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Carbon capture project in Ascension canceled

$4.5B operation in Lake Maurepas scrapped in wake of firm’s financial returns

Bodycam shows Central pastor using slur Incident came days after arrest of Spell in beating of neighbor’s son

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

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.

BY ALEX LUBBEN

Staff writer

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 cleanenergy tax credits, aimed to pipe carbon dioxide emissions, a byproduct of its activities, through Louisiana wetlands and

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

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 CLINT COINTMENT, Ascension Parish president Lake Maurepas and in Ascension Parish related to the project, and thanked “agento the lake where it would be stored about cies, business and community partners, government officials, legislators, and a mile underground.

The Pennsylvania-based company an- regulators who worked professionally nounced its decision on the project on ä See CANCELED, page 10A Tuesday. In a prepared statement, Air

Less than two days after being arrested in 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 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

ä See BODYCAM, page 8A

Grand jury reviewing Murrill’s threats to remove N.O. officials In most cases, local district at- were at risk. familiar with the proceeding.

Attorney general Murrill declined to comment.

The criminal investigation ap- torneys with conflicts refer those She said Tuesday that she was not to have been initiated by the cases to the attorney general. says she is not aware pears aware of any grand jury activity Kazik declined further details. grand jury itself, two of the sourcof investigation Grand juries in Louisiana can involving her. es confirmed, and at least some

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, District Attorney Jason Williams and five sitting City Council members, according to several sources

WEATHER HIGH 93 LOW 75 PAGE 8B

council members have been called to testify, other sources said.

Williams recused himself, and a 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.

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

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.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

ä See MURRILL, page 10A Attorney General Liz Murrill

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2A ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The 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 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 Ivory Coast, Ghana 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.

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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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 3A

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Harvard professor picked to lead White House UFO council

Sen. Bill Cassidy, left, voted to confirm Anna St. John as a federal judge in the Eastern District of Louisiana two months ago. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he would nominate St. John to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

PHOTO PROVIDED By SEN. BILL CASSIDy’S OFFICE

Anna St. John tapped for 5th Circuit bench

Julia Letlow, R-Baton arbitration. St. John said Move comes two Rep. Rouge, in the Senate Re- she wanted to make clear publican primary, and that to lawmakers that arbitramonths after she played a key role in the tion can often lead to vicbecame federal senator’s defeat last month. tims getting more money.

Kennedy also will play a The progressive leaning trial judge more important role in the Alliance for Justice op-

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.

Trump nominated St. John after Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill made a strong push for the White House to choose instead J. Benjamin Aguiñaga, her solicitor general.

Murrill had key Republican players make phone calls advocating for Aguiñaga to Sen. John Kennedy, according to political and legal sources close to the process. The sources said Kennedy ignored those calls.

Murrill on Wednesday acknowledged trying to help Aguiñaga get the nod, saying in a text, “Ben is imminently qualified for the federal bench and would make a great judge.”

Aguiñaga has clerked for several high-level judges, including Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

Murrill added, “Sen. Kennedy did not ask my opinion and never communicated with me.” She said she didn’t know Kennedy was considering St. John.

Kennedy declined to comment, 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 has the brains, experience and judgment this important court deserves. I’m proud to support her nomination and I know she’ll do an incredible job.”

Kennedy has more stroke with the White House than Louisiana’s other senator, Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge. Trump backed

confirmation of St. John to the 5th Circuit because he is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has to approve the nomination. Kennedy has leverage because Republicans hold only a 12-10 partisan advantage on the committee.

Kennedy and Cassidy take turns picking trial court judges for the White House to nominate. St. John had been Kennedy’s pick earlier this year. If she is elevated 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, 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 Washington-based 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.

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

posed 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.

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 Loeb 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 praise in UFO circles but

often put him in conflict with academic peers. Other astronomers accuse him of making exotic claims with 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.

Hand-picked team 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. As he analyzes UAP, he’s starting with the assumption that they’re the work of humans, he said, approaching it from a national security perspective.

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.

After its first meeting last month, the team sent a request to the Pentagon asking for more than 50 videos, images and other documents related to known UAP incidents. Loeb’s group meets behind closed doors, but he has vowed to brief the public and create a website to share findings.

“At a time when science is not so much celebrated, this is an opportunity to actually do good for all sides involved,” Loeb said.

Created for transparency Earlier this year, Trump directed his administration to provide more transparency on questions of UFOs and alien life. So far, the Pentagon has released three batches of files ranging from decades-old FBI reports to more recent military videos showing orbs darting or soaring through the sky.

Trump’s directive led to the creation of a UAP Governance Board overseen by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The board met for the first time in June, and is supported by Loeb’s team and several other advisory groups, the office said.

It comes as a bipartisan group in Congress pushes the White House to go further, with some Republicans amplifying claims the U.S. is hiding evidence of alien encounters. The White House has encouraged anyone with information to come forward. A Pentagon office that investigates UAP says it has seen no evidence of alien life.

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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

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.

Judges strike down overhaul of student loan forgiveness program Courts found agency would strip the benefit from for student loan borrowers. whose employers “Public servants should overstepped power workers are deemed to have a “sub- not have to worry that the

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A pair of federal judges struck down a Trump administration overhaul to a public service forgiveness program for student loans, ruling Tuesday in separate cases 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. The ruling came in response to a pair of lawsuits filed by more than 20 states along with a coalition of nonprofit groups and cities.

In Washington, D.C., District Judge Amir Ali in Washington issued a similar ruling in a case brought by nonprofit organizations.

The rulings came a day before the new rules were set to take effect.

Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said the department was evaluating next steps.

“The Department stands behind this commonsense policy to ensure that taxpayer dollars are never used to subsidize illegal activities,” Kent said in a written statement.

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

stantial illegal purpose.”

The overhaul targeted nonprofits and government organizations that support causes at odds with the Trump administration’s priorities.

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.

The overhaul amounted to a major reworking of a program that has canceled loans for more than 1 million Americans. Nonprofits and government groups said it undercut an important benefit that helped attract college graduates to jobs that traditionally pay less than the private sector.

“This decision is a win for the communities that depend on local nonprofits and for the workers who serve them,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the Massachusetts case.

One of the plaintiffs in the Washington case, Student Defense, said the judge’s ruling is a victory

federal government will punish them because of their employer’s mission or perceived political views,” said Aaron Ament, Student Defense’s president.

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.

The judge also questioned the department’s stated rationale for proposing the new rules, drawing on its own estimates that fewer than 10 employers would be barred from the program per year.

“The Department offers no explanation for why a Final Rule with such sweeping consequences is necessary to address the possibility that, at most, ten employers each year may be engaging in illegal activity,” Joun wrote.

In his ruling, Joun noted that more than 100 supporting briefs were filed on behalf of the groups challenging the rules, while none were filed in support of the Trump administration’s change.

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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 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 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

can 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 ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARIAM ZUHAIB broadly. “All persons born The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 vote, struck down or naturalized in the United President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring children States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citiborn to people who are in the United States illegally or zens of the United States and temporarily are not American citizens. of the State wherein they reside,” it reads. three times as long as Rob- favor. In the notable excepIn a series of decisions, erts’ opinion. “In doing so, tions when the court has not, lower courts have struck the Court adds to the sad Trump has responded with down Trump’s executive history of the Fourteenth starkly personal criticisms order as illegal. The deciAmendment, which was of the justices. sions have invoked the high The justices ruled on court’s 1898 ruling in Wong designed and understood to secure equal rights for the Trump’s appeal of a lowerfreed blacks but has instead court ruling from New been repurposed for politi- Hampshire that struck down cal projects that the Recon- the citizenship restrictions.

The birthright citizenship struction Congress did not order, which Trump signed support.”

The Republican presi- on the first day of his second dent’s restrictions had been term, is part of his adminisblocked by several lower tration’s broad immigration courts and had not taken ef- crackdown.

Birthright citizenship was fect anywhere in the U.S. Trump said the decision the first Trump immigrationwas “too bad for our Coun- related policy to reach the try” and wrongly suggested court for a final ruling. The that Congress could “easily” justices previously struck address it with legislation. down global tariffs Trump The majority decision rests had imposed under an emeron constitutional grounds. It gency powers law that had would take an amendment to never been used that way. overcome the decision.

Trump reacted furiously During arguments in to the late February tarApril, both conservative iffs decision, saying he was and liberal justices ques- ashamed of the justices who tioned the order’s legality in ruled against him and calla momentous case that was ing them unpatriotic. magnified by Trump’s unHe also seemed to recogprecedented attendance in nize the court was likely to rule against him on birththe courtroom.

The case framed another right citizenship, too, using test of Trump’s assertions of his Truth Social platform to executive power that defy criticize “dumb judges and long-standing precedent justices” and wealthy pregfor a court with a conserva- nant women from China and tive majority and a robust elsewhere who come to the view of presidential power U.S. to give birth so their that has largely ruled in his newborns will have Ameri-

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.

Kavanaugh sided with the majority because of a federal law that makes those children citizens. But he joined the dissenters in finding that Trump’s order does not violate the Constitution. His view would enable a future Congress to change the law to restrict birthright citizenship.

The Trump administration

had argued that the common view of citizenship is wrong, asserting that children of noncitizens are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and therefore are not entitled to citizenship.

More than one-quarter of a million babies born in the U.S. each year would have been affected by the executive order, according to research by the Migration Policy Institute and Pennsylvania State University’s Population Research Institute.

While Trump has largely focused on illegal immigration in his rhetoric and actions, the birthright citizenship restrictions also would have applied to people who are legally in the United States, including students and applicants for green cards, or permanent resident status.

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Administration seeks to stomp out all fires quickly Measure revives policy that has been discredited

Consolidation pushed

BY MARTHA BELLISLE and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press

The deaths of three U.S. government firefighters in a Colorado wildfire are casting a spotlight on the Trump administration’s creation of a new federal fire service and its revival of a previously discredited policy to stomp out all wildfires quickly.

One of the killed firefighters worked for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, established this year without customary congressional approval by drawing personnel from four agencies within the Interior Department. The victims were part of an elite, helicopterbased crew that got trapped Saturday in a fast-growing wildfire near the Utah border as they attacked the blaze on the ground.

Five firefighters, including the ones who died, tried to shield themselves by deploying tentlike emergency shelters as flames overran their position. The two survivors were hospitalized with burn injuries.

The consolidation of thousands of personnel into the fire service has sown confusion among some firefighters about who their bosses are and what their responsibilities should be, according to former government officials.

And the administration’s focus on “full suppression” of new fires marks a sharp reversal from a decadeslong trend toward embracing flames as a tool — to burn off old vegetation and growth that acts like fuel and lessen the risk of catastrophic blazes being stoked by a warming planet.

The changes benefit private fire aviation companies that are key to hitting blazes fast.

Federal officials have not

THE GAZETTE PHOTO PROVIDED By JERILEE BENNETT

The Aspen Acres fire engulfs a hillside near Beulah, Colo., on Monday. released details on the circumstances preceding the weekend deaths, including the firefighters’ objective at the site where they were overrun.

“The question is, why were they attacking that fire in the first place?” asked Timothy Ingalsbee, a former federal firefighter and cofounder of the advocacy group Firefighters United For Safety, Ethics and Ecology. “What was actually at risk? If it was a bunch of shrubs on remote mountaintops, what was the real risk that justified putting those firefighters at risk?”

98% are extinguished Wildfires ignited over the past week all across the West following months of dry weather and a record lack of snow in some places.

Authorities in southern Colorado said Tuesday that a wind-driven fire northwest of Colorado City had burned more than 35 square miles and destroyed more than 150 structures, including at least 55 homes.

Under an order from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the Wildland Fire Service plans to use full suppression “for every wildfire under its management,” federal officials said in a statement to The Associated Press.

“Any wildfire that repre-

sents a threat to life, property, infrastructure or the environment should be extinguished as quickly as possible,” the statement said.

“Our experienced fire managers retain the authority to select the safest and most effective tactics based on conditions on the ground.”

But critics say the administration is trying to fix something that isn’t broken: The four agencies the firefighters were drawn from — the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and National Park Service — have a record of extinguishing 98% of the fires they handle.

The new agency and policy won’t eliminate catastrophic wildfires that occur due to dense forests where people are increasingly moving and extreme weather caused by climate change, said Steve Ellis, who retired as a Bureau of Land Management deputy director. Land managers must be a part of the solution, he said.

“Severing forest management and forest managers from fire suppression will make firefighting less safe and put communities at greater risk,” Ellis said.

The two other wildland firefighters killed in Colorado worked for the Department of Agriculture’s For-

est Service, which handles most U.S. wildfires and is also operating under a full suppression policy. Trump had wanted the new agency to include Forest Service firefighters, but Congress blocked that part of the plan.

Under Trump, federal officials have been bringing in aircraft more quickly once fires ignite, said Austin Moeller, an aerospace analyst for the investment firm Canaccord Genuity.

“Anyone that has an air tanker benefits from this more aggressive contracting activity,” Moeller said.

A chief beneficiary is Bridger Aerospace, a Montana-based company founded by U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy.

Before his 2024 election, Sheehy hired lobbyists in a failed attempt to persuade the Montana Legislature to create a statewide fire service analogous to the one just created at the federal level. Within a month of taking federal office, he sponsored a bill to codify the consolidation of federal firefighters into one agency.

Sheehy stepped away from his company during the 2024 campaign and put his Bridger assets into a blind trust, said Sheehy spokesman Tate Mitchell.

Mitchell said Trump was behind the idea to create a new fire agency, but Sheehy supports it.

“One of Senator Sheehy’s top priorities in the Senate is using his experience to stop the catastrophic fires destroying American communities and he won’t apologize for it,” Mitchell said.

Bridger describes itself as one of the nation’s leading aerial firefighting companies. CEO Sam Davis has said the company’s fleet of Super Scooper aircraft, its surveillance aircraft and its fire observation technology make it “uniquely positioned” to respond to the renewed emphasis on attacking fires to put them out.

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GOP Rep. Kean reveals his depression diagnosis Announcement comes after four-month absence

BY MIKE CATALINI and JOEY CAPPELLETTI

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. disclosed Tuesday that he was being treated for depression during his unexplained four-month absence from the House, suggesting in a brief floor speech that he remained silent about his condition until now because he is a “private person by nature.”

Depression, Kean said, “is physical, it is emotional, and until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.”

Kean’s reappearance came weeks after his victory in an uncontested primary on June 2 and months after he last cast his vote

BODYCAM

Continued from page 1A 2020.

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROD LAMKEy

Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., arrives for a vote at the Capitol on Tuesday. in the House. His speech ended the silence on his condition, yet left questions unanswered. Kean said he first entered the hospital due to health concerns and underwent testing, but offered no further details.

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 re-

After the speech, Kean left the Capitol quickly without answering questions from reporters.

Kean last voted in the House on March 5. His absence had complicated matters for House Republican leaders, who have been

leased, 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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struggling to pass bills with their threadbare majority.

Kean said he was diagnosed for depression and that doctors recommended he remain in the hospital. Addressing his earlier statement that he expected to return to work in a matter of weeks, Kean said he believed that at the time and it was his doctors’ best estimate then.

“But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover there is no timeline for healing,” Kean said.

“Today I stand before you healthier, stronger and excited to return to the work that I love.”

A second-term lawmaker and scion of a New Jersey political family, Kean represents a battleground district that includes President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, said he would leave it to Kean to decide whether his remarks Tuesday provided sufficient trans-

parency.

“He spoke to it,” Johnson said.

“It’s his personal issue, and, you know, I thought the speech on the floor was, well, I thought he explained it.”

Johnson said he had “encouraged him all along to be as transparent as possible” and was “glad he finally has” been.

The mystery over Kean’s absence had potential political implications, given the competitive district he represents and the Republican Party’s narrow control of the House. His office has said he is still running for reelection and is set to face Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, in New Jersey’s most highprofile contest in November.

Democrats have targeted the district as a prime pickup opportunity, given that the seat has changed hands in the last two midterm elections. Kean won in 2022 by defeating Democrat Tom Malinowski, who had defeated Republican Leonard Lance in 2018.

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CANCELED

“We found that there was no net climate benefit to this project under reasonable operating conditions,” she said.

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.

Under the Biden administration, the federal government upped the tax incentive for capturing and storing greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to boost projects that would limit the impacts of climate change. That led to the proliferation of carbon capture and sequestration projects along the Gulf Coast.

The more carbon captured, the more companies could claim in tax credits — and a facility like Air Products’ proposed plant would have produced and captured a lot of carbon. The tax credits it could have claimed would have covered many of the costs of building the plant, Juhn said.

But as the markets surrounding carbon capture have continued to develop, reality has appeared less promising.

Several companies have recently dropped their carbon capture ambitions. ExxonMobil on Tuesday dropped offshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico that it had acquired for potential carbon capture projects. SunGas Renewables dropped another project that involved carbon capture in Beaver Lake earlier this month.

Greg Upton, the executive director of LSU’s Center for Energy Studies, said that the regulatory landscape has been shifting around carbon capture projects.

The tax credits were passed under former President Joe Biden, and at the state level, Gov. Jeff Landry put into place a moratorium on new permits for carbon capture wells.

“At the center of all this is regulatory uncertainty,” he said.

Plus, he said, demand for blue hydrogen products has been softening, and construction costs are high because of the number of industrial-scale projects underway in the region and nationwide, including data centers.

Regardless of the rationale for Air Products’ decision, local advocacy groups cheered the cancellation. Rise St. James, a community environmental advocacy organization, said it would continue to work to oppose development on the site of the unmarked graves of enslaved people at the Orange Grove plantation, where the Air Products facility was sited.

“This is a victory for Louisiana communities who deserve to choose for themselves what they want to see for their future and their children’s future,” said Jack Green, a campaigner with Rise St. James.

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, citing 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 eighth 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.

Continued from page 1A with us across every aspect of the project.”

First proposed in 2021, the project 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 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

MURRILL

Continued from page 1A 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

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Residents both seated and standing pack the Sorrento Community Center during a public hearing held in 2022 by the Louisiana Department of Environemental Quality regarding the proposed Air Products facility. 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.

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Bench trial set in Madison Brooks case Attorneys say they expect seven 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 evi-

La. high court reinstates murder

dence.

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 On Monday, Long and prosecuCourt overturned tors were back in front of Ray, afit in May in a short ter the case had temporarily been ruling that said reassigned to Judge Fred Crifasi. the state “failed to The two sides went back and carry its burden to forth over a potential trial date, require recusal in with Long repeatedly complaining this case.” that his client has been waiting for Brooks Joe Long, Carvjustice for years and faces a life er’s attorney, said at the time that sentence.

Long attempted to reassert a moa different ruling would have opened “the floodgates” for at- tion for speedy trial that had been tempts from attorneys to have un- filed in April 2025 but withdrawn favorable judges pulled off their ä See BROOKS, page 2B cases.

Cross-state collecting

conviction Man to serve life sentence

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled Monday to reinstate the second-degree murder conviction of Curtis Stewart and the life sentence that Judge Eboni Johnson Rose originally handed down in 2023.

Stewart, 32, was accused in the 2021 ambush shooting of Devonta Ennis. He had his original conviction overturned by the state 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in July 2025 on the grounds that the case against him lacked substantial evidence to place him at the scene.

But in its Monday majority opinion, the state Supreme Court ruled sufficient evidence was presented to convict Stewart as a principal to Ennis’ murder, if not as the specific perpetrator.

The opinion said the 5th Circuit had impinged too greatly on Judge Johnson Rose’s discretion as the fact-finder in the original bench trial, citing a landmark 1979 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Jackson v. Virginia.

“The Jackson standard does not permit a reviewing court to substitute its appreciation of the facts for that of the trier of fact, assess the credibility of the witnesses, or reweigh evidence,” Justice Jay McCallum’s majority opinion read.

Ennis, 25, was fatally shot multiple times in April 2021 after two vehicles boxed in his car on Prescott Road. The shooting was captured in grainy security footage from a nearby Dollar General.

The two cars, both reported stolen prior to the crime and both owned by former romantic partners of Stewart’s, were later found torched and abandoned in a remote park.

The 5th Circuit appellate court specifically found evidence was not sufficient to place Stewart in either of the two vehicles or to identify him as the shooter or the person responsible for stealing and later torching the cars.

In the Supreme Court’s overturning opinion, McCallum acknowledged that the case against Stewart was circumstantial and that no direct physical or DNA evidence linked Stewart to the murder.

“However, a careful review of the record indicates a substantial number of facts tending to prove defendant’s guilt; and, viewing that evidence in the light most favorable to the State, we find that a rational trier of fact could have concluded beyond a reasonable doubt, and to the exclusion of every hypothesis of innocence, that defendant was guilty of second-degree murder,” the opinion

ä See COURT, page 2B

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Son Brayden, 15, and mother Carrie Ward, who are visiting from Illinois, look through a pack of football cards they just purchased in the hopes of finding a Caleb Williams card at Jason’s Southeast Sports Cards & Comics on Tuesday. The shop will be hosting its Mid Summer Bash on July 18 with comic books and collectables going on sale.

Ex-LSU player arrested Ex-wildlife agency secretary in connection with crash sentenced in kickback scheme Two killed, one injured in collision

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

Former LSU football player Richard Murphy was arrested this week in connection with a deadly crash in June that killed two people, a 95-year-old man and his 70-year-old daughter-inlaw, police records show. A third family member was seriously injured.

Murphy was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of vehicular homicide, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, first-degree vehicular negligent injuring and reckless operation of a vehicle, according to a Baton Rouge police affidavit.

The crash happened about

4:30 p.m. June 14 in the 900 block of Main Street in downtown Baton Rouge.

Murphy, driving a 2017 Ford F250, ran a red light and crashed into another truck, killing passengers Robert Tarver and his daughter-in-law, Carla Tarver, police said at the time.

The driver of the second truck, Carla’s husband, Bobby Tarver, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Detectives obtained video that showed Murphy running the red light at the intersection; other surveillance video showed Murphy had run at least one other red light on Main Street before the crash, the affidavit says.

Officers also learned from the airbag control module of Murphy’s truck that at the time of

ä See PLAYER, page 2B

Montoucet gets 27 months in federal facility

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 JoMontoucet seph 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 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.

ä See SENTENCED, page 2B

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

lll

Shreveport sports editor named Sports Writer of the Year high school sports feature in Lang was named the LSWA ciation,” Shreveport-Bossier write, thanks to their gra- World Series.

Lang’s win “As someone who lost the process.

Sports Writer of the Year City Advocate Editor Bar- ciousness.”

The Shreveport-Bossier all classifications during bara Leader said. “His talent Perhaps the biggest story my parents — all three of marks his second for the orgaand his work ethic are unpar- of the year was one that them — way too early in life, City Advocate is the region’s n i z a t i o n ’s alleled. He gets up early and stretched from the base- the fortitude Huspen and website and a partner of The such award annual conworks late to make sure that ball field at LSUS to Idaho his teammates showed hit Advocate | The Times-Pica-

BY BRIAN McCALLUM

vention that occurred S u n d a y, In the eyes of Roy Lang III, t h i s y e a r sports editor for the Shreve- in Natchiport-Bossier City Advocate, toches. It Lang area sports in 2025 were a was the secstory of redemption and re- ond such award for him; he previously won in 2012. silience.

“We’re so excited about the In the eyes of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, recognition that Roy and his it’s a story nobody told better work received from the Louthan Lang. isiana Sports Writers AssoStaff writer

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

Separate BR shootings injure 2 A man and a woman were injured in separate shootings just hours apart in Baton Rouge on Monday CRIME night, police BLOTTER said. staff The first happened reports a b o u t 9:30 p.m. in the 12000 block of LaMargie Avenue, where Baton Rouge police found a woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive her injuries, the department said in a news release.

BROOKS

Continued from page 1B 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.

What’s at stake Brooks, 19, died early the morning of Jan. 15, 2023, after a night of heavy drinking in Tigerland. She was allegedly raped in a car before

SENTENCED

Continued from page 1B 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.

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 signed a contract with Lafayette businessman

Victim found fatally shot in vehicle ID’d

Investigators learned two women were fighting when the shooting happened.

At 11:30 p.m., officers found a man with a gunshot wound at the RaceTrac at 8008 Airline Highway.

The man was taken to the hospital, where he was rushed into surgery and is expected to survive, police said. Investigators learned he had actually been shot several blocks away, in the 3200 block of Victoria Drive.

Anyone with information about either of the two shootings Monday night are asked to call Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

The man who was found fatally shot in his vehicle outside his apartment has been identified as 23-year-old Jyrese Coleman, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office said.

Coleman was found in his vehicle, dead from gunshot wounds, at the Regency Club Apartments on Southfork Avenue, off Sherwood Forest Drive.

The shooting happened shortly before 6 a.m. Monday, the Sheriff’s Office said.

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 firstand 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 for a bench trial, rather than a jury trial.

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 retired 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 vio-

lations.

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.

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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

COURT

Continued from page 1B

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

pinged near the scene of the crime.

McCallum argued that these points are “strong evidence of the defendant’s involvement in the murder and support the trial court’s determination of the defendant’s guilt.”

Two justices dissented, with the minority opinion being written by Justice Piper Griffin.

In Griffin’s opinion, she argued that the majority opinion is based on a wholly new argument of the original case, which violates Stewart’s due process rights.

“The majority affirms the defendant’s conviction based on a theory of the case rejected by the prosecution, and that was not presented to the fact finder in any meaningful way,” Griffin wrote.

read.

Where the appellate court had erred, McCallum wrote, was in creating a standard where the state had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Stewart was the killer, and not potentially a principal actor to the crime.

The majority opinion further argued that prosecutors in the original bench trial never needed to specifically state that they were prosecuting Stewart for principal to second-degree murder.

While agreeing that the Dollar General footage was not clear enough to identify Stewart, McCallum noted that one of the vehicles left a temp tag on scene that was registered to Stewart’s Email Quinn Coffman former partner and that at quinn.coffman@ Stewart’s cellphone had theadvocate.com.

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.”

PLAYER

Continued from page 1B impact he had been traveling about 58 mph in a 30 mph speed zone.

A test of Murphy’s blood on the day of the crash, obtained at the hospital with a warrant, showed a blood alcohol content of 0.13%, over the legal limit of 0.08%, the affidavit said.

Murphy was driving without vehicle insurance and with a suspended driver’s license on the day of the crash, arrest records show.

Murphy, of Rayville, was a running back with the Tigers from 2007 to 2010. He was selected to wear the No. 18 jersey in his senior year, an honor bestowed on upperclassmen who are team leaders, according to his biography on the LSU Athletics website.

He went on to play professionally in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 3B

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.

4B ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Purple, gold takes over at UNO campus

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

LSU New Orleans banners already lined Elysian Fields Avenue on the way to campus last week as three workers plastered a new purple and gold decal across the University of New Orleans’ library windows.

In the bookstore, merchandise with UNO logos had big markdowns as racks were being readied for new gear. In the administration building nearby, a slew of new hires, including an interim chancellor, had taken charge. The liberal arts building, deemed unsafe with $20 million of needed repairs, had been shuttered. And exterminators were back on campus to remove raccoons that had made their home in the library’s ceiling.

Signs of change were spread across the University of New Orleans campus this month ahead of its highly anticipated move to the LSU system. The transition from the University of Louisiana system, which has overseen UNO since 2011, will officially take place on Wednesday, when political leaders and dignitaries are set to arrive on campus for a ceremony to mark the occasion.

The move was initiated last year by state legislators alarmed by UNO’s teetering finances, which led to furloughs, budget cuts and worries about whether the school could survive at all.

For UNO, soon to be LSU New Orleans, a lot is riding on the change to a new overseer.

The transition came with a $20 million infusion of state funds to pay down the school’s debt and will give LSU New Orleans access to the massive LSU system’s financial resources, oversight structures and brand recognition. Supporters hope it will help return UNO to its glory days, when it was a thriving regional university.

Still, there are challenges ahead, specifically the need to quickly stanch a decade of enrollment declines. And some UNO students and alums worry about the potential loss of the school’s identity as it joins LSU. Fac-

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Margaret Woodard, a University of New Orleans student who works at the campus Rec Center, holds up her old blue and white work shirt as she wears the new purple and gold version on Friday. ulty members said they are hopeful for stability after years of chaos, though some have raised concerns about the university’s future academic offerings.

For now, LSU officials are banking that the purple-andgold makeover will bring a new sense of optimism to the lakefront campus. They say they’re also confident that after enrollment fell to 5,700 students last year, they’ll be able to reach their goal of 6,000 students when the new academic year begins in August.

“This university must succeed for New Orleans’ sake. It just must,” said Jeanette Weiland, interim LSU New Orleans chancellor and chief administrative officer, in an interview to discuss the transition. “I think being part of a system that has great accountability and processes and brand recognition is just going to catapult us.”

What’s happened so far?

Founded in 1956 as an LSU campus, UNO is often credited with expanding the middle class in New Orleans. At its peak before Hurricane Katrina, the university enrolled about 17,000 students, but it struggled to attract the same numbers after the storm.

Enrollment crept back up to 8,400 students in 2020 but was decimated during the pandemic.

Last year, as UNO was careening toward a full-blown financial crisis, state law-

makers stepped in.

At the time, the university faced up to $30 million in debt and had been operating at a deficit for years.

University officials enacted massive cuts, including more than 30 layoffs and hundreds of furloughs.

They decommissioned the dilapidated Milneburg Hall and consolidated the university’s five colleges into the College of Sciences & Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.

State legislators thought shifting UNO from the UL system back to LSU could stabilize the school’s finances and help boost enrollment.

LSU officials credit the $20 million influx from the state with saving the university from financial demise.

But even earlier this year there were signs of ongoing financial struggle. LSU system President Wade Rousse told the Board of Regents this month that six months ago it was unclear if the university had enough cash to make it to the end of the academic year. Custodial and pest control services had been slashed. Faculty didn’t have budgets to print exams. Students regularly reported issues with financial aid reimbursement and registering for classes.

LSU officials got the green light from the UL system to start making changes before July 1. They appointed Weiland, who joined the university in January as a chief

administrative officer, as interim chancellor.

Weiland has replaced a slew of other administrative positions with new hires, including CFO Norman Barnum, athletic director Michael Giorlando and band director Eddie Williams Jr. The school also has a new director of university advancement and police chief.

University officials cut or modified nine academic programs, raised tuition and shrunk the campus footprint from 2.9 million to 2.5 million square feet, saving the university more than $2 million in maintenance costs, Rousse said earlier this month.

Weiland said university leadership leveraged the LSU oversight to renegotiate lower payments on its debt, which freed up some cash. They also signed a long-term lease allowing Ben Franklin High School to expand into one of its buildings.

These moves, Weiland said, have allowed the university to reinstate maintenance services that had been cut. They also freed up funds to hire some faculty and staff to help address frequent complaints about student services. And in addition to addressing some long-deferred maintenance, they’ve begun to address the student campus experience, including repairing the fireplaces at The Cove, a campus hangout spot.

Kamille Isom has watched the recent changes taking place around her on campus. A Lutcher High School graduate, Isom started as an undergraduate at UNO in 2022. At that point, she noticed the school’s financial struggles, including its quickly depleting budget for hiring student workers.

She lived through former President John Nicklow’s failed attempt to start a UNO football team — which was vetoed by students who rejected a fee increase that

would have supported the team — and Kathy Johnson’s attempts to manage the budget crisis.

Isom, who was recently elected president of the Student Government Association and will pursue a master’s degree at LSU New Orleans, said she’s excited about joining LSU and hopes it helps galvanize student pride, particularly at sports events.

“UNO does need some good change happening on campus,” she said, “and I’m hoping the LSU transition will be able to bring that to students.”

What comes next?

Even with LSU backing, the university has challenges ahead.

The campus needs nearly $60 million in maintenance, including a near total overhaul of its IT infrastructure.

Rousse said the buildings in need of repair should harvest parts — from air conditioning pumps to doorknobs — from decommissioned buildings.

Rousse acknowledged that cuts, including closing buildings and changing programs, can be difficult to swallow. But school leadership, he said, needs to stay focused on keeping the campus afloat.

“When it comes down to managing the cash positions,” he said, “we’ve got to figure out what are we doing that has the biggest impact on our community, on our workforce but also how do we keep the doors open.”

The surest way to keep the doors open is to boost enrollment, Weiland said.

Earlier this year, LSU New Orleans began offering automatic acceptance to any student who was not accepted to LSU in Baton Rouge.

Rousse said the strategy has been working.

“People finally have hope,” Weiland said. “And they have not had hope for a long time.”

Obituaries Aderholt, Bernice Elizabeth

Bernice Aderholt (89), of Gonzales, LA, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 26, 2026.

Born on July 5, 1936, and married to Frank Aderholt, they raised four children together.

She found joy in life's simple pleasures and filled her days with the things she loved most. An avid reader, she could often be found with a good book in hand, always eager to discover a new story or learn something new. She had a special gift for nurturing outdoor plants, creating beautiful gardens that reflected her patience, care, and appreciation for nature. She also delighted in shopping, whether searching for the perfect gift, finding a treasured bargain, or simply enjoying time spent browsing with family and friends. Her kindness, gentle spirit, and love for life's everyday moments will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, and survived by her children, Vicky Orcino (Tony), Larry Aderholt (Melanie), Richard Aderholt, and Pam Aderholt, as well as 6 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Visitation for Ms. Bernice will be held at Ourso Funeral Home in Gonzales, LA on Thursday, July 2, 2026, beginning at 9:00 AM, with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at 11:00 AM. The Committal Service will take place afterwards at Louisiana National Cemetery in Zachary, LA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Associa-

Start Your Move Today Get your FREE accurate home evaluation today.

Police chief pleads guilty 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 Oakdalebased 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 “Uvisas” — 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 Uvisa 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 Orleansbased 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.

addressbatonrouge.com 1-800-801-4620

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American Heart Association.

Bourque, Chet Matthew

Chet Matthew Bourque of Gonzales, LA passed away on June 21, 2026 at the age of 54. He was born in Baton Rouge, LA on June 25, 1971. Chet graduated from Universal Technical Institute in Houston in 1990 and received an Automotive Technician certificate.

Chet retired from the Parish of Ascension Public Works Department in January of 2024 after 30 years of service. Chet loved his niece and nephews dearly, as well Mopar classic cars, racing and collecting old machines. He was survived by his brothers Boyd, and sister-in-law Kelley, Jamie, and Joel, and sister-in-law Sandi. He was also survived by his niece, Morgan, and nephews, Brennan, Ethan, and Eli. He was preceded in death by his parents Harris and Beatrice Bourque, grandparents Acklin,Sr and Mary Bourque, Clarence and Bernice Sanchez. Funeral arrangements will be held at St. Mark Catholic Church in Gonzales, LA on Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 with visitation from 9:30-11:00 and a Catholic burial mass at 11:00. Funeral procession immediately following to Hope Haven Cemetery on Highway 30 in Gonzales.

Demoruelle, Katrina Widas

Katrina Widas Demoruelle passed away on June 23, 2026, at the age of 74 after a brief illness.

The world lost a generous and loving heart.

She was born on October 31, 1951, in Hammond, LA to loving parents, Charles Edward Widas, of Foxworth, MS and Sarah Ruth Patterson Widas, of Red Bay, AL. She grew up in Baton Rouge and also spent formative years in Beirut, Lebanon where she learned to appreciate and love other peoples and cultures. She was a teacher's aide for a time where she was able to interact with third graders.

Children and babies, and even images of them, always brought her joy. Conversely, the sight of suffering caused deep heartache.

Katrina took pleasure in being around family and friends sharing books,

movies, and stories. After retirement from the Postal Service, she enjoyed being home surrounded by her collectables and family pictures.

Katrina enjoyed shopping for the perfect gift.

Nothing gave her more joy than to see a granddaughter delighting in a Christmas or birthday present.

She had an appreciation for the arts and artists.

She was in awe of the intricacies of the natural world and the mysteries of the Universe.

She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, John Louis Demoruelle, of Ville Platte, LA, her sons, Jean-Paul Demoruelle of St. George and Joshua Widas Demoruelle and daughterin-law, Jennifer Vicknair, and their daughters, Colette and Tess of Prairieville. Her sister Dee Widas Paille and brother-in -law, Mark Paille, of Santa Rosa Beach, FL and sister, Jane Widas of Baton Rouge, LA. The rest of her family and friends cherish her memory.

Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, Katrina would wish that donations be to causes that touch the donors' hearts.

Hebert, Delores Eade 'Dee'

Funeral services for Delores ("Dee") Eade Hebert will begin at 9 a.m. Friday, July 3, 2026 at St. John's Catholic Church, 4727 McHugh Dr. in Zachary.

The rosary will be recited at 9:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 10 a.m. A Christian burial will follow at Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery, 6213 Groom Rd. in Zachary.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, 2026 at Charlet Funeral Home, 4230 High St. in Zachary.

Dee was born on Sept. 26, 1932, in Olean, N.Y. and passed away Monday, June 29, 2026, at The Butterfly Wing in Baton Rouge, LA. She was preceded in death by her former husband, James Hebert, of Baker; a sister, Beverly Black of Olean, N.Y.; two brothers, Marshall Eade, of Olean, N.Y., and Raymond Eade of Las Vegas, Nev. and her parents, Henry and Albedia Eade of Olean, N.Y. She is survived by seven children and their spouses: Denise and her husband, Rick, of Fulshear, Texas; James (Jimmy) and his spouse Peggy of Baton Rouge; John (Johnny) and his wife Janet of Bush, LA; Diane Davidson and her husband John of Alexandria, LA; Joseph (Joey) and his wife Debra of Zachary, LA; Donna McGarry and her husband, James (Jimmy) of Martinsville, VA; and Jeff and his wife, Annie, of Heber City, Utah.

She is also survived by 19 and 27 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also survived by two brothers, Robert Eade and his wife Carolyn of Olean, NY, and Vincent Eade and his wife Rhonda of Las Vegas, NV. Also mourning her passing are her good friends Mona Goudeau of Zachary, LA, and her table buddies at Oakwood Assisted Living.

The family would like to

thank the staff at Oakwood Assisted Living who went out of their way to see to her daily needs above and beyond what was required.

For those wishing, donations in Dee's name can be made to the Metanoia House, the American Diabetes Association or the American Kidney Fund.

Share memories at www.CharletFuneralHome @gmail.com.

James, Martha A.

Martha A. James, 88, of Pride, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2026. Born on June 8, 1938, in Florence, South Carolina, Martha lived a life marked by love, service, and devotion to her family and community. She spent many years as a dedicated hairdresser, caring for others not only through her profession but also through her generous spirit.

Martha enjoyed quilting, sewing, and cooking, and found great joy in using her talents to bless those around her. She faithfully served in her church's food pantry, reflecting her compassionate heart and commitment to helping others. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Thad Ward and Olea Locklair Ward; and her brothers, Thad Ward Jr. and Charles Ward.

She leaves behind her beloved husband, Willie R. James, with whom she shared many cherished years. She is also survived by her children, Gaye (Brent) Truesdell, Rhonda (Jocko) May, and Robbie (Kelli) James; her grandchildren, Jessica, Jennifer, Nichole, Jordan, and Krymson; her great-granddaughter, Hallie; and her great-great-grandchildren, Max and Stormi. She also leaves behind many extended family members and dear friends who will remember her with love.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects during a visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory East, 11000 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815, on Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Visitation will resume at Immanuel Baptist Church, 10870 Lovett Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70818, on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., followed by a funeral service beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at 12:00 p.m. at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815.

Martha's kindness, generosity, and unwavering love for her family will be remembered always. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched and in the generations of loved ones who will forever cherish her memory.

Maiden, Gloria Dean

Sicard, Raymond James

Entered into eternal rest at Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Bluebonnet on June 26, 2026. She was a 76-year-old native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a resident of Baker, Louisiana. Viewing will be at St John Baptist Church (Rev. Donald Ruth, pastor) on Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 8:00 am until the Celebration of Life Service at 10:00 am conducted by her pastor, Rev. James Grayson (New Light Baptist Church, Spur Lane); interment at Norman E. Pete Heine Memorial Park. Survivors include her devoted husband, Charles Maiden, Sr.; children, Veronica Polk and Charles Maiden, Jr.; four grandchildren; two siblings; other relatives and friends. Arrangements entrusted to Miller & Daughter Mortuary.

Raymond James Sicard was called home to our heavenly father on June 29, 2026 at 8:27 pm. Raymond was 96 years old, born to Joseph Dailey Sicard Sr and Bernice Chustz Sicard of Ventress, LA on June 24, 1930. He graduated from Poydras High School in New Roads and went on to work as a Plumber prior to becoming an operator at Kaiser Aluminum Plant where he worked for 30 years before retiring at the age of 53. He lived a life defined by hard work, quiet strength and unwavering devotion to those he loved. An avid cattleman, he spent countless hours caring for his livestock and working the land he cherished. When he wasn't attending cattle, he could often be found in the outdoors. As a lifelong hunter, he cherished the memories he made with family and friends. Above all else, Raymond was a devoted family man. He was a loving father, a proud grandfather and adoring great grandfather. His greatest joy came from watching his family grow, sharing stories on the front porch, teaching life lessons through example, and offering a steady hand whenever it was needed. His

Portera, John Cosmo

John Cosmo Portera, a resident of Metairie, LA, died on June 4, 2026. He is survived by his son, John Salvador Portera and wife Becca; one sister, Gina Guttuso; five grandchildren, Cade Lovett, Cami Lovett, Cody Billiot, Lia Portera, and Kasi Portera, and niece and nephew Jennifer and Brandon Guttuso.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Salvadore and Virginia Portera. He was a member of the National Wildlife Federation.

Share sympathies, memories, and condolences at www.CharletFuneralHome. com

wisdom, quick-witted humor and kind heart will remain with those who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph Dailey Sicard Sr and Bernice Chustz Sicard, sisters Elaine (Ta) Langlois, Bertha (Pip) Gremillion, Janelle Amond and Mary Nell David. He is survived by his sister; Katherine (Tinker) McAdams; brother, Dailey Sicard; son James Gary Sicard and Mona Bizette Sicard; daughter, Vicky Schexnayder and husband Raymond S. Schexnayder, Jr; grandchildren, Shaun Bizette, Blake Schexnayder and wife Candace and Brandi Burman and husband Ty; and great grandchildren, Ava and Jayce Burman. Though he is deeply missed, his family finds comfort in knowing his spirit lives on in every lesson passed from one generation to the next. Visitation will be Thursday, July 2 at Niland's Funeral Home in New Roads, LA from 8 am to 11:30 am.

Mass will follow at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 12 pm. Entombment will follow at False River Memorial Park Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be James Gary Sicard, Raymond Schexnayder Jr, Blake Schexnayder, Ty Burman, Michael Langlois, Brett Robillard, James Stucks and Dailey Sicard.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Lawerence McAdams, Ted Berry and John Aguillard.

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

OUR VIEWS

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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YOUR VIEWS

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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8B ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TODAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

A shower and thunderstorm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Humid with a t-storm possible

A couple of afternoon t-storms

HIGH

HIGH

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93° 75°

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92° 75°

LOW

94° 76°

Beaumont 93/76 Port Arthur 92/78

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

Hattiesburg 95/74

Alexandria 92/74 Baton Rouge 93/75

Lafayette 91/74 Lake Charles 92/74

10s

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YESTERDAY

Houma 87/74

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Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

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

FIRST

JUL 14

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

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

HIGH

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

6:06 a.m.

8:11 p.m.

9:45 p.m.

7:22 a.m.

NEW

City

PRECIPITATION

95°/75° 91°/73° 93°/75° 103° in 1954 62° in 1938

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

New Orleans 93/80

40s

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91° 75°

TEMPERATURE

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

0s

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90° 76°

Jackson 95/75 Many 94/73

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Baton Rouge through 5 p.m. Tuesday

Longview 96/75

-0s

92° 77°

Monroe 96/77

Shreveport 96/74

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LOW

Today will be another very hot day all across Southeast Louisiana.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory that is in effect until 6 p.m. because heat index values are expected to rise to almost 110. So expect a partly to mostly cloudy, hot and humid day with scattered showers and storms. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the low to mid-90s. Humidity remains high, so the heat index remains high. The UV index is at the extreme level this afternoon, so be sure to protect yourself.

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77 74 77 75 78 78 56 77 76

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0.00” 8.92” 6.45” 36.72” 32.00”

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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

MODERATE

READING 57 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

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

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--- ----- --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

12:43a 6:55a 1:35a 7:47a 2:27a 8:38a 3:16a 9:27a 4:04a 10:15a 4:51a 11:02a 5:37a 11:48a

Hi

Los Angeles 76 Miami 92 Nashville 100 New york City 95 Philadelphia 98 Phoenix 101 St. Louis 98 San Francisco 69 Seattle 66

TODAY Lo

61 78 74 79 78 78 79 56 51

1:08p 7:20p 1:59p 8:10p 2:49p 9:00p 3:38p 9:49p 4:26p 10:36p 5:12p 11:23p 5:59p ----

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pc t pc t pc s pc pc c

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MODERATE

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77 91 99 100 102 105 96 70 67

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60 79 75 82 82 80 78 55 54

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

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

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

2.86 1.77

-0.06 -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

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

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These transfers can boost LSU offense

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

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

Kick back, enjoy Soccer fans flocking to Pelican to Mars for World Cup gatherings

BY REED DARCEY

Staff writer

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 gray-haired 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

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Soccer fans gather around the main TV at Pelican to Mars to watch the first World Cup ä See BAR, page 5C game featuring South Africa and Mexico on June 11.

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 11man 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)

ä See LSU, page 3C

Serena ‘enjoyed the moment’ in 3-set loss at Wimbledon

BY ANDREW DAMPF AP sportswriter

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

ä United States vs. Bosnia, 7 P.M. WEDNESDAy, FOX

that the Americans soon would be back in the spotlight themselves, 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.

ä See U.S. SOCCER, page 5C

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-year-old Williams had performed admirably in 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-year-old 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-

AP PHOTO By MAJA SMIEJKOWSKA

Serena Williams of the U.S. waves to the crowd as she leaves after losing to Maya Joint of Australia in their first-round women’s singles match at Wimbledon in London on Tuesday. 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

ä See WILLIAMS, page 5C

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

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MLB BASEBALL 11:30 a.m. White Sox at Baltimore 2:30 p.m. San Diego at Chicago Cubs

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MLBN MLBN

Cincinnati at Milwaukee WORLD CUP England vs. Congo DR Belgium vs. Senegal U.S. vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina

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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 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.”

Staff writer

The New Orleans Pelicans are bringing back a locker-room leader from last season.

Veteran center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to return to New Orleans for a second season, a source confirmed Tuesday afternoon. It’ll be Jordan’s 19th season in the NBA. He played in just 12 games this past season, averaging 4.4 points and 6.3 rebounds. But it was what he did off the court mentoring younger players that made him so valuable.

Joe Dumars, the Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, spoke at the end of the season about Jordan’s impact.

“I’ve never seen a veteran like him in all my years,” Dumars said. “I’ve never seen a veteran pour into other players like he does. Invaluable. You can easily sit there and do that in front of the cameras and with people in the stands and all. He’s doing that at shoot-around. He’s doing that on the bus. When nobody else is looking, he’s pouring into those young guys. He’s that every day.”

Jordan was particularly helpful to the rookie class of Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Micah Peavy. Fears posted to social media shortly after the news of Jordan’s return was announced.

“We got big dog back,” he said.

Queen’s reaction?

“Yeah. You didn’t have a choice.”

Peavy raved about Jordan during the season.

“He’s the big brother,” Peavy

Roger Cador, who coached the Southern baseball team for more than 30 years from 1985-2017 and was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, has died at the age of 74.

Cador played for Southern in the early 1970s and led the Jaguars with a .393 batting average as a junior before being drafted by the Atlanta Braves. After becoming the head coach of the Southern baseball team, he lead the Jaguars to 14 SWAC titles while making the NCAA Tournament on 11 occasions.

Cador was named SWAC Coach of the Year 13 times.

Southern became the first HBCU team to win an NCAA Tournament game in 1987, upsetting No. 2 Cal State Fullerton in a New Orleans regional.

Yankees LHP Fried throws during simulated game

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.

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 alltime 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 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time AllStar 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.

Pelicans bring back locker-room leader Jordan

BY ROD WALKER

Legendary Southern baseball coach Cador dies at age 74

petition at the end of the day because you’re playing for shots and minutes and contracts and all that stuff. That is a big deal. But it’s also a love of the game and wanting somebody else to succeed.

When we win, everybody wins.”

The Pelicans didn’t win much last season. They finished just 2656 and missed the playoffs for a second straight season. But that didn’t stop Jordan from trying to lead by example and show his younger teammates how to be professionals.

The Pelicans are the eighth team Jordan has played for since being drafted in the second round of the 2008 draft. His career includes an NBA championship, an All-Star game appearance and being voted to the All-NBA team three times.

He also has made the All-Defensive Team twice and led the NBA in rebounding twice.

Those days are a thing of the past for Jordan, who turns 38 in July. It’s the intangibles that made the Pelicans want to bring him back.

He exceeded Dumars’ expectations in his first year.

“It’s not easy being a guy who STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER New Orleans Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan stands on the court before was first-team All-NBA one year, an All-Star and NBA champion, a game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Smoothie King Center on and turn that off and pour into Oct. 24. Jordan will return for a second season with the Pels. other people,” Dumars said. “I knew he was going to be great said. “Off the court, he helps you Stokes Teammate of the Year by for the locker room and knew he a lot. He’s been in the league a the NBA in April. He doesn’t take was a really good guy with a great spirit. I didn’t know it was going to long time, so he’s someone I go his role as a leader lightly.

“I just always wanted to encour- be to the level we ended up seeing. and talk to about anything. Not just basketball. Life. Investments. age my teammates,” Jordan said. It was off the charts what he did.”

Anything. He’s been in this thing a “We are an extension of each othlong time.” er. The better they are, the better Email Rod Walker at Jordan was named the Twyman- we are as a team. It’s still a com- rwalker@theadvocate.com.

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.

Liberty take down Aces for WNBA Commissioner’s Cup

NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu scored 26 points, Breanna Stewart added 25 and the New York Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces 93-85 to win the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday night.

Las Vegas was missing fourtime MVP A’ja Wilson, who tweaked her right ankle on Sunday in a win over Chicago. The Aces gave the Liberty all they could handle thanks to the stellar play of Jackie Young, who scored 25 of her 31 points in the second half.

It’s the second time the Liberty won the in-season tournament, also beating Las Vegas in 2023. New York is the first team to win that championship twice since it first started being played in 2021.

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 Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 3C

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No standouts in a year Leonard going back to Raptors; Clippers of parity for PGA Tour get Ingram in trade

BY DOUG FERGUSON

BY TIM REYNOLDS

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 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

AP basketball writer

Kawhi Leonard is headed back to the Toronto Raptors, after they struck a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers to reunite with the player who led their run to the 2019 NBA championship, a person with knowledge of the talks said Tuesday.

The Raptors are sending former Pelicans player Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap to the Clippers for Leonard, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not received the required league approval.

Leonard spent one season in Toronto, and that was the year the Raptors won their lone title.

He turned 35 on Monday but is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging 27.9 points for the Clippers in 65 games.

Leonard is a seven-time AllStar, seven-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA champion (also having won in 2014 with San

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.

Antonio) and is generally considered one of the game’s top defensive players.

The trade is the latest in what’s becoming a long line of huge deals getting made between clubs already this summer, one that has seen Giannis Antetokounmpo getting traded by Milwaukee to Miami, Ja Morant getting moved to Portland by Memphis and now this — one where the Raptors will hope that Leonard can weave his title magic one more time.

Toronto agreeing to make this deal suggests that it isn’t worried about the ongoing probe into an endorsement deal that Leonard had with a California-based sustainability services company.

The NBA opened its investigation back in September into whether a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser, LLC — a company that filed for bankruptcy earlier this year — broke league rules, following a report by journalist Pablo Torre.

The primary issue for the NBA to decide is if the deal allowed the Clippers to circumvent league salary cap rules.

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 importantScheffler looks about the same ly, he is at No. 17 in the FedEx Cup Scheffler began his year with a and a lock for all the big stuff next four-shot victory in The American year — and all the majors if he Express. Thirteen tournaments reaches the Tour Championship. later, he still only has one victory.

He still leads the PGA Tour in Clark as the front-runner overall strokes gained and teeClark is dangerous when he gets to-green, though his numbers are on a heater, and he’s on a heater. down from a year ago. Scheffler He won his first U.S. Open in has nine finishes in the top 5 in his 2023 a little over a month after 14 starts. His playoff loss to Viktor dusting the field at Quail Hollow.

Hovland at The Travelers ChampiHe shot 60 to win at Pebble Beach onship was his fourth runner-up of in 2024, then was the year. runner-up two Take only the money from those straight weeks four runner-up finishes — $8.9 milto Scheffler at lion — and that would rank him at Bay Hill and The No. 4 on the PGA Tour money list.

Players ChamHe hasn’t been as sharp at times.

He had a bad habit of giving the Clark pionship the folfield too much of a head start. But lowing month. he doesn’t appear to be going anyClark had another closing 60 to win at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, where. followed that with contending late Fitzpatrick seizes the opportunity Sunday afternoon in the MemoFitzpatrick leads the PGA Tour rial and early Sunday afternoon in victories this season with three in the Canadian Open, and then because one of them was Zurich he stood down a hostile gallery at Classic of New Orleans, where he Shinnecock to win the U.S. Open. teamed with younger brother Alex And then running on fumes, he got to win. That gave within two shots of the lead late Alex Fitzpatrick a Sunday at the Travelers and tied two-year exemp- for fifth.

How long will it last? Two more tion, seen at the time as one of the months and it might be enough to great gifts ever end Scheffler’s four-year run as from big brother. PGA Tour player of the year.

But that depends on Scheffler.

Instead of flyHe is the defending champion at ing to Turkey for Fitzpatrick the next European the British Open, and a victory by tour event, Alex Fitzpatrick head- him or a half-dozen others could be ed to Doral for a signature event. what it takes to bring some clarity And he got in the next one, and the to the season.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard looks to get past Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara during a game on April 10 in Portland, Ore.

RB Dilin Jones

around it plenty.

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.

LSU

Continued from page 1C and Winston Watkins (twitchy slot receiver) to be candidates, plus preseason All-America 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.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KENNy KANE

quick feet and body control.

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

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

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

OL Aliou Bah The strength of the running back 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.

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WORLD CUP 2026 W C A N A D A

•

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

•

M E X I C O

TODAY’S GAMES ENGLAND VS. CONGO 11 a.m., FOX | BELGIUM VS. SENEGAL 3 p.m., FS1 | U.S. VS. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA 7 p.m., FOX

Mbappé, France shut out Sweden

By The Associated Press

GLANCE

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kylian Mbappé and France are sizzling — and not just because of MetLife Stadium’s broiling conditions.

Mbappé had his third two-goal game of this World Cup and set a career scoring record for the tournament’s knockout rounds, leading Les Bleus over Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday to set up a round of 16 match against Paraguay.

“I personally haven’t seen a better team,” Sweden coach Graham Potter said.

France’s 27-year-old star scored the go-ahead goal with a brilliant crossover step in the 45th minute and added his sixth goal of the tournament in the 74th to tie Lionel Messi for the tournament scoring lead. He has 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, one behind the Argentine’s career scoring record of 19 in 29 matches.

In between, Bradley Barcola had a 53rd-minute goal for France, which became the first nation to score three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.

“I’m very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappé said through a translator. “The entire team is aware of what should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning.”

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 Mbappé came to the bench after he was substituted in the 85th minute.

“We’re on a mission — so am I with them,” Deschamps said through a translator.

France has outscored opponents

ROUND OF 32 June 28

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.

Friday

Australia vs. Egypt, 1 p.m.

Argentina vs. Cape Verde, 5 p.m.

Colombia vs. Ghana, 8:30 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.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PAMELA SMITH

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring France’s third goal during a World Cup match against Sweden on Tuesday in East Rutherford, N.J.

ROUNDUP 13-2. Michael Olise has five assists, the most in a World Cup since Germany’s Thomas Hassler had five in 1994.

“They are skilled at knowing when to change the pace and increase it, when to possess the ball, went to fall back,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said through a translator.

Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on Saturday in Philadelphia. The winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or

Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.

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 appearance, 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.

Another flop at World Cup has Germany, fans frustrated

BY CIARÁN FAHEY Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLIE RIEDEL

England’s Harry Kane trains during a practice session on Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.

England battles injury bug vs. capable Congo

BY STEVE REED

Uzbekistan to advance.

“It is true we are looking at a difficult match, but in no way While America has its eyes on insurmountable,” Congo coach the U.S. vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina Sébastien Desabre said. “We have match on Wednesday, there are proven this against teams that two other matches with plenty of were supposed to be superior to us, that we could actually put in a intrigue.

A banged-up good performance.”

Bukayo Saka, who came into the England team Wednesday will face Con- tournament injured, is fit to start, lookahead go and its top Tuchel said. scorer, Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa, Hungry Belgium in Atlanta. Belgium looks to return By advancing to the knockout to its 2018 glory when it faces Sen- round atop Group G, Belgium has egal in the other elimination game already improved upon its woeful performance from four years ago. on Wednesday.

After a historic third-place finish England’s injuries mount at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Injuries are mounting for Eng- Belgium did not advance past the land, which is missing its first- and group stage in Qatar. With its 5-1 second-choice right backs for the victory over New Zealand on Friround of 32 game against Congo. day, Belgium has already achieved Reece James is out with a ham- what coach Rudi Garcia expected string injury, and backup Jarrell at the bare minimum.

Garcia also expressed satisfacQuansah twisted his ankle in a 2-0 win over Panama on Saturday. tion, as well as desire for more.

It could see Djed Spence move Belgium won one game and played over from the left, but coach to two draws in group play.

Thomas Tuchel is confident James “We wanted to finish first in the and Quansah will soon return — so group stage and we succeeded,” long as England can advance.

Garcia said in French. “Of course “They’re getting closer and clos- we wanted to win more — we know the story of our World Cup so far. er,” Tuchel said.

Congo is playing in the knockout Now it is time for the knockout round of the World Cup for the phase. Senegal is a big team. But, first time. It held Portugal to a 1-1 you have to beat them, too, if you draw in the group stage and beat want to go far in a World Cup.” Associated Press

Another World Cup, another early exit.

Germany should be getting used to disappointment, but it doesn’t make it any less painful for a traditional soccer heavyweight that had been tentatively hoping for a fifth World Cup title to restore lost pride.

Germany did manage to survive the group stage for the first time since winning the trophy in 2014, but it’s little consolation after Monday’s loss to unheralded Paraguay on penalties sent the team home after the first knockout game.

“We messed it up,” Joshua Kimmich told reporters after the match in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

It was a familiar feeling for the Germany captain, who also struggled for explanations after the team’s group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“As a child, when you watched the national team during tournaments, it was always semifinals, finals or world champions. There was always lots of success. You grew up with that, cheering them on,” the 31-year-old Kimmich said Monday, when he apologized for the team failing to meet expectations.

“All of us who were on the pitch should feel that, rather than looking to blame someone else. We blew it,” Kimmich said in comments reported by German press outlet dpa.

Coach under fire Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is in the firing line after some contentious calls — particularly after recalling veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from international retirement just before the tournament after months of denials.

The 40-year-old Neuer failed to justify his inclusion at the expense of Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann, and was arguably at fault for Ecuador’s winning goal

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLES KRUPA

A Germany fan gives a thumbs down after Germany’s loss to Paraguay on Monday in Foxborough, Mass. in the last group game.

“I gave it my all,” Neuer said.

Nagelsmann finally bowed to pressure and gave forward Deniz Undav his first start against Paraguay, but the move didn’t pay off as the Kurdish Yazidi player was unable to add to his three goals and two assists from his first two games as a substitute.

False hope Nagelsmann had raised expectations by saying Germany was aiming to win the title. Ultimately, his team failed to show any justification for such hopes.

Germany played four games at the World Cup, winning two against debutant Curaçao and Ivory Coast, before the losses to Ecuador and Paraguay.

While Paraguay’s win was joyously celebrated on the streets of its capital, Asunción, it was considered a major shock — few German fans knew any of the Paraguayan players before the match, and they were already looking forward to a likely round of 16 meeting with France, which defeated Sweden on Tuesday.

“You have to beat such a team,” Neuer said of Paraguay. “That’s a fact when you want to mea-

sure yourself against teams like France.”

Nagelsmann has vowed to stay on as coach, though he was also criticized for his prickly responses to questions after the game.

“I’m still convinced that he’s probably the right one to continue,” Germany team director Rudi Völler said. “It’s not only up to me.”

Serious talks ahead Bernd Neuendorf, the president of the German soccer federation, said Tuesday he already met “at length” with Nagelsmann, Völler and sporting director Andreas Rettig, and they agreed “our performance at the World Cup fell short of our standards.”

“In the coming days, we will calmly look at the reasons why the team was unable to realize its potential and failed to meet both its own expectations and those of the German football community,” Neuendorf said. “After such a crushing blow, we cannot and do not wish to simply return to business as usual.”

Nagelsmann has a contract running through the European Championship in 2028.

H The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 5C

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No. 4-seeded Shelton laments first-round exit

BY KEN MAGUIRE AP sportswriter

LONDON — Ben Shelton wasted a match point in the fifth-set tiebreaker against qualifier Otto Virtanen at Wimbledon in what the fourth-seeded American called “one of the toughest losses of my career.”

Shelton was eliminated 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9) on Tuesday, losing in the first round at the grasscourt Grand Slam for the first time in his young career.

The 23-year-old Shelton led 8-5 in the deciding 10-point tiebreaker against his 140th-ranked opponent and had match point at 9-8 but made an unforced error, then lost the next two points.

“I thought I put myself in a great position to win at the end. He came

up with the goods,” said Shelton, who reached the quarterfinals last year at the All England Club.

The left-handed American said he “wasn’t getting many free points.”

“The way that he was playing, hitting the ball, it definitely forced my hand. He’s playing aggressive,” Shelton said. “He wasn’t really making any mistakes. Towards the end, any ball I left semihanging, he was ripping a winner, especially in that last game before the tiebreak.

“In the tiebreak, I was trying to get to the net as much as I could, try to really rush him and not allow him to swing away from the baseline.”

The 25-year-old Virtanen came through the qualifying tournament and earned the biggest win of his

career in eliminating Shelton, who is ranked No. 5.

“I had a great month. I played a lot of grass matches,” Virtanen said in his on-court interview after 4 hours, 21 minutes on No. 2 Court.

He reached the second round in his Wimbledon debut in 2024 and missed last year’s tournament.

Shelton said he’ll try not to dwell on the defeat.

“I’m usually the type of person that gets back on the court or in the gym the next day. This is definitely one of the toughest losses of my career, coming here at Wimbledon. First time I’ve lost in the first round here,” he said. “I didn’t even think I played a poor match today. Things just didn’t go my way. ... I’ll be right back on the practice courts in a couple days.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BRIAN INGANGA

Ben Shelton of the U.S. reacts as he plays Otto Virtanen of Finland during their men’s singles match at Wimbledon in London on Tuesday.

U.S. SOCCER

Continued from page 1C

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

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

BAR

Continued from page 1C 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.

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 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 postpandemic “desperation,” stuck.

Three years later, the bar is reaping 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.”

‘Baton Rouge’s best bar’ 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 soccerplaying college friend took a trip to Barcelona in 1983 and saw the city erupt after legendary striker Diego Maradona 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 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.”

If you’re a regular, Paddock will greet you with a smile and a hug.

One of those folks is Erik Wagner, a high school history teacher who lives within walking distance of Pelican to Mars. He’s a literal card-carrying member of Baton Rouge’s Tottenham Hotspur supporters club, and he’s been watching soccer at the bar with friends and fellow Premier League fans for about three years now.

“It’s great to have found this community in Baton Rouge,” Wagner said. “These people who love soccer, football. You can banter with them.”

Wagner is friends with Kendall Losee, president of the American Outlaws’ Baton Rouge chapter.

He 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.

“This really is honestly, in my opinion, Baton Rouge’s best bar.”

‘They come no matter what’ For now, Pelican to Mars is pressing pause on the live music, trivia nights, yoga classes and silent reading nights it usually hosts. The World Cup is still consuming Deville two months after he first started gearing up.

Deville estimates that he’s worked at least 75 hours each week since the games first kicked off on June 11. The World Cup field is freshly expanded to 48 teams, which means that Pelican to Mars has been showing matches from open to close.

“I feel like a lot of bars right now,” Deville said, “they’re on their heels a little bit trying to figure out, ‘OK, how do we tap into the World Cup market?’ We don’t have to. It’s built in. I mean, we put in the work for two years, and they’re here now.

“They’re loyal. They come no matter what.”

Paddock has plans to expand the bar’s footprint into its front parking lot for the World Cup final on July 19, whether the U.S. is still alive or not. History says the American men won’t sniff that stage of the bracket. They’ve advanced past the round of 16 only once in the modern era (2002).

This year, though, the USMNT won its first two World Cup matches for the first time since 1930. You could say that the group benefited from a favorable draw in a diluted field, but it did soundly beat Paraguay — the squad that took down world power Germany in the round of 32 on Monday — and it did handle a defensive-minded Australian team without star forward Christian Pulisic.

So yes, as Paddock declared that afternoon during the Australia game, the U.S. might indeed be good, which is welcome news for the establishment enjoying its first World Cup as Baton Rouge’s unofficial soccer bar.

“In terms of the first couple of matches,” Paddock said, “I mean, they were as impressive as anybody in the entire tournament.

“We’ve never felt this way.”

“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 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 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

WILLIAMS

Continued from page 1C 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.

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.

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.”

Then Williams saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a big serve down the T followed by a forehand 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.

6C ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The 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

East Division Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York Central Division

Odds 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 49 48 40 39 37

L 33 36 46 48 47

Pct GB .598 — .571 1½ .465 10½ .448 12 .440 12½

W 45 44 41 37 35

L 39 42 46 49 51

Pct GB .536 — .512 2 .471 5½ .430 9 .407 10½

W 44 43 43 40 36

L 42 43 45 45 50

Pct .512 .500 .489 .471 .419

GB — 1 2 3½ 8

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

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

Monday’s Games

W 49 48 45 44 36

L 34 38 40 43 50

Pct .590 .558 .529 .506 .419

GB — 2½ 5 7 14½

W 52 48 44 43 39

L 31 38 38 43 45

Pct .627 .558 .537 .500 .464

GB — 5 7 10 12½

W 55 43 42 35 33

L 30 41 42 49 52

Pct .647 .512 .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

Tuesday’s Games

Philadelphia 8, Pittsburgh 0 N.Y. Mets 3, Toronto 0 Washington 8, Boston 1 St. Louis 5, Atlanta 3 Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 2 Chicago Cubs 9, San Diego 7 Miami at Colorado, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n San Francisco at Arizona, n

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 tennis Wimbledon Results

Tuesday’s Games

Chicago White Sox 9, Baltimore 3 Texas 4, Cleveland 2 Detroit 9, N.Y. Yankees 3 N.Y. Mets 3, Toronto 0 Washington 8, Boston 1 Tampa Bay 10, Kansas City 4 Houston 6, Minnesota 4 L.A. Angels at Seattle, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n

Wednesday’s Games

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

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. Mackenzie 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.

Pro basketball WNBA Glance Eastern Conference 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

Western Conference

Monday’s Games

GB — ½ 1 2½ 3 6 8

No games scheduled.

Tuesday’s Game

New York 93, Las Vegas 85

Wednesday’s Games No games scheduled.

Transactions Major League Baseball American League HOUSTON ASTROS — Sent RHP Hayden Wesneski on a rehab assignment to FCL Astros. Placed SS Jeremy Peña on the 10-day IL. Sent 1B LaMonte Wade Jr. on a rehab assignment to Sugar Land (PCL). Recalled 2B Raynel Delgado from Sugar Land.

NEW YORK YANKEES — Recalled RHP Yovanny Cruz from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL). Optioned RHP Yerry De los Santos to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Recalled RHP Cole Wilcox from Tacoma (PCL). Optioned LHP Josh Simpson to Tacoma.

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Sent LF Gavin Lux and RF Jake Fraley on rehab assignments to Durham (IL).

TEXAS RANGERS — Recalled RHP Gavin Collyer from Round Rock (PCL). Designated RHP Chris Paddack for assignment.

National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Sent LHP Danny Young on a rehab assignment to Gwinnett (IL).

Sent RHP AJ Smith-Shawver on a rehab assignment to Augusta (CRL). Agreed to terms with OF Matt Scannell on a minor league contract.

CHICAGO CUBS — Sent RHP Vince Velasquez outright to Iowa (IL).

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Designated RHP Jonathan Hernández for assignment.

Recalled RHP Wyatt Mills from Oklahoma City (PCL).

MIAMI MARLINS — Reinstated C Liam Hicks from the 10-day IL. Placed RHP Anthony Bender on the 15-day IL. Recalled RHP Zach Brzykcy from Jacksonville (IL). Optioned 3B Graham Pauley to Jacksonville.

NBA

ATLANTA HAWKS — Acquired G Devin Carter from Sacramento in exchange for draft consideration.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS — Re-signed C Robert Williams III to a veteran extension.

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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Let it roll

Bally’s BR has an unusual speakeasy tucked inside its dining depot

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

A bowling alley and lounge has opened inside Bally’s Baton Rouge Casino, and folks can order fare from an oyster bar and pizzeria while rolling strikes at Pelican Pins.

Tucked around a corner inside the Bally’s Baton Rouge dining depot is a site some wouldn’t expect: A two-lane bowling alley that casino-goers can rent by the hour. Customers can order dishes from Shucks Oyster Bar and Hearth Pizzeria, and servers will bring the food right to their table next to the pins.

Inside Pelican Pins, candlelit tables, chandeliers and red velvet curtains give an elevated feel. One neon sign on an exposed brick wall reads Pelican Pins in blue and purple, another right above the pins reads “laissez les bons temps rouler” in red.

The building used to be an old train station, and Pelican Pins expands on that historic charm, said Bally’s Baton Rouge Marketing Ops Manager Antonious Rider.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Remi DeMatteo, Alan Walter and Lance Paddock raise glasses of Schlitz beer June 22 from the last case that was bought at Pelican to Mars from the distributor before Schlitz was discontinued.

Final toast

Schlitz Beer is gone, but some of its last breaths in Louisiana were inside Baton Rouge bar

BY MADDIE SCOTT

IN

late May, headlines across the country announced the end of a longtime brew, Schlitz beer, and it took some of its last breaths in Baton Rouge at Pelican to Mars.

The last cases had already been distributed to Pelican to Mars, 2678 Government St., when co-owner Remi DeMatteo saw the headlines.

He ran to the back, grabbed the last case and stashed it in his fridge at home for safekeeping.

“I found out they were stopping distributing after I’d already ordered what I could order,” DeMatteo said. “I told the barback, ‘Where’s the box?’ So, I went and grabbed the box, and I’m like, ‘That’s a relic.’ ” On June 22, he cracked it open with figures in the local mixology scene as a final send-off: other Pelican to Mars co-owner Lance Paddock and James Beard award semifinalist in mixology and Bin Q bartender Alan Walter.

Together, they reminisced on Schlitz’s history (one of some trag-

STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT

Inside Bally’s Baton Rouge is a two-lane bowling alley that customers can rent by the hour.

“To me, what makes it so unique — not only because of the structure of the building, that modern take on historic charm — but it’s really a nice, laid-back, incognito type of spot,” Rider said. “Something very intimate for a group of friends or even couples or a nice family night.”

Groups of eight or under can bowl for $35 per lane up to an hour, he said. Larger groups can reserve the lanes online through Bally’s website.

The menu The dining menu is shared by an oyster bar and pizzeria.

Four different types of oysters are served by Shucks Oyster bar: Louisiana oysters with mignonette, cocktail sauce, lemon and horseradish; traditional chargrilled oysters with Parmesan, garlic, lemon, butter and breadcrumbs; Cajun BBQ oysters with Worcestershire, Abita Amber butter and andouille crumb; and jacked up oysters with jalapeño, bacon, jumbo lump crab and Parmesan.

It’s a seafood-centric menu, and there’s also starters like seared tuna and smoked fish dip. Entrees include shrimp scampi, roasted salmon, chargrilled rib-eye and more.

For those who want to end their meal with a sweet treat, there’s a dessert menu with bread pudding, Oreo cheesecake, Richard’s brownie sundae, ice cream du jour and cake du jour.

Hearth Pizzeria offers pizzas, calzones, oven-baked pastas, sandwiches and starters such as garlic knots, focaccia with herb goat cheese and marinara, meatballs and eggplant caponata.

ä See PINS, page 2D

Staff writer

Remi DeMatteo pours a glass of Schlitz beer from the last case that was bought at Pelican to Mars. edy, Walter said), went down mem- quoted the Schlitz-referenced ory lane and cheered one last time Jerry Lee Lewis 1968 country hit “What’s made Milwaukee famous to the 177-year-old brew. has made a fool out of me.”

The history But long before country hits It was “the beer that made Mil- were written about Schlitz, it was waukee famous” — according ä See SCHLITZ, page 2D to the Schlitz slogan, and Walter

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

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 3D

2D ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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‘Hey, you! Quit yelling out your window!’

Dear Miss Manners: Will you please dependent woman, but I’m also a write something about people new real estate agent who doesn’t not talking from their make much money yet, windows, especially from so I appreciate it when he a second-floor window to picks up the bill! someone below at the door?

He has previously exGentle reader: While she pressed romantic interest agrees that it is impolite in me, which I thought I to yell at all hours and dishad quashed. But three Judith times in the past four days, turb the neighbors, Miss Martin he has paid for outings Manners cannot agree to MISS and/or meals for me. In the more absolute ban you MANNERS one case, out of a group seek. It would do away with of six people, I learned a sizable portion of the opera and musical theater repertoire. that my meal alone was on him (which he says was an accident).

Dear Miss Manners: I have a nice The next night, at another group friend who goes out of his way to dinner with friends, he pulled the do kind things for me. I’m an in-

waiter aside to pay for my meal and no one else’s.

After the third event where he tried to pay, I put my foot down. We are not in a romantic relationship and I want to keep it that way. After dinner, I said, “Thanks! I sent you $50 electronically.” He then lost it and told me to leave. I asked why he keeps insisting on paying for me, and he said I’m the only one who has a problem with it.

I know there are much bigger problems in the world right now, but I was raised to say “thanks” and contribute where I can. I’ve tried using humor — joking that

he’s my dad, hoping he gets the message. His constantly paying for me, but no one else in our group of friends, makes me feel controlled and uncomfortable.

I want to continue to be friends with this person, but don’t need him paying my bill every time.

Can you think of another way to send this message?

Gentle reader: While falling short of making you feel like his wife, your friend’s actions declare him to be your date. But as that was without your consent, and far from your intention, Miss Manners is afraid that you have to insist that his paying for your meals

has to stop. If he persists, you must explain that it will not result in his being promoted to your boyfriend. Instead, it would lead to his no longer being your friend of any kind.

You might add that you would regret that outcome, if you want to soften the blow.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT

Inside Bally’s Baton Rouge is a two-lane bowling alley that customers can rent by the hour.

PINS

Continued from page 1D

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Alan Walter pours a glass of Schlitz beer for Remi DeMatteo from the last case that was bought at Pelican to Mars from the distributor before Schlitz was discontinued. ‘It’s a little sad to see it go,’ said Walter. ‘It’s going to have its name on a lot of memories.’

SCHLITZ

End of an era

Continued from page 1D founded in 1849 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by August Krug. One day, Krug fell through a hole in the factory, Paddock said, and the bookkeeper, named Joseph A. Schlitz, took over operations.

Paddock said Schlitz was an innovator. During a time when Americans drank local brews, Schlitz distributed the brew nationally in refrigerated cars. He jumped on opportunity, like in 1871, when the Great Chicago Fire hit and burnt down all the local breweries.

“So, Schlitz shipped free beer into Chicago and took over the market,” Paddock said. “That led to this huge base of operations out of Chicago that kind of floated him to the top.”

By the early 1900s, it was the largest brewer in the United States and was also the first to create the 16-ounce tall-boy can.

Schlitz later died in a shipwreck. Accidents seemed to follow the owners of the

By the early 1900s, Schlitz was the largest brewer in the United States. brewery, Paddock said.

The brand decided to alter the recipe to cut costs around the 1970s.

“They were this huge brand, but they were still battling Budweiser,” Paddock said. “They decided to cut costs and compete on price, and everybody hated it.”

The company shortened fermentation time from 30 days to 15 days, DeMatteo said, and it switched its recipe from using malted bar-

ley to corn syrup, making it way less aromatic. Schlitz never recovered brand loyalty on a national scale after that.

“They weren’t fooling anyone, because the original recipe, which got restored eventually, was pretty darn good,” Walter said. “It’s a malty beer. It has a biscuity mouth. It’s almost ironic Pabst Blue Ribbon canceled them instead of the other way around.”

What someone was doing when drinking Schlitz is almost as important as the beer itself, DeMatteo said.

The group in Baton Rouge reminisced on memories of growing up drinking the beer inside New Orleans’ Snake and Jake’s, where $2 cans of Schlitz were king. Paddock remembers pairing the brew’s caramel notes with the caramelization of backyard barbecues in the ’70s.

“There’s only one other beer that generates some of these feelings, and that’s Coors Banquet,” Walter said.

“That was what my parents would stock if we were tubing down the Tangipahoa River growing up.”

Though Coors Banquet is similar, it’s still not Schlitz, Walter said.

“Schlitz served as an emblem for many American experiences,” Walter said.

“It’s a little sad to see it go.

It’s going to have its name on a lot of memories.”

Pizzas and calzones come in numerous flavors: cheeseburger, veggie, margherita or supreme pizzas, to name a few. Rider’s favorite dish on the on the menu is one of the ovenbaked pastas, Penne Diavolo.

“It’s like a spicy vodka sauce, and you can either get it with shrimp or chicken,” he said.

Each visit, Rider starts

his meals with the Cajun BBQ shrimp, a dish with jumbo Gulf shrimp, Worcestershire, barbecue butter sauce, rice and crusty bread. He also makes sure to order a round of oysters.

“On the Shucks side of the menu, I love the chargrilled oysters,” Rider said. “Any flavor of the chargrilled oysters I will always get.”

Pelican Pins is located inside Bally’s Baton Rouge, 103 France St., Baton Rouge.

Living Waters has affordable rooms and houses for rent.

Please call our office for more information at 225-356-7142

Are you hanging on to some of the last Schlitz in Louisiana? Email Maddie Scott at madison.scott@ theadvocate.com.

Bloodlines and Storylines:

Identity, Memory, and the Modern Search for Belonging

This presentation will explore how genealogy has evolved beyond names and records into a deeper search for identity and connection.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 3D

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Declutter before downsizing Dear Heloise: My husband dren a chance to take what and I have plans to move to they want with my blessing. our vacation home — Gloria D., in Bloomfield after we retire.

Hills, Michigan We’re going through Liquid gold this large house of ours and sorting Dear Heloise: If you through all of our put a jar of honey on belongings one room a sunny windowsill Hints from to liquefy it, make at a time.

Heloise sure to place the Our three daughcontainer in a black ters are helping sock. It works much faster. because it’ll offer them a chance to take many things — Greg D., in Newton Falls, Ohio that have been handed Stray cats and dogs down in our family. If they don’t want the fine china, Dear Heloise: People write the good silverware, or to you bragging about how the candlesticks that my they take in stray cats grandmother brought over and dogs. What they’re refrom Italy, then these items ally doing is stealing other will be sold or given away. people’s pets. If they would I warned them that this is leave them alone, the pets the last chance they have to probably go home to their take valuable things home. owners. Some people may If they don’t, there won’t be be in great distress over a second chance, and I don’t losing a pet who got out. — want to hear about it later.

Linda S., via email I have a stack of large Linda, a well-fed, clean boxes that they can load up animal might be a stray and take home with them who’s lost and away from as we move through each home. This happens all too room. If more than one of often. But an animal who is the girls wants an item, we begging for food or is dirty can draw straws or flip a and thin probably doesn’t coin. This is great way to have a home. Thank heavdeclutter and gives my chil- ens for those who take in a

stray animal or at least take it to a shelter where it can be cared for until it gets adopted!

Animals need to be spayed, neutered and microchipped, and they should be kept indoors. There really isn’t such a thing as “an outdoor pet.” It’s just a poor animal someone really doesn’t want. After all, a pet is a family member, and we don’t keep family members chained up outside. (No matter how much we might want to!) — Heloise

Giving a dog a pill Dear Heloise: One reader wrote in about using pill pockets with pills inside for your dog. Another way that we do this successfully is to cut up small little squares of cheese. It’s easy to embed a pill in the cheese, and our dog loves it. — Jack S., via email Jack, I give my dogs a pill in peanut butter or take a piece of cooked meat, make an incision on the side, and slip the pill inside of the meat. — Heloise

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, three-day 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 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 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. Actor-comedian 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.

YEARS

Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TONIGHT•7PM & 8PM

WLPB 27

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 1D 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

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4D ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

lll

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

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 5D

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CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

6D ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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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

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 7D

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classifieds.theadvocate.com Search Search& &Place PlaceAds AdsOnline Onlineatatclassifieds.theadvocate.com classifieds.theadvocate.com* Call * Call -Friday Us Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111 8AM-5PM at 225-383-0111

Announcements BUSINESS PERSONAL New to Baton Rouge Area looking to service your delivery needs. No package too big or too small, call 225 620-9145 more info

Looking for the right hire?

225-388-0111

Las Brujas LLC d/b/a Las Brujas Coffee & Grocery is applying to the Office of Alcohol & Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of East Baton Rouge at the following address: 3101 Government St, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 Las Brujas LLC Member: David Villa 192927-July 1, 1t $106.38

THE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT will be closed on FRIDAY, JULY 3rd

Employment EDUCATION The LA Special School District is solicit‐ ing applications for future employment of certified teachers, school coun‐ selors & interpreters. To apply, go to governmentjobs.com/careers/Louisiana

And will be observing the following Early Deadline: Deadline: Tuesday 6/30 @ 2pm Wednesday 7/1 @ 2pm Wednesday 7/1 @ 2pm Wednesday 7/1 @ 2pm

CLASSIFIEDS.THEADVOCATE.COM

(225) 383-0111 Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID Sealed Bids will be re‐ ceived by the Purchasing Office, University of New Orleans, Admin. Annex Bldg, RM 1004G,2000 LAKESHORE DR, LAKE FRONT CAMPUS, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70148.

Note:University of New Orleans will become LSU New Orleans on July, 1, 2026 for: YEARLY SERVICE CONTRACT FOR PEST CONTROL SERVICES, Sealed Bid No. BTB2944 until: July 16, 2026 @ 2:00 PM at which time and place the Bids will be opened and read.

There will be a NonMandatory Pre-Bid Con‐ ference held on July 8, 2026 at the University of New Orleans, Amin. Bldg, Room 112 at 10:00 AM Evidence of authority to submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R.S. 39:1594 C.(4).

Specifications may be obtained from the Pur‐ chasing Office.

The right is reserved to reject any or all bids and to waive informalities.

UNO is an equal opportu‐ nity/affirmative action employer.

By: Troy A. Bacino Assistant Director Purchasing Dept.

University of New Orleans 192601-JUL 1-1T $41.34 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS The Port of South Louisiana hereby adver‐ tises for bids for: Project: Port of South Louisiana New Security Guard Building and Entrance Reserve, LA Description of Basic Work: Scope of work con‐ sists of the construction of a new security en‐ trance building and con‐ sist of removal and re‐ placement of concrete paving, new asphalt dri‐ veway, gravel parking area, and paved handi‐ cap stalls.

Description of Alternate No. 1: Includes gas line extension, generator and generator pad.

Description of Alternate No. 2: Includes paving the parking lot in lieu of gravel.

Sealed Bids must be re‐ ceived by the Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Louisiana Highway 44.

Reserve, Louisiana 70084, either by mail, hand de‐ livery or electronic bid, NO LATER THAN 11:30 AM, local time July 22, 2026, Attn: Julia FisherCormier, Sealed Bid En‐ closed- New Security Guard Building and En‐ trance, Contractor’s Li‐ cense Number and Con‐ tractor’s name should be printed outside of the sealed bid.

Promptly thereafter, the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Louisiana Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana 70084.

Electronic bids are ac‐ cepted on the Central Auction House Bidding www.central Website: auctionhouse.com Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments may be examined at the Port of South Louisiana, 1720 Louisiana Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana 70084 or at www.centralauctionh ouse.com Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments may be obtained from: Linfield, Hunter & Junius, Inc. 3608 18th Street Suite 200 Metairie, Louisiana 70002 Telephone: 504-833-5300 Fax: 504-833-5350 E-mail: dmorales@ lhjunius.com upon deposit of $250.00 for each set of docu‐ ments. Deposit on the first two sets are fully re‐ fundable to all bonafide prime Bidders upon re‐ turn of the documents, in good condition, no later than ten (10) days after receipt of bids. Fifty per‐ cent (50%) of the deposit of all other sets of docu‐ ments will be refunded upon return of docu‐ ments as stated above.

Electronic copies can be requested for a fee of $25.00.

All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of

the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

In accordance with La R.S. 38:2212 B. (5) Written evidence of the authority of the person signing the bid for public works shall be submitted at the time of bidding. The authority of the signature of the person submitting the bid shall be deemed suf‐ ficient and acceptable if any of the following con‐ ditions are met: (a) The signature on the bid is that of any corpo‐ rate officer listed on the most current annual re‐ port on file with the sec‐ retary of state, or the signature on the bid is that of any member of a partnership, limited lia‐ bility company, limited li‐ ability partnership, or other legal entity listed in the most current busi‐ ness records on file with the secretary of state. (b) The signature on the bid is that of an autho‐ rized representative as documented by the legal entity certifying the authority of the person. (c) The legal entity has filed in the appropriate records of the secretary of state of this state, an affidavit, resolution, or other acknowledged or authentic document indi‐ cating the names of all parties authorized to submit bids for public contracts. Such docu‐ ment on file with the sec‐ retary of state shall re‐ main in effect and shall be binding upon the prin‐ cipal until specifically re‐ scinded and canceled from the records of the office.

All required Certificates of Liability Insurance shall list the Port of South Louisiana as “addi‐ tionally insured”.

A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD On July 9, 2026 at 10:00 AM at the Port of South Louisiana | Administra‐ tive Building | Board Room 1720 LA Highway 44, Re‐ serve, LA 70084.

Prospective bidders who fail to attend or remain in attendance for the du‐ ration of the pre- bid conference shall be pro‐ hibited from submitting a bid for the project.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under La. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of Building Construction. No bid may be withdrawn for a pe‐ riod of forty-five (45) calendar days after the actual date of open‐ ing thereof except as provided by La R.S. 38:2214(C). The parties may mutually agree to extend the bid for addi‐ tional days.

Pursuant to La R.S. 38:2214(B) the Owner re‐ serves its right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In accordance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B) (1), the provisions and requirements of this Sec‐ tion, those stated in the bidding documents shall not be considered as in‐ formalities and shall not be waived by any public entity.

Contractor employees must be able to legally work in the United States – either a U.S. citizen or foreign citizen who has the necessary authoriza‐ tion.

The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsi‐ ble bidder without dis‐ crimination on grounds of race, color, sex or na‐ tional origin. Disadvan‐ taged businesses are en‐ couraged to submit bids.

When a project is fi‐ nanced either partially or entirely with State Bonds, the award of this Contract is contingent upon the granting of lines of credit, or the sale of bonds by the Bond Commission. The State shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Contract Between Owner and Contractor is fully executed.

OWNER BY: Julia Fisher-Cormier TITLE: Executive Director Advertisement Dates: 06/24/2026; 07/01/2026; 07/08/2026 191724-jun 24-jul 1-8-3t $272.11

Place a Classified ad?

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT OR INVITATION TO BID ENGLAND ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA EXTENSION OF RUNWAY 18 OBSTACLE REMOVAL PHASE 3 AND PRECISION APPROACH NAVAIDS PHASE 4 AT ENGLAND INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK AND COMMUNITY Separate sealed bids for the EXTENSION OF RUNWAY 18 OBSTACLE REMOVAL PHASE 3 AND PRECISION APPROACH NAVAIDS PHASE 4 will be received by the ENGLAND ECO‐ NOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, 1611 ARNOLD DRIVE, ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA 71303, in the England Au‐ thority Board Room, Building 1803 (England Authority Administration Building), at the ENG‐ LAND INDUSTRIAL AIR‐ PARK AND COMMUNITY, until 10:00 A.M. (Central Time), on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. The In‐ structions to Bidders, Bid Form, Agreement Be‐ tween Owner and Con‐ tractor, Forms of Bid Bond, Performance and Payment Bonds, Draw‐ ings and Specifications, and other Contract Docu‐ ments may be examined at the following location: PAN AMERICAN ENGINEERS, LLC (Design Professional) 1717 JACKSON STREET (P.O. BOX 8599, 71306) ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA 71301 (318) 473-2100 The scope of work for this Project is as follows: The Base Bid includes a New Localizer System, Glide Slope System and Runway Visual Range System; Approach Obsta‐ cle Removal for Runway 18; and Site Clearing, Grubbing and Grading on the 39.28 acre parcel be‐ tween Big Bayou and LA Hwy 1.

Additive Alternate No. 1 includes a New MALSF Approach Lighting Sys‐ tem.

Additive Alternate No. 2 includes the Upgrade of the proposed MALSF Ap‐ proach Lighting System to a MALSR Approach Lighting System.

Additive Alternate No. 3 includes Site Grading & Drainage Improvements on the 39.28 acre parcel between Big Bayou and LA Hwy 1.

Copies of the bidding documents shall be ob‐ tained at the office of Pan American Engineers, LLC upon deposit of $150.00 for each set of documents; or from the electronic bid submittal option as noted in the advertisement. The de‐ posit on the first set of documents furnished to bonafide prime bidders will be fully refunded upon return of the docu‐ ments, in good condition, no later than ten (10) days after receipt of bids. On other sets of documents furnished to bidders, the deposit less actual cost of reproduc‐ tion will be refunded upon return of the docu‐ ments, in good condition, no later than ten (10) days after receipt of bids.

Pursuant to L.R.S. 38:2212.E.(1), Bidders have the option to sub‐ mit bids and bid bonds electronically. Electronic bids for this project may be submitted through Central Bidding at www.

CentralAuctionHouse. com. To register, or for assistance with complet‐ ing an e-bid, contact Central Bidding at 225810-4814 or 866-570-9620.

The OWNER reserves the right to reject any or all Bids for just cause. Such actions will be in accor‐ dance with Title 38 of the L.R.S. In accordance with Louisiana Revised Statutes 38:2212(B)(1), the provisions and re‐ quirements stated in the bidding documents shall not be considered as in‐ formalities and shall not be waived.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held at the England Authority Board Room, Building 1803 (the England Au‐ thority Administration Building), 1611 Arnold Drive, England Industrial Airpark and Community, Alexandria, Louisiana at 10:00 A.M., THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2026.

Each bidder must de‐ posit with his Bid, secu‐ rity in the amount of at l fi ( ) f

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

y least five percent (5%) of the total bid price, as de‐ scribed in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders. Bid bonds shall be written by a surety or insurance company meeting the re‐ quirements noted in L.R.S. 38:2218.

p of this contract. The con‐ tractor shall carry out applicable requirements of 49 CFR Part 26, includ‐ ing any amendments thereto, in the award and administration of DOTassisted contracts. Fail‐ ure by the contractor to carry out these require‐ ments is a material breach of this contract, which may result in the termination of this con‐ tract or such other rem‐ edy, as the EEIDD deems appropriate, which may include, but is not limited to: (1) withholding monthly progress pay‐ ments, (2) assessing sanctions, (3) liquidated damages, and/or (4) dis‐ qualifying the contractor from future bidding as non-responsible.

y vised that the Owner, England Economic and Industrial Development District, has employed the services of Eddlemon & Associates LLC to ad‐ minister the Small Busi‐ ness Enterprise Program for this project. The SBE Administrator’s address is 5237 Raphael Drive; Alexandria, Louisiana 71303 and the telephone number is (318) 613-8143.

If Bidders encounter problems locating a SBE, they should notify the SBE Manager, Lynne Ed‐ dlemon.

LA 70126, in the Emmitt Bashful Building (Admin.

Bldg.) 3rd Floor, Rm. #306. Sealed bids will be received by Southern University at New Or‐ leans in the Purchasing Department, Emmitt Bashful Bldg. Rm. #202 up to 10:00 am July 22, 2026.

To be shown in the news‐ paper: June 18, June 24, and July 1, 2026 Contact Person: Marilyn Gilmore-Manuel, Purchasing Director (504) 286-5020

The contract is to be fi‐ nanced in whole or in part by federal or other funds which will not be readily available at the time bids are received. In accordance with LA. R.S. 38:2215D, Bidders may not withdraw their bid within ninety (90) days after the actual date of opening thereof.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in accor‐ dance with Louisiana R.S. 38:2214B. This contract is subject to the requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act (DOL 29 CFR Part 5), as amended. The Contractor is required to comply with wage and labor pro‐ visions and to pay mini‐ mum wages in accor‐ dance with the schedule of wage rates estab‐ lished by the United States Department of Labor.

Award of contract is also subject to the following Federal provisions: Executive Order 11246 and DOL Regulation 41 CFR PART 60 – Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employ‐ ment Opportunity DOT Regulation 49 CFR PART 29 – Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension and Government-wide Re‐ quirements for Drug-free Workplace DOT Regulation 49 CFR PART 30 – Denial of Public Works Contracts to Sup‐ pliers of Goods and Services of Countries that Deny Contracts to Suppliers of Goods and Services of Countries That Deny Procurement Market Access to U.S. Contractors (Foreign Trade Restriction).

TITLE 49 United States Code, CHAPTER 501 – Buy American Preferences The England Economic and Industrial Develop‐ ment District, in accor‐ dance with the provi‐ sions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4), 28 CFR § 50.3, and 49 CFR Part 21, hereby notifies all bid‐ ders that it will affirma‐ tively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this adver‐ tisement, all contractors will be afforded full op‐ portunity to submit bids in response to this invita‐ tion and will not be dis‐ criminated against on the grounds of the owner’s race, color, na‐ tional origin, sex, creed, age, or disability in con‐ sideration for an award.

It is the policy of the Eng‐ land Economic and In‐ dustrial Development District (EEIDD) that Small Business Enter‐ prises (SBEs) as defined in 49 CFR Part 26.39 shall have the maximum op‐ portunity to participate in the performance of projects advertised by the EEIDD. All bidders shall make good faith ef‐ forts, as defined in Ap‐ pendix A of 49 CFR Part 26, Regulations of the Of‐ fice of the Secretary of Transportation, to sub‐ contract 5.2% of the dol‐ lar value of the prime contract to small busi‐ ness concerns owned and controlled by SBEs. All bidders (proposers) will be required to sub‐ mit information concern‐ ing the SBEs that will participate in this con‐ tract. The information will include the name and address for each SBE, a description of the work to be performed by each named firm, the dollar value of the con‐ tract (subcontract), writ‐ ten documentation of the bidder (proposers) com‐ mitment to utilize the SBE firm and written con‐ firmation from the SBE firm that it is participat‐ ing in the contract as provided in the commit‐ ment made by the bidder (proposer). If the bidder fails to achieve the con‐ tract goal as stated herein, it will be required to provide documenta‐ tion demonstrating that it made good faith ef‐ forts in attempting to do so. A bid that fails to meet these requirements will be considered nonresponsive.

DBE Required Provisions:

Contract

Contract Assurance (§26.13) - The contractor, subrecipient or subcon‐ tractor shall not discrimi‐ nate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in the performance f hi h

Prompt Payment (§26.29) - The prime contractor agrees to pay each sub‐ contractor under this prime contract for satis‐ factory performance of its contract no later than 15 days from the receipt of each payment the prime contractor re‐ ceives from EEIDD. The prime contractor agrees further to return re‐ tainage payments to each subcontractor within 15 days after the subcontractor's work is satisfactorily completed.

(The England Authority will hold retainage from prime contractors and provide for prompt and regular incremental ac‐ ceptances of portions of the prime contract and pay retainage to prime contractors based on these acceptances). Any delay or postponement of payment from the above referenced time frame may occur only for good cause following written approval of the EEIDD. This clause ap‐ plies to both SBE and non-SBE subcontractors.

Award of contract is also subject to the following Federal provisions: 1) Buy American Preference 2) Foreign Trade Restriction 3) Davis Bacon 4) Affirmative Action 5) Governmentwide Debarment and Suspen‐ sion 6) Governmentwide Requirements for Drug free Workplace The successful bidder will be required to sub‐ mit a Certification of Nonsegregated Facilities prior to award of the contract, and to notify prospective subcontrac‐ tors of the requirement for such a Certification where the amount of the subcontract exceeds $10,000. Samples of the Certification and Notice to Subcontractors ap‐ pear in the Specifica‐ tions.

Women will be afforded equal opportunity in all areas of employment.

However, the employ‐ ment of women shall not diminish the standards or requirements for the employment of minori‐ ties.

For contracts of $50,000 or more, a contractor having 50 or more em‐ ployees, and his subcon‐ tractors having 50 or more employees and who may be awarded a subcontract of $50,000 or more, will be required to maintain an affirmative action program within 120 days of the com‐ mencement of the con‐ tract.

Preaward Equal Opportu‐ nity Compliance Re‐ views. Where the bid of the apparent low respon‐ sible bidder is in the amount of $1 million or more, the bidder and his known all-tier subcon‐ tractors which will be awarded subcontracts of $1 million or more will be subject to full on-site, preaward equal opportu‐ nity compliance reviews before the award of the contract for the purpose of determining whether the bidder and his sub‐ contractors are able to comply with the provi‐ sions of the equal oppor‐ tunity clause.

Compliance Reports.

Within 30 days after award of this contract, the Contractor shall file a compliance report (Stan‐ dard Form 100) if: 1) The Successful Bidder has not submitted a complete compliance re‐ port within 12 months preceding the date of award; and 2) The Successful Bidder is within the definition of "employer" in Para‐ graphs 2e(3) of the in‐ structions included in Standard Form 100.

The Successful Bidder shall require the subcon‐ tractor on all-tier sub‐ contracts, irrespective of dollar amount, to file Standard Form 100 within 30 days after award of the subcontract if the above two conditions apply. Standard Form 100 will be furnished upon request.

Bidders are hereby ad‐ i d h h

The Bidder must supply all information as re‐ quired in the Instructions to Bidders.

ENGLAND ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT SCOTT GAMMEL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR AVIATION & CAPITAL PROJECTS 1611 ARNOLD DRIVE ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA 71303 PLEASE PUBLISH THREE (3) TIMES: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Wednesday, July 8, 2026 191942 June 24, July 1, 8, 2026 3t $530.18 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISMENT June 9, 2026 PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Purchasing Department, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Gram‐ bling, La. On July 7, 2026 at 2:05, P.M. for: “50018-260034” West Campus Lawn and Landscape Maintenance Services. At which time and place the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Any bid received after closing time will be returned unopened.

Pre-Bid Meeting sched‐ uled June 23, 2026 at 9am in the Purchasing Confer‐ ence Room, 429 Main St. Grambling, La 71245 Copies of the specifica‐ tions may be obtained in electronic format by vis‐ iting the State of Louisiana, Office of State Purchasing, LaPAC Web Site, https://wwwcfprd. doa.louisiana.gov/osp/ lapac/dspBid.cfm?sea rch=department& term=53 Copies of specifications are on file in the Office of the Director of Purchas‐ ing, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Grambling, La. To obtain a copy of the specifications from Grambling State Univer‐ sity, call (318)-274-3280 or walkere@gram. e-mail edu.

Bids must be returned to the Purchasing Office at purchasingbids@gram. edu by the due date and time referenced. Bids must be submitted on the forms enclosed with the bid specification, and in strict conformity with the intent of same with‐ out modifications. Bids must be signed in ink, dated, and title of person signing the bid should be shown on the bid.

Evidence of General Lia‐ bility Insurance, Auto Li‐ ability Insurance, and Workers Compensation Insurance required for this contract.

No bid may be with‐ drawn after the sched‐ uled closing time for re‐ ceipt of bids for at least thirty (30) days.

The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to waive any informalities.

Evidence of authority to submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R.S. 38:2212(B)(5) and/or R.S. 39:1594(C)(4).

An Equal Opportunity Employer.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY GRAMBLING, LOUISIANA Erin Walker Director of Purchasing TO APPEAR: 6/9/2026 BID DUE: 7/7/2026 190780 June 17, 24, July 1, 2026 3t $92.76

PUBLIC NOTICE --Bid #0004 Southern University at New Orleans is soliciting an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to replace an existing 225 Ton Daikin Air-Cooled Chiller at the School of Social Work Building with the installation of a New 225 Ton Chiller. A Manda‐ tory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 10:00 am, and the Opening Bid Confer‐ ence will be held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 10:00 am. Both meet‐ ings are located at 6400 Press Drive, New Orleans,

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Sureties used for obtain‐ ing Bonds must appear as acceptable on the De‐ partment of Treasury Cir‐ cular 570 and comply with other specified re‐ quirements included in‐ volved in the Instruction to Bidders.

7 DAYS A WEEK

191545-jun 18-24-jul 1-3t $37.86 PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP 0517 Jefferson Parish Depart‐ ment of Purchasing is so‐ liciting Request for Pro‐ posals (RFPs) from quali‐ fied firms to provide To Provide a Pre-Placed Emergency Contract for Fuel Delivery During a Declared Disaster from an Area Outside of Southern Louisiana for the Jefferson Parish De‐ partment of Fleet Man‐ agement.

A pre-proposal confer‐ ence will be held at 10:00 AM on July 17, 2026 at Joseph S. Yenni Building located at 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd. Room 303, Jef‐ ferson, LA 70123.

Prospective proposers may participate in the conference to obtain clarification of the re‐ quirements of the RFP and to receive answers to relevant questions thereto. Any proposer in‐ tending to submit a pro‐ posal is encouraged to attend and should have at least one authorized representative attend the Pre-proposal Confer‐ ence.

RFP specifications may be obtained by visiting the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department http:// webpage at purchasing.jeffparish.net and selecting the LaPAC Tab. RFPs may also be viewed and submitted online free of charge at: www.jeffparishbids.net or www.centralbidding. com.

Submissions will only be accepted electronically via the Parish’s e-Pro‐ curement system, Cen‐ tral Bidding. Responses will be received until 3:30 P.M. on August 6, 2026.

Jefferson Parish no longer accepts manual submissions. All vendors will be required to regis‐ ter with Central Bidding.

Late proposals are not accepted.

Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance programs Renny Simno Director Purchasing Department Misty Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department

Baton Rouge Advocate: July 1, 8, and 15, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at http://purchasing. jeffparish.net or call 504364-2678.

192713 July 1, 8, 15, 2026 3t $115.38

PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP 0517 Jefferson Parish Depart‐ ment of Purchasing is so‐ liciting Request for Pro‐ posals (RFPs) from quali‐ fied firms to provide To Provide a Pre-Placed Emergency Contract for Fuel Delivery During a Declared Disaster from an Area Outside of Southern Louisiana for the Jefferson Parish De‐ partment of Fleet Man‐ agement.

RFP specifications may be obtained by visiting the Jefferson Parish Pur‐ chasing Department http:// webpage at purchasing.jeffparish.net and selecting the LaPAC Tab. RFPs may also be viewed and submitted online free of charge at: www.jeffparishbids.net or www.centralbidding. com.

Submissions will only be accepted electronically via the Parish’s e-Pro‐ curement system, Cen‐ tral Bidding. Responses ill b i d il

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

g p will be received until 3:30 P.M. on July 24, 2026. Jef‐ ferson Parish no longer accepts manual submis‐ sions. All vendors will be required to register with Central Bidding.

y y receipt of Bids except under the provisions of LA R.S. 38:2214.

Late proposals are not accepted.

Jefferson Parish and its partners as the recipi‐ ents of federal funds are fully committed to awarding a contract(s) to firm(s) that will provide high-quality services and that are dedicated to di‐ versity and to containing costs. Thus, Jefferson Parish strongly encour‐ ages the involvement of small businesses, minor‐ ity businesses, women's business enterprises, and veteran-owned busi‐ nesses to stimulate par‐ ticipation in procurement and assistance programs Renny Simno Director Purchasing Department Misty Camardelle Assistant Director Purchasing Department

Baton Rouge Advocate: June 24, July 1, and 8, 2026 For additional informa‐ tion, please visit the Pur‐ chasing Webpage at http://purchasing. jeffparish.net or call 504364-2678.

191931 June 24, July 1, 8, 2026 3t $119.17

PUBLIC NOTICE --Sealed Bids for the Houma Readiness Center Sustainment, 1000 Williams Avenue, Houma, LA 70364 will be received at the Houma Readiness Center, 1000 Williams Av‐ enue, Houma, LA 70364, until 11:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY DAVID L HOWLEY OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from SCNZ Architects.

Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most repro‐ graphic firms. Plan hold‐ ers are responsible for their own reproduction costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at SCNZ Architects, 2134 Magazine Street, New Or‐ leans, LA 70130. Phone (504) 301-3722 Attention: Jill Shingledecker E-Mail Address: jshin‐ gledecker@scnz.net A Mandatory Pre-Bid conference and site visit is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the Houma Readiness Center Classroom, 1000 Williams Avenue, Houma, LA 70364. Attendance at this Conference is manda‐ tory. Prospective bidders must attend the entire mandatory Pre-Bid con‐ ference in order to sub‐ mit a bid. The Construc‐ tion and Facilities Man‐ agement Office point of contact is David L. How‐ ley, Email: david.l.howley. nfg@army.mil CFMO Building #3022, Office #235, 6400 St Claude Av‐ enue, New Orleans, LA 70117, 504-278-8129.

BIDS SHALL BE ACCEPTED ONLY FROM CONTRAC‐ TORS THAT ATTEND THE ENTIRE MANDATORY PREBID CONFERENCE. ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY DAVID L HOWLEY OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE. All Bids must be accom‐ panied by Bid Security equal to five percent (5%) of the Base Bid and Additional Bid Items (ABI) and must be in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of BUILD‐ ING CONSTRUCTION. Bid‐ der is required to comply with provisions and re‐ quirements of LA R.S. 38:2212(B)(5).

The successful Bidder will be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in the State of Louisiana, equal to 100% of the Contract amount, including Addi‐ tional Bid Items (ABI), if required.

No Bid may be with‐ drawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after i f id

Electronic Bid Docu‐ ments may be submitted

by Contractors to the Construction & Facilities Management Office by submitting their bid along with their bid secu‐ rity to https://www.cen tralauctionhouse.com/.

Electronic bids must be submitted so as to be posted prior to 11:00 a.m.

CT on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Hard copies of the contractor’s elec‐ tronically submitted packet must be sent to ATTN: David L Howley, Construction and Facility Management Office Building #3022, Office #235, 6400 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117, telephone 504-278-8129.

Contractors MUST attend the mandatory Pre-Bid conference scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

CT on, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the listed above loca‐ tion in order to submit an electronic bid.

The Owner reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Bids for just cause. In accordance with directives and guid‐ ance published by Facil‐ ity Planning and Control, the Louisiana Revised Statutes, the provisions and requirements of those stated in the ad‐ vertisement for bids and those required on the bid not be form shall waivered. The Louisiana Military Department Deputy Director for Con‐ tracting and Purchasing and the State Contract‐ ing Officer do not pos‐ sess authority to waive any informality inciden‐ tal thereto. The Owner shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Contract between Owner and Contractor is fully executed.

The Louisiana Military Department is a partici‐ pant in the Louisiana Ini‐ tiative for Small Entre‐ preneurships (SE) Pro‐ gram (the Hudson Initia‐ tive) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled VeteranOwned Small Entrepre‐ neurships Program (the Veteran Initiative). Bid‐ ders are encouraged to consider participation.

190012-jun 17-24-jul 1-3t $179.37 PUBLIC NOTICE --Sealed Bids for the Houma Readiness Center Sustainment, 1000 Williams Avenue, Houma, LA 70364 will be received at the Houma Readiness Center, 1000 Williams Av‐ enue, Houma, LA 70364, until 11:00 a.m. CT on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY DAVID L HOWLEY OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from SCNZ Architects.

Printed copies are not available from the Designer, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most repro‐ graphic firms. Plan hold‐ ers are responsible for their own reproduction costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at SCNZ Architects, 2134 Magazine Street, New Or‐ leans, LA 70130. Phone (504) 301-3722 Attention: Jill Shingledecker E-Mail Address: jshin‐ gledecker@scnz.net A Mandatory Pre-Bid conference and site visit is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the Houma Readiness Center Classroom, 1000 Williams Avenue, Houma, LA 70364. Attendance at this Conference is manda‐ tory. Prospective bidders must attend the entire mandatory Pre-Bid con‐ ference in order to sub‐ mit a bid. The Construc‐ tion and Facilities Man‐ agement Office point of contact is David L. How‐ ley, Email: david.l.howley. nfg@army.mil CFMO Building #3022, Office #235, 6400 St Claude Av‐ enue, New Orleans, LA 70117, 504-278-8129.

BIDS SHALL BE ACCEPTED ONLY FROM CONTRAC‐ TORS THAT ATTEND THE ENTIRE MANDATORY PREBID CONFERENCE. ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY DAVID L HOWLEY OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE. All Bids must be accom‐ panied by Bid Security equal to five percent (5%) of the Base Bid and Additional Bid Items

8D ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices Bids/Proposals

(ABI) and must be in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of BUILD‐ ING CONSTRUCTION. Bid‐ der is required to comply with provisions and re‐ quirements of LA R.S. 38:2212(B)(5).

The successful Bidder will be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in the State of Louisiana, equal to 100% of the Contract amount, including Addi‐ tional Bid Items (ABI), if required.

No Bid may be with‐ drawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of Bids except under the provisions of LA R.S. 38:2214.

Electronic Bid Docu‐ ments may be submitted

by Contractors to the Construction & Facilities Management Office by submitting their bid l i h h i bid

lll

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

g along with their bid secu‐ rity to https://www.cen tralauctionhouse.com/.

q not be form shall waivered. The Louisiana Military Department Deputy Director for Con‐ tracting and Purchasing and the State Contract‐ ing Officer do not pos‐ sess authority to waive any informality inciden‐ tal thereto. The Owner shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Contract between Owner and Contractor is fully executed.

Electronic bids must be submitted so as to be posted prior to 11:00 a.m.

CT on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Hard copies of the contractor’s elec‐ tronically submitted packet must be sent to ATTN: David L Howley, Construction and Facility Management Office Building #3022, Office #235, 6400 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117, telephone 504-278-8129.

Contractors MUST attend the mandatory Pre-Bid conference scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

CT on, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the listed above loca‐ tion in order to submit an electronic bid.

The Owner reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Bids for just cause. In accordance with directives and guid‐ ance published by Facil‐ ity Planning and Control, the Louisiana Revised Statutes, the provisions and requirements of those stated in the ad‐ vertisement for bids and those required on the bid b f h ll

The Louisiana Military Department is a partici‐ pant in the Louisiana Ini‐ tiative for Small Entre‐ preneurships (SE) Pro‐ gram (the Hudson Initia‐ tive) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled VeteranOwned Small Entrepre‐ neurships Program (the Veteran Initiative). Bid‐ ders are encouraged to consider participation.

190012-jun 17-24-jul 1-3t $204.37

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --Sealed Bids for the Lake Charles Solar Discon‐ nect, 3650 Sen. J Bennett Johnston Avenue, Lake Charles Louisiana 70615 will be received at the Lake Charles Readiness Center, (Classroom), 3650 Sen. J Bennett Johnston Avenue, Lake Charles Louisiana 70615, until 1:00 p.m. CT on Wednes‐ day, August 12, 2026.

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY KARR A. BENOIT OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from CFMO Energy LAANG. Printed copies are not available from the Project Man‐ ager, but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most re‐ prographic firms. Plan holders are responsible f h i d

Public Notices Bids/Proposals p for their own reproduc‐ tion costs. Questions about this procedure shall be directed to the Designer at M&E Consult‐ ing, LLC, 1304 Bertrand Drive Suite F7, Lafayette, LA 70506. Phone (337) 234-7474.

Attention: David Carrol. E-Mail Ad‐ dress: david@meconsu lting.com.

A Mandatory Pre-Bid conference and site visit is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

CT on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Lake Charles Readiness Center, (Class‐ room), 3650 Sen. J Ben‐ nett Johnston Avenue, Lake Charles Louisiana 70615. Attendance at this Conference is manda‐ tory. Prospective bidders must attend the entire mandatory Pre-Bid con‐ ference in order to sub‐ mit a bid. The Construc‐ tion and Facilities Man‐ agement Office point of contact is Karr A. Benoit, Email: karr.a.benoit.nfg@ army.mil CFMO Building #3022, Office #220, 6400 St Claude Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117, 504278-8047.

BIDS SHALL BE ACCEPTED ONLY FROM CONTRAC‐

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY KARR A. BENOIT OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMO‐ DATION REQUIRED NOT LESS THAN FIVE (5) DAYS BEFORE THE MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE. All Bids must be accom‐ panied by Bid Security equal to five percent (5%) of the Base Bid and Additional Bid Items (ABI) and must be in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification of BUILD‐ ING CONSTRUCTION and/or ELECTRICAL. Bid‐ der is required to comply with provisions and re‐ quirements of LA R.S. 38:2212(B)(5).

The successful Bidder will be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to d b i i h

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

p y do business in the State of Louisiana, equal to 100% of the Contract amount, including Addi‐ tional Bid Items (ABI), if required.

scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

CT on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the listed above location in order to submit an electronic bid.

No Bid may be with‐ drawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of Bids except under the provisions of LA R.S. 38:2214.

Electronic Bid Docu‐ ments may be submitted

by Contractors to the Construction & Facilities Management Office by submitting their bid along with their bid secu‐ rity to https://www.cen tralauctionhouse.com/.

Electronic bids must be submitted so as to be posted prior to 11:00 a.m.

CT on Wednesday, Au‐ gust 12, 2026. Hard copies of the contrac‐ tor’s electronically sub‐ mitted packet must be sent to ATTN: Karr A. Benoit, Construction and Facility Maintenance Of‐ fice Building #3022, Of‐ fice #220, 6400 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117, telephone 504-2788047. Contractors MUST attend the mandatory Pre-Bid conference

The Owner reserves the right to accept or reject any and all Bids for just cause. In accordance with directives and guid‐ ance published by Facil‐ ity Planning and Control, the Louisiana Revised Statutes, the provisions and requirements of those stated in the ad‐ vertisement for bids and those required on the bid form shall not be waivered. The Louisiana Military Department Deputy Director for Con‐ tracting and Purchasing and the State Contract‐ ing Officer do not pos‐ sess authority to waive any informality inciden‐ tal thereto. The Owner shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Contract between Owner and Contractor is fully executed.

The Louisiana Military Department is a partici‐ pant in the Louisiana Ini‐ tiative for Small Entre‐ preneurships (SE) Pro‐ d i i ( h

p p gram (the Hudson Initia‐ tive) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled VeteranOwned Small Entrepre‐ neurships Program (the Veteran Initiative). Bid‐ ders are encouraged to consider participation.

191832-JUL 1-8-15-3T $210

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE Divine Medical Trans‐ portation & Services, LLC is applying for Section 5310 funding to provide transportation for se‐ niors and individuals with disabilities in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, Tangipahoa, Wilkinson, Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Jefferson (MS).

Written comments will be accepted for fifteen (15) days from the publi‐ cation date.

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ 9D

lll

Legal Notices

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Legal Notices

Comments may be sent to: Divine Medical Trans‐ portation & Services, LLC

days of this notice by ref‐ erencing WQC 260504-01, Al 251381 to the following address:

Attn: Shawntell E. Parker 1018 Sherron Avenue, Baker, LA 70714 Email: divinemedical‐ transport@outlook.com Phone: 225-300-3938

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Water Permits Division P.O. Box 4313 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4313 Attn: Water Quality Certifications

A copy of the application is available for inspec‐ tion and review at the LDEQ Public Records Center at 602 North Fifth Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The available information can also be accessed electronically on the Electronic Docu‐ ment Management Sys‐ tem (EDMS) on the LDEQ public website at www. deq.louisiana.gov.

Asset Management, LLC 530 Main Street Suite B Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Attn: Randy Ellis Loca‐ tion: Orleans Parish, LA; Lat. 30-09-51.19 N, Long.

89-44-15.96 W; Fort Pike Canal; Section 30, T10SR15E; 27010 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, 70129.

Description: Construct a 50 ft. long breakwater to protect marina from wave action. No dredge or fill required. *********** CUP NUM‐ BER: P20240297 (Ex‐ tended) Name: Cantium, c/o Revo Services 487 Dogwood Drive Suite A Thibodaux, LA 70301 Attn: Ryan Rivault Loca‐ tion: Lafourche Parish, LA; Lat. 29-6-22.5 N, Long.

90-11-40.88 W Descrip‐ tion: Installation of an 8inch pipeline (approx.

1,020 ft.). 670 ft. of pipeline will be installed in open water and 350 ft. will be laid on top of the marsh. Approx. 2,408 CY will be excavated and used for backfill.

192882-jul 1-1t $242.34

192784-JUL 1-1T $28.92

192849 July 1, 1t $84.65 PUBLIC NOTICE --In accordance with the provisions of Act 953 of the 2026 Session of the Louisiana Legislature, notice is given that Iberville Parish Assessor John Randall Sexton in‐ tends to increase his compensation by an amount not to exceed five percent annually through calendar year 2029.

192959-JUL 1-2-2T PUBLIC NOTICE In accordance with the provisions of Act 953 of the 2026 Session of the Louisiana Legislature, notice is given that East Baton Rouge Parish As‐ sessor, Brian Wilson, in‐ tends to increase his compensation by an amount not to exceed five percent annually through calendar year 2029.

192783 July 1, 8, 2026, 2t $36.56

PUBLIC NOTICE --Notice is hereby given that Bohler, LLC has ap‐ plied for a 401 Water Quality Certification to clear, grade, excavate, and place fill to con‐ struct a technology park/data center devel‐ opment that includes the construction of six (6) 217,860 sq. ft. industrialuse buildings with park‐ ing, power infrastructure, access road, detention ponds, staging areas, and other associated in‐ frastructure. The devel‐ opment also includes utility infrastructure to support data center de‐ velopment including a temporary electrical sub‐ station, permanent elec‐ trical substation, waste‐ water lift station, and el‐ evated water storage tanks. All work will occur off Highway 3 north of Benton in Bossier Parish.

Bohler, LLC is applying to the Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Environmental Quality, Office of Environ‐ mental Services for a Water Quality Certifica‐ tion in accordance with statutory authority con‐ tained in the LAC 33:IX.1507.A-E and provi‐ sions of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. Comments concerning this application can be filed with the Water Per‐ mits Division within ten

Comments may be sub‐ mitted by email to DEQWaterOualityCe1tificatio ns(@la.gov.

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

NOTICE the La. Dept. of Conservation and Energy, Office of Permitting and Compliance (OPC) has received a request to ex‐ tend for the referenced Coastal Use Permit in ac‐ cordance with the State and Local Coastal Re‐ sources Management Act of 1978, as amended, (Louisiana R.S. 49:214.21214.41), and the rules and regulations of the Coastal Resources Pro‐ gram. Application for the proposed work may be inspected at 617 North 3rd Street, Room 1078, Baton Rouge, LA or on the OPC web page at: http://dnr.louisiana.gov/ index.cfm?md=pagebui lder&tmp=home& pid=591. Copies may be obtained upon payment of cost of copying. Writ‐ ten comments, including suggestions for modifi‐ cations or objections to the proposed work and stating the reasons thereof, are being so‐ licited from the public.

Comments must be re‐ ceived within 10 days of the date of publication of this notice. The sole rea‐ son for not allowing ex‐ tension based upon pub‐ lic comment shall be that there has been a change in the conditions of the area affected by the per‐ mit since the permit was originally issued. Com‐ ments should be up‐ loaded to our electronic record, but may be mailed, faxed or emailed to the designated OPC Reviewer. All comments must contain the appro‐ priate application num‐ ber and the commenter's full name and contact in‐ formation. OPC, P.O. Box 44487, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-4487, CUP NUMBER: P20240417 (Extended) Name: Vinot's Marina, LLC, c/o Ecological

NOTICE the Louisiana De‐ partment of Conserva‐ tion and Energy, Office of Permitting and Compli‐ ance (OPC) has received the following applica‐ tion(s) for a Coastal Use Permit (CUP) in accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 49:214.21 et seq., and the rules of the Coastal Man‐ agement Program. Appli‐ cations for coastal use permits may be in‐ spected at 617 North 3rd Street, Room 1078, Baton Rouge, LA or on the OPC webpage at: https:// denr.louisiana.gov/page/ public-notices.

Copies are available, costs apply. Written comments are solicited from the public and must be re‐ ceived within 25 days of the date of this notice.

Comments must be up‐ loaded directly to our electronic record through the OPC web‐ page or mailed to: OPC Administrator, Kyle Balkum, P.O. Box 44487, Baton Rouge, LA 708044487. All comments must contain the appropriate CUP number and the commenter's full name and contact information.

Below are the referenced application(s): ****** CUP NUMBER: P20260477 Name: Plaisance, Briar c/o T. Baker Smith, LLC P.O. BOX 2266 HOUMA, LA 70361 Attn: Troy Sehlinger Location: Ter‐ rebonne Parish, LA; Lat. 29-33-16.11N, Long -90-3617W; Section 10 T17S R18E; Description: Proposing to install a vinyl bulkhead, timber dock and timber piers for the purpose of docking and the off-loading of harvested seafood. Ap‐ proximately 330 CY of hauled in topsoil/dirt fill and 7 CY of concrete fill is required. No other im‐ provements to the prop‐ ill b d hi

Legal Notices

p p p erty will be made at this time. Construction activi‐ ties will be primarily car‐ ried out through the use of barge-mounted equip‐ ment.

192905 July 1, 1t $20.91 PUBLIC NOTICE --The following resolution was offered by Mr. Suchy and seconded by Mr. Browning: RESOLUTION NO. 06-25-2026-02 A resolution authorizing the St. George Fire Pro‐ tection District No. 2 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, to incur debt and borrow an amount not to exceed in the ag‐ gregate $12,500,000; au‐ thorizing the execution and delivery of all docu‐ ments required in con‐ nection therewith; and authorizing the Chair‐ man and Secretary of the District to do all things necessary to effectuate this Resolution.

WHEREAS, the St. George Fire Protection District No. 2 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the "Issuer"), is a fire protection district validly organized and created in accordance with Article VI, Sections 15 and 19 of the Louisiana Constitu‐ tion of 1974, as amended, and Part I of Chapter 7 of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and Ordi‐ nance 9705 adopted on September 8, 1993, by the Metropolitan Council of the Parish of East Baton Rouge and City of Baton Rouge; and WHEREAS, the Issuer, pursuant to the provi‐ sions of La. R.S. 39:527, desires to incur debt and issue not exceeding Twelve Million Five Hun‐ dred Thousand Dollars ($12,500,000.00) of its Revenue Anticipation Notes, Series 2026 (the "Indebtedness"), in one or more series, for the purpose of paying cur‐ rent operations of the Is‐ suer in anticipation of revenues of the Issuer, said Indebtedness to ma‐ ture on or before April 1, 2027, and to bear interest at a rate not to exceed 7% per annum; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the St. George Fire Protection District No. 2 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, acting as gov‐ erning authority of the Issuer, that: SECTION 1. The Issuer is hereby authorized to incur debt and borrow an amount not to exceed in the aggregate $12,500,000, in one or more series, at a rate or

A. CALL TO ORDER Mayor McDavid called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m., on Tuesday, June 09, 2026, at the Zachary City Hall located at 4700 Main Street, Zachary, LA.

C. OPENING PROCEDURES 1. ROLL CALL

3. CHANGES/ADDITIONS TO AGENDA D. READING OF THE MINUTES 1. Approval of Minutes May 26, 2026, regular meeting, and approve them as written.

The motion was made by Councilwoman DeVirgilio The motion was seconded by Councilman LeBlanc To approve the Minutes May 26, 2026 regular meeting, and approve them as written.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None E. HONORS, RECOGNITIONS, AND INTRODUCTIONS F. CONTRACT ITEMS/CONTRACTS OR ITEMS RELATING TO PROJECTS 1. Street/Road Projects a) Resolution 2026-07 - A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE SUBMITTAL OF ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND COMMITMENT OF LOCAL MATCHING FUNDS THROUGH THE CAPITAL REGION PLANNING COMMISSION BATON ROUGE URBANIZED AREA - METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION’S PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS. The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry To approve Resolution 2026-07 - A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE SUBMITTAL OF ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND COMMITMENT OF LOCAL MATCHING FUNDS THROUGH THE CAPITAL REGION PLANNING COMMISSION BATON ROUGE URBANIZED AREA - METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION’S PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None b) McHost Road Water Main Improvements, Project # 11593 – Pay Request #3.

The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilman LeBlanc To approve McHost Road Water Main Improvements, Project # 11593 – Pay Request #3 in the amount of $41,937.75 YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None 2.

3.

4.

5.

Sewer Subdivision Inspections Water and Gas Projects Other Projects

G. PRESENTATION OF DELEGATIONS 1. Request to Speak 2. Hardship Waivers 3. Other Variances 4. Exceptions of Regulations H. ACTION MANDATED BY HOME RULE CHARTER 1. Approval of Special Prosecutor Contract for Borghardt Law Firm.

The motion was made by Councilwoman DeVirgilio

rates not exceeding 7% per annum, to be repaid on or before April 1, 2027, for the purpose of paying the costs of current oper‐ ations to be secured by and payable from rev‐ enues accruing to the Is‐ suer on or before April 1, 2027.

borrow in the aggregate not exceeding $12,500,000 as herein pro‐ vided, and a certified copy of this Resolution shall be forwarded to the State Bond Commission, together with a letter re‐ questing the prompt con‐ sideration and approval of this application.

SECTION 2. The Chair‐ man and Secretary of the Board of Commissioners of the Issuer and the Fire Chief of the Issuer are hereby further autho‐ rized and directed to ac‐ cept, receive, execute, seal, attest and deliver all such documents, cer‐ tificates and other in‐ struments as are re‐ quired in connection with the authorization, issuance and delivery of the Indebtedness or to take such further action as may be appropriate or required by law in con‐ nection with the autho‐ rization, issuance and delivery of the Indebted‐ ness.

SECTION 3. Application is hereby formally made to the State Bond Com‐ mission for its consent and authority for the Is‐ suer to incur debt and

SECTION 4. By virtue of the Issuer's application for, acceptance and uti‐ lization of the benefits of the State Bond Commis‐ sion’s approval resolved and set forth therein, the Issuer resolves that it un‐ derstands and agrees that such approval is ex‐ pressly conditioned upon, and it further re‐ solves that it under‐ stands, agrees and binds itself, its successors and assigns to, full and con‐ tinuing compliance with the "State Bond Commis‐ sion Policy on Approval of Proposed Use of Swaps, or other forms of Derivative Products Hedges, Etc.," adopted by the State Bond Com‐ mission on July 20, 2006, as to the borrowing and other matters subject to the approval, including subsequent application d l d id

I.

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Legal Notices

q pp and approval under said Policy of the implemen‐ tation or use of any swaps or other products or enhancements cov‐ ered thereby.

SECTION 6. This Resolu‐ tion shall take effect im‐ mediately.

SECTION 5. It is recog‐ nized, found and deter‐ mined that a real neces‐ sity exists for the em‐ ployment of Bond Coun‐ sel in connection with the issuance of the fore‐ going, and, accordingly, Breazeale, Sachse & Wil‐ son, L.L.P., Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is hereby em‐ ployed as Bond Counsel to the Issuer to do and to perform comprehensive, legal and coordinate pro‐ fessional work with re‐ spect thereto. The fee to be paid Bond Counsel for this matter shall not ex‐ ceed the Attorney Gen‐ eral's then current Bond Counsel Fee Schedule and other guidelines for comprehensive, legal and coordinate profes‐ sional work, said fee to be payable out of funds provided by the Issuer subject to the Attorney General's written ap‐ proval of said employ‐ ment and fee as required

by La. R.S. 42:261, et seq.

The foregoing resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote re‐ sulted as follows: YEAS: Mr. Browning, Mr. Carnes, & Mr. Suchy NAYS: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Mr. Ourso & Mr. Rosendahl And the resolution was declared adopted on this, the 25th day of June, 2026. /s/ David L. Carnes David L. Carnes, Secre‐ tary

Legal Notices

y tify that the foregoing pages constitute a true, accurate and correct copy of the proceedings and actions taken by the Board of Commissioners of the St. George Fire Pro‐ tection District No. 2 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, on June 25, 2026, at its regularly scheduled, properly no‐ ticed meeting.

IN FAITH WHEREOF, wit‐ ness my official signa‐ ture at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on this, the 25th day of July, 2026. /s/ David L. Carnes David L. Carnes, Secretary 192730 July 1, 1t $770.11

STATE OF LOUISIANA PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE I, the undersigned Sec‐ retary of the Board of Commissioners of the St. George Fire Protection District No. 2 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, do hereby cer‐ if h h f i

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Public Notice In accordance with La. R.S. 39:1307(D), the Louisiana Uniform Local Sales Tax Board (“LULSTB”) hereby certifies that the notice requirements of La. R.S. 39:1307 were completed by the LULSTB regarding its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. After publication of the notice stating that the proposed budget was available for public inspection and providing notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing on the proposed budget, a public hearing on the proposed budget was held on May 29, 2026, and the budget was thereafter approved by the LULSTB at its meeting on June 25, 2026.

SUMMARY OF ADOPTED 2026 BUDGET

EXPENDITURE DESCRIPTION

EXPENDITURE AMOUNT

General Fund

5,807,168

Revenue

1,788,600 Personal Services – Salaries & Wages

468,740

FUND

BEG. BALANCE & REVENUE

Personal Services – Employee Benefits Purchased Professional & Technical Services

147,220 67,650

Other Purchased Services

30,415

Supplies

2,200

Property-Software Licenses TOTAL

REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURES

1,071,615

Purchased Property Services

7,595,768

23,7600 1,811,440

5,784,328

A copy of this information, the entire proposed budget and additional background materials are available for public inspection, by appointment, from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, at 7722 Office Park Boulevard, Suite 300, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70809. /s/Clarence J. Lymon, CPA Clarence J. Lymon, Executive Director Email: clarencel@localtaxboard.com Phone: (225) 445-8258 192781-663715-jul 1-1t $ 113.20

2. Approval of Special Prosecutor Contract for Philip House, Attorney at Law. The motion was made by Councilwoman DeVirgilio The motion was seconded by Councilman LeBlanc To approve Special Prosecutor Contract for Philip House, Attorney at Law. YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None

B. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Invocation by Councilman Landry Pledge of Allegiance by Fire Chief Gordon Lipscomb

2. READING OF CITY POLICY RELATIVE TO OPEN MEETINGS Before proceeding with the meeting, Mayor McDavid read a statement into the record regarding the Open Meetings Law, and citizens’ right to participate in public meetings. The statement sets forth general rules of conduct of the public meeting and outlined the process through which a citizen can have items placed on the Council agenda. A copy of the rules is available at City Hall, Mayor’s Office or by calling the Clerk of the City Council. The rules will also be available at every Council meeting.

Legal Notices

The motion was seconded by Councilman Graves To approve Special Prosecutor Contract for Borghardt Law Firm.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None

For the Meeting of Mayor and Council City of Zachary, LA Council Chambers, 4700 Main Street Tuesday, June 09, 2026, 6:30 P.M.

MAYOR David McDavid COUNCIL MEMBERS Brandy Westmoreland – District 1 John LeBlanc– District 2 Ambre DeVirgilio – District 3 James Graves – District 4 Jennifer Landry – District 5

Legal Notices

PLANNING & ZONING MATTERS 1. Receive Minutes of the Regular meeting of _____________ of the Planning Commission and the Minutes of the Regular meeting of ___________, of the Zoning Commission.

2. Planning matters REQUIRING a Public Hearing 3. Planning Matters NOT requiring a Public Meeting 4. Zoning Matters REQUIRING a Public Hearing 5. Zoning Matters NOT Requiring Public Hearing 6. Other Matters

J. RECEIVE RECORD OF PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 1. Receive accounts payable report as of May 2026.

The motion was made by Councilwoman DeVirgilio The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Westmoreland To approve the accounts payable report as of May 2026.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None K. BUDGET AND FINANCIAL MATTERS 1. Public Hearing and Adoption of Ordinance 2026-06 ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF ZACHARY TO IMPLEMENT THE GENERAL FUND, UTILITY FUND, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BUDGETS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING JULY 1,2026 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2027. (Tabled on May 26, 2026, meeting) Mayor McDavid opened the PUBLIC HEARING at 6:58 p.m. There being no one to speak in favor of or against the ordinance, Mayor McDavid closed the PUBLIC HEARING at 6:58 p.m.

The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry To approve Public Hearing and Adoption of Ordinance 202606 - ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF ZACHARY TO IMPLEMENT THE GENERAL FUND, UTILITY FUND, SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BUDGETS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING JULY 1,2026 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2027.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None 2. Discussion of and scheduling of millage workshop and public hearing on millage rate for the year 2026.

The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Landry To approve of scheduling a millage workshop.

YEAS: Graves, Landry NAYS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None

The motion was seconded by Councilman Graves To approve Resolution 2026-08 – A RESOLUTION TO SELECT AND TO RECOGNIZE THE ADVOCATE AS THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL AS SELECTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FY 20262027, PURSUANT TO LSA-R.S. 43:140 ET SEQ. YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None O. CONDEMNED BUILDINGS – PUBLIC HEARINGS OR OTHER ACTION REGARDING BUILDINGS BEING CONSIDERED FOR CONDEMNDATION 1. Receive the minutes from April 23, 2026, Condemnation Board meeting.

The motion was made by Councilwoman DeVirgilio The motion was seconded by Councilman Graves To approve receiving the minutes from April 23, 2026, Condemnation Board meeting.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None P. REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS 1. Receive the May Monthly Inspection Report.

The motion was made by Councilwoman DeVirgilio The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Westmoreland To approve receiving the May Monthly Inspection Report.

YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None Q. COUNCIL DISCUSSION OF BUSINESS NOT ON AGENDA (No Action May Be Taken Unless Declared an Emergency) Councilman LeBlanc expressed concerns about motorists running the traffic signal at Newell Street and requested increased police presence in the area. He also asked the Mayor to look into installing “Signal Ahead” warning signs for eastbound and westbound traffic approaching the Newell Street intersection.

Councilwoman DeVirgilio inquired about the availability of a map showing the City’s fiber optic infrastructure. Mayor McDavid stated that a map is not currently available but that he will work with the CityParish to obtain one. He also stated he would follow up with AT&T, Cox, and REV regarding fiber optic service.

Councilwoman DeVirgilio also asked about the status of the proposed one-acre zoning district resolution and whether the process could be expedited, noting the resolution was introduced approximately six months ago. Planning and Zoning Director D’Monda Hill stated the item is expected to be on July 28, 2026, meeting agenda.

Councilwoman Landry stated that she has a candidate to fill her district vacancy on the ABC Board and has provided the candidate’s information to the Council members. Councilwoman Westmoreland stated that she is still seeking a candidate for her vacancy and expects to have one by the next meeting. Councilwoman Landry asked the Clerk to place the ABC Board appointments on the next Council agenda.

Councilwoman Westmoreland discussed livestreaming for Planning and Zoning meetings. Mayor McDavid stated that funding for livestreaming is not currently in the budget.

R. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:36 p.m.

Karen Burdette Clerk of City Council CITY OF ZACHARY PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA

L. OLD BUSINESS PENDING FOR FINAL ACTION

CERTIFICATION

M. OLD BUSINESS PENDING

_____________________________ ________________________________ Karen Burdette David McDavid, Mayor Clerk of the City Council CITY OF ZACHARY PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA

N. NEW BUSINESS 1. Introduction of Ordinance 2026-11 - ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO THE DECLARATION OF INTENT BY THE CITY OF ZACHARY TO HAVE CERTAIN MOVABLE PROPERTY DECLARED TO BE SURPLUS AND ALLOWING FOR THE DISPOSAL, DONATION OR ABANDONMENT IN PLACE. The motion was made by Councilman Graves The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Westmoreland To approve Introduction of Ordinance 2026-11 - ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO THE DECLARATION OF INTENT BY THE CITY OF ZACHARY TO HAVE CERTAIN MOVABLE PROPERTY DECLARED TO BE SURPLUS AND ALLOWING FOR THE DISPOSAL, DONATION OR ABANDONMENT IN PLACE. YEAS: Westmoreland, LeBlanc, DeVirgilio, Graves, Landry NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None 2. Resolution 2026-08 - A RESOLUTION TO SELECT AND TO RECOGNIZE THE ADVOCATE AS THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL AS SELECTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FY 2026-2027, PURSUANT TO LSA-R.S. 43:140 ET SEQ. The motion was made by Councilwoman Westmoreland

I, Karen Burdette, do hereby certify that I am the duly appointed Clerk of the City Council for the City of Zachary, Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

I further certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Mayor and Council of the City of Zachary, Louisiana, held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, a proper quorum being there and then present. __________________________________________ Karen Burdette, Clerk of the City Council

192704-663531-July 1-1t $ 488.57

10D ■ Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --GREATER BATON ROUGE PORT COMMISSION Commission Meeting 5:00 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 2026 The Greater Baton Rouge Port Commission met in regular session at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at the Maritime Security Operations Cen‐ ter meeting room in West Rouge Parish, Baton Louisiana.

Following the Call to Order and the Pledge of Allegiance, the roll was called.

PRESENT Mr. Johnny B. Bradberry Mr. Brad J. Daigle Mr. Shelton C. Dixon Mr. Ted H. Glaser Ms. Brenda R. Hurst Mr. Bob Kelly Mr. Troy S. LeBoeuf Mr. Wally McMakin Mr. Travis M. Medine Mr. Jessel M. Ourso, III Ms. Lynn Robertson Ms. Lynnel B. Ruckert Mr. Donald M. Schexnayder Mr. Bobby Watts ABSENT Ms. Rebecca A. Cunard Mr. Michael D. DeLaune Mr. Keith E. Morris Agenda Item 4 - Public Comments Comments: from the public regard‐ ing any/all of the agenda items listed below will be accepted at this point in the meeting. The meet‐ i h i l

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min g ing chairperson may also allow further comments from the public as and when each agenda item is considered during the meeting process.

There were comments.

no

public

Agenda Item 5 - Approval of minutes of a Commis‐ sion meeting held on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

On a motion by Mr. Troy LeBoeuf, seconded by Mr. Shelton Dixon, the were unani‐ minutes mously approved.

Agenda Item 6 - Monthly Engineering Report Mr. Cortney White pre‐ sented the monthly engi‐ neering report, as out‐ lined in documentation presented to all Board members.

A. Discussion and appro‐ priate action regarding bids for the Water Reha‐ bilitation and Coating Project.

Mr. Cortney White ad‐ dressed the Committee by stating that on May 26, 2026, bids were re‐ ceived with the low bid submitted from Viking Painting, LLC in the amount of $1,131,900.00.

In addition to the con‐ tract cost, there are other costs associated with the Water Tower Re‐ habilitation and Painting Project to include air monitoring for an esti‐ mated cost of $150K and

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

surveillance equipment and lighting removal/re‐ install for an estimated cost of $70K. On top of the water tower, there is a very large antenna that is used to operate our re‐ peater for our Port radio system. The radio system is an aging system and is not interoperable with outside agencies. To re‐ move the antenna and reinstall without any problems would cost ap‐ proximately $40K. An‐ other option is to change to a state radio system with statewide coverage.

The state would maintain the network and it would have interoperability with first responder agencies, for an esti‐ mated cost of $65K. Mr. White and Port staff rec‐ ommend the state radio system with statewide coverage for the esti‐ mated cost of $65K, for a total cost of $1,416,900.00 for the Water Tower Re‐ habilitation and Painting Project, as outlined in documentation pre‐ sented to all Board mem‐ bers.

On a motion by Mr. Bobby Watts, seconded

by Mr. Travis Medine, the Commission unani‐ mously approved the contract with Viking Painting, LLC in the amount of $1,131,900.00, and other costs associ‐ ated with the Water Tower Rehabilitation and Painting Project for air monitoring for an esti‐ mated cost of $150K and surveillance equipment d li h i l

lll

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

q p and lighting removal/re‐ install for an estimated cost of $70K. Also ap‐ proved was Option B to change the antenna to a state radio system with statewide coverage, for an estimated cost of $65K, as outlined in docu‐ mentation presented to all Board members.

p Bat Wing (3) Gooseneck

Agenda Item 7 Discussion and appropri‐ ate action regarding a roof replacement for the maintenance building.

Following a discussion, on a motion by Mr. Ted Glaser, seconded by Mr. Travis Medine, the Com‐ mission unanimously ap‐ proved the roof replace‐ ment for the Port’s main‐ tenance building for the estimated cost of $20K for labor and materials.

Agenda Item 8 Discussion and appropri‐ ate action regarding pro‐ of mainte‐ curement nance department mate‐ rials and equipment.

Mr. Cortney White ad‐ dressed the Committee by stating that there is maintenance equipment in need of repair, as out‐ lined in documentation presented to all Board members. The list in‐ cludes (1) 120 HP Class for approxi‐ Tractor mately $100K, which re‐ places the 2007 model with approximately 16K hours (2) 15’ width Flex Wing (Bat Wing) Cutter for approximately $30K, which replaces the 2016 i ( ) k

Trailer 30K lbs. 30’ + 5’ for $25K, approximately which replaces the 2009 20K lbs. 25’+ 5’ model (4) 1 Ton Flat Bed Truck DRW 4x4 for approximately $75K, which replaces the 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW 4x4. All the items will be procured off state contract except for the gooseneck trailer, which we will receive three quotes before purchas‐ ing. Mr. White and Port staff recommend ap‐ proval.

On a motion by Mr. Bob Kelly, seconded by Mr. Ted Glaser, the Commis‐ sion unanimously ap‐ proved replacement of the maintenance equip‐ ment, as outlined in doc‐ umentation presented to all Board members.

Agenda Item 9 Financial Report Ms. Katie LeBlanc pre‐ sented the monthly fi‐ nancial report. No action was required.

Agenda Item 10 Discussion and appropri‐ ate action regarding a Resolution adopting the Louisiana completed Question‐ Compliance naire required by the Legislative Auditor in connection with comple‐ tion of the 2025 fiscal year audit, as outlined in pre‐ documentation sented to all Board members.

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Following a discussion, on a motion by Ms. Lynn Robertson, seconded by Ms. Brenda Hurst, the unani‐ Commission mously approved a Reso‐ lution adopting the com‐ pleted Louisiana Compli‐ ance Questionnaire re‐ quired by the Legislative Auditor in connection with completion of the 2025 fiscal year audit, as outlined in documenta‐ tion presented to all Board members.

On a motion by Mr. Shel‐ ton Dixon, seconded by Mr. Brad Daigle, the meeting adjourned.

g written, was made by Commissioner Travasos and seconded by Com‐ missioner Perkins. The minutes were approved unanimously.

Agenda Item 11 Other matters Mr. Jay Hardman ad‐ dressed the Board, for in‐ purposes formational only, by stating that (1) beginning in June, we will engage an app to communicate on a regu‐ lar, routine basis with Commissioners via text message. This will give us the ability to send the same message to all Commissioners at the same time. (2) the Port has hired Candace Griffin as the Director of Com‐ munications and Grants.

She will be introduced at June Committee the meeting.

Mr. Steve Glusman ad‐ dressed the Board, for in‐ purposes formational only, by stating that the Preventing Sexual Ha‐ rassment course will be after the presented Board meeting.

Agenda Item 12 Adjournment

Secretary: Ted H. Glaser President: Donald M. Schexnayder Date approved: June 25, 2026 192858 July 1, 1t $94.94 PUBLIC NOTICE --MINUTES OF THE BRUSLY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING May 27, 2026 The meeting of the Brusly Planning & Zoning Commission was held on this date, May 27, 2026, at the Brusly Town Hall.

Chairman LeMoine called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. Commissioner Perkins led the Pledge of Allegiance. A roll call de‐ termined the following officials present: Commissioners: Kim LeMoine, Steve Perkins, Ronda Perrault, Gary So‐ niat, Jeff Travasos Absent: Steve Guidry, Cindy Popleon Others Present: Steve LeBlanc, Deborah Jones Torres A motion to approve the minutes of April 22, 2026 meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission, as i d b

Zoning: Chairman LeMoine read aloud the rezoning re‐ quest of Lyle Charles Tor‐ res & Deborah Jones Tor‐ res, 207 Jones Dr. from C1 (light commercial) to R1 (single family residen‐ tial) and opened the pub‐ lic hearing. After discus‐ sion, Chairman LeMoine closed the public hearing and a motion to recom‐ mend the rezoning to the Town Council, was made

by Commissioner Per‐ rault; seconded by Com‐ missioner Soniat. The motion passed unani‐ mously.

Planning: None Other Business: None Points of Personal Privi‐ lege: Commissioner Travasos reminded everyone that yearly ethics training was required for all Com‐ missioners.

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

6:40 PM. /s/Patricia Gaudet Thibodaux, Recording Secretary 192705 July 1, 1t $31.05

Reporting you can trust on stories that matter

Announcements: None Commissioner Perkins made a motion to ad‐ journ; seconded by Com‐ missioner Soniat. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at

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