Louisiana will cover the full price of college tuition for a small group of stellar students, under newly passed legislation — but it won’t give more money to thousands of students whose state scholarships cover only part of their tuition bill.
Top-scoring high schoolers will qualify for a new “Excellence” award through the state’s TOPS scholarship program under House Bill 77, which the Louisiana Legislature passed last week and Gov Jeff Landry is expected to sign. Starting this fall, the award will provide up to $12,000 per year to students who attend a public university, or roughly the annual cost of tuition and fees at LSU’s main campus, and up to $8,500 for students at eligible private universities. To qualify, students must score 31 or higher out of 36 on the ACT and earn 3.5 or above grade-point average. Fewer than 900 students annually are expected to get the award, or less than 2% of first-year
CVS texts manipulated patients
Customers received messages urging them to oppose bill
BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
CVS improperly used Louisiana customers’ personal information when it sent text messages urging them to ask their legislators to oppose a bill that would have affected the company, a new lawsuit claims.
Law firm Broussard, David and Moroux filed the lawsuit last week in St. Martin Parish and is seeking class-action status.
“Patient information is meant for health care, not political manipulation,” attorney Jerome H. Moroux said in a statement. “No one goes
Johnson
president
Mayor-President Monique Boulet raise a Juneteenth
Juneteenth Association of Louisiana,
and
Thursday
opening ceremonies and a flag raising at Lafayette City
the end
slavery in the United States.
Susannah Johnson Malbreaux, left, introduces Alexandra Gramby, the nation’s reigning Miss Juneteenth, during the ceremony
BY SAM MEDNICK, NATALIE MELZER and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
BEERSHEBA, Israel Israel and Iran exchanged more attacks on Thursday as President Donald Trump said he would make up
his mind within two weeks on whether the U.S. military will get directly involved in the conflict, seeking to keep open the door to diplomacy on Tehran’s nuclear program.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters, read-
ing out Trump’s statement. Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America’s “bunker-buster” bombs. Earlier in the day, Israel’s defense minister threatened Iran’s supreme leader after Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near
Tel Aviv wounding at least 240 people. As rescuers wheeled patients out of the smoldering hospital, Israeli warplanes launched their latest attack on Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for Thursday’s barrage and said the military “has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man
STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD BOWIE
Susannah
Malbreaux,
of the SWLA Juneteenth Committee, center, and Lafayette
flag as Abram Freeman, president of the
left,
others watch
during Juneteenth
Hall. Juneteenth commemorates
of
‘Highly sophisticated’ tunnel found at border
SAN DIEGO An incomplete but “highly sophisticated” drugsmuggling tunnel between Tijuana and Otay Mesa was located and disabled by the U.S. Border Patrol, officials said Wednesday
The cross-border tunnel was actively under construction when it was uncovered by U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the sector’s Tunnel Team in early April. The team made entry into the passageway, which ran beneath part of the Otay Mesa port of entry, officials said. Officials believe the tunnel’s intended exit point was “near or within a nearby commercial warehouse space.” Similar crossborder tunnels have been found in the surrounding areas before The tunnel was equipped with electrical wiring, lighting, ventilation systems and a track system intended for transporting contraband, the Border Patrol said.
U.S. officials worked with Mexico to locate the tunnel’s entrance. Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection first reported the incident in a news release on Wednesday morning. Mexico’s operation also included the Attorney General’s Office, the Army and the Navy
The entrance, which officials said had recently been concealed with newly installed tiles, was found inside a two-story home in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood, within close distance to the Otay Mesa port of entry
Mexican officials said that an undisclosed quantity of methamphetamine was seized at the scene
Neither U.S. nor Mexican officials reported any arrests related to the incident.
SpaceX rocket explodes during test in Texas
A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky
The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at 11 p.m. while on the test stand preparing for the 10th flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said in a statement on the social platform X.
On Jan. 16, one of the massive rockets broke apart in what the company called a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” sending trails of flaming debris near the Caribbean. Space X lost contact with another Starship during a March 6 test flight as the spacecraft broke apart, with wreckage seen streaming over Florida SpaceX said Wednesday night’s explosion posed no hazards to nearby communities.
The company said it is working with local officials to respond to the explosion.
Police: Woman punched for being a Muslim
NEW YORK A 55-year-old Muslim woman was attacked by a stranger on a Queens train, police said Thursday
The victim was on a westbound E train around 4 a.m. Wednesday, when Naved Durrni, 34, approached her, cops said.
“Where are you from?” Durrni, who was wearing a surgical mask, asked as he pestered her with questions. “Who are you? Are you Muslim?” When the woman said she was Muslim, Durrni punched her in the face, leaving her with bruises to her eye and neck, cops said. Durrni fled the station and was apprehended about a mile away Police charged him with assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment.
Zelenskyy wants more pressure put on Russia
Missile strike shows need for ceasefire, he says
BY JUSTIN SPIKE and ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian missile strike on a nine-story Kyiv apartment building was a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the war
The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this year, killed 28 people across the city and wounded 142 others, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said. Zelenskyy, along with the head of the presidential office, Andrii Yermak, and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile brought down the structure.
“This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a cease-
Erick
fire and chooses killing,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine’s partners who he said are ready to pressure Russia to “feel the real cost of the war.”
Intensifying attacks
Tuesday’s attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelenskyy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war which began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine’s mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and U.S. trade tariffs have drawn away world attention.
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were “against military industries, not residential quarters.”
Putin told senior news leaders of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Russia, that he was open to talks with Zelenskyy, but repeated
his accusation that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year — allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
Prisoners exchanged
A new round of such exchanges took place in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region on Thursday, involving the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war who, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War or KSHPPV, were suffering from severe health issues caused by injuries and prolonged detention.
The exchange was confirmed by Russia’s Defense Ministry, which released a video of Russian servicemen at an exchange area in Belarus after being released in the prisoner swap.
Commenting on the exchange, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram: “We are working to get our people back Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free each and every one.”
Many of the exchanged Ukrainian POWs had spent over three years in captivity, with a large number captured during the defense of the now Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in 2022, according to the KSHPPV which added that preparations for another prisoner exchange are ongoing.
makes landfall in Mexico, then weakens
BY FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ and LUIS ALBERTO CRUZ Associated Press
ACAPULCO, Mexico
Powerful Hurricane
Erick made landfall in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca early Thursday as a major hurricane before moving inland and weakening to a tropical storm as it dumped heavy rain, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
The hurricane’s center was located about 35 miles north-northeast of Acapulco Thursday afternoon. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 50 mph, the hurricane center said.
The storm was downgraded slightly before making landfall, from a powerful Category 4 to a Category 3.
The storm threaded the needle between the resorts of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido, tearing into a sparsely populated stretch of coastline near the border of Oaxaca and Guerrero states Agricultural fields blanket the low-lying coastal area between small fishing villages.
Erick weakened rapidly as it crashed into the coastal mountains of southern Mexico, and the system was likely to dissipate late Thursday or early Friday, the hurricane center said.
The storm threatened to unleash destructive winds near where the eye crashes ashore, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge, forecasters said.
Storm moves south on approach
At first light Thursday Acapulco awoke under ominous dark clouds. Rain started later in the morning with the arrival of stronger winds. There was light traffic in the streets. Some residents shopped in the few open stores, fishermen went to the shore to
check their boats and a few people took advantage of the calm for a quick swim
The storm moved northwest just inland up the coast through midday, bringing heavy rain to the resort and the mountains that tower dramatically above it Still, it appeared Acapulco had dodged the worst at least in terms of Erick’s strong winds. Late Wednesday, Erick’s projected path had crept south, closer to the resort city of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state with Acapulco up the coast to the northwest.
No injuries reported
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday “the people have reacted very well so far.”
National Civil Defense Coordinator Laura Velázquez said Thursday that at the moment there were no reports of injuries. Water entered a public hospital in the Oaxaca resort of Huatulco, and there were fallen trees, cuts to power and landslides blocking highways.
But authorities warned the heavy rain would now become the problem.
Guerrero Gov Evelyn Salgado urged residents of her state Thursday to not grow complacent after Erick made landfall in neighboring Oaxaca.
“In Guerrero we continue on maximum alert, Erick is still a danger with the intense rains, it could drop on our state in the coming hours,” she said.
Erick quickly doubled in strength
Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick churned through an ideal environment for quick intensification. Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification — when a storm gains at least 35 mph in 24 hours which is about twice as many as average.
TikTok ban gets another reprieve
BY WENDY LEE Los Angeles Times (TNS)
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order giving TikTok a 90-day extension to work out a deal with the U.S. government that addresses security concerns over the app’s ties to China.
Significant pressure has been placed on TikTok, known for its popular social video app, after a law was signed in 2024 that required TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations of TikTok or the app would be banned in the U.S.
The new order signed by Trump will give TikTok an extension until Sept 17 During that period, the Justice Department will not enforce the 2024 law that would have banned TikTok in the country or impose penalties on companies that distribute TikTok, the order said.
“We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users and 7.5 million U.S. businesses that rely on the platform as we continue to work with Vice President Vance’s Office,” TikTok said in a statement. TikTok has a large presence in Southern California, with offices in Culver City that serve as the company’s U.S. headquarters, and many video creators in the L.A. area produce content for TikTok.
The app has interested buyers, including Amazon and an investment group led by Frank McCourt, a former Dodgers owner, whose bid includes “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary San Francisco artificial intelligence company Perplexity said in March it wants to “rebuild the TikTok algorithm.”
PHOTO PROVIDED By UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS OFFICE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lays flowers Thursday at the site of Russia’s Tuesday deadly missile attack that ruined a multistory residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine.
PROVIDED PHOTO
This image from rocketfuture. org shows a SpaceX rocket exploding at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas, late Wednesday.
BY HOLLYRAMER Associated Press
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. Juneteenth celebrationsunfolded across the U.S. on Thursday,markingthe day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas and attracting participants who said current events strengthened their resolve to be heard.
The holiday has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations, but became more widelyobservedafter being designated afederal holiday in 2021 by former President Joe Biden, who was expected to attend an event in Galveston, the holiday’sbirthplace.
The celebrations come as President Donald Trump’s administration has worked to ban diversity,equity and inclusion initiatives, or DEI, in the federal government and remove content about Black American history from federal websites. Trump’stravel ban on visitors from select countries has also led to bitter national debate.
In Portsmouth,New Hampshire, Robert Reid waved alarge Juneteeth flag at the city’sAfrican Burying Ground MemorialPark, where African drummers and dancersled the crowd in song and dance. Reid, 60, said he attended in part to stand against what he called Trump’s“divide and conquer” approach.
“It’stime for people to get pulled together instead of separated,” he said.
Jordyn Sorapuru,18, visiting New Hampshire from California, called the large turnout a“beautiful thing.”
“It’snice to be celebrated every once in awhile, especially in the political climate right now,” she said. “With
the offensive things going on right now,withbrown people in the country and alot of peoplebeing put at risk forjustexisting, having celebrations like this is really important.”
Theholiday to mark the endofslavery in theU.S goesback to an order issued on June 19, 1865, as Union troops arrivedinGalveston at the end of the Civil War. General Order No. 3 declared that all enslaved peoplein thestate were free and had “absolute equality.”
Juneteenth is recognized at leastasanobservance in every state, and nearly 30 states andWashington, D.C., have designated it as apermanent paid or legal holiday through legislationorexecutive action.
In Virginia, aceremonial groundbreaking was held for rebuilding the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of the nation’soldest Black churches.
In Fort Worth, Texas, about 2,500 people participated in Opal Lee’sannualJuneteenth walk.The 98-year-old Lee, known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth” for theyears she spent advocating to makethe daya federal holiday, was recently hospitalized anddidn’tparticipate in public this year.But her granddaughter,Dione Sims, said Leewas “in good spirits.”
“The one thing that she would tellthe community and the nation at large is to hold on to your freedoms,” Simssaid. “Hold on to your freedomand don’tlet it go, because it’s under attack right now.”
During aJuneteenth speech in Maryland, Gov WesMoore announced pardons for 6,938 cases of simple marijuana possession, which can hinder employment and educational opportunities and have disproportionally affected the
DonaldTrump honored Juneteenth in each of his first four years as president, even before it became afederal holiday But on this year’sJuneteenth holidayonThursday, the usually talkative president kept silent about aday important to Black Americans for marking the end of slavery in the country he leads again. No words about it from his lips, on paper or through his social media site.
Asked whether Trump would commemorate Juneteenth in any way,White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “I’m nottrackinghis signature on aproclamation today.Iknow this is afederal holiday.I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We’re working 24/7 right now.”
Asked in afollow-up ques-
tionwhether Trump might recognize the occasionanother way or on anotherday, Leavitt said,“Ijustanswered thatquestion foryou.”
The Republ ic an president’s silence was asharp contrast from his prior acknowledgement of the holiday.Juneteenth celebrates the end of slaveryinthe UnitedStates by commemoratingJune19, 1865, whenUnion soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas.
Trump’squiet on theissue also deviated from White House guidance that Trump planned to signa Juneteenth proclamation. Leavitt didn’t explain the change. Trump heldnopublic events Thursday,but he shared statementsabout Iran, theTikTokapp and Fed chairman Jerome Powell on his social mediasite.
He had moretosay about Juneteenthinyearly statements in his first term.
In 2017, Trumpinvoked the “soulful festivities and emotional rejoicing” that swept through the Galveston crowdwhenamajor general deliveredthe news that all enslaved people were free. He told the Galveston story in each of the next three years. “Together,wehonor the unbreakable spirit and countless contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of American greatness,” he added in his 2018 statement.
In 2019: “Across ourcountry,the contributions of African Americans continue to enrich everyfacet of American life.” In 2020: “June reminds us of boththe unimaginable injustice of slavery and theincomparablejoy that must have attended emancipation. It is both aremembrance of ablightonour history and acelebration of our Nation’s unsurpassed ability to triumphoverdarkness.”
Moore, aDemocrat who is Maryland’sfirst Black governor and the only Black governor currently serving, last year ordered tens of thousands of pardons formarijuana possession. The newly announced pardons weren’t includedinthatinitialannouncement because they’d been incorrectly coded.
In New Hampshire, Thursday’sgathering capped nearly two weeks of events organized by the BlackHistory TrailofNew Hampshire aimed at both celebrating Juneteenth and highlighting contradictions in thefamiliarnarratives aboutthe nation’s founding fathers ahead of next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“Ina time when effortsto suppress Black history are on therise, andbyextension, to suppress American history,westand firm in the
truth,” said JerriAnne Boggis, the Heritage Trail’sexecutive director.“This is not just Black history,itisall of our history.”
New Hampshire, oneof the nation’sWhitest states, is notamong those with a permanent, paid or legal Juneteenth holiday,and Boggis said herhopethatlawmakers would take action making it one is waning.
“I am not so sure anymore given the political environmentwe’re in,” she said. “I think we’ve taken awhole bunch of steps backwards in understanding our history civil rights and inclusion.” Still, she hopes New Hampshire’sevents and those elsewhere will makea difference.
“It’snot adivisive tool to know thetruth.Knowing the truth helps us understand someofthe current issues that we’re going through,” she said.
Black community
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL DWyER
absolutely should not continue to exist.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would “do what’s best for America.”
“I can tell you that they’re already helping alot,” Netanyahu said from the rubble and shattered glass around the Soroka Medical Center in Israel’ssouthern cityof Beersheba.
The open conflict between Israel and Iran eruptedlast Friday with asurprisewave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear andmilitary sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded, according to aWashington-based
TOPS
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students at the state’spublic colleges and universities
The bill’s author,Rep. Christopher Turner,R-Ruston, initially had grander ambitions. His original bill would have established uniform rates for TOPS scholarships, whichvary by school and often fall thousandsof dollars short of the full cost of tuition and fees. The new rates would have meant more money formost of the roughly 48,000 TOPS recipients, lowering their out-ofpocket expenses. But the bill faced pushback because it would have resulted in smaller scholarships for some LSU students while increasing state spending on TOPS by nearly $48 million. In theend,the Legislature scrapped the new ratesand kept only the Excellence award, which is projected to
CVS
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to the pharmacyexpecting their personal data will be turned into acampaign tool. That crosses abright ethical and legal line.”
CVS’scommunication with customers and patients was consistent with the law spokespersonAmy Thibault said in astatement.
“Our focus is and remains serving the people of Louisiana: lowering drugcosts providing access to care, and helping improve health,” she said. “Welook forward to working productively with policymakers to continue to make prescription drugs moreaffordable andaccessible and to promote the value of community pharmacy.”
House Bill 358, which ultimately failed to pass, would have barred companies from owning both pharmacy benefitsmanagers, or PBMs, and pharmacies. PBMs act as gobetweens for pharmacies, health care plans and drug manufacturers to negotiate lower drug costs.
Supporters of the billargued it would stop big com-
Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missilesand 1,000 drones at Israel,according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot downbyIsrael’s multitiered air defenses, but at least 24 peoplein Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded.
Israel’sHome Front Command said one of the Iranian ballistic missilesfiredThursdaymorning hadbeen rigged with fragmenting cluster munitions. Rather than aconventional warhead, acluster munition warhead carries dozens of submunitions that canexplode onimpact, showering small bomblets around alarge area and posing major safetyrisks on the ground. The Israelimilitary didnot say where that missile hadbeen fired. At least 80 patientsand medical workers were wounded in the strikeonIs-
cost about $3 millionnext fiscal year
“I’ve very happy with where we ended up,”Turner said.“It’sjust not what we started with.”
Rewardingexcellence
Louisiana has givenmeritbased TOPS scholarships for nearlythree decades, but participation hasslumped in recentyears. Fewer studentsare meeting the academic requirements, while moreeligiblestudentsare turning downthe awards. Some of thehighest-achievingstudentsare choosing colleges in states withmore generous scholarships
Turner’sbill aimed to make TOPS more enticing by setting higher award amounts. It also soughtto create parity across collegesby settingstandards ratesfor each TOPS award —$6,000per yearfor the Opportunity award, $6,500 forPerformanceand $9,000 forHonors. Theproposed
panies, who they say have too much power over the drug market, from pushing out independent pharmacies.
CVS, whichoverseesa PBM and anationwide chain of drugstores, saidthe bill would have forcedit to close its 119 Louisiana stores, affecting about 1million patients acrossthe state The companysentmass texts to customers urging them to contact elected officials because“last-minute legislation in Louisiana threatens to close your CVS pharmacy.”The text warned that medication costs could increase andpharmacists could lose theirjobs
The text drew outrage from Gov. Jeff Landry, who supported the bill, and many lawmakers. LouisianaAttorneyGeneral LizMurrill said shewas investigatingthe incident to determine if CVS improperlyused customer’s personalinformation.
The lawsuit filed in St. Martin ParishclaimsCVS “targeted thousandsofLouisiana citizens” withtexts and emails that used “alarming, incendiary language to falsely suggest” their health care was in jeopardy.The messages soughtto“manipulate and
rael’s Soroka Medical Center
Thevast majority were lightly wounded, as much of the hospital building had been evacuated in recent days Iranianofficialsinsisted that they hadnot sought to strike the hospitaland claimed the attack hit afacilitybelongingtothe Israeli military’selite technological unit, calledC4i.The website for theGav-Yam Negevadvanced technologies park, 2 miles from thehospital, said C4i had abranch campus in the area.
The Israeliarmy did not respond to arequest for comment.AnIsraeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, acknowledged that there was no specific intelligence thatIran had planned to targetthe hospital.
Many hospitals in Israel, including Soroka, hadactivatedemergency plansin
amounts were thousands of dollarshigher than thecurrent TOPS ratesatmany colleges, which haven’tincreased in nearly adecade.
The changes would have drivenupthe costofTOPS to about$330 million next fiscal year,compared with $282 million underthe current rates,according to cost estimates.
Turner said lawmakers might eventually considering boosting TOPS amounts, but they “just weren’tready thissession.” He addedthat lawmakers wanttoensure that TOPS dollarsare well spent
“How do we make sure Louisiana is gettinga good return on investment for the studentswho are using state dollars to go to college?” he said.
About 40% of TOPS recipients earn abachelor’s degree in four years, compared with just 10%ofnonTOPS students, according to thestate BoardofRegents,
mislead,” thelawsuit claims.
It also alleges thetexts targeted elderly and disabled people.
“Our clientsfelt scared, confused andbetrayed,” Moroux said in astatement.
“Many thought their medicationswereinjeopardy Others feltresponsible for their pharmacist’sjob security.Thatkind of emotional manipulation —using confidential healthrecords —is not just wrong, it’s unlawful.”
Thedecisiontosendthe mass messages was part of astrategy formed by representatives at CVS headquarters in Rhode Island and lobbyists in Baton Rouge,the lawsuit says.
The texts and emails violated the Louisiana Unfair TradePractices Act for several reasons, including intentionally misleading recipients, using deceptive tradepractices to improperly direct unsolicited political messaging and using privatehealth information for impermissible purposes, according to thelawsuit.
The move alsoviolated the Louisiana Pharmacy PracticeAct,the lawsuit alleges.
Thelawsuit currently has two namedplaintiffs, Dean
the past week. They converted parking garages to wards and transferred vulnerable patients underground. Israel alsohas afortified, subterranean blood bank thatkicked into action after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the ongoing war in the GazaStrip.
Doctors at Soroka said the Iranianmissile struck almostimmediately after air raid sirens went off, causing an explosion that could be heard from asafe room.The strike inflictedthe greatest damage on an oldsurgery building and affected key infrastructure, including gas, water and air-conditioning systems, according to the medical center
The hospital, which provides services to around 1 million residents, had been caring for 700 patients at the time.After thestrike, thehospital closed to all patients except forlife-threat-
which oversees public higher education.
Students whoqualifyfor theExcellence awardwill receive thestandard amount or their college’stuition and fees,whichever is less. Recipients can use the money at anypublic collegeoruniversity in Louisiana, as well as private institutions in the Louisiana Association of Independent Collegesand Universities. Member universities include Dillard, Loyola, Tulane, Xavier and others.
Rep.Laurie Schlegel, RMetairie, who helped develop the bill, said she thinksit will convince more top-performing students to stayin Louisiana.
“I do believe the Excellence levelwillmove the needle and encourage studentsthat might be looking out of state to choose our instatecolleges,” she said.
OtherTOPSchanges
Studentstoday can qualify for TOPS based on theirACT
ening cases
Iran haslong maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. But it is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich uranium up to 60%,ashort,technical step away fromweapons-grade levels of 90%.
Israel is widely believed to be the only country with anuclear weapons program in the Middle East but has neveracknowledged theexistence of its arsenal.
TheIsraeli aircampaign has targeted Iran’senrichment site at Natanz, centrifugeworkshops around Tehran, anuclear site in Isfahan andwhatthe armyassesses to be most of Iran’sballistic missile launchers. The destruction of those launchers has contributed to the steady decline in Iranian attacks since the start of the conflict.
On Thursday,anti-aircraft artillery wasaudible across
or equivalent SATscores Underthe newlegislation, students will also be able to qualify using their scores on the Classic Learning Test.
Backed by many conservative groups and frequently taken by private or homeschool students, thetest features readingpassages from classic literature and historical textswith a“lasting influence on Western culture and society,” according to the test website. Most collegesdonot accept the test for admissions. Louisiana Christian UniversityinPineville is the only institution in the state listed as one of the test’s“partner” schools. The state Legislature also made it easier for homeschoolstudentstoqualify forTOPS.
Under current law, those students are exempt from requirements to take certain high schoolcourses and earn aminimum GPAtoqualify forTOPS, but they must earn ACT scores that are
Tehran, and witnesses in the central city of Isfahan reported seeing anti-aircraft fire after nightfall.
Trump’sannouncement of adecisioninthe next two weeks opened up diplomatic options, with the apparent hope Iran would make concessions after suffering major military losses. Anew diplomatic initiative seemed to be underway as Iran’sForeign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to travel Friday to Genevafor meetings with the European Union’stop diplomat, and with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany But at least publicly,Iran has struck ahard line. Iran’ssupreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls forsurrenderand warned that any U.S. military involvement would cause “irreparable damage to them.”
two points higher than the cutoff for public or private school students.
House Bill 378,which passed and is awaiting Landry’ssignature, removes the higherscorerequirement. Now homeschool students must earn the same minimum ACT scores as their peers: 20 for Opportunity,23for Performance and 27 forHonors.
Rep. Roger Wilder,RDenham Springs, saidhe authored the bill after hearing from astudent who scored21onthe ACT. She would have been eligible forTOPSifshe’d gone to a public school, but she didn’t qualify because she was homeschooled. Wilder said his bill holds all students to the samestandard. “Tome,”hesaid, “a test is atestand student is astudent.”
Email Patrick Wall at patrick.wall@theadvocate. com.
Angelle andElizabeth Angelle, butthe firm is seeking more, whichmay be in the “many tens of thousands,” the attorneys wrote in their filing.
LOSANGELES At Pasadena’s AC Hotel earlier this month, dozens of protesters gathered in an effort to confront federal agents who had arrived in town amid demonstrationsagainst theTrump administration’smass deportationeffort.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo was among those present on June 7asdemonstrators holding signswith “ICE out of Pasadena” and other messages chased federal vehicles out of the luxury hotel’sparking garage, cheering and recording it all on their cellphones.
The mayor said the protest forcedthe agents to leave the place they were using for local accommodations during their L.A. operations, whichinvolvedprotecting federalbuildingsdowntown.
“Word got out that there were Homeland Security vehicles parkedatthe hotel,” Gordo told The Times. “People wanted to express their FirstAmendment rights and they did so in alawful, nonviolent and respectful manner.”
After hours of noisy rallying, the hotelstaff asked the feds to pack uptheir things and go, according to Gordo. By sunset, uniformed agents from theFederal Protective Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security, were seen walking outofthe hotel with their bags stacked on aluggage cart in avideo of theincident that went viralonline.Their vehicles were escorted outofthe garagebylocal police as protesters trailed behind Hotelshave emerged as hotspots for confrontations between community members and immigration agents. Federalagencies, including U.S. Immigration andCustoms Enforcement, sometimes rent blocks of rooms in places where agents are dispatched for majoroperations.
The showdown in Pasadena wasone of several recent instances of protesters comingtogether at hotels across the LosAngelesregion to put pressure on their proprietors to offernoquarter to federal personnel during the Trump administration’s crackdown Thebusinesses, which rely
on immigrant workers for cleaning and maintenance, havebeencastintoanawkward position —one that requires balancingpolitics with protecting their employees.
Concerned citizens have repeatedly taken to social media and whisper networks to share locationswhere they have spotted who they believe are federal agents. Andpeople have followed up on suchinformation by staging protests outside hotels. Employees at the AC Hotel Pasadenareferred inquiries to aspokesperson, whodid notimmediately provide a comment.
Gordo said he had confirmed that there are no longerany Homeland Security agents stayingatthe property
TheHomelandSecurity press office did not immediately provide comment, and agencies underthe department’s umbrella,including ICE andU.S.Customs and Border Protection, didnot respond to inquires
Protesters have been arrested this month forallegedly interferingwithfederal officers, and federal agen-
Summerwillmakea dramatic entrance in the U.S. this week with aheat dome that will bring stifling temperatures and uncomfortable humidity to millions.
The heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts. This will be the first stretch of true summertime weather for many from Midwest to the East Coast, said TomKines, ameteorologist at AccuWeather
“A lot of those folks have been saying, where’ssummer? Well, buckle up, because it’scoming,” said Kines. The humid conditions will make places that exceed 90 degrees feel as much as 20 degrees hotter,said Kines Heat domeforming
Aheat dome occurswhen alarge area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as areservoir that traps heat and humidity,said Ricky Castro, aNational WeatherService meteorologist in Illinois Accordingtothe NWS Weather Prediction Center, daytime temperatures will be in the 90s and overnight temperatures will only drop to the mid-70s from the Great Lakes to the East Coast during the heatwave that’sexpected to last into next week.
Moisture blown northward from the Gulf of Mexico is fueling the muggy weather, said Jacob Asherman,a Weather Prediction Center meteorologist. This influx of moisture is fairly typi-
cal duringlate spring and summer, he said.The Gulf, which shares borders with Mexico andthe U.S., was renamed by President Donald Trump to the Gulfof America.
The heatwill be widespread into next week. On Friday, Denver could reach 100 degrees, according to theweather service. Chicago temperaturescould reach96 degrees onSunday. On Tuesday,Washington, D.C.,could see ahighof 99 degrees and New York’sCentralPark could reach96degrees Several statesinthe Midwest couldsee dangerous temperatureimpactsover theweekend, according to aweather service measure that rates the risk from zero to four.Parts of Nebraska and Kansas will be in the highestcategoryonthe scale on Saturday, meaning that anyone withouteffective cooling or sufficient hydration couldface health risks. On Sunday,Iowa, Wisconsin,Missouri and Illinois also see acategory 4rating. Hard to cool down
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air,and the heat index is whatthe temperature feels likewhen the humidityoutside is factored in, according to the weather service.
When humanssweat,it cools the body down because it absorbs andremoves heat as it evaporates off theskin. The air is saturated with water on humid days, which makes it harder for sweat to evaporate. Hotand humid days can be dangerous when the body is unable to cool itself off and can exacerbatepreexistinghealth
conditionsand even lead to heat stroke.
Minimizing direct sun exposure, wearing looseand light-colored clothing, staying hydrated and spendingtime in air-conditioned spaces are ways to cool down during extreme heat, according to theNWS.
Someparts of the U.S., suchasPhoenix, are famously hot without themugginess. Phoenix andnearby desert regionsexperience this socalled “dry heat”due to being located far away from large water bodies,mountains that block moistair massesand weather patterns that bring scarce precipitation. Sweatevaporates faster in dry climates compared to humid ones. This can be dangerous because it is easy to underestimate howdehydrated you are, according to Johns Hopkins University andJohns Hopkins Health System
Even thecrops ‘sweat’
In places such as Iowa, crops can affect the humidity in summermonths.Plants feel the effectsofhot weather and some people in the Midwest are familiar with “corn sweat,” which is when crops move water to their leaves and other surfaces so it can evaporate, according to theOhio StateUniversity Madison County,Iowa, farmer RyanMarquardt said cornsweat is “notasbad as a sauna,but it definitely would have asaunaeffect. It’shumid in there(the cornfield), so you’re gonna sweat.”
Cornfield contributions to the overall humidityare much lowercomparedtothe humiditywinds carry from theGulf, according to OSU.
cies have expressedconcerns about the repercussions of people “doxxing” agents by sharing their locations and other personal information online.
“Peopleare outthere taking photos of the names, their faces and posting themonlinewith death threats to theirfamily and themselves,” Reuters reported acting ICE chief Todd Lyons said last week.
Thecrowd-sourcedeffort to spread information about where federal agents are holed up plays out mostly online. In some instances, the unverified reports come from people who work at the hotels.Other times, hotelguests or area residents see suspected agents outside or in the lobby,orwalk through parking
Los Angeles Times (TNS)
LOS ANGELES Department of Homeland Securityvehicleswithmaskedagents were stationed Thursday morning outside Dodger Stadium, in anothersign of the raidssweeping Southern California.
It is unclear what operation the federal agents were carrying out or whetheranyone in the area was arrested. Images of the government vehicles immediately played out on social media and fueled speculation abouttheir activities. The agents declined to say whythey were at the stadium
According to multiple people with knowledgeof the situation whowere not authorized to speak publicly,
agents were denied entry to the Dodger Stadium grounds when they attempted to enter the parking lots. ALos AngelesPoliceDepartment source denied that the department received a request from the Dodgers to remove federal agents from the stadium grounds. The Dodgers did, however, ask police to intervene after agroup of protesters showed up to the area, according to the source, who requested anonymity in order to discuss internal matters. The parking lot is not ownedbythe Dodgers, but is consideredDodgers property by the team. The parkinglot is jointlyowned by the Dodgers’ ownership group andthe team’sformer owner, billionaire Frank McCourt.
CRAB YOUR ATTENTION
Tryour five favorite crab appetizers at theseAcadiana
restaurants
Police to probeschool drainage bids
Twocompanies saythey didnot seek work
BY ASHLEY WHITE and CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writers
The Lafayette Parish school system said it has turned over an investigation to the Lafayette Police Department into whether two drainage project bids wereforged.
The August 2024 project ultimately went to BoscoOilfield Services for$74,500.While investigating acomplaint against Bosco, the LouisianaState Licensing Board forContractors spoke with twocompanies whosaid they did not submit bids forthe contract, despite bids being submitted.
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
Crawfish season is nearing itsend, which means that our peelingskills should be in greatworking order for crackingintothisLouisiana crustacean that knows no calendar:crab. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife andFisheries,crabbing is permitted year-round, although the best time is May to September.A cold snap will shut crabbing down for afew days, butthe shellfish should be plentiful in our waters andrestaurants over the next several hot months
Richard Hurst, ownerofPoor Boy’s Riverside Inn, has been preparing and serving crab in his family’srestaurant —possibly the oldest in Lafayette Parish —his whole life.Every order of their Crabmeat Imperial dish is preparedwith36to42crabs, to ensure they are only using select grade
Acrabmeat cheesecakeisavailable at SoLouinLafayette and Baton Rouge.
One Foods store in the 200 block of West Willow Streetinresponse to reports of ashootinginprogress, according to anews release. Twomen were foundsuffering from gunshot wounds and were taken to ahospitalfor medical treatment.
Theowner of ClementsConstruction in Lafayette, Beavers wrote, whichaccording to LPSS documents bid on the project, “adamantly stated that he did not submit abid proposal for that project.”
The owner of the third company that allegedly bid on the project, Siema Construction, of Scott, also told astate investigator his company applied earlier in the year forLPSS jobs but did not submit this particular bid. He noted that the bid submission format forthe drainage project differed from the bids he previously submitted
Lafayettespecial education department gets twoleaders Changedesignedto enhance services
BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
The Lafayette Parish school system will have two leaders for its special education department —one forassessment and complianceand theother for curriculum and instruction.
The change is designedtoenhance services and outcomes forthe nearly3,000 —or11% —ofLPSS students who receive special education support, spokesperson Tracy Wirtz said in an email.
Falin Keywill oversee assessment and compliance, focusing on evaluations, regulator alignment andstrengthening evaluations of students that assess if they need special education services. Devin Soeseno will oversee curriculum and instruction focusing on supporting staffin delivering high-quality, inclusive instruction to students. The change will allow the district to “meet the unique needs of our students moreeffectively,”
BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer
gath-
STAFF FILEPHOTO By LESLIEWESTBROOK
Ajumbo lump crabcakeisavailable at Dupuy’sSeafood and Steak in Abbeville.
Key
Soeseno
COMMENTARY
Thetechnologytocapturecarbon emissions before theyare released into the environment has been billed as abreakthrough, butitis alsoraising environmental concerns.
ROOM FOR DEBATE CARBON CAPTURE
Carbon capture,a newtechnologytouted by proponents as an effective waytoreduce theamount of carbon released into the atmosphere, has scrambled anumber of traditionalpoliticalalliances.Proponents, including business, industryand some environmentalists, sayit’sa keyway to fightclimate change. Opponents have worried about unforeseen environmental impacts,especially of the carbon once stored, and theconsequences for local communities and autonomy. Hereare twoperspectives.
Property owners could seebig impact from tech
Energy,economicfutures dependentongrowth
The carbon-capture-and-storage industry continuedits Louisianaconquest this legislative session. Billed as a way to fight climate change and boost the stateeconomy lawmakers in both parties fought off efforts to ban such operations or to even allow local control over the planning. Opponents of carbon capture voice several concerns, namely the minimal impact on the state carbon footprint, the industry’sreliance on federal subsidies and potential threatstolocal communities’ health and safety.
The industry plan is to inject concentrated carbon waste intodepleted oil reservoirs or other underground formations and keep it there forever. Butscientistssay this can’tbeguaranteed.Bynature, carbon seeksverticalescape, and itsmovement can causeseismic shift,release arsenic and lead into water and,inlargeenough quantities,cause asphyxiation
As professors of property law,wesee one threat the Legislature failed to adequately address: that carbon-capture technology willerode Louisianians’ traditional propertyrights. Within limits, propertyowners havethe right to be free from unwanted intrusions, to decide whetherto keep or sell their land and to seek compensation from thosewho degrade their resources. With carbon capture, these rights are beingrenegotiated Let’sstart with an intrusion, otherwise known as trespass.
Imagine aplume of pressurized carbon waste escapesfrom an underground reservoir and migrates into themineral layers below your land, where it causeslead and arsenic to leach into your crawfish pond or causes shifts in the foundation of your home. Is this atrespass? We don’t know In Louisiana, and in manyother states, the lawagainst trespass is unsettled where carbon is concerned.
Now consider an owner’sright to keep or sell. Generally, the lawprotectsusfrom being forced to sell or lease ourproperty to another private party. Thereare exceptions.Louisiana allowsprivateutilities, within certain limits, to take private land
(with compensation) for thepurpose of building transmission cables or pipelines. We justify this because the infrastructure provides a product to thepublic at-large (electricity,natural gas).
The state Legislature earlier expanded this process to include carbon-capture pipelines. Unlike utilities, these pipeline are part of aprivateindustry’swaste disposal system.Why should individual landowners subsidize that?
Finally,consider the possibility of an accident—anexplosion, an earthtremor,a massive leak —that hurtsnearby property owners or the public moregenerally.Tort law generally holds apropertyowner liable for damage caused to neighboring properties or to other people due to their negligent or reckless activities.
But carbon capture legislation has altered this arrangement as well. Louisiana law holds the carbon-capture company liable only for the first 50 years and only as to certain kinds of damage. After that, all liability is assumed by the state.
The2025 legislative session saw several attempts, and failures,toaddress these concerns. Bills aimed at giving parish authorities autonomy over carbon capture permits did not makeitout of committee.
House Bill 691, which requires reporting of carbon capture failures, has been sent to the governor,but House Bill 696, which would have created greater protections for safety and drinking water monitoring, failed.
As Louisianians, we know from experience thedamage to our land and health that hydrocarbon exploration has caused. It’suptoustostandupfor our health, our environment, and our property,and after this legislative session there is more work to do
Rob Verchick holds theGauthier-St Martin ChairinEnvironmental Law at Loyola University NewOrleans and directs itsCenter on Environment,Land and Law.Martha Thibaut is an assistant professor of lawatLoyola University New Orleans.
We see that Louisiana is poisedfor healthy job growthacross the state if we don’tmess up this historic opportunity. The futureofenergy is abig partofdriving that potential. Traditional oiland gas production remains acenterpiece of the state’scapability in energy
Now,asglobal markets demand cleaner energy solutions, new productsand technologies are driving investment, including blue and green hydrogen, blue and green ammonia,liquefied natural gas,biofuels, direct air capture and data centers for artificial intelligence. Nearly all of these and more are enabled by akey technology: carbon capture, utilization and storage —abbreviated CCUS.
ectssuchasLNG exporters, biofuels, hydrogenorammonia projects and data centers will risk missing emissions targets, putting economic development projectsand thousands of jobs in jeopardy
Carboncapture isn’tjust about compliance— it enables ajob engine Building infrastructure for CCUS will fuelLouisiana’s constructionsector,while capturedCO2 supports enhanced oilrecovery, synthetic fuels andadvanced materials —reinforcing ourleadership in energy innovation.
Louisiana is fortunate to have a great geographic locationfor economic development as wellasunique geological advantages.Our underground geology makes carbon capture attractive here. In turn, that advantage is presenting parishes and regions with big opportunities for statewide job creation projects. With $23 billionin CCUS-related investmentsprojected to generate4,500 constructionjobs, Louisiana is poised for awaveofeconomic growth. The stakes couldn’tbehigher.Ifwe fail to lead in carbon management, nearby state competitors like Texas and global competitors like China and Japan will, costingLouisiana billions in investmentand thousands of jobs.
LNG exports are now acornerstone of Louisiana’seconomy,supporting thousands of jobs and billions in investment. In some cases, this export networkishappening entirely intrastate, such as natural gasfrom the north Louisiana’sHaynesville Shale being exported in south Louisiana as LNG.
Butasinternational markets demand cleaner energy,integrating CCUS is and will be essential to ensuring Louisiana’senergy industry remains competitive. Without carbon capture, economic development proj-
As we’ve alreadyseenwith the Meta data centerinnorth Louisiana,our state is uniquely positionedtobecome anationalhub for more AI-drivendata centers energy-intensive facilities driving AI, cloudcomputing and digital services. While renewable power generation is expanding, it alonecannotprovide the round-the-clock reliability that these facilities require, so natural gascombinedwith CCUS is critical in the near term for low-carbon power generation. CCUS and direct air capture allowLouisiana to offer astable low-carbon energy mix, making our state aprime destination for high-tech investment. We believe the future of Louisiana’s economy depends on decisive action anda statewide strategy.The Legislature is working to ensure servitude andproperty owners’ rights areprotected while Louisiana scales up to the globalneedsenabled by carbon capture. Further, the ability to safely capture andmonitor CO2 thousands of feet underground with no risk to the water table hasalready been established. With billions in investment on the horizon, Louisiana hasachance to lead Investing in CCUS securesour energy future, protectsexisting jobs and can extend the prosperity for our state.
Spencer Martinisthe treasurer of Leaders fora Better Louisiana and an executive withRoyOMartin.
Martin GUEST COLUMNIST
was dragged for several hundredfeet —toa shooting this week that injured an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“It hit me hard justa coupledays agoonTuesday night,” Morse said. “It hit me that we could really be having to plan two funerals right now,and how thankful we are that God has led us through this.”
Eisworth was rushed to the hospital Tuesday,where he remains in critical condition. Morse said the situation is very “touch and go,” but Eisworth’sfamily said he “continues to fight and each day is filled with little wins that add up” in astatement released Thursday
Morse said he first visited Eisworth in the hospitalin the dark morning hours of Wednesday,after traveling back to Baton Rouge from a conference in California.
He said by the time he entered Eisworth’shospital room at Our Lady of the Lake, it was 1:30 a.m., and Mayor Sid Edwards was already thereatEisworth’s bedside.
Edwards also made an ap-
CRAB
Continued frompage1B
lump crabmeat.
“Crabs really don’tlike the cold. They run away and dive into the mud, but give them three days of pretty weather andtheycome back,” said Hurst. “Onceit gets too hot, crawfish are gone until the following season.”
Crabmeat Imperial ($33) is the oldest dish on the menu at Poor Boy’s, but one of their most popular is lump crabmeat sauteed in butter,which arrives at the tableexactly as described. Simple yet extravagant, this $39 dish highlights crab in a way that more complicated preparations can’tmatch.
That’show Ilike my crab, personally —ready to eat, from creative, crab-respecting people that know what they’re doing. I’m not the best at extracting crabmeat myself. There’s astrategy and level of patience involved that crawfishdon’trequire, so unless I’m sitting near someone willing to divide the labor Imostly order deliciously prepared crab dishes, instead of whole boiled crab Ivery much recommend trying the Crabmeat Imperialand crab in butter at Poor Boy’swhen you get the chance. And here are three other exciting crab dishes to experience across Acadiana—each one elevated and unique. Let me know if you’re planning to try oneof these, or send me arecommendation for your favorite crab spot.
Jumbolumpcrabcakes
Dupuy’sSeafood in Abbeville
Thecrabcakes areone of the most popular items at this 150-yearold Vermilion
pearance atthe fundraiser, telling The Advocate,“I’m just here to support.”
“Sometimes the worst times bringout the bestof people. This is acollaborative effort bya wholebunch of peopletohelp one of our fallen brothers,”Edwards said. “In Baton Rouge —I say it all thetime —wewill alwaysrise to theoccasion.”
The fundraiser was originally the idea of the Baton Rouge Fire Fighters IAFF Local 557.
“They were the first ones to reach out to us and said, ‘Hey,let us come cook, let us do ajambalaya benefit,’” Morse said.
JacobMorgan,the union’s president, said he wasinspired to offer support after astring of line-of-duty deathsatthe fire department over the pasttwo years.
Multiple of these deaths were duetocancer andall came after the fact from illnesses suffered while fighting fires.
Good cause
Standing over asteaming kettle,Morgan added, “we make an awesomejambalaya.”
The plateswere each $12, with “everysingle cent”of the proceeds going to Eisworth’swifeand daughter, Morse said. Theingredients
Parish restaurant, for good reason. They are topped with arich, lemonycrawfish sauce,and whenyourgarnish is that good, Ihave high expectations. Dupuy’s rocketspast those expectations with jumbo lump crab cakes that arechock-full of meat, instead of breading. This is a simpledish, done to ahigh standard, andDupuy’slongtime customers know it.Accordingtoowners Jody and TonyaHebert, some guests have beenordering the crab cakes for so many years, they forget to branch out to the rest of themenu. Iwouldn’tmake that mistake. Dupuy’sisequally well-known for their fresh oysters, steaks, stuffed shrimp and more, making them an extremely worthwhile destinationrestaurant if Abbeville is offyour beaten path. But no matter what you get, Irecommend starting with the crab cakes —they might just become your regularorder Jumbo lump crab cakes, 1for $18 and 2for $30, Dupuy’sSeafood and Steak, 108 S. Main St., Abbeville Friedcrab fingersat Jane’s Seafood in NewIberia
Acrab claw is asucculent, tender,delicately flavored thing of beauty.And in the South, we knowexactlyhow to improve on perfection by frying it.
Thefried crab fingerappetizeratJane’s Seafood& Chinese restaurant in New Iberia comes piled high on a platter,which is good news for hungry people whodon’t want to wait to divvyupportions. They are servedwith Jane’shouse-made tartar sauce —pro tip, the sauce is also great for dipping French fries, fried shrimp and hush puppies —but come packed with aflavor all their own
weredonated.
More than1,400 meals had already been presold online by the time the fundraiser began. By midday, the food had sold out
Also on siteweretwo blood drive buses, allowing attendees to donate blood in support of Eisworth.
In astatement released following the fundraiser,the officer’s family thanked law enforcement andfirst responder agencies across the parish, withspecial attention to Morse.
“ToChief T.J. Morse and the Baton Rouge Police Department,you truly are family,” the statement reads. “Your round the clock care andattention to everydetail has reminded us of the bond we share.”
The family also thanked the larger Baton Rouge communityfor the support and prayers that “havebeen felt from the moment thatevil attempted to destroy our world.”
They also includedthanks for the mayor,aswell as the doctors and nurses of OLOL
Overall, thestatement echoed what Morse and Edwards said about how the law enforcement community,and the city at large, responds to tragedies: by coming together as “ONE community.”
Fresh, buttery crab is not alwaysimproved by frying, but this appetizer is elevated by thelight, perfectlyseasonedbatterthatenhances thecrab, insteadofmasking it. Oneofthe best parts? Themeat pulls cleanly off theclawevery time,creating bite-sizedsymphonies of flavor andtexture that will leaveyou wanting just one more. Fried crab fingers, $14.95, Jane’sSeafood &Chinese Restaurant,1201 Jane St., New Iberia Crabmeat cheesecake at SoLouinLafayette and BatonRouge Crab cakes and crab claws are one thing, but crab cheesecake?Don’tworry this uncommonly delicious dish is probably nothing like you expect Abandon your cheesecake preconceptions at thedoor of SoLou, an eatery that started in Baton Rouge as a celebration of southLouisianaflavors. They opened in Lafayette last summer,and the crabmeat cheesecake is proudly listedonthe menu at both locations as “Chef Peter’ssignature appetizer. There’snothing sweet about this cheesecake, whichtakes “savory” to the next level by combining lump crabmeat with alemon butter sauce, truffleaioli and four cheeses —cream cheese, fontina, Romano and Parmesan. That lineup brings aflavorexplosion witheach bite, making this a great appetizer to pair with asmoothpre-dinner cocktail, as something to lighten thepalate is awonderful complement to this plate. Crabmeat cheesecake, $15.99, SoLou,1905 Kaliste Saloom Rd., Lafayette
Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.
LEADERS
Continuedfrom page 1B
Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr.said in a statement.
“Our responsibilityis to provide every child who walks through our doors withaccess to growth, opportunity and the support theyneed to thrive,” he said. “These appointments reflect our deep commitment to that mission.”
Key has morethan two decades of experience as an educator,most recently serving as the director of special education in Iberia Parish and mentoring emerging leaders through the Louisiana DepartmentofEducation’s SPEDFellows Academy, Wirtz said.
Shepreviously worked
BIDS
Continuedfrom page 1B
to LPSSfor other work.
LPSS Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr.was made aware of thepossibleforgeries in aMay 21 letter from Sean Beavers, deputy director of enforcementwith the licensing board, and announced the allegations earlier this month
Bosco Oilfield Services, sinceJanuaryof2024, has been awardedmorethan $224,000 in LPSS work through purchaseorders, TheCurrent reportedin May.Some of those projectsrequired acontractor’slicense, which the company did not have.
Beaverssaid Bosco Oilfield Services is being charged for violating Louisiana RevisedStatute 37:2158(A)(1), which is undertaking, attempting to, or submitting aprice or bid or installing equipment forsewer gradings, excavation and pipelines,
in Lafayette Parish as apupil appraisalteam leader andprogramsupervisor.She has abachelor’s of arts in communicative disorders and master’sofscience in speech pathologyfrom theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Soeseno also has more than20yearsofexperience in special education. She started as aspecialeducation teacher at Ernest Gallet Elementary andlater workedatRidge Elementary.She has servedasa special education program supervisor,principal of Carencro Catholic School andmost recently was adistrictlevel instructional leader She has abachelor’sof science in special education and amaster’sin educational leadership from University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
for example, without a licensewiththe proper classification.
The district said Wednesday it was formally turning theinvestigation over to Lafayette police and that the district has been identified as a potentialvictim, if criminal activity occurred.
“It is both disappointing anddisheartening to believe that anyone— whether acurrent or formeremployee —could have taken advantage of their position and betrayed the trust placed in them,”Touchet said in a statement. “The Lafayette Parish School Board and I arecommitted to transparency,accountability and protecting the integrity of our operations.
“In response, we have implemented additional internal controlsand safeguards to ensure that this type of situation does not happen again.”
Email AshleyWhite at ashley.white@ theadvocate.com.
BLOTTER
investigations divisionare investigating. Anyone withinformation is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department or Lafayette Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-TIPS.
Man found guilty in animal cruelty case
An Opelousas man was found guilty of animal cruelty in a2024 case where investigators found several malnourishedand twodead animals on his property Gordon Miller,66, was found guilty on Tuesday of 14 counts of animal cruelty following atrial, according to aSt. Landry Parish District Attorney’sOffice announcement. In February 2024, St. Landry Parish Animal Controlinvestigators responded to reports of malnourished cattle on Miller’sproperty Animals were found in severe condition with no food with two cattle dead by the timeinvestigators arrived. Over 20 animalswere seized from the property, including cattle, horses and dogs, according to the release.
Miller will not be allowed to own any animals after his sentencing.
Continued from page1B LOTTERY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2025 PICK 3: 5-1-5 PICK 4: 2-0-8-8 PICK 5: 4-8-8-6-0
Anderson, Eyanson readyfor CWSfinal
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
OMAHA, Neb.— Anthony Eyanson was stretching in the LSU bullpen onceagain Heading into the seventh inning on Wednesday with atrip to theCollege World Series final on the line, the Tigers were just nine outs away from defeating Arkansas. Redshirt-sophomore right-hander Chase Shoreswas warming up in thebullpen, but afew feet away gettinglimberwas Eyanson, the right-handed juniorand LSUco-ace. Eyanson, along with sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson, had been the one-two punch in LSU’sstarting rotation that had guided the Tigers to this point, one winaway from facing Coastal Carolina in thefinal. Eyanson’sweek in Omaha hadalready beenall overthe place.Hewarmedupin the bullpen during the Tigers’ first game at theCWS against Arkansas, only to thennot be used in their 4-1 win.Hestarted LSU’s next matchup againstUCLA two days later but inclement weather entering the fourth inning ended his night after 44 pitches “I think alot of pitching is (having) experiences,” Anderson said, “andfor him to have that LittleRock outing,and in reliefwas Ithink, just gets him ready,whether he’s
Saints’Gleason honoredwithinaugural courageaward
Steve Gleason knows howto break up aroom. The only thingbetter than his timingonpunt blocks is histiming with one-liners. So it was no surprise Wednesday when the former New Orleans Saints standout lightened themood at an emotional Saints Hall of Fame press conference to introduce theorganization’s Class of 2025.
“I’ll be brief,” Gleason said through the voice-banking technology on his computer tablet after officials announced Gleason was the recipient of the inaugural courage award. “Thanks to the Hall of Fame committee forinventing another award.” Gleason’squip sparked laughter from the overflow crowd in
Jeff Duncan ä See DUNCAN, page 4C
Gray Gleasonsits on her father Steve Gleason’slap following anewsconference announcing the 2025 Saints Hall of Fame class on Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO By
BI G
OMAHA, Neb.— As Jared Jones walks to theplate, he focuses on his bat, lets theoutside world melt away,and recites the Hail Mary What do they say about prayers —sometimes the answer is no? It’s been that way at times for Jones this season. ButWednesday night, in a College World Series all-timer between the Tigers and theArkansas Razorbacks, thefaithful were rewarded. More than once. Baseball people, as apoint of pride, relish saying their game is one of failure, an indication of how sweet success is when it finally does come. Youmake out and you makeout,swinging and miss-
ing, hitting pop ups to shallow right field, beating harmless grounders to the shortstop. Then, somethingclicks.The big hit comes. The big pitch.The dazzling putout. Andall is well again. On rare occasions, it makes youa living legend. Jones entered that realm Wednesday at LSU. Notthat he wasn’talready waiting at the rope to be admitted into that exclusive club of LSU alltime greats. But Wednesday clenched it. Clenched through failure, then over-the-top, Jack Buck-level “I don’tbelieve whatIjust saw!” clutchness.
BRETTDUKE
LSU first basemanJared Jones hits asingle during aCollegeWorld Series game against Arkansas on Wednesday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb STAFF PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK
BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS
Scheffler shares
lead at Travelers
Top-ranked golfer hits nearly perfect shot on 13, fires 62
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
CROMWELL, Conn. — Scottie Schef-
fler had one of those rare rounds where he hit a shot so pure it makes his confidence soar. So many other shots were pretty good, too, and they added to an 8-under 62 to share the lead Thursday with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship.
The week after a rough-andtumble U.S. Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands, even with the rough just as long (but not quite as thick) as soaked Oakmont
Rory McIlroy played bogeyfree for a 66 and didn’t look to break too much of a sweat
“This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it’s a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn’t quite as severe,” McIlroy said.
Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect — that’s coming from golf’s No. 1 player — and settled 10 feet away for birdie.
“That 3-iron I hit in there was really nice,” Scheffler said. “It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice.”
McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey
“I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here,” Young said. “Typically that’s not kind of what you expect around here.”
Not to worry He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow
The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. The last two weeks served him well, however as Eckroat said he figured out how to eliminate the miss to the left
He played the last six holes in 5-under par, starting with a 35foot eagle putt on No. 13.
“I wasn’t fearing the left ball today, which is huge, and then whenever you’re feeling comfortable with other things, other things start to fall in line,” Eckroat said.
U.S. Open champion J.J Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn’t help the cause. Playing alongside Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73.
TONE-SETTER
Editor’s note: 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.
BY HARRISON VALENTINE Contributing writer
“She
on June 28 in Natchitoches.
because the event requires so much focus and repetition of training.”
Burkholder got an early start in the sport, inspired by her big sister and encouraged by her parents.
Sanders
accused of driving a Dodge TRX pickup truck 101 mph on a suburban Cleveland interstate earlier this week.
The Strongsville Police Department stopped Sanders at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 71 near the Ohio Turnpike, according to a report provided to local media.
Sanders, 23, could pay a $250 fine to waive the fourth-degree misdemeanor case, according to police. That ticket came after he was stopped by the Ohio State Patrol on June 5 in Brunswick Hills, Ohio. Sanders was pulled over for going 91 mph in a 65 mph zone, Ohio State Patrol told WKBN-TV
Soccer superstar Mbappe discharged from hospital
MIAMI Kylian Mbappe was discharged from the hospital Thursday after experiencing an acute case of gastroenteritis, and it was not known when he will be able to play for Real Madrid at the Club World Cup.
Mbappe missed the Spanish giant’s opening game of the tournament a surprise 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal in Miami — because of a fever Coach Xabi Alonso said the France international was in “rough shape” and hadn’t been able to train for days.
His illness casts doubt over what part he might be able to play in the monthlong tournament in the United States, with Madrid facing Pachuca in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday
Fan at Wrigley climbs netting to retrieve bat
CHICAGO From villain, to superhero.
A fan was removed by security before returning to cheers on Thursday after he climbed Wrigley Field’s protective netting near first base to retrieve a bat that slipped through Sal Frelick’s grasp and became lodged there.
The Milwaukee outfielder’s bat got stuck about 10 feet up after a swinging strike in the top of the sixth.
Giving it his best Spider-Man effort, the fan clambered up the screen and pulled the bat into the seating area before being removed by guards. He returned minutes later to cheers from the crowd of 41,078, the Cubs largest this season.
Top-ranked Sinner loses to Bublik in Halle’s 2nd round
HALLE, Germany Top-ranked Jannik Sinner was upended by Alexander Bublik 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round at the Halle grasscourt tournament Thursday Sinner, the Halle reigning champion, was playing in his first tournament since losing a five-set thriller to Carlos Alcaraz in the Roland-Garros final.
Before there was Haleigh Bryant, Sarah Finnegan or Ashleigh Gnat, there was a 14-time AllAmerican at LSU. She was an NCAA beam champion and an SEC Gymnast of the Year who was setting the foundation and vaulting LSU gymnastics into a perennial power That athlete was April Burkholder, a native of Houston but an LSU Tiger through and through. Just ask her legendary coach D-D Breaux, who experienced it all in her 43 years as the leader of the LSU gymnastics program.
Breaux coached 250 All-Americans and 89 All-SEC selections during her illustrious tenure that in 2017 landed her in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Burkholder was as driven as any of them, she said, high praise coming from one of the sport’s biggest pioneers.
“She was intense,” Breaux said.
“She had that eye of the Tiger
Nothing was going to stop her Nothing was going to stand in her way She wanted to win championships. She wanted to do anything she could possibly do to put an exclamation point on her gymnastics.”
Now Burkholder will join her coach in the state’s sports shrine during the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony
Not only did Burkholder’s greatness pay dividends for LSU on the mat but it also translated into fan interest never seen in an LSU program that once competed in the Carl Maddox Field House or before sparse crowds in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center
In 2025, the Tigers finished with four consecutive gymnastics sellouts for the first time in school history More than 13,000 people attended the final meet against Georgia. Those numbers, historic in nature, were sparked by gymnasts like Burkholder
“She was the beginning of us being able to market and promote and really put people in the seats,” Breaux said. “The fact that, when she left, we were selling season tickets and putting 6,000 people in the stands that was the beginning of what we see now.”
When you boast a résumé like Burkholder’s, it’s almost impossible to pick one moment that stands out.
For Breaux, it was the final event of her senior year when she captured the 2006 NCAA championship on the balance beam.
“Everything she did was just awesome,” Breaux said. “She never won a national championship until her senior year Numerous All-America honors and numerous SEC honors. But that coveted national title had evaded her In my career, I’ve had three or four beam national championships, and every one are special people
“My sister was four years older than me and had been in gymnastics a year before I started,” she said. “I was 3 and I was jumping all over the place. I broke five bones before I was 5 years old, I cracked my skull open when I was 2, so I think part of my introduction to gymnastics was my parents wanting me to learn how to fall.”
Burkholder stepped onto the LSU campus in 2002 as a rising star and left as the most decorated gymnast in school history four years later
Today, even after the program’s first NCAA championship in 2024 and numerous great teams and great gymnasts, Burkholder’s accomplishments rank among the best in LSU history
When she left LSU, Burkholder had won a 108 individual event titles. Her eight perfect 10s (four on floor exercise, two on vault and two on beam) are tied for the fourth-most in LSU history And her 39.875 all-around score in 2003 in a meet with Centenary and Texas Woman’s University stood as the program’s best mark for 21 years until a 39.925 by Bryant in 2024.
During her time as a Tiger, Burkholder compiled 14 All-America honors (seventh-most at LSU). As the program continued to grow, so did she.
“She’s an example of what it means to work hard and achieve more,” Breaux said. “Every year she got better, achieved more — and she was great when she arrived.”
The three-time Grand Slam champion had beaten Yannick Hanfmann in the first round this week, but the big-serving Bublik gained some revenge after having lost to Sinner in the quarterfinals in Paris.
“It’s a special one — I had never beaten the top one (No. 1) in the world, that’s an accomplishment,” Bublik, who is ranked 45th, said in his on-court interview
ICE agents asked to leave Dodger Stadium parking lot
LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Dodgers organization said Thursday that it asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to leave the Dodger Stadium grounds after they arrived at a parking lot near one of the gates. Dozens of federal agents with their faces covered arrived in SUVs and cargo vans to a lot near the stadium’s Gate E entrance. A group of protesters carrying signs against ICE started amassing shortly after, local media reported.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the agents were not trying to enter the stadium.
“This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. (Customs and Border Protection) vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement,” she said in an email.
Scheffler
Burkholder
LOUISIANA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
D-D BREAUX, former LSU coach
Former gymnast Burkholder lifted LSU to new heights
FILE PHOTO By STEVE FRANZ
Former LSU gymnast April Burkholder performs on the balance beam during a meet at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center Burkholder, the 2006 NCAA balance beam champion and a 14-time All-American, will be inducted into the Louisiana Sportswriters Hall of Fame on June 28 in Natchitoches
LSU
Continued from page 1C
starting a game or being a reliever ”
Like on Saturday, LSU didn’t need Eyanson to take down the Razorbacks and advance to the championship series. The Tigers, trailing 5-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, put together a three-run rally — a two-run double that deflected off the left fielder and a runscoring single to clinch the 6-5 walk-off victory By not using Eyanson or Anderson, LSU will have both fully available for the CWS final series beginning on Saturday at Charles Schwab Field (6 p.m., ESPN).
“I think we’re really set, and all our guys will be ready to go,” Anderson said. “And whoever we need, they’ll be ready.”
The significance of Wednesday’s victory can’t be understated for LSU. Junior Jared Jones’ walk-off single had not only punched the Tigers’ ticket to the final, it also guaranteed that Eyanson would be available to face Coastal Carolina. If LSU was forced to play the 10th inning,
DUNCAN
Continued from page 1C
the press room at the Saints training facility. It was classic Gleason, his way of breaking the ice and making light of the situation.
The first-of-its-kind courage award is the second unique honor Gleason has received from the Hall of Fame. For years, officials honored his iconic blocked punt against the Atlanta Falcons in 2006 with a special display in the Hall. Now, the Hall’s board had chosen to recognize him again, this time by creating a special award essentially in his honor “I’m grateful for the example of the people of New Orleans, for their courage,” said Gleason, while specifically thanking Saints owner Gayle Benson and general manager Mickey Loomis. “I’m happy and honored to be here with these fellow honorees. Gleason’s recognition was a long time coming. By whatever means it happened as a player, contributor, ambassador, courage award honoree — he certainly belongs in the Saints Hall of Fame.
As a member of the selection committee, I have argued for his induction many times over the years. Granted, I’m biased. Steve and I arrived in New Orleans at the same time — he as a Saints player, me as a Saints beat writer and became friends after his playing career ended in 2007. I wrote the initial story when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2011 and have worked on numerous projects with him and his family over the years. I recently collaborated with him on his memoir, “A Life Impossible.” So, yes, when it comes to Steve Gleason and his bona fides, I’m an unapologetic card-carrying, flag-waving member of “Team Gleason.” That said, Steve’s Hall of Fame merits stand on their own.
Gleason, as Hall of Fame director Ken Trahan said Wednesday, is one of the best special teams players in Saints history And that’s saying something, because the club has had some truly great ones, from Tyrone Hughes and Fred McAfee to Michael Lewis and J.T Gray.
The special teams units Gleason captained in the early 2000s regularly ranked among the league leaders and were some of the best in franchise history And while he never earned All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors, he was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2002 and ESPN named him to their All-Pro team the same year
While the NFL does not recognize blocked punts as an official statistic, Gleason is believed to be the all-time blocked punt leader in Saints history with four That might not seem like much until you consider how rarely blocked punts occur
The Saints have blocked a total of 38 in their 58-year history Six of those came in Gleason’s seven seasons and he blocked four of them. In the 18 years since Gleason stopped playing, the Saints have blocked only eight punts. Gleason’s punt blocking proficiency
LSU coach Jay Johnson revealed on ESPN 104.5 on Thursday morning that he would have turned to the California native to pitch the top of the frame.
And if LSU had maintained its 2-1 advantage through the eighth inning, an edge it built after sophomore Jake Brown’s two-run go-ahead single in the sixth, Johnson probably would have used Eyanson in the ninth.
“The last nine outs were going to be Chase and Anthony,” Johnson said. “And we were going to win it last night to give us the best chance to win the national championship.”
A loss on Wednesday would have placed an even greater tax on LSU’s pitching staff. Johnson said the Tigers would have likely turned to some combination of Anderson and Eyanson on Thursday had there been a game, meaning that LSU would have potentially been without either starter against Coastal Carolina. So, who would have gotten the ball first in that Thursday scenario?
“Somebody who took and passed 12 units at LSU in the spring semester,” Johnson quipped.
Email Koki Riley at Koki.Riley@theadvocate.com.
didn’t happen by accident. He mastered the skill through years of practice. His special teams coach, Al Everest, taught him how to narrow his frame by turning his shoulder sideways as he approached the point of attack, making it difficult for opposing blockers to get a hand on him.
“Act like you’re sliding into an elevator as the doors close,” Everest instructed him. Easier said than done, of course, in the high-speed chaos of a punt rush. The tactic requires a special blend of athleticism and guile. Gleason, with his low center of gravity and rare combination of speed, strength, agility and instincts, was perfectly built for the job. Over time and through tireless effort, he developed into a puntblocking demon, someone opposing teams had to plan for each week.
His contributions didn’t end there, though
He was a headhunter on coverage units and regularly led the team in special teams tackles. Opponents often double-teamed him on returns. He still managed to record 98 special teams tackles, which ranks among the Saints’ all-time leaders.
But when it comes to gauging Gleason’s Hall of Fame worthiness, you have to look beyond the statistics, as Loomis might say
Gleason is arguably one of the two or three most influential people in franchise history, perhaps trailing only Drew Brees and Archie Manning. His impact transcends sports, which is why luminaries like Barack Obama and Bill Gates have sought audiences with him.
He’s won countless honors, including the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed in our country, and the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, ESPN’s most prestigious honor
The goodwill Gleason has spread for the Saints organization through such achievements and his noble efforts to raise awareness of ALS and help other living with the disease is immeasurable.
In every way, Gleason epitomizes what it means to be a Hall of Famer He embodies the core values of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — commitment, integrity, courage, respective and excellence — which is why he was so revered by coaches, teammates and support staff.
I’m glad Tom Dempsey is in the Saints Hall of Fame. His historic 63-yard, gamewinning field goal against the Detroit Lions in 1970 remains one of the greatest plays in franchise history It was THE highlight of early Saints football.
A specialist like Gleason, Dempsey’s Hall of Fame merit is largely based on one historic moment, one iconic play And while he played just two seasons in New Orleans, selectors deemed him worthy of induction in 1989. And considering the enduring impact and resonance of Dempsey’s kick, it was a deserving honor That said, if Dempsey is a Saints Hall of Famer, then Gleason is certainly worthy of induction, as well.
I’m thrilled officials found a way to recognize Steve’s amazing career and unprecedented contributions to the organization. No Saints Hall of Fame would be complete without him.
The CWS didn’t start well for Jones at all. In the Tigers’ opener against Arkansas on Saturday he was 0-for-5 with five strikeouts, continuing the thread that he was struggling to make contact at the plate. From April 25 to June 14, the date of LSU’s CWS opener, Jones’ average dived from .363 to .328. It must be said April 25 was the date Jones walked off Tennessee with a titanic 452-foot home run to win 6-3, LSU’s only walk-off victory entering the CWS. So there was the knowledge, the belief, that Jones could do it again. Omaha is a tough place to regain your swing. Your touch. You’re playing the best, the hottest teams and pitchers. That first game with Arkansas, a 4-1 LSU win, was prime indication of that.
So was LSU’s second game, the rain-interrupted one with UCLA. Jones blasted a 375-foot, three-run home run in the first inning, completing the Tigers’ flash and dash comeback from a 3-0 deficit earlier in the inning. He tacked on another RBI single in the eighth inning of LSU’s 9-5 victory Wednesday night against Arkansas, more frustration. A second-inning single was followed by two strikeouts, Jones’ seventh and eighth of the CWS. Then in the eighth inning with LSU clinging to a 2-1 lead, Jones dropped a tough throw on a potential double play that allowed two Razorbacks to scamper home for a 3-2 lead.
It was a short-lived lead. Jones, mouthing his prayer strode to the plate and turned on the first pitch from Arkansas reliever Gabe Gaeckle. He launched a 398-foot homer to the same place in the Charles Schwab Field bleachers, beyond the right center field power alley, where he hit the one against UCLA to tie the game 3-3. It was Jones’ 22nd of the season and 64th of his career third-most in program history How big was the blast? It changed the course of the game, according to LSU
coach Jay Johnson.
“The home run this is super odd
I actually didn’t see it,” Johnson said Thursday “I’m always standing on the top step, and I took two steps down, and I started walking towards Chase (Shores) at the time, and we had Jacob (Mayers) up and was telling them what we were going to do. And then he hit it, and then I just saw the center fielder running back, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s sweet.’ So that made my decision for me right there, because we were going to do something different (pitching wise) tied or behind.” The dramatics were far from done, of course. After the Razorbacks went back up 5-3 in the top of the ninth, LSU re-tied the game when catcher Luis Hernandez doinked a two-RBI double off the shoulder of tripping, flailing Arkansas left fielder Charles Davalan, scoring Ethan Frey and Steven Milam. That set up Jones for the game winner an on-the-screws single to center that ticked off the glove of second baseman and Omaha native Cam Kozeal. The ball rolled away into center field where no one could get it until Hernandez crossed the plate.
“What a great performance by him,” Johnson said. “That’s how you win here, when your best players are your best players.”
“A lot had to go right for me to get that opportunity,” Jones said. “A lot of quality at bats from the guys in front of me. Luis comes up big with the double and it brings up the runner in scoring position. I just tried to put a good swing on it.”
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
LSU starting pitcher Anthony Eyanson throws a pitch in a College World Series game against UCLA on Monday in Omaha, Neb
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Girlfriend refusestolet ex stay in shared apartment
Dear Harriette: My girlfriend and Idecided to break up. It wasmutual. We both had our own grievances, and, in my opinion, we’d hit our peak. Idon’t think staying together any longer would’ve made agreat difference for either of us. Things got complicated becausewe lived together in atwobedroom apartment. To be amicable, Iofferedto take the guest bedroom and stay out of her hair until our lease was up. She blew upand said she’d rather us not livetogether after breaking up.She said one month should be enoughtime for me to find anew place. For context, I’ve paid our full rent,
happily,for thepast year and a half, so yes, Ithink her suggestion is ludicrousand unfair.Ifeel betrayed. HowdoIreason with someone like this?
FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC: Cane River Pecan CompanyPie Bar, New Iberia, 5p.m.
ABI CLAIR: JimDeggy’s Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m.
BLAKE LUQUETTE: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m.
DARRYL FONTENOT&
JENNIFER KAY: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6p.m
DERRICK SAVOIE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m
FRIDAY NIGHT JAM: La Maison de Begnaud, Scott, 6p.m.
Ultimatum Dear Ultimatum: It’stime for you to develop abackbone. Kindlybut firmly tell your exthat she has two choices: Shecan move out now or assoonasshe can, or she can beOKwith you beinginthe guest room Remind her that you have paidfor yourhome theentire time thetwo of you have lived there. Yes, you did it happily,but now that you are parting ways, youare unwilling to inconvenience yourself due to her dis-
comfort with the living situation. Things might get hostile for abit, but she needs to understand that you are not apushover Dear Harriette: Ijust finished reading the letter from “Bad Referral,”the reader whose homerenovation work was left unfinished by acontractor.The Better BusinessBureau is agood idea, but they’re pretty toothless if the contractor won’trespond. My suggestion is to contact the state’sAttorney General’sOffice or check the state’swebsite and report this contractor.They may not be theonly victims, and if they have theproof, I’d seriously thinkabout takingthis fella to small-claimscourt or contacting alawyer.What he’sdone is crimi-
PROVIDED PHOTO By GIZELLE HERNANDEZ/DISNEy Countrymegastar LukeBryan brings his ‘Country Song CameOn’ tour to the Cajundome at 7p.m.Saturday. Tickets startat $40.85 at ticketmaster.com.
AgaveDowntown, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: TapRoom, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m LIVE MUSIC: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m. LUKE BRYAN: Cajundome, Lafayette, 7p.m.
LEROYTHOMAS & ZYDECO ROADRUNNERS: Lakeview Park Eunice, 8p.m. 99 PLAYBOYS: Blue Moon Saloon,Lafayette, 8p.m. JULIAN PRIMEAUX: HideawayonLee, Lafayette, 8p.m. HIGH PERFORMANCE: La Poussiere,Breaux Bridge, 8p.m.
DULCIMER JAM: St Landry Visitor Center, Opelousas, 10 a.m.
POP SQUALLY’SIN-
BETWEEN TIMES: The WhirlybirdCompound, Opelousas, 6p.m
KC JONES AND DAN
COOLIK: Park Bistro, Lafayette,6p.m
JAZZ TRIO: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m
DAVE TRAINER: Whiskey&Vine, Lafayette, 6p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: The Tap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m
CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.
THURSDAY
POP SQUALLY’S IN-
BETWEEN TIMES: The WhirlybirdCompound, Opelousas, 6p.m
AUDREY BROUSSARD: CharleyG’s, Lafayette, 6p.m.
COMMUNITY DRUM
CIRCLE: Moncus Park Lafayette, 6p.m
KIP SONNIER: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson,6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 6p.m.
TROUBADOUR: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m
J.C. MELANCON: Agave, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m
HORACE TRAHAN: Rock ’N’ Bowl, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
BEAUSOLEIL AVEC
MICHAELDOUCET: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette,8p.m
Compiled by Marchaund Jones
Want your venue’s music listed? Emailinfo/photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadlineis noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper
nal. —Anonymous Dear Anonymous: Your letter representsthe sentiments of many readers whowarned that the Better Business Bureau could be a dead end but the state Attorney General’sOffice could yield results. Thankyou.
Dear Harriette: In reply to “Bad Referral” regarding ashoddy window installation job, you forgot to tell them to reach out to their local contractors’ board. Ican guarantee you that, if the installer had alicense, the board will definitely come down on them if they want to keep it!Otherwise, it may possibly root outanunlicensed contractor.Alot of times, the reason they give such ascreaming deal is because they are not licensed.
TODAYINHISTORY
By The Associated Press
Today is Friday,June 20, the 171st day of 2025. There are 194 days left in theyear.Summer begins today
Todayinhistory: On June 20, 1967, boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced tofive years in prison. (Ali’sconviction would ultimately be overturned by theU.S. SupremeCourt).
Also on this date:
In 1782, theContinental Congress approved the Great Seal of theUnited States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.
In 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to theBritish throne following thedeath of her uncle, King
MEADOWS
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alienate audiences or anything.
AndI alwaysask comedians— when did you realize you were funny?
Uh,geez Ithink when Iwas younger,Imade my mother laugh by doing an impersonation of our pastor at church, when Iwas like 5years old. Andthen my mother, when people would come over,she would makemedoit. Ithink at a certain point, Istarted doing Sammy Davis Jr and shewould ask me to do it for people. AndImean, that’swhenI kind of likehad the first sort of reaction of like, oh, you know, Ican say something funny or Ican do something and people laugh. So it’sjust kind of cool.
Who were some of your comic influences growing up?
Ithink as far as stand-up, probably Richard Pryor is the biggest influence on me, and, you know,a lot of comedians in my generation. George Carlin,Ialwaysthought was really great. Robert Klein, I liked alot when Iwas young. ButI think “SNL,” “National Lampoon” andthosewriters and sketch comedy, Ithink, hadthe biggest influenceonmeonceI started to develop my own sort of interest in comedy
Youwere on “SNL” for 10 seasons from 1991-2000, which wasarecord at the time. “SNL”has alwaysbeen described as apressure cooker forthe actors. Could youtouch on that alittle bit?
Well, Imean, it’s like the only live show, youknow, livesketch comedyshow. So that comes in
William IV In 1893, ajury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother In 1943, race-related rioting erupted in Detroit; federal troops were sent in by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to quell the violence that resulted in morethan 30 deaths.
In 1947, gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel wasshot dead at the Beverly Hills, California, homeofhis girlfriend, Virginia Hill, likely at the order of mob associates.
In 1972, three days after the arrest of the Watergate burglars, President Richard Nixon met at theWhiteHouse with his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman; the secretly made tape recording of this
with anatural amount of pressure andanxiety that’sbuilt into it, you know? Working at “SNL,” there’s anxietyand stufflikeevery day no matter what —pitch meetings, there’sanxiety Tuesdaysdoing your writing andtelling your ideas to people. When you do the read-through, there’salot of anxiety. The rehearsals, there’s anxiety because youare doingitinfront of the crew,who are seeing some of the stuff forthe first time. The audiences, there’sanxiety and this nervousness. …There’s apoint where Ifelt like, oh, Igot this covered. Ican do it and everything, but there wasnever apoint where Iwas just totally relaxed about everything, you know?
Acting versusstand-up:Isthereone you likemore or are they equal? It’skind of equal. Ireally do love acting in general. Imean, acting is fun when you are working with friends and/or really talented people. Ithink as far as just artistically,creatively rewarding, Ithink doing stand-up is alot morecreativelyrewarding formebecause the audience is hearing my ideas and my thoughts, and it’sgoing directly to them.There’s no filters, really.That was thething, whenI first started doing stand-up, Iwas really nervous about it because Irealized therewas no filter between me and the audience. And basically anything Iwanted to talk about or do, it wasuptome. And I started thinking, well, what if the audiencedoesn’t likemyideas or theydon’tthink I’m funny or whatever.But then onceI gotstarted doing it,there’sarealization of that,I’m aprofessional. Like this is
PROVIDED PHOTO
Experience ‘Riverdance 30 —The NewGeneration’ when it makes its Baton Rougestop on June 22,2026.
We’ve had that happen alot here in Las Vegas. If they are not licensed, the contractor’sboard will go after them with criminal complaints and liens against anything that they own to recover for the complainants. —Fact Check Dear Fact Check: Yes, this is another smart way to retaliate when acontractor cheats and steals money.Ifyou find yourself in a similar position, look forthe official arbiters of standards forthat industry to help you hold people’s feet to the fire.
Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o AndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
meeting ended up with anotorious 18½-minute gap.
In 2002, in the case Atkins v. Virginia, the SupremeCourt ruled in a6-3 decision that executing people with intellectual disabilities qualified as cruel and unusual punishment and was therefore in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
Today’sbirthdays: Filmmaker
what Idofor aliving and I’ve been doing it for along time, so Idon’t ever worry about bombing or not having agood show.Not to sound cocky,but I’mpretty good. Do youevermiss “SaturdayNight Live”? No
Would youcare to elaborate? No. There’snomore Iwant to say.I love the show. Iloved workingthere, butno, Idon’t ever dream about working there again or anything. Alot of youguysfromthe show go on to act together in movies and things. There seems to be alot of love and respect between you guys. Is that correct? Yeah, that’strue. Idon’tknow, like people that Iworked there with, like (Adam) Sandler or Will Ferrell, (David) Spade or (Rob) Schneider or any of those people, like anytime we work together, it’slike ashorthand. Imean, they sort of know what you do and they know how to write foryou. It’s just fun on the set because it’svery light. Idothe samething if I’mon aproject that Ican hire people friends of mine that I’ve worked withat“SNL”or(The)SecondCity Chicago, Itry to bring them in because Iknow they’re going to do a great job.
Youspend agood deal of time on the road. Do youenjoythat aspect of it? Ilike it enough. Imean, it’swork. Iknow what Isigned up for. It can be tiring …itcan be crazy.But the thing Ienjoy mostisonce Iget on stage, it makes up for everything else. Theflights, the hotels, the crappy food, all of that. Just being able to getonstage and perform foranaudience is just, it makes up foreverything.
‘DUCK’
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empire in the woods of north Louisiana. Their mixture of down-home country humorand strong faith made for an 11-seasonhit show thewhole family could watch. “The Revival,” premiering one weekfollowing Phil Robertson’sdeath, continues withthe family’s nextgeneration —specifically son Willie Robertson, his wife, Korie, and their children and grandchildren. Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.
THEATER
Continuedfrom page5C
anything for his kids.
Lastly,“Riverdance 30 —The New Generation” “rejuvenates themuch-loved original show with new innovative choreography and costumes and state of the art lighting, projection and motion graphics,” anews release states
Interestingly,all of theIrish dance production’s“new generation”ofperformers werenot born when the show began 30 years ago. Currentsubscribers can renew, andnew subscribers can purchase their season tickets now by visiting raisingcanesrivercenter.com,email subscriptions@asmbatonrouge.com or call the Broadway in Baton Rouge subscriber line at (225) 389-7119. A season subscription package starts at $240 for allfour shows.
GEMINI(May 21-June 20) Strive to get things done. Leaving things unfinished will eat awayatyou, causing stress and anxiety. Pamper yourself andget together withpeople who lift your spirits.
CANCER(June 21-July22) Refuse to let uncertainty trick you into being afollower. When in doubt,ask questions andsee what resonates with your soul When you spin your wheels and do nothing, you waste time.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Refuse to let your emotions interfere with your decisions. Don't succumb to boredom; fulfill your life by following your intentions. Take thepath that makes adifference.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) An energetic approach to work, life and getting ahead will help you advance.Refuse to let the changes others make distract youorpushyou onto apath that leads nowhere.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Stop secondguessing. Keep an open mind, but refuse to be apart of something for the wrong reason. Trusting your instincts and having confidence in yourself and what you can offer will be essential
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Be aware of therules before you engage in something new. Change begins with you. Thechoices you makecan hinder or help you. Be discreet, observant and direct.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Time is on your side, and rushing will only lead to mistakes. Take the time to deal with
your life andimprove it before you take on outsideissuesthatdon't concern you.
CAPRICORN (Dec.22-Jan. 19) Get your factsstraight before youstart aconversation with someone preparedfor battle. Don'tlet anger set in when knowledge and experience are necessary. Avoid manipulation.
AQUARIUS (Jan.20-Feb. 19) Concentrate on finishing whatyou start and avoidingpeople trying to distract you for theirbenefit. Learn when to say no, and you'll gainrespect and self-confidence.
PISCES (Feb.20-March 20) Keep social activities and entertainment within budget. Too muchofanything will lead to regret. Focusonpersonal gain and fine-tune your style to meet the criteria necessary to get ahead.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Listen, observe and be cautious aboutwhatyou agree to do.Focusontaking careofyourhealth, helping ameaningful cause andconnecting with people striving for selfimprovement.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take acomplimentary positionwhennetworking or negotiating. Showing interest will encourage others to share their secrets with you. Adisciplined approach to work will attract attention.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people,past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
TODAy'SCLUE: REQUALSJ
CeLebrItY CIpher
beetLe bAILeY Mother GooSe And GrIMM
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Puzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS Hi and LoiS
Bridge
BY PHILLIP ALDER
What does it mean if,after opener begins with one no-trump, responder bids two clubs, Stayman, then rebids threeofaminor?
Asissooftentrueinbridge,theanswer depends on something else in your methods. In this case, do you transfer intothe minors?
If youdonot, tuneintomorrow. If you do transferinto the minors, though, this sequenceshows afour-card major, fiveplusinthe bidminor, and either fear for three no-trump or thoughtsofa slam.
In thisdeal, if South had rebid two hearts, North would have jumped to threeno-trump. But when South denied amajor, it became possible that five (or six!)diamonds wouldmake when three no-trump would fail because the defenderswould take thefirst five tricksin hearts.
Here,though, South, becausehedislikeddiamonds andhad good holdings outside thesuit,settled into three notrump. West leads the heartsix: seven, nine, jack.How shouldSouthcontinue?
Fromboththe Rule of Eleven and East’sthird-hand-highplay,Southknows that West hasa slew of hearts ready to runifEast gets on lead to return aheart So, Eastmustbekept off play. This means thattaking the diamond finesse is wrong. Instead, declarershouldtake two club finesses through East. After playing aspade to dummy’s 10, Southrunstheclubeight.Westwinswith his jack and (best)shifts to adiamond, butSouthputsupdummy’saceandtakes asecond club finesse, netting an overtrick with this distribution.
Each Wuzzle is awordriddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. Forexample: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or moreletters.2.Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” suchas“bats” or “dies,”are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” maynot be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
toDAY’s WoRD ocARInAs: ok-uh-REE-nuhs: Simple wind instruments.
