The Acadiana Advocate 07-04-2026

La.highcourt haltsAGindictment

Move pauses criminal prosecutionofMurrill in NewOrleans

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

The Louisiana SupremeCourt issued astay early Friday on Attorney General Liz Murrill’sindictment by aNew Orleans grand jury, pausing the criminal prosecution of Louisiana’stop lawyer and excoriating what one justice termed a“quagmire” of irregularities surrounding the case.

Murrill, aRepublican, was charged Thursday with16felony counts of malfeasance in office and intimidationoverletters she sent in May to several New Orleans officials, warning that they had put their positions in jeopardy by opposing anew state law consolidating the city’scriminal and district clerks of court

Murrill filed an emergency motion Thursday evening asking the state Supreme Court to review the indictment, whichwas returned in aclosed courtroom at New Orleans’ Criminal District Court earlier that afternoon. Herattorneys’ filing asked the state’shigh court to either quash the indictment or stay the proceedings. In aremarkable move that one

dissenting justice and legal observers said would hardly ever befall atypical defendant, the SupremeCourt issued its stay Friday morning after weighing what the order described as alaundry list of issueswiththe indictment. The three-pageorder points to alleged conflictsofinterest in the

See MURRILL, page 5A

BUSINESS IMPACT

BelovedLakeCharles restaurant expected to lose land in Interstate 10 bridge roadwork

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

Abeloved Lake Charles restaurant, SteamboatBill’s, is expected to lose its location across from the lake as construction progresses on the new Calcasieu River Bridge for Interstate 10.

The state hasstartedacquiring properties along apathslightly north of the current I-10Calcasieu River Bridgeaswork begins on the new bridge. Several properties stand in the route for construction andstate officials say those that will be impacted have been notified, though they have declined to publicly share acomprehensivelistof affectedproperties.

An attorney for Steamboat Bill’s, New Orleans-based Randy Smith with Smith &Fawer LLC,confirmed that the state planstotake the entirety of the Steamboat Bill’s property at 1004Lakeshore Drive. He added, though, that he does not expect the state to take theland until 2027

The right of way process allows thegovernment to take land to complete road projects.

The potential of losing their property hasbeen traumatizingfor Steamboat Bill’sowner Katherine Vidrine and her family,Smith said.

“It’sher life’swork, and it’sa family business,” Smithsaid. “They’re nothappyabout it,and they’re very nervous about it.”

Louisiana native behind U.S. Mint’s 250 commemoration

Specialcoins flip the script on traditionalpieces

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON While taxpayers are spending tens of millions of dollars on America’s250th anniversary celebrations, such as ahuge state fair on the National Mall and an epic fireworks show,aMandeville nativeisraisingmillions for the government through the productionand sale of coins that remember scenes from American history

“The Mint this year is making more coin design changes than you’ve ever seen in your entire life,” said Director of the U.S. Mint Paul Hollis, aformer northshore state legislatorand BoardofElementary & Secondary Education member.

Thenation’s semiquincentennial is providingnot just an opportunity to tell America’s story on special editions of nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollar anddollarcoins.The historic milestonealsoprovides the Mint with away to increase its revenue.

The old fence company at 1112 N. Lakeshore Drivesits vacant on June 25.

Since the 1980s,Steamboat Bill’s hasbeen apopularlunchand dinner restaurant,offering Cajun cooking, authentic seafood, gumbo, étouffée and red beans and rice.

Calcasieu Bridge Partners spokesperson Jonathan Hill said agencies determine whichproperties need to be acquiredfor projects after they plan them and meet government requirements.

“Propertyownerswho are impacted arecontacted by aright of way agent,” Hill said. “The agent

BY STEPHENMARCANTEL Staff writer

Louisiana wasn’tone of the13coloniesthat declared independence from Britain. But people living in what is now Louisiana still played arole in the American Revolution. Well, sort of. Spanish Louisiana foughtthe British during thewar,but notasa formalally of the American colonies. Instead, Spainenteredthe conflict in 1779 afteraligningwithFrance, whichwas supporting the American cause.

“It gets complicated,” said Michael Martin, a history professoratthe University of Louisiana

STAFF PHOTO By COURTNEy PEDERSEN

Steamboat Bill’shas been located at 1004 Lakeshore DriveinLakeCharles for over 40 years. The belovedLake Charlesrestaurant is expected to loseits locationacross from the lakeasconstruction progresses on thenew Calcasieu River Bridgefor Interstate10.

Colorado wildfire forces thousands to evacuate

PUEBLO Colo. A wildfire burning southwest of Denver has forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and destroyed more than 160 structures by Friday as erratic winds pushed the blaze across two Colorado counties

The Aspen Acres fire is one of about 40 uncontained large blazes burning mostly in the West, fueled by months of dry weather and a record lack of snow this past winter in some places.

Fire personnel were scooping water from the Pueblo Reservoir to fight Aspen Acres fire, which expanded overnight by 17 square miles which brought it up to nearly 105 square miles by Friday with zero containment

All of Colorado City, an unincorporated community of about 2,200, was ordered evacuated as well as the towns of Beulah, Rye and San Isabel, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.

About 50 National Guard soldiers were being sent in Friday to help with staffing checkpoints on roads in Custer and Pueblo counties.

Guard members would also help State Park Rangers as they bring on additional boats to keep boaters clear of water-scooping operations.

Fire crews on the western side of the Rocky Mountains had contained about 65% of the Snyder Fire on the Colorado/Utah border, where three members of a Helitack team were killed and two others injured last weekend when they were overcome by flames.

Pope urges U.S. to honor founding ideals

ROME Pope Leo XIV prayed Friday for the United States to recommit itself to its founding ideals of protecting life and human dignity as he participated remotely in an event on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

History’s first U.S.-born pope recalled America’s tradition of welcoming migrants and promoting religious freedom during a live video appearance at the National Constitution Center, which provides a nonpartisan platform for constitutional education and debate.

The Philadelphia-based center gave Leo its annual Liberty Medal, which is awarded each year to someone “of courage and conviction” who promotes liberty around the world. The center honored Leo this year for his “lifelong work promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world — ideals enshrined by America’s founders in the First Amendment.”

Wearing the medal around his neck, Leo spoke to the center from Rome on the eve of the anniversary. He planned to spend July 4 itself at a symbolically significant location, given the Trump administration’s crackdown on migrants: the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, the destination of hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing conflict, hardship and poverty

Trump and Leo have clashed over Leo’s insistence that migrants be treated with dignity, welcomed and accompanied, as called for by the Gospel mandate to “welcome the stranger.”

Police investigate mall shooting in Detroit

DEARBORN, Mich, A shooting altercation between two groups of young people at a shopping mall in Dearborn, Michigan, left two people dead and a third injured Friday, police said. The shooting at Fairlane Town Center sent mall patrons scrambling, including a person who was hit by a vehicle outside the mall while attempting to flee, Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said. People believed to be linked to the fight were being questioned at the police station, but no one was immediately taken into custody, he said.

Shahin said the altercation was not a random act: The two groups knew each other and after they came into contact at the mall a fight started that escalated into gunfire. Members of both groups had handguns, he said.

One of the victims died inside Fairlane Town Center and the other died at a nearby hospital.

Heat bears down before July 4 holiday

America 250 celebrations ramp up

BY STEVEN SLOAN and STEVE PEOPLES Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence ramped up across the United States on Friday as demonstrations of national pride and hints of political polarization — were balanced with efforts to stay safe as much of the country baked under extreme heat.

President Donald Trump will travel to South Dakota to deliver a speech and watch fireworks at Mount Rushmore. And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve.

The sound of fighter jets on military flyovers shook the nation’s capital In New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered his own address on the country’s 250th anniversary that cast America as a nation of contradictions “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”

“The frontier may be closed, we may have walked on the moon, but the work of fulfilling the values first enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, that work endures, and it belongs to us all,” Mamdani said, sitting behind George Washington’s desk at City Hall and surrounded by a

diverse group of recently naturalized citizens.

In Washington, Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by Trump for his participation in the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”

“I love D.C.,” said Brooks, of Vero Beach, Florida, while taking a break from the heat with his siblings inside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History “I love the fact we’re doing it right.”

The activity culminates in the main event Saturday, when fireworks will erupt in communities across the U.S., along with backyard cookouts and block parties.

Trump will deliver another speech at the National Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically massive fireworks show

But for all the celebrations, there are also serious safety considerations as potentially record heat grips much of the Midwest and East Coast. Officials have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed.

Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade Friday The Great American State Fair, on the National Mall in Washington, shut down in the early afternoon even as more than 200 people were waiting in line for the Ferris wheel. A spokesperson said the fair reopened at 5 p.m.

Several Washington suburbs scrapped or postponed their fireworks because of the extreme heat

The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for much of

the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Northeast from eastern Kansas to southern Maine, including the cities of St. Louis, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

Amtrak canceled some trains in the Northeast due to excessive heat that could affect the tracks.

The weather service said peak heat indexes, which combine air temperature with humidity of up to 115 are possible.

Organizers of celebrations in Washington said they were adding water stations along with cooling resources and medical support. The concert Friday, a staple of Washington’s Independence Day traditions, is on, but the gates will open to the public later than usual, at 7 p.m., an hour before the show By early afternoon, hun-

dreds of people were roaming the grounds of the Mall, snapping photos of the flyovers and trying to cool off inside tents that offered $9 lemonades and $23 turkey legs. Many were dressed in patriotic colors, their faces glistening with sweat.

The holiday is unfolding at a unique time in the U.S. The anniversary has served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding it of the political polarization of the moment.

Even the celebrations themselves have not quite escaped the divide.

In New York, Mamdani, a Democrat, did not mention Trump by name, but parts of his speech appeared aimed at the president’s divisive rhetoric.

“For generation after generation, we have been told that when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to an a common criticism from Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”

Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, has come to rival America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has organized much of the activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair America250 is behind the ball drops unfolding in many cities, including New York, and will host a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday

Iran prepares for slain supreme leader’s funeral

BY NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran Iran prepared Friday for the dayslong funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with banners across Tehran urging the public to rise up in support of the Islamic Republic after the devastating war that killed the 86-yearold cleric.

The country’s theocracy expects to see millions flood the streets of the capital beginning Saturday in scenes reminiscent of the burial of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989

That could provide a boost for Iran’s government, particularly as it tries to leverage its hold on the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the United States over a permanent end to the war, and as concern still lingers that Israel could attack yet again

Despite that, a powerful general who leads Iran’s

The coffins of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, center on top and members of his family are displayed Friday ahead of the dayslong funeral ceremonies at the Imam

Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran.

paramilitary Revolutionary Guard emerged publicly for the first time in months for the funeral.

Other top government of-

ficials will also likely will be on hand alongside foreign dignitaries in a show of strength by Iran.

“As long as these people, who are chosen (by God), are on the field, we will definitely continue the same ‘no to humiliation’ policy

that was founded by the Islamic Republic,” said Mohammad Hossein Rezaei, a volunteer preparing for the funeral Friday

“We will continue our policy of pursuing independence, and decisions will be made inside the country and the people will decide their own fate,” he said.

Khamenei’s flag-draped coffin sat at Tehran’s

Mission launches to save NASA telescope that’s falling to Earth

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday to rescue a NASA telescope that’s in danger of crashing back to Earth. Northrop Grumman launched Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link spacecraft from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. The Pegasus rocket blasted off from the belly of a modified airplane, putting Link on course to reach and capture NASA’s Swift Observatory in about a month.

Launched in 2004, Swift is sinking faster than ever because of recent solar

storms NASA is paying $30 million for Katalyst to capture the telescope and boost its orbit so it can continue tracking some of the biggest explosions in the universe, like gamma ray bursts and exploding stars. If all goes well Swift could be back scanning the cosmos by September Observations are currently on hold to preserve the telescope’s orbit as long as possible. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope could be a candidate for a similar salvage operation in a few years. It’s also slipping in altitude because of increased atmospheric drag caused by the sun’s outbursts.

The 1.6-ton Swift currently is circling 224 miles above Earth. Katalyst aims to raise the telescope’s altitude by 150 miles, back to where it all began. Link’s thrusters will fire to boost Swift slowly, so there’s no heavy jostling.

Katalyst threw the mission together in just nine months. NASA insisted on a rush job because the telescope will be too low to recover by the fall. Without a boost, it’s predicted to plunge to its demise in October

Bad weather and technical issues caused a series of last-minute launch delays.

Grand Mosalla alongside family members killed in the Israeli airstrike that came in the first moments of the war on Feb. 28. The dead being honored include a son-in-law, his eldest daughter, a 14-monthold granddaughter and the wife of Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the previous leader who remains in hiding after reportedly being

wounded in the attack. Religious leaders and foreign dignitaries walked up to Khamenei’s casket as a military band played or a man sang prayers. Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian, key leaders in the country’s civilian government, all paid their respects.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

Military aircraft fly Friday over the National Mall near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VAHID SALEMI

Khomeini Mosalla

IMPACT

Continued from page 1A

will walk them through the process which includes appraisals, negotiations, acquisition and relocation, if applicable.”

Though Hill declined to confirm who had been notified, news of other impacted properties has come out at Downtown Development Authority meetings. Lake Charles planner Kelly

Miseles confirmed during a Downtown Development Authority meeting in May that the buildings on the north side of the bridge along Lakeshore Drive would be demolished. The old fence company at 1112 N. Lakeshore Drive was already in the queue for demolition on May 4

And during a Lake Charles City Council meeting last month, Calcasieu Bridge Partners spokesperson Patricia Prebula said a couple of “older homes” in Westlake have been demolished already

ably not much.

at Lafayette.

Under Gov Bernardo de Gálvez, Spanish Louisiana assembled a force made up of Spanish troops, French colonists and Acadians who had recently settled the region. Over a four-year campaign beginning in 1779, Gálvez’s forces captured British strongholds at Baton Rouge, Mobile and Pensacola, helping drive Britain from the Gulf Coast.

The Acadians who served under Gálvez have since been commemorated with historical markers throughout Acadiana, and many are buried at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville

So what did the people living in Louisiana think about the American Revolution?

For many, the answer was prob-

COINS

Continued from page 1A

By how much?

Hollis is unsure if the Mint will take in millions or billions but is confident the amount will be significant. The changes to pocket change are just for 2026. Designs return to pretty much what they were before in 2027.

“Coins were always my connection to United States history,” said Hollis, a numismatist whose first coin collected as a child, the one that launched his career buying and selling coins, was a silver dollar piece pressed in the 1790s.

“I wouldn’t know America’s story if it weren’t for a tangible link,” he added.

What scenes to pick?

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia formally adopted the Declaration of Independence in which the 13 colonies officially quit the British Empire and began calling themselves the United States of America.

The choice of which scenes to depict America’s journey from that point toward a “more perfect union” has not been without controversy A coin showing Ruby Bridges integrating New Orleans public schools, for instance, was considered but dropped The U.S. Mint does not receive congressional appropriations. Rather, the agency makes money from making money

The face value of a coin is generally greater than the cost to mint it. That gap called a coin’s “seigniorage” — earns the mint money, but production prices are increasing.

“So where do you make up that revenue? You make it up in the sale of numismatic coins that you can sell at a premium over their face value,” Hollis said. The value of commemorative medals and special coins particularly the proof and uncirculated versions of the special edition coins sold to collectors — are set by demand, artistry, historical significance and scarcity

Hollis, who as Mint director cannot trade coins, nevertheless still has his professional numismatic chops.

“You see how it’s shiny on Lady Liberty?” said Hollis, pointing out special features on a $50 gold piece for which collectors will pay a premium. “Most people don’t even know this, an advanced collector will, the U.S. Capitol is added, and then behind her are rays of sunshine And we’ve never had a dual date.

But to celebrate 250 years, we put 1776 and 2026.”

In March, the Mint re-

Spain supported the war against Britain, but Spanish officials remained wary of revolutionary ideals because Spain itself was a colonial power Most people living in Louisiana likely knew little about the conflict or saw little reason to believe a group of colonies could successfully break away from a king.

“The ones who did think of it probably didn’t think very highly of it, and they certainly thought it was bound to fail if they studied history,” Martin said.

The perspective is understandable. If people lived their whole lives under the control of a king, they would most likely be unable to imagine life or government functioning any other way

But the American colonists defeated the British, and 250 years later, the republic still stands

Less than 30 years after the Revolution, the Louisiana terri-

It’s likely other impacted properties will include those on either side of Steamboat Bill’s along Lakeshore Drive on the feeder road for Interstate 10 westbound.

Steamboat Bill’s faces two choices: Either close its decades-old location near the bridge or move to a new property.

“They don’t want to close it forever,” Smith said. “But then to find another piece of land (that) will work to rebuild the business that has good access, good location, has all the right features, and then

tory would be purchased from the French. In 1812, Louisiana would officially become the country’s 18th state.

The Louisiana Purchase came as a surprise to French officials in Louisiana, who weren’t expecting to be handed over to the U.S so shortly after taking control of the region. Pierre Clément de Laussat, the French governor at the time of the Louisiana Purchase only ruled for 20 days before the state became part of America.

“He thinks it’s a joke. He’s not convinced it’s true, and once he’s convinced, he’s not convinced it’s a good idea,” Martin said.

When Louisiana fully became integrated into the U.S. is still debated today, Martin said The first American settlers began entering the state shortly after the Louisiana Purchase. American capitalism took hold over the area in the 1800s, with American cultural influences likely reaching

Revolution.

not knowing if they’re going to get enough money to make that work.”

Eminent domain and right of way laws require the state to make good-faith offers to properties that it wants to acquire based on two appraisals. Landowners then have 30 days to accept or reject an offer

The state has not yet extended an offer to the restaurant, but Smith said he expected the offer to be millions of dollars as the state tries to compensate for both the cost of the land and the business itself.

the region in the mid-20th century through mass media.

At the time of the Revolution, Louisiana was pretty much just New Orleans, which was founded in 1718 by French colonists. The first official city in the Acadiana region wouldn’t be founded until 1817, with the founding of St. Martinville, but the region had been home to Acadians who had immigrated there since 1765.

In Acadiana, settlements had begun popping up in the 1740s along the Bayou Teche, Martin said. Opelousas, one of the oldest towns in the state, did exist, but only as a trading and military post rather than an official town.

Small enclaves began to appear along the Vermilion River around the time of the Revolution, with evidence of a trading post popping up in the 1790s at the site of the Pinhook bridge over the Vermilion.

Lafayette, first called Vermilion-

The idea of a coin with Frederick Douglass, who worked to abolish slavery was forwarded, as was the image of Ruby Bridges to represent racial integration of public schools.

The U.S. Mint shelved previously approved designs of milestones like the abolition of slavery women’s suffrage and the Civil Rights movement in favor of classical imagery

“While I am glad President Trump responded to Senate Democrats’ pressure and abandoned his plan to plaster his face on our cur-

traditionally clutches an olive branch signifying peace, is empty Eric David Custer, the artist, told the media in December he was referencing the eight-year Revolutionary War before peace was declared in 1783.

The semiquincentennial commemoration series of five new quarters, the most used coin, depicts various scenes of American history.

The series began in January with the release of the Mayflower Compact Quarter, which shows two pilgrims.

leased a $50 gold piece, which cost $5,250 each. It sold out in two and a half minutes, raising about $30 million, Hollis said But that’s for collectors.

Most people will come across the celebratory 17762026 coins as change from everyday purchases.

A lasting legacy

Because coins are made of metal, they last almost indefinitely Archeologists are constantly uncovering coins that are thousands of years old The only confirmed contemporary image of Cleopatra’s face is on coins.

“I tell everyone here that the footprint that they provide to the American people, and beyond, is this coin isn’t going to last not for hundreds of years, but for thousands of years,” Hollis said.

For this year, Jefferson is full-faced on the nickel and a profile of the Statue of Liberty replaces President John F. Kennedy on the 2026 half dollar

The dime probably had the biggest makeover which was tinged with controversy Hollis includes this year’s dime on his business card.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s profile is replaced with “Lady Liberty” wearing a liberty cap. On the backside, a bald eagle clutches a bundle of arrows and the motto “Liberty over Tyranny.”

What caused controversy is the eagle’s talon, which

The Revolutionary War quarter features George Washington and Valley Forge, which was released in March. Hollis handed out the 25-cent pieces to surprised children on a field trip to Mount Vernon, Washington’s plantation in the Virginia suburbs of the city that bears his name.

Third in the series, released June 16 focuses on the Declaration of Independence, with Thomas Jefferson, the lead author and third president On the other side is the ringing Liberty Bell, crack exposed to show “fragility of a young nation at its founding.”

The fourth quarter celebrates the U.S. Constitution and features its primary author, James Madison, the fourth president. It will be released in August.

A 25-cent piece will be released in the fall featuring Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, with the 16th president on one side and two clasped hands with the inscription “A New Nation Conceived in Liberty” on the other Congress authorized in 2021 changing designs to commemorate America’s 250th birthday Controversy over coins

The Mint under Democratic President Joe Biden worked with an advisory committee that suggested including civil rights and women’s suffrage scenes, along with the Declaration of Independence and the

Property owners have some leeway to negotiate, Smith said, but if they ultimately disagree on the offer from the state, the state can take the land with its offered amount of money before the two sides fight it out in court. State officials are in the process of appraising properties, according to Smith. He said it can take a few months before offers come in.

“My clients certainly haven’t figured out what they’re going to do,” Smith said. “A lot depends on how much they’re offered.”

ville, wasn’t founded until 1821. The region was primarily used to produce agricultural products for shipment to New Orleans. The region was dotted with plantations and ranches, with cattle being the cash crop. The vast majority of the population were subsistence farmers, meaning they lived off what they could grow French colonists made up the majority of the population but were soon outnumbered by incoming Acadian populations following their expulsion from modern-day Nova Scotia, beginning in 1775. The Spanish, desperate to find people willing to settle in Louisiana, played a vital role in relocating Acadians to the state.

“It’s hard to say what the culture was like. There’s not a lot to go on When you get into the 1800s, you get more people talking about stuff in letters. All we have are government reports,” Martin said.

rency as if he were a king, I am deeply disappointed that he chose to scrap coin designs that were already approved to celebrate historic moments for Black Americans, women and all of us who benefit from equal treatment under the law,” said U.S Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, the Nevada Democrat whose legislation in 2021 authorized the redesign. She supported a bill that blocked putting Trump on the dollar coin. His image is on a commemorative medal, however Hollis said the Citizens Coinage Advisory Com-

mittee and Commission of Fine Arts provide opinions on proposed designs. Those panels include artists and engravers as well as public officials But, considerations of art and practicality of pressing those designs also play a role. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ultimately decides what designs to use.

“The process is very sober-minded,” Hollis said. “We are creative by nature, and we like to think of everything. We recognize the importance of the coins that we strike and the fact that they’re going to outlive us.”

The front side of a commemorative medal

prosecution, claims of politically tinged grand jury tampering and a chaotic courthouse scene during the indictment’s return that the high court said raised serious transparency questions.

The justices also noted how the Supreme Court had recently upheld the law consolidating the city’s clerkships, which eliminated the position won by former life prisoner and criminal clerk-elect Calvin Duncan. That law had spawned a back-and-forth political brawl between Republican state officials and Democratic city leaders that culminated Thursday with Murrill’s criminal indictment.

While the record before this Court is undeveloped, there is considerable support for the view that the Attorney General is likely to succeed on the merits of a motion to quash this indictment on either a legal basis or due to apparent procedural irregularities,” the justices wrote in an unsigned opinion on behalf of the court.

The Supreme Court issued the stay with a five-member majority, while Chief Justice John Weimer and Justice John Michael Guidry dissented. Justices in the majority noted that the stay did not reach the merits of the case.

The pause on Murrill’s criminal indictment represents a swift victory for the attorney general after what amounted to an extraordinary escalation in the monthslong feud between state and city leaders.

“This matter is not over,” Murrill said in a statement Friday morning. “I will still need to file the necessary motions to seek a dismissal, which will be forthcoming. I want to thank the many friends and supporters who have expressed their support and encouragement.”

Calling the process a “political witch hunt,” Murrill slammed the special prosecutor, judge and grand jury in the case as “rogue, biased and vindictive.”

By Friday night, Murrill asked the Louisiana Supreme Court to weigh in again on the arrest warrant and $400,000 bond set in the case. She alleged that the case’s special prosecutor refused to recall the warrant despite the stay of the indictment.

In their dissents, Weimer and Guidry each expressed concern that court had skipped over the

typical process to jump into a highprofile case involving a prominent state official.

“This is not supposed to be how the system works,” Guidry wrote.

“Can our court truly say with a straight face after today’s ruling, on the eve of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, that we truly believe that no one is above the law?”

‘Rapidly escalating quagmire’

After the indictment was returned Murrill’s attorney Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, alleged in a news conference and in emergency filings to the Supreme Court that the grand jury process was beset by leaks and political interference. She wrote to the Supreme Court that the grand jury had been “coopted by political actors for political purposes.”

The Supreme Court’s order suggests the court accepted much of Rodrigue’s argument. While it is unusual for the high court to intervene this early in a case, the justices wrote that they have the authority to act “when the issues presented are extraordinary in nature.”

“This indictment appears to turn the law on its head and flows from what appear to be extraordinary procedural defects and improprieties,” the order states.

The justices in the majority criticized the appointment of a special prosecutor, retired judge Laurie White, who they wrote was conflicted in the proceeding because the Attorney General’s Office rep-

resents White in a sexual harassment claim dating to her tenure on the bench White also previously represented Duncan, a former jailhouse lawyer freed from prison when a judge found him innocent, before his case was taken over by the Innocence Project

Those conflicts of interest “should have been obvious,” the Supreme Court’s order states.

Writing in a concurrence, Justice Jay McCallum called the allegations in Murrill’s filings troubling.

“If they prove to be even partially accurate, then additional proceedings before the newly reconstituted Judiciary Commission and Office of Disciplinary Counsel will no doubt become necessary,” he said, referencing the offices that discipline judges and attorneys.

Justice Piper Griffin wrote in a concurrence that she shared Guidry’s concerns about whether a true emergency existed, but that issuing a stay that does not reach the merits of the case “allows this Court to ultimately resolve this rapidly escalating quagmire.”

Roche responds

The Supreme Court order lambasts Criminal District Court Judge Leon Roche for shuttering his courtroom as the grand jury returned its indictment, and court security officers of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office for handcuffing and detaining news reporters who pointed to state law that calls for grand jury returns to occur “in open court.”

“By all public accounts the Or-

leans Parish Criminal District Court violated express provisions of state law requiring that grand jury returns occur in the public eye, ‘in open court,’ ” the order states, citing Article 383 of Louisiana’s Code of Criminal Procedure.

“Numerous media outlets have stated that reporters were handcuffed and removed from these otherwise public proceedings.”

WWL-TV producer Danny Monteverde and a lawyer representing the news station, Elana Beiser, were handcuffed and briefly detained while reporters waited in the hallway to reenter Roche’s courtroom after the judge ordered it cleared. Monteverde and other reporters had objected to the closed nature of the proceedings, and Beiser had arrived with a printed motion for Roche to reopen the courtroom.

In a filing of his own to the Supreme Court later on Friday, Roche argued that the stipulation saying returns must occur in “open court” means only that a judge must be present on the bench — not that the public or media should be allowed.

“If that were the case,” Roche wrote, “any number of criminal defendants, nefarious actors, or otherwise interested parties could pierce the veil of secrecy surrounding grand jury proceedings that is enshrined in Louisiana law.”

Roche called it a “long-standing practice” by trial court judges in Orleans Parish to clear the public from courtrooms before bringing in grand jurors to receive returns.

Leading up to Murrill’s indictment, Roche’s filing states, news

reporters “descended upon” the court. He accused reporters of standing in the parking lot, walking around the courthouse basement where the grand jurors were meeting and trying to communicate with the grand jurors.

Roche said he told deputies to clear the courtroom when grand jurors entered and said he “admonished” the media not to speak to them. No reporters were cuffed in his courtroom, he noted.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office issued a statement Friday saying deputies’ response came after Roche ordered them to secure the courtroom.

“It is our understanding that OPSO personnel acted in accordance with the directives they received and worked to ensure an orderly conclusion to the proceedings and safe passage for all persons involved,” spokesperson Calandra Corder said.

Wide-reaching impact

News of Murrill’s indictment, and of the Supreme Court’s ruling, reverberated across political circles and in the national media. In a statement, Gov Jeff Landry thanked the Supreme Court for its decision after saying Thursday that he would pardon Murrill if she were convicted.

“These type of abuses and misuse of public monies to carry out this illegal proceeding is an example of why New Orleans is in a budget crisis,” the governor wrote. “Instead of spending money to prosecute thugs, you spend money to prosecute the prosecutor Ridiculous!”

Some legal observers shared Weimer and Guidry’s concern that, by going straight to the Supreme Court, Murrill received treatment inconsistent from that available to most other criminal defendants.

“The lower courts are not inferior courts meant only for those without means or title or prestige,” Weimer wrote in his dissent. Rarely, if ever, does a “regular” defendant “get the Supreme Court reaching down to halt the case the day after indictment,” veteran defense lawyer Craig Mordock, who frequently practices in New Orleans criminal court, wrote on social media.

“However, the Court didn’t invent these facts,” Mordock said. “Orleans Parish handed them this clown show.” Staff writer Justin Mitchell contributed to this report.

Expect some pretty decentweather for Fourth of July.Expect apartly cloudy, hot and humid day. Temperatures this afternoon willbe where theyshould be, in the lowtomid-90s.Humidity willremain high, so temperatures will feel likethe triple digits for someofus, possibly as high as 102, so make sureyou stayhydrated. Rain chances will be right around 20 to 30%,soexpect someisolated showers and maybe afew storms.The UV index is at the extreme level, so be suretoprotect yourself.

FalloutfromVenezuela’s earthquakesturns political

Opposition leader Machado seeksreturn

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press

CARACAS,Venezuela— Thefallout from Venezuela’spowerful twin quakes has evolved intoamajor test for acting President Delcy Rodríguez sending her scramblingto prevent the humanitarian disaster from becominga political one as her mandate as interim leader expires Friday

Aday after Rodríguez angrily defended the competence of her government’s relief effort at her first news conference since the June 24 disaster,her main rival, exiled Venezuelan Nobel Peace

Part of the San Judas Tadeo school is collapsed Friday in Caracas, Venezuela, days after it wasdamaged in the earthquakes.

Prize laureate María Corina Machado,issued her ownappeal.

Machado onFriday argued that the government’squake response exposed its critical weaknesses and thatshe

should return to Venezuela to help “the transition process, especially afterthe tragedy.”

“My presence stabilizes the situation;itispart of the organizing forces that the country needsatatime

when the total absenceofthe state has become evident,” Machadosaid,referringto widespread criticismofthe government’s earthquake response as slow and disorganized. “The country needs figures it can trust.” She spoke to reporters from Panama.

The quakeshavekilled 2,645 people and injured over 12,500 others, according tallies released Friday by the government.Machado’s opposition movement hasset up an online database to locate themissing —a list of 36,000 people as of Friday

The party has mobilized volunteers to collect donations in Venezuela andsolicited aidfrom thecountry’s vast diaspora.

Machadowas barred from running in a2024 presidentialelection in which President Nicolás Maduro

claimed victory.Vote tallies that theoppositioncollected from voting machines used in the electionshowed that thecandidate Machadoendorsed, Edmundo González, beat Maduro by amorethan 2-to-1 margin.

When the earthquakes hit, Machado saw an opening to return home for the first time after fleeing in December to accept aNobel Peace Prize in Norway.Ever since the United States captured Maduro in abrazenmilitary operation in January,Machado hasbeenseeking acomeback andcalling fora democratic transition.

But the Trump administration has thrown its support behind Rodríguezsince Maduro’s ouster,praisingher business-friendly reforms of the country’slucrative oil sector

TwoseniorU.S.officials

speaking on condition of anonymity to disclose private diplomatic discussions, told TheAssociatedPress that the Trump administration hasgrown frustrated with Machado and dissuaded her from returning to Venezuela in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

OneofficialsaidthatMachadohad sought assistance from Washington for ferrying hertoVenezuela from theCaribbean island of Curaçao and also from Panama. The second official said the U.S.suspected she wanted to return to lead protests against Rodríguez and push for political change at atime when the focus should be on quake recovery.This official added that theTrump administration could not prevent Machado’sreturn butwas not in aposition to facilitate it.

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME The traditionalist Catholics who defied Pope Leo XIV and caused a schism defended their actions Friday,insisting they were merely savingsouls and were victim of an unjust sanction by the Holy See. The head of the Society of St. Pius Xwrote to Leo aday after the Vatican excommunicated the group’sbishops and priests and warned its faithful they too could be excommunicated for participating in the schism, or rupture in church unity

The society,knownas SSPX, celebrates the ancient LatinMassand opposes the modernizing reforms of the Catholic Church. On Wednesday,itconsecrated four new bishops withoutpapal consent during amassive ceremony at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland, com-

mittingone of thegravest crimes in churchlaw

Leohad begged the SSPX not go ahead with theceremony,but the SSPX defied his will. Within 24 hours, the Vaticandeclaredanexceptionally harsh punishment thatsurprised even the SSPX’s toughestcritics. In his letter to Leo, the SSPXsuperior,the Rev DavidePagliarani cast the SSPX asthe defiant guardian of the church’stradition and thevictim of an unjust sanction by Rome.

“What the SocietyofSaint Pius Xhas done, andwill continue to do, is nothing other than an extraordinary initiative for the salvation of souls, amidst the doctrinal and moral confusion into which the church is plunged,” he wrote Despite the “unjust and invalid” sanctions, the SSPX will love the church even more and “offers up thesuf-

fering causedbythese new sanctions for the good of the universalchurchand of Your Holiness,”Pagliarani wrote.

French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the SSPX in 1970 in opposition to the reforms of theSecond Vatican Council, which revolutionizedthe church’s relations with other Christians, Jewsand people of other faithsand allowed Mass to be celebrated in thevernacular ratherthan Latin.

While nowafringe movement on the Catholic right, the SSPX has been athorn in theVatican’ssidefor five decades becauseitclaims to be even moreCatholic than the Holy See. The harshnessofVatican’s response suggested that after trying to negotiate with theSSPX over threepontificates, the Vatican under Pope Leo XIV had had enough. The Rev.Robert Gahl, an ethics expertatThe Catholic

University of America, said thespeed and decisiveness withwhich the Vatican respondedtothe consecrations was significant in clearly alerting the SSPX faithful that they wereparticipating in aschism. Doing so, he said, exposed how the SSPX falsely claims to be “more Catholic than thepope.”

The SSPX claimed it had to proceed withthe consecrations, “that theyhad acase of necessitybecause of the need of thefaithful to receivetheirsacramental care, while claiming that their sacramental care is somehow better than what the rest of the church offers,”Gahl said. TheVatican’s decisive response “calls them out and says, ‘If you want the salvation that the church offers, you have to belong to the church, andyou stepped out of full communionbydisobeying the pope’s explicit command.”

Interpol namessuspect in Monaco bombing

BY JOHN LEICESTER and SAMUELPETREQUIN Associated Press

PARIS InterpolonFriday identified a39-yearoldwoman fromUkraine as the main suspect in a bombing in Monaco that reportedly targeted a Ukrainiantycoon with links to Russia

The policeorganization named Anastasiia Berezovska,who remains at large, in aRed Notice seeking herarrest on charges of attempted murder, placing an explosive device in apublic place withcriminal intent,and criminal conspiracy

Monaco authorities haven’tidentified anyof the threepeople wounded in Monday’sexplosion at an apartment building entrance but said they are a

family andthattheyappear to have been specifically targeted.

Media reports named Ukrainian construction tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev as being among the wounded. He hassaid he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly adecade ago, and he was targetedbyUkrainian sanctions in 2023 forties to Russia. Awoman and achild were also hurt.One of the victims is still in alifethreatening condition, prosecutors said Friday, also mentioning twoother “collateral victims” who were slightly injured in the attack

Investigatorsare also seeking to establish whether the suspect had accomplices or acted on behalf of someone else

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By ARIANA CUBILLOS

SUMMER SCHOOL RENOVATION

Renovation work continues at Lafayette Elementary School on Thursday in Lafayette. Some of the renovations include subfloor fixes, painting, and resealing/waterproofing classroom windows.

Site set to reduce response times

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

Acadian Ambulance has announced a plan to establish a regional response headquarters in Broussard, according to a news release the city issued Monday The headquarters will operate out of Broussard Fire Station No. 2 building at 501 E. Main St., which Acadian Ambulance was set to lease from the city beginning July 1. Broussard officials said the agreement was motivated by a Acadian Ambulance to expand in Broussard

ä See AMBULANCE, page 2B

Acadiana Veterans Alliance receives grant for local veterans

Homes for Heroes Foundation recognizes group’s outreach

BY NORMAN RENE II Contributing writer

The Acadiana Veterans Alliance recently received a $5,000 grant from the Homes for Heroes Foundation in recognition of its work helping veterans transition to civilian life. The grant, awarded Thursday, recognizes AVA’s commitment to supporting local veterans, providing employment assistance and community engagement programs that ease the transition from military to civilian life. AVA provides veterans with as-

sistance accessing benefits and healthcare, job readiness services and community programs designed to ease the transition to civilian life. The organization said its programs focus on helping veterans find employment, pursue education and training, and connect with local resources. Those efforts were cited by the Homes for Heroes Foundation in awarding the grant. Liz Breaux, a mortgage specialist with SFMC Homes and a local Homes for Heroes affiliate, nominated AVA for the grant after witnessing the organization’s community outreach. Homes for Heroes Foundation is a nonprofit that awards grants to organizations serving veterans, first responders and other community groups. Breaux uses her role in mortgage lending to offer veterans and other “heroes” credits

toward closing costs when they use her services.

“I’m beyond proud that I did take the initiative to make the nomination and that Homes for Heroes actually acknowledged it and granted the award here,” Breaux said.

Andrew Ward, founder and CEO of the Acadiana Veterans Alliance, said the $5,000 grant validates the organization’s work while providing additional funding for veterans services. Ward said the grant will be divided between a donation to St. Michael’s Center for Veterans in Lafayette and AVA’s mental health initiatives.

AVA organizes its programs around three areas: Work, Heal and Give. The Work program focuses on employment and ca-

ä See GRANT, page 2B

Judge adopts kitten after highway rescue

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

One of the hardest questions to answer after the loss of a beloved pet is: When do you adopt again? That was the question Baton Rouge District Judge Beau Higginbotham and his family had been facing since the recent loss of their 16-year-old black Lab, T’Beau. But Higginbotham’s answer came last week without notice, in the form of a kitten struggling

Butterbean loses a leg but gets a new home ä See KITTEN, page 2B

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

New owner of One Canal Place declares bankruptcy

Move comes months after $28M acquisition

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

The new owners of One Canal Place, the 32-story office tower at the foot of Canal Street, have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection less than three months after acquiring the high rise for $28 million.

Brothers Michael and David Shabsels, New York-based real estate investors who acquired One Canal Place in March, placed their sprawling network of companies in bankruptcy on June 5 in New Jersey, reporting assets of between $100 million and $500 million and debts of between $500 million and $1 billion, court records filed as part of the restructuring process show

The local office tower is among about 80 properties across 24 states including office buildings shopping centers, apartments and summer camps caught up in the complex case. It also involves a local lender Fidelity Bank, which holds a $20 million mortgage on the building, is among the brothers’ creditors.

Attorneys for the bank, the only major New Orleans-area creditor listed in court documents, did not respond to requests for comment.

The high-profile case has rocked

New York real estate circles. It also raises uncertainty about the future ownership of the building, which is 75% occupied, at a time when the city’s downtown skyscrapers are struggling to retain tenants.

For the moment, the filing is not expected to have any impact on dayto-day operations at the office tower Court records show U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christine Gravelle, of the District of New Jersey who is presiding over the case, signed an order on June 17 walling off One Canal Place’s accounts from the rest of the properties in the bankruptcy

The order clears the way for Corporate Realty, which manages the building, to continue spending the income generated by lease payments on normal upkeep and operations.

“From my standpoint, it’s going to be business as usual,” Corporate Realty President and CEO Mike Siegel said. “One Canal Place, the office building, had no financial issues.”

The Canal Place shopping center and Westin Canal Place hotel, both of which are part of the overall Canal Place development that includes the office building, are owned separately and are not affected by the bankruptcy

A rapid collapse

The Shabsels brothers began building their real estate empire more than two decades ago by ac-

quiring for-profit Jewish summer camps, mostly in the northeast. They gradually moved into other real estate sectors, taking on ever larger amounts of debt, court records and local media reports show

Three months before entering the New Orleans market, they raised about $200 million from the Israeli bond market at 7% interest, with the first payment due just a week before they declared bankruptcy

According to bankruptcy court records and Israeli media reports, their network of businesses had racked up more than $230 million in merchant cash advances — the equivalent of payday loans for businesses and prompted an investigation by Israeli regulators into diverted funds.

When Corporate Realty announced it had co-brokered the sale in March, the firm said Skysoar Capital Partners, an Israeli investment firm with offices in New York owned by Moshe Meir had acquired the building and would own it through a company it created called One Canal Place Leasing. The reported sale price was $28 million.

Bankruptcy court records show that One Canal Place Leasing is 90% owned by the Shabselses.

The connection between Meir and the brothers is not clear, but Orleans Parish court records show that a day after the reported sale to Skysoar, ownership of the office tower and

Liz

a mortgage specialist with SFMC

and a local

Heroes affiliate, presents a $5,000 check to Andrew Ward,

Veterans Alliance. The grant recognizes AVA’s commitment to supporting local veterans.

GRANT

Continued from page 1B

reer advancement, Heal provides mental health support, and Give connects veterans with community resources and volunteer opportunities.

Board member Joey Billiot credited Ward’s leadership with helping the organization grow

the land below was split in two a common real estate tool called a ground-lease split that allows for the two to be separately owned, taxed and financed Court records also show that an entity linked to the brothers borrowed $11 million against the underlying land, which resulted in a pair of mortgages totaling $31 million on a property just purchased for $28 million.

Another Chapter 11

One Canal Place was part of a phased development at the foot of Canal Street undertaken in the early 1980s by Joseph Canizaro At the time, several new high-rises in New Orleans’ downtown area were under construction.

The buildings have long served as a high-end anchor for retailers and office workers at a key downtown location. However, in April, the shopping center lost its anchor tenant, Saks Fifth Avenue after parent company Saks Global filed for bankruptcy It has since emerged from Chapter 11 and renamed itself Exemplar Luxury Group.

The two bankruptcies are unrelated to one another and to broader operations at Canal Place. Cres Gardner, New Orleans vice president of Beau Box Commercial Real Estate, which is not involved in Canal Place, said the filings don’t seem to suggest any specific issues with

the New Orleans development.

“This seems like it’s very much related to an interesting ownership situation with these guys,” said Gardner Despite the turmoil among its corporate owners, One Canal Place enters bankruptcy as a relatively healthy building in a fragile downtown market, according to its management.

Office occupancy in the Central Business District was below 80% for a third consecutive year in 2025, according to the annual office market report from Corporate Realty, the same firm that manages the building. Before the pandemic downtown office occupancy topped 87%.

But while occupancy and lease rates have stagnated, One Canal Place landed a major tenant earlier this year, when the Baker Donelson law firm signed a lease for nearly 40,000 square feet across its top two floors, where it is expected to move in this fall.

“There is substantially more income than expenses; it is a functioning piece of real estate,” Siegel said. “This is a very wellcapitalized, well-financed, reasonably well-occupied Class A office building. There’s no question of insolvency.”

Email Jonah Meadows at jonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

KITTEN

Continued from page 1B

on the stovetop heat of the highway

The grant will support AVA’s ongoing efforts to connect veterans with employment, mental health services and other community resources while expanding partnerships with local organizations.

“When I met Andrew five years ago, I knew this guy was going to do something great from the get-go because of his drive and motivation,” Billiot said “What he’s turned AVA into has been one of the best things the state has ever seen.”

Ambulance has announced a plan to establish a regional response headquarters in Broussard, to be operated out of Broussard Fire Station No 2 building

AMBULANCE

Continued from page 1B

desire to improve emergency response times in the city “The need for ambulance response in the event of an emergency situation is greater than ever,” said Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque. According to Acadian Ambulance’s statistics for

the fourth quarter of 2025, the average response time for Broussard residents was 8 minutes and 36 seconds, with around eight patients served daily Acadian Ambulance expects these numbers to improve within the community following the establishment of the new response center

According to Acadian Ambulance President Justin Back, the headquarters will have up to as many as

six ambulances on standby for dispatch. Acadian Ambulance, first founded in 1971 in Lafayette, operates across four states including Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Currently, they have 40 employees residing in Broussard. Additionally, they currently already operate one substation in Broussard off North Eola Road, which will remain open.

While driving to the courthouse in morning traffic, Higginbotham saw a small shape pressed up against the outer barrier wall near the College Drive overpass.

“I just happened to look over and something catches my eye, and there’s just this little cat looking at me, and she’s all the way up against the concrete barrier wall,” Higginbotham said.

Higginbotham said he pulled over as fast as he could, dodging an 18-wheeler while getting near the scared kitty

As soon as he grabbed her, the judge said he noticed she had a pretty severe injury to one of her back legs.

The injury looked old, he said, with dried blood and signs of early rot in the wound.

“So, I put her in the back of my truck and went to LSU,” Higginbotham said, “and they gave me the options to amputate her leg, or they would have to euthanize her.”

As he brought her in, the veterinarians asked Higginbotham whether he intended to take ownership of the kitten or keep her a stray

Not wanting to see her put down or put in a shelter, Higginbotham decided then and there that this soon-to-bethree-legged cat would be his family’s new pet.

But her odds didn’t look great: Vets said she’d likely been out in the heat for a long time and was fortunate not to have died of dehydration already

As she was taken into surgery, the vets asked the judge what her name was.

“Well, hopefully it’s Lucky,” he told them.

With help from his sons, Higginbotham has since decided her permanent name will be Butterbean.

The name is apt, with the kitten looking a little more

rounded Tuesday as she scampered about under tables and chairs in Higginbotham’s judge chambers.

Weighing only 2 pounds when she was found, the judge said Butterbean has likely gained a few ounces in the past few days “at the rate she’s been eating.”

Butterbean will be in stitches for a total of two weeks and will require both a cone and constant supervision, in case she injures herself attempting to climb.

Despite this, she moves with the same gusto as any kitten, almost unaware that she’s now one paw down.

Higginbotham was told by the vets that cats carry around 60% of their weight on their front legs, making it

Butterbean recovers in her bed after having one of her back legs amputated in surgery. Butterbean was rescued off of the shoulder of I-10.

easier for her to adapt than if she’d lost a front leg. It also helps that she’s only 6 weeks old.

“They didn’t give me a time frame; they basically just said that she will figure it out,” Higginbotham said.

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED By NORMAN RENE II

Breaux, right,

Homes

Homes for

founder and CEO of the Acadiana

PHOTO PROVIDED By JUDGE HIGGINBOTHAM’S STAFF

Judge Beau Higginbotham, of the 19th Judicial District, sits at his desk in chambers with Butterbean resting on his desk on Tuesday.

PHOTO PROVIDED By JUDGE HIGGINBOTHAM’S STAFF STAFF PHOTO By QUINN COFFMAN Butterbean, Higginbotham’s 6-week-old kitten, explores his chambers on Tuesday.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Acadian

OPINION

AMERICA250

PO ER

BY KEN MAGUIRE AP sportswriter

LONDON NovakDjokovic saw Arthur Rinderknech falling toward the Centre Court net after avolley and said to himself, “Please stay down.”

The Frenchman did, and the 39-year-old Djokovic dove to hit abackhand volley winner on match point fora7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) record-equaling victory in the third round at Wimbledon on Friday Djokovic’s 105th match win at theAll England Club ties Roger Federer on the men’s list formostsinglesmatch victories. Martina Navratilova won120 singlesmatches at Wimbledon.

By next weekend, Djokovic would love to equalFederer’smen’srecord of eight singles titles, but reaching the fourth round will have to suffice fornow “Today,I wasquite stressed out, more tension than usual,” Djokovic said in his oncourt interview.“Iknew it was going to be a very challenging match forme.”

The 24-timeGrand Slam champion overcame ablip —dropping the third set in 18 minutes —and held his nerve in the fourthsettiebreaker by hitting back-to-back aces before Rinderknech’sforehand went wide to set up match point.

Saints players take partin drillsduring minicamp on June 17 at the team’s outdoor practice

Good vibessurroundSaints, butthese factorscould dampen mood

Everything is sunshineand rainbows these days on Airline Drive, but the optimism around the 2026 New Orleans Saints doesn’t mean there aren’tdark cloudslooming on the horizon.

The Saints are still an unfinished product. Less than twoyears into the Kellen Mooreera, thedepth chartisbereftofblue-chip talent and dangerously thinatcertain positions. Key aspects of theteam remain awork in progress.

For what it’sworth,Americaremains skeptical. Vegas oddsmakershave installed theSaints’ over-under win total at amodest 7.5. Their odds to win theSuper Bowl are 90-1. Only six teamsare biggerlongshots. Here are five concernsI have forthe Saints as they enter their 60th season:

Will athird CB step up?

The NFL is apassingleague, and conventional wisdom says youneed at least three quality cornerbacks to surviveand thrive. Kool-Aid McKinstryand Quincy Rileyformasolid startingtandem, butthe Saints lack

aproven third option behind them. Veteran Ike Yiadom lost his starting spot after struggling in coverage a year ago. Free agent Martin Emerson and rookie TJ Hall were added to the mix this offseason, but both are question marks. Emerson is coming off a season-ending Achilles tendon injury Hall is an unproven seventh-round pick out of Iowa. It wouldn’tsurprise me to see theSaints add aveteran corner to the mix before thestart of the season, but their options are limited.

Does pass rush have enough juice?

Youmight look at the Saints’ 45 sacks and No. 5ranking in sacks-per-attempt last season and think all is well, but theadvanced pass-rush metrics tell adifferent story.The Saints’ 32.6% quarterback pressurerate ranked 21stinthe league, according to Next Gen Stats, and their overall pas- rush rating of 66.7ranked 23rd per Pro Football Focus.

Saints tackle Broughton readytoput lessonstouse

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Back in late April, the New Orleans Saints fortified their defensive interiorbyusing their firstDay 2NFL draft pick on Georgia defensive lineman Christen Miller.But, for all intents and purposes, theteam will really have apairofDay 2picks making first impressions on their defensiveline.

Vernon Broughton, the Saints’ 2025 third-round pick out of the University of Texas, played in only one game last season before he suffered aseason-endinghip

injury against the SanFrancisco 49ers. As therest of the rookie class thrived on thefield, Broughtonwas forced to sit and watch.

Though he lost virtually his entire rookie season, Broughton said he made sure to usehis time away from thefield to set him up for success startingthis season.

“Studying the playbook, coming up here and watching film with the guys andsitting throughfilm study,” Broughton said. “I didn’t leave; Istayed here thewhole time. Throughout that process, Igot better.”

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN AP business writer

World Cup fans came from overseas for the cheering, but they’re also doing alot of chewing while delightingtheir hosts with rave reviewsofNorth American cuisine. “It’sgreasy, it’sdisgusting, but it’sabsolutelyglorious,” Jack Goodwin,asoccer enthusiast from London, said about the American food he hastried in Dallas, Boston, New York and Atlanta. “I don’twantto say this because it’salittle bit harsh, but the portionsare alittlebit larger— alot more tastier —soIcan understand the, um, obesity here. Idon’twant to be harsh, but yes, the food is fantastic here.”

Many fans are making apoint to tryregionalspecialtiesorchains theycan’tfind where they live, like In-N-Out Burger or Buc-ee’sconvenience stores. Erling Haaland, astriker forNorway’sWorld Cup team, posted aphotoonX of himselfoutside Katz’sDelicatessen in NewYork. Harrison Murphy, who wastraveling from London with hisbrother for theknockout rounds, had breakfast at aChick-fil-A in Atlanta this week.

“Have you had Chick-fil-A? It was fantastic

DAVID GRUNFELD

Jeff Duncan

AP PHOTO By KIN CHEUNG NovakDjokovicofSerbiadances toward hisfamily as he celebrates hisvictory against Arthur Rinderknech of Franceina third-round singles match on Fridayatthe Wimbledon Championships in London.

Cane Cutters clinch spot in playoffs

Roster in flux as second half of season begins

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

The Acadiana Cane Cutters clinched a playoff spot in the Texas Collegiate League by finishing second in the standings in the first half of the season.

With many players departing after the first half, the new group can play relaxed baseball.

“We don’t have to worry about them coming in ready to go,” coach Darien Dukes said. “They can play themselves in. It’s a little more comforting.”

Acadiana (14-12) trails only the Victoria Generals (18-9) in the TCL standings, which are hotly contested with Lake Charles also holding a 14-12 record and four teams with either 11 or 12 wins.

“It’s a typical baseball season with ups and downs,” Dukes said.

“The good thing about the road trip to Sherman (Texas) this weekend is that new guys can bond with the older guys.”

Infielder Aiden Eshelman, who is second in the league in batting average (.447), will participate for the entire season. The UTSA product leads the TCL in eight categories, including plate appearances, hits, runs, doubles and slugging percentage.

“He’s just a baseball player who is able to use all the fields,” Dukes said of Eshelman, one of numerous Cane Cutters from UTSA in recent years. New UL Ragin’ Cajuns commit

Tanner Hornback, who played the first half, ranked fifth in the league with a .373 batting average. The Cane Cutters were bolstered by departed pitchers Jackson Devey Jack Howell (0.61 ERA in eight appearances) and Will Taylor, who will head to McNeese State after a stint at UL. Isaiah Casteneda will help lead the second-half charge after an excellent start to the season. The twoway player (3.86 ERA) is fourth on the team in batting average (.318) and ranks inside the league’s top 20 hitters, along with newcomers

Braylin Harris and Grant Haas.

“You don’t realize until you look at his stats that he’s been creeping along at .300,” Dukes said of Casteneda. “He had a big hit in our last game.” Haas and Harris, who prepped at Opelousas Catholic, are hitting .323 and .316. During his season at Bossier Parish Community College, Harris was second on the squad with a .292 batting average and hit six home runs.

“His bread and butter is that he has tremendous backside power,” Dukes said of Harris. “We knew

WORLD CUP

that coming in. He’s going to be a special ballplayer.”

Ryan Self, Jack Holbrook, Michael Salazar-Sanchez and Ryan Mason are among the pitchers to watch in the second half, which will see several more additions to the team after July 6.

“We’re all right on the mound,” Dukes said “We just have to score some runs.”

On July 9, the Cane Cutters are partnering with Ronald MacDonald House Charities of South Louisiana. The team will wear special jerseys that will be auctioned off.

Egypt defeats Aussies in knockout round debut

BY SCHUYLER DIXON Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas Hossam Abdelmaguid scored the deciding goal in a shootout, and Egypt won its debut in the World Cup knockout round by beating Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw Friday Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan didn’t stop any of Egypt’s four shots after replacing starter Patrick Beach late in extra time The victory comes in Egypt’s fourth World Cup. Australia is now 0-3 in the knockout round Egypt will next face either reigning champion Argentina or Cape Verde in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Harry Souttar opened the shootout by missing high for Australia, and 18-year-old Lucas Herrington hit the crossbar with the fourth attempt to set up Abdelmaguid’s clincher Egypt’s other penalty shootout scorers were Mahmoud Saber Ramy Rabia and Mohamed Salah, the former Liverpool star who started despite a hamstring injury sustained in the team’s group finale. Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil scored in the shootout for Australia. Emam Ashour gave Egypt the lead in regulation by scoring in the 13th minute with a header that beat Beach just inside the near post. Australia evened the match in the 55th when Egypt defender Mohamed Hany became the first player to score two own-goals in the same World Cup. The own-goal came when Aiden O’Neill took a free kick from left

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TONy GUTIERREZ Egypt players celebrate during a penalty shootout against Australia during a World Cup round of 32 match on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

of the penalty area and Hany headed the ball past goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir for a spot in World Cup infamy His other owngoal came in a 1-1 draw with Belgium in the group stage. Less than 10 minutes earlier, Hany was down near the same spot after colliding with Connor Metcalfe on the Australia midfielder’s header attempt. Medical personnel tended to Hany with a stretcher waiting nearby, but he was helped up and stayed on after what appeared to be a

concussion check. Australia’s only scoring in World Cup knockout rounds has been two own-goals. The Socceroos lost to Italy 1-0 in 2006 and lost to Argentina 2-1 four years ago in Qatar The goal against Argentina was an own-goal. Omar Marmoush had a great chance to give Egypt a two-goal lead in the opening seconds of the second half, but he sent a shot wide. The late goalkeeper switch to the 34-year-old Ryan, for his 105th

international appearance, came despite several strong saves from the 22-year-old Beach, who was playing in only his sixth game for the Socceroos. Beach made a sprawling save on a header from Rabia in the waning moments of regulation, and seconds later had a much easier stop on Salah’s shot. Egypt had one more chance before the end of regulation, but Haissem Hassan was turned away by Souttar who deflected the shot with his knee.

LSU adds productive outfielder from Oregon

LSU added a commitment from Oregon freshman outfielder Angel Laya out of the transfer portal, Laya announced on social media Friday

Laya hit 14 home runs with a .296 batting average and a .934 onbase plus slugging percentage in 59 games this season. Against Big Ten competition, he hit .304 with a .966 OPS and seven home runs. He played right field and didn’t commit an error He struck out in 13.1% of his at-bats, but his walk rate was relatively low, hovering around 10%.

Out of high school, Laya was the No. 112 player in the 2025 class and the No. 24 outfielder, according to Perfect Game.

Laya is the eighth player LSU has added out of the portal and third outfielder

Lakers sending Ayton to Wizards for Hardy, picks WASHINGTON Deandre Ayton is being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Washington Wizards, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The Lakers have agreed to send Ayton to Washington for Jaden Hardy and second-round draft picks in 2031 and 2032. Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, played for the Phoenix Suns for five seasons and the Portland Trail Blazers for two. He joined the Lakers for last season and averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 72 games.

The 7-foot Ayton adds another rim protector to a Washington team that has Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr Ayton now gives the Wizards three No. 1 overall picks along with Davis and Dybantsa.

Braves sign McCutchen to minor league contract

ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves signed former NL MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a minor league contract on Friday in their ongoing search for a veteran who can provide offensive help.

The 39-year-old McCutchen was released by the Texas Rangers on May 27 after he hit .192 in 37 games as a designated hitter, pinch hitter and outfielder

McCutchen played his first nine seasons in the majors with the Pirates and earned five straight AllStar berths from 2011-15 while becoming one of the team’s most popular players. In 2025, McCutchen hit .239 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs in 135 games before becoming a free agent. He is a career .271 hitter with 333 homers, 1,157 RBIs and 220 stolen bases in 2,299 games.

Yankees place LHP Rodón on 15-day injured list

NEW YORK The New York Yankees placed starting pitcher Carlos Rodón on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation, nearly two months into his return from offseason elbow surgery

The Yankees made the move Friday, retroactive to Tuesday. On Sunday, Rodón allowed two runs and one hit in five innings in a 5-4, 10-inning loss at Boston. The 33-year-old left-hander’s average velocity on his fastball, changeup, slider and sinker against the Red Sox were slightly down when he threw 55 of 96 pitches for strikes. Rodón went for an MRI after feeling pain on Wednesday The MRI showed inflammation. He will have a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest his arm for a few days.

Orioles closer Helsley on IL with elbow discomfort

CINCINNATI

The Baltimore Orioles placed closer Ryan Helsley on the 15-day injured list Friday with right elbow discomfort. The move, retroactive to Tuesday, comes after Helsley felt discomfort in his elbow while warming up during the eighth inning of Wednesday’s 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. He did not enter the game.

The 31-year-old Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million free agent deal with Baltimore in December “He’s looking at all his options, getting opinions, gathering information,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Friday “There will be more coming out in the next couple days or so.” Helsley also was on the IL from May 1-June 16 with

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

The Acadiana Cane Cutters enter the second half of the Texas Collegiate League season with a playoff spot in their back pocket after securing a postseason berth in the first half.

and so cheap. The sauces are free. It was remarkable,” Murphy said “I said, ‘This is my first time, what should I try?’ The woman said, ‘You’ve got to try the Chick-fil-A sauce.’ My God, was it fantastic.”

Gary Bishop had never heard of poutine — often considered Canada’s national dish — until he arrived in Toronto for the World Cup. But the Glasgow, Scotland, resident proclaimed it “absolutely delicious.”

“It was like chips with gravy cheese But it was a really thick gravy Different from back home. Vinegar, there was lots of vinegar through it,” said Bishop, who was sporting a Scotland jersey on a recent stroll through Toronto’s FIFA Fan Festival. “Really nice.”

Others are looking for a taste of home. Texas beer distributor Andrews Distributing welcomed a bus full of Dutch fans to its Dallas warehouse for Heinekens and dancing.

It’s a thrill for restaurant owners, from Cuban spots in Miami to barbecue joints in Kansas City and taco trucks in Mexico City.

“I have not seen anything like this ever in my life,” said Paul Barker, the principal and founder of Pauli’s, a Boston restaurant known for generously filled sandwiches and comfort foods. Fans from Scotland, Brazil, England and elsewhere have lined up for his famous lobster rolls and taken photos with staff members, Barker said.

“Food becomes a natural conver-

sation starter,” he said. “It’s just been incredible for us to be part of this.”

Some chains are leaning into the World Cup. Waffle House, the allday breakfast chain with 2,000 restaurants across the South, opened a pop-up shop in downtown Atlanta to sell branded soccer balls, jerseys and patriotic gear In a statement, the chain said it was “honored by the enthusiasm and curiosity” shown by visiting fans.

For other restaurants, World Cup fever has been a delightful surprise. Whataburger, a Texas-based chain with 1,100 locations, found itself in the spotlight after fans from Japan and elsewhere posted on social media about their visits.

“The attention has been completely organic and honestly pretty entertaining,” Whataburger

president and CEO Debbie Stroud said. “We knew the World Cup would bring the world to Texas and our footprint across 17 states. We just didn’t realize so many visitors would leave talking about a patty melt.”

Terry Black’s Barbecue, a small Texas chain, figured authentic barbecue would be on many fans’ must-try lists. It started sourcing extra meat more than a month ago for its locations in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, which are each about 20 minutes from the stadium where World Cup matches are played.

It takes Terry Black’s four days to season and prepare its beef brisket and 12 hours to barbecue it. The chain also smokes turkey, pork and sausages on its pits, which run 24 hours a day

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

In Broughton and Miller, New Orleans hopes to get an injection of youthful playmaking along its defensive interior — and potentially its side-by-side pairing of the future Last year’s starters Nathan Shepherd and Davon Godchaux are both entering the final year of their respective contracts, and both are in their early 30s.

For Broughton, it means making good on the lessons learned from his year away from the field

“We have a number of guys who took advantage of what would be viewed as an unfortunate situation,” coach Kellen Moore said. “Injuries, missing a season, they were able to turn it into working their tails off with (director of sports performance Ted Rath, director of sports medicine Ben

DUNCAN

Continued from page 1C

Chase Young was the only Saints defender to rank among the top 100 in pass-rush win percentage by PFF last season and he ranked only No. 32 with a 15.2% win rate Free agent linebacker Kaden Elliss ranked No. 10 at 18.2%, so there’s hope he can bolster this area The Saints wanted to add more help during the NFL draft, but things didn’t fall their way in the second and third rounds. As a result, they took a pair of flyers on veterans Tyree Wilson and Anfernee Jennings. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is a master at manufacturing pressure with creative schemes, but this aspect of the defense remains a concern.

Can WRs stay healthy?

Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson are extremely talented They’re also regularly injured. Their extensive injury history could have Saints fans holding their

Stollberg and head athletic trainer

Shone Gipson) in the rehab process, and then they get better and stronger during that time.

“Then they’re also in the classroom, they’re also in the meetings, they understand the football aspect. You can see it from Vern.”

Broughton said this was his first major injury as a football player Thankfully, he said, the injury required time to heal and not a surgery

He leaned on his faith and his family to get him through the recovery, with his wife playing an important role. Broughton was cleared to resume normal activities in March, about six months after the injury

The native Texan stayed in New Orleans throughout his rehabilitation. While his body recovered, he honed the mental side of his game.

“I feel like now I’m far better than I was a year ago playbook wise,” Broughton said. “I’m more

confident, for sure.”

Broughton was expected to be a key cog in the defensive rotation a year ago, but that obviously did not materialize after his injury Without him, the Saints defense surprised in its first year under coordinator Brandon Staley New Orleans ranked in the NFL’s top 10 in total defense (ninth), pass defense (fourth) and rushing yards allowed per play (sixth). It also performed well in the advanced metrics, finishing with the NFL’s third-best mark in expected points added per play against the run and just outside the top 10 in overall EPA per play

And it is safe to say Broughton is excited to see how he fits into that unit as a healthy and wiser player

“Hell yeah, I’m ready to add and get back to it, bro,” Broughton said. “Get this rocking.” Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Doubles players fearful after prize-money cut plan

BY MATTIAS KARÉN Associated Press

LONDON For tennis players such as Harri Heliovaara, playing doubles has provided a lasting career in the sport and even a chance to win Grand Slam titles, despite not having much success in singles.

Now Heliovaara, the No. 1 ranked doubles player in the world, is among those fearing for the future of the format.

Doubles players are up in arms after being told by the ATP Tour this week that prize money and tournament sizes will decrease significantly starting in 2028.

“There has been instances in the past where the future of doubles was very (uncertain),” Heliovaara, the 2024 Wimbledon doubles champion, said Friday “This is one of the key moments again.”

Leading doubles players issued a statement Friday condemning the ATP’s plans, saying they are not “a carnival sideshow” and that it will be impossible for anyone outside the top 30 in the doubles rankings to make a living if the new proposals are adopted.

The statement came after doubles players met with ATP officials at Wimbledon this week to discuss the future of a format that is struggling to draw an audience.

“The ATP is proposing to slash doubles draws, gut doubles prize money and hand Challenger entry to singles players ahead of specialists who have built their careers in this discipline,” the players’ statement said. They said the proposal would give doubles players just 10% of the prize money at ATP tournaments — down from 20% — while

WIMBLEDON

Continued from page 1C

“I saw him slip and kind of fall down. And I was just like ‘please stay down’ for that last shot,” said Djokovic, who had repeatedly punched his left thigh after losing the third set.

Joining Federer at 105 singles match wins is “a huge honor and privilege,” Djokovic added. “I propose a matchup for me and Roger for 106.”

Djokovic will face Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin in the fourth round. Safiullin, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist in 2023, beat Brazilian rising star João Fonseca 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner beat Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on No. 1 Court to advance to the fourth round.

The Italian, hoping to put his French Open meltdown in the rearview mirror, finished off Brooksby in two-plus hours after his opening-round five-setter was followed by a second-round win over Nuno Borges in straight sets but with two tiebreakers.

“I’m trying to find my way in. Felt better today, which was my main goal,” the four-time Grand Slam champion said. “Trying to move better Return today was a little bit better All things considered, was a small step forward.”

Sinner will next face Japanese

halving the size of the doubles fields.

At the premier Masters tournaments, that would cut the doubles draw to 16 teams, while at the smaller ATP 500 and 250 events it would consist of just eight teams.

“Do the math on what that means for anyone outside the top 30: it will be impossible to make a living,” the statement added.

“This is not a minor adjustment It is a plan to end doubles as a viable profession, dressed up as a cost-saving measure — and it is being pushed through with almost no transparency and almost no consultation with the players whose careers and livelihoods are on the line.”

Asked about the statement, the ATP said it was “assessing the doubles product, draw sizes and player compensation distribution with the aim of creating a more sustainable long-term model while maintaining doubles’ important role on the tour.”

It added that changing the doubles model could help increase early round singles prize money, “helping more players at the highest level to better meet the costs of competing on tour and build sustainable professional careers.”

The proposal does not affect Grand Slam tournaments. At Wimbledon, there are 64 doubles teams in both the men’s and women’s draw and winning pairs split about $1 million, compared to $4.8 million for the singles champions. Doubles has always taken a back seat to singles tournaments when it comes to popularity and TV audiences, and the format has already faced several changes in recent years. In 2023, Wimbledon joined the other Grand Slam tournaments in shortening matches from five to three sets.

qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, who stunned 23rd-seeded Rafael Jodar of Spain 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4 to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time. Mochizuki, ranked No. 151, won the Wimbledon boys title in 2019. Also, third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime beat American qualifier Michael Zheng 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-1 in the Canadian’s Centre Court debut. Jan-Lennard Struff upended eighth-seeded Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 7-5. On the women’s side, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka will meet for a spot in the quarterfinals after both players won in straight sets. Sabalenka beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court and declared herself ready for the 14th-seeded Osaka in what will be a battle of four-time Grand Slam champions.

“She’s (a) very aggressive player, serving well,” Sabalenka said. “I watched a couple of her matches. I’m ready to go out there and to bring the fight and to do anything it takes to get through this difficult match.”

Osaka eliminated Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 on No. 1 Court Osaka is into the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time. Coco Gauff got past fellow American Claire Liu 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-2 after having three match points at 5-4 in the second set. Gauff will next face 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic.

Will the renewed sense of hope and optimism be a blessing or a curse?

One way or the other, it will be a stern test of the team’s new leadership core.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints wide receiver Chris Olave catches a pass during minicamp on June 17 at the team’s outdoor practice facility in Metairie.

People wearing World Cup shirts taste sandwiches at Pauli’s sandwich shop on June 24 in the North End of Boston.

AP PHOTO By MARTIN MEISSNER

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KRISTIN M. HALL

Fans wearing Argentina national team jerseys look at a menu of drinks at Cafe Corazon on June 15 in Kansas City, Mo.

Keep us posted

Onemonth in,the 2026 Postcard Projecthas 116 postcardsfrom35 states,14countries

BY JANRISHER Staffwriter

With amonth under ourbelts on the 2026 Postcard Project, the cards continue to come in steadily —116 individual postcards thus far representing 35 states and 14 countries. Those totals don’tinclude the 25 postcards from kindergartners that kicked off our series this year or the bundles of postcards of yore, including one from retired journalist VicCouvillion in Hammond. He and several thoughtful readers have sent cards they collected through the years on their travels from the National BaseballHallof Fame, Martha’sVineyard,Beverly Hills, Heidelberg, Germany —and beyond. In keeping with theencouragement to make-your-own postcards, awoman in Florida sent what she described as a“reject watercolor” afterreadingastory aboutthe Postcard Project. The diminutive painting is abeautiful floral scene that hardly seems rejectable.She signed thecard“from aLAgirlnow living in Florida.”

ALouisiana reader named Susan Seifert wrote that Garden of the Gods in ColoradoSprings is “the perfect place to see thewonders that God has created.” Sherecently visited for her grandson’s college graduation.

This postcard fromMinako yamaguchi in Japan is an example of simplicity and beauty in design.

Lewis Deaton wrote from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, that he tooka boat from Wisconsin to Michigan while en route to start the PALM bike ride. Ihad to look thatone up. Turns out,PALM stands for Pedal AcrossLower Michigan. PALM is anonprofit group dedicatedto encouragingfamily bicycling and promotingbicycling safety.Since 1982, the organization appears to have picked adifferent cycling routeofseven stopsacrossthe state each year

Dru Troescher,ofBaton Rouge, has sent in many postcardsin the last five years in her effort to visit every state capitol. Shesenther latest entries from Michigan and Virginia, which was her 25th state capitol. She explained that itwas designed by Thomas Jeffersonand was the only building withcolumns in the United States when it was built. Iwas curious when there weren’t any buildings with columnsand learned that construction on

ä See POSTCARDS, page 6C

The largest American flag in Louisiana is framedbyone of the160 flagsthat standalong the 2-milestretch of

MILLER

STAFF

LONG MAYIT WAVE LONG MAYIT WAVE

BY ROBIN MILLER | Staff writer

the beginning, there was one flag. It was the biggestinthe state, perhaps the biggestinthe country —oratleast close to it. And its 1997 installation in the center of Winnsboroled to an identity, something that previously evaded the smallnortheast Louisiana city

President’sResoluteDeskhas echoed throughhistory

BYJACKAURESTO Associated Press

WASHINGTON Franklin D. Roosevelt toiled over paperwork there during the World WarII’sdarkest days. George W. Bush satbehind it to address the nationon9/11 Beneath it, John F. Kennedy Jr once crawled and peeked out from behind itsfrontpanelwhilehis father worked above, an imageso etched into Americanhistory that President Joe Biden recreated it

with his grandson. The ResoluteDesk is one of the most recognizable pieces of furnitureinthe White House —and probablyinthe entire nation. As the president’s desk, it’s been at the center of American history for nearly 150 years. That famousfront panel hasits own story.Many accounts claim it was added during FDR’spresidency to conceal his wheelchair and leg braces,but some historiansdispute that.

They argue Rooseveltusedthe desk in his privatestudy,away from thepubliceye,and that the panel itself was not installed until after his death. The desk’sorigins extend far beyondthe OvalOffice. In fact,it’snot American; it’sBritish. The desk is crafted of timbers from theHMS Resolute, aBritish naval vessel that setoff for theArctic in the early 1850s in search of

ä See DESK, page 6C

President John F. Kennedysitsbehind the Resolute Desk in 1961 as he talks with Mongi Slim, right, Tunisian ambassador to the U.S., and G. Mennen Williams, assistant secretaryof state forAfrican affairs ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY ROBIN

STAFF PHOTO By JANRISHER

Before that, Winnsboro simply was known as the governmental seat for the Louisiana parish named for American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. That fact, alone, is a patriotic mark of distinction.

But the center of the city’s focus transitioned from its courthouse status to everything red, white and blue when that mammoth star-spangled banner was hoisted up a 130-foot pole along La. 15 It measured 40 by 75 feet, weighed 120 pounds and stood at the center of Patriot Square, the small grassy park bordering Winnsboro’s downtown area.

More flags followed

A collection of standardsize flags were installed along the 2-mile stretch of highway the following year, then more, finally adding up to 160. This prompted Gov Buddy Roemer’s 1991 gubernatorial proclamation recognizing Winnsboro as the “Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.”

The city’s star-spangled welcome signs say as much from either direction on La. 15, where its patriotic display now flies in full force in celebration of the country’s 250th. That is, without the original flag that jumpstarted what has become a tradition.

“Hurricane Laura ripped the original flag, and the VFW had to retire it,” said Susan Ellington director of Winnsboro’s Old Post Office Museum.

The storm unleashed its wrath on Louisiana in August 2020. A quick internet search produces photos of the torn flag flapping in two separate pieces on the pole as if playing out its own defiant verse of the national anthem: “That our flag was still there.”

It flew until September 2020, when an identical flag was raised in its place. It’s the same flag that reigns over present-day Winnsboro.

Begins in mid-1990s

But this story begins in the mid-1990s with the vision of former mayor Billy Cobb, combined with fundraising efforts by Marian Johnson, initiated what became the Oakley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s “Salute to Old Glory Project.”

Continued from page 5C

Johnson was the organization’s treasurer She also chaired the project, which raised $25,000 through donations from local businesses, organizations and even school children collecting nickels and pennies in plastic jars.

According to the Franklin Sun’s September 2020 article recounting the flag’s history the Dettra Flag Co. Inc., of Oaks, Pennsylvania, was commissioned to make the flag.

“Made of 200 denier nylon manufactured by DuPont under the trade name Solar Max Nylon, the flag, one of two commissioned for the project, required about four weeks of completion, involving approximately 25 hours of sewing alone,” the article states.

Matt Conway, Dettra’s director of sales, told the Sun that the flag was one of the biggest ever made by the company It was placed in Patriot Square, where 250 tons of concrete were poured into a 25-foot-deep hole centered with the pipe to hold the flagpole in place.

“The pole was delivered in three sections and was welded together before being stood up in one piece by a 60-foot crane,” the Sun article continues.

A prayer brought a breeze

“There was no wind blowing that day,” said Sandra Woods, Winnsboro’s Old Post Office Museum’s guide.

Mt. Fuji, an origami crane, sushi, rice bowl, sake, geta (the elevated flip-flop style footwear), chopsticks and more. Its simplicity makes its beauty a bit of a mystery to me.

“So Marian Johnson said a prayer, and when she finished, a breeze started blowing, and the flag started waving.”

The Old Post Office Museum occupies the restored 1937 post office building on Prairie Street in downtown Winnsboro It’s usually the starting point for visitors — the place where they can learn the area’s history through local exhibits highlighting stories of the city and its people.

For the America 250 celebration, the museum has assembled a red, white and blue display of locally created, flag-themed artwork, featuring flags made of everything from oyster shells to wine corks to fishing bobbers.

Handcrafted quilts serve as backdrops for stars and stripes contributions by church groups, kindergartners and the Franklin Parish Merit program for youth and adults with developmental disabilities.

One of those quilts, the “Bicentennial Quilt” crafted by resident Majorie Elrod, includes embroidered signatures of noted American figures.

“All of our changing exhibits have been dedicated to America 250 this year,” Ellington said. “Even our Christmas exhibit had an America 250 theme.”

A different schedule

But the flags along the highway adhere to a differ-

year’s Postcard Project with 25 perfect cards from kindergartners, is on a tour of America’s historic sites and sent a postcard from Valley Forge National Historical Park.

ent schedule.

“They’re brought out for different holidays,” Ellington said.

At this time of year they’re installed at the beginning of summer for Memorial Day and remain up for Flag Day

Then comes the grand finale, Independence Day They’ll go up again for Veterans Day

Still, the highway flags bear their own significance.

“The year after the big flag was dedicated, people were asked to bring the flags that were draped over the coffins of their loved ones who were veterans to the VFW,” Woods said.

“There were only six flags that first year After that, a lot of people brought their loved ones’ flags.”

Which means Winnsboro’s veterans’ flags are among the 160 They’re maintained by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3165, who also displayed them on the Louisiana State Capitol grounds for the Jan. 11, 2016, inauguration of former Gov John Bel Edwards.

And though the flags will come down after the 250th the big American flag will keep waving in Patriot Square, reminding everyone that they’re passing through the Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.

Email Robin Miller at romiller@theadvocate. com.

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday July 4, the 185th day of 2026. There are 180 days left in the year This is U.S. Independence Day Today in History:

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Also on this date:

In 1802, the United States Military Academy officially opened at West Point, New York.

In 1817, construction of the Erie Canal began in Rome, New York.

In 1826, 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, former Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.

In 1831, the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe, died in New York City at age 73.

In 1855, the first edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” was published.

In 1863, the Civil War Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, ended as a Confederate garrison surrendered to Union forces.

In 1910, in what was billed as “The Fight of the Century,” Black world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson defeated White former champ “Gentleman” Jim Jeffries in Reno, Nevada; race riots across the country following the fight killed more than 20 people.

In 1939, Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees delivered his famous farewell speech in which he called himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

In 1946, the United States and the Philippines signed the Treaty of Manila.

In 1960, the current 50star version of the U.S. flag was adopted.

In 1976, America celebrated its bicentennial with daylong festivities; President Gerald R. Ford made stops in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Independence Hall in Philadelphia and New York, where more than 200 ships paraded up

DESK

Continued from page 5C Virginia’s capitol building started in 1785 and the building took 13 years to complete.

I received an artful series of postcards from a woman named Minako Yamaguchi in Osaka, Japan — including one of my new favorites.

It’s a natural-colored paper printed only in red ink and features symbols of Japan —

Another fun card came from Christy Ricketts in Gonzales. Its front says, Greetings from HOME: ‘The Perpetual State.’ ” What’s not to like about that kind of thinking?

LSU’s University Lab schoolteacher Kelly Kelly, who helped kick off this

I also received a pack of seeds used as a postcard from Nanette Cosban, who was visiting Alaska. The seeds are for Iceland Poppies. Despite the seeds coming from Alaska and carrying the word ‘Iceland’ in their name, the instructions say that they will grow in most

climates of the world. Still, I think I’ll wait till fall to plant them. The package says, “Seed will sprout in spring.” I like that kind of hope. States still missing on our annual postcard quest: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Vermont.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

Sir John Franklin, who disappeared while seeking the Northwest Passage. During that mission, the Resolute became trapped in ice and was abandoned by its crew Years later, it was discovered drifting through Arctic waters by an American whaling vessel. The United States repaired it and returned it to Queen Victoria. The vessel resumed service for many years before eventually being retired. Once decommissioned, Queen Victoria expressed her gratitiude to the United States by ordering the timbers of Resolute to be transformed into several pieces of furniture. One of

the Hudson River in Operation Sail.

In 1987, Klaus Barbie, the former Gestapo chief known as the “Butcher of Lyon,” was convicted by a French court of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison (he died in September 1991).

In 1995, the space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian space station Mir parted after spending five days in orbit docked together In 2012, scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva cheered the apparent end of a decades-long quest for a new subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, or “God particle.” In 2013, the Statue of Liberty reopened on the Fourth of July, eight months after Superstorm Sandy shuttered the national symbol of freedom, damaging its docks. In 2022, a gunman opened fire on an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven people and wounding 48 others in the Chicago suburb. Robert E. Crimo III was subsequently convicted in the mass shooting and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In 2025, flash floods killed more than 100 people in Texas over the U.S. independence holiday weekend, including 27 girls at a summer camp whose cabins were engulfed by the raging Guadalupe River before dawn. Today’s birthdays: Actor Eva Marie Saint is 102. Queen Sonja of Norway is 89. Actor Karolyn Grimes (“It’s a Wonderful Life”) is 86. Broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera is 83. Funk/jazz trombonist Fred Wesley is 83. Vietnam War veteran and peace activist Ron Kovic is 80. Singer John Waite is 74. International Tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver is 64. Christian rock singer Michael Sweet (Stryper) is 62. Actor-playwright-screenwriter Tracy Letts is 61. Actor Becki Newton is 48. TV personality Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is 44.

them was a large desk that she presented to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880. The desk spent much of its early White House history out of public view until 1961, when first lady Jacqueline Kennedy moved it into the Oval Office.

Every president since Jimmy Carter has used the Resolute desk in the Oval Office, with the exception of President George H.W Bush, who instead placed it in the Treaty Room. The desk has also become the place where recent presidents leave a letter for their successor on Inauguration Day

The Resolute Desk stands not only as a symbol of the American presidency, but also as a reminder of the enduring friendship between the United States and Britain.

STAFF PHOTO By ROBIN MILLER

One hundred and sixty flags line a 2-mile stretch of La. 15 in Winnsboro. The flags are raised during patriotic holidays and have earned the city’s moniker, ‘The Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana.’

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Choose the path thatoffers something unique or brings youface-to-face withchoices that can point youina newdirection. Exploring pastimes and places that you feel passionate about will lead to learning something.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Keep your money and possessions in asafeplace. Don't spend on gimmicksthat promise the impossible. Include discipline and practicality in the decisions you make, and invest more in yourself and your future

VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept. 22) It's how you treat others and what you do for them that will make adifference. Look for an outlet for items younolongerneed or use. Avoid risks that can cause injury or illness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Say yes to the invites you receive. Participationwill lead to conversations that can bring about positive change andreinforcement. Reachingout to those trying to reach the same goalsasyou will give you hope.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Embrace educationalortravel opportunities. Engage in talks that reveal unique ways to use your connections, experience and skills to excel.Homeimprovements will require astrict budget.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Money and emotions will collide. Refuse to let anyonetakeadvantage of your generosity or kindness. Say no to those asking you to pay for their mistakes. Put your time, energy and cash into self-care.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Refuse to let anger set in when discipline and understanding are what's necessary to bring aboutpositivechange. Elaborate on how you feel, and be willing to compromise.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Chooseahomeimprovement project that will put your mindatease and encourage your safety, comfort andconvenience. Getting together with someone from your past will be eye-opening.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Walkawayfrom situations that create chaos or people who expect you to put your life on hold for them. Do your own thing. Plan afunfilled day that satisfies your soul. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put your best foot forward and letyour charm lead the way. Calculating your path to resolving issues and taking care of your responsibilitieswill give youleveragewhen dealing with institutions.

TAURUS(April 20-May 20) Keep your private life andthoughts to yourself. Avoid overindulgence, overspending and letting your emotions surface, putting you in avulnerable position.

GEMINI (May21-June 20) Your desire for something new and exciting will impact your life if you are questioning your relationships, job prospects or health. Don't act in haste.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2026 by NEA, Inc dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with severalgiven numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Princess Diana said, “I don’t go by the rule book.I lead from the heart,not the head.”

She was taught bridge, but Idoubt that shespent much time playing. However, somebridgeplayers go by therulebook, but the better ones usetheir heads.

In today’s deal, whatshould West lead against fourspades doubled?

SupposeWestchooses the heart three. East takes thetrick with his queen, but what should he do next?

AfterEastopenedoneheart,Southwas tempted to pre-empt in spades, keeping hisdiamondsuitasa secret weapon. However, wondering if hissidemight own thedeal, he settledfor one spade. Westhadthevaluesforatwo-heartraise. North then made apre-emptive jump to three spades, showing fourspadesand aweak hand. (With game-invitational or stronger values, he would have cuebidthree hearts.) East bidthe game he expected to make. Southcontinued to fourspades, unsure whocould make what, but confident this contract would notbeexpensive. East doubled for penalty

It should be clear to West thatSouth is sacrificing. When that is the case at a high level, it is (almost) always right to lead atrump. If West does that, thecontract will fail. Westwillgetbackinwithadiamondwinner and can leadanother trump to hold declarer to two ruffs in the dummy and nine tricks in all(sixspades, tworuffs and thediamond jack, which can be established). Similarly,ifWest leads aheart, East shouldwin the trickand shift to a trump.

©2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle whichcreates adisguised word, phrase,name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,”

We will be blessed by Godifwehonor and revere Him. G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY HHH HHH

250 years

of healthcare historyinLouisiana

SPONSORED by

INDIGENOUS HEALING

Native American tribes across the region, inclu andChitimacha, utilizedextensivebotanical ailments.Medicine men employedindigenous ceremonial practiceslongbefor

THE URSULINE

Agroup of Ursuline Nuns arrivedfro medical caretothe struggling colony, establishing effectively the region’s first functioning

SPANISHMEDI

Governor AlejandroO’Reilly implemented regulations across the colony. He establish to examine and licensephysicians,surgeons bringing standardized medical pr

THE CHO

Adevastating choleraepidemic sw Louisiana. The rapid spreadfor sanitation and burial practices,leading expansion of the region’s famous above-g

THE GREAT YELLOW Louisiana sufferedits deadlies epidemic,claiming nearly 12,000 summerbeforethe medical com the disease wastransmi

CONQUERIN

Thelastmajor Yello the United States wass in Louisiana by implementing organized mosquito erad

ST.FRANCIS SANITARIUM OPENS IN NORTHE Continuing theirgrowingmission, the Franciscan theSt. Francis Sanitarium in downtown Monroe, cornerstone of carefor the people of Nor

TRI-STATESANITARIUM

The Tri-State Sanitarium wasestablished in Shreveportt population of NorthwestLouisiana. It would later evolveinto Health System, becoming adominant medical and economicf

THE OCHSNER CLINIC

Dr.Alton Ochsner and four collea collaborative, multi-specialtygroup pr South, opening the original Ochsner Clin

DESEGREGATIO

Following the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Lo were federally mandated to integrate, bringing legally enforced racially segregated medical ward

FORMATION OF FMOL

To unifyand strengthentheirstatewide im Missionaries of Our Lady Health Sy organized as anonpr

PROTECTING RUR ON THE

Recognizing the vital need to maintain careinr the FMOL health system assumed management Bogalusa Medical Center, renaming it Our Hospital to serve theN

AUNIFIED FMO

Representing aconnected network excellence, the state’s leading healthca under the FMOL Health brand. Legacy Lady of the Lake, Our Lady of Lour were purposefully retained to honor communitytrustacross Baton Rouge, Acadiana,

LOCAL PRIDE, SYSTEM STRENGTH

COLORING BOOK

TheBoston TeaParty took place on December16th, 1773 During this pivotal political protest, Americancolonists (some disguised as NativeAmericans) boarded threeBritish ships in Boston Harbor anddumped 342 chests of EastIndia Company tea into the water to protestthe TeaAct.

PhillisWheatleywas brought to America as an enslaved child, but after learning to read and write, she discovereda powerful talentfor creating beautiful poetry. In 1773, she made historybybecoming theveryfirstAfrican American woman to ever publishher ownbook of poems! Usingher brilliant mind and bravevoice, Phillisshowedthe world theincredibleabilities of Black people and continuesto inspireyoungwriterstoday.

On adarkspring night inBoston,Paul Revere received asecret lantern signal and rode his horse into the countryside to warn his friends that British soldierswere marching theirway.Hegalloped bravely from house to house, waking up the colonists so they could hide their suppliesand getready to defend their towns. Hisfamous midnight ride successfully helped thePatriots preparefor the very first battle of the American Revolution!

In the summer of 1776, Thomas Jeffersonand asmall group of friends were given averyimportantjob towrite aspecial papersaying America should be its own free country. Thomas spentweekscarefully writing down all their ideas,while wise leaderslikeBenjamin Franklin and John Adamshelpedhim make the wordsjust right.After everyoneread it together and made afew final changes, the leaders proudly accepted this famous Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July!

During the American Revolution, abrave woman named MaryLudwig Hayshelped the armybycaring forsick soldiers andwashingtheir clothes.When abig battle brokeout on averyhot day,she fearlessly ranback andforth across the battlefield carrying cool water to the thirsty troops,earningher the famous nickname “Molly Pitcher.” When her husband gothurtinthe fighting, courageousMolly even stepped up to takehis place on acannon crew!

On afreezingChristmas night, braveAmerican soldiers crossed theicy Delaware Riverduring afierce winter storm.Theymarched through thedark to surprise the enemy troops at Trenton,New Jersey,and wonabrilliantbattle! This amazing victory gavethe American soldiersthe hope they needed to keep fighting fortheirfreedom.

When American soldierswerefreezingand hungry at ValleyForge,abrave woman named Polly Cooperfromthe Oneida Nation and500 warriorswalked hundreds of miles to bring the soldiersbasketsofcorn. Shekindly taught thestarvingtroops howtoproperlycook the delicious food andworkedhardtocarefor the sick soldierswithout asking foranything in return.

During the Revolutionary War, abrave enslaved man named James Armistead volunteered to be atop-secret spyfor theAmericanarmy.Hecleverly pretended to help the British generals so he could secretly listentotheir plans,sending this important informationback to America’s leaderstohelpthemwin the greatBattle of Yorktown! After the war, hisfriendthe MarquisdeLafayette helped Jameswin hisown well-deservedfreedom, andJames proudly added “Lafayette”tohis name to celebrate theiramazing friendship.

The 1stRhode Island Regimentwas formed as thecountry’sveryfirst Black militaryunit.Manycourageous enslaved menjoinedthisspecial group,proudly marching into danger because they were promised theirown freedominexchange fordefending the colonies.These heroic soldiers foughtfiercely in big battles to push back the enemy,provingtheir incredible braveryand helping America winits great fight forindependence!

After alongand difficultfight, the British army finally surrendered to the Americans and their French friends at thegreat Battle of Yorktown.The defeated British soldiersmarched quietly pastthe proud Patriotsand theFrench soldiers, provingthat the bravecolonists had wonthe war! When theKing’sleadersback in Englandheardthis shocking news,theyknewitwas time to make peace andlet America become abrand-new, free country.

CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

250 years

of ENERGYhistoryinLouisiana

SPONSORED by

The first commercialnatural gas fieldinLouisiana wasdiscoveredaccidentally by anightwatchman at aShreveport ice factorywhen he struck a match near anewly drilledwater well.

TheCaddo-Pines oil discovery brought the rapidlygrowing petroleum industrytonorthwestern Louisiana,makingOil Citythe firstmajor “wildcat town”inthe region

StandardOil, the predecessor to ExxonMobil, established its first major oil refineryinBatonRouge,transforming the area into ahigh-tech center andmarking the beginning of a generationalinvestment in the state.

Earlyover-water drilling in America waspioneered on Caddo LakenearShreveport, showcasing earlyengineering ingenuityinmarineenvironments

Driven by constantinnovation,ExxonMobil’sBaton Rougefacility expanded to encompass approximately 1,600 acres,proudlystanding as the largestoil refineryinthe worldduring thisdecade.

The Creole platform completed the firstsuccessful offshore well in the Gulf of Mexico by utilizing directionaldrilling from a man-made islandoff the coastofCameron.

TheBaton Rouge complexearned the historic title “Cradle of the Synthetic Rubber Industry” by supplying nearly athirdoftotal U.S. butadieneproduction to replace lost natural rubber supplies during the war.

Theoffshoreindustryexpanded rapidlywith the massive discovery of three major Gulf of Mexico fields in Eugene Island, Bay Marchand, andVermillion.

StandardOil of NewJerseyofficially becomes ExxonCorporation

Gerald R. Ford became the first U.S. President to tour an offshore oil platform duringavisit to Louisiana, highlighting the national importance of the state’s energy sector

Shell Offshore proudlylaunched Bullwinkle,a$500 million projectthat stood as the world’stallest man-made offshorestructureatthe time.

Exxonand Mobil finalized one of the largestcorporate mergers in historytoform ExxonMobil Corporation,permanently cementingthe unified company’smassive industrial presence and vital employment footprint in Louisiana

ExxonMobil completed a$400 million projectand commissioned newultra-lowsulfur diesel (ULSD) units at its Baton Rouge refinery, significantly increasingthe supply of cleaner diesel, enabling compliance with federal emissions standards, and reducing air pollution from transportation andindustrial sources

2024

ExxonMobilsuccessfully completed amajor $230 million modernizationupgrade at the Baton Rougerefinerytoexpand crude flexibilityand heavily increase production andexport.

The birthofLouisiana’s commercial oil industry occurred on September 21 when theHeywood brothers brought in the state’s first major oil well near Jennings

The first natural gas pipeline in thestate wassuccessfully laid, bringinggas directly from theCaddo Field to Shreveport.

Construction wascompleted on Louisiana’s first long-distance oil pipeline, transporting crudeefficiently from Caddo Parish to the rapidlyexpanding BatonRouge refinery.

The U.S. Supreme Courtdissolved StandardOil intoseparate companies,including StandardOil of NewJerseyand Standard Oil of NewYork

The highly prolificHaynesville Gas Field wasdiscovered, initiating development in what wouldlater become one of the nation’s mostvital energy basins

The world’s firstcommercial fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) plantbegan operations at theBaton Rouge refinery, radically boosting the production of high-octaneaviation fuel that was critical forthe Allied victory in WorldWar II.

The birthofthe modernoffshoreindustry occurredon November 14 when Kerr-McGee brought in the first productive oil well “out of sight of land” about 45 miles south of Morgan City.

Louisiana’s crude oil and condensate production reached ahistoric peakofover728 millionbarrels,solidifying itsstatusasaglobal energy powerhouse.

The offshoreindustryunveiled Clean Gulf Associatestocreate a cooperativethatstockpiled sophisticatedoil spill containment and cleanup equipment to actively protectcoastal waters.

1986

The Bay Marchand Fieldreached amajor production milestone by bringingupits 500 millionth barrelofoil, cementing itslegacy as one of the greatestproducing fields in theUnited States

Conoco pioneered deepwater floating technology by installing the first tension leg platform in theGulfofMexico, placed in 1,760 feet of water in theJollietField.

Technological breakthroughs in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing unlocked massivenatural gas reservesinthe Haynesville Shale, creating tens of thousands of newjobs and injecting billionsofdollarsintothe state economy.

Anew erainglobal energy exportbegan on February 24 when theSabine Pass LNGfacilityshipped its first cargo,marking the first liquefied natural gas exportfromthe contiguous United States and fundamentally shifting the global energy market

2026

Further solidifying Louisiana’s unique leadership in the energy transition, ExxonMobilbegan its second major commercial CCS operation by actively storing captured CO2 from the New Generation Gas Gathering (NG3)project.

ExxonMobilannounced a$100+ million expansion of itsB Rougechemicalplant to produce ultra-high-pu alcohol used in semiconductor manufacturing, energy infrastructuretothe U.S. tech supply