The Acadiana Advocate 12-05-2025

OneAcadiana marks

10 yearsofprogress

Celebrationtouts region’s business successes

BYADAMDAIGLE

Acadiana business editor

What began as acomplete transformation of the local ChamberofCommerce 10 years ago was celebrated on Wednesday at One Acadiana’sannual regional celebration.

The move back then was to create a unified voice for the region’sbusiness community,and now the organization previously known as Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce is adriving force in recruiting industry,attracting toptalent and shaping Acadiana’seconomic

future, current President and CEO Troy

Wayman said.

“Acadiana’ssuccess over thepast 10 years hasdemonstrated thataunited, regional approach drives results,” he said.

“And we are proud to celebrate this mile-

stone alongside themanybusinessesand partners across our nine parishes making this possible.” Wayman and others involved with One Acadiana during its existence notedits impact over the decade, including how it established regional target industries, increased educational attainment and earned national recognition as an Accredited Economic DevelopmentOrganizationand 5-StarChamberofCommerce. It also launched the Small &Minority Business Services program, secured Acadiana’s largestprivate capital investment with First Solarand championed urbancore revitalization. It also relocated its office to downtown Lafayette.

Thedeal to land solarpanel manufacturer First Solar,which will employ 800atits site in Iberia Parish,was

See PROGRESS, page 4A

Saronictoadd over 1,000 jobs building autonomousvessels

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

Ashipbuilder that specializes in autonomous surface vessels has launcheda $300 million expansion project at its Franklin plant in amove that is expected to addmorethan 1,000 jobs.

Saronic,the Texas-based company thatpurchasedGulf Craft in Franklin earlier this year, announced the expansion Wednesday,along with Louisiana Economic Development and stateand local elected officials.

LED officials said theexpansionisexpectedtoresult in 1,500 new jobs that offeranaverage annual salary of $87,936 at full employment. The move will help Saronic meet arising demand for autonomous vesselsinthe defense and commercial sectors.

“This expansion represents what American industry can achieve wheninnovation and production are fully aligned,” said Dino Mavrookas, companyco-founderand CEO.“Our expanded shipyard will enable us to deliver autonomous ships at unprecedented speed andscalewhile creating 1,500 high-quality jobs across Louisiana.”

Last month, Saronic broke ground on the project, which includes adding 300,000 square feet of production capacity,LED officials said. Completion is expected by theend of 2026, with expandedoperationscoming online in early 2027. Plans include building three new

page 4A

PlannedsaleofToledoBendwater to Texasonholdfor

Dallas company wanted to pipe water from reservoir

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

Adeveloping plan to ship Toledo Bend Reservoir water to Texasis

“dead” for now,followingmonths of local andlegislativeopposition, and won’tbeback for discussion “any time soon,” state authority officials said.

But the officials who considered that deal also didn’trule out the possibility of water salesatsome

point in thefuture, even as one Vernon Parish legislator promised this week to try to block them with abill next spring. Under the now-sidelined concept, Toledo Bend Reservoir would have supplied200,000 acre-feet per yearfrom Louisiana’s share of water in thelakeonthe western edgeofthe state.

ADallascompany hadplans to pipe that water potentially hundreds ofmileswest to growing populationcenters in Texas, where state officials say 25% of the population could facemunicipal water shortages by 2070 due to rising demand and shrinking supplies.

Twoofficialswith the Sabine Riv-

er AuthorityofLouisiana, which oversees theLouisiana side of Toledo Bend, said the lack of support from their sister agency in Texas for an important engineering study,aswellasoppositionfrom key Louisiana legislators and local parishes,led to the end of talks last monthwiththe company,Aqueduct Partners LP

“It’sjust notthe right time.We had alot of pushback from alot of legislators,” saidJimmy Foret, an SRA of Louisiana board member who led the committee investigating awater sale. Among thelegislators against

Louisiana-Texas

STAFF FILE PHOTOByDAVID J. MITCHELL Toledo Bend Reservoir is located on the

border

Dr.Vincent June, left, and Al Patin smile for aphoto before One Acadiana’s celebration on Wednesday.

STAFF PHOTOSByBRAD BOWIE

One Acadiana President and CEO Troy Wayman speaks during One Acadiana’s10thannual regional celebration on Wednesday at Le Pavillon at Parc Lafayette

4 countries boycotting Eurovision over Israel

GENEVA Public broadcasters from at least four countries — including Spain and the Netherlands on Thursday pulled out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after organizers decided to allow Israel to compete.

The pullouts, which were joined by Ireland and Slovenia, came after a general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union — a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs the event met to discuss concerns about Israel’s participation.

The feel-good pop music gala that draws more than 100 million viewers every year has been roiled by the war in Gaza for the past two years Icelandic broadcaster RUV said it would meet Wednesday to discuss whether Iceland would take part, after its board last week recommended that Israel be barred from the contest Austria, which is set to host the competition after Viennese singer JJ won this year, supports Israel’s participation. Germany, too, was said to back Israel.

The contest, whose 70th edition is scheduled for Vienna in May pits acts from dozens of nations against one another for the continent’s musical crown It strives to put pop before politics, but has repeatedly been embroiled in world events. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The war in Gaza has been its biggest challenge, with pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrating against Israel outside the last two Eurovision contests in Basel, Switzerland, in May and Malmo, Sweden, in 2024 Activist gets jail time for taking chickens

SANTA ROSA, Calif. — A California animal welfare activist who took four chickens from a major Perdue Farms poultry plant was sentenced to 90 days in jail after being convicted of felony conspiracy, trespassing and other charges.

Zoe Rosenberg, 23, did not deny taking the animals from Petaluma Poultry but argued she wasn’t breaking the law because she was rescuing the birds from a cruel situation. A jury found her guilty in October after a seven-week trial in Sonoma County Rosenberg was sentenced on Wednesday and ordered to report to the Sonoma County Jail on Dec. 10 She will serve the 90 days, but 60 of those may involve jail alternates, such as house arrest, the county’s district attorney’s office said The activist with Direct Action Everywhere, or DxE a Berkeley-based animal rights group, has said she does not regret what she did.

Petaluma Poultry maintained that the animals were not mistreated.

U.S. opens $796 million consulate in Irbil, Iraq

IRBIL, Iraq The United States inaugurated a massive new consulate compound Wednesday in Irbil, the capital of northern Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region

The move highlighted Washington’s diplomatic and strategic engagement in the Kurdish region, particularly as the U.S. moves troops that had been stationed elsewhere in Iraq as part of a mission against the Islamic State group, under an agreement with the central government in Baghdad.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas joined Kurdish leaders for the inauguration of the sprawling complex — planned as the largest U.S. consulate in the world — built on a 50-acre site at a cost of $796 million.

“America’s investment in this new consulate provides a secure platform to advance the interests of the United States,” Rigas said. “It demonstrates the value that a sovereign, secure and prosperous Iraq, in mutually beneficial partnership with the United States, can deliver for its own people and for America.” Kurdish regional President Nechirvan Barzani referred to the consulate as a “clear political message regarding the importance of Irbil and the Kurdistan region.”

Arrest made in pipe bomb case

Man accused of placing explosive devices outside RNC, DNC buildings night before Jan. 6 riot

BY ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON The FBI on Thursday arrested a man accused of placing two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack, an abrupt breakthrough in an investigation that for years flummoxed law enforcement and spawned conspiracy theories about Jan 6, 2021.

The arrest marks the first time investigators have publicly identified a suspect in an act that has been an enduring mystery for nearly five years in the shadow of the violent Capitol insurrection.

The suspect was identified as Brian J Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, but key questions remain unanswered after his arrest on explosives charges, including a possible motive and what connection if any the act had to the assault on the Capitol the following day by supporters of President

Donald Trump. Law enforcement officials used credit purchases of bomb-making materials, cellphone tower data and a license plate reader to zero in on Cole, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case. The FBI and Justice Department declined to elaborate on what led them to the suspect, but characterized his arrest as the result of a reinvigorated investigation and a fresh analysis of already collected evidence and data.

“Let me be clear: There was no new tip. There was no new witness. Just good, diligent police work and prosecutorial work,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said at a news conference.

Calls to relatives of Cole listed in public records were not immediately returned Thursday Hours after Cole was taken into custody, unmarked law enforcement vehicles lined the cul-de-sac where Cole’s home is while FBI agents helped shoo away onlookers. Authorities were seen entering the house and examining the trunk of

a car nearby The pipe bombs were placed on the evening of Jan. 5, 2021, near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees. Nobody was hurt before the bombs were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both devices could have been lethal. In the years since, investigators have sought the public’s help in identifying a shadowy subject seen on surveillance camera even as they struggled to determine answers to basic questions, including the person’s gender and motive and whether the act had a clear connection to the riot at the Capitol a day later, when supporters of Trump stormed the building in a bid to halt the certification of the Republican’s 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Seeking a breakthrough, the FBI last January publicized additional information about the investigation, including an estimate that the suspect was about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, as well as previously unreleased video of the suspect placing

President

and Democratic

Congo and Rwanda sign U.S.-mediated peace deal

Trump praises the leaders for their courage

BY AAMER MADHANI, CHINEDU ASADU and RUTH ALONGA Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump

praised the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for their courage as they signed onto a deal on Thursday aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo and opening the region’s critical mineral reserves to the U.S. government and American companies

The moment offered Trump — who has repeatedly and with a measure of exaggeration boasted of brokering peace in some of the world’s most entrenched conflicts another chance to tout himself as a dealmaker extraordinaire on the global stage and make the case that he’s deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.

“It’s a great day for Africa, a great day for the world,” Trump said shortly before the leaders signed the pact He added, “Today, we’re succeeding where so many others have failed.”

Trump welcomed Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, as well as several officials from other African nations who traveled to Washington to witness the signing.

Lauded by the White House as a “historic” agreement brokered by Trump, the pact between Tshisekedi and Kagame follows monthslong peace efforts by the U.S and partners, including the African Union and Qatar, and finalizes an earlier deal signed in June

But the Trump-brokered peace is precarious. The Central African nation of Congo has been battered by decadeslong fighting with more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The conflict escalated this year, with M23 seizing the region’s main cities of Goma and Bukavu in an unprecedented advance, worsening a humanitarian crisis that was already one of the world’s largest, with millions of people displaced.

‘We are still at war’

Fighting, meanwhile, continued this week in the conflict-battered region with pockets of clashes reported between the rebels and Congolese soldiers, together with their allied forces. Trump, a Republican, has often said that his mediation

has ended the conflict, which some people in Congo say isn’t true.

Still, Kagame and Tshisekedi offered a hopeful tone as they signed on to the agreement.

“No one was asking President Trump to take up this task. Our region is far from the headlines,” Kagame said. “But when the president saw the opportunity to contribute to peace, he immediately took it.”

“I do believe this day is the beginning of a new path, a demanding path, yes. Indeed, quite difficult,” Tshisekedi said. “But this is a path where peace will not just be a wish, an aspiration, but a turning point.”

Indeed, analysts say Thursday’s deal also isn’t expected to quickly result in peace. A separate peace deal has been signed between Congo and the M23.

“We are still at war,” said Amani Chibalonza Edith, a 32-year-old resident of Goma, eastern Congo’s key city seized by rebels early this year. “There can be no peace as long as the front lines remain active.”

But Trump predicted with the signing the countries would leave behind “decades of violence and bloodshed” and begin a new year of harmony and cooperation.”

“They spent a lot of time killing each other,” Trump said. “And now they’re going to spend a lot of time hugging, holding hands and taking advantage of the United States of America economically like every other country does.”

Tshisekedi and Kagame did not shake hands and barely looked at each other during the roughly 50-minute ceremony Rare earth minerals

Trump also announced the United States was signing bilateral agreements with the Congo and Rwanda that will unlock new opportunities for the United States to access critical minerals deals that will benefit all three nations’ economies. “And we’ll be involved with sending some of our biggest and greatest U.S. companies over to the two countries,” Trump said. He added, “Everybody’s going to make a lot of money.”

Trump hosted the leaders on Thursday morning for one-on-one meetings at the White House as well as a three-way conversation before the signing ceremony at the Institute of Peace in Washington, which the State Department announced on Wednesday has been rebranded “the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.”

one of the bombs.

An FBI affidavit filed in connection with Cole’s arrest lays out a series of circumstantial clues that investigators pieced together Using information from his bank account and credit cards, authorities discovered he purchased materials in 2019 and 2020 consistent with those used to make the pipe bombs, according to court papers. That included galvanized pipes and white kitchen-style timers, according to the affidavit. The purchases continued even after the devices were placed.

Cole owns a 2017 Nissan Sentra with a Virginia license plate, the affidavit says. Around 7:10 p.m. on Jan 5, 2021, Cole’s vehicle drove past a license plate reader less than a half mile from where the person who placed the devices was first spotted on foot around 7:34 p.m. that night, the

bombs.

BY BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI Associated Press

A monkey who spent several days on the lam after escaping from a truck that crashed on a rural Mississippi highway earlier this year now has a permanent home at a New Jersey wildlife refuge.

Forrest, a young adult rhesus macaque, was among 21 monkeys being transported for biomedical research when the truck they were in overturned Oct. 28 on Interstate 59, just north of Heidelberg.

Five monkeys were killed as law officers searched for them in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

Video from officers’ body cameras showed a chaotic scene as monkeys that escaped from their wooden crates dashed around the grassy interstate median, with some running toward cars and semitrailers on the interstate.

Forrest and two other monkeys eluded officers at the crash site and eventu-

ally escaped. The other two were later shot and killed by civilians, who said they were protecting their families and neighborhoods, while Forrest spent about a week on the run before being spotted by a resident who lives near the crash scene. He was captured by workers from one of the companies that had been transporting the truckload of monkeys, officials have said.

Residents had been told not to approach the Rhesus monkeys, saying they are known to be aggressive. In search of a new home, Forrest was recently relocated to the nonprofit Popcorn Park Animal Refuge in Lacey Township, N.J. Officials there say he has steadily acclimated himself to his new surroundings and gradually built trust with his caretakers. His diet includes a commercial animal kibble, grapes and peanuts. The animal refuge is seeking donations to help fund the monkey’s care.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

Donald Trump arrives for a signing ceremony with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame

Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi at the newly rebranded Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington on Thursday

Admiral: No ‘kill them all’ order on strike

BY STEPHEN GROVES and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A Navy admiral commanding the U.S military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but a stark video of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinizes the campaign that killed two survivors.

Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers conduct an investigation after a report that he ordered the follow-on attack that killed the survivors to comply with Hegesth’s demands. Legal experts have said such a strike could be a violation of the laws of military warfare.

“Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, as he exited a classified briefing

While Cotton, R-Ark., defended the attack, Democrats who were also briefed and saw video of the survivors being killed questioned the Trump administration’s rationale and said the incident was deeply concerning.

“The order was basically: Destroy the drugs, kill the 11 people on the boat,” said Washington Rep Adam Smith, the top Democrat on

smugglers. So far more than 80 people have been killed in some 20 strikes

Lawmakers have not yet specifically authorized the use of military force against the alleged drug boats, and the Republican-controlled Congress has turned back attempts to put a check on Trump’s power to engage in the missile campaign, which Hegseth has vowed will continue. Several Democrats have called for Hegseth to resign. Congressional investigation

the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said, “what I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service.”

The survivors did not issue any distress call or other communications, though lawmakers were told it appeared the people had a hand raised, “waving” at one point during the attacks, Smith said.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has described Bradley as among those who are “rock solid” and “the most extraordinary people that have ever served in the military.”

But lawmakers have also made it clear they expect a reckoning if it is found that survivors were targeted. “Anybody in the chain of command that was responsible for it, that had vision of it, needs to be held accountable,” he said.

the House Armed Services Committee.

Smith, who is demanding further investigation, said the survivors were “basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water until the missiles come and kill them.”

The classified sessions with Bradley alongside the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine, provided fresh information at a crucial moment as Hegseth’s leadership comes under scrutiny But they did little to resolve growing questions about the legal basis for President Donald Trump’s extraordinary campaign to use war powers against suspected drug

Lawmakers want a full accounting of the Sept. 2 strike, which was the first in what has become a monthslong series of U.S. military attacks on vessels near Venezuela believed to be ferrying drugs. The Washington Post had reported that Bradley ordered the follow-on attack on the survivors.

But lawmakers who lead the House and Senate’s national security committees in Congress came away with different descriptions of what the two survivors were doing when they were killed.

Cotton said he saw them “trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for United States back over so they could stay in the fight.”

He said there were “several minutes” between the first and second attacks, which consisted of four missile strikes. He said it was “gratifying” that the U.S military was taking “the battle” to cartels.

But Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes,

Smith acknowledged there was likely cocaine on the boat, but he objects to the Republican administration’s rationale for continued attacks on alleged drug runners who may or may not be heading to the United States. “That’s really the core of the problem with all of this,” he said.

Bradley’s background

At the time of the attack, Bradley was the commander of Joint Special Operations Command, overseeing coordinated operations between the military’s elite special operations units out of Fort Bragg in North Carolina. About a month after the strike, he was promoted to commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

His military career was mostly spent serving in the elite Navy SEALs and commanding joint operations. He was among the first special forces officers to deploy to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. His latest promotion to admiral was approved by unanimous voice vote in the Senate this year

What are lawmakers seeking?

Underpinning Trump’s campaign against suspected traffickers is his argument that drug cartels amount to armed combatants because their cargo poses a threat to American lives.

Democrats are demanding the release of the full video of the Sept. 2 attack, as well as written records of the orders and any directives about the mission from Hegseth. None of the written orders or audio of verbal commands was shared with the lawmakers.

A White House Office of Legal Counsel memo providing a rationale for the strikes was dated after the fact, on Sept. 5. That memo remains undisclosed, and Democrats want it released.

Obtaining further information, though, will largely depend on action from Republican lawmakers who have majority control of the committees, a potentially painful prospect for them if it puts them at odds with the president.

N.Y. Times sues Pentagon over Hegseth’s restrictions on media

BY DAVID BAUDER AP media writer

NEW YORK

The New York Times filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Pentagon, attempting to overturn new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that have led to most mainstream media outlets being banished from the building.

The newspaper said the rules violate the Constitution’s freedom of speech and due process provisions, since they give Hegseth the power to determine on his own whether a reporter should be banned. Outlets such as the Times walked out of the Pentagon rather than agree to the rules as a condition for getting a press credential.

The Pentagon press room now includes mostly conservative outlets that agreed to the rules, and representatives from those organizations participated Tuesday in a briefing with Hegseth’s press secretary

“The policy is an attempt to exert control over reporting the government dislikes,” said Charles Stadtlander, spokesman for the Times. The newspaper filed

the case with the U.S. District Court in Washington.

The Pentagon had no immediate response to a request for comment on lawsuit.

The Times said denial of access to the Pentagon restricts its reporters’ ability to do their job. Because the new policy gives Hegseth the right to oust reporters working on stories he does not like, even if those stories do not involve classified information, it has a chilling effect on journalists, the newspaper argued in court papers. Lawyers are also concerned similar restrictions will be put in place at other federal agencies.

The Pentagon has argued that the policy imposes “common sense” rules that protect the military from release of information that could put them in danger During her briefing Tuesday, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said the legacy media outlets are not missed

“The American people don’t trust these propagandists because they stopped telling the truth,” Wilson said. “So, we’re not going to beg these old gatekeepers to come back and we’re not re-

building a broken model just to appease them.”

Several news outlets whose coverage reaches millions of people, including The Associated Press, Washington Post and CNN, asked the Pentagon for access to Wilson’s briefing. They were denied and told it was for credentialed press only

The Times is citing Wilson’s “propagandists” comment as evidence that the Pentagon is discriminating against reporters for their points of view That is the same argument that the AP is making to stop President Donald Trump from denying access to its journalists to events in the Oval Office and Air Force One. The AP case is currently wending its way through the federal court system. Times lawyers say they believe their viewpoint discrimination case is stronger because Times reporters no longer have credentials to enter the Pentagon. AP journalists are able to enter the White House, but not to some specific newsmaking events there. The Times’ case is being filed on behalf of the newspaper and one of its reporters, Julian E. Barnes The Defense Department, Hegseth and chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell are named as defendants.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

U.S. Navy Adm Frank M. Bradley, left accompanied by Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, right walks to a meeting with senators Thursday on Capitol Hill in Washington.

accomplished in part due tothe certified sites program. There are now 30 in the region, butthere were only three 10 years ago when the agency was formed.

The event also marked the end of the tenure of boardChairman Al Patin, CEO of the Ochsner Lafayette Regional Medical Center Vincent June, chancellor of South LouisianaCommunity College, will be boardchair for 2026.

“One Acadiana representsthe very best of what makes this region strong,” Patin said. “(It’s)collaboration, vision and arelentless commitment to progress in workforce and economic development. We were able to witness10years of amazing things.” June,now in his fifth year leading SoLaCC, noted how the region is moving in the right direction due to businesses, partnerships and leaders who are alignedaround ashared vision of economic strength, opportunity andgrowth. Nextyearwill also be the second year of One Acadiana’sfive-year IMPACT campaign that focuses on advancing business development, talent development, qualityof place and regional advocacy.The first year resulted in $177million in capital investment and over 800 jobs created.

“What an incredible decade of progress we have made here,” June said. “You can see avery clear pattern of success. OneAcadiana doesn’tjust keep pace. They really,reallyaccelerate.”

One Acadiana also marked its

SHIPBUILDER

Continued from page1A

slips, expanding its warehouse and developing a dedicated production line for large-vessel assembly, including the Marauder,its 180-foot autonomous ship. Saronic is collaborating with industry leaders JacobsWyper Architects, P2S, KPFF,JEDunn and Alberici on thedesign and construction.

“Saronic Technologies’ decisiontoinvest in Louisiana speaks to the strength of our workforce and the state’sleadership in defense manufacturing,” Gov.Jeff Landry said.

“This project shows that our people, our ports and ourpro-growth policies are creating jobs and securing our state’splace at the forefront of America’sdefense economy.”

10 highlights of 2025, including its role in landing investments in the region from GreenFuels Operating, DMRTechnologies and MMR Group —totaling 700 jobs added to theregion. Another 10 projects areinthe pipeline, Wayman said, and those deals represent up to $3.4billion

“This

SAM JONES, St. MaryParishpresident

Saronic is now building two150-foot Maraudervessels at its Franklin plant, progressingfrom initial designtofull vessel developmentinjust sixmonths. The company expects to splash itsfirst vessel by the end of the year Company officialshave increasedthe Marauderdesignto180 feet,enhancing

itspayload capacity and operational range. It is capable of hosting up to four 40-foot or eight 20-foot shipping containers.

LED’sincentives packages as partofthe deal include participation in its comprehensive workforce development program, FastStart, along witha$2million performance-based grant and $3 million from the EconomicDevelopmentAward Program to support facility and infrastructureimprovements Saronic is also expected to participateinLED’sQuality Jobs Program.

“This announcement sends apowerful message that we are aplace of thriving opportunityand economic momentum,”St. Mary Parish President Sam Jones said. “St.Mary Parish’sbest days are ahead of her, andthis project is the beginning of a new era of economic leadership in southLouisiana.”

The nine parishes that are part of OneAcadiana are displayedatthe organization’s10th annual regional celebration on Wednesday

Court allows La.immigration enforcementlaw

so broadly written that it violated theFirstAmendment by limiting free speech, and that it violated the14th Amendment forbeing toovague.

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Afederal judge on Thursday declined an immigration advocacy group’srequest to temporarily block anew Louisiana law that makes it acrime to interfere with immigration officers.

AttorneyGeneral LizMurrill hailed the decision as awin for the state —and evidence of the law’s constitutionality

But the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, which is representingthe advocacy group, claimed victory because, in defending the law,Murrill’soffice said it would not be used to prosecute people for speech in many cases —like for telling immigrants what their legal rights are.

The lawsuit alleged the law was

WATER

Continued from page1A

theplan were the chairmen of the House and Senate natural resources committees. By law,their committees must agree to any water sale from Toledo Bend, along withamajority of the parishes that sit on the reservoir’sshores.

Calling the lake water “vital” forLouisiana, the two chairmen saidtheir primary sticking point was the idea of selling homegrown resourcestoout-of-state interests.

Aspokesperson for Aqueduct Partners had not responded to arequest for comment ‘Futureissellingwater’

The 186,000-acre reservoir with its notable jagged edges sits on the borderof Texas and Louisiana. Made from damming the Sabine River,the two states can each sell nearly 1million acre-feet annually from thereservoir underToledo Bend’sfounding compact. The authorities also sell water to industrial facilities downstream through diversion canals after thewater has left the reservoir. As acomparison, the annual amount Aqueduct Partners was pursuingis the equivalent of one-third of the water inside Lake Maurepas in eastern Louisiana.

Though authorityofficials say even that amountis dwarfed by the volumes that flow into the lake each year, the sale triggeredfears among residents, business people and others that the sales would havelowered water levels and hindered boating, fishing and other lake recreation.

SRA of Louisiana officials did their own analysisof the lake’shistory of water inflows, including from the Sabine River and surface runoff, and outflows for purposessuch as electrical generation and for downstream users belowthe reservoir

Act 399,passed this year,makes it acrime to knowingly commit any act “intended to hinder,delay, prevent, or otherwise interfere with or thwart federalimmigrationenforcement efforts.” Violating thatrule would be considered an obstruction of justice.

The lawdrew renewed attention after President Donald Trump’s administration announced the New Orleans area would be the next target of amassive immigration sweep led by the U.S. Border Patrol. That operation, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” began Wednesday

During thelead-up tothe sweep, Immigration Servicesand Legal Advocacy,orISLA, the main plaintiffin the lawsuit, stopped offering “Know Your Rights” workshops to immigrants,the group’s

dam.

They said it showed the huge lake had plenty of capacitytosell water without adetrimental effect on levels, which,bylaw,generally can’tgobelow 4.5 feet of its maximumelevation.

This isn’tthe first time Louisiana authorityofficials have lookedatselling Toledo Bendwater to Texas.

Foret and Warren Founds, the authority’s executive director, argued that water sales are likely atsomepoint in the future, though Foret agreed that thecurrent deal is “dead” when asked.

“We’re not coming back on the (board) agenda any time soon,I canpromise you that,” Foret said.

Theauthority relieson hydropower salestofinance its operations, which includenot just the reservoir butalsoparks, docks,agolf course resort and other amenities.

Officials say theelectrical generators are growing old and even now occasionally don’tturn an annual profit, while water sales are 30 times more lucrative than selling electricity

“The future is selling water,definitely;whether it’s now or five years from now, it’sgoingtohappen,” Foret said.

‘Needtoprotect them’

ButstateRep. Rodney Schamerhorn, R-Hornbeck, said that he planstofile abill nextspring to block future out-of-statesales from Toledo Bendor, perhaps, from the wholestate.

He said he doesn’thave aproblem with the sale of downstream water after it hasalready left the Toledo Bend reservoir, but said he worries thearrival of waterhungrydatacenters in easternTexas couldadd to the pressuretotap thelake.

“Look at the people that have invested theirlifesavings on propertyaround Toledo Bend. We need to protect them,” Schamerhorn said.

He said hebelieves he will be abletofind legislative cosponsors and backing from

LIZ MURRILL, Louisiana attorneygeneral

lawyers said. Theyaskedthe courttoprevent thestate from enforcing the law against ISLA if it offered those workshops.

In abrieffiled Thursday morning, alawyer forMurrill’soffice argued theorder wasnot necessary becausethe law does not bar “pure First Amendment-protected speech” and the state would never prosecute ISLA for simply informingpeople of theirlegal rights.

“The heartland applicationof obstruction statutes such as (Act 399) is in the context of those violentsceneswhere defendants have physically inhibited alawenforcement officer fromcarry-

local parish leadersalready opposed to the now-stalled Toledo Bend sale.

Some residents whowelcomedthe endofcurrent talks with Aqueduct Partners say theywill support thebill because they believe theidea will return, as it has before.

Undertaken by aboard with several newly appointed membersunder Gov.Jeff Landry, thenow-endedpreliminary talks had focused on whethertorenew or refashion an earlierproposal from Aqueduct Partners. It expired last fall.

Residents also pointed out that when the authority voted to halt talks with AqueductPartners on Nov.13, the unanimous votewas specific to the Aqueduct Partners negotiations only

“That water is likegoldin that lake, literally,but you can’teat or drinkgold to sustain life,” said Shane Sloane, aLafayette insurance agent whose family owns aretirementhome on the lake.

Foret, theauthorityofficial who has been on itsboard for 10 years, said future water sales arelikely to be out of state because Louisiana isn’t facing shortages and Texashas water needs. He said legislation “to prevent that is amistake.”

In addition to halting the sale talks, the authority has also stopped pursuit of a second opinion from an engineeringfirm on theimpact of water sales on lake levels.

The SRA of Louisiana officials, who decided to pursue that study in September, had hoped theSRA of Texas would split the cost of the $50,000 study

But Founds, the Louisiana executive director,said Texas authority officials didn’twant to help fund the studyinthe face of opposition from Louisiana legislators, which became public in early October SRA of Texasofficials didn’timmediately respond to arequest for comment.

David J. Mitchell can be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

ingout his duties,” the brief said, adding that ISLA “sued over nothing.”

“ThereisnoFirstAmendment problem with Act 399, and we’re grateful that theCourt hasdeclined to issue arestraining order,” Murrill said in astatement.

Meanwhile, the ACLU said it was“heartened by the guidance from the seniorlaw enforcement officer of the State, that Act 399 does not —and will not —apply to speech.”

The guidance “moots the need forthe Courttodecidethe Temporary Restraining OrderasISLA is nowable to conductthe very speech it believed was targeted

by Act399,” the organization continued. “The AG’sOffice has now madeclear what we all wanted to know: that the public is safe to protest and speak freely under the First Amendment without fear of Act399.”

Not allspeech is protected from obstruction of justice laws, and the full bounds of Act 399remain unclear

Through aspokesperson, Murrill’soffice declined to saywhether the law would makeitillegal to share information aboutthe locationofICE andBorder Patrol agents,orwhether it wouldbea crime to warnsomeone not to go to acertain location because of a possible immigration arrest. Violating Act 399 would carry apenalty of up to six months in prison if the offenseinvolvesan official act of agovernment agent, anduptoone year in prisonifit involves acivil immigration proceeding. Defendantswould also face up to $5,000 in fines.

BRIEFS WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street inches closer to its all-time high

NEW YORK The U.S. stock market held near its records in a quiet day of trading on Thursday, continuing its relatively calm run following weeks of sharp and scary swings.

Dollar General helped lead the market and rallied 14% after reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. More customers shopped at its stores, and it also squeezed more profit out of each $1 in sales that it made.

Hormel rose 3.8% after likewise reporting a better profit than expected, thanks in part to strength for its Planters nuts and Jennie-O turkey offerings. It also gave a forecasted range for profit in the upcoming year whose midpoint was above analysts’ forecasts.

Among the stocks falling on Wall Street was Kroger, which dropped 4.6%. The grocer reported weaker revenue for the latest quarter than expected, though its profit beat forecasts. It also lowered the top end of its forecasted range for an important measure of revenue this year, while raising the bottom end by less.

Tariffs catch up to resurgent Build-A-Bear

A strong quarter at Build-ABear Workshop in a bounce back year for the retailer was overshadowed by the growing weight of tariffs in an ongoing trade war waged by President Donald Trump.

The mall staple was able to get ahead of tariff impacts during the first half of the year through preemptive actions, Chief Financial Officer Voin Todorovic said in a statement Thursday, but the levies caught up to the company in its most recent quarter and will continue to weigh on its performance into 2026.

Many U.S companies have been able to avoid price hikes through various maneuvers like aggressively buying supplies before tariffs kicked in Many have absorbed some of the costs and pulled back on hiring instead of raising prices. Both importers and economists, however, said that those tactics have an expiration date.

For the period ended Nov. 1, Build-A-Bear earned $8.1 million, or 62 cents per share. A year earlier the St. Louis company earned $9.9 million, or 73 cents per share.

Part of the reason for the retailer’s rebound is growing popularity on social media, particularly among what are referred to as “kidults,” those who may have had a Build-A-Bear growing up who are buying them again. Those buyers tend to spend more on the products.

Russia restricts Apple’s FaceTime service

Russian authorities said Thursday they have imposed restrictions on Apple’s video calling service FaceTime, the latest step in an effort to tighten control over the internet and communications online.

State internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged in a statement that the service is being “used to organize and conduct terrorist activities on the territory of the country, to recruit perpetrators (and) commit fraud and other crimes against our citizens.” Apple did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

The Russian regulator also announced that it has blocked Snapchat, a messaging app for sharing photos, videos and text messages, citing the same grounds it gave for restricting FaceTime.

Under President Vladimir Putin, authorities have engaged in deliberate and multipronged efforts to rein in the internet. They have adopted restrictive laws and banned websites and platforms that don’t comply Technology also has been perfected to monitor and manipulate online traffic Encrypted messenger Signal and another popular app, Viber, were blocked in 2024. This year the authorities banned calls via WhatsApp, the most popular messaging app in Russia, and Telegram, a close second. Roskomnadzor justified the measure by saying the two apps were being used for criminal activities.

Jobless benefits filings fall to 191K

Number at lowest since September 2022

BY MATT OTT Associated Press

WASHINGTON U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level in more than three years during Thanksgiving week, potentially complicating the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates

The number of Americans applying for jobless benefits for the week ending Nov 29 fell to 191,000 from the previous week’s 218,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday That’s the lowest level since Sept. 24, 2022, when claims came

in at 189,000. Analysts surveyed by the data provider FactSet had forecast initial claims of 221,000. Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said that unemployment benefit filings are often distorted by the Thanksgiving holiday, which can cause some people who may have lost jobs to delay filing claims.

Still, the low claims figure also suggests that overall layoffs remain muted, despite the high-profile announcements. Hiring is also sluggish, which makes finding a job for those out of work challenging.

“The labor market is kind of frozen,” Bostjancic said. “Companies are in wait-and-see mode.” Applications for unemployment aid are viewed as a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job

market. The job cuts announced recently by large companies such as UPS, General Motors, Amazon and Verizon typically take weeks or months to fully implement and may not be reflected in Thursday’s data.

For now, the U.S. job market appears stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low

On Wednesday, private payroll data firm ADP estimated U.S. job losses of 32,000 in November The surprisingly weak report may be discouraging for people looking for jobs, but it bolstered expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate next week.

It’s not clear how much weight this week’s layoff figures will carry with the Fed as the numbers can be volatile and prone to revisions.

Two weeks ago, the government said that hiring picked up a bit in September, when employers added 119,000 new jobs That mixed report, which also showed employers had shed jobs in August, was delayed due to the government shutdown. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, its highest level in four years.

November’s comprehensive jobs data has been delayed for release until later this month, after the Fed’s meeting, also due to the government shutdown.

The government also recently reported that retail sales slowed in September after three months of healthy increases.

Consumer confidence has plunged to its second-lowest level in five years, while wholesale inflation eased a bit.

AI quietly reshaping shopping trips

BY CARSON HARTZOG Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS)

From the recommendations on a store’s app to the prices flashing on digital shelf labels artificial intelligence now shapes what shoppers see, what they buy and how products reach the shelves.

Until recently, most of it has happened behind the scenes. But retailers, including Target, are rolling out features that interact more directly with customers — a shift that could accelerate AI use and make the technology more visible.

“Every step of the way, from discovery to trial to purchase, whether it’s online or instore, AI is embedded into all of that,” said Toopan Bagchi, managing director of Starship Advisors.

Gen AI and the supply chain

Before products reach shelves, retailers are already using machine learning to predict demand, plan shipments and reroute inventory

But generative AI — today’s technology buzzword — could take that a step further, said Dayton Steele, assistant professor of supply chain and operations at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Unlike machine learning, generative AI can pull from unstructured data such as videos, customer reviews and social media chatter It also can track which items shoppers pick up and put back via sensors, potentially improving on-shelf availability at individual stores.

For now, Steele said, generative AI isn’t capable of operating independently likening it to a “B+ student that can do a lot of tasks at a B+ level.”

He added that AI performs best with historical data, such as last year’s weather or inventory trends, while humans can draw on context to respond to unexpected events, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the next few years, we’re going to see companies rapidly adopt AI to replace human workflows,” Steele said. “And then you’ll have shocks or disruptions where humans can respond in much more agile ways.”

A personalized shopping experience

AI powers the product descriptions, review summaries and recommendations that appear on retailers’ apps — and it’s poised to change how people purchase items.

Several retailers have announced partnerships with OpenAI that enable shoppers to purchase items directly through ChatGPT.

Target said it will be one of the first major retailers to allow multiple items to be purchased in a single AI-assisted transaction. Walmart made a similar announcement in October.

It’s a move retailers say is focused on adapt-

ing to consumer’s changing habits, though some are wary of the purported benefits. Deloitte’s holiday survey found 33% of people plan to use generative AI in their shopping journey this year — more than double last year’s share.

Edina-based Evereve uses Shopify for both its online and brick-and-mortar operations. The e-commerce platform is partnering with OpenAI to bring the retailer’s women’s clothing to ChatGPT, where shoppers will be able to make purchases directly through the chatbot.

“Someone can type, ‘I’m looking for a dress to wear to a summer wedding in a tropical place in February I’m this tall. I have an athletic build,’” said Tamer Selim, chief technology officer at Evereve. “The AI uses that information, as well as the data it has available, to try to find a match.”

The chatbot can also draw from earlier conversations, such as a shopper’s usual size or location, to refine results.

Most retailers already pull from vast troves of consumer data, including credit card transactions and social media activity, to improve recommendations on their apps. Those streams of information will now be combined with the habits of similar shoppers to predict what a consumer might want next even if it’s never crossed his or her mind.

That kind of targeting can help people find items that match their preferences. But it can also blur the line between helpful personalization and subtle manipulation, said Ali Makhdoumi, an associate professor at Duke University who studies data markets and privacy

“Once you realize, ‘Oh, this is not a good quality product, I don’t want to use this,’

they’ve already offered you something else,” Makhdoumi said. “And they keep dragging you into this behavioral manipulation.”

Smarter shelves and shifting prices

There are growing concerns about how AI will affect the white-collar workforce Major companies, including Amazon, Target and Verizon, have cut thousands of corporate jobs while pointing to new AI investments.

Now analysts and consumers are asking similar questions about stores.

Inside stores, retailers are looking for ways to use AI for time-consuming tasks like changing price stickers. Walmart began installing electronic shelf labels last year, allowing prices to update within seconds.

That speed could also open the door to potential price gouging or dynamic pricing that shifts based on demand, supply and competitor moves, retail experts warn.

AI’s rise has also sparked questions about its effect on in-store hiring. Some argue the technology frees employees to focus on customer service, while others worry it gives retailers an incentive to hire fewer workers.

Both Walmart and Target have rolled out AIinfused apps for workers, which includes features like a chatbot that can answer common customer service questions, such as how to process a return without a receipt. Walmart’s platform can also translate more than 40 languages in real time.

Despite the advancements, AI’s impact on holiday shopping will be “relatively limited” this year because not every retailer offers useful tools and not every customer wants to use them, said Brad Jashinsky a senior retail analyst at research firm Gartner

1.5M bags of shredded cheese have been recalled

BY KAREN GARCIA Los Angeles Times (TNS)

More than 1.5 million bags of different shredded cheeses sold at major retailers, including in Louisiana, have been voluntarily recalled due to possible metal contamination, authorities said.

The recall was initiated in early October by Great Lakes Cheese Co., an Ohio-based company, according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration. The voluntary recall covered more than 260,000 cases of shredded cheese, and was prompted by the possibility of metal fragments in the products, an FDA notice said

The FDA upgraded the recall Monday to ”Class II,” meaning the use of or exposure to the identified products can cause temporary or “medically reversible adverse

health consequences.”

The FDA’s investigation into the recall is ongoing. Great Lakes Cheese Co. did not immediately respond to request for comment Wednesday

The FDA has flagged the following shredded cheese cases as part of the recall:

n 235,000 cases of low-moisture part-skim mozzarella shredded cheese, including the brands: Always Save, Borden, Brookshire’s, Cache Valley Creamery, Chestnut Hill, Coburn Farms, Econo, Food Club, Food Lion, Gold Rush Creamery, Good & Gather, Great Lakes Cheese, Happy Farms by Aldi, H-E-B, Hill Country Fare, Know & Love, Laura Lynn, Lucerne Dairy Farms, Nu Farm, Publix, Schnucks, Simply Go, Sprouts Farmers Market, Stater Bros. Markets and Sunnyside Farms.

n 1,900 cases of Happy Farms by Aldi Italian-style shredded cheese blend.

n More than 15,000 cases of Italian-style shredded cheese blend, including the brands: Brookshire’s, Cache Valley Creamery, Coburn Farms, Great Value, Know & Love, Laura Lynn, Publix, Simply Go and Happy Farms.

n 117 cases of Food Club finely shredded pizza-style four-cheese blend.

n More than 4,000 cases of mozzarella and mild cheddar cheese blend, including the brands: Econo, Food Club, Gold Rush Creamery Great Value, Laura Lynn and Simply Go.

n More than 4,000 cases of mozzarella and non-smoked provolone cheese, including the brands: Freedom’s Choice, Good & Gather, Great Lakes Cheese

and Great Value.

n More than 1,800 cases of Good & Gather mozzarella and Parmesan cheese blend.

The products have sell-by dates ranging from January to late March of next year, according to the FDA notice. The agency has a complete list online of the affected products and their UPC codes.

The affected shredded cheese products came in five different varieties and were sold under a host of brand names at Target, Walmart, Aldi and other major retailers across the U.S and Puerto Rico.

The FDA did not provide specific instructions for the recalled cheese products. When a product is recalled, the agency’s general guidance is to either return the product to the place of purchase for a refund or throw it away

MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE/TNS PHOTO By LEILA NAVIDI Ron Sandquist, of Prentice, Wis., shops on Black Friday at Target in Edina, Minn.

Arrestsmount in N.O. Border Patrol sweeps

Officialstoutsix peoplealleged to have criminal histories

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

Federal agents fanned across New Orleans on Thursday forthe second dayofa massive U.S. Border Patrol operation, conducting scattered arrests as pounding rain cleared foot traffic in the kinds of public spaces agents swarmed in force aday prior

Department of Homeland Security officials touteddozens of arrests in the first 24 hoursof the operation dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” specifically naming six people whom the agency said had lengthy criminal histories. Arrestees publicized by DHS ranged from aman with kidnapping and assault convictions to another convicted of possessing marijuana.

Dozensmorepeopleappearedto have been detained in the operation in total by Thursday evening, but U.S. officials have repeatedly declined to providea full tally. Recent Border Patrol sweepsinChicago and Charlotte, North Carolina, netted avast majority of detainees with no criminal backgrounds. And in New Orleans on Thursday,allegations emergedoffederal agents detainingpeople with work permits and American citizenship.CNN reportedthata 22-year-old Marrero woman and U.S.citizen waschased to her home by masked agents after going grocery shopping.

“Where were you born, man?” a Border Patrol agent asked aman outside aNew OrleansLowe’s store on Wednesday,according to video of the encounter captured by an organizer for immigrantrights group Union Migrante.

“I’m aU.S. citizen,” theman replied.

“But where were you born?” the agentresponded. He repeatedthe question in Spanish, adding, “Tell me the truth.”

“I won’tanswer any more ques-

tions,” the mananswered in English.

“OK,” the agent responded. “Will you put handcuffs on him, please?”

Theman wasone of threecitizens detained for questioning and thenreleased after agents realized he had citizenship, according to Union Migrante,whosemembers researchand publicize immigration enforcement operations.

Mirroringcritiques leveled in Chicago and Charlotte, advocates andattorneys on Thursday said agents’ professedgoal of detaining criminalshas notmatched who they are targeting fordetention so far aroundNew Orleans —mostly day laborers and wage workers without felony criminalrecords whomagents encounteredinpublic spaces.

Union Migrante andother advocacy groups have accused Border Patrol agentsofracially profiling by targeting New Orleans-area locationsfrequented by Hispanic residents.

“They’re not focusing on particular people, they’re focusing on particular traits,” said Homero López, an immigration attorney and former immigration judge.

“Those traits tend to be physical in nature.”

In avideoobtainedbyThe Times-Picayune, masked agents pulled aman out of acar and forced him ontothe ground while detaining him

In response to questions about the agency’stactics andallegations of U.S. citizens being held for questioning, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin provided alist Thursday of six people with criminal records whom McLaughlin said the operation had captured in its first 30 hours.

“These are sick people who have lived amongusfor far toolong,” McLaughlin said.

They include aVietnamese man, Hung Ngoc Tran, with prior sexualassault, larceny and child fondling convictions, according to McLaughlin. AnotherVietnamese-born detaineeMcLaughlin described,Banh VanTo, has convictions for robbery,aggravated robbery with adeadly weapon, kidnappingand aggravated assault, shesaid.Detainee Carlos Roberto Guardado-Ramirez, of Honduras, has previous arrests for simple battery,domestic abuse child endangerment, resisting an officer and driving while intoxicated.

Late Thursday, DHSalso posted avideo on social media of thear-

rest of Jorge Vierra-Serrano, a Cubannational who theysaidwas convicted of forcible rape and burglary

Other arrestees had less serious charges.One Honduran-born man hada previous marijuana convictionand an arrest fordisturbing thepeace.

U.S. HouseSpeaker Mike Johnson, aRepublican from the Shreveport area, joinedother conservative state andfederal officials in applauding DHS’ efforts Thursday posting on social media that “sanctuary city” policieshave made communitiesdangerousand “thepeople of our GREATcity deserve better, and help is now on theground.”

Meanwhile, alegal spat between Republican Attorney GeneralLiz Murrill andthe American Civil LibertiesUnionover anew state lawshednew light Thursdayon how much leeway residents may have when protesting immigrationagents during theoperation Alegal brief Murrill’soffice filed in thecasesaidthe law does not bar “pure First Amendment-protected speech,” such as workshops notifying immigrants of their legal rights.

Locally,signs of angerand anguish emerged Thursday toward

the operation, whichhas centered Louisiana in the Trump administration’s expanding immigration crackdown.

About 30 people protesting the operation anddemanding more action fromlocal leaders were forcibly ejected from aNew Orleans City Council meeting after some protesters screamed at council members and pushed and shoved police.

MayorLaToyaCantrell,who is under federal indictment by Trump’sJustice Department, gave her first public remarks Thursday about the operation by saying New Orleans “stands in solidarity” with immigrants and that the city would work to makethem “feel safe,” without providing specifics.

In the evening, faith leaders and community members gathered for an interfaith service at the St. Charles Center for Faith and Action to show support forimmigrant residents. They discouraged impacted immigrants from attending, warning that “public participation could pose risks.”

There,atable at the entranceto the high-ceilingedsanctuary was scattered with flyers forvolunteer opportunities, “no trespassing” signs for business owners to post to steer away lawenforcement agents, andbagsofwhistles that attendeeswereencouraged to blowasa warning if theysee enforcement activity

The vigil brought together clergy andcommunity leadersfrom numerous New Orleans faith organizationstolead prayers, reflections and readings from scripture. Before amomentofsilence, attendees gathered beneath thealtar to light dozens of votive candles.

“Wewanted to join together in an act of solidarity with our neighbors as our various traditions call us to do,” said the Rev.Marc Boswell, pastor of the St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church. “This type of cruelty,this type of racial profiling …should have no place here.”

BorderPatrol Commander GregoryBovino is on the ground in New Orleans and strolled the streets of the French Quarter on Wednesday evening. He offeredupdatesonthe operation on social media Thursday,needling critics and thanking supporters.

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Federalagents gather around atruck before detainingtwo men insideofitoff Williams Boulevard in Kenner on Thursday.

Advocates criticize La.’s industry focus

But LED says plans are in best interest of state

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

A rarely held hearing on Louisiana economic development this week led to renewed debate over the balance between industry and environmental concerns, with community activists and officials

from Gov Jeff Landry’s administration disagreeing sharply Required by state law for Louisiana agencies every six years, the hearing in Baton Rouge was meant for public comment on specific rules issued by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.

A handful of environmentalists and community activists argued that a decades-long emphasis on heavy industry has placed a pollution burden on largely minority fence line communities without the promised financial gains. LED officials responded later that their policies were bringing jobs and

opportunities to those very communities.

Under Landry’s recent Louisiana Lightning Speed Initiative, the activists also charged, the state has been directed to push new projects too quickly — and under the secrecy of nondisclosure agreements for projects like a planned Hyundai Steel plant.

“Economic development has not happened for us because of sweetheart deals, the same sweetheart deal that’s been made with Hyundai and the rest of them. These deals don’t do anything but give money back to the people that promised to come and put economic development in our area,” said Gail LeBoeuf, co-founder of Inclusive Louisiana, a St. James Parishbased environmental nonprofit.

Race opens for Scott chief

ABOVE LEFT: Guest conductor David Torns shows Luna Flores, 8, how to conduct an orchestra. Sounds of the Season with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra was performed in St. Peter Catholic Church in New Iberia on Sunday The Iberia Cultural Resources Association presented the annual event. ABOVE RIGHT: Patrons applaud Sounds of the Season with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. BELOW: Soprano Cara Waring and baritone Joshua Staes sing together on Sunday. PHOTOS By

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Caleb Lege first to announce police candidacy

JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

Next year’s election for Scott chief of police has drawn its first contender Caleb Lege announced on Tuesday that he would run for the position he had first sought in 2022.

Lege boasts a 27-year career in law enforcement, roughly 18 of which were spent with the Scott Police Department. While serving, he was twice named the department’s Officer of the Year in 2011 and 2018, and was elected by his peers to serve as chairman of the Municipal Police Civil Service Board, a position he held for five years. He has also served with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, where he currently works as a dispatcher In addition to his law enforcement credentials, Lege is also the president of the Scott Business Association.

“I’m committed to leading with transparency, accountability, and a steady focus on the people who make this community such a strong place to call home,” Lege said in a social media post on Wednesday. Lege has not yet outlined a specific plan for the department should he be elected, but in his previous campaign, he expressed a desire for new training for dealing with mental health issues, elderly services and the recruitment of experienced officers into the department.

In his first attempt at the position, five-term incumbent Chad Leger easily defeated Lege in a two-way race, with Lege receiving 27% of the vote.

Leger is expected to announce his sixth-term reelection campaign next month. The election is scheduled to take place Nov 8 alongside the national congressional midterm elections.

Lafayette native rises in fashion

Sam competes in Elton John Style competition

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Many have heard the term triple threat, but few embody it the way Lafayette native Toz Sam has as he’s worked as a model, actor and creative director roles he said have placed him in rooms he never imagined stepping into. For Sam, these titles aren’t separate identities. They’re proof of a philosophy he lives by, which is that artists shouldn’t put themselves in a box.

Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Sam’s rise has been shaped by pivotal moments growing up in Lafayette and the persistence he still carries. Earlier this year, he and his friends earned a spot on Beyoncé’s official website. Sam conceptualized the outfit he wore to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour, which later exploded across the internet, with more than 15 million views across his social media platforms. That moment shaped his career, which has evolved from simply wearing the fashion to helping shape the story it tells. “What sets my style apart is that I’m willing to explore things people don’t usually use,” he said. “Textures, shapes, materials if it makes people think, I want to try it.”

LEE BALL

Lege

PHOTO PROVIDED By TOZ SAM

Lafayette native Toz Sam, a multidimensional artist, proves that creativity has no limits. ä See FOCUS, page 4B

Congressshouldworktolower health care costs

In my clinic, Isee patients everyday who are working hard to make ends meet but still can’t afford the health care they need. Many of them are uninsured or underinsured. Theyration their medications. They skip follow-up appointments. They wait until their conditions worsen before seeking help because they simply can’taffordthe cost of care.

Now,with federal cuts to Medicaid looming and enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits settoexpire, the situation is about to get worse. If Congress doesn’tact, millions of Americans could see their health insurance premiums skyrocket. That means more families in Louisiana and across the country will face impossible choices between paying the bills and getting medical care.

Congress should act immediately to extend these ACA tax

credits so people can keep their coverage. Butextending this financial helpisonly one part of thesolution.Totruly lower costs and fixour health system for the long term, lawmakers need to tackle theunderlying reasons prices keep going up including consolidation, unfairbilling practices andlack of transparency —thatallow big corporate health systems to gamethe system and drive up costs for everyone. Oneofthe biggest problemsis how large hospital systems buy up small, independent physician practices and then charge patients morefor the same services By changingthe logo on the door, these hospitals can suddenly bill Medicare —and patients —at much higher rates just because they now own theclinic. The quality of care doesn’tnecessarily improve. The doctors, nurses and

exam rooms are thesame. The only difference is theprice tag As healthcare is becoming more expensive, patients are given fewer and fewer choices in where they can seek care.

That’sbecause Medicare reimburses services at ahigher rate when they’re provided in hospitalowned outpatient departments than when the same careisdelivered in independent practices. This practice is driving up health care costs across thecountry Patients should be charged the sameprice for thesame service, no matter wherethey receive it Congress can fix this bypassing site-neutral payment reform,a common-sense solution that has support from both parties. Another hidden cost patients face is the“facility fee.” Many large hospital systems add these extra administrative charges on top of the cost of care, even for simple visitslike blood pressure checks or vaccinations. These

Crypto offersmuchfor La., butonlyifCongressacts

Modern financialmarkets are changing rapidly Blockchain, cryptocurrency,stablecoins and decentralized finance are more than buzzwords among younger investors in Louisianaand across America— they represent emerging opportunities rooted in adesire for greaterfinancialfreedom.

fees can be hundreds of dollars and often come as asurprise they’re not tied to the actual care provided but to the administrativeoverhead of the hospital. For working families, that unexpected bill can mean the difference between staying in treatment or puttingitoff until it becomes an emergency Congress should prohibit these junk fees andprotect patients from being charged morefor fees unrelated to theircare.

Finally,lawmakers should improve transparency by requiring each site of care to use unique national provider identifiers (NPIs). Right now,hospitals can bill using asingle NPIfor their entire system, hiding how much care —and cost —comes from their off-campus facilities versus inpatient ones.

Requiring unique identifiers would help shine alight on what’s driving up prices and prevent people from being charged inpa-

tient prices foroutpatient care. These reforms are bipartisan and practical. In fact, last Congress, the House passed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act, which included site-neutral paymentreform and aunique NPI requirement. Congress should build on that progress and get this across the finish line. As aphysician, Isee what happens when people can’tafford the care they need. Preventable conditions becomeemergencies. Families go into debt. Lives are cut short. We can do better —and Congress has the tools to makeit happen.

By extending ACA tax credits and passing bipartisan reforms to make pricing fairer and more transparent, lawmakers can deliver real relief to patients in Louisiana and across the nation. It’stime to start putting patients first.

Clarissa Hoffisa primary care physician basedinNew Orleans.

TenCommandments displays arewellwithin American tradition

Wright

Thisinnovation isgood for our state’seconomic future, but as digital assets become more mainstream,Congress must ensure investor safeguardsand regulatory certainty arenonnegotiable to prevent unnecessary financial risks and protect hardworking families. There are many countries around the globe that have already achieved this balance.

As the author of several crypto-related bills, including Louisiana’sVirtualCurrency Kiosk Act, I’ve seen firsthand theimportance of balancing innovation withresponsibility That law —which established clearrules for cryptocurrencykiosks —set adailytransaction limit of $3,000, created a72-hourrefund right for users and required kiosk operators to use blockchain analytics to detect fraud.It also mandatedwarning labels and anti-fraud policies to protectolder adults andfirst-time investors from scams.

We didn’tpass theselawsto discourage investors and consumers —wepassedthem to build trust and demonstratetothe country that Louisiana was readytoembrace innovation. Louisianans deserve theopportunityto participate in new financial markets without fearing that bad actors will take advantage of them. That same philosophy should guidefederal digital-asset legislation.

That’swhy Ialso authored HouseResolution 317, which createdastatelegislativesubcommittee to study artificial intelligence,blockchain and cryptocurrency Louisiana can’taffordtowait forWashington to catch up —weneed to lead theconversation on how emergingtechnologiesare regulated, how consumers are protected and howeconomic opportunitycan growsafely across our state.

The generational story is clear.Surveys show younger adults are farmore likely to have participated in crypto marketsthanolder cohorts. Pew Research reports thatabout 4in10men ages 18-29 say theyhave invested in, traded or used cryptocurrency —far higher than among older adults.

The “new investors of 2020” skew younger, more diverse and more tech-savvy. Even beyond crypto, Gen Zisentering financial markets earlier than anygenerationbefore, with an average investing startage of 19. Crypto also plays amajor role in Louisiana’s financial landscape, where manyresidents have historicallybeenexcluded fromtraditional banking systems. Federal data show Louisiana’sunbanked

rate is among the highest in thenation roughly 8% —meaning thousands of families turn to alternative options. Digital finance can expandaccess, but without safeguards, these same families are left vulnerable to fraud and volatility

That’swhy Congress must act and finish the job.

Lawmakers should provide clear and simple rules of the road that mirror the consumer-protection standards Louisiana has already adopted: transparency and registrationrequirements for trading platforms, best-execution obligations to secure fair pricing for users, volatilitycontrols to prevent cascading losses during sharp market swings and strong anti-fraud and anti-moneylaunderingstandards to promotetrust and accountability

Thetroubling realityisthat someproposed reforms in Washington do theopposite creating loopholes that exempt developers and exchanges from the same foundational safeguards that have long madeU.S. markets thesafest and most trusted in the world. Louisiana knows better

We’ve proven that innovation and accountability can coexist.

Louisianans deserve transparency,fairness and strong oversight.

Otherwise, theexcitement of today’sdigital markets could become tomorrow’s“wild west,” leaving hardworking Americansto shoulder losses that smarter policy could have prevented.

Louisiana has set the example —now Congress must finish thejob.

Republican Rep. Mark Wright represents District 77 in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

The crisesafflicting America’s young people —school shootings, social isolation, skyrocketing rates of anxiety anddepression —won’tbe solved overnight or with any single fix. Still, something has to be done

That’swhy I’m encouraged that lawmakers in Louisiana passeda lawtopost the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. It shouldn’t raise anyeyebrows, but the lawwas challenged by the ACLU as violating the Constitution’sprotections for religious freedom.

textbooks used by tutors during the founding era all included the TenCommandments.

The entire bench for the Fifth U.S.Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is nowreviewing this challenge,and its rulingcarries unusual weight. It could greenlight the efforts of other states to welcome religious significance back to schools or cement astrict separationist vision of education for years to come.

As detailed in an amicus brief Ifiled in support of Louisiana, the Supreme Court hasmadeclear in recent years that courts should examine history andtradition when evaluating questions aboutreligioninpublic life. And recent scholarshipshows that passive displays of theTen Commandments would neverhavebeen considered an “establishment of religion” by the founders.

Unfortunately,courts have long misunderstood ametaphor in Thomas Jefferson’s 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists, citing the “wall of separation between churchand state.” Jefferson himself was notastrict separationist. More importantly,Jefferson didn’t help draft or ratify the First Amendment. We need notprivilege one man’s political correspondence over the actual intent of those who wrote and ratified ourConstitution’sprotections for religious freedom Additional historical support for displaying the TenCommandments abounds.

The First Federal Congress appointed congressionalchaplains, passed laws stating “Religion, Morality,and knowledge being necessary to good government,”and requested President GeorgeWashington issue his famous 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation giving thanks for divine providence in guiding the nation. And for centuries, education in America incorporated religious and moral instruction. The most popular

In recent years, the Supreme Court has been methodically correcting decades of earlier rulings that treated religious displays as automatically unconstitutional. When the court held that afootball coach had aconstitutional right to pray at midfield after games, it threw out alegal test these earlier decisions relied upon, emphasizing that learning to tolerate religious expression is essential to democratic citizenship. And last term, the court vindicated religious parents’ right to opt their children out of mandatory instruction using LGBTQI+ storybooks. Both Louisiana and asimilar Texas law direct only apassive display of the TenCommandments in classrooms, not active instruction or mandatory recitation.

Today’scourt also recognizes that exclusions based on religious character constitute discrimination that is “odious to our Constitution.”

The version of the TenCommandments that Louisiana mandates which the Supreme Court has recognized as nonsectarian —can also be read according to Jewish, Catholic or Protestant traditions. Acknowledging that our legal system has religious roots doesn’tprivilege one faith over others. It simply tells our history This matters because children need moral anchors. They need to learn that life has meaning beyond social media likes, that other people matter,that some things are right and wrong. The TenCommandments —don’tmurder, don’tsteal, honor your parents —represent baseline moral principles. States don’thave to mandate displays of the TenCommandments. But the Constitution doesn’tprevent those like Louisiana that choose to do so.

Schoolchildren struggling with isolation, violence and moral confusion need guidance, not asanitized public square. The Fifth Circuit can vindicate the efforts of Louisiana and offer a legal roadmap for the balanced integration of faith back into America’s schools.

For parents watching their children struggle, that roadmap can’tcome soon enough.

Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is director of theConscienceProject.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Acustomer uses the keypad on aCrypto ATMin Baton Rouge.

COMMENTARY

ISSUE OF THE WEEK IMMIGRATION

TwoNational Guard memberswereshot near aMetro station in Washington, D.C.,lastweek,and one, 20-yearoldSarah Beckstrom,diedfromher injuries.The other,24-year-old AndrewWolfe, remains in serious condition. Thesuspect arrested, RahmanullahLakanwal,isanAfghan national whocametothe United States following thechaotic withdrawal ofU.S.troops and thereturnofthe Taliban to powerinKabul.Multiplesources saythe suspect appeared to have mental health issuesafter struggling to adapt to life in the United States.President DonaldTrump said theshooting shows theneed for stricter vetting of immigrants and ordered U.S. Citizenship andImmigration Services topause reviewing applications for citizenship,green cards or asylum by people from 19 countries. Somecritics saythis is an overreaction based on false perceptions of immigrants. Others sayitisa necessarystep to ensure our national security.What do these latest actions reveal about how immigration policy is conductedunder theTrump administration? Hereare twoperspectives.

The‘permanentpause’ by Trumpiswarranted

Following the shooting of twoNational Guard members in Washington the day beforeThanksgiving, PresidentDonald Trump announced he wantsto“permanently pause migration” at least until he is satisfied that those from Afghanistan and other unstable countries have had their backgrounds thoroughly investigated. The president also wants to revoke the legal statusofmany of them and expel those who don’tmeasure up to his standard, which is “loving America.”

Themythofimmigrant crimehas deeper roots

After two National Guard members were gunned down by an immigrant from Afghanistan,President Donald Trump immediately seized on the shooting to escalatenativist fears of foreigners.

Cal Thomas

Vetting is usually adetailed process for those seeking entry to the U.S.,especially when they are fromcountries associated with terrorism. On Sept.1,2021, then-White Housepress secretary Jen Psakiwas askedabout thelarge number of Afghans who had entered thecountry under President Biden’s“OperationAllies Welcome” (OAW) program. Psaki said: “I can absolutely assure you that no one is coming into the United States of America who has not been through athorough screening andbackground check process.”

After the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on Xthat thesuspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the U.S. one week afterPsaki’s comment.

More than 190,000 Afghans have been resettled in the U.S. under OAWand another program called “EnduringWelcome,” according to areportpublished this year by the U.S. State Department. Claimingall wereproperly vettedstrains credulity

If America’senemies wanted to undermine and eventuallydestroy thecountry, sending people here who may have evil intentions is astealth way to do it.Just as we shouldnot be the police officers of the world, neither should we beexpected to be the receivers of the world. We can’t afford it on several levels.

Pausing immigration has precedent. The Immigration Act of 1924 established anational origins quota for 40 years until it was repealed in 1965 by another law,the Immigration and Nationality Act. The earlier act favored immigrants

from Northern and Western Europe and excluded many Asians.Italso limited new arrivals from Southern and Eastern Europe. Aside from any racial components, mostAmericans seemed to favor restricting immigration to allow those already here to assimilate. That included becoming proficient in English as well as embracing the history and Constitution of theUnited States. This process conformed toour national motto: “Out of many,one.”The failed border policies of President Joe Biden’s administration contributed to thehyphenating of many according to their ethnic heritage. It has reversed the motto to effectively mean “out of one, many.”

Theusual suspectsare saying the predictable thingsabout the“causes” of thesenseless attack. They include thedeployment of the National Guard, moregun control laws, additional mental health resources and other nonsense.

Notice that no one is mentioning religion, specifically Islamic extremism. Authorities claim they don’tknow the suspect’s“motive.” Here’sa clue. Witnesses reportedly heard him shout “Allahu akbar,” or God is great, before openingfire.Itisa statementmany terrorists have used beforecarrying out their murderous acts. Is that enoughmotive, or do theauthorities fear being called “Islamophobes” forstating the obvious?

Trumpiscorrect when he says we need to knowwho is coming to America and their intentions. If those intentions are bad— as in wishing to kill Americans— they should not be admitted. That’swhat thevettingprocess is supposedtodiscover.Ifthey arealready here and feel this way,they should be deported. Money from countries that have supported terrorism —like Qatar,which has funded Hamas and is sending millionsofdollars to American universities —should be cut off. If we don’tprotect ourselves from this blight, who will?

Email CalThomasattcaeditors@tribpub.com

“This attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation,” he bellowed. He followed this up by vowing to “permanentlypause migration from all ThirdWorld Countries”and even expel “anyone who is not anet asset to the United States.”

launchedhis campaign in 2015 by branding Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealersand vowing to build awall acrossthe Southern border

The shootings were atragedy The killer should be prosecutedand punished. ButTrump’s immediate impulse —todemonize immigrants as adangerto thenation —isbased on afalsehood. It’sa vicious and readily debunked lie.

Everyserious studyofthe link between immigration and crime has cometothe same conclusion: Foreigners arefar less likely to violatethe law than native-born Americans.

Such findings have led several prominent scholars to conclude that the link between immigration and crime is misleading, to theextent of constituting mythology and that cities with high immigrant concentrations may be “some of the safest around.”

Oneofthosescholars, Stanford economist Ran Abramitzky,argues: “From Henry Cabot Lodge in the late 19thcentury to DonaldTrump,anti-immigration politicians have repeatedly tried to link immigrantstocrime, but our research confirms that this is amythand not based on fact.”

Trump is athoroughly American figure, thelatest in along line of demagogues who have ignited and exploitedthe resentment of outsiders for politicalgain. In the 1840s, the Know-Nothing movement excoriated Catholics as agents of the pope In the1940s, more than 100,000 loyal Japanese Americans were interned on the West Coastassecurity risks. After9/11, American Muslims were harassed, and mosques were vandalized.

Trump entered political life by falsely accusing Barack Obama of being foreignbornand ineligible to be president. He

In his last campaign, Trump denounced immigrants for “poisoning the blood of ournation” and constantly invoked Laken Riley,a nursing student murdered by an illegalimmigrant. Still, Trump’shistory of connecting immigrants to crime is based on fantasy,not fact. For example, the Cato Institute,alibertarian think tank, studiedcensus data for residents born in 1990 and concluded, “native-born Americans were 267% more likely to be incarcerated than immigrants by age33. Elevenpercent of native-born Americansinthatyear-born cohort have been incarceratedcompared to just 3% of immigrants. Othercountriesreally are sending their best.”

The NationalInstitute forJusticeexaminedarrest records compiledbythe state of Texasand reported: “The study found thatundocumentedimmigrants are arrestedatlessthanhalfthe rate of nativeborn U.S. citizens forviolent and drug crimesand aquarter the rate of nativeborn citizens forproperty crimes.” There aremanypossible explanations for this vast discrepancy,including afear amongimmigrants of being deported, but Abramitzky of Stanford says the main reason is the work ethic of newcomers andtheir strong incentive to build anew life here:“Recentwaves of immigrants aremorelikely to be employed, married with children, andingood health,” maintains the economist. “Farfrom the rapists anddrug dealersthatanti-immigrant politicians claimthemtobe, immigrants todayare doing relatively well and have largely been shielded from the social and economicforces thathavenegatively affected low-educated U.S.-born men.” Trump, of course, will continue to spin his myths linking immigrants to crime, but no matterhow many times he repeats them, theywill remain false.

Email Steven V. Roberts at stevecokie@ gmail.com.

Steve Roberts

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO By JESSICA GRESKO

Members of theNational Guardpatrol McPherson Square Metro Station in Washington, D.C.

Full Moon Market unites

artists, promotes town

Plaquemine touts small businesses each month

BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer

When the full moon rises over Plaquemine, the otherwise tranquil downtown comes alive, filling with local musicians, artists and craftsmen.

While communities have celebrated the culmination of the lunar cycle for centuries, Plaquemine’s tradition only began in December 2024, when Ashlee Bergeron launched the Full Moon Market outside her photography studio on Main Street.

After moving from Church Point in 2021, Bergeron said sh e quickly fell in love with Plaquemine’s historic architecture and quaint bayou-front charm, but felt that like many small towns in Louisiana, it was largely overlooked. To change that,

EVENTS

Continued from page 1B

Here are some upcoming parades, festivals and more in Acadiana:

Noël Acadien au Village: Happening nightly through Dec. 23 at LARC’s Acadian Village in Scott. Enjoy Cajun-style lights and festive displays and support nonprofit programs Admission is included with ticket purchase. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Festival of Lights at the Oil Center: On Dec. 5, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Oil Center in Lafayette. Celebrate with holiday lights, live music and family fun. Tickets

FOCUS

Continued from page 1B

Joy Banner, co-founder of The Descendants Project in St. John the Baptist, argued that instead of continuing to bring more industry to the river region, the state should try to focus on its cultural capital and expand tourism She said it already contributes $440 million annually to the region from a handful of parishes in its center Her organization has been among those highlighting the Black and Creole history of the River Parishes while telling the true story of life on the region’s plantations for enslaved people.

‘Best interest of Louisiana’ Department lawyers received the comments, but, under the standard terms of such agency hearings, didn’t engage in questionand-answer In a statement later, however, department officials countered that the allegations were “an ambush” and that Secretary Susan Bourgeois would not respond to them directly.

But, in the statement, state officials charged the claims were not based on the department’s actual work in “bringing jobs and opportunity to the people of Louisiana.” The officials said that anyone “who would reject those opportunities clearly does not have the best interest of Louisiana citizens at heart.”

“This state has long suffered from a failure to diversify our economy What we have done over the past 23 months is unprecedented and transformational economic growth that has finally turned the tide of losing our people,” department officials added.

Since Landry took office, the department has announced tens of billions of industrial investment with thousands of jobs for the river corridor, with most presenting air pollution impacts and hinging on carbon capture and cheap natural

the local artist started with six vendors and a goal to bring the creative community together, support local business and get the word out about the town “I want people to know that Plaquemine is a hidden gem and that it has a lot of potential,” Bergeron said. “The vision of the Full Moon Market is to bring people into Plaquemine to say, ‘Wow, this is a really cool town.’”

A year later, the market has grown into a monthly block party — timed to each full moon — that draws between 400 and 700 people and more than 60 vendors, mostly from the Capital Region. Bergeron is now working to expand the concept to a second location in Carencro.

“The community has grown so quickly because we put our heart and soul into it,” she said. “Even if nobody shops, our artists come together and have a good time.”

The Full Moon Market’s first anniversary, named

can be purchased at theoilcenter.com.

Noël à Broussard: On Dec. 6 from 2 p.m to 7 p.m. in downtown Broussard, catch the Christmas parade, tree lighting, vendor market, snow and more family activities. Free.

Christmas in Carencro: On Dec. 6, have a full day of holiday fun starting at 9 a.m. at the Carencro Community Center and downtown Carencro. Enjoy family-friendly arts and crafts, food vendors and a parade at 10 a.m. Further activities include pictures with Santa and the city tree lighting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 210 E. St. Peter St. This event is free.

Christmas in Scott: On Dec. 7 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at

gas. But, perhaps to the department’s point about diversification, a day after the rules hearing, economic officials also announced a $4 million expansion and modernization of jewelrymaking studios for the Louisiana family-owned Boudreaux’s Jewelers The operation is in Mandeville however, far from the river corridor, and the expansion will add two new jobs and retain 19 others.

Set in motion through an executive order this fall, the Lightning Speed Initiative directs Bourgeois to pursue a whole of government” approach toward bringing new projects to fruition.

New departmental liaisons are supposed to focus with Bourgeois’ agency on priority economic development initiatives and “work collaboratively to align policy, permitting, infrastructure, workforce, and regulatory processes to accelerate and sustain economic development statewide.”

In trying to make a case for the initiative, Landry’s Sept. 16 executive order cited a net loss of 12,000 jobs in the state between 2016 and 2023.

Nondisclosure agreements

Earlier this year, an industry-financed study conducted by Louisiana economist Stephen Barnes found the “energy industry,” a term that includes the petrochemical and certain other manufacturing sectors, generated 25% of the state’s economy and 15% of its employment.

In the Mississippi River corridor, that impact amounted to more than 134,600 energy jobs with $11.4 billion in earnings, according to the study from the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, a petrochemical industry trade group.

Pockets of the same region, however, still suffer from high poverty rates, including Modeste and Donaldsonville, two western Ascension Parish communities

Continued from page 1B

“Twilight Reverie,” will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday in downtown Plaquemine.

It is a ripe opportunity for those without holiday gift ideas, where patrons can expect to find anything from unique jewelry and vintage clothing, to rare baseball cards and handmade fishing poles, plus home decor, bath and body products, and seasonal gifts.

“It’s a huge difference when our community comes out, and shops are small,” she said. “If 90% of our gifts came from these small-business owners, our lives would change significantly.”

Food trucks will be at the event, plus a dedicated dance floor to enjoy live music. The Specs, a six-member local band, will headline with covers ranging from Elton John to Chappell Roan.

The market takes place on Main Street, but in case of rain it moves indoors to the Carl F. Grant Civic Center at Belleview Park.

125 Lions Club Road, enjoy family fun activities such as a Christmas movie, carnival games, hay rides, giveaways and more. Admission is free.

Sonic Christmas Parade: On Dec. 7, starting at 1 p.m. in downtown Lafayette catch holiday floats, marching bands and Santa’s arrival.

Free.

Opelousas Children’s Christmas Parade: On Dec. 11 at 6 p.m., head to downtown Opelousas for a holiday parade through the historic district. Free.

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Concert: On Dec. 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Parc Sans Souci in downtown Lafayette, enjoy live music, tree lighting and festive holiday vibes. Free. Christmas Playathon: On

where a new wave of industries has been targeted by Landry’s administration, including Hyundai Steel.

A 2024 study found the petrochemical sector’s share of the Louisiana economy has fallen by more than half since 1999 as total jobs in the state have dropped and prospects for growth are weak in a global economy shifting from fossil fuels. The study called for more economic diversification that big state incentives focused on industry could crowd out.

That analysis was done by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a group critical of other petrochemical and fossil fuel investments in Louisiana and the state incentives behind them.

Despite requests dating back to Oct. 21, the groups also told economic officials on Wednesday they have been unable to get a copy of the cooperative endeavor agreement the state has with Hyundai Steel for its plant proposed in Modeste. They also asserted they have had local leaders tell them they can’t talk about upcoming projects because of nondisclosure agreements.

In the statement, state economic officials said the agreements are “standard practice for economic development projects across the globe for decades.”

David J. Mitchell can be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3, 2025

PICK 3: 4-7-8

PICK 4: 1-9-4-7

PICK 5: 5-8-6-0-6

EASY 5: 4-9-24-34-37

LOTTO: 14-17-25-34-40-41 POWERBALL: 1-14-20-46-51 (26)

Sam has served as a brand ambassador at exclusive events for Chanel, Fenty Beauty x Warner Bros Nike, Netflix, Disney and ESPN. His modeling career includes covers of GMARO, Eclair, and Malvie magazines. And his face became a permanent part of cosmetic history when NYX created shade 450 in its “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” foundation line, which was created specifically to match his skin tone and still can be found on shelves today

He called these achievements “quiet milestones,” and a reminder that persistence and purpose matter more than being everywhere at once.

But long before the brand campaigns, the magazine covers or the viral moments, there was a boy in Lafayette whose parents believed in him before he could even understand the language of fashion.

“Everything moved fast,” he recalls. “My mom told me at 4 that I was photogenic, and that’s how it started. That was my world before I even knew what my

Dec. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Acadiana Center for the Arts, enjoy live music performances by local students, a holiday-themed concert that raises funds for music education.

Christmas Under the Stars: On Dec. 13 at the Youngsville Sports Complex from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., enjoy live performances, family fun activities such as photos with the Grinch and Santa, food trucks, a petting zoo and more. Free.

St. Martinville Christmas Parade and Bayou Festival: On Dec. 14 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in historic downtown St. Martinville Parade through Main Street from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by the Christmas on the Bayou Festival featuring festive floats, local ven-

world could be.”

His parents enrolled him in modeling and acting classes, and soon the family was driving back and forth to New Orleans for auditions, bookings and shoots. At 14, he had appeared in multiple commercials and television shows. In high school, his passions shifted toward theater and dreams of Broadway By 2012, fashion had found its way back into his life while he was attending Judson High School in Texas. With no school uniforms, he immersed himself in his own creative wardrobe, using clothing as a way to express himself. Learning how to dress became a creative outlet and a lesson in what it truly meant to be a multitalented creator Around this time, he began doing red carpet coverage, magazine shoots and runway shows.

The shift from being part of the fashion world to actively shaping it solidified what he wanted to be — an artist who blends styling, modeling, acting, designing and directing. It was, in many ways, the moment he fully embraced the idea that creatives don’t have to be one-dimensional.

Sam recently competed in the Elton John Style Icon Competition, a national contest spotlighting emerging fashion visionaries whose work reflects originality and cultural impact. He reached the quarterfinals of the competition, an achievement he describes as humbling and inspiring. For him, participating wasn’t about celebrity, but more about alignment.

“I’m grateful for the experience and for all the support from my community,” Sam said. “Making it to the quarterfinals wouldn’t have been possible without them.” He added that next up is Milan 2026 Fashion Week where he and his dream team are cooking up something special.

“When people see my work, I want them to feel something, because fashion is nonverbal communication,” Sam said. “And the story I want people to hear is that Lafayette is here.”

“I love designing and wearing the concept,” he adds. “Styling and modeling go together for me I don’t just want to be the person wearing someone else’s idea. I want to create the idea.”

dors and family fun. Free. Christmas in the Park: From Dec. 12-14, evenings at Moncus Park in Lafayette will showcase holiday lights, music, food trucks and kidfriendly activities. Free.

Ageless Healthcare Christmas: On Dec. 18 at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Lafayette. The event will include free barbecue, bingo, giveaways and music. Free.

Acadiana Symphony Orchestra: On Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette, conductor Matthew Kraemer leads this holiday-themed concert known as Home Alone. Tickets available at heymanncenter.com.

”The Creole Nutcracker”: On Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Hey-

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

mann Performing Arts Center, a festive ballet performance. Tickets available at thecreolenutcracker.com.

Reading of Christmas Books in French for Children: On Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at 735 Jefferson St. Père Noël/ Santa Claus will be present, hot cocoa served and readings start at 10 a.m. Register online at holidaymorning. eventbrite.com. Pancakes with Papa Noel: On Dec 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Zoosiana, enjoy a

SPORTS

Football calendar suitsUL finein 2025

There’sbeen aton of discussion around the country about how bad the NCAA’s football calendar is, especially fordealing with scenarios such as LaneKiffin leaving Ole Miss to coach at LSU. But not every college program is singing the blues about thecalendar

“The calendar this year is at least alittle bitbetter as far as this whole recruiting thing goes,” UL coach Michael Desormeauxsaid.

For one, it provides less time to wait on the vast majority of high school signees who have known for awhile where they intended to sign.

It also allows teams awaiting bowl bidsto have far fewer distractions.

“In the past, you signed your class (Wednesday), you get to be happy and excited about that for ahalfa second, and then the portal opens in the middle ofgetting ready for the bowl game,and you’re managinglosses and what you need and all that stuff,” Desormeaux said.Sonow,atleast for asecond, we get to worry about getting these guys to the finish line. We get to go get our team ready to go play in abowl game, and then you handle everything afterthat.” Desormeaux doesn’twant to hearany excuses as to why aplayer interested in leaving UL for another school can’tatleast finish out the season before searching for otheroptions.

He’snot saying don’tleaveifyou want to play somewhereelse. He’ssimply saying

After theNew Orleans Saints’ loss to the Miami Dolphins, WDSUsportsanchor Fletcher Mackel and analyst James Hurst debated on their postgame show whetherChrisOlave shouldhavecaught theball on apivotal play near theend of Sunday’sdefeat. It was second and 1with44seconds left when quarterback Tyler Shough tooka deep shottothe wide receiver near thepylon. As the ball closed in,with twodefenders trailing, Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones slipped and fell right in front of Olave— but thewidereceiver couldn’thaulinthe pass. Slowmotion replays showed thepass hitajumping Olaveright offhis hands andarm.

Acatch would have given the Saintsa lead and possible win.

“Ifyou’reelite, Ifeel like you come down with that andyou’re a hero,” Mackel said.

“Absolutely,”added Hurst, aformerSaintsoffensive lineman who was once teammates with Olave. “If you’re the Wide Receiver 1onany football team in the NFL, youcatch that pass.”

Thebanter easily could be dismissed as the kind of fodder that al-

ANALYSIS

mostevery media member is guilty of. Butthe discussion further raises akey question about Olave, one that truly matters as the Saints look to negotiate along-term contract extension with the 25-year-old. Is Olave really aNo. 1widereciever?

He undoubtedly has enjoyeda bounce-back season, largely fend-

ingoff concernsabouthis health even as he missed practice Wednesday with aback injury.The 2022 first-round pick leads the Saints with73catches, 785yards andfive touchdowns, putting him on pace to top 1,000 yards forthe third timein four seasons. He has avoided suffering another concussion. Andyet, determining whether Olave is astar —orcapable of be-

Allthe focus latelyhas been on next season for LSU. Who will coach the Tigers? Who will play for the Tigers? This 2025 LSU team still has onegameto play,however,and it’sa bowl game.Sunday,the Tigers will find out their opponentand destination. The overwhelmingexpectation nationally is that 7-5 LSU will windupin the Music City Bowl. Of 12 bowl projections compiled by The Advocate, eighthad the Tigers in the Nashville, Tennessee, bowl game. There was one pick each for LSU to be in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida; the Duke’sMayo Bowl in

BY TOYLOY BROWNIII Staff writer

LSU’s unblemishe

ardy

Although the Tig barely staved offBo 78-69 in overtimei lenge on Wednesda Chestnut Hill, Mass Matt McMahon was he viewed the result.

“This was big for real adversity we fa ing off the

d record wasinjeopers are now8-0,they ston College, winning n the ACC/SEC ChalyatConteForum in achusetts. LSU coach transparentwith how

us. This wasthe first ced this season, comlen Reed,beingdown on the road,” McMarst close game against y nineinregulationon the Tigershad over, winning five games d achance to do the ga College when it was

up by as many as 14 points in the first half andled for 34:25. But the Tigers couldn’tbuy abasket for much of the second half, and LSU lost its lead for the first time with 6:23 left in regulation. It was on the brink of coughing up avictory in its first trueroad game after making 9of 34 second-half shots before overtime. In theTigers’ secondgame withoutReed and their first since he was officially ruled out for theseason because of an Achilles tendon injury,they played likethey were missing one of their calming forces. But they received just enough from Dedan Thomas. The 6-foot-1 point guardcarriedthe offense in thefinal minutes, scoring six straight pointstosend thegame to overtime. The UNLVtransfer scored the first fourpoints of overtime on his way to a

Revenge on Knights’ mind

LCA looks to avenge last year’s loss to Dunham

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

For some teams, the past is the past. Coaches and players don’t believe it is possible to avenge a previous outcome

The Lafayette Christian Knights aren’t among them.

A year ago, the Knights thought they were well on their way to the state semifinals after taking a 30-14 lead over Dunham into the fourth quarter, but the wheels fell off as the Tigers outscored the Knights 20-0 to stun LCA 34-30.

“We just let one slip away,” Knights coach Matt Standiford said “We had 10 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter in that game They just outplayed us in the fourth quarter.”

Now the Knights (11-1), who will play host to the Tigers (11-1) at 7 p.m. Friday in the Division III select semifinals, want revenge.

“We knew that no matter who we played, we would be playing against a really good program in the semifinals,” Standiford said “Either Dunham, who has a highly rated quarterback, or Newman, who is a traditional power

“We’re excited to be facing Dunham, because we feel like we left something out there last year They’re calling it the revenge tour, so it is fitting that we have one more shot.”

Knights linebacker Kaydin Paul agreed that LCA is relishing the opportunity to avenge last season’s loss.

“We’re very excited. It’s a revenge game,” Paul said “We are ready to get our get-back and prove a point.”

Paul said there is no way to downplay how big of a game this is for the Knights.

“It’s personal to us,” he said. “Our end goal is to be in the state championship It is what we value the most. Since we lost the last time we played them, we want to beat them this time.”

against Dunham on Friday.

Dunham coach Neil Weiner knows his team will have its hands full with the Knights but is confident the Tigers are ready for the challenge.

“Our kids want to play the best, and LCA is the best,” Weiner said. “They are probably the best in any class They are super talented and always well-prepared. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, but we’re excited about the opportunity.”

It’s going to be a game of offensive fireworks, as both teams are equipped with explosive playmakers on offense.

The Tigers are led by quarterback Elijah Haven and receiver Jarvis Washington. Haven, who leads the Tigers in rushing, has completed 199 of 275 passes for 3,248 yards, 54 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 599 yards and five touchdowns on 87 carries. Washington is the Tigers’ leading receiver with 1,135 yards and 19 touchdowns on 61 receptions.

“Jarvis is a big receiver who can go get the football,” Standiford said. “They like to spread it out. Elijah has a good arm, and he can run. He can really sling it.”

The Knights are led by quarterback Braylon Walker, running back Caiden Bellard and receiver Brayden Allen. Walker has passed for 1,821 yards and 27 touchdowns while also rushing for 959 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bellard is the Knights’ leading rusher with 1,402 yards and 18 touchdowns on 207 carries. Allen, an LSU signee, has 43 receptions for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“Offensively, they are just so explosive,” Weiner said. “Anybody on the field for them — the four receivers, running back or quarterback — can score from anywhere on the field.”

For all the attention their offense receives, Weiner said don’t sleep on the Knights defense that is led by Paul, defensive lineman

Jayden Arceneaux, linebackers Jaimason Marzell and Khaleb Simon, and defensive back Luke Green.

“Defensively they are never out of position, and they never have busted coverages,” Weiner said. “They have great speed on defense. Both their defensive linemen and linebackers can run sideline to sideline. They are very disciplined.”

Weiner said his defense just needs to “do what we do best.”

“LCA is going to score points,” Weiner said. “I just hope they don’t score 40. We have to get off the field and get our offense back the ball. We have to create some takeaways.”

Standiford is confident his team is ready for the matchup.

“It’s going to be two of the best teams going at it,” Standiford said. “I know the stage won’t be too bright for us.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Notre Dame aims for first title game since 2018

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Since the arrival of coach Lewis Cook nearly three decades ago, Notre Dame has qualified for the playoffs every season.

Despite the talent lost to graduation after last season, there wasn’t any doubt the Pios would extend that postseason streak in 2025.

But the question was whether they had enough talent and experience to make a deep run in the playoffs? After 13 weeks, the answer is a resounding yes. Behind talented running back Joachim Bourgeois and a defense that has proven to be a strength, the Pios are one win away from reaching the state finals for the first time since 2018.

“We had two rough games so far in the playoffs, but we’ve found a way to win them,” said Cook, whose Pios are in the semifinals for the first time since 2022. “I feel like we are playing at a very high level right now and honestly, I don’t know what more we could do to be more prepared for where

Continued from page

season-high 23 points and seven assists. LSU also played disciplined defense and had enough mettle to keep fighting despite missing many open looks.

we are.”

The Pios (10-2) will play host to No. 6-seeded Calvary Baptist at 7 p.m. Friday at Gardiner Memorial Stadium in Crowley with a trip to the Division III select championship on the line.

Calvary Baptist is a solid football team from top to bottom,” Cook said. “They are not fancy, and just like us they do what they do well.”

Offensively, the Cavaliers (111) are led by quarterback Hudson Price, running back Z’Ryan Miles and receiver Braylun Huglon.

Price has completed 137 of 200 passes for 2,004 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions, while Huglon has been his favorite target with 66 receptions for 1,275 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Miles has rushed for 950 yards and 10 touchdowns on 142 carries.

“We’re a young football team,” Cavaliers coach Rodney Guin said. “We lost 16 or 17 starters from last year, so we are young.

We’ve probably overachieved some this year Our quarterback is a sophomore, and our receivers

“I have to go back and watch some film. I thought we got some good looks in the second half,” McMahon said. “We just didn’t make them. They hit some great shots.

haven’t played a lot. But we have gotten better on offense every game.”

Cook is impressed by what he’s seen of the Cavaliers on film.

“They run and pass the football very well,” Cook said. “They have a really good running back and the quarterback is efficient in how he plays. They can score.”

Pios quarterback Drew Lejeune said the Cavaliers are stout on defense.

“They look just as good as anybody we’ve seen and that says a lot,” Lejeune said. “On defense, they play hard, and they come down and make a lot of tackles from their secondary It’s going to be a battle.”

Guin said the defense — led by free safety Luke Miller (96 tackles, six tackles for loss, three interceptions, 10 pass breakups) and defensive end David Weeks (35 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, one interception, one force fumble) — has been a strength for the Cavaliers all season.

“We have played good defense all year,” Guin said. “Luke is our

“Credit to Boston College. I thought they played really well in the second half. I just can’t say enough about our players’ poise and composure. All the momentum was going BC’s way with a minute to go. Found a way to get it to the extra frame and then really a dominant performance in the overtime period.” LSU scored 17 points in the five extra minutes, which were only seven fewer than it had in the second half. In overtime the Tigers made all three of their field

Scheffler tied for lead at Hero World Challenge

NASSAU, Bahamas Scottie Scheffler returned to competition Thursday for the first time in two months and very little changed. Even with a bogey on the final hole, he had a 6-under 66 and was part of a five-way tie for the lead in the Hero World Challenge. Scheffler was tied with U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, Sepp Straka, Wyndham Clark and Akshay Bhatia at Albany Golf Club. The world’s No. 1 player wasn’t the only one who had taken plenty of time off. Straka also had not played since the Ryder Cup ended the last weekend in September The Hero World Challenge has a 20-man field, and top players often use it to start getting ready for next year

CB Slay is contemplating future after Bills claim him

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y Cornerback

Darius Slay has put off reporting to the Buffalo Bills instead taking time to consider his future, the player’s agent confirmed Thursday

Slay has 13 seasons of NFL experience, and the decision to take some time comes a day after the Bills claimed him on waivers following his release in Pittsburgh. In his first season in Pittsburgh, Slay was inactive in two of the Steelers’ past three outings after losing his starting job.

He was cut to make room for the team claiming receiver Adam Thielen on waivers. Slay was not present at Bills practice on Thursday, with the team declining to comment

Former Rangers manager joining Giants as coach

SAN FRANCISCO Former Angels and Rangers manager Ron Washington is returning to the Bay Area to become infield coach for the San Francisco Giants on new manager Tony Vitello’s staff. Washington worked for nearly two decades in the same role for the Oakland Athletics, developing many stars with his detailed work hours before the first pitch. The 73-year-old Washington took a leave of absence from the Angels last season with his team at 36-38 to undergo quadruplebypass heart surgery, and Los Angeles then moved forward at the end of the year by hiring Kurt Suzuki as its manager Before managing the Rangers, Washington was a longtime infield coach for Oakland Athletics.

UL men fall to Lamar to start season at 1-8

leading tackler and our playmaker on defense.”

The Cavaliers will have their hands full trying to stop the Pios’ rushing attack led by Bourgeois, who is second in the Acadiana area in rushing yards with 1,774 and 23 touchdowns on 242 carries.

He’s also caught 22 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns.

“He’s scored on the first play of the game like three or four times, so we may put all 11 guys on him on the first play,” Guin said. “He’s a handful. He’s so quick and he hits the line hard.”

Bourgeois has been everything the Pios thought he’d be and more, Cook said.

“There’s no doubt, we thought he’d be good,” Cook said. “But no way we thought he’d achieve what he has. What has been a surprise is how tough he is running between the tackles He’s not very big, but some runs that should be no gain he is falling forward for 4 or 5 yards.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

goals, including one 3-pointer, and all 10 free throws. Building off a game that had real pressure is what McMahon said he wants to see from LSU. It may be in a similar situation when it faces No. 19 Texas Tech (6-2) at 2 p.m Sunday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, in the Coast 2 Coast Challenge.

The UL men’s basketball team fell 65-55 on Wednesday to the Lamar Cardinals in Beaumont, Texas. The loss dropped the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 1-8 start for the third time since 2010, with the other two being coach Bob Marlin’s first and last seasons at UL. UL led for 21:22 in the game compared to 14:19 for the Cardinals. The problem was UL committed 17 turnovers while forcing only eight. As a result, the Cardinals won the points off turnovers battle 24-9.

Jaxon Olvera was UL’s only double-digit scorer with 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting, followed by Dorian Finister with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting. The only UL player to shoot over 50% was Milan Mejia at 3 of 4 for eight points.

TE Andrews signs 3-year extension with Ravens

OWINGS MILLS Md. The Baltimore Ravens agreed to a three-year contract extension with Mark Andrews on Wednesday days after the tight end became the franchise’s career leader in receptions. Baltimore was facing some significant decisions after this season, with the 30-year-old Andrews and fellow tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar on expiring deals. They’ve now reached an agreement for a reported $39.3 million with Andrews. Andrews is the Ravens’ leader with

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Lafayette Christian running back Caiden Bellard, left, hopes to continue the Knights’ effective rushing attack

AES expects stiff test at Riverside

BY MIKE COPPAGE

Contributing writer

Ascension Episcopal has reached the state semifinals for the first time since 2016, when coach Jay Domengeaux made his debut at the Youngsville school as an assistant under Matthew Desormeaux.

Domengeaux, in his first year as head coach, brings the No. 6 Blue Gators to the River Parishes north of New Orleans in a Division IV select playoff game at No. 2-seeded Riverside Academy in Reserve on Friday

“They run it well and do a good job upfront,” Domengeaux said of the 10-1 Rebels, whose only loss was to Class 5A Terrebonne in Week 1. “They have a couple of athletes in No. 4 (Kenric Johnson) and No. 1 (Jayden Obiekwe) that do a good job running the ball, and they get it to them underneath in a controlled passing game. We’ll have to prevent the big play.” Domengeaux was struck by the fact the Rebels posted at least 40 points in eight straight games before blowing out Ouachita Christian 38-14 in the quarterfinals.

“Their passing game is like an extension of their run game,” Domengeaux said of the Rebels, who got 238 yards rushing and three scores last week from Obiekwe last week. “They’ll bust big plays on you. The big thing to prevent them from scoring lots of

points is to control the ball on offense.” In last week’s 38-7 win over undefeated No. 3 Hamilton Christian, Blue Gators quarterback Branon Mitchell passed for a touchdown to Preston Peebles, ran for anoth-

er and caught a TD on a trick play from DJ Kelly “It was a shallow route to Peebles, and DJ was down the field doing an unbelievable job finishing the block,” Domengeaux said.

SEMIFINALS PAIRINGS

Mitchell has thrown for 1,000 yards with 12 touchdowns and rushed for 500 yards and six TDs.

Andre Abshire leads the team in rushing with 800 yards and 11 scores Peebles, a tight end, has 26 receptions for 416 yards and seven TDs. Jack Boudreaux and Andrew McCormick, who returned last week from an injury, have combined for 350 yards receiving.

The Blue Gators intercepted

SCOREBOARD

FCS

St. (11-1) vs. North Dakota (8-5), 1 p.m. FCS Second Round - Game 7 at Nacogdoches, Texas: Stephen F. Austin (10-2) vs Abilene Christian (9-4), 2 p.m. FAR WEST FCS Second Round - Game 5 at Missoula, Mont.: Montana (11-1) vs. S. Dakota St. (9-4), 2 p.m. FCS Second Round - Game 8 at Bozeman, Mont.: Montana St. (10-2) vs. Yale (9-2), 2 p.m. FCS Second Round - Game 2 at Davis, Calif.: UC Davis (8-3) vs. Rhode Island (11-2), 10 p.m. FCS Playoff Glance Second Round Game 3 at Bethlehem, Pa.: Lehigh (12-0) vs Villanova (10-2), 11 a.m. Game 6 at Macon, Ga.: Mercer (9-2) vs. South Dakota (9-4), 11 a.m. Game 1 at Fargo, N.D.: N. Dakota St. (12-0) vs. Illinois St. (9-4), noon Game 4 at Stephenville, Texas: Tarleton St. (11-1) vs. North Dakota (8-5), noon Game 5 at Missoula, Mont.: Montana (11-1) vs. S. Dakota St. (9-4), 1 p.m. Game 7 at Nacogdoches, Texas: S.F. Austin (10-2) vs. Abilene Christian (9-4), 1 p.m. Game 8 at Bozeman, Mont.: Montana St. (102) vs. Yale (9-2), 1 p.m. Game 2 at Davis, Calif.: UC Davis (8-3) vs Rhode Island (11-2), 9 p.m. College basketball Men’s state schedule Wednesday’s games LSU 78, Boston College, 69 Georgia Southern 77, Louisiana Tech 69 UL-Monroe 66, Mississippi Valley St. 52 Memphis 74, UNO 61 Thursday’s games No games scheduled. Friday’s games Northwestern State at McNeese, 6:30 p.m. Men’s national scores Thursday’s games EAST Fairleigh Dickinson 86, Manor 38 Late Wednesday LAMAR 65, UL 55

Percentages: FG .371, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 9-24, .375 (Steger 3-5, Toews 2-4, Kapke 2-6, Hand 1-4, Payne 1-4, Forte 0-1). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 5 (Hastings 4, Payne). Turnovers: 14 (Payne 3, Shaw 3, Forte 2, Hastings 2, Toews 2, Asemota, Steger) Steals: 3 (Hand, Hastings, Payne). Technical Fouls: None LSU37241778 Boston College26358—69

A_4,060 (8,606).

Women’s state schedule Wednesday’s games Baylor 112, Southeastern 47 Southern 63 Arizona 57 Thursday’s games Missouri State at Tulane, n South Alabama at Louisiana Tech, n LSU at Duke, n Friday’s game McNeese at Arizona State, 7:30 p.m. Women’s national scores Thursday’s game EAST Loyola (MD) 64, Towson 63, OT SOUTH Alabama A&M 64, Tuskegee 44 Tennessee Tech 82, Samford 60 MIDWEST Western Illinois 90, St. Francis (IL) 55 Xavier 61, Providence 47 SOUTHWEST Arkansas-Pine Bluff 85, Arkansas Baptist 51

Hamilton Christian quarterback Javon Vital, a four-star recruit, five times last week. Junior Austin Adams had three picks and returned one for a touchdown.

“I credit our defense,” Domengeaux said. “Our guys played aggressive upfront and put pressure on the quarterback that he wasn’t used to. We did a great job of tackling, keeping leverage and applying pressure. The defensive backs were really good in coverage.”

David Kennedy Jo Falgout, Charlie Milam and Hayes Beaulieu were frequently in the offensive backfield disrupting plays, while linebackers Braxton Woodring and Owen LeBlanc were sound tacklers for four quarters.

“Whoever executes well, limits turnovers and performs well on special teams will have the advantage Friday,” Domengeaux said. “As cliche as it sounds, we have to prevent the big play Riverside can score a lot of points. We have to contain that.” In 2016, the Blue Gators lost in the final to Southern Lab, although the title was later vacated because of an LHSAA ruling after an investigation into recruiting.

Riverside won its only state title in 2016 by defeating St. Charles in Division III. The Rebels have five runner-up finishes from 1993 to 2023.

Mejia 2-3, Finister

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Ascension Episcopal’s Branon Mitchell, right, and the Blue Gators face their toughest test yet at Riverside Academy on Friday in the state semifinals.

2014 to aNotre Dame team led by former LSU coach Brian Kelly New LSU coach Lane Kiffin said Monday at his introductory news conference that interim coach Frank Wilson will lead theTigers in their bowl game. Wilson’s status with Kiffin’sstaff for nextseason has not been announced. Here is how Southeastern Conference teams will have theirpostseason destinations determined:

n The College Football Playoff committee willselect aundefined number of teams from the SEC. The bracket will be revealed at 11 a.m. SundayonESPN. Currently,five SEC teams are projected to be in the 12-team CFP field: Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahomaand Alabama.

n After the SEC teams are selected by the CFP,the Citrus Bowl will select its SEC representative. Texas and Vanderbiltare the only two SEC teams outside the top 12 currently ranked in the CFP top 25.

n After the Citrus Bowl makes its selection, the SEC willassign teams to asix-bowl pool consisting of the Gator,Texas, Music City ReliaQuest, Liberty and Duke’s Mayo bowls. The SEC mayalso assign teams after that to the Birmingham and Gasparillabowls.

LSU is 31-24-1 in bowl games, including a44-31 victory over Baylor in last season’sTexas Bowl.

comingone —isn’taneasy call. There are timeswhen Olave, who is undercontractthrough 2026, looks thepart. Hisspeed is top-tier.He’seffective whether outside or in the slot. He’sa smoothrouterunner who earns a ton of targets. But Olave is only 15th in the NFL in receivingyards,despite having the third-most targets. He hasnot taken over games the way Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase or anyof theleague’sother top wideouts can Sunday’smissed connection in theend zone could have been the chance to changethat.

“There’snothing easy catching it between guys,”Saints coach KellenMoore said. “Obviously, he’d love to make that catch. These things hurt for everyone when we haveopportunitiesin games. Obviously,wehad an opportunity there, but we had a couplemore opportunities in that game. Certainly (after)it, we had twomore opportunities to convert and extendthat drive.”

According to NextGen Stats, Shough’sthrow to Olave hadan expected completion percentage of 30.1%,whichbacks up Moore’s assertion the catch was “nothing easy.”

FOOTE

Continued from page1C

this new calendar allows players to finish oneseason before jumpingshipfor thenext one.

“Especially this year,they should stay and finish,”hesaid. “I told them that point blank in our team meeting.There is no portal open until January,soexcuse me, you just lock your assinand stay Youneed to finish for this team.

“Individually,you have the right to do that, but Ithink they owealot to this team. This team has workedtoo hard for someone to go andchase something.That’s the way Ifeel about it.”

Thetransfer portal opens Jan. 2and will close Jan. 16.

“I think it’d be foolish for us to thinkwewon’tloseanyone,”he said. “Then, you replace as you needtoatthat point.”

Butinhis conversationwith Mackel, Hurst also saidOlave likely would be thefirst one to admit he needed to come down with theball. There’salsoanexpectation for ateam’sbestplayers to deliver in the clutch.Remem-

Thatexpectation leadstosome interesting questions about Wednesday’ssigning class. Topping that list is the quarterback position.

Oneyear after signing aquarterback in Coleman Carter,the Cajuns didn’tsign any quarterbacks Wednesday.ULfans hope that’sa good sign.

“I thinkfour is agood number to have,” Desormeaux said. “Obviously,we’re going to trylike hell to keep all four of the scholarship guys we’ve got.”

That includes current starter Lunch Winfield, the original 2025 starter Walker Howard and Daniel Beale in addition to Carter

Butafter his success this season, how manyschools will be throwing money at Winfield after this season?

Andafter suffering through an injury-plagued season, what are Howard’splans after the bowl game?

Andafter losing his job to Win-

ber theflak that Juwan Johnson got for not securing apotential game-winning touchdown in New Orleans’ season opener? People pointedtoJohnson’snew threeyear,$30 million contract as areason for him to come downwith it, despitethe pass having acomple-

field, how much closer is Beale to becoming alegitimate starter?

It made total sense forULto sign fiveoffensive linemen after having two offensive linemen leave the program this year and countless others get injured. As Desormeaux has warned, most of the injured linemen won’tbe ready for thespring season.

UL signed only one wide receiver.Ifany valuable receivers leave for the portal, is that position deep enough to avoid aproblem next season?

The Cajuns added two cornerbacks, including Braylon Walker of Lafayette Christian, as UL hopes to keep its underclassmen in the fold at that critical position.

As promising as the new recruiting class looks on paper, there’s no real way to know how heavy thetransfer portal losses will be.

However that plays out, the UL coaching staffishappy to see

tion probability of only 14.7%.

If the Saints sign Olave to anew contract, the wide receiver may makemore per year than the total value of Johnson’sdeal. The going rate fortop receivers is in the $30 million range,with nine reaching thatthreshold, according to Over The Cap.

“We’ve been having (contract) conversationssincethe beginning of the year,” Olave saidinOctober after facing the Chicago Bears. “Like Isaidatthe beginning of the year,I feel like Igot to prove that I’mthat type of player.”

The Bears game—afive-catch, 98-yard performance— was one of Olave’sbest outings of the season. He againwas outstandingjust afew weeks later when he hauled in fivecatches for 104yards in a winoverthe Carolina Panthers,a gamethat included acareer-long 62-yard score. Lostinthe debate over his star-or-not status, Olave is very much avaluable player

Maybe that value is best served as acomplement, similartohow Cincinnati’sTee Higgins and Philadelphia’s DeVonta Smith remain dynamic threats alongside Chase and A.J. Brown, respectively If that’sthe case, theSaints need to add somebody else, likely through the draft.

That’sadebate foranother time.

Email Matthew Parasatmatt. paras@theadvocate.com

six signees arriving on campus in January as early enrollees. That group includes linebacker Devin Franklin, offensive tackle

Jai’Vale Fredericks, punter Mason Golding, offensive lineman Trey Shaw,defensive tackle Xavier Waters and safety Edrick Williams.

“Wedon’tpush guys to do it,” Desormeaux said. “I think that’s somewhat of afamily decision. The moms usually have areally hard timewith their kid leaving six months early and Iget it, so I’mnot getting between that.

“But it’sgreat forus. Youget them in early and give them an opportunity to go play.”

For example, offensive lineman Jakoby Isom of North Shore High in Houston is aprimeexample of how that paid off forthe Cajuns last season.

“It’scertainly abenefittobe able to have them here in the spring,” Desormeaux said.

ALL THE FEELS

3heartwarming plays bring on holiday season this weekend in BatonRouge

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Sibling sparks will fly when a family returns home for Christmas at UpStage Theatre,while Buddy the Elf tries to free his dad from the Naughty List at Sullivan Theater and Rudolph will godown in history when Playmakers takes the stage at the Reilly Theatre. All of these stories will come alivethis weekend to open the holiday season. Patrons canmake planstosee one or all three. There’splenty of time, and each willput them in the Christmas spirit. It is the holiday season,after all, so happy endings are guaranteed

‘Homefor Christmas’

Asister sets out to gather her siblings together for whatmight be their ailingmom’s final Christmas in UpStage Theatre’sreprisal of “Home for Christmas,” opening Saturday on UpStage’shomestage, 1713 Wooddale Blvd.

The company’sfounder and artistic director,Ava BrewsterTurner,wrote this dramedybased on people in her life. Though the story is fiction, most audience members will relate to it as their own families begin gathering for Christmas events.

The story begins with Nancy, played by Kyla Bates, who lives in asmall Tennessee townwith her mom, played by Elizabeth Ervin. Christmas is just around the corner and mom’srecent prognosis from the doctor isn’tgood.

So Nancy knows she has to take action.

AWINTER TRADITION

Gatherwiththe community to celebrate the Festival of Lights from 4p.m.to8 p.m. Friday in and aroundNorth Boulevard Town Square. Tree lighting,ice skating, fireworks, photos with Santaand Mrs. Claus at the nearbyOld State Capitoland an artists’ villageare only thestartofthe fun. downtownbatonrouge.org Bates

“Nancyisthe oldest of theClayton children,” Bates said. “And this heartwarming, nostalgic story is about her trying to get her family together to recapturewhat they seem to have lost, which is (the) family tradition of coming home andcelebrating Christmas together.She’s doing this because her mother is battling some health issues, and she wants to make the Christmas memorable for her mom.”

So, why is Nancy helmingthis task?

“She is the child who never left,” Bates said. “Nancy is theone who puther life on hold for others, especially forher mom. She’sreallyclose with her brother,Jim, but her younger sister,Trudy,gives her the most trouble.”

ä See PLAYS, page 6C

LIVING

HOT HO TICKET

CajunCon andall itsmagic awaits youthisweekend

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

This weekend, everybody can be Charlie Bucket. Likethe character in the classic film “Willy Wonka and theChocolate Factory,” allyou need is agolden ticket, free at that, to enter the inaugural Cajun Con.

Thebrainchildofevent producer Scott Innes, Cajun Conwill bring together 85 pop culturestars, 200 vendors and myriad fans under one roof for twodays at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center,9039 S. St.Landry Ave.,Gonzales.

Agewise, thoseyoung enough to think Johnny Depp (2005) or even Timothée Chalamet (2023)was “Chocolate Factory’s”first Willy Wonka and those old enough to know it was Gene Wilder(1971) will allhavemust-seestops at thegenerations-spanning event. And they’ll probably share at least one.

“We’re building a‘Wonka’ set that’sreallygoingtobe afun set to get an autograph in,”Innessaid, noting that most stars do chargeaseparate feefor aphoto or autograph.

Speaking of “ChocolateFactory,”Cajun Con will reunite somemembersofthe original Wilder-starring movie’s cast, including Peter Ostrum (Charlie), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt) and Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee)

Baby Boomersand theGen Xcrowd will also be able to relatetoEddie Dezen (“Grease,” “1941”), Butch Patrick (“TheMunsters”)and “TheIncredibleHulk’s” LouFerrigno.

Younger Cajun Con visitors will veer toward Grey Delisle (“King of the Hill, The Simpsons”), Kate Micucci (“The BigBangTheory,” “Bob’sBurgers”) and RJ Mitte (“Breaking Bad,” “The Guardians of the Galaxy”)

Wrestling fans, look out for Kevin von Erich, Mike Foley,Jake the Snake and many more.

For horror flick followers, there’sDavid Howard Thornton (Art theClown),Douglas Tait (“Five Nightsat Freddie’s”)and C.J. Graham (“Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives”).

Andthat’s just for starters. To see the completelist, go to cajunconla.com.

ä See TICKET, page 6C

Trans-Siberian Orchestraonholiday heavymetal tour

‘The Ghosts of Christmas Eve’ show setfor Dec. 17 in NewOrleans

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Al Pitrelli is not Santa Claus, but he doeszip aroundthe country spreadingjoy at Christmastime. Aguitarist by trade,Pitrelli is themusical director for TransSiberian Orchestra’sheavy metal holiday season fantasia of lasers, lights, pyro and squalling guitar solos wrapped in religious and mystical storylines. TSO’s 1996 debut, the rock opera“Christmas Eve and Other Stories,” is one of the bestsellingholidayalbums of thepast40 years. Itsclassicalmusic/heavy

metal mashup “ChristmasEve/Sarajevo 12/24”has permeatedpopular culture from football games to car commercials to an episode of “The Office.” TSO’s “Wizards of Winter” is thesoundtrack to countless holiday light displays. People who wouldn’tdream of patronizing Iron Maiden or Judas Priestwill happily attend aTransSiberian Orchestra concert that is just as bombastic. During TSO’svery first performance, at Philadelphia’s Tower Theatre in 1999, Pitrelli spotted an older couple in crochet reindeer sweaters next to akid in a Slayer hoodie. “So from the jump, thatwas ourdemographic— there is no demographic,” Pitrelli said during arecentinterview. “People who love classicalmusic, sometimes we put them back on their heels.They’reexpecting aTchaikovsky performance, andall of

Jackson Bostwick, TV series ‘Shazam!’

Wrestler MickFoley

Kate Micucci, ‘Big Bang Theory’

Julie Dawn Cole, Peter Ostrum and Paris Themman, ‘Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory’

PROVIDED PHOTOS

PROVIDED PHOTO

Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist and music director Al Pitrelli performs.

FRIDAY

26TH FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: Oil Center, Lafayette, 5:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CaneRiver Pecan

CompanyPie Bar, New Iberia, 5p.m.

AMY &KYLE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette,6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson

Duson, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT JAM: La Maison de Begnaud, Scott, 6p.m.

LEXI &CHYNNA: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m

GALVEZTON: Artmosphere, Lafayette, 8p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m.

SATURDAY

GENO DELAFOSE AND FRENCH

ROCKIN’ BOOGIE: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8a.m

DON FONTENOTBAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8a.m.

RICK AND TOMMY MICHOT

LEAD THE CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9a.m.

SATURDAY MORNING JAMSESSIONS: Savoy Music Center, Eunice, 9a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC JAM: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1p.m.

DRUM CIRCLE: NUNU Arts & CultureCollective, Arnaudville

2:30 p.m.

LATE BLOOMIN’: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 3p.m.

NOËL ABROUSSARD: Chamber of Commerce, Broussard, 3p.m.

PELICAN BALL: Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

TONY BRUCE AND CLASSIC COUNTRY: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: TapRoom, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

‘80S EXPERIENCE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 7p.m.

ALPHONSE ARDOIN &ZYDECO KINGZ: HideawayonLee, Lafayette, 8p.m.

4-HORSES: La Poussiere, Breaux Bridge, 8p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard,Broussard, 8p.m.

THAT‘90S SHOW: Rock’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9p.m.

SUNDAY

GLENN ZERINGUE: Whiskey &

METAL

Continued from page5C

To maximize the number of shows, twocompaniesof TSO musicians and singers tour simultaneously.Pitrelli will lead one TSO troupe in New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center on Dec. 17; tickets start at $54.

“What’skept it alive and growing over three decades,”Pitrelli theorizes,“is the absolute ability of Paul O’Neill to tell astory that everybody in the audience relates to.”

O’Neill was TSO’seccentric mastermind. He managed and produced arena rock bands in the 1970s before working with amid-tier 1980s prog-rock band called Savatage.

Savatage’s1995 concept album “Dead Winter Dead” —co-producedbyO’Neill and the first of the band’s albums to feature Pitrelli —included asong called “Christmas Eve(Sarajavo 12/24).” Incorporating elements of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Carol of the Bells,” the instrumental was inspired in part by the Bosnian War. It became Savatage’sbiggesthit.

O’Neill resolved to write an entire rock opera based

Vine, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m

LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro,11:30 a.m.

JAMBALAYA ACOUSTIC MUSIC

JAM: Tom’s Fiddle &Bow Arnaudville, 12:30 p.m LE BALDUDIMANCHE

DYLAN AUCOIN &THE JUDICE

RAMBLERS: Vermilionville Lafayette, 1p.m.

CAJUN JAM: BayouTeche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2p.m

CHRISTMASIN SCOTT: Scott City Hall, Scott, 2:30 p.m.

FORET TRADITION: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 4:30 p.m.

GENO DELAFOSE: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9p.m

MONDAY

PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Cafe Habana City,Lafayette, 11 a.m.

BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

TUESDAY

TERRYHUVAL &FRIENDS: Prejean’s,Lafayette, 6p.m.

GROOVE ROOM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

WEDNESDAY

DULCIMER JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center, Opelousas, 10 a.m. LIVE MUSIC: Park Bistro,Lafayette, 6p.m LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: TapRoom, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

THURSDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson Duson, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Buck &Johnny’s Breaux Bridge, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

WINDOWWANDERINGS: Basin Arts, Lafayette, 6p.m

Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want yourvenue’s music listed? Emailinfo/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY forthe following Friday’s paper

on that song. He recruited Pitrelli and Savatage singer/ keyboardist Jon Oliva and keyboardist Bob Kinkel to help.

SittingaroundO’Neill’s kitchen table at hisNew York apartment, they useda cassetterecorder tocapture the genesis of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Christmas Eve and Other Stories.”

“He saw the whole thing in his head,” Pitrelli said of O’Neill. “He knew exactly what he wanted. It was one of the most incredibly enjoyable, terrifying, electrifying momentsofmylife, watching something be bornand you’re really not sure what’s going on.”

“The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” the storylinethat TSO revived for its 2025 winter tour,isespecially relatable, Pitrelli says,asthe holidays can magnify feelings of loneliness and loss

“The saddest part isyou feel alone in that sentiment Whenyou realizethere are 12,000 people in the building (at aTSO concert) maybe sharingthat feeling,it doesn’ttake away your pain or thatemptiness, but you knowyou’renot alone.”

Despite theover-the-top production —last year’sTSO tour required 21 tractor-trailers and 12 buses to transport the production and crew

TODAYINHISTORY

PLAYS

Continuedfrom page5C

Jim, playedbyDameon Hills, owns and operates his own businessinCalifornia, where he lives, andTrudy, played by Camrie Bynum moved to New York, where she’striedtoshed her image as asmall-town girl.

Trudy’sattitude has shaded the view of her daughter, played by Angel Thomas, toward the family she’s never met. But Trudy realizes that not all is as it seems as thesiblings gatherwith their uncle andold friends for this celebration.

The cast is rounded out by Cinnamon Hankton, Brittanica Hawkins, Kharin Tuckson, Johnny Jonesand Trey Townsend.

‘Elf TheMusical’

There will be maple syrup.

It’s what Will Farrell poured atop afreshly made bowl of pastawhile immortalizingBuddy,the North Pole’smisfit elf, in the2003 film “Elf.”DanielBrandenburg will be armed withhis own bottle of maple syrup while preparing apasta breakfastfor hisfamily in Sullivan Theater’sproduction of “Elf The Musical.”

Thescene is part of the childlikecharm that made themovie so endearingto movie audiences, and rest assured that Buddy’scharm has not been diminished in themusical version. If anything, Christmasiseven more magicalthrough his eyes on the stage.

“The musicalfollows the same story in the movie,” directorAmy Himel Go-

TICKET

Continuedfrom page5C

mez said. “But what I’ve found that might be alittle different from themovie is in theway Daniel plays Buddy like alittlekid. It’s such atestamenttowhat we all should learn from Buddy,that we need to alwaysreach back andfind the childlike wonderthat allowsustofind thejoy in theworld.”

Sullivan Theateropened “Elf TheMusical”onThursday.The show will continue Thursdays through Sundays through Dec.21onits stage at 8849 Sullivan Road in Central.

The story follows an orphan named Buddy,who mistakenly was transported to the North Poleafter crawling into Santa’s bag of giftsonChristmas Eve. He’s adopted by Papa Elf, who raiseshim to love everything about Christmas.

But there’sone problem —Buddy is afull-size human in this world of elves, promptingSanta to finally divulge the fact that Buddy’sreal dadlives in New York and is on theNaughty

For those who don’tlike long lines, thesiteisalso where you can purchase VIP Fast Passes ($150) good for thewholeweekend. Golden tickets can be printedout or scanned there as well to present at the door at Lamar-Dixon. On theback of tickets is apiece of advice: Be there by 10 a.m.tomake sure you get in.

Pitrelli says the“subtler thing is the story and message. All of PaulO’Neill’swork hada happyending. So youwalk out withasense of hope.”

Besetbynumerous health issues, O’Neilldied of an accidentalprescription drug overdosein2017 at age 61. His death, Pitrelli said, “is ahole in my heart thatwill never go away.”

But there was nevera questionabout whether Trans-Siberian Orchestra wouldcontinue. O’Neillhad finishedatleast three more rock operas, Pitrelli said, that arestill unreleased.

“Paulwanted this thing to live long past all of us. When we leavethisearth,let the artformstay alive.

“Every pyro hit thatgoes off (in the show) is areminder of Paul. We builtanempire out of nothing becauseofhis visionand his dedication to doing something special.”

Among other quirks, O’Neill carried abriefcase with rollsofsilver dollars from the 1800s. Whenever he wanted tothank someone, he gave them asilver dollar minted 100 years before their birth.

“Hedidn’ttalk about changing the world —he did change the world,” Pitrelli said. “I’m proud of him and I’m proud to help keep his legacy alive.”

List. With Santa’spermission,Buddy embarks on a journeytoNew York City to find his birth fatherand discover his true identity

“Buddy is such afun character to play,” Brandenburg said.

“Actually,myparents would callme‘Elf Boy’ growing up because Iwas so obsessedwith Christmas. Idecorated my room with Christmas lights oneyear, and Iplayed the Christmas music station all the time. This role really feelslikea part of me in away because Ilove Christmas so much. And just the spirit of Buddy is so fulfilling formeput on the stage.”

‘Rudolph theRed-Nosed Reindeer’

It’snosecretthatRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer goes down in history at the end of his story.The song pretty much spells thatout, as does theclassic 1964 stop-action Christmas special that’sstill afavorite of children and adults alike.

“Wewanttostress that,” Innes said. “Here’sthe deal Youdon’twant to wander in at,you know,three o’clockin the afternoon or twoo’clock. It’s like DisneyWorld. When it opens up, if you run right to your ride, you’re gonna be pretty good. But if you wait three hours, you’re going to be waiting three hours to get on the ride. There’salot of people that are goingtobein theselines to getthese autographs.

So, there’snospoilers in revealing that the young reindeer will save Christmas in Playmakers of Baton Rouge’s production of “Rudolph.”

The show opens Friday in the Reilly Theatre on Tower Drive at LSU.

“We’vetried to stick to like the classic styling that everyoneknows,” director Joni Duhe said. “Everything’s very cartoony, andit’sexactly like the cartoon, itself, script-wise.The staging of everything is alittlemore natural,but it’s still fun.”

The story openswithyoung Rudolph, playedby11-yearold Samantha Schexnayder, whoisborn with aglowing, shiny red nose. His dad, Donner,played by Henry Gore, 15, tries to hide the nose,whose glowcan’t be contained.

Theadolescent Rudolph, played by Miles Johnson, 15, is mocked andostracized by his peers because of it. But apretty,young doe, Clarice, admires him. Clarice, double cast in this show, is playedbyRiley Keranen, 11, and Amelia Olivier,14.

Rudolph decides to run away andaccidentally meets up with Hermie, a misfit elfwho dreamsof being adentist. He’splayed by Brant Brantley,11. From there, they embark on a dangerous adventurethat eventually landsthemon the Island of Misfit Toys. Narrating the story as the Snowman is Bryce Butler 16,who gets to singone of the mostmemorablenumbers of the show —“Holly Jolly Christmas,” which will spark the Christmas spirit even in theScrooges and Grinches.

“We’re excited. It’s gonna be afun event,” Innessaid. Cajun Conwill run from 10 a.m.to6 p.m. Saturday and11a.m. to 5p.m. Sunday An hour designated for special-needschildrenisSunday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

Featherweight Scooter

Pamela B.,Verified

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday,Dec. 5, the 339th day of 2025. There are 26 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Dec. 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’sfirstBlack president, died at age 95. Also on this date: In 1848, in an address to Congress, President James K. Polk sparked the Gold Rush of ’49 by confirming that gold had been discovered in California. In 1933, Prohibition came to an end as Utah became the36th state to ratifythe 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment.

In 1994, Republicanschose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades. In 2008, O.J. Simpson was sentenced to up to 33 years in prison after beingconvicted of 12 criminal charges in a2007 confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers in aLas Vegas hotel. In 2009, ajury in Perugia, Italy, convicted American student Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, RaffaeleSollecito, of mur-

dering Knox’sBritish roommate,MeredithKercher, and sentenced them to long prison terms. (Knox and Sollecito were acquitted in 2015 by Italy’shighest court.)

Today’sbirthdays: AuthorCalvin Trillin is 90. Opera singer Jose Carreras is 79. Musician Jim Messina is 78. Golf Hall of FamerLanny Wadkins is 76. Football Hall of Famer Art Monk is 68. Rock singermusician John Rzeznik(The Goo Goo Dolls) is 60. Country singerGary Allanis58. Comedian-actor Margaret Cho is 57. ActorPaula Patton is 50. Singer-songwriter Keri Hilson is 43.

sAGIttARIus (nov.23-Dec. 21) Your actions will not go unnoticed. Be mindful of howyou express your feelings. Make what you are willingtocontribute is common knowledge to avoid doubt and negative responses

cAPRIcORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Achange of scenery will unleash your imagination and encourage you to outperform any challenger. Apositive lifestyle change is within reach.

AQuARIus(Jan. 20-Feb.19) Personal growth, happiness and love areonthe rise. The contributions you make to the causes you care about will pay off. Form connections and shareideas

PIscEs (Feb.20-March20) Separateyour emotions from dilemmas or drama. Deception and confusionare apparent, and taking measures to gather the factsand instill the truth are in your best interest.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Be mindful of how you spend your cash, but don't deny yourself anew adventure. Monitorconditions andadd stipulations as you go. Recognize and dismiss temptation.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Protect your investments, manage your money and take better careofyourself. Monitoring your health, diet and stress levels will be necessary. Emotional deception and apoor diagnosis areapparent

GEMInI(May21-June 20) Keep your money, paperwork and possessions in asafe

place. Don't fall prey to peopletrying to guilt you into making adonationyou cannot afford. Put your timeand effort into love and personal growth.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Interviewing for jobs and adaptingyour skills for adesired career change will pay off. Charm the crowd, and you'll increase your chances of advancement

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Socializing will give you aplatform to practice your spieland to raise awarenessfor something dear to your heart. Alife-changing experience will unfold through an encounter with someone prominent VIRGO (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Domestic troubles will brew if you aren'tquick to respond.Reach out to an expert or someone you can rely on for support and facts, and it will makeiteasier to get things back to normal.

LIBRA (sept. 23-Oct. 23) Let your actions lead the wayand your charmmesmerize those you encounter. Hit the reset button and head in adirection that helps you make up forlosttime

scORPIO (Oct. 24-nov. 22) Step outside your comfort zone. If youtrust and believeinyourself and your abilities, so will those you encounter. Versatility and flexibilitywill be key.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is notbasedonscientific fact. ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

CelebrityCipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, pastand present. Each letter in thecipher stands for another.

tODAy's cLuE: uEQuALs B

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe peAnUtS

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Oscar Wildesaid,“The only way to get ridofatemptation is to yield to it.”

However, yielding can be fatal at the bridge table. It is true that some temptations that ought to be avoided do not prove to be lethal, becausethe cards forgive —unlikeintoday’s deal.

Many players would go downinfour hearts and, with some justification, complain abouttheir badluck. But if the only job is to make the contract andnot to worry aboutovertricks, there is aline of play that guarantees success —why ignoreit?

South is in fourhearts. West leads the club queen and Eastsignals with the six. What should declarer do?

South’s jump to gamemight look aggressive with only nine high-card pointsand avoid in his partner’s first-bid suit,but his hand has great distribution andhewill not know how good or bad game is until after he sees the dummy. In thesesituations, it is right to blaze into game, the contract that pays the big bonus when it makes.

After takingthe first trick, many declarers wouldlead atrump. Here, East would win and cash his other two trump winners. Later, South would lose aclub to go down one. Yes, 3-0 offside is only an 11 percentchance,but whyrisk it? Instead, declarer should be happy to concede three trumptricks. At trick two, he should lead his other high club and ruff aclub on the board. East may overruffand cash his other two trump tricks, but there is still one heart left on the board with whichtoruff South’s last club loser. ©2025 by NEA,Inc dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzleisaword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

tODAy’s WORD OBDuRAcy: OB-duh-ruh-see: Stubbornness.

Averagemark27words

Time limit 40 minutes

Can youfind34ormore words in OBDURACY?

yEstERDAy’s WORD—RADIAnt

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer today’sthought

“O give thanks to the Lord;for he is good:for his mercy endures forever.” Psalms 136:1

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

Shots& Guaranty 337-230-3150

DOGS Bluetick Coonhound -Old-Fashioned Bluetick Coonhoundpuppies.Should meet Gascon standards. Born 9/27/2025. Available1st week in De‐cember.$400/512-228-6073

NOTICE

The Lafayette City Council met in Regular Session on December 2, 2025 andadopted the following ordinances: CITY ORDINANCENO. CO-130-2025

AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AMENDINGTHE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENTBYINCREASING REVENUES IN THE AMOUNT OF $22,155.25 RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION “FBI” AND APPROPRIATING WITHIN THE LAFAYETTEPOLICEDEPARTMENT

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government is hereby amended by increasing revenues in theamount of $22,155.25 received from the FBI and appropriating within theLafayettePolice Department.

SECTION 2: The increase in revenues shall be as reflected in any pertinent documents which areattached hereto and made apart hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council.

SECTION 3: The Lafayette Mayor-President, or her designee, is further authorized to conduct all negotiations, execute, and submit all documents, including but not limited to applications, agreements, amendments and payment requests, which may be necessary for the completion of the aforementioned project.

SECTION 4: The Lafayette Mayor-President, or her designee, is hereby authorized to amend the operating budget within the grant period by transferring any unexpended appropriated balances into or out of salaries andbenefits line items and all other expense line items in order to expend thetotal awardamount in accordance with the regulations.

SECTION 5: All ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith arehereby repealed.

SECTION 6: This ordinance shall become effective upon signatureof the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto, or upon an override of aveto, whichever comes first.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO-131-2025

AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITYCOUNCIL AMENDINGTHE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET AND ADJUSTING MANNINGTABLES OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISHCONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT BY USING PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,364 TO PROVIDE FUNDINGFOR ASALARYADJUSTMENTFOR APROGRAMMER ANALYST WITHIN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating budget and manning tables of the Communications Department of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government arehereby amended by adjusting the appropriations of the Communications Department.

SECTION 2: This transfer of funds shall be reflected in any pertinent documents which areattached and made apart hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council.

SECTION 3: All ordinances or resolutions, or partsthereof, in conflict herewith arehereby repealed.

SECTION 4: This ordinance shall become effectiveupon signatureof the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto, or upon an override of aveto, whichever occurs first. ** ** * CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO-132-2025

AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITYCOUNCIL AMENDINGTHE FY 25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT BY INCREASING REVENUES IN THE AMOUNTOF$200,000 ANDAPPROPRIATING WITHIN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating &capital budget of the Communications Department of the Lafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government arehereby amended to provide for variousadjustments of revenue and appropriation estimates

SECTION 2: This transfer of funds shall be reflected in any pertinent documents which areattached and made apart hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council.

SECTION 3: All ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith arehereby repealed.

SECTION 4: This ordinance shall become effectiveupon signatureof theLafayetteMayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto, or upon an override of aveto, whichever occurs first.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO-133-2025 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THEFY25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISHCONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENTBY INCREASING REIMBURSEMENT REVENUES FROM STATEOF LOUISIANA FACILITY PLANNING AND CONTROL FOR JOHNSTON STREET REVITALIZATION: SAFETY,STREET AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS; BROADBANDAND UTILITY HARDENING, PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT NO. 50-MF7-25-01 IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,425,000 ANDACCOUNTING FOR THE REQUIRED MATCH OF $1,166,667 ANDAPPROPRIATINGWITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette

NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐callyat https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in theof‐fice of thePurchasingDi‐vision at theLafayette Consolidated Govern‐ment Building,located at 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette, Louisiana, until 3:00 pm Central Time on the22nd dayofDecember, 2025 forthe following: 2026 CHEMICALSFOR GOLF COURSES andwill, shortlythere‐after,beopenedand read aloudinthe Pur‐chasingOffice locatedat 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette,LA. Bids received after theabove

trejeanat tgmetrejean@ lafayettela.gov.Vendors wishingtosubmittheir bidelectronicallymust register online with Lafayette Consolidated Government,inorder to establishanaccount Vendorssubmittingbids electronically arere‐quired to providethe same documentsasbid‐ders submitting through themailassoon as avail‐able.Onlya bidbond, certified checkor

cashier’scheck shallbe submittedasthe bidse‐curity Electronic copies of both thefront and back of thecheck or bid bond shallbeincluded with theelectronicbid Bids must be signedin accordance with LRS Title38:2212(B)5.A Cor‐porate Resolution or Cer‐tificate of Authorityau‐thorizingthe person signingthe bidisre‐quired to be submitted with bid. Failuretosub‐mita CorporateResolu‐tion or Certificate of Au‐thoritywiththe bidshall be causefor rejectionof bid. Copies of thebidding documentsare available at thePurchasingOffice locatedat705 West Uni‐versityAvenue Lafayette,LA70506. Tele‐phonenumber(337) 2917187 (Attn:ThomasMe‐trejean).Bidding docu‐mentsshall be available until twenty-four (24) hoursbeforethe bid openingdate. Each bidshall be accom‐panied by acertified check, cashier’scheck in

THEE.BUTCHER SWITCHRD. BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT APUBLIC NECESSITY AND AUTHORIZING THEACQUISITIONOF THENECESSARYRIGHTS-OF-WAY,IMMOVABLE PROPERTY AND OTHER PROPERTY RIGHTSREQUISITE TO THE CONSTRUCTIONOF SAID PROJECT,EITHER ON AN AMICABLEBASIS OR THROUGH THE PROPER USEOFTHE EXPROPRIATION PROCESS, IF NECESSARY

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

WHEREAS,the Lafayette City Council has declared the E. Butcher Switch Rd. Bridge Replacement Project (hereinafter referredtoas“Project”) apublic necessity; and WHEREAS,the public purposetobeserved by the constructionofsaid project is to provide for improvement of public safety at this location; and WHEREAS,the project limits areshown on the attached Exhibit “A” for the project and is generally the removal of the existing bridge and constructionofabridge and approaches at the location of the present bridge on E. Butcher Switch Rd. crossing Dan DebaillonCoulee; and

WHEREAS,engineering work has progressed to apointwhereinitis determined that certain tracts of land or portions thereof will be required for constructionofthe Project.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses areadopted as part of this ordinance.

SECTION2: TheLafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized to acquiresuch land, immovable property, rights-of-way, servitudes, or other propertyrights as aredetermined to be necessaryunder good engineering standards to provide for the constructionofsaid project; and she is authorized to do so on an amicable basis or by the properuse of thepowerofexpropriationgranted to municipalities under applicable State law. In pursuing said land, immovable property, right-of-wayacquisitions, sheisauthorized to acquiresaid land,immovable property, right-of-way and to settle the mattersthus presented,onsuch terms and conditions as sheshall deem properand in the best interest of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government.

SECTION3: All ordinances or resolutions, or partsthereof,inconflict herewith areherebyrepealed

SECTION4: This ordinance shall become effective upon signatureof theLafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto,orupon an override of aveto,whichever occurs first. ** ***

CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO-135-2025

AN ORDINANCE OF THELAFAYETTE CITY COUNCILDECLARING THEBELLEVUE PLANTATIONRD. BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT APUBLIC NECESSITY AND AUTHORIZING THEACQUISITIONOF THENECESSARYRIGHTS-OF-WAY,IMMOVABLE PROPERTY AND OTHER PROPERTY RIGHTSREQUISITE TO THE CONSTRUCTIONOF SAID PROJECT,EITHER ON AN AMICABLEBASIS OR THROUGH THE PROPER USEOFTHE EXPROPRIATION PROCESS, IF NECESSARY

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

WHEREAS, the Lafayette City Council has declared the Bellevue PlantationRd. Bridge Replacement Project (hereinafter referredtoas “Project”) apublic necessity; and WHEREAS the public purposetobeserved by the constructionofsaid project is to provide for improvement of public safety at this location; and WHEREAS, the project limits areshown on the attached Exhibit “A” for the project and is generally the removal of the existing bridge,construction of abridge and approaches at the location of the present bridge on Bellevue Plantation Rd. crossing Watershed 7, Acadiana Coulee, including butmay notbelimited to,erosioncontrol, subsurface pipe and roadway reconstruction; and WHEREAS, engineering work has progressed to apointwherein it is determined that certain tracts of land or portions thereof will be required for constructionofthe Project.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses areadopted as part of this ordinance.

SECTION2: TheLafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized to acquiresuch land, immovable property, rights-of-way, servitudes, or other propertyrights as aredetermined to be necessaryunder good engineering standards to provide for the constructionofsaid project; and sheisauthorized to do so on an amicable basis or by the properuse of the powerofexpropriationgranted to municipalities under applicable State law.Inpursuing said land, immovable property, right-of-wayacquisitions, she is authorized to acquiresaid land,immovable property,right-of-way and to settle the mattersthus presented,onsuch terms and conditions as sheshall deem properand in the best interest of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government.

SECTION3: All ordinances or resolutions, or partsthereof,inconflict herewith areherebyrepealed

SECTION4: This ordinance shall become effective upon signatureof theLafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto,orupon an override of aveto,whichever occurs first.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO-136-2025

AN ORDINANCE OF THELAFAYETTE CITY COUNCILADOPTINGTHE USE AND RENTAL POLICY FORTHE MOORE PARK SOCCER FIELDS AND ESTABLISHING RENTAL FEES AND APLAYER FEE

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that: WHEREAS,the City of Lafayette (the “City”) owns MoorePark (sometimes simply the “Park”), which has been renovated and expanded to include nine (9) state-of-the-artsoccer fieldswith the main stadium featuring turf; and WHEREAS, as aresult of the improvements recently completed,the City desires to establish aUse and Rental Policy as well as the rental fees forthe soccer fieldsatMooreParkand the player fee forthe fall and spring soccer seasons that areconsistent withother competing sportscomplexes in the Parish of Lafayette.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that:

SECTION1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses areherein adopted as part of this ordinance. SECTION2: TheLafayette City Council hereby adoptsthe attached Useand Rental Policy forthe soccer fieldsatMoorePark, as well as the rental fees and player fee forthe fall and springsoccer seasons provided therein, which rental fees and player fee shall be reviewed annually and may be amended from timetotime by the PARC Director,withthe assistance of the Lafayette City-Parish Recreational Advisory Commission, and approval of the Lafayette Mayor-President.

SECTION3: All ordinances or resolutions, or partsthereof,inconflict herewith areherebyrepealed

SECTION4: This ordinance shall become effective upon the signature of the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receiptby the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto,orupon override of aveto,whichever occurs first.

CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO-137-2025

AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE LAFAYETTE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTOA COOPERATIVE ENDEAVORAGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE,LAFAYETEYOUTH SOCCERASSOCIATION, INC. AND LA KREWE RUSH,

and WHEREAS La. R.S. 33:4552 provides that “the governingbodyof any municipality or parish or wardmay dedicate and set apartfor use as playgrounds, recreationcenters, or forother recreationpurposes, any lands or buildings ownedorleased by the municipality or parish, and not dedicated to anotherand inconsistent public use. The governing body may, in the manner provided by law forthe acquisitionofproperty forpublic purposes, acquireorlease lands or buildings within or beyond the corporate limitsofthe municipality or parish or wardfor playgrounds, recreationcentersorother recreationpurposes. ...;”and WHEREAS,La. R.S. 33:4622 provides that “municipalitiesand parishes mayown, operate, improve,and provide for the maintenance, of parks whether ownedbysuch municipality or parish or not;”and WHEREAS,the Lafayette Youth Soccer Association, Inc. (herein “LYSA”)was formedin1989 andsince that time has been providing recreational soccer services to youth in the Acadiana area and community of Lafayette as partoforotherwise in harmony with the organized sports supported by the Parks, Arts, Recreation, andCultureDepartment of the City(herein “PARC”); and WHEREAS,pursuant to aJoint Cooperative Endeavor,byand between the CityofLafayette (herein the “City”) and LYSA, signedbythe City on January 8, 1997 (herein the “1997 CEA”), the Citydeveloped certain properties ownedbythe Cityand LYSA into permanent soccer fields, which form part of MooreParklocated offUniversity Avenue; and WHEREAS,thisdevelopment consisted of seven (7) soccer fields on property owned by the City(herein the “City Property”) and nine (9) soccer fields on property owned by LYSA (herein the “LYSA Property”); and WHEREAS,the 1997 CEA provides in the “whereas” clause that in consideration of LCG’s[the City’s] development of the properties into permanent soccer fields the “Youth Association[LYSA] is willing to transfer ownershipofthe aforesaidproperties to the Consolidated Government [the City] after it has completed makingall payments and/or fulfilled all financial obligations associated with itsacquisitionofthe aforesaidproperties;” and WHEREAS,Section2 of the 1997 CEA furtherprovides, “The Youth Association[LYSA] hereby agrees to assist the Consolidated Government [the City] in the aforesaidcooperative endeavorbytransferring ownership of the aforesaidproperties to the Consolidated Government [the City] at such time as it has made all payments and/or satisfied all outstanding obligations owed by it on the aforesaidproperties. The Youth Association [LYSA] furtheragrees and obligates itselftotake all steps necessary to cause delivery of the aforesaidproperties to be made to the Consolidated Government [the City] with full warranty of titleand free andclear of all liens andencumbrances followingsatisfaction of all notes andobligations”; and WHEREAS,LAKrewe Rush, LLC (herein “LKR”) was founded in 2022 forthe purpose of mergingthe competitive soccer activities of the LYSA andLouisiana Soccer Club, Inc. to create high caliber soccer opportunities forAcadiana’syouth; and WHEREAS,LKR is the largest competitive soccerclub in the Acadiana area and provides youth soccer to the community of Lafayette, which is in harmony with the organized sports supported by PARC; and WHEREAS,recently,the Cityfurther renovated MooreParktoinclude

andadditional

located off Pont Des Mouton (the LYSA Property,the CityProperty and the Renovated CityProperty collectively sometimesherein simply the “Park”); and WHEREAS,the purpose of youth socceristoinstill in the youth of the community good sportsmanship,honesty,courage,character,reverence and loyalty through supervisedcompetitive games; and WHEREAS,asaresult of the soccerprograms provided by LYSA and LKR, the CityofLafayette has received and is expected to continue to receive the followingbenefits (herein collectively the “Community Benefits”): the LYSA andLKR programs have provided the youth of Lafayette with successful recreational andcompetitive youth soccer programs in afun competitive environment; asafe place forsocial entertainment; promotion of community engagement within the Lafayette community,and economic benefitofattracting visiting competitive soccerclubs to Lafayette for games, tournaments, andsoccer events; and WHEREAS,Article VII, Section14(C)ofthe 1974 Constitution of the State of Louisianastates that, “[f]or apublic purpose, the state and its political subdivisions or political corporations mayengage in cooperative endeavors with each other, with the United States or itsagencies,orwith any public or private associations, corporation, or individual;” and WHEREAS,given the recentrenovations andexpansion of Moore Park soccer complex and the Community Benefits and opportunities to be derived by all the parties, the parties desiretoenter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions of the use of the soccer complex;and WHEREAS,the Cityhas reasonableexpectations of receiving benefits or valuefromthe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement that is equivalent to or greater than the consideration described in the agreement; and WHEREAS,the use of the Park by LYSA andLKR, under the terms and conditions provided in the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement, is not a gratuitous donation.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHERORDAINED by the Lafayette CityCouncil, that: SECTION 1: Allofthe aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses areherein adopted as partofthisordinance.

SECTION 2: The Lafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized to execute the Cooperative Endeavor Agreementbyand between the Cityof Lafayette, Lafayette Youth Soccer Association, Inc. and LA Krewe Rush, LLC,insubstantially the same form as attached herewith,and to takeall actionnecessaryincarrying out the intent of thisordinance.

SECTION 3: Allordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith arehereby repealed. SECTION 4: Thisordinance shallbecome effective upon the signature of the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten(10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto,orupon override of aveto,whichever occurs first.

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPHGORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THECOUNCIL

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, TAKEN AT AREGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 18, 2025 HELD AT 705 W.

UNIVERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA.

ATTENDANCE

COUNCIL:Kenneth P. Boudreaux (Chair,District 5), Liz W. Hebert (ViceChair,District 3), Elroy Broussard(District1), Andy Naquin (District 2) and Thomas Hooks (District 4)

ABSENT:None

COUNCIL STAFF:Joseph Gordon-Wiltz(Clerk of theCouncil), Jeremy J. Swiney (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Cindy Semien (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF:Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), Karen Fontenot (Chief Financial Officer), Patrick S. Ottinger (City-Parish Attorney), Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney), Christina Dayries (Chief of Staff), Michael Soileau (Director,LFT Fiber) and Tammy Luke (Director, Community Development and Planning)

(5:33:00) CALL TO ORDER

Chair Boudreaux called the Regular City Council Meeting of November 18, 2025 to order

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Chair called upon Councilmember Naquin to cite an invocation and upon Councilmember Broussardtolead the Pledge of Allegiance.

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Boudreaux made the following announcements:

•Item #5, JR-040-2025, Community Development and Planning is requesting an amendment to substitute the MOUwith the adjusted MOU;

•Item #21, introduction of CO-129-2025, will be pulled fromthe in globo vote, for separate vote and discussion, per Councilmember Naquin’srequest;

•Wished CAO Rachel Godeaux a happy birthday which she celebrates on December 1st.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS No Council Announcements weremade.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Mayor-President Boulet gave the following report:

•Thanked voters and Councilmembersfor their supportonthe recent millage renewals;

•Dayries introduced Brayln Batiste, new criminal justice committee employeefor LCG;

•Item #11, is just one (1)example of how sheislooking for ways to honor those who have served;

•Invited everyone to attend the groundbreaking for the E. Broussard andRobleyDrive roundabout on November 19, 2025;

•Encouraged participation in Parcsgiving 2025 food drive;

•Therewill be aDowntown Business Roundtable, hosted by LFT Fiber on November 20, 2025;

•Saturday,November 22, 2025 is ahousehold hazardouswaste day for city and parish residence;

•Therewill be schedule adjustments for multiple LCG services next week due to Thanksgiving and Acadian Day.Schedule adjustments include, but arenot limited to, garbage pickup and the compost facility;

•Wished everyone ahappy and safe Thanksgiving;

•Recapped her recent trip to France whereshe found adeep love for our community

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: JR-039-2025 Ajointresolution of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council requesting assistance of the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health to engage and negotiate with Managed CareOrganizations to establish reimbursement pathways for ambulance transport directly to Behavioral Health Facilities, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt wasapproved.

Dayries provided background and additional details to the ordinance.

One (1) citizen signed in, in support of the resolution, but did not wish to speak.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: JR-040-2025 Ajointresolution of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing aMemorandum of Understanding between Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government (“LCG”) and upLFT Capital Access, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Broussard.

Amotion to amend to substitute the MOU with an adjusted MOU by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

The Chair then called for avote to adopt, as amended, andthe vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt, as amended, was approved.

Broussardinquired as to how these services differ than that offered at the Taylor Center Lukeclarified that the MOU is to recognize the current partnership and that theservices arethe Taylor Center services with the assistance of the LPTFA.

REPORTAND/OR DISCUSSION ITEM

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: LFT Fiber Presentation

Michael Soileau led the Council through apresentation covering the following: •State of Business; •Management Structure; •Bythe numbers; •Industry Performance; •2025 Business Results; •Accomplishments Highlights; •Employee Experience; •Revenue, Finance, Compliance Overview; •Financial Highlights; •2026 Finance KPIs (Key Performance Indicators); •Expense Highlights; •Engineering KPIs –Baseline; •Current year goals, in progress or near completion;

•Product Innovation; •Technical Operations and Construction;

•KPIs and Accomplishments; •Operations 2026 Focus;

•Customer Experience; •Marketing and Sales;

•2026 Focus; and •Community EngagementHighlights.

ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: CO-123-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassify Case No. 2025-10-AZON Pontiac Point to Louisiana Avenue, and Surrey Street to East Simcoe StreetAdministrative Rezoning, located generally north of Louisiana Avenue, east of Park Avenue, and south of East Simcoe Street; 1000, 1002, 1002 1/2 ,1102 &1106 East Simcoe Street, 229, 307, 313,319, 323, 401 &407 Surrey Street, 1007, 1011, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1023, 1024 &1026 Eighth Street, 1012, 1014, 1018, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1030, 1035 &1050 Ninth Street, 800 Block, 803, 805, 807, 809, 903, 905 &907 Louisiana Avenue being rezoned from CH (Commercial-Heavy) to MN-2 (Mixed-Use Neighborhood) and 1000 Block (1), 1000 Block (2), 1006 &1008 East Simcoe Street, 217 Surrey Street, and 1046 Ninth Street being rezoned from CH (Commercial-Heavy) to CM-2(Commercial Mixed), motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Herbert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Luke stated that allcitizenconcerns wereaddressed, per Boudreaux’s inquiry

DEFERREDTODECEMBER 16, 2025

NO.8:CO-124-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City

AGENDA ITEM

Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassify the property of Case No.2025-20-REZ 520 SouthMagnolia Street Rezoning, located generally north of Tenth Street, west of South Magnolia Street, and south of Louisiana Avenue; being rezoned from RS-1 (Residential Single-Family) to MN-1 (Mixed-Use Neighborhood), motiontoadopt by Hebert, seconded by Broussard.

Amotiontodefer to December 16 was offered by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to defer to December 16 was approved.

Luke stated that the rezoning is needed as the business was closed in excess of 12 months, losing their grandfathered status.

Boudreaux inquiredupon opposition to the rezoning Naquin shared concerns with the possible hours of operations in a predominately residential area.

Boudreaux requested adeferral to allow Community Development and Planning timetoaddress the Council’s concerns with the applicant and to allow timefor an amendment to be drafting limiting the possible hours of operations.

AGENDA ITEM NO.9:CO-125-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code and the official map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of additional land into the corporate limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No.202521-REZ 100 Block Tarpon Street Annexation, located generallynorth of Archangel Drive, west of Harvest Drive, and south of Vieux Orleans Circle; and assigning azoning classification of RS-2 (Residential Single-Family) (District 4), motiontoadopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Boudreaux

NAYS: Hooks

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Hooks, Luke, Godeaux and Boudreaux discussed the current annexation approach and the possibilityofreevaluating said approach.

AGENDA ITEM NO.10: CO-126-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code and the official map of the City of Lafayette, providing for the annexation of additional land into the corporate limits of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana, Case No.2025-23REZ 204 Sweet Rita Lane Annexation(Lot 5-A), located generally north of Cassandra Lane, east of the Youngsville Highway,and south of Sweet Rita Lane; and assigning azoning classification of RS-1 (Residential SingleFamily) (District 4), motiontoadopt by Hebert, seconded by Broussard, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Boudreaux

NAYS: Hooks

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.11: CO-127-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending Ordinance No.O-236-2017 of the Lafayette CityParish Council to provide veterans residing in Lafayette Parish with a25% discount on weekday green fees at the municipal golfcourses, namely: Jay &Lionel Hebert Municipal,Les Vieux Chenes, and the Wetlands, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Naquin thanked Boulet for bringing this forward.

Boulet noted that this is asmall but important gestureand that active duty play for free.

AGENDA ITEM NO.12: CO-128-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council to amend Section 82-111 “Generally,”ofArticle III, “City of Lafayette Sales and Use Tax,” Division 3, “Exemptions and Exclusions” of Chapter 82, “Taxation” of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances to exempt from local sales and use taxes levied by the City of Lafayette as to repairs and maintenance performed on aircraft at Lafayette Regional Airport, motiontoadopt by Broussard, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

JOINT ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO.13: JO-059-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting manning tables of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by increasing Fund 6070’suse of Prior Year Fund Balance in the amount of $904 and appropriating within the Office of Finance &Management, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.14: JO-060-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into an agreement between the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government and the StateofLouisiana Department of Transportation concerning bridge replacements for StateProject No H.015511 (E. MartialAve. over coulee), StateProject No.H.015514 (Sarah DeePkwy over coulee) and StateProject No.H.015515 (Andover Road over Indian Bayou Lateral), motiontoadopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.15: JO-061-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by authorizing the transfer of $111,600 in CommunityDevelopment Block Grant (CDBG)funds within the Community Development and Planning Department to Lafayette Public Trust Finance Authority fordeferred maintenance at Uptown Lofts, motion to adopt by Broussard, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.16: JO-062-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette

City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26

operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by authorizing the transfer of $120,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)funds within the CommunityDevelopment and Planning Department to Faith House, Inc. for domestic violence shelter improvements, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

One (1) citizen signed in, in support of the ordinance, but didnot wish to speak.

AGENDA ITEM NO.17: JO-063-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette

City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26

operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by authorizing the transferof$175,000 in Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) funds within the Community Development andPlanning Department to Lafayette Habitat for Humanity for improvements to their Housing Construction Center, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, andthe vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Broussard recognizedthatHabitatfor Humanity does alot for the community but questioned$175,000 for awarehouse

Lukestatedthatitisa competitive process for project ready projects. Melinda Taylor stated thatthe building is usedfor morethanjust storage of construction materials it also housesthe tool library,will be utilized for classes andneeds afull HVAC fix.

AGENDAITEM NO. 18: JO-064-2025A joint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by authorizing the transferof$90,000 in Community Development BlockGrant(CDBG) funds within the Community Development and Planning Department to SterlingGrove Housing Development, Inc., for improvements to Ed Washington Place Apartments, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, andthe vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Lukestatedthatthe property is HUD fundedand CDBG funds areused for non-profits, per Hebert’s inquiry

AGENDAITEM NO. 19: JO-065-2025A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enterinto aCooperative Endeavor Agreementwith the State of Louisiana andthe Road Home Corporation DBA Louisiana Land Trust for the purpose of participating in the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Mitigation Buyout Programasadministered through the State of Louisiana Office of Community Development –Disaster Recovery for the purpose of mitigating repetitive loss structures near Graham Brown Memorial Park, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, andthe vote wasasfollows: YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Godeauxclarified thatthe originaldetention pond project didn’tmeet requirements so this is away to assistwith existing funding.

DaneDeCuir,Grants Coordinator,statedthata public meeting with area residence will be held.

AGENDAITEM NO. 20: JO-066-2025 Ajoint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment Code of Ordinances Chapter 34, “Environment,” Article IV,“Noise Control,”Section 34-370, “Enforcement andPenalties” to hold persons who own, manage,operate or otherwise control property responsible for noise violations, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, andthe vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Broussard expressed concerns overproperty owners not being citedand only receiving warnings.

Boudreauxstatedthatthe ordinancewill provide the PoliceDepartment with atool whenlandowners arenot cooperative.

INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

Boudreauxremindedeveryone thatItem#21 will be addressed separately afterthe in globo vote

Amotion to introduceagenda items 22-30, in globo, wasoffered by Naquin, seconded by Hebert.

22. CO-130-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingbudgetofthe Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by increasing revenues in the amount of $22,155.25 received from the Federal Bureau of Investigation “FBI” andappropriating within the Lafayette PoliceDepartment.

23. CO-131-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingbudgetand adjusting manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by using Prior Year Fund Balance in the amount of $6,364 to provide funding for asalary adjustment for aProgrammerAnalyst within the Communications Department.

24. CO-132-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingand capitalbudgetofthe Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by increasing revenues in the amount of $200,000 andappropriating within the Communications Department.

25. CO-133-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingand capitalbudgetofthe Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by increasing reimbursement revenues from State of Louisiana Facility Planning andControl for Johnston Street Revitalization: Safety,Street andSidewalkImprovements; Broadband andUtility Hardening, Planning andConstruction Project No. 50-MF7-25-01inthe amount of $3,425,000 andaccounting for the required matchof$1,166,667 andappropriating within the Public Works Department.

26. CO-134-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council declaring the E. ButcherSwitchRd. Bridge ReplacementProject apublic necessityand authorizing the acquisition of the necessary rights-ofway, immovable property andotherproperty rights requisite to the construction of said Project,eitheronanamicablebasisorthrough the proper use of the expropriation process, if necessary

27. CO-135-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council declaring the Bellevue Plantation Rd. Bridge ReplacementProject apublic necessityand authorizing the acquisition of the necessary rights-ofway, immovable property andotherproperty rights requisite to the construction of said Project,eitheronanamicablebasisorthrough the proper use of the expropriation process, if necessary

28. CO-136-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council adopting the Use andRentalPolicyfor the MoorePark soccer fields and establishing rentalfees anda player fee.

29. CO-137-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enterinto aCooperative Endeavor Agreementbyand between the City of Lafayette, Lafayette Youth Soccer Association, Inc. andLaKrewe Rush, LLC concerning the soccer fields at MoorePark.

30. CO-138-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending Ordinance No. O-319-99 of the Lafayette City-Parish Council concerning the Lafayette Mardi Gras ActivitiesAdvisory Committee. The Chair thencalledfor avote to introducethe ordinances (items 22-30) in globo, andthe vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved.

ITEM #30 Junion Gonzalez signed in, in opposition, but passedhis time Chris Villemarette spoke in opposition to the ordinance. He provided of a summary of the work thatthe Mardi Gras Association does in regards to organizing bands, coordinating with drivers, floats, trucks, subsidizing the children’s parade, assisting dignitaries, coordinating with police and fire, andproviding quality control. He furthernotedthatthe status quo works.

Seven (7)citizenssignedin, in opposition to the ordinance, but did not wish to speak.

Two(2) citizenscontacted the Council Office in support of the ordinance.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, TAKEN AT AREGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 2, 2025 HELD AT 705 W. UNIVERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA.

ATTENDANCE

COUNCIL:ABRubin (Chair,District 5), Donald Richard(Vice-Chair District 2), Bryan Tabor (District 1), Ken Stansbury (District 3) and John Guilbeau (District 4)

ABSENT:None

COUNCIL STAFF:Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Jeremy J. Swiney (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Cindy M. Semien (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF:MoniqueB.Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), Patrick S. Ottinger (City-Parish Attorney) and Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney) (4:31:00) COMMENCEMENT

Call to order

Chair Rubin called the Regular Parish Council Meeting of December 2, 2025 to order

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Chair called upon Councilmember Stansburytocite the invocation and called upon the “Mayor for the Day”, Miriam Adams, who is 12 years old and in the 7th grade, to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. It was noted that Adams was so excited for the day

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Rubin made the following announcements:

•Item #20, introduction of JO-071-2025, was pulled from the in globo vote, for separate vote and discussion, per arequest from Finance.

AGENDAITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS Rubin noted his opinion concerning this evening’supcoming consideration of CO-138-2025 by the Lafayette City Council regarding theMardi Gras parade route and the advisory committee.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT

a. Budget-to-Actual Comparison of Major Parish Funds –October 2025 Preliminary Boulet noted that the monthly Budget-to-Actual Comparisons aretocomply with statewide auditing procedures.

b. Audit Findings Update –November 2025

Boulet noted that they arerequired monthly to give an update to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor on the report findings.

Boulet statedthat she and Adams participated in aradio interview and KiwanisClub meeting today

Boulet announced and encouraged citizen participation in the following: Public Meeting regarding the LCG Website and Community Branding is December 4th at City Hall at 6PM; Oil Center Festival of Lights is December 5th; Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Concert at ParcSans Souci is December 5th; Sonic Christmas Parade is December 7th; Milton Public Meeting is December 9th at 6:30 PM; HazardMitigation Plan Update Public Meeting is December 11th at 10 AM at City Hall; MoorePark grand opening is December 16th; Christmas in the Park at Moncus Park is December 16th –December 29th.

RESOLUTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: PR-025-2025 Aresolution of the Lafayette Parish Council approving the cooperative endeavor agreement, ground lease agreement, memorandum of lease agreement and other associated or ancillary agreements by and between the Parish of Lafayette and Holy Rosary Land Holdings, Inc. for the development of the Northeast Regional Library,motion to adopt by Richard, seconded by Tabor, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Dustin Cravins, Holy Rosary Redevelopment BoardPresident, encouraged the Council to continue the legacy of HolyRosaryand what it can be. He noted that this will be meaningful and transformative and requested a favorable passage of the resolution.

Melanie Brevis urged the Council to vote in favor of the resolution. She stressed that the project has been delayed for years and to delay any further would be adisservice.

Mary Lib Guercio stated that it would mean so much to acommunitythat need the resource to improve their lives.

Three (3) citizens who did not wish to speak, signed in, in support. 29 citizens either called the Council or sent an email, in support

ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: PO-052-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement and Act of Donation by and between Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and Parish of Acadia concerning the donation of asurplus 2003 tanker fire truck, motion to adopt by Stansbury,seconded by Richard, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: PO-055-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish

by

was as follows:

YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

JOINT ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO.7:JO-067-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute the Intergovernmental Agreement by and between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and the Governor of the StateofLouisiana and the local governments relative to the redesignation of the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization as the Acadiana Metropolitan Planning Organization and its governance, motion to adopt by Richard, seconded by Tabor,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

One (1) citizen, who did not wish to speak, signed in, in support.

AGENDA ITEM NO.8:JO-068-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting manning tables of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by increasing the use of PriorYear Fund 101 fund balance by $1,288 and increasing the use of prior year fund 105 fund balance by $541 to implement an increase in the salary of the elected judges of the City Court of Lafayette, Louisiana to correspond with astatewide judicial salary increase, motiontoadopt by Stansbury, seconded by Guilbeau, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Judge Douglas J. Saloom requested away to streamlinethe process so that this is nota decision that has to come beforethe Council every time thereisa statewide salary increase.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCY ON BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO.9:A vacancy exists on the Keep Lafayette Beautiful Committee forthe remainder of an unexpired two-year term thru February 28, 2026 and the following two-year term effective March 1, 2026.

AGENDA ITEM NO.10: Avacancy exists on the Parish Planning and Zoning Commission for the remainder of an unexpired five-year term thru January 6, 2030.

AGENDA ITEM NO.11: Avacancy exists on the Parish Planning and Zoning Commission for the remainder of an unexpired five-year term thru January 6, 2028.

Individuals wishing to submita resume for the above volunteer vacancy must be aregistered voter and aresident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training forall appointees is required as is financial disclosureunder certain circumstances. Resumes aretobeforwarded to Joseph Gordon-Wiltz, Clerk of the Council, P.O. Box 4017-C,Lafayette, LA 70502 or emailed to BCLafayette@LafayetteLA.gov no later than noon, Tuesday,December 16, 2025 with appointment(s) to be made at the Tuesday,January6,2026

Regular Meeting of the Lafayette Parish Council

CONSIDER APPOINTMENT(S) BY THE COUNCIL, AS AWHOLE, TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO.12: Appointment of Roslyn Bergeron to the Lafayette Parish Library BoardofControlfor a five-year term effective December 1, 2025. Guilbeau nominated Bergeron, Richardnominated Rebekah R. Huggins, and the vote was as follows: BERGERON:Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, HUGGINS:Richard, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

Roslyn Bergeron was appointed.

Rebekah Huggins stated that libraries areessential community anchors. She noted that she hopes to bring camaraderie to the board.

Petra Faulkannounced that libraries area critical role forastudent’s success. She indicated that she has an educator background.

MelanieBrevis urged the Council to vote in favorofSteven M. Lazarus or Rebekah R. Huggins as they werethe only two (2) who submitted resumes beforethe deadline the first timethe announcement of the board appointment was made. She stressed the Council to notappoint Bergeron and noted the need for someone to lead with diversity

Lynette Mejia announced that 83% of the Library Boardconsistsofclergy

Mary Lib Guercio noted that this is an opportunity forthe Council to provide balance to the Library Board.

MiriamAdams, Mayor for the Day announced that she loves libraries and that it offers aquiet space to study

AGENDA ITEM NO.13: Appointment of DavidW.Laughlin to the Parish Planning and Zoning Commission fora five-year term effective January 7, 2027. Stansburynominated Laughlin, and the vote was as follows:

LAUGHLIN: Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: Richard DavidW.Laughlinwas appointed.

AGENDA ITEM NO.14: Appointment of CoreyJack to the Industrial

Development Boardfor asix-year term effective February 1, 2026. Stansburynominated Jack, and the vote was as follows: JACK: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None CoreyJack was appointed.

One (1) citizen, who did not wish to speak, signed in, in support for Jack.

AGENDA ITEM NO.15: Appointment of Elisa DevallDavis to the Industrial

Development Boardfor asix-year term effective February 1, 2026. StansburynominatedDavis, andthe vote wasasfollows:

DAVIS:Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau,Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None

Elisa DevallDavis. was appointed.

INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

Amotion to introduce, in globo, items 16 and17was offeredbyGuilbeau, seconded by Stansbury.

16. PO-056-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingand capitalbudgets of the Lafayette CityParish ConsolidatedGovernment by authorizingthe use of PY Fund Balance of the Juvenile Detention Facility (Fund 2650) in the amount of $9,000 andappropriating within the Office of the ChiefAdministrative Officer,Juvenile Detention Division, Kitchen Section, for the purchase of acommercialrefrigerator

17. PO-057-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingand capitalbudgets of the Lafayette CityParish ConsolidatedGovernment by authorizingthe use of PY Fund Balance of the Juvenile Detention Facility (Fund 2650) in the amount of $450,000 andcombining with existing funds andappropriating within the Office of the ChiefAdministrative Officer,Juvenile Detention Division, to fund safety improvements at the Juvenile Detention Home The Chair thencalledfor avote to introducethe ordinances (items 16 and 17),inglobo, andthe vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor,Richard,Stansbury,Guilbeau,Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved.

JOINT INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

The Chair remindedthatItem#20 waspulledfromthe in globo list to be addressed separately Amotion to introduce, in globo, items 18 and19was offeredbyStansbury seconded by Tabor

18. JO-069-2025 Ajoint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingbudgetof the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by increasing the use of fund balance andappropriating within the Promotion Costs Account of the Community Development andPlanning Development Development Division to allow for the promotion of the Development Supervisor

19. JO-070-2025 Ajoint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 26, Article II, by repealing Sections 26-31 and26-32 andamending Chapter 26, Article XII by enacting Section 26-801 andamending Chapter 26, Article XVI, Section 26-1175 of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances relatedtothe condemnation & demolition of dilapidated anddangerous buildings or structures within the City of Lafayette andunincorporatedareas of Lafayette Parish The Chair thencalledfor avote to introducethe ordinances (items 18 and 19),inglobo, andthe vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor,Richard,Stansbury,Guilbeau,Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved.

AGENDAITEM NO. 20: JO-071-2025 Ajoint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council approving the renaming of the Public Works Department to the Capital Improvements Department andanadministrative realignment of adivision of the Public Works Department andreallocation andrealignment of otherdivisions of the Public Works Department to theDrainageDepartment andthe Traffic, Roads andBridges Department andamending the FY 25/26 operating andcapitalimprovement budgets andadjusting manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment, motion to introduceby Tabor,secondedbyRichard

Amotion to amendtoinclude arevised budget revision andsalary calculation thatallows for the addition of two(2) Signs &Markings Specialists thatwereeliminatedinthe 2026 budget, but determined to be necessary for the daily operations of the Public Works reorganization by Tabor,secondedbyRichard,and the vote wasasfollows: YEAS: Tabor,Richard,Stansbury,Guilbeau,Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

The Chair thencalledfor avote to introduce, as amended, andthe vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor,Richard,Stansbury,Guilbeau,Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, as amended, was approved.

COMMENT(S) FROM THEPUBLIC

AGENDAITEM NO. 21: Comments from the public on anyothermatter(s) not on an agenda No Comments from the Public weremade.

(5:39:00) ADJOURN

There being no furtherbusiness to come beforethe Council, Chair Rubin declared the RegularMeeting adjourned.

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz

JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, TAKEN AT AREGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 2, 2025 HELD AT 705 W.

UNIVERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA.

ATTENDANCE

COUNCIL:Kenneth P. Boudreaux (Chair,District 5), Liz W. Hebert (ViceChair,District 3), Elroy Broussard(District1), Andy Naquin (District 2) and Thomas Hooks (District 4)

ABSENT:None

COUNCIL STAFF:Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Jeremy J. Swiney (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Cindy M. Semien (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF:Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), Christina Dayries (Chief of Staff), Patrick S. Ottinger (City-Parish Attorney), Paul Escott (Assistant CityParish Attorney)

(7:12:00) COMMENCEMENT

Call to order

Chair Boudreaux called the Regular City Council Meeting of December 2, 2025toorder

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Chair called upon Councilmember Naquin to cite an invocation and upon Councilmember Hooks to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Boudreaux made the public awarethat acut fiber line in Texas is preventing the live broadcast of the Council meeting. He stated that in order to make surethereisnoviolation of any open meeting laws he requested Legal to explain if and why it is appropriate to continue with the meeting under the circumstances.

Escott explained the open meetings law and indicated that in Title 42, specifically in Section 23, thereisa provision that states that due to there being atechnological failurebeyond the ability to be resolved timely,it is appropriate to move the meeting forwardbecause it is beyond the Council’scontrol.

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Boudreaux made the following announcements: •Item #29, introduction of JO-071-2025, will be pulled fromthe in globo vote, for separate vote and discussion, per arequest from Finance.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS No Council Announcements

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT

a. Budget-to-Actual Comparison of Major City Funds –October 2025 Preliminary

Boulet noted that the monthly Budget-to-Actual Comparisons areto comply with statewide auditing procedures.

b. Audit Findings Update –November 2025 Boulet noted that they arerequiredmonthly to give an update to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor on the report findings.

Boulet announced and encouraged citizen participation in the following: Public Meeting regarding the LCG Website and Community Branding is December 4th at City Hall at 6PM; Oil Center Festival of Lights is December 5 ; Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Concert at ParcSans Souciis December5th; Sonic Christmas Parade is December 7th; Milton Public Meeting is December 9th at 6:30 PM; HazardMitigation Plan Update Public Meeting is December 11th at 10 AM at City Hall; MoorePark grand opening is December 16th; Christmas in the Park at Moncus Park is December 16th –December 29th

Boulet welcomed all who wereinattendance and indicated she was pleased to see afull auditorium.

RESOLUTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: CR-020-2025 A resolution of the Lafayette City Council recognizing the 70th anniversary of Rosa Louise Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on the bus and to recognize December 1, 2025 as Rosa Louise Parks Multi-Cultural Activity Day,motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Broussard, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Dayries announced that therewas aspecial commerative ceremony at the Rosa Parks Center.She noted that therewerefreebus fares for the day and aphoto of Parks and arosewereplaced on aseat of each city bus in honor of Parks.

ORDINANCESFOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: CO-130-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $22,155.25 received from theFederal Bureau of Investigation “FBI” and appropriating within the Lafayette Police Department, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: CO-131-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by using Prior Year Fund Balance in the amount of $6,364 to provide funding for a salary adjustment for aProgrammer Analyst within the Communications Department, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt wasapproved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: CO-132-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $200,000 and appropriating within the Communications Department, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt wasapproved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: CO-133-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government by increasing reimbursement revenues from State of Louisiana Facility Planning and Control for Johnston Street Revitalization: Safety,Street and Sidewalk Improvements; Broadband and Utility Hardening, Planning and Construction Project No. 50-MF7-25-01 in the amount of $3,425,000 and accounting for the required match of $1,166,667 and appropriating within the Public Works Department, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: CO-134-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council declaring the E. Butcher Switch Rd. Bridge Replacement Project apublic necessity and authorizing the acquisition of the necessary rightsof-way,immovable property and other property rights requisite to the construction of said Project, either on an amicable basis or through the proper use of the expropriation process, if necessary,motion to adoptby Broussard, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt wasapproved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.10: CO-135-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council declaring the Bellevue Plantation Rd. BridgeReplacement Project apublic necessity and authorizing the acquisition of the necessary rightsof-way,immovableproperty and other property rights requisite to the construction of said Project,either on an amicablebasis or through the proper use of the expropriation process, if necessary,motiontoadopt by Hebert, seconded by Broussard, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.11: CO-136-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council adopting the Use and Rental Policy for the MoorePark soccer fields and establishing rental fees and aplayer fee, if necessary,motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.12: CO-137-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement by and between the City of Lafayette, Lafayette Youth Soccer Association, Inc. and La Krewe Rush, LLC concerning the soccer fields at MoorePark, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.13: CO-138-2025 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending Ordinance No.O-319-99 of the Lafayette CityParish Council concerning the Lafayette MardiGras Activities Advisory Committee, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hooks.

Amotiontoamend to create aseparate committee from the existing CityParish MardiGras advisory committee established via Ordinance No O-319-99, providing fora five (5) member MardiGras advisory committee limited onlytothe review of MardiGras parade routes within the City of Lafayette by Naquin, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: Hebert

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotiontoamend to defer indefinitely by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, andthe vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to defer indefinitely was approved.

The Council and Boulet discussed the ordinance in detail.Boudreaux, Naquin and Hebert requested acommitment from Boulet to notchange the Mardi Gras parade route if the ordinance is deferred indefinitely. Boulet confirmed that she wouldnot change the 2026 MardiGras parade route that has been in place for years.

255 citizens called the Council office in opposition.

Eight (8) citizens called the Council office in support.

63 citizens signed in, in opposition, but did not wish to speak.

Two(2) citizens signed in, in support, but did not wish to speak.

William Kaufman, Robert Kallam, Chris Villemarette, Ralph Kraft, Denise Sadler,RichardDomingue, Blaine Goodrich, Quinn Salmon, Brady Bell, Trey Hightower,Miles Matt, Phillip Martin, Michael Sonnier,Gregory Geoffry,Kevin Blanchardspoke to the amendment, in opposition.

Leslie Mann Sandin, Mary Laborde, Emily Broussard, Warren Brown, passed their timetospeak on the amendment.

William Kaufman, Chris Villemarette, Ralph Kraft, RichardDomingue, Blaine Goodrich, Trey Hightower,Phillip Martin, Michael Sonnier,Gregory Geoffry,Kevin Blanchardspoke to the indefinite deferral, in support.

Leslie Mann Sandin, RobertKallam, Denise Sadler,Mary Laborde, Quinn Salmon, Brady Bell, Emily Broussard, MilesMatt, passed their timeto speak on the indefinite deferral.

JOINT ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO.14: JO-067-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to execute the Intergovernmental Agreement by and between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and the Governor of the StateofLouisiana and the local governments relative to the redesignation of the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization as the Acadiana Metropolitan Planning Organization and its governance, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

SaraFawcett-Gary signed in to speak, but only if therewerequestions.

AGENDA ITEM NO.15: JO-068-2025 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting manning tables of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by increasing the use of PriorYear Fund 101 fund balance by $1,288 and increasing the use of prior year fund 105 fund balance by $541 to implement an increase in the salary of the elected judges of the City Court of Lafayette, Louisiana to correspond with a statewide judicial salary increase, motiontoadopt by Naquin, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Judge Douglas J. Saloom requested away to streamline the process so that this is nota decision that has to come beforethe Council every time thereisastatewide salary increase.

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF VACANCIES ON BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO.16: Five (5) vacancies exist on the Transportation Policy Committee (the governing boardfor the Metropolitan Planning Organization) effective immediately Applicants must be either 1) local elected officials, 2) officials of public agencies that administer or operate majormodes of transportation in the metropolitan area, including representation by providers of public transportation.

AGENDA ITEM NO.17: Avacancy exists on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District SouthBoardfor the remainder of an unexpired fiveyear term thru December 31, 2028. Applicants must reside within the Waterworks District Southboundaries.

AGENDA ITEM NO.18: Avacancy exists on the BoardofZoning Adjustment for the remainder of an unexpired three-year term thru January 30, 2028. This is an alternate appointment. Applicantsmust own property in the Parish of Lafayette and reside within the City of Lafayette. Individuals wishing to submit aresume for the above volunteer vacancies must be aregistered voter and aresident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all appointees is required as is financial disclosureunder certain circumstances. Resumes aretobeforwarded to Joseph Gordon-Wiltz, Clerk of the Council, P.O. Box 4017 C, Lafayette, LA 70502 or emailed to BCLafayette@LafayetteLA.gov no later than noon, Tuesday,December 16, 2025 with appointment(s) to be made at the Tuesday,January6,2026 Regular Meeting of the Lafayette City Council.

CONSIDER APPOINTMENT(S) BY THE COUNCIL, AS AWHOLE, TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO.19: Appointment of DaleSavoie to the Civil Service Boardfor afour-year term effective February 1, 2026. Nomination list

supplies by the President of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Naquin nominated Savoie, and the vote was as follows:

SAVOIE: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Dale Savoiewas appointed.

AGENDAITEM NO. 20: Appointment of WalterCampbell to the City Planning andZoning Commission for a five-year term effective January 7, 2026. Applicants must reside within the City of Lafayette. Naquin nominatedCampbell, andthe vote wasasfollows:

CAMPBELL: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None WalterCampbell was appointed.

AGENDAITEM NO. 21: Appointment of Rebekke H. MillertoBoardof Zoning Adjustment for athree-year term effective February 1, 2026. This is an alternateappointment. Applicants must own property in the Parish of Lafayette andreside within the City of Lafayette. Naquin nominatedMiller, andthe vote wasasfollows:

MILLER: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Rebekke H. Millerwas appointed.

INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

Amotion to introduceagenda items 22 thru26, in globo, was offeredby Broussard,secondedbyNaquin.

22. CO-129-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enterinto aRight of Access Agreementbyand between Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government andthe Lafayette Convention &Visitors Commission.

23. CO-139-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassifythe

of Case No. 2025-22-REZ

located generally north of West Willow Street,east of Cora Street,and south of Martin LutherKing Jr Drive; being rezoned from RS-1(Residential Single-Family) to RM-1(Residential Mixed).

24. CO-140-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassifythe property of Case No. 2025-24-REZ 800 BlockVerot School Road Rezoning, located generally north of VerotSchool Road, west of South Beadle Road, andsouth of Harbor Lights Drive; being rezoned from CM-1 (Commercial Mixed) to CH (Commercial-Heavy).

25. CO-141-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow aconvenience store(with fuelsales) in aCM-1(CommercialMixed) Zoning District, Case No. 2025-25-REZ 801 Foreman Drive CUP (Conditional Use Permit), located generally north of DullesDrive, east of MarieAntoinette Street,and south of Belle Chase Drive.

26. CO-142-2025Anordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council amending the Lafayette Development Code so as to reclassifythe property of Case No. 2025-26-REZ 304 AcademyRoadRezoning, located generally north of Goodnight Drive, east of Normandy Road, and south of AcademyRoad; being rezoned from RS-1(Residential Single-Family) to RS-2(Residential Single-Family).

The Chair thencalledfor avote to introducethe ordinances (items 22 thru 26),inglobo, andthe vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved.

Comments for Item #25: John Jefcoat stressed thatthere is an excessiveamount of trafficalready in the area andrequested the Council to vote in opposition.

EddieVoorhiesstatedthatthere areten (10) operatinggas stations in the area. He notedthathedoes not have aproblem with it just being a conveniencestore.

One (1)citizenwho did not wish to speak, signed in, in opposition. JOINT INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

The Chair remindedthatItem#29 waspulledfromthe in globo list to be addressed separately Amotion to introduceagenda items 27 and28, in globo, was offeredby Broussard,secondedbyNaquin.

27. JO-069-2025 Ajoint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operatingbudgetof the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment by increasing the use of fund balance andappropriating within the Promotion Costs Account of the Community Development andPlanning Development, Development Division to allow for the promotion of the Development Supervisor

28. JO-070-2025A joint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 26, Article II, by repealing Sections 26-31 and26-32 andamending Chapter 26, Article XII by enacting Section 26-801 andamending Chapter 26, Article XVI, Section 26-1175 of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances relatedtothe condemnation & demolition of dilapidated anddangerous buildings or structures within the City of Lafayette andunincorporatedareas of Lafayette Parish The Chair thencalledfor avote to introducethe ordinances (items 27 and 28),inglobo, andthe vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved.

AGENDAITEM NO. 29: JO-071-2025A joint ordinanceofthe Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council approving the renaming of the Public Works Department to the Capital Improvements Department andanadministrative realignment of adivision of the Public Works Department andreallocation andrealignment of otherdivisions of the Public Works Department to the Drainage Department andthe Traffic, Roads andBridges Department andamending the FY 25/26 operating andcapitalimprovement budgets andadjusting manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovernment, motion to introduceby Hebert, seconded by Naquin.

Amotion to amendtoinclude arevised budget revision andsalary calculation thatallows for the addition of two(2) Signs &Markings Specialists thatwereeliminatedinthe 2026 budget, but determined to be necessary for the daily operations of the Public Works reorganization by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, andthe vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

The Chair thencalledfor avote to introduce, as amended, andthe vote was as follows:

YEAS: Broussard,Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to introduce, as amended, was approved.

(9:25:00) ADJOURN

Therebeing no furtherbusiness to come beforethe Council, Chair Boudreauxdeclared the RegularMeeting adjourned.

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz

JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL