The Acadiana Advocate 06-18-2026

CAJUNS PICK UP JACKSONVILLE STATE PITCHER IN TRANSFER PORTAL 1C THE

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T h u r s d ay, J u n e 18, 2026

Officials release details of Iran deal

Agreement calls for dilution of enriched uranium, waiving of sanctions, reopening of Strait of Hormuz

$2.00X

LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL

Businesses seek pause on Bertrand roadwork Revitalization project pushed

by Boulet draws opposition

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AMIRHOSEIN KHORGOOI

The Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed since the war with Iran started, would open toll-free for two months as part of the draft agreement between the United States and Iran.

Business owners took to the Lafayette City Council meeting on Tuesday to ask Mayor-President Monique Boulet to pause the Bertrand Drive revitalization project.

The project, which is a snapshot of what a larger Johnston Street project could look like, has drawn the ire of business owners along the street, who argue it would negatively impact their businesses. Attendees at the meeting included owners of restaurants, bars and retail businesses.

“Please kill this project as it stands today,” said Dean Simon, co-owner of beauty supply store Armstrong McCall.

“We’re not against progress,” he added. “We’re not against sidewalks, bike paths or beautification.

We’re against a project that harms the businesses and investments that employ and serve Lafayette.

We think with reasonable adjustments, we can all come to reach a common goal.”

Boulet said the roadwork and streetscape

ä See BERTRAND, page 4A

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE, MATTHEW LEE, JON GAMBRELL, SAMY MAGDY and MIKE CATALINI Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A draft agreement by the United States and Iran calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and would waive, but not permanently end, sanctions on the country, according to U.S. officials who read the language of the memorandum on ending the war to journalists.

The agreement would also open the Strait of Hormuz toll-free for two months and affirm a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s invasion against the Hezbollah militant group.

U.S. officials dictated the language to journalists Wednesday after days of secrecy, speaking on condition of anonymity. Iranian state TV later released text that largely tracks what the U.S. put out.

Though officials had said President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance had digitally signed the agreement Sunday and that a ceremonial signing would be held Friday in Switzerland, a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details about the agreement said Trump signed the deal while at Versailles on Wednesday.

The U.S. official said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also signed it Wednesday, though Iran did not immediately comment. It wasn’t im-

La. allows telehealth obesity care ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VADIM GHIRDA

President Donald Trump, center, is flanked by, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, left, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a news conference at the end of the G7 summit in France on Wednesday.

INSIDE

“It’s signed,” Trump said as he left Versailles, the historic palace ä Cassidy blasts Trump’s deal with where he dined with French PresiIran. Page 4A dent Emmanuel Macron following a trip to the Group of Seven summit ä G7 leaders back agreement to end in France.

Iran war. Page 5A According to the officials, the draft agreement includes language mediately clear if that act started a that Iran agrees not to develop or 60-day negotiating clock to reach a procure nuclear weapons. It also final deal. It was also not clear how addresses Tehran’s highly enriched Trump’s signing of the deal at Ver- Iranian uranium, requiring that it be sailles differed from his digital signä See DEAL, page 4A ing on Sunday.

State lifts ban on treating condition via technology amid GLP-1 boom

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

As GLP-1 medications have revolutionized the treatment of obesity over the last several years and become increasingly available, Louisiana has lifted a ban on treating the condition via telehealth.

Two pill versions of the medications, Foundayo and Wegovy, are now approved by the FDA for obesity and weight loss, along with injectables like Zepbound. And the country is no longer facing the shortages of GLP-1 drugs it saw in 2023 and 2024.

“The demand is real,” said Dr. Clayton Runfalo, a family medicine doctor in the Baton Rouge metro

ä See OBESITY, page 4A

New state law cracks down on attacks on restaurant workers

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Standing behind a McDonald’s counter in Baton Rouge on Wednesday morning, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a law he says will help protect restaurant workers from attacks.

House Bill 1238 by state Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, enhances criminal penalties for assault and simple battery when those crimes are committed

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against employees in food and retail establishments.

“This is one of those bills that you’d think we wouldn’t need in society,” the governor said. “These are people that are actually out there trying to serve the public, trying to get you a meal, trying to just get you on your way.”

In Louisiana, people convicted of simple battery face fines of up to $1,000 and prison sentences of up to six months, and those convicted of simple assault face fines of up

to $200 and prison sentences of up to 90 days.

HB1238, which became Act 342 with Landry’s signature, stiffens those penalties. When the victim of a simple battery is a restaurant or retail employee, the perpetrator could have to pay up to $2,000 or spend up to two years in prison.

The maximum penalties for assaults against such employees would increase to fines of $1,000

ä See ATTACKS, page 4A

Business ...................10C Commentary ................3B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................6A Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................2B Comics-Puzzles .....7C-9C Living............................5C Sports ..........................1C

State Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, speaks during a bill signing at the McDonald’s on Dawnadele Avenue in Baton Rouge on Wednesday as Gov. Jeff Landry looks on.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

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2A ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Mangione to assert psychiatric defense in state trial

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Washington wildfire forces evacuations

High winds drove a wildfire into an eastern Washington neighborhood, forcing the evacuation of about 1,500 people and destroying some homes, fire officials said Wednesday.

It’s unclear how many homes were lost in Spokane. Fire officials were working Wednesday to determine the number and the full extent of the damage, said Matthew Vinci, fire chief for Spokane County Fire District 9. He confirmed Tuesday that some homes were engulfed in flames.

The evacuation order for the 1,500 residents remained in effect Wednesday, said Chandra Fox, deputy director for Spokane County Emergency Management.

The blaze started just after noon on Tuesday and quickly moved up a hill, said fire district spokesman Robert Gray. Winds then shifted, sending flames into a neighborhood, Gray said.

Spokane is about 280 miles east of Seattle near the border with Idaho.

Fire crews from Washington state and Idaho attacked the fire from the ground and air, but it quickly grew to 225 acres. It was 10% contained Wednesday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

DHS: ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detainees transferred MIAMI — All detainees at an immigration detention center in an isolated airstrip in the Florida Everglades, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” have been transferred to other facilities, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said, citing concerns related to the hurricane season.

The South Florida Detention Center has been praised by President Donald Trump. But its conditions have been harshly criticized by lawyers, families and human rights groups, who have persistently denounced the mistreatment of detainees since the center opened 11 months ago, during the Atlantic hurricane season.

DHS said that all detainees at the Florida state-run facility had been transferred but did not specify how many or where they were taken. Nor did it say whether the facility would close permanently or only temporarily.

“For the safety of the illegal alien detainees, we transferred them to other facilities,” department spokesperson Lauren Bis said in an emailed statement.

The hurricane season spans six months, from June through November. The detention facility opened on July 3, 2025, one month after the start of that year’s hurricane season, which concluded without any storms making landfall in Florida. It has been operating since then.

Ancient teeth rewrite the plague’s timeline NEW YORK — Scientists have found the oldest known evidence of the plague, which sparked deadly outbreaks dating back about 5,500 years ago — some 200 years earlier than previously thought.

The disease has sickened humans for thousands of years and wiped out a significant chunk of Europe’s population in the 14th century during what’s known as the Black Death. Though rare, the plague is still around today and is treated with antibiotics.

“To understand our own history, we believe that understanding the history of plague is extremely important,” said study co-author Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Willerslev and other researchers looked for traces of plaguecausing bacteria in remains from four cemeteries near Siberia’s Lake Baikal. They found remnants of plague DNA in teeth from 18 ancient huntergatherers.

Dating the carbon in the bones revealed that the plague triggered two outbreaks, with the first cases detected around 5,500 years ago.

The team found that the prehistoric plague developed in stages and infected several small families, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MOSES SAWASAWA

Kahindo Mireille Pierrette, an Ebola survivor, center, poses with her 16-month-old baby and health workers after they were declared to have survived Ebola and discharged from the Rwampara Treatment Center in Ituri, Congo, on Tuesday.

16-month-old, mother recover from Ebola 196 have died since the outbreak was declared in May

BY JUSTIN KABUMBA

Associated Press

BUNIA, Congo — A 16-month-old baby and his mother have recovered from Ebola in eastern Congo, a rare positive development as Africa’s top health body warned the outbreak of the deadly virus could become the worst on record if it continues to spread.

The two left the Rwampara Treatment Center on Tuesday, near Bunia, in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, along with five other people who also recovered from Ebola.

“The joy is immense given the state he was in at first,” Kahindo Mireille Pierrette said of her infant. “If you had seen him before, you wouldn’t believe he could have this strength now,” she added.

Pierrette said she brought her child to the treatment center at the end of May, after he started bleeding from the mouth and nose and could barely move.

Modet Camara, a doctor at the center, said the baby was treated

with antibiotics after a PCR test came back positive for Ebola on his second day at the hospital.

Congo’s Ministry of Health said Tuesday that 837 cases of the virus have been confirmed so far, including 196 confirmed deaths. However, the number of cases is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed on May 15, weeks after it is suspected to have begun.

Since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, 49 have recovered, the ministry said.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved treatment or vaccine.

The more common Zaire virus, which now has a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.

More than 90% of the cases in the current outbreak are concentrated in Congo’s eastern province of Ituri. Cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and have spread across the border to Uganda.

The head of Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

warned Tuesday that the outbreak could become the worst on record, noting that tens of thousands of contacts of infected patients have yet to be traced.

“If we don’t stop the outbreak very soon it will be worse than what we had in West Africa and eastern DRC,” Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said during a virtual meeting of African heads of state.

An outbreak a decade ago across several countries in West Africa was the worst on record, with more than 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths.

Nearly a million people have been displaced by years of conflict in Ituri, according to the U.N. humanitarian office, making contact tracing difficult as people flee attacks or move frequently in the vast province with dense forests, poor roads and remote villages that can take days to reach.

Tracing is also difficult among the thousands of miners who regularly move among remote sites in the mineral-rich region.

Trump’s pick to lead FEMA pledges to be fair If confirmed, Hamiliton says he would do what he could to speed up decisions

BY GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Cameron Hamilton, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, pledged to senators Wednesday to be “fair and reasonable” in assessing requests for disaster aid as he seeks to run an agency roiled by the administration’s threats to dismantle it.

Hamilton appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing where lawmakers assessed a group of 10 nominees for administration posts.

“My focus will be to ensure that FEMA is objective, is fair and reasonable, follows the law, and is consistent” in how it reviews disaster declaration requests, Hamilton told Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the committee. Peters had asked about partisanship in granting major disaster declarations.

Hamilton had a brief tenure as FEMA’s temporary leader early last year but was ousted after defending the agency’s existence. At a House hearing in May 2025, he said he did not “believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate” FEMA. He was fired the next day.

His nomination comes as the Republican administration has increasingly signaled it is backing away from promises to dismantle an agency that has been heavily criticized by the president.

If confirmed, he would be FEMA’s first permanent administrator in Trump’s second term. He will need to lead FEMA

through what is expected to be a busy summer disaster season, while answering to Trump, who is likely to expect major changes after a council he appointed recommended sweeping moves at the agency that is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Nominees did not give opening statements, but Hamilton received the bulk of lawmakers’ questions while appearing with four others in the first half of the hearing.

His answers suggested a departure from some of the more aggressive policies considered and enacted during Kristi Noem’s turbulent leadership at DHS. FEMA’s workforce has been worn down by mass staff departures, policies that hamstrung operations and a protracted DHS shutdown.

Hamilton expressed confidence in the FEMA staff and praised the recent opening of 350 positions to counteract some of the cuts. He said that if confirmed by the Senate, he would do what he could to speed up disaster declaration decisions and reimbursements to states, tribes and territories.

“We owe you answers, I think, much faster,” he told Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, adding that many FEMA processes needed to be simplified.

Hamilton disavowed a recommendation he included in an April 2025 memo to quadruple the threshold of financial damages a state needed to prove to receive FEMA public assistance. He also noted the importance of resilience funding, despite halting billions in resilience grants during his previous tenure.

Republican and Democratic senators at the hearing expressed support for FEMA’s mission, despite Trump’s early threats to eliminate it. “I think what your agency does is hugely important,” Hawley told Hamilton.

NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione plans to assert a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial, claiming he was suffering from extreme emotional disturbance when he gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge said Wednesday.

It wouldn’t absolve him of the Dec. 4, 2024, killing, but could free him from prison sooner.

If a jury accepts that defense, the panel would convict Mangione of manslaughter and he would face up to 25 years in prison. Alternatively, the jury could reject the extreme emotional disturbance defense and convict him of murder, which carries a potential life sentence.

That defense isn’t available in his federal case.

Judge Gregory Carro announced the decision in court Wednesday, two weeks after holding a secret hearing on the matter at the defense’s request.

He said he will release a transcript from that hearing and other records once redactions are made.

Carro said Mangione’s lawyers first notified him in a sealed letter last September that they planned to pursue a psychiatric defense and confirmed the decision at the June 3 hearing.

But, the judge warned, they’re “coming close to not being able to put forth that defense” after prosecutors complained that Mangione’s lawyers had yet to give them details about what they say triggered their client’s extreme emotional disturbance.

Prosecutors need to know that before they have their own psychological expert evaluate him, Carro said.

“Nothing is going to be a surprise,” Carro told Mangione’s lawyers. “I’m not going to let you surprise the People on the eve of trial. So, get it done.”

Carro said he didn’t expect the development to delay Mangione’s trial, which is scheduled to start Sept. 8. The federal trial, which involves stalking charges, is set to begin on Oct. 13.

Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

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Trump delays confirmation of Polish official: U.S. national intelligence nominee interested in offer Move fuels tension with fellow Republicans

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK, ERIC TUCKER and SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday derailed the confirmation process of his own nominee to head the nation’s intelligence agencies, an extraordinary move that upended Senate efforts to renew a crucial surveillance program and fueled fresh tensions with fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill.

In an overnight social media post from the Group of Seven summit in France, Trump declared he was delaying the nomination of federal prosecutor Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence just hours ahead of his scheduled hearing, despite bipartisan praise for the nominee and Republican efforts to speed him through the confirmation process.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Republicans would go ahead with the Clayton hearing anyway, “unless the president directs him not to appear or withdraws his nomination.” But later he postponed the hearing, saying it was “regrettable” that Trump had directed Clayton not to appear.

“Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee, as the president has said repeatedly,” Cotton said. “While today’s hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future.”

Trump’s attempt to delay Clayton makes it more likely that his temporary pick for the intelligence job, top housing official Bill Pulte, will take over when outgoing director Tulsi Gabbard leaves office on Friday. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have sharply criticized Pulte, a Trump loyalist who has no known national security experience and has used his current administration perch to target perceived adversaries of the president.

Trump has defended Pulte, calling him “fair” and “talented.”

Speaking to reporters in France,

for permanent base

President Donald Trump declared he was delaying the nomination of federal prosecutor Jay Clayton.

In May, the U.S. suddenly Poland’s government halted the deployment of 4,000 soldiers to Poland despite the approves steps Trump administration considering the country a “model ally” to allow military for reaching its NATO target for spending on defense. installation U.S. President Donald Trump

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG

Trump called the speedy process to get Clayton formally installed a “rush act by the Democrats.”

“Why are they afraid of this guy?

They’re so afraid of him,” Trump said, referring to Pulte. “They’ll do anything not to have Pulte go in there.”

Caught in the middle is the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, bipartisan legislation that aims to prevent terrorist attacks by monitoring the communications of targeted foreigners located outside the United States. Democrats had said they would not provide the necessary votes to pass the bill unless Pulte’s temporary appointment was withdrawn. The current surveillance authority expired last week.

Further complicating matters, Trump said in his social media post that he would not sign the FISA renewal without his legislation to require proof of citizenship for all voters — which does not have enough votes to pass the Senate — and that he does not want to remove Clayton from his current position as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York until his replacement, James McDonald, is approved.

Trump’s post sent Senate Republicans scrambling, and it was unclear if and when Clayton’s nomination would move forward.

“We’ll just have to take it a day at a time until we get more clarity on what the White House position is on this,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Wednesday morning. He said he didn’t know why Trump was holding up the effort.

top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called Trump’s move an “extraordinary display of dysfunction from a president who seems determined to turn America’s national security into a political bargaining chip.”

“The biggest obstacle to resolving these issues has not been Senate Democrats or Senate Republicans,” Warner said. “It has been the chaos and confusion coming from the White House itself.”

It was just the latest in a series of standoffs between Trump and Senate Republicans this year.

A funding bill for Trump’s immigration agencies was delayed several weeks when Republicans revolted over a $1.776 billion “antiweaponization” fund and a $1 billion security request for the White House, including his new ballroom.

The bill passed after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the settlement would not move forward, and GOP leaders decided to drop the security money from the bill.

Trump then appointed Pulte as interim intelligence director just as the FISA renewal was moving toward passage, upsetting bipartisan talks. Republicans urged the White House to pull the appointment, to no avail.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said that Trump’s recent moves are “undermining the results he wants.”

“Jay Clayton was on the brink of having a very good hearing and probably getting some Democrat support, and now we’re in a posture to where it may be the reason that 702 doesn’t get reauthorized,” Tillis said. “That’s a mistake.”

Escalating tensions Tillis called Pulte a “sycophant” to Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the Trump.

BY CLAUDIA CIOBANU Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland — A senior Polish defense official said Wednesday that the United States has expressed interest in potentially establishing a permanent U.S. military base in Poland.

Cezary Tomczyk, Poland’s deputy defense minister, spoke to The Associated Press a day after the Polish government approved steps to allow such a U.S. permanent base in Poland, on NATO’s eastern flank.

He said the government’s resolution about the base Tuesday is an invitation to the Americans.

“The Americans are interested in the Polish offer to place a permanent base here,” because it would be financed by both countries, Tomczyk said in an interview at the Defense Ministry in Warsaw.

When asked about the remarks, U.S. Defense Department officials in Washington said they had nothing new to announce.

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Poles are doing everything in their power to have such a permanent base but that “the decision will always be on the side of the Americans.”

Around 10,000 U.S. troops are typically stationed in Poland, the majority on a rotational basis.

The Polish government is hoping that thousands of U.S. troops be stationed permanently, as the U.S. rethinks its military presence in Europe, both in personnel and weaponry.

r y ou da tY o ar T St ove M

Germany and Poland sign a new defense agreement

previously had threatened to pull troops out of Germany.

That was attributed to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticizing the U.S. on Iran, but the reduction of troops in Poland caused widespread confusion on both sides of the Atlantic.

Tomczyk was part of a Polish team immediately dispatched to Washington for talks. He was still in the U.S. capital when Trump wrote on social media that U.S. would send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland.

Since then, the U.S. has confirmed that it is reorganizing its troop presence in Europe but has given no further clarity about which troops are going where. However, multiple statements from Polish defense officials since then indicate they believe Poland has a chance to see an increase in permanent U.S. troops.

“Sometimes a rotating model can change into a permanent model and this is always much better,” Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz said in mid-May. Asked whether the Polish resolution came because the U.S. side signaled clear interest in having a permanent base in Poland, Tomczyk said Poland and the U.S. are “in a working dialogue” and that “the next step, after the two sides confirmed they are interested in this, is the official offer from the Polish state.”

“We can’t tell fortune from tea leaves,” Tomczyk said. “But we are a serious state which is presenting a serious offer to the Americans, in connection with the dialogue we are having with the Americans.”

Tensions with Russia inspire deal to strengthen military

BY CLAUDIA CIOBANU Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland — Germany and Poland signed a new defense agreement on Wednesday, putting aside their complicated past to strengthen European military cooperation amid heightened tensions with Russia and growing uncertainty over U.S. engagement in Europe.

Relations between the two neighbors in recent years have become more pragmatic in the wake of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine in 2022 and the coming to power of a liberal government in Poland in 2023.

“We are not forgetting the past,” Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in Warsaw during a press conference with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius. “But the politics of the future, development and security are our obligation.”

As the U.S. weighs a partial drawdown of its military presence in Europe, Poland is keen to ensure that major European allies take a greater role in defending the continent’s eastern flank.

Germany seeks partners as it moves to revitalize its military, the Bundeswehr, after decades of neglect, with ambitions to build the strongest conventional army on NATO’s European side — an effort that will make it a central pillar of European defense in the years ahead.

Poland’s importance as a logistics hub for Ukraine, alongside its growing economy and heavy defense investment, has made it a compelling partner for Germany and other core European countries.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARyAM MAJD

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, right, welcomes Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the Chancellery in Berlin on Dec. 15, 2025. Germany and Poland have signed a new defense agreement to strengthen military cooperation.

“Poland started building a strong army much earlier than other countries in Western Europe,” Cezary Tomczyk, the Polish deputy defense minister, told The Associated Press. “So we are ahead when it comes to capabilities.”

“We definitely don’t accept that any agreements about this part of Europe are made without Poland,” he said.

“We Germans need a strong Poland as an equal partner,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Berlin after meeting with liberal Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in December. “This is in our fundamental interest.”

The defense agreement is to include plans for protecting the Baltic Sea region and details about cooperation on military mobility and infrastructure, cyber defense and new technologies.

The two countries are irreversibly tied by NATO’s defense plans, which give Germany a key role in the defense of the Baltic region, together with Poland and other countries in the central and eastern European region, said Justyna Gotkowska, deputy director

of the Warsaw-based think tank Center for Eastern Studies.

“Germany is largely responsible for the defense of the Baltic states and without cooperation with Poland, that will not happen,” Gotkowska said.

The Baltic countries are often referred to as the most likely target for Russia if it were to attack NATO territory in the future.

Tomczyk, the deputy defense minister, said German soldiers, among others, would help further develop Poland’s Eastern Shield, a system of enhanced fortifications the country has been building on its borders with Belarus and Russia since 2024.

Despite Poland’s rising importance in Europe’s security architecture, Germany has preferred to make major decisions on Ukraine or Iran with only France and the U.K., leaving Warsaw aside.

On June 7, leaders of the three Western European countries hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London to discuss the role they might play in potential peace negotiations with Russia.

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Cassidy blasts Trump’s peace deal with Iran

BY MARK BALLARD

statements over the past few days based on what was being leaked publicly, though he had cautioned that he had not seen the details.

Cassidy told Louisiana reporters in a phone conference Tuesday: “This is a bad deal, if the details remain the same. The deal, as I’ve heard it, makes your allies weaker and Iran stronger.”

During a Capitol hallway interview Wednesday morning, Cassidy told a reporter with Nexstar Media Group, a Texas-based chain of television stations across the country:

“This will go down as a tremendous foreign policy blunder.”

Since losing reelection in the May 16 closed party primary, Cassidy has been much more vocal in questioning Trump and some of his policies. Trump backed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, in the contest.

Letlow faces state Treasurer John Fleming, R-Minden, in the June 27 party primary runoff to determine with Republican would face the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 3 election to decide who

will replace Cassidy when the new Congress convenes in January. Early voting in the primary runoffs began June 12 and ends Saturday.

Initially, Trump said the details wouldn’t be released until after the agreement is signed on Friday.

But parts of the memorandum were reported Wednesday morning by national news outlets.

And Trump answered questions Wednesday about the agreement during a news conference in France, where the president is attending a G7 economic conference.

Details were released after Trump’s news conference.

The memorandum terminates all military operations for 60 days while the parties negotiate how Iran gets rid of fissionable nuclear materials.

“If it doesn’t happen in 60 days, we go back to bombing,” Trump said.

Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon would end. Iran also agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow tankers to ship crude oil around the world. Iran would be allowed to sell its oil.

Additionally, the U.S. and other nations in the region would guarantee financing of about $300 billion to rebuild Iran. The U.S. would not contribute any money, Trump said, though the release of frozen

nuclear program and promised never to build an atomic weapon. The Islamic Republic maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful.

Trump, meanwhile, cast some uncertainty on whether the signing would happen as planned.

Asked how confident he was that the ceremony would take place, Trump said: “You never know with deals, do you? But you’re going to find out pretty soon.”

The U.S. and Israel went to war on Feb. 28 in part to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon, although Trump’s goals in the conflict have repeatedly shifted.

The interim deal stops the war before securing that goal. Instead, it opens a two-month period for nuclear negotiations and appears to offer Iran several benefits up front while extracting little in return.

The U.S. agreement to immediately allow Iran to sell its oil freely and the offer to eventually lift all sanctions represent major concessions that go beyond the terms of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew America

from that pact in his first term, declaring it the “worst deal ever.”

The accord likely will draw intense opposition in Washington, and it appears to be a major setback for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has come under criticism at home from the media, his opponents and even some allies as details emerge.

Much of the agreement would restore the status quo before the war, including ending hostilities, restarting talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program, and reopening the strait, the crucial passage for the world’s oil and natural gas and whose closure created a historic energy crisis.

The deal includes an end to the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah. That is one of the most delicate parts of the agreement because Israel has maintained it will continue to defend itself and to occupy vast swaths of Lebanon.

Iran has said Israel must withdraw under the deal.

The White House and other

American officials have not published the terms and did not immediately respond to questions.

Trump has cited various goals for the war, including at times vowing it would end Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and its support for Hezbollah and other proxy groups in the region. He also suggested it could lead to toppling the Iranian government.

The interim deal falls short of all of these goals, but Trump hailed it Wednesday.

“Nobody knows what it is, but it’s very strong,” Trump said in France, where he attended a Group of Seven summit.

But he also opened the door to abandoning it: “It’s a memorandum of understanding, and if I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs.”

Some concessions to Iran — including the full lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen assets — would happen gradually and be linked to progress in the nuclear talks, according to officials from Pakistan, a key mediator. They out-

lined some of the deal’s major points on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

But in the meantime, the U.S. will issue waivers to sanctions that allow Iran to sell oil freely.

The Islamic Republic’s oil export revenues in 2024 were more than $46 billion. Its main buyer of oil, China, is believed to have bought at below-market prices because of its willingness to ignore the sanctions.

Granting oil waivers at the start of the 60-day talks strips the U.S. of a major point of leverage. Only at the conclusion of the overall deal in 2015 were sanctions on Iran’s oil lifted.

The interim deal also opens the door to ending all sanctions Iran faces from the U.S. and at the U.N. — including those over Tehran’s weapons programs and human rights abuses — though it says the schedule for that will be worked out later. Still, that far surpasses the 2015 deal, which only lifted some sanctions in exchange for Iran drastically reducing its enrichment and stockpile of uranium.

McMakin, who joined Landry for a news conference at the McDonContinued from page 1A ald’s on Dawnedale Avenue, said the state passed laws to protect healthcare workers from workplace violence in the wake of the and six months behind bars.

Under Louisiana law, battery COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it was is the “intentional use of force or time “to do the same thing for the violence” against someone, while people that are behind the counassault is attempted battery. ter,” he said.

“Too many times we see customers come into a restaurant, and then act like fools,” he said. Act 342 “will provide our police with extra resources to say, ‘Not anymore in Baton Rouge and in Louisiana are you going to mess with our hardworking people that are behind the counters.’ ” The legislation comes after a

Baton Rouge couple in March was accused of shooting a restaurant owner over a mistake in their food order.

The change is the latest in a series of laws passed under Landry that toughen criminal penalties.

After he took office in 2024, he convened a special legislative session to pass a set of bills that all

but eliminated parole opportunities for prisoners.

Since then, other bills have made it easier for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty for people accused of murder and lengthened maximum sentences for various crimes, such as strangulation of a dating partner and some sex offenses.

nesses, I’m not going to force it.

I’m not going to fight it. I’m not going to push it,” she said.

Roadwork was expected to begin early next year and end in 2028.

The project is anticipated to cost from $13 million to $15 million.

The previous reporting placed the project at $11 million to $13 million.

While official funding numbers are unclear, the project is not fully funded, Rachel Godeaux, Lafayette Consolidated Government’s chief financial officer, told the council Tuesday.

“In the budget we just submitted to (the council), or well, that’s in the process of being developed, it will be fully funded. That’s the goal,” Godeaux said.

The Bertrand project aimed to

improve pedestrian and cyclist safety along the road while enhancing connectivity to Moncus Park and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Cajun Field.

Designs were unveiled in April.

Initial designs on Bertrand would have removed the turning lane, which is the largest complaint from many business owners.

The removal of the turning lane would allow for additional street parking and green spaces, coinciding with a speed limit reduction from 45 to 30 mph.

“Putting the turning lane back in is not something we erase and put in. There is an extensive amount of engineering,” Boulet said Tuesday. “I’m not saying ‘no,’ I’m saying we have to stop and really be

conscious about that, and it also takes time to reengineer.”

The project would also have featured several raised pedestrian crossings equipped with lighting.

Several driveways into businesses along Bertrand were expected to be consolidated to limit interactions between drivers and pedestrians.

Plans also included one side of the road with a 12-foot walking path with a 6-foot sidewalk on the other.

Businesses began voicing opposition to the project in early June after they found that their section of Bertrand Drive would have been placed under a stringent overlay district, which would have reduced the types of businesses allowed to open and imposed ad-

ditional design standards.

Boulet previously said the administration intended to pursue restrictions on land uses and signage, but the project automatically triggered the city’s broader development standards under the Lafayette Development Code, which includes building design and site requirements that Boulet said she was unaware of.

“While it was a misstep to put that overlay district forward, it was dead in 24 hours,” Boulet said.

The overlay district was set to go before the Lafayette city zoning commission during its Monday meeting, but the item was removed. The City Council will likely reexamine the development code to remove or reconfigure the development standard.

ton, who sponsored Senate Bill 30, now Act 345, which lifted the telehealth ban, noted that Louisiana has the third-highest obesity rate in the country.

In Louisiana, 40% of adults are obese, meaning they have a body mass index, or BMI, of at least 30, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“To not have all the possible tools in place from a healthcare standpoint to address the high obesity rates in Louisiana is just silly,” McMath said.

that doctors have increasingly leaned into since the COVID pandemic, Runfalo said. The new law recognizes that technology is now being used in ways that 10 years ago were beyond imagination, he said.

The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, which licenses and regulates doctors in the state, has a blanket rule prohibiting doctors from using telemedicine to treat obesity, but it can no longer be enforced under Act 345.

Board rules also prohibit the treatment of chronic pain and the prescription of controlled substances via telehealth.

During a public hearing on the legislation this spring, Patricia Wilton, executive council for the Board of Medical Examiners, acknowledged the rule related to obesity is outdated and needs to be changed. She said the organization is in the process of drafting a

new set of regulations related to obesity after soliciting feedback from experts in the field.

McMath said that the process has been going on for over a year, and regulators haven’t been acting with the sense of urgency needed to address Louisiana’s “sky-high obesity rates.”

The board did not respond to requests for comment.

willpower, said Schauer, who is the director of the Metamor Metabolic Institute in Baton Rouge, a partnership between LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Our Lady of the Lake.

“It’s a legitimate illness, and it deserves to be treated in the same manner other chronic illnesses do,” he said. Allowing for telehealth treatment is “a huge step in the right direction,” he said.

Both Schauer and Runfalo said they prefer to meet with patients for obesity treatment for the first time face-to-face.

“Our initial visit is usually in person, and it very well should be,” Runfalo said, adding that is best for a physical examination and taking accurate measurements.

But the two doctors also said telehealth works well for followup visits and can help more people access the care they need.

Staff writer

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy condemned President Donald Trump’s 14-point deal pausing hostilities with Iran, which is slated to be signed Friday in Switzerland.

“Reagan is rolling over in his grave,” Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, wrote on X Wednesday afternoon, referring to President Ronald Reagan. “Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future.

Now, Iran gets to build brand-new infrastructure under this deal.

Cassidy continued: “Before the war, the strait was open, Iran was being crushed by sanctions, and 13 service members were still alive.

Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have paid billions at the pump, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped. This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.”

The other seven members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation weren’t immediately prepared to comment until after studying the text of the memorandum of understanding, which was released Wednesday afternoon.

Before the text was released, Cassidy had been making critical

DEAL

Continued from page 1A downgraded on site as a minimum.

In return, the U.S. will move to waive, but not eliminate, some wide-ranging sanctions against Iran once the deal is signed. The agreement also secures free passage of the strait for only 60 days, and it does not preclude fees in future, according to the U.S. officials and the Iranian draft.

The document also has provisions to ensure the territorial integrity of Lebanon after Israel’s latest attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanese territory. Israel has rejected the prospect of withdrawing from Lebanon, but the agreement expressly states in its first point that military operations in Lebanon must stop with the signing of the memorandum.

Under the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran that Trump pulled out of in his first term, Iran also agreed to restrictions on its

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, heads to a closed-door Republican policy meeting at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday.

ATTACKS

BERTRAND

Continued from page 1A portion of the project is being reevaluated after meeting with business owners on Monday, and hopes that continued discussion could yield a compromise. Major changes to the South College and Johnston Street intersection would proceed, with the administration considering whether to move forward with the communication upgrades.

Boulet said she will continue to meet with business owners and gather feedback on the project, but added she wouldn’t “force” it.

“If it is a project that is going to create a lot of frustration for busi-

OBESITY

Continued from page 1A area who cares for patients with obesity. “Up until now, the supply has been a challenge.”

For years in Louisiana, doctors had been banned from treating obesity via telehealth under old state regulations that targeted the prescription of certain stimulants, like the appetite suppressant phentermine, a controlled substance that has the potential for abuse or addiction.

But with the advent of GLP-1 weight loss medications, which are not classified as controlled substances, doctors say the prohibition is no longer needed.

“We’ve come a long way in the treatment of obesity,” Runfalo said.

Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Coving-

Change to Louisiana law The new law lifting the telehealth ban for obesity treatment took effect in May. “It’s a win for patients, because it’s just one more avenue of access between them and their physicians,” Runfalo said.

Telehealth is “a valuable tool”

Treating obesity Dr. Philip Schauer, a surgeon and obesity expert, said it’s important that doctors are able to treat obesity like other conditions.

“Obesity is a disease,” he said.

“It’s a chronic illness, just like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and it should be managed similar to these other chronic illnesses.”

The law speaks to the fact that obesity is no longer being treated like a character flaw or a lack of

assets and investments from private companies could be included.

At the beginning of the conflict, Trump said he was seeking regime change and denying Iran any nuclear capabilities.

Though he was one of the few to speak publicly about his reservations, Cassidy’s theme tracks what several of his GOP colleagues are telling reporters.

After Cassidy voiced his criticisms, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, publicly raised concerns.

“History teaches that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is not a good idea. I think the president is receiving some very poor advice on this deal,” Cruz told The Hill.

Other senators, including Cassidy, feared Trump’s memorandum would be all too similar to a deal struck during Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration that Trump put aside in May 2018 during his first term, because of harsh criticism from most Republicans.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed in July 2015 by the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the European Union. The deal essentially restricted Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon in return for relaxing trade sanctions and releasing frozen Iran’s foreign assets.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● 5A

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G7 leaders back deal to end war French president

urges U.S. to share cutting-edge AI

Allies support agreement to end economic instability

BY AAMER MADHANI, SYLVIE CORBET and DARLENE SUPERVILLE

deployment of arMacron calls for effective tificial intelligence.” global cooperation Feud with Anthropic on regulation Ahead of the meeting, the

Associated Press

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Leaders at the Group of Seven summit on Wednesday threw their support behind U.S. President Donald Trump’s tentative agreement with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and extend a shaky ceasefire.

Closing the three-day summit, French President Emmanuel Macron called it a “very good deal,” adding that U.S. allies in the G7 support it “because it’s an agreement that puts a stop to a situation of great instability that had terrible consequences for our economies.”

At his own news conference, Trump hailed the deal as “historic” and said other G7 leaders say “they love this deal because they want to see it over.”

U.S. officials meanwhile dictated the text of the deal to journalists, with details released after the summit ended.

The accord, due to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday, lays out that the U.S. would work to end all U.S. and United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran if a final agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program is reached.

“I think it’ll be done. They want to sign. They want to get back to a normal life,” Trump said earlier Wednesday.

The final day of G7 talks at a lakeside resort in the French Alps started late with Trump, the last to arrive, saying “I’m the boss” as he entered and sat next to Macron. The assembled leaders laughed, and Trump grinned.

The formal talks of the leading industrial democracies closed with sessions on the future of artificial intelligence and fostering economic growth. They discussed concerns that China is flooding export markets with subsidized products, unfairly out-competing their own industries and destroying jobs. Leaders of India, South Korea, Kenya and Brazil joined the meeting.

Trump later attended a glitzy dinner at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris be-

BY JOHN LEICESTER and KELVIN CHAN Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By THIBAULT CAMUS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, from left, U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney listen during a working session at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Wednesday. fore he was scheduled to return to Washington. Before entering the palace, Trump complimented both Macron and his wife, Brigitte, whom the U.S. president greeted with a kiss on the cheek and called “amazing.”

Resuming traffic on strait Trump still has to sell the deal to some members of his own Republican party who doubt it will defang Iran’s nuclear program. At the same time, he faces an anxious international community looking for him to follow through on his promise that the deal will reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tanker traffic and keep it open.

The G7 leaders said an international maritime mission led by France and the U.K. “can play an important role to facilitate the resumption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz by protecting merchant vessels, reassuring commercial shipping operators, and supporting verification that all mines are removed.”

Iran effectively closed the strait early in the war that began on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Isreali attacks.

The deal also calls for an immediate end to all fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah. That is one of the most delicate parts of the agreement because Israel has maintained it will continue to defend itself and to occupy vast swaths of Lebanon.

The agreement that U.S. officials dictated to journalists on Wednesday also has provisions to ensure “territorial integrity” of Lebanon after Israel’s latest attacks

against Hezbollah in Lebanese territory.

In their declaration, G7 leaders said they supported “through an immediate robust ceasefire” Lebanese efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and protect Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,000 people and displaced more than 1 million since fighting there began on March 2.

“Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,” Trump said.

Leaders vow support In a flurry of unanimously agreed declarations, the G7 leaders stressed their support for Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion and agreed to increase deliveries of air defense systems. They also said they would bolster sanctions on Moscow, including on Russia’s oil and gas industries.

Trump called the conversations on ending the war in Ukraine “productive” and said both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy want to “do something.”

“They just don’t know how,” he said.

Leaders also pledged to step up the fight against the multibillion-dollar international drug trade.

Trump has been waging his own battle against drug traffickers. United States military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats transiting in Latin America have killed more than 200 people since September, when the Trump administration began an operation it has justi-

U.S. in talks with Jamaica to send third-country migrants

BY JOHN MYERS JR. Associated Press

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica is in discussions with the United States to accept third-country deportees, a move that would add the island nation to a growing number of Caribbean countries working with the Trump administration on its immigration agenda.

Jamaica’s National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang confirmed Tuesday that the country has signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to accept up to 25 people from countries other than Jamaica every two weeks.

The deportees, said Chang, will not be placed in detention, though details of where they would be housed have yet to be determined. Compensation for accepting them is still being hashed out.

If the agreement is finalized, Jamaica would join Mexico, El Salvador, Uganda and a number of other countries that have agreed to accept third-country migrants deported from the U.S. The move is already getting pushback from the Opposition People’s National Party, or PNP, which accused the Jamaican government of keeping the negotiations from the public.

The PNP argued that accepting the migrants places Jamaica’s internal security, international standing, and fragile social infrastructure at severe risk.

“Jamaicans deserve to know whether discussions have taken place and whether any commitments or understandings have been reached,” Donna Scott Mottley, a spokesperson for the opposition, said in a statement.

“Jamaica, like other sovereign nations, is obligated under international laws to accept the return of its own citizens,” Chang stated.

“However, this new arrangement does not mean thirdcountry nationals are being dumped on our shores. This is a structured, managed process to transit individuals through Jamaica to their final destination,” he added, drawing a hard line between repatriating Jamaican nationals and processing foreign citizens.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said that the administration is “utilizing all lawful options” to carry out deportations.

While a U.S. federal district court ultimately struck down the third-country removal policy as unlawful in February 2026 — ruling that the U.S. cannot dump migrants in undesignated nations without proper notice — the policy is still being enforced pending appellate action.

Widening rift in Caribbean As part of its immigration crackdown, the Trump administration has used a series of secretive agreements to deport more than

19,000 people to third countries, according to the group Third Country Deportation Watch, with some ending up in nations they had never even heard of.

Most deportees have been sent to Mexico, the group says, but over 1,500 have been scattered to more than 20 other nations, many of them poorer countries in Latin America and Africa looking for ways to curry favor with the U.S. The diplomatic rift in Kingston mirrors a broader fragmentation across the Caribbean, where several governments have quietly entered into varying agreements with the U.S. to avoid crippling travel restrictions or economic penalties.

The Dominican Republic signed a non-binding agreement to temporarily hold a limited number of non-criminal third-country nationals, while explicitly barring unaccompanied minors and nationals from neighboring Haiti, a deal that also met with heavy criticism.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit defended a similar agreement as a “pragmatic step” to preserve vital bilateral relations with Washington, though stipulating violent offenders would be rejected.

Antigua and Barbuda adopted a highly restrictive case-by-case posture. Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed a framework capping total acceptances at a maximum of 10 noncriminal individuals.

fied as necessary to stem the flow of drugs.

Critics have questioned the legality of the strikes.

In a separate declaration, the G7 leaders reaffirmed their efforts to halt migrant smuggling and human trafficking, which they said “constitute serious transnational crimes that erode the sovereign right of States to control their borders and expose smuggled and trafficked persons to life-threatening risks.”

‘Most beautiful-looking’ Trump said Wednesday after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the U.S. is “very close” to reaching a trade deal with India, and then went on to lavish praise on Modi as “a very tough negotiator.”

“He’s the most beautifullooking man. He looks so nice. He’s like an angel. But actually, he’s as tough as he’s a killer,” Trump said.

The meeting with Modi came at a choppy moment in the U.S.-India relationship, in part because of the war in the Middle East. On June 10 three Indian sailors were killed in a U.S. military strike on a tanker in the Gulf of Oman in the midst of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday urged the world’s wealthy democracies to work together on regulating advanced artificial intelligence systems, speaking at a high-level meeting that included top AI executives.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman issued a similar plea at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialized nations in France, saying an “international forum” is needed for countries to draw up AI guardrails. He said the task of AI safety should not be left to tech companies.

Overshadowing the discussion on AI was President Donald Trump’s administration’s directive last week, preventing foreign nationals from using Anthropic’s newest and most powerful artificial intelligence models.

Macron said it was a “good thing” that U.S. officials recognize that socalled frontier AI models could be dangerous, but he also criticized it as a “strictly nationalist” reaction.

The remarks followed a G7 working lunch that brought together AI industry figures, including leaders of three of the most powerful AI companies — Altman, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei — on the theme of “ensuring a safe, rapid and

White House’s dispute with Anthropic fueled distrust in Europe about American dominance of AI and tech ecosystems.

The company was forced on Friday to take its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with the directive. The AI giant said it did not believe the steps taken by the government were warranted by the concern it flagged about a potential security issue.

When asked by a reporter whether France and other G7 countries had asked Trump to permit access to Anthropic’s latest AI models, Macron said he made a forceful plea for the U.S. not to keep cutting-edge AI to itself.

Macron warned of a possible drop in value for U.S. firms pioneering the disruptive technology if they switch off access like a light switch. Macron backed his appeal for partnership among key democracies with an insurance policy: France, he said, will boost funding for its own AI industry, so it’s not left behind if international cooperation breaks down.

Democratic countries ultimately want to prevent authoritarian regimes from getting access to advanced AI systems, Macron said.

“So let us move forward together,” he said. “Our relevant agencies must first cooperate so that, in the areas of security and cybersecurity, we have a smooth government-togovernment relationship.”

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RFP’s received after the above date and time will be returned unopened.

RFP’s will be evaluated by and purchased based on quality, cost and adaptability of said items. The Sheriff re‐ serves the right to reject any and all proposals deemed unsuitable in the best public interest.

Mark T. Garber, Sheriff Parish of Lafayette 189155-may 28-jun 4-18-3t $54 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, Louisiana, until 2:00 PM Central Time on the 14th day of JULY, 2026 for the following: AS-NEEDED INSTALLA‐ TION OF BACKFLOW PRE‐ VENTERS AND HOSE BIBS AT WATER/WASTE‐ WATER/ELECTRIC FACILI‐ TIES and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in a room lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for opening shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened to the sender. Bidders are encouraged to virtually join the bid opening via ZOOM using the follow‐ ing link: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/85391905067? pwd=mXa3PWx0TTcQ7TJ g56cMLdtXZW8Y6x.1 Scope of Services: The scope of work shall con‐ sist of, but not limited to, the installation of back‐ flow preventer assem‐ blies, hose bib assem‐ blies, customer cutoff valves, and 1-inch ser‐ vice lines on an asneeded basis at waste‐ water facilities, as di‐ rected by LUS and identi‐ fied in individual Work Authorizations.

In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. vendors may submit their bid electronically at the website listed above.

Bidders wishing to sub‐ mit their bid electroni‐ cally must first be regis‐ tered within LCG Vendor Access at the website listed above. The regis‐ tration process can take some time; therefore, LCG recommends regis‐ tering days in advance of the time that bids are due. It is the sole respon‐ sibility of the bidder to ensure their bid is deliv‐ ered (whether electroni‐ cally via Vendor Access, in person, or via mail) to the Purchasing Division prior to the scheduled date and time of the bid opening. Vendors may request the bid package electronically from Dabne Dover at dabne‐ dover@lafayettela.gov.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Bidders submitting bids electronically are re‐ quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, certified check or cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid.

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the office of Purchas‐ ing & Property Manage‐ ment, Attn: Dabne Dover (337) 291-8262 located at 705 W. University Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70506. Bid documents shall be available until twentyfour hours before the bid opening date. Questions relative to the bidding documents shall be ad‐ dressed to Dabne Dover at dabnedover@ lafayettela.gov or (337) 291-8262.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list of approved bonding companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ fied check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No contractor may with‐ draw its bid prior to the deadline for submission of bids. Withdrawal of bids thereafter shall be allowed only pursuant to LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐ wise, no bidder may i hd hi bid f

Public Notices Bids/Proposals y withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the bid opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided within the specifications. The successful bidder will be required to execute per‐ formance and labor and material payment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid docu‐ ments. No contractors may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. The successful contractor will be required to exe‐ cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid documents.

The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractors or contract‐ ing firms submitting bids in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ censed contractors under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ sification of “PLUMBING”.

Bids in the amounts specified above which have not bid in accor‐ dance with the require‐ ments, shall be rejected and shall not be read.

Additional information relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ solidated Government for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in which disadvantaged businesses are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 6/21, 6/28 DPR 1006870

6/18,

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15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA

Employment

EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS The Iberville Parish School Board (IPSB) is ready to continue its path to excel‐ lence and is seeking an exceptional Su‐ perintendent of Schools to lead those efforts. The IPSB serves a diverse popu‐ lation of 4,072 students on 13 campuses with approximately 980 employees. It has an annual operating budget of ap‐ proximately $150,000,000. Iberville Parish has approximately 30,000 citi‐ zens and is located only 20 minutes from Baton Rouge.

Qualifications: Applicants must be cer‐ tified as a superintendent in Louisiana at the time of application or be eligible for immediate certification, as con‐ firmed in writing by the LDOE, at the time of application. You must furnish your LDOE confirmation of certification along with your completed application.

Please note that the applicant must possess the credentials which entitle him/her to serve as the district’s super‐ intendent. Each applicant must meet or exceed, as of the date of application, the qualifications for superintendent listed in Bulletin 746 Louisiana Stan‐ dards for State Certification of School Personnel.

Applications: Applications for the posi‐ tion of Superintendent of Schools may be found and printed off the IPSB web‐ site (www.ipsb.net). Applications must be completed, signed, and delivered as outlined below to be considered.

Deadline for Applications: All applica‐ tions must be received on or before Au‐ gust 18, 2026. Applications not received by that date will not be considered.

Method for Delivery of Applications: All applications must be mailed to: Super‐ intendent Search, P.O. Box 539, Plaque‐ mine, LA 70765. Applications delivered in any other fashion will not be consid‐ ered.

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Salary: The salary for this position is negotiable based on the experience of the applicant. The estimated salary range is $150,000-$190,000 per year.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications for this po‐ sition are subject to public release under the Louisiana Public Records Law, La. R.S. 44:1 et seq.

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PUBLIC NOTICE --A vacancy will exist on the City of Scott Planning Commission for a fiveyear term effective July 17, 2026.

Individuals wishing to submit a resume for the above vacancy must be a registered voter and a resident of the City of Scott. Yearly ethics train‐ ing for all appointees is required. Resumes are to be forwarded to Bonnie Anderson, Comprehen‐ sive Plan Facilitator, City of Scott, P.O. Box 517, Scott, LA 70583, hand de‐ livered to 125 Lions Club Road, Scott, LA 70583 or emailed to banderson@ cityofscott.org no later than 5pm, Monday, June 22, 2026 with appoint‐ ment to be made at the

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July 2, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Scott City Council. Resume submis‐ sions are public record.

SENT: Simone B. Cham‐ pagne. Motion Approved.

6. RESOLUTIONS 6.1 Reso‐ lution No. 2026-15 - A Resolution to adopt the 2025-2026 Municipal Water Pollution Preven‐ tion Plan for the Youngsville Wastewater Treatment Facility LPDES Permit Number LA0055328. Motion made

by Shannon D. Bares, seconded by Lindy Bol‐ giano, adopting Resolu‐ tion No. 2026-15. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. ABSTAINED: None.

B. ABSENT: Simone Champagne. Resolution Adopted. 6.2 Resolution No. 2026-16 - A Resolution of the City of Youngsville declaring movable prop‐ erty as surplus and fur‐ ther authorizing disposal in accordance with state law. Motion made by Matt Romero, seconded

by Shannon D. Bares, adopting Resolution No. 2026-16. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne.

Resolution Adopted. 6.3 Resolution No. 2026-17 - A Resolution authorizing the Mayor of the City of Youngsville to execute a Commission of Accredi‐ tation for Law Enforce‐ ment Agencies (CALEA) Agency Support Program Application. Chief Brous‐ sard stated that he has been working with CALEA to start the ac‐ creditation for the Police Department and that the form being presented is for a grant to pay for the initial CALEA accredita‐ tion. Discussion was then held between the mem‐ bers of the Council and Chief Broussard regard‐ ing the application and the details of the pro‐ gram. A motion was made by Matt Romero to adopt Resolution No. 2026-17 with the sugges‐ tion to amend the budget for the next fiscal year to capture costs associated with this application/pro‐ gram. A substitute mo‐ tion was made by Nicholas Niland, sec‐ onded by Shannon D. Bares, to table Resolu‐ tion No. 2026-17 until an actual cost is determined for this application as well as on an annual/biannual basis and for the full accreditation process. Public comment received from Cher Hol‐ land and Art LeBreton.

The substitute motion to table having been sub‐ mitted to a vote, the vote thereon as follows: YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Nicholas Ni‐ land. NAYS: Matt Romero.

ABSTAINED: None. AB‐ SENT: Simone B. Cham‐ pagne. Motion to Table Approved.

7.

ORDI‐ NANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL ADOPTION 7.1 Ordinance No. 512-2026 - An Ordi‐ nance of the City of Youngsville, Louisiana, declaring intent to ac‐ quire full ownership of immovable property des‐ ignated as 504 Avenue A, was read aloud and opened for Public Hear‐ ing by Mayor Ritter.

Hearing no comments, motion made by Lindy Bolgiano, seconded by Shannon D. Bares, adopt‐ ing Ordinance No. 5122026. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne.

Ordinance Adopted. 7.2 Ordinance No. 513-2026 An Ordinance of the City of Youngsville, Louisiana, amending the Code of Ordinances Chapter 12 "Nuisances" as it relates to operations and fines for construction or re‐ pairs, was read aloud and opened for Public Hearing by Mayor Ritter.

Hearing no comments, motion made by Matt Romero, seconded by Lindy Bolgiano, adopting Ordinance No. 513-2026.

YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero. NAYS: Nicholas Niland.

ABSTAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne. Ordinance Adopted. 8. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION 8.1 Ordinance No. 514-2026 An Ordinance of the City of Youngsville, Louisiana authorizing the City of Youngsville to sell cer‐ tain immovable surplus l d

PUBLIC NOTICE --PROCEEDINGS OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUN‐ CIL OF THE CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA TAKEN AT THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2026 AT 6:00 PM AT YOUNGSVILLE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1.

OPENING 1.1 Invocation was led by Councilman Lindy Bolgiano.

1.2 Pledge of Allegiance was led by Shannon D. Bares.

2. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Mayor Ken Ritter, Shan‐ non D. Bares (Division A), Mayor Pro Tem Lindy Bol‐ giano (Division B), Matt Romero (Division C), Nicholas Niland (Division D). ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne (Division E).

STAFF: Nicole Guidry (City Clerk), Terry Bourque (COO), Cathryn Greig (CFO), Jean Paul Broussard (Police Chief), Wade Trahan (City Attor‐ ney). 3. MINUTES 3.1 Ap‐ proval of May 14, 2026 meeting minutes. Motion made by Shannon Bares, seconded by Lindy Bol‐ giano, approving May 14, 2026 meeting minutes.

YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: Nicholas Ni‐ land. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne. Motion Ap‐ proved. 4. FINANCE RE‐ PORT 4.1 Approval of April 2026 finance report.

Motion made by Matt Romero, seconded by Lindy Bolgiano, approv‐ ing the April 2026 finance report. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne.

Motion Approved.

5.

OTHER BUSINESS 5.1 Des‐ ignate the Official Jour‐ nal for the City of Youngsville for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 as re‐ quired by R.S.43:141(A).

(Quotes received from: a) The Acadiana Advocate and b) The Daily Adver‐ tiser.) Motion made by Matt Romero, seconded

by Lindy Bolgiano, desig‐ nating The Acadiana Ad‐ vocate as the Official Journal for the City of Youngsville for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 as re‐ quired by R.S.43:141(A).

YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland.

NAYS: None. ABSTAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne. Motion Ap‐ proved. 5.2 Brian McClain to request a variance to Section 130-5 (l) of the Code of Ordinances to waive the requirement of a minimum depth of 400' for commercial develop‐ ment along major arter‐ ial districts for parcel #'s 6020737 (Guillot Rd.) and 6020723 & 6020728 (De‐ tente Rd.), in exchange for fire protection im‐ provements as negoti‐ ated by the Mayor.

Mayor Ritter and the Council held discussion, whereas the Mayor ex‐ plained that the recent 400’ modification was to encourage future com‐ mercial development. He further explained that in conversation with the developer he advised of the imminent need for in‐ creased fire protection, south of Chemin Metairie. In conclusion, Mayor Ritter offered a solution for a betterment fee towards fire protec‐ tion in lieu of saving the 400’ space that may never become commer‐ cial development in the future. Motion made by Lindy Bolgiano, seconded

by Matt Romero, grant‐ ing a variance to Section 130-5 (l) of the Code of Ordinances to waive the requirement of a mini‐ mum depth of 400' for commercial development along major arterial dis‐ tricts for parcel #'s 6020737 (Guillot Rd.) and 6020723 & 6020728 (De‐ tente Rd.), in exchange for fire protection im‐ provements as negoti‐ ated by the Mayor. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero.

NAYS: Nicholas Niland.

ABSTAINED: None. AB‐

THOSE THREE (3) CER‐ TAIN LOTS OR PARCELS OF GROUND, WITH ALL BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON BEING ALL OF LOTS 104, 105 AND 106 OF EXTEN‐ SION 2 OF THE MARTIN ACRES SUBDIVISION, AS PER PLAT OF SURVEY DATED JULY 9, 1957, BY FRED L. COLOMB, R.S., SAID TRACTS BEING CON‐ TIGUOUS, AND HAVING A FRONTAGE OF EIGHTYFIVE AND 50/100THS FEET (85.5’) ON JEANETTE STREET BY A DEPTH OF 116 FEET MORE OR LESS BOUNDED NOW OR FOR‐ MERLY AS FOLLOWS: NORTH BY JIMMY STREET, SOUTH BY LOT 107 WEST

BY LOTS 141, 142 AND 143 AND EAST BY JEANETTE STREET. BEING THE SAME PROPERTY ACQUIRED BY MICHELLE LACOMBE BROUSSARD BY ACT DATED APRIL 5, 2005, RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 06-13781, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA 200 JEANETTE STREET, LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS 18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.04

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189548-jun 4-11-18-3t $26.91

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit:

PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

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p property located at 225 Tall Oaks Ln., Youngsville, Louisiana, which is not needed for public pur‐ poses. Motion made by Matt Romero, seconded

by Shannon Bares, intro‐ ducing Ordinance No. 514-2026. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne.

Motion Approved. 8.2 Budget Amendment Ordi‐ nance No. 515-2026 - An Ordinance amending the Annual Operating Budget of Revenues and Expen‐ ditures for the City of Youngsville, Louisiana for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.

Motion made by Matt Romero, seconded by Lindy Bolgiano, introduc‐ ing Budget Amendment Ordinance No. 515-2026.

YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland.

NAYS: None. ABSTAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne. Motion Ap‐ proved. 8.3 Budget Ordi‐ nance No. 516-2026 - An Ordinance adopting the Annual Operating Budget of Revenues and Expen‐ ditures for the City of Youngsville, Louisiana for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

Motion made by Lindy Bolgiano, seconded by Matt Romero, introduc‐ ing Budget Ordinance No. 516-2026. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne.

Motion Approved. Mayor Ritter informed the pub‐ lic that a public hearing for the adoption of the budget ordinances will be held at a Special Council meeting on June 25, 2026 at 6:00 pm. The budget is available for public inspection at City Hall. 9. MAYOR & COUN‐ CIL ANNOUNCEMENTS 9.1 Mayor/Staff Announce‐ ments. Roads/Drainage: Hwy 89 Phase 1A - work with Entergy for lights in the median, additional striping and painting, Phase 1B – working on drainage, Phase 2 – work‐ ing with utility compa‐ nies for 60% GMP. For‐ tune Rd Ext – punch list items to be complete to‐ morrow. Chemin Agre‐ able - started on asphalt on east side as well as mill and overlay on west side. Left Turn Lanes Phase 1 - dressing up and striping, Phase 2 working with utilities.

Larriviere Improvements - more than 50% com‐ plete with drainage on west side, box culverts for Coulee Lassalle in‐ stalled and anticipate a Sept./Oct. completion.

Prescott Roundabout - in review & working with MPO for funding. Looking at improvements along Chemin Metairie Pkwy and finishing up last pa‐ perwork for sidewalk grant along Hwy. 89.

Water/Sewer: WWTP - re‐ inforcing delivered to site, forming headworks walls to pour next week, SBR excavation to be fin‐ ished Saturday weather permitting. Water Filter 4 – setting preconstruction meeting in next 2 weeks.

Sugar Mill Pond and Pump Station 5 - pending funding. Pump Station 1 changing impeller on the pump tomorrow & the other impeller in early July. Pumps Stations 8 & 17 - bid opening on July 14. Farmers Market this Saturday. Independence Day celebration on Fri‐ day, July 3 at the Am‐ phitheater Powered by Slemco. Dancing with the Stars - July 18. Little Big Town on Saturday, Sept.

12 at the Amphitheater Powered by Slemco. Tick‐ ets are on sale at youngsvillesportscom‐ plex.com. 9.2 Council An‐ nouncements – None. 10.

ADJOURNMENT 10.1 Ad‐ journ Meeting. Motion made by Matt Romero, seconded by Lindy Bol‐ giano, to adjourn the meeting. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Simone B. Champagne.

Motion Approved. /s/ Ken Ritter, Mayor /s/ Nicole Guidry, City Clerk 191559-jun 18-1t $137.08

SHERIFF'S SALE CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC Versus No. 20258008 SHANDY MOU‐ TON (A/K/A SHANDY JULES MOUTON) AND AMANDA MOUTON (A/K/A AMANDA RITA NAQUIN MOUTON) 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: LOT ONE A-FIVE (1A-5), AS SHOWN BY REFER‐ ENCE TO THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PRE‐ PARED BY MONTAGNET AND DOMINGUE, INC., DATED NOVEMBER 25, 2009, REVISED DECEMBER 21, 2009, FEBRUARY 17, 2010 AND MARCH16, 2010 ATTACHED TO THAT ACT FILED FOR RECORD MARCH 22, 2010 UNDER ENTRY NO. 2010-00010098 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA; BEING THAT CERTAIN LOT OF GROUND WITH ALL BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS AND THE COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES AND SERVITUDES THEREUNTO APPERTAIN‐ ING, AND ALL APPURTE‐ NANCES THEREOF SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 26, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 3 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, FRONTING ON JONES ROAD, BY A DEPTH OF 133.95 FEET, MORE OR LESS, ALONG THE EASTERN BOUNDARY AND BEING BOUNDED NORTH BY LOT 1A-3 OF SAME PLAT OF SURVEY, SOUTH BY JONES ROAD, EAST BY LOT 1A-4 OF SAME PLAT OF SURVEY, AND WEST BY LOT 2 AS SHOWN ON SAME PLAT OF SURVEY IDENTIFIED AS PROPERTY OF LOUIS SELLERS, ET AL. BEING A PORTION OF THE SAME PROPERTY AC‐ QUIRED BY M & J PROP‐ ERTIES OF ACADIANA, INC. BY CASH SALE DEED DATED NOVEMBER 13, 2009 AND RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 200900047201 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. IM‐ PROVEMENTS COVERED

BY THIS MORTGAGE IN‐ CLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIM‐ ITED TO, THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED MANUFAC‐ TURED HOME WHICH IS PERMANENTLY AFFIXED TO THE ABOVE DE‐ SCRIBED PROPERTY: MAKE: KABCO YEAR: 2010 SERIAL NO.: KB 02 5643 10 WHICH HAS THE AD‐ DRESS OF 104 JONES ROAD, DUSON, LA 70529 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $42.69 SHERIFF'S SALE DEUTSCHE BANK NA‐ TIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR LONG BEACH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2004-1, ASSET BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-1 Versus No. 20106311 KENNETH WAYNE VIDRINE AND AN‐ NETTE SEARLE VIDRINE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of FI FA issued in the here‐ inabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, i i b h

Public Notices Sheriff Sales y Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES, AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING OR IN ANY‐ WISE APPERTAINING, LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 35, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, BEING KNOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED AS LOT 11, BEAU PARTERRE SUBDIVISION, PHASE I, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON THE SUBDIVI‐ SION PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY MONTAG‐ NET & DOMINGUE, INC., DATED JANUARY 5, 1986, REVISED JUNE 21, 1990, AND RECORDED NOVEM‐ BER 2, 1990, UNDER ACT NO. 90-033389 IN THE RECORDS OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT’S OF‐ FICE. THE LOT HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 75.00 FEET ON FERN HOLLOW WITH A DEPTH BETWEEN EQUAL AND PARALLEL OF 110.45 FEET AND IS BOUNDED SOUTHERLY BY FERN HOLLOW; WEST‐ ERLY BY LOT 10, NORTHERLY BY LOT 15, AND EASTERLY BY LOT 12 AND A PORTION OF LOT 13, ALL BEAU PARTERRE SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1.

WHICH HAS THE AD‐ DRESS OF 109 FERN HOL‐ LOW, YOUNGSVILLE, LA 70592 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $37.76 SHERIFF'S SALE DEUTSCHE BANK NA‐ TIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR MOR‐ GAN STANLEY IXIS ES‐ TATE CAPITAL TRUST 2006-2 MORTGAGE PASS THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-2 Versus No. 20261183 RUFUS PAUL BREAUX AND MARY JOYCE MATURIN BREAUX 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: A CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐ TION OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, ADVAN‐ TAGES AND APPURTE‐ NANCES THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING OR IN ANYWISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, BEING KNOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED AS LOT 52, BELLE CHASSE GARDENS SUBDI‐ VISION, EXTENSION NO. 2.

SAID PARCEL HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 72 FEET ON SAN CARLOS CIRCLE BY A DEPTH BETWEEN PARAL‐ LEL LINES OF 135 FEET. SAID LOT 52 HAS SUCH OTHER DIMENSIONS AND BOUNDARIES AS SHOWN

BY PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID EXTENSION OF SAID SUBDIVISION BY DOM‐ INQUE, SZABO & ASSOCI‐ ATES, INC., DATED DE‐ CEMBER, 1971, REVISED SEPTEMBER 21, 1972, A COPY OF WHICH IS AT‐ TACHED TO ACT NUMBER 594755 OF THE RECORDS OF THE CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE FOR THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO. (THE “PROPERTY”) MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 103 SAN CAR‐ LOS CIRCLE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $37.76 SHERIFF'S SALE FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION Versus No. 20260992 THE UNOPENED SUCCESSION OF ANDREA D BLAIR (A/K/A ANDREA BLAIR) 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale for cash, and sell ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT EIGH‐ TEEN (18) OF WOODLAND TRAIL, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT. HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY BARRY J. BLEICHNER, PE, PLS, LLC, DATED MAY 15, 2018, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2018-16690 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO. WHICH HAS THE AD‐ DRESS OF 146 LUXFORD WAY, CARENCRO, LA 70520.

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

AMOUNT FUNDS

BY

CERTIFIED

PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $ SHERIFF'S SALE FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Versus No. 20255888 DAMIEN EMANUEL RIDEAU 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS LOCATED THEREON, IF ANY, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 27, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 3 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, COMPRISING OF 3.595 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, SAID TRACT BEING A PORTION OF LOTS TEN (10) AND ELEVEN (11) OF THE DIVISION OF PROP‐ ERTY OF GERALDINE T. ROY, SAID TRACT HAVING SUCH DIMENSIONS AND BOUNDARIES AS ARE SHOWN ON THAT PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY CRAIG R. SPIKES. R.L.S., DATED FEBRUARY 21, 1997, WHICH PLAT IS AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, UNDER FILE ENTRY NO. 1997-11903, AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO. THE TRACT CONVEYED HEREIN IS BOUNDED, NOW OR FOR‐ MERLY AS FOLLOWS: NORTH BY US HIGHWAY 90 (CAMERON STREET), WEST BY WILLIS LABAUVE OR ASSIGNS, SOUTH BY TERRY R. ROY AND GERALDINE TRAHAN ROY OR ASSIGNS, AND EAST BY TERRY R. ROY AND GERALDINE TRAHAN ROY OR ASSIGNS. AND THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, WITH ANY IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 27, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 3 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, CONTAINING 1.160 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, SHOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED BETWEEN LET‐ TERS E, H, I, J, K, E ON PLAT OF SURVEY SHOW‐ ING A PORTION OF ORIGI‐ NAL LOT 10 OF PROPERTY OF GERALDINE T. ROY (A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOP‐ MENT), PREPARED BY CRAIG P. SPIKES, R.L.S., DATED JUNE 20, 2001, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, UNDER FILE ENTRY NO. 2001-34423, AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO; SAID PARCEL HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMENSIONS, MEASUREMENTS AND BOUNDARIES AS SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. (THE “PROPERTY”) MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 7653 CAMERON STREET, DUSON, LOUISIANA 70529 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $45.05 SHERIFF'S SALE FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Versus No. 20257454 BARBARA BAILEY 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON THEREUNTO BELONGING, SITUATED IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT 66-A (0.67 ACRES) OF ARROW‐ HEAD SUBDIVISION, PHASE II, SAID PROPERTY HAVING A FRONTAGE ON ROBLEY DRIVE, WITH FURTHER DIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES, SHAPE, FORM, LOCATION AND CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID SUBDIVISION DATED JANUARY 18, 2007, PRE‐ PARED BY MONTAGNET AND DOMINGUE AND AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2007-25675 OF THE RECORDS OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT`S OF‐ FICE. (“PROPERTY”). MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 2415 ROBLEY DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70503 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $33.47 SHERIFF'S SALE FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Versus No. 20257615 DENISE ANN ALLEMAN A/K/A DENISE A. ALLEMAN A/K/A DENISE ALLEMAN A/K/A DENISE A. SOCIA 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

and sell for cash, ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: A CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND WITH ALL THEREON, RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES AND APPURTENANCES THERE‐ APPERTAINING, UNTO SITUATED IN THE FIRST PARISH OF WARD, LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT FIFTYTHREE (53) AND LOT FIFTY-FOUR (54) COUN‐ TRY ESTATES DEVELOP‐ MENT, AS PER PLAT OF SURVEY BY ROLAND W. LAURENT DATED APRIL 17, 1967, AND RECORDED UNDER FILE NO. 67-509606 THE LAFAYETTE OF PARISH CLERK OF COURT OFFICE AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO; THE SAID HAVING SUCH FURTHER MEASUREMENTS, DIMEN‐ SIONS, SHAPE, FORM, BOUNDARIES, LOCATION, AND CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN ON THE REFER‐ ENCED PLAT OF SURVEY (“PROPERTY”). MUNICI‐ ADDRESS: 1104 PAL NORTH DUGAS ROAD, LAFAYETTE, LA 70507 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.97 SHERIFF'S SALE MORTGAGE FREEDOM Versus CORPORATION 20261719 KEVIN No. TREVINO AND MARY BUR‐ RIS TREVINO 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT FORTYONE (41) OF SETTLERS COVE - PHASE 2, A SUBDI‐ VISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY PAUL L. MIERS, DATED OCTOBER 20, 2016, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ ACT RECORDED TAIN FILE NUMBER UNDER OF THE 2017-2585 RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE PART HEREOF BY THERETO REFERENCE (“PROPERTY”). MUNICI‐ PAL ADDRESS: 108 SAFE HAVEN DRIVE, CAREN‐ CRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.76 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20260445 TYRONE JAMES FELIX (A/K/A TYRONE J. FELIX) AND LADASHA CHAISSON FELIX (A/K/A LADASHA FELIX) 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: ONE (1) CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL THE AND IM‐ BUILDINGS PROVEMENTS THEREON, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, IN THAT SUB‐ DIVISION KNOWN AS HID‐ DEN RIDGE, AND BEING DESIGNATED ON THE OF‐ FICIAL PLAN OF SAID SUBDIVISION, ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF SAID PARISH AND STATE, AS LOT NUMBER FOURTEEN (14), SAID SUBDIVISION, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SIZE, SHAPE AND DIMEN‐ SIONS AND BEING SUB‐ JECT TO SUCH SERVI‐ TUDES AS ARE SHOWN ON SAID MAP. WHICH HAS THE ADDRESS OF 212 HIDDEN RIDGE DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70507 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $32.83 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20261201 SHAMEKA ANN DOMINO 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT NINETYFIVE (95) OF MON CHERIE SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVI‐ SION OF THE PARISH OF LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE, ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY FRANCIS FORTIER, P.L.S., ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2022-12077 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA AND MADE PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, AND BEING DESCRIBED WITH REFER‐ ENCE THERETO AS HAV‐ ING A FRONTAGE ON BRUGES LANE AND AS HAVING SUCH DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY (“PROPERTY”). MUNICI‐ ADDRESS: 106 PAL LANE, BRUGES YOUNGSVILLE, LA 70529.

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.54 SHERIFF'S SALE LLC D/B/A NEWREZ SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Versus No. JULIAN RAY 20257045 AND YAKINI HOBBS HOBBS AKA DENAE DENAE RICE YAKINI HOBBS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND AND THE COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 17, T11S, R5E, LAFAYETTE

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT 26 OF HIGHLAND RIDGE SUBDI‐ VISION, PHASE I, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH MEA‐ BOUND‐ SUREMENTS, ARIES, CONFIGURATIONS AND DIMENSIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DESCRIBED ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUX ENGINEERING & CON‐ SULTING DATED JUNE 16, 2005, REVISED SEPTEM‐ BER 11, 2006. A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT AND FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2006-43684, RECORDS OF PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO; SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVI‐ TUDES, RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OUTSTANDING MIN‐ ERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROP‐ ERTY. MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 215 PEAK RUN, YOUNGSVILLE, LA 70592 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.04 SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. 20256447 BRANDON O. LANDRY AND KATERA MARIE SIMMONS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES, AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING OR IN ANY‐ WISE APPERTAINING, LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 33, 8 SOUTH, TOWNSHIP 4 EAST, RANGE PARISH, LAFAYETTE BEING LOUISIANA, AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT 79, THE GRANDE STAKES SUBDIVI‐ SION, AS SHOWN ON THE SUBDIVISION PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY SELLERS, DUBROC & AS‐ SOCIATES, INC., DATED MARCH 26, 1981, LAST RE‐ VISED JUNE 25, 1981, AND RECORDED JULY 31, 1981, UNDER ACT NO. 81-020687 IN THE RECORDS OF THE PARISH LAFAYETTE CLERK OF COURT’S OF‐ FICE. THE LOT HAVING A FRONTAGE ON NASHUA DRIVE WITH SUCH DI‐ MEASURE‐ MENSIONS, BOUNDARIES, MENTS, SHAPE, FORM, LOCATION AND CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN ON THE ABOVE REFERENCED PLAT OF SURVEY AND IS BOUNDED NORTHERLY BY NASHUA DRIVE, EASTERLY BY A PORTION OF LOT 80, SOUTHERLY BY LOT 78, AND WESTERLY BY RUF‐ FIAN DRIVE, ALL OF GRANDE STAKES SUBDIVI‐ SION; SUBJECT TO RE‐ STRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 105 NASHUA DRIVE, CAREN‐ CRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $38.62 SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. DEONCA 20256506 BROOKS AND ED SILENCE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on ***

Public Notices Sheriff Sales g WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT EIGHTYONE (81) OF SHAD‐ OWOOD SUBDIVISION, A OF THE SUBDIVISION PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY EDMOND E. DUPRE, JR., INC., AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 91-25101 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH AND MADE PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, AND BEING DESCRIBED REFERENCE WITH AS HAVING THERETO DIMENSIONS, SUCH BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ AS ARE SUREMENTS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 227 DRIVE, SUNFLOWER LAFAYETTE, LA 70508 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $ SHERIFF'S SALE PEOPLES BANK Versus No. 20260066 AUM VEN‐ TURES, LLC 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of AMENDED SEIZURE AND SALE issued in the here‐ entitled and inabove numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: (1) THAT CERTAIN TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS AND THE COMPO‐ NENT PARTS THEREOF, WITH ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES AND SERVI‐ TUDES THEREUNTO AP‐ PERTAINING, SITUATED IN SECTION 13, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DE‐ SCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT THE SOUTHERLY ON RIGHT OF WAY OF GINGER SAID POINT STREET, BEING SOUTH 86 DE‐ GREES 23 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST 3179 FEET FROM THE INTERSECTION OF SAID RIGHT OF WAY OF GINGER STREET WITH THE EASTERLY RIGHT OF WAY OF I-49; THENCE WITH SAID RIGHT OF WAY GINGER STREET OF SOUTH 86 DEGREES 23 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST 311.00 FEET TO A FOR CORNER; POINT THENCE SOUTH 03 DE‐ GREES 36 MINUTES 17 SECONDS WEST 140.00 FEET TO A POINT FOR CORNER; THENCE NORTH 86 DEGREES 23 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST 307.25 FEET TO A POINT FOR SAID POINT CORNER, BEING ON THE EASTERLY RIGHT OF WAY OF I-49; WITH SAID THENCE RIGHT OF WAY OF I-49 NORTH 11 DEGREES 01 MINUTES 20 SECONDS WEST 114.11 FEET AND NORTH 43 DEGREES 52 MINUTES 40 SECONDS EAST 38.78 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SUBJECT PROPERTY HAV‐ SUCH MEASURE‐ ING BOUNDARIES, MENTS, AND CONFIGURATIONS, AS ARE DIMENSIONS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY CRAG P. SPIKES, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT FILED UNDER NO. 94-26286, ENTRY RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO. INFORMATIONAL FOR PURPOSES ONLY: SUB‐ JECT PROPERTY BEARS THE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 2224 NORTHEAST OF EVANGELINE THRUWAY, LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE, 70501.

(2) THAT CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND AND THE COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF, WITH ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES AND SERVITUDES THEREUNTO APPERTAIN‐ ING, SITUATED IN SEC‐ 13, T9S, R4E, TION PARISH, LAFAYETTE BEING LOUISIANA, SHOWN ON THE PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY MICHAEL J. BREAUX & AS‐ SOCIATES, INC., DATED DECEMBER 18, 1998, BE‐ THE LETTERS TWEEN “A,B,C,D AND A”, CON‐ .523 ACRES, TAINING MORE OR LESS, AND HAV‐ ING SUCH MEASURE‐

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

MENTS, BOUNDARIES, AND CONFIGURATIONS, AS ARE DIMENSIONS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THE AFORESAID PLAT OF SURVEY WHICH IS AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT FILED UNDER NO. 00-41307, ENTRY RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, PARISH, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO. ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $50.83 SHERIFF'S SALE RAYNE STATE BANK & TRUST COMPANY Versus No. 20260898 PMIC PROP‐ ERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THE CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND AND THE COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTIONS 23 AND/OR 69, T9S, R4E, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, CONTAINING 1.891 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, AND BEING SHOWN AND DEPICTED AS LOT 1 ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY RICHARD C. SPIKES, INC. DATED MAY 7, 2014, A COPY OF WHICH IS AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2014-16543, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH MEASUREMENTS, BOUND‐ ARIES, CONFIGURATIONS AND DIMENSIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DESCRIBED ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. FOR INFOR‐ PURPOSES MATIONAL ONLY: SAID LOT BEARS THE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 307 ALCIDE DO‐ OF DRIVE, MINIQUE LAFAYETTE, LA 70506.

BEING THE SAME PROP‐ ERTY ACQUIRED BY PMIC MANAGE‐ PROPERTY MENT, LLC FROM DALE J. CASTILLE AND ALAN J. CASTILLE BY ACT OF CASH DATED JULY 10, 2014 AND FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2014-26063, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. (THE “PROPERTY”) ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $37.12 SHERIFF'S SALE ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC Versus No. 20261397 THE UNOPENED SUCCESSION OF AND UNKNOWN HEIRS JOHN RAYMOND OF A/K/A JOHN HANSEN RAYMOND HANSEN A/K/A JOHN R. HANSEN A/K/A HANSEN AND JOHN MOCORRO HELEN HANSEN A/K/A HELEN M. HANSEN A/K/A HELEN HANSEN 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR OF GROUND, PARCEL ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND AND ALL THEREON, RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES AND SERVITUDES BEING APPERTAINING, AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT 5, BLOCK 10, NORTHSIDE SUBDIVI‐ SION, CITY AND PARISH LAFAYETTE, OF LOUISIANA, HAVING A

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

FRONTAGE OF 50 FEET ON SUNSET DRIVE, BY A DEPTH BETWEEN PARAL‐ LEL LINES OF 110 FEET, AND BOUNDED NORTH‐ WESTERLY BY SUNSET DRIVE, NORTHEASTERLY

BY LOT 6, BLOCK 10, SOUTHWESTERLY BY LOT 4, BLOCK 10, SOUTHEAST‐ ERLY BY SOUTHERN PA‐ CIFIC RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY, OR ITS ASSIGNS, AS PER PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION DATED JAN‐ UARY 4, 1950, RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 239395, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, MADE A PART HEREOF BY THERETO. REFERENCE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 506 DRIVE, SUNSET LAFAYETTE, LA 70501 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

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LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.26 SHERIFF'S SALE SERVBANK, SB Versus No. 20243589 EMILY KATE JU‐ DICE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of FI FA issued in the here‐ entitled and inabove numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS IMPROVEMENTS AND THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIV‐ ILEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREOF, VANTAGES BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT SIXTYNINE (69) OF BROCK POINTE SUBDIVISION, A OF THE SUBDIVISION PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY C.P.S. ENGI‐ NEERING AND LAND SUR‐ VEYING, INC., ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED FILE NUMBER UNDER AS COR‐ 2008-36587, RECTED BY THAT CER‐ ACT RECORDED TAIN FILE NUMBER UNDER 2008-39320, BOTH OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO, AND HAVING SUCH DI‐ MENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. WHICH HAS THE AD‐ DRESS OF 314 WEXFORD STREET, CARENCRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

21,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.54 SHERIFF'S SALE STONE BANK Versus No. 20261626 SPARKLES CAR WASH LLC 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OF GROUND TOGETHER WILL ALL BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS AND THE PARTS COMPONENT THEREOF, SITUATED IN SECTION 48 AND/OR 49, 9 SOUTH, TOWNSHIP 4 EAST, RANGE PARISH, LAFAYETTE AND AC‐ LOUISIANA, CORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY BY A.R. YANDLE DATED OCTOBER 31, 1950, A COPY OF WHICH IS AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT FILED UNDER NO. 253673, ENTRY RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, IS AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT 1 OF DAN DEBAILLON SUBDIVISION, SAID LOT HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 102.6 FEET, MORE OR LESS, ON MOSS

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

STREET, BY A DEPTH BE‐ TWEEN PARALLEL LINES OF 253 FEET, MORE OR AND BEING LESS, BOUNDED, NOW OR FOR‐ MERLY, NORTH BY LOT 2 OF SAID SUBDIVISION, WEST BY PART OF LOT 31 OF SAID SUBDIVISION, EAST BY MOSS STREET, AND SOUTH BY DAN (NOW JUDGE STREET DRIVE). LESS AND EX‐ CEPT: PARCEL #8-1 CON‐ TAINING 1,208.3 SQUARE FEET, MORE OR LESS, CONVEYED TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANS‐ PORTATION AND DEVEL‐ OPMENT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA BY SALE DATED FEBRUARY 14, 1979 AND FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 79-4615, RECORDS OF PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA. AND THAT CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND AND THE COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 48 AND/OR 49, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, PARISH, LAFAYETTE AND AC‐ LOUISIANA, CORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY BY A.R. YANDLE DATED OCTOBER 31, 1950, A COPY OF WHICH IS AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT FILED UNDER NO. 253673, ENTRY RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, IS AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT 2 OF DAN DEBAILLON SUBDIVISION, SAID LOT HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 102.6 FEET, MORE OR LESS, ON MOSS STREET, BY A DEPTH BE‐ TWEEN PARALLEL LINES OF 253 FEET, MORE OR AND BEING LESS, BOUNDED, NOW OR FOR‐ MERLY, NORTH BY LOT 3, SOUTH BY LOT 1, EAST BY MOSS STREET, AND WEST

BY LOT 31. LESS AND EX‐ CEPT: PARCEL #8-2 CON‐ TAINING 1,026.9 SQUARE FEET, MORE OR LESS, CONVEYED TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANS‐ PORTATION AND DEVEL‐ OPMENT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA BY SALE DATED FEBRUARY 14, 1979 AND FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 79-4614, RECORDS OF PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA. SAID LOTS ARE CONTIGU‐ AND TOGETHER OUS CONTAIN 1.133 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, AND ARE SHOWN AND DEPICTED AS THE NEW LOT 1 OF DAN DEBAILLON SUBDIVI‐ SION, ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT DATED AUGUST 31, PREPARED BY 2022 RICHARD C. SPIKES, INC. ATTACHED HERETO BY THEREOF, REFERENCE FORMERLY KNOWN AS LOT 1-A ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY MONTAG‐ NET AND DOMINIGUE, INC. DATED APRIL 29, 2011, REVISED JUNE 1, 2011, A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT ACT FILED CERTAIN UNDER 2011-27734, AN‐ OTHER REVISION WAS DONE SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 DEPICTING LOTS AS 1-A-1 AND 1-A-2, A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT FILED UNDER 2016-36527 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO, AND HAVE SUCH FUR‐ MEASUREMENTS, THER BOUNDARIES, CONFIGU‐ RATIONS AND DIMEN‐ SIONS AS MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DESCRIBED ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY AND BEING MORE PAR‐ TICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE WESTERLY RIGHT OF WAY OF MOSS STREET, SAID POINT BEING THE COR‐ NORTHEASTERLY NER OF LOT 2 OF DAN DE‐ SUBDIVISION: BAILLON WITH SAID THENCE RIGHT OF WAY OF MOSS STREET S 00° 09’ 00” W – 176.59’ FEET TO A POINT FOR CORNER: THENCE ALONG A CURVE TO THE RIGHT FOR A DISTANCE OF 44.15 FEET (RADIUS = 27.00’, CH = S 46° 59’ 22” W – 39.39’) TO A POINT FOR CORNER. SAID POINT ON THE BEING NORTHERLY RIGHT OF WAY OF JUDGE DRIVE; WITH SAID THENCE RIGHT OF WAY OF JUDGE DRIVE N 86° 10’ 16” W – 214.50 FEET TO A POINT FOR CORNER: THENCE N 01° 03’ 42” E – 205.20 FEET TO A POINT FOR CORNER: THENCE S 86° 10’ 16” E – 240.02’ TO THE POINT OF MUNICIPAL BEGINNING. ADDRESS: 3701 MOSS STREET, LAFAYETTE, LA 70501 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

18,

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $65.41 SHERIFF'S SALE U.S. BANK TRUST NA‐ ASSOCIATION, TIONAL NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR ACQUISITION RCAF TRUST Versus No. 20261722 GRE‐ GORY T. CHAPPELL A/K/A GREGORY CHAPPELL 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of i

Public Notices Sheriff Sales y SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, AND APPURTENANCES THERE‐ ADVANTAGES UNTO BELONGING AND IMPROVEMENTS ALL THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DESIGNED AS LOT SEVENTEEN (17) BOIS BECHET SUBDIVISION, A OF THE SUBDIVISION PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, ON THAT LOUISIANA, CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY BLEICH‐ NER, CARROLL AND AS‐ SOCIATES, INC. DATED AUGUST 31, 1984, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 84-37867 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, AND BEING DESCRIBED WITH REFER‐ ENCE THERETO AS HAV‐ ING A FRONTAGE OF 80.00 FEET ON RUE COLOMBE, IS BOUNDED AND SOUTHERLY BY THE SAID COLOMBE, RUE NORTHERLY BY LOT 26, EASTERLY BY LOT 16, AND WESTERLY BY LOT 18, ALL OF SAID SUBDIVISION, HAVING SUCH AND DIMENSIONS, OTHER BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ AS ARE SUREMENTS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 106 RUE COLOMBE, CAREN‐ CRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $37.97 SHERIFF'S SALE STATE WASHINGTON BANK Versus No. 20255017 COREY GRANT LAUCHNER 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 22, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: A CERTAIN LOT OR PAR‐ CEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 8, T-9-S, R-4-E, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND BEING DESIGNATED AS LOT 3-A CONTAINING 0.870 ACRES AND LOT 3-B CONTAINING 0.360 ACRES, BOTH AS PER THAT CERTAIN PLAT PREPARED BY M. J. BREAUX, DATED AUGUST 31, 2006, AND RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH LOUISIANA AS ACT. NO. 2006-48611. SAID LOTS HAVING A FRONTAGE ON DUGAS ROAD AND HAV‐ ING SUCH OTHER DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. ACQUIRED BY COREY LAUCHNER BY CASH SALE FROM FANNIE MAE, RECORDED ON FEBRUARY 15, 2019 AS ACT NO. 201904659, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. THE PROPERTY BEARS A MUNICIPAL ADDRESS OF 1117 N. DUGAS ROAD, LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA 70507.

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 2026 & JULY 16, 2026

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LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JUNE 24, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 60, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 5 EAST, IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, HEREIN DE‐ SCRIBED AS PARCEL NO. 1: PARCEL 1: FROM THE POINT OF BEGINNING, IN THE SITUATED SOUTHERLY BOUNDARY OF RYDER DRIVE AT THE COR‐ NORTHEASTERLY NER OF THAT CERTAIN OF GROUND PARCEL SOLD BY HOLIDAY CITY INC. TO BUILDERS, JOSEPH CHARLES ANZA‐ LONE, ET UX BY ACT OF CASH SALE RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 806602 OF THE RECORDS OF THE CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE FOR THE PARISH LAFAYETTE, OF LOUISIANA, WHICH SAID PARCEL IS SHOWN ON A PLAT OF SURVEY BY ED‐ MOND E. DUPRE, JR., DATED MARCH 18, 1980, RECORDED UNDER ENTRY PROCEED NO.80-6603, SOUTH 13 41’ 16” WEST, A DISTANCE OF 75 FEET TO A POINT; THENCE PRO‐ CEED SOUTH 75 38’31” EAST, A DISTANCE OF 70 FEET TO A POINT, THENCE PROCEED NORTH 13 41’ 16” EAST, A DISTANCE OF 75 FEET TO A POINT SITU‐ ATED ON THE SOUTHERLY BOUNDARY OF RYDER DRIVE; THENCE PROCEED NORTH 75 38’ 31” WEST ALONG THE SOUTHERLY BOUNDARY OF RYDER DRIVE, A DISTANCE OF 70 FEET BACK TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SAID PAR‐ CEL NO. 1 IS BOUNDED NORTHERLY BY RYDER DRIVE (RYDER STREET), SOUTHERLY AND EAST‐ BY REMAINING ERLY PROPERTY OF HOLIDAY CITY BUILDERS, INC. SUC‐ CESSORS OR ASSIGNS, AND WESTERLY BY THE PROPERTY ACQUIRED BY JOSEPH CHARLES ANZA‐ LONE, ET UX BY ENTRY NO. 80-6602 OF THE RECORDS OF THE CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE FOR PARISH OF THE LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA. PARCEL BEING SAID MORE FULLY SHOWN ON A PLAT OF SURVEY BY, MICHAEL J. BREAUX & AS‐ SOCIATES, INC., DATED JULY 23, 1992, ATTACHED ACT RECORDED TO UNDER ENTRY NO. 9226309, OF THE RECORDS THE LAFAYETTE OF CLERK OF PARISH COURT’S OFFICE. (THE “PROPERTY”) MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 225, 227, 229 & RYDER DRIVE, 231 LAFAYETTE, LA 70508 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: MAY 2026 & JUNE 18, 2026

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18,

SHERIFF'S SALE SAVINGS WILMINGTON FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CA‐ PACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR IBIS HOLD‐ INGS A TRUST Versus No. 20260246 AUJAY’S LLC 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF

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LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $45.26

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.76

ONE great state. FOUR great apps.

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

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8A ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Tropical Rainstorm Arthur

A shower and t-storm; humid

Humid with a thunderstorm

Partly sunny and humid

Partly sunny and humid

A couple of afternoon showers

HIGH

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HIGH

90° 80°

LOW

HIGH

91° 79°

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89° 78°

HIGH

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

Beaumont 90/81 Port Arthur 90/81

Baton Rouge 90/80

Lake Charles 90/81

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20s

30s

Houma 90/79

40s

50s

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

JUN 21

City

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

HIGH

11:01p 5:00p 9:20a 12:07p 12:43p 12:00p 1:51p

FT.

LAST

JUN 29

Hi

97 76 98 75 87 106 85 93 84

TODAY Lo

79 68 77 53 76 80 65 81 69

NEW

JUL 7

W

pc t pc pc sh s t t t

JUL 14

Hi

93 84 88 81 88 104 84 92 86

FRI. Lo

78 65 77 56 75 79 62 78 65

Trace 4.26” 4.05” 30.80” 28.11”

FT.

HIGH

0.7 10:25a -0.2 1.7 3:42a -0.3 1.9 1:08p 1.6 1.9 3:10a 0.0 1.3 --- --1.7 10:34p -0.2 1.6 12:30a -0.4

6:06 a.m.

8:12 p.m.

9:57 a.m.

11:39 p.m.

FULL

LOW

W

t pc t pc sh s pc t c

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 47 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

GOOD

PRECIPITATION

86°/77° 90°/74° 86°/73° 103° in 1901 54° in 1917

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today FIRST

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

LOW

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 92/81

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

0s

Hattiesburg 85/77

Alexandria 92/79

Lafayette 90/80

HIGH

90° 76°

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Wednesday

Jackson 85/76 Many 92/77

LOW

91° 78°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 94/77

-0s

LOW

Monroe 90/78

Shreveport 94/78

-10s

HIGH

90° 79°

Arthur made landfall yesterday evening after traveling along the Texas Gulf Coast bringing strong winds as the greatest threat to southwest Louisiana. In fact, a Wind Advisory has been issued due to southerly winds of 15-25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

It is in effect until 8 p.m. tonight. The Flood Watch we’ve been under remains in effect until tonight as well. Otherwise, expect a partly cloudy, hot, humid and windy day with some scattered rain.

Temperatures will rise into the upper 80s with heat index values to 108.

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --4:29p 1.6 11:59p -0.3 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

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

Today Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

City

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

3:07a 4:07a 5:00a 5:47a 6:30a 7:10a 7:49a

Hi

92 96 93 106 81 98 78 72 93

9:21a 10:19a 11:12a 11:58a 12:20a 12:59a 1:38a

TODAY Lo

81 76 71 83 57 74 61 65 81

3:34p 9:48p 4:32p 10:44p 5:23p 11:34p 6:09p ---6:51p 12:41p 7:31p 1:21p 8:11p 2:00p

W

t t t s t s t pc t

GOOD

Hi

92 92 84 107 77 92 83 73 93

FRI. Lo

79 76 65 80 55 67 67 63 79

W

t t pc s sh t s pc t

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

WED. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

14.80 33.50 36.50 20.70 12.20 8.95 5.60

+0.28 +1.44 +1.50 +1.30 +0.70 -0.15 +0.21

40

29.23

-0.69

19

9.99

+8.12

18 29 8

5.97 19.92 2.48

+6.59 +3.64 +0.62

13 15

5.46 5.29

+3.68 +3.81

47 34 29 20 12 6

17.89 13.08 11.29 9.18 5.70 3.89

+1.09 +0.65 +0.98 +0.24 none +0.41

data as of 7 a.m. Wednesday

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

Georgia GOP leaders reject 15 countries adopt call for 2028 redistricting declaration to

fight illegal fishing

Republican lawmakers cited concerns of moving too quickly

BY ALLAN OLINGO Associated Press

BY BILL BARROW Associated Press

ATLANTA — Georgia’s Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday rejected Gov. Brian Kemp’s call to redraw congressional and legislative districts during a special session, citing concerns about moving too quickly after a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters.

The aborted effort to reduce non-White voters’ representation contrasts with other Southern states where Republican majorities moved quickly to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the November midterms, partly in response to President Donald Trump’s pleas to shore up the GOP’s fragile House majority.

Civil rights activists and Democrats, especially Black and other non-White lawmakers, celebrated the development and claimed victory after exerting weeks of pressure and gathering hundreds of citizens at the Georgia Capitol on Wednesday ahead of the session.

“Today showed that ordinary people don’t need to wait until November to make their voices heard and protect our democracy,” said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, the state’s first Black senator who returned to Atlanta from Washington to be at the Capitol. “We can stand up and speak right now.”

Kemp had not asked his fellow Republicans to reopen Georgia districts ahead of November. Instead, he wanted them to redraw congressional boundaries for the 2028 election. But the governor, in the final months of his second term, also called on lawmakers to redraw their own districts — a move that would have made Georgia the first state to apply the Su-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

People listen and cheer as lawmakers speak about redistricting during a special legislative session at the Georgia state capitol on Wednesday. preme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision to its legislature.

State House Speaker Jon Burns sent Kemp a letter hours before Wednesday’s special session was set to begin, informing him that legislators would not consider redistricting at all during the session. He announced the decision publicly shortly after, as demonstrators filled the Capitol with chants of “Black voters matter!”

Kemp said he believes Georgia’s current districts are unconstitutional, and he sees no reason to delay redistricting.

“Legislative districting, however, is the responsibility of the General Assembly, and it is within their discretion to defer the issue until a later date,” Kemp said in a statement.

Burns said lawmakers want to take their time after the Callais decision, which struck down Louisiana’s congressional map as an illegal racial gerrymander and laid the groundwork for legislatures to reduce the number of districts where Black and other non-White voters hold most sway.

The speaker said it was more important for lawmakers to focus on economic matters rather than “partisan games.” He also cited pending litigation over existing Georgia districts and the need to

understand the full ramifications for how race can or cannot be used in redistricting.

Privately, Republicans had expressed concerns that a rushed process that diminished Black and other minority voters’ political power could cause a backlash.

And they worried that redrawn districts could unintentionally create more competitive jurisdictions that Democrats could win, especially around Atlanta.

Still, Georgia Republicans did not rule out revisiting redistricting later this year.

Democrats activists opposed Minority voting rights are especially salient in Georgia, where the Capitol complex includes a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and sits blocks from where the assassinated civil rights icon lived, preached and led the movement that yielded the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

Warnock, who is also minister at the Atlanta church where King once preached, invoked the civil rights icon as he led demonstrators who criticized the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Callais that it was discriminatory to draw districts to allow minority voters a chance to elect their preferred representatives.

MOMBASA, Kenya — Fifteen countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific adopted a declaration on Wednesday to step up efforts to combat illegal fishing, a practice that experts say costs the world economy up to $50 billion annually.

The Mombasa Declaration, named after the Kenyan city hosting the 11th Our Ocean Conference, calls on governments to improve access to information on fishing vessels, ownership and licensing, and to strengthen data sharing to better track fishing activities and enforce regulations.

Out of the more than 30 countries represented in the summit, Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia and South Korea signed the agreement.

The signatories said in a statement the measures are intended to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, also known as IUU fishing, which threatens marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on fisheries.

“In my country, our very existence depends on fish,” said Ghana’s fisheries minister, Emelia Arthur. “Over 60% of our animal protein comes from fish, and 10% of our population depends on the fisheries value chain for livelihood.”

Arthur added that fisheries are a matter of culture and national security for Ghana, noting that the declaration gives governments a platform to “fight together for transparency in the fisheries sector.”

Illegal fishing disproportionately affects coastal communities and small-scale fishers, particu-

larly in developing countries, by depleting fish stocks, undermining food security and distorting markets. Experts also link it to human rights abuses, including forced labor and unsafe working conditions aboard fishing vessels.

The declaration builds support for the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a set of 10 policy principles aimed at improving governance through low-cost reforms, including modernizing vessel registries and publishing fishing authorizations.

French Minister Delegate for the Sea and Fisheries Catherine Chabaud said international cooperation was essential, with her country leading European nations in supporting the agreement.

“We will not be able to effectively combat illegal fishing without greater transparency and international cooperation,” she said. “Limited transparency in vessel ownership, tracking, and fishing activity and supply chains allow these illegal practices to thrive, making stronger access to reliable fisheries data and accountability mechanisms essential to protecting marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.”

Conservation groups welcomed the agreement, saying it reflects growing global momentum for greater accountability at sea.

“For too long, illegal fishing has thrived in the dark,” said Tony Long, CEO of nonprofit Global Fishing Watch. “When governments commit to transparency, they create an interconnected network where bad actors have nowhere left to hide.”

Beth Lowell, vice president of the environmental advocacy group Oceana, said the declaration signals that governments are “ready to act against illegal fishing and work together for a more transparent, equitable and sustainable ocean.”

METRO

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

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T h u r s d ay, J u n e 18, 2026

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1Bn

NEW IBERIA

Economic development district approved Shopping center sales tax to upgrade parking lot

BY JOEL THOMPSON

Staff writer

The New Iberia City Council unanimously approved a new economic development district on Tuesday over minor public opposition.

The district will comprise the

Lagniappe Shopping Center at 1102 East Admiral Doyle Drive.

According to New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt, the developer requested it in exchange for bringing several national chain stores to the city. The district will allow the city to raise additional revenues through a one-cent sales tax on all

purchases made there, which in turn will be used to facilitate upgrades and repairs to the shopping center’s parking lot.

According to city officials, the district will sunset once parking lot upgrades are completed.

DeCourt touted it as essential for bringing businesses into

New Iberia.

“In a town like New Iberia that’s competitive with many of our neighbors, this is how we attract businesses,” said DeCourt. “If you like the Rouses or the Hobby Lobby, we were able to bring those in through a property millage. They wouldn’t have come otherwise.”

Still, several community members spoke against the new district, arguing that the additional

taxes would cause consumers undue financial hardship.

“Cost of living is certainly a high priority for quality of life. I would suggest that parking lots are not,” one member of the community said during public comment.

Because the district’s boundaries do not contain any residences, it is not subject to voter approval,

ä See DISTRICT, page 4B

RIVER TOUR

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Boat captain Mike Fowler takes tourists on a river tour of the Vermilion River from the Vermilionville boat launch in Lafayette on Friday. Tourists learn about the history, geology and environment of the Vermilion River.

St. Martinville police chief announces retirement Ricky Martin joining Sheriff’s Office

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON

Staff writer

St. Martinville Police Chief Ricky Martin has announced his retirement after eight years leading the department, ending a tenure marked by community policing initiatives and departmental growth.

Martin said he plans to remain in the position through July before transiMartin tioning to a role with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“We all get to that point in life, or in our career where you realize that you’ve done what you needed to do and it’s time to pass the torch on to somebody with fresh ideas and a new outlook on things,” Martin said Tuesday in a Facebook post.

Among the accomplishments

ä See CHIEF, page 4B

AT&T to close Lafayette call center Company says employees given option to work remotely

people.

KATC first reported late Tuesday that the company released a statement that indicated it will offer employees a chance to work remotely and is apparently moving out of its office at 221 Venture Way. In a statement issued WednesStaff report day morning to The Acadiana AT&T is apparently closing Advocate, the company said the its call center in north Lafay- move was a way to streamline ette, which employed about 300 operations and adapt to changing

customer and business needs.

“While (customer) care operations will no longer be based in a physical center locally, our commitment to our people and the Lafayette community remains as strong as ever,” a spokesperson said.

It’s unknown if the company laid off any workers. It employed 300, according to the 2024-25 listing of the top 50 employers by the Lafayette Eco-

nomic Development Authority.

That figure was as high as 653 in LEDA’s 2022-23 list.

The office was built as a call center for Cingular Wireless in the early 2000s, and once employed up to 658 people, according to archives.

The move follows similar ones in other markets, including in Johnston City, Tennessee, earlier this year, according to reports.

Library could be named after Norman Francis Civil rights legend was born in Lafayette

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

The Lafayette Parish Council is considering naming the Northeast Regional Library after Lafayette-born civil rights leader Norman C. Francis.

The council successfully introduced an ordinance to rename the library the Norman

C. Francis Library. The 20,500-square-foot facility near the campus of Holy Rosary Institute is expected to open in 2028.

Francis, the longtime president of Xavier University in New Orleans, Francis a national civil rights icon and prolific educator, died in February at 94.

He was born in Lafayette on March 20, 1931, during the Great Depression, where he attended St. Paul Catholic for elementary and secondary school.

He later relocated to New Orleans to attend Xavier University of Louisiana before graduating in 1952.

He later applied to Loyola University’s law school, becoming the school’s first Black student. After Francis got his law degree, he joined the U.S. Army, serving in the Third Armored Division. He later worked on special assignment with the U.S. Justice Department to desegregate federal agencies in major cities.

In 1968, he became president of Xavier, a position he held for 47 years.

Francis has received 42 honorary doctorates and, in 2006, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor. During his lifetime, he served on 54 boards and commissions and advised eight presidents on education and civil rights issues.

A 1986 survey by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education named him one of the 100 most effective college presidents in the country.

2B ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

Juneteenth commemorates the long march to freedom Editor’s note: In honor of the Juneteenth observance tomorrow, we are reprinting an editorial about the holiday that has been published in previous years.

As the Civil War continued, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation — effective Jan. 1, 1863 — making it clear to Confederate states fighting to keep slavery that enslaved people “shall be free.”

Though famous since that day, the proclamation was really a wartime measure that only applied to slaves in rebel states under arms, not a total end to slavery. It was rather specific, designating which counties and parishes the proclamation would cover. “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free,” Lincoln wrote. Elsewhere in the proclamation, the president made it clear that non-Union Confederate states were the areas being targeted. That included Louisiana, but 13 parishes were exempt from the proclamation: Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, St. Mary, St. Martin, Terrebonne, and “Orleans, including the City of New Orleans.”

Slavery was not fully abolished until the 13th Amendment was passed by Congress on Jan. 31, 1865, then ratified on Dec. 6, 1865. Still, Lincoln’s proclamation sent an important signal, albeit one that was slow to spread.

There was no nightly news, no internet and certainly no social media to quickly and widely share the breaking news that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed and slavery had ended.

It took more than two years — until June 19, 1865 — for enslaved people in Galveston Bay to learn that they were among the 250,000 in Texas and 4 million nationally who were freed by order of the president.

Enslaved people who were freed celebrated, starting a Texas tradition that eventually spread to other states across the nation. “June” and “19th” were combined to create “Juneteenth.”

In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday, and Louisiana also made it a state holiday that year. Today, Juneteenth is recognized as a holiday, observance or remembrance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Though June 19 falls on a Friday this year, and that is the federal holiday, traditionally, Juneteenth has also been observed on the third Saturday of June by many Black Americans.

Opal Lee, recognized as the grandmother of Juneteenth because she started a national effort to have the day recognized as a federal holiday when she was 86 years old, grew up less than an hour away from Shreveport in Marshall, Texas, before moving to the Fort Worth area.

Lee has said she envisioned the holiday as a celebration of freedom for everyone, not just those whose ancestors endured slavery.

On Juneteenth, we remember all those Americans throughout history who have moved this country toward the “more perfect union” articulated by our founders. We urge everybody to celebrate the day dedicated to cherishing the freedoms that were, for many Americans, much too belatedly won.

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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YOUR VIEWS

In pages of comic books, clues to perceptions of the world around us

Massive menhaden industry harms local fishers, guides After reading the half-page for the menhaden fishing industry in the June 7 newspaper, I’m convinced the Legislature is siding with the menhaden fishing companies over the thousands of local fishermen and guides in Louisiana.

The article states that lawmakers strengthened accountability for certain violations. What a joke! Example: bycatch.

The industrial harvest nets between 20 million and 37 million pounds of nontarget fish (bycatch) each year. This includes tens of thousands of breedingsize redfish and hundreds of thousands of speckled trout, and untold numbers of flounders, black drums and tarpons.

The Marine Stewardship Council said the menhaden are not overfished.

Well, when they disappear, so will the big menhaden boats. Our fishing will no longer be “Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise,” and it will come to that!

Why doesn’t the Louisiana Legisla-

ture listen to the other Gulf states with their menhaden fishing restrictions?

It’s all about the money. Next time I catch one too many redfish and a game officer wants to give me a ticket, maybe I should say that fish was “bycatch” and so I should get no ticket. Louisiana can’t have a law that has two different enforcements, one for industry and one for regular fishers.

That 3.6% by weight bycatch is scary when the total of their catch of menhaden is hundreds of thousands of pounds per year. Remember that next time you can only catch and keep four redfish daily.

Louisiana is implementing new regulations to protect its red drum stocks.

What a joke. Oh, wait — that’s for local fishermen, not the commercial industries.

Shame on the Louisiana Legislature.

The newspaper recently ran an article from The Associated Press about American comic books, focusing on the centrality of superheroes. I think there is a bigger story about comic books in other countries.

I was in Saudi Arabia in 2009 with the World Leader’s Symposium through my connection to Rice University. We met with a psychiatrist who proudly showed us the comic book he had created.

He was proudest of his decision to not only celebrate a superhero from his own country but also the creation of different superheroes from all the Arabian countries to foster community in the Middle East.

He even included a hero from the United States, who, sadly, was in a wheelchair. We all questioned this decision, thinking it quite Freudian or merely wishful thinking.

He defended his choice, explaining it was culturally appropriate.

The reason our superhero was in a wheelchair was that he had been injured by a drunken driver. We were all taken aback.

So, there is a lot going on out there in comic books that might make an interesting series from the world around us.

FRANCIS MESTAYER Baton Rouge

Iran run by zealots who would use a nuclear weapon Iran is a country governed by rabid religious zealots. Its government has slaughtered and imprisoned 30,000 of its citizens who protested the decrepit economy; hanged people publicly, and stoned people to death. The Iranian government has assassinated Iranian dissidents living in other countries and funds the terrorist organizations of Hezbollah and Hamas as well as the Houthis.

Allowing such a government a nuclear weapon is sheer folly. It could easily set off a nuclear race among other Arab states and allow Iran to bully the world by imposing an expensive tariff on the Hormuz Strait, skyrocketing the Western world’s inflation.

Appeasement has already been tried by two U.S. administrations with the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian funds — freezing that took place because Iran was the foremost state sponsor of terrorism.

No nukes for our time did not work, just as no peace for our time did not work with Hitler. The Iranian government, unfortunately supported by enough Iranians to keep it in power, believes in the annihilation of its perceived enemies. That is us.

Have the American people become so weak-willed that they cave in to allowing this rogue country to have nuclear weapons because they will temporarily suffer inflation — which hurts, but does not kill like a nuclear weapon would?

There should be little doubt that a government such as the Iranian one would use a nuclear weapon.

President John F. Kennedy once said that domestic policy could hurt you and foreign policy could kill you.

We need to seriously think about what allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon would do.

MARSHA REICHLE Baton Rouge

LSU sports need a new focus Alas, during the 2025-26 academic year, LSU’s sports teams won nary a single national championship. Coaches keep talking about recruits and building for the future.

Perhaps it would be better to have more recruiting for academic accomplishments and building for future scholarship.

HERBERT CANNON Baton Rouge

Inspection sticker change was poorly thought out, self-serving Does this sound familiar? A longstanding government-sponsored program providing jobs to some and a public service to many is abruptly closed. Planning for and communication during the aftermath are minimal.

This is but one example of how our governor’s style of leadership mimics that

of our president: It is impulsive, poorly thought out and self-serving.

Whether inspection stickers should stay or go is not the point; how people are governed is. I hear there is a recall petition I can sign.

HENRY BRADSHER Baton Rouge

CAROLYN DEYO Baton Rouge

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● 3B

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COMMENTARY Politician names on public works is free advertising When workers scraped Donald Trump’s name off the Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center, they should have kept going.

They should have taken Kennedy’s name off as well and restored the building to its original, simple title, the National Culture Center.

After President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, Congress renamed the center after him. The New York International Airport, charmingly referred to as Idlewild, suddenly Froma Harrop became the John F. Kennedy International Airport. And hundreds of schools across the country plastered “John F. Kennedy” on their facades.

It is one thing to name airports, bridges and other public works after the handful of great presidents who saved the country: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower.

It’s another to similarly memorialize ordinary politicians for posterity, even those who did a mostly good job.

Why did they change the short, descriptive name of Washington National Airport to the convoluted Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport?

Both Reagan and JFK were popular presidents, but neither left behind achievements monumental enough to justify turning airports into their shrines. Kennedy was young, charismatic and died tragically, but as president, he did not-good things. He authorized the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, a fiasco. He didn’t start U.S. involvement in Vietnam, but he greatly expanded it. And he was a serial womanizer, in some cases, risking national security.

But Kennedy and his circle were masters at peddling their era as Camelot, the myth of a golden age out of King Arthur. In an interview shortly after the assassination, JFK’s widow, the glamorous Jacqueline Kennedy, quoted the “one brief shining moment” line from the musical “Camelot.”

Since then, Kennedy after Kennedy has run for office off the curated glow.

Most were elected and some were competent. But this free promotion of

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RAHMAT GUL

A worker tends a garden in front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as its sign remains covered by a tarp in Washington.

“America’s royal family” drowned the arguments of more-qualified, hardworking public servants who wanted the jobs.

Now we have JFK’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, running for Jerry Nadler’s congressional district covering Manhattan’s wealthy Upper East and Upper West Sides.

Whatever Democrat secures the nomination is almost sure to win in November.

Schlossberg has arguably less than zero qualifications.

His chief achievement at age 33 is as an “influencer” on social media, posting lots of selfie videos and whatever draws clicks.

Nonetheless, New York tabloids are putting the words “Camelot” and “Kennedy Mystique” in their headlines about his campaign. One political writer gushed that “a Kennedy” was running. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a fool of herself endorsing Schlossberg on a TV ad with the tagline “Believe in something again.” Everyone knows the handsome fellow is the son of Carolyn Kennedy.

Another Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is busy putting Americans’

lives at risk as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

RFK Jr. is a crackpot famous for bashing life-saving vaccines.

On taking over HHS, he fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, booted about 20,000 employees and slashed cutting-edge medical research.

Why did Trump choose him? “Bobby” is a colorful kook who endorsed Trump in the 2024 election. What makes him extra fun for the unserious is that he’s “a Kennedy.”

To bring this full circle, RFK Jr. is the son of Robert F. Kennedy. New Yorkers driving toward what they still call the Triborough Bridge see that it’s now called the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, named for Bobby’s dad, after he was assassinated. The elder RFK moved into the state the day he proclaimed his candidacy to represent New York in the Senate.

Politicos naming public works after other politicos, or in Trump’s case, himself, is a racket. It is free advertising on tax-supported government structures. Stop it.

Froma Harrop on X, @FromaHarrop.

Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

The controversy over ‘60 Minutes’ The late broadcast journalist David ing. Public trust and confidence in Brinkley once observed: “Objectivity the mass media to report the news is impossible to normal human befully, accurately and fairly is at a record low. Gallup’s polling reveals havior. Rather, we should strive for Americans’ trust in the media fairness.” has fallen from a relatively Fairness is at the heart of the high of 68% in 1972 to today’s ongoing shake-up at CBS News record low of 28%, the first and especially at the legendtime it has gone below 30%. ary “60 Minutes.” Since televiUntil Bari Weiss was hired, sion is a business that requires networks ignored this trend. high ratings and credibility to The 2022 American Jourattract advertisers and make Cal money, it is more important Thomas nalist Study, a survey of U.S. what viewers think about a journalists, found that about program than what those producing 36% of journalists identified as it think about themselves.

Democrats, compared to just 3.4% Correspondent Scott Pelley viowho identified as Republicans. A plurality of journalists — nearly 52% lated a cardinal principle, not just in — identified as Independents. No one journalism, but in any job.

He bit the hand that had been feed- will convince me that one’s political ing him. In a staff meeting, Pelley re- worldview doesn’t influence which portedly excoriated management for stories are covered (and which are ignored) and how they are reported. having the temerity to shake up the I have spent many years in newsnews division, which Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief, was hired to do. rooms and at journalist gatherings.

Reading an interview Pelley did for It has been my experience that most The New York Times after his firing people claiming the title of “journalreveals the attitude of many journal- ist” are liberal Democrats who have a secular-progressive worldview. ists at the top of the profession. PelThe conservative Media Research ley thinks it’s all about him, not the Center (MRC.org) has compiled audience. It appears he believes his decades at the network entitle him to some examples of Scott Pelley’s bistay on until he expires or resigns. I ased reporting, including this gem: have been fired — or my shows can“It’s too soon to tell how serious President Trump is in defiance of the celed — from NBC, CNBC and Fox Constitution.

News. I didn’t complain. In fact, on In his first 28 days, he signed an my final Fox show I said: “It’s their network; they can do as they please.” order to nullify birthright citizenship for some — a right guaranteed by the What has become collectively 14th Amendment. And he has closed known as “the media” are selling agencies and frozen spending that what much of the public isn’t buy-

Congress mandated by law.” (Feb. 16, 2025). A balanced report might have mentioned that while the goal of the 14th Amendment was primarily to protect formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, it was written to apply to all Americans. The Trump administration, however, has challenged the constitutionality of birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court is expected to decide shortly whether Trump or the Constitution have the final say.

Here’s another Pelleyism: “Joe Biden is among the longest-serving politicians in Washington. If there is less bounce in the step than there once was, if the words don’t flow like they used to, maybe there’s something to be said for know-how, five decades on the Hill and in the Oval. … You have lived a long life of triumph and tragedy. In November, you’ll be 80. And I wonder what it is that keeps you in the arena.” (Sept.

18, 2022) This at a time when it was becoming increasingly evident to many — except perhaps Jill Biden, Kamala Harris and others who didn’t want people to believe what they saw and heard — that the president had lost more than a step.

Maybe Bari Weiss can make changes that will draw more viewers and improve credibility at CBS News. If she succeeds, will ABC and NBC follow her example?

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com

Legislature should probe levee board’s sea of troubles This week’s storm in the Gulf of Mexico should focus the state Legislature’s attention on the operations of Louisiana’s most prominent levee board.

To be specific, the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee should convene a hearing to analyze apparent chaos at the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, which provides flood control for parts or the whole of Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes.

State legislative committees are allowed to hold oversight hearings Quin even when not in session, although Hillyer they can’t actually vote on pending matters.

The levee board has been riven by very public controversy for about 18 months. Gov. Jeff Landry and his friend, businessman Shane Guidry, have tried to exert control of the board that post-Katrina reforms tried to insulate from political agendas. Whatever the governor’s intentions, the result has been a high degree of discord.

Hired directors forced out. Vague allegations from the Guidry camp that board members or members of the nominating committee are corrupt or racist. Mass resignations in protest against the new regime. Threatened fisticuffs in public meetings. A battery charge filed by the authority’s robust police chief, Joshua Rondeno, against the rather petite then-board member Deborah Settoon. Large staff turnover. A large stretch of time in which Rondeno handled many of the executive functions usually done by the authority’s director.

And more.

Atop all that, the last five months have featured major controversy about Rondeno’s role and salary. First, Rondeno was allowed to draft his own contract, with a massive salary increase and a whopping $910,000 severance package if he is fired. After legislative and public blowback, the severance provision was removed and the salary was cut back from $250,000 to $197,000, far more than his predecessor’s $110,000.

Then, in a new, bizarre twist, Rondeno went from his highly exalted and remunerated position to being put on administrative leave on June 3, according to Guidry, “pending an investigation that we can’t discuss while it’s going on.”

Between all this turmoil and the loss of experienced engineers and other key employees, the actual work of the agency may be compromised.

At least that’s what former board member Settoon said on June 8 in an interview with WVUE-TV, echoing concerns I have heard privately from other knowledgeable sources. Settoon questioned if the agency really is ready for hurricane season — a vivid reminder of which is this week’s highrainfall storm in the Gulf.

“I don’t have a lot of confidence,” Settoon said.

“I’m very worried. I think the public should be worried.

Then she added some very on-target advice, saying the public “should be calling their legislators and saying, ‘Get this thing cleaned up once and for all.’”

To his credit, state Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, used hearings in this year’s regular session to focus apt attention on Rondeno’s controversially growing role and was credited with forcing Rondeno’s draft contract to be altered in a more reasonable direction.

Those hearings led Sen. Patrick Connick, RMarrero, who long has shown admirable interest in the levee board, to begin drafting a bill for next year that would take the policing function from the board and put the levee police under the state police instead.

“That’s the long-term plan: to separate the two,” Connick told me. “Let the levee board concentrate on preserving levees. Let the police protect and serve.”

Connick said he still needs to work out the details of how the levee police’s “funding can follow the police in some form or fashion.”

Connick’s idea seems good. As he explained, much of the turmoil at the agency has revolved around a push-and-pull between policing desires and the authority’s basic flood-control duties. If the financing details can be solved, his proposal merits passage.

Nonetheless, Settoon’s warning about hurricane unreadiness should spur the Governmental Affairs committee to hold more hearings now. The goal should be to ensure, right away, that the main flood-protection job is done well this year. Is there merit to Settoon’s concerns? If so, what can be done to alleviate them? Do the agency’s engineering functions need bolstering in the short term?

And, for the longer horizon, aside from separating the police from the levee board — if Connick’s proposal is adopted — what else can be done to ward off the sorts of dysfunction we’ve seen for 18 months?

For all of southeastern Louisiana, the levee and floodwall systems are a matter of sheer survival.

Until the levee board shows that its disarray has been solved, the Legislature should keep a keen watch.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@theadvocate. com

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Trombonist Ronell Johnson dies at 49 Musicians remember his legacy

ous men I ever met.”

Guitarist and social media personality Joshua Starkman, who often collaborated with Johnson, praised his “love and connection with everyone he came across.

I have never seen a musician with such enthusiasm to entertain and bring joy to everyone around him. What an inspiration. New Orleans and the world are going to miss him dearly.”

Veteran rock photographer Steve Rapport, who has photographed numerous local musicians since moving to New Orleans four years ago, described Johnson as “an extraordinary and immensely talented musician with an incredibly happy and gregarious personality … who quite literally lit up each and every room he wandered into. He gave so much of himself every minute of every day.”

Beyond Johnson’s technical virtuosity, Rapport was impressed that “every note was infused with his joy of life and his unquenchable passion for music. And the same can be said for his fabulous singing, which was always accompanied by goofy dancing and trombone shenanigans.”

One fan recalled that on her first trip to Preservation Hall, “we were in the front row and joked with him that his (trombone) slide was going to hit us in the head. He was so sweet when I was overcome with emotion during the performance and gave me a big hug.”

Survivors include his wife, Rachel Johnson.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. A GoFundMe account has been established to help defray medical and funeral costs.

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Trombonist, sousaphonist and vocalist Ronell Johnson, a Preservation Hall stalwart whose playing and personality embodied the joyful spirit of New Orleans music, died Sunday of complications from a heart attack he suffered in April. He was 49.

Johnson was an integral member of Preservation Hall’s extended family of musicians for nearly 30 years. He performed at the St. Peter Street venue multiple times a week when he wasn’t on tour, either with the main Preservation Hall Jazz Band or Preservation Brass.

He was a “once in a generation talent and human being,” Preservation Hall creative director Ben Jaffe said on social media. “His joy was infectious. He made us all better. His heart was too big for this earth.”

A third-generation musician, Johnson started playing music at age 6 and turned pro at age 12. In the 1990s, he co-founded Coolbone, a New Orleans brass band infused with hip-hop. He also played with the DejaVu Brass Band and other groups.

But Preservation Hall was his primary professional affiliation. His animated performances with Preservation Brass on Monday nights at the Hall or at tour stops all over the world gave him countless opportunities to connect with listeners.

“Music wasn’t meant to be enjoyed alone,” Johnson told

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Ronell Johnson plays the trombone as the Preservation Hall All Stars perform during a Veterans Day commemoration ceremony at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Nov. 11, 2021. Johnson died Sunday of complications from a heart attack he suffered in April. He was 49. a WWL-TV reporter in 2021.

“I came up literally with music all around. I love jazz, always did.”

Not surprisingly, Johnson’s Santa Claus-like presence made him a natural for Preservation Hall’s pandemicera “Holiday Grams.” With music venues still closed, fans could book a musician to play a short set outside a home or business.

“It couldn’t have came at a better time, to start bringing some joy when we desperately need it,” Johnson said at the time.

Via Preservation Hall, Johnson interacted with a litany of A-list musicians, from the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl to Taylor Swift.

But his musical merits stood on their own. He is part of the core band for Preservation Hall’s acclaimed 2013 album “That’s It!” and 2017’s “So It Is,” the first albums of all-new compositions in the band’s history.

He appears throughout “A Tuba to Cuba,” the 2018 documentary film about the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s journey to Cuba.

His trombone is prominently featured on “For Fat Man,” the Grammy-nominated 2025 Preservation Brass album on Sub Pop Records dedicated to the memory of bass drummer Kerry “Fat Man” Hunter.

As news of Johnson’s death spread, social media tributes poured in from fans and fellow musicians.

Responding to Jaffe’s Instagram post, Jon Batiste expressed his feelings to his 1.9 million followers with three broken-heart emojis.

David Shaw, the singer for The Revivalists, posted, “This one hurts. I’ll never forget the first time I heard his heart through that horn.

Pure joy and elation.”

To cellist Helen Gillet, Johnson was “one of the kindest, uplifting and gener-

JEFFERSON PARISH

Sixth arrest made in missing man’s death Dismembered remains found in Marrero

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

Authorities investigating the disappearance and death of a man whose skeletal remains were recently recovered from a Marrero backyard have arrested a sixth suspect in the case.

Jessica Parks, 36, of Westwego, was booked Monday with second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, unlawful disposal of remains and obstruction of justice, according to Sgt. Brandon Veal, spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Parks is accused in the death of 37-year-old father of four Eddie Tillman Jr. The Sheriff’s Office on

DISTRICT

Continued from page 1B something several public commenters took issue with.

“If you’re interested in knowing the sentiment of the citizens, why not call a sales tax election? I think that would be an appropriate step,” came from another public comment.

Louisiana law requires elections for the districts only among registered voters living within the proposed district, but for consumers wishing to shop at a local business located in one, they will still be subject to the additional tax.

DeCourt defended not calling an election, pointing out that nearby parishes and cities have established districts in a similar manner.

“If you look at Lafayette, they have 11 districts that operate exactly like this,” said DeCourt. “A city’s either growing or dying, and the places with the best growth in the region all do this. If we’re going to grow as a city, it has to come from somewhere.”

All members of the coun-

Wednesday did not release any details about Parks’ alleged role in case.

Tillman was last seen on Aug. 16, 2023, according to relatives who say he left his mother’s Bridge City home that night after receiving a call from a friend who asked for his help.

Tillman was never heard from again after that night.

They reported him missing and later shared with authorities rumors that he’d been beaten to death.

Tillman’s missing person case became a homicide investigation in 2025 after Sheriff’s Office detectives received a CrimeStoppers tip that Tillman had been murdered and buried in the backyard of a home in the 1200 block of Gaudet Drive in Marrero.

Detectives paid a visit to the home and in April recovered partial skeletal remains buried in the back-

cil present on Tuesday spoke briefly on the measure, with council member Ron Davis Sr. being the only one to publicly express skepticism. Davis said while he viewed the additional revenue as important, he was concerned about quality standards for the new parking lot, given that the project itself would not be managed by the city.

“I would like to see a certain standard for the parking lot.

We as a council ought to have some input,” said Davis.

Davis ultimately supported the ordinance after being given assurances from city officials on the quality of the upgrades.

Others echoed DeCourt’s view on the importance of the district.

“This town has been falling short for a long, long time. It’s time for us to start moving ahead,” said council member David Merrill.

“It is a necessary evil. It’s a tool that’s been provided by the state and it’s how we remain competitive as a city,” said council member Troy Comeaux.

The new district and onecent sales tax will both take effect later this year.

yard, including a skull and severed hands, authorities said. Investigators later determined the remains belonged to Tillman.

The tipster identified two suspects, Dustin Billot, 33, and John Lopez, 46, as Tillman’s killers, the Sheriff’s Office said. The pair had discussed Tillman’s death, dismemberment and the disposal of his remains in front of several witnesses who confirmed the conversations with investigators, according to authorities.

Billot and Lopez were arrested in late April and booked with second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and unlawful disposal of remains.

Billot was living at the Gaudet Drive home at the time of Tillman’s death along with his sister, Christina Beasley, 40, and Kelly Barrios, 40.

Beasley and Barrios were

arrested in May and booked with failure to report the commission of a felony and accessory after the face to second-degree murder.

Barrios was the first to be formally charged in the case by the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office. She pleaded not guilty June 9 to failure to report a homicide and obstruction of justice, court records said.

Parks is the second suspect to face a second-degree kidnapping charge in Tillman’s death. She joins Terrence Johnson, 45, who was also booked with seconddegree murder, obstruction of justice and unlawful disposal of remains.

Parks was being held Wednesday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. Bail was set at $605,000.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

CHIEF

Continued from page 1B Martin highlighted was the creation of Team Martin, a program designed to help first responders identify and assist individuals with cognitive disabilities during emergencies.

Martin said the initiative remains one of the achievements he is most proud of during his time as chief.

He also credited partnerships with local government, particularly over the past four years under Mayor Jason Willis, for helping improve public safety and provide resources for officers.

Willis praised Martin’s leadership and said collaboration between city officials and the department helped strengthen public safety efforts in St. Martinville.

Martin said he is grateful for the support he received from the community throughout his tenure and looks forward to beginning the next chapter of his career with the Sheriff’s Office.

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Obituaries Piccione Jr., Joseph Salvador

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Joseph Salvador Piccione, Jr. on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 11:00 am at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Joseph was 92 years of age when he went home to see his Lord and Savior and reunite with his bride Josephine on June 15th at Lafayette, LA. "Mr. Joe" was known by all as a kind, steady, and generous man.

Joseph was born on December 14, 1933, in Lafayette, LA to Sarafina Schiro Piccione and Joseph Piccione, Sr. He attended Lafayette High School and graduated from Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), in 1957 with a BS in Accounting and Business Administration.

He later enjoyed a 50+ year career as an accountant with Guy Scroggins, Inc. He was a devout Catholic and lifetime parishioner of the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, where he served as Head Usher. He was a recipient of the Bishop's Service Award and the Cathedral of St. John Medal of Honor. If you've attended a service or celebration at the Cathedral, you were likely greeted by Joseph, one of its most active parishioners.

Joseph was immensely proud of his Sicilian heritage and was a long-time member and officer of the Italian American Club of Lafayette. He dedicated many years to upholding the tradition of the St. Joseph's Altar. He also was a member of the American -Italian Federation of the Southeast, an umbrella organization of the Italian American Clubs in Louisiana and Mississippi.

His late wife, Josephine, was the true love of his life. Joseph and Josephine were introduced on March 2, 1964, and after two weeks, Joseph said he knew she was "the one."

They courted for two years between Josephine's home in Alexandria and Joseph's home in Lafayette. They were married on Saturday, August 13, 1966, at Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Lafayette. For their honeymoon they traveled to Mexico City and the first place they visited was the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the old Cathedral. The two frequented Mexico City and enjoyed their travels visiting holy sites affiliated with Our Lady of Guadalupe.

On January 27, 2002, Monsignor Keith J. DeRouen presented Josephine and Joseph with the Bishop's Medal of Honor from Bishop Edward O'Donnell, and a blessing from Pope John Paul II for their continued dedication and service to the Cathedral.

At the main entrance of the Cathedral on the left side wall is a statue of Our Lady donated in memory of Josephine's father and mother, Augustine Ruiz, Sr. and Josephine E. Ruiz, and was blessed on December 12, 2007, Our Lady's Feast Day. Left behind to cherish his memory are his nieces, Patricia Gilbert Horaist and Shirley Gilbert Briggs of Lafayette, LA, Frances Messina Whiteman of Denham Springs, LA, Antoinette Rao Sotherlan of Houston, TX, and nephews Joseph Charles Messina of Denham Springs, LA, Bernard Rao of Folsom, CA, and many great nieces and nephews.

Joseph is preceded in death by his loving wife, Josephine Aurora Ruiz Piccione; his parents, Sarafina Schiro Piccione and Joseph Piccione, Sr.; his sisters, Rosalie (Lawrence) Schiro, Josephine (Tommie) Rao, Vida (Douglas) Gilbert (Benjamin) Arceneaux, Torida (Lawrence) Messina; niece Rose Rao Tarver and nephews James Schiro, Joe Schiro, Salvador Messina.

The family requests that visitation be observed on Friday, June 19, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Martin & Castille's Downtown location.

A Rosary will be recited at 6:00 pm. Visitation will continue Saturday, June 20, 2026 beginning at 8:00 am until the time of service.

Interment will be held in the Piccione Family Tomb in the St. John Cemetery.

The Most Reverend J. Douglas Deshotel, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, will be the Celebrant of the Mass. Reverend Monsignor Keith DeRouen, Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels, will serve as Concelebrant.

The Very Reverend Chester C. Arceneaux, VF, Rector of St. John Cathedral, will be the Homilist.

Deacon George Jourdan will assist.

Upholding the honor of pallbearers will be Ryan Furby, Mike Hebert, Michael L. Horaist, Shane LaHood, Dr. Jason Landry, Perry Scotola, Don Sellers, and Dennis Sullivan.

Honorary Pallbearers will be LaHood LaHood, and Don Landry.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in memory of Joseph Salvador Piccione, Jr. to St. John Cathedral, https://saintjoh ncathedral.org/donate The eulogy will be delivered by his great nephew, Ryan Furby.

The family would like to thank The Very Reverend Chester C. Arceneaux, VF, Rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist for his dedication to "Mr. Joe" and the doctors, nurses, caregivers and staff of the hospitals and Avanti Senior Living for providing exceptional care during his time of need Committed to his devotion for love of others and his faith in God, Joseph's legacy will live on in his family and friends and most of all within the walls of St. John's Cathedral.

View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com Martin & Castille Funeral Home DOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry Street Lafayette, Louisiana 70506, 337-2342311

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Kiffin discusses expectations, Orgeron’s impact LSU coach chats it up with former Tigers star Mathieu

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

CHASING CHUNKS

As Lane Kiffin wrapped up a podcast with legendary LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, the Tigers’ first-year coach delivered a promise.

“I don’t know how fast it’s gonna happen.

We’re gonna win a national championship,” Kiffin told Mathieu, who played in a BCS title game in 2012, “and we’re gonna have the teams and the rosters back to the way that they were playing when they were great.”

The way it used to be when Kiffin was an offensive coordinator at Alabama from 2014-16.

A time when the LSU defenses were so tough, he knew “it was on” when the Crimson Tide lined up across from the Tigers, even with NFL-bound runners Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs, and future Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts on his side.

Kiffin just hoped Alabama wasn’t playing at LSU. And if it was a night game?

“Now we’re like, ‘Are we even gonna score at all?’ ” Kiffin said. “Because these guys are gonna be on elite speed, mindset, physical.”

He promises to bring that back, but even Kiffin’s time spent with Mathieu was a fulfillment of a promise. Last month, LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry told USA Today that Kiffin would be more accessible, more “connected” than his predecessor Brian Kelly with LSU alumni and the program’s donor base.

Kiffin might stir the pot in some interviews, but everyone would be talking about LSU.

ä See LSU, page 3C

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints running back Travis Etienne runs across the field after catching a ball during minicamp at the team’s indoor practice facility on Tuesday in Metairie.

Saints excited by big plays running back Etienne can break off

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

It had been a long while since the New Orleans Saints made a true splash in the free agent running back market — so long that running backs coach Joel Thomas, now entering his 11th season with the franchise, has come to just not expect it in free agency.

So when the Saints signed Travis Etienne to a massive four-year deal on the opening day of free agency, Thomas said it is fair to say he was excited to land a new prize.

“Tell me any coach that gets a player that has been as productive as him that is going to be bummed out,” Thomas said. “I’m thoroughly excited.”

In Etienne, the Saints signed a running back who has compiled three 1,000-yard rushing campaigns in his four professional seasons — a not insignificant number to a franchise in the Saints that hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2017, although Alvin Kamara has come close.

Etienne was one of the more explosive running backs in the NFL last season, recording 26 runs of 10 or more yards last season. The entire New Orleans running back group managed 20 such runs last season.

Even in the limited settings of organized team activities and minicamp — no pads, no tackling — Etienne’s explosiveness has been evident. While the Saints’ ability to generate more chunk plays on the ground will fall on the collective unit, Etienne has the skills to make the big blocks count.

“He’s looking to get the extra yard,” Thomas said. “He plays with great pad leverage, and all of a sudden you get someone that mis-hits you, you make a mistake on him it’s an issue. He’s got the long speed to get it going.”

But the excitement is about more than Etienne’s considerable physical talent. Of all the additions the Saints made this offseason, Etienne may be the Rosetta Stone

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Evers looking to end career in big way at UL Former Jacksonville State RHP is fifth pitcher added from portal

Kiffin’s update on QB Leavitt big for LSU Notes on a golf scorecard while pondering what I might shoot at Shinnecock Hills under this week’s U.S. Open conditions, wishfully thinking I could break 125 (averaging a triple bogey per hole) …

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Coming off a 48-15 season at Jacksonville State, senior right-hander pitcher Jackson Evers was looking for the best situation to finish out his collegiate career.

He’s convinced he found it with the UL Ragin’ Cajuns.

“I looked at Louisiana, and going into the atmosphere that they have, and the coaching staff, and getting along with all of them, that was really important,” said Evers, who said the coaching change at Jacksonville State led him to the transfer portal. “It became a choice I knew that I really wanted to make, and I really wanted to be a part of something special that they have going on.”

Evers is a native of Madison, Mississippi, and originally signed with Ole Miss out of high school before playing two junior-college seasons at Northwest Florida.

“We had a special year (at Jacksonville State) with a lot of special guys,” Evers said. “It was phenomenal being a part of

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin speaks during a news conference on Feb. 6 at the LSU football operations facility.

Lane and Leavitt

PROVIDED PHOTO

Former Jacksonville State right-hand pitcher Jackson Evers has been a starter, middle reliever and closer during his collegiate career. Evers, a Mississippi native, will finish ä See UL, page 3C his college career with the Ragin’ Cajuns.

LSU coach Lane Kiffin has been strangely absent from social media lately. The last time he broke “radio silence” on X was May 11, about the time that now rather infamous Vanity Fair cover story on him came out.

That doesn’t mean Kiffin has clammed up completely.

Scott This week he did a podcast Rabalais with former LSU great Tyrann Mathieu, telling the recently retired Saints cornerback that the Tigers would win a national championship on his watch.

Joe Namath-like guarantees are easy to declare in June, but Kiffin knows the ground onto which he is throwing down this gauntlet. He was on Nick Saban’s national championship-winning staff in 2015 at Alabama and was part of the team that

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C

2C ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Justin Rose, of England, hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open on Wednesday at Shinnecock Hills golf club in Southampton, N.y. Officials are expecting wind of more than 20 mph Thursday with gusts over 40.

Former LSU, Texas A&M track coach Henry retires

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Pat Henry, one of the most decorated coaches in NCAA track and field history, announced his retirement Wednesday after 54 years of coaching.

Henry, 74, won 27 national championships at LSU from 1988-2004 and 10 more at Texas A&M from 2005-26.

A seven-time NCAA coach of the year, Henry led the LSU women to 17 national championships (seven outdoor, 10 indoor) and the men to eight (five outdoor, three indoor).

Henry took over the Aggies’ program after the 2004 season and became the first coach to lead a team three consecutive outdoor national titles (2009-11).

A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Henry began his career as a high school coach in Hobbs, New Mexico, before moving on to Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas.

He was hired at LSU in 1987.

Southern California pitcher Velazquez commits to LSU

Sure as the wind blows

LSU baseball landed a commitment out of the transfer portal from Southern California righthanded pitcher Diego Velazquez, LSU coach Jay Johnson revealed on Tiger Rag radio on Tuesday.

Velazquez made the Big Ten allfreshman team this past season, posting a 4.26 ERA in 312⁄3 innings.

He struck out 39 and walked nine in 15 appearances with five starts.

Velazquez also played 23 games as an infielder and hit .167 in 18 at-bats.

Coming out of high school, he was the No. 55 player in the nation and a top-15 player in California, according to Perfect Game.

Velazquez is the sixth player and second pitcher LSU has added out of the transfer portal in June.

BY DOUG FERGUSON

LSU sophomore outfielder Curiel wins Gold Glove

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID J. PHILLIP

U.S. Open bracing for gusty Shinnecock Hills

AP golf writer

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The final day of practice for the U.S. Open brought a most unfamiliar sight Wednesday morning at Shinnecock Hills: The nine USGA flags atop the grandstand behind the 18th green, and the large American flag atop the century-old clubhouse, hung limply.

Just not for very long. Wind at Shinnecock Hills is as inevitable as traffic along the Montauk Highway from the infamous “trade parade.”

And that’s what has everyone nervous — not only the players, but USGA officials in charge of the course — going into the 126th edition of golf’s second-oldest championship.

“Problematic,” is how John Bodenhamer, the chief competitions officer at the USGA, described excessive wind. “This year I believe the wind will impact our championship unlike many others.”

Adding to the concern are the previous two trips to Shinnecock Hills, when the wind and warmth dried out the course in a New York minute and caused the greens to be borderline unplayable.

It got so bad on the final day in 2004 that no one broke par and 28 players failed to break 80. Treacherously slick greens and questionable pin positions on Saturday in 2018 kept the last 44 players to tee off from matching par.

That was the day Phil Mickelson hit a moving ball on the 13th green to avoid it rolling back into the fairway.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG

Scottie Scheffler chips to the green on the 12th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open on Wednesday.

ä U.S. Open. THURSDAy: 5:30 A.M., USA; 4 P.M., NBCSN The USGA now is taking extreme caution.

Bodenhamer said the greens would be roughly 101/ 2 on the Stimpmeter — the original plan was between 11 and 12 — and the course is being kept as soft as possible to get through the next four days.

“I would say the course is about as enjoyable as I’ve seen it,” said Justin Rose, who joins Adam Scott as the only players to have competed at Shinnecock the past two years.

“There’s not many golf courses you could turn up to on any given week and play championship golf, and Shinnecock is one of them,” he said. “I think I like the way the approach is this year. ...

Potentially what I’m hearing is some slightly different protocols this week make sense to me.

And I think it’s set up to be a great tournament.”

It all starts to unfold at 5:35 a.m. Thursday — 10 minutes earlier than a normal start so the grounds crew has time to douse the greens with water before the afternoon wave — with a

mixture of excitement and trepidation.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, Nos. 1 and 2 in the world, both start in the morning wave on opposite sides of the course. Scheffler is bidding for the career Grand Slam with the U.S. Open the only major title he is lacking.

Scheffler first picked up a golf club in his native New Jersey. He moved to Dallas when he was 6 and honed his game in the wind at Royal Oaks.

But there is wind, and there is wind at Shinnecock Hills, situated between the Great Peconic Bay to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

Bodenhamer said the expectation was for wind greater than 20 mph Thursday with gusts nearly twice that strong throughout the afternoon. The forecast was less wind on Friday, then wind strong and from a different direction Saturday, then a bit calmer on Sunday.

Bodenhamer said a key strategy in setting up the course is to be “tough but fair.”

“We could brutalize this place the next few days if we wanted to. That’s not what we’re about,” he said. “We really want it to be fair, and we want it to be what Shinnecock Hills has always been. It will be tough enough.”

Scott, who is playing in his 100th consecutive major, considers this course among his favorites in the world. He has yet to see Shinnecock Hills on the weekend, at least during a U.S. Open. The Australian knows what to expect, and he liked what he has seen so far.

“It looks like they’re being cautious at the moment. They know the wind is going to be a factor this week,” Scott said. “Hopefully, we can get the greens to firm up over the weekend, and we’ll see some of the greatness of Shinnecock where the shots in are so important to hit these small areas, and then you’ll get a great champion.”

Ronaldo, Portugal held to 1-1 draw by Congo

By The Associated Press HOUSTON — Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw

by Congo on Wednesday in their opening match at the World Cup. Congo, which was playing at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, became the second African nation to make a strong start in the tournament against European competition following Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain on Monday.

“The World Cup is a tournament where this happens,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martínez, a Spaniard who coached Belgium to the semifinals at the 2018 tournament. “At times the performance is not up to the challenge.”

Playing in front of a crowd of 68,777 spectators at NRG Stadium, which was mostly filled with Portugal supporters, Congo earned its first point at the World Cup after losing all three of its previous matches.

Many Congolese were prevented from traveling to the United States for this year’s tournament because of restrictions tied to Ebola.

WORLD CUP ROUNDUP “There was not enough blue in the stands, but the players are tough and they know how to overcome challenges,” Congo coach Sébastien Desabre said. “But I’m sure that many Congolese people are proud of their team today.”

João Neves gave Portugal an early lead in the sixth minute. The 5-foot-7 midfielder headed in a cross from Pedro Neto.

But Yoane Wissa equalized for Congo with a header in stoppage time at the end of the first half off a cross from Arthur Masuaku, delighting the small pockets of blueclad fans. It was the first World Cup goal for Congo in its history.

“It’s crazy,” Wissa said. “Fiftytwo years later we are here, we are back. It’s been long, it’s been difficult. So scoring that goal, it means a lot for all Congolese, for me, for my family, for the fans who showed up today.”

Congo’s only other World Cup matches came at the 1974 tournament in West Germany, when the team was known as Zaire and lost to Scotland 2-0, Yugoslavia 9-0 and Brazil 3-0.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KAREN WARREN

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, left, and Axel Tuanzebe of Congo react during their World Cup Group K match on Wednesday in Houston.

“The goal changed things,” Martínez said. “We almost felt the fear of not losing the game.”

For Portugal, it was the lack of goals that stood out. Ronaldo missed shots wide right in the 68th and 73rd minutes. He shook his head in disgust after both.

Martínez was asked if he considered taking out Ronaldo.

“It makes no sense to get the best world scorer to be out when you need goals,” he said. “The experience of Cristiano in the box is important. The way that he attracts defenders is important.”

ENGLAND 4, CROATIA 2: In Arlington, Texas, Harry Kane scored twice to equal the English record for World Cup goals, Jude Bellingham added another two minutes

into the second half and England beat Croatia.

Martin Baturina and Petar Musa answered each of Kane’s first-half goals in a rematch of the 2018 semifinal game won by Croatia.

Musa’s goal came on the final play before the whistle ending the first half.

After Bellingham’s goal, Marcus Rashford padded the lead in the 85th minute. Kane is up to 10 World Cup goals. That ties Gary Lineker’s mark from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments.

Kane, who won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia by scoring six times, is up to 10 World Cup goals, tying Gary Lineker’s mark from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments.

LSU center fielder Derek Curiel was awarded a Gold Glove for his defensive prowess this season, Rawlings announced Wednesday.

Georgia shortstop Kolby Branch and Texas catcher Carson Tinney were the other two players from the Southeastern Conference to win a Gold Glove.

Curiel had two errors in 58 games this season. He moved from left field to center as a sophomore and thrived, tracking down fly balls with precise routes and making multiple diving catches.

Heading into the season, MLB evaluators wondered if Curiel could play center field at the next level.

Curiel likely answered those questions with his defense this season.

Curiel is a projected first-round pick in the MLB draft in July.

Quarterback Sorsby plans July workout for NFL teams

Brendan Sorsby is tentatively planning to work out for NFL teams before the supplemental draft following the quarterback’s decision to end an unprecedented legal fight to retain his eligibility after he acknowledged making impermissible bets while playing college football.

Sorsby plans to hold his pro day on July 10 at a Dallas-area high school, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The deadline for applying for the draft is Monday, but there were still procedural issues related to a Texas district court’s temporary injunction that had cleared the way for him to play for Texas Tech this fall.

Sorsby, who is from the Dallas area, would have to be ineligible from NCAA play to be able to apply for the NFL’s supplemental draft.

WNBA expanding league schedule to 50 games

NEW YORK — The WNBA is expanding its schedule to 50 games per team next season — the most in the league’s 30-year history.

The new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified earlier this year allows the league to play up to 50 games for the next two seasons. There can be up to 52 regular-season games in 2029 and for the rest of the CBA. The league is playing 44 games again this season. Over the next few seasons the WNBA is adding three teams through expansion.

Cleveland is joining in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Connecticut is moving to Houston next year.

When the league first started in 1997, teams only played 28 games.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● 3C

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SAINTS

Continued from page 1C who unlocks the full version of coach Kellen Moore’s offense.

In him, Moore sees a true “any down, every down” player with a high football IQ, someone who doesn’t have to rotate off the field because of any deficiencies in his game. That is helpful for several reasons, not the least of which being that it allows Moore an additional layer of deception.

“When all of a sudden you put X player in there and they’re known as a sub protector, the defense is making their pressure calls to attack that or they’re not really worried about the run,” Thomas said. “You still have the threat to run the ball when (Etienne) is in there on third down.”

The Saints might also just look different when they line up. They were in the shotgun on about 75% of their offensive snaps last season, and only the Cincinnati Bengals ran more shotgun snaps than the Saints (824 to 813).

There was a reason for that: New Orleans was one of the NFL’s least effective teams while operating the under-center offense, compiling an abysmal -0.19 Expected Points Added per play (only the Raiders, at -0.28, were worse).

Moore said some of that was “recency bias” dating from his experience with the Philadelphia

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C played for another title the following season (Kiffin left for Florida Atlantic before Bama lost the CFP title to Clemson).

Brian Kelly rattled similar sabers and came nowhere near that level of success, but the fact remains the three coaches before Kelly — Saban, Les Miles and the recently returned Ed Orgeron — all lifted the trophy at LSU. The game has changed enormously since Orgeron and Joe Burrow won it all in 2019, but LSU’s potential remains undaunted. Kiffin knows that and has made no bones about that being why he came.

Will the first year under Kiffin be the year? LSU’s shot improved greatly with Kiffin telling Mathieu that quarterback Sam Leavitt is fully cleared to participate in summer workouts.

This was the hoped for timetable with Leavitt, but to hear Kiffin say it is still significant.

Kiffin hinted at Leavitt’s recovery from November foot surgery at the SEC spring meetings last month, saying the former Arizona State transfer recently had been clocked running at 21 mph.

It’s crucial for Leavitt to get to work this summer with his skill players, who like him come to LSU from all over the map.

No one doubts Kiffin and staff have assembled an impressive collection of talent, bringing in the nation’s No. 1 transfer portal class plus some highly touted high school recruits, but developing timing and camaraderie is essential.

From Iceland, with golf A couple of LSU Tigers who definitely will break 125 in the U.S. Open will tee it up in Thursday’s first round at windswept Shinnecock Hills.

Gusts could reach up to 40 mph. Glorious. And yes, as my friend Charles Hanagriff likes to say, I’m rooting for the golf course.

Former LSU All-American Sam Burns and current Tiger Arni Sveinsson are in the field.

Burns, who led going into the U.S. Open’s final round last year at Oakmont before tying for seventh, is inching ever closer it seems to that elusive but attainable first major. He also hovered around the lead all week in April at the Masters tournament before finishing tied for seventh.

It’s a major achievement of another kind for Sveinsson, a junior on the LSU team. A historic

UL

Eagles, who won the Super Bowl with a high-powered offense that spent a lot of time in the shotgun.

But expect that to change, at least some, this season.

Etienne spent the 2025 campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who ranked in the top eight in under-center use rate, and he sees a lot of similarities with what the Saints want to do this year.

“I feel like (Jaguars coach Liam) Coen was a lot under center, and I feel like coach Moore is doing a lot more under center this year,” Etienne said. “From that standpoint, the motions, disguising things on offense, presenting to the defense a different look but running the same plays, making the defense’s eyes lie to them — I feel like coach (Moore) does a great job of disguising things and scheming guys open.”

It’s important to note that under center does not necessarily mean running with the football. Thomas noted the league trend toward using under-center plays to create advantages in the passing game, something the Saints may also try to lean into with heavier personnel packages this season.

And Etienne should play a part in that, as well.

“I told him this when he got here: Where I felt his game improved … is the stuff that goes unnoticed in pass protection, being an outlet out of the backfield,” Thomas said. “That started to arise last year, and he’s just built on that since he’s been here.”

achievement, actually. He is the first golfer from Iceland ever to play in the U.S. Open, surviving a sudden-death playoff in a qualifier two weeks ago near Columbus, Ohio, to earn his spot.

“It’s pretty surreal, obviously, being around here,” Sveinsson told reporters at the U.S. Open.

Believe it or not, there are about 65 golf courses in Iceland, most of them nine-hole tracks.

That’s a lot for an island nation of about 402,000 people, which is less than half the population of metropolitan Baton Rouge.

If Iceland can have 65 courses, you’d think we could keep City Park golf course intact, wouldn’t you?

Burns tees off at 6:41 a.m.

Thursday on No. 10, while Sveinsson goes off on No. 1 at 1:20 p.m.

So long, Sorsby The Brendan Sorsby saga at Texas Tech thankfully has ended, with the embattled quarterback declaring for the NFL supplemental draft.

I wrote earlier during this appalling episode that hopefully a silver lining might come out of all of this: an impetus to embrace college sports reform.

Well, the silver lining may have turned out to be the rest of the Big 12 standing up to Texas Tech and telling its misguided leadership it would face serious consequences if Sorsby played this fall. The precedent could be powerful the next time this happens — and it will.

Hopefully, Sorsby continues to seek and receive support for his gambling addiction, which is truly a serious problem. Whether Texas Tech can heal from its obvious addiction to winning at all costs — an entrenched affliction in sports — is another question. The school cloaked its desire to win games in the guise of wanting to help Sorsby, never admitting in its blinding ambition it could have helped him just as well as a non-playing regular student.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders cut to the heart of the matter in a recent interview.

“Somebody’s gambling on a sport they’re playing,” Sanders said. “You don’t think something’s wrong with that? Just say that to yourself: ‘This guy on my team is gambling on the sport, in the competition, that we’re about to go out there and have.’

Something’s wrong with that.”

Indeed there is, coach. Hopefully the folks at Texas Tech will now, finally, come to that realization.

I definitely have a better chance to break 125 in the U.S. Open than that happening.

having the role that I had meant something to me,” Evers said. “If Continued from page 1C things didn’t go great in the first part of the game, I would come in and get the ball rolling again.

“It was a high-leverage moment something like that.”

Evers did everything from start is what they like to call it. It would games to being the closer during be sixth inning on ... to go out there his two seasons at Northwest Flor- and get an inning or two innings.”

For the season, the 6-foot-3, ida. As a junior this past season, Evers said he found a niche with 210-pounder was 1-0 with a 4.58 the pitching staff that worked with ERA over 15 appearances. In 172/ 3 the Gamecocks. innings, he allowed 18 hits, 11 “Once I understood what my role walks and 20 strikeouts. was, even if it wasn’t a lot of innings, “I went in with just fastball,

OBSERVATIONS

Saints slowly taking bubble wrap off rookies

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

For the most part, the players whom the New Orleans Saints held out during organized team activities had a similar workload for the team’s two-day mandatory minicamp that wrapped up Wednesday.

There were some notable exceptions.

Second-round defensive tackle Christen Miller had progressed enough from his hamstring injury that the Saints gave him a handful of reps in practice — with the starters. And he’s not the only rookie to start to turn a corner: First-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson was allowed to participate in the team’s half-speed walkthrough, admittedly a small step but one that’s nonetheless noteworthy.

To this point, the Saints effectively had kept Tyson and Miller in bubble wrap as they work their way back from hamstring injuries.

But peeling back the wrap slowly this week is a good sign that they could be ready to go when the Saints convene for training camp next month.

“Man, I felt better weeks ago,” said Miller, who estimated he received about eight snaps in team drills. “But the Saints want to take care of me, make sure I’m ready to go on Sundays and make sure my body is good. They’re just trying to make sure I take the steps in the right direction and not go back (to being hurt).”

Miller said he had hurt his hamstring while training in his lead-up to the draft. The Georgia product added he didn’t even realize he was injured until the Saints’ medical staff members flagged the injury when they inspected him before rookie minicamp in May. The Saints then took a cautious approach to avoid aggravating the ailment further.

Tyson echoed a similar plan.

Speaking at his locker, the wide receiver said his hamstring “feels amazing” and that he didn’t expect the Saints to put him on this type of routine, but he agrees with the

LSU

Continued from page 1C A conversation between Kiffin and Mathieu was destined to generate some interesting quotes.

Here are some takeaways from their 40-minute chat.

Kiffin understands expectations LSU didn’t invest $54 million to sever ties with Kelly and another $91 million to poach Kiffin from Ole Miss if it didn’t want to win now.

In his six months in Baton Rouge, Kiffin has heard those desires expressed quite often.

“Coach, we love you’re here. Just please win,” Kiffin recalled hearing from locals who live in an “aligned, one-program football state.”

Even his Georgia native linebacker, Whit Weeks, returned for his senior year because he wants to see LSU reestablish itself before he departs.

“I wanna leave it the way that I grew up watching it,” Kiffin heard Weeks say. “I wanna be part of that, I wanna feel that dominating LSU defense people are scared to play. And you might be OK, but you’re gonna be sore on Sunday.”

LSU certainly invested in that defense, bringing in the likes of edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen (Ole Miss), linebacker TJ Dottery (Ole Miss) and safety Ty Benefield (Boise State) via the transfer portal.

The offensive guru Kiffin also acquired quarterback Sam Leavitt (Arizona State), left tackle Jordan Seaton (Colorado) and a plethora of receivers, including Winston Watkins (Ole Miss), Jayce Brown (Kansas State) and Jackson Harris (Hawaii).

slider, splitter,” Evers said. “That’s what we would go with, and I just made simple tweaks throughout the year. If it was changing grips, if it was moving to a sinker that I didn’t throw a lot, it would add something for the hitters to be slowed down and then sped back up.

“That’s what we did. So halfway through the year, things started to look different in a good way. You look at the production in the later half, it was what we really wanted.”

Opponents hit .265 against him during the season.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints defensive tackle Christen Miller runs across the field during minicamp on Tuesday in Metairie.

approach.

“Very, very player-friendly,” Tyson said.

When they were worked into the fold, a clearer picture of how the Saints want to use their talented rookies started to emerge. During the walkthrough, Tyson lined up in several spots — including the slot, which was largely occupied by wideout Chris Olave and tight end Juwan Johnson. And in team drills, the Saints rotated their interior defensive linemen so that Miller could work with Bryan Bresee and Vernon Broughton.

Miller wasn’t fazed to work with the 1’s right away.

“The season ain’t here yet,” he said. “Things can be changed. It’s an honor, but that comes with a lot of load, a lot of responsibility. It’s just a standard here that I’ve got to uphold. The standard here is to play fast, play physical and play as a team.

“I’m just trying to embody that.”

Olave is working his way back from last season’s blood clot, while Kamara was given a limited workload after skipping most of the voluntary practices.

The Saints were without running back Kendre Miller (ACL); wide receivers Devaughn Vele, Mason Tipton and Bub Means (lower body); running back Devin Neal; cornerbacks Dalys Beanum and Jayden Price; and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris.

The Saints also had several new faces at practice after a series of roster moves. The team signed quarterback Hunter Dekkers, wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper and kicker Tanner Brown. The team also cut defensive tackle Coziah Izzard, cornerback Deshawn Jones, kicker Mason Shipley and wide receiver Damien Alford — the latter of whom was waived with an injury settlement.

Dekkers, fresh off a stint in the UFL, spent a good chunk of last season with the Saints as a developmental quarterback who floated on and off the practice squad.

Brown presents as an interesting challenger to incumbent Charlie Smyth. The 26-year-old became the first kicker to make two attempts of at least 60 yards in one game during this past UFL season.

Rapid fire

As the Saints wrap up mandatory minicamp, Tyler Shough started to find his groove with several tightwindow throws on Wednesday during a practice that emphasized endzone and two-minute situations. …

Rookie wide receiver Bryce Lance had a very strong afternoon with two touchdowns, and it makes sense he thrived in the red zone as a 6-foot-3 target. … Running back Attendance, roster moves Audric Estime shouldn’t be forA day after signing his one-year gotten in the Saints’ running back contract, defensive end Cam Jor- competition later this summer. dan was at practice but did not par- He had a strong spring. … We’ll ticipate in team drills as the Saints see what the pass-rush rotation look to get him back into football turns into with Jordan returning, but Chris Rumph flashed a lot durshape.

Likewise, Olave and running ing these sessions, even over new back Alvin Kamara were again acquisitions Tyree Wilson and Ansidelined during 11-on-11 periods. fernee Jennings.

Winning as quickly as possible is the expectation. Kiffin is fully aware.

At the same time, he recognizes SEC programs can’t “stack” talent like Alabama in the 2010s. Kiffin posed a hypothetical where a backup linebacker from Georgia is offered a starter’s salary at Kentucky; he will inevitably transfer.

“When you were playing,” Kiffin told Mathieu, “there’s a couple of schools you played, it’s like, ‘All right, if we do our job, it’s probably going to be all right.’ That’s not the case anymore because everybody has players.”

jury-shortened 2025 season where he rushed for 300 yards. “Everybody knows about (tight end) Trey’Dez (Green) and Whit Weeks and TJ. So there’s a lot of names they already know about. But I think Dilin has got a real chance.”

Jones’ ascension certainly would help LSU, which returned a pair of talented rushers, Harlem Berry and Caden Durham, but needs all the help it can get after finishing 124th nationally in rushing yards per game last season.

Coach O’s impact

A thought about a transfer safety popped into Kiffin’s head before his interview with one of the great LSU defenders.

“Get Ty up here,” Kiffin told Jeff Davis, the LSU director of player personnel, because Kiffin wanted Benefield to meet Mathieu.

“I think Ty’s gonna be one of those legends to play here,” Kiffin said. “He’s wired right. Unbelievable range, great ball skills. I’m like, ‘You gotta get him up here to meet you,’ just to connect it.

Like, you’re gonna be these iconic names, hopefully.”

There has been buzz about Benefield, a first-team All-Mountain West player, since his arrival. But categorizing him as a potential “legend” is high praise.

Kiffin was also asked for a player who could surprise in 2026. He came back to another transfer: former Wisconsin running back Dilin Jones.

“We haven’t done tackling yet … but really good feet and body control. Really smooth runner,” said Kiffin, who noted Jones doesn’t have “notoriety” because of an in-

If Ed Orgeron’s life was a story, Kiffin said its current chapters needed to place “Coach O” back at LSU. He “belongs” there, Kiffin added.

Orgeron’s month on the job recruiting has solidified Kiffin’s stance.

“He’s always the best recruiter I’ve been around. But now when you put him here — before he’s just recruiting for the place he’s at, using all of his recruiting skills — now you feel it in here,” Kiffin said. “He talks about, especially to a Louisiana kid, it’s in your DNA. At some point, you wanted to play for LSU, you wanted to be a Tiger.

But you feel it in him. Because that was him.”

The same day Mathieu posted his Kiffin interview, a four-star running back from Louisiana, Trey Martin, committed to the Tigers. LSU has secured nine of its 13 commits in the 2027 class since Orgeron’s return.

Some of this recruiting momentum could be coincidental. But maybe not all of it.

“If you recruit someone and you have the passion and you had their story,” Kiffin said, “the parents, the kids are like — it’s cool.”

“I think that it’s a wide variety of what I have experienced doing,” Evers said. “That will definitely go into play and that’s what I’m excited for (at UL).”

Evers isn’t expecting his role to be defined in Lafayette until after he proves himself.

“I think it is going to be me getting on campus, because nothing’s ever given to you,” he said. “Nothing’s ever promised to you. I know that I’m going to have to work regardless.

“That’s what I love about this program, and what they have go-

ing on. Nothing is given, and everything is earned, and that’s what I love about coach (Matt) Deggs, coach Thib (Seth Thibodeaux) and coach (Taylor) Sandefur.”

Evers is the fifth pitcher the Cajuns have added from the portal this offseason, joining the Marshall trio of Charlie Krebs, Blaine Albright and Griffin Miller, and UTSA right-hander Kendall Dove.

The Cajuns also have added Texas State designated hitter Manny Salas and Kansas State infielder Micah Kendrick.

Prime targets

4C ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Ex-UL D-lineman looks to North Carolina revive New Iberia program reaches first CWS final since 2007

BY MIKE COPPAGE

Contributing writer

Zi’Yon Hill-Green hit the ground running.

Less than 24 hours after he was announced as the New Iberia football coach, Green was putting the Yellow Jackets through the paces early on Wednesday morning.

“I saw a lot of smiles, walking around learning each kid’s name and picking their brain,” said HillGreen, who prepped in the city at Catholic High before a stellar career as a defensive lineman at UL. “They welcomed me with open arms.”

Green’s first job as a head coach will be a total rebuild of a program that hasn’t reached the playoffs since COVID and went winless in 2025.

“This is my hometown,” he said. “I remember going to Lloyd G. Porter (stadium) and watching NISH. I felt like they needed somebody young with a lot of energy to rebuild the culture and bring the swagger back.”

Green immediately put his stamp on the summer workout routine, focusing on small muscle groups that breed the explosiveness that helped him play in more than 50 college games.

“We’re pushing them to their limit and making them reach the wall,” he said. “When that happens, will you tuck your tail and cower away?”

His focus is on instilling discipline in every aspect of life, beginning with something as simple as making your bed every day.

“That helps channel the beast inside you,” he said. “A lot of kids just

BY ERIC OLSON AP sportswriter

PHOTO By BENJAMIN MASSEy

Former UL defensive end Zi’yon Hill-Green is taking over as New Iberia’s new head football coach. need confidence to know they can compete.”

Hill-Green will focus a lot of attention on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, he was Ohio State signee Darryus McKinley’s position coach at Acadiana, which won the District 3-5A championship.

“He called me last night,” Green said of McKinley. “We text every day. I want to be that mentor that kids look up to.”

It’s also special to Hill-Green that he is the school’s first Black head football coach.

“I made history,” he said. “It’s a surreal moment and a great thing for the community as a whole. I grew up with a lot of people who went to NISH. I want to make it fun again for alumni to come to The Hive.

“Our first home game is going to be very exciting.”

And from early indications, he feels like the Yellow Jackets will be physically ready to compete.

“I see a bunch of fast, strong kids,” he said. “They just need a little attention.”

Offensively, Green said NISH will establish the running game.

“We’ll be a hard-nosed group that will not be denied,” he said. “You’ll have to stop us from running the ball. We want to be physical.”

He’s not divulging names yet, but Green intends to bring on some assistant coaches who played with him.

“I’m looking to put some veterans together with some young cats that played the game at a high level, and that I have 100% belief in,” he said.

Hill-Green wrapped up his college career in 2022 with the Ragin’ Cajuns.

OMAHA, Neb. — Owen Hull had a triple and two doubles among his four hits, Gavin Gallaher had four hits and four RBIs, and North Carolina rolled past West Virginia 12-7 on Wednesday to advance to the College World Series finals for the first time since 2007.

The Tar Heels (53-12-1) went 3-0 in bracket play and will play for their first national championship in baseball starting Saturday in the best-of-three finals against Oklahoma or Georgia.

West Virginia (47-17) was 2-2 in its first CWS appearance with both losses to the Tar Heels.

A North Carolina offense that batted .217 with just four extra-base hits in its first two CWS games went into overdrive against the Mountaineers. Carolina was 8 for 10 with runners in scoring position, had five extrabase hits and amassed its most runs and hits (16) in nine NCAA Tournament games.

“We were joking before the game today, like, ‘Man, we need to have one of those games where we get 15 hits and score some runs,’ ” Tar Heels coach Scott Forbes said. “So thankfully that happened.”

Hull was a home run shy of becoming the second player in three days to hit for the cycle.

Texas player Adrian Rodriguez did it Monday against Alabama.

Hull had an RBI double in the first

inning, a single in the third, RBI double in the fourth and a triple in the sixth.

“The first thing that coach told us in our pregame meeting out in the outfield was that we want our compete factor at the top,” Hull said.

Carolina scored twice in the first inning off Chansen Cole (102), and Cooper Nicholson’s tworun triple put the Tar Heels up 5-1 in the third. They were ahead 12-1 before the Mountaineers began whittling into the lead.

Carolina starter Folger Boaz labored through a 28-pitch first inning, giving up two singles and a walk, and he didn’t come out for the second. Jackson Rose (50) pitched 41/3 innings of shutout relief and gave the ball to Matthew Matthijs with a nine-run lead.

West Virginia scored five runs on five hits and two walks in the seventh, all with two outs, and pulled within 12-6 when catcher Colin Hynek had a pitch by new reliever Caden Glauber get past him. Gavin Kelly homered in the eighth, his second of the CWS and 19th of the season, to make it a five-run game.

“You never want to go down,” Mountaineers coach Steve Sabins said. “If you’re going to go down, for me, being down 12-1 and scratching and clawing and fighting and running out of gas and giving literally everything that you have left in the tank to compete is poetic for me.”

SCOREBOARD Odds

GROUP G

MLB Thursday

American League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Toronto OFF at BOSTON Minnesota -124 at TEXAS at SEATTLE -154 Baltimore at N.Y YANKEES -146 Chi. White Sox at ATHLETICS OFF LA Angels National League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at PHILADELPHIA -126 N.Y Mets at ATLANTA -142 San Francisco Interleague FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at MILWAUKEE -136 Cleveland St. Louis -126 at KAN CITY

LINE OFF +106 +130 +124 OFF LINE +108 +120 LINE +116 +108

Pro soccer World Cup glance GROUP A

GP W D L GF GA Mexico 1 1 0 0 2 0 Korea Republic 1 1 0 0 2 1 Czechia 1 0 0 1 1 2 South Africa 1 0 0 1 0 2 June 11 Mexico 2, South Africa 0 Korea Republic 2, Czechia 1 Thursday Czechia vs. South Africa, 11 a.m.

Mexico vs. Korea Republic, 8 p.m.

June 24 Czechia vs. Mexico, 8 p.m.

South Africa vs. Korea Republic, 8 p.m.

Pts 3 3 0 0

GP W D L GF GA Pts Switzerland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Canada 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Qatar 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Bos. and Herz.

1 0 1 0 1 1 1 June 12 Canada 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 June 13 Qatar 1, Switzerland 1 Thursday Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 p.m.

Canada vs. Qatar, 5 p.m.

June 24 Switzerland vs. Canada, 2 p.m.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar, 2 p.m.

GROUP C

GP W D L GF Scotland 1 1 0 0 1 Morocco 1 0 1 0 1 Brazil 1 0 1 0 1 Haiti 1 0 0 1 0 June 13 Brazil 1, Morocco 1 Scotland 1, Haiti 0 Friday Scotland vs. Morocco, 5 p.m.

Brazil vs. Haiti, 7:30 p.m.

June 24 Scotland vs. Brazil, 5 p.m.

Morocco vs. Haiti, 5 p.m.

GA 0 1 1 1

GP W D L GF United States 1 1 0 0 4 Australia 1 1 0 0 2 Turkey 1 0 0 1 0 Paraguay 1 0 0 1 1 June 12 United States 4, Paraguay 1 June 14 Australia 2, Turkey 0 Friday United States vs. Australia, 2 p.m.

Turkey vs. Paraguay, 10 p.m.

June 25 Turkey vs. United States, 9 p.m.

Paraguay vs. Australia, 9 p.m.

GA 1 0 2 4

GP W D L GF Germany 1 1 0 0 7 Ivory Coast 1 1 0 0 1 Ecuador 1 0 0 1 0 Curacao 1 0 0 1 1 June 14 Germany 7, Curacao 1 Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0 Saturday Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 3 p.m.

Ecuador vs. Curacao, 7 p.m.

June 25 Ecuador vs. Germany, 3 p.m.

Curacao vs. Ivory Coast, 3 p.m.

GA 1 0 1 7

GP W D L GF Sweden 1 1 0 0 5 1 0 1 0 2 Japan Netherlands 1 0 1 0 2 Tunisia 1 0 0 1 1 June 14 Netherlands 2, Japan 2 Sweden 5, Tunisia 1 Saturday Netherlands vs. Sweden, noon Tunisia vs. Japan, 11 p.m.

June 25 Tunisia vs. Netherlands, 6 p.m.

Japan vs. Sweden, 6 p.m.

GA 1 2 2 5

GROUP D

GROUP E

GROUP F

Pts 3 1 1 0

Pts 3 3 0 0

Pts 3 3 0 0

W 0 0 0 0

D 1 1 1 1

L 0 0 0 0

GROUP H

GP 1 1 1 1

W 0 0 0 0

D 1 1 1 1

L 0 0 0 0

GA 1 1 2 2

GF 1 1 0 0

GROUP I

W 1 1 0 0

D 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 1 1

GF 3 4 1 1

France Norway Senegal Iraq June 16 France 3, Senegal 1 Norway 4, Iraq 1 Monday France vs. Iraq, 4 p.m.

Norway vs. Senegal, 7 p.m.

June 26 Norway vs. France, 2 p.m.

Senegal vs. Iraq, 2 p.m.

Pts 1 1 1 1

Atlanta at Indiana, 6:30 p.m.

College baseball College World Series At Charles Schwab Field; Omaha, Neb. Double elimination; x-if necessary GA 1 1 0 0

Pts 1 1 1 1

Game 9: West Virginia 12, Troy 0 Game 10: Georgia 2, Texas 0

Wednesday

Game 11: North Carolina 12, West Virginia 7 Game 12: Oklahoma vs. Georgia, n

Thursday

x-Game 13: Teams/Times TBD x-Game 14: Teams/Times TBD

GP W D L England 1 1 0 0 Ghana 0 0 0 0 Panama 0 0 0 0 Croatia 1 0 0 1 Wednesday England 4, Croatia 2 Ghana vs. Panama, n June 23 England vs. Ghana, 3 p.m.

Panama vs. Croatia, 6 p.m.

June 27 Panama vs. England, 4 p.m.

Croatia vs. Ghana, 4 p.m.

Pts 3 0 0 0

GROUP L

GF 4 0 0 2

GA 2 0 0 4

W L Minnesota 11 3 Las Vegas 10 4 Dallas 9 5 9 5 Golden State Los Angeles 7 7 Portland 7 9 Phoenix 4 11 Seattle 3 12 Minnesota 107, Portland 74 Golden State 78, Los Angeles 58

Pct .714 .692 .643 .467 .417 .308 .133

GB — ½ 1 3½ 4 5½ 8½

Pct .786 .714 .643 .643 .500 .438 .267 .200

GB — 1 2 2 4 5 7½ 8½

GB — 9 9½ 17 19½

N.Y. Mets 9, Cincinnati 1 Miami 12, Philadelphia 4 Kansas City 6, Washington 2 San Francisco 7, Atlanta 2, 1st game San Diego 6, St. Louis 1 L.A. Dodgers 5, Tampa Bay 4 Arizona 8, L.A. Angels 1 San Francisco at Atlanta, n, 2nd game Cleveland at Milwaukee, n Colorado at Chicago Cubs, n

U.S. Open first round tee times

American League East Division

W New York 44 Tampa Bay 41 Toronto 35 Baltimore 34 Boston 29 Central Division W Chicago 38 Cleveland 39 Minnesota 35 Detroit 30 Kansas City 30 West Division W Seattle 38 Athletics 36 Texas 35 Houston 35 Los Angeles 30

L 27 30 38 40 41

Pct .620 .577 .479 .459 .414

GB — 3 10 11½ 14½

L 33 34 40 44 45

Pct .535 .534 .467 .405 .400

GB — — 5 9½ 10

L 36 37 38 41 45

Pct .514 .493 .479 .461 .400

GB — 1½ 2½ 4 8½

Washington 6, Kansas City 4 Toronto 6, Boston 1 N.Y. Yankees 12, Chicago White Sox 2 Milwaukee 2, Cleveland 1 Minnesota 12, Texas 2 Houston 4, Detroit 2 Seattle 3, Baltimore 1 L.A. Dodgers 1, Tampa Bay 0 L.A. Angels 7, Arizona 0 Pittsburgh 6, Athletics 5

Thursday’s games

Toronto (Yesavage 3-3) at Boston (Gray 8-1), 12:35 p.m.

Cleveland (Messick 6-3) at Milwaukee (Drohan 3-2), 1:10 p.m.

Minnesota (Ryan 4-3) at Texas (Leiter 3-6), 1:35 p.m.

Baltimore (Baz 4-6) at Seattle (Woo 5-5), 3:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Burke 3-4) at N.Y. Yankees (Weathers 2-5), 6:05 p.m.

St. Louis (Liberatore 3-3) at Kansas City (Cameron 3-4), 6:40 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Soriano 8-4) at Athletics (Jump 2-1), 8:40 p.m.

National League East Division Atlanta Philadelphia Washington Miami

W 46 40 39 37

L 26 34 36 38

Pct .639 .541 .520 .493

Thursday-Friday First Hole-10th Hole

5:35 a.m.-11:30 a.m. — James Nicholas, USA; Taylor Montgomery, USA; Caleb Surratt, USA. 5:46 a.m.-11:41 a.m. — a-Ethan Fang, USA; Jayden Schaper, South Africa; Jackson Suber, USA. 5:57 a.m.-11:52 a.m. — a-Chase Kyes, USA; Matthew Jordan, England; Alejandro Tosti, Argentina.

6:08 a.m.-12:03 p.m. — Carl Yuan, China; Brandon Wu, USA; Jimmy Stanger, USA. 6:19 a.m.-12:14 p.m. — Padraig Harrington, Ireland; a-Miles Russell, USA; Cameron Smith, Australia.

6:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. — Brooks Koepka, USA; Cameron Young, USA; Chris Gotterup, USA. 6:41 a.m.-12:36 p.m. — Daniel Berger, USA; Keegan Bradley, USA; Rickie Fowler, USA. 6:52 a.m.-12:47 p.m. — Patrick Reed, USA; Andrew Novak, USA; Kurt Kitayama, USA. 7:03 a.m.-12:58 p.m. — Harris English, USA; Adam Scott, Australia; Nick Taylor, Canada.

7:14 a.m.-1:09 p.m. — a-Mason Howell, USA; Scottie Scheffler, USA; J.J. Spaun, USA. 7:25 a.m.-1:20 p.m. — Sahith Theegala, USA; a-Jackson Koivun, USA; Michael Kim, USA. 7:36 a.m.-1:31 p.m. — J.B. Holmes, USA; Filippo Celli, Italy; a-Jackson Ormond, USA. 7:47 a.m.-1:42 p.m. — Jake Peacock, USA; aVaughn Harber, USA; Kaito Onishi, Japan.

Thursday-Friday 10th Hole-First Hole

Kansas City 6, Washington 2 Houston 4, Detroit 2 L.A. Dodgers 5, Tampa Bay 4 Arizona 8, L.A. Angels 1 Toronto at Boston, n Chicago White Sox at N.Y. Yankees, n Cleveland at Milwaukee, n Baltimore at Seattle, n Pittsburgh at Athletics, n L 4 4 5 8 7 9 13

Pct .640 .521 .514 .411 .378

Pro golf

Major League Baseball

Wednesday’s games

WNBA glance

L 27 35 36 43 46

x-Game 3: North Carolina vs. TBD, 6 p.m.

Monday

Tuesday’s games

Pro basketball

W 48 38 38 30 28

Game 2: North Carolina vs. TBD, 1:30 p.m.

Sunday Pts 3 3 0 0

GB — 5 8 9 10½

Cleveland (Messick 6-3) at Milwaukee (Drohan 3-2), 1:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Manaea 1-2) at Phila. (Nola 3-4), 5:40 p.m.

San Fran. (Roupp 5-7) at Atl. (Pérez 5-3), 6:15 p.m.

St. Louis (Liberatore 3-3) at Kansas City (Cameron 3-4), 6:40 p.m.

Game 1: North Carolina vs. TBD, 7 p.m.

GA 0 1 3 3

14

Pct .629 .556 .514 .500 .479

Thursday’s games

Saturday

GF 3 3 0 1

.446

L 26 32 36 37 38

Wednesday’s games

Tuesday’s games

Pts 1 1 0 0

Indiana 113, Toronto 91

Game 3: Oklahoma 9, Alabama 0 Game 4: Georgia 7, Texas 1

Game 7: Alabama 14, Texas 7 Game 8: Oklahoma 4, Georgia 2

GP W D L GF GA Congo 1 0 1 0 1 1 Portugal 1 0 1 0 1 1 Colombia 0 0 0 0 0 0 Uzbekistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wednesday Portugal 1, Congo DR 1 Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, n June 23 Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, noon Colombia vs. Congo DR, 9 p.m.

June 27 Colombia vs. Portugal, 6:30 p.m.

Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday’s game

June 13

Monday’s games

Pts 3 3 0 0

41

W 44 40 38 37 35

Philadelphia 8, Miami 2 Washington 6, Kansas City 4 Cincinnati 5, N.Y. Mets 3 Milwaukee 2, Cleveland 1 St. Louis 3, San Diego 2 Colorado 5, Chicago Cubs 2 L.A. Dodgers 1, Tampa Bay 0 L.A. Angels 7, Arizona 0 Pittsburgh 6, Athletics 5 San Francisco at Atlanta, sus.

Game 1: West Virginia 7, Troy 5 Game 2: North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2

Game 5: Troy 12, Ole Miss 8 Game 6: North Carolina 5, West Virginia 2

GA 1 1 3 4

33

Tuesday’s games

June 12

June 14

GROUP K

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco Colorado

(Best of 3)

GP W D L Argentina 1 1 0 0 Austria 1 1 0 0 Algeria 1 0 0 1 Jordan 1 0 0 1 Wednesday Argentina 3, Algeria 0 Austria 3, Jordan 1 June 22 Argentina vs. Austria, noon Jordan vs. Algeria, 10 p.m.

June 27 Jordan vs. Argentina, 9 p.m.

Algeria vs. Austria, 9 p.m.

New York Atlanta Indiana Toronto Washington Chicago Connecticut

Milwaukee St. Louis Chicago Pittsburgh Cincinnati West Division

Championship Series

GROUP J

W 10 9 9 7 5 4 2

New York Central Division

Washington at Connecticut, n New York at Chicago, n Dallas at Golden State, n Las Vegas at Phoenix, n Minnesota at Los Angeles, n Seattle at Portland, n

Thursday’s games

Uruguay Saudi Arabia Spain Cape Verde Monday Spain 0, Cape Verde 0 Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1 Sunday Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, 11 a.m.

Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, 5 p.m.

June 26 Uruguay vs. Spain, 7 p.m.

Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, 7 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Pts 3 1 1 0

GF 1 1 2 2

Belgium Egypt Iran New Zealand Monday Belgium 1, Egypt 1 Iran 2, New Zealand 2 Sunday Belgium vs. Iran, 2 p.m.

New Zealand vs. Egypt, 8 p.m.

June 26 New Zealand vs. Belgium, 10 p.m.

Egypt vs. Iran, 10 p.m.

GP 1 1 1 1

GROUP B

Wednesday’s games GP 1 1 1 1

GB — 7 8½ 10½

5:35 a.m.-11:30 a.m. — Chandler Phillips, USA; Harry Higgs, USA; a-Hamilton Coleman, USA. 5:46 a.m.-11:41 a.m. — Nathan Kimsey, England; a-Jackson Herrington, USA; Cooper Dossey, USA. 5:57 a.m.-11:52 a.m. — Peter Uihlein, USA; a-Eric Lee, USA; Sam Stevens, USA. 6:08 a.m.-12:03 p.m. — Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Belgium; Ben Silverman, Canada; Emiliano Grillo, Argentina.

6:19 a.m.-12:14 p.m. — Patrick Rodgers, USA; Keith Mitchell, USA; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland.

6:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. — Sungjae Im, South Korea; Lucas Herbert, Australia; Kristoffer Reitan, Norway.

6:41 a.m.-12:36 p.m. — Sam Burns, USA; Tyrrell Hatton, England; Si Woo Kim, USA. 6:52 a.m.-12:47 p.m. — Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; Ludvig Aberg, Sweden; Tommy Fleetwood, England.

7:03 a.m.-12:58 p.m. — Alex Noren, Sweden; Maverick McNealy, USA; Sepp Straka, Austria.

7:14 a.m.-1:09 p.m. — Max Greyserman, USA; Brian Harman, USA; Jacob Bridgeman, USA. 7:25 a.m.-1:20 p.m. — Alex Fitzpatrick, England; Tom Kim, South Korea; Ben James, USA. 7:36 a.m.-1:31 p.m. — a-Brandon Holtz, USA; Ryuichi Oiwa, Japan; Dylan Wu, USA. 7:47 a.m.-1:42 p.m. — Greyson Leach, USA; a-Logan Reilly, USA; Robbie Higgins, USA.

Thursday-Friday First Hole-10th Hole

12:30 p.m.-6:35 a.m. — Niklas Norgaard, Denmark; Rocco Repetto Taylor, Spain; Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Canada.

12:41 p.m.-6:46 a.m. — Laurie Canter, England; John Parry, England; a-Bryan Lee, USA. 12:52 p.m.-6:57 a.m. — Chris Kirk, USA; Max McGreevy, USA; Jake Knapp, USA. 1:03 p.m.-7:08 a.m.— Harry Hall, England; Michael Brennan, USA; Andrew Putnam, USA. 1:14 p.m.-7:19 a.m. — Davis Thompson, USA; a-Preston Stout, USA; David Puig, Spain.

1:25 p.m.-7:30 a.m. — Ryo Hisatsune, Japan; Corey Conners, Canada; Ryan Fox, New Zealand.

1:36 p.m.-7:41 a.m. — Ryan Gerard, USA; Russell Henley, USA; Ben Griffin, USA. 1:47 p.m.-7:52 a.m. — Justin Thomas, USA; Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Xander Schauffele, USA. 1:58 p.m.-8:03 a.m. — Nicolai Hojgaard, Denmark; Nico Echavarria, Colombia; Robert MacIntyre, Scotland.

2:09 p.m.-8:14 a.m. — J.T. Poston, USA; Patrick Cantlay, USA; Billy Horschel, USA. 2:20 p.m.-8:25 a.m. — a-Arni Sveinsson, Iceland; Taihei Sato, Japan; Marcelo Rozo, Colombia.

2:31 p.m.-8:36 a.m. — Nick Hardy, USA; Cole Hammer, USA; Jack Schoenberger, USA. 2:42 p.m.-8:47 a.m. — a-Marek Fleming, USA; T.K. Kim, USA; a-Giuseppe Puebla, USA.

Thursday-Friday 10th Hole-First Hole

12:30 p.m.-6:35 a.m. — William Mouw, USA; a-Ryder Cowan, USA; Hennie du Plessis, South Africa.

12:41 p.m.-6:46 a.m. — Adrien Saddier, France; Jackson Van Paris, USA; Ugo Coussaud, France.

12:52 p.m.-6:57 a.m. — Neal Shipley, USA; Matti Schmid, Germany; Bud Cauley, USA. 1:03 p.m.-7:08 a.m.— Pierceson Coody, USA; Zac Blair, USA; Kevin Roy, USA. 1:14 p.m.-7:19 a.m. — Aaron Rai, England; Collin Morikawa, USA; Jason Day, Australia.

1:25 p.m.-7:30 a.m. — Bryson DeChambeau, USA; Viktor Hovland, Norway; Matt Fitzpatrick, England.

1:36 p.m.-7:41 a.m. — Dustin Johnson, USA; Wyndham Clark, USA; Gary Woodland, USA. 1:47 p.m.-7:52 a.m. — Joaquin Niemann, Chile; Alex Smalley, USA; Shane Lowry, Ireland.

1:58 p.m.-8:03 a.m. — Akshay Bhatia, USA; Carlos Ortiz, Mexico; Min Woo Lee, Australia.

2:09 p.m.-8:14 a.m. — Justin Rose, England; Jordan Spieth, USA; Jon Rahm, Spain.

2:20 p.m.-8:25 a.m. — Ben Kohles, USA; Johnny Keefer, USA; Matt McCarty, USA. 2:31 p.m.-8:36 a.m. — Angel Hidalgo, Spain; a-Mateo Pulcini, Argentina; Spencer Tibbits, USA. 2:42 p.m.-8:47 a.m. — a-Matthew Robles, USA; Jake Sollon, USA; Manav Shah, USA.

Pro tennis ATP World Tour Terra Wortmann Open results Wednesday

At Gerry Weber Stadium Halle, Germany Purse: €2,583,330 Surface: Grass

Men’s singles

Round of 32 Taylor Fritz (5), United States, def. Zizou Bergs, Belgium, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4.

Ben Shelton (3), United States, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 7-5, 6-3.

Men’s singles

Round of 16 Frances Tiafoe, United States, def. Sho Shimabukuro, Japan, 6-4, 7-5.

Daniel Altmaier, Germany, def. Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Felix Auger-Aliassime (2), Canada, def.

Learner Tien, United States, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (5).

Daniil Medvedev (4), Russia, def. Terence Atmane, France, 6-4, 6-4.

Men’s doubles

Round of 16 John Peers, Australia, and Robert Galloway, United States, def. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz (1), Germany, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8).

Robert Cash and James Tracy (4), United States, def. Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann, Germany, 6-3, 7-5.

Men’s doubles

Quarterfinals Flavio Cobolli, Italy, and Ben Shelton, United States, def. Marcelo Melo, Brazil, and Alexander Zverev, Germany, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League CLEVELAND GUARDIANS — Sent LHP Erik Sabrowski on a rehab assignment to Akron (EL). Placed RF Chase DeLauter on the 10-day IL retroactive to June 14. Recalled LF Kahlil Watson from Columbus (IL).

LIVING

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

T h u r s d ay, J u n e 18, 2026

5Cn

Pork stir-fry offers light sauce, fresh flavor

BY LINDA GASSEHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)

I love the light, savory sauces used in Vietnamese-style stir-fries. They’re a refreshing change from the heavier, thicker sauces often found in other versions.

For this quick meal, I use thinly sliced pork tenderloin and delicate dried rice noodles.

The noodles and broccoli are briefly cooked together in boiling water for just three minutes, then tossed into the stirfry, where they absorb the fragrant sauce and come together in a fresh, flavorful dish.

HELPFUL HINTS: n Any type of thin noodles can be used. n Green beans can be used instead of broccoli. n Canola oil can be used instead of sesame oil.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

April Hamilton stirs ingredients on the stovetop while preparing a dish for the first dinner party since completion of a kitchen redo.

TNS PHOTO By LINDA GASSENHEIMER

Vietnamese Pork Stir-Fry

Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.

4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons reduced-salt soy sauce 3 teaspoons ground ginger 3 tablespoons water ¾ pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced ½ cup sliced onion 4 ounces thin dried rice noodles 2 tablespoons sesame oil 4 cups broccoli florets 1. Combine garlic, sugar, soy sauce, ginger and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes or until sugar is melted.

2. Remove from heat and add pork to sauce and let sit for 5 minutes, turning the meat over 2 or 3 times.

3. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan ¾ full of water to a boil and add the rice noodles.

Boil for 3 minutes, then add the broccoli to the water for 1 minute. Drain.

4. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the onion and saute 2 minutes.

Add the pork with the sauce.

Cook, tossing the pork with the onion for 2 minutes.

5. Add the broccoli and rice noodles. Toss all the ingredients together for 2 to 3 minutes. Divide in half and serve on 2 dinner plates.

NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 643 calories (25 percent from fat), 18.2 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 10.1 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 46.6 g protein, 73.1 g carbohydrates, 5.1 g fiber, 1008 mg sodium.

FOR THE OCCASION

With kitchen renovation complete, shrimp and tasso saute is on the menu Shrimp and Tasso Saute

BY APRIL HAMILTON Contributing writer

My husband did a DIY renovation of the kitchen in our first home, literally at the turn of the century.

The simple and inexpensive changes were a huge upgrade, and I recall cooking up a storm in the new space, with two little girls underfoot. With a late May unveiling of the expanded new kitchen in our Baton Rouge home, the glee is tenfold after being confined for nearly 10 years into an 8-squarefoot space. Cooking has never been more joyful.

Throughout the decade of cooking in my tiny but mighty kitchen, I imagined the walls coming down but couldn’t fathom a new layout or enduring the upheaval of a renovation. Enter Chad Blanchard and his team with Highland Construction Services, who turned my dread into giddy anticipation. From the first

ä See RENOVATION, page 6C

Makes 4 servings. Recipe is from “Cooking Up a Storm,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil ½ cup chopped yellow onions ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper ¼ cup finely chopped celery ½ teaspoon salt 1 ⁄8 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1 cup chopped tasso 1½ cups sliced mushrooms 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined ½ cup shrimp stock or chicken broth 1 ⁄3 cup dry white wine ¼ cup chopped green onions (green part only) ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley Hot cooked rice or pasta for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, salt, cayenne, Tabasco and tasso and saute over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted and slightly brown.

2. Add the mushrooms, garlic, shrimp, stock and white wine and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

3. Add the green onions and parsley and adjust the seasonings.

4. Serve over rice or your favorite pasta.

NOTE: In my preparation, I used homemade shrimp stock made with the shells from peeling the shrimp. I doubled the amount called for, and to make it a little saucier, added in 2 tablespoons of cold butter into the liquid in the skillet, whisking to emulsify into a sauce.

Gluten-free meatballs feature beef, spinach and feta In this gluten-free meatballs recipe, chopped frozen spinach, which is naturally high in moisture, is used to bind the meat.

DREAMSTIME/TNS PHOTO

By JULIA SUDNITSKAyA

BY GRETCHEN McKAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) Young or old, it’s the rare diner who is not in the mood for meatballs.

A versatile dish that spans many cultures and can be made with beef, pork, chicken or even plant-based ingredients, meatballs are great as a standalone dish on top of rice or noodles, tucked into a pita or stuffed into a roll as a sub.

The only problem is that if they’re made with lean meat or you overwork the balls while shaping them, they can fall Recipe, apart during Beef, Spinach cooking — or and Feta worse, taste dry Meatballs instead of moist 6C and juicy.

Many meatball recipes bind the mixture and add tenderness with eggs and breadcrumbs or bread soaked in

milk. But it’s OK to play around with other ingredients that will add that much-wanted moisture without making meatballs overly wet or fragile. For instance, try finely grated vegetables like zucchini, carrots and mushrooms, panko, ricotta cheese, yogurt or tomato paste.

In this recipe, chopped frozen spinach, which is naturally high in moisture, is used to bind the

ä See MEATBALLS, page 6C

6C ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Young lawyer needs to show confidence

Dear Miss Manners: I am a 25-yearthe fact that I am an attorney. old-lawyer who worked as a law Gentle reader: That you were willclerk for a year before ing to make the copies passing the bar exam. for the client shows your When I accompany the heart was in the right partner to hearings where place — which Miss Mana client is present, I invariners agrees is no small thing after three years of ably get asked whether I law school and a year of am still in law school or Judith court. how I like being a paraleMartin But unfortunately, she gal.

MISS has to say that your head What is the appropriate MANNERS was not. If you think the response? Also, when I am partner, having observed in the office, sometimes either of these interactions with potential clients will walk in and clients, was going to shout, “Proask me to make copies for them (assuming the secretary is not mote that person immediately — there). I usually do this graciouswe need more people who put the client first!” you would have been ly, but I am wondering if there is wrong. something I can say to establish

What he or she was really thinking was, “If that person cannot even explain to a client that they are not the secretary or a paralegal, how are they going to stand up to an angry judge?”

The correct thing to say to the client at the office is, “How do you do? I’m So-and-so, an attorney here at the firm. But let me find you a secretary who can help you.” The answer to the client at the hearing is, “I am really enjoying being an associate here at the firm.” Then give a reason why the work you are doing for the firm is even more interesting than your clerkship — throwing in the name of the judge you worked for.

Business manners are different

from social manners, and most lawyers are used to being contradicted without taking offense.

They may even recognize the courage it took for you to speak up.

Dear Miss Manners: I am a female homeowner who lives in a twostory house. Mostly the living area is upstairs, after a 15-step staircase with a small landing before the turn.

If someone comes to my house who has never been, or a worker to do a repair or something, who do I let walk up the stairs first, looking at the other person’s butt?

The male stranger, the female stranger, or me?

Gentle reader: Etiquette is neutral

on who leads, unless the passage is challenging, in which case you would want to go first to act as guide.

As to what there is to see along the way, Miss Manners hopes that whoever follows will have the common courtesy, if not the common sense, to follow at a modest distance and with eyes elsewhere — no ifs, ands, buts or butts.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Weighing the pros and cons of using social media

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

April Hamilton stirs ingredients on the stovetop while preparing a dish in her newly completed kitchen.

RENOVATION Continued from page 5C

iteration of the design to the final finished punch list, as if I waved a magic wand, they knocked it out with finesse.

I flashed back to my kitchen remodel years ago and desire to cook around the clock. It is a rerun of your favorite show. Shop, chop, cook, share the bounty and repeat. I was eager to have a dinner party and thank the team who made it happen. I invited my friend Lori and her husband Matt, who had guided us to the contractor team, and my friend Canette and her husband Chris, who helped with so many details when I was incapable of another decision, to join us for a toast and a feast.

The scheduled gratitude dinner coincided with an assignment to sample some beloved recipes from The Times-Picayune cookbook, “Cooking Up a Storm,” a collection of recipes lost and found post-Katrina. I selected the Shrimp and

Shrimp mixes with other ingredients on the stovetop while April Hamilton prepares shrimp and tasso saute.

Tasso Saute to highlight local seafood paired with the tasso from Jacob’s Smokehouse that my contractor stashed in my freezer after a trip to his hometown, LaPlace.

The recipe is just as Marcelle Bienvenu promises in the headnote: “It packs together a lot of different flavors, the ingredients are usually readily at hand, and it’s great when you need to whip something up at the

last minute.” I’ll add that it is special occasion-worthy.

When I received my copy of this treasured cookbook, I was in the midst of unpacking my decades-old cookbook collection to display on my new shelves.

Without hesitation, I prominently placed this new-tome book on its own shelf so it will be in easy reach as I continue cooking from its story-rich pages in my new kitchen.

Beef, Spinach and Feta Meatballs Serves 2-4. Recipe is adapted from “What Goes with That: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities” by Julia Turshen.

FOR MEATBALLS: 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry ¼ pound (about 1 cup) crumbled feta cheese 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano Kosher salt 1 pound ground beef Cooking spray FOR SAUCE: 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt 2 small cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill Juice and zest of 1 lemon Kosher salt, to taste Pinch of cayenne, optional Steamed rice or cooked orzo, for serving

MEATBALLS

Continued from page 5C meat. The trick is you have to wring it out really, really well using a clean dish towel after it thaws to make sure not even a drop of liquid remains. The addition of feta, especially if you take time to grate it, also helps create

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place drained and squeezed spinach in a large bowl with feta, garlic powder, dried oregano and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir well to combine.

3. Add beef and mix well (I used my hands). Divide the mixture into a dozen portions, shaping them into balls. I made them slightly smaller and got 16 balls.

4. Space them evenly on the sheet pan and spray with cooking spray.

5. Roast until browned a more cohesive texture since it melts — slightly — during cooking.

These meatballs are seasoned with lots of garlic powder and dried oregano, but feel free to substitute fresh grated garlic if that’s your thing. They’re served with a bright and lemony yogurt sauce punctuated with dill.

They can be served hot

and firm to the touch, about 20-25 minutes. You can always crack one open to make sure it’s cooked enough, if you need some reassurance.

6. Meanwhile, place yogurt in a small bowl and whisk in garlic and dill.

Add zest and juice of 1 lemon, stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and cayenne, if using.

7. Serve meatballs hot, warm or at room temperature over rice or orzo, with the sauce and additional lemon slices for squeezing over. out of the oven, warm or at room temperature, with the sauce drizzled on top. If you need a good office lunch, tuck them into pita bread with lettuce and tomato for a Greek-style meatball sandwich.

I made them in my oven, but you also could cook the meatballs in an air fryer at 400 F for 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

good news about your Dear Harriette: I am strugcareer and personal life gling with social media. I as you see fit. Compare am making a career pivot, so it is a beautiful time for yourself to yourself rather than to others. Think me as I make new discovabout your goals, eries and explore and curate your new skills, but it is content to match also a scary and inthose goals. timidating chapter.

Consider hiring Social media has its someone to help pros and cons for you with your sothis season that I’m Harriette cial media strategy. in, and I’m trying Cole to decide whether You may even find SENSE AND the good outweighs a company or inSENSITIVITy the bad. On one dividual who can hand, posting about post for you. That my work, passions and will help to take you away projects helps me meet from the day-to-day, which and interact with people can make it easier to avoid who are also breaking into the comparisons. my industry as well as Dear Harriette: “First Time” seasoned professionals. On — your reader who wants the other hand, I find mysomeone to talk to about taking the next step with self making a lot of comher boyfriend — needs parisons. It causes me to an old crone in her life. second-guess myself, my After my sons were grown talent, my progress, my and out of the house, the path, my belongings and young ladies next door and more. I am grappling with their friends used to come whether this vast network — which could lead to con- over and pester me with questions that I gladly antinued work and learning opportunities — is more swered. We had some wonimportant than my mental derful gatherings where I health. Is there something told them things that their I can do to continue utilizparents never had — or things that they didn’t feel ing social media as a tool without compromising my they could ever even ask their parents. Every perself-worth? — Social Media Dear Social Media: Think of son who is an adult but not social media as a tool, not yet elderly needs a crone a crutch. Use it to share in their lives. Not only

have we been there, done that (or at least known people who have), but we have no cares left to give about propriety, and we will not turn away from any subject due to discomfort. — Kat From Kansas City Dear Kat From Kansas City: I love your sentiment. I also had to go to the dictionary to learn the meaning of “crone.” For those who don’t know, it used to mean an old woman, but is more commonly known today as a wise, postmenopausal woman venerated for her lifetime of experience, judgment and knowledge.

Kat, I say YES to the crone.

We wise women have a lot to offer others.

It’s funny. In many cultures, it was understood that the older women in the community were to be heralded for their wisdom.

People regularly came and sat at their feet to learn and to process whatever was going on in their lives.

This is a practice that would be great to revive.

Thanks for the reminder.

Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Keeping knot in necktie intact Dear Heloise: I’ve enjoyed come with two key fobs, and learned from your and the key fobs have a butcolumn for years. If you’re ton to set off an alarm on like me, tying a necktie your car. As single woman can be frustrating. living by myself, I When I get a tie keep the extra key with a knot that has fob on my nightthe style and length stand. If someone I like, I’ll take it broke into my home, off by loosening it or I had a medical just enough to get emergency and Hints from couldn’t get to the it off my neck and Heloise phone quick enough over my head. Then I hang it up intact for help, all I need to on a tie rack that I have on do is press the alarm button the wall. So, the next time on the key fob. All of my I want to use it, it’s already neighbors would immeditied and ready for me to ately hear the noise. put on. — Mike D., in Indiana I let my neighbors know about this plan, and if they Key fob hint hear the alarm sounding, they would call me to find Dear Heloise: Most cars

out if I needed help. Most of my neighbors thought that this was a great idea and are doing the same thing with their extra key fob. — Cheryl M., in Omaha, Nebraska

Freezing milk Dear Heloise: I read about the woman who purchases two half gallons of milk and freezes one. I don’t drink a lot of milk, so I buy a quart. But sometimes a half gallon only costs a little more, so I freeze half of it. It freezes quite well.

— Mary G., in California Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Thursday, June 18, the 169th day of 2026. There are 196 days left in the year.

Today in history: On June 18, 1812, the War of 1812 began as the United States Congress approved, and President James Madison signed, a declaration of war against Britain.

Also on this date: In 1778, American forces entered Philadelphia as the British withdrew during the Revolutionary War. In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo as British and Prussian troops defeated the French Imperial Army in Belgium.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev signed the SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty

in Vienna.

In 1983, astronaut Sally Ride became America’s first woman in space as she and four other NASA astronauts blasted off aboard the space shuttle Challenger on a six-day mission.

In 1986, 25 people were killed when a twin-engine plane and a helicopter carrying sightseers collided over the Grand Canyon.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Georgia v. McCollum, ruled that criminal defendants could not use race as a basis for excluding potential jurors from their trials.

In 2007, nine firefighters died when they were overwhelmed by a fast-spreading fire in a furniture showroom and warehouse facility in Charleston, South Carolina. It was one of the deadliest days for firefighting since the 9/11

attacks in the U.S. In 2018, President Donald Trump announced he was directing the Pentagon to create the Space Force as an independent branch of the United States Armed Forces.

In 2023, the submersible vessel Titan, on an undersea expedition to view the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic Ocean, imploded, killing all five people aboard.

Today’s Birthdays: Musician Paul McCartney is 84. Actor Carol Kane is 74. Actor Isabella Rossellini is 74.

Singer Alison Moyet is 65.

Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith is 63. Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis is 51. Actor Alana de la Garza is 50. Country musician Blake Shelton is 50. Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates is 46. Actor Jeremy Irvine is 36

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● 7C

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Make an offer and follow through. Living up to your promises, requests and words will help you gain the confidence of others. Show how disciplined and fruitful you can be. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Stick to what works best for you. If you follow someone, you'll be disappointed with the outcome. Place more faith and trust in yourself and your ability to finish what you start.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Pay attention to relationships, conversations, the validity of the information you receive and the intentions of the people you encounter. If you have a positive impact on someone, it will reflect.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Suggestions and offers you receive will generate excitement and a desire for change, but before taking a leap of faith, consider the outcome. Make sure your budget can withstand the overhead costs.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Procrastination is what holds you back. Excuses are far-fetched and downright depressing, putting you into a catatonic state of mind that's stopping you from living your dream. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Rethink your strategy on health, love and earning potential. Perhaps it's time to rethink and update your direction, skills and connections. Mix business with pleasure. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Set yourself up, let go of the past and stabilize your future. Choose your space wisely. Put in the time to ensure you feel comfortable.

How much and how well you produce what's important to you in life depends on your surroundings. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Deal with what irks you and put it to rest. Letting matters fester will put you in a vulnerable position. It's time to let go of what's not working for you and to engage in what soothes your soul.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Start with love, enthusiasm and a fun-filled agenda. The more excited you are, the easier it will be to tempt others to join in. Creativity is on the rise. Look for an outlet that can make you money or bring you joy.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Your best effort will develop if you participate in events or activities that stretch your mind and help you build relationships with people who bring out the best in you.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Think outside the box. It's OK to be unique and to stand out when you have something to offer.

Refuse to let anyone ruin your plans.

Expect someone to overreact or tempt you to go overboard with your intentions. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Put more time and effort into home, family and lifestyle changes. An adjustment to your routine that sets you on the road to better health will distance you from bad influences and emotionally draining situations.

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: W EQuALs o

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

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CurTiS

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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.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, June 18, 2026 ● 9C

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Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Jack Youngblood, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played for the Los Angeles Rams for 14 years, said, “I visualize things in my mind before I have to do them. It is like having a mental workshop.”

The most skillful bridge players can get inside the minds of their opponents.

They can visualize exactly what that player would do from various holdings.

Today’s deal is an example of this.

South is in three no-trump. West leads the heart three and declarer calls for dummy’s five. What should East do?

The auction was straightforward.

South did not like to open one no-trump without a heart stopper, but the bid gave as accurate a description of his hand as possible. Yes, he might have opened one diamond, planning to rebid one spade over a one-heart response, but partner would have had a much fuzzier picture of South’s hand. The only makable game here is four spades, which is tough to reach.

Let’s return to East’s predicament. If South has ace-doubleton of hearts, East must put in his 10, finessing against partner (this week’s theme). But if South has jack-doubleton, East must win with his king. Which is correct?

Get into South’s mind. If he had acedoubleton, which heart would he have played from the board?

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

Right — the queen. He would have hoped the opening lead was away from the king and tried to take a second heart trick. When he does not do that, he cannot have the heart ace. So East should confidently put up his king, expecting to win the trick. And five heart tricks later, the contract is down. © 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 — ADMIRE: ad-MY-er: To feel respect and approval for.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 25 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 29 or more words in ADMIRE? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — cAtIons cant canto casino cast cation ciao coast coat coati coin cost

action anti antic ascot atonic taco tonic icon into iota oast

saint santo satin scan scant scat scion snit sonic stain stoic

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26 Things come and go. You don’t. We are eternal from now on. Heaven or Hell. Which will it be?

G.E. Dean

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BUSINESS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/news/business

DOW 51,492.55 -507.12 -0.97%

NASDAQ 26,021.66 -354.69 -1.34%

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Stocks sink on worries about interest rate hike

NEWYORK — U.S. stocks slumped Wednesday on speculation the Federal Reserve may hike interest rates this year to keep a lid on inflation. Higher rates can tap the brakes on accelerating prices at cash registers, but they also slow the economy and hurt prices for investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond, which influences rates for mortgages and other loans going to U.S. households and businesses, rose to 4.49% from 4.43% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, jumped to 4.21% from 4.05%.

Traders upped their bets for at least one increase to the federal funds rate this year and now see an 84% probability of it, up from 59.5% a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.

High yields in bond markets worldwide caused by worries about inflation have already been threatening to slow economies and undercut prices for all kinds of investments.

In the stock market, SpaceX erased an early gain and fell 4.9% for its first loss since its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market last week.

Drops of 3.8% for Microsoft, 3.5% for Amazon and 1.3% for Nvidia were three of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500.

They helped overshadow a jump of 14.8% for La-Z-Boy, which reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Japanese trade officials raid 6 ice cream makers TOKYO — Japanese government fair trade watchdog officials have raided six major ice cream makers on suspicion of price fixing.

Tokyo-based Meiji Co. said in a statement Tuesday that it had been raided on suspicion of violating anti-monopoly laws.

“We accept with sincerity the fact that our company was raided, and we promise to cooperate fully with the Japan Fair Trade Commission investigation,” it said.

Five other companies — Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Morinaga & Co., Lotte Co., Ezaki Glico Co. and Akagi Nyugo Co. — issued similar statements. It wasn’t clear when the raids took place.

In addition to ice cream, the companies make various food items, desserts and confectionery goods, including pudding, chocolate bars and chewing gum, sold widely at supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.

Japanese media called it “a price cartel.” Top managers at the companies were in touch with each other over several years to coordinate raising ice cream prices by 6 U.S. cents, for instance, as well as the timing of such hikes, the reports said.

Protesters block copper exports from Mongolia ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Protesters blocked copper exports from a huge Rio Tinto mine in Mongolia on Wednesday, partially cutting off the supply of a mineral vital to China’s renewable energy ambitions.

The protest group, called the Radical Reform Movement, is pushing for a greater share of mining revenue for Mongolians, a long-running demand in a nation where poverty persists despite the exploitation of its mineral riches. Copper is needed for electric vehicles and solar and wind power installations, all industries where China is a world leader.

The Oyu Tolgoi mine is a massive undertaking to tap a vast reserve of copper deep in the Gobi Desert. About 50 miles north of the border with China, it also has large gold deposits and is expected to be the fourth largest copper mine in the world when fully operational, Rio Tinto has said. The British-Australian mining giant owns 66% of the mine, with the Mongolian government holding the other 34%.

S&P 500 7,420.10 -91.25 -1.22%

EURO 1.1502 -0.0105 -0.91%

CRUDE OIL 76.05 -4.70 -5.82%

GOLD 4,358.90 28.00 0.65%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.91 0.11 2.89%

30-YR T-BONDS 4.93 -0.01 -0.24%

Fed keeps key rate unchanged

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve kept its key rate unchanged Wednesday yet almost half the central bank’s policymakers said they could support a rate hike later this year.

The unexpectedly aggressive tilt toward higher rates would disappoint President Donald Trump and suggests heightened concerns about persistent inflation among Fed officials.

In an unusually short statement

after their two-day meeting, the officials dropped language that had suggested their next move would be to cut the key rate.

The brief statement reflects the influence of new chair Kevin Warsh, appointed

by Trump, who has previously criti- Warsh cized the Fed for commenting too broadly on the economy.

Still, Warsh’s 18 colleagues on

the Fed’s rate-setting committee sent a clear message in a set of quarterly projections released Wednesday: Nine signaled they supported higher rates this year, with six of those supporting two quarter-point increases.

It’s a sharp change from March, when no policymakers penciled in a hike and the committee as a whole forecast one cut in 2026.

The change is an acknowledgment that inflation is at its highest level in three years and many officials have said in recent speeches that if inflation doesn’t decline, higher

rates may be necessary in the coming months.

Warsh, in his first news conference as chair, also underscored the Fed’s determination to bring inflation down to the central bank’s 2% target.

The Fed typically seeks to combat inflation by lifting interest rates to slow borrowing and spending and cool the economy. Yet taking such a step would likely attract the ire of the White House, and could lift the cost of mortgages, auto loans, and other borrowing, just before the midterm elections.

Sanders unveils plan to give public direct ownership of AI companies $7T sovereign wealth fund would be used for housing, healthcare, education

BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press

WASHINGTON — As artificial intelligence companies reshape the economy and race toward trillion-dollar valuations, Sen. Bernie Sanders is proposing a sweeping transfer of wealth and power from the industry to the American public.

The legislation, shown first to The Associated Press, would create a sovereign wealth fund overseen by an independent commission and financed through a one-time 50% tax on the stock of the largest AI companies.

Sanders estimates that the tax would create a nearly $7 trillion fund that would generate hundreds of billions of dollars annually in direct payments to Americans and programs such as healthcare, education and housing.

“The benefits cannot simply go to the handful of wealthy corporations. They will be shared by the American people,” the independent Vermont senator said in an interview Wednesday.

The idea of giving the public a stake in AI has recently drawn interest from figures as ideologically diverse as President Donald Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. But Sanders’ proposal goes much further, calling for public ownership of half of the largest AI companies and direct influence over corporate decision-making.

“The public has got to have a significant seat at the table to make sure that terrible things do not happen to ordinary people, and that in fact, AI benefits ordinary people, not hurts them,” Sanders said.

How the fund would work Sanders has previously proposed the sovereign wealth fund, but the bill summary obtained by the AP is the first legislative attempt to make it a reality.

The 50% tax would apply to AI companies that reach $200 million in annual AI sales.

Any new AI company that reaches that benchmark would also be subject to the tax.

It would create a sovereign wealth fund — similar to those used by countries around the world and some U.S. states — that Sanders estimates would be worth around $7 trillion.

Unlike a traditional tax, the proposal would require companies to transfer stock rather than cash, effectively making the American public a major shareholder in the country’s largest AI firms.

A seven-person independent commission — nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate — would manage the fund and use its voting shares “to block decisions that hurt the American people and to push for policies that help them,” the bill summary says.

Sanders proposes that a 5% annual dividend from the fund would provide direct payments of more than $1,000 to every

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks about topics including politics and artificial intelligence June 8 at the National Press Club in Washington.

American. If companies grow, the gains would be used for public goods such as education, housing and healthcare.

Sanders argues taxpayers would not bear the losses if AI company valuations decline.

“We’re not going to lose any money, even if there is a bust in the bubble,” Sanders said.

The commission would be directed to “to block decisions that hurt the American people and to push for policies that help them,” according to the summary.

Sanders emphasized that the proposal is just a start. “We think this is the best that we could do at the moment, and it’s certainly a major, major, major step forward from giving unilateral and total power to a handful of multibillionaires,” he said.

Supporters in White House, Silicon Valley Sanders is not alone in pushing for a public stake in the companies that develop AI. Trump, who recently signed an order to have new AI models voluntarily vetted by the government, has also mused about the government owning a stake in the companies that develop AI, saying “there’s something very interesting about it, where it almost becomes a partnership with the American public.”

OpenAI — led by Altman — in April proposed to “create a public wealth fund that provides every citizen — including those not invested in financial markets — with a stake in AI-driven economic growth.”

Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s top competitors and recently valued at $965 billion, has been open to similar ideas, with CEO Dario Amodei writing recently that “universal basic income could be financed through taxes on relevant companies.”

Still, Sanders’ push is much more aggressive than any of these. In Sanders’ meeting with Altman, they remained far apart on how large of a stake the public would get, accord-

ing to those in the room.

“I think people like Sam Altman and Trump (who) may be sympathetic to this are saying: ‘OK, look, we’re making zillions of dollars so we’re going to be nice guys and maybe we’ll buy off the public. We will give 5% of our profits back into the government,’ ” said Sanders. “That’s not what we’re talking about. What we’re talking about are two very different things.”

Taking the fight to voters Asked whether he plans to make AI ownership and wealth inequality part of that message on the campaign trail, Sanders responded, “Absolutely.”

It’s a message other candidates are using ahead of the midterms as they tap into voters’ angst about the technology. Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow unveiled a plan to “protect workers in the age of AI,” while New York Democratic House candidate Alex Bores has also made AI regulation a campaign issue.

Data center projects across the country have drawn opposition from residents concerned about electricity demand, water consumption and environmental impacts. Some states once eager to attract the facilities, including Ohio and Virginia, have moved to reconsider tax incentives.

On college campuses, commencement speakers have been interrupted by boos when discussing artificial intelligence.

About 70% of college students see AI as a threat to their job prospects, according to a 2025 poll by the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Workers will be thrown out of their jobs while billionaires, multibillionaires become even richer,” Sanders said. “The American people are aware of that and don’t want to see it happen.”

Retail sales up 0.9% in May, underscoring consumer resilience

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

NEW YORK — Shoppers stepped up their spending in May and surpassed expectations as temperatures warmed and gasoline prices leveled off.

Retail sales rose 0.9%, up from a revised 0.4% gain in April, according to Commerce Department data released Wednesday. Sales got a boost from generous government tax refunds in both April and May, though economists say that cash cushion is starting to fade.

Excluding sales at gas stations, retail sales in May rose 0.7%.

The figures aren’t inflationadjusted so higher prices likely helped boost sales. But economists point to healthy spending with increases that were broad-based.

Business at clothing, accessory and furniture stores all posted sales gains. Online sales rose 1.5%.

Electronics and appliance stores and department stores both registered slight sales declines.

The data offers only a snapshot of consumer spending and doesn’t include activities like travel and hotel stays. The lone services category — restaurants — registered a 0.1% decline. That might have reflected how high gas prices forced

shoppers to cut back on driving, according to Sam Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macro.

But the so-called control group — which excludes food services, autos, building materials and gas station sales and is used to calculate economic growth — rose 0.7%. That suggests solid spending, economists said.

Consumers are the engine of the American economy, driving most of the nation’s economic growth.

And the latest retail sales report underscores that spending has remained resilient so far this year despite rising prices. Solid increases in hiring have also buoyed

spending, economists said.

“The stronger-than-forecast and broad-based gains in May retail sales show that consumers continued to spend strongly despite higher gasoline prices in the month,” Nationwide Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic writes. “The large tax refunds and overall tax reductions for households this year and the recent strengthening in employment growth helped buffer the negative drag from higher gasoline prices.”

Tombs was more cautious about the spending outlook.

“The sugar rush from biggerthan-usual tax refunds will wear off soon,” Tombs wrote in a report.