NCAA GYMNASTICS Chio gets two perfect scores as LSU advances
ADVOCATE THE
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
1C
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
|
F r i d ay, a p r i l 3, 2026
BR garbage service could be reduced
$2.00X
Foundation is given company worth $1B
Newtron Group founder planned for firm to be donated BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer
A national industrial electrical contractor is now owned by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, bringing a $1 billion asset to the foundation and strengthening both groups’ ability to contribute to charitable causes. More than a decade ago, Newton Thomas, the founder of the company, set up plans that ensured the company would maintain its business and charitable Thomas operations after his death. Thomas died in July at age 81. The Newtron Group was donated to BRAF under no financial terms, effective March 17. With annual revenues of $1 billion, The Newtron Group is one of the largest privately held specialty electrical construction companies in the
ä See FOUNDATION, page 5A
2026 LEGISLATURE
STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING
Republic Services is proposing to cut garbage collection in East Baton Rouge Parish to once a week.
Republic proposal calls for weekly pickup at same price BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
Talks to renegotiate the city-parish’s garbage contract are underway at City Hall, with the current service provider proposing to reduce the number of collection days, documents show. Republic Services’ pitch would reduce garbage collection from two days a week to one at the current price to residents, according to documents obtained by The Advocate. If approved, the plan would include an increase in “boom truck” service for bulky waste pickup, though the details of that are unclear. In a statement Thursday, MayorPresident Sid Edwards declined to take a position on Republic’s proposal, noting that the talks are in the early stages. “While negotiations are still preliminary, my goal is to ensure residents receive fair value and that
“While negotiations are still preliminary, my goal is to ensure residents receive fair value and that we are being responsible with their dollars.” SID EDWARDS, East Baton Rouge Parish mayor-president we are being responsible with their dollars,” Edwards said. “Maintaining a clean city and parish remains a top priority, and I believe we can achieve that by working closely with the Metro Council and our partners like Republic.” But the proposal has drawn pushback from some Metro Council members. Darryl Hurst says residents should not have to pay the same for less service. “Moving to one day a week and paying the same amount or more is
Bill to let DAs change judges advances
a disservice to our taxpayers,” Hurst said. Hurst also says once-weekly pickup would be unsanitary for homeowners. “When we talk about trash, a lot of people think about haves and havenots, the rich and the poor, Black and White. But what we all have in common in south Louisiana is a love for seafood,” Hurst said. “Imagine crawfish, shrimp, crabs, sitting in your trash for a week, bringing flies, larvae, transmitting diseases through mosquitoes and things like that.” The current contract provides service to the city of Baton Rouge, the parish’s unincorporated areas, St. George and Central. Reached Thursday, Republic General Manager Sharon Mann said their once-weekly plan would include an extra garbage bin for
Louisiana district attorneys could soon be able to have new judges assigned to criminal cases when defendants opt not to have jury trials. A bill that would make that change is the latest in a series of proposals rankling defense advocates, who say the new rules would stack the decks to favor prosecutors. Proponents of the legislation, including state Attorney General Liz Murrill, argue House Bill 381 is needed to keep defendants from “judge shopping.” But defense attorneys say it would give prosecutors the power to do exactly that. The bill comes as lawmakers also consider
ä See GARBAGE, page 4A
ä See JUDGES, page 5A
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
Trump fires Attorney General Bondi oversaw large-scale firings can Patriot and a loyal friend, who Move comes after House, of career employees and moved faithfully served as my Attorto investigate the ney General over the past year,” scrutiny over handling aggressively Republican president’s perceived Trump said in a statement. He of Epstein files enemies. added, “We love Pam, and she will
BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White
WEATHER HIGH 84 LOW 70 PAGE 8B
The departure followed months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation and failed efforts to meet Trump’s unwavering demands for criminal cases against his adversaries. As Trump’s own frustrations mounted, he began privately discussing firing Bondi, people familiar with the matter say. “Pam Bondi is a Great Ameri-
be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future.” Trump named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, one of his former personal lawyers, as the acting attorney general. Three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Thursday that he has privately
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
President Donald Trump speaks with Attorney General Pam Bondi during a roundtable discussion on public safety at a Tennessee Air National ä See BONDI, page 4A Guard base on March 23.
Business ......................3B Commentary ................7B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................5B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
101ST yEAR, NO. 277