The Acadiana Advocate 05-22-2026

House panel OKs map

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Republican lawmakers on a Louisiana House committee approved an updated congressional map Thursday, after a hearing lasting 10 hours and more public testimony strongly opposing a GOP plan to get rid of one of the state’s majorityBlack districts.

The map approved last week by the Senate remains largely intact, but the latest version from the House makes significant changes that affect a number of parishes in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas and other parts of the state.

But a fight could be brewing between the two Republican-controlled chambers

over how exactly to draw the new lines.

“I don’t like the map,” said Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, a Port Allen Republican who chairs the Senate committee that handles redistricting. “I don’t understand why they changed the map that drastically over on the House side.”

Kleinpeter said he doesn’t plan to work with House members while the legislation moves through the lower chamber

“I’m not messing with what they do in the House,” he said. “If it comes back like we don’t like it, then we’ll fix it. That’s what the Senate does.”

The changes stemmed from specific asks by House lawmakers, moving voters between districts and a requirement to maintain equal population in each district, said state Rep. Beau Beaullieu, RNew Iberia, who chairs the House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

“The amended map is a representation of our House members’ requests,” he said. “It’s all a domino affect.”

Meanwhile, dozens of speakers again showed up to speak out against the pro-

Below-average hurricane season predicted

NOAA researchers say strong El Niño conditions likely to help

BY KASEY BUBNASH

Nov 30. Of those, three to six are expected to become hurricanes, and one to three of those are expected to become major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or more. An average season ends with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. NOAA officials presented their 2026 outlook Thursday from the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida, marking the 50th anniversary of the agency’s vital Hurricane Hunter aircraft. The main contributor to this year’s quiet outlook, forecasters said, is the expected return of El Niño before the

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

A former Oakdale police chief has changed his plea to guilty for his involvement in a visa fraud conspiracy uncovered last year

A federal indictment issued in July alleged that Chad Doyle and three other law enforcement officials generated false police reports for U-visa applications. They’re named in a 21-page, 62-count indictment that alleges the scheme operated in central Louisiana for almost 10 years.

U-visas are a specific type of visa for individuals who were the victims of certain criminal activity in the United States.

The indictment alleges that Doyle worked with Oakdale-based business owner Chandrakant Patel, who operated the scheme. The alleged victims listed in the reports all shared the last name Patel, though court records do not indicate whether they were related. Patel, who was granted a U-visa in 2023, charged prospective applicants $20,000 for falsely generated police reports in connection with various law enforcement officials across central Louisiana, according to a plea agreement for the former Oakdale marshal for Ward 5, Michael Slaney

The indictment claims that Patel paid officers $5,000 for the generation of these reports.

The violent crimes listed in the false reports tended to be armed robberies, which led prosecutors to notice the unusually high rates of these crimes occurring in the

Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever, struck Jamaica and Cuba last year ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO ä See HURRICANE, page 7A

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, holds up a proposed congressional map during a House and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting about congressional redistricting on

Two separate attacks kill at least 16 in Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras Gunmen opened fire in two separate attacks Thursday on the Honduran coast, killing at least 16 people, including six police officers, police said.

The first incident took place at a plantation in the municipality of Trujillo in northern Honduras, where at least 10 workers were shot and killed, National Police spokesman Edgardo Barahona said.

The resource-rich region has been the site of a decades-long agrarian conflict.

In the second attack, assailants opened fire on police in the municipality of Omoa in the Cortes department near the Guatemalan border, killing six officers, including a senior officer, police said.

The officers were assigned to an anti-gang mission and were attacked while traveling to Omoa from the capital, Tegucigalpa, police said.

Although Barahona said at least 10 workers were killed in Trujillo, he said the overall toll still remains unclear, partly because relatives of the victims have removed bodies of their loved ones. Investigators have been sent to the scene, he said

Charges dismissed against ex-administrator

A Virginia judge on Thursday dismissed all charges against a former school administrator accused of ignoring repeated warnings that a 6-year-old had a gun hours before a teacher was shot.

Acting on a defense motion, Circuit Judge Rebecca Robinson issued the ruling on the fourth day of the trial of Ebony Parker, who was charged with eight felony counts of child neglect.

“The court is of the legal opinion that this is not a crime,” Robinson said.

The former assistant principal was charged in the January 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News that left teacher Abby Zwerner wounded. Prosecutors had said the charges issued in a grand jury indictment were for each of the bullets in the gun brought into Zwerner’s classroom. Each count could have carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison upon conviction.

Parker was not called to testify during the trial. On Wednesday a video interview of Parker conducted three days after the shooting by a school district human resources officer was played in the courtroom for the jury Parker said she was told about reports that the student had a gun in his backpack, but said she could not leave her office due to ongoing testing. A reading specialist who first reported the concerns then searched the backpack, but no gun was found, Parker said.

Parker then said the student’s mother would arrive to pick him up and go through the rest of his belongings.

The student’s mother was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for felony child neglect and federal weapons charges.

Two charged with creating ‘deepfake’ porn

NEWYORK Federal prosecutors have charged two men with using artificial intelligence to create nude videos and photos of female celebrities under a newly enacted law meant to halt the spread of deepfake pornography Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, were both arrested Tuesday for generating sexually explicit AI content that drew millions of views online, according to criminal complaints

The men — who do not appear to be connected — are among the earliest defendants to face charges under the Take It Down Act, a law signed last year by President Donald Trump that adds stricter penalties for publishing AI-created deepfakes and “revenge porn.” The bill drew bipartisan support, as well as the public backing of first lady Melania Trump. Under the new law the men now face up to two years in prison.

Attorneys for Shannon and Hernandez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Backlash to $1.8B fund delays bill

Republicans recess without voting on immigration meaures

BY KEVIN FREKING, MARY CLARE JALONICK and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON Senate Republicans abruptly left Washington on Thursday without voting on a roughly $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies, frustrated with the White House and at an impasse over whether to try to block a new $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they have been politically prosecuted.

Republicans had already abandoned part of the bill that provided $1 billion in security money for the White House complex and President Donald Trump’s ballroom amid backlash from members of their own party But the settlement announced by the Justice Department this week prompted even more questions, spurring a push to limit the taxpayer dollars that

some feared could go to Trump supporters who harmed law enforcement officers in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

A tense meeting with acting AttorneyGeneralToddBlancheonThursday morning only heightened the frustration among senators. Soon after it ended, Republican leaders announced that they would not vote on the immigration enforcement measure until they returned from a Memorial Day recess the week of June 1, which was Trump’s self-imposed deadline for them to pass it.

Blanche “had an appreciation for the depth of feeling” among GOP senators, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said afterward.

The last-minute scramble on the bill came as Democrats have criticized Republicans for trying to fund Trump’s ballroom when voters are concerned about affordability issues — and as some GOP lawmakers have grown increas-

ingly frustrated with Trump.

Several GOP senators have spoken out against the Justice Department settlement announced this week, and many were upset by the president’s Tuesday endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in next week’s primary runoff against Sen. John Cornyn.

Growing tensions derail bill

Both sides have acknowledged the tensions. Thune said Thursday that the White House should have consulted Congress before it announced the settlement, which he said made “everything way harder than it should be.” Trump’s endorsement of Cornyn’s opponent also complicated matters, he said.

“I think it’s hard to divorce anything that happens here from what’s happening in the political atmosphere around us,” Thune told reporters. “There is a political component to everything we

Residents burn an Ebola treatment center in Congo

Health crisis authorities, aid agencies struggling to contain outbreak

BY JUSTIN KABUMBA, MONIKA PRONCZUK and GERALD IMRAY Associated Press

BUNIA, Congo People set fire to an Ebola treatment center in a town at the heart of the outbreak in eastern Congo on Thursday after being stopped from retrieving the body of a local man, a witness and a senior police officer said, as fear and anger grow over a health crisis that doctors are struggling to contain.

The arson attack in Rwampara reflects the challenges of health workers trying to curb a rare Ebola virus by using stringent measures that might clash with local customs, such as burial rites. The disease has been spreading for weeks in a region lacking in adequate health facilities and where many people are on the move to escape armed conflicts.

The bodies of those who die from Ebola can be highly contagious and lead to further spread when people prepare bodies for burial and gather for funerals. The dangerous work of burying suspected victims is being managed wherever possible by authorities, which can be met by protests from victims’ families and friends.

The center in Rwampara was burned by local youths who became angry while trying to retrieve the body of a friend who had apparently died of Ebola, ac-

cording to a witness who spoke to The Associated Press by telephone.

“The police intervened to try to calm the situation, but unfortunately they were unsuccessful,” said Alexis Burata, a local student who said he was in the area. “The young people ended up setting fire to the center That’s the situation.”

An AP journalist saw people break into the center and set fire to objects inside and also to what appeared to be the body of at least one suspected Ebola victim that was being stored there. Aid workers fled the treatment center in vehicles.

Deputy Senior Commissioner Jean Claude Mukendi, head of the public security department in Ituri Province, said the youths had not understood the protocols for burying a suspected Ebola victim.

“His family, friends, and other young people wanted to take his body home for a funeral even though the instructions from the authorities during this Ebola virus outbreak are clear,” Mukendi said. “All bodies must be buried according to the regulations.”

Hama Amadou, field coordinator for the humanitarian organization ALIMA, which had teams working at the center, said later that calm had been restored and that aid teams were continuing their work at the center

There were 160 suspected deaths and 671 suspected cases in Congo’s two provinces, Congolese authorities said on Thursday Earlier in the week, the U.N. said there were two cases including one death in neighboring Uganda.

Contentious segment of Dakota

Access oil pipeline gets OK

Approval comes decade after Standing Rock

BY JACK DURA Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D Federal officials on Thursday gave final approval for the Dakota Access oil pipeline to continue operating its contentious Missouri River crossing, an outcome that comes nearly a decade after boisterous protests against the project on the North Dakota prairie. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to

grant the key easement means the pipeline will keep operating but with added conditions for detecting leaks and monitoring groundwater, among others. The announcement brings an end to a drawnout legal and regulatory saga stemming from the protests in 2016 and 2017, though further litigation over the pipeline is likely

The $3.8 billion, multistate pipeline has been transporting oil since June 2017 from North Dakota’s Bakken oil field to a terminal in Illinois. The line carries about 4% of U.S. daily oil production, or roughly 540,000 barrels per day,

The Corps is “decisively putting years of delays to rest and moving out to safely execute this crossing beneath Lake Oahe,” Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle said in a statement.

The pipeline crosses the river upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation, which straddles the Dakotas. The tribe has long opposed the pipeline, fearing a spill and contamination of its water supply In 2016 and 2017, thousands of people camped and protested for months near the river crossing.

do around here.”

Trump unloaded on senators in a social media post Wednesday, urging Republicans to fire the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, who said over the weekend that parts of the $1 billion security proposal did not qualify for the ICE and Border Patrol bill. Trump also renewed his long-standing calls for the Senate to pass the SAVE Act, a Republican bill that would require voters to prove U.S. citizenship, and to end the Senate filibuster Republicans need to “get smart and tough,” Trump said, or “you’ll all be looking for a job much sooner than you thought possible!” While they have been loyal to Trump on most issues, Senate Republicans have resisted his repeated calls over the years to kill the filibuster, which creates a 60-vote threshold for most bills in the Senate.

Asked Thursday at the White House if he was losing control of the Senate, Trump replied: “I really don’t know I can tell you — I only do what’s right.”

Germany urges the EU to offer Ukraine ‘associate membership’

BY LORNE COOK and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press

BRUSSELS German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants the European Union to consider offering “associate membership” to Ukraine and breathe new life into talks aimed at ending more than four years of war with Russia, according to a letter seen Thursday by The Associated Press. His letter, to the EU’s top officials, comes as the 27-nation bloc weighs whether to try to launch its own negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with U.S. mediated talks bogged down while America’s attention focuses on the Iran war Under Merz’s proposals, Ukraine would take part in EU meetings, but without voting rights, and would also have non-voting “associate members” of the bloc’s powerful executive branch, the European Commission, and the European Parliament.

He insisted that this “would not be a membership light,” and “go far beyond” the Association Agreement that currently governs EU-Ukraine relations Merz suggested a “snap-back mechanism” in case Ukraine backslides on democratic standards. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed last month that official membership talks with Ukraine should be opened “without delay,” and Merz too called for that process to start. On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed signs of possible progress in the accession negotiations, saying in an address that it is “very important for us. Ukraine has fulfilled everything necessary for this progress.” Candidate countries must bring their laws into line in 35 policy areas, or “chapters,” ranging from justice standards to farm and fishing rules.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DIROLE LOTSIMA DIEUDONNE Flames and smoke rise from an Ebola treatment center in Rwampara, Congo, on Thursday following an arson attack by residents.

Republicans call off vote on Iran warresolution

Legislationwas on vergeofpassing

BY STEPHENGROVES Associated Press

WASHINGTON Republicansstruggled Thursday to find the votes to dismisslegislationthatwould compel President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, delaying planned votes on the matter into June.

TheHousehad scheduleda vote on awar powersresolution, brought by Democrats, that would rein in Trump’smilitary campaign. But as it became clear that Republicans would not have the numbers to defeat the bill, GOP leadersdeclined to hold avote on it

Republicans are also working to ensure they have the votes to dismiss another war powers resolution in the Senate thatadvancedto afinal vote earlier this week, when four GOPsenators supportedthe resolution and three others were absent from the vote.

The actions by congressional leaders showed the increasing difficultly of maintainingpolitical backingfor Trump’shandling of the war.Rank-and-file Republicans are increasingly willing to defy the president over the conflict FrustrationwithIranwar grows

On Capitol Hill, patience withthe warhaswornthinasthestalematein the Strait of Hormuz disruptsglobal shipping and elevates gasprices in the U.S. Another House war powers resolution nearly passed lastweek, falling on atie vote as three Republicans votedinfavor Democratic Rep. GregoryMeeks of New York, who sponsored the war powers resolution,had said he expected to have the votes this time around.

“Congress has aconstitutional duty.Ithas aduty to act, not to cheerlead, especiallynot to cheerlead an open-ended warofchoice,” Meeks said. The lone Democrat who voted against the war powers resolution last week, Rep. JaredGoldenof

Maine, had said he would votein favor of the legislation this time.

Meanwhile,leadersofboth parties dealt with several absencesthat couldhave shifted the vote either way in the closely divided chamber Republicans havebeen broadly supportive of Trump’seffortstodestroy Iran’snuclear capabilities, but some are now saying the president’s legaltimeline to wage awar without congressional approval hasexpired.

Under the WarPowers Resolution of 1973, presidents have 60 days to engage in amilitary conflict before Congress must either declare war or authorize the use of militaryforce.

“Wehavetofollow the law,” said Rep.Brian Fitzpatrick, aPennsylvaniaRepublican, shortly after he voted for an Iran war powers resolution for the first time last week.

Thedispute over warpowers

The White House argues that therequirements of theWar Powers Resolution nolonger apply because of theceasefire withIran. At the same time, Trumphas said he was just an hour away from orderinganother strike on Iran earlier this week, but held off because Gulf allies said they were engaged in negotiations to end the war Still,Trump said on social media thatmilitary leaders should “be preparedtogoforwardwithafull,

large scale assault of Iran, on amoment’snotice, in the event that an acceptable Dealisnot reached.” Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and thenbacked off.

Sen. Thom Tillis,aRepublican who has so far voted against the war powers resolutions, expressed frustration with theTrumpadministration’sstance, especially from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“The current status quo, Pete Hegseth demonstrates howincompetent he is,” Tillis told reporters, adding that he would be willing to vote for an authorization for use of militaryforce.

Democratic senators rallied outside theCapitol Wednesday alongside VoteVets, aleft-leaning veterans’ advocacygroup.Theyplaced signs on the Capitollawn noting that the nationwide average price of gasoline had risen to $4.53.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an IllinoisDemocrat whoservedinthe IraqWar with theAir National Guard, argued that the Iran war hasamounted to astrategic blunder for Trump.

“Trumpstarteda war,and he’s made things worse than before,” Duckworth said, pointing to Iran’s new leadershipand the country’s willingness to puta chokehold on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Investigatorstryingtoidentify substancethatmay have killed 3

Firstresponders

brieflyquarantined

BY SAVANNAH PETERS and SUSAN MONTOYABRYAN Associated Press

MOUNTAINAIR, N.M. Investigators in New Mexico are trying to identify amysterious substance that may have contributed to the deathsof three people and led to more than adozen first responders being briefly quarantined.

Twopeople remained in a hospital Thursday,including aperson who was foundunresponsive in ahome where the three died east of Albuquerque, in the rural town of Mountainair Authorities went to the home Wednesday after being called about asuspected

drug overdose. Some first responders began coughing, vomiting andexperiencingdizziness, authorities said. As aresult, medical workers checked nearly twodozenpeople who may have come into contact with themysterious substance, the Universityof New Mexico Hospital said. It was not clear what the substance was, how thepeople in the home died, what caused some first responders to become sick or exactly how manyexperienced symptoms. Autopsies will be conducted and authorities said they weretestingto determine what substances were in the home.

Antonette Alguire, avolunteerfirefighterinMountainair,said Wednesday that she saw some EMTs and

firefighters coughing and vomitingafter they were outside the house.

Medical workers decontaminated nearlytwo dozen people,mostofthemfirst responders,the University of NewMexicoHospital said Most had no symptoms, hospital officials said.

Threepeople wereadmitted to the hospital Wednesday.One —anemergency medical services official— has since been released, the mayor of Mountainair said Thursday

Mountainair MayorPeter Nietosaidhespotted drugs at thehome, but didnot say what type of drugs. He dismissedcarbon monoxide or natural gas exposure as possible causes forthe health issues that the first responders experienced.

Keyagencyapproves thedesignplanfor arch

Trumpwants to

build at entrance to capital

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved the design forthe triumphal archthatPresident Donald Trumpwants built at an entrance to the nation’scapital, akey step in the project’sprocess butone that has no immediate bearing on thetimeline forconstruction.

Commissioners, all appointed by Trump, acted despite overwhelming public opposition to the 250-foot arch,one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing alongside aWhite Houseballroomtoleave hisimprint on Washington.

At the WhiteHouse, Trumptold reporters he thought the vote was “fantastic” adding that “we’re the only important andmajor city that doesn’t have one.”

The commission only oversees designs andhas no role in the actual constructionorfunding of the arch or any other project it considers. Preliminarysurveys and testing of the arch site began last week. The National Capital PlanningCommission, aseparate federal agency that approves construction on federal land, has thearch on theagenda at its June meeting.

Trump hadsaidlast year that the arch could be paidfor with privatedonations left over from theballroom project. Acostestimate for the arch is still being calculated, but amix of taxpayer andprivate money is expected to be usedtopay for it, according to aWhiteHouse official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the president hasnot publicly discussed the project’s cost.

“The building is beautiful,” saidthe commission’schairman, RodneyMimsCook Jr., shortly before thevote on theslightly revised design. Commissioners had suggested several changes when they first reviewed the design in April. Somewere made by theHarrisonDesignarchi-

tecturefirmand approved on Thursday.

The arch would stand250 feet tall from its base to atorch held aloft by aLady Liberty-like figureontop of the structure, flanked by two gilded eagles. But four lions envisioned as guarding the base were removed. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and“Libertyand Justice for All” would be inscribedin gold lettering atop either side of the monument.

Apublicobservation deck on top would provide 360-degree views of the region. The arch would have an exterior madeof granite

The commission’svice chairperson, architect James McCrery II, said in April that he preferred the archwithout the figuresontop,which would have reduced theheightbyabout 80 feet. Critics argue that the arch would dominate the skyline and disruptcarefully designed views between theLincolnMemorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

It would be morethan twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet tall, andclose to half the height of the Washington Monument, at about 555 feet tall. McCrery had also recommended nixing theground-level lionstatuesalong with an underground tunnelfor pedestrians to gettothe arch,whichwould be built on abusy traffic circle. The design approved Thursday has no lions andincorporates pedestriancrosswalks. Aplatform the archwould have been built on also hasbeen removed.

Tenpeople who testifiedThursday, including on behalf of organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the DC Preservation League, opposedthe arch on groundsthat it is toobig. Theysaidthe project needed to be approved by Congress because it wouldbebuilt on federal land andthat it would disrupt thesightline between the LincolnMemorialand Arlington House at Arlington National Cemeterythatwas created to symbolize reunification after the Civil War.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

Speaker of the House MikeJohnson, R-Benton, and House GOP leaders departa news conference at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday

Lawmakerswarndatasafety rulesdon’t protectkey sites

Cell phonesat WhiteHouse,CIA unprotected

BYRON TAU Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Bidenadministration spent almost a year craftingregulations to block U.S. adversaries from buying commercial data gathered from cell phones at the federal government’s most sensitive locations.

The resulting rules,however,have afew gaps. Left off thelist of 736 sensitive locations were the White House, Congress and the CIA’sheadquarters,among others, according to awarningissuedThursday by three congressional Democrats.

“The sale of Americans’ location data by data brokers poses aserious threat to U.S. nationalsecurity,particularly when data about U.S. government employeesissold to foreign governments,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Trump administration officials. “Such data can reveal sensitive information that canbeexploited for espionage purposes.”

The letter, which was signed by Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon andMartinHeinrich of New Mexico, and Rep. Sara Jacobs of California,urged theTrump administration to addressthe oversights and create a“protection zone” that encompasses theentireWashington, D.C. region rather than choosing individual buildings. They also urged the Department to expand thelist of countriesofconcern that were barred from acquiring data on Americans.

Aspokesman for the Justice Department declined to comment. The office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to a request for comment.

Data brokers havelong sold such informationto help companies better target advertising, analyze consumer habits and assess investment opportunities. Governments have increasinglyturnedtothese datasets to enforce laws and gather intelligence. Foreign spy agencies, for example, canuse such data to map thepatterns and activities of U.S. government personnel. Such commercially available data hasbeenusedto identify sensitive U.S. fa-

cilities. In otherinstances, fitness apps have caused problems during military operations or at sensitive facilities, most recentlywhen aFrenchaircraft carrier deployed in theMediterranean reportedly gave away itslocation when acrew member logged arunning routeon theship’sdeck.

The rules, which went into effect in April 2025, seek to curb thesale of such data to China, Russia,Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela. They broadly ban selling the location data on morethan 1,000 American devices to those countries. But concerned that foreign governments might circumvent those restrictions by buying up smalldata sets, therules singled out certain designated sites linked tothe U.S. government where even the sale of information abouta single device was forbidden. The rule only identified those locationsbyGPS coordinates. Wyden’sstaff, assisted by theCongressional Research Service, analyzed theGPS coordinates toidentifywhich U.S. government facilities or places were includedand which ones had been left out, according to a spokesman for the senator

Activists from the GlobalSumud Flotilla disembark aplane upon arriving at Istanbul Airport, in Istanbul, Turkey,onThursday.

Israel deportshundreds of Gaza flotilla activists

International backlash leadsto release

BY MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

TELAVIV, Israel The Israeli government on Thursday released and deported hundreds of flotilla activists whoattempted to breach Israel’s navalblockadeof Gaza. Outrage abroad over the activists’ treatment prompted severalcountries to summon Israeli envoys to hear their concerns. About 420 activists departedIsrael on planes bound for Turkey, where theylanded Thursdayevening in Istanbul. Wearing graysweatsuits andArab keffiyehs,theydescended stairs to the runwayflashing two-fingered salutes and chanting “Free Palestine.” Some appeared to be limping.

All of the activists were expected to be taken for a medical checkup, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in astatement that “all foreignactivists” fromthe flotilla hadbeen deported.

The LegalCenter for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, or Adalah, said one participant who holds Israelicitizenship, Zohar Regev,was released following acourt hearingoncharges of illegal entry into Israel and unlawful stay.Regev has taken part in previous flotillas to Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesdayheinstructed thatthe activistsbedeported “assoonaspossible,” aftersharply rebuking Israel’snational security minister for provocative videosshowing theminister taunting detained

flotilla activists whowere handcuffedand kneeling. Netanyahu said that although Israel has every right to stop “provocative flotillas of Hamasterrorist supporters,” the way National SecurityMinister Itamar Ben-Gvir dealt with theactivists was“not in line withIsrael’s values and norms.” Ben-Gvir released videos Wednesday showing him walking among some of the detainees. In one, activists with their hands tied behind their backs are kneeling, their heads touching the floor inside what appearstobeamakeshift detention area on the deck of aship. Several countries, including Britain, France and Portugal, summoned Israeli envoys on Thursdayoverconcerns about the treatment of flotilla activistsand in protestof Ben-Gvir’sactions.

The Associated Press

MOSCOW— Trucks carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles rumbled over forest roads, atomic-powered submarines set sail from Arctic and Pacific ports, and crews scrambled into warplanes as Russia and neighboring Belarus held the final stage of their joint nuclear drills Thursday Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the maneuvers in avideo call with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

“The use of nuclear weapons is an extreme,exceptional measure for ensuring the national security of our states,” Putin said. Lukashenko earlier inspectedRussian shortrange nuclear-capableIskander ballistic missiles at amilitary unitinvolved in the drills and declared:“I dreamed about this machine along time ago.”

The three-day drillsthat began Tuesday come amid asurge in Ukrainiandrone strikes. including on Moscow’ssuburbs that killed three peopleand damaged several buildings and industrial facilities. The strikes made it harder for officials in the Kremlin to cast the conflict in Ukraine —now in its fifth year —assomething so distant that it doesn’taffect the daily routines of Russian civilians.

nuclear-tipped ICBMs. The drills focused on the “preparation and use of nuclear forces under thethreat of aggression ”itsaid Themaneuvers also practice cooperationwith Belarus, anallythathostsRussian nuclear weapons. Russian arsenals in Belarus include its latest intermediate range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system.

Alongwithnuclear-tipped ground- and submarinelaunched ICBMs, the maneuvers featured abroad assortment of short- and medium-range weapons Unlikethe intercontinentalmissilesthat can destroy entire cities,tactical nuclear weapons intended for use against troopsonthe battlefield are less powerful. They include aerial bombs and warheadsfor short- and medium-range missiles and artillery munitions.

The Defense Ministry said theRussian armed forces test-firedYars and Sineva ICBMs, as well as mediumrangesea-launchedZircon and air-launched Kinzhal missiles, noting that all missileshit their designated practice targets. Belarusian troopstest-fired ashortrange Iskander ballistic missile insideRussia Kremlin messaging Putinhas repeatedly reminded the worldabout Moscow’snucleararsenals after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to trytodeter theWestfrom ramping up support for Kyiv

tack on Russia that is supportedbya nuclear power will be considered ajoint attack on his country.That threat was clearly aimed at discouragingthe West from allowing Ukraine to strike Russiawithlongerrange weaponsand appears to significantlylower the threshold for the possible use of Moscow’snuclear arsenal.

Therevised doctrinealso placed Belarus under the Russiannuclear umbrella. Putinhas said that Moscow will retaincontrol of its nuclear weaponsdeployed in Belarus, which borders Ukraine andNATOmembersLatvia, Lithuania and Poland, but would allow its ally to selectthe targets in case of conflict.

Ukrainiandronesspotted

The maneuvers are held amid an increase in drone activity in theBalticnations. On Tuesday,aNATO jet shot down aUkrainian drone over southern Estonia. Ukraine apologized for that “unintended incident,” without specifying what had happened.

On Wednesday,anemergency announcement about adrone flying over Belarus prompted residents of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, including top officials and lawmakers, to takeshelter and led to abrief closure of its airport.

Ukrainian drones targeting Russia’sBaltic ports and energy facilities have recently crossed or come down in NATO territory on several occasions.Western officials blame apparent Russian electronic jamming of the drones. Russia holdsnuclear drills on

Wide arrayofweapons Russia’sDefense Ministry said the exercise involved 64,000 troops, over 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface warships and 13 submarines, including eight armed with

In 2024,the Kremlin adopted arevised nuclear doctrine, noting thatany nation’sconventional at-

PHOTO PROVIDED By RUSSIANDEFENSE MINISTRy PRESS SERVICE Ayars

posed map.

“As Black Americans, we have endured so much,” said Angel-MariahThompson, “from slavery to segregation to lynchings to discrimination to Jim Crow to mass incarceration to economic exploitation.” Redistrictingisa matter of morality,she said.

The New Orleans-anchored, Black-majority District 2, currentlyrepresented by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, is moreor less unchanged in the version approved Thursday

Also unchanged is District 1, thesoutheast Louisiana district that includes St. Tammany in the north and Lafourche toward the south and is currently represented by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise R-Jefferson.

Republicans hold asupermajority in the Legislature. That leaves Democrats with virtually no chance to stop anew map that slashes one Democratic district and adds aRepublicanone. The House committee advanced the map on a10-7 vote along party lines.

What changed?

Some of the biggest adjustments the House made to the Senate map affect the Acadiana and Baton Rouge regions.

In Acadiana: Lafayette,St. Martin and Acadia parishes wouldall be split into at least two congressional districts. Lafayette Parish would mostly be in the 3rd District, which runs along the southwestern part of the state and is currently representedby

HURRICANE

Atlanticreaches its busiest time of year.ElNiño is generally associated withfewer storms in the Atlantic.

The last time theagency issued abelow-average May outlook was in 2015, officials said.

Still, NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs said powerful hurricanes have formed and hit land during past El Niño seasons. “Even though we’re expecting abelow-average season in the Atlantic, it’s very important to understand that it only takes one,” Jacobs said at the news conference.

Good news forLouisiana

El Niño and La Niña are two opposing climatepatterns that disrupt normal wind and current conditions in the Pacific Ocean, impacting weather across the globe.

El Niño tends to increase vertical wind shear across the Atlantic, Jacobs said, whichhelps to breakup stormsand prevent hurricane formationand intensification.

Though El Niño is not yet in full swing, scientists at the Climate Prediction

ny portion of themeeting.

Orleans-anchored2nd District, whichhad pushed out into suburban BatonRouge. That meansthe Baton Rouge home of Republican state Sen. Blake Miguez is now back in the 6th District; the Senate map hadshuntedhim into the 2nd.

Otherchanges

He said that, whenhefirst visited the State Capitol in 1968 as a10-year-old boy, every Black person working there washolding amop or broom,carrying atray of water,shining shoes or cutting hair

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, RLafayette. Buta northern section of theparishwould be in the6th District, the new,solidly Republican district centered in suburban Baton Rouge.

AcadiaParish wouldalso be mostly in the3rd District. But one small section would be in aShreveport-anchored district, while another would be in aMonroe-rooted district.

St.MartinParish would no longer be entirely in the3rd District.Instead, mostofit would be6th District

St.Landry Parish is now almost entirelyinthe 5th District.That Monroeanchored district covers northeast Louisianaand is currently represented by Rep. JuliaLetlow,R-Baton

Center said on May 14 that there’san82% chance such conditions will emerge sometime between May and July.Jacobs saidit’salso likely that this year’sElNiño conditions will be moderate to strong.

That’sgoodnewsfor Louisiana, but bad forthose neighboring the Pacific Ocean, where Jacobssaid forecasters are expecting to see heightened activity this season. El Niño has the opposite effect in the Pacific, he said, reducing wind shear and making it easier for strong storms to form.

Since El Niño’simpacts are most prominent deep in the tropical Atlantic,Matthew Rosencrans,NOAA’s lead seasonal hurricane forecaster,said we’ll likely see fewer long-track storms in 2026. Butafew so-called homegrown storms could still spin up in the Gulf.

“You couldget those storms in the Gulf that have the short awarenesstimes,” Rosencrans said Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service,urged those in all hurricane-prone states to prepare for the upcoming season as usual,regardless of theforecast.

“Don’tlet words like ‘below average’ change the way youprepare,” Grahamsaid.

In north Louisiana, the parishes of Jackson, Lincolnand Morehouse were moved into District4,the Shreveport-anchored districtinnorthwest Louisiana currently represented by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton.

That year,his late father Ernest “Dutch”Morial, was the first Black person elected to the Legislature, where he brought legislation to undo aLouisiana law that required blood for transfusions to be labeled either White or Black. Marc Morial called the GOP redistricting plan “a reversal of progress.”

Johnson now has adistrict that nearly entirely follows parish lines.

Rouge, whoisvacatingher seat to run for the U.S. Senate. Previously,the parish was split between three congressional districts.

Calcasieu Parish is now entirely part of District3, rather than being split up.

Abetteroutlook

In the BatonRouge region, the newmap nowsplits Pointe Coupee Parish in half, with the southernpart in the 6th District andthe northern part in the5th Livingston Parish is also split up now; most of its population is still in the6th District, but anortheastern part of theparishwas moved to the5th Kleinpeter —whose Senatedistrict includespart of theBatonRouge metro area and part of the Acadiana region —questioned

This year’soutlook is in stark contrast to prioryears, when warm ocean waters and other factors fueled unusually prolific hurricane seasons.

In 2024, researchers issued alarmingpreseason forecaststhat warned of an extremelyactive season, aprediction that came to fruition. Last year saw more tropical activity than usual as well, with fewer storms than in 2024 but ahigh ratio of powerfulhurricanesthat were difficult to forecast.

Still, theNational HurricaneCenter madestrides lastseason in forecasting accuracy,improvements that officials said would not have been possible without NOAA’s 50-year-old Lockheed WP-3D Orion Hurricane Hunter aircraft,known as “Miss Piggy” and “Kermit ” Outfitted with Doppler radars andable to fly into the eyeofa hurricane, the P-3 aircraft collect critical data thatforecastersuse to more accuratelypredict how stronga storm will get and where it might go, according to Rear Admiral Chad Carey,director of NOAA’s Commissioned Officer Corps

“These flying, meteorological data collection machines areone of the mostimportant

the decision to split offthe northern portion of Pointe Coupee into District 5and to group St. Martin into aBaton Rouge-based district

PointeCoupee Parish is more apart of the Baton Rouge area than is St.Martin,hesaid.

Beaullieu,the House committee chair,said lawmakers didn’trequest changes specifically to Livingston, Pointe Coupeeand St. Martin parishes.

“These werea result of trying to push population or move population around basedonother member requests,”hesaid. “It’sall kind of achain reaction. Noneofthemare isolated in asilo.”

Theupdated mapalso eliminates aspur of the New

toolswehave to better understand hurricanes,” Carey said. “The data collected usingNOAA aircraft improve hurricanetrackforecasts and intensity forecasts by as much as 20%.”

Newer technology showed promise last season,too,

Grant Parish, in central Louisiana, was moved entirely into District 5.

State Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, introduced the updated mapon behalf of GOPmembers of the Louisiana House.

He said that, after talking to House members, he focused on trying to make Grant, Calcasieu and St. Landry parisheswhole, rather than splitting them up in different congressional districts.

McMakin said he also worked not to change District1 in southeast Louisiana. And he noted that Jackson, Lincoln and Morehouse parishes in the northern part of the state were moved.

Committeedebate

While Republicans maneuvered toward themap they wanted, Democrats continuedtofiercely protestthe elimination of aBlack seat.

Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans, launched the public testimo-

when the National Hurricane Center incorporated artificial intelligence-based weather model guidance in its hurricane predictions for the first time in 70 years of existence.

AI will play an even bigger role in this year’sforecasts, according to center

Democratic lawmakers on the committee spent over four hours pressing Sen. Jay Morris, the West Monroe Republican whoissponsoring the bill, to change the map Morris said the proposed mapwas driven by politics and not race and was colorblind. Rep. Candace Newell, D-New Orleans,calledthe idea of colorblindness “very offensive.”

“Itmeansthatthe person who is claiming colorblindness is willfully ignoring the oppressions thathave been placed on Black people in this country,” Newell said. “Itminimizes thelived experiences of my grandparents whowere forced to tellhow many bubbles were in abar of soap or how many gallons of water were in theMississippiRiver in ordertovote.”

Like he did in previous meetings and debates, Morris also noted that Louisiana’scurrent map was deemed unconstitutional, and the state hasbeen barredbya federal court from usingitinthisyear’s midterm elections.

SeniorHurricaneSpecialist

JohnCangialosi, who said the agency is hoping to use AI models more efficiently after experimentation last year.They’ll be incorporated in both forecastdiscussions and the center’sother blended tools.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Stocks edge higher after U-turn for oil prices

NEWYORK Hour-to-hour swings for oil prices keep jerking financial markets around, and U.S. stocks wavered Thursday following the latest reversal.

The S&P 500 rose 0.2% and inched closer to its all-time high set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 276 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.1%.

All three indexes erased early drops and gained strength following the latest U-turn for oil prices. Brent crude oil briefly got above $109 per barrel in the morning, threatening to worsen the world’s already high inflation, before quickly erasing all its gains in midday trading and falling 2.3% to settle at $102.58.

Oil prices are yo-yoing because of uncertainty about how long the war with Iran will keep the Strait of Hormuz shut The closure has prevented oil tankers from exiting the Persian Gulf to deliver crude to customers worldwide, driving up oil’s price.

As oil prices eased Thursday so did pressure on Wall Street that’s been building from the bond market.

Yields had climbed so high that they threatened to slow economies worldwide and undercut prices for stocks, bitcoin and all kinds of other investments.

They’ve already forced the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate to its most expensive level since last summer, and they could curtail companies’ borrowing to build the AI data centers that have supported the U.S economy’s growth recently

Average mortgage rate climbs to 6.51%

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in nearly nine months, driving up borrowing costs for homebuyers during what’s traditionally the housing market’s busiest time of the year

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.51% from 6.36% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday Despite the sharp increase, the average rate remains below 6.86%, where it was a year ago.

Rates have been mostly trending higher since the war with Iran began The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has roiled energy markets, sending crude oil prices sharply higher — a key driver of inflation.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.

Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week That average rate climbed to 5.85% from 5.71% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.01%, Freddie Mac said.

U.N. court: Right to strike protected by treaty

THE HAGUE, Netherlands The United Nations’ top court issued a landmark advisory opinion on the right to strike on Thursday, finding that a cornerstone labor treaty protects the ability of workers to walk off the job.

The International Court of Justice was asked in 2023 by the International Labor Organization, a U.N. agency to settle an internal dispute over whether one of the ILO’s conventions gives workers the right to strike. Advisory opinions aren’t legally binding, but carry significant weight. The decision could have a worldwide impact on labor regulations, enshrining the right to strike in labor standards and international trade agreements. Labor unions welcomed the decision.

“As any trade unionist will tell you, there is no right to organize without the right to strike!” Christy Hoffman, general-secretary of UNI Global Union, said in a statement after the opinion was announced. “The two are inseparable foundations of any functional and fair industrial relations system. Congratulations to the many advocates who argued the point so brilliantly before the ICJ.”

Trump eases federal refrigerant rule

Move comes in a bid to address surging grocery costs

BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday loosened federal rules that require grocery stores and air-conditioning companies to reduce greenhouse gases used in cooling equipment, a step that President Donald Trump said would help lower grocery costs.

Trump said at a White House ceremony that the action by the Environmental Protection Agency would “substantially lower costs for consumers” by delaying costly restrictions that limit the type of refrigerants U.S businesses and families can use.

The move to relax the Biden-era rules on harmful pollutants known as hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs,

emitted by refrigerators and other appliances was the latest attempt by the Republican administration before pivotal elections in November to try to address rising voter concerns over the cost of living. It is not clear how much or how quickly grocery prices could be impacted. Industry groups said it could even raise prices because manufacturers have already redesigned products, retooled factories and trained workers to build and service next-generation refrigerant equipment

Inflation in the United States increased to 3.8% annually in April, amid price spikes caused by the Iran war and Trump’s sweeping tariffs. Inflation is now outpacing wage gains as the war has kept oil and gasoline prices high.

The regulation from the Democratic Biden administration was “unnecessary and costly and actually makes the machinery worse,” Trump said at a ceremony joined by top executives from Kroger, Piggly

Close to home

Higher fuel prices have some scaling back Memorial Day travel plans

BY RIO YAMAT AP airlines and

travel writer

As someone who is “not the best person with bugs and stuff,” Stephanie Bernaba never imagined herself becoming an outdoorsy mom.

But the mother of three is getting more daring as gas prices and other travel costs make vacations more expensive. Her family has traded pricier trips, such as long summer stays in Florida and an annual Disney World visit around her birthday, for local beaches, bike rides and hiking trails near their home in coastal Rhode Island.

“I’ve been trying to do more of that because one, it’s quality time. Two, it’s fresh air And three, we’re not spending an arm and a leg,” Bernaba, 47, said.

That kind of calibration is shaping the summer travel season, which gets its traditional start in the U.S. with the long Memorial Day holiday weekend. Higher fuel prices resulting from the Iran war and other inflationary pressures are making most forms of travel costlier as people in many parts of the world form their plans.

The U.S. Travel Association expects annual travel spending to grow by a modest 1% this year powered largely by domestic leisure travel despite the FIFA World Cup giving soccer fans from other countries a reason to visit the U.S. Airfares have climbed around the world along with the price of jet fuel as the war constrains global oil supplies.

Sticking closer to home may not cushion the sticker shock. The nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated Americans would collectively spend an extra $3.5 billion on gasoline over the holiday weekend.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. was $4.56 on Thursday compared to $3.18 a year ago, according to motor club AAA

Other travel expenses have gone up too. The latest consumer price index showed airfares were 20.7% higher in April from a year ear-

Wiggly and other grocery chains.

He said the EPA action would protect hundreds of thousands of jobs and save Americans more than $2 billion a year

The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, which represents more than 330 HVAC manufacturers and commercial refrigeration companies, said the change in approach would “inject uncertainty across the market” and could even raise prices.

“This rule works against basic supply and demand,” said Stephen Yurek, the group’s president and CEO. “By extending the compliance deadline” for phasing out HFCs, the administration “is maintaining and even increasing demand in the market for existing refrigerants while supply continues to fall.”

The greenhouse gases are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide and are considered a major driver of global warming.

It is a reversal after Trump signed a law in his first term that aimed to

reduce harmful, planet-warming pollutants emitted by refrigerators and air conditioners. That bipartisan measure brought environmentalists and major business groups into rare alignment on the contentious issue of climate change and won praise across the political spectrum.

The 2020 law reflected a broad bipartisan consensus on the need to quickly phase out domestic use of HFCs.

The EPA action highlights the second Trump administration’s drive to roll back regulations perceived as climate friendly The plan is among a series of sweeping environmental changes that the agency’s administrator, Lee Zeldin, has said will put a “dagger through the heart of climate change religion.”

Environmentalists criticized the administration’s actions, saying the new rule would exacerbate climate pollution while disrupting a yearslong industry transition to new coolants as an alternative to HFCs.

lier, the cost of intracity transit such as buses and subways rose 5.6%, lodging cost 4.3% more, and eating out got 3.6% pricier.

Despite elevated prices, industry forecasts suggest Americans still want to get away, even if it means replacing long trips with long weekends, choosing destinations closer to home and finding ways to cut costs by cooking meals or using buses and trains instead of driving.

AAA predicted that 45 million U.S. residents would travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday and Monday for the holiday The Transportation Security Administration said it expects to screen 18.3 million passengers from Thursday to next Wednesday.

Many households are planning summer vacations but making tradeoffs such as shorter trips or cheaper lodging, according to Bank of America analysts. Mastercard said in a recent report that consumers appeared increasingly focused on value and were adjusting their destinations and timing instead of not going away at all.

“Generally, it’s certainly more of a demand reshuffling than a demand softening,” David Tinsley a senior economist at Bank of America Institute, said.

For the Bernaba family, that has meant trading a big vacation for a shorter trip nearby this summer Their scaled-back itinerary still is pricey: more than $400 for a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard for their car and passengers, and about $800 a night for each of the two hotel rooms the family of five needs.

Another family that had planned to join them backed out after seeing the price tag.

“The pinch is being felt all the way around,”

Bernaba said.

Analysts have increasingly described travel spending as “K-shaped,” with higher-income households continuing to spend while lowerincome families pull back or opt out entirely Bank of America said lower-income households were significantly more likely to report having no summer travel plans this year.

New polling of registered U.S. voters by Quinnipiac University found that 48% have cut back on vacation spending, 54% have reduced what they spend on dining out, and 36% have curbed their driving.

Travelers are confronting other stressors besides cost.

Airlines around the world have canceled flights and trimmed routes to save on fuel and operating costs, leaving passengers with fewer options. The conflict in the Middle East has complicated getting there and rerouted flights to and from Asia, adding another layer of concern on top of broader geopolitical tensions and the declining value of the dollar for people considering trips abroad.

Recent U.S. government shutdowns, which caused major flight disruptions and long security lines, also are likely still fresh in travelers’ minds.

The various factors impacting travel right now has made planning trips more mentally taxing and may be pushing people toward simpler and more accessible vacations that feel easier to manage, said Marta Soligo, a tourism sociologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“The key word here is unpredictability,” Soligo said “Tourists don’t like unpredictability.”

President calls off artificial intelligence executive order

Trump says he’s concerned it could dull U.S. tech edge

BY COLLIN BINKLEY and MATT O’BRIEN Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump called off plans to sign a new executive order on artificial intelligence hours before an expected White House ceremony Thursday because he said he was worried the measure could dull America’s edge on AI technology

Trump said he was postponing the Oval Office event with tech industry executives because he did not like what he saw in the order’s text.

“We’re leading China, we’re leading everybody, and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that lead,” Trump told reporters.

The order would have established a framework for the government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems before their public release, according to a person familiar with the White House’s deliberations with the tech industry but not authorized to speak about them publicly The directive was being characterized as a voluntary collaboration with participating U.S.-based tech companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Google, the person said.

The push for some kind of government action to review leading AI systems follows growing concern within the banking industry and other institutions about the leaps in AI’s abilities to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world’s software.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with Wall Street CEOs in April, warning them about

the cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic’s AI model, Claude Mythos. The meeting, urgently assembled at the Treasury Department’s headquarters, was intended to ensure that banks were aware of the risks associated with the models, Bessent said at CNBC’s “Invest in America Forum” in Washington in April. “This new Anthropic model is very powerful,” he said. “Some banks are doing a better job in cybersecurity than others, and we want to have the ability to convene them and talk about what is best practices and where they should be heading.” That led some allies of the Republican president to propose better methods for getting those AI tools in the hands of trusted cybersecurity experts.

Trump had pledged to undo the AI safety regulations set by his predecessor Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump’s administration has

viewed the AI sector as an engine to help deliver on his pledges to expand the economy and he has promoted its major players at events at the White House and around the world. Last week, Trump had tech CEOs in tow for a summit with China’s Xi Jinping.

Trump’s ambitions for the sector have collided with the fears of voters over the impact of the technology on American life, jobs and electricity bills. Republicans themselves are divided over whether to embrace the AI industry or side with voters who express skepticism about the technology Also complicating the government’s interest in working with Anthropic on cybersecurity is the government’s ongoing legal fight with the company Trump in February ordered all U.S. agencies to stop using Anthropic’s chatbot Claude after an unusually public clash between the Pentagon and CEO Dario Amodei.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAE C. HONG

Travelers wait to board an Amtrak train on Wednesday at Union Station in Los Angeles. Some Americans are planning to scale back their summer travel as higher fuel prices resulting from the Iran war and other inflationary pressures take a toll on people’s pocketbooks.

Senate panel makes big cuts to budget

School vouchers, raises, education funds trimmed

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Raises for judges and members of Gov Jeff Landry’s Cabinet next year appear to be off the table after a Senate panel cut them from the state budget, along with funding to expand LA GATOR and money that would have increased the per-student rate schools are paid for operating costs.

Facing budget constraints, the Senate Finance Committee made those changes Thursday through a lengthy set of amendments, just days after a statement from Landry cast doubt on who should receive pay raises and threw a wrench into budget deliberations. Other cuts are unsurprising after state economists predicted Louisiana would bring in about $100 million less in tax revenue for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, than previously expected. On its own, the increase for GATOR, a program that gives taxpayer money to families to pay for private school, would have cost $43.5 million.

Senators also lowered by $30 million the state funds schools receive as determined by a formula known as the Minimum Foundation Program. That allocation was already set to decrease because of declining public school enrollment, but lawmakers had agreed to increase the per-pupil payments schools get for operating costs to soften the blow Still, not all the amendments

PLEADS

Continued from page 1A

relatively small communities.

Slaney also pleaded guilty in the conspiracy last week, in which he admitted responsibility for certifying at least 78 false reports over the course of the conspiracy

pared back the budget: the Senate panel, for example, gave state lawmakers the right to daily allowances for days they work outside of the legislative session, and it allocated about $18.5 million for raises for corrections officers.

Whether those budget items last remains to be seen; the fates of other pending proposals, such as raises for registrars and prosecutors, also are murky.

On Monday Landry issued a statement on X saying that no state workers should receive pay raises this year if teachers don’t get them

Since then, legislative leaders have been seeking clarity on what exactly Landry meant. The governor spent the first part of the week in Greenland. President Donald Trump, who has said he wants to acquire the island, named Landry its special envoy earlier this year

The governor returned Wednesday night, according to his social media.

State Rep. Jack McFarland, RJonesboro, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee and sponsors multiple budget bills, said he expected to meet with the governor Friday Landry’s statement about pay raises came after a constitutional amendment that affected teacher pay failed at the polls Saturday Amendment 3 would have liquidated three state education trust funds and used the money to turn $2,000 and $1,000 stipends that teachers and school support staff receive, respectively into permanent raises. The raises also would have grown to $2,250 and $1,125. Teachers have received stipends for three years in a row, so they effectively face a pay cut. Lawmakers would have to allocate $200

As a result of the plea agreements, both Doyle and Slaney agree to forfeit multiple bank accounts associated with the conspiracy, as well as property in DeRidder owned by Slaney Other law enforcement officials indicted include former Forest Hill Chief of Police Glynn Dixon and Glenmora Chief of Police Tebo Onishea.

them to fight wildfires,” he said, referring to a pay increase for firefighters that he has supported. “It’s not a want; it’s a necessity I feel the same way with corrections.”

Pay raises

The budget the House passed included $10,000 pay raises for state firefighters, who receive $28,000 annually, McFarland said. It was not immediately clear whether the Senate amendments impacted that raise.

As for the pay increase lawmakers now want to give prison employees, state officials hope it will help address staffing shortages and save money on overtime costs

Corrections cadets have one of the highest turnover rates of all state workers: Between 2024 and 2025, that rate was 164%, according to Louisiana’s annual turnover report.

The state Civil Service Commission recently approved a $3 hourly raise for cadets, meaning they could make $20.50 an hour, said Gary Westcott, the state’s top corrections official. They currently make $17.50, he told legislators earlier this year

appropriation is dependent on the passage of a bill that would enact that change.

The measure, Senate Bill 25 by state Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter R-Port Allen, is headed to the House Appropriations Committee, with a hearing scheduled for Tuesday Kleinpeter said Tuesday that he wants to keep fighting for the raises. Registrars haven’t had their pay schedules adjusted since 2007, he said.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Peter Egan, R-Covington, has been pushing two bills to give prosecutors more resources. House Bill 660 would raise the base salary for assistant district attorneys from $50,000 to $60,000, and House Bill 719 would let district attorneys hire more prosecutors.

Hillar Moore, the district attorney for the 19th Judicial District in East Baton Rouge Parish, has said his office is in dire need of more staff, and that he has struggled to retain prosecutors because he cannot offer competitive salaries.

While the status of negotiations on HB660 and HB719 is unclear their odds did not appear promising Thursday

million to avoid that outcome — a feat top budget officials in the Legislature have described as unrealistic.

Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, initially said the Senate would cut out all raises in the budget and park bills authorizing new pay increases, to prevent Landry from vetoing legislation.

But McFarland balked at the idea of abandoning pay raises for low- and middle-income workers.

“I’ve expressed this to (Landry’s) chief of staff, Julie Emerson. Those are to me a critical industry Firefighters — we’ve got to have

Court records show that the remainder of Doyle’s co-defendants in the case have plea changes scheduled within the next couple of weeks:

n Patel, the Oakdale businessman, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, one count of bribery, 24 counts of mail fraud and eight counts of money laundering. His change of

The increase for corrections officers came through an amendment to House Bill 1, which lays out the state’s operating budget for the coming fiscal year

An amendment to House Bill 983, which controls the state’s judiciary budget, takes out $6.7 million that would have made the pay boost judges received last year permanent.

Two other proposals are also hanging in the balance as budget deliberations continue.

An amendment to HB1 sets aside $500,000 to update the pay schedule for registrars of voters, but the

plea hearing is set for Thursday

n Dixon, Forest Hill chief of police, was indicted on a count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, six counts of visa fraud, six counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. Dixon was an elected chief, but records at the Secretary of State’s Office indicate he’s no longer chief in Forest Hill. His change of plea hearing is set for June 4.

The House did not include raises for prosecutors in the budget it originally passed. There did not immediately appear to be any new money allocated for those measures in the amendments the Senate passed.

Both HB660 and HB719 are pending approval by the Senate Finance Committee.

The budget bills now head to the full Senate for approval; after that, the House will need to agree to the amendments If it doesn’t, the bill will go before a small committee of legislators who will hash out the final version in private.

n Onishea, former elected Glenmora chief of police, was indicted on a count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, six counts of visa fraud and six counts of mail fraud. His change of plea hearing is set for Thursday If convicted, the remaining defendants could also be ordered to forfeit additional bank accounts, properties and vehicles allegedly tied to the scheme.

THE KEYS TO SUCCEED

Lafayette grandmother arrested in toddler’s drowning death

Child’s mother was murdered in 2024

BY JA’KORI MADISON

ST. LANDRY PARISH

Trail rides canceled for the year

Official: ‘Public safety must come first’

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

St. Landry Parish government on Tuesday announced the cancellation of all trail rides for the remainder of 2026 and identified several suspects accused of violent activity at a trail ride over the weekend Trail rides are a time-honored tradition for St. Landry Parish’s African American community, but two shooting incidents at the Yambilee Building over the weekend during the annual Ride R Die Trail Ride and Rodeo have reignited conversations about whether enough is being done to ensure participant safety

Two people suffered nonfatal injuries as a result of the first shooting. A second shooting also occurred Sunday evening that resulted in an individual being detained Brandon Zeno, 27, from Lafayette; Jordan Bernard, 32, from Lafayette; Hakeem Gloston, 24, from Iowa; and Shakeal Griffin, 30, from Lafayette, have each been booked with the illegal use of a weapon and aggravated criminal damage to property, with Zeno and Gloston facing additional charges of possession of a firearm with certain felony convictions.

“Public safety must come first,” St. Landry Parish President Jessie Bellard said. “Unfortunately, the violence we witnessed this weekend has forced us to make a difficult decision regarding trail rides moving forward this year.”

The trail rides are considered a celebration of the parish’s unique Creole cowboy identity, often featuring processions, dancing, music, food and lots of horses.

and two other siblings. Lee is the children’s maternal grandmother. Her daughter,

to lose $2,000

Budget advances without their funding

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Louisiana’s public school teachers, who are among the lowest-paid in the country, are likely to take home $2,000 less next school year after state lawmakers advanced a budget Thursday that leaves out educator stipends. The state Legislature has given one-time pay boosts to teachers in the past few years instead of permanent raises. After voters rejected a ballot measure Saturday that would have financed teacher raises, educators urged lawmakers this week to add stipends to the state budget. On Thursday, those hopes were dashed as the Senate Finance Committee approved a budget plan that does not include the annual pay bumps $2,000 for teachers and $1,000 for school support staff — that educators have received since 2023. Legislative leaders had warned that they were unlikely to find the roughly

OPINION

Data centerswillmakepower grid stronger

Concerns about rising electricity bills and overtaxed grids have dominated the national datacenter conversation, but Louisiana is showing that they can actually strengthen grid reliability and help keep electricity prices down for all customers. So much so that the Trump administration recently highlighted Entergy as a model for how utilities can work with tech companies to improve reliability and affordability

andbillionsintax revenue.

Earlier this month, Entergy Louisiana announced another $2 billion in new customer savings from our power agreement for Meta’sLouisiana campusagreement, bringing total projected savings from data centers (including Meta’sand Hut 8’s), to $2.8 billion over 20 years, which includes a10% reduction in storm recovery and grid resilience costs. The projects are also expected to create thousands of jobs

Onereason Entergy is able to make datacenters work for customers in Louisiana is a keyadvantage we have over other states where residents are experiencingbill spikes and reliability issues from data centers: regulatory oversight of utilities. In deregulated states, developers can build their own power generation for data centers but still connect to the gridwithout any public oversight. In regulated states like Louisiana, however,utilities must receive Public Service Commission approval for every majorinvestment or new project to ensure it benefitscustomers.

Deregulated electricity markets have also consistently seen significantly higherresidential rates even before data centers came on thescene— an important fact often omitted byderegulation advocates. In contrast, our state’s

regulatorymodel has helped Entergy Louisianakeep residential rates morethan 30% below national average while ensuring that adding new large customers strengthens our grid rather than strains it

Iamgratefulthat Gov.Jeff Landry and the PSC have advanced aframeworkthat prioritizes customer protection, stability and long-term affordability while ensuring we can still move fast enough to compete for these once-in-a-generation economic development opportunities. Entergy is doing its part to protect customers, too. OurFair Share Pluspledge outlines how we’re ensuring tech companies pay their fair share of the cost to power their facilities, plus provide added benefitsfor our communities. For example, Meta has agreed todonatehundreds of millions of dollars to homeenergy efficiency and bill support programsfor vulnerable customers, workforce development and

Stateneeds to getmore BlackstudentsintoSTEM

Ididn’t realize how rare Iwas until a studentstated, “I’ve never had amath teacherwho looked like you.”

Ihad been teaching foryears, but thatmoment made Louisiana’s6%real. Black men make up only about 6% to 7% of the state’sentire teacher workforce—and in STEM classrooms, the number is even smaller.To that student, my presence wasn’t ordinary.Itwas exceptional. That exception has consequences far beyond the classroom. Louisiana’s 6% isn’tjust an education statistic. It is apreview of the STEM workforce the state will have —and the talent it will continue to lose.

demand STEM careers.

Thesepathways cannot thrive without strong STEM foundations. Currently, Louisiana has lost 60,000 studentsin the public school system. If Black boys continue tobeunderrepresented in advanced math and science courses and if Black men continuetobenearly absent from STEM teaching, then thestate will struggle to build awellversed, future-ready aviation workforce.

renewable energyinvestments. We also require prepayments, multiyear contracts and financial safeguards so other customers don’tshoulder their project risks. While data centers we serve are paying their fair share of the cost to serve them, electricity costs were already rising long before datacenters arrived and are projected to continue rising nationwide because of factors like inflation,fuel price volatility,supply chain disruptions, stormsand the need to replace infrastructure. In Louisiana, however,our customers’ bills will be lower than they otherwise would have been thanks to our data center service agreements. Oneofthe fewways we can ease these inflationary bill impactsisbyadding new large customerswho can pick up the tab on alarger share of the cost of grid maintenance and upgrades that residential andsmall-business customers would otherwise have had to pay foralone.

Because of the data centers joining our grid, we can now makecritical upgrades to our infrastructure at afraction of the cost to existing customers —upgrades that strengthen reliability forour current customers and help attract even moreindustrial investment, like Hyundai’s Ascension Parish steel plant. This boosts Louisiana’seconomic development profile, brings new jobs and resources and keeps electricity moreaffordable.

The U.S. is competing in aglobal race for AI dominance, and supporting domestic data centers will help us win it while providing our communitieswith lower long-term energy costs, stronger infrastructure and new economic opportunities. Our state is showing how high-tech and households can thrive on the same power grid, improving the lives of Louisianans today and for generations to come. Phillip Mayispresident and CEO of Entergy Louisiana.

Programcan help Louisianaaddress its physicianshortage

Algebra and calculus are gateways to high-demand careers in artificial intelligence, aviation, engineering, energy and computer science. But gateways only open when studentscan see themselves in the people guiding them.

For many Black boys, aBlack male STEM teacher is often thefirst signal that advanced mathematics, robotics, coding or engineering belongs tothem, too.

Research consistently shows thathaving even one same-race teacher can increase confidence, academic persistence andlong-term achievement Over time, this shapes who enrolls in advanced STEM courses, who pursues STEM majors and ultimately who enters STEM professions. The 6% becomes a pipeline problem long before students reachcollege. This challenge is not unique to Louisiana.

Nationally,Black men remain severely underrepresented in STEMgraduate programs —making up only about 2% of students. This number signals afragile pipeline. If we are to bridge thisgap, Louisiana must become more intentional about recruiting talent from nontraditional paths: veterans, industry professionals and career changers who, like me, didn’tinitially see theclassroomas an option.

Louisiana is working toexpand its presenceinaviation, engineering, drone technology,advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. Recently,the stateannounced its first “Aviation Day,” bringing together educators, industry leaders and policymakers to strengthen aviation and aeronautics pathways for students.

The need is urgent. In reporting for The Hechinger Report, Javeria Salman noted that aviation is rapidly becoming amodern version of shopclass, offering students hands-on pathways intohigh-

The Federal Aviation Administration has warned of asevere national shortage of air traffic controllers, one of the most mathematically rigorous and high-paying positions in theaviation sector. Without stronger K-12 STEM preparation and role models, Louisiana risks leaving large segments of its population out of these opportunities. Federal policymakers recognizethese shortages.

In 2024, Sen. Raphael Warnock championed legislation allocating new funding to diversify aviation workforce development. The message from Washingtonisclear: The countrycannot meet its aviationand STEM workforce needs without broadening who has access to these fields.

Louisiana has an opportunity to align with this national momentum. But that begins with strengthening the front end of the pipeline —the teachers who introduce STEM concepts long before students choose amajor or career.Ata time when national conversations about DEI are heated, it is essential to clarify thataddressing the 6% is not apolitical stance; it is solely economic.

Ensuring that Black boys see Black men teaching STEM courses is not about ideology;itisabout preparing the engineers, pilots, air traffic controllers, aviationmechanics, coders and innovators thatLouisiana —and thecountry —will need. Black men have contributed to America’s progress in STEM and aviationthroughout history of theUnited States. Supportingthe next generation continues that legacy

Targeting districts where thegap is greatest will ensure the6%begins to rise where it is most needed. If Louisianawantsastronger STEM workforce tomorrow,then it muststart with who stands in front of the classroom today

M. PaulSmith IV is ascience and mathematics education doctorate candidate at Southern UniversityA&M

We know that Louisiana is truly one of akind. From our world-renowned music to our celebrated cuisine, our state’sheritage plays an important role in our nation’sstory Yet, compared to otherstates, our health and wellness lag. To preserve our cultural richness and supportthosewho shape it, we must improve the health of all our communities.

For too many years, Louisiana has placed near thebottomin healthrankings. Healthcare leaders and partners, working with the Louisiana Department of Health andother agencies, are responding by focusing on quality metrics and better health outcomes.

By concentrating efforts to decrease chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and creating innovative solutions to improve maternalcare, we are working diligently to elevate our state’shealth and increase life expectancy

Prioritizing these health initiatives supports ourfriends, familiesand neighbors, allowing themtolive fuller and happier lives.

However,totruly move the needle, we must also address our U.S. physician shortage and its effect on receiving timely, preventive care.Inthe pastseveral months, projections of theshortagehave shifted, pointing to aworsening long-term crisis: By 2038, we will be short up to 141,000 physicians nationwide.

We feel this already in Louisiana, where 60 of our 64 parishesare designated Health ProfessionalShortage Areas. Meeting this challenge nowrequires innovative solutions.

This effortstarts with training more primarycare physicians who serve as thefrontline of disease prevention. Better access to primary care means earlier interventions, improved maternal andinfant health outcomes and relief for our overburdened emergency departments.

Mostimportantly,ithelps our loved ones prevent and manage chronic conditions before they become lifethreatening. Evidence clearly shows that training

andretaining doctors within our state is crucialfor solving these challenges. Communities where medical students andresidents train areoften where theychoosetopractice longterm, with 62% of family physiciansstaying in the state where theycompletedtheir residency It’salso imperative that we train physicians who reflect andunderstand the communitiesweserve.Patients receiving carefromdoctorswho understand their cultures experiencebettercommunication, greater trust andimproved health outcomes. The creationofthe XavierOchsner College of Medicine is part of the solution. As acollege within Xavier University of Louisiana —atop HBCU recognizedasa leader in placing graduates into medical school —XOCOM builds on aproud legacy.Asweundergo the accreditationprocess, we are committedtothis mission by training exceptional, empathetic doctors in-state to serve communities across Louisiana. Yet, with national medical student debt exceeding $215,000 and proposed federal student loan caps on the horizoninJuly,wemust also overcomethe financialbarriers that keep talented students from pursuing medical school to begin with.

One solutionisthe $3 millionHumana Health Workforce Scholarship Fund, which will advance our efforts to make medical school accessible by covering full tuition at XOCOM forstudents with financial need who commit to practicing primary care, internal medicine or maternal care in Louisiana aftergraduation. We need more programs like these thatreducefinancial burdens and help improve health outcomes for everyone. To build ahealthier future, we must find more innovative solutions to invest in ourphysicianworkforce now, ensuring thatthose who train here have everyreason to stay.

Dr.Leonardo Seoane is the president andfounding dean at XavierOchsner College of Medicine and executive vice president and chiefacademicofficer at OchsnerHealth.

COMMENTARY

ISSUE OF THE WEEK THEMIDTERMS

Voters across the countryhavestarted to register theirchoices in the midtermelections. In Louisiana, party primariesonSaturday forU.S.Senate led to theousterofincumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, whofaced achallengerbacked by President Donald Trump.The president has been usingthe midtermstoexact retributiononofficials he has deemed insufficiently loyal. Cassidymade the list forvoting to convict Trump in hissecond impeachmenttrial.But while the president hasdemonstrated his grip on the Republican Party, it’sunclear if he will have the same sway in the November general election.With high gasprices and the warinIran, the president’spopularity is at an all-time low.Whatwill voters be lookingtoastheymaketheir decision? Here are twoperspectives:

Midtermelections present gloomy picturefor GOP

For the first time this term, President Donald Trump’sjob approval rating has dippedbelow 40%inthe RealClearPoliticsaverage of polls. The newest rating is 39.9% approval and57% disapproval.

The president’sapproval has beenticking downward for months —itstarted at 50.5% approval in January2025 —and was brought to its current point by anumber of polls showing his job approval in themid-to-high 30s. The latest is aNew York Times poll sows Trump at 37% approval and59% disapproval, allamong registered voters.

concern. It’sespecially concerning in light of the president’slow job approval rating, which is another good predictor of midtermresults.

What partywilltakeover there-redistricted House?

Byron

York

In Trump’sfirst midterms,in 2018, the president’sparty, like today, controlled boththe House and Senate. The final generic ballot average before the midterms favored Democrats by 7.3 points, nearlythe sameasitistoday Trump’s job approval rating immediately before the2018 electionswas 43.6%, abit better than it is today. In that election, Democrats picked up 41seatstowin control of the House.

TheTimes poll found asignificant gender gap in Trump approval. Fortyfour percent of men approve of the job thepresident is doing,while 29% of women approve.The race/ethnicitygap is larger —Trump’sapproval among White respondents is 45% while hisapproval among non-White respondents is 20%. Among respondents who voted for Trump in 2024, his approval rating is 79%. Among those who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris, it is 3%, and among those who did not vote, it is 21%. The new survey,like many others, foundsolid disapprovalofthe war in Iran. The Times asked, “Do you think Donald Trump’sdecision to go to war with Iran was the right decision or the wrongdecision?” Sixty-four percent said the wrong decision, while 30% said theright decision.Among Trump2024 voters, 76% said going to war was the right decision. Among Harris voters, 95% said it was the wrong decision The pollsters, of course, asked respondents’ opinion on Trump’shandling of the economy —itwas 33%approveand 64% percent disapprove. Morespecifically,they also asked about Trump’shandlingofthe cost of living —itwas 28% approve and 70% disapprove.

As far as the coming midterm elections are concerned, on the so-called generic ballot question —“If the 2026 general election for Congress were held today, which party’scandidate would you be more likely to votefor in your district?” —50% said the Democratic candidate, while39% said the Republican candidate and 11% said they didnot know That 11-point advantagefor Democrats is bigger than the party’s advantage in the RealClearPolitics average of the generic ballot, which standsat 7.2 points.Still, even the averageisbig enough to cause Republicansserious

The GOP kept control of theSenate. TheRepublican Party’sobvious weakness going into the 2026 midterms is, of course, the main reason behind themassive battle over redistricting. It appears theGOP will win that battle, at least this year,which could reduce itspossible midterm losses in the House. Butthe currentRepublican advantage in the House is so small that Democrats can win control by picking up atiny number of seats.

The current party balance in the House is 217 Republicans to 212 Democrats, with oneindependent and five vacancies.However those are sorted out, thefact is, if theelection were held today,Democrats could win control of theHouse bypicking up three or four seats. That is an incredibly low bar for the party to achieve.

Meanwhile, President Trumpisadding to hisalready dominant power in the Republican Party.Over the weekend, one of his last GOP antagonists in the Senate,Sen.Bill Cassidy,lost aprimary in Louisiana after Trumpendorsed his Republican opponent. That meansTrump hasgotten rid of all but two of the seven Republicans who voted toconvict him in the2021 post-presidential impeachment trial.

TheCassidy defeat is on top of others, like the successful Trump-encouraged primarychallenges of several Indiana Republican state lawmakers who crossed Trumponredistricting. Trump’s obviouspower in such matters has made many lawmakersscared of clashing with him, whatever they mightfeel aboutredistricting.

So now, Trump’sauthorityover the Republican Party has never been higher But now,with 51/2 monthsuntil midterms, he’snot doing nearly as well with the electorate as awhole.

Email Byron York at byork@washingtonexaminer.com.

As President Donald Trump’sjob approval sinks to or below 40% (depending on which poll you’re looking at), betting marketsand political conventional wisdom are that his Republican Party is not necessarily doomed tolose its narrow House majority,nor is it at serious risk of losing its Senate majority This is partly because of court decisions affecting redistricting in major states,but it also owes something to fundamentals thata few observers have noted even before. One example is Henry Olsen, writing twomonths ago in The WashingtonPost,noting that the president’sjob approval has been cratering more among nonvoters than amonglikely voters. In today’sRealClearPolitics polls, the same relationisapparent:Trump’sslippage is less among those morelikely to vote.

As elections analyst NateSilver explained, the uneven distribution of the parties’ voting bases tends to give Republicans an advantage in single-member,equal-population districting. Increasingly since the mid-1990s, and even moresoafter Trump’semergence, Democratic voters tend to be concentrated in central cities, sympathetic suburbs and university towns, while Republican voters tend to be spread moreevenly around the rest of the country

Similarly,Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini in March noted that, in a60,000-person biennial YouGov survey,the Democratic advantage in party identification has been steadily narrowed toward the vanishing point since 2006. And this year’sspecial elections, in which theopposition party typically fares better than the president’s, have been showing less anti-Republican movementthan in 2025.

Nonetheless, thefact that the president’s partyalmost always loses House seats (exceptions: 1934, 1998, 2002) plus the fact that Republicans won only 220 seats to Democrats’ 215 in 2024, has madeitseem close to certain that Democrats would win control.

To forestall that, Trumplast summer urged Texas’ Republican governor andlegislature to redistrict its 38 House districts. They passed aplan portrayedasgaining five Republican seats, although it may not if the 2024 MAGA surge among Hispanics evaporates, as polls suggest. Similarly, Republicans in NorthCarolina (where the Democratic governor has no veto over redistricting) and Ohio passed plans advertised as gaining one and two seats, respectively

Democrats retaliated spectacularly last November in California, where aplan is estimated to increase Democrats’ edge in the state’sdelegation from 44-8 to 48-4.

In themeantime, the U.S. Supreme Court’sdecision in Louisiana v. Callais ruled that theVoting RightsAct doesn’trequire maximizing the number of “minorityinfluenced”districts, which opened the way for some Republican legislators to redistrict and add adistrict for their party.And in Florida, Republican legislators quickly passed Gov.Ron DeSantis’ redrawing of its 28 districts, which was predicted to add four Republican districts.

This meansthat Republican districting plans tend to have morecompact-shaped districts, while Democrats tend to link distant nodes with tenuous corridors. Illinois Democrats’ 14-3 plan, forexample, consists of bacon strips leading outward from Chicago wards and heavily Democratic suburbs out across miles of treeless prairie to Democratic towns. Virginia Democrats’ 10-1 plan had five districts fanout from heavily Democratic Arlington and Fairfax Counties, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

In contrast, Texas and Florida Republicans’ plans would probably pass even a stringent numeric test forcompactness and contiguity

The result forthe momentisnearly alevel playing field in the House races. The authoritative Cook Political Report rates 188 seats as solidly Republican and 184 seats as solidly Democratic. It rates 22 seats as leaning or likely Republican and 23 seats as leaning or likely Democratic. That’s210 seats at least leaning Republican, 207 as leaning or likely Democratic, leaving 18 seats, four currently held by Democrats and 14 by Republicans, as tossups.

So if Democrats winall the tossups, they would control the House 225-210, anet gain of 10 seats —awin, but not the blue wave they’ve been hoping for. If Republicans win half of the tossups, they would control the House 219-216, anet loss of just one seat. Those numbers are beginning to look familiar.The House was 222-213 Democratic in 2020, 222-213 Republican in 2022, 220215 Republican in 2024.

Americans have had such periods of partisan parity,characterized by especially bitter partisanship before, in the fights between Jacksonians and Whigs between 1832 and 1852, and between the pro-Civil WarRepublicans and dubious Democrats between 1864 and 1894. Eventually,other issues arose, new political platforms emerged and something like aconsensus emerged. Could that happen this year? Maybe. But it sure doesn’tlook like it.

Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone.

Michael Barone

STAFFPHOTO By JILL PICKETT

Residentsvote SaturdayatC.E. ByrdHigh School in Shreveport.

N.O. leveeboard reducespolicechief’s salary

Rondeno’scontract drew scrutiny,outcry

BY JOSIE ABUGOV and ALEX LUBBEN Staff writers

The New Orleans flood protection authority votedThursday to slightlyreduceits police chief’s salary and strip him of an additional job title after its board president facedpointed questions over the contract from lawmakers in Baton Rouge. The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East’sboard voted unanimouslytolower Police Superintendent Joshua Rondeno’s salary to $197,000, afigure just shy of themaximumallowable amount under state law,but still far above his$160,000 annual pay whenhe started the role in 2024 Rondeno’ssecond job was akin to an internal auditor role that did not previously exist. He received a raise last July that boosted his pay to $208,000 aftertaking it on The vote to cut Rondeno’spay came after weeks of mounting pressure from state lawmakers, who noted that the flood agency’s police chief cannot legally earn more than the head of theLouisiana State Police, who makes about $198,000. Rondeno has also come under fire for aremarkably generous employment contract that provides him with protections afforded to no other employee at the agency The disclosure that Rondeno himself draftedanearlier version of the contract —whichincluded a lucrative severance clause potentially worth up to $910,000 —led to

Complaints from twoclients ledto 2023 suspension

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Stephen Sterling III, aBaton Rouge public defender and defense attorney, will remain on probation for another year after the Louisiana Supreme Court ordered an extension of his sanctions tied to a2023 suspension from practicing law

The court did not specify what Sterling did to violate acondition of his existing prohibition.

An order to keep Sterling from practicing law was put in place in October 2023, after an Office of Disciplinary Counsel report found he was not communicating

STIPENDS

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$200 million needed for the stipends afterrecent economic forecasts predicted adrop in state revenues next year

D’Shay Oaks,a school librarian and president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, astatewide teachers union, noted that the state is poised to give teachers less money even as student test scores continue to rise.

“We’re working our butts off in the classrooms,” she said, “but yet you’re gonna take away money that you’ve given to us for the past few years?” Louisianaranks 49th for average teacher pay,which was $56,785 in 2025,ac-

TODDLER

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Alexis Notto, 31, was shot and killed in Lafayette Parish in May 2024. In August 2024, aLafayette Parish grand jury indicted 29-year-oldJaquell Melon Carter,reported to be the boy’sfather,onacharge of second-degree murderin connection with her death, according to court records Previous reporti ng showed Carter and Notto were living together near Scott, but Notto was in the process of moving out at the time of the shooting.

further criticism.Thatversion was later amended, with severance pay for public employees having been labeled unconstitutional.

Had the board not acted Thursday,abill moving through the state Legislature might have forced its hand. Senate Bill 56, introduced bySen. Patrick Connick,R-Marrero, was recently amended to include language that preventsthe authority’schief of police from holding any other roles at theagency Thepolice chief’s contract has been part of turmoil at the levee board over thepast couple of years. Gov.Jeff Landry’sadministration has sought sweeping changes,including boosting the agency’s police force, and that has raised deep concerns over whether reforms put inplace after the catastrophic leveefailures duringHurricane Katrina werebeing abandoned

decision.

“The boarddoesnot characterize the action as araise, but rather as part of theoverall restructuring and realignment of responsibilities approved by the authority,” it said.“Chief Rondeno continuesleading the authority’sPolice Department and remains responsible for public safety operations, infrastructure security,inspections and emergency preparednessfunctions across the regional flood protection system.”

Following the vote, Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, saiditwasn’t his place to opine on the chief’s salary,but that “you can’tviolate a state statute.” Talbot had sharply questioned Vicari on the chief’s contract at arecent hearing.

$500,000 through his compliance role.

‘Nobodylikespayingtaxes’

The agency also voted Thursday to increase taxes on property owners within its jurisdiction in Jefferson Parish, amove it called necessary due to reserve shortfalls for future levee improvements.

The move will raise an additional $612,000annually, increasingthe agency’s millage to its maximum allowable amount foranannual total of $12.9 million from Jefferson Parishtaxpayers.

Stateagencies have leeway to adjust their tax rate, “rolling back” when property values increase to keep taxes flat, or “rollingforward,” as the levee authority did on Thursday, to raiseadditional funds.

During aconfirmation hearing in BatonRouge on Wednesdayfor board member Kerwyn King, Talbot expressed concern about the rising millage.

“Someofthe concern Ihave and some of the concern other people have is that we’re spending more and moremoney on …police,” Talbot said.

He stressedthatthe agency’s first priority should be “levees, levees, levees.”

‘Severedysfunction’

Thepoliceforce’sbudget has increased by nearly50% since the changes began. Supporters say the force must be professionalized and its equipment should be brought up to date.

The agency’s main role is maintaining muchofthe New Orleans area’s$14.5 billion hurricane protection system.

‘Can’t violateastate statute’ Flood authority board President Peter Vicari told lawmakers earlier this month that he would remove Rondeno from therole of compliance officer andbring his salary back down to its starting point. He declined to comment afterThursday’svoteand the board released astatementonthe

“When you’re acompliance officer fora multimillion-dollarentity,that to me is ajob in and of itself,” Talbot said.

Blair duQuesnay,who chairs the Citizens for 1Greater New Orleansorganization, whichpushed for flood policy reforms after Katrina, said“it’s unfortunatethat the Legislature now has to get involved and passlaws to correct mistakes made by this board.”

“While we are glad the Legislature has taken these steps, we believe areturn to proper governanceand protocol would avoid this situationaltogether,” duQuesnay said.

Rondeno’s supporters have praised his performance. Vicari has previously pointed to accomplishmentshesays include implementingworkforce development training and saving theagency

The result will be amodest bumpinmost homeowners’ 2026 tax bills.Underthe previous rate aresidentwith property valued at $300,000 paid $859.50 in taxes to theflood protectionauthority, assuming that they claimahomestead exemption.That will increaseby$42.75 to $902.25 under thenew millage rate.

“Nobody likespaying taxes.I certainly don’t. But it’sthe responsible thing to do to maintain our financial ability to partner with our partners,” said board Treasurer David Martin.

He said the East Jefferson districtcurrently has $50 million in reserves and expects future levee elevations —necessary to address subsiding land —tocost $80 million.

Scrutiny of the agency’spolice spending has also spilled over into questions about the tax increase.

tion after aDUI in 2021.

with clients, hadmisleda clientaboutthe status of her settlement,and other issues. For those failures,the state Supreme Court orderedSterlingtobesuspended frompracticingfor six months.After thesuspension was served, Sterling wasreinstatedtothe practice of law effective April 9, 2024, and his two-year probationary period began April 15, 2024. Butbefore the suspension period ended, the Officeof Disciplinary Counsel filed amotion seeking toextend Sterling’sprobation for another year.The state SupremeCourt approved that request on May 12.

As conditionsofhis probation,Sterling must complete the LouisianaBar Association’sEthics School within the next 12 months and pay all fees and expensestied to

cording to arecent analysis by theNational Education Association, anational teachers union. In 2024, Louisiana teachersearned about $6,000lessonaverage than their peers in nearby states, according to data from the Southern Regional Education Board. In theMay 16 election, Louisiana votersrejected an amendment to thestate constitutionthat would have liquidated three education trust funds to pay offteacher retirement debt, thenput the savings toward teacherraises.

Gov.JeffLandryhad championed the amendment,which wassimilar to one that failedto pass last year.But some educators opposed paying for the raises at theexpense of trust fundsthat support education programs that

Witnesses told investigators thetwo became involved in an altercation as Notto was leaving for work on May10, 2024. Authorities saidshe was found dead on thefront lawn of ahome in the 100 block of Rendezvous Road. According to Lafayette Parish court records,Carter appeared in courtApril 30 for apretrial hearing before Judge CynthiaSpadoni. Courtrecords state the case was continued to aMay 13 status hearing “to determine competency.” Records showCarter is currently scheduled for a felony trialbeginning Sept. 28.

the Office of Disciplinary Counsel’sinvestigation.

“In supportofthe motion, theparties assert the extension is warranted to address aviolation by respondent of the Rules of Professional Conductduring the period of probation,” theSupreme Court’s order states, althoughitdidn’texpand on what violation Sterling had committed.

Of theseven justices on thecourt, only Justice Jay McCallum dissented to the order extending Sterling’s probation, on thegroundsit was too lenient.

Little communication Complaints from two clients led to Sterling’s2023 suspension:One was an elderlywoman whohad been injuredatanAlbertsons in 2016, and the second a driverneeding representa-

benefit students.

On Monday, Landry posted on social mediathatno state employees shouldget payincreases this year if teachers do not receive permanent raises. In response, lawmakers planned to nix raises for prosecutors, judges, legislatorsand other state workers.

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers,the largest statewide teachers union, hadcalledonthe Legislature to drawfrom astate savingsaccount called the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund to pay for another year of educator stipends.

“Louisiana teachersand school employees should notface areduction in paywhile the state hasresources available to prevent it,” theunionsaidina Facebook post Tuesday

The investigationinto KhaineNotto’sdeath remains ongoing.

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY, MAY20, 2026

In the older woman’s case, she sufferedsevere damage toher front teeth while at the store and had Sterling file for damages as herattorney,according to the OfficeofDisciplinary Counsel’scommittee report.

ButSterling failed to file discovery documents on thewoman’sbehalf in a timelymanner and did not communicate with the opposing counsel, according to the committee report.

When asettlement was reached in the case in 2019, Sterling allegedlyfailedto provide the grocery store’s attorneys withthe required paperwork to process it.

Thewoman continually asked Sterling for updates on the settlement,accordingtothe committee’sreport.

While the budgetbill advancedbythe Senate committeedid not boost teacher pay,itdid include raises for some state workers, such as corrections officers. Aspokespersonfor Landry did not immediately respond to arequestfor comment.

Thebill, whichcould still be amended, nowheads to thefull Senatefor approval.Then it will go back to the House.

Separately,the board voted at a special meeting last week to request that Attorney General Liz Murrill releaseinvestigative reportsabout theagencytothe public Shane Guidry, Landry’sadviser in New Orleans whohas been overseeing reforms at the agency though he holds no official titleingovernment, hasbeen teasing the findings of those reports forover ayear,saying theyreveal waste,fraud andabuse underprior leadership.

Using those unspecifiedallegations as ajustification, Landry has overhauledthe board’smembership. Every board member who was serving before Landry’sgovernorship has been replaced.

Murrill saidlast week on WWL radio that if theboard wants thereport released, “I will release the report.”

She said it did notfind anycriminalconduct but that it details “some pretty severe dysfunction.” She also addressed Rondeno’scontract.

“Certainly,I don’tthink thathe should be able to drafta contract for himself and then get it approved,” she said. “The board has to do an independent job of evaluating what the compensation is and what’slegal to payhim.”

TRAIL RIDES

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St.LandryParishhas been ahub forthe trailride tradition. Until 2016, it was the home of Step-N-Strut, an event dubbed by some enthusiasts as the “Creole Woodstock.” Thethreedayevent wouldattract as many as 30,000 people to aparish with83,000 residents. Due to issues surrounding the massive size of the event, it is now hosted in Texas.

The YambileeBuilding is operated by the St. Landry Parish government and is rented out fortrail rides as one of the fewbuildings in the parish with the capacitytoholdthe often large events.

The issue of public safety at trailrides had emerged previously,with Bellard attempting to negotiatepolicy changeswithlocal trail ride associations following ashooting in October At the time, Bellard expressedanunwillingness to cancel trail rides in the parish, saying, “The event itself isn’tthe problem; it’s everything that happens around it. We’ve seen alot of activity happening outside the buildings. If people are not going inside to take part in the event, they’ll need to leave the grounds.” According to Bellard’s office, discussions to implement an age limit for trail participation and increased enforcement against solicitationatthe events fell through in January

Rondeno

2-time

Driver washospitalizedearly Thursday with ‘severeillness’

BY STEVE REED AP sportswriter

CONCORD,N.C. Kyle Busch, atwo-time Cup Series champion who wonmoreracesthan anyone across NASCAR’s threenational series, has died. He was 41.

The Busch Family,Richard ChildressRacing and NASCAR issued ajointstatement Thursday saying Busch died after being hospitalized. No cause of deathwas given Busch’sfamily said earlier Thursdaythat he was hospitalized with a“severe illness,” three days before he was to compete in the

SPO

RTS

NASCAR champBusch dies

Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

Motor Speedway

Buschwas the younger brother of Kurt Busch,a NASCARHall of Famer “Our entire NASCAR family is heartbrokenbythe lossofKyle Busch,” the statement said.

“A futureHall of Famer,Kyle was arare talent, onewho comes along once in ageneration. He was fierce, he waspassionate, he was immenselyskilledand he cared deeplyabout thesport and fans. The statement went on to say

BOND STRONG

BYJIM KLEINPETER Contributingwriter

Call them the “Sisterhoodofthe Circle.” It’s agood enough moniker for LSUpitcher Paytn Monticelli, who likens the LSU staff to asisterhood that played abig part in launching the Tigersinto this weekend’sNCAA Super Regional at No. 1national seed Alabama.

Theteams play Friday at 6p.m.onESPN2 and Saturday at 2p.m.onESPN. If they split those games, thedecidinggamefor aberth in theWomen’s College World Series in Oklahoma City will be played Sunday at atime to be determined

LSU is trying to end an eight-year WCWS droughtaftergettingto Oklahoma City four times in Beth Torina’sfirst six seasons at the helm. The seven-member pitchingstaff is headed by Monticelli, Jayden Heavenerand Cece Cellura, who each pitched acomplete-gamevictory in the Baton Rouge Regional last weekend. It will go head-to-head with one of the best pitching staffs in thenation,led by junior righthander Jocelyn Briski, the SEC Pitcherofthe Year Monticelli, the only Tigers pitcher with previous super regional experience, saidthe group’scloseness is thefoundation of the confidence that has been building throughout the season.Theytook some early hits but finished strong with17wins in the past 22 games.

“Weget alongsowell,” saidMonticelli, who spent two seasons with Oklahoma, which made the WCWS both years, and won it all in 2024. “Wewenttoapitcherdinnerlast night.Wedoalot of stuff outside of the field. The seven of us are like sisters, that’sthe bestpartofour team.

ä See LSU, page 3C

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Notlong after coach Lane Kiffinfirst landed in Baton Rouge,hepickeduphis phone and calledhis longtime friend and colleague Ed Orgeron. Kiffin was passing by TigerStadiumwhen the two coaches talked. According to the recollection of the call he shared at his introductory newsconference, Kiffin cracked to Orgeron that the drive onto campus gave him an urge to start talking in his voice —the gravel-toned Cajun accentthatpowered the Tigers to oneofthe best seasons in college football history in 2019. “I don’tknow, man,” Kiffin said over the phone, “I’m feeling you right now.” “Coach,” Orgeron replied, “you’re at the best place in America.” Nowthey both are. LSU announced Wednesdaynight that Orgeronwas returning to Baton

At somepoint you’ve probably caught a show on aband reunion tour.You know,when the musicians set aside their squabbling and contractual grievances to play together again. They may still not like each other,but the money is too good to resist.

This spring, LSU has put together areunion tour that’s about the mostLSU thing you can imagine. Three former head coaches —not just former,but fired coaches —have returned since March. It started with Will Wade coming back to coach men’s basketball and bringing back Johnny Jones to be on his staff. Now comes an encore to bring the house down: Coach Oisback.

Wednesday night, in the midst of what is

Kyle Busch celebrates after winning the NASCARSprint CupSeries race on March 20, 2011,

LSU pitcher Jayden Heavener takes the field for agameagainst TexasA&M on March 14 at TigerPark. LSU softball’s bond has been keytotheir success ahead of the NCAA Super Regional. STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSO

Clark out for game against Fire because of back injury

INDIANAPOLIS Caitlin Clark has a back injury and was ruled out by the Indiana Fever for Wednesday night’s game against the Portland Fire.

The Fever disclosed Clark’s injury less than two hours before tipoff. She had not been listed on Indiana’s injury report a day earlier

The star guard has not missed a game this season after her 2025 campaign was cut short by a series of injuries. Clark is averaging 24.3 points, nine assists, five rebounds and one assist in four games.

Clark has spoken this season about lingering back issues. After the Fever’s season-opening loss, she said her back “gets out of line pretty quickly.”

Sinner chases career Grand Slam

Italian star draws French opponent in first round of French Open

BY SAMUEL PETREQUIN

AP sportswriter

PARIS Jannik Sinner won’t have the crowd on his side when he starts his quest for a career Grand Slam at the French Open.

On Thursday, Sinner drew a French opponent in the first round — Clement Tabur, ranked a career-high 165th. Tabur received the wild card vacated by former champion Stan Wawrinka, who gained a late automatic entry. With two-time reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz out injured, Sinner is the overwhelming men’s favorite on the red clay of Roland Garros, where play starts on Sunday

The Italian is unbeaten in three months. He’s won 29 straight matches and dropped just three sets The French Open is the only major Sinner hasn’t won. Sinner had three match points in last year’s final but Alcaraz prevailed in an epic match. In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff is trying to become just the third woman to successfully defend the Roland Garros title this century after Justine Henin and Iga Swiatek. Gauff will start her campaign against fellow American Taylor Townsend, a doubles specialist. Gauff said at the draw she was “as ready as you can be.”

“I feel I had a good tournament in Rome, similar to the preparation I had last year, so I feel really ready.”

In the absence of Alcaraz, who

will also miss Wimbledon, Sinner has claimed all three clay Masters trophies in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. Sinner has the fifth longest winning run in the ATP Tour era (since 1990). Novak Djokovic has the record of 43 straight wins in 2010-11.

With his historic Rome title first homegrown men’s champion in 50 years Sinner became the second man after Djokovic to win all nine Masters, the biggest tournaments outside the Grand Slams. Djokovic continues to chase an unprecedented 25th major title.

But the Roland Garros champion from 2016, 2021, and 2023 is in Paris with only one match on clay this season and only three

tournaments all year because of a shoulder injury The 38-year-old will take on Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round. Djokovic couldn’t meet Sinner until the final. No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev, still looking for his first major crown after making it to the 2024 final in Paris, will be up against another local player, Benjamin Bonzi.

Home favorite Arthur Fils, the highest-ranked French player at No. 19, opens against Wawrinka in a mouthwatering contest. Gauff aiming for back to back Gauff’s first Roland Garros title came with a victory over top-

ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final a year ago. Just like last year, Gauff was the runner-up at the Italian Open, losing in the final to Elina Svitolina. She is No. 4 and seeded to meet No. 1 Sabalenka in the semifinals.

While Sabalenka remains unbeatable at times on hard courts, she is still perfecting her game on clay She was upset by American Hailey Baptiste in the Madrid Open quarterfinals and lost in the third round at the Italian Open to 36-year-old Sorana Cirstea. Sabalenka appeared visibly bothered by lower back pain in Rome Her first-round opponent is Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, a Spaniard ranked 51st. Elena Rybakina, ranked No. 2 and this year’s Australian Open champion, is in the same half of the draw as No. 3 Swiatek.

Rybakina has mixed results on clay She has reached the French quarterfinals twice. She starts against Veronika Erjavec of Slovenia.

Swiatek, the four-time French Open champion, lost to Svitolina in the Rome semifinals and is still reshaping her game under new coach Francisco Roig, who used to work with Rafael Nadal. Swi tek’s 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros ended in the semifinals last year with a loss to Sabalenka. She opens against Emerson Jones of Australia, a wild card.

Svitolina, who is from Ukraine, claimed the Rome title for her first WTA 1000 trophy in eight years and is back in the top 10 after a maternity leave. But she’s never been past the semifinals of a Grand Slam, and never past the quarterfinals at the French Open. Svitolina takes on Anna Bondar in the first round.

UL’s Potgieter qualities for NCAA championship

Cajuns senior plays three straight bogey-free rounds

BY DAN MCDONALD

Contributing writer

UL’s Malan Potgieter is headed to the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships after an impressive display at the NCAA regionals on Wednesday in Athens, Georgia.

The Cajuns senior turned in his third straight bogey-free round at the Athens regional to finish tied for first.

A final round 3-under 68 at the 7,258-yard par-71 Georgia course left him at 14 under and tied with Vanderbilt’s Will Hartman for medalist honors.

The Kirkwood, South Africa, native is the first Cajun to qualify for the nationals in 30 years. The last UL player to make it was Matt Trevino in 1996.

Finishing as the top individual in regional play assures Potgieter of All-America status by the Golf Coaches Association of America He is first UL AllAmerican since Richard Ainley in 2001.

“Doing what he did, especially as an individual, that was really impressive,” Cajuns coach Theo Sliman said. “Guys that are on teams that are also in contention as individuals can really free-wheel; they don’t have the intense pressure that Malan had for three days.”

The top five teams and the low individual not on one of the top five teams at each of the six regionals qualified for the finals May 29-June 3 at Omni LaCosta Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Cali-

fornia. Potgieter finished three strokes ahead of the next highest player that did not advance with the top five teams — Vanderbilt, Louisville, Auburn, Brigham Young and Georgia advancing from the regional.

Potgieter was the only player in the six-regional, 450-player

field to record all pars (41 to lead the field), birdies (12) and eagles (one) for the three rounds.

“This was probably my best ball-striking performance in four years of college golf,” Potgieter said. “That makes it a lot easier to make pars probably the longest par putt I had to make all week was maybe 12 feet.”

Potgieter, who had finished 11th in last year’s Tallahassee regional, opened with eight straight pars Wednesday before birdieing the 443-yard par-four

ninth hole. He added birdies on the 12th and 15th holes before parring to finish with a 68.

He tied for the second-low score with his opening 5-under 66 and bettered that with a 65 on Tuesday, the second low round of the day in the 75-player regional field.

“His first two days were unbelievably impressive from just not missing a shot,” Sliman said. “He had to work a little bit harder today, but he played brilliant. His proximity wasn’t as tight as the first two days, but he still only missed two greens. He played with such patience and calmness young guys usually get rattled in a situation like this and he could have gotten rattled with a missed chip or putt, but none of that bothered him.”

Potgieter was a freshman on the UL squad that advanced as a team to the Norman (Oklahoma) regional in 2023.

“It’s been a goal of mine for four years to go to the national championship and compete at the highest level,” Potgieter said. “This course suited my game almost perfectly I felt good after the practice round Sunday, and off the tee I didn’t miss too many fairways all week and when I did it was just off the fairway.”

Eagles’ Smith arrested for driving 65 mph over limit

Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr was arrested last week in Georgia for driving 135 mph in a 70 mph zone, authorities said.

Smith who played at Georgia was cited for speeding and reckless driving, the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday He posted bond and was released shortly after his arrest on May 15. Smith, from Savannah, Georgia, was selected by the Eagles with the 30th pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He has 25 quarterback hits, 10.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over three seasons. He played a crucial role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX run, recording five quarterback hits, four sacks and four tackles for loss during the playoffs.

French Open prize money won’t change despite protest

PARIS The French Open prize money will not change this year despite players complaining they deserve a bigger share, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said on Thursday

Top players have criticized the Open organizers for reducing the players’ share of revenue to an alleged 14.3% — compared to 22% at standard ATP and WTA events.

To show their discontent, many competing at Roland Garros, where play begins on Sunday, are planning to limit their interaction with reporters to 15 minutes during Friday’s traditional pre-tournament media day

Roland Garros organizers increased the prize money by about 10%, after the U.S. Open last year raised their’s by 20%.

Iowa State great Ryan promoted to assistant coach

AMES, Iowa Emily Ryan, one of the most productive point guards in women’s college basketball history when she played for Iowa State, has been hired as a full-time assistant at her alma mater coach Bill Fennelly announced Thursday Ryan played for the Cyclones from 2020-25 and was a graduate assistant last season She finished her career with 993 assists, a school record and seventh all-time in Division I. She was just the third NCAA women’s player to record at least 1,500 points, 900 assists and 600 rebounds in a career. She also ranks in the top five in program history in steals and blocks. Ryan was voted to the All-Big 12 first team in 2022 and second team in 2023 and was on the league’s alldefensive team in 2021.

Florida center Chinyelu returning for senior season

GAINESVILLE, Fla. Florida center Rueben Chinyelu decided Thursday he will return for his senior season to run it back with a stacked frontcourt that helped the Gators win a national championship in 2025.

Chinyelu formally removed his name from the NBA draft to play another year with fellow big men Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. Coach Todd Golden’s roster is expected to cost roughly $25 million in 2026-27.

Chinyelu went through the NBA pre-draft process and had until May 27 to decide whether to return to school or stay in the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANDRA TARANTINO

Jannik Sinner, of Italy, celebrates winning a point against Casper Ruud, of Norway, during the final match at the Italian Open in Rome on Sunday

FILE PHOTO By BENHAMIN R. MASSEy

UL golfer Malan Potgieter advanced the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship after finishing tied

first at the Athens (Ga.) regional.

Continued from page1C

“It’sasisterhood within asisterhood. Sometimes we can feel like we’re on our own island and wouldn’thave it any other way We’ve got each other’sback no matter what.”

Monticelli (9-3, 2.39 ERA) and Cellura (9-5, 3.12) tamed Virginia Tech’spowerful offensive attack, holding the Hokies to seven hits and two runs in 13 innings. Heavener (13-8, 2.75) threw athree-hit shutout, the 10th of her career,in the opener against Akron “Toget three complete games from three different pitchers in aregional is pretty unheard of,”

BUSCH

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that “throughout acareerthat spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships atNASCAR’shighest level and fostered the next generationofdrivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparkedadeep emotionalconnection with racefans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’

The newscomes11days after Busch radioed into his crew near theend of aCup Series race at Watkins Glen asking adoctor to give him a“shot” after he finishedthe race. According to the TV broadcast,Busch hadbeenstruggling with asinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forcesand elevation changes at the New York road course.

Busch finished the race in eighth place

Busch competed at Dover last weekend and won the Trucks Seriesrace for Richard Childress Racing. He finished 17th at the NASCAR All-Star race.

“Absoluteshock. Very hard to process,” veteranNASCAR driver Brad Keselowski posted on social media.

NASCAR driver and former teammate Denny Hamlin posted on social media: “Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to thinkofhis familyduring this time. We love you KB.”

Apolarizing figure known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” for his post-race fights, regular feuds with other drivers andsometimes outlandish behavior,the multi-talented Busch stormedonthe Cup Series scene in 2005 by winning Rookie of the Year

He went on to win championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

From Las Vegas, Buschexperienced unrivaled successacross NASCAR’sthree national series winning acombined 234 Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts andTrucks Seriesraces. He had 63 Cup victories along with 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts wins and 69 Trucks victories —both records.

Kyle Busch was aracing prodigy

He was said to be ready to race at NASCAR’stop level at 16, but acigarette settlement banned his debut and he had to wait until he was a18. At the time Kurt Busch said “if you think I’m good, wait until you see my brother.”

Busch was fired early in his career by Hendrick Motorsportsto make roomonthe teamfor Dale Earnhardt Jr

“Kyle and Ihad areally challenging existence formanyyears,

LSU coach Beth Torina said. “It’s special what they did last weekend.”

LSU (40-17) will need moreof that to get past Alabama (52-7), which lost only one SEC series this season.The heart of the Crimson Tide’steam is itsown pitching staff. Briski is 23-4with a1.38 earned run average and182 strikeoutsin1462/3 innings, while VicMoten is right behind with 20-4, 1.66 ERA, 1351/3 innings,163 strikeouts and52walks. Alabama had the second-lowest team ERA at 1.52 with430 strikeouts andonly 103 walks. “They do aton of things well,” Torinasaid. “They’ve been led by their pitching staff and are solid on allfronts.”

The Tide is led offensively by

Brooke Wells and designated player Alexis Pupillo. Wells has hit 23 homers with 65 runs batted in while batting .398. Pupillo also brings power with 17 homers and a.396 average. Torina likes herteam’sresilience after aslow start and knows trying to beat thenation’sNo. 1seed will come down to grinding through imperfect performances.

“This team is tough. The things theywent through made them tougher,” Torina said. “They understand they can take apunch, and it doesn’thave to be perfect. It won’tbeperfect this time of year We’regoing to get punched; it’s how you respond. They’ve learned this response and proven they have one. They’ll keep fighting all theway.”

Earnhardt saidina statement.

“But we luckilytook thetimeto figure out ourdifferences and that wassomethingheinstigated with aconversation inhis bus around howweeachmanaged ourracing teams. Iwas super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made theeffort for that to be possible.”

Busch movedontoJoe Gibbs Racing where he experienced the vast majority of career success.

But Busch was letgowhenthere was nosponsorafter the2022 season and joined RCR, where had struggled to win races.

His lackof success led to arecent spat withformer JGR teammate Denny Hamlin, who appeared to criticize Busch on the Actions Detrimentalpodcast

Hamlin said, “If you’re expecting KyleBusch to just go back to Victory Lane on aregular basis, you are kiddingyourselves.”

While Hamlin later said he meantnoharm bythe comments and was just making an observation, Busch took exception and said he could make Hamlin’slife “hell” on the racetrack.

While several laps down at last month’sraceatKansas,Busch made goodonthe threat and raced Hamlin hard instead of allowing therace leader to pass. That decisionheld up Hamlin during a crucial stageofthe race and Tyler Reddickwoundupwinning the race after Hamlin faded late.

After winning the Trucks race at Dover last week andshowing an uptickinspeed, Busch seemed to make aveiled jabatHamlin, saying “I guess Ijust remembered howtodrive.”

After earning his winatDover,

RABALAIS

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sure to be LSU baseball’sseasonending loss to Auburn in the SEC tournament, newsbroke that Ed Orgeron wasreturning to be apart of Lane Kiffin’sstaff. Not as aposition coach, but as a special assistantfor defense and recruiting. His salary: $100,000, abit removed from the highrent district of his $9 million salary in his final season as LSU’s head coach in 2021 (the school finished paying Orgeron his $17 million buyout in December,so no clawback is available).

When Kiffintook the LSU job in late November,hementioned calling Orgeron on his waypast Tiger Stadium

“I said, ‘Hey man, thisplace just makes me want to talklike you right now,’ ”Kiffin said. “I rolled down the window and Iwas like, ‘Geaux Tigahs!’ to thefans.”

Orgeron replied, “You’re in thebest place in America right now.”

The two have been friends and coaching colleagues foralong time. Kiffinand Orgeron were on Pete Carroll’sstafftogether at Southern California. Later,after being fired as head coach at Ole Miss, Orgeron went to work for Kiffin when he becamehead coach at Tennessee in 2009 and then USC in 2010. When USC fired Kiffinin2013, the school madeOrgeron interim head coach, the samerole he filled in 2016 when LSU canned Les Miles.

Orgeron got the job full-time later that season, then, of course, led LSUtothat incomparable 2019 national championship season. Even if Kiffinwins acouple of national titles at LSU, he won’tbeable to field ateam that surpasses that Joe Burrow-led squad. Still, Orgeron was out by 2021, unable to sustain the program at such ahigh level. Coach Obounced around the sport,lived forawhile in Miami Beach,Florida, got remarried, watched his sons begin their football coaching careers and talked of getting back in the game—anitch that until now he was unable to scratch with a permanentposition. Considering their relationship, it seemed natural that Kiffinwould hire

ORGERON

Continued from page1C

Rouge to fill aroleonKiffin’s staff. The former Tigers’ head coach will work as aspecial assistant to recruiting and defense, andhesigned aone-year deal worth$100,000, accordingtoa copyofhis term sheet obtained Thursday by The Advocate.

Orgeron as defensive line coach on his new staffatLSU.When he didn’t, it seemed Kiffin might have deemed that too awkward, which was fair enough. Eventually,though, Kiffindecided he needed someCoach O energy and enthusiasm on his staff. Say what you wantabout Orgeron’squality as ahead coach and how things ended forhim at LSU.But the man is apreeminent defensive line coach and an unparalleled recruiter.Hemay not be on point to do either for the Tigers —LSU has twoD-line coaches in Sterling Lucas and Kevin Peoples —but he can certainly offer invaluable input and makefor someindelible in-home visits.

There was understandable concern among Tiger fans when former recruiting coordinator and fellow Louisiana coaching icon Frank Wilson wasn’t retained by Kiffin, instead trekking north to Ole Miss to be part of Pete Golding’snew staff in Oxford, Mississippi. But by bringing back Orgeron, Kiffin can say,“I’ll see your Frank Wilson and raise you aCoach O.”

The personal touch isn’tasimportant as it wasbefore NIL and revenue sharing —every recruit now is like Rod Tidwell in “Jerry Maguire,” bellowing “Show me the money!” —but Orgeron will be able to go on the road and help recruit. There isn’tahigh school coach he won’t makean impression on, and Iimagine he has lost little or anything off his in-homefastball he displayed in “The Blind Side.” Getting back into football in an official capacity is certainly awin forOrgeron. Unless he started contradicting what Lucas and Peoples are teaching the Tigers’ D-linemen, Ican’t imagine this isn’tawin forLSU And it’sawin forKiffin, at least temporarily,though somewill and have dredged up someof Orgeron’spast off-the-field transgressions. However you look at it, it’san engrossing final act of acareer filled with remarkable chapters. One moreenticing ingredient to a2026-27 LSU athletic year already stocked with compelling characters like Kiffin, Wade and KimMulkey Football season can’tget here fast enough.

COACHO’S TERM SHEET

Busch was asked how manyraces he wants to win in his careerbefore he stops racing.

“You takewhatever youcan get,man,” Busch said. “You never knowwhenthe last oneisgoing to be, so cherish them all —trust me.”

The unexpected death is just the latest tragedy to hit NASCAR. Last December,former driver Greg Biffle, hiswife and two children andthreeothers died in aplane crashinStatesville, North Carolina.

The announcement of Busch’s death cameafter Indy Car teams hadalreadyleft GasolineAlley on media day at the Indianapolis500. As word spread on Main Street in Speedway,Indiana,just ashort walk from Indianapolis Motor Speedway,race fans— IndyCar andNASCAR —were saddened.

“Shocking, you know,wonder what got him. He had aserious illness,”saidMikeBowers, an IndyCar fan who cametotown from Kansas City for the big weekend. “A sad deal.It’sgoingtobeoneverybody’smind all weekend.”

NASCARofficials confirmed to The Associated Press the CocaCola 600 will go on as planned Sunday

Driversare expected to begin making their way to Charlotte MotorsportsSpeedway in Concord on Friday with practice and qualifying beginning on Saturday.Earlier in theday,RCR had announced that Austin Hill would replace Buschinthe No. 8Chevrolet CamaroZL1.

Buschissurvived by wife Samantha and childrenBrexton and Lennix.

Orgeron, 64, can coach on the sidelineduring games and hit theroad to recruit. TheNCAA passed arule change in 2024 that removed restrictions on the number of FBS staff members who can “provide technical and tactical instruction” during games and practices while maintaining thelimit on coaches who can leave campus to recruit prospectiveplayers. Teams must still designate no morethan11staffers, including thehead coach, as off-campus recruiters. Orgeron is expected to fillone of those spots, according to areport from On3.

It’sanideal role for the Larose native, whospent the 2025 season talking publicly about his desire to coach again but only if he found “the right situation.” He’s spent thelast four years in an unofficialretirement, collecting his $17 million buyout in monthly installmentsuntil this past December

“Now,doIexpect to be anational championship coach?”Orgeron told The Advocate in January.“I’m not expecting that. I’m not expecting to be ahead coach. Iwas happybeing adefensive line coach. Iloved it. Ilove coachingfootball. Ilovebeing retired. Either one would be fine.”

The on-field coaching role Orgeron will fillinhis second stint at LSU,though, is less clear than his recruiting responsibilities. The Tigers have three assistant coaches assignedtodifferent partsofthe defensive line —the position group thatOrgeron has overseen throughout his career SterlingLucas is the program’s official defensive line coach, Kevin Peoples is now in charge of its interior linemen, and Lou Spanos is apass-rush specialist. Kiffin retained Peoples from coach Brian Kelly’sstaff, but hired Lucas away from South Carolina and broughtSpanoswithhim from Ole Miss.

Even if Orgeron’snew role doesn’t require him to be as

Ed Orgeron signeda one-year deal to returntoLSU,according to acopyofhis term sheet obtained ThursdaybyThe Advocate. The deal, which runs through January, will payOrgeron $100,000.The former LSU head coach signeditonWednesday, the daythe program announced that he wasreturning to Baton Rouge to work as aspecial assistant to recruiting and defense on coach Lane Kiffi n’sstaff.

Orgeron can coach during games, and he’s expected to be one of the 10 assistant coacheswho are allowedtomakerecruiting trips. ReedDarcey

hands-on as he wasinhis last job as an assistant coach, he can still leave aconsiderable markonthe program Orgeron was knownnationally as one of the nation’sbest recruiters when he wasLSU’s head coach. He and his staff landed all of the major stars wholed the Tigers to their 2019 national title, including Joe Burrow,Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Derek Stingley andothers. Many of themwerefromLouisiana,which wasone of the reasons Kiffinhas saidattracted him to theLSU job So, having Orgerononboard should enhance the Tigers’ recruiting operation ahead of an important 2027 high school signingcycle. Louisiana hasfive players in the top 100 of 247Sports’ composite rankings,and twoof themare alreadycommittedto LSU: Ruston tightend Ahmad Hudson and Shreveport quarterback Peyton Houston. The other threecould soon hear from Orgeron, whotelegraphed his moveback to LSU in an interviewwith Jacksonville,Florida, radiostation WJXL92.5 FM last December.Itwas afew days after Kiffincalledhim on his way to the Tigers’ football operations building.

“I’d consider it, yes,” Orgeron said. “I’d definitely consider it. No question. Lane and Ihave worked together at threeschools.I love him.Heand Iare good friends; I believe in him.Sodefinitely,ifhe does ask me, I’d consider it.No question.” It just took Kiffinmore than one phone call to do it.

LSU

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By TERRy RENNA

Kyle Busch holds up the trophyinVictoryLaneafter winning aNASCAR Cup Series championship on Nov. 17,2019, at HomesteadMiami SpeedwayinHomestead, Fla.

PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

LSU pitcher Paytn Monticelli, second from left, is surrounded by teammates after getting thelast out in agame against Ole Miss on April 20 at TigerPark. LSU won8-5.

That’sawrap! The LiveAfter Five free outdoor concertserieswill finish its spring season withashowbythe RougeKrewe party band, which brings high-energy favorites, dance hits and crowdfun to each performance. The musicwill run from 5p.m. to 8p.m. FridayatRhorer Plazadowntown.downtownbr.org/liveafter-five/.

LIVING

With the extended Memorial Day weekend,there’s more time to take in the last of Louisiana’s fairsand festivalsfor spring

Hereare thedetails on eight of them, from celebrating the watermeloninDeRiddertoa zydecobashinLafayette:

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

BEAUREGARD WATERMELON

FESTIVAL: BeauregardParish Fairgrounds, 504 West Drive

DeRidder. The community event is going patriotic to celebratethe nation’s 250th birthday, pausing to honorthe bravemen and women whose sacrifice made freedom possible. Goldstar Amusement will offer rides, games and other midway favorites. Also look for liveentertainment and contests. beauregardwatermelonfestival.com.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL: LamarDixon Expo Center,9039S.St. Landry Ave.,Gonzales. Carnival rides, games, livemusic, jambalaya cook-off, food vendors, and arts and crafts. jambalayafestival.net.

GREEK FESTIVAL: Holy Trinity Greek OrthodoxCathedral, 1200 Allen Toussaint Blvd.,New Orleans. Walk/run,guided tours of the cathedral, performances by the Hellenic Dancers, live Greek music, Athenian Playground for kids, food and drink. https:// www.gfno.com/.

MUDBUG MADNESS FESTIVAL: Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett St., Shreveport. Thirty bands set to playcountry,pop,blues and zydeco on three stages; food, art/ craft vendors, children’s area, crawfish eating contests, boiled crawfish, beverages. https:// www.mudbugmadness.com/.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY31

CAJUN HEARTLAND STATEFAIR: 444 Cajundome Blvd.,Lafayette. This kickoff to summer features rides, food, craft vendors, free attractions and family-oriented games. Admissionis$5SundayThursdayand before7 p.m Friday- Saturday, $10 after 7p.m. Friday-Saturday. cajundome.com

SATURDAY LUNCHBOXCOMEDYFESTIVAL IV: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Cabin &Courtyard Events, Gonzales. Event will feature25-plus comedians, 20-plus vendors, four full comedy shows,liveband, reptile petting zooand hot dog eating competition. All-daypass, $25; VIP pass, $40. eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

REEL DEAL

From ‘StarWars’ to ‘The Dog Stars,’hereare 29 movies hittingU.S.theatersthissummer

TBY JOHN WIRT | Contributingwriter

he summer movie season opens big on Friday with “Star Wars:The Mandalorian and Grogu.”

Thecoming weeks and months will bring new films from A-list directors Steven Spielberg (“Disclosure Day”) and Christopher Nolan (“The Odyssey”); a“Scary Movie” sequel; ahandful of genuinely scary movies; thefifth “Toy Story”; and alive-action remake of Disney’sanimated hit “Moana.” Many films opening from Friday through late summer follow.Opening dates may change.

FRIDAY

“PASSENGER”: Ademon hitches aride with a young couple who witnessed adeadly highway accident. Starring Jacob Scipio, LouLlobelland Melissa Leo.

“STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU”: PedroPascal starsasDin Djarin, theMandalorian bountyhunter who, withhis apprentice, Grogu, battles Imperial warlords hellbenton destroying theNew Republic. SigourneyWeaver and JeremyAllenWhiteco-star

MAY29

“BACKROOMS”: Astrange doorway appears in the basementofafurniturestore.WithChiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years aSlave”),New Orleans nativeMark Duplass, RenateReinsve,Finn Bennett and LukitaMaxwell.

“PRESSURE”: Set in the72hours before D-Day, “Pressure”focuses on Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser)and Capt. James Stagg (Andrew Scott) as they decide if thetime is right to launch thelargest invasion-by-sea in history —orriskdefeat in EuropebyNazi Germanyand its fascist allies.

“THE BREADWINNER”: In his firstfeature film, comedian NateBargatze playsasalesman and father whosesupremely organized spouse (Mandy Moore) takes an extended business trip,leaving theirhome in chaos.

JUNE 5

“MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE”: After Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine)obtains theSword of Power, he returns to his nativeplanet, Eternia, to save his family and world ä See MOVIES, page 6C

BATONROUGE SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL: 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Featuring blues, soul, R&B, gospel and Christian music, along with avendors’ village, ajudgedsoulfood cooking contest, and new this year —a mustardgreens andcornbread eating competition. Free. https:// hitcitydigital.wixsite.com/brsoulfoodfest. ZYDECO EXTRAVAGANZA: Noon, Blackham Coliseum, 2230John-

Mike Dopsie and DJ Troy D. $30 and up; free, kids 12 and younger. https://zydecoextra.com/.

Awards elude multi-nominated Lainey Wilson

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, May 22, the 142nd day of 2026. There are 223 days left in the year

Today in history:

On May 22, 1960, the strongest earthquake recorded struck southern Chile. The magnitude 9.5 quake claimed 1,655 lives, left 2 million homeless and triggered a tsunami responsible for over 230 additional deaths in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines. Also on this date:

In 1939, the foreign ministers of Germany and Italy

Joachim von Ribbentrop and Galeazzo Ciano, signed a “Pact of Steel” committing their two countries to a military and political alliance.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, speaking at the University of Michigan, outlined the goals of his “Great Society,” saying that it “rests on abundance

MOVIES

Continued from page 5C

“POWER BALLAD”: Rick (Paul Rudd), a professional wedding singer, and Danny (Nick Jonas), a faded boy-band star, become friends after they meet at a jam session. Jealousy ensues when Danny gets a hit with a song written by Rick.

“SCARY MOVIE”: Original

“Scary Movie” stars Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris and Regina Hall are mock-terrorized by masked murderer Ghostface.

JUNE 12

“DISCLOSURE DAY”: Steven Spielberg directs an alien-invasion thriller starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and Eve Hewson.

JUNE 19

“THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD”: Suffering from physical and mental wounds, Robin Hood gets a chance for salvation thanks to a mysterious woman. Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgård lead the cast.

“TOY STORY 5”: Woody the cowboy, Buzz Lightyear and the other toys confront a new nemesis. Lilypad, a frogshaped smart tablet, is determined to sever the toys from their child, Bonnie. Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Greta Lee and music of Randy Newman.

“GIRLS LIKE US”: A coming-ofage drama based on writerdirector Hayley Kiyoko’s hit song and bestselling novel.

JUNE 26

“JACKASS BEST AND LAST”: Johnny Knoxville leads his gang of fools in more silly stunts. It’s promised to be the final “Jackass” movie.

“SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW”: Milly Alcock is the new Supergirl, a reluctant heroine who, responding to a merciless threat, embarks on an interstellar quest for justice.

JULY 1

“MINIONS & MONSTERS”: The diminutive co-stars of four “Despicable Me” movies conquer Hollywood and become movie stars before losing everything and unleashing monsters. Voices by Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, Phil LaMarr, Trey Parker and Pierre Coffin.

JULY 3

“THE INVITE”: Oliva Wilde directs and co-stars in a comedy-drama about a dinner party that takes unexpected turns. Penélope Cruz and Seth Rogen co-star. Limited opening. “YOUNG WASHINGTON”: William Franklyn-Miller portrays George Washington at the beginning of his military career. Mary-Louise Parker, Kelsey Grammer and Ben Kingsley co-star.

AWARDS

Continued from page 5C

Although fellow Louisiana artist Lainey Wilson went into the 61st ACM Awards ceremony with six nominations, including Entertainer of the Year she left empty-handed, bested for the top honor by singer and former pro bull rider Cody Johnson (“I’m Gonna Love You,” “The Fall,” “’Til You Can’t”) The big win-

TODAY IN HISTORY

and liberty for all” and “demands an end to poverty and racial injustice.”

In 1969, the lunar module of Apollo 10, with Thomas P. Stafford and Eugene Cernan aboard, flew within nine miles of the moon’s surface in a “dress rehearsal” for the first lunar landing. In 1985, U.S sailor Michael L Walker was arrested aboard the aircraft carrier Nimitz, two days after his father John A Walker Jr., was apprehended by the FBI; both were later convicted of spying for the Soviet Union (Michael Walker served 15 years in prison and was released in 2000; John Walker Jr died in prison in 2014.) In 1992, after a reign lasting nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson hosted his final episode of NBC’s “Tonight Show.” (Jay Leno took over as host three days later.) In 2011, a massive EF5 tornado struck Joplin,

Missouri, with winds up to 250 mph, killing at least 159 people and destroying about 8,000 homes and businesses. In 2017, a suicide bomber set off an improvised explosive device that killed 22 people and injured over 1,000 following an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. Today’s birthdays: Actor-filmmaker Richard Benjamin is 88. Songwriter Bernie Taupin is 76. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is 69. Singer Morrissey is 67. Singer Johnny Gill (New Edition) is 60. Actor Brooke Smith is 59. Model Naomi Campbell is 56. Actor Sean Gunn is 52. Actor Ginnifer Goodwin is 48. Actor Maggie Q is 47. Olympic speed skating gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno is 44. Tennis player Novak Djokovic is 39. Actor Judah Lewis is 25. Actor Peyton Elizabeth Lee is 22.

JULY 10

“EVIL DEAD BURN”: The fifth

“Evil Dead” movie sticks to the 1981 original’s horror blueprint. After a woman’s husband dies, she seeks comfort with her in-laws at an isolated family retreat

JULY 17

“MOANA”: Disney adapts another of its animated hits to live-action. Starring Catherine Laga’aia as Polynesian heroine Moana and Dwayne Johnson as the shape-shifting Maui. Directed by Thomas Kail of “Hamilton” fame Songs by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

“THE ODYSSEY”: Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer,” “The Dark Knight,” “Interstellar”) depicts Odysseus’ voyage home from the Trojan War in the IMAX format. The blockbuster cast features Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron.

JULY 31

“SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY”: After erasing himself from the memories of everyone he loves, Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, is alone in New York City. Fighting crime full-time in a city that has forgotten him, he faces a vexing new crime wave. Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink and Mark Ruffalo star.

AUG. 7

“ONE NIGHT ONLY”: In this high-concept romantic comedy, Monica Barbaro (“A Complete Unknown,” “Top Gun: Maverick”) and Callum Turner (“Masters of the Air,” “Fantastic Beasts”) portray two people looking for love in New York City on the least likely night to find it. With Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, Molly Ringwald and Levar Burton.

AUG. 14

“PAW PATROL: THE DINO

ner of the night, Ella Langley, beat out Wilson in four other categories Newlywed Wilson turned 34 on Tuesday, did take the stage for a high-energy flashy performance of current hit “I Can’t Sit Still.” Her black, body-hugging ensemble, bedecked with silver buckles and fringe, popped against her backup dancers’ all-white attire. News broke last week that Wilson and longtime boyfriend Devlin “Duck” Hodges, a former NFL

FRIDAY MAGGIE TAUZIN: Cane River

Pecan Company Pie Bar, New Iberia, 5 p.m.

DAVE BRUCE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT JAM: La Maison de Begnaud, Scott, 6 p.m.

JACK WOODSON: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6 p.m.

MATT GARY TRIO: Whiskey and Vine, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

CAJUN HEARTLAND STATE FAIR — MASON TRAIL AND ZYDECO RHYTHM: Cajundome, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

DOYLE TAUZIN: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

RORY SUIRE: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

CHAS JUSTUS & THE TRAIL

DRIVERS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

COUILLON FEST: A STAND-UP

COMEDY FESTIVAL: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

JC MELANCON: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7 p.m.

BAYOU BLUES NIGHT FEATURING THE HARRINGTONES + JP

SUMMERS + THE COLLABORATORY JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

NICK BEGNAUD: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8 p.m.

PASSENGER ELEVEN, SMOL

ROSA, DANDELIONESS: Freetown Boom Boom Room, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

JOHNNY MARKS: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.

MICHAEL SCOTT BOU-

DREAUX: Rock ’n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY

LEROY THOMAS & THE ZYDECO ROADMASTERS: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8 a.m.

TROY LEJEUNE BAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8 a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9 a.m.

SATURDAY MORNING JAM

SESSIONS: The Savoy Music Center, Eunice, 9 a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

MOVIE”: The PAW Patrol pups get shipwrecked on an island of dinosaurs. Making matters worse, PAW Patrol enemy Mayor Humdinger begins mining the island, sparking a volcanic eruption.

“THE END OF OAK STREET”: A cosmic event transports a family’s 1980s neighborhood on Earth to an unknown place. Starring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor and P.J. Byrne.

AUG. 21

“INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER”: Gemma, a young mother raising a daughter in the house she grew up in, learns that she can travel into a purgatory for lost souls and open a portal for demons.

“MUTINY”: Jason Statham’s character in the action-thriller “Mutiny,” a good guy who’s been framed for a crime, uncovers human trafficking on a cargo ship.

AUG. 28

“COYOTE VS. ACME”: An animated/live-action hybrid movie, “Coyote vs. Acme” pits Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote in a suit against the Acme Corp., whose products always malfunction when he pursues Road Runner. Will Forte and John Cena co-star.

“FINDING EMILY”: A lovestruck musician gets the wrong number for his dream girl. He enlists a psychology student to find her and, together, they inspire a campus-wide frenzy that tries their own hearts and ambitions. Starring Angourie Rice, Spike Fearn and Minnie Driver.

“THE DOG STARS”: After a pandemic wipes out most of the humans on Earth, survivors must evade murderous scavengers known as Reapers. Ridley Scott (“Gladiator,”

“Blade Runner”) directs a stellar cast featuring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce.

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@ msn.com.

quarterback, had tied the knot on Mother’s Day at the foot of a waterfall in The Ruskin Cave, Dickson, Tennessee. Wilson, a native of Baskin, wore a custom Oscar de la Renta gown with Japanese cherry blossom appliques. Both wore cowboy boots custom-made for the occasion New Orleans’ Rebirth Jazz Band provided music. Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

Broussard, Broussard, 8 p.m.

DUSTIN SONNIER & THE

WANTED: Lakeview Park, Eunice, 8 p.m.

GENO DELAFOSE & ROCKIN

BOOGIE: La Poussiere Cajun Dancehall, Breaux Bridge, 8 p.m.

WACK! WITH FRIENDS: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

WYATT SHUFF AND SEC-

ONDHAND SMOKE: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.

THAT ‘90S SHOW: Rock ’n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

THE SUNDAY PEOPLE: Whiskey and Vine, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro, 11:30 a.m.

BAL DU DIMANCHE — BRAN-

DON LEDET & CREOLE

TOUCH: Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folklife Park, Lafayette, 1 p.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC JAM: Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folklife Park, Lafayette, 1 p.m.

CAJUN JAM SESSION: Touchet’s Bar, Maurice, 2 p.m.

AUDREY BROUSSARD: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

CAJUN BREAKFAST: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6 p.m.

CAJUN HEARTLAND STATE FAIR — GYPSY LA BLUE, SCHOOL OF ROCK, SPANK THE MONKEY: Cajundome, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LWA HEARTLAND HEAT II: Cajundome, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

PAUL PIAZZA: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

BRANDON MENARD: The Tap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

FOREST HUVAL: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

THE CAST: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

COUILLON FEST: A STAND-UP

COMEDY FESTIVAL: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

JUST US JAZZ: Whiskey and Vine, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

KEITH MYERS: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7 p.m.

TROUBLE DOWN TECHE: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

CLIFF BERNARD: The Barrel of

ZYDECO EXTRAVAGANZA: Blackham Coliseum, Lafayette, 1 p.m.

CAJUN JAM: Bayou Teche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2 p.m.

JAMIE BERGERON: Cypress Cove Landing, Breaux Bridge, 3 p.m.

SHADOW ROAD BAND FEA-

TURING KYLE DUGAS: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 4:30 p.m.

CAJUN HEARTLAND STATE FAIR — ISAAC LEJEUNE, MIKE

BROUSSARD: Cajundome, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

SAM SPHAR: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

COLBY HEBERT & LUKE HUVAL AND FRIENDS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

RAY THIBODEAUX & ALLONS

DANSER: Lakeview Park, Eunice, 8 p.m.

REGGAE SUNDAY WITH MISTA DO RIGHT AND THE IRIE CREW + LIL C: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

GENO DELAFOSE: Rock ’n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 9 p.m.

MONDAY PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Cafe Habana City, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m. CAJUN HEARTLAND STATE FAIR — DANI LACOUR: Cajundome, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

MICHALIS: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

and Vine, Lafayette, 7 p.m. RAMONA AND THE HOLY SMOKES + LILY UNLESS AND THE IF ONLYS: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY DULCIMER JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center,

music listed? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy Catch Forest Huval at Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

PROVIDED PHOTO By MELINDA SUE GORDON/UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Matt Damon is Odysseus in ‘The Odyssey,’ written, produced and directed by Christopher Nolan.

YE ARS

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Structure your time and schedulearound whatmatters mosttoyou. Considerhosting an event or openingyourdoors to people you like to hang outwith or haven't seen forsome time.

cAncER (June 21-July22) Consider every angle and, most of all, be honest with yourself regarding what's possibleand whatisn't.Fact-check,talktoexpertsand avoid taking on too much debt or responsibilities

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Payattention to detail. Choose acreative or helpful path. Approach specialists to discover resources that you can draw from to ensurethatwhatever you do is done with good intentions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Pace yourself; spontaneitywill get you in trouble. Put your energy into research, looking for flaws and paying attention to what's happening around you.

LIBRA(sept.23-Oct. 23) An unexpected change will breathenew life into your plans. Conversations will lead to something concrete, so pick up the phone and make things happen.

scORPIO(Oct. 24-nov. 22) Putmore effort into nurturing meaningful relationships. Conversations and kind gestures will help you gain accesstohelpful information.Don'tbuyintosomethingyoucannot afford

sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Step into thespotlight andshare your thoughts. A chance to makeimprovements to yourself, your home and the relationships

that matter most to you will pay off. Rearranging your space will spark your imagination.

cAPRIcORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Stick close to home to take careoffamily matters. Get your place readyfor any upcoming events you want to hostortomake your life morecomfortable andconvenient. Refuse to let someone's insinuations get to you.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Don't push yourself physically or take on ano-win situation. Happinesswill come from spending time with loved ones andtaking care of financial matters that addtoa stable and stress-free environment.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March20) Stay out of questionable conversations with people who are manipulativeortrying to redirect your beliefs.Pay more attention to your needs and what makes you happy.

ARIEs(March21-April19) Listen, nurture meaningful relationships and take care of domesticissuespromptly. Achange to how you earnyour living or how you handleyourinvestments will help you overcome debt.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Useyourenergy wisely. Take care of unfinished business instead of stressing over what you've left undone. Completion is the key to being able to move forward. Useyour voice to attract interest.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature,isnot basedonscientific fact ©2026 by NEA, Inc., dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudokuis anumber-placing puzzle basedona9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

Yesterday’sPuzzle Answer

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

By PHILLIP ALDER

This week, we have been studying strong jumpshifts. To check that you have theidea, look at today’sSouth hand North opens one heart and East passes. What should South bid? While you decide,I have said that a strong jumpshift should promise 13-16 high-cardpoints. In the days of yore, responderneeded17-19high-cardpoints. As Iexplained threedaysago,thiswas notbest. But if responder has atwo-suiter,bythe time he addsshortage points, hishand will probably be worth 17-19 supportpoints: high-card plus shortage points. In thisdeal, though, Southmust respond one spade, not two spades Don’t make astrong jump shift with a two-suiter unless partner opened in one of your suits.

Asensible sequence is one heart –one spade –three spades –four no-trump –five diamonds –five no-trump –six hearts–six spades. It is difficult to bid seven no-trump (the best contract) or seven spades with confidence whena king is missing.

However, let’s assume that Westleads theclub jack against seven spades. How should South plan the play?

Declarerhas 13 top tricks:five spades, five hearts, one diamond and twoclubs. So, he does not need to risk the diamond

finesse. He shouldwin trick one in his hand with the club ace, draw trumps (leaving the ace or king in the dummy as an entry), unblock theheartace and king, cross to dummy withatrump, and cashthoselovely winners (the heartQ-J10andclubking),discardinghisfourdiamond losers.

©2026 by NEA, Inc dist. By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

EachWuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name,place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

InsTRucTIOns: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

TODAy’s WORD IMITATED: IM-ih-tay-ted: Followed as apattern, model or example.

Average mark 26 words Time limit 40 minutes

Can you find 35 or more words in IMITATED?

yEsTERDAy’s WORD— sEAGOInG

today’s thought

“And he said to them, Why are youfearful,Oyou of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was agreat calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of manisthis, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”Matthew 8:26-27

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

loCKhorNs

LetJesus calm thestorms in your life. G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles hidato

mallard

diaParishPoliceJurylo‐catedat 505 Northeast CourtCircle, Crowley, LA 70526.

ANon-Mandatory /PREBIDCONFERENCEWILLBE HELD: TIME &DATE: 10:00 a.m. on June 2, 2026 LOCATION: LeGros Memorial Airport Terminal Building AirportRoad Estherwood,LA Attendance at thePreBidConferenceisnot mandatoryinorder to bidonthe project; how‐ever,bidders areencour‐aged to attend.Itisthe responsibility of allpo‐tentialbidders to visit thejob site to assess the location andconditions priortobidding TheInstructionstoBid‐ders,Bid Form,Contract, Plans, Specifications, andForms of BidBond, PerformanceBondand PaymentBond, andother biddingdocuments may be examined at theoffice of theEngineer forthe contract; MaderEngi‐i l d

g neering,Inc located at 1245 SouthCollege Road Building 1, Lafayette,LA 70503; (337-989-8047) Copies shallbeobtained at theEngineer’s office (uponpayment of ade‐positof $120.00)ormay be downloaded from the MaderEngineering Plan Room as hosted by Cen‐tral Bidding(subjectto fees andconditions).The depositwillberefunded upon requestinaccor‐dancewithR.S.38:2212, butCentral Biddingfees arenot refundable

Contractorssubmitting bids shallbelicensed under LA R.S. 37:21502164, Building Construc‐tion or Electrical.The bidder shallshowhis li‐censenumberonthe bid andonthe sealed enve‐lope submitting thebid

Thesignature on thebid must be that of an autho‐rizedrepresentativeof thecorporation,partner‐ship or otherlegal entity as definedbyLouisiana Public BidLaw Revised Statute38:2212.A.(1)(c) which dictates parties authorized to submit bids forpubliccontracts AllrequiredCertificates of LiabilityInsurance shalllistthe “Owner”as “additionallyinsured”. TheOwner reserves the

LAFAYETTE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING OF MAY19, 2026 HELD AT 705 W. UNIVERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA.

ATTENDANCE

COUNCIL: Kenneth Boudreaux (Chair,District 5), Liz Hebert (Vice-Chair, District 3) Elroy Broussard(District1), Andy Naquin (District 2) and Thomas Hooks (District 4)

ABSENT: None

COUNCIL STAFF: Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Cindy M. Semien (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Kelly Comeaux (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), Karen Fontenot (Chief Financial Officer), Robert A. Mahtook, Jr.(City-Parish Attorney) and Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney)

(5:32:00) COMMENCEMENT

Call to order

Chair Boudreaux called the Regular City Council Meeting of May 19, 2026 to order

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Chair called upon Councilmember Naquin to cite an invocation and upon CouncilmemberHeberttolead the Pledge of Allegiance.

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Hebert announced her condolences of Christopher Wayne Boudreaux Councilman Boudreaux’sbrother.She offered amoment of silence.

Boudreaux expressed gratitude to Hebert, Council staff, the Administration, and members of the public who attended the funeral and reached out to him during his time of grief.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Godeaux delivered announcements on behalf of Boulet, who was in attendance but had just come from apriormeeting whereshe spoke for nearly two (2) hours and required abriefvocal rest:

•The library millage was not renewed; the plan is to place it back on the ballot for the December election;

•Applications areopen for the 2026-2027 Mayor-President’sYouth AdvisoryCouncil and is open to all 9th –12th grade Lafayette Parish students. Those interested should apply at www.lafayettela. gov/your-government/youth-advisory-council. Deadline for applications is July 10th;

•Tip ACop Fundraising Event will be May 20th from 5PM–9 PM at both Deano’sPizzalocations. The event will benefitFaith House Domestic Violence Crisis Center and Lafayette Crime Stoppers and it will be an opportunity to meet and be waited on by law enforcement officials;

•The Oath of Office Ceremony for FireChief Earl Borden is May 22nd at 9AMatthe downtown fire station. She welcomed all who areinterested;

•Memorial Day Run forHeroes will be May 25thatMoncusPark starting at 8:30 AM. Noted that this will take place to honor fallen military veterans;

•Lafayette Parish Annual Hurricane Tabletop Exercise is May 29th at 9AMand is available to Councilmemberswho areinterested. It will include afull-scale exercise of the Parish pickup location at the MLK Center.Godeauxnoted that the tabletop exercise is not open to the public.

ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt wasapproved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: CO-034-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the

righttorejectany andall bids forjustcause;such actionswillbeinaccor‐dancewithTitle 38 of the LouisianaRevised Statutes.Inaccordance with R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1) (b), theprovisionsand requirements stated in theBidding Documents shallnot be waivedby anyentity.

In accordance with R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1)(b), thepro‐visionsand requirements stated in theBidding Documentsshall notbe waived by anyentity.

Therequirementsof49 CFRpart26applytothis contract.Itisthe policy of theAcadiaParishPo‐lice Jury to practice nondiscriminationbased on race,color,sex,orna‐tional origin in theaward or performanceofthis contract. TheOwner en‐courages participation by all firmsqualifying under this solicitation re‐gardless of business size or ownership.

Theproposedcontractis subjecttothe BuyAmeri‐canprovision under 49 USC§ 50101. Thesuccessfulbidder will be required to sub‐mitCertificationsregard‐ingForeign TradeRestric‐tionsunder 49 CFR part id

ABSENT: None

p 30, Government WideDe‐barmentand Suspension as per2 CFRpart180 and Non-segregated Facilities as per41CFR §60-1.8. AttentiontoBidders is particularly called to the requirements as to con‐ditionsofemploymentto be observed andmini‐mumwagerates to be paid under theDavis BaconAct Requirements Allapplicable Federal, State, Locallaws, ordi‐nances,and therules andregulations of allau‐thorities having jurisdic‐tion over construction of theproject shallapplyto thecontractthroughout. Notice is hereby given that theproject is funded throughFederal and StateGrantswhich funds will notbeavailable at thetimeofbidding.The Ownermay reject allbids andcancelthissolicita‐tion should adequate fundingnot

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.6:CO-035-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council declaring the Johnston St./LA. Ave. InfrastructureImprovements, Segment III (Railroad to Lewis Street) Project apublic necessity and authorizing the acquisitionofthe necessary rights-of-way,immovable property and other property rights requisite to the construction of said project, either on an amicablebasisorthrough the proper use of the expropriation process if necessary,motiontoadopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.7:CO-036-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to execute an act of cash sale by and between the City of Lafayette and G&M Partnership for the price and sum of $280,000 for the acquisitionbythe City of Lafayette of that certainproperty,with improvements and appurtenant servitudes andproperty rights, having amunicipal address of 113 E. Simcoe Street, Lafayette, Louisiana, for the present purpose of improvement and expansion of the Utilities Department and forotherpresent or futurepermissible purposes, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Broussard, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

JOINT ORDINANCE FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO.8:JO-016-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting the manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide funding for asalary adjustment within the Office of Finance &Management, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

Amotiontointroduce agenda items 9-16, in globo, was offeredbyNaquin, seconded by Hebert.

9. CO-037-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassify the property of Case No.2026-1-AZON Hobson Street and North Buchanan Street Administrative Rezoning, located generally north of MuddAvenue, west of North Buchanan Street, and south of North Buchanan Street; 311, 313 &315 (on one lot), 319, 401, 405 &407 North Buchanan Street, 100, 101, 102, 106 &107 Hobson Street, and 101, 103 &107 MuddAvenue being rezoned from IL (Industrial-Light) to MN-2 (MixedUse Neighborhood).

10. CO-038-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassify the property of Case No.2026-4-REZ 110 &112 Row 2Rezoning, located generally north of Row 3, west of West Pinhook Road, and southofRow 1; being rezoned from IH (Industrial-Heavy) to IL (Industrial-Light).

11. CO-039-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code and the official map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of additional land into the CorporateLimits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No.2026-6REZ 300 Block TolsonRoad Annexation(Lots 1-5), located generally north of Hamilton ParcWay,east of TolsonRoad, and southofTerville Avenue; and assigning azoning classification of CM-1 (Commercial Mixed) (District 4).

12. CO-040-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council approving aConditional Use Permit to allow adwelling, two-family (duplex) in aRS-1(Residential Single-Family) zoning district, Case No. 20267-REZ 100 Wilkins Street CUP (Conditional Use Permit), located generally northofMarkham Street, east of Liston Street, and south of Hammond Road.

13. CO-041-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code and the official map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of additional land into the corporate limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana,

15.

16. CO-044-2026Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingbudgetand adjusting the manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by using prior year fund balance in the amount of $5,124 for salary adjustments within the UtilitiesDepartment.

The Chair thencalledfor avote to introducethe ordinances (items 9-16) in globo, andthe vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved.

Item #13 -Brent Holliersignedintospeak, but only if there were questions.

JOINT INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

AGENDAITEM NO. 17: JO-018-2026 Ajoint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 26, “DevelopmentRegulations”,Article III, “Building Code”Section 26-93, “Fees”, of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment Code of Ordinances amending Ordinance O-221-2014,Schedule of Fees charged by the Permit Division of the Community Development andPlanning Department.,motion to introducebyHebert,secondedbyNaquin, and the vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to introducewas approved.

Tammy Luke, Community Development andPlanning Director,gave aseven (7)pagePowerPointpresentation regarding the CD&P Fee Schedule Adjustments. andthe newproposed feewould be a22.61% increase. Lukeexplainedthatthis will allow for amodified feeschedule, morestrategic inspections anda goalfor multi-certified inspectors. She furthernotedthatthere will no longerbea fixturecount, it will be a flat fee based on squarefootage

Godeauxreported thatthe last feeadjustment wasinthe year of 2014 and explainedthatthe increase is well below other municipalities. She clarified thatitwill be a flat rate based on square footage

BoudreauxnotedthatLafayette is unique in its approach to serving lowandmoderate-income households. He expressed appreciation thatthe Community Development andPlanning Department continuestoprovide services effectively by phone, in person, andonline Hebert questioned if the numbers have been showntodevelopers and their feedback on the increase.

Lukeindicated thatthe developers stated theywerepreparing for the increase.

Naquin questioned if this increase includedpermit fees.

Lukereported thatitincludesboth permittingand inspection. She further explainedthatifadeveloperconstructs alargerhome,theyare assessed ahigherfee based on squarefootage

COMMENT(S) FROM THEPUBLIC

AGENDAITEM NO. 18: Comments from the public on anyothermatter(s) not on an agenda andare within the legislative power of the Lafayette City Council There werenoComments From The Public (6:05:00) ADJOURN

There being no furtherbusiness to come beforethe Council, Chair Boudreauxdeclared the RegularMeeting adjourned.

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz

JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERKOFTHE COUNCIL 188587-MAY22-1T $39.69

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION1:The Lafayette Parish Council findsit necessaryto providead‐ditional fundingwithin theCouncil Office–Parish Tourismaccount through thereallocationofexist‐ingParishCouncil Dis‐trict5 capitalappropria‐tionscurrently budgeted forDistrictpurposesat $60,000. SECTION2:The FY 25/26 Operatingand Capital Budget of theLafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government is hereby amendedbytransferring $10,000 from the Parish CouncilDistrict5 Capital Appropriationtothe CouncilOffice–Parish Tourismaccount forad‐ditional fundingneeded duetopreviouslyunan‐ticipatedexpensesasso‐ciated with Lafayette Parish’s obligations to participateinthe closing receptionofthe 2026 Na‐tional Associationof Counties AnnualConfer‐ence &Exposition throughthe Police Jury AssociationofLouisiana (PJAL) on Monday,July 20,2026, andtoaugment thebudgetfor thePJAL Region 3Meetingthat Lafayette Parish is re‐sponsiblefor hostingon Tuesday, October27, 2026. SECTION3:These adjust‐mentsshall be as re‐flectedinany pertinent documentswhich areat‐tached hereto andmade aparthereofand filedin theOffice of theClerk of theCouncil SECTION4:All ordi‐nancesorresolutions,or partsthereof,inconflict herewith areherebyre‐pealed SECTION5:Thisordi‐nanceshall become ef‐fectiveuponsignature of theLafayette MayorPresident, theelapseof ten(10) days after re‐ceiptbythe Lafayette Mayor-Presidentwithout signatureorveto, or upon an override of a veto,whichever occurs first. ** ** * PARISH ORDINANCENO. PO-018-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCILAMENDINGTHE FY 25/26 OPERATINGAND CAPITALBUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐MENT BY TRANSFERRING $35,000 FROM THE PARISH COUNCILDIS‐TRICT2 CAPITALAPPRO‐PRIATION TO THEPARKS ARTS,RECREATIONAND CULTURE(PARC)DEPART‐MENT FORA TENNIS COURT-TO-PICKLEBALL COURTCONVERSION PROJECTATJUDICE PARK ANDBYTRANSFERRING $15,000 FROM THE PARISH COUNCILDIS‐TRICT2 CAPITALAPPRO‐PRIATION TO THEPARC DEPARTMENT FORAN ARCHERYRANGE PRO‐JECT AT DUSON

y g $35,000 fromtheParish CouncilDistrict2 Capital Appropriationtothe Parks, Arts,Recreation andCulture (PARC) De‐partment fora tennis court-to-pickleballcourt conversion projectatJu‐dice Park SECTION3:The FY 25/26 Operatingand Capital Budget of theLafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government is hereby furtheramended by transferring $15,000 from theParishCouncil Dis‐trict2 CapitalAppropria‐tion to thePARCDepart‐ment foranarchery rangeproject at Duson Park SECTION4:These adjust‐mentsshall be as re‐flectedinany pertinent documentswhich areat‐tached hereto andmade aparthereofand filedin theOffice of theClerk of theCouncil SECTION5:All ordi‐nances or resolutions, or partsthereof,inconflict herewith areherebyre‐pealed SECTION6:Thisordi‐nanceshall become ef‐fectiveuponsignature of theLafayette MayorPresident, theelapseof ten(10) days after re‐ceiptbythe Lafayette Mayor-Presidentwithout signatureorveto, or upon an override of a veto,whichever occurs first. PARISH ORDINANCENO. PO-019-2026 AN ORDINANCEOFTHE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCILAMENDINGTHE FY 25/26 CAPITALBUD‐GETS OF THELAFAYETTE CITY-PARISHCONSOLI‐DATEDGOVERNMENTBY TRANSFERRING $100,000 FROM FUND 2060 FUND BALANCETOTHE LASCC LIVESTOCKBARNPRO‐JECT ANDAPPROPRIAT‐INGWITHINTHE ELECTED OFFICIALSCAO DEPART‐MENT,ANIMALSHELTER ANDCAREDIVISION BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION1:The FY 25/26 CapitalBudgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ment is hereby amended by transferring $100,000 from Fund 2060 Fund Bal‐ance to theLASCC Live‐stockBarnProject and appropriatingwithinthe ElectedOfficialsCAO De‐partment,Lafayette