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S at u r d ay, M a r c h 7, 2026
East Baton Rouge schools start times likely to shift
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Trump rules out talks with Iran
Without ‘unconditional surrender,’ strikes continue BY JON GAMBRELL, DAVID RISING, SAM METZ and SALLY ABOU ALJOUD Associated Press
STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
The East Baton Rouge Parish school system plans to shift start times over the next three years based on research on sleep patterns, aiming to improve student outcomes and engagement.
Students would begin later in the day to better align with when children learn, based on research BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer
Over the next three years, the East Baton Rouge Parish school system plans to shift to new start times, expanding beyond the six schools that altered their schedules in August to better align with when children learn, based on research on their sleep patterns. That means teenagers in middle and high schools will start the day later, while younger children in elementary schools start earlier. The precise new times are still being refined and subject to change. However, for example, Capitol High, which was one of the schools that changed in August, moved its start time from 7:10 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. Its start time is likely to change again this coming August, though less dramatically. Capital and Glen Oaks high schools and four feeder elementary schools made the shift in August. Another 60-plus schools would also change. The three-year shift is a slower
wide pay raise for school employees, which he hopes will be approved in June, will help shore up the ranks of drivers. “We know that compensation is a huge part of the challenge in terms of attracting bus drivers,” Cole said. Cole said he’s planning to change start times at several schools at the start of the next three school years until the entire district has changes. But, Cole said, if he had enough drivers now to eliminate transfer buses and offer direct routes, he would be pushing to shift times districtwide STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK this fall. The parish School Board on ThursSchool counselor Kelli Zima offers day voted unanimously to grant prea fist bump and encouraging words liminary approval for the proposed as students leave Westminster three-year timetable. A final vote is scheduled for March 19. Elementary School on May 5. While describing the overall results rollout than the one-year districtwide as “mixed” at the six schools that shift that Superintendent LaMont have been piloting new start times, Cole envisioned originally. Cole said he’s encouraged with CapiCole blamed an ongoing shortage of tal and Glen Oaks high schools, which bus drivers for the longer timetable. ä See START TIMES, page 5A He said he hopes a planned district-
Kennedy may have had role in Noem’s firing Questions about advertising spending angered Trump, he says BY MARK BALLARD
Kennedy
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s decision to remove Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security appears to have been partially spurred by her answers to Louisiana Sen. John Ken-
nedy about $220 million of spending on television commercials. Noem was already under the gun for how her agents were handling the deportation of immigrants who entered the country illegally, which was Trump’s key cam-
Staff writer
WEATHER HIGH 83 LOW 68 PAGE 6A
Noem
paign promise. But she also was criticized by officials in both parties for the slow responses during high-profile disasters in Texas, North Carolina and other states by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is a part of Homeland Security. Trump mentioned Noem’s answers to Kennedy’s questions a couple hours before moving Noem to become special envoy for “The Shield of the Americas,” a coalition of Latin American countries seeking ways to protect the Western Hemisphere. He nominated U.S. Sen. Mark-
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. President Donald Trump appeared Friday to rule out talks with Iran absent its “unconditional surrender.” Israeli warplanes bombed Beirut and Tehran as Iran launched more retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf countries on the seventh day of the war. The strikes in Lebanon were the heaviest since a 2024 ceasefire ended the last war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants, who fired rockets at Israel in the opening days of the war now underway. Trump More than 95,000 people have fled Beirut’s suburbs and southern Lebanon after sweeping Is- ä Deadly raeli evacuation warnings. Iranian The U.S. and Israel have bat- school tered Iran with strikes, targeting its military capabilities, leader- blast linked ship and nuclear program. The to U.S. stated goals and timelines for the airstrikes. war have repeatedly shifted, as PAGE 4A the U.S. has at times suggested it seeks to topple Iran’s government or elevate new leadership from within. Meanwhile, Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike the U.S. military, according to two officials familiar
ä See IRAN, page 4A
ELECTION 2026 U.S. SENATE
Cassidy challenges Letlow to debates He previously limited or refused offers
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
wayne Mullin, R-Okla., as the new leader of Homeland Security. Specifically, Kennedy had asked Noem if the president was aware of the spending on a series of commercials that cost almost a quarter of a billion dollars to produce and air. The spots featured Noem in various locales, including in front of a detention center in El Salvador, warning immigrants without the proper documentation that they would be deported when caught.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy added an element of drama to the campaign to unseat him by challenging one of his Republican opponents on Friday to three televised Cassidy debates. Cassidy made the call with polls showing he faces an uphill battle to win a third six-year term in the Senate. President Donald Trump has endorsed that opponent, U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow. In his statement, Cassidy didn’t Letlow mention state Treasurer John Fleming, another major opponent. Fleming led Cassidy and Letlow in one recent poll.
ä See KENNEDY, page 5A
ä See DEBATES, page 5A
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