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S at u r d ay, J u ly 12, 2025
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La. better about holding prisoners, leaders say
Trump tours Texas flood damage
But some skeptical overdetention problem has improved
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN
First lady Melania Trump, from left, and President Donald Trump greet first responders Friday as they survey flood damage in Kerrville, Texas.
President lauds officials amid criticism about slow flood warnings
In some cases, Louisiana has taken so long to convict defendants, calculate their sentences and then let them out of prison that they end up spending more time behind bars than their sentence requires. For years, this overdetention has drawn criticism from federal judges and investigators and spurred multiple lawsuits. But now, state officials say they have made big strides toward fixing the issue. “This is not going to be an issue going forward,” Jonathan Vining, general counsel at the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, said during a May meeting of the House Civil Law Committee. “I don’t believe it’s an issue. I really don’t. And you won’t find anybody in our agency to say otherwise.” The agency set up an online portal where clerks of court and sheriffs can electronically submit an offender’s sentencing information, speeding up the calculation process.
ä See PRISONERS, page 7A
BY SEAN MURPHY and WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press
KERRVILLE, Texas — President Donald Trump on Friday toured the devastation from catastrophic flooding in Texas and lauded local officials amid mounting criticism that they failed to warn residents fast enough that a deadly wall of water was coming their way. “The search for the missing continues. The people that are doing it are unbelievable,” Trump told first responders and other state and local officials gathered at an emergency operations center in an expo hall in Kerrville. “You couldn’t get better people, and they’re doing the job like I don’t think anybody else could, frankly,” Trump said. The president said his administration “is doing everything it can to help Texas” and insisted that “we’ve got some good people” running the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Since the July 4 disaster, which has killed at least 129 people and left more than 170 missing, the president has been conspicuously silent on his past, repeated promises to do away with FEMA. Instead, he’s focused on the once-in-a-lifetime nature of what occurred and the human tragedy. He has praised Texas and local officials while de-emphasizing the administration’s government-slashing crusade that’s
Governor appoints new coastal agency chief Landry taps Hare for executive director
BY MIKE SMITH ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT
Nancy Epperson, right, and Brooklyn Pucek, 6, visit a memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River on Thursday in Kerrville, Texas. been popular with Trump’s core supporters. Trump specifically mentioned victims from Camp Mystic, the century-old allgirls Christian summer camp in Texas Hill Country, where at least 27 people were killed. The president called it a “legendary place.”
“They were there because they loved God. And, as we grieve this unthinkable tragedy, we take comfort in the knowledge that God has welcomed those little beautiful girls into his comforting arms in heaven,” said Trump, who described
ä See FLOOD, page 6A
Staff writer
Gov. Jeff Landry announced Friday he has appointed a new head of the state’s coastal protection agency, a key role as Louisiana does battle against its worsening land loss crisis and intensifying hurricanes while facing upcoming money shortages. Michael Hare replaces Glenn Ledet as executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Ledet recently departed to take over as secretary of the state
ä See AGENCY, page 6A
New LSU arena could be named for Our Lady of the Lake
social circumstances all contribute signage bearing its potential name: inked, OLOL spokesperson Alex- Oak View Group. Naming rights Populous’ renderings — dated to the health and vibrancy of our andra Deiro Stubbs confirmed FriOur Lady of the Lake Arena. The images, part of a prelimi- day that the hospital has pursued April 2025 — show multiple exte- region,” she said. “As LSU’s Chamfor proposed venue nary presentation by architecture an agreement to have its name at- rior options for the arena’s design, pionship Healthcare Partner and may go to hospital, firm Populous obtained by The tached to the building. all with Our Lady of the Lake Are- the health care leader in the capiAdvocate through a public records “While no formal agreement has na on the side of the building. No tal region, we are always looking according to renderings request, show the Baton Rouge been reached, we have been in other potential name for the arena for ways to invest into our commu-
hospital could have the naming rights to an arena that supporters hope will serve as the home to sevStaff writer eral LSU athletic teams in the near On renderings of a proposed future. Though a deal has yet to be new arena on the LSU campus is
BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER
WEATHER HIGH 94 LOW 75 PAGE 8A
discussions as a potential anchor investor for this project,” Stubbs said. Records show that Populous is the architecture firm chosen to plan the arena alongside developer
is mentioned in those records. In an emailed statement, Stubbs called the arena project “generational” for Baton Rouge and the local economy. “Clinical care, economics and
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nity in meaningful ways that will help stimulate economic growth and ultimately create healthier, more vibrant communities.”
ä See ARENA, page 7A
101ST yEAR, NO. 12