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W e d n e s d ay, J u ly 9, 2025
The USS New Orleans lost its bow battling the Japanese in the Southwest Pacific in 1942. PROVIDED PHOTO
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Bill brings changes to Medicaid, tax breaks Legislation to affect several state industries
BY JULIA GUILBEAU Staff writer
FROM THE DEPTHS
Bow from USS New Orleans, lost during WWII, found in Pacific Ocean BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer
WASHINGTON â On a dark night with no moon and heavily overcast skies on Nov. 30, 1942, the USS New Orleans was one of 11 cruisers and destroyers sailing in formation into the waters near the Solomon Islands in the south PaciďŹc Ocean. âA light southeast breeze scarcely rufďŹed the surface of the water,â a Navy report on that nightâs events states. Then came the surprise attack.
Eight Japanese destroyers and an unknown number of submarines pounced on the American ships. The Battle of Tassafaronga â one of the U.S. Navyâs most disastrous days of World War II â was underway. A few minutes after the USS New Orleans opened fire, the American forceâs lead cruiser, the USS Minneapolis, was struck by two Japanese torpedoes on the left side, according to the damage report. To avoid a collision, the New Orleans abruptly made a sharp right turn and was struck by a Japanese âLong Lanceâ torpedo, which ignited ammunition stored at the front of the ship. An explosion tore off the front third of the vessel. More than 180 sailors were killed in the blast;
three were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for their actions. The shipâs bow tore loose and was observed ďŹoating intact and upright behind the New Orleans before sinking, according to the damage report. But somehow, the surviving crew managed to keep the rest of the ship aďŹoat. âBy all rights, this ship should have sunk, but due to the heroic damage control efforts of her crew, USS New Orleans became one of the most grievously damaged U.S. cruisers in World War II to actually survive,â said Samuel J. Cox, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and director of the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington.
ä See WRECKAGE, page 7A
After months of inďŹghting and political haggling, Republican congressional lawmakers in Washington, D.C., came together to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill, President Donald Trumpâs main policy agenda, last week. The act, which Trump signed into law at a ceremony Friday, sets out a spending plan and tax cuts for the country. With nearly 900 pages included in the far-reaching law, the legislation will affect health care, taxes, social safety nets, immigration and more. Hereâs a look at the main components and how the changes could play out in Louisiana.
Tax cuts and changes Whatâs changed: Much of the focus of the One Big Beautiful Bill surrounded creating additional tax cuts, while offsetting much of the subsequent revenue loss by slashing spending. Some of the main tax changes added were: n Retained tax breaks: The law makes permanent a series of tax cuts passed in 2017 during Trumpâs first presidential term, keeping roughly $3.8 trillion dollars of temporary individual and business tax breaks. n New tax breaks: Several new tax breaks were added, including those that add new deductions for overtime and auto loans, allow businesses to write off equipment and research costs, and quadruple the cap on state and local deductions. n Tip changes: The bill temporarily allows workers to deduct tips and overtime pay. n Boost for older adults: Most adults 65 and older who earn no more than $75,000 a year can now temporarily get a $6,000 deduction. This change is in effect from 2025 to 2028. In Louisiana: Generally, tax analysis experts estimate that 85% of the nationâs
ä See BILL, page 5A
Rural health care impacts likely wonât be felt right away BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer
plan to remake the federal government. The Supreme Courtâs intervention so far has been on the frequent emergency appeals the Justice Department has ďŹled objecting to lower-court rulings as improperly intruding on presidential authority. The Republican president has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate for the work, and he tapped billionaire ally Elon Musk to lead the charge through DOGE. Musk recently left his role.
Louisianaâs rural health care landscape is already on shaky ground, and President Donald Trumpâs recently passed domestic agenda aims to test that even more. However, the impact of the bill on rural hospitals and clinics wonât likely be felt until at least 2029, when $1.1 trillion in Medicaid cuts from Trumpâs One Big Beautiful Bill start taking effect. While some experts say itâs still too early to sound the alarm, they agree that changes are coming. âThereâs got to be a major reset in how rural health care is provided across the state,â said Jeff Reynolds, executive director of the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition. The reductions, which were initially set to be immediate, take a gradual approach, reducing by 10% yearly starting in 2029 and ending in 2035, Reynolds added. The cuts represent roughly $414 million in annual reduction to a $4 billion program for the state.
ä See CUTS, page 5A
ä See RURAL, page 7A
Court clears way for federal workforce cuts BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON â The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for President Donald Trumpâs plans to downsize the federal workforce despite warnings that critical government services will be lost and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be out of their jobs. The justices overrode lower court orders that temporarily froze the cuts, which have been led by the Department of Gov-
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ernment EfďŹciency. The court said in an unsigned order that no specific cuts were in front of the justices, only an executive order issued by Trump and an administration directive Trump for agencies to undertake job reductions. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only dissenting vote, accusing her colleagues of a âdemonstrated enthusiasm for green-
lighting this Presidentâs legally dubious actions in an emergency posture.â Jackson warned of enormous real-world consequences. âThis executive action promises mass employee terminations, widespread cancellation of federal programs and services, and the dismantling of much of the Federal Government as Congress has created it,â she wrote. The high court action continued a remarkable winning streak for Trump, who the justices have allowed to move forward with signiďŹcant parts of his
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