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T u e s d ay, J u n e 24, 2025
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‘TOTAL CEASEFIRE’ TRUMP SAyS DEAL REACHED IRAN LAUNCHES RESPONSE BETWEEN IRAN, ISRAEL ON U.S. BASE IN QATAR
Henry questions program oversight Lawmaker sees ‘conflict’ in group operating LA GATOR
BY PATRICK WALL
Staff writer
PHOTO PROVIDED By IRANIAN ARMy PRESS SERVICE
Iran’s army commander-in-chief Gen. Amir Hatami, center, accompanied by high-ranked army commanders, speaks Monday in a video call with top commanders of the army in Zolfaghar central headquarters, Iran, as portraits of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, left, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hang on the wall. Iran launched a missile strike Monday against a U.S. base in Qatar in response to the U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear sites. BY DAVID RISING, JON GAMBRELL and MELANIE LIDMAN
Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. Trump posted on Truth Social that the 24-hour phased-in ceasefire will begin at approximately midnight Tuesday, giving the two countries six hours to have “wound down and completed their in progress, final missions.” He said it would bring an “Official END” to the war. The Israeli military declined to comment on Trump’s statement and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. There was also no immediate comment from Iran. Iran’s attack Monday indicated it was prepared to step back from escalating tensions in the volatile region. The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said Trump,
Udeid Air Base as “a flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, airspace and international law. Qatar said it intercepted all but one missile, though it was not clear if that missile caused any damage. Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas. Those comments, made immediately after the attack, suggested Iran wanted to deescalate with the United States, something Trump himself said after the strikes early Sunday on Iran. Qatar Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri said 19 missiles were fired at the base that is home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CARLOS BARRIA control of air power across the region, President Donald Trump speaks Saturday as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary from the East Room of the White House Wing, the largest such wing in the world. Trump said 14 missiles were fired, 13 in Washington after the U.S. military were knocked down and one was “set struck three Iranian nuclear and military free” because it posed no threat. sites. Trump announced Monday that Trump said Iran might be able to “proIsrael and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire. ceed to Peace and Harmony” and said he would encourage Israel to do the same. who dismissed the attack as a “very However, Israel’s war on Iran continweak response.” ä See CEASEFIRE, page 3A Qatar condemned the attack on Al
After a bruising fight over funding, Louisiana’s new LA GATOR program is set to start giving families tax dollars to pay for private education. But now a new question has come up: Who should run the program? The state Department of Education oversees the program, which in the coming days will give about 6,000 families access to state money they can use to pay for private school tuition or homeschool expenses. On Friday, a legislative budget committee approved the contract for a private company that the Education Department hired to manage the program’s dayto-day operation. But state Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, asked during the budget hearing whether there Henry is an “inherent conflict” in putting the Education Department — which is responsible for the state’s public schools — in charge of LA GATOR, which theoretically could help some families abandon the public system in favor of private schools. “You’re doing very well” at imBrumley proving public education, Henry told state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley during the hearing, noting the state’s dramatic improvement on a national test. “Do you see a conflict,” Henry asked, “in that you’re also navigating a program that takes kids out of the system that you’re working so hard to improve and puts them into private schools?” One of Louisiana’s most powerful state lawmakers, Henry led a charge this year to scale back the newly launched LA GATOR program, arguing that the state cannot afford to pay for tens of
ä See LA GATOR, page 3A
Northgate business owners eye future Lafayette mall under new ownership BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
Buddie Lee Gray has owned a fragrance and gift shop in Lafayette’s Northgate Mall for nearly 40 years now. She still loves to work in her store, Home Sweet Home, interacting with longtime customers and fellow business owners in the city’s oldest shopping mall — and at 87 years old, she’s eager to play a role in Northgate’s next phase. Gray said she’s already seen an uptick in business since the mall was purchased by local developer Jacoby Landry on June 16. That news reminded a lot of people that
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the mall is still open, she said — although her store is one of the few still operating in the space that was once a commercial hub on the northside. “The new owners are already doing things. We’re first on the list to get these lights taken care of,” said Gray, gesturing to several broken bulbs failing to illuminate the gifts, home goods and scents lining Home Sweet Home’s shelves. With few shoppers filling the mall on a Friday morning, workers were busy at the front entrance — pressure washing, inspecting fire extinguishers and checking off maintenance tasks that Gray said had been neglected for years under previous ownership. “This is the first time we’ve had somebody who’s local,” she said. Landry “grew up here, he used to
shop here with his grandmother. So that’s going to be a huge difference. Everything about this has been positive so far.” Northgate opened in 1969, and the 250,000-square-foot mall has seen few updates since. With a parking lot littered with potholes and empty kiosks and storefronts lining the mall’s hallways, the site is essentially a blank slate for what Landry said will be a mixed-use center housing small retailers, professional services, a med spa and fitness center and other community amenities, according to an announcement from the Lafayette Economic Development Authority. The Northgate redevelopment is supported by LEDA and the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Au-
STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP
Home Sweet Home owner Buddie Lee Gray stands Friday at her store at ä See NORTHGATE, page 3A Northgate Mall in Lafayette.
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100TH yEAR, NO. 359