The Advocate 06-08-2026

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N.O. courts became flash point in legislative session Landry worked behind the scenes on bills aimed at city, insiders say

BY TYLER BRIDGES staff writer

sTAFF PHoTo By JAVIER GALLEGos

science teacher Heath Juneau helps explain the model to students Caroline Raffray, right, and Nova Berthelot at Dutchtown Middle school during a lesson on carbon capture technology on May 14.

Students learn about carbon capture process ExxonMobil grant aids program for eighth graders; some critics have called the curriculum propaganda

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL

staff writer

A group of eighth graders in Heath Juneau’s science class were on their second attempt at an unusual experiment: injecting liquid carbon dioxide deep underground — or at least a classroom model of that process.

“Coach Juneau, can we get our CO2?” Ava Bourg, 14, asked.

Her group’s first try sprung a leak of the representative CO2, which was in reality orange vegetable oil. But Bourg and her classmates were ready to try again after Trenton Nash’s

careful handiwork using Play-Doh to try to plug it.

In the waning days of the recently ended school year, the Dutchtown Middle School students in Ascension Parish were finishing a four-day lesson about climate change, carbon dioxide, and carbon capture and sequestration. About 1,700 eighth graders in nine Ascension Parish middle schools received these lessons through a curriculum developed by Rice University’s Tapia Center.

It was another sign of industry’s attempts to improve understanding and acceptance of the new technol-

ogy, which supporters view as vital to Louisiana’s economic future.

Not everyone is convinced. Critics point to ExxonMobil’s funding for the school program while arguing that it downplays controversy surrounding carbon capture. They view it as seeking to instill an industry point-of-view.

Known as CCS, the technology cuts climate-warming CO2 emissions by permanently injecting them underground in a near-liquid state. Enticed by federal tax credits and facing market pressures to reduce carbon

ä see CURRICULUM, page 5A

Gov. Jeff Landry’s opening address to the state Legislature three months ago took an emotional turn when he looked up at the visitors gallery in the House chamber and asked the family of Jacob Carter to stand up.

Jacob would be alive today, Landry told the hushed crowd, if a delinquent teenager had been at home, unable to leave without an ankle monitor betraying his departure.

Instead, Landry said, “incompetent” juvenile court Landry judges in New Orleans had stopped tracking the teenager, and he killed Jacob, a visiting bagel shop owner, outside the French Quarter one evening.

In his remarks, the governor then moved beyond juvenile court judges to indict the entire judicial system in New Orleans.

“I strongly urge this Legislature to implement rigorous judicial reform, as justice delayed, denied, or neglected is no justice at all,” he told legislators, the Carter family and others in the House chamber.

By the time the regular legislative session ended June 1, Landry had gone farther than anyone anticipated against New Orleans. Thanks to his push, the Republican-controlled Legislature eliminated nine judgeships in New Orleans, eliminated funding for 10 assistant district attorneys and prevented Calvin Duncan from becoming the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal district court by erasing his job four days before he took office.

“The tide has turned against New Orleans politically. It’s pretty drastic,” said Bernie Pinsonat, a veteran political consultant and pollster in Baton Rouge. “In the past, there’s always been a segment of the

ä see SESSION, page 6A

Private beach feuds explode on Florida coast

Dave Rauschkolb and sara Day are some of the most prominent voices advocating for public rights on beaches in Walton County, Fla., where tensions over private shorelines are rising.

rippling along this coastline. beach beside Florida’s Scenic Visitors denied access sions “See the private beach signs?” Highway 30A was quiet, and a small group of waterfront homehe said. to certain spots He pointed past a crowded owners and visitors shared the of public sand to a row of sand with few complaints. But a while owners want stretch empty lounge chairs blocked by surge of newcomers who began to be left in peace “No Trespassing” warnings and arriving over the last decade

a security guard watching from beneath a large umbrella.

“It’s tragic,” Rauschkolb, who staff writer has surfed here for decades, said SEAGROVE BEACH, Fla. — As soon as as he looked out at the waves. “I Dave Rauschkolb stepped onto can’t go to the beach without bethe sandy boardwalk, he spotted ing stressed out.” another example of the rising tenThere was a time when the

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ

WEATHER HIGH 87 LOW 72 PAGE 12A

is transforming the coast into a bustling hub of tourism and wealth.

The rush is creating a growing feud over who has the right to enjoy paradise.

sTAFF PHoTo

By HANNAH LEVITAN

ä see FEUDS, page 6A

Classified .....................6C Deaths .........................9A Nation-World ................2A Comics-Puzzles .....3C-5C Living............................1C opinion .....................10A Commentary .............11A Metro ...........................8A sports ..........................1B

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Lawsuit seeks to stop White House UFC fight

NEW YORK — A federal lawsuit seeks to halt the upcoming UFC fight card on the White House South Lawn in a mixed martial arts show timed for President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and part of the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The filing Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents contends the Trump administration’s authorization of the June 14 event was unlawful.

The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.

“This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,” said Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. “And that is what is motivating this lawsuit.”

The White House said in a statement that the legal challenge was “an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight and that the event was “no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year.”

UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

Crews are erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn. Trump has said the finished UFC project will feature “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.”

FBI fires analysts tied to disputed memo

WASHINGTON — Several FBI analysts tied to the creation of a 2023 memo warning of a potential threat from Catholic “violent extremists” were fired Friday, according to their lawyer, the latest wave of terminations under the leadership of its director Kash Patel.

The fired employees included four intelligence analysts and a supervisory analyst. The FBI declined to comment.

“This action is manifestly unjust, completely unsupported by the facts, and subverts standard FBI policy and procedure,” their lawyer, David Laufman, said in a statement. “These individuals deserved far better for the exceptional and faithful public service they rendered to protect our country.”

The January 2023 intelligence product produced by analysts in the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia, field office emerged as a political flashpoint after it was issued, with Republicans in Congress repeatedly citing it as part of their broader contention that the FBI during the Biden administration was targeting conservatives.

Man killed in another Australian shark attack

MELBOURNE, Australia — A spearfisher was killed on Saturday in Australia’s third fatal shark attack in four weeks, police said.

The 35-year-old man was spearfishing with family off Michaelmas Island near the port city of Albany in Western Australia state when he was attacked before noon, a police statement said.

The man was brought by boat to Albany where paramedics were waiting but he could not be revived, police said. Authorities suspect a 15-foot white shark was responsible.

The spate of three fatalities is extraordinary in a nation that has averaged around three shark deaths a year in recent decades.

The last fatality was on May 24 when 39-year-old spearfisher Michael Jensz suffered unsurvivable head injuries in an attack on the Great Barrier Reef off Australia’s northeast coast.

Bull sharks had been seen in the vicinity.

A week earlier, on May 16, a 13-foot white shark fatally mauled 38-year-old spearfisher Steve Mattabonni northwest of Albany near Rottnest Island.

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Iran launches missiles at Israel Bombardment is first such attack since fragile ceasefire

BY KAREEM CHEHAYEB, HASSAN AMMAR, SAMY MAGDY and MELANIE LIDMAN

Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Iran launched missiles at Israel in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, raising the possibility of a return to heavy fighting and complicating mediation efforts to end the war.

Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed the launches, and Iran closed its western airspace to brace for a possible response. Tehran had warned of retaliation after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs without warning earlier Sunday in defiance of Washington’s request days ago to stand down. Israel said the Iranian-backed Hezbollah fired at northern Israel earlier in the day.

“Should these acts of aggression be repeated, the responses will be broader in scope and will encompass all American and Zionist targets throughout the region,” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said in a statement that referenced attacks in Lebanon and on Iran’s coast and vessels around the Strait of Hormuz.

Sirens sounded in several

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By oHAD ZWIGENBERG

A projectile streaks through the sky sunday over central Israel during an Iranian missile attack. areas of Israel, sending millions running for shelter.

Israel’s military said it intercepted the missiles, and multiple explosions were heard in the north. Less than an hour later, the military said people could leave areas reinforced against missile attacks.

“Iran has made a grave mistake,” Israel military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. The military’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said it will “strike the enemy with determination as soon as the order is given.”

But Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, said President Donald Trump told it that he doesn’t think Israel needs to respond further. And Trump told the Financial Times: “I call all the shots.

He (Netanyahu) doesn’t call the shots.”

Iran had warned that an attack on Beirut would renew full-scale war across the Mideast, even as Pakistan and other mediators try to restart talks between Tehran and Washington.

“U.S. forces across the Middle East remain vigilant and ready,” the U.S. Central Command posted on X shortly before the missile launches. The U.S. Embassy in Israel later directed employees and family members to shelter in place.

Israel’s attack on Beirut came a few days after the Lebanese and Israeli governments agreed to a ceasefire in U.S.-hosted talks, though Hezbollah rejected the deal. The strike on a

residential building killed two people and wounded 20, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

“The army will continue to act in all of Lebanon,” the Israel military spokesperson said.

Israel’s strikes and ground invasion in Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah, and the militant group’s resistance to disarming, have complicated an overall deal to end the war in the Middle East.

Iran says any deal must include an end to fighting in Lebanon.

Trump told a Fox News Channel reporter that he wanted the Iranians to stop firing missiles and return to the negotiating table. He also said that Israel’s strikes earlier Sunday were not co-

ordinated with the U.S. and “I’m not happy about it.”

Israel on Monday had announced it would strike the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital, but urgent talks via Washington halted that on the condition that Hezbollah stop targeting Israeli border towns.

Hezbollah, which claimed responsibility for firing at Israel earlier Sunday, wants the direct talks between Lebanon and Israel to end. Instead, it supports Iran’s stance that an overall ceasefire deal between Tehran and Washington include the situation in Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who seeks reelection later this year, is under heavy domestic pressure to respond to both Iran and the Hezbollah threat, which has paralyzed life for thousands of residents along Israel’s northern border.

But Trump has made clear he does not want to see the war resume.

Trump said earlier Sunday in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would like to see a “more surgical attack on Hezbollah.” He also said he was “not demanding” that Lebanon be part of an overall ceasefire deal in the Iran war.

Iran continues to assert its grip on the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. continues its blockade of Iranian ports, with shipments of oil, natural gas and fertilizer affected and the global economy in pain.

Attacker opens fire in central Israel, killing 1 Authorities say 5 wounded

BY MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel — A Palestinian man with Israeli citizenship went on a shooting rampage in several towns in central Israel on Sunday, killing a reservist and wounding five other people, according to Israeli police and the military.

The attacker was killed by police.

The attack came at a time of heightened tensions following a spate of Israeli settler attacks, and the deadly shooting of a Palestinian baby over the weekend, in the nearby West Bank. Police identified the attacker as a resident of the Arab town of Taybeh in his 20s, but his precise motives weren’t immediately known.

The attack began with a shooting Sunday morning at a gas station near the town of Kokhav Yair, located on the Israeli side of the boundary with the

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By ARIEL sCHALIT

Israeli security forces and ZAKA rescue service volunteers respond sunday to the scene of a shooting near Tzur yitzhak, Israel. occupied West Bank. Several other shootings were reported in two nearby Israeli towns and close to the Israeli settlement of Salit, inside the West Bank.

Police initially feared a series of coordinated attacks, but eventually determined that a gunman and an accomplice who may have served as his driver were involved.

The suspected accomplice was arrested later after he tried to stab police with a glass bottle.

Israel’s military said

that a 55-year-old reservist was killed near Tzur Natan. The Magen David Adom rescue service said that five other people were wounded, two severely.

Fears of a widespread attack prompted authorities to order residents to stay at home, and children in the area were kept in lockdown at school for at least three hours.

“Since Oct. 7, the scenario we were expecting was terrorists crossing into our towns from over the boundary. I don’t think

Police seek suspects in Ohio shooting that wounded 12

BY JAIMIE DING and THOMAS PEIPERT Associated Press

A search in Ohio for suspects who opened fire near a busy street festival stretched into Sunday after 12 people were wounded in the weekend shooting that sent crowds scrambling for cover in a historic Toledo neighborhood.

Each of the dozen victims — who authorities say ranged from teenagers to people in their 60s — were in stable condition, the Toledo Police Department said Sunday. No arrests have been made and authorities have not identified any potential suspects.

The gunfire erupted Saturday near the Old West

End Festival, a popular annual summer gathering along streets dotted with Victorian homes. Videos posted to social media showed people running at the sound of gunfire and medics tending to the wounded in a park filled with event tents and food trucks.

Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan has said it appeared that at least two people fired weapons and were “probably shooting at each other.”

As the search for the shooters wore on, Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates vowed “justice will be swift and strong.”

“Those who were frightened, traumatized or harmed by this violence will remain at the fore-

front of our efforts. I’ve felt outrage before, but this is personal,” Bates said in a statement. “This is my home. These are my friends and neighbors. It is not OK.” In a brief update posted to social media Sunday, Toledo police said investigators were continuing to make progress and were following multiple leads.

Authorities have urged festivalgoers to come forward with any photos or videos that might have caught a glimpse of the suspects.

Hundreds of people were at the festival, an annual two-day celebration in Toledo’s historic district featuring live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping.

that anyone imagined that we would discover the attackers were Israeli citizens,” Oshrit Gani Gonen, the regional council head, told Israeli media, referring to the Hamasled attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the security forces who killed the attacker, while Israel’s hardline public security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police force, released a video of himself standing next to what ap-

peared to be a blurred image of the dead gunman.

“This is the end of every terrorist, this is how it should look,” said Ben-Gvir, who recently led an effort to pass a new law that seeks to impose the death penalty on Palestinian attackers. That law faces legal challenges.

Ben-Gvir has come under sharp condemnation from other Israeli leaders for making contentious videos, such as his treatment of flotilla activists who were detained after attempting to break the maritime blockade to Gaza.

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Trump asked in interview whether war broke promise President dismisses idea that Iran conflict betrays ‘no new wars’ campaign message

were concerned about the fund’s lack of oversight and the possibility of payouts being made to participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

Trump told NBC he thought the fund was “a great idea” and that he would be “disappointed” if it were not approved.

When asked if he thought people who attacked police officers on Jan. 6 should get a payout, Trump said, “I wouldn’t be inclined to say so, but I have to see it.” He then began making unfounded and false claims about the riot and those who stormed the Capitol. Trump granted a sweeping pardon on his first day back in office in January 2025 to the more than 1,500 people prosecuted over Jan. 6.

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — President Donald Trump is dismissing the idea that launching the war with Iran this year betrayed his refrain of “No new wars” that he made repeatedly as he campaigned again for the White House.

Trump, in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said he “didn’t guarantee” there would be no wars if he were back in office.

“First of all, I didn’t guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?”

Trump said.

Trump also defended plans for a now-scrapped $1.8 billion fund that would have compensated allies of the Republican president and he repeated his baseless claims of mass fraud in California’s drawnout vote count from Tuesday’s primary. He ended the interview abruptly when he became frustrated with pushback from NBC’s Kristen Welker.

Iran ‘is not an endless war’

Rain interruptions, abrupt end

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By MARK sCHIEFELBEIN

President Donald Trump speaks Friday at Custer Farms in Chippewa Falls, Wis. world a service” and “doing our country a service” because he had to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon. But elsewhere in the interview, Trump repeated a contradictory message where he said U.S. strikes last year “obliterated” Iranian nuclear sites.

He also defended his decision in his first term to withdraw from Democratic President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, an agreement he has heavily criticized, without negotiating the “better deal” he has promised to reach.

“It takes years to do these things,” Trump said.

In his 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly cast his Democratic opponents as warmongers and said he was a president who started “no new wars” and would bring an era of peace.

But Trump said in the NBC interview, taped Friday in Wisconsin, that as a candidate, “I didn’t promise anything.”

“I don’t like these endless wars.

This is not an endless war. We’ve Claims fraud in California vote been doing this for three months,” California’s notoriously prohe said of the war with Iran, which longed vote count has been a magbegan Feb. 28. net for election conspiracy theoTrump said he was “doing the ries, and Trump since Tuesday’s

election has claimed without evidence that Democrats are rigging the election. The Trump-appointed top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles said Friday that his office had opened “multiple election fraud investigations.”

Late-tallied Democratic-leaning mail ballots have eaten into the vote totals for Trump’s preferred candidates for governor and Los Angeles mayor. While Trump has often said that changes to vote totals as late ballots are counted are a sign of fraud, they are merely a reflection of a slow vote-counting process.

Trump in the interview kept claiming that it was a sign of “cheating” and “a rigged election,” and grew increasingly frustrated as Welker pressed him for evidence to support that.

“All I have to do is look. All I have to do is look,” Trump said.

“But that’s not evidence,” Welker responded.

“And I listen. And I listen to people. And let’s see what happens,” Trump replied.

‘Anti-weaponization’ fund Trump defended plans that his Department of Justice said it has now abandoned to create a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of a settlement to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Wednesday that the department was scrapping the plan. That announcement came after the plan was paused by a judge and after both Democrats and some Republicans said they

The NBC interview was conducted in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, before Trump was set to speak at a roundtable event with farmers. The interview was repeatedly interrupted as waves of heavy rain fell on the metal roof of the barn where the taping took place, making it difficult at times to hear.

At the end, Welker pressed Trump on the settlement fund and his claims about the California election. Trump raised his voice and began calling Welker and the media “crooked,” attacking her credibility and complaining about what he called “the fake, dirty press.”

As Welker tried to switch subjects, Trump continued on and there was cross talk between the two. Trump ended the interview, saying said, “Let’s call it quits.”

He took off his microphone, telling Welker, “Thank you, darling. Have a good time.” He said he had given the interview enough time, stood up and walked away.

Welker said during the broadcast that she spoke to Trump on Saturday and he agreed the rain had caused complications and said he would do another interview in the future.

Maverick former GOP U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood dies at 93

member of the 1857 Oregon Wyden, who replaced Pack- cember 1992. reach conclusions indepen- if necessary, having to fight oregon lawmaker Constitutional Convention, wood in 1996, said while he “I would like to think that I dently and then I’m willing against my party or my parresigned after Packwood established him- should be praised for his re- am nobody’s lackey. I try to to fight for those conclusions; ty’s president,” he said. self as a social moderate and cord on abortion rights and sexual harassment fiscal conservative who often tax reform, how he treated voted across party lines. He women overshadows it all. scandal “His horrible history as considered running for pres-

By The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — Former Sen. Bob Packwood, a moderate Oregon Republican whose reputation as a champion of abortion and women’s rights was spoiled at the end of his career by allegations of sexual harassment, has died. He was 93.

Packwood’s death on Saturday was announced in an obituary sent to media outlets by his family. The release didn’t include additional details.

Packwood was a political scrapper who first refused to quit the chamber in which he had served for 27 years, saying he didn’t want to be remembered only for that controversy.

Before the #MeToo era, Packwood stood out as an example of private behavior undermining a man’s public image. He had been praised

by Planned Parenthood and others.

The great-grandson of a

ident in 1980.

Elected to the Senate in 1968, Packwood was best known as the leading Republican advocate of abortion rights and was widely Packwood admired by women’s groups throughout the country until the Senate Ethics Committee launched an investigation into the allegations of sexual and official misconduct in 1993.

More than two dozen women, former employees and acquaintances, accused him of making unwanted or uninvited sexual advances.

The allegations remained the target of an ethics probe that widened to include other alleged acts of official misconduct. He resigned in September 1995, then went to start a lucrative lobbying business in Washington.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron

documented in his own diaries will forever overshadow that public record.

Simply put, historians’ first line about Bob Packwood must include those women who he abused and assaulted for years and years,” Wyden said in a statement.

As chair and then ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, Packwood was a master of cutting deals and forging compromises needed to pass tax legislation through Congress. He was most proud of the lead role he played in a sweeping tax reform of 1986 that lowered the top income tax bracket and eliminated many itemized deductions.

Over his career, he was described as a blunt, independent, outspoken politician who was a maverick, boatrocker, loose cannon, skilled partisan, and, above all, political survivor.

“I think they probably all ring true,” Packwood told The Associated Press in De-

Nigerian army frees 360 abducted people in northeastern Borno state

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by Boko Haram in southern Borno, in the northeastern part of the country.

The operation, according to the army’s statement, was conducted in the Mandara mountains which form a part of the militant group’s stronghold. It resulted in the release of several people, including children, who had been abducted across different communities in Borno.

Two infants “succumbed to exhaustion” due to the challenging mountainous terrain and the hardship they endured during their prolonged captivity, an army spokesperson, Haruna Sani, said.

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Redistricting fight may turn to state, local governments

BY DAVID A. LIEB

Associated Press

After a blitz of congressional redistricting ahead of the midterm elections, a national battle for partisan control is about to enter a new phase that could affect representation on everything from tax rates to social safety net programs, teacher salaries, housing regulations and local road repairs.

Georgia’s Republican-led Legislature will convene June 17 for a special session focused on redistricting for the 2028 elections. The agenda includes new voting districts not only for Congress, but also for the state House and Senate — and potentially even the state’s utility regulatory commission.

It will mark the first time since a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakened minority voting protections that a state legislature will attempt to redraw its own districts. Mississippi Republicans and New York Democrats also could undertake legislative redistricting before their 2027 and 2028 elections, respectively.

It remains to be seen, though, how many legislatures will follow, and whether the outburst of mid-decade redistricting will extend down to county commissions, city councils and school boards that make myriad decisions affecting people’s lives. The impact could be widespread.

“The stakes here are not political, they are deeply human,” said Joe Kennedy III, founder of Groundwork Project, a nonprofit that supports local civil rights and democracy organizations.

Redistricting movement Voting district boundaries typically are redrawn once a decade after each U.S. census to account for population

recent Supreme Court decision already is being applied in several states. In light of the ruling, a federal appeals court is allowing Alabama to use a state Senate map approved by Republican lawmakers in this year’s election instead of one imposed by a federal judge who found the state had diluted the voting power of Black residents. The change affects two state Senate districts in the Montgomery area.

The Supreme Court has sent legislative redistricting cases filed on behalf of AssoCIATED PREss FILE PHoTo By MIKE sTEWART Black voters in Mississippi and Native Americans in A woman leaves a voting center after voting on May 19 in Marietta, Ga. After a blitz of North Dakota back to lower congressional redistricting ahead of the midterm elections, a national battle for partisan courts for further considercontrol is about to enter a new phase that could affect representation on everything from ation in light of its Louisiana tax rates to social safety net programs, teacher salaries, housing regulations and local road decision. The Washington repairs. attorney general has asked the Supreme Court to do changes. But last summer, can majorities in the 2024 Black or Hispanic majori- the same for legislative rePresident Donald Trump elections. ties — if the Supreme Court districting cases involving urged Texas Republicans to Republican Gov. Brian gutted federal Voting Rights Hispanic voters in that state. redraw congressional dis- Kemp has called lawmakers Act protections for minoriRedistricting hurdles tricts to try to win additional into special session to again ties.

“If anything, our report seats in the midterm elec- redraw districts in light of About half the states have tions. Other states followed the Supreme Court’s deci- was an understatement,” provisions in their constituwith their own partisan ger- sion in the Louisiana case. Cliff Albright, co-founder tions prohibiting mid-decade That could allow Republi- and executive director of redistricting of state legislarymandering.

Then a 6-3 Supreme Court cans to undo the court-or- Black Voters Matter, recent- tive seats, said Justin Levitt, ruling in late April jump- dered changes they made in ly told The Associated Press. a law professor at Loyola started even more redis- 2023 and potentially redraw “What’s at stake is the future Marymount University in Los Angeles who runs the tricting. The court struck other Democratic-held mi- of this democracy.”

Other analysts don’t ex- “All About Redistricting” down a majority-Black nority districts to the GOP’s congressional district in advantage. pect that many seats to be website.

But even in states where Louisiana as an illegal racial Republicans have yet to redistricted. But they do gerrymander, providing unveil details of their plans. expect the Supreme Court’s it’s allowed, lawmakers grounds for Republicans in But Democratic state Rep. decision to ripple through may have fewer reasons to redraw their own districts other states to reshape dis- Tanya Miller, who is run- states.

“We’re going to potentially than those for Congress, tricts with large minority ning for attorney general, populations that have elect- denounced the upcoming see a lot of frenzied efforts Levitt said. Politicians who redistricting as a means of at every level, including promoted congressional reed Democrats. “rigging maps to maintain at the local level, to try out districting for the 2026 midGeorgia redistricting undoing district maps and terms often justified it as a power.” configurations that have per- way to counter gerrymanA federal judge ruled in 2023 that some of Georgia’s What’s at stake? formed quite well in provid- dering in other states and congressional, state Senate Several months before ing improved representation win as many seats as possiand state House districts the Supreme Court ruling, a for communities of color,” ble for their party. They had were drawn in a racially report by Fair Fight Action said Kareem Crayton, vice extra motivation because discriminatory manner. and Black Voters Matter president of the Washington a swing of only a few seats The Legislature quickly ap- forecast that Republicans office of the Brennan Center nationally in the November elections could affect conproved revised maps with in 10 Southern states could for Justice. new majority-Black dis- eliminate 191 Democratictrol of the closely divided U.S. House. tricts, though they resulted held legislative seats — in- Pending court cases By contrast, most state in little change to Republi- cluding 140 districts with The precedent from the

legislative chambers already are dominated by one party.

“There’s a lot less incentive, if you already control the state legislature by 10 or 12 seats, to eke out an incremental one or two at the expense of really ticking off your own party membership, or at the expense of maybe risking losing seats in a broader way,” Levitt said.

Local governments The Supreme Court decision making it more difficult to prove Voting Rights Act violations already has affected some local governments.

Plaintiffs have voluntarily dismissed a challenge to commission districts in Meriwether County, Georgia. A federal court has accepted new legal briefs in a challenge to Board of Supervisors districts in DeSoto County, Mississippi. And Indiana’s attorney general has asked a federal appeals court to take note of the Louisiana case when deciding a challenge to how judges are selected in Lake County.

Over roughly the past four decades, data from the University of Michigan shows that cities, counties and school boards have been involved in more than threefifths of the 466 lawsuits alleging violations of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which forbids providing minorities less opportunity than other voters to elect the representatives of their choice.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean local governments will rush to redistrict as a result of a weakened Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court decision cleared the way for officials to justify redistricting based on partisan ambitions. But many local offices are officially nonpartisan.

European leaders voice need to bolster Ukraine’s defenses

BY PAN PYLAS

Associated Press LONDON — The leaders of the U.K., Ukraine, France and Germany discussed the “urgent need” to ramp up production of weapons to combat Russia’s powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missiles in a meeting in London on Sunday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street.

In a statement released

by Starmer’s office following their evening meeting, the leaders condemned Russia’s “large-scale missile and drone attacks — including the repeated use of the Oreshnik missiles — on Ukrainian cities with a tragic toll on civilians.” They also condemned Russia’s “irresponsible and dangerous Russian drone incursions” into NATO territory, including last month’s in Romania.

Russia has stepped up its aerial campaign against Ukraine recently, most notably with the launch of the

Oreshnik missiles.

“The leaders underlined the urgent need to scale up the production of interceptors and codevelop anti-ballistic missile and deep strike capabilities,” the leaders said.

No details, financial or otherwise, on how this would be done were provided.

Ukraine’s shortage of air defense systems, in part because of the depletion of U.S. stocks during the Iran war, has left civilians especially vulnerable to ballistic missiles, even as Kyiv’s defenses stop most of Moscow’s drones and its forces have made advances elsewhere on the battlefield.

The worry for Ukrainians is that the Iran war, which has been in abeyance for weeks, may now reignite after Iran launched missiles on Sunday at Israel in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, complicating mediation efforts for a deal to end the war.

Following their meeting in London, the European leaders called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree “an immediate and complete

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By ALBERTo PEZZALI

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir starmer, second from right, stands sunday with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, right, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second from left, and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on the doorstep of 10 Downing street after their meeting in London. ceasefire” with the current line of contact as a starting point for any negotiations.

The U.K., France and Germany, the so-called E3 group of European nations, have been prominent backers of Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The U.K. and France lead the “coalition of the willing” initiative to pro-

British official tells Vance he was wrong to blame immigration for teen’s murder

BY PAN PYLAS

Associated Press LONDON — Britain’s deputy prime minister said Sunday that he told Vice President JD Vance he was wrong to blame immigration for the death of a university student who was handcuffed as he lay dying from a stab wound.

David Lammy, who is also the justice minister, said he challenged Vance in what he described as a “robust” phone call on Saturday. Lammy and Vance have struck up a friendship, based on their religious beliefs and family backgrounds, even though they come from different sides of the political spectrum.

“We had an agreeable

conversation because we have got a relationship, but I wanted to make him clear that I disagree with some of the facts that he was asserting and to present the facts to him,” Lammy told Sky News.

The call came a day after Vance said in a post on social platform X that there should be “righteous anger” in response to the murder of Henry Nowak, 18, who died in December after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa in the English city of Southampton.

Digwa, who is Sikh, falsely claimed to police he was the victim of a racist assault

by Nowak, who was white.

When police officers arrived, they initially treated

the wounded man as a suspect before noticing his injury and trying to resuscitate him.

Vance appeared to blame the murder in part on “the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it.”

Lammy said he wanted to “emphasize a number of things” to Vance, including that the killer was British and is now behind bars.

“This has got nothing to do with mass migration,” Lammy said.

Digwa, 23, was convicted of murder for stabbing Nowak with an 8-inch Sikh dagger and sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term.

vide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a peace process.

The meeting comes in the wake of a Russian drone strike that killed three people waiting at a bus stop in

southeastern Ukraine. A separate drone strike damaged a storage center for spent nuclear fuel in the Kyiv region, just 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,

Ukraine’s General Staff said. The attack sparked a fire that was extinguished within an hour. Radiation remains within safe levels, officials said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said the incident was “deeply concerning” due to the large amounts of nuclear material held at the facility.

He said in a statement that the agency would visit the site of the attack soon.

The Russian attacks follow a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Saturday that targeted Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia.

With the front line barely moving as swarms of drones hinder advances, both sides have sought an edge by launching long-range strikes.

Associated Press writer Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 5A

Health workers struggle to treat Ebola without compensation outbreak worsens in Mongbwalu, Congo

BY JUSTIN KABUMBA and OPE ADETAYO

Associated Press

MONGBWALU, Congo — Dr. Richard Lokudu, the medical director of Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, has received barely any compensation for his work on the front line of one of Congo’s deadliest Ebola virus outbreaks.

Lokudu and several of his colleagues work all day at the hospital treating an influx of patients.

Notifications of suspected cases come even late at night.

“I have not received my allowance (and) what happened to others could happen to me as well,” Lokudu told The Associated Press.

“Despite all the infection prevention and control measures we are implementing, we do not know what may happen.”

Health authorities believe the outbreak, which took the eastern region of Congo by surprise after spreading silently for weeks without detection, started in the bustling mining area of Mongbwalu in Ituri province.

Mongbwalu has emerged as the epicenter of the rare Bundibugyo type. The town attracts large numbers of laborers who work in large gold mines with muddy pools of gold deposits, narrow pits and caves. They live in low-income areas including crowded camps and have little access to proper health

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By MosEs sAWAsAWA

Richard Lokudu, center, the medical director of Mongbwalu General Hospital, speaks with U.N. peacekeepers in Mongbwalu, Congo, on Friday. protocols.

The conditions increase the possibility of transmitting the disease, which spreads through close contact with bodily fluids of the sick and deceased such as sweat, blood, feces and vomit.

There also has been widespread skepticism regarding the disease, making the job of medical treatment more difficult for Lokudu and his colleagues, while some of the health workers and first responders have died from the disease.

“It is one thing to be far away and hear statistics being reported, but what is happening on the ground is enormous,” Lokudu said.

“People are sacrificing their rest and comfort for this cause. There should be recognition that they deserve compensation. These workers should receive their salaries regularly.”

The Congolese government didn’t respond to a request for comment from the AP. Congolese authorities released new statistics on Sunday, saying there have been 488 confirmed cases, including 86 deaths, as of Friday. On Thursday, the Central African nation recorded 71 new cases in a day, which authorities said is a sign of “active community transmission.”

In neighboring Uganda, there

have been 19 confirmed cases and two deaths.

Bundibugyo has no approved vaccines or treatment, so Congolese health workers have been targeting symptoms of the species. The government said at least five people have recovered from Ebola since the outbreak was officially confirmed by Congo’s health ministry on May 15.

The disease “had a big head start,” according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Hospitals in the region couldn’t test for the right type of Ebola that had begun spreading several weeks before confirmation.

Health workers are handling the disease with minimal resources, because agencies have been scrambling to bring aid into the region. Masks, gloves, boots and medications were initially all in short supply.

“There has been an erosion of the health system,” said Heather Kerr, country director for the International Rescue Committee in Congo. “There has not been investment in the health system, and this has been going on for years.”

“During the first week, we did not even have time to go home and eat. The second week was the same. We only eat once a day, what amounts to breakfast in the evening,” said Alice Bamuhinga, a nurse at the Mongbwalu hospital.

Even with widespread skepticism and disregard for health protocols, many in the town are becoming aware of the outbreak’s

grave reality.

Asero Jeanne, 52, had five children. Two died from the disease within two weeks. When her daughter became ill, the family thought it was malaria and neighbors advised them to avoid the hospital, saying “anyone who went there would die immediately,” Jeanne said.

The daughter died after three weeks of moving between hospitals and home, followed by a son who died days after. Then Jeanne became sick.

“I saw about 20 people die,” Jeanne said. “I watched them being taken to the morgue, yet God is allowing me to leave here alive.

I thank the doctors.”

Tedros on Friday launched a $518 million plan to combat the outbreak, saying “containing Ebola depends on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities.”

Efforts to contain the disease also have been hindered by the conflict between the government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, in addition to attacks by Islamist militants.

For health workers on the front line of Congo’s Ebola outbreak, the work has become harder as the disease spreads faster than their current treatment capacity.

“Despite the alerts we receive and the teams we have on site, we lack the means to travel into the field,” Lokudu said. “As a result, there are alerts we are unable to investigate.”

CURRICULUM

and utter lie” of man-made climate change. He also said the curriculum ignored the potential dangers of CCS. “The real question is, why is industry producing or financing the production of curricula for public schools?” he asked.

The two varying sets of criticisms illustrate the complex debate over carbon capture playing out across Louisiana.

Continued from page 1A

intensity, oil, gas and petrochemical industries are pushing to introduce the technology to Louisiana.

Though LSU scientists and industry advocates say the technology behind CCS is safe and well-tried through years of oil field use, the push has drawn opposition from environmental groups as well as conservatives who question the need and the effects.

The Tapia Center has been putting on CCS lessons for four years in Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana. Southern University has had summer camps for the previous three years, and pilot projects went on last year in individual Ascension and East Baton Rouge parish schools, according to ExxonMobil literature.

The large-scale Ascension Parish program was aided with a $51,000 professional development grant from the ExxonMobil Foundation to the Tapia Center that included material expenses, company officials said.

ExxonMobil is a proponent of the technology, which would benefit its operations in Louisiana and elsewhere. The company also owns a key CO2 delivery pipeline across southern Louisiana, western Mississippi and southeastern Texas that other companies may use to reach distant injection sites.

The oil giant has also been a financial benefactor of the Tapia Center, having provided seed money to develop the curriculum and $100,000 in scholarships annually for students to attend the center’s STEM summer camps, according to the center and ExxonMobil.

Paul Hand, the center’s executive director and creator of the CCS curriculum, said though ExxonMobil provided financial support, the scientific judgments behind the curriculum are his and his staff’s alone. He said the curriculum from the independent center takes no position on the debate surrounding the technology.

The ExxonMobil dollars helped pay for center staff who spent about a year working through trial and error to find the right demonstration materials. What’s resulted from that work, he explained, allows students to see what the underground reservoir would be like through relatable items and face “STEM challenges that are directly related to the lives of our students,” tied to Louisiana academic standards.

“And CCS is something

Play-Doh and green brine students Ava Bourg, left, and Lillian Melsheimer squeeze vegetable oil into a reservoir during a lesson on carbon capture technology.

‘Complete and utter lie’

sTAFF PHoTos By JAVIER GALLEGos

students put their hands on a bottle of vegetable oil that represents liquid Co2 as it begins to fall off the straw during a lesson on carbon capture technology at Dutchtown Middle school on May 14. that is happening today. It’s happening over the next few decades, and our students should know about it, and we want to show it to them in a hands-on way,” he said.

In various materials about programs like the Ascension one, ExxonMobil officials say their support of CCS and other STEM-related curricula with hands-on components is a positive example of education, industry and communities working together. The programs help make science relevant for students and inspire them to seek a future in scientific and technology-related fields, the officials say.

Impact on the environment The students use a plastic cup, partially filled with pasta or pinto beans and green water, as their underground reservoir. This cup is pierced by two straws meant to represent underground wells and sealed off at the top by a layer of PlayDoh. Students learn what the differences in rock porosity mean for storage.

During teacher training sessions at LSU in early February — months before the classroom lessons rolled out — Ascension school officials and some teachers said their district should provide information about subjects students might encounter and tie them to Louisiana’s science standards.

“Our standard is about how humans impact the en-

vironment, so that’s what we’re exploring with this partnership, both positive and negative,” said Erin Babin, middle school science supervisor for Ascension.

She said her school leadership never considered not exposing students to the information, but believes in sticking to the science: “We talk about controversial things. We talk about AI. We talk about carbon capture.

We talk about evolution, you know what I mean?”

In the lessons, Juneau’s students learned about the natural and human sources of CO2 emissions, the threat of climate change, and the role renewable power and CCS can play in cutting emissions.

They also learned about the geology tied to carbon storage and some potential downsides of different CO2 mitigation methods: windmills can kill birds; CCS isn’t suited for every geology, though it is on the Gulf Coast, the lesson says.

A teacher of 23 years who is also a soccer coach, Juneau taught the Tapia curriculum to 97 students in all. He said the lessons reinforced things they have already learned about the carbon cycle, global warming and states of matter.

“I think the science is solid with it,” he said.

He said he would use the lesson next year if he had more materials.

Some environmental and community groups who oppose CCS as an effective way to address climate change criticized the Tapia lessons because they say they appear to promote the technology.

These groups also suggested the curriculum doesn’t delve deeply enough into the technological questions they contend still surround the injection practice.

Concerns center around whether CO2 injection will work as advertised after a federal model project had underground leaks. Criticism has also come from rural residents worried about land rights, new delivery pipelines, the safety of underground aquifers and the cost to U.S. taxpayers.

Other opponents reject the curriculum entirely because they do not accept the overwhelming science surrounding man-made

climate change.

Caitlion Hunter, research and policy director of the Rise St. James community advocacy group, argued that the use of everyday materials underplays the risks, from pipeline corrosion to the consequences of a high-pressure CO2 leak.

“Students exposed to this Exxon-funded curriculum are being misled, plain and simple,” she charged.

Hand said those kinds of questions are beyond the level of an eighth grade class focused on the basic science of the states of matter, climate change and rock porosity.

Mark T. Guillory, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel from Rapides Parish and one of the founders of Save My Louisiana, which strongly opposes carbon capture, took a harsher line.

He called the program “outrageous indoctrination and propaganda,” and criticized teaching the “complete

Back at Dutchtown Middle School, after Nash was done with the Play-Doh, he, Bourg and the others got their second batch of pretend liquid CO2 from Juneau. Classmate Miriam Miles began pouring the orange oil down a thick, plastic straw.

At first, no leaks. Eventually, though, some orange oil started to appear on the purple Play-Doh around the two straws, but a far smaller amount. And plenty of green brine was also moving up from the reservoir and out of the second straw, as planned, and far more than in the first attempt.

Juneau reminded the group that the difference is to be expected because of the spiral pasta’s greater porosity.

The students recorded their results. Soon, it would be time for lunch.

Before the work had begun on the final demonstrations, Juneau had offered his class a little grace. It proved correct.

“We’re going to make mistakes. Y’all never done this before. Hopefully, we do better between the second and first trial,” he said.

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6A ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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FEUDS

Continued from page 1A Along 30A, in spots where the waves glow deep tropical blue, private beaches are now more common and their rules are more strictly enforced than anywhere on the Gulf Coast.

Some property owners are employing security guards to protect their sand and chase off anyone who tries to lounge there. Others are hiring vendors to place chairs and umbrellas near private shorelines as a deterrent to beachgoers who might otherwise lay down towels.

The acrimony is escalating so much that some beachfront homeowners say they fear locals will harass them when they dine or shop in nearby towns.

Beachgoers who miss the days of open access also say they are worried that aggressive tactics by security guards — including reports of some using cellphones to film sunbathers until they leave — could soon lead to physical confrontations.

“It can be very tense,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson, whose deputies responded to about 400 beach trespassing calls last year. That amount — roughly a call every day — is almost double the previous year’s rate.

Some homeowners who have paid millions for the promise of exclusive beach properties are becoming so upset they have resorted to

SESSION

Continued from page 1A Legislature that felt the further you get away from New Orleans, the less you care about it. What’s changed is that there are so many Republicans — they have twothirds control of the House and Senate — and there aren’t many White Democrats to protect the city.”

Landry’s moves represented a remarkable shift for a governor who has been saying since he took office 30 months ago that he is trying to lift up the city.

Landry bulked up policing in New Orleans by making Troop NOLA a permanent presence and authorized infrastructure improvements to the city in advance of the 2025 Super Bowl.

“No governor has spent more time in the city of New Orleans than myself,” Landry told WBOK-AM listeners in November. “I’m working to try to make the city of New Orleans a better, more hospitable place so we can attract people and businesses and folks can feel safe in that city.”

Some political analysts believe that Landry is attacking New Orleans, a Democratic stronghold, to play to his Republican base in advance of his 2027 reelection campaign. Polls indicate that Landry has lost enough popularity to be vulnerable.

Several Republicans said Landry has simply grown frustrated with a legal system that he believes favors criminals at the expense of crime victims.

“His pushing these bills sends a shock wave through the judiciary system in New Orleans — and elsewhere,” said Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie. “He expects a greater sense of urgency.”

Landry did not respond to a request for an interview.

“Everyone knows the inefficiencies of these offices when compared to the rest of the state,” the governor said in a statement.

After his very public opening speech to legislators, Landry worked behind the scenes to pressure and cajole Republican legislators to pass the legislation aimed at New Orleans.

On March 18, he met at the Governor’s Mansion with three Democratic New Orleans senators — Jimmy Harris, Royce Duplessis and Gary Carter — to lay out his plans. They objected, saying that the governor was singling out New Orleans and that crime had dropped sharply in the city in

sTAFF PHoTo By HANNAH LEVITAN

A public beach just off Florida’s scenic Highway 30A is bounded on both sides by private property. Beach access fights along Florida’s Gulf Coast are escalating as tourism expands and the population rises in 30A towns beloved by Louisiana visitors. confronting beach bums themselves.

“This is supposed to be the American dream,” Brian Littrell, a Backstreet Boys singer who has filed several lawsuits over trespassing disputes near his home a few miles from Seagrove Beach, told Fox News last year. “It’s just frustrating.”

Kent Safriet, an attorney who represents several dozen beachfront homeowners, said many do not mind sharing their sand with a few respectful visitors.

“But when it gets overcrowded and you as the property owner can’t even go sit on your own beach,” he said, “that becomes a problem.”

recent years.

Landry moved forward anyway.

Why Landry picked Morris Four bills targeted New Orleans.

Two bills eliminating nine judgeships and a third bill abolishing Duncan’s job were sponsored by Sen. Jay Morris, R-Monroe.

The fourth bill, sponsored by Rep. Peter Egan, R-Covington, took away 10 assistant district attorney positions from the office of Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, as part of a last-minute deal to give more of those positions to East Baton Rouge and St. Tammany and Washington parishes.

This account is based on interviews with 21 state legislators and others involved in the four pieces of legislation.

Morris, 68, has been something of a renegade Republican during his 15 years in the Legislature. In 2019, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the Louisiana Chemical Association tried to defeat Morris, then a House member, when he ran for the state Senate. Morris had sponsored legislation to take away corporate tax breaks when legislators were trying to plug a budget gap.

Morris has not been on Landry’s legislative team, but the governor turned to him to sponsor the three New Orleans bills because Morris represents an area distant from New Orleans, chairs one of the Senate judiciary committees and is willing to take political heat.

Morris demonstrated that during the 2026 regular session by sponsoring redistricting legislation that is turning the district of U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Black Democrat from Baton Rouge, into one that favors a Republican. Hundreds of people went to the Capitol to object to Morris’ bill.

Morris was receptive to sponsoring Landry’s New Orleans-related bills because he had concluded, while performing his oversight role in chairing his committee, that Jason Williams had not been tough enough on criminals. Morris had already sponsored a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2024 that made it easier to investigate complaints against judges.

Like other Republicans, Morris thought New Orleans’ judiciary was ripe for downsizing to match the city’s population loss.

Morris told colleagues he also had a personal reason

Beach disputes The saga is among the most extreme examples of growth consequences across the region, where many vacation spots beloved by visitors from Louisiana are scrambling to balance the often conflicting demands of locals and tourists. More than 17,000 newcomers have raised the population in 30A beach towns by about 24% since 2020, and U.S. Census Bureau estimates show Walton County is among the fastest-growing areas on the Gulf Coast.

The history of the conflict is complex. Some beaches on this part of the Panhandle have been privately owned for decades, but the public’s

for wanting to crack down on New Orleans. His daughter had been mugged years earlier in the city one afternoon while walking her dog.

Morris’ Senate Bill 256 would abolish the job to which Duncan had been overwhelmingly elected in November by giving its responsibilities to the Civil District Court clerk.

During his campaign, Duncan had become a cause célèbre of liberals nationwide because he studied law while serving a life sentence at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola before winning his release and having his conviction vacated.

After Hurricane Katrina, state lawmakers required New Orleans to merge its seven assessor offices into one and to merge its civil and criminal sheriff offices — but only after allowing the current officeholders to serve out their terms.

In Duncan’s case, lawmakers moved swiftly enough for Landry to sign the legislation on April 30 — Duncan was scheduled to take office on May 4.

On April 30, Landry told WBOK-AM that he wasn’t trying to keep Duncan from elective office.

use of them had gone undisputed for years. Then, as the population began soaring, the county passed a law in 2016 recognizing what leaders argued was the public’s longstanding right to relax at the beach.

More than 500 homeowners pushed back, fearing their property rights could be lost forever.

The county’s tourism agency says about two-thirds of the shoreline is available to the public. But after lawsuits and several shifts in state law, beach boundaries across 30A have become so convoluted that some private attorneys and county leaders still dispute how much sand is truly open to all.

The mess is aggravat-

and Traffic Court judgeships and one of the four Juvenile Court judgeships.

Harris, who has a close relationship with Senate President Henry, told Henry that getting rid of civil district court judges made no sense, given the governor’s focus on crime, because those judges don’t handle criminal cases. Henry agreed and got Landry to save those positions on April 13 when the governor met in his office at the Capitol with the Senate Democratic Caucus.

But by then, SB217 also called for eliminating three criminal district court judges. By the time it won final passage on June 1, the session’s final day, it erased those three positions, two Municipal and Traffic Court judges, and two Juvenile Court judges.

DAs also targeted

ing visitors who are denied access to certain beaches and frustrating many owners who want to enjoy their views in peace. The tension is also exasperating local law enforcement leaders who are tasked with navigating tangled boundaries and mediating hostile disputes.

“It’s incredibly difficult,” said Adkinson, who grew up here in the days when Florida’s old coastline was still a blissful escape from the world’s troubles. “It desperately needs to be resolved.”

In many ways, the drama unfolding on 30A is unique.

Many neighboring beaches are owned by either the state or federal government. Federal leaders are also paying to add sand on some eroded areas on the Gulf Coast, including Destin, which has expanded the land open to the public.

Many homeowners on 30A have refused to let the federal government onto their properties to complete similar projects. But local leaders are urging visitors to use dozens of public beach accesses across the region, and paying guests can use beaches owned by vacation rentals and resorts. The county is also buying more land to expand public reach.

One local resident has even created a phone app called Shoreline Defender to help beachgoers determine where they can legally sunbathe.

But some areas of sand on 30A that technically belong to the public are nearly impossible to reach because they are wedged between private properties.

“This is not anyone’s backyard,” Sara Day, the app’s founder, said as she strolled along the beach past children boogie boarding in the waves.

“It’s hard,” she said, “to know that there are people in your community who don’t want you anywhere near this place.”

getting into the home health and hospice industry.

Egan sponsored HB719 because he especially wanted to add new positions to the 19th Judicial District Court (East Baton Rouge) and the 22nd Judicial District Court (St. Tammany and Washington parishes). Both areas had gained population in recent years.

But district attorneys in both judicial districts had failed to win the approval of local voters to agree to tax increases that would fund additional prosecutors. Now they had turned to the state.

After the House agreed to the 60 new warrants, the Senate Finance Committee approved an amendment that redistributed the warrants among district attorney’s offices throughout the state, at the expense of the 19th and 22nd judicial districts.

Furious, Egan threatened to the district attorneys association that he would kill the bill as a result.

Sen. Patrick McMath, RCovington, and Collin Sims, the district attorney for the 22nd district, spoke to Landry to ask for more warrants for their area. The governor proposed taking away 29 warrants from Williams’ office. Sen. Harris was livid when he learned this from Henry, whose Metairiebased district also includes Uptown New Orleans. They negotiated the loss of warrants for Williams down to 10.

Sen. Mike Reese, R-Leesville, presented an amendment the next day, on May 28 — just three days before the session ended — to carry out the change. The Senate approved the plan without discussion. Egan accepted the hijacking of his bill because it added more warrants for the 19th and 22nd judicial districts.

District Attorney Hillar Moore will go from 55 warrants to 71 for the 19th Judicial District, while Sims will go from 30 to 44 for the 22nd.

Williams never had a public forum to challenge the loss of 10 warrants, equal to $500,000 from his budget.

Events moved so quickly that New Orleans legislators didn’t know that a report by the district attorneys association called for Williams to lose only three warrants.

Rep. Aimee Freeman, DNew Orleans, saw the reduction as yet another attack on New Orleans and sharply questioned Egan when he presented the bill for final passage on May 31, the penultimate day of the session.

Rep. Mandie Landry, DNew Orleans, railed against the bill.

“Literally, the only people you’re hurting in Orleans are crime victims by this,” she said and then broadened her comments to the Morris bills as well. “There’s this irrational desire by some people in this building to stick it to New Orleans.”

Public and private Sheriff’s deputies have already responded to almost 100 beach trespassing calls in 2026, and some visitors are complaining that public beaches are becoming packed while private sand next door sits empty.

Homeowners are arguing the crowds are all the more reason to keep private beaches sacrosanct.

“This is craziness,” said Peter Ticktin, Littrell’s attorney. “What if I have a house that borders on a public park? Should they be allowed to come into my backyard? Where does it end?”

Videos of beach confrontations are spreading online, but the tensions have led to no arrests so far and many signs of bliss endure. One recent day, families on a public beach put down their books and glanced up from their sandcastles to watch dolphins ride a wave.

Rauschkolb, a longtime 30A business owner, also paused to study the sea. For a moment, he paid no mind to the private homes atop a nearby dune.

Then he decided to take a brief respite from his growing frustration.

“I’m going surfing,” he said.

The fourth piece of legislation, House Bill 719 by Egan, began as an effort to provide 60 new “warrants,” which are worth $50,000 apiece and can be used to hire new assistant district attorneys or supplement the pay of the existing government lawyers.

Egan, 76, still speaks with an accent reflecting his Going after judges upbringing in Ireland. He In the meantime, Morris moved to Louisiana in 1971 and Landry were pushing to become a Catholic priest Senate Bill 197. In its origi- in Jefferson Parish, serving nal form, it would have elim- at two churches for eight inated four of New Orleans’ years before leaving the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal priesthood, getting married, having four children and judgeships.

Facing pushback from judges and New Orleans legislators, Morris and Landry Protection your loved ones deserve ... agreed to cut only two of the judgeships.

The legislation needed a two-thirds vote. It received the bare minimum of 26 votes in the Senate and then moved to the House for consideration.

Over a two-week period, the House was scheduled to take up SB197 four different times, but Landry and his legislative aides pulled the Modified Whole Life Insurance from Physicians Life Insurance Company bill back each time because they lacked the 70 votes Imagine what $30,000.00 could mean to your family after you’re gone needed.

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METRO NEWS

Water walking

sTAFF FILE PHoTo By HILARy sCHEINUK

sammy’s Bar and Grill on Highland Road will close sunday.

Sammy’s Grill closing Highland location Restaurant searching for new site

BY OLIVIA TEES staff writer

Walkers stroll along the Water Heritage Trail on the levee on sunday in Port Allen.

A Baton Rouge staple, Sammy’s Grill on Highland Road, will close its doors as it begins the search for a new location, the restaurant announced in a Facebook post.

The lease will be up this month and the property owners have decided to go in a different direction, the Facebook post says. The restaurant says it is grateful for the years it has spent there and is actively looking for a new location in Baton Rouge.

It will officially close the Highland Road location on Sunday.

“Since 1988, Sammy’s on Highland has been a Baton Rouge and LSU tradition, serving famous crawfish and creating memories for generations of families, friends, and Tiger fans,” the post says.

The Prairieville location at 37306 Perkins Road will remain open.

sTAFF PHoTo By MICHAEL JoHNsoN

Carencro is La.’s fastest growing city, outpacing nearby towns outpaced Youngsville owner of Keaty Real Estate. Where the new homes were built City leaders try to span Many of the areas where and Broussard, and its median household income houses are being built are Here’s a breakdown of where new homes were built between keep up with jumped by over 60% be- classified as rural and do not 2020 and 2025 in Lafayette Parish: demand tween 2019 and 2024, census require a down payment,

BY ADAM DAIGLE

Acadiana business editor

For decades, Gene Martin and his family kept the 20 acres just west of the Interstate 49 exit in Carencro mowed and manicured while commercial development sprung up all around it.

But even before Martin’s death in 2024, the unsolicited offers to buy the land came. Now, with his three daughters overseeing the property, the offers are more frequent.

Investors want to buy the highly visible property for commercial development in a city that since 2020 is the fastest-growing in Louisiana.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from people out of town,” said Melanie Martin LeBlanc, Martin’s middle daughter. “I know some guy — I can’t remember his name, there’s been so many — out of New Orleans kept calling for a little while. He said they were interested, but we’re not interested in selling.”

Interest in the property has the mayor and other officials there optimistic about the next phase of growth in a city that grew like no other in Louisiana.

According to census data released last month, Carencro’s population swelled by 41.7% between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025, growing by nearly 4,000 residents to a population of 13,224.

Already home to a strong retail base that straddles the I-49 exit, Carencro is becoming less a quiet suburb of Lafayette and more a vibrant small city. Home starts during that five-year

and builders offer lower interest rates and generous promotions to facilitate a sale. Buyers can easily own a new home with a mortgage that’s often less than what they were paying in rent, he said.

In the 70520 ZIP code, which covers most of Carencro’s city limits, the median sale price for a home has been $216,000 or less since 2022, well below the $245,000 median for Lafayette Parish, according to data from Bill Bacque with Market Scope Consulting.

Builders DSLD and DR Horton have been active in Carencro for some time.

“I know there’s more developments they have slated,” Keaty said. “I’ve presented properties to them that I was thinking would be great properties, but they’re turning them down because they have so much product coming online in that area.”

The growth has changed the city’s demographics a bit, pushing the median household income up to $63,401, which is almost identical to that of Lafayette Parish as a whole.

That has yet to, however, push up spending the city.

Total retail sales grew 38.5% between 2020 and 2025, but other municipalities had bigger hikes while sales across the parish rose 43.7%, according to data from the Lafayette Economic Development Authority.

To handle that residential surge, city officials have in recent years invested in infrastructure along with drainage, streets and parks, Moving to Carencro Clavier said. Among those The cost of a newly built projects is a $47 million home has been a big reason sewer plant that will more why people are moving to than double the city’s capacCarencro, said Jim Keaty, ity with the opportunity for

data shows.

City leaders, said Mayor Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, are investing in infrastructure to manage that growth, which is expected to continue. Since she took office in 2022, the number of homes under development has hovered around 1,500.

“I am not the biggest proponent of growth — I grew up in a small town that was absolutely a great place to grow up,” she said. “I didn’t want it to change much, but growth is happening and there’s nothing I can do about it. We are making every effort to make sure we do it correctly.”

The Martin property could be a way to facilitate that growth. The city, with its small sports complex, could use a hotel and more food options. A local quickserve restaurant is in negotiations to build next to the post office, but the remainder of the lot is a blank slate.

LeBlanc and her sisters want to partner with a developer on the site and be involved in whatever gets built there. They are teaming with Sal Crifasi and Capstone Investment Partners to find a partner.

“Even before my dad passed away, we knew we wanted to do something,” LeBlanc said. “There’s tremendous potential for any future development at this point. We want to explore opportunities that would allow the property to flourish and also be something good for Carencro.”

Lafayette and unincorporated areas: 45.8% (Total permits: 4,761)

Carencro: 20.5% (Total permits: 2,129) Youngsville: 17.8% (Total permits: 1,857)

Scott: 5.1% (Total permits: 536)

Broussard: 10.7% (Total permits: 1,115)

source: Lafayette Economic Development Authority

expansion. City Hall will also be renovated.

City officials also used American Rescue Plan Act funding to begin replacing old cast-iron water lines, some of which are over 100 years old that can sometimes send brown water into homes, she said.

“At the first meeting with engineers, they had a sample of the pipe and they told me not to touch it,” Clavier said. “Of course, I’m going to touch it. The rust on the inside was sticky, and I had to wash my hands three times to get it off.”

Now the city is hoping to attract more retail. One report done by Alabama-based Retail Strategies revealed Carencro could use more bars, medical outlets and hotels.

Construction of the second phase of the Center Square shopping center will begin soon, and the Walk-On’s next to it will open in July. Retail vacancies in Carencro are hard to find, said Clinton Shepard, a commercial real estate agent with Lee & Associates.

“I get a lot of people who are like, ‘Why don’t you get a hotel?’” Clavier said. “You just want a hotel if you’ve

staff graphic

got family and friends or have a wedding. You end up going all the way to Opelousas or into Lafayette (to stay).”

Lafayette Parish is growing

and it seems a lot of them are staying here — which is nice.”

Lafayette Parish also added nearly 20,000 jobs during that five-year span, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The biggest gains were healthcare and education (4,966) and leisure and hospitality (4,485).

Manufacturing jobs also grew by 33%. Only jobs in oil and gas extraction declined.

Lafayette Parish, which at 203 square miles is the third-smallest in the state, has a high quality of life factor that is luring new residents, LEDA President and CEO Mandi Mitchell said.

The growth will continue in the coming year and likely continue in Carencro.

“The northern part of the parish, there’s opportunity there,” Mitchell said.

“There are still parcels of land available for residential and commercial development. There’s still land available (in the south), but we’re at a point now where the municipalities in the northern part of the parish are working hard to attract more retail and rooftops, and it’s going to feed itself.”

All of Lafayette Parish, as well as the town of Maurice in neighboring Vermilion Parish, has grown in that five-year span, putting the area at odds with every other metro area in the state that is shedding people, data shows.

The parish gained just under 16,000 people in that span, outpacing St. Tammany Parish for the biggest Email Adam Daigle at gain in the state. adaigle@theadvocate.com.

Homes sales so far this year are strong and ahead of last year’s pace, and the LOTTERY number of luxury home sales has pushed the avSATURDAY, JUNE 6, erage sale price to over 2026 $300,000, Bacque’s data PICK 3: 1-5-0 shows.

PICK 4: 6-9-4-6 “I don’t get as many peoPICK 5: 5-6-9-3-3 ple moving out as I used to,” said Robbie Breaux with EASY 5: 7-11-13-20-37 Real Broker. “We see so LOTTO: 4-10-31-34-35many who are filling in from 42 other industries. I used to POWERBALL: 16-32-55see oil field like one (out of) 59-64 (3) every five (homes). Now it’s one in every 25. You’ve got Unofficial notification, more kids graduating from keep your tickets. high school and college,

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 9A

lll

Pope draws 1.2 million to Mass in Spain Leo challenges Europe to acknowledge its Christian roots

BY NICOLE WINFIELD and SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press

MADRID — Pope Leo XIV challenged Europe to acknowledge Christianity’s contributions to its cultural identity Sunday, as he presided over a Mass in Madrid attended by more than a million people and honored Spain’s centuries-old traditions of religious devotion and culture.

Leo celebrated Spain’s Christian roots and culture with the huge morning Mass in downtown Madrid and an evening spectacle that featured flamenco dancers, classical guitar and a moving meditation by Spanish actor Antonio Banderas on art, faith and beauty.

In his remarks, Leo challenged Europe to consider what the continent’s identity would be without the influence of Christianity. He cited its art, culture and the role played by Christians — “motivated by their faith” — to build its schools, hospitals and other institutions.

“Is it seriously possible to believe that Europe — which we deeply love — would be the same without the influence of faith?” Leo asked, in demanding that religious expression be allowed to keep its place in the public sphere.

Leo, who arrived in Spain on Saturday at the start of his weeklong visit, has been keen to highlight the long tradition of Christian culture and devotion here to encourage especially young generations to find their faith. It’s a tall order in a once-staunchly Catholic country where religious observance has largely been on the wane.

Sunday fell on the Catholic Corpus Domini feast day, which often features pro-

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By ALEssANDRA TARANTINo

Pope Leo XIV arrives sunday to preside over a Mass marking the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi in Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid. cessions of faithful through towns and cities led by a priest carrying the Eucharist. In Spain, as in other predominantly Catholic countries, the processions often feature elaborate floral carpets arranged along the route.

During Sunday’s Mass, Leo said that the floral carpets express the “spiritual sentiments of this country” through “altars erected in the streets.”

“This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty,” he said. “It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us.”

He said that the continued observance of such devotional practices points to what Spain can and should be for the world.

“Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future: to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today,” he said.

At the end of the Mass,

Leo carried a gilded monstrance, or container, holding a Eucharistic host and walked over some of the 16 floral carpets that decorated the less than half-mile procession route, as children dropped additional petals before him and the crowd tossed petals from behind the barricades.

Leo’s visit to the country of 50 million has drawn huge crowds, with a vigil service Saturday night. drawing an estimated 600,000 young Spaniards. They knelt for several minutes in silent prayer alongside Leo, suggesting that there is indeed interest in the faith among young people, despite Spain’s heavily secularized society.

On Sunday, their numbers doubled: Organizers said that 1.2 million people had turned out on a brilliant spring morning for Leo’s Mass at Madrid’s iconic Plaza de Cibeles and surrounding streets, with more trying to get in.

“It’s spectacular,” said Julián Tapiador, a consultant who came to the Mass. “I’m so proud that the pope is in Spain after 15 years. Hope-

fully he comes again and we can all see him again.”

Octavio Puche, a retiree, thanked Leo for making the trip.

“Apparently society is not as secularized as it seems, because there are a million people here in Madrid, and I think he has shown a very human face of Christ, very close to the people, to their suffering,” he said.

Despite the warm welcome, the clergy sexual abuse scandal, which has erupted belatedly in Spain in recent years, has loomed over Leo’s trip. The Catholic hierarchy has begun to reckon with its legacy after reporting in the local media.

Leo is expected to meet survivors while in Spain, but several victims groups have complained that they have been left in the dark about when the meeting is taking place and whether they are invited.

Miguel Hurtado, a prominent survivor who accused a monk at Montserrat Abbey outside Barcelona of sexually assaulting him more than two decades ago, protested outside the Vatican’s embassy in Ma-

drid on Sunday. He said that he wrote to the Vatican requesting a meeting with Leo and for the pope to cancel his planned Wednesday visit to the 1,000-year old Benedictine monastery.

“I understand you can’t meet with all of us victims, because we are more than 400,000,” Hurtado said, speaking to a cardboard photo of Leo. As he spoke, a crowd of nuns and others lined the street outside the Vatican embassy, waving Spanish flags and chanting slogans in favor of former dictator Gen. Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain with an iron grip for nearly four decades after the 1936-39 civil war.

The Catholic Church was a pillar of Franco’s dictatorship, and at least until the 1960s, the church enjoyed broad control and influence over Spanish society that waned after democracy took root.

“Spain is Christian and not Muslim!” the crowd yelled.

The tradition of laying flower carpets — and destroying them when the procession tramples them — dates back two centuries and is popular also in Latin America, where elaborate sand designs are also made.

The painstaking displays are considered an offering to the Eucharist.

According to Spanish organizers, the 16 flower carpets decorating Sunday’s procession route off Plaza de Cibeles were prepared by a Spanish florists association from the northern region of Galicia. Florists used more than 30,000 flowers, most the yellow and white colors of the Holy See flag, for the carpets that feature decorations such as the Holy See keys.

Poland has already had its tradition of Corpus Domini flower carpets recognized

by UNESCO, and Galicia is trying to have its tradition listed along with other countries as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

Funerals Today Black Sr., Gary

Resthaven Gardens in the Chapel on the Campus, 3355 Dalrymple Dr., Baton Rouge, LA at 10am.

Charlet, Miriam

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Clinton at noon.

Henderson, Alesha

Fundamental Baptist Livingston at 1 p.m.

Church

Rolfs III, Emile

St. James Episcopal Church at 1pm.

Sibley, John

Victory Baptist Church, 31449 N. Corbin Road in Walker, at 2 p.m.

Spitale, Catherine

Greenoaks Funeral Home, Florida Boulevard, at 11 a.m.

9595

Obituaries Claybrook, Susanne Karwath 'Susi'

Susanne "Susi" Karwath Claybrook was born on January 25, 1931, in Ratibor, Germany, to August and Helene Karwath. A longtime resident of Baton Rouge, LA, she passed away on June 4, 2026. Susi was preceded in death by her parents, August and Helene Karwath; brother, Udor Karwath and her husband, Linder D. Claybrook, who she will be laid to rest with at the LA National Cemetery. The burial will happen privately at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Susi's name to St. Joseph Hospice of Baton Rouge.

How to place an Obituary Notice EMAIL:

obits@theadvocate.com

Graham Platner takes questions from Maine voters Candidate looks to stabilize senate campaign

BY PATRICK WHITTLE and KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine — Graham Platner was met by an enthusiastic and supportive crowd Sunday at a town hall-style event in Maine as the Democrat moves to stabilize his Senate campaign after new reports about his past treatment of women.

The evening event in Portland was taking place two days before a Democratic primary that is still seen as Platner’s to win, but he has drawn questions about his past that could make it difficult to defeat longtime incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

“We’re going to win on Tuesday and we’re going to win in November and we’re going to take power back for the people in this country,” Platner said to about 400 people clapping and cheering him on.

The New York Times on Thursday reported an exgirlfriend’s allegations that Platner repeatedly grabbed her by the shoulders during arguments and once twisted

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By RoBERT F. BUKATy

Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for U.s. senate, speaks to an overflow crowd outside a campaign event on sunday in Portland, Maine. her arm behind her back and locked her in a room. Platner has repeatedly called those allegations of violence untrue.

Other Platner ex-girlfriends interviewed by the Times described positive experiences, while some said he was volatile and insulting. That story came days after news reports revealing that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married.

Despite the allegations, no major Democrats who had previously endorsed Platner have rescinded their support.

And at Sunday’s event, in

their initial questions the attendees avoided asking about Platner’s past and instead asked him about the U.S. Supreme Court, what committees he would want to work on once in the Senate, and whether he supports a federal wealth tax.

“What has blown my mind is that everybody knows what’s going on,” Platner said in response to a question about what outsiders watching the Maine Senate race are getting wrong about the state’s voters.

Platner said he hoped eventually to join the Senate Appropriations Committee, as well as the committees overseeing agriculture and

health care, while mentioning he would like to work with Kentucky’s Republican Sen. Rand Paul because of his foreign policy positions.

Platner took a swipe at Sen. John Fetterman, who has criticized the Senate candidate recently, calling him a “creep” and likening him to a “Nazi sympathizer.” Some have questioned whether Platner would be similar to Fetterman, who has a reputation for speaking and voting against his party, Platner said as a senator it’s important to build relationships and that ” you can’t just go down there and be John Fetterman,” while also calling the Pennsylvania Democrat an expletive. He added that Fetterman “said mean things” about him recently.

Platner held a rally with California Rep. Ro Khanna in Bar Harbor on Friday, where he received a standing ovation and declared that Mainers “have my back.”

A combat veteran, Platner has repeatedly said that he struggled with alcohol and post-traumatic stress disorder after his military service, but says he is a changed man.

The latest news has deepened some Democrats’ nervousness about Platner, who already faced scrutiny

over online posts that were dismissive of sexual assault and a skull tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol. Platner has apologized for the posts and covered up the tattoo, saying he didn’t realize its significance when he got it.

Rahm Emanuel, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate who spent the weekend in neighboring New Hampshire, said the “jury is still out” on whether Platner can beat Collins.

“Everybody is holding their breath whether this is the start of something or the end of something,” he said.

“If it’s the end, that’s one thing. If it’s the beginning of something and we’re not done, that’s another thing.”

Kurt Fedora, 62, a mental health worker from Buxton, said he attended Sunday’s event to hear Platner talk about working-class issues and fighting corruption. He said he’s unmoved by recent revelations about Platner’s history, and considers them a smear campaign by conservative opponents.

“Maybe there will be something to it, but they’re really reaching far to try to pin something on him. And it’s politics as usual,” Fedora said.

Others worried that Platner at times reminded them of President Donald Trump.

Pakistan Kashmir’s top court upholds refugee seats

BY MUNIR AHMED Associated Press

ISLAMABAD — The top court in Pakistan-administered Kashmir ruled Sunday that 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment.

Hours after the ruling, police said a violent mob at-

tacked a hospital, killing four officers deployed at the facility.

The ruling strengthened the regional government’s position in a dispute that has fueled weeks of protests ahead of next month’s assembly elections.

The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir issued the opinion in response to a presidential reference seeking guidance on

constitutional questions surrounding the refugee seats and the upcoming vote for the 45-member Legislative Assembly.

The landmark ruling removes legal uncertainty over the election process, stating that public order cannot be disrupted in the name of protest. It came a day after police arrested dozens of supporters of the Joint Awami Action

Committee, a group the regional government recently banned over alleged threats to public order and security.

On Sunday, alleged armed members of a banned group stormed a military hospital in Rawalakot, a city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least four officers and wounding 20 others, police said in a statement. It said members of the group deliberately targeted the

medical facility and opened fire on security forces stationed at the hospital.

Also on Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad warned its citizens in Pakistan-administered Kashmir to exercise caution ahead of planned protests scheduled for June 9, as local authorities issued a travel advisory discouraging tourism in the region from June 5 to June 20.

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YOUR VIEWS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/opinions

World War II warned us about fascism A recent letter penned by Billy Arcement explains what he considers the oxymoronic nature of the term “Democratic Socialist” (“Democracy and socialism are not compatible,” May 7.) He accused the Democrats of being devious and using sleight-of-hand. He goes on to say that one cannot believe in both socialism and democracy — only one can exist.

Sitting across the aisle from Arcement, I would use a similar argument about fascism and democracy.

Since a Republican returned to the White House in 2025 and with majorities in both the House and Senate, fascism has been on full display — no “sleight-of-hand” about it.

Numerous executive orders, starting a war with Iran without approval of Congress, demolition of the East Wing of the White House without prior approval, ignoring the right the Constitution gives to Congress to control tariffs are just a few examples of the exercises of the authoritarian arm of fascism we have seen.

So far democracy, though bruised and battered, is still hanging on. But will it continue to win the day?

As a volunteer at the National WWII Museum, I am reminded weekly of how the events leading up to and during World War II are being repeated here today in America. Unfortunately, it took a world war and almost half a million American lives to prove fascism and democracy cannot coexist.

Today Americans must choose fascism or democracy. Which will it be?

NELL AUCOIN NAQUIN Baton Rouge

GoP politicians are sacrificing everything for their party It has never been more obvious.

Donald Trump, Steve Scalise, Mike Johnson, Jeff Landry and Liz Murrill are willing to sacrifice everything, including state and country, for their party.

To them, Republican domination takes priority over democracy, the rule of law or even common sense.

I have been a Republican since 1971. I will continue to be one, despite my embarrassment, if only because I hope I can bring some small amount of sanity to my party.

Unfortunately, too many fellow Republicans continue to follow in lockstep their president, right off the democratic cliff.

WIL KNIPMEYER New orleans

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are

published identifying name and the writer’s city of residence. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and To sEND Us A LETTER, phone number sCAN HERE for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.o. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.

Congressional maps are about power, but they are also about people On May 8, Louisiana legislators began debating new congressional maps for the first time since the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in Louisiana v.

Callais. The Court may have gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but it did not give Louisiana permission to abandon fairness or democracy.

Maps are not abstract political exercises; they determine whether communities are kept whole or carved apart, whether neighborhoods can advocate for their shared needs and whether Black voters, who make up roughly one-third of Louisiana’s population, can meaningfully participate in decisions affecting their families and futures.

Louisiana knows the consequences when power is used to exclude.

From Plessy v. Ferguson to generations of voter suppression and the Civil Rights movement, our history has taught us what happens when representation is denied, but it has also taught us what courage looks like. The 14th and 15th Amendments (the “Love Amendments”) promised equal protection and voting rights after slavery and civil war, and those promises still matter today.

Lawmakers can treat Callais as a license to weaken representation further, or they can recognize that democracy requires integrity, restraint and fairness, even when courts step back.

The people of Louisiana are watching. Our elders who survived Jim Crow and witnessed the struggle are watching. Young people inheriting this democracy are watching.

History will recall and long remember what happens next.

sTAFF FILE PHoTo By sTEPHANIE RIEGEL

The unincorporated Vermilion Parish community of Pecan Island, with a population of about 100 people along Louisiana Highway 82, is believed to be a potential location for the construction of a massive spaceX spaceport.

If space company comes to La., it should have a stake in coast The potential purchase of Exxon lands in Vermilion Parish by a space exploration company provides an opportunity to correct the errors of centuries of mismanagement.

For eons, the drainage of 38 states and parts of Canada came unrestricted to Louisiana’s coastal zone, quickly building land; but in the past century, we have built numerous dams throughout the Mississippi watershed — for navigation, irrigation and energy generation.

All of these impoundments have stymied the flow of sediment and detritus material — having an enormous negative impact on our wetlands and fisheries throughout the Gulf.

Along with this, the 1927 flood of South Louisiana demanded that we protect lands with a massive levee system. The situation has been further complicated by poorly designed roads

and navigation canals across wetlands, which disrupt the north-south hydrological flow.

The restoration of the tidal exchange in the marshes is critical to their recovery and is on us as a state to address through our coastal restoration plans.

We could begin by taking out the dams in the wildlife reserves. Also, existing roadways could be elevated at critical points while new roads should be required to allow for tidal exchange.

Restoring the hydrological flow to our wetlands is key to their survival. It should be taken into consideration by anyone who has a stake in South Louisiana, be they a duck hunting club or a global gazillionaire looking to launch space ships.

HAROLD SCHOEFFLER Lafayette

ALANAH ODOMS executive director, ACLU Louisiana

Displayed in context, Confederate statues could help us move past a shameful era of our history In response to State Rep. Mike Bayham’s proposal for the Confederate statues: Many people never had the opportunity to study the history of these monuments (none of us did, as the facts were not in our history books).

These statues and other memorials to the Confederacy were erected in the post-Reconstruction era, concurrent with the reemergence of White supremacy as the dominant political narrative and power structure in the old Confederate states.

It was a time when laws were passed denying voting rights to former slaves, establishing “separate but equal” as legal doctrine and putting into place laws that discriminated against former slaves in every aspect of commerce and employment. The statues were erected as a symbol of the reemergence of

White power and intended to convey symbolically this fact.

One solution is to establish a Garden of Reconciliation where the statues can be placed as part of an educational effort to educate and inform citizens and visitors as to the true nature of why these statues were erected. Then perhaps we can finally move past this shameful period of our history.

One note: Robert E. Lee was quite explicit that no statues or memorials were to be erected to memorialize the Confederacy.

“I think it wiser not to keep open the sores of war,” he wrote, “but to follow the example of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, and to commit to oblivion the feelings it engendered.”

sTAFF FILE PHoTo By By JILL PICKETT

An election worker explains a declaration form to a voter on May 16 at C.E. Byrd High school in shreveport.

If parties want their own primaries, they should pay

PHILIP FRADY New orleans

Educators should use all tools, even AI, to combat cheating In respectful response to Madison Weidert’s opinion, I must state that in 2000, I and a group of educators worked on a grant for the Louisiana Virtual School. We researched best practices for both students and teachers. Due to limited space the grant allowed the schools to select students who met requirements for participation. The first group of students were in honors/GT programs. Riverside Academy was one of the first schools to participate in the online learning research.

Students 26 years ago were very adept at internet usage. As the fine arts/advanced art teacher, I had to design classes that included research and creative ways to communicate through the arts. There were students, pressed to succeed in every endeavor, who very much used websites to plagiarize their projects. Assignments were given in which students would design Power-

I’m one of the independent voters who had to declare a team to vote on the party candidates in the recent primaries. I am not against closed primaries. I am against taxpayers footing the bill for party primaries. That should be a private affair paid for with party money.

We have too many elections in Louisiana. Consolidate them. Never mind that we need a workable constitution to eliminate local issues having to take the form of amendments to be voted on by people uninvolved in the issue every four months when we have another election.

Let the political parties work out their own processes to choose their candidate. Then, we vote.

Point presentations. Several times I was amazed how these bright, advanced gifted and talented students copied and pasted an entire website on one slide. Those were easy to flag as plagiarism.

Then there were those who copied and pasted entire paragraphs, rearranging them to cover their tracks. The developers of the software we were using at the time, Blackboard, recognized the need for plagiarism software.

I was able to use the same technology to seek out plagiarized work.

Twenty-six years ago, and humans do not alter their behavior. Students will cheat, many trying to meet the pressures of competition. It is the responsibility of both parents and teachers to correct it. Humans have, and seemingly always will, cheat, regardless of age.

SANDRA H. EVANS Baton Rouge

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COMMENTARY King Donald, meet King Pyrrhus In 279 B.C., King Pyrrhus of Epirus defeated a Roman legion at the Battle of Asculum. But that conflict cost so many casualties that his forces were left weak and vulnerable, leading the monarch to lament, “One more such victory and we are completely done for!”

The phrase “Pyrrhic victory” has survived for more than 2,300 years because it so aptly describes a driven but deluded leader who Steve picks the wrong fight.

Roberts Now it applies to President Donald Trump, who engineered successful primary challenges against two Republican senators that he accuses of disloyalty: John Cornyn, R-Texas; and Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge.

As a result of his triumph, Trump has weakened his own influence over the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow three-vote margin.

“After the president helped end the careers of two of their own, many in the Senate GOP feel he’s broken their political contract,” writes the website Puck. “Now, instead of constantly bowing to the executive branch, they’re agitating to fight, or at least stand up for themselves.”

“GOP aides characterized the mood as one of raw fury at President Trump over how he has treated senators,” reports The Wall Street Journal.

“They see Trump’s behaviors as potentially paralyzing most action in the Republican-led Congress for the rest of the year and bruising the party’s efforts to hang on to the Senate in the midterm elections.”

That “raw fury” was seriously inflamed by another Trump “victory”: his cynical scheme to create a $1.8 bil-

lion fund that would reward his supporters while shielding himself and his family from tax audits, potentially saving them $100 million in penalties.

“No one thinks this is a winning issue, even those in safe Republican House and Senate seats that don’t usually have to worry about an election,” a GOP strategist told Reuters. “Even those folks want no part of this.”

The backlash was so fierce that Trump — who hates to admit defeat or back down on anything — reluctantly gave up. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a congressional hearing, “We are not moving forward with the fund. Period.” Suspicion of Trump’s motives and machinations runs so high that Rep. Grace Meng, of New York, felt compelled to ask, “Not moving forward ever?” Blanche answered: “Correct.”

The president’s sleazy tax avoidance deal apparently remains on the books, although a federal judge in Florida has opened an investigation, saying the settlement “raises profound questions about the parties’ candor toward the Court and manipulation of the judicial system.”

So while some uncertainty lingers, this political paradox is increasingly clear. Trump remains highly popular among hardcore MAGA loyalists who vote in Republican primaries. But those loyalists are not enough to win general elections, and as Trump’s poll numbers continue to slide, his critics are more emboldened to act on their rising resentment.

In the latest survey by The Economist, Trump’s favorable rating plummeted to 34%, the lowest score during either of his terms. Fully 63% say the economy is getting worse under his stewardship, with only 13% seeing an improvement.

Polling by the nonpartisan political group Third Way reveals where that decline is coming from. A year ago, “moderate and liberal Republicans,” who might have voted for Trump but never joined MAGA Nation, thought the country was headed in the “right direction” by a 39-point margin. Now that edge has shrunk to 11 points.

This shift can be explained by a common complaint from disillusioned Trump supporters: “This is not what I voted for.”

The president has clearly broken two promises that he made repeatedly during the campaign: lowering prices and ending wars. But the self-dealing plot to enrich his supporters, and his family, symbolizes a larger discontent — a growing belief that Trump is simply not focused on the problems ordinary Americans care most about: their own families and their own budgets.

In fact, he candidly admits his own indifference, telling reporters “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation” in a video clip that is already featured in Democratic attack ads.

Instead, what he does seem to be thinking about are three very personal goals: rewarding his friends, punishing his enemies and burnishing his legacy.

He’s more concerned with putting his face on a $250 bill than putting money in voters’ pockets. More focused on renaming the Kennedy Center and remodeling the White House than restoring prosperity. More driven by revenge and grievance than consensus or compromise.

But his small victories are coming at a high cost. King Donald, meet King Pyrrhus.

Email Steven V. Roberts at stevecokie@gmail.com.

sTAFF PHoTo By soPHIA GERMER

sea-level rise threatens a way of life along the bayou near Campo’s Marina in shell Beach, though the Campo family also fears one of the state’s ambitious projects to address it could put them out of business.

Seas will rise, but there’s room for optimism A recent study makes dramatic claims about our city and state, but the science does not back them up.

The paper published last month in Nature Sustainability made headlines with a dire verdict about our city and state: “In paleo-climate terms, New Orleans is gone.”

The study claims coastal Louisiana has already crossed a “point of no return,” and that some of our state’s largest cities — Justin Baton Rouge, Lafayette Callais and New Orleans — will GUEsT eventually become waCoLUMNIsT terfront property as the Gulf encircles us.

As a New Orleanian and an economist who studies these kinds of claims for a living, I want to offer some pushback and reasons for optimism. This is not to deny that coastal Louisiana faces serious challenges, but bad science leads to bad policy, and our city deserves better than both.

The paper projects 3 to 7 meters (roughly 10 to 23 feet) of sea-level rise, pushing the shoreline more than 60 miles inland. That is an extremely wide range, and it corresponds to scenarios that even the most pessimistic projections cannot support. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change’s Sixth Assessment Report projects global mean sea-level rise of less than one meter by 2100. While those numbers are serious, they are a far cry away from the “inevitable” projections the paper treats as fait accompli.

These dramatic numbers come from the Last Interglacial period (roughly 125,000 years ago) when global sea levels were 5 to 9 meters higher than today. Because current temperatures are approaching comparable levels, they assume we face the same outcome. But this ignores the rate of change. The ice sheet collapse unfolded over thousands of years. Applying that endpoint to near-term policy decisions is a far step.

Critically, the paper’s authors acknowledge they have no timeline for when their projections would materialize. Remarkably, they frame this as a “strategic advantage,” arguing Louisiana should begin managed depopulation now. In essence, they want the uprooting of more than a million people based on projections they cannot attach a date to.

The authors show net outmigration along Louisiana’s coast, and net in-migration for Florida’s coast as evidence of climate retreat. However, under those same 3- to-7-meter projections, Florida’s coast would suffer the same fate. There are plenty of reasons

more people are moving to Florida and leaving Louisiana, but if people were moving for climate retreat, the coast of Florida would not make sense.

Perhaps most frustrating is that the authors treat New Orleanians and coastal Louisianans as chess pieces to be relocated and implies that any preventive measures are a lost cause.

But real solutions exist. The Dutch have battled the North Sea for centuries, but the same projection from the authors means that Amsterdam should be abandoned. Right here at home, companies like Glass Half Full are turning recycled glass into sand to help rebuild our coastlines. There are innovative, community-based approaches that deserve investment and attention.

Louisiana’s coast is not without problems. Subsidence and wetland loss are both important issues to take seriously. Solutions like restoration, smarter infrastructure investment and honest cost-benefit analysis are crucial, instead of surrender dressed up as science.

New Orleans has survived floods, hurricanes and a great deal else. Giving up on this city and south Louisiana is not a realistic strategy.

Justin Callais is chief economist at the Archbridge Institute and a New Orleans resident.

AI fiction is the new fast food

Three things you may not know about me: I am a big woman, 6 foot 2 inches in my stocking feet.

My laugh is loud, if not to say piercing. And I never apologize to furniture.

That’s why I identified so strongly with Auntie Marsha, the hero from “The Serpent in the Grove,” one of five regional winners of the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

“Big in the way of women who never apologize to furniture,” the story tells us, “she had a laugh that shook dust from joists and a voice that could softto coax a child from a ledge.”

Megan enI’m joking, of course. No one could McArdle possibly recognize themselves in this rococo garble. It reads as if the author had consumed a bunch of novels and perhaps the Encyclopaedia Britannica, but somehow never interacted with humans in the real world.

Which may be the truth.

While the author’s name is listed as Jamir Nazir, Pangram, an artificial intelligence detector with strong external validation, suggested the story was 100% AI-authored. When science fiction author James Yu ran the other stories through Pangram, he found that two of them also came back as likely AI-written — wholly or substantially. They contain similarly almost-coherent metaphors.

The Commonwealth Foundation, which oversees the short story competition, seems to be standing by the prizewinners. Kelsey Piper has an excellent essay explaining why “the age when you can run a literary magazine on trust is over. You can either decide AI submissions are fine, or you can filter for them.”

Piper is right, and since I cannot improve on her conclusion, let me instead ask: Why should we care whether authors are carbon-based, rather than silicon?

Many writers and readers will assume the answer is obvious. But if Pangram is correct, Commonwealth’s judges, who were selected for their “expertise, passion for the literary community and strong backgrounds in writing,” awarded a majority of their prizes to machine-written prose. If that’s the case, presumably these certified experts rejected some human-written stories in favor of “AI slop” — as did the many New York Times readers who preferred AI snippets to excerpts from award-winning writers in a recent blind test.

This suggests that many AI critics have it backward. If the proliferation of AI writing is a problem, it’s not because it’s terrible slop unfit for human consumption; it’s a problem because in some specific ways, it’s too good. It is the literary equivalent of fast food: convenient, cheap, hyper-consistent and relentlessly optimized to tickle our pleasure centers.

Sure, AI produces some crazy metaphors and weird hallucinations, because the models have all of our text and none of our context. On the other hand, AI is really good at optimizing for readability, both stylistically and structurally. AI fiction tends to be smoother, tighter and psychologically simpler than its human-written counterparts, explicitly stating themes, constructing “single-track narratives with fewer loose ends” and portraying fewer morally ambiguous characters.

This describes the three AI-flagged stories but not the two identified as human-written. It also describes what a lot of people want from their fiction — possibly even some who pride themselves on their literary sophistication. After all, AI didn’t evolve this style by accident; it writes that way because that’s what human readers rewarded. If so, one might argue that’s not a problem for anyone except (she said nervously) professional writers. What’s wrong with AI giving readers what they want?

Because as with fast food, what people want now isn’t necessarily good for them in the long run. It would be bad if new reading material mostly came from the same handful of models — a kind of intellectual monocropping, if you will.

Those who are familiar with the Irish famine know why monocropping is dangerous: The population of the island of Ireland still hasn’t fully rebounded from the potato blight that started in 1845 and wiped out its staple crop, killing more than 1 million people and forcing as many as 2 million to emigrate.

I’m not suggesting AI writing will result in mass death. I’m saying that just as it’s better to cultivate a variety of crops than to rely on one highly productive species, it’s better to cultivate a range of ideas from different sources. When you go all in on one big thing, you create a single point of failure.

Intellectual monocropping is not solely an AI problem, of course (see the recent headlong institutional rush into social justice politics). However, despite the best efforts of totalitarian movements, humanity has always maintained a healthy reserve of idiosyncratic thinkers. It would be a shame to lose that by ceding too much of our cognitive work to machines, which have been trained on the same broad corpus of human texts and tweaked to conform to the same narrow set of legal rules and cultural norms.

That’s the problem with AI fiction; when you’re taking a weighted average of prior human writing, without the leavening addition of personal experience, it’s easy to get something acceptable and hard to get something unforgettable. So, I fear a world where AI dominates fiction, think pieces and doctoral dissertations. We don’t need human writers because AI offers us too many wild metaphors. We need human writers because AI provides too few wild ideas.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

writer’s city of residence. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.o. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.

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12A ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Humid with a thunderstorm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Partly sunny and humid

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

A couple of t-storms; humid

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

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LOW

87° 72°

LOW

90° 74°

LOW

90° 73°

92° 76°

High/low Normal high/low Last year’s high/low Record high Record low

Beaumont 85/77 Port Arthur 82/77

Baton Rouge 87/72

Lake Charles 85/75

10s

20s

30s

Houma 87/75

40s

50s

60s

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80s

sunrise today sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

90s 100s 110s

LAST

JUN 8

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shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 67 MAIN PoLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN PoLLUTANT Particulates

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date year to date Normal year to date

HIGH

FT.

9:31p 1:17p 11:17a 1:19p 10:06a 10:30a 11:14a

FIRST

JUN 14

Hi

80 90 72 89 84 92 82 89 98

TODAY Lo

71 75 60 70 71 76 58 76 75

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80 92 86 80 89 91 92 91 98

TUE. Lo

69 76 65 70 74 75 57 76 76

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----- ------- ----- 4:50p 0.8 --- 8:28p 0.8 --- 10:47p 0.4 ----- ----- 11:49p 0.5

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

City

t t s t t pc c t s

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Los Angeles 78 Miami 90 Nashville 83 New york City 76 Philadelphia 81 Phoenix 105 st. Louis 84 san Francisco 66 seattle 59

TODAY Lo

60 78 73 59 55 78 74 58 52

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pc c t s s s t pc r

GooD

soURCE: LoUIsIANA DEQ AND AIRNoW.GoV

Today 6:12a 12:00a 6:34p 12:23p Tuesday 6:55a 12:43a 7:17p 1:06p Wednesday 7:37a 1:25a 8:01p 1:49p Thursday 8:21a 2:08a 8:48p 2:35p Friday 9:10a 2:55a 9:39p 3:25p saturday 10:04a 3:49a 10:36p 4:20p sunday 11:05a 4:49a 11:39p 5:22p

FULL

JUN 21

LOW

0.28” 1.74” 1.36” 29.54” 26.91”

0.4 11:30a 0.1 1.1 4:04a 0.3 1.6 1:34a 0.6 1.5 6:02a 0.8 0.7 12:07a 0.3 0.9 10:08p 0.5 0.9 1:09a 0.4

6:02 a.m.

8:06 p.m.

1:15 a.m.

1:20 p.m.

NEW

MoDERATE

PRECIPITATION

90°/77° 90°/70° 93°/75° 99° in 1972 60° in 1998

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) shell Beach south Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (southwest Pass) Wine Island

New Orleans 89/76

shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

0s

Hattiesburg 87/69

Alexandria 86/74

Lafayette 86/73

LOW

90° 74°

TEMPERATURE Jackson 88/72

Many 86/71

LOW

Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. sunday

Longview 91/73

-0s

90° 74°

Monroe 91/74

Shreveport 92/74

-10s

LOW

Mostly cloudy Tuesday. Winds east-southeast 6-12 mph. Expect 3-6 hours of sunshine with average relative humidity 70% and poor drying conditions. Wednesday: a stray thunderstorm in the afternoon. Winds southeast 6-12 mph. Expect 6-10 hours of sunshine with a 55% chance of precipitation and average relative humidity 70%. Drying conditions fair. Thursday: a thunderstorm around in the afternoon. Winds southeast 6-12 mph.

Hi

80 88 87 81 87 107 92 70 63

TUE. Lo

63 78 71 67 64 78 76 53 47

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pc t t s s s t pc sh

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near olive AMITE Near Darlington Denham springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA simmesport Melville Krotz springs Butte La Rose Bayou sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

SUN. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

16.40 39.37 41.33 25.11 16.42 12.22 8.30

-2.10 +0.04 +0.13 +0.21 +0.12 none +0.25

40

26.14

-4.24

19

-0.78

+0.44

18 29 8

-0.21 11.79 3.70

+0.32 -0.78 +0.08

13 15

3.23 1.81

+0.08 -0.58

47 34 29 20 12 6

21.84 16.51 14.06 11.12 6.40 4.09

+0.19 +0.36 +0.27 +0.27 +0.20 +0.30

data as of 7 a.m. sunday

Forecasts and graphics, except for Damon’s outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

In Brazil, Indigenous practices reshape wildfire strategy

BY GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA Associated Press

TOCANTINIA, Brazil — Fire began crackling like approaching rain on a recent morning in the Xerente Indigenous Territory in Tocantins in northern Brazil. But the Indigenous residents weren’t afraid and didn’t rush to put it out.

The flames were intentional as part of a wildfire prevention effort planned by the Xerente in coordination with environmental officials before the peak dry months of August and September.

The Xerente live in the Cerrado, a savanna in central and northern Brazil. Every year, villages face the threat of large-scale forest fires, a danger likely to worsen with the arrival of El Niño, a phenomenon that prolongs drought and pushes regional temperatures higher.

After decades of experiencing prejudice, Indigenous leaders now coordinate with the government to apply ancestral knowledge to prevent large wildfires.

During the action, a joint brigade of IBAMA, Brazil’s environmental protection agency, and trained Indigenous people moved into the savanna. On the ground, part of the team used the traditional technique of igniting fires with drip torches or dry palm leaves. A smaller group dropped incendiary spheres from a government helicopter to targetmapped areas.

If a fire threatened to get out of control, crews intervened immediately. The result was a patchwork of burned areas across the savanna that should help protect the ecosystem in the months ahead.

“They know the region, the climate, the vegetation, and the best times to set fires. We began seeking traditional knowledge, learning from them and adapting it to our objectives, aligning with their use of fire,” said Marco Borges, an IBAMA agent coordinating fire prevention in Tocantins. “We’ve learned they are actually our best teachers.”

Brazilian officials long followed a “zero-fire” strategy, treating any small burn as a threat to be quickly suppressed and banned under all circumstances. Over time, that approach fell out of favor and authorities began embracing new land

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By ANDRE PENNER

Xerente Indigenous people, part of a fire brigade formed by women, ignite fires in May as part of a controlled burn with dry palm leaves during a fire prevention operation along with Brazil’s environmental protection agency at the Xerente territory, near Tocantinia, Tocantins state, Brazil. management approaches combining traditional knowledge with science. In 2014, the government began partnering with Indigenous communities on controlled burns.

Fire is part of the natural evolution of savanna forests like the Cerrado and several species benefit from periodic burns, said Leandro Maracahipes, a biologist and Yale University researcher.

Fires historically have occurred naturally, sparked by lightning, at the start of the rainy season between October and April. But human activity has led to more destructive fires during the peak drought months of August and September that often are linked to pasture clearing near Xerente territory, which is surrounded by soy and cattle farms.

In the early dry season, when vegetation isn’t yet fully arid, small controlled burns help reduce flammable grass buildup. These burn areas create barriers around villages, headwaters and sensitive sites, protecting them from wildfires during peak drought.

“Totally excluding fire leads to a buildup of fuel that feeds high-

intensity burns. Such fires can kill even resilient trees and make firefighting nearly impossible as flames spread rapidly across the landscape, including into forests,” Maracahipes said.

When official vehicles arrived in Xerente territory to begin their work, about 30 Indigenous people stood waiting, lined up at a woodand-thatch tent used as the people’s association headquarters.

They formed two parallel lines, creating a corridor. On the left, a group wore official fire brigade uniforms: bright yellow shirts, green pants and protective boots.

On the right stood mostly shirtless men, their bodies marked with traditional painted patterns, some wearing shoes and others with flip-flops. Facing each other, they chanted traditional songs, stomping their feet in rhythm.

At the end of the corridor, Chief Lazaro Xerente, 68, the eldest leader of his people, waited, also shirtless with his torso painted, wearing a feathered headdress.

He thanked officials for their presence, but also expressed concern.

“People say, ‘Oh, it’s the Indige-

nous people who are causing fires,’ when in fact, since I was born, and long before me, my ancestors have always protected the forest,” he said in his native language with translation by Bolivar Rodrigues Xerente of Brazil’s Indigenous affairs agency FUNAI. After major fires make headlines, out-of-context images of Indigenous people often circulate on social media in Brazil, falsely blaming them and officials for the destruction. In reality, every burn is carefully planned by fire departments.

The operation began with teams gathered around a long wooden table inside a tent to map out the day’s burns, combining satellite data with Indigenous knowledge of the territory to identify areas requiring management.

Some Xerente were hired by the government for two-year terms and receive training and a monthly salary, while others serve as volunteers. The efforts are partly funded through a partnership between Bunge Foundation and IBAMA to support training and equipment for up to 40 Indigenous brigades

across five states in the Cerrado and the Amazon.

In regions like the Cerrado and the Amazon, El Niño usually brings higher temperatures and prolonged drought, creating conditions that allow wildfires to thrive.

During the most recent event from 2023 to 2024, Brazil saw historic fires that burned more than 76.1 million acres in 2024, an area larger than Italy, according to MapBiomas, a nonprofit that tracks deforestation and fire.

The Amazon was hardest hit, accounting for nearly 60% of the burned area. The Cerrado ranked second with almost 24.7 million acres affected.

Brazil’s Environment Ministry said that it has tracked El Niño impacts since early this year, deploying more than 4,000 brigade members nationwide. Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the government established a national fire management policy in 2024 to coordinate authorities and civil society, including the use of controlled burns with Indigenous communities.

Humidity has a dampening effect on wildfires, which normally helps protect the Amazon.

“However, in extreme years like the approaching El Niño, tropical forests become more susceptible to fire,” Maracahipes said, adding that the Amazon should remain protected by a zero-fire policy.

But in the Cerrado, fire is an effective land management tool.

“When applied with technical expertise, fire can significantly contribute to environmental conservation,” said André Lima, secretary for deforestation control and landuse planning at the Ministry of the Environment. “In prescribed or controlled burns for agricultural production, for example, it can help prevent major disasters.”

Bolivar Rodrigues Xerente of FUNAI said that his Indigenous elders have taught him that traditional knowledge and modern science are like the two wings of a bird.

“A bird with two wings can navigate the wind, but with only one wing, it can’t,” he said. “Technology, without traditional knowledge in the Indigenous communities, doesn’t work.”

SPORTS

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M o n d ay, J u n e 8, 2026

NBA FINALS s P U R s A T K N I C K s • 7 : 3 0 P. M . M o N D A y • A B C

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Legacy Bowl relocating to Atlanta

HBCU pre-draft showcase will leave N.o. in 2027

BY ROD WALKER staff writer

ON A MISSION

After a five-year run in New Orleans, the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl has found a new home.

The Legacy Bowl, a postseason college football all-star game for draft-eligible players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, is relocating to Atlanta.

Doug Williams, the legendary Grambling quarterback and Super Bowl XXII Most Valuable Player, helped start the game in 2022.

“Atlanta represents tremendous growth and opportunity for the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl and the young people we serve,” Williams said in a statement released on Friday. “We believe this next chapter will elevate the experience for our students, fans, partners, and NFL scouts while continuing to honor the proud traditions and lasting impact of HBCU football.”

The game was played at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium for the first five years.

The 2027 game will be played on Feb. 27 at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta and will air live on the NFL Network.

Williams started the game with James “Shack” Harris, also a former NFL quarterback who played at Grambling.

ä see LEGACY, page 3B

With NyC buzzing, Knicks, spurs remain focused on one goal

BY BRIAN MAHONEY AP basketball writer

NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden has seen just about everything in sports and entertainment, from the first Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight to the first Wrestlemania.

It just hasn’t seen much of the NBA Finals.

The New York Knicks have brought the finals back to their home court for the first time since 1999 and can make sure they don’t leave again this year. Fans are spending astonishingly high prices for tickets and the potential to witness a celebration more than five decades in the making.

With a 2-0 lead over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks are halfway to their first championship since 1973. They are the biggest thing in the Big Apple, and it seems everyone is caught up in the hoopla except the Knicks themselves.

“I know the fan base is really excited, as they should be,” captain Jalen Brunson said. “But as a team, us inside the locker room, we have more work to do.”

Game 3 is Monday, with President Donald Trump in the building. Whether they’ve played in the arena or sat way up in the cheap seats — not that there is such a thing this time, with tickets reselling for more than $10,000 — people know this night will be different.

“I think it’s going to be through the roof,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “I think it’s going to be everything that I’ve kind of seen or dreamed of times 10.”

It will be the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since June 25, 1999, which ended with the Knicks watching the Spurs celebrate their first championship after winning Game 5.

That series, and one in 1994, were the only finals games

ä see NBA, page 5B

Begnaud runs to keep husband’s memory alive Lafayette native is on a quest to run in 100 half marathons

Love of running got Pam and her husband Wayne “Bubba” Begnaud competing in half marathons all across the United States.

Love has kept her going — on her own.

Several years ago, the Lafayette couple set a goal: they would compete in 50 half marathons in all 50 states.

“We’d done half marathons in Louisiana and Texas,” Scott Pam said. “Bubba started Rabalais about 10 years ago and I joined in about five years ago.

“We were running in the Little Rock marathon and I said I’d seen people who’d run in all 50 states. It blossomed from there.”

At first, Bubba, able to maintain a faster pace, would run ahead, complete his 13.1 miles and come back to find Pam so they could cross the finish line together. Eventually, his bad knees and her pace found a

lock step as they crossed the past 20 finish lines together.

“We’ve done Mount Rainier, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Grand Teton,” Pam said. “If Bubba was close to any famous sports field, he would want to see it.”

A half marathon this past Oct. 19 in Des Moines, Iowa, marked their 48th state. That left just Hawaii and Nebraska to be checked off their list.

Unfortunately, Des Moines was the end of their racing journey together.

On Nov. 6, as they were preparing to run in Lincoln, Nebraska, Bubba Begnaud died in his sleep at 66. An autopsy eventually revealed he died of ventricular fibrillation, a deadly condition when the heart stops pumping blood normally.

“He was an organ donor in Nebraska and Louisiana,” Pam said.

“It took two weeks to get his body back. I wanted an autopsy. No one could tell me (at first) what happened to my very healthy husband. It took about a month.

“Looking back,” Pam said, her voice

Pam and Bubba Begnaud run a half marathon on oct. 19 in Des Moines, Iowa. It was the last time they ä see RABALAIS, page 3B ran a race together. PRoVIDED PHoTo

PRoVIDED PHoTo By LsU ATHLETICs

Team UsA guard Mikaylah Williams looks to take a shot during a quarterfinal game on saturday in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. Williams scored the game-winning shot in sunday’s win over Australia.

Williams, Fulwiley lead Team USA to FIBA 3x3 World Cup gold

BY REED DARCEY staff writer

LSU women’s basketball stars Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley helped Team USA win a gold medal Sunday at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Poland.

Williams and Fulwiley — two rising senior guards who earned spots on the U.S. 3×3 national team alongside South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards and Oklahoma’s Sahara Williams — secured the first-place finish by beating Australia 21-20 in the final. Williams hit the game-sealing shot, while Fulwiley scored a team-high nine points.

“I’m just blessed,” Williams said in her postgame interview. “I’m blessed to be on this stage, to play with some amazing teammates, to play for some amazing coaches and to rep USA. “We’re young. I think we’re the youngest team in the tournament, and we came in here with a chip on our shoulder.”

The win capped a dominant run for the group, which has now taken 18 of the 19

ä see GOLD, page 5B

2B ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV MLB 5:40 p.m. N.y. yankees at Cleveland Fs1 8:45 p.m. Washington at san Francisco MLBN

NBA PLAYOFFS 7:30 p.m. Finals: san Antonio at New york ABC MEN’S SOCCER 2 p.m.

France vs. Northern Ireland Fs2 8:50 p.m. spain vs. Peru Fs2

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

TENNIS 4 a.m. (Tue.) WTA, ATP WNBA 6 p.m.

Indiana at Washington 9 p.m. seattle at Las Vegas

Tennis NBCsN UsA

Zverev wins French Open for first Slam

BY ANDREW DAMPF Associated Press

PARIS — Alexander Zverev is no longer one of the best players never to win a major title.

He’s finally a Grand Slam champion.

In his fourth major final, Zverev beat Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for the French Open title on Sunday.

It was a unique opportunity for Zverev without Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz across the net and the third-ranked German took full advantage on the red clay of Roland Garros.

When Cobolli missed an overhand on the second championship point after more than four hours of the five-set encounter, Zverev dropped on his back to the clay and covered his face with his hands as he began sobbing. When he got up, with his shirt and arms covered in clay, Zverev put his hands back on his face before he lifted both arms in celebration.

When Zverev was handed the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, he lifted it with both hands and let out a liberating roar.

“This court is so special to me in so many ways. I’ve had the best moments of my life on this court; I had the worst moment of my life on these courts,” Zverev said, referring to when he was injured and pushed off on a wheelchair during a semifinal against Rafael Nadal in 2022.

“I was laying in that corner over there four years ago with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones,” Zverev said. “I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago but now finally it’s a happy end.”

Zverev has now joined an elite group of players that captured their first major in their fourth final: Eight-time major champion Andre Agassi, 2001 Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic and 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.

No Sinner or Alcaraz Zverev had been an overwhelming favorite for the title ever since the top-ranked Sinner struggled in the first week’s heat wave and wasted a two-set and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. A day later, 24time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also eliminated.

Alcaraz, the two-time reigning

Korda wins U.S. Women’s Open with perilous putt

LOS ANGELES — Nelly Korda won the 81st U.S. Women’s Open on Sunday for her second consecutive major victory, holding off Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez by one shot when her final 21/2-foot par putt curled perilously around the cup and finally dropped in.

Korda’s first U.S. Open win is the fourth major victory of her career, and she claimed it with a steady 2-under 69 in the final round — but only after her second putt on the 18th green caught the left edge and toured half the circumference of the hole before dropping.

The top-ranked Korda put her hand over her open mouth in disbelief before finally laughing. She finished at 8-under 269 after sharing the lead throughout the windy finale of the first Women’s Open ever held at 100-year-old Riviera.

Fan-favorite broadcaster, former Bull King dies at 59

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By CHRIsToPHE ENA

Alexander Zverev hugs the trophy after winning the men’s final match against Flavio Cobolli on sunday at the French open in Paris. champion, withdrew before the tournament with an injured right wrist.

It was Zverev’s second French Open final, having wasted a lead of two sets to one against Alcaraz in the 2024 championship match.

Zverev had an even bigger advantage — two sets to none — in the 2020 U.S. Open final and lost that one, too, to Thiem. He was also beaten in straight sets by Sinner in the 2025 Australian Open final.

It was the 25th title of Zverev’s career.

Cobolli’s first Slam final The 14th-ranked Cobolli had never been past a Grand Slam quarterfinal until this week.

He was attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the singles trophy at Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.

Cobolli comes from the same tennis club in Rome as Panatta did, and Panatta was asked by tournament organizers to present the trophy to the champion to celebrate the anniversary of his 1976 triumph.

The honors, however, went to Zverev.

Russian teenager Mirra Andre- Zverev won the point.

Cobolli’s supporters in his box eva won the women’s singles trowere all dressed in blue, the color phy on Saturday. of Italy’s national teams, and as Zverev took control early on Cobolli worked his way back into The match was played in per- the match, there were chants of fect conditions, and Zverev’s “Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio.”

After Zverev held for a 6-5 game was almost flawless at the lead in the fourth, he had his upstart.

Zverev broke Cobolli’s serve per right leg treated by a trainer. in a long opening game when Co- Then Zverev wasted a 3-1 lead in bolli shanked a forehand into the the tiebreaker, which Cobolli confirst row of the stands. The break cluded with a forehand winner up came after Zverev had a bit of the line that produced a roar from luck when a backhand return hit the crowd. the net but dribbled over on game But Cobolli appeared to run out point for Cobolli. of energy in the fifth, running A group of women in the stands down a drop shot only for Zverev held up letters to form Zverev’s to then pass him up the line for a nickname: “Sascha.”

3-0 lead and a double break.

Cobolli likes to stand way over near the corner of the court Abuse allegations and hit big kick serves out wide Moments after Zverev’s previinto the ad court. Zverev knew ous Grand Slam final in Australia what was coming and returned in 2025, a person in the stadium one such kick serve early in the yelled out the names of two of his first set with a backhand that he ex-girlfriends who accused him wrapped around the outside of the of physical abuse. net post. Cobolli ended up winning One case was resolved followthe point, but it was a message ing an agreement between Gerfrom Zverev that he knew how to man prosecutors, lawyers for handle his opponent’s tactics.

Zverev and his former partner.

The next time Zverev hit a The ATP Tour investigated anwrap-around-the-net-post return, other case and concluded there Cobolli couldn’t handle it and was insufficient evidence.

CHICAGO — Stacey King, who played on three consecutive NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls from 1991-93 before returning to the organization as an Emmy-winning, fan-favorite broadcaster, has died. He was 59.

The Bulls announced that King died Sunday and said they were notified by a family member. No other details were available.

King began his NBA playing career with the Bulls, who selected the 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Oklahoma with the sixth overall pick in the 1989 draft. He averaged 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds over his five seasons with the Bulls. He also played for Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas.

As a broadcaster, King spent more than two decades as a commentator on Bulls games.

Hatton holds on to win his second LIV Golf title

SOTOGRANDE, Spain — Tyrrell Hatton had two late birdies to hold off Jon Rahm and close with a 1-under 71, giving him a two-shot victory in LIV Golf Andalucia for his second title in the league.

Hatton’s other victory came in 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Rahm closed with a 67 to finish alone in second and keep his place atop the points standings on LIV Golf, which now is off for nearly two months. Abraham Ancer (68) finished third, while Sergio Garcia played the back nine with one bogey and no birdies for a 70 to finish fourth.

Joaquin Niemann stayed third in the points standings to earn a spot in the British Open. Thomas Detry had three early bogeys and never recovered, closing with a 74.

Poston loses 4-shot lead but rallies to win Memorial McDavid ties Gretzky with fifth Lindsay Award honor

BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press

DUBLIN, Ohio — J.T. Poston built a four-shot lead Sunday morning in the rain-delayed Memorial and won the biggest tournament of his career. It just turned out to be a lot more work than he would have imagined.

Poston, who lost his lead after 12 holes, made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to salvage an even-par 72 and force a playoff with Ryan Gerard, and then won on the second extra hole when Gerard missed a 6-foot par putt.

Gerard made a 40-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to briefly take the lead, closed with a 68 and didn’t really make a mistake over the final four hours until the final putt.

So ended the longest day for both of them — 33 holes, including 13 in the morning to complete the third round and two playoff holes. But what a payoff for Poston in so many ways. He had not finished in the top 20 in his previous 13 tournaments this year. And then he delivered the goods and celebrated with a handshake with tournament host Jack Nicklaus.

“A lot of holes, a lot of grit,” Poston said. “Obviously, didn’t play my best first 12, 13 holes, but I told myself I knew I was going to shake Jack’s hand walking off 18, and I wanted to be proud of that handshake regardless of how it turned out. So I’m thrilled it happened this way.”

The perks went beyond the $4 million prize. Poston earned a spot in the next three majors with one great week — high enough in the world ranking to avoid a 36hole qualifier Monday for the U.S. Open, the one British Open spot

NEW YORK — Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has won the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted by his peers.

The league and the Players’ Association announced the honor Sunday. This is the fifth time McDavid has won it, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in league history for the trophy, which used to be named for Lester B. Pearson.

McDavid, 29, led all scorers this past season with 90 assists and 138 points. San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov were second and third in voting by members of the NHLPA. McDavid is also a Hart Trophy finalist for league MVP.

Texas Tech’s appeal for Sorsby reportedly denied

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By sUE oGRoCKI

J.T. Poston shakes hands with golf legend Jack Nicklaus after winning the Memorial on sunday in Dublin, ohio. available this week, and a return to the Masters.

They finished at 12-under 276 after Poston and Gerard pulled away from what had been a fiveway tie for the lead with an hour to go in the tournament.

Tommy Fleetwood drilled a fairway metal to 5 feet for eagle on the par-5 15th. Wyndham Clark made a late surge. Former LSU golfer Sam Burns was never too far behind. All of them were at 11 under heading to the final few holes.

Clark, who made birdie on the 16th to reach 11 under, closed with two pars for a 67. He wound up alone in third, one shot out of

the playoff.

Fleetwood hit into the rough with his first three shots on the 17th and had to scramble for bogey. He shot 68. Burns also missed the 17th fairway, and his next shot tumbled back down the rough and settled on the bridge over a small creek. He hit that to 40 feet, and his long par putt peeked into the cup and somehow stayed out. A 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th narrowly missed. He shot 69 and tie for fourth with Fleetwood.

Scottie Scheffler, trying to join Tiger Woods with a third straight victory at the Memorial, was never in the mix for so much of the week. He closed with a 71

and tied for 12th, but felt he did enough right over the weekend that his game was headed in the right direction.

His next stop is the U.S. Open, where a victory would give him the career Grand Slam.

Rory McIlroy is now 0 for 14 at the Memorial. He birdied his first three holes before getting caught in dense rough that slowed his momentum. He shot 68 and tied for 12th.

Two storm stoppages Saturday led to the marathon Sunday.

Poston did some of his best work in the morning, running off three straight birdies on the back nine for a 69 for a four-shot lead.

Texas Tech’s appeal to the NCAA to have Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility reinstated has been denied, in a ruling that is separate from the transfer quarterback’s lawsuit against that same governing body.

A person with knowledge of the NCAA’s decision told The Associated Press on Friday night that the NCAA for the second time denied Texas Tech’s petition to restore the quarterback’s eligibility. He was ruled ineligible after he acknowledged gambling on sports, including on his own team while at Indiana.

That came while the NCAA and Sorsby were still waiting for a ruling from a Texas judge after the quarterback filed a lawsuit May 18 seeking a temporary injunction against the NCAA in hopes of playing this season for the Red Raiders.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 3B

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Hamlin dedicates victory at Michigan to Busch

By The Associated Press

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By FATIMA sHBAIR

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli smiles after winning the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix race on sunday in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Antonelli extends his win streak in Monaco

By The Associated Press MONACO — Kimi Antonelli is writing his place in Formula 1 history at record speed.

“You’re catching me up,” Lewis Hamilton, who has the most wins in history with 105, told Antonelli after the 19-year-old Italian beat him in a bizarre and much-delayed Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

Antonelli replaced Hamilton at Mercedes last year, and only won his first race in March. He now has five wins in a row and a vast lead of 66 points over Hamilton, who was second Sunday.

“He’s only 19, so just imagine what the future holds for him, but I’m going to do my best to try and chase him down for the rest of the year,” Hamilton said. “It’s a real privilege to witness it.”

Antonelli said he needed to find his focus again but stayed cool when the race was stopped and briefly seemed set to be abandoned before a restart. All that on a tight, twisty circuit threaded between metal barriers where any slip brings a crash.

An uncertain restart Antonelli was on course for victory with 10 laps remaining when the race was red-flagged after parts of the asphalt broke away and two cars crashed in quick succession, one of them Charles Leclerc in third place.

After a long delay, officials said the race would be resumed from a standing start. When that happened, Antonelli took control again to become the youngest F1 winner in Monaco and was never in real danger of being overtaken.

“Thank you so much guys,” he told the Mercedes team. “The car

was a beast today.”

Isack Hadjar was confirmed third for Red Bull after battling engine problems and seeing off an investigation.

Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell missed the points for the second race running, dropping out of the top 10 with a penalty. That followed an engine failure while battling Antonelli for the lead of last month’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Russell said Thursday the title was Antonelli’s “to lose.” Now it certainly seems that way.

Max Verstappen started second for Red Bull but lost power at the start and dropped to the back before retiring the car at the end of the first lap. Like many F1 drivers, the four-time champion lives in Monaco and suggested he’d watch the rest of the race from home.

Hamilton’s turnaround Hamilton was in a jubilant mood after placing second. The seven-time champion paid tribute to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur for his role in turning around Hamilton and the team’s fortunes.

“Fred has been awesome in supporting me. I think last year was really tough for both of us,” said Hamilton, adding that he was “seeing the fruits” of changes which Vasseur implemented. Hamilton wasn’t on the podium in any Grand Prix in all of 2025 in his first year with the team.

Vasseur was back at the track with Ferrari on Sunday after he missed Saturday’s qualifying session. The team said he had been under observation at a medical facility, without giving any further details of his condition.

BROOKLYN, Mich. — There were no boos for Denny Hamlin after this winning burnout at Michigan International Speedway.

Holding a black No. 18 flag out the window, the Joe Gibbs Racing star celebrated his 63rd career victory by smoking the tires of his No. 11 Toyota down the straightaway in honor of Kyle Busch, his late teammate whom he tied for ninth on the all-time win list in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“Truthfully, I had to outlive him to tie him,” said Hamlin, who radioed “We love you, KB” on his victory lap. “He was an amazing teammate. He taught me so much at tracks like this. I just can’t say enough.”

It was the second consecutive victory for Hamlin and his second consecutive win at Michigan, where he celebrated last year by taunting fans who booed him.

But there were only raucous cheers from the front-stretch grandstands Sunday as Hamlin jogged up to the flag stand to get the checkered flag while still carrying his Busch tribute flag.

Busch drove the No. 18 from 2008-22 for Gibbs, teaming up with Hamlin for a NASCARrecord 523 races. Busch’s death on May 21 rocked the NASCAR world, which was already grieving over the offseason deaths of Greg Biffle and his family in a plane crash. Hamlin’s father also died in a Dec. 28 house fire.

Noting that Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett also died last week, Hamlin dedicated his third win this season to Busch and his family.

“The offseason, it was rough for me, and it was rough for the NASCAR family,” Hamlin said. “Just an unbelievable feeling to be able to strap in every week, and I don’t take it for granted, this opportunity that I’m in. I just love we’re making the best of it.”

Just like last week’s win at Nashville Superspeedway, when the Joe Gibbs Racing car started on the pole position but was penalized for jumping the start, Hamlin qualified first at Michigan but dropped to the back at the green flag because of a penalty for unapproved adjustments to his No. 11 Toyota.

Hamlin patiently worked his way to the front over 400 miles.

He took the lead for good on a three-wide pass during a restart with 38 laps remaining, sweeping into first around Spire Rac-

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By PAUL sANCyA

Denny Hamlin celebrates winning a NAsCAR Cup series race on sunday at Michigan International speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. ing teammates Daniel Suarez and Carson Hocevar, a home-state favorite.

Hamlin won by 11.110 seconds, his widest margin of victory in Cup and the largest win at Michigan since June 1991.

“This Joe Gibbs team just keeps giving me amazing race cars,” Hamlin said. “This Toyota was just amazing. And at the last run there, it just hammered down. It had a few good restarts, and then once we got to the lead, I was going to lay it out.”

Erik Jones, another Michigan native, finished second after also starting from the rear for unapproved adjustments. Bubba Wallace was a season-best third, followed by Kyle Larson and Hocevar, who notched his best Michigan finish.

“I don’t think anyone was going to contend with Denny at the end,” Larson said. “He was flying.”

Crash causes red The race was stopped with 51 laps remaining to repair a damaged SAFER barrier after a hard crash involving Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott.

During a restart on the 148th lap, the drivers were running side by side for second. Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet bobbled and skidded up the track into Bell’s No. 20 Toyota, which shot into the outside wall at the 2-mile oval where speeds top 200 mph.

The impact with Bell’s Camry severely deformed the SAFER barrier, which is comprised of steel and foam to absorb energy in wrecks. A red flag was displayed for 20 minutes to fix the damaged

section of the barrier.

Both drivers climbed from their cars and walked to an ambulance for a trip to the track’s infield care center. Team owner Joe Gibbs said after the race that Bell had wrist and ankle injuries that would need to be evaluated this week.

Elliott patted Bell on the shoulder and apologized for the wreck before they entered the ambulance.

“I’m fine; it was totally my fault,” Elliott said. “I feel really bad for Bell, just taking him out. I was trying to run on the bottom and make use of our fresh tires and at least get to second and hopefully stay side by side with him. I got in there and got free and thought I was going to spin and was committing to spin out, and as soon as I started to commit to spinning, it just hooked up and hooked a right.

Unfortunately, it sent Christopher into the wall super hard, and then me shortly there behind.

“Just racing really hard. I felt like that was kind of a turning point in the race. We needed to make something happen. I stepped over the line again and paid for it. … I just told him I’m sorry. Obviously, it was not on purpose.”

Rough rookie season A nightmarish debut season in the Cup Series continued for Connor Zilisch, who crashed twice in the first eight laps and finished last in the 37-car field. The Trackhouse Racing driver has finished outside the top 30 the past three races and is still seeking the first top 10 of his rookie campaign.

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1B

sTAFF FILE PHoTo By sCoTT THRELKELD

Gaither’s Quinton Williams fakes a handoff to Latrell Collier during the first half of the HBCU Legacy Bowl on Feb. 24, 2024, at yulman stadium.

LEGACY

Continued from page 1B

the game, similar to what happens at the Senior Bowl. The week also featured a combine for players at the New Orleans Saints’ practice facility.

“This type of exposure will at least make sure teams get a chance to see the athletic ability and watch them compete against each other,” Harris said. “The teams can work them out and see them up close and personal. It’s all about the opportunity.”

The game includes a career fair that gives students from HBCUs a chance to find jobs in various areas. Students from the local university — Xavier, Dillard and UNO — were frequent attendees at the event. Now the event moves to Atlanta, a city that calls HBCUs like Morehouse, Spelman and Clark and Morris Brown home.

“Atlanta’s national visibility, strong corporate community, thriving HBCU alumni base, and world-class event infrastructure make it an ideal destination for the game and its surrounding week of programming,” Legacy Bowl officials said in a statement.

The purpose of the game is to give more players from HBCUs a chance to showcase their skills in front of NFL scouts. The number of players from HBCUs has declined drastically since the days when Williams and Harris played.

There were no players from HBCUs drafted in April. Carson Vinson, an offensive tackle from Alabama A&M, was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

“Everybody doesn’t get the opportunity that I had,” Williams said back in 2021 when the game was first announced. “We understand why that is. It’s because of what has transpired over the years from a recruiting standpoint, where most people think all the top players go to Power Five schools. Let’s be honest: It’s true. But I still think there are some diamonds that are being missed.”

The game’s goal is to make sure those diamonds continue to be found. Pro coaches get to attend Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ practices the week leading up to theadvocate.com.

quavering, “I’m so grateful what we were able to accomplish and the time we were able to spend together.”

The question soon became how Pam, who retired from her job as a radio station market manager in Lafayette for Townsquare Media at the end of 2024, would spend her time. How she would find something to fill her days, and that unfillable void, in her life.

“When I came back, I wanted to quit running,” Pam said. “I was done.”

Still, plans had already been made for Pam and Bubba to run in Hawaii, their 49th state, in January.

After much thought, Pam decided to go. To complete another important milepost on their quest.

Accompanied by two of their three children, Jaden and Anais, Pam made the solemn but determined trip across the Pacific. On Jan. 18, she ran the Maui Oceanfront Marathon.

Race organizers awarded a medal, posthumously, to Bubba.

“They said he finished his race,” Pam said.

That still left one race to go to complete the 50. One in Nebraska. Pam couldn’t bring herself to go back to Lincoln, where Bubba died, so she found another event.

On May 11, Pam ran in South Sioux City, Nebraska, surrounded by the racing friends she and Bubba made through all their trips around the country.

Would this be the end of Pam’s running journey? She decided it was not. Soon, Begnaud set off on a quest to complete 100 half marathons through a racing company she and Bubba worked with called Mainly Marathons. Runners who reach the 100-event mark get recognized as being part of the 50-state

PRoVIDED PHoTo

Pam Begnaud, holding a photo, celebrates after running her 50th half marathon in 50 states with running friends on May 11 in south sioux City, Neb. marathon half-marathon club.

“I know this is what he would want me to do,” Begnaud said.

“To keep busy. I’m not sitting on a sofa crying 24/7. I’ve talked to other widows who said they’re no better off than when their husband died. I couldn’t do that.”

Pam is currently in the midst of her race to 100, taking on back-to-back racing series in the northeast, a total of 11 races in 11 days. She started Wednesday in Bear, Delaware, then ran through Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Sunday found Begnaud running in Montgomery, New York. If all goes as scheduled, after events this week in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, Begnaud will run her 100th race this coming Saturday in Sanford, Maine.

“It’s pretty much rinse and repeat,” Begnaud said. “Run, take a shower, grab your luggage, drive to the next state. It’s ‘Groundhog Day’ every day.”

She runs alone now, but then again, not really. Not with all the running friends Pam and Bubba made over the years. Not with all the memories.

“They’re like a family,” Pam

said earlier this week. “I went to packet pickup today and everyone knew I lost my husband.

That he was a runner. They’re kind, like-minded people.”

“No doubt” Bubba would want Pam to keep going, she said.

She’s living his favorite phrase: “I got it.”

“That’s the only reason I’m doing it,” Begnaud said. “To honor him. I know he’s watching.”

If her words remind you a bit of “Forrest Gump,” you’d be right. Once in a race near the Four Corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, Pam and Bubba trekked down a highway traveled by Tom Hanks’ character in the famous movie as he thinks of his beloved Jenny.

“I know this is where I feel closest to him,” Pam said.

After Maine, what’s next? Begnaud hasn’t decided, just that she plans to keep running.

For herself. For Bubba.

“He’s still running right beside Pam,” David Clark, a fellow runner, said at a gathering back in January in Hawaii.

Love doesn’t have to end with the grave.

It certainly doesn’t end at the finish line of a race.

4B ■ Monday Monday, June 88, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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WORLD CUP 2026 W C A N A D A

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U N I T E D S T A T E S

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M E X I C O

USMNT feeling confident heading into World Cup

BY JAY COHEN AP sportswriter

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By GREGoRy BULL

Iran’s Ehsan Hajisafi, left, walks off a plane with his teammates for training ahead of the World Cup on sunday in Tijuana, Mexico.

Iranian soccer team arrives in Mexico several members of Iran’s entourage still lack U.s. visas

Associated Press TIJUANA, Mexico — Iran defender Ehsan Hajsafi criticized soccer’s governing body after the team arrived in Mexico on Sunday with some members of their entourage still lacking U.S. visas, before three World Cup group matches in the United States later this month.

The team’s participation in the World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has been complicated by the Iran war. Problems with processing visas earlier led Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, which is on the border with California.

“First of all, we’re very happy that the team has finally arrived, and we’re delighted about that,” Hajsafi said. “Thank God, the team’s condition is very good.

“With everything that happened, visas were eventually issued. Personally, however, I do have a complaint about FIFA. Why did it take so long? As far as I understand, visas were issued only to the players and a few members of the coaching staff.”

Some members of Iran’s entourage are still without U.S. visas before games in Los Angeles and Seattle. Those include the Iranian Football Federation’s secretary-general, Hedayat Mombeini, and its vice president, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi.

“Unfortunately, several key

members of our coaching staff, whose roles are very important within the team, were not granted visas,” Hajsafi said. “That includes the team manager, the executive director and the media director.

“From here, I would like to ask FIFA to address this issue so that, God willing, the situation can be resolved in the coming days.”

Iran had been training in the Turkish city of Antalya. The team flew directly to Tijuana, Mexico, which is just south of San Diego, on a private jet from the Mediterranean city’s airport.

Hajsafi was the first player to exit the plane with markings for German charter airline USC, which arrived at about 5:05 a.m.

He led the team, dressed in blue blazers over white T-shirts, through a brief security check with Mexican officials and dogs before boarding a bus.

The bus stopped briefly at the entrance to the Tijuana airport, where around 20 or so Iran fans waved flags.

Iran plays its first two games in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15, and Belgium six days later, then heads to Seattle to face Egypt on June 26. Iran and the U.S. could meet in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, if both teams come second in their groups.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump had discouraged Iran from participating in the tournament, saying he didn’t think it was “appropriate” and raising concerns over players’ “life and safety.”

A day later, Iran’s national team pushed back, saying “no one can exclude” it from playing.

CHICAGO — Antonee Robinson struck the ball perfectly with his left foot, and it rocketed into the corner of the goal. Surrounded by a delirious sellout crowd at Soldier Field, the defender celebrated with a cartwheel and a backflip.

Not a bad way to go into the World Cup. Robinson’s spectacular goal was the biggest highlight for the United States in a 2-1 loss to Germany on Saturday. It was the ninth consecutive loss for the U.S. against European opponents dating to 2022, but the Americans were encouraged by their performance in their final World Cup tuneup.

“I mean against a really good team, I thought we were dangerous at times,” forward Christian Pulisic said. “We had good stretches of possession, defended well for good portions of it. And, yeah, I mean honestly, I think, we’re feeling good.”

Members of the 1994 U.S. team were recognized on the field before the game.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino started what figures to be close to his World Cup lineup, with Matt Freese in goal, Sergiño Dest at right back, Alex Freeman, Miles Robinson and Tim Ream in central defense, Antonee Robinson at left back, Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman in defensive midfield, Pulisic and Weston McKennie in advanced midfield and Folarin Balogun up front.

The U.S. played without top defender Chris Richards, sidelined since tearing a pair of left ankle ligaments on May 17. Richards, Mark McKenzie or Auston Trusty could replace Miles Robinson in the World Cup opener on Friday against Paraguay.

In its final test before the tournament, the U.S. generated a handful of promising scoring opportunities, led by Pulisic and Balogun.

The 16th-ranked Americans controlled the last part of the first half and finished with 10 corner kicks, compared to two for the 10thranked Germans.

But the U.S. also made a couple of costly mistakes that Pochettino will look to clean up in his final preparations for the World Cup. The U.S. has 14 wins, 10 losses

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By NAM y. HUH

United states forward Christian Pulisic, right, is tackled by Germany forward Leroy sané during the first half of an international friendly match on saturday in Chicago. and two draws since Pochettino took over as coach in October 2024.

“We compete. Unlucky. I think was an even game,” Pochettino said. “If you see the stats, similar stats in some stats for us. I am so happy with the commitment and how the team was.”

The Americans got off to a tough start when Adams was called for tripping Felix Nmecha with the German’s back to the goal just 43 seconds into the game. Ream was picked by Nico Schlotterback on the resulting free kick, and a wideopen Kai Havertz broke past Miles Robinson and converted an easy header in the second minute.

On Germany’s final goal, Miles Robinson was late in stepping up as Leroy Sané got a short pass from Havertz and beat Freese to the far post in the 57th minute.

“Disappointed that we lost, but many positives to take,” Antonee Robinson said. “I feel like conceding that early, we could have easily crumbled, and it could have been a very, very bad day to be going into the tournament with. But we

fought back and at times played some really good football and looked good, looked competitive.”

Nothing on the U.S. side looked better than Antonee Robinson’s fifth international goal in the 37th minute. Jonathan Tah’s headed clearance attempt on Pulisic’s corner kick went just outside the area, and Robinson had perfect form on his volley past Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.

“Sick. I mean, it’s a sick goal,” a smiling Pulisic said.

The 28-year-old Robinson, who gave himself the nickname of “ Jedi ” when he was just a kid, said he had never scored a goal like that in a competitive game.

It was reminiscent of Benny Feilhaber’s tiebreaking goal for the U.S. against Mexico in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final at Soldier Field.

“Going into a World Cup it means a lot to have that kind of in my mind that I’ve scored something like that and a bit of freedom to shoot again if I’m in that position,” Robinson said.

Mexico City’s altitude poses key challenge for teams

BY CARLOS RODRIGUEZ and JOHN DUERDEN

pitch during our stay.”

To prepare, the Korean squad has been stationed at more than 4,300 feet (1,300 meters) in Salt Lake City, Utah, since May 18.

According to Shepherd, that can make a significant difference.

“Spending two to three weeks at altitude stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells and improves oxygen-carrying capacity, meaning players arrive with some degree of adaptation rather than experiencing the full, acute environmental stress on match day.”

Colombia, which plays its first Group K game against Uzbekistan on June 17 in Mexico City, has been preparing for the World Cup in its high-altitude capital, Bogotá, at 8,600 feet above sea level.

AP sportswriters

MEXICO CITY — Heat won’t be the only environmental factor affecting players’ performance at the World Cup. Teams playing in two of Mexico’s host cities must adapt to another challenge: altitude.

The Azteca stadium in Mexico City sits at more than 7,300 feet above sea level, while Guadalajara is at 5,138 feet.

Visiting teams that aren’t used to those conditions may struggle with fatigue.

“We have a massive advantage as the host country because we’re playing at the Estadio Azteca with our fans and the altitude,” Mexican football commissioner Mikel Arriola said. “It is a very potent setting.”

In Mexico, leveraging that advantage is seen as key to the team’s chances. It is no coincidence that El Tri’s deepest World Cup runs occurred on home soil.

The last time Mexico hosted the tournament, in 1986, it advanced to the quarterfinals, ultimately falling to West Germany in a penalty shootout. That match was played in Monterrey, where altitude is not a factor.

Mexico plays South Africa in the World Cup opener June 11 at the Azteca — which FIFA has renamed Mexico City Stadium during the tournament —before facing South Korea just outside Guadalajara on June 18. It plays its last Group A game in Mexico City on June 24 against Czechia.

Altitude won’t be a factor in the games played in the United States and Canada. The highest-altitude U.S. host city is Atlanta, at just 1,050 feet above sea level, while Canada’s highest venue is in Toronto, at just 249 feet.

No altitude training for Czechs

AssoCIATED PREss FILE PHoTo By EDUARDo VERDUGo

Akron stadium, a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue, is seen from above on oct. 16 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The stadium sits at 5,138 feet above sea level.

Two ways to deal with altitude For elite athletes to perform at their peak at high altitude, a period of adaption is required to reduce fatigue caused by lower atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen availability.

“You would expect a faster onset of fatigue, higher heart rates at any given running intensity, and a reduced capacity to sustain the high-intensity efforts that define modern international football—including sprints, pressing actions, and rapid changes of pace,” said Sam Shepherd, head of sports sci-

ence at sports nutrition company Precision Fuel & Hydration.

To mitigate the physiological toll of thin air, sports scientists generally recommend two contrasting approaches: an extended acclimatization period of at least two weeks, or the “fly-in, fly-out” method—arriving as close to kick-off as possible before acute symptoms set in.

The latter is favored by visiting American professional sports teams from the NBA, MLB and NFL, which routinely land in Mexico City the day before a game.

For a month-long tournament, however, long-term acclimatiza-

tion is becoming the standard.

South Africa selected Pachuca— a city sitting even higher than the capital at more than 8,000 feet — as their base camp, arriving last Tuesday despite initial visa delays.

South Korea, facing two groupstage matches in Guadalajara, has chosen a similar approach.

“We’ll play at about 1,600 meters (5,250 feet),” said head coach Hong Myung-bo. “We’ve had very little exposure to this environment, so I’ve consulted with experts to determine our needs. We now have detailed plans not only for training but also for what happens off the

The Czechs were among the last teams to qualify for the World Cup through the European playoffs at the end of March. Their base camp near Dallas was chosen by FIFA and is about 590 feet above sea level.

They will fly directly into the thin air of Mexico City for a highstakes group finale against Mexico on June 24.

“It won’t be ideal,” Czechia coach Miroslav Koubek said after announcing his squad last month. “We would have to spent a month in the environment to get adapted to it but there’s no time for that. We have recommendations from experts on how to cope with that but we can’t cope with that for 100%, that’s for sure.”

The 1970 World Cup in Mexico was a fiasco for Czechoslovakia, which two decades later split into Czechia and Slovakia. The team lost all of its group stage games — against Brazil, Romania and England — and lack of acclimatization to the altitude was seen as a contributing factor.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 5B

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Wembanyama says he’s ‘built for’ the pressure of Finals

BY STEPHEN WHYNO AP sportswriter

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By DAVID J. PHILLIP

New york Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates a basket with guard Miles McBride during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the san Antonio spurs on Friday in san Antonio.

Trump headed back to N.Y. to root for his team

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

NEW YORK — There was a time when Donald Trump was just another celebrity sitting courtside at New York Knicks games. He was famous, but not yet flanked by Secret Service agents or defined by the politics that have left him deeply unpopular in his hometown.

Now, more than a decade after attending his last Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, Trump is making a rare trip back to New York City as president to cheer for them in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Invited by Knicks owner James Dolan, he will be the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.

The Knicks are seeking their first championship since 1973, when Trump was 26 and a relative newcomer to the family real estate business that vaulted him to wealth and fame. Two years after that triumph, the team’s owners at the time hired him as a consultant as they looked to sell the arena.

Trump has been to more major sporting events than any of his predecessors, including the Super Bowl and Daytona 500, golf’s Ryder Cup in the New York City suburbs, where he was cheered, and last year’s U.S. Open men’s tennis championship in Queens, where he was booed and blamed for long security lines.

New Yorkers love the Knicks Trump is an avid sports fan, but

the affinity he professes for the Knicks is different.

It speaks to the Republican president’s identity as a New Yorker and harkens to a bygone era where a front-row seat at a Knicks game was a chance for him and other boldface names to see and be seen.

In a city whose wealthy gatekeepers largely turned their noses at Trump’s brash personality and playboy image in the 1990s and 2000s, the Garden’s Celebrity Row was one club where he felt at home.

“I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last week, a day after New York rallied to win Game 1. “I watched that end of the game and they were dominant — really amazing.”

After another win Friday in San Antonio, the Knicks head home with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. They have won a remarkable 13 straight playoff games and last lost on April 23, uniting the city in a way unseen since the Knicks went to the NBA Finals twice in the 1990s.

Enter Trump. He returns to the Knicks zeitgeist not as the tabloid curiosity who once sat shoulder to shoulder with the late John F. Kennedy Jr. at a game in 1999, but as a president who is disliked by a majority of the city’s Democratic voters.

Trump, who gave up his New York residency for Florida in 2019, is making his first trip to New York City since he spoke at the United Nations in September. In 2024, he went on trial in the city and was

convicted of 34 felony counts related to hush money paid on his behalf during his 2016 campaign.

Knicks fans, though, do not seem to be concerned so much with his politics as with his attendance, which could mess up the team’s momentum. The Knicks said people attending the game should arrive at least two hours before tipoff for airport-style security screening.

Trump’s visit also scuttled a Game 3 watch party outside MSG. The New York Police Department said the decision was made in coordination with the Secret Service.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who struck up a cordial relationship with Trump after the two met in November, was inviting.

“We’re excited to welcome anyone and everyone who’s rooting for the Knicks in this moment,” said Mamdani, who will also be at the game — albeit not with Trump.

Last week, as Trump began floating the idea of attending a game, New York magazine published an article, “Is Trump Really a Knicks Fan? An Investigation.” The story, filled with pictures of Trump at Knicks games from 1991 to 2014, described him as a “textbook example of a celebrity bandwagon fan.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver disagrees.

“Before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver told reporters last week. “I’ve been with the league for a long time. I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days.”

NBA

Continued from page 1B played at MSG since the Knicks won the 1973 title. They were rarely close again until this 13game winning streak, the secondlongest by any team in the playoffs, with the atmosphere around the city seemingly becoming more raucous with each victory.

“Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said.

“For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give them something to cheer for, give them something to get loud for and also give them something to believe in.”

Wembanyama, Brunson and the rest of the players will be only part of the scene Monday, sharing it with the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game and the celebrity fans who surround the court. Some of them were already there Sunday for practices, with Knicks coach Mike Brown finally getting to meet actor Ben Stiller, then having his news conference extended when rapper Fat Joe insisted on a chance to speak from the back.

Wembanyama got to show his stuff at MSG in his second season, when the Spurs were given the leadoff game on the NBA’s marquee Christmas schedule and he scored 42 points. Opportunities like that, which the Spurs increasingly have been treated to since drafting the 7-foot-4 phenom from France, could help them with what they will face Monday.

“This arena’s like no other. The added circumstances will be on top of that,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We’ve been fortunate to

AssoCIATED PREss PHoTo By Ross D. FRANKLIN

The san Antonio spurs team practices before Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New york Knicks on sunday at Madison square Garden in New york. play some games in this arena recently that have been, again, not finals, but a Christmas game. Again, I just think added attention around Victor and being in this arena a few times, we’ve experienced that.

I would expect tomorrow will be more than that.”

The Knicks have been so dominant during this run that they haven’t gotten to see MSG much.

They have played only four home games since May 4, when they opened the second round of the playoffs. So, even the home team struggles to put into words exactly what Monday will look and sound like.

“I’ve seen a lot of crazy atmospheres,” guard Deuce McBride said. “I don’t think I’m going to know what to expect, but I’m just proud to be here, I’m so blessed to play here and I know the fans are going to bring it and we’re going to do everything we can.”

The arena that shook when Willis Reed walked onto the court for Game 7 in 1970 will be rock-

ing again Monday. The current MSG had opened just a couple of years earlier, and the previous one never even saw the NBA Finals.

The Knicks made it three straight years from 1951-53, but those games were played at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue because the Garden was hosting the circus.

Game 3 kicks off a massive sports week in the New York region, with a World Cup game scheduled for Saturday in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, which will host the final. Knicks forward Josh Hart had signed on in an ambassador role for the local World Cup committee, but knows the Knicks have put even the world’s biggest sporting event on the back burner for the moment.

“I love football, man, so obviously a little bummed I can’t go to some of those matches, but I have something a little more interesting right now going on in my life,” Hart said. “It also adds to the energy of the city.”

NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama is not shying away from the spotlight in the NBA Finals, and the San Antonio Spurs would not want it any other way.

Less than 48 hours after missing a shot at the end of Game 2 that would have beaten the New York Knicks and evened the series, the 22-year-old big man from France who is becoming the face of the league said the pressure of the situation does not bother him as the Spurs enter Game 3 facing a 2-0 deficit.

“There’s really no reason to overthink it,” Wembanyama said Sunday. “This is what I’m built for.”

Wembanyama has not been the problem for the Spurs. He led them with 26 points in the series opener and had a Game 2-high 29 points.

Teammate Keldon Johnson’s message after Wembanyama’s would-be game-winning jumper clanked off the rim and out is, “Shoot it again.”

“He’s our guy,” Johnson said.

“From day one, he’s been our guy. He’s the engine offensively and defensively. You can’t make every game-winner, but you can’t make a shot you don’t take.

And we’re living with that shot.

Every day of the week, twice on Sundays, we’re living with Vic taking our game-winning shot because that’s our guy and that’s the belief that we have in Victor.”

The belief team-wide is strong, players said before practicing at Madison Square Garden, where

they know they’ll confront a hostile atmosphere on Monday night.

Guard Stephon Castle called each of the first two games at home winnable, but falling short has ratcheted up the urgency.

“Our sense of urgency is probably the highest it’s been all playoffs,” said Castle, who insists his ankle feels better than expected after injuring it Friday night. “I think it’s just human nature to come out with a certain sense of urgency, especially after a loss.”

San Antonio lost back-to-back games to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, though that came after winning the opener. The Spurs have not lost three in a row all season.

“If they’re not desperate now, I don’t know,” Knicks guard Deuce McBride said. “They know their backs are against the wall, and they’re going to have to come out and they’re going to have to fight.

We’re going to be ready, we’re going to exceed that and we’re going to do everything we can do to bring home a win.”

Trying to turn things around, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had not yet taken a walk around New York City before running practice Sunday. He and his staff maintained the same routine they’ve gone through all playoffs.

“You dig into the film, you argue, beat yourself up,” Johnson said. “You give each other feedback, figure out how to help the guys for the next game.”

One of his takeaways is a feeling his team has not played up to its standard as much as New York, which has won 13 in a row.

Duplantis’ winning streak ends at 40 in Stockholm

BY SCOTT RABALAIS

staff writer

For the first time in a long time, it wasn’t Mondo Duplantis’ day Sunday.

The pole vaulting legend from LSU and Lafayette suffered his first defeat since 2023, coming in a Diamond League meet in Stockholm, Sweden, part of the international track and field series. The 26-year old Duplantis represents Sweden because of his dual citizenship.

Sunday’s result broke a streak of 40 straight victories since Duplantis’ last loss in July 2023 in Monaco. That win streak included his most recent world-record leap of 20 feet-81/ 2 inches on March 12 in his own home meet, the Mondo Classic, in Uppsala, Sweden.

Duplantis has broken the world record 15 times since February 2020, more often than any other pole vaulter in history.

Sunday, Duplantis missed at 18 feet, 41/ 2 inches, then cleared the bar at 19 feet, 1/ 4 inch. He then missed twice at 19-81/ 4 and once at 19-101/ 4.

Still, Duplantis ended up only four inches off the winning mark of 19-41/ 4 by Australia’s Kurtis Marschall. “ I felt a bit unfocused today,” Duplantis said according to

GOLD

Continued from page 1B

AP PHoTo By CHRIsTINE oLssoN

Former LsU pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis of sweden fails to clear the bar during the IAAF Diamond League meet on sunday in stockholm, sweden.

Olympics.com. “I really did not want to lose here in front of my family and fans.”

It was the first outdoor meet this season for Duplantis, who won Olympic gold medals in Tokyo in 2021 and Paris in 2024.

“I have not lost in three years,” Duplantis said, “but hats off to Kurtis today, who beat me fair and square. I have no excuses.”

It was the first Diamond League pole vaulting victory for Marschall.

“I did not mean to spoil the (Mondo) show but I am so delighted with the win,” he said.

Before Williams drained the clincher, she had missed all four long-range shots she tried in the gold-medal game.

“Kudos to my teammates for believing in me to hit that shot,” Williams said. “I think, at that point of the game, I just wanted to get it over. I know we needed a good bucket. We weren’t going into overtime, so I did what I had to do.”

USA Basketball has now won gold four times at the 3×3 World Cup since its inception in 2012.

LSU center Kate Koval also appeared in the event for the Ukrainian team, which lost to Australia in the quarterfinals. She tallied 12 points, 23 rebounds and six blocks across the five games she played.

Williams, Fulwiley and Koval are all set to return to LSU for the 2026-27 season, the sixth year of Kim Mulkey’s tenure as head coach.

games it’s played since May 1.

Before they opened play in the World Cup, Williams and Fulwiley helped USA Basketball win back-to-back titles on the Women’s Series circuit for the first time since it joined the event in 2019. Williams led the U.S. in scoring at both stops, while Fulwiley blocked a team-high 10 shots.

In the World Cup, Williams collected a team-high 46 points across seven contests. On Sunday, she hit not one, but two gamewinners — one to beat Azerbaijan in the semifinals and another to steal the gold from Australia in the final. The Aussies led 20-19 with 40 seconds left to play when the Bossier City product decided to pull up from 2-point range to steal the win. In 3×3 basketball, the first team to 21 points wins Email Reed Darcey at reed. the game. darcey@theadvocate.com.

6B ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

LSU football gets two commitments Defensive end Green, running back Lacey set to join Tigers in 2027

BY REED DARCEY

staff writer

LSU football added two verbal commitments to its 2027 freshman class on Sunday — one from a fourstar Georgia edge rusher and one from a three-star Texas running back.

KJ Green, the defensive end, is one of the 75 best players in his class, according to 247Sports composite rankings. Brennen Lacey,

the tailback, is one of the nation’s top 650 prospects.

Both recruits now join an LSU recruiting class that so far features six total players. Three of them are top-100 recruits: five-star tight end Ahmad Hudson (Ruston), Green and four-star quarterback Peyton Houston (Shreveport).

Green and Lacey announced their intentions to sign with the Tigers three days after coach Lane Kiffin and his staff lost a pledge from defensive end Jaiden Bryant, a five-star recruit who’s now committed to Miami.

LSU has six more months to fill out the rest of its 2027 signing class before the early signing

window opens in December. One of Kiffin’s top priorities is a push he and his staff are making to flip Brother Martin wide receiver Easton Royal, a top-10 national prospect who’s currently committed to Texas.

In May, Kiffin hired former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron as a special assistant to recruiting and defense. He’s begun recruiting players on the series of official visits the Tigers have hosted across the last weekend of May and the first weekend of June.

Green told Rivals that he was choosing LSU over Georgia, South Carolina and Oregon.

SCOREBOARD Odds Sports Betting Line NBA Monday

FAVORITE at NEW YORK

MLB

LINE 2½

O/U (216½)

UNDERDOG San Antonio

Monday

American League FAVORITE LINE at BALTIMORE OFF at TAMPA BAY OFF N.Y Yankees -114 at LA ANGELS OFF National League FAVORITE LINE at SAN DIEGO -138 at SAN FRAN OFF Interleague FAVORITE LINE Philadelphia -175 Milwaukee -153

UNDERDOG LINE Seattle OFF Boston OFF at CLEVELAND -105 Houston OFF UNDERDOG Cincinnati Washington

LINE +117 OFF

UNDERDOG at TORONTO at ATHLETICS

LINE +148 +129

Pro basketball NBA Playoff Glance FINALS

(Best-of-7; x-if necessary)

New York 2, San Antonio 0

Wednesday, June 3: New York 105, San Antonio 95 Friday, June 5: New York 105, San Antonio 104 Monday, June 8: San Antonio at New York, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 10: San Antonio at New York, 7:30 p.m. x-Saturday, June 13: New York at San Antonio, TBA x-Tuesday, June 16: San Antonio at New York, TBA x-Friday, June 19: New York at San Antonio, TBA

WNBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta New York Indiana Toronto Washington Chicago Connecticut

W 7 7 5 5 4 4 2

L 3 4 5 5 5 6 10

Pct .700 .636 .500 .500 .444 .400 .167

GB — ½ 2 2 2½ 3 6

Minnesota Dallas Las Vegas Golden State Portland Los Angeles Phoenix Seattle

W 9 7 7 6 6 4 4 3

L 2 3 3 5 6 6 8 9

Pct .818 .700 .700 .545 .500 .400 .333 .250

GB — 1½ 1½ 3 3½ 4½ 5½ 6½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Saturday’s Games

Las Vegas 84, Golden State 79 Atlanta 109, Washington 77 New York 83, Indiana 75 Minnesota 88, Seattle 68

Sunday’s Games

Toronto 85, Chicago 65 Los Angeles 85, Portland 65

Monday’s Games

Indiana at Washington, 6 p.m.

New York at Connecticut, 6 p.m.

Seattle at Las Vegas, 9 p.m.

Phoenix at Golden State, 9 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games Connecticut at Toronto, 6 p.m.

Los Angeles at Seattle, 9 p.m.

Golf American Family Insurance Championship Sunday At TPC Wisconsin Madison, Wis. Purse: $3 million Yardage: 7,031; Par: 71 Final Round D.Clarke/B.Crane B.Gay/R.Sabbatini G.McNeill/K.Perry G.Chalmers/C.Percy F.Jacobson/S.Kjeldsen R.Green/M.Hensby S.Cink/Z.Johnson S.Parel/P.Stankowski T.Gainey/T.Ridings D.Barron/D.Pride J.Caron/B.Quigley S.Alker/B.Langer A.Cejka/T.O’Neal K.Tanigawa/M.Weir W.Austin/V.Taylor R.Goosen/B.Van Pelt S.Stricker/M.Tiziani H.Frazar/T.Petrovic H.Slocum/B.Weekley M.Allen/J.Daly S.Allan/D.Bransdon B.Andrade/J.Maggert S.Bertsch/E.Els J.Durant/K.Sutherland S.Flesch/P.Goydos D.Duval/M.Gogel J.Kelly/J.Leonard S.Appleby/M.Wright T.Pernice/V.Singh B.Jobe/S.McCarron C.Wi/Y.Yang C.Campbell/R.Pampling M.Jimenez/J.Olazabal A.Cabrera/R.Gonzalez F.Funk/G.Sauers K.Duke/T.Lehman D.Love III/S.Verplank L.Janzen/R.Mediate

62-54-67—183 60-60-64—184 64-58-62—184 61-58-66—185 59-62-65—186 60-62-64—186 65-58-63—186 62-59-65—186 63-58-65—186 63-58-66—187 62-58-67—187 61-61-65—187 63-57-68—188 65-60-63—188 64-60-64—188 64-60-65—189 65-61-63—189 62-61-67—190 66-56-68—190 63-60-67—190 65-59-66—190 62-63-66—191 63-60-68—191 65-59-68—192 64-62-67—193 65-61-68—194 67-60-67—194 62-62-70—194 66-61-67—194 68-63-64—195 65-64-66—195 66-66-64—196 64-64-68—196 64-62-72—198 64-67-68—199 69-63-68—200 68-65-68—201 69-67-70—206

-30 -29 -29 -28 -27 -27 -27 -27 -27 -26 -26 -26 -25 -25 -25 -24 -24 -23 -23 -23 -23 -22 -22 -21 -20 -19 -19 -19 -19 -18 -18 -17 -17 -15 -14 -13 -12 -7

Sunday At Riviera Country Club Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Purse: $12 million Yardage: 6,699; Par: 71 Final Round Nelly Korda 73-67-67-69—276 Charley Hull 73-72-65-67—277 Gaby Lopez 68-71-70-68—277 In Gee Chun 71-68-69-70—278 Sei Young Kim 67-72-68-72—279

-8 -7 -7 -6 -5

U.S. Women’s Open

Nasa Hataoka 69-72-68-72—281 Kiara Romero 73-70-70-68—281 Pajaree Anannarukarn 73-70-72-67—282 Allisen Corpuz 71-70-70-71—282 Jennifer Kupcho 66-73-69-74—282 Maria Marin 70-73-68-71—282 Maja Stark 71-72-68-71—282 Ruoning Yin 69-69-71-73—282 Lauren Coughlin 72-68-75-68—283 Shiho Kuwaki 70-73-70-70—283 Alison Lee 70-68-72-73—283 Aphrodite Deng 70-73-68-73—284 Hinako Shibuno 68-71-74-71—284 Jin Hee Im 74-72-69-70—285 MinJi Kang 68-75-68-74—285 A Lim Kim 71-74-71-69—285 Karis Davidson 69-73-71-73—286 Brooke Henderson 73-69-74-70—286 Grace Kim 72-72-73-69—286 Shuri Sakuma 71-72-72-71—286 Asterisk Talley 71-75-66-74—286 Patty Tavatanakit 69-72-74-71—286 Hannah Green 70-73-75-69—287 Sora Kamiya 72-68-73-74—287 Minjee Lee 69-76-71-71—287 Xiyu Lin 73-69-75-70—287 Jeeno Thitikul 73-69-72-73—287 Yuri Yoshida 70-74-75-68—287 Ana Belac 70-73-70-75—288 Lucy Li 71-73-74-70—288 Farah O’Keefe 74-71-70-73—288 Jiyai Shin 69-72-75-72—288 Miyu Yamashita 72-71-69-76—288 Hyunjo Yoo 68-71-71-78—288 Casandra Alexander 70-70-75-74—289 Ayaka Furue 70-74-72-73—289 Melanie Green 72-71-73-73—289 Somi Lee 71-71-76-71—289 Amy Yang 73-71-71-74—289 Akie Iwai 72-71-74-73—290 Da Yeon Lee 71-74-70-75—290 Rio Takeda 76-70-71-73—290 Rose Zhang 70-75-73-72—290 Hye Jin Choi 70-73-76-72—291 Esther Henseleit 73-71-73-74—291 Bianca Pagdanganan 70-74-75-72—291 Kaleiya Romero 71-74-73-73—291 Lottie Woad 73-73-74-71—291 Minsol Kim 73-73-73-73—292 Nanna Koerstz Madsen 73-73-71-75—292 Yealimi Noh 72-74-74-72—292 Anna Nordqvist 74-71-73-74—292 Chia Yen Wu 72-74-72-74—292 Mao Saigo 76-70-74-73—293 Ariya Jutanugarn 73-71-75-75—294 Sakura Koiwai 74-72-73-75—294 Ingrid Lindblad 73-73-75-73—294 Julia Lopez Ramirez 72-71-76-75—294 Liqi Zeng 73-73-76-72—294 Gurleen Kaur 72-73-79-71—295 Celine Boutier 74-72-74-76—296 Nataliya Guseva 72-73-79-73—297 Yue Zhang 70-76-74-78—298

KLM Open Par Scores

-3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 E E +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +6 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +9 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +11 +12 +13 +14

Sunday At The International Amsterdam Purse: $2.8 million Yardage: 6,914; Par: 71 Final Round E. Chacarra $402,463 69-69-65-70—273 -11 Oliver Lindell $260,417 69-67-69-69—274 -10 A. Fanegas $112,690 73-65-68-70—276 -8 Joe Dean $112,690 66-70-71-69—276 -8 S. Soderberg $112,690 67-66-70-73—276 -8 M. Steinlechner $112,690 67-69-69-71—276 -8 Julien Guerrier $65,104 65-69-72-71—277 -7 Danny Willett $65,104 71-67-70-69—277 -7 Yanhan Zhou $53,030 71-70-67-70—278 -6 Sami Valimaki $47,349 70-68-72-69—279 -5 Nacho Elvira $40,799 73-69-68-70—280 -4 J. Trey Schaper $40,799 70-71-70-69—280 -4 Richard Sterne $40,799 69-72-69-70—280 -4 Ma. Armitage $32,096 71-66-67-77—281 -3 M. Helligkilde $32,096 71-69-72-69—281 -3 Calum Hill $32,096 68-70-69-74—281 -3 Daniel Hillier $32,096 70-65-73-73—281 -3 James Mrrisn $32,096 71-70-69-71—281 -3 David Ravetto $32,096 72-67-71-71—281 -3 P. Ereno Perez $32,096 73-68-70-70—281 -3 Ross Fisher $25,332 71-67-74-70—282 -2 J. Gumbrg $25,332 68-68-70-76—282 -2 Angel Hidalgo $25,332 72-69-69-72—282 -2 Scott Jamiesn $25,332 72-68-72-70—282 -2 N. Norgrd Mllr $25,332 71-67-70-74—282 -2 B. Thmpsn $25,332 69-69-69-75—282 -2 B. Wiesberger $25,332 69-71-72-70—282 -2 Michael Hollick $21,425 69-72-70-72—283 -1 K. Kobori $21,425 71-68-69-75—283 -1 G. Migliozzi $21,425 70-68-71-74—283 -1 Callum Tarren $21,425 69-66-76-72—283 -1 Andreas Halvorsn $17,91470-70-74-70—284 E Yuto Katsurgwa $17,914 69-66-70-79—284 E Matteo Manssro $17,914 73-69-71-71—284 E F. Molinari $17,914 69-69-70-76—284 E Ryan Peake $17,914 70-69-72-73—284 E Marcel Siem $17,914 67-72-77-68—284 E Cameron Adam $14,441 69-70-74-72—285 +1 K. Aphibarnrat $14,441 75-67-72-71—285 +1 Davis Bryant $14,441 70-69-73-73—285 +1 Jens Dantorp $14,441 72-70-68-75—285 +1 Ricardo Gouveia $14,441 71-71-74-69—285 +1 Hunter Logan $14,441 71-65-73-76—285 +1

LIV Golf Andalucía Par Scores

Sunday At Real Club Valderrama Cádiz, Spain Purse: $20M (Individual); $10M (Team) Yardage: 7,010; Par: 71Final Round Tyrrell Hatton, $4,000,000 67-69-67-70--273 -11 Jon Rahm, $2,250,000 73-67-68-67--275 -9 Abraham Ancer, $1,500,00072-69-67-68--276 -8 Sergio Garcia, $1,000,000 69-70-68-70--277 -7 Dustin Johnson, $656,250 76-68-64-71--279 -5 Thomas Detry, $656,250 68-70-67-74--279 -5 David Puig, $656,250 69-71-69-70--279 -5 Cameron Smith, $656,250 69-70-69-71--279 -5 Bubba Watson, $450,000 72-70-67-71--280 -4 Anirban Lahiri, $415,000 70-72-69-70--281 -3 Marc Leishman, $350,000 73-70-69-70--282 -2 Branden Grace, $350,000 69-71-70-72--282 -2 Byeong Hun An, $350,000 72-71-70-69--282 -2 B. DeChambeau, $350,000 70-71-71-70--282 -2 Scott Vincent, $300,000 67-72-73-71--283 -1 Luis Masaveu, $271,667 72-71-69-72--284 E Victor Perez, $271,667 71-73-69-71--284 E Talor Gooch, $271,667 72-67-76-69--284 E C. Howell III, $245,000 70-74-71-70--285 +1 73-67-76-69--285 +1 H. Varner III, $245,000 Carlos Ortiz, $220,000 76-72-66-72--286 +2 Tom McKibbin, $220,000 73-72-71-70--286 +2 Anthony Kim, $220,000 73-68-72-73--286 +2 J. Niemann, $195,000 72-74-70-71--287 +3 Martin Kaymer, $195,000 72-73-71-71--287 +3 Lucas Herbert, $195,000 72-69-75-71--287 +3 74-69-70-75--288 +4 Richard T. Lee, $177,500 Ian Poulter, $177,500 77-71-71-69--288 +4 S. Muñoz, $177,500 73-70-72-73--288 +4

D. Burmester, $177,500 75-70-73-70--288 +4 B. Steele, $153,750 73-73-67-76--289 +5 Ben Campbell, $153,750 71-72-72-74--289 +5 M. La Sasso, $153,750 74-68-72-75--289 +5 C. Schwartzel, $153,750 73-77-72-67--289 +5 Peter Uihlein, $153,750 73-75-72-69--289 +5 Danny Lee, $153,750 72-72-74-71--289 +5 Jason Kokrak, $140,000 74-73-70-73--290 +6 Laurie Canter, $140,000 75-75-70-70--290 +6 Matthew Wolff, $140,000 70-76-74-70--290 +6 Thomas Pieters, $135,000 70-74-70-77--291 +7 Elvis Smylie, $132,500 74-70-73-75--292 +8 Younghan Song, $129,000 75-70-69-79--293 +9 Do-Yeob Mun, $129,000 70-73-73-77--293 +9 Miguel Tabuena, $129,000 76-68-74-75--293 +9 Sam Horsfield, $88,250 73-77-68-76--294 +10 Travis Smyth, $88,250 74-73-71-76--294 +10 Lee Westwood, $88,250 77-72-73-72--294 +10 C. Tringale, $88,250 73-76-76-69--294 +10 Caleb Surratt, $50,000 73-71-77-74--295 +11 Minkyu Kim, $50,000 69-78-73-76--296 +12 G. McDowell, $50,000 71-74-76-76--297 +13 Adrian Meronk, $50,000 75-74-74-75--298 +14 Richard Bland, $50,000 75-79-73-73--300 +16 Bjorn Hellgren, $50,000 76-76-71-78--301 +17 Josele Ballester, $50,000 78-75-70-79--302 +18 Yosuke Asaji, $50,000 77-80-71-78--306 +22

College baseball Best of Three x-if necessary At Foley Field, Athens, Ga. Georgia 2, Mississippi St. 0

Saturday: Georgia 13, Mississippi St. 12 Sunday: Georgia 11, Mississippi St. 9

At Plainsman Park, Auburn, Ga. Mississippi 2, Auburn 0 Friday: Mississippi 6, Auburn 4 Saturday: Mississippi 5, Auburn 3

At UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Austin, Texas Texas 1, Oregon 0 Saturday: Texas 11, Oregon 3 Sunday: Texas vs. Oregon, n x-Monday: Texas vs. Oregon, TBD

At Boshamer Stadium, Chapel Hill, N.C. North Carolina 2, Southern Cal 1

Friday: Southern Cal 9, North Carolina 5 Saturday: North Carolina 4, Southern Cal 0 Sunday: North Carolina 4, Southern Cal 3

At Hogland Ballpark, Lawrence, Kan. Oklahoma 1, Kansas 0

Saturday: Oklahoma 8, Kansas 1 Sunday: Kansas vs. Oklahoma, n x-Monday: Kansas vs. Oklahoma, TBD

At Kendrick Family Ballpark, Morgantown, W.V. West Virginia 2, Cal Poly 0

Friday: West Virginia 12, Cal Poly 2 Saturday: West Virginia 17, Cal Poly 1

At Riddle-Pace Field, Troy, Ala. Troy 2, Little Rock 0

Friday: Troy 12, Little Rock 2 Saturday: Troy 7, Little Rock 2

At Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama 1 St. John’s 0

Saturday: Alabama 8, St. John’s 0 Sunday: Alabama vs. St. John’s, n x-Monday: Alabama vs. St. John’s, TBD

Tennis French Open Results Sunday

At Stade Roland Garros Paris Purse: €28,900,000 Surface: Red clay Results Sunday from French Open at Stade Roland Garros (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Championship Alexander Zverev (2), Germany, def. Flavio Cobolli (10), Italy, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

Women’s Doubles

Championship Taylor Townsend, United States, and Katerina Siniakova (1), Czechia, def. Aleksandra Krunic, Serbia, and Anna Danilina (2), Kazakhstan, 6-2, 7-5.

Hockey NHL Playoff Glance FINALS

(Best-of-7; x-if necessary)

Vegas 2, Carolina 1

Tuesday, June 2: Vegas 5, Carolina 4 Thursday, June 4: Carolina 4, Vegas 3, OT Saturday, June 6: Vegas 5, Carolina 4, 2OT Tuesday, June 9: Carolina at Vegas, 7 p.m.

Thursday, June 11: Vegas at Carolina, 7 p.m. x-Sunday, June 14: Carolina at Vegas, TBA x-Wednesday, June 17: Vegas at Carolina, TBA

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League DETROIT TIGERS — Sent LHP Tarik Skubal on a rehab assignment to West Michigan (ML).

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Placed RHP Jack Kochanowicz on the 15-day IL. Recalled LHP Sam Aldegheri from Salt Lake (PCL).

National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Reinstated RHP Taylor Clarke. Optioned LHP Philip Abner to Reno (PCL).

CHICAGO CUBS — Acquired LHP Antoine Kelly from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

CINCINNATI REDS — Reinstated RHP Rhett Lowder from the 15-day IL. Optioned RHP Luis Mey to Louisville (IL).

COLORADO ROCKIES — Recalled LHP Sammy Peralta from Albuquerque (PCL). Optioned RHP TJ Shook to Albuquerque.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Selected the contract of 3B Davis Wendzel from Indianapolis (IL). Optioned RF Jhostynxon Garcia to Indianapolis.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Recalled RHP Riley Cornelio from Rochester (IL). Optioned RHP Cole Henry to Rochester.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League BOSTON BRUINS — F Milan Lucic announced his retirement.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL American League East Division

National League

Tampa Bay New York Baltimore Toronto Boston

W 37 37 31 31 27

L 24 26 34 34 35

Pct .607 .587 .477 .477 .435

GB — 1 8 8 10½

Cleveland Chicago Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 37 34 30 26 26

L 29 30 36 39 39

Pct .561 .531 .455 .400 .400

GB — 2 7 10½ 10½

Seattle Texas Athletics Houston Los Angeles

W 34 31 30 30 24

L 31 33 34 36 41

Pct .523 .484 .469 .455 .369

GB — 2½ 3½ 4½ 10

Central Division

West Division

Saturday’s Games

Seattle 4, Detroit 0 Kansas City 3, Minnesota 2 Toronto 6, Baltimore 4 Chicago White Sox 6, Philadelphia 3 Miami 4, Tampa Bay 3 Houston 13, Athletics 2 Cleveland 6, Texas 0 L.A. Dodgers 9, L.A. Angels 2 Boston at N.Y. Yankees, ppd.

Sunday’s Games

L.A. Angels at L.A. Dodgers, 4:10 p.m.

Miami 4, Tampa Bay 1 N.Y. Yankees 6, Boston 1 Toronto 6, Baltimore 4 Detroit 5, Seattle 4 Athletics 5, Houston 0 Philadelphia 9, Chicago White Sox 5 Kansas City 6, Minnesota 5 Texas 10, Cleveland 0

Monday’s Games

Seattle (Hancock ) at Baltimore, 5:35 p.m.

Boston (Early 5-3) at Tampa Bay (Matz 4-3), 5:40 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Warren 7-1) at Cleveland (Williams 9-3), 5:40 p.m.

Philadelphia (Sánchez 7-2) at Toronto (Corbin 2-2), 6:07 p.m.

Houston (Arrighetti 7-1) at L.A. Angels (Rodriguez 2-2), 8:38 p.m.

Milwaukee (Harrison 7-1) at Athletics (Springs 3-6), 9:05 p.m.

East Division Atlanta Philadelphia Washington Miami New York

W 44 34 33 30 28

L 21 30 32 35 36

Pct .677 .531 .508 .462 .438

GB — 9½ 11 14 15½

Milwaukee St. Louis Chicago Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 39 34 34 34 31

L 23 28 31 31 32

Pct .629 .548 .523 .523 .492

GB — 5 6½ 6½ 8½

Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco Colorado

W 42 33 33 26 24

L 23 30 31 39 41

Pct .646 .524 .516 .400 .369

GB — 8 8½ 16 18

Central Division

West Division

Saturday’s Games

St. Louis 6, Cincinnati 5 Chicago Cubs 3, San Francisco 2, 10 innings Washington 6, Arizona 1 Atlanta 6, Pittsburgh 3 Chicago White Sox 6, Philadelphia 3 Miami 4, Tampa Bay 3 Milwaukee 7, Colorado 1 San Diego 3, N.Y. Mets 2 L.A. Dodgers 9, L.A. Angels 2

Sunday’s Games

Atlanta 3, Pittsburgh 2 L.A. Angels at L.A. Dodgers, 4:10 p.m.

Miami 4, Tampa Bay 1 N.Y. Mets at San Diego, 4:10 p.m.

St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 3 Philadelphia 9, Chicago White Sox 5 Arizona 5, Washington 1 Milwaukee 12, Colorado 4 San Francisco at Chicago Cubs, 7:30 p.m.

Monday’s Games

Philadelphia (Sánchez 7-2) at Toronto (Corbin 2-2), 6:07 p.m.

Cincinnati (Abbott 4-3) at San Diego (Buehler 3-3), 8:40 p.m.

Washington (Mikolas 1-5) at San Francisco (Webb 3-4), 8:45 p.m.

Milwaukee (Harrison 7-1) at Athletics (Springs 3-6), 9:05 p.m.

BOX SCORES N.Y. Mets 7, San Diego 3 New York

San Diego

Milwaukee 12, Colorado 4 Milwaukee

Colorado

ab r h bi ab r h bi Benge rf 5 3 5 2 Tatis 2b 4 0 1 0 Bichette ss 5 1 2 0 Merrill cf 3 0 1 0 Soto dh 3 0 0 1 France 1b 4 0 0 0 Young 1b 3 0 1 1 Machado 3b 4 0 0 0 Ewing cf 4 0 1 1 Bogaerts ss 4 0 1 0 Semien 2b 5 1 2 1 Andujar dh 3 0 1 0 Baty 3b 4 1 1 0 Johnson pr-dh1 0 0 0 Melendez lf 5 1 1 1 Bowen rf 4 0 0 0 Torrens c 4 0 0 0 Taylor lf 2 2 1 0 Fermin c 4 1 2 3 Totals 38 713 7 Totals 33 3 7 3 New York 110 022 010 — 7 San Diego 000 020 001 — 3 E_Baty (4). DP_New York 1, San Diego 1.

LOB_New York 10, San Diego 7. 2B_Bichette (8), Baty (9), Tatis (8), Fermin (5).

3B_Benge (1). HR_Semien (8), Melendez (4), Benge (7), Fermin (2). SB_Tatis (15).

SF_Ewing (1).

IP H R ER BB SO New York Brazobán 1 0 0 0 2 0 Manaea W,1-1 4 4 2 2 1 3 Raley 1 0 0 0 0 2 Minter 1 1 0 0 0 0 Weaver 1 1 0 0 0 0 Williams 1 1 1 1 1 2 San Diego Vásquez L,5-4 4 8 4 4 2 3 Matsui 1 2⁄3 2 2 2 0 1 Marinaccio 2 1⁄3 1 1 1 1 3 W.Peralta 1 2 0 0 1 0 Vásquez pitched to 4 batters in the 5th.

HBP_Marinaccio (Young).

Pitch timer violations_Brazobán (pitcher).

Umpires_Home, Chad Fairchild; First, Jonathan Parra; Second, Chad Whitson; Third, Brian Walsh.

T_2:56. A_41,159 (40,222).

ab r h bi ab r h bi Chourio lf 6 0 3 0 Castro lf-2b 4 1 2 0 Turang 2b 5 0 1 2 Tovar ss 4 1 1 1 Contreras dh5 2 2 1 Rumfield 1b 4 0 0 0 Vaughn 1b 5 3 3 1 Goodman c 4 1 1 2 Sánchez c 5 2 2 3 Karros 3b 3 0 0 0 Mitchell cf 5 2 3 2 McCarthy cf 4 0 1 0 Rengifo 3b 3 1 1 2 Fulford dh 2 1 1 0 Perkins rf 2 1 1 0 Julien ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Frelick ph-rf 2 0 0 0 Stevens 2b 2 0 0 0 Ortiz ss 4 1 1 1 S.Thmpsn lf 1 0 0 0 Johnston rf 2 0 1 1 Totals 421217 12 Totals 31 4 7 4 Milwaukee 010 007 004 — 12 Colorado 200 010 001 — 4 DP_Milwaukee 2, Colorado 1. LOB_Milwaukee 7, Colorado 2. 2B_Rengifo (9), Chourio 2 (11), Mitchell 2 (12), Sánchez (4), Ortiz (4), Tovar (13), Johnston (18), Fulford (1). 3B_Vaughn (1), Mitchell (2). HR_Sánchez (6), Goodman (17). SB_Johnston (4).

SF_Rengifo (2), Johnston (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Milwaukee Drohan W,3-1 6 1⁄3 5 3 3 1 4 Patrick 1 2⁄3 1 0 0 0 1 Yoho 1 1 1 1 0 2 Colorado Freeland 5 7 3 3 1 2 1 Hill L,0-2 BS,0-2 ⁄3 4 5 5 2 0 2 K.Thompson 3 ⁄3 6 4 4 0 3 Freeland pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.

Umpires_Home, Junior Valentine; First, Jordan Baker; Second, Rob Drake; Third, Stu Scheuwater.

T_2:44. A_32,270 (50,144).

L.A. Angels 13, L.A. Dodgers 5

Texas 10, Cleveland 0

Los Angeles (A)

Cleveland

Los Angeles (N)

Texas

ab r h bi ab r h bi Neto ss 6 1 1 3 Ohtani dh 5 1 2 0 Trout dh 6 0 0 0 Freeman 1b 5 0 2 0 Meckler lf 4 1 1 0 Tucker rf 4 1 0 1 Peraza 2b 5 0 0 0 Muncy 3b 5 0 1 0 Schanuel 1b 4 1 0 0 Call cf 4 1 1 0 Adell rf 5 4 4 2 Rushing c 4 1 4 3 Madrigal 3b 2 3 1 0 Ward lf 4 1 1 1 Siri cf 3 2 3 2 Rojas ss 3 0 0 0 Rivero c 5 1 5 6 Freeland 2b 3 0 0 0 Totals 401315 13 Totals 37 5 11 5 Los Angeles (A) 020 220 601 — 13 Los Angeles (N) 001 004 000 — 5 E_Neto (12). DP_Los Angeles (A) 2, Los Angeles (N) 0. LOB_Los Angeles (A) 7, Los Angeles (N) 8. 2B_Meckler (4), Rivero (2), Rushing (4). HR_Adell (10), Neto (12), Rushing (8), Ward (2). S_Siri (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Los Angeles (A) Soriano W,7-4 6 8 5 4 2 2 2 Pomeranz ⁄3 2 0 0 0 1 Silseth 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 Bachman ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Farris 1 0 0 0 0 3 Los Angeles (N) 2 2 2 Sheehan L,3-3 1 1⁄3 3 2 0 0 3 Henriquez 1 2⁄3 0 0 Treinen 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 Vesia ⁄3 1 2 2 2 2 6 1 1 Hernández 1 2⁄3 7 6 Dreyer 1 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 Hurt 1 1⁄3 2 1 Silseth pitched to 4 batters in the 8th.

Umpires_Home, Dan Iassogna; First, Adam Beck; Second, Jen Pawol; Third, Jeremie Rehak.

T_3:29. A_49,535 (56,000).

ab r h bi ab r h bi Bazzana 2b 3 0 0 0 Langford lf 4 1 1 1 Ramírez dh 4 0 0 0 Lopez ph-lf 1 0 1 0 DeLauter rf 4 0 1 0 Jung 3b 4 3 2 1 Manzardo 1b4 0 0 0 Nimmo rf 3 1 1 0 Schnmnn ss 4 0 0 0 Carter ph-cf 1 0 1 1 Martínez lf 4 0 1 0 Foscue 2b 4 2 1 2 Kwan cf 3 0 2 0 Duran ss 5 1 4 3 Fry 3b 1 0 1 0 Pederson dh 5 0 0 0 Bailey c 4 0 1 0 Burger 1b 4 0 3 1 Rocchio ss 2 0 0 0 Helman cf-rf 4 1 1 1 Fairchild cf 0 0 0 0 Díaz c 4 1 1 0 Totals 33 0 6 0 Totals 39 10 16 10 Cleveland 000 000 000 — 0 Texas 204 101 02x — 10 DP_Cleveland 1, Texas 0. LOB_Cleveland 8, Texas 8. 2B_Fry (4), Nimmo (11), Duran (14), Burger (12). HR_Foscue (3), Jung (8), Langford (2), Helman (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Cleveland Cantillo L,4-3 5 9 7 7 2 7 Dion 2 3 1 1 1 1 Hedges 1 4 2 2 0 0 Texas deGrom W,5-4 6 3 0 0 2 6 Gray 1 1 0 0 0 1 Alexander 1 1 0 0 0 0 Curvelo 1 1 0 0 0 1 WP_Cantillo.

ABS Challenge_DeLauter (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Cantillo (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Cantillo (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Rocchio (Strike-Overturned to Ball); deGrom (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Langford (Strike-Overturned to Ball).

Umpires_Home, Chris Guccione; First, David Rackley; Second, Nestor Ceja; Third, Louie Krupa.

T_2:31. A_34,851 (40,000).

Arizona 5, Washington 1

Kansas City 6, Minnesota 5

Washington

Kansas City

Arizona

ab r h bi ab r h bi 2 0 0 0 Marte 2b 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 Carroll rf 3 2 1 1 4 0 1 0 Moreno c 4 1 2 2 4 1 1 1 Arenado 3b 3 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 Smith dh 2 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 Wldschmdt lf 4 0 1 1 3 0 1 0 Perdomo ss 4 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 Groover 1b 3 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 Vargas 1b 1 0 0 0 Troy lf 2 1 0 0 Barrosa cf 1 0 0 0 Totals 30 1 3 1 Totals 31 5 9 5 Washington 010 000 000 — 1 Arizona 100 120 10x — 5 DP_Washington 1, Arizona 1. LOB_Washington 4, Arizona 7. 2B_Mead (10), Ruiz (14), Waldschmidt (7). HR_Abrams (14), Carroll (10), Moreno (4). SB_Young (5).

SF_Smith (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Washington Cavalli L,3-4 5 7 4 4 1 2 Cornelio 2 2 1 1 3 1 Varland 1 0 0 0 0 1 Arizona Soroka W,8-3 7 3 1 1 2 6 Ginkel 1 0 0 0 0 0 Clarke 1 0 0 0 0 1 ABS Challenge_Soroka (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Cavalli (Ball-Confirmed); Mead (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Cornelio (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Cornelio (BallOverturned to Strike).

Umpires_Home, Manny Gonzalez; First, Tom Hanahan; Second, Ron Kulpa; Third, Scott Barry.

T_2:32. A_35,540 (48,359).

Wood dh García 1b Mead 3b Abrams ss Crews rf Lile lf Ruiz c Tena 2b Young cf

Minnesota

ab r h bi ab r h bi Thomas cf 5 1 1 0 Martin rf 4 0 0 0 Witt ss 4 0 0 0 Gray ph 1 0 1 0 Massey 2b 1 0 0 0 Lee 3b 5 0 0 0 Garcia 3b-ss 4 1 1 1 Arcia ss 3 1 0 0 Marte dh 4 1 1 3 Clemens lf-cf 4 2 2 0 Pasqntno 1b 4 2 2 0 Bell dh 4 1 1 3 Loftin 2b-3b 3 0 2 1 Lewis 1b 4 0 1 0 Collins lf 3 0 0 0 Kreidler cf 2 0 0 1 Jensen c 3 1 1 1 Larnach ph-lf 2 1 1 0 Tolbert rf 4 0 1 0 Keaschall 2b 4 0 1 0 Jackson c 3 0 0 0 Caratini ph 1 0 1 1 Totals 35 6 9 6 Totals 37 5 8 5 Kansas City 000 140 010 — 6 Minnesota 010 000 004 — 5 E_Witt (3), Garcia (4). LOB_Kansas City 6, Minnesota 6. 2B_Pasquantino (9), Loftin (8), Larnach (10). HR_Marte (1), Bell (6).

SB_Clemens (6). SF_Jensen (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Kansas City Cameron W,3-4 6 3 1 0 0 7 Schreiber 1 0 0 0 0 0 Black 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 Way ⁄3 3 4 4 1 0 2 Erceg S,12-18 ⁄3 2 0 0 0 0 Minnesota Prielipp L,2-4 4 1⁄3 4 2 2 1 7 Morris 1 2⁄3 3 3 3 0 4 Laweryson 2 2 1 1 2 3 Lawrence 1 0 0 0 0 1 ABS Challenge_Cameron (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Cameron (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Keaschall (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Morris (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Witt (Strike-Confirmed); Laweryson (BallConfirmed); Garcia (Strike-Confirmed).

Pitch timer violations_Morris (pitcher).

Umpires_Home, Shane Livensparger; First, Dan Merzel; Second, Dan Bellino; Third, Mark Ripperger.

T_2:49. A_19,876 (38,544).

LIVING

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

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M o n d ay, J u n e 8, 2026

1Cn

Grill time

From ribs to brisket and beyond, American barbecue is a delicious part of U.s. tradition

BY DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press

PRoVIDED AND PUBLIC DoMAIN IMAGEs

Martin Duralde, a French-born commandant for the spanish post of opelousas, documented the Attakapas Indians’ legend of the mastodon and carrion crows in a letter to Indian Agent John sibley. sibley sent the letter to the American Philosophical society, which published it in 1809.

A little bird told him …

Warning: Reading this could make you hungry.

That’s because we’re talking about barbecue — the “low and slow” cooking method that’s a hallmark of American culture.

Obviously, meat cooked over heat can be found in great-tasting forms all over the world — roasted, baked, grilled, all the ways. Many of them are regulars on the American plate. But there’s something about the way barbecue developed in the U.S., cuts of meat made falling-offthe-bone tender through hours of cooking over indirect heat or smoke at lower temperatures, often with a sauce used as a marinade or for basting or perhaps a mix of dry spices. See: Ribs. Brisket. Pork shoulder.

(You’re hungry, aren’t you. Told you.)

The roots of what’s become American barbecue go back before the U.S. officially even became a country, says Robert F. Moss, contributing barbecue editor for Southern Living magazine and author of “Barbecue, The History of American Institution.”

It’s a mix of influences, he says, starting between the indigenous peoples already here with their own cooking methods, the colonists who came from Europe with livestock new to the Americas and the enslaved Africans with their own cultures and traditions forcibly brought over and put to work.

Was it a mastodon carcass or a fish kill that attracted the horde of carrion crows to Carencro?

IN

BY ROBIN MILLER | staff writer

1802, Spanish commandant Martin Duralde shared the story of a dead elephant carcass swarmed by vultures in southwest Louisiana with Indian agent John Sibley, who passed it on to the American Philosophical Society.

The society published the story in 1809 and has since been associated with the city of Carencro.

Duralde, meanwhile, was a native of France who was serving as commandant of the Spanish post of Opelousas preceding the Louisiana Purchase. The Attakapas Indian tribe also lived in the area, and Duralde spent time learning its language.

And it was through the Attakapas that Duralde learned the elephant story. Tribal members described the carcass as enormous — so big that it attracted a horde of carrion crows, the black scavenger birds that feast on dead animals’ decaying flesh. ä see CURIOUS, page 2C

‘When you see this garden at peak bloom, there’s nothing like it.’

Tens of thousands to make annual peony pilgrimage

BY MIKE HOUSEHOLDER

different places, and there’s different varieties, different colors.

It smells amazing. It’s just a reANN ARBOR, Mich. — Nicole Calvin ally beautiful place to be.” has been visiting the University The Ann Arbor school anticiof Michigan campus annually pates 100,000 visitors will come over the past 16 years to catch to behold the unique perennials a peek — and a whiff — of the and their showy pink, white and school’s sizable peony collection. red blooms of many shades and She even came twice this year. varieties.

“I just love walking through The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden the gardens,” Calvin said Monä see PEONIES, page 2C day. “I love that they come from Associated Press

Peonies are on display at Nichols Arboretum’s W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden on May 30 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

AP PHoTo By MIKE HoUsEHoLDER

AP PHoTo By DARIo LoPEZ-MILLs

A plate of ribs and sausage with two sides is served at the Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix on May 19.

“A lot of visitors to the United States ... called out barbecue as being a particular American kind of thing,” Moss says.

“From the very beginning, it was something distinctive to the Americas and something that Europeans recognized as being something different than the way they cooked meat.”

The development of what we think of as barbecue today had other influences over the centuries, like commercial refrigeration of the late 19th century and the subsequent popularity of the in-home version in the early decades of the 20th, which allowed people to buy and store cuts of meat in ways impossible in colonial times.

Another hallmark of American barbecue culture is how regional it is, with different sauces and cooking techniques in North Carolina vs Memphis vs Texas vs Georgia. Moss says that developed in the early part of the 20th century.

A local cook might start a restaurant and teach barbecue to his employees, who then went out on their own. “You can literally map out these barbecue mentors who sort of spun out all these other cooks, and you can see how their style sort of was handed down from one generation to the next,” Moss says.

“And that’s where you start seeing all the things we think of as the iconic.”

2C ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

No single test will assure heart health Dear Doctors: I had a carotid ultrasound that shows 0% stenosis on both the right and left sides. Does that mean no plaque was seen?

Also, is there any gold-standard test for heart health, such as the carotid ultrasound I had?

Dear Reader: At this time, there is no single test or tool that can assess heart health. This is because the cardiovascular system is complex and many factors can affect it. We’re talking not only about the heart muscle itself, but also the blood vessels that serve it. Other variables include blood pressure, age, weight, body fat percentage and blood lipid levels. The presence of visceral fat, metabolic health, lifestyle, stress and genetic risk also play important roles.

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Dr. Elizabeth Ko Dr. Eve Glazier AsK THE DoCToRs

That said, a combination of scans and tests can be used to create a comprehensive profile of cardiovascular risk. This refers to the probability someone will have an event that damages the heart muscle, which we call a heart attack. If poor blood flow is detected, then treatment options might include angioplasty, stent or bypass surgery. Unstable an-

gina is the condition of reduced blood flow to the heart with physical symptoms, including sudden chest pain and dizziness, but that hasn’t caused a heart attack yet.

The carotid ultrasound you had measures the thickness of the walls of the blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain. The images also show whether plaque is present and how much there is. Greater amounts of plaque correlate to more severe risk of disease. Your 0% reading means there is no measurable narrowing of the vessels. It is still possible there may be some plaque, but not enough to narrow the artery.

The result of your carotid ultrasound is quite reassuring. However, it is important to understand

that it cannot capture all aspects of cardiovascular risk. Other tests to assess the arteries of the heart, as well as heart function at rest and under stress, are needed.

Tests that evaluate heart function include an echocardiogram. It uses sound waves to provide moving, real-time images of the heart. A stress echocardiogram takes images of the heart before and after exercise. Nuclear medicine scans can also be useful. These use radioactive isotopes to see the flow of blood through the heart. They can identify areas of reduced blood flow, particularly during stress.

Many more cardiologists are now ordering coronary artery calcium scans, also referred to as CAC tests. This test uses X-rays to look for the presence of calci-

CURIOUS

By The Associated Press

Think of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 horror classic, “The Birds.” That was the size of this bayou gathering of vultures. The Acadians call them carencro.

The birds are the namesake for Bayou Carencro, and its subsequent city.

Is it true?

sTAFF FILE PHoTo By LEsLIE WEsTBRooK

Bayou Carencro as it appears today along the border between Lafayette and st. Landry parishes. about the carrion crows?

Why were the birds there?

Author Clare D’Artois Leeper, in her book “Louisiana Place Names: Popular, Unusual, and Forgotten Stories of Towns, Cities, Plantations, Bayous, and Even Some Cemeteries,” simply states that the bayou and settlement “probably owes its name to the fact that vast numbers of buzzards often gathered in that vicinity.”

Author Buddy Stall, in his book, “Louisiana Potpourri,” concurs, stating that “Carencro is the French designation for the turkey buzzard. The area was inundated with turkey buzzards, hence the name Carencro.”’

However, neither author examines the reason for the gathering of carrion crows.

This is where yet another Native American legend enters the story, this time crediting the name to a “fish die-off” on the bayou.

This makes more sense than a mastodon carcass.

Still, the mastodon makes for better folklore. And as for the Stall’s reference to turkey buzzards, there’s an explanation for that, too.

In some accounts, the birds were called “carencro tête rouge,” or red-headed buzzard. Either way, they

PEONIES

were a type of vulture.

Clare D’Artois Leeper, in her book, states that a move was made in the late 1800s to change the town’s name.

“Because the name Carencro does not have a particularly pleasing aura, an effort was made to change it in 1874,” she writes. “Pierre Cormier donated ground for a church to replace the chapel on the condition that the name Carencro, which he deemed offensive, be changed to St. Pierre in honor of his patron saint.”

Cormier was a prominent planter in the area and quite active in the Catholic church.

“The villagers agreed but soon drifted back to the familiar appellation which the town still bears,” Leeper writes.

That happened on July 6, 1905, when the town was formerly incorporated.

And the city has borne the name of the carrion crow since.

Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

Nicole Calvin crouches down to look at peonies on display at Nichols Arboretum’s W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Continued from page 1C features one of the largest collections of historic — pre1950 — herbaceous peonies in North America and likely the world.

“There’s been a long fascination with this plant, because, when it’s peak, it’s so out there. It’s such a big show,” said Doug Conley, horticulture lead of Nichols Arboretum, known locally as The Arb. “And our collection is overwhelming. When you see this garden at peak bloom, there’s nothing like it. You’re captivated by it.”

The peony watch is a spectator sport with so many visitors arriving at The Arb each spring to behold the

Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

TODAY IN HISTORY

Continued from page 1C

So, did Duralde believe it?

Or did it matter?

Dee Jeffers would like to know.

“I grew up in Branch, and Carencro was only about 25 miles away,” the Baton Rouge reader said. “I know the name, ‘Carencro,’ comes from the French word for vultures, but I’ve heard stories over the years about the city’s name being connected to a dead mastodon. Is it true?”

Jeffers is right. Historians and folklorists have interpreted the description of the large creature as being a mastodon, which would make more sense than an elephant.

Elephants are in no way native to Louisiana, but Mastodon remains have been discovered in the southern part of the state through the years.

Mastodons didn’t go extinct until 10,000 years ago, meaning they coexisted with humans. But these were humans that would have predated the Attakapas. Even Duralde pointed this out in a later report.

“Duralde later wrote a more detailed letter describing the discovery of the remains, which was published in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society in 1809, but he only briefly alluded to the Atakapa legend,” the Encyclopaedia of Cryptozoology states in its “American Elephant” entry.

“According to Duralde, the bones had been discovered shortly after 1760.”

The encyclopedia continues, pointing out that “’Father of palaeontology’ Georges Cuvier (1769–1832) also discovered more mastodon remains near Carencro during his tour of the United States in 1804.

Cuvier referred to the discovery and the mastodon tradition as ‘curious and interesting.’”

The story of a mastodon in the area is plausible, though not during the Attakapas’ time. But what

fied plaque in the coronary arteries. Also useful is the computed tomography angiogram, or CTA. It uses X-rays, contrast dye and computer processing to create detailed images of the blood vessels in the heart.

Not everyone needs each of these tests to assess heart health. Decisions about their use should be made based on your own medical history and general health. These decisions should always be made in consultation with your doctors.

Today is Monday, June 8, the 159th day of 2026. There are 206 days left in the year.

Today in history: On June 8, 2023, Donald Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Miami on 37 felony counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified documents that had been moved to Mara-Lago, Trump’s Florida home. (The case was abandoned following Trump’s November 2024 presidential election victory.)

Also on this date: In 1789, in an address to the U.S. House of Representatives, James Madison proposed amending the Constitution to include a Bill of Rights.

In 1966, a merger was announced between the National Football League and the American Football League, to take effect in 1970.

In 1967, during the ArabIsraeli Six-Day War, 34 American crew members were killed and 170 were wounded when Israel at-

tacked the USS Liberty, an intelligence-gathering ship, in the Mediterranean Sea. (Israel later said the Liberty had been mistaken for an Egyptian vessel.)

In 1968, U.S. authorities announced the capture in London of James Earl Ray, the suspected assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. In 1978, a jury in Clark County, Nevada, ruled the so-called “Mormon Will,” purportedly written by the late billionaire Howard Hughes, was a forgery.

In 1995, U.S. Marines rescued Air Force Capt.

Scott O’Grady, whose F16C fighter jet had been shot down by Bosnian Serbs on June 2.

In 2009, North Korea’s highest court sentenced American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years’ hard labor for trespassing and “hostile acts.” (The women were pardoned in early August 2009 after a trip to Pyongyang by former President Bill Clinton.)

In 2017, former FBI Director James Comey,

testifying before Congress, asserted that President Donald Trump fired him to interfere with Comey’s investigation of Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign.

In 2021, Ratko Mladic, the military chief known as the “Butcher of Bosnia” who was convicted of war crimes committed during the Balkan nation’s 199295 war, lost his final legal battle when U.N. judges rejected his appeal and affirmed his life sentence.

Today’s birthdays: Singer Nancy Sinatra is 86. Musician Boz Scaggs is 82.

Pianist Emanuel Ax is 77.

Actor Sonia Braga is 76.

Actor Kathy Baker is 76.

Computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee is 71. Actor Griffin Dunne is 71. Actordirector Keenen Ivory Wayans is 68. Singer Mick Hucknall (Simply Red) is 66. Musician Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) is 64. Actor Julianna Margulies is 60.

Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona, is 56. Tennis Hall of Famer Lindsay Davenport is 50. TV personalityhost Maria Menounos is 48.

Yo St ur ar M ts o He ve re

Get your FREE home value now

AP PHoTo By MIKE HoUsEHoLDER garden plant that they have to be bused in.

The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden contains hundreds of historic cultivated varieties from the 19th and early 20th centuries, representing American, Canadian and European peonies of the era.

At peak bloom, the garden typically features tens of thousands of flowers.

The garden is free to visit

and open from sunrise to sunset. For those drawn to the peony’s scent, it’s best to show up early in the morning or late in the evening, when the fragrances are the best.

“It is restorative for all of us, I think, to come out into nature and be surrounded by joy, beauty,” Conley said. “It’s a delightful place for people to just come and gather and be.”

addressbatonrouge.com DRE#01901536 This website is a marketing and information program that sends all inquiries to state-licensed real estate professionals.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 3C

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FrAnK And erneSt

bIG nAte

zItS

zodIAC GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A little hustle will pay off when dealing with tracking someone or something. Determination will win in the end, so put your best foot forward and maneuver your way to the finish line.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Refuse to let anyone put you on the defensive when it's time to concentrate on doing and being your best. Walk away from those seeking control, pressure tactics and emotional manipulators.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Be careful what you sign up for. Being too generous with your time, money or skills will invite others to take advantage of you. Choose to be unique, and you'll outmaneuver anyone who wants to compete with you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Ease your way forward. Pay attention to instructions, and be sure to do your best by sticking to proper protocol. Consider what others might be going through before you criticize or try to redirect them.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) A change will spark your imagination and encourage creative endeavors and so much more.

Take the high road, and put your best assets to work for you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Take pride in what you do, and find pleasure in the accolades that come your way. Don't waste time and energy on those trying to tamper with your emotions or tempt you to do things that aren't in your best interest.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to details, price tags and hidden costs.

Partnerships or joint ventures require honest communication and compromise.

Explore what's possible and how to use your skills optimally.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You'll be torn between what you must do and what you want to do. Consider less talk and more action, and you'll discover you can fit more into your day than you expect.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Don't let anxiety set in when action is the answer.

Gather information and choose the path that offers what you long for most. It's time to let go of the past.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Keep busy with plans or physical or educational improvements that help you let go of the past and embrace people, places and projects that you find stimulating and encourage personal growth and financial gains.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Honesty, integrity and discipline will help you avoid conflict and interference. Go about your business, do the best job possible and have a positive attitude. Let go of what you cannot control.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Keep moving.

Taking care of unfinished business will free you up to do as you please. An opportunity to make domestic changes that add to your comfort or to make your space more functional will offer peace of mind.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

TODAy'S CLUE: N EQUALS O

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4C ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

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Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Saturday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 5C

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B.C.

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER Joyce Brothers, a psychologist and newspaper columnist, was the only woman to win the top prize in “The $64,000 Question.” She said, “A philosopher is a person who doesn’t care which side his bread is buttered on; he knows he eats both sides anyway.”

A bridge player, though, should treat every deal with care. In this one, after West leads the heart queen against four spades, how would a careless declarer play, and what would a careful declarer do differently?

North’s response was the Jacoby Forcing Raise, promising four or more spades and the values for at least game.

South rebid four spades because he had a minimum opening bid with no side-suit singleton or void. North had no reason to bid higher.

The opening lead marks East with the heart ace. So declarer should play low from the board at tricks one and two.

However, it is to no avail. The defenders take three heart tricks, then East shifts to the diamond king.

South wins the trick with dummy’s ace and draws trumps, noting the unfriendly 4-0 break. Now he must take four club tricks so that he can discard his diamond loser.

The careless declarer cashes his club king and plays low to dummy’s ace, going down with this line of play.

The more thoughtful declarer plays low to dummy’s ace, then returns a club

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

to his king. When he sees East discard, South knows to finesse dummy’s 10 on the third round.

Then perhaps East and West will discuss how they might have entered the auction, because five diamonds, if North and South play trumps quickly, is down only one, making it an excellent sacrifice. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

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 — sLIVERs: SLIH-vers: Long slender pieces cut or torn off.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 15 words Time limit 20 minutes Can you find 17 or more words in SLIVERS? sAtuRDAY’s WoRD — PLEnARY pale paler pane panel pare parley payer peal pear pearl pearly

penal plan plane planer play player plea pray prey pyre lane

layer lean leap learn lyre earl early earn elan neap near

nearly aery aper rale real reap relay rely renal repay replay

reply yare yarn year yearn yelp

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;” Matthew 20:26

Servants rank high in the eyes of God. Let’s all have a servant’s heart. G.E. Dean

6C ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Announcements ANYONE KNOWING the whereabouts of anyone having an interest in the UNOPENED SUCCESSION OF CLAUDIA SHELLING LANG please contact: Allen V. Davis, Attorney at Law, 2008B South Burnside Ave. Gonzales, La 70737, Tele. (225) 612-7727.

189938-June 6-8, 3t $121 ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of any property owner, heir or other related person, in regard to the properties listed below, please contact the East Baton Rouge CityParish, Department of Development – Neighborhood Revitalization Office at 225-389-8680.

1005 NORTH BLVD NORTH BLVD PROPERTIES, LLC 3462 DAYTON ST ARTHUR E CONLEY 3017 HURON SHAKAYLA ARKEL DOMINICK 2346 EDGEWOOD DR THE ESTATE OF ERNEST T FOSTER 1334 ROUNDHILL DR SOSTHAN MONROE 3855 ALLIQUIPA ST HOME 24 URBAN CONCEPTS, LLC 229 E BUCHANAN ST JAMES ELMORE, JR 131 S 20TH ST MARCUS C ALEXANDER AND MARY HARDNETT 9838 AVENUE J HENRY L THURMAN JR 1600 MYRTLE WALK QUEST TRUST COMPANY F/B/O BRADLEY W HITCHCOCK IRA #45881-11 933 NAPOLEON ST KADOR TRUST 2400 WILLOW ST JOHN HULBERT 2149 N 15TH ST ISIAH SR, AND LOUISE T 3754 MAIN ST PHILIP BUSH 2430 BARBER ST ROSEDELL JOHNESE 3016 ANITA AVE JANICE CLARK 4957 E BROOKSTOWN DR BUTLER VENTURE INVESTMENTS, LLC 6278 PRESCOTT RD SHARON DRAPP MARKS 3229 ONTARIO ST GRACE PROPERTY VENTURES, LLC 1615 N 25TH ST EDNA SMITH 2389 YAZOO ST EARL WASHINGTON 1721 N 36TH ST ELWOOD T CARTER 3642 N FOSTER DR MAI THU NGUYEN 1650 STILT ST EARL V HAYNES. C/O MICHAEL V HAYNES 5741 DENOVA ST SONNIE G D HENDERSON 3244 KINGS CANYON DR THE ESTATE OF CHARLES R GRAVES 2632 BEECH ST VELMA H GAINES, C/O CHARLES G DEGGINS 5727 BEECH ST THE ESTATE OF SARAH PARKER MCFADDEN 10142 AVENUE B RAPHAEL A BARANCO SR, C/O BEVERLY ANN BROUSSARD 4735 BEECH ST THE ESTATE OF LINDA O WALL 4415 BYRON ST EZELL ROBEERTSON 241 HILLCREST AVE INNIS PATIN 2029 77TH AVE DARLENE WINFIELD 8541 HICKCOCK DR JONES PAINTING & DRYWALL, LLC 4732 CADILLAC ST LEON VALDRY TRUST 6344 ARBOR VITAE DR MARCUS JOHNSON 1313 GREEN OAK DR BERNICE GRIGGSBY WILLIAMS 6232 BLACKBERRY ST JOSEPH MCKINLEY FOREST JR 1221 N. 29TH ST ERNEST AND AGNES SPEARS 5398 RICKOVER ST

OTTIS RUTH BUTCHER 1666 KAUFMAN ST PIN MONEY, LLC / JENNY F BAKER 4859 BRADLEY ST MARKETPLACE ADVISORS, LLC 3557 ELM DR SHEDERICK D KIRKLAND 119 N 25TH ST OPTIONS FOUNDATION, INC 1835 LEHMANN ST COLLIS B TEMPLE, JR. 16406 PATTON AVE ALI ABDO HAGAG 542 E BOLIVAR DR JADA EDWARDS 7241 MEADOWVIEW AVE RICHARD A PENCE, III 2667 BARBER ST ROBERT L DAVIS 2426 WILLOW ST TWANDA CANNON 10444 DARRYL DR MAALTIE C BARLETTA 2015 SHERWOOD MEADOW DR RIVERS PRESTIGIOUS ENTERPRISE, LLC/ KESI BASIL 10639 RONDO AVE LESLIE ANN LEONARD 10126 AVENUE D MATTIE M PAYNE 9832 AVENUE D SAMUEL LEE, SR 5208 PEERLESS ST TONY WALTERS 5003 PACKARD ST ZEARLEE BRADLEY 4365 SYCAMORE ST THE ESTATE OF GARY D ROYAL 559 ELMER AVE ESTATE OF MARY BELL H NEYLON 9865 AVENUE C SOUTHERN UNITED, INC 7314 BOMER DR TUAN PHAN 10444 DARRYL DR MAALTIE C BARLETTA 4440 BYRON ST DANIELA M OLIVERA 7314 BOMER DR TUAN PHAN 658 S 18TH ST THE ESTATE OF LIONEL C & HELEN Q SHAW 190274-6/8 Through 6/14-7t $3,700.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Arsheal Barnes, Richard Knighten, John Harrell Holloman, Shedrick Cedric Holloman, Frank Robinson, Cedric Ulysses Holloman, Christopher Vernard Knighten and Edith Stap please contact Atty.

Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

190143-June 6-8, 3t $133 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Charlie Johnson Jr and The Estate of Eliza Morgan Johnson please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

190140-June 6-8, 3t $97 ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of CHRISTEN M. CUILLIER JOHNSON contact Ethel Clay, Attorney at Law, (225) 906-0435.

190104-June 6-8, 3t $85 ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of CLARENCE VERNON contact Ethel Clay, Attorney at Law, (225) 9060435.

190122-6/6-7-8-3t $85.00 ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of EDWARD VANDROSS GERARD contact Ethel Clay, Attorney at Law, (225) 906-0435.

190107-June 6-8, 3t $85 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Freddie Isaac Jr and The Estate of Ethel Isaac please contact Atty.

Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

190141-June 6-8, 3t $85

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

y days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived for the Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District (LSED) at the of‐ fice of Legends Global Gate F Executive Offices, Caesars Superdome, 1500 Sugar Bowl Drive, New Orleans, LA 70112. The deadline for receipt of bids is 2:00 PM on Thurs‐ day July 9, 2026, at which time bids will be opened and read aloud in a pub‐ lic meeting in the Leg‐ ends Global Conference room at Gate F of Cae‐ sars Superdome.

FOR: Smoothie King CenterFreight Elevator Modernization Project PROJECT NUMBER: 2026 SKC R & R Funds Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be down‐ loaded without charge and without deposit from the LSED website www. lsedgov.org under tab “Opportunities” and then “Request for Bids: Capi‐ tal Projects and Ser‐ vices” Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrange‐ ments can be made to obtain them through most reprographic firms.

Plan holders are respon‐ sible for their own repro‐ duction costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at: Mickey Schultz Lerch Bates, Inc. mickey.schultz@ lerchbates.com All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD at 1 PM on Thursday June 11, 2026 at Legends Global Conference Room, Caesars Superdome, Plaza Level Gate F, 1500 Sugar Bowl Drive, New Orleans, LA 70112 Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of Building Construction. Bidder is required to comply with provisions and require‐ ments of LA R.S. 38:2212(B)(5). No bid may be withdrawn for a pe‐ riod of forty-five (45) d f i f

ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of NATASHA MOORE contact Ethel Clay, Attorney at Law, (225) 9060435.

190124-6/6-7-8-3t $85.00 ANYONE KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF OWNERS, OPERATORS, OR EMPLOYEES OF SPECTRUM ANALYTICS, LLC, PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA MARIONNEAUX, A. MARIONNEAUX LAW, LLC, AT 23615 RAILROAD AVENUE, PLAQUEMINE, LA 70764 OR AT (225) 385-5189.

190031-June 6-8, 3t $145

The Available For Con‐ struction amount for this project is Five Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($540,000.00).

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In ac‐ cordance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(1), the provi‐ sions and requirements of this Section; and those stated in the bidding documents shall not be waived by any entity.

STATE OF LOUISIANA LOUISIANA STADIUM AND EXPOSITION DISTRICT. ROBERT A. VOSBEIN, Jr., CHAIRMAN 189854-jun 8-15-22-3t $142.60 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived for the Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District (LSED) at the of‐ fice of Legends Global Gate F Executive Offices, Caesars Superdome, 1500 Sugar Bowl Drive, New Orleans, LA 70112. The deadline for receipt of bids is 2:00 PM on June 26, 2026, at which time bids will be opened and read aloud in a public meeting in the Legends Global Conference room at Gate F of Caesars Su‐ perdome.

FOR: 2025 TPC Louisiana Dewatering System Re‐ pairs 11001 Lapalco Blvd Avondale, LA 70094 PROJECT NUMBER: LSED 2025 Capital Project Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be down‐ loaded without charge and without deposit from the LSED website www. lsedgov.org under tab “Opportunities” and then “Request for Bids: Capi‐ tal Projects and Ser‐ vices” Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrange‐ ments can be made to obtain them through most reprographic firms.

Plan holders are respon‐ sible for their own repro‐ duction costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at: Marrero Couvillon & As‐ sociates, LLC 2644 Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite 200 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 701816 kschlafly@mca-llc.com All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD at 9:00 AM on Monday June 8, 2026, at the TPC Louisiana conference room, 11001 Lapalco Blvd., Avondale LA 70094 Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of Com‐ mercial Construction.

Bidder is required to comply with provisions and requirements of LA R.S. 38:2212(B)(5). No bid may be withdrawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214.

The Available For Con‐ struction amount for this project is Four Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($420,000.00) Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(1), the provi‐ sions and requirements of this Section; and those stated in the bidding documents shall not be waived by any entity.

STATE OF LOUISIANA LOUISIANA STADIUM AND EXPOSITION DISTRICT. ROBERT A. VOSBEIN, Jr., CHAIRMAN 189505-JUN 1-8-15-3T $138.60 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived for the State of Louisiana by the Coastal Protection and Restora‐ tion Authority, 150 Ter‐ race Avenue, 4th Floor Conference Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 until 2:00 P.M., Wednesday July 8, 2026.

Any person requiring special accommodation shall notify the coastal protection and restora‐ tion authority of the type(s) of accommoda‐ tion required not less than seven (7) days be‐ fore the bid opening.

FOR: Terrebonne Houma Navigation Canal Vegetative Plantings Project Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana PROJECT NUMBER: TE-0165 Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from http:// coastal.la.gov/resources/ rfps-rsiqs-contracts/ bids/. Printed copies can also be obtained from: COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY (CPRA) 150 Terrace Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70804 l

GENERAL HELP CITY OF PORT ALLEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The City of Port Allen is now accepting applications for the following posi‐ tions: Public Works Supervisor Water and Gas Operator Laborer 1 Applications will be accepted at Port Allen City Hall, 375 Court Street, Port Allen, LA 70767, until noon Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

Please contact Port Allen City Hall Human Resources if you have any questions.

The City of Port Allen is an Equal Opportunity Employer

ANYONE KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF OWNERS, OPERATORS, OR EMPLOYEES OF TNT PRESSURE WASHING AND LAWN SERVICES, LLC, AND/OR JERREL ABRAHAM RICHARDSON, PLEASE CONTACT AMANDA MARIONNEAUX, A. MARIONNEAUX LAW, LLC, AT 23615 RAILROAD AVENUE, PLAQUEMINE, LA 70764 OR AT (225) 385-5189.

190056-6/6-7-8-3t $169.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of RAVEN WIGGINS, please contact Priscila Ebony Ray, Attorney at Law, at 815-566-1179.

189969-6/6-7-8-3t $85.00 ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of SHAWN LASYONE contact Ethel Clay, Attorney at Law, (225) 9060435.

190113-6/6-7-8-3t $85.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of The Estate of Geraldine West please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

190138-June 6-8, 3t $85

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EDUCATION

Early College Option School Counselor LOCATION Iberville Parish Schools

AREA 3 3060 N. Acadian Thrwy 1BR/1BA $500/mth $300Dep Water/Sewer Paid 225-357-6436

WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889

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CLASSIFIEDS.THEADVOCATE.COM Public Notices Bids/Proposals g Attn: Kayla Causey E-mail: cpra.bidding@la.gov Phone: (225) 342-9421 Fax: (225) 800-5599 All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL NOT BE HELD Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of Heavy Construction, subclassi‐ fication: Landscaping, Grading and Beautifica‐ tion; or Specialty, sub‐ classification: Coastal Restoration & Habitat En‐ hancement; or Specialty, subclassification: seed‐ ing, Sodding, Load & Soil Stabilization, Erosion Control, Sheet Piling. In accordance with LA. R.S. 37:2165(D), anyone ob‐ jecting to the classifica‐ tion must send a certi‐ fied letter to both the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and the CPRA at the ad‐ dress listed above. The letter must be received no later than ten (10) working days prior to the day on which bids are to be opened.

Bidder is required to comply with provisions and requirements of LA R.S.38:2212(B)(5). No bid may be withdrawn for a period of forty-five (45) calendar days after re‐ ceipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In ac‐ cordance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(1), the provi‐ sions and requirements of this Section; and those stated in the bidding documents shall not be waived by any entity.

When this project is fi‐ nanced either partially or entirely with State Bonds or financed in whole or in part by federal or other funds which are not readily available at the time bids are received, the award of this Con‐ tract is contingent upon the granting of lines of credit, or the sale of bonds by the Bond Com‐ mission or the availabil‐ ity of federal or other funds. The State shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Con‐ tract between Owner and Contractor is fully exe‐ cuted.

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is a participant in the Small Entrepreneurship (SE) Program (the Hudson Ini‐ tiative) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled Veteran-

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Owned (LaVet) Small En‐ trepreneurships Pro‐ gram. Bidders are en‐ couraged to consider participation.

Informa‐ tion is available from Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority or on its website at http:// www.coastal.la.gov/.

shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Docu‐ ments for this project.

STATE OF LOUISIANA, COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY MICHAEL HARE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 189895-jun 8-15-22-3t $159.63 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived for the State of Louisiana by the LCTC Campus Official with Owner’s Representative and shall be directed to the LCTC River Parishes Commu‐ nity College, 181 Regala Park Road, Reserve, La 70084. The deadline for receipt of bids is 10:00 AM on JUNE 26, 2026, at which time bids will be opened and read aloud in a public meeting in the LCTC RIVER PARISHES COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUILDING K, Main Conference Room.

FOR: HVAC Replacement Build‐ ing A, B, & C River Parishes Community Col‐ lege – Reserve Campus 181 Regala Park Road, Re‐ serve, LA 70084 PROJECT NUMBER: 01-107-24-05 WBS Num‐ ber: F.01004657 Site Code: 6845 State Building ID: S04355 Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from Associated Design Group, Inc. (DBA: ADG En‐ gineering). Bid Docu‐ ments may also be ob‐ tained from www.centralbidding.com for a nominal charge or subscription.

Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most re‐ prographic firms. Plan holders are responsible for their own reproduc‐ tion costs.

Questions about this pro‐ cedure shall be directed to the Designer at: Associated Design Group, Inc. 3909 West Congress Street, Lafayette, LA 70506 337-234-5710 adginc@adginc.org All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Docu‐ ments for this project.

The

DOGS Many breeds, deposit & payment plans available (225) 810-5771 DOGS Shih Tzu, m/f, 8wks old, paper trained $275+ Cash Only. Call (504) 418-3046

DEADLINE FOR APPLYING Until filled or June 15, 2026

ANYONE knowing the whereabouts of HEIRS OF RALPH D. MOORE, II contact Ethel Clay, Attorney at Law, (225) 906-0435.

190116-June6-8, 3t $85

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Melissa Vicaro Leblanc and Vincent A Vicaro please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 9060050.

190137-June 6-8, 3t $97

successful

Bidder

A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD

DOGS Many breeds, deposit & payment plans available (225) 810-5771

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

uled meeting.

ACT 751LOUISIANA COMMUNITY AND TECH‐ NICAL COLLEGES VICE PRESIDENT OF AD‐ MINISTRATION TOBY R. COMEAUX, MPA FEBRUARY 2026 188935-may 28-jun 11

at 10:00 AM on JUNE 16, 2026 at

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

181 Regala Park Road, Reserve, La 70084

DOCUMENT 00 11 13 - AD‐ VERTISEMENT FOR BIDS 1.1 PROJECT INFORMA‐ TION A. Notice to Bidders: bid‐ ders may submit bids for project as described in this Document. Submit bids according to the In‐ structions to Bidders.

B. Project Identification: John A. Alario Event Cen‐ ter – Life Safety and ADA Upgrades 1. LSED Project Number: 2025 LEDI Funds 2. Project Location: 2000 Segnette Boulevard, Westwego, LA 70094.

C. Owner: Louisiana Sta‐ dium and Exposition Dis‐ trict (LSED).

1. Owner's Representa‐ tive: Legends Global, Eileen Long, Capital Pro‐ jects Executive.

D. Architect: Holly and Smith Architects, Robert J. Boyd, Project Manager.

E. Project Description: Project addresses multi‐ ple life safety and ADA deficiencies at the exist‐ ing facility. This includes but is not limited to the addition of a fire hydrant, replacement of non-firerated openings, minor sprinkler modifications, door hardware adjust‐ ments, parking lot strip‐ ing, room signage re‐ placement, and the addi‐ tion of steel cane detec‐ tion rails.

1. Project cost range is anticipated to be under $450,000.00.

F. Construction Contract: Bids will be received for the following Work: 1. General Contract (all trades).

1.2 BID SUBMITTAL AND OPENING A. Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived for the State of Louisiana by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED) until the bid time and date at the location given below. Owner will consider bids prepared in full compliance with Louisiana Public Bid Law, and delivered as follows: 1. Bid Date: June 25, 2026 2. Bid Time: 2:00 p.m., local time.

3.

Location: Legends Global Executive Offices, Gate F, Plaza Level, Cae‐ sars Superdome, New Or‐ leans, LA 70113, (504) 587-3920.

4. All properly submitted bids will be thereafter publicly opened and read aloud.

B. ANY PERSON REQUIR‐ ING SPECIAL ACCOMMO‐ DATIONS SHALL NOTIFY THE LOUISIANA STADIUM AND EXPOSITION DIS‐ TRICT OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMODATION RE‐ QUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. 1.3 BID SECURITY A. Bid security shall be submitted with each bid in the amount of 5 per‐ cent of the bid amount.

The form of this security shall be as stated in the

Building Room

K

Conference

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of ME‐ CHANICAL. Bidder is required to comply with provisions and requirements of LA R.S. 38:2212(B)(5). No bid may be withdrawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214.

Bids may also be submit‐ ted by electronic means via website www.central bidding.com. Free regis‐ tration is required to submit a bid via the Central Bidding website.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In ac‐ cordance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(1), the provi‐ sions and requirements of this Sec‐ tion; and those stated in the bidding documents shall not be waived by any entity.

When this project is fi‐ nanced either partially or entirely with State Bonds or financed in whole or in part by federal or other funds which are not readily available at the time bids are received, the award of this Contract is contin‐ gent upon the granting of lines of credit, or the sale of bonds by the Bond Com‐ mission or the availabil‐ ity of federal or other funds. The State shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Contract Between Owner and Contractor is fully executed.

Act 751 – Louisiana Com‐ munity and Technical Colleges is a participant in the Small Entrepre‐ neurship (SE) Program (the Hudson Initiative) and the Vet‐ eran-Owned and ServiceConnected Disabled Vet‐ eran-Owned (LaVet) Small Entrepreneurships Program.

Bidders are encouraged to consider participation.

Information is available from its website at https://www.doa.la.gov/ doa/fpc/.

If you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to participate in this meeting, please con‐ tact Cheryl at Cheryl.

Schilling Schilling@la.gov or (225) 342-6060 as soon as pos‐ sible but no later than 48 hours before the sched‐

WORKS

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Docu‐ ments for this project. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of 45 days after opening of bids, ex‐ cept under the provi‐ sions of La. R.S. 38:2214.

Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1)(b), the pro‐ visions and requirements of this Section, those stated in the advertise‐ ment for bids, and those required on the bid form shall not be considered as informalities and shall not be waived by any public entity.

B. The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

1.4 PREBID MEETING A. Prebid Meeting: A Mandatory Prebid meet‐ ing for all bidders will be held at the project site: the John A Alario Event Center, 2000 Segnette Boulevard, Westwego, LA 70094, on June 11, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., local time.

Prospective prime bid‐ ders are required to at‐ tend.

1.5 DOCUMENTS A. Online Procurement and Contracting Docu‐ ments: Complete Bid Documents for this pro‐ ject are available in elec‐ tronic form on the LSED website. They may be ob‐ tained without charge and without deposit by visiting the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District website, under "Business Opportunities" page. The Bid Documents wil be listed under Re‐ quest for Bid: 2025 LEDI Funds. Printed copies are not available from the Owner or Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most repro‐ graphic firs. Please note that Plan Holders are re‐ sponsible for their own reproduction costs.

B. Questions: questions about this procedure and all other questions re‐ garding the scope of work of the project should be directed to the Project Manager in writ‐ ing via email only: robert@hollyandsmith. com.bta 1.6 BIDDER'S QUALIFICA‐ TIONS A. Bids shall be accepted only from Contractors who are licensed under La. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of: "Building Construction."

B. The bidder is required to comply with provi‐ sions and requirements of La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(5).

END OF DOCUMENT 00 11 13

NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112 (504) 568-6261

189502-jun 1-8-15-3t $198 PUBLIC NOTICE --Invitation to Bid SEALED PROPOSALS AS LISTED BELOW WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AT: LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER 433 BOLIVAR STREET ROOM 623

UNTIL TIMES AND DATES INDICATED, AT WHICH TIME AND PLACE THE PROPOSALS WILL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AND READ: BID TITLE: PERDIDO LOT 5 ASPHALT REPAIRS BID NUMBER: 002983 BID OPENING DATE: JUNE 23, 2026 @ 2:00PM A MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026 AT 10:00 A.M. SUPPLIERS ARE TO MEET IN THE ALLIED HEALTH/SCHOOL OF NURSING BUILDING, ROOM 147 (SEMINAR ROOM 2), LOCATED AT 1900 GRAVIER STREET, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112.

ALL INQUIRES AND REQUESTS FOR SPECIFICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED VIA EMAIL TO: MWIL34@LSUHSC.EDU BIDS WILL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AT: LSUHSC-433 BOLIVAR ST. 6TH FLOOR, RM 623C NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112 SPECIFICATIONS MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT. THE RIGHT IS RESERVED TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS AND TO WAIVE INFORMALITIES. 188643-may 27-jun 2-8-3t $84.31 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS STATEMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK SERVICES Louisiana Swamp Base High Adventure Campus – Phase 2 Development 1337 Henderson Levee Road, Henderson, LA 70517 Notice is hereby given that Louisiana Swamp Base, Inc. is hereby solic‐ iting sealed qualifica‐ tions statements from qualified and licensed general contractors to provide comprehensive pre-construction and construction manage‐ ment at-risk services for the construction of a building, all as more fully set forth in the request for qualifications packet.

The official request for qualifications packet is available in electronic form beginning at 10:00AM on June 1, 2026 and can be obtained, without charge and with‐ out deposit, at www.cen terlinebidconnect.com.

Print copies are not available.

Interested firms are responsible for their own reproduction costs.

In accordance with the requirements of the request for qualifica‐ tions packet, sealed qualifications state‐ ments must be submit‐ ted to AQ Studios, 115 East Main Street,

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ 7C

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8C ■ Monday, June 8, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Lafayette LA 70501 be‐ fore the Submission Deadline of 10:00AM on July 10, 2026. Any qualifi‐ cations statements re‐ ceived after the Submis‐ sion Deadline will not be considered. NO qualifica‐ tions statements may be withdrawn after the Sub‐ mission Deadline.

Louisiana Swamp Base, Inc. reserves the right to cancel this solicitation prior to the Submission Deadline or to reject any or all qualifications statements for just cause.

Interested firms must maintain a current and valid contractor license with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Con‐ tractors for Commercial Building Construction and certify that they are licensed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes.

The selected contractor must comply with all re‐ quirements of authorities having jurisdiction over the project including, but not limited to, all applic‐ able rules, regulations and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor, State of Louisiana, Divi‐ sion of Administration, Office of Facility Planning and Control, federal gov‐ ernment, and State of Louisiana, all of which shall become contractual obligations. Failure of the general contractor to ac‐ cept these obligations shall result in the rejec‐ tion of its qualifications Louisiana statement.

Swamp Base, Inc. does not discriminate based on social and economic disadvantage, race, color, sex, gender, age, disability or national ori‐ gin. All small and minor‐ ity-owned firms and women's business enter‐ prises are encouraged to submit qualifications statements.

Any person requiring special accommodations to comply with this solic‐ itation must contact AQ Studios by email michelle@aqteam.com not less than seven (7) days before the Submis‐ sion Deadline.

PUBLICATION DATES June 1, 2026 June 8, 2026 June 15, 2026 188485 June 1, 8, 15, 2026 3t $1,105.84 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS SP# 109

Public Notices Bids/Proposals g 6201 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70806, or by telephoning 225-272-9200 ext. 1582, or by email requests to Venice.fleming@brec.org or Dedra.fountain@brec. org.

The right to reject any and all proposals and to waive irregularities and informalities is reserved.

BREC is an equal oppor‐ tunity employer.

All questions concerning the Solicitation must be received in accordance with the bid documents. *Note: BREC has elected to use LaPAC, the state’s online electronic bid posting and notification system, in addition to its standard means of ad‐ vertising this require‐ ment. LaPAC is resident on State Purchasing’s https:// website at wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/OSP/LaPAC/ pubmain.cfm and is available for vendor selfenrollment. In that LaPAC provides an immediate email notification to sub‐ scribing bidders that a solicitation and any sub‐ sequent addenda have been let and posted, no‐ tice and receipt thereof is considered formally given as of their respec‐ tive dates of posting dates. Though not re‐ quired if receiving solici‐ tation and addenda no‐ tices from LaPAC, BREC will mail addenda to all vendors contacting our office and requesting to be put on our office Ven‐ dor Listing for this solici‐ tation.

Complete bid documents are available in elec‐ tronic format at www. bidexpress.com.

Ques‐ tions about this proce‐ dure shall be directed to Bid Express Customer Service at support@ bidexpress.com. Toll free phone: (888) 352-BIDX (2439), Phone: (352) 3814888, Fax: (352) 381-4444, Monday thru Friday, 6am - 6pm CST. BREC reserves the right to reject any or all bids for just cause as allowed

by LSA-R.S. 38:2214.

RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE /s/ Janet Simmons, Interim Superintendent THE ADVOCATE BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA To be Published Two Times: June 4, 2026; June 8, 2026 189857-jun 4-8-2t $91.06

Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Procure‐ ment Section of the Divi‐ sion of Administration, 1201 N. 3rd. St., 2nd.

Floor, Suite 2-160, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 10:00 A.M. for the follow‐ ing:

VOUCHER# 26-004486

RFx No. 3000026306, Un‐ armed Security Guard Serv. LDH - NEDSHA, 6/18/26 RFx No. 3000026332, July 2026 Meat & Cheese – DOC – PE, 6/18/26 RFx No. 3000026330, *Site Visit* Grounds Maint. – DMA, 6/24/26 RFx No. 3000026343, Box Truck – OTS, 6/24/26

Electronic or sealed bids will be received by the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, Purchasing Divi‐ sion, City Hall Building, Room 826, 222 Saint Louis Street, 8th Floor, Baton Rouge, La. until 11:00 A.M. June 23, 2026 for the following:

Bid proposal forms, in‐ formation and specifica‐ tions may be obtained by accessing the bid num‐ ber in LaPac at www.doa. la.gov/doa/osp/ or from the procurement section listed above. No bids will be received after the date and hour specified.

The right is reserved to reject any and all bids and to waive any infor‐ malities.

Amy Vincent Director of State Procurement FAX (225) 342-8688 190061 June 8, 1t $14.34

PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLISHED – LEGAL 6/4/26 & 6/8/26 BIDS TO BE OPENED: June 30, 2026 @ 11:00 AM NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the BRECRecreation and Parks Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge until June 30, 2026 @ 11:00 AM local time at 6201 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70806 for: RFQ# 245 – Request for Qualifications for Forensic Audit Services Bids received after the above specified time will not be considered. Bids will be opened immedi‐ ately after proposal opening time in Room 1501, of the Administra‐ tion Building located at 6201 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

All interested parties are invited to be present.

Copies of the Solicitation shall be obtained from the Purchasing Division, l id l d

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

BIDS TO BE OPENED: 06/23/26 NOTICE TO BIDDERS

M4486 RENOVATIONS TO THE AIRPORT EMS STA‐ TION A mandatory pre-bid meeting is required; only those bidders who par‐ ticipate in the mandatory pre-bid meeting are eligi‐ ble to receive an award on this project. The mandatory pre-bid meet‐ ing will be coordinated

by Sheneka Sylvan, who can be contacted at 225389-5155 ext. 7313 on June 11, 2026 at 9:00 am CST at the EMS-Airport Station, 9412 Jackie Cochran, Baton Rouge, LA 70807.

Official bid documents are available at Central Bidding (https://www. centralauctionhouse. com/rfpc10656-city-ofbaton-rouge.html) or by request from the City of Baton Rouge at abarges@brla.gov.

Bids shall be submitted electronically via www. centralbidding.com or on the solicitation bid forms furnished by the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge prior to the bidding deadline.

Electronic bids for the solicitation will be down‐ loaded by the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, Pur‐ chasing Division. Begin‐ ning as soon as feasible after the bid closing time all electronic bids will be downloaded and publicly read aloud along with all paper bids received, if any, in Room 806 immedi‐ ately after the 11:00 a.m. bid closing. Bidders or their authorized repre‐ sentatives are invited to be present. NOTE: The only vendor information shared at the bid open‐ ing will be the reading of the names of those ven‐ dors who submitted bids.

lll

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Note: The City-Parish has elected to use LaPAC, the state's online electronic bid posting and notifica‐ tion system, in addition to its standard means of advertising this require‐ ment. This Invitation to Bid is available in elec‐ tronic form at the LaPAC website https:// wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/osp/lapac/dspBid. cfm?search=departm ent&term=102.

Bids, amendments to bids or request for with‐ drawal of bids received after time specified for bid openings shall not be considered for any cause whatsoever.

Inquiries will be received up until 5:00 pm on June 16, 2026.

Full information may be obtained upon request from the above address or by telephoning Aijah Barges at (225) 389-3259, Ext. 3273, or via email abarges@brla.gov.

Any vendor who would like to listen to the open‐ ing of this bid can access the following link, at the date and time of this bid opening: NOTE: The only vendor information shared at the bid opening will be the reading of the names of those vendors who submitted bids.

Join by phone +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll Access code: 263 373 080 (followed by the # but‐ ton) Alternate numbers to call if number above is not available, which may occur due to network traffic (use the same Ac‐ cess Code, followed by the # button): United States Toll (Boston) +1-617-315-0704 United States Toll (Chicago) +1-312-5358110 United States Toll (Dal‐ las) +1-469-210-7159 United States Toll (Den‐ ver) +1-720-650-7664 United States Toll (Jack‐ sonville) +1-904-900-2303 United States Toll (Los Angeles) +1-213-306-3065 These numbers will pro‐ vide you with live audio access to this bid open‐ ing.

189481-JUN 1-8-2T $120

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --Notice is hereby given that St. James Sand Com‐ pany has applied for a 401 Water Quality Certifi‐ cation to install 6 new barge fleet tiers on the right descending bank of the Mississippi River off Highway 18 near Vacherie in St. James Parish. St. James Sand Company is applying to the Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality, Office of Environ‐ mental Services for a Water Quality Certifica‐ tion in accordance with statutory authority con‐ tained in the LAC 33:IX.1507.A-E and provi‐ sions of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. Comments concerning this application can be filed with the Water Per‐ mits Division within ten days of this notice by ref‐ erencing WQC 260420-01, AI 193331 to the following address: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Water Permits Division P.O. Box 4313 Baton Rouge, LA 708214313 Attn: Water Quality Certi‐ fications Comments may be sub‐ mitted by email to DEQWaterQualityCertifica‐ tions@la.gov .

A copy of the application is available for inspec‐ tion and review at the LDEQ Public Records Center at 602 North Fifth Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The available information can also be accessed electronically on the Electronic Docu‐ ment Management Sys‐ tem (EDMS) on the LDEQ public website at www. deq.louisiana.gov.

190207-JUN 8-1T $193 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the State of Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Secu‐ rity and Emergency Pre‐ paredness, the Offices of Emergency Preparedness for West Feliciana Parish, East Feliciana Parish,

Legal Notices

East Baton Rouge Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, and Pointe Coupee Parish, as well as, River Bend Station/ Entergy Operations, Inc. will hold a virtual public meeting via ZoomGov (Call in +1 551 285 1373, Meeting ID: 161 304 9747, Passcode: 951392) at 10:00 am on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. The meet‐ ing will be held to pro‐ vide an overview of the results of the Radiologi‐ cal Emergency Prepared‐ ness exercise conducted with River Bend Station on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. For additional infor‐ mation, contact Oscar Martinez, Chairperson, Radiological Assistance Committee, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region VI , 800 N. Loop 288, Denton, TX 76209, or call 940-3837364.

186950-may 13-1t $

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Public Notices Nat Res Coastal

• “St. George Celebrates 250” – Sunday, July 5, 2026 from 11am-3pm at Highland Road Park.

• Board of Adjustment Meeting-Monday, July 6, 2026 at 5:00 pm • Planning Commission Meeting-Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm • Zoning Commission Meeting-Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm

protection, and/or restoration projects sub‐ ject to the approval of the Secretary.

4. Final OPC approval for individual restoration or compensatory mitigation projects authorized under this General Per‐ mit shall, at a minimum, specify the period of maintenance and moni‐ toring responsibilities for the restoration or com‐ pensatory mitigation project. The permittee shall maintain restora‐ tion or compensatory mitigation projects au‐ thorized under the au‐ thority of this General Permit for the period specified in the individ‐ ual authorization.

(If compensatory mitiga‐ tion, typically a minimum of twenty (20) years for marsh habitat and fifty (50) years for forested habitat).

5. Work carried out under the authority of this Gen‐ eral Permit must be maintained in confor‐ mance with the plans and specifications of the individual authorization and the approved restoration or compen‐ satory mitigation plan proposal.

6.

If an individual restoration or compen‐ satory mitigation mea‐ sure(s) for any one per‐ mitted activity fails more than once, the permittee shall be required to pur‐ chase credits from a mit‐ igation bank approved in accordance with §724.F or an approved in-lieufee program, or where applicable, through a contribution to the Coastal Mitigation Ac‐ count to satisfy all re‐ maining mitigation oblig‐ ations associated with the permitted activity.

B. This General Permit specifically authorizes restoration activities in preparation of a pro‐ posed or by existing miti‐ gation banks.

C. The permittee shall notify OPC of the com‐ pletion date of the autho‐ rized mitigation project or restoration activities of a proposed or existing mitigation bank within five (5) days of that date.

D. The expiration of the term of this General Per‐ mit does not absolve the permittee, its transfer‐ ees, or assignees from the obligation and re‐ sponsibility of imple‐ menting and maintaining the restoration plan/compensatory miti‐ gation plan/mitigation bank.

E. All seedlings must be obtained from a regis‐ tered, licensed Louisiana nursery grower. The con‐ tractor must obtain, and provide to C&E/OPC, cer‐ tification from the con‐ tracting nursery that plant materials are of a Louisiana ecotype species and have been acclimated to Louisiana climatic and habitable conditions as least ninety (90) days prior to planting.

F. Dredged and/or fill ma‐ terial used for the work authorized under this General Permit shall be clean and free of waste material, construction materials, metal prod‐ ucts, chemical pollutants and other debris or cont‐ aminants.

G. Fill/dredge material required for implementa‐ tion of the proposed restoration projects, mit‐ igation projects, and mit‐ igation banks shall be obtained from OPC-ap‐ proved non-wetland areas, including non-veg‐ etated waterbottoms, or OPC-approved off-site sources.

VI. Definitions Compensatory Mitiga‐ tion - replacement, sub‐ stitution, enhancement, or protection of ecologi‐ cal values to offset antic‐ ipated losses of ecologi‐ cal values caused by a permitted activity.

Ecological Value - the ability of an area to sup‐ port vegetation and fish and wildlife populations.

Mitigation - all actions taken by a permittee to avoid, minimize, restore, and compensate for eco‐ logical values lost due to a permitted activity.

Wetlands - for the pur‐ poses of LAC 43:I.§724 and this General Permit (as defined in R.S. 49:214.41), an open water area or an area that is in‐ undated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and dura‐ tion to support, and that under normal circum‐ stances does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil condi‐ tions, but specifically ex‐ cluding fastlands and lands more than five feet above sea level which occur in the designated coastal zone of the state.

Wetlands generally in‐ clude swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.

Permittee - shall refer to companies or individu‐ als, or their successors and assigns, who have received any type of au‐ thorization (CUP, GP, emergency authoriza‐ tion) from OPC.

ADJOURNMENT "In accordance with the Americans with Disabili‐ ties Act, if you need spe‐ cial assistance, please contact Angela Norman at (225) 228-3200 or email angela.norman@ stgeorgela.gov, to re‐ quest the assistance re‐ quired."

190136 June 8, 1t $50.59

Public Notices Nat Res Coastal

PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Office of the State Museum is re‐ questing proposals for a Public-Private Partner‐ ship project to design, build, furnish, operate, and maintain an in‐ door/outdoor café at the New Orleans Jazz Mu‐ seum. For more informa‐ tion go to opportuni‐ tiesinlouisiana.com.

188286-MAY 21-JUN 16 $139

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --ST. GEORGE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA June 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

St. George Fire Dept 14100 Airline Highway St. George, LA 70817 https://stgeorgela.gov Broadcast Live at https://www.youtube. com/@St.GeorgeLouis iana I. Preliminary Business (1) Call to Order (2) Pledge of Allegiance (3) Invocation (4) Roll Call (5) Approval of Minutes of the May 26, 2026 Coun‐ cil Meeting (6) Proclamation recog‐ nizing June 14th, 2026 as the 251st Birthday of the U.S. Army.

(7) Monthly Activity Re‐ port II. Items for Public Hearing and Action (1) Zoning Commission Case No. Z-26-0001 Amendment - To Rezone Tract X, Lots LRK LLC-1, LRK LLC-2, LRK LLC-3, LRK LLC-4, 9-A, 9-B and 9-C of the of the Leon R Klein‐ peter property from C-2, C-1 and R to the New Base Zoning District and to provide for related matters.

(2) Ordinance to create, equip, maintain, operate and support a Municipal Library System; To Estab‐ lish the St. George Mu‐ nicipal Library Board of Control; To provide for authority, governance and to provide for re‐ lated matters. (Murrell) (3) Ordinance to Amend Title 4, Chapter 1 relative to the service of notice in advance of an Adminis‐ trative Hearing within the Division of Adminis‐ trative Adjudication (Cook) (4) Ordinance to amend the 2025-2026 General Fund and Special Rev‐ enue Fund Budgets (5) Ordinance to adopt the 2026–2027 General Fund and Special Rev‐ enue Fund Budgets (6) Resolution selecting the Advocate to continue as the official journal for publication of notices re‐ quired by law and to pro‐ vide for related matters (Monachello) (7) Resolution to autho‐ rize the Mayor to appoint Kenny Hooks as AD HOC Hearing Officer (Cook) (8) Resolution authoriz‐ ing the Mayor to appoint 5 members to the Con‐ struction Board of Ap‐ peals. (Edmonds) (9) Resolution to approve the selection of contrac‐ tor for Post-Disaster Roadway Clearing Ser‐ vices (PUSH) and autho‐ rizing the Mayor to exe‐ cute a contract and pro‐ vide for related matters (Himmel) (10) Resolution to ap‐ prove the selection of contractor for Emer‐ gency Catering Services and authorize the Mayor to execute a contract and provide for related matters. (Monachello) III. Other Business: Announcements • City Council Meeting – Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 5:00 pm • Administrative Hearing - Friday, June 12, 2026 at 9:00 am

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE the Louisiana De‐ partment of Conserva‐ tion and Energy, Office of Permitting and Compli‐ ance (OPC) invites public comment on the renewal of the existing OPC Gen‐ eral Permit, (GP) 11 in ac‐ cordance with La. R.S. 49:214.21 et seq., and the rules of the Coastal Man‐ agement Program. There are no changes proposed to the description or con‐ ditions, only updates to the agency name. A copy of the existing General Permit to be renewed may be inspected at 617 North 3rd Street, Room 1076, Baton Rouge, LA or on the OPC web page at: https://www.denr. louisiana.gov/page/ general-permits. Copies are available, costs apply. Written comments are solicited from the public and must be re‐ ceived within 25 days of the date of this notice.

Comments must be emailed to CZMInfo@la. gov or mailed to: OPC Administrator, Kyle Balkum, P.O. Box 44487, Baton Rouge, LA 708044487. All comments must contain the appropriate reference to GP-11 notice and the commenter's full name and contact infor‐ mation.

Office of Permitting and Compliance, Coastal Use Permit - General Permit (GP) 11 LOCATION: In the Louisiana Coastal Parishes of Assumption, Ascension, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jeffer‐ son, Lafourche, Liv‐ ingston, Orleans, Plaque‐ mines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mar‐ tin, St. Mary, St. Tam‐ many, Tangipahoa, Terre‐ bonne and Vermilion.

Please see https://www. denr.louisiana.gov/page/ general-permits for the standard conditions ap‐ plied to the GP-11 adver‐ tised below.

DESCRIPTION: This Gen‐ eral Permit provides for the implementation of in‐ dividual compensatory mitigation projects to offset unavoidable im‐ pacts to coastal re‐ sources due to permitted activities and for restora‐ tion activities required for permanent impacts following one full grow‐ ing season or in prepara‐ tion of a proposed or by existing mitigation banks.

V. Special Conditions A. Individual Restoration or Compensatory Mitiga‐ tion Projects 1. The work authorized under the authority of this General Permit is to restore or compensate for unavoidable adverse impacts to coastal re‐ sources associated with the implementation of activities authorized by an OPC General Permit or Coastal Use Permit.

2. Restoration or com‐ pensatory mitigation plan proposals submit‐ ted for authorization under this General Per‐ mit shall be accompa‐ nied by a statement de‐ claring that the proposed activity will be to restore permanent impacts fol‐ lowing one full growing season or be used as compensatory mitiga‐ tion. Requests shall in‐ clude the Coastal Use Permit number for which the restoration/mitiga‐ tion is required and the required technical items pursuant to LAC Title 43, Part I, Chapter 7, Sub‐ chapter C, Section §724.J.5.c.

3. Examples of work that may be eligible for ap‐ proval under this General Permit include but are not limited to: a. Fill operations in shal‐ low open water or bro‐ ken marsh areas for the purpose of marsh cre‐ ation, re-establishment, rehabilitation, and/or en‐ hancement. b. Wetland vegetation plantings to re-establish, rehabilitate, or enhance existing wetland habitat. c. The removal and con‐ trol of exotic species to re-establish, rehabilitate, or enhance existing wet‐ land habitat. d. Other wetland en‐ hancement, creation,

190304 June 8, 1t $92.37

PRINT ADVERTISING WORKS

Public Notices Nat Res Coastal

PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Conservation and Energy, Office of Per‐ mits and Compliance (OPC) is currently re‐ viewing the following project for Consistency with the State and Local Coastal Resources Man‐ agement Act of 1978, as amended (La. R.S. 49:214.21-214.41), and the regulations of the Louisiana Coastal Re‐ sources Program (LCRP).

Pursuant to Section 306 (d)(14) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (CZMA), the public may submit comments on proposed projects to Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy, Office of Permits and Compliance, P.O. Box 44487, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-4487. Applications may be inspected during OPC business hours at 617 N. 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, LA. Comments must be received within 15 days of this notice to be considered. For more information, contact Mark Hogan at (225) 2199530 or (800) 267-4019.

Direct Federal Action: C20260101 FAA MSY ALS Repair and Reinforce‐ ment at New Orleans In‐ ternational Airport, St. Charles Parish 190278 June 8, 1t $14.34

Public Notices Successions

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE SUCCESSION OF BAR‐ BARA ELLEN HATFIELD PROBATE NO. 111,158, SEC. 30 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA

CONSOLIDATED WITH SUCCESSION OF BAR‐ BARA ELLEN HOOVER HATFIELD PROBATE NO. 111,160, SEC. 23 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA NOTICE IS GIVEN that Leann Rainey Westman, Administratrix of the Succession of Barbara Ellen Hatfield, is applying for authority to sell at private sale, for ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE THOUSAND AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($145,000.00) cash, the following item owned by the Succession of Barbara Ellen Hatfield: A certain lot or parcel of ground, together with all the buildings and im‐ provements thereon, and all of the rights, ways, privileges, servitudes, appurtenances and ad‐ vantages thereunto be‐ longing or in anywise ap‐ pertaining, situated in that subdivision of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, known as HIGHLAND CREEK, SEC‐ OND FILING, and desig‐ nated on the official sub‐ division plat on file and of record for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, as LOT NUMBER TWO HUN‐ DRED FIVE (205), said subdivision, said lot hav‐ ing such bearings and di‐ mensions and being sub‐ ject to such servitudes and building line restric‐ tions, all as more partic‐ ularly shown on the offi‐ cial subdivision plat.

Being a portion of the same property acquired by Highland Creek Builders, Inc per act recorded as Original 753, Bundle 9599, in the records of the Clerk and Recorder for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana.

Also being the same property acquired by Kent Stephen Hatfield and Barbara Hoover Hat‐ field per act recorded as Original 255, Bundle 9622, in the records of the Clerk and Recorder for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana. There are re‐ strictions on file and of record as Original 433, Bundle 9430, in the records of the Clerk and Recorder for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, which mention herein is solely for purposes of informa‐ tion to purchasers and is not intended to reimpose said restrictions.

The municipal address of this property is 8822 Lochness Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808.

An order authorizing her to do so may be is‐ sued after seven days from the date of the last publication of this notice.

An opposition to the pro‐ posed sale must be filed within seven (7) days of the last publication of hi i

Public Notices Successions p this notice.

By Order of the Court, CLERK OF COURT 188105 May 19, June 8, 2t $112.02

WBR Public Notices

WBR Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLIC NOTICE WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH CLERK OF COURT The proposed budget of the West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court cov‐ ering the fiscal year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 will be available for public inspection during regular business hours beginning on June 8, 2026.

Interested parties may review the budgets at the office of the West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court in the parish courthouse located at 850 Eighth Street, Port Allen, Louisiana.

On June 18, 2026 at 10:00 A.M., a public hearing on the proposed budget will be held in the office of the West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court. A summary of the said budget follows: SALARY FUND Proposed Budget Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2027 Revenue Total Revenue $1,476,000.00 Expenditures Salaries & Benefits $1,207,148.28 Admin. & Operating $262,851.72 Capital Outlay $6,000.00 Total Expenditures $1,476,000.00 Excess Revenues Over Expenses $0 Fund Balance July 1, 2026 $ 1,750,000.00 Fund Balance – June 30, 2027 $1,750,000.00 Amanda G. Thies Clerk of Court Published – June 8, 2026 190075-jun 8-1t $25.66

WBR Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

WBR Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Enacting Chapter 107 (“Building Regula‐ tions”), Article I (In Gen‐ eral), Section 107-10 “(Pipelines and Similar Facilities)”, and Amend‐ ing Chapter 111 “(Admin‐ istration and Enforce‐ ment)”, Article VII “(Site Plan Approval Proce‐ dure)”, Section 111-136 “(General)” To Establish Pipeline Approval Proce‐ dures and Update SiteWork Requirements. Pub‐ lic Hearing Date: June 25, 2026 B. An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Chapter 101 (“General Provisions”), Section 101-1 (“Defini‐ tions”); And Chapter 105 (“Subdivisions”), Article I (In General), Section 1057 “(Minor Subdivisions)”, Chapter 111 “(Adminis‐ tration and Enforce‐ ment)”, Article IV “(Zon‐ ing Enforcement)”, Sec. 111-83 –“( Power Of The Parish President And Parish Council To Issue And Extend Temporary Special Use Permits)”.

Public Hearing Date: July 9, 2026 C. An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Chapter 106 (“SITE PLANNING”), Arti‐ cle VI (ASTHETICS), Sec‐ tion 106 - 224 thru 229 (“Sign Regulations”) to Update Sign Regulations In West Baton Rouge Parish. Public Hearing Date: July 9, 2026 15. CONSIDER SUBDIVISION PLATS, CONDEMNATIONS, WAIVERS AND MATTERS RELATED THERETO A. PJ # : 26-00016 FINAL PLAT OF SUGAR POINTE FIRST FILING LOTS 1 THRU 7, AND TRACTS ‘Y’ & ‘Z’ BEING LOT TO-1 OF THE 164.378 ACRE TRACT LOCATED IN SECTION 13, T7S-R11E, SOUTHEAST‐ ERN LAND DISTRICT, WEST OF THE MISSIS‐ SIPPI RIVER, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH, LOUISIANA FOR F & A IN‐ VESTMENTS, L.L.C 314 WESTWOOD BOULEVARD PORT ALLEN, LA 70767 16. CORRESPONDENCE REPORT 17. ADJOURN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT MICHELLE TULLIER AT (225) 214-4242, DESCRIB‐ ING THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS NECESSARY ALL MEETING INFORMA‐ TION INCLUDING MIN‐ UTES AND VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE WBRPARISH.ORG UNDER THE AGENDA AND MIN‐ UTES TAB. 190087 June 8, 1t $60.02

PUBLIC NOTICE --AGENDA WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING GOVERNMENT BUILDING 880 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen Thursday, June 11, 2026 5:30 PM 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER & REQUEST ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES BE SILENCED 2. OPENING PRAYER 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 4. LOG ATTENDANCE 5. MINUTES APPROVAL A. Approval of Minutes from the Regular Meeting of May 28, 2026.

6. CONSIDER ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA 7. PARISH PRESIDENT’S REPORT 8. PUBLIC COMMENTS (15 MINUTE TIME ALLOT‐ MENT) 9. COMMUNICATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND/OR ELECTED OR AP‐ POINTED OFFICIALS 10. PUBLIC HEARING ON PREVIOUSLY INTRO‐ DUCED ORDINANCES A. An Ordinance Adopt‐ ing the 2026 Council Amendments to the Fire Department Budgeted Revenues And Expendi‐ tures And the General Fund Expenditures for the Fiscal Year beginning January 1, 2026 and end‐ ing December 31, 2026.

SEVEN DAYS

HOME DELIVERED

LOUISIANA OWNED

11. NEW BUSINESS A. Consider Bid Recom‐ mendation for the 2026 Asphalt Roads Rehabili‐ tation Project.

12. CONSIDER STATUS RE‐ PORT, CHANGE ORDER AND/OR OTHER MATTERS AS REQUIRED ON CUR‐ RENT PROJECTS 13. RESOLUTIONS A. Resolution Authorizing the Parish President to sign Contract with Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals for WIC Program 14. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES A. An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The

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