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SAVE $ 12 1
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LB
When You Buy 10
When You Buy 2
— ONLY —
When you purchase a Hormel Cure 81 Ham.
HALF
Buy a Hormel Cure 81 Spiral Half ham at $2.99 lb and get up to 12 lbs FREE on a Butterball Grade A Frozen Turkey. Limit 1 offer with a $25 purchase.
Boneless Pork Loin
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THE
1
$ 57 LB
— ONLY —
3
2/$
3 LB BAG U.S. #1
Yellow Onions
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14.5 - 15 OZ CAN SELECTED
8
10/$
Libby’s Green Beans, Corn or Sweet Peas
Prices good at all Lafayette, New Iberia and Youngsville stores November 12th - November 19th, 2025.
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M o n d ay, n ov e M b e r 17, 2025
‘We love to serve’
$2.00X
Notice of seizure filed for former Travelodge Developer says matter a ‘miscommunication’
BY ADAM DAIGLE
Acadiana business editor
STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP
Volunteer JD Poole, left, serves meals during the annual community Thanksgiving dinner in the First United Methodist Church parking lot in Lafayette on Sunday. Volunteers served the guests turkey, ham, rice dressing, cornbread dressing and other items, along with desserts.
First United Methodist in Lafayette celebrates Thanksgiving with downtown community BY JOANNA BROWN
Staff writer
With perfect fall weather as the backdrop, around 200 people gathered Sunday for plates of turkey, ham and all the fixings at First United Methodist Church in downtown Lafayette. The free community Thanksgiving meal is a 25-year tradition for the church, said pastor Nancy Wofford. The execution is simple, with other ministries from the neighborhood and region joining to serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal set up alfresco in the church’s parking lot. “We love to serve. Our church motto is to serve,” said First United Methodist member Margaret Landry, who chaired the planning committee for this year’s dinner. She was joined by
The owner of the old Travelodge motel in Lafayette hopes to continue efforts to renovate it despite a notice of seizure that was recently filed on the property due to fines reaching into the thousands. Describing it as a “minor miscommunication issue between me and the city,” Ravi Daggula with the ownership group of the building said he will meet with Lafayette Consolidated Government officials this week to update them on the status of the building at 1101 W. Pinhook Road. LCG filed a notice of seizure on the property after assessing violations on the property earlier in the year. A lien was placed on the property in March, and court records indicated then fines totaled $26,215 along with a daily fine of $75 for every day repairs were not made. Fines now are estimated to be in Daggula excess of $50,000. Daggula, who said he was unaware of LCG’s actions until being contacted by The Acadiana Advocate, said construction has been slowed due to the regulations for historic preservation and the recent shutdown of the federal government. “It’s probably miscommunication from my end,” said Daggula, who said he received one letter from LCG. “I was told as long as you show progress and finish the project, you could apply for forgiveness and this could be forgiven. But it was a miscommunication.”
ä See NOTICE, page 4A
Volunteer Ella Lormand, 5, center, serves a meal to Honey Guidry while Brian Goudeau enjoys his food during the annual community Thanksgiving dinner on ä See SERVE, page 4A Sunday.
STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
LCG filed a notice of seizure on the former Travelodge motel on Pinhook Road. The developer, Ravi Daggula, says the matter is a ‘miscommunication.’
Jim Bernhard, executive who changed La.’s business landscape, dies at 71 Businessman known for philanthropy across state
of the most successful with a global footprint and companies to come out of a spot on the Fortune 500 Louisiana, died Sunday aflist. ter a brief illness, his famAfter selling the comily confirmed. He was 71. pany in 2013, he founded During a career that Bernhard Capital Partspanned more than four BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL ners, a private equity firm decades, Bernhard was that is now one of the largand TYLER BRIDGES perhaps best known for Bernhard Staff writers est in the Gulf South with founding and growing The more than $5.5 billion in Jim Bernhard, a Baton Rouge- Shaw Group from a pipe fabrica- assets under management and 21 based business executive and civic tion company into a publicly trad- companies across the country in leader who created and grew some ed, industrial services powerhouse the energy services, industrial and
WEATHER HIGH 81 LOW 60 PAGE 10C
utilities sector. Along the way, Bernhard played a prominent role in state Democratic Party politics, engaged in south Louisiana civic and charitable causes, and was involved in the lives of his five children and grandchildren. “We are heartbroken by the unexpected passing of Jim Bernhard,” said Jeff Jenkins, who cofounded Bernhard Capital Partners and worked with Bernhard
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for 27 years. “Jim changed the business landscape of Louisiana like no one else. He created jobs, built companies and opened doors for families across our state in ways that will be felt for generations.” Jenkins added: “He was also one of the most generous people I have ever known, always helping others, without any desire for
ä See BERNHARD, page 5A
101ST yEAR, NO. 140