President Donald Trump says he will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday to end the “bloodbath” war between the two countries

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer may have delayed the announcement of its COVID-19 vaccine to influence the 2020 presidential election, according to evidence provided to a House committee this week

from ZeroHedge: President Trump raised eyebrows on Saturday – posting a ‘Clinton body count’ clip to Truth Social that suggests several mysterious deaths over the past few decades are linked to the Clintons. Mentioned in the clip are former Clinton White House Deputy Counsel Vince Foster, Clinton associate James McDougal, Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich, and the mysterious death of JFK […]

from InfoWars: Greg Gutfeld described the coverup of President Biden’s cognitive decline as worse than Watergate, as damning audio of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur leaked Audio of President Biden’s interviews with special counsel Robert Hur was released on Friday, and it paints an even more damning picture of Biden’s cognitive decline than […]

  Louisiana’s history is layered with colonization, rebellion, resilience, and culture. From the founding of Natchitoches in 1714 to the state’s pivotal roles in the Louisiana Purchase, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, its legacy runs deep. Key sites like Fort St. Jean Baptiste, the French Quarter, and the River Road plantations preserve the state’s colonial, Creole, and antebellum heritage. Louisiana is also home to remarkable small towns where history is lived. These 9 must-visit historic towns offer firsthand insight into the state’s diverse roots, architectural treasures, and enduring cultural traditions across centuries.   1.  Natchitoches Natchitoches City Hall in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Nestled along the Cane River Lake, Natchitoches (pronounced NACK-uh-tish) is Louisiana’s oldest permanent settlement, founded in 1714 by French explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. Established as a French outpost for trade with Spanish-controlled Mexico, the town’s rich history is evident in its well-preserved architecture and cultural landmarks.   The 33-block Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District showcases French Creole townhouses, brick-paved streets, and the iconic Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile, Louisiana’s oldest general store. Nearby, the reconstructed Fort St. Jean Baptiste offers insights into 18th-century colonial life.   Visitors can explore the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, home to Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, which preserve the region’s complex Creole heritage. Melrose Plantation, built by free people of color, stands as a testament to the area’s diverse history.   Natchitoches is also renowned for its culinary delight: the Natchitoches meat pie, a savory turnover filled with seasoned meat. The town’s annual Christmas Festival, featuring over 300,000 lights, parades, and fireworks, transforms the historic district into a winter wonderland.   2. St. Francisville St. Francisville, Louisiana. Source: Flickr   Tucked along the bluffs of the Mississippi River, St. Francisville is a town where the past lingers gracefully. Established in the early 1800s, it was once part of the short-lived Republic of West Florida and served as a crucial trading post between upriver planters and New Orleans merchants. Today, it remains one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century Louisiana life.   Wander its quiet streets lined with live oaks and you’ll encounter homes that survived the Civil War, including Rosedown and The Myrtles Plantation, the latter known for its haunted legends. The town cemetery, high above the river, tells stories through ornate headstones and ironwork.   Historic churches like Grace Episcopal, shelled during the Civil War, stand as symbols of endurance. The town’s charm isn’t just architectural; it’s in the small bookstores, antique shops, and porch-front cafés that invite lingering.   3. Grand Coteau Academy of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Time moves differently in Grand Coteau, where centuries-old oaks stretch their limbs over quiet lanes and faith seems stitched into the soil. Founded in the late 1700s and shaped by French, Spanish, and Creole influences, this small Louisiana town is best known for its sacred heart, the Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic girls’ school established in 1821 that remains one of the oldest continually operating schools west of the Mississippi.   The town holds a documented miracle recognized by the Catholic Church, one of the few in the U.S., adding spiritual gravity to its peaceful presence. Many of its structures, including the Jesuit cemetery and St. Charles Borromeo Church, have endured fire, war, and time.   4. Abbeville Chauviere House, Abbeville, Louisiana. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Abbeville, founded in 1843 by French Capuchin missionary Père Antoine Désiré Mégret, sits at the heart of Vermilion Parish in south Louisiana. The town was built around the Vermilion River, which still runs through the center and serves as a focal point for community events and local commerce. Known for its strong Cajun and Creole roots, Abbeville offers visitors a look at authentic Louisiana culture without the crowds.   The town square is home to the historic St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church and the Vermilion Parish Courthouse, both central to the area’s identity. The Sam Guarino Blacksmith Shop Museum, a rare surviving example of early 20th-century trade, adds historical depth.   Abbeville is also known for its food festivals, especially the Louisiana Cattle Festival and the Giant Omelette Celebration, which honor local traditions.   5. Franklin Main street in Franklin, Louisiana. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Franklin grew into prominence in the 1800s as a commercial hub for sugar plantations along Bayou Teche. Incorporated in 1820 and named after Benjamin Franklin, the town developed quickly thanks to steamboat traffic and the wealth generated by sugar cane. By the mid-19th century, it had become one of the most prosperous towns in the region.   Today, Franklin is known for its Main Street, where over 400 historic structures, many listed on the National Register, showcase antebellum and Victorian architecture. Wrought-iron balconies, gas lanterns, and towering oaks line the boulevard, giving the town a distinctive, preserved character.   The Grevemberg House Museum, built in 1851, offers insight into planter life, while the Shadowlawn Plantation Home and nearby cemeteries reflect the cultural and economic complexity of the area.   6. Covington Covington, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Founded in 1813 and located at the fork of the Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte Rivers, Covington began as a key shipping point for goods like lumber, bricks, and farm produce sent downriver to New Orleans. Originally named Wharton, the town was renamed Covington, possibly after General Leonard Covington, and quickly became central to St. Tammany Parish’s economy.   While its early history is rooted in trade, modern Covington is known for its vibrant arts scene and preserved historic district. The downtown area features 19th- and early 20th-century buildings now home to art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. Sites like the Covington Trailhead and Southern Hotel connect visitors to the town’s past while supporting local culture.   Covington also offers easy access to nature via the Tammany Trace, a 31-mile paved path that links historic towns across the parish.   7. New Roads Parlange Plantation, New Roads, Louisiana. Source: Picryl   New Roads, established in the 18th century along False River in Pointe Coupee Parish, traces its origins to French and Spanish settlers. The town’s name comes from “Chemin Neuf,” or “new road,” built to connect the river landing to the parish seat. Over time, New Roads became a center of Creole heritage and remains one of Louisiana’s oldest communities with a strong French influence.   The town is known for hosting one of the state’s oldest Mardi Gras celebrations outside New Orleans, dating back to the 1800s, and for its deeply rooted Catholic traditions centered around St. Mary’s Catholic Church, built in 1907.   Visitors can explore preserved homes like the LeJeune House and enjoy scenic views along the False River, a former Mississippi River channel now popular for boating and fishing.   8. Donaldsonville Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Source: Flickr   Donaldsonville holds a unique place in Louisiana’s history. It was the state capital from 1830 to 1831 and the first U.S. city to elect an African American mayor, Pierre Caliste Landry, in 1868. Located at the junction of the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche, Donaldsonville was once a vital trade and transport hub for the sugarcane economy.   The town’s historic district includes over 600 buildings on the National Register, featuring Creole cottages, Italianate townhomes, and shotgun houses. Notable landmarks include the Ascension Catholic Church, founded in the 1770s, and the River Road African American Museum, which highlights local Black history, from slavery to political leadership.   9. Eunice Liberty Center, Eunice, Louisiana. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Eunice wasn’t founded until 1894, making it younger than many historic Louisiana towns, but its impact on Cajun heritage is unmatched. Named after founder C.C. Duson’s wife, the town quickly became a stronghold for French-speaking Louisianans who kept their language, music, and food alive through years of cultural pressure.   Today, Eunice is best known as the home of the Jean Lafitte Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, where visitors can learn about traditional crafts, storytelling, and the history of the Cajun people.   The town also celebrates Courir de Mardi Gras, a rural, community-centered version of the holiday that predates modern parades. Costumed riders on horseback gather food ingredients door-to-door, later used to cook communal gumbo.

  Intersection. Junction. Link. These words aptly describe Sicily’s crossroad role in the Mediterranean Sea. Given Sicily’s location, empires, cultures, and trade routes crisscrossed this strategically located island.   Why Was Sicily a Strategic Hub in the Mediterranean? Sicily’s Location Source: Wikimedia   Sicily’s importance derives from these two reasons: physical location and maritime significance. As the Mediterranean’s largest island, Sicily sits only eighty-one miles from Tunisia (North Africa). If one controlled the Strait of Sicily, then any interaction is easily contested. From Italy, the Strait of Messina separates Sicily by two miles at its narrowest point, which is not too difficult a barrier to surpass. Surrounded by three seas – the Mediterranean, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian- Sicily easily connects Europe and Africa. Blessed with natural harbors like Palermo and Messina, Sicily’s role as that crossroad would only grow.    Ancient Civilizations That Shaped Sicily’s History Greek temple at Selinunte ruins Source: PXHere   Though settled first by indigenous peoples like the Sicani and Sicels, only later Greek settlers and Phoenician traders would put Sicily on the map. The far-ranging Phoenicians, sailing from Lebanon, arrived on Sicily in the 11th century BCE. These merchants established trading posts and the occasional settlement, bringing Sicily into the Phoenicians’ vast Mediterranean network, especially with their North African city-states. The Phoenicians called their northern harbor Ziz (Palermo, “all harbor”).   Starting in the 8th and 9th centuries BCE saw the Greeks arrive. Seeking trade or even driven out, the Greeks came to stay. Wars, famine, or overcrowding led them to create major ports like Messina, Syracuse, Catania, and Naxos. Sicily’s strategic location worked well as the Greeks expanded.   The Greeks left their own cultural grip on Sicily beyond ruins and mosaics. The Agrigento Valley of Temples’ legacy endured in different ways. Greek became the spoken language for centuries, reviving briefly during the Byzantine era (535 CE). Greek eventually disappeared during the Middle Ages. Today, place names and words remain, demonstrating Sicily’s central role in the Mediterranean.    Sicily: Rome’s Essential Source of Grain Mosaic detail from Villa Romana del Casale, c. 320, Sicily, Italy. Source: Unesco website   The inexorable Romans came next around 241 BCE, seizing western Sicily and the rest around 212 BCE after the Second Punic War. Called the “breadbasket of Rome,” Sicily became Rome’s primary grain source, allowing the Republic, later the Empire, to control the Mediterranean effectively. However, the Empire did little beyond improving its agrarian status. Sicily remained a quiet province for 700 years, marred little by war or revolt. The rural areas stayed predominantly Greek. Like all their provinces, the Romans built roads, aqueducts, and massive villa estates called villae rusticae for grain production. They improved or built up ports like Syracuse. Their influence remains found in ruins or detailed mosaics left behind.   Byzantine and Arab Influences: Sicily’s Cultural Innovations Cathedral of Cefu mosaic. Source: Wikimedia   The Byzantines and Arabs next traversed across Sicily, with the Imperial Byzantines arriving first in 535. They benefitted immediately from Sicily’s Greek population. Like the others, the Byzantines built churches, strengthened Greek as the primary language, and introduced administrative changes.    The Arabs arrived in the 9th century after conquering North Africa and soon Spain. These new settlers, like in previous cultures, laid down obvious and subtle changes. The Arabs introduced sugar cane, pistachios, and lemons, which became future staples for Sicilian cuisine. Souk-style markets sprang up in cities. Palermo and Syracuse developed into learning centers, spreading Arab scientific and mathematic logic further into Europe.   Sicily’s Golden Age: The Multicultural Legacy of the Normans Norman Sicilian coin with Arabic inscriptions Source: British Museum   The vigorous Normans invaded Sicily in 1061, defeating both Byzantines and Arabs by 1091. Already a hybrid Viking and French culture, the Normans blended Arab, Greek, and Italian cultures, starting Sicily’s Golden Age. Unlike many Europeans, the Normans not only tolerated but encouraged the Greeks and Arabs to stay and live in Sicily. Jews, too, settled in the bigger cities as the Normans exhibited less prejudice.    The Normans ruled steadily, incorporating Byzantine and Muslim administrations. Ever practical, they kept Arab administrators in key positions, making Arabic an official language. For diplomacy, Greek was used. Any royal titles included Arab, Greek, and Latin titles to show the kingdom’s multicultural society. Royal edicts were written in the correct language, depending on the audience. Even Norman Sicilian architecture blended, creating famous churches like the Church of San Cataldo.   Monreale Cathedral in Palermo 1905 Source: Library of Congress   Critically, Sicily’s role as a trade and knowledge hub quickly became apparent. Knowledge and goods mutually passed through. Sicily, ever the breadbasket, fed North Africa and other parts. The cultural fusion that resulted from the three cultures stood out from medieval Europe as efficient and tolerant.    Throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, Sicily remained critical for Italy as Germans, Spanish, French, and Italians passed through taking but adding their own cultures. Sicily’s strategic value had changed little despite the decades going by. Today, Sicily’s crossroad history is evident in its language, reflecting 250 Arabic words, place names like Alcantara (the bridge), and food. Sicily’s famous ruins are obvious reminders that one doesn’t have to dig far to see how important this crossroads was. 

Three members of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty in federal court this week to charges connected to multiple armed assaults on rival motorcycle gang members. Christopher W. McGowen, also known as “Mac,” 41, of Platte City, Missouri, entered his guilty plea on May 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays. McGowen pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 26, of Springfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. READ REST OF ARTICLE Power & Betrayal-Outlaw Motorcycle Club Life By James Hollywood Macecari Pagan’s Motorcycle Club connected to multiple armed assaults on rival motorcycle gang members SHOOTING OUTSIDE MOTORCYCLE CLUBHOUSE ( DEATH INVOLVED) SONS OF SILENCE MC INTIMIDATION VAGOS MC DRUGS & OUTLAWS MC SHOOTING HIGH RAKING HELLS ANGEL GUNNED DOWN

A.F. Branco Cartoon – DFL (Democrats) are willing to fight to the end for Illegal aliens but not for Minnesota citizens. BRANCO TOON STORE Will budget agreement hold? DFLers decry cuts to state health care for illegal immigrants By Luke Sprinkel – AlphaNews.org – May 16, 2025 DFL legislators lashed out when it was announced that illegal immigrants would no longer be eligible for MinnesotaCare under the deal. Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders in Minnesota have agreed to a two-year state budget deal that significantly reduces a looming $6 billion deficit, raises taxes only on marijuana, and is several billion dollars smaller than the state’s record $72 billion budget from 2023. The deal also brings a big change to MinnesotaCare, a state-run health care program for low income individuals. Under a compromise reached by Gov. Walz, DFL legislative leaders, and House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, adult illegal aliens will no longer be allowed to enroll in MinnesotaCare… READ MORE DONATE to A.F. Branco Cartoons – Tips accepted and appreciated – $1.00 – $5.00 – $25.00 – $50.00 – it all helps to fund this website and keep the cartoons coming. Also Venmo @AFBranco – THANK YOU! A.F. Branco has taken his two greatest passions (art and politics) and translated them into cartoons that have been popular all over the country in various news outlets, including NewsMax, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and “The Washington Post.” He has been recognized by such personalities as Rep. Devin Nunes, Dinesh D’Souza, James Woods, Chris Salcedo, Sarah Palin, Larry Elder, Lars Larson, Rush Limbaugh, Elon Musk, and President Trump.