TRIMMED SKIRT STEAK
$999
LB
24 OZ
$299
PRICES VALID 4/29/2026 - 5/5/2026
N O L A.C O M
|
HASS AVOCADO
99¢
39¢
5 LB
16 OZ
DAISY SOUR CREAM
METAIRIE 504-885-5565 | RIVER RIDGE 504-737-8146 GARDEN DISTRICT 504-262-6017 | CHALMETTE 504-262-0750 BELLE CHASSE 504-393-1012
CAMELLIA PINTO OR BLACK BEANS EA
KRAFT CHUNK OR SHREDDED CHEESE
NAVEL ORANGES
$239
$399
4 LB BAG
5-8 OZ
EA
EA
W e d n e s d ay, a p r i l 29, 2026
Moreno plans $103M boost for city budget
EA
EA
$2.00X
Nuclear fabrication operation moving to La. BR-based Turner Industries adding 1,000 jobs at 2 facilities BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
Turner Industries, the Baton Rouge-based industrial contractor, will relocate its nuclear fabrication business, including the jobs and equipment needed to build the “guts” of nuclear power plants, from Texas to two of its Louisiana locations. The move will involve expanding Turner’s fabrication yards in Port Allen and New Iberia and will bring 1,000 permanent jobs with an average salary of $77,000. It underscores how companies are responding to Gov. Jeff Landry’s new strategy to make Louisiana a major player in nuclear energy. Turner Industries CEO Stephen Toups made the announcement on Tuesday at a nuclear power summit that Landry convened at The Windsor Court hotel in New Orleans. More than 200
ä See NUCLEAR, page 5A
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
Mayor Helena Moreno discusses the city budget during a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday.
Administration proposes sale of Caesars lease payments to shore up reserves
BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE
Staff writer
Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration expects to receive $103 million from the sale of lease payments for Caesars New Orleans casino and hotel, a major boost to the city’s embattled budget. The cash infusion stems from a deal between the city and Texasbased private equity firm TPG. The firm would over the next nine years
collect the lease payments the casino would otherwise pay the city. In exchange, the firm would pay New Orleans $103 million this year — around $46 million less than the full lease amount over that nine-year period. The city will use the funds to refill its depleted reserves, officials said Tuesday. The city has about $35 million in those reserves at present, down from more than $200 million at the start of 2025.
Feds: Couple posed as sports pros to snag loans Duo allegedly pocketed more than $3 million in scheme
BY JAMES FINN Staff writer
“I do not want to go into hurricane season … without having these reserve emergency dollars in place,” said Moreno, who on Tuesday was joined by a slew of other politicos at City Hall as she announced the agreement. “So instead of taking many, many years to build up our reserve fund, what we are working on right now will fix our fund balance.”
A New Orleans-area couple posed for years as star college basketball and football players, including Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward and LSU alum Leonard Fournette, to pocket millions from investors as part of a yearslong loan scam, a newly unsealed federal indictment alleges. The 10-count indictment accuses Albert “Paul” Weber and Cyntrelle Lash, who live in Jefferson Parish, of convincing investors to fork over cash for huge “bridge loans” — investments they said
ä See BUDGET, page 6A
ä See COUPLE, page 9A
Julia Letlow overcomes tragedy, earns Trump’s backing Member of Congress well-liked in Washington BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
President Donald Trump was playing host at the Congressional Ball at the White House one evening in December. But before the festivities began, Trump had a special announcement: U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow had just gotten engaged with her beau, Baton Rouge lawyer/lobbyist Kevin Ainsworth. “Julia, where are you? Come on up,” Trump called out.
WEATHER HIGH 89 LOW 72 PAGE 8B
ELECTION 2026
of my entire life … in the entire United States of America!” she exclaimed haltingly. U.S. SENATE Letlow cruised to victory without having to break a sweat in her three elections to the House. She is well-liked in Washington, winning a seat on Editor’s note: This story is the third in the influential House Appropriations Committee a series of profiles of major candidates in and securing endorsements from Trump, Gov. the U.S. Senate race. Jeff Landry, Attorney General Liz Murrill and other Republicans as she tries to unseat U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a fellow Republican. She reached the stage. But Letlow has seemed uncomfortable at times “Do you want to say something?” he asked. Letlow shook her head, clearly caught off guard in the spotlight that comes with this big test. She has rejected televised debates and mostly avoidby Trump’s invitation. “Yeah, go ahead,” Trump encouraged her, grin- ed the press — and the scrutiny that comes with ning. ä See LETLOW, page 4A “Thank you so much … to the best president …
Business ...................10A Commentary ................7B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................8D Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-7D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow
13TH yEAR, NO. 260