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.”
CLINT COINTMENT,Ascension Parish president
to the lake where it would be stored about a mile underground. The Pennsylvania-based company announced its decision on the project on Tuesday. In a prepared statement, Air
Products said the project wasn’t going to pay off the way it needed to. The cancellation is part of a series of canceled projects that will cost the company up to $2.9 billion, before tax savings.
Air Products said that it would continue to fulfill contractual obligations around Lake Maurepas and in Ascension Parish related to the project, and thanked “agencies, business and community partners, government officials, legislators, and regulators who worked professionally
Grand jury reviewing Murrill’s threats to
Attorney general says she is not aware of investigation
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
familiar with the proceeding.
The criminal investigation appears to have been initiated by the grand jury itself, two of the sources confirmed, and at least some 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.
In most cases, local district attorneys with conflicts refer those cases to the attorney general.
Kazik declined further details. Grand juries in Louisiana can launch their own secret investigations if a juror raises a reasonable belief that a triable crime has been committed. That, too, appears to be unusual.
The grand jury began calling in witnesses a few weeks ago, multiple sources said. Its members are said to be considering if Murrill committed a crime in her messages toward the seven officials in which she told them their jobs
Bodycam shows Central pastor using
Incident came days after arrest of Spell in beating of neighbor’s son
BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
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 Ro ug e Pa ri sh
Sheriff’s Office bodycam footage taken by deputies between 4:40 a.m. and 5 a.m. June 23, Spell used an antigay slur to refer to the man he also said he “beat the crap” out of.
“He’s just sore because I beat the crap out of his f***** boy,” Spell said.
“And he’s next if he comes over here and harasses these boys” he said, referring to some teenagers alongside him.
Deputies were dispatched to the area near the pastor’s church in Central that morning after his neighbor, Scott Sherwin, called and complained that Spell was across the street from his house mowing the church lawn around 4 a.m. Sherwin, whose son was attacked by Spell last week, has had an ongoing feud with the pastor since
remove N.O. officials
were at risk. Murrill declined to comment. She said Tuesday that she was not aware of any grand jury activity involving her
The attorney general and city leaders clashed after the Republican-led Legislature cleared a bill removing the city’s criminal clerk position and along with it the popular clerk-elect, former life prisoner Calvin Duncan. The bill called for the elected civil clerk
Chelsea Richard Napoleon, to take over a unified office.
ä See MURRILL, page 10A
Attorney General
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Liz Murrill
STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
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.
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
Quakes push health system to limit
Agencies warn Venezuela’s medical system at breaking point
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
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.
rates, Lindmeier said, adding that conditions are ripe for waterborne 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.
Cuban official says talks with the U.S. are at a standstill
BY ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press
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.”
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.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, left, voted to con
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.
Anna St. John tapped for 5th Circuit bench
Move comes two months after she became federal trial judge
BY MARK BALLARD and TYLER BRIDGES Staff writers
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will nominate Anna St. John to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, only two months after she became a federal trial judge.
“Anna will continue to defend Americans’ Constitutional Rights on the Fifth Circuit,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Having cleared the Senate confirmation process just months ago, she was sworn in as a U.S. District judge in New Orleans on April 23.
“Maybe it’s a sign that the Republicans think they could lose the majority in the Senate. So, they want to be sure. And she is the quickest way to do that,” said Professor Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law who closely follows federal judicial nominations. Congressional Republicans fret that they will lose their majority in the House and perhaps the Senate in favor of Democrats, which would make confirming nominations much more difficult, he said.
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
Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, in the Senate Republican primary, and that played a key role in the senator’s defeat last month.
Kennedy also will play a more important role in the 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
BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press
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.
arbitration St John said she wanted to make clear to lawmakers that arbitration can often lead to victims getting more money
The progressive leaning Alliance for Justice opposed her nomination to a seat on U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Louisiana.
“Anna St. John’s biases and hostilities toward marginalized communities, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals, demonstrate that she is unfit and unqualified for a lifetime appointment,” the Alliance wrote.
St. John would replace Judge Kurt Engelhardt, who is moving to senior status on the circuit court.
Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.
Avi Loeb, a cosmologist who studied black holes and served as head of Harvard’s astronomy department until 2020, was recently appointed to helm a new scientific advisory council tasked with investigating the origins of mysterious orbs and other objects reported by military personnel in recent years. It’s part of President Donald Trump’s push to declassify more information about the issue.
Loeb’s team will report to a new White House panel focused on UFOs, now often referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena.
“It’s like a detective story,” Loeb said in an interview “It’s a lot of fun, as long as you don’t pay too much attention to the critics.”
For the last decade, Loeb has been scanning the skies and seas for evidence of intelligent alien life. He began the quest in 2017 as scientists puzzled over an interstellar object soaring by Earth While others proposed it was a comet or ice chunk, Loeb said it could be a thin “light sail” detached from an alien spacecraft.
His theories have won 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.
SupremeCourt strikesdownlimitsonparty spending
Thecourt had previously upheld restrictions
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 afederal election law that is more than50 years old.
Prodded by aRepublicanledlawsuit that includes Vice President JD Vance,the court’ssix conservative justices were again in the majority of the latest decision that upended congressionally enactedlimitsonraising and spending money to influence elections. The court’s
2010 Citizens United decision opened the door to unlimited independent spending in federal elections. Thelimits on party spending stemfrom adesire to prevent largedonors from skirting caps on individual contributions to acandidate by directing unlimited sums to theparty,withthe understanding that the money will be spentonbehalfofthe candidate.
The Supreme Court had previously upheld the limits, in 2001.
ButJustice Brett Kavanaugh, writingfor thecourt, said thatdecision waswrong andshould be overruled. “In short, constitutional text, historyand precedent establish that the politicalpartycoordinated-expenditure limits violate the First Amendment,” Kavanaugh wrote.
Justice ElenaKagan’s dissent for the threeliberal justicessaidthe court“ushers in untold harm” by enabling parties to funnel large contributions to individual candidates, farinexcessof what donors can give those candidates directly National partiesnow will be able to makedirect contributions to candidates’ campaigns,
Thedecision is likely to give Republicans at least a short-term boost because they maintain asizable cash advantage over Democrats.
TheRepublican National Committeeand its Senate and House campaign fundraising arms have dwarfed Democrats’inthe months before congressional elections where the GOPisdefending narrow majorities in both houses.
At theend of May, theRNC
reported having more than $125 million to spend, its highest-ever cash on hand total, according to its most recent FederalElection Commissionfiling in May
Meanwhile, theNational Republican Senatorial Committee had morethan$48 million on hand in itsmost recent report andthe National Republican CongressionalCommitteehad more than $81 million.
In thesameperiod, the Democratic National Committee had$14.4 millionon hand, while the Democratic Senatorial CampaignCommitteehad roughly $37 million and theDemocratic CongressionalCampaign Committee, roughly $73 million The Republican committees forHouse andSenate candidates filed thelawsuit in Ohio in 2022, joined by
Vance, thenasenator from Ohio,and then-Rep. Steve Chabot.
After President DonaldTrump took officefor his second term,the Federal Election Commission droppedits defenseofthe law and joined with Republicansinurging thatitbe overturned.
Democrats had called on the court to uphold the law even though there is wide agreement that thespending limits have hurt political partiesinanera 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$4million in California, the mostpopulous state. For House races, the limits were$127,200 in states with
only one representative and $63,600 everywhere else.
Entrenched divisions between liberaland conservative justices over campaign 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 dissenterin Citizens United and the court’sother campaign money cases.
By contrast, JusticeSamuel Alito, amember of the CitizensUnited majority, describedthe decisionas “much maligned, Ithink unfairly maligned.” The effect of the decision was to ”level the playing field,” Alito said, by expanding the rightto spend freely that had previously belonged only to media companies.
BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press
WASHINGTON Apair of federal judges struck down aTrump administration overhaultoapublicservice forgiveness program for student loans, ruling Tuesdayinseparate cases in favor of advocates who said the program risked becoming atoolfor political retribution.
U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Massachusetts vacated the U.S. EducationDepartment’s changes, saying they overstepped the agency’spower andthreatened to violate First Amendmentprotections for free speech. The ruling came in responseto apair of lawsuits filed by more than 20 states along with acoalition of nonprofit groups and cities.
In Washington, D.C., District Judge Amir Ali in Washington issued asimilar ruling in acase brought by nonprofit organizations. The rulings came aday 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 ensurethat taxpayer dollars are never used to subsidize illegal activities,” Kent said ina written statement.
Congress created Public Service Loan Forgiveness in 2007 to encourage college graduates to work in government andnonprofit jobs. It promised to forgive their federalstudent loans aftertheyworked in public service jobs for 10 years.
Last year,the Trump administration moved to add new eligibility rules that
would strip the benefit from workers whoseemployers are deemedto have a“substantial illegal purpose.”
The overhaultargeted nonprofits and government organizations that support causesatoddswiththe Trump administration’s priorities.
It gavethe education secretarypower to exclude groups from theprogram if they engage in the traffickingor“chemical castration” of children, illegal immigration or supporting terrorist organizations. Its definition of “chemical castration” included usinghormone therapy or drugs that delaypuberty
The overhaulamounted to amajor reworking of aprogram that hascanceled loans for morethan 1million Americans. Nonprofits and government groups saiditundercut an important benefit that helped attract college graduates to jobsthat traditionally payless thanthe private sector
“This decision is awin for thecommunities that depend onlocal 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 theplaintiffs in the Washington case, Student Defense,saidthe judge’s ruling is avictory
for student loan borrowers.
“Public servants should nothavetoworry that the federal government will punish thembecause of their employer’smission or perceived political views, said Aaron Ament, Student Defense’spresident.
Joun said thenew rules threatened to impose the administration’spolicy views on employers. The judge also faultedthe departmentfor failing to connect its definitionsof illegalactivity to criminal statutes.
“The Department cannot createnew criminal prohibitions through rulemaking,” he wrote
Thejudgealsoquestioned thedepartment’s stated rationale for proposing the new rules, drawing on itsown estimates that fewer than10employers would be barred from the programper year
“The Departmentoffers no explanationfor why aFinal Rule with such sweeping consequences is necessary to address the possibility that, at most, ten employers each year may be engaginginillegal activity,” Joun wrote.
In his ruling, Jounnoted that more than 100 supporting briefs werefiledon behalf of the groups challenging the rules, while none were filed in support of the Trump administration’schange
Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship
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 broadly “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” it reads.
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.
three times as long as Roberts’ opinion. In doing so, the Court adds to the sad history of the Fourteenth Amendment, which was designed and understood to secure equal rights for the freed blacks but has instead been repurposed for political projects that the Reconstruction Congress did not support.”
The Republican president’s restrictions had been blocked by several lower courts and had not taken effect anywhere in the U.S Trump said the decision was “too bad for our Country” and wrongly suggested that Congress could “easily” address it with legislation. The majority decision rests on constitutional grounds. It would take an amendment to overcome the decision During arguments in April, both conservative and liberal justices questioned the order’s legality in a momentous case that was magnified by Trump’s unprecedented attendance in the courtroom.
The case framed another test of Trump’s assertions of executive power that defy long-standing precedent for a court with a conservative majority and a robust view of presidential power that has largely ruled in his
favor In the notable exceptions when the court has not, Trump has responded with starkly personal criticisms of the justices.
The justices ruled on Trump’s appeal of a lowercourt ruling from New Hampshire that struck down the citizenship restrictions.
The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed on the first day of his second term, is part of his administration’s broad immigration crackdown.
Birthright citizenship was the first Trump immigrationrelated policy to reach the court for a final ruling. The justices previously struck down global tariffs Trump had imposed under an emergency powers law that had never been used that way Trump reacted furiously to the late February tariffs decision, saying he was ashamed of the justices who ruled against him and calling them unpatriotic.
He also seemed to recognize the court was likely to rule against him on birthright citizenship, too, using his Truth Social platform to criticize “dumb judges and justices” and wealthy pregnant women from China and elsewhere who come to the U.S to give birth so their newborns will have Ameri-
In a series of decisions, lower courts have struck down Trump’s executive order as illegal The decisions have invoked the high court’s 1898 ruling in Wong
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.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARIAM ZUHAIB
The U.S Supreme Court, in a 6-3 vote, struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens
BY MARTHA BELLISLE and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press
The deaths of three U.S. government firefighters in a Colorado wildfire are casting aspotlight on the Trump administration’screationofa new federal fire service and its revival of apreviously 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 congressionalapproval by drawing personnel from fouragencies within the Interior Department. The victims were part of an elite, helicopterbased crew that got trapped Saturday in afast-growing wildfire near the Utah border as they attacked the blaze on the ground.
Five firefighters, including the oneswho died, tried to shieldthemselves by deploying tentlike emergency shelters as flames overran their position.The two survivors were hospitalizedwith 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 asharp reversal from adecadeslong trendtowardembracing flamesasa tool— to burn off oldvegetationand growth that acts like fuel and lessen the risk of catastrophic blazes being stoked by awarming planet.
Thechanges benefit private fire aviation companies that are key to hitting blazes fast. Federal officials have not
released details on the circumstances preceding the weekenddeaths, 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, aformer federal firefighterand cofounder of the advocacy group Firefighters United For Safety, Ethics and Ecology. “What was actuallyatrisk?Ifit wasa bunchof shrubs on remote mountaintops, what was thereal risk that justified puttingthose firefighters at risk?”
98%are extinguished
Wildfires ignited over the past week all across the West followingmonths of dryweather and arecord lack of snow in some places Authoritiesinsouthern ColoradosaidTuesday that a wind-driven fire northwest of ColoradoCity hadburned more than 35 square miles anddestroyed more than 150 structures, including at least 55 homes.
Under an order from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the Wildland FireService plans to use full suppression “for everywildfire underits management,” federal officials said in astatement to The Associated Press.
“Any wildfire that repre-
sentsathreat to life,property,infrastructure or the environment should be extinguishedasquickly as possible,”the statementsaid.
“Our experienced fire managers retain the authority to select the safest and most effective tactics basedon conditions on the ground.”
Butcritics saythe administration is trying to fix somethingthat isn’tbroken:
The four agencies thefirefighters weredrawn from —the Bureau of LandManagement,Fishand Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and National Park Service —have arecord of extinguishing 98% of the fires they handle.
The new agency and policy won’teliminate catastrophic wildfires that occur due to dense forestswherepeople areincreasingly moving and extreme weather caused by climate change, saidSteve Ellis, whoretired as aBureau of LandManagement deputy director.Landmanagers must be apartofthe solution, he said.
“Severing forest management and forest managers from fire suppression will make firefighting lesssafe and put communities at greater risk,”Ellis said.
The twootherwildland firefighterskilled in Colorado worked for theDepartment of Agriculture’s For-
estService, which handles most U.S.wildfires andis alsooperating under afull suppression policy.Trump hadwanted thenew agency to include Forest Service firefighters, but Congress blocked that part of theplan.
Consolidationpushed
Under Trump, federal officials have been bringing in aircraft more quickly once fires ignite, said Austin Moeller,anaerospace analyst for the investment firm Canaccord Genuity
“Anyone that has an air tanker benefits from this more aggressive contracting activity,” Moeller said.
Achief beneficiary is Bridger Aerospace, aMontana-based companyfounded by U.S. Sen. TimSheehy Beforehis 2024 election Sheehyhiredlobbyists in a failed attempt to persuade the Montana Legislature to create astatewide fire service analogous to the onejust created at the federal level. Withinamonth of taking federal office, he sponsored abill to codify the consolidation of federal firefighters into one agency
Sheehy stepped away from his company during the 2024 campaign and put his Bridger assetsintoablind trust, said Sheehyspokesman Tate Mitchell.
Mitchell said Trump was behind the idea to create a new fire agency,but Sheehy supports it.
“OneofSenator Sheehy’s top prioritiesinthe Senate is using his experience to stop thecatastrophic fires destroying American communities and he won’t apologize forit,” Mitchell said. Bridger describes itself as one of thenation’sleading aerial firefighting companies. CEO Sam Davis has said the company’sfleet of Super Scooper aircraft, its surveillance aircraftand its fire observation technology makeit“uniquely positioned” to respond to the renewed emphasis on attacking fires to put them out.
THEGAZETTEPHOTO PROVIDED By JERILEE BENNETT
The Aspen Acres fire engulfs ahillsidenear Beulah, Colo., on Monday
BY MIKE CATALINI and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press
WASHINGTON— New Jersey Republican Rep. TomKean Jr.disclosed Tuesday that he was beingtreated for depression during his unexplained four-month absencefrom the House, suggesting in abrief floor speech that he remained silentabout his condition until now because he is a“private person by nature.” Depression, Kean said, “is physical, it is emotional, and untilyou experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.” Kean’sreappearancecame weeks after his victory in an uncontested primary on June2 and months after he last cast his vote
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2020.
In the bodycamvideo,Sherwin tells deputies it is his understanding that ajudge put aprotective orderin place afterSpell’sarrest andthe pastor should be keeping his distance from his home.
“He’sdoing this to intimidate my victim son,” Sherwin said to deputies. “Do you cut your grassat4inthe morning?”
Sherwin can be seen on the video raising his middle finger in the direction of Spell acrossthe 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 hisconversation with deputies, Spell can be heard
in theHouse. His speech endedthe silenceonhis condition,yet left questionsunanswered.Kean said he first entered the hospital due to health concernsand underwent testing, but offered no further details.
callinghis neighbor’s sona slur twice andcommenting on Sherwin’ssexual orientation
“He needs to get back to sleep with hisboyfriend,” Spell said to the teenswith him in front of thechurch Twodays earlier,Spell crossed thestreet and beat up Sherwin’sson after the 20-year-old yelled “f*** you” to the pastor, according to an arrest warrantand videos of theincident.Video shows the young man throwing the first punch at Spell after the pastor charged across the street toward him. Spell punched the man eighttimes before tackling himtothe ground, then hit himanother27 times. The majority of the 35 punches were to the head andchest.
The victim required five stitches, according to his father,and suffered two large black eyes.
AfterSpell was booked into jail on acharge of second-degree battery and re-
After the speech, Kean left the Capitol quickly without answering questions from reporters. Kean last voted in theHouse on March 5. His absence had complicated mattersfor House Republican leaders, who have been
leased,heheld anewsconference andclaimed theperson he beat up threatened to rape and kill his family Spell also calledout the CentralPoliceDepartment for not addressing his family’sconcerns. ButCentral Police Chief Roger Corcoran said hisoffice has received five calls in four years from Spell’sfamily and only one involved theneighbors across thestreetfromLife Tabernacle Church.
Spell made national headlines in 2020 when he refused to stop holding in-personchurchservicesduring the COVID-19 pandemic He was charged with six misdemeanorsbut thecase was later thrown out by the LouisianaSupreme Court. He was also arrested the same year for allegedly almost hitting aprotester with abus. Those charges were later dropped.
Staffwriter Olivia Tees contributed to the reporting for this story
struggling to pass bills with their threadbare majority
Kean said he wasdiagnosed for depression and that doctors recommended he remaininthe hospital. Addressing his earlier statementthat he expected to return to work in amatter of weeks, Kean saidhebelieved that at the time and it washis doctors’ best estimate then.
“But as theover 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have cometodiscover there is no timeline forhealing,” Kean said.
“Today Istand beforeyou healthier,stronger and excited to return to thework that Ilove.”
Asecond-term lawmaker and scion of aNew Jersey political family,Kean represents abattleground districtthatincludesPresident DonaldTrump’sBedminster 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’shis personal issue, and, you know,Ithought the speech on the floor was, well, Ithought he explained it.”
Johnsonsaid he had “encouraged him all along to be as transparent as possible” andwas “gladhefinally has” been.
The mystery over Kean’sabsence had potential political implications, given the competitive district he represents and the Republican Party’snarrow control of the House. His office has said he is still running forreelection and is set to face Democratic nomineeRebecca Bennett, aformer Navy helicopter pilot, in NewJersey’smost highprofile contest in November Democrats have targeted the district as aprimepickup opportunity,giventhatthe
with us across everyaspect of the project.”
First proposed in 2021, the project envisioned anew industrial facility in Ascension that would employ 170 people and produce what is called“blue hydrogen,” hydrogen fuel produced withnatural gas,which proponentssay results in fewer emissions than with coal or some other energy sources.
Thathydrogen 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 groupsquestioned whetherthe project would deliver on its promises. And some Republican politicalleaders raised concerns about how the project would impact constituents.Supporters of the project noted that it wouldhave brought well-paid jobs to theregion.
As the company faced bipartisan pushbackinthe Legislatureover 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 becauseLake Maurepasisadelicate estuary,” said Dean Coates, aLivingston Parish Council member.“It deserves to be protected.”
Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment expressed disappointment with Air Products’ decision
“This is atough day forAscension Parish and for Louisiana,”he said.
“We’re talking about the loss of thousands of jobs and billionsof
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Moreno and Williams had adifferent notion, claiming it wasa new office thatrequired avote.
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 aseries
dollarsinpotential investment.”
LouisianaEconomicDevelopment, which supported the project with state incentives, hadpreviously noted that it would have comewith413 “indirect” jobs in addition to theon-siteworkers.
Susan Bourgeois, LED’ssecretary,said Tuesday that the project wasstartedunderthe previous administration and had “evolved significantly over time.”
“While this specific project did notcome to fruition, we look forward to continuing to work with Air Productsasthe companysupports industry acrossLouisiana, as it has formorethan50years,” she said.
Norwegiancompany backsout
AirProducts said last year that it was lookingtosell off the ammoniaand carboncapturecomponentsofthis project, and stressed that it was focusingonits core
of letters to Moreno, Williams and the fivecouncilmembers who endorsed the resolutions.
Moreno declined to comment through aspokesperson. Williams didnot return amessage Tuesday
The attorney general claimed the council majority was helping to “usurp”Napoleon’sauthority, citinga statutethatmakesita misdemeanor to assume office without authority orinterferewith apublic official.Each day is anew crime punishable by up to six months in jail or a$500 fine.
business of transporting and selling industrial gases.
Also on Tuesday, Norwegian company Yara International announced thatitwould not acquire the ammonia component of Air Products’ Louisiana project,citing low projected financial returns.
Air Productssaid last year in a call with investors that it would not proceed withthe plant if thedeal with Yara fell through.
“The linchpin in thedecision was because the proposed partner,Yara International, decidednot to invest. And that was thelast straw,” said Anika Juhn, an energy data analyst withthe Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
Juhnalso wrote areport about the projectlast year questioning whether the project could meet itsgoals to reduce carbon pollution, which contributes to climate change.
The five council members had “put your own offices in jeopardy,” Murrill wrote as she directed them to “rescind or suspend” the resolutions. She allegedthat theyhad “optedtoaid and abet in theusurpation of theofficeholder.
CityCouncil President JP Morrell declined to comment.
Murrill wrotemuchthe same to Moreno and Williamsover letters they’d written to thecouncil supporting themoves.Inaneighth letter,Murrill asked Johnson to
“Wefound that there was no net climate benefit to this project under reasonable operating conditions,”she said.
Taxcredits anduncertainty
Under theBiden administration, thefederalgovernment upped the tax incentive forcapturing and storing greenhousegas 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 alongthe Gulf Coast.
The more carbon captured, the more companiescould claimin tax credits —and afacilitylike Air Products’ proposed plant would have produced andcaptured alot of carbon.The tax credits it could have claimedwould have covered many of the costs of building the plant, Juhn said.
decline the interim appointment.
Moreno respondedtoMurrill by citing adifferent state lawagainst public intimidation andretaliation
“It is surprising that the attorney generalput allofthisina letter considering there is also acriminal law that prohibits intimidating or threatening apublic 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’mnot going to be
But as the markets surrounding carbon capture have continued to develop, realityhas appeared less promising.
Several companies have recently droppedtheir carbon capture ambitions. ExxonMobil on Tuesday droppedoffshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico that it had acquired forpotentialcarbon capture projects. SunGas Renewables dropped another project that involved carboncapture in Beaver Lakeearlier 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 amoratorium on newpermits forcarboncapture wells.
“At the center of all this is regulatory uncertainty,” he said. Plus, he said, demand for blue hydrogen products hasbeen softening, and construction costs are high because of the number of industrial-scaleprojects underwayinthe regionand nationwide, including data centers.
Regardless of the rationale for Air Products’ decision, local advocacy groups cheered the cancellation. Rise St.James,acommunity 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 wassited.
“This is avictory forLouisiana communities whodeserveto choosefor themselves whatthey want to see for their future and their children’sfuture,” said Jack Green, acampaigner with Rise St. James.
threatened, I’mnot going to be intimidated,and Iwon’t back down.” The Louisiana Supreme Court ultimately rejected the city’sproposal, upholding the newlaw that created aunified 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 adifferent bill by thesame groupofstate lawmakers aiming to shrink the Orleans Parish courts.
STAFF FILE PHOTOByHILARy SCHEINUK
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 evidence. Judge Gail Horne Ray, of the 19th Judicial District, will preside over the trial, after the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled not to recuse her from the case over claims she might be friendly toward Carver’s family
La. high court reinstates murder 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
Since Carver’s case will be decided in a bench trial and not a jury trial, Ray will determine his fate. Ray had been recused from the case in November after presiding over it for three years. Judge Brad Myers, of the 19th Judicial District, said the move was made to “preserve public confidence” in the proceedings, citing a number of text messages Carver wrote suggesting Ray and his family were friends and indicating that “she knows to help us.”
The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this recusal in March, but
the state Supreme Court overturned it in May in a short ruling that said the state “failed to carry its burden to require recusal in this case.” Joe Long, Carver’s attorney said at the time that a different ruling would have opened “the floodgates” for attempts from attorneys to have unfavorable judges pulled off their cases.
On Monday, Long and prosecutors were back in front of Ray, after the case had temporarily been reassigned to Judge Fred Crifasi.
The two sides went back and forth over a potential trial date, with Long repeatedly complaining that his client has been waiting for justice for years and faces a life sentence.
Long attempted to reassert a motion for speedy trial that had been filed in April 2025 but withdrawn
Cross-state collecting
Ex-LSU player arrested in connection with crash
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
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
Under
Montoucet
sentenced to up to
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
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.
Montoucet
Brooks
Lang’s win markshis second such award
BY BRIAN McCALLUM Staff writer
In the eyes of Roy Lang III, sportseditor for the Shreveport-BossierCityAdvocate, area sports in 2025 were a story of redemption and resilience.
In the eyes of the Louisiana Sports WritersAssociation, it’sastory nobody told better thanLang.
Lang was named the LSWA Sports Writer of the Year forall classificationsduring theorganization’s annual convention that oc cur re d Sun day , thisyear in Natchitoches. It wasthe secondsuch award forhim; he previously won in 2012.
Lang
“We’re so excitedabout the recognition that Roy andhis work received from the Louisiana Sports WritersAsso-
ciation,”Shreveport-Bossier City AdvocateEditorBarbara Leadersaid. “Histalent and hiswork ethicare unparalleled. He gets up early and works late to makesure that our community knows what’s goingoninsports and doesn’t miss thestories 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’treveal,tochronicle the dedication and fortitude of coaches, stars, role players, the parents and supporters Thesestories areeasyto
Separate BR shootingsinjure2
Aman and awoman were injured in separate shootings just hours apart in Baton Rouge on Monday night, police said. The first happened about 9:30 p.m.in the 12000 block of LaMargieAvenue, whereBaton Rouge police found awoman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Shewas takentothe hospital and is expected to survive her injuries, the department saidin anews release
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as the higher courtsconsidered Ray’srecusal.
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 thefiling.Tothis, Long acquiesced.
What’s at stake Brooks, 19, died early the morning of Jan. 15,2023, after anight of heavy drinking in Tigerland. She was allegedly raped in acar before
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Baton Rouge attorney John McLindon, representing Montoucet, said 40 people wrote letters of support, extolling themany kindnesses and contributions Montoucet had done in his lifetime. Joseph said he took into accountthe letters, but said what Montoucet didwas not asingle 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 asimilar scheme involving the 15th Judicial District Attorney’sOffice in Lafayette. All the others who were found guilty or accepted plea deals in both schemes are servingtime in federalfacilities.
Aresident of Lafayette Parish, Montoucetwas indicted in May2025 on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud, three counts of wirefraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He pleaded not guilty in June 2025 to all charges. Montoucetisa Vietnam veteran, aretired Lafayette fire chief and former state representative.Former Gov.John Bel Edwardsappointed him LDWF secretary in January 2017, where he oversaw services suchasissuing citations for boating and hunting violations. He was set to retirein January 2024 whenEdwards left office. Instead, Montoucet resigned abruptly in April 2023, aday after TheAdvocate identified him as the unnamed LDWF official who signed acontract with Lafayette businessman
Investigators learnedtwo women were fighting when the shooting happened At 11:30 p.m., officers found aman with agunshot woundatthe RaceTrac at 8008 AirlineHighway
The manwas taken to thehospital,where he was rushed into surgery and is expected to survive, police said. Investigators learned he had actually been shot several blocks away,inthe 3200 block of Victoria Drive. Anyone with informationabout either of thetwo shootings Monday night are asked to call Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.
being dropped off in asubdivision and fatally struck by a vehicle.
Carver,22, of Denham Springs, was one of four men in the vehiclewithBrooks when prosecutors allege she was sexually assaulted. He faces charges of firstandthird-degree rape and a count of video voyeurism. Should he be found guilty of first-degreerape, Carver would be subject to amandatory life sentence. The charges facing Carver and two other defendants relate to the alleged rape, not Brooks’ death.
Themainissue forMyers in removing Ray from
Leonard Franques for his company,DGL1, to provide online courses for sportsmentoresolve LDWFcitations.
The unnamed LDWFofficial was mentioned in a March 2023 indictment against Dusty Guidry,a Youngsville residentatthe time,who was the alleged mastermind behind the LDWFkickback scheme andanother involving the District Attorney’sOffice of the 15thJudicialDistrict in Lafayette. Guidry and Franques areserving timeinfederal prisonfor their roles in theschemes, as isformerAssistant District Attorney Gary Haynesof Lafayette.
In theLDWFscheme, Montoucetand Franques’ company,DGL1, signeda contract on Oct.8,2021. In return for his help getting DGL1 the lucrative contract, Franquesagreedto payMontoucet kickbacks that he would collect after he retired from LDWF,according to court documents indicate.
TheAdvocateobtained acopyofthe Oct. 8, 2021, contract which identifiedMontoucet as thelone LDWF signer. He resigned thenextday The contract with LDWF was for 10 years. The state agency was toreceive20% to 40% of the money that DGL1 received for the education courses. The state also wouldreceive 50% of the money that DGL1 collected to host classes for those ticketed for civil vio-
write,thanks to theirgraciousness.”
Perhapsthe biggest story of the year was one that stretchedfrom thebaseball field at LSUS to Idaho and then to Washington, D.C., as the Pilots completed an unprecedented 59-0 season,won theNAIA national titleand were invited to the White House to celebrate.
Oneofthe many stories Lang told along theway was that of outfielder Cooper Huspen, who lost his father days after graduation as the Pilots neared the NAIA
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Victim found fatally shot in vehicle ID’d
The man who was found fatallyshotinhis vehicle outside his apartment hasbeen identified as 23-year-old Jyrese Coleman, the EastBaton Rouge Parish Coroner’sOffice 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 before6 a.m. Monday, the Sheriff’s Office said.
thecase were the texts between Carver andhis family.Myers did not find that Ray showed any bias toward Carver or other defendants during pretrial motions, sayinginhis ruling that the decision was made to avoid the appearance of an improper conflict of interest.
Long arguedtothe SupremeCourt that the request for Ray’srecusal was not timely and prosecutors had not proved actual bias or the potential for bias.
Prosecutorsoriginally sought Ray’s recusal after Carver asked for abench trial, rather than ajury trial.
lations
About11,000 people per year use theagency’s huntereducation program and8,000 peryear use the boater education program, according to thecontract. The courseswould last three to sixhours and cost $29.95, according to the department’swebsite. The agency issued about8,000 civilcitations peryear.
read Where the appellate court haderred, McCallumwrote,was in creating astandard where the statehad to prove beyond areasonable doubt that Stewart was the killer, and notpotentially aprincipalactorto the crime
Themajority opinion further argued that prosecutors in the original bench trialnever needed to specifically state that they wereprosecuting Stewart for principal to second-degree murder.
While agreeing that the Dollar General footage was not clear enough to identify Stewart, McCallum noted thatone of the vehicles left atemp tag on scene that was registered to Stewart’s former partner and that Stewart’scellphone had
World Series. “As someone wholost my parents —all three of them —way too early in life, the fortitude Huspenand his teammates showed hit home,” Lang said.
Hisstory on LSUS earning aspot in theWorld Series won another 2025 LSWA award forcollege event coverage.
As theCalvary softball team neared its season opener,atragic accident claimed thelife of senior Elana Franks. Lang followedthat team all the way to astate championship win, and he earned an LSWAaward fora
pinged near the scene of the crime.
McCallum argued that these pointsare “strong evidence of the defendant’s involvement in the murder and support the trial court’sdetermination of the defendant’s guilt.”
Twojusticesdissented, with the minority opinion being written by Justice Piper Griffin.
In Griffin’sopinion, she argued thatthe majority opinion is based on a wholly new argument of the original case, which violates Stewart’sdue processrights
“Themajority affirms the defendant’sconviction based on atheory of thecase rejected by the prosecution, and that was not presented to thefact finder in any meaningful way,”Griffin wrote.
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.
high school sports featurein the process. The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocateisthe region’s website and apartner of The Advocate |The Times-Picayune and Nola.com. Additionally,Langplaced in LSWA competition for Prep Writer of the Year and for Amateur Sports coverage. “2025 was meaningful forme, with or withoutany awards,” Lang said. “I’m honored to be apart of the Advocate team we have in Shreveport and across the state.”
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impact he had been traveling about 58 mph in a30 mphspeed zone. AtestofMurphy’sblood on theday of thecrash, obtained at the hospital with awarrant, showed a blood alcohol content of 0.13%, over thelegal limit of 0.08%, the affidavit said. Murphy wasdriving without vehicle insurance and with asuspended driver’slicense on the dayof thecrash, arrest records show Murphy,ofRayville, was arunning back with theTigersfrom2007 to 2010. He was selected to wear the No.18jersey in his senior year,anhonor bestowed on upperclassmenwho are team leaders, according to his biography on theLSU Athletics website. He wentontoplay professionally in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
BRIEFS
iHeartMedia lays off on-air personalities
Riverside, California-based radio station KGGI has lost its last local on-air hosts.
Longtime radio personalitiesEvelyn Erives, Nick Nack and Garrison King were all cutfromthe Inland Empire station last week as part of iHeartMedia’slatest round of national layoffs. In an internal memo, the media giant said it would restructure its radio programming to better “leverage” thecompany’s technology iHeartMediadeclinedtocommentonhow 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 TomPoleman and Ann Marie Licata, thechief executive of the company’smultiplatform group —framed the changes as away 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 abroader push to reduce costs. In May, iHeartMedia launcheda newsavings 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 asizable presence in Burbank. Its Los Angeles-areastationsinclude KFI-AM, KLAC-AM, KOST-FM and KIIS-FM.
Ford recalling more than 741,000 vehicles
Ford is recalling more than 741,000 vehicles in the U.S. because atransmission issue may damage theparksystem,which couldincrease the risk of acrash or injury
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a report that the recall includes certain Ford F-150, Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer,LincolnNavigator and Ford Expeditionvehicles with model years between 2018 and 2021.
The report states that affected vehicles may experience temporary engagement of their transmissionparking pawl while the vehicle is in motion when certain shifts are commandedbythe transmission, potentially damaging park system components.
The NHTSA said Ford is aware of 24 allegations of property damage and nine alleged injuries,withtwo of those being allegationsofemotional injuries, related to the issue.
Vehicle owners will be notified by mail and told to take their vehicle to aFord or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle’sPowertrain Control Module updated to thelatest level software. Dealers will also inspect thevehicle’stransmission forpark 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.
U.S. stocks rise, trim losses for June
NEWYORK— U.S. stocks rose Tuesday and trimmed their losses in what had been arocky June.
The S&P 500gained 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 climbed1.5%.
The main reason for the past month’sweakness was afallto Earth for stocks in the artificial intelligenceindustry.After soaring to tremendous heights in the frenzy around AI, such stocks came under pressure because of worriesthat they shot too high. That’sa bigdeal forall investors because AI stocks havegrown into someofWall Street’slargest and most influential, pulling indexes behind them.
AI stockswerefirmer Tuesday, andNvidiawas thestrongest 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 theindex fell Tuesday All told, the S&P 500 rose 58.93 points to 7,499.36. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added136 46 to 52,319.20, and the Nasdaqcomposite climbed 393.58 to 26,213.72.
Egg producerssettleprice-fixingclaims
Firmsto pay$3.3M,donate53M eggs
BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP business writer
NEW YORK The U.S.JusticeDepartment and 17 states reached settlement agreements with three majoregg producers this week to resolveallegations that thecompanies illegally colluded for years to raise prices, including when the cost soared to recordhighs last year.
Thestates andthe federalgovernment accusedCal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch of abehind-the-scenes arrangementto“artificially inflate the dailyprice quotations foreggs” between June 2022 and March 2025. In particular,theirinvestigation found thatthe companies coordinatedonwhatbidstheywould submittoUrner Barry Publications,a
company that runs an index key to determining how much grocery stores, restaurantsand otherspay 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 settlementterms wereannounced.
“When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families sufferthe costs,”New York Attorney General LetitiaJames,who helped lead the investigation, said in astatement. “These egg producers manipulatedthe market to squeeze even moreprofit out of consumers and businesses.”
None of the companies admitted wrongdoing under thesettlements. But to settle the states’ claims, Cal-
Maine, Versova and Hickman’swill collectively be on the hook for $3.3 million and 53 millioneggs, 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 distributedtothe states.
The JusticeDepartment and thestates also outlined actions thecompanies will needtotake, including adopting antitrust compliance programsand banning communicating with competitors on pricing and bidding strategies.
The settlements would still need court approval. TheJustice Department’sOmeed A. Assefi said Tuesdaythatthe proposedsettlements “resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives.”
Average U.S. eggprices soared to arecord high of about $6.23 per dozeninMarch 2025,amida bird flu epidemic that forced farmers
Asia seekstodiversify itsenergysupplies
Movesmay undermine climategoals
BY ANTON L. DELGADO Associated Press
BANGKOK Asian nations hit hard by the Iran war’sprice shocks are rushing to diversify and strengthen their energy security, potentially undermining their commitments to curbclimate change.
As negotiations on ending the wardragon, countriesinenergy hungry Southeast Asia are exploringnuclear power and promisingrenewable rollouts. But they are also investing in coal power to provide abuffer during times of crisis.
The Iran war has not shaken coal’sstatusasapillar of Southeast Asia’senergy security,said Sandeep Pai at Duke University’sNicholas Institute for Energy,Environment and Sustainability.
Until recently,coal was slowly being phased out to reduceclimate change-causing emissions and address air qualityconcerns. Butthe conflict hascomplicated that scenario.
“At the end of the day, energy security triumphs anyother climate considerations,”Pai said.
In East Asia, South Korea and Japan began burning more coal to keepnationalenergygrids poweredwhilethe closureofthe Strait of Hormuz due to the war disrupted flows of oiland gasto Asia.
SoutheastAsian nationslike Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines didthe same
This emergencyresponsehas ledto longer-termpoliciesthat have given coal an extension of life, Pai said.
Coal investmentsare 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 hadbeen consignedtohistoryafter nearly 200 countries agreed to phase out coal power.After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine disruptedgas supplies, European nations burned morecoal and built morefossil fuel pipelines andimport terminals.
Now,this second energy shock in less than adecadeisreinforcing coal’s value to energy security in Asia, according to Michelle Manook of FutureCoal,agroup backed by thefossil fuel industry that was formerly knownas the World CoalAssociation.
Global coal-firedpower generationdeclinedby0.6%lastyear, according to theGlobalEnergy Monitor, but newcoal powercapacity increased3.5%.
Indonesia, theworld’slargestthermal coal exporter and a bellwether forthe fossil fuelindustry,isoverhauling its trade rules and imposing new taxes after coal prices hit multiyear highs.
But it’salso chasing new solargoals, planning to install 100 gigawatts of rooftop solarby 2034, up from 1.3 gigawatts of capacitynow
“Indonesia’sobviously tied to coal in so manyways, but it’s seen beyond that,” said Dave Jones, with the energy think tank Ember.
Renewables stilldominate growth in regionalpower generation,henoted Likewise, Vietnam hasincreased itsuse of coal but also hascommitted to installing rooftop solar on 10%ofpublic offices and homes nationwide by 2030 After the warbegan,the
to slaughter millions of egg-laying chickens. Egg producers blamed pricespike on the outbreak,but critics accused big companiesof taking advantage of their market dominance, andthe government began its investigation.
Monday’scomplaint notes that price quotations “dropped significantly” after Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman’slearned of the Justice Department’sinvestigation and were instructed to preserve documentsinMarch 2025. Consumer eggprices also later tumbled —to under$2.20 perdozenasofMay 2026 —asreplenished flocks caught up despitethe ongoing outbreak Cal-Maine maintained Monday that allegationsofprice manipulation were “baseless” and that it believesits conducthas been legal. It also noted that while it was part of acooperative with the other egg producers, it left the group in May 2024.
WASHINGTON Americans’ attitudes toward theeconomy improved slightly this month as gas prices declined, but theiroutlook is still mostlynegative by historical standards.
The ConferenceBoardsaidTuesday that itsconsumer confidence index rose 0.6 point to 91.2 in June, afigure that is still below its year-ago reading of 95.2. Consumerattitudes worsened after theIranwar causedoil andgas prices to spike,accelerating inflation and causing Americans’ inflation-adjusted incomes to decline. Before the pandemic, theindexregularlytopped 120.
Philippinesburned more coal anddeclared anational energy emergency.Itconsideredlifting aban on newcoal plants but decided not to.Earlier approved projects will still be built
In themeantime 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,ofthe nonprofit New EnergyNexus in the Philippines. “But it does really show that the energy transition is nonlinear andcontested.”
Muchofthe liquefied natural gas going through the Strait of Hormuz wenttoSouth Korea andJapan, countriesthatimport nearlyall their energy needs.
Facing ashortfall, 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 andspedupmaintenance at five offline reactors.
Japan hasbeen pushing ahead with restarts of nuclear power plants that were idled after the 2011 Fukushima meltdown, said Michiyo Miyamoto, of theInstitute for Energy Economics and FinancialAnalysis. That disaster led Japan to stepupuse of coal as those plant closures temporarily cutits total generating capacity by aboutathird.
India wantstospend $3.9 billion to convert coal into industrialfuels and chemicals to replace imported products, maintainingits useofcoal
Effortstoreduce emissions andhit netzero ambitions are long-termcampaigns that require years of effort and focus, said Luke Holt, the Asia-Pacific director of energy forthe consultancy firm Ramboll.
“But we see that they are easily distracted,” he said. “We’ve hada number of shocks to the decarbonization plan.
The report suggests that consumer confidence is recovering only slowly fromthe 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 somerelief to consumer inflation fears,” Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’schief economists, saidina statement. “Consumer appraisals of current business conditions were slightly more positive compared to last month. However perceptions of the current labor marketsoftened measurably.”
Earlier this month, agovernment report showed that consumers stepped up their spending in Maydespite higher gas prices. Analysts expect the steady consumer outlays kept the economygrowing at about a2.5% annualrate in theApril-Junequarter Falling gas prices mayalso help boost Americans’ outlook in the coming months. On average nationwide, gasprices spikedabove $4.50 afterthe U.S.-Iran conflict beganFeb.28. They have since fallen back to $3.85 agallon, according to AAA. The survey also found that consumers had adimmerviewofhiring and the job market this month. The proportion of Americanswho saidjobs are “hard to get” rose to 22.5% from 19.8% theprevious month, anoticeable increase.
But on Wednesday the government released areportshowing that the numberofopenjobs remained at a solid 7.6million in May,indicatingthat companiesare showing moreinterest in recruiting workers.
The Labor Department will release itsmonthly jobs report forJuneon Thursday,and economists forecast it will showthatemployers added 100,000 jobs, asolid gain. The unemployment rate is expected to stay at a low4.3%, according to data provider FactSet.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By yANNICK PETERHANS Khanh Hoa Thermal PowerStation, acoal-fired powerplant, operates in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam.
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-
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.
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?
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
Police chief pleads guilty
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
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.”
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 andfilled her days with the things she loved most. An avid reader, shecould often be
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.Hewas survived by his brothers Boyd, and sister-in-lawKelley, Jamie, and Joel, and sister-in-law Sandi. He was also survived by his niece, Morgan, and nephews, Brennan, Ethan, and Eli.Hewas 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 aCatholic 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 abriefillness. The world lost agenerous and loving heart.
Shewas 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 ateacher's aide for atime 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 homesurroundedbyher collectablesand family pictures
Katrinaenjoyedshopping forthe perfect gift Nothing gave her morejoy than to see agranddaughter delighting in aChristmas or birthday present Shehad an appreciation forthe arts and artists Shewas in awe of the intricacies of the natural world and the mysteriesofthe Universe.
She is survivedbyher lovinghusband of 54 years, John LouisDemoruelle,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.
Serviceswillbeprivate.
In lieu of flowers,Katrina wouldwishthatdonationsbetocauses that touch the donors' hearts.
Hebert,Delores Eade 'Dee'
Funeralservicesfor Delores ("Dee")Eade Hebert willbegin at 9a.m. Friday July 3, 2026 at St.John's CatholicChurch, 4727 McHugh Dr. in Zachary The rosarywillberecited at 9:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 10 a.m. AChristian burial willfollow at Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery 6213 Groom Rd. in Zachary Visitationwillbefrom5-8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, 2026 at Charlet Funeral Home, 4230 High St. in Zachary. Deewas born on Sept.26, 1932,inOlean, N.Y. and passedawayMonday, June 29, 2026,atThe ButterflyWinginBaton Rouge, LA. She was precededin death by herformer husband, James Hebert,of Baker; asister, Beverly Black of Olean, N.Y.; two brothers, Marshall Eade, of Olean, N.Y., and Raymond Eade of Las Vegas, Nev. andher parents, Henryand Albedia Eade of Olean, N.Y. Sheissurvived by seven childrenand their spouses: Denise and her husband, Rick, of Fulshear, Texas; James (Jimmy) and his spouse Peggy of Baton Rouge; John (Johnny)and his wifeJanetofBush, LA; Diane Davidson and her husband John of Alexandria, LA; Joseph (Joey) and his wifeDebraofZachary, LA; DonnaMcGarry and her husband, James (Jimmy) of Martinsville, VA; and Jeff and his wife, Annie, of Heber City,Utah. Sheisalsosurvivedby19 and 27 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also survived by twobrothers, RobertEade and his wife Carolyn of Olean, NY, and Vincent Eade and hiswife Rhonda of Las Vegas, NV Also mourning her passing areher goodfriends Mona Goudeau of Zachary, LA, and hertable buddies at Oakwood AssistedLiving. The family wouldliketo
thank thestaff at Oakwood Assisted Living who went out of their way to see to her dailyneeds aboveand beyond what was required For those wishing, donations in Dee'sname can be madetothe Metanoia House, theAmerican DiabetesAssociationorthe American Kidney Fund Share memories at www.CharletFuneralHome @gmail.com.
Martha A. James, 88, of Pride, Louisiana, passed away peacefullyonJune 28, 2026. BornonJune 8, 1938, in Florence,South Carolina, Martha liveda life marked by love,service, and devotion to her family and community.She spent many years as a dedicatedhairdresser, caring forothers notonly throughher professionbut also through her generous spirit. Martha enjoyed quilting, sewing, and cooking,and found greatjoy in using her talents to bless those around her. She faithfully served in her church's foodpantry, reflecting her compassionate heart and commitment to helpingothers. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Thad Ward and Olea LocklairWard; and her brothers, Thad Ward Jr. and Charles Ward She leavesbehindher belovedhusband,Willie R. James, with whomshe 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 leavesbehindmany extendedfamily members and dear friends who will remember her withlove Family and friends are invitedtopay their respects during avisitationat Rabenhorst Funeral Home &CrematoryEast,11000 FloridaBoulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815, on Thursday, July2,2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Visitation willresume at ImmanuelBaptist Church, 10870 Lovett Road,Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70818, on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., followedbya funeral service beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial willfollowat 12:00 p.m. at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815. Martha's kindness,generosity, and unwavering love forher family willbe remembered always. Her legacy livesoninthe many livesshe touched and in thegenerations of loved oneswho willforevercherish her memory
Enteredinto eternal rest at Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Bluebonnet on June 26, 2026. She wasa 76-year-old nativeofBaton Rouge, Louisiana, and a resident of Baker, Louisiana. Viewing willbe at St John Baptist Church (Rev. DonaldRuth, pastor) on Thursday, July2,2026, from 8:00 am until theCelebration of Life Service at 10:00 am conducted by her pastor, Rev. James Grayson(NewLight Baptist Church, Spur Lane); interment at Norman E. Pete Heine Memorial Park. Survivors includeher devoted husband, Charles Maiden, Sr.; children, Veronica Polk and Charles Maiden, Jr.; four grandchildren; two siblings; otherrelatives and friends. Arrangements entrusted to Miller& Daughter Mortuary.
Portera, John Cosmo John Cosmo Portera,a resident of Metairie, LA, died on June 4, 2026. He is survivedbyhis son, John Salvador Portera and wife Becca; one sister, Gina Guttuso; five grandchildren,CadeLovett, Cami Lovett,Cody Billiot,Lia Portera, and Kasi Portera, and niece and nephew Jennifer and BrandonGuttuso. He was preceded in death by his parents, Salvadore and VirginiaPortera. He was amember of theNational Wildlife Federation Share sympathies,memories,and condolences at www.CharletFuneralHome. com
Raymond JamesSicard wascalledhometoour heavenly father on June 29, 2026 at 8:27 pm. Raymond was96yearsold, born to Joseph DaileySicardSr andBernice Chustz Sicard of Ventress, LA on June 24, 1930. He graduatedfrom Poydras High School in NewRoads andwentonto work as aPlumber prior to becoming an operator at KaiserAluminumPlant whereheworkedfor 30 years before retiring at the age of 53. He lived alife defined by hard work,quiet strength andunwaveringdevotion to those he loved. An avidcattleman, he spent countless hours caringfor his livestock and working the landhecherished.Whenhewasn't attending cattle,hecould oftenbefound in theoutdoors. As alifelonghunter, he cherished thememories he made with familyand friends. Aboveall else, Raymond was adevoted familyman. He was alovingfather,a proudgrandfather andadoring great grandfather. Hisgreatest joycamefromwatching hisfamilygrow, sharing stories on thefront porch, teachinglifelessons through example,and offeringa steady hand whenever it was needed.His
wisdom, quick-wittedhumor and kindheart willremain with those whoknew andloved him. He wasprecededindeathbyhis parents Joseph DaileySicard Sr andBerniceChustz Sicard, sistersElaine (Ta) Langlois, Bertha(Pip) Gremillion, JanelleAmond and Mary Nell David. He is survived by hissister; Katherine (Tinker) McAdams; brother, Dailey Sicard; son JamesGary Sicardand Mona Bizette Sicard; daughter, Vicky Schexnayder andhusband Raymond S. Schexnayder, Jr;grandchildren, Shaun Bizette, Blake Schexnayder andwife Candaceand Brandi Burman andhusbandTy; andgreat grandchildren, Ava andJayce Burman. Though he is deeply missed, hisfamily finds comfortinknowing hisspirit lives on in every lesson passed from one generation to thenext. Visitationwill be Thursday, July 2atNiland'sFuneral Home in NewRoads, LA from 8amto11:30 am. Mass will follow at St Mary'sCatholic Churchat 12 pm. Entombment will follow at False River Memorial ParkMausoleum. Pallbearers willbe JamesGary Sicard, RaymondSchexnayder Jr, Blake Schexnayder,TyBurman, Michael Langlois, Brett Robillard, James Stucks andDailey Sicard. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lawerence McAdams, Ted Berry andJohnAguillard.
Maiden,Gloria Dean
Sicard, Raymond James
James, MarthaA
Proponents of the line-item veto oftenargue that it helps trim the fat in budgetsoverstuffed by legislators feeding at thepublic trough. Yet in recent years, we have noticed theabuse is more likely to come from theexecutive branch in how it wields this tool.
In vetoing tens of millionsofdollars forprojects across the state, almost all of whichwere located in areas represented by legislators often opposed to him, Gov.Jeff Landry placed raw politicsahead of theneedsofthose areas’residents.
To be sure, Landryisn’t thefirst governor to target political opponents witha veto pen, and he won’tbethe last. It was no less egregious when Gov.John Bel Edwards did it in 2023, to punish conservative legislators who opposedhis plan to raise the state’sspending cap. Butthere’s alegislative remedy that might discourage this behavior
As aco-equal branch of government, the Legislature ought to seriously consideroverriding vetoes to important communityprojects,though it has shown no inclination todoso. Almost all the projects passed the Legislature overwhelmingly or even unanimously,indicating theitems weregenerally recognized,even by conservative Republicans, as worthwhile spending. The issue here isn’tfiscal responsibility: Both the state’soperating budget andcapitaloutlay budget would be balanced if all the projects are funded. The issueinsteadisamisuse of the lineitem veto authority for what appear to be reasons of political retribution rather thanmerit. Last year,for example, almost every line-item veto targeted Republicans who daredtovote againstaninsurance billLandry pushed against the advice of conservativeInsuranceCommissioner TimTemple
These power plays, however,don’t really hurt the legislators; they hurt constituentsinstead. The vast bulk of the vetoes canceled programs in New Orleans and North Baton Rouge —both heavilyDemocratic areas —along with “blue districts in Shreveport, Monroe, LakeCharles and Opelousas. New OrleansMayor Helena Moreno said the $33 million in cutstothe city amounted to 62% of all Landry’soperational funding cuts and 53% of his capital infrastructure cuts. And the governor shocked legislatorsand local officialsinBaton Rougeby eliminating funding for an $18 million grocery store development in underserved NorthBaton Rouge, even thoughhehad shown up for the groundbreaking ceremony, touting its benefits
The New Orleans cuts cameontop of aseries of other slaps at the city,even as thenew mayor andCityCouncil have worked assiduously to eliminate an inherited budget deficitand won widespreadacclaim forreforming theirmanagement practices. Other cuts hit needy people hard across the state. Among the targets are programs foratrisk youth, local law enforcementand education. When the major discernible reason forvetoes is politicalscore-settling rather than thepublic good,legislators of both parties should not be supine. In otherwords, they should dotheir jobs.
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Carbon capture and sequestration, wherein toxic industrial waste in the form of pressurized CO2 is injected over amile deep underground, beneathresidential areas, lakes, parks and other land, has become ahighly contentious subject in the last few months in Louisiana. Almostall heavy industry and their powerful backers in this state have applied great pressureatthe highest levels (thegovernor and the state environmental agencies (Louisiana DepartmentofEnvironmental Quality,the Department of Conservation and Energy and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries). In thepublic arena, there have been at least 48 pieces writteninThe Advocate, The Wall Street Journal and other media since August,2025; over 87% of these have been opposed toCCS. 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 awide uproar?
Physical Danger.InAugust 2025,
Megan McArdle’seditorial on socialism, once again, seems to critique socialism in absolutes.The United States currently has somedegree or aspects of socialism. Head Start and food distributions are just two of manysocialistic programs resulting in favorable outcomes. These services foster social justice, as in the emphatic and empathic teachings of Jesus Christ
The naysayers tendtoequate socialistic enterprises withcommunism.That is wrong. Communismis ownership by thegovernment. Socialism can encompass awide variety of forms from Marx’ssocialism, Michael Harrington’ssocialism to Erich Fromm’sdemocratic, humanistic socialism
I’ve admired theScandinavian countries since the1970s, when I learned moreabout how their governments function. They implore capitalism operating under ademocratic, socialistic government in which free
LakePontchartrain experienced seismic aftershocks allthe wayfrom major earthquakes in Alaska and Russia, oscillating the lake’swaters. By theend of 2025, the U.S. Geological Survey had recorded astring 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 amajor 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 remainsanexistential threat to residents.
What can we in this heavily influential oil-and-gas state do to makeour opinions known? Agroupof18,000 followers on Facebookare actively opposing the negative and lasting effects of CCS. Also, choose your candidates wisely JOHN BERRY Baton Rouge
enterprise prevails, along with asocial welfare system providing education,healthcare and other necessary prerequisites for well-being. Contrary to what many believe, research affirmsthat the general consensus is that Scandinavians are well satisfied and proud of theirsystem of government Denmark, Norway,Sweden and Finlandare known as low-corruption societies, providing universal benefits on acitizenship basis. They lead global rankings on openness with high levels of public trust in governmentand access topublic documents. It sounds like awin-win to me —a market economyfor competitive monetarysurvival andmoreand better social programsand 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 someofhis statements that are, Iamassuming, what he might describe as patriotic. President Donald Trumpsaid any soldier whowas captured during a warwas no hero to him because they could not fight anymore. He said any soldier whodied foranother man’s warwas asucker.Hewatched as his MAGAmarauders stormed the Capitol and injured morethan one 100 police officers, smeared fecal matter on the walls and did millions of dollars in damage. Iwould like to hear how Lowry or any MAGAmembers can spin that into being morepatriotic than the Democrats whosaid they are not proud of the country.Trumpand his MAGAbuddies have given many Americans agood reason to not be proud of their country To me, Ihave never seen or heard anything moreunpatriotic than what Trumphas said and what his gang has done.
CLIFF JOHNSON St. Amant
What ablessing 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. Ihighly recommendthis experience, which Istarted by going first to tour Fatima, and then Ijoined my Buen Camino/Follow My Camino group in Porto, Portugal, before heading to Santiago, Spain. And Ididn’trealize that Pope Leo would also be in Spain that same week, so that wasreally cool! So foranyone else yearning to take a“Closer Walk With Thee,” our Lord, on the WayofSt. James, Ipray that you one day take your first step wherever that may begin.
KEITH HORCASITAS Baton Rouge
We allstand to lose in Hegseth’swar on diversity
Is Defense Secretary PeteHegseth resegregating the military?
Ihear that question alot sincethe news broke that our nation’scurrent secretary of defense has actively blockedordelayed the promotions of dozens of senior militaryofficers with women and people of color disproportionately affected The Pentagon’srecent track record on promotions is in keeping with broader efforts by the Trump administration to push back DEI (diversity,equity and inclusion) policies in government, academia and theprivate sector
It also comes at atime when the Trump administration has madesymbolic moves —such as attempting to rebrand Hegseth as the “Secretary of War” —aswell as actual warfare in an attempt to project an alt-rightair of manliness.
It’sasifamilitary with Black officers, female officers and —Heaven forfend! —transgender officers could notpossiblydefend American interestsacrossthe globe.
In March, The New York Timesreported that Hegseth took the “exceedingly rare” step of striking twoBlack andtwo female officers from the list of candidates put forward forpromotion to the rank of one-star generals. Hegseth had been pressuringArmy Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll to remove the names, but Driscoll had refused As anonymous militarysources told the Times, Hegseth’schief of staff, Ricky Buria, upbraided Driscoll for selecting aBlack woman to command the Military District of Washington, especially because PresidentDonald Trump would not want to havetostand next to aBlack woman at Arlington National Cemetery.Buria denied the account. But the numbers speak forthemselves.
“Since taking office,” the Times reported in June, “Hegseth has fired or sidelined nearly three dozen senior military officersaspartofabroader campaign designed to purgethe Pentagon of leaders he has disparaged as
‘foolish,’ ‘reckless and ‘woke.’
Whether Trump and Hegsethknow it —orcare —this subject of race relationsinthe ranks at homeand in the field reopensa lot of old wounds that have troubled militarylife in the past
After President Harry Truman integrated ourmilitary in 1948, the Army tried thecolor-blind approach. As my first company commander told us in basic training camp in the Vietnam Warera, “The army doesn’tsee you as any color butarmygreen.”
However,asmygeneration dealt with adeeply unpopular war overseas and riots in thestreets back home,
Gen.Walter T. Kerwin, the army’s deputychief of staff for personnel, made this observation in 1970: “In the past year,racial discord has surfaced as oneofthe most serious problems facingArmy leadership.”
Concerted efforts weremade to ease racial tensionsand diversify thenumbers ofavailable jobsand people to fill them
Yet, today,young Pete Hegseth blamesdiversity hiring for thefact that evil-doers around theworld don’t take the U.S.military seriously.Hehas repeatedly lambasted the notion that “diversity is our strength,” calling it the “dumbestphrase in militaryhistory.”
He also has overseen the erasure of Defense Department histories of nonwhite service members, although his office at least partly disputes that complaint, andhehas 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
Amongthose purged or forced to retire have been achairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of naval operations and the head of the Defense HealthAgency
This has raised alarms on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. Someofmycolleagues who cover the Pentagon report an environment of fear where militaryleaders are hesitant to question internal policies for fear of being sidelined, as sometimes happened in theVietnam era.
Decorated retired four-star Gen. Stanley McChrystal memorably weighed in last year on CBS’ “Face the Nation” to downplay Hegseth’salarm over DEI as a“distraction” that’s“not helpful.”
Andlet’sbehonest, right now the Trumpadministration needs all the help it can get to unwind itsrecent militaryand 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 awar with Iran without considering its ability to shut down theStrait of Hormuz, puttingthe world economy in peril. Trump, Hegseth and Co. made those decisions all by themselves, without the help of woke militaryofficers.
Someare calling Trump’swar with Iran America’sbiggest strategic setback since theVietnam 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 longasmostofushave been alive, the United States has possessed themost powerful militarythe world has ever seen. Butthe Pax Americana, such as it ever was,was always undergirded by America’sresolve to uphold not only itsown interests but also the ideals of freedom, equality and justice. We may not always live up to these ideals, but Ifear we will be lost if we ever abandon them.
Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com
Thelast two decades havebeen a continuous adventure in redefiningthe phrase “White supremacy” toinclude less and less pertinent things.
The latest is thatthe Supreme Court has allegedly joined forces with President Donald Trump to “advance an authoritarian, White-supremacistagenda” —in the words of Illinois Democratic Rep. Delia Ramirez —bysaying he can end so-called Temporary Protected Status for immigrants. Aheadline in the left-wing magazine The Nation read,“TheSupreme Court Once Again Endorses Trump’sRacism.”
This would seem like common sense. YetTPS has long been aone-way ratchet —always extended but never revoked. This hasmade amockery of theword “temporary.”
The court decision is facially correct in that the law says that TPSdesignations or revocations by theexecutive branch aren’treviewable bythe courts. Case closed.
The objections to the decision are policy-based. Trump critics andopenborders advocates don’tlike that Trump is now going to be allowed to end TPS —aprogram for temporary relief from repatriation —for Haitians, Salvadorans and others. But this isn’tacriticism of the court, whichis obliged to make rulings on the basisof the law,not policy preferences.
There’snothing about the decision that forces Trump to end variousTPS designations; rather,itsimply allows him to do so. This is another way in which the court’sruling isobviously correct —ifthe executive branch can extend TPS as amatter of discretion, surely it can end it as amatterofdiscretion as well.
The TPS designation for Somalis has been in effect since 1991, or for 35 years. Roughly 130 million Americansare younger than 35, meaning that what is supposedly atemporary statushas existed for the entire lives of nearly 40% of thecountry
Thetemporary statushas beenextended acouple of dozen times. It hasreached acrossseven U.S. presidencies—ifyou count Trump twice —and has been in place during one-seventh of the existence of the American republic. Granted, Somalia is still misgoverned,but the civil war that was the original justification for the TPS designation is nowless intense than it was at theoutset. Then there are Nicaragua, Honduras andElSalvador,which have each been designated for thelast quarter-century or so. El Salvadororiginally got thedesignation in 2001 after two earthquakes. More than 20 years later,the Biden administration fashioned reasons for extensionsthat had nothing to do with these disasters. These included “significant storms andheavyrainfall in 2023 and 2024,” as well as “dangerously long periods of drought.” In other words, sometimes it rained and sometimes it didn’t, andthatjustified TPS never going
away Yes, theBiden administration admitted,progress had been made repairing earthquake damage, yet “subsequent environmental disasters,infrastructure challenges, continued climate risks, aweak macroeconomic environmentand food insecurity” meantthat Salvadorans couldn’treturn to their native country In other words, theoverall condition of El Salvador was the problem, not a specific event Partofthe justification of TPS is that acountry is temporarily incapable of absorbing its returning citizens. But as George Fishman of the Center for Immigration Studies notes, more than 3million tourists visited El Salvador in 2024. If the country can accommodate millionsofforeign visitors, why is it incapable of accepting its own returning citizens?
Obviously,TPS has becomeanenormousloophole in immigration law.The intent of Congress was never to create an endlessly renewable de facto amnesty. The statute says thesecretary of homeland security “may” extend a designation in response to aspecific event, but “shall” end the designation once that condition no longer applies. This suggests that adesignation is discretionary,but revocation is mandatory That’snot how it’sturned out. The SupremeCourt has done its part by correctly interpreting thelaw,and now Congress should do itsjob by ending this much-abused program. Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry
NEW YORK Seven times aweek, audiences fill the 1,600-seat Winter Garden, one of Broadway’s largest venues, to see Nathan Lane, 70, an ornamentofcontemporary theater,spend almost three hours strenuously portraying the last day of alost man:Willy Loman, asalesman. “Death of aSalesman” 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’sart survived his politics. Apastiche of banal leftist cultural criticisms, they were and are irrelevant to the play’sshattering depiction of something timeless, not context-dependent: the pathos of adespairing individual whose dreamsexceed his capacities. Loman is an aging and failing salesman riding on asmile and ashoeshine whose delusions of just-around-the-corner success are dying. The play is aharrowing depiction of his, and his similarly delusional sons, colliding with reality Theater critic John Lahr,inhis 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 assessmentinsinuates that Loman’stormented, eventually delusional, finally suicidal psyche mirrors America’s. Lahr understands Miller’smentality when writing “Death of aSalesman.” Fortunately Miller’spolitics remain irrelevant to what moves audiences 77 years after the play’sBroadway debut.
The political left, always and everywhere, deplores individualism,which supposedly produces alonely,chilly society needing the warmth of collectivism. Lahr says Loman exemplifies “American individualism,inwhich 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 wartimesolidarity,lamented that Americans’ concentration turned from “society to the self.” He later wrote that his play “opened in peacetimewhen we wereonce again free to destroy each other.” Peace, not war, is hell.
The postwar American lefthas often defined itself by its aesthetic recoil from middle-class American enjoyments (cars with too much chrome, and other “self-aggrandizements”). The leftthinks the pursuit of individual happiness takes too high atoll on social solidarity,anidea discordant with this 250th anniversary Miller’spolitics would have been the death of his play wereLoman presented as Miller thought of him —asasocial symptom.That play would today be as dated and boring as a77-year-old political tract. Loman, like Lear,remains riveting because he is not amere reflection of aparticular social context. He is something moreuniversal: a casualty not of this or that society,but of perennial human foibles.
“The massofmen lead lives of quiet desperation,” wrote Henry David Thoreau in “Walden” in 1854, before American capitalism burgeoned, and acentury before post-1945 America disgusted Miller.And Thoreau was mistaken. Most people meet life’sdifficulties by coping, then moveon.
Loman’sunquiet, raving, finally fatal desperation is not “tragic,” as tragedy is often understood: agreat flaw dooming agreat 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 adimeadozen,” Loman cries, trying to convince himself.His wife,watching him stumble toward suicide, exclaims:
“I don’tsay he’sagreat man. Willy Lomannever made alot of money.His name was never in the paper.He’snot the finest character thatever lived. But he’sahuman being, and aterrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid.” If there are moreremembered words in an American play than those last four,they are a similar cri de coeur from Tennessee Williams’s 1947 “A Streetcar NamedDesire.” 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 winapproval by conformity to social norms. After arecent performance, Nathan Lane noted the pursuit of “likes” by people posting on social media. Many are salesmen selling themselves, begging forattention to be paid.
Email George Will at georgewill@washpost. com.
Clarence Page
Rich Lowry
George Will
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth speaks in the Oval Office of the White House.
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Kick back, enjoy
Soccer fans flocking to
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
At
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
Pelican to Mars for World Cup gatherings
BY JOSH DUBOW AP sportswriter
SAN JOSE, Calif. The U.S team spent Monday like millions of other interested followers of the World Cup, watching thrilling games from other venues that included a major upset with Germany falling to Paraguay, three games that went down to the wire and two nervy shootouts. Then the reality quickly set in that the Americans soon would be back in the spotlight themselves, 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.
BY ANDREW DAMPF AP sportswriter
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
for Williams, though, and the 87th-
These transfers can boost LSU offense
BY JON BLAU Staff writer
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
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
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.
ä See BAR, page 5C
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.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Soccer fans gather around the main TV at Pelican to Mars to watch the first World Cup game featuring South Africa and Mexico on June 11.
Legendary Southern baseball coach Cador dies at age 74
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.”
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 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
said. “Off the court, he helps you a lot. He’s been in the league a long time, so he’s someone I go and talk to about anything. Not just basketball. Life. Investments. Anything. He’s been in this thing a long time.” Jordan was named the Twyman-
Stokes Teammate of the Year by the NBA in April. He doesn’t take his role as a leader lightly
“I just always wanted to encourage my teammates,” Jordan said.
“We are an extension of each other The better they are, the better we are as a team. It’s still a com-
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
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.
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 was first-team All-NBA one year, an All-Star and NBA champion and turn that off and pour into other people,” Dumars said “I knew he was going to be great for the locker room and knew he was a really good guy with a great spirit. I didn’t know it was going to be to the level we ended up seeing. It was off the charts what he did.”
Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.
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
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.
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
New Orleans Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan stands on the court before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Smoothie King Center on Oct. 24. Jordan will return for a second season with the Pels.
No standouts in ayear of parity forPGA Tour
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
CROMWELL, Conn. The year is at thehalfway point.The PGATour season is not. Twomonths, and onlyone major areall that remain for thePGA 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’sjust that no one has stoodout this year
Rory McIlroy becameonly the fourth back-to-back Masters champion, and the firstsinceTiger Woods in 2002. It was an example of how much freedom he felt from finally having the green jacketand the career Grand Slam. But that’s his only win this year,and except for alate rally at Riviera,hereally hasn’tcome close.
The eight signature events were won by eight players,nodifferent from last year when seven players won the seven $20 million tournaments. But ayear ago, all seven winners were among the top 25 in the world when they won. This year that applied to onlythree winners—Collin Morikawa (19) at Pebble Beach,Matt Fitzpatrick (7)atHilton Head andCameron Young (4) at Doral.
It also is notunusual to start a seasonwith three different major champions— that’s beenthe case each of the past 11 years. But it’s thefirst time since 2010 that two of the three majorchampions were notamongthe top 30 when they won.
Aaron Rai was at No. 44 when he captured hisfirst 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 Koepkawas No. 44 when he won the 2023 PGAChampionship. He wasNo. 19 whenhe left for LIV,and his two wins came withnoranking points). There were two multiple winners of individual tournaments last year at thispoint—Scheffler and McIlroy.There arefourthisyear with Clark, Young, Fitzpatrickand Chris Gotterup. The last two months, highlighted by the final majoratthe British Openand three FedEx Cup playoff events, should go along way toward shaping the season. Scheffler and Xander Schauffele won
LSU
Continued from page1C
and Winston Watkins (twitchy slot receiver) to be candidates, plus preseason All-America tight end Trey’Dez Green.
But Harris is aname to watch, partly becausehis 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 gameinhis Fresno State basketball career
If Jackson Harris averages close to 20 yards per catch at LSU, the Tigers will be happy
the British Open eachofthe past twoyears, and it was their second major ofthe season. Evenina gamethat moves slowly,outlooks canchangequickly
Scheffler looksabout thesame Scheffler began his year with a four-shot victory in The American Express. Thirteen tournaments later, he still onlyhas onevictory He still leadsthe PGA Tour in overallstrokes gainedand teeto-green,though hisnumbers are down from ayear ago. Scheffler hasnine finishesinthe top 5inhis 14 starts. Hisplayoffloss to Viktor Hovland at TheTravelers Championship was his fourthrunner-up of theyear
Take only the moneyfrom those four runner-up finishes —$8.9 million —and that would rank him at No. 4onthe PGA Tour money list. He hasn’tbeen as sharp at times. He had abad habit of giving the field too much of ahead start. But he doesn’t appear to be going anywhere
Fitzpatrickseizesthe opportunity Fitzpatrickleadsthe PGATour in victories this season with three becauseone of them wasZurich Classic of New Orleans, where he teamed with younger brother Alex to win.Thatgave Alex Fitzpatrick a two-year exemption, seen at the time as one of the great gifts ever from big brother. Insteadofflying to Turkey for the next European tour event, Alex Fitzpatrick headed to Doral for asignature event. Andhegot in the next one, and the
RB Dilin Jones
When in need of arunning back, it’snever bad to look north.
The Wisconsin Badgers have a lineage of great runners, including Ron Dayne,Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon and Jonathan Taylor Jones, atop-150 recruit nationally in the 2024 class, hadthe talenttobethe Badgers’ next premier running back.Heemerged as their lead back last season before aturf toe injury knocked him out midseason; hehad also battled through a leg injury coming out of preseason camp.
His stats at Wisconsin (just 92 carries, 388 yards, 2TDs) made him anunder-the-radar transfer, but now,fully healthy,Jones has impressedKiffinindrillswith his
one after that. He went from that supposed “gift card”toregistering four top 10s in the signature events against thestrongest fields.
His world ranking hasgonefrom No. 140 to No. 62. More importantly,heisatNo. 17 in theFedEx Cup anda lock for all the bigstuff next year— andall the majors if he reaches the Tour Championship Clarkasthe front-runner
Clark is dangerous when he gets on aheater,and he’sona heater
He wonhis first U.S. Open in 2023 alittle over amonth after dustingthe fieldatQuailHollow. He shot 60 to win at Pebble Beach in 2024, then was runner-uptwo straight weeks to Scheffler at Bay Hill and The Players Championship the following month
Clark had another closing 60 to win at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, followed that with contending late Sunday afternoon in the Memorial and early Sunday afternoon in the Canadian Open, and then he stood downahostile gallery at Shinnecock to winthe U.S. Open
Andthenrunning on fumes, he got within two shots of the lead late Sunday at theTravelersand tied forfifth. How longwill it last? Twomore monthsand it might be enough to endScheffler’sfour-year run as PGA Tour player of theyear
Butthat depends on Scheffler
He is the defending champion at theBritish Open, and avictory by himorahalf-dozen others could be what it takes to bring some clarity to the season.
quickfeet andbodycontrol.
The latter isn’tsurprising, considering the 5-11, 211-pound redshirt sophomore was both afootball andwrestling star at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Maryland. Quarterbacks Matt Corral, Jaxson Dart and Trinidad Chambliss starred in Kiffin’ssystem but not without backfield mates whoestablished the run. Kewan Lacy just produced 1,567 yards and an SECbest 24 scores on themostcarries, 306, of anyrusherinthe nation last season.
An emphasis on running the ball certainly helpedinretaininga pair of talented backs, CadenDurham andHarlem Berry,but it also attracted Jones to LSU. There’s only onefootball, andthe Wisconsin transfer could have his arms
BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer
Kawhi Leonard is headed back to the Toronto Raptors, after they struck adeal with the Los AngelesClippers to reunite with the playerwho ledtheir runtothe 2019 NBA championship, aperson withknowledge of the talks said Tuesday The Raptors are sending former Pelicans player Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks anda 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.
Leonardspent one seasonin Toronto, and that wasthe year the Raptors won their lone title. He turned 35 on Monday but is coming offthe highest-scoring season of his career,averaging 27.9 points forthe Clippers in 65 games.
Leonardisa seven-time AllStar,seven-time All-NBA selection, atwo-timeNBA champion (also having won in 2014 with San
Antonio) and is generally considered one of the game’stop defensive players.
The trade is the latest in what’s becoming alonglineofhuge 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’tworried about the ongoing probe into an endorsement deal that Leonard had with aCalifornia-based sustainability services company TheNBA opened itsinvestigationback in Septemberinto whether a$28 million endorsement contract between Leonard andAspirationFundAdviser, LLC —acompany 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 Clipperstocircumvent league salary cap rules.
around it plenty
OL AliouBah
The strength of the running back room doesn’tmatter if there aren’t blockers capable of paving rushing lanes —and if the Tigers offense was woeful at anything last season,itwas establishing the line of scrimmage. Seaton and returning center Braelin Moore are top-tier talents on arefurbished line. ButLSU needed to findthree more, and Bah shouldbeexperienced enough to whittle the search down to two. Bah, recruited to Georgia by current Clemson O-line coach Matt Luke,spent twoyears on the Bulldogs’ bench before he jumped to Maryland andstarted24games at right guard.
The 6-5, 327-pound native of Memphis, Tennessee, was incredibly proficient as aredshirt junior, whistled for one penalty all season and allowing no sacks for aTerrapins line that surrendered aBig Ten-low nine sacks.
If thefifth-year seniorproves just as reliable in 2026,LSU will havea much easier time forming afront five, keeping the focus on whether Weston Davis rounds into shape at right tackle or if ayounger OleMiss transfer, Devin Harper anda longtime LSUreserve,Bo Bordelon, can fill those last two spots.
LSU needstosee improvement upfront, andBah couldbeapiece that prevents LSUfansfrom crying “Bah humbug” at the sight of the offense in 2026.
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 Mondayin Cromwell, Conn.
Fitzpatrick
Clark
Mbappé,Franceshutout Sweden
By The Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD,N.J.— Kylian
Mbappé and France are sizzling
—and not just because of MetLife Stadium’sbroiling conditions.
Mbappé had his third two-goal game of this World Cup and set acareer scoring recordfor the tournament’sknockoutrounds, leading Les Bleus over Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday to set up aroundof16 match against Paraguay
“I personally haven’tseen abetter team,”Sweden coach Graham Potter said.
France’s27-year-old star scored the go-ahead goal with abrilliant 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.Hehas 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, one behind theArgentine’scareer scoringrecordof 19 in 29 matches.
In between, BradleyBarcola had a53rd-minute goal for France, which became the first nation to score three or more goalsinfive consecutive World Cup matches.
“I’m very aware of whoIam, how Iplay,what Ishalldo, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappé said throughatranslator.“Theentire team is aware of what should be done. It is anew competition that has started today.Wedid play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning.”
Mbappé’s10 knockout round goals are two more than theprevious high by Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo.
France coach Didier Deschamps bowed when Mbappé came to the bench after he was substitutedin the 85th minute.
“We’re on amission —soam Iwith them,” Deschamps said through atranslator France has outscored opponents
Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring France’sthird goal during aWorld Cupmatch against Sweden on TuesdayinEast Rutherford,N.J
13-2. Michael Olisehas five assists, the most in aWorld Cup since Germany’sThomas Hasslerhad five in 1994.
“They are skilled at knowing when to change the pace and increase it, when to possess theball, wenttofall back,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said through a translator Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays ParaguayonSaturday in Philadelphia.The winner advances to aquarterfinal against Canada or
Kane trains during apractice sessiononTuesdayin Kansas City,Mo.
Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
NORWAY2,IVORY COAST 1: In Arlington, Texas, Erling Haalandscored the deciding goal in the86th minute and Norway won aknockout game at theWorld Cup for the first time.
Three defenders converged on Patrick Berg as he moved into the penalty area withthe ball. He kicked it over to awide-open Haaland, who scored his fifth goal in three gamesatthis year’stournament. AntonioNusascored in thefirst half withacurling kick for Norway,which is in its fourth World
Cup andwill next playfive-time champion Brazil in the round of 16 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NewJersey The match comes 28 years after what many considered the greatest win ever for the Norwegians against Brazil. Norwayisplaying in itsfirst World Cup since that 1998 appearance, when the team got to the knockoutround only after scoring goalsinthe 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 hadkeptNorway fromtaking atwo-goal lead
2p.m. Portugal vs.Croatia, 6p.m. Switzerland vs.Algeria,10p.m. Friday Australia vs.Egypt, 1p.m. Argentina vs.Cape Verde, 5p.m. Colombia vs.Ghana, 8:30 p.m. ROUND OF 16
Saturday Canada vs.Morocco,noon Paraguayvs. France, 4p.m. Sunday Brazil vs.Norway,3p.m. TBD,7p.m.
earlierinthe second half, evened the match for Ivory Coast with a left-footed kick in the 74th minute After Haaland’sgoal, his Norway-record 60thin53matches, Ivory Coast kept pressing and had achance to equalizewitha direct free kick by Diallo in the sixth minute of stoppage time. OrjanNyland madealeaping 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 thePremier League last season with 27 goals forManchesterCity, hasscoredin13straight competitive internationalgames —atotal 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 Cupappearance for the West African nation, the sameasNorway
Anotherflop at WorldCup hasGermany,fansfrustrated
BY CIARÁNFAHEY
Associated Press
AnotherWorld Cup, another early exit.
Germanyshould be getting usedtodisappointment, but it doesn’t make it anyless painful for atraditionalsoccer heavyweight that hadbeen tentatively hoping for afifth WorldCup title to restore lostpride.
Germany did manage to survive thegroupstagefor the first time since winningthe trophy in 2014, but it’slittleconsolation after Monday’sloss to unheralded Paraguay on penalties sentthe team home after the first knockout game.
BY STEVE REED Associated Press
While America has its eyes on the U.S. vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina match on Wednesday,thereare two other matches with plentyof intrigue.
Abanged-up
England team will face Congo and its top scorer,Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa, in Atlanta. Belgium looks to return to its 2018 glory when it faces Senegal in the other elimination game on Wednesday England’sinjuriesmount
Injuries are mounting for England, which is missing its first-and second-choiceright backs for the round of 32 game againstCongo.
Reece James is out with ahamstring injury,and backup Jarrell Quansah twisted his ankle in a2-0 win over Panama on Saturday
It could see Djed Spence move over from the left, but coach Thomas Tuchel is confidentJames and Quansah will soon return —so long as England can advance.
“They’re getting closer andcloser,” Tuchel said.
Congo is playing in the knockout round of the World Cup for the first time. It held Portugal to a1-1 draw in the group stage and beat
Uzbekistan to advance.
“Itistrueweare looking at a difficult match, but in no way insurmountable,” Congo coach Sébastien Desabre said. “Wehave proventhisagainst teams that were supposedtobesuperiorto us, thatwecould actually put in a good performance.”
BukayoSaka, who came into the tournament injured, is fit to start, Tuchel said
Hungry Belgium
By advancing to theknockout round atop Group G, Belgium has already improved uponits woeful performance from four years ago.
Aftera historic third-place finish at the2018 World Cup in Russia, Belgium did not advance past the group stage in Qatar.Withits 5-1 victoryoverNew Zealand on Friday,Belgium has already achieved what coachRudiGarciaexpected at the bare minimum.
Garcia also expressed satisfaction,aswell as desire formore.
Belgium won one game and played to two draws in group play
“Wewanted to finish first in the group stageand we succeeded,” Garciasaid in French. “Of course we wanted to win more —weknow the story of ourWorld Cupsofar Nowitistime for theknockout phase. Senegal is abig team.But, youhave to beat them, too, if you wanttogofar in aWorld Cup.”
“Wemessed it up,”Joshua Kimmichtoldreporters after thematch in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was afamiliarfeeling for theGermany captain, who also struggledfor explanations after theteam’sgroup-stageexitatthe 2022 WorldCup in Qatar
“As achild,whenyou watched thenational team during tournaments,itwas always semifinals, finals or world champions.There was alwayslots of success. You grew up with that, cheering them on,” the31-year-old Kimmich said Monday,when he apologized forthe team failing to meet expectations.
“All of us whowere on thepitch should feel that, ratherthan looking to blame someone else. We blew it,” Kimmich said in comments reported by German press outlet dpa.
Coachunder fire Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is in the firing line after some contentiouscalls —particularlyafter recalling veteran goalkeeper ManuelNeuer from international retirement just beforethe tournamentafter months of denials
The 40-year-old Neuer failed to justify his inclusionatthe expenseofHoffenheim’sOliver Baumann, andwas arguably at fault for Ecuador’swinning goal
in thelastgroup 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’tpay off as the Kurdish Yazidi player was unable to addtohis three goals and two assists from his first two games as asubstitute.
Falsehope
Nagelsmann had raised expectations by saying Germany was aiming to win the title.Ultimately,his team failed to show any justificationfor suchhopes.
Germany playedfourgames at the WorldCup,winning two againstdebutant Curaçaoand IvoryCoast, before the losses to Ecuadorand Paraguay While Paraguay’swin wasjoyouslycelebratedonthe streets of its capital, Asunción, it was consideredamajor shock —few German fans knew anyofthe Paraguayan players before the match, andtheywerealready looking forward to alikely round of 16 meeting with France, which defeated SwedenonTuesday.
“You have to beat such ateam,” Neuer said of Paraguay. “That’s afactwhen you want to mea-
sure yourself against teamslike France.”
Nagelsmann has vowedtostay on as coach, though he was also criticized for his prickly responses to questions afterthe game
“I’m still convinced that he’s probably the right onetocontinue,” Germany team director Rudi Völlersaid. “It’snot only up to me.”
Serioustalks ahead
Bernd Neuendorf, the president of theGerman soccer federation,saidTuesday he already met “at length” with Nagelsmann, Völler and sporting director Andreas Rettig, and they agreed “our performance at the World Cupfellshortofour standards.
“Inthe coming days, we will calmly look at the reasons why the team was unable to realize its potentialand failed to meetboth its ownexpectations and those of the German football community,” Neuendorf said. “After such acrushing blow,wecannot anddonot wish to simply return to business as usual.” Nagelsmann has acontract running through the European Championship in 2028.
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.”
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
U.S. SOCCER
Continued from page 1C
“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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
“You just want to extend it as long as you can, because some of the best memories I have in my life was last World Cup in Qatar,” Pulisic said. “Now being here, it’s just special to be here. You just don’t want it to end. So there’s definitely a lot of enthusiasm within the team.”
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
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
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.
p.m.
(McGreevy 3-6) at
(López 3-1), 6:15 p.m.
(Abbott 5-4) at Milwaukee (Drohan 3-2), 7:10 p.m.
(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 (McDonald2-6) at Arizona (Gallen 3-7), 8:40 p.m. Pro tennis
Wimbledon Results
Tuesday At All England Lawn Tennisand 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. YannickHanfmann,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). PatrickKypson, 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 KarenKhachanov(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. LorenzoSonego, 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 CaterinaGrant, Italy, def. Katie Boulter Britain, 6-4, 6-2 Maria Sakkari, Greece, def. ClaraTauson (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 SofiaKenin, United States,def. PetraMarcinko, 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. BeatrizHaddad Maia, Brazil, 6-3, 6-2
IgaSwiatek (3), Poland, def. Taylor Townsend, United States, 6-1,2-6, 6-3
Eastern Conference WL PctGB Atlanta 12 7.632 New York 12 8.600
—Recalled RHP Gavin Collyer from Round Rock (PCL). DesignatedRHP Chris Paddack for assignment. National League ATLANTABRAVES—SentLHP DannyYoung on arehab assignment to Gwinnett (IL) Sent RHP AJ Smith-Shawver on arehabassignment to Augusta (CRL). Agreed to terms with OF Matt Scannell on aminor league contract. CHICAGOCUBS—SentRHP Vince Velasquez outright to Iowa (IL) LOSANGELES DODGERS —Designated RHP Jonathan Hernándezfor assignment. Recalled RHP Wyatt Mills from Oklahoma City (PCL) MIAMI MARLINS —ReinstatedCLiamHicks from the 10-dayIL. Placed RHP Anthony Bender on the 15-dayIL. Recalled RHP Zach Brzykcy from Jacksonville (IL).Optioned 3B Graham Pauley to Jacksonville. NBA ATLANTAHAWKS —AcquiredGDevin Carter from Sacramento in exchange for draft consideration PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS— Re-signed C RobertWilliams III to aveteran extension.
BY JOE MACALUSO
Contributing writer
Forthe second timethis year,Department of Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Tyler Bosworth hasadded one fish to the allowed daily catch of red snapper for private recreational anglersfor the Fourth of July weekend. Beginning Thursdayand running through Sunday, the daily catch will be five red snapper measuring aminimum of 16 inches. The usual daily creel limit is four Bosworth approved asimilar 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 seasontotakeeffect 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.
Theclosure allows these shrimptogrow to amarketable size foraninshore season that generally opens in August. Wildlife and Fisheries managersalso announced that floodwatershad receded to apoint where roads on the Grassy Lake (Avoyelles Parish) and Pearl River (St. Tammany Parish) wildlife managementareas couldopenin time for the holidayweekend. The reopening of the Pearl RiverWMA also includes the Honey Island Shooting Range.
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
Final toast
“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
Schlitz Beer is gone, but some of its last breaths in Louisiana were inside Baton Rouge bar
BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer
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-
edy, Walter said), went down memory lane and cheered one last time to the 177-year-old brew
The history It was “the beer that made Milwaukee famous” — according to the Schlitz slogan, and Walter
quoted the Schlitz-referenced Jerry Lee Lewis 1968 country hit “What’s made Milwaukee famous has made a fool out of me.”
But long before country hits were written about Schlitz, it was
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.
Remi DeMatteo pours a glass of Schlitz beer from the last case that was bought at Pelican to Mars.
STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT
Bally’s Baton Rouge is a two-lane bowling alley that customers can rent by the hour
‘Hey,you!Quityelling outyourwindow!’
Dear Miss Manners: Will you please write something aboutpeople not talking from their windows, especiallyfrom asecond-floor window to someone below at the door?
Gentle reader: While she agrees that it is impolite to yell at all hours and disturb the neighbors,Miss Manners cannot agreeto the more absolute ban you seek. It would do awaywith asizable portion of the opera and musical theater repertoire.
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
Dear Miss Manners: Ihave anice friend who goes out of his way to do kind things for me. I’m an in-
dependent woman, but I’m also a new real estate agent who doesn’t make much money yet, so Iappreciate it when he picks up the bill! He has previously expressedromanticinterest in me, which Ithought I hadquashed.But three times in thepast four days, he haspaidfor outings and/or meals for me. In one case, out of agroup of six people, Ilearned that my meal alone was on him (which he sayswas an accident). Thenext night, at another group dinner with friends, he pulled the
waiter aside to pay for my meal and no one else’s. After thethird event where he tried to pay,Iput my foot down. We are not in aromantic relationship and Iwant to keep it that way.After dinner,Isaid, “Thanks! Isent you $50 electronically.” He then lost it and told me to leave. Iasked why he keeps insisting on paying for me, andhe said I’mthe only one who has a problem withit. Iknow there are much bigger problemsinthe world right now, but Iwas raised to say“thanks” and contribute where Ican. I’ve tried using humor —joking that
he’smydad, 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. Iwant to continue to be friends with this person, but don’tneed him paying my bill every time. Can you think of another wayto send this message?
Gentlereader: While falling short of making you feel like his wife, your friend’sactions declare him to be your date. But as that was without your consent, and far from your intention, Miss Manners is afraidthat you have to insist that his paying foryour meals
Walter pours aglassofSchlitz beer for Remi DeMatteo from the last case that wasbought at Pelican to Marsfromthe
wasdiscontinued. ‘It’sa little sadtosee it go,’ said Walter.‘It’sgoingtohaveits nameonalot of memories.’
SCHLITZ
Continued from page1D
founded in 1849 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by August Krug. One day,Krug fell through ahole in the factory,Paddock said, and the bookkeeper, namedJoseph A. Schlitz, took over operations.
Paddock said Schlitz was an innovator.During atime when Americans drank local brews, Schlitz distributed thebrew 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 ledtothis huge base of operations outof Chicago that kind of floated him to the top.”
By the early 1900s, it was the largest brewer in theUnited States and wasalsothe first to create the 16-ounce tall-boy can. Schlitz later died in ashipwreck. Accidents seemed to follow the owners of the
brewery,Paddock said.
Thebrand decided to alter the recipe to cut costs aroundthe 1970s.
“They were this huge brand, but they were still battling Budweiser,” Paddock said. “They decided to cut costs andcompeteon 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 anational scaleafter that.
“They weren’tfooling anyone, because the original recipe, whichgot restored eventually,was pretty darn good,” Waltersaid. “It’sa maltybeer. It hasa biscuitymouth. It’s almost ironic Pabst BlueRibbon canceled theminstead of the other way around.”
Endofanera
What someone was doing when drinking Schlitzis almostasimportant as the beer itself, DeMatteo said.
The group in Baton Rouge reminisced on memoriesof growing up drinking thebeer inside New Orleans’ Snake andJake’s, where $2 cans of Schlitzwere king. Paddock remembers pairing the brew’scaramel notes with the caramelization of backyard barbecues in the’70s
“There’sonly oneother beerthat generatessome of these feelings, and that’s CoorsBanquet,” Walter said.
“Thatwas what my parents wouldstock if we were tubing down the Tangipahoa River growing up.”
Though Coors Banquet is similar,it’sstill notSchlitz Walter said.
“Schlitz served as an emblem for manyAmerican experiences,” Walter said. “It’salittle sadtosee it go. It’sgoingtohaveits name on alot of memories.”
Areyou hanging on to some of the last Schlitzin Louisiana? EmailMaddie Scott at madison.scott@ theadvocate.com.
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.
Youmight add that you would regret that outcome, if you want to soften the blow
Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite,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.
PINS
Continued from page1D
Pizzas and calzones come in numerous flavors: cheeseburger,veggie, margheritaorsupreme pizzas, to nameafew.Rider’sfavorite dish on the on the menuisone of the ovenbaked pastas, Penne Diavolo.
“It’slike aspicy vodka sauce, andyou caneither get it with shrimporchicken,” he said. Each visit, Rider starts
his meals with the CajunBBQ shrimp,adish with jumbo Gulf shrimp, Worcestershire, barbecue butter sauce, rice and crusty bread. He also makessuretoorder a round of oysters.
“On the Shucks side of the menu, Ilove the chargrilled oysters,” Rider said.“Anyflavorofthe chargrilled oysters Iwill always get.”
Pelican Pins is located inside Bally’sBaton Rouge, 103 France St., Baton Rouge.
STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT
Inside Bally’sBaton Rougeisatwo-lane bowlingalley that customers canrent by the hour
STAFF PHOTOSByMICHAEL JOHNSON
Alan
distributor before Schlitz
By the early 1900s, Schlitzwas the largest brewerinthe United States.
Declutterbeforedownsizing
Dear Heloise: My husband and Ihave plans to move to our vacation home after we retire.
We’re going through this large house of ours and sorting through all of our belongings one room at atime. Our three daughters are helping because it’ll offer them a chance to take many things that have been handed down in our family.Ifthey don’twant the fine china, the good silverware, or the candlesticks that my grandmother brought over from Italy,then these items will be sold or given away Iwarned them that this is the last chance they haveto take valuable things home. If they don’t, there won’tbe asecond chance, and Idon’t want to hear about it later.
dren achance to takewhat they want with my blessing.
By The Associated Press
—Gloria D.,inBloomfield Hills, Michigan
Liquid gold
Dear Heloise: If you put ajar of honey on asunny windowsill to liquefy it, make sure to placethe container in ablack sock. It works much faster
—GregD., in Newton Falls, Ohio
Straycatsand dogs
Dear Heloise: People write to youbragging about how they takeinstray cats anddogs. What they’re really doingisstealingother people’spets. If they would leave them alone, thepets probablygohome to their owners. Some peoplemay be in great distress over losing apet whogot out.
Ihave astack of large boxes that they can load up and take home with them as we move through each room. If more than one of the girls wants an item, we can draw straws or flip a coin. Thisisgreat way to declutter and gives my chil-
Linda S.,via email Linda,a well-fed, clean animal mightbea stray who’slost and away from home.Thishappensall too often.But an animal whois begging for foodorisdirty and thin probably doesn’t have ahome. Thank heavens for those whotake in a
stray animal or at least take it to ashelter 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’tsuch athing as “an outdoor pet.” It’sjust a poor animal someonereally doesn’twant. After all, apet is afamily member,and we don’tkeep family members chained up outside. (No matter how much we might want to!) —Heloise Giving adog apill
Dear Heloise: One reader wrote in about using pill pocketswithpills inside for your dog. Another way that we do this successfully is to cut up small little squaresof cheese. It’seasytoembed apill in the cheese, and our dog loves it —Jack S.,via email Jack, Igive my dogs apill in peanut butter or take a piece of cooked meat,make an incision on the side, and slip thepill inside of the meat. —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.
California chicken club from Our Mom’s
BEST
Continued from page1D
Word of advice: Save room for the tres leche cake. Afriend and Ishared aslice, and it was heavenly —Judy Bergeron, features assistant editor
California chicken club
n Our Mom’s, 250 W. Lee Drive, Baton Rouge
Our family chose Our Mom’sfor dinner last weekend, which was a perfect place to watch the World Cup games. Although Our Mom’shas famous and unique burgers, Iwanted achicken sandwich. Iordered 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
Igot mine on sourdough. The sandwich was huge. Ihad to cut it in half, and even then, Ibroughtmost of it home. Thegrill of the chicken was spot on and, combined with the other dressings, delivered on abundantflavor.Asabonus, the sandwich was just as goodthe next day forlunch.
—Joy Holden, features writer Wedding cake sno-ball with cream n Meltdown Snoballs,1500 Johnston St., Lafayette Meltdown Snoballs, which hasfour locationsinthe Baton Rougearea, recently opened aLafayette location at 1500 Johnston St.The building it moved into, adjacenttoUL’scampus, has sat empty since Burger King closed that location and another in early 2024.
ZeinClayton, who opened the first location in 2021 when hewas 16 years old,
is the owner.Healso has locations in Brusly and New Roads.
BeforeImoved to Louisiana in 2010, Idid 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 afrozen treat. The restaurant was empty when Ivisited, but thestaff was efficiently managing abrisk drivethru line.
We self-ordered at the front counter from an extensive list of flavors, and moments later,Ihad my treat —asmall 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 tocool off abit on asummer workday,and Iwill definitely be back. —Kristin Askelson, managing editor
Today is Wednesday, July 1, the 182 day of 2026. There are 183 days left in theyear Today’shighlightinhistory: On July 1, 1867, Canada becameaself-governing dominion of Great Britain as the BritishNorth America Act took effect. Called Dominion Day until 1982, thenational holiday is now known as Canada Day
Also on this date: In 1863, thepivotal, three-day Civil WarBattle of Gettysburg, resulting in aUnion victory,began in Pennsylvania.
In 1903, thefirst Tour de France began. (It ended on July 19, won by Maurice Garin.)
In 1963, theU.S. Post Office inaugurated its fivedigit ZIP codes In 1973, theU.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was established.
In 1984, the first movie rated PG-13 (“Red Dawn,” starring Patrick Swayze) wasreleased.
In 1991, President George H.W.Bush nominated federal appeals court judge Clarence Thomas to the SupremeCourt, beginning an ultimately successfulconfirmation process marked by allegations of sexual harassment.
In 1997, Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule after 156 years as aBritish colony
In 2004, actor Marlon Brando died in Los Angeles at age 80.
In 2015, after morethan ahalf-century of hostility, the United States and Cuba declared their intent to reopen embassies in each other’scapitals, leading to ahistoric full restoration of diplomatic relations between the Cold Warfoes.
In 2019, 15-year-old Coco Gauff, the youngest player
to qualifyatWimbledon in the professional era, defeated 39-year-old Venus Williamsinthe first round. Today’sbirthdays: 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.
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
STAFF PHOTO By JOyHOLDEN
Hints from Heloise
cAncER (June 21-July 22) Shedanyconflict 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, switchyourmindtoautopilotandletyour 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.Questioneverything,andapply 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.
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
FAMILY CIrCUS
CeLebrItY CIpher
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS CurTiS
By PHILLIP ALDER
Jawaharlal Nehru,the first prime ministerofIndia, said, “A leader or aman of action in acrisis almostalways acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for hisaction.”
Some bridge experts are like that, playing almost by instinct. Othersgrind it out,calculating the correct actions Theless capable tend to react almost subconsciously, making the “natural” play withouttime for analysis.Itwould be agreat idea for almosteveryone to slow down.
In this deal,for example, look at the Northand East hands. Against four spades, West leads the club queen. How shouldEast plan the defense? West was aggressiveinraisingtotwo clubs, but he had asingleton and liked thefavorable vulnerability. North’s three-club advance was amodern cuebid raise.
It guaranteed at least three-card spade support and aminimum of game-invitational values. Southhad sufficient highcard power to jump to game.
Thedefenders need four tricks.East can anticipate two clubsand one spade, but whereisthe other winner?
That singleton diamondshouldbe smiling at East.But it is probablypointlessdiscouraging clubs at trick one. West would surelyshift to hisheart10. Instead,Eastshould takecontrol.He
Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters 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 wordsare not allowed toDAy’s WoRD soJouRnER: SOH-jurn-er: Atemporaryresident.
Average mark22words
Time limit 30 minutes
Can you find 27 or morewords in SOJOURNER?
yEstERDAy’s WoRD —MEDALs
wuzzles
loCKhorNs
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
hidato
mallard fillmore
habilitationand Painting Project to includeair monitoringfor an esti‐matedcostof$150K and
surveillance equipment and lighting removal/re‐installfor an estimated costof$70K.Ontop of thewater tower, thereis averylarge antenna that is used to operateour re‐peater forour Port radio system.The radiosystem is an agingsystemand is notinteroperable with outsideagencies. To re‐move theantenna and reinstallwithout any problems wouldcostap‐proximately$40K.An‐otheroption is to change to astate radiosystem with statewidecoverage. Thestate wouldmaintain thenetwork andit would have interoperability with firstresponder agencies,for an esti‐matedcostof$65K.Mr. Whiteand Port staffrec‐ommend thestate radio system with statewide coverage forthe esti‐matedcostof$65K,for a totalcostof$1,416,900.00 forthe WaterTower Re‐habilitation andPainting Project, as outlined in documentationpre‐sented to allBoard mem‐bers On amotionbyMr. BobbyWatts,seconded by Mr.TravisMedine, the Commission unani‐mously approved the contract with Viking Painting,LLC in the amount of $1,131,900.00 andother costsassoci‐ated with theWater TowerRehabilitationand Painting Projectfor air monitoring foranesti‐matedcostof$150K and surveillance equipment d li h i l
q p and lighting removal/re‐install foranestimated costof$70K.Alsoap‐provedwas Option Bto changethe antenna to a state radiosystemwith statewide coverage,for anestimated
