SAVE $ 55 1
SAVE 73¢ LB
When You Buy 3
4 DAY SALE th nd FEBRUARy 19 - 22 THUR FRI
SAT SUN
19
21
20
22
SAVE $ 00 7 — ONLY —
— ONLY —
USDA GRADE A SANDERSON FARMS
visit rouses.com for more weekly ad specials!
Whole Chicken
LIMIT 2
96¢
LB
LARGE
Green Bell Peppers LIMIT 9
1
3/$
SAVE up ¢ to 70 — ONLY —
16 OZ PACK FROZEN
1299
$
Louisiana Crawfish Tails
— ONLY —
5 OZ CAN
Starkist Tuna OR 7.25 OZ BOX ORIGINAL
Kraft Mac & Cheese
79 ¢
Prices good at all Lafayette, New Iberia and Youngsville stores February 19th - February 22nd, 2026.
OLYMPICS U.S. women’s hockey tops Canada in overtime for gold medal
Alysa Liu first U.S. woman to win gold in figure skating since 2002
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F r i d ay, F e b r u a ry 20, 2026
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Guillory indicted over spoil bank project
Former mayor faces four counts of malfeasance BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
A St. Martin Parish grand jury on Thursday indicted former Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory on four counts of malfeasance in office related to the 2022 removal of a spoil bank on the Ver-
milion River without permission from St. Martin Parish. The indictment comes a week after a report by 15th Judicial District Attorney Don Landry’s office declared neither Guillory nor anyone in his administration would be prosecuted in Lafayette Parish for alleged wrongdoing in relation to
the project. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office in August 2025 concluded an investigation saying Guillory and his administration likely violated state and federal laws, Lafayette’s home-rule charter and bid laws. Guillory did not have permission
from the St. Martin Parish government to conduct work in their parish. He authorized the purchase by Lafayette of land along the river in Guillory St. Martin Parish and during the night of Feb. 21-22, 2022, had contractor Rigid Construction remove
CORNER MAKEOVER
six feet of soil and debris off the top of the spoil bank. The spoil bank acted as a levee, preventing the river from overflowing into St. Martin Parish. Guillory and his team said they believed removing the soil and debris would send floodwater from the Vermilion River into an unpopulated area of St. Martin Parish
ä See GUILLORY, page 5A
Three in running for UL president Search committee whittles down list of 12 candidates BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Workers begin construction of new crosswalks, which are part of the $5 million 12th and Surrey streets intersection and streetscape project, on Thursday.
Revamping 12th and Surrey streets a $5 million neighborhood revitalization BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer
Work is progressing on a $5 million intersection and streetscape project at 12th and Surrey streets. It’s part of the Evangeline Corridor plan that focuses on redevelopment in neighborhoods along the proposed Interstate 49 Lafayette Connector. Construction began in late 2025, with saw-cutting and pavement removal progressing block by block from Plum Street
to Crocket Street. This week, new crosswalks are taking shape, and beds are being prepared for new sidewalks. The improvements at Surrey and 12th streets are aimed at creating a safer, more functional and welcoming environment for residents, businesses and transit riders, according to a prepared statement from Lafayette Consolidated Government. The 12th Street project is the first major streetscape initiative tied to the broader revitalization of the Evangeline Corridor.
It reflects years of meetings with residents and business owners, as well as research and urban planning. The Evangeline Corridor Initiative, released in 2018, includes strategies for coordinating public and private investments along the Connector and identified 44 catalyst projects — including the 12th Street and Willow Street streetscape projects — some of which have already been undertaken using public funds. The project is expected to take about 18 months.
The search for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s next president has been whittled down to three candidates. The 21-member Presidential Search Committee selected the candidates from a list of 12 candidates during its meeting Thursday in Baton Rouge. The selected semifinalists will be interviewed next week on UL’s campus. Search Committee Chair Rick Gallot, who is the president of the University of Louisiana system, which oversees UL, said the committee received “a wide and diverse range of applications.” “This group (of candidates) comprises individuals with proven leadership experience, innovative strategies for advancing higher education and a deep investment in advancing student outcomes,” Gallot said. “The strong interest in this position underscores its significance and the caliber of leadership it demands. The varied expertise of these candidates demonstrates the high standards and expectations set for this
ä See PRESIDENT, page 5A
Judge dismisses legal challenge to state’s private pre-K rules BY PATRICK WALL
Staff writer
A federal judge has dismissed two Christian schools’ challenge of Louisiana’s new rules for private preschools, saying the rules pro-
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tect children and do not discriminate against religious institutions. U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty on Wednesday granted the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed in October and which sought to block a state
law that requires private prekindergarten programs to get state licenses. Under Act 409, passed unanimously by the state Legislature last year, the schools must meet dozens of child care regulations
and pass mandatory inspections to be licensed. The lawsuit alleged that Act 409 unconstitutionally singled out religious schools, and that the expansive regulations would force schools to raise tuition or shut down their pre-K programs
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due to compliance costs. But Doughty rejected that argument, noting that the law requires pre-K programs at all private schools, secular and religious, to
ä See JUDGE, page 5A
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