Abill headed to Gov.Jeff Landry’sdesk would guarantee Baton Rouge’spublicdefender $1 million ayear from the city-parish budget, but its author,state Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, says one of the measure’sbiggest accomplishments never made it into the legislation.
“What you didn’tsee in the bill, is what we also were able to accomplish with the cities of Central, St. Georgeand Baker,”Marcelle said.
Separatefrom the money from thecity-parish,the citiesofSt. George, Central and Baker have agreed to contribute atotal of $400,000 tothe Public Defender’sOffice. The deal comes amid
broader debates about how parishwide constitutional offices should be paid for after St.George’sincorporation.
If thegovernorsigns Marcelle’s House Bill 59, and agreements for $250,000 fromSt. George, $100,000 from Central, and$50,000 from Baker areexecuted, Baton Rouge’s public defender will be guaranteed $1.4 million in local funding.
Chief Public Defender Kyla Romanach saiditwas amajor win for her agency,which she believes is always an afterthought and forced to limp itsway through budget season each year
“Thisissignificant for us,” she said. “Wewere facing the possibility of not having any local funding, which would have bankrupted our office.”
BY AIDANMcCAHILL Staff writer
Employeesatanembattled private zooinEast Feliciana Parish say they are trying to start over by converting the preserve into anonprofitand ending controversial hands-on animal encounters that once drew crowds from around the country Magnolia Wilds, formerly Barnhill Preserve, has been owned andoperated formore than 14 years by local conservationistand Clinton native Gabe Ligon. By 2023, the preservein Ethelhad swelled to 100 acres,housing hundreds of exotic animals alongside a safari park andLouisiana’s longest zip line. Ligon’scompany alsoran atraveling program that broughtanimals to schools across the Gulf
BY MARYCLARE JALONICK, JOEY CAPPELLETTI and KEVIN FREKING Associated Press
WASHINGTON Senate Republicans cleared the first hurdle on Thursday as they are struggling
Public defender setfor fundingboost
The original version of Marcelle’sbill would have required by lawthat all of theparish’s municipalities contribute funds to the public defender. And though the final version does not include that mandate, Marcelle was happy that the threecitiesagreed to pitchin, as the parish’sentire criminal justice system needs funding.
“They’re doing those CEAs in those amounts to help because they understand that the system is
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry this week vetoed legislation that would have allowedprisoners who were wrongfully convicted of acrime to get more compensation from the state.
Senate Bill 125, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, passed both the House and Senate unanimously. It would have increased the cap the state pays out to wrongfully convicted people. It is currently set at $400,000, withanannualpayout of $40,000 over the course of 10 years. The legislation would have increased the cap to $600,000, with the same annualpayoutoverthe course of 15 years.
The change could have increased the total amount of payouts by the state roughly $800,000 to $900,000 every year,according to anonpartisan fiscal analysis by legislative staff.
LandryonTuesday vetoed the bill, his first of the2026 regular legislative session. In his letter rejectingthe measure, he argued thatLouisiana hasnot done enough
to pass legislation to fund President DonaldTrump’simmigration enforcement agencies, narrowly beatingbackaDemocraticeffort to permanently block Trumpfrom creating a$1.776 billionsettlement fund for payouts to allies whoclaim theywerepersecuted
by thegovernment. Republicans still face agauntlet of Democraticamendments before the bill can advance, setting up adaylongtest of party unity More votes on thesettlement fund areplanned,including proposals from Republicans, anditwas un-
clear if GOP leaders would be able to fend them all off and pass the legislation.
“I can’tpredict how it comes out,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters between discussions with some of the holdouts off the Senate floor
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saidthat Democrats plan to force votes on the tax immunity granted to Trump as part of the settlementand ahostofotherissues —including Trump’sEast
See FUND, page 9A
Marcelle
STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Man charged with taking explosive through airport
SACRAMENTO, Calif.
A man carrying what authorities described as an explosive device powerful enough to damage a plane, as well as a torch lighter, knife, zip ties and other items, was arrested after trying to pass through a Sacramento International Airport security checkpoint over the weekend, federal prosecutors said.
The 49-year-old from Sacramento was wearing a scarf covering his face and latex gloves, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant said in a news release He also had five cellphones: one with a 15-minute timer set to begin, a second with a message on the screen from another phone number saying, “we will be awaiting your call.”
Evidence photos released by prosecutors show a cardboard tube about the size of a toilet paper roll fitted with a green fuse. Bomb technicians tested the device. The powder and fuse “were determined to be viable and energetic,” Grant said If the device had detonated next to a window on a pressurized aircraft flying above 10,000 feet, Grant said, “it had the potential to damage the aircraft and cause a possible loss of cabin pressure.”
The man was arrested Saturday and appeared in federal court in Sacramento on Wednesday He is charged with unlawful possession of explosive material in an airport The complaint also alleges he made “rambling” calls to the FBI in the months beforehand to report he was being threatened and intimidated Sherpa guide rescued while crawling to camp
KATHMANDU, Nepal A Sherpa guide was found crawling to base camp on Mount Everest a week after he went missing and was reunited with his family who had given up hope he would return.
Dawa Sherpa was last seen around May 29 descending the mountain, but he did not reach base camp even though his client did. The pair were among the last climbers on the mountain as the climbing season came to an end and the route was dismantled.
Dawa was located by a cleaning crew Thursday morning as he was crawling down the snowy slopes around the Khumbu Icefall, just above base camp, said Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions, which coordinated the search.
He was quickly carried down to safety and given food and water. A rescue helicopter flew him to HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu, where his wife and daughter, who already had begun funeral rituals for him, were waiting
“We first heard that he was still alive on the local news and from a person we know who called with the news that he is being brought down,” said his wife, Damu Sherpa.
Though Dawa had been missing since last week, there was a delay in organizing a search team. No reasons were given for the delay, but when helicopters were finally sent to look for him, they could not find him.
Gunmen kidnap 7 from school in Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria Gunmen raided an off-campus residence in northwest Nigeria and kidnapped seven students, police said.
The attack occurred early Wednesday in the Kaura Namoda area of conflict-battered Zamfara state, police spokesman Yazid Abubakar said in a statement. One of the students escaped and was in custody.
The police spokesman said it wasn’t clear where the students were taken but efforts were underway to rescue the remaining six.
Zamfara has been a hotspot for armed gangs that carry out kidnappings for ransom, with abductions of students increasing in recent years across the country A tally by local news outlet Premium Times found that at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from 20 schools since the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state.
Putin: Russia will bolster defenses
Zelenskyy calls for face-to-face negotiations in neutral third country
BY JAMES JORDAN and HARRIET MORRIS Associated Press
ST PETERSBURG, Russia President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will strengthen its air defenses to counter recent Ukrainian drone attacks, which have reached deep inside his country and cast a cloud over his showcase economic forum in his hometown of St. Petersburg.
Speaking in response to a question from The Associated Press during a meeting with heads of international news agencies, Putin acknowledged the damage from Ukrainian drone attacks.
“To our regret, some of them break through,” Putin said of the drone strikes. “Russia has an air defense system, we need to improve it, strengthen it, and we will do that.” The wide-ranging media session
came on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum his annual showcase for investment. Hours before the forum opened Wednesday, a Ukrainian drone attack set ablaze an oil terminal in the city and also hit a nearby naval base. Putin also said Russia is open for a compromise on Ukraine in line with understandings reached at his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, adding that Ukraine needs to accept them to make a deal to end the conflict, now in its fifth year Zelenskyy proposes talks
Also on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Putin. Zelenskyy acknowledged shifting U.S. priorities, saying it would be wrong to wait for the U.S. to return its attention to
Ukraine while it is remains heavily focused on the Iran war
In Washington, Trump said it “would be great” if Putin and Zelenskyy meet.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin hadn’t seen the letter yet and repeated his statement that Zelenskyy could come to Moscow if he wants talks. Putin said last month he doesn’t exclude a meeting in a third country, but only when there is a deal to sign.
Putin dismissed the idea that European Union countries could mediate Russia-Ukraine peace talks because “mediation assumes neutrality Where is the neutrality here?”
Any potential third-party mediators needed to be trusted by both sides, Putin said.
“How can Russia trust people who have been harping about the need to inflict a strategic defeat on
Police warn families not to visit Tiananmen graves
Efforts to mark anniversary have been suppressed
BY KEN MORITSUGU and KANIS LEUNG Associated Press
BEIJING Chinese authorities snuffed out efforts to mark Thursday’s anniversary of the deadly 1989 military crackdown on student-led pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square, in a further tightening of a yearslong campaign to erase what happened from public memory
Police told relatives of the victims they would not be allowed to visit a cemetery in Beijing on the anniversary of the crackdown 37 years ago, a person with knowledge of the matter said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of retribution.
Relatives from a group called Tiananmen Mothers visited the graves for more than 30 years, reading memorial statements while police kept watch, Amnesty International said
Hundreds of people, and possibly thousands, were killed in 1989 as troops advanced through crowds that were trying to stop the military from reaching the protesters on Tiananmen Square, a vast plaza in the center of the Chinese capital. The decision by the Communist Party leadership to send in the military was a pivotal moment in China’s modern history, determining that the market reform that trans-
formed the country into the world’s second largest economy would not be coupled with political liberalization.
In Hong Kong, police stepped up security Thursday at or near a park where a massive candlelight vigil lit up the night every year until a clampdown following major anti-government protests in 2019. A handful of people showed up in the evening. Officers allowed some to go freely — including a man holding flowers and an activist who said she bowed 37 times. Police said in a statement that seven people were stopped and searched on suspicion of being disorderly in public as of 11:30 p.m. They were taken away for further investigation before being allowed to leave, police said, without naming them.
The U.S., the EU and Britain posted messages on social media marking the anniversary “No amount of censorship can erase the past,” a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio read. “Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday.” Rows of electronic candles lit up the windows of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning dismissed Rubio’s words as a smear on her nation’s political system “We urge the U.S. side to stop using so-called democracy and human rights as a pretext to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” she said.
Convictions reversed for paramedics
BY MEAD GRUVER and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A Colorado court reversed homicide convictions against two paramedics on Thursday in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a Black man who was pinned down by police and injected with a fatal dose of ketamine. McClain’s final words “I can’t breathe” — foreshadowed those of George Floyd a year later in Minneapolis, and the Colorado man’s name became part of the rallying cries for social justice that swept the U.S in 2020. The appeals court or-
dered new trials for Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec McClain, 23, had been forcibly restrained and put in a neck hold by police, who stopped him in response to a suspicious person complaint as the massage therapist walked home from a convenience store in the Denver suburb in 2019. Cr im ina l ch ar ge s against paramedics and emergency medical technicians involved in police custody cases are rare. As McClain’s death and others raised questions about the use of ketamine to subdue struggling suspects, this prosecution
sent shock waves through the ranks of first responders across the U.S.
A jury in 2023 found Cooper and Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide following a weekslong trial in state district court. The jurors also found Cichuniec guilty of seconddegree felony assault Cooper avoided prison and was sentenced to 14 months in jail with work release and probation. Cichuniec received five years in prison.
The appeals court upheld Cichuniec’s assault conviction. Thursday’s ruling sends their cases back to a lower court for a new trial on that charge
Russia for years?” he said.
Putin’s battlefield update
Commenting on Russia’s use of its Oreshnik intermediate range ballistic missile, Putin said it was fired at targets that allowed it to test its capability and precision before using it against objectives closer to residential areas.
“We hit the area where it was convenient to see the results,” he said. “It was important for making a decision on the future on the fullformat use of the Oreshnik on designated targets, including those in populated areas.”
Putin emphasized his push for control of the entire Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, noting that Ukraine controls about 15% of its territory Putin declared that “patriotism and will of the Russian people” will ensure the achievement of goals that Moscow set in Ukraine.
“Russian troops are advancing along the entire line of contact,” he said.
Trump reconsidering Pulte as director of national intelligence
President says other candidates under consideration
BY JOSH BOAK Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte, his pick for acting director of national intelligence, would not be his “permanent” choice for the critical security post.
The Republican president’s disclosure that he was ruling out installing Pulte in the position fulltime came after bipartisan pushback on Capitol Hill in recent days over Pulte’s lack of national security experience. The position requires Senate confirmation, something that lawmakers indicated was unlikely if Pulte were the nominee.
“He’s not going to be permanent because, you know I don’t think he’d want to be permanent,” Trump said while taking questions in
the Oval Office after an event on coal. He called Pulte a “very smart guy” and said he may look at past elections that Trump claims, without credible evidence, were “rigged” against him. Trump said other candidates were under consideration for nomination to the post. “We’re interviewing people right now,” he said. Pulte, a grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, has been a source of controversy within the administration for his work as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and his oversight of the mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Both Republican and Democratic senators expressed concerns about Pulte and his lack of national security credentials in occupying a role coordinating 18 federal agencies involved in domestic and foreign security issues. Trump’s initial director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned last month, citing her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis.
Obituaries: 225-388-0289 •
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHIANG yING-yING
Participants attend a candlelight vigil at Democracy Square on Thursday to mark the 37th anniversary of the Chinese military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, in Taipei, Taiwan.
Ex-nationalsecurityadviser
Bolton will pleadguilty
Deal will allowhim to avoidprisontime
BY ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
WASHINGTON Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to asinglecountofretaining classified information under adeal with the Justice Department that could allow him to avoid prisontime, aperson familiarwith the matter said Thursday
The deal would resolve acriminal case filed in October thatcharged Bolton with 18 counts of eitherretaining or disseminating classified information, including diary-like notes from his time in government that officials say he shared with family members as he was preparing amemoir about hiscareer
Under the agreement, Bolton would also face a$2.25million fine said theperson, who insistedonanonymity to discuss adeal that had not been made public. Anyprison sentence would be capped at five years, but the agreementcould also allow for him to avoid time behind bars.The punishmentwill ultimately be up to ajudge.
The case against Bolton, filed weeks after prosecutors secured indictments against former FBI Director JamesComey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, unfolded against the backdropof concerns that the Justice Depart-
ment is using its law enforcement powers to pursue perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump.
Theinvestigation burst intopublic view last August whenFBI agents served search warrantsathis Maryland home and Washington office,but it hadbeen well underway by the time Trump returnedtothe White House in January 2025
WrotebookcriticalofTrump
Bolton is alongtime fixture in Republican foreign policy circles who became known for his hawkish views on Americanpower. He served for more than ayear in Trump’sfirst administration before being pushed out in 2019 and publishing acriticalbook that portrayed theRepublicanpresident as deeply misinformed andpainted an unflatteringportrait of his leadership and decision-making.
Trump’sadministrationfought unsuccessfullytoblockthe publication of “The Room Where it Happened”
BY KEVIN FREKING Associated Press
WASHINGTON The House passed legislation Thursdaythatwould aidUkraine and sanction key segments of the Russian economy, overriding objections from Republican leaders who warned the bill would underminenegotiationsdesigned to achieve acomparablebut stronger result.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Meeks, DN.Y., seeks to cement U.S. assistancefor Ukraine by providing morethan$1billion in security and reconstruction aid. It wouldmake another $8 billion available for Ukraine’sdefense through loans.
The 226-195 vote is asign of impatience withPresident Donald Trump’sapproachto the war and represents the House’ssecondmajorforeign policy break with Trump this week. The day before, the House, for the first time,approved awar powers resolution aimed at halting U.S. military action againstIran.
Supporters were able to force action on the Ukraine bill by gathering218 signatures on adischarge petition, alegislative tool that allows a majority of the House to effectively bypass leadership.
Once rarely successful, House members have used the petition tool this Congresstopass bills on releas-
ing the government’sfiles on Jeffrey Epstein and to extend healthcare subsidies to many of those whoget health coveragethrough the Affordable CareAct,though the latter measure faltered in the Senate.
Meeks said the question before theHouse wassimple. Wouldithelp Ukraine negotiate from apositionof strengthorhelp Russia outlast American resolve?
“Weall want this warto end,” Meeks said. “The question is how.Will we abandon Ukraineand force it into a terrible deal?That is what Vladimir Putin is counting on. Or will this body live up to the commitments we’ve made sincethe start of this war?”
The vast majority ofRepublicans opposed the measure. Rep. French Hill, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he is asteadfast supporter of Ukraine. However,the ArkansasRepublican said the House was confronted with aflawed, outdated measure that actuallycuts funding for the Ukraine security assistanceinitiative compared to what Congress had agreed to as part of this year’s defense policy. Another section could lead to adecrease in NATO spending, he warned.
Send amessage
Supporters arehopeful that theHouse’spassage of
Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton arrives for his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt,Md.,in October
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO
on the grounds thebook contained classifiedinformation that could harmnational security if exposed. Bolton’slawyershavesaidhemoved forward withthe book after aWhite House National Security Council official, withwhom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer had classified information.
The indictment he faced focused on notes shared with his wife and daughterrather than thesubstance of the book itself.
Bolton had initially pleaded not guiltyand, in astatementreleased after his indictment,described the charges as part of an “intensive effort” by Trump“to intimidatehis opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct.”
Are-arraignment, whichcan signal apleaagreement, is scheduled for June 26 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The Justice Department declined to comment.
the Ukraine bill would put pressure on theSenate to do thesame.But theyalso know the Senatelikely won’t go alongunless Trump endorses thebill.
“It’sprobably notgoing to get60votes in the Senate, but it’s going to hopefully force theSenate to address theissue,” saidRep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., who signed thedischarge petition andvoted to advance thebill. “It’sgoing to send agreat message to the soldiers of Ukraine.”
He said the vote would also send amessage to Putinthat “we do haveapulse here, that we do careabout Ukraine and that we are going to utilize our authorityto help them.”
As the warhas dragged on,it’sgottenmoredifficult for supporters of Ukraine in Congress to provide additional financialsupport to help Ukraine defend itself.
TheU.S.has approved some $195 billionfor the Ukraine response,according to the latest quarterly inspector general report for Operation Atlantic Resolve, with roughly aquarter of that going to replenish weapons stockpiles for the U.S. military. The last major legislation designedtobolster the Ukraine response occurred in April 2024, though modestamountshave since been included in annual appropriations bills.
Planning commission seeks detailsonTrump’s arch
Federalagencylooking forjustification of 250-foot height
BY MEG KINNARD Associated Press
TheNational Capital Planning Commissionhas kept alive the triumphal arch that President Donald Trumpwants built at an entrance to the nation’scapital, requesting moreinformation on how it could potentially impact air travel navigation in thearea,aswell as otherspecifics on construction andtraffic in the area.
Most membersofthe federal agency that approves construction on federallandvoted in favor Thursday of seeking moreinformationfrom theDepartment of the Interior,which submitted the application for the250-foot arch planned between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery
The vote cameafter nearly three hoursofpublic comment from about 20 members of the public, some representing historic and architecturalorganizations, and mostofwhom expressedconcerns aboutthe arch that is oneofseveral projects the Republican presidentispursuing to leave his imprint on Washington Preliminary surveys andtesting of the arch site began last month, and other approvals are underway.The U.S. Commission
of Fine Arts —whichonly oversees designs andhas no role in theactual construction or funding of the arch or any other project it considers —has approved the arch’s design, akey stepin the project’sprocess but one that has no immediate bearingonthe construction timeline.
For now,the National Capital Planning Commission is seeking more informationjustifying the proposed height of the towering arch, as well as additional details about lighting, management of stormwaterand howtrafficand parking would be regulated for visitors.
Will Scharf,who has served as Trump’sWhite Housestaff secretary,headsthe commission andacknowledgedthe applicant “has some homework to do,” Scharf said, suggesting more informationonhow it would appear from other monumentsin the Washington area. But, Scharf saidultimately,thisyear’s250th anniversary of theDeclaration of Independence “is as good an opportunity as any to add something to Washington, D.C.,that will hopefully standthe test of time.
StuartLevenbach, Trumpappointeeand commissionvice chairman, said theproposedsite represented “one of the fewlocations” in the area wheresuchan “iconic civic monument could be appropriate,”althoughheadded that “it’s reasonable to consider whether asignificantarchitectural statementbelongsinsuch alocation.”
SupremeCourt upholdsfederal regulation
BY LINDSAYWHITEHURST Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Supreme Court sided with theTrump administration Thursday in upholding the power of federal regulators to enforce data privacy laws on telecommunicationscompanies.
The 8-1 decision preserved one of the Federal CommunicationsCommission’skey
tools, though the companies also won aconcessionfrom the Republican administration that could shift the regulatory landscape.
The appeal from telecommunications giantsVerizon and AT&T challenged a combined $100 millionin penaltiesimposed afterthe agency determined that the companies had failed to safeguard customer location data.
The companiesargued that the FCC’sprocess was unconstitutional because it gave them little opportunity to tell their side of the story in front of ajury
The administration defendedthe fines as an essential regulatory tool. But the government also saidcompaniesdid nothavetopay the penalties right away,a regulatory shiftinthe companies’ favor
U.S. sanctions Cuban president in latest move to pressure island
Assets of Díaz-Canel, wife, three others frozen
BY FATIMA HUSSEIN, DÁNICA COTO and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press
WASHINGTON The United States has imposed sanctions Thursday on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife and three other individuals, in the latest move by the Trump administration to pressure the island’s leadership that drew immediate condemnation from Havana.
Included in the sanctions are Alejandro Castro Espín, the sole son of former Cuban President Raúl Castro and Vilma Espín. He served as an adviser to Cuba’s Defense and National Security Commission and was present when Raúl Castro greeted then-U.S. President Barack Obama in Havana during a historic March 2016 meeting.
Castro Espín’s son, Raúl Alejandro Castro Calis, also was listed
The new penalties come as U.S President Donald Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba since ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and then ordering an energy blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba. That has led to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island.
The threats took on additional weight after the U.S announced criminal charges against Raúl Castro last month. Thursday’s penalties, which follow Trump signing an executive order expanding sanctions against the island, freeze individuals’ property and bank accounts in the U.S. But it’s unclear how intertwined their finances are with the U.S. financial system.
Díaz-Canel accused Trump of making “new threatening statements against Cuba” and said “these measures are aimed at reinforcing the blockade and escalating the conflict between Cuba and the United States.”
“This political blindness adds to the coercive measures applied in recent weeks against our country, designed to harm the Cuban people,” he wrote on X. “The aggression and perversion of the U.S. government
will clash with our resolve to confront the worst-case scenarios and resist the imperial onslaught.”
‘We’re going to handle that’
Asked Thursday if his sanctions were meant to accelerate Cuba’s collapse, Trump said, “We just want them to be a nicely run country.”
“The country is starving and it’s got no energy, it’s got no oil, it’s got no money, it’s got nothing. It’s got a beautiful piece of land. You could have beautiful resorts,” Trump told reporters at an unrelated event in the Oval Office.
Asked whether Cuba is close to collapsing, he said, “It’s sort of collapsed” and added that “we’re going to handle that as soon as we’ve finished” military operations in Iran.
“I like to do one thing at a time,”
Trump said.
Trump has ratcheted up talk of regime change in Cuba after pledging to conduct a “friendly takeover” of the country if its leadership did not open its economy to American investment and kick out U.S. adversaries.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has long taken a hard line against Cuba’s socialist leadership, has said Trump’s preference is to reach a deal but has said he is doubtful the U.S. can find a diplomatic resolution with the current government.
Those “designated today direct or fund the regime and its efforts
to mobilize its radical revolutionary movements in the United States and around the world,” Rubio said in a statement.
Diplomat condemns sanctions
In addition to Díaz-Canel, Bruno Rodríguez, Cuba’s minister of foreign affairs, also condemned the new sanctions in a social media post.
He said “the vile inclusion” of Díaz-Canel and others, including Cuban institutions and civil society organizations, “is the latest example of the US interventionist plan to portray Cuba as a threat to US national security,” he wrote on X.
“Every US action aimed at creating a scenario of conflict between the two countries is destined to fail,” he wrote. “Every threat against Cuba’s independence and sovereignty will be met with even greater unity and determination from our people.”
The new sanctions, which freeze any assets that those targeted may have in U.S. jurisdictions or any that come into U.S. jurisdictions, also apply to non-American entities that might do business with them.
In addition to the individuals, the sanctions also target Cuba’s defense ministry; its Institute for the Friendship with the Peoples, which promotes people-to-people talks; Amistur Cuba, an arm of the institute that oversees specialized tourism on the island; and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution.
BY SAM MCNEIL Associated Press
BRUSSELS — With underwater drones and ocean-focused satellites, the EU is expanding its monitoring network of Earth’s seas as climate change fuels heat waves and stronger storms and the Trump administration plans severe cuts to a similar system in the United States.
With an investment package of $107 million called OceanEye announced on Wednesday, the EU will be able to take the helm of global efforts to explore the depths of the planet’s vast oceans, said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
Oceans are vital ecosystems covering about 70% of planet Earth, hosting complex webs of life that generate oxygen and absorb greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Temperatures have risen in oceans faster due to climate change, super-charging storms and drought, ravaging coral reefs across the world, and endangering species in tandem with overfishing and industrial pollution.
Scientists estimate climate change will increase the strength of heat waves and severe storms across Europe.
Monitoring the ocean can help protect it by showing damage and threats to ecosystems that help inform regulations aimed at preventing species loss.
“This is about using science and good governance to understand our ocean and secure our future,” von der Leyen said.
U.S. cuts funding In May officials in the U.S. began signaling plans to gut its Ocean Observatories Initiative — a network of more than 900 ocean sensors built at a cost of $386 million that has continuously collected realtime data for more than a decade.
Funded by the National Science
Foundation, the observatories have tracked everything from ocean circulation and marine ecosystems to climate change and extreme weather Its data has been freely available and has informed more than 500 scientific publications. The project was slated to run for another 15 to 20 years. The EU investment was already in the pipeline when the U.S. cuts were announced.
International efforts are organized through the Global Ocean Observing System. The U.S. collects more than half of this data while Europe does about a quarter, followed by Japan, Australia, India and China.
“Europe needs to do more,” said Pierre-Yves Le Traon, an oceanographer and scientific director of the Mercator Ocean International based in Toulouse, France. By 2035, the EU hopes to cover 35% of Earth’s maritime monitoring network and become the globe’s leading provider of “ocean intelligence.”
Importance of collecting data
Robotic sensors in underwater and in orbit feed information to organizations like shipping companies, fisheries, emergency services and research institutions like the Mercator Ocean Institute that is building a virtual-reality mockup of Earth’s oceans to be updated in real time called the Digital Twin Ocean. That data is crucial to understanding and adapting to climate change and to a vast array of industries on land and at sea like aquaculture, shipping especially through icy waters, coastal tourism, agriculture and even navies, Le Traon said.
“Knowledge is essential if we want to manage the ocean,” Le Traon said. “We really have to be very active for the monitoring and protecting of the ocean because the ocean matters to everyone: for life at sea, for life on Earth.”
The EU funds will go toward private incubators for oceanic technology and beefing up existing institutions like the Global Ocean Observing System.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RAMON ESPINOSA
The U.S has imposed sanctions against Cuba’s President Miguel DíazCanel, second left., as well as his wife and three others.
Journalist pleads guilty to acting as agent for China
American faces up to 10 years for working with foreign government
BY DIDI TANG Associated Press
WASHINGTON An American journalist who has lived in China since 2010 and worked for several state media organizations there pleaded guilty in a U.S. court Thursday to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, the Justice Department said.
Thomas Pauken II is set to be sentenced Sept. 1 in a U.S. District Court and he faces up to 10 years in jail, the department said. He writes under the name Tom McGregor to distance himself from his father with the same name, who was a former chairman of the Texas
Republican Party in the 1990s and ran for governor more than a decade ago. It is the latest in a string of cases that the federal government has brought against people suspected of working for the Chinese government without proper disclosure.
Eileen Wang, a former mayor of Arcadia, California, agreed in May to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. She was accused of doing the bidding of Chinese officials, including sharing articles favorable to Beijing
Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors, was accused of selling her influence to the Chinese government. Sun pleaded not guilty to charges that she failed to register as an agent of a foreign government conspired with her husband to launder money and helped people commit visa fraud to enter
the U.S. illegally A December trial ended in a mistrial when a federal jury could not reach a unanimous verdict
Charles Burnham, Pauken’s defense lawyer, said in a statement that, by his guilty plea, Pauken “has accepted responsibility for working as an agent of the People’s Republic of China without first completing certain required U.S. Government forms.” Burnham said Pauken had hoped his work would “promote peaceful relations and advance the cause of religious freedom in China.”
Pauken was arrested in February after arriving in Washington from China. He met with someone who had sought a job in the Trump administration to provide that person with a SIM card and offer $10,000 to write reports to be read by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to the affidavit.
Hospitals: At least 10 people killed in strikes on Gaza
BY WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Is-
raeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 10 Palestinians on Thursday hospitals said, even as much of the world’s attention was focused on the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Nine people were killed in at least four separate strikes overnight in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies. The hospital said the victims included two women and two children.
Another strike in Gaza City on Thursday evening killed at least one person and wounded another, according to Saraya Field Hospital, which is operated by the Red Crescent.
Footage of one of the strikes showed a massive hole in an upper floor in what appeared to be a residential apartment building. The blast blew holes through interior walls and scattered blood-stained belongings across the room and into the street.
“They say the war has stopped, but the war has not stopped,” said Walid Shbeir
the uncle of one of the men killed in the strikes, as relatives mourned the victims at Shifa Hospital. “Every night there is killing, and we have martyrs. Every night, in the morning, in the evening, and at night, this killing is continuous for us.”
Israel’s military said the overnight strikes in northern Gaza killed four Hamas militants, which it described as senior members of an apparatus responsible for protecting Hamas leaders and providing them with intelligence assessments. The military said steps were taken before the strikes to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.
It was not clear what the evening strike was targeting, and the military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on it.
Last week, Israel killed the top Hamas military leader, two weeks after strikes that killed his predecessor More than 900 killed
The fatalities were the latest in the coastal enclave since an October ceasefire
deal attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and the Palestinian militant Hamas group in Gaza. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the fragile ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.
Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently opened fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing 936 people since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry which is part of the Hamas-led government, is generally seen as reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths.
Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to violations of the truce or threats to its troops. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire.
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’ October 2023 attack that killed some 1,200 people, with 251 others taken hostage.
He appeared to see himself as a middleman between Chinese agents and “human resources” who could provide classified information to Beijing, according to the affidavit. His lawyer didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Since at least 2019, Pauken had been working with Chinese agents, including “Cathy,” who he believed to be working for China’s security apparatus. Between 2019 and 2025, Pauken received $100,000 for the reports he provided to Cathy in addition to paid trips to the U.S., the affidavit says. Cathy told him the reports were to be read by Xi. Pauken was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents when he returned to the U.S in January 2025. In interviews with CBP and FBI agents, Pauken said he was meeting a per-
son who was seeking a job in the Trump administration and would provide that person with a Samsung phone and a laptop computer He said he was “80% sure” that person, if hired by the new administration, would provide classified information to Beijing, according to the affidavit.
U.S. agents let Pauken go and instructed him to carry on with his plans. Pauken’s contact said in an interview that Pauken asked for opensource information but also indicated his clients in China frequently asked for more secretive information That person indicated having no intention of working with Pauken, the affidavit said.
A year later, Pauken returned to the U.S. to make another pitch to this person, with whom Pauken had reconnected over a possible commercial oil deal, accord-
ing to the affidavit. They met at a Washington restaurant on Feb. 23 and again two days later at a hotel, where the FBI monitored the meeting. Pauken gave the person a SIM card and proposed the $10,000 bonus for providing “Cathy” with weekly reports that would “influence policy and be read by Xi Jinping,” the affidavit says. Database checks showed that Pauken did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act or notify the U.S. attorney general that he was acting as an agent for China, the affidavit says. The Justice Department said Pauken also sold reports to a group of Chinese individuals from the central city of Wuhan, who sought information about technology and the Justice Department and wanted Pauken to find an expert to help them engage in cyberespionage.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI
A damaged apartment in a residential building is seen on Thursday after an overnight Israeli strike in Gaza City.
BY BASSEMMROUE,JON GAMBRELL andSAM METZ Associated Press
BEIRUT Hezbollah on Thursday rejected the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and theLebanese government, and themilitant group demanded acompleteIsraeli withdrawal from Lebanon as more fighting there hampered efforts to end the Iran war
The Hezbollah announcemen t came as Israeli strikes killed at least four people, accordingtolocal authorities, and a U.N. peacekeeper was killedinthe crossfire. An Israeli soldier was also killed in combat in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah leaderNaim Kassem, in awritten statement read on TV, called the negotiations “absurd, humiliating and insulting.” He said the agreement’sdemandthat Hezbollah fighters leave southern Lebanonunder fire would mean “surrender,defeat and achieving the enemy’sgoals.”
“Whatweare concerned aboutis an end to the aggression,ceasefire
and Israel’swithdrawal,” he said, underscoringthatHezbollah has notmade any commitment to stop fighting.“So long as our villages are not safe and are being bombed anddestroyed andour people are killed,”hesaid, northern Israel “will not be safe.”
Sirens afterNetanyahu visit
Following Kassem’sstatement, drone alert sirens sounded in several border communities in northern Israel, including Shlomi, atown where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu andseveral ministers had been meeting with local offi-
cials, his office said. Israeli media reported that Netanyahu left ashort time before the alertssounded.
The Israelimilitary later saidthe sirens were triggered by attempts to interceptseveral drones that hit near soldiers in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported.
Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir,the Israeli military’schief of staff, acknowledged Thursday that the ongoing warwas straining northern Israeli towns living underthe threat of Hezbollah fire. He said Israel’soperations in Iran and Lebanon had “created anew security reality,” by weakening Iranand Hezbollah
“toanunprecedented degree.”
Lebanese troops began moving Thursday afternoon into the southernvillage of Dibbine,incoordination with U.N. peacekeepers, after Israeliforces left the area, which sawintense clashes in recent days, state-run media reported. It was the first time Israeli troops withdrew from an area in southern Lebanon sincethe latest Israel-Hezbollah war began about three months ago.
The fighting in Lebanon, where Israeliforces have seizedlarge swathsofthe south, threatens effortstoend theIran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a keytransit point for oil and gas. Itsclosure has jolted the world economy Iran has demanded that any lasting truce extend to Lebanon. Netanyahu, whofaces elections later this year,wants to pressahead with Israel’s offensive until Hezbollah no longer poses athreat.
U.S.President Donald Trump, whofaced arare rebuke from Congress on Wednesday,has sought to downplay the diplomatic deadlock and the failure of declared ceasefires to end thefighting. He told reporters that in the Middle East, “a ceasefireiswhen you’re shooting in amore moderate manner.”
Peacekeeper, soldierkilled ASerbianpeacekeeper was
killed and two others werewounded when amortarstrucktheir location near Marjayoun, aChristian-majority town thathas seen intense fighting, according to the U.N. mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, and the Serbian Defense Ministry
IsraelblamedHezbollah forthe firing that killed the U.N. peacekeeper,without offering evidence. Hezbollah and the U.N. did not immediately comment on who launched the shells.
Also Thursday, the Israelimilitary announced that a21-year-old captaininthe armored corpswas killed in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said adrone strike killed amotorcyclist and wounded four people in the village of Maaroub. TheIsraeli military said soldiers killed an armed militant and later found aHezbollah cache of guns, grenades, surface-to-air missiles and other combat gear in the area.
The military also said it conducted strikes near the coastal city of Tyre and around Shaqra, another community in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese news agency reported airstrikes in the south and said astrike on the village of Sohmor in theBekaa Valley, in eastern Lebanon, killed three people and wounded others.
U.N. nuclear watchdog:Unabletoimplement responsibilities in Iran
IAEA cannot provide informationon uraniumstockpile
BY STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN Associated Press
VIENNA The U.N. nuclear watchdog has been unable to inspect nuclear facilities in Iran affected by thewar last June according to aconfidentialreport by the U.N. nuclearwatchdog circulated to member states and seen Thursday by The Associated Press
The International Atomic Energy Agency reportedthatit
“cannot provide any information on thecurrent size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iranor whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities.”
The IAEA warned that it was “unable to discharge its safeguards responsibilities”that it hasunder theSafeguards Agreement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding that it is “indispensable and urgent” for Tehran to implement its obligations under thatTreaty
The only nuclear facility inspected in Iran by IAEA inspectors since thelast report in Februaryhas beenthe Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was visited on
June 1-3. The reactor currently running at Bushehr uses uranium from Russiaenrichedto4.5%, a low level needed for power generation in such plants.
The confidential report comeas tensions have flaredinthe Middle East.
Iranian drones heavily damaged apassengerterminal at Kuwait’s main airport on Wednesday,killing oneperson,wounding dozens of others andbrieflyclosingthe airfield —the latest in back-andforthattacks by Iran and the U.S. that test afragile ceasefire.
According to theIAEA, Iran maintains astockpile of 972 poundsofuraniumenrichedup
to 60% purity —ashort, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Thatstockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponizeits program,IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in arecent AP interview.Headded thatitdoesn’tmean that Iran has such aweapon. Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines.
The report said Grossi reiterates his “full support to the negotiationsunderwayaimed at finding a mutually acceptable solution to is-
suesrelated to Iran’snuclear programme, andhis readiness …to support an eventual agreement.” Talks have dragged on for weeks as mediators seek amore enduring truce in the war,now in its fourth month. They are increasingly strained by Israel’sbroadening war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Iran maintains its hold on the Strait of Hormuz —acrucial waterwayfor the world’soil and natural gas and related products like fertilizer —and the U.S. continues its blockade of Iranian ports. Global fuel prices remain high, and the effects of the conflict are felt well beyond the region.
As caregivers, womenmost at risk in Ebolaoutbreak
Virusspreads alonglines of care-giving, domestic labor, health work and burial practices
BY JUSTIN KABUMBA andMARK BANCHEREAU Associated Press
BUNIA,Congo Every day for the past week, Aline Kasiwa hasfed her sick mother,helped her drink and washed her clothes,all while fearing she could catch the Ebola virus as eastern Congo is plagued by one of the fastest-spreading outbreaks of the disease on record.
“She is the only familyI have left. Icannot abandon her,” Kasiwa told The AssociatedPress, adding that she is too afraid to take her mother to thehospitalwhere an infection could be confirmed. “These days we hear that many people are dying there, even nurses,” she said. With no protective equipment beyondacheapface mask,the 28-year-old in Bunia, acityatthe heart of the outbreak, symbolizes the women in eastern Congo who are almost always the first caregiver,arole that health workers say is putting them at higher risk of contracting Ebola.
“It’sthe woman who gives them abath, it’s the womanwho feeds them, and it’sthe woman who’s there to wash the dirtyclothes and everything else,” said Dr.Furaha Elisabeth, directorofthe Karibuni Wa Maman gynecology andobstetrics clinic in Bunia.
Bundibugyo, the type of Ebola in this outbreak, has no approved treatment or vaccine. Even health workers have said they don’t have the masks, gloves and other gear to protect themselves
That leaves some women with impossible choices, especially pregnant ones.
“When you see the way people die —even the nurses who treat us are dying —how can younot be afraid?” said Anny Ekyambo, a 32-year-old in Bunia whosaid she is too afraid to go to aclinic for checkups, even though she is five
months pregnant.
Outbreaksaffectedwomen more
Theoutbreakwas identified weeks late because the rare Bundibugyo typewas not tested for at first.Congoleseauthorities said Wednesday they have confirmed 363 cases, including62deaths, and more are suspected. Neighboring Uganda hasreported 15 confirmed cases, includingone death.
It is not clearhow many women have beeninfected.But history shows that previous Ebola outbreaks have affected women more.
In the first recorded outbreak in the 1970s, women accounted for 56% of deaths, U.N. Women said. During the2018-2020 outbreak in Congo, the deadliest in the country’shistory, women and girls made up about two-thirds of reported cases.
“Wewill certainly see the same pattern emergeinthe current outbreak,” Sofia Calltorp, U.N. Women’s chief of humanitarian action, said in astatement. “Ebola transmission follows social realities. Thevirus spreadsalong the linesofcare-giving, domestic labor, front-linehealth work and burial practices.”
Women in many easternCongo communities are the ones preparingbodies for burial.
‘Theyhad no protection’
At the KaribuniwaMaman clinic, staff saidthey hadreceived no personal protective equipment since theoutbreak began, despite appeals to health authorities.
Patients showing symptomsare
Manza Pantience, left, amidwifeat Karibuni wa Mama, supervises health workers whocollect patients’ samples for Ebola testing at SofepadiHospital in Bunia, Congo, on May29.
examined at theclinic beforebeing referred to larger treatment centers, exposing doctors and nurses to potential infection with minimal safeguards.
Julienne Lusenge, president of Women’sSolidarityfor Inclusive Peace and Development,the aid group running theclinic, said they have sought protective equipment fromvarious partners, receiving only hand sanitizer and afew masks for nurses.
She saidthe equipmentgap also endangers the women caring for sick relatives at home, with most of themunaware thatEbola may be thecause.
“During previous outbreaks, many women diedbecause they were theones nursing sick family members,” Lusenge said.
Despite new arrivals of aid and better-organized healthfacilities in recent days, DoctorsWithout Borders has saidthe virus continues to spread fasterthan the response.
“Nobody knows thetrue scale and severity of this outbreak,” Dr Alan Gonzalez, the medical charity’sdeputy director of operations, has said in astatement.
The outbreak is unfolding in unforgiving surroundings.Ituri province has poor road networks and underequipped healthfacilities morethan 620 miles from Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.
Attacksbythe Allied Democratic Forces,arebel group allied with the Islamic Stategroup, and acoalitionofethnic militias alsohave hindered theresponse.
Ajudgehas dismissed amurder charge against an Arkansas man who won the GOPnomination for sheriff while awaiting trial for theshooting death of his teenage daughter’salleged abuser Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr.dismissed the case against Aaron Spencer Thursday afternoon —just afew weeks before his trial on the second-degree murder charge was expected to begin— because a dash camera memory card that may havecaptured the shooting was lost by law enforcement.
In March, Spencer won the GOP nomination over athree-term incumbent sheriffwhoseoffice hadarrested him on the murder charge in LonokeCounty, which has roughly 76,000 residents and is heavily Republican.
“The court finds that conduct by law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted,” Wilson wrote.
Spencer’sattorneys did not deny that he shotand killedMichael Fosler,67, in 2024. At the time, Fosler wasout on bond after being charged with dozens of sexual offenses against Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter Courtdocuments show on the night of the shooting, Spencer hadwoken up to findhis daughter missing, and later found the girl in thepassenger seat of avehicle Fosler was driving. Spencer forced Fosler’struck off the road and, after an altercation, called 911 to report he had shot the man.
Prosecutors said Spencer planned thekillingand that he could have called police while pursuing Fosler. ButSpencer pleaded not guilty, and maintained he acted to protect his child from apredator
Spencer’sattorney, Erin Cassinelli, said she is thankful for the court’sdecision.
“No member of this family should ever again be forced to walk into acourtroom and relive this horror,” shesaidina statement. “This fathershould have never been charged forprotecting his child.”
LonokeCountyProsecuting Attorney Chuck Graham did not immediatelyreturn messages Thursday seekingcomment on the decision.
The Associated Press typically does notidentify sexabuse victims,but Spencerhas made his daughter’s experiencewiththe criminal justice system acentral part of his campaign forsheriff, pledging to establish adedicated team to combat sex crimes against children.
Spencer’sattorneys filed the motion seeking to have the case dismissed, contending that video and audio of the dash camera from Fosler’struck mayhave contained evidence that would have cleared Spencer of any wrongdoing. According to court records, adetective with the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office removed thedash camerafrom the truck when responding to the scene of the shooting.
Butthe camera’sinternal settings were notpreservedand the battery of the camera was allowedtodrain, andasaresult thecamera went back to itsdefault settings. Whenthe camera was sent to theattorneygeneral’s office fora forensic exam,the memorycard that was in it when it wascollected from thetruck wasmissing. The detective who collected the camera later admitted that it was not logged into evidence right away,but wasinstead stored in his personal office ratherthanthe evidenceroom, according to court records. Wilson replaced the original judge handling the murder case in January after the Arkansas SupremeCourt removed Judge Barbara Elmore from the case, finding she had issued an overly broad gag order that violated Spencer’sFirst Amendment rights.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MOSES SAWASAWA
Wing ballroom project, his tariffs, hiswar withIranand hisimmigration enforcement campaign
“Amendment after amendment, voteafter vote, Republicans are going to have to answer to the American people,” Schumer said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said this week that the fund would not move forward,and many GOP senators said Wednesday that they were satisfied with his remarks.
YetTrump, who has been at odds with Senate Republicansinrecent weeks, raised new doubts aboutthe settlement’sfuture on Wednesday afternoon —just after the Senate had voted to start debate on the immigration bill —when he told reporters that the settlement is “very important” and said “I don’tknow” whether it is dead or on hold.
“I’d have to ask the lawyers,” he said.
Sens. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge;John Husted,R-Ohio; and DanSullivan, R-Alaska, held out for aroundthree hours on the Democraticamendment banning the settlement amid discussions over whether to vote for it Cassidy,who eventually voted against the amendment, lost reelection in aGOP primary two weeksago afterTrump endorsed his opponent. Husted and Sullivan, who voted against it, are both up for reelection in November
DEFENDER
Continued from page1A
notjust the (district attorneys),” Marcelle said. “The DAs can’t function without the public defenders, or else everything gets backlogged even more.”
The deal comes amid alarger debate over how the parish’s fragmented governments fundthe courts, which the entireparish uses Earlier this year,DistrictAttorneyHillar Moore sued the cityparish, claiming the local government is not funding his office adequately as required by the state constitution.
The city-parish filed aspirited
Senators then defeated asecond amendment from Republican Sen. ThomTillis, of NorthCarolina, that would also banthe settlement fund but would move the money to aseparate anti-fraud fund at theDepartment of Justice. Most Democrats voted against the amendment, guaranteeing its defeat, but more than 10 Republicans supported it.
“If Blanche says this is largely inoperative, whynot usethis moment to codifythat?” Tillis said
response last week, calling on Mooretoadd St.George, Baker, Central and Zachary to the suit.
Thecity-parish’scontracted lawyerpointed the finger at St. George in particular, arguing that the newly incorporated city previously testified that it would contribute funding for the district attorney butchanged its mind once it was up and running Moore responded to that argument yesterday in his own filing andsaid state law clearly puts the responsibility to fund the districtattorney,coroner,courts and prison on the shoulders of the parish government, not any municipality
Thedistrictattorney testified before acommittee in support of thepublic defenderbill this leg-
ahead of thevote. “Otherwise, you’re exposing every oneofour members whoare in cycletohaving to deal withthis between today and Election Day,and that makes no sense for something thatthe DOJ saysthey’re not moving forward with.”
It was unclear howRepublicans would vote on additional amendments. Cassidy is also planning to offer an additional attempt to curb thefund, and he appeared tobein conversations with the Senate par-
islativesession and met with St. George and Central leaders alongside Marcelle tohelp secure funding for Romanach’soffice.
St. GeorgeMayor Dustin Yates saidhis city’sagreement to pitch in is an example of howresponsible governmentscan work together “withadefined amount and adefined purpose.”
“That does not change our positiononthe district attorney lawsuit,” Yates said, referring to his comments last week that the parish is responsible for funding constitutional offices, not any city Central Mayor Wade Evans who said he was happy to work outanagreement with Marcelle and the Public Defender’s Office —sayshehopes to help present a funding solution at afuturelegisla-
liamentarianthroughout the morning as he brought her proposals to review
Passage of the roughly $70 billion bill to fund U.S. Immigration andCustoms Enforcement and theBorder Patrol would end the blockadebyDemocrats who demandedpolicychanges after the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents in January.The bill would fund theagenciesfor three years, through the end of Trump’sterm.
Senate Republicansare usinga complicated proceduralmaneuver to get around the filibuster and pass thebudget legislation with no Democratic votes. But it has taken weekstoget thebill to theSenate floor as Republicans navigated various obstacles to passage created by Trumpand the White House —including a$1billion proposal for WhiteHouse security that they eventually scrapped and the fierce bipartisan backlash to the settlementfund
“The thing we’re trying to do here is to keepthe focusonfunding for ICE and CBP,” Thune said Wednesday evening, after the Senate voted to start debating the legislation.
“This was narrow and targeted from thevery beginning and clean, andwe’re trying to maintain it that way,” he said.
Democrats say any funding bill for the Homeland Security Department should place restraints on federal immigrationauthorities including better identification for federalofficers and more useofjudicial warrants, amongother asks.
tivesession Evanswould like to help puttogether abill that requires all state parishes to adequately fund the constitutional offices before any millagecan be put on voters’ ballots for things like parks or libraries.
“You’ve got to fund the constitutional offices before you can vote to fund the cool stuff,” he said. Going into 2026, the public defenderreceived about $850,000 from the city-parish from federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. That represented amore than 21% budget cut from the year prior, though in March themayor and Metro Council approved an additional supplement of $500,000 for theoffice. Moore also received an addition-
Afterfederal agents shotRenee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis,Trump agreed to aDemocratic request that the Homeland Security bill be separated from a larger spending measure that became law. But bipartisan negotiations wentnowhere, andthe DHS funding lapsedinmid-February with no agreement on changes to the Trump administration’simmigration enforcement tactics.
Congress eventually funded the rest of the Homeland Security Department at the end of April with Democratic support. But ICE and BorderPatrol remained without regular funding, and Republicans launched anew effort to pass three years of funding for those agencies with no Democratic votes. Work on thelegislationwas also delayed by Republican opposition to $1 billion in security funding forthe White House, including for Trump’snew ballroom, that was added to the original bill.
Democrats and some Republicansquestionedusing taxpayer moneyfor themassiveproject, andRepublicansdid notinclude it in thefinalbill whenitwas released on Wednesday Republican House leaders said Wednesday they would like to clear the legislation beforethe endofthe week, if theSenate can finish it.House MajorityLeader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said that House leaders werehaving internalconversations aboutthe schedule.
“Wejust need to make sure everybody’sthere,” Scalise said.
al $800,000 from the Legislature this year to help payfor assistant district attorneys’ salaries.
Romanach said thestate can do better to fund its public defender’s offices, which she believes are often the “redheaded stepchild” of the judicial system “until someone needs one.”
Marcelle echoed that pointand said the state is always morewilling to fund prosecutors and law enforcementthanitiscriminal defense.
“The DAs andthe sheriffs run this state, to be honest with you,” Marcelle said. “Ifthey want something, they pretty much get it.” Email Patrick Sloan-Turner at patrick.sloan-turner@ theadvocate.com.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pauses for questionsfrom reportersbefore votes on the immigration enforcement funding package at the Capitol on Thursday.
New Jewish Cultural Center planned
BY ELLYN COUVILLION
Staff writer
A
wife,
The
“We
to
The two-story home in the 8500 block of Old Hammond was damaged by a fire several years ago.
“After bringing in professionals who told us the building was an asset to the property not a liability
we started making plans to transform this ‘diamond in the rough,’” he said.
The nonprofit acquired the property in 2023.
“It will be a tremendous asset for the neighborhood and the community,” Kazen said. “The plans that
man
AND SEEK
Suspect accused of stealing victim’s van
BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer
A man was indicted on a charge of firstdegree murder on Wednesday for allegedly killing his 66-year-old stepfather in a Baton Rouge home last year leaving behind a bloody scene, then stealing the man’s van and fleeing to Mississippi. A grand jury returned an indictment against Ian Seghers, 35, on a count of first-degree murder in the death of Walter Rowland. He is also charged with using Rowland’s van without consent. Rowland was reported missing after he failed to show up for a weekly meeting with his sister on March 7, 2025, according to police records.
Two days later, law enforcement officials conducted a welfare check at Rowland’s property, after his sister reported he had missed the meeting. Officers found Rowland wasn’t at home and his van was missing. Authorities later learned Rowland’s cellphone had not shown any activity since March 1. Seghers had been staying in a trailer on Rowland’s property on Jean Street, a few blocks from Istrouma High School. Rowland’s sister told investigators that since Seghers’ mother had died, the two men’s relationship had been “terrible.” Police executed a search of Rowland’s home, and the investigation showed human remains had been on the property
See INDICTED, page 2B
After a 3-year old boy drowned in a pool in Prairieville in May, deputies arrested the babysitter, charging her with one count of negligent homicide for her alleged involvement.
Joann Johnson, 37, turned herself in to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday after detectives issued a warrant for her arrest. Police responded to a call at 3:18 p.m on May 18 in response to a drowning. Johnson was operating an at-home daycare from her residence on Roy Rogers Road in Prairieville at the time. She was watching Ian Catellanos and one other child, detectives said. Upon arrival, first responders attempted lifesaving procedures and CPR before airlifting Ian to the hospital where he died, detectives said. Using surveillance video, detectives learned that the two children in Johnson’s care were playing in the backyard near the pool with no supervision. Ian fell into the pool and was unconscious in the water for 20 minutes before Johnson was seen retrieving the child. Johnson was booked into the Ascension
STAFF PHOTO
JAVIER GALLEGOS
STAFF PHOTO By TIMOTHy BOONE
Dumpling & Bao, a popular Chinese restaurant, is set to open a second location in St. George in a few months. The restaurant will move into the former Zaxby’s
Report: Detainees assaulted at La. ICE facility
Watchdog documents slew of violations
BY JAMES FINN Staff writer
Guards at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in north Louisiana stabbed one detainee’s hand with a pen while trying to secure a housing wing and placed another in a chokehold while attempting to stop a fight, a federal watchdog found
Those were among a slew of violations of federal use-of-force, health and safety standards recorded at Winn Correctional Center, a private ICE lockup, when agents from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security auditor visited the facility last March for three days
A 35-page report released by DHS’ Office of Inspector General this week found that staff at Winn did not store perishable food at required temperatures, failed to alert federal officials when guards used force on detainees and presided over unsanitary conditions. The review dinged LaSalle Corrections, a Louisiana-based firm that
runs the lockup, for not handing over to the federal inspectors complete video of some use-of-force incidents.
“Without this footage, we could not fully analyze the facility’s compliance with use-of-force standards,” wrote DHS Inspector General Joseph V Cuffari.
A statement provided Thursday by an unnamed DHS spokesperson dismissed the findings as “minor infractions,” saying the agency would address the issues through beefed-up training LaSalle did not respond to a phone message.
Unveiled 18 months into President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, the report sheds fresh light — in unusually candid words from federal officials themselves — on conditions within an immigration lockup at a time when soaring detainee deaths are ratcheting up scrutiny of such facilities It’s part of an ongoing review of immigration lockups that DHS’ inspector general initiated last year
The findings drew a response from at least one member of Congress, U.S Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who said they confirm ICE is “putting people’s health and
safety at serious risk.”
Federal inspectors said the private jail in Winnfield was at its capacity of 1,576 people when they arrived unannounced in early March of 2025 for the review
In an intake room, they found holes and insulation hanging from the ceiling. They noted leaking kitchen vents and cracks in ceilings. Staff tried containing leaks with Styrofoam containers, but water would overflow and puddle on floors, the audit found.
While federal standards require perishable foods to be stored at temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees, the auditors found that Winn’s coolers hovered between 44 and 60 degrees
The DHS watchdog also reviewed five use-of-force incidents at the facility, concluding that three fell short of federal standards The report questioned whether facility leaders took steps they acknowledged were needed to correct the behavior
Jail officials marked the guard who used the chokehold on a detainee for “remedial training,” noting federal detention standards expressly prohibit the technique. The facility’s leaders found the
Upcoming special highlights Lafayette with story of the American Revolution
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
When travel host Denella Ri’chard decided to produce an episode of her show in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary, she knew that she wanted to center part of the American story that few are familiar with The Miami-based Ri’chard is originally from Baton Rouge, and her parents are from Opelousas. She is a descendant of Pierre Richard of Louisiana, a White man who fought on the side of the Americans under General Bernardo de Gálvez, who was then governor of Spanish Louisiana.
Gálvez’s army was an extraordinarily diverse fighting force, made up largely of Spanish, Creole, Acadian, Black and Indigenous troops. They played a critical role in securing the Gulf Coast for the American army, and made Gálvez a hero in Spain and in the newly-created United States. In her one-hour special, “Traveling with Denella: America 250,” she followed the story of the Revolutionary War from Boston to Philadelphia — and all the way down to Acadiana.
Ri’chard highlighted the Lafayette portion of the episode at an Acadiana Center for the Arts premiere on June 3, followed by a panel discussion with local historians Warren Perrin, Michael Martin and John François. Members of the Galvez Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted the evening, alongside Lafayette Travel and the Acadian Museum.
“I’m a ninth-generation descendant of Pierre Richard,” said Ri’chard. “When I learned his story, I realized that the revolution wasn’t just something I wanted to report on, it’s something I come from. Because of his service, I’m a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution This isn’t just history to me it’s heritage, it’s responsibility, it’s a legacy
Man
guard involved in the pen-stabbing incident, too, “required disciplinary action,” the inspector general report says.
But because Winn does not maintain detailed records, it was unclear whether those officers were ultimately subject to any discipline.
“This could lead to staff repeating inappropriate use-of-force tactics that could potentially result in property damage, injury and death,” Cuffari wrote.
The report dinged Winn for poor recordkeeping in other areas. Staff did not maintain logs of detainees’ criminal histories as required under federal rules meant to ensure safe housing arrangements. And in a facility where detainees can work up to 40 hours weekly for as little as $1 per day, the inquiry found almost no records of detainee work histories.
Staff “only recorded detainee working hours for the current week in a spreadsheet by overwriting the previous week’s data,” the report says. The numbers of people being held in immigration detention nationally and in Louisiana has soared since Trump took office.
Ri’chard introduces a free public screening
America 250’ at the Acadiana Center for the Arts
Wednesday.
“I’m a ninth-generation descendant of Pierre Richard. When I learned his story, I realized that the revolution wasn’t just something I wanted to report on, it’s something I come from. Because of his service, I’m a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This isn’t just history to me — it’s heritage, it’s responsibility, it’s a legacy that I carry with pride.”
DENELLA RI’CHARD, travel host
that I carry with pride.” Warren Perrin, who founded the Acadian Museum in Erath and has written extensively on the Acadians and their descendants, appeared in the television special to shed light on why the Acadian people, having fled to Louisiana to start a new life, decided to join the continental fight under Gálvez.
“When Gov Gálvez asked the Acadians to join the Spanish militia they were anxious to do so.
They finally had a chance to get back at the British who had stolen their lands, so 67 men got on horses and went from Lafayette to New Orleans to join the militia,” he said. “They helped defeat the British at the Battle of Manchac, then went up to Baton Rouge, defeated the British there, and got
control of the Mississippi River
“After the forts fell at Mobile and Pensacola, the Gulf of Mexico was controlled by Spain, and four months later, Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington. The war was over.”
Louisianans with a verifiable connection to a Revolutionary War veteran (or any ancestor who aided in the pursuit of American independence) are eligible for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution, which has resources to help with genealogical research.
“Traveling with Denella: America 250” will air locally on KATC at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 13.
Email Joanna Brown at joanna. brown@theadvocate.com.
who missed hearings named fugitive Bryant tied to woman’s disappearance
BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer
A Lafayette man previously arrested in connection with the disappearance of Skye Angers has been named a fugitive after failing to appear for court hearings, according to Lafayette Parish court records.
Fugitive warrants were issued for Joseph Bryant on April 18, 2024, and again on May 15, 2024, after he failed to appear before Judge Michele Billeaud, records show Bryant missed scheduled hearings, which led to the court issuing warrants and orders that he be held for court. According to court records, Bryant’s charge is listed as “Obstruction of Justice (Amended To) Unlawful Disposal of Remains.”
Skye Angers, who was reported missing in January 2021 while pregnant, has never been found.
The criminal portion of the case is listed as “cleared by arrest,” police said in a recent statement. Bryant was arrested on Feb 26, 2021, on the one count of obstruction of justice connected to the investigation into Skye’s disappearance. The most recent search activity occurred in March 2022 after investigators received information regarding the possible whereabouts of Skye’s remains. Detectives and cadaver dogs searched an abandoned area in Lafayette, but the search produced no results, according to police.
Now, more than five years after Angers’ disappearance, her family is still searching for answers while holding tightly to memories of who Skye was before she vanished.
Alex Angers says her sister’s story is about more than the circumstances surrounding her dis-
appearance.
“If you ever met her, you’d say she was eccentric, very fun,” Alex said. “She loved music. She loved making friends. She just enjoyed life.”
For years, Alex says she has carried the weight of not knowing and wondering whether someone out there knows what happened, whether someone has stayed silent all this time.
Now, her family hopes renewed attention to Skye’s disappearance could bring answers, closure or at least new information forward.
The District Attorney’s Office encouraged the public to provide any information that could lead to Bryant’s capture by contacting the Lafayette Tips Hotline. Anyone with information related to the disappearance of Skye Angers is encouraged to contact the Lafayette Police Department. Tips can be submitted anonymously through 232-TIPS, the LPD mobile app or by emailing viapiolpd@lafayettela.gov
Louisiana had more than 8,000 people in immigration detention as of April, second only to Texas, according to data tracked by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. The new DHS review marks the latest report of troubling conditions inside facilities operated by LaSalle, which runs half of Louisiana’s ICE-contracted lockups. In 2021, a DHS review dinged Winn Correctional for inappropriate use of force and “serious environmental and safety deficiencies.” A civil jury in Monroe last year awarded $42.75 million to family of a man killed after guards at Richwood Correctional, a LaSalle-run facility in Monroe, slammed his head against a concrete floor In April, officials said 49-yearold Alejandro Cabrera Clemente, a Mexican-born man with a history of high blood pressure, died at Winn after staff found him unresponsive in a dormitory area. Mexican officials called his death a sign of increasingly dire conditions within U.S. detention facilities.
Email James Finn at jfinn@ theadvocate.com.
PROVIDED ILLUSTRATION
An architectural rendering shows the Jewish Cultural Center planned for Old Hammond Highway in Baton Rouge.
CENTER
Continued from page 1B
BLOTTER
Continued from page 1B we are developing will use the existing structure and add to it, as well as the necessary infrastructure and landscaping.”
Parish Jail and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Officials: Inmate dies at Angola state prison
An Angola inmate, 33-year-old Patrick Jones, died on Tuesday, according to the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
His death is the second inmate death in a week at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola Ronald Williams, 57, died in prison on May 28. The cause of death for Jones is undetermined and an autopsy is pending, the corrections department said Thursday Jones was convicted of four counts of armed robbery and four
INDICTED
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Police identified Rowland’s bedroom as the location of the killing with blood remains splattered across the entire room, according to an arrest warrant.
Police also found cleaning liquid smeared across the room in an attempt to remove the blood. Detectives identified blood trailing from the bedroom through the house to the front porch, where neighbors told police Segher had parked the back of the van. Authorities have not found Rowland’s body
A license plate reader took photos of Rowland’s van in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on March 9. Seghers’ brother and a friend tipped off investigators that they thought he may have killed his stepfather
Detectives learned a mutual friend of Seghers and Rowland had contacted the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office after an encounter with Seghers and the van in Pearl River about a 40-minute drive from Bay
One of the first steps taken has been to clear away shrubbery and trees in the front yard of the former residence, but new landscaping will come, Kazen said. A completion date for the cultural center has not been set yet. “We look forward to the center’s completion,” he said.
counts of armed robbery with a firearm in Calcasieu Parish. He was arrested in January 2015 and started serving his 165-year sentence at Angola in June 2016.
Police: Man found fatally shot in vehicle
A 27-year-old man was found fatally shot in a vehicle early Thursday morning, Baton Rouge Police said.
The victim has been identified as Eric Lathers.
Officers responding to a call about a shooting in the 2500 block of 73rd Avenue, shortly after 1:30 a.m. Thursday, found Lathers in a vehicle, dead from multiple gunshot wounds, police said in a news release. No motive or suspect has been developed at this time, police said. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (225) 344-7867.
St. Louis. Seghers asked the friend to borrow a shovel “so he could bury his dog,” before walking into a nearby wooded area, according to the affidavit.
Seghers was arrested on unrelated charges in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on March 25 and was extradited to St. Tammany Parish at that time, police said. After being released from St. Tammany Parish in February, Seghers was taken back to Baton Rouge, where he was arrested, according to Baton Rouge police. Segher’s arraignment is scheduled for June 22.
STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE
Denella
of ‘Traveling With Denella:
in Lafayette on
BRIEFS
FROM WIRE REPORTS
Jobless filings at highest since Iran war began
WASHINGTON The number of Americans filing for jobless aid hit their highest level in four months last week, but layoffs remain historically low despite ongoing economic uncertainty brought on by the war in Iran.
U.S. applications for unemployment benefits for the week ending May 30 increased by 13,000 to 225,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday That’s the most since early February, before the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran, but still a historically low level. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 211,000 new applications.
Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.
Despite historically low layoffs, the labor market seems to be mired in what economists call a “low-hire, low-fire” state. That’s kept the unemployment rate low at 4.3%, but left many of those out of work struggling to find new employment.
Though U.S. employers delivered a surprising 115,000 new jobs in April, the Iran war has injected a large degree of uncertainty about the broader U.S. economy and labor market.
Canada to back off charging streamers
OTTAWA, Ontario Canada’s government directed its television and communications regulator to back down from a recent decision to triple financial contributions required from U.S. streaming services such as Netflix for Canadian content, the country’s culture minister said Wednesday Instead, Culture Minister Marc Miller said, the government will invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the sector
The U-turn comes after the Motion Picture Association, the U.S. group representing streamers, called on the Canadian Cabinet to reconsider its approach, and after the U.S. ambassador to Canada called for the policy to be rescinded.
It also comes as Canada and the United States are in discussions on whether to renew the free trade agreement between the two countries and Mexico.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission — the country’s equivalent to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission — said in May it would require large streaming services like Netflix to contribute 15% of their Canadian revenues to Canadian content. It made the decision as part of its work to implement the Online Streaming Act.
Asked whether the decision is another concession to the U.S., Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday the government was looking at how much the new policy would cost Canadians.
“It is another step to reinforce affordability for Canadians. This is not the time to raise the costs for Canadians,” he said.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra welcomed the decision.
American temporarily suspends some routes
NEWYORK American Airlines is temporarily suspending some of its routes this summer as steep jet fuel costs continue to strain carriers’ budgets amid the war with Iran.
In a statement, American said it had adjusted service for “select routes” in August and September — and that impacted travelers would be offered alternative arrangements or refunds. The Texas-based airline cited elevated fuel costs, and maintained that these changes were in line with wider industry trends.
American also said that it was not cutting any of its routes indefinitely and that it was proud to “offer an industry-leading network with more flights than any other U.S. airline.”
Still, the summer suspensions could cause more headaches for travelers already facing fewer flights options and higher price tags across their budgets.
The Dow leaps to a record high
Oil prices ease and U.S. stocks outside of AI rally
BY STAN CHOE AP business writer
NEW YORK Wall Street rallied
Thursday after falling oil prices and yields in the bond market eased the pressure on U.S. stocks. Banks, small companies and other stocks that had earlier been left behind by the euphoria around artificialintelligence technology led the way
The S&P 500 rose 0.4% for its 10th gain in the last 11 days, a day after dropping from its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 874 points, or 1.7%, to a record, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%.
Stocks got a lift from a 2.8% drop for the price of Brent crude oil to $95.03 per barrel. That gave back a chunk of its rise from this week caused by the latest flare-ups of
Trump
fighting between Iran and the United States and its allies.
The expectation on Wall Street seems to be that the United States and Iran will ultimately agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers. That would hopefully improve the flow of crude, lower oil’s price and remove some of the upward pressure on inflation that’s hurting the world. Such hopes, along with strong profit reports from U.S. companies, helped launch the S&P 500 on a nine-day winning streak that ended Wednesday, a day short of its longest run in three decades.
Stocks of smaller companies helped lead the way and the Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks jumped 1.4%. They can reap the biggest benefits of falling interest rates, and the yield on the 10-year Treasury dipped to 4.47% from 4.49% late Wednesday as oil prices sank.
Lower yields can make it less expensive for companies to borrow cash, which many smaller compa-
nies need to do to grow
Banks also helped lead the market, including gains of 5% for Goldman Sachs, 4.7% for Fifth Third Bancorp and 4.4% for U.S. Bancorp. They helped to more than make up for losses by some AI stocks, which took a sudden back seat after dominating the market. Broadcom sank 12.6%, even though both profit and revenue for the chip company surpassed analysts’ expectations. CEO Hock Tan said its AI semiconductor revenue more than doubled to $10.8 billion during the quarter and that demand is only getting bigger He is forecasting AI semiconductor growth to top 200% in the current quarter Investors, though, may have wanted even more after Broadcom’s stock came into the day with a 38.5% surge for the year so far That towered over the already strong 10.3% rise for the S&P 500 index, and Broadcom has grown to become one of Wall Street’s largest and most influential stocks.
Analysts have been saying AI stocks may have run too high, becoming too expensive, and that the broad U.S. stock market may be set for a slowdown following an unrelenting streak of nine straight winning weeks for the S&P 500, its longest since 2023.
Other AI winners likewise gave back some of their big gains. Micron Technology, the latest company to see its total value top $1 trillion because of AI euphoria, fell 7.7%.
CrowdStrike Holdings dropped 3.8% even though the cybersecurity company’s profit and revenue for the latest quarter topped analysts’ expectations. CEO George Kurtz said the latest quarter was when “the worlds of cybersecurity and frontier AI collided,” and the company said it’s splitting its stock to make its share price more affordable.
But its stock came into the day with a 59.5% surge for the year so far And analysts said it beat forecasts for some financial measures by less than it usually does.
announces $700M in support for coal industry
BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is again seeking to boost the struggling U.S. coal industry announcing a plan Thursday to spend nearly $700 million to support coalfired power plants and coal exports
Trump said the administration will use authority under a Cold War-era national defense law to support 13 coal plants across the country and help build coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia — the first new U.S. coal plants since 2013. The money will also help restart a shuttered coal-fired power plant in Maryland and support construction of a long-delayed coal export terminal in Oakland, California.
Together, the announcements will support or create more than 14,000 jobs in coal, construction rail and maritime industries, a White House official said.
At a White House ceremony, Trump called coal “a great business,” adding: “It’s real power. In terms of power, there’s really nothing like it.” The announcement is the latest step by Trump to try to reverse the yearslong decline in the U.S. coal industry The administration said last fall it will open 13 million acres of federal lands for coal mining and provide $625 million to recommission or modernize coal-fired power plants. Trump issued executive orders soon after retaking office to try to revive coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been shrinking amid environmental regulations and competition from cheaper natural gas and renewable energy Under Trump’s orders, the Energy Department has required coal-fired power plants in Michigan, Indiana, Colorado and Washington state to keep operating past their retirement dates to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence
and electric cars. The Energy Department has extended short-term orders to allow those efforts to continue, and has ordered oil and gas-fired plants in Maryland and Pennsylvania to run past scheduled retirement dates.
Wright has said the administration’s use of emergency orders to keep aging coalfired plants operating helped prevent major blackouts during brutally frigid weather that gripped most of the country in late January and early February.
Environmental groups denounced the latest effort to boost coal, which comes as the Trump administration has clamped down on renewable energy, including freezing permits for offshore wind projects, ending clean energy tax credits and blocking wind and solar projects on federal lands.
“Propping up coal billionaires with taxpayer money is one more way for the Trump administration to put polluters first and put the rest of us at risk,” said Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “What’s next, a taxpayer bailout to build new phone booths?”
Trump’s order will result in higher electricity bills and dirtier air, Kennedy and other critics said. “The best thing for the air, the climate and our utility bills is to let these plants retire peacefully,” she said.
Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, said coal generation helps shield consumers from the impacts of volatile energy prices and supply challenges exacerbated by AI.
Trump’s strategy will “ensure that up-
grades to existing energy assets are made” domestically, “and at our ports to ensure that U.S. coal can answer the world’s needs,” he said.
Coal once provided more than half of U.S. electricity production, but its share dropped to about 15% in 2024, down from about 45% as recently as 2010. Natural gas provides about 43% of U.S. electricity, with the remainder from nuclear energy and renewables such as wind, solar and hydropower U.S. coal exports dropped during the first year of Trump’s second term, largely due to less coal being shipped to China after it imposed reciprocal tariffs on American products last year in response to broad tariffs announced by Trump, according to the Energy Information Administration. Global coal demand rose to record levels in recent years but is expected to flatten or decline in coming years, according the International Energy Agency It’s hard for U.S. companies to expand into new markets because there are plentiful reserves of coal around the globe.
Even so, Trump has pushed to revive coal exports on the West Coast. Coal miners have long sought to ship coal from Utah and the Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming to markets in Asia.
Developers are fighting the city of Oakland to build an export terminal on the site of a decommissioned Army base. Community members and advocacy groups have voiced concerns over how trains loaded with coal will affect public health, safety and the environment.
Authorities: Screwworm fly detected in Texas
BY JOHN HANNA Associated Press
The New World screwworm fly has reached south Texas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed Wednesday, the first time in decades that the parasite with flesh-eating larvae has threatened the nation’s $113 billion cattle industry and only the third time it’s appeared in the U.S. in that time. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the case was in a 3-week-old calf in La Pryor, Texas, about 50 miles from the Mexico border. Texas State Veterinarian Bud Dinges said he has established a 12-mile quarantine zone,
prohibiting the movement of any warm-blooded animal — including pets — outside that zone without an inspection. Rollins said there have been no other detections of the fly in the U.S., and officials were quick to say that while the fly’s larvae are a threat to livestock production, they don’t infest food. Properly treated, even the infested calf should recover, Rollins said. Rollins, U.S. and Texas agriculture officials, and cattle industry leaders have been sounding public alarms about the fly’s movement across Mexico for more than a year spurred on by memories of it causing tens of millions of dollars
of losses — potentially billions in today’s dollars — before its eradication in the 1970s.
It is the first case confirmed in Texas since 1966, Rollins said. Texas, home to $17 billion worth of the nation’s cattle, is the industry’s No. 1 state. The months of effort to keep the fly out of the U.S. have included dropping millions of sterile screwworm flies in the area to mate with wild females the same method used successfully before the fly was eradicated.
Rollins said the USDA is confident enough in its preparations that it believes “there is no threat of mass infestation.”
“There is no reason to believe this incursion will result in establishment of the pest in our country,” Rollins said. The announcement of the suspected case comes only a day after Rollins had an online news conference to highlight the nearness of the threat, with cases being confirmed in Mexico as close as 25 miles from the border — and to outline the USDA’s efforts to combat it.
The New World Screwworm fly is a tropical species that decades ago infested cattle in warm weather across the southern United States, but it was contained in Panama until late in 2024.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By TED S.WARREN
The Trump administration plans to use authority under a Cold War-era national defense law to support 13 coal plants across the country and help build coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia as part of a plan to spend nearly $700 million to support the coal industry.
Funerals Today
Fowler,Kenneth
St.MaryMotherofthe Church Catholic Church in Lafayetteat10am.
Haynes, Farrow Saintsville C.O.G.I.C. Prayer Center 8930 PlankRoad, at 11 a.m.
KlotzJr.,Charles St.Alphonsus Catholic Church at noon.
Louis, Howard SaintFrancis Xavier Catholic Church,1120 Myrtle St BatonRouge LAat 10:30am.
McIntosh,Mario OursoFuneralHome, 13533 Airline Highway in Gonzales,atnoon.
Rabenhorst FuneralHome& Crematory East,11000 Florida Boulevard, at 11 a.m.
Obituaries
Antoine, Lucy Mae
Lucy Mae Antoine passed away on Saturday, May 23, 2026,atthe age of 91. Affectionately known as "Dea", she was raised and educated in West Baton Rouge Parish school system. She was baptized at ayoung age. Her strong faith in God was the foundation for how she lived her life and loved others. She was alifelong resident of Port Allen, until she needed extra care in Baton Rouge. She was employed as a housekeeper, short order cook, and worked at a catering company. She later volunteered at the West Baton Rouge Council on Aging, serving food to those in need. Lucy is survived by her children, Ada Faye Slaughter, Emma (Clifford) Howard, Stefon (Schawanda) Antoine, and Theresa (Tate) Anderson; agranddaughter raised as a daughter, Myra Alexander; sisters-in-law, Joyce C. Murphy and Glandel Robertson; and ahost of grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, nieces, nephews,and cousins.
Lucy was preceded in death by her parents, Beatrice Murphy and Robert Johnson, Sr.; husband, Leon Antoine, Sr.; children, Tyrone Alexander, Kato Eric Antoine, Sr., and Joshlyn Marie "Moo" Alexander; and siblings, Johnny Robertson, Gertrude Payne, Charles Johnson, Sr., Robert Johnson, Jr., and Percy L. Murphy. Services will be held at New Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 1187 Rosedale Road, Port Allen, Louisiana, on June 6, 2026, with the Visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The Homegoing Service begins at 11:00 a.m. Special thanks to the compassionate staff and caregiversat Landmark Baton Rouge Services entrusted to Hall Davis &Son Funeral Service,9348 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jacobi Myles Clement (20) passed awayonSunday, May31, 2026. Born in Houma, LA, Jacobi was a resident of Gonzales, LA wherehetouchedcountless livesthrough hisenergy, kindness, and unwavering passion forhelping others. Adedicated wrestling competitor and trainer,Jacobi inspired those around himtopush beyond their limits, both physically and mentally. He had adeeplove forfitness and was known for motivating others to become the bestversions of themselves Jacobi livedlifewithenthusiasm and purpose.He loved fast cars, traveling and embracingspontaneous adventureswherever they led. Whether spending time with friends, making memories with family, or encouraging someone who needed support, he was always generous with histime and his heart.His abilitytoinspire others, hisinfectious personality,and hisgenuinecare for peoplemade alastingimpact on everyone fortunate enough to know him. More than anything,Jacobi lived his lifetolove and be loved. His presence brought joy, strength, and encouragement to those around him, and hismemorywillcontinue to liveon in the hearts of allwho knew him.
He is survived by his lovingmother, Rachel Andras; sister, Autumn Blanchard; brothers, Tyson Blanchard, Ace Buffert, Tsavo Buffert Jr., Carter Kennedy, and Lincoln Kennedy; grandparents, Liz Cottrell,Ronald Cottrell,Raymond Andras Jr., George Menard, and Dale Talbot.
Jacobi was precededin death by his father,Todd Clement;grandmother, Anne Menard; and his great-grandparents, Emma Jean Andras and Raymond Andras Sr.
Visitationwilltake place on Sunday, June 7, 2026,at Ourso Funeral Home,13533 AirlineHwy. Gonzales, LA 70737, beginning at 9:00 AM. The Memorial Service will followat11:00 AM.
Elisar, Robert Wayne 'Bobby' RobertWayne"Bobby" Elisarwas bornonAugust, 24, 1946 and peacefully passed awayonMay 29, 2026.He was alifelongresidentofPrairieville,a graduate of Dutchtown and a Local 198 pipefitter He is survived by his wifeof60years,Malvina "Vennie" Melancon Elisar; his mother, Ruth B. Elisar; his daughters, Sheree E. Mire(Kurt) and Leslie E. Templet(Boyd);his granddaughters, Chanie M. Turner (Brandon), Madison M. Durbin (Grant), JordanT Stewart(Logan), andSydney T. Guedry (Dayton); his great-grandchildren, Bradieand CarsonTurner, Cohen Stewart and Durbin twins on the way; and his sister, LisaRangeley.Heis preceded in death by his
father, Glenn G. Elisar and hisinfant granddaughter, Kate Turner. Aprivategraveside service willbeheldfor immediatefamily.Toleave online condolences to the family,pleasevisit www.oursofh.com.
Haynes, Farrow
Farrow Haynes was born January 23, 1958 in Woodville, Mississippi. He departedthislife on May 25, 2026 in theButterfly Wing of Baton Rouge General Memorial Hospital. Funeral Servicesbeheld from11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on June 5, 2026 at SaintsvilleC.O.G.I.C.Prayer Center, 8930 Plank Road., Baton Rouge,Louisiana 70811
Lloyd JosephHidalgo, Jr 76, alifelong resident of BelleRose,LA, passed away on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Lloyd was adevoted husband, father, grandfather,brother, uncle, cousin, and friend whose warmth and kindness touched everyone he met He never met astranger and genuinely enjoyed striking up conversations with people wherever he went.Lloyd was aproud graduateofAssumption HighschoolinAssumption Parish where he ultimately returnedtodedicatethe last sixteenyears of his workcareer as amaintenance supervisor forthe schoolsystem. His work gave him purpose,and he took greatprideinhis profession. Lloyd enjoyed sitting on his patiooverlooking Bayou Lafourche. In his spare time, he enjoyed bass fishing with his friends and hisbrother-inlawAnthony. He was also an avid firearms enthusiast who enjoyed sharing his knowledge and passion with others. He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife of fifty-five years, Frances Dato Hidalgo;one daughter, BethHidalgoSchexnayderand son-in-lawPhil; three grandchildren, Rowan, Lyla and EmmieSchexnayder; twosiblings, Sandra Lawrence (Larry) and DwightHidalgo and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by hisparents, LloydSr. and Anna Mae Martin Hidalgo; his in-laws, A.J "Blink" and Jennie Dato, his niece Brooke Groner, and his nephew Charles Oswald. Avisitation willbe held at AscensionofOur Lord CatholicChurch in Donaldsonville,LA, on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 8:30am until Mass of Christian Burialat11am. Inter-
Hidalgo, Lloyd Joseph
Lee, Mary
ment will be held at the church mausoleum. his sister,Kay RolfsWhite; three nephews; one niece; and his sister-in-law, Kristine Dietrich Keating. An avid readerwitha deep appreciationfor music and intellectual inquiry,Emile pursued knowledge throughout his life. He especiallycherished time spent with his grandchildren, who found comfort and ease in his presence. A true Southern gentleman, he carriedhimself with steadfast integrity, quiet grace, and adistinctive, thoughtful style.A visitation willbeheldonMonday, June 8, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. JamesEpiscopal Church,followed by afuneral service at 1:00 p.m. The family extends special thanks toHospice of Baton Rouge forits compassionate care.Inlieuofflowers, memorialcontributions may be made to the Sigma ChiScholarship through the LSU Foundation or to St. James Episcopal Church.
Mary Lee departed this life on May 22, 2026, at the age of 62. Viewing willbe held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Gospel Temple,82 Banks Ln., Pine Grove, La at 9amuntil the religious service at 11:30am. Superintendent Peter Donaldwill be officiating the service and Elder Enos Lee will deliver the eulogy. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to MJR Friendly Service Funeral Home
Rolfs III, Emile Christian Emile Christian Rolfs III, born in Baton Rouge in 1943, passed away peacefully at home on May 24, 2026. Agraduate of Baton Rouge High School, Class of 1961, Emile attended LSU, where he joined the Sigma Chi Fraternity and formed lifelong friendships. He later earned his J.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1967 and began adistinguished legal career with atwoyear clerkship for U.S. District Judge E. Gordon West, whom he greatly admired. Throughout his career, Emile was frequently appointed by both federal and state courts to serve as aspecial master in complex litigation, arole he found especially meaningful and rewarding. Deeply devoted to his community, Emile served as a vestryman at St. James Episcopal Church and as president of the City Club of Baton Rouge. He also proudly served on the boards of the Louisiana Museum of Art and Magnolia Mound Plantation. He is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Susan Dietrich Rolfs; his three daughters, who were his greatest pride and joy: Susannah Rolfs Elliott and husband Jeff of Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte Elizabeth Rolfs of New Orleans; and Ainsley Rolfs Grigsby and husband Todd of Baton Rouge. He is also survived by his beloved grandchildren, William Lane Grigsby, Crawford Emile Grigsby, Oliver Steele Grigsby, Samuel Johnson Elliott,and Susan Claire Elliott; his brother, James Rolfs and wife Mary;
Daisy AndersonSquare, affectionately known as "Madea", was born on September 21, 1924, and peacefully departedthis life on Tuesday, May19, 2026.Adevoted educator, Daisy dedicated over 20 yearsofservice to teaching at Riley Elementary and Clinton Elementary, whereshe made alasting impact on generations of students. She was also a lovingwife, marriedtoher devotedhusband, Louis FloridaSquare, Sr.,for over 50 years. Sister Square leavestocherishher loving memories her four children: SusieSquare Davisof DeRidder,Louisiana;Louis FloridaSquare, Jr.ofBaker, Louisiana; Wanda Square Tansil (Isadore)ofBaton Rouge, Louisiana;and Antronette Square Mayfield of Fort Worth, Texas. Sheisalsosurvived by two sisters-in-law, Fairy Square of Zachary,Louisiana,and Girley SquareofSpringHill, Florida; two brothers-inlaw, SamuelSquare (Georgia)ofZachary,Louisiana, and Oscar Square (Regina) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; thirteengrandchildren, twentytwo great grandchildren, and eight great great grandchildren; along with ahost of nieces, nephews, otherrelatives, andfriends.She wasprecededindeath by herhusband,parents,one daughter,one great greatgrandchild, foursisters, seven brothers, and one nephew/ son.A viewingwill be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026,
from9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Holly Grove Baptist Church, 10754 Milldale Road,Zachary, Louisiana 70791. The funeral service willimmediately follow, officiated by Reverend Eric Patterson and Reverend Sam Williams. Funeralarrangements have beenentrusted to Richardson Funeral Home of Clinton, Louisiana.
Thomas, RobertL Robert "Bobby" L. Thomas, Jr., age 75 of Knoxville, PA,formerlyof Baton Rouge,LA, passed away on May 16, 2026 at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre,PA. Bobby was born on August 13, 1950 in Baton Rouge, LA to thelate Robert L. Thomas, Sr .and Glenna (Odom) Thomas. After graduating from IstroumaHighSchool in BatonRouge,heworked at The Advocate newspaper in his hometown for32 years, followed by several years as an IT systems analyst at theFMOL Health System in Baton Rouge. Bobby was adevoted and loving family man, enjoying his children, grandchildren,and greatgrandchildren.Heenjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing,and gardening. An avid tennis player,heserved as atennisinstructor at theBREC Park SysteminBaton Rouge for many years. He was along-time church member of theChapel BatonRouge-Seigen Lane location. Bobby is survived by his wife, Onolee(Wetmore)Thomas of Knoxville, PA,children, Christopher (Eden)Thomas of Prairieville, LA,Stephanie (Michael) Price of Baton Rouge LA, and Kaleigh Thomas of BatonRouge LA;grandchildren,Michael, Claire,Andrew, Mason, Joseph, Rachel, Jacob, Kynnediand Knight;5 greatgrandchildren; asister, Robbie (Jerry) David; as wellasnumerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.Hewas preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Mary Ann (Richard) Thomas; and a brother, Lawrence Thomas. Amemorialgathering will be held on Sat June 20, 2026 from 2-4 pm at Comite Baptist Church,12250 Greenwell SpringsRd.,Baton Rouge, LA 70814. Arrangements are in thecare of Kenyon Funeral Home,Inc.
MarthaHodgesWeller passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. She wasborn
on September 17, 1938, in Newton, Mississippi to WileyPrentiss Hodges, Jr. and Jimmie VermelleWare Hodges. WhenMartha was 4, her family moved to Greenville,Mississippi,a town she quickly came to knowasHome. Martha graduated from Greenville HighSchool, attended MaryWashingtonCollege in Virginia, then transferred to Mississippi State Collegefor Women, where she received abachelor's degree in psychology. In junior highschool, Martha became friends with Neal WellerofChatham, Mississippi, who over theyears became theloveofher life. Neal affectionatelycalled her "Marty," anickname that she held dear forall her life,especiallywhen it became her "grandmother name" in 1991. To this unioncame their four belovedchildren. At the youngage of 42, Martha became awidow when Neal passed away unexpectedly.Althoughthey were onlymarriedfor 21 years and 3months, she spokeoftenoftheir love and remained true to him to theend,never remarrying Martha is preceded in death by her parents; her belovedhusband;their infant twin sons Edward and James; and her brother Jim. Martha is survived by her loving children Beth Weller Cronin and husband Matt, Neal Wellerand wife Mary, Katherine Weller Harmonand husband Rick, and Bruce Weller and wife Paige;her adoring grandchildrenGrace CroninEly andhusband Zach, Emily Cronin Sandiferand husband Ryan, Parker Weller and fiancée Linsey, Ted
Weller andfiancéeKallan, Ben Weller,Suzette Weller Suzanne Weller Thompson andhusbandKen, Elizabeth Weller Hubbard and husband Mike, Caroline Weller,Olivia Harmon, and Neal Harmon; andher preciousgreat-grandchildren Wren Ely, MaeKirkland Thompson,and JamesSandifer.Marthawas blessed to enjoy averyspecial relationship witheach oneof them.There was never a moment when she wasn't proudofwho they were andwhat theyhad accomplished. The foundation of love,support,traditions andvaluesthat Martha andNealcreated willcarry on for generationsto come.
Marthacherished spending time withher familyand making memories together, andwas also adevoted andspirited friend. She rockedthe tenniscourtand thebridge tablewith Neal andmany friends duringtheir years together, andtheyloved traveling, both withfriends andasa family. Some of herchildren'sfavorite childhood memories are of theircamping, mountain, andbeach trips. From early childhood, Martha had remarkable talentand devotion at both thepiano andthe easel, lighting up ourhomes andlives with beautiful music and gorgeous paintingsintoher later years.
Marthawas blessed with thefriendshipsofso many wonderful people andwas grateful for the love of herhusband, children,grandchildren and great-grandchildren,asit knew no boundaries At herrequest,the family will celebrate Martha's
be held at ResthavenGardens of Memory. Familyand friends may sign theonline guestbook or leave apersonal note to thefamilyatwww.resthav enbatonrouge.com
Square,Daisy Anderson
Weller, Martha Hodges
OPINION
Across ruralAmerica,Trump flagsfading
Iamnot apoliticalanalyst.I am aBlack woman from Ville Platte,Louisiana, asmall rural town in Evangeline Parish where the poverty rate is high and your neighbors are also your history.I grew up alongside White classmates from kindergarten on. We weremore than fine. We carried those relationships forward. What Iwatched happen to some of those same people starting in 2016isnot something Iread about in areport. Iwatched it in real time, on Facebook, in my own community.That did not happen by accident. Donald Trump did not accidentally stumble into the Republican Party. Trump spent decades as a Democrat. He donated to Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and Rahm Emanuel. He registered
as aDemocrat for most of the 1990s and again from 2001 to 2009. His positions on healthcare, taxing the wealthy andtrade policy aligned far moreclosely with Democratic values than Republican ones. He also said, in interviews thatstill exist, that he wanted to dismantle theRepublican Party.
Most people heard that and moved on. Ifileditaway.When someone tells you what they plan to do,believe them.
Trump did not become aRepublican because he believed in Republican values. He became one because the party’s structure made it the only vehicle available for what he wanted to do.
This is notnew.The Republican Partyhas always had factions willing to break off when it no longerserved them —you saw it in the Reagancoalition,you saw it in the TeaParty, you saw it in every outsider candidate who ran against “the establishment” and won enough votes to frac-
ture thebase. Theindividualism baked intothe party’s foundational values is alsoits structural vulnerability. Everyman for himselfeventually means every faction for itself.
Trump read that history.Hedid notstumble intothe Republican Party —hestudied it.Afragmented party can be captured. Acohesive one cannot. Andhe knew exactly which one he was walking into.
Trump did not simply reveal who people already were. For some of them, he installed something new.Hetold people who felt lost that theirresentment and fear were not just acceptable, they were righteous.He gave people an identity.And I watched it happen in real time, in my own community,inthe racial divide that quietly opened up between people who had known each other their whole lives. In a smalltown, you feel that at close range The flags aregonefrom my
La.broadband office is improvingcommunities
March 29 markedfive years in Louisiana’s effort to closethe digital divide. In2021, more than 375,000 households, small businessesand essential community institutions suchashospitals,libraries andschools lacked reliableinternetservice,affectingmore than one in four Louisianans.
area. The people who deleted me are sending friend requests again. The silencefrom those who voted for him is its own answer The fracture is proving itself everywhere.InTexas, three Republican candidates split the primaryvote— notbecause the party is healthy,but because no one can replicateTrump’shold. Hispower was personal. Personality cannot be inherited. In Hungary, JD Vanceflew to campaign alongside ViktorOrbánonly to watch voters hand the opposition alandslide,54% to 38%, ending Orbán’s16-year rule. Trump did not comment. Vance did not comment. The silencewas loud. Aparty built around aman instead of amissiondoes not survive theman Rural communitiescannot be governed on individualism. When everyone sharesthe same roads, thesame school,the same hospital,you cannot govern foronly half thepeople.Whatruralcom-
munities producebynecessity is centrist leadership. Notideology Just the practical reality that your neighborisalso your community Places like Ville Platte have been talkedabout as problems to be solved. We arenot. My parents have acres.They can growcrops. While cities wrestle with food accessand supply chainfragility,ruralLouisiana hasquietly held onto something foundational: land, community self-sufficiency. Those are things the rest of the country is going to need
We arenot behind. We are what comes next.
The leaderswho will actually serve us arethe ones willing to govern forall of us. Iamone of those people from Ville Platte. I am watching what is happening to my town, state and my country And Iampaying attention.
Latoyia Wrightlives in Ville Platte.
Oneplace Iran,Israel, U.S. areallies? Climatechange
Iyengar
As executive director of the Louisiana State BroadbandOffice, Iamproud to work with a small but highly effective team united by asingle mission:connecting every community in our state to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet. Louisiana is now nationally recognized for both itsprogress and its approachtoexpanding broadband access. We are notonlymeeting our infrastructure goalsbut also doing so ahead of schedule and underbudget.Thanks to the competitive fundingframework we developed, Louisianians in federally funded areas are now saving30% to 40% each month on broadband service.
Over the past five years, we have visited more than 100 communities. We have heard storiesof frustration aboutfiberlinesstopping at the main road andsky-high costs for mediocre service, especially in rural areas. Those conversations are starting to change. Now,whenwevisit communities, we hear from law enforcement about quicker response times to urgent callsand from health care providers about how reliable connectivity is improving patient care. Those early visits grounded our work. Today, many of those same trips are celebrations, including ribbon cuttings forcompletedprojects and expanded internet access in parishes across the state. We have seen firsthandthe impact of Louisiana’sleadership as moreindividualsearndegrees online, small businessesgrow through e-commerce and rural residentsgain access to telemedicine.
This progressisrooted in strong executive leadership. The previous administrationand Legislature launched thiswork. Now,under Gov.Jeff Landry,Louisiana is positioned to close the digital divide. In his first 100days,I worked closely with the governor to chart our course,and our regular conversationsreflect aclear focus on ensuring every Louisianianis connected.
Louisiana’sapproach alsoreflects acommitment to limited government and disciplined execution. Our small team manages more than $1.5 billion in federal funding from theU.S Treasury and Commerce departments with a focus on efficiency and outcomes. By cutting throughunnecessarybureaucracy,wehave accelerated deployment and deliveredresults faster than traditional models allow We are equally focused on delivering value for taxpayers. Louisiana has built acompetitive, market-drivengrant program that maximizes competition, prioritizes cost efficiency
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TEDS.WARREN Louisiana is nownationally recognized for both its progress and its approach to expanding broadbandaccess.
and ensures no communityisleft behind.
In many federal broadband programs, infrastructure spending consumes nearly all available funding, leaving little for workforce development, economic competitiveness and longterm resilience. Louisiana took adifferent approach. Our efficient deployment process freed up more thanhalf of our federal dollars for these higher-order investments. Approximately 90% of funded infrastructure will be buried, and about 80% of funding will go to Louisianabased internet service providers such as REV, Cajun Broadband, Skyrider,Swyft Fiber and others. The majority of infrastructure dollars will remain in-state, withLouisiana-based contractors building these networks.
Ourresults have attracted national attention.
In aDec. 28 editorial, The Wall Street Journal highlighted Louisiana’sefficient use of taxpayer dollars, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick cited the state in Senate testimony:
“Under the Biden administration, Louisiana was tasked withspending morethan $1.3billiontodowhat it is now doing for under $500 million. That means in Louisiana alone, we’ve saved more than $800 million and delivered bettereconomic results, all while advancing thesame standards. Louisiana reopened competition, embraced technology neutrality and drove costs down dramatically.” The American Enterprise Institutealso recently ranked Louisiana as having the top broadband office in the country This is aclear example of government deliveringresults for itspeople, but the work is not finished. We expect to reach full connectivity by 2028, if not sooner
The people of Louisiana should be proud. Their advocacy and persistence are driving real progress, progress you can see in your home, progress thatputs money back in your pocket and progress thatisbuilding astronger, more connected future for our state.
VeneethIyengar is theexecutivedirector of Louisiana’sOffice of Broadband Development and Connectivity
Last month, as theUnited States, Iran and Israel continued exchanging military attacks by land and sea, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the United Nations. Their common cause? Denying responsibility for climate change. The vote in the U.N.’s general assembly went against them,by acount of 141-8. The resolution likely means little in the short term, since the U.N. has no police force or court systemtoforce governments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions or to paydamages to people harmed by climatechange. But it was aclear signal that, on this issue, all three warring nations are indisputable losers. When the U.S.,Iran and Israel hold hands for such aheavy diplomatic defeat, somepeople see strange bedfellows or unholy matrimony.Look closer,and you see geopolitical tealeaves.
Othercountriesthat voted against the climateresolution included petroleum producers like Saudi Arabia and Russia. The fossil-fuel endowmentsofthe U.S. and Iran are well known. Though Israel isn’t arenowned producer,recently it began developing offshore reserves of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean.
But what if the emerging fossil alliance isn’tprimarily about dollars and cents, or euros and shekels? Spare a thought for geopolitical leverage.
Leverage is what Iran enjoys when it collects tolls and inflicts economic damage through theStrait of Hormuz. Whetheryou’re Britain to the west or India to theeast, abig chunk of your economy depends on that passage. Youhave to deal with the powers-that-be in Tehran.
ForIran, the cutoff of Middle East suppliesthrough Hormuz is productive,not destructive: It produces fear and respect In aword, leverage.
Leverage is also what the U.S. sought when it removed the Venezuelan president from office and stopped the flowofVenezuelan oil to China. The operative logicisthe same. To solve the Hormuz problem, the U.S. government could force U.S. energy firmstolower their prices. TheRepublican Party of pre-2016
times would never have considered such an interference in the global marketplace, but post-2024 times are different. Most observers are currently underestimating the likelihood of such amove. The obvious alternative is to clean up the nation’senergy mix. Countries with less reliance on oil and gas, and more on wind and solar,can afford to care less about who’sincharge in Iran or what is and isn’tsailing through Hormuz. Hence the geopolitical importance of the U.N.’sclimate resolution: While most of the world is going for the post-fossil transition, the “no” votes are defending their right to make energy hostages of everyone else.
Some analysts argue that the major global divide is no longer between democracies and dictatorships. It’s now “petrostates” vs. “electrostates,” with US President Donald Trump leading the former In any geopolitical realignment, apparent enemies become substantial friends, and vice versa. Is that what the U.N.’sclimate resolution is signaling? Maybe, but pundits sometimes overlook how short American electoral cycles really are.
On the other side, China is the sun around which the post-fossil group orbits. It currently dominates the production and distribution of wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles.
The U.S. is also exceptional, but in other ways. It has (unlike China) excellent oil-and-gas resources and (like China) excellent wind-and-solar potential. On top of geology and geography,systems of education, research and finance give Americans an enviable capacity to create new infrastructure for the next energy system.
Unlike the other losers on the U.N.’sclimate resolution, then, the U.S. has areal choice to make. It can lead either the post-fossil bloc or the pro-fossil bloc. It can bet on what’sinour brains or what’sunder our feet.
If the Trump administration chooses to act as if geology is destiny,at least it can count on Iran and Israel as loyal allies.
JasonMaloy is theKalisteSaloom Endowed Chair in PoliticalScience at theUniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette.
ISSUEOFTHE WEEK CITy-BROOKS PARK
The future of City-BrooksPark has becomea topicofintense debate in recent weeks.As partofits master planningprocess, BREC has sought community input on anew visionfor the154 acres in the heart of thecitythat includes the University Lakes, the KnockKnock Children’sMuseum,a dogpark and, most prominently,a nine-hole golf course designed by the renowned TomBendelowthat opened in 1928 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Some worrythat as theplan proceeds, the footprint of the coursewill shrink, destroying an oasis in thecity.Others saythat the land could be betterused to create aunique attractionthat would welcome more people and help foster avibrant community of thefuture.AsBREC mulls theway forward, here are twoperspectives:
Greatparks canconnect communities, do so much more
PUBLIC MEETING
Want to have asay on the future of CityBrooks Park? BREC is hosting apublic forumtodiscuss the masterplan. What: City-Brooks Community Meeting Where: McKinley High School Alumni Center, 1520 Thomas H. Delpit Dr When: Thursday, June 11. 5:30 p.m. to 7p.m.
Don’tchase shinyobjects when BR hasarealjewel in golf course
Baton Rouge stands at arareand powerful moment. With BREC’sCity Park+Lakes Vision Master Plan, we have aunique opportunity to invest in agrand visionthat will shape how futuregenerationsacross East Baton Rouge Parish play,gather, recharge and connect. Positioned at thegates of LSU and alongside the Lakes, CityBrooks Community Park is uniquelysuitedtobecome acivic jewel, agathering placefor all City-Brooks Park isone of the largest andmostvaluablepublic green spaces in oneofthe most densely populated areas of our parish. Its central location, tree canopy,rolling hills, nearby university and lakefrontaccess makeitaone-of-a-kind space in Baton Rouge.
Great cities have great parks. These spaces are essential infrastructure. The best parks are intentionally designed to bring people togetheracross age,background and interest. They offer amix of cultural, recreationaland natural amenities —museums,playgrounds,open green space, walking paths, waterways, gardens and cafes —thatstrengthen public health, foster connection, bolster culture and drive economic vitality
Thegood news is that City-Brooks Park already has many of theseelements: the LSU Lakes, Baton Rouge Gallery,Knock Knock Children’sMuseum andavariety of sports facilities. We have the opportunity to connect andexpand these existing pieces into aworldclass park. Across the country,young people and working families are choosing where to livebased not onlyonjobs and affordability,but on quality of life. Baton Rouge hasstruggled to compete with peer cities in attracting and retaining these residents, but we have theopportunity to change that
Are-imagined City Park would offer a welcoming, accessiblewaterfront space, onethat draws people together across difference and circumstance.A place to gather,connect and buildcommunity
These “third spaces” arenot luxuries; they are essential to athriving city. The idea of a“third space” comes from the sociologist Ray Oldenburg whoused it to describe the places beyond home and work where community
lifeactually unfolds.Home is our first space, and the workplace our second, but it is in thethird space that acity builds itsshared identity.
We areliving through whatthe former U.S. SurgeonGeneral Vivek H. Murthy hasdescribed as an epidemicofloneliness andisolation, and it falls hardest on theyoungestamongus. Despitebeing more connected online than any generation before, young adults report feeling more alone and the consequences for theirmental and physical healthare serious and well documented. Public spaces were once where connection happened naturally, and as they have grown scarcer,something essentialhas gone with them. Much of this comes down to asimple loss: thesteadydisappearance of free, accessible places wherepeople cangather without an agenda or aprice of admission.
Are-imagined City Park answersthat need directly
When we invest in spaces like these, we tell the next generation that Baton Rouge is somewhere they can put down rootsand build alife.The oppositeis also true. When conversations about improving public resourcesare shut down before they begin —orwhen investments primarily serve asmalland affluentfew —wesignalthat ourcommitment is to the statusquo, not to future generations or to qualityoflife for all.
As we look to the future, we must also be thoughtful stewards of our public land and resources. Baton Rouge already maintains multiple public golf courses. Consolidating golf offerings at existing facilities, such as Webb Park, would preserveaccesstothe sport while allowing this centrally located space toevolve in a waythat serves abroader cross-section of our community while better focusing investments and improving maintenance acrossour park system.
Public land should serve thepublic. As improvements to the lakes and surrounding areas continue, increased useand activity should be embraced as asign of ahealthy,connected city.A vibrant City Parkwill benefit not just those who live nearby,but all of EastBatonRouge Parish, and it will send aclear signal about the kind of cityweintendto become.
Maggie Conarro is aBaton Rouge residentand programdirector of Serve Louisiana.
For10years I’ve watched agood portion of LSU students leaveBaton Rouge after graduation. Notsurprising, more thanathird of them now are from out-of-state. Some Louisianans join them, determinedto try their luck in cities like Austin, Chicago, Houston or Washington. Louisiana’slong population declinehas little to do withinadequateparks, running tracks or lakefront amenities, despitewhatwehear from the promoters of amultimilliondollar redesign of City Park. Theplan fails on twocounts. It does not meet the goal of designing an unusuallakeside park and does not address the basic economic development deficits that plague Baton Rouge. For starters, the plan got off on thewrongfoot by throwing away several holes on the popular golf course. It has since scratched that mistake. Young adultsbetween22and 34 want cities with white-collar jobs, avibrant after-work and weekend scene, good public transportation and live, cultural events without interruption. Community planners call this “quality of place.” Baton Rouge has struggled to deliver those. ACity Park with kayak ponds, food truck circles or aplanned amphitheater next to theinterstate, as the Sasaki planningfirm envisions, is nice butwon’t change many minds. Parks also are not night-owl venues. Even Central Park in NewYork closes at 1a.m., and restaurants shutter earlier.Sasaki’s renderings for the lakes are novelties; not the kinds of places young adultschoose to hangout again and again.Nor do theyinclude the family-oriented attractions thatmake Central Park a magnet for children: no mini zoo and no centerpiece fountain that becomes acool, gathering space on ahot day. Much of what Sasaki envisions already existscloser to wheresome people live and without theroad congestion. If CityPark is updated as an economic development magnet, the plan needs abroad approach that encom-
passes theentirelakeshore rather than taking land from the golf course andcreating avirtually unplayable layout CityPark’s 100-year-old course is on rolling hills,ararity here. It is also oneofthe fewrecreational amenities in Baton Rouge that consistently attracts amix of people. In thepast 10 years, golfhas exploded with almosttwicethe numberofrounds at BREC’scourses. The image of a retired dufferputtering around the greensishistory.CityPark is on track for30,000 rounds ayear,and there will be moredemandsinceLSU closed itscampus course. Baton Rouge is notNew York,but thecityoffers another lesson. Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course in the Bronx, also designed by TomBendelowwho sculpted ourCityPark course, sits amidalargepark,asubwayterminal andpricey high-rise neighborhoods. New York opened the course in 1898 andhas managed to preservepublic golf forany players. On amisty 50-degree morning, I visited theNew York course andmet amiddle-aged beginner just finishing around. He had amodest bag of new clubs.Hesaidhehad started playing andwas lured by apicturesque, tree-linedbeauty that BabeRuthhad played. He fit theprofile of precisely why Bendelowbuilt courses in Baton Rouge andthe Bronx— golf foranyonewho wantstolearn andenjoy an oasisinthe city If NewYork can save aBendelow geminthe middle of 9millionpeople, surelyBaton Rouge can preserveand improveone on rolling terrainwitha lake view CityPark shouldbeupdated, of course. With imagination, the entire lakeshore and thegolfcourse could be made morefun by taking advantageofits hills andwater Butlet’snot kid ourselves. Aredesignedpark will noterase Baton Rouge’s traffic,blight andspotty night life.Young adultsleavebecause thecitylackseconomicand cultural vibrancy.Parksenrichacity, but they cannotalone make a“qualityof place”where younger people want to stay
Len Apcar is aBaton Rouge resident and avid golfer.
STAFFFILE PHOTOByMICHAEL JOHNSON
Water pours over the edgeofafountain in City-Brooks Community Park in Baton Rouge.
Len Apcar
GUEST COLUMNIST
Maggie Conarro GUEST COLUMNIST
PO VE IM
Spain’sJosepPuerto defendsagainst Italy’sSaliou
between Spainand Italy on Sept. 2atSpyrosKyprianou Arena in Limassol, Cyprus.Niang will playwiththe LSU men’s basketballteaminthe fall
Niangbringsfeelfor thegame, strongdefense to LSU’sroster
BY TOYLOYBROWN III
Staffwriter
Saliou Niang will doalittle bit of everythingfor LSU.
Coach Will Wade addedthe 6-foot-7Italian-Senegalese wing because even whenheisn’t scoring, he’ll positively impactthe game. Niang has proven that against topinternational competition
In 21.7 minutes per game, the22-year-old averaged 7.1 points on 62.9% shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.4 turnovers across 38 games forVirtus Bologna in the EuroLeague—the mostcompetitive league outside theUnited States
His talent level was high enough for the ClevelandCavaliers to select him58th overallinthe 2025NBA Draft. He played threegames withtheirsummerleague team before returning overseas. Feel forthe game
Basketball feel is an intuitive awarenessofwhat’s happening on the court. Players withthis“feel” move to the
right spots at the right time andmake smartreads decisively Niang is one of those players. What he lacks in flashyskill,hemakes up forwith effectiveness.While often positioned in thecorner,he moves well without theball, slipping into gaps and finishing at the rim.His over 60% field-goal shooting stems from aknow-how as acutter and straightforward layup finisher. Hiswiry204-pound frame assists in weaponizing his instincts with fluidity His high motor alsohelps in the half-court and during fastbreaks. He sprints in transition, where hislength and leapingabilityare difficult to contain withoutfouling. His blue-collar style comes out on the offensive glass. While not playing power forward or center,heimpressively averaged 2.2offensive rebounds in under 22 minutes per game. Hisfeel away from theballalsomadehim asurprisingly effective roll man for his size. He setsolid screens,
ä See NIANG, page 3C
Spurs, Knicks look to improve play in Game 2ofNBA Finals
BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer
SAN ANTONIO The road to the NBA Finals was not exactly smooth for theSan Antonio Spurs. They had —and lost —home-court advantage in Round 1against Portland,before recovering to win the series. In Round 2against Minnesota, the same thinghappened.Inthe WesternConference finals against Oklahoma City,theytrailed 2-1 before finding away to oust the defending champion Thunder in seven games. And now,the finals. They had home-court advantage and lost it in Game 1against the New York Knicks. Adversity, hello again “We’ve been consistent inthat regard,” Spurs coachMitch Johnson said Thursday as his team prepares for Game 2onFriday night. “I think one thingwe have learned in our three series is that series are long. Games are long. Things shift quickly, whether that’shealth, who’splaying well or hot, quote-unquote, at the time. Teams at thisstagetypically have shown theabilitytoevolve on the fly and improve within
WorldCup festivities aimto showcase unity
Star-studded opening ceremonies will be held in each host country
BY COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press
MILAN The World Cup will feature an unprecedented trio of star-studded opening ceremonies in thehostnations,the United States, Canada andMexico, created by the Italian producer behind the opening ceremony forthis year’sMilan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Marco Balich, fresh off the Olympics opening ceremony,which included aparade of athletes spread across four venues, saidhewas up to thechallenge of producing three shows in threecities, with teams numbering 260 to 300 people in each city
The ceremonies’ unifying theme will be “thecelebration of sports,the passion for soccer,symbolizedbythe cupitself,”Balich said. “The idea is to narrate with three points of view and languages,” using design aesthetics representative of each culture. In Canada,a mosaic will represent its multicultural identity.Mexico’smotif will be the traditional papercutouts called papel picado, while the United States will have “a super shiny,glowing cup,” said Balich, who also produced theopening ceremonyfor the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
ä See WORLD CUP, page 4C
ä NBA Finals Knicks at Spurs 7:30 P.M.FRIDAy,ABC On NCAA tourney, Sorsby, andkilling time until
aseries.”
That’swhat will be required if the Spurs are goingtohead to New York with this series knotted at agame apiece. They shot poorlyinGame 1(36%), extremely poorly from 3-point range (26%, missing 32 of 43 tries), had 16 assists (nowherenear enough),got outscored in the paint 50-42 andcouldn’tholda 14-point third-quarter lead. The Knicks deserve credit for creatinga whole lot of thoseissues, but the Spurs know they’re capable of much better play
“I thinkthe reason we lostthat game isn’t even technical (or)tactical,” Spurs star Victor Wembanyama said. “We need to approach thegame with abetter mental state. We just need to play our game. We just need tobenormal.” Normal?
“‘Normal’ means trusting each
ä See NBA, page 5C
Notes in my baseball scorebook because Icertainly have no LSU NCAA Tournamentgames to put in there.
There’slittle Ican say or write that’s going to makeLSU baseball fans feel less pain over their beloved Tigers being NCAA Tournamentspectators instead of participants forthe first timesince 2011. Iwill saythatmisery definitely lovescompany, andin this case, will offer misery aprime seat next to it in the empty AlexBox Stadium grandstands. And possibly, offer to buy it ahot dog.
When it comes to the teams that madeit to the College World Series in 2025, there is plenty of misery to go around. The NCAA super regionals begin Friday and Saturday at eight sites across America. There are somefamiliar names, somesurprising names, but no names of the teams that wereinthe CWS ayear ago.
That’sright. None of the eight madeitas farasthis year’ssweet16. Four of them ä See RABALAIS, page 3C
Scott Rabalais
Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama
AP PHOTO By ERICGAy
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By CHARA SAVVIDOU
Niang during the Eurobasket championship Group Cmatch
AP PHOTO By JAEC.HONG FIFAWorld Cup 2026 signageisdisplayed on MondayatSoFiStadium in Inglewood, Calif. The WorldCup is set to kick off on June 11 in Mexico City
Serena, 19-year-old to team up in Queen’s Club tourney
LONDON Serena Williams will make her eagerly anticipated return to professional tennis playing doubles alongside a partner who is 25 years younger Victoria Mboko, the 19-year-old Canadian ranked No. 9, revealed Thursday she would have the “honor” of playing with the 44-year-old Williams as a wild-card entry at the Queen’s Club next week. They practiced on the grass courts in west London on Thursday “The Queen is back,” Mboko wrote in a post on Instagram alongside a picture of her standing next to Williams.
Sipping tea fuels Chwalinska’s run
Polish player earns spot in French Open final
BY JEROME PUGMIRE AP sportswriter
PARIS Sipping tea every night is working wonders for Maja Chwalinska.
The Polish player became just the second qualifier to reach a Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era when she beat Diana Shnaider of Russia 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Thursday
The 24-year-old Chwalinska can match Emma Raducanu’s title run at the 2021 U.S. Open when she plays Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva in Saturday’s final at Roland Garros.
Nothing will change Chwalinska’s routine for the biggest match of her life.
“I’m going to drink my tea,” she said.
Chwalinska and Raducanu, according to stats provider Opta, stand alone among men and women in having reached a major singles final from the qualifying rounds since the Open Era began in 1968.
“I feel like I am in a bubble, I don’t know what’s going on,” Chwalinska said. “After the tournament it will be time to process it: breathe in, breathe out.”
Besides the tea, she might watch some tennis “because I’m a tennis freak.”
She said her favorite player growing up was Swiss great Roger Federer, then Spanish clay-court ace Rafael Nadal. Now it’s 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic.
“I’m just very grateful that I was growing up during this era,” she said. “Sometimes I come back to these old matches and I watch them play and it feels like poetry.”
Chwalinska sealed victory on her first match point with a powerful forehand winner down the line, then fell back with both hands on her face. She then sat on her chair and panted heavily, her face buried into a towel.
“I honestly don’t know what was going on in my head,” she said “I was just in such a shock.”
Chwalinska’s run saw her advance through three qualifying rounds to enter the main draw and play in just her third Grand Slam. Her best result at a major before this was the second round at Wimbledon in 2022 Polish countrywoman Iga Swiatek has
won the French Open four times.
The 19-year-old Andreeva
reached her first Grand Slam final by beating Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 earlier Thursday on Court
Philippe-Chatrier
Andreeva had reached the semifinals here two years ago, but this is Chwalinska’s first semifinal anywhere at WTA tour-level.
Remarkable run
Chwalinksa has dropped only one set in her nine matches, including qualifying, and has bulldozed her way past four top-50 players in the main draw
Her ranking will rocket from No. 114 to No. 14 if she wins the tournament, according to the WTA.
Her bank balance will also get a significant boost. Chwalinksa’s total prize money heading into Roland Garros was $864,030 and by reaching the final she gets 1.4 million euros about ($1.6 million); and 2.8 million euros ($3.25 million) if she wins on Saturday
A neat drop shot and lob gave her set point in the tiebreaker, and she clinched the first set when Shnaider’s backhand went wide.
Shnaider had a medical timeout after the seventh game of the second set. She flexed her left leg as she lay on her back, and dropped
her serve in the ninth game, giving Chwalinksa a chance to serve for the match.
“All the kudos to Maja. She played amazing,” Shnaider said. “She moves incredible on the court, she covers a lot. Even if you think that you won the point, she’s there.”
Fully focused
Andreeva could see even the smallest details on the ball.
“I was seeing the little hairs on the ball when I was tossing or playing (shots),” Andreeva said. “I was really, really focused today.”
Andreeva, who is seeded No. 8 also converted her first match point when serving for the victory
She clearly feels comfortable at the French Open, which she describes as a “cozy” tournament because she sees familiar faces every year, and enjoys her time in Paris.
“I really like to walk around the city, to go into those little restaurants on the street,” she said. “I also speak a little bit of French, so I try to sometimes talk to people in French.”
Tensions on the court
There was no post-match handshake between Andreeva and Kostyuk and the Ukrainian
walked off quickly, turning only to wave and blow kisses to the crowd.
They had separate photos taken before the match as they each stood next to two children on their respective side of the net. Usually the players pose for the same photo, standing right next to each other by the net.
Kostyuk and countrywoman Oleksandra Oliynykova have spoken out during the tournament about the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is having on their country
The No. 15-seeded Kostyuk said defeat won’t linger given how much support she felt from fans.
“This is something I will carry with me forever,” she said. “I feel like this is the highlight of my tournament.”
Roof open and then closed
The semifinal began at shortly after 3 p.m. with an open roof, like on Wednesday when beaten quarterfinalists Aryna Sabalenka and Anna Kalinskaya complained of swirling wind on Chatrier and said the roof should have been closed.
It was closed toward the end of the second set of Thursday’s semifinal, offering Kostyuk better conditions for her clay-court game. But her 16-match winning streak on clay ended.
Fleetwood part of 4-way tie for the lead at Memorial
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
DUBLIN, Ohio Scottie Scheffler never thought two straight victories in the Memorial would be of any value when he began his bid for three in a row It sure felt that way Thursday in a tough start that left him exasperated by the wind and six shots behind a four-way share of the lead.
Wyndham Clark, coming off a victory in the Byron Nelson U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, Tommy Fleetwood and the Ryan Gerard were each at 5-under 67, among only 22 players who broke par at Muirfield Village. Scheffler was poised to be among them until a bad wedge led to a careless bogey on the 14th, and what he thought was a great shot on the 16th bounced into the water for double bogey He walked 96 yards to the drop area with his palms upward when they weren’t slapping his thigh, all the while seeking answers from caddie Ted Scott that neither of them had. “I don’t think you understand how frustrating that is,” he said to Scott, who replied qui-
etly with the obvious answer “I do,” the caddie said Six of the seven players who broke 70 started before 10 a.m. and missed out on the swirling wind on a hot, clear day that made the greens even firmer than they already were.
The exception was Gerard, who had quite the wild ride. He had a 3 on a par 5 and followed that with a 5 on a par 3. He had five straight birdies on the back nine and only five pars on his scorecard for the entire round. It added to a 67, which was all that mattered.
“The small misses often lead to big punishments at this golf course,” Gerard said “I don’t think we aimed at a flag stick on the back nine and shot 5 under You’re picking small targets around either the edge of a bunker or a rake or some guy wearing a bright-colored shirt in the background or a TV tower or whatever it might be.
Fleetwood’s 67 was his lowest round in his fifth time playing the Memorial, and this wasn’t the way he would have drawn it up. He was solid off the tee, not so much from the fairway Fleetwood hit only seven greens and still played bogey-free.
“I got the most out of the round, totally I got away with a couple of poor misses. Hit the pin a couple of times when it was going past. Shot 5 under, so it couldn’t have been that bad. I was just getting a little frustrated at the end not being able to execute the iron shots that I wanted to.”
Nick Taylor wasted a good start with a double bogey on the par-5 seventh and a bogey on the next hole, only to played bogey-free on the tough back nine and finishing with one of only seven birdies on the the 18th hole. Justin Rose and Sam Burns were at 69. Scheffler provided the entertainment, even it didn’t feel all that entertaining to him. He had changed clubs on the ninth, took the longer one and still was short. He changed clubs three times from the fairway on the par-5 11th and came up short. And then the water ball on the 16th was the capper
What followed was a stream of frustrating lines: “I never thought that was in the water I don’t know what to do. I absolutely flushed a 7-iron and we get the
wind wrong and I’m in the water
I’m hitting good shots and dropping from hazards.”
So when he was asked after signing for his 73 if he had any fun at any point, Scheffler gave a half-laugh as he rubbed his chin and said, “Not that I can recall at the moment.”
The 17th was kind of fun. From a fairway bunker, 182 yards to a tucked pin in the front right, Scheffler hit 7-iron to the collar 15 feet away and chipped in for birdie.
“See, that’s the thing that can be so frustrating about golf,” Scheffler said. “I striped one on the hole before that and I end up in the water That one I kind of hit thin, and you get a good bounce and I end up on the fringe and I chip in.
“Yeah, what a game,” he said.
“I felt like I didn’t get anything out of the round, all of a sudden you get a lucky bounce and you’re like, ‘OK, well, I’m going to try to smile.’ It’s still hard.”
He did smile as he headed to the wind, late enough in the afternoon the wind was starting to calm. He also realized his score wasn’t all that bad compared with other players from the afternoon.
“An honor to share the court with one of the greatest athletes of all time this week,” Mboko added. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, stepped away from tennis in 2022. She has yet to say whether she plans to play at Wimbledon or the U.S. Open in 2026.
Braves acquire catcher Wynns, designate Tromp
ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves have bolstered their depth at catcher by acquiring veteran Austin Wynns from the Los Angeles Angels. The Braves added the 35-year-old Wynns to the major league roster on Thursday, a day after acquiring him from the Angels for cash
They designated catcher Chadwick Tromp for assignment before Thursday’s game against Toronto. The Braves continue to adjust to injuries to Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy Baldwin was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 19 with a strained right oblique. Manager Walt Weiss said Baldwin was on pace to return in June. Murphy, who was moved to the 60-day injured list on Thursday, was placed on the IL on May 12.
Packers, WR Watson agree to four-year, $110.5M deal
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson agreed to terms on a four-year, $110.5 million contract extension through 2030 with a $31 million signing bonus, according to a person with knowledge of the contract. Watson, 27, tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in Green Bay’s 2024 regular-season finale, but came back last season to catch 35 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games He tied for the team lead in touchdown catches and ranked second in yards receiving despite missing much of the season.
While recovering from his torn ACL, Watson signed a one-year, $13.25 million extension last fall that enabled his contract to run through 2026. Now he has a longerterm commitment.
F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix extended through 2037
Formula One and the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority have committed to a 10-year extension to host the annual Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Strip through 2037.
With this year’s race, set for Nov 19-21, that means there are 12 more Las Vegas Grand Prix events under contract; the 10-year deal will kick in after the 2027 race, when the current two-year deal expires, the two groups announced Thursday LVCVA will continue to pay F1 $10 million per year to sponsor the event each year starting with the 2028 race for a total of $100 million, pending LVCVA board approval at a future meeting. The LVCVA is also paying F1 $10 million for this year’s race and the 2027 edition.
Minnesota forward Foligno wins King Clancy award
Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno has received this season’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and service, the NHL announced Thursday
The award is presented annually to the player who “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
Foligno was recently presented the trophy in a surprise appearance at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota by his older brother and teammate, Nick Foligno. They established the Janis Foligno Foundation in memory of their mother, who died of breast cancer in 2009. The NHL will donate $25,000 to the foundation as part of the award to Foligno.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By THIBAULT CAMUS
Poland’s Maja Chwalinska react during her semifinal match against Russia’s Diana Shnaider at the French Open on Thursday in Paris.
RABALAIS
Continued from page1C
didn’teven qualify for this year’s tournament:LSU, Arizona, Louisville and Murray State. The other four lost in the regional round: CWS runner-up Coastal Carolina, Arkansas, OregonStateand this year’stop seed, UCLA. Come to mention,Vanderbilt, theNo. 1 overall seed in 2025, didn’t make it into the field of 64 as well.
To carry that theme abit further, none of the eight teams that were in the 2024 CWS made it back last year,either.Remarkably,2025 and 2026 markthe first time since 1956-57 that there were eight brand-new teams in Omaha in back-to-back years.
Much parity in college baseball? Apparently plenty The parade of upstarts does have plenty of LSU-related angles. Cal Poly and West Virginia have firstpitch of thesuper regionals at 10 a.m. Friday,with LittleRockatTroy at 4p.m.West Virginia is the team LSU swept in last year’sBaton RougeSuper Regional, while Little Rock is,of course, the four seed the Tigers survived after losing to them in the Baton Rouge Regional. None of the four,whosewinners will meet in the CWS, hasever been to Omaha, with only West Virginia getting as far asasuper regional. That means either Cal Poly,WVU, Little Rock or Troy will find itself in the winners’ bracket next weekend.
NIANG
Continued from page1C
finished reliably at the hoop and drew fouls. With his nearly 6-11 wingspan, he was aconsistent dunk threat
Niang’spassingability solidifies hiscase as ahigh-feel player.His assistnumbers undersell how well he sees the floor.Hefinds teammateswithinterior passes afteroffensive rebounds or when defenders collapse on him nearthe rim. He also threw not-so-obvious skip passes and processed defensive rotations well. Hiscourtvision and quick decision-making are bonuses to have for aplay finisher. The two major areas of improvement are his outside shot and onball creation.
Niang made only 4of123-pointers in 38 games. The minimalnumber of attempts is concerning since he stoodonthe perimeter enough and too often passed up openlooks Nottaking open looks as asmall forward in the Southeastern Conference would be to the detriment of LSU’sspacing. His ball handling is also lacking. He rarely initiated offense or attackedset defenses, oftendefaultingtopost-ups when he tried to create for himself. Raising his confidence as ashooter and dribbler would elevate him from aglue guy on offense to arespectable scorer Impact defense
Niang usually served as adefensive stopper overseas —and for good reason. He started13of38 EuroLeague games and carved out aconsistent role duetobeinghis team’sbest perimeter defender His frame and mindset make him an annoyance while guarding scorersonthe ball. During EuroBasket, Italy tasked him with checking NBA superstar Luka Doncic. The Los Angeles Lakers star scored at times, but Niang genuinely flashed the ability to force Doncic to pass outofshots
It’sabrave new college baseball world indeed. …Meanwhile, over in Lubbock, Texas, Texas Tech is waiting to seeifajudgewill grant Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby an injunction to beable to play thisseason.Sorsby, of course, admitted to bettingtens of thousands of dollars —reportedly about $90,000 —while playing at Indianaand Cincinnati. He now wantstoclaim that he should be allowed to play because banning himwould cause harm to his career and mental health.
Spareme. While Sorsby deserves compassion,hedoes not deserve another chance to play collegefootball. Ever.Many rules andprevious red lines in college athletics havebecome blurred out, often bylitigation challengingprevious norms. Want asixth year like Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss? Finda friendly judge. Want to come back to collegeafter playing professional basketball like LSU recruit RJ Luis? It will likely take finding afriendly judge. There is no crossingthe gambling line, though.IfSorsby is allowed to play,college sports will lose all credibility TexasTechhas already lost its credibility for trying to get him eligible. Not really forSorsby’swellbeing, but well,towin. One doubts the schoolwould begoing to the mattresses(“The Godfather”reference) for abackup right guard. The school made abad investment in Sorsby —reportedly about $5 million worth —though it’sdoubt-
ful it will have to pay him all that if he isn’tallowed to play
While Texas Tech deserves to be taken to task, theschool probably wouldn’tbealone in this attempted end run to circumvent asacrosanct rule like “NO GAMBLING.” Remember,LSU wanted Sorsby badly; theTigers finished second toTexas Tech in the transfer portal chase before signing Sam Levitt. Would LSUhave been so noble as tonot allow Sorsby to play if thetruthabout his gambling had broken out while he was in the purple and gold? Onewould like to believe so, but who knows?
The truth is, this is TexasTech’s problem. It nevershould have gotten as far as acourtroom, but now that it has, let’shope justice is swift.
…While the local sports scene maybequiet without LSU baseball still going, overall, it’s abusy June on the sports calendar.The NBA and Stanley Cup finals are in swing, as is the French Open through Sunday.The BelmontStakes runs Saturday.Then next Thursday the World Cup begins, withthe U.S. Openthe following week at tough, windy Shinnecock Hills. And, of course, the aforementioned CWS. It’sall about enough to get everyone to late July,when, to me, football season begins. SEC Media Days will be in Tampa, Florida, July 20-23, with Lane Kiffin and three yet-to-be-named LSU players attending on the final day That’sa departure from recent years, when the LSU contingent was always on the first day Don’tworry,sportsfans, it’ll be here before you know it.
andmiss tough looks. Nianghas thelateral quickness and lengthtostay in frontand recover when blown by.While he still needs moreupper-body strength, he’sfunctionally abletoabsorb bumps from wings and guards —a trait that should translate to college basketball. That gives him versatility to defendguards, wings and some power forwards.
His effort on the offensive glass carries overdefensively,soaring for rebounds. He’sdisruptive with steals and blocks forhis position, and hisbest moment against Doncic came when he picked him clean at half court. If Wade brings back the aggressive defensive philosophy he used previously at LSU, Niang could become even more disruptive. If he’sa pest on ball handlers and can fly for someblocks outofnowhere, hemightbereminiscent of former LSUforward Tari Eason. Nianglikelywon’t reachEason’s elite defensivestatus, but he has thetools to approximate some of that ability
One area of growth is screen
Hooked ’emagain
By The Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY Teagan Kavan struck out five in the final twoinnings to back astrong start from Citlaly Gutierrez, and Kayden Henry homered to lead Texas to a4-1 victory over Texas Tech on Thursdaynight at theWomen’s College World Seriesfor asecond straightnational championship. Texas trailed 1-0 after four innings, but abases-loaded throwing error by shortstop Hailey Toneyallowedtwo unearnedruns to score in the fifth fora2-1 lead. Henry homered off Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady —inher final collegiate game—tobegin theseventh andLeighann Goode singled to drive in the final run. Gutierrez (11-3) allowed one
run on three hits in 41/3 innings. Kavan notched her fifth save. Canady (29-7) went the distance andallowedfourruns —two earned —oneight hits with three walks.
LaurenAllredhad an RBI single in the third to put Texas Tech up 1-0.
Coach Mike Whiteled Texas to the school’ssecondtitle in his eighth season. Second-year coach Gerry Glasgo, who had previously coached at UL,has led the Red Raiders to their only twoWCWS appearances. Texas Tech fell 7-3 in the opener Texas wonthe rubber game of the three-game series against Texas Tech last season to claim its first title.
Texas’Jaycie Nicholscelebrates after scoring during Game 2 of the Women’s CollegeWorld Series against Texas Tech on Thursdayin Oklahoma City Texas won4-1
Miles, Peyton earn 2A all-statehonors
BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer
After astellarseason in Class 2A, two Baton Rouge area athletes earnedfirst-team honors on the LSWA Class 2A All-State softball and baseball teams announced Thursday In softball, French Settlement’s Malloy Miles posted ahistoric season statistically.The junior startedthe season with threenohitters and afive-inning perfect game. Miles went on to lead the Lions to the Division III nonselect semifinals in Sulphur.The Ole Miss commitment endedher season with a20-2 record, a0.66 ERA and 269 strikeoutsin127 innings. Shealsoposteda 0.61
WHIP and a.074 batting average against.
Offensively,Miles was also a huge factor.She finished with a .427 batting averageand a.540 on-base percentage. Miles had 34 RBIs, 23 runs, 15 doubles and one homerun. In baseball, Dunham’sJackson Peyton earned all-state first team honors after the junior outfielder put up big numbers for the Tigers. He posted a.341 batting averagewith30RBIs forDunham Peyton also tallied37runs, nine doubles, four triples andfour home runs. His effortswere critical foraDunham squad that reached theDivisionIII select semifinals as the No. 11 seed entering the postseason.
navigation. All defenders get clippedbyhard screens, but Niang has thephysical tools to fight over them even better than he did last season.
Finalverdict
Niang is awinning player.He does too manythings well without the ball, at his size and experience level, not to help LSU.
Barring unexpected development as aballhandlerorshooter, Wade won’task theformer NBA second-round pick to be aprimary scoring option. While Niang didn’t show natural off-the-dribble creation last season,that’snot amajor issue.
The Italianpro can compensate by potentially becoming atop-10 perimeter defender in theSEC and an opportunistic off-ball scorer Combinedwithhis connective passing, it would be surprising if he isn’t astarterfor LSU.
Becoming aserviceable and more willing 3-point shooter is the swing skill that could elevate himfrom a solid starter to arare two-way talent in college basketball
Lylah Jones,D’Arbonne Woods; Maddie Jones, Rosepine; Marli Jones,Rosepine; Mia Klein, Lake Arthur; Jesse Lambert Newman; Kaylee Methvin, Menard; Kenna Miles,French Settlement; Fallyn Moore, Oak Grove;Addie Morris,OuachitaChristian;Allie Payne, Many;Gracie Price, Oak Grove; Kaylynn Rainey,North Caddo; Ellie Kate Ray, Oak Grove; Peyton Reeves, East Beauregard; KamRodriguez,PopeJohnPaul; Hadley Spellman, French Settlement;Kaylee Vercher, Winnfield; Maddie Vinatieri, DeQuincy; Reese Walker, Calvary Baptist; Piper Weatherly,Vidalia; Abigail Willie, Northlake Christian;Aubrey Zachary,D’Arbonne Woods.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK
Little Rock center fielder Zach Henry, left,slides as LSUshortstop Steven Milam makes acatch near center
fielder Chris Stanfield at second base in Game1 of theNCAABaton RougeRegional on May30, 2025, at Alex Box Stadium.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By SERGEI GRITS
Italy’sSaliou Niang dunks the ball during aEurobasket championship round of 16 game against Slovenia on Sept. 7atthe RigaArena in Riga, Latvia
WORLDCUP 2026
FIFA bans reusable waterbottles in stadiums
As hightemperatures expected,last-minute move blastedby fans
Associated Press
CORAL GABLES,Fla. FIFAhas made alate changeofpolicy to barWorld Cup fans from bringing refillable water bottles into the tournament’s 16 stadiums across NorthAmerica, including some with limited or no shade from the sun.
The “StadiumCode of Conduct” update was criticized Thursday by
an Englishfan group, which argued FIFAhad given assurances on carrying emptyplastic bottles to fill with freely available water at atournament where heat and extreme weather are expected to be factors.
that fans could bring in atransparent, reusable bottle up to one liter, or 33.8 oz. capacity
The latest document dated Tuesdaynow states “for theavoidance of doubt,reusablewater bottlesmay not be brought into the stadium.”
“Naturally,the immediate thought from supporters is this is justthe latest money grab,” theFree Lions fan group said in a statement.
Water, sodasand juicessoldat WorldCup stadiums aresupplied exclusivelybylong-time FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola when the tournament startsnext Thursday FIFA’s stadium rules had stated
‘It’snot easy’
Iran playersdescribehow thewar with U.S. is affectingtheir WorldCup preparations
BY KHALIL HAMRA Associated Press
ANTALYA,Turkey Iran is heading to the World Cup while the country is at war with the primary host nation, asituation that is unique in the tournament’shistory
In exclusive interviews with TheAssociatedPress during a team camp in Turkey,two members of Iran’ssquaddescribed how the conflict is affecting its World Cup preparations.
“Well, to be honest, it’snot easy,” said Saeid Ezatolahi, a 29-year-old midfielderwho also played for Iran in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
“That’sgoing to be my third World Cup. So for me and some of the other players, it might be easier to manage these kind of things,” he said in English on the sidelines of atrainingsessionon Wednesday.“But at theend it is going to be difficult for us because at the same time, we are following the news in our country and the political things, of course, can affect the mind of theplayers and the people.”
The Iran team has spent more than two weeks in Turkey,mostly practicingatthe coastal resort Antalya, andsomewenttothe capital Ankara to submit visa applications at the U.S. embassy Media access to their World Cup preparations has been limited, and the players rarely speakto internationaljournalists
BasedinMexico
The team is set to travel to Mexico this weekend after receiving visas from the Mexican embassy in Ankara. The team said Thursday that the process of obtaining entry permits had been finalized for all members of thesquad. Problemswith visa processing meant Iran’s World Cup training
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Balich called it a“verygood sign” that Canada,Mexico and the U.S. were working together to host “a peaceful World Cup.”
“I think it’svery important that we stress the fact that the three nations are working togetherto host avery important and relevant championship, especially in this moment where there is so much controversy on thepoliti-
base was moved from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, on Mexico’s border with California.
Iran will playits first two games near Los Angeles, which hasa large Iranian community, many of whom oppose the current government.
“So for sure, we are expecting to have alot fansduring our games at thestadium,” Ezatolahisaid. “And this is going to be alot pressure forusbecause the expectation is going be high. Ijust wishwecan makethem proud and show them that Iranians, they are prepared for every hard job in the world,” he said.
Mohammad Ghorbani, 24, is going to hisfirst World Cup for Iran.
“It’s true that we arefacing special circumstances right now but we are football playersand we havetoplay, practice, and prepare ourselves for the competitions we have ahead,” the Abu Dhabi-based player told the AP in Farsi.
“On the other hand, we know that our people have been goingthrougha lot of difficulties throughout the war,and we are going there for them, to get the best results for their joy and the joy of thepeopleofour country.”
The U.S. and Israel launched its war against Iran on Feb. 28, killing its supreme leader and other top officials. Iran responded with strikes targeting Israel, U.S forces and the Gulf Arabstates It also has maintained achokehold onthe Strait of Hormuz, the narrowmouth of thePersian Gulf, imperiling global energy supplies.
Despite anominal ceasefire being in place, Iranand the U.S have yet to negotiate apermanentend to the warand attacks continueinthe region.
calside,”saidBalich, founder of Balich WonderStudios. “But the peopleare people, and they will get together and enjoy.”
Each ceremony will feature top artistic performances thattap into the national identity,but Balich said spectators shouldn’texpect aSuper Bowl-style halftime extravaganza. Instead,the ceremonieswill combine welcoming speeches,a parade of flags, the presentation of the match ball andabout 30 minutes of musical entertainment. “It’sacelebration of football,
“Inall of ourdiscussions,”the Englandfans’ groupsaid, “free water availability in stadiums was akey one and we were assured by FIFAthat this would be thecase.” In astatementThursday, the worldsoccer body said the decision to prohibit bottles —which could be thrown —was “toprevent risk and injury to players and attendees.”
“FIFAiscommitted to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees,fans, volunteers, and staff,” it said. FIFA said some of the 16 stadiums had already prohibited fans from bringing water bottles, so the policy would apply across them all.
With temperatures at 90 Fahrenheit andabove expected in many of the U.S., Mexican and Canadian cities hosting the 104 games, FIFA said “heat mitigation” forfans approaching stadiumswould include “misting stations, fans,hydration stations, cooling tents, and more.”
“Inside the stadium footprint,
pricing forwater bottles forthe FIFA WorldCup 2026 will remain consistentwithother events heldat each stadium,” the soccer body said. FIFA hasreacted to expected heat in someoutdoor stadiums by enforcing three-minutedrinks breaksmidwaythrough each half at allgames.Criticshavesaid turning all games into fourquarters was to create morebreaks for broadcasters to sell advertising.
“For all of the effort they are going to with ‘drinks breaks’ for the players, this is such astrange, late change,” the Free Lions fangroup said of the water bottle ban.
Messi’slastdance
BY DÉBORAREY AP sportswriter
BUENOSAIRES Argentinahas bitter memories of 1994, the last time the United States hosted the World Cup.
After thesecond group stage match, nationaliconDiego Maradona was expelled from thetournament due to apositivedoping test. Maradona would neverplay another WorldCup match,and Argentina was eliminatedinthe round of 16.
Thirty-two yearslater,the SouthAmerican powerhouseis hoping for ahappier ending for Maradona’s heir,Lionel Messi, whoisturning 39 this month and is widely expected to retire from international soccer after the curtain comes down on the2026 World Cup, whichthe U.S.isco-hosting with Mexico and Canada. If he and Argentina manage to keep theWorld Cup trophy they won four years ago in Qatar,they will becomethe first team to win backto-back titlessince Brazil in 1962. It would also strengthen theclaim of those who already call Messi the greatest player of all time.
“I loveplaying footballand I’m going to do it untilI can’tanymore,” Messi told Argentine broadcast journalist Joaquín “Pollo” Álvarez in aYouTube interview.“I’m competitive, Ilike to win at everything, Idon’teven let my kids win at video games sometimes. It’sjust my nature and what led metoachieve everything Ihave.”
Aftermore than20years playingfor Barcelona, ParisSaintGermain and Inter Miami, Messi’s body is showing signs of wear.A week ahead of what will be his record sixth World Cup, he is recovering from ahamstring problem that led to his substitution during Inter Miami’sfinal match before the tournamentonMay 24.
TheArgentina captainworked outonhis ownatthe team’s base camp in Kansas City this week.
“Weall would have liked Messi to arrive without any problems, but that’snot thecase. Not only him,most of theplayers aren’tfully recoveredyet,”Argentinacoach Lionel Scaloni told DSports, aLatin American TV network.
Fitnessconcerns
Goalkeeper EmilianoMartínez, hero of two penaltyshootouts in 2022, including the finalagainst France, suffered afracture to the ring fingerofhis right hand during the Europa League final while playing for Aston Villa.
Defender Cristian“Cuti” Romero is recovering from aknee injury he picked up in mid-April while playing for Tottenham.Right backs Nahuel Molinaand GonzaloMontiel are dealing with muscle injuries as is midfielderLeandroParedes.
Argentina, also championin1978 and1986, will playits first group stagematch on June 16 against
FIFAand the fact that, thanks to soccer,people gettogetherin peace and harmony,”Balich said.
Each ceremony will be held about90minutes beforegame time, following a25-minute player warm-up that organizers hope will prompt spectators to arrive early While theSuper Bowl celebrates “a gamethat is only famous in the U.S., therest of theworld plays soccer,and hasapassion that is shared,” Balich said.
The festivities launch on June 11 in Mexico City,ahead of the Mexico City-South Africamatch, with
Algeria in Kansas City.Next up in GroupJ are Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27 in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas.
Scaloni is relying on 17 of the 26 players whowon the World Cup in 2022, even though several are not in peak physical condition.
“Why change them if they don’t deserve that?We’vealways been honest with them.The players whoare here today have shown us they want to be here. And secondly,their levelhasn’tdropped,” Scaloni said.
Argentinawon the Copa América in 2024 andfinishedtop of the South American World Cup qualifying group. Atletico Madrid forward Julián Álvarez is key to Scaloni’sattack, while Barcelona, Arsenal, and PSG are reportedly vying forhis signature for next season. The coach hasalso brought in threedebutants:midfielder Valentín Barco, whorecently signed for Chelsea, and forwards Nicolás Paz,akey player for ComoinItaly,and Juan ManuelLópez, the top scorer for Brazilianclub Palmeiras.
Anotableabsence compared to four years ago is Ángel Di María, who retired from the national team in 2024.BesidesMessi,hewas instrumental in Argentina’ssuccess in Qatar.
“It’simpossible to fill Di María’s shoes. He and Messi are irreplaceable,” Scaloni said.
Afuturewithout Messi
Always soft-spoken, Messi has tried to lower expectations of another World Cup title.
ashow featuring Latin rock band Maná,Colombian singer JBalvin and South African pop star Tyla. They continue June 12 in Toronto aheadofthe Canada-Bosnia and Herzegovina game, with Alanis Morissette andMichael Bublé headlining, before heading to Los Angeles Stadium later that day for theU.S.-Paraguay opener International stars will take the stage at Los Angeles Stadium,including Katy Perry,global pop starLISA, Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema, Brazilian pop artist Anitta, and hip-hop artist Future.
“Wehave to get excited, like Argentines always do, but we also have to know that there are other favorites ahead of us who are in better form,” he said.
Messi already holds the record for most World Cup matches (26) and needs four more goals to surpass Germany’sMiroslavKlose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
While he hasn’texplicitly said he will retire fromthe national team after theWorldCup, he dropped abig hint last Septemberwhenhetalkedabout the team’squalifying match against Venezuela in Buenos Aires as his last competitive home game for Argentina.
“Itwas very emotional,knowingthiswas my last competitive match here,” he said after the game at the Monumental Stadium. “I’ve been through alot in this stadium —somegreat moments and somedifficult ones but it’salways special to play in front of our fans.”
Scaloni, likemostArgentines, also gets emotional whenthinking about anationalteam without Messi.
“I liketothink he’s going to keep playing because otherwise you get sad, like what happened with Diego (Maradona),” Scaloni said in an interviewpublished on thewebsite of South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL.“Theyare players who have madehistory in football and thinking that they won’tplay anymoredoesn’t leave you at peace. Iprefer to think about the present.”
The Italian producer is enjoying the distinction of producing the twobiggest sports ceremonies in the world this year —the 2026 Winter Games opening ceremony and2026World Cup—evenasItaly sits out its third straight World Cup.
“Itisvery encouraging, actually, to compensate for the sad news that Italy is not there thistime,” Balich said, adding that Italy’sabsence, “whichisadisasterfor us, hasalso enabledustobeveryimpartial”incelebrating each country “in asimilar way.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByCHARLIE RIEDEL Argentina forward Lionel Messi works out for the WorldCup on WednesdayinKansas City,Kan.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RIZA OZEL
Nigeria’sAkorAdams,right, fights for theballwith Iran’sMohammad Ghorbani during afriendly soccer matchonMarch 27 in Antalya, southern Turkey
Towns held his own against Wemby in Game 1 of Finals
Knicks looking for more in Game 2
BY TIM REYNOLDS
AP basketball writer
SAN ANTONIO Karl-Anthony
Towns’ first two baskets of the NBA Finals were like countless others in his career The New York forward got the ball 30 feet from the basket, surveyed the scene, drove right past his defender and scored at the rim.
These buckets, however, were not ordinary
They were against Victor Wembanyama.
Towns helped set a tone for the Knicks in Game 1 on Wednesday night by going right at San Antonio’s best player and the unanimous pick as Defensive Player of the Year — twice in the opening minutes. Towns didn’t get any more field goals against Wemban-
NBA
Continued from page 1C
other, trusting the basketball gods, trusting the game plan, executing, and not relying on talent so much to make shots or to save the day,” Wembanyama said. “We’ve been playing a certain way all season. We’ve been successful this way There’s no reason to change the day the finals start.”
It was easy for the Spurs to find areas to clean up.
For the Knicks these days, that’s considerably tougher They’re 12-0 in their last 12 games, the third team to do that in a single postseason. The other two — San Antonio in 1999 and Golden State in 2017 were NBA champions. The Knicks are certainly playing like a championship-capable team, but star guard Jalen Brunson insists that New York can’t subscribe to any sort of thinking that suggests the job is done and a parade is inevitable.
“It’s all about just getting better every single day, keep chipping away, keep chipping away, being 1% better,” said Brunson, who led all scorers with 30 points in his finals debut Wednesday. “When you take steps back, how can you improve? Having that mentality and focus and approach I think allows us to still be students of the game and still find ways to learn,
yama over the remainder of the game and didn’t have to, finishing with 18 points in New York’s 10595 win
“You just trust your work and you trust your decision-making, and I always say about being aggressive in playmaking: It may not be for the shot or get someone else a shot or get the hockey assist going,” Towns said “For me, when I go out there, I try to be aggressive in playmaking.”
That holds true against the best defensive player on the planet.
The Knicks did a lot right in Game 1, but perhaps tops on that list was not letting the 7-foor-4 Wembanyama take over the game or even get into a rhythm on either side of the court. Wembanyama scored 26 points on 6-for-21 shooting from the floor — and got a text from former Spurs coach Gregg Popovich between the end of Game 1 and Thursday after-
noon’s practice.
The message from Pop? That “I’ve been bad and I’m better than this,” Wembanyama revealed.
While that may be true, the Knicks believe Towns deserved a lot of credit for not letting Wembanyama become completely dominant in the series opener
“Wemby, man, obviously iconic player, you’re not going to stop him, you hope he misses,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “You’ve got to throw different people, different coverages at him. You got to try not to send him to the free-throw line. We sent him to the freethrow line 13 times, but KAT himself did a pretty decent job of trying to lead with his chest while being physical. Again, I think it’s all due to him wanting to do whatever he can to help the team while being present.”
The New york Knicks celebrate after winning Game 1
against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in San
even through wins, and I think we need to continue to do that.”
The Knicks were coming off their second nine-day break between series — an unintended consequence of sweeping Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semifinals and Cleveland in the East finals — and handled it just fine.
But New York’s Mikal Bridges knows Game 2 will be better
“I don’t think our Game 1s, even though we won, have been great at all,” Bridges said. “It’s tough to assimilate the emotional aspect, how physical it’s going to be when you’re in practice every day, besides being in those games. It’s tough. ... Now, we kind of got a rhythm. We’ve got to be better and
I know we will be Game 2.” The Spurs hope they will as well. It’s not must-win time for San Antonio, but going to New York in a 2-0 hole would make the challenge of winning the finals considerably more daunting. The Spurs have handled all the adversity that has come their way so far in the playoffs, and now have to answer that bell again.
“It’s very reassuring,” Wembanyama said. “We know we’re not here by chance. We’ve been through some weird — what do you call it? weird situations, whatever. Yes, it’s reassuring to know that these guys, the 18 guys we got, are built this way They are resilient.”
NBA bans two fans for life after one runs onto court during Game 1
BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer
SAN ANTONIO The NBA banned two people for life from its arenas on Thursday, after one of them was arrested shortly after running onto the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals and appearing to take a selfie next to San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.
The incident occurred midway through the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game between the Spurs and New York Knicks. The NBA did not disclose what role the second banned person, who did not run onto the court, played in the incident.
“The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested and will be banned for life from all NBA arenas,” an NBA spokesman said in a message sent to The Associated Press and other outlets. “A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident.”
The person who was arrested after running onto the court is a juvenile, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because that detail — first reported by the San Antonio Express-News was not revealed publicly
That fan appeared to enter the court from the sideline opposite the team benches, starting from behind the play and running into San Antonio’s offensive end. The person was quickly pulled from the court by two security guards and it did not appear the person made any physical contact with Wembanyama or any New York players.
“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know how to act.”
He compared the moment to a game in January 2024 when a bat got into the Spurs’ arena and flew around the court, stopping a game against Minnesota for a couple of minutes.
Play on Wednesday was stopped for 1 minute and 29 seconds before the game resumed with a jump ball. The fan who entered the play was taken out of the court area through a baseline tunnel.
“I don’t think it was an event at all,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said “I thought security got him out of there. I think everybody moved on to the next play.”
Silver lauded crew chief Scott Foster and the game’s officiating crew for handling the incident quickly, not disrupting the game for any longer than necessary
“It’s unfortunately part of all sports,” Silver said. “There’s lot more security, much more apparatus in place than we needed maybe in the old days. I think the other side of the coin of global attention is that somebody realizes that there’s this enormous platform to do stupid things. So, we learn from every incident.”
League investigating fan’s
Another incident involving fan behavior occurred in the final minute of Wednesday’s Game 1, when New York guard Jalen Brunson who had a game-high 30 points in the Knicks’ comefrom-behind win — appeared to be upset by something said to him by a patron in a courtside seat. Silver confirmed Thursday that the league is looking into what was said to Brunson. Asked about that incident, Brunson declined to comment.
“I even hesitate to describe that person as a fan,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday “They seemed to have some ulterior motive for doing so.” Wembanyama did not appear bothered by the incident, either as it was happening or afterward.
LSU men’s basketball set to face Gonzaga in the fall
BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer
LSU men’s basketball has scheduled what will likely be one of its toughest nonconference opponents next season.
Coach Will Wade’s team will play Gonzaga on Nov 14 at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington, according to the game contract It will be the first meeting between the programs ever The game time was not listed.
Gonzaga is expected to field another competitive team, as it routinely has under 27-year coach Mark Few The Bulldogs have been a preseason AP Top 25 team every year since the 2009-10 season and have finished outside the final poll only four times in that span. They went 31-4 last season and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, losing 74-68 in the Round of 32 to Texas. The Bulldogs returned important pieces and will likely be led by five-star transfer center Massamba Diop. The 7-footer averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a freshman at Arizona State last season.
LSU has also agreed to participate in the Palm Springs Classic, a four-team multiteam event at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, according to the game contract. The tournament runs Nov 21-26 and LSU will face two of the three other teams in the field: SMU, Arizona State or Southern California. LSU’s first opponent and game times were not listed.
SMU was the only team in the group to make the NCAA Tournament last season, losing 89-79 to Miami (Ohio) in the First Four
The Tigers faced SMU in back-to-back seasons under previous coach Matt McMahon losing 74-64 at a neutral site in Texas on Dec. 14, 2024, and winning 89-77 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans the following year Arizona State finished 17-16 last season and enters its first year under coach Randy Bennett, who left Saint Mary’s after leading the Gaels to five straight NCAA Tournament berths. One of his
associate head coaches is David Patrick, a former LSU assistant under McMahon (2024-26) and Johnny Jones (2012-16).
The Aztecs also have former LSU forward Marcus Vaughns.
The 6-foot-8 Australian enrolled early at LSU in December 2025 and redshirted after not appearing in any games. USC went 18-14 last season and is expected to improve with three top-30 recruits, including Christian Collins, the No 9 player in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.
The Tigers are also reportedly in the process of scheduling a game with powerhouse Houston at the Toyota Center according to CBS Sports national college basketball reporter Jon Rothstein. The details of this game, including the date, are not yet known.
The Cougars have won at least 30 games each season since 202122 and earned both the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament titles in 2024 and 2025 They also have former LSU lead point guard Dedan Thomas, who transferred after one season in Baton Rouge.
Wade is crafting a challenging nonconference schedule designed to prepare LSU for the 18-game Southeastern Conference slate and hopefully have a compelling résumé to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022, when he was fired. The Tigers must have confidence that the nine players currently on the roster can compete at a high level.
LSU’s four international additions are 23-year-old Brazilian pro Marcio Santos, 22-year-old Italian wing Saliou Niang, 19-year-old Croatian forward Michael Ruzic and 23-year-old French center Brice Dessert.
The Tigers’ four transfers are forward Mo Dioubate (Kentucky), guard Divine Ugochukwu (Michigan State), guard Abdi Bashir (Kansas State) and guard Austin Nunez (UTSA). Wade has reportedly added former St. John’s star RJ Luis as well. The 23-year-old went undrafted last year, signed a two-way NBA contract and was later waived. He never appeared in a G League game.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy
of the NBA Finals
Antonio.
AP PHOTO By ERIC GAy
New york Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns shoots between San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama and forward Julian Champagnie during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in San Antonio
ART FOR SALE
The Baton RougeArtsMarket, offering oneof-a-kind paintings, pottery,sculpturesand other artsy items, will runfrom 8a.m. to noon Saturday at Fifth and Mainstreetsdowntown. The monthly event by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rougeruns in conjunction with the weekly Red Stick FarmersMarket. artsbr.org
COMEDYAND COCKTAILS
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND
The Family Dinner ImprovComedyTroupe will returntothe Hartley/Vey stageatthe ManshipTheatre for another evening of improvisational antics at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Doors will open at 7p.m. and there will be a cashbar.The two-hour showisrated R-ish.
$14. manshiptheatre.org
DANCE IT OFF
DJ duo Interstellarwill be spinning tunes for Taylor Swift Night at Chelsea’sLivefrom 10 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Friday.Think “Cruel Summer,” “New Romantics,” “Blank Space” and more. Doors will open at 9p.m. $10, advance; $15, at the box office. Forthose 18 and older chelseaslive.com.
GeorgeRodrigue’s1991 painting,‘Loup
‘Over the moon’
Andthe Emmy goes to ‘Blue— TheLifeand Artof George Rodrigue’
BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer
“Blue —The Life andArt of George Rodrigue” has wona national Emmy Award for outstanding regional documentary Jacques Rodrigue, the late artist’sson, accepted the award at ceremonies in New York City last week.
“I’m absolutely over the moon andsoproud,”Rodrigue, also executive directorofthe George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, said in an email.
Making it big
STAFF
Caleb Broussard, left, as Jack, tells his best friend, Crutchie, playedbyHenryGore, about howlife will be in Santa Fe after theyamass enoughmoneyfrom newspaper sales to move away fromNew york in Playmakers of Baton Rouge’sproduction of ‘Disney’sNewsies Jr.’
Kids on stagewill play kids who changed theworld in ‘Newsies Jr.’
BYROBIN MILLER Staff writer
There’ssomethingprofound about Playmakers of Baton Rouge’sproduction of “Disney’sNewsies Jr.”
“Blue” is acareer-spanning film that follows famous Blue Dog painter Rodrigue’slife and journey as an artist. For the first time in 30 years, the film includes footage filmed inside Rodrigue’sstudio as Jacques Rodrigue and his brother,Andre, led abrief tour of where their father painted all of his Cajun works. Besides the fame for his iconic azure canine works, these paintings of Louisiana landscapes andoutdoor family gatherings are also well-known. He diedin2013.
“For afilm made right here in New Orleans by our local stationWLAE-TVabout my dad to win the national Emmy is incrediblymeaningful,”Rodrigue also said. “Only five regional documentaries from across the entire country are even nominatedeach year,sotoactually take home the award feels like a dreamcome true for us andfor Louisiana storytelling.” Under the direction of Sean O’Malley,ateam at WLAE/6th StreetStudios worked on the project.
“For years, I’ve beenarchiving and digitizing dad’s catalog, butalso hismaterials and, footage and old TV interviews,” Jacques Rodrigue said in 2025. “So when the filmmakersfirst approachedus, we had areal treasure trove of things to
The musical is fun, true. It’s also equipped with thebrand of challenging choreography that musical theaterkidslovetoperform And they’ll be dancing everywhere when Playmakers opens “Newsies Jr.” on Fridayinthe Reilly Theatre. Butlingering beneaththe dancingand showstopping numbers is the fact that the kids on the Reilly’s stage basically are thesameage as the newsboys they’re portraying. The newsies were teens, some evenyounger,when, in 1899, they were hawking newspapers for
Sunlight illuminates Spanish moss hanging from branches ofbald cypresstrees in Caddo Lakenear Uncertain,Texas.
‘DISNEY’S NEWSIESJR.’
APlaymakers of Baton Rouge production
7p.m.Friday, 2p.m.SaturdaySunday, 7p.m.Friday, June 12, and 2p.m.Saturday-Sunday, June 13-14 l Reilly Theatre,Tower Drive,LSU campus l $20-$30. l playmakers.org
Jack, played by Caleb Broussard, right, takes a likingtoaspiring investigative reporter Katherine, played by Adelaide Overall, in the Playmakers of Baton Rouge show, ‘Disney’s Newsies Jr.’
mere pennies. Most of them were homeless or orphaned.
But then they banded together and changedthe system by takingonthe nation’smost powerful media titan. Little did they know,their effort would be the catalyst forthe eventual child laborreform movement.
Real-lifecontemporaries
Cast members’ expressions shift from excitement to all
BY MOLLYTERRELL Staff writer
The newest movie in the Star Wars franchise,“StarWars: TheMandalorianand Grogu,” was partially filmed on Caddo Lakenear Shreveport, and the crew was broughtout by alocal swamptour company
The lake, whichspans both Louisiana and Texas, is at its swampiest near the city of Uncer-
tain, Texas, whereCaptainRon’s Swamp Tours operates fromthe Uncertain Lodge and Inn. Captain Ron’sSwamp Tours was able to announce
PHOTOSByROBIN MILLER
PROVIDED PHOTO By GEORGE GODFREy RODRIGUE JR.FAMILyTRUST
Garou’
STAFFFILE
PHOTO By
SOPHIA GERMER
STAFF PHOTO By JILL PICKETT
Rodrigue
FRIDAY
CHRIS OCMAND: Agile Brewing, 5:30 p.m.
ERIC BASKIN: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 6 p.m.
STACI T & ROY B: Blue
Iguana, 6 p.m.
PECAN GROVE: Agave Blue, Zachary, 6 p.m.
MATT HOLT: BLDG 5, 6 p.m.
THE LEE SERIO BAND: T’Quilas, Denham Springs,
6 p.m.
KIRK HOLDER: Galvez Seafood, Prairieville, 6 p.m.
DON POURCIAU & KONSPIRACY: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
ZEPHYRS: Court to Table, 6:30 p.m.
THE SKIPTONES: Old New Orleans Bar, 6:30 p.m.
WILLIS ALAN RAMSEY/DREW
LANDRY: Counterspace Bakery, 7:30 p.m.
NIGHT RANGER: L’Auberge Event Center, 8 p.m.
TRAIN WRECK METHOD/NEZNUM/ABSOLUM/MISLED: Mid City Ballroom, 8 p.m.
HENRY TURNER JR. & ALLSTARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m.
SYLAS FAUST: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant, 9 p.m.
PARADE GROUND JUNKIES: Squeaky Pete’s, 9 p.m.
IAN WEBSTER & TAYLOR CLARK: The Vineyard, 9 p.m.
WYATT PUTMAN/STONE SOBER: The Texas Club, 9 p.m.
N’TUNE: The Showroom, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY JOSH MARTIN: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.
BAYOU COUNTRY BUSINESS EXPO WITH CHASE TYLER BAND, MARK BABIN, STONE
SOBER, CONNOR MARTIN AND WHISKEY ROW BAND: Amazing Place, Central, 2 p.m.
DON POURCIAU & KONSPIRACY: VFW Zachary Taylor Post, 3 p.m
IAN WEBSTER DUO: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 5:30 p.m.
BRIAN RITTENHOUSE & CYPRESS COVE: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
JEFF BAJON PROJECT: BLDG
5, 6 p.m.
NASHVILLE SOUTH: Court to Table, 6:30 p.m.
ACOUSTICRATS: Bin 77, 7 p.m.
THE EPIPHANY PRESENTED BY HAYDEN WINTZ: Mid City Ballroom, 7 p.m.
ALONE IN THE MORGUE/ GHOST PRISM/KONSTRICT-
ED: Phil Brady’s, 8 p.m.
SAVANT BR LA: The Basin Music Hall, 8 p.m.
‘STAR WARS’
Continued from page 1D
Wars
film, Mandalorian and Grogu! If you have ever glided through our ancient Cypress groves, you already know why they came here. There is no place on earth quite like it Look out for Caddo when you watch the movie. Come and see the lake that caught Hollywood’s eye.”
The company is the No 1 tour operator on the lake, according to co-partner Jean Rhodes-Werneke, who said they could fill a second boat for tours because of how busy they are. They were contacted by Disney in July 2024, Rhodes-Werneke said, to arrange for a scout to visit Caddo Lake as a potential filming location for part of
PROVIDED PHOTO
Veteran rockers Night Ranger will play the L’Auberge Event Center at 8 p.m Friday. Tickets start at $53.90.
ACOUSTIC SATURDAY WITH DIXIE ROSE: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m. TWO AMIGOS (STEVE JUDICE & BARRY HEBERT): Sullivan Theater, Central, 8 p.m.
JUNIOR AND SUMTIN’ SNEAKY: Archibald’s Dockside Bar, Plaquemine, 8 p.m.
SHAWN WARD XPERIENCE: The Queen Baton Rouge 9 p.m
RAINBOW RAVE: Splash Nightclub, 9 p.m PARTY AT JOE’S: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant, 9 p.m.
TITANIUM RAIN DUO: Scoreboards, Denham Springs, 9 p.m.
HENRY TURNER JR.’S SOLO CONCERT SERIES V: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 10 p.m.
SUNDAY
ERIC BASKIN: Watermark Hotel, 10 a.m.
JACI & JOSH: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.
JUSTIN BURDETTE TRIO: Superior Grill-MidCity, 11 a.m.
JAZZ BRUNCH: Red Stick Social, noon
SONGWRITER SUNDAYS: La Divina Italian Cafe, 5 p.m.
LUCY YOES: Pizza Byronz, 5 p.m. OPEN MIC JAM: Fat Cat Saloon, Prairieville, 7 p.m. DA VU 15: L’Auberge Event Center, 8 p.m.
MONDAY JEFF BAJON PROJECT: Superior Grill-MidCity, 6 p.m.
TUESDAY
CAM PYLE: Superior GrillMidCity, 6 p.m.
EDDIE SMITH: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
RHETT GUILLOT: BLDG 5, 5:30 p.m.
the newest Star Wars movie, released on May 22. By that October she said, the film’s crew stayed in the Uncertain Lodge and Inn and the Shady Glade Resort for a few days of filming. But the pontoon boat they had wasn’t big enough for the crew, so Disney had a barge moved from Miami for the crew Filming on the lake Rhodes-Werneke said the crew had pictures of the lake they wanted to be guided to, and she immediately knew where each location was.
“I’ve been on this lake for 33 years, so we took them where pictures were, and then also some more areas that we knew they might be interested in,” she said.
One of the locations was Pine Island Pond, where Rhodes-Werneke had asked
CHRIS LEBLANC: Superior Grill-MidCity, 6 p.m.
BRENT ARMSTRONG: Danny’s Dive Bar, 6 p.m.
LSU JAZZ JAM: Classic Vinyls, 6 p.m.
KIRK HOLDER: Bin 77, 6:30 p.m.
SONGWRITERS OPEN MIC W/
HEATH RANSONNET: Coop’s on 621, Gonzales, 7 p.m.
ANDY PIZZO TRIO: Hayride Scandal, 7:30 p.m.
OPEN MIC JAM: O’Hara’s Irish Pub, 8 p.m.
THURSDAY
BRYCE BROUSSARD: Just Wingin It, 6 p.m.
KYBALION: El Paso, 6 p.m.
MICAH LIPSMEYER DUO: Superior Grill-MidCity, 6 p.m.
TONY TERRY: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.
SWAMP EP RELEASE WITH QUILT, 2/4 FLINCHIN’, AND BLISS?: Mid City Ballroom, 7 p.m.
ENUF: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant, 7 p.m.
WALT WHITAKER: Backstreet Lounge, 7 p.m.
HENRY TURNER JR. & ALL-
STARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m.
CHRIS LEBLANC: The Vineyard, 8 p.m.
BLUES JAM: Phil Brady’s, 9 p.m.
OUTLYING
SATURDAY
3:05 EXPRESS: El Mejor, St. Francisville, 6:30 p.m.
Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s music listed? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper
a friend if the crew could use her dock to film. She said the pond had calm water so that the crew’s equipment wouldn’t be jostled.
They even rebuilt Caddo Lake as a set in Los Angeles for the actors to use, she said.
The tour company also served as a point of contact for the horror film “Caddo Lake,” and a couple of Japanese shows have also used the location to film She said a lot of people are attracted to the location because it’s beautiful in every season.
“It’s just magical and mystical,” Rhodes-Werneke said. “It’s such a unique place that some people find it very eerie, which is why some horror films have been here.”
Email Molly Terrell at molly.terrell@ theadvocate.com.
By The Associated Press
Today is Friday, June 5, the 156th day of 2026. There are 209 days left in the year Today in history: On June 5, 1968, U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded after claiming victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles; assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested at the scene. Also on this date:
In 1794, Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited Americans from taking part in any military action against a country that was at peace with the United States.
In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, struck down racially segregated railroad dining cars traveling across state lines.
‘NEWSIES’
Continued from page 1D
encompassing awe when the actual people their characters depict from more than a century past are mentioned They look at each other and nod, understanding that they’re about to tell a true story of how kids came together to change the world.
Making this possible in the musical version of this story is the orphaned 17-year-old newsboy Jack Kelly, a fictionalized compilation of the nonfiction newsboys’ leaders, Louis “Kid Blink” Balletti and Jack Sullivan. Jack, played by Caleb Broussard, dreams of one day leaving New York for the exotic-sounding dreamscape of Santa Fe, New Mexico, while looking out for his best friend Crutchie, played by Henry Gore.
“Jack is a charismatic character,” Broussard said. “He wants to be the leader, but he’s not cocky about it. He can be clueless at times. I feel like the musical kind of shows Jack peeling off layers and showing his true personality in the end.” Crutchie, so nicknamed because he walks with a crutch, wears an optimistic face around Jack. Gore sees his character as comic relief.
“But as the play moves on, you realize that Crutchie is putting on a tough face,” Gore said “There are times when he doesn’t put up that front, and you see the pain
RODRIGUE
Continued from page 1D
share with them.”
“Blue” also features interviews with Rodrigue’s family, curators, critics, collectors and such notable admirers as chef/restaurateur Emeril Lagasse, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and political strategist James Carville.
In 1967, the Six-Day War began as Israel, anticipating a possible attack by its Arab neighbors, launched a series of airfield strikes that destroyed nearly the entire Egyptian air force.
In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control reported that five men in Los Angeles had come down with a rare kind of pneumonia; they were the first recognized cases of what later became known as AIDS.
In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her Salt Lake City home. (Smart was found and rescued by police in a Salt Lake City suburb in March 2003.)
In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2024, Boeing launched
that he’s in.”
Things get rolling
The plan really gets going when Jack and Crutchie meet Davey played by Camden DeVaux, and his little brother Les, played by Juliet Beard. Unlike Jack and his fellow newsboys, the brothers have parents and a home, but they turn to selling papers when an injury forces their father out of his job.
So, Jack and Crutchie team up with Davey and Les for what seems like a lucrative partnership, and it would have been had Joseph Pulitzer not raised wholesale prices of the papers.
The name Joseph Pulitzer may sound familiar He’s the namesake for the highest honor in journalism. He’s played by Aiden Wiltz in this show
“And he’s the funniest Pulitzer you’ll ever see,” said Brandy Johnson, who is directing the musical’s cast of 25.
“I read about Joseph Pulitzer before the show, and I decided to do my own take on his character,” Wiltz said.
“Just the expressions he makes, alone, are hilarious,” Johnson added.
Pulitzer in real-life
The legendary newsman was the hard-nosed owner of the New York World, whose prime competition was William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal. Both papers were sold by newsboys, whose source of survival were the newspapers they sold on the street.
The newsboys bought the papers at wholesale prices
The Rodrigue documentary previously won the Suncoast Regional Emmy
“I couldn’t be prouder of the filmmakers,” Rodrigue said.
upfront and kept the money from the copies sold However, Pulitzer and Hearst refused to buy back unsold copies, then raised the wholesale rate.
That’s when Jack rallies newsboys throughout the city to fight back, turning the newspaper world upsidedown. In the meantime, Jack meets an aspiring investigative reporter named Katherine Plumber, who decides to make her journalistic mark by covering the strike. Katherine is double-cast in this production with Ruby Dupre and Adelaide Overall playing the character in alternate performances.
Katherine and Jack meet in the vaudeville theater owned by his friend, the flamboyant Medda Larkin, played by Annalee Templet. Sparks fly and a romance blooms, that is, until the revelation of Katherine’s true identity
Though the ending isn’t a surprise, there are plenty of story twists entrenched in the action leading up to it And it’s all wrapped in a lineup of such signature songs as “Seize the Day” and “King of New York.”
“The actors really came in prepared for this show,” Johnson said. “They knew their material, and they gelled. But I couldn’t have put this show together without our stage manager and choreographer and music director and set designer — everyone in the crew This is a big show, and I want to give them full credit.”
Email Robin Miller at romiller@theadvocate. com.
The national Emmy is the latest award for “Blue,” which has also received a Silver Telly Award in the general-documentary: long form category The Tellys, established in 1979, honor the television and video industry “Blue” has also been recognized at the New Orleans Film Festival, Amsterdam New Cinema Film Festival and World Film Festival in Cannes.
“Blue,” distributed by American Public Television, premiered on PBS stations in 2025. It is still available for viewing on the PBS Passport app.
Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.
FRIDAY
FULL DOME FRIDAYS: 10 a.m., Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Dive into science with interactive hands-on experiences led by the education team. This week’s theme: “Aerospace –Forward! To theMoon.” $10 members, $20general admission. lasm.org.
BATONROUGE PRIDE KICKOFF WHITE PARTY: 6p.m. to 9p.m., Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, 233 St. Ferdinand St. Rooftop ceremonypresenting grand marshals and court, heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, liveDJ, entertainment and sneak peek at Pride Fest. batonrougepride.org.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
BROMELIAD EXHIBITION AND SALE: 9a.m.-5 p.m. Friday,and
8a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Baton Rouge Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd. Presented by the Bromeliad Society of Baton Rouge. (225)324-6250.
EVENING SKY VIEWING:
8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., BREC Highland Road Park Observatory,13800 Highland Road. See the majesty of the night sky,for those 6and up. hrpo lsu.edu/events.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
“THE LION KING JR.”: 6:30 p.m.
nightly,also2p.m. SaturdaySunday, Manship Theatre, 100 LafayetteSt. Opening for Central Community Theatre production,anadaptationof the classic Disney musical Forall ages. $32. manshiptheatre.org.
FRIDAY-MONDAY
WACO THEATER CENTER’S
“STILL HERE LIVE”: 3p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Monday; 1p.m., 4p.m.and 8p.m. Saturdayand Sunday, B. Jolie Salon, 240 Range 12 Blvd Suite 108, Denham Springs Immersivehybrid installation and liveperformance centering on thelived experiences of Black women impacted by HIV/AIDS,using artasa bridge to empathy, education and action. (225) 771-9987.
SATURDAY STRONG &CALM WARRIOR
YOGA: 8a.m. to 9a.m USS
KIDD Veterans Museum,305 S. River Road. usskidd.com.
BATONROUGE ARTS MARKET:
8a.m. to noon, Fifth and Main streets, downtown.Vendors sell pottery,woodwork, textiles, glass, paintings sculptures, photographs, handmade soaps, handmade toys and jewelry. artsbr.org.
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET:
8a.m. to noon, Fifth and Main streets, downtown.Farmfresh produce and goods. breada.org.
FAMILY-HOUR STARGAZING:
10 a.m., Irene W. Pennington Planetarium at the Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100S River Road. Learn about the stars and constellations in the local nighttime sky,followed by an all-ages show. lasm.org.
FARMERS MARKET: 10 a.m. to 3p.m., Livonia Travel Plaza, 8621 Airline Highway,Livonia. Also, sno-balls, kids crafts, woodwork, jewelry, dirty soda, sweets, food specials and dogtreats. READ &CREATE: 11 a.m., Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Storytime followedbyathemed craft Regular admission applies; free for members. lasm.org
THE FLAVOROFFLOWERS: A GUIDED MONOFLORAL HONEY
TASTING EXPERIENCE: 2p.m. to 3:30 p.m., LSU HilltopArboretum, 11855 HighlandRoad. Presented by beekeeper, naturalist and certified executive chef Katherine Gividen. $35, Hilltopmembers; $45, general public. Space is limited; advance registration required. hilltop.lsu.edu.
POETRYREADING: 2:30 p.m Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. In commemoration of the10th anniversary of thedeath of Muhammad Ali,former Louisiana Poet Laureate John Warner Smith will read from his collection “Muhammad’s Mountain.” Free. ebrpl.com.
MONTHLY CONTRA DANCE: 3p.m. to 5:30p.m., St. Alban’s Chapel,corner of Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive. Newcomer instruction at 2:45 p.m.Singlesand couples welcome. $7 perperson; free for first-timers.louisianacontrasandsquares.comor(225) 803-9194.
SATURDAY NIGHT BALLROOM RED,WHITE &BLUEDANCE: 7p.m. to 10 p.m., American Legion Post 38,151 S. WooddaleBlvd, BatonRouge. Ballroom, Latin andswing dancing.Cash bar; $15 cash admission (dancers and spectators).
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY CYPRESS ROYALE: 7p.m. (doors open at 6p.m.), Poydras Center,500 W. Main St., NewRoads. $28, members; $30, nonmembers. artscouncilofpointecoupee.org.
SUNDAY FREE FIRST SUNDAY: Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road; Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd.; OldGovernors’ Mansion, 502 North Blvd.; Magnolia Mound Museum + Historic Site, 2161 Nicholson Drive;LSU Museum of Art,100 Lafayette St.; CarySaurage Community ArtsCenter,233 St.Ferdinand St.; andLSU Center forRiver Studies, 100 Terrace Ave. Free admission to all exhibits and installations,plus reduced-priceentry to LASM’s Irene Pennington Planetarium shows “ROUX’SFIRST DAY”: 1p.m. to 3p.m., Old Governor’s Mansion, 502 NorthBlvd. A celebration of thechildren’s book rooted in the folklore and naturalbeauty of the Louisiana. Includes book reading by author Julie Gerdes Becnel;musicclass ledbyChildren’sMusic Studio’s Music Together program; liveillustration demo by thebook’s artist, Cullen Bernard; LouisianaWildlife and Fisheries withswamp life artifacts,hatchlingalligators and scavengerhunt.Free. governorsmansion.org.
RANDOM ACTS OF SCIENCE: 1p.m., Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Surprise pop-up science activity and tourof theSolar System Gallery,followedbya2 p.m.showinthe Irene W. Pennington Planetarium. Regular admission applies (except on Free First Sunday); free for members lasm.org.
ARTIST TALK: 2p.m., LSU Mu-
seum of Art, 100 Lafayette St Edgar Cano will discuss his work featured in the “South Arts” exhibition. Makeyour ownmixed-mediaart house inspired by worksonview Free. lsumoa.org.
SUNDAYSSMOOTH JAZZ
SERIES: 4p.m.to6p.m., Town Square, 222 North Blvd. Bring lawn chair and listen to smooth jazzinthis new series featuring guests artists each Sunday in June. Free. lazarronettles.com.
TEA PARTY: 4p.m. to 12:30 a.m Mother’s Lounge 143 ThirdSt. An evening of drag,community and celebration hosted by Nicole Foxx. Pay-what-you-can, benefits BR Pride. batonrougepride.org.
TUESDAY
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 3p.m.to6p.m., Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods, cooking demonstrations. breada.org.
BATONROUGE CHESSCLUB: 6p.m.to 8p.m., La Divina Italian Cafe, 3535 Perkins Road, Unit 360. Achance to playand learn; all levels welcome. Free.
WEDNESDAY
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET:
9a.m.tonoon,ExxonMobil YMCA, 7711 Howell Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. www.facebook com/redstickfarmersmarket.
WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: noon to 12:45 p.m.,Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Family-friendly yoga session designed for all ages and experience levels. $25, nonmembers; $15, LASM members; all four June sessions, $85, nonmembers; $50, members. lasm.org.
THURSDAY
RED STICK FARMERS MARKET:
8a.m.tonoon,Pennington Biomedical Research Center 6400 Perkins Road. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. facebook.com/redstickfarmersmarket.
ARTLAB: 10 a.m. to noon,Louisiana Art&Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Hands-on art experience whereparticipants can exploredifferent materials, techniques and imaginativeprojects. $10, members; $20, general admission. lasm.org.
OUTDOOR COMMUNITY
YOGA: 6p.m.to7p.m., pavilionbythe pond, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, 11855 Highland Road. Drop-in; no registration required; bring your ownmat. Free, but donations welcome. lsu.edu/hilltop. WEEKLYSOCIAL BIKE RIDE: 7:30 p.m.,Geaux Ride, 601 Laurel St.Free. geauxridebikes.com. KARAOKE,TRIVIA, BINGO
AND MORE: 8p.m.to11p.m., BrickyardSouth Bar +Patio, 174 SouthBlvd. Presented by BarFly Entertainment. Free to play. acebook.com/brickyardsouth
ONGOING
ANN CONNELLYFINE ART: 1670 LobdellAve.RyanCobourn, through June 15; David DewBruner +Leroy Project, through June 30. Hoursare 9a.m.to5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Free. (225) 927-7676 or annconnelly.com.
BATONROUGE GALLERY CENTER FORCONTEMPORARYART: 1515 Dalrymple Drive. Exhibit by member artists Randell Henry, David Scott Smithand John Isiah Walton, through June 21. Articulate artist talk, 4p.m Sunday.Hours: noon to 6p.m Tuesday-Sunday.batonrougegallery.org.
CAPITOLPARK MUSEUM: 660 N. Fourth St.“Grounds for Greatness: Louisiana and the Nation,” “The Louisiana Experience: Discovering the Soul of America, African American History,” “Music and Musicians” and “Mardi Gras,” permanent exhibits. (225) 342-5428 or louisianastatemuseum.org.
CARY SAURAGE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER SHELL GALLERY: 233 St.Ferdinand St “Eyecon,” ajuried exhibition celebrating Louisiana’s LGBTQ+ history,June 7to
July 3. Hours arefrom9 a.m. to 4p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Saturday artsbr.org. THE GALLERYATMANSHIP: 100 Lafayette St. 9a.m. to 4p.m. Monday, 9a.m. to 10 p.m.TuesdayThursday, 9a.m. to 11 p.m Friday,10a.m. to 11 p.m Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5p.m. Sunday.”Brandon Lewis WhenAll God’s ChildrenGet Together.” “LEARN TO PLAYTHE MOUNTAIN DULCIMER”: Free fourweek class seriesfor adults presented by theLagniappe DulcimerSociety.Two series choices: 6:30 p.m.Mondays or 12:30 p.m.Thursdays,Fairwood Branch Library,12910 Old Hammond Highway Loaner dulcimers available; registration required. Contact MayleeSamuels, (225) 2057407.
LOUISIANAART &SCIENCE MUSEUM: 100 S. River Road. “Then, And Now, And Always: The Artwork of Nick Bustamante,” through July 19, SoupCon Gallery; “Pinpointing theStars,” through Aug. 1; “Crossroads&Connections: ACentury of theRailway in Baton Rouge,” through Oct. 1; “Going Places: Transportation Toys of thePast,” through July 6, and “Shelf Queens: Model Train Masterpieces,” also through July 6. (225) 3445272 or lasm.org.
LSU MUSEUM OF ART: Shaw Center for theArts, 100 Lafayette St. “Views intothe Collection,” works from the museum’s permanent collection. “SouthArtsSouthern Prize&State Fellowshipsfor Visual Arts, through Sept. 6. (225) 389-7200 or lsumoa.org.
LSU TEXTILE &COSTUME MUSEUM: Human Ecology Building, TowerDrive, LSU campus. “Quilts &Fashion,” exploring the enduring dialogue between quilt making anddress, through Jan.15. (225) 578-5992 or email textile@lsu.edu.
MAGNOLIA MOUNDMUSEUM +HISTORIC SITE: 2161 Nicholson Drive.Guided and selfguided tours.10a.m. to 4p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1p.m. to 4p.m. Sunday.brec.org/ facility/MagnoliaMound
MANSHIP THEATRE JONES WALKERFOYER: 100 Lafayette St. “Look up:APhilosophy for Birding and Life” by Gail Suberbielle.Freeand open during regular Shaw Center building hours unless thereis aprivate event.
OLD GOVERNOR’SMANSION: 502 North Blvd. Open fortours. 9a.m.to4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Free admission. oldgovernorsmansion.com.
OLD STATECAPITOL: 100 NorthBlvd. 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Tuesday-Saturday,plus Free FirstSunday.Exhibitsinclude “Japanese WarBrides: Across AWideDivide,” through June 13; “Bought for aSong: AYoung Nation Expands,” display of theLouisiana Purchase, through July 11; and “A MorePerfect Union: Reconstruction’s Legacy in Louisiana,”permanent.Free. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org. USS KIDD VETERANS MUSEUM: 305 S. River Road. Displaysofavariety of artifacts that celebrate veteran and navalmilitary history.Note: Vessel is in Houma for dry dock repairs.usskidd.com. WEST BATONROUGE MUSEUM: 845 N. Jefferson Ave., Port Allen.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Tidy up before headingina newdirection.You'll do much better if you focus on what you want to achieve instead of lingeringon unfinished business. Keep your thoughts andfeelings to yourself.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Put your energy to good use. Reach out, pitch in and help. Do your part to make adifference. Someoneyou encounter will have an emotional impact on how you takecare of yourself.
LEO (July23-Aug. 22) Participate, do your best, help acause or make adifference to someone struggling. Listen, but don't believe everything you hear.Ifyou don't likethe suggestions you receive, look for alternatives
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You have more choices than you realize.Reach out,get the lowdown on what's available and align yourself withpeoplewho areheading in asimilar direction.Sharingwith otherswill motivate you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Be agood listener Show compassion and understanding, and engage in discussions that allowyou to share your skills,objectives and what you find uplifting.
SCORPIO (Oct.24-Nov. 22) Envision what youwant to pursue. Thoughts followed by actions will not disappoint. Steer clear of anyone trying to push youina direction that benefits them more than you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Adiversion thatsparksyourimaginationandencourages you to make alifestyle adjustment will prompt adifferent perspective
regarding the possibilities and motivate you to embarkonsomething creative or energizingwithouttaxingyouremotions, health or finances.
CAPRICORN(Dec. 22-Jan.19) Putting energytoward home improvement and personal growth is in your best interest. Whenapproached by people who askfor too much or try to back you into acorner, walk away.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Finish offthose home improvements that will make your life easier. Creativethinking, coupled with discipline anddesire forconvenience and comfort, will help you make better lifestyle decisions.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Pick avenue that interests you. Getout, socializeor pursuesomeoneor something youenjoy You don't have to impress anyone.Be yourself, and be honest about your likes and dislikes.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) You'll need to engage in alittle give-and-take to avoid domestic disputes or confusionfrom someone you depend on for answers. Ask for second opinions.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Haste makes waste.Yourtimeisputtobetterusehelping others, asking questions and upping your game through personal preferences, additional qualificationsand asolid plan.
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with severalgiven numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Puzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS CurTiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Albert Einsteinsaid,“If Aissuccess in life, then Aequals xplusy plus z. Workis x, yisplay, and ziskeeping your mouth shut.” If Bissuccessinbridge, xisbidding, yisdeclarer-playand defense, and zis keepingyourmouthshutwheneverpartner makes amistake.
However,for successintoday’s deal, South needs to find the best playtobring home nine tricks in no-trump. What should he do after West leads the heart jack?
Southstarts with eight top tricks: one spade, three hearts, two diamonds and two clubs.Hehas two principal chances to generate an extra winner:Findhearts 3-3 or establish asecond spade trick. The first is unlikely, given the lead,but declarer should take thefirst trick and cash another heart. When East follows, South can afford to cash his last heart; buthereEastdiscardsadiamond.
Howshould declarer play the spades? If entries were no issue, bestwould be to cashdummy’sace, then to duck around of the suit. Dummy would be entered again and athird round led toward thequeen.
Here,though, that is impossible. Some would justplayaspadetothe ace and return one to the queen —and herego down. But it cannotcost to play alow spade fromeach hand on the first round of the suit. When declarer regainsthe lead, he plays aspade to dummy’s ace. Herethe king appears, but if his majesty does not, Southcould still lead toward his queen. He would get home whenever East has the king, or the suit is 3-3, or West has king-singleton or king-doubleton.
Each Wuzzleisa word riddle whichcreates adisguised word,phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
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 soFTEnED: SOF-end: Made less firm.
Averagemark34words
Time limit 45 minutes
Can you find43ormore words in SOFTENED?
YEsTERDAY’s WoRD —THunDER
tend tern then thru thud trend true tune tuner turn turned herd hued hunt hunted hunter hurt under nerd nude dent duet dune rend rent rude rued runt ruth
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer today’s thought “The heavens declare the glory of God;and the firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalms 19:1
wuzzles
loCKhorNs
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORTAUTHORITY
EAST BATON ROUGE SEWERAGE COMMISSION CAPITOL IMPROVEMENTS DISTRICT
CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE Wednesday,May 13, 2026 4:00 PM
The Metropolitan Council of the Parish of East Baton Rouge and the City of Baton Rouge convened in regular session on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM, in the Council Chambers of the Governmental Building, Room 348, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Meeting was called to order by the Presiding Officer and the following members werepresent: Present: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Absent: Moak
CONDEMNATIONS
PRUDENT ACQUISITIONS, L.L.C. located at 4051 Mohican St., Lot L, Sq. 4, Babin Subdivision, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 11779
BETTY K. PATIN, CEDRIC D. PATIN, PATIN FAMILYTRUST,THE
SUCCESSION OF JOSEPH CARNEY PATIN, SR.,AND THE SUCCESSION OF NICOLE T. PATIN 1429 THOMAS H. DELPIT DR. (BUILDING LOCATED ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THOMAS H. DELPIT DR. AND BURNS DR.), LOT 14, ADDITION TO SUBURB SWART SUBDIVISION -COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 –COLEMAN
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. Amotion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.to defer the proposed condemnation proceeding to the council meeting on August 12, 2026. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
JOHN HARLAN ANDERSON 11015 CHALICE DR. (ANY AND ALL OUTBUILDINGS, ABANDONED VEHICLES, AND TRAILERS) LOT 207, NORTHRED OAK SUBDIVISION -COUNCIL DISTRICT 6-DUNN JR.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. Amotion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.to defer the proposed condemnation proceeding to the council meeting on August 12, 2026. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
TONY T. DO AND TRACEY TRINH DO 12484 ROBBIE AVE. (DUPLEX WITH ADDRESSES 12484 ROBBIE AVE. AND12486 ROBBIE AVE.),LOT 87 (SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS LOT 87-A AND LOT 87-B), ASHLEY SUBDIVISION -COUNCIL DISTRICT 6- DUNN JR.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. A motion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.todelete the proposed condemnation proceeding. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney, Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
CHO VANTRAN AND MAYTHI NGUYEN 3848 PLANK RD., LOT
2-G-1-A (A RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS 2-G-1 AND 2-G-2) PLANK ROW
SUBDIVISION OF FAIRACRE FARMS -COUNCIL DISTRICT 7- HARRIS
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearing on the above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. A motion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.todelete the proposed condemnation proceeding. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr., Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney, Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote:None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
BEARD LOGISTICS LLC 2756 LORRAINE ST LOT 9, SQ. 32 EAST
GARDEN CITY SUBDIVISION -COUNCIL DISTRICT 5-HURST
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. A motion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.todelete theproposed condemnation proceeding. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
SANTAGO T. CLARK located at 6676 Greenwell St. (Fire-damaged Dwelling with UnsecuredRear Shed), Lot 46, Merrydale Subdivision, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 11780
HENRYROBINS 4099 BILLOPS ST LOT 13, SQ. 7GREENVILLE
EXTENSION SUBDIVISION -COUNCIL DISTRICT 7- HARRIS
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. A motion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.todefer the proposed condemnation proceeding to the council meeting on June 10, 2026. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resultedasfollows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney, Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
JOSEPH COLLINS 4836 JEAN ST LOT 84 NEW FAIRFIELDS
SUBDIVISION -COUNCIL DISTRICT 7-HARRIS
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearing on the above condemnation proceeding was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed condemnation proceeding. A motion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.todefer the proposed condemnation proceeding to the council meeting on June 10, 2026. AYea and Nayvote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney, Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RENIKA ANDERSON located at 3736 Delaware St., Lot 3, Sq. 5, New Dayton Subdivision, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 11781 PUBLIC HEARING /MEETING
ORDINANCE 19860
AMEND THE 2026 PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED, UNCLASSIFIED NON-CLASSIFIED, CONTRACT,FIRE, AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF
THECITY OF BATON ROUGEAND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE,
ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE #19726, DATED 12/09/2025, SO AS TO IMPLEMENTCHANGES TO THECLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED PAY PLAN, EFFECTIVE JUNE 27, 2026. (BUDGET SUPPLEMENT 9155).
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above ordinancewas in orderatthistime. Interested citizens speaking in favor of the proposedordinance wereBen Klein,Robert Joyner,Terrica Williams, Cyndi Pennington, TrevorHeap,Lloyd Permaul, Eugene Smith, Sharon Douglas, Pat Tauzin, Mark Buller,DustinCondi,Jaquelyn Germany HaroldGrier,Sgt. T. Burks, Frederick Lee, Brian Firmin, Byron Hatch Brian Strong, Stephen Johnson, Anna Andrews, Mike Alpin,Judge Yvette Alexander,Sgt. Randall Cunningham, Hagar Brown, Aaron Brent, Byron Davis, and Elvin Norwood. An interested citizen speakingwithout favor or oppositiontothe proposedordinance was Marion Gbaiwon. Amotion was made by Mr.Kenneyand seconded by Ms.Coleman to approve the proposedordinance. AYea andNay vote was called for andresulted as follows:
Abstains: None DidNot Vote: None Absent: Moak With 10 yeas, 1nay,0abstains, 0not voting, and1 absent, themotion was adopted.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
AMEND THE2026 PAYPLAN FOR CLASSIFIED, UNCLASSIFIED NON-CLASSIFIED, CONTRACT,FIRE, AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THECITY OF BATON ROUGEAND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE 19726, DATED 12/9/2025, SO AS TO ADDA NEW CLASSIFICATION,DIRECTOR OF CONTRACTS, JOB CODE3323, PAY GRADE2330 AND DELETE ONE (1) SPECIAL ASSISTANT PARISH ATTORNEYPOSITION, JOB CODE3312, PAYGRADE2290, EFFECTIVE APRIL 18, 2026. BY PARISH ATTORNEY& HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above ordinancewas in orderatthistime. No interested citizens spoke either for or against theproposedordinance. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Mr.Hudson to delete the proposedordinance. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
DidNot Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
AMEND THE2026 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THECITY OF BATON ROUGEAND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE 19727, DATED 12/9/2025, SO AS TO CHANGETHE ALLOTMENT OF THEPARISH ATTORNEY/ADMINISTRATION TO ADD ONE (1) DIRECTOR OF CONTRACTS(UNCL), JOB CODE3323 AND DELETE ONE (1) SPECIAL ASSISTANT PARISH ATTORNEY(UNCL), JOB CODE3312, EFFECTIVE APRIL 18, 2026. BY PARISH ATTORNEY& HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above ordinancewas in orderatthistime. No interested citizens spoke either for or against theproposedordinance. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Mr.Gaudettodelete theproposedordinance. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
AMEND THE2026 PAYPLAN FOR THECLASSIFIED, UNCLASSIFIED, NON-CLASSIFIED,CONTRACT,FIRE, AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THECITY OF BATON ROUGEAND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE #19726, DATED 12/09/2025, SO AS TO MAKETHE FOLLOWINGCHANGES EFFECTIVE MAY16, 2026 (BUDGET SUPPLEMENT 9154). INCREASE THEPAY GRADEOFTHE PARISH ATTORNEYCLASSIFICATION. BY COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE
ADAMS, COUNCILMAN DWIGHT HUDSON, AND HUMAN RESOURCES
DIRECTOR
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above ordinancewas in orderatthistime. No interested citizensspokeeither for or against theproposedordinance. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Ms. Racca to deferthe proposedordinance to thecouncil meetingonMay 27, 2026. AYea andNay vote was called for andresulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None DidNot Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THEMAYOR-PRESIDENTTOENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH LET’S FIX IT! LLC IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$66,000.00 FROM FUNDING PROVIDED IN HOME-ARP,CDBGPUBLIC SERVICES ANDCDBGADMINISTRATION FOR THEPURPOSE OF CO-DESIGNING THECITY’S HEALTHYHOUSING PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES CO-DESIGNING THECITY’S HEALTHYHOUSING PROGRAM AND BUILDINGPARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE RELATED POLICIES AND PRACTICES COMMENCING MARCH 1, 2026 AND EXPIRING MARCH 31, 2027 AND AUTHORIZES THEEXECUTION OF ALLNECESSARYDOCUMENTS.
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in orderatthistime. No interested citizensspokeeither for or against theproposedresolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Mr.Gaudettodelete theproposedresolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None DidNot Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THEMATTER ENTITLED “PAULA
WILLIAMS V. CITY OF BATON ROUGE/PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND PATRICKWENNEMANN”,SUITNO. 718,300 ON THE DOCKET OF THE19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICTCOURT, IN THEAMOUNT OF $300,000.00, PLUS COURTCOSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $333.00, FOR ATOTAL AMOUNT OF $300,333.00; AND APPROPRIATING$300,333.00 FOR SUCH PURPOSE. *THIS MATTER MAYBEDISCUSSEDIN EXECUTIVE SESSION. (ATTORNEYOFRECORD IS BRADYPATIN). BY
PARISH ATTORNEY.
The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above
resolution was in orderatthistime. No interested citizensspokeeither for or against theproposedresolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Mr.Gaudettodelete theproposedresolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None DidNot Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59375
AIRPORTAUTHORITY RESOLUTION 05-13-26-01
AUTHORIZING THEMAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTEA COOPERATIVE
ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT WITH THEBATON ROUGE REGIONAL
AIRPORTAUTHORITY FOR THESUPPLYOFMUNICIPALSERVICES BY
THECITY OF BATON ROUGEAND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE TO THEBATON ROUGE REGIONAL AIRPORTAUTHORITY,AND TO SIGN ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
ThePresiding Officer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in orderatthistime. No interested citizensspoke either for or against theproposedresolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Kenney and seconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposedresolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted. RESOLUTION59376
ARESOLUTIONORDERING AND CALLING ASPECIAL ELECTIONTOBE HELD IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, STATEOFLOUISIANA (THE “PARISH”), ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026, TO authorizE THE PARISH TO RENEW the levy of A.50 MILLS AD VALOREM TAX (the “Tax”), ON ALL THE PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, FOR APERIODOFTEN (10) YEARS, COMMENCING WITH THE TAXCOLLECTION FORTHE YEAR 2027, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO AND INCLUDING THE YEAR 2036, TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PURCHASING, MAINTAINING AND OPERATING MACHINERY, FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY IN THE ERADICATION, ABATEMENT OR CONTROL OF MOSQUITOES, OTHER ARTHROPODS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE AND RODENTS, AND MAINTAINING ADEQUATE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT STAFF IN CONNECTIONTHEREWITH; MAKING APPLICATIONTOTHE STATEBOND COMMISSION; PROVIDING NOTICE THATA PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTIONshall be held on Wednesday,MAY 13, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at the regular meeting place of the Metropolitan Council, ThirdFloor City Hall, Room 348, 222 St. Louis Street, Baton Rouge,Louisiana; AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH. The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Mr.Kenney to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59377
REQUESTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW AND AMEND APPLICABLE SECTIONS OF THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE RELATED TO DATA CENTERS.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Kenney and seconded by Ms. Coleman to approve the proposed resolution. A Yeaand Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59378
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NO.1 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT &SPECIALTIES, INC. (SEMS, INC) TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $50,000, FOR ATOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOTTOEXCEED $100,000.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Amoroso and seconded by Ms. Coleman to approve the proposed resolution. A Yeaand Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59379
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT,ONBEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS-BUILDING MAINTENANCE DIVISIONTOAMEND CONTRACT #800007167 BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND RAMELLI JANITORIAL SERVICES TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $35,923.00, FOR AREVISED NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $135,112.00. THIS AMENDMENT ALSO EXTENDS THE CONTRACT TERM THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026, AND AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS. The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Mr.Kenney to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59380
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT,ONBEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS -BUILDING MAINTENANCE DIVISIONTOAMEND CONTRACT #800007168 BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND OOK JANITORIAL
SERVICES TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $22,133.20, FOR AREVISED NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $130.100.40 THIS AMENDMENT ALSO EXTENDS THE CONTRACT TERM THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026, AND AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTIONOFALL RELATED DOCUMENTS. The Presiding Officer announced thata public hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman and seconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59381
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NO.5 WITH GRADY CRAWFORD CONSTRUCTIONCOMPANY,INC. FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES IN CONNECTIONWITH THE ANNUAL STORMWATER CONCRETE LINED CANAL REPAIR CONTRACT BEING CITY-PARISH PROJECT NO.21-CC-MS-0041, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT OF $200,000.00 FOR ATOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOTTOEXCEED $3,541,183.37 AND EXTENDING THE CONTRACT THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2026 (ACCOUNT NO.1000-7600-30-7640-0000-0000-000000-64350040000). The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Amoroso and seconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson,
resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizensspoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman andseconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet,Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59383
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE pre-litigation CLAIM OF ABIGAIL MITCHELL FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY AMOSQUITO ABATEMENT &RODENT CONTROL EMPLOYEE, IN THE AMOUNT OF $16,000.00, WHICH AMOUNT SHALL BE PAID FROM THE ACCOUNT DESIGNATED “INSURANCE -AUTO LIABILITY” (1000.4700.10.0550.0000. 0000.000000.644120). *THIS MATTERMAY BE DISCUSSEDINEXECUTIVESESSION.
ThePresiding Officer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either fororagainst the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Adams andseconded by Mr.Dunn Jr.toapprove the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59384
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE PRE-LITIGATION CLAIM OF REDSIX MEDIA FOR DAMAGESRESULTING FROM SEWERBACKUPS IN claimant’sBUILDING, FOR ATOTAL AMOUNT OF $150,284.15, WHICH SHALL BE PAID FROM THE ACCOUNT DESIGNATED “INSURANCE -GENERAL LIABILITY” (1000. 4700. 10. 0550. 0000. 0000. 000000.644110). *THISMATTER MAYBEDISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in orderatthis time. No interested citizensspoke either fororagainst the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Ms. Adams to approve the proposed resolution. AYea andNay vote wascalled for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet,Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59385
AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE ACONTRACT FORENGINEERINGSERVICES WITH ALL SOUTH CONSULTING ENGINEERSFOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVEBR CAPACITY PROJECTAUDUBON AVENUE SIDEWALKSFROMJEFFERSON HIGHWAY TO GOVERNMENT STREET, BEINGCITY-PARISH PROJECT NO. 25-EN-SW-0009,INANAMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $247,211.62. (ACCOUNT NO. 9217100127-4370.00000-0000000000-653240). The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolutionwas in order at this time. No interested citizensspoke either fororagainst the proposed resolution. An interested citizen submitting an emailed comment against the proposed resolution was Phillip Lillard.A motionwas made by Ms. Adams and seconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposed resolution. AYea andNay vote was called for andresulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet,Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59386
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NO. 17 TO ACONTRACT FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH EVANS-GRAVES ENGINEERING, INC. FOR ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES ASSOCIATEDWITH MALL OF LOUISIANA BOULEVARD (PICARDY –PERKINS CONNECTOR), BEINGCITYPARISH PROJECT NO. 12-CS-HC-0043, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $106,800.00, BRINGING THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,870,829.39. (ACCOUNT NO. 9217100027-000064303.00006-653240). The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either fororagainst the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Adams andseconded by Mr.Gaudet to approve the proposedresolution.A Yea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59387
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NO. 2TOA CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES WITH VECTURA CONSULTING SERVICES, LLC FOR ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH MOVEBR ENHANCEMENT PROJECT BATON
ROUGE BUS RAPID TRANSIT,BEING CITY-PARISH PROJECT NO. 16-CI-US-0032, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED$157,250.00, BRINGINGTHE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $550,375.00. ACCOUNT NO.9207100043-4370.00000-0000000000653100). The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in orderatthis time. No interested citizensspoke either fororagainst the proposed resolution. An interested citizen submitting an emailed comment against the proposedresolution was Phillip Lillard
Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman and seconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposed resolution. AYea andNay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet,Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59388
AUTHORIZING THE USE OF FHWATRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM(TAP) FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $437,500.00 TO SATISFY THE20% LOCAL MATCH REQUIRED BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT (DOTD) FOR THE NORTH ARDENWOOD DRIVE SIDEWALKS(FLORIDA BLVD TO GREENWELL SPRINGS RD) PROJECT #24-EN-HC-0036. AND ALSO CONFIRMING THAT THE CITY-PARISHSHALL MAINTAIN THE PROJECT AFTER FINAL ACCEPTANCE AND ACCEPTING LEGAL LIABILITY FOR THE PROJECTUPON COMPLETION. FURTHERMORE,AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE ANY AGREEMENTS CONFIRMING AND/ORPROVIDING FOR FUNDING NOT TO EXCEED LOCAL MATCH AS PART OF THEPROFESSIONAL SERVICESAND CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS WITH DOTD ON THE SUBJECT PROJECT.(ACCOUNT NO. 4370.00000-0000000000-653240).
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizensspoke either fororagainst the proposed resolution. An interested citizen submitting an emailed comment against the proposed resolution was Phillip Lillard. Amotion was made by Ms. Adams and seconded by Ms. Amoroso to approve the proposed resolution. A“Yea” and“Nay” vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet,Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, themotion was adopted.
ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES
None.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
None.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER INTRODUCTIONS
None.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER ITEMS
None.
APPOINTMENTS
HOSPITAL SERVICEDISTRICTNO. 1-BOARD OF COMM(LANE
REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER)
Consideration of replacingDr. Reagan Elkins., who is not seeking reappointment. Thisisafour (4) term.
Current Ballot
Amotion was made by Mr.Noeland seconded by Ms.Coleman to defer the appointment to the council meetingonJune 10, 2026. AYea andNay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso,Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote:None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
BOARD OF APPEAL:
Concurring in theMayor-President’sreplacementofGregFlores, who is not seeking reappointment. Thisisathree (3) year term.
Current Ballot
Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman andsecondedbyMr. Hudson to appoint Shane Nicholas. AYea andNay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso,Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote:None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
BOARD OF APPEAL:
Concurring in theMayor-President’sreplacementofR.ToddMann, who is not seeking reappointment. Thisisathree (3) year term.
Current Ballot
Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman andsecondedbyMr. Hudson to appoint Joseph Yarborough. AYea andNay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
BOARD OF APPEAL:
Concurring in theMayor-President’sreappointment or replacementof Floyd Luster.Thisisathree (3) year term.
Current Ballot Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman andsecondedbyMr. Hudson to reappoint Floyd Luster. AYea andNay vote was called for andresulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote:None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
BOARD OF APPEAL:
Concurring in theMayor-President’sreplacementofMichael LaBas, who is not seeking reappointment. Thisisathree (3) year term.
Current Ballot Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman andsecondedbyMr. Hudson to defer the appointment to the council meetingonMay 27, 2026. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Yeas: Adams, Amoroso,Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote:None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
BOARD OF APPEAL:
Concurring in theMayor-President’sreplacementofFritz Embaugh, who is not seeking reappointment. Thisisathree (3) year term.
Current Ballot Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman andsecondedbyMr. Hudson to reappoint Fritz Embaugh. A“Yea” and“Nay” vote was called forand resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso,Coleman,Dunn Jr., Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote:None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
ITEMS
CHANGE ORDERS
RESOLUTION 59389
AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF ACHANGEORDER, BEING CHANGE ORDER NO. 2, TO THECONTRACT EXECUTED BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND CENTURION CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT,FOR BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENTTRAINING ACADEMY RENOVATIONS, BEING PROJECT NO.21-ASC-CP-1446. The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in orderatthistime. No interested citizensspokeeither fororagainst theproposedresolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Ms.Adams to approve the proposed resolution. AYea andNay vote was called for andresulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso,Coleman,Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris, Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote:None
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59390
AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF ACHANGEORDER, BEING CHANGE ORDERNO. 1, TO THECONTRACT EXECUTED BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND PREFERRED ELECTRIC, INC., FOR BURBANK DRIVE AT PELICAN LAKES TRAFFIC SIGNAL, BEING PROJECT NO. 23-TS-TI-0008. The PresidingOfficer announced that apublic hearingonthe above resolution was in orderatthistime. No interested citizensspokeeither for or against theproposedresolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Ms.Adams to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows:
Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION 59391
AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF ACHANGEORDER, BEING CHANGE
ORDER NO. 1, TO THECONTRACT EXECUTED BETWEEN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND SIENNA
CONSTRUCTION, L.L.C FOR RENOVATIONSTOTHE SCOTLANDVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY–PHASE II, BEINGPROJECT
resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Hurst and seconded by Ms. Adams to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nayvote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca
Nays: None
Abstains: None
Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
FINAL ACCEPTANCES None.
ACCEPTANCE OF LOWBIDS
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR INTERSTATEMOWING, LITTER AND TRASH COLLECTION, BEING PROJECT NO. A26-98875, TO THE LOWEST BIDDER THEREFOR, FACILITY MAINTENANCE SPECIALISTS, LLC; AND DIRECTING THE EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT COVERING SUCH WORK.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Noel and seconded by Mr.Hurst to delete the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hurst, Noel, Racca Nays: None
Abstains: None Did Not Vote: Hudson, Kenney Absent: Moak With 9yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 2not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59392
AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE OF CITY PARISH OWNED LOTS AND FEMA OWNED PROPERTIES, BEING PROJECT NO. A26-91873, TO THE LOWEST BIDDER THEREFOR, VAST,LLC; AND DIRECTING THE EXECUTIONOFTHE CONTRACT COVERING SUCH WORK.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Mr.Gaudet and seconded by Mr.Noel to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nay vote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr., Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
RESOLUTION59393
AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR PERKINS ROAD OVERPASS (RAYMOND AVENUE –CHRISTIAN STREET) PROJECT,BEING PROJECT NO. 23-EN-HC-0037, TO THE LOWEST BIDDER THEREFOR, THE LUSTER GROUP,LLC; AND DIRECTING THE EXECUTIONOFTHE CONTRACT COVERING SUCH WORK.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Coleman and seconded by Mr.Hurst to approve the proposed resolution. AYea and Nayvote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted. OTHER ITEMS None.
OTHER ITEMS TO BE ADOPTED (EMERGENCY)
RESOLUTION59394
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT,ONBEHALF OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATONROUGE, TO ENTER INTO ALEASE AGREEMENT WITH ADMIRAL LAND, LLC, FORTHE LEASE OF SPACE FOR THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH / SANITATION/INSPECTION AT 445 N12TH STREET,BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, 70802 WITH THE SAID LEASE AGREEMENT AND ALL ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS TO BE PREPARED BY OR REVIEWED BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY’S OFFICE.
The Presiding Officer announced that apublic hearing on the above resolution was in order at this time. No interested citizens spoke either for or against the proposed resolution. Amotion was made by Ms. Adams and seconded by Ms. Amoroso to approve the proposed resolution. A Yeaand Nayvote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
ADJOURNMENT
Amotion was made by Ms. Amoroso and seconded by Mr.Noel to adjourn. AYea and Nayvote was called for and resulted as follows: Yeas: Adams, Amoroso, Coleman, Dunn Jr., Gaudet, Harris,Hudson, Hurst, Kenney,Noel, Racca Nays: None Abstains: None Did Not Vote: None Absent: Moak With 11 yeas, 0nays, 0abstains, 0not voting, and 1absent, the motion was adopted.
The Presiding Officer declared the meeting adjourned
Council Administrator/Treasurer Mayor-President Pro-Tempore
