern about lightning in Texas. Around El Paso).

up being day games the next day,” coach Jay Johnson said. “I’m just really proud the way the team handled all that.”

Weather disruptionshavebecome all too familiar to LSU this season. Even if Monday was the first time this year where it needed asecond day to finish agame, theTigershave gotten usedto adjusting on the fly.The matchup with UCLA was the 19th LSU game this seasonthat has been affected by the weather

“As Imentioned, everything is training for something,”Johnson said. “It wasn’tjust theregional, super regional. We played like four games at 10 p.m. thisyear and finished acouple at 1:30 in the morning.”

To burn the time during the initial delay,LSU started playing Mafia —the popular party game —in theclubhouse. The Tigers spent around an hour and ahalf playing the game as rain continued to fall on Charles Schwab Field It’sagame the players typically play on the team bus. Junior Tanner Reaves noted that junior catcher Eddie Yamin wasamong the better Mafia guessers.

JAyJOHNSON,LSU coach LSU 9, UCLA 5 UCLA LSU (48-17)

“AsImentioned, everything is training for something. It wasn’tjust the regional,super regional. We played likefour games at 10 p.m. this year, and finished acouple at 1:30 in the morning.”

more right-hander ChaseShores said. “And we had an early morning. And we were all prepared for that.” Shores wokeupat6:30a.m ahead of Tuesday’srestart, avery early time for the6-foot-8 Texas native to rise and shine.

“For me,I don’treally wake up that early,” Shores said. “It all depends on game time, but if we’re playing anight game, I’ll sleep until like 10:30, 11 a.m.”

This, however,was your classic Midwestern,carry-Dorothyoff-to-Oz storm front at Charles Schwab Field on Monday night. After hours of lightning and bucketsofrain, they called the whole thing off just after 10 p.m with LSU leading 5-3, compelling theTigers and Bruins to return at 10 a.m. Tuesday.Compelling everybody but Eyanson, whohad thrown too much and sat fortoo long to pitch again.

Signs pointed to LSU coach Jay Johnson turning to freshman Casan Evans. Over the last six weeks Evans has started, worked in long relief and wasthe closer for theTigers’ 4-1 victory Saturday over Arkansas. Ithink in apinch the kid also could tune a piano.

Butwould Johnson want to save him if theTigers wereforced into amust-win gameTuesday night, or start Wednesday to try to reach thechampionshipseries?

The answer wasanemphatic no. Evans wasthe man

“Coach Johnson had told me that once we got out of the delay that Iwould be on the mound,” Evans said.

“Just went back to the hotel and gotready for(Tuesday). Woke up early.”

son said. “The mindset, the disruption of the gamelast night because of weather.I thought the response in the first inning, after giving up three, to come back and score four wasvery much in character forour team.” History doesn’thelp the Tigers makeanout or get abase hit, but being in this position is very much in character forLSU.This is the eighth time the Tigers have started 2-0 in the CWS. Six of the previous seven times LSU wonthe championship. The only timeitdidn’twas 1998. The only timethe Tigers won the CWS and didn’tstart 2-0 was twoyears ago, when LSU lost its second gameto Wake Forest.

Much moremeaningful than history,the Tigers’ confidence tank has to be on “F” right about now.They’ve dealt with weather, tough hitting, tough pitching and tough breaks, and they’ve gotten to the threshold of the CWS championship series. Now they’ve got twobites at that apple going into agame Wednesday night against Tuesday night’sArkansas-UCLA survivor (weather permitting). Abig part of LSU’sformula for success is dealing with things as they come, amix of youthful obliviousness and Johnson’sexperience at maintaining an even strain.

“As you get older in coaching,” Johnson said, “something Itry to get better at is not worrying about things that Icannot control, whether it’sNCAA rules or the weather.IfIcould have the power to push back lightning and rainstorms, Iprobably wouldn’t be acollege baseball coach.

“But Iwant to set agood example forthe team.IfI’m frustrated, making it athing, then they’re going to makeitathing. And it’smyjob to lead and not makeitathing. So that’swhat I chose to do.”

“I do play alittle bit, but I’m usually theone that gets votedoff first because I’m so bad,” junior Daniel Dickinson said.“They’re like, ‘Oh, he’s(the Mafia). He sucks.’I got in trouble for lying very,very often whenIwas akid.”

Tuesday’swin marks the eighth time LSU has started its College World Series run with a2-0 record. In the seven previousinstances,the Tigers won the national title six times.

“Great winfor ourteam,” Johnson said. “Reallyproud of them —the mindset piece, the disruption of the game last night becauseof weather.” Evans had fivestrikeouts and didn’t allow an extrabasehit.Heconsistently fooled UCLA hitters with his split changeup and pounded the strike zone, issuing no walks and hitting one batter

“I lovethe tempo that Casan settoday,” Johnson said. “I thought he was outstanding, as he always is.” He eventually exited for freshman left-hander CooperWilliams aftertwo hittersreached withone out in the eighth inning. Williams struggled in his first appearance in Omaha. The Texas native walked two batters and allowed both inherited runners to score.

The two runs cut LSU’slead to 8-5 before sophomore right-hander Chase Shores entered with twoouts and the bases loaded.

Shores needed just one pitch to end the jam, forcing afielder’s choice groundout to sophomore StevenMilam at shortstop. He then breezed through the ninth inning to end the game.

“It felt amazing,” Shores said when asked about the one-pitch out in the eighth.

“I mean, if Ican do it in one pitch (and) you save my pitch count, that’sevenbetter.”

The LSU bats produced during the restart, scoring four runs with two outs.

Run-scoring singles from Milamand sophomore Jake Brown in the fourth inning stretched LSU’sMonday lead to 7-3.Three innings later,junior Daniel Dickinson blooped asingle into shallow right field that drove

Once it was announced the game wouldn’tresume Monday, Johnson told the players to, “Go home, eat (and) go to bed,” Reaves said, and that’swhatthey did “Actually gotsome food first, andthen hydrated alittle bit, then went straight to sleep,” sopho-

STAFF PHOTOByHILARy SCHEINUK LSU startingpitcher Casan Evans struck out fiveover413 innings to getthe win.

12: No. 6LSU vs.Game 10 winner, 6p.m. Thursday’s games x-Game 13: Coastal Carolina vs Louisville, TBA x-Game 14: LSU vs.Game 10 winner, TBA Championship series Best-of-three Saturday: Pairings TBA, 6p.m. Sunday: Pairings TBA, 1:30 p.m. x-Monday: Pairings TBA, 6:30 p.m.

in arun before “Rough day for me, it’sall good,” Dickinson said regarding his bloophit. “We’ll takethem whenever you can.”

Junior Jared Jones drove in his fourth run of the game in theeighthwitha single that gave LSU a9-5 advantage.

Before the rain began to fall, LSU tallied fourruns in the first inning andadded another scoreinthe third after fallingbehind3-0.

The Tigers hit three consecutive singles in the first that resulted in arunscoringhit by Brown. Two pitches later,Jones blasted athree-run home run to the opposite field that turned LSU’s3-1 deficit into a4-3 lead.

Jones’ homer was his 21st of theseason and LSU’sfirst in Omaha. The blast traveled 387 feet and was launched

Little didShores know when he wokeupthat he would enter the game with thebases loaded and two outs in theeighth inning of athree-run game.Hewas readyfromthe start, needing justone pitch to endthe inning on afielder’schoice before closingout the game with aperfect ninth inning.

Given his performance, he may be amorning person after all.

“I got thatquick out. Theconfidencewas kind of built,”Shores said. “Andthen Iwent out to the ninthwith alot of confidence.”

110 mph into the teeth of the wind in right-center field.

Thehit was hisfirst of theCollege World Series after he went 0for 5with fivestrikeouts in LSU’swin against ArkansasonSaturday

“Offensively,wejust wanted to start thegame on theright note,”Jones said “Wetalkabout winning every inning. Obviously,they put up athreespotinthe top half, so to win theinning we’vegot to put up at least four.”

TheTigers addedafifth run in the third on senior Luis Hernandez’stwo-out single. Thetally gave LSU a5-3 lead before the game was stopped becauseofthe weather

Milam, Jones andBrown led the Tigerswith multiple hitsapiece. Jones’ homerun was their only extra-base hit, but only one starter —redshirtjuniorTanner Reaves —failed to record ahit.

“I think it kind of can go unnoticed with our team. It’s morethan talent. It’sreally skilled baseball players, and (Milam’s)atthe top of that,” Johnsonsaid. “So when you have that kind of skill, you can make adjustments quickly and usually not stay down for long.”

Eyanson’srocky start put LSU behind the eight ball Monday.The UC San Diego transfer surrendered three runs on three singles anda double in thefirst inning. Hisfastball wasupto96 mph, but UCLAhitterswere not fooled by his slider even if he did improve as the game continued. Eyanson retired eight of the last nine battershefaced.

“I was getting ready to throwawarm-up on the mound (and) theumpire kind of screamed at me, saying,‘Hey,time to come off the field,’ “Eyanson said about Monday.“Ididn’treally know it wasgoing to rain (Monday) at all. Ididn’treally check the weather.But yeah, it kind of sucked.” Email Koki RileyatKoki

Another Tiger whomakes it sound easy.Wake up early,work late, win the game. Evans gave LSU 41/3 innings of superb relief. Eventually, he led the Tigers into ajam in the eighth that led to two runs charged to him off pitches by fellow frosh Cooper Williams, but LSU hadmore than enough offense to stay in control. Chase Shores (healso pitched Saturday) came in belching flames, extinguishing the Bruins’ hopes with four outs of hitless relief to sewupthe 9-5 victory

“Really proud of them,” John-

Signs are that Johnson isn’t somesort of weather god.

Signs are growing that LSU is on track forashot at another national championship.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

Good Luck in Omaha! Om

TheTigers areOmaha-bound —and when excellence is on the line, LSUdelivers. That same championship mindset is shared by Our Lady of the Lake, part of Franciscan Missionaries of OurLady Health System and thehealthcareprovider trustedtocarefor LSU Baseball and all LSUstudentathletesall year long.

Throughthe ChampionshipHealthPartnership,that same top-tier care is available to you —fromsports medicineand student healthtobreakthroughresearch and community care. Championshipcare.Championship culture

Learn howweare improving the health of Louisiana.

JaredJones, First Base Kade Anderson, Pitcher Steven Milam, Infield

Planning keywhen traveling with dog

Expert tips formakingmost of your journey

BY DR. JERRYKLEIN

American Kennel Club (TNS)

The key to traveling with your dogisplanning. The right plan ensuresthat goingfrompoint Atopoint B willgosmoothly foryou and yourpup. There are several things to consider when preparing foryour departure.

Air travel While bookingreservations for your flights, you must make reservations for yourdog too. Always check the airline’s petpolicies and requirements, including size restrictions for carriers and any additional fees you might encounter Car travel. When travelingby car, acrate or harness canattach to the seatbelt for your pup’s safety.When your dog is safe on the journey,it allows youtobetter concentrateonthe road. Never leave yourdog in the car unattended. To help prevent motion sickness, feed your dog about 1⁄3 their full amount beforedeparting.

Petcarriers or crates. Cratesand harnesses can be found at most petsupplystores. Make sure of the following when shoppingaround: Ensure the crate is large enough to allow your dog to sit up, turn around and lie down; make sure the crate canbesecured to the vehicle; seethat the crate is made from astrong material and has handlesand grips; check that it has aleak-proof bottom; and ensure properventilation to prevent blocked airflow.Ifflying, be sure the crate has a“live animal” label,arrows upright, with owner’sname, address and phone number.

Vetcheckup. Schedule acheckup withyour veterinarian days before you plan to travel. This will ensure you know that your dog is healthy enough to travel. If flying, obtainany necessary health certificates. Confirm your dog’svaccinations areupto-date and check on the status of your pup’sheartworm, flea and tick preventatives, especiallyifyou are spending time outside at your destination Identification and microchip Make sure your dog has amicrochip and updated ID tags with your current contactinformation, including acellphone number.If traveling across state or international lines, double checkthat you have all the documents you needrelated to your pup. Create apacking list. Include all your dog’snecessities on your packing list. Food,water,firstaid kit, poop bags, leash and collar,and any comfort itemsthat will help your pet along the way —such as their favorite toy or blanket. While on the road,take rest stops often for breaks and exercise. Remember that if travel is stressful for you, it’sstressful for your pup too! Stick to your planand remain calm andpatient during thejourney For more information on responsible dog ownership, visit the AKCatwww.akc.org.

CULTURAL FUSION

BY JOANNABROWN

Staff writer

When IgotoJane’s

Seafood and Chinese Restaurant in New Iberia, Iplan to tailgate. They open for dinner service at 4p.m., and therestaurant fills up fast most evenings —sograb adrink from the bar, share afew “hellos” with friends andneighbors, andget ready to enjoy one of the best “Casian” spotsinAcadiana. What, exactly,isCasian food? This emergent cuisineisless about creatingsomething newand more about bringing together cultures that are similarly obsessed with fresh seafood. From there, we can observe thedeliciousmerging of Cajuncooking with theexpertise of shrimpers, crabbers andother seafood experts whosettled in the area from places like Vietnam and Laos.

That’s the story of Jane’s Seafood —a family-run restaurant in bayou country started by aVietnamese fisherman and his wife, offering everything from gumbo and fried

Dee Bougdeth slices carrots while in the kitchen at Jane’sSeafood & Chinese Restaurant.

seafood tolomein and classic Chinese entrees. Vu Tran is the second-generation owner of Jane’s. The restaurant was startedbyhis father,Khai Tran, in 1991, just 10 years after emigrating from Vietnamwith

dreamstostart abusiness and sustain his family

Over 30 years later,the restaurant has morethan exceeded expectations forthe Tran family and the city of New Iberia. In acloseknit community bound together by aloveofgood eats—something that describes Acadiana cities from New Iberia to Opelousas Jane’sSeafood is adependable stalwart of agathering spot, always offering alively atmosphere, delicious meals from both the Cajun andAsian sides of the menu,and aconsistency of service and quality that speaks to Vu Tran’slifelong dedication to the family business.

“Being theyoungest of five,we wereall in therestaurant growing up, working it,” said Tran. “My parents started from nothingas immigrants,not speaking English well, notknowing awhole lot. Their goal was to get us to college, get an education, get a‘career degree.’”

As theyoungest,Tranwas left with thechoice of goingtocollege or taking over the family restaurant.

See SEAFOOD, page 6C

Comfortfoodoptions

‘AStreetcar Named Diablo,’ made Detroit-style, from Cajun Saucer Pizza at Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville

JOANNA BROWN

PHOTOSByLEE BALL

Waitstaff Kelbie Badeaux serves Calvin Cooper,from left, RandyBourgeois II, Steffani Bourgeois, RandyBourgeois, DarenBourgeois and Janette Cooper at Jane’sSeafood &Chinese Restaurant in NewIberia.

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Wednesday, June 18, the 169th day of 2025. There are 196 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On June 18, 1812, the War of 1812 began as the United StatesCongress approved, and President James Madison signed, adeclarationof war against Britain.

Also on this date:

In 1778, American forces entered Philadelphiaas the British withdrew during the Revolutionary War.

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo as British and Prussian troops defeated the French Imperial Army in Belgium.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev signed the SALT II strategicarms limitation treaty in Vienna.

In 1983, astronaut Sally

Ride becameAmerica’s first woman in spaceasshe and four other NASA astronauts blasted offaboard thespaceshuttle Challenger on asix-daymission. In 1986, 25 people were killed when atwin-engine plane and helicopter carrying sightseers collided over theGrand Canyon. In 2023,the submersible vesselTitan, on an expedition to viewthe wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic Ocean, imploded, killing allfive people aboard.

Today’sbirthdays: Musician Paul McCartney is 83. Actor Carol Kaneis73. Actor Isabella Rossellini is 73. SingerAlison Moyet is 64. FootballHall of Famer Bruce Smith is 62. Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis is 50. Actor Alana de la Garza is 49. Country musician Blake Shelton is 49. Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates is 45.

Continued from page5C

peppers, Tasso, smoked sausage, Andouille, a honey-sriracha glazeand pork skins —aslightly sweet and spicy pie with the perfect trifecta of Cajun meats. It’smore than worth adrive to this scenic spot, just 30 minutes north of Lafayette.

—Joanna Brown, staff writer Caesar wrap n Ambrosia Bakery,8546 Siegen Lane, Baton Rouge

Those who are well acquainted with Baton Rouge know that Ambrosia Bakery isn’tjust abakery.Italso serves breakfast from 8a.m. to 11 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. daily. Some lunch options include acatfish filet sandwich, grilled shrimp salad, jambalaya quesadillasand aGreek burger Iopted for the chicken Caesar wrap that’smade with sliced chicken breast Parmesan cheese,Caesar dressing, lettuce, tomato and red onions. Iappreciated that the chicken sliceswere small enough to eat the wrap appropriately,and the other ingredients were fresh and satisfying for alunch portion. It would be wrong of me not to mention the treats

Ipicked up onmyvisit as well. The cannolis and pralines are nottobemissed.

—Lauren Cheramie, features coordinator Fried chicken n 6413 JonesCreek Road Baton Rouge

Oneofthe perks of being an internispaid lunch. Of course, we didn’t have a choice of where we went, butmycolleagues andI wenttoTiger Pho, which was ashort drive fromthe office. Ilooked at themenu beforehand, and theonly thingthat spoke to me was the chicken.

Thepresentation of my plate was nice, and the chicken came outhot and steaming. There was no side included since it was an appetizer,however,the dish included about six huge piecesofchicken. The meal was savory, sweet, filling and notoverall saucy.Iwould have preferred aside sauce to go with it, but other than that, it was delicious.

—Alayna Ford, news intern

Dear Miss Manners: Iama Ph.D. student in acollege town where the local public bus also serves as the campus bus, and studentsget free fare. As aresult,itisoften very crowded, mostly with undergrads. At my advanced age of 30, Ihave learned (or at least thought I’d learned) that on avery crowded bus, it is accepted practice to get off the bus briefly to let other people off if you are blocking thedoor It seems,however,that NO ONEdoes this.Undergrads stand thereblocking the door while five to 10 people try to get off. They are dumbstruck, as if thereisno

solutiontothe predicament theyfind themselves in. This is exacerbated by thefact thateveryone is wearing headphones (including me to be fair) I’ve been putting up withthis for years. Recently,in afitofagitation, I yelled “MOVE!” at people blocking the door,inatone similar to acow.This didn’tfeel great. Am Icorrect that getting off the bus briefly is thebestpractice here? If so, do you have any ideas on how Ican politely impart this knowledge to these new-to-the-bus riders?

To be fair to these poor kids, one timeIfound myself blocking the door,soI

stepped off —and the bus tried to leave without me. Iwas forced to yell forthe driver to wait (which he did). Ithink they’re just afraid of this happening, and are too scared or inexperienced to communicate with the driver Gentle reader: It would indeed be easier if people stepped off the bus, but Miss Manners fears that no one is going to deputize you as the bus police, so you will have to concentrate on getting out yourself

Most people are embarrassed to raise their voices in public and therefore equate it with being rude. But one can speak loudly —shout, even —inanoisy environment without therefore having to resort to

mooing or worse. “COMING OUT,PLEASE!” works. Youcan also try to ease your way by warning the person in front of you that yours is the next stop although you will then be stuck when they tell you that they are also getting off there. If you do step off to allow others to exit, hold the bus door open forthose disembarking.

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners. com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail.

SEAFOOD

Continuedfrom page5C

He decided on the restaurant “It’s an honor to be able to continue what my parents started, andhopefully, who knows, my kids might want to have something in it and carry it through,”hesaid.

Jane’sSeafoodisone of thoseplaces where you’re never sure what you want to order next. With everything freshlyprepared, from fried crab fingersand boiled seafood to Chineseentrees like Hunanbeef andcashew chicken, dinerscan hardly go wrong skipping around themenu with each visit.

On theother hand, if you’re the type who likes to stick with ago-to order, there are options here that are hard to find anywhere else in theregion —like a buttery, herbyshrimpfettuccine that’sdifficult to tear yourself away from Here aremytop choicesat Jane’s: Fried shrimp, fried

crab fingers, Kon Pao chicken,shrimp fettuccine and fried bananas,some of the area’smostbeautiful (and delicious) boiledcrawfish, in season.

Even the battered French friesare better at Jane’s than at most places. See what Imean? Wholeheartedly recommending almost anything on themenumeans thatyou’ve found aspecial spot

According to Tran,the restaurant gets alot of repeat customers— locals who are there to hold court twotothree times aweek. Jane’s is aplace that feels like home, while still offering atreat of anight out. Having eaten at Jane’swith people from Scotland, Texas and Jefferson Island, Ican say that it’sone of those special south Louisiana restaurants that proves, night after night, that great food binds people together like nothing else.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By LAUREN CHERAMIE Caesar wrap from Ambrosia BakeryinBaton Rouge

PHOTOSByLEE BALL

Bartender ColbyCook mixes adrink at Jane’sSeafood &Chinese Restaurant in NewIberia.

Brock ‘The Broiler’ LeBlanc prepares largecrawfish at Jane’s Seafood &Chinese Restaurant.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Consider what you enjoy most and try incorporating that into your daily routine. Taking a break to satisfy your emotional wellbeing will help you accomplish more throughout the day.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Be open; awareness is the portal to new beginnings. Kindness and benevolence are your guide and path to happiness. Refuse to let anyone dismantle your dreams or interfere with what makes you feel complete.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Focus, stay alert and question everything and everyone. Timing will be essential when opportunities arise. Offer innovative insight and differentiate yourself from the competition.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Slow down, think and consider your best option. You have plenty to gain if you are levelheaded and willing to work alongside others. Social and networking events will help you engage with interesting people.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Emotions will lead you astray. Rely on common sense and expert advice before deciding how to use your energy. Patience and organization are necessary to take care of business.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Get all agreements in writing and protect yourself from vague situations. A playful attitude will keep others guessing and give you time to determine your next move.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec 21) Discipline and elbow grease will help you lower

your overhead and enable you to design the perfect surroundings to pursue your next venture. Choose positive action over worrying.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) A change of scenery will help you gain perspective regarding personal matters. Talks will help you understand what's possible and best for you. Personal gain is within reach if you're willing to act.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to where the money goes. Overpaying or spending money on unnecessary items or entertainment will lead to a budget crunch. Retrace your steps and cut corners wherever possible.

PISCES (Feb 20-March 20) Research will be worthwhile. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don't need or want. You can't buy love, but you can gain respect by doing what's best for you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Patience is a virtue. Have enough gumption to decline something you have no interest in, and turn your attention to what is worthwhile. Avoid snap decisions.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Slow down, do your research and make every move or change beneficial. Check your ego and stubbornness at the door. Use charm and intelligence to outmaneuver anyone who treats you with disrespect.

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

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

TODAy'S CLUE: T EQUALS W

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

peAnUtS

zItS FrAnK And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

Sudoku

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS CurTiS

Puzzle Answer

BY PHILLIP ALDER

This week we are looking at various aspects of the Stayman convention, which tries to find a 4-4 major-suit fit after opener shows a balanced hand. When the opening bid is one no-trump and responder bids two clubs, it asks opener to show a four-card major. If he has two of them, he rebids two hearts Then, what does the responder do when he has four spades and fewer than four hearts?

If he has game-invitational strength, he continues with two spades if one notrump - two no-trump would not be natural (perhaps a transfer to diamonds) But if one no-trump - two no-trump would be inviting three no-trump, the responder rebids two no-trump. When the responder has game-forcing values, he jumps to three no-trump. If, as in this deal, the opener is 4-4 in the majors, he moves the contract from three no-trump to four spades. West leads the club queen. East takes dummy’s king with his ace and returns the club eight (the higher of two remaining cards). When that holds the trick, East shifts to the heart king. How should South continue after winning this trick with his ace?

South must avoid a spade loser. This will be easy if the suit splits 3-2, but what if an opponent has four to the jack? This can be handled only if it is East with the length. South should cash his spade king, then play a spade to dummy’s ace. When the bad break comes to light, South finesses

toDAY’s

Average mark 23 words

Can you find 31 or more words in STAGNATE?

thought “And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38 Following Jesus means commitment to Jesus. G.E.

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C. PiCKles

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Stocks slump and oil prices jump

U.S. stocks slumped on Tuesday under the weight of another jump in the price of oil. It was a return to form for financial markets after Wall Street’s worries about Israel’s fighting with Iran had seemed to calm a bit on Monday

The S&P 500 fell 0.8% following signals that the Israel-Iran conflict may be worsening and that one of the U.S. economy’s main engines is weakening. The swing sent Wall Street’s main measure of health nearly back to where it started the week

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 299 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.9%.

Stocks sank under increasing pressure from crude oil prices, which climbed in their latest seesaw move. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude jumped

4.3% to $74.84. Brent crude, the international standard, added 4.4% to $76.45 per barrel.

Their gains accelerated after President Donald Trump raised the temperature on Israel’s fight with Iran by calling for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” on his social media platform and saying, “We are not going to” kill Iran’s leader, “at least for now.”

Before that, Trump had left a Group of Seven summit early and warned that people in Iran’s capital should evacuate immediately It took only about eight hours for Trump to go from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained “achievable” to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives.

Trump suggests he’ll extend TikTok deadline

President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that he would likely extend a deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to divest the popular video sharing app.

Trump had signed an order in early April to keep TikTok running for another 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice.

“Probably yeah, yeah,” he responded when asked by reporters on Air Force One whether the deadline would be extended again.

Trump also said he thinks Xi would “ultimately approve” a deal to divest TikTok’s business in the United States. He indicated in an interview last month with NBC that he would be open to pushing back the deadline again. If announced, it would be the third time Trump has extended the deadline.

Elon Musk’s xAI to be sued over pollution

The NAACP and an environmental group said Tuesday that they intend to sue Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI over concerns about air pollution generated by a supercomputer facility located near predominantly Black communities in Memphis.

The xAI data center began operating last year, powered in part by pollution-emitting gas turbines, without first applying for a permit. Officials have said an exemption allowed them to operate for up to 364 days without a permit But Southern Environmental Law Center attorney Patrick Anderson said at a news conference that there is no such exemption for turbines — and that regardless, it has now been more than 364 days.

A 60-day notice of an intent to sue, a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit under the Clean Air Act, was sent to xAI in a letter

The Southern Environmental Law Center is representing the NAACP in its possible legal challenge against xAI and its permit application, now being considered by the Shelby County Health Department.

The company said Tuesday that it takes its commitment to the community and environment seriously

“The temporary power generation units are operating in compliance with all applicable laws,” an xAI statement said.

THEADVOCATE.COM/news/business

Interest rates expected to stay

U.S. economy is in a good place, but tariffs remain a concern

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON The U.S. economy is mostly in good shape but that isn’t saving Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell from a spell of angst

As the Fed considers its next moves during a two-day meeting this week, most economic data looks solid: Inflation has been steadily fading, while the unemployment rate is still a historically low 4.2%. Yet President Donald Trump’s widespread tariffs may

push inflation higher in the coming months, while also possibly slowing growth.

With the outlook uncertain, Fed policymakers are expected to keep their key interest rate unchanged on Wednesday at about 4.4%. Officials will also release a set of quarterly economic projections that are expected to show inflation will accelerate later this year, while unemployment my also tick up a bit.

The projections may also signal that the Fed will cut its key rate twice later this year, economists say.

The prospect of higher inflation would typically lead the Fed to keep rates unchanged or even raise them, while rising unemployment would usually lead the Fed to cut its key rate. With the economy potentially pulling in both directions, Powell and other Fed officials have underscored in recent remarks that they are prepared to wait for clearer signals on which way to move. The Fed is in “an uncomfortable purgatory,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at accounting giant KPMG. “Without the threat of tariffs, we would be seeing the Fed cut. That’s not where we’re at because of the uncertainty and the threat and the effects (of tariffs) that we don’t know yet.”

The Trump White House has sharply ramped up the pressure on Powell to reduce borrowing costs, with Trump himself calling the Fed chair a “numbskull” for not cutting and other officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, also calling for a rate reduction.

When the Fed reduces its key short-term rate, it often — though not always — leads to lower costs for consumer and business borrowing, including for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards. Yet financial markets also influence the level of longer-term rates and can keep them elevated even if the Fed reduces the shorter-term rate it controls.

Americans turn cautious as retail sales slide after rush to beat tariffs

Some consumer products companies say they are feeling the impact

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP economics writer

WASHINGTON Retail sales fell sharply in May as consumers pulled back from a spending surge early this year to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports. Sales at retail stores and restaurants dropped 0.9% in May, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, after a decline of 0.1% in April. Sales jumped 1.5% in March. The figure was pulled down by a steep drop in auto sales, after Americans ramped up their car-buying in March to get ahead of Trump’s 25% duty on imported cars and car parts.

Excluding autos, sales fell 0.3% in May

The sales drop is hitting after sharp declines in consumer confidence this year Still, inflation has cooled steadily and unemployment remains low, which could fuel steady spending in the coming months, as the economy has remained mostly solid.

A category of sales that excludes volatile sectors such as gas, cars, and restaurants rose last month by 0.4%, a sign that consumers are still spending on some discretionary items.

Overall, the report suggests consumers have pulled back a bit but not dramatically so.

The retail sales report covers about onethird of consumer spending, with the other two-thirds consisting of spending on services. Economists expect overall consumer spending to grow in the April-June quarter

“Today’s data suggests consumers are downshifting, but they haven’t yet slammed the brakes,” Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley wealth management, said in an email. “Like the economy as a whole, consumer spending has been resilient in the face of tariff uncertainty.”

Yet many categories saw sharp declines.

Car sales plunged 3.5%, while sales at home and garden centers dropped 2.7%. They fell 0.6% at electronics and appliance stores and 0.7% at grocery stores. There were some bright spots: Sales rose 0.9% at online retailers, 0.8% at clothing stores, and 1.2% at furniture stores.

Gas station sales dropped sharply, by 2%, but that mostly reflects lower prices. The retail sales report isn’t adjusted for inflation.

Sales at restaurants and bars, a closely watched indicator of discretionary spending, fell 0.9% in May, though that followed a solid gain of 0.8% in April.

Some consumer products companies say they are seeing the impact of tariffs on their own costs and sales.

Paul Cosaro, CEO of Picnic Time, Inc., which makes picnic accessories like baskets, coolers, and folding chairs, said that orders from retailers are down as much as 40% this summer compared with a year ago. His company sells to a variety of stores like Target and Williams-Sonoma.

Cosaro noted that some stores have been cautious because they’re not sure how shoppers will react to higher prices. Some canceled orders because Cosaro couldn’t tell them how much the new prices would be due to all the uncertainty Roughly 80% of the company’s goods are made in China, with the rest in India and Vietnam.

The company, founded roughly 40 years ago and based in Moorpark, California, was forced to raise prices on average from 11% to 14% for this summer selling season, Cosaro said.

A folding outdoor chair now costs $137 this month, up from $120 in late 2024, he added. The company’s sales are still down this year, even though some shoppers accelerated their purchases out of concern that prices would rise.

“Shoppers are very price sensitive,” Cosaro said.

The company has implemented a hiring freeze because of all the extra tariff costs, he added. So far this year the company, which employs from 70 to 100 people, has had to

pay $1 million in tariffs. A year ago at this time, the bill was a third of that amount.

Liza Gresko, a 42-year-old mother of three in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, said she has watched as prices for basics like toothpaste or shampoo begin to rise again, and has started to buy groceries in bulk to save money, as well as switching to generic brands.

“If I make these small changes, then we are sacrificing for the long-term goal of saving more,” Gresko said.

She has also begun shopping at thrift stores for children’s clothes, rather than Macy’s or H&M.

“Even with store sales and discounts, the rising costs make it unsustainable to continually purchase new clothing,” she said.

The retail sales report comes as other evidence indicates shoppers have been pulling back more amid worries about higher prices from Trump’s tariffs.

Naveen Jaggi, president of retail advisory services in the Americas for real-estate firm JLL, said that he’s hearing from malls that sales are slowing down heading into the official summer months. Retailers are pushing up back-to-school promotions to this month from July, he said. They want to get shoppers in early for fear consumers may not want to spend in the later months when prices will likely go up, he said.

So far, Trump’s tariffs haven’t yet boosted inflation. Consumer prices rose just 2.4% in May compared with a year ago, the government said last week.

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP business writer

Kraft Heinz will be pulling artificial dyes from its U.S. products starting in 2027 and will no longer roll out new products with the dyes. The move comes nearly two months after U.S. health officials said that they would urge foodmakers to phase out petroleumbased artificial colors in the nation’s food supply

Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that almost 90% of its U.S. products already don’t contain food, drug & cosmetic colors, but that the products that do still use the dyes will have them removed by the end of

2027. FD&C colors are synthetic additives that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food, drugs and cosmetics.

Kraft Heinz said that many of its U.S. products that still use the FD&C colors are in its beverage and desserts categories, including certain products sold under brands including Crystal Light, Kool Aid, Jell-O and Jet Puffed. The company said that it will instead use natural colors for the products.

“The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio,” Pedro

Navio, North America President at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement.

Kraft Heinz stripped artificial colors, flavors and preservatives from its macaroni and cheese in 2016 and said it has never used artificial dyes in its ketchup. The company plans to work with licensees of its brands to encourage them to remove the dyes.

In April, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference that the agency would take steps to eliminate the synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, largely by relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry Health advocates have long called for the removal of artifi-

cial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children. The FDA has maintained that the approved dyes are safe and that “the totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives.”

The FDA currently allows 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes. In January the agency announced that the dye known as Red 3 — used in candies, cakes and some medications — would be banned in food by 2027 because it caused cancer in laboratory rats.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TED SHAFFREy

A ‘tariff free’ sign tries to attract vehicle shoppers at an automobile dealership in Totowa, N.J Powell

PRESENTED BY

Survival stories

FACT SHEET

Cancer Survivorship in theUnited

States

ANation of Survivors: TheGrowing Hope

18 MILLION 22.5 MILLION

(Source:American Cancer Society 2023 Cancer Facts and Figures)

Over 18 million Americans (approx.5.4%of the population) had ahistory of invasive cancer as of January 1, 2022.

Survivor Longevity (2022):

70% have lived fiveormoreyears sincediagnosis.

• 48% have lived 10 or moreyears sincediagnosis.

• 19% have lived 20 or moreyears since diagnosis.

FutureProjections:

•Number of survivorsexpected to reach 22.5 million by 2032 and 26.0million by 2040

•Individuals living 5+ years post-diagnosis projected to reach 19.2 million by 2040 (a 53% increase).

TheCancer Landscape: ProgressAmidstChallenges

(Source:American Cancer Society 2025 Cancer Facts and Figures)

•2025Projections: Over 2million newcancer cases and more than 618,000 deaths. Canceristhe second leading cause of death in the U.S.

•Death Rate Decline: Theoverall age-adjustedcancer death rate fell by 34% from its peak in 1991 through2022, translating to nearly 4.5million fewerdeaths.The rate dropped by an average of 1.7% peryear from 2013-2022.

•Drivers of Progress:Reductionsinsmoking,earlier detection forsome cancers, and moreeffectivetreatments.

Turningthe Tide: Milestones in Survival

(Source:American Cancer SocietyCancerFactsand Figures2025)

39 PERCENT

•Overall 5-Year Relative Survival: Increased from 39% (early 1960s)to69% (2014-2020).

•High Survival Cancers (>90% 5-year rate): Prostate, female breast, melanoma, thyroid.

ThePathForward: Continued Hope andProgress

Thejourneyofcancer survivorship is marked by accelerating progressdue to research, investment, and dedication. While challenges likerising incidenceinsome groups and disparities persist,the trendistowardincreasing hope andbetter outcomes. Continued innovation in detection, treatment, and quality of lifecarepromises abrighterfuture.

Cancer Awareness: Dr.Henry

Kaufman IV,MD, on advancing cancer careinAcadiana

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi |stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com

This articleisbrought to youby OurLadyofLourdes Health

Cancer survivorship is up dramatically over thepast20years That’s according to Dr.HenryKaufman IV,aboardcertified surgical oncologistand leader in advanced cancer care at OurLadyofLourdes Health in Lafayette. Dr.Kaufman visits with host Jill Stokeldabout thecurrent stateof cancer care in Louisianaand beyond in this debutepisode of Cancer Awareness,awebcast created to informand empower.

Dr.Kaufman andStokeld focuson advancements in detection,diagnosisand treatment –and theimpacteachhavehad on survivorship Theconversationopens with Dr.Kaufman reflecting on developments in research methods, such as computer modeling, thatare revolutionizingthe effectiveness of cancercareand treatment.

“Thereare things availablenow that we only dreamedabout 30 yearsago,” Dr.Kaufman notes, includingnewer formsof chemotherapy that,unliketheir more toxic predecessors,unleash thepotential of theimmunesystem. Essentially, thesenewer options usethe immunesystemto aggressively targetcancer in thebody.

“Theresults we areseeingare so dramatic,”headds, “thatweare having to change theparadigmofhow we deal with cancer surgicallyand with othertherapeutic options.It’sanexcitingtimetobeincancer care.”

Earlydetection is keytothe notedincreaseinsurvivorship, Dr.Kaufman shares. Continueddevelopmentsindiagnosticimaging,for instance,makeitpossibleto find cancer in itsinfancy,whenapatienthas thebestpotential forsuccessful treatment, recovery and, ultimately,survival.

“We’re able to take care of some problemsthat, traditionally, we used to have a very heartfeltand sadconversationabout,” Dr.Kaufman says. “We’re offeringhope andoptions to people that just wasn’t therebefore. If we follow routinescreening recommendationsfor breast,colon,prostateand otherthings, we’regoing to find these problemsearly Therearen’tmanycancers outthere that we can’tcureintheir earlieststages.”

VIEW THE WEBCAST

Brought to youby Our Lady of Lourdes Health

Survival stories

Richard

Transforming Tragedy into Triumph

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi |stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com

This articleisbrought to youby OurLadyof LourdesHealth

ARichardNash, 57,survived ablood clotnear his heart and amultiple-cancer diagnosistobecome a“gracioussurvivor”honored to sharehis story

fter enjoying lunchatanareabuffet in March2024, RichardNash, 57, experiencedsevereabdominal painsthatcontinued to increase,eventually leadinghim to theOur Lady of Lourdes EmergencyDepartment. What happened next no onesaw coming.

Doctorsdiscoveredablood clot near Nash’s heart. If it went untreated, they said he maysurvive only acouplemoreweeks. So,Nashunderwent surgerytoresolvethe issue. But, that wasjustthe beginning. Whileinrecovery, Nash wastoldhehad stage 4and stage2colon cancer,includingatumor blocking 92% of hisdigestive track, stage1liver cancer,and cancer cellswerefound in hislymph nodes.

“I had finallyeaten enough that daytotrigger thestomach pain that ledtomy cancer diagnosis,”sharedNash, whorecounted the firstnight after diagnosis, when family, friends andother lovedoneswenthome, couldhavebeenthe darkestinhis lifewereitnot foranunexpectedinteraction.Dr. BriannaShaffer,the hospitalist assignedtocarefor Nash that evening, took hertimeinthe room talkingabout cats, basketball and, oneofNash’sfavorite passions,cooking.“Shewas an angel.

Nash underwent surgery to remove thetumor in hisstomach andother cancerous lesions.Next came 12 rounds of chemotherapy at theOur Lady of Lourdes JD MoncusCancer Center.Sessions were split– 90 minutes in theinfusioncenter followed by 36 hoursofchemotherapy with amobileunithecould wear at home and work.Advancements made in chemotherapy andcancer treatmentinrecentyears meantfewer side effects, so Nash wasabletomaintainademandingscheduleas

generalmanager foranareagrocerystore

“Overthe past twotothree decades, cancer treatments have improved significantly,” said Dr.Elias Moussaly,cancerspecialistwiththe JD Moncus Cancer Center whooversaw Nash’s treatment. “Weare relyingonnew treatments such as immunotherapy, radiationtherapy,interventiontreatmentsand more.Weare still usingchemotherapy,aswell. We have witnessedmorepatientssurviving,and our hope is to have even more survivorsinthe future.”

WhileNashadmits hisstory is remarkable,his success, he said,ispossiblebecause of the“overwhelmingsupport”offamilyand friends,includinghis treatmentteamat OurLadyofLourdes Health

“Dr. Moussaly andthe infusionstaff were excellent,”saidNash. “I neverdreaded goingthere They took such good care of me andtruly gave me so much confidence. Even to this day, Irun into my oncologystaff memberswhile I’mout andabout,and they’ll still give me ahug.”

Upon diagnosis, Nash wastoldhehad a30-50% chance of survival beyond five years. He is currentlyinremission, butthe possibilityfor recurrence remains.

“I might have anotherbattletogothrough.Ieat healthyand do everythingin my powertokeepmybodywell, butthere is still afearitcould come back,” Nash explained. “I know Ihaveateamofdoctors.Ihavea hospital.Ihaveasupport staff.I know that if Ihavetobattleitagain, I’ll do it even better thenext time.”

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi

|stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com

This articleisbrought to youby OurLadyof LourdesHealth

Advancedimaging andother diagnostic toolsare increasingthe number of cancersfound in earlier stages, giving patients better odds at survival.But, the good news doesn’t endthere,accordingtoVictoriaPlauche,aphysician assistantwiththe OurLadyofLourdes JD Moncus Cancer Center

Evolvingsurgicaltechniques, chemotherapy andother treatmentoptions paired with better symptommanagementmeancancer care andtreatment is not whatpeopleexperiencedevenadecade ago. Theoverall result?Morepeoplewith acancer diagnosisare living longerand experiencingfewer treatment-associated complications –likenausea, weakness andpain–thaneverbefore. Likewise,the numberofpeopleinremissionfor five yearsormoreisgrowing,givingrisetoan emergingclass of cancer patients in Acadiana–long-term survivors.

“Wehave18millioncancer survivorsinthe US currently,”explained Plauche, who leadsthe OurLadyofLourdes JD Moncus Cancer Center SurvivorshipProgram Thosenumbers arepredictedtocontinuetorise.”

Acancer diagnosis, treatmentand recovery affectpatients physically, mentally and spiritually. Thecancer center’sSurvivorshipProgram is designedtoaddress

theseaffects andimprove thelong-term health,wellnessand qualityoflifefor every patient.

Patients whocompletetreatment with OurLadyofLourdes Health receive a survivorship care plan,Plauche explained,which includes atreatment summary detailingthe therapies received, as well as next stepsinthe recovery process. The oncologyteamrelies on labwork, imagingand routinevisitstomonitor apatient’s progress andhelpmanageany long-termaffects or symptoms that mayarise impactinga patient’squality of life.

Once asurvivorhas reachedthe five-yearmark, they qualifyfor asurvivorship visitinaddition to their ongoingfollow-upplan. Theseannual, hour-long visits are individualizedtomeetthe wellness needsofeachpatient, Plauchesaid. Patients also receiveadditional information on signs andsymptomsthatmay indicatethe cancer has resurfaced, healthylifestyle choices andchallengesthatarise over time

To getstarted with theSurvivorshipProgram at OurLadyofLourdes JD Moncus Cancer Center,patients need areferralfromtheir primarycarephysician

“It’sreallyrewardingwhenyou work with thesepatients foryears,” Plauchesaid. “It’ssoimportant to me andtoour entire team that we help ourpatients bridgethe gapbetween treatmentand moving back into normal life. We want them to know they arealwaysa part of thecommunity here;justina newway.”