GAME DAY: VAN BUREN LEADS LSU IN HOME FINALE THE
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S at u r d ay, N ov e m b e r 22, 2025
First Solar opens $1.1B plant in Iberia Parish
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La. leads nation in flu cases Levels on the rise heading into heightened season
BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer
A panel is rolled through the First Solar photovoltaic and solar technology manufacturing plant in Iberia Parish.
Facility expected to provide 800 jobs BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL and ADAM DAIGLE Staff writers
When Georges Antoun came to Louisiana from Lebanon in the early 1980s, he needed money. The country was entering an oil crisis, and cities along the Gulf Coast — especially places like Lafayette that depended on oil and gas jobs — felt the hit first. As families moved to larger cities like Houston in search of work, Antoun began offering a service: For a fee, he’d drive their moving trucks back to Louisiana. It’s no secret that Louisiana has long lost talent to its western neighbor and has sought ways to entice them back.
work at the facility. The 2.4 million-square-foot mega complex is one of the largest investments in the Acadiana region and is expected to provide more than 800 jobs by the end of 2025. When the site selection process began for First Solar to find its next manufacturing facility, leaders in Iberia Parish and Acadiana got to work. There were at least 10 sites in the running to land the billion-dollar project that Georges Antoun, COO of First Solar, left, would bring hundreds of jobs. Two of speaks with Mark Widmar, CEO of First them were out of the country. When the Solar, right, during Friday’s event at the Iberia Parish site made the cut for the fifacility. nal three, things got interesting. “That’s when we really had to put on our The opening of First Solar’s $1.1 billion championship jackets and really work solar panel manufacturing facility near hard,” said Mike Tarantino, president New Iberia has allowed Antoun, now the and CEO of the Iberia Industrial Developcompany’s chief commercial officer, to ment Foundation. “We’re so happy First have conversations with families who ä See PLANT, page 5A have chosen to return to Louisiana to
$50M will fund construction of new school
Political adversaries have friendly talks
BY KRISTIN ASKELSON
Staff writer
BY MICHELLE L. PRICE
Associated Press
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ä See FLU, page 5A
Lafayette schools celebrate bond sale
Trump meets with Mamdani in Oval Office WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday met the man who had proudly proclaimed himself “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare,” but he seemed to find the opposite. The Republican president and New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani were warm and friendly, speaking repeatedly of their shared goals to help Trump’s hometown rather than their combustible differences. Trump, who had in the past called Mamdani a “100% Communist Luna-
PHOTOS By LEE BALL
Louisiana is heading into flu season and the Thanksgiving holiday with the highest flu activity level in the country. And while the number of severe cases of the illness at hospitals remains low, doctors are seeing signs that the respiratory virus season will get into full swing soon. New federal data released Friday shows the percentage of medical visits for flu symptoms in Louisiana climbed to 3.9% in the week ending Nov. 15, almost double the national rate and the highest level recorded in any state. Each week, the CDC ranks states on a 14-point scale based on the number of people who visit the doctor for a fever, plus a cough or sore throat. Louisiana is at level 7. Almost every other state is under level 3, except for Colorado, which is at level 4. Almost 100 people were admitted to the hospital for the flu last week in Louisiana, compared to 39 at the beginning of November. Dr. Michael Bolton, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, said Louisiana often sees flu activity rise before much of the country. It’s not always clear why — or if a worse flu season will follow as a result. But he said the timing should serve as a reminder to get vaccinated, especially after last year’s difficult pediatric season. Nearly 300 children died nationally, close to half of them without underlying health conditions. Most of those children had not received a flu shot. “The flu vaccine is a vitally important piece of your health care plan,” Bolton said. “I can’t underscore that enough.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI
President Donald Trump shakes hands with New york City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday. tic” and a “total nut job,” spoke openly of how impressed he was with the man who had called his administration “authoritarian.” “I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually,” Trump said of the democratic socialist as Mamdani stood next to him in
the Oval Office. The meeting offered political opportunities for both men. For Mamdani, a sit-down offered the state lawmaker — who until recently was relatively unknown — the chance
ä See MEETS, page 5A
The Lafayette Parish school system, alongside members of the Lafayette Parish School Board, on Friday celebrated the successful closing of a nearly $50 million bond sale in New Orleans. Proceeds from the sale will fund the construction of a kindergarten through eighth grade school that will merge students from J.W. Faulk Elementary, Dr. Raphael Baranco Elementary and Paul Breaux Middle schools after its completion.
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Baranco was built in 1926; Faulk and Paul Breaux were built in 1958. The board voted Sept. 18 to seek up to $50 million in bond funding from the State Bond Commission. “We’re working hard to create more opportunities for students by improving our schools,” said Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. “Culture starts with having a safe, welcoming place to learn. Thanks to board member Amy Trahan’s efforts to keep this project moving, and with support from our School Board, we were able to use bond funding to build this new school. It’s a meaningful investment in students on Lafayette’s north side.”
ä See BOND, page 5A
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