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T h u r s d ay, J u n e 25, 2026
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Lawmakers OK teacher stipend plan
Court temporarily blocks Landry’s executive order BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer
Louisiana lawmakers approved Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to cut nearly $170 million from school budgets to pay for teacher stipends, according to vote tallies released Wednesday, though a court has temporarily blocked the plan
from taking effect. More than two-thirds of members in both chambers of the Legislature voted in favor of reducing the state’s main education fund by $168 million, which requires legislative approval. Under Landry’s executive order, that money would instead be used to give $2,000 stipends to teachers and $1,000 to
some support staffers. Louisiana educators have received the stipends the past three years instead of raises. After voters rejected a ballot measure in May to finance permanent raises, teachers were set to lose the stipends this school year before Landry proposed using state education funds to pay for them.
“While working towards a permanent solution to raise our teacher pay in Louisiana, the Legislature clearly did not want to see a reduction in teacher pay this year,” Senate President Cameron Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier said in a joint statement Wednesday. In the House, 76 of 105 members voted for the funding cut, while eight members voted against it, one abstained and 20 members did
‘The environment they deserve’
not vote, according to the official tally. The “no” votes were cast by Democrats and Rep. Neil Riser, a Republican who represents several rural parishes where school leaders have said the state funding cut could devastate their budgets. In the Senate, 37 of 39 members voted in favor of the funding reduction, while Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, cast
ä See STIPEND, page 4A
Concerns mount over power plant purchase Elected leaders raising questions about Entergy acquiring Texas site BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer
STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK
A rendering of the new Paul Breaux Elementary and Middle School is displayed during Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
Officials break ground on $62M north Lafayette school BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
Lafayette Parish school system officials broke ground Wednesday on construction of a $62 million, 1400-square-foot Paul Breaux Elementary and Middle School in north Lafayette. The school is being built on property next to J.W. Faulk Elementary School on Willow Street. When construction is completed, the existing school, built in 1958, will be demolished, spokesperson Tracy Wirtz said. No decision has been made on what to do with the Baranco and Paul Breaux Middle school buildings, which were built in 1926 and 1958, respectively. By January 2028, students from J.W. Faulk Elementary, Dr. Raphael Baranco Elementary and Paul
Amy Trahan, Lafayette Parish School Board member for District 4, center, and school system Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. are joined by teachers and other faculty during Wednesday’s ä See SCHOOL, page 4A groundbreaking ceremony.
Gov. Jeff Landry is planning to issue an executive order Thursday on data centers emerging in the state and their impact on consumer electric bills, amid new concerns about an Entergy proposal to spend $1.8 billion buying a new power plant. Details about the executive order’s language and potential impact were not immediately available Wednesday, but sources said that Landry plans to sign an order about the topic. Landry’s office announced that he and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois would Bourgeois hold a news conference Thursday about a new, statewide initiative “focused on protecting ratepayers and strengthening Louisiana while supporting the state’s current economic momentum and long-term competitiveness.” The high-profile move comes as some elected leaders, including Republicans, are raising questions about Entergy Louisiana’s plans to buy a power plant in Texas called Cottonwood, a decision that would cost the average customer about $8 a month, according to records. A consultant for Louisiana’s Public Service Commission, which has to approve the acquisition, said in a recent report that the plant is primarily needed because of Meta’s giant north Louisiana data center. Entergy and Meta say the conclusion is inaccurate. But it has put a public spotlight on whether the companies are fulfilling the promise that regular customers won’t pay for data center costs. Landry expressed concerns last week about the plan, in a post on the social
ä See POWER, page 4A
Letlow, Fleming down to wire in Senate Republican primary BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
In the final days of an increasingly divisive Senate Republican campaign, the race has come down to this: Can President Donald Trump and the avalanche of negative ads against treasurer John Fleming
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stem his momentum and give U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow the victory on Saturday? Polls show that Fleming has erased most or all of Letlow’s 17-point advantage coming out of the May 16 primary. “It’s dog close,” said Greg Rigamer, a New Orleans pollster who has
is stepping up his push for Letlow, and outside groups are launching a barrage of attacks against the treasurer. Fleming said those moves indicate done weekly surveys for super lobbyist Alton Ashy, a Letlow contribu- his political strength. “They wouldn’t be doing this if tor. With Fleming mounting a surä See PRIMARY, page 4A Letlow prisingly strong challenge, Trump
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