Louisiana

Heimerman earns LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Coach of the Year, NSU represented in 13 events

Published

2 hours ago

July 21, 2024

Heimerman earns LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Coach of the Year, NSU represented in 13 events

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) – Leading the Northwestern State women’s track and field team to a pair of Southland Conference titles, including its first ever outdoor conference championship, earned head coach Mike Heimerman the LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Coach of the Year, which was announced Saturday.

Heimerman, who fell one vote shy of taking home the All-Louisiana Coach of the Year last season, led a total of 16 women’s athletes or relay teams that made the outdoor All-Conference, including four on the first team and seven more on the second team.

In the past two years, he has led the NSU women to two indoor team titles and the first outdoor team title in program history this season, as well as a second-place finish.

In addition to Heimerman’s superlative honor, NSU also captured 12 spots in individual events and one each on all four relay teams.

Zachaeus Beard, Sanaria Butler and Djimon Gumbs all earned spots on the All-Louisiana team in multiple individual events.

NSU placed the most athletes on the All-Louisiana team outside of LSU.

Beard, who reached the semifinals in the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic trials, grabs a spot on the second team in the 200-meter dash and third team in the 100.

To earn a second team selection in the 200, he clocked a 20.48 at the SLC Outdoor meet to capture the silver.

In his signature event, the First Team All-American ran an impressive 10.03—adjusted for wind—at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout to win the event and post the best time in the conference this season.

Beard also was a member of both relay teams, which both earned second team spots, only behind LSU.

In the 4×100, the quartet of Beard, Cyrus Jacobs, Keontae Gaines and Mikkel Johansson collected a spot at nationals in Oregon on the strength of a 39.25 at regionals in Kentucky and also earned them a spot on the All-Louisiana Second Team.

Beard, Jacobs, Desmond Duncan and Jaysaun Smith also made the second team in the men’s 4×400 relay team, clocking a 3:08.27 at the conference championships.

Like Beard, Sanaria Butler also made the team in multiple individual events as well as both relay teams.

She ran a school-record 52.09 at the NCAA East Regionals in the 400-meter dash, which earned her a spot on the second team.

Butler collected a spot on the third team in the long jump, posting a 20-5.25 at the Bobcat Invitational.

The sensational sophomore also led the NSU women’s 4×400 relay team to a Second Team All-American selection and spot on Second Team All-Louisiana. The team of Butler, Maygan Shaw, Tranasia Jones and Vanessa Balde smashed the school record, running a 3:29.22 to earn a spot at nationals and a spot on the All-Louisiana team.

Butler, along with Shaw, Balde and Lynell Washington collected a spot on the second team in the 4×100 relay after running a 44.43 in front of the home crowd at the Leon Johnson Invitational.

Gumbs’ record-breaking season earned him a pair of first team honors, including one of two NSU athletes to make the first team, which he did in the shot put.

In the event, Gumbs tossed a school-record 66-7 at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout, which earned him the top spot in the conference and the state this season.

Not only did he post a terrific performance at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout in the shot put, he did so in the discus as well at the meet.

Gumbs claimed a third team selection in the discus, tossing a 186-3.

The NSU athlete other than Gumbs to earn a first team selection is senior pole vaulter Madison Brown, who cleared 13-4.25 at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout.

She is joined on the team by friend and teammate Annemarie Broussard, who claimed third in the pole vault, clearing 12-11.5, also recorded at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout.

Joining Butler as an NSU athlete on the All-Louisiana team in the 400 is Shaw, who clocked a 52.59 at the Leon Johnson Invitational on the home track.

Gumbs was not the only member of his family to make the team, as he was joined by twin brother Diamante Gumbs in the discus.

Diamante earned some bragging rights, as he claimed second team to Djimon’s third team in the discus. Diamante launched a 195-2 at the NCAA East Regional in Kentucky, which punched his ticket to Eugene and nationals.

On the women’s side, Kaitlyn Washington also made All-Louisiana in the discus, earning third place with a toss of 170-2 at the LSU Alumni Gold.

In the shot put, Shakera Williams placed second in the state, thrilling the home crowd at the Leon Johnson Invitational, tossing a 48-11.5.

LSU either won or tied eight of the 10 superlative awards, including all five on the men’s side.

All-Louisiana Superlatives

MEN
- Track – Godson Oghenebrume, LSU
- Field – Claudio Romero, LSU
  Freshman – Jaiden Reid, LSU
- Newcomer – Myles Thomas, LSU
- Coach – (TIE) – Yhann Plummer, Xavier; Dennis Shaver LSU
WOMEN
- Track – Brianna Lyston, LSU
- Field – Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi, ULM
  Freshman – Tima Godbless, LSU
- Newcomer – Estel Valeanu, LSU
Coach – Mike Heimerman, Northwestern State
- The complete list of best times in the 2024 Outdoor season:
100 Meters (MEN)
- Oghenebrume, Godson/LSU/Jr./9.99/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Fleming, Da’Marcus/LSU/Sr./10.03/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
- Beard, Zachaeus/Northwestern State/Sr./10.03/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
100 Meters (WOMEN)
- Lyston, Brianna/LSU/So./10.84/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
- Davies, Thelma/LSU/Sr./10.92/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Godbless, Tima/LSU/Fr./11.03/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
200 Meters (MEN)
- Fleming, Da’Marcus/LSU/Sr./20.42/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Beard, Zachaeus/Northwestern St./Sr./20.48/SLC Outdoors/April 20, 2024
- Reid, Jaiden/LSU/Fr./20.51/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
200 Meters (Women)
- Davies, Thelma/LSU/Sr./22.17/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Lyston, Brianna/LSU/So./22.31/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Godbless, Tima/LSU/Fr./22.63/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
400 Meters (MEN)
- Bedell, Dillon/LSU/Jr./45.30/Tom Jones Memorial/April 12, 2024
- Jones, Javed/Louisiana/Sr./46.17/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Burrell, Sean/LSU/Sr./46.19/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
400 Meters (WOMEN)
- Onojuvwevwo, Ella/LSU/So./50.57/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Butler, Sanaria/Northwestern St./So./52.09/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
- Shaw, Maygan/Northwestern St./Jr./52.59/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
800 Meters (MEN)
- Swanson, Mats/LSU/So./1:48.78/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
- Travis, Isiah/LSU/Sr./1:48.81/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
- Martin, Alex/McNeese State/Fr./1:49.07/Carl Kight Invitational/April 11, 2024
800 Meters (WOMEN)
- Rose, Michaela/LSU/Jr./1:58.37/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
- Bangel Batres, Lorena/LSU/Sr./2:03.00/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
- Monk, Montana/LSU/So./2:05.81/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
1500 Meters (MEN)
- Langley, Rhen/LSU/Fr./3:43.72/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
- Kunin, Illia/Tulane/Jr./3:44.97/Bran Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
- El-Fadi, Omer/McNeese/Jr./3:45.71/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
1500 Meters (WOMEN)
- Rangel Batres, Lorena/LSU/Sr./4:09.06/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
- Rose, Michaela/LSU/Jr./4:18.88/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
- Hardy, Callie/LSU/Jr./4:20.26/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
5000 Meters (MEN)
- Kunin, Illia/Tulane/Jr./13:46.94/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
- Jennings, Jack/Tulane/Sr./14:03.01/Wake Forest Invitational/April 19, 2024
- Pardo, Evan/New Orleans/So./14:17.67/Texas Relays/March 29, 2024
5000 Meters (WOMEN)
- Chesnut, Ella/LSU/So./16:11.49/Brian Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
- Vaquera, Paula/Tulane/So./16:20.79/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
- Diaz, Danna/Tulane/Sr./16:34.18/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
10,000 Meters (MEN)
- Jennings, Jack/Tulane/Jr./28:28.72/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
- Adkins, Ryan/Tulane/Gr./29:55.12/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
- Kimutai, Gilbert/McNeese/Jr./31:08.11/Southland Championships/May 9, 2024
10,000 Meters (WOMEN)
- Chesnut, Ella/LSU/So./32:46.56/Raleigh Relays/March 28, 2024
- Spalitta, Brooke/Louisiana/So./37:16.91/Victor Lopez Classic/March 21, 2024
- DeKay, Rebecca/New Orleans/40:08.73/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
100 Hurdles (WOMEN)
- Armstrong, Alia/LSU/Sr./12.66/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Phillips, Leah/LSU/Sr./12.71/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Bellamy, Shani’a/LSU/Sr./12.77/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
110 Hurdles (MEN)
- Stern, Jahiem/LSU/So./13.38/NCAA East Regional/May 22, 2024
- Sophia, Matthew/LSU/So./13.37/NCAA Championship/June 5, 2024
- Adesola, John/Jr./New Orleans/13.56/NCAA Championships/June 5, 2024
400 Hurdles (MEN)
- Burrell, Sean/LSU/Sr./49.44/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
- Jones, Javed/Louisiana/Sr./49.44/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
- Powell, Jaden/McNeese/Jr./51.32/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
400 Hurdles (WOMEN)
- Bellamy, Shani’a/LSU/Sr./55.71/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
- Phillips, Leah/LSU/Sr./56.50/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
- White, Garriel/LSU/Jr./56.88/Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
3000 Steeplechase (MEN)
- Peyton Chiasson/Louisiana/Jr./9:07.95/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Kimaiyo, Kevin/McNeese/So./9:37.80/Southland Championships/May 9, 2024
- Wong, Mason/Tulane/Gr./9:40.97/East Coast Relays/April 26, 2024
3000 Steeplechase (WOMEN)
- Hardy, Callie/LSU/Jr./10:29.37/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Barcenas, Jeny/McNeese/So./10:30.48/Bryan Clay Invitational/April 11, 2024
- Pascoa, Marta/McNeese/Jr./10:43.68/Texas Relays/March 27, 2004
4X100 Relay (MEN)LSU/Myles Thomas, Marcus Fleming, Jaiden Reid, Godson Oghenebrume/38.19/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Northwestern State/Zachaeus Beard, Cyrus Jacobs, Keontae’ Gaines, Mikkel Johansson/39.25/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
- Louisiana/Trejun Jones, Zakhy Munro, Floyd Pond, Jamhad Booth/39.31/Tiger Track Classic/April 20, 2024
4X100 Relay (WOMEN)
- LSU/Brianna Lyston, Thelma Davies, Leah Phillips, Tima Godbless/42.49/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Northwestern State/Maygan Shaw, Sanaria Butler, Vanessa Balde, Lynell Washington/44.43/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
- Louisiana/Amairi Ashford, Ta’La Spates, Kennedy London, Mari Robinson/44.71/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
4X400 Relay (MEN)LSU/Sean Burrell, Salim Epps, Shakeem McKay, Dillon Bedell/3:01.28/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Northwestern St./Desmond Duncan, Cyrus Jacobs, Zachaeus Beard, Jaysaun Smith/3:08.27/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Louisiana/Antoni Hoyte-Small, Javed Jones, Darrius Charles, Jarell Joseph/3:08.75/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
4X400 Relay (WOMEN)
- LSU/Ella Onojuvwewo, Shani’a Bellamy, Michaela Rose, Garriel White/3:26.55/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Northwestern St./Maygan Shaw, Sanaria Butler, Tranasia Jones, Vanessa Balde/3:29.22/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
- Louisiana Tech/Jamara Patterson, Joy Usenbor, Saran Kouyate, Jenaia Williams/3:37.99/C-USA Outdoors/May 9, 2024
High Jump (MEN)
- Chadenga, Kuda/LSU/Jr./7-3.25/Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
- Stevic, Slavko/SE Louisiana/Sr./7-2.25/Louisiana Classic/March 15, 2024
- Smith, Roman/Southern/Jr./7-1.75/SWAC Outdoors/May 2, 2024
High Jump (WOMEN)
- Smalls, Morgan/LSU/Sr./6-0.5/NCAA East Regional/May 25, 2024
- Famous, Sakari/McNeese/Sr./5-11.5/Southland Championships/May 9, 2024
- Williams, A’reil/Louisiana Tech/Fr./5-9.25/C-USA Outdoors/May 10, 2024
- Washington, Kennedy/Louisiana/Sr./5-9.25/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
- Veal, Alaysha/Louisiana/Fr./5-9.25/Johnson NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
Pole Vault (MEN)
- Domingue, Beau/LSU/So./17-0.75/Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
- Aime, Kameron/LSU/Sr./16-8.75/Hurricane Invitational/March 15, 2024
- Russell, Nick/Louisiana/Sr./16-5.5/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
Pole Vault (WOMEN)
- Brown, Madison/Northwestern St./Sr./13-4.25/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
- Duplantis, Johanna/LSU/Sr./13-1.5/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
- Broussard, Annemarie/Northwestern St./Sr./12-11.5/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
Long Jump (MEN)
- Murphy, Christopher/New Orleans/Jr./25-4.75/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Bullock, Ji’eem/LSU/Sr./25-2/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Lambert, Lawrence/Grambling/So./25-2/Southern Invitational/May 10, 2024
Long Jump (WOMEN)
- Small, Morgan/LSU/Sr./21-6.75/Battle on the Bayou/March 29, 2024
- Ilunga Mbuyi, Eunice/ULM/Jr./20-6.25/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Butler, Sanaria/Northwestern State/So./20-5.25/Mt. SAC Relays/April 17, 2024
Triple Jump (MEN)
- Nelson, Jeremy/Louisiana/So./52-10.75/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024
- Alexander, Seth/Xavier/Sr./50-9.25/NAIA Nationals/May 24, 2024
- Hamilton, Lance/SE Louisiana/Jr./50-8.25/Texas Relays/March 27, 2024
Triple Jump (WOMEN)
- Ilunga Mbuyi, Eunice/ULM/Jr./43-10.5/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Smalls, Morgan/LSU/Sr./43-2.5/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Fingers, Taylor/LSU/Fr./42-6/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
Shot Put (MEN)
- Gumbs, Djimon/Northwestern St./Sr./66-7/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
- Meyer, John/LSU/Sr./64-7/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Francis, Marcus/McNeese/59-10.5/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
Shot Put (WOMEN)
- Valeanu, Estel/LSU/Sr./52-6.75/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
- Williams, Shakera/Northwestern St./Jr./48-11.5/NSU Invitational/April 12, 2024
- Russell, Jaslyn/McNeese/So./47-5.75/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
Discus (MEN)
- Romero, Claudio/LSU/Sr./220-9/LSU Alumni Golf/April 20, 2024
- Gumbs, Diamante/Northwestern St./Sr./195-2/NCAA East Regional/May 24, 2024Gumbs, Djimon/Northwestern St./Sr./186-3/Corky-Crofoot Shootout/April 26, 2024
Discus (WOMEN)
- Valeanu, Estel/LSU/Sr./188-9/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Hines, Kimola/Louisiana/Jr./171-1/Crimson Tide Invitational/April 5, 2024
- Washington, Kaitlyn/Northwestern St./So./170-2/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
Hammer (MEN)
- Webb, Terrell/SE Louisiana/Sr./213-11/Talley Invitational/March 23, 2024
- Witte, Johnathan/LSU/Jr./200-11/LSU Invitational/April 27, 2024
- Visser, Gerrit/SE Louisiana/Jr./196-2/Southern Miss Invitational/March 29, 2024
Hammer (WOMEN)
- Lee, Mariah/McNeese/Sr./193-5/Warhawk Classic/April 26, 2024
- Murray, Lily/Louisiana/Fr./189-11/Talley Invitational/March 23, 2024
- Valeanu, Estel/LSU/Sr./188-1/SEC Outdoors/May 9, 2024
Javelin (MEN)
- Lawrence, Will/LSU/Jr./245-4/Jones Memorial/April 12, 2024
- Larriviere, Jack/LSU/So./234-11/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
- Rimes, Jackson/LSU/Jr./233-8/Hurricane Invitational/March 15, 2024
Javelin (WOMEN)
- Spooner, Trinity/LSU/Fr./181-3/LSU Alumni Gold/April 20, 2024
- Guillory, Alexis/LSU/Fr./164-9/Hurricane Invitational/March 15, 2024
- Beard, Blanche/McNeese/Sr./164-5/Texas Relays/March 27, 2024
Heptathlon (WOMEN)
- Raud-Gumiel, Claudine/ULM/Jr./5496/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Talley, Morgan/McNeese/Sr./5204/Southland Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Walls, Taylor/Louisiana/Sr./5189/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
Decathlon (MEN)
- Bovo, Federico/Louisiana/Fr./6830/Sun Belt Outdoors/May 9, 2024
- Holland, Aiden/LA Tech/Jr./5420/C-USA Outdoors/May 11, 2024

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Louisiana

Ten Commandments won’t go in some Louisiana classrooms until at least November as lawsuit plays out – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

Published

9 hours ago

July 20, 2024

Press Room

Ten Commandments won’t go in some Louisiana classrooms until at least November as lawsuit plays out – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana won’t take official steps to implement a law requiring the Ten Commandments be placed in all of the state’s public school classrooms until at least November as a lawsuit makes its way through the courts, according to an agreement approved by a federal judge Friday.

The suit was filed in June by parents of Louisiana public school children with various religious backgrounds, who said the law violates First Amendment language forbidding government establishment of religion and guaranteeing religious liberty. Backers of the law argue that the Ten Commandments belong in classrooms because the commandments are historical and are part of the foundation of U.S. law.

The Louisiana law requires the commandments be posted no later than Jan. 1, a deadline unaffected by Friday’s agreement. The deal assures that the defendants in the lawsuit — state education officials and several local school boards — will not post the commandments in classrooms before Nov. 15, and won’t make rules governing the law’s implementation before then.

Lester Duhe, a spokesman for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, said the defendants “agreed to not take public-facing compliance measures until November 15” to provide time for briefs, arguments and a ruling.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose.

In 2005, the Supreme Court held that such displays in a pair of Kentucky courthouses violated the Constitution. At the same time, the court upheld a Ten Commandments marker on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol in Austin.

Louisiana’s new law does not require school systems to spend public money on Ten Commandments posters. It allows the systems to accept donated posters or money to pay for the displays.

The law also specifically authorizes but does not require other postings in public schools, including: The Mayflower Compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as America’s “First Constitution”; the Declaration of Independence; and the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government in the Northwest Territory — in the present day Midwest — and created a pathway for admitting new states to the Union.

The legal challenge to the law came soon after it was signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican who succeeded two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in January. Landry’s inauguration marked a full takeover of state government by the GOP in a Bible Belt state where the party already held other every statewide elected position and a supermajority in the Legislature.

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Louisiana

Here's When Louisiana Classrooms Will See Ten Commandments Posted

Published

16 hours ago

July 20, 2024

Press Room

Here's When Louisiana Classrooms Will See Ten Commandments Posted

Louisiana won’t take official steps to implement a law requiring the Ten Commandments be placed in all of the state’s public school classrooms until at least November as a lawsuit makes its way through the courts, according to an agreement approved by a federal judge Friday.

Louisiana’s new law does not require school systems to spend public money on Ten Commandments posters. It allows the systems to accept donated posters or money to pay for the displays.

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Louisiana

A plan to build one of Louisiana’s biggest solar farms was rejected. Lawsuits have now been filed.

Published

23 hours ago

July 20, 2024

Press Room

A plan to build one of Louisiana’s biggest solar farms was rejected. Lawsuits have now been filed.

The rejection of a plan to build one of Louisiana’s largest solar farms in St. James Parish has drawn lawsuits from the developer and a land company that allege local officials acted in defiance of “objective evidence” and the public will in denying the 2,200-acre complex.

In two separate suits, the New York-based developer, D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments, and the Vacherie-based land company, Ten-R Company Inc., have asked state district judges in St. James to overturn the Parish Council’s decision last month to deny the 360-megawatt solar farm.

The dispute highlights the difficulty in building out large solar farms as energy companies seek to expand renewable power sources. The burning of coal or oil and gas for electricity is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change.

SJ Louisiana Solar LLC project would have been built in the Vacherie area on sugar cane land along La. 20 and River Road and sold power to Entergy Louisiana. Entergy officials have said they wanted the solar power to meet demand from its industrial customers, but the large facility sparked local and official opposition.

That opposition stemmed from fears about noise and fires as well as worries about aesthetics and the loss of sugar cane land along the Mississippi River. Some also noted the site has industrial development potential and that the solar facility had promised few permanent jobs.

After more than two years of review and revision — including a moratorium to allow the council to develop a solar ordinance — DESRI came back with a scaled-down version of its earlier plans that was designed under the new parish solar ordinance.

Those provisions included sizeable setbacks that cut into the space for solar panels, as well as perimeter fencing and vegetative screens behind roads and homes to block the view of the panels, the suit claims. The company also alleged concerns about noise were mitigated and fears over fires and land contamination were overstated or false.

But, on June 18, in a 4-3 vote after more than two and a half hours of public discussion and council debate, the Parish Council denied the revised plan, which still would have been one of the largest solar farms in the state.

In the two suits brought Wednesday in Convent, SJ Louisiana Solar, which is a subsidiary of DESRI, and Ten-R allege the Parish Council acted arbitrarily and capriciously when it backed the Planning Commission’s recommendation to deny the project.

“The council’s denial of petitioner’s application constitutes an irrational abuse of power,” the DESRI subsidiary’s lawsuit alleges.

Victor J. Franckiewicz Jr., a parish planning attorney, said the lawsuits were not unexpected.

“We’re going to have to look at it in detail. I’m sure the parish will respond,” he said on Friday.

Council members who voted against the solar complex last month said they were responding to the public will, but the DESRI subsidiary argued that, in the council meeting and in an earlier planning commission meeting, public sentiment was decidedly in its favor, including from a host of letters, some unsigned or with illegible names, read out-loud by council officials.

In the suit, the DESRI subsidiary also argued the parish went against the Planning Commission and council’s own reasoning five years ago when they approved a far smaller DESRI solar facility, now built in the parish, without buffer lands because of its “benign nature” and “inconsequential impacts.”

The DESRI subsidiary also noted in its suit that the Louisiana Public Service Commission, in 2021, had found that the earlier version of its proposed complex, which then called for 300-megawatts of electricity, served the public interest and that the solar farm promised $141.3 million in tax revenue over its lifetime.

The company also detailed what it says were its efforts to tailor its plans to address public concerns and its decision to pass on lucrative property tax exemptions. It suggested that the complex would have no air emissions and less impact than currently allowed agricultural and residential uses.

“The council’s decision is not supported by any objective evidence in the record,” SJ Louisiana Solar, the DESRI subsidiary, alleges.

The subsidiary and the landowner, however, were seeking a project on land not designated for solar farms but for agriculture and future homes. The company and landowner, as parish officials have noted, needed an exception to those designated land uses to allow the solar farm.

Franckiewicz, the parish lawyer, has said previously that means the decision remained in the discretion of the Parish Council and was not a use by right.

In the court papers, the DESRI subsidiary pointed out, however, that no parish land use designation allows solar farms and that the council did not follow its solar ordinance consultant’s recommendation to make solar farms permitted activities in industrial and agricultural land uses.

In the DESRI subsidiary’s and the landowner’s suits, they allege some council members who voted on the project had possible conflicts of interest; DESRI also added some on the planning commission had conflicts too.

The suits don’t name the officials nor the source of the alleged conflicts.

The suit brought by SJ Louisiana Solar, the DESRI subsidiary, has been assigned to 23rd Judicial District Judge Keyojuan Gant-Turner. The suit from Ten-R has been assigned to Chief District Judge Jason Verdigets.

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