The Advocate 02-12-2026

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Actor James Van Der Beek, star of ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ dies at 48 2A

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BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

T h u r s d ay, F e b r u a ry 12, 2026

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EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH METRO COUNCIL

Library tax gets OK for spot on June ballot

Dunn to remain on airport board Push to remove indicted council member halted

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Supporters of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library listen to a discussion during a meeting of the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council on Wednesday.

Metro Council supports 10-year renewal BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

A year after library supporters packed the Baton Rouge Metro Council chamber and stood shoulder to shoulder with police, the room was again filled with “Love My Library” shirts Wednesday night as the system pitched its 10-

Stokes. “We formed a plan, we executed that plan, we went before the Metro Council, and we are just very pleased with the outcome.” year renewal. The Metro Council approved a tax rate But unlike last year’s weekslong standoff, this debate wrapped up in a of 9.5 mills, down from the previous 10single evening. Within hours, library year levy of 11.1 mills but higher than leaders left with a tax proposal headed the 8.3 mills proposed under the mayor’s to voters — one they believe strikes a failed tax rededication plan, known as balance between stability and restraint. “Thrive.” “We spent so many hours working ä See LIBRARY, page 4A on this,” said library Director Katrina

Efforts to remove Metro Council member Cleve Dunn Jr. from the Baton Rouge Airport Commission after he was charged with bribery and other charges were halted Wednesday, less than a week after a colleague initiated the process. Last Thursday, council member Dwight Hudson announced he was starting the process to hold future hearings and potentially strip Dunn of his airport position. But Hudson’s Dunn effort to remove Dunn did not receive the seven votes needed to move the process forward and hold a hearing scheduled for Feb. 25. Wednesday’s vote came two weeks after a special grand jury indicted Dunn on nine counts, including multiple conspiracy charges, bribery, money laundering and theft. Hudson said last week that state law allows the Metro Council to remove board appointees for several “for cause” reasons, including felony conviction, failure to attend

ä See DUNN, page 4A

Fleming blasts rivals for Senate seat as qualifying begins Candidates line up for significant races

ELECTION 2026

reporters at the Secretary of State’s Office in Baton Rouge after qualifying for the Senate election. Staff writers Fleming described the contest as beState Treasurer John Fleming had ing between “two liberal Republican strong words for his two main Repub- candidates” in Cassidy and Letlow, lican opponents in this year’s U.S. Sen- both R-Baton Rouge, and himself, “the ate race — Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. only true conservative in this race.” He went on to say that Trump’s enJulia Letlow — as he qualified Wednesday for the May 16 primary. dorsement of Letlow is a “scheme” of Fleming said that Cassidy flip-flops Gov. Jeff Landry aimed at eventually on key issues, while Letlow got into the benefiting the governor’s future politirace only because she received Presi- cal aspirations. “Jeff Landry has been working on dent Donald Trump’s endorsement. “The endorsement I want is from this, this endorsement for over a year. the people of Louisiana,” Fleming told I’ve heard about it from a number of

BY TYLER BRIDGES and ALYSE PFEIL

WEATHER HIGH 74 LOW 59

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STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming addresses reporters as he ä See QUALIFYING, page 5A signs up to run for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

Business ......................6A Commentary ................5B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................6D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................4B Comics-Puzzles .....3D-5D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

© D. YURMAN 2026

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people,” Fleming said. A spokesperson for Landry did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did the campaigns for Letlow and Cassidy. Fleming was one of many candidates who qualified for races of statewide significance, including U.S. Senate, the six congressional races, two elections to the Public Service Commission, one election to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and three state Supreme Court races for the Democratic and Republican primaries on May 16. Fleming has been a bystander in recent days while Cassidy and Letlow have hogged attention in the Senate

101ST yEAR, NO. 227


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