The Acadiana Advocate 07-01-2026

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Former LDWF secretary sentenced Montoucet gets 27 months in federal facility in kickback scheme

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Former Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet, who pleaded guilty in March for his role in a kickback scheme that forced his early resignation, was sentenced Tuesday to 27 months in a federal facility.

U.S. District Judge David Joseph sentenced Montoucet in federal court in Lafayette on one federal

felony count of conspiracy to commit an offense, namely to receive a bribe.

Under federal guidelines, Montoucet could have Montoucet been sentenced to up to 30 months in prison.

Montoucet also was issued a fine of $40,000 due in 60 days but will not face supervised released when

he finishes serving his sentence.

He must report to the U.S. Marshals Service for incarceration on Aug. 14.

Joseph said he will ask that Montoucet serve time in a minimum security facility in Oakdale.

In an emotional statement to the court before he was sentenced, Montoucet said he was sorry to everyone in Louisiana. Because of his poor judgment, he said, he lost his career, his reputation and his

legacy.

“This is truly the biggest regret of my entire life,” he added.

Baton Rouge attorney John McLindon, representing Montoucet, said 40 people wrote letters of support, extolling the many kindnesses and contributions Montoucet had done in his lifetime.

Joseph said he took into account the letters, but said what Montoucet did was not a single mistake.

It occurred over time, he said.

Montoucet, Joseph said, used his position as LDWF secretary to benefit himself personally.

Montoucet is the final person expected to be prosecuted for the bribery and kickback scheme that involved some of the same men behind a similar scheme involving the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Lafayette. All the others who were found guilty or accepted plea deals in both schemes are serving time in federal facilities.

ä See SENTENCED, page 5A

$4.5B La. carbon capture project canceled

Lake Maurepas site scrapped in wake of firm’s financial returns

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Air Products crews conduct a demonstration test on Lake Maurepas in 2022 for a seismographic survey. The firm has canceled its plans for a controversial carbon capture project under the lake.

Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship Trump’s proposed limits rejected by 6-3 vote

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship, rejecting President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

By a 6-3 vote, the court struck down Trump’s order. A bare majority of five justices, in an opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, held that the

WEATHER HIGH 91 LOW 74 PAGE 8A

ä Supreme Court strikes down restriction on political party spending. PAGE 4A long-settled understanding of the 14th Amendment, adopted after the Civil War, makes a citizen of anyone born in the country, with very limited exceptions, “Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights— to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land,’ ” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court, citing congressional debate over the amendment, “We keep that

ä See BIRTHRIGHT, page 6A

Air Products canceled its $4.5 billion Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, putting an end to a controversial hydrogen and carbon capture project that proponents saw as a jobs engine and opponents feared would pollute Lake Maurepas.

The project, one of many proposed in recent years to take advantage of clean-energy tax credits, aimed to pipe carbon dioxide emissions, a byproduct of its activities, through Louisiana wetlands and to the lake where it would be stored about a mile underground.

The Pennsylvania-based company announced its decision on the project on Tuesday. In a prepared statement, Air Products said the project wasn’t going to pay off the way it needed to. The cancellation is part of a series of canceled projects that will cost the company up to $2.9 billion, before tax savings.

Air Products said that it would continue to fulfill contractual obligations around Lake Maurepas and in Ascension Parish related to the project, and thanked “agencies, business and community partners, government officials, legislators, and regulators who worked professionally with us across every aspect of the project.”

First proposed in 2021, the project

ä See CANCELED, page 5A

Grand jury reviewing Murrill’s threats to remove N.O. officials

grand jury itself, two of the sourcAttorney general es confirmed, and at least some members have been called says she is not aware tocouncil testify, other sources said. of investigation Williams recused himself, and a

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

A criminal grand jury in Orleans Parish is weighing evidence against Attorney General Liz Murrill over alleged intimidation against Mayor Helena Moreno, STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON District Attorney Jason Williams and five sitting City Council memAttorney General Liz Murrill is bers, according to several sources the subject of a criminal grand familiar with the proceeding. jury investigation in New Orleans, The criminal investigation apsources say. pears to have been initiated by the

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special prosecutor, former criminal court judge Laurie White, has been tapped to lead the probe.

White declined to comment.

Judicial Administrator Rob Kazik confirmed only that Criminal District Judge Leon Roche has appointed a special prosecutor for the grand jury, an unusual move.

In most cases, local district attorneys with conflicts refer those cases to the attorney general.

Kazik declined further details.

ä See MURRILL, page 6A

102Nd yEAR, NO. 1

2A ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Mississippi DA pleads guilty to bribery, resigns

JACKSON, Miss. — A Mississippi district attorney has resigned and changed his plea to guilty in a bribery scheme that ensnared other officials in the state’s capital city, including Jackson’s former mayor.

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens was indicted in November 2024 after two FBI agents posing as real estate developers offered bribes to him and the other officials to greenlight a development project.

The indictment accused Owens of soliciting and accepting at least $115,000 in cash as well as facilitating more than $80,000 in payments to his alleged coconspirators, including $50,000 for Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s reelection campaign. Lumumba, who called the charges a political prosecution, lost his reelection bid last year.

Owens could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

Lumumba and former Jackson City Council member Aaron B. Banks pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to stand trial starting in mid-July.

Angelique Lee, another Jackson City Council member, and Sherik Marve Smith, a relative of Owens, pleaded guilty to the federal bribery charges in 2024.

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Quakes push health system to limit

Lindmeier said, adding that Agencies warn Venezuela’s medical system is at breaking point rates, conditions are ripe for waterborne

BY JUAN PABLO ARRÁEZ and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — Aid groups warned Tuesday that Venezuela’s fragile healthcare system is being pushed to its limits nearly a week after two powerful earthquakes, with damaged and understaffed hospitals getting overwhelmed by the injured and infectious diseases flaring in the disaster zone.

Meanwhile, the number of official rescues has dropped dramatically in the last three days, the government said, from 5,380 people saved in the first two days after the quakes to just four people found alive Monday by authorities. The prime window for finding earthquake survivors is typically 48 to 72 hours, but it is possible to survive longer depending on factors such as temperature and access to water or food.

The sole survivor rescued by Tuesday afternoon was a toddler

who had been trapped for six days under a collapsed building, said Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly.

Those numbers do not include the many rescues carried out across the country by volunteer groups that, frustrated with the government’s sluggish response, scrambled to save their trapped loved ones days before the arrival of expert international teams.

The government puts the death toll at over 1,900. Experts say that is a significant undercount as more bodies are hauled from the rubble every day and morgues struggle to handle the influx.

Among the living, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding. United Nations agencies expressed concern about the health effects of thousands of displaced people sleeping for days in the open or in crowded, unsanitary shelters.

The Venezuelan healthcare system, strained by decades of underin-

vestment and years of economic crisis is “under extreme pressure now, with facilities operating beyond the capacity of the surge of the trauma cases,” said World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier at a media briefing in Geneva.

Venezuelan officials say that more than 15,800 people have been affected by the earthquakes — a figure that reflects the official number of displaced people, U.N. refugee agency spokesperson Carlotta Wolf said Tuesday.

Wolf said that number would continue to rise. Many of those displaced in the hardest-hit state of La Guaira, just outside the capital of Caracas along the coast, are suffering from widespread food shortages, she said.

Without access to toilets, showers or soap, displaced Venezuelans have also become increasingly vulnerable to the outbreak of preventable diseases like measles, given the population’s low vaccination

Cuban official says talks with the U.S. are at a standstill

Fire at eastern India plant injures 20 people NEW DELHI — A fire at a petrochemical plant in eastern India injured at least 20 people, five of them critically, police said.

The blaze broke out Tuesday in a naphtha pipeline at a facility operated by Haldia Petrochemicals and quickly spread to nearby homes in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, about 80 miles southwest of the state capital, Kolkata.

Firefighters used 12 fire engines to bring the blaze under control, while the injured were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, police said. The injured included plant workers and at least two security guards.

Naphtha is a highly flammable petroleum product used in the production of fuels and other chemicals.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Haldia Petrochemicals said in a statement it was investigating the incident.

Floods in Ghana, Ivory Coast leave 24 dead ACCRA, Ghana — Floods and landslides triggered by days of torrential rain in the capital cities of Ghana and Ivory Coast have left at least 24 people dead, authorities said Tuesday, as emergency workers continued to pull hundreds of stranded residents from submerged buildings.

Entire buildings and roads were submerged in Accra on Monday, cutting off access to several areas of the Ghanian capital and in the neighboring city of Tema.

At least 12 people have been confirmed dead in Ghana, including a mother and her child who were both swept away in the Achimota-Agbogbloshie district, Alex King Nartey, a spokesperson for Ghana National Fire Service told The Associated Press.

In Ivory Coast, several days of rain brought flooding that left more than a dozen people dead, most of them in municipalities of Attécoubé and Yopougon in the capital, Abidjan, according to the Minister of National Cohesion Myss Belmonde Dogo.

Local media reported at least nine of the dead were trapped under the rubble in the same area in the Mossikro neighborhood following the rains that started on Saturday.

Videos of the floods in Accra showed residents swimming through neck-deep water to rescue trapped neighbors, while vehicles were abandoned on flooded roads.

CORRECTION A story in Tuesday’s edition about a report on Louisiana’s system for handing sexual assaults incorrectly identified state Rep. Annie Spell of Lafayette as a Democrat. She is a Republican.

The Advocate | The Times-Picayune regrets the error.

infections such as dengue, yellow fever and malaria to spread.

According to the government, last week’s earthquakes damaged or otherwise compromised 38 hospitals nationwide. WHO said it so far has evaluated 21 of those facilities, three of which are no longer operating. Another six have sustained damage and the rest are now buckling under the influx of injuries.

Many specialist doctors are missing in the ruins, including officials in charge of maternity care in La Guaira, WHO said, compounding the challenges to health care in a country that 8 million people, including many doctors and nurses, have fled in recent years.

An increased presence of nongovernmental organizations was noticeable Tuesday in La Guaira and adjacent communities, with tents from the Red Cross, the World Food Program and other organizations set up on sidewalks, waterfront esplanades and athletic facilities.

BY ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANdRA TARANTINO

Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican on June 24. The pope issued a last-ditch appeal to the breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics, the Society of St. Pius X, from consecrating new bishops.

Pope issues plea to breakaway group Society of St. Pius X intends to consecrate bishops without his consent

BY NICOLE WINFIELD

Associated Press

ROME — Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday issued a plea to a breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics to call off its plan to consecrate new bishops without his consent, describing the move as a schismatic act and a “sin of extreme gravity.”

“I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!” Leo wrote in a letter to the Rev. Davide Pagliarani, the superior of the Society of St. Pius X. Leo issued the last-ditch appeal a day before the society plans to consecrate four new bishops at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland. Under church law, the consecrations constitute a schismatic act, or an intentional rupture of the unity of the Catholic Church, and incur automatic excommunication for the four bishops and the bishop administering the consecration.

Pagliarani responded by writing a formal letter to Leo asking him to take time before deciding any penalty.

“Far be it from us to separate ourselves from the Roman Church. We desire, on the contrary, to serve her by means that are extraordinary, as one would assist a

mother in distress who requires particular help, even if such help is not understood by everyone,” Pagliarani wrote.

SSPX asks pope for more time The ceremony poses the first major crisis for the American pope, who has stressed the need for church unity since the start of his pontificate. He has worked especially hard to heal tensions with traditionalist Catholics who prefer the old Latin Mass, that worsened in some ways during the Pope Francis pontificate.

The society was founded in opposition to the modernizing reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council. Among other things, the council revolutionized the Catholic Church’s relations with other religions and the laity, and allowed Mass to be celebrated in vernacular languages rather than Latin.

Its members celebrate the ancient Latin Mass and have accused the modern church of being rife with heresies and errors. The society insists that only the SSPX is upholding the true faith of Christ and has justified the consecrations, citing a “state of necessity” to minister to its faithful.

In response to the pope’s letter, MarcAndré Mabillard, media manager for the society, expressed “great sadness to not be understood by our leader,” and added: “We are changing absolutely nothing in our plans.”

Congo bans gatherings in areas far from Ebola outbreak Some say it limits dissent

BY JEAN-YVES KAMALE and MONIKA PRONCZUK Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo — Opposition and civil society groups are protesting Congo’s new ban on public demonstrations and mass gatherings in the capital and other areas far from the country’s deadly Ebola outbreak, alleging that the decision aims to limit freedom of speech.

The decision announced over the weekend came as

the outbreak of a type of Ebola with no approved treatment or vaccine continues to grow, with 1,307 people infected and 377 dead across three provinces in eastern Congo. It could be the worst Ebola outbreak yet.

Congo’s ministry of interior on Saturday said gatherings and demonstrations were forbidden in the provinces of Kinshasa, Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele as fears grow about the outbreak spilling into new areas. None of the provinces have any confirmed cases.

Separately, the mayor

of Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city and now under the control of the Rwandabacked M23 rebel group, also banned public gatherings and demonstrations, including celebrations linked to sport events, on Monday. Congo is in its first World Cup in over half a century.

Congo’s political opposition has denounced the ban as unconstitutional. Prince Epenge, the spokesperson for the Lamuka coalition, has said the ban aims to prevent a planned demonstration in the capital, Kinshasa, early next month.

HAVANA — Talks between Cuba and the U.S. are at a standstill, despite the island recently approving a series of free-market reforms, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez announced Tuesday.

He noted that the newly unveiled reforms were neither mentioned nor discussed in earlier talks between the two nations.

“The recently announced (measures) are a matter of total and absolute sovereignty,” Rodriguez said.

“We have neither listened to nor are we interested in the U.S. government’s opinion on them.”

But he said it was striking that they “were met with a new package of unilateral coercive measures ... against Cuba.”

Earlier this month, the U.S. slapped new sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel and other officials, as well as on com-

panies key to the island’s crumbling economy.

Some of the sanctions were announced after Cuba’s Communist Party and the National Assembly of People’s Power approved 176 economic measures representing the biggest economic shift since the revolution. They align with some of the demands made by the United States, which is pressuring for a change in Cuba’s political and economic model.

The reforms include more space for private businesses, free hiring of personnel and authorization for private banks and investment

by Cubans abroad.

Rodriguez added that while the conduct of U.S. government officials was “generally respectful” during earlier talks, he said it is accompanied by “constant aggressive statements against Cuba, threats of military aggression, and the imposition of additional coercive measures.”

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N.O. Judge Anna St. John tapped for 5th Circuit bench Move comes two months after she became federal trial judge

BY MARK BALLARD and TYLER BRIDGES Staff writers

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will nominate Anna St. John to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, only two months after she became a federal trial judge.

“Anna will continue to defend Americans’ Constitutional Rights on the Fifth Circuit,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Having cleared the Senate confirmation process just months ago, she was sworn in as a U.S. District judge in New Orleans on April 23.

“Maybe it’s a sign that the Republicans think they could lose the majority in the Senate. So, they want to be sure. And she is the quickest way to do that,” said Professor Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law who closely follows federal judicial nominations.

Congressional Republicans fret that they will lose their majority in the House and perhaps the Senate in favor of Democrats, which would make confirming nominations much more difficult, he said.

has the brains, exTrump nominatperience and judged St. John after Louisiana Attorney ment this important General Liz Murrill court deserves. I’m made a strong push proud to support for the White House her nomination and to choose instead J. I know she’ll do an Benjamin Aguiñaga, St. John incredible job.” her solicitor general.

Kennedy has Murrill had key Republican more stroke with the White players make phone calls House than Louisiana’s advocating for Aguiñaga to other senator, Bill Cassidy, Sen. John Kennedy, accord- R-Baton Rouge. Trump ing to political and legal backed Rep. Julia Letlow, Rsources close to the process. Baton Rouge, in the Senate The sources said Kennedy Republican primary, and that played a key role in the ignored those calls.

Murrill on Wednesday ac- senator’s defeat last month.

Kennedy also will play a knowledged trying to help Aguiñaga get the nod, say- more important role in the ing in a text, “Ben is immi- confirmation of St. John to nently qualified for the fed- the 5th Circuit because he is eral bench and would make a member of the Senate Jua great judge.” diciary Committee, which Aguiñaga has clerked for has to approve the nominaseveral high-level judges, tion. Kennedy has leverage including Supreme Court because Republicans hold Justice Samuel Alito. only a 12-10 partisan advanMurrill added, “Sen. Ken- tage on the committee.

Kennedy and Cassidy take nedy did not ask my opinion and never communicated turns picking trial court with me.” She said she didn’t judges for the White House know Kennedy was consid- to nominate. St. John had been Kennedy’s pick earlier ering St. John.

Kennedy declined to com- this year. If she is elevated ment, but the Madisonville Republican did renew his support for St. John.

“President Trump made a strong choice in nominating Judge Anna St. John to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,” Kennedy said in a statement Tuesday. “Anna is a real student of the law, knows our Constitution like the back of her hand, and

WASHINGTON — A polarizing Harvard astronomer known for splashy theories about alien visits has been tapped by the White House to lead a team of outside scientists to study the national security risks posed by UFOs. Avi Loeb, a cosmologist who studied black holes and served as head of Harvard’s astronomy department until 2020, was recently appointed to helm a new scientific advisory council tasked with investigating the origins of mysterious orbs and other objects reported by military personnel in recent years.

It’s part of President Donald Trump’s push to declassify more information about the issue.

Loeb’s team will report to a new White House panel focused on UFOs, now often referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena.

“It’s like a detective story,” Loeb said in an interview.

“It’s a lot of fun, as long as you don’t pay too much attention to the critics.”

For the last decade, Loeb has been scanning the skies and seas for evidence of intelligent alien life. He began the quest in 2017 as scientists puzzled over an interstellar object soaring

by Earth. While others proposed it was a comet or ice chunk, Loeb said it could be a thin “light sail” detached from an alien spacecraft.

His theories have won

Critics also faulted her for testifying against a law that passed in 2022 with bipartisan support that exempted victims of sexual harassment in the workplace from having their complaints considered behind closed doors in forced arbitration.

St. John said she wanted to make clear to lawmakers that arbitration can often lead to victims getting more money.

The progressive leaning Alliance for Justice opposed her nomination to a seat on U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Louisiana.

“Anna St. John’s biases and hostilities toward marginalized communities, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals, demonstrate that she is unfit and unqualified for a lifetime appointment,” the Alliance wrote.

St. John would replace Judge Kurt Engelhardt, who is moving to senior status on the circuit court.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

Fo u r t h o f J u l y

ON SELECT STYLES

Group to investigate praise in UFO circles but often put him in conflict unidentified with academic peers. Other astronomers accuse him of phenomena making exotic claims with

Associated Press

and I’m very happy for her,” Murrill said, noting that St. John’s husband, Scott, served as her deputy solicitor general when Murrill served as solicitor general under then-Attorney General Jeff Landry. “She’s smart, qualified and professional.”

St. John, a 46-year-old Gulfport native, graduated from LSU and Columbia Law School, and clerked for 5th Circuit Appeals Court Judge Rhesa H. Barksdale, of Mississippi. He swore St. John in as a federal district judge.

She was counsel in a boutique New Orleans law firm and was general counsel with the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, a Washingtonbased conservative think tank.

In her work for the institute, St. John fought against what she has called unfair class action settlements.

Her nomination was more controversial than those of some other recent Louisiana judges. Democrats criticized her comments and “friend of the court briefs” in politically charged cases.

SAVINGS

Harvard professor picked to lead White House UFO council

BY COLLIN BINKLEY

to the circuit court, Cassidy would select her replacement.

Tobias said confirming Aguiñaga would have taken too long, given the Senate’s upcoming calendar.

Senators are already home for the July Fourth holiday and don’t plan to reconvene in Washington until July 13.

At that point, the Senate is scheduled to meet for four weeks before recessing for most of August, then three weeks in September before leaving town to campaign in the Nov. 3 midterm elections that will decide which party controls the legislative agenda in the House and Senate.

St. John only recently went through the confirmation process. Her paperwork and background checks are fresh and easily adaptable to her appellate nomination.

She’ll have to sit before a Senate Judiciary hearing again. But her confirmation hearing for the district bench was Feb. 4. She was confirmed by the Senate March 17 on a 51-45 vote.

“She will do a great job,

little evidence. Some chafe at his habit of skipping the peer review process and bringing claims directly to the public.

Steve Desch, an Arizona State University astrophysicist who has challenged some of Loeb’s theories, said Loeb uses flawed methods to reach wild conclusions about alien life — all while shunning a more established branch of science searching for life beyond Earth.

Loeb’s role on the White House panel casts doubt on the entire endeavor, he said.

“I don’t know what’s going to come of this, but we’re not going to get any closer to answering these questions with him in charge,” Desch said.

Loeb brushes his critics aside, saying they lack the imagination to consider new ideas. He’s promising a grounded approach to his work for the White House.

Nonetheless, he envisions an outcome where his work could lead to something bigger. If the government invests in better data collection on UAPs, Loeb said, it could settle the alien debate once and for all.

His hand-picked team includes more than a dozen scientists and UFO activists.

Among them is Timothy Gallaudet, a retired rear admiral who has warned about UAP controlled by “nonhuman intelligence,” claiming the United States has recovered crashed aircraft. Also on the team is Ben Lamm, a billionaire working to revive extinct species.

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4A ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Supreme Court strikes down limits on party spending Justice Elena Kagan’s dis- reported having more than Vance, then a senator from only one representative and Citizens United decision The court had 2010 opened the door to unlimited sent for the three liberal jus- $125 million to spend, its Ohio, and then-Rep. Steve $63,600 everywhere else.

Entrenched divisions bespending in fed- tices said the court “ushers highest-ever cash on hand Chabot. previously upheld independent After President Don- tween liberal and conservain untold harm” by enabling total, according to its most eral elections. restrictions The limits on party spend- parties to funnel large con- recent Federal Election ald Trump took office for tive justices over campaign

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday erased limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president, striking down a federal election law that is more than 50 years old.

Prodded by a Republicanled lawsuit that includes Vice President JD Vance, the court’s six conservative justices were again in the majority of the latest decision that upended congressionally enacted limits on raising and spending money to influence elections. The court’s

ing stem from a desire to prevent large donors from skirting caps on individual contributions to a candidate by directing unlimited sums to the party, with the understanding that the money will be spent on behalf of the candidate.

The Supreme Court had previously upheld the limits, in 2001.

But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the court, said that decision was wrong and should be overruled.

“In short, constitutional text, history and precedent establish that the politicalparty coordinated-expenditure limits violate the First Amendment,” Kavanaugh wrote.

tributions to individual candidates, far in excess of what donors can give those candidates directly.

National parties now will be able to make direct contributions to candidates’ campaigns, The decision is likely to give Republicans at least a short-term boost because they maintain a sizable cash advantage over Democrats.

The Republican National Committee and its Senate and House campaign fundraising arms have dwarfed Democrats’ in the months before congressional elections where the GOP is defending narrow majorities in both houses.

At the end of May, the RNC

Judge strikes down overhaul of student loan forgiveness program organizations that support take effect.

Court found agency toThe ruling came in re- causes at odds with the overstepped power sponse to a pair of lawsuits Trump administration’s pri-

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a Trump administration overhaul to a public service forgiveness program for student loans, ruling in favor of advocates who said the program risked becoming a tool for political retribution.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Massachusetts vacated the U.S. Education Department’s changes, saying they overstepped the agency’s power and threatened to violate First Amendment protections for free speech.

His ruling came a day before the new rules were set

filed by more than 20 states along with a coalition of nonprofit groups and cities. The Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Congress created Public Service Loan Forgiveness in 2007 to encourage college graduates to work in government and nonprofit jobs.

It promised to forgive their federal student loans after they worked in public service jobs for 10 years.

Last year the Trump administration moved to add new eligibility rules that would strip the benefit from workers whose employers are deemed to have a “substantial illegal purpose.”

The overhaul targeted nonprofits and government

orities.

It gave the education secretary power to exclude groups from the program if they engage in the trafficking or “chemical castration” of children, illegal immigration or supporting terrorist organizations. Its definition of “chemical castration” included using hormone therapy or drugs that delay puberty.

Joun said the new rules threatened to impose the administration’s policy views on employers. The judge also faulted the department for failing to connect its definitions of illegal activity to criminal statutes.

“The Department cannot create new criminal prohibitions through rulemaking,” he wrote.

Commission filing in May. Meanwhile, the National Republican Senatorial Committee had more than $48 million on hand in its most recent report and the National Republican Congressional Committee had more than $81 million.

In the same period, the Democratic National Committee had $14.4 million on hand, while the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had roughly $37 million and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, roughly $73 million.

The Republican committees for House and Senate candidates filed the lawsuit in Ohio in 2022, joined by

his second term, the Federal Election Commission dropped its defense of the law and joined with Republicans in urging that it be overturned.

Democrats had called on the court to uphold the law, even though there is wide agreement that the spending limits have hurt political parties in an era of unlimited spending by other organizations.

Last year, the coordinated party spending for Senate races ranged from $127,200 in several states with small populations to nearly $4 million in California, the most populous state.

For House races, the limits were $127,200 in states with

finance restrictions were on display when the court heard arguments in December.

“Every time we interfere with the congressional design, we make matters worse,” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a dissenter in Citizens United and the court’s other campaign money cases.

By contrast, Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the Citizens United majority, described the decision as “much maligned, I think unfairly maligned.” The effect of the decision was to ”level the playing field,” Alito said, by expanding the right to spend freely that had previously belonged only to media companies.

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● 5A

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CANCELED

Continued from page 1A envisioned a new industrial facility in Ascension that would employ 170 people and produce what is called “blue hydrogen,” hydrogen fuel produced with natural gas, which proponents say results in fewer emissions than with coal or some other energy sources.

That hydrogen would have been used to produce ammonia, which can be used as fertilizer or as fuel.

The project drew criticism, particularly around its carbon capture component, which residents around Lake Maurepas strongly opposed.

Environmental groups questioned whether the project would deliver on its promises. And some Republican political leaders raised concerns about how the project would impact constituents. Supporters of the project noted that it would have brought well-paid jobs to the region.

As the company faced bipartisan pushback in the Legislature over its Lake Maurepas plans, Air Products hired two dozen lobbyists in

SENTENCED

Continued from page 1A A resident of Lafayette Parish, Montoucet was indicted in May 2025 on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He pleaded not guilty in June 2025 to all charges.

Montoucet is a Vietnam veteran, a retired Lafayette fire chief and former state representative. Former Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed him LDWF secretary in January 2017, where he oversaw services such as issuing citations for boating and hunting violations.

He was set to retire in January 2024 when Edwards left office.

Instead, Montoucet resigned abruptly in April 2023, a day after The Advocate identified him as the unnamed LDWF official who

2023 to defeat efforts to regulate carbon capture.

“I’ve been battling this project since late 2022 because Lake Maurepas is a delicate estuary,” said Dean Coates, a Livingston Parish Council member. “It deserves to be protected.”

Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment expressed disappointment with Air Products’ decision.

“This is a tough day for Ascension Parish and for Louisiana,” he said. “We’re talking about the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in potential investment.”

Louisiana Economic Development, which supported the project with state incentives, had previously noted that it would have come with 413 “indirect” jobs in addition to the on-site workers.

Susan Bourgeois, LED’s secretary, said Tuesday that the project was started under the previous administration and had “evolved significantly over time.”

“While this specific project did not come to fruition, we look forward to continuing to work with Air Products as the company supports industry across Louisiana, as it has for more than 50 years,” she said.

signed a contract with Lafayette businessman Leonard Franques for his company, DGL1, to provide online courses for sportsmen to resolve LDWF citations.

The unnamed LDWF official was mentioned in a March 2023 indictment against Dusty Guidry, a Youngsville resident at the time, who was the alleged mastermind behind the LDWF kickback scheme and another involving the District Attorney’s Office of the 15th Judicial District in Lafayette.

Guidry and Franques are serving time in federal prison for their roles in the schemes, as is former Assistant District Attorney Gary Haynes of Lafayette.

In the LDWF scheme, Montoucet and Franques’ company, DGL1, signed a contract on Oct. 8, 2021. In return for his help getting DGL1 the lucrative contract, Franques agreed to pay Montoucet kickbacks that he would collect after he re-

Norwegian company backs out Air Products said last year that it was looking to sell off the ammonia and carbon capture components of this project, and stressed that it was focusing on its core business of transporting and selling industrial gases.

Also on Tuesday, Norwegian company Yara International announced that it would not acquire the ammonia component of Air Products’ Louisiana project, citing low projected financial returns.

Air Products said last year in a call with investors that it would not proceed with the plant if the deal with Yara fell through.

“The linchpin in the decision was because the proposed partner, Yara International, decided not to invest. And that was the last straw,” said Anika Juhn, an energy data analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Juhn also wrote a report about the project last year questioning whether the project could meet its goals to reduce carbon pollution, which contributes to climate change.

“We found that there was no net

tired from LDWF, according to court documents indicate.

The Advocate obtained a copy of the Oct. 8, 2021, contract which identified Montoucet as the lone LDWF signer. He resigned the next day.

The contract with LDWF was for 10 years. The state agency was to receive 20% to 40% of the money that DGL1 received for the education courses. The state also would receive 50% of the money that DGL1 collected to host classes for those ticketed for civil violations.

About 11,000 people per year use the agency’s hunter education program and 8,000 per year use the boater education program, according to the contract. The courses would last three to six hours and cost $29.95, according to the department’s website. The agency issued about 8,000 civil citations per year.

Contact Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

climate benefit to this project un- ects. SunGas Renewables dropped der reasonable operating condi- another project that involved cartions,” she said. bon capture in Beaver Lake earlier this month.

Tax credits and uncertainty Greg Upton, the executive diUnder the Biden administration, rector of LSU’s Center for Energy the federal government upped the Studies, said that the regulatory tax incentive for capturing and landscape has been shifting around storing greenhouse gas emissions carbon capture projects. The tax in an effort to boost projects that credits were passed under former would limit the impacts of climate President Joe Biden, and at the change. That led to the prolifera- state level, Gov. Jeff Landry put tion of carbon capture and seques- into place a moratorium on new tration projects along the Gulf permits for carbon capture wells.

“At the center of all this is reguCoast.

The more carbon captured, the latory uncertainty,” he said. more companies could claim in Plus, he said, demand for blue tax credits — and a facility like Air hydrogen products has been softProducts’ proposed plant would ening, and construction costs are have produced and captured a lot high because of the number of of carbon. The tax credits it could industrial-scale projects underhave claimed would have covered way in the region and nationwide, many of the costs of building the including data centers. plant, Juhn said.

Regardless of the rationale for But as the markets surrounding Air Products’ decision, local advocarbon capture have continued to cacy groups cheered the cancelladevelop, reality has appeared less tion. Rise St. James, a community promising. environmental advocacy organizaSeveral companies have recently tion, said it would continue to work dropped their carbon capture am- to oppose development on the site bitions. ExxonMobil on Tuesday of the unmarked graves of endropped offshore leases in the slaved people at the Orange Grove Gulf of Mexico that it had acquired plantation, where the Air Products for potential carbon capture proj- facility was sited.

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BIRTHRIGHT

Continued from page 1A promise today.”

A sixth justice, Brett Kavanaugh, disagreed about the constitutional ruling, but pointed to a federal law that he said broadly conveys birthright citizenship.

Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas would have upheld Trump’s proposed restrictions.

“The Court today takes the extraordinary step of holding facially unconstitutional the President’s Order excluding from citizenship the children of foreign temporary visitors and illegal aliens,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a 91-page dissent, more than three times as long as Roberts’ opinion. “In doing so, the Court adds to the sad history of the Fourteenth Amendment, which was designed and understood to secure equal rights for the freed blacks but has instead been repurposed for political projects that the Reconstruction Congress did not support.”

The Republican president’s restrictions had been blocked by several lower courts and had not taken effect anywhere in the U.S. Trump said the decision was “too bad for our Country” and wrongly suggested that Congress could “easily” address it with legislation.

The majority decision rests on constitutional grounds. It would take an amendment to overcome the decision.

During arguments in April, both conservative and liberal justices questioned the order’s legality in a momentous case that was magnified by Trump’s unprecedented attendance in the courtroom.

The case framed another test of Trump’s assertions of executive power that defy long-standing precedent for a court with a conservative majority and a robust view of presidential power that has largely ruled in his favor. In the notable exceptions when the court has not, Trump has responded with starkly personal criticisms of the justices.

The justices ruled on Trump’s appeal of a lowercourt ruling from New Hampshire that struck down the citizenship restrictions.

MURRILL

Continued from page 1A Grand juries in Louisiana can launch their own secret investigations if a juror raises a reasonable belief that a triable crime has been committed. That, too, appears to be unusual.

The grand jury began calling in witnesses a few weeks ago, multiple sources said.

Its members are said to be considering if Murrill committed a crime in her messages toward the seven officials in which she told them their jobs were at risk.

Murrill declined to comment. She said Tuesday that she was not aware of any grand jury activity involving her.

The attorney general and city leaders clashed after the Republican-led Legislature cleared a bill removing the city’s criminal clerk position — and along with it the popular clerk-elect, former life prisoner Calvin Duncan. The bill called for the elected civil clerk, Chelsea Richard Napoleon, to take over a unified office.

Moreno and Williams had a different notion, claiming it was a new office that required a vote.

The council passed the resolutions, naming retired criminal court judge Calvin Johnson as interim clerk.

Council members Eugene Green and Lesli Harris voted no.

Murrill responded with a series of letters to Moreno, Williams and the five council members who endorsed the resolutions.

Moreno declined to comment through a spokesperson. Williams did not return a message Tuesday.

The attorney general claimed the council majority was helping to “usurp” Napoleon’s authority, cit-

The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed on the first day of his second term, is part of his administration’s broad immigration crackdown.

Birthright citizenship was the first Trump immigration-related policy to reach the court for a final ruling.

The justices previously struck down global tariffs Trump had imposed under an emergency powers law that had never been used that way.

Trump reacted furiously to the late February tariffs decision, saying he was ashamed of the justices who ruled against him and calling them unpatriotic.

He also seemed to recognize the court was likely to rule against him on birthright citizenship, too, using his Truth Social platform to criticize “dumb judges and justices” and wealthy pregnant women from China and elsewhere who come to the U.S. to give birth so their newborns will have American citizenship.

Trump’s order would have upended widely held views that the 14th Amendment confers citizenship on everyone born in the U.S., excluding only the children of foreign diplomats and those born to a foreign occupying force.

The amendment was intended to ensure that Black people, including former slaves, had citizenship, though the Citizenship Clause is written more broadly. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” it reads.

In a series of decisions, lower courts have struck down Trump’s executive order as illegal. The decisions have invoked the high court’s 1898 ruling in Wong Kim Ark, which held that the U.S.-born child of Chinese nationals was a citizen.

Roberts, joined by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the three liberal justices, said the amendment’s language, the historical context and the 1898 case make clear that children born to parents illegally or temporarily in the U.S. “are citizens at birth.”

But there was only a bare majority of five justices on the constitutional question.

ing a statute that makes it a misdemeanor to assume office without authority or interfere with a public official. Each day is a new crime punishable by up to six months in jail or a $500 fine.

The five council members had “put your own offices in jeopardy,” Murrill wrote as she directed them to “rescind or suspend” the resolutions. She alleged that they had “opted to aid and abet in the usurpation of the officeholder.”

City Council President JP Morrell declined to comment.

Murrill wrote much the same to Moreno and Williams over letters they’d written to the council supporting the moves. In an 8th letter, Murrill asked Johnson to decline the interim appointment.

Moreno responded to Murrill by citing a different state law against public intimidation and retaliation.

“It is surprising that the attorney general put all of this in a letter, considering there is also a criminal law that prohibits intimidating or threatening a public official in an effort to try to influence their decision or change their position,” Moreno said in an Instagram video at the time.

“Bottom line: I’m not going to be threatened, I’m not going to be intimidated, and I won’t back down.”

The Louisiana Supreme Court ultimately rejected the city’s proposal, upholding the new law that created a unified court clerk in Orleans Parish. It recently declined to revisit that decision.

Roche, the judge who is currently presiding over the criminal grand jury, was spared removal from office in a different bill by the same group of state lawmakers aiming to shrink the Orleans Parish courts.

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Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the City of Youngsville, Louisiana, at City Hall, 201 Iberia Youngsville, Street, Louisiana, 70592 until 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 14, 2026, for the construc‐ tion of: “PUMP STATION #8 & #17 UPGRADE FOR THE CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA” at which time bids will be publicly opened.

The project generally consists of upgrading ex‐ isting sanitary sewer Stations #8 Pump (Durel/Beau Jardin) and #17 (Fieldcrest), includ‐ ing replacing pumps, pip‐ ing, valves, electrical and controls, and other ap‐ purtenant and related items of work.

Bids received after the above specified time for opening will be returned unopened to the sender.

All contractors are re‐ quested to attend a PreBid Conference, which will be held at 2:00 p.m.

CST on June 25, 2026 in the Youngsville City Hall – Council Chambers, 201 Iberia Street, Youngsville, LA 70592. Following the Pre- Bid meeting, those interested can attend a site visit to the construc‐ tion sites at 300 Durel Drive (Pump Station #8) and 100 Mill Pond Drive Station #17), (Pump Youngsville, LA 70592.

Deadline for Questions: All questions regarding this project must be sub‐ mitted no later than noon 12:00 pm (CST) on July 7, 2026. Any and all questions must be sub‐ mitted in writing to Susan Richard at su‐ sanr@dsaengineering. com Contractors submitting bids shall be licensed under LA License No. R.S. 37:2150-2164 and shall be classified under Munici‐ pal and Public Works construction. The Bidder shall show his license number on the bid and on the sealed envelope submitting the bid.

Bid documents may be viewed, downloaded, and online at submitted www.centralbidding.com until the deadline listed above. Prior to submit‐ ting an electronic bid the City of with Youngsville, the vendor must register online with Central Auction House, (CAH), through http:// www.centralbidding.com in order to establish an account. For assistance on how to register online or if encountering prob‐ lems with the web site, please contact CAH at (225) 810-4814.

Complete bid documents are available at the office the Engineer, of Domingue, Szabo & Asso‐ ciates, Inc., located at 102 Asma Blvd, Suite 305, Lafayette, LA 70508, tele‐ phone number 337-2325183 at a charge of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) for each set.

Deposits on the first set of documents furnished bona fide prime bidders will be fully refunded upon return of the docu‐ ments no later than ten (10) days after receipt of bids if returned in good condition. On other sets of documents furnished to bidders, the deposit (less actual cost of re‐ production) will be re‐ funded upon return of the documents no later than ten (10) days after receipt of bids if returned in good condition. They will not be mailed until is received. payment Plans and specifications shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date. Documents con‐ marks, torn taining or unbound sheets sheets are NOT consid‐ ered to be in good condi‐ tion.

Contractors submitting bids electronically are re‐ quired to provide the same documents as con‐ submitting tractors through the mail or by delivery.

These hand items include but are not limited to the Bid Form and Bid Security. If a cer‐ tified check or cashier’s check is submitted as the bid security, elec‐ tronic copies of both the front and the back of the check shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least one hundred twenty (120) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the Contractor's Bid Form furnished by the Engi‐ neer.

Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids for just cause; such ac‐ tions will be in accor‐ dance with Title 38 of the Revised Louisiana Statutes.

The Contractor shall ob‐ tain, maintain during the life of the project, and provide to the Owner copies of the following bonds and policies which shall be obtained from surety companies, li‐ censed to do business in the State of Louisiana, in the amounts and for the purpose stated and sub‐ ject to the Owner's ap‐ proval: 1. BID BOND: A "Bid Guar‐ antee" equivalent to 5% of the bid price consist‐ ing of a firm commit‐ ment, such as a bid bond, certified check, or other negotiable instru‐ ment made payable to the City of Youngsville, shall accompany each bid as assurance that the bidder will, upon accep‐ tance of his bid, execute such contractual docu‐ ments as may be re‐ quired and within the time specified. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

2. PERFORMANCE BOND: A performance bond of not less than 100% of the contract price shall be executed to assure the Contractor's faithful per‐ formance of the contract as described in Instruc‐ tions to Bidders.

3. PAYMENT BOND: A pay‐ ment bond of not less than 100% of the con‐ tract price shall be exe‐ cuted to assure payment as required by law of all persons supplying labor and material in the per‐ formance of the work provided by the contract as described in Instruc‐ tions to Bidders.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2173 for the classification of “Munici‐ pal and Public Works Construction”. Bidder is required to comply with provisions and require‐ of LA R.S. ments 38:2212(B)(5). No bid may be withdrawn for a pe‐ riod of forty-five (45) days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214. Each bid shall be submitted only on the Bid Form.

Bids will be evaluated by the City of Youngsville based on the lowest re‐ sponsible bid submitted which is also in compli‐ ance with the specifica‐ The City of tions.

Youngsville reserves the right to reject any and all bids or portions thereof, for just cause. In accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(1), the provi‐ sions and requirements of this Section; and those stated in the bidding documents shall not be waived by any entity.

Equal Opportunity in Em‐ ployment: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for em‐ ployment without regard for race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or na‐ tional origin.

The successful bidder must comply with all OSHA requirements.

Each bidder must have an active Unique Entity ID (SAM), as verified on www.sam.gov, prior to the beginning of con‐ struction.

Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids for just cause; such ac‐ tions will be in accor‐ dance with Title 38 of the Revised Louisiana Statutes.

Instructions to Bidders.

For all further require‐ ments regarding bid sub‐ qualifications, mittal, procedures, and contract award, refer to the In‐ structions to Bidders that are included in the Bidding Documents.

CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA /s/ Ken Ritter, Mayor /s/ Nicole Guidry, City Clerk bli i

Public Notices Bids/Proposals y y Publication Dates: June 17 & 24, 2026 and July 1, 2026 191041 June 17, 24, July 1, 2026 $272.41 PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Notice is hereby given that sealed submissions will be received in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 4:00 p.m.

Central Time on the 7th day of August, 2026 for the following: CMAR RFQ NORTHEAST REGIONAL LIBRARY and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and the NAMES ONLY read aloud in the Office of Purchas‐ ing located at 705 West Avenue, University Lafayette, LA. Submis‐ sions received after the above specified time for opening shall not be con‐ sidered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Sealed submis‐ sions may be hand car‐ ried or mailed to the ad‐ dress listed above.

This project will consist of the new construction of a one-story Public Li‐ brary. It is anticipated that the building will be 21,275 approximately square feet in size. The building will be con‐ structed on 6.50 acres of land leased by LCG near the corner of Louisiana Ave and Carmel Drive.

The 21,275 SF Branch Li‐ brary is expected to in‐ clude a large multipur‐ pose room, classroom, li‐ brary collection stacks, reading room, quiet study rooms, designated and teen children’s areas, along with staff work areas and offices.

The site will include parking, vehicular drop off, drainage, and out‐ door program space. (All of the foregoing is collec‐ tively referred to herein as the “Project”). The Owner further reserves the right to add or sub‐ tract work as deemed appropriate at the time of execution of the work.

The project schedule is attached.

All work to be completed

by December 15, 2027.

Submissions shall be ei‐ ther hand delivered or mailed in a sealed enve‐ lope to the address listed below. Submissions re‐ ceived after the ap‐ pointed time will be de‐ termined non-responsive and will not be opened.

Respondents must sub‐ mit the original signed state‐ qualifications ments, eight (8) copies and a single electronic copy in PDF format on a USB drive by the Submis‐ sion Deadline. Respon‐ dents must submit elec‐ tronic versions of the safety plan in PDF format on a separate USB drive by the Submission Dead‐ line. A hard copy of the plan is not safety needed.

Submissions should be sent to 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, 70506 attention LA Heather Kestler.

A mandatory project meeting will be held on July 9, 2026 at 10:00AM in the Large Conference Room of the Public Administration Works Building located at 1515 East University Avenue, Louisiana Lafayette, 70501. Interested firms are encouraged to attend the entirety of the pro‐ ject meeting to submit a Qualifications Statement to be considered respon‐ sive to this solicitation.

Copies of the RFQ speci‐ fications are available at the Purchasing Office lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, 70506.

Telephone LA (337) 291number Heather 8071(Attn: Kestler) and online at https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ vendor-access/registr ation. RFQ specifications shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the submission deadline.

No Vendor may withdraw his submission for at least ninety (90) days after the time scheduled for the opening of pro‐ posals. Each proposal shall follow the instruc‐ tions listed in the RFQ re‐ garding submittal of h i l

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Legal Notices

sions are public record.

State‐ Qualifications ments that have not been received in the re‐ quired format and quan‐ tity by the aforemen‐ tioned deadline date and time will be rejected. Ad‐ ditionally, failure to sub‐ mit all of the information stipulated per Section VI of the RFQ, may result in the submission being considered non-respon‐ sive and may result in the Qualifications State‐ ment being rejected. Un‐ less otherwise stated or required by the instruc‐ tions, all attachments and/or embellishments other than those re‐ quired in the RFQ shall be excluded.

Respondents, their con‐ sub-consul‐ sultants, tants, or other parties representing the pro‐ posed team for this Pro‐ ject shall not attempt to directly contact and/or influence any member of Selection Review the Lafayette Committee, City-Parish Council mem‐ bers, Lafayette MayorPresident, or other senior management associated with this Project, with the exception of the RFQ Coordinator, after receipt of this RFQ, and prior to contract award. Doing so will be grounds for dis‐ qualification.

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

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

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

Contractors or contract‐ firms submitting ing qualifications to perform work in the amount of $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ contractors censed under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ of Building sification Construction. Additional information relative to li‐ censing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 7/1, 7/5 DPR # 1003830 191569 July 1, 15, 2t $111.98

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --A vacancy will exist on the City of Scott Planning Commission for an unex‐ pired term effective July 1, 2026. This new ap‐ pointment will expire on July 17, 2028.

Individuals wishing to submit a resume for the above vacancy must be a registered voter and a resident of the City of Scott. Yearly ethics train‐ ing for all appointees is required. Resumes are to be forwarded to Bonnie Comprehen‐ Anderson, sive Plan Facilitator, City of Scott, P.O. Box 517, Scott, LA 70583, hand de‐ livered to 125 Lions Club Road, Scott, LA 70583 or emailed to banderson@ cityofscott.org no later than 5pm, Thursday, July 30, 2026, with appoint‐ ment to be made at the August 13, 2026, Regular Meeting of the Scott City Council. Resume submis‐

Publication Dates: July 1st, 13th, 22nd, 2026 192925-jul 1-13-22-3t $40.59

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --PROCEEDINGS OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUN‐ CIL OF THE CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA TAKEN AT THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2026 AT 6:00 PM AT YOUNGSVILLE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1.

OPENING 1.1 Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance were led by Lindy Bol‐ giano.

2. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Mayor Ken Ritter, Shan‐ non D. Bares (Division A), Mayor Pro Tem Lindy Bol‐ giano (Division B), Matt (Division C), Romero Nicholas Niland (Division D), Simone B. Cham‐ pagne (Division E). AB‐ None.

STAFF: SENT: Guidry (City Nicole Clerk), Terry Bourque (COO), Cathryn Greig (CFO), Jean Paul Brous‐ sard (Police Chief), Wade Trahan (City Attorney), Josh Smith (Assistant Di‐ rector of Parks & Rec.).

Mayor Ritter recognized LA State Representative Josh Carlson who pre‐ Ms. Pamela sented Granger with a House Resolution of recognition for the 10th Anniversary of McBade Engineers and Consultants, LLC. 3. MIN‐ UTES 3.1 Approval of June 11, 2026 minutes. Motion made by Lindy Bolgiano, seconded by Shannon D. approving the Bares, June 11, 2026 minutes.

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

NAYS: None. ABSTAINED: None. ABSENT: None. Mo‐ tion Approved. 4. PUBLIC HEARING – BUDGETS 4.1 Public Hearing on the fol‐ lowing: Budget Amend‐ ment Ordinance No. 5152026 - An Ordinance amending the Annual Op‐ erating Budget of Rev‐ enues and Expenditures the City of for Youngsville, Louisiana for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.

Budget Ordinance No. 516-2026 - An Ordinance adopting the Annual Op‐ erating Budget of Rev‐ enues and Expenditures the City of for Youngsville, Louisiana for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

Mayor Ritter opened the Public Hearing and wel‐ comed Brad Kolder, CPA, who in summary pre‐ sented the following in‐ formation. The budget satisfies the legal re‐ quirement of filing as set forth under R.S. 39:1316 since the consolidated budget statement ad‐ heres to the uniform rev‐ enue and expenditure classifications and in‐ cludes information con‐ sistent with that required by the Annual Report on the Budget. The budget documents include pro‐ jected revenues and ex‐ penditures for the Gen‐ eral Fund, Special Rev‐ enue Funds, Debt Service Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Utility Fund and Parks and Recreation Fund. Additionally, the documents provide sig‐ nificant aspects of the budget which are de‐ tailed below: ALL FUNDS Revenues and expendi‐ tures have either in‐ creased or decreased on a line-item basis from the previous year for each revenue source and category. expenditure REVENUES Sales tax rev‐ enue for the 2026-2027 fiscal year will remain flat compared to full year estimates.

Bud‐ 2026 geted a 4% increase in ad-valorem taxes for FY 2027. SRO Program - an increase of 2% is pro‐ jected for LPSS contract and negotiations are on‐ going with ARCA. Utility System - revenues for FY 2027 budget in‐ clude growth across all utility departments dri‐ ven by an anticipated in‐ crease in housing. The budget includes a 4% in‐ crease in new utility cus‐ tomers. Effective 7.1.26 water and sewer rates will increase by 5% in li i h d

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min y with CPI and line garbage rates will in‐ crease by 4.2%, based on CPI. EXPENDITURES All departments, excluding the police department and council, have pro‐ posed a 4% increase for most employees. The po‐ lice department is bud‐ geted fully staffed, with a 2% increase in line with the adopted police pay plan. CAPITAL PROJECTS The budget includes a capital outlay request for numerous items totaling $27 million. This capital outlay request includes the fourth-year payment for the Axon Enterprise contract, approximately $12.1 million for road im‐ provements, $13.5 million for utility projects and approximately $1.3 mil‐ lion for improvements to & Recreation.

Parks Mayor Ritter opened the floor for public comment at this time. In response to a request for 6 addi‐ tional employees and 8 vehicles, various discus‐ sions were held with Chief Broussard on the condition of the Police budget Department’s and the $2 million in rev‐ enue supplemented by other funds to cover the budget. department’s it was Furthermore, noted that the law re‐ quires the city to have a minimum of 60 days in reserve. Public comment was received from Sgt. L. Landry. Mr. Romero also presented questions on the proposed sidewalk trails and restroom ex‐ pansion under Parks & 5.

ORDI‐ Recreation.

FOR PUBLIC NANCES AND FINAL HEARING ADOPTION 5.1 Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 515-2026 - An Ordi‐ nance amending the An‐ nual Operating Budget of Revenues and Expendi‐ tures for the City of Youngsville, Louisiana for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, was read aloud and opened for Public Hear‐ ing by Mayor Ritter.

Mayor Ritter stated that the budget has been amended since introduc‐ tion. The amended copy of the budget was pro‐ vided in the packets and reflects the most accu‐ rate expenses being cap‐ tured for this FY. Hearing no comments, a motion made by Lindy Bolgiano, seconded by Shannon D. Bares, adopting Budget Ordinance Amendment 515-2026, as No. amended. YEAS: Shan‐ non D. Bares, Lindy Bol‐ Matt Romero, giano, Nicholas Niland, Simone B. Champagne. NAYS: None. ABSTAINED: None.

ABSENT: None. Ordinance Adopted. 5.2 Budget Ordi‐ nance No. 516-2026 - An Ordinance adopting the Annual Operating Budget of Revenues and Expen‐ ditures for the City of Youngsville, Louisiana for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, was read aloud and opened for Public Hear‐ ing by Mayor Ritter.

Mayor Ritter stated that the budget has been amended since introduc‐ tion, to revise fund bal‐ The amended ances. copy of the budget was provided in the packets.

Hearing no comments, a motion made by Matt Romero, seconded by Lindy Bolgiano, adopting Budget Ordinance No. 516-2026, as amended and further amending the Capital Projects Bud‐ get – 1981 Sales Tax Fund – Police, removing Item 9 “Repaving 304 Fourth St” in the amount of $44,000 and adding two leased fully equipped vehicles not to exceed $40,000, pending receipt of two lease agreements by City Hall. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland, Simone B. Cham‐ pagne. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: Ordinance None.

Adopted. 6. ADJOURN‐ MENT 6.1 Adjourn Meet‐ ing. Motion made by Si‐ mone B. Champagne, seconded by Shannon D. Bares, to adjourn the meeting. YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland, Simone B. Cham‐ pagne. NAYS: None. AB‐ STAINED: None. ABSENT: None. Motion Approved. /s/ Ken Ritter, Mayor /s/ Nicole Guidry, City Clerk 192863-JUL 1-1T $73.29

NOTICE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF BUILDING Sealed bids for this sale of State-owned land will be received by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Real Estate Section, 1201 Capitol Access Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 until 4:15 P.M. the day before the letting date, after which time bids will be received in the DOTD HQ Auditorium, from 9:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M. on the letting date. Bids will be publicly opened and read at 10:00 A.M. on the letting date.

STATE PROJECT NO.:

H.008666

HIGHWAY NAME:

I-49 CONNECTOR

ROUTE:

I-49

PARISH:

LAFAYETTE PARISH

PARCEL NO.:

ADV-52-P1

LETTING DATE:

JULY 16, 2026

MINIMUM BID:

$4,708.00

DESCRIPTION: Office building with attached storage facility located on Evangeline Throughway in Lafayette, LA. Mailing address is 1321 SE Evangeline Throughway, Lafayette, LA 70501. Remove concrete slabs if present.

For additional information please contact: Nicholas.Varn@la.gov or 337-262-6257.

Bid forms may be found at: http://wwwsp.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/ Divisions/Engineering/Real_Estate/Pages/Bid_Booklet.aspx Payment for each item shall be enclosed with the bid. The right is reserved to reject bids and waive informalities.

192163-661822-JUN 25-JUL 1-2T $ 111.72

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● 7A

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8A ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

A shower and thunderstorm

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

An afternoon t-storm in spots

Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm

Humid with a t-storm possible

Clouds and sun, a few showers

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

91° 74°

LOW

90° 74°

LOW

91° 76°

Beaumont 93/76 Port Arthur 92/78

Baton Rouge 93/75

Lake Charles 92/74

New Orleans 93/80 Houma 87/74

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

0s

Hattiesburg 95/74

Alexandria 92/74

Lafayette 91/74

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

91° 77°

LOW

91° 76°

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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

YESTERDAY

TODAY

REAdING 43 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

JUL 7

City

Austin Boston dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

HIGH

9:15p 3:35p 7:44a 10:45a 10:55a 10:14a 12:03p

6:10 a.m.

8:14 p.m.

9:47 p.m.

7:26 a.m.

NEW

FIRST

JUL 14

Hi

96 95 97 69 88 97 97 92 100

TODAY Lo

74 77 78 47 76 76 78 78 74

FULL

JUL 21

W

pc t s pc sh s s t pc

JUL 29

Hi

97 98 96 73 87 100 97 91 99

GOOd

PRECIPITATION

93°/76° 91°/75° 93°/75° 102° in 1954 63° in 1923

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) Shell Beach South Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) Wine Island

LAST

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

HIGH

TEMPERATURE Jackson 95/75

Many 94/73

LOW

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Tuesday

Longview 96/75

-0s

90° 75°

Monroe 96/77

Shreveport 96/74

-10s

LOW

Well, after some patchy morning fog, I’m expecting another partly cloudy, hot and humid day. Temperatures this afternoon will be about average rising into the low to mid-90s. Since the humidity remains high, the heat index or “feels-like” temperatures could rise to 104 or greater. Rain chances today are at 30%, so I am expecting some showers and a few isolated storms. The UV index is at the extreme level today, so be sure to put on your hat, your shades and your sunscreen and stay hydrated.

THU. Lo

74 82 78 51 75 77 78 79 75

W

t t pc pc r s t t t

FT.

LOW

0.00” 7.87” 7.09” 34.41” 31.15”

FT.

HIGH

0.7 8:36a -0.1 1.6 1:52a -0.3 1.8 9:48a 1.6 2.0 1:14a 0.1 1.3 10:13p -0.1 1.6 8:33p -0.3 1.6 11:15p -0.2

SOURCE: LOUISIANA dEQ ANd AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

--- ----- --1:27p 1.6 --- ----- ----- ----- ---

LOW

FT.

--- ----- --9:48p -0.4 --- ----- ----- ----- ---

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

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday

City

12:47a 6:59a 1:39a 7:51a 2:31a 8:42a 3:20a 9:31a 4:08a 10:19a 4:55a 11:06a 5:41a 11:52a

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

Hi

93 90 98 101 96 96 98 72 92

TODAY Lo

80 75 78 78 75 71 79 63 77

1:12p 7:24p 2:03p 8:14p 2:53p 9:04p 3:42p 9:53p 4:30p 10:40p 5:16p 11:27p 6:03p ----

W

t t pc s pc s pc pc t

GOOd

Hi

91 91 102 105 97 100 96 73 91

THU. Lo

78 75 82 80 75 73 78 63 79

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

W

t t pc pc pc s t pc t

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near Olive AMITE Near darlington denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

TUE. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

16.69 39.29 42.33 25.81 16.84 12.40 8.16

+0.48 +0.14 +0.13 +0.44 +0.44 +0.30 +0.36

40

34.83

+1.80

19

-1.33

-0.03

18 29 8

-0.68 11.54 1.64

-0.07 -0.21 none

13 15

1.74 1.77

-0.05 -0.15

47 34 29 20 12 6

22.85 17.27 14.85 11.77 6.70 3.47

+0.23 +0.14 +0.21 +0.11 +0.20 +0.03

data as of 7 a.m. Tuesday

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

Wake up with us every morning P U acadiana wake

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Every morning.

Everything you need to start the day.

METRO

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

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W e d n e s d ay, J u ly 1, 2026

1Bn

New Lafayette library designs unveiled Features include rear parking lot, shaded walkway and amphitheater

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR

Staff writer

The Northeast Regional Library will have vehicular access off Louisiana Avenue and Carmel Drive, with pedestrian entrances that will face Louisiana Avenue and a rear parking lot that includes a shaded walkway and circular drive with a small amphitheater.

Designs for the new library were unveiled at a meeting Monday of the Lafayette Public Library Board by Maureen Arndt and Mia Ovcina, of 720 Design, a Dallasbased firm specializing in libraries.

“It’s magnificent. It’s gorgeous,” Library Board member Christopher Holmes said after seeing the designs.

The designs, Arndt said, incorporate the top 10 requests submitted by 1,200 people who participated in a community engagement event.

Abbeville swears in first Black mayor

PROVIdEd RENdERING By 720 dESIGN

A rendering depicts the new Northeast Regional Library to be built along Louisiana Avenue near Carmel drive in Lafayette.

They include a story time activity room, teen space, STEAM/ STEM learning space, outdoor space with walking path, seats at windows, study rooms, quiet

space, hands-on learning space, outdoor music garden and maker space, she said.

The children’s area will have access to an outdoor courtyard, and

the maker space also will have access outdoors.

The library, which could be open by 2028, will be on 6.5 acres with usable building space of 20,533

square feet.

Lafayette Consolidated Government is leasing for $1 a year for 99 years land that was part of the historic Holy Rosary Institute, a former school for Black students that closed in 1993 and is undergoing restoration.

The land, owned by a nonprofit group that is owned by Catholic nuns, is on Louisiana Avenue next to Holy Family Apartments and across from the municipal golf course.

The area of Lafayette is underserved and socio-economically challenged.

The former Lafayette City-Parish Council in 2019 earmarked $8 million to build the library branch.

In 2024, 6 acres on Shadow Bluff Drive off Louisiana Avenue were purchased for $339,000.

The 20,500 square-foot option was the largest and most expensive the Library Board considered, adding $5 million to the construction costs.

KEEPIN’ COOL

Levy promises new direction for city

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

Anita Levy became the first Black mayor in Abbeville’s history Tuesday, taking office alongside several newly elected officials who promised greater transparency and a new direction for city government.

Levy, who defeated incumbent mayor Roslyn White in May with 53% of the vote, ran a camLevy paign that heavily emphasized support for police officers and first responders, increased entrepreneurship, and transparency, including establishing an open-door policy.

“We will turn the culture of City Hall from one of ‘no’ to one of ‘how,’ ” Levy said. “We will not paper over our problems anymore.”

Levy addressed the crowd following her inauguration, highlighting safety and affordability as key areas of concern as she takes office.

“Many families in our neighborhoods struggle to keep up with the cost of living and find a stable career. Others worry about the safety of our streets, the state of our roads and whether their children will have the opportunities that they deserve,” Levy said. “Let’s get to work, Abbeville.”

Newly elected council member Bang Bui achieved a similar distinction to Levy, as he became the first Asian American elected to any office in Abbeville.

Bui’s address to the crowd in attendance was brief, pledging to “give 110% of myself to the people of Abbeville.”

Both Bui and council member Rachel Touchet Mouton were sworn in alongside Levy, Chief of Police Mike Hardy and fellow council members Brady Broussard Jr. and Terry Broussard.

Although Brady Broussard Jr. and Terry Broussard were present, their runoff victories have not yet been certified by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office, so they have not officially taken office.

Broussard Jr., who is the son of former mayor of Abbeville Brady Broussard and currently serves as mayor pro tem, echoed Levy’s call for a new direction in city government.

“This is the start of a new route for Abbeville,” he said. “We must remember that it is ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’ ” The council is expected to hold its first meeting under the new administration July 7.

Kids cool off in the splash pad at Parc Sans Souci on Tuesday in downtown Lafayette.

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Police chief pleads guilty in immigration scam Official pocketed thousands in kickbacks

BY JAMES FINN

Staff writer

A small town police chief admitted Tuesday to pocketing thousands of dollars in kickbacks to churn out bogus police reports, marking the fourth and final lawman to plead guilty in an immigration fraud case that has roiled central Louisiana since it became public last year.

Former Forest Hills Police Chief Glynn Dixon, one of four cops charged last summer under what federal prosecutors called a yearslong scheme to profit from bogus visa applications, entered a guilty plea Tuesday on a single count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, court records show.

An attorney listed in court records as representing Dixon, Kevin Stockstill, did not immediately respond to an email and phone message.

The former chief initially denied the charges for which he was arrested last July alongside three other lawmen and an Oak-

dale-based businessman.

Federal prosecutors in a 62-count indictment accused the businessman, Chandrakant Patel, of illicitly paying Dixon, plus Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea, Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle and Oakdale Marshal Michael Slaney to churn out bogus reports naming immigrants as violent crime victims. The immigrants then used the reports to apply for “U-visas” — papers for crime victims who cooperate with police investigations — with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, prosecutors said.

In an affidavit filed Tuesday in Alexandria federal court, Dixon admitted to generating at least 69 doctored reports for Patel between August 2023 and July 2025.

But prosecutors said the broader scheme may have started years earlier.

Immigrants paid Patel, himself the recipient of U-visa issued in 2023, $20,000 to obtain a police report for them, prosecutors say.

He then paid the lawmen around $5,000 per bogus report they generated.

The result, on paper, was what looked like a wave of violent crime across a typically sleepy

swath of central Louisiana. (Forest Hills, the Rapides Parish hamlet where Dixon was chief, has a population of just over 600, according to census data.)

Agents from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigations arm caught on when U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged the huge flare in U-visa applications with corresponding police reports from the sparsely populated, rural area, officials have said.

Doyle, Onishea, Slaney and Patel each pleaded guilty recently under agreements with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana in several court hearings that came in quick succession, records show.

In Patel’s plea agreement from May 28, he admitted to orchestrating the scheme for at least five years beginning in 2020. He sought law enforcement collaborators to supply and certify the reports needed for U-visa applications, his agreement says.

He admitted to using proceeds from the scheme to buy gold bars, a Swiss Ingot watch, rings, several central Louisiana properties and other items.

The indictment and subsequent plea deals landed as President Donald Trump’s administration has deprioritized federal law enforcement’s focus on public corruption and white collar criminal investigations, focusing instead on its broad immigration crackdown, plus violent crime and drug trafficking enforcement.

Still, law enforcement agents who investigated the central Louisiana case called the wave of guilty pleas a sign of accountability for public officials who breach the public trust.

“When anyone, including public officials, exploits immigration relief programs or commits fraud against the government, HSI and our law enforcement partners will investigate, dismantle these schemes, and work to bring those responsible to justice,” said Matt Wright, HSI’s New Orleans-based acting special agent in charge.

By admitting guilt, Patel acknowledged in his plea agreement that he faces revocation of his immigration status and deportation.

Email James Finn at jfinn@ theadvocate.com.

2B ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

Politically motivated line-item vetoes undermine legislative process Proponents of the line-item veto often argue that it helps trim the fat in budgets overstuffed by legislators feeding at the public trough. Yet in recent years, we have noticed the abuse is more likely to come from the executive branch in how it wields this tool.

In vetoing tens of millions of dollars for projects across the state, almost all of which were located in areas represented by legislators often opposed to him, Gov. Jeff Landry placed raw politics ahead of the needs of those areas’ residents.

To be sure, Landry isn’t the first governor to target political opponents with a veto pen, and he won’t be the last. It was no less egregious when Gov. John Bel Edwards did it in 2023, to punish conservative legislators who opposed his plan to raise the state’s spending cap.

But there’s a legislative remedy that might discourage this behavior.

As a co-equal branch of government, the Legislature ought to seriously consider overriding vetoes to important community projects, though it has shown no inclination to do so. Almost all the projects passed the Legislature overwhelmingly or even unanimously, indicating the items were generally recognized, even by conservative Republicans, as worthwhile spending.

The issue here isn’t fiscal responsibility: Both the state’s operating budget and capital outlay budget would be balanced if all the projects are funded. The issue instead is a misuse of the lineitem veto authority for what appear to be reasons of political retribution rather than merit.

Last year, for example, almost every line-item veto targeted Republicans who dared to vote against an insurance bill Landry pushed against the advice of conservative Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple.

These power plays, however, don’t really hurt the legislators; they hurt constituents instead.

The vast bulk of the vetoes canceled programs in New Orleans and North Baton Rouge — both heavily Democratic areas — along with “blue” districts in Shreveport, Monroe, Lake Charles and Opelousas. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said the $33 million in cuts to the city amounted to 62% of all Landry’s operational funding cuts and 53% of his capital infrastructure cuts.

And the governor shocked legislators and local officials in Baton Rouge by eliminating funding for an $18 million grocery store development in underserved North Baton Rouge, even though he had shown up for the groundbreaking ceremony, touting its benefits.

The New Orleans cuts came on top of a series of other slaps at the city, even as the new mayor and City Council have worked assiduously to eliminate an inherited budget deficit and won widespread acclaim for reforming their management practices.

Other cuts hit needy people hard across the state. Among the targets are programs for atrisk youth, local law enforcement and education.

When the major discernible reason for vetoes is political score-settling rather than the public good, legislators of both parties should not be supine. In other words, they should do their jobs.

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Patriotism is in the eye of the beholder

Leaders want to ignore carbon capture concerns Lake Pontchartrain experienced seismic aftershocks all the way from major earthquakes in Alaska and Russia, oscillating the lake’s waters.

By the end of 2025, the U.S. Geological Survey had recorded a string of earthquakes in northwest Louisiana; from March 2026 until now, there have been several other earthquakes in north Louisiana.

Tainting of drinking water in aquifers is a major concern to citizens around the state. Explosions or leakage from high-pressure pipelines and wells is also an omnipresent threat.

Expropriation. The real and legally sanctioned removal of residents from their own property through eminent domain remains an existential threat to residents.

What can we in this heavily influential oil-and-gas state do to make our opinions known? A group of 18,000 followers on Facebook are actively opposing the negative and lasting effects of CCS. Also, choose your candidates wisely.

Carbon capture and sequestration, wherein toxic industrial waste in the form of pressurized CO2 is injected over a mile deep underground, beneath residential areas, lakes, parks and other land, has become a highly contentious subject in the last few months in Louisiana. Almost all heavy industry and their powerful backers in this state have applied great pressure at the highest levels (the governor and the state environmental agencies (Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Conservation and Energy and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries). In the public arena, there have been at least 48 pieces written in The Advocate, The Wall Street Journal and other media since August, 2025; over 87% of these have been opposed to CCS. Well-financed industries like ExxonMobil (currently worth well over $600 billion) have bought six full-page and half-page ads themselves.

Why is CCS causing such a wide uproar?

Physical Danger. In August 2025,

JOHN BERRY Baton Rouge

Who’s afraid of a little socialism?

Megan McArdle’s editorial on socialism, once again, seems to critique socialism in absolutes. The United States currently has some degree or aspects of socialism. Head Start and food distributions are just two of many socialistic programs resulting in favorable outcomes. These services foster social justice, as in the emphatic and empathic teachings of Jesus Christ.

The naysayers tend to equate socialistic enterprises with communism. That is wrong. Communism is ownership by the government. Socialism can encompass a wide variety of forms from Marx’s socialism, Michael Harrington’s socialism to Erich Fromm’s democratic, humanistic socialism.

I’ve admired the Scandinavian countries since the 1970s, when I learned more about how their governments function. They implore capitalism operating under a democratic, socialistic government in which free

enterprise prevails, along with a social welfare system providing education, healthcare and other necessary prerequisites for well-being.

Contrary to what many believe, research affirms that the general consensus is that Scandinavians are well satisfied and proud of their system of government.

Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland are known as low-corruption societies, providing universal benefits on a citizenship basis. They lead global rankings on openness with high levels of public trust in government and access to public documents.

It sounds like a win-win to me — a market economy for competitive monetary survival and more and better social programs and services for its citizenry.

This addresses both capitalistic gain potential with free enterprise and humanitarianism.

CAROL POOLEY donaldsonville

How rich it was of the columnist Rich Lowry to write about how unpatriotic Democrats are, and he even had the “data” to prove it. Maybe he should look at the leader of his own party and explain some of his statements that are, I am assuming, what he might describe as patriotic.

President Donald Trump said any soldier who was captured during a war was no hero to him because they could not fight anymore. He said any soldier who died for another man’s war was a sucker. He watched as his MAGA marauders stormed the Capitol and injured more than one 100 police officers, smeared fecal matter on the walls and did millions of dollars in damage.

I would like to hear how Lowry or any MAGA members can spin that into being more patriotic than the Democrats who said they are not proud of the country. Trump and his MAGA buddies have given many Americans a good reason to not be proud of their country.

To me, I have never seen or heard anything more unpatriotic than what Trump has said and what his gang has done.

CLIFF JOHNSON St. Amant

Words from a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago What a blessing to be alerted by my sister, Helen, about the great article

by Joy Holden regarding the walkers of the Camino de Santiago — which I was doing in early June in Spain.

I highly recommend this experience, which I started by going first to tour Fatima, and then I joined my Buen Camino/Follow My Camino group in Porto, Portugal, before heading to Santiago, Spain.

And I didn’t realize that Pope Leo would also be in Spain that same week, so that was really cool!

So for anyone else yearning to take a “Closer Walk With Thee,” our Lord, on the Way of St. James, I pray that you one day take your first step ... wherever that may begin.

KEITH HORCASITAS Baton Rouge

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COMMENTARY We all stand to lose in Hegseth’s war on diversity Is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth resegregating the military?

I hear that question a lot since the news broke that our nation’s current secretary of defense has actively blocked or delayed the promotions of dozens of senior military officers — with women and people of color disproportionately affected.

The Pentagon’s recent track record on promotions is in keeping with Clarence broader efforts by the Trump administration to Page push back DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies in government, academia and the private sector.

It also comes at a time when the Trump administration has made symbolic moves — such as attempting to rebrand Hegseth as the “Secretary of War” — as well as actual warfare in an attempt to project an alt-right air of manliness.

It’s as if a military with Black officers, female officers and — Heaven forfend! — transgender officers could not possibly defend American interests across the globe.

In March, The New York Times reported that Hegseth took the “exceedingly rare” step of striking two Black and two female officers from the list of candidates put forward for promotion to the rank of one-star generals.

Hegseth had been pressuring Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll to remove the names, but Driscoll had refused.

As anonymous military sources told the Times, Hegseth’s chief of staff, Ricky Buria, upbraided Driscoll for selecting a Black woman to command the Military District of Washington, especially because President Donald Trump would not want to have to stand next to a Black woman at Arlington National Cemetery. Buria denied the account.

But the numbers speak for themselves.

“Since taking office,” the Times reported in June, “Hegseth has fired or sidelined nearly three dozen senior military officers as part of a broader campaign designed to purge the Pentagon of leaders he has disparaged as

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO

defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks in the Oval Office of the White House.

‘foolish,’ ‘reckless and ‘woke.’ ” Whether Trump and Hegseth know it — or care — this subject of race relations in the ranks at home and in the field reopens a lot of old wounds that have troubled military life in the past.

After President Harry Truman integrated our military in 1948, the Army tried the color-blind approach. As my first company commander told us in basic training camp in the Vietnam War era, “The army doesn’t see you as any color but army green.”

However, as my generation dealt with a deeply unpopular war overseas and riots in the streets back home, Gen. Walter T. Kerwin, the army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel, made this observation in 1970: “In the past year, racial discord has surfaced as one of the most serious problems facing Army leadership.”

Concerted efforts were made to ease racial tensions and diversify the numbers of available jobs and people to fill them.

Yet, today, young Pete Hegseth blames diversity hiring for the fact that evil-doers around the world don’t take the U.S. military seriously. He has repeatedly lambasted the notion that “diversity is our strength,” calling it the “dumbest phrase in military history.”

He also has overseen the erasure of Defense Department histories of nonwhite service members, although his office at least partly disputes that complaint, and he has sought to restore tributes to Confederate soldiers and commanders who, let us not forget, took up arms against their country in

defense of the institution of slavery.

Among those purged or forced to retire have been a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of naval operations and the head of the Defense Health Agency.

This has raised alarms on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. Some of my colleagues who cover the Pentagon report an environment of fear where military leaders are hesitant to question internal policies for fear of being sidelined, as sometimes happened in the Vietnam era.

Decorated retired four-star Gen. Stanley McChrystal memorably weighed in last year on CBS’ “Face the Nation” to downplay Hegseth’s alarm over DEI as a “distraction” that’s “not helpful.”

And let’s be honest, right now the Trump administration needs all the help it can get to unwind its recent military and diplomatic misadventures.

An impartial observer might say it was exceedingly foolish to alienate our NATO allies by trying to claim U.S. suzerainty over Greenland. It was reckless to start a war with Iran without considering its ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, putting the world economy in peril. Trump, Hegseth and Co. made those decisions all by themselves, without the help of woke military officers.

Some are calling Trump’s war with Iran America’s biggest strategic setback since the Vietnam War. We’ll see how it plays out. But at this point, it has cost us $29 billion in direct spending, and the bill may exceed $200 billion when all the costs are accounted for.

For as long as most of us have been alive, the United States has possessed the most powerful military the world has ever seen. But the Pax Americana, such as it ever was, was always undergirded by America’s resolve to uphold not only its own interests but also the ideals of freedom, equality and justice.

We may not always live up to these ideals, but I fear we will be lost if we ever abandon them.

Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com.

The temporary immigration problem that’s been forever This would seem like common sense.

The last two decades have been a continuous adventure in redefining the Yet TPS has long been a one-way ratchet — always extended but never phrase “White supremacy” to include revoked. This has made a mockery of less and less pertinent things.

The latest is that the Supreme Court the word “temporary.”

The TPS designation for Sohas allegedly joined forces with President Donald Trump malis has been in effect since to “advance an authoritarian, 1991, or for 35 years. Roughly White-supremacist agenda” — in 130 million Americans are the words of Illinois Democratic younger than 35, meaning that Rep. Delia Ramirez — by saying what is supposedly a tempohe can end so-called Temporary rary status has existed for the Rich Protected Status for immientire lives of nearly 40% of Lowry the country. grants.

The temporary status has A headline in the left-wing been extended a couple of dozen magazine The Nation read, “The Sutimes. It has reached across seven U.S. preme Court Once Again Endorses presidencies — if you count Trump Trump’s Racism.”

The court decision is facially correct twice — and has been in place during one-seventh of the existence of the in that the law says that TPS designaAmerican republic. tions or revocations by the execuGranted, Somalia is still misgovtive branch aren’t reviewable by the courts. Case closed. erned, but the civil war that was the The objections to the decision are original justification for the TPS despolicy-based. Trump critics and openignation is now less intense than it was borders advocates don’t like that at the outset.

Trump is now going to be allowed to Then there are Nicaragua, Honduras end TPS — a program for temporary and El Salvador, which have each been relief from repatriation — for Haidesignated for the last quarter-century tians, Salvadorans and others. But this or so.

El Salvador originally got the desigisn’t a criticism of the court, which is obliged to make rulings on the basis of nation in 2001 after two earthquakes. the law, not policy preferences.

More than 20 years later, the Biden There’s nothing about the decision administration fashioned reasons for that forces Trump to end various TPS extensions that had nothing to do with designations; rather, it simply allows these disasters. him to do so. This is another way in These included “significant storms which the court’s ruling is obviously and heavy rainfall in 2023 and 2024,” correct — if the executive branch can as well as “dangerously long periods extend TPS as a matter of discretion, of drought.” In other words, somesurely it can end it as a matter of distimes it rained and sometimes it didn’t, and that justified TPS never going cretion as well.

away.

Yes, the Biden administration admitted, progress had been made repairing earthquake damage, yet “subsequent environmental disasters, infrastructure challenges, continued climate risks, a weak macroeconomic environment and food insecurity” meant that Salvadorans couldn’t return to their native country.

In other words, the overall condition of El Salvador was the problem, not a specific event.

Part of the justification of TPS is that a country is temporarily incapable of absorbing its returning citizens. But as George Fishman of the Center for Immigration Studies notes, more than 3 million tourists visited El Salvador in 2024. If the country can accommodate millions of foreign visitors, why is it incapable of accepting its own returning citizens?

Obviously, TPS has become an enormous loophole in immigration law. The intent of Congress was never to create an endlessly renewable de facto amnesty. The statute says the secretary of homeland security “may” extend a designation in response to a specific event, but “shall” end the designation once that condition no longer applies.

This suggests that a designation is discretionary, but revocation is mandatory.

That’s not how it’s turned out. The Supreme Court has done its part by correctly interpreting the law, and now Congress should do its job by ending this much-abused program.

Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry.

A liberal misunderstanding of ‘Death of a Salesman’ buries its meaning NEW YORK — Seven times a week, audiences fill the 1,600-seat Winter Garden, one of Broadway’s largest venues, to see Nathan Lane, 70, an ornament of contemporary theater, spend almost three hours strenuously portraying the last day of a lost man: Willy Loman, a salesman. “Death of a Salesman” is grand despite what playwright Arthur Miller was thinking in 1949. This durable achievement of American dramaturgy will grip audiences in 2049 and beyond because Miller’s art survived his politics. A pastiche of banal leftist cultural criticisms, they were and are irrelevant to the play’s shattering depiction of something timeless, George not context-dependent: the pathos of a despairing individual whose Will dreams exceed his capacities.

Loman is an aging and failing salesman riding on a smile and a shoeshine whose delusions of just-around-the-corner success are dying. The play is a harrowing depiction of his, and his similarly delusional sons, colliding with reality.

Theater critic John Lahr, in his ideologically enthusiastic biography of Miller, says the play presents Loman as “a victim of competitive capitalism.” It “caught the spirit of self-aggrandizement” that Miller loathed about the postwar consumer-driven economic boom after 15 years of Depression and war. Lahr, channeling Miller’s vision of America through a “Marxian lens” acquired in the 1930s, says the play dramatizes “the barbarity of American individualism.” The play depicts “the envy and the exhaustion” of midcentury America.

This overwrought and underthought assessment insinuates that Loman’s tormented, eventually delusional, finally suicidal psyche mirrors America’s. Lahr understands Miller’s mentality when writing “Death of a Salesman.” Fortunately, Miller’s politics remain irrelevant to what moves audiences 77 years after the play’s Broadway debut.

The political left, always and everywhere, deplores individualism, which supposedly produces a lonely, chilly society needing the warmth of collectivism. Lahr says Loman exemplifies “American individualism, in which the value of the self is hopelessly tangled with the question of wealth.” In America, “cultural envy” and “invidious comparison” “drives society forward but also drives us crazy.”

Miller, nostalgic for wartime solidarity, lamented that Americans’ concentration turned from “society to the self.” He later wrote that his play “opened in peacetime when we were once again free to destroy each other.” Peace, not war, is hell.

The postwar American left has often defined itself by its aesthetic recoil from middle-class American enjoyments (cars with too much chrome, and other “self-aggrandizements”). The left thinks the pursuit of individual happiness takes too high a toll on social solidarity, an idea discordant with this 250th anniversary.

Miller’s politics would have been the death of his play were Loman presented as Miller thought of him — as a social symptom. That play would today be as dated and boring as a 77-year-old political tract. Loman, like Lear, remains riveting because he is not a mere reflection of a particular social context. He is something more universal: a casualty not of this or that society, but of perennial human foibles.

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” wrote Henry David Thoreau in “Walden” in 1854, before American capitalism burgeoned, and a century before post-1945 America disgusted Miller. And Thoreau was mistaken. Most people meet life’s difficulties by coping, then move on.

Loman’s unquiet, raving, finally fatal desperation is not “tragic,” as tragedy is often understood: a great flaw dooming a great person. Loman is nevertheless a movingly sad figure eliciting pathos. We go to the theater to be moved, not to be lectured.

“I am not a dime a dozen,” Loman cries, trying to convince himself. His wife, watching him stumble toward suicide, exclaims: “I don’t say he’s a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived.

But he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid.”

If there are more remembered words in an American play than those last four, they are a similar cri de coeur from Tennessee Williams’s 1947 “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Blanche DuBois, her delusions of Southern grandeur fading, cries, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” Another timeless human condition.

In 1950, sociologist David Riesman’s “The Lonely Crowd” diagnosed “other-directed” individuals whose inner emptiness makes them desperate to win approval by conformity to social norms. After a recent performance, Nathan Lane noted the pursuit of “likes” by people posting on social media. Many are salesmen selling themselves, begging for attention to be paid.

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost. com.

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Shreveport sports editor named Sports Writer of the Year Lang was named the LSWA ciation,” Shreveport-Bossier write, thanks to their gra- ries. high school sports feature in Lang’s win Sports Writer of the Year for City Advocate Editor Bar- ciousness.”

“As someone who lost the process. classifications during the bara Leader said. “His talent The Shreveport-Bossier Perhaps the biggest story my parents — all three of marks his second all organizaand his work ethic are unpar- of the year was one that them — way too early in life, City Advocate is the region’s alleled. He gets up early and stretched from the base- the fortitude Huspen and website and a partner of The tion’s annual such award works late to make sure that ball field at LSUS to Idaho his teammates showed hit Advocate | The Times-Picaconvention

BY BRIAN McCALLUM Staff writer

In the eyes of Roy Lang III, sports editor for the Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate, area sports in 2025 were a story of redemption and resilience.

In the eyes of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, it’s a story nobody told better than Lang.

that occurred Sunday, this year in Natchitoches. It was t h e Lang second such award for him; he previously won in 2012.

“We’re so excited about the recognition that Roy and his work received from the Louisiana Sports Writers Asso-

our community knows what’s going on in sports and doesn’t miss the stories behind the stories. We are grateful to have him as part of our Shreveport-Bossier team.”

Lang said he writes about “the stories the box scores won’t reveal, to chronicle the dedication and fortitude of coaches, stars, role players, the parents and supporters.

These stories are easy to

and then to Washington, D.C., as the Pilots completed an unprecedented 59-0 season, won the NAIA national title and were invited to the White House to celebrate.

One of the many stories Lang told along the way was that of outfielder Cooper Huspen, who lost his father days after graduation as the Pilots neared the NAIA World Se-

home,” Lang said.

His story on LSUS earning a spot in the World Series won another 2025 LSWA award for college event coverage.

As the Calvary softball team neared its season opener, a tragic accident claimed the life of senior Elana Franks. Lang followed that team all the way to a state championship win, and he earned an LSWA award for a

yune and Nola.com.

Additionally, Lang placed in LSWA competition for Prep Writer of the Year and for Amateur Sports coverage.

“2025 was meaningful for me, with or without any awards,” Lang said. “I’m honored to be a part of the Advocate team we have in Shreveport and across the state.”

11 accused of exploiting Bench trial set in Madison Brooks case say minors online, grooming theyAttorneys expect seven

BY MICHELLE HUNTER

Staff writer

A weekend sting by the Kenner Police Department concluded with 11 arrests of suspects accused of exploiting minors online, including a man from New Orleans whose legal name is Santa Claus, according to Kenner police.

Claus, 75, was taken into custody Friday on the Kenner lakefront where he arranged to meet up with a 15-year-old boy that he met on the dating app Grindr, according to court records.

In text message exchanges, Claus discussed showering with the teen and engaging in various sex acts, court records showed. The 15-yearold was actually an undercover Kenner police detective.

Claus arrived at the planned meeting wearing a red shirt, red jacket and red pants. He also had a white beard.

“His physical appearance indicates he does take on the persona of the Santa Claus, which is alarming considering he was attempting to have sex with a boy,” Kenner police said in a statement Monday evening.

Police arrested Claus and booked him on charges of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and indecent behavior with a juvenile. He was

being held without bail Monday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna.

Investigators uncovered images showing the man had worked at some point as a “Santa Claus.” Police couldn’t solidly confirm his employment history or where he might have performed those services, according to Kenner Police Deputy Chief Mark McCormick, who said the case is still under investigation.

Agents did confirm that Claus legally changed his name to match the Christmas figure, though investigators said they don’t know when and where he did so. Claus has no prior criminal convictions under his current or former name, according to authorities.

“We preach daily about the vulnerability of our children on social media and gaming platforms, and now we have arrested a person who dresses up as Santa Claus, inviting parents to drop their young children in his lap for photo ops,” Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said in a statement. “This is a cautionary tale to parents and guardians.”

The other 10 suspects arrested

by Kenner police were booked on similar charges, including indecent behavior-grooming, Kenner police said.

days of evidence

BY QUINN COFFMAN

Staff writer

A new trial date has been set for Casen Carver, one of the suspects in the 2023 alleged rape of LSU student Madison Brooks, who was fatally struck by a car after she was dropped off afterward.

The trial has been scheduled for Nov. 16, with attorneys saying they expect a total of seven days of evidence.

Judge Gail Horne Ray, of the 19th Judicial District, will preside over the trial, after the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled not to recuse her from the case over claims she might be friendly toward Carver’s family.

Since Carver’s case will be decided in a bench trial and not a jury trial, Ray will determine his fate.

Ray had been recused from the case in November after presiding over it for three years. Judge Brad Myers, of the 19th Judicial District, said the move was made to “preserve public confidence” in the proceedings, citing a number of text messages Carver wrote suggesting Ray and his

family were friends and indicating that “she knows to help us.”

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this recusal in March, but the state Supreme Court overturned it in May in a short ruling that said the state “failed to carry its burden to require recusal in this case.”

Joe Long, Carver’s attorney, said at the time that a different ruling would have opened “the floodgates” for attempts from attorneys to have unfavorable judges pulled off their cases.

On Monday, Long and prosecutors were back in front of Ray, after the case had temporarily been reassigned to Judge Fred Crifasi.

The two sides went back and forth over a potential trial date, with Long repeatedly complaining that his client has been waiting for justice for years and faces a life sentence.

Long attempted to reassert a motion for speedy trial that had been filed in April 2025 but withdrawn as the higher courts considered Ray’s recusal.

Prosecutors argued that a new motion for speedy trial would need to be filed, which would require the case to go to trial within 180 days of the filing. To this, Long acquiesced.

morning of Jan. 15, 2023, after a night of heavy drinking in Tigerland. She was allegedly raped in a car before being dropped off in a subdivision and fatally struck by a vehicle.

Carver, 22, of Denham Springs, was one of four men in the vehicle with Brooks when prosecutors allege she was sexually assaulted. He faces charges of first- and third-degree rape and a count of video voyeurism.

Should he be found guilty of first-degree rape, Carver would be subject to a mandatory life sentence. The charges facing Carver and two other defendants relate to the alleged rape, not Brooks’ death.

The main issue for Myers in removing Ray from the case were the texts between Carver and his family. Myers did not find that Ray showed any bias toward Carver or other defendants during pretrial motions, saying in his ruling that the decision was made to avoid the appearance of an improper conflict of interest.

Long argued to the Supreme Court that the request for Ray’s recusal was not timely and prosecutors had not proved actual bias or the potential for bias.

Prosecutors originally sought Ray’s recusal after Carver asked What’s at stake for a bench trial, rather than a Brooks, 19, died early the jury trial.

Bodycam shows Spell using slur Incident comes two days after arrest

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

Less than two days after being arrested for the widely publicized beating of a 20-year-old man, the Rev. Tony Spell was captured on a law enforcement bodycam calling the alleged victim a slur and threatening his father.

In East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office bodycam footage taken by deputies between 4:40 a.m. and 5 a.m.

June 23, Spell used an antigay slur to refer to the man he also said he “beat the crap” out of.

“He’s just sore because I beat the crap out of his f***** boy,” Spell said.

“And he’s next if he comes over here and harasses these boys” he said, referring to some teenagers alongside him.

Deputies were dispatched to the area near the pastor’s church in Central that morning after his neighbor, Scott Sherwin, called and complained that Spell was across the street from his house mowing the church lawn around 4 a.m.

Sherwin, whose son was attacked by Spell last week, has had an ongoing feud with the pastor since 2020.

In the bodycam video, Sherwin tells deputies it is his understanding that a judge put a protective order

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in place after Spell’s arrest and the pastor should be keeping his distance from his home.

“He’s doing this to intimidate my victim son,” Sherwin said to deputies. “Do you cut your grass at 4 in the morning?”

Sherwin can be seen on the video raising his middle finger in the direction of Spell across the street.

When deputies approached Spell after speaking with his neighbor, they asked the pastor to identify himself.

“Everybody in the world knows my name,” Spell replied.

In his conversation with deputies, Spell can be heard calling his neighbor’s son a slur twice and commenting on Sherwin’s sexual orientation.

“He needs to get back to sleep with his boyfriend,” Spell said to the teens with him in front of the church.

Two days earlier, Spell crossed the street and beat up Sherwin’s son after the 20-year-old yelled “f*** you” to the pastor, according to an arrest warrant and videos of the incident. Video shows the young man throwing the first punch at Spell after the pastor charged across the street toward him.

Spell punched the man eight times before tackling

him to the ground, then hit him another 27 times. The majority of the 35 punches were to the head and chest.

The victim required five stitches, according to his father, and suffered two large black eyes.

After Spell was booked into jail on a charge of second-degree battery and released, he held a news conference and claimed the person he beat up threatened to rape and kill his family.

Spell also called out the Central Police Department for not addressing his family’s concerns. But Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said his office has received five calls in four years from Spell’s family and only one involved the neighbors across the street from Life Tabernacle Church.

Spell made national headlines in 2020 when he refused to stop holding in-person church services during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was charged with six misdemeanors but the case was later thrown out by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

He was also arrested the same year for allegedly almost hitting a protester with a bus. Those charges were later dropped.

Staff writer Olivia Tees contributed to the reporting for this story.

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Serena ‘enjoyed the moment’ in 3-set loss

BY ANDREW DAMPF AP sportswriter

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Running back dilin Jones runs with the ball in a drill during spring practice at the LSU football practice facility on April 14.

Offensive boosters It’ll take more than top-tier transfers for LSU offense to run smoothly

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

AP FILE PHOTO By RICK SCUTERI

Hawaii wide receiver Jackson Harris looks on before a game against Arizona on Aug. 30 in Tucson, Ariz.

LSU and Lane Kiffin’s ambition to win now had the Tigers checking off a couple of expensive items from a transfer portal to-do list in January.

A playoff-proven quarterback: Sam Leavitt from Arizona State, check.

An all-conference left tackle: Jordan Seaton from Colorado, check.

Those are premium positions, and LSU undoubtedly spared no expense bringing in two of the best available transfers to anchor Kiffin’s offense in his debut season.

But it takes more than two — no matter how good the duo — to drive an 11-man unit capable of dropping points on opponents like the 36 points per game Kiffin’s teams averaged in six years at Ole Miss.

Which transfers could prove to be true accelerants in LSU’s offensive takeoff this fall? Here are some top candidates, just one month out from preseason camp.

WR Jackson Harris Harris, a native of Berkeley, California, was a late find for Stanford’s 2023

recruiting class who bounced to Hawaii after sparse playing time in his first two collegiate seasons.

One statistic made the 6-foot-2, 202-pound target worthy of a return to major-conference football: 19.7 yards per catch.

Harris had other good numbers, earning first-team All-Mountain West honors with a conference-best 12 touchdown grabs, but his 963 yards receiving on just 49 catches made him an intriguing add.

Quarterbacks in Kiffin’s offense are tasked with picking apart defenses on short to intermediate throws, but those are possible only if there are receivers to threaten strikes over the top. Harris profiles as a true secondary stretcher.

The LSU receivers are totally new sans redshirt freshman Phillip Wright, so there’s ample competition to become Leavitt’s new best friend. Expect Jayce Brown (712 yards in 10 games for Kansas State last year), Tre’ Brown (20 yards per catch for Old Dominion) and Winston Watkins (twitchy slot receiver) to be candidates, plus preseason All-America

ä See LSU, page 3C

LONDON — The roars began even before Serena Williams stepped on Centre Court. Then they grew louder when the 23-time Grand Slam champion arrived to play her first singles match in nearly four years.

And when it was all over and the 44-yearold Williams had performed admirably in Williams a three-set defeat to an opponent less than half her age in the opening round of Wimbledon with her two daughters cheering her on, Williams smiled as she walked off to a loud round of applause.

“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” Williams, who did not meet with media after the match, said in a statement released by Wimbledon organizers. “The atmosphere was amazing.

Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”

In a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to 20-yearold Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday, Williams showed she can still crank out serves faster than 120 mph and dictate points with her heavy groundstrokes.

Movement was an issue for Williams, though, and the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle Williams’ pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond the American’s reach.

While Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated, she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.

“She has such an aura. She’s just a legend, and this court has so many huge names that have played on it,” Joint said. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”

Williams has 98 career victories and seven titles in singles on the hallowed grass of the All England Club. By contrast, it was Joint’s first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance after losing in the opening round last year.

ä See WILLIAMS, page 3C

Baton Rouge bar becomes staging area for World Cup gatherings

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By EUGENE HOSHIKO

U.S. player Miles Robinson, front left, warms up with teammates on Tuesday in San Jose, Calif., during a training session ahead of their World Cup round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina set for Wednesday.

U.S. men to battle Bosnia, history in knockout round

BY JOSH DUBOW AP sportswriter

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The U.S. team spent Monday like millions of other interested followers of the World Cup, watching thrilling games from other venues that included a major upset with Germany falling to Paraguay, three games that went down to the wire and two nervy shootouts.

Then the reality quickly set in that the Americans soon would be back in the spotlight themselves,

ä United States vs. Bosnia,

7 P.M. WEdNESdAy, FOX

with a round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina at 7 p.m. on Wednesday that will go a long way to determining how successful this World Cup will be.

“In the moment you’re a fan, and then afterward you realize that this is also the same tournament that we’re playing. I think it’s a weird

ä See U.S. SOCCER, page 3C

At halftime, he interrupted the proceedings to spread his arms out wide and give an impromptu speech, a shot of Jameson in one hand and a glass of Stella Artois in the other.

Lance Paddock knew that half the bar couldn’t hear him. Yet he carried on anyway, thanking those who were reveling in the moment alongside him. Everyone packed inside the small, cozy space was thinking what he was thinking that suffocatingly humid Friday afternoon when the U.S. men’s national team won its World Cup group.

Paddock, an energetic grayhaired Baton Rouge native who likes to wear Hawaiian shirts and khaki shorts, just needed to voice it.

“We might be good,” he said with a smile, his eyes wide.

The possibility alone is reason enough to throw a party, which Paddock has been doing almost every day for the last three weeks. The eclectic Mid-City bar he co-owns, Pelican to Mars, has become Baton Rouge’s unofficial gathering spot for soccer fans across the city, which means it’s now staging this moment in the United States’ long, complex history with the World’s Game.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Fans at Pelican to Mars react to the U.S. scoring a goal during their World Cup match against Australia on June 19.

The U.S. isn’t just hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico. It’s also playing like one of the field’s top teams, and some even give those historically beleaguered American men a puncher’s chance to win it all.

Paddock is a believer. It’s why he recently outfitted his small indoor-outdoor space on Government Street with three extra TVs, a satellite bar, food vendors and dozens of lawn chairs. Pelican to Mars needed some extra frills before it could host watch parties for

matches such as the one the U.S. will play at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.

Other Baton Rouge bars are throwing World Cup watch parties, too. But Pelican to Mars is the only local watering hole that displays flags of Premier League teams on the outside and houses a small group of soccer-crazed regulars on the inside. The Baton Rouge chapter of the fan group

ä See BAR, page 3C

2C ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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LeBron is leaving Los Angeles

BY TIM REYNOLDS

AP basketball writer

LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, which means another decision awaits.

A mere 16 years after his first famed “decision” — the one that saw him leave Cleveland for Miami — James is getting ready to change uniforms once again. He has told the Lakers that his eightyear run with them is over and that he’ll play a record-extending 24th NBA season elsewhere.

James has made clear many times in recent years that more championships are his motivation, which means it’s almost certain he’ll pick a team that he believes can contend for an NBA title in 2027. Golden State is believed to be on his list, though there are certainly some who will wonder if reunions with Cleveland and Miami are possible. Or, perhaps, a new landing spot awaits such as San Antonio, where he could partner with 7-foot-4 global megastar Victor Wembanyama.

“I’ve done it all. I’ve seen it all,” James said when the Lakers’ season ended in May — after what was his last game with the franchise. “Just being able to compete and trying to win championships, I think that’s a motivating factor.”

The first half of his decision is complete: He’s back for at least one more year, which means his family agreed to that part of the plan — James had said his wife Savannah and 12-year-old daughter Zhuri would have big says in whether or not he continued to play.

His next decision — where to play — is among the biggest dominoes that will fall during the NBA’s offseason player movement window, alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded by Milwaukee to Miami.

The Lakers released a statement Tuesday thanking James for his eight seasons with the club.

“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” said Jeanie Buss, part of the Lakers’ ownership group. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers, including the title he led us to in 2020

NEW YORK — New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried took another step in his recovery from a bone bruise in his left elbow, throwing about 30 pitches in a twoinning simulated game Tuesday.

Fried was on the mound for about 20 minutes and used all his pitches while facing Ryan McMahon and Trent Grisham, who are slated to be activated off the injured list Friday.

Fried recently started throwing bullpen sessions and will face hitters again before Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins.

The 32-year-old left-hander has been out since May 13, when he left a start in Baltimore after three innings when his velocity noticeably dropped and he threw only 34 of 61 pitches for strikes. He also had an MRI and CT scan.

Aces rule out Wilson for Commissioner Cup final

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By NATE BILLINGS

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James prepares to shoot during a second-round playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 7 in Oklahoma City. James will not return to the Lakers next season. under the toughest imaginable circumstances, and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”

What happens now James could begin talking officially to new clubs after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, when the league’s free agent period opened. He will not be able to sign with a new team until the league’s offseason moratorium is lifted on July 6.

The momentum toward Golden State seemed to pick up when longtime Warriors forward Draymond Green did not exercise his $27.6 million option for this coming season earlier this week in large part to allow his team flexibility to make other roster moves.

It doesn’t mean Green won’t be back in Golden State — all indications are that he will — but it gives the team options.

“Personally, I’m always willing to work with the team on whatever is best, especially at this point in my career,” Green said on the

latest episode of his podcast, which was released Tuesday. “So my decision to opt out was for a few reasons. As you all know, I’ve always taken the approach of working with the organization. I’ve been in one place for 14 years. It’s more of a family to me than anything.”

Golden State is a franchise James faced four times with Cleveland in the NBA Finals. He also has close relationships with Green, Stephen Curry and Warriors coach Steve Kerr; Curry was his teammate and Kerr was his coach for USA Basketball’s run to the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

James spent eight seasons with the Lakers, the longest he spent in one stint with one NBA team and led them to the 2020 NBA championship. He became the NBA’s all-time points leader while wearing a Lakers uniform and surpassed a slew of other records while in purple and gold.

He spent the first seven years of his career in Cleveland, then left for four years in Miami where he won the first two of his

four championships. That was followed by another four-year stint with the Cavaliers (so he had 11 years there total), and in 2018 he joined the Lakers.

A career like none other James is the NBA’s oldest active player; he turns 42 in December. He was the first player in league history to log 23 seasons; he’ll add at least one more to that this season. He also became the first player in the league to have a son as a teammate, with Bronny James playing alongside him with the Lakers.

The list of James’ accolades to this point are beyond comparison.

He’s a 22-time All-Star, a 21time All-NBA selection, a fourtime Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP, and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, and for his career, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.

No standouts in a year of parity for PGA

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

CROMWELL, Conn. — The year is at the halfway point. The PGA Tour season is not.

Two months, and only one major, are all that remain for the PGA Tour in 2026 to find some definition. There have been good tournaments, great finishes, redemptions and breakthroughs, and Scottie Scheffler as steady as he has always been.

It’s just that no one has stood out this year.

Rory McIlroy became only the fourth back-to-back Masters champion, and the first since Tiger Woods in 2002. It was an example of how much freedom he felt from finally having the green jacket and the career Grand Slam. But that’s his only win this year, and except for a late rally at Riviera, he really hasn’t come close.

The eight signature events were won by eight players, no different from last year when seven players won the seven $20 million tournaments. But a year ago, all seven winners were among the top 25 in the world when they won. This year that applied to only three winners — Collin Morikawa (19) at Pebble Beach, Matt Fitzpatrick (7) at Hilton Head and Cameron Young (4) at Doral.

It also is not unusual to start a season with three different major champions — that’s been the case each of the past 11 years. But it’s the first time since 2010 that two of the three major champions were not among the top 30 when they won.

Aaron Rai was at No. 44 when he captured his first major at the PGA Championship, and Wyndham Clark was at No. 34 when he won at Shinnecock Hills for his

Yankees LHP Fried throws during simulated game

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By JESSICA HILL

Scottie Scheffler tees off on the first playoff hole of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands on Monday in Cromwell, Conn. second U.S. Open title.

(This requires an asterisk because Brooks Koepka was No. 44 when he won the 2023 PGA Championship. He was No. 19 when he left for LIV, and his two wins came with no ranking points).

There were two multiple winners of individual tournaments last year at this point — Scheffler and McIlroy. There are four this year with Clark, Young, Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup.

The last two months, highlighted by the final major at the British Open and three FedEx Cup playoff events, should go a long way toward shaping the season.

Scheffler and Xander Schauffele won the British Open each of the past two years, and it was their second major of the season.

Even in a game that moves slowly, outlooks can change quickly.

ments later, he still only has one victory.

He still leads the PGA Tour in overall strokes gained and tee-togreen, though his numbers are down from a year ago. Scheffler has nine finishes in the top 5 in his 14 starts. His playoff loss to Viktor Hovland at The Travelers Championship was his fourth runner-up of the year.

Take only the money from those four runner-up finishes — $8.9 million — and that would rank him at No. 4 on the PGA Tour money list. He hasn’t been as sharp at times. He had a bad habit of giving the field too much of a head start. But he doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

Fitzpatrick seizes the opportunity

Fitzpatrick leads the PGA Tour in victories this season with three because one of them was Zurich Scheffler looks about the same Classic of New Orleans, where Scheffler began his year with a he teamed with younger brother four-shot victory in The Ameri- Alex to win. That gave Alex Fitzcan Express. Thirteen tourna- patrick a two-year exemption,

seen at the time as one of the great gifts ever from big brother.

Instead of flying to Turkey for the next European tour event, Alex Fitzpatrick headed to Doral for a signature event. And he got in the next one, and the one after that. He went from that supposed “gift card” to registering four top 10s in the signature events against the strongest fields.

His world ranking has gone from No. 140 to No. 62. More importantly, he is at No. 17 in the FedEx Cup and a lock for all the big stuff next year — and all the majors if he reaches the Tour Championship.

Clark as the front-runner Clark is dangerous when he gets on a heater, and he’s on a heater.

He won his first U.S. Open in 2023 a little over a month after dusting the field at Quail Hollow.

He shot 60 to win at Pebble Beach in 2024, then was runner-up two straight weeks to Scheffler at Bay Hill and The Players Championship the following month.

Clark had another closing 60 to win at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, followed that with contending late Sunday afternoon in the Memorial and early Sunday afternoon in the Canadian Open, and then he stood down a hostile gallery at Shinnecock to win the U.S. Open.

And then running on fumes, he got within two shots of the lead late Sunday at the Travelers and tied for fifth.

How long will it last? Two more months and it might be enough to end Scheffler’s four-year run as PGA Tour player of the year.

But that depends on Scheffler.

He is the defending champion at the British Open, and a victory by him or a half-dozen others could be what it takes to bring some clarity to the season.

NEW YORK — Las Vegas star Aja Wilson has been ruled out of the Commissioner Cup final against New York on Tuesday night because of a right leg injury.

The four-time MVP rolled her ankle in the fourth quarter of the Aces’ win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday. She came back into the game after a quick trip to the locker room.

Aces coach Becky Hammon said that it’s just a tweak and that Wilson should need “a few days to move.”

Wilson, who leads the league in scoring at 25.7 points a game, has been remarkably durable in her career. She’s now only missed seven games since the 2020 season.

New York will be missing Satou Sabally, who is in concussion protocol after getting hit in the face.

USC guard Watkins back on court after ACL tear

LOS ANGELES — Southern California’s JuJu Watkins is back on the court preparing for the upcoming college basketball season over 14 months after one of the biggest stars of the women’s game suffered a torn ACL. “I’m just really blessed to be here, feeling back like myself and being able to practice with the team,” Watkins said Monday. “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve just been working out, grinding every day so that I could be in this position, so to see all of that hard work kind of pay off right now is really fulfilling.”

Watkins missed the entire 202526 season as she recovered from the injury she suffered in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Sorsby eligible for ’27 NFL draft, opts not to sue league

NEW YORK — Brendan Sorsby is moving on to 2027.

The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams on Tuesday informing them that Sorsby, a quarterback whose college career ended when the NCAA banished him for gambling activity that included wagers on his own team while on the roster at Indiana in 2022 and betting on pro sports, will not seek legal action against the NFL after the league denied his petition to enter the supplemental draft.

Sorsby, who moved from Indiana to Cincinnati to Texas Tech before revelations about an extensive gambling problem surfaced, tried to enter the draft just three days before the scheduled deadline. The league denied the petition.

Porzingis re-signs with Warriors for 2-year deal

SAN FRANCISCO — Center Kristaps Porzingis has reached agreement on a two-year, $40 million contract to remain with the Golden State Warriors, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

The 30-year-old Latvian joined Golden State at the February trade deadline from Atlanta in a swap that sent Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to the Hawks.

Porzingis missed significant time last season even after coming to the Warriors. The 7-foot-2 veteran played just 32 games, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He appeared in 15 games for Golden State with 11 starts.

The Warriors finished 37-45 to earn the 10th seed in the Western Conference and lost to Phoenix in the play-in tournament.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● 3C

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WORLD CUP ROUNDUP

Mbappé’s 2 goals help France beat Sweden

By The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kylian Mbappé put France ahead with a brilliant crossover step in the 45th minute and then added a secondhalf goal to break a World Cup knockout round scoring record, and Les Bleus beat Sweden 3-0 Tuesday to set up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.

Bradley Barcola added a 53rdminute goal for France and Mbappé capped the scoring in the 74th minute for his third two-goal game in four matches. His six goals tied Argentina forward Lionel Messi for the tournament lead and gave him 18 in his World Cup career, one shy of Messi’s record.

Mbappé’s 10 knockout round goals are two more than the previous high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo. France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when his star came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute.

France, the World Cup runnerup four years ago and a tournament favorite this time, has outscored opponents 13-2, with Michael Olise assisting on five goals.

On a brutally hot afternoon at MetLife Stadium, site of the World Cup final in July 19, France outshot Sweden 25-7, including 15-3 in the first half.

Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on Saturday in Philadelphia, and the winner ad-

LSU

Continued from page 1C tight end Trey’Dez Green.

But Harris is a name to watch, partly because his family has a history of putting up big numbers. His grandfather, Carl Ray Harris, still holds Fresno State’s single-season record for interceptions with 14 in 1970. Clay Harris, an uncle, averaged 17 points per game in his Fresno State basketball career.

If Jackson Harris averages close to 20 yards per catch at LSU, the Tigers will be happy.

RB Dilin Jones When in need of a running back, it’s never bad to look north.

WILLIAMS

Continued from page 1C But Joint won a Wimbledon warmup in nearby Eastbourne last year and knows how to play on grass.

Williams, who has no singles ranking after being out for so long, was given wild-card invitations by Wimbledon organizers to play singles and also doubles with older sister Venus. Her doubles match will come later in the week.

Fans started cheering when Williams’ name was announced as the next match on Centre Court and then they gave her a standing ovation as she walked out before the match started under a closed roof. Several supporters held up signs with messages such as “Welcome Back” and one wore a T-shirt that said “Unstoppable Queen.”

Williams executed a delicate topspin lob winner early on and then cranked out a 121 mph ace to hold for 3-3 in the first set. But Williams also had a costly doublefault that led to the only break of the first set.

In the second set, Williams came back from 0-40 and saved four break points to hold for 6-5. Then Williams saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a big serve down the T followed by a fore-

BAR

Continued from page 1C American Outlaws calls the place its “home bar,” in part because it shows every match of the World Cup. That distinction began to take hold not long after Pelican to Mars opened in February 2023, when a former manager who roots for the English club Liverpool suggested that the bar open early on Saturday and Sunday mornings so it could show Premier League games. The move, which Paddock said he and his two co-owners made out of a post-pandemic “desperation,” stuck.

Three years later, the bar is reap-

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By PAMELA SMITH

France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring the team’s third goal during the World Cup round of 32 match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., on Tuesday. vances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.

It was 90 degrees, sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality. During the first-half

hydration break, France defender Lucas Digne let himself be doused by a sprinkler.

Mbappé hit a post in the 32nd minute, raising both hands in disgust, and France nearly went

The Wisconsin Badgers have a lineage of great runners, including Ron Dayne, Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon and Jonathan Taylor.

Jones, a top-150 recruit nationally in the 2024 class, had the talent to be the Badgers’ next premier running back. He emerged as their lead back last season before a turf toe injury knocked him out midseason; he had also battled through a leg injury coming out of preseason camp.

His stats at Wisconsin (just 92 carries, 388 yards, 2 TDs) made him an under-the-radar transfer, but now, fully healthy, Jones has impressed Kiffin in drills with his quick feet and body control.

The latter isn’t surprising, considering the 5-11, 211-pound redshirt sophomore was both a foot-

ball and wrestling star at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Maryland.

Quarterbacks Matt Corral, Jaxson Dart and Trinidad Chambliss starred in Kiffin’s system but not without backfield mates who established the run. Kewan Lacy just produced 1,567 yards and an SECbest 24 scores on the most carries, 306, of any rusher in the nation last season.

An emphasis on running the ball certainly helped in retaining a pair of talented backs, Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, but it also attracted Jones to LSU. There’s only one football, and the Wisconsin transfer could have his arms around it plenty.

hand approach winner. Another big serve — clocking in at 122 mph — set up Serena’s first set point, which she converted when Joint missed a forehand long.

After winning the set, Williams pumped her fist calmly.

But Joint took control early in the third, and a forehand from Williams sailed long on Joint’s third match point to conclude the encounter after 2 hours, 22 minutes.

In other matches Tuesday, French Open champion Alexander Zverev and reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek made it into the second roundy.

In a match between hard servers, the second-seeded Zverev beat Alexander Blockx 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).

Swiatek struggled with her serve and committed nine doublefaults before overcoming Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

No. 2 Elena Rybakina also advanced, beating Lois Boisson 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Fourth-seeded Ben Shelton, a quarterfinalist here last year, lost to 140th-ranked Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen in five sets, going out 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9).

Also, 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini beat Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (7), 7-6 (16), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). It was the final Wimbledon match for Wawrinka, who plans to retire at the end of the year.

ing the benefits of a World Cup on home soil and a USMNT that looks like it can make a deep run through the knockout stage.

“That’s how it started,” Paddock said. “It was like, ‘Well, what the hell? Why not? Why not try?’ And now we’re kind of the soccer bar in Baton Rouge.”

Paddock considers himself a typical American soccer fan. He really tunes in only for the big events on the global calendar. The World Cup. The Champions League final.

The Euros.

But the time Paddock got his first true taste of the global game was anything but ordinary. It happened when he and his soccer-playing college friend took a trip to Barcelona in 1983 and saw the city erupt after legendary striker Diego Maradona

OL Aliou Bah The strength of the running back

U.S. SOCCER

Continued from page 1C

dynamic,” U.S. defender Chris Richards said Tuesday before the team’s final practice ahead of the knockout round. “But we saw an upset yesterday, so it’s making sure that we don’t allow that to happen to us.”

After starting the tournament with convincing wins over Paraguay and Australia that clinched the top spot in the group before a meaningless loss to Turkey last week, the Americans enter this knockout round as the favorites to advance for a change against a Bosnian team that never has made it past the group stage before this year.

But history is against the team as the U.S. men have had little success in the knockout round of the World Cup or against European opposition.

While the Americans made it to the semifinals at the inaugural tournament in 1930 by winning their group, their only win ever in a knockout round came in 2002 when they beat rival Mexico 2-0 in South Korea before losing to Germany in the quarterfinals.

In the eight other tournaments since the U.S. returned to the World Cup in 1990 for the first time in 40 years, the U.S. lost its first knockout game — the round of 16

delivered one of the most famous goals of his career in a match against Real Madrid.

“I became somewhat of a, I don’t know if fan’s the right word,” Paddock said, “but I just always had this attachment to follow that club ever since.”

The problem, though, is that Paddock lives in a bit of a soccer desert. Louisiana doesn’t have a professional team. The U.S. men have never played within 250 miles of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and the last time the U.S. women visited the state, they drew a crowd of fewer than 10,000 fans for a 2017 friendly in the Superdome.

The challenge then for Paddock and his Pelican to Mars employees was to bring as much of the

ahead four minutes later on Olise’s spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the penalty area, which also clanked off a post.

In the first World Cup meeting between the nations, Mbappé scored after goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström tipped Olise’s shot just outside the post.

Olise played a short corner kick to Ousmane Dembélé, who passed to Mbappé near the byline. Mbappé took a crossover step to get around Viktor Gyökeres and from just outside the 6-yard box sent a diagonal shot inside the far post.

NORWAY 2, IVORY COAST 1: In Arlington, Texas, Erling Haaland scored the deciding goal in the 86th minute and Norway won a knockout game at the World Cup for the first time.

Three defenders converged on Patrick Berg as he moved into the penalty area with the ball. He kicked it over to a wide-open Haaland, who scored his fifth goal in three games at this year’s tournament.

Antonio Nusa scored in the first half with a curling kick for Norway, which is in its fourth World Cup and will next play five-time champion Brazil in the round of 16 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The match comes 28 years after what many considered the greatest win ever for the Norwegians against Brazil.

Norway is playing in its first World Cup since that 1998 appear-

ance, when the team got to the knockout round only after scoring goals in the 83rd and 89th minutes for an incredible 2-1 comeback win over then-reigning World Cup champion Brazil in the group finale.

Amad Diallo, who had kept Norway from taking a two-goal lead earlier in the second half, evened the match for Ivory Coast with a left-footed kick in the 74th minute.

After Haaland’s goal, his Norway-record 60th in 53 matches, Ivory Coast kept pressing and had a chance to equalize with a direct free kick by Diallo in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Orjan Nyland made a leaping stop, the last of his four saves, when he deflected the ball away as he extended his left hand across his body.

Haaland, who won the Golden Boot in the Premier League last season with 27 goals for Manchester City, has scored in 13 straight competitive international games — a total of 25 goals in that span.

The Elephants, ranked 31st by FIFA, had never before won twice in the same World Cup. This was the fourth World Cup appearance for the West African nation, the same as Norway.

Nusa scored his first World Cup goal in the 39th minute when he took a few strides past the left corner of the area and sent a rightfooted kick between two defenders toward the far post.

room doesn’t matter if there aren’t blockers capable of paving rushing lanes — and if the Tigers offense was woeful at anything last season, it was establishing the line of scrimmage.

Seaton and returning center Braelin Moore are top-tier talents on a refurbished line. But LSU needed to find three more, and Bah should be experienced enough to whittle the search down to two.

Bah, recruited to Georgia by current Clemson O-line coach Matt Luke, spent two years on the Bulldogs’ bench before he jumped to Maryland and started 24 games at right guard.

The 6-5, 327-pound native of Memphis, Tennessee, was incredibly proficient as a redshirt junior,

whistled for one penalty all season and allowing no sacks for a Terrapins line that surrendered a Big Ten-low nine sacks.

If the fifth-year senior proves just as reliable in 2026, LSU will have a much easier time forming a front five, keeping the focus on whether Weston Davis rounds into shape at right tackle or if a younger Ole Miss transfer, Devin Harper, and a longtime LSU reserve, Bo Bordelon, can fill those last two spots.

LSU needs to see improvement upfront, and Bah could be a piece that prevents LSU fans from crying “Bah humbug” at the sight of the offense in 2026.

instead of the round of 32 — four times, failed to make it out of the group three times and failed even to qualify in 2018.

Christian Pulisic said the approach doesn’t change in this round and that the mood around the team remains light even with the high stakes in this part of the tournament. Pulisic said he’s healthy and ready to start after missing one game with a calf injury and playing the last game as a second-half substitute.

“You just want to extend it as long as you can, because some of the best memories I have in my life was last World Cup in Qatar,” Pulisic said. “Now being here, it’s just special to be here. You just don’t want it to end. So there’s definitely a lot of enthusiasm within the team.”

The U.S. lost its knockout game four years ago to the Netherlands 3-1. That came after a 2-1 loss to Belgium in 2014 and is part of a long run of futility against European teams.

The U.S. is 1-13-7 against European teams at the World Cup since 1990, with the only win coming in 2002 in the opener against Portugal. The Americans are winless in their last 13 matches against European squads at the tournament since then.

While Bosnia, 61st in the FIFA rankings, lacks the pedigree of many of those past European opponents, the Americans know this

matchup won’t be easy. The Bosnians secured a spot in the World Cup for the second time ever by winning penalty shootouts against Wales and four-time World Cup champion Italy in the European playoffs, then advanced out of the group thanks to a draw in Toronto against host Canada and a 3-1 win over Qatar.

“Every team brings different challenges,” Richards said. “Ultimately, the Bosnia team, they were good defensively and good going forward. It’s making sure that we take care of business on both ends. They have a very experienced attack, so it’s making sure we do our best in the back to take that away from them.”

With a victory on Wednesday, the U.S. would advance to the round of 16 next Monday in Seattle against the winner of Wednesday’s game between Belgium and Senegal.

It only gets tougher after that with powerhouses such as Spain still alive in their half of the bracket, but the results so far in this tournament with teams such as Germany and the Netherlands getting knocked out early show what’s possible.

“It’s our chance to go further in this tournament,” Richards said.

“We’ve seen two big boys fall.

So it’s just a matter of us getting through this game and putting in a good performance and hopefully we continue that. It’ll start to open up. So it is very exciting for us.”

World Cup as possible to the folks who stay home and swing by their bar.

Paddock has been doing it by making sure he greets almost everyone who walks in — both regulars and new faces. When the USMNT played its group-stage match against Australia on June 19, he handed out dozens of the stickers he had printed and each time quipped that he was trying to hide them from FIFA, throwing a jab at the governing body’s notoriously draconian licensing restrictions.

Pelican to Mars is also pet friendly. It supplies doggie bowls, and if your pooch is thirsty, Paddock may even reach down and offer to refill the dish himself.

“No matter where you’re at in

this bar,” said Adam Deville, the Pelican to Mars event manager, “you can always hear (Paddock).

He’s loud, he’s proud, and he loves to talk about his bar — for good reason.”

Kendall Losee, president of the American Outlaws’ Baton Rouge chapter, watched the USMNT’s World Cup opener vs. Paraguay at Court to Table. But he visits Pelican to Mars “almost every week,” he said. That’s where he saw the U.S. fall 3-2 to Turkey in the waning seconds of its last group-stage match.

“I love the different crowds that come in here,” Losee said. “It’s a lot of great people that just show up, and there’s always something interesting going on here. It’s always so much fun.”

Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@ theadvocate.com.

4C ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

SCOREBOARD Hole-in-one

5-3), 7:10 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers (Ohtani 8-2) at Athletics (Ginn 6-4), 8:40 p.m.

Michael Boone

National League

COURSE: Pelican Point Links Course, Club championship HOLE: No. 8 YARDAGE: 198 yards CLUB USED: 7 wood WITNESSES: Seth Trabeaux, Tim Achord, Chris Robert

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York Central Division

MLB Wednesday

American League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE at BALTIMORE OFF Chicago White Sox OFF Texas -113 at CLEVELAND -109 at N.Y YANKEES -145 Detroit +121 Tampa Bay -141 at KANSAS CITY +118 Minnesota -120 at HOUSTON +101 National League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE San Diego -129 at CHICAGO CUBS +109 at PHILADELPHIA -138 Pittsburgh +114 at ATLANTA -133 St. Louis +109 at MILWAUKEE -163 Cincinnati +134 Miami -161 at COLORADO +132 at ARIZONA -122 San Francisco +102 Interleague FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE at BOSTON -152 Washington +127 N.Y Mets -117 at TORONTO -105 LA Dodgers -193 at ATHLETICS +159

Pro baseball MLB Glance American League East Division Tampa Bay New York Toronto Baltimore Boston Central Division Chicago Cleveland Minnesota Detroit Kansas City West Division Texas Seattle Houston Athletics Los Angeles

Monday’s Games

W 48 48 40 39 37

L 33 36 45 47 46

Pct GB .593 — .571 1½ .471 10 .453 11½ .446 12

W 44 44 41 36 35

L 39 41 45 49 50

Pct .530 .518 .477 .424 .412

GB — 1 4½ 9 10

W 43 43 42 40 36

L 42 43 45 45 50

Pct .506 .500 .483 .471 .419

GB — ½ 2 3 7½

Toronto 2, N.Y. Mets 1 Boston 6, Washington 3 Chicago White Sox 8, Baltimore 2 Detroit 7, N.Y. Yankees 3 Texas 6, Cleveland 3 Minnesota 5, Houston 4 Seattle 6, L.A. Angels 2 L.A. Dodgers 9, Athletics 4

Tuesday’s Games

Chicago White Sox at Baltimore, n Texas at Cleveland, n Detroit at N.Y. Yankees, n N.Y. Mets at Toronto, n Washington at Boston, n Tampa Bay at Kansas City, n Minnesota at Houston, n L.A. Angels at Seattle, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n

Wednesday’s Games

Pro soccer

East Division

Odds

Chicago White Sox (Schultz 2-4) at Baltimore (TBD), 11:35 a.m.

Texas (Gore 5-6) at Cleveland (Cantillo 6-3), 12:10 p.m.

Detroit (Melton 4-1) at N.Y. Yankees (Warren 7-3), 12:35 p.m.

Washington (Alvarez 1-1) at Boston (Tolle 4-5), 12:35 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Peralta 5-6) at Toronto (Corbin 2-4), 2:07 p.m.

Tampa Bay (McClanahan 6-5) at Kansas City (Lugo 3-5), 6:40 p.m.

Minnesota (Bradley 6-3) at Houston (Imai

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati West Division Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco Colorado

Monday’s Games

W 49 47 45 43 35

L 33 38 40 43 50

Pct .598 .553 .529 .500 .412

GB — 3½ 5½ 8 15½

W 51 47 43 43 39

L 31 38 38 42 44

Pct .622 .553 .531 .506 .470

GB — 5½ 7½ 9½ 12½

W 55 43 42 35 33

L 30 40 42 49 52

Pct .647 .518 .500 .417 .388

GB — 11 12½ 19½ 22

Toronto 2, N.Y. Mets 1 Boston 6, Washington 3 Pittsburgh 11, Philadelphia 7 Milwaukee 5, Cincinnati 3 Chicago Cubs 3, San Diego 2 Miami 10, Colorado 7 Arizona 5, San Francisco 4 L.A. Dodgers 9, Athletics 4

Canada 1, South Africa 0

June 29

Brazil 2, Japan 1 Paraguay 1 (4-3 PK), Germany 1 Morocco 1 (3-2 PK), Netherlands 1

Tuesday

Norway 2, Ivory Coast 1 France 3, Sweden 0 Mexico vs. Ecuador, n

Wednesday

England vs. Congo, 11 a.m.

Belgium vs. Senegal, 3 p.m.

United States vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 7 p.m.

Thursday

Spain vs. Austria, 2 p.m.

Portugal vs. Croatia, 6 p.m.

Switzerland vs. Algeria, 10 p.m.

ROUND OF 16 Saturday

Canada vs. Morocco, noon Paraguay vs. France, 4 p.m.

Sunday

Brazil vs. Norway, 3 p.m.

TBD, 7 p.m.

Monday

TBD, 2 p.m.

TBD, 7 p.m.

July 7

Wednesday’s Games

Washington (Alvarez 1-1) at Boston (Tolle 4-5), 12:35 p.m.

San Diego (Buehler 5-3) at Chicago Cubs (Rea 5-5), 1:20 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Peralta 5-6) at Toronto (Corbin 2-4), 2:07 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Skenes 6-7) at Philadelphia (Wheeler 8-1), 5:40 p.m.

St. Louis (McGreevy 3-6) at Atlanta (López 3-1), 6:15 p.m.

Cincinnati (Abbott 5-4) at Milwaukee (Drohan 3-2), 7:10 p.m.

Miami (Meyer 9-0) at Colorado (Freeland 1-7), 7:40 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers (Ohtani 8-2) at Athletics (Ginn 6-4), 8:40 p.m.

San Francisco (McDonald 2-6) at Arizona (Gallen 3-7), 8:40 p.m.

Pro basketball WNBA Glance Atlanta New York Indiana Washington Toronto Chicago Connecticut

W 12 12 11 9 9 6 4

L 7 8 8 9 10 13 15

Pct .632 .600 .579 .500 .474 .316 .211

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 15 14 13 11 8 8 7 5

L 4 5 7 8 10 12 13 15

Pct GB .789 — .737 1 .650 2½ .579 4 .444 6½ .400 7½ .350 8½ .250 10½

Monday’s Games

ROUND OF 32 June 28

Australia vs. Egypt, 1 p.m.

Argentina vs. Cape Verde, 5 p.m.

Colombia vs. Ghana, 8:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, n N.Y. Mets at Toronto, n Washington at Boston, n St. Louis at Atlanta, n Cincinnati at Milwaukee, n San Diego at Chicago Cubs, n Miami at Colorado, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n San Francisco at Arizona, n

Western Conference

World Cup glance

Friday

Tuesday’s Games

Eastern Conference

Atlanta at Washington, 6:30 p.m.

Dallas at Connecticut, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

GB — ½ 1 2½ 3 6 8

No games scheduled.

Tuesday’s Game

Las Vegas at New York, n

Wednesday’s Games No games scheduled.

Thursday’s Games

TBD, 11 a.m.

TBD, 3 p.m.

Pro tennis Wimbledon Results Tuesday At All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club London Purse: £30,060,000 Surface: Grass Men’s Singles First Round Adrian Mannarino, France, def. Titouan Droguet, France, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.

Kamil Majchrzak, Poland, def. Alejandro Tabilo (30), Chile, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.

Yannick Hanfmann, Germany, def. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, France, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (9), 6-2, 6-3.

Jaime Faria, Portugal, def. Sho Shimabukuro, Japan, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3.

Valentin Royer, France, def. Harry Wendelken, Britain, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Alex de Minaur (5), Australia, def. Roman Andres Burruchaga, Argentina, 7-6 (5), 6-1, 6-0.

Zachary Svajda, United States, def. Pablo Llamas Ruiz, Spain, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

Taylor Fritz (6), United States, def. Dusan Lajovic, Serbia, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Quentin Halys, France, def. Matteo Arnaldi (32), Italy, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Arthur Fery, Britain, def. Damir Dzumhur, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1.

Gabriel Diallo, Canada, def. Benjamin Bonzi, France, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-1, retired Jacob Fearnley, Britain, def. Alex Michelsen, United States, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.

Jaume Munar, Spain, def. Francisco Cerundolo (18), Argentina, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

Kyrian Jacquet, France, def. Vilius Gaubas, Lithuania, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Otto Virtanen, Finland, def. Ben Shelton (4), United States, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9).

Patrick Kypson, United States, def. Mack-

enzie McDonald, United States, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Alexander Bublik (10), Kazakhstan, def.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (10), 6-3, 6-4.

Zizou Bergs, Belgium, def. Ugo Humbert (27), France, 6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.

Karen Khachanov (19), Russia, def. Billy Harris, Britain, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

Arthur Fils (20), France, def. Raphael Collignon, Belgium, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.

Jakub Mensik (15), Czechia, def. Toby Samuel, Britain, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).

Alexander Zverev (2), Germany, def. Alexander Blockx, Belgium, 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).

Marcos Giron, United States, def. Corentin Moutet, France, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, def. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (29), Argentina, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4).

James Duckworth, Australia, def. Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Jan Choinski, Britain, def. Vit Kopriva, Czechia, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Jiri Lehecka (13), Czechia, def. Alexei Popyrin, Australia, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, def. Dane Sweeny, Australia, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-5.

Women’s Singles First Round Amanda Anisimova (6), United States, def.

Lina Gjorcheska, North Macedonia, 6-3, 6-2.

Tyra Caterina Grant, Italy, def. Katie Boulter, Britain, 6-4, 6-2.

Maria Sakkari, Greece, def. Clara Tauson (24), Denmark, 6-3, 6-3.

Karolina Pliskova, Czechia, def. Tereza Valentova, Czechia, 6-3, 6-4.

Katie Swan, Britain, def. Irina-Camelia Begu, Romania, 6-4, 6-4.

Sofia Kenin, United States, def. Petra Marcinko, Croatia, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Jasmine Paolini (13), Italy, def. Robin Montgomery, United States, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Marie Bouzkova (21), Czechia, def. Talia Gibson, Australia, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

Madison Keys (26), United States, def. Kayla Day, United States, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.

Kamilla Rakhimova, Russia, def. Anhelina Kalinina, Ukraine, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Viktorija Golubic, Switzerland, def. Iryna Shymanovich, Belarus, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.

Maria Timofeeva, Russia, def. Beatriz Haddad Maia, Brazil, 6-3, 6-2.

Iga Swiatek (3), Poland, def. Taylor Townsend, United States, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

Kimberly Birrell, Australia, def. Alina Korneeva, Russia, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2.

Elena Rybakina (2), Kazakhstan, def. Lois Boisson, France, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Oksana Selekhmeteva, Russia, def. Sinja Kraus, Austria, 6-1, 7-5.

Anna Blinkova, Russia, def. Yuliia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-1.

Elise Mertens (25), Belgium, def. Laura Siegemund, Germany, 6-2, 6-4.

Leolia Jeanjean, France, def. Veronika Erjavec, Slovenia, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6).

Emma Navarro (23), United States, def.

Paula Badosa, Spain, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Caty McNally, United States, def. ElenaGabriela Ruse, Romania, 7-5, 6-3.

Daria Snigur, Ukraine, def. Elina Svitolina (8), Ukraine, 7-5, 6-2.

Alexandra Eala (29), Philippines, def. Renata Zarazua, Mexico, 6-1, 6-2.

Diana Shnaider (15), Russia, def. Eva Lys, Germany, 7-5, 6-1.

Sorana Cirstea (17), Romania, def. Sara Bejlek, Czechia, 6-1, 7-6 (6).

Marta Kostyuk (12), Ukraine, def. Nadia Podoroska, Argentina, 6-1, 6-2.

Linda Noskova (9), Czechia, def. Ella Seidel, Germany, 6-4, 6-3.

Mariam Bolkvadze, Georgia, def. Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Liudmila Samsonova, Russia, def. Polina Kudermetova, Russia, 6-3, 6-3.

Camila Osorio, Colombia, def. Simona Waltert, Switzerland, 6-2, 6-1.

Ashlyn Krueger, United States, def. Donna Vekic (31), Croatia, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

Limit on red snapper increases for July 4 weekend

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

For the second time this year, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Tyler Bosworth has added one fish to the allowed daily catch of red snapper for private recreational anglers for the Fourth of July weekend.

Beginning Thursday and running through Sunday, the daily catch will be five red snapper measuring a minimum of 16 inches. The usual daily creel limit is four.

Bosworth approved a similar plan for the Memorial Day weekend in May. The private recreational red snapper season opened May 1.

Bosworth also signed off on an across-the-coast closure of spring inshore shrimp season to take effect at sunset Monday. An exception to the closed area will allow waters in Breton and Chandeleur sounds to remain open.

The closure comes after sampling by state marine biologists showed the presence of undersized white shrimp migrating into inshore waters.

The closure allows these shrimp to grow to a marketable size for an inshore season that generally opens in August.

Wildlife and Fisheries managers also announced that floodwaters had receded to a point where roads on the Grassy Lake (Avoyelles Parish) and Pearl River (St. Tammany Parish) wildlife management areas could open in time for the holiday weekend.

The reopening of the Pearl River WMA also includes the Honey Island Shooting Range.

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Love meets tech

Artificial intelligence adopters have been using chatbots in varied ways to find modern romance

BY KAITLYN HUAMANI AP technology writer

Marie Lansley recently started a new job in a new city while searching for a new partner. In her dating pursuits, the freshly minted San Franciscan said she’s been “trying everything”— including some help from artificial intelligence.

AI chatbots have become — for her and many others — de facto dating coaches and relationship experts.

Lansley, 36, consults AI chatbots for help in starting conversations, something she said she finds difficult on dating apps despite being comfortable doing so in person. Although she’s optimistic about the possibilities, she acknowledges the incongruency between the art of romance and the precision of technology.

“I am open to AI finding me the love of my life, but I’m also not fully convinced that it can,” Lansley said. “AI is great at making dating more efficient.

But the chemistry — that’s always going to be analog.”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Troy Primeaux, creator of the 7 Pot Primo Pepper, talks about his collection of hot sauces made using his pepper at his home in Lafayette in 2024.

COOKOUT CRAVINGS

Frozen cosmo, anyone? See what these Lafayette chefs are bringing to the barbecue this summer

BY JOANNA BROWN

Staff writer AP ILLUSTRATION By PETER HAMLIN AI adopters have been using the tech in varied ways to find romance. Some patronize AI matchmaking services. Others use AI tools to help build their dating profiles. But the most common way is enlisting chatbots to draft messages to potential matches and interpret messages they receive.

Lansley goes back and forth between OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. Others turn to Elon Musk and X’s Grok, Google’s Gemini and other chatbots. Dating apps and AI companies are leaning into it. ChatGPT and Gemini have posted content on TikTok showcasing their chatbots’ customized, personality-laden relationship advice.

“Claude is the new Cyrano,” said dating coach Carey Gaynes, referencing the 19th-century French play “Cyrano de Bergerac” in which the titular character is the brains behind another man’s romantic words.

“You’re using a voice that isn’t yours.”

Gaynes said she has heard of daters of all ages turning to the technology, both from her client base and her following on her YouTube channel, Coffee with Carey. She sees how it could be useful in dating, but like many others, she worries about overreliance.

Like the platitude used to describe many a modern dating arrangement, it’s complicated when it comes to people’s feelings about AI’s role in romance.

There’s a range of excitement, resistance and skepticism.

If you are lucky enough to get invited to a barbecue this summer, you have one mission ahead of you — deciding what to bring for the table.

The privilege of the barbecue guest is that they are typically not obligated to worry about the meat.

That is the purview of the host, or whoever wants to show off their grill that weekend. But ribs, burgers, hot dogs and steaks can’t shine on their own — they need something green, fresh or creamy to go on the side.

That’s where the guests come in.

Most of us have a favorite shareable side that no barbecue is complete without, like a classic macaroni and cheese, or — and we’re stretching the definition of “side” here — a frozen, fruity drink.

I asked several Lafayette chefs and restaurant owners if they have a favorite dish to bring to a barbecue, and their answers were just as unique as they are. From Santi Sarrica’s homemade tiramisu, to a simple salsa recipe from Hub City Diner’s Jason Redmon, these sides, desserts

ä See CHATBOTS, page 6C

and drinks would elevate any sum- he goes for a mustardy dish called mery occasion — just in time for “Colonel Mustard Potato Salad, with a candlestick.” I had not heard Fourth of July get-togethers. of this recipe — and online forums Favorite cookout dishes don’t include a candlestick — but No barbecue is complete without as a mustard fan, it looks like a a potato salad, and chef Will Baxter ä See COOKOUT, page 6C from Jane’s French Cuisine said

THE BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS WEEK

Light, refreshing treats to beat the summer heat Puff taco at Pedro’s

Staff report

Puff taco

n Pedro’s Tacos & Tequila, 7655

Andrea Drive, Baton Rouge; and 27276 Crossing Circle, Denham Springs

AI writing suggestions Lansley said she has been startled by how chatbots can appear to display emotional intelligence.

When doing an onboarding call with the AI matchmaker on the app Known, she said the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAd BOWIE

Chef Will Baxter, left, and Marshall Robinson, inspect a shipment of lobsters at Jane’s French Cuisine in Lafayette in 2022.

STAFF PHOTO

By JUdy BERGERON

When trying a new Mexican restaurant, I’ll pretty much stick to a taco salad or enchiladas. This time, however, I went for something a bit off my radar — a puff taco at Pedro’s.

Yes, it’s just one taco, but it’s a

big one. The large, grilled flour tortilla extends the width of an oval dinner plate. Folded in half, it arrives to the table with its generous contents spilling out the opening: ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and the whole thing topped with chile con carne and cheese. The meat was well-seasoned, the chile made it even more filling, and I enjoyed the light crunchiness of the top of the shell.

ä See BEST, page 6C

6C ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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COOKOUT

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Wednesday, July 1, the 182 day of 2026.

There are 183 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history: On July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain as the British North America Act took effect. Called Dominion Day until 1982, the national holiday is now known as Canada Day. Also on this date: In 1863, the pivotal, threeday Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, resulting in a Union victory, began in Pennsylvania.

In 1903, the first Tour de France began. (It ended on July 19, won by Maurice Garin.)

In 1944, delegates from 44 countries began meeting at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, where they agreed to establish the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

In 1963, the U.S. Post Office inaugurated its fivedigit ZIP codes.

In 1973, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

was established.

In 1984, the first movie rated PG-13 (“Red Dawn,” starring Patrick Swayze) was released.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated federal appeals court judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, beginning an ultimately successful confirmation process marked by allegations of sexual harassment.

In 1997, Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule after 156 years as a British colony.

In 2004, actor Marlon Brando died in Los Angeles at age 80.

In 2015, after more than a half-century of hostility, the United States and Cuba declared their intent to reopen embassies in each other’s capitals, leading to a historic full restoration of diplomatic relations between the Cold War foes.

In 2018, LeBron James announced that he would be signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving Cleveland for the second time in his career.

In 2019, 15-year-old Coco

Gauff, the youngest player to qualify at Wimbledon in the professional era, defeated 39-year-old Venus Williams in the first round.

Today’s birthdays: Actordancer Leslie Caron is 94. Actor Jamie Farr (TV: “M*A*S*H”) is 92. Dancerchoreographer Twyla Tharp is 85. Actor Genevieve Bujold is 84. Rock singer Deborah Harry (Blondie) is 81. Actor Terrence Mann is 75. Rock singer Fred Schneider (The B-52s) is 75. Pop singer Victor Willis (Village People) is 75. Actorcomedian Dan Aykroyd is 74. Actor Alan Ruck is 70.

Mystery novelist Louise Penny is 68. Singer Evelyn “Champagne” King is 66.

Olympic track champion Carl Lewis is 65. Actor Pamela Anderson is 59. Actor Henry Simmons is 56.

Hip-hop artist Missy Elliott is 55. Actor Julianne Nicholson is 55. Singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens is 51. Actor Liv Tyler is 49. Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla is 49. Actor Hilarie Burton is 44. Actor Lea Seydoux is 41.

Actor-singer Chloe Bailey is 28. Actor Storm Reid is 23.

Continued from page 5C good one. Recipes alternate between using a spicy Creole mustard or a smoother Dijon, but whatever your preference, this is a potato salad with a kick.

Troy Primeaux is the mastermind behind the “7 Pot Primo Pepper,” which was featured in the Hulu documentary “Superhot.” In the competitive pepper world, Primeaux’s is one of the hottest, coming in around 300 times hotter than a jalapeño. He uses the 7 Pot Primo for his line of hot sauces, ranging from the brain-melting Primo Army sauce to the gentler but still very bold Primonition verde-style hot sauce.

Primeaux’s wife, Kara Farmer-Primeaux, also produces a line of jams called “Farmer’s Daughter,” which shines at barbecues.

“We often tend to do things a little differently when we hit the grill,” Primeaux said. “A party favorite is Kara’s amazing burger.”

They use a bison or beef patty, topped with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, Duke’s mayonnaise, Point Reyes blue cheese, and

CHATBOTS

Continued from page 5C

STAFF PHOTO By JOy HOLdEN

California chicken club from Our Mom’s

BEST

I got mine on sourdough.

The sandwich was huge.

Continued from page 5C I had to cut it in half, and even then, I brought most of it home. The grill of the chicken was spot on and, Word of advice: Save combined with the other room for the tres leche cake. A friend and I shared dressings, delivered on a slice, and it was heavenly. abundant flavor. As a bonus, — Judy Bergeron, the sandwich was just as features assistant editor good the next day for lunch.

— Joy Holden, features writer

California chicken club

n Our Mom’s, 250 W. Lee

Drive, Baton Rouge

Our family chose Our Mom’s for dinner last weekend, which was a perfect place to watch the World Cup games.

Although Our Mom’s has famous and unique burgers, I wanted a chicken sandwich. I ordered the California chicken club, which comes with grilled chicken breast, melted Swiss cheese, bacon, sliced cucumbers and sliced avocado dressed with mayo, lettuce and tomatoes on whole wheat bread, except

Wedding cake sno-ball with cream

n Meltdown Snoballs, 1500

Johnston St., Lafayette

Meltdown Snoballs, which has four locations in the Baton Rouge area, recently opened a Lafayette location at 1500 Johnston St. The building it moved into, adjacent to UL’s campus, has sat empty since Burger King closed that location and another in early 2024.

Zein Clayton, who opened the first location in 2021 when he was 16 years old,

is the owner. He also has locations in Brusly and New Roads.

Before I moved to Louisiana in 2010, I did not have a concept of “sno-ball weather.” However, the past week has been just that, so I decided to head over there at lunchtime for a frozen treat. The restaurant was empty when I visited, but the staff was efficiently managing a brisk drivethru line.

We self-ordered at the front counter from an extensive list of flavors, and moments later, I had my treat — a small wedding cake sno-ball, with cream, of course.

Not all sno-balls are created equal, and this was a good one. The ice was soft, there was plenty of syrup, and they were not stingy with the cream. It was a great way to cool off a bit on a summer workday, and I will definitely be back.

— Kristin Askelson, managing editor

questions the bot asked went “one or two levels deeper” than traditional dating app questions and it seemed to be striving for empathy.

It doesn’t necessarily lead to better results — her first match was not a perfect fit.

Mason Naung, a 25-yearold student in Los Angeles, said he doesn’t use chatbots for message ideas, but could see the benefit of it for “icebreakers” during the early back-and-forth with someone.

“I’ve been on Hinge on and off for a year or two, and sometimes I kind of struggle to think about what the opening line should be like with this girl, right?” he said. But if the AI-written messages go beyond those initial exchanges, that would be a “small red flag” in his mind.

Just as chatbots can help start conversations, they also can help end things.

Dani Cohen, a 27-year-old business owner in San Diego, said she would much rather be sent an AI-written farewell message by someone she’s been on a few dates with than be “ghosted,” or cut off without a word.

“Obviously, in a perfect world, everyone knows exactly what they want to say and how to say it in the kindest way possible and they do that. That’s not the world we live in,” she said.

“Anything to get people to communicate, and to communicate their thoughts kindly and effectively, is great.”

Skepticism persists Several people who spoke with The Associated

Jason’s Awesome Salsa Recipe 3 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomato, drained 1 jalapeno (seeded) ½ bunch of cilantro, stems and all (if the bunch is small, use the whole thing) ½ yellow onion 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons lime juice ¼ teaspoon cumin Salt and pepper to taste Blend all ingredients in a food processor, and let salsa chill in the refrigerator for the flavors to marry.

Farmer’s Daughter Fig and Habanero hot pepper jelly on a toasted brioche bun.

“It checks off all the boxes,” according to Primeaux.

“Sweet, spicy, tangy and a full depth of flavor.”

We haven’t covered dessert yet, and if you invite the Sarrica family to your barbecue, you’ll be in for a treat. Santi and Gina Sarrica own Sarrica’s Little Italy in Lafayette, and they have recently expanded with morning pastries. Santi Sarrica said they bring fresh bread and homemade tiramisu to barbecues as a nod to Italian heritage.

“The bread isn’t just food, it’s the first thing people

Press, including those who have turned to AI for dating help, expressed reservations about using the technology to help with deeply personal aspects of their life. Many adopters said they had a line they wouldn’t cross when it would be inappropriate to use AI for dating.

Others couldn’t dream of turning to a chatbot for help with their love life at all.

Clara Sullivan, a 22-yearold student in Los Angeles, said she would not reply to a potential partner if she knew they were sending her AI-written messages.

“I think it’s really scary how reliant people are on it,” Sullivan said. “It’s completely gotten rid of people’s ability to think creatively and on their own.”

Many feel the same way.

A 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center found 53% of U.S. adults say AI will worsen people’s ability to think creatively. Half of those polled said they feel AI will worsen people’s ability to form meaningful relationships.

Still, the marriage of AI with the highly lucrative dating industry was likely inescapable. Many dating apps have been integrating AI into their platforms for years.

Tinder has an AI-powered feature called Chemistry that suggests profiles tailored to a user’s interests.

Hinge has AI-powered conversation starters and feedback tools to help build users’ profiles and make interactions smooth.

The founder of the app Bumble recently said the platform will soon ditch the well-known swipe feature, instead pivoting toward AIdriven matchmaking. After facing some backlash to the decision, Bumble CEO and founder Whitney Wolfe

naturally gather around,” he said. “Someone tears off a piece, someone else passes it, and before you know it, strangers are sharing a table like old friends.

That’s what Italian culture has always been about.

“I also bring homemade tiramisu, which is deeply rooted in Italian tradition.

Its name means ‘pick me up,’ and I love the idea that the last thing you share at the table leaves everyone smiling. That’s what hospitality is all about.”

Of course, everyone needs a cold drink in their hand at the barbecue. Leonard Louvierre, owner of Zea Rotisserie & Bar, said his top choice to bring to the party is a batch of frozen cosmopolitans. “It’s a great summertime item,” he said.

“They’re refreshing and light and summery-looking; people love them.”

We’ll close with a recipe from Jason Redmon, owner of Hub City Diner in Lafayette. He says, “everyone loves my quick and easy salsa,” and as a cilantro fan, it’s easy to see why. This recipe calls for a lot of it, and I’d love to try it with a slice of steak fresh off the grill, letting the flavors of the land and garden take me into the summer evening.

Herd wrote in a statement that said what they’re building “is rooted in a simple belief: technology should make love and connection feel more human, not less.”

Some see tradeoffs Mohammed Nizami, 23, said he turns to AI for some things in his life, but not his dating pursuits.

“We’re all craving for some degree of authentic connection. Certainly with your partner, you want that,” he said. “If there’s some filter or barrier between you and your partner or potential partner, I think that’s just not a great way to start a relationship.”

Nizami said chatbots may not even provide the best guidance. The sycophantic nature of many chatbots, he said, might be “good for your own mental comfort” but does not necessarily lead to the soundest advice.

AI is likely going to play a growing role in modern dating life, despite the hesitations.

“It’s kind of a sad commentary on the state of the world. Dating is supposed to be one of the things that cannot be replaced, right?” said Jake Clay, a 30-yearold content creator in New York City. “It’s kind of sad to think that something so pivotal to your life journey is being outsourced to an AI who can’t understand the emotions around it.”

Clay did say he’s been receiving fewer texts from friends asking him to decode a message from potential partners, as they now turn to chatbots.

Clay wryly said he appreciates AI “lifting the load” there but also called the situation a “Catch-22” since it’s “circumventing some of the normal processes in life that I feel like should be a little bit more sacred.”

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● 7C

lll

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC cAncER (June 21-July 22) Shed any conflict you face by being straightforward, decisive in your actions. Choosing the path that feels right for you is better than letting someone else push you in the wrong direction.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Pick up the pace, switch your mind to autopilot and let your intuition lead the way. What you accomplish will put a smile on your face and help you maintain your momentum.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Take a pass if you don't feel comfortable with what's unfolding around you. Being a friendly observer will offer insight that can lead to something more suitable and inviting.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Mix business with pleasure, network and engage in conversations that can initiate change or make a difference to something that concerns you. Apply more friendly pressure to those slowing you down. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Take greater interest in your friends, neighbors and relatives. How you conduct yourself and the suggestions and help you offer will have an impact on you as well as those you chat with. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to detail when dealing with matters that affect your cash flow or your health.

Setting up guidelines to ensure those you deal with are of the same mindset as you will help. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Research is essential if you want to avoid interference. Ask questions, and find out how

you can accommodate others without disrupting your plans. Conflict is likely to develop if anyone decides to become pushy.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Shine brightly in all your interactions, and you'll turn into the go-to person in your circle.

Improving your surroundings will bring you joy and invite new friends or lovers into your life.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Handle others with care. Socializing with people who share your concerns will produce good results. You'll discover what's possible if you volunteer your time to help bring about positive change.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Sort through any differences you have with those close to you. Being straightforward will spare you unnecessary grief. Don't choose to ignore issues that affect your relationships or domestic situation. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Overlooking what's available or doable will be your downfall. Question everything, and apply your intelligence and open-mindedness to ensure you achieve the best results.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Hurry up, time is of the essence, and structuring how and what you accomplish will eat up valuable time. Reach out to those who can help make whatever you choose to do easier and more efficient.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

toDAy's cLuE: o EQuALs H

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, said, “A leader or a man of action in a crisis almost always acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for his action.”

Some bridge experts are like that, playing almost by instinct. Others grind it out, calculating the correct actions.

The less capable tend to react almost subconsciously, making the “natural” play without time for analysis. It would be a great idea for almost everyone to slow down.

In this deal, for example, look at the North and East hands. Against four spades, West leads the club queen. How should East plan the defense?

West was aggressive in raising to two clubs, but he had a singleton and liked the favorable vulnerability. North’s three-club advance was a modern cuebid raise.

It guaranteed at least three-card spade support and a minimum of game-invitational values. South had sufficient highcard power to jump to game.

The defenders need four tricks. East can anticipate two clubs and one spade, but where is the other winner?

That singleton diamond should be smiling at East. But it is probably pointless discouraging clubs at trick one.

West would surely shift to his heart 10.

Instead, East should take control. He

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

should overtake the club queen with his king and switch to his singleton. Then he can take the first or second round of trumps, lead a low club to put his partner back on play, and receive the lethal diamond ruff.

It is an excellent idea to pause at trick one. Just tell declarer that you want to analyze the deal. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD — soJouRnER: SOH-jurn-er: A temporary resident.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 22 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 27 or more words in SOJOURNER? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — MEDALs made male mead meal medal meld mesa dale dame

damsel deal alms lade lame lase lead sale same

seal seam slam sled

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

Keep these words of Jesus in mind as you go through life. G.E. Dean

10C ● Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BUSINESS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/news/business

DOW 52,319.20 136.46 0.26%

NASDAQ 26,213.72 393.58 1.52%

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

iHeartMedia lays off on-air personalities

Riverside, California-based radio station KGGI has lost its last local on-air hosts.

Longtime radio personalities Evelyn Erives, Nick Nack and Garrison King were all cut from the Inland Empire station last week as part of iHeartMedia’s latest round of national layoffs. In an internal memo, the media giant said it would restructure its radio programming to better “leverage” the company’s technology. iHeartMedia declined to comment on how many people lost their jobs, but dozens of on-air and other staff positions have reportedly been cut across the country.

The memo — attributed to Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman and Ann Marie Licata, the chief executive of the company’s multiplatform group — framed the changes as a way to “move faster and operate with greater precision across markets” and to “position us not just to adapt to the future, but to lead it.”

The cuts are part of a broader push to reduce costs. In May, iHeartMedia launched a new savings program, set to begin in the second half of 2026, aimed at trimming an additional $50 million on top of the $100 million in savings the company had already announced. iHeartMedia is the nation’s largest radio operator, with more than 850 stations across 160 markets and a sizable presence in Burbank. Its Los Angeles-area stations include KFI-AM, KLAC-AM, KOST-FM and KIIS-FM.

S&P 500 7,499.36 58.93 0.79%

EURO 1.1422 -0.0004 -0.04%

CRUDE OIL 69.50 -1.25 -1.77%

GOLD 4,022.90 0.60 0.01%

U.S. stocks rise, trim losses for June NEW YORK — U.S. stocks rose Tuesday and trimmed their losses in what had been a rocky June.

The S&P 500 gained 0.8%, though it still fell to its first losing month following two fabulous ones. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 136 points, or 0.3%, to its record, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.5%.

The main reason for the past month’s weakness was a fall to Earth for stocks in the artificial intelligence industry. After soaring to tremendous heights in the frenzy around AI, such stocks came under pressure because of worries that they shot too high. That’s a big deal for all investors because AI stocks have grown into some of Wall Street’s largest and most influential, pulling indexes behind them.

AI stocks were firmer Tuesday, and Nvidia was the strongest force lifting the S&P 500 after rising 2.6% and trimming its loss for the month.

That was even though the majority of stocks within the index fell Tuesday.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 58.93 points to 7,499.36. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 136.46 to 52,319.20, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 393.58 to 26,213.72.

30-YR T-BONDS 4.94 0.08 1.6%

Egg producers settle price-fixing claims

Maine, Versova and Hickman’s will to slaughter millions of egg-laying Firms to pay $3.3M, donate 53M eggs collectively be on the hook for $3.3 chickens. Egg producers blamed

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP business writer

NEW YORK — The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states reached settlement agreements with three major egg producers this week to resolve allegations that the companies illegally colluded for years to raise prices, including when the cost soared to record highs last year.

The states and the federal government accused Cal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch of a behind-the-scenes arrangement to “artificially inflate the daily price quotations for eggs” between June 2022 and March 2025.

In particular, their investigation found that the companies coordinated on what bids they would submit to Urner Barry Publications, a

company that runs an index key to determining how much grocery stores, restaurants and others pay for billions of eggs each year.

In turn, that meant “higher prices for eggs sold to consumers,” alleged the complaint, which was filed in Iowa on Monday, the day the settlement terms were announced.

“When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families suffer the costs,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who helped lead the investigation, said in a statement. “These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses.”

None of the companies admitted wrongdoing under the settlements.

But to settle the states’ claims, Cal-

million and 53 million eggs, James and others said. Those eggs would be donated by the companies and make their ways to food banks and nonprofits. The money will be distributed to the states.

The Justice Department and the states also outlined actions the companies will need to take, including adopting antitrust compliance programs and banning communicating with competitors on pricing and bidding strategies.

The settlements would still need court approval. The Justice Department’s Omeed A. Assefi said Tuesday that the proposed settlements “resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives.”

Average U.S. egg prices soared to a record high of about $6.23 per dozen in March 2025, amid a bird flu epidemic that forced farmers

price spike on the outbreak, but critics accused big companies of taking advantage of their market dominance, and the government began its investigation.

Monday’s complaint notes that price quotations “dropped significantly” after Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman’s learned of the Justice Department’s investigation and were instructed to preserve documents in March 2025. Consumer egg prices also later tumbled — to under $2.20 per dozen as of May 2026 — as replenished flocks caught up despite the ongoing outbreak.

Cal-Maine maintained Monday that allegations of price manipulation were “baseless” and that it believes its conduct has been legal.

It also noted that while it was part of a cooperative with the other egg producers, it left the group in May 2024.

Consumer confidence ticks up as gas prices decrease

Ford recalling more than 741,000 vehicles Ford is recalling more than 741,000 vehicles in the U.S. because a transmission issue may damage the park system, which could increase the risk of a crash or injury.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a report that the recall includes certain Ford F-150, Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition vehicles with model years between 2018 and 2021.

The report states that affected vehicles may experience temporary engagement of their transmission parking pawl while the vehicle is in motion when certain shifts are commanded by the transmission, potentially damaging park system components.

The NHTSA said Ford is aware of 24 allegations of property damage and nine alleged injuries, with two of those being allegations of emotional injuries, related to the issue.

Vehicle owners will be notified by mail and told to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle’s Powertrain Control Module updated to the latest level software. Dealers will also inspect the vehicle’s transmission for park system damage and replace damaged transmission components as needed. There will be no charge for the service.

Vehicle owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236 for more information.

6-MO T-BILLS 3.98 0.01 0.25%

Americans remain gloomy on economy

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By yANNICK PETERHANS

Khanh Hoa Thermal Power Station, a coal-fired power plant, operates in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam.

Asia seeks to diversify its energy supplies Moves may undermine climate goals

BY ANTON L. DELGADO Associated Press

BANGKOK — Asian nations hit hard by the Iran war’s price shocks are rushing to diversify and strengthen their energy security, potentially undermining their commitments to curb climate change.

As negotiations on ending the war drag on, countries in energy hungry Southeast Asia are exploring nuclear power and promising renewable rollouts.

But they are also investing in coal power to provide a buffer during times of crisis.

The Iran war has not shaken coal’s status as a pillar of Southeast Asia’s energy security, said Sandeep Pai at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability.

Until recently, coal was slowly being phased out to reduce climate change-causing emissions and address air quality concerns. But the conflict has complicated that scenario.

“At the end of the day, energy security triumphs any other climate considerations,” Pai said.

In East Asia, South Korea and Japan began burning more coal to keep national energy grids powered while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war disrupted flows of oil and gas to Asia.

Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines did the same.

This emergency response has led to longer-term policies that have given coal an extension of life, Pai said.

Coal investments are predicted to rise globally to $180 billion in 2026, according to the International Energy Agency, which is the highest it has been since 2012.

In 2021, the United Nations declared coal had been consigned to history after nearly 200 countries agreed to phase out coal power. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine disrupted gas supplies, European nations burned more coal and built more fossil fuel pipelines and import terminals.

Now, this second energy shock in less than a decade is reinforcing coal’s value to energy security in Asia, according to Michelle Manook of FutureCoal, a group backed by the fossil fuel industry that was formerly known as the World Coal Association.

Global coal-fired power generation declined by 0.6% last year, according to the Global Energy Monitor, but new coal power capacity increased 3.5%.

Indonesia, the world’s largest thermal coal exporter and a bellwether for the fossil fuel industry, is overhauling its trade rules and imposing new taxes after coal prices hit multiyear highs.

But it’s also chasing new solar goals, planning to install 100 gigawatts of rooftop solar by 2034, up from 1.3 gigawatts of capacity now.

“Indonesia’s obviously tied to coal in so many ways, but it’s seen beyond that,” said Dave Jones, with the energy think tank Ember.

Renewables still dominate growth in regional power generation, he noted.

Likewise, Vietnam has increased its use of coal but also has committed to installing rooftop solar on 10% of public offices and homes nationwide by 2030.

After the war began, the

Philippines burned more coal and declared a national energy emergency. It considered lifting a ban on new coal plants but decided not to. Earlier approved projects will still be built.

In the meantime Philippine consumers have been putting up rooftop solar in record rates.

“This really doesn’t cancel out any of the green energy gains,” said Brenda Valerio, of the nonprofit New Energy Nexus in the Philippines. “But it does really show that the energy transition is nonlinear and contested.”

Much of the liquefied natural gas going through the Strait of Hormuz went to South Korea and Japan, countries that import nearly all their energy needs.

Facing a shortfall, South Korea delayed the retirement of three coal plants, potentially slowing progress toward its climate goals. It raised power generation at its active nuclear plants and sped up maintenance at five offline reactors.

Japan has been pushing ahead with restarts of nuclear power plants that were idled after the 2011 Fukushima meltdown, said Michiyo Miyamoto, of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. That disaster led Japan to step up use of coal as those plant closures temporarily cut its total generating capacity by about a third.

India wants to spend $3.9 billion to convert coal into industrial fuels and chemicals to replace imported products, maintaining its use of coal.

Efforts to reduce emissions and hit net zero ambitions are long-term campaigns that require years of effort and focus, said Luke Holt, the Asia-Pacific director of energy for the consultancy firm Ramboll.

“But we see that they are easily distracted,” he said. “We’ve had a number of shocks to the decarbonization plan.”

WASHINGTON — Americans’ attitudes toward the economy improved slightly this month as gas prices declined, but their outlook is still mostly negative by historical standards.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose 0.6 point to 91.2 in June, a figure that is still below its year-ago reading of 95.2. Consumer attitudes worsened after the Iran war caused oil and gas prices to spike, accelerating inflation and causing Americans’ inflation-adjusted incomes to decline. Before the pandemic, the index regularly topped 120.

The report suggests that consumer confidence is recovering only slowly from the hit caused by the Iran war.

Even so, Americans have continued to spend despite their dour outlook, which has kept the economy growing even as inflation accelerated. Measures of consumer sentiment have been less predictive of how Americans actually shop since the pandemic.

“Consumer confidence inched up in June as falling oil prices in recent weeks provided some relief to consumer inflation fears,” Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economists, said in a statement. “Consumer appraisals of current business conditions were slightly more positive compared to last month. However, perceptions of the current labor market softened measurably.”

Earlier this month, a government report showed that consumers stepped up their spending in May despite higher gas prices. Analysts expect the steady consumer outlays kept the economy growing at about a 2.5% annual rate in the April-June quarter.

Falling gas prices may also help boost Americans’ outlook in the coming months. On average nationwide, gas prices spiked above $4.50 after the U.S.-Iran conflict began Feb. 28. They have since fallen back to $3.85 a gallon, according to AAA. The survey also found that consumers had a dimmer view of hiring and the job market this month. The proportion of Americans who said jobs are “hard to get” rose to 22.5% from 19.8% the previous month, a noticeable increase.

But on Wednesday the government released a report showing that the number of open jobs remained at a solid 7.6 million in May, indicating that companies are showing more interest in recruiting workers.

The Labor Department will release its monthly jobs report for June on Thursday, and economists forecast it will show that employers added 100,000 jobs, a solid gain. The unemployment rate is expected to stay at a low 4.3%, according to data provider FactSet.