Atemporary restraining order issued last week that prevented theclosure of Krotz Springs Elementary School was overturned Friday duringa show cause hearing.
The St. Landry Parish School Board approvedabudget plan July 1that closed down several schools across the parish including KSES, after an $18 million deficit forced cutbacks.
In discussions before the votetaken at the July 1meeting,parents of KSES students and concerned community members voiced intense opposition to the proposed closure of theschool.
“Wewill continue to support our school, and that includes preparing to go down the charter school route,which we
ä See SCHOOL, page 5A
SpaceX among attendeesat La.‘summit’
Speculationover company’splans swirls
BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer
TwoSpaceX representativesattended arecent “summit”inBaton Rouge with seniorofficials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers andGov Jeff Landry’sadministration, another potential signal of interest in aLouisiana expansion by ElonMusk’srocket company The meeting on June 26 wasprimarily aimed at discussing ways to speed permitting and other regulatory steps
ä See SPACEX, page 5A
Presidentwon’t ink hisnameto bipartisan effort in protest
BY MICHELLE L. PRICE and JOSH BOAK AssociatedPress
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump will let the bipartisan housing bill approvedbyCongressbecome law without his signature, saying Friday that he was
BYPATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
Leaders of acompany charged with plugging orphanedoil wells in Louisiana have been fined$5,000each afterthe state Ethics Board found they violated the law by giving a$780,000 loan to atop official in the department that oversaw their work.
The finesfrom the Louisiana Board of Ethics add to intense scrutiny of the now-shuttered Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association, which already is the subject of an investigation by theAttorneyGeneral’s Office anda damningreport by the Louisiana legislativeauditor
In an opinion issuedlastweek, the Ethics Board saidLORA, itssubsidiary Chromos and Andrew Berthelot —a manager for bothcompanies —improperlygave the loan to former Officeof Conservation attorney Johnny Adams in 2023.
As atop attorney in the state office at thetime, Adams helpedorganize the state’sprogram involving LORA and personally drafted theagreementbetween theconservation office and the new company,the board said Theboard finedBerthelot, LORA and Chromos $5,000 each.
According to the board’sfindings,Berthelot served as LORA’s chief financial officer and was amanager of Chromos. Attempts to reach Berthelot and his attorney werenot immediately successful Friday Despite theboard’sfindings, partial owner of LORA VanMayhall III said Friday that the company did not violate any ethics rules or laws but said the company’sleaders “have decided not to spend anymore time or resources contestingthe BoardofEthics’ actions.”
“LORA’s ownersand directors are
lowrateofinterest chargedtoAdams and his wife, Baton RougeMetro Council member Laurie
Housingbilltobecomelaw withoutTrump’s signature
refusing to put hisname on it because of thelittleprogress made in passing astrict voter ID bill that he has been pushing.
“I will not sign the HousingBill, which has been fully approved by Congress and senttothe White House,in PROTESTover the fact that theUnited States Senateis not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump posted on social media Trump had 10 days until theFriday deadline tosign the bill,issue aveto, or allow
themeasure to takeeffect without his signature.He has chosen to let the measure becomelaw without his express approval, undercutting his administration’s claims that he considers it a prioritytocombat inflation. Trump’srejection of the bipartisanhousing legislation exacerbates tensions with his own party in amidterm election year and cuts short their effortstoaddress akey voter concern aboutrisingcosts.His post comes more than aweek after he canceled plans to sign
thebipartisanlegislation, announcinghewas using it as leverage in his push for a strict voter ID bill.
The 21st Century ROAD to HousingAct aims to lower thecost of housing and spur more home construction. It’s the broadest federal effort in decades to address America’shousing affordability problems, as state and localregulations have made it difficult to build in many of thecommunitiesthatare also sources of job growth
STAFFFILE PHOTOBydAVId GRUNFELd
Islandwide blackout strikes Cuba again
HAVANA An islandwide blackout struck Cuba on Friday for the second time this week as the nation of nearly 10 million people grapples with a crumbling power grid and fuel shortages stemming from a U.S. energy blockade.
While total blackouts have become increasingly common in the Caribbean country, it’s unusual for back-to-back ones to hit just days apart. Cuba’s Electric Union confirmed the outage on X.
Officials had also confirmed the first total power outage which happened on Monday, although it wasn’t clear what caused it. Authorities at the time said an investigation was underway
Fuel has been running out across Cuba since January, when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to the island, deepening the island’s ongoing economic and financial crisis. Public transportation has largely been halted, and officials have canceled tens of thousands of surgeries.
Cuba produces only 40% of the fuel it needs, while the 730,000 barrels of oil delivered by a Russian tanker in late March ran out by the end of April. The government also has been rationing power with intentional outages that can stretch to more than 24 consecutive hours.
A blackout in mid-May affected the island’s eastern provinces, while a blackout in mid-March struck the entire island.
Former Afghan official extradited to U.S.
NEW YORK A former Afghan general who also served in his nation’s National Assembly was extradited to the U.S. on Friday to face drug charges, authorities said.
Abdul Zahir Qadeer, 52, of Afghanistan, appeared in Manhattan federal court and was ordered detained until trial, federal prosecutors said in a release.
Qadeer was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 15 before his extradition to face charges that he conspired to import heroin and methamphetamine, along with related firearms offenses.
Authorities said he previously served as a general in Afghanistan’s Border Force and as first deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s House of the People.
It was unclear who is representing him on the U.S. charges, which if he is convicted carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described Qadeer as a large-scale international narcotics and military-grade weapons trafficker.
“In an attempt to traffic massive amounts of poison and weaponry including heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers — Qadeer allegedly sold a two-kilogram test shipment to a buyer, which was delivered in South Africa,” Clayton said in a release.
The prosecutor said the buyer was actually working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Abducted students rescued in Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria Students abducted in May by Islamic militants in Nigeria’s southwestern Oyo state have been rescued, the government said Friday Government spokesperson Bayo Onanuga did not specify the total number of students rescued, but authorities said at the time of the abductions on May 15 that more than 40 people had been abducted. One of the teachers abducted alongside the students was killed shortly afterward.
Eight militants were arrested as part of the operation, while an unspecified number of the militants were killed, Onanuga said.
The abductions in a southern state had represented an escalation of the country’s security crisis because most such abductions previously had taken place in the north.
“This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular,” Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said in a statement.
U.S. demands Iran say strait open
Officials want Tehran to say it won’t attack ships anymore
BY MICHELLE L PRICE, JON GAMBRELL and WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press
WASHINGTON The U.S is demanding that Iran make a public statement saying the Strait of Hormuz is open and that ships crossing the vital corridor won’t be attacked anymore, senior U.S. officials said Friday, adding that internal Tehran power struggles have made it difficult to reach and keep a deal.
The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe to reporters the state of play with Iran, said the resumption of strikes this week came after what they described as a rogue faction of Iranian hard-liners trying to sabotage the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
It comes as President Donald Trump reiterated on social media Friday that he views the interim ceasefire deal as “OVER!” But he said the U.S. would continue talks aimed at putting a permanent end to the war
The officials said Friday that Trump is giving U.S. negotiators limited time to reach a deal with Iran, but, in a sign of the challenges ahead, they underscored that the president had a wide range of options if talks fall apart. They also said a power struggle was playing out in real time in Iran after U.S and Israeli strikes at the start of the
war killed its longtime leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Control of the strait
The U.S. is working on pressing Iran to make a public statement that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for world energy markets, is open and free to ships to transit, the officials said.
On a call with reporters, the officials suggested that leaders in Iran even told their U.S. counterparts that the ship strikes were a mistake and the country hoped to continue negotiations despite that.
Trump didn’t care that the firing on ships came from a hard-line faction and responded with more powerful counterattacks, showing Iran that there would be consequences no matter who was behind it, the officials said.
But moments before the U.S. officials spoke, Teh-
ran’s diplomat at the United Nations told reporters that any activity in the Strait of Hormuz, including its opening or demining operations, “rests exclusively with Iran.”
“Any attempt, by external actors, to interfere with or establish a power arrangement would violate the (interim deal), and undermine its implementation, delay the restoration of normal commercial navigation, jeopardize maritime safety, and increase regional tensions,” Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said outside the U.N. Security Council.
Iran has said the strait must now be under its sole control and that vessels should begin to pay fees to Tehran — even though the world for decades has considered it an international waterway. About a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the war began.
Iran’s grip on the strait during the conflict led to a global energy crisis, though oil prices have sharply dropped since wartime highs of $120 a barrel.
Nuclear deal
The U.S. officials said to reporters Friday that any deal on Iran’s nuclear program would require Tehran to turn over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. If the U.S. does not reach a deal with Iran to turn over its nuclear material, it has military options to ensure that it remains buried underground forever, the officials said. They did not detail those options.
The highly enriched material that could potentially be used to make a nuclear weapon is believed to be buried after strikes the U.S launched on Iran last summer. Iran says its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes.
The officials said they would never reach a nuclear deal with Iran if it would not first abide by terms of the ceasefire deal and stop renewed attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. That struggle underscores the long-term challenges the Trump administration faces in the wake of the war it started and expected to wrap up months ago. Trump in late February broke off talks with Iran over its nuclear program and launched the military campaign, saying he was taking the action because Tehran was attempting to rebuild its program and develop long-range missiles. He faces political pressure in the U.S. to bring the conflict and its economic impact to a close and avoid the kind of prolonged Middle East conflict he had campaigned against.
Unclaimed strikes
No one claimed responsibility Friday for airstrikes that hit Iran after the U.S. said it finished its attacks, leaving questions about who else may be targeting the Islamic Republic. On Friday, Iranian state media quoted Esmail Kousari, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee and a former commander in the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, as warning the UAE would “pay the price for its cooperation with the United States.” He accused the Emirates of having a “behind-the-scenes” role in the recent U.S. attacks. U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said there were “no operational updates” after Trump’s pronouncement about the ceasefire.
Trump ousts election commission members
BY BILL BARROW Associated Press
President Donald Trump has ousted members of a bipartisan federal election commission that resisted his efforts to require would-be voters to document their U.S. citizenship before registering.
The White House on Friday confirmed the executive action against members of the Election Assistance Commission, which distributes federal grants to states, oversees the testing of voting systems and maintains the national voter registration form.
conducted, and it’s the first test of his newly expanded presidential power after the Supreme Court ruled recently that the president can fire members of independent agency boards without cause.
“The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted. The Slaughter decision gives the President precedence to do so,” said a White House statement to AP
can commissioner Donald Palmer already had left his post voluntarily earlier this year The changes were first reported by VoteBeat, a news outlet that covers elections and voting across the U.S.
Trump has repeatedly tried to reshape voting regulations, even though the U.S Constitution grants control of elections to the states and not the president. Citing that separation of powers, courtshaveblocked most of Trump’s two executive orders that sought to reshape voting.
executive fiat and David Becker, a former Department of Justice attorney who runs the Center for Election Innovation & Research, said his purge of the EAC wouldn’t alter that.
“This doesn’t really change anything about how our elections will be run, and how states are successfully ensuring secure, convenient, safe elections,” Becker wrote on the social media site BlueSky Friday morning. On Capitol Hill, the leading Democrats with election oversight responsibility said Trump, rather than bolstering U.S. election integrity, is further politicizing the voting process.
Though the move likely won’t have major effects on the November midterms, it’s the latest instance of the Republican president trying to exert White House influence over how U.S elections are
The president removed the four-seat commission’s two Democratic members, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland. The panel’s Republican member, Christy McCormick resigned. Former Republi-
Trump has also launched an investigation of his 2020 loss, which he continues to falsely insist was due to fraud, and this week his administration threatened states if they did not try to purge what federal officials believe are noncitizens from their voter rolls. Still, Trump has largely been powerless to change election processes through
Graham Platner withdraws from Maine U.S. Senate race
BY MEG KINNARD and PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine Gra-
ham Platner on Friday submitted his paperwork to formally withdraw from Maine’s U.S. Senate race, officially ending an upstart yet troubled campaign whose dissolution threatens Democrats’ pursuit of chamber control.
Platner’s paperwork was received by the Maine secretary of state’s office and reflected shortly thereafter in its online withdrawal list.
In a letter to the secretary of state’s office, which Platner also posted on social media, he wrote
that the Mainers who had nominated him “voted for a new kind of politics” that is “representative of people down here in the real world — not billionaires, oligarchs, or the political establishment.” It was the same outsider chord that had been a trademark of his tumultuous campaign, in which Platner drew backing from progressive leaders including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California. “I seek to further the movement we have built together and the future we believe in,” he went on, without detailing what that meant. Maine is considered a
key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, and Democrats were desperate for a candidate capable of defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins. The formal withdrawal comes two days after Platner said he would quit the race, facing an allegation of sexual assault that he has denied. Maine Democrats are seeking a new nominee, and several hopefuls have already begun jockeying for position.
State law includes a provision for Democrats to replace Platner before the general election but the replacement must by named by July 27.
A man waves an Iranian flag on Sunday during funeral ceremonies for slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family at Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran.
Trump
Detainees say ICE officer shot driver through window
BY LEKAN OYEKANMI, JACK BROOK and RYAN J FOLEY Associated Press/ Report for America
HOUSTON Three men inside a van who witnessed the fatal shooting of the driver by an immigration officer in Houston said the Mexican man was shot through a passenger window and that the officer was never threatened, a lawyer who has spoken with them said Friday.
The shooting Tuesday during an attempted traffic stop by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Houston has revived critical voices deriding the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and how ICE operates. Immigration arrests around the country recently surged to 10,000 over a five-day period, fueled in part by massive Congressional funding.
The Department of Homeland Security which oversees ICE, has released no evidence to support the officer’s story that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo ignored their commands and rammed into an ICE vehicle with his white van, or that the officer fired in self-defense.
The officers were not wearing body cameras and neither ICE nor DHS have released photos, videos or other evidence from the scene.
Salgado Araujo was a 52-year-old homebuilder who was shot and killed as he was driving his crew to a construction site. His family said he had lived in the U.S. for more than 35 years, had no criminal record and was close to finishing the long process of obtaining legal status when he was killed.
ICE detained the other three men in the van and they all told a lawyer that no officer was in front of the van or even in danger
“After speaking with these men, I have no doubt that what they’re saying is the truth. I know that these agents — the agency — is going to try to cover it up,” attorney Hugo BalderasIbarra said during a news conference.
Images of the van after the shooting appear to show no damage, he said ICE has not released the names of the detained men, but family members said they have been able to briefly talk with them. Salgado Araujo’s brother was among
Democratic U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia has said the acting director of ICE told her officers thought someone in the van, but not Salgado Araujo, had a final order of removal but did not share a name.
those arrested.
Garcia said at the same news conference it was unsurprising that Salgado Araujo drove off when ICE tried to stop his vehicle, given that their vehicles were unmarked and had no lights.
“What would you do if you were being followed by someone and the cars were unmarked?” Garcia said.
Salgado Araujo was at least the eighth person to die during the Trump ad-
ministration’s immigration enforcement campaign. No immigration officers have been charged in the killings and video footage in several previous shootings has contradicted the accounts of federal officers.
ICE is pressuring the men to self-deport, which would make it harder for them to share their version of events with investigators or others, said Juana Degollado, who said her stepfather Daniel
Tirado Pantoja is among the detained men. She said he has no legal permission to live in the U.S. but has no criminal record.
“It is extremely important that we preserve the integrity of this investigation,” Balderas-Ibarra said “That will all be out the window if they are deported.”
DHS said allegations that the men have been pressured to leave the country are “categorically false.”
DHS said Thursday that officers investigating a tip weeks earlier saw two white vans at the address of a target. While heading to that address Tuesday officers saw a white van and someone inside who resembled the person they were looking for, the department said in a statement.
“No one in that van had warrants or any legal problem,” Degollado told
DHS said it will not
officer’s
and
could be at
because
and
also has not responded to requests for
formation, including
long the officer has
for ICE or whether anyone involved in the shooting is on administrative leave. Unlike some previous deaths involving federal immigration officers, few photos or videos surrounding the shooting have emerged publicly in the days since Salgado Araujo’s death. The League of United Latin American Citizens offered a $5,000 reward for video or other evidence, but the positions of the vehicles means surveillance cameras in the area were blocked from recording the shooting, CEO Juan Proaño said.
Crews are draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool again
BY WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
WASHINGTON Crews are again draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as President Donald Trump’s problem-plagued effort to revamp the waterway pushes well past his initial goal of having it ready by July 4 to mark the nation’s 250th birthday
The president at first suggested his renovations would last a century But, within weeks of the project originally reaching completion last month, the water was beset by an algae bloom and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off the bottom. Trump has blamed the peeling on vandals, though critics allege it’s from shoddy repair work.
SCHIEFELBEIN
“Drain the water, clean up the fireworks stuff,” Burgum told Miller, who is the wife of deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller “Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again.”
The work on the reflecting pool is just one of a number of projects Trump has spearheaded across the nation’s capital. Most prominently he demolished the White House’s East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom and
plans to build a towering arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery He initially announced his intentions to beautify the reflecting pool this spring, saying he wanted it completed before the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations.
Water was drained and Trump directed that the bottom be painted what he called “American flag blue.” In May, the president posted on his social media site of the pool: “The goal is to have it done, at this higher level, prior to July 4th We are ahead of schedule!” But problems began quickly after the initial work was finished. Trump blamed vandals, and court documents later showed that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor cut the pool’s new liner
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, told conservative podcaster Katie Miller in an interview released earlier this week that the new round
of draining was planned. He also said that the water might still contain debris from an extensive Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall.
Family of Mississippi teen who died after trip seek transparency
BY MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press
NEW YORK Attorneys for the family of a Mississippi 18-year-old who was found dead after a July 4 boat trip with friends to an island off the Gulf Coast called for a deeper investigation and greater transparency at a news conference Friday with the Rev Al Sharpton, saying many of the details they’re discovering are “not adding up.” Noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who was retained by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells earlier this week, has said the family has concerns about the investigation and planned to conduct an independent autopsy Wells traveled by boat to Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 4 with a group of friends, but did not make the return trip with them that afternoon. His body was found early Monday morning, more than a day later
they can.
A photo posted to social media, allegedly from the boat ride to the island, shows Wells with his arms around three White, male friends. Speculation and suspicion about the teen’s death have been rampant online, as people grapple with the state’s history of racial tension and what it means to be a Black person in a majority White space.
“What teenager would leave their phone behind if they’re going to stay on this island? What teenager wouldn’t take their phone? It’s not adding up at all,” Crump said.
He added that the family believes text messages from social media apps had been deleted from his phone when they got it back, and they plan to employ experts to try to receive all the data
While Jackson County Sheriff’s Office officials said investigators don’t suspect foul play in the Black college student’s death, the sheriff has asked for any witnesses or people with video from the popular beach island about 10 miles off the coast of Mississippi to come forward to help shed light on the moments before Wells’ disappearance and death Family members have raised concerns, saying they’ve seen video of a fight allegedly involving their son, and saying as an elite athlete he was able to swim. Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver on the football team At the news conference Friday attorneys said the friends who left Wells on the island, took his phone and keys when they departed. Crump said Wells’ family used an app to track his phone, and a friend went to where it was on land to pick it up.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, looked to the sky several times as lawyers spoke Friday, to hold back tears. When she spoke, she said this was not how she wanted the world to know her son.
Wonsley said they had taught him about history, but he was a peacemaker who didn’t like division, and wanted everyone to be included.
“We just wanna know what happened,” she said, through tears. “And why our baby didn’t come home.”
ASSOCAITEd PRESS PHOTO By ANNIE MULLIGAN
democratic U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia speaks Friday during a news briefing regarding her conversation with Acting ICE director david Venturella outside her office in Houston.
ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By yUKI IWAMURA
Christine Wonsley, mother of Nolan Xavier Wells, reacts Friday as she speaks during a news conference at National Action Network headquarters in New york.
ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By MARK
U.S. license could let Ukraine produce Patriot missiles
But it won’t be simple or quick
BY ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine President Donald Trump’s pledge to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defense systems could mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv, but experts and Ukrainian officials warn that turning the idea into real weapons would likely take years.
Speaking Wednesday alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to make the U.S.-designed systems that Kyiv has long sought to shield its cities and infrastructure from Russian missiles and drones.
“We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it,” Trump said “I think they can produce them pretty quickly.”
But the statement left open a crucial question: What exactly would Ukraine be allowed to produce?
“America has recognized Ukraine as a country that is ready to do this,” Zelenskyy told reporters Thursday, adding that Ukrainian and U.S. diplomats and defense officials must now work “without pauses” to finalize the licensing arrangements. Patriot interceptor missiles, which are fired to shoot down incoming missiles, drones and aircraft, are produced by U.S. defense con-
Charles III hosted Prince Harry, family
BY DANICA KIRKA and BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press
LONDON King Charles III
hosted Prince Harry and met with his family for the first time in years Friday as they try to repair a rift that has persisted since his youngest son and wife quit royal life and moved to America six years ago. Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met with the king and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, a country estate west of London, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
The Duke of Sussex had arrived Monday in his homeland for a number of charity events that were
overshadowed by speculation of whether he would meet with his father British tabloids and news broadcasts were filled with speculation about whether Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, would accompany him and, more importantly, whether they would bring their two children so they can finally get to know Grandpa Charles. However, the monarch’s schedule is often years in the making, with events penciled in long before they take place. An opportunity to hold such a meeting would have been fleeting, particularly because the children would need to return to school in the fall and because they live in California.
tractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, part of RTX.
A production license would not automatically allow Ukraine to manufacture complete Patriot batteries — including launchers, radar systems, command posts and missiles — from scratch. It could instead cover narrower parts of the system, such as interceptor missiles, final
assembly from imported component kits or production of selected components.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister, said a U.S. license would typically come with technical documentation, training for specialists, supplier contacts and foreign consultants to help launch manufacturing.
Other experts say the first step would likely be more limited than full domestic production.
Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, development director of the Fly Group Ukraine defense company, said Trump’s wording was ambiguous because he referred broadly to producing “Patriots,” without specifying whether he meant missiles, launchers, radar systems, command centers or components.
Missile production alone involves a vast supply chain, Khrapchynskyi said, with hundreds of companies making parts such as control surfaces, engines, guidance systems and communications equipment.
The Trump administration has not offered details about the Ukraine license, but an administration official said the U.S is significantly accelerating and expanding Patriot production to meet growing demand and is forming industrial partnerships with allies and partners globally to deliver Patriots. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly
Any additional Patriot systems would enter a war
that has shown how quickly weapons production can expand when a country receives designs, technical support and access to components. Ukraine has become a leader in the manufacture of cheap, expendable drone systems. Russia has scaled up domestic production of Iranian-designed Shahedtype attack drones, known in Russia as Gerans, at a factory in Tatarstan. But experts say Patriot interceptors are far more complex, requiring precision guidance, advanced radar technology solid-fuel rocket motors, military-grade electronics and strict certification standards.
Yehor Chernev, deputy chairman of Ukraine’s parliamentary committee on national security, defense and intelligence, said the legal and bureaucratic process could be launched within months, but implementing production would take years. Even if Ukraine received complete component kits from abroad, Chernev said, it would likely need at least 18 to 24 months to launch its first pilot production line, followed by more time to complete the first weapons.
Sources: Detroit-Canada bridge to open by late July
BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press
SAWYER, Mich. — A completed bridge linking Detroit and Canada is expected to open by the end of the month after U.S. and Canadian officials reached an agreement to resolve the dispute that delayed its debut, according to two people directly involved in the negotiations.
The sources were not authorized to publicly disclose the deal before a formal announcement
A ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for early June was postponed after the WindsorDetroit Bridge Authority said the two countries needed more time to resolve “outstanding issues.” The delay followed President Donald Trump’s earlier threats to block the bridge’s opening. Commercial traffic is now expected to begin before Aug. 1, according to two officials, though a date for the
“I had a conversation with the secretary yesterday, Secretary of Commerce Lutnick, and the deal will be announced in the next few days,” Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers said Friday on WJR radio. “This is getting wrapped up. That bridge is going to get open.” Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, congratulated those who have worked to open the bridge.
candidate Mike Rogers referenced the deal during an interview Friday
“This bridge is a testament to the enduring partnership between Michigan and Canada and what we can get done when we think big and bet on our shared future together,” she said in a statement.
BY BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press
LONDON British police on Friday arrested a 26-yearold man on suspicion of murder in the killing of Ann Widdecombe, a former British member of Parliament and reality TV contestant.
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead on Thursday in her Haytor Vale home on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in southwest England after sustaining what police said were “serious injuries.”
The killing was not believed to be an act of terror and there was no information to suggest it was politically motivated, Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said Longman did not discuss a possible motive but said the suspect was in custody as the investigation continues.
“This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe
at this awful time,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. “Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.”
Widdecombe found fame after leaving Parliament as a contestant on the “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother” reality television shows She later joined the Brexit Party and became a spokeswoman for the anti-immigration Reform UK party
official ribbon-cutting ceremony has not yet been set Republican U.S. Senate
ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA
The Gordie Howe Bridge is shown under construction on May 22 between Windsor, Ontario and detroit.
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have discussed,” said Krotz Springs Mayor Carroll Snyder during the July 1 meeting. “If the board isn’t willing to fund it, I would request they release it to us so that we can move forward on our own.”
In anticipation of the July 1 meeting, Krotz Springs received a preliminary injunction issued by Judge Charles Cravins that set up an official hearing on the matter.
STAFF
Signs indicating the post office and elementary school can be seen in Krotz Springs in July 2023 in St. Landry Parish. A judge overturned a temporary restraining order issued last week that prevented the closure of Krotz Springs Elementary School.
Cravins, who presided over the hearing, quickly reaffirmed the board’s authority to close down the campus, citing the case from earlier this year involving Lafayette Parish school system’s efforts to close Ovey Comeaux High School, saying “the School Board has full determination over the number and the location of schools within its boundaries.” The primary issue raised by Krotz Springs was whether proper notice was given for the June 13 board retreat, where St. Landry
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for projects, which often require Corps involvement and approval. The meeting included a broad range of attendees from government agencies, ports, contractors, industry associations and relevant nonprofits.
Two SpaceX representatives involved in governmental and regulatory matters participated, including one, Owen McDonough, who specialized in water and wetlands issues for the Environmental Protection Agency during President Donald Trump’s first term. Michael Hare, executive director of the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, said he invited McDonough because he knew him from previous work and believed he could provide valuable insight into regulations surrounding water and wetlands issues. The other SpaceX representative, Brandon Conroy, was involved in required environmental mitigation efforts related to the company’s “Starbase” industrial and launch facility near Brownsville, Texas.
Hare said there was no discussion of potential SpaceX projects in Louisiana at the event and that McDonough and Conroy came for the same reason as did other attendees: to provide insight and suggestions on how to overcome bottlenecks in the federal regulatory process. Hare has previously worked in Washington and has specialized on mitigation issues.
“I just consider him a national expert on wetland policy,” Hare said of McDonough, who was involved in developing a wetlands policy in the first Trump administration known as the Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS. “He just happens to work at SpaceX, and so that was the easy button I hit on inviting him there.” Hare said the summit would help Louisiana projects, but that the issues discussed are relevant on a national level and that he organized the meeting with that in mind.
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and economic opportunity
White House economists estimated earlier this year a national shortage of 10 million homes and the bill could help to close a portion of that gap. But Trump called the bill “a yawn” and “so unimportant” compared to legislation that would require proof of citizenship for all voters. He surprised Republican lawmakers on June 24, when, shortly before a planned signing ceremony at the Capitol, he announced he would not approve the bill until lawmakers first passed the voting legislation.
That bill, the SAVE America Act, doesn’t have enough Republican support to pass. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, said
Elon Musk, founder, CEO and chief engineer/designer of SpaceX, and owner of Twitter, speaks during a news conference after a Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket test flight at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., in 2020. Representatives from SpaceX attended a ‘summit’ recently in Baton Rouge aimed at discussing permitting and other regulatory steps for projects.
“This is really meant to help inform national policy,” he said.
Clearing the way
SpaceX’s attendance, however comes as the state appears to be clearing a path for aerospace development in Louisiana. State legislators this past session approved incentives designed to attract such companies and another measure granting them broad immunity from lawsuits. Lawmakers also granted them exemptions from public records laws related to critical infrastructure.
The state’s recent deal with Exxon to settle longstanding coastal damages lawsuits also heightened speculation over whether SpaceX is interested in large tracts of coastal land in Vermilion Parish. Exxon owns the land, which it had initially intended to use for carbon capture, and removing legal liability connected with it could ease a sale.
McDonough and Conroy did not respond to requests for comment, nor did SpaceX’s media affairs office. The Governor’s Office also did not respond to requests for comment.
Louisiana Economic Development, the state’s business promotion arm, declined to comment on any potential discussions with SpaceX.
“LED doesn’t comment on prospective projects,” said agency spokesperson Emma Wagner
after submitting the housing bill to the White House that he told Trump he should get the “fattest black marker you have, and sign your name really big on that.”
“I hope he does sign it,” Johnson told reporters at the time. “If he doesn’t, it’s still law We’ll still celebrate it.” He said he also understood Trump was trying to make a point that the elections bill is the top priority “And I think he’s making it very effectively,” Johnson said Still, Trump’s decision not to sign the bill gave Democrats an opening to criticize him on the issue of affordability “His priorities couldn’t be clearer: higher cost for families and more power for himself,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on X
The housing bill passed the Senate on an 85-5 vote and the House approved it with an 358-32 vote.
Reducing red tape
Any potential SpaceX development, particularly along the coast, would likely require permits from the Corps. Rene Poche, a spokesperson for the Corps’ New Orleans district, said the agency has not received any permit applications from SpaceX and has not held discussions with the company on the topic.
The June event, dubbed the “Summit at Sea Level,” was billed as a first-of-itskind between the Corps and local leaders. Corps leadership at both the national and local levels attended, including Army Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Adam Telle.
The meeting concluded with a Q-and-A session between Telle and Landry The Corps and CPRA issued a joint statement on Thursday detailing areas targeted for improvements and describing a plan to address them.
“Attendees from across the public and private sectors together identified 19 priority actions designed to tear down administrative red tape, align complex permitting requirements and significantly shorten project delivery timelines,” it said.
Email Mike Smith at msmith@theadvocate.com or follow him on Twitter, @ MikeJSmith504. His work is supported with a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, administered by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.
That legislation seeks to cut federal housing rules, slim-down environmental reviews, make it faster to build homes and limit the ability of corporations to buy single-family homes.
The bill does not address all of the causes of the country’s housing woes, including a shortage of construction workers, climbing insurance costs and wages that have not risen fast enough for renters and buyers.
But the bill has drawn support from the real estate industry and housing advocates.
The U.S housing market has been a driver of recent affordability challenges as skyrocketing prices have kept aspiring buyers out of the market. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that the median sales price increased 1.8% in June from a year earlier to $440,600, an alltime high on data going back to 1999.
Parish schools Superintendent Milton Batiste III first unveiled the board’s plan to shutter multiple schools including KSES. As with all public meetings, notice is required to be given to the public in accordance with Louisiana’s Revised Statutes. According to board attorney Wyatt Joiner, the School Board provided evidence to the plaintiffs regarding the board’s issuance of proper notice.
“The board sent notice to the media and to the official journal. So many people attended we had to seat some people in a separate meeting room,” Joiner said.
Krotz Springs provided several affidavits from Krotz Springs community members claiming that the board’s choice to refer to the June 13 meeting as a retreat caused them to believe that the meeting was not open to the public The board argues that this understand-
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proud of the important work that we did to clean up orphan wells in Louisiana as a private company with private funds,” Mayhall said.
LORA was formed in 2019 to work with the Louisiana Office of Conservation on plugging orphaned oil and gas wells, using fees collected from industry operators that purchased financial security through the nonprofit.
To manage that money, LORA hired Chromos, a company run by many of the same people, including Berthelot, according to a recent report from the legislative auditor
In 2022, after the partnership was active, investigators say LORA transferred $780,000 to Chromos, which then made an identical loan to Adams while he oversaw legal matters for the Office of Conservation. The board concluded the money originated with LORA, despite passing through Chromos.
Adams and his wife — Baton Rouge Metro Coun-
ing of term “retreat” was not in line with how the organization has used it in the past.
Judge Cravins ultimately dismissed the injunction due to a lack of evidence provided suggesting that proper notice of the meeting was not given, while also sympathizing with the parent of KSES students distressed about the school’s closure.
“It’s a difficult situation, and unfortunately there’s no good solution. It’s not a personal attack against anybody or any community,” Cravins said. “You can’t possibly think that these School Board members think it’s in their best interest to close schools without good reason.”
The ruling will also require Krotz Springs to pay an unspecified amount of procedural costs for the hearing, but not for the board’s attorney fees.
cil member Laurie Adams used the funds to buy a home and quickly paid off the loan in about six months, according to records.
“The loan was not a bona fide loan made by a duly licensed lending institution at the normal rate of interest,” ethics officials said in their opinion last week.
Because of the unusually low 2.6% rate and LORA not being a proper lender, the loan was a “thing of economic value.”
The transaction violated multiple ethics laws, the board said.
Company under scrutiny
Last month, the legislative auditor released a scathing report on LORA, which detailed a scheme that officials say went on for several years and included numerous improprieties.
As part of that report, investigators cited email chains sent between Mayhall, Berthelot and others while LORA was being formed. Adams, a Louisiana conservation official at the time was included in the emails.
“(LORA) will basically just be a shell ” Mayhall
wrote in September 2019.
In the same email, Mayhall said “when the DNR wants to look at our books, we can show them the books of (LORA),”and the state would not have access to Chromos’ financial records.
On the day the report was released, Attorney General Liz Murrill whose office previously opened a civil case against LORA — said in a statement that “we will be further reviewing the case for criminal charges that may be appropriate as well.”
Adams’ attorney Steve Moore said the report did not paint the whole picture, calling it “misleading” and “inaccurate.”
Moore said Adams did not influence the selection of LORA to run the state’s program as the auditor “cherry-picked” information to include in its findings. Mayhall had ownership in both LORA and Chromos. Like Adams’ attorney Mayhall said the auditor’s report left out key facts, despite LORA’s cooperation with investigators.
Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.
FILE PHOTO By BRAd BOWIE
ASSOCIATEd PRESS FILE PHOTO By JOHN RAOUX
Once again, someofthe sameisolated showers and thunderstorms that we experienced yesterdaywillreturntoday.Soexpect amostly sunnytopartlycloudy, hot and humid daywithscattered showers and thunderstorms.Someofthe thunderstorms couldbevery strong and result in excessiverainfall that couldlead to flash flooding.Temperatures this afternoon will be about where they should be, rising intothe lowtomid-90s.The humidity will remain high, so temperatures will feel likethe triple digits.
Crewsrescueabout 20 afterbuildingcollapses in Mo.
By The Associated Press
REYNOLDS COUNTY,Mo.
Emergency crews rescued about 20 people in Missouri on Friday after abuilding collapsed in acampground following widespread flooding and heavy rainfall in the state.
The Reynolds Countysheriff’s office said emergency
The campers were on top of abuilding at the Bearcat Getaway campground near the Black River,about 85 miles south of St.Louis, when it collapsed and werelater rescuedfromthe water, said Sgt. Eddie Young with the Missouri State HighwayPatrol at anews conference.
responders had more than 90 water rescuesofcampers and people in cars after several inches of rain fell overnight intothe morning across along swathofcentral and easternMissouri.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for the area, which got between 6and 12 inches as
thunderstormspiled on the area oneafter another,said Matt Beitscher,alead meteorologist with theNWS office in St. Louis “It’s very,very popular place for recreation,” said Beitscher of the affected counties.“So there are campgrounds there.There are float triplocationsthere. A
lot of vulnerable populations that would be susceptible to flash flooding.” Gov.Mike Kehoedeclared astate of emergency and activated one of the state’s search andrescueteams to assist. Several major roads were impassable due to flooding and damage, and ahelicopter from the Missouri National Guard wasbeing used to reach strandedpeople said Young. In Reynolds County, two rescue boats capsized in the flooding, but other emergency personnel safely recovered the responders, the sheriff’s office said. Afamily reunification center has been set up.
Meteorologists warn of extremeheatinU.S.inweekahead
BY SETH BORENSTEIN AP science writer
Most of America’sLower
48 states are about to swelter under an unusually large, strong and long-lasting heat dome that will spike temperatures in away that the National Weather Service calls “significant anddangerous.”
The heat wave will start this weekend and lastat least aweek, with some areas feeling its effects until the end of the month, meteorologists said. Temperatureswill be 15 to 25 degrees warmerthan normal in many areas, including at night, they said. Hotter nighttime temperatures are especially bad for both human health and efforts to tamp down an already active wildfire season.
“This upcoming heat wave does look pretty remarkable,” said Daniel Swain, a climatescientist with University of California Agriculture andNatural Resources. “This is going to be along duration, widespread and high-intensity heat event that’sgoingtoaffect millions of people for over aweek.” Adome of high pressure —which trapshot airlikea pot lid while blocking coolingwinds andrain— will initially park over the Northern Plains, butitwill be so big that it will trap sweltering temperatures acrossas much as two-thirds of the
continental United States, three meteorologiststold TheAssociated Press. While it will initially miss theEast Coast, the heat dome will shift and wobble, maybe even spreading from coastto-coast over the next 10 days ormore, they said.
Forecasters are expecting record triple-digit highs this weekend in Nevada,Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, North Dakotaand SouthDakota.
The weatherserviceis predictingmorethan 90 U.S.local temperaturerecords will be tiedorbroken through Wednesday,with two-thirds beingovernight heat records that can hinder how thehuman body recovers from broilingdays.
“Nights can be just as dangerous as days.Ifyou don’t get heatrelief at night,that’s goingtospill outintoyour daytime experience and become extremely dangerous,” said meteorologist Bob Henson with Yale Climate Connections. “Heat is not to be played with. It’sjust as dangerous as atornado or hurricane that can kill you just as easily,justina quiet and differentway.”
Swainsaid whatmakes this heat wave so different is how bigawarm shadow it will cast and how long it will persist In the past coupleof weeks, major heat waves have caused extensive suffering in Europe, the U.S.
East Coast and mostrecentlythe U.S.Southeast. Now any place in theUnited States that escaped the earlier July heat waves will get this one, Swain said. Rain is likely to sneak belowthe southern edge of the heat dome and douse the U.S. Southeastduring the daytime, setting up something strange, Climate Central meteorologist Shel Winkleysaid. Becauseofthe added moisture and humidity,the Southeast could get record-shatteringnighttime heat but below-normal day-
time warmth,hesaid. Theweather service is predicting record nighttime heat in anumber of locations from Texas to Florida to North CarolinaonSaturday.Temperatures won’t dropbelow 80 degrees at night in FortLauderdale, Florida; Miami; Tampa,Florida; Galveston, Texas; and Charleston,South Carolina according to the forecast.
While heat domes are not unusual in thesummer,Winkley said this one stands out becauseofhow strong it is, likely to set records for the
amount of high pressure that it will contain. It’s especially unusual for being so farnorth, he said. It’s likely to persist so long because drought-stricken areas have less soil andair moisture that would normally slow the warming of the air,Swain said. The drier,hotterair then worsens thedroughtconditions and stokes more heat in avicious cycle, he said.
This will addtowildfire risk, already bad because of the drought, he said. The El Niño thatrecently
formed is tooyoung to have apronounced impact on this heat wave, but climate change fromthe burning of coal, oiland naturalgas clearlydoes, thethree meteorologists said.
“Weknow that heat waves are becoming more intense, they’re lasting longer,they’re covering larger areas than they used to because of human-caused climate change,” Swain said. “Andsowhenwesee an event like this, we know there is at least apartial contribution by the long-term warming trend.”
Climate Central uses 20 differentcomputer models to compare what’sforecast to whatwould be expected in aworld without greenhouse gas-caused warming as part of its Climate Shift Index. A20,000-square-mile swath of the country from Southern California to northern Minnesota where 24 million people live this weekend will have warmth reaching the highest level on that index, meaning the heat is at least five times more likely because of climate change. Their analysis produced similar readings for the East Coastheat wave over the July 4weekendand the recent Southeast heat wave. “Using attribution science we know that those temperatures would be virtually impossible without the influence of climate change,” Winkley said.
ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTOByJACQUELyN MARTIN
Mickelina Papotto, of Salem, Ore.,left, and Lorie Odegaard,ofGaithersburg,Md.,fan themselves while waiting in line forthe Ferris wheel on July 1atthe GreatAmericanState Fair on the National Mall in Washington.
EPAgrant to fund 2siteassessments
Properties to be checkedfor contamination
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
TwoLafayette properties will be assessed for environmental contamination through afederal EPAgrant awarded to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Property identified as OrleansOil property,1509 Cameron St., avacant gas station across fromBottle
Art Lofts on University Avenue, and the Lafayette Utilities System’sretired Curtis Rodemacher
Power Plant at 200 W. Pinhook Road will undergo environmental assessment, LDEQpress secretary Meagan Molter said.
The department was awarded acombined $4.5 million from the EPAthrough the 2026 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup Grant Program.
As part of the funding, the department will receivea$2million Brownfields Community-wide Assessment Grantfor environmental assessmentand Brownfield planning at vacant and underutilized propertiestofacilitate their reuse, Moltersaidina news release. Initial efforts, she said,will focus on Lafayette and Homer in Claiborne Parish and Washington in St. Landry Parish “to build on
themomentum created through established partnerships between LDEQ’sBrownfields Program and local entities.”
The Community-wide AssessmentGrant, Molter said, will be usedtoconduct environmental assessments, develop cleanup plans, if needed,and conductBrownfield planning activities. It cannot be usedfor cleanup.
“Ifasite requires cleanup, we then work with theproject champion to helpidentify resources to help offset the costs of cleanup,”
Molter said. Shreveport also wasawarded a $1 millionBrownfields Multipurpose Grant focusing on the Cross BayouArea/Ledbetter Heights District.
The Delta Agricultural Research and SustainabilityDistrict was also awardeda$1.5 millionBrownfields AssessmentGrant to assist with sitesinFerridayand Vidalia, both in Concordia Parish;Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish; Richmond Village in Madison Parish; and St. Joseph in Tensas Parish.
Chatimetooffer customizable drinks
Staffreport
Aworldwide bubble tea company that is expanding into the United States willopen afranchised location in Lafayette.
Chatime signed alease to open near Costco in the Ambassador Town Center at 109 Old Camp Road, Suite 106, and was granted abuilding permit from Lafayette Consolidated Government to renovate the space, accordingtorecords. Jonathan and Jasmine Hamlin are the owners. Chatime, which was founded in 2005 in Taiwan, has growninto one of the world’sleading brands of bubble tea, also knownasboba tea. It has more than 1,400 locations in Asia, Australia and Canada.
The company has justover adozen U.S. locations listed on its website, but earlier this month announced the first of six locationsplanned for the Las Vegas market,according to reports. Chatime features customizable milk teas, fruit teas, and signature brown sugar pearl drinks with adjustable sweetness levels, dairyfree alternatives, and avarietyoftea and topping combinations.
NO TRAIN, NO GAIN
ABOVE: Club members and judges watchadancer in the talent competition during the CourtesyAutomotive Group and the UniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette annual Training 4Life event for hundreds of Acadiana children at the Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette on Thursday. Children from several localBoys& Girls Clubs across Acadiana participated in aday of games,food,music and mentoring sessions led by localleaders LEFT: Club members cheer during the annual Training 4Life event on Thursday STAFF PHOTOSByBRAd KEMP
Youngsvilleman arrested on four sexcrime counts
AYoungsville man was arrested Wednesday in connection with multiple sex crimecounts involvingjuveniles,authorities said. Chad Boudreaux, 47, faces two counts each of first-degree rape and molestation of ajuvenile, as wellastwo counts of possession of afirearm by aconvictedfelon,according to Youngsville police.
CRIME BLOTTER
Advocate staff reports
The investigationbegan after authorities received information thatjuveniles may have been sexually assaulted, Youngsville Police Chief Jean-Paul Broussard said. Detectives gathered enough evidence to obtain an arrest warrantfor Boudreaux, Broussard said.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are looking into the possibility of additional victims.
Boudreaux wasbeing held in the LafayetteParishjail on $750,000 bail.
Officersslammed suspect, video allegedly shows
The Patterson Police Department hasplaced one of its officers on
administrative leaveafter avideo allegedly shows him and another officer slamming asuspect to the ground. Officer SamTezenohas been placed on administrative leave after residents showed up at aPattersonCityCouncil meeting questioning the officer’sbehavior,according to KLFY,whichspoke with PattersonPolice Chief GarrettGrogan. “Citizens of Pattersonhad someconcerns on Officer Tezeno’sarresting power and whether he’scertified or not …and saying thatthey’re afraid of his policing,”Grogan toldthe news station.
TheSt. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Officeisinvestigating the June 26 incident, according to St. Mary Now The names of the officers have not been released.
The video in question shows two alleged Patterson officers approaching aman outside of aparked truck. Whenthe man touches the vehicle’s door,anofficer is seen pushinghim against the vehicle before both
ä See BLOTTER, page 2B
to retire Taylor ledagencyfor 26 years
Staff report
Longtime Lafayette Habitat for Humanitydirector Melinda Taylorwill retire at theend of theyear according to theagency.
Taylor has led the agency for 26 years and helped familiesachieve the dream of homeownership while also strengthening neighborhoodsand changing lives.
Taylor championed affordable housing initiativeswhile fostering aculture of collaboration among volunteers, donors, corporate partners and faith communities.
Her leadership has helped position Lafayette Habitat as atrusted and effective organization dedicated to serving families andadvancing affordable housing solutions throughout Acadiana, Habitat officials said.
Habitat’sboardofdirectorshas started the search processfor hersuccessor.
“Melinda’sdedication to our missionhas been nothing short of exceptional,” board chair Jason Huffman said. “For 26 years, she has led with compassion, integrity, visionand adeep beliefthat everyonedeserves asafe, decent andaffordable place to callhome.” Longtime
Taylor
Demolition begins at N.O. airport’ssouth terminal
Bids sought to tear down concourses
BYGRACE MAYER Staff writer
New Orleans airport officials are preparing to knock down big portionsofthe vacant southterminal, a significant step in the broader plan to upgrade infrastructure, expand parking, add hangarspace and eventually build another new terminal over the next 20 years.
Demolition of the concourses of south terminals Aand B, where passengers caught their planesfor decades before the north terminal of Louis Armstrong NewOrleans
International Airport opened in 2019, isexpected to begin in the next three months, according to airportspokesperson Tara Letort.
Letort noted that aspecific start date andcost estimatewillcome out after the demo contract is awarded.
The McDonnelGroup, thegeneral contractoronthe project, is currently seeking bids for the work, with responses duelater in July
Portions ofthe south terminal will remain standing andwillbe used for servicingand repairing aircraft. The demolitionwill create space for anew hangar. At aMarch news conference, Aviation Director Kevin Dolliole said cargo and private aviation terminals, along with
aschool for aircraft mechanics,are alsoplanned for thesite.
Thedemolition is amongthe more noticeable signs thatthe airport’slarger master planisbeing put intomotion. It’saneffortthat airport officials, parish and city leadersbegan working on nearly threeyears ago and presented updates on earlier this year
Severalother infrastructure projects are being completed at the airport, including an $84.5 million project to pave aconnector road for shuttles.
Demolition plans
The south terminal, originally known as the Moisant International Airport terminal, opened in
1959 and was built for $7.5 million. Twoadditional concourses were added to the terminal in 1974 and allowed the airport to expand to 42 gates. When the $1.3 billion north terminal opened in 2019, the airport relocated passenger service and other operations previously housed on the south campus to the new terminal. Parts of the south terminal remained in use for administrative andpublic safetypurposes. Occasionally,movie and television crews used the space as aset for filming. It’s also been used as a skate park. Demolishing the south terminal is only one part of the larger mas-
Landry,Morenotrade barbsovermoney,politics
N.O. mayor requests meeting with governor
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
Gov.Jeff Landry showed no interest Friday in New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno’srequestthe night before to have the two of them hash out their escalating differences over money and politics.
Landry jabbed her in atweet Friday for having sought state approval to hold abond sale for the cash-strappedcity It confirmed to him, he wrote,that the city is treating the state “asan ATM” to balance its budget.
He added, “Please remember theState and its citizens are not an ATMonBourbon Street!” Moreno responded several hours later withadigital media post where she once again asked to sit down with him.
“Governor,let’sfind away for NewOrleans to be successful so that the state can be successfulas well,” she said from her City Hall office. “As goes the cityofNew Orleans, so goes the state of Louisiana.” Moreno ended by jabbing him back.
“Happytomeet you anywhere, even on Bourbon Street,and you can show me your favorite ATM machine,” shesaid,barelysuppressing asmile.
Upperhand
Landry has the upper hand in this dispute with Moreno because she has inherited abudget shortfall from her predecessor,LaToya Cantrell, and the cityneedsauthorization to borrow money or sell bonds from the State BondCommission —populatedbythe governor’sRepublican legislative allies.
On Thursday,Moreno announced she was withdrawingthe city’s request to have the State Bond Commission approve a$110 million bond sale for New Orleans next week because she heard from Republican friends that the commission wouldreject it
She also said that state leaders “seekingtodefund New Orleans to punish,weaken or destroy it mustface the harsh truth and consequences that, ultimately,doing so is selfharm to Louisiana.”
In hersocialmedia post Friday,she included a video clip of Mike Waguespack, the Louisiana legislative auditor,telling Landry last year that the city would need additional funds this year
Landry letter
Landry also sent alettertolegislative leaders on Fridaytelling themthat he has asked Waguespack to study whythe Sewerage &Water Board has moved so slowly to repair Decatur Street in New Orleans. Threebusinessesthere have said the delays have turnedthat stretch of the French Quarter into a ghosttown, forcing them to shut down.
In her letter to the governor Thursday night,she said that not having access to the additional funds for the rest of 2026 would force city officials to delayinfrastructure projects, institute $20 million in budget cuts and continue furloughs of city employees.
“I commend the City for now taking themore fiscally responsible approach,”Landry responded, in his only positive comment to Moreno in his tweet Friday aimed at her Waguespack, acertifiedpublic accountant and former sheriff, saidin an interviewFriday that thecity’s request to sell bonds would not cost state taxpayers anything unless, in aworst-case scenario,the city defaulted on the bonds. This would hurt the state’soverall bond rating, he added.
The city’srequest before the State Bond Commission, Waguespack said,“is simply alegal and proceduralauthorization, it’s not financial backing.”
Moreno has also been criticizing the S&WB for moving too slowly to finish the work.
Jay Dardenne, aRepublican whoserved in the state Senate and as secretaryofstate, lieutenant governor andasthen-Gov John Bel Edwards’top budget official, lamented Landry’sunwillingness to meet with Moreno
“Any timeaparty is not willing to talk with an opposing side aboutan issuethat could be resolved is not agood thing,”Dardenne said. “We ought to be abouttrying to work together for thecommongood for everybody in Louisiana. That speaks for people in New Orleans, for people who feel offended by Republicans andRepublicanswho think the indictmentisapolitically motivated attack on them.”
Dardenne was referring to the indictment of AttorneyGeneral Liz Murrill, handeddown by an OrleansParish grand jury last week. It hasintensified tensions between New Orleansofficialsand Republicanselsewhereinthe state.
The grand jury indicted Murrill on 16 felony counts for writing a letter to Moreno andother city officials that they called threatening. Landry trolled Moreno on this
Friday
“I understandyour desire not to trade publicletters,asthatseems to be an indictable offenseinthe City of New Orleans,”hewrote
Meanwhile, Murrill appears to continue to feel aggrieved by a grand jury indictment of her.
On Thursday night, she released astatement saying thecitydidn’t have themeanstopay back the $110 millioninbonds over the 16yearterm period.
“Thatrequest wasdead on arrival,” shesaidpointedly
The Attorney General’sOffice on Thursday fileda public records request to the city asking fordocumentsrelated to thedecision by Moreno and the City Council to bolster their slim reservesbyselling the next nine years of revenue from its lease with Caesars’ casino.
In exchange,the city received $103 million.
On Friday,the Attorney General’sOfficedidn’trespond to a query on the reason for thepublic recordsrequest.
On Thursday,Landry wrote Moreno that the deal cost the city $50 million in future lease payments, “a decisionthatistantamount to thelargest ‘pay dayloan’ by amunicipality in recenttimes.”
One Republican who voiced support for the city and Moreno was Lt.Gov.Billy Nungesser,who noted in hisroleasthe state’s chief tourism promoter thatmillions of people visit NewOrleansevery year
“Mayor Moreno and her administration have worked hard to get New Orleans moving in the right direction,”Nungesser said in a statement Thursdaynight. “We should all be focused on building on that momentum by working together.Atthe end of the day,this is about doing what’sbest for the people of Louisiana.”
St.Tammany mansuessheriff forwrongfularrest
He wasaccused in 6-year-old’s hit-and-rundeath
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
ASt. Tammany Parish man is suing former Sheriff RandySmith and some of his deputies in federal court for allegedly wrongfully arresting and jailing him for 13 days last year in connection with ahit-and-run thatkilledayoung boy Cody Beaudettewas arrested on Aug.13, 2025,bythe Sheriff’s Office on counts of vehicular homicide,hit-and-run andreckless operation in connection with the death of 6-year-old Jeremiah Ramirez. After 13 daysinjail, Beaudette was releasedonbond andthen, two days later,with mounting pressure fromfamily members
BLOTTER
Continued from page1B
officers slam the man into the ground, according to video obtained by KQKINews. The man is then takeninto custody
“I didn’tdonothing,” the man, later identified as Jevon R. Smith,48, said repeatedly Smith faces charges of stop sign violation, resisting an officer and disturbing the peace.
Tezeno has worked at several law enforcement agencies over the years, with most ending in terminations
andinvestigatorswho drew attention to exonerating evidence, the Sheriff’s Office announced on Aug. 29, 2025, that new evidence showed the vehicular homicide charge was “not supported” and Northshore District Attorney Collin Sims’ office announced it was refusing prosecution.
Another individual,ConnieEstes, was booked that same day on hit-and-runand obstruction of justice counts and has atrial scheduled to start Sept. 14 in connection with the death of Ramirez. Theboy was ridinghis scooter on Northshore Lane near Slidell on Aug. 13 when he was struck and killed.
Beaudette and his family are now seeking damages for wrongfularrest andimprisonment.They are accusing Smith, who served as St.Tammany sheriff fornearlya decade until he resigned in June, and some of his employees of doingshoddyinvestigative work before Beaudette’sarrest and later
ignoring exoneratingevidence during his imprisonment
The complaint, filed in theEastern District of Louisiana on June 18, accusesSmith of violating Beaudette’s constitutionalrights against unreasonable searches and seizures, and accuses ahandful of sheriff’s deputies, some named and some anonymized, of illegalseizure, excessive force, false arrest and imprisonment andmalicious prosecution,among other allegations.
“He suffered alot of mental anguish, him andhis family,overthe whole ordeal,”said Beaudette’s lawyer,MichaelRaspanti, in an interview SuzanneCarboni, aspokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, saidshe could notcomment on pending litigation at this time. In August 2025, when the Sheriff’s Office announced they were no longer seeking the homicide and hit-and-run charges against Beaudette,Smithsaid, “Webelieve in
holding individuals accountable, but we also have aduty to correct course when the facts demand it.”
Beaudette’scomplaint alleges thatthe affidavitinsupport of his arrest warrant was basedonthin evidence and wasmissing multiplecrucial pieces of information. For instance, the color of the vehicle wreckageatthe scene of the hit-and-run was adifferent color from Baudette’svehicle, the complaintsstate, and the wreckage at the scene didn’tmatch damage to Beaudette’svehicle.
It also alleges that even after multiplepeople showedthe Sheriff’s Office evidence that contradicted their earlierfindingsand showed Beaudette’sinnocence, theycontinued to detain him “Whatisstriking is that Beaudette’slittle sister,who is nota cop, nota privateinvestigator she managedtoacquire allthe evidence to really determine who did this in amatter of two days by herself,”Raspanti said.
ter plantoexpand theairport.The plan also includes adding more gates, expanding the security checkpoint area, building another parking garage anda secondterminal.
In July 2025, airport officials said they would need to open asecond terminal in the next six years to meet travel demands.
Airport passenger count grew from 5.9 million to 6.6 million between 2022 and 2024. Passenger traffic dippednearly9%in2025, falling to 6.2 million passengers. The airport expects to see passengergrowth reach 9.7million “enplanements,” or the number of passengers boarding an aircraft, by 2031, Dolliole said at the time.
or administrative leave, according toKLFY.Inone incident, he is allegedtohave taken an unmarked St. Martinville unitwithout authorization to aMardiGras event in Eunice.
Tezenoalso filed afederal whistleblower lawsuit against theGrand Coteau Police Department following his termination. He allegedly showed up to work with afirearm despite not being POST-certified to carry aweapon
The Jenerette Police Department hired Tezeno sometimein 2025, before he joinedthe PattersonPolice Department about five months ago.
Grogan told KLFY that he supported hiring Tezeno.
LOTTERY
THURSDAY,JULY9,2026
PICK 3: 8-6-1
PICK 4: 4-9-9-1
PICK 5: 9-2-0-8-0
Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.
Pastor says he was unlawfully fired
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
Alocal pastor hasfiledalawsuit claiming BatonRouge’s library system unlawfully fired him after he refused to use someone’spreferredgender pronouns.
The Rev. Luke Ash filedthe suit Thursday alleging that the East BatonRouge Parish Library terminated his employment ayear ago because of his religious beliefs, which Ashsaidprevented him from using aco-worker’s preferred gender pronouns. He is also the lead pastor at Stevendale Baptist Church in Baton Rouge,per the church’swebsite. Ash is represented by Liberty Counsel, aChristian civil liberties lawfirm, andsaid the library’s inclusivitypolicy violated his First Amendment rights, and hislawsuitseeks a permanent injunction declaring the policy unconstitutional. The lawsuit also asks the court to orderthe library to reinstate Ash to his former position, restore his benefitsand award back pay anddamages Liberty Counselsaidinanews release that alibrary co-worker in July 2025 askedthatAsh refer to them by theirpreferred pronouns. Ash told the co-worker he wouldnot do so duetohis religious beliefs.
Shortly after this conversation, Ash’ssupervisors reiteratedthe library’spolicy, which states“all employees have the right to be addressedbytheir chosen name andpronouns.”According to the lawsuit,Ash said he would not lie
The lawsuit said that after this encounter, Ash’semployment wasterminated and “the library made clear to Ash thathewas being terminated because of his refusal to use preferred pronouns andnothing more.”
Ash was hired as alibrary technicianinlate March2025, andhis terminationwas effective July 11, 2025, according to personnel records obtained by TheAdvocate.
Librarydirector Katrina StokessaidFridaythatthe library does not comment on employeeand personnel matters.
The lawsuit also names thecity of BatonRouge,the Metro Counciland library board of control as defendants. Aspokesperson for the Mayor’s Officedeclinedtocomment.
Landry Moreno
BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
China blocks exports of helium, key for chips HONGKONG China on Friday said it is temporarilyblocking theexport of helium, akey element for chipmaking, as the Iran war’sescalation adds to global supply disruptions.
China’scommerce ministry and its customs agency said in abrief statement that they are imposing atemporary export ban on helium, effective immediately,inaccordance with the relevant provisions of the ForeignTrade Law of the People’s Republic of China.
They didnot elaboratefurther on the reasons. Helium is crucial for semiconductor manufacturing, and is also used in the medical sector such as in the coolingof MRI machines. Since the Iran war began in lateFebruary, global helium supply has been disrupted and prices have gone up substantially Chinaonlyproduces about 15% or less of its own helium, importing much of it from Qatar,which generates roughly one-third of the world’ssupply, according to estimates cited in aresearch note by the consultancy Trivium China.
China is looking to protect itsindustries as globalsupply of helium has become “very tight,” said Gary Ng, asenior economist at the French bank Natixis.
“Such an export control measure is intendedtoprotect the local industry,especiallyasit is critical to chipmaking,”he said. It is imposing the measure likely more to secure supply for local usage than for political reasons, Ng said.
The move comes at atime whenChina is stepping up its self-sufficiency capabilities in chipmaking and artificialintelligence as its technologyrace with the U.S. heats up. It is notknown when global helium supply will return to normal, said Cameron Johnson, asenior partner at Shanghaibased consultancyTidalwave Solutions.
Kia launches newrecall for 463,000 Tellurides
NEW YORK Kia America has issued anew recall for nearly 463,000 of its Telluride SUVs, urging owners to againpark their vehicles outside and away from buildings afterseveral customers reported fires following previous repairs.
The recall, announced this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, replaces aprior one Kiainitiated in 2024. Certain Tellurides from the 2020-24 model years are affected, with the NHTSA warning that the front power seat motor of these vehicles may overheat due to astuck slide knob.
That could result in afire while the car is parkedorbeing driven. And even after Kia rolled out aremedy in 2024, recall documents note several customers filedcomplaints of alleged fires underneath the passenger seat
The automaker investigated other vehicles that had received the prior repair and identified “sporadic dealer workmanship issues” —later deciding to initiate anew recall. Between October 2024 and April 2026, Kia North America’ssafety office identified 18 incidents involving eitherlocalizedseatfires or meltingof the seat motor, per recall documents. No associated injuries or crashes have been reported In astatement, Kia America noted that “an external impact with excessive force” to thevehicles’ frontpowerseat side coverorslide knob could cause their switch to become dislodged or otherwise damaged— resulting in overheating if the motor continuestobe used over time. To prevent this, Kia’snew fix willbefor dealers to install an electronic fuse assembly,free of charge.
That remedy will be available in early August, according to an advanced dealer notice published by the NHTSA. And owner notification letters are set to be mailed starting Aug. 13.
EU demands Facebook design changes
BY KELVIN CHAN Associated Press
The EuropeanUnion accused Meta on Friday of breaching its social media lawbydesigning Facebook and Instagram to get users hooked,and demanded it disable “key addictive features” like infinite scrolling.
TheEU’sexecutivearm issueda fresh set of chargesagainst Meta Platforms as part of its investigation under the 27-nation bloc’s strictdigitalrulebookknown as the Digital ServicesAct. The sweeping setofregulations from Brusselsrequirestechplatforms to protect internet users under threat of heftyfines.
The European Commission said Metafailed to properly assess the risks its design features pose to the physical and mental healthof users, including minors. And while the company hastoolsand controls to help manageFacebook and Instagram use,itsaidtheywere easily overridden, dismissed, or technically challenging touse.
Meta “needs to implement design changes” to Instagram and Facebook, such as disabling “key addictive features” like autoplay of videos and infinite scroll so they’renot turnedonbydefault, the commission saidinits preliminaryfindings
Meta now hasthe chance to respond and defend itself before the commission issues itsfinaldeci-
sion, which could result in afine worth up to 6% of the company’s global annual revenue.
Meta said Friday that the preliminary findings do not recognize thestepsthat the company has already taken to protect teens.
“Sincethis investigation began, we rolled out Teen Accountsthat automatically protectteensand put parents in control —allowing them to block access to Instagram at night andcap daily screen time at just 15 minutes,” Meta said in a prepared statement.
Europe is committed to enforcing its legislation that holds platforms accountable foraddictive design features, saidHenna Virkkunen, an executive vice-president at the
commissionoverseeing tech. “Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be apriority for social media platforms,” Virkkunen said in astatement. Facebook andInstagram design features, including personalized recommendationsand push notifications,serve up an endlessstream of content, putting users’ brains on “autopilot” and fueling compulsive use, the commissionsaid. Meanwhile, screen time controls that parents can impose on their teens’ devices can be “easily dismissed” anddon’t result in ameaningful reduction of use, the commission said. And the controls are undermined by the technical expertise,time andeffort that parents need to understand and use them,itsaid.
BY DAMIAN J. TROISE Associated Press
NEWYORK— Shares of SouthKorean memory chipmaker SK Hynixrose13.1% as they made theirdebut on Wall Street,ata time whendemand for chips is surging thanks to the frenzy around artificial intelligence. Thecompanyisalready one of the largest in South Korea, along with Samsung Electronics, andisamember of the Kospi index. Even with arecentpullback, the country’s Kospi index is up 77% so far this year and SK Hynix shares have more than tripled.
SK Hynix priced its American depositary receipts, or ADRs, at $149 each Thursday. They opened Friday at $170 and closed at $168.49. Theoffering of 177.9 million ADRs raised proceeds of $26.5 billion, making it thebiggest-ever initial share sale in the U.S. by aforeign company.AnADR is issuedby abankorbroker and is asimplified way for U.S.investors toown foreign stocks through the U.S.markets.
SK Hynix is going public in the U.S. amid a surge in IPO proceeds.There were 48 IPOs raising atotal of $104.8 billion during the second quarter,according to Renaissance Capital. It is the biggest quarterfor deal proceeds in five years, in large part because of SpaceX raising $75 billion. Many of the companies goingpublic arecapitalizing on thedemandfor all thingsAI.
SK Hynixhas adominant position globally for high bandwidth memory,which is essential for the developmentofadvanced AI technology.The company recently entered apartnership with Wall Street’smostvaluable company,Nvidia, for advanced memory
chips as AI infrastructure expands globally Increasing demand for AI has been driving asurge in profitsfor chipmakers. Memorychips have become moreexpensive as demand outpaces supply along with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology.Technologygiant Apple recently announced an increase in prices for Macs andiPads becauseofthe jumpinprice for memorychips.
The U.S. is SK Hynix’slargest market, accounting for 68.8% of its revenue lastyear.It is planning an expansion that includes build-
ing its first U.S. production facility,located in Indiana. Overall, the company had revenue of just under $65 billion in 2025. That helped profits double to about $28 billion. The company recently joined with Samsung andthe governmentinannouncing plans to invest acombined $518 billion in building anew computer chipmaking hub in SouthKorea’ssouthwest region, part of national efforts to expand investment beyond the greater Seoulmetropolitanarea, the country’seconomic center and heart of its semiconductor sector
Wall Street showsit’shungryfor AI winners
BY STAN CHOE Associated Press
NEWYORK U.S.stocks ticked
higher Fridayafter Wall Street showed its appetite is still big for winners of the artificial-intelligence boom
The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to close out its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 149 points,or0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.3%. That’s ledtosharprecent
BY KAITLYNHUAMANI and MATT O’BRIEN AP technologywriters
Apple on Fridayaccused OpenAI of stealing trade secrets as it seeks to build its own hardware for ChatGPT,amajor rupture in apartnershipbetween theiPhone maker andthe artificial intelligence company
Apple said in the lawsuit filedin aCaliforniafederal court that the theft of its tradesecrets was part of a“coordinated pattern of misconduct at an institutionallevel” by OpenAI.
“This case is about Apple’sformer employees stealing Apple’s trade secrets for the benefit of OpenAI,” thefilingsays. “Apple brings this suit to putastop to it.”
swingsfor AI stocks, which have grown intosome of Wall Street’s mostinfluential because of their huge sizes.
Nvidia was the strongestsingle force lifting the S&P 500 Friday after rising 4%.
Delta Air Lines said it was able to absorbhigher fuel prices from April through June because of strong demand from customers to fly,including awide range of corporate travelers. That helped it report profit andrevenue for the spring that topped analysts’
expectations, and it gave aforecasted range forupcoming profit in the summer whosemidpoint was above analysts’ expectations.Delta’sstock fell 1.8%, though, after coming into the day withastrong28.2% rise forthe year so far
Companies across industries will need to produce big growth in profits to justify thebig moves for their stock prices, which are broadly near records.
Elsewhere on Wall Street, CircleInternet Group rose 5%. The
company behind the USDC cryptocurrency,which is supposed to keep the value of $1, said it won U.S. regulatory approval to establish abank. It will operateunder thenameCircleNational Trust, and CEO JeremyAllaire said the move“marks adefining step in bringing blockchain technology and digital assets into the core of the U.S. financial system.”
WD-40’sstock jumped10.6% after reporting muchstronger profit forthe latest quarter than analysts expected.
Twoformer Apple employees who now work for OpenAI are also named as defendants. OneisTang Tan, whohelpeddesign the iPhone, Apple Watch andiPod andisnow OpenAI’schief hardware officer
Theother is ChangLiu, aformer electrical engineer Apple says it entrusted with someofits most sensitive product development effortsbeforeLiu left Apple to join OpenAI earlier this year OpenAI did notimmediately respond to requestsfor comment. OpenAIhas never said exactly what type of device it is building but has described it as an effort to find anew way of interacting with AI thatgoesbeyond “traditional products and interfaces.” It’s part of abroader push to create aphysical embodiment of the latest AI advances, adecadeafter Amazon and Google introduced screen-free talking speakers into homes.
The lawsuit claimsthe effort was built partly on knowledge stolen from Apple.
ASSOCIATEdPRESS PHOTOByAHN yOUNG-JOON
Acurrency trader watches monitors near ascreen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), SK Hynix and Samsung ElectronicsCo. stockprice at the foreign exchange dealingroom of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul,South Korea, on Thursday.
OPINION
ANOTHERVIEW
ThenextAmerican revolution is already here
Recently,welooked back at the American Revolution Now it’stime to look ahead to the next revolution already taking shape.
This new revolution won’t be fought with muskets and cannon, but withcode, models and automated workflows. Sparked by artificial intelligence, it will fuse technology,economics and government policy in ways we’re only beginning to understand.
Ron Faucheux
Seen by many as mysterious and creepy,AIis imposing new demands on an unprepared government.
It’ssetting off alarms loud enough for both parties to hear AI should lift productivity. It will also bring fear and churn to the job market. It could dislocatemillions of workers, widen the wealth gap and furtherstrain our limping democracy
The size and speed of the AI transformation remain uncertain, but its scale will be revolutionary.Goldman Sachs says two-thirds of occupations could face significant AI exposurewithin adecade.The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development finds higher-wage, knowledge workers to be most exposed McKinsey estimates nearly athird of U.S. workhours could be automated. Imagine the ripple effects.
Politicians aren’tdriving this change; technology is.
AI will force government to think and act differently. It will put apremium on competence, efficiency and nimbleness in publicagencies. Americans won’tneed a technical manual to protect themselves, but anew visionfor managing government and safeguarding the economy Many agenciescan’t untangle yesterday’sIT problems, much lessmaster today’ssurging computing power.That’s why we must ask: Does government federal, state and local have the capacity to handle what’scoming?
One challenge cannot be dodged: reform of civilservice,the systemgovernment usestohire, fireand compensate public employees. AI will eliminate the need for hundreds of thousandsof government jobs and create the need for new ones.
Civil service must make sweeping changes to job descriptions, recruitmentefforts, training and pay scales to keep up.
AI rewards speed and flexibility; civil service, withits endless paperwork, doesn’t That will put Democrats in apolitical bind; do they support necessary reforms even if they offend their allies in public employee unions?
But Democrats have plenty off-the-shelf remedies to reduce AI’snegative effects: Medicare for All, cash assis-
tance for thedisadvantaged, higher taxes on therich and an array of free or subsidizedsocial services.These proposalswill appeal tothe left, especially newlyenergized DemocraticSocialists. They will also find support amongothers whoare less liberal, but who are losingjobsand careers due to AI. Economic conservatives needtobeon guard; they have big fightsaheadofthem Voters will demand action,and that usually meansmore spending, taxes andbureaucracy.Democrats will becomfortable in that political environment; Republicans won’t.
So,what will Republicans offer? Economic growth and governmentreform couldbe popularsolutions.But conservatives must spell out exactly how these policies will directly help those in need; if they can’tdothat,Democrats will havethe edge.
Oneidea that may gain traction is “universal basic income” (UBI),which would giveall Americans amonthly check without theneed to perform work. Numerousentrepreneurs, investors andpunditshave floatedvarious formsofUBI to cushion against economic disruptions caused by AI. This includes Elon Musk, who says it will be“necessary” as AI automates work. UBI would appeal to politicianslooking forafast fix. ButUBI would cost a fortune to implement— as much as $4 trillion ayear making it an awfully bigbet. That’swhy hard questions need to beasked about UBI and other new safety net proposals: Wouldthey changethe nation’swork ethic? Wouldtheyswell the national debt beyond what the economy and currency can stand?What other programscould becut to offset costs?
Expensivesocial welfare proposalswould likely face stiff opposition from the right, but an economic crisis could force Congress to get the ball rollingonone or some of them, even when many members are disinclined to doso. Remember how fiscalconservatives during thepandemicreluctantly voted for pumped-up unemployment benefits and rounds of cash giveaways that sentdeficits and debt into orbit?
They say never waste a crisis, butthey should also ask,how much will it really cost?
Thenext revolution has started. Whether it renews America or hardensits divisions depends on whether we can match the speed of technology with thelight of wisdom.
Ron Faucheuxisanonpartisanpoliticalanalyst,pollster and writer based in Louisiana.
YOUR VIEWS
Pay attentiontostorm surgeprotectionprojects
The Coastal Protection andRestoration Authority is currently stressing storm surge mitigation projects. Timely elevated structures are the only adequate method of accomplishing that goal. A10- to 15-foot storm surge event will cause severe damage to thespan of populated areas only protected by various low landforms. The CPRA is trying to accomplish effective storm surge protection through the construction of adequate mitigation projects. Can that be achieved within the CPRA guidelines and budget?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can construct the necessary projects to accomplish that goal. They are currently not doing that based on the support of the many Mississippi River crevasses by not adequately clos-
ing them. The saltwater infusion issue will continue to harm the communities of the delta and possibly locationsfurther upriver The destruction of thousands of acres of east bank oyster and associated fisheries continues. The completed Neptune crevasse USACE structure wasnot designed to accomplish storm surge protection. That structure is said to be currently sinking. Timely mitigation by elevated temporary structures constructed utilizing sheet piling effectively solves theissue. The sheet piling can be easily removed at somepoint of that process or remain.Permanent sheet piling structures were constructed in Lafitte andLake Borne postKatrina projects.
KENNETH RAGAS NewOrleans
Hammondoverrides guidelines that made downtown unique
Iwritewith deep disappointmentabout theJune 9Hammond City Council decision to overturn theHistoric District Commission’sdenial of arequest to paint exposed brick and stone at 408410 W. Thomas St. The commission’sdenial followed theHammond Historic District guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’sStandards for Rehabilitation, which discourage painting historic masonry
The commission has applied these standards consistently for 48 years. We were appointed by themayor and confirmed by the council because we possess the training and experience to interpret preservation guidelines and protect downtown Hammond’s historic fabric.
Ourwork contributed to the district’s national recognition in 2022 with aGreat American Main Street Award. The commission has been acornerstone of downtown’s resurgence: Vacancies are under 5% and many properties have been responsibly rehabilitated using historic tax credits and established guidelines. Visitors, residents, businesses and film productions are drawn to downtown’sunique sense of place.
When councilmember Carlee Gonzales seconded council member Steve Leon’s motion to override thedenialfor Christopher Edwards, she remarked that the commission gives little consideration to economic development. That is incorrect. Since 1978, thecommission’spreservation standards have been grounded in economic development. Those standards are whydowntown is attractive, why investments worth millions align with them, and why altering historic features, such as painting masonry, would degrade materials and harm thecharacter that sustains commerce.
The council’sreversal disregards decades of policy and expert review andsubstitutes politics for preservation principles. Irespectfully request that Mayor Pete Panepinto veto this action.
If Hammond is serious about preserving downtown’scharacter and economic vitality,the council should respect thecommission’s role, consult the guidelines and base decisions on informed review rather than expedience.
MICHAEL HOLLY commissioner Hammond Historic district Hammond
Endsaleof
flavored tobaccoto protectLa. minors
In May,the Food and Drug Administration announced that it authorized four flavored e-cigarette products, including mango and blueberry flavors. This marks the first timethe FDAhas authorized a flavored e-cigarette product (other than menthol and tobacco flavors) and it’svery concerning forthe health of our kids.
After years of recognizing the dangers flavored e-cigarettes pose to youth, it is deeply troubling to see the FDAignore the scientific evidence and reverse course. According to the FDA’s own report, youth often start vaping because of flavored products, including fruit flavors. One in 10 middle school students and 1in5high school students in Louisiana currently use a tobacco product. More than 70% of youth initiate tobacco use by vaping.
Proven policies like comprehensive flavored tobacco laws, high tobacco taxes, strong smokefree laws and public education campaigns work. We have done atremendous job in reducing smoking over the last 50 years and even saw a70% decrease in youth e-cigarette use from 2019 to 2024. But we cannot go backward.
With the FDAfailing to protect our kids from tobacco use, Louisiana lawmakers must take action to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products to protect the health and safety of our youngest residents.
ERICWEINZETTLE director of advocacy, American Lung Association
Comparing Confederates to Nazis beyond thepale
As the descendant of three generations of NewOrleanians who served in the Armyofthe Tennessee —one of whom wasaprisoner of war at Meridian, Itake great exception to Michael Burnside’scomparison of Confederate soldiers to Nazi soldiers. Notonly is it historically inaccurate, it is also an ethnic slur on people whoemigrated from Ireland to NewOrleans in 1832 and becamerespectable businessmen. They served on the Confederate side because that wastheir home and their livelihood. And by the way, they never owned any slaves.
BILL HUEY Baton Rouge
SPORTS
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
It was quite asenior season forLee Amedee.
After adisappointing 2025 campaignfor the UL Ragin’ Cajuns, Amedee decided to stickaroundand help restore the program’s winning tradition.
He delivered the best offensive anddefensive season of his career in leading the Cajuns to the Starkville Regionals.
Amedee then followed that up by winning the Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy Now,Amedee hopes for asecond encore by being selected in this weekend’s2026 Ma-
jor League Baseball Draft in Philadelphia. Rounds 1-4 will begin at noon Saturday,followed by rounds 5-20 starting at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday “I’m just hoping for thebest,” Amedee said. “I know whatever happens has happenedfor areason, so I’m just going to trust Godthroughout that process. There’sreally nothing Ican do now.It’sout of myhands.”
The6-foot-1, 205-pound left-handed hitter batted .300 with 12 doubles,four triples, seven homers, 54 RBIs and seven stolen bases.
After mostly playing third during his career, Amedee became UL’s everyday first basemanthis season —although he played on thirdand secondbase occasionally —and
didn’tmake asingle error
Amedee ‘hopingfor thebest’ ahd fMLB Df
“I thinkjustworking tant coach SethThibod lot,” Amedee saidofhis less defense in hisfirst s at first base. “I also wor lotwithTrey (student ass LaFleur), just picking h because he was really goo base.”
As for the serviceaward said, “I really feel likeany team could have won tha causeour team has done nityservice over the last As excited as Amedee is drafted thisweekend, not
all season withThib (assiseaux)a flaweason ked a istant is brain dat first
,Amedee one on our taward, beso much commufour years ” to potentially get getting a call won t
head of MLB Draft
ROOM BR G
LSU’sbig offseasongave Johnsonmoreoptions with MLBdraft signees
MLB’s proposed changescould transform collegeball
Owners suggesteliminating high school playersfromdraft
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
If Major League Baseball goes into alockout, the ramifications would be obvious. Players would be outofwork. Team employees would likely be furloughed or,even worse, laid off. And fans wouldn’tbeable to enjoy the sport that they love.
But the consequences of awork stoppage in MLB wouldn’tend there. Alockout and the effects of anew collective bargaining agreement—the current one expires in December —would also strike at the heart of how LSU baseball fills out its roster every year
That’sbecause this year’sMLB Draft couldbethe final oneunder itscurrentset of rules.
“I thinkprobably thebiggest thingisit’s just abunchofquestionmarks foreverybody,” one MLB scout said. “I think at the end of the day,the samething that always kind of rings true is that theownersdon’t wanttospend as much money,and the owners want amore efficient way for talent to get to MLB.”
LSU coach JayJohnson walks out of the dugout before agameagainst OklahomaonMarch21atAlex BoxStadium. STAFF FILE PHOTOByMICHAEL JOHNSON
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
Jay Johnson’sjob this summer was never going to be easy
LSU neededtoreplace itsstartingoutfield. It had to revitalize an infielddefense that struggled throughout2026, and changes were needed to apitchingstaff that finished last in the Southeastern Conference in ERA.
But, for the most part, thosequestions LSU entered the summer with have been answered. It’swhy Johnson headsintothisweekend’sMLB Draft —which begins on Saturday at noon with rounds 1-4and continues on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. with rounds 5-20 —feeling good about this offseason and where his team stands heading into next year
“Weretained just about everybody we wanted to retain,” Johnsonsaid.
“And then with the portal, we’re excited about what we’ve added. And we’ve got athird layer of this with thedraftand the highschoolrecruits, and we’rejust kind oftrying to get prepared for alot of different scenarios with that.”
third round for teams to pay guys $2 millionormore. And we have anumberofguysthatI think arecapable of commanding that bonus.”
Last month, in the early stages of negotiationswiththe MLBplayersunion,owners laid outa varietyofproposedchanges to theMLB Draftand amateurdevelopment system. Theproposalincluded eliminating high school players from thedraft, forcing those players to stay in college foratleast twoyears, shrinkingthe draftto12rounds and slashing signing bonuses in half For context, clubs have over $358 million to spend on players during this weekend’s MLBDraft, andhigh school players have been eligible forthe draft sinceitbegan in 1965. Changing the latter custom would not only addmore talenttothe college game but it would also save money for major league owners.
“I think MajorLeague Baseball appreciates thefact that it has avery strongpipeline coming from college baseball,” ESPN MLBinsiderJeffPassantoldThe Advocate months before theowners’latest proposal. “A lot of the baseball education that’sdone these days happens at the college level, and MLB teams essentially don’thave to pay forit.
LSU has 22 high school signees who could be swooped up by MLB teams in the coming days. Johnson expects about14ofthem to make it to campus, but afteradding eight players from the transfer portal and bringing back numerous key pieces on both sides of the ball, LSU won’t have to rely on apositiveoutcome at the MLB Draft to finish off the lineup or startingrotation. With only 17 signees, LSUlost eight players to thedraft last summer.
Rebuilding thelineup
“It’sreally hard to forecast because Ithink we have maybe only onethat’sgoing to go in thefirst round (this year),but there’sa huge ‘but’behind this:There’sgoing to be (morethan) $350 million given away to players in this draft,” Johnson said.“So that’s alot of wiggleroom when you talk about the second and
LSUbrought back four of itsfive best hittersbythe end of last year, including OmarSerna, CadeArrambide, MasonBraun andSteven Milam. Convincing Milam, who was draft-eligible,toreturnwas arguably the best news Johnsongot all summer Milamcaught Johnsonoff guard when he told him he’d be returning ä See LSU, page 3C
AP PHOTO By MATT SLOCUM Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin
3:10
Dodgers’ Ohtani to miss All-Star Game due to knee
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will miss next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia because of continued irritation in his left knee.
The Dodgers added that Ohtani would not make his scheduled start on the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday but would continue to start at designated hitter throughout the weekend. Ohtani has been dealing with discomfort in his left knee for at least a month. The right-hander had an outing cut short against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 11 because of inflammation in the knee.
The Dodgers said that after their series against the D-backs ends on Sunday, Ohtani will have some “interventions” done on the knee to get ready for the second half of the season, which will cause him to miss the All-Star Game.
Cardinals, Wetherholt agree to $112.5M deal
WIMBLEDON
Sinner routs Djokovic in semifinal
BY ANDREW DAMPF Associated Press
LONDON Novak Djokovic didn’t dwell on Centre Court after getting dominated by Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals.
The 39-year-old Djokovic enjoyed a warm, smile-filled embrace with his 24-year-old opponent at the net after the 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat Friday, quickly packed up his tennis bags and then waved to the boisterous crowd as he held one hand to his chest to show his appreciation as he walked off. Will the seven-time Wimbledon champion ever be back to play on these hallowed lawns again?
Only time — something that Djokovic is running out of — will tell.
It’s been nearly three years since Djokovic won his record-extending 24th Grand Slam singles title at the 2023 U.S. Open. And despite reaching the semifinals at all four Grand Slams last year and reaching a final and another semi in two of three Slams this year — he acknowledges that’s not enough.
“For 99% of the players, that would be a very good Grand Slam result,” Djokovic said. “For me, it’s good but not good enough, because I’m blessed and cursed to be used to something of a highest degree in terms of results and achievements.
“I always have the highest expectations for myself,” Djokovic added. “So it’s kind of that internal battle really of what I’ve been through for the 20-plus years of my career, what the goals were always, the expectations, and trying to balance it out and really be a little more humble in that sense.”
Still, Djokovic expressed interest in playing Wimbledon when he’s 40: “I would like to, at least one more time,” he said.
“I feel when I’m healthy,”
Djokovic added, “I’m still able to play as a top-five player, still able to compete at the highest level.”
For Sinner, it was a measure of revenge after Djokovic won their last meeting in five sets in this year’s Australian Open semifinals.
“Playing against Novak,” Sinner said, “what he’s still showing is true inspiration.”
Aiming to defend his title at the grass-court Grand Slam, the topranked Sinner will face secondseeded Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final.
Zverev ended the “Ferytale” run of British wild card Arthur Fery with an overpowering 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-4 victory earlier as the starstudded crowd on Centre Court witnessed two one-way contests.
Zverev will be playing for another major trophy a month after
winning his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
If there were any lingering questions over Sinner’s physical status after his meltdown at the French Open, they should be answered now
Sinner blasted his way past Djokovic and showed off the kind of dominance he displayed before that second-round defeat in Paris.
“I knew mentally,” Sinner said, “that today I had to raise my level, which I’ve done.”
Andre Agassi attributed Sinner’s performance in part to Djokovic: “What these guys can do now is all because he has shown them what’s possible,” Agassi said on the BBC.
Sinner on a roll vs. Zverev
Zverev, whose breakthrough at
Roland Garros came in his fourth Grand Slam final, is attempting to become the first man in the professional era (since 1968) to win his second major title at the next event immediately after his first.
Sinner has won his last nine meetings with Zverev and 14 straight sets.
“I have to trust myself and I have to believe that I can win and that’s what I’m going to do,” Zverev said before he knew who his opponent would be.
The 114th-ranked Fery, who grew up five minutes from the All England Club and played at Stanford University, was attempting to become the first wild card to reach the final since Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001.
McIlroy shares lead at Scottish Open
Scheffler misses cut for first time in nearly four years
BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland Rory McIlroy took advantage of the scoring holes in windy conditions Friday and posted a 4-under 66 for a three-way share of the lead in a Scottish Open that no longer has Scottie Scheffler. As comfortable as McIlroy looked, Scheffler struggled from the start and wound up with a 72 to miss the 36-hole cut for the first time in nearly four years He had made 78 cuts in a row, the longest streak since Tiger Woods set the record (142) more than 20 years ago.
“Got off to a poor start and after that, I didn’t really it close enough to give myself a bunch of looks,” Scheffler said. “That’s how you shoot over par.” Jordan Smith of England had the low score of the tournament with a 63 and was the first to post at 9-under 131, joined by the resurgent Tom Kim (66) and McIlroy, who has not won since going backto-back in the Masters in April.
ASSOCIATEd
Rory McIlroy plays on the 14th fairway during the first round of the Scottish Open on Thursday at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland McIlroy had a share of the lead after two rounds.
“It would have been nice to be a couple better,” McIlroy said. “But it’s obviously another good day and in good position.”
But the most surprising development at The Renaissance Club was Scheffler Instead of heading to the range after his round, he was making plans to head south earlier than he imagined for his title defense in the British Open at Royal Birkdale.
He had not missed the cut since the 2022 FedEx St Jude Championship.
Scheffler had company that was equally surprising. Patrick Cantlay and Bernd Wiesberger became the first players since Jordan Spieth at the 2023 Sony Open to share the 18-hole lead and then miss the cut Cantlay shot a 74, while Wiesberger shot 43 on the back nine for a 78.
Brooks Koepka, who was one shot off the lead going into Friday, also missed the cut.
McIlroy who won the Scottish Open three years ago, found a new wedge to help him with firm turf at Renaissance and next week at Birkdale. He still faces a busy leaderboard going into the weekend.
Smith ran off four straight birdies early on the back nine, all of them inside 10 feet. Kim, who tied for third in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, holed a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 seven and finished with two birdies on his last five holes.
Kim fell out of the top 100 in the world before steadily climbing back up. The U.S. Open was a big step, and it eventually got him into the British Open next week.
“I think being under the radar was kind of nice, just be able to work on my game and keep getting better,” Kim said. “Not being in the spotlight all the time, you don’t see everything, you don’t see all the good stuff. I knew I was really, really close. And I’m still working towards trying to be the best I can be. But all those little things kind of kept adding, kept adding, and I think it’s shown the last couple weeks.”
The St. Louis Cardinals and JJ Wetherholt have agreed to an eightyear, $112.5 million contract that starts next season and buys out the rookie second baseman’s first several years of potential free agency St. Louis selected Wetherholt seventh overall out of West Virginia in the 2024 amateur draft and he rocketed through their farm system. The 23-year-old made his major league debut on opening day and was hitting .267 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs and nine stolen bases going into Friday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves. Advanced metrics also have graded Wetherholt as one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball this season. He is earning the major league minimum $780,000 this year
Wembanyama’s extension with Spurs may top $250M
Victor Wembanyama has signed what will be the richest contract in San Antonio Spurs history, a fiveyear extension that could exceed $250 million if the player option in the final season is picked up, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday
The Spurs, who went to the NBA Finals this past season behind the All-NBA center and unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, announced that Wembanyama had signed, simply saying the sides agreed on “a multi-year contract extension.”
The agreement comes at a discount; Wembanyama could have agreed to a deal that topped $300 million but chose a lesser amount to help give the Spurs flexibility going forward with their young core, the person said.
Top-ranked Korda misses cut; Woad takes Evian lead
EVIAN-LES-BAINS France Topranked Nelly Korda’s bid for a third straight major and fifth overall ended early when she missed the cut after the second round of the Evian Championship on Friday As Korda scrapped to stay in the tournament, English golfer Lottie Woad carded a 7-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead from overnight leader Aki Iwai of Japan.
Korda had a poor opening round of 74 on Thursday and, although she improved with 69 on Friday, her 1-over total left her tied for 67th and she missed the cut by one stroke. She last missed a cut at the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship. Woad’s round featured eight birdies and a bogey and put her on 11 under overall at the midway point of the fourth of the five women’s majors this year
Percy shoots 66 at rainy Firestone to take lead AKRON, Ohio Cameron Percy shot a 4-under 66 on Friday at rainy Firestone Country Club to take a one-stroke lead in the Kaulig Companies Championship, the fourth of the five major tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions. Percy had a 7-under 133 total. The 52-year-old Australian is winless on the senior tour “You can’t fake it around here. You’ve got to hit it solid,” Percy said. “The par 3s are hard, everything’s hard. You’ve got to hit it really good. You can’t just slap it everywhere and shoot a 68.” First-round leader Jerry Kelly was tied for second with Zach Johnson. Kelly shot 69, and Johnson had his second straight
ASSOCIATEd PRESS PHOTO By BRIAN INGANGA
Jannik Sinner serves to Novak djokovic in their singles semifinal match on Friday at Wimbledon in London.
PRESS PHOTO By MALCOLM MACKENZIE
CAJUNS
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discourage him much. He’sseen former teammate John Taylorgo undrafted and then play on two independentleagueteamsbeforesigning with the Texas Rangers.
Currently,Taylor is playing Triple-A ball for the RoundRock Express.
“Yes, John kind of laid outthe pathway if you don’tget drafted,” Amedee said. “If you wanttokeep playing baseball, there’saway.I’m definitely not ready to stop playing baseball.”
While Amedee is out of college eligibility,there are ahandful of players who are now juniors again on UL’s roster followinglast month’s newNCAA5-for-5eligibility guideline. Cajuns coach Matt Deggs could see afew of them getting acall this weekend.
With the transfer portal working out for the Cajuns, the coaching staff waits to see if any other po-
MLB
Continued from page1C
“So farming out labor sounds good. Baseball organizationswill sign up for that eight days aweek.”
It’sunlikely that all ofMLB’s proposals will be implemented TheMLB players union hasalready decried the plans in astatement, saying that “MLB made another set of proposals that are flatout badfor baseball,ones that would cripple the nextgeneration of players and damage the future of our game.”
Before MLB’slatest proposal, two scouts had speculated in interviews with The Advocatethat MLB was intent on removing high school players from the draft. Last
tentialholes in the roster open up after thedraft.
PitcherCodyBrasch is expected to be taken in the first 10 rounds, so there’snoexpectationhe’ll be returningtoLafayette.
But Deggs said there will be teams considering such juniors as Donovan LaSalle, Ty Roman and Drew Markle.
“You just never know,” Deggs said. “It’shard to speculate anymore. Everythingissodifferent now. It’s allacalculatedgamble. With theway things haveshaken out at our level with NIL andrev share, Ithink more guys are going to gettothe point where they turn it down and come back “Tome, it’snot just about the money.It’sabout maximizing your baseballlife.”
Forsomedraftees,gettingpaid andthe opportunity is enough. For aprospectthatisnot quite ready, though, Deggswarns that getting drafted often initiates atwo-year exit from thegame.
Things began to click for LaSalle down thestretch,and he unleashed
month’sofferfrom theowners only confirmed their suspicions.
“MLB wants to have areally good working relationshipwith the collegeteams,” one scout said.
“Owners want more assurance with draftingcollege players. Just look at the amount of money that’s spentonhigh school players. The data is just not very good. It’s alot of wasted money.”
If MLB’sproposalshad been in place over thepastfew seasons, LSU would have had the likes of Konnor Griffin, Justin Crawford and Robby Snelling wearing the purpleand goldfor twoyears
All three players wereLSU signees who were drafted out of high school, became top prospects and have since debuted in themajor leagues
Having players of Griffin’scali-
his power stroke. The Oklahoma Statetransfer hit .238 with 11 doubles, 13 homers and 44 RBIs Roman alsoshined down the stretch from theleft side, striking out 89 in 87 innings with a4-4 record and 4.83 ERA.
Marklehas alwaysdisplayed his athleticism on a6-foot-5 frame with the ability to play center fieldand anyofthe infield positions.
“Personally,Iwouldn’tforsake the opportunitytoplay another year on atight-knit college team,” Deggs said. “Other than if you’re on abig league team that makes the playoffs, this is the last true team you’reever going to play on.
“Tome, you need to maximize that camaraderie and brotherhood, but every situation is different. We’ll see what happens. Ireally believe there are two or three big leaguers on ourroster right now.It’sjust amatter of when.”
Email KevinFooteat kfoote@theadvocate.com.
ber on LSU’sroster would transform not just theTigers, but every program in college baseball. There’dbeasignificant trickledown effect that would raise the level of talent at mid-major schools and junior college programs.
That’s, in part, because not every top signee is ready tocontribute in aleague suchasthe Southeastern Conference right away
“In theSEC, there’ssomuch pressure to win right now,” ascout said. “You go through the starting lineups; it’s almostananomaly now when you see afreshman playing every day.”
Ultimately,highschool players may not get boxed out of the draft Passan didn’tbelieve that would be the caseinhis conversation with The Advocate beforeMLB’s latest proposal, and the MLB play-
ers union has already taken ahard stance on theissue.
But even if high school players are still allowed to be selected under the next CBA, other changes could arise. The draft could be shortened further,the bonus pools for players may shrink or the ability for teams to sign players to over-orunder-slot deals could be eliminated.
Whatever happens, the owners seem intent on making sweeping changes, not just withthe draft but with the entire sport —the introduction of asalary cap being the mostnotable proposal.
The owners are so motivated to make changes that one scout told The Advocate he expects there to be alockout that would last through all of next year,which would mean there would be no
MLB games in 2027. And nobody wholoves the game would wantthat scenario.
“Ownershipisinsuch adifferentposition than it waswhen we were coming offofCOVID that I think they’re going to draw ahuge line in the sand: ‘Hey,we’regoing to stick to this, and we wanta(salary) cap,’ ”the scout said. “And I think theplayers havejustfought it forsolongthatIdon’t seethem going downwithout afight as well.
“Both sidesjust seem to be so dug in right now that it’s hard for me to see apath to them playing in 2027.”
Email Koki Rileyatkoki.riley@ theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates,signupfor our newsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter
to LSU for his senior season.The possibility of him coming back was brought to JohnsoninApril, but LSU’scoach didn’tbelieve it because he thought MLB would prioritize Milam as aslick-fielding shortstop who was coming offhis best season at the plate against SEC competition.
“I’m probably his biggest fan as a player.I think(he has) tremendous value for aMajor League Baseball team,” Johnson said. “He went out and did his research about where he felt he would be anddecided that he wanted to come back “I think that’sthe cool side of this. This is more about (the fact that) he wasn’tready to leave yet.I think that’spretty awesome.”
With Milam, Braun, Arrambide and Serna providing LSU astrong core for the lineup,Johnsonwas aggressive in the transferportal to supplement what he already had LSU added outfieldersAngel Laya (Oregon), Jason Wachs (Tulane) and Bino Watters (Notre Dame) to replace its starting outfield from the past two seasons. Laya, Wachs and Watters were all in the top-60 of ESPN’sportal rankings.
Theonly question surrounding the trio is who plays center field Laya, Wachs and Watters were primarily corner outfielders at their past stops.
“I think they all are goodoutfielders,” Johnson said. “I need to, frankly,see more beforeI would comment on that, but we’ll probably play them all in center at some point during the fall and go from there.
“I think Jasoncoulddoit. Ithink Angel can do it, and Bino’sagood runner.Imean, he has like six or seven stolen basesupinthe (Cape Cod Baseball League).”
On the infield, the Tigers also brought in Texas State shortstop Dawson Park and Floridasecond baseman Cade Kurland.Park is expected to shift to third base with Milam returning to shortstop —and Kurland will likely play sec-
ond baseafter starting there for fouryears at Florida.
Park is coming off abig season, hitting13home runs and posting a .962 on-base plus slugging percentage last year at Texas State. But hiscampaignwas cut short in early May after he gotintoanon-field altercation with ateammate and left the program for theremainder of theseason theday after “Relative to the situation, Idid what Ineeded to do to findout everythingaboutthat,”Johnsonsaid.“And I’mcomfortablewithit,andfeelvery good about Dawson. And Ihavezero concerns about him fitting intoour team andadding to our team.”
Pitching stafftakingshape
LSUwas aggressive in the portal in addinghitters, but the same wasn’t true for the Tigers’ portal strategy with pitchers. They were more timidinthe market, only adding three arms, none of whom are left-handed
That,inpart,was because the market for pitchers wasn’t strong in Johnson’seyes. LSU aggressively pursued only one left-handed pitcher in theportal, he said, and Gonzaga right-hander Landon Hood —one of the Tigers’ three pitching additions —was among thefew pitcherswith the profile they were seeking.
“Early on, as we wereevaluating what was in the portal, Ididn’t think there would be manyguys like him entering,” Johnson said about Hood. “And we were right about that.”
Johnson’sexcitement about Hood, therefore, can’tbeunderstated. Therising sophomore was theWest Coast Conference Freshman of the Year after posting a2.48 ERAin541/3 innings. He struckout 78 batters while only walking21.
“He’sa really good pitcher and areally good competitor,” Johnson said.
Along withHood,LSU also add-
edright-handers Diego Velazquez (SouthernCal) and Kaden Smith (South Florida).
Velazquez, atwo-way player,is another rising sophomore who was atop recruit from California in the 2025 class, postinga4.26ERA on the mound as afreshman and playing 26 games as aposition player Johnson wouldn’tclose the door on his future as ahitter,but he views Velazquezasapitcher first moving forward.
“The focus is pitching,” Johnson said. “He’sgoing to be an excellent draft pick outofhereintwo yearsas apitcher.I thinkhe’sgoodenoughto be aposition player forus. We may investigate that, but Ithink he’sgot theability to be asignificantcontributor to the pitching staff.” Smithwas alater addition to LSU’sportal class. He posted a4.24 ERA over 462/3 innings, working as both astarter anda relieverfor theBulls aftertransferring from TCU, where he spenthis freshman year.Johnson believes he is good enough to get outs in the SEC. With Casan Evans, Cooper Moore andWilliam Schmidt already set to return, LSU didn’tneed to remake thetop of its staff. Hood hasa chancetocrack thatrotation, and Velazquezand Smith could contribute as important relievers, but therest of the staff will likely be madeupoffreshmen and returning arms LSUisset to bringback righthanders Zion Theophilus and Reagan Rickenand left-handers DannyLachenmayer,Jonah Aase, EthanPlogand Cooper Williams. The Tigers also have one junior college commit (right-hander Major Osbolt) and 11 high school signees they could add depending on the outcome of the MLB Draft.
One of those signees, left-hander Braxton Beaty,has alreadywithdrawn his namefrom the draft.
“There are afew targeted playersthatwefeelwillhelpusget to another level next year,” Johnson said. “And, obviously,for the long-term success of the program, Ithink getting someofthis young pitching talent through will be important.”
Howthe freshman class fits in LSU’s freshman class enters this year’s draft as the No.2class in the nation, according to Perfect Game. Butask Johnson which signees makeitthrough the draft, and he can’tpretend to give astraight answer “All I’mdoing right nowis (thinking about) what’sgoing to happen with the draftthis week,” Johnson said. “Like it’s1000% my focus. Having conversationswith players andtheir advisers, and those types of things.
“We’llsee. Iwish Icould be abetterprognosticator of howit’sgoing to go, but nobody really gives anybody astraight answer in regards to these things.”
It’s hard to deny the impact some of LSU’s top signees could makeifthey madeittoschool. Dominic Santarelli has one of the most powerful high schoolbats in the draft. Malachi Washington is apower-hitting center fielder with top-tier athleticism. Will Adamsisafirst baseman who’d be ready to contribute as ahitter on Day 1.
But if none of themmakeitto school, Johnson has madesure to cover his potential losses with top hitters in the transfer portal, such as Laya, Watters and Park.
LSU may be more reliant on its tophigh school signees to make it through the draft on the pitching side —including left-handerLucas Nawrocki and right-hander Cooper Sides —but Johnson still has most of histop arms returning and has added three morefrom the portal.
According to Johnson, LSU landed eight of the 10 players it coveted in the portal.
“I think, forthe mostpart, we met the needs for this team that were maybe lacking with some of the returning players in the portal,” Johnson said, “probably about as good as you can.”
Email Koki Rileyatkoki.riley@ theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates,signupfor our newsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter
STAFF PHOTO By BRAd KEMP
UL infielder Lee Amedee, shown here playingagame in the Starkville Regional, is hoping to hear hisname called in thisweekend’sMLB draft.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK
LSU coachJay Johnson watches apitch during an opening-season game against Milwaukee on Feb.13atAlex Box Stadium
TerryRobinson
FAITH MATTERS
BelfairChurch feasts on ‘Lunch and Learn’ series
Bibles were open. Pens moved across notebooks. Eyes followed both while ears were fixed on the Rev.Jon Bennett’steaching Members of Belfair Church in Baton Rougehave been getting their fill during the annual two-month summer “Lunch and Learn” Bible study series, trading in their Wednesday noon lunch hours for an opportunity to dig deeperinto Scriptures.
Bennett, the church’spastor for 24 years, said it gives him joyto see the enthusiastic turnoutfor the series, which concludes with groupdiscussions
“It encourages me as apastor to see that our members love the Word and that they want to grow,” said Bennett, 47. “In the middle of the day, they bringtheir lunch andfeast on the Word.”
This series has centered on the seven churches described in the prophetic Book of Revelation.
Azalee Barlow,aminister and member of Belfair for nearly 48 years, said the study of the churches has given her an understanding of how to cope during the difficult times in which we are living.
“It’sspeaking of what’sgoing on now and getting us prepared,” said Barlow,70. “Wehavetorealize that we have to go through all this stuff, but we have to keep our eyes focused on the prize— and that prize is Jesus.”
Last week’sstudy focused on the church at Thyatira.
Bennett said Thyatira was a working church characterized by love, faith, service, patience and endurance. But he highlighted from Revelation 2that the church tolerated “that woman Jezebel,” which represents corrupting influence and named for theidolatrous Old Testament figure.
“She lived kind of aloose lifestyle. Shenot only lived it,but she told other people that it was OK,” Bennett shared with the class. He warned that Jezebel andher followers will be judged.
“Weforget who we’re messing with,” Bennett said. “We think just because folks in the world get away with sin, we can get away withsin. (Jesus) says,
ä See FAITH, page 6C
PROVIdEdPHOTO FROM FOOdNETWORK Louisiana mother-and-sonbarbecue team LeslieRoark Scott andJacob Scott are oneofnineteams on the firstseason of Food Network’s ‘Pitmasters.’
INTO THE FIRE
BY JUDY BERGERON Staff writer
When Leslie Roark Scottand her son, Jacob Scott, “gothe whole hog,” they mean it literally.
The dynamic barbecuing duo are fourth- and fifth-generation pitmasters and Yazoo City, Mississippi, natives whomoved south last year andimmersed themselves in lifeinNew Orleans’ Marigny neighborhood
“I liketosay thesame river (the Mississippi),differentswamp,” Roark Scottsaid Monday on aphone call shared withher son/grilling partner
Viewers can see theScottsinaction starting Monday on Food Network’s new competition series “Pitmasters,” not to be confused with thenetwork’s 2009-15 show “BBQ Pitmasters.”
ä See FIRE, page 6C
JANRISHER ffwriter
Eight weeks in, andthe count ands at 142 postcards from 40 ates and 14 counes. They keep arrivg —from Grand teau,from Chicafrom Ireland and intsbeyond.
ohn James Maketook the chalnge of making his own postcard, keeping withpartofthis year’s eme. He sent his interpretation Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arina. The McGovern family wenton unconventional pilgrimage to wa. My mom worked forJohn ere,” Mr.McGovern wrote. “We ways havetobow our heads when see aDeere tractor.So, of course, hadtovisit theJohnDeereMu-
seuminIowa.” From tinyGrand Coteau,the Blanchards kept it simple: “Preciouslodging, cute shops, lovely homes, good food —great experience.” Michele Snyder wrotefromLittle Rock, Arkansas, witha NewOrleans historylessonona postcard, explainingthat Sicilian immigrants landed in New Orleansinthe late 19th and 20th centuries and left their mark on the producetrade —fruit, oysters —and on the city’stable, from the muffuletta to the St. Joseph altar tradition. Tenstates remain unclaimed: Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts,Nebraska,Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina andVermont. The 2026 Postcard Project ends on Labor Day.
Bennett
Jobhuntertoo focusedonnegativity
Harriette Cole
SENSE ANd SENSITIVITy
DEAR HARRIETTE: Irecently applied for and interviewed foran internship in the city.Ifelt like the interview went well, and Iwas told Imet the requirements and qualifications for the role. The company ended up going in adifferent direction, and Iam at aloss. Inormally get everything I want and apply for, and Ihave never faced rejection before.I don’tknow whattodo. I feel down about it and likeI have let myself and my family down. Ialways aim to be the best,and now I’m not. I’m writing to see if you have any words of encourage-
Nutallergy scare occurs with beer
ment oradvicetohelp get me out of this post-interviewfunk. —PostInterview Funk DEAR POST INTERVIEW FUNK: There’s asaying:Don’tput your eggs in one basket. What does that mean? Ihave another friend who just experienced this same thing. He applied for oneinternship, was over-the-moon excited about it, andthen he was crushed when he didn’tget it. Plus, he didn’thave apivot becausehehadn’teven looked at other opportunities. That is crushing,but as hard as it seems, youhavetopick yourself up andlook for something else. Of course, rejection sucks. But thegood news is there are lotsof choices outthere. Youjust have to go outand find them. Look around,ask for help and don’t
give up. It stings, but it’s OK. That wasn’tfor you even though you wanted it. So, what’s next?The best way to get out of your negativityisto double down on finding something else. Get up every day and search for opportunities. Stop talking about what didn’thappen for you and focus on what you want. Say out loud what you are looking for Tell other people, and invite the universe to help you manifesta job
DEAR HARRIETTE: Ihave been going out with aguy for thepast five months. He attends military college, and every chance he got this past semester,hewould travel an hour to spend time with me in thecity.When we weren’tseeing each other in person, we were
textingand FaceTiming all day and night. Irecently came home for thesummer,and everything has changed.Our conversations slowly started to fade, and then out of nowhere, he texted me saying that he wanted to take apause on our relationship and pursue someoneelse. I’mhurt and confused by this, especially since the day before, he told me how much he missed me and yearned to see me. I’vespent the whole day crying, and Ifeel like Ihave done something wrong. Why doesn’the want me? Why am Isuddenly no longer good enough? How do Iget past this rejection and the relationship? —Rejected and Gutted DEAR REJECTED AND GUTTED: Being abruptly sidelined fornoapparent reason can be devastating. It’s
no wonder you are upset. Sometimes you cannot understand a person’smotivations. Clearly,he met someone else and wants to see where that may lead. While that is painful, be glad he told you rather than either just ghosting you or cheating on you. Give yourself timetomourn this loss, but also get up and go out. Don’t allow yourself to wallow in the pain. The season of sunshine is here. Go out and enjoy it. Getintouch with friends and do someexploring of your city.Keep busy as you heal your heart. Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o AndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
TODAYINHISTORY
By The Associated Press
Today is Saturday,July 11, the 192nd day of 2026. There are 173 days leftinthe year
TodayinHistory:
Hints from Heloise
Dear Heloise: This is awarning/tip for adults witha nut allergy. My 40-year-old daughter was at acraft brewery with friends enjoying abeer when she began havinga mild reaction, as she has withher allergy to severalnuts. She took the appropriate steps immediately and is fine. She called me the next day asking “what are the chances?” When Iwent on the brewery’swebsite, this particular beer had already been removed, so we couldn’tevencheck the ingredients. So, this is aword to the wise. Apparently,beer ingredients needn’tbelisted on the label. If you have anut allergy,ask before you drink. —J.D., in St.Louis J.D., thanks for the warning.I found out that mangos were afirst cousin to poison ivy after Iate one. They’re adelicious fruit, but they’re not for me. —Heloise Vaping isn’tharmless
Dear Heloise: My daughtergave up cigarettes and took up vaping!She went from bad to worse as far as I’m concerned, but she keepssaying that vaping is harmless. Is it harmless?
—Andrea K., in Iowa
Andrea, no, it’snot harmless
According to the Centers for Disease Control, many vaping devices contain more nicotine than cigarettes. They also have cancercausing chemicals and heavy metals, and they can irritate the lungs. The use of an e-cigarette isn’tsafer than cigarettes,but many young people believe that they’ll quit before there is any real danger —orthat they won’t be affected by vaping. —Heloise Have medicalinfoready
Dear Heloise: Whensomeonecalls emergency services and rescue personnel comes to your house, you may not be able to give them the facts that they’d need to take care of you. This is why Ihave vital medical information on one sheet of paper,which Ihave laminated and affixedtothe back of my front door.Itincludes my full name, date of birth, age, my primary care physician with their phone number, emergency contacts with their addressesand phone numbers, allergies, important highlights of my medical history,medicationsand supplements, surgeries, etc.
Ialso indicate that Ihavea cat and include the name of their veterinarian and the vet’sphonenumber.This information could save your life if you’re unable tospeak to the rescue personnel. —Hannelore R., in Omaha, Nebraska Toothpaste tablets
Dear Heloise: Regardingthe differentways to squeeze the last bits of toothpaste from atube, Ihave a“greener” solution: Purchase toothpaste tablets! Ibuy these in bulk at asustainable shop inWebster Groves, Missouri. Toothpaste tablets take abit of getting used to, but they clean teeth just as well as “regular” toothpaste. Accordingto Nature.com, toothpaste tubestake 500 years to decompose. —Jan, in St. Louis Jan, in all honesty,I’ve never seen toothpaste tablets in any store. Still, it’saninteresting idea. —Heloise Send ahint to heloise@heloise. com.
FIRE
Continued from page 5C
Forthe newone, “teamsofthe
world’smost elite pitmasters push livefire cooking to its limits as they compete in anon-stop weeklongbattle for BBQ glory …Bold flavor,innovation and mastery of the pit is thename of the game,” according to ashow synopsis.
It’snot thefirst rodeofor either Jacob Scott or his mom.
“Sothisisgoing to be my third appearance on Food Network,” therecentChef John Folse Culinary Institute graduate said. “I did‘Kids BBQ Championship’ back in 2015. Iwas 12 then, and then ayear later when Iwas 13, Idid ‘Chopped Jr.’ Andthen me andMom did ashow called ‘Stove Tots,’ where we worked together
“So this is kind of us revisiting that. Andgetting achance to yet again beaduo on TV,” he said.
For “Stove Tots,” Scott, now 22, was the maincook while his mom was sous chef. She was requiredtostand back and watch, unless her son used a lifeline to call herinfor assistance. His mother,53, has competed on “BBQ Pitmasters,” appeared afew times on “Chopped” and one episodeof“Beat Bobby Flay.”
“And Ididn’tbeat Bobby.I mean, who beats Bobby? It’s impossible,” shesaid. Roark Scott squared off against veteran chef and Food Network personality Flay with each’stakeonbarbecue wings.
FAITH
Continued from page 5C
‘WhenI judgeher,the church will wake upand realize that we can’t compromise(and) we can’t tolerate sin. We got to call a spadea spade.’” The Lunch and Learnseries
The Scotts’ latest barbecue adventure, “Pitmasters,” was a different kind of competition, they agreed.
“Wewere in the mountains in Utah,and it was as far from sea level for me andJacob than it could have possibly been It was just such adifferent environment,” Roark Scott explained. “AllI’llsay is everyone was equally equipped, and the show did areally good job at showing that barbecueisn’t just one thing. We hadpitmasters from all over the place. Everybody with their own styles and methods. Each team that youwatch,they’re gonna be doingsomething completely different.”
The Scotts have been part of New Orleans’ Hogs for the Cause charity event since its thirdyear
She operated arestaurant for 20 years, still caters, and also appears at events such as upcoming demonstratons for Royal Oak Charcoal at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Her great-grandfather started the family’sbarbecue tradition, and handed it down to her grandfather,who would share his special barbecue sauce withthe neighbors.
The family eventually started bottlingand selling thesauce, called Ubons, which is still available, along with abloody mary mix
The mother-son team have wanted to cook on TV side-byside again for awhile.
“Just because it’s something that we do so well,” she said. “But just gettingtobeonateam with Jacob and watch him work
reflectswhat Bennett calls the “new energy” that Belfair continues to enjoy since relocating in 2023 to the more visible Mid City location at 5550 Florida Blvd. The church spent itsfirst 50-plus years on Fairfields Avenue. “The church is going well,” said Bennett, whoanswered his call to ministryatage 21 and was
so hard. This wasagrueling competition, truly
“I’ve been doing barbecue competitions overnight, starting as akid where you’re on siteat4a.m. and you’re done at 7p.m. —this waseven more than that. This was24hours a day.Thiswas super intense, and Iwouldn’thave done it with anybody else,” she said. Her son expressed similar sentiments.
“I was catching side-eye from the competitors, not because of who Iamand them trying to getajump on me,but it was because Ithink Ihad alot of people jealous of me because I gottodothis with my mama,” he said.“And so we were a team to makeeverybody jealous.”
The six days of almost 24-hour cooking challenges, with very limited time forshowers or rest, ran thegamutasfar as weather conditions —warm, sunny days, contrasting with quite cool mountain nights.
“I’dpack my stuff up and do it again right now,” Roark Scott said.
Startingwith Monday’spremiere, allnine teamswill be presenting their finished dishes to apanel of judges including Andrew Zimmern, Jess Pryles, Moe Cason and Ernest Servantes.
The winner will receive up to $50,000.
“Pitmasters” will air at 8p.m. Mondays on Food Network and will stream the following day on HBOMax.
Email JudyBergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.
named pastor of his childhood church at 23. “Wesee alot of visitors here at the church. Our members are serving in alot of different ways. There are lot of needs in the church, and the members are rising to the occasion.”
On July 11, 1995, the U.N.designated “safehaven” of Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina fell to Bosnian Serb forces, whosubsequently carried out the killings of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys.
Also on this date:
In 1798, the U.S. Marine Corps wasformally reestablished by acongressional act that also created the U.S. Marine Band.
In 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton during apistol duel in Weehawken, New Jersey.(Hamilton died the next day.)
In 1859, Big Ben, the great bell inside the famous London clock tower,chimed forthe first time.
In 1864, Confederate forces led by Gen. Jubal Early began an abortive invasion of Washington, D.C.; the raid was turned back the next day
In 1914, Babe Ruth madehis Major League baseball debut, pitching the Boston Red Sox to a4-3 victory over Cleveland.
In 1921, fighting in the Irish WarofIndependence ended with atruce.
In 1960, Harper Lee’snovel “ToKill aMockingbird” was published.
In 1972, theWorldChess Championship opened as grandmasters Bobby Fischer of theUnited States and defendingchampion Boris Spasskyofthe SovietUnionbeganplayinReykjavik, Iceland. (Fischer wonafter 21 games.)
In 1979, the abandoned U.S. space station Skylab madea spectacular return to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia.
In 1991, aNigeria Airways DC-8 carrying Muslim pilgrimscrashed at the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, international airport, killing all 261 people on board.
In 2006, eight bombs hit acommuter rail network during evening rush hour in Mumbai, India, killing more than 200 people.
In 2022, President Joe Biden revealed the first image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the farthest humanity had ever seen in both timeand distance, closer to the dawnofthe universe and the edge of the cosmos.
Today’sBirthdays: Actor Susan Seaforth Hayes is 83. Actor Bruce McGill is 76. Actor Stephen Lang is 74. Actor Mindy Sterling is 73. Actor Sela Ward is 70. Reggae singer Michael Rose (Black Uhuru) is 69. Singer Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) is 69. Actor Mark Lester is 68. Saxophonist Kirk Whalum is 68. Singer Suzanne Vega is 67. Rock guitarist Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) is 67. Actor Lisa Rinna is 63. Author Jhumpa Lahiri is 59. Wildlifeexpert Jeff Corwin is 59. Actor Justin Chambers (TV:“Grey’sAnatomy”) is 56. Actor Michael Rosenbaum (TV:“Smallville”) is 54. Rap-
per Lil’ Kimis52. Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Johnson is 45. Pop-jazz singer-musician Peter Cincotti is 43. Actor Serinda Swan is 42. Actor David Henrie is 37. Actor Connor Paolo is 36. R&B/pop singer Alessia Cara is 30.
PROVIdEd PHOTO By KIM RAFF/FOOd NETWORK
Host AndrewZimmern, second from left, gathers with‘Pitmasters’ judges Ernest Servantes, fromleft, Jess Pryles and Moe Casen in the Utah mountains.
cAncER (June 21-July 22) Opportunity requiresdoing your part to investigate what's possible. Waiting for someone to do the work for you leads to unfulfilled dreamsand disappointment. Be your ownbestie
LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Test the water, focus on what's favorable and head in adirection that makes you feel content and happy to be alive. Surround yourself with people who make you think.
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Take asecond look at what's available to you before you takealeap of faith. You may want to redirect yourenergy into something more stable andreassuring regarding your lifestyle LIBRA(sept. 23-oct. 23) Taking advantage of opportunities that lead to interesting partnerships or encounters with those doing something that you see yourself participating in will encourageyou to go the distance.
scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov.22) An observant attitude will prompt you to improve your standards, qualifications and prospects. Diginto what's trending, and apply your skills andexperience to ensure you stayahead of challenges.
sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Confront what isn't working for you. Concentrate on your lifestyle, and ensure you find peace of mind from your surroundings and those youhangout with.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take better care of yourself.Don'tfollow the crowdorgive in to temptation. Impul-
sive actions will lead to regret. When in doubt, take apass. Pay attention.
AQuARIus(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Achange of scenery will give you back your spark and reunite you with your dreams. Don't be too quick to let outside influences step in and take over. You must satisfy your needs.
PIscEs(Feb. 20-March 20) Take abreak, venture out, find your circle and enjoy your day. Focus on health and your emotional well-being. Aspa dayoran activity that brings out the best in you will help youput your life in perspective.
ARIEs(March 21-April 19) Dream it, believe it and follow through. Actions speak louder than words. Put your plans in motion, and stop worrying about what others think, say or do.
tAuRus(April 20-May 20) Stickclose to home, and turn your place into acomfort zone where you can relax, formulate your next move and feel free from the stress and tension that outside influences have on you.
GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Send amessage to those you want to back away from and those you want to spend more time with. How you use your time is instrumental in getting what you want out of life.
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
THe wiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Jimmy Carter, in his farewell presidential address, said, “Our American values arenot luxuries, but necessities —not thesalt in our bread, but thebread itself.” Bridge is full of rules that need to be taken with alarge pinchofsalt. Always treat each deal on itsown merits; do not thoughtlesslyassumethatthe“textbook” play will be right. How does that apply to this deal? South is in three no-trump. West leadshis fourth-highest heart. South takes East’s 10 with his king and runs the diamond 10. What should happen after that? South did not like to open one no-trump with two unstoppedsuits, but he hadno more accurate sequence available. Thebooks recommend returning partner’ssuitinno-trump—anditistruethat that will be right much more often than not.(In asuit contract, shifting will be better alot of the time.)But if East does that here, South will takethe trick with hisheart ace and drive out West’s diamond ace. Westmay shift to aclub, but declarer plays low from the dummy and loses only two diamonds andtwo clubs.
Instead, East should pausefor thought at trick three. Surely West hasthe diamondace,becauseifSouthhadthatcard, hewouldhavecasheditbeforetryingthe diamond finesse.And if West is aboutto
wuzzles
gain the lead,East should see how to defeatthe contract. At trickthree, he leadshis clubthree.
