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BY PATRICK WALL

Staff writer

A Louisiana judge halted Gov Jeff Landry’s plan to pay for teacher stipends by cutting public school funding by nearly $170 million after advocates ﬁled a lawsuit Thursday arguing that Landry lacks the legal authority to order the cut.

Judge Richard “Chip” Moore of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge granted the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order to stop the governor from enacting his executive order, which calls for a $168 million reduction in state education funding this school year to pay for $2,000 stipends for teachers and $1,000 for school support staff. The 11-day restraining order also forbids Landry from continuing to

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Plan to cut school budgets blocked

Landry can’t reduce funding to pay teacher stipends, judge rules

collect ballots from the Legislature, two-thirds of which must approve his plan for it to take effect. The court-ordered delay is likely to push the vote past the deadline for the governor to veto budget items. Some lawmakers have expressed concern that Landry could slash funding for projects in their districts if they opposed his plan, according to people who have spoken with them.

The lawsuit argues that Landry overstepped his constitutional authority by effectively reallocating education funds, which the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education controls under Louisiana’s constitution. It also says Landry circumvented the proper legal procedure by issuing the order on June 2, a day after the legislative session ended, and asking lawmakers to vote remotely

Arthur’s remnants

soak southern Louisiana

BY MIKE SMITH, MICHELLE HUNTER and LARA NICHOLSON Staff writers

The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur swept through southeast Louisiana early Thursday with torrential rains and tornado strikes, causing ﬂooding in parts of the New Orleans metro area, injuring at least two people and leaving thousands without power

While Arthur did not remain a tropical storm for long after moving ashore in Texas on Wednesday, its sprawling bands and severe weather lingered and raked across broad swaths of south Louisiana, missing the Baton Rouge area but slamming parishes north and south of it. Avoyelles Parish was inundated by heavy rains, with 275 structures flooded and 150 people displaced, according to parish officials. Canals were overtopped in Kenner while street ﬂooding occurred in other areas of Jefferson Parish as well as in St. Charles. Trees were downed throughout the area and

without a public hearing or debate. “The Executive Order is a glaring abuse of executive power in violation of the state constitution,” says the June 18 petition. If the cut is allowed to proceed, the petition adds, it will cause “irreparable harm” to the state’s public schools, and “will eliminate

Southern marks

Juneteenth, says fight continues

Speakers focused on getting out the vote

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Hundreds of community members, alumni and students gathered Thursday to observe Juneteenth on the Southern University campus in Baton Rouge.

The theme of the festivities was “celebrating freedom through culture and community,” but weeks after Louisiana’s bitter redistricting battles, the speakers Thursday morning had one message driving their remarks: Get out and vote.

“Freedom does not come in on the wheels of inevitability,” Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice John

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

stalled SUV is pushed

Congressman to return after extended absence

New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who’s been absent from Congress since March with an unspeciﬁed medical issue, is set to return on June 30, a political consultant to the congressman said Thursday

Kean, who represents a battleground district in this year’s midterms, has missed more than 100 votes and hasn’t been spotted in Washington or his district, stirring a mystery that carries potential national consequences.

“Congressman Kean is eager to return to in person work on June 30 and resume a full schedule,” said Kean political consultant Harrison Neely in a text.

“He plans to be fully transparent regarding the nature of his health issue and you should expect to hear from him in person June 30th.”

Kean’s office has said he is still running for reelection and is set to face Democratic Navy veteran Rebecca Bennett in the state’s premier contest in November.

Kean last voted in the House on March 5, but his absence wasn’t explained. In April, his social media account posted that he had been dealing with a personal medical issue and his doctors expected him to recover Parthenon gets facelift, revealing ancient look

ATHENS, Greece Visitors to the Acropolis can now see the Parthenon’s western side looking whole for the ﬁrst time in about 220 years.

Ofﬁcially unveiled Thursday, restorers have slotted two new marble blocks into long-empty gaps high on the temple’s western end — the view visitors see when they ﬁrst enter the ancient monument in Athens.

The 25-century-old monument overlooking the Greek capital attracted about 4.6 million visitors last year Long-term restoration projects address damage caused by war, weather and looting, including the broken outline of the western side.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni described the sight after the latest restoration as “truly stunning.”

The two new stones, she said, do more than ﬁll a gap.

“They allow the unique proportions and the geometric perfection of the Parthenon’s western face to be seen once again,” she said.

The project was funded through a European Union program It is part of a broader restoration effort that began in 1975.

Gunmen attack Niger airport, killing 13

DAKAR, Senegal Gunmen attacked the main airport in Niger’s capital early Thursday, killing 11 soldiers and two civilians in an exchange of fire that also left 22 of the attackers dead, authorities said.

Niger’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the attack in Niamey was foiled and that 20 suspects were arrested along with weapons and ammunition.

Witnesses reported gunﬁre and explosions during the attack, and an Associated Press journalist saw soldiers searching people on the road to the airport in the aftermath of the violence.

Hours later, the National Civil Aviation Agency said the airport was operating normally Niger, led by a military junta since a 2023 coup, has struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa’s Sahel region, including neighbors Burkina Faso and Mali that are also run by military juntas. It was the second attack at Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey this year, after the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a similar attack in January that targeted Niger’s drone assets.

The airport is a strategic hub that hosts a Nigerien air force base as well as the headquarters of the Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali joint military force.

The military has beefed up the airport security following the January attack, but jihadis in Niger and the wider region continue to pose serious threats, analysts say

FDA panel backs new flu vaccine

BY LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

WASHINGTON Anewkindofﬂuvaccine moved a step closer to the U.S. market Thursday as federal health advisers recommended approval of the ﬁrst made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating Moderna’s new shot, dubbed mFlusiva, for older Americans ahead of the winter ﬂu season Moderna is seeking full approval for the vaccine’s use in people ages 50 to 64 along with authorization for use in those 65 and older while it conducts additional testing

The FDA’s independent advisory committee evaluated Moderna’s studies of the vaccine and voted unanimously that its beneﬁts appear to outweigh any risks for both

age groups. The FDA will consider that recommendation in making a ﬁnal decision by early August.

Tens of thousands of Americans die from influenza every year, and older adults are among the most vulnerable. There are various types of flu vaccines already available in the U.S., including three specifically recommended for people 65 and older But vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are faster to manufacture than other types — something experts say might help if the shape-shifting flu virus mutates in a way that requires suddenly brewing new doses to match.

“Having this technology available puts us in a better position to be prepared for emerging strains in the future,” said Dr Flor MunozRivas of Texas Children’s Hospital, one of FDA’s advisers.

In a study of 40,000 people age 50 and older Moderna’s mRNA vac-

cine reduced flu cases by about 27% compared with those given another routinely used vaccine brand. In a smaller study of people 65 and older, Moderna’s shot also generated a strong protective immune response compared with a high-dose ﬂu vaccine already recommended for that age group.

Data showing strong immune reactions “were very compelling,” said FDA adviser Dr Anna Durbin of Johns Hopkins University, adding that “the vaccine looks very promising.”

Moderna’s Dr Rituparna Das told panelists that the company’s ability to quickly manufacture mRNA vaccines that closely match the latest ﬂu strains could prevent thousands of hospitalizations in older Americans.

Severe flu cases in the U.S. generally rise in years when the flu shot doesn’tcloselymatchthecirculating virus. Moderna officials noted that

Residents return to war-ravaged Lebanon

U.S.-Iran deal sparks hope among sorrow of destruction

BY KAREEM CHEHAYEB MALAK HARB and BILAL HUSSEIN Associated Press

TYRE, Lebanon — Adnan Kaour returned on Thursday to check on his home in southern Lebanon’s coastal city of Tyre — once known as an idyllic summer getaway spot — just a week after Israel issued warnings for all of its residents to evacuate.

The warnings were followed by sweeping airstrikes, which Israel said targeted the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group.

What Kaour found back in Tyre shattered his hopes. His dream family apartment overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean Sea was a heap of rubble and shattered glass.

His return came after the announcement of an agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war in the Middle East. The deal also calls for an end to the war in Lebanon, where Israel has been ﬁghting Hezbollah, but it’s unclear what that means in practice.

Israel and Hezbollah are not parties to the agreement. Iran insists Israel must withdraw from the large swath of southern Lebanon it is occupying, but the wording of the interim deal doesn’t explicitly require that and only ensures Lebanon’s “territorial integrity.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel’s

military will stay in a “security zone” of southern Lebanon as long as “Israel’s security needs require it.”

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri — a Hezbollah ally — said Thursday that the group was committed to the ceaseﬁre, “provided that Israel adheres to it fully and comprehensively.” Hezbollah has said that it’s committed to resisting any occupation by Israel. Fighting between the two sides, which was still underway in some parts of southern Lebanon, could derail the deal.

An isolated enclave hopes for reprieve

Farther south, the Christian village of Ain Ebel is one of a few enclaves in Lebanon’s border area where residents have remained during the war Christian villages, where Hezbollah has little presence, have been largely spared the destruction of neighboring Shiite villages.

But they have their own problems.

The village is cut off from the rest of Lebanon by ﬁghting and Israeli checkpoints, relying on aid convoys that require extensive coordination to get through.

One such convoy organized by the Order of Malta, a Catholic lay religious order, arrived Thursday bearing emergency livestock feed and supplies for farmers.

Cattle farmer Boutros Maroun said people in Ain Ebel are exhausted.

“We don’t care about America and Iran, we want the Lebanese people to live comfortably and happily,” he said. “Every two years there’s a new war, and we can no longer take it.”

Emergency economic plan approved

Cuba OKs free-market opportunities

BY ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press

HAVANA Cuba’s powerful Communist Party on Thursday approved an emergency economic package featuring unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy as pressure from the U.S. and the European Union heightens The document, which has not yet been made public,

will be submitted Thursday to Cuba’s National Assembly It envisions expanding opportunities for private enterprise, greater autonomy for municipalities and state-owned companies and measures to attract additional foreign investment

In recent days, residents in several Havana neighborhoods staged protests, banging pots and pans as power outages spread across the island.

“Cuba resists heroically and creatively, but has endured for too long a barbaric, undeserved and unbearable punishment, to which is now added the

threat of military aggression,” President Miguel Díaz-Canel said late Wednesday in the closing speech of the Communist Party session. The speech was published Thursday The announcement comes after months of increasing pressure from the U.S. and high-level talks between the two countries that have included Raúl Castro’s grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro. The U.S. has levied numerous sanctions against Cuba and has indicted Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of two civilian planes operated by Miami exiles.

ﬂu strains for each fall’s vaccines now are chosen several months earlier than the yearly recipe update for COVID-19 shots that mostly are mRNA-based — and there can be a mismatch if the ﬂu virus mutates after the recipe is made.

At the meeting, FDA vaccine reviewer Dr Timothy Brennan suggested the agency was open to approving the vaccine for older adults ahead of the coming ﬂu season, despite the need for more information about its use in frail seniors or people with weak immune systems. If it’s approved, Moderna is planning its required next-step study to include 400,000 people 65 and older, half given the mRNA vaccine and the rest given one of today’s special-for-seniors shots. It’s supposed to repeat that study for two ﬂu seasons.

Moderna’s data showed no major safety issues although the shot did cause some temporary reactions including injection-site pain, fever, headache, tiredness and aches.

Appeals court rules administration can replace slavery exhibit

BY MICHAEL CASEY and CLAUDIA LAUER Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA The Trump administration can replace a slavery exhibit at George Washington’s home in Philadelphia, a federal appeals court panel said Thursday, striking down a lower court’s injunction that required the National Park Service to reinstall the interpretive panels.

The unanimous ruling by the three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a lower court judge wrongly interpreted Philadelphia’s contract claims involving Independence National Historical Park, saying the city merely having standing to sue did not mean its arguments had merit.

The panel also praised the plans for the replacement installation, writing that they were, “full of historical context,” despite objections from historians and city officials that the content appears

whitewashed. The ruling comes a week after a Massachusetts federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore sites changed under an executive order calling for the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks to not display elements that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.” The federal government has asked for a stay on that ruling while it appeals. It was unclear how the Massachusetts ruling would affect the restoration or replacement of the panels at the President’s House Site. About half the large panels at the outdoor exhibit had been restored before a February pause in the work.

Phone and email messages left for attorneys representing the city were not returned early Thursday Messages to spokespeople for the Department of Interior and the National Park Service also were not returned.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BILAL HUSSEIN

Workers unload emergency livestock feed and supplies for farmers from an aid convoy organized by the Order of Malta, a Catholic lay religious order, in the southern Christian village of Ain Ebel, Lebanon, on Thursday.

Obama Center opens with a call to defend democracy

Former presidents, celebrity crowd celebrate opening

BY SCOTT BAUER

Associated Press

Former President Barack Obama formally opened his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday with a call to defend democracy as three former presidents joined him on stage in an extraordinary event featuring politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known ﬁgures

“I hope this center will serve as an afﬁrmation of just how special, how precious our democracy truly is and remind us what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens,” the nation’s ﬁrst Black president told the crowd.

Jennifer Hudson, Bono, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder took turns on the stage ahead of Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder, who closed the show singing “Higher Ground” as the former presidents, world leaders and others danced along.

President Donald Trump was conspicuous both in his physical absence and by not

most dear I owe to the people of this city and the people of the surrounding neighborhoods,” Obama said.

Emotional words

The Obamas and their daughters shared the stage with former presidents Joe Biden, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton along with former first ladies Jill Biden, Laura Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and many other leading Democrats were in the audience.

Michelle Obama spoke directly to her husband when she stepped up to the podium. “Eight years in the crucible and not once did you melt in the heat. Not once did you let it harden you.

Your ferocious work ethic and absolutely unshakable moral ﬁber And to do it all as a ﬁrst.”

She ticked off highlights from her husband’s eight years in ofﬁce, including ordering the raid that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden, “standing up for marriage equality” and “listening to science.”

being mentioned by any of the speakers or performers. Trump called the $850 million center a “total disaster” in a social media post in February Obama voiced his support for character, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion and sense of duty, praising both Democrats and Republicans, including those he defeated

“Every president here today, as different as we are, has tried our best to uphold values that John McCain and

Mitt Romney believed in no less than I did,” Obama said. “It is our greatest inheritance.”

Reflecting on his arrival in Chicago in 1985 as an untested political organizer, he said he could not have built the Obama Presidential Center anywhere else. He met his future wife Michelle nearby, their wedding reception was within walking distance, his children were born in the neighborhood and he launched his ﬁrst candidacy

Court rules against ban on gun ownership by marijuana users

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court ruled Thursday against a broad federal ban on gun ownership by marijuana users, the latest in a line of ﬁrearm cases from a court that has expanded gun rights.

The justices decided unanimously in favor of Ali Danial Hemani, a Texas man who argued that a law barring guns from anyone who regularly uses illegal drugs violates the Second Amendment. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that his opinion narrowly limits the government’s power to take guns away from drug users who are not considered dangerous. Hemani, who was not charged with any other crimes or accused of using the weapon under the inﬂuence, is thankful he “ﬁnally has closure,” lawyer Zachary Newland said. The decision is a loss for

President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, which had defended the 1968 law despite arguing against other gun restrictions. Its core argument “fails under every measure,” Gorsuch wrote.

The law was originally meant to keep guns away from dangerous people, but the millions of people who now use marijuana can’t all be characterized that way, Gorsuch wrote.

not far away

“It’s an expression of thanks, an acknowledgment that so much of what I hold

“Instead, you used it to reveal your truest essence,” she said. “Your stubborn optimism and unﬂinching courage. Your dazzling brilliance and unpretentious decency

“And you did it all with such grace and class and cool,” she said “You made the hardest job in the world look like a walk in this beautiful park.” Obama appeared to wipe away a tear as she praised him. The three-hour invitationonly celebration included commentary from a nearby park where thousands gathered, and it was livestreamed to many more. It kicks off a weekend of events as the center opens to the general public on Juneteenth.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS

Former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden, from left, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, former

Trump presents theMedal of Honorto3veterans

Menhonored foractsof heroisminVietnam,Afghanistan

BY COLLIN BINKLEY and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump gave the Medal of Honor to three veterans on Thursday,honoring acts of heroism thatsaved lives and repelled enemy forces in Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Trump bestowed the military’shighest honor on Marine Corps Maj. James Capers Jr.and Army Maj Nicholas Dockery.Healso awarded it posthumously to Marine Corps Col. John W. Ripley,who died in 2008.

“These are great men, great people,” Trump said at the ceremony.“We thank you and we will never,ever forget you.”

Capers ledselflessrescue Capers, 88, was honored for risking his life to ensure the safety of his fellow Marines after they were ambushed in Vietnam in 1967. What was

supposed to be areconnaissance missiontoﬁnd asuspected North Vietnamese basecamp turned into days of bloody ﬁghting indense jungle, according to hiscitation.

On the fourth day,his team wasambushedand outnumbered by Vietnamese ﬁghters. Amine explosion left Capers with abroken leg and serious wounds to his abdomen.

“After ashot of morphine, Jim asserted command of thefirefight,”Trump said, drawing onaccountsofthe mission. “He took over like nobody’sever seen before.”

Capers called inair support to repel the ambush. When arescue helicopter arrived,Capers loaded allthe wounded men before climbingaboard.

Trumpshareda moving moment with Capers as the president pinned the Medal of Honor around his neck, clasping Capers by the shouldersand pulling him forward to make surethe medal was straight and level against his chest.Capers hadbeen keeping astraight face but broke into asmile when Trumpgrinned

Ripley laid explosives

Ripley washonored for a heroic efforttohalt theadvance of NorthVietnamese forces by blowing up acrucial bridge in 1972.

Aforce of more than30,000 NorthVietnamesesoldiers and 200 tanks was approaching thebridge in the village of DongHa when Ripley single-handedly placed 500 pounds of explosives to bring it down, according to his citation.

Over the course of five hours,Ripley climbed back andforth alongthe bridge’s steel beams, exposing himselftoenemy fire as he placed thecharges.

“John completed not one, not two, but ﬁve such trips,” Trump said, calling him a “very strong guy.”

Ripleysaid aprayer, then detonated the bridge,sendingitintothe waterbelow and halting the North Vietnamese advance, Trump said.

Ripley died in 2008. His

Democrats: Moneyfromtax cuts bill is paying forballroom

BYLISA MASCARO AP congressional correspondent

WASHINGTON More than

$350 million from President Donald Trump’s“big, beautiful bill ”has been quietly directed to White House security,anallotment that Democrats warn appears to be helping fund his new ballroom project —despite the president’sinsistence that no taxpayer dollars would be used. Theapportionment of

funds, which the White House’sOffice of Management and Budget made late Friday,comes from twoaccounts that were intended to provide theU.S. Secret Service with extra money for hiring and training in the aftermath of last year’sassassinationattemptsonthe president, according to Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee. Theshift was made days after Congress rejected a$1billion request for the White House in a

Homeland Security bill that Trump signedlaw andasthe ballroom project is tangled in legal challenges.

Senate Judiciary Commit-

tee chairman Chuck Grassley, whosepanel initially drafted thesecurityfunding, said Thursday he was unaware of the allocations.

“The president said that it was all going to be paid for with private money,” said Grassley,R-Iowa. “And that’s what thecountry expects.”

National ScienceFoundation

reverses decision to dismantle

Ocean-monitoring equipment will be redeployed

By The Associated Press

The National Science Foundation on Thursday reversed adecisiontodismantlea sprawling ocean monitoringnetworkafter vigorous objections from Democratic lawmakers and scientists who rely on it to track everything from ocean circulation to extreme weather

The NSF issued astatement saying thatit“appreciates the concerns raised by the range of stakeholders” and would halt efforts to remove or disable equipment. It also said it will redeploy equipment that alreadywas removedfrom the water and convene an ex-

pert panelto determine the future of the network.

The Ocean Observatories Initiative is anetworkof more than 900ocean sensors built at acost of $386 million.

Over thelast decadeithas tracked ocean circulation, marine ecosystems,climate change and extremeweather,producing data available to the public and informing more than 500 scientiﬁcpublications. The projectwas slated to run another 15-20 years.

TheNational Science Foundation had directedthe removal of most of the system’s instruments from waters off Oregon,Washington, Alaska, North Carolina and Greenland by 2027 —adecision scientistssaidcame with no warning and no scientiﬁcreview

Theindependent federal agency,establishedbyCon-

gress, described the move notasa cancellation but as a“descoping” alignedwith a strategy to prioritize “evolving scientific prioritiesand emerging technologies.” The Trumpadministration’sproposed 2026 budget had included a55% cut to the agency

On Monday,a groupof Democratic senators and one Republican, as well as two DemocraticHouse committees, sent letters to theNSF asking it to reverse course on itsplan. House lawmakersaccusedthe agency of acting illegally “Dismantlingthe OOI was supremestupidity, and we’ll keep ﬁghting to ensure scientists, ﬁshermen, and coastal communities can continue to utilize the critical data the OOI provides,” Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley,ofOregon, said in astatement Thursday

to find missing soldiers, according to his citation. After carrying awounded soldier away from gunfire, he spotted twoenemy fighters heading toward another woundedsoldier in an alley

Dockery killedthe twoﬁghters before performing CPR on the American soldier to get him breathing again, his citation said. Dockery called in mortar support, then shielded the wounded soldierfromthe blasts with his own body

threesons and other family membersattended the ceremony

Dockeryrescued soldiers

Dockery’s platoon members were guarding acom-

pound in Afghanistan’s Kapisa Province in 2012 when they were ambushed by an estimated 150 Taliban fighters.Heraced across open ground to rally his scattered team then set out

After hours of fighting in the close urban setting, Dockery usedsmoke grenadestosignalenemy positions for American gunships. He refused to leave the village until allthe wounded soldiers were taken to safety

“You were the last man to depart thebattlefield that day,” Trump told him, “and you leftitalegend and ahero.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By JACQUELyN

ready to leave but was postponing, citing difficult logistics for negotiations. The announcement followeda report from Al-Mayadeen, apan-Arab satellitechannel that is politically allied with the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, thatIranwas delaying sending its delegation to Switzerland overIsrael’songoing military campaign in Lebanon.

The postponement came after the U.S. said it had lifted its blockade, allowing oil tankersto begin freely moving through the Strait of Hormuz aftermonths ofbeing unable to use the criticalchannel. But the initialagreement hasdrawn sharp criticism from some in the U.S. —including afew congressional Republicans —who worry Washington ceded toomuch to Iran with relief from sanctions and apotential $300 billion fund to help with rebuilding. Earlier,Vance took therelatively unusual step of appearing at the White House to defend the deal, arguing that while it offers concessions, Iran ﬁrsthas to comply with U.S. demands.

“As they dial up their good behavior,wecan dial up theeconomic relief,” Vance said. “If theydial down their good behavior,wecan turn it off.”

The vice president had said during those remarks that he was not sure of the timing of the planned trip to Switzerland, and the postponement makes that even less clear Atop Trumpadministration envoy told U.S. lawmakers in a private brieﬁng that Iran will invite the U.N.’snuclear watchdog agency to inspect its nuclear sites. AndIranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had seemedtoendorse direct negotiations for his ofﬁcials

“It is obvious that the face-toface negotiations that will be held in the future willnot mean accepting the enemy’sopinion,” he said in astatement read by state media. It was Khamenei’sfirst reaction to the agreement, and it was interpreted as ashift in Iran’s approach. Hard-liners, especially Khamenei’s father,the previous supreme leader,have long opposed direct talks,especiallyafter the U.S. pulled out of the 2015

nuclear deal between Iranand world powers.

The supreme leader has not been seeninpublic sincehewas wounded in astrike at thestartof the war Inspection of nuclearsites

The agreementstates that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium must atminimum be diluted under international supervision. It also says that Iran shall notprocure or develop nuclear weapons —a commitmentithas madepreviously.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff toldmembers of Congressthat Iran will invite theInternational Atomic EnergyAgency to inspect its nuclear sites andbegin work on identifying anduncoveringthe locations of Tehran’senriched material, which is believed to be buried underrubble Witkoff’s private brieﬁng was described by two people familiar with the conversation who spoke to The Associated Pressoncondition of anonymity to share the closed-door details.

The agreementrequiresIran to “commit to renounce their nuclear ambitionsinwriting,”said White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales. The IAEA did notrespond to arequest for comment.

Witkoff told congressionalleadership andmembers of national security-related committees that the agreementthatthe U.S.struck

with Iran did not include any side deals, but aside letter was drafted between Tehran and the IAEA extending theinvitation.

Witkoff saidthe letter to IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi would enable himtobring U.S. nuclear inspectors to Tehran. Vancedefends deal

Earlier,PakistaniPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif postponed aplanned visit to Switzerland, where Islamabad officials had originally planned to hostaceremonial signing ceremony for the agreement. Thatvisit was postponedbecause theagreement had alreadybeen signedbyboth Iran andthe U.S said twosenior ofﬁcials whospokeoncondition of anonymitybecause of the sensitivityofthe matter President DonaldTrump signed theinitial pact withIran on Wednesdaywhile dining with French President EmmanuelMacron at the Palace of Versailles

The deal is slated to takeimmediate effect and extends aceaseﬁre while giving each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements on larger issues. Vance, who was initially personally skeptical of the U.S. going to war with Iran, hasincreasingly become theadministration’sface of the conﬂict and has been outspoken in defending the deal.

At theWhite House on Thursday,heshrugged off criticism

about the confusing rollout of the initialdeal, saying,“Idon’t think ourpublic messaging hasbeen chaotic.” He also offeredablunt warning to Israel,which has pushed theU.S.totakeaharderstance against Iran and launched attacks on theIranian-backedHezbollah militia in Lebanon throughout the war,including just before the deal extending the ceaseﬁre was reached. Those attacks complicated the peace efforts with Iran.

Trump“is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetictothe nation of Israel at this moment in time,” Vance said. “And he happenstobethe head of stateofthe world’ssuperpower.”

Shipping starts to pick up

Trumpsaidhesigned the agreement to avoid“economiccatastrophe” in theU.S., after thewar causedoil prices to skyrocket, made financialmarkets skittish and fueled inflation. Thedeal caused gas prices to fall and stock markets to rise —though rallies could be threatened againdepending on how the next round of U.S.Iran talksgo.

The vice president said more than 12.5 million barrels of oil went through theStraitofHormuzonWednesday night and said that the U.S. easing itsblockadeof Iran means “honoring our end of the early part of theagreementon themilitary side.”

U.S. Central Commandsaid American warships “will remain in thegeneral area to make sure that allaspects of theagreement are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect.”

Iranianstate media said shipping had“normalized” at Iran’s southern ports butadded that the strait remains supervised and under thecontrolofthe Iranian military,and transiting through the vitalwaterway still requires coordination.

Majorshipownersbegan movingvessels through the strait after theagreement wassigned, according to maritimedata company Lloyd’sListIntelligence, though Lloyd’sdid not give data on how many ships have passed through thestrait as of Thursday In amedia briefing, Richard Meade, editor-in-chiefofLloyd’s List, said for the ﬁrst timein110 days, ships owned by major companiesare transiting thestrait aftereffectively beingmarooned there since February

lashesout at NATO allies

BY LORNE COOK Associated Press

BRUSSELS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashedout at NATO allies on Thursdayasheannounced asix-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe whose outcomewill depend on how fast the Europeans take responsibility for their own security

Thereviewwas yetanother surprise forEuropeanalliesand Canada as they learn to deal with an increasingly unpredictable ally.U.S. ofﬁcials and senior military ofﬁcers had promised to coordinate closely withthe Europeans as America draws down.

In recentmonths, U.S. President Donald Trump andthe Pentagon have sent conﬂicting signals about whetherAmerica is reducingor increasing itsmilitaryfootprint in Europe, as well as threatening to annex Greenland, asemiautonomous island that is part of ally Denmark. Just weeks ago, the Trump administration said that it would no longer provide as muchmilitary support should any NATO member comeunder attack.

“This will be areal review.Itwill be designedtoensure that NATO is moving fast andirreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” Hegseth toldhis NATO counterparts. “It’s areview that some countries will fail and others will pass with ﬂying colors.”

GermanChancellorFriedrich Merz later said the allies have long been aware of U.S.plans to pull troops from Europe at somepoint andthattheymust take careof their own security

“Weknowthatwemust do more and we are doing it,” Merz said. In aﬁery speechatNATOheadquarters in Brussels, Hegseth lambasted European allies for failing to provide U.S. forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran, calling it “shameful.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

Vice PresidentJDVance speaks to reporters in the James BradyPress Briefing Room at the White House on Thursday

Michael Guidry said to the crowd. “But it takes the prodigious work and the tireless efforts of those who are willing to continue the ﬁght.”

The speech kicked off a day of discussions and cultural events centered on the holiday of Juneteenth, which commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger brought news of emancipation to enslaved people in Texas more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

Speakers at Southernemphasized the need for protection of hard-won rights for Black Americans in the context of redistricting. The sentiments followed a contentious state legislative session that ended with the elimination of one of Louisiana’stwo majority-Black congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court’sruling in Louisiana v. Callais.

“That Voting Rights Act is under attack,” Guidry said.

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funding for programs and staff of the schools that has already been appropriated.”

The petition was filed by Katie Baudouin, an Orleans Parish School Board member;Belinda Davis, aformer state boardofeducation member; and Mike Faulk, a former school superintendent. All three have children or grandchildren in public schools.

“I have deep concern for the lack of adeliberative process in the Governor’saction, especiallyinthat it excluded any public comment, debate or testimony that would have occurred through an appropriate legislative process,” said astatement from Faulk, who has four grandchildren in the Monroe City school

“There’svoter intimidation, there’svoter suppression, there arevoter ID laws and all types of laws and legal decisionsthat aretrying to deny us our righttovote, and we arethe ones who have to go forward and litigate these issues.”

system and previously led the Louisiana Association of SchoolSuperintendents.

Theplaintiffs are represented by the law firm Baker,Donelson,Bearman, Caldwell &Berkowitz.

In astatement issuedbefore thelawsuit was ﬁled,a spokesperson for thegovernorsaidthe Landryadministration feels “very conﬁdent about ourlegalposition.”

Controversialplan

Landry’splan to use state funding forpublic schoolsto pay forthe teacher stipends was alast-ditch effortafter voters rejecteda ballot measure to finance permanent teacher raises and the Legislature didnot include the stipends in the state budget

Thegovernor has argued thatschool districtscan afford the roughly 5% reduction in state dollars, sayingit’stime fordistrictsto

The dayopenedwith alibation ceremony and arendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by SouthernUniversity student ClaireFloyd. Southern University alumnus Jeanet Cazenave said she felt it was importanttocelebrate Juneteenth

“tighten their belt.” On Tuesday,the state’slegislative auditor told lawmakers that most school systems have enough money in their rainy day funds to cover the cut.

But school boardmembers andsuperintendents have stronglyopposedLandry’s order,which theysay will force some schools to eliminate staff positions or programs. They also argue that the proposal unfairly shifts the financial burden from thestate, which previously has covered the cost of the teacher stipends, to local school systems

“This is going to cause completedevastation in many districts,”saidLeila JacobsEames, president of the Orleans Parish School Board, during ameeting Wednesdaywhenthe board calledonlawmakers to reject the plan.

“It is your responsibilityat

Brandon V. Lewis paints and Eric Whitfield plays the saxophone Thursdayduring avisual art/jazz mashup at SouthernUniversity’sJuneteenth celebration on in Baton Rouge.

on campus as notonlya relative of theﬁrst dean of SouthernUniversity but also adescendant of the GU272, a group of enslaved individu-

alswho weresoldtoplantations in Louisiana in 1838 by Jesuit priests to pay the debts of what is now GeorgetownUniversity in Washing-

ton, D.C. Juneteenth “means everything,” Cazenave said. “It means the past, the present andthe future.”

the state to ﬁnd the resources there,” sheadded. “If we can take it from our funds, whycan’t youtake it from yours?”

School district leaders have urged theirstate representatives to vote against Landry’splan. But some lawmakers saidthey were reluctanttovote against the stipends, whichteachers have received the past few years instead of statewide raises, and waryofdefying Landry, who could veto state funding for local projects.

In private,some education leaders also discussed taking legal action to block thefunding cut. Several said they wereapproached about joining astatewide lawsuit, but no school boards or districts agreed to sign on.

“Itwas asituation where very few school systems, out of fear of retaliation, want to takethat avenue,” saidSt.

Tammany Parish schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia.

Legalargument

The lawsuit that advocates filedThursdayarguesthat Landry exceeded his legal authority by ordering the funding cut.

Louisiana’sConstitution allows the governor to reduce the overall amount of education funding withlegislative approval. But Landry’sorder goes beyond that by saying $168 milliontaken from public school budgets must go toward educators stipends, the lawsuit argues.

“The Governorhas no authority,constitutional or otherwise, to redirect appropriated funds fromthe MFP,” says the petition, referring to the Minimum Foundation Program,the school-funding formula that the state constitution says must be setbythe state education board.

Thelawsuit also alleges that the ballot lawmakers were asked to submit electronically by June 23 is deﬁcient because it only asks whether they approve of the funding reduction, not the reallocation of the money to payfor theeducatorstipends. The ballotdeprives “the legislatorsoftheir vote on a legislative issue,” thelawsuit says, “and the legislative process that involves committee hearings, floor debate,and public testimony.”

Baudouin, whose two children attend New Orleans public schools, said in astatement that Landry should call aspecial legislative session to address the funding issue, which would include public testimony and debate.

“Thisiswhatthe legislative process is for,” she said, “and this is what the people of Louisiana deserve.”

STAFFPHOTOSByMICHAEL JOHNSON

more than 20,000 people were without power in New Orleans and JeffersonParishby6:45 a.m., thoughthat number dwindledthroughout the day.InSt. Tammany, authorities kept aclose eye on rising rivers and gathered information on apotential tornado strike in Eden Isles, where buildings were damaged and debris was strewn across streets.

Warning sirens kept residents up in St. Charles Parish throughout the night as thestorm pounded the region. Not far away in Avondale, on theWest Bank of Jefferson Parish, two people were injured when an EF1 tornado with 90-mph winds tossed amobilehome into a neighboring modular home in the600 blockofGeorge Street, completely destroying the former,authorities said.

Preliminary National Weather Service reports showed three separate tornadoes,including theone in Avondale and another in the Houma area. Athird —ifit is ultimately conﬁrmed to be adifferent twister than the Avondale tornado —ripped its way from the OldJefferson area intoNew Orleans, ending up around Lakefront Arena.

The Houma and New Orleans tornadoes were also EF1s with winds of 95 mph

The east bank tornado’s winds sheared the side off the Republic Services Recycling Center in the1000 block of Harimaw Court in Metairie, near where Land ARoad meets Airline Highway. Notfar fromthatbuilding, 13 empty railcars on the nearby tracks tipped over Across Airline Highway, the privacy fence running the length of the golf course at Metairie Country Clubhad been blown to the ground.

Severalemployeesat

Ochsner Medical Centerin the same area on Jefferson Highway reported damage to parked vehicles, according to Jefferson Parish spokesperson Rachel Strassel. Trees were also downed there.

Ochsner also saw “minor exterior wind damage and

limited water intrusion,” a spokesperson said. The facility remainedfully operational.

New Orleans itself seemed to have avoided major havoc despite the Sewerage & Water Boardlosingpower to seven drainage pump stations fornearlyanhour at the height of thestorm, afailurethat anew $300 million power complex is designed to guard against. Relatively lowrainfalltotals in the city meant that there werenoseriousrepercussions, but New Orleans officialspressed the S&WBto move quickly to figure out what wentwrong. That failure, coupled with the flooding in Kenner, may raise further questionsover theeffectiveness of the area’sdrainage systems. The Kenner flooding wasreminiscent of canal overtopping that occurred during 2024’s HurricaneFrancine, which provoked pointed questions overpumping systems in the parishand at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said,however,that pumps belonging to both the parish and the airport operated normally ‘Fared pretty well’

Arthur’s remnants were a far cry from that 2024 hurricane, and New Orleans Mayor HelenaMoreno spoke Thursday of the city avoiding signiﬁcant damage.

“I am overall gladto see thatwedon’thave significant flooding in our area,” shesaid.“We don’t have significant damage.Wefared pretty well compared to what other parishes are seeingatthistime.”

Addressing the pump failure,Morenosaid:“My messagetothemisﬁgure it out, and ﬁgure it out now.”

Gov.Jeff Landry told WWL radio thathewas monitoring the aftermath statewide. He said that while the current situation should notbedownplayed, thestorm could also serve as atestrun for emergency and drainage systems as the regionmoves deeper into hurricane season.

He later declared astate of emergency in Avoyelles, Lafourche, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry,St. Tammany and Terrebonne parishes in response to thestorm.

Jefferson Parish faced a morecomplicated dilemma than New Orleans.The storm’s pathleft Jefferson with far higher rain totals, inundating it with up to 9 inches in comparison to less than 3inthe city.

That led to overflowing canalsand stranded drivers, with Loyola Drive and Williams Boulevardflooding hotspots.KennerCity spokespersonValerie Brolin said there were about five conﬁrmed reportsofﬂooded homes, but thatpostsonsocial media appeared to show manymore impacted.

Kenner police said50to 70 cars stalled outoverthe course of the storm.

“Wehave not had major injury or loss of life, is what I’m told,”Lee Sheng said while visiting tornado damageinAvondale,whichshe called “heartbreaking.”

“We’re very,very,very fortunatefor thatinthis parish,” she said.

Also in Jefferson Parish, the RedCross said it was assisting nine families after fire destroyed their Hancock Street homes in

Gretna on Thursday morn-

ing. It was unclear if the ﬁre was directlyconnected to thestorm.

While the storm did not approachthe level of dangersouth Louisianans are too familiar with from past hurricanes, therewere still instances of closecalls and frightening conditions.

Kirk Derokey awoke around 5:30 a.m. to the sound of thudsfromdebris hitting the outside of his homein

theLakeTerrace neighborhood of New Orleans.

“It was just gushes of wind and debris just ﬂying everywhere,” Derokey,who lives near St. Bernard Avenue and NewYork Street, said once the sunroseand the rains died down.

In Metairie, on Veterans Boulevard near Transcontinental Drive, Toby Forman stood with his gray Honda Civic, waiting for atow truck as his car tilted into

the canal. He wasonhis way to his 6a.m. shift as asecurityguard forEast Jefferson GeneralHospital when he noticed he could no longertellhow high theﬂoodwaters wereand decidedto turn around. Forman attempted to turn around on the grassy median, but his tires lost traction.Hewas stuckfor over an hour on themedian alongsideLakeside Hospital nurse Clinisia London, whohad parked next to him while she waited for ﬂoodwater to clear so she could head to her 12-hour shift.

“I’m very frustrated, because Idrove all the way from home, Ihad to drop my kids offatmyparents’ home,and thenget out here only to ﬁndout that Ican’t get to my job because my street is flooded,” London said. “Now I’mlosing out on payand I’mliterally right here by my job.”

With reports from Ben Myers, Blake Paterson, Marco Cartolano, Justin Mitchell and Willie Swett.

Arthur’s remnants flood saturated area

Livingston Parish didn’t get a chance to dry out

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD

Staff writer

Before the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur moved through

south Louisiana early Thursday morning, rainwater was already overflowing ditches and front yards in rural parts of Livingston Parish The storm, which downgraded quickly after moving ashore in Texas on Wednesday, did bring torrential rains and suspected tornadoes to the New Orleans area. Avoyelles Parish north and west of the Baton Rouge area, received

more than 20 inches of rain, and state ofﬁcials were evacuating and rescuing families from rising water Thursday afternoon.

While less rain fell on the Capital Region than predicted, Livingston Parish didn’t get a chance to dry out between rainstorms throughout the wet week leading up to Arthur — and more rain was expected late Thursday Livingston Parish Council mem-

ber Joe Erdey, whose district covers a northeast part of the parish, said roads and homes near Blood River and its tributaries can bear the worst of the conditions during a week of heavy rainfall like this one. The worst was actually two days before Arthur brushed Louisiana.

“That river comes up so quick, so fast,” he said. “It winds up in a yard, in a garage.”

UP AND COMING

Water flooded into some residents’ yards on Mary Kinchen Road in Independence on Tuesday according to residents’ photos and videos. One resident even had water come up the driveway and into a shed. The council member said local leadership and the parish’s Department of Public Works are

A construction worker uses a lift to work on an archway of the new St. Luke’s Episcopal on Goodwood Boulevard in Baton Rouge on Monday

BR police detail Lobdell shooting victims

The ﬁve victims injured in a drive-by shooting outside an apartment complex on Wednesday night ranged in age from 11 to 17, a Baton Rouge police spokesperson said. The children were in the driveway of an apartment complex in the 2100 block of Lobdell Boulevard a little after 7 p.m. when a vehicle pulled up in front of the apartments and someone began ﬁring shots at them, police said

Two of the victims were 15 and the others were 11, 14 and 17, a police spokesperson said. The victims were taken to a hospital, and all are expected to survive their injuries

No suspects or motives have been developed, police said Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to

Grill in Prairieville damaged by fire

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office. No injuries were reported. Officials did not disclose the amount of damage to the property

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer

Firefighters battled a blaze Wednesday night at Sammy’s Grill in Prairieville, forcing crews to enter the locked building as ﬂames burned in the rear of the restaurant.

The Prairieville Fire Department was dispatched at 10:02 p.m. to the property at 37306 Perkins Road.

The ﬁrst two units arrived two minutes later and found the ﬁre inside the rear of the building.

The building was unoccupied and secured, requiring the crews

to force entry, fire officials said. PFD requested St. George Fire to send additional units. Suppression crews extinguished the fire, placing it under control at 10:48 p.m. The representatives from the restaurant could not be reached for comment. The Sammy’s location on Highland Road closed Sunday after nearly 40 years in business. The restaurant owners said they are looking for a new location in Baton Rouge.

In a Facebook post, Sammy’s management said the Prairieville restaurant would be closed until further notice while the damage from the ﬁre is assessed.

“After an already emotional week with the closure of our Highland location, this is another heartbreaking challenge We are so thankful for the love, prayers, and support from our incredible community,” the restaurant stated. “Your kindness means the world to us.”

Slowhike company to host foraging hike on June

27

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

New charges filed against alleged terrorist

Counts relate to 2023 Hamas attack in Israel

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

New federal charges have been filed against Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, who resided and worked briefly in Lafayette after allegedly participating in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack in Israel that left hundreds of civilians dead. Federal officials with the U.S.

District Court in Lafayette on Wednesday ﬁled a superseding indictment against Al-Muhtadi that modifies an existing charge and adds two others to the original twocount indictment issued in October of 2025.

An original count against Muhtadi accused the Gaza native of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death The superseding indictment removes “resulting in death” from the charge.

A second count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organiza-

tion was added with Wednesday’s superseding indictment. Count 3 of the new indictment retains a visa fraud charge contained in the original indictment.

A fourth count, which is new, accuses Al-Muhtadi of making a false statement within the jurisdiction of the United States. He allegedly told a representative of the Department of State that he did not have specialized skills or training in things like ﬁrearms and explosives when he did have such skills and training due to his longtime afﬁliation with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and its paramili-

New Orleans-area levee board’s meeting under legal scrutiny

Lawyers: Move may have violated open meetings law

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

A New Orleans-area levee board met behind closed doors this week to discuss an investigation by the state attorney general, a move open-government lawyers say may have violated state law

The board voted at a May 12 meeting to request that Attorney General Liz Murrill make public an investigative report within 30 days into alleged wrongdoing at the ﬂood protection agency, ofﬁcially called the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East. Those 30 days came and went, and the report has not been made public.

Murrill says the flood protection authority responsible for overseeing much of the metro area’s $14.5 billion flood control system, is holding up the report. Board members at the flood agency say Murrill has delayed releasing it.

For more than a year, Gov. Jeff Landry’s allies have repeatedly suggested that the investigation would reveal former board members’ wrongdoings.

Shane Guidry, a Landry adviser who has been carrying out changes at the agency though he holds no government office, has upended the board, overseeing an effort that

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B

call CrimeStoppers at (225) 3447867.

Police: Man arrested in girlfriend’s killing

A man who allegedly killed his girlfriend in May in an apartment complex on North Ardenwood Drive was arrested after he lied to investigators several times about happened, according to Baton Rouge police.

Ryan Selestan, 33, was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of seconddegree murder and illegal use of a weapon. On May 28, police responded to

has removed or led to the resignation of every member appointed before the governor took office.

He has repeatedly alleged that the agency, prior to Landry, was rife with “waste, fraud and abuse” allegations that have so far not been substantiated.

Murrill has previously said that her office’s investigation did not find any criminal conduct, but “some pretty severe dysfunction.”

The delay appears related to the investigation into Superintendent of Police Joshua Rondeno. As police chief, he oversaw a dramatic increase in the ﬂood agency’s focus on policing, and was placed on paid leave earlier this month after lawmakers questioned his self-drafted employment contract, a version of which would have granted him up to $910,000 in severance pay had he been ﬁred without cause.

“The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East’s board has requested that we continue investigating certain new complaints regarding operations,” Murrill said in a statement. “Because those matters overlap and may have an impact on the report the board requested, I will follow the instructions of the board regarding when it wishes to release the prior report.”

Murrill and the board appear to disagree over who asked whom to delay the report. At Wednesday’s meeting, board President Peter Vicari flatly contradicted Murrill, saying it was she who told the

a shooting at the Woodside Manor apartments on Ardenwood Drive and found a woman screaming for help from a second-floor apartment balcony.

Police found Shyquencia Williams suffering from a close-contact gunshot wound to the chest, and emergency ofﬁcials gave lifesaving care. Williams was taken to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, where she later died, according to police.

During police questioning, Selestan said he was in the bedroom when Williams entered, saying she had been shot, according to an arrest warrant. Selestan said he put Williams on the bed, removed her clothing to check for other wounds, and pulled her off the other side of the bed before calling 911.

William’s autopsy showed she

board to hold it.

“That’s not correct,” Vicari said of Murrill’s statement. “We were ready to give it to y’all and this other thing happened. So that’s why she said, ‘Stop, don’t release anything until this one is done.’”

Board members convened in a closed-door session Wednesday to “discuss” making the investigation public. The meeting’s agenda was amended after a reporter noted that holding a closed-door meeting to talk about “a legal matter in anticipation of litigation,” as the ﬁrst version of the agenda read, appeared to violate the state’s open meetings law

The board reworded that item and added a second — a closeddoor “discussion of the release of the Attorney General’s investigative report.”

But that also may not be permissible under Louisiana’s open meetings law, according to Bruce Hamilton, director of the First Amendment Clinic at Tulane University’s law school.

“The body can go into executive session for an investigative proceeding, not a discussion of a report,” Hamilton said Virginia Hamrick, a staff attorney with the Reporter’s Committee for the Freedom of the Press, agreed “The open meetings law is supposed to be interpreted strictly and the exceptions are narrowly construed,” she said “It doesn’t include discussions.”

had been shot at close range and had an additional gunshot wound to her left arm that happened the night she died.

Using surveillance footage of the apartment, police saw Selestan repeatedly walking around the complex with a silver Smith & Wesson handgun, although he told police several times that he did not own a gun, according to the arrest warrant.

Surveillance footage also showed police that Williams was not outside at the time she was shot, a fact Selestan told police several times. Because of Selestan’s contradictory statements to the police, he was arrested. He was previously arrested in connection with various drug counts and illegal carrying of weapons.

tary wing, the National Resistance Brigades which has ties to Hamas, according to the indictment.

Al-Muhtadi also allegedly told the State Department representative that he had never been involved in any paramilitary-style group, had never engaged in terrorist activities, had never intended to provide ﬁnancial or other support to terrorists and had not committed, ordered, incited or assisted in killings or other acts of violence.

The superseding indictment alleges he did all of the above and participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and massacre in Israel.

The visa fraud charge stems

from lies Al-Muhtadi allegedly told when applying for a visa, namely that he had no involvement with paramilitary groups and had no specialized skill or training in ﬁrearms or explosives, according to the new indictment.

Al-Muhtadi’s trial, which will take place in Lafayette, is set for November His attorney wants it delayed until February as he ﬁghts federal prosecutors over the validity and admissibility of an Israeli government expert and documents retrieved from the battleﬁeld. Contact Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

Former blackjack dealer charged in cheating case

BY MARGARET BAKER Sun Herald

A former Mississippi Coast blackjack dealer indicted in Harrison County is charged with one count of cheating at gambling, according to records ﬁled in the case.

Huynh Chi Kang Nguyen, 27, of Biloxi, waived his arraignment in May and pleaded not guilty to the offense.

Nguyen is accused of committing the crime on or around July 16, 2025. He was arrested the same day of the alleged offense.

According to the records, Nguyen was working as a dealer at Boomtown Casino Biloxi when he allegedly exposed the cards to patrons before they placed bets. In

addition, he’s accused of failing to collect losing bets from patrons. Nguyen is currently being screened for pretrial diversion. If he is eligible for the program and successfully completes the terms of his sentence, he would not have a felony conviction on his record. Otherwise, his case would go trial, which is tentatively set in July

The gambling offense carries a maximum sentence of up to two years in prison and up to $10,000 in ﬁnes, or both. Nguyen is currently out of jail on a $25,000 bond.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission investigated the case. Harrison County Assistant District Attorney Meaghan Smith is prosecuting.

ARTHUR

Continued from page 1B

potentially going to use drones to survey parts of the parish to create a plan to help drainage issues. The parish government is also working on a parishwide drainage master plan, set to be completed in 2027.

On Thursday morning, some roads and yards still held a notable amount of water from the rains, including Kinchen Road in the eastern part of the parish, but the amounts were significantly less than from earlier in the week.

Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte said in a statement Thursday that most of the river gauges along the Amite and Tickfaw rivers had crested and are beginning to fall.

“At this time, Livingston Parish Government has not received any reports of homes ﬂooding as a result of this storm,” Delatte stated. The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce said it did not receive any weather-related reports of incidents on Thursday

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2026

PICK 3: 0-6-5 PICK 4: 5-1-9-2 PICK 5: 6-6-7-0-3 EASY 5: 5-15-27-32-37

LOTTO: 4-7-10-24-39-42 POWERBALL: 3-26-49-53-61 (12) Unofficial notification, keep

STAFF PHOTO By CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Water floods Kinchen Road in the eastern part of Livingston Parish on Thursday.

OPINION

La.seeingresults of progress we’vemade

To the people of Louisiana:

This year’slegislative session built on the historic progress we’ve made together over thepasttwo years.And boy, we have come along way.Together,wehave made our state safer,opened newopportunities for people lookingfor work improved our infrastructure, tackled insurance costs and strengthened how government serves you.

Ithank the legislators and other government ofﬁcials, including those in my cabinet and agencies, who have supported change. Change is not easy,but it had to be done.The people of Louisiana demandedit.

We started where it matters most: public safety.Every family in Louisiana deserves to feel safe in their own community.This year,wetook strong action to crackdown on violent crime and make surethose who harm our neighborhoods facereal consequences. After the tragic shooting atthe Mall of Louisiana, Isaid thatanyone threateningour children or bringing violenceinto ourpublic spaces would facethe fullweight of the law.And we meant it, by passing the toughest penalties for gang-related violence in public areas in recent memory.That’s delivering on promises.

We addressed an issue thathas been out of balance for decades: the criminal justice

structureinNew Orleans.Leadersinside and outside the city have long agreed that consolidating theclerks of court and reforming thecriminaljudicialsystem was thefairthing to do.The changes made will create asystem that’s more efﬁcient, data-driven and accountable. Simply put, we did not need threepeople to screwinalight bulb, and it was timefor meaningfulreformtoprotect the taxpayers. With over $100 billion in private investment,our economyisbuilding historic momentum. Companies are choosing our state over other states in the country becauseour policiesmake us competitive, consistent and welcoming of new ideas.Wedon’tmove the goalposts anymore. We sit down withall stakeholders, public and private, and ﬁnd a path forward. It’s anew way of doing things here,and it’spaying off.

The proof is in thepudding. Businesses are investinginLouisiana, new facilitiesare being built across our stateand good-paying jobs are being created for our people.For the ﬁrst time in along time, moreLouisianans areseeing opportunity righthereat home and choosing to stayand raise their families in our state

Butbig investments are only part of the story.Wemust ensure our people are

ready for the jobs that come with them That’swhy we launched the Ofﬁce of the LouisianaTalent Accelerator,which connectsworkers with training and employers who need them. This strengthens our promise of keeping our families closer to home. We continued our commitment to infrastructure improvements. Creating the State Infrastructure Bank andthe Rural Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund giveslocal leaders the tools needed to quickly complete projects. The result: 64 bridgesacross Louisiana are either being built or replaced right now. These aren’tjust promises on paper; they’re real improvements. Louisiana families and senior citizens now keep moreoftheir money.Weenactedhistoric taxreform, which included the largest taxcut in statehistory,ensuring that people acrossall income levels get to keep more of their hard-earned money instead of sending it to the government Insurance has long been achallenge, and we didn’tshy away from it. This year,we invested $80 million intoour fortiﬁed roof program —the largest investment of its kind in Louisiana’shistory.Stronger roofs mean less storm damage, which means lower costs for you.

It’s asmartinvestment that protects people today and helps lower premiums

Legislatureunderminesyears of hard work on public safety

The Republican legislative supermajority’s targeting of New Orleans threatens to undermine yearsofhard-fought public safety progress.

For months, district attorneys and legislators from across Louisiana workedcollaboratively on nonpartisan legislationdesigned to increase the number of prosecutors statewide in order to improve public safety in every jurisdiction. There was broad agreement around one basic reality: Louisiana needs more prosecutors,not fewer. The demands placedon modern prosecutors’ ofﬁces,particularlyin violent crime jurisdictions,continuetogrow whileresources remainstretchedthin.

there were repeated efforts to undermine local ofﬁcials and local institutions rather than support the workbeing done.

over time. Ipledged to make government work better for you. Our efficiency efforts have already uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in savings that belong to the people of Louisiana. And to keep those improvements going, we made Louisiana DOGE a permanent part of state government under the Office of the Inspector General. And yes, after decades of complaints, jokes and frustration, we finally endedthe outdated inspection sticker.Ittook far too long, but we got it done. As we look ahead, I’m reminded of a simple truth: Real opportunity comes when we’re willing to step outside our comfort zone. Progress asks us to be bold, to choose courage over complacency and to believe that tomorrow can be better than today That belief is something Louisianans have always had. It has helped us rebuild after storms and push past anything that triesto hold us back.

That same spirit is carrying us into anew era —one deﬁned not by the things that have limited us, but by the possibilities that are lifting us forward. Our best days aren’t behind us; they’re right in front of us. And Itruly believe they’re ours to reach for,together with asmile Jeff Landry is the governor of Louisiana.

Energy alliance fights forall Louisianans

Yetatthe eleventh hour,Republican legislative leadership advanced amendments stripping approximately half amilliondollars from the Orleans Parish District Attorney’sOfﬁce, reportedly with the support and blessingofGov.Jeff Landry’s administration. The move occurred without meaningful discussion, supporting data or consultation with local stakeholders.

This was not simply abudgetary adjustment

It was adecision with direct public safety consequences forNew Orleans.

It is important for the public to understand exactly what was cut. This is not unrestricted operational funding. Under Louisiana law, this “warrant” fundingcan only be used for prosecutor salaries.In practical terms, the reductionmeans fewer prosecutors in courtrooms, fewer attorneys reviewing cases, fewer lawyers handling violent crime prosecutions and ultimatelyfewerresources devotedto ﬁghting for victims and protecting public safety

The decision comes at aparticularlytroubling time because New Orleans hasexperienced oneof the most dramatic reductions in violent crime in modern city history.Byvirtually every account, homicides and violent crime are nowat theirlowestlevelssince the1970s.EvenPresidentDonald Trump has publicly acknowledgedthe city’s public safety progress. That progress did not happenbyaccident. It was built through five years ofdifficult work by police officers, prosecutors, judges, jurors, witnesses and community members who continuedtobelieve in the rule of law and the importance of rebuilding trust in the justice system.

It is also no coincidence thatthe Orleans Parish District Attorney’sOfficehas tried significantly more violent crime casessince the end of thepandemic than prior administrations. Trialdockets were rebuilt, courtroom operations wererestored andconfidence in the system was gradually strengthened. That trust matters. It means more people increasingly believe justicecan and should be pursued in acourtroom rather than through retaliation in the streets. And yet, despite that measurable progress, Republican-controlled state leadership continues to pursue policies that weakenthe very institutions responsible for maintaining public safety in New Orleans. During this year’slegislative session,

The recent decision to eliminatemultiple judgeshipsfrom Orleans ParishCriminal DistrictCourtisanother example. Removing judgesfromone of the busiest criminal court systemsinLouisiana will not make New Orleans or the surrounding parishes safer.Itrisks slowing prosecutions, increasing delays for victims, prolonging case resolutionand placing even greater strain on an already overburdened justicesystem. Particularly troubling was the targeting of Judge Rhonda Goode-Douglas,who was blindsided by legislation eliminating the seat to which the citizens of Orleans Parishelected her in 2020. Regardless of political afﬁliation, voters in NewOrleans chose theirjudges through democratic elections.Overriding thosechoices from BatonRouge sends adangerous message about local self-governance and judicial independence. It also removes one of the mostefﬁcient and effective judgesfrom thecriminalcourthouse.

At atimewhen New Orleans is ﬁnally making measurable progress in reducing violent crime, the state should be strengthening theinstitutions responsible for delivering justice, notdismantling them piece by piece. This is not simply aNew Orleans issue. Hurting NewOrleans hurts Louisiana.Crimedoes notstop at parishlines, and when one parish is weakened, surrounding communities inevitably feel the ripple effects. Republicans and Democratsalike,across all 64 parishes, should understand thatpublic safety in Louisiana is interconnected.

That is why these funding reductions are so troubling. At thevery moment prosecutors handling homicide, armed robbery,domestic violence andchild abuse cases are losing resources, state leaders were prepared to commit millions of taxpayer dollars towardsubsidizing an international golf eventconnected to one of the wealthiest foreign-backed organizations in the world. The contrast raises legitimate questions about priorities.

The goal of public policy should be to strengthen the criminal justice system where measurable progress is occurring, not weaken it for political or partisan reasons. New Orleanshas worked too hardand sacriﬁced too much to reverse course now But New Orleans has endured far worse than political hostilityfromBaton Rouge.This city has survivedhurricanes, economic collapse, national neglect and generations of challenges to its independence and resilience. Each time, itspeople rebuilt strongerthanbefore. We will do soagain.

The people of New Orleans will not allow political agendas crafted in Baton Rouge to undo years of progressearned through sacriﬁce, persistenceand an unwavering commitmenttopublic safety

Jason Williams is thedistrict attorney in Orleans Parish

The newspaper recentlypublished acolumn from Gregory Kiley,accusing theAlliance for Affordable Energyof being funded by theChinese government to undermine Louisiana’seconomy and national security.This accusation was ﬁrst made by the Pelican Institute, Louisiana’slocal afﬁliate of anational network of right-wing “thinktanks” historically supported by the Koch brothers andother conservative or corporate donors.

While we fail to see how our work threatensanything other thanobscene proﬁts forWallStreet shareholders or bonuses forcorporate utility CEOs, we do think it is important to provide somefacts.

First, the Alliancewas founded by and for Louisianans. We are not part of some coordinated project to manipulate state policyfor the interests of theuber-wealthy, corporatesponsors or “foreign adversaries” —we’re alocal organization that’sbeen ﬁghting to keep your monthly electric bill affordable for over40years.

Second, we have neverreceived —nor would we accept— funding from entities connected to theChinese government. The accusation speciﬁcally made by Kiley andthe Pelican Institute relates to funding for the Alliance, which they claim camefrom theEnergyFoundation China. Thisisfalse. Butwemay be able to explain howtheygot their factssowrong.

The Alliance hasreceivedfunding from theEnergyFoundation, awell-respected philanthropic organization,for many years as far back as 2014. In 2019, the Energy Foundation split intotwo entities: theU.S.EnergyFoundationand EnergyFoundation China During that separation,Energy Foundation China kept theoriginal Employer Identiﬁcation Number (EIN) and theU.S.EnergyFoundationwas created as anew entity, withanew EIN.

The Alliance did receive funds from the EnergyFoundation under thatoriginal EIN —back whenit was only used forthe American legal entity.And allgrants to the Alliance receivedsince2019 are from the U.S. EnergyFoundation EIN. But don’ttakemyword forit

—you can ﬁndall this information on ourwebsite. It is OK —albeitembarrassing —toget these thingsconfused.Due diligencecan be tough, especially whenyou have a political narrative to push Butthat bringsustoour thirdfact. UnlikeKiley— who fails to disclose he is aWashington, D.C.-based political consultant— or thePelican Institute, which doesn’t publishits funder information,the Alliancehas advocated for moretransparency in regulatory andother policymaking processes fordecades.

That’swhy Iwenttothe April Public ServiceCommission meeting to speak in favorofthe rule-making proposed by Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, whichKiley urgesthe commission to adopt. In fact, we workedwithLPSCstaffto ensure those ruleswill maximize transparency without violating constitutional rightsorprevent regularpeople from participating in theregulatory process. It should be noted that these attacksagainstuscome at atime when Louisiana is preparing to give away morestate dollars than ever to someofthe world’swealthiest andmost powerful peopleand corporationsinthe name of “economic development.” It comes at a time when many of ourstate’sappointed andelected officialshave signednondisclosure agreements to keep crucial facts about those “economicdevelopment” dealssecret from thepublic Perhapsthe Pelican Institute and Kileyhopetheir accusationswill distract from this.But theAlliance will notbeintimidated by selfproclaimed “think tanks.” We will notbow downtothe corporate special interests who fund them,and who want to make youpay more andmore fortheir benefit,while youget less andless in return Andunlike ouraccusers, we have nothing to hide.We’re here to fight forthe rights and well-being of all Louisianans— and we’re notgoing anywhere.

JacksonVossisgovernment affairsand policycoordinator forthe Alliancefor Affordable Energy

Gov.Jeff Landry GUEST COLUMNIST

Jason Williams GUEST COLUMNIST

Jackson Voss GUEST COLUMNIST

Blackhistory is American history

No peopleunderstoodwhatfreedom meantmorethanthose whowereenslaved

The history of America is written in blood, civil strife, rebellion,resistance, treachery anddeception

It is also written in bravery,heroism, sacriﬁce andslavery.America was built on thebacks of our ancestors and throughthe wombs —that were claimed, owned and enslaved —of our grandmothers. Thebirth of America did not start with abang or with abullet. It started with apetition for redress of grievances.

By Kaye Whitehead

ABOUTTHE IMAGE

On June 7, 1776, Richard Lee of Virginia stood up in the Pennsylvania State House to read his resolution.This was amomentousoccasion that marked what was alreadyhappening in the 13 colonies. One year earlier,onMay 10 1775, when King George III failed to respond to the Second ContinentalCongress’spetition, the colonists began to assume national duties, which included establishing anational currency,a Continental Army anda post ofﬁce for the “United Colonies.

At that time, around 2.5million colonists lived in America. Among them were 500,000 enslaved men, women and children. It is ironic that while White colonists were calling for their independence, they were actively enslavingBlack colonists. They would continuetodosofor the next 89 years until theratiﬁcation of the 13th AmendmentonDec. 6, 1865.

Before White colonists formally declared their independence in 1776, Black people had been declaring and fighting for theirs since at least 1526,whenthe first 100-plus enslaved people revolted and escaped from San Miguel de Gualdape, the first European settlement in the continental U.S. This was the first rebellion of enslaved people fighting to be free.

One hundred andeighteen years later,in1644, 11 enslaved men and women in the Black communityof New Amsterdam, theprincipal port city and capital, petitioned forand won their freedom andland.They had completed 17 of their 18 years of indentured servitude. They argued that they should be freed and not subject tothe 1625 Virginia law spreading across the colonies.

This law distinguished between Black servitudeand Black slavery It helped lay the foundation forthe harsher slave laws enforced from 1657 onward. Althoughthiswas the

ﬁrst documented legal racial protest (that we know of), it was likely notthe ﬁrst ever,and it was certainly notthe last.The earliest account of arebellion by enslaved men and women in the 13 colonies occurred in 1687 on aVirginia plantation. Although their plan was discovered before it happened, the idea that Black people were organizing back then to aggressively challenge the system is important to note. There have always been multiple movements and ideas within the Black community around resistance. This means that protests happened in thestreets and in the courtroom. They happened in theschools and in thepublic square. They happened when we chose to stay,and when we chose to run or ride on atrain, or stow away on aboat, or mail ourselves to freedom.

Understanding all these realities helps framethe Black American experience not just for thepast 250 years but for thepast 500 years (San Miguel de Gualdape, or 407 years if you date back to 1619 in Jamestown, Virginia).The struggle anddesire to be free, write our history and pursue our destiny have alwaysbeen part of that experience. Despite laws that were crafted to restrict our rightsand freedoms, ourdesire to be free remains central to America’sstory. The questions have never been about whether we should join thestruggle for civil rights, but when, where and to what extent.

As America advanced from its early beginnings to its position as aworld power,Black people have contributed significantly,yet we have not always shared equally in its progress. Ourstruggles have included not just fighting for land and physical freedom, but also forcing this nation to fulfill its promises as outlined in our founding documents. Thequestions these strugglesraise —about liberty and justice —have existed since America’sstartand persisttoday.Inthe 21st century, these questions may seem simple, but history reveals how deeply they shape our identity and who belongs in the American narrative. Black history is American history, afact we strive to affirm within a society constructed on Whiteness. We commit to these self-evident truths and have consistently shown

our willingness to ﬁght and die for them. As my father once asked, “How can you face thetruthof America and not be angry enough to wanttoburn it all down?” My mother added, “How do you burn down thehouse you live in?” For manyBlack Americans, this is the core experience: ﬁghting to savea burning house while living in it.

Frederick Douglass, in 1851,argued that after 230 years of chains, lashes, bloodhounds and utter insecurity, we learned to live on. We learned to smile through it all. We sang through our pain and laughed through our tears. Even when we thought we made it, we were reminded again and again that Americahad never been America to us. This is theland of the free and the homeofthe brave. It is theplace that at one time claimed to welcome thepoor,huddled masses and guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yetithas never offered or kept those promises to us. Although America has been “independent”since 1776, we have not. We have been tormented,enslaved, and killed for being Black in America. We watched as our neighborhoods were terrorized, our children frightened, our sisters violated and our brothers incarcerated.

On theeve of the celebration of the Declaration of Independence, while our cries still struggle to be heard above the noise, we must remember that we arethe heart and soul of America. We have always— and will always —matter Sit withthat for amoment.

Andthen, Beforewecelebrate, Beforewedance, Beforeweraise any flags, Beforewelight fireworks, Beforewehear more lies about thetruthofthe American promise, Beforewelisten as they spin the horror and terror of our past, Beforethey conveniently forget oursacrifice and try to makeusforget,again.

Take amoment to rememberand then share that the birth of America is the birth of our nation, too.

Karsonya “Kaye” Wise Whitehead (todaywithdrkaye@gmail.com) is a professor of communication and African and AfricanAmericanStudies at Loyola University Maryland.She is thepresident of theAssociation for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)

The imageabove features ascene from “American Revolution,”which made its United Statesdebutatthe Historic New Orleans Collection in March and will remain featureduntil Jan. 17.Thisfree, interactive experience utilizes360-degree augmented reality to immerse visitorsin20defining moments of the nation’sfounding,fromthe sparks of the Boston TeaParty to the victory at yorktown.Developedbyleading historians and scholars, this exhibition celebrates the figures whoshapedthe United States and sharesthe Revolution in afreshway that speaks to the hearts and minds of the American people today.The exhibition serves as afocal point of the Louisiana America 250 commemorations and coincideswith HNOC’s60thanniversary. Locatedinthe heartofthe French Quarter,its campus spans 14 historic buildings which serve as acatalyst fordialogue and historical understanding “American Revolution” is producedand designed by Histovery with promotional supportfrom NewOrleans &Companyand Louisiana America 250.The exhibition offers afresh, technologically driven waytoexplore the American story. For more information, visit hnoc.org

ABOUTTHISSERIES

Throughout the year,the Opinion pages are featuring columns and conversations from historians, scholars, politicians and others about what this 250thanniversaryofAmerica means.To read previous pieces, go to the Opinion section of our website.

Kaye Whitehead GUEST COLUMNIST

PROVIDED IMAGE By HISTOVERy

Free men of color fighting for the Spanisharmy. Rendered imagefrom’ American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition’ at the Historic NewOrleans Collection.

BY JOEYCAPPELLETTI Associated Press

WASHINGTON Abill that top lawmakersand athletic leadershavedescribed as thebestchancetostabilize college sports cleared akey vote in the Senate on Thursday with bipartisan support after weeks of input from schools, conferencesand athletes.

The bipartisanProtectCollege Sports Actaims to regulate payments to players, limit them to one free transferovertheir careersand createarule to restrict coaches from changing jobs during aseason.Itadvanced outofthe Senate CommerceCommitteeona 19-9 vote andnow headstothe full Senate for consideration.

Thursday’svote came hours after the Southeastern Conference and Big TenConference, the twomost powerful in college sports, reiterated their position that “revisions are needed to secure our support for the bill.” Several senators who voted against it cited concerns raised by the twoconferences, which could spelltroublefor its chances

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Jay Johnson didn’tmessaround.

With about amonthbefore theMLB draft, the LSU baseball coachalready has ﬁlled out most of his starting lineup for next season, addingfour bats out of the transfer portal and persuadingstarshortstop Steven Milam to return to schoolfor his senior year Here’sanearly projection of what the order will looklike, howall of the new pieces ﬁt together and adeeper look at the

one hole remaining in thelineup for 2027.

Lineup projection

1. Mason Braun, 1B

2. Cade Arrambide, C

3. Steven Milam, SS

4. OmarSerna, DH 5. Bino Watters, LF

6. Dawson Park, 3B

7. Cade Kurland, 2B

8. Jason Wachs, RF

9. TBD, CF

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

Cesar Ruiz said he does not use his social media accounts, so perhaps the NewOrleans Saints offensive lineman did not see the level of vitriol directed at him when he struggled this past season. He did not read the series of tweets that called for his job, ridiculed his performanceand,on occasion,got personal.

But Ruiz wasn’t blind to the fact that expectations —including his own —weren’t met in 2025. And the criticism didn’tjustcomefromthe internet. It was even levied by Saints general manager Mickey Loomis when he acknowledged the Saints had to get “more out of” their 2020 ﬁrst-round pick.

“Challenge accepted,” Ruiz said. When the Saints return for training camp next month, one of the

more under-the-radar items the team will have to monitor is how Ruiz responds to what was arguably the worst year of his career

The pads will come on, andthe 27-year-old understands he must be better than he was ayear ago.

Ruiz may not be in danger of losing hisstarting jobatright guard just yet, but he is entering acontract year. TheSaintsalso drafted his potentialreplacementwhen theyselected former Auburn player Jeremiah Wright in the fourth round in April.

Fairly or not, Ruiz now is seen as theweaklinkofa startinglinethat the Saints have remodeled over thelast few years.

“I got alot of disrespect,” Ruiz said. “And ultimately, I’m notaguy who goes into his turtle shelland blamesthe worldfor what’sgoing on. You’vegot to go ﬁgure out how to change thenarrative and how to go out there and make it happen.

“Sothat’s what I’mdoing andI’ve made it happen.”

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

TerronArmstead and MarkIn-

gram are the newest membersof the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. The former star left tackle and running back wereintroduced as the 58th and 59th player inductees at anews conference at theSaints’ training facility in Metairie on Thursday

SalLaRock,adevoted Saints fan and longtime press box supervisor at the Superdome, is the recipient of the Joe Gemelli Fleur de Lis Award, which is given to individuals whohavemadesigniﬁcant, lasting contributions to thebetterment and support of the Saintsfranchise.

“I’mthankful to theSaintsorganizationfor believinginme, andI’m thankful to the city of New Orleans for embracing me and welcoming me and loving on me,” said Ingram at astandingroom-only news conference that

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who supported the bill, said he would like to bring it up foravoteinthe Senate next month, before the August recess. He said the legislation will “continue to getreﬁnedastime goes on.”

“Itwas areallystrongvotecoming outofthe committee,” Thune said.

Thecommittee vote advancing the bill followed endorsements from severalathleticconferences, the NFL andits players union, andthe United States Olympic &Paralympic Committee. The Olympic committee backed therevisedmeasure after lawmakers addedadditionalprotections for women’s andOlympic sports.

“The newagreement also reflects thecritical importance of Olympic sports,” TexasSen.Ted Cruz, the Republican chairmanofthe committee said in opening remarks. “That is a major part of what this bill is about. College athletics is not only football andmen’s basketball.”

NCAA president Charlie Baker applauded the Senate action Thursday, saying it wasa“powerful statement to the growing bipartisan support for targetedintervention.”

In an interviewwithAPafter the vote,Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell —the top-rankingDemocratonthe committee—said the vote result felt “pretty darn good.” The legislation is theproductofmonths of negotiations between Cruz and Cantwell as other attempts in Congress to intervene in college sports have failed to advance far

“This is abig milestone,” Cantwell said.

PHOTOSByPATRICK DENNIS

LSU shortstop Steven Milam watches his hit leave the park for asolo homerun in the secondinning against Texas A&M on April 18 at Alex Box Stadium.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByMICHAEL DEMOCKER Saints offensivetackle Terron Armstead, right, congratulates Mark Ingram after histouchdown during apreseason game between the Saints andJacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.,

Texas hires SLU’s Fremin as associate head coach

Just weeks after winning its second softball national championship Texas announced the hiring of Southeastern Louisiana coach Rick Fremin as its associate head coach on Thursday Fremin, a three-time Louisiana Coach of the Year, led Southeastern to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 202426. He is 698-410-1 (.630) as a head coach, including a 348-197 record leading the Lions.

Knicks, fans revel in victory parade

New york celebrates first NBA championship in 53 years

BY ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE, JAKE

OFFENHARTZ and STEPHEN WHYNO

Associated Press

NEW YORK Jalen Brunson held up the golden NBA championship trophy for a forest of outstretched hands to touch as fans celebrated the New York Knicks’ ﬁrst title in 53 years with a booming parade through Manhattan’s skyscraperﬂanked “Canyon of Heroes.”

“Damn, New York, we really did it,” Brunson, the finals MVP said at a celebration at city hall. “Somehow, someway, I knew we were going to find a way to get this done.” Moments later, Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented keys to the city to the Knicks’ players, coaches, owners and staff. Wearing a team jersey under his suit jacket, Mamdani said he and other fans “waited because we knew deep down in our sick, suffering hearts” the Knicks would someday win. Blue and orange confetti swirled through the air during the parade. Massive cheers of “Let’s go, Knicks!” and “Knicks in five!” kept erupting.

And OG Anunoby who scored the go-ahead basket in Game 4 of the ﬁnals on a tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, left his parade ﬂoat to interact with fans, holding the NBA Cup inseason championship trophy in one hand and a bottle of Patron tequila in the other

Director Spike Lee, perhaps the team’s most iconic fan, was on a float with Brunson, savoring the moment. “I’ve never been to a parade — ever — and I’m glad it’s this

one,” Lee said. The MVP’s mom, Sandra Brunson, wore a shirt with photos of Jalen and husband Rick, who played for the Knicks and is an assistant on coach Mike Brown’s staff. She echoed her son’s words, saying: “It was all worth it.”

Karl-Anthony Towns hoisted the Eastern Conference championship trophy and a cigar on top of a parade bus while Mamdani danced. Later Towns approached a group of kids with the NBA trophy to let them get their hands on it, bringing joyful screams.

Knicks fans turn out in force

People streamed into lower Manhattan on crammed subways. Several blocks from the parade route, fans stood shoulder to shoulder — sometimes on each other’s shoulders — or climbed trafﬁc lights and sanitation trucks. Far away on the

Brooklyn Bridge, people gathered just to hear the loudspeakers.

“I had to be here today,” said Shareefa Wallace, 34, who got up at 3 a.m. to make her way from suburban Long Island. She grew up in the city going to Knicks games, and she sported the souvenir jersey of a legend from that era, Patrick Ewing.

Owner James Dolan thanked fans for waiting more than a half-century Brown encouraged fans to keep their energy going “because this championship is about you guys.”

‘The New York vibe’

Nearby bars and delis ﬁlled with fans, some wishing they’d arrived at dawn. But many seemed at peace with only experiencing the parade from a distance.

“We just want to be with the New York energy and the New York vibe,” said Jean Strong, who came

to the parade from Harlem with his nephew and sister Terrell Emerson, a chef who grew up in Queens, said he drove from Maryland with his daughter Madison — named in honor of the Knicks’ home arena, Madison Square Garden.

Beaming, Madison held a handwritten sign announcing she’d skipped her ﬁfth-grade graduation to be there.

Stars and Knicks legends Knicks great Walt “Clyde” Frazier — a member of the ’70s champion teams led the parade in a stylish convertible, wearing his NBA title rings.

Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Jon Stewart, Mariska Hargitay, Tracy Morgan and other celebrities joined the party, while Knicks playby-play announcer Mike Breen emceed the City Hall ceremony.

Alicia Keys, the singer who collaborated with Jay-Z on the 2009 hit “Empire State of Mind,” performed a medley that mixed her song with the classic “New York, New York.”

Decades in the making

The mere fact that the parade is happening is historic in itself Although the Knicks won the championship twice in the 1970s, the city didn’t host a parade for them either time. Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for ﬁnancial and other reasons. Instead, he held a 1970 reception at the mayoral mansion and a jam-packed ceremony in 1973 outside City Hall.

This time, the city went all out. A police ofﬁcer could be seen holding a sign reading, “This is really happening.”

The Knicks’ parade was the 210th, coming after a ticker-tape bash for the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2024.

MLB owners propose banning high school signings

BY RONALD BLUM AP baseball writer

NEW YORK Baseball owners proposed banning high school players from signing with major league teams, raising the age for international amateurs and slashing the money spent on signing bonuses in negotiations Thursday for a new collective bargaining agreement

The amateur draft for players residing in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico would be cut from 20 rounds to 12 beginning in 2027 under the proposal Major League Baseball made during a bargaining session with the players’ association. An identical 12-round draft would be started for international prospects, a proposal the union has rejected in the past.

Starting in 2028, a prospect for the amateur draft would have to be at least 20 years old by Sept. 1 of his signing year and two years

removed from the graduating year of his high school class a restriction that also would eliminate players who completed their ﬁrst year of junior college.

The amateur draft started in 1965, and high schoolers have been eligible along with college players who are in or have just finished their junior years.

Raising signing ages would likely lead to players being older when they become eligible for free agency, which currently requires six years of major league service.

MLB cited increased revenue in college baseball as reasoning. In addition, MLB said 75% of high schoolers signed from 2012-19 did not reach the major leagues.

“By creating a draft system centered around college-aged players and making most college players eligible one year earlier, more players will benefit from both a college education and an elite

development environment while reaching professional baseball and ultimately the major leagues more quickly,” MLB said in a statement. “MLB made another set of proposals that are flat-out bad for baseball, ones that would cripple the next generation of players and damage the future of our game,” the union said in a statement.

MLB said it will not seek to reduce the 120 minor league teams in the top four levels when it negotiates new professional development licenses in 2030 to replace expiring 10-year deals. It would cap bonuses for undrafted players at $10,000 — Middle Tennessee two-way player Trace Phillips was bypassed in the draft last July and signed with Tampa Bay for $629,200.

For international amateurs, the age to sign would be raised to 18 on the Sept. 1 of their signing year up from 17

“The game’s greatest stars are precocious talents. We always want to have a great window for them,” said Scott Boras, baseball’s most high-proﬁle agent. “International markets recognize this, as well When you bar a labor force from opportunity in America, it is not an American concept.”

Each separate draft would have $200 million in signing pools in 2027. There would be hard caps for each draft.

Teams would be able to trade draft picks but a club couldn’t trade its first-round pick in consecutive drafts. A team couldn’t acquire more than three additional selections among the ﬁrst three rounds.

Each team would have the same amount to spend under the proposal rather than the current system which gives higher pools to teams with poorer records in the previous year

In 2026, Fremin led Southeastern to a 46-16 record and 24-3 mark in the Southland Conference and claimed the school’s ﬁrst at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament since 2003.

Under Fremin, the Lions were one of eight Division I programs to win 40 or more games in each of the past ﬁve seasons.

Ex-LSU pitcher Peever elected to college HOF

Former LSU right-handed pitcher

Lloyd Peever has been elected for induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame, the College Baseball Foundation announced on Thursday Peever played only one season with the Tigers, but during that season in 1992 he posted a 14-0 record with a 1.92 ERA and was named the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

He becomes the ﬁfth Tiger elected into the Hall of Fame, joining Skip Bertman (2006), Ben McDonald (2008), Todd Walker (2009) and Eddy Furniss (2010).

Peever joins a 2026 Hall of Fame class that includes Barry Bonds, Buster Posey and Huston Street. The induction ceremony is set for Feb. 11 in Overland Park, Kansas, where the hall is located.

Bender becomes Wade’s first high school pledge

LSU men’s basketball has picked up its ﬁrst commitment from a high school recruit since Will Wade began his second stint as head coach. Jordan Bender, a 6-foot-8 forward, announced Thursday that he will begin his collegiate career with the Tigers this upcoming season. He spent his senior year of prep hoops in St. Petersburg, Florida, and does not have a proﬁle on any major recruiting sites.

Wade and his staff have secured commitments from 10 players for the 2026-27 season. The group is comprised of four transfers, four international players, one former NBA G League forward and Bender LSU football commitment Ahmad Hudson, a ﬁve-star tight end who’s expressed interest in playing both football and basketball, also could be on the roster

LSU baseball commitment to forgo shot at MLB draft

Left-handed pitcher and LSU signee Braxton Beaty has decided to take his name out of the 2026 MLB Draft and will come to school instead, he announced on social media Thursday Beaty is the ﬁrst LSU signee to announce that he is forgoing the draft and coming to school. LSU has 24 commitments in its 2026 class and the No. 2 class in the nation, according to Perfect Game. He is the No. 222 player in Perfect Game’s draft rankings. At 6-foot and 178 pounds, scouts describe Beaty as having a low90s fastball with an excellent curveball and strong command. He attended Angleton High in Angleton, Texas, and missed his junior season because of Tommy John surgery

Sorsby drops suit vs. NCAA, officially ending college career

Brendan Sorsby has dropped his lawsuit against the NCAA, making the quarterback ineligible again and ending his college career because of gambling.

The expected motion for dismissal of the suit was ﬁled Thursday by the 99th District Court in Lubbock County That was three days after Texas Tech said he wouldn’t play this fall, and exactly a month after Sorsby ﬁled his lawsuit that set off a legal saga that rattled college sports. That Texas court issued a temporary injunction June 8 that made the transfer quarterback eligible to play even after admitting that he placed bets on his own team while at Indiana as a freshman four years ago.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICHARD DREW Jalen Brunson, upper right, of the New york Knicks carries the championship trophy among fans during a parade on Broadway in New york’s ‘Canyon of Heroes’ on Thursday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICHARD DREW

Crowds fill the sidewalks during the NBA champion New york Knicks’ parade on Broadway in New york’s ‘Canyon of Heroes’ on Thursday.

Rookie QB Beck hard at work for Cardinals

BY DAVID BRANDT AP sportswriter

TEMPE, Ariz. This is the roughly 40-day period of the year when it’s relatively quiet at the Arizona Cardinals ‘ practice facility and only a few cars dot the parking lot, baking in the hot desert sun.

Carson Beck’s is one of them.

The rookie quarterback isn’t taking much of a break this summer as he prepares for his first NFL season — one that includes a realistic chance for playing time if he can gain the confidence of first-year coach Mike LaFleur

“I didn’t want to ease into anything, to be completely honest,” Beck said. “I’m here 13 hours a day.”

The third-round pick out of Miami spends his time talking football with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. He watches ﬁlm with quarterbacks coach and former NFL QB Matt Schaub. He goes through the playbook, learning the intricacies of a professional scheme that he admits is quite a bit different than his college days. “I don’t know if there is really a physical adjustment,” Beck said. “A lot of it is the mental side. The more comfortable you become, the more reps you get, the physical takes care of itself. I’ve thrown thousands of footballs in my life, thousands of dig routes, thousands of out routes, thousands of go routes.

“Now it’s just combining that with timing, with chemistry with understanding.”

The 24-year-old Beck looks as if he’ll be part of a three-man quarterback race when training camp begins on July 22, facing off against veteran journeymen Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew Kedon Slovis is also on the roster Brissett, 33, appeared to have the inside track at the starting job this fall after he threw 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions over 14 games, including 12 starts following Kyler Murray’s foot injury

The issue is Brissett is unhappy with his contract situation he’s guaranteed just $1.5 million next season — and stayed away from the team during voluntary workouts before reporting for mandatory OTAs last week.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

included Saints owner Gayle Benson, general manager Mickey Loomis and team president Dennis Lauscha, among many others. “Black and gold bleeds forever through my blood.” Ingram, who had two different stints with the team from 2011–18 and 2021–22, ended his career as the club’s second all-time leading rusher with 6,500 yards. A 2011 first-round pick and Heisman Trophy winner Ingram originally broke Deuce McAllister’s career rushing record in late 2021 before eventually passing the torch to his close friend and “Boom and Zoom” partner Alvin Kamara (7,250 yards). The former University of Alabama All-American earned three Pro Bowl invitations while with the Saints.

Ingram is the ninth running back to earn induction into the Saints Hall of Fame, joining McAllister (2012), Fred McAfee (2022), Reggie Bush (2019), Pierre Thomas (2018), Rueben Mayes (2004), Dalton Hilliard (1998), George Rogers (1992) and Tony Galbreath (1991).

“Today is such a great honor, and to be able to go in (to the Hall of Fame) with my brother, my friend, my left tackle, it means the world to me,” Ingram said of Armstead, who he played with for seven seasons in New Orleans. “I’m grateful, humbled and appreciative of everyone in the Saints organization and the city of New Orleans for this.”

Ingram said he remembers seeing the poster-sized images of Saints Hall of Famers on the walls of the team facility during his playing days and being inspired by their legacies.

“I remember hoping that one day I would leave a legacy and have a similar impact during my career to garner that kind of recognition,” Ingram said. “I can’t thank the Saints organization and the city of New Orleans enough for this honor.” Armstead established himself as one of the premier left tackles of his generation after being drafted

He didn’t practice, watching drills on the ﬁeld. Now the most likely starter might be Minshew, another welltraveled veteran who the Cardinals signed to a $5.75 million, oneyear deal with roughly $5 million guaranteed The 30-yearold went received a lot of snaps during voluntary workouts and has had success during parts of his career — including a 2023 Pro Bowl selection when he started 13 games for the Indianapolis Colts.

But it’s Beck who could have the most upside.

It’s an intriguing situation for LaFleur, who brings his quick-hitting offensive attack from the Los Angeles Rams after three years as their offensive coordinator

“Not really concerned about (who is the starting quarterback) right now,” LaFleur said. “I’m concerned about these guys reporting on July 22, and really more concerned about the next 40 days.

One silver lining for the Cardinals is they’ll have an extra week of practice during training camp because they’re playing in the preseason Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 6 Beck is expecting plenty of work in that game to show what he can do.

“It’s already on my mind right now,” Beck said. “The break is not much of a break. Obviously, we’ll be working. I’m just speaking for myself, but the other guys understand that, too. We know the mission that we’re on, especially for myself Making sure I’m prepared and ready for those moments.”

Lurking in the background of the Cardinals’ quarterback situation is the possibility that college prospect Brendan Sorsby will be available in the NFL’s supplemental draft.

The Cardinals haven’t said if they’re interested in pursuing a prospect that many consider a ﬁrst-round talent, but it’s not hard to see why the franchise might be intrigued.

For now, it looks as if it will be Beck vs. Minshew vs. Brissett in late July

LaFleur said in his mind, the competition has already started.

“Shoot, I think it’s been ramped up,” LaFleur said last week “Every single day is a day to compete. The intensity shouldn’t change from OTAs and training camp. The only thing that happens is that naturally physically the intensity picks up because pads are on and you can actually play football.”

by the Saints in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff During a 12-year NFL career that included nine with the Saints, he anchored some of the most explosive offenses in NFL history.

Armstead started 93 of 97 games for the Saints from 2013-21 while earning three Pro Bowl invitations. He was regularly ranked among the best left tackles in the league by Pro Football Focus and was named second-team All-Pro in 2018

“Being in this Hall of Fame, representing this team in this city — I couldn’t write a better story,” Armstead said “It’s perfect for me, it’s perfect for my family

This is everything for me. This is, I made it. This is the pinnacle, this is the goal.

Armstead is the ninth offensive lineman and fourth offensive tackle to gain induction, joining Willie Roaf (2008), Jim Dombrowski (2003) and Stan Brock (1997).

“When I got that call (from hall ofﬁcials), it was truly unbelievable,” Armstead said. “This feels like I’m entering into a room of immortality It’s special. I’m

LSU

Continued from page 1C

Top of order

Piecing together the top of the lineup became much simpler once Milam decided to return With him in the picture, LSU has four of its top ﬁve hitters back from the end of this season. The offense was one of the Tigers’ few strengths, and Milam, Serna, Arrambide and Braun were their top four hitters in terms of on-base plus slugging percentage against Southeastern Conference competition (Milam’s .949 mark being the lowest).

Braun leads off after settling into the role by the end of May Arrambide is the catcher in part because he is draft-eligible next season. Serna and Arrambide are both right-handed, so sliding Milam (a switch-hitter) in between them makes the top of the lineup tougher to plan for Transfers take over Insufﬁcient lineup depth separated LSU from the top offenses in the conference this season. Johnson made sure to ﬁx that issue by aggressively adding Watters from Notre Dame, Park from Texas State, Kurland from Florida and Wachs from Tulane out of the portal.

Watters was the top hitter on the market, according to Baseball America, after he hit .362 with a 1.057 OPS. He’s a corner outﬁelder defensively, but his left-handed bat makes him a contender to hit even higher in the order Among the portal additions, Watters has the best chance to become a star Park never played third base at Texas State, but he’s a good candidate to slide to the position because of his arm strength and athleticism. As a right-handed hitter, he has power (13 home runs) and a strong glove, but he needs to cut down on the whiffs. His strikeout rate ballooned to 24.4% despite a big sophomore year

Kurland is a four-year starter in the SEC who was one of Florida’s top hitters as a freshman, the year when the Gators faced LSU in the College World Series ﬁnal back in 2023 Injuries have hampered his progress since then, but he’s coming off a solid year in which he hit .273 with an .809 OPS in SEC play

Wachs is the latest portal addition. He’s a right ﬁelder who has some experience playing in center,

RUIZ

Continued from page 1C

Ruiz’s coaches have been encouraged by his approach. Head coach Kellen Moore said Ruiz came into the offseason program in “really good shape,” while offensive line coach Brenden Nugent said the guard came in with the right attitude.

Asked what went wrong last year, Nugent said Ruiz’s technique “wasn’t as clean” as the guard wanted it to be. The lineman particularly struggled in the run game. Though Pro Football Focus grades are subjective, Ruiz posted the worst run-blocking grade of his six-year career with a 44.7. ESPN also rated Ruiz as having the sixth-worst run block win rate (66.1%) among all guards. His four penalties also were a personal worst.

and he has everything Johnson wants in a hitter He hit .327 and managed to raise his OPS and hit more home runs while lowering his strikeout rate this spring. He also ﬁlls a need as a left-handed bat.

Returning second baseman Jack Ruckert played like a future starter at the end of last season. He’s a strong backup option on the inﬁeld if something were to happen to Kurland. John Pearson, who started most of this year at third base, could be a useful right-handed hitter off the bench.

Remaining spot

If LSU were to play tomorrow, center ﬁeld likely goes to William Patrick. As a true freshman, he earned more playing time after Jake Brown’s injury and used his athleticism to his advantage in the field. But he’s still a raw player who needs more at-bats to ﬁrmly earn an everyday role.

Besides Patrick, LSU has commitments from four high school signees who have enough speed to play center field. Malachi Washington, Anthony Murphy, Nathaneal Davis and Wessley Roberson are all strong athletes with the potential to be top of the order hitters someday The issue is that there’s a strong chance three of them get scooped up by Major League Baseball next month in the draft.

Washington, Murphy and Davis all cracked the top 140 of MLB. com’s draft rankings. That trio and Roberson also plan to attend the MLB draft combine next week in Arizona.

Johnson would be happy to add those freshmen, but there’s also a chance he wouldn’t want to start any of them at a premium defensive position right out of the gate. If he decided to do that, he could fill the hole in center with Patrick, another transfer or by convincing Brown or Derek Curiel to return to school for another year That third scenario is unlikely. Curiel is only a draft-eligible sophomore, but he’s expected to be picked in the first round. Brown could be picked in the second round after hitting 16 home runs in just 42 games. Neither player is flawless heading into the draft. Brown is coming off an injury, and he struggled in SEC play this year Curiel’s power and overall ceiling have come into question by some talent evaluators. But both players will land seven-figure signing bonuses if they choose to sign, regardless of where they get picked.

last season, he still had his moments as a pass protector His 19 allowed pressures were the third-fewest of his career according to PFF

“I know it’s in there,” Nugent said. “That’s our job to work together and let’s get it back to what it can be and what it was.”

Ruiz also cited his track record as evidence that last year was an aberration. That history includes overcoming a slow start to his career, when he spent his first two years playing inconsistently before settling in for a breakout 2022. Ruiz largely has been reliable since then, though last year’s regression could call that into question.

Ruiz said he didn’t look at last season as if he was a “horrible football player.” He said he knows that he’s not that, which also could be why he wasn’t tempted to wade into the online discourse or check his mentions.

humbled and honored.”

La Rock has been employed by the Superdome for almost three decades, starting in 1998 He started in event services for public safety and was promoted to supervisor of the press box two years later He leads a 14-member staff and is viewed as an unofficial “ambassador” for the club and city of New Orleans.

“We have fun, but we have a serious responsibility because everyone that enters that press box, you are my responsibility,” La Rock said. “I have to get you in and out of the press box safe, I have to give you a quiet working relationship, I have to make sure that the media have a quiet environment to work in. Why is that? Because they have to turn in a quality story Their quality story will affect what the court of public opinion thinks of the Saints and their future. And in the meantime, I have to make sure that I give a New Orleans welcome to all of the visiting teams, their owners and their staff. We treat them like family.”

The Class of 2026 will be enshrined at a ceremony later this fall.

Factor in ankle injuries that caused him to miss a total of three games, and it’s no wonder that Ruiz wants to turn the page. Nugent said the Saints still have conﬁdence Ruiz can return to form. For one, they’ve seen him do it before. That’s why New Orleans gave Ruiz a four-year, $44 million extension in September 2022, even months after the black and gold turned down his ﬁfth-year option. And as poorly as Ruiz played

As for the contract, Ruiz said he isn’t worried about that, either Before earning another payday he has some respect to earn back ﬁrst.

“I got to go out there and (be) like, ‘I’m Cesar Ruiz, man,’ ” he said. “I’ve got to go out there and ball. You don’t want to be overshadowed by the negativity My job is to go out there and ball.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints center Erik McCoy, left, and guard Cesar Ruiz watch teammates during a minicamp practice at the Saints’ indoor practice facility in Metairie on Tuesday.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL DEMOCKER

Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead, right, congratulates Mark Ingram after his touchdown during a preseason game between the Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2018.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICK SCUTERI

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck works out during the team’s practice on June 2 in Tempe, Ariz.

Jonathan David, of Canada, right, celebrates after scoring Canada’s second goal during aWorld Cup Group Bmatch against Qatar on Thursday in Vancouver British Columbia. Canada

David’shat trickpropels Canada to firstCup win

Qatarreduced to nineplayers after getting 2red cards

By The Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia Jonathan David scored three goals and Canada wonits first World Cup match while all but securinga spot in the knockout round with a6-0 victory overQatar on Thursday Qatar was reduced to nine players becauseofred cardsin the chaotic match. AssimMadibowas handed ared early in the second half after atackle on Ismaël Koné, who was stretched off with aserious injury to his lowerleft leg. Homan Ahmed was sent off in the ﬁrst half for achallenge on Tajon Buchanan. Canada PrimeMinister Mark Carneyattendedthe match after missing the team’sopener in Toronto last week because of the G7 summit in France. He sat with FIFAPresident Gianni Infantino.

Cyle Larin scored his second goal of the tournament on areboundin the 16th minute. Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada punched away David’svolley but it fell to Larin, who pointed to his ears in celebration as the red-clad crowdroared David doubled the leadwith a right-footed volley in the 29th,for his ﬁrst goal in the run of play in more than ayear Ahmed was sent off with ared

U.S. looksfor encore performance; Brazil workingtorebound

BY DAVID BRANDT AP sportswriter

FRIDAY LOOKAHEAD ROUNDUP

card in the33rd. The ofﬁcial initially pointed to the penalty spot, but after video reviewCanada wasgivenafree kick just outside the box and the initial yellow card handed to Ahmed was changed to red.

Canada made it 3-0 in ﬁrst-half stoppage time when David scored in ascrambleinfront of the net off ashot that caromed off the crossbar. Qatari players stood with their hands on their hips in frustration while Canada celebrated.

Canada’splayers surrounded Koné in concern when he suffered the scary-looking injury early in the second half, and Madibo was clearlydistraught before he was ejected

Nathan Saliba, who came in as asubstitutefor Koné, scored on a free kick in the64thtomake it 4-0.

Mohamed Manaideﬂected ashot past his goalkeeper foranown goalinthe 75th.

David completed the hat trick in stoppage time, joining Argentina’s Lionel Messi as the only players with threegoals in amatch in this World Cup.

Canada captain Alphonso Davies was availableafterhemissedthe opener while recovering from a hamstring injury.Moïse Bombito was also available after missingCanada’sopening World Cup match, a1-1 draw against BosniaHerzegovina on Friday in Toronto. Neither Davies or Bombito played

SOUTH AFRICA 1, CZECH REPUBLIC 1: In Atlanta, Teboho Mokoenastarted the game with tears in his eyes and ﬁnished it withasmile on his face after converting asecond-half penalty in South Africa’sdraw with theCzech Republic.

ThapeloMaseko’slongrange shot late in the match caught the hand of Czech opponent Pavel Sulc in thearea.

Mokoena,who wasshownon camera with tearsrolling down his cheeks during the pre-game national anthem, stepped up to the penalty spot and sent hisshot low past Czech Republic goalkeeper Matej Kovar in the83rd minute.

Michal Sadilek had given the Czechs the lead in the sixth minute.

SWITZERLAND 4, BOSNIA1: In Inglewood, California, substitute Johan Manzambi scored is first World Cup goal on an outstanding volley in the 74thminute and Switzerland erupted late for avictoryover Bosnia-Herzegovina to takecontrol of its group.

Rubén Vargas scored in the 84th minutefor the Swiss shortlyafter Tarik Muharemovic was sent off foradangerous tackle, leaving Bosnia with10men.

Manzambi scored again in the 90th on apass from Vargas, and captain Granit Xhakaconverted from the penalty spotwiththe ﬁnal kick of the game.

Ermin Mahmic scored in the fourthminute of second-half injury time for Bosnia.

GROUP I GP WD LGFGAPts France 11 00

Tuesday France 3, Senegal 1 Norway 4, Iraq 1

vs.Iraq, 4p.m.

vs.Senegal,7p.m.

The United States is back in action on Fridayatthe World Cup against Australia, exactly one week after astellar performance in itsopener that sent expectationsfor the squad soaring. Meanwhile,Brazil gets asecond chance to look like one of the favorites against Haiti. It remains to be seen how much help the Americans will get from star forward Christian Pulisic in front of what’sexpected to be an electric crowd in Seattle. Pulisic has asore left calf and has been working outseparatelyfromthe team. Brazil will try to improve following alackluster 1-1 draw against Morocco last week.The Brazilians are five-timeWorld Cupchampions,but haven’twon atitle since 2002. Also on Friday, Scotland faces Moroccoand Turkey takeson Paraguay

U.S. triesfor encore

TheAmericans are looking for asuitableencore after one of the country’sbestperformances on a WorldCup stage. Folarin Balogun scored two goals while Gio Reyna addedanother in a4-1 win over Paraguay that exceeded most fans’ expectations. Pulisic wasoftenthe catalyst while theU.S. scored three goals in theﬁrst half, but he came off at halftime after feeling stiffness from acalf injury incurred in training. The Milanwingerjoined his U.S. teammates foraprewarmup huddle Thursdaywhile wearing acompression sleeve on his calf, then wentinside to do individual work in the gym Midfielder Weston McKennie said he did not know much about Pulisic’srecovery,but that he hopes he will be able to play

“I know he really wants to be in, and he’sdoing everything that he can,and thestaffisdoing ev-

erything that they can as well,” McKennie said. “But, that’salso another question that’sbetter to ask him than me.”

Australia also has momentum after its 2-0 win over Turkey.Nestory Irankundaand Connor Metcalfe scored for the Socceroos, whoare playing in their sixth straight Cup and seventhoverall.

Moroccofavored

Morocco hasbeen an ascending soccer power,particularlyafter a run to the semiﬁnals in the 2022 World Cup. The team hasimproved so much that its 1-1 draw against powerhouse Brazil was a slight disappointment.

“Wedidn’t come to theU.S.to just playagainst Brazil,”Morocco midfielderAzzedine Ounahi said. “Wecame in to go even farther than we did in Qatar in 2022.” Scotland hasput itself in good position to advance to the knockoutround forthe ﬁrst time after a1-0 winover Haiti in its opener, but Morocco should be aconsiderably tougher opponent.

“Against difﬁcult opponents we have to be very good,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said. “We’re alittle more comfortable as underdogs. Sometimes Scotland prefers it that way.”

Brazil lookstorebound

The Brazilians were outplayed early before Vinícius Júnior’s 32nd-minutegoal helpedthem rally foradraw against Morocco. Coach Carlo Ancelotti said through an interpreterthatthe teamwas “a bit anxious at the beginning. Nerves were all over the place.”

Brazilshould haveabig talent advantage over Haiti, even with star Neymar ruled out because of acalfinjury.The Brazilians will be under pressure to secure alopsidedwin afterthe uninspiring performance against Morocco.

6p.m. GROUP G GP WDLGFGAPts

01 01 11

10 10 11 1

10 10 22 1 New Zealand 10 10 22 1 June 15 Belgium 1, Egypt 1

2, New Zealand 2 June 21

Belgium vs.Iran, 2p.m. New Zealand vs.Egypt, 8p.m.

June 26 New Zealand vs.Belgium, 10 p.m. Egypt vs.Iran, 10 p.m. GROUP H GP WD LGFGAPts Uruguay 10 10 11 1

Arabia 10 10 11 1

10 10 00 1 Cape Verde1 01 00 01

June 15

Spain 0, Cape Verde0

Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay1

June 21

Spain vs.Saudi Arabia,11a.m

Uruguayvs. Cape Verde, 5p.m.

June 26

Uruguayvs. Spain, 7p.m.

CapeVerde vs.Saudi Arabia, 7p.m.

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.

GROUP L GP WD LGFGAPts

England 11 00 42

Ghana 11 00 10

Panama 10 01 01

Croatia1 00

BY DANGELSTON Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA— Brazil fans who went the distance up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps to pose with the Rocky statue left the ﬁctional ﬁghter just as they found him

Every Brazilian fan—inPhiladelphia to watch theirteam play HaitionFriday at the World Cup —who stoppedfor asnapshot or aselfie with the 9-foot-11, 1,300-pound beast left the statue dressed in only his bronze trunks and boots. No taking chances of getting hit by theRocky curse. Yes, theRockystatue, long a symbol of resilience, heartand the unbreakablebondbetween Rocky and the people of Philadelphia, has taken afew morehits of late (even in retirement). Visiting American sports fans have long learned the hard way that dressing the statue with colorful jerseys, scarfs, hats, anything found in your local Rally House, has only meantthat team would sufferaknockoutblowat thehome of the local Philly team. Scoff allyou want. Thebad fortunestretchedto soccer when Ecuador fans took over the Rocky steps and sang and danced and waved flags and dressed Rocky in ateam jersey and tied the country’sflag around thefictional fighter’sneck.

It didn’tgowell.

Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute to lift IvoryCoast to a1-0 victory overEcuador in itsﬁrst World Cup appearance in adozen years

And there ain’tgonna be no rematch.

Brazilfansnoticed theoutcome andone of their fangroups, the Green and Yellow Movement, urged visitors to keep their clothing to themselves.

”ANTENCAO TORCEDOR!” the Instagram post warned. Everyone is paying attention. The translated text read: “It’s totally forbidden to put aBrazil shirt on the Rocky statue in Philly!!!!!” EvenVisit PA cheekily gotinon the funand tried to warnforeigners that —just like Ivan Drago learnedthe hard way—Rocky was not to be messed with.

“Countless football teams(as in American Football, not Fútbol same curse, different sport) have all dressed the Rocky Statue in their colors andgone on to lose,” theInstagram post said. “Ecuadordressed Rockylastweekend Coincidence? Sadly,history says no.

“Philadelphia can’twait to host you! (butRocky does not need your kit)”

Brazilian fans paid heed to the warning Thursday,and scores of fans simply took the spot in front of the statue and raised their arms in triumphjustasRocky did aftersomanyfights, and many, manymovies.

Hundreds of Brazilian fans swarmed theRocky steps late in the dayand left the statue bare. Rocky was roped off

Weatherchangespurs Clark’sbig round

CONGRESS

Continued from page1C

Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz was among thesix Democratswho voted with mostly Republicans in advancing the bill.

“It took me awhile to get there, and Ithink there’s more work to be done,” he said.

The SEC and Big Tensaid hours before Thursday’scommittee meeting that their critical revisions have not been accepted.”

Amongtheir concerns, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has argued the bill could invite the very litigation it is intendedto prevent.Both conferences also have objected to aprovision allowing conferences to pool media rights, saying they are unconvinced it would generate the additional revenue supporters say it could.

“What we did todaywas say we’renot going to letthe most powerful,richest conferences dictate to the rest of America what’s going to happen to 500,000 athletes,”Cantwell said after the

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. The USGA set up adifferent golf course at Shinnecock Hills to keep it playable in strong wind.And when the wind subsidedlateThursday afternoon, Wyndham Clark looked like he was playing in adifferent U.S. Open.

Clarkseized on amore gentle course— slightly calmer andstill soft with receptive greens —by pulling away late to reach 6-under par through 16 holes.

He left in darknesswithafourshot lead over seven players, oneofthemOklahoma junior Ryder Cowan,another one the surprisingly resurgent Dustin Johnson.

Rory McIlroy thought he had madeaﬁne effort witha69in gusts thattopped 30 mph in the middle of theday,whenthe scoringaverage was well above 74. Theafternoon started tough until the wind kept subsiding, and players began taking aim at ﬂags. The afternoon wavewas playing at least astroke easier than the earlystarters who faced relentless wind.

“Everything was kind of clicking,”saidClark, whocame into the U.S. Openplaying as well as anyone. “Wewere deﬁnitelyfortunate with thewind laying down.Overall agood round.”

Shinnecock was still abrute of atest, but the red numbers on the white scoreboardwere an unfamiliar site for this course. When play

committee vote.

Supportand oppositionfor the bill does not fall neatly along party lines, reflecting thenational reachofSEC andBig Ten schools and broader divisions in Congress.

While PresidentDonald Trump hasbackedthe bill, multiple Republicansopposedthe legislation Thursday,while several Democrats supported it

Some of thesenators who voted against the bill represent states that arehome to prominentSEC and Big Tenprograms,including Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, a

was suspended by darkness, 17 players were under par The lowestopening roundinthe previous ﬁve U.S. Opens at Shinnecock is 66, last done by three players in 2004 Cowan birdiedhis last hole for a68tojoin former Sooner Max McGreevy and former Oklahoma State player SamStevens, the only oneofthattrio who faced the harsh wind of the morning wave.

Johnson, in his ﬁnal year of being exempt forthe U.S. Open he won at Oakmont in 2016, ranoff four straight birdies and was tied with Clark after 13 holes.But Johnson failed to get up-and-down forbirdieonthe easy par-5ﬁfth, where Clark made eagle. And then Johnson three-putted from short range for double bogey on the sixth to fall four shots behind.

Scottie Schefﬂer,who needs the U.S. Opentocomplete the career GrandSlam, battled allday and reliedheavilyonhis short game to salvage a72. It washis 10th consecutive U.S. Open round withoutbreaking par,but at the timeitleft himonlyfour shotsout of the lead.

Clark, who wonthe U.S. Open in LosAngeles three years ago, changedthe look of the leaderboard. He was to return Friday morning to complete the round, then head out for the second round in wind expected to be not as strong

Democrat; andRepublican Sens. Todd YoungofIndiana andRoger Wicker of Mississippi.

“UniversitiesinMississippi and around the SECare concerned that some further progress needs to be made on themedia rights, Wicker told theAP.

Clearingthe committeeisjust theﬁrst step in alongprocess.

Passage through the Senate is farfrom guaranteed, as leaders already have apacked schedule anda dwindling number of legislative days left before the November election. Thebill would need to clear a60-vote threshold

One key to his round might have happened some ﬁve hours before he even showed up.

Thirtyminutes after theround began, play was stopped because of fog so dense it was difﬁcult to seethe fairway andthe greenon the par-3 11th. Thetwo-hour delay pushed back tee times.

The forecastwas forthe strongest wind of the weekduring the brightest part of Thursday

“I would say when Igot my tee timesonTuesday,Iwas like,‘Oh, could be atough draw,’ ”Clark said. “That two-hour fogdelay was very helpful, and it was really nice it laid down. So it deﬁnitely helped those last six, seven holes we played.”

His golf wasn’ttoo shabby,either.Clark started on No.10and opened with twoquickbirdies. He went out in 32 to get his nameatop theleaderboard. And after missing an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 1and failing to save par from abunker on the long par-3 second, he took off.

He hit wedge to 5feet on No. 3 for birdie, made a20-foot birdie putt on the next and then from 207 yards with some wind at his back, he hit hissecond on the par-5 ﬁfth to 3feet for eagle.

The wind was so strong and the conditions so severe that it took Scheffler’sgroup nearly three hours to complete nine holes.

Only 27 out of the 77 players fromthe afternoon wave —Jason Daywithdrew because of a back injury —ﬁnished the ﬁrst round.

in the 53-47 Republican-controlled chamber

The bill also will still need to clear the House.Earlier this year, the House Republican leadership had been working toward a vote on its owncollege sports bill, knownasthe SCORE Act, before the Congressional Black Caucus announced itsunanimousopposition.

Still, supporters on Thursday called the committeeaction a massive stepforward.

“Today we areproving that we areresilient in keeping this productmoving,”Cantwell said.

THE RAINBOWCARNIVAL

Ascension ParishPride’sannual celebration will returntoLamar-Dixon Expo Center,Gonzales, on Saturday, focusing on community,inclusion, entertainment and family-friendly fun. Sensoryhoursare from 10 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. The mainfestival will runfrom noon to 7p.m. ascensionparishpride.org

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

MichaelFoster Projectprepares forJuneteenth performance

‘I take myself back in time.’

BY JOHN WIRT Contributing writer

When his bandperforms at Juneteenth celebrations, Michael Foster keeps the holiday’s meaning in mind.

“I take myself back in time,” the leader of the Michael FosterProject said. “I think about the music that was playedwhen theygot that news (ofthe Emancipation Proclamation).That must have been some amazing music.I’m sure they played like they’dnever played before.” Juneteenth, anational holiday since 2021,celebrates the day enslaved people in Texas learned that President Abraham Lincoln’sEmancipation Proclamation had proclaimed all enslaved people in Confederate stateswerefree.Although Lincolnissuedthe proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, the news wasn’t announced in Texas until 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay on June 19, 1865.

The Michael Foster Project’s 2026 Juneteenth gigs includeFriday’scelebration at L’Auberge Event Center in Baton Rougeand last weekend’s Juneteenth MusicFestival at the River RoadAfrican American Museum in Donaldsonville. Special though Juneteenth celebrationsare for Foster, his Michael Foster Project aims to please everywhere it plays. A New Orleans-style brass band, thegroup’ssets include traditional brass band music (“Little Liza Jane,” “I’ll FlyAway,” “A Closer Walk with Thee”), songs byLouis

ä See PROJECT, page 2D

JUNETEENTH

With Lil’ Nathan and the ZydecoBig Timers, the Michael Foster Project and Universal Language

8p.m. Friday l L’AubergeEvent Center,777 L’AubergeAve Baton Rouge l $43-$135 l lbatonrouge.com

James LandryHébert, aLouisiana native and actor,recently portrayedHarley, a tattooed, mulletsporting countryman with ties to the drug underworld in the HBO series ‘Euphoria.’

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

Withthe attention span of atypical 5-year-old, Maggie Darlington recalls watching “Riverdance” for theﬁrst time on TV with herfellowdance school studentsinCamarillo, California

Although she sensed it wasa bigdeal, herchild’s mindquickly movedontothe next thing that grabbedher eye. Fastforward to her teen years, and seeing the mesmerizingly precise Irish dance moves, stirring musical performance and the stories within again hit differently

“I was like, oh,this is cool. It’s still going. It’sstill got itsmagic,” Darlington, 37,said recently from Davenport, Iowa, astoponthe “Riverdance 30” tour,which began

DISCOVERING JUNETEENTH

Head to Capitol Park Museum from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday for discounted admission, gallery viewings, a themed historyand cultural scavenger hunt, aJuneteenth lesson and achance to make aJuneteenth celebration-inspired craft. $5 per person; free for children 6and younger louisianastatemuseum.org

BIRDING AT BURDEN

Grab your birding gear and join in this guided excursion at 7a.m. Saturday at LSU AgCenter BotanicGardens at Burden. For both beginning and advanced bird enthusiasts, two-hour tour participants will meet at the LSU Rural LifeMuseum. Limited to 15 guests; $12.51. eventbrite.com

in late January.“It’s like getting to look at it through adifferent lens.” Her perspective is even more differentnow.Darlington’snot in theaudience, but is a“Riverdance 30”principaldancer.She’sbeen with the troupe since 2011. This tour celebratesthe show’s threedecades of traveling the globe,bringing the spectacletoeverywhere from Radio CityMusic Hall in New York City to the World Expo in Dubai.

Here, Harlington discusses her “Riverdance” years and why this tour is so special.

Theinterview hasbeeneditedfor clarity and brevity

Foraudiences that have never seen a “Riverdance” show,what can they expect?

It’s an updated version of the original, because it’sacelebration of 30 years of Irish music and dance. There’salittle something in there foreverybody.Wealso have tap dancers andfolkdancers and ﬂamenco. So we bring in other cultures. We have alive band on stage if you lean moreinto the music side,aswellasall thelightsand the costumes and everything to give it that nice sparkly feel.

About how longdoes the performance last?

It’s just abouttwo hours, maybe just over

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

James Landry Hébert has built acareer playing outcasts, criminals and cultists, but he’ll be the ﬁrst to tell you: He’s the nicest bad guy you’ll ever meet Somemay recognize Hébert from theHBO series “Euphoria,” where he plays Harley, atattooed, mullet-sporting country man with ties to the drug underworld. In the “Yellowstone” pre-

quel“1883,” he played Wade, a blunt-spoken cowboy.InQuentin Tarantino’s“Once Upon aTime... in Hollywood,” he appeared as achip-toothed Charles Manson acolyte who is brutally suckerpunched by Brad Pitt. Those are only twoexamples of lawless, complicated and morally bankrupt men he’sembodied onscreen. Offscreen, however, Hébertsaid he couldn’t be further from those characters. To put it simply,headded, “It’s

been ahell of aride for aCajun kid from Lafayette.” Despite his growing Hollywood fame, Hébert is as Louisiana as they come. His mother’sfamily is from Acadiana; his father hails from Baton Rouge. He attended LSU and lived Uptown in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Hébert is part of agrowing group of Louisiana artists whose

PROVIDED PHOTOFROMNNM MARKETING

Maggie Darlington, left, and Gerard Byrneare principal

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, June 19, the 170th day of 2026. There are 195 days left in the year

This is Juneteenth.

Today in history:

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over and that all remaining enslaved people in Texas were free — an event celebrated as the Juneteenth national holiday in the U.S. Also on this date: In 1910, the ﬁrst-ever Father’s Day in the United States was celebrated in Spokane, Washington. (President Richard Nixon would make Father’s Day a federally recognized annual observation through a proclamation in 1972.)

In 1953, Julius Rosenberg, 35, and his wife, Ethel, 37, convicted of conspiring to pass U.S. atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, were executed at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York; they were the ﬁrst American civilians to be executed for espionage.

‘RIVERDANCE’

Continued from page 1D

And so about how many numbers would that be?

It’s funny, I do this every night. You’d think I’d know it off the top of my head. It’s probably about 10 numbers in the first act, and then probably a similar eight-10 in the second, you know, including musical numbers and everything. What is the age range of the dances?

I’m the oldest in the troupe.

It’s pretty much 18 to me, at least for the Irish troupe. I think one of the folk dancers might be in their 40s, but the average age, I would say, is closer to 25. Is there an age where you retire out of it? Or what are your feelings on that? I think it’s when it doesn’t feel like you belong there anymore. I think probably it varies for everybody, like how your body’s feeling, how the travel affects you, and other life factors like, would you rather be setting up a home versus living on the road. I think for some people at some point the desire to be more kind of, I guess, quote unquote, stable or at least in one spot starts to outweigh doing all the traveling. I still enjoy it. It’s fun. You started dancing at 3.Tell us a little bit about growing up and your dance education and everything. Well, it’s always been Irish dancing primarily I started dancing when I was 3 because I had two older sisters. So my oldest sister was probably 6 when she started, and that’s because she saw the costumes in a postcard from our family over in Ireland. So she and my middle sister started dancing, and then I just was always around it and copying them and wanted to do everything that they did. So I started pretty much as

In 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova completed her historic ﬂight as the ﬁrst woman in space, landing safely at the conclusion of the Vostok 6 mission.

In 1964, the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 was approved by the U.S Senate, 73-27, after surviving a lengthy ﬁlibuster In 1975, former Chicago organized crime boss Sam Giancana was shot to death in the basement of his home in Oak Park, Illinois; the killing has never been solved In 1986, University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias, the ﬁrst draft pick of the Boston Celtics two days earlier, suffered a fatal cocaine-induced seizure.

In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Edwards v. Aguillard, struck down a Louisiana law requiring any public school teaching the theory of evolution to teach creation science as well.

In 1991, the last Soviet troops withdrew from Hungary after a decades-

long presence, retreating amid the collapse of the Soviet bloc and under pressure from Hungary’s new democratic government.

In 2018, President Donald Trump signed the nation’s 10 millionth patent, awarding it to a California employee of the Raytheon Co. who found a new way to get real-time readings from large laser radars.

Today’s birthdays: Hall of Fame auto racer Shirley Muldowney is 86. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is 81. Author Tobias Wolff is 81. Author Salman Rushdie is 79. Actor Phylicia Rashad is 78.

Rock singer Ann Wilson (Heart) is 76. Actor Kathleen Turner is 72. Singerchoreographer-TV personality Paula Abdul is 64. TV host Lara Spencer is 57.

Actor Jean Dujardin is 54.

Actor Robin Tunney is 54.

Basketball Hall of Famer

Dirk Nowitzki is 48. Actor Zoe Saldaña is 48. Rapper Macklemore is 43. Actor Paul Dano is 42. NBA

player Jordan Poole is 27.

Actor Millie Gibson is 22.

soon as they would let me into a class.

After high school, did you go straight to more dance education or did you pursue something else in college?

I did two years of community college, at which point I had decided I wanted to study dance. So I was at the time taking ballet and jazz and some just general theater classes and exploring my options in that realm.

I got into “Riverdance” and I had taken a summer to go do a couple of other shows, one of which is at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. That show is still going, it’s called Celtic Fyre. So I went and did that and then came back to California and did a couple, like a dinner theater show and I worked at Knotts Berry Farm, I was a can-can dancer And then a spot opened up for me in “Riverdance,” and that was kind of the end of the story

How long do you rehearse a day?

Every day, we do anywhere between like 20 minutes to about 45 minutes of kind of review and touchups for the show And so say maybe you’re doing a new spot and you need to know where you’re going, or just maybe this number needs a little bit of attention today, so let’s focus on this part. So, as opposed to doing big,

long rehearsals every day, especially with all the traveling, it’s kind of focused small bits every day

Do you do any other kind of physical workout besides that?

Yeah, we all kind of monitor ourselves. Some people like to go and take fitness classes. Most of us are kind of DIY We’ll go to the gym a couple of times a week. But it can be a hard balance to ﬁnd, balance your energy so there’s time at work where you can kind of implement your strength training and everything into what you’re already doing at work. So you’re not necessarily having to carve out more time in your day somewhere else.

To what do you attribute the longevity, and popularity of “Riverdance” for 30 years?

I mean, the music is fantastic, but there’s something about the way Irish dances to the music that I think people, it just grabs people’s attention in a different way It’s also generally a happy experience. There are some numbers of course that touch more on the lower points, but in general, you know, people are smiling at the end of the show and I think it’s just that joy that it brings.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

PROJECT

Continued from page 1D

Armstrong, Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint and the latest pop and R&B hits.

Summer can be slow for the band, but the other three seasons are busy Fall’s tailgate parties dovetail into Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. Carnival time, the group’s busiest season, segues to spring weddings and events such as downtown Baton Rouge’s Live After Five! Their most recent LAF! performance drew close to 9,000 attendees. The band plays conferences, too, and grand openings and outof-town events such as Mardi Gras in the Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Foster moved to Baton Rouge from Dallas in 1985, drawn by his family’s roots in Pointe Coupee Parish and a music scholarship offered by Southern University’s late band director, Isaac Greggs. He also studied with the school’s beloved jazz master Alvin Batiste.

“My favorite Mr Bat story,” Foster said, “is when I was learning to play upright bass, he told me after a rehearsal, ‘Yeah, I like how you sound. You play with the Holy Ghost.’ Because I didn’t have a formal teacher for strings, I told Mr Bat, sticking my chest out, ‘Hey, I’m selftaught.’ He says, ‘So was the ﬁrst cat who played bass.’ ” Foster formed the Michael

HÉBERT

Continued from page 1D

upbringing in what was once dubbed Hollywood South continues to shape their work. His characters embody the elements that have long made the state, from its swamps and bayous to its charismatic personalities and dark political undercurrents, compelling to storytellers.

Every day, he tends his horses — because “they don’t care what directors you work with” and would even ride his horse, Moose, from his ranch in Los Angeles to the set of “Euphoria.”

His Cajun accent remains thick, though his family back home thinks he has lost some of it after all those years in California.

Yet his childhood was far different from that of many Louisianans. At a young age, Hébert was adopted and raised on the Chitimacha Indian Reservation in Charenton — an experience that cultivated his worldview

“Growing up around the bayou you learn that everything’s connected. The land, the water, the animals, the people, the stories,” he said. “That shaped how I see behavior, like nobody exists in a vacuum People come from an ecosystem.”

Living in Louisiana

Though he had always loved movies, Hébert couldn’t pinpoint a single moment when he knew he wanted to be in them. While attending LSU and “trying to ﬁgure out what I wanted

Foster Quartet in 1992 and then the larger Michael Foster Project in 1996 Playing sousaphone, electric and upright bass, he’s a bandleader who likes letting his bandmates shine.

“I love being the foundation,” he said. “Because without that bass, the other instruments don’t have anything solid to sit on. My job is to play a solid groove that helps that horn player go to another level.”

Foster’s original band members, all of whom were, like himself, Southern University students from other places, have long since returned to their points of origins. His current lineup has been with him for years, even decades: John Gray, trumpet; Rod Jackson, alto saxophone; Charles Williams II, trombone; Justin Rendell, tenor sax; C.J Trusclair, drums; and auxiliary percussionist and poet Chancelier Xero Skidmore.

“All these guys are superamazing,” Foster said.

In 1998, the Michael Foster Project’s popularity at M’s Fine and Mellow Café in Baton Rouge helped the band land its New Orleans debut. Donna Sims, co-owner of Donna’s Bar and Grill, booked the Project for multiple monthly engagements at her place and other New Orleans venues such as Margaritaville, Levon Helm’s Classic American Café and Snug Harbor Sims also released the Michael Foster Project’s ﬁrst

to do with my life,” he took a theater class as an elective.

The course eventually became a minor, then a major

While in college, Hébert was managing bands when Katrina struck, forcing him to pack up and evacuate to Nashville, where he recorded music. When he returned home, he took a job on an oil rig to help support his family

The entertainment industry eventually came to him.

After Louisiana expanded its ﬁlm tax incentives, productions surged across the state, creating more opportunities for aspiring actors like Hébert.

Shortly after moving to New Orleans, he was offered a role as a stand-in for Brad Pitt in the 2008 film

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Hébert quit his job at the rig, knowing, he said “that was the beginning of the end of me doing anything I didn’t love for money.”

Working on movie sets and in casting Hébert learned the mechanics of the ﬁlm industry: how crews worked, how equipment was handled, and how veteran New Orleans actors like Doug Griffin and Lance Nichols carried themselves on set.

In 2016, after a ﬁlm he appeared in screened at the Sundance Film Festival, Hébert “decided to ride my horse out west and chase the dream.”

Filming ‘Euphoria’

His character, Harley, was created speciﬁcally for Hébert. He originally auditioned for the role of Wayne, portrayed by Toby Wallace. But director Sam Levinson was so drawn to Hébert and

album, 1999’s “Kick Some Brass,” via her Rampart Records label.

“Donna got us on TV shows, on the radio,” Foster remembered. “We ordered a thousand CDs and she packed us in her old van and drove us across the country touring.” Upon the release of “Kick Some Brass,” Sims praised the Baton Rouge band she chose to be the ﬁrst act on her New Orleans record label.

“I like that they play the traditional (brass band) really well, but they aren’t afraid to write songs that don’t follow that track,” she said. “They’re real funky with their music, too I just like what they do.”

The Michael Foster Project’s place in Donna’s Bar & Grill history earned the group pages in Sims’ recently published book, “Donna’s Bar & Grill New Orleans.”

“I’m in this book with Trombone Shorty, Rebirth Brass Band, Tuba Fats, Preservation Hall, all these guys who played at Donna’s Bar and Grill,” Foster marveled. “It’s a cool piece of New Orleans history.” The band has a new recording in the works. Meanwhile, Foster owns a construction company that specializes in renovations and operates a beekeeping business with his daughter

“Those three things keep me very busy,” he said. “It’s a beautiful life that keeps me going, keeps me feeling young at heart — but music, that’s my peace.”

Wallace that he decided to make them a dysfunctional father-son duo in the show Hébert said working with Levinson was comparable to his days with Tarantino, who would often play music in between takes, share tales about Hollywood, and puff on the oversized calabash pipe from “Inglorious Bastards.”

“I always say you’ll never have more fun than working with Tarantino, Hébert said, “And then I met Sam Levinson.” Levinson brought that same creative freedom to the set, at one point leaping onto a desk and chaotically acting out an entire robbery scene himself. When he learned Hébert could ride horses, he approached him with a question: “If Zendaya tried to get away, could you chase her down on horseback?” Soon after, the idea made its way into the script. In the ﬁnale, Harley chases Zendaya’s character on horseback and lassoes her Hébert admits it: He loves playing the bad guy But in reality, he said, that usually means “the bad guy has got to get his comeuppance and die, and what that means for James is that I gotta get a new job.”

In “Euphoria,” however, Harley doesn’t die Hébert said Levinson wanted to keep him alive in case a spinoff of the show ever comes That gave him hope that Harley could live again in a show “more about surviving yourself,” he said, where everyone is chasing their own version of euphoria — sex, drugs, attention, power — when life feels too painful.

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM NNM MARKETING

The ‘Riverdance 30’ tour celebrates the show’s three decades traveling the globe, bringing the spectacle to everywhere from Radio City Music Hall in New york City

FRIDAY

FULL DOME FRIDAYS: 10 a.m., Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Dive into science with interactive, hands-on experiences led by the education team. $10 members, $20 general admission. lasm.org.

JUNETEENTH: CELEBRAT-

ING HISTORIC SOUTH BATON

ROUGE: 2 p.m.-4 p.m., Magnolia Mound Museum + Historic Site, 2161 Nicholson Drive Community event celebrating the rich history, culture and legacy of South Baton Rouge through presentations, food and familyfriendly activities. Free. brec. org/facility/MagnoliaMound

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

EVENING SKY VIEWING:

8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., BREC Highland Road Park Observatory, 13800 Highland Road. See the majesty of the night sky, for those 6 and up. hrpo. lsu.edu/events.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

“MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTH-

ING”: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday,

FRIDAY

EDDIE SMITH: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.

CHRIS OCMAND: BLDG 5, 6 p.m.

HISTORICAL HAPPY HOUR FEATURING TOTAL CONTROL: West Baton Rouge Museum, Port Allen, 6 p.m.

ROCKIN’ ROUGE: T’Quilas, Zachary, 6 p.m.

ELI HORTON: Copa, Gonzales

6 p.m.

BRYCE BROUSSARD: Galvez Seafood, Prairieville, 6 p.m.

JEFF BAJON PROJECT: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 6 p.m.

DRAMA KINGS: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.

DON POURCIAU & KONSPIR-

ACY: Le Chien Brewing Co., Denham Springs, 6:30 p.m.

3 BLIND MICE: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 7 p.m.

AGE OF REASON: Curbside Burgers, 7 p.m.

RACHAEL HALLACK & ERIC CANTRELLE: Bin 77, 7 p.m.

GABRIEL SAINT: Classic Vinyls, 7 p.m.

BRIAN & THE BANDITS: T-Fred’s Tiki Bar, Prairieville, 8 p.m.

ASHLEY ALIZOR: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m

LIL’ NATHAN/MICHAEL FOS-

TER/UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE: L’Auberge Event Center, 8 p.m.

JOVIN WEBB: Copa, Gonzales

9 p.m.

TODD LEBLANC BAND: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant, 9 p.m

REANIMATION/THE CLINCHER/DOWNFALL: Chelsea’s Live, 9 p.m.

20 BELOW ZERO: Churchill’s

9 p.m

AFTER 8: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville, 9 p.m.

THE DUPONT BROTHERS: The Vineyard, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY

JOVIN WEBB: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.

IAN WEBSTER DUO: Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 5:30 p.m.

JUSTEN TAYLOR: Central City

5:30 p.m.

BRIAN RITTENHOUSE: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.

2 DOMESTIC 1 IMPORT: BLDG

5, 6 p.m.

EDDIE SMITH: T’Quilas, Zachary, 6 p.m.

STONE SOBER: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.

STUDIO4: Papi’s Fajita Factory Watson, 6 p.m.

BRIAN & THE BANDITS: Just

Mid City Civic Theatre, 7155 Florida Blvd. The new theater troupe’s inaugural production. $20-$40. midcitycivic.org.

SATURDAY ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SOCIETY JAMBOREE: 8 a.m.-noon, 12655 S. Harrell’s Ferry Road. Sales, trades and displays by 12 Baton Rouge plant groups offering a wide variety, from bromeliads to bonsai. (225) 405-0762.

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY: 8 a.m.-noon, Independence Community Park, 7500 Independence Blvd. Immerse yourself in a rejuvenating journey with beginner to advanced yoga classes led by experienced instructors. Register at brec.org. RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 8 a.m. to noon, Fifth and Main streets, downtown. Farmfresh produce and goods. breada.org.

FAMILY-HOUR STARGAZING: 10 a.m., Irene W. Pennington Planetarium at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Learn about the stars and constellations in the local nighttime sky,

followed by an all-ages show. lasm.org.

READ & CREATE: 11 a.m., Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Storytime followed by a themed craft. Regular admission applies; free for members. lasm.org.

SUNDAY SUNDAYS SMOOTH JAZZ SERIES: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Town Square, 222 North Blvd. Bring lawn chair and listen to smooth jazz in this new series featuring guests artists each Sunday in June. Free. lazarronettles.com.

TUESDAY RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods, cooking demonstrations. breada.org.

BATON ROUGE CHESS CLUB: 6 p.m.to 8 p.m., La Divina Italian Cafe, 3535 Perkins Road, Unit 360. A chance to play and learn; all levels welcome. Free.

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: LOUISIANA’S AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES: 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.,

SHOWS TO WATCH — BATON ROUGE AREA

PROVIDED PHOTO By CAMERON GOTT New Orleans singer-songwriter Andrew Duhon plays the Manship Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, with Neil Werries opening the show. Tickets are $30 and up.

Wingin It, 6 p.m.

BRIAN RITTENHOUSE: Le Chien Brewing Co., Denham Springs, 6:30 p.m.

KASEY BALL: Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, 6:30 p.m. THE SPICE BAGS: Bin 77, 7 p.m. THE REMNANTS: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 7 p.m.

GRAND COUNTRY JUNCTION: Suma Crossing Theatre, Satsuma, 7 p.m.

DIXIE ROSE/UNCLE CHESS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m.

SUBFLUENCE: O’Hara’s Irish Pub, 8 p.m.

MIKE HOGAN: Copa, Gonzales, 9 p.m.

SAVANT: The Basin Music Hall, 9 p.m.

CLEVE: Churchill’s, 9 p.m.

JUSTIN CORNETT: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville, 9 p.m.

WHISKEY BENT: Swamp Chicken Daiquiris, St. Amant, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY

ERIC BASKIN: Watermark Hotel, 10 a.m.

RACHAEL & ERIC: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.

CHRIS ALLEN DUO: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 11 a.m.

JUSTIN BURDETTE TRIO: Superior Grill MidCity, 11 a.m.

JAZZ BRUNCH: Red Stick Social, noon

JUNIOR LACROSSE: Fred’s on the River, Prairieville, 3 p.m.

SONGWRITER SUNDAYS: La

Divina Italian Cafe, 5 p.m.

OPEN MIC JAM: Fat Cat Saloon, Prairieville, 7 p.m.

MONDAY

KATIE KENNEY: Superior GrillMidCity, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY

RHETT GUILLOT: Superior Grill-MidCity, 6 p.m.

EDDIE SMITH: On The Half Shell, Prairieville, 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

JEFF BAJON PROJECT: Superior Grill-MidCity, 6 p.m.

BRENT ARMSTRONG: Danny’s Dive Bar, 6 p.m.

LSU JAZZ JAM: Classic Vinyls, 6 p.m.

KIRK HOLDER: Bin 77, 6:30 p.m.

SONGWRITERS OPEN MIC W/ HEATH RANSONNET: Coop’s on 621, Gonzales, 7 p.m.

ANDY PIZZO TRIO: Hayride Scandal, 7:30 p.m.

OPEN MIC JAM: O’Hara’s Irish Pub, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY

KYBALION: El Paso, 6 p.m.

2 DOMESTIC 1 IMPORT: Thai Kitchen, 6 p.m.

SHAYCHIK: T’Quilas, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.

BRANDON NICHOLSON: Superior Grill-MidCity, 6 p.m.

DRAMA KINGS: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6 p.m.

TIM KULAGE: La Divina Italian Cafe, 6 p.m.

TET DUR: Swamp Chicken

LSU Hilltop Arboretum, 11855

Highland Road. Featuring U.S Geological Survey herpetologist Brad “Bones” Glorioso. $10, students; Hilltop Arboretum/LMNGBR members; $15, general public; free, Hilltop Magnolia members and above; advance registration encouraged. https://lsu.edu/hilltop.

WEDNESDAY

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 9 a.m. to noon, ExxonMobil YMCA, 7711 Howell Blvd. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. www.facebook. com/redstickfarmersmarket.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: noon to 12:45 p.m., Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Family-friendly yoga session designed for all ages and experience levels. $25, nonmembers; $15, LASM members; all four June sessions, $85, nonmembers; $50, members. lasm.org.

EXHIBIT OPENING: “EXCURSIONS, EXPEDITIONS & DISCOVERIES” AND “REIMAGINING AMERICA: THE MAPS OF LEWIS & CLARK”: 4:30 p.m.6:30 p.m., Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd.

Daiquiris, St. Amant, 7 p.m.

ANDREW DUHON/NEIL WERRIES: The Manship Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

HENRY TURNER JR. & ALLSTARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8 p.m.

BLUES JAM: Phil Brady’s, 9 p.m.

HEATH RANSONNET: The Vineyard, 9 p.m.

OUTLYING

FRIDAY

KIRK HOLDER: Bayou Sara Brewing, St. Francisville, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

EMILY & LUCAS: Bayou Sara Brewing, St. Francisville, 1 p.m.

Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s music listed? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper

Historian and author Alexander Mikaberidze will speak at 5 p.m. on the Louisiana Purchase and its impact on America. Free. https://louisianaoldstatecapitol.org/.

“WE THE PEOPLE” EXHIBITION OPENING RECEPTION: 5 p.m.7 p.m., Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. Fourth St. A large-scale, immersive media installation by Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Steven G. Smith.

THURSDAY

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET: 8 a.m. to noon, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, 6400 Perkins Road. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. facebook.com/redstickfarmersmarket.

ART LAB: 10 a.m.-noon, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Hands-on art experience where participants can explore different materials, techniques and imaginative projects. $10, members; $20, general admission. lasm.org.

NATIVE PLANTS AND GARDEN INSECTS, DISEASES & PESTS: 5:30 p.m., Fairwood Branch Library, 12910 Old Hammond

BUSINESS

BRIEFS

Allegiant Air eliminates 61 routes from network Allegiant Air,the Las Vegasbased discount air carrier that is the seventh-busiest airline operating at HarryReid InternationalAirport, haseliminated 61 routes from its system.

“While it is accurate that Allegiant has discontinued 61 routes, it’simportant to note that these changes occurred overapproximatelya one-year period and are consistent with our longstanding business model,” an Allegiantrepresentative saidinanemailed statement

Wednesday Allegiant routinely withdraws from markets quickly whenticket salesdon’t perform as well as executives expected, but recent headlinesabout Allegiant suggest recent withdrawals were unexpected.

“Allegiant’snetwork is intentionally flexible, andwe consider all of our routes to be seasonal,” the representative said. “Weroutinely evaluate demand, operationalrequirements,and market conditions to determine where wecan best serve our customers. As aresult, routes may be added, paused,resumed or discontinued over time.”

U.S. student loan defaults rise to 9.2M

The number of student loan borrowers in default soaredto arecord 9.16million in April after the government ended a four-year pause on collections that was instituted during the COVID pandemic, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education

The ﬁgure, announced bythe department on Thursday,isan increase from 7.7 million people in default in December and 6 million reported for Augustlast year.That means about 20%of the 43 million Americans with federal student debt are more than ayearbehind on their payments. In addition, about 3million people areatleast 90 days behind on payments

The jump in defaults comes as borrowersbracefor theJuly 1implementation of twonew repayment programs set to replaceBiden-era plans that came with more forgiving rates,like the SAVE program, whose morethan 7million enrollees will have 90 days to choosea newplanorbere-assigned involuntarily.Sofar,only 400,000 borrowers in SAVE have transferred to another plan. More defaults couldalso meanmore headaches for the Treasury Department, which began assuming responsibility for the $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio earlier this year

U.S. filings for joblessbenefits fall

WASHINGTON The number of Americans applying for jobless aid fell modestly lastweek as layoffs remained in the same historically low rangeofrecent years.

U.S. applications for unemployment beneﬁts in theweek ending June 13 dropped by 4,000to226,000,the Labor Department reported Thursday

That’sinline with the 225,000 new applications forecast by analysts surveyed by the data

ﬁrm FactSet.

Weekly ﬁlings for unemployment benefits are considered representativeofU.S. layoffs and are close to areal-time indicatorofthe health of thejob market Despite concerns that the conflict in the Middle East would further squeeze aﬂagging labor market, hiring has picked up inrecent monthsfollowing amiserable 2025 that saw fewer than 200,000 job gains. For comparison, about 1.5 million jobs wereadded in 2024.

U.S. employers delivered a surprising 172,000 new jobs in May andthe economy is averaging188,000 jobgains in the three months since the Iran war began in lateFebruary

That’sthe best threemonths of hiring sinceearly 2024.The unemployment rate remains historically low at 4.3%.

Stocks rise on Wall Street

tion that theFederal Reservewill likely raise interest rates this year in an effort to ﬁght inﬂation.

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE AP business writer

NEW YORK Stocks rose on Wall StreetThursdayand erased most of their losses fromaday earlier to notch weeklygains

Themarket’sreversal was powered bysharp gains for big technology companies. The decline on Wednesday was drivenbyanticipa-

On Thursday,stocksfaced less pressure as bond yields eased and oil prices spent most of the dayfalling. The S&P 500 rose 80.48 points,or 1.1%, to 7,500.58. The Dow Jones IndustrialAverage rose 72.15 points,or0.1%, to 51,564.70.The Nasdaqcomposite surged 496.28 points, or 1.9%, to26,517.93. Every major index notched weekly gains. U.S.markets will be closed Friday for Juneteenth. Technology stocks had some of

thebiggest gains and the most inﬂuence on the broader market’srise Intel surged 10.6% after President Donald Trump announced that the semiconductor giant will make chips for Apple in the U.S. Other big semiconductor companies gained ground. Nvidia rose 3% and Micron Technology jumped 8.7%.

On the losing end, SpaceX fell for the second straight daysinceits ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market last week. The Elon Muskled rocketmaker and AI company was down 3.6%following a4.9% loss Wednesday Oil prices wavered afterthe

UnitedStates and Iran signed an agreementtoend theirwar and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tanker trafﬁc. Brent crude, the international standard, spent most of theday lowerbefore settling 0.4% higher at $79.85 per barrel. U.S. benchmark crude fell 0.2% to $75.85

Regulators ordergridoperators to speed powertoenergy-hungry AI data centers

BY MATTHEW DALY and MARCLEVY Associated Press

WASHINGTON— Federal regulatorsonThursdayordered regional grid operators to help large energy users connect more quickly to thenation’s inefﬁcient and aging electric transmissionsystem, asteptheysaid is needed to accommodate surging demand from powerhungry artiﬁcial intelligence data centers.

Energy SecretaryChris Wright had urged theFederal Energy Regulatory Commission to act in an effort to help the United States better competewith China forsuperiorityinthe fastgrowing AIsector Tech companies and data center developers welcomed thechancetoconnect fastertothe country’spower supply for the biggest energy users ever built in the United States, includingsomethat consume more electricity than asmall city

Utilities, states andregional grid operators had worried that the Republican administration’s plan wouldremove their authority to manage the process, but FERC said the order leaves states incontrol of retail electric rates, terms and conditions. Clean energy advocates have urged regulators not to undermine statelevel effortstorequire the useofrenewable energies.

Thecommission’sactions come as aback-

lash grows against data centers over concerns about the massive amounts of energyand water theyuse and fears about noise andair pollution, water shortagesand aloss of open space or farmland.

Unanimousvoteand affordability

FERC membersvoted unanimouslytodirect sixregionalgridoperators to ensure that AI datacenters and other large power users are “able to connect to the transmission system in atimely and orderly manner.”

Laura Swett, an appointee of President Donald Trump who chairs thecommission, called thevote“historic” andsaiditwould push the country’selectricity marketinto the future while respecting states’ rights, protecting reliable electric service and shielding ratepayers from shouldering the costs of connecting big power users to the grid.

“I know that Americans across the country are concerned aboutaffordability, andsoare we,” Swettsaid, referring to the ﬁve-member commission. As chair,“Iamtaking extremely seriously the mission that Congress hasentrusted us to ensure that rates are reasonable,” she said.

Thevotecomes eightmonths afterWright askedthe independent agency to take more control over ensuring that the vast network of massive computing warehouses needed to

power AI are connected quicklytohigh-voltagetransmission lines.

Wright hailed the commission’saction, saying it would “remove barriers, accelerate development andensure Americahas the affordable, reliable and secure energy needed to poweranew era of prosperity.”

Data centers would pay the full cost of any grid upgrades needed for their connection, underthe commissionorder. But thatorder can do little to address the tightening energy suppliesthat are drivingupelectricity bills in someareas andraising warnings of blackouts as the construction of data centers outpaces the speed of new power plants coming online to serve them

Robert Montejo, alawyerwho represents data centers, said the mostimportant messagefrom FERC’s action is that AI “has fundamentally changedthe electricity landscape. Thegridand priorpolicywerenot built forthe pace andscale of demand we’reseeingfrom AI infrastructure, and FERC is signaling that standing still is no longer an option.”

The six regional grid operators under the order serve 200 millionAmericans,ortwothirds of FERC’s jurisdiction.FERC, meanwhile, invited utilitiesthathandle their regional transmission systems to also participate andanalystssaidthe agency could eventually pressure them,too.

BY BREANA NOBLE

The Detroit News (TNS)

Ford Motor Co. recently marked amajor milestonetowardits nextgenerationelectricvehicleplatformwiththe start of production in Michigan of its ﬁrst full prismatic cells: from slurry to coatingand formation, all the way through aging and ﬁnalinspection.

The launch in Marshall, Michigan, putsthe automakerontrack to be the first to deliver lithiumiron phosphate batteries made in the United States for mainstream consumer automotive use. That, executives have said, will pave the wayfor amore resilient sup-

ply chain and safer,more affordable EVsthat could be competitive with low-cost Chinese products if built undersimilarconditions in the United States.It, however,isn’t being accomplished without some help from theChinese.

BlueOval Battery Park Michigannow employsmorethan 500 people. It’sramping up productionof“D-sample” cells made with production-intent material that will be used for testing and validation. Throughoutthe spring, theplant was making “C-sample” cells that used someprototype content to train and qualify machines.D-sample manufacturing beganearlier this month after thoseparts passed

safetyand quality testing.

The step puts the plant on track to launchbefore the end of the year production-ready cells for the new Universal ElectricVehicle platform, whose ﬁrst vehicle is an electric midsize truck coming in 2027.

“We’vebeen really building our team,building up allofour processes and everything, preparing us for launch,” BlueOval Battery Michigan CEO Scott Davis said.

To accomplish the speed of delivering theLFP batteries, Ford licensed technology fromContemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world’slargest EV battery manufacturer.Although thedevelopmentofLFP technologyorigi-

natedinthe United States, further advancementand patenting of the technology happened in China. Unlike other automotive-battery company partnerships, this is not a joint venture. Operations and employees are all under Ford alone, though CATL employees are helping to train the workers on the technical process of LFP battery manufacturing, andFord is using CATL quality standards in itspreparation for launch of production batteries. Nonetheless, the company has received criticism from some Republican lawmakers forthe agreement.Fordhas said it hasallowed it to reshore asupply chainthat otherwise would comefrom China.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By JENNy KANE

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Put your energy where it counts, and forge ahead. Domestic improvements require attention to avoid emotional interference. Choose your battles wisely. Embrace what's yours to discover.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Be realisticabout what you can and cannot do before you make promises. Beingprecise and finding out what others want from you will help you negotiate your way forward.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) You'll discover somethingabout your capabilitiesthat will point you in an interestingdirection. Aperson youencounter today will play arole in helpingyou shape what's to come.

VIRGo (Aug.23-sept. 22) An unexpected turn of events will lead to an emotional challenge. Don'tact in haste. Size up situations, consider options and put your energy into taking care of your responsibilities first.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Keepaclose watch over yourinvestments, possessions and reputation. Not everyone will be on Team Libra. Hold your cardsclose to your chest, andfact-checkevery piece of information that comes your way.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Staying power, along with vision and being able to reach your goals, will lead to satisfaction and gratitude. Lookfor unique outlets to disperse anxiety and anger.

sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Achange is heading your waythat may not be to

your liking,but hindsightwill make you thinkotherwise once the dustsettles. Go with the flow, stick close to home and protect what matters most to you.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec.22-Jan. 19) Search for opportunities, and speak passionately about how you feel,what you care about most and how you intend to proceed. Refuse to letyour emotions lead to financial or personal loss.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Shift your attention to what's necessary before youmakea move.Gettingthings right thefirst timeisessential if you want to make themost of avolatile situation.

PIscEs(Feb.20-March 20) Conversations with those with commongoals will offer insight into how you can expand your interestsand createasustainable lifestyle that satisfies your needsand intellectual growth.

ARIEs(March 21-April 19) Takeadvantage of an opportunity to minglewith industry peoplewho can helpyou further your professional journey or explore thepossibilities of using your skills to generateextra income.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Persistence and good ideas will get you where you want to go, but not without emotional issues tagging along. Separatepersonal and professional dealings.Know your target

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letterinthe cipher stands for another.

ToDAy's cLuE: JEQuALs y

CeLebrItY CIpher

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the samenumber only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

MichioKaku,aprofessoroftheoretical physics,madethisvalidpoint:“It’spointless to have anice clean desk,because it means you’renot doing anything.”

Who could disagree with that?

There are some plays that seem pointless, but upon closer inspection prove that you are doing something vital. In thisdeal,the “pointless” play occurs at trick one.

South is in fourhearts. West leads the spadetwo.Afterdeclarerplayslowfrom the dummy, why does it make adifference whether East plays his 10 or king?

Nowadays many Wests would have made atakeoutdouble over one heart Iamstill not convinced it is agood idea with arelatively weak 4-3-3-3. South’s jump to fourhearts was aslight overbid withsuchabalancedhand,butwhenever you smell agame, bid that game If East plays the spadeking at trick one, it does not cost the defense aspade trick, butdeclarer can thenmake his contract. He wins with his ace and drives out the heart ace.

West takes his ace andcashes the spadequeen, but even if he leads another spade, South ruffs in the dummy, plays off his two top clubs, draws trumps ending on the board, andruns the clubs. Now let East “finesse against his partner” by putting in the spade 10 at trickone. Then West, when he gets in with his heart ace, canleadanotherlowspade.Eastcantake thetrick and shift to adiamond, giving the defenders one spade, one heart and two diamonds The finesse against partner retainsan entry card for East. ©2026 by NEA,Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InsTRucTIons: 1. Words mustbeoffour 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’sWoRD InTERVEnE: in-ter-VEEN: To occur, fall or come between points of time or events

Average mark 28 words Time limit50minutes

Can you find 45 or morewords in INTERVENE?

thought

said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all yoursoul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatcommandment.” Matthew 22:37-38

loCKhorNs

TheLordwants our love.Doyou love the Lord? G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard fillmore