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Edwards to allow ambulance competition
7 killed in violent weekend in BR area BY AIDAN MCCAHILL Staff writer
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
A pair of Baton Rouge General ambulances are lined up Monday near the Baton Rouge General Bluebonnet campus in Baton Rouge.
Baton Rouge General enters market despite objections BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
For decades, Acadian Ambulance has provided the lion’s share of ambulance services not handled by East Baton Rouge’s own Emergency Medical Services, transporting patients from facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers and more in the parish. But now, Mayor-President Sid Edwards has opened the door for a competitor, allowing Baton Rouge General to enter the market. “We are excited about the opportunity to better support patients in Baton Rouge and help ensure they get where they need to go quickly,” Edwards said Meghan Parrish, vice president of marketing and communications. Edwards made the decision over protests from Acadian, which argues cityparish ordinances require the mayor to consider “whether the public convenience and necessity require” a new ambulance service. “We definitely did not like the way it was done, because it did not follow the ordinance,” said Acadian Director of Operations Porter Taylor.
ä See VIOLENT, page 4A
East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sid Edwards has allowed Baton Rouge General to compete in the ambulance market over the objection of Acadian Ambulance. Still, Taylor added that the company is “not interested in making it messy.” Officials in Edwards’ administration have acknowledged potential problems with how the new service was approved. They point out that an initial approval was granted before he took office. “Based on the information that was discovered from the previous adminis-
tration, the city’s ordinances were not followed,” said city-parish spokesperson Falon Brown. Yet Edwards ultimately granted the hospital’s request, citing “the purpose of competition.” Edwards’ team declined to comment
ä See AMBULANCE, page 4A
Texas Democrats prevent state map vote Gov. Abbott orders troopers to arrest lawmakers
BY BILL BARROW and NADIA LATHAN Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Democrats on Monday prevented their state’s House of Representatives from moving forward, at least for now, with a redrawn congressional map sought by President Donald Trump to shore up Republicans’ 2026 midterm prospects as his political stand-
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At least seven people were killed in a surge of violence across the Baton Rouge area over the weekend, including one murder-suicide and another attempted murdersuicide. Here is what authorities know about one of the bloodiest stretch of days the region has seen so far this year: The bloodshed began around noon Friday with an argument between two men on Geronimo Street. Police said the dispute escalated when Montrell Green, 35, fired a gun in the direction of the person. The man then got in his vehicle and attempted to leave, but Green reportedly stood in front of the car holding the weapon, according to a spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Police Department. The driver struck Green, who was transported to a hospital and died the following day. The next day in Ascension Parish, a group of ATV riders got into an argument Saturday evening over parking fees at a trail-riding event. According to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, members of a group had become angry for having to pay to park outside a residence along La. 405, near the event in Modeste. Police said things turned deadly when Anwar McKenney, 43, of Zachary, whose family owned the property, pulled out a firearm and shot Brandon Cayette, 40, of Donaldsonville, multiple times. Cayette was pronounced dead at the scene. {span} McKenney was booked into Ascension Parish jail early Sunday
ing falters. After dozens of Democrats left the state, the Republicandominated House was unable to establish the quorum of lawmakers required to do business. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has made threats about removing members who are abAbbott sent from their seats. Democrats counter that Abbott is using “smoke and mirrors” to assert legal authority he does not have. The Republican-dominated
House quickly issued civil arrest warrants for absent Democrats and Abbott ordered state troopers to help find and arrest them, but lawmakers physically outside Texas are beyond the jurisdiction of state authorities. “If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences,” House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows said from the chamber floor, later telling reporters that includes fines. The Democratic revolt and Abbott’s threats ratcheted up a fight over congressional maps that began in Texas but now includes Democratic governors who have floated the possibil-
ä Is nation’s long history of partisan gerrymandering legal?
Planned Parenthood to close in Louisiana Nonprofit faces lack of access to federal money
BY BLAKE PATERSON
Staff writer
ity of redrawing their own state maps in retaliation, even if their options are limited. The dispute also reflects Trump’s aggressive view of presidential power and his grip on the Republican Party nationally, while testing the longstanding balance of powers between the federal government and individual states. At the center of the impasse is Trump’s hope of adding five
Planned Parenthood is ceasing operations in Louisiana and shutting down its reproductive health clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, part of a wave of closures of the organization’s clinics across the U.S. due to funding issues and moves by the Trump administration to cut off access to federal money. The nonprofit, which has operated in Louisiana for more than 40 years, said in a statement that it informed its staff on Friday of the closures that will take effect Sept. 30.
ä See TEXAS, page 4A
ä See CLOSE, page 4A
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