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The Advocate 08-13-2026

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T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

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T h u r s d ay, au g u s T 13, 2026

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Meta won’t have to release electric, job data La. regulators override judge’s recommendation

BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By PEARL SPURLOCK

A portion of Nicholson Drive will be converted from two to four lanes in an effort to alleviate traffic.

Work to start on $28M Nicholson Drive project Plan to alleviate traffic includes adding two lanes, room for cyclists and pedestrians

Meta will not be required to turn over more details about exactly how many jobs it expects to create and how much electricity it will use at its massive Hyperion data center in north Louisiana, after Republicans on the Louisiana Public Service Commission on Wednesday overrode a judge’s recommendation that the tech giant should provide the information. The decision, made in a party-line vote, was the latest by Republican leaders in Louisiana to support Meta in its push to build its data center in Richland Parish, after setting up tax incentives, approving electric infrastructure and fast-tracking Entergy’s plans to support a large expansion of the project. And it was a blow to opponents of the data center who are seeking more information about how many permanent jobs it will ultimately create as they try to build a case against Entergy’s plan to build seven new power plants to support Meta’s plans for a massive expansion. The company has said it will create 1,000 new jobs at the data center and that it will pay for its own power needs.

ä See META, page 5A

New suspect named in death of boy, 3

BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer

A stretch of Nicholson Drive where more than 30,000 cars pass near LSU’s campus daily is set to grow from two lanes to four, with new turning lanes and room for bike riders, as part of a road project to alleviate severe traffic in the area right off the Baton Rouge campus. The project, known as Nicholson Drive Segment 1, will widen the section of Nicholson Drive between Gorrier Avenue and Brightside Drive and create 10-foot-wide shared lanes for pedestrians and cyclists to use, according to city-parish officials. It will also create new U-turn lanes to eliminate turn stress on the major road. In the blazing Wednesday sun, the MovEBR program, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, broke ground on the $28 million expansion. MovEBR is a parishwide traffic improvement effort paid for by a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2018. “As LSU continues to grow, attracting more students, expanding research, and strengthening the role of this flagship campus, it’s important that the infrastructure supporting it grows as well.

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

A new suspect in the 2022 shooting death of Devin Page Jr., 3, was named Wednesday, as a Baton Rouge grand jury indicted another suspect, 23-year-old Jaylen Davis. Jordan Anderson, 21, and Jiles Vaughn, 24, were also charged with first-degree murder, but won’t have the case against them pursued. Both are already imprisoned for previous violent convictions. Davis was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder. Davis and Anderson had previously been identified as suspects in the case; both are in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Vaughn had not yet been publicly tied to the crime. Court records show he is serving a 15-year sentence for attempted seconddegree murder and illegal use of weapons after he pleaded guilty to an unrelated 2023 shooting in a parking lot off Greenwell Springs Road.

LSU President Wade Rousse, left, stands with East Baton Rouge Parish MayorPresident Sid Edwards during a MovEBR groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday. That’s why this project matters,” LSU thriving college career. It will also help President Wade Rousse said. on LSU football game days and improve Rousse said the less time students sit safety. in traffic, the more time they will have ä See NICHOLSON, page 7A to excel in classes and experience a

ä See SHOOTING, page 7A

WEATHER HIGH 96 LOW 74 PAGE 6B

Business ......................6A Commentary ................5B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................6D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................4B Comics-Puzzles .....3D-5D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS:

102ND yEAR, NO. 44

The 4th Annual

SU Athletic G Gala l

Saturday August 22nd, 2026 R I V E R

Grammy Award Winning Bobby Brown, Tucka, Universal Language, and DJ Neff GENERAL TABLE (8) $1,500 GOJAGSPORTS.COM |

INDIVIDUAL TICKET $200

C E N T E R

SILENT AUCTION

225-771-3342 FOR MORE INFORMATION

3-COURSE DINNER


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