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T u e s d ay, J u ly 8, 2025
Exemptions, catch-up efforts propel students in reading
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Changes made to La. ethics laws
Supporters tout protection for public officials while critics worry about safeguards being eroded BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
before they took a retest that would determine their placement this fall — and could very well shape their educational trajectory. But despite many parents’ fears, it’s likely that many of those targeted
Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature have changed how the Louisiana Board of Ethics operates, adding new rules to how it investigates allegations of conflicts of interest, nepotism and other forms of corruption. Supporters say they are protecting public servants against frivolous investigations over dubious allegations of ethical misconduct and ensuring those who face investigation are afforded basic due process. But critics worry the new laws chip away at safeguards Louisiana put in place in response to the state’s long history of government corruption. Beaullieu At its monthly meeting Thursday, two members of the Louisiana Board of Ethics raised concerns that the changes could undermine the board’s power and independence. La Koshia Roberts, the longest serving member, argued they will quickly render the ethics board “nonessential” and ultimately lead it to become “extinct.” The new rules could deter people from coming forward with complaints, leaving the board in the dark about problems it would otherwise address, she said. The Board of Ethics enforces ethics and campaign finance laws. It can undertake investigations into potential violations in either area as well as file formal charges against someone when it has evidence a law was broken. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana also argues the new laws “continued to whittle away at sunshine in government.” However, the changes did avoid “severe damage to our ethics code,” said PAR President Steven Procopio, who said lawmakers heeded many of his organization’s concerns and recommendations. Rep. Beau Beaullieu, a Republican from New Iberia who chairs the influential House and Governmental Affairs Committee, sponsored House Bill 674, which changed the ethics code. Beaullieu has said some of the board’s investigations have been “egregious” and led some under
ä See READING, page 4A
ä See ETHICS, page 4A
STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Lead teacher and literacy coach Lori Robertson speaks to students last month during the summer program at J.B. Nachman Elementary School in Alexandria. For third graders, it was their last chance to improve their reading scores — if they didn’t, they could be held back.
Few third graders expected to be held back because of scores BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer
Lori Robertson knew the stakes were high. Under a new Louisiana law, the third graders she taught this summer at J.B. Nachman Elementary School in Alexandria would have to pass a reading test or be held back. Yet Robertson, a 30-year veteran educator and the school’s literacy coach, exuded calm one morning last month as her students practiced the skills they’d soon be assessed on. One girl read aloud into a toy telephone, seeing how many words she could read correctly in one minute. Nearby, a boy read nonsense words like “soke,” a test of whether students can sound out unfamiliar words. Robertson asked a quiet third grader named Kingston to spell words like “horn” and “corn,” in which the letter R changes the vowel sound. When she challenged him to turn “corn” to “cork,” he wrote the new word correctly. “This just lights my fire,” Robertson beamed.
A paraprofessional works with third graders during the summer program at J.B. Nachman Elementary School. In the spring, nearly 1 in 4 Louisiana third graders failed to earn the minimum reading score required by the new law to advance to fourth grade, putting thousands at risk of retention. Over the past month, educators like Robertson raced to give those struggling readers a final push
Death toll in Texas flooding tops 100
Lafayette triple murder suspect found competent to stand trial
have found the Officials vow searchers bodies of 84 people, including 28 children, Kerr County to address officials said. weather warnings Authorities overseeing
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR
BY JIM VERTUNO, NADIA LATHAN and JOHN SEEWER
Staff writer
Chad Credeur, accused in the April 2024 murders of three people in Lafayette, including a popular university professor, has been deemed competent to stand trial. Credeur, 43, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the April 11, 2024, shooting deaths of Elizabeth Reames, 46, Brandon Touchet, 45, and Eric Green, 49. The three were found inside Reames’ apartment in a complex at 701 South College Road in Lafayette. A 15th Judicial District Court judge earlier this year ordered the appointment of a sanity commission to examine Credeur to determine if he
ä See SUSPECT, page 4A
WEATHER HIGH 90 LOW 76 PAGE 6A
Associated Press
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ELI HARTMAN
First responders carry out search and rescue operations near the Guadalupe River on Monday in Ingram, Texas.
KERRVILLE, Texas — The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas over the July Fourth weekend has surpassed 100 as the massive search continues for missing people. The number of deaths reached 104 on Monday. In hard-hit Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and several other summer camps,
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the search f o r f l o o d ä Flooding victims in from Tropical Texas said Storm t h e y w i l l Chantal wait to address ques- forces tions about dozens to w e a t h e r flee N.C. w a r n i n g s homes. a n d w h y PAGE 2A some summer camps did not evacuate ahead of the catastrophic flooding. The officials spoke only
ä See FLOODING, page 6A
101ST yEAR, NO. 8