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La. shipyards to build 30 drone ships

Navy's $1.2B purchase includes three models BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

The U.S. Navy’s newest generation of drone ships will be built at several Louisiana shipyards after the Pentagon announced plans to buy 30 crewless boats at a total cost of $1.2 billion from a trio of defense contractors. In late September, the Navy

placed orders with Austin-based Saronic Technologies, Virginiabased Huntington Ingalls Industries and Houma-based Edison Chouest. Each will build 10 autonomous boats in Louisiana at an average cost of $40 million each, with the ﬁrst deliveries due by October 2027. The purchase is the latest bright spot for Louisiana’s shipbuilding

ic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said. Each of the three contractors will be building different models. Navy officials laid out their requirements, let companies propose their own designs and tested them at sea. Those that passed have been added to a Defense Department “drone marketplace” — a pool of approved vendors military buyers can order from. Saronic’s design — the 180foot Marauder — will be built

industry, where the number of jobs has fallen by 70% since its peak in the late 1990s. But with the Trump administration ramping up maritime military investment, the sector is poised for growth. “If you look at what was already here, plus the relationships we have and the skills we have, it makes sense that it’s coming together so big,” Louisiana Econom-

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in Franklin, where the venture capital-backed startup last year purchased the former Gulf Craft shipyard and embarked on a $300 million expansion. Huntington Ingalls Industries will divide construction of its 151-foot Romulus ships between Breaux Brothers Enterprises in the New Iberia area and Halimar Shipyard in Morgan City. And Edison Chouest, which has

ä See SHIPS, page 7A

Parents sue over BR mall shooting death

Lawsuit targets owner, security company, alleged shooter BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY GERALD HERBERT

Mike Howard boards up Perdido Key Sports Bar as Hurricane Isaias approaches Perdido Key, Fla., on Thursday. tied down furniture and Residents greet Others nailed plywood across windows. “There’s a buzz around town,” forecast with mix of said Grant Brown, a public inanxiety, preparation formation ofﬁcer in Gulf Shores,

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ

Staff writer

Grocery shelves are emptying. Weekend plans are long abandoned. And thousands across the usually blissful shores of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle are bracing as Hurricane Isaias surges closer. Gulf Coast residents greeted the forecast with a mix of anxiety and preparation as the Atlantic’s ﬁrst hurricane of the year tracked toward the Florida-Alabama border. Some ﬁlled gas tanks and gathered sandbags.

Alabama. “People are taking it very seriously.” National Hurricane Center forecasters expect Isaias, which strengthened to a Category 2 storm with 100 mph wind speeds Thursday evening, to strike near Gulf Shores overnight Friday. The brunt of its force is expected to hammer cities east of its eyewall, and a swath of the coastline from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Panama City, Florida, could see tornadoes, strong winds, 7-foot storm surge and up to 7 inches of rainfall.

ä See BRACES, page 7A

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The parents of Martha Odom, a Lafayette teen who was an innocent bystander killed in an April 23 shootout in a Baton Rouge mall, are suing the mall’s owner, operator, security company and alleged shooter. Four other teens who were with Odom, two of whom were shot, Martha Odom also are suing. Odom, 17, was a senior at Ascension Episcopal School in Youngsville. On senior skip day, she and some friends went to the Mall of Louisiana and were in the food court when gunﬁre erupted around them. Odom died from a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Ofﬁce. Student Rorie Williamson was shot in the right arm, and Afif Lakhan was shot in the left hand. Luke Harris and Shelby Godwin were present but not injured.

ä See MALL, page 7A

Trump says U.S. will not resume strikes on Iran before midterms BY JOSH BOAK and AAMER MADHANI

strikes on Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections in the United States. Associated Press Trump, while stumping for ReWASHINGTON — President Donald publicans this week, has hinted Trump said Thursday that he will that he was conﬁdent that an endnot order a resumption of military game to the war could come in the

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days before or after the election, while also hinting that he remained open to resuming full-scale military operations against Iran. For weeks, Trump has been threatening that a post-midterm election escalation in the seven-

month-old war remains a viable option, despite his initial promises to Americans of a military campaign that would last a matter of weeks. But Trump in a social media post on Thursday said the U.S. “will not

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be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd.” Trump added that his team has

ä See TRUMP, page 7A

102ND YEAR, NO.101

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Pentagon to stream firing squad execution

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Armed man fatally shot at Tenn. courthouse

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A man armed with a pistol and knife was fatally shot by a security officer Thursday just inside the busy entrance of a federal courthouse in Tennessee’s largest city, authorities said. The man in his 40s tried to fire his gun but failed and then pulled out a knife at around 9:30 a.m., said Don Aaron, spokesperson for Metro Nashville Police. “The security individual fired on the armed individual,” Aaron said, adding that the man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The man was from out of state. Investigators didn’t immediately know why he was at the courthouse, and a search of his car found “nothing threatening,” Aaron said. Courthouse visitors must go through a security checkpoint, which is common at all federal courts. The entrances are typically staffed by armed former police officers contracted by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Court: Ex-Philippine president fit for trial THE HAGUE, Netherland — Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the so-called war on drugs he waged while in office, the court announced Thursday. Duterte, 81, denies the charges. His trial is scheduled to open on Nov. 30. The ex-leader is accused of murder and attempted murder for his alleged involvement in dozens of killings as part of the war on drugs. He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted. The court’s Sept. 28 ruling that he is fit to face justice came after an independent panel of experts said that Duterte “has the capacity to understand the charges” and follow the proceedings including the implications of entering a plea — which he will be asked to do when the trial opens, the court said in a statement.

U.K. arrests 2 Latvians at RAF base housing LONDON — U.K. authorities arrested two Latvian men after they were discovered early Thursday inside the perimeter of an RAF base that houses U.S. and NATO intelligence operations, counterterrorism police said. The base, RAF Molesworth, which is 70 miles north of London, is operated by the U.S. Air Force and is home to the NATO Intelligence Fusion Center, which provides information to the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, as well as intelligence personnel from the U.S. Africa Command. Officers from the Ministry of Defense Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary began investigating the incident at about 10 p.m. Wednesday after an abandoned vehicle was found near the edge of the base, Counter Terrorism Policing London said in a statement. Police later found a small hole in the perimeter fence, and the suspects, both U.K. residents, were arrested at about 2 a.m. Thursday. The men, ages 32 and 36, were initially arrested on suspicion of trespass on a prohibited site and criminal damage. They were later arrested on charges of entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the U.K.

Four astronauts return to Earth after 8 months CAPE CANAVERAL,Fla.— Four astronauts returned to Earth from the International Space Station on Thursday after hurrying there eight months ago to replace an ailing colleague and his crew. SpaceX brought the U.S., French and Russian ﬂyers back with a splashdown in the Paciﬁc off the coast of Los Angeles. NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrey Fedyaev departed the orbiting lab on Wednesday, eager to reunite with their families after a lengthy separation. Their replacements arrived three weeks late because of capsule repairs, stalling this crew’s homecoming.

Man killed 13 at military base

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY GREGORY BULL

Sailors wave aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier Thursday as it returns after deployment to Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, Calif.

Long-deployed USS Lincoln returns home to California

BY JULIE WATSON and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

CORONADO, Calif. — Sailors disembarked the USS Lincoln on Thursday following a deployment that included a record 265 uninterrupted days at sea supporting the Iran war and reports of supply shortages and deteriorating mental health among the crew. Families waiting for the aircraft carrier’s arrival in San Diego Bay described crying and losing sleep after hearing about the ship’s food shortages and tough conditions. Many said the sailors had sent lists of the food they were craving. Abel Ramirez, 20, walked off the carrier with a big grin, overjoyed that his ﬁrst deployment was over. “It feels amazing,” he said while headed out to search for his parents who drove from Texas. “There was a certain point when I never thought I would come off.” The carrier drew national attention following reports of stress among the crew and poor mental health, as well as supply shortages, including food and hygiene products, during its Iran war mission. Dozens of sailors stood atop the Lincoln as it glided past the cityscape of downtown San Diego

toward cheering families who were carrying flowers and balloons and ringing cowbells. Cassity Garduque, 14, waved as her mom in her sailor uniform frantically waved back from the top deck. “It feels really overwhelming,” she said about being reunited, adding she’s glad her mom won’t need to eat ramen almost every day. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew out to the Lincoln on Wednesday to give the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a unit can receive. Hegseth pushed back against what he said were efforts to turn the “Lincoln into some sort of a symbol, a symbol of dysfunction or a symbol of low morale or a symbol of a failed mission.” Capt. Daniel Keeler, the ship’s commander, said most of the crew was on their ﬁrst deployment and that the issues they faced were normal for such a long deployment, adding everyone had access to four meals a day. Among the first to depart the carrier at the naval base in Coronado were 64 fathers meeting their babies for the ﬁrst time, the Navy said. Waiting for the Lincoln to bring her husband home, sailor Kathy Monterrosa held her 6-month-old daughter, Sarahi, outfitted in a

tiny blue and white sailor dress. “She’s our deployment baby,” said Monterrosa, of Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was tough to hear about the ship’s conditions while she was pregnant, she said. “I was crying a lot and worried. I wasn’t sure if he was OK or not,” she said. When she ﬁnally heard from her husband, he told her it was “pretty bad.” Sailor Steven Rivas beamed as he held his 7-month-old daughter. “I couldn’t grasp the reality of it,” he said about coming home. He said he became overwhelmed as they pulled into the bay, “seeing everyone and knowing my family was waiting for me.” Alma Solano Velez said her husband gave his family an extensive list of the foods he has been craving over the past 10 months: oxtail, barbecue chicken, broccoli and shrimp empanadas to name a few. He had told his wife about “the lack of food and showers” on board and was looking forward to seeing their daughter, who turned 4 while he was away, she said. The Navy initially downplayed any problems during the deployment, and President Donald Trump commented in August that the Lincoln’s lengthy deployment was “not nearly long enough.”

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon says the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will be livestreamed after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution would be “public.” Hegseth, speaking to the conservative TV outlet Real America’s Voice News on Wednesday, said the execution of Hasan will take place at Fort Hood on Dec. 3. Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 others in a shooting at the military base in 2009. “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public,” Hegseth said. Hegseth spoke to the outlet aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier while visiting the long-deployed crew, who supported the Iran war, before their arrival at their home port in San Diego. When asked if Hasan had made any final requests or reached out to the Trump administration, Hegseth simply replied: “Don’t care. We’ll see him on Dec. 3.” Officials in the Pentagon clarified Thursday that the execution will be livestreamed and that more details would follow. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell had said Monday that President Donald Trump had approved the execution of Hasan. Trump has previously been critical of public executions in Iran, at times using the possibility of protesters being killed by the Iranian government as a possible rationale for military action. Those warnings preceded his ultimate choice to attack Iran at the end of February over its ballistic missiles and the risk of it developing nuclear weapons. “We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping,” Trump told reporters on Jan. 14 of this year.

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New U.S. indictment charges Maduro with torture of Americans

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NEW YORK — U.S. prosecutors unveiled sweeping new criminal charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday, accusing him and his wife of heading a state-sponsored system of repression responsible for the beating, asphyxiation and electric shock treatment of scores of victims, including several Americans. The torture charges add to pressure on the ousted authoritarian leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were seized from their Caracas home by the U.S. military in January to face drug trafficking charges in New York. The updated indictment “alleges conduct that is truly unthinkable,” U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said outside the Manhattan courthouse where the case is being handled. “This is the epitome of corruption.” Maduro, the indictment claims, signed off on torture methods, sought and received updates on specific victims’ treatment, watched a video of a forced confession and personally threatened the killing of one prisoner’s child “as a form of psychological torture.” Flores, a former attorney general, helped develop the repressive system and ordered the torture of some specific people, the indictment contends. A message seeking comment was sent to Maduro’s lawyer. Flores’ attorney said he hadn’t yet had time to review the new allegations. The couple pleaded not guilty in the U.S. drug case first brought years ago against them and numerous alleged coconspirators for allegedly conspiring to flood the U.S. with cocaine. Their attorneys have asked for the case to be

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, wave after his swearing-in ceremony for a third term in 2025 at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela.

dismissed on the grounds that they have immunity as the leader and ﬁrst lady of a foreign country. Maduro, who served as Venezuela’s president from 2013 until his capture in January, has been under investigation for years by the International Criminal Court over allegations of crimes against humanity, tied to his crackdown on opponents. He has always denied any wrongdoing. Flores’ lawyers unsuccessfully asked a judge Thursday to release her on house arrest due to medical concerns. The revised indictment covers allegations of torture stretching back to Maduro’s ascent to power in 2013, when he took over as president from his mentor Hugo Chávez, who died of cancer that year. At the time, Maduro, a former bus driver lacking his predecessor’s military pedigree, was struggling to make inroads with the armed forces — historically the arbiter of political disputes in Venezuela — as the oil-dependent economy began spiraling out of control and government opponents took to the streets.

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Canadian author Anne Carson wins literature Nobel BY JILL LAWLESS, HILLEL ITALIE and KOSTYA MANENKOV Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY TOM BRENNER

Vice President JD Vance speaks Thursday as Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling listens during a news conference on the Fraud Task Force inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus.

Microsoft suspended from green card program Administration alleges fraud

BY SEUNG MIN KIM, REBECCA SANTANA and BARBARA ORTUTAY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s administration announced Thursday it was suspending Microsoft and several other ﬁrms from a program allowing foreign workers to apply for green cards as it also lashed out at universities that bring international students to the U.S. on exchange programs. The announcement by Vice President JD Vance marks the latest swing from the Trump administration at employers and universities that welcome foreign students and workers into the country. Such programs have frequently been targeted by some Trump supporters who argue they undercut American students and

workers. Supporters say they allow the U.S. to attract the best talent from around the world and fill important hiring gaps. Supporters of the Republican president have long argued that various programs like H-1B visas — which Vance accused Microsoft of abusing — essentially empower American companies to recruit foreign workers for jobs that end up undercutting Americans. In the wide-ranging announcement, Vance and other top administration officials also called out universities over their use of J-1 visas for international students and information technology outsourcing firms. The announcement came hours before Trump awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Vance said the program from which Microsoft is being suspended requires companies to advertise jobs

in America before applying to the Department of Labor to show they need to give a foreign worker a green card because of a lack of American workers. “They’ll put an advertisement in a small-town newspaper. They’ll go out there and say that ‘We have advertised for a position with our company, and nobody is responding to it.’ And they will use that lack of response to then go and replace American workers with what is effectively foreign indentured servants,” Vance said. “There has been no company in the United States, unfortunately, that has used this system more than Microsoft.” Microsoft is No. 5 among U.S. employers when it comes to using H-1B visas, according data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Amazon is No. 1. Vance said Microsoft last year laid off 6,000 American workers but also obtained 6,300 H-1B visas and almost 3,000 green cards.

STOCKHOLM — Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for “bold and inventive” works that fuse the classical and the modern and blur the boundaries of poetry and prose. The Toronto-born Carson, 76, has drawn on themes from classical Greek and Roman literature, modern influences and personal experience for genreblending titles that have ranged from translations of ancient Greek poets to collaborations with dancers and musicians, including Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed. The Swedish Academy that awards the prize said she won “for her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature.” The permanent secretary of the academy said the au-

TT NEWS AGENCY FILE PHOTO BY PONTUS LUNDAHL

Canadian poet Anne Carson, winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, performs ‘Antigonick’ at the Moderna Museet art gallery in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2015. thor was in Iceland “listening to the wind” when the panel reached her to notify her of the honor. “She was very taken by surprise,” Ingrid Carlberg said. Asked how she felt about the award, Carson told the Icelandic public broadcaster RUV: “I think they’re all crazy.” She described the conversation with the academy as “rather halting.” “They have the usual questions, and I have no answers,” she said.

She said poetry is “probably more useful than prose right now because it’s faster, and everybody is in a hurry. So basically I think it’s good because it’s brief. Except Homer. Homer’s not brief.” Carson is among the more high-proﬁle recent winners of the literature Nobel, which often honors authors little known outside of the literary world and is sometimes criticized for valuing literary experimentation over the ability to connect with a broad readership.

Army finds systemic errors in crash BY JOSH FUNK

AP transportation writer The U.S. Army found systemic safety breakdowns behind last year’s midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., and recommended changes to prevent future tragedies. The Army report — completed in May and released publicly Thursday after months of pressure from the victims’ families — identified failures involving air traffic control, helicopter routes, training and safety

practices. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report hours before it was released. The deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil in over two decades happened when the helicopter collided with the descending airliner as it approached the runway, sending both plummeting into the icy Potomac River and killing 67. The Army report highlighted how the air traffic controller at Reagan could have prevented the crash, but it also acknowledged the military’s own failings and other contributing factors.

Tim Lilley, a former Army Black Hawk pilot whose son Sam Lilley was the airliner’s ﬁrst ofﬁcer, said the report leaves important questions unanswered. Parts were redacted, and responsibility for the Army’s failures was assigned broadly rather than to individuals. “The Army owes the families and the American public a full accounting of how these risks were allowed to persist, who was responsible for the decisions that allowed them to persist and what will be done to make sure this never happens again,” said Lilley.

Trump honors Microsoft’s CEO BY JOSH BOAK and ALI SWENSON Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump celebrated tech billionaires for their contributions to America on Thursday only hours after a company run by one of them, Microsoft, was accused by his vice president of abusing the visa system to bring in more foreign workers. It so happens ﬁve of the six leaders he honored are immigrants. Before the ceremony that recognized Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Vice President JD Vance announced the company was being suspended from a program that allows companies to apply for green cards. In presenting the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Microsoft’s CEO,

Trump made no statements about the company’s hiring of foreign workers. “For more than three decades, Satya Nadella has been a key figure in the transformation of Microsoft, revolutionizing the company and empowering businesses, students and consumers from all over the world with some of the most capable software ever built,” Trump said. When Vance was asked about the seeming contradiction, he said, “We’re going to continue to support Microsoft and have a great relationship with Microsoft.” Of the six tech leaders who received an award for scientific and technological achievement from the president, five came from abroad. The president gave the National Medal of Science to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey

Brin, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Lisa Su, CEO of the semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices. Each of them was born overseas — South Africa for Musk, Russia for Brin and Taiwan for Huang and Su. In addition to Nadella, Trump also gave the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, who has sponsored the government’s special investment accounts for children known as Trump Accounts. Dell was born in Texas, while Nadella immigrated from India. On social media, Nadella thanked Trump. “I’m humbled to stand alongside so many giants of American innovation and looking forward for what we can continue to do together to advance technology and drive American prosperity,” he posted.

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25 years later, Taliban firmly in control U.S.-led invasion to oust group from Afghanistan lasted decades

BY ELENA BECATOROS and ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN Associated Press

KABUL,Afghanistan — Dr. Nigar Nangrahari was on a night shift in a Kabul hospital when the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan began 25 years ago — an event that would shape her and her country’s future for decades to come. As she walked home the next morning, Nangrahari saw Kabul residents taking revenge on members of the Taliban, whose harsh, repressive rule had seen public stonings, limb amputations of alleged criminals and women obliterated from public life. “Along the way, I saw ordinary people killing anyone they caught who was a Taliban member. I witnessed with my own eyes the people of Kabul capturing and killing Taliban ﬁghters. Some had climbed trees to hide,” she said. Afraid of what was to come, Nangrahari and her family stayed home for about a month. Eventually, she was called back to the hospital and returned to work as an obstetrician-gynecologist. She no longer had to wear a burqa in the street.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY SIDDIQULLAH ALIZAI

A Taliban security officer checks a motorist’s documents Monday on a road leading to the former U.S. Embassy, which has remained closed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan. “They granted us freedom — but not the kind that Afghans could truly benefit from,” said Nangrahari, 58. Afghanistan is a deeply conservative Muslim society, and the U.S. culture that came with the American presence in the coun-

try often rankled some segments of society. “Afghans should neither be completely unrestricted nor subjected to the kind of severe constraints imposed by the Taliban,” she said. “There needs to be a moderate balance.”

Under U.S. President George W. Bush, the American-led coalition launched Operation Enduring Freedom with the stated goal of dismantling al-Qaida, the terrorist organization whose leader, Osama bin Laden, had orchestrated the Sept. 11 attacks in the

United States from his base in Afghanistan. The invasion was to mark the start of a 20-year war that cost tens of thousands of Afghan lives, along with thousands of coalition service members, U.S. contractors, aid workers and journalists. The legacy of that war, and of the successive U.S.-supported Afghan governments during that time, endures today. “Their stated goals were to bring good governance to Afghanistan and to combat narcotics and terrorism,” said Muin Gul Chamkanai, a former doctor who now heads a humanitarian organization, the Shkula Charitable Foundation, and also works as a political analyst. “The reality turned out to be the exact opposite.” At a massive cost, both ﬁnancial and in lives, the American presence brought certain freedoms, particularly for the media and in women’s education and employment opportunities. But pervasive corruption and often heavy-handed military tactics soon bred deep resentment. Sitting at home on Oct. 7, 2001, Chamkanai switched on his television. The sight of his country being invaded enraged him. “Had I been struck by their bombs, I would have considered martyrdom far preferable. I was not afraid,” he said. “I wanted to ﬁght against them in Afghanistan using both the pen and the gun.”

Judge: Warrants used to seize property unlawful Police investigate former Prince Edward’s ties to Epstein BY DANICA KIRKA and BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press

BY MATTHEW LEE and BARRY HATTON Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal — U.S. pressure on NATO allies to increase their defense spending “is not a hostile thing,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday, but reiterated that the Trump administration wants the military alliance to be a stronger deterrent against threats. Rubio told reporters during a visit to European NATO ally Portugal that “the stronger the members of NATO are, the stronger NATO is, the stronger the alliances and the stronger the deterrence is.” U.S. President Donald

United States to shoulder what he says is an unfair burden. Some members of the 32-country alliance have been reluctant to divert funds from other government policies, however. “People sometimes view this call to invest more in defense as a hostile thing,” Rubio said. “It is not a hostile thing.” Rubio, who was in Portugal on the last leg of a three-nation tour of NATO allies that also included Iceland and Greece, acknowledged that some smaller NATO members, such as Portugal, have difﬁculty ﬁnding the funds for major military projects. “Every country is of a different size and proportion. Some countries can contribute more than others,

war in Ukraine, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022, spilling beyond Ukrainian borders. An apparent stalemate in Ukraine could bring a military escalation in Europe, he said. “That escalation could wind up being a sabotage campaign in neighboring countries that are members of NATO,” he said. That could “quickly turn what is a war between two countries into a much broader and far more dangerous regional conﬂict.” European officials have accused Moscow of a campaign of sabotage and disruption aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations.

Russian official seeks to turn page on suspected pneumonic plague case By The Associated Press A Russian official on Thursday sought to turn the page on the suspicious death of a worker at a plague research lab in Siberia, saying a quarantine and other preventive measures had been completed with no dangerous pathogens detected. The statement by Irkutsk Gov. Igor Kobzev came a day after the World Health Organization requested more information from Russia about the death of

the worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia that sparked global concerns about a possible case of pneumonic plague. Media reports in Russia blamed the Oct. 2 death of the woman, whom news outlets identiﬁed as Darya Shipilova, 28, on pneumonic plague, which can spread from person to person. Russian authorities have kept a tight lid on information about the case, saying only that the woman contracted pneumonia of “unknown”

origin and that her tests were negative for the pathogens she worked with. Kobzev’s statement didn’t provide details about what exactly caused the woman’s pneumonia and what kind of pathogens she worked with. He also did not explicitly say that her death was not caused by pneumonic plague. The woman had “community-acquired” pneumonia — a type of pneumonia contracted outside of a hospital setting, Kobzev said.

cause there’s a provision by which police can retain unlawfully seized property for evidence. Stephens said that under English law, there will be further hearings to determine exactly what, if any, evidence would be thrown out. “The judge will make that decision based on whether or not it’s likely to be probative,” Stephens said. “But, of course, it’s very different in other countries. For example, in America, if you have the fruits of an unlawful warrant, then all that evidence is out. But that’s not the case in the U.K., so we’ve got a few more rounds to go here.”

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has long railed but every country in NATO Countries pushed Trump against NATO allies for needs to be as strong as they spending too small a frac- can possibly be,” Rubio told to increase tion of their national bud- a news conference in Lisbon. defense spending gets on defense, leaving the He noted the danger of the

searched two of his homes. His lawyers had asked the High Court judge to invalidate the warrants that allowed those searches. Attorney Mark Stephens, who wasn’t involved in the case, said the development “opens a door to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s lawyers to start to chisel away at some of the fruits of that unlawful warrant.” The judge, however, said “the fact that the search warrants were quashed does not bring an investigation to an end, or mean that the whole of the investigation was unlawful.” Hilliard said he still needs to rule on whether to return MountbattenWindsor’s property be-

Rubio says U.S. pressure on NATO allies ‘not hostile’

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH

Britain’s Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was arrested Feb. 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office and police searched two of his homes.

SCH

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio talks to the staff before boarding a plane Thursday at Lisbon Airport in Lisbon.

LONDON — Police investigating former Prince Andrew’s links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein unlawfully searched his homes, a London judge said Thursday. Justice Nicholas Hilliard said signiﬁcant errors were made by Thames Valley Police in applying for search warrants and by a judge in granting them in the investigation into the disgraced former prince now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Mountbatten-Windsor was not in court, but he was already aware of the partial legal victory because police had previously conceded in July that the warrants were improper. Police, however, had tried to keep the matter out of the public eye while the investigation continued, leading to a delay in its revelation. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested Feb. 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public ofﬁce and police

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The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Friday, October 9, 2026 l 5A

Strike on Ukraine public buses kills 30 Blackouts worsen in Kyiv

BY HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian-guided bomb exploded next to public buses ﬁlled with passengers in eastern Ukraine, authorities said Thursday, killing 30 people as part of a wave of attacks that also worsened power outages in the capital. The morning attack occurred next to a bus stop in the war-torn city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, prompting public transport to be suspended in the area. “There is no doubt that Russia is cynically targeting civilians,” Oleksandr Honcharenko, head of the city’s military administration, said, adding that the rescue effort had been hampered by subsequent Russian attacks using small drones. Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than four years since Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Russia has escalated

lier that killed 22, including five children, in the northern Ukrainian town of Pryluky. Rescuers were searching the rubble of a residential building. At least 54 people were wounded. Several survivors slept in heavily damaged apartments because they couldn’t find anywhere else to stay. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Pryluky on Thursday with visiting British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who announced new sanctions on Russia. Zelenskyy warned that Russia will likely escalate daily missile and drone attacks as winter approaches. He appealed for additional defense support from NATO countries. “It is important that support in ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY EVGENIY MALOLETKA words takes concrete form in new packages for Ukraine’s defense,” Locals and rescuers carry out an injured woman Wednesday from a he wrote in an online post. residential building destroyed in a Russian missile strike on Pryluky, “Supplies of anti-ballistic capaUkraine. bilities, ammunition for our combat aircraft and investments in inits aerial attack in recent weeks, systems, key industries, railways, terceptors — all of this is directly putting pressure on Ukraine as post offices, shopping centers, tele- helping save lives every day.” it prepares for winter and hitting com networks, gas stations and In audio clips responding to jourthe infrastructure keeping its grain exports. nalist’s questions Thursday evewar-battered economy afloat. ReThursday’s attack followed a ning, Zelenskyy said a Ukrainian cent targets have included energy Russian missile strike a day ear- delegation would meet in the U.S.

with President Donald Trump’s representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for two days beginning Friday to discuss strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses, among other issues. Ukraine’s energy company DTEK said national grid operator Ukrenergo had ordered emergency power outages in Kyiv. Regular, rolling outages that occur on a schedule across the country will be halted during these shutdowns. Ofﬁcials are urging families to prepare emergency kits, store drinking water and maintain backup power sources, as Moscow keeps up the intensity of its attacks. Kyiv police said bomb disposal specialists defused two unexploded ballistic missile warheads, each weighing about half a ton, after they landed near residential buildings. Late Wednesday, Russian drones struck Kyiv’s Obolonskyi and Desnianskyi districts, killing four people and injuring 12, including four children, police said. Russian technology giant Yandex said one of its data centers in the western Ryazan region was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack, taking the site ofﬂine.

Explosions heard in Saudi capital and Riyadh airport By The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY THIBAULT CAMUS

Police officers spray students with pepper spray Wednesday near Sciences Po university as they protest against under-resourced schools in Paris.

Police fire tear gas at barricaded high school Student protests in Paris show no sign of ending

BY JADE LE DELEY and LORNE COOK

Associated Press

PARIS — Students barricaded a high school in northeastern Paris with garbage bins on Thursday before police moved in with tear gas, as France’s nationwide protests showed few signs of ending. The Hélène Boucher high school has been a ﬂashpoint for clashes in the French capital and was one of hundreds of schools disrupted by protests Thursday. Riot police gathered in side streets as students converged on the school. Many protesters wore surgical masks or hoodies, apparently to avoid being recognized. At least a dozen demonstrations supporting the high

school students’ movement were planned across France later in the day, including a rally at Place de la Bastille in Paris, where tear gas and a water cannon were ﬁred at protesters. Police have made more than 6,600 arrests since late September, when students, most of them under 18, began protesting to demand more education funding, according to the Interior Ministry. The Education Ministry said 375 schools were fully or partially closed Thursday. While the number of school closures was down compared to Tuesday, pressure is mounting on the government of outgoing President Emmanuel Macron. The protests against the underfunding of schools — many of them struggling with dilapidated facilities and insufﬁcient staff — have drawn troublemakers not concerned about the aims of the protest movement as

well as unions and political groups. In a TV address, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu lamented the “violence, students and staff being attacked, police officers and gendarmes injured, schools set on fire or vandalized, thousands of hours of classes lost, not to mention threats and insults.” He took aim at “political leaders who use this anger to conduct their electoral battles.” France goes to the polls for a presidential election in April. “We cannot play with the safety of France’s youth,” Lecornu said. At the Lycee, 18-year-old university student Emma Khelil came to offer support to those at the barricades at her former high school. She told The Associated Press that she’s really concerned about police violence. “We’re here to defend our rights, not to lose an eye or a hand,” Khelil said.

Thousands protest, call for India election chief to resign BY AIJAZ RAHI and SHEIKH SAALIQ Associated Press

BENGALURU, India — Thousands of supporters of India’s youth “Cockroach” movement and several student groups demonstrated in the southern city of Bengaluru on Thursday, stepping up a nationwide campaign that is demanding the election chief’s resignation over a revision of voter lists that has removed over 130 million people from the rolls. The demonstration in Bengaluru came a day after opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was brieﬂy detained

by police at a protest in New Delhi. Dramatic images of police dragging Gandhi into a vehicle spread widely on social media, adding momentum to the protests calling for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Gandhi’s Congress party and other opposition lawmakers also held protests in New Delhi Thursday. The nationwide voter list review, known as the Special Intensive Revision, has been carried out in most of India’s states and federally administered territories. More than 130 million names have been removed so far, a number larger than

the populations of countries like Japan and Mexico. Millions of people have appealed the deletions. The opposition says the removals have disproportionately affected voters who support them, while voters more likely to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party have been preserved or added to the lists. The Election Commission and the government reject the allegations, saying the revision is aimed at removing duplicate and ineligible entries. Those whose names have been struck off the list can appeal, but getting back on the rolls can be difﬁcult.

Several explosions were heard in the Saudi capital on Thursday, including one at the Riyadh airport that halted flights, a witness said. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed the blast came from one of their ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Britain says it demoted its consulate in east Jerusalem to a mission and that 20 diplomats will leave the country and Israel honored six passengers on the Sept. 30 FlyDubai ﬂight that the co-pilot tried to crash as heroes.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Thursday. Read our full coverage here. Explosions are heard in the Saudi capital A witness says several explosions were heard in Riyadh on Thursday, including a large blast at the city’s international airport. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen claimed the new attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, saying a ballistic missile caused damage. They provided no evidence, and the Saudis had no immediate comment

about the claim. Fire and ambulance crews were deployed and smoke was visible, the witness said. The witness said that outgoing flights were halted, and that passengers were instructed to evacuate the airport. It was not immediately clear how many ﬂights were disrupted, but the witness said the terminal was crowded with passengers and that people were instructed to leave all checked-in luggage behind. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

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6A l Friday, October 9, 2026 l theadvocate.com l The Acadiana Advocate

BUSINESS lll

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Rising oil, falling stocks unsettle Wall Street

NEW YORK — Some sharp reversals kept financial markets unsteady on Thursday, as oil prices rose and U.S. stock indexes finished mixed. Stocks felt pressure from a 4.1% rise in the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, to $104.28. It’s been pinballing between $96 and nearly $110 over the last month on uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global energy industry to return to normal. Brent got to nearly $106 in the morning before President Donald Trump sent its price veering after saying “productive discussions” are happening with Iran and that the U.S. military would not attack it before the upcoming U.S. elections in November. That briefly sent Brent toward $103 before it eventually turned back upward. Even sharper swings shook the bond market, where yields have been jumping worldwide to their highest levels in years or even decades, which threaten to slow the economy. The 10-year Treasury yield initially rose with oil prices, going from 5.28% late Wednesday to 5.35% early Thursday morning. But it then fell all the way back to 5.23%. It dropped after the U.S. government said that it sold $22 billion in 30-year Treasury bonds at an auction with a high yield of less than 5.62%. That helped bring the 30-year Treasury yield down to 5.60% from 5.73% in the morning, which is a notable move for the bond market.

Mortgage rate rises 7th week in a row

Mortgage rates marched higher for the seventh week in a row, driving the average longterm U.S. home loan rate to its highest level in nearly three years. The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to 7.40% from 7.28% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.30%. The average rate is now the highest it’s been since Nov. 16, 2023, when it was at 7.44%. The housing market has been stuck in a rut this year in large part because of rising mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power and prompting many to put off buying a home. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, often sought by borrowers reﬁnancing a home loan, also rose this week. That average rate increased to 6.73% from 6.60% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.53%. Mortgage rates have been climbing in the months since the start of the U.S. war with Iran in late February. The recent run-up in rates also reﬂects heightened bond market volatility as surging oil prices due to the war fuel inflation worries.

PepsiCo is raising prices after weak quarter

PepsiCo plans to raise prices on some snacks and drinks and slash corporate costs after a disappointing performance in North America during the third quarter. The price hikes, which will hit Doritos, Ruffles, SunChips and some sodas, will be in the single-digit percentage range, and prices will still be lower than they were at the start of this year. PepsiCo said Thursday that it must raise prices to recoup rising costs for fuel, aluminum and agricultural commodities. Many companies, including PepsiCo, have offset rising costs this year by using tariff refunds issued by the U.S. government after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs. PepsiCo used its $178 million refund to do just that during the most recent quarter, but said that money will not be available in coming quarters.

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Trump Accounts enrollment automatic

would still need to for- the U.S. Treasury Department will they won’t get the $1,000 bonus. Some babies eligible guardians mally activate the accounts if they make a one-time, $1,000 “seed” That money is reserved for babies contribution once an account is born during the calendar years of for $1,000 contribution haven’t already.

BY ADRIANA MORGA and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP business writers

NEW YORK — Whether you realize it or not, your child may be enrolled in a “Trump Account.” Rolled out earlier this year, the Trump Accounts program allows parents to claim special investment accounts for children who are 18 years old or younger. Some babies and newborns are eligible to receive a one-time $1,000 contribution from the government. Now, due to automatic enrollment highlighted by President Donald Trump Wednesday, the Treasury Department says every eligible child with a valid Social Security number has a Trump Account. But parents and legal

A Trump Account is a savings tool that invests money in the stock market on a child’s behalf. The child can’t access the money until they turn 18 and can use it only for speciﬁc purposes, such as paying tuition, starting a business or making a down payment on a home. All Americans under age 18 are now being automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts. But parents and legal guardians still need to formally claim the accounts in order to activate them — by using the program’s website at trumpaccounts.gov or its mobile phone app. Trump said Wednesday said that 70 million children will now be enrolled in the accounts, up from 8 million created since their launch in July. For some babies and newborns,

claimed. Other contributions will need to come out of pocket. Parents can contribute up to $2,500 annually in pretax income, much like they do for retirement accounts. But employers, relatives, friends, local governments and philanthropic groups can also pitch in. Yearly contributions are capped at $5,000, although contributions from governments and charities don’t count toward that total. To qualify for the $1,000 seed money, a baby must be a U.S. citizen, have a Social Security number and be born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Any parent can open an account for a qualifying child, regardless of the parent’s immigration status. As part of the initiative’s launch, parents of older children also are encouraged to open accounts, but

the current Trump administration. Once a beneficiary of a Trump Account turns 18 years old, they can choose to use the money invested in whatever way they choose. However, Trump Account beneficiaries can also choose to roll the investment over to a Roth IRA account. “You’re extending the life of this thing beyond the 18 years; you’re going all the way out into the child’s potential retirement,” said Myranda Fabian, a certified financial planner with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. Moving the earnings from a Trump Account to a Roth IRA account will be subject to taxation. Roth IRA accounts allow earnings to grow and to be withdrawn free of taxation when an adult reaches retirement age.

World Trade Organization raises merchandise trade growth forecast AI boom offsets hit from Middle East BY JAMEY KEATEN

Associated Press

GENEVA — The World Trade Organization is sharply increasing its forecast for merchandise trade growth worldwide this year, more than doubling its earlier prediction to 3.9% as booming AI investments offset a hit from the war in the Middle East. The Geneva-based trade body says global trade chugged along at a hearty pace, as supply chains adapted and AI-related spending poured in to provide “a powerful boost to goods trade.” The revised forecast marks a big jump from an initial WTO forecast in this spring for 1.9% growth for merchandise trade. The figure excludes services trade. The trade body forecast growth next year of 4.1%, up from 2.9% predicted in March. “The revision reflects evidence that global supply chains adapted to disruptions in energy and fertilizer markets, while strong investment in AI-related infrastructure boosted trade in AI-enabling goods,” WTO said. Trade of oil and gas and fertilizer through the Persian Gulf was shaken after the U.S.Israeli war against Iran began in February. WTO said merchandise trade grew 3.5% in the first half of the year, powered by the artificial intelligence market. “Demand for AI-enabling goods such as semiconductors and servers accounted for 47% of global merchandise trade growth in the first half of 2026, and trade in these products rose by 67% year-on-year, accelerating from the already rapid expansion seen in 2024 and 2025,” WTO said. Robert Steiger, its chief economist, said WTO teams — like most forecasters — have been “surprised” at the strength of the AI investment boom. They anticipated that strong

ISNA PHOTO BY AMIRHOSEIN KHORGOOI

A man checks his cellphone at a waterfront shelter as commercial vessels appear anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Monday. growth in AI-enabling goods like electronics and computers would moderate over time because of already-high growth last year and “market saturation” eventually. “This actually has not happened. Trade in AI-enabling goods grew 16% in value terms in 2024. It grew 31% in value terms in 2025, and it grew an astonishing 67% in the ﬁrst half of 2026,” he told reporters at WTO headquarters. Liquefied natural gas exports from the

Middle East fell by 47% in the ﬁrst half of the year, while crude oil exports dropped by nearly a quarter, WTO said. But shipments from other suppliers helped limit the decline to roughly 1% for LNG and about 6% for crude. WTO said it expects global GDP to grow 2.6% this year and 2.9% in 2027, even though it predicted that the Middle East conﬂict will continue to weigh on trade through higher energy prices and transport route disruptions.

Cost of drugs from Canada set to soar Federal customs rule suspends de minimis exemption

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans who buy cheap drugs from Canada could soon lose access when a customs rule goes into effect later this month, a change that has sparked opposition from Democrats and some Republicans with the cost of living a top issue for voters ahead of midterm elections. The rule applies to a swath of goods beyond drugs and is intended to collect tariffs and prevent illegal drugs from coming into the U.S. It comes as President Donald Trump has made lowering drug prices a top target in addressing soaring healthcare costs, and critics say the rule will hurt patients seeking affordable medicine. “The issue is a matter of life and death for me,” said Susan Hooper, a 75-year-old Toledo, Ohio, resident who has been on oxygen for 14

years and takes two daily medications purchased through a Canadian pharmacy that are not available in the U.S. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection rule targets the de minimis exemption, which previously allowed shipments valued under $800 to pass through customs more easily. As of Oct. 22, that exemption will be indeﬁnitely suspended, and medications mailed from outside the U.S. will require additional data and a bond guarantee. Many medications have already increased in price since customs rules went into effect in August 2025. However, the Oct. 22 compliance date includes importation rules that could eliminate the ability to import personal prescriptions. The rule puts added fees and registration requirements on lowvalue shipments that previously entered the U.S. duty-free — on everything from textiles to toys — but the people who could see the most signiﬁcant impacts are those who buy their cheap drugs from across the border.

And while the rule doesn’t specifically target Canadian drugs — it applies to international mail generally — the practical consequence could be delays, refusals or substantially more difﬁculty getting their medications delivered. Roughly 2.3 million Americans buy their drugs abroad, according to a 2020 study by JAMA Network.

Trump’s healthcare strategy The Trump administration has made lowering drug prices a priority in its bid to show Americans that it is tackling soaring costs. Trump, a Republican, has struck multiple most-favored-nation drug deals with pharmaceutical ﬁrms and has launched the discounteddrug website TrumpRx, among other steps. Federal data from this summer showed that U.S. prescription drug prices were down 3.1% from a year ago, the steepest year-over-year drop since 1963. Trump has sought to take credit for the steep decline, but the real picture is more complicated, and experts say factors beyond the president’s policies likely contributed more to the drop.

Advocates say the rule will hurt patients seeking affordable medicine. Ken Hunter, executive director of the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation, which advocates on behalf of Americans who access the Canadian drugs, said those who have enjoyed the lower drug prices from across the northern border may not beneﬁt from Trump’s drug pricing moves. “There has been a lot of talk of lowering drug prices, but in many cases it doesn’t cover all drugs for all people for all conditions,” he said. Hunter warned that costs will explode for some medications after his organization conducted a study in August looking at 10 of the most commonly prescribed medications imported from Canada. He cited Eliquis, a prescription blood thinner used to prevent and treat dangerous blood clots. A three-month supply of 180 5-mg pills would cost $565 from a mail order Canadian pharmacy. The same medication would cost roughly $1,017 from Amazon’s pharmacy arm or $1,029 from GoodRx.

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SHIPS

Continued from page 1A not disclosed details about its model, will build its share of the ships at its LaShip shipyard in Terrebonne Parish, according to Navy ofﬁcials. The company did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Making headway The deal is a signiﬁcant win for Louisiana’s shipbuilding industry. Two decades ago, some 14,500 people were employed in ship and boat building. As of last year, that number had declined to 4,900, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Much of that can be attributed to closure of Avondale Shipyard, formerly the state’s largest private employer, on account of Huntington Ingalls consolidating its Gulf Coast operations in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Now, the Navy push for more smaller, crewless ships is bringing some work back to Louisiana shipyards. And Bourgeois said the state’s supply of skilled workers and shipbuilding infrastructure gives it a head start. “We have a workforce that has worked in the shipbuilding industry before we began to really see the dramatic decrease in those jobs,” Bourgeois said. “So we have the advantage of being able to just simply turn that back on.” In Iberia Parish, Breaux Brothers has already begun scaling up operations to produce at least ﬁve Romulus boats next year. Owner and President Brannan Breaux said he’s looking to add 20 to 30 new workers to his staff of 75 — and even more if he embarks on a contemplated expansion of his 6-acre shipyard. Though it will be his company’s ﬁrst uncrewed vessel, Breaux said its 43 years of experience building custom aluminum hull boats for the offshore drilling industry has

been good preparation for producing the Romulus. “It’s basically a glorified (fast supply vessel) with a bunch of electronics on it that makes it an autonomous vessel,” Breaux said. “So we basically build an FSV that would typically go work in the Gulf for the oil ﬁeld, but strip down a lot of things that’re unneeded because it’s unmanned.”

Prototype procurement The 10-ship orders could be the ﬁrst of more in the future. That’s because the Navy used an “other transaction” agreement that allows for follow-up orders without another round of bidding instead of going through the standard procurement process. “Our message to the defense industrial base is simple: build fast, deliver on time, and match the urgency of the threat,” Hung Cao, acting secretary of the Navy, said in a release announcing the purchase. In its request for prototype pro-

The Acadiana Advocate l theadvocate.com l Friday, October 9, 2026 l 7A

posals in April, it required the new boats, known as medium unmanned surface vessels, to “operate autonomously and carry containerized payloads,” meaning two 40-foot shipping containers that can be loaded up with weapons or other equipment. The new boats needed to be able to travel about 2,900 miles at nearly 29 mph in moderately wavy conditions and be able to continue navigating by themselves without emitting any radio signals. They also had to be ready for action within 18 months. In June, the Navy picked seven companies to prove their prototypes at sea in more than 140 scenarios, testing their ability to spot other vessels using only their sensors, properly steer around other ships and complete a preset 483mile course. “Marauder went from initial design to on-the-water in under a year, and this evaluation demonstrated that the platform holds up under the Navy’s own toughest

BRACES

Continued from page 1A Though the storm is forecast to weaken to a Category 1 before moving ashore, “Isaias is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane through landfall,” said Richard Pasch, a senior NHC forecaster. The storm has soured the plans of thousands of vacationers, including many students on fall break who planned to visit the Alabama Gulf Coast and Florida Panhandle. RV parks emptied as guests pulled out and headed north. Local Facebook pages ﬁlled with messages from frantic tourists worried about canceling their travels. Local leaders are pleading that any remaining visitors evacuate and clear the roads for residents, utility companies and first responders. But they urged calm. “Everything that we can control in this moment is under control,” D.C. Reeves, the Pensacola, Florida mayor, told reporters this week. “No need to panic at this point. This is really about preparation.”

Bracing for Isaias Many locals who have endured decades of hurricanes across the vulnerable Gulf Coast viewed the week’s frenzy as a familiar routine. Still, many cities are also preparing for a new challenge: Thousands of newcomers from around the country have moved to the fast-growing region over the past six years, and many have never experienced a hurricane. Jeff Silvers, a City Council member in Orange Beach, Alabama, said local leaders were working hard to spread information on social media to help residents pre-

TRUMP

Continued from page 1A been “having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The U.S. and Iran signed a short-lived interim agreement in June, intended to establish a 60-day ceasefire and framework for a permanent peace deal. The deal signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian collapsed within weeks amid renewed military actions and disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical water which one-fifth world’s oil flowed through before the war. Negotiations had appeared at a standstill since Trump late last month publicly rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the strait within seven days if the U.S. met certain

MALL

Continued from page 1A On Thursday, Michael and Brooke Odom, Martha Odom’s parents, along with the others present during the shooting, ﬁled a lawsuit against the Mall of Louisiana, Brookfield Properties Retail (formerly known as General Growth Services), Marksman Security and Markel Lee, who is the alleged shooter, according to a report by The Current. They allege that the mall did not provide sufficient security and cited previous

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY GERALD HERBERT

Boat owner Tony Rice and his friend Lance Connor, left, haul doors onto his boat to secure it as Hurricane Isaias approaches Bayou La Batre, Ala., on Thursday. pare for the storm. “There are so many precautions that can be taken, and I think they’re heeding them,” Silvers said. A hurricane warning was in effect from Ocean Springs to the area just west of Panama City Beach. Local officials warned residents to be ready for power outages that could last days. The National Weather Service said the storm could also bring dangerous waves of up to 20 feet in coastal Alabama and parts of Florida. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and

conditions. Iran, however, said last week they had received a U.S. counterproposal. And Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier on Thursday said he expected Tehran would offer a formal reply within days. Trump on Wednesday during a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, said that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has continued indirect negotiations with Iranian ofﬁcials. But at the same time, Trump suggested he had mixed feelings about ending the war at this point. “I think the deal isn’t really something that I want to do, but they’re willing to offer us anything to stop,” Trump said. Trump believes that the U.S. is gaining leverage as the U.S. military is having greater success in helping oil tankers traverse the

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both declared states of emergency, though no widespread evacuations have been ordered. Local authorities, however, urged residents to leave some low-lying areas. Some locals evacuated to hotels in Louisiana, where they sat glued to news stations playing storm models on endless loops. But many appeared to be staying put, and some even seemed unfazed by the ominous forecast. About 100 customers were still hanging around the Flora-Bama bar in Perdido Key, Florida,

Strait of Hormuz and get Gulf allies’ oil to market, while a Navy blockade is shutting down Iran’s own oil exports. Iran has lost its near chokehold over oil flows through the vital waterway with U.S. Central Command shepherding oil tankers through the strait at night with their location systems turned off. That, with the help of Gulf pipelines that skirt the strait, has allowed Gulf countries to export oil at nearly prewar levels. But Iran has ramped up attacks on tankers passing through the strait in recent days. And overall, ship traffic remains well below prewar levels, as are shipments of liquid natural gas and fuel products. Tanker operators willing to risk running the gauntlet under Central Command’s

around midday Thursday, said Jenifer Parnell, its marketing director. The bar was still deciding whether to close on Friday and Saturday, but staff members were busy removing sound equipment from stages and taking down awnings and tents. “People don’t mind,” Parnell said.

Isaias shifts visitors’ plans Isaias still scrambled plans for thousands of visitors, many of whom were in town for Gulf

protection are in some cases charging rates of $1 million a day or more, shipping analysts say. The situation has become further complicated as Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s government have launched a military campaign aimed at driving Iran-backed Houthi rebels from the Bab el-Mandeb strait, another critical Mideast trade route for oil and other goods. The Houthis, in turn, are targeting Saudi airports and key infrastructure in

testing,” Dino Mavrookas, CEO and co-founder of Saronic, said in a release. Saronic, which was valued at $9.25 billion in its latest funding round, aims to have the capacity to produce up to 20 Marauders a year at its Franklin shipyard. Earlier this year, it opened an office in New Orleans’ Central Business District for the engineers, architects and other specialists working on the ships. The company now employs more than 400 people in Louisiana, and expects to hire more as demand grows. Last month, the company broke ground on a $3.2 billion shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, that will more than double the nation’s current commercial shipbuilding capacity. Louisiana had been a finalist in the company’s site selection. The next phase of medium drone boat procurement has already begun. The Navy will begin reviewing new proposals next month and plans to keep taking them for five years.

Shores’ 53rd annual National Shrimp Festival. The festival, alongside dozens of other events around the region, has been canceled. Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service between New Orleans and Mobile has also been suspended through Monday. Kay Maghan, a public relations manager for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, said several local vacation rental companies were refunding visitors or offering credits so travelers can return at later dates. Brett/Robinson Vacation Rentals, which runs the popular Phoenix condominium complexes along the beach, also closed its properties until Monday. The push to evacuate visitors came from experience. The last major storm to strike near the Florida-Alabama line was Hurricane Sally in 2020. The slowmoving Category 2 storm toppled power lines and transformed the beachfront into a quiet, soggy strip. Maghan said some visitors who did not evacuate became stuck in tall condo buildings with little water, no power and no access to elevators. Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Mobile said Thursday that it was still hard to predict where the storm’s worst impacts would hit. But they warned powerful waves and storm surge could significantly erode parts of the beach from the Alabama coast to Panama City. Even along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A — about 70 miles east of the storm’s predicted landfall — authorities were bracing for damage even as they hoped to be spared. “We just have to prepare for it to be stronger and more impactful than it very well may be,” Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said.

the kingdom with drone and missile strikes. Trump’s post comes as the military has dispatched more resources to the region. U.S. ofﬁcials have said a third aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and thousands of troops aboard it and accompanying ships could arrive as early as the end of October. Trump’s announcement was made the same day the USS Abraham Lincoln was due to arrive to its home port in San Diego after a record-

long deployment in support of the Iran war. There have been reports of crew stress and poor mental health, as well as supply shortages, including food and hygiene products. The USS George Washington, which is usually based in Asia, relieved the Lincoln in August. The other aircraft carrier in the Middle East, the USS George H.W. Bush, has been deployed for about six months, but it pulled into Phuket, Thailand, for a port visit several days ago.

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incidents of violence in or near the mall. The shooting occurred at 1:23 p.m. when two groups, who were fighting, opened fire in the mall’s upstairs food court. Initial reports stated that several suspects quickly ﬂed the scene. None of the perpetrators themselves was struck by gunfire. Law-enforcement officials said one gun was recovered from the scene and investigators believe multiple were used, though it is unclear how many. More security guards and police officers began patrolling the mall following the shooting, according to

spokespeople at the Baton Rouge Police Department and GGP, the retail arm of Chicago-based Brookfield Corp., which owns the mall. They declined to specify the exact number of guards and ofﬁcers and declined to share other security updates to prevent compromising the efﬁcacy of their work. Lee, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was indicted in August on one count of second-degree murder, six counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of illegal use of weapons. He is being held at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.

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UL expanding its space programs State’s aerospace industry set for rapid expansion, opportunity

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is expanding its academic offerings in aerospace and space technology, bringing together engineering and computing programs to prepare students for emerging careers and Louisiana’s growing aerospace industry. The expansion includes a new

aerospace engineering concentration within the bachelor’s degree program in mechanical engineering and an aerospace and autonomous systems minor in the College of Engineering, both planned for fall 2027. The Ray P. Authement College of Sciences also is adding a space computing systems concentration for computer science majors and a space computing systems minor for students in other

majors, both planned for fall 2027. “Louisiana is entering an exciting new era of opportunity in aerospace, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is committed to helping lead that progress,” university President Ramesh Kolluru said. “Our responsibility is not simply to respond to economic growth, but to help drive it. By bringing together our academic strengths, research capabilities

and industry partnerships across disciplines, we are preparing students for high-demand careers, strengthening the workforce our state will need and helping create the talent and innovation that will support this industry’s continued growth.” The academic expansion comes as Louisiana prepares for growth in its aerospace sector. SpaceX has announced a $100 billion

investment to build Starbase Louisiana near Pecan Island, about 60 miles south of campus in Vermilion Parish. The facility is expected to become the world’s largest spaceport by launch capacity, capable of supporting thousands of launches annually. Louisiana Economic Development projects the development will create 3,000 direct jobs over the next decade and more than 8,100 indirect jobs, generating more than 11,100 new job

ä See PROGRAMS, page 4B

$110M reﬁnery project delayed

FLAG UP

Deal hits snag with property negotiations BY ADAM DAIGLE

Acadiana business editor

A $110 million net-zero emissions reﬁnery that was announced for Acadia Parish last year and was to employ 60 people may not happen. Green Fuels Operating, which announced last May it would open at the former Evangeline Processing facility along the Mermentau River, could not land a deal for the property and is now looking for a site, CEO Derek Wiliamson said. Negotiations with the property owner, Tristar, to purchase the property were unsuccessful, he said. Wiliamson The company, which is based in Dubai, and Green Fuels Operating spent months negotiating a possible deal after Williamson’s company spent time negotiating with the previous owner, he said. Tristar had bought the site out of bankruptcy from Canal Reﬁneries in 2018 for $2.55 million, according to

ä See PROJECT, page 4B

PHOTO BY CLAIRE TAYLOR

Festival organizers and city officials raise the official flag of Festival Acadiens et Créole on Wednesday at Lafayette City-Parish Hall, marking the start of this year’s celebration of Cajun and Creole culture. The festival will officially get underway at Girard Park on Friday with the customary cutting of the boudin.

Broussard SWAT team assists in capture of two men Suspects sought in armed robbery

BY DEAN BOUDREAUX Staff writer

Martha Graham Dance Company comes to Lafayette Serving Acadiana season. Anniversary tour Arts The program will feature “Errand into the Maze,” “Diappearance Oct. 16 version of Angels,” “Steps in

BY JA’KORI MADISON

Staff writer

The Martha Graham Dance Company, one of the world’s most inﬂuential modern dance companies, will perform at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette as part of its 100th anniversary tour. The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16. It is the company’s only Louisiana stop on its anniversary tour and is part of the Performing

the Street,” “Lamentation” and “We the People.” PASA Executive Director Jackie Lyle said bringing the company to Lafayette is signiﬁcant for the local arts community. “Having the Martha Graham Dance Company perform here is a landmark event for dance lovers as well as for those who enjoy theater, music and other live entertainment,” Lyle said.

ä See DANCE, page 4B

The Martha Graham Dance Company will perform at Lafayette’s Heymann Performing Arts Center on Oct. 16 as part of their 100th anniversary tour. PROVIDED PHOTO BY JACKIE LYLE

Broussard police arrested two men Tuesday night in an armed robbery on Village Square Drive after a SWAT team surrounded a home where officers believed the men were hiding. Norris Morrison and Josiah Dixon were each charged with one count of armed robbery and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center, police said in a news release Wednesday. Officers responded at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday to a report of an armed robbery in the 100 block of Village Square Drive, police said. Investigators determined the two men went to the location to exchange firearms and take part in narcotics activity, police said. The men then pulled out guns and robbed two victims, according to police. The suspects took “just some personal belongings,” Capt. Zac Gerard said. “I believe a little bit of money was

ä See SWAT, page 4B

2B ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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OPINION T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/opinions

Victims of domestic violence told to trust the system

I did what we tell victims of do- asking questions, writing letters, researching laws and advocatmestic violence to do. I reported the abuse. I ing for myself. And this went to court. I showed process has still been exup for every appearance, hausting. whether the defendant Even after the criminal appeared or not. I made case, I have remained revictim impact statements. sponsible for protecting I cooperated with prosecuTanja M. myself. Who was responsible tors, obtained legal protecDavis updating my stay-away tion and made sure my GUEST order? Me. voice was heard. COLUMNIST Making sure the asAnd then, when the man convicted of violently abussistant district attorney ing me was released from prison, knew the offender had been rethe criminal justice system did leased? Me. not tell me. A friend did. Finding and contacting his paHad she not known, I do not role ofﬁcer? Me. know when I would have learned Contacting the parole victim that the person I had gone advocate? Me. through the legal system to proTrying to understand which tect myself from was back in the agency is responsible for what? Me. community. At some point, we have to ask That should concern every Louwhy a person who has already isiana resident, because my exsurvived violence is expected to perience raises a question much larger than what happened to me: become the project manager of her own protection. How is the average victim supLouisiana promises victims posed to navigate this system? I had advantages many victims rights. But rights that require victims to understand a maze do not. I had an understanding of agencies, forms, registration employer and ﬂexibility to atsystems and legal terminology tend court. I had family, friends are not equally accessible to evand community members supporting me. I am comfortable eryone.

The process of informing victims of the progress of their case and the status of the offender is confusing and involves more than one system. Consider something most victims would have no reason to know: Louisiana’s Department of Public Safety and Corrections currently tells victims that registering with the notification system called LA VINE (Louisiana Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is not the same thing as registering with Louisiana Victim Outreach. A victim must register with Louisiana Victim Outreach to receive certain notifications concerning a state inmate’s projected and actual release. Why should a traumatized person be expected to understand that distinction? Why doesn’t one valid victim registration follow a case from arrest through prosecution and incarceration to release, probation or parole? Louisiana’s own legislature has already acknowledged this problem. In 2025, lawmakers recognized the challenges created when victims’ rights and services are handled through numerous law-

Today’s socialist movement is woefully misguided

enforcement, state and local agencies. The state required the creation of a comprehensive victims’ services system designed to provide information throughout a criminal case in a manner that is timely, consistent and easy to understand. That system was required to be operating by July 1, 2026. So now we should ask: Is it working? Can a victim enter the system once and trust that her information will follow her case? When an offender is approaching release, does anyone verify that the victim’s contact information is current? Does anyone review active protective or stayaway orders? Does someone contact the victim before release? Victims should participate in their cases. Our voices matter. But participation should not mean administration. Louisiana should move toward one victim registration that follows the entire case; a clearly identiﬁed victim navigator for serious violent crimes; automatic, secure transfer of updated contact information between authorized agencies; pre-release safety reviews in domestic violence

cases; clear responsibility for protective-order and parole coordination; meaningful tracking of failed notiﬁcations; and easier ways for victims to participate in appropriate court proceedings without repeatedly sacriﬁcing employment, transportation and childcare. The system should be designed around the person who must actually use it. I survived intimate partner violence. I should not also have to become an expert in Louisiana’s criminal justice system to remain safe from the person who abused me. For too long, we have asked victims: Did you report it? Did you go to court? Did you register? Did you update your information? Did you call the right agency? Did you follow up? I am asking Louisiana to change the question. Stop asking whether the victim did everything she was supposed to do. Start asking whether the system did everything it was supposed to do for her.

Tanja M. Davis is a New Orleans-based hospitality leader, writer and domestic violence survivor.

Congress should act to help childhood migraine sufferers

Socialism is moving from the margins of additional benefit from their own labor. BradAmerican political debate into the mainstream. ford changed the arrangement by assigning Nowhere is that more apparent than in New each family a parcel to cultivate for its own use. York where democratic socialist politics have He wrote that the change made “all hands very gained considerable influence and are industrious” and led to a substantial inleading the Democratic Party to debate crease in the amount of crops planted. how much control government should These early colonial experiences exercise over economic life. should not be portrayed as identical to The socialist trend is worrisome. Marxist socialism. They were not. NevSocialism does present an appealing ertheless, they illustrate an enduring promise of social equality and an even principle of human nature: People generDavid distribution of wealth. Before embracThomas ally have stronger incentives to work, invest and produce when they can benefit ing it, Americans should examine both GUEST directly from the fruits of their labor. its theory and its historical record. That COLUMNIST The international record of modern examination should include a revealing socialism is similarly troubling, although chapter from America’s own colonial not uniform. The Soviet Union achieved rapid beginnings. industrialization, but centralized control proKarl Marx and Friedrich Engels presented modern socialism’s most influential political duced chronic shortages and eventual economic declaration in “The Communist Manifesto,” collapse. Communist China’s Cultural Revolupublished in 1848. They called for the abolition tion caused catastrophic famine inflicting enorof private property and collective control of the mous social and economic damage. Venezuela’s means of production. Marx later described soextensive nationalization of oil businesses brought its output from first to worst. Cuba and cialism as a transitional stage in which workers North Korea show the tendency of communist would receive according to their contributions, ultimately leading to a communist society based societies to develop into dictatorships. The Nordic countries are sometimes preon the principle of receiving according to one’s needs. sented as proof that socialism works. However, Socialism and communism are therefore Sweden, Denmark and Norway are not Marxclosely related in Marxist philosophy. Socialism ist economies. They retain private property, is often described as “communism light,” a tran- competitive markets, private businesses and entrepreneurship while using high taxes to fund sitional system in which productive property is extensive social programs. They are more acsocially controlled. Communism is supposed to be the eventual classless society in which pricurately categorized as capitalist social democvate ownership of productive capital disappears. racies. America had an early experience with comSocial Security, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare programs incorporate quasi-socialist munal economics long before Marx was born. principles within the United States. Expanding At Jamestown, established in 1607, the Virginia government programs does not automatically Company’s early system placed land and agamount to communism, and a social safety net ricultural production under common control. is not necessarily socialism, although both point Laborers worked for the common store, and in that direction and increase the government’s rewards were distributed with little connection between individual effort and individual benefit. role in economic life. However, replacing priThis arrangement provided little incentive to vate ownership and market incentives with cenincrease production. Historical accounts report tralized government control is a fundamentally that more than half the colony died during its different proposition. The removal of personal first year. incentives was tried and failed in Jamestown, Common ownership was subsequently Plymouth and several countries. abandoned and the colony improved. Gov. Sir The early American experience offers a Thomas Dale introduced private plot ownership warning worth remembering. Because it works beginning with three-acre allotments and later against human nature, socialism is not the most expanding to larger holdings. efficient economic system. Plymouth offers an even more striking exMargaret Thatcher’s famous quote sums it up: “Socialism works very well until you run out of ample. The Pilgrims initially operated under other people’s money.” History clearly demona common-stock arrangement in which land, livestock and labor were largely held for the col- strates that equality of economic opportunity produces a far healthier society than forcing an lective benefit of the colony. Governor William artificial equality of results. Bradford later described the results as “confusion and discontent.” Young men objected to working hard for the David Thomas is CEO of Equitas Capital benefit of other families without receiving any Advisors in New Orleans.

Headache disorders — includdeserve better. My youngest patient with migraine was only 3 years old. ing migraine, cluster headache and Pediatric patients have only two chronic daily headache — affect more than 40 million Americans. But FDA-approved preventive options. While more treatment options have what often gets overlooked is how common they are in children. About 1 emerged in recent years for adults, we’re still far behind where we in 10 kids experience migraines. should be. Louisiana has one I see firsthand every day of the highest migraine rates what the impact of headache in the country. The opportunidisease looks like in children and adolescents: missing ty for better research, trainschool, sitting out of sports and ing and clinical care remains dance classes and rescheduling largely untapped — and the playdates because of a disease Rashmi R. chance for us to take action that is often undiagnosed, unis now. Rao This is why I’m urging Condertreated and underfunded. GUEST Our healthcare system is gress to make the bipartisan COLUMNIST Headache Education, Access, fundamentally unprepared to help these children. There Diagnosis and Care Health are fewer than 900 United Council Equity, or HEADACHE, Act a priorfor Neurologic Subspecialties certiity this fall. The bill would establish a coordinated national strategy to exfied Headache Medicine physicians nationwide, and even fewer who spe- pand research, training and access to headache specialists, addressing precialize in pediatric migraines. This translates to one specialist for every cisely the gaps that affect my young 44,000 people with migraine or severe patients every day. headaches. I’m based in New Orleans, This includes establishing a new but I see patients from all over the initiative and advisory council dedistate because of the lack of specialcated to headache disorders, advancists in this area. I even see patients ing research to develop new and betfrom Texas, Alabama and Florida. ter therapies and supporting public When providers do specialize in awareness campaigns to reduce headache disorders, they often report stigma and improve understanding of doing so despite limited resources headache disorders. and insufficient investment in this The House Energy and Commerce disease space. Headache disorders Committee has the power to move receive just 0.2% of National Instithis lifesaving legislation forward, and our children cannot afford furtutes of Health funding, a fraction of what their disease burden warrants. ther delays. Louisiana Sens. John This underfunding limits research Kennedy and Bill Cassidy should also opportunities, slows innovation in champion this issue by becoming treatment options and discourages original sponsors of the HEADACHE providers from specializing in headAct in the Senate, bringing the urgenache medicine. Earlier diagnosis cy of this crisis to their colleagues. and proper treatment can lead to When we help a child get the right dramatically improved outcomes and diagnosis and treatment, their world reduced disability. Yet without cooropens back up. I see it every day in dinated federal investment and strat- my clinic. They go back to being a egy, many children and adults can go kid. Their parents stop missing work. The family memories they thought years without the diagnosis and care were lost to migraine attacks are they deserve. made again. I was 20 years old when I expeFor my patients in Louisiana and rienced my first migraine, and my children nationwide, this is what pasmother also faced debilitating headaches. Years later, when my own sage of the HEADACHE Act would daughter began having migraine atmake possible. Louisiana policymaktacks, I recognized immediately what ers should act now to support this bill. she was going through. No child should have to miss their When it’s your own child, you childhood to a disease we can treat. understand viscerally what other parents are experiencing. You unRashmi R. Rao is a pediatrician based in New Orleans who derstand that your child is not alone specializes in neurology. in this suffering, but also that they

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COMMENTARY

Students walk through Cornell University’s campus in Ithaca, N.Y.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MATT BURKHARTT

ISSUE OF THE WEEK RAPE ON CAMPUS When the details of an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024 become public a few weeks ago, it sparked a firestorm of reaction.The alleged victim, using the name Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit against Cornell and the fraternity members who she said had sex with her during a night when they consumed vast amounts of alcohol and drugs. After she filed a report with campus police alledging the rape, two of the men involved were expelled and others received lesser punishments. Prosecutors decided not to pursue criminal charges. Some say the case of Jane Doe demonstrates that colleges and universities aren’t doing enough to prevent rape on campus and prosecutors don’t take rape accusations seriously. Others point to the murky versions of what happened that night and argue that it’s not clear whether a crime occurred.What does the Cornell case tell us about how campuses treat rape accusations?

The system worked in the Cornell’s uncomfortable question about consent case of the Cornell 7 We’ve heard it from politicians, celebriat some point, she figured “why not do it a second time.” ties and influencers — the system failed When the guys, who behaved abysmally, the accuser in the Cornell 7 case. asked if they could snort the drug off her This near-universal view is advanced body, she said, “Sure.” with great certainty and a sense of outFinally, another young man raged righteousness, but mistaken entered the room and said he was nonetheless. Based on the information shutting it down. available to them at the time, the auStill, her so-called friend perthorities handled the matter in keeping with the facts and the law. sisted and took her to another This isn’t to defend anything that room with another male to begin occurred during that debauched night having group sex again. She said Rich at the Chi Phi fraternity, which was she was tired and plaintively Lowry “Lord of the Flies” meets “Eyes Wide asked her friend, “What hapShut.” Nor does it foreclose the pospened to just you and me?” But she apparently didn’t say “no.” Finally, sibility that Jane Doe was the victim of around 5:45 a.m., she said she “was tired crimes. and needed to turn in.” But the critics of the school and the disThis isn’t a hostile version of events contrict attorney who declined to prosecute the case fail to account for a central elecocted by a defense attorney — it’s what she attested to weeks after the night of ment of the case — a sworn statement by Oct. 19. The DA didn’t disbelieve her, or Jane Doe herself in November 2024 that decide he couldn’t prove her allegations; he appears to fail to allege any crime. correctly determined that she described After getting slammed for his handling no actual crime. of the case, Tompkins County district It’s not the job of a DA, obviously, to get attorney Matthew Van Houten publicly defended his office. He quoted extensively an alleged victim to change her story affrom Jane Doe’s statement. These excerpts ter she’s sworn to it in writing, or to make do indeed describe her actions that night, prosecutions based on vibes. in the words of the DA, as “voluntary, conFor its part, Cornell didn’t sweep the matter under the rug. The school carried scious and consensual.” out 50 interviews involving 32 witnesses. By her own account, she drank heavIt expelled two of the students; suspended ily before heading to the fraternity. She two others; banned from campus one who danced flirtatiously with a friend she was had already graduated; and allowed two interested in, and then agreed to a threeothers to remain, provided that they comsome because of “how attracted” she was to him and “drunken curiousness.” pleted various trainings, including writing This was before she ingested any drugs. “reflective essays” (this is the source of the The assignation stopped when her friend erroneous idea that essay-writing was the dropped out because of drowsiness, while only consequence for the young men). the other male began to dry heave. She peBoth the DA and Cornell did their job. It’s not that the system failed Jane Doe riodically checked on her sleeping friend, while “consoling” the other male. This was but, rather, that she changed her version a squalid scene, but not one where she was of events two years after the fact in a civil lawsuit against the men and the university, unconscious or refusing. among others. Another male entered the room, and The risk now is that the system, with he began making out with her, with Jane New York Attorney General Letitia James Doe apparently lodging no objection. Her leading a politicized investigation, will be friend then woke up and made another perverted to produce a predetermined lewd proposal that she declined. More males piled into the room. It was suggested outcome. she take “more ketamine,” and vaguely Rich Lowry is on X @RichLowry. recalling she had already snorted some

There is no question that something and should put you in jail. terrible happened at a Cornell UniverBut we keep fighting because consent is often not clear — at least not in a way sity fraternity in 2024. The question is that is coherent with our doctrines of utwhat. Was it a brutal gang rape? Or was it something messier and more compliter sexual liberation and complete equalcated, a sexual encounter that was unity between the sexes. When two people who are both exwise but nonetheless consensual? What facts we have are not tremely drunk have sex — as I enough to distinguish between the believe may sometimes happen two possibilities. — did they rape each other? Or A Cornell student, identified as was the woman obviously the “Jane Doe” in a lawsuit filed in victim? September against the university, Given the facts we now have, seven members of the Chi Phi fraMeega gan it is possible to believe that Jane Megan ternity and others, says she was McArdle Doe assented to an encounter that she later bitterly regretted the victim of a gang rape at the when the story became known fraternity house while she was intoxicated. According to the lawsuit and a around campus. It is also possible to 2024 police statement, the brothers treat- believe something criminal happened. But most of us do know that whether or ed her abominably, posting a disgusting not she said yes, Jane Doe was treated in message about her to a group chat. a way no woman should. We think those What we cannot ascertain — and may fraternity brothers should have known never be able to — is whether she was better. too intoxicated to be able to consent. So They should have. What they did was, we are now fighting over this as we have at a minimum, a shameful violation. But fought over so many accusations over the last few decades — the Duke Univer- if we want boys and men to know that — sity rape hoax, the allegations that Chris- deep enough in their bones that they will remember the lesson even while drinktine Blasey Ford made against Brett M. Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court ing and snorting ketamine — we need to confirmation hearings, and the endless communicate something different from horrors unearthed by #MeToo. But why? “anything goes, as long as everyone says Why is it so hard to agree on something yes.” We need to say something about the that seems, to both sides, as though it differences between men and women. ought to be obvious? We’re not willing to do that, so instead One answer is that sex between people we are trying to shoehorn our contradicwho know each other is hard to adjuditory impulses into the weak framework of consent. No one in their right mind cate from outside, especially when one would consent to sex that would traumaor both parties have been drinking or using drugs, thereby lowering their intize and shame them. Jane Doe was trauhibitions, impairing their judgment and matized and shamed. Ergo, it was rape. blurring their memories. Another is that This is not a workable way to deterdifferent people can genuinely view an mine criminal liability. As the frequency encounter differently, especially in hind- of such incidents shows, it is not a worksight, after regret has set in. able cultural script, either. But it seems I know the retort that will spring to we are determined to stick to it, rather many readers’ minds: Consent is a clear than admitting that there’s something boundary. It is certainly a boundary, and wrong with many of our other ideas sometimes it is clear. If you force yourabout men and women, and the kinds of things they are likely to want. self on someone who is screaming and pushing you away or who is trembling on the edge of unconsciousness, that person Megan McArdle is on X, @ must be left alone. If you do not, we can asymmetricinfo.

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4B ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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New Orleans police drop case against TV station N.O. judge sought penalties for WWL reports

BY JAMES FINN

Staff writer

New Orleans police have closed a criminal investigation into journalists with WWL-TV, officials said, after finding no legal grounds for a local judge’s effort to press charges against the station for reporting that scrutinized her finances. The New Orleans Police Department found that the complaint from Criminal District Court Judge Kimya Holmes hinged on a state law that carries no criminal penalties, according to an Oct. 1 NOPD document obtained by The TimesPicayune. The Oct. 1 report closed the case and was first reported Tuesday by WWL. The report details how Holmes,

PROJECT

Continued from page 1B

land records. But Green Fuels Operating began negotiating with Canal on the site, including the equipment and other assets. “By the time we ﬁgured all that out, we were like, ‘Holy crap, what a mess,’ ” Williamson said. “Then we tried negotiation with Tristar, and

PROGRAMS

Continued from page 1B opportunities in Acadiana. “The University has a responsibility to ensure that our academic programs continue to evolve alongside the industries and technologies that are creating new opportunities for our students and our state,” interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dianne Olivier said. “These efforts demonstrate how we can build on strengths across disciplines, connect education with research and workforce needs, and give students the specialized knowledge and practical skills they will need to succeed.”

Engineering expands The College of Engineering’s new aerospace engineering concentration will build on the mechanical engineering curriculum with

SWAT

Continued from page 1B taken too.” Neither victim was injured, and no shots were ﬁred, Gerard said. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce SWAT team helped Broussard officers surround a residence where

DANCE

Continued from page 1B The Washington Post has called the Graham company “one of the seven wonders of the artistic universe.” Founded by Martha Graham, the company is the oldest dance company in the United States, according to the organization. Graham’s distinctive choreography and technique helped shape modern dance, and the company’s 17 dancers continue to perform her works alongside new choreography. Graham, who died in 1991, created 181 ballets and developed a dance technique that transformed modern dance. Her inﬂuence extended beyond dance. Actors Bette Davis and Gregory Peck trained with her, as did dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Madonna. Time magazine named Graham “Dancer of the Century,” and People magazine named her one of its “Icons of the Century.” Several events are scheduled in Lafayette in the days leading up to the perfor-

who is running for reelection, sought to have the TV station investigated under Louisiana Revised Statute 44:11.2, which bars public dissemination of certain officials’ personal information. But an NOPD detective assigned to the case, Marcus Dubuclet, in moving to close the investigation noted that the state Legislature recently repealed the law’s criminal provisions. “There is no violation there or criminal offense,” Dubuclet wrote. In a statement provided by her campaign Wednesday, Holmes blamed WWL’s reporting for calls her ofﬁce received in recent weeks filled with threats and racial epithets. Holmes’ campaign provided audio of one of the calls. “Judges across the United States have been increasingly under threat due to doxing and recent reports have resulted in my ofﬁce receiving harassing phone calls and threatening messages,” Holmes said. “While the nuances of the laws protecting

judges are evolving, we all understand basic human decency.” The case raised alarm from First Amendment attorneys, who called it a concerning attempt by a powerful local official to retaliate against a news outlet for reporting that may have reflected poorly on her. Holmes filed her complaint to detectives with the NOPD’s First District on Sept. 11, according to records. Two weeks earlier, WWL chief investigative reporter David Hammer published a story revealing that the judge’s former fiancé, Arthur Allen, had transferred ownership of an English Turn home worth $765,000 to Holmes while he negotiated a plea deal with federal prosecutors on financial fraud charges. At Allen’s Sept. 25 sentencing, U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey upbraided Allen, who had pleaded guilty to stealing some $712,000 in COVID-19 relief money. Saying that Allen surely knew he

would have to pay restitution for his crimes, Zainey said he had been prepared to give Allen a punishment beneath the federal sentencing guidelines. But Hammer’s story, the judge said, left him feeling “duped.” Zainey sentenced Allen to two years in federal prison. Hammer’s Aug. 24 video report contained a small image of a document involved in the property transfer that contained the address of the home Allen had transferred to Holmes. It also showed the license plate of a Corvette leased by Allen that was parked in the courthouse garage. The station said Hammer obtained the second photo from an unnamed source. Criminal District Court Judicial Administrator Rob Kazik wrote to WWL on Sept. 10 on Holmes’ behalf demanding the station remove that material and reveal its conﬁdential sources. The letter contained a copy of Revised Statute 44:11.2, the law Holmes would later invoke in ask-

ing police to investigate the station. WWL said it removed the images from its online report within 24 hours and republished them with the license plate number and home address blurred over, but that it declined to reveal its sources. The next day, Holmes ﬁled her report with the First District. She told Dubuclet that she received threatening phone calls after the story aired, adding that she felt “unsafe not only for herself but for those around her,” according to the Oct. 1 report closing the case. After WWL’s lawyers told Dubuclet about the criminal penalties being repealed, the detective relayed that information to the judge. Holmes replied that she was unaware of the change in the law but “if it’s true, then she (acknowledged she) does not have any grounds for a criminal complaint,” the Oct. 1 NOPD report states. Holmes has not disputed the accuracy of WWL’s reporting.

they just basically had too many requests and demands. We couldn’t do it.” The site, which dates back to 1957, also would not have made it through an environmental review, he said. Now having sat idle for possibly three years, the site has 500,000 barrels of storage with 15 tanks ranging from 5,000 barrels to 80,000 barrels along with barge-to-rail access. GFO’s parent company, Clean Reﬁneries Inc., billed the project as

one that would reﬁne 20,000 barrels of oil a day with no toxic emissions or detectable odors and a reduced carbon footprint. It will produce marine-grade diesel and bunker fuel, ofﬁcials said. Williamson said he then sought property in Lake Charles for the business but could not make a deal on it due to environmental concerns. He is now shifting attention back to Acadia Parish, this time on the

east side of the parish, to restart the project. The employee base is too valuable to move the project to another region, he said. “We feel like we’ll be able to staff a plant,” Williamson said. “We like the type of employees and we like the employee base in southern Louisiana. There is also a huge infrastructure piece there from a votech standpoint to support education of our employees.” Green Fuels Operating touts 11

facilities in production in Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming and Alaska. In June it started construction of $400 million reﬁnery in Duncan, Oklahoma, that will employ 100. Its project in Lafourche Parish in conjunction with Bollinger Shipyards and the U.S. Navy remains active. It involves putting its netzero process on a ship and is waiting on funding from Congress in the appropriations bill for the project to move forward, Williamson said.

advanced coursework in gas dynamics and propulsion, spacecraft dynamics and control, aerospace structures and design, aircraft dynamics and performance, orbital mechanics and aerospace power systems. Students will be able to focus technical electives on either thermal-ﬂuids-energy systems or mechanics and control. The aerospace and autonomous systems minor will provide another pathway for engineering students to pursue aerospacerelated coursework and develop expertise in emerging technologies. “The aerospace and autonomous systems minor and the aerospace engineering concentration are part of our broader efforts to continuously align our engineering education with rapidly evolving technologies and workforce needs,” College of Engineering Dean Ahmed Khattab said. “We are building on the college’s

existing strengths to create new academic pathways and opportunities for our students while expanding our capabilities in aerospace education, research and innovation.” The new offerings are part of the College of Engineering’s Aerospace Ecosystem Initiative, which connects aerospace education, research and workforce development. The initiative will support multidisciplinary work in areas including autonomous systems, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, materials, propulsion and thermal systems, with applications for aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous vehicles and other aerospace technologies.

the men were believed to be, police said. Both men were taken into custody. The home belongs to “an acquaintance” and not to either man arrested, Gerard said. He did not know the exact time of the arrests. Morrison and Dixon are adults, Gerard said. He did not have their exact ages or hometowns. Bond was set at $100,000

for each man, Gerard said. Investigators are “still actively working on the case,” Gerard said. No more arrests are expected “based on the information we have,” he said, but “something else could develop.” Anyone with information can call Lafayette Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-8477 or the Broussard Police Department at (337) 837-6259.

mance. At 5:30 p.m. Oct. 14, Blakeley White-McGuire, the Graham company’s rehearsal director, will lead a Graham Technique dance workshop at McLaurin Hall on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus. Registration is required. White-McGuire also will discuss her book, “The Martha Graham Dance Company: The House of the Pelvic Truth,” at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Wild Child, 210 E. Vermilion St. Clare Cook, founder and director of Basin Arts, will moderate the discussion. At 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15, Wild Child will host an opportunity to meet members of the Graham company. Tickets for the Oct. 16 performance are available through PASA and the Heymann Performing Arts Center box ofﬁce. More information about tickets and PASA’s outreach programs is available at pasaonline. org. “This is a one-night-only event, so the historical importance of this demands that people come with their friends or family,” Lyle said. “Because it’s a once-in-a-

lifetime experience.” The PASA season also includes actor Roger Guenveur Smith in “Frederick Douglass Now” on Nov. 13, “Cinema Serenade” by Skye Isaac on Feb. 19, Aquila Theatre’s adaptation of “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” on March 11 and Jill Butler and Her Joyride Band performing a Burt Bacharach tribute April 16. “Dog Man: The Musical” will be presented as a special family event at 6 p.m. Jan. 12.

Sciences expand The Ray P. Authement College of Sciences is expanding its curriculum in the School of Computing & Informatics with a new

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

concentration and minor in space computing systems. The programs will prepare students to apply computing expertise to spacecraft, satellites and other spacebased systems. The new concentration and minor will focus on computing and cybersecurity for space applications. Students will learn how to protect satellite commands and communications, build intelligent and resilient software, manage spacecraft computing resources, design radiation-hardened

and fault-tolerant systems, and analyze satellite imagery and telemetry. The programs will build on the School of Computing & Informatics’ advanced curriculum in artiﬁcial intelligence and machine learning, giving students opportunities to apply those technologies to challenges unique to space-based systems. “Computing is essential to nearly every aspect of modern space systems, from communications and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence and autono-

mous technologies,” College of Sciences Dean Azmy Ackleh said. “Through this new concentration and minor in space computing, we are giving students opportunities to apply the computing skills they are developing to complex, real-world challenges in space-based systems. Most importantly, we are preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow, both here in Louisiana and across the nation, and equipping them to contribute to the growing space economy.”

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Kentucky coach Stein: ‘He’s an elite person’ Former LSU OC Sloan off to hot start at Kentucky

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The young coach now in charge of Kentucky’s football program knew his offensive coordinator before he hired him. They had called plays against each other. They had recruited against each other. They even hung out in the offseason ä LSU at to “talk ball.” Kentucky. 6 P.M. The point is that Will Stein had his own wellSATURDAY, ESPN informed opinion of Joe Sloan last year, and because of that, he could judge Sloan’s coaching acumen on more than just the ugly numbers the LSU offense produced across the two seasons he ran it. Stein thought he and Sloan were “like-minded people” who would work well together if they ever encountered a chance to join the same staff. “I really liked his mindset,” Stein said. “I liked his conﬁdence. I liked his football IQ and his track record of developing quarterbacks.” So Stein took a chance on Sloan and tossed him the keys to his offense, giving the former LSU offensive coordinator an opportunity to take it for a spin against the school that ﬁred him last October. That shot arrives

ä See LSU, page 4C

STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson gets past Saints safety Jonas Sanker for a first down during the first half on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

Saints looking to ‘play with technique,’ limit explosive plays BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Three plays into the New Orleans Saints‘ devastating loss to the Atlanta Falcons, one of the team’s weaknesses in the early season was on full display. Falcons star Bijan Robinson took the handoff on a wide zone play off left tackle. He made a nifty jump cut to elude Chase Young in the backfield, found a crease and exploded through it for 59 yards. On the play in which Robinson went untouched to the end zone, only six of the Saints’ 11 defenders were blocked. Atlanta finished with four explosive runs, defined as runs that pick up 10 or more yards, to bring the Saints’ season tally to 15. Only the Detroit Lions (16) have allowed more explosive runs through four weeks. Three of those explosive runs against the Saints have gone for touchdowns, which is tied for the most in the league through four games. Some of it can be chalked up to whom the Saints have faced: Of those 15 long runs given up by the Saints, 12 belonged to Robinson, Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs

and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, arguably the three most explosive runners in the league. But New Orleans knows it has had its own part in those numbers. “That film taught us a lot about who we thought we were,” edge rusher Cam Jordan said. “… We didn’t play anywhere (near) the brand of football we’ve been putting on film. There’s a reason you see the score go the way it did. I think if we get back to playing our way, playing with technique across the board, we eliminate a lot of those plays.” When coordinator Brandon Staley’s defense is playing well, it is limiting explosive plays and forcing the opposing offense to play near-perfect football over the course of a long drive. It’s a brand of football that is built upon discipline and intelligence, with the players being in the right spot and playing with the correct technique. New Orleans has had a few notable leaks early this season. “Our game is playing 11 on 11,” Staley said. “We’ve got to play team defense. … I thought after that first

ä See SAINTS, page 4C

Key players land on Cajuns’ injury report BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

UL’s injury report continues to be a mixed bag heading into Saturday’s critical 7 p.m. Sun Belt road contest at Louisiana Tech, but still leaning in the wrong direction. Coach Michael Desormeaux confirmed the obvious Wednesday ä UL at evening. Redshirt freshLouisiana Tech man running back Darrell 6:30 P.M. SATURDAY, Smith’s knee injury has ended his season and redESPN+ shirt senior safety Collin Jacob will be out at least another month with a broken arm. “Collin had a successful surgery,” Desormeaux said. “The doctors are optimistic that we’ll get him back at some point ... hopefully sooner than later.” Kick returner Ja’Corian Norris remains in concussion protocol and won’t be available in Saturday’s game, and redshirt junior right guard Matt Broussard will miss this week as well. “The good thing is our young guys (on

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

Former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan watches players warm up before a game against South Carolina on Oct. 11, 2025. Sloan will face his former team when LSU travels to Kentucky on Saturday.

LSU-Kentucky series has produced many memorable moments When it comes to LSU football rivalries, the Kentucky series certainly ranks behind Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Auburn in terms of intensity and, let’s call it what it is, hate-the-otherteam’s-guts-ness. Still, LSU’s games against Kentucky have provided some of the most memorable moments in program history — including arguably the Scott most memorable one. Rabalais Saturday, that series is renewed once more, as the No. 10-ranked Tigers (4-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) travel to Lexington, Kentucky to take on upstart Kentucky (4- 1, 2-1) at 6 p.m. on ESPN. It will be LSU’s ﬁrst game against UK since 2021, and just the Tigers’ third trip to the bluegrass since 2002. Speaking of bluegrass and that year …

The Miracle

STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP

UL running back Anthony Reagan figures to play a larger role for the Cajuns on Saturday with the loss of running back Darrell Smith for the season and kick returner ä See CAJUNS, page 4C Ja’Corian Norris missing the game with a concussion.

The play was called Dash Right 93 Berlin. It was a classic Hail Mary, a play with receivers streaking downﬁeld when a long, desperate heave was the only hope the Tigers had left. Nick Saban had his Tigers practice it

ä See RABALAIS, page 4C

2C ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

AUTO RACING 7:30 a.m. F1: Sprint Qualifying APPLETV noon NASCAR Truck Series: Practice FS2 1:05 p.m. NASCAR Truck Series: Qualifying FS2 4 p.m. NASCAR Truck: Ecosave 250 FOX MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 6 p.m. Southern Cal vs. N. Carolina ACCN COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY 3 p.m. Iowa at Northwestern BTN 5 p.m. Virginia at Boston College ACCN COLLEGE FOOTBALL 6 p.m. Florida St. at Louisville ESPN 8 p.m. Wyoming at San Jose St. CBSSN 8 p.m. Washington St. at Utah St. CW 8 p.m. Iowa at Washington FS1

9:15 p.m. Iowa St. at BYU ESPN WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER 5 p.m. North Carolina at Florida St. ESPNU WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 4 p.m. Stanford at Notre Dame ACCN 5:30 p.m. UCLA at Maryland BTN 6:30 p.m. Stanford at Notre Dame ACCN 7 p.m. Florida at Missouri ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Southern Cal at Purdue BTN GOLF 7 a.m. Open de España GOLF noon PGA Tour Champions GOLF 2 p.m. Korn Ferry Tour Championship GOLF 10 p.m. PGA: Baycurrent Classic GOLF HORSE RACING 2 p.m. America’s Day at the Races FS2

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FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

7 p.m.

America’s Day at the Races FS2 NBA PRESEASON 7 a.m. Houston vs. Dallas NBATV 7 p.m. Memphis at Chicago NBATV NHL 6 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Washington NHLN MEN’S SOCCER 9:45 a.m. Al Ahli at Al Fateh FS2 1:55 p.m. Queens Park at West Ham CBSSN 9:55 p.m. Deportivo Toluca at UANL Tigres FS2 TENNIS 11 p.m. Beijing Semifinals TENNIS WNBA 6:30 p.m. Atlanta at New York ESPN2 8:30 p.m. Golden State at Las Vegas NBCSN

Teurlings makes statement Improved Rebels get ‘huge win’ over Catholic-New Iberia

YOKOHAMA, Japan — Fresh off making the clinching putt in another U.S. victory at the Presidents Cup, Jacob Bridgeman birdied four of his last ﬁve holes Thursday for an 8-under 63 to take a one-shot lead over Jordan Smith in the Baycurrent Classic. The PGA Tour’s lone stop in Asia features its strongest ﬁeld of the FedEx Cup Fall, with 13 of the 24 players who competed in the Presidents Cup two weeks ago at Medinah in the Chicago suburbs. Bridgeman made his debut at Medinah, and his par putt to defeat Min Woo Lee on the 18th green was the clinching point for the 11th straight American victory. He was right back at it on the Yokohama Country Club course with a bogey-free round.

Staff writer

Missouri freshman OT Jones recieves heart transplant

STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD BOWIE

Teurlings Catholic’s Maci Sheppard returns the ball during Wednesday’s match against Catholic High of New Iberia. Sheppard finished with a team-best 18 kills in a 25-14, 25-16, 21-25, 25-15 win. fense. We’ve been telling them the level of execution that they need to have to be successful against teams like (Catholic-New Iberia),” Hebert said. “I think each week we get tested and they step up a little more and they’re ﬁnally seeing that they have to get out of their comfort zone for us to be successful.” Sheppard ﬁnished with a teambest 18 kills, four digs, three aces and one block, while Leonard had 11 kills and four blocks. Bergeron added eight kills and 16 digs.

“We’ve been waiting on Maci to kind of grow up performancewise,” Hebert said. “She’s a senior and in that position that she holds, it requires a lot of responsibility for terminating plays and transitions. She did very well.” The Panthers (19-3) were led by Amelie Trappey (21 kills, 16 digs, three assists, two aces), Mackenzie Batiste (nine kills, 18 assists, 11 digs), Renee Frederick (17 assists, 12 digs, three kills, ace), Charlotte Shea (seven kills, seven digs) and Caroline Meyer (four

blocks, two kills). With the end of the regular season approaching, the Rebels look like a team that’s improving as they prepare for a playoff run. “In this team, we’ve seen the most growth from the start to where we are now,” Hebert said. “There’s still obviously room to grow and improve. Even though it has been baby steps, it has been steps forward.” Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

NBA, FIBA reiterate plan Disputed timeout for new Europe league leaves Liberty reeling BY JAMES ROBSON

AP sportswriter

LONDON — The NBA was pressing ahead with plans to launch a new European basketball league, saying on Thursday the current model was seriously undervalued. EuroLeague owners this week rejected a formal offer from the NBA to merge into a single European operation. But the NBA and FIBA indicated they still hope to merge with EuroLeague in their new league as early as next year. George Aivazoglou, the NBA managing director for Europe and Middle East, went into further detail about the plans when speaking at the sports industry conference Leaders Week London. “The NBA has been very consistent throughout the years in reiterating that we’re very serious about the opportunity in European basketball. We’re also very serious and consistent in terms of our intention to work with everybody who shares our vision of the future,” Aivazoglou said. “There is a serious value gap for European basketball. We don’t think it’s reaching its potential and we have a perspective about what has happened and what needs to happen to move things forward.” The decision not to accept the NBA’s proposal of a single Europe entity was made on Tuesday in Cernobbio during a gathering of the EuroLeague’s 13 shareholder clubs. They include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Milan, Tony Parker -owned ASVEL in France and two Istanbul-based clubs. The NBA and FIBA released a

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky State University women’s basketball player from Senegal, who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been released after spending two months in custody. At a hearing on Tuesday a judge granted a $2,500 bond for Aminata Seck and it was posted Wednesday after ICE did not appeal, according to Hishem Alsalman, managing attorney of Alsalman Law Ofﬁce. The judge found that she was not a danger to the community or a ﬂight risk, Alsalman said Thursday. The judge also ruled that she can continue working toward her degree and praised her for her academic and athletic achievements. The 26-year-old Seck was detained on Aug. 7 at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. as she was planning to travel with her team to a tournament.

Bridgeman leads Baycurrent Classic fresh off U.S. victory

BY ERIC NARCISSE Back in August, the Teurlings Catholic volleyball team got a glimpse of how far they needed to go to be the team they wanted to be. It was only one set against Catholic High of New Iberia in the volleyball jamboree, but it was enough for coach Terry Hebert to realize the Rebels had a long way to go. “We were not good,” Hebert said. “They handled us pretty well back in August. We were not executing anywhere near what we’re doing now.” On Wednesday, the Rebels showedhow far they’ve come after defeating the Panthers in four sets 25-14, 25-16, 21-25 and 25-17. “It’s a huge win for us,” Hebert said. “The girls probably put together one of the best performances from everyone that we’ve had this year.” What made the victory even better for Hebert was the fact the Rebels overcame a poor practice to turn in the strong performance. “We were as ﬂat as a sheet of paper at practice,” Hebert said. “The girls came in just sluggish and had a poor performance in practice. I kind of challenged them to take every opportunity they can to get themselves better and I think they had a little powwow after practice.” The Rebels (16-7), who have won three straight, were led by by Maci Sheppard, Mya Leonard, Ava Robin (seven kills, six digs, three blocks) and Hannah Bergeron. “I’m going to put it on our of-

Kentucky St. hoops player freed from ICE custody

joint statement earlier Thursday, claiming a “partnership between the EuroLeague, FIBA and the NBA to unify the European basketball ecosystem would unlock the game’s enormous potential across Europe for the benefit of clubs, players and, most importantly, fans.” The NBA and FIBA added they “remain committed” to the new league, which has been planned to launch in the fall of 2027. It seems likely that merger talks will continue, with Barcelona saying this week that the door remains open even though the ﬁrst proposal was rejected. “Should that (merger) proposal be amended in the future, the clubs and the EuroLeague will reconsider it,” the club said. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said multiple times, and as recently as last month, that he believes the new league would beneﬁt from “joining forces with the EuroLeague.” Many of the NBA’s top current stars hail from Europe, including San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (France), Denver’s Nikola Jokic (Serbia), the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece). The 20-team EuroLeague is comprised of 13 shareholder clubs immune from relegation. The rest either qualify through their domestic leagues or through invitation. The NBA, in partnership with FIBA, has said it envisions a 16-team league. Aivazoglou said the NBA was “ready to create something that will transcend our careers, maybe even our lifetimes for the next 100 years.”

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

NEW YORK — The New York Liberty return home trying to keep their season alive after a loss to Atlanta in Game 2 of their bestof-five WNBA semifinals series left the team in a major hole and confused about whether they had a timeout at the end of the game. The eighth-seeded Liberty trail 2-0 after falling 101-98 in overtime to the Dream on Wednesday night. They now must win three games in a row to reach the WNBA Finals. No team has ever rallied from a 2-0 deficit in league history. Game 3 is Friday night in New York. “We’re not focused on winning three games straight right now,” Liberty star Breanna Stewart said. “We’re focused on winning one game, and that’s Friday, and then we go from there. This group has experience. I’ve been part of some crazy series and I have a lot of confidence in our group.” The confusion came in the final seconds of OT when New York trailed and Angel Reese was at the foul line. Stewart asked the officials whether the team had their reset timeout remaining. Stewart said the official answered no. In a postgame pool report, the head official contradicted that, saying New York did have their timeout. Without the timeout, where New York could have advanced the ball to midcourt, Stewart

missed a desperation shot at the buzzer. The Liberty have made an official inquiry with the WNBA although its not clear what would even come from that. Atlanta is now one victory away from reaching the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013. The Dream have looked dominant throughout the playoffs led by Reese and Jordin Canada. Reese scored six of her team’s 13 points in overtime. She made two free throws with 4.3 seconds left after Sabrina Ionescu overthrew a pass with her team down one. That’s when the Liberty weren’t sure if they had a timeout or not and Stewart asked the official. Usually it’s the responsibility of a coach on the bench to keep track of timeouts, not referees. Canada had 23 points and eight assists in the Game 2 victory and was disruptive on the defensive end. Reese and Canada have helped the team win all four of the Dream’s playoff games, leading a swarming defense. Atlanta forced New York into 35 turnovers combined in the first two games. The 16 turnovers on Wednesday led to 28 Dream points. The Dream won Game 2 without star Allisha Gray, who was sidelined with a finger injury from the first game. She is dayto-day. A win by Atlanta on Friday would give her a week to recover before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, which is schedule for a week from Saturday.

Missouri freshman offensive tackle Johnnie “DJ” Jones has received a heart transplant, coach Eli Drinkwitz said. Drinkwitz announced on X on Thursday morning that the surgery Wednesday went well and that Jones was recovering. “We are incredibly grateful for the medical team who cared for DJ and for the donor and donor family whose extraordinary gift made this possible,” Drinkwitz wrote. Drinkwitz said at a news conference Tuesday that Jones was hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was awaiting the transplant. The 18-year-old Jones graduated from Venice High School on Florida’s Gulf Coast and signed with Missouri as a four-star recruit.

Norris ‘hopeful’ McLaren sorted issue costing speed

SINGAPORE — Lando Norris says he’s “hopeful” McLaren has identified and fixed a car problem which deprived him of straight-line speed, with his Formula 1 title defense all but mathematically over ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. Norris is coming off a ninth-place finish at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and was off the pace the week before in Azerbaijan before a collision ended his race. He suggested on Thursday the issue was worth two or three grid places in qualifying for both races. McLaren has worked to resolve the issue, reportedly to do with the fuel system. “They put a lot of work into trying to figure out things and I’m hopeful that it’ll be better this weekend,” Norris said.

Permanent daylight time brings odd start time in NHL

CALGARY, Alberta — Hockey fans across North America may have to be night owls at points this season to see their team play, thanks to a move by three Canadian provinces to stay on daylight saving time. Alberta, home of the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, Manitoba with the Winnipeg Jets and British Columbia with the Vancouver Canucks decided not to move clocks back an hour in November and ahead in March, a shift that throws a few wrinkles into an NHL schedule. The Canucks have some quirky road puck drops, including one trip in January with ﬁve different start times ranging from noon to 6 p.m. At the Stanley Cup Final in June, Commissioner Gary Bettman joked that nobody asked the league what it thought about the time zone changes.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● 3C

lll

Cougars LB Pugh plays Rams bracing for high-powered Bucs ‘in very violent way’ BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

Walker Pugh speaks through his actions. The St. Thomas More linebacker doesn’t talk much, but his play on the football ﬁeld speaks volumes. “He’s a man of few words who plays football in a very violent way,” said St. Thomas More offensive coordinator Shane Savoie, whose unit felt Pugh’s wrath while going head-to-head with the Cougars’ defense during the offseason. “You can account for Walker and get to him, but being able to get him blocked is a different story.” Pugh, a junior, leads the state in tackles for the Cougars (4-1, 2-0 District 3-5A), who travel to New Iberia (1-4, 0-2) on Friday. He’s reached the 20-tackle mark in two games and reached the end zone on a scoop and score in last week’s 42-7 win over Lafayette High. “I have a good motor,” he said. “I play my best every play. Tough competition motivates me and keeps me going.” Last season, Pugh earned a starting spot three weeks into the season and took full advantage of the opportunity, leading the team in tackles until a meniscus injury cut his season short. “He’s an intense competitor who always ﬁnds himself at the football,” Savoie said. “The ‘strip six’ he had last week was something to see. We’ve grown accustomed to it.” Pugh’s injury actually kept him sidelined from wrestling until shortly before the state tournament, which he won in the 285-pound division while weighing 215 pounds. “I really thought that when he did what he did on the wrestling mat, that college football recruit-

STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP

St. Thomas More linebacker Walker Pugh tackles Lafayette High running back Jaden Celestine last Friday. ers would jump on him,” Savoie said. The 6-foot-1 Pugh has scholarship offers from Nicholls State, Lamar and UL, which he visited recently, and is getting interest from Tulane, TCU and Florida State, another school he’ll be checking out soon, but he remains under the recruiting radar considering his talent level. He doesn’t have a proﬁle yet on 247Sports or Rival, the two national recruiting sites. “He’s every bit of what I think a Power Four recruit should be,” Savoie said. “He has the numbers

and measurables. I think people will come around, I’m just not sure when.” In the meantime, Pugh will go about his business leading the STM defense alongside senior linebacker Tristan Klock. “He’s an old-school football player,” Savoie said. Pugh’s next move after football season involves defending his Division II wrestling title against much larger opponents. “Wrestling helps a lot with football,” he said. “It’s a hard sport that gives me the discipline that helps with making tackles.”

Acadiana High School is no stranger to facing good football teams with explosive offenses. It’s been the story of the first half of its season. So when the Rams travel to Lake Charles to face high-powered Barbe at 7 p.m. Friday, no one should expect Acadiana to be intimidated. “It’s the biggest game of the year,” coach Doug Dotson said of the District 3-5A showdown. “I feel like if we can get this one, we’re going to be where we need to be. Anytime you play a quality opponent, it certainly makes the game more interesting. But it’s going to be a big game to say the least.” It will match between the Rams’ defense against the high-powered Buccaneers (5-0, 2-0), who average 49.6 points per game and have outscored their opponents 248-76. “They are certainly the most explosive team we have played,” Dotson said. “Offensively they have a lot of weapons, and they are really good at what they do well. Their scheme is really good, and they give you a lot of stuff to look at with all of the motions, adjustments and shifts. They are a pretty complete offense. It’s a lot to deal with.” Quarterback Jelandon Gray, running back Jordin Griffin (an LSU baseball commitment) and receivers Sawyer Kuypers (a Southeastern commitment) and Chris Rideau lead that offense. Gray, who is committed to Old Dominion, has completed 59 of 85 passes for 933 yards, 17 touchdowns and one interception, while rushing for 287 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. Griffin has rushed for 873 yards and 14 touchdowns on 72 carries, while receivers Kuypers (22 catches for 392 yards, seven TDs) and

Rideau (15-235, five TDs) have combined for 627 yards and 12 touchdowns on 37 receptions. “The quarterback is really good, and the running back is phenomenal,” Dotson said. “Their receivers are hard to deal with. You can’t say, ‘We’re going to shut this down and kind of contain them.’ They’ll just go to the next weapon.” The Rams, who have faced Central-Baton Rouge, Zachary and St. Thomas More this season, are in for quite a test. “If you don’t play well, anybody is capable (of scoring 50),” Dotson said. “But certainly, these guys because they are so explosive. They have that one-play potential. One play and they can be in the end zone. We certainly have to play better. We have to play our best defense, and I do think we have been working toward that.” With the changes they’ve made in the starting lineup, especially in the secondary, and the return of Brooklyn Lewis and linebackers Tylan Nolan and Beckham Guidry, the young Rams (4-1) are making strides. “I think we have gotten a lot better on defense,” he said. “Our kids and coaches have been working hard to get better every week. We’ve played a lot of good offenses, and we knew coming in that our offense was going to have to try to help the defense as much as possibly early until they grew. So, hopefully we’re playing our best football this Friday on both sides.” Acadiana, which has won the past 10 meetings in the series, hasn’t lost to Barbe since 2014. Dotson knows Barbe will be energized to stop that streak. “I know they feel like this is their best chance to beat us. It has been a long time since they have beaten us,” Dotson said. “I know they feel like this is their year to get it done.”

SCOREBOARD Hole-in-one

Pro football

National League

College football

Jerry Hartt

NFL Glance AMERICAN CONFERENCE

L.A. Dodgers 3, Atlanta 1

College Football Schedule

Course: Webb Memorial Hole: No. 17 Club: 7 Iron Witnesses: Ray Lamy, Joe Gray, David Morel

Prep football Area Schedule Friday’s games

All games at 7 p.m. Acadiana (4-1) at Barbe (5-0) Sam Houston (2-3) at Lafayette (3-2) St. Thomas More (4-1) at New Iberia (1-4) West St. Mary (3-2) at Lafayette Christian (3-2) Sulphur (4-1) at Southside (2-3) Cecilia (3-2) at Breaux Bridge (0-5) Carencro (1-4) at Opelousas (4-1) Menard (0-5) at Church Point (3-2) Crowley (2-3) at Iota (1-4) Abbeville (2-3) at Notre Dame (5-0) Erath (3-2) at Lakeshore (2-3) University Lab (3-2) at Kaplan (4-1) Woodlawn-BR (3-2) at St. Martinville (2-3) Delcambre (5-0) at Catholic-NI (3-2) Franklin (3-1) at Loreauville (3-2) Sacred Heart (5-0) at St. Edmund (3-2) Westminster (2-3) at Berchmans (2-3) Jeanerette (2-2) at Port Barre (0-5)

East Buffalo New England N.Y. Jets Miami

W 3 2 1 0

L 1 2 3 4

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .750 127 107 .500 65 77 .250 76 84 .000 46 101

Jacksonville Indianapolis Tennessee Houston

W 3 2 0 0

L 1 2 4 4

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .750 104 53 .500 102 104 .000 55 83 .000 84 109

Cleveland Baltimore Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 3 3 2 2

L 1 1 2 2

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF .750 81 .750 116 .500 77 .500 97

Kansas City Las Vegas Denver L.A. Chargers

W 4 3 2 0

L 0 1 2 4

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 118 77 0 .750 115 84 0 .500 74 94 0 .000 67 106

N.Y. Giants Philadelphia Dallas Washington

W 3 2 2 1

L 1 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .750 82 79 .500 75 93 .500 122 112 .250 88 122

Carolina Atlanta New Orleans Tampa Bay

W 2 2 1 0

L 2 2 3 4

T 0 0 0 0

Pct PF PA .500 121 109 .500 96 92 .250 105 128 .000 76 96

Minnesota Chicago Detroit Green Bay

W 4 3 2 2

L 0 1 2 2

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 86 51 0 .750 112 65 0 .500 119 127 0 .500 73 105

San Francisco Seattle L.A. Rams Arizona

W 4 3 2 1

L 0 1 2 3

T Pct PF PA 0 1.000 122 64 0 .750 105 73 0 .500 85 83 0 .250 87 117

South

North

West

Sports Betting Line NFL Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at JAX 1½ 7½ (42) Phila Houston 3½ 7½ (38) at TEN at NE 8½ 3½ (45) Las Vegas at NY JETS 2½ 2½ (39½) Cleveland at WASH 2½ 3½ (42½) NY Giants Chicago 3 1½ (45½) at G.B. Minnesota 1½ 2½ (42) at N.O. at PITTS 2½ 2½ (44½) Ind Cincinnati 5½ 6½ (42½) at MIAMI Denver 2½ 3½ (42½) at CHRGRS Detroit 8½ 5½ (54½) at ARIZ at SEATTLE 3½ 3 (46½) San Fran at ATLANTA 4½ 3½ (43½) Baltimore

Monday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at LA RAMS 3 3½ (54½) Buffalo

South

North

West

College Football

Thursday’s Games

Friday

Sunday’s Games

Tampa Bay at Dallas, n

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG at LOISVLLE 7½ 3½ (59½) Florida St. at SJSU 6 4½ (42½) Wyoming at WASH 1½ 3 (41½) Iowa at UTAH ST 1½ 5½ (43½) Wash St at BYU 14½ 10½ (46½) Iowa St

NHL

Friday

FAVORITE LINE at WASHINGTON -139 at COLUMBUS -123 at DETROIT -139 at WINNIPEG -118

PA 95 96 87 85

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East

Odds

(FOX, FS1)

UNDERDOG N.Y Rangers Pittsburgh Seattle Anaheim

LINE +117 +103 +118 -101

Pro basketball WNBA Playoff Glance (x-if necessary) Semiﬁnals (Best-of-5)

Golden State 2, Las Vegas 0

Sunday, October 4: Golden State 71, Las Vegas 60 Wednesday, October 7: Golden State 83, Las Vegas 81 Friday, October 9: Golden State at Las Vegas, 8:30 p.m. x-Sunday, October 11: Golden State at Las Vegas, TBA x-Wednesday, October 14: Las Vegas at Golden State, TBA

Atlanta 2, New York 0

Sunday, October 4: Atlanta 92, New York 82 Wednesday, October 7: Atlanta 101, New York 98, OT Friday, October 9: Atlanta at New York, 6:30 p.m. x-Sunday, October 11: Atlanta at New York, TBA x-Wednesday, October 14: New York at Atlanta, TBA

Philadelphia vs Jacksonville at London, GBR, 8:30 a.m. Chicago at Green Bay, noon Cincinnati at Miami, noon Cleveland at N.Y. Jets, noon Houston at Tennessee, noon Indianapolis at Pittsburgh, noon Las Vegas at New England, noon Minnesota at New Orleans, noon N.Y. Giants at Washington, noon Denver at L.A. Chargers, 3:05 p.m. Detroit at Arizona, 3:25 p.m. San Francisco at Seattle, 3:25 p.m. Baltimore at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m. Open: Kansas City, Carolina

Monday’s Games

Buffalo at L.A. Rams, 7:15 p.m.

Major League Baseball MLB Postseason Glance DIVISION SERIES

(Best-of-5) x-if necessary

American League

(TBS, TruTV, HBO Max)

Chicago White Sox 2, Cleveland 1

Saturday, Oct. 3: Chicago White Sox 3, Cleveland 0 Monday, Oct. 5: Chicago White Sox 4, Cleveland 3 Wednesday, Oct. 7: Cleveland 9, Chicago White Sox 3 Thursday, Oct. 8: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, n x-Saturday, Oct. 10: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 8:10 p.m. (TBS/TruTV/HBO Max)

Tampa Bay 3, N.Y. Yankees 0

Saturday, Oct. 3: Tampa Bay 1, N.Y. Yankees 0 Monday, Oct. 5: Tampa Bay 5, N.Y. Yankees 2 Wednesday, Oct. 7: Tampa Bay 4, N.Y. Yankees 3

Saturday, Oct. 3: L.A. Dodgers 5, Atlanta 3 Sunday, Oct. 4: Atlanta 3, L.A. Dodgers 2 Tuesday, Oct. 6: L.A. Dodgers 3, Atlanta 1 Wednesday, Oct. 7: L.A. Dodgers 4, Atlanta 1

Milwaukee 3, San Diego 1

Saturday, Oct. 3: Milwaukee 3, San Diego 2 Sunday, Oct. 4: Milwaukee 4, San Diego 3 Tuesday, Oct. 6: San Diego 4, Milwaukee 3 Wednesday, Oct. 7: Milwaukee 3, San Diego 1

Late Wednesday L.A. Dodgers 4, Atlanta 1 Los Angeles Atlanta ab r h bi ab r h bi Betts ss 4 0 0 0 Harris cf 3 1 2 0 Freeman 1b 4 0 0 0 Acuña rf 3 0 0 0 Smith c 4 0 0 0 Olson 1b 4 0 0 0 Ohtani dh 3 1 0 0 Albies 2b 4 0 1 0 T.Hernndz lf 4 1 1 0 Baldwin dh 4 0 0 0 Hy.Kim 2b 0 0 0 0 Yastrzemski lf 1 0 0 0 Muncy 3b 4 1 1 1 Thomas ph-lf 1 0 0 0 E.Hrnndz 2b 2 0 0 0 Tellez ph 1 0 0 0 De Paula ph 0 0 0 0 Dubón ss 3 0 0 0 Edman 2b 1 1 0 0 Riley 3b 3 0 0 0 Tucker rf 3 0 1 0 Murphy c 3 0 0 0 Pages cf 3 0 2 2 Totals 32 4 5 3 Totals 30 1 3 0 Los Angeles 010 000 201 — 4 Atlanta 100 000 000 — 1 E — Murphy (1), Dubón (1). DP — Los Angeles 0, Atlanta 1. LOB — Los Angeles 4, Atlanta 7. 2B — Albies (2), Harris (2). HR — Muncy (3). SB — Harris (1). IP H R ER BB SO Los Angeles 1 5 5 Glasnow 42⁄3 1 1 2 ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 Vesia 2 0 0 0 Henriquez W,1-0 1 ⁄3 1 0 Scott H,2 1 0 0 0 0 2 Díaz S,2-2 1 0 0 0 0 1 Atlanta 1 1 4 Mahle L,0-1 61⁄3 3 2 1 ⁄3 0 1 1 2 0 Fuentes 1 ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 Suarez Lee 1 0 0 0 0 1 Iglesias 1 1 1 1 0 0 WP — Glasnow. ABS Challenge — Albies (Strike-Conﬁrmed); Baldwin (Strike-Conﬁrmed). Umpires — Home, Tripp Gibson; First, Jim Wolf; Second, Mike Estabrook; Third, Roberto Ortiz; Right, James Hoye; Left, Chris Guccione. T — 2:54. A — 41,173 (41,149).

Tampa Bay 4, N.Y. Yankees 3 Tampa Bay

New York

ab r h bi ab r h bi Díaz dh 4 0 1 0 Grisham cf 5 0 0 0 Aranda 1b 3 0 1 1 Rice dh 4 0 1 1 Caminro 3b 4 1 1 0 García 1b 3 0 1 0 Mesa lf 4 1 1 2 Gldschmidt 1b 1 0 0 0 Vilade rf 2 1 1 1 Bellinger lf 4 0 0 0 Mullins cf 2 0 0 0 Lombard ss 3 1 2 0 Hicks c 4 0 0 0 A.Wells c 3 0 0 0 DeLuca rf 3 1 1 0 Stanton ph 1 0 0 0 Palacios 2b 3 0 0 0 Sánchez c 0 0 0 0 Walls ss 3 0 1 0 Volpe 2b-3b 4 1 2 1 Jones rf 2 1 1 1 Caballero 3b 2 0 0 0 Chisholm 2b 2 0 0 0 Totals 32 4 7 4 Totals 34 3 7 3 Tampa Bay 001 102 000 — 4 New York 001 101 000 — 3 E_Caminero (1). DP_Tampa Bay 1, New York 1. LOB_Tampa Bay 2, New York 7. 2B_Jones (1), Volpe (1). HR_Vilade (1), Mesa (1), Volpe (1). SB_Chisholm (2). IP H R ER BB SO Tampa Bay 2 1 3 Martinez 3 2⁄3 5 2 0 0 2 Seymour W,1-0 1 1⁄3 1 0 Jax H,1 2 1 1 1 1 4 2 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Booser H,1 1 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Kelly H,1 Baker S,3-3 1 0 0 0 1 2 New York 4 0 7 Fried L,0-1 5 2⁄3 7 4 0 0 0 Blackburn 1 2⁄3 0 0 0 0 2 Bednar 1 2⁄3 0 0 HBP_Bednar (Aranda). ABS Challenge_Jax (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Wells (Strike-Overturned to Ball). Umpires_Home, Dan Bellino; First, Ben May; Second, D.J. Reyburn; Third, Ryan Wills; Right, Jeremie Rehak; Left, Shane Livensparger. T_3:04. A_48,865 (47,309).

All Times Central (Subject to change)

Tuesday’s games SOUTH

Troy 55, Southern Miss. 34

Wednesday’s games SOUTH

Jacksonville St. 27, Kennesaw St. 26 FIU 22, New Mexico St. 3

Thursday’s games SOUTH

Sam Houston St. (1-3) at Liberty (4-1), n Missouri St. (1-3) at W. Kentucky (1-4), n

SOUTHWEST

South Florida (4-1) at UTSA (4-1), n South Alabama (3-2) at Arkansas St. (2-3), n

Friday’s games EAST

Columbia (2-1) at Marist (3-2), 6 p.m.

SOUTH

Florida A&M (1-4) at Alabama St. (3-2), 11 a.m. Florida St. (3-2) at Louisville (2-3), 6 p.m.

FAR WEST

Wyoming (2-3) at San Jose St. (3-2), 8 p.m. Iowa (4-1) at Washington (3-2), 8 p.m. Washington St. (1-4) at Utah St. (1-4), 8 p.m. Iowa St. (3-2) at BYU (4-0), 9:15 p.m.

Saturday’s games EAST

North Carolina (2-2) at Pittsburgh (5-0), 11 a.m. Dartmouth (1-2) at Yale (2-1), 11 a.m. Tulane (2-2) at Army (2-2), 11 a.m. Bryant (4-1) at Brown (1-2), 11 a.m. Stonehill (1-4) at Sacred Heart (2-3), 11 a.m. Robert Morris (3-2) at Morgan St. (4-1), 11 a.m. Arizona (4-1) at West Virginia (3-2), 11 a.m. Princeton (2-1) at Wagner (1-4), 11 a.m. Bucknell (1-4) at Georgetown (0-4), 11:30 a.m. LIU Brooklyn (1-5) at Duquesne (1-3), noon Harvard (3-0) at Cornell (2-1), noon American International (0-0) at CCSU (1-3), noon Howard (2-3) at Penn (1-2), noon Franklin Pierce (0-1) at Delaware St. (3-3), noon Miami (Ohio) (2-3) at UMass (4-1), 1 p.m. Richmond (5-1) at Fordham (1-5), 2:30 p.m. Tulsa (3-2) at Navy (1-3), 2:30 p.m. UConn (2-3) at Temple (2-3), 2:45 p.m. Stony Brook (3-2) at Towson (0-6), 3 p.m. Coastal Carolina (1-4) at Marshall (3-2), 6 p.m. Southern Cal (5-1) at Penn St. (3-2), 6:30 p.m.

SOUTH

Wake Forest (4-1) at NC State (3-2), 11 a.m. SC State (5-1) at Charleston Southern (2-3), 11 a.m. New Hampshire (2-4) at NC A&T (1-5), 11 a.m. South Carolina (2-3) at Florida (4-1), 11:45 a.m. William & Mary (2-4) at NC Central (2-4), noon Old Dominion (1-4) at Appalachian St. (3-1), noon Samford (1-4) at Chattanooga (3-3), noon Wofford (3-3) at Elon (4-2), 1 p.m. Va. Lynchburg (0-3) at Norfolk St. (3-3), 1 p.m. Northeastern St. (0-2) at West Florida (3-2), 1 p.m. ETSU (4-2) at The Citadel (2-3), 1 p.m. Arkansas Baptist (0-1) at Alcorn St. (3-3), 2 p.m. W. Carolina (3-3) at Mercer (4-2), 2 p.m. E. Illinois (1-4) at Gardner-Webb (2-4), 2:30 p.m. Duke (4-0) at Georgia Tech (1-3), 2:30 p.m. Mississippi (3-1) at Vanderbilt (3-2), 2:30 p.m. UT Martin (1-4) at Tennessee St. (1-4), 2:30 p.m. Furman (2-4) at Tennessee Tech (4-1), 2:30 p.m. Rice (1-4) at East Carolina (2-2), 3 p.m. Jackson St. (5-0) at Grambling St. (3-2), 4 p.m. Davidson (2-4) at Presbyterian (2-3), 4:30 p.m. West Georgia (1-4) at E. Kentucky (1-4), 5 p.m. Tarleton St. (5-0) at Austin Peay (5-1), 6 p.m. UAB (3-2) at Memphis (4-1), 6 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman (3-2) at Alabama A&M (4-2), 6 p.m. LSU (4-1) at Kentucky (4-1), 6 p.m. James Madison (5-0) at Georgia Southern (2-3), 6:30 p.m. Syracuse (2-2) at Virginia (3-2), 6:30 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette (4-1) at Louisiana Tech (2-2), 6:30 p.m. Georgia (5-0) at Alabama (5-0), 6:30 p.m.

MIDWEST

Indiana (5-0) at Nebraska (5-0), 11 a.m. Sacramento St. (1-4) at Bowling Green (1-4), 11 a.m. Texas A&M (3-2) at Missouri (4-1), 11 a.m. Morehead St. (1-4) at Dayton (3-1), 11 a.m. Ball St. (1-4) at Northwestern (3-1), 11:30 a.m. San Diego (2-3) at Butler (4-1), noon Youngstown St. (4-2) at Indiana St. (2-4), noon S. Illinois (3-3) at South Dakota (4-2), 1 p.m. Drake (2-3) at Valparaiso (2-3), 1 p.m. SE Missouri (2-3) at Lindenwood (Mo.) (1-3), 1 p.m. Stetson (1-4) at St. Thomas (Minn.) (4-2), 1 p.m. E. Michigan (3-3) at Akron (1-4), 2:30 p.m. Stanford (2-3) at Notre Dame (5-0), 2:30 p.m. Houston (4-1) at Kansas St. (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Illinois (2-3) at Michigan St. (2-3), 2:30 p.m. Kent St. (2-3) at W. Michigan (3-2), 2:30 p.m. Buffalo (2-3) at Toledo (4-1), 2:30 p.m. Cent. Michigan (3-2) at Ohio (3-2), 2:30 p.m. Maryland (2-3) at Ohio St. (4-1), 3:15 p.m. North Dakota (5-1) at N. Iowa (2-2), 4 p.m. Air Force (3-1) at N. Illinois (0-4), 6:30 p.m. Minnesota (4-1) at Purdue (2-3), 7 p.m.

SOUTHWEST

UCF (3-2) at Oklahoma St. (3-1), 11 a.m. MVSU (2-4) at Texas Southern (1-4), 2 p.m. Oklahoma (2-2) vs. Texas (4-0) at Dallas, 2:30 p.m. Charlotte (0-5) at North Texas (3-2), 2:30 p.m. Incarnate Word (2-3) at Lamar (4-1), 3 p.m. Southern U. (2-4) at Prairie View (2-4), 3 p.m. Tennessee (4-1) at Arkansas (2-3), 3:15 p.m. Nevada (1-3) at UTEP (1-4), 6 p.m. Cent. Arkansas (2-3) at Abilene Christian (2-4), 7 p.m. SE Louisiana (3-2) at UT Rio Grande Valley (2-3), 7 p.m.

FAR WEST

Idaho (1-4) at Weber St. (3-3), 2 p.m. Virginia Tech (4-1) at California (2-3), 2:30 p.m. UCLA (4-0) at Oregon (3-1), 2:30 p.m. Utah Tech (0-6) at Portland St. (1-4), 3 p.m. Montana (5-1) at N. Arizona (4-2), 4 p.m. Cal Poly (3-3) at Idaho St. (4-1), 5 p.m. San Diego St. (2-3) at Oregon St. (3-2), 5 p.m. N. Dakota St. (5-0) at UNLV (3-2), 6 p.m. N. Colorado (2-4) at E. Washington (1-5), 6 p.m. Kansas (2-2) at Utah (4-0), 9:15 p.m. Hawaii (1-4) at Arizona St. (2-2), 9:30 p.m. Boise St. (4-1) at Fresno St. (4-1), 9:30 p.m.

Transactions FOOTBALL

National Football League CAROLINA PANTHERS — Signed RB Anthony Tyus III to the practice squad. DALLAS COWBOYS — Activated G Tyler Smith from injured reserve. Waived RB Emari Demercado. DETROIT LIONS — Signed DL Jeffrey M’ba to the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Signed EDGE Amari Gainer to the practice squad. Released DL Keith Cooper Jr. from the practice squad. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — SIgned S Mike Scott to the active roster. Signed LB Jose ramirez to the practice squad. PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Designated DeShon Elliott to return from injured reserve.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League DETROIT RED WINGS — Placed F Chase Stillman on Waivers. Activated D Jacob BernardDocker from injured reserve. FLORIDA PANTHERS — Loaned D Alexander Petrovic to Charlotte (AHL). NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Placed F Stefan Noesen on waivers. OTTAWA SENATORS — Assigned G Jonas Johansson to Belleville (AHL). SAN JOSE SHARKS — Placed F Brett Leason on waivers. SEATTLE KRAKEN — Placed D Ryan Lindgren on injured reserve.

4C ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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NOTEBOOK

Saints receiver Olave limited with foot injury BY MATTHEW PARAS

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C (Robinson touchdown), our guys kind of went outside of themselves too often, trying to force something to happen to turn that game in our favor instead of just playing the right way.” Staley still believes in his unit. He pointed out the three possessions that immediately followed the long Robinson touchdown, when the Saints forced a pair of punts and then, after Kendre Miller fumbled the ball away deep in Saints territory, appeared to get a fourth-down stop before it was nulliﬁed by a penalty. But Atlanta scored on the ﬁrst play after that penalty and quickly

LSU

Continued from page 1C at 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN), when coach Lane Kifﬁn’s Tigers are set to face Kentucky in their second Southeastern Conference road battle of the season. The LSU offense struggled when coach Brian Kelly and Sloan were in charge of it. The unit couldn’t run the ball and usually sputtered once it faced a short-yardage situation or reached the red zone. Sloan and Stein have been much more successful, at least through the first five games they’ve coached together. Kentucky scored 31 points in a road win over Texas A&M on Sept.

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C every week. The play never worked. Still, LSU needed to try it on the afternoon of Nov. 9, 2002. With :02 left down 30-27, Marcus Randall heaved a pass as far as he could, a 75-yard bomb that pinballed off three Kentucky defensive backs and into the hands of Devery Henderson, who shook off a desperation grab at his left knee by Derek Tatum before “running like hell” into the end zone. LSU won 33-30 in a scene of unspeakable chaos. Kentucky students spilling over the walls to rush the field, fans on the goalpost behind Randall and then UK coach Guy Morriss, drenched with water in a “victory” bath before the final play ran. All the while, the Tigers dogpiled in the north end zone. Afterward, I went outside Commonwealth Stadium (now Kroger Field) to watch the LSU buses pull away. I don’t know exactly what I was looking to find for my column, but my search was answered by a Kentucky fan named Chris Holian, who stood on the curb beside me with a bemused

Continued from page 1C offensive line) that played last week played really well,” Desormeaux said. “Jakoby (Isom) certainly did having to step in that spot.” On the plus side of the injury report, no new names will be available, but formerly injured players are more ready to make a bigger impact. That group includes redshirt junior wide receiver Shelton Sampson and redshirt junior tight end Caden Jensen, as well as transfer defensive tackle Brodrick Stewart. “Shelton’s had a great week,” Desormeaux said. “So we’re going to let him go more. I still think we need to rotate guys in there, especially with the way Kristion Brooks has been playing, but that would have been the plan even if (Sampson) hadn’t gotten hurt. “Any restrictions on (Sampson) have been kind of us pulling the reins back a little bit ... just getting him into the type of shape he wants to be in.” Besides the obstacles injury woes have presented UL in recent weeks, Desormeaux said the underlying impact has been on special teams. “The reality is a lot of these injuries, this (special teams) is where you kind of start to feel them a little bit,” he said. “Key special teams guys have had to move into key offensive and defensive roles and that takes them away from special teams. “We have a lot of youth on this team and that’s where it shows up. We are getting better, but it’s not where we want it to be. We’re working with urgency.” With Norris out, running back Anthony Reagan and true freshman back Ke’Rynn Smith are expected to help on kickoff returns. “That’s something he’s done and he did it the other night,” Desormeaux said. “He’s really shifty in space.”

“The reality is a lot of these injuries, this (special teams) is where you kind of start to feel them a little bit. Key special teams guys have had to move into key offensive and defensive roles and that takes them away from special teams.” MICHAEL DESORMEAUX, UL coach

As the Saints prepare for Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

Brian Flores’ hectic blitz schemes, Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier has already noticed the defensive mind’s inﬂuence across the league. The Vikings blitz like no other team, doing so on 67.9% of opposing dropbacks so far. Fittingly, the second-ranked team is the Washington Commanders (44.4%) — whose new defensive coordinator, Daronte Jones, worked under Flores last year. And according to Nussmeier, that approach is felt across the league. “The (cover) zero coverages has upticked and people are bringing more of it,” Nussmeier said. “They’re not as aggressive, I would say as coach Flores and that group, but you’ve seen it across the league. “It’s a copycat league. People have success doing things, other people are going to implement it. To what extent? That varies by team.” Nussmeier said Flores’ defense is a “high-risk” concept given how many defenders they send. But there’s a high reward for the Vikings if the opposing offense can’t make them pay. “There’s a lot of grass out there and you’ve got to ﬁnd the grass on offense,” Nussmeier said. “The other thing you have to do is stay ahead of the sticks. You can’t play this game behind the sticks when

piled on from there. The Falcons ran the ball at will on the Saints defense, then found plenty of room in the secondary to hit on more explosives: Coming into the game, New Orleans had only allowed six pass plays of 20 or more yards, and the Falcons nearly doubled that by connecting on ﬁve of them Monday night. The nine explosive plays followed a ﬁxable trend, Staley said. “You can study each of those plays and see a breakdown in technique,” Staley said. “The good news is they weren’t mental errors, where you have this catastrophe of missed assignments. It was really just guys playing with the wrong technique and maybe putting their eyes in the wrong spots. “When you’re off enough against a group that is dangerous, that can

happen.” The three pillars of the defense, Staley said, are assignment, technique and effort. He was pleased with the effort but deemed the other two areas lacking. His players didn’t disagree with that sentiment after getting a chance to review what happened against Atlanta. “Nobody’s perfect, right? What you try to limit is too many mistakes on each play,” Young said. “There’s a difference if I make a mistake on one play, but everybody else is doing their job. It’s probably a 3-yard gain. But when you’ve got a play where it’s ﬁve people (not doing their jobs), that’s the explosive. “That’s the game, though. So we’ve got to do our best to limit mistakes, go back to the basics, and just do our job.”

19 before dropping 35 in an overtime win over South Carolina last Saturday. Only ﬁve SEC teams are rushing for more yards per game than the Wildcats, who have also scored touchdowns on more than three-fourths of their red-zone trips. Stein and Sloan still have issues to sort out. Notre Dame transfer quarterback Kenny Minchey has already been sacked 11 times, and his offense is converting third downs at the lowest rate in the nation: an abysmal 25%. But Stein is pleased with the early returns on his decision to give up his play-calling duties and hand them to Sloan. The 37-year-old ﬁrst-time head coach said in July at SEC media days that he made that move in

large part because no head coach who doubled as an every-down play caller has won a national championship since 2013, when Jimbo Fisher pulled off that feat at Florida State. Stein wants to be involved in “all facets” of his program. “There’s just too much going on,” he said, “to only worry about the offense.” He shares that belief with Kifﬁn. Because offensive coordinator Charlie Weis calls the plays for LSU, Kifﬁn can take a big-picture approach to managing the program. The example he gave on Aug. 5, not long after the Tigers opened preseason practice, was a compliance call he wanted to hop on instead of attending an offensive meeting scheduled for the

same time. “And now I can go do that,” Kiffin said, “because it’s an immediate thing that might be happening that I’m dealing with, knowing that everything’s done the exact right way. So the Charlie benefit is huge for our program.” It is for the on-field product, too. LSU is entering its game against Kentucky ranked top-10 nationally in both total offense and scoring offense. Kiffin and Weis’ Tigers need to score only one more rushing touchdown to double the number of such scores Kelly and Sloan’s Tigers produced all last season (10). They’re also just 164 rushing yards away from matching the total LSU scrounged together across the 13 games it played in 2025. Stein and Sloan aren’t engineer-

ing as drastic a turnaround at Kentucky, but their offense is operating much more efficiently than the one their program fielded last year. The Wildcats finished 2025 ranked 101st nationally in scoring offense and 105th in total offense. Now they’re 48th in scoring offense and 53rd in total offense. Kentucky has already scored at least 30 points as many times as it did all last year. Stein’s decision to take a chance on Sloan looks like it’s paying off. The two friends-turned-colleagues have a dangerous offense, one that can challenge the attack LSU built after it fired Kelly and Sloan. “He’s an elite person,” Stein said. “He’s an elite coach. He’s an elite recruiter. And I’m really, really happy he’s with us.”

look on his face. “Fifty-nine minutes and 58 seconds,” he said. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

between ads promoting a cure for rheumatism and prodigious seed corn (“Ninety bushels with fertilizer!”) gave a less than glowing account of the visitors: “The Kentucky Transylvania boys simply did not know how to play football,” the story said. “… they were about as poor as ever seen on the (LSU) campus.” Transylvania, a Division III school that was the alma mater of Confederate president Jefferson Davis, dropped football in 1941. Folks at the school like to say they’ve been unbeaten since 1942. However, its women’s basketball team won the D-III national title in 2023 in Dallas, the day before LSU’s women won their national championship over Iowa on the same court.

After the ﬁeld cleared, LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette suggested to Miles, who was basically carried off through the crowd by a police bodyguard under each arm, that he have that handshake with Brooks. Miles agreed, and they met privately under the stands before LSU departed. Despite the loss, and another triple OT defeat against Arkansas, the Tigers would go on to beat Ohio State for the BCS national championship in the Superdome.

prisingly deep. UK offensive coordinator Joe Sloan worked in that capacity at LSU under Brian Kelly in 2024-25 before they both were ﬁred. LSU offensive line coach Eric Wolford was also at UK in that capacity the past two seasons. Lance Heard, the Neville grad who played at LSU in 2023 before spending two years at Tennessee, has been UK’s starter at left tackle every game. His matchup with Tigers’ edge Princewill Umanmielen (second in FBS with eight sacks) will be one of the game’s biggest. Also on UK’s team are former Tiger defensive tackle Ahmad Breaux (2024-25) from Ruston and receiver Nic Anderson, who played at LSU last season. Kentucky’s top receiver is Kenny Darby from Bossier Airline (25 receptions, 322 yards, three touchdowns). Offensive lineman Darren Strey transferred to LSU from UK and has played every game. Also, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt’s ﬁrst visit after transferring out of Arizona State was to Kentucky, and offensive analyst Tee Martin was UK’s receivers coach from 2010-11.

Staff writer

The good news: Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara practiced Thursday for the New Orleans Saints after missing the previous day’s session. The bad news: Olave was limited and popped up on the report with a new injury. A day after Saints coach Kellen Moore said the wide receiver missed practice because of a rest day, Olave was listed as a limited participant with a foot injury. Moore was not available to speak with reporters Thursday, so there was no clarification on whether Olave suffered the injury in Thursday’s practice or if the issue stemmed from Monday’s blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Moore said Olave was “ﬁne” after taking a hard hit with two minutes left in the game, even though the wideout was slow to get up and did not re-enter the contest. Asked Monday why he left the starters in so late in a blowout, Moore said he wanted the unit to play some “clean football” at the end of the game. On Wednesday, when Olave did not participate, Moore repeatedly insisted the absence was only related to rest. Elsewhere, running back Kamara (back soreness) returned as

CAJUNS

STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints wide receiver Chris Olave runs for a first down against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

a limited participant. He was one of seven limited players, joining Olave, Carl Granderson, safety Julian Blackmon (shoulder), wide receiver Barion Brown (thigh), tight end Noah Fant (abdomen) and guard Jeremiah Wright (concussion). Quarterback Tyler Shough, meanwhile, was upgraded to a full participant after he was listed with a left hand injury.

New trend

The team from Transylvania In 1909, the Tigers were coming off their first championship season in 1908, an unbeaten 10-0 record that, though LSU doesn’t officially claim it, left the school recognized by the NCAA as conational champions with then Eastern power Pennsylvania. Late in that 1909 season, LSU thought it was going to play a game in Baton Rouge against Kentucky on Nov. 18. Instead, the most bizarre case of mistaken identity in program history, off the train stepped the team from Transylvania, also from Lexington. Transylvania University was also known then as the State University of Kentucky. It turned out, LSU officials thought they were corresponding by mail with University of Kentucky, a school that the Tigers wouldn’t meet in football until 40 years later. Despite the colossal mix-up, the teams played. LSU walloped the Pioneers 52-0, the Tigers’ most lopsided victory that season. A write-up in the next day’s StateTimes newspaper, an afternoon predecessor to The Advocate,

Secret handshake In 2007, LSU went to Kentucky ranked No. 1, falling to the No. 17 Wildcats 43-37 in triple overtime. Just like five years earlier, Kentucky fans stormed the field, this time pre-empting the postgame handshake between then-LSU coach Les Miles and UK coach Rich Brooks. One of the delirious Wildcat fans who ran across the turf that day was an 18-year-old Will Stein, now Kentucky’s firstyear coach.

Isom responded well

cause I’m just more comfortable ... me learning my strengths and what I need to work on.” Overall, Isom is excited about his future. “The experience has been great,” Isom said. “I’ve been learning from the guys in front of me, and I’ve been ready when my name is called. “I came back fully recovered (from last season). My body was feeling good, so I came back ready with my mind on the mission.” Isom also relished the experience of the offense delivering in the clutch with four second-half scoring drives last season. “We’ve always had to keep our head up,” Isom said. “We knew we had 30 minutes left and the game wasn’t over. It felt great to come through in the second half.”

Jensen ready for more Back after missing two games, tight end Caden Jensen feels close to 100% healthy after easing back into practice over the past two weeks. “Most deﬁnitely, it’s always a great feeling after a game to be super sore, and it’s a good type of sore,” Jensen said. “Lunch (Winﬁeld) came up to me and for some reason apologized to me, saying he knew I took a lot of shots, but I told him, ‘That’s my job.’ It’s my job to catch the ball and it’s my job to protect myself.” In his three games so far, Jensen has collected 10 catches for 110 yards. The next step for him and the other tight ends from here on out is more yards after catch. “We want our tight ends to be dynamic within the passing game,” Jensen said. “So when we’re catching a ball in practice, the expectation is to do something with it for 10 yards afterwards. “That’s exciting to see. That’s definitely the expectation. It’s been a big emphasis going forward.”

When injuries hit UL’s offensive line last season, the coaching staff initially leaned on true freshman Jakoby Isom. Then Isom joined the injury list and missed the end of the season. So when Broussard went down with a concussion, the 6-foot-1, 318-pounder was ready to go. “I feel a lot better (this year),” Isom said. “I feel a lot stronger and a lot faster. My head, I know all the plays now and I know my steps and everything like that, so I feel a lot more prepared. Email Kevin Foote at “It’s a lot easier this year be- kfoote@theadvocate.com.

Kentucky’s Tiger Charles McClendon, still LSU’s all-time winningest coach (137-597), played at Kentucky under Paul “Bear” Bryant. Stein is the first UK coach to equal Bryant’s 4-1 start in 1946 at the school. In 1969, McClendon’s Tigers topped Bryant’s Crimson Tide 2015, making “Cholly Mac” Bryant’s first former player to beat him in a regular-season game. “Coach,” McClendon told Bryant at midfield, “this has been a long time coming.” “I know it, Mac,” Bryant said, “but don’t ever think I like it.”

LSU-UK ties The connections between LSU and Kentucky this year run sur-

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

‘Wildest show’ W it h t r aditional even ts including bu ll r i ding and uni que one s l ike C o nvi c t Poker, t he annual Angola Prison Rodeo t ake s plac e e ac h S u n d ay in O c t o ber. G a tes open at 8 a.m . with a r t s , c r a f t s a n d f o o d b oot hs. The r odeo gets underway at 2 p . m. $25. a n go l a r o de o . c o m .

LIVING

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

F r i d ay, O c t O b e r 9, 2026

5cN

COWBOY MOUTH 7 p.m. Friday l The Ruins, 1919 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette l $25 l cowboymouth.com and theruinsnightclub.com

PROVIDED IMAGE

The cover of Harry Connick Jr.’s 2026 album ‘Babe: Elaboratio: A Tribute to My Mother’

A dream come true Harry Connick Jr. talks about his late mom, new album dedicated to her

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Harry Connick Jr. routinely dedicated his albums to his late mother, even as he mostly declined to talk about her publicly. But at 59, he’s celebrating his enduring love for Anita-Francis Livingston Connick in a very public way. His new, orchestral album and a companion book, both titled “Babe: Elaboratio: A Tribute to My Mother,” honor the life and legacy of the woman affectionately known as Babe. An attorney and judge, she died of ovarian cancer when her son was just 13. That loss, as well as the conﬁdence she always expressed in young Harry’s musical abilities, affected him profoundly. Connick premiered his orchestral ode to his mother in May at New York’s Carnegie Hall. During a recent interview, Connick explained why he recorded “Babe: Elaboratio” in Australia, why he waited decades to perform at Carnegie Hall, and how memories of his mother informed his relationships with his wife and daughters. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Why do “Babe: Elaboratio” now? My mom had a dream for me to play in Carnegie Hall. She talked about that since I was really little. She was from New York City, and (Carnegie Hall) was the epitome of performing halls for her. The exact quote was, “I could die happy knowing that you played at Carnegie Hall. I want people to say, ‘Look, there goes Beethoven’s mother.’” She always knew that I was probably gonna end up a musician. She felt that more strongly than anyone, probably even me. When I was around 10, she was diagnosed with cancer. I remember calling Carnegie Hall from New Orleans and telling them, “Hey, I’m a piano player. I’d really love to play there for my mom.” They said, “Well, this is the box ofﬁce. We don’t book talent.”

ä See CONNICK, page 6C

PROVIDED PHOTO BY JAMES ZURAW

BIGGER THAN LIFE

BY JOHN WIRT

Contributing writer

iding the ups and downs of the music business through the past 36 years, New Orleans’ always exuberant Cowboy Mouth never stopped. “Ain’t gonna stop till I drop,” pledged the band’s singing, in-thespotlight drummer Fred LeBlanc. In the 1990s, Cowboy Mouth released albums via the major record labels MCA and Atlantic. In 1996, the group scored the national hit “Jenny Says.” Chasing rock-star dreams during those years, Cowboy Mouth played 300 shows a year and as many as eight gigs a week. “We’d do a show in the day and then ﬂy somewhere and play that afternoon or evening,” LeBlanc remembered. “You took the work

‘Gentle Keeper,’ alcohol ink and 24K details, by Claudia Benton of Baton Rouge, received the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine award at the 2025 ‘International Exhibition on Animals in Art.’ This year’s exhibition opens with a reception on Saturday. PROVIDED PHOTO FROM LSU VET MED

Cowboy Mouth brings its rock ’n’ roll evangelism to Louisiana

as you got it. It was exciting, it was fun. But that whole time was a blur. So much pressure and craziness. The shows were always great. The other 22 hours of the day were usually a pain in the butt.” Nearly 40 years into its long run, Cowboy Mouth performs a lessdemanding 80 to 100 shows each year. The group’s next Louisiana performance is Friday at The Ruins Nightclub in Lafayette.

ä Watch a video Cowboy Mouth’s performances.

GO TO THEADVOCATE.COM.

Because Cowboy Mouth typically plays two to three shows on weekends, LeBlanc has become a weekend warrior. He likes it like that. “That’s what we and a lot of our contemporaries do,” he said. “Bands like Sister Hazel, (Better Than) Ezra, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’. I’m enjoying it a lot more nowadays. There’s not as much pressure and you’re free to be creative and have break time. I’m lucky and blessed.” LeBlanc formed Cowboy Mouth after his five years with the Baton Rouge-based countrypunk-rock band Dash Rip Rock.

ä See COWBOY, page 6C

LSU Vet Med to celebrate ‘Animals in Art’ exhibition Staff report The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine will celebrate the opening of its 32nd “International Exhibition on Animals in Art” with a reception from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the LSU Vet Med Library. LSU Vet Med is located on the LSU campus on Skip Bertman Drive. The exhibition features 60 works selected from 293 entries submit-

ted by 163 artists from Canada and 28 states across the United States. The selected works celebrate animals through a variety of artistic styles, perspectives and media. The opening reception offers visitors an opportunity to be among the ﬁrst to view this year’s exhibition and celebrate the artists whose works were selected.

ä See EXHIBIT, page 6C

6C ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Try this hint for scratched glasses Dear Heloise: If your magni- PVCs I have lined up) and screw the strapping onto fying glasses keep getting the PVC. I then fasten the scratched, try putting the ends to an exposed glass part (or plastic 2-by-4-inch piece of part) into a snuglumber (or whatever ﬁtting sock. It stays I have available). on well and does the For those of you trick. that don’t know what Also, for short a PVC is, it’s similar pieces (up to approximately 5 inches, per Hints from to plastic and usuHeloise ally white, and it se) of metal or plascomes in different tic, small bars, dowlengths and diameter. Most el rods, small pipes, etc., I home-improvement stores tie together several PVC have it, and it’s relatively pipes, which are usually 4 cheap. — Duane, via email inches long. I use conduit strapping, which comes Longtime reader writes in in a roll and has small and big holes in it already; I cut Dear Heloise: I have to apa piece of strapping to go plaud your response to along the front of the PVCs Keith, the physical thera(making it longer than the pist, regarding the letter

about using walkers when there’s a ﬁre in the house. I have to say that this is the ﬁrst time I’ve read of anyone confronting you regarding advice. I admired you for publishing his opinion. I’ve been a big fan for 45 years. — Jacqueline E., in Fort Wayne, Indiana Jacqueline, thank you so much for your kind note and for being a loyal reader for 45 years! It means a great deal to hear from you. We always aim to share information that’s helpful, even if it sparks a debate or provides an unpopular perspective. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Friday, Oct. 9, the 282nd day of 2026. There are 83 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 9, 2009, President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Also on this date: In 1963, a mega-tsunami triggered by a huge landslide at Vajont Dam in northern Italy destroyed villages and caused approximately 2,000 deaths. In 1967, Marxist revolutionary guerrilla leader Che Guevara, 39, was executed by the Bolivian army a day after his capture.

COWBOY

Continued from page 5C

PROVIDED PHOTO

Alabama blues/soul singer-songwriter Early James will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette. James is described as having a ‘sound that’s part blues, part folk, part rock & soul — with a voice that’s “tattered and nervous, with a grainy quaver.”’ His latest album is ‘Medium Raw.’

SHOWS TO WATCH — ACADIANA AREA FRIDAY

BACH LUNCH FEATURING JASON HARRINGTON: Parc San Souci, Lafayette, noon LIVE MUSIC: Cane River Pecan Company Pie Bar, New Iberia, 5 p.m. ROCK N ROSE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Laafayette, 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery, Lafayette, 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m. COWBOY MOUTH: The Ruins, Lafayette, 7 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8 p.m. CEDRIC WATSON & BIJOU CREOLE: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m. CHUBBY CARRIER & BAYOU SWAMP BAND: Rock ’n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 9 p.m.

SATURDAY

DONNY BROUSSARD BAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8 a.m. LIL POOKIE & ZYDECO SENSATIONS: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8:30 a.m. CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9 a.m. SATURDAY MORNING JAM SESSIONS: The Savoy Music Center, Eunice, 9 a.m. CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m. CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC JAM: Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folklife Park, Lafayette, 1 p.m. ZYDECO CAPITAL JAM: St. Landry Parish Visitor Center, Opelousas, 1 p.m. CAJUN JAM SESSION: Touchet’s Bar, Maurice, 2 p.m. ROUGAROU STOMP: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m. ANDY & JAIDYNN: Cafe Sydnie Mae, Breaux Bridge, 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m. ROUGAROU STOMP TRIO: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m. AARON HEBERT: SHUCKS!, Ab-

EXHIBIT

Continued from page 5C The exhibition will remain on display through Nov. 6 and will be open to the public during regular LSU Vet Med Library hours. The “International Exhibition on Animals in Art”

beville, 6:30 p.m. BUTCH TINKER: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m. BLOOMWEAVER + MANGATA + LATER STRANGER: Feed N Seed, Lafayette, 7 p.m. FRIGHTMARE ON MAIN STREET: The Hot Sauce House on Main, New Iberia, 7 p.m. THE TAILGATORS BAND: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7 p.m. COLBY LATIOLAIS & AMBUSH: Lakeview Park, Eunice, 8 p.m. GENO DELAFOSE & FRENCH ROCKIN’ BOOGIE: La Poussiere Cajun Dancehall, Breaux Bridge, 8 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8 p.m. PINE LEAF BOYS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m. BONSOIR CATIN PLUS CAMERON DUPUY & CAJUN TROUBADOURS: Rock N Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 8:30 p.m. BABY BATS + MILLIE GRACE BAND: Artmosphere, Lafayette, 9 p.m. JOURDAN THIBODEAUX ET LES RODAILLEURS + AMIS DU TECHE: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m. LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro, 11:30 a.m. BAL DU DIMANCHE — DEUCE & THE ZYDECO STRUTS: Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folklife Park, Lafayette, 1 p.m. OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH CASEY COURVILLE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 4 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. CHERE ELISE AFTER-FESTIVAL PARTY: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7 p.m. DIAMOND J & THE RUBY RED RAIN DROPS + HORACE TRAHAN: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

Nona Hendryx is 82. Musician Jackson Browne is 78. Actor Robert Wuhl is 75. TV personality Sharon Osbourne is 74. Actor Tony Shalhoub is 73. Actor Scott Bakula is 72. Actor-TV host John O’Hurley is 72. Football Hall of Famer Mike Singletary is 68. Jazz musician Kenny Garrett is 66. Film director Guillermo del Toro is 62. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron is 60. Singer PJ Harvey is 57. Film director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) is 57. Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sörenstam is 56. Musician Sean Lennon is 51. Actor Chris O’Dowd is 47. Actor Brandon Routh is 47. World boxing champion Amanda Serrano is 38. Actor Tyler James Williams is 34. NFL tight end George Kittle is 33. Model Bella Hadid is 30.

rock’s primal rage. “I didn’t want to do the typical, ‘Hey, everybody! Let’s get messed up and crazy!’ All the stupid stuff,” LeBlanc said. “I was reading spiritual literature at the time. I threw some of that stuff in there, saying things like, ‘Believe in yourself! Anything’s possible!’ It got an immediate and visceral reaction. I was like, ‘Whoa. People crave this.’ And I tried to make anything that I/we put out there be constructive. The number of people who say they’ve gotten so much out of our shows, our records, it’s really gratifying.” LeBlanc, Griffith, bassist Brian “Bruiser” Broussard and guitarist Frank “Frankie G” Grocholski play the Cowboy Mouth songs fans want to hear — “Everybody Loves Jill,” “I Believe,” “How Do You Tell Someone?”, “Love of My Life” and, every show’s climax, “Jenny Says.” “People want to hear the old songs,” LeBlanc said.

“I love playing those songs and the band plays the hell out of them.” This year, Cowboy Mouth is releasing a new song to digital music platforms every month. “The value of recorded music has dropped in people’s psyches over the past 15 years, because it’s so accessible and disposable,” LeBlanc said. “But I still enjoy the whole process of recording and releasing something new and having people react to it.” Cowboy Mouth released its latest album, “Cover Yo’ Azz,” last year. “It was a lot of fun and it did really well for us,” LeBlanc said of the all-remakes project. “We did Frank Sinatra to the Who to Cher to R.E.M., Hootie and the Blowﬁsh to Fats Domino to the Replacements. We have a range of influences and aren’t limited to obvious stuff. In the early days, I said, if the Neville Brothers and the Clash had a baby, it would be us.”

BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m. EVERGREEN TERRACE + BY ANY MEANS + XOUTLASTX + HOLEOPENER: Feed N Seed, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. TERRY HUVAL & FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant, Lafayette, 6 p.m. GREENLIGHT SESSIONS OPEN MIC: The Jefferson Street Greenroom, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

DULCIMER JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center, Opelousas, 10 a.m. LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. MERCREDI SHOW FEATURING BROUSSARD FAMILY BAND: Pelican Park, Carencro, 6 p.m. WANTED WEDNESDAY KARAOKE NIGHT: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 6 p.m. CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY

LADIES NIGHT WITH DJ DONOVAN IN THE MIX: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 6 p.m. LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. DUSTIN SONNIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m. BLISS? + DRIVE, DOCTOR DRIVE! + DAIRY FREE: The Loose Caboose, Lafayette, 7 p.m. EARLY JAMES: Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m. KARAOKE PARTY — PANDA ENTERTAINMENT: Black Bull, Youngsville, 8 p.m.

PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Cafe Habana City, Lafayette, 11 a.m. LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s music listed? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper.

has become a longstanding tradition at LSU Vet Med, bringing original works of art centered on animals to the veterinary school and the Baton Rouge community. Jurors and judges for this year’s exhibition are Molly Hauck and Collin Leger with Ann Connelly Fine Art, where they are both galler-

ists. Hauck has specialized in creative consulting for more than 14 years, advising on local, regional and national art programs. Leger consults on art projects and programs across the country. He has several years of museum and gallery experience and has helped curate exhibitions locally and regionally.

MONDAY

Singer-guitarist John Thomas Griffith joined a few months in. “I was trying to grind it out with a couple of other musicians,” LeBlanc said of his initial lineup. “It was just terrible. It wasn’t working. But then John walked in and it all clicked. Whatever it is that he brings, it’s magic.” Cowboy Mouth took its name from the 1971 oneact play of the same name written and performed by Sam Shepard and Patti Smith. In the play, Smith’s character tells Shepard: “You gotta grab all the little broken-up, busted pieces of people’s frustration … you gotta give it back to them bigger than life … you gotta be a rock ’n’ roll Jesus with a Cowboy Mouth.” Following the latter vision, LeBlanc rejected frat rock’s hedonism, punk rock’s snarling negativity and grunge

In 2010, a drill broke through into an underground chamber where 33 Chilean miners had been trapped for more than two months, opening the way to begin rescue operations days later. In 2012, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was sentenced in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, to 30 to 60 years in prison following his conviction on 45 counts of sexual abuse of boys. In 2017, wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through California wine country, killing more than 40 people, destroying thousands of homes and businesses and sending thousands fleeing flames that raged through high-end resorts and treelined neighborhoods. Today’s Birthdays: Musician

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM THE HARRY CONNICK ARCHIVES

Anita-Francis Livingston Connick, aka Babe, with her children Suzanna, left, and Harry Connick Jr.

CONNICK

Continued from page 5C My mom thought that was nice that I did that for her. She died three years later, and obviously, I hadn’t had a chance to perform there. So I kept it in my mind that I was gonna do something special for her at Carnegie Hall. It was just a matter of when. Years ago, your manager reserved the dates May 22-23, 2026, which coincided with what would have been your mom’s 100th birthday. I’d never been in Carnegie Hall. I kept it like that intentionally. They had asked me to play over the years, and we always told them no; they didn’t really know why. Even on the day of the show, I didn’t go in for rehearsal. I wanted the ﬁrst time I walked out on the (Carnegie Hall) stage (to be) at 8 o’clock that night (for the show). I went out and performed this piece I wrote for her. It felt like a really celebratory moment, something that I felt emotionally ready to do. You recorded “Babe: Elaboratio”

in Australia with Orchestra Victoria. Why go to the other side of the world to record? I have a production company in Melbourne, Australia. Australia is a wonderful place for artists because they support the arts in different ways than they do in the United States. So I know the musicians down there, and I know a lot of people in the entertainment industry. I thought it would be a good idea to rehearse with an orchestra down there…. so I would be prepared to perform it the following May. We rehearsed it and recorded it. When it came time to go to Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Victoria knew the music. I felt so comfortable playing with them that I ﬂew them to New York. A lot of plane tickets — 80 to be exact. Each of the album’s three movements is inspired by your mom’s time in a particular city: New York, Nouasseur and New Orleans. The New York movement is very soundtrack-y, then it switches to a jazz club vibe. I was just thinking about my mom’s experience and writing music that sounded like that to me. I wasn’t trying to sound soundtrack-y or (like a) jazz club. I was

writing the music that I heard as I was seeing her in parts of her life that I wasn’t there to experience, which is what the name means. “Elaboratio” is just an old-fashioned way of saying “elaboration.” In the New Orleans section, you avoid musical clichés. Your piano playing is very somber in certain sections. I’m not a big cliché guy. There’s many other interesting ways to write things rather than play things that have already been done. In the beginning of the third movement, there’s actually four voices going on. There’s a bass line and then another line on my left hand that joins that, another line on my right hand, and then another line on my right hand. There’s no real tonal center there. Basically those four lines are my mother walking through New Orleans for the ﬁrst time, seeing things culturally that she had never experienced before. Walking through the French Quarter and seeing people coexisting in ways that she hadn’t seen. Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● 7C

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FrAnK And erneSt

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zodIAC LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Spend time learning, researching and becoming more aware of people and situations that affect your perception and the decisions you make. Emotions will escalate. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Proceed with caution. Negotiate on your own behalf. Leave nothing to chance. Show interest and curiosity, and ask questions that will help you make better decisions. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Join the pack, do your part and shoot for the stars. Focus your energy on getting ahead, making a difference and putting your time and money where they will have the greatest impact. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Pay attention to what brings you joy, and adjust your day to suit your emotional and mental well-being. Let go of what you cannot control, and take responsibility for achieving the lifestyle you desire. AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Bet on yourself. Let go of what's no longer working for you, and move on to what excites you most. A lifestyle change requires your input and following through with your plans. PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Count your money before you make unnecessary purchases. Learn from experience, and invest more in yourself and what will help you reach your personal or professional goals. ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Put differences aside and look for the good in others. Arguing will get you nowhere, but living in harmony will help you rise to the

top. If you volunteer your services, you'll find people who share your values. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) A change of heart will take you in a different direction. Make adjustments for the right reason; if anger is the driving force, take a moment and rethink your logic. GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Take the lead and venture into something that offers a creative or physical outlet. Put enthusiasm and imagination to work for you, and the outcome will help you bypass any negativity or interference you encounter. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Pay attention to how you look and feel. Poor behavior will lead to stress and exhaustion. Back away from drama, and find a cozy spot where you can sort through your options. LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Don't let the little things agitate you when you have so much more to gain by helping others and making a difference that will shape what comes next for you and for what and who you hold dear. VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Keep tabs on where your money goes. Don't sign up for anything without knowing exactly what you are getting in return. Be aware of the latest scams and gimmicks so you can avoid loss. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY CeLebrItY CIpher Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

toDAy's cLuE: D EQuALs H

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

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8C ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the 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. Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge By PHILLIP ALDER Marcel Proust, a French author best known for his novel “In Search of Lost Time,” said, “If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time.” At the bridge table, you must “dream” of the best bids and plays. Sometimes they will seem to be dangerous, but bridge is not a game for cowards. If a bid or play looks best, go for it and ignore the torpedoes! In today’s deal, East has to try to defeat four hearts. West leads the club queen. South wins with dummy’s king, draws three rounds of trumps (West following throughout), and shifts to the spade king from an initial holding of king-doubleton. What should East do after winning with his spade ace? South’s two-heart rebid showed at least a six-card suit and a minimum opening, usually 12-14 high-card points. South can see 11 winners: three spades, six hearts and two clubs. But he might lose four tricks: one spade and three diamonds. However, when East gets in with his spade ace, leading away from the diamond K-J looks dangerous, and many players always return their partner’s suit (although that is much less likely to be right in a suit contract than in no-trump). Here, though, East should

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

realize that leading back a club won’t defeat the contract. Also, from the bidding, South cannot have the diamond ace to go with his spade king and heart A-KQ. East must shift to the diamond three, which works like a dream. Count high-card points to place unseen honors. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the 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 — GARRIson: GAR-ih-sun: A military post.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 28 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 36 or more words in GARRISON? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — BEDAZZLE bade bald bale bead bezel blade blaze bled bleed dale

daze dazzle deal dele abed able adze alee zeal lade

laze lead

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “I am the vine, you are the branches: He that stays in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 All of our strength comes from the Lord. He is the One who can make us a blessing. — G.E. Dean

10C ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

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Garage Sales

Pets

LAFAYETTE Moving Sale! 203 Paul Drive Fri.10/98am/5pm: Sat 10/10-8am/3pm House full, Great & Rare Finds. Fine China & Stoneware, etched & colored glassware, counter appliances. Two pedestal dining table six chairs, sofa, end tables, computer desk, rolling carts, lamps, medical supplies, brass, holiday decor, CD's, & more. Woman's clothing size 18W to 2X, shoes size 10 and 10 ½, wigs & hairpieces. Cash Only

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PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION Pursuant to the provi‐ sions of a resolution adopted by the Lafayette City Council (the "Gov‐ erning Authority"), act‐ ing as the governing au‐ thority of the City of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "City"), on August 4, 2026, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special election will be held within the City on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2026, and that at the said election there will be submitted to all regis‐ tered voters in the City qualiﬁed and entitled to vote at the said election under the Constitution and Laws of the State of Louisiana and the Consti‐ tution of the United States, the following propositions, to-wit: PROPOSITION NO. 1 OF 4 (RECREATION) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the City of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "City"), continue to levy a 2.01 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the City (an estimated $3,810,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2029 and ending with the year 2038, for the purpose of maintain‐ ing and operating the playgrounds, recreation centers and other recre‐ ation activities within the City, said millage to represent a 0.09 mills in‐ crease (due to reap‐ praisal) over the 1.92 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2028 pursuant to an elec‐ tion held on April 28, 2018? PROPOSITION NO. 2 OF 4 (PUBLIC BUILDINGS) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the City of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "City"), continue to levy a 1.18 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the City (an estimated $2,230,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2028 and ending with the year 2037, for the purpose of maintain‐ ing and operating public buildings of the City, said millage to represent a 0.05 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 1.13 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2027 pursuant to an election held on April 29, 2017? PROPOSITION NO. 3 OF 4 (STREETS, ROADS AND ALLEYS) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the City of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "City"), continue to levy a 1.35 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the City (an estimated $2,560,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2029 and ending with the year 2038, for the purpose of the main‐ tenance of the public streets, roads and alleys within the City, said mill‐ age to represent a 0.06 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 1.29 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2028 pursuant to an elec‐ tion held on April 28, 2018? PROPOSITION NO. 4 OF 4 (PUBLIC SAFETY MAINTE‐ NANCE) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the City of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "City"), continue to levy a 3.33 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the City (an estimated $6,310,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 30 years, beginning with the year 2028 and ending with the year 2057, for the purpose of operating, maintaining and support‐ ing the Police and Fire Departments of the City, including pension and re‐ tirement liabilities, said millage to represent a 0.05 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 3.28 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2027 pursuant to an election held on Novem‐ ber 15, 1997? The said special election shall be held at the polling places for the fol‐ lowing precincts, which polls will open at seven o'clock (7:00) a.m. and close at eight o'clock (8:00) p.m., in accor‐ dance with the provi‐ sions of La. R.S. 18:541, to wit: PRECINCTS 07(PART) 09(PART) 10(PART) 11(PART) 12(PART) 13(PART) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24(PART) 25(PART) 30(PART) 31(PART) 32(PART) 33(PART) 34(PART) 35(PART) 38(PART) 39(PART) 40 41 42 43

open and public session proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the said special election. All registered voters of the Parish are entitled to vote at said special elec‐ tion and voting machines will be used.

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

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44 45 46 47 48 49 50(PART) 51 52 53 54(PART) 55(PART) 56 57 58 59(PART) 60 63 64(PART) 65 66 67(PART) 68 69 70 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86(PART) 87 88 89 90 91(PART) 92(PART) 93(PART) 94 95(PART) 96(PART) 97(PART) 104(PART) 105(PART) 109(PART) 112(PART) 113(PART) 115(PART) 117(PART) 120(PART) 121(PART) 125(PART) 126(PART) 127(PART) 128(PART) 130(PART) The polling places for the precincts in the City are hereby designated as the polling places at which to hold the said election, and the Commissionersin-Charge and Commis‐ sioners, respectively, shall be those persons designated according to law. The estimated cost of this election as deter‐ mined by the Secretary of State based upon the provisions of Chapter 8-A of Title 18 and actual costs of similar elections is $88,000. Notice is further given that a portion of the monies collected from the taxes described in the Propositions shall be remitted to certain state and statewide retirement systems in the manner required by law. The said special election will be held in accor‐ dance with the applica‐ ble provisions of Chapter 5, Chapter 6-A and Chap‐ ter 6-B of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other con‐ stitutional and statutory authority, and the ofﬁ‐ cers appointed to hold the said election, as pro‐ vided in this Notice of Special Election, or such substitutes therefor as may be selected and designated in accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 18:1287, will make due re‐ turns thereof to said Governing Authority, and NOTICE IS HEREBY FUR‐ THER GIVEN that the Gov‐ will erning Authority meet at its regular meet‐ ing place, the Council Au‐ ditorium, 705 West Uni‐ versity Avenue, Lafayette, Louisiana, on TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2027, at 5:30 P.M., and shall then and there in open and public session proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the said special election. All registered voters of the City are entitled to vote at said special election and voting machines will be used. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 202926-oct 2-9-16-23-4t $323.84

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION Pursuant to the provi‐ sions of a resolution adopted by the Lafayette Parish Council (the "Gov‐ erning Authority"), act‐ ing as the governing au‐ thority of the Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), on August 4, 2026, NO‐ TICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special election will be held within the Parish on SATURDAY, DE‐ CEMBER 12, 2026, and that at the said election there will be submitted to all registered voters in the Parish qualiﬁed and entitled to vote at the said election under the Constitution and Laws of the State of Louisiana and the Constitution of the United States, the fol‐ lowing propositions, towit:

Legal Notices

year above the 1.85 mills currently being levied to pay the general obliga‐ tion bonds of the Parish? PROPOSITION NO. 2 OF 5 (LIBRARY) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), continue to levy a special tax of 3.12 mills on all property subject to taxa‐ tion in the Parish (an es‐ timated $9,050,000 rea‐ sonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, for the purpose of the maintenance and support of the public li‐ brary of Lafayette Parish and its branches, said millage to represent a 0.21 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 2.91 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2026 pursuant to an election held on Novem‐ ber 8, 2016? PROPOSITION NO. 3 OF 5 (MINIMUM SECURITY DE‐ TENTION & CORREC‐ TIONAL FACILITY) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), continue to levy a 2.21 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the Parish (an estimated $6,410,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2028 and ending with the year 2037, for the purpose of the main‐ taining, operating and improving the minimum security detention and correctional facility, said millage to represent a 0.15 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 2.06 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2027 pursuant to an election held on Novem‐ ber 18, 2017? PROPOSITION NO. 4 OF 5 (JUVENILE DETENTION) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Shall the Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), continue to levy a 1.25 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the Parish (an estimated $3,620,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2029 and ending with the year 2038, for the purpose of acquiring, improving, operating and maintaining the juvenile detention and juvenile rehabilitation facilities in the Parish, said millage to represent a 0.08 mills increase (due to reap‐ praisal) over the 1.17 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2028 pursuant to an elec‐ tion held on April 28, 2018? PROPOSITION NO. 5 OF 5 (COURTHOUSE & JAIL COMPLEX) (MILLAGE CONTINUA‐ TION) Parish of Shall the Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), continue to levy a 2.51 mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the Parish (an estimated $7,280,000 reasonably ex‐ pected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2028 and ending with the year 2037, for the purpose of the main‐ taining, operating and improving the Lafayette Parish Courthouse Com‐ plex, said millage to rep‐ resent a 0.17 mills in‐ crease (due to reap‐ praisal) over the 2.34 mills tax authorized to be levied through the year 2027 pursuant to an elec‐ tion held on November 18, 2017? The said special election shall be held at each and every polling place in the Parish, which polls will open at seven o'clock (7:00) a.m. and close at eight o'clock (8:00) p.m., in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 18:541. The polling places for the precincts in the Parish are hereby designated as the polling places at which to hold the said election, and the Com‐ missioners-in-Charge and Commissioners, re‐ spectively, shall be those persons designated ac‐ cording to law. The estimated cost of this election as deter‐ mined by the Secretary of State based upon the provisions of Chapter 8-A of Title 18 and actual costs of similar elections is $111,500.

PROPOSITION NO. 1 OF 5 (BOND)

Notice is further given that a portion of the monies collected from the taxes described in the Propositions shall be remitted to certain state and statewide retirement systems in the manner required by law.

Shall the Parish of Lafayette, State of Louisiana (the "Parish"), incur debt and issue not exceeding $77,000,000 of general obligation bonds, in one or more series, to run not exceeding 30 years from the date thereof, to bear interest at rates not exceeding 7% per annum, and to be payable from ad valorem taxes to be levied and collected in the manner provided by Article VI, Section 33 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, as amended, and other constitutional and statutory authority, for the purposes of con‐ structing, acquiring and improving public infra‐ structure, including pub‐ lic roads, highways and bridges, and related drainage to address commuter congestion in the Parish, title to which shall be in the public, with no estimated in‐ crease in the millage rate to be levied in the ﬁrst

The said special election will be held in accor‐ dance with the applica‐ ble provisions of Chapter 5, Chapter 6-A and Chap‐ ter 6-B of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other con‐ stitutional and statutory authority, and the ofﬁ‐ cers appointed to hold the said election, as pro‐ vided in this Notice of Special Election, or such substitutes therefor as may be selected and designated in accor‐ dance with La. R.S. 18:1287, will make due re‐ turns thereof to said Governing Authority, and NOTICE IS HEREBY FUR‐ THER GIVEN that the Gov‐ erning Authority will meet at its regular meet‐ ing place, the Council Au‐ ditorium, 705 West Uni‐ versity Avenue, Lafayette, Louisiana, on TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2027, at 4:30 P.M., and shall then and there in

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 202949-OCT 2-9-16-23-4T $279.24 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE On September 30, 2026 Susan Bonnett Bour‐ geois, Secretary of Louisiana Economic De‐ velopment, determined that records pertaining to an active negotiation for the purpose of retain‐ ing, expanding, or at‐ tracting economic or business development in the state, referred to as Project Conclave, shall be conﬁdential until con‐ clusion of the negotia‐ tion, in accordance with La.R.S.44:22. 203031 Oct. 7, 8, 9, 3t $44.86

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --Lafayette Parish School Board - Board Insurance Committee Meeting Minutes September 2, 2026 @ 9:00 AM 202 Rue Iberville, Board‐ room, Lafayette, LA 70508 Meeting called to order at 9:00 AM. 1. ROLL CALL 1.1 Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America and Presenta‐ tion of Colors and Mo‐ ment of Silence Committee Chairperson Hannah Smith Mason asked Mr. David LeJeune to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America 1.2 Roll Call - Board Insur‐ ance Committee - David LeJeune - District 1; Robert "Ted" Davidson District 2; Hannah Smith Mason - District 8 and Je‐ remy Hidalgo - District 9 Committee members present: LeJeune, David‐ son, Mason and Hidalgo Other Board members present: None 2. AGENDA 2.1 COMMITTEE: Review and Approval of LPSB Board Insurance Commit‐ tee Meeting Minutes on August 6, 2026 - Mason LPSB - Board Insurance Committee Meeting Au‐ gust 6, 2026 - Minutes Html That the committee ap‐ prove the minutes from the Board Insurance Committee Meeting on August 6, 2026. Moved by: David LeJe‐ une; seconded by: Robert Davidson Yes: David LeJeune, Han‐ nah Smith Mason, Je‐ remy Hidalgo, and Robert Davidson Motion Carries 4-0 2.2 INSURANCE: Discus‐ sion and/or action re‐ garding the LPSS Group Health Insurance Plan Gardner / LeBouef Public comment was re‐ ceived. Gallagher Benefit Ser‐ vices will present the Fi‐ nancial Summary Report and Service Calendar, followed by a joint re‐ view with Meritain Aetna on Claims Processing and Service Metrics for the LPSS Group Health Insurance Plan. 2026 LPSS_September BIC_WIDESCREEN FINAL. pdf LPSS_BIC Meeting 9.2.26.pptx MINUTES: Tony Murray with Gal‐ lagher Benefit Services reviewed the Financial Summary through July 2026. Mr. Murray indi‐ cated total health plan costs for all plans and all classes are down 11.3% from last year. Last year's per member per month was $546.19 and 2026 year to date per member per month is $484.70. Ms. Mason ques‐ tioned Mr. Murray about the total health plan cost for retiree +65 with Medicare has the biggest change with a decrease of 36.4% compared to last year. Mr. Murray in‐ dicated Gallagher does not have any indication at this time why there is a large decrease because it is still too early. Lana Labourdette with Gal‐ lagher Benefit Services indicated the decrease could possibly be due the network change, im‐ plemented Verity or di‐ rect contracting. Mr. Murray also provided total health plan cost comparison for retiree +65 with Medicare (selffunded plans only) to Hu‐ mana MAPD (Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan) from January 2025 through July 2025 and January 2026 through July 2026. Retiree +65 with Medicare (selffunded plans only) showed a 17.7% decrease in cost per member per month from last year and Humana MAPD had an in‐ crease of 6.3% in cost per member per month. Committee member Mr. David LeJeune asked Mr. Murray to explain what is a self-funded plan. Mr. Murray explained a selffunded plan included all of those over the age of 65 who are in the basic plan versus being in the Medicare Advantage Plan. Committee member Jeremy Hidalgo asked Mr. Murray how many re‐ tirees with Medicare moved from the selffunded plan to Humana and asked Mr. Murray if Gallagher is tracking the number and amount of claims for this group. Mr. Murray answered as of July 2026, there are 840 retirees who moved from the self-funded plan to Humana. Melody Terral pointed out the per member per month costs have been coming down due to point solutions, the pharmacy and Verity Network, Healthcare which was expected. Su‐ perintendent Touchet asked Trish LeBouef, Di‐ rector of Insurance and Benefits, to provided the number of members that moved to Humana. Ms. LeBouef reported roughly 80 members transitioned from Aetna to Humana during the open enroll‐ ment period at the end of 2025 and on an average, Ms. LeBouef's depart‐ ment transitions approxi‐ mately five to ten mem‐ bers per month. Mem‐ bers who transferred from Aetna to Humana have had an impact on the cost per member per h f

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min p p month. Ms. LeBouef agreed with Ms. Terral there are multiple fac‐ tors that affect the sav‐ ings but members who transitioned from Aetna to Humana definitely helped. Superintendent Touchet suggested to the Board Insurance Commit‐ tee members to perform an external audit from someone outside to audit the claims Blue Cross processed. Mr. Murray reviewed the Cal‐ endar Year Plan Perfor‐ mance through July 2026, which showed a total es‐ timated savings of $2.6 million. Ms. Lana Labourdette with Gallagher Benefit Services reported on the claims and financial per‐ formance for July 2026. Ms. Labourdette also re‐ viewed the top reasons for member contact with Meritain along with top reasons for providers contacting Meritain. Board Insurance Commit‐ tee members were also provided with the year to date network growth by specialty for the month of July 2026. Fifty-nine new providers were added in July 2026. Steven Newman and Melissa Singletary with Meritain were in atten‐ dance at the Board Insur‐ ance Committee Meeting to review customer ser‐ vice and the processing timeline of claims for the first seven months of Lafayette Parish School System's plan. Ms. Sin‐ gletary reported Meritain has reviewed their cus‐ tomer service outcomes and from a high level perspective, they see a consistent or lower or better than their book of business. She indicated there was an increase in calls for the months of June and July. The calls during this time came mostly from providers. Meritain has really en‐ gaged their customer service team to provide a better experience for members. Board member Robert Davidson indi‐ cated people have reached out to him about unpaid claims and providers have threat‐ ened to not take Meri‐ tain. Ms. Singletary indi‐ cated Meritain is pro‐ cessing and paying claims based on the plan document and the lan‐ guage. There may be ad‐ ditional documentation that is required from the plan or more information is needed from the provider in order to process claims. Another delay in processing claims could be for indi‐ viduals who have Medicare Part A only or B only because Meritain is making sure they are processing the claims correctly. These claims take manual interven‐ member tion. Board David LeJeune inquired about members who have have met their de‐ ductible had to pay more than what they paid in the past. Ms. Singletary told Mr. LeJeune she felt he was inquiring about preventative screenings and there may be addi‐ tional lab tests doctors perform that may not be needed. She indicated the ACA standards read there are certain tests that are applicable under the preventative screen‐ ing in terms of the test depending on a person's age and some additional factors. When the claim is processed and paid, if there are additional lab tests on there that do not fall under a standard preventative screening for a person's age and demographic, then it will be the member's respon‐ sibility. Superintendent Touchet instructed Gal‐ lagher to handle con‐ cerns in regards to claims with Meritain. Chairperson Hannah Mason shared the com‐ plaints she has received from her constituents is the language barrier when they contact Meri‐ tain. Ms. Mason wanted to know how this will be addressed. Ms. Single‐ tary with Meritain indi‐ cated it is being ad‐ dressed internally with their customer service team to provide lan‐ guage training. Meritain also provided informa‐ tion on total claims processed and paid along with the top inpa‐ tient and outpatient providers and physician groups. Ms. Singletary in‐ dicated Meritain has worked closely with Trish LeBouef and her team in terms of partnering with the providers that have voiced concerns. Meri‐ tain and Verity have had several calls directly with providers to ad‐ dress concerns and un‐ derstand what they see specifically. Ms. Single‐ tary is also looking at Lafayette Parish School System's plan design and evaluating the plan to see if there are any po‐ tential recommenda‐ tions. 3. ADJOURN 3.1 Adjourn Meeting There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:13 AM. /s/Francis Touchet, Jr.¬¬¬¬________ Francis Touchet, Jr. Secretary-Treasurer /s/Hannah Smith Ma‐ son_______ Hannah Smith Mason Board President 203471-OCT 9-1T $98 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Lafayette City Coun‐ cil and the Lafayette Parish Council each met in Regular Sessions on October 6, 2026 and intro‐ duced the following ordi‐ nances. JO-048-2026 A joint ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment to provide for ad‐ justments of revenue and appropriation estimates. JO-049-2026 A joint ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by authorizing the transfer of $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds within the Community Development and Plan‐ ning Department to the Housing Loans Program. The ordinances will ap‐ pear before both the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council for public hear‐ ing and final adoption in the Ted A. Ardoin CityParish Council Audito‐ rium located at 705 W. University Avenue, Lafayette, LA on October

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

20, 2026. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 203466-OCT 9-1T $13.10 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Lafayette City Coun‐ cil and the Lafayette Parish Council each met in Regular Session on Oc‐ tober 6, 2026 and adopted the following or‐ dinances: ORDINANCE NO. JO-0342026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE LAFAYETTE CITYPARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TO SELL AT PUBLIC INTERNET AUC‐ TION SURPLUS EQUIP‐ MENT AND OTHER MIS‐ MOVABLE CELLANEOUS PROPERTY WHICH ARE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES, AS PER THE ATTACHED LIST (PUBLIC INTERNET AUC‐ TION) BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government has in stor‐ age surplus equipment and other miscellaneous LCG movable property which are no longer needed for public pur‐ poses, as per the at‐ tached list. SECTION 2: It would be in the best interest of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment to sell this movable property at a public in‐ ternet auction to the highest bidder. SECTION 3: The attached list represents the sur‐ plus LCG movable prop‐ erty to be sold. SECTION 4: All items shall be sold in an “as-is, where-is” condition. The Lafayette City-Parish Govern‐ Consolidated ment reserves the right to reject any or all bids, establish minimum bid prices, or withdraw any items from the sale. SECTION 5: The Lafayette Mayor-President, Monique B. Boulet, be and she is hereby autho‐ rized and directed to sell at a public internet auc‐ tion surplus LCG movable property as per the at‐ tached list. SECTION 6: It is specifi‐ cally recognized that all requirements of the State law pertaining to the sale of surplus mov‐ able property including notice of this proposed ordinance to the public shall be adhered to. SECTION 7: Any opposi‐ tion to this ordinance shall be made in writing and filed with the Office of the Clerk of the Coun‐ cil within 15 days of first publication. SECTION 8: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 9: After first having been adopted by a majority of the autho‐ rized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon override of a veto, whichever oc‐ curs first. ***** ORDINANCE NO. JO-0422026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 MANNING TA‐ BLES OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT BY INCREASING THE HOURLY RATE OF THE RISK AND INSURANCE MANAGER POSITION WITHIN THE OFFICE OF FINANCE & MANAGEMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment are hereby amended by increasing the hourly pay rate of the Risk and Insurance Man‐ ager position per Civil Service recommenda‐ tion. SECTION 2: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment shall not be af‐ fected due to the fact that there is sufficient unexpended salary ap‐ propriation. SECTION 3: This adjust‐ ment shall be as re‐ flected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached and made a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 4: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 5: After first having been adopted by a majority of the autho‐ rized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon override of a veto, whichever oc‐ curs first. *****

y Government are hereby amended by deleting one (1) International Trade and Culture Manager po‐ sition and reallocating the remaining salary sav‐ ings towards the Tempo‐ rary Employee expense account line with an an‐ nual recurring savings is $94,832.91. Amending the FY 25/26 capital budget by transferring remain‐ ing funds from Public Art capital projects within Community Development and Planning into the In‐ ternational Trade divi‐ sion within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. SECTION 2: This transfer of funds shall be re‐ flected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached and made a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 3: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby ap‐ pealed. SECTION 4: After first having been adopted by a majority if the autho‐ rized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon an over‐ ride of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** ORDINANCE NO. JO-0442026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 CAPITAL BUD‐ GET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLI‐ DATED GOVERNMENT BY TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM VARIOUS AC‐ COUNTS TO THE PRELIMI‐ NARY ENGINEERING AC‐ COUNT AND APPROPRI‐ ATING WITHIN THE CAPI‐ TAL IMPROVEMENTS DE‐ PARTMENT TO CREATE PROJECT ACCOUNT BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment is hereby amended by transferring funds from various accounts to the Preliminary Engineer‐ ing account and appro‐ priating within the Capi‐ tal Improvements De‐ partment to create pro‐ ject account. SECTION 2: The aforesaid adjustments shall be as reflected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 3: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 4: After first having been adopted by a majority of the autho‐ of rized membership both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon an over‐ ride of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** ORDINANCE NO. JO-0452026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BY ADJUSTING THE MANNING TABLES AND INCREASING THE HOURLY PAY RATE OF ONE (1) PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST POSITION WITHIN THE CAPITAL IM‐ PROVEMENTS DEPART‐ MENT BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment is hereby amended by adjusting the manning tables and increasing the hourly pay rate of one (1) Public Information Spe‐ cialist position (Position No. 5029007) from $26.84 to $29.53, as recom‐ mended by Civil Service. SECTION 2: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment shalt not be af‐ fected due to the suffi‐ cient unexpended/unen‐ cumbered balance in the salary appropriation to cover the additional cost needed for the remain‐ der of the 25/26 fiscal year. SECTION 3: This adjust‐ ment to the Capital Im‐ provements Depart‐ ment's manning tables shall be reflected in any pertinent documents which are attached hereto and made part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 4: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 5: After first having been adopted by a majority of the autho‐ rized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon an over‐ ride of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** ORDINANCE NO. JO-0462026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

COUNCIL AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF UN‐ DERSTANDING BETWEEN UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE AND LAFAYETTE CITYPARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TO COM‐ PLY WITH THE REQUIRE‐ MENT FOR A WRITTEN AGREEMENT BETWEEN AGENCIES SHARING RE‐ SPONSIBILITY FOR THE OBLIGATIONS OUTLINED IN THE GENERAL PERMIT FOR DISCHARGES FROM SMALL MUNICIPAL SEPA‐ RATE STORM SEWER SYS‐ TEMS

cated on Lot 17-B of the McComb Addition BLA Block 14, Lots 17-A & 17-B Subdivision, as shown in Exhibit C, is no longer needed for public use and, accordingly, it is ap‐ propriate that a certain portion of the utility easement be abandoned. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Coun‐ cil and the Lafayette Parish Council, acting in their capacity as the gov‐ erning authority of the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, re‐ spectively, and jointly, as the governing authority of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Gov‐ ernment, that: SECTION 1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses are adopted as part of this ordinance. SECTION 2: The Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, acting in their capacity as the governing author‐ ity of the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, respec‐ tively, and jointly, as the governing authority of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, hereby abandons the ten (10’) foot utility easement and associ‐ ated niches, as shown on a plat of survey prepared by Michael P. Guidry, PLS, dated August 11, 2026, at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit C. SECTION 3: The Lafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized and empowered to execute an Act of Abandonment on behalf of the City of Lafayette, the Parish of Lafayette, and the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment in order to effectu‐ ate the abandonment of the ten (10’) foot utility easement and associ‐ ated niches, as shown on a plat of survey prepared by Michael P. Guidry, PLS, dated August 11, 2026, as shown on Exhibit C SECTION 4: The Act of Abandonment authorized in Section 3 shall be sub‐ stantially in the form at‐ tached hereto, but may be revised, and may con‐ tain such additional pro‐ visions, as the Lafayette Mayor-President, in con‐ sultation with the Lafayette City-Parish At‐ torney, may deem neces‐ sary, convenient, or de‐ sirable to carry out the intent and provisions of this ordinance. SECTION 5: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 6: After first having been adopted by a majority of the autho‐ rized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon override of a veto, whichever oc‐ curs first. *****

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: WHEREAS, the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government is autho‐ rized to discharge stormwater from the Mu‐ nicipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems under the Louisiana Pollutant Dis‐ charge Elimination Sys‐ tem Master General Per‐ mit No. LAR040000 (“MS4 Permit”); and WHEREAS, the MS4 Per‐ mit requires all regulated entities to maintain a Stormwater Manage‐ ment Program Plan that details Best Manage‐ ment Practices (“BMPs”) to be implemented for stormwater pollution prevention; and WHEREAS, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, as a co-permittee with Lafayette Consolidated Government for the MS4 Permit, desires mutual collaboration and assis‐ tance with the imple‐ mentation of BMPs re‐ quired by the MS4 Per‐ mit; and WHEREAS, the MS4 Per‐ mit requires co-permit‐ tees to maintain a writ‐ ten inter-agency agree‐ ment as part of their Stormwater Manage‐ ment Program Plans when BMP implementa‐ tion will be shared be‐ tween co-permittees. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Coun‐ cil and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses are adopted as part of this ordinance. SECTION 2: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, acting through the Environmen‐ tal Quality Division of the Department of Capital Improvements, has col‐ laborated with University of Louisiana at Lafayette to prepare a Memoran‐ dum of Understanding attached hereto as Ex‐ hibit A. SECTION 3: The Lafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized to enter into the Agreement in substantially the same form as is attached hereto. Furthermore, the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent is hereby autho‐ rized to sign any and all other documents and take any and all other ac‐ tions in connection therewith. SECTION 4: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 5: After first having been adopted by a majority of the autho‐ rized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signature of this joint or‐ dinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐ dent without signature or veto, or upon an over‐ ride of a veto, whichever occurs first ***** ORDINANCE NO. JO-0472026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL, ACTING IN THEIR CAPACITY AS THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE AND THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, RESPECTIVELY, PROVID‐ ING FOR THE ABANDON‐ MENT OF A PORTION OF A TEN (10’) FOOT UTILITY EASEMENT AND ASSOCI‐ ATED NICHES, LOCATED ON LOT 17-B OF THE MC‐ COMB ADDITION BLA BLOCK 14, LOTS 17-A & 17-B SUBDIVISION, AT 212 NORTH CHESTNUT STREET, AND AUTHORIZ‐ LAFAYETTE ING THE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN ACT OF ABANDONMENT IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE THE ABANDONMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, AND PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, AND THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and Lafayette Parish Council, acting in their capacity as the govern‐ ing authority of the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, re‐ spectively, and jointly, as the governing authority of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Gov‐ ernment, that: WHEREAS, a ten (10’) foot utility easement and as‐ sociated niches were dedicated to the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, respec‐ tively, by that certain act of dedication dated De‐ cember 18, 2025, and recorded under Act No. 2025-00042548 of the Lafayette Parish Con‐ veyance Records, at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit B; and WHEREAS, a (10’) foot utility easement and as‐ sociated niches, located on Lot 17-B of the Mc‐ Comb Addition BLA Block 14, Lots 17-A & 17-B Sub‐ division has been pro‐ posed for abandonment in the specific location clearly shown on a plat of survey prepared by Michael P. Guidry, PLS, dated August 11, 2026, at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit C; and WHEREAS, it has been determined by the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, respec‐ tively, and jointly, as the governing authority of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, that the ten (10’) foot utility easement and associated niches, lo‐

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 203460-203460-oct 9-1t $171 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Lafayette City Coun‐ cil met in Regular Ses‐ sion on October 6, 2026 and introduced the fol‐ lowing ordinances. CO-084-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by adjusting vari‐ ous capital projects in Fund 6500 American Res‐ cue Plan/21-City and Fund 1010 General FundCity Fund to expedite spending of the ARPA grant funds. CO-085-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating & capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment to provide for ad‐ justments of revenue and appropriation estimates. CO-086-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, the Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 961 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by increasing rev‐ enues in the amount of $10,000 received from the State of Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and appropriating within the Lafayette Police De‐ partment to acquire spe‐ cial response gear up‐ grades that includes hel‐ mets, gloves, shields, ba‐ tons, protective padding riot gear, body armor. CO-087-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, the Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 961 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by increasing rev‐ enues in the amount of $220,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Trea‐ sury and appropriating within the Lafayette Po‐ lice Department in sup‐ port of the initial devel‐ opment phase of a new canine training facility for the Lafayette Police Department supported b h f li

ORDINANCE NO. JO-0432026 A JOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BY ADJUSTING THE MANNING TABLES AND REALLOCATING FUNDS TOWARDS THE TEMPO‐ RARY EMPLOYEES AC‐ COUNT AND TRANSFER‐ RING $194,000 FROM PUB‐ LIC ART CAPITAL PRO‐ JECTS WITHIN THE PLAN‐ NING DIVISION OF COM‐ MUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING INTO THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE DIVISION WITHIN THE OF‐ FICE OF THE CHIEF AD‐ MINISTRATIVE OFFICER BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating and capital budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated h b

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 6, 2026 HELD AT 705 W. UNIVERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA. ATTENDANCE COUNCIL: Kenneth Boudreaux (Chair, District 5), Liz Hebert (ViceChair, District 3), Elroy Broussard (District 1), Andy Naquin (District 2) and Thomas Hooks (District 4) ABSENT: None COUNCIL STAFF: Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Cindy M. Semien (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs), Kelly Comeaux (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Jeremy Richardson (Associate Clerk for Operations and Citizen Advocacy) ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), and Robbie Mahtook (City-Parish Attorney) and Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney) (5:45:00) COMMENCEMENT Call to order Chair Boudreaux called the Regular City Council Meeting of October 6, 2026 to order. AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance The Chair called upon Councilmember Naquin to cite an invocation and upon Councilmember Broussard to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Boudreaux made the following announcements: • Due to Election Day, the Council Meetings in November and December will be on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, returning to the typical 1st and 3rd Tuesdays in January 2027; • A request is being made by the Council Office to amend the agenda to add an announcement of vacancy on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board; • Item #29, introduction of CO-084-2026, will be pulled from the in-globo vote. Finance has requested an amendment to reduce the amount that needs to be reappropriated due to a permissible request being made by a grantee after this agenda item was submitted; • Item #30, introduction of CO-085-2026, will be pulled from the in-globo vote. Finance has requested an amendment to adjust accounts to reimburse Risk Management for various FY2026 insurance premiums; • Wished a happy birthday to Brian Smith, Drainage Director, which he celebrated on October 6th. • Announced that the LPSS Update presentation would be held following the Mayor-President’s Report as the Superintendent had another meeting to attend shortly. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS No Council Announcements were made. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT a. Budget-to-Actual Comparison of Major City Funds – August 2026 Preliminary Boulet noted that the monthly Budget-to-Actual Comparisons are to comply with statewide auditing procedures. b. Audit Findings Update – September 2026 Boulet noted that they are required monthly to give an update to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor on the report findings. Boulet’s announcements: • Introduced Chris Hebert as the new OHSEP Director. He brings many years of experience with him including time with the military. • She reminded all to participate in the Johnston Street survey which can be found online at LafayetteLA.gov. She thanked all for their participation so far and was grateful for the positive feedback. • It is National Fire Prevention Week and the Fire Department is focusing on lithium battery safety. • The Disability Awareness Awards Ceremony will be October 19th at 9:00am in Ballroom 2 of the Heymann Performing Arts Center. • The Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Flag Raising will be Wednesday, October 7th at 10:00am at City Hall. • Trunk or Treat, hosted by the Lafayette Police Department, will be held at Cajunfield on Wednesday, October 28th beginning at 6:00pm. • Pink Picnic will be October 23rd in Girard Park at the Pavilion from 10:00am until 1:00pm. • The Parcsgiving Food Drive will be collecting non-perishable food items until November 6th. Items will be distributed on November 20th. Items can be dropped off at City Hall or any PARC Rec. Center. Due to Chair’s privilege, the Report and/or Discussion Item was moved directly following the Executive/Mayor-President’s Report as the Superintendent had another meeting to attend. REPORT AND/OR DISCUSSION ITEM AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: LPSS Updates Superintendent Francis Touchet provided a “Playbook” and handout that listed programs and highlights of activities that are ongoing within the school system. LPSS will be spending 22 million dollars on future projects, including renovations and an athletic facility at Northside High School. He referred to the My Ride K-12 program where students scanned ID’s when they got on and off their bus which allowed parents to track their arrival both at school and home. Boudreaux and Naquin thanked Touchet for the presentation and all his work. EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Discussion of settlement offer concerning prospective litigation In Re Brian Hudgins relative to a Transit Bus Incident on 4/19/25 Mahtook explained why it is appropriate and responsible for the Council to enter into executive session regarding this matter. Motion to enter into executive session 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 enter into executive session was approved. Motion to return from executive session by Hooks, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to return from executive session was approved. Motion to accept the recommendation of Risk Management and the CityParish Attorney; authorize the City-Parish Attorney to execute and deliver appropriate and necessary settlement documents, containing search terms and provisions as the City-Parish Attorney deems necessary or appropriate, to make appropriate budgetary adjustments contingent on the execution of relevant settlement documents, in connection therewith 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 accept recommendations was approved. INTERGOVERNMENTAL & COMMUNITY PARTNER PRESENTATION AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: City of Lafayette Economic Development Report by Mandi Mitchell, Lafayette Economic Development Authority President & CEO Mitchell presented a 24-page slideshow that gave background on LEDA and its history as well as current projects they are working on in the area. She stated that LEDA is all about opportunities and improving the quality of life. They are “winning” in many ways. LEDA serves all of Lafayette Parish, not just the city of Lafayette. Right now their focus is on City District One (1) and District two(2). Boudreaux and Boulet thanked her for the presentation. ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

Legal Notices

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: CO-075-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to sell at public auction and public internet auction surplus vehicles, equipment and other miscellaneous movable property which are no longer needed for public purposes, as per the attached list (public auction and public internet auction), 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. 8: CO-079-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring $20,000 from the City Council District 2 Capital appropriation (Fund 4850) to the Lafayette Police Department (LPD) for the acquisition of furniture for its Precinct 2 offices at the Lafayette Utilities System Customer Service Center on West Congress Street, 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. 9 CO-080-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting the manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to increase the hourly pay rate of various positions per Civil Service recommendation, 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. 10: CO-081-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council declaring the South Meyers Drive/Huntington Park Outfall Improvements Project a public necessity and authorizing the acquisition of the necessary rights-of-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 adopt by Hebert, 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.

Legal Notices

Lafayette, respectively, providing for the abandonment of a portion of a ten (10’) foot utility easement and associated niches, located on Lot 17-B of the McComb addition BLA Block 14, Lots 17-A & 17-B Subdivision, at 212 North Chestnut Street, and authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute an Act of Abandonment in order to effectuate the abandonment on behalf of the City of Lafayette, and Parish of Lafayette, and the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, 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. APPEAL AGENDA ITEM NO. 20: Appeal of the decision by the Office of Alcohol & Noise Control for TRUTH located at 114 McKinley Street, Lafayette, LA; 70503 a. Alcohol Violation dated May 3, 2026. b. Alcohol Violation dated May 17, 2026. c. Alcohol Violation dated May 17, 2026. Sally Leger, Alcohol and Noise Manager with Community Development and Planning, gave a recap of the appeal and the violations that were issued. These included a minor on the premises and multiple fights including one that resulted in injuries. The appellant was not in attendance but did have legal representation that was asking for a deferral and also declared the fines were excessive. She stated that she was hired a couple of days prior and requested more time to prepare for representation. Legal explained all the possible options for the Council to take at this meeting. Motion to uphold the decision of the director was made by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Hebert, Hooks NAYS: Broussard, Naquin, Boudreaux ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to uphold the decision by the director failed. Motion to remand back to the department was made by Naquin, seconded by Broussard, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: Hebert ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to remand back to the department was approved. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF VACANCIES ON BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 11: CO-082-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by using prior year fund balance in the amount of $940 for salary adjustments within the Utilities 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. 21: A vacancy exists on the Keep Lafayette Beautiful Committee for a two year term as of August 11, 2026.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 12: CO-083-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council, acting in their capacity as the governing authority of the City of Lafayette, providing for the abandonment of a ten (10’) foot x ten (10’) foot utility niche, located on Lot 3-A of the C. Paul Hillard, et al. Subdivision, located at 205 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, and authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to execute an Act of Abandonment in order to effectuate the abandonment on behalf of the City of Lafayette, 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. 25: A vacancy exists on the Board of Zoning Adjustment for the remainder of a three-year term through January 30, 2029. This is an alternate appointment. Applicants must own property in the Parish of Lafayette and reside within the City of Lafayette.

JOINT ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

Motion to amend the agenda to include Item 25(a) was made 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 amend the agenda to include item 25(a) was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 13: JO-034-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to sell at public internet auction surplus equipment and other miscellaneous movable property which are no longer needed for public purposes, as per the attached list (public internet auction), motion to adopt 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. AGENDA ITEM NO. 14: JO-042-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing the hourly rate of the Risk and Insurance Manager position within the Office of Finance & Management, Risk Management Division, 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. 15: JO-043-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by adjusting the manning tables and reallocating funds towards the Temporary Employees Account and transferring $194,000 from Public Art Capital Projects within the Planning Division of Community Development and Planning into the International Trade Division within the office of the Chief Administrative Officer, motion to adopt 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. 16: JO-044-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring funds from various accounts to the Preliminary Engineering account and appropriating within the Capital Improvements Department to create project account, 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. 17: JO-045-2026 A joint 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 adjusting the manning tables and increasing the hourly pay rate of one (1) Public Information Specialist position within the Capital Improvements Department, motion to adopt 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. 18: JO-046-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding between University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to comply with the requirement for written agreement between agencies sharing responsibility for the obligations outlined in the general permit for discharges from small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, 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. 19: JO-047-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, acting in their capacity as the governing authority of the City of Lafayette and the Parish of

AGENDA ITEM NO. 22: A vacancy will exist on the Keep Lafayette Beautiful Committee for a two year term effective December 1, 2026. AGENDA ITEM NO. 23: A vacancy will exist on the Lafayette Airport Commission for a four-year term effective 11 01-2026. AGENDA ITEM NO. 24: A vacancy will exist on the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District Board as of 10-01-2026, this is a four-year term.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 25(a): A vacancy exists on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board for the remainder of an unexpired fiveyear term through December 31, 2028. Applicants shall be a resident and property owner within the District boundaries. A request was made by staff to amend the agenda to add an announcement of vacancy on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board as item 25(a).

Individuals wishing to submit a resume for the above volunteer vacancies must be a registered voter and a resident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all appointees is required as is financial disclosure under certain circumstances. Resumes are to be forwarded 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, October 20, 2026 with appointment(s) to be made at the Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Lafayette City Council. CONSIDER APPOINTMENT(S) BY THE COUNCIL, AS A WHOLE, TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS AGENDA ITEM NO. 26: Appointment of Ethan Jordan to the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District Board for the remainder of a four-year term expiring September 30, 2027. Applicants must be black citizens of the Parish of Lafayette. Broussard nominated Jordan, and the vote was as follows: JORDAN: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Ethan Jordan was appointed. Boudreaux announced that Creed was already appointed for a board at the Parish Council Meeting therefore no longer eligible. Ethan Jordan introduced himself and provided a brief background of his credentials. He thanked the Council for their consideration. AGENDA ITEM NO. 27: Appointment of Spencer Hoyt to the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority as of 11-01-2026, this is a five-year term. Naquin nominated Hoyt and the vote was as follows: HOYT: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Spencer Hoyt was appointed. APPOINTMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR PRESIDENT AND/OR ANY OTHER DIRECT APPOINTING AUTHORITY AGENDA ITEM NO. 28: Mayor-President Monique Boulet appointed Joel Bacque’ to the Board of Zoning Adjustment for an unexpired 5-year term effective October 6, 2026 thru June 30, 2028. INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES A motion to introduce agenda items 31 thru 37, in globo, was offered by Hebert, seconded by Naquin. 31. CO-086-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, the Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 961 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $10,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Treasury and appropriating within the Lafayette Police Department to acquire special response gear upgrades that includes helmets, gloves, shields, batons, protective padding riot gear, body armor. 32. CO-087-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, the Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 961 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $220,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Treasury and appropriating within the Lafayette Police Department in support of the initial development phase of a new canine training facility for the Lafayette Police Department supported by the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the requested funds will cover land acquisition, land surveys, site fencing, and preliminary project costs; the primary outcome will be a fully prepared site ready for facility construction and obstacle course

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Legal Notices

installation. 33. CO-088-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, the Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 3 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $100,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Treasury and appropriating within the Lafayette Police Department to acquire patrol ballistic shields, increase onsite equipment storage such as hats, duty belts, batons, baton holders, OC spray, OC spray holder, handcuffs, handcuff cases, and rain gear and holsters. 34. CO-089-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, the Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 3 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $100,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Treasury and appropriating within the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office to acquire a mobile metal detector system for the safety of school and specialized events, a trailer for the purpose of transporting the agency’s 4x4 all-terrain vehicle, and automated external defibrillators (AEDS). 35. CO-090-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing and accepting the donation to the City of Lafayette from Link & Learn, LLC of certain internet access equipment previously contributed by Link & Learn, LLC to the former cooperative endeavor agreement by and among the Lafayette Parish School Board, Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, and Link & Learn, LLC. 36. CO-091-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement by and between the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services, Office of State Fire Marshal, Fire and Emergency Training Academy and the City of Lafayette concerning fire and emergency training. 37. CO-092-2026 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 $177,954.54 in FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funds received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as transferring $17,795.46 in capital outlay funds from the Lafayette Fire

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min p pp by the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the requested funds will cover land acquisition, land surveys, site fenc‐ ing, and preliminary pro‐ ject costs; the primary outcome will be a fully prepared site ready for facility construction and obstacle course installa‐ tion. CO-088-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, the Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 3 of the 2026 Regular Leg‐ islative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by increasing rev‐ enues in the amount of $100,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Trea‐ sury and appropriating within the Lafayette Po‐ lice Department to ac‐ quire patrol ballistic shields, increase onsite equipment storage such as hats, duty belts, ba‐ tons, baton holders, OC spray, OC spray holder, handcuffs, handcuff cases, and rain gear and holsters. CO-089-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, the Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 3 of the 2026 Regular Leg‐ islative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by increasing rev‐ enues in the amount of $100,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Trea‐ sury and appropriating within the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office to ac‐ quire a mobile metal de‐ tector system for the safety of school and spe‐ cialized events, a trailer for the purpose of trans‐ porting the agency’s 4x4 all-terrain vehicle, and automated external de‐ fibrillators (AEDS). An ordi‐ CO-090-2026 nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing and accepting the dona‐ tion to the City of Lafayette from Link & Learn, LLC of certain in‐ ternet access equipment previously contributed by Link & Learn, LLC to the former cooperative endeavor agreement by and among the Lafayette Parish School Board, Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, and Link & Learn, LLC. CO-091-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette City Council authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement by and be‐ tween the Department of Public Safety and Correc‐ tions, Public Safety Ser‐ vices, Office of State Fire Marshal, Fire and Emer‐ gency Training Academy and the City of Lafayette concerning fire and emergency training. An ordi‐ CO-092-2026 nance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by increasing rev‐ enues in the amount of $177,954.54 in FEMA As‐ sistance to Firefighters Grant Program funds re‐ ceived from the U.S. De‐ partment of Homeland Security, as well as transferring $17,795.46 in capital outlay funds from the Lafayette Fire De‐ partment to serve as a local match, and appro‐ priating within the Com‐ munity Development and Planning Department for Lafayette Fire Depart‐ ment firefighter cancer screenings. The ordinances will ap‐ pear before the Lafayette City Council for public hearing and final adop‐ tion in the Ted A. Ardoin City-Parish Council Audi‐ torium located at 705 W. Avenue, University Lafayette, LA on October 20, 2026. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 203464-OCT 9-1T $58.78

CLASSIFIEDS WORK

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Lafayette City Coun‐ cil met in Regular Ses‐ sion on October 6, 2026 and adopted the follow‐ ing ordinances: CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO075-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT TO SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION AND PUBLIC IN‐ TERNET AUCTION SUR‐ PLUS VEHICLES, EQUIP‐ MENT AND OTHER MIS‐ CELLANEOUS MOVABLE PROPERTY WHICH ARE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES, AS PER THE ATTACHED LIST (PUBLIC AUCTION AND PUBLIC INTERNET AUC‐ TION) BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that: SECTION 1: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government has in stor‐ age surplus vehicles, equipment and other miscellaneous LCG mov‐ able property which are no longer needed for public purposes, as per the attached list. SECTION 2: It would be in the best interest of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment to sell this movable property at a public auc‐ tion and public internet auction to the highest bidder. SECTION 3: The attached list represents the sur‐ plus LCG movable prop‐ erty to be sold. SECTION 4: All items shall be sold in an “as-is, where-is” condition. The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment reserves the right to reject any or all bids, establish minimum bid prices, or withdraw any items from the sale. SECTION 5: The Lafayette Mayor-President, Monique B. Boulet, be and she is hereby autho‐ rized and directed to sell at a public auction and public internet auction surplus LCG movable property as per the at‐ tached list. SECTION 6: It is specifi‐ cally recognized that all of the requirements State law pertaining to the sale of surplus mov‐ able property including notice of this proposed ordinance to the public shall be adhered to. SECTION 7: Any opposi‐ tion to this ordinance shall be made in writing and filed with the Office of the Clerk of the Coun‐ cil within 15 days of first publication. SECTION 8: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 9: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon override of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO079-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BY TRANSFERRING $20,000 FROM THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 CAP‐ ITAL APPROPRIATION (FUND 4850) TO THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DE‐ PARTMENT (LPD) FOR THE ACQUISITION OF FURNITURE FOR ITS PRECINCT 2 OFFICES AT THE LAFAYETTE UTILITIES SYSTEM CUSTOMER SER‐ VICE CENTER ON WEST CONGRESS STREET BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that: SECTION 1: The Lafayette City Council desires to provide funding to the Lafayette Police Depart‐ ment for the acquisition of furniture for its Precinct 2 offices at the Lafayette Utilities Sys‐ tem Customer Service Center on West Congress Street through the reallo‐ cation of the existing City Council District 2 Capital appropriations budgeted at and with a of current balance $100,000. SECTION 2: The FY 25/26 Operating and Capital Budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government is hereby amended by transferring $20,000 from the City Council District 2 Capital appropriation (Fund 4850) to the Lafayette Po‐ lice Department to ac‐ quire furniture for its Precinct 2 offices. SECTION 3: These adjust‐ ments shall be as re‐ flected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached hereto and made

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Legal Notices

CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO080-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET AND ADJUSTING THE MAN‐ NING TABLES OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT TO INCREASE THE HOURLY PAY RATE OF VARIOUS POSITIONS PER CIVIL SERVICE RECOM‐ MENDATION BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating budget and manning tables of the Communications Depart‐ ment of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government are hereby amended to increase the hourly pay rate of one (1) Comm Business Aide II (5417001) and one (1) Warehouse Foreman (1222001) per Civil Ser‐ vice recommendation. SECTION 2: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment shall not be af‐ fected due to the suffi‐ cient unexpended/unen‐ cumbered balance in the salary appropriations within the Communica‐ tions Department to cover the additional cost needed for the remain‐ der of the 25/26 fiscal year. SECTION 3: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 4: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette Mayor‐ President, the elapse of ten (l0) days after receipt by the Lafayette MayorPresident without signa‐ ture or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO081-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL DECLARING THE SOUTH MEYERS DRIVE/HUNTING‐ TON PARK OUTFALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS PROJECT A PUBLIC NECESSITY AND AUTHORIZING THE AC‐ QUISITION OF THE NECES‐ SARY RIGHTS-OF-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 EXPROPRIA‐ TION PROCESS IF NECES‐ SARY BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that: WHEREAS, the Lafayette City Council has declared the South Meyers Drive/Huntington Park Outfall Project (here‐ inafter referred to as “Project”) a public neces‐ sity; and WHEREAS, the public purpose to be served by the construction of said project is to provide for improvement of public roadway and coulee em‐ bankments at this loca‐ tion; and WHEREAS, the project limits are shown on the attached Exhibit “A” for the project and is gener‐ ally, but not limited to, development of erosioncontrol structures to pre‐ vent failures of roadway and coulee embank‐ ments caused by storm water runoff; and WHEREAS, engineering work has progressed to a point wherein it is deter‐ mined that certain tracts of land or portions thereof will be required for construction of the Project. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Coun‐ cil, that: SECTION 1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses are adopted as part of this ordinance. SECTION 2: The Lafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized to ac‐ quire such land, immov‐ able property, rights-ofway, servitudes, or other property rights as are determined to be neces‐ sary under good engi‐ neering standards to provide for the construc‐ tion of said project; and she is authorized to do so on an amicable basis or by the proper use of h f i

Legal Notices

Department to serve as a local match, and appropriating within the Community Development and Planning Department for Lafayette Fire Department firefighter cancer screenings. The Chair then called for a vote to introduce the ordinances 31 thru 37, in globo, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved. AGENDA ITEM NO. 29 CO-084-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by adjusting various capital projects in Fund 6500 American Rescue Plan/21-City and Fund 1010 General Fund-City Fund to expedite spending of the ARPA grant funds, motion to introduce by Hebert, seconded by Hooks. A motion to amend to reduce the amount that needs to be reappropriated due to a permissible request for reimbursement being made by a grantee after the agenda was submitted 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 amend was approved. The Chair then called for a vote to introduce, as amended, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce as amended was approved. AGENDA ITEM NO. 30 CO-085-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide for adjustments of revenue and appropriation estimates, motion to introduce by Broussard, seconded by Naquin.

Legal Notices

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min y p p the power of expropria‐ tion granted to munici‐ palities under applicable State law. In pursuing said land, immovable property, right-of-way acquisitions, she is au‐ thorized to acquire said land, immovable prop‐ erty, rights-of-way and to settle the matters thus presented, on such terms and conditions as she shall deem proper and in the best interest of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment. SECTION 3: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 4: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO082-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET AND MANNING TABLES OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BY USING PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $940 FOR SALARY ADJUST‐ MENTS WITHIN THE UTIL‐ ITIES DEPARTMENT BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating budget and manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment are hereby amended by adjusting the appropriations of the Utilities Department. SECTION 2: This transfer of funds shall be re‐ flected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached and made a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 3: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 4: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** CITY ORDINANCE NO. CO083-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUN‐ CIL, ACTING IN THEIR CA‐ PACITY AS THE GOVERN‐ ING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, PRO‐ VIDING FOR THE ABAN‐ DONMENT OF A TEN (10’) FOOT X TEN (10’) FOOT UTILITY NICHE, LOCATED ON LOT 3-A OF THE C. PAUL HILLARD, ET AL SUBDIVISION, LOCATED AT 205 AMBASSADOR CAFFERY PARKWAY, AND AUTHORIZING THE LAFAYETTE MAYOR-PRES‐ IDENT TO EXECUTE AN ACT OF ABANDONMENT IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE THE ABANDONMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council, acting in their capacity as the governing author‐ ity of the City of Lafayette, that: WHEREAS, a shared ten (10’) foot x ten (10’) foot utility niche on Lots 2 and 3 was dedicated to the City of Lafayette, by a plat of survey prepared by Charles T Mader, PLS, dated June 01, 1995, and recorded under Act No. 1995-00017257 of the Lafayette Parish Con‐ veyance Records, at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit B; and WHEREAS, a boundary line adjustment of Lots 2 and 3, created Lot 3-A of the C. Paul Hillard, ET AL. subdivision, located at 205 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, and is clearly shown on a plat of sur‐ vey conveyance pre‐ pared by W.R. Eustis, PLS, dated June 25, 2025, recorded under Act No. 2026-15073, records of Lafayette Parish; and at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit C; and WHEREAS, the shared ten (10’) foot x ten (10’) foot utility niche, located on Lot 3-A has been pro‐ posed for abandonment in the specific location clearly shown on a plat of survey prepared by W.R. Eustis, PLS, dated June 01, 2026, attached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit D; and WHEREAS, it has been determined by the Lafayette City Council, acting in their capacity as the governing author‐ i f h i f

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min g g ity of the City of Lafayette, that the ten (10’) foot x ten (10’) foot utility niche, as shown in Exhibit D, is no longer needed for public use and, accordingly, it is ap‐ propriate that a certain portion of the utility easement be abandoned. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Coun‐ cil, acting in their capac‐ ity as the governing au‐ thority of the City of Lafayette, that: SECTION 1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses are adopted as part of this ordinance. SECTION 2: The Lafayette City Council, acting in their capacity as the gov‐ erning authority of the City of Lafayette, herby abandons the ten (10’) foot x ten (10’) foot utility niche, as shown on a plat of survey prepared by W.R. Eustis, PLS, dated June 01, 2026, attached hereto and made a part hereof in Exhibit D. SECTION 3: The Lafayette Mayor-President is hereby authorized and empowered to execute an Act of Abandonment on behalf of the City of Lafayette, in order to ef‐ fectuate the abandon‐ ment of the ten (10’) foot x ten (10’) foot utility niche, as shown on a plat of survey prepared by W.R. Eustis, PLS, dated June 01, 2026, as shown on Exhibit D. SECTION 4: The Act of Abandonment authorized in Section 3 shall be sub‐ stantially in the form at‐ tached hereto, but may be revised, and may con‐ tain such additional pro‐ visions, as the Lafayette Mayor-President, in con‐ sultation with the Lafayette City-Parish At‐ torney, may deem neces‐ sary, convenient, or de‐ sirable to carry out the intent and provisions of this ordinance. SECTION 5: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 6: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon override of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 203457-OCT 9-1T $132.52 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Lafayette Parish Council met in Regular Session on October 6, 2026 and adopted the fol‐ lowing ordinances: PARISH ORDINANCE NO. PO-039-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE LAFAYETTE CITYPARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TO SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION AND PUBLIC INTERNET AUC‐ TION SURPLUS VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS MOV‐ ABLE PROPERTY WHICH ARE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES, AS PER THE ATTACHED LIST (PUBLIC AUCTION AND PUBLIC INTERNET AUCTION) BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government has in stor‐ age surplus equipment and other miscellaneous LCG movable property which are no longer needed for public pur‐ poses, as per the at‐ tached list. SECTION 2: It would be in the best interest of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment to sell this movable property at a public auc‐ tion and public internet auction to the highest bidder. SECTION 3: The attached list represents the sur‐ plus LCG movable prop‐ erty to be sold. SECTION 4: All items shall be sold in an “as-is, where-is” condition. The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment reserves the right to reject any or all bids, establish minimum bid prices, or withdraw any items from the sale. SECTION 5: The Lafayette Mayor-President, Monique B. Boulet, be and she is hereby autho‐ rized and directed to sell at a public auction and public internet auction surplus LCG movable property as per the at‐ tached list. SECTION 6: It is specifi‐ cally recognized that all of the requirements State law pertaining to h l f l

Legal Notices

Motion to amend was approved. The Chair then called for a vote to introduce, as amended, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce as amended was approved. JOINT INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES A motion to introduce agenda items 38 and 39 in globo was offered by Hebert, seconded by Hooks. 38. JO-048-2026 A joint 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 to provide for adjustments of revenue and appropriation estimates. 39. JO-049-2026 A joint 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 $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds within the Community Development and Planning Department to the Housing Loans Program. The Chair then called for a vote to introduce the ordinances 38 and 39 in globo and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved. (8:16:00) ADJOURN There being no further business to come before the Council, Chair Boudreaux declared the Regular Meeting adjourned. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

A motion to amend to adjust accounts to reimburse Risk Management for various FY2026 insurance premiums submitted by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 4: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 5: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs first. *****

Legal Notices

203468-695689-oct 9-1t $ 701.19

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

p g the sale of surplus mov‐ able property including notice of this proposed ordinance to the public shall be adhered to. SECTION 7: Any opposi‐ tion to this ordinance shall be made in writing and filed with the Office of the Clerk of the Coun‐ cil within 15 days of first publication. SECTION 8: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 9: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon override of a veto, whichever occurs first. *****

nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conﬂict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 4: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs ﬁrst *****

Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by increasing rev‐ enues in the amount of $40,000 received from the State of Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and appropriating within the Community Develop‐ ment and Planning De‐ partment (8166) as an ex‐ ternal appropriation for the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce for Milton Community Center crime cameras located within the community park named Picard Park Funds will be used to purchase and install the surveil‐ lance camera equipment throughout the park and connect to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce Real Time Crime Center.

Road, Tract A 2. Roy Estates, Inc. 1, Lot 1 3. Willow West Lots 1, 2 & 3

PARISH ORDINANCE NO. PO-043-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BY TRANSFERRING $3,210.23 FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL DIS‐ TRICT 5 CAPITAL APPRO‐ PRIATION TO CARENCRO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPART‐ MENT WITHIN SECTION 4190 PARISHWIDE FIRE PROTECTION FOR THE PURCHASE OF STRUC‐ TURAL FIREFIGHTING PROTECTIVE COAT AND PANTS WITH THERMAL LINERS AND RELATED AC‐ CESSORIES BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The Lafayette Parish Council desires to provide funding assis‐ tance to the Carencro Volunteer Fire Depart‐ ment to enhance emer‐ gency response capabili‐ ties and firefighter safety through the reallocation of existing Parish Council District 5 capital appro‐ priations budgeted at $60,000, but with a cur‐ rent balance of $50,000. SECTION 2: The FY 25/26 Operating and Capital Budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government is hereby amended by transferring $3,210.23 from the Parish Council District 5 Capital Appropriation to the Carencro Volunteer Fire Department within Sec‐ tion 4190 – Parishwide Fire Protection for the purchase of structural firefighting protective coat and pants with ther‐ mal liners and related accessories. SECTION 3: These adjust‐ ments shall be as re‐ flected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached hereto and made a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 4: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 5: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs first. ***** PARISH ORDINANCE NO. PO-044-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS OF THE LAFAYETTE CITYPARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT BY AUTHO‐ RIZING THE USE OF PY FUND BALANCE OF THE JUVENILE DETENTION FA‐ CILITY (FUND 2650) IN THE AMOUNT OF $187,749 AND COMBINING WITH EXISTING FUNDS AND AP‐ PROPRIATING WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFI‐ CER, JUVENILE DETEN‐ TION DIVISION, TO FUND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE JUVENILE DETEN‐ TION HOME BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating and capital budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government are hereby amended by authorizing the use of PY Fund Bal‐ ance of the Juvenile De‐ tention Facility (Fund 2650) in the amount of $187,749 and combining with existing funds and appropriating within the Office of the Chief Ad‐ ministrative Officer, Ju‐ venile Detention Division, to fund safety improve‐ ments at the Juvenile De‐ tention Home. SECTION 2: This transfer of funds shall be re‐ flected in any pertinent documents which are at‐ tached and made a part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 3: All ordi‐

PARISH ORDINANCE NO. PO-045-2026 AN ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERN‐ MENT BY ADJUSTING THE MANNING TABLES AND INCREASING THE HOURLY PAY RATE OF ONE (1) CE‐ MENT MASON POSITION WITHIN THE TRAFFIC, ROADS, AND BRIDGES DE‐ PARTMENT-STREETS DIVI‐ SION BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette Parish Council, that: SECTION 1: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment is hereby amended by adjusting the manning tables and increasing the hourly pay rate of one (1) Cement Mason (Position 4209-003) from $17.7800 to $17.8770 as recom‐ mended by Civil Service. Council action is re‐ quired since the afore‐ mentioned position is currently funded at a lower rate of pay. SECTION 2: The FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment shall not be af‐ fected due to the suffi‐ cient unexpended/unen‐ cumbered balance in the salary appropriation to cover the additional cost needed for the remain‐ der of the 25/26 fiscal year. SECTION 3: This adjust‐ ment to the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges De‐ partment’s manning ta‐ bles shall be reflected in any pertinent documents which are attached hereto and made part hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council. SECTION 4: All ordi‐ nances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith are hereby re‐ pealed. SECTION 5: This ordi‐ nance shall become ef‐ fective upon signature of the Lafayette MayorPresident, the elapse of ten (10) days after re‐ ceipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon an override of a veto, whichever occurs first. *****

The ordinances will ap‐ pear before the Lafayette Parish Council for public hearing and ﬁnal adop‐ tion in the Ted A. Ardoin City-Parish Council Audi‐ torium located at 705 W. University Avenue, Lafayette, LA on October 20, 2026. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL 203467-OCT 9-1T $23.83 PUBLIC NOTICE --PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAFAYETTE PUBLIC POWER AUTHORITY MEETING OF THE CITYPARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF OCTOBEER 6, 2026 HELD AT 705 W. UNI‐ VERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA. ATTENDANCE LPPA: Kenneth P. Boudreaux (Chair, Dis‐ trict 5), Liz W. Hebert (Vice-Chair, District 3), Elroy Broussard (District 1), Andy Naquin (District 2) and Thomas Hooks (District 4)

COUNCIL STAFF: Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Cindy M. Semien (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs), Kelly Comeaux (Assis‐ tant Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Jeremy Richardson (Associate Clerk for Operations and Citizen Advocacy) ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Ofﬁcer), and Robert A. Mahtook, Jr. (City-Parish Attorney) (8:17:00) MENT

COMMENCE‐

Call to order Chair Boudreaux called the Special LPPA Meeting of October 6, 2026 to order.

203461-OCT 9-1T $78.50

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS No Chair Announcements were made.

NOTICE The Lafayette Parish Council met in Regular Session on October 6, 2026 and introduced the following ordinances. PO-046-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending Ordinance No. PO-0332026 to authorize the funding reallocated therein to also be used for the purchase of a res‐ cue vehicle rather than for the purchase of a washer and dryer. An ordi‐ PO-047-2026 nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment by transferring $15,950 from the Parish Council District 5 capital appropriation to the Parks, Arts, Recreation & Culture Department for miscellaneous interior designs and improve‐ ments. PO-048-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating & capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment to provide for ad‐ justments of revenue and appropriation estimates. PO-049-2026 An ordi‐ nance of the Lafayette Parish Council authoriz‐ ing the Lafayette MayorPresident to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment, the Louisiana De‐ partment of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 3 of the 2026 Regular Leg‐ islative Session of the

1. Matthew Hebert, Tract 1

RESOLUTION AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: RLPPA-171 A resolution of the Lafayette Public Power Authority (LPPA) naming and designating the ﬁrm of Kolder, Slaven & Company, LLC, as inde‐ pendent auditors for the LPPA audit in accordance with Section 2-09 of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Govern‐ ment Home Rule Charter, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Naquiu, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Broussard, Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was ap‐ proved. (8:17:00) ADJOURN There being no further business to come before LPPA, Chair the Boudreaux declared the Special Meeting ad‐ journed. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

&Maggie

ONE-YEAR EXTENSIONS OF PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL 1. Couret Farms, Phase IX ACCEPTANCE OF PERPETUAL MAINTE‐ NANCE 1. Belleview Subdivision, Phase IV OTHER BUSINESS 1. Proposed amendments to Rules of Policy and Procedure i. Add Part III: City Plan‐ ning Commission Policy ii. Add to proposed Part III: A. The City of Lafayette Planning Com‐ mission shall not waive any sidewalk require‐ ments of the Lafayette Development Code re‐ quiring Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) compliant sidewalks to be constructed along all public streets solely for the lack of connectivity to an existing sidewalk; and, B. The City of Lafayette Planning Com‐ mission shall defer until the next regular meeting any application appear‐ ing before the Commis‐ sion except for Hearing Ofﬁcer Consent / Ratiﬁ‐ cation Items, where the applicant is not in atten‐ dance of the meeting where the application is scheduled to be heard. 2. Approval of September 21 Regular Meeting Ac‐ tion Summary 3. Announcements FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT 291-8000 203284-OCT 9-1T $18.69

Public Notices Successions

ABSENT: None

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

HEARING EXAMINER AP‐ PEALS

PUBLIC NOTICE --Administrator for the Succession of Mary Fern Cobb Briggs gives notice of his intent to sell via private sale, the follow‐ ing: 1. The immovable estate home and property lo‐ cated at 311 Sunny Lane, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506, Being the same property acquired by Mary C. Briggs by Cash Sale from Jeanie Slay Mellinger dated April 29, 1994, recorded on May 2, 1994, under instrument no. 1994-00016195 of the public records of Lafayette, Louisiana; and 2. 2009 Mercedes Benz 350. Any objections to the sale of the above prop‐ erty can be ﬁled within 7 days with the 15th Judi‐ cial District Court – Parish of Lafayette under probate docket number 20250640, pursuant to LA C.C.P. Art 3282. 202566 Oct. 2-31, 30t $416.10

Reporting you can trust on stories that matter

203455 OCT 9-1T $22.76 PUBLIC NOTICE --THE FOLLOWING DEVEL‐ OPMENTS ARE PROPOSED FOR REVIEW BY THE LAFAYETTE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 19, 2026 5:00 P.M. 220 WEST WILLOW STREET BUILDING C TOWN CENTER AUDITO‐ RIUM HEARING EXAMINER RATIFICATIONS 1.

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 6, 2026 HELD AT 705 W. UNIVERSITY AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA. ATTENDANCE COUNCIL: Donald Richard (Chair, District 2), Ken Stansbury (Vice-Chair, District 3), Bryan Tabor (District 1), John Guilbeau (District 4) and AB Rubin (District 5) ABSENT: None COUNCIL STAFF: Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Cindy M. Semien (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs), Kelly Comeaux (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Jeremy Richardson (Associate Clerk for Operations and Citizen Advocacy) ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), and Robbie Mahtook (City-Parish Attorney) and Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney) (4:31:00) COMMENCEMENT Call to order Chair Richard called the Regular Parish Council Meeting of October 6, 2026 to order. AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance The Chair called upon Councilmember Guilbeau to cite an invocation and upon Councilmember Tabor to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Richard made the following announcements: • Due to Election Day, the Council Meetings in November and December will be on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, returning to the typical 1st and 3rd Tuesdays in January 2027; • A request is being made by the Council Office to amend the agenda to add an announcement of vacancy on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board; • Wished a happy birthday to Brian Smith, Drainage Director, which he celebrated on October 6th. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS No Council Announcements were made. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT a. Budget-to-Actual Comparison of Major Parish Funds – August 2026 Preliminary Boulet noted that the monthly Budget-to-Actual Comparisons are to comply with statewide auditing procedures. b. Audit Findings Update – September 2026 Boulet noted that they are required monthly to give an update to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor on the report findings. Boulet’s announcements: • Introduced Chris Hebert as the new OHSEP Director. He brings many years of experience with him including time with the military. • She reminded all to participate in the Johnston Street survey which can be found online at LafayetteLA.gov. She thanked all for their participation so far and was grateful for the positive feedback. • It is National Fire Prevention Week and the Fire Department is focusing on lithium battery safety. • The Disability Awareness Awards Ceremony will be October 19th at 9:00am in Ballroom 2 of the Heymann Performing Arts Center. • The Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Flag Raising will be Wednesday, October 7th at 10:00am at City Hall. • Trunk or Treat, hosted by the Lafayette Police Department, will be held at Cajunfield on Wednesday, October 28th beginning at 6:00pm. • Pink Picnic will be October 23rd in Girard Park at the Pavilion from 10:00am until 1:00pm. • The Parcsgiving Food Drive will be collecting non-perishable food items until November 6th. Items will be distributed on November 20th. Items can be dropped off at City Hall or any PARC Rec. Center. REPORT AND/OR DISCUSSION ITEM AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: LPSS Updates Superintendent Francis Touchet provided a “Playbook” and handout that listed programs and highlights of activities that are ongoing within the school system. LPSS will be spending 22 million dollars on future projects, including renovations and an athletic facility at Northside High School. Guilbeau thanked him for his service and commented how he often sees him in the Milton area helping with traffic and buses. The CAO also thanked him for his service and praised the School Connect program. Rubin gave congrats to Dr. Holly Boffy for being named the 2027 High School Principal of the Year for Louisiana. ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: PO-039-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to sell at public auction and public internet auction surplus vehicles, equipment and other miscellaneous movable property which are no longer needed for public purposes, as per the attached list (public auction and public internet auction), motion to adopt by Rubin, seconded by Stansbury 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-043-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring $3,210.23 from the Parish Council District 5 Capital Appropriation to Carencro Volunteer Fire Department within Section 4190 Parishwide Fire Protection for the purchase of structural firefighting protective coat and pants with thermal liners and related accessories, motion to adopt by Rubin, 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.

Legal Notices

ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved. AGENDA ITEM NO. 10: JO-042-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing the hourly rate of the Risk and Insurance Manager position within the Office of Finance & Management, Risk Management Division, motion to adopt by Tabor, seconded by Stansbury, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved. Rubin asked the CAO if reminders could be given to citizens to let them know where the auctions would take place and she confirmed. AGENDA ITEM NO. 11: JO-043-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by adjusting the manning tables and reallocating funds towards the Temporary Employees Account and transferring $194,000 from Public Art Capital Projects within the Planning Division of Community Development and Planning into the International Trade Division within the office of the Chief Administrative Officer, motion to adopt by Guilbeau, seconded by Stansbury, 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. 12: JO-044-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring funds from various accounts to the Preliminary Engineering account and appropriating within the Capital Improvements Department to create project account, motion to adopt by Stansbury, 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. Tabor requested that Poirrier come to the podium to confirm where the funds were coming from. Poirrier, Director of Capital Improvements, confirmed the money was coming from a general account from the city and the parish. AGENDA ITEM NO. 13: JO-045-2026 A joint 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 adjusting the manning tables and increasing the hourly pay rate of one (1) Public Information Specialist position within the Capital Improvements Department, motion to adopt by Tabor, seconded by Rubin, 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. 14: JO-046-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding between University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to comply with the requirement for written agreement between agencies sharing responsibility for the obligations outlined in the general permit for discharges from small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, motion to adopt by Guilbeau, seconded by Rubin, 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. 15: JO-047-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, acting in their capacity as the governing authority of the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, respectively, providing for the abandonment of a portion of a ten (10’) foot utility easement and associated niches, located on Lot 17-B of the McComb addition BLA Block 14, Lots 17-A & 17-B Subdivision, at 212 North Chestnut Street, and authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute an Act of Abandonment in order to effectuate the abandonment on behalf of the City of Lafayette, and Parish of Lafayette, and the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, motion to adopt by Rubin, seconded by Stansbury, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Legal Notices

2026 with appointment(s) to be made at the Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Lafayette Parish Council. CONSIDER APPOINTMENT(S) BY THE COUNCIL, AS A WHOLE, TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS AGENDA ITEM NO. 21: Appointment of Beau Nicolosi to the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District Board as of October 1, 2026 for a fouryear term. Stansbury nominated Emert, Guilbeau nominated Nicolosi, and the vote was as follows: EMERT: Richard, Stansbury NICOLOSI: Tabor, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Beau Nicolosi was appointed. AGENDA ITEM NO. 22: Appointment of John D. Touchet to the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board as of October 1, 2026, this is a five-year term. Applicants shall be a resident and property owner within the District boundaries. Tabor nominated Touchet, and the vote was as follows: TOUCHET: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None John D. Touchet was appointed. AGENDA ITEM NO. 23: Appointment of Jamie Creed to the Parish Planning and Zoning Commission for the remainder of an unexpired fiveyear term thru January 6, 2030. Guilbeau nominated Creed, Stansbury nominated Eller, and the vote was as follows: CREED: Richard, Guilbeau, Rubin ELLER: Tabor, Stansbury NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Jamie Creed was appointed. Stansbury asked the Clerk of the Council to confirm that Creed was eligible for this appointment and the Clerk confirmed that she was. APPOINTMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR-PRESIDENT AND/OR ANY OTHER DIRECT APPOINTING AUTHORITY AGENDA ITEM NO. 24: John Guilbeau, District 4, appointed Patti Carter to the Lafayette Recreation Advisory Commission for a 4-year term effective November 1, 2026. INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES A motion to introduce agenda items 25 thru 28, in globo, was offered by Rubin, seconded by Guilbeau. 25. PO-046-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending Ordinance No. PO-033-2026 to authorize the funding reallocated therein to also be used for the purchase of a rescue vehicle rather than for the purchase of a washer and dryer. 26. PO-047-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by transferring $15,950 from the Parish Council District 5 capital appropriation to the Parks, Arts, Recreation & Culture Department for miscellaneous interior designs and improvements. 27. PO-048-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating & capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide for adjustments of revenue and appropriation estimates. 28. PO-049-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, the Louisiana Department of the Treasury and the State of Louisiana concerning Act 3 of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature and amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $40,000 received from the State of Louisiana Department of the Treasury and appropriating within the Community Development and Planning Department (8166) as an external appropriation for the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office for Milton Community Center crime cameras located within the community park named Picard Park Funds will be used to purchase and install the surveillance camera equipment throughout the park and connect to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Real Time Crime Center. The Chair then called for a vote to introduce the ordinances 25 thru 28, in globo, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved. JOINT INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES

AGENDA ITEM NO. 16: Appeal of Notice of Judgment of Condemnation and Order of Demolition: 213 Adaline St., Carencro, LA 70520 A.A.B. Case #26-1311

A motion to introduce agenda items 29 and 30 in globo was offered by Guilbeau, seconded by Tabor.

Motion to deny the appeal was made by Stansbury, seconded by Tabor, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to deny the appeal was approved. Kathy Trahan, CDP Compliance Manager, provided background information on the case. The appellant still has until November 5th to tear down the shed. The appellant, Ismael Francisco, confirmed that the house was removed, however, he was hoping for more time to move a shed located at the property. ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES ON BOARDS/COMMISSIONS AGENDA ITEM NO. 17: A vacancy will exist on the Keep Lafayette Beautiful Committee for a two-year term effective December 1, 2026. AGENDA ITEM NO. 18: A vacancy will exist on the Lafayette MayorPresident’s Awareness Committee on Citizens with Disabilities for a threeyear term thru November 1, 2029. Applicants must be disabled or have disabled life experience.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: PO-045-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by adjusting the manning tables and increasing the hourly pay rate of one (1) Cement Mason position within the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department-Streets Division, motion to adopt 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.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 20(a): A vacancy exists on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board for the remainder of an unexpired fiveyear term through October 31, 2028. Applicants shall be a resident and property owner within the District boundaries.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: JO-034-2026 A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to sell at public internet auction surplus equipment and other miscellaneous movable property which are no longer needed for public purposes, as per the attached list (public internet auction), motion to adopt by Guilbeau, seconded by Tabor, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None

Legal Notices

APPEAL

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: PO-044-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by authorizing the use of PY Fund Balance of the Juvenile Detention Facility (Fund 2650) in the amount of $187,749 and combining with existing funds and appropriating within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Juvenile Detention Division, to fund safety improvements at the Juvenile Detention Home, motion to adopt by Tabor, seconded by Stansbury, and the vote 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

Legal Notices

AGENDA ITEM NO. 19: A vacancy will exist on the Lafayette Waterworks District North Board as of November 1, 2026, this is a five-year term. Applicants shall be a resident and property owner within the District boundaries. AGENDA ITEM NO. 20: A vacancy will exist on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board for a five-year term thru November 1, 2031. Applicants shall be a resident and property owner within the District boundaries.

A request was made by staff to amend the agenda to add an announcement of vacancy on the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District South Board as item 20(a).

29. JO-048-2026 A joint 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 to provide for adjustments of revenue and appropriation estimates. 30. JO-049-2026 A joint 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 $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds within the Community Development and Planning Department to the Housing Loans Program. The Chair then called for a vote to introduce the ordinances 29 and 30 in globo and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce, in globo, was approved. COMMENT(S) FROM THE PUBLIC AGENDA ITEM NO. 31: Comments from the public on any other matter(s) not on an agenda and are within the legislative power of the Lafayette Parish Council. Cassandra V. Lagrange spoke of the lack of a guardrail located at the 1100 block of LeBesque Road near the coulee. She also mentioned issues with speeding and the road crumbling due to large vehicles passing down the road. Kris A. Best spoke of issues with a neighbor fracking under house and causing it to sink. She mentioned also that she believed he was stealing from her and using her vehicle without permission. (5:39:00) ADJOURN There being no further business to come before the Council, Chair Richard declared the Regular Meeting adjourne /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

Motion to amend the agenda to include Item 20(a) was made by Stansbury, seconded by Rubin, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor, Richard, Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend the agenda to include item 20(a) was approved. Individuals wishing to submit a resume for the above volunteer vacancy must be a registered voter and a resident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all appointees is required as is financial disclosure under certain circumstances. Resumes are to be forwarded 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, October 20,

203456-695634-OCT 9-1T $ 529.20

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Mostly cloudy and warm

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Mostly sunny and warmer

Plenty of sunshine

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88° 66°

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Beaumont 92/67 Port Arthur 91/69

Baton Rouge 90/67

Lake Charles 92/65

New Orleans 82/69 Houma 83/68

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Hattiesburg 84/64

Alexandria 93/60

Lafayette 88/66

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89° 70°

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91° 69°

Lafayette through 5 p.m. Thursday

Jackson 89/65 Many 93/56

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Monroe 95/65

Shreveport 92/63

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90s 100s 110s

High/low Normal high/low Last year’s high/low Record high Record low

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) Shell Beach South Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) Wine Island

OCT 10

8:54a 4:21a 3:37a 5:36a 9:50p 9:18p 10:58p

OCT 18

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

FT.

TODAY

92 69 90 40 87 97 86 90 89

60 50 66 27 76 75 61 80 65

FULL

LAST

OCT 25

pc s s s sh s s t s

NOV 1

91 66 90 46 87 89 77 91 69

SAT. Lo

64 49 67 31 73 66 62 81 64

LOW

0.00” 0.87” 1.14” 47.03” 49.84”

FT.

HIGH

0.6 4:44a 0.5 1.4 10:04a 1.0 2.1 8:13a 1.0 1.5 11:54a 0.7 1.1 6:00a 0.7 1.5 4:00a 0.9 1.4 7:02a 0.9

7:06 a.m. 6:44 p.m. 6:04 a.m. 6:03 p.m.

FIRST

City

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Normal year to date

HIGH

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today NEW

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

88°/64° 84°/63° 90°/70° 95° in 1912 36° in 1952

s s s pc sh pc r sh r

TODAY

READING 56 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

FT.

--- --5:17p 1.4 4:22p 2.3 6:56p 1.6 --- ----- ----- ---

LOW

FT.

4:34p 0.4 9:09p 1.3 8:50p 1.4 --- ----- ----- ----- ---

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter. MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today 10:40a Saturday 11:23a Sunday 12:32p Monday 12:35a Tuesday 1:28a Wednesday 2:23a Thursday 3:19a

City

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

4:29a 11:02p 5:11a 11:45p 5:57a ---6:47a 12:59p 7:40a 1:52p 8:35a 2:48p 9:31a 3:44p

TODAY

82 90 75 103 70 79 89 80 88

69 75 54 81 51 62 62 69 79

r t s s s pc s pc t

GOOD

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

80 90 75 92 74 70 84 77 89

4:51p 5:34p 6:20p 7:11p 8:05p 9:01p 9:57p

SAT. Lo

64 76 59 73 58 65 59 70 78

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

pc t pc t pc r pc pc t

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near Olive AMITE Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

3.70 24.30 26.70 12.40 7.50 6.36 4.80

+1.44 -1.12 -0.90 -0.50 -0.30 +0.15 -0.25

24.48

+1.83

-1.51

-0.05

18 29 8

-1.24 9.95 3.33

-0.07 -0.17 +0.16

13 15

1.59 0.85

-0.18 -0.04

47 34 29 20 12 6

11.24 7.73 6.28 5.57 3.80 3.02

+0.30 +0.36 +0.41 +0.31 -0.40 +0.42

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THU. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

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FLOOD STAGE

ULE ED

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

YESTERDAY MODERATE

PRECIPITATION

HIGH

Well, we continue to follow Hurricane Isaias as it closes on the Gulf coast. It’s expected to make landfall east of Southeast Louisiana later on tonight. So today, expect a partly to mostly cloudy, very warm and windy day. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the upper 80s to low 90s. Expect some isolated showers with a few storms, but your biggest issue will be strong winds. Winds today will be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 mph, with gusts to 25 mph. Expect mostly cloudy and windy conditions tonight/overnight.

AP P

14C ● Friday, October 9, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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