Gov. Jeff Landryposes on June 2after signing an executiveorder that calls for taking moneyfrompublic school budgetstofund teacher stipends.
BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer
Education advocates have dropped theirlegalchallenge to Gov.Jeff Landry’sorder to pull money from public school budgets to pay for teacher stipends.
The order,whichtakes effect Wednesday,cuts $168 million from thestate’s main educationfund 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 courtWednesday to ask
aBaton Rouge judge to block the fundingcut, which state lawmakers approved last week. However,onthe eveofthe hearing, the advocates decided to withdraw their lawsuit.
Katie Baudouin, an OrleansParish School Board member anda plaintiff in the lawsuit, said she andthe two other advocates determined that they couldn’tstop thegovernor’sorder before it went into effect.
“The cutsare goingtobemade,” shesaid.“Whether or not those cuts could berestored at alater date was unclear.”
Earlier this month,the advocates
obtained atemporary restraining order to stop thestate from carrying outthe governor’splan.Theyargued that Landry overstepped hislegal authority by effectively reallocating education funding and thatthe Legislature, which is notinsession, should have reconvenedtopublicly debate the planrather than voting on it remotely Lawmakers“chosetovote on one of themostimportant education funding issues in yearsthrough an online voting platform while calling
ä See LAWSUIT, page 4A
Venezuelansquestionquake 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 theheavy machinery needed to remove the slabs of concrete and twisted metal that trapped them. So have other Venezuelanearthquake survivors They,like others across thenorthern stateofLaGuaira, have the same question: Who is in charge? Venezuela’s self-described socialist government, which long prided itself on being protector andprovider,has been neither
La.’sunique historyis part of everyday life
French,Spanish influences remain visibletoday
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
As the United States prepares to markits 250th anniversary,Louisiana’sFrench and Spanish heritage offersresidents another historical milestone to reflect upon. In 1776, Louisiana was aSpanish colony governed by Bernardo de Gálvez.
ä France’s consul general in New Orleans celebrates ties to Louisiana. COMMENTARy,3B
Before Spain assumed controlin1762, the territory had spent roughly 80 yearsunder French rule after being named in honor of King Louis XIV Although Louisiana wasnot yetpartofthe United States during the American Revolution, Gálvezled Spanish forces thatcaptured 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 underNapoleon Bonaparte.Threeyears later,Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Louisiana becamethe nation’s18th state in 1812.
“Of course,there is agreat friendship andhistorical relations between France and Louisiana,” said Rodolphe Sambou, the consul general for France in NewOrleans. “Itisvery special.”
Now,250 years after America’sfounding, the
when it mattered most, many said. Thepowerfulback-to-back earthquakesonJune 24 have brought to theforefront the inability of the party that has ruled thecountry for 27 years —now withacting President Delcy Rodríguezatthe helm —tocarry out basic governmental functions.
LizMurrill threatened to remove seven New Orleans leaders from elected office, simmering hostilities between theRepublican attorneygeneral and Democratic local leaders are flaring to new heights.
Murrill now faces an Orleans Parish criminal grandjuryprobe, severalsources 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 wrotetoMayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams andother local officialsand threatened to remove themfrom office if they didnot walk back calls to elect anew court clerk.
On Wednesday,Louisiana’stop lawyer gave ameasured response when asked aboutthe possibilitythatshe mightface criminal charges.
“I can’texplain why they do things in New Orleans the way they do them, but I
would sayI’m notsurprised,” she said at anewsconference calledinBaton Rouge to discuss the arrests of people accused of bilking Medicaid programs. To some longtime courtroom watchers, newsofthe criminal grand jury investigationseemed 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 afew months ago,” said Dane. S. Ciolino, alaw professor whospecializes in ethicsat
ä See FEUD, page 4A
STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
STAFFFILE PHOTOByLESLIE WESTBROOK Rodolphe Sambou, consul general of Francein NewOrleans, says there is ‘a great friendship and historicalrelations between Franceand Louisiana. It is very special.’
ä See HISTORY, page 4A
STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE
AttorneyGeneralLiz Murrill answers questions at anewsconference on Wednesday.
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.
AP reconstructs deadly strike
Pentagon remains quiet on bomb that killed over 100 children
BY JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press
JERUSALEM Itwasthedeadliestreported 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 anIranian 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
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.
Clues buried in archives
Racing to document the ongoing bombardment, journalists and rights groups struggled to verify details from Minab. Government restrictions in Iran prevented
most foreign journalists from entering the country Iran had shut 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.
Much of the investigative work has been completed and the military is currently reviewing the findings.
Still, there is no full list of the dead.
Authorities: Rescued youths were ‘almost feral’
16 children recovered from dilapidated conditions
BY JULIE CARR SMYTH and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press
HAMDEN, Ohio Sixteen children from the same family who were rescued from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living in wretched conditions with human waste all around, confined to just one room over much of the past four years, authorities said Wednesday Some of the children discovered Tuesday were unable to speak and one — an 18-year-old who was developmentally disabled could not even write her name, investigators said.
“Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children,” said Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain. “Just a disgusting scene.”
The children’s parents and two grandparents were charged with felony child endangerment, a prosecutor said Officials emphasized the case involved one family Authorities found the children while carrying out a search warrant in an unrelated investigation,
“serious physical harm.”
Gary Siders Jr Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders appeared in court Wednesday where a judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and set bond at $300,00 for each.
They have not yet been assigned lawyers.
Steve Irwin, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, would not say whether all of the children are siblings or how they were related.
Neighbor saw no kids
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said Wednesday at a news conference.
Officials said it seemed as if no one outside the family knew about the children, who weren’t enrolled in school.
“We didn’t know there were going to be 16 kids there,” said Wilson, who was nearly at a loss for words in describing what officials found in the tiny village of Hamden that sits in one of Ohio’s poorest counties.
“It’s the type of thing that we’re not used to seeing here in America,” he said.
‘Feral animals’
The sheriff said it appears the children spent most of their time in a room that was roughly 12 feet by 12 feet. He didn’t disclose how the kids were
kept inside the home, but said authorities didn’t find any cages in the house.
The children ranged in age from 11/2 years to 18 years old and included both boys and girls, officials said. Seven were transported to hospitals in Columbus and two were flown by helicopters. One was in critical condition on Tuesday while some of the others were admitted for care, Wilson said.
“They looked like almost feral animals,” Wilson said. “It was terrible.”
The children were in temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
Vinton County prosecuting attorney William Archer said the four adults were charged with seconddegree felony child endangering 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.
The house where the children were found sits on a road tucked away alongside a steep railroad embankment, where tracks carry rumbling trains through Hamden.
The closest neighbors are separated by trees and thick brush, but the house is easily visible from the road.
An open door revealed bits of trash inside while a wooden deck and the backyard were filled with discarded tires, a high chair and other debris.
Investigators said members of the family had moved around southern Ohio over the past two decades and that it looks like they avoided setting up medical and government records.
“These folks were pretty good at hiding these kids,” Wilson said.
Investigators were reviewing whether the family was reported to any children’s services agencies in the past.
Neighbor Joseph Stewart, 60, said he saw “no kids at all” since the family moved in three houses down and that he could clearly see the house and yard when passing by “It’s a sad situation,” he said.
The dilapidated home where authorities say they removed 16 children and arrested four adults remains blocked off by crime scene tape on Wednesday in Hamden, Ohio.
Rep. Firmentannounces candidacyfor U.S. House
Ruralcentral La Republican seeks seat Letlow vacating
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
State Rep. Gabe Firment, aRepublican 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 Pollockin Grant Parish, has built asolidly conservative voting record during his six years in the state House.
“Louisiana’s5th District deserves afighter who will stand firm and deliver results,” Firment said. “I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.”
Firment joins arace that already includes one state House colleague, Michael Echols, R-Monroe,and anotherRepublican from Monroe, Misti Cordell, who was appointed by Gov.Jeff Landry to chair the state Board of Regents State Sen. Stewart Cathey,RMonroe,isexpected to announce his candidacy in the comingdays.
Echols and Cordell have been
RepresentativeGabe Firment, R-Pollock, has announced his intention to runfor the 5th Congressional district seat U.S. Rep.
vacating to runfor the U.S. Senate.
running for the seat for months, giving them ahead start in raising moneyand winning over key peoplein thedistrict
The three are now running in a district that was quickly redrawn by the state Legislature in May afterthe Supreme Court ruled
the state’scongressional map was unconstitutional.The newmap turnedthe 6th Congressional District, represented by Cleo Fields, aBlack Democrat from Baton Rouge, intoaWhite-majority district. The reshaped 5th Congressional
ELECTION 2026
District includesall or parts of 24 parishes— stretching from Monroe south to Avoyellesand Rapides parishes and east to the Florida Parishes. It wasdesignedtoelect aRepublican. Candidates will qualify for the seat on Aug. 5-7. Theopenprimary is on Nov.3.Ifnocandidate receives above 50%,the top two finishers will advance to aDecember runoff.
Letlow is giving up the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. Firment, 55, received an undergraduate degree from Louisiana ChristianUniversityand an MBA from Louisiana Tech and is adeacon and Sunday school teacher at his church Aleading conservative voiceon insurance issues, Firment chairs theHouse 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 aconsultant 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 medicalcare for transgender youth that thrust him into the middle of perhaps the mostcontroversial issue of that year’slegislative session. Conservative activists hailed the legislation, while critics said it maligneda 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 stepof overriding the governor to have it becomelaw In 2025, the Legislature passed a bill by Firmentthatprohibits undocumented immigrants who are injured in car accidents from collecting general damages. That sameyear,Firment showed his independent side by criticizing Landry’seffort to pass abill that put him at odds with Insurance Commissioner TimTemple. In the face of opposition from Firment andotherRepublicans,Landry had to water downthe bill to get it passed. Firment voted forthe final version.
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’sprevious supreme leader,the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Majed al-Ansari, aspokesman for Qatar’sForeign Ministry, said on X. The funeral is set to start Saturday in Tehran
U.S. Mideastenvoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’sson-in-law,were in Qatar for talksseeking a permanent end to thewar, along with Iran’stop negotiator,Kazem Gharibabadi. Negotiators aim to nail down specificstopave the way fortop leaders to seal an agreement, though differences over the Straitof Hormuz and Lebanon loom large.
Ashipran agroundin the straitwhile using aroutenot approved byIran, statetelevisioninTehranreported Wednesday.The vessel was identified as aforeign container ship,with no other details.
The report appeared aimed at underliningTehran’sclaims to control the strait, which theworldhas
long considered an international waterway.Afifthof alloil andnatural gas passed through it in peacetime.
Sincethe U.S.and Israel launchedthe war against Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has usedits ability to choke off the waterwayasa key sourceofleverage, disrupting global marketsfor energy and other critical goods.
Strait akey sticking point Iran and theUnited States agreed as part of an interim deal to allowships to pass withoutpaying chargesfor 60 days. ButTehran insisted it must control the routes of thevessels and later charge fees forpassage,upending decades of practice in the waterway
The U.S. and many Gulf Arab states say they won’t agree to the charges. An
Filing showsTrump took in about$1.2billion from crypto
He also earned millions on Bibles
BY BERNARD CONDON Associated Press
NEW YORK President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2billion from his crypto businesses lastyear, afederal filing released Tuesday shows, locking in profits while his investors were sockedwith losses.
Mere startups when he took the oath of office, the new ventures havenow eclipsed in revenue much of his vast property portfolio that took him decades to accumulate. Fueling their rise were billionaire investors and Trump’sown move to quash afederalcrackdown on the industry Trump gotmorethan $500 million from his World Liberty Financial business selling new crypto products, including “governance tokens,” according to the required annual disclosure report with the OfficeofGovernmentEthics
It also showed another crypto business, CIC Digital LLC, tookinmore than $600 million from sales of souvenirtype “meme” coins stamped with his face. Both the tokensand 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 formpaints astark, if incomplete picture of the massive growth of the president’s wealthsince taking office last January through aweb
of business interests —many of which have benefited from the policymoves of Trump’s owngovernment.Trump has insisted that his sons direct his financesbut the arrangement rejects theconflict of interest protections that his recent predecessorsinoffice hadinstituted.
Forbes estimates Trump’s net worthat$6billion, up from $2.3 billion in 2024. Business growingabroad
Theriseofcryptorelative to Trump’spropertyis especially noteworthy because he first rode to office boasting of his property wins. It’salsoremarkable because that mainstay business also boomed lastyear Trump tookintens of millions in fees from aflurry of new hotel, resort and condo dealsoverseas that amounts to the biggest property expansion ever in the century since the family business was founded
Many of thosecountries were negotiatingwith the U.S. over tariffs, military aidand otherimportant matterswhile the family business wasstrikingthe deals Aproperty in theUnited Arab Emirates generated $10.4 million for the Trump business last year. Onein Saudi Arabia being built by areal estate developer close to theruling family sent the president’scompany$9million. And one in Bucharest, Romania, and another inQatar senthim $5 million each.
One of his prominent domesticproperties, Mar-aLago in Florida, notched big growthlast year,too.
Trump tookin$77 million from theproperty, a50% jump from the year earlier whenhewas just another citizen,asheadsofstate and business people flocked to it
in his new term.
The disclosure report doesn’tgive profit figures, just revenue, so it’s impossible to know how much he is earning.
Billion-dollarcryptoman
TrumpsaidWednesday thatmost of his gains last year came from the stock market and he’sjust riding along with everyone else.
“We’re allprofiting,” he said.“I’mprofiting because Ihavea lotofmoney anda 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 theindustry and reversing a Biden administration regulatory crackdown.
The regulatorsare still worried.Before Trump’s World Liberty beganselling “governance tokens,” they issuedwarnings aboutthis newkind of crypto asset, saying thatunlike stocks, the tokens offer no ownership stakeinthe issuingcompany just voting power on certain corporate policies, andare difficult to value.
Buyers pounced anyway, including aChinese billionaire who spent $75 million on the tokens and $200 milliononthe souvenir coins
In February last year,afederal lawsuit charginghim withduping investors was pausedbefore being settled for a$10 million fine.
The billionaire, Justin Sun, has repeatedly denied his spending on Trump businesses had anythingtodowith his federal case, while World Liberty has dismissed the notionofaconflict of interest. Meanwhile, investors have seen thevalue of their Trump-tied holdings drop significantly
effort by Oman and aU.N. agency to launch anew route near Oman’sshore sparked attacks acrossthe Mideast last weekend, highlighting the tensions.
Iranianstate TV on Wednesday said the ship “ran aground with itscargo because of shallow watersalong theroute it had chosen and was unable to continue sailing.”Itsaidshippers needed to follow the instructions of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in the strait.
The Guard’snavy 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.”
The report did notmention the twoships Iran attacked in recent days fordaring to head outthrough the strait without Tehran’spermission, including one carrying crude oil from Qatar Qatarmeets both sides Witkoff andKushnermet Wednesday with Qatar’s rulingemir,Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and its foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin AbdulrahmanAlThani,according to astatement by the Qatari government.
Discussions included details related to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the
United States.
“Obviously,we’re worried about the nuclear issue,” Vance said.“We’re going to start talking about that.” Sheikh Mohammed also metwith Gharibabadi and other Iranian officials, with Pakistanimediators also on hand. Gharibabadi saidthe Iranian delegation had no direct talks withthe American side,and itstalks withmediators dealt with Lebanon and plans to return someof Iran’sfrozen assets, Iranian state media reported. Lebanon remains athorny issue in the negotiations. Iran has insistedthatall fighting end betweenthe Iranianbacked militia Hezbollah and Israeli military forces there.
JOHNSON
Julia Letlowis
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
QUAKE
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. Residents take on rescue 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-
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,
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
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.
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
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.
“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.”
Grand juries operate in secrecy
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
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
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.”
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.
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
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-
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
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.”
Email Joanna Brown at joanna. brown@theadvocate.com.
ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By ARIANA CUBILLOS Residents search Tuesday through the rubble of a building that collapsed in the earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela.
showers and storms in the forecast for your Thursday.A mostly sunny morning willgive way to acloudy 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 a40% chance of rain and storms in the forecasttoday,sograb the umbrella and keep in mind that the UV index is at
level.
SHERIFF'SSALE SERVBANK,SBVersusNo. 20243589 EMILYKATEJU‐DICE 15THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATEOF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of awritof FI FA issued in thehere‐inaboveentitledand numberedcause Ihave seized andtaken into my possessionand will offer forsaleand sell forcash, *WITH* appraise‐ment,to thelastand highestbidder, at public auction,atthe LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ERNMENTBUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET,2ND FLOORinLafayette Louisiana, between the legalsalehours com‐mencingat10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, *AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following describedproperty, to wit: THAT CERTAINPARCELOF GROUND,TOGETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILDINGS ANDIMPROVEMENTS THEREON, ANDALL OF THERIGHTS, WAYS,PRIV‐ILEGES,SERVITUDES, AP‐PURTENANCESAND AD‐VANTAGES THEREOF, BEINGKNOWN ANDDES‐IGNATEDASLOT SIXTYNINE (69) OF BROCK POINTE SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVISIONOFTHE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANAONTHATCER‐TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY C.P.S. ENGI‐NEERINGAND LAND SUR‐VEYING,INC ATTACHED TO THAT ACTRECORDED UNDERFILENUMBER 2008-36587, AS COR‐RECTED BY THAT CER‐TAIN ACTRECORDED UNDERFILENUMBER 2008-39320, BOTH OF THE RECORDSOFLAFAYETTE PARISHCLERK OF COURT, WHICHPLATOFSURVEY IS MADE APARTHEREOF BY REFERENCETHERETO ANDHAVINGSUCHDI‐MENSIONS,BOUNDARIES ANDMEASUREMENTSAS AREMOREFULLY SHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY WHICHHAS THEAD‐DRESSOF314 WEXFORD STREET,CARENCRO, LA 70520 ANYONE
DISTRICT COURT- PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATEOF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of awritof SEIZUREAND SALE is‐sued in thehereinabove entitled andnumbered cause Ihaveseizedand takenintomypossession andwilloffer forsale andsellfor cash, *WITHOUT *ap‐praisement,tothe last andhighest bidder,at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ERNMENTBUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET,2ND FLOORinLafayette Louisiana, between the legalsalehours com‐mencingat10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, *AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following describedproperty, to wit: ACERTAIN LOTORPAR‐CELOFGROUND, TO‐GETHER WITH ALLIM‐PROVEMENTSTHEREON ANDALL THERIGHTS, WAYS,PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES ADNADVAN‐TAGESTHEREUNTO BE‐LONGINGAND ALLAP‐PURTENANCESTHEREOF BEINGKNOWN ANDDES‐IGNATEDASLOT 32 OF MARKRIDGEPARKEXTEN‐SION NO.IV, ASUBDIVI‐SION LOCATEDINSEC‐TION 33,TOWNSHIP 8 SOUTH, RANGE4 EAST LAFAYETTE PARISH LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING AFRONTAGEOF 56 FEET MORE OR LESS ON LINARES STREET ADN HAVING SUCH MEASURE‐MENTS, BOUNDARIES CONFIGURATIONS AND DIMENSIONS AS MORE FULLYSHOWN ON THAT CERTAINPLATOFSURVEY 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 UNDERENTRY NO 83-28808, RECORDSOF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANAAND MADE A PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ENCE (“PROPERTY”).MU‐NICIPALADDRESS: 201 LINARES DR CARENCRO LA 70520 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVENUNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAYTOPAY THEFULLPURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISHON: JULY 2, 2026 &JULY30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐IFF'SOFFICE MARK T. GARBER,SHER‐IFF $37.12
g WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2026*** ,the following describedproperty, to wit: THAT CERTAINPARCELOF GROUND,TOGETHER WITH ALLIMPROVE‐MENTSTHEREON,AND ALLRIGHTS, WAYS,PRIVI‐LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐PURTENANCESAND AD‐VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGINGAND ALLAP‐PURTENANCESTHEREOF BEINGKNOWN ANDDES‐IGNATEDASLOT SIXTEEN (16) OF MALAPART PLACE SUBDIVISION, ASUBDIVI‐SION OF THEPARISHOF LAFAYETTE,LOUISIANA ON THAT CERTAINPLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUXENGINEERING &CONSULTING, AT‐TACHED TO THAT ACT RECORDED UNDERENTRY NO.2007-36522 AND MADE PART HEREOF BY REFERENCE, ANDBEING DESCRIBEDWITHREFER‐ENCE THERETOASHAV‐INGSUCHDIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES ANDMEA‐SUREMENTSASARE MORE FULLYSHOWN ON SAID PLAT OF SURVEY MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 107 MULLIGANWAY LAFAYETTE,LA70507. ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVENUNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAYTOPAY THEFULLPURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISHON: JULY 2, 2026 &JULY30, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐IFF'SOFFICE MARK T. GARBER,SHER‐IFF $34.54
Disability advocateswarn againstTrump’s actions
bilitating disease.
BY ANNIE MA AP education writer
WASHINGTON For decades, disabled people have fought for their rights to go to school and live alongside peers without disabilities —rights that somefear could be losing ground under theTrumpadministration.
Last month,the Department of Education announced it would shift oversight of special education to the Department of Health and HumanServices,led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose comments on the limits of disabilities such as autism have drawn sharp rebukesfromadvocates and lawmakers.
Meanwhile, after aWhiteHouse push to police homelessness, theDepartment of Justice released guidance thatlowered the barrier to institutionalizing any person with adisability
Taken together,the actions signalaworrying return to areality where people with disabilities are pushed to themargins of society,advocates said.
“It’s adirect, frontal assault on the rights of people with disabilities to live their lives theway that peoplewho arenondisabled live their lives,” said Selene Almazan, legal director forthe CouncilofParentAttorneys and Advocates. “I can’timagine that as a country,that would be somethingthatwe would agree we should go back to.”
Move away from confining people
Since the 1960s, legislation and court decisions have expanded supports and protectionsfor people with disabilitiestogoto school with nondisabledpeers andtolive and work in their communities. Before that, people withmental illnesses or developmental and intellectual disabilities werelargely confined to institutions.
Advocates have pushed back on what is known as the “medical model,” where an individual’sdisabilityisviewed as adefect to be cured. Instead, under a“social model” of disability, differences can be accommodated andsupported, as people with andwithout disabilities learn and work alongsideeach other Families andadvocates havewarned that moving special education to ahealth department marks areturn to the medical model. They also have been angered by Kennedy’s attempts to linkvaccines to autism, going against decades of research that show no such link, and his framing of autism as ade-
Kennedy’scomments last year,where he said children with autism would neverwrite a poem,pay taxes or hold ajob, raised questions abouthow he would oversee an agency meant to help students developthose skills. Kennedy later saidhewas referring to peoplewith“severe autism”orthose who are nonverbal. “Many of the things he said autistic people will neverdo, (special education)isincharge of making sure students with disabilities have the opportunity to do,” said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. “Will he execute that faithfully,ordoes he consider disabled students a lost cause until we find some medicalcure?”
TheSupreme Courtweighsin
In 1999, the Supreme Courtruled that segregating disabled people whoare otherwise able to live in their community with proper supports wasaform of discrimination. The Olmstead v. L.C.decision ledtorequirements that government agencies provide disability services in themostintegrated settingpossible— in mainstream schools, homes and workplaces.
But in amemo issued in June, the DepartmentofJustice’sOffice of Legal Counsel upended that guidance. It argued that neither theAmericans with Disabilities Act nor Section 504, two major disability rights laws, requires statestoprovide services in the most mainstream setting. While the memo does not change the law,itsignals how federal agencies may interpret and enforce civil rights issues related to the topic. It could embolden states or school districts to decline to support people with disabilities in mainstream environments.
The WhiteHouse has already acted on asimilar philosophy.Last year,President Donald Trumpissued an executive order on homelessness that endorsed civil commitment, where acourt orders individuals into involuntary hospitalization or treatment programs. Trumpdirected HHS to reduce barriers to institutionalizing people with mental illnesses.
In itsmemo, theJustice Department acknowledged its interpretation of the SupremeCourt’s Olmstead decision is “out of step” with the common understanding. The Republican administration’ssteps fit a worldview in which the government has no obligation to support people with disabilities, saidClaudia Center,legal director at Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.
“It’sdark,
21 arrested in Medicaid fraud
La.providers accusedoffalse claims in investigation
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
Attorney General Liz Murrill on Wednesday announced 21 arrests relatedtoMedicaid fraudand abuse of patients that arepartof astate and nationwide crackdown on fraud in the program.
Many of thearrests relate to Louisiana providers accused of submitting false claims toreceive
Medicaid reimbursement for services theydid not actuallyprovide, according toarelease from Murrill’soffice. The release says the fraudsinvolvesums ranging from $500 to $100,000, though mostare between $5,000 and$10,000.
“One of my topprioritieshas beenrooting out fraud and holding accountable individuals and companies whotry to cheat the system,” Murrill said during a news conference at the StateCapitol. “Every dollar that is stolen by fraud is adollar that is taken away from achild, asenior or afamily 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 theseschemes we’re making it clear that we won’t tolerate them,” she added.
The arrests stem from investigations performed by Murrill’sMedicaidFraud Control Unit. That unit is beingturned into astandalone division within theLouisiana Department of Justice, Murrill announced. It is led by Matt Stafford. The FBI,the Drug Enforcement Administrationand other federal partners helped in the operation,
ONEFOR THEROAd
Members of asurvey crewworkinthe 400 block of Johnston Street in Lafayette on Wednesday. Lafayette Consolidated Government began lane closures June 30 to allowcrews to collect data forthe Johnston StreetSegment3 Improvement Project, aroadwork initiativeaddressing drainage, utilities and traffic infrastructure, which is expected to continue for10to15working days. The work will require intermittent single-lane closures alternating as work progresses along Johnston Street between St. Julien Streetand the Evangeline Thruway. Closures will occurafter the morning rush hour and conclude by 4:30 p.m. each day.
which was part of acoordinated 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 workersaccusedofabusing patients in their care. In two additional cases being prosecutedatthe federallevel, providers in Louisiana allegedly
School closure discussion blocked
KrotzSprings gets injunctionagainst board
BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer
The27thJudicial District Court on Wednesdaygranted atemporaryrestraining order and preliminary injunction preventing the St. Landry Parish School Board from discussing closing Krotz Springs Elementary School. Theboard introduced aconsolidation planinJune thatwould closeseveral 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’sclosure 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 engagedinparticularlystrong opposition to theconsolidation plan, meeting earlierthis week to discuss ways to oppose the board’sattempts to close the school. Derek Evans, aKrotz Springs resident andparentoftwo Krotz Springs Elementary students, organized apetition to preventclosureofthe school;
Murrill ä See FRAUD, page 4B ä See SCHOOL, page 4B
Donationssoughtfor floodrecovery
BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s
villageofPalmettoonFriday.
REQUESTED DONATIONS
n Mops and brooms n Buckets
n Household cleaning products
n disinfectants and soaps
n Rubber gloves
n Hand sanitizer
n Box fans
n Sponges, towels and other cleaningessentials.
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 torising water from atropicalstorm Tropical Storm Arthurdumped 20 to 30 inches of rain within 12 hours across southern parts of Avoyelles Parish, alikely 1,000yearrainfall eventthat caught most residents off guard. That water,which is not contained within rivers and canals, flooded parts of northern St. Landry Parish. Over the past several weeks, flooding has left many residents in the northeasternportion of St. Landry Parish, including Melville,Palmetto and Krotz Springs, and other areas throughout the Atchafalaya Basin, with the difficult process of recovery “Every donation willmake a meaningful difference forfamilies working to recover from this devastating flooding,” SLPSO officials said. To support recovery efforts, thesheriff’s officeiscollecting cleaning and recovery supplies at sheriff’s office locations across the parish. Donations can bedropped offatany St.
of about
Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office location, including theLebeau Substation, the EuniceSubstation, and the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’sOffice Public Safety Complex. Other local organizations are also stepping in to assist flood victims Acadiana VOAD,anassociation of local communityvoluntaryorganizations in the greaterAcadiana region which includesCatholic Charitiesof Acadiana and other nonprofits,has launched adisaster as-
sistance request form forSt. Landry Parish residents. “This is basically amechanism for us to figure out where the need is,” said Ben Broussard with Catholic Charities of Acadiana. “The only waythat we would knowwho is in need is if they filled outthe form.” Residents whoneed assistance with debris or water removal, damage assessments, andother recovery needs are encouraged to complete the disaster assistance request form through tfaforms.com
Lafayette police are investigating a shooting that left two people injured on Tuesday Officers respondedat2:55p.m Tuesday to the 600block of North St. Antoine Street in reference to ashooting, according to the Lafayette Police Department. Upon arrival, two people were found suffering from gunshot wounds before being transported to ahospital. One victim is considered to be in critical condition while the other is stable, police said. No arrests have been madeinthe shooting. An investigation is ongoing.
Sheriff: Kidnapping,armed robberysuspectarrested
The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’sOffice arrested a17-year-old suspected in a
STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Sexual assault victimsshould be at top of state’s priority list
Louisiana’syearslong struggle to properly respond to the victims of alleged sexual assaultshas beenwell documented. Whetherit’sa lack of personnel to perform exams, abacklog in handling ofrape kits, or strugglespursuing criminal charges,the problemshavebeen persistentand intractable.
Andevenwith recent efforts to addresssome of the issues, anew report bythe Louisiana Legislative Auditor notesthatplenty of work remains to be done.
The audit identified major gaps in theefforts to respond to sexual assaults. Amongthe findings: The various agencies, which include law enforcement, advocacy groupsand healthcare providers, often don’tcoordinateontheir response;some regions of the statedonot have responseplans thatmeet therequirements of state law and, even whenthey do, some arein need of significant improvement; some of those plans have not been approved by coroners, as they are required to be; at leastfourparishesdo not have an accredited sexual assault advocacy center;and many victimsdonot have accessto Sexual Assault NurseExaminers, or SANEs.
One advocate told this newspaper’sMeghan Friedmann that the state’sbiggestproblem boils downtoinconsistency of services andresponse “Everything is siloed,” said Morgan Lamandre, CEOofSexual Trauma Awareness &Response
The report comes as some legislators in recent years have taken stepstotackle the problem. Threeyears ago, Sen.BethMizell, RFranklinton, authored abill thatcreated asystemtotrack rape kits in the process of analysis.
This year,abill authored by Rep. Annie Spell, R-Lafayette, sought to centralize and strengthen oversight of the statewideresponse to sex crimes Spell’s bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry,creates anew position in the attorney general’soffice tasked with getting a statewide picture of the responses. The person will also help direct resourcestoareas where it is lacking, Spell said. The law also creates a mobile SANE team, requires regional health officials to submit annual reportsonthe response and sets up apanel to create statewidestandards
We believe all of these measures are positive. We also agree withLamandre that the new rules need to include accountabilityfor the officials responsible.
“Weneed more teeth behindthings,” Lamandre said. “Weneed consequences.”
The auditor’sreport also noted some needed additional steps,includingfinding consistent fundingfor advocacycentersand improved oversight.
All of these seem like good ideas to us. For years, the old system has toofrequently failed theverypeopleitwas supposed to help. Louisianaisalaw-and-order state; therights andprotection of sex crime victimsshouldbeatthe top of the priority list.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone 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.
OPINION
Jeffersonschoolboard must work to supportsystem’sgains
The Jefferson Chamber has long maintained that strong public schools arethe backbone of astrong parish. Over the past several years, the Jefferson Parish School System, under the steady leadership of Superintendent James Gray,has delivered measurable progress and sustainedimprovement, not just one-year gains.That deserves recognition. For the first time in years, thedistrict has zero F-rated schools.Jefferson Parishhas achieved thelargestdistrict performance scoregrowthinadecade, earned aB rating for thefirst time in 10 yearsand maintained thatB for two consecutive years. Morethan70% of schools grew or maintained performance, and students earned over 10,000 industry-based credentials,preparing them for high-demand careers.
Lastly,JeffersonParishteachers wererecognized nationally with the 2025-2026 National Institute for Excellence in Teaching District AwardofExcellence for Educator Effectiveness. These results arenoaccident;they existinspite of politics and chaos caused when boardmembershave oversteppedtheir governance line into
the day-to-day job of the superintendent. Gray’scontinuedlaser focus on students, teachersand improvement deserves credit Gray,his leadership team, teachers and schools have repeatedly demonstratedthat they know how to do their jobs and do them well.
The Chamber PAC’spriorities remain clear:
n Aboardthat governs responsibly not one thatcreates 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 Acommitment to stability,collaboration and student-centered decision-making.
As we look towardthe fall elections, the Chamber’sPAC is focused on ensuring voters can elect leaders who will build on this momentum. Our community depends on strong schools.
NORA VADEN HOLMES Jefferson Chamber PACchair RUTH LAWSON Jefferson Chamber PACadministrator Metairie
Fed-up countryhas news forits waywardleadership
Who’sgoing to tell him?
That theaffordability crisis is real news —not fake news —and needs attention.
That thepurpose of the presidency is not to enrich oneself and one’sfamily
That preoccupation with aballroom 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 apoorly planned war based on false premises (theregime will be overthrown) will hurt us economically in the short run, militarily in the intermediate termand politically in the long run.
That repeatedly insulting and dismissing our long-term allies will leave us isolated and scorned by theworld.
That cozying up to autocratic leaders who share his penchant for thearbitrary acquisition of free and independent countries is wrongheaded.
That letting ascience- and evidenceaverse attorney direct American healthcare is atravesty.
That being insecure about one’smasculinity is not aqualification for heading the Defense Department.
That promising to remove“theworst of the worst” does not mean indis-
criminately arresting asylum seekers, shooting Americans whoprotest, separating 100,000 children from their parents, nor shipping nonviolent offenders to El Salvador or the Congo.
That aJustice Departmentthat exists primarily to exact revenge for perceived slightsand disloyalty to one person is an anathema to its mission.
That pardoning criminals whoconfessed or were convicted by juries of crimes on Jan. 6, 2021, is unconscionable, and compensating them is unimaginable.
That promises matter
Who’sgoing to tell him?Weare, on Nov.3,2026.
CHARLESZEANAH Metairie
It’s
to share traintrafficsoOld Metairie doesn’t bear thebrunt
My church had manylatecomers on arecent Sunday after astopped 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’sdangerous, as emergency vehicles cannot get through. Who approved this?
Years ago, there was aproposal to moverail traffic from the Back Belt running through Old Metairie to the Middle Belt track south of Airline Highway Rerouting madesense considering population differences. And, there are farmore residences, businesses, schools and churches along the Back Belt.
Likewise, traffic volumeismuch 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 becamethe media’sfocus, 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’sfair
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 aclosed Back Belt might becomean unwanted thoroughfare. Moreover the railroad benefits by having alternative routes. The logic and fairness of railsplitting are clear,and these frequent stoppages must end.
LOUIS MCFAUL Metairie
STAFF FILEPHOTO By ENAN CHEdIAK Protesters march down astreet toward Williams Boulevard in Kenner on Jan. 10.
AMERICA250
Joyeux anniversaire et merci
Closetiesbetween France andLouisiana stretchbacktobeforeRevolution
By Rodolphe Sambou
ON THECALENDAR
Istill remember it vividly
On asunny Saturday morning in December 2011, Iarrived in Louisiana for the first time Dropped off in the heart of the French Quarter,in front of an old bookstore, Iheard ayoungstreet musician playing “La Vie en Rose.” Aroundmewere balconies that reminded me of those in my mother’s Basque village. It may sound like acliché, but I immediately felt at home.
partnerships are being created every year
In that moment, Irecognized something familiar: aEuropean heritage that so many French people —and Europeans more broadly —can still feel in Louisiana today Since then, Ihaveencountered thatconnection throughoutthe state.
Ihave seen it in Louisiana’s French immersion schools, where studentssometimes surprise their parents by speakingFrench with their grandparents, or even greatgrandparents Ihave felt it in Lafayette, in its music, literature andtraditions. Ihave discovered it through the works of EdmondDédé and through the remarkable history of L’Union, the first African American newspaper in theSouth,published in French. Isee it in Mardi Gras celebrations, in thelove of food, culture andcommunity, and in the countless Louisianians seeking to reconnect withtheir French roots. This heritage is not simply about preservingmemories. It is about building opportunities. Learning French opens doors to education, careers, traveland cultural understanding. It prepares future generationstothrive in an interconnectedworld. And this friendship is notmerely cultural.
France is today amongLouisiana’sleading foreigninvestors and foreign employers. Bilateral trade has nearly tripled over the past five years, approaching$3 billion annually.More Louisianians are studying French,more French visitorsare discovering Louisiana and more economic
The relationship between France and Louisianaisnot alegacy of the past; it is a living partnership, growing stronger every day.The New OrleansSaints game in Paris this fall is proof that even after three centuries, our story continues to be written. This year,wecelebrate the 250th anniversary of the relationship between France and theUnited States. I often joke with my fellow French diplomats in Washington that, compared with the centuries-old ties between France and Louisiana, it is still arelatively recent story.Yet it is aremarkable one.
When Imeet Louisiana veterans wholanded on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day,Iamalways struck by asimple thought: The alliance between France and the United States is not an abstract diplomatic concept. It was built by menand women willing to cross an ocean —and sometimes to sacrifice their lives —sothat others could live in freedom. Some of the veterans are Cajuns. Onetold me that theFrench of his childhood wasonce often overlooked, but hadbecomea source of connectionand pride. Regardless of what they spoke, France remains profoundly grateful for their sacrifice.
From Lafayette and RochambeautoNormandy,our alliance was forged in decisive moments when liberty,sovereignty,democracy,and human dignitywere at stake. Those values remain just as relevant today
Theworld has changed since 1944. Yetthe fundamental question remains thesame: Howdo free nations preserve peace, security and human dignityinan increasingly unstable world?
We face immense challenges: climate change, economic uncertainty,regional conflicts and growing geopolitical tensions. Warhas returned to Europe with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. France’ssupport for Ukraine is rooted in asimple principle: Bor-
ders cannot be changed by force, and nations have theright to determinetheir own future. These principles matter not only for Europe, but for thestability of the international system as awhole. France alsobelieves that today’s challenges —whether climate change, maritime security,public healthoreconomic 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, adecisive role in the securityand stability of Europe. We are grateful for that commitment. At thesame time, France has consistently advocated for Europe to assume greater responsibilityfor its own defense, thereby strengthening thetransatlantic partnership rather than replacing it.
Louisianaoccupies aspecial place in this story. It is where French,American, African, Caribbean and Native influences came together to create something unique. It is aliving reminder that identities can be enriched rather than diminished through openness to others.
As America 250 approaches, may we remain faithfultothe legacy of Jefferson and Lafayette, and inspired by thecourage of those who crossed the Atlantic in bothdirections to defend liberty. May we also remember thesoldiers who landed in Normandy and all those, throughout the world, who have risked everythinginthe nameoffreedom and democracy We owe it to them. We owe it to ourselves. Andweowe it to future generations. Merci, Louisiana, for keeping that friendship alive.
Rodolphe Sambou, acareer diplomat, is consul general for France in New Orleans.
Thereare several events around Louisiana to celebrate the 250thanniversaryofthe adoption of the declaration of Independence. Here is alist of somegoing on now.
For afull list, go to america250la.org
n The Historic NewOrleans Collection, 520 Royal St., NewOrleans, is featuring the exhibit,“American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition,”where visitors can immerse themselvesin3dinteractive reconstructions of keymoments in Americanhistory. This free, interactiveexperience,which runs through Jan. 17, utilizes360-degree augmented realityto immerse visitors in 20 defining moments of the nation’sfounding,from thesparks of theBoston TeaParty to the victoryatyorktown.The “American Revolution” wasproducedand designed by Histovery withpromotional supportfrom NewOrleans & Company and Louisiana America 250.The exhibition offersa fresh, technologically driven waytoexplore the American story. For more, go to hnoc.org
n The Louisiana State Museum at the Cabildo, 701 ChartresSt.,New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit, “Gálvez and Louisiana in theAmericanRevolution, which explores the life of Spanish Gov. Bernardo de Gálvez and the diverse people of Louisiana who fought forAmerican independence.Through May15, 2027. louisianastatemuseum.org
n Louisiana’sOld State Capitol, 100 NorthBlvd., Baton Rouge, is featuring the exhibit,“Bought fora Song: Ayoung Nation Expands,”whose only artifact is the French exchangecopyofthe convention between the Republic of France and theUnited States that finalizedthe Louisiana Purchase.Through July 11. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org
ABOUTTHISSERIES
Throughout the year,the Opinion pages are featuring columns and conversations from historians, scholars, politicians and others about what this 250thanniversaryofAmerica means.To read previous pieces, go to the Opinion section of our website.
PROVIdEd PHOTOByHISTOVERy
An imagepromoting‘American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition’ designed by the French firm Histovery,iscurrently on display at the Historic NewOrleans Collection.
School marksnew chapterasLSU NewOrleans
UNOchanges name with celebration andabig sign
BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer
It’sofficial: The University of NewOrleans is now LSU New Orleans.
The name change and return to the LSU system marksanew chapter for the nearly 70-year-old university,officials said duringa ceremony Wednesday attended by hundreds of students, faculty alums and local leaders, including New Orleans Mayor HelenaMoreno. The event culminatedwiththe unveiling of alarge LSU New Orleans sign in purple and gold.
“Today we unveil anew sign, but what we are really unveiling is possibility,” said Jeanette Weiland, the school’sinterim 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 NewOrleans, 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 willfinancially stabilize and attract more studentsto the university,where enrollment fellto5,700 students last fall,down from apeak of 17,000 studentsbefore Hurricane Katrina.
BLOTTER
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Lake Charles armed robbery and kidnapping case
Andrew Leblanc was arrested June 24 following ajoint effort between the Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Charles Police Department, according to aSheriff’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 page1B
Ahead of the official shift, there have been other signs of the comingchangeoncampus
Banners marking LSUNew Orleans recently went up along Elysian Fields Avenueand purple and golddecals wrapped around the exterior of the library.Officials also took stepsthey said were necessary to address abudget shortfall and put the school on anew path. They hireda slew of new ad-
ministrators, including Weiland; closed theliberal arts building; cut some academic programs; and raised tuition.
LSU President Wade Rousse, who earned amaster’sdegree from UniversityofNew Orleans and credited the university for inspiring his love for economics, said thechanges have put theuniversityonstable financial footing. He addedthatthe school will
contribute to LSU’smission to educatestudentsfromacrossthe state andprepare them for the workforce. But the university will also remain aresearch institution rooted in New Orleans, Rousse said.
“LSU NewOrleans must remain committed to serving as acatalyst forsocialmobility, forfirst-generation students, working students, adult learners andveterans,” he
told the crowd. “Thatisacritical legacy worth keeping.”
Students in yellow LSUNew Orleans shirts cheeredand waved glittery pompomsasattendees arrived at Wednesday’scelebration.
Kamille Isom, agraduate student andpresident of the Student Government Association, said she was hopeful the event’shigh energy andoptimismwould be apermanent feature of LSU New Orleans.
“Wehad alot of people come out,” she said. “Seeing allthose people just made me really excited forwhat’stocome.”
Chris Summa, aprofessor and president of the Faculty Senate, said he wasnearly moved to tears by apromotional video that highlighted faculty members’ commitmenttoNew Orleans. He noted thatthe university has endured financial hardships since Hurricane Katrina,but said he is optimistic that the new leadership will help the school function moreseamlessly
“This is achance to get our mojo back and get to doing what we do best,”hesaid. “It’s exciting to see this many people excited about LSU New Orleans.”
ArianVerrett, aNew Orleans native whoenrolledatUNO after moving back to the city to care for her family,said she appreciates theuniversity’sclose-knit community,though she wouldn’tmind seeing morestudents on campus. She believes the school can maintain that sense of community even if it’snow called LSU New Orleans. “Itdoesn’tmatter if they change the name,” she said. “It’sstill the same people. It’sstill the same school.”
Lafayette Parish, including three counts of possession of agun in thepresenceof drugs,possession of astolengun and possession with intenttodistribute Schedule I, II, III and IV drugs. Last Wednesday,the Sheriff’s Office located Leblanc at aresidence inthe 300 block of Whitemore Road near Scott. Upon arrival,Leblanc refused to exitthe residence, beginning 40 minutesof negotiations with deputies Twoseniors ando nile were inside th Leblanc surrend
it received over500 signatures. Evansarguedthat the closure of the school would putanundue burden on parents and children, as students in the community would have to travel an additional 13 miles Barre to attend school.
The temporary or granted on thegrounds residents of Krotz will suffer immedi irreparableinjury, damage if theplan acted. Furthermore, order prevents th Board from taking
FRAUD
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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 hasalsosecured 105convictions and over $73 million in ordered restitution.”
Murrill’sMedicaid fraud unitreceived 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 federalgrant and$3.3million came from the state.
The Louisiana Depart-
30, 2026
ment of Health been apartner in outfraud, accordi ficials.
“LDH has compl changed our paradigm fraud detection, prevent andrecovery int year or so to better spendinginthe Medicaid program,” said agen Bruce Greenstein peared alongside Murrill thenews conference.
The Health Depar createdanin-hous aidfrauddetection 2024 and has been audit manymoret program anomalies it has in previous Greenstein said that someofthose were referred to the neygeneral.
deputies arrested himbeforeexecuting asearch warrant on the home.
Multiple guns andillegal drugs were found inside the home,including29grams of methamphetamines andvarious quantities of MDMA, Adderall, Vyvanse and Klonopin, police said. Deputies determinedthat one gun was stolen.
Leblanc was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center before being transferred to Calcasieu
in Calcasieu Parishjail rosters.
Sheriff: Cocaine seized along I-10
The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested aMississippi man after a traffic stop led to adrug seizure.
Keith Williams,48, of Canton, Mississippi, was arrested Tuesday and faces one
count of possession with intent to distribute Schedule Iand II drugs, illegal use of drugs in the presence of ajuvenile, contributing to the delinquency of ajuvenile,transactionsinvolving proceeds from drugs and severaltraffic violations, according to aSheriff’s Officeannouncement.
About 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, deputies conducted astop foratrafficviolation along
Interstate 10 in Lafayette Parish.Upon executing a consensual search of the vehicle,deputiesdiscovered 12.51 pounds of cocaine, 78 gramsofmethamphetaminesand 24 grams of marijuana. Williams wasbooked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on a$1.08 million bail. An investigation is ongoing.
Unof
keep your tickets.
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Wade Rousse,LSU system presidentand aUniversity of NewOrleans graduate, center,pats the back of Jim dalton, chancellor of LSU Baton Rouge,
SPORTS
NBAfree agency heatsup
Teamscontinue to shaperosters with sizzlingblockbuster moves
The Associated Press
Add Norman Powelltothe listofthispast season’sAll-Stars who are changing addresses thissummer in NBA free agency Powell has agreed to atwo-year deal that could be worth up to $45 million with the Chicago Bulls, aperson with knowledge of thetalks said Wednesday. Powellalsohad received some interest fromthe Detroit Pistons, said the person, who spoke toThe Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot befinalized untilJuly6atthe earliest.
ESPN and Chicago Sports Networkwere among those who first reported the agreement between Powell and the Bulls, who will hold ateam optionfor 2027-28. Powell spent this past season in Miami, where hebecame an All-Star for the first timeand averaged 21.7 points in 58 games with theHeat. Miami willhavea verydifferent look this coming season, after theacquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo in atradethatsent Tyler Herro and others toMilwaukee. Powellwill be joining his fifth team, after past stints with Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers,Toronto and the Heat All-Starsonthe move
Powell is among five —and there likely will be more —All-Star selections from 2026 alone to be on the move thisoffseason.
He joins Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee to Miami), Kawhi Leonard and BrandonIngram (the headliners of atrade that brings Leonard back to Toronto andsendsIngram to the Los AngelesClippers), and LeBron James (who is leaving the Los AngelesLakers for ayet-to-be-decided team).
Of the 62 players with at least oneAll-Star selectioninthe last five years, just over half
ä See NBA, page 3C
AP FILE PHOTO By CHRIS SZAGOLA Miami Heat’sNorman Powell drives the ball during agame againstthe Philadelphia 76ers on Feb.26inPhiladelphia. Powell signed an agreement with theChicagoBulls on Wednesday
‘THE BEST OPPORTUNITY’
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
At first glance, there doesn’tappear to be many connections between Angelyna Conde of La Mirada, California, and Lamson Park in Lafayette
But as new as UL softball’spark wastoConde’seyes during her visit lastweek, there was more familiarity than meets the eye.
Forone, the Texas Tech transfer hadthe Ragin’ Cajuns on her recruiting radar back in high school when former UL coach Gerry Glascobegan recruiting her,before she ended up in Lubbock, Texas.
ThenConde gotplenty 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 Vicand Mihyia about it.I toldthem, ‘Be honest, what wasitlike there?’ Theyhad nothing
but great things to say about the fans, the environment, thecoaches andthe program. It sounded like the best opportunity.”
It doesn’tend there.
Conde also had aunique perspective with her first cousin Frankie Andujo playing forSun Belt rival South Alabama.
“She was like, ‘You don’tunderstand that fanbase and the culture they have in Lafayette,” Conde said. “I said, ‘Frankie, show me,’ so we started looking forYouTube videos of past games and Iwas like, ‘Wow,what agreat experience.’
Moreover,Conde wasalsoabletomeet 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 andMia and then coach Aly (Habetz) and Lacy
Staff report
Georges Media publications, including The Advocate, Times-Picayuneand Shreveport Bossier-City Advocate, piled up along 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 aceremony 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 SportsWriter of the Year for his coverage of the LSU-Shreveport baseball team on its undefeatedrun to an NAIA national championship, his writing following the tragic death ofa member of theCalvary Baptist Academy softballteam and his work after apair of Shreveportarea natives performed well at last year’sU.S Open. “2025 was meaningful forme,withor
without any awards.I’m honored to be a of the Advocate team we have in Shrev and across the state,” Lang said of his h Five other Georges Media emplo pickeduptop individual honors. Wilson Alexander,who served as the football beat writer forThe Advocat claimed Beat Writer of TheYear afte taking the topspot in theCollege Eve andCollege Feature categories. As aSaints beat writer for The Tim Picayune, Luke Johnsonearnedfirstpl in the Pro Event and Pro Feature comp tions. In thePro Column category,Times-P yune veterancolumnist JeffDuncan la thetop spot. For his coverage of the Division I football championship game between E Karr and St. Augustine, Rod Walker of Times-Picayune took first place in the Eventgroup. Michael Johnson of TheAdvocate came outontop in the Photography category TheAdvocatewinsLSWA
STAFF FILE PHOTOSByMICHAEL JOHNSON
PROVIdEd PHOTO
Angelyna Condetransfers to UL from TexasTech as athird baseman.
2:30
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
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
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
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.
Rangers’ Seager back on IL with back inflammation
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
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.
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.
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.
— 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
Vucevic returns to Orlando
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).
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
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 millionin2027-28,apersonwithknowledge 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.
Lakers reload
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.
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.
Belgium converts late penalty to beat Senegal in extra time
BY ANDREW DESTIN AP sportswriter
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
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-
LATE TUESDAY
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.
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
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(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
“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
win again,” Aguirre said. In the expanded, 48-team World Cup, there’s an extra round in the knockoutphase—theroundof32was insertedforthistournamentbetween the group stage and the round of 16. 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.
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.
Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.
AP FILE PHOTO By TIM PHILLIS
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.
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.”
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.
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.
SCOREBOARD
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
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Pro golf PGA Tour statistics Through June 29 FedExCup Season Points 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. 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. Driving Distance 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. Driving Accuracy Percentage 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%. Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. Total Driving 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
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
277.63. 7, Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, 277.59. 8, Ina Yoon, 277.54.
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. 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 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. Sand Save Percentage 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%. Rounds Under Par 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%. 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).
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).
Brennan Poole,
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PROVIdEd FILE PHOTO
Jeanerette offensive lineman Blair Lewis is already among the state’s
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Here’s an Alexandriainspired steaksandwich recipe from thenew ‘MyEgypt’cookbook
BY MICHAELMINA Voracious
Not far from the Cornichealong theEastern Harbor in Alexandria, Egypt, there’s El Fallah, atiny place that only makesone thing: liver sandwiches.
Yousay liver sandwich in Alexandria and people know you’re talking about thisspot —it’ssofamous that the owner has dozens of pictures of himself posingwithEgyptian 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, slicethe liver in half horizontally,season generously with salt and pepper,and brush with the garlic butter used in this recipe. Broil the liver for 1to2minutes or until brown on the outside and slightly pinkinthe center Letitcool for acoupleofminutes,thenslice it crosswise and add it to thebowl with the cooked shallots and otherfixings.
Youcan make the garlic butter aheadand refrigerate it with the garlic cloves inside. This recipe makes more garlic butterthan youneed, but the extra keeps, sealedinan airtight container,for amonth,readytobe pulled out and used to make many other things, like garlic bread or scampi.
Flavor to remember
ARed Beans and Rice
BY LINDAGASSENHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)
Recipe, 6C
Here are some tips on how tohandle a mango. Mangoes continue to ripen afterthey arepicked. Keep them at room temperature until they yield to gentle pressure. To speed up theripening, place mangoes in acovered bowl or paperbag Addasweet twisttoyour
July Fourth coleslaw with freshmangoes ä See COLESLAW, page 6C
Ilook forward to mangoseason,when perfectly ripe, sweet mangoes are easy to find in themarkets. Their juicy,tropical flavor adds arefreshing twist to everyday dishes. Tossed into a quick coleslaw,mango brings atouch of natural sweetness and vibrantcolor,transforming it into alight, satisfying vegetariansalad that’s perfect for awarm evening.
rthur,the first named storm of 2026, made landfall in Texas, churning up theGulf waters and tropical moisture into southeast Louisianaearly on June 18. The local meteorologists were less concerned about Tropical Storm Arthur’swinds thanthe possibilityofasignificant amount of rain. Iwent to bed wondering if we would wake up to flooded streetsora few puddles. Early in themorning, theunmistakable shrill ring of the emergency alert system warning of apossible tornado jolted me out of bed. Iturned on the local news station to watch theweather and the familiar feeling of uncertain angst during hurricane season in Louisiana hit me. In New Orleans, and manyother cities along the Gulf Coast, summertimehurricane preparation and conversation are ever-presentelements of theculture. Inevitably,stories about Hurricane Katrina resurface, and withit the physical destruction and communal loss that residentsstill grapple to comprehend.
Liz Faul ANOTHER RECIPE
ä Frank Brigsten’s Marinated Crab Claws with Green Onion Sauce.
PAGE 6C
Makes 8-12 servings. Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up aStorm:Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker
1pound dryred kidney beans ½pound fatty ham or another seasoning meat, such as salt meat, or smoked ham 1medium onion, chopped 1or2stalks of celery, chopped 1green bell pepper, chopped 1clovegarlic, minced
1largebay leaf 1to2teaspoons Creole seasoning Salt to taste Black peppertotaste 2tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or more to taste ¼cup choppedgreen onions (green partonly) Hotcooked rice forserving Hotsauce forserving
1. Pick over the red beans to remove any stones or brokenbeans. Soak overnight in alarge bowl with about 3inches of water to cover.Drain the water,rinse the beans, drain again, and set aside.
2. Render the ham or seasoning meat in aDutch oven over mediumheat to obtainthe fat, then remove the meat andset aside.Saute theonion, celery,bell pepper and garlic in the rendered fat, adding alittle oil if needed, until softened. Add the beans, return the meat to the pan, and pour in 8to 10 cups of water,orenough to covereverything by at least acouple of inches. Bring to aboil. Add the bay leaf and the Creole seasoning to thebeans, then reducetoasimmerand gently cook, uncovered, for about 1½ hours, or until the beans are tender.Add morewater while cooking if necessary
3. Toward the endofthe cookingtime, mash some beanswitha spoon againstthe side of thepot to makethe mixture creamier,ifdesired, and add the salt and pepper to taste, the parsley and the green onions as agarnish. Discardthe bayleaf and serve in bowls over white rice. Pass the hot sauce.
PHOTOSByLIZ FAUL
Red beans and rice
VORACIOUS PHOTO By JOHN LEE Alexandria Steak Sandwiches, Recipe 6C
Serves4.Recipe is excerptedfrom “My Egypt” by Michael Mina.
GARLICBUTTER: ¼pound unsalted butter
5garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
¼teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
SANDWICH:
4soft French sandwich rolls, cut in half and toasted cut side up
2bonelessrib-eye or New York strip steaks (about 12 ounces)
1teaspoon vegetable oil
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2tablespoons unsalted butter
3shallots, thinly sliced
1small hot pepper (Anaheim or jalapeño), thinly sliced crosswise
½teaspoon ground cumin
½teaspoon ground turmeric
½teaspoon paprika
1lime, halved
1handful cilantro sprigs
1. To make the garlic butter,ina small saucepan, melt the butter with the garlic overmedium heat, about2 minutes. Season with salt and afew pinches of pepper and let cool to awarm room temperature, about 10 minutes.
2. Using apastry brush, lightly coat the cut side of the sandwich rolls with the garlic butter, about 1tablespoon per roll.
3. Trim some of the fat fromthe steakand 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 theslices).
MangoColeslaw
Yields 2servings. Recipe is by LindaGassenheimer
4. In alargeskilletover medium-high heat, render thesaved beef fat for 1minute,thenremove(it’sOKif notmuchfat comesout). Add the oil and heatfor afew seconds, thenadd the sliced steak andsear briefly, turning the pieces once or twice andseasoning with afew pinches of saltand agenerous pinch of pepper,until the beef is cooked through, about 2minutes.Transfer the beef and any juices to aheatproof 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 theshallotshave softened slightly, about2minutes. Add to the bowl withthe steak and stir together well. Squeeze thelime over the bowl,thenmix again, adding moresalt if needed.
6. Divide the steak and shallots among the sandwich rolls and finish withcilantro sprigs. Slice thesandwiches in half before serving.
Shamingguestsnot the flex youthink it is
Dear Miss Manners: My daughter was recently married —asecond marriage bothfor her and for her new husband. They had alovely ceremony and invited close family and good friends —well, some good friends. Three of my daughter’sfriends workwith her new husband’sex-wife. The couple received neither cards nor gifts from this trio. She feels they have been manipulated by the ex. What should she do?
But we have aproblem
Three, actually First, the trio breached no rules of etiquette or good taste —atleast nothing that you have related. Wedding gifts are not, you will be surprised to hear, mandatory.Sowe have nothing to charge them with.
1. Add the cabbage, scallions, red onion, greenbell pepper,red bell pepper and walnuts to alarge bowl.
2. Add the canola oil and toss to make sure all vegetablesare coated with the oil. Add theapple cider vinegar,sugar,mango cubes and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.
3. Add the mayonnaise and mix all together 4. Divideinhalf and serve on two dinner plates. NUTRITION INFOPER SERVING: 564calories(64 percent from fat), 40.2 gfat (3.0 gsaturated, 12.8 gmonounsaturated), no cholesterol,16.4 gprotein, 44.1 gcarbohydrates,12.7 g fiber,153 mg sodium
COLESLAW
Continued from page5C
Aquick way to cube mango flesh is to place the mango on acutting board upright with the narrow side
facingyou. Sliceoff each sideofthe mango as close to the seed aspossible. Hold the mango half in thepalm of yourhandskin side down. Score the fruit in acrisscross pattern through to the skin. Bend the skin backwardssothat
Frank Brigsten’sMarinatedCrabClaws
thecubes pop up. Slice the cubes away from the skin.
HELPFUL HINTS:
n Ripepeaches can be used instead of mangoes.
n Pecansoralmonds can be used instead of walnuts.
n Anytype of onion can be used.
with Green OnionSauce
Makes 8servings. Recipe is from thecookbook “Cooking Up aStorm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-PicayuneofNew Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker
mustard
1tablespoon paprika
1teaspoon minced garlic
½teaspoon salt
½teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1teaspoon sugar
24 Louisiana blue crabs
CUCUMBER CUPS:
3large, wide cucumbers(Sliced in 2-inch-thick pieces)
1. Forthe green onion
CULTURE
Continued from page5C
The preservation of recipes is akey way of retaining cultural identity. This is even more the casewhen the culture is essentially built around the food and recipes of the region. In New Orleans, Mondays meanred 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 werescattered all overthe country, readers of The Times-Picayune and Nola.com wrote to ask the food editor,Judy
sauce: In afood processor, combine theegg yolk, green onions, salt, blackpepper andwhite vinegar.With the processor running, slowly addthe vegetable oilina thinstream 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 andsugar Slowlyadd theoliveoil, whisking constantly until fully incorporated 3. For thecucumber cups: Trim theends off thecucumbers and cut them so you have atotal of 8slices, each 2inches thick. Fromone end of each slice,hollow outthe
Walker,and co-author Marcelle Bienvenutocompile abook of manyauthentic New Orleansrecipes so they could cook their favorite comfort foods while the city was beingrebuilt and revived. This is how“CookingUpA Storm:Recipes Lost andFound from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans” came to be apopular cookbook that holdsimportantfood history This summer,food writers for TheAdvocate| The Times-Picayune were assigned to cook recipes from “CookingupaStorm.” For July,Imadeadelicious summer appetizer,Frank Brigtsen’s marinatedcrab claws with green onion sauce, astaple of thepopular seafood platter that is served at Brigtsen’s,his restaurant in the Riverbend
seed toform acup.
4. For the marinated crab claws in cucumber cups: Marinatethe crab claws for 15 minutes. Remove from the marinade and drain. To serve, spoon 2tablespoons of green onion sauceinto each cucumber cup. Place 3 crab claws in each cup.
NOTE: If you are short on time, the marinated crab claws are asimpleappetizer that is madeinadvanceand best served cold in thebowlwiththe marinade sauce. Thecucumbers withgreen onion sauceisa delicious addition thatcan be added if you have time, but not necessary to enjoy these tasty marinated crab claws.
neighborhood of New Orleans. This recipe is easy to follow at home and will be a crowd-pleaser at asummer party. Ialways say,“When I don’tknow what else to do, cook apot 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 thefirst nomination of recipes to add to this archive of New Orleanscooking. Ialso learned in “Cooking Up aStorm” that Louis Armstrong signed his letters“Red Beansand Ricely Yours.” So listen toyour favorite Louis Armstrong album —mine is “Ella and Louis”(1956) —and make this red beans and rice recipe. Youwill taste, hear and feel what New Orleans is all about.
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
1. Should she not send a thank-you note to them?
2. Should she just send a notethanking them for attending and celebrating?
3. Should she send acard thanking them for attending, with aP.S. such as, “I fear your card/gift was lost”? She does not value thefriendship of these three ladies and wantsto shamethem for their lack of class and manners.
Gentlereader: Beforewe get to thehow,Miss Manners wantstobesure she understands the goal, which is to “shame” three guestsatyour daughter’s wedding for their “lack of class and manners,” presumably while having your daughter display her own
By The Associated Press
Today is Thursday
July 2, the 183rd day of 2026. There are 182 days left in the year
Today’shighlightinhistory:
On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed intolaw asweeping 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, theContinental Congress passed aresolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought tobe, 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, mostofthem Black,are believed to have died in the violence.
In 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noon disappeared
Second, you do not send thankyou letters simply because someone attended your wedding; thanking them forattending would therefore not demonstrate your daughter’sfamiliarity with etiquette, but rather,the reverse. This eliminates one of your proposed courses of action. Third, shaming (or extorting) guests is aserious breach of etiquette. This eliminates another proposed course of action. To answer your question then, if your daughter wants to demonstrate her good manners, she should forget about this trio and enjoy her honeymoon.
Dear Miss Manners: Afew years ago, my mother-inlaw,anamateur painter, gave my husband and me a large portrait of ourselves. Idon’twish to judge the skill of the artist, but will say that it was “not our
TODAYINHISTORY
store opened in Rogers, Arkansas.
In 1976, the U.S. SupremeCourt, 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 apair of cases, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action as aremedy forpast job discrimination.
In 1990, morethan 1,400 Muslim pilgrimswere killed in astampede inside apedestrian tunnel near Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In 2018, rescue divers in Thailand found alive 12 boys and their soccer coach, whohad been trapped by flooding as they explored acave morethan aweek earlier
In 2020, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell wasarrested in New Hampshire on charges that she had helped lure at least three girls —one as young as 14 —tobesexually 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
thing.” We thanked her profusely and hung it up forafew years in aremote corner of the house. We have since moved to asmaller place without the space to display it, so it’s been packed away in acloset. Nowmyhusband 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 Ifeel guilty disposing of aheartfelt, homemade giftthat’s so personal in nature. Gentle reader: Paintings can be removed from their frames, rolled and shoved into atube at the back of acloset. This way if you absolutely have to produce it at alater date, you can claim that it wasin storage while you thought about reframing it. Consider yourself lucky your mother-in-law did not take up sculpting.
Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners. com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail. com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
two teachers were killed on May 24 of that year
Today’sbirthdays: Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is 97.Racing Hall of FamerRichard Petty is 89. Former White House chiefofstaff and former New Hampshire governor JohnH.Sununu is 87. Writer-directorcomedianLarry David is 79. ActorWendy Schaal is 72. Actor-model Jerry Hall is 70. Former baseball playerJoseCanseco is 62. Race car driverSam Hornish Jr.is47. Former NHL centerJoe Thorntonis47. SingerMichelle Branch is 43. Retiredfigure skater Johnny Weir is 42.ActorsingerAshleyTisdale is 41. Former professional soccer playerAlexMorganis37. ActorMargot Robbie is 36. SingerrapperSaweetie is 33.U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist RyanMurphy is 31. ActorCaitlin Carmichael is 22.
VORACIOUS PHOTO By JOHN LEE Alexandria Steak Sandwiches
TNSPHOTO By LINdA GASSENHEIMER MangoColeslaw
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. Utilizeyourstrengths,connectionsandcash flow to set your plans in motion.
LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) A broad-minded attitude will open doors to new people and experiences.Whatyoudiscoverwillhelp 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 withenthusiasm,andyou'llflourishemotionally. 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 agreetosomethingyouknowlittleabout. 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.
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
CeLebrItY CIpher
beetLe bAILeY
GooSe And GrIMM
LAGoon
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe 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
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Bridge
By PHILLIPALDER
Steven Wright, acomedian whospecializes in deadpan delivery, said,“Right nowI’m having amnesia and dejavuat thesame time.”
Castyourmindbacktoyesterday’scolumn. Then look at this one. Maybe you will have aSteven Wright moment West is defending against fourhearts. Heleadsoffwiththeclubace:six,queen, nine. How should he hope to defeat the contract?
Thebidding is instructive.North is right to makeatakeout doubleover one club. True, if Southdoes not have afivecardmajor,theensuing4-3major-suitfit might be worse thana 5-3 or 5-4 diamond fit. But agood South will have afive-card major. Eastmadeapre-emptive jump raise to three clubs, promising fiveor more clubs and aweak hand. With gameinvitationalorgreaterstrength,hewould have responded withanartificial two notrump. (When responder hasa big balanced hand, he starts with redoubleover an opponent’s takeout double.) South cue-bid four clubs to show astrong twosuiter. (With agood one-suiter, he would have jumped in that suit.)
Note East’s play of the club queen. When adefender cannot win atrick, he plays top of touching honors.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Wordsthat acquire four lettersbythe additionof“s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are notallowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may notbeused. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
ToDAy’s WoRD oBLIQuELy: oh-BLEEK-lee: Indirectly.
Average mark 16 words
Timelimit 30 minutes
Can you find 25 or more words in OBLIQUELY?
yEsTERDAy’s WoRD —soJouRnER
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. Andall the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.” Exodus 32:26
loCKhorNs
Areyou on the Lord’s side?Can He count on you? G.E. Dean
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
hidato
mallard
Kroger buying regional grocer Giant Eagle
Kroger said Wednesday it plans to buyregional grocer and pharmacy retailerGiant Eagle in adeal valued at $1.65 billion.
Giant Eagle, which is privately held, has 197 supermarkets and11standalonepharmacies across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.They would continuetooperate under theGiant Eagle nameunder the termsofthe deal.
Kroger,which is the largest U.S. supermarket chain, has 2,685 storesin35statesand the District of Columbia. Its storesoperate under various brand names, including Ralphs, KingSoopers,Smith’sand Fred Meyer
The transactionincludes $1.25 billionincash and the assumption of approximately $400 million in outstanding liabilities, the companiessaid Wednesday
“Giant Eagle is awell-run, high-quality regional grocer with astrong reputation for fresh products, pharmacy,private labeland customerloyalty,” Kroger CEO Greg Foran said in astatement.“We evaluated theopportunity carefully and thestrategic fit is clear.” Foran, aformer Walmart executive,was named Kroger’s CEO in February French company to buy FedEx’slogisticsarm
NEW YORK French container shipping company CMA CGM Group said Wednesday it will buyFedEx SupplyChain, the third-party logistics subsidiary of FedEx for $1.4 billion, as it works to expand in the U.S CMA CGMGroup said the acquisition willtriple the size of its own logistics arm,CEVA Logistics and helpbuild its presence as acontract logistics providerinNorthAmerica.
In 2025, CMA CGM pledged to invest $20 billion in its U.S warehousing, aircargo and logistics over four years. The two companies said they expected to enter intomultiyearair and ocean freight commercial agreements as well. Rodolphe Saadé, CEO of CMA CGM Group, said the deal will “reinforce our long-term commitment to investinginthe United States and supporting theresilienceand efficiencyof its supply chain.” FedEx, based in Memphis, Tennessee, has been spinning off some businesses to focus on itsdelivery business, focusing on higher-marginbusinessto-business deliveries for the healthcare, automotive, aerospaceand data center industries. It completed its spinoff of FedEx Freight,which transportsheavy and bulky shipments, on June 1.
AOL’s owner hits Wall Street with $1.7BIPO
NEW YORK Theowner 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 billioninproceeds, while the rest is going to shareholders. The stocksurged 41% shortly after it started trading under the symbol “BSP”onthe Nasdaq, giving it amarket value of $25.5 billion. Among the company’swellknownholdingsare the event creation and ticketing company Eventbrite, and the video hosting service Vimeo. AOL, formerly America Online,isa more recent acquisition for the company.The email and search engine service dates back to the dawnofthe internet age. AOL itself went public in 1992 and wasa vanguardof technology and communication. It reached amarketvalue of $164 billion in 2000 shortly before merging with Time Warner.Itthen crashed alongwith the rest of the industry following thebursting of the dot-com bubble. It has been boughtand sold several times overthe last two decades.
Warshsignals focusoninflation
or households thought theFed wouldacceptinflationabove 2%, “I guessthey’d be disappointed We’re going to deliver price stability.”
BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer
WASHINGTON— New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warshsaid Wednesday that the central bank wouldremain independent and seek to bring down inflation, likely foreclosing the rate cuts President Donald Trump has sought In remarks at acentral bank conference in Sintra, Portugal, Warshsaidthat if businesses
The Fed typically combats inflation by raising borrowing costs. Whenaskedabout Trump’softrepeated desire forlower rates, Warsh underscored the Fed’sindependencefrom day-to-day politics
“We’vebeen an independent central bank for avery long time,” he said.“We’regoing to be an independent central bank at this moment and you’re going to see no changes to that.”
Such commentssuggest that Warsh has shifted his views since
replacing Jerome Powell as chair May 22. He calledfor lower rates last year as he essentially campaigned forthe job. Sincebecoming chair,however,Warsh hasappeared to move away from that stance and instead hassignaled afocus on getting inflationdown.
But on Wednesday he declined to saywhatsteps the Fed would take to achieve that goal, consistent with his opposition to socalled “forward guidance,” in which central bank leadersforeshadow their next policymoves.
“I’m not going to make ajudgmentnow,” he said during the panel discussion withother central bankers. “The tactics, the
strategy, andthe rest,that’sstill to come,” he lateradded.
At his first news conference last month, Warsh also emphasized his goal of getting inflation back down to target. Wall Street investors expect the Fedcould hike its keyinterest rate as soon as in September,fromits current levelof about3.6%toroughly 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 acut. Warsh did notsubmit aforecast because of hisoppositiontoproviding guidance.
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 revelersraise glassesofMexican tequilaand mezcal at bars in Seattle. It adds up.The United States trades $1.9 trillion ayear —$5billion aday —worthof goods andservices with its neighbors, Canada andMexico. They have supplanted China as America’stop two trading partners. So thestakes arehigh when it comes to fiddling with the rulesthat govern trade between the three countries. And after ayear of President Donald Trump’schaotic tariff policies,many U.S.,Canadian and Mexican businesses wouldwelcome the return of stability across North America. They are notlikely to get it The regional trade pact —the U.S.-MexicoCanada Agreement or USMCA —that Trump negotiated and boasted aboutinhis first term came up for renewal Wednesday, starting a
BY KEN SWEET AP business writer
NEWYORK— ADemocratic member of Congress is calling forthe federal government to investigate the growing “rent now, paylater” industry, saying Americans may not understand thefees and cost structure of theseproductsas the services becomemorewidely available Rep. MaxwellFrost,D-Fla., sent aletter toConsumer Financial Protection Bureau Acting Director Russell Vought urgingthe bureau to investigate rent now,pay later companiesand hold them accountable forpotentialviolations of federal consumer financial protection
process that is likely to last months, maybe longer And the path forward is lined withlandmines
“There’sgoing to be alot of drama this summer,” DiegoMarroquínBitar,a fellow in the America’sprogram at theCenter for Strategic and International Studies, said last week at aUSMCA forum sponsored by the Cato Institute.
The U.S. is making demands that could effectively force Canada and Mexicotosurrender someautomaking productiontothe United States.Thatmight bring more auto factory jobstothe UnitedStates.But it would also upend established supply chains and would push up U.S. prices fornew cars thatnow average nearly $50,000 at atime when American consumers are alreadyfurious about the high cost of living Trump, characteristically,has added to the tension by threatening topull out of his own agreement altogether In 2020, theUSMCA replacedthe 1994 North American Free TradeAgreement, which tore down mosttrade barriers be-
laws. In the letter,obtained by The Associated Press, Frost also asked thebureautoexplain what it is doing to protect renters and whether landlords are steering tenants towardrent-financing products.
“Rent now,pay later” companies allow renters to split theirmonthly rent into smaller paymentsover the course of amonth.A renter with a $1,000 monthly rentbill might pay in four weekly paymentsof$250 or twopayments of $500.
First elected to Congressin2022 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 heavilyintodebt. In an interview, Frost saiditwas only because he
tween the three North American countries. Trump and other critics had called NAFTA ajob killerbecause 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 payhigherwages andmakesure that moreof what they made originated in North America in an effort to prevent Chinese products from slipping across regional borders duty free TheUSMCAincluded anovel provision requiring thepact to be renewed everysix years. Thatdeadline wasWednesday,and the three countries metvirtually.But U.S. TradeRepresentative Jamieson Greer said in astatement that the United States was not ready to renew the pact as it is for another16 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 overissuessuchasCanada’sprotection of its dairy industry
made ahealthy salary as amemberofCongressthathewas recently able to paythosedebtsoff 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.” Frostlooked into using his credit card to payrent, but “thank God thatdidn’thappen,” he added. Companies suchasFlexand Livble saybreaking rent intomultiple payments can help renters manage cash flow.The buy now, pay later companyAffirm has also done limited trials that allow its
customers to split rent into multiple payments. But several of these payment plans can comewith high fees and finance charges. In February,the AP reported on how users of these services were paying as much as $50 amonth to split their rent. These RNPL companies differ from companies like Bilt, which allows somerenters to pay rent through its credit card and rewards platform. Bilt says it has more than 5million members, and its customers have historically used itsservice to earn rewards points on rent payments. RNPL companies are more focused on allowing customers to finance large rent payments across multiple payments.
