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T u e s d ay, J a n u a ry 27, 2026
CAPITAL CARNIVAL
Weather concerns aside, Washington Mardi Gras ready to roll
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Trump eases off Minnesota crackdown
Some federal agents prepare to leave, including Border Patrol commander Bovino BY STEVE KARNOWSKI and MIKE BALSAMO Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — President Donald Trump softened his tone Monday on the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, touting productive conversations with the governor and Minneapolis mayor as he sent the border czar to take charge of much of the enforcement effort. Some federal agents were expected to leave as soon as Tuesday. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he spoke by phone with Trump, who praised the discussion and declared that “lots of progress is being made.” Frey said he asked Trump in a phone call to end the immigration enforcement surge and that Trump agreed the present situation cannot continue. The mayor said some agents would soon leave and that he would keep pushing for others involved in Operation Metro Surge to go. Among those who are expected to depart was senior Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the operation and
ä See MINNESOTA, page 4A
Purple reigns at the 2025 Washington Mardi Gras celebration.
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BY MARK BALLARD
Staff writer
WASHINGTON — Washington, D.C., was digging out Monday from a major snowstorm — up to 14 inches in some parts — but the hundreds of Louisiana movers and shakers headed here for the 77th Washington Mardi Gras were hopeful that the show will go on. The four-day Carnival extravaganza brings business moguls, university presidents, charity leaders and other influential people together to mingle with state and federal politicians, casually mingling and talking commerce. “It just continues the focus on improving the brand of the state and leveraging the opportunity to get so many of our state’s business leaders, civic leaders, political leaders, investors — whether they are Louisiana-based investors or they’re investors that are putting their capital to work here — and getting them all in one place,” said W. Gray Stream, a Lake Charles investor and philanthropist who is king of Washington Mardi Gras this year. Paid for by dues, tickets and donations, public access to Washington Mardi Gras is restricted and media coverage is limited to foster unguarded conversations that gets business done, participants say. Though most attendees arrive on Wednesday, historically many come in Monday or Tuesday to
Louisiana festival queens gather with, front row from left, Gov. Jeff Landry, first lady Sharon Landry and 2026 Washington ä See CARNIVAL, page 5A Mardi Gras Queen Sarah Heebe and King W. Gray Stream.
City-parish attorney retiring BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer
Lafayette City-Parish Attorney Patrick Ottinger announced Monday that he would be retiring. His retirement will be effective at the next council meeting, scheduled for Feb. 10, where Mayor-President Monique Boulet will name Robert Mahtook Jr. to serve as the next city-parish attorney upon council approval, according to a statement from Lafayette Consolidated Govern- Ottinger ment. Ottinger will continue, on a limited basis, as an assistant city-parish attorney on pending legal matters.
Lafayette sees dusting of snow Sunday BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
Despite snow not being in the forecast for Lafayette during Winter Storm Fern, the area saw a light dusting Sunday night. It wasn’t a measurable amount of precipitation, but it was enough for people to catch the flurries in videos and for a small layer of snow to
WEATHER HIGH 50 LOW 30 PAGE 6A
ä Freezing temperatures forecast for the rest of the week.
flurries, which typically would have been rain,” said Stacey Denson, a meteorologist with the NaPAGE 1B tional Weather Service in Lake Charles. appear on cars and porches. “It was just a passing distur“We had a weak disturbance bance with that second surge of overhead and once that moved cold air,” she added. “If you took a across, it provided enough upper- look at the radar, you couldn’t even level support that we were able to ä See SNOW, page 4A squeeze out some very light snow
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A light dusting of snow covers a car on Sunday in Lafayette. STAFF PHOTO By ASHLEy WHITE
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