The Acadiana Advocate 07-02-2026

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T h u r s d ay, J u ly 2, 2026

Lawsuit over teacher stipend plan dropped Governor’s order cuts $168M from school funds

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AMERICA

La.’s unique history is part of everyday life French, Spanish influences remain visible today

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Gov. Jeff Landry poses on June 2 after signing an executive order that calls for taking money from public school budgets to fund teacher stipends.

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Education advocates have dropped their legal challenge to Gov. Jeff Landry’s order to pull money from public school budgets to pay for teacher stipends.

The order, which takes effect Wednesday, cuts $168 million from the state’s main education fund and uses the money to give $2,000 stipends to teachers and $1,000 to school support staff.

The advocates were scheduled to appear in court Wednesday to ask

a Baton Rouge judge to block the funding cut, which state lawmakers approved last week. However, on the eve of the hearing, the advocates decided to withdraw their lawsuit.

Katie Baudouin, an Orleans Parish School Board member and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said she and the two other advocates determined that they couldn’t stop the governor’s order before it went into effect.

“The cuts are going to be made,” she said. “Whether or not those cuts could be restored at a later date was unclear.”

Earlier this month, the advocates

obtained a temporary restraining order to stop the state from carrying out the governor’s plan. They argued that Landry overstepped his legal authority by effectively reallocating education funding and that the Legislature, which is not in session, should have reconvened to publicly debate the plan rather than voting on it remotely.

Lawmakers “chose to vote on one of the most important education funding issues in years through an online voting platform while calling

As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, Louisiana’s French and Spanish heritage offers residents another historical milestone to reflect upon.

In 1776, Louisiana was a Spanish colony governed by Bernardo de Gálvez.

Before Spain assumed con- ä France’s trol in 1762, the territory had consul general spent roughly 80 years un- in New Orleans der French rule after being celebrates ties named in honor of King Louis to Louisiana.

XIV. Although Louisiana was not COMMENTARy, 3B yet part of the United States during the American Revolution, Gálvez led Spanish forces that captured British strongholds along the Gulf Coast, helping the American cause while France fought Britain on the East Coast.

Louisiana remained under Spanish rule until 1800, when Spain returned the territory to France under Napoleon Bonaparte. Three years later, Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Louisiana became the nation’s 18th state in 1812.

“Of course, there is a great friendship and historical relations between France and Louisiana,” said Rodolphe Sambou, the consul general for France in New Orleans. “It is very special.”

Now, 250 years after America’s founding, the

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ä See LAWSUIT, page 4A

Venezuelans question quake rescue efforts

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — Angélica Mundrain wants the bodies of her son, niece and nephew to be pulled from the rubble of her flattened beachfront apartment. She has spent every minute of the past six days waiting for the heavy machinery needed to remove the slabs

of concrete and twisted metal that trapped them.

So have other Venezuelan earthquake survivors.

They, like others across the northern state of La Guaira, have the same question: Who is in charge? Venezuela’s self-described socialist government, which long prided itself on being protector and provider, has been neither

when it mattered most, many said.

The powerful back-to-back earthquakes on June 24 have brought to the forefront the inability of the party that has ruled the country for 27 years — now with acting President Delcy Rodríguez at the helm — to carry out basic governmental functions.

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STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Rodolphe Sambou, consul general of France in New Orleans, says there is ‘a great friendship and historical relations between France and Louisiana.

It is very special.’

Grand jury probe adds to N.O. state feud

say I’m not surprised,” she said at Simmering hostilities between AG, local leaders flare up would a news conference called in Baton Rouge

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

Attorney General Liz Murrill answers questions at a news conference on Wednesday.

WEATHER HIGH 88 LOW 75 PAGE 8A

Weeks after Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill threatened to remove seven New Orleans leaders from elected office, simmering hostilities between the Republican attorney general and Democratic local leaders are flaring to new heights.

Murrill now faces an Orleans Parish criminal grand jury probe, several sources told The Times-Picayune | The Advocate on Tuesday. The panel is said to be review-

ing whether Murrill broke laws in May involving intimidation of public officials, based on when she wrote to Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and other local officials and threatened to remove them from office if they did not walk back calls to elect a new court clerk.

On Wednesday, Louisiana’s top lawyer gave a measured response when asked about the possibility that she might face criminal charges.

“I can’t explain why they do things in New Orleans the way they do them, but I

to discuss the arrests of people accused of bilking Medicaid programs.

To some longtime courtroom watchers, news of the criminal grand jury investigation seemed to highlight just how far the debate between local and state officials has spiraled off the rails.

“This is an absurd continuation of the silliness between these grown-ups a few months ago,” said Dane. S. Ciolino, a law professor who specializes in ethics at

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

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

1 dead, 4 hurt after Greece firebomb attack

THESSALONIKI, Greece — One person died and three others were injured in three pre-dawn firebomb attacks that struck the homes of members of Greece’s governing conservative New Democracy party, authorities said Wednesday.

The attacks between 4 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. outside apartment buildings in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki used crude explosive devices made with camping gas canisters. All the injuries were sustained from the last of the three attacks, where cars and motorcycles were set ablaze, police said.

One of the cars reportedly was owned by a parliamentary candidate for the New Democracy party, Afroditi Nestora. Nestora suffered burns but her mother succumbed to her burn injuries in an intensive care unit. Two other residents in the apartment building were also hospitalized, police said.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who also heads New Democracy, traveled to Thessaloniki to visit the injured in hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Mitsotakis called the death confirmation of the “blind violence in public life.”

Attacks by shadowy Greek militant groups against symbols of power or the property of politicians, police or other authority figures are relatively frequent.

Most cause material damage but no injuries.

Actor Danny Glover has Alzheimer’s disease NEW YORK — Actor and activist Danny Glover, best known for starring as an easygoing police officer in the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, has revealed he has Alzheimer’s disease.

The four-time Emmy Award nominee, who turns 80 on July 22, told “Today” and People magazine that he was diagnosed with the progressive, memorydestroying disease three years ago.

“I’m still not accepting in my mind all parts of it,” he told People magazine. “There are the moments that you keep remembering that validate the fact that you can remember stuff. And there are moments I’ll never forget.”

More than 6 million people in the United States and millions more around the world have Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia.

Glover earned four Emmy Award nominations and an honorary Oscar in 2022. Other awards came from the NAACP and Black Entertainment Television, and he received nominations from the Screen Actors Guild.

Glover also served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program from 1998 to 2004. It focuses on poverty, disease and economic development in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Administration sues Calif., Va. over gun laws WASHINGTON — The Trump administration sued California and Virginia on Wednesday over new laws in both states that restrict the sale of semiautomatic firearms.

The two separate lawsuits filed by the Justice Department in federal court say the laws violate the Second Amendment.

“The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a news release announcing the lawsuit against Virginia.

Virginia’s Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, signed legislation earlier this year banning the sale and manufacture of certain semiautomatic firearms. The law, which took effect Wednesday, is facing at least four other lawsuits challenging its constitutionality.

The California law prohibits gun shops from selling certain handguns that can easily be made fully automatic.

Attorneys general in both states vowed to defend their gun laws.

The lawsuit is also challenging additional restrictions on handguns sold in California.

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AP reconstructs deadly strike

foreign journalists from enPentagon remains quiet on bomb that killed over 100 children most tering the country. Iran had shut

BY JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press

JERUSALEM — It was the deadliest reported strike in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, and most of the victims were children. Yet over four months since a U.S. missile struck an Iranian primary school, there is no final accounting of what happened.

The Trump administration has not directly accepted the blame, though the military possessed evidence almost immediately that the site had been struck, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation, speaking anonymously to discuss an ongoing investigation, told The Associated Press.

Drawing from interviews with U.S. officials, human rights workers and Iranians in direct contact with rescuers and families of victims, the AP reconstructed the strike and its aftermath to reveal new details of what happened. Most requested anonymity for fear of retribution against them and their sources.

Details remain elusive. When asked last week about the strike, President Donald Trump said he had seen nothing to make him believe the U.S. was responsible.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to the AP’s request for comment.

Teachers called parents Skies over the city of Minab

were clear the morning of Saturday, Feb. 28. Students jostled into the Shajareh Tayyebeh school, one of many across Iran established for children of families tied to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard or other state institutions, said Shiva Amelirad, the international representative for an Iranian teachers union who taught in Iran for 18 years and has been in contact with people in Minab.

Though most schools in Iran operate within guidelines proscribed by the Islamic Republic, the Shejareh Tayyebeh schools were more explicitly oriented toward reproducing and reinforcing the Guard’s worldview, she said, adding: “Regardless of the students’ family backgrounds, children are civilians and any attack targeting a school is unequivocally condemnable.”

The building lay within the same compound as a Guard base, according to an AP assessment of satellite imagery. It was a Guard building before it was fenced off and converted over a decade ago.

Some of its students were the children of Guard officers. Others were local kids from an area populated by people of a majoritySunni ethnic minority known as the Baluch, often repressed by the Iranian government, said a local rights group.

Hundreds of students were inside when bombs began falling on

down the internet. The Strait of Hormuz became a major battlefield. All branches of Iran’s military deployed heavily in the area, said the resident, heightening fears among families of the victims about speaking out.

With details of the death toll elusive, researchers homed in on the question of responsibility. Iran blamed the U.S. Trump blamed Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was investigating.

Internally, the U.S. military knew more than it initially let on.

After the blast, the U.S. military knew they had conducted strikes in the vicinity — though it took time to verify Iranian claims that a school was struck and begin an investigation, said the U.S. official. It appears that the building housing the school was identified as such by one analyst as early as seven years ago, but that discovery was not sufficiently made known across different intelligence and military staffs and agencies; the building was not known among target developers as a school, revealing potential systematic shortfalls in the target analysis and review process, they said.

Clues buried in archives Much of the investigative work Racing to document the ongo- has been completed and the miliing bombardment, journalists and tary is currently reviewing the rights groups struggled to verify findings.

Still, there is no full list of the details from Minab. Government restrictions in Iran prevented dead.

Tehran. School staff began calling parents, summoning them for an early pickup, said two people.

One father living nearby rushed to pick up his son, said the resident of Minab, who relayed several families’ stories. He noticed young relatives waiting for their parents, said the resident. They declined his offer of a ride home.

Ten minutes later, bombs hit at least five buildings in the compound, according to satellite imagery. At least one collapsed the neighboring school.

The father raced back to the chaos at the school, where men pawed through smoking rubble to dig out the bodies, according to video of the aftermath circulated by state media. He saw burned bodies he believed were his relatives.

Bodies arrived at the local hospital in pieces, said the Balochistan Human Rights Group. By the end of the day, doctors at the hospital estimated they had at least 108 bodies, but cautioned that it was likely an undercount, said the resident of Minab.

Soon, state media was reporting a toll of 168.

Authorities: Rescued youths were ‘almost feral’ 16 children recovered from dilapidated conditions

An open door revealed bits “serious physical harm.”

Gary Siders Jr., Gary Sid- of trash inside while a wooden ers Sr., Christina Siders and deck and the backyard were Elizabeth Siders appeared filled with discarded tires, a in court Wednesday where high chair and other debris.

Investigators said mema judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and bers of the family had moved set bond at $300,00 for each. around southern Ohio over They have not yet been as- the past two decades and that

BY JULIE CARR SMYTH it looks like they avoided setsigned lawyers. and JOHN SEEWER Steve Irwin, a spokesper- ting up medical and governAssociated Press son for the attorney gen- ment records.

“These folks were pretty HAMDEN, Ohio — Sixteen ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By JULIE CARR SMyTH eral’s office, would not say whether all of the children good at hiding these kids,” children from the same The dilapidated home where authorities say they are siblings or how they Wilson said. family who were rescued removed 16 children and arrested four adults remains Investigators were rewere related. from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living blocked off by crime scene tape on Wednesday in viewing whether the family Neighbor saw no kids in wretched conditions Hamden, Ohio. was reported to any chilwith human waste all The house where the chil- dren’s services agencies in around, confined to just Ohio Attorney General kept inside the home, but dren were found sits on a the past. one room over much of the Andy Wilson said Wednes- said authorities didn’t find road tucked away alongside a Neighbor Joseph Stewart, past four years, authori- day at a news conference. any cages in the house. steep railroad embankment, 60, said he saw “no kids at The children ranged in where tracks carry rumbling all” since the family moved Officials said it seemed ties said Wednesday.

Some of the children as if no one outside the age from 11/2 years to 18 trains through Hamden. in three houses down and that discovered Tuesday were family knew about the years old and included The closest neighbors are he could clearly see the house unable to speak and one — children, who weren’t en- both boys and girls, of- separated by trees and thick and yard when passing by.

“It’s a sad situation,” he an 18-year-old who was de- rolled in school. ficials said. Seven were brush, but the house is easily said.

“We didn’t know there transported to hospitals in visible from the road. velopmentally disabled — could not even write her were going to be 16 kids Columbus and two were name, investigators said. there,” said Wilson, who flown by helicopters. One GET IN TOUCH “Most of our livestock was nearly at a loss for was in critical condition was kept in better condi- words in describing what on Tuesday while some of Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 337-234-0800 tions than the children,” officials found in the tiny the others were admitted News Tips / Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM said Vinton County Sheriff village of Hamden that for care, Wilson said.

Obituaries: 225-388-0289 • Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-5; Closed Sun “They looked like almost Ryan Cain. “Just a disgust- sits in one of Ohio’s poorAdvertising Sales: 337-234-0174 • Mon-Fri 8-5 feral animals,” Wilson est counties. ing scene.”

Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111 • Mon-Fri 8-5 “It’s the type of thing that said. “It was terrible.”

The children’s parents Subscribe: theadvocate.com/subscribe The children were in and two grandparents we’re not used to seeing E-Edition: theadvocate.com/eedition were charged with felony here in America,” he said. temporary custody of the Archives: theadvocate.newsbank.com Ohio Department of Jobs child endangerment, a and Family Services. prosecutor said. Officials ‘Feral animals’ The Acadiana Advocate (USPS # 25-866) is published daily by Capital City Press, LLC at 203 W. Third St., Lafayette, LA 70501. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA ISSN 2643-7252 and additional mailing offices.

Vinton County prosecutemphasized the case inThe sheriff said it apPOSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Acadiana Advocate, Circulation Accounting, P.O. Box 588, Baton volved one family. pears the children spent ing attorney William ArRouge, LA 70821. Newspaper carriers are independent contractors and not employees of Capital City Press.

Authorities found the most of their time in a cher said the four adults All home delivery subscription sales are non-refundable. Should you discontinue your children while carrying room that was roughly 12 were charged with secondsubscription during term, the subscription will end with the expiration date on your out a search warrant in an feet by 12 feet. He didn’t degree felony child endansubscription, and there will not be a refund of a prorated amount. Subscribers who unrelated investigation, disclose how the kids were gering because it involves

West Nile virus season hits earliest, worst start since 2004 CdC urges people to prevent mosquito bites

BY DEVI SHASTRI

AP health writer

Health officials are encouraging people to use bug spray and mosquitocontrol efforts as West Nile virus season is off to its earliest and worst start in over two decades.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that it had confirmed at least 48 cases — 38 of them severe — as of June 30. Since 2004, the average number of cases reported to the CDC by the end of June is around 10. Federal health officials said 23 states have report-

ed finding West Nile virus, the most in 10 years.

“These findings serve as an important reminder that mosquito season is well underway,” said Dr. Erin Staples, a CDC expert on insect-borne diseases. “As families gather outdoors to celebrate Independence Day, we encourage everyone to enjoy their holiday while taking simple steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquito bites.”

Most of the cases have been in Arizona. Of the state’s 32 total cases, 29 are in Maricopa County.

The county, which includes Phoenix, has also recorded four deaths from the virus so far this year.

Officials there asked people to wear bug spray

containing DEET, patch up broken window screens and get rid of standing water, where mosquitoes often breed.

“Even an overturned bottle cap can hold enough water for mosquitoes to breed,” said Melissa Kretschmer, a county health department official. “It’s important that we remove these breeding sources that can form after rain or watering plants.”

The CDC also recommends people wear long, loose-fitting clothes when outside to make it harder for mosquitoes to bite them. Experts also suggest people avoid being outdoors around dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active.

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Rep. Firment announces candidacy for U.S. House Rural central La. Republican seeks seat Letlow vacating

ELECTION 2026

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

State Rep. Gabe Firment, a Republican from rural central Louisiana, announced Wednesday that he’ll run for the 5th Congressional District seat that U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow is vacating.

Firment, who lives in Pollock in Grant Parish, has built a solidly conservative voting record during his six years in the state House.

“Louisiana’s 5th District deserves a fighter who will stand firm and deliver results,” Firment said. “I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.”

Firment joins a race that already includes one state House colleague, Michael Echols, R-Monroe, and another Republican from Monroe, Misti Cordell, who was appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry to chair the state Board of Regents.

State Sen. Stewart Cathey, RMonroe, is expected to announce his candidacy in the coming days.

Echols and Cordell have been

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Representative Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, has announced his intention to run for the 5th Congressional district seat U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow is vacating to run for the U.S. Senate. running for the seat for months, giving them a head start in raising money and winning over key people in the district.

The three are now running in a district that was quickly redrawn by the state Legislature in May after the Supreme Court ruled

the state’s congressional map was unconstitutional. The new map turned the 6th Congressional District, represented by Cleo Fields, a Black Democrat from Baton Rouge, into a White-majority district.

The reshaped 5th Congressional

District includes all or parts of 24 parishes — stretching from Monroe south to Avoyelles and Rapides parishes and east to the Florida Parishes. It was designed to elect a Republican.

Candidates will qualify for the seat on Aug. 5-7. The open primary is on Nov. 3. If no candidate receives above 50%, the top two finishers will advance to a December runoff.

Letlow is giving up the seat to run for the U.S. Senate.

Firment, 55, received an undergraduate degree from Louisiana Christian University and an MBA from Louisiana Tech and is a deacon and Sunday school teacher at his church.

A leading conservative voice on insurance issues, Firment chairs the House Insurance Committee, an assignment he received from the speaker both because of his in-depth knowledge of the subject and his leadership abilities.

Firment spent most of his career as an insurance adjuster. He now works as a consultant helping home and business owners with

disputed insurance claims.

In 2023, in the final year of his first term, Firment sponsored a measure to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth that thrust him into the middle of perhaps the most controversial issue of that year’s legislative session.

Conservative activists hailed the legislation, while critics said it maligned a small, vulnerable population.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure, House Bill 648, then-Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed it, and legislators took the exceedingly rare step of overriding the governor to have it become law.

In 2025, the Legislature passed a bill by Firment that prohibits undocumented immigrants who are injured in car accidents from collecting general damages.

That same year, Firment showed his independent side by criticizing Landry’s effort to pass a bill that put him at odds with Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. In the face of opposition from Firment and other Republicans, Landry had to water down the bill to get it passed. Firment voted for the final version.

U.S., Iran hold separate meetings, agree to continue talks

Pakistani mediators, U.S. Mideast envoy Steve long considered an interna- effort by Oman and a U.N. The report did not mention United States.

Witkoff and Jared Kush- tional waterway. A fifth of agency to launch a new the two ships Iran attacked “Obviously, we’re worried host Qatar reporting ner, U.S. President Donald all oil and natural gas passed route near Oman’s shore in recent days for daring to about the nuclear issue,” sparked attacks across the head out through the strait Vance said. “We’re going to Trump’s son-in-law, were through it in peacetime. ‘positive progress’ in Since the U.S. and Israel Mideast last weekend, high- without Tehran’s permis- start talking about that.”

Qatar for talks seeking a

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has used its ability to choke off the waterway as a key source of leverage, disrupting global markets for energy and other critical goods.

Strait a key sticking point Iran and the United States agreed as part of an interim deal to allow ships to pass without paying charges for 60 days. But Tehran insisted it must control the routes of the vessels and later charge fees for passage, upending decades of practice in the waterway.

The U.S. and many Gulf Arab states say they won’t agree to the charges. An

lighting the tensions.

Iranian state TV on Wednesday said the ship “ran aground with its cargo because of shallow waters along the route it had chosen and was unable to continue sailing.” It said shippers needed to follow the instructions of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in the strait.

The Guard’s navy has repeatedly warned that “any entry or exit through routes other than the ‘Route of Authority’ in the Persian Gulf could lead to irreparable incidents.”

Sheikh Mohammed also sion, including one carrying met with Gharibabadi and crude oil from Qatar. other Iranian officials, with Qatar meets both sides Pakistani mediators also on Witkoff and Kushner met hand. Gharibabadi said the Wednesday with Qatar’s Iranian delegation had no diruling emir, Sheikh Tamim rect talks with the American bin Hamad Al Thani, and side, and its talks with meits foreign minister, Sheikh diators dealt with Lebanon Mohammed bin Abdulrah- and plans to return some of man Al Thani, according to Iran’s frozen assets, Iranian a statement by the Qatari state media reported.

Lebanon remains a thorny government.

Discussions included issue in the negotiations. Iran details related to traffic has insisted that all fighting through the Strait of Hor- end between the Iranianmuz, U.S. Vice President JD backed militia Hezbollah and Vance told reporters in the Israeli military forces there.

r y ou da tY o ar T St ove M

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. and Iranian negotiators met separately on Wednesday with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, with “positive progress made,” and they agreed to continue discussions, host Qatar said.

The next meeting will be scheduled “at the earliest possible time” after the funeral of Iran’s previous supreme leader, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said on X. The funeral is set to start Saturday in Tehran.

permanent end to the war, along with Iran’s top negotiator, Kazem Gharibabadi.

Negotiators aim to nail down specifics to pave the way for top leaders to seal an agreement, though differences over the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon loom large.

A ship ran aground in the strait while using a route not approved by Iran, state television in Tehran reported Wednesday. The vessel was identified as a foreign container ship, with no other details.

The report appeared aimed at underlining Tehran’s claims to control the strait, which the world has

Filing shows Trump took in about $1.2 billion from crypto interests — many in his new term.

He also earned ofof business The disclosure report which have benefited from policy moves of Trump’s doesn’t give profit figures, millions on Bibles the own government. Trump has just revenue, so it’s impos-

BY BERNARD CONDON Associated Press

NEW YORK — President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Tuesday shows, locking in profits while his investors were socked with losses.

Mere startups when he took the oath of office, the new ventures have now eclipsed in revenue much of his vast property portfolio that took him decades to accumulate. Fueling their rise were billionaire investors and Trump’s own move to quash a federal crackdown on the industry.

Trump got more than $500 million from his World Liberty Financial business selling new crypto products, including “governance tokens,” according to the required annual disclosure report with the Office of Government Ethics.

It also showed another crypto business, CIC Digital LLC, took in more than $600 million from sales of souvenirtype “meme” coins stamped with his face.

Both the tokens and the coins have plunged in value since the sales.

Trump also took in millions last year from selling Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers and other small items in another unprecedented move for the presidency. The sale of Trumpbranded watches alone brought in $4.7 million.

The 927-page disclosure form paints a stark, if incomplete picture of the massive growth of the president’s wealth since taking office last January through a web

insisted that his sons direct his finances but the arrangement rejects the conflict of interest protections that his recent predecessors in office had instituted.

Forbes estimates Trump’s net worth at $6 billion, up from $2.3 billion in 2024.

Business growing abroad The rise of crypto relative to Trump’s property is especially noteworthy because he first rode to office boasting of his property wins. It’s also remarkable because that mainstay business also boomed last year.

Trump took in tens of millions in fees from a flurry of new hotel, resort and condo deals overseas that amounts to the biggest property expansion ever in the century since the family business was founded.

Many of those countries were negotiating with the U.S. over tariffs, military aid and other important matters while the family business was striking the deals.

A property in the United Arab Emirates generated $10.4 million for the Trump business last year. One in Saudi Arabia being built by a real estate developer close to the ruling family sent the president’s company $9 million. And one in Bucharest, Romania, and another in Qatar sent him $5 million each.

One of his prominent domestic properties, Mar-aLago in Florida, notched big growth last year, too.

Trump took in $77 million from the property, a 50% jump from the year earlier when he was just another citizen, as heads of state and business people flocked to it

sible to know how much he is earning.

Billion-dollar crypto man Trump said Wednesday that most of his gains last year came from the stock market and he’s just riding along with everyone else.

“We’re all profiting,” he said. “I’m profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash.”

But crypto was clearly the big revenue generator last year in part due his own moves since taking office — pushing policies friendly to the industry and reversing a Biden administration regulatory crackdown.

The regulators are still worried. Before Trump’s World Liberty began selling “governance tokens,” they issued warnings about this new kind of crypto asset, saying that unlike stocks, the tokens offer no ownership stake in the issuing company, just voting power on certain corporate policies, and are difficult to value.

Buyers pounced anyway, including a Chinese billionaire who spent $75 million on the tokens and $200 million on the souvenir coins.

In February last year, a federal lawsuit charging him with duping investors was paused before being settled for a $10 million fine.

The billionaire, Justin Sun, has repeatedly denied his spending on Trump businesses had anything to do with his federal case, while World Liberty has dismissed the notion of a conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, investors have seen the value of their Trump-tied holdings drop significantly.

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4A ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

LAWSUIT

Continued from page 1A no witnesses, accepting no public testimony and allowing no transparency in the process,” said Mike Faulk, a former school superintendent and one of the plaintiffs, in a statement.

On Monday, Judge Richard “Chip” Moore of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge lifted the temporary restraining order and disqualified the plaintiffs’ law firm, Baker Donelson, ruling

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that the firm had a conflict of interest because it was representing the state in a separate case.

The plaintiffs hired new attorneys and were scheduled to return to Moore’s courtroom Wednesday to argue for a preliminary injunction, before deciding to pull their lawsuit.

Landry issued the executive order June 2, the day after lawmakers adjourned without allocating money for the stipends. In recent years, the Legislature has allocated about $200 million annually to give teachers one-time payments instead of permanent

raises. Under Landry’s plan, that money will be taken out of the roughly $4 billion the state sends to schools.

Landry and lawmakers say schools can afford the roughly 4% reduction in state dollars by tapping their rainy-day funds. Landry also argues that the money is staying in education because it is going toward teacher pay.

“Not a single dollar is being taken away from public education,” he said in a social media post Tuesday. “We’re investing in teachers, not bureaucracy.”

The order says the cut should not

come out of funding for classroom instruction, security, transportation or food services. But school system leaders have warned that the funding reduction could result in programs or positions being eliminated, especially in small and rural districts where money already is tight.

After the Legislature approved Landry’s order, Ouachita Parish Schools announced several costcutting measures, including a freeze on nonclassroom hiring, library book purchases and nonemergency maintenance projects. A district spokesperson

QUAKE

of her family, was parked for several hours in what was that building’s entrance. The relatives of the well-off families who lived in the building were able to rent it. Mundrain cannot.

“I think that if there were someone in a position of authority in each of these apartments, there would be a well-oiled machine working like they have in other residences,” Mundrain said pointing to her building.

People’s anger over the response has also led to altercations between residents and machine operators. In one instance, when a government-provided excavator tried to leave the site of a flattened public housing building, people blocked traffic to keep it in place and even pulled the operator from the cab.

The government reported Wednesday that 2,295 died and more than 11,200 were injured in

the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck June 24. Thousands more have been reported missing.

“We continue to support the affected families and directly oversee the care and recovery efforts in La Guaira,” Rodríguez posted on X Wednesday. “I know that many Venezuelans feel pain and frustration; I deeply share those feelings.”

Rescuers on Tuesday continued to free some survivors from mountains of debris, offering anguished families a sliver of hope even as the likelihood of finding people alive diminished with each passing hour. The desperation led two women to fight late at night, one dragging the other to the mud right next to a flattened building after one of them refused to be quiet while rescuers tried to listen for signs of life among the rubble.

The first 48 to 72 hours after a natural disaster are crucial to rescue efforts, though survival can be extended if people have access to food and water.

Electrician Daniel Castillo was able to pull his mother and son alive from their second-floor apartment in a collapsed public housing building in La Guaira just hours after the earthquake struck. The body of his brother remained inside for another day until he could reach him.

On Tuesday, he decried the government’s response while he waited in line to get a free bag of hygiene products, including toilet paper and soap, from a tent staffed by the Venezuelan armed forces.

“You see the guards, and their uniforms are spotless, not dirty at all,” Castillo said, contrasting members of Venezuela’s National Guard with dust-covered civilians and foreign rescuers who have dug through rubble for days. “The government did nothing.”

ference on Medicaid fraud, right?” she asked, laughing.

She said she first heard of the grand jury investigation when a reporter contacted her on Tuesday to ask about it. Asked if she had an opinion of White’s reported appointment as a special prosecutor, Murrill said she would hold her tongue.

“I wouldn’t speak to it out of respect for the process, however much I may have thoughts about it or disagree with it,” she said.

“I won’t talk about it until we see what happens. Now, when we see what happens, I can assure you that I do have thoughts, and I will express them.”

Records show retired Judge Calvin Johnson, who the City Council tapped as an interim clerk when it called a special election in May, filed a complaint with the state bar commission against Murrill on June 17.

The document accuses Murrill of “unethical and unprofessional conduct,” naming as examples the letters she sent Johnson, Moreno, Williams and the five council members. In her letter to Johnson at the time, Murrill warned that he could face “imprisonment” even as she said he “appears to be an innocent bystander” to the dispute.

Staff writers John Simerman, Andrea Gallo and Meghan Friedmann contributed to this report.

Sambou.

“Sometimes, the importance of Louisiana to French people is underestimated,” said Sambou.

“There is a strong attachment in France for the French people of Louisiana. And when I see how deeply many people in Louisiana know the different parts of France, I’m very moved.

“Traveling overseas has made me see what’s good in France, and what could be better — but the main message has been an increasing openness to the world. No people can confront the challenges facing the world alone. I am more and more convinced that we need friends, we need allies — we need to be open to understanding other points of view.”

Continued from page 1A “We’ve been abandoned,” Mundrain said, sitting in a chair on the street Tuesday in front of what remained of the 11-story building she once called home. “We feel helpless. What we have seen is a lack of organization, a lack of empathy, a lack of everything.”

In the critical 72 hours after residential buildings, food joints, pharmacies, hotels and convenience stores imploded in La Guaira state, Caracas and surrounding regions, the on-the-ground response was primarily focused on directing traffic, with police officers, intelligence agents and members of the armed forces manning intersections.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By ARIANA CUBILLOS

Residents take on rescue

Residents search Tuesday through the rubble of a building that collapsed in the earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela.

Civilians, mostly alone and some with the help of foreign rescuers, searched for loved ones among piles of rubble. Ambulances were stuck in miles-long traffic jams.

Hospitals were undersupplied and understaffed. Emergency personnel responded with little to no equipment.

A week later, many residents in coastal communities of La Guaira were attributing most rescues and recoveries to fellow Venezuelans and foreign teams with know-how and equipment like thermal cameras and sound detectors as well as trained dogs. They also pointed out that while civilians and foreign rescuers worked, men and women in Venezuelan uniforms stood watching and state workers took selfies.

Tulane University professor David Smilde, who has studied Venezuela for three decades, said the tragedy has made clear that the stunning Jan. 3 capture of then-

President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces was not a one-off “in which the Venezuelan state was not able to defend itself at all.”

“It also can’t do anything like get started with digging people out,” he said, adding that it should be a worrying concern for Rodríguez, who was sworn in after Maduro was deposed and taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

Smilde said the dismal response is linked to the huge numbers of people who have left the public sector because of extremely low pay as well as corruption, such as the many people who are included in the government’s payroll but who have not worked in months or years. In a functioning government, he added, people have specific duties to design protocols spelling out procedures in case of emergencies, including earthquakes.

FEUD

Continued from page 1A Loyola University.

The battle ratcheted up this spring when Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature approved bills to reshape two typically sleepy public offices: New Orleans’ clerks of civil and criminal court.

Winding legal, political fight Supporters cast the legislation, which eliminated the criminal clerkship and placed its duties under the Civil Clerk’s Office, as a needed reform. But New Orleans leaders slammed the move as unnecessary incursion, slamming the legislation as retaliation against Calvin Duncan, a former prison lawyer who spent decades behind bars before a judge found him innocent of a 1981 murder.

Duncan won the criminal clerkship last fall with 68% of the vote despite opposition from Murrill and other conservatives. The measure took effect four days before he was to assume the office, at which point Williams and Moreno pressed the City Council to call a special election for the newly melded seat. They argued the legislation had created a new position

HISTORY

Continued from page 1A anniversary also serves as a reminder that Louisiana’s French and Spanish influences remain visible today. From the Spanish Festival in New Iberia, to the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana and French immersion giving thousands of students an education in French — Louisiana’s colonial past remains part of everyday life.

Special relationship continues France remains one of Louisiana’s largest foreign investors, with dozens of French companies operating in the state. That relationship extends beyond culture into trade, education and tourism,

“It’s like trying to have a baseball team with three people on the field. You’re not sure who’s going to be the pitcher, who’s going to be catching, and who’s going to be outfielder,” he said of the government’s lack of organization.

Some get help Wealth and government connections also influenced the government’s response, with some sites given preferential treatment.

When one collapsed building was teeming with police and military school students, people accurately guessed that officials or politically connected individuals must have lived there. The police officers from a neighboring state were indeed searching for a captain, while the students and a few members of the national guard were hoping to locate a major general.

A telescopic crane, like the one Mundrain needs for the recovery

without authority or to interfere with a public official.

At least some City Council members have been called to testify, sources said.

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

Some legal veterans are skeptical that a criminal case built around the correspondence would pass muster.

“The public intimidation statute requires a threat of violence or an unlawful demand,” Craig Mordock, a veteran defense lawyer, wrote on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. “Murrill threatened to enforce a law the LA Supreme Court said she read correctly. If that’s a felony then half the lawyers in this state are looking at hard time.”

that must be filled by voters. Murrill fired off her letters threatening to remove them from office.

Democrats and some Republicans alike called the move an overstep, and both sides seemed to calm their rhetoric following that blow-up. On June 1, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding the state law that cut Duncan’s position. It seemed the fight had ebbed.

Then sources told The TimesPicayune this week that a grand jury was weighing evidence against Murrill, reigniting the tensions.

“The matter was ultimately going to be resolved by the Louisiana Supreme Court, not by absurd cross-accusations of criminal conduct,” Ciolino said.

Many questions remain unanswered about the grand jury’s focus and how far its investigation has progressed. Details such as how many witnesses the panel has called and what evidence it may be considering aren’t clear.

Also unclear is how much criminal exposure Murrill could ultimately face. The letters she sent to local officials claimed the fivemember City Council majority was helping to “usurp” Clerk of Court Chelsea Napoleon’s authority, citing a statute that makes it a misdemeanor to assume office

Grand juries, which at both the federal and state court levels weigh evidence to decide whether prosecutors have probable cause to criminally indict a defendant, typically meet with the utmost secrecy. But two sources told The Times-Picayune that the probe appears to have been initiated by the

grand jury itself, a rare step the panel may take under state law.

Sources also told the newspaper that Williams recused himself from the probe and that former criminal court judge and veteran defense attorney Laurie White is handling the matter as a special prosecutor.

White declined to comment Wednesday on the grand jury investigation, saying only that there was “secrecy” surrounding the matter. She left the bench in 2023 amid a court employee’s sexual harassment complaint, which White denied at the time. A federal judge in 2023 dismissed a lawsuit from the employee.

White also previously represented Duncan in his criminal case before the Innocence Project, now known as Innocence and Justice Louisiana, took it over.

Moreno declined to comment Wednesday on the grand jury proceedings, which Criminal District Judge Leon Roche is overseeing.

Williams and several City Council members did not respond to phone calls.

Murrill hinted at reports of interest surrounding the allegations of a grand jury investigation as she opened her news conference Wednesday in Baton Rouge.

“Everyone is here for the sole reason we’re having a news con-

making France one of Louisiana’s closest international partners.

Maintaining those ties is part of the job for Sambou, France’s consul general in New Orleans since 2023.

As head of the oldest French consulate in the United States — and the only one serving a single state — Sambou travels throughout Louisiana strengthening those ties.

“It reflects the political importance of Louisiana to French people and our institutions,” he said.

With thousands of tourists visiting from France each year and about 2,000 French citizens living in Louisiana, Sambou said his role is to support the French community — including the 115 teachers placed in French immersion schools through CODOFIL — while also helping French and Louisiana officials stay connected.

One encounter during a visit to a French immersion school in Acadiana has stayed with him.

“I see grandparents and greatgrandparents speaking to children in French, and because French disappeared in some generations, the parents are wondering what they are saying. The grandparents say, ‘Mind your own business!’ It’s very moving.”

For Sambou, those moments illustrate why Louisiana remains unique more than 300 years after France established its first settlements in the region.

“I really love going to Lafayette.

It’s very special to see the beating heart of Francophonie. The importance they attach to their French heritage really strikes me when I go to French schools,” he said.

Sambou is a regular attendee at events such as Festivals Acadiens

et Créoles and Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette.

He said cultural exchanges like those festivals have become more important than ever.

“We send a lot of French artists to southwest Louisiana, and they are enchanted,” he said. “For us, arts and culture is not ornamental — it shapes our identity, shapes culture and shapes the way people believe in themselves. We think it’s essential.”

To that end, Sambou has a piece of advice for young Louisianans: “Learn French. It will be easier to become a diplomat. Dual heritage provides you with a lot of opportunity.”

Just as Louisiana residents of French descent love learning about their heritage, there is a similar feeling in France for their Louisiana “cousins,” according to

Grand juries operate in secrecy

said the steps are temporary while a longer-term plan is being developed.

Baudouin said that even if classroom spending is spared from cuts, student learning still could be impacted.

“It’s naive to think that this will not be felt in the classroom,” she said, arguing that noninstructional staffers, such as reading coaches and attendance counselors, also contributed to New Orleans students’ recent academic gains. “I really fear these cuts are going to slow, or even begin to reverse, that progress.”

Email Joanna Brown at joanna. brown@theadvocate.com.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● 5A

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Legal Notices

Rubin)

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JOINT ORDINANCE FINAL ADOPTION

6. JO-020-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and ad‐ justing the manning ta‐ bles of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide funding for a salary ad‐ justment for the Legisla‐ tive Assistant to the Parish Council position within the Council Office.

(Kenneth Boudreaux and Donald Richard)

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Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Bids will be received by email at ULLafayette‐ Bids@louisiana.edu up to 2:00PM, Wednesday, July 16, 2026 , by the Purchas‐ ing Office at the Univer‐ sity of Louisiana at Lafayette for the follow‐ ing: File No. 26210 NIRCBUILDING 29 - 3RD FLOOR RENOVA‐ LABORATORY TION Optional Pre-bid Meet‐ ing: 9:00AM Friday, June 26, 2026 Bids will not be accepted by the Purchasing Office after the above specified time and date.

Access to full informa‐ tion, specifications, and bid forms may be ob‐ tained by: 1. Visiting the Office of Purchasing & State Travel’s LaPAC website at: https://wwwcfprd. doa.louisiana.gov/osp/ lapac/pubMain.cfm.

You must follow instruc‐ tions leading to the Uni‐ versity Purchasing Office website at: Public Works, Construction, and Reno‐ vation Solicitations (Title 38) / Office of Purchas‐ ing (louisiana.edu) 2. Visiting the University Purchasing Office web‐ site at: Public Works, Construc‐ tion, and Renovation So‐ licitations (Title 38) / Of‐ fice of Purchasing (louisiana.edu) 3. E-mailing your request to the University Pur‐ chasing Office: BidQues‐ tions@louisiana.edu. In‐ clude Bid Number and Bid Name (above).

4. INQUIRIES: All inquiries regarding this solicitation shall be directed to Purchasing by emailing BidQues‐ tions@louisiana.edu or calling (337) 482-9051.

The inquiry period will end at 5:00PM Monday, July 6, 2026.

The public bid opening will take place at 3:00PM, Wednesday, July 16, 2026 on Zoom, which is avail‐ able for viewing by regis‐ tering at: https://ullafayette.zoom. us/meeting/register/ gzwbVI-MRaWoTlmpTH 13Xg Meeting ID: 994 1135 0837 Password: 851925

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Evidence of authority to submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R. S. 39:1594. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE Kristi Montet, NIGP-CPP Director – Procurement and Travel 191114-JUN 18-25 JUL 2-3T $89.31 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 3:00 pm Central Time on the 21st day of July, 2026 for the following: PARC INTERNATIONAL PORTABLE STAGING and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in City Hall lo‐ cated at 705 West Univer‐ sity Avenue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for opening shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened to the sender. Bidders are encouraged to attend the bid opening virtually by using the following link https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85854096902? pwd=2Un3q8lKIsELo9f RqZCZbbPMJMuS44.1 Meeting ID: 858 5409 6902 Passcode: 507384 In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212. may submit vendors their bid electronically at the website listed above.

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

Public Notices Bids/Proposals y Thomas Metrejean at tg‐ metrejean@lafayettela. gov.

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

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

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 2917187 (Attn: Thomas Me‐ trejean). Bidding docu‐ ments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the total base bid. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee h h bidd h ll

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NECESSARY, IF SPECIAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR AC‐ ARE COMMODATIONS NEEDED. 192873-JUL 2-1T $68.63 PUBLIC NOTICE --See agenda documents at: http://www.lafayettela. gov/obcouncil/default. aspx REGULAR MEETING LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL 705 W. University Avenue, Ted A. Ardoin City-Parish Council Audi‐ torium TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2026 5:30 p.m.

AGENDA

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

CALL TO ORDER ANNOUNCEMENT OF VA‐ ON CANCIES BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

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

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

SEVEN DAYS

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

HOME DELIVERED

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

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

7. A vacancy will exist on Teche-Vermilion the Freshwater District for a two-year term effective August 1, 2026.

Individuals wishing to submit a resume for the above volunteer vacancy must be a registered voter and a resident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all ap‐ pointees is required as is disclosure financial under certain circum‐ stances. Resumes are to be forwarded to Joseph Gordon-Wiltz, Clerk of the Council, P.O. Box 4017 C, Lafayette, LA 70502 or emailed to BCLafayette@ LafayetteLA.gov no later than noon, Tuesday, July 21, 2026 with appoint‐ ment(s) to be made at the Tuesday, August 4, 2026 Regular Meeting of Lafayette Parish the Council.

CONSIDER APPOINT‐ MENT(S) BY THE COUN‐ CIL, AS A WHOLE, TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS 8. Appointment of to the Industrial Development Board for the remainder of a six-year term which expires January 31, 2028.

INTRODUCTORY NANCES

LOUISIANA OWNED

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

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

The IPSB is an equal opportunity employer.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

SUBSCRIBE TODAY Public Notices Bids/Proposals g g that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications.

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

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

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

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

which disadvantaged business are available.

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

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 7/2/2026, 7/5/2026 DPR # 1003831 192891-JUL 2-5-2T $100.76

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PUBLIC NOTICE --See agenda documents at: http://www.lafayettela. gov/obcouncil/default. aspx REGULAR MEETING LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL 705 W. University Avenue, Ted A. Ardoin City-Parish Council Audi‐ torium TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2026 4:30 p.m.

AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 1. Invocation and Pledge f ll i

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of Allegiance

g

2. COUNCIL ANNOUNCE‐ MENTS 3.

EXECUTIVE/MAYORPRESIDENT’S REPORT A) Budget to Actual Com‐ parison of Major Parish Funds – May 2026 Prelimi‐ nary B) Audit Findings Update – June 2026 ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION 4. PO-023-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increas‐ ing revenues in the amount of $92,395.32 of State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) funds re‐ ceived from the Gover‐ nor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and appropriating funds the Lafayette within Parish Office of Home‐ land Security and Emer‐ Preparedness. gency (Mayor-President) 5. PO-024-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council designat‐ ing the Northeast Re‐ gional Library of the Lafayette Public Library System as the “Norman C. Francis Library.” (AB bi )

ORDI‐

1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance 2. COUNCIL ANNOUNCE‐ MENTS 3.

EXECUTIVE/MAYORPRESIDENT’S REPORT A) Budget to Actual Com‐ parison of Major Parish Funds – May 2026 Prelimi‐ nary B) Audit Findings Update – June 2026 REPORT AND/OR DISCUS‐ SION ITEM 4. AWS Collection Day (Kenneth Change Boudreaux) 5. Compliance Division and Bid Inspection Review (Liz Process Hebert) ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION 6. CO-049-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Develop‐ ment Code so as to re‐ classify the property of Case No. 2026-5-REZ 2000 Block South College Road Rezoning, located gener‐ ally north of South Col‐ lege Road, west of Mar‐ ket Place, and south of Oak Branch; being re‐ zoned from CH (Commer‐ cial-Heavy) to RM-1 (Res‐ idential Mixed). (CD&P)

9. PO-025-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council setting forth and designating the ad valorem tax millage rates and imposing taxes on all property subject to ad valorem taxation in the Parish of Lafayette and authorizing the As‐ sessor and Tax Collector the Parish of for Lafayette to assess and collect property taxes for 2026. (Finance)

7. CO-050-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow a bar/lounge in a D (Downtown) Zoning Dis‐ trict, Case No. 2026-10403B South REZ Buchanan Street CUP (Conditional Use Permit), located generally north of Jefferson Street, west of Garfield Street, and south of South Buchanan Street. (CD&P)

10. PO-026-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increas‐ ing revenues in the of $62,305.23 amount Emergency Management Program Grant (EMPG) funds received from the Office of Governor’s Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and appropri‐ ating funds within the Lafayette Parish Office of Homeland Security and Prepared‐ Emergency ness. (Mayor-President)

8. CO-051-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Develop‐ ment Code and the offi‐ cial map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of addi‐ tional land into the Cor‐ porate Limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No. 2026-11-REZ 111 Porter Lane, Lot 1 Annex‐ ation, located generally north of Porter Lane, west of Saint Margarite Street, and south of Mar‐ celle Drive; and assign‐ ing a zoning classifica‐ tion of RS-1 (Residential (District Single-Family) 5). (CD&P)

JOINT INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES 11. JO-021-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the City-Parish Lafayette govern‐ Consolidated ment to adjust amounts for Risk Management loss reim‐ uninsured bursements to actual.

(Finance) 12. JO-022-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement the State of with Louisiana Department of Transportation and De‐ velopment with antici‐ revenue of pating $194,928. (TRB) COMMENT(S) FROM THE PUBLIC 13. Comments from the public on any other mat‐ ter(s) not on an agenda and are within the leg‐ islative power of the Lafayette Parish Council.

ADJOURN IN ACCORDANCE WITH LA. R.S. 42:14(E) AS EN‐ ACTED BY ACT NO. 393 OF 2023 AND THE AMERI‐ CANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PLEASE CONTACT JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, COUNCIL CLERK, AT (337) 291-8810 DESCRIBING THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS

9. CO-052-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council declaring the W. Broussard Road at Duhon Road Roundabout Project a public neces‐ sity and authorizing the acquisition of the neces‐ sary rights-of-way, im‐ movable property and other property rights requisite to the construc‐ tion of said project, ei‐ ther on an amicable basis or through the proper use of the expro‐ priation process if neces‐ sary. (CID) 10. CO-053-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increas‐ ing revenues in the amount of $15,000 in Flagship Grant AARP Funds and appropriating within the Parks, Arts, Recreation, and Culture (PARC) Department for infrastructure improve‐ ments and outdoor ADAcompliant benches at the Greenhouse Senior Cen‐ ter. (PARC) 11. CO-054-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Endeavor Cooperative Agreement by and be‐ the City of tween Lafayette and City of Lafayette Aquatics, Inc. concerning the manage‐ ment and staffing of the Earl J. Chris Pool. (PARC) 12. CO-055-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette i il di

y City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increas‐ ing revenues in the amount of $1,200,000 in Mayors Challenge Funds received from Bloomberg Philanthropies and trans‐ ferring $582,049 in Net Loss-Use of Fund Balance from Fund 1010, and ap‐ propriating funds within the Community Develop‐ ment and Planning De‐ partment. (CD&P) JOINT ORDINANCE FINAL ADOPTION

FOR

13. JO-020-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and ad‐ justing the manning ta‐ bles of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide funding for a salary ad‐ justment for the Legisla‐ tive Assistant to the Parish Council position within the Council Office.

(Kenneth Boudreaux and Donald Richard) ANNOUNCEMENT OF VA‐ ON CANCIES BOARDS/COMMISSIONS 14. Five (5) vacancies exist on the Transporta‐ tion Policy Committee (the governing board for the Metropolitan Plan‐ ning Organization) effec‐ tive immediately. Appli‐ cants must be either 1) local elected officials, 2) officials of public agen‐ cies that administer or operate major modes of in the transportation metropolitan area, in‐ representation cluding by providers of public transportation.

15. A vacancy exists on the Downtown Manage‐ ment Committee for a three-year term effective July 1, 2026. Applicants must own property or in downtown work Lafayette.

16. Two (2) vacancies will exist on the Downtown Management Committee for three-year terms ef‐ fective August 1, 2026.

Applicants must own property or work in downtown Lafayette.

Individuals wishing to submit a resume for the above volunteer vacan‐ cies must be a registered voter and a resident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all ap‐ pointees is required as is disclosure financial under certain circum‐ stances. Resumes are to be forwarded to Joseph Gordon-Wiltz, Clerk of the Council, P.O. Box 4017 C, Lafayette, LA 70502 or emailed to BCLafayette@ LafayetteLA.gov no later than noon, Tuesday, July 21, 2026 with appoint‐ ment(s) to be made at the Tuesday, August 4, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Lafayette City Coun‐ cil.

INTRODUCTORY NANCES

ORDI‐

17. CO-056-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Develop‐ ment Code and the offi‐ cial map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of addi‐ tional land into the Cor‐ porate Limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No. 2026-12-REZ 2125 West Willow Street (Plot 1-A) Annexation, lo‐ cated generally north of Zachary Drive; west of North Bud Street, and south of West Willow Street; and assigning a zoning classification of CH (Commercial-Heavy) (District 1). (CD&P) 18. CO-057-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Develop‐ ment Code and the offi‐ cial map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of addi‐ tional land into the Cor‐ porate Limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No. 2026-13-REZ 103 West Broussard Road An‐ nexation, located gener‐ ally north of Johnston Street, east of Touchet Road, and south of West Broussard Road; and as‐ signing a zoning classifi‐ cation of CH (Commer‐ cial-Heavy) (District 2).

(CD&P) 19. CO-058-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council setting forth and designating the ad valorem tax millage rates and imposing taxes on all property subject to ad valorem taxation in the City of Lafayette and au‐ thorizing the Assessor and Tax Collector for the Parish of Lafayette to as‐ sess and collect property taxes for 2026. (Finance) 20. CO-059-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending h i

City of Scott, Louisiana AMENDED BUDGET ORDINANCE---FYE 6/30/26

City of Scott, Louisiana BUDGET ORDINANCE---FYE 6/30/27

ORDINANCE NO. 2026-4

ORDINANCE NO. 2026-5

An Ordinance adopting an Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026 -- See attached Budget FYE 6/30/2026.

An Ordinance adopting an Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027 -- See attached Budget FYE 6/30/2027.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF City of Scott, LOUISIANA, in general session convened that:

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF City of Scott, LOUISIANA, in general session convened that:

SECTION 1: The attached detailed estimate of Revenues for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026, be and the same is hereby adopted to serve as an Operation Budget of Revenues for the City of Scott, during the same period.

SECTION 1: The attached detailed estimate of Revenues for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027, be and the same is hereby adopted to serve as an Operation Budget of Revenues for the City of Scott, during the same period.

SECTION 2: The attached estimates of Expenditures by departments for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, be and the same is hereby adopted to serve as a budget of Expenditures for the City of Scott during the same period.

SECTION 2: The attached estimates of Expenditures by departments for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, be and the same is hereby adopted to serve as a budget of Expenditures for the City of Scott during the same period.

SECTION 3: The adoption of this Operating Budget of Expenditures be and the same is hereby declared to operate as an appropriation of the amount therein set forth within the terms of the budget classification.

SECTION 3: The adoption of this Operating Budget of Expenditures be and the same is hereby declared to operate as an appropriation of the amount therein set forth within the terms of the budget classification.

SECTION 4: Amounts are available for expenditures only to the extent included within the 2025-26 amended budget.

SECTION 4: Amounts are available for expenditures only to the extent included within the 2026-27 budget.

SECTION 5: The Mayor of the City of Scott shall have the authority to make changes within each department’s operating budget to the extent that the department’s total budget allocation is not modified without approval by the governing authority (City Council). Modifications which change a department’s total budget allocation must be approved by the City Council. Additionally, all modifications to budgeted capital outlay must be approved by the City Council.

SECTION 5: The Mayor of the City of Scott shall have the authority to make changes within each department’s operating budget to the extent that the department’s total budget allocation is not modified without approval by the governing authority (City Council). Modifications which change a department’s total budget allocation must be approved by the City Council. Additionally, all modifications to budgeted capital outlay must be approved by the City Council.

The above ordinance was adopted on a vote taken by yeas and nays entered on the minutes of the clerk as follows:

The newspaper of record for Acadiana

FOR

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The above ordinance was adopted on a vote taken by yeas and nays entered on the minutes of the clerk as follows:

192649-663252-jul 2-1t $ 166.75

6A ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate Public Notices Sheriff Sales

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y g the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by decreas‐ ing anticipated revenues the amount of in $303,006.29 in Capital Outlay Funds from the State of Louisiana Office of Facility, Planning and Control. (CID) 21. CO-060-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 capital bud‐ get of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Gov‐ ernment by increasing the use of fund balance in Fund 4610 and Fund 4850 and appropriating within the Capital Im‐ provements Department the Jeff Blvd for project.

Streetscape (CID) 22. CO-061-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council, acting in their capacity as the gov‐ erning authority of the City of Lafayette, provid‐ ing for the abandonment of a certain portion of a ten (10’) foot utility ease‐ ment located on Lot 1 of the ECL International Inc, Lots 1 & 2 Subdivision, lo‐ cated at 1605 West Pin‐ hook Road, and authoriz‐ ing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute an act of abandonment in order to effectuate the abandonment on behalf of the City of Lafayette.

(CD&P) JOINT INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES 23. JO-021-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the City-Parish Lafayette govern‐ Consolidated ment to adjust amounts for Risk Management loss reim‐ uninsured bursements to actual.

(Finance) 24. JO-022-2026 A joint or‐ dinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement the State of with Louisiana Department of Transportation and De‐ velopment with antici‐ revenue of pating $194,928. (TRB) ADJOURN IN ACCORDANCE WITH LA. R.S. 42:14(E) AS EN‐ ACTED BY ACT NO. 393 OF 2023 AND THE AMERI‐ CANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PLEASE CONTACT JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, COUNCIL CLERK, AT (337) 291-8810 DESCRIBING THE THAT IS ASSISTANCE NECESSARY, IF SPECIAL ASSISTANCE AND/OR AC‐ ARE COMMODATIONS NEEDED. 192876-JUL 2-1T $108.50

SHERIFF'S SALE 21ST MORTGAGE CORPO‐ Versus No. RATION TROY K. 20262465 LANDRY 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 15, 2026***, the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: 2007 CAVALIER 16 X 80 MOBILE HOME BEARING NUMBER SERIAL BC07AL0302524 MUNICI‐ PAL ADDRESS: 204 ST. CABRINI STREET, BROUS‐ SARD, LA 70518 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $27.47 SHERIFF'S SALE AMERISAVE MORTGAGE Versus CORPORATION 20247259 BRANDI No. NICOLE JUDICE A/K/A BRANDI N. JUDICE A/K/A JUDICE AND BRANDI BRETT MICHAEL ALLE‐ MAN A/K/A BRETT M. ALLEMAN A/K/A BRETT ALLEMAN 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit:

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THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT SIXTYEIGHT (68) OF PELICAN SUBDIVISION, RIDGE PHASE II, A SUBDIVISION THE PARISH OF OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMEN‐ BOUNDARIES, SIONS, AND CONFIGURATIONS AS MEASUREMENTS SHOWN ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY MICHAEL J. BREAUX & ASSOCIATES, INC., ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2008-29099 OF THE RECORDS OF PARISH LAFAYETTE CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REF‐ ERENCE THERETO. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 908 PELICAN RIDGE COVE, CARENCRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.04 SHERIFF'S SALE CLAYTON J. VOORHIES, JR. AND PEGGY HADLEY VOORHIES Versus No. 20257018 WBATGC, INC. 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of AMENDED SEIZURE AND SALE issued in the here‐ entitled and inabove numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF,

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lll

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BEING SITUATED IN SEC‐ 43, T10S, R5E, TION LAFAYETTE PARISH, AND BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS TRACT 3A (2.05 ACRES), MORE OR LESS, SAID LOT HAVING MEASUREMENTS, SUCH BOUNDARIES, CONFIGU‐ RATIONS AND DIMEN‐ SIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DE‐ SCRIBED ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY MONTAG‐ NET AND DOMINGUE, INC. DATED NOVEMBER 13, 2019 AND RECORDED AT FILE NO. 2020-1253, IN RECORDS OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH. FOR PUR‐ INFORMATIONAL POSES ONLY: SAID LOT BEARS THE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS OF 2601 SE EVANGELINE THRUWAY, LAFAYETTE, LA 70508.

BEING A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AC‐ SAME QUIRED BY CLAYTON J. VOORHIES, JR. IN PART BY THAT ACT DESCRIBED AS THE JUDGMENT OF POS‐ SESSION IN THE MATTER OF THE SUCCESSION OF AUBREY 0. HENDERSON DATED AND RECORDED MAY 8, 2007 UNDER ENTRY NO. 2007-19532, AS AMENDED BY THAT ACT DATED AND RECORDED 12, 2007 NOVEMBER UNDER ENTRY NO. 200750808, AND IN PART BY THAT ACT DESCRIBED AS THE JUDGMENT OF POS‐ SESSION IN THE MATTER OF THE SUCCESSION OF BELLE RAN‐ BONNIE HENDERSON DOLPH DATED APRIL 10, 2008 RECORDED APRIL 11, 2008 UNDER ENTRY NO. 2008ALL OF THE 14223, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 2601 EVANGELINE SE THRUWAY, LAFAYETTE, LA 70508 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $41.19 SHERIFF'S SALE BANK & EVANGELINE TRUST CO. Versus No. 20260775 ERICK JAMES MARTIN 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA

LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN TRACT OR PARCEL OF GROUND LO‐ CATED IN THE TOWN OF PARISH OF DUSON, LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, BEING PORTIONS OF LOTS 10, 11 AND 12, BLOCK 21 OF THE TOWN OF DUSON, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID TOWN ON FILE IN THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, FRONTING 40 FEET ON “F” STREET, BY A DEPTH BE‐ TWEEN EQUAL AND PAR‐ ALLEL LINES OF 120 FEET, THE NORTHERN LINE OF SAID TRACT OF LAND BEING LOCATED 40 FEET FROM THE DISTANCE SOUTH SIDE OF THIRD STREET AND BEING PAR‐ ALLEL WITH SAID THIRD STREET AND BOUNDED NOW OR FORMERLY ON THE NORTH BY A POR‐ TION OF LOTS 10, 11 & 12, BELONGING TO VALERY MYER, HEIRS OR AS‐ SIGNS, EAST BY LOT 9 AND WEST BY “F” STREET. ABOVE-DESCRIBED THE PROPERTY BEARS A MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS OF 208 STREET, DUSON, F LOUISIANA 70529, BEING THE SAME PROPERTY AC‐ QUIRED BY MATTHEW ENTER‐ THIBODEAUX PRISES, LLC FROM TELEO INVESTMENTS, LLC BY CASH SALE DEED DATED APRIL 1, 2022, RECORDED APRIL 4, 2022, UNDER ENTRY NUMBER 2022OF THE 00013634 RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 208 F STREET, DUSON, LA 70529 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $37.33 SHERIFF'S SALE BANK & EVANGELINE TRUST CO. Versus No. 20260781 ERICK JAMES MARTIN 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash,

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***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: ITEM NO. I: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ANY AND ALL BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS LOCATED THEREON, SITUATED IN THE VILLAGE OF DUSON, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, KNOWN AND DESCRIBED AS LOT EIGHT (8) OF BLOCK NINE (9) ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY A. E. MONTAGNET, DATED 7, 2024, NOVEMBER NOVEMBER RECORDED 12, 2024 UNDER ENTRY NUMBER 2024-0003594 OF RECORDS OF THE PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA. BEING A POR‐ TION OF THE SAME PROP‐ ACQUIRED BY ERTY MATTHEW THIBODEAUX ENTERPRISES, LLC FROM GOSPEL PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLY CHURCH BY CASH SALE DEED DATED 25, 2024, OCTOBER RECORDED OCTOBER 30, 2024, UNDER ENTRY NUM‐ BER 2024-00034815 OF RECORDS OF THE PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA. ITEM NO. II: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ANY AND ALL BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS LOCATED THEREON, SITUATED IN THE VILLAGE OF DUSON, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, KNOWN AND DESCRIBED AS LOT SEVEN (7) OF BLOCK NINE (9) ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY A. E. MONTAGNET, DATED 7, 2024, NOVEMBER NOVEMBER RECORDED 12, 2024 UNDER ENTRY NUMBER 2024-0003594 OF RECORDS OF THE PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA. BEING THE PROPERTY AC‐ SAME QUIRED BY MATTHEW ENTER‐ THIBODEAUX PRISES, LLC FROM PENTE‐ COSTAL GOSPEL ASSEM‐ BLY CHURCH BY CASH SALE DEED DATED OCTO‐ BER 25, 2024, RECORDED OCTOBER 30, 2024, UNDER ENTRY NUMBER 2024OF THE 00034815 RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS:508 & 510 3RD STREET, DUSON, LA 70529 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026

& JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.69

SHERIFF'S SALE

SHERIFF'S SALE

FEDERAL HOME LOAN CORPORA‐ MORTGAGE TION AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FREDDIE MAC SEASONED STRUCTURED LOANS TRANSACTION TRUST SE‐ RIES 2020-3 Versus No. 20262663 ASHLEY MAJOR AND JARED RUFFIN CLIFTON RUFFIN

MORTGAGE FREEDOM Versus CORPORATION 20253512 SANDY No. A/K/A VONGBOUNEMY BOUDSAVATH SANDY A/K/A VONGBOUNMEY SANDY B. VONGBOUNMEY SANDY VONG‐ A/K/A BOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY VONSEG A/K/A SANDY A/K/A VONDBOUNEMY SANDY V. VONBOUNEMY

15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ AS LOT IGNATED TWENTY-TWO (22) OF AUSTIN VILLAGE SUBDIVI‐ SION, PHASE I, A SUBDIVI‐ SION OF THE PARISH OF LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE, ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY & MONTAGNET INC., AT‐ DOMINGUE, TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 93-36785 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA AND MADE PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, AND BEING DESCRIBED WITH REFER‐ ENCE THERETO AS HAV‐ ING A FRONTAGE ON HAMLET LANE AND HAV‐ ING SUCH OTHER DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY (“PROPERTY”). MUNICI‐ PAL ADDRESS: 107 HAM‐ LET LN., LAFAYETTE, LA 70508 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS

15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ AS LOT IGNATED (26) OF TWENTY-SIX SUGAR TRACE SOUTH, A OF THE SUBDIVISION PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, DIMENSIONS, FORM, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ AS ARE SUREMENTS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUX ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING, DATED APRIL 12, 2005, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE 2005-00017723 NUMBER OF THE RECORDS OF PARISH LAFAYETTE CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO (“PROP‐ ERTY”). MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 237 BARKSDALE BROUSSARD, LA DR., 70518 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS

Legal Notices YEAS:

Legal Notices

PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.90 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. HRISTOPHER 20252041 ALLEN HEINS AND JEAN‐ NETTE BOURQUE HEINS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of FI FA issued in the here‐ entitled and inabove numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: ONE (1) CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL THE AND IM‐ BUILDINGS PROVEMENTS THEREON, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, IN THAT SUB‐ KNOWN AS DIVISION GROVE, EVANGELINE PHASE I, AND BEING DES‐ IGNATED ON THE OFFI‐ CIAL PLAN OF SAID SUB‐ DIVISION, ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND OF SAID RECORDER PARISH AND STATE, AS LOT NUMBER SEVENTYFOUR (74), SAID SUBDIVI‐ SION, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SIZE, SHAPE AND DIMENSIONS AND BEING SUBJECT TO SUCH SERVI‐ TUDES AS ARE SHOWN ON SAID MAP; SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVI‐ TUDES, RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OUTSTANDING MIN‐ ERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROP‐ ERTY. MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 411 OUACHITA DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $33.69

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WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Scott desires to amend ordinance number 2003-5 which establishes and adopts a salary schedule and employee pay plan for the employees of the City of Scott, Louisiana in order to adopt a new salary schedule and pay plan for the employees of the City of Scott Fire Department; and WHEREAS, changes to the existing pay plan are needed to increase market competitiveness and improve retention efforts; and WHEREAS, the pay plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, shall increase pay for all competitive, promotional, and appointed positions of the Scott Fire Department.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and the City Council for the City of Scott, in regular session assembled, the City of Scott ordinance number 2003-5 is hereby amended as follows, to wit: SECTION 1: All of the aforementioned “Whereas” clauses are adopted as part of this ordinance.

SECTION 2: The City Council for the City of Scott does hereby adopt the salary schedule and pay plan for the employees of the City of Scott Fire Department which is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit “A”.

SECTION 3: This ordinance shall become effective on July 1, 2026.

The City of Scott budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 is hereby amended to appropriate the monies necessary to fund this newly adopted pay plan.

SECTION 4: All ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed.

This ordinance having been submitted to a vote in regular session assembled of the Mayor and the City Council for the City of Scott, the vote thereon being as follows:

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $42.69

Legal Notices

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2003-5 TO ADOPT A SALARY SCHEDULE AND PAY PLAN FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF SCOTT FIRE DEPARTMENT

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

& JULY 30, 2026

PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026

ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-7

YEAS:

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

ABSENT:

WHEREUPON, the presiding officer declared the above Ordinance duly adopted on this _____ day of ______________ , 2026. ____________________________________ ____________________________ SHELLEY M. GAUTREAU - CITY CLERK JAN-SCOTT RICHARD-MAYOR I certify that the above Ordinance was presented to the Mayor by me on the _____ day of ______________ , 2026. ____________________________________ SHELLEY M. GAUTREAU - CITY CLERK I acknowledge receipt of the above Ordinance from the City Clerk on the _____ day of ______________, 2026. ____________________________ JAN-SCOTT RICHARD-MAYOR I hereby approve the above Ordinance on this _____ day of ______________, 2026. ____________________________ JAN-SCOTT RICHARD-MAYOR

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I certify that the above Ordinance was received by me from the Mayor on the _____ day of ______________, 2026.

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WHEREUPON, the presiding officer declared the above Ordinance duly adopted on this _____ day of ______________ , 2026. ____________________________________ ____________________________ SHELLEY M. GAUTREAU - CITY CLERK JAN-SCOTT RICHARD-MAYOR I certify that the above Ordinance was presented to the Mayor by me on the _____ day of ______________ , 2026. ____________________________________ SHELLEY M. GAUTREAU - CITY CLERK I acknowledge receipt of the above Ordinance from the City Clerk on the _____ day of ______________, 2026. ____________________________ JAN-SCOTT RICHARD-MAYOR I hereby approve the above Ordinance on this _____ day of ______________, 2026. ____________________________ JAN-SCOTT RICHARD-MAYOR I certify that the above Ordinance was received by me from the Mayor on the _____ day of ______________, 2026. ____________________________________ SHELLEY M. GAUTREAU - CITY CLERK

ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026-8 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2003-5 TO ADOPT A SALARY SCHEDULE AND PAY PLAN FOR THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF SCOTT (EXCLUDING THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS} WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Scott desires to amend ordinance number 2003-5 which establishes and adopts a salary schedule and employee pay plan for the employees of the City of Scott, Louisiana in order to adopt a new salary schedule and pay plan for the municipal employees of the City of Scott (excluding the police and fire departments); and WHEREAS, the pay plan has been updated to remain competitive with the local labor market, and changes to the pay of incumbent employees have been made according to the rules described herein; and WHEREAS, the pay plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, shall increase pay for all positions of the City of Scott administration ( excluding the police and fire departments).

WHEREAS, the pay plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit “B” shall increase pay for all positions of the public works department.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and the City Council for the City of Scott, in regular session assembled, the City of Scott ordinance number 2003-5 is hereby amended as follows, to wit: SECTION 1: All of the aforementioned “Whereas” clauses are adopted as part of this ordinance.

SECTION 2: The City Council for the City of Scott does hereby adopt the salary schedule and pay plan for the municipal employees of the City of Scott (excluding the police and fire departments) which is attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit “A” and Exhibit “B”.

SECTION 3: This ordinance shall become effective on July 1, 2026.

The City of Scott budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 is hereby amended to appropriate the monies necessary to fund this newly adopted pay plan.

SECTION 4: All ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed.

This ordinance having been submitted to a vote in regular session assembled of the Mayor and the City Council for the City of Scott, the vote thereon being as follows:

SHELLEY M. GAUTREAU - CITY CLERK

192648-663249-jul 2-1t $ 488.57

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● 7A

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Public Notices Sheriff Sales

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SHERIFF'S SALE

SHERIFF'S SALE

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20252202 DESTIN WILTZ AND SEDARA RANDLE WILTZ

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20260547 BRAIDI MEYER

15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: ONE (1) CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, WAYS, APPURTE‐ SERVITUDES, NANCES AND ADVAN‐ TAGES HEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING OR IN ANYWISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED THE PARISH OF IN LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, IN THAT SUB‐ KNOWN AS DIVISION PLACE FAIRGROUNDS SUBDIVISION, PHASE III, AND DESIGNATED ON THE OFFICIAL PLAN THEREOF, ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF PARISH OF THE LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, AS LOT NUM‐ ONE HUNDRED BER (124), TWENTY-FOUR SAID SUBDIVISION, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH MEA‐ SUREMENTS AND DIMEN‐ SIONS AND BEING SUB‐ JECT TO SUCH SERVI‐ AND RESTRIC‐ TUDES TIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID MAP; SUBJECT TO RE‐ STRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 507 ROAD, BREAUX LAFAYETTE, LA 70507 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.04

15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: LOT 36, A CERTAIN PAR‐ CEL OF GROUND IN CEDAR CREEK - PHASE 1 AND PHASE 1B, “A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DE‐ VELOPMENT”, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS IMPROVEMENTS AND THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIV‐ ILEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING TO OR ANY‐ WISE APPERTAINING, SIT‐ UATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON PLAT RECORDED AS FILE NUM‐ 2021-23878 AND BER: FINAL PLAT ACT OF COR‐ RECTION RECORDED AS NUMBER: 2021FILE 00051949, OF THE CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE FOR PARISH LAFAYETTE (“PROP‐ LOUISIANA ERTY”). MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 108 FLORENCE PEAK DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70501 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $32.83 SHERIFF'S SALE LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. TRACI K. 20261410 ROBERT 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT FIFTYFOUR (54) OF SOUTH‐ FIELD SQUARE SUBDIVI‐ SION, A SUBDIVISION IN PARISH OF THE LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY RANDALL J. HEBERT & AS‐ SOCIATES, INC. DATED JULY 27, 1981, WHICH PLAT IS ATTACHED TO ACT NO. 8206624 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY THERETO. REFERENCE BEING THE SAME PROP‐ ACQUIRED BY ERTY THOMAS J. BEARY AND KIRSTEN NAOMI BREAUX BEARY, BY THAT CERTAIN CASH SALE DATED FEBRU‐ 29, 2016, AND ARY RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, UNDER FILE ENTRY NO. 2016-7193 (“PROPERTY”) MUNICI‐ ADDRESS: 207 PAL PKWY, SOUTHFIELD LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND AND THE COMPONENT PARTS THEREOF, SITU‐ ATED IN SECTION 4 AND/OR 9, T11S, R5E, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA AND BEING AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT 419 OF CY‐ PRESS MEADOWS, PHASE III-B, SAID LOT HAVING MEASUREMENTS, SUCH BOUNDARIES, CONFIGU‐ RATIONS AND DIMEN‐ SIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DE‐ SCRIBED ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2021-50071, RECORDS OF PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO. (THE PROPERTY”) MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 306 SKY DRIVE, WHITE BROUSSARD, LA 70518 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $33.26 SHERIFF'S SALE

PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026

NEWREZ LLC Versus No. 20262509 JOAN MCNULTY

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

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

SHERIFF'S SALE LLC D/B/A NEWREZ SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Versus No. 20257255 BAILEY MELAN‐ CON 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL BUILDINGS WITH IMPROVEMENTS AND THEREON, AND THERE‐ UNTO BELONGING, LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 28, SOUTH, TOWNSHIP10 RANGE 5 EAST, BEING AND DESIG‐ KNOWN NATED AS LOT 176, VIL‐ LAGE SOUTH, PHASE I, PATIO HOME DEVELOP‐ IN LAFAYETTE MENT, PARISH, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON A PLAT OF BY EDMOND SURVEY DUPRE, JR. DATED MAY 31, 1979 REVISED SEV‐ ERAL TIMES, THE LAST BEING ON FEBRUARY 10, AND RECORDED 1981 UNDER ACT NO. 81-006634 IN THE RECORDS OF THE PARISH LAFAYETTE CLERK OF COURT’S OF‐ FICE, SAID LOT HAVING SHAPE, FORM, SUCH BOUNDARIES AND DIMEN‐ SIONS AS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON A PLAT OF SURVEY BY RICHARD C. SPIKES, INC. DATED JANU‐ ARY 23, 1984 (“PROP‐ ERTY”). MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 200 VILLAGE SQ., BROUSSARD, LA 70518 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $33.90 SHERIFF'S SALE PELICAN STATE CREDIT Versus No. UNION WENDELL J. 20257740 SMITH 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ ib d i

Public Notices Sheriff Sales g scribed property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT FOUR (4) OF WILLOWCREEK SUBDI‐ VISION, PHASE 1. A SUB‐ DIVISION OF THE PARISH LAFAYETTE, OF LOUISIANA ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY ALDON A. LEBLANC, P.E. & P.L.S., AND ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2002-25683 AND MADE PART HEREOF REFERENCE, AND BY BEING DESCRIBED WITH REFERENCE THERETO AS HAVING A FRONTAGE ON BLANCO DRIVE AND HAV‐ ING SUCH DIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ AS ARE SUREMENTS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. IN‐ CLUDING THAT CERTAIN MOBILE HOME IMMOBI‐ LIZED BY THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2005-50895 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. SAID TRACT HAS BEEN DE‐ ERRONEOUSLY SCRIBED IN THOSE CER‐ TAIN ACTS RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NOS. 20165949, 2014-19134, 20141548, 2013-35636, 201239411 AND 2005-50894 AS BEING DESCRIBED ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY DATED MAY 20, 1958 BY G.K. LANGLINAIS RECORDED UNDER ENTRY 396135 OF THE NO. RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, TRACT DE‐ WHICH SCRIBED ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY IS THE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF WHICH WILLOWCREEK SUBDIVISION PHASE I WAS DEDICATED, WHICH IS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY BY ALDON A. LEBLANC, P.E. & P.L.S. RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2002-25683 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. THE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS IS BLANCO DRIVE, 107 YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA 70592 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $42.48

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. 20251811 CHRISTINE PUT‐ NAL 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF STATE OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF TOGETHER GROUND, ALL IMPROVE‐ WITH MENTS THEREON, SITU‐ ATED IN THE TOWN OF CARENCRO, PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, COMPRISING .363 AR‐ PENTS, BEING IRREGULAR IN SHAPE, MEASURING 75 FEET FRONT ON BERNARD STREET BY SUCH OTHER METES AND BOUNDS AS ARE SHOWN ON PLAT OF SURVEY THEREOF PRE‐ BY FRED L. PARED COLOMB, SURVEYOR, OF DATE JULY 3, 1978, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT CER‐ ACT RECORDED TAIN FILE NUMBER UNDER OF THE 1978-208089 RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO. LESS AND EXCEPT: ONE (1) CERTAIN TRACT(S) OR PARCEL(S) LAND, TOGETHER OF WITH ALL THE IMPROVE‐ SITUATED MENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIV‐ ILEGES, SERVITUDES AND THERE‐ ADVANTAGES UNTO BELONGING OR IN ANYWISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED IN SECTION(S) 119, TOWNSHIP 8 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, SOUTH‐ WEST LAND DISTRICT, PARISH, LAFAYETTE IDENTIFIED LOUISIANA, AS PARCEL NO(S). 4-6 AS SHOWN ON SHEET NO(S).

4 OF THE PROPERTY MAP FOR STATE PROJECT NO. 828-44-0013, F.A.P. NO. STP-2800(501), LA 182 - I49 (CARENCRO), ROUTE 726, LAFAYETTE LA PARISH, LOUISIANA, PRE‐ PARED BY LYLES L. BUR‐ PROFESSIONAL DEN, LAND SURVEYOR, DATED NOVEMBER 1, 2000, SAID MAP BEING ATTACHED TO CERTAIN ACT THAT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2002-42053 AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE THERETO,

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

AND BEING MORE PAR‐ TICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: PARCEL NO. 4-6: FROM A POINT ON THE CENTER‐ LINE OF STATE PROJECT NO. 828-44-0013, AT STA‐ TION 0+573.733, PRO‐ CEEDS S03°06’34”W A DISTANCE OF 6.428 ME‐ TERS TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING; THENCE PRO‐ CEED S79°57’00”E A DIS‐ TANCE OF 22.997 METERS TO A POINT AND CORNER; PROCEEDS THENCE S14°51’01”W A DISTANCE OF 5.108 METERS TO A AND CORNER; POINT THENCE PROCEED ALONG A CURVE TO THE RIGHT HAVING A RADIUS OF 1286.500 METERS, WHOSE LENGTH IS 21.845 METERS WHOSE CHORD AND LENGTH IS 21.945 METERS AND BEARS N80°03’07”W TO A POINT AND CORNER; PROCEED THENCE N03°06’4”E A DISTANCE OF 5.167 METERS TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. ALL OF WHICH COM‐ PRISES PARCEL 4-6 AS SHOWN ON SHEET 4 OF THE RIGHT OF WAY PLANS OF STATE PROJECT 828-44-0013, AND NO. CONTAINS AN AREA OF 115.51 SQUARE METERS OR 0.0116 HECTARES OR 1243.3 SQUARE FEET OR 0.029 ACRES. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 606 VETERANS DRIVE, CAREN‐ CRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $49.98

THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ AND IMPROVE‐ INGS MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES, AND AD‐ THEREUNTO VANTAGES BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT SEV‐ ENTY-FIVE (75) OF COUN‐ TRY LAKES SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, DIMENSIONS, FORM, BOUNDARIES, AND MEA‐ AS ARE SUREMENTS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY PAUL L. MIERS ENGINEER‐ ING, LLC, DATED OCTO‐ BER 14, 2008, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2010-17975 OF RECORDS OF THE PARISH LAFAYETTE CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REF‐ ERENCE THERETO. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 302 COUNTRY LAKES TRAIL, RAYNE, LA 70578 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY FULL PURCHASE THE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.97 SHERIFF'S SALE

SHERIFF'S SALE

PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC Versus No. 20262340 DANIEL FARREL BOUTIN, JR.

PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. JOHNISHA 20257994 BARNES

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

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

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit:

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ap‐ ***WITHOUT*** praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND in Lafayette, FLOOR Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit:

THE LAND REFERRED TO HEREIN BELOW IS SITU‐ ATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, AND IS DE‐

NOTICE OF ADOPTION2026 ANNANCES NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following ordinances were adopted at a special meeting of the City Council of the City of Youngsville, Louisiana, held on June 25, 2026. ********** The following Ordinance was offered by Lindy Bolgiano and seconded by Shannon D. Bares, as amended: BUDGET AMENDMENT ORDINANCE NO. 515-2026 FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Youngsville, Louisiana, in general session convened that: SECTION 1: The governing authority having received notification pursuant to LA R.S. 39:1310 pertaining to the revenue and expense of the Government of the City of Youngsville for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026, the budget adopted for the year 2025-2026 is amended as shown on Exhibit A attached hereto.

SECTION 2: The Mayor of the City of Youngsville shall have the authority to make changes within each department’s operating budget to the extent that the department’s total budget allocation is not modified without approval by the City Council. Modifications which change a department’s total budget allocation must be approved by the City Council. Additionally, all modifications to budgeted capital outlay must be approved by the City Council.

SECTION 3: A public hearing was held on the 25th day of June, 2026.

SECTION 4: BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that this ordinance shall take effect in accordance with law. The amended ordinance having been submitted to a vote, the vote therein was as follows: YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland, Simone B. Champagne.

NAYS: None.

ABSTAINED: None.

ABSENT: None.

This amended ordinance was adopted on this 25th day of June, 2026. /s/ Ken Ritter, Mayor /s/ Nicole Guidry, City Clerk

********** The following Ordinance was offered by Matt Romero and seconded by Lindy Bolgiano, as amended and further amending the Capital Projects Budget – 1981 Sales Tax Fund – Police, removing Item 9 “Repaving 304 Fourth St” in the amount of $44,000 and adding two leased fully equipped vehicles not to exceed $40,000, pending receipt of two lease agreements

by City Hall: BUDGET ORDINANCE NO. 516-2026 FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Youngsville, Louisiana, in general session convened that: SECTION 1: The attached estimate of Revenues for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, as shown in Exhibit A attached hereto, be and the same is hereby adopted to serve as an Operation Budget of Revenues for the City of Youngsville, during the same period.

SECTION 2: The attached estimate of Expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, as shown in Exhibit A attached hereto, be and the same is hereby adopted to serve as a budget of Expenditures for the City of Youngsville, during the same period.1 SECTION 3: The adoption of this FY 2026-2027 Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures be and the same is hereby declared to operate as an appropriation of the amount therein set forth within the terms of the budget classification.

SECTION 4: The Mayor of the City of Youngsville shall have the authority to make changes within each department’s operating budget to the extent that the department’s total budget allocation is not modified without approval by the City Council. Modifications which change a department’s total budget allocation must be approved by the City Council. Additionally, all modifications to budgeted capital outlay must be approved by the City Council.

SECTION 5: The adoption of this ordinance also serves as approval of the fixed annual salaries & benefits as itemized for the Mayor, Chief of Police and Councilmembers and approval of the fixed annual salaries for the appointed officials of the City of Youngsville, as shown in Exhibit B attached hereto.

SECTION 6: This ordinance was introduced on June 11, 2026, and a public hearing was held at 6:00 p.m. on the 25th day of June 2026 prior to adoption.

SECTION 7: BE FURTHER ORDAINED that this ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption. The amended ordinance having been submitted to a vote, the vote therein was as follows: YEAS: Shannon D. Bares, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Nicholas Niland, Simone B. Champagne.

NAYS: None.

ABSTAINED: None.

ABSENT: None.

This amended ordinance was adopted on this 25th day of June, 2026. /s/ Ken Ritter, Mayor /s/ Nicole Guidry, City Clerk

___________________________ 1 The full detailed budget is available for inspection at Youngsville City Hall and will be posted on the city’s website upon final adoption. https:// www.youngsville.us/

192868-663959-jul 2-1t $ 403.00

8A ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

An afternoon t-storm; humid

A stray afternoon thunderstorm

An afternoon t-storm in spots

Partly sunny with a t-storm

Partly sunny, showers around

Partly sunny, showers around

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

88° 75°

LOW

HIGH

91° 76°

LOW

90° 75°

Beaumont 90/76 Port Arthur 89/77

Baton Rouge 91/75

Lake Charles 90/76

New Orleans 92/78 Houma 86/73

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

0s

Hattiesburg 95/73

Alexandria 93/75

Lafayette 88/75

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

LOW

HIGH

LOW

91° 77°

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Wednesday

Jackson 95/74 Many 92/73

HIGH

91° 76°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 92/75

-0s

LOW

Monroe 95/76

Shreveport 94/74

-10s

HIGH

89° 77°

Well, another very hot day with showers and storms in the forecast for your Thursday. A mostly sunny morning will give way to a cloudy and humid afternoon across southwest Louisiana. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the upper 80s to low 90s. The humidity remains high, so the heat index or “feels-like” temperatures could rise to 97 to 100 or higher. There is a 40% chance of rain and storms in the forecast today, so grab the umbrella and keep in mind that the UV index is at the very high level.

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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

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

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today LAST

JUL 7

City

Austin Boston dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

91°/74° 91°/75° 92°/76° 104° in 1894 67° in 1943

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

HIGH

9:49p 4:14p 8:15a 11:04a 11:27a 10:48a 12:35p

6:10 a.m.

8:14 p.m.

10:21 p.m.

8:25 a.m.

NEW

FIRST

JUL 14

Hi

TODAY

96 98 96 73 87 99 98 90 99

Lo

77 82 79 50 75 75 79 78 75

FULL

JUL 21

W

pc t pc pc r s pc t t

JUL 29

Hi

96 97 97 68 88 102 98 92 98

FRI. Lo

75 77 79 50 74 77 77 78 73

W

pc t pc c c s t t t

FT.

LOW

0.00” 0.00” 0.22” 34.41” 31.37”

SCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON AND THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING, SITUATED IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, BEING KNOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED LOT FORTY -NINE (49) OF SUNDOWN PLACE SUBDIVISION, WITH THE FURTHER DIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES, SHAPE, FORM, LOCATION AND CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID SUBDIVISION PRE‐ PARED BY RODNEY A. NAYLOR, C.E., R.L.S., AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY 95-40357 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT. THE ABOVE-DESCRIBED PROPERTY ACQUIRED BY RODNEY MAZIEL AND JERRIE MAZIEL FROM CHRISTIN GERARD BUCHTA, SR. BY CASH SALE DATED MARCH 15, 2022, RECORDED APRIL 8,2022, UNDER ENTRY NUMBER 2022 X 114366 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 216 SUNDOWN DR., BROUSSARD, LA 70518 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $36.47 SHERIFF'S SALE REGIONS BANK Versus No. 20262499 SHARON DERSAM WIFE OF/AND GABRIEL DERSAM 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JULY 8, 2026*** ,the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: ONE CERTAIN TRACT OF LAND LYING AND BEING SITUATED IN SECTION 26, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH, RANGE 3 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, CONTAINING 7.5079 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, AND BEING DE‐ SCRIBED AND DESIG‐ NATED AS ALL OF TRACTS 8-A1, 8-A2, 8-A3, 8-A4, 8A5 AND 8-A6 ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY DATED JULY 13, 1984, PRE‐ PARED BY DANIEL D. DOMINGUE, RLS, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 84-32408 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, AND BEING DESCRIBED WITH REFERENCE THERETO AS HAVING SUCH DIMEN‐ SIONS, BOUNDARIES, MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATIONS AS IS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 521

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

D ARCEANEAUX SCOTT, LA 70583

ROAD,

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JUNE 4, 2026 & JULY 2, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $33.26 SHERIFF'S SALE SERVBANK, SB Versus No. 20243589 EMILY KATE JU‐ DICE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of FI FA issued in the here‐ inabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public at the auction, LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIV‐ ILEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT SIXTYNINE (69) OF BROCK POINTE SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY C.P.S. ENGI‐ NEERING AND LAND SUR‐ VEYING, INC., ATTACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2008-36587, AS COR‐ RECTED BY THAT CER‐ TAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2008-39320, BOTH OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO, AND HAVING SUCH DI‐ MENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEASUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. WHICH HAS THE AD‐ DRESS OF 314 WEXFORD STREET, CARENCRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.97 SHERIFF'S SALE U.S BANK TRUST NA‐ TIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCAF ACQUISITION TRUST Versus No. 20262261 PERRYN LENOIR A/K/A PERRYN ARMON LENOIR AND LORIS GERRI

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

LENOIR 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: A CERTAIN LOT OR PAR‐ CEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES ADN ADVAN‐ TAGES THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT 32 OF MARKRIDGE PARK EXTEN‐ SION NO. IV, A SUBDIVI‐ SION LOCATED IN SEC‐ TION 33, TOWNSHIP 8 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 56 FEET, MORE OR LESS, ON LINARES STREET ADN HAVING SUCH MEASURE‐ MENTS, BOUNDARIES, CONFIGURATIONS AND DIMENSIONS AS MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY EDMOND E. DUPRE, JR., DATED MAY 31, 1982, LAST REVISED AUGUST 2, 1983, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED ON AUGUST 5, 1983 UNDER ENTRY NO. 83-28808, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA AND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE (“PROPERTY”). MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 201 LINARES DR., CARENCRO, LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS

Public Notices Sheriff Sales g WEDNESDAY, ***AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT SIXTEEN (16) OF MALAPART PLACE SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVI‐ SION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUX ENGINEERING & CONSULTING, AT‐ TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDER ENTRY NO. 2007-36522 AND MADE PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, AND BEING DESCRIBED WITH REFER‐ ENCE THERETO AS HAV‐ ING SUCH DIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ SUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 107 MULLIGAN WAY, LAFAYETTE, LA 70507.

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $34.54

SEVEN DAYS

PUBLISH ON: JULY 2, 2026 & JULY 30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARK T. GARBER, SHER‐ IFF $37.12

HOME DELIVERED

SHERIFF'S SALE WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Versus No. 20262345 LOUIS VICTOR AZEMAR, II, (A/K/A LOUIS V. AZE‐ MAR, LOUIS V. AZEMAR, II, LOUIS VICTOR AZE‐ MAR)

LOUISIANA OWNED

15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ---- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale sell for cash, and ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on ***

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

TODAY

REAdING 56 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

FT.

HIGH

0.7 9:07a -0.1 1.6 2:11a -0.2 1.7 10:40a 1.6 1.9 1:48a 0.1 1.3 10:35p -0.1 1.5 8:59p -0.2 1.6 11:37p -0.1

FT.

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --1:50p 1.6 10:20p -0.3 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

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

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

City

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

1:39a 2:31a 3:20a 4:08a 4:55a 5:41a 6:27a

Hi

92 91 102 104 97 101 96 72 92

7:51a 8:42a 9:31a 10:19a 11:06a 11:52a 12:15a

TODAY Lo

78 75 83 80 77 74 79 63 78

GOOd

SOURCE: LOUISIANA dEQ ANd AIRNOW.GOV

2:03p 8:14p 2:53p 9:04p 3:42p 9:53p 4:30p 10:40p 5:16p 11:27p 6:03p ---6:51p 12:39p

W

t t pc pc pc s t pc t

Hi

92 94 102 106 96 104 95 73 91

FRI. Lo

79 74 82 83 75 75 79 64 80

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

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

YESTERDAY MOdERATE

PRECIPITATION

W

t t s pc t s t pc t

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

WED. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

18.40 39.57 42.64 26.19 17.15 12.75 8.50

+1.20 +0.15 +0.31 +0.38 +0.31 +0.35 +0.54

40

35.73

+0.90

19

-1.35

-0.02

18 29 8

-0.75 11.38 1.58

-0.07 -0.16 -0.06

13 15

1.70 1.67

-0.04 -0.10

47 34 29 20 12 6

22.79 17.25 14.81 11.82 6.70 3.58

-0.06 -0.02 -0.04 +0.05 none +0.11

data as of 7 a.m. Wednesday

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

Disability advocates warn against Trump’s actions Hard-fought rights could be eroded under administration

bilitating disease.

Kennedy’s comments last year, where he said children with autism would never write a poem, pay taxes or hold a job, raised questions about how he would oversee an agency meant to help students develop those skills. Kennedy later said he was referring to people with “seBY ANNIE MA AP education writer vere autism” or those who are nonverbal.

“Many of the things he said autistic people WASHINGTON — For decades, disabled people will never do, (special education) is in charge have fought for their rights to go to school of making sure students with disabilities and live alongside peers without disabili- have the opportunity to do,” said Zoe Gross, ties — rights that some fear could be losing director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Adground under the Trump administration. vocacy Network. “Will he execute that faithLast month, the Department of Education fully, or does he consider disabled students a announced it would shift oversight of special lost cause until we find some medical cure?” education to the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy The Supreme Court weighs in Jr., whose comments on the limits of disIn 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that segabilities such as autism have drawn sharp regating disabled people who are otherwise rebukes from advocates and lawmakers. able to live in their community with proper Meanwhile, after a White House push to supports was a form of discrimination. The police homelessness, the Department of Olmstead v. L.C. decision led to requireJustice released guidance that lowered the ments that government agencies provide barrier to institutionalizing any person with disability services in the most integrated a disability. setting possible — in mainstream schools, Taken together, the actions signal a wor- homes and workplaces.

But in a memo issued in June, the Departrying return to a reality where people with disabilities are pushed to the margins of so- ment of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel upended that guidance. It argued that neiciety, advocates said.

“It’s a direct, frontal assault on the rights ther the Americans with Disabilities Act of people with disabilities to live their lives nor Section 504, two major disability rights the way that people who are nondisabled laws, requires states to provide services live their lives,” said Selene Almazan, legal in the most mainstream setting. While the director for the Council of Parent Attorneys memo does not change the law, it signals and Advocates. “I can’t imagine that as a how federal agencies may interpret and encountry, that would be something that we force civil rights issues related to the topic. would agree we should go back to.”

It could embolden states or school districts to decline to support people with disabilities Move away from confining people in mainstream environments.

The White House has already acted on Since the 1960s, legislation and court decisions have expanded supports and protec- a similar philosophy. Last year, President tions for people with disabilities to go to Donald Trump issued an executive order on school with nondisabled peers and to live homelessness that endorsed civil commitand work in their communities. Before that, ment, where a court orders individuals into people with mental illnesses or developmen- involuntary hospitalization or treatment tal and intellectual disabilities were largely programs. Trump directed HHS to reduce barriers to institutionalizing people with confined to institutions.

Advocates have pushed back on what is mental illnesses.

In its memo, the Justice Department acknown as the “medical model,” where an individual’s disability is viewed as a defect to knowledged its interpretation of the Sube cured. Instead, under a “social model” of preme Court’s Olmstead decision is “out of disability, differences can be accommodated step” with the common understanding. and supported, as people with and without disThe Republican administration’s steps fit a abilities learn and work alongside each other. worldview in which the government has no Families and advocates have warned that obligation to support people with disabilities, moving special education to a health depart- said Claudia Center, legal director at Disabilment marks a return to the medical model. ity Rights Education and Defense Fund.

“It’s dark, and it’s awful,” Center said.

They also have been angered by Kennedy’s attempts to link vaccines to autism, going “And I think it’s contrary to the majority against decades of research that show no view in our country. ... It’s out of touch with such link, and his framing of autism as a de- where our society is.”

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21 arrested in Medicaid fraud La. providers accused of false claims in investigation

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Attorney General Liz Murrill on Wednesday announced 21 arrests related to Medicaid fraud and abuse of patients that are part of a state and nationwide crackdown on fraud in the program.

Many of the arrests relate to Louisiana providers accused of submitting false claims to receive

Medicaid reimbursement for services they did not actually provide, according to a release from Murrill’s office. The release says the frauds involve sums ranging from $500 to $100,000, though most are between $5,000 and $10,000.

“One of my top priorities has been rooting out fraud and holding accountable individuals and companies who try to cheat the system,” Murrill said during a

news conference at the State Capitol. “Every dollar that is stolen by fraud is a dollar that is taken away from a child, a senior or a family that relies on these critical services and support.”

“These individuals are trying to profit at the expense of hardworking taxpayers, and while Louisiana is not immune to these schemes, we’re making it clear that we won’t tolerate them,” she added.

The arrests stem from investigations performed

by Murrill’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. That unit is being turned into a standalone Murrill division within the Louisiana Department of Justice, Murrill announced. It is led by Matt Stafford.

The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal partners helped in the operation,

ONE FOR THE ROAd

which was part of a coordinated national investigation, Murrill said.

Other arrests involve cases where people allegedly falsified documents in response to Medicaid-related audits, such as CPR investigations. Some concern workers accused of abusing patients in their care.

In two additional cases being prosecuted at the federal level, providers in Louisiana allegedly

ä See FRAUD, page 4B

ST. LANDRY PARISH

School closure discussion blocked Krotz Springs gets injunction against board

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Members of a survey crew work in the 400 block of Johnston Street in Lafayette on Wednesday. Lafayette Consolidated Government began lane closures June 30 to allow crews to collect data for the Johnston Street Segment 3 Improvement Project, a roadwork initiative addressing drainage, utilities and traffic infrastructure, which is expected to continue for 10 to 15 working days. The work will require intermittent single-lane closures alternating as work progresses along Johnston Street between St. Julien Street and the Evangeline Thruway. Closures will occur after the morning rush hour and conclude by 4:30 p.m. each day.

Donations sought for flood recovery Sheriff’s Office collecting supplies

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to come together to donate supplies and help families recover from recent flooding.

Residents in parts of St. Landry Parish were asked to consider evacuating last week due to rising water from a tropical storm.

Tropical Storm Arthur dumped 20 to 30 inches of rain within 12 hours across southern parts of Avoyelles Parish, a likely 1,000year rainfall event that caught most residents off guard.

That water, which is not conSTAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK tained within rivers and canals, flooded parts of northern St. Floodwater recedes from its high point of about 6 inches up the skirting of this mobile home in the Landry Parish. village of Palmetto on Friday.

Over the past several weeks, flooding has left many residents in the northeastern por- REQUESTED DONATIONS Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office sistance request form for St. location, including the Lebeau Landry Parish residents. tion of St. Landry Parish, inSubstation, the Eunice Substa“This is basically a mechacluding Melville, Palmetto and n Mops and brooms Krotz Springs, and other areas n Buckets tion, and the St. Landry Parish nism for us to figure out where throughout the Atchafalaya Ba- n Household cleaning products Sheriff’s Office Public Safety the need is,” said Ben BrousComplex. sin, with the difficult process of n disinfectants and soaps sard with Catholic Charities of Other local organizations are Acadiana. “The only way that recovery. n Rubber gloves also stepping in to assist flood we would know who is in need “Every donation will make a n Hand sanitizer victims. meaningful difference for famis if they filled out the form.” n Box fans Acadiana VOAD, an associaResidents who need assisilies working to recover from this devastating flooding,” SLP- n Sponges, towels and other clean- tion of local community vol- tance with debris or water reing essentials.

SO officials said. untary organizations in the moval, damage assessments, To support recovery efforts, greater Acadiana region which and other recovery needs are the sheriff’s office is collectincludes Catholic Charities of encouraged to complete the diing cleaning and recovery sup- across the parish. Donations Acadiana and other nonprof- saster assistance request form plies at sheriff’s office locations can be dropped off at any St. its, has launched a disaster as- through tfaforms.com.

The 27th Judicial District Court on Wednesday granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction preventing the St. Landry Parish School Board from discussing closing Krotz Springs Elementary School.

The board introduced a consolidation plan in June that would close several schools across the parish in order to fix an anticipated shortfall of $18 million in the 2026-27 fiscal year budget. The School Board was scheduled to vote on the school’s closure Wednesday night as part of the consolidation. The ruling only enjoins Krotz Springs Elementary, with no other schools mentioned in the consolidation plan being acted upon.

The town of Krotz Springs filed the lawsuit and residents of Krotz Springs have engaged in particularly strong opposition to the consolidation plan, meeting earlier this week to discuss ways to oppose the board’s attempts to close the school.

Derek Evans, a Krotz Springs resident and parent of two Krotz Springs Elementary students, organized a petition to prevent closure of the school;

ä See SCHOOL, page 4B

Police: Two injured in Lafayette shooting; no arrests Lafayette police are investigating a shooting that left two people injured on Tuesday.

Officers responded at 2:55 p.m.

Tuesday to the 600 block of North St. Antoine Street in reference to a shooting, according to the Lafayette CRIME Police Department.

BLOTTER Upon arrival, two people were found suf- Advocate fering from gunshot staff wounds before being reports transported to a hospital. One victim is considered to be in critical condition while the other is stable, police said.

No arrests have been made in the shooting.

An investigation is ongoing.

Sheriff: Kidnapping, armed robbery suspect arrested The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a 17-year-old suspected in a

ä See BLOTTER, page 4B

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

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

OUR VIEWS

Sexual assault victims should be at top of state’s priority list Louisiana’s yearslong struggle to properly respond to the victims of alleged sexual assaults has been well documented. Whether it’s a lack of personnel to perform exams, a backlog in handling of rape kits, or struggles pursuing criminal charges, the problems have been persistent and intractable.

And even with recent efforts to address some of the issues, a new report by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor notes that plenty of work remains to be done.

The audit identified major gaps in the efforts to respond to sexual assaults. Among the findings: The various agencies, which include law enforcement, advocacy groups and healthcare providers, often don’t coordinate on their response; some regions of the state do not have response plans that meet the requirements of state law and, even when they do, some are in need of significant improvement; some of those plans have not been approved by coroners, as they are required to be; at least four parishes do not have an accredited sexual assault advocacy center; and many victims do not have access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, or SANEs. One advocate told this newspaper’s Meghan Friedmann that the state’s biggest problem boils down to inconsistency of services and response.

“Everything is siloed,” said Morgan Lamandre, CEO of Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response.

The report comes as some legislators in recent years have taken steps to tackle the problem. Three years ago, Sen. Beth Mizell, RFranklinton, authored a bill that created a system to track rape kits in the process of analysis.

This year, a bill authored by Rep. Annie Spell, R-Lafayette, sought to centralize and strengthen oversight of the statewide response to sex crimes.

Spell’s bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry, creates a new position in the attorney general’s office tasked with getting a statewide picture of the responses. The person will also help direct resources to areas where it is lacking, Spell said. The law also creates a mobile SANE team, requires regional health officials to submit annual reports on the response and sets up a panel to create statewide standards.

We believe all of these measures are positive.

We also agree with Lamandre that the new rules need to include accountability for the officials responsible.

“We need more teeth behind things,” Lamandre said. “We need consequences.”

The auditor’s report also noted some needed additional steps, including finding consistent funding for advocacy centers and improved oversight.

All of these seem like good ideas to us. For years, the old system has too frequently failed the very people it was supposed to help. Louisiana is a law-and-order state; the rights and protection of sex crime victims should be at the top of the priority list.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published

identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence.

The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

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YOUR VIEWS

It’s time to share Jefferson school board must work to support system’s gains train traffic so Old The Jefferson Chamber has long maintained that strong public schools are the backbone of a strong parish.

Over the past several years, the Jefferson Parish School System, under the steady leadership of Superintendent James Gray, has delivered measurable progress and sustained improvement, not just one-year gains. That deserves recognition.

For the first time in years, the district has zero F-rated schools. Jefferson Parish has achieved the largest district performance score growth in a decade, earned a B rating for the first time in 10 years and maintained that B for two consecutive years.

More than 70% of schools grew or maintained performance, and students earned over 10,000 industry-based credentials, preparing them for high-demand careers.

Lastly, Jefferson Parish teachers were recognized nationally with the 2025-2026 National Institute for Excellence in Teaching District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness.

These results are no accident; they exist in spite of politics and chaos caused when board members have overstepped their governance line into

Metairie doesn’t bear the brunt

the day-to-day job of the superintendent. Gray’s continued laser focus on students, teachers and improvement deserves credit.

Gray, his leadership team, teachers and schools have repeatedly demonstrated that they know how to do their jobs and do them well.

The Chamber PAC’s priorities remain clear: n A board that governs responsibly, not one that creates chaos n Members who come prepared, informed and ready to work n Respect for the superintendent’s role and professional staff n Fiscal responsibility and transparency n A commitment to stability, collaboration and student-centered decision-making.

As we look toward the fall elections, the Chamber’s PAC is focused on ensuring voters can elect leaders who will build on this momentum. Our community depends on strong schools.

My church had many latecomers on a recent Sunday after a stopped train blocked traffic on Metairie Road. Again.

Stoppages are happening more often since the railroad relocated its inspections and crew changes. The resulting blocked traffic is not only annoying; it’s dangerous, as emergency vehicles cannot get through.

Who approved this?

Years ago, there was a proposal to move rail traffic from the Back Belt running through Old Metairie to the Middle Belt track south of Airline Highway.

Rerouting made sense considering population differences. And, there are far more residences, businesses, schools and churches along the Back Belt.

Likewise, traffic volume is much higher along this route, which crosses seven streets. No streets would be crossed by the proposed Middle Belt reroute. Zero.

Bolstered by such facts and demographics, rerouting had much momentum, but there was one problem: The current route goes through a White, affluent neighborhood, while the proposed route passes through neighborhoods that are predominantly Black.

When that became the media’s focus, the proposal ended.

The recent increase in stoppages should revive this issue with newfound resolve.

What needs to be done is simple: Open both routes and split the trains 50-50 between the Back Belt and Middle Belt. That’s fair.

This will at least cut Metairie’s problem in half and allow strategic scheduling. The Middle Belt should be used on Sunday mornings, rush hours and when trains will require stoppages — but keep the number of trains evenly divided.

“Evenly divided” should answer any claim that this is “injustice.”

I’ll call this proposal “railsplitting.” It will also allay concerns that a closed Back Belt might become an unwanted thoroughfare. Moreover, the railroad benefits by having alternative routes.

The logic and fairness of railsplitting are clear, and these frequent stoppages must end.

NORA VADEN HOLMES Jefferson Chamber PAC chair RUTH LAWSON Jefferson Chamber PAC administrator Metairie

Fed-up country has news for its wayward leadership Who’s going to tell him?

That the affordability crisis is real news — not fake news — and needs attention.

That the purpose of the presidency is not to enrich oneself and one’s family.

That preoccupation with a ballroom that redefines ostentatious and an arch that mocks taste and proportion is not helping Americans.

That shotgun tariffs, implemented based on grudges and bullying, hurt Americans.

That a poorly planned war based on false premises (the regime will be overthrown) will hurt us economically in the short run, militarily in the intermediate term and politically in the long run.

That repeatedly insulting and dismissing our long-term allies will leave us isolated and scorned by the world.

That cozying up to autocratic leaders who share his penchant for the arbitrary acquisition of free and independent countries is wrongheaded.

That letting a science- and evidenceaverse attorney direct American healthcare is a travesty.

That being insecure about one’s masculinity is not a qualification for heading the Defense Department.

That promising to remove “the worst of the worst” does not mean indis-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ENAN CHEdIAK

Protesters march down a street toward Williams Boulevard in Kenner on Jan. 10.

criminately arresting asylum seekers, shooting Americans who protest, separating 100,000 children from their parents, nor shipping nonviolent offenders to El Salvador or the Congo.

That a Justice Department that exists primarily to exact revenge for perceived slights and disloyalty to one person is an anathema to its mission.

That pardoning criminals who confessed or were convicted by juries of crimes on Jan. 6, 2021, is unconscionable, and compensating them is unimaginable.

That promises matter.

Who’s going to tell him? We are, on Nov. 3, 2026.

LOUIS MCFAUL Metairie

CHARLES ZEANAH Metairie

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COMMENTARY AMERICA 250

PROVIdEd PHOTO By HISTOVERy

An image promoting ‘American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition’ designed by the French firm Histovery, is currently on display at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Joyeux anniversaire et merci Close ties between France and Louisiana stretch back to before Revolution

By Rodolphe Sambou partnerships are being created I still remember it vividly. every year.

On a sunny Saturday morning The relationship between in December 2011, I arrived in France and Louisiana is not Louisiana for the first time. a legacy of the past; it is a Dropped off in the heart living partnership, growing of the French Quarter, in stronger every day. The front of an old bookstore, New Orleans Saints game I heard a young street in Paris this fall is proof musician playing “La Vie en Rose.” Around me were Rodolphe that even after three centubalconies that reminded Sambou ries, our story continues to me of those in my mother’s be written.

GUEST Basque village. It may This year, we celebrate COLUMNIST sound like a cliché, but I the 250th anniversary of immediately felt at home. the relationship between In that moment, I recognized France and the United States. I something familiar: a European often joke with my fellow French heritage that so many French diplomats in Washington that, people — and Europeans more compared with the centuries-old broadly — can still feel in Louisities between France and Louisiana today. ana, it is still a relatively recent Since then, I have encountered story. Yet it is a remarkable one. that connection throughout the When I meet Louisiana veterstate. ans who landed on the beaches of I have seen it in Louisiana’s Normandy on D-Day, I am always French immersion schools, where struck by a simple thought: The students sometimes surprise their alliance between France and the parents by speaking French with United States is not an abstract their grandparents, or even great- diplomatic concept. It was built by grandparents. men and women willing to cross I have felt it in Lafayette, in its an ocean — and sometimes to sacmusic, literature and traditions. rifice their lives — so that others I have discovered it through could live in freedom. Some of the works of Edmond Dédé and the veterans are Cajuns. One told through the remarkable history of me that the French of his childL’Union, the first African Amerihood was once often overlooked, but had become a source of concan newspaper in the South, published in French. I see it in Mardi nection and pride. Regardless of Gras celebrations, in the love of what they spoke, France remains food, culture and community, and profoundly grateful for their sacin the countless Louisianians seek- rifice.

From Lafayette and Rochaming to reconnect with their French roots. beau to Normandy, our alliance This heritage is not simply was forged in decisive moments about preserving memories. It when liberty, sovereignty, democis about building opportunities. racy, and human dignity were at Learning French opens doors to stake. Those values remain just as education, careers, travel and cul- relevant today.

The world has changed since tural understanding. It prepares 1944. Yet the fundamental quesfuture generations to thrive in an interconnected world. tion remains the same: How do And this friendship is not mere- free nations preserve peace, security and human dignity in an ly cultural. increasingly unstable world?

France is today among LouisiWe face immense challenges: ana’s leading foreign investors climate change, economic uncerand foreign employers. Bilateral trade has nearly tripled over the tainty, regional conflicts and growpast five years, approaching $3 ing geopolitical tensions. War has billion annually. More Louisianreturned to Europe with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. ians are studying French, more France’s support for Ukraine is French visitors are discovering rooted in a simple principle: BorLouisiana and more economic

ders cannot be changed by force, and nations have the right to determine their own future. These principles matter not only for Europe, but for the stability of the international system as a whole.

France also believes that today’s challenges — whether climate change, maritime security, public health or economic stability — cannot be solved by any country acting alone. Cooperation among allies and within international institutions remains indispensable. Take coastal erosion, which threatens communities in Louisiana just as it threatens parts of France. On issues like these, cooperation is not ideological; it is practical. We can share expertise, innovation and solutions.

The United States has played, since 1945, a decisive role in the security and stability of Europe.

We are grateful for that commitment. At the same time, France has consistently advocated for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own defense, thereby strengthening the transatlantic partnership rather than replacing it.

Louisiana occupies a special place in this story. It is where French, American, African, Caribbean and Native influences came together to create something unique. It is a living reminder that identities can be enriched rather than diminished through openness to others.

As America 250 approaches, may we remain faithful to the legacy of Jefferson and Lafayette, and inspired by the courage of those who crossed the Atlantic in both directions to defend liberty.

May we also remember the soldiers who landed in Normandy and all those, throughout the world, who have risked everything in the name of freedom and democracy.

We owe it to them. We owe it to ourselves. And we owe it to future generations.

Merci, Louisiana, for keeping that friendship alive.

Rodolphe Sambou, a career diplomat, is consul general for France in New Orleans.

ON THE CALENDAR There are several events around Louisiana to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration of Independence. Here is a list of some going on now.

For a full list, go to america250la.org n The Historic New Orleans Collection, 520 Royal St., New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit,“American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition,” where visitors can immerse themselves in 3d interactive reconstructions of key moments in American history.

This free, interactive experience, which runs through Jan. 17, utilizes 360-degree augmented reality to immerse visitors in 20 defining moments of the nation’s founding, from the sparks of the Boston Tea Party to the victory at yorktown.The “American Revolution” was produced and designed by Histovery with promotional support from New Orleans & Company and Louisiana America 250.The exhibition offers a fresh, technologically driven way to explore the American story. For more, go to hnoc.org. n The Louisiana State Museum at the Cabildo, 701 Chartres St., New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit, “Gálvez and Louisiana in the American Revolution,” which explores the life of Spanish Gov. Bernardo de Gálvez and the diverse people of Louisiana who fought for American independence.Through May 15, 2027. louisianastatemuseum.org. n Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, is featuring the exhibit,“Bought for a Song: A young Nation Expands,” whose only artifact is the French exchange copy of the convention between the Republic of France and the United States that finalized the Louisiana Purchase.Through July 11. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

writer’s city of residence. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.

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4B ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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School marks new chapter as LSU New Orleans UNO changes name with celebration and a big sign

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

It’s official: The University of New Orleans is now LSU New Orleans.

The name change and return to the LSU system marks a new chapter for the nearly 70-year-old university, officials said during a ceremony Wednesday attended by hundreds of students, faculty, alums and local leaders, including New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno. The event culminated with the unveiling of a large LSU New Orleans sign in purple and gold.

“Today we unveil a new sign, but what we are really unveiling is possibility,” said Jeanette Weiland, the school’s interim chancellor and chief administrative officer. She added that the revamped university is aiming for higher enrollment, stronger academic programs, expanded research and more community partnerships.

Last year, alarmed by dwindling enrollment and precarious finances at the University of New Orleans, Louisiana lawmakers began the process to shift the university back to the LSU system, which governed the university from its founding until 2011. Supporters hope the shift will financially stabilize and attract more students to the university, where enrollment fell to 5,700 students last fall, down from a peak of 17,000 students before Hurricane Katrina.

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B Lake Charles armed robbery and kidnapping case.

Andrew Leblanc was arrested June 24 following a joint effort between the Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Charles Police Department, according to a Sheriff’s Office announcement.

He faces one count of armed robbery and second-degree kidnapping in the Lake Charles case. He faces additional charges in

SCHOOL

Continued from page 1B it received over 500 signatures. Evans argued that the closure of the school would put an undue burden on parents and children, as students in the community would have to travel an

FRAUD

Continued from page 1B defrauded Medicaid for between $800,000 and $28.4 million, per the release.

Those arrests are in addition to related indictments Murrill has obtained since taking office, during which time she “has indicted, arrested, or charged 95 individuals for programmatic offenses, including Medicaid fraud and abuse and neglect in residential facilities,” the release says. “She has also secured 105 convictions and over $73 million in ordered restitution.”

Murrill’s Medicaid fraud unit received about $13.3 million in funding during the fiscal year that ended Wednesday, according to the release, which says that $10 million came from a federal grant and $3.3 million came from the state.

The Louisiana Depart-

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2026 PICK 3: 8-0-5 PICK 4: 4-6-8-3 PICK 5: 1-2-1-5-6 MEGA MILLIONS: 26-41-50-53-62 MEGA BALL: 12 Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Wade Rousse, LSU system president and a University of New Orleans graduate, center, pats the back of Jim dalton, chancellor of LSU Baton Rouge, as they stand by the new sign for LSU New Orleans that was unveiled on Wednesday.

Ahead of the official shift, there have been other signs of the coming change on campus.

Banners marking LSU New Orleans recently went up along Elysian Fields Avenue and purple and gold decals wrapped around the exterior of the library. Officials also took steps they said were necessary to address a budget shortfall and put the school on a new path. They hired a slew of new ad-

ministrators, including Weiland; closed the liberal arts building; cut some academic programs; and raised tuition.

LSU President Wade Rousse, who earned a master’s degree from University of New Orleans and credited the university for inspiring his love for economics, said the changes have put the university on stable financial footing.

He added that the school will

Lafayette Parish, including three counts of possession of a gun in the presence of drugs, possession of a stolen gun and possession with intent to distribute Schedule I, II, III and IV drugs.

Last Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office located Leblanc at a residence in the 300 block of Whitemore Road near Scott.

Upon arrival, Leblanc refused to exit the residence, beginning 40 minutes of negotiations with deputies.

Two seniors and one juvenile were inside the home.

Leblanc surrendered and

deputies arrested him before executing a search warrant on the home.

Multiple guns and illegal drugs were found inside the home, including 29 grams of methamphetamines and various quantities of MDMA, Adderall, Vyvanse and Klonopin, police said.

Deputies determined that one gun was stolen.

Leblanc was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center before being transferred to Calcasieu Parish to be booked on his original counts.

Leblanc does not appear

additional 13 miles to Port Barre to attend a public school.

The temporary order was granted on the grounds that residents of Krotz Springs will suffer immediate and irreparable injury, loss or damage if the plan is enacted. Furthermore, the order prevents the School Board from taking any ad-

ministrative actions that are intended to bring about the closure of Krotz Springs Elementary.

A show cause hearing is set for 9 a.m. July 10 at the St. Landry Parish Courthouse, where the School Board will be required to argue why a preliminary injunction should not be issued.

ment of Health has also been a partner in rooting out fraud, according to officials.

“LDH has completely changed our paradigm on fraud detection, prevention and recovery in the last year or so to better police spending in the Medicaid program,” said agency head Bruce Greenstein, who appeared alongside Murrill at the news conference.

The Health Department created an in-house Medicaid fraud detection unit in 2024 and has been able to audit many more tips and program anomalies than it has in previous years, Greenstein said, adding that some of those cases were referred to the attorney general.

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contribute to LSU’s mission to educate students from across the state and prepare them for the workforce. But the university will also remain a research institution rooted in New Orleans, Rousse said.

“LSU New Orleans must remain committed to serving as a catalyst for social mobility, for first-generation students, working students, adult learners and veterans,” he

told the crowd. “That is a critical legacy worth keeping.”

Students in yellow LSU New Orleans shirts cheered and waved glittery pompoms as attendees arrived at Wednesday’s celebration.

Kamille Isom, a graduate student and president of the Student Government Association, said she was hopeful the event’s high energy and optimism would be a permanent feature of LSU New Orleans.

“We had a lot of people come out,” she said. “Seeing all those people just made me really excited for what’s to come.”

Chris Summa, a professor and president of the Faculty Senate, said he was nearly moved to tears by a promotional video that highlighted faculty members’ commitment to New Orleans. He noted that the university has endured financial hardships since Hurricane Katrina, but said he is optimistic that the new leadership will help the school function more seamlessly.

“This is a chance to get our mojo back and get to doing what we do best,” he said. “It’s exciting to see this many people excited about LSU New Orleans.”

Arian Verrett, a New Orleans native who enrolled at UNO after moving back to the city to care for her family, said she appreciates the university’s close-knit community, though she wouldn’t mind seeing more students on campus.

She believes the school can maintain that sense of community even if it’s now called LSU New Orleans.

“It doesn’t matter if they change the name,” she said. “It’s still the same people. It’s still the same school.”

in Calcasieu Parish jail ros- count of possession with inters. tent to distribute Schedule I and II drugs, illegal use of drugs in the presence of a juvenile, contributing to the delinquency of a juveThe Lafayette Parish nile, transactions involving Sheriff’s Office arrested proceeds from drugs and a Mississippi man after a several traffic violations, traffic stop led to a drug according to a Sheriff’s Ofseizure. fice announcement.

Keith Williams, 48, of CanAbout 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, ton, Mississippi, was arrest- deputies conducted a stop ed Tuesday and faces one for a traffic violation along

Sheriff: Cocaine seized along I-10

Interstate 10 in Lafayette Parish. Upon executing a consensual search of the vehicle, deputies discovered 12.51 pounds of cocaine, 78 grams of methamphetamines and 24 grams of marijuana.

Williams was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on a $1.08 million bail.

An investigation is ongoing.

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T h u r s d ay, J u ly 2, 2026

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NBA free agency heats up Teams continue to shape rosters with sizzling blockbuster moves

The Associated Press Add Norman Powell to the list of this past season’s All-Stars who are changing addresses this summer in NBA free agency.

Powell has agreed to a two-year deal that could be worth up to $45 million with the Chicago Bulls, a person with knowledge of the talks said Wednesday. Powell also had received some interest from the Detroit Pistons, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot be finalized until July 6 at the earliest.

ESPN and Chicago Sports Network were among those who first reported the agreement between Powell and the Bulls, who will hold a team option for 2027-28. Powell spent this past season in Miami, where he became an All-Star for the first time and averaged 21.7 points in 58 games with the Heat.

Miami will have a very different look this coming season, after the acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade that sent Tyler Herro and others to Milwaukee. Powell will be joining his fifth team, after past stints with Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto and the Heat.

All-Stars on the move Powell is among five — and there likely will be more — All-Star selections from 2026 alone to be on the move this offseason.

He joins Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee to Miami), Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Ingram (the headliners of a trade that brings Leonard back to Toronto and sends Ingram to the Los Angeles Clippers), and LeBron James (who is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for a yet-to-be-decided team).

Of the 62 players with at least one All-Star selection in the last five years, just over half

ä See NBA, page 3C

Angelyna Conde transfers to UL from Texas Tech as a third baseman.

PROVIdEd PHOTO

‘THE BEST OPPORTUNITY’

Transfer Conde hoping to provide steady bat, glove for Cajuns

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

AP FILE PHOTO By CHRIS SZAGOLA

Miami Heat’s Norman Powell drives the ball during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 26 in Philadelphia. Powell signed an agreement with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

At first glance, there doesn’t appear to be many connections between Angelyna Conde of La Mirada, California, and Lamson Park in Lafayette.

But as new as UL softball’s park was to Conde’s eyes during her visit last week, there was more familiarity than meets the eye.

For one, the Texas Tech transfer had the Ragin’ Cajuns on her recruiting radar back in high school when former UL coach Gerry Glasco began recruiting her, before she ended up in Lubbock, Texas.

Then Conde got plenty of feedback from former UL players Lauren Allred, Chloe Riassetto, Victoria Valdez and Mihyia Davis.

“I did my research,” Conde said. “I talked to Lauren, I talked to Chloe and Vic and Mihyia about it. I told them, ‘Be honest, what was it like there?’ They had nothing

but great things to say about the fans, the environment, the coaches and the program. It sounded like the best opportunity.”

It doesn’t end there.

Conde also had a unique perspective with her first cousin Frankie Andujo playing for Sun Belt rival South Alabama.

“She was like, ‘You don’t understand that fan base and the culture they have in Lafayette,” Conde said. “I said, ‘Frankie, show me,’ so we started looking for YouTube videos of past games and I was like, ‘Wow, what a great experience.’”

Moreover, Conde was also able to meet two of UL’s biggest player ambassadors in Kennedy Marceaux and Mia Norwood, on her visit.

“I’m just so excited,” Conde said. “Getting to meet Kennedy and Mia and then coach Aly (Habetz) and Lacy

The Advocate wins LSWA A awards, including top honoor Staff report

Georges Media publications, including The Advocate, Times-Picayune and Shreveport Bossier-City Advocate, piled up a long list of honors in the 2025 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Annual Contest, including one staff member who was named Sportswriter of the Year.

The awards were handed out Sunday during a ceremony in Natchitoches, honoring the best the state has to offer in print, television and media relations.

Roy Lang of The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate was named Sports Writer of the Year for his coverage of the LSU-Shreveport baseball team on its undefeated run to an NAIA national championship, his writing following the tragic death of a member of the Calvary Baptist Academy softball team and his work after a pair of Shreveport area natives performed well at last year’s U.S. Open.

“2025 was meaningful for me, with or

without any awards. I’m honored to be a part of the Advocate team we have in Shreveport and across the state,” Lang said of his honor. h Five other Georges Media emplo oyees picked up top individual honors.

Wilson Alexander, who served as the e LSU football beat writer for The Advocatte, claimed Beat Writer of The Year afte er taking the top spot in the College Eve ent and College Feature categories.

As a Saints beat writer for The Tim mesPicayune, Luke Johnson earned first pllace in the Pro Event and Pro Feature comp petitions.

In the Pro Column category, Times-P Picayune veteran columnist Jeff Duncan la anded the top spot.

For his coverage of the Division I state football championship game between Edna E Karr and St. Augustine, Rod Walker off The Times-Picayune took first place in the Prep Event group.

Michael Johnson of The Advocate came out on top in the Photography category.

STAFF FILE PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

ä See CAJUNS, page 3C

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

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Krejcikova upsets Andreeva at Wimbledon

BY MATTIAS KAREN Associated Press

LONDON — Barbora Krejcikova needed seven match points to knock French Open champion Mirra Andreeva out of Wimbledon in the biggest upset of the women’s tournament so far, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Andreeva faced six match points when Krejcikova — the 2024 Wimbledon champion — served for the match at 5-3 and saved them all before finally converting her fourth break point in a marathon game.

The fifth-seeded Russian teenager handed her opponent a seventh match point when she sliced a backhand wide in the next game, and this time Krejcikova converted with a bit of luck. Her shot hit the net cord and bounced in and Andreeva could only return it long.

Andreeva, coming off her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, threw her racket away in disgust and later smashed it into her bag before leaving Centre Court.

“What a match,” Krejcikova said, trying to sum it all up. “What a match.”

Earlier, No. 1 ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner both advanced in straight sets, with Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka also reaching the third round.

Krejcikova is a two-time Grand Slam winner, also taking the 2021 French Open title, but has struggled with back and knee injuries and has fallen to No. 38 in the rankings.

Andreeva had shown signs of frustration throughout the third set — including when her bead bracelet broke during a point at 1-1 and she had to spend a few moments picking beads out of the grass along the baseline and throwing them toward the back of the court.

Two ball kids and the chair umpire joined her in cleaning up before play resumed.

There was also some loud cheers during the third set that had nothing to do with tennis. Some in the Centre Court crowd had half an eye on England’s World Cup match against Congo and celebrated both

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By BRIAN INGANGA

Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Mirra Andreeva of Russia in their second round women’s singles match on Wednesday at the Wimbledon Championships in London. of Harry Kane’s goals and the final whistle.

Gauff came from a break down in the third set and then won the last six points of the tiebreaker to beat Solana Sierra 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).

Gauff was two points away from losing the match when Sierra served at 5-4 in the third set but won three straight points to break back. In the 10-point tiebreaker, she trailed 7-4 but didn’t lose another point, sealing the win with an ace and then screaming out loud with both fists clenched.

“When she had to serve for the match I just reminded myself that I’m a great returner as well,” Gauff said. “I was just trying to be positive and I think that showed.”

Gauff had her breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2019 when she reached the fourth round as a 15-year-old, beating Venus Wil-

liams in the first round. But while she has won both the U.S. Open and the French Open since then, she has yet to make the quarterfinals at the All England Club despite two more trips to the fourth round.

As it happens, that win over Williams also came on July 1 on No. 1 Court.

“It was kind of my breakout moment, and playing against one of my idols was insane,” Gauff said.

“Every time I walk down this hallway I get deja vu and I just remind myself, like, if I could do that (seven) years ago, I’m definitely a better player since then.

So I definitely can do it now.”

Osaka showed off a new look again before winning her secondround match.

Osaka, whose fashion reveals have become an event of their

own at Grand Slam tournaments, wore a less elaborate outfit for her walk-on than the “Kill Bill” inspired kimono she sported for her opening-round match on Monday.

It still drew plenty of attention as she made the walk from the locker room to No. 2 Court, trailed by photographers and fans wanting to take their own photos.

This all-white outfit featured a wide belt and a long train that trailed behind her, which the fourtime major winner took off as she began warming up for her match against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova.

She went on to quickly dispatch Gasanova 6-3, 6-2.

“I’m just trying to mix it up a little bit,” Osaka said about her outfit, adding she had been worried that a loss might have ruined her daughter Shai’s third birthday on Thursday.

“I just wanted to be here for longer, I didn’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday,” Osaka said.

Sabalenka soon followed her into the third round, beating McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6 (9) on No. 1 Court.

Sinner, the defending champion who came from a set down twice to win in five sets in the first round, had a more comfortable victory Wednesday. Sinner beat Nuno Borges 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the first match on Centre Court.

It wasn’t entirely straightforward for the Italian, though, as he had to break back for 5-5 when Borges served for the second set, before winning in just over 2½ hours.

“Second set was very, very tough,” Sinner said.

Other winners included French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, No. 8 Daniil Medvedev, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe and No. 21 Tommy Paul.

Next up on Centre Court Novak Djokovic taking on Stefanos Tsitsipas.

On Tuesday, Serena Williams returned to Centre Court but lost in three sets to Maya Joint in her first singles match in nearly four years. Williams, who tweaked her knee in the match, still hopes to play doubles with sister Venus later in the week.

U.S. Senior Open demands precision over power Cink has won the first two majors this year on PGA Tour Champions

CLEVELAND — Corey Seager is back on the injured list.

The Texas Rangers shortstop was placed on the 10-day injured list before Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians because of lower back inflammation.

Seager was in the lineup for Tuesday’s game but was removed before his first at-bat when his back flared up during warmups.

He returned from the IL on June 25 after missing 12 games because of a concussion he sustained in a home plate collision with Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen on June 11.

Seager is batting .182 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 50 games.

The five-time All-Star went 1 for 10 but walked five times in 15 at-bats since returning from his concussion.

WTA Finals moving from Saudi Arabia to Indian Wells

LONDON — The WTA Finals, the elite season-ending event in women’s tennis, is moving from Saudi Arabia to Indian Wells, California, this year.

The 2026 finals, which the top eight singles players and doubles teams qualify for, are scheduled for Nov. 8-15.

The women’s professional tennis tour and Saudi Arabia had signed a three-year deal in 2024 to stage the event in Riyadh. The agreement provided a big increase in prize money.

There were concerns about going back to Saudi Arabia due to military conflicts in the Middle East.

Indian Wells also hosts the BNP Paribas Open for both men and women in March.

Nationals RHP Cavalli apologizes for remark

BOSTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli apologized Wednesday for shouting “sit down, boy” at Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras while instigating a benches’ clearing scrum a night earlier.

“I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived,” Cavalli said. “Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that.”

Cavalli shouted at Contreras after striking him out looking with a full-count pitch in the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-1 victory over the Red Sox. “My teammates know me, my family knows me, this organization knows me,” Cavalli said.

Cavalli said he hadn’t apologized to Contreras yet, but he hopes he hears his explanation.

Sony Open flips over to PGA Tour Champions

HONOLULU — The golf season in Hawaii again starts at Waialae Country Club next year as a PGA Tour Champions event that will be called the Sony Championship.

The PGA Tour and Sony on Wednesday announced the change, which had been expected since April when the tour said it would not be returning to Maui for The Sentry, which since 1999 had preceded the Sony Open.

The Sony Championship will be Jan. 14-16 — ending on a Saturday — at Waialae, which had hosted a PGA Tour event since 1965. The prize fund will be $3 million. Past champions at Waialae now on the 50-and-older circuit include Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Zach Johnson and Jerry Kelly.

BY JOE REEDY

AP sportswriter

Stewart Cink has won the first two majors this year on the PGA Tour Champions, though isn’t thinking about the Grand Slam this week at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. He just wants the U.S. Senior Open title that he fell just short of last year.

“The way I think about it is I would rather just have won the U.S. Senior Open than have it be part of some series of events like the Grand Slam,” he said.

“It means a lot to me that this is a big tournament. It’s certainly one of the biggest tournaments of the year on my schedule, and that’s why we’re here, to compete and win.”

The 52-year-old Cink has four wins in nine starts this year, including the Senior PGA Championship and the Tradition. It is the second straight year that a player has won the first two majors. Cink will try to avoid the fate of Angel Cabrera, who did not make the cut in last year’s Senior Open.

Cink leads the tour in driving distance, but that might not be an advantage beginning Thursday, because Scioto’s layout is more about precision than power.

“It does take the driver out of your hand in places, a lot of places, but power translates all the way through the bag. So power is an advantage coming into the greens, too. It’s not just about hitting the driver far,” Cink said. “I think the biggest challenge here is just going to be to

Rangers’ Seager back on IL with back inflammation

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By FRANK FRANKLIN II

Stewart Cink hits from the first fairway during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 15 in Newtown Square, Pa. remain yourself and not try to be someone you’re not. The golf course has got a lot of challenge out there. I don’t think it really fits one type of player. It’s just a really good overall golf course.”

Cink finished second in last year’s U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as Padraig Harrington won his second Senior Open title by one shot.

Harrington, who also won in 2022, is trying to join Miller Barber as the only three-time champions in the event’s 46-year history.

“There always seems to be something in front of you that

you kind of have to layup off.

Most of the field will play from the same positions on pretty much every hole, so it will be a second-shot golf course, approach shots. And the greens are very good, so the standard of putting should be very high this week,” said Harrington, who is in the middle of a stretch of playing eight straight weeks.

Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson are among the 50 golfers in the 156-player field making their first Senior Open start.

Besides the usual challenge of a USGA championship, another factor will be temperatures near triple digits. Cink feels like he is

ready for whatever is thrown his way.

“It’s going to be a grind and a test, and stay hydrated and stay rested. But really just stay kind of in the present and just be myself,” he said. “I think the way the year or so has gone, I’ve proved to myself that it’s enough just to be pretty ordinary. And I don’t mean that in a negative sense. I mean being ordinary in extraordinary circumstances like these is enough and just to remember that.”

This marks the third time Scioto has hosted the U.S. Senior Open. Gene Sauers won in 2016 and Dale Douglass in 1986.

IOC will not grant team status to Greenland, Faroe Islands

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Greenland and the Faroe Islands will not be recognized as separate and independent Olympic teams despite a request from Denmark’s parliament, the IOC said Wednesday.

The Olympic Charter has for 30 years defined a country that can have an official team as “an independent state recognized by the international community.”

Greenland and the Faroe Islands — which are semi-autonomous territories in the kingdom of Denmark — do not meet that standard, the International Olympic Committee said in a statement.

“This position has been explained and communicated very clearly to the concerned parties on numerous occasions over the past years,” the IOC said.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● 3C

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Belgium converts late penalty to beat Senegal in extra time

NBA

Continued from page 1C — 32 of them — have changed teams at least once in that span.

Robinson to Boston Mitchell Robinson, the Chalmette High School alum who helped the New York Knicks win an NBA championship in June, has found a new team.

The 7-foot center has reached a deal with the Boston Celtics, according to an ESPN report.

The deal was reached on Wednesday, the second day teams were allowed to negotiate with free agents.

Robinson spoke about his free agency last Thursday when he was in Chalmette for his annual camp and a parade that was held in his honor for winning the NBA championship.

“I’m just going to see what’s out there and we’ll see what happens,” Robinson said.

He has agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Celtics. The deal has a player option in the third season, according to the report.

Drafted by the Knicks in the second round of the 2018 draft, Robinson had been with the Knicks longer than anyone else on the roster. He averaged 7.5 points and 8 rebounds in his time with the Knicks. He was a key reserve for a team that won its first NBA championship in 53 years.

His ability to rebound and protect the game made him one of the most coveted big men in this year’s free agency class.

He was instrumental throughout the playoffs, including the job he did against San Antonio Spurs’ center Victor Wembanyama in the Finals. Robinson was guarding the San Antonio star when Wembanyama missed a potential gamewinning shot in Game 2. And it was Robinson’s clutch rebound on a Spurs’ missed free throw that clinched the series in Game 5.

Now Robinson heads to play for one of the Knicks’ biggest rivals, the Boston Celtics. He will help fill the void left by center Nikola Vucevic, who agreed to a deal with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

BY ANDREW DESTIN AP sportswriter

AP FILE PHOTO By TIM PHILLIS

New york Knicks center Mitchell Robinson dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals series on May 25 in Cleveland.

Robinson was traded to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. in 2025-26.

Harris to San Antonio The Western Conference champion Spurs got another veteran, adding Tobias Harris on a two-year deal worth about $15 million this coming season and about $16 million in 2027-28, a person with knowledge of the agreement told the AP. Including playoff games, Harris has played in 466 victories over the last decade — the sixth most of any player in the league over that span. Harris, who turns 34 later this month, averaged 13.3 points this past season for Detroit.

Collins to Detroit Forward John Collins is changing teams again, after agreeing to a three-year contract with the Pistons, a person with knowledge of those negotiations told the AP. ESPN reported the deal is worth $51 million.

The Pistons will be Collins’ third team in as many seasons.

He started his career in Atlanta, then spent two seasons in Utah (until 2024-25) and played for the Clippers last season.

Vucevic returns to Orlando

Lakers reload

Nikola Vucevic is headed back to the Orlando Magic, agreeing on a one-year deal for just under $4 million, a person with knowledge of those talks confirmed.

Vucevic is second all-time on the Magic list in rebounds, third in points and fourth in games played. The 35-year-old center has been in the league for 15 seasons, nine of those with Orlando — and now joins a young core led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Orlando needed another post option after losing Moritz Wagner in free agency to Brooklyn — and Vucevic, who still has a home in central Florida, was the natural fit.

Moritz Wagner, the brother of Franz Wagner, is signing a twoyear deal with the Nets.

Vucevic averaged 15.1 points this past season for Chicago and Boston.

Also Wednesday, the Magic resigned forward Jonathan Isaac.

He was waived last week in a procedural move, only to be brought back as expected for what will be his 10th season with the club (including two he missed with injury).

The Lakers are thoroughly retooling their roster following James’ decision and Smart’s departure. After agreeing to a major trade to acquire center Walker Kessler from Utah, they added forward Sandro Mamukelashvili and guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton in free agency, a person with knowledge of those talks told the AP. Mamukelashvili, a bulky power forward with an outside shooting touch, played his way into a multiyear deal with the Lakers by scoring a career-high 11.2 points per game and hitting 38.9% of his 3-point attempts for Toronto last season and then opting out of his contract.

Grimes is a former Dallas teammate of Luka Doncic who provides strong on-ball defense and versatile offensive skills.

Grimes posted a photo of himself as a child wearing Lakers gear on social media Wednesday.

Sexton has been a consistent scorer throughout his first eight NBA seasons with four teams.

He averaged 15.4 points and 3.3 assists per game last season for Charlotte and Chicago.

Smart to Houston Marcus Smart, the NBA’s defensive player of the year in 2022, is about to join his fourth team in a span of 17 months after agreeing with the Houston Rockets on a two-year deal worth about $12.7 million, a person with knowledge of those talks told the AP. Smart was with Memphis as recently as February 2025, then was sent to Washington to complete that season and spent this past season with the Lakers.

He averaged 9.3 points and started 54 games for the Lakers

Oubre to Indiana The Indiana Pacers, who played in the NBA Finals in 2025 and expect to be a playoff contender again this coming season, have agreed to terms with Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year deal. ESPN and The Indianapolis Star reported it to be worth around $17 million.

Oubre averaged 14.1 points for Philadelphia this past season.

AP Sports Writers Kyle Hightower in Boston and Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Rod Walker contributed to this report.

SEATTLE — Down to its final lastgasp chances, Belgium came through with goals — three of them.

The Red Devils overturned a two-goal deficit with two scores in the final minutes of regulation time and then added a third in the final seconds of extra time to somehow claw back into the game and beat Senegal 3-2 Wednesday in the round of 32 at the World Cup. Youri Tielemans scored the equalizing goal in the 89th minute and then converted from the penalty spot in the fifth minute of stoppage time in extra time for the latest goal in World Cup history. He was fouled with only seconds to go and with a penalty shootout looming, and the referee awarded the spot kick after a video review.

“I do not want to interpret the decision. We all have different interpretations when it comes to awarding a penalty,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. “I’d rather not comment, not interpreting the referee’s decision.”

The win for Belgium marked the second time in the last 11 World Cups that a team trailed by two or more goals in the knockout round and advanced. Belgium also did so in a 3-2 victory over Japan in the round of 16 at the 2018 tournament.

Many of the key players from that Belgium team, which finished in third place in Russia, were instrumental to Wednesday’s victory.

Striker Romelu Lukaku, who leads his nation in goals scored, came off the bench to get Belgium back into the match by scoring in

ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By LINdSEy WASSON

Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr scores a goal during the World Cup Round of 32 match against Belgium on Wednesday in Seattle. the 86th minute, setting the scene for Tielemans to force extra time.

“It is a cruel loss, as we were good in the game,” Thiaw said. “We had the advantage. We were leading 2-0. However a football match is not an 85-minute one. Belgium came back, and we were not able to deal with that ... We must congratulate Belgium as they progress.”

Belgium is back in the round of 16 for the third time in four tournaments. The team reached the quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2018 but failed to get out of the group stage four years ago in Qatar.

The Belgians will next face either the United States or Bosnia-

Herzegovina on Monday in Seattle.

Ismaïla Sarr scored his fourth goal of the World Cup, and one of the most beautiful of the tournament, to give Senegal a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute. He made a perfect first touch off his chest on a long ball from Moussa Niakhaté and then sent his shot past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Senegal, which was without goalkeeper Édouard Mendy because of a knee injury, took the lead on Habib Diarra’s goal in the 25th minute.

Courtois, who is playing in his fourth World Cup, then made three key saves to keep Senegal from increasing its lead.

LATE TUESDAY

Mexico beats Ecuador to reach Round of 16

BY CARLOS RODRIGUEZ AP sportswriter

MEXICO CITY — The 40-year wait is over. Mexicans had learned to live with defeats in the knockout stages of the World Cup. On seven occasions, El Tri fans were left heartbroken at this stage.

Not anymore.

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored within a nine-minute span in the first half and Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday night to break a four-decade drought in the knockout stage and progress to the round of 16.

Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Jiménez added a goal in the 31st for the Mexicans, who had not won a knockoutstage match since defeating Bulgaria in the round of 16 when they

CAJUNS

Continued from page 1C (Prejean), everybody was so great.

I can’t wait.”

Conde only played three games this past season at Texas Tech after a high school career at La Mirada High, where she hit .324 with 20 doubles, 19 homers and 88 RBIs as a three-time all-league performer.

“I still have confidence as a hitter,” said the 5-foot-5 third baseman. “I think I’m a gap-to-gap power hitter. I think I’m a smart hitter. I think I’m a smart softball player — very analytical. I love the game and understand the game. I know my plan.”

Despite the lack of playing time during the regular season, Conde said he gained confidence by competing well against Texas Tech pitchers NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry.

hosted the tournament in 1986.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was one of the starting midfielders in that ‘86 team.

“It means a lot to me because I am one of those who could not progress in the knockout stage,” Aguirre said. “We are in the round of 16 and it is happening a great connection with the fans. We are like a family. It is spectacular.”

Mexico lost seven consecutive times at that same stage from 1994 to 2018 and didn’t advance past the group stage in 2022.

Aguirre, who returned as Mexico’s head coach in August of 2024, was an assistant in 1994 and was the coach in 2002 and 2010.

“We will be on high alert from here until Sunday. We will try to have the players recover from this and we will see if we are able to

win again,” Aguirre said.

In the expanded, 48-team World Cup, there’s an extra round in the knockout phase — the round of 32 was inserted for this tournament between the group stage and the round of 16.

“My year in Lubbock was a great experience,” she said. “I learned so much from the people, the coaches, the atmosphere.

“The biggest thing I learned was the work ethic — seeing how the best players in the country carry themselves. I think that’s huge.

Those women were nothing but great — just seeing the way they show up an hour early and stay an hour late and continuing to practice on off days.”

Because of the new NCAA eligibility rules, Conde comes to UL with four years of eligibility remaining.

“That’s really exciting,” she said.

“It’s almost like last year didn’t happen, but I’m getting to take everything I learned and apply it to the next four years.”

Conde grew up pitching and being a corner infield position, but missed most of her junior season with a hand injury reduced her recruiting options initially.

While she’s currently getting more seasoning with live pitching during a summer league in California, Conde is comfortable with her defensive progress during the ball season and intrasquad games in Texas.

“Yes, 110%,” she said. “The amount of times Mia Williams pulled a ball 80 miles an hour right off the bat at me, you have no choice but to be ready. I feel like I held my own. I stood my ground and I believed I performed well. I learned I could compete.”

Conde joins two-way player KG Favors from South Carolina as UL’s two transfer portal additions after losing Miki Watts, Gabbie Stutes, Julianne Tipton, Lillian Soto and Natalie Johnson in the portal.

The Cajuns are expected to sign at least one more pitcher and one more position player in the portal.

Quiñones goals A third goal in the tournament makes Quiñones El Tri’s secondhighest scorer in World Cup history behind Luis “Matador” Hernández and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who scored four each.

Quiñones, who was the scoring leader in the Saudi Pro League last season, has become the spark in the attack that Mexico lacked in previous World Cups.

“I am just happy with the result, that is all that matters now,” said Quiñones, who is playing in his first World Cup with Mexico.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

4C ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

Jeanerette OL Lewis making waves in recruiting

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

The top football player in Louisiana’s Class of 2029 could be an offensive lineman from a small public school.

That’s a surprise, considering that four- and five-star prospects usually hail from large Class 4A5A programs, often from big-name programs like Edna Karr, Ruston, Zachary or Catholic-Baton Rouge Offensive linemen rarely get such acclaim.

Blair Lewis of Jeanerette High, however, is in the running to attain such lofty status. The 6-foot6, 320-pounder was the first rising sophomore in the state to earn an LSU offer, according to recruiting expert Jerit Roser.

“He’s been working hard to get to that point,” Jeanerette coach CC Paul said of Lewis, whose first offer came from USC. “The good thing is, he’s not satisfied.

“He wants to be the best, not just in Louisiana but in the country.

That’s his mentality and his goal.”

Lewis began taking varsity snaps on defense in the eighth grade — taking on an increased role as the season progressed — for a Tigers’ team that lost to General Trass in

the quarterfinals.

“He played both sides of the ball last year,” said Paul, whose team reached the 2025 semifinals.

“He had a heck of a year on offense with blocking. He got into a rhythm and did a wonderful job.”

The LSU offer came recently after Lewis dominated at the Tigers’ summer camp.

“He was determined to let them know not to overlook him,” Paul said. “‘I’m one of the top up-and-coming linemen. I’m the future.’ That’s his mentality.”

Paul said Lewis, who has always had tremendous size, shifted his mindset and the trajectory skyrocketed from there.

“As an eighth grader, he realized that he had to change his mentality,” Paul said. “The scary thing is that, at his age, he’s still growing.

He could end up being 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-9 and be the second coming of ‘the Big Cat,’ Ernie Ladd (late NFL DL and pro wrestler).”

Jeanerette, which is seeking its first state title appearance, will heavily emphasize the running game with Lewis and Class 1A first-team all-state OL Gregory Green blocking for Devine Duhon (No. 25 in-state player), 1,200-yard

rusher Destin Smith and dualthreat quarterback Aaron Tillman. ”They like my size, aggressiveness, and how I handle people,” Lewis said of LSU. “(Jeanerette) did good the last few years. I think we can go further if we put our minds and the chemistry together, we’ll be good.

“I think once I open the hole for (our backs) and they get through the hole, it’s a touchdown every time.”

Roser, who ranks high school football prospects for Prep Redzone Louisiana, said Lewis checks all the boxes to possibly become the No. 1 in-state player.

“It’s not difficult to see why, in a process where measurables are such a huge talking point, Blair already checks those boxes and stands out physically even in college camp settings against players two and three years older,” Roser said. ”He packs a load of power and also moves well enough at his size that his team could utilize him in some different weapons. He’s likely to debut atop the upcoming initial Louisiana class rankings, or very close to it, with some of the things he brings to the table that can’t be taught.”

PROVIdEd FILE PHOTO

Jeanerette offensive lineman Blair Lewis is already among the state’s top rated linemen as a sophomore.

Two former LSU aces crack MLB All-Star Futures Game roster

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Former LSU pitchers Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson have been selected to represent the American League in the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 12 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The game is part of an All-Star Week showcase.

Anderson pitches in Double-A for the Arkansas Travelers in the Seattle Mariners’ organization. Eyanson is also in Double-A, pitching for the Portland SeaDogs in the Boston Red Sox minor league system.

LSU pitchers Kade Anderson, left, and Anthony Eyanson wait in the dugout during a College World Series practice on June 13, 2025, in Omaha, Neb. Both pitchers were selected to the MLB All-Star Futures roster.

Both pitchers have gotten off to dominant starts this season.

Anderson has a 1.22 ERA in 13 starts. He’s allowed just two earned runs in his past six outings. Eyanson, meanwhile, has a 1.07 ERA in 12 minor league starts, including a 1.48 ERA in seven Double-A starts.

Along with Anderson and Eyanson, three former LSU signees will also participate in the Futures Game, including catcher Blake Mitchell, left-hander Cam Caminiti and right-hander Miguel Sime.

The 2026 All-Stars Futures Game will be held at 11 a.m. and will be televised on NBC.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

SCOREBOARD Odds MLB Thursday

American League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Chi. White Sox -122 at CLEVELAND at KANSAS CITY OFF Tampa Bay at TEXAS -134 Detroit at SEATTLE -211 LA Angels National League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at PHILADELPHIA -131 Pittsburgh at MILWAUKEE -198 Cincinnati Miami -149 at COLORADO St. Louis -112 at ATLANTA at LA DODGERS -198 San Diego

LINE +100 OFF +110 +171 LINE +108 +160 +122 -104 +166

Pro tennis Wimbledon results Wednesday

At All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club London Purse: £30,060,000 Surface: Grass

Men’s Singles

Second Round Jenson Brooksby, United States, def. Ignacio Buse (31), Peru, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, def. Sebastian Ofner, Austria, 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4.

Tommy Paul (21), United States, def. Kwon Soon Woo, South Korea, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (22), Spain, def.

Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, 6-3, 6-0, 6-3.

Marton Fucsovics, Hungary, def. Learner Tien (16), United States, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Jannik Sinner (1), Italy, def. Nuno Borges, Portugal, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Arthur Rinderknech (25), France, def. Martin Damm Jr, United States, 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3.

Michael Zheng, United States, def. Nicolas Mejia, Colombia, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (8), 6-1, 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev (8), Russia, def. Daniel Merida, Spain, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Joao Fonseca (24), Brazil, def. Jesper De Jong, Netherlands, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

Roman Safiullin, Russia, def. Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Shintaro Mochizuki, Japan, def. Ethan Quinn, United States, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 7-5.

Felix Auger-Aliassime (3), Canada, def. Dino Prizmic, Croatia, 7-6 (2), 6-3, 7-5.

Women’s Singles

Second Round Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Antonia Ruzic, Croatia, 6-2, 6-0.

Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Thailand, def.

Alycia Parks, United States, 7-5, 6-0.

Naomi Osaka (14), Japan, def. Anastasia Gasanova, Russia, 6-3, 6-2.

Daria Kasatkina, Russia, def. Janice Tjen, Indonesia, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4.

Claire Liu, United States, def. Zeynep Sonmez, Turkiye, 7-5, 6-3.

Karolina Muchova (10), Czechia, def. Zhang Shuai, China, 6-3, 6-2.

Aryna Sabalenka (1), Belarus, def. McCartney Kessler, United States, 6-1, 7-6 (9).

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Spain, def. Dayana Yastremska, Ukraine, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-2.

Nikola Bartunkova, Czechia, def. Katerina Siniakova (32), Czechia, 6-2, 6-4.

Coco Gauff (7), United States, def. Solana Sierra, Argentina, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).

Anna Kalinskaya (19), Russia, def. Diane Parry, France, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8).

Iva Jovic (16), United States, def. Tatjana Maria, Germany, 6-1, 6-2.

Jessica Pegula (4), United States, def. Sara Sorribes Tormo, Spain, 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Belinda Bencic (11), Switzerland, def. Wang Xinyu, China, 7-5, 6-0.

Barbora Krejcikova, Czechia, def. Mirra Andreeva (5), Russia, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Ekaterina Alexandrova (18), Russia, def.

Lanlana Tararudee, Thailand, 7-5, 7-5.

Men’s Doubles

First Round Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (4), Italy, def. Joshua Paris and Ben Jones, Britain, 6-4, 6-3.

Jakub Paul, Switzerland, and Ryan Seggerman, United States, def. Luke Johnson, Britain, and Jan Zielinski, Poland, 6-4, 6-4.

Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, and Hugo Nys (9), Monaco, def. Daniel Evans and Henry Searle, Britain, 6-2, 6-4.

Nikola Mektic, Croatia, and Austin Krajicek (14), United States, def. Marcelo Melo, Brazil, and Andres Molteni, Argentina, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

Mac Kiger and Patrik Trhac, United States, def. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Quentin Halys, France, 6-2, 6-4.

Fernando Romboli, Brazil, and John-Patrick Smith, Australia, def. Karol Drzewiecki and Kamil Majchrzak, Poland, 5-7, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (8).

Lucas Miedler, Austria, and Francisco Cabral (11), Portugal, def. Diego Hidalgo, Ecuador, and Matej Vocel, Czechia, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-6 (2).

Marcus Willis and David Stevenson, Britain, def. Ariel Behar, Uruguay, and Joe Salisbury, Britain, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3.

Marc Polmans and Rinky Hijikata, Australia, def. Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner (16), Germany, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7).

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz (7), Germany, def. Gonzalo Escobar, Ecuador, and Reese Stalder, United States, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9).

Corentin Moutet and Arthur Reymond, France, def. Harry Wendelken and Johannus Monday, Britain, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl, Czechia, def.

Marcos Giron, United States, and Alejandro Tabilo, Chile, 6-2, 6-2.

Christian Harrison, United States, and Neal Skupski (5), Britain, def. Mariano Kestelboim and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Argentina, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4.

Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo Arevalo (6), El Salvador, def. Nick Kyrgios, Australia, and Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-4.

Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash (3), Britain, def. Mariano Navone, Argentina, and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, Paraguay, 6-3, 6-0.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australia, and Aleksandar Kovacevic, United States, def. Santiago Gonzalez, Mexico, and Maximo Gonzalez, Argentina, 5-7, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

Harri Heliovaara, Finland, and Henry Patten (1), Britain, def. Terence Atmane and Luca Sanchez, France, 7-5, 6-2.

Pro basketball WNBA glance Eastern Conference Atlanta New York Indiana Washington Toronto Chicago Connecticut

W 12 12 11 9 9 6 4

L 7 8 8 9 10 13 15

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

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 15 14 13 11 8 8 7 5

L 4 5 7 8 10 12 13 15

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

Western Conference

Tuesday’s games

New York 93, Las Vegas 85

Wednesday’s games No games scheduled.

Thursday’s games

Atlanta at Washington, 6:30 p.m.

Dallas at Connecticut, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

World Cup ROUND OF 32 June 28

Canada 1, South Africa 0

June 29

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

Tuesday

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

Wednesday

England 2, Congo 1 Belgium 3, Senegal 2 United States vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, n

Thursday

Spain vs. Austria, 2 p.m.

Portugal vs. Croatia, 6 p.m.

Switzerland vs. Algeria, 10 p.m.

Friday

Australia vs. Egypt, 1 p.m.

Argentina vs. Cape Verde, 5 p.m.

GB — ½ 1 2½ 3 6 8

Wednesday’s games

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

Washington 10, Boston 2 Chicago Cubs 23, San Diego 3 Toronto 9, N.Y. Mets 3 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, n St. Louis at Atlanta, n Cincinnati at Milwaukee, n Miami at Colorado, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n San Francisco at Arizona, n

ROUND OF 16 Saturday

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

Sunday

Brazil vs. Norway, 3 p.m.

Mexico vs. England, 7 p.m.

Monday

Thursday’s games

TBD, 2 p.m.

Belgium vs. TBD, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Jones 1-1) at Philadelphia (Rangel 0-1), 11:35 a.m.

Cincinnati (Burns 9-1) at Milwaukee (Misiorowski 9-3), 1:10 p.m.

Miami (TBD) at Colo. (Lorenzen 3-9), 2:10 p.m.

St. Louis (May 5-6) at Atlanta (TBD), 6:15 p.m.

San Diego (Vásquez 6-6) at L.A. Dodgers (Sasaki 3-5), 9:10 p.m.

July 7

TBD, 11 a.m.

TBD, 3 p.m.

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

Tuesday’s games

Pro golf W 49 48 41 40 37

L 33 38 46 48 48

Pct GB .598 — .558 3 .471 10½ .455 12 .435 13½

W 45 45 41 38 35

L 40 42 46 49 51

Pct GB .529 — .517 1 .471 5 .437 8 .407 10½

W 44 44 43 40 36

L 43 43 45 46 51

Pct .506 .506 .489 .465 .414

GB — — 1½ 3½ 8

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

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York Central Division Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati West Division Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

Tuesday’s games

W 49 48 46 45 36

L 34 38 40 43 51

Pct .590 .558 .535 .511 .414

GB — 2½ 4½ 6½ 15

W 52 49 44 43 39

L 31 38 38 43 45

Pct .627 .563 .537 .500 .464

GB — 5 7½ 10½ 13½

W 56 43 43 35 33

L 30 42 42 50 53

Pct .651 .506 .506 .412 .384

GB — 12½ 12½ 20½ 23

Philadelphia 8, Pittsburgh 0 N.Y. Mets 3, Toronto 0 St. Louis 5, Atlanta 3 Washington 8, Boston 1 Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 2 Chicago Cubs 9, San Diego 7 Miami 14, Colorado 3 Arizona 8, San Francisco 2 L.A. Dodgers 9, Athletics

Birdies

1, Aki Iwai, 197. 2, Lottie Woad, 186. 3, Miyu Yamashita, 185. 4 (tie), Minami Katsu, Jennifer Kupcho and Haeran Ryu, 177. 7, 4 tied with 175.

Eagles

Driving Distance

1, Nelly Korda, .86%. 2, Haeran Ryu, .71%.

3, Miyu Yamashita, .57%. 4, Aki Iwai, .54%.

5, Rio Takeda, .62%. 6, Lottie Woad, .60%. 7, Hye-Jin Choi, .59%. 8, Gaby Lopez, .65%. 9, Jeeno Thitikul, .60%. 10, Ruoning Yin, .58%.

11, Jin Hee Im, .53%. 12, Cassie Porter, .60%.

13, Chizzy Iwai, .54%. 14, Ina Yoon, .62%.

1, Aldrich Potgieter, 328.8. 2, Michael Brennan, 325.4. 3, Gary Woodland, 322.4. 4 (tie), Chris Gotterup and Nicolai Højgaard, 322.1.

6, Rasmus Højgaard, 321.4. 7, Marco Penge, 320.8. 8, Min Woo Lee, 320.2. 9, Johnny Keefer, 318.6. 10, Jake Knapp, 317.7.

Total Driving

National League

1 (tie), Hyo Joo Kim and Stephanie Meadow, 1.69. 3, Minjee Lee, 1.72. 4 (tie), Mi Hyang Lee, Chiara Tamburlini and Angel Yin, 1.73.

7 (tie), Nelly Korda, Minjee Lee and Gaby Lopez, 1.74. 10, Brooke Matthews, 1.75.

Scoring Average

1, Scottie Scheffler, 68.901. 2, Collin Morikawa, 69.533. 3, Matt Fitzpatrick, 69.621. 4, Jake Knapp, 69.795. 5, Sam Burns, 69.908.

6, Wyndham Clark, 69.938. 7, Tommy Fleetwood, 69.943. 8, Cameron Young, 69.971. 9, Ludvig Åberg, 70.014. 10, Xander Schauffele, 70.017.

1, 10 tied with .00%.

Chicago White Sox (Martin 9-3) at Cleveland (Cecconi 4-6), 5:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay (TBD) at Kansas City (TBD), 6:40 p.m.

Detroit (Valdez 4-5) at Texas (Eovaldi 8-7), 7:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Ureña 5-6) at Seattle (Miller 3-2), 8:40 p.m.

Putts per GIR

1 (tie), Pornanong Phatlum and Patty Tavatanakit, .62%. 3 (tie), Minjee Lee and Lucy Li, .61%. 5, Ryann O’Toole, .60%. 6 (tie), Peiyun Chien, Youmin Hwang, Minami Katsu and Nelly Korda, .59%. 10, Jing Yan, .58%.

1, Scottie Scheffler, 3,511. 2, Matt Fitzpatrick, 3,195. 3, Cameron Young, 2,586. 4, Wyndham Clark, 2,199. 5, Collin Morikawa, 2,176. 6, Si Woo Kim, 1,860. 7, Ludvig Aberg, 1,773. 8, 6 tied with 1,631.

Greens in Regulation Percentage

Thursday’s games

1, Haeran Ryu, .80%. 2, Helen Briem, .75%.

3 (tie), Isabello Fierro, Nelly Korda, Jeeno Thitikul and Lottie Woad, .74%. 7 (tie), Hannah Green and Dongeun Lee, .73%. 9, 2 tied with .72%.

1, Nelly Korda, 9. 2 (tie), Hye-Jin Choi and Brooke M. Henderson, 8. 4 (tie), Ariya Jutanugarn, Minji Kang, Ryann O’Toole and Weiwei Zhang, 7. 8, 9 tied with 6.

1, Russell Henley, 73.41%. 2, Aaron Rai, 72.43%. 3, Lucas Glover, 70.13%. 4, Si Woo Kim, 70.10%. 5, Andrew Putnam, 69.65%. 6, Tommy Fleetwood, 69.44%. 7, Collin Morikawa, 69.41%. 8, Matt Fitzpatrick, 68.90%. 9, Corey Conners, 68.78%. 10, Emiliano Grillo, 68.41%.

Wednesday’s games

Greens in Regulation

Through June 29 FedExCup Season Points

Driving Accuracy Percentage

Baltimore 6, Chicago White Sox 1 Cleveland 9, Texas 4 Detroit 6, N.Y. Yankees 2, 11 innings Washington 10, Boston 2 Toronto 9, N.Y. Mets 3 Tampa Bay at Kansas City, n Minnesota at Houston, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n

East Division

PGA Tour statistics

277.63. 7, Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, 277.59.

8, Ina Yoon, 277.54. 9, Nelly Korda, 277.19. 10, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, 277.16.

1, Ludvig Åberg, 44. 2, Scottie Scheffler, 49.

3, Kurt Kitayama, 55. 4, Michael Brennan, 62. 5, Neal Shipley, 64. 6, Min Woo Lee, 67.

7, Jordan Smith, 71. 8, William Mouw, 72. 9, Cameron Young, 74. 10, Matt Fitzpatrick, 76.

SG-Putting

1, Vince Whaley, .780. 2, Jake Knapp, .698.

3, Akshay Bhatia, .681. 4, Jacob Bridgeman, .673. 5, Sam Burns, .662. 6 (tie), A.J. Ewart and Beau Hossler, .632. 8 (tie), Eric Cole and Harris English, .581. 10, Alex Noren, .563.

Birdie Average

1, Scottie Scheffler, 4.82. 2 (tie), Si Woo Kim and Collin Morikawa, 4.59. 4, Wyndham Clark, 4.55. 5, Ludvig Aberg, 4.39. 6, Akshay Bhatia, 4.35. 7, Robert MacIntyre, 4.34. 8, Eric Cole, 4.33. 9, Jacob Bridgeman, 4.32. 10, Keith Mitchell, 4.3.

Eagles (Holes per)

1, Jake Knapp, 48. 2, Nicolai Højgaard, 77.5.

3, Matt Wallace, 82. 4, Sahith Theegala, 83.3.

5, Keegan Bradley, 84. 6, Tommy Fleetwood, 88.4. 7, 4 tied with 90.

Sand Save Percentage

1, 10 tied with .00%.

All-Around Ranking

1, Scottie Scheffler, 157. 2, Ludvig Åberg, 218.

3, Wyndham Clark, 244. 4, Collin Morikawa, 268. 5, Sam Burns, 277. 6, Si Woo Kim, 312. 7, Min Woo Lee, 317. 8, Keith Mitchell, 322. 9, Chris Gotterup, 334. 10, Jake Knapp, 335.

LPGA Tour statistics Through June 29 Scoring

1, Nelly Korda, 68.51. 2, Haeran Ryu, 69.71. 3, Hyo Joo Kim, 69.81. 4, Hannah Green, 70.22.

5, Miyu Yamashita, 70.29. 6, Jeeno Thitikul, 70.33. 7, Ina Yoon, 70.36. 8, Ruoning Yin, 70.49.

9, Lydia Ko, 70.51. 10, Sei Young Kim, 70.55.

Driving Distance

1, Julia Lopez Ramirez, 290.89. 2, Riley Smyth, 288.74. 3, Polly Mack, 283.48. 4, Auston Kim, 280.82. 5, Helen Briam, 280.63. 6, Laney Frye,

Sand Save Percentage

Rounds Under Par

Auto racing NASCAR O’Reilly Points leaders Through June 29

1. Justin Allgaier, 858 (5).

2. Jesse Love, 651 (0).

3. Corey Day, 645 (2).

4. Sheldon Creed, 642 (1).

5. Austin Hill, 611 (2).

6. Carson Kvapil, 604 (0).

7. Sammy Smith, 578 (0).

8. Brandon Jones, 573 (0).

9. Parker Retzlaff, 533 (0).

10. Sam Mayer, 510 (0).

11. Brent Crews, 493 (0).

12. Taylor Gray, 492 (1).

13. William Sawalich, 472 (1).

14. Rajah Caruth, 466 (0).

15. Ryan Sieg, 446 (0).

16. Anthony Alfredo, 379 (0).

17. Brennan Poole, 354 (0).

18. Dean Thompson, 324 (0).

19. Jeremy Clements, 323 (0).

20. Jeb Burton, 298 (0).

21. Harrison Burton, 294 (0).

22. Blaine Perkins, 285 (0).

23. Austin Green, 262 (0).

24. Patrick Staropoli, 262 (0).

25. Josh Bilicki, 243 (0).

26. Lavar Scott, 211 (0).

27. Kyle Sieg, 196 (0).

28. Ryan Ellis, 187 (0).

29. Josh Williams, 129 (0).

30. Joey Gase, 127 (0).

31. Nicholas Sanchez, 95 (0).

32. Alex Labbe, 93 (0).

33. Garrett Smithley, 93 (0).

34. JJ Yeley, 79 (0).

35. Andrew Patterson, 72 (0).

36. Mason Maggio, 65 (0).

37. Nathan Byrd, 61 (0).

38. Dawson Cram, 51 (0).

39. Preston Pardus, 45 (0).

40. Will Rodgers, 41 (0).

41. Brad Perez, 36 (0).

42. Myatt Snider, 35 (0).

43. Jordan Anderson, 33 (0).

44. Lee Pulliam, 32 (0).

45. Luke Fenhaus, 31 (0).

46. David Starr, 31 (0).

47. Carson Ware, 28 (0).

48. Blake Lothian, 27 (0).

49. Logan Bearden, 17 (0).

50. Jesse Iwuji, 12 (0).

51. Gray Gaulding, 9 (0).

52. Alex Guenette, 9 (0).

53. Dexter Bean, 7 (0).

54. Glen Reen, 7 (0).

55. CJ McLaughlin, 7 (0).

56. Cleetus McFarland, 7 (0).

57. Derek White, 5 (0).

58. Baltazar Leguizamón, 5 (0).

LIVING

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

|

T h u r s d ay, J u ly 2, 2026

H

5CN

A cut above

Here’s an Alexandriainspired steak sandwich recipe from the new ‘My Egypt’ cookbook

BY MICHAEL MINA Voracious

Not far from the Corniche along the Eastern Harbor in Alexandria, Egypt, there’s El Fallah, a tiny place that only makes one thing: liver sandwiches.

You say liver sandwich in Alexandria and people know you’re talking about this spot — it’s so famous that the owner has dozens of pictures of himself posing with Egyptian celebrities.

The reason the sandwich works is the meat is cut paperthin and is generously seasoned with spices. That liver sandwich inspired this recipe in my book “My Egypt,” made with rib-eye, which applies similar flavors to steak sliced super-thin (as in, Philly cheesesteak thin).

If you’d rather make the sandwich with beef liver instead of steak, slice the liver in half horizontally, season generously with salt and pepper, and brush with the garlic butter used in this recipe. Broil the liver for 1 to 2 minutes or until brown on the outside and slightly pink in the center.

Let it cool for a couple of minutes, then slice it crosswise and add it to the bowl with the cooked shallots and other fixings.

You can make the garlic butter ahead and refrigerate it with the garlic cloves inside.

This recipe makes more garlic butter than you need, but the extra keeps, sealed in an airtight container, for a month, ready to be pulled out and used to make many other things, like garlic bread or scampi.

PHOTOS By LIZ FAUL

Red beans and rice

Flavor to remember

Immerse yourself in culinary culture with two recipes from ‘Cooking Up a Storm’ cookbook VORACIOUS PHOTO By JOHN LEE

Alexandria Steak Sandwiches, Recipe 6C

Add a sweet twist to your July Fourth coleslaw with fresh mangoes

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)

I look forward to mango season, when perfectly ripe, sweet mangoes are easy to find in the markets.

Their juicy, tropical flavor adds a refreshing twist to everyday dishes. Tossed into a quick coleslaw, mango brings a touch of natural sweetness Recipe, and vibrant color, transform6C ing it into a light, satisfying vegetarian salad that’s perfect for a warm evening.

Here are some tips on how to handle a mango. Mangoes continue to ripen after they are picked. Keep them at room temperature until they yield to gentle pressure. To speed up the ripening, place mangoes in a covered bowl or paper bag.

ä See COLESLAW, page 6C

A

rthur, the first named storm of 2026, made landfall in Texas, churning up the Gulf waters and tropical moisture into southeast Louisiana early on June 18.

The local meteorologists were less concerned about Tropical Storm Arthur’s winds than the possibility of a significant amount of rain. I went to bed wondering if we would wake up to flooded streets or a few puddles. Early in the morning, the unmistakable shrill ring of the emergency alert system warning of a possible tornado jolted me out of bed. I turned on the local news station to watch the weather and the familiar feelof uncertain angst during hurLiz Faul ing ricane season in Louisiana hit me.

In New Orleans, and many other cities along the Gulf Coast, summertime hurricane preparation and conversation are ever-present elements of the culture. Inevitably, stories about Hurricane Katrina resurface, and with it the physical destruction and communal loss that residents still grapple to comprehend.

ä See CULTURE, page 6C

ANOTHER RECIPE ä Frank Brigsten’s

Marinated Crab Claws with Green Onion Sauce.

PAGE 6C

Red Beans and Rice Makes 8-12 servings. Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker.

1 pound dry red kidney beans ½ pound fatty ham or another seasoning meat, such as salt meat, or smoked ham 1 medium onion, chopped 1 or 2 stalks of celery, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced

1 large bay leaf 1 to 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning Salt to taste Black pepper to taste 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or more to taste ¼ cup chopped green onions (green part only) Hot cooked rice for serving Hot sauce for serving

1. Pick over the red beans to remove any stones or broken beans. Soak overnight in a large bowl with about 3 inches of water to cover. Drain the water, rinse the beans, drain again, and set aside.

2. Render the ham or seasoning meat in a Dutch oven over medium heat to obtain the fat, then remove the meat and set aside. Saute the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in the rendered fat, adding a little oil if needed, until softened. Add the beans, return the meat to the pan, and pour in 8 to 10 cups of water, or enough to cover everything by at least a couple of inches. Bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and the Creole seasoning to the beans, then reduce to a simmer and gently cook, uncovered, for about 1½ hours, or until the beans are tender. Add more water while cooking if necessary.

3. Toward the end of the cooking time, mash some beans with a spoon against the side of the pot to make the mixture creamier, if desired, and add the salt and pepper to taste, the parsley and the green onions as a garnish. Discard the bay leaf and serve in bowls over white rice. Pass the hot sauce.

6C ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Alexandria Steak Sandwiches Serves 4. Recipe is excerpted from “My Egypt” by Michael Mina.

GARLIC BUTTER: ¼ pound unsalted butter 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper SANDWICH: 4 soft French sandwich rolls, cut in half and toasted cut side up 2 boneless rib-eye or New York strip steaks (about 12 ounces) 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 shallots, thinly sliced 1 small hot pepper (Anaheim or jalapeño), thinly sliced crosswise ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon paprika 1 lime, halved 1 handful cilantro sprigs 1. To make the garlic butter, in a small saucepan, melt the butter with the garlic over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and a few pinches of pepper and let cool to a warm room temperature, about 10 minutes.

VORACIOUS PHOTO By JOHN LEE

Alexandria Steak Sandwiches

2. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the cut side of the sandwich rolls with the garlic butter, about 1 tablespoon per roll.

3. Trim some of the fat from the steak and save to render in the pan. Cut away any gristle. Slice each steak in half crosswise, then slice thinly across the grain into 3- to 4-inch-long pieces (try to get as close as you can to Philly cheesesteak thinness with the slices).

4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, render the saved beef fat for 1 minute, then remove (it’s OK if not much fat comes out).

Add the oil and heat for a few seconds, then add the sliced steak and sear briefly, turning the pieces once or twice and seasoning with a few pinches of salt and a generous pinch of pepper, until the beef is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beef and any juices to a heatproof bowl and keep warm.

5. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, hot pepper, cumin, turmeric and paprika and cook until the shallots have softened slightly, about 2 minutes.

Add to the bowl with the steak and stir together well.

Squeeze the lime over the bowl, then mix again, adding more salt if needed.

6. Divide the steak and shallots among the sandwich rolls and finish with cilantro sprigs. Slice the sandwiches in half before serving.

Mango Coleslaw Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.

5 cups shredded cabbage ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions ¾ cup diced red onion 1 cup sliced green bell pepper 1 cup sliced red bell pepper ¾ cup plain unsalted walnuts 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 cup mango cubes Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

Continued from page 5C A quick way to cube mango flesh is to place the mango on a cutting board upright with the narrow side

facing you. Slice off each side of the mango as close to the seed as possible.

Hold the mango half in the palm of your hand skin side down. Score the fruit in a crisscross pattern through to the skin. Bend the skin backwards so that

the cubes pop up. Slice the cubes away from the skin.

HELPFUL HINTS: n Ripe peaches can be used instead of mangoes. n Pecans or almonds can be used instead of walnuts. n Any type of onion can be used.

Frank Brigsten’s Marinated Crab Claws with Green Onion Sauce Makes 8 servings. Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker.

GREEN ONION SAUCE: 1 large egg yolk 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 cup vegetable oil MARINATED CRAB CLAWS: ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Creole mustard 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup olive oil 24 Louisiana blue crabs CUCUMBER CUPS: 3 large, wide cucumbers (Sliced in 2-inch-thick pieces) 1. For the green onion

CULTURE

Continued from page 5C The preservation of recipes is a key way of retaining cultural identity. This is even more the case when the culture is essentially built around the food and recipes of the region. In New Orleans, Mondays mean red beans, cold snaps conjure cravings for spicy gumbo and spring means crawfish. And when New Orleanians leave home, they dream of their favorite foods cooked in neighborhood restaurants.

After Hurricane Katrina, when residents were scattered all over the country, readers of The Times-Picayune and Nola.com wrote to ask the food editor, Judy

But we have a problem.

Dear Miss Manners: My Three, actually. daughter was recently First, the trio breached married — a second marno rules of etiquette or riage both for her and for good taste — at least nothher new husband. They had a lovely ceremony and ing that you have related. invited close family and Wedding gifts are not, you good friends — well, some will be surprised to hear, good friends. mandatory. So we Three of my have nothing to daughter’s friends charge them with. work with her new Second, you do husband’s ex-wife. not send thankThe couple received you letters simply neither cards nor because someone Judith gifts from this trio. attended your Martin wedding; thanking She feels they have MISS been manipulated them for attending MANNERS by the ex. What would therefore not should she do? demonstrate your 1. Should she not send a daughter’s familiarity with thank-you note to them? etiquette, but rather, the 2. Should she just send a reverse. This eliminates note thanking them for atone of your proposed courses of action. tending and celebrating?

Third, shaming (or ex3. Should she send a card thanking them for attendtorting) guests is a serious breach of etiquette. This ing, with a P.S. such as, “I eliminates another profear your card/gift was lost”? She does not value posed course of action. To the friendship of these answer your question then, three ladies and wants to if your daughter wants shame them for their lack to demonstrate her good of class and manners. manners, she should forget Gentle reader: Before we about this trio and enjoy get to the how, Miss Manher honeymoon.

Dear Miss Manners: A few ners wants to be sure she years ago, my mother-inunderstands the goal, law, an amateur painter, which is to “shame” three gave my husband and me a guests at your daughter’s large portrait of ourselves. wedding for their “lack of I don’t wish to judge the class and manners,” presumably while having your skill of the artist, but will say that it was “not our daughter display her own.

thing.” We thanked her profusely and hung it up for a few years in a remote corner of the house.

We have since moved to a smaller place without the space to display it, so it’s been packed away in a closet. Now my husband wishes to get rid of it altogether.

Setting aside the question of whether any secondhand store would even want it, what is the appropriate etiquette? We are likely never to hang up this painting again, but I feel guilty disposing of a heartfelt, homemade gift that’s so personal in nature.

Gentle reader: Paintings can be removed from their frames, rolled and shoved into a tube at the back of a closet. This way if you absolutely have to produce it at a later date, you can claim that it was in storage while you thought about reframing it. Consider yourself lucky your mother-in-law did not take up sculpting.

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

TODAY IN HISTORY

1. Add the cabbage, scallions, red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and walnuts to a large bowl.

TNS PHOTO By LINdA GASSENHEIMER 2. Add the canola oil and toss to make sure all veg- Mango Coleslaw etables are coated with the oil. Add the apple cider vin- mix all together. fat), 40.2 g fat (3.0 g saturategar, sugar, mango cubes 4. Divide in half and serve ed, 12.8 g monounsaturated), and salt and pepper to taste. on two dinner plates. no cholesterol, 16.4 g protein, Toss well.

NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 44.1 g carbohydrates, 12.7 g 3. Add the mayonnaise and 564 calories (64 percent from fiber, 153 mg sodium.

COLESLAW

Shaming guests not the flex you think it is

sauce: In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, green onions, salt, black pepper and white vinegar. With the processor running, slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Refrigerated until ready to serve.

2. For the marinade: In a mixing bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, Creole mustard, paprika, garlic, salt, oregano and sugar.

Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.

3. For the cucumber cups: Trim the ends off the cucumbers and cut them so you have a total of 8 slices, each 2 inches thick. From one end of each slice, hollow out the

seed to form a cup.

4. For the marinated crab claws in cucumber cups: Marinate the crab claws for 15 minutes. Remove from the marinade and drain. To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons of green onion sauce into each cucumber cup. Place 3 crab claws in each cup.

NOTE: If you are short on time, the marinated crab claws are a simple appetizer that is made in advance and best served cold in the bowl with the marinade sauce. The cucumbers with green onion sauce is a delicious addition that can be added if you have time, but not necessary to enjoy these tasty marinated crab claws.

Walker, and co-author Marcelle Bienvenu to compile a book of many authentic New Orleans recipes so they could cook their favorite comfort foods while the city was being rebuilt and revived. This is how “Cooking Up A Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans” came to be a popular cookbook that holds important food history.

This summer, food writers for The Advocate | The Times-Picayune were assigned to cook recipes from “Cooking up a Storm.” For July, I made a delicious summer appetizer, Frank Brigtsen’s marinated crab claws with green onion sauce, a staple of the popular seafood platter that is served at Brigtsen’s, his restaurant in the Riverbend

neighborhood of New Orleans. This recipe is easy to follow at home and will be a crowd-pleaser at a summer party.

I always say, “When I don’t know what else to do, cook a pot of beans.” Red beans and rice is my favorite New Orleans dish. It was not surprising to me at all that red beans and rice was the first nomination of recipes to add to this archive of New Orleans cooking.

I also learned in “Cooking Up a Storm” that Louis Armstrong signed his letters “Red Beans and Ricely Yours.” So listen to your favorite Louis Armstrong album — mine is “Ella and Louis” (1956) — and make this red beans and rice recipe. You will taste, hear and feel what New Orleans is all about.

By The Associated Press Today is Thursday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2026. There are 182 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history: On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress prohibiting discrimination and segregation based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin.

Also on this date: In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”

In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Washington, D.C., railroad station; Garfield died the following September. (Guiteau was hanged in June 1882.)

In 1917, rioting erupted in East St. Louis, Illinois, as White mobs attacked Black residents; at least 50 and as many as 200 people, most of them Black, are believed to have died in the violence.

In 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator.

In 1962, the first Walmart

store opened in Rogers, Arkansas.

In 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Gregg v.

Georgia, ruled 7-2 that the death penalty was not inherently cruel or unusual.

In 1979, the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin was released to the public.

In 1986, ruling in a pair of cases, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action as a remedy for past job discrimination.

In 1990, more than 1,400 Muslim pilgrims were killed in a stampede inside a pedestrian tunnel near Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

In 2018, rescue divers in Thailand found alive 12 boys and their soccer coach, who had been trapped by flooding as they explored a cave more than a week earlier.

In 2020, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire on charges that she had helped lure at least three girls — one as young as 14 — to be sexually abused by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. (Maxwell would be convicted on five of six counts and sentenced to 20 years in prison.)

In 2022, the police chief for the Uvalde, Texas, school district stepped down from his City Council seat amid criticism of his response to the mass shooting at an elementary school in which 19 students and

two teachers were killed on May 24 of that year.

Today’s birthdays: Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is 97. Racing Hall of Famer Richard Petty is 89. Former White House chief of staff and former New Hampshire governor John H. Sununu is 87. Writer-directorcomedian Larry David is 79. Actor Wendy Schaal is 72. Actor-model Jerry Hall is 70. Former baseball player Jose Canseco is 62.

Race car driver Sam Hornish Jr. is 47. Former NHL center Joe Thornton is 47.

Singer Michelle Branch is 43. Retired figure skater Johnny Weir is 42. Actorsinger Ashley Tisdale is 41. Former professional soccer player Alex Morgan is 37. Actor Margot Robbie is 36. Singerrapper Saweetie is 33. U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist Ryan Murphy is 31. Actor Caitlin Carmichael is 22.

HOME-DELIVERED

EVERY DAY

THEADVOCATE.COM/SUBSCRIBE

YEARS

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● 7C

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC cAncER (June 21-July 22) It's mind over matter; if no one minds, it doesn't matter.

Reset your schedule to meet your needs and pursue what excites you most. Utilize your strengths, connections and cash flow to set your plans in motion.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) A broad-minded attitude will open doors to new people and experiences. What you discover will help you secure and stabilize your prospects and lifestyle. Let your uniqueness shine through with unfiltered truthfulness.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Keep your ears and eyes on high alert. What you see and hear will indicate your best move.

Someone may exaggerate, but don't let that deter you from gathering the facts yourself and making a move that is fair.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Talks, incentives and living up to your promises will keep you in the conversation. What you offer will have an impact on someone eager to make a change or a difference. Take a stance, and set the record straight. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Adversity and emotional turmoil will surface. If you compromise and meet others in the middle, it will help you put unfinished business to rest and maintain a healthy relationship. sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Go for it.

The stars are aligned, and your timing is impeccable if you are confident and refuse to let hesitation or second-guessing stand between you and what you want. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Be careful not to overextend yourself physically or

financially. You owe it to yourself and those you deal with to pursue what's feasible instead of chasing a dream.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Push forward with enthusiasm, and you'll flourish emotionally. Test out your surroundings and make adjustments that are conducive to what you enjoy doing most. Don't embellish anything.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Initiate only necessary change. Refuse to be bullied or pushed into something you know little about or have no interest in. Discipline will be necessary where money, emotions and entertainment collide.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Network and thrive. Step into the spotlight and let onlookers see what you can do. Your intelligence and enthusiasm will lead to an offer you cannot turn down. Rise to the occasion.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Keep life, conversations and domestic situations simple and within your means. Refuse to agree to something you know little about.

Consider the advantages and disadvantages that might result if you proceed.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Don't spread yourself too thin. You have plenty to gain if you concentrate on what's important and most likely to get you where you want to go. A passionate presentation will help others.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

ToDAy's cLuE: G EQuALs A

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

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8C ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

CurTiS

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

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

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La TimeS CroSSword

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Steven Wright, a comedian who specializes in deadpan delivery, said, “Right now I’m having amnesia and deja vu at the same time.”

Cast your mind back to yesterday’s column. Then look at this one. Maybe you will have a Steven Wright moment.

West is defending against four hearts.

He leads off with the club ace: six, queen, nine. How should he hope to defeat the contract?

The bidding is instructive. North is right to make a takeout double over one club. True, if South does not have a fivecard major, the ensuing 4-3 major-suit fit might be worse than a 5-3 or 5-4 diamond fit. But a good South will have a five-card major. East made a pre-emptive jump raise to three clubs, promising five or more clubs and a weak hand. With gameinvitational or greater strength, he would have responded with an artificial two notrump. (When responder has a big balanced hand, he starts with redouble over an opponent’s takeout double.) South cue-bid four clubs to show a strong twosuiter. (With a good one-suiter, he would have jumped in that suit.)

Note East’s play of the club queen.

When a defender cannot win a trick, he plays top of touching honors.

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

Now West should see four defensive tricks: two clubs, the heart king and a diamond ruff.

At trick two, not later, West must shift to his singleton diamond. He then gets in with the heart king, underleads his club king to give East the lead, and receives a diamond ruff. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAy’s WoRD — oBLIQuELy: oh-BLEEK-lee: Indirectly.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 16 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 25 or more words in OBLIQUELY? yEsTERDAy’s WoRD — soJouRnER senor snore sojourn sone soon sooner sore sour suer sure surer

onerous onus ours juror user rerun rose roue rouse ruse noes

noose nose noser nurse euro

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who [is] on the Lord’s side? [let him come] unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.”

Exodus 32:26 Are you on the Lord’s side? Can He count on you? G.E. Dean

10C ● Thursday, July 2, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Kroger buying regional grocer Giant Eagle

Kroger said Wednesday it plans to buy regional grocer and pharmacy retailer Giant Eagle in a deal valued at $1.65 billion.

Giant Eagle, which is privately held, has 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. They would continue to operate under the Giant Eagle name under the terms of the deal.

Kroger, which is the largest U.S. supermarket chain, has 2,685 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Its stores operate under various brand names, including Ralphs, King Soopers, Smith’s and Fred Meyer.

The transaction includes $1.25 billion in cash and the assumption of approximately $400 million in outstanding liabilities, the companies said Wednesday.

“Giant Eagle is a well-run, high-quality regional grocer with a strong reputation for fresh products, pharmacy, private label and customer loyalty,” Kroger CEO Greg Foran said in a statement. “We evaluated the opportunity carefully and the strategic fit is clear.”

Foran, a former Walmart executive, was named Kroger’s CEO in February.

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Warsh signals focus on inflation

households thought the Fed replacing Jerome Powell as chair strategy, and the rest, that’s still New Federal Reserve or would accept inflation above 2%, May 22. He called for lower rates to come,” he later added. guess they’d be disappointed. last year as he essentially camAt his first news conference last chair emphasizes “IWe’re going to deliver price sta- paigned for the job. Since becom- month, Warsh also emphasized bility.” ing chair, however, Warsh has ap- his goal of getting inflation back independence The Fed typically combats infla- peared to move away from that down to target. Wall Street inves-

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said Wednesday that the central bank would remain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Donald Trump has sought.

In remarks at a central bank conference in Sintra, Portugal, Warsh said that if businesses

tion by raising borrowing costs.

When asked about Trump’s oftrepeated desire for lower rates, Warsh underscored the Fed’s independence from day-to-day politics.

“We’ve been an independent central bank for a very long time,” he said. “We’re going to be an independent central bank at this moment and you’re going to see no changes to that.”

Such comments suggest that Warsh has shifted his views since

stance and instead has signaled a focus on getting inflation down.

But on Wednesday he declined to say what steps the Fed would take to achieve that goal, consistent with his opposition to socalled “forward guidance,” in which central bank leaders foreshadow their next policy moves.

“I’m not going to make a judgment now,” he said during the panel discussion with other central bankers. “The tactics, the

tors expect the Fed could hike its key interest rate as soon as in September, from its current level of about 3.6% to roughly 3.9%.

When the Fed last met June 16-17, nearly half of the 19 policymakers signaled that they supported higher rates this year, while eight supported no change and one penciled in a cut. Warsh did not submit a forecast because of his opposition to providing guidance.

French company to buy FedEx’s logistics arm NEW YORK — French container shipping company CMA CGM Group said Wednesday it will buy FedEx Supply Chain, the third-party logistics subsidiary of FedEx for $1.4 billion, as it works to expand in the U.S. CMA CGM Group said the acquisition will triple the size of its own logistics arm, CEVA Logistics and help build its presence as a contract logistics provider in North America.

In 2025, CMA CGM pledged to invest $20 billion in its U.S. warehousing, air cargo and logistics over four years.

The two companies said they expected to enter into multiyear air and ocean freight commercial agreements as well.

Rodolphe Saadé, CEO of CMA CGM Group, said the deal will “reinforce our long-term commitment to investing in the United States and supporting the resilience and efficiency of its supply chain.”

FedEx, based in Memphis, Tennessee, has been spinning off some businesses to focus on its delivery business, focusing on higher-margin businessto-business deliveries for the healthcare, automotive, aerospace and data center industries. It completed its spinoff of FedEx Freight, which transports heavy and bulky shipments, on June 1.

AOL’s owner hits Wall Street with $1.7B IPO NEW YORK — The owner of AOL and other tech businesses hit Wall Street with a $1.7 billion initial public offering Wednesday.

Bending Spoons priced 58 million shares at $29 apiece.

The company is getting $1 billion in proceeds, while the rest is going to shareholders. The stock surged 41% shortly after it started trading under the symbol “BSP” on the Nasdaq, giving it a market value of $25.5 billion.

Among the company’s wellknown holdings are the event creation and ticketing company Eventbrite, and the video hosting service Vimeo. AOL, formerly America Online, is a more recent acquisition for the company. The email and search engine service dates back to the dawn of the internet age.

AOL itself went public in 1992 and was a vanguard of technology and communication. It reached a market value of $164 billion in 2000 shortly before merging with Time Warner. It then crashed along with the rest of the industry following the bursting of the dot-com bubble. It has been bought and sold several times over the last two decades.

An employee welds metal at a steel tank factory in Mexico City.

ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By EdUARdO VERdUGO

U.S., Canada, Mexico begin bumpy negotiations to renew trade pact

BY PAUL WISEMAN AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — Tourists from Chattanooga check into beach resorts in Cancun. Canadian auto parts feed factories in the American Midwest — and vice versa. Happy hour revelers raise glasses of Mexican tequila and mezcal at bars in Seattle.

It adds up. The United States trades $1.9 trillion a year — $5 billion a day — worth of goods and services with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico. They have supplanted China as America’s top two trading partners.

So the stakes are high when it comes to fiddling with the rules that govern trade between the three countries. And after a year of President Donald Trump’s chaotic tariff policies, many U.S., Canadian and Mexican businesses would welcome the return of stability across North America.

They are not likely to get it.

The regional trade pact — the U.S.-MexicoCanada Agreement or USMCA — that Trump negotiated and boasted about in his first term came up for renewal Wednesday, starting a

process that is likely to last months, maybe longer.

And the path forward is lined with landmines.

“There’s going to be a lot of drama this summer,” Diego Marroquín Bitar, a fellow in the America’s program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said last week at a USMCA forum sponsored by the Cato Institute.

The U.S. is making demands that could effectively force Canada and Mexico to surrender some automaking production to the United States. That might bring more auto factory jobs to the United States. But it would also upend established supply chains and would push up U.S. prices for new cars that now average nearly $50,000 at a time when American consumers are already furious about the high cost of living.

Trump, characteristically, has added to the tension by threatening to pull out of his own agreement altogether.

In 2020, the USMCA replaced the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, which tore down most trade barriers be-

tween the three North American countries.

Trump and other critics had called NAFTA a job killer because it encouraged U.S. companies to move factories south of the border to take advantage of low-wage Mexican labor, then ship goods back to the United States duty free.

His USMCA ended up being similar to NAFTA — though it pressured factories to pay higher wages and make sure that more of what they made originated in North America in an effort to prevent Chinese products from slipping across regional borders duty free.

The USMCA included a novel provision requiring the pact to be renewed every six years. That deadline was Wednesday, and the three countries met virtually. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement that the United States was not ready to renew the pact as it is for another 16 years — which would have been until 2042.

The United States wants changes to the agreement to reduce its trade deficits with Canada and Mexico and to resolve specific disputes over issues such as Canada’s protection of its dairy industry.

Congressman seeks probe of ‘rent now, pay later’ companies

BY KEN SWEET

AP business writer NEW YORK — A Democratic member of Congress is calling for the federal government to investigate the growing “rent now, pay later” industry, saying Americans may not understand the fees and cost structure of these products as the services become more widely available.

Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Acting Director Russell Vought urging the bureau to investigate rent now, pay later companies and hold them accountable for potential violations of federal consumer financial protection

laws. In the letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Frost also asked the bureau to explain what it is doing to protect renters and whether landlords are steering tenants toward rent-financing products.

“Rent now, pay later” companies allow renters to split their monthly rent into smaller payments over the course of a month. A renter with a $1,000 monthly rent bill might pay in four weekly payments of $250 or two payments of $500.

First elected to Congress in 2022 at the age of 25, Frost said he frequently used buy now, pay later services to furnish his first apartment in Washington, which put him heavily into debt. In an interview, Frost said it was only because he

made a healthy salary as a member of Congress that he was recently able to pay those debts off.

He said he believes his experience is likely the same as other young Americans.

“Americans should know they have rights when using these buy now, pay later products,” Frost said. “This is why the CFPB was created in the first place.”

Frost looked into using his credit card to pay rent, but “thank God that didn’t happen,” he added.

Companies such as Flex and Livble say breaking rent into multiple payments can help renters manage cash flow. The buy now, pay later company Affirm has also done limited trials that allow its

customers to split rent into multiple payments. But several of these payment plans can come with high fees and finance charges. In February, the AP reported on how users of these services were paying as much as $50 a month to split their rent.

These RNPL companies differ from companies like Bilt, which allows some renters to pay rent through its credit card and rewards platform. Bilt says it has more than 5 million members, and its customers have historically used its service to earn rewards points on rent payments. RNPL companies are more focused on allowing customers to finance large rent payments across multiple payments.