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M o n d ay, a p r i l 7, 2025
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Lawsuit’s lurid details revealed Leesville, mayor settled 2020 case involving harassment, discrimination for $299,000
BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer
BOOKED
ON A FEELING ABOVE: Attendees take part in a second-line around Shadows-on-theTeche during the Jazz It Up opening reception Friday. The Books Along The Teche Literary Festival was held over the weekend at various locations in the historic district of New Iberia celebrating great Southern writers and author Dave Robicheaux’s hometown. Books Along The Teche, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, Iberia Preservation Alliance and Main Street New Iberia sponsored the event. RIGHT: Author Mary Kay Andrews, of Atlanta, enjoys a Cajun fais do-do on Friday. BELOW RIGHT: A reading from James Lee Burke’s novel ‘New Iberia Blues’ is staged. BELOW: Olivia Savoie, from left, Dr. Marcel LaHaye and author Jordan LaHaye Fontenot talk during the festival. PHOTOS By LEE BALL
Nicole Ybarra received an urgent request from Leesville Mayor Rick Allen. He needed to meet that evening at City Hall with Ybarra and the other City Council members. The public was not invited. Before the six council members and Allen filed into the empty council chamber, the mayor of the small town near the Texas border asked everyone to leave behind their cellphones, Ybarra said. Allen quickly got to the point: He and the city manager had just returned from a mediation ses- Allen sion in Baton Rouge and needed the council at its next meeting to approve the settlement of a lawsuit filed by what he described as two disgruntled city employees. Allen said a court gag order prevented him from discussing the details with the council or the public, Ybarra recounted in a re- Ybarra cent interview. Several days later, at a regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 14, 2020, the council approved the settlement without divulging the explosive allegations in the lawsuit: that Allen had a sexual
ä See DETAILS, page 5A
Landry hunting trip includes trial lawyers Legislative chairs say talk at lodge focused on auto insurance BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer Five legislative leaders met with Gov. Jeff Landry and two prominent trial attorneys in Texas last week to hunt turkey and talk legislative business — including whether lawmakers will keep trying to make it harder for lawyers to collect big payouts for clients injured in car accidents. Gordon McKernan, one of the two attorneys, flew House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, Senate Presi- Landry dent Cameron Henry and three committee chairs on his law firm’s jet to the Tributary Sporting Club near Austin. Landry met them there. They all returned Wednesday. Landry issued the invitations, and Protect
ä See TRIP, page 4A
‘It’s good to be home’ Walker Howard enjoying football again with Ragin’ Cajuns
More, Howard threw for 5,824 yards and 67 touchdowns and was ranked as a top five quarterback nationally. However, playing one year behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels at LSU and two years behind potential first-round draft pick Jaxson Dart at Ole Miss, Howard found himself alienated, BY KEVIN FOOTE | Staff writer missing home and looking for a better For the first time since leaving his opportunity. He believes he’s found that with the Rahometown to begin his college career as a five-star quarterback prospect, Walker gin’ Cajuns. Howard is having fun playing football “It’s good to be home,” said Howard, again. ä See HOWARD, page 4A In his final two seasons at St. Thomas
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Classified .....................4B Deaths .........................4B Nation-World ................2A Comics-Puzzles .....7C-9C Living............................5C Opinion ........................2B Commentary ................3B Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C
University of Louisiana at Lafayette transfer quarterback Walker Howard throws a pass during a spring football practice. STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP
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