The Acadiana Advocate 05-08-2026

Space firm eyeing La.location

MassiveVermilion land deal fuelsrumors

BY ADAM DAIGLE and STEPHANIERIEGEL Staff writers

Aspace exploration company is negotiating to buy alarge amount of coastal land in southwest Louisiana, astate lawmaker confirmed

Thursday

State Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Ab-

beville, said he knows of twocompanies —hedid not reveal if it is Elon Musk-owned SpaceX or Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin —thathavereached out to landownersincoastal Vermilion andCameronparishesabout apossible acquisition. “I know bothcompanies are trying to find property in southwest Louisiana,” Hensgenssaid. “I know

from people in theparishes that the companies have made outreach in thearea.”

The confirmation comes ahead of a hearing next week on the final piece of legislation in an incentive package designedtoattract aerospace companiestoLouisiana.The bills would offertax incentiveswhile limiting certainlawsuits and ex-

empting some records from public disclosure.

Alegislative committee on Monday will take up the final piece of theaerospace incentive package.

The bill, by Rep. Jack McFarland, RJonesboro, would shield aerospace companies from lawsuitsrelated to harm or damages their rockets cause to people and properties.

Severallegislators have signed nondisclosure agreements at the

Panelcalls forbig FEMA changes

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON PresidentDonald Trump’s task forcetorecommend changes to FEMA approved areportThursday that would not dismantle the disaster response agency —assome in the administration wanted —but would transfer many current federal tasks to the states, privatize flood insurance and releasefederal

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Black Democrats in the House had been practicing for weeks to prepare

moneytothe states in the form of grants rather than reimbursements

“Federal assistance should only be reserved for truly significant eventsthat exceedstate, local,tribal, territorial capacity and capability,”said Michael Whatley,amember of the President’s Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency and former chair of the Republican National Committee.

Thecouncil was charged to look deeply

intohow FEMA operates andmake recommendations to Trump for improvements

In its draft report, forwarded to Trump without objection,recommendations include establishing acommoncriteria to evaluate needs in advancerather than to assess damage after thestorm,hesaid. Grants forconstructiononthings like

See FEMA, page 5A

Former Lafayette Parish MayorPresident Josh Guillory appeared in aSt. Martin

Ex-deputy found guilty in shooting of Black man

COLUMBUS, Ohio A former sheriff’s deputy was found guilty of reckless homicide at trial Thursday for shooting a Black man who was bringing sandwiches to his grandmother’s house.

The killing of Casey Goodson Jr by Jason Meade in December 2020 had provoked outrage in Ohio. Trial jurors said they couldn’t agree on the more serious charge of murder, so the judge declared a mistrial on that count.

Meade, who is White, said his shooting of Goodson five times in the back and once in the side — was justified because he saw the 23-year-old holding a gun and turning toward him in the doorway of the house in Columbus. But no one else testified that they saw Goodson holding the gun he was licensed to carry and no cameras recorded the shooting.

This was Meade’s second murder trial, after the first ended in a mistrial two years ago. He is now the second White law enforcement officer to be convicted in the killing of a Black man in the state since the 2020 killing of a Black man, George Floyd, sparked national protests. During the earlier proceeding, Meade testified that he pursued Goodson after the man waved a gun at him as they passed each other in their vehicles. According to his family and prosecutors, Goodson was holding a bag of Subway sandwiches in one hand and his keys in the other, and was listening to music through earbuds when he was killed. Prosecutors also said that evidence suggests the gun wasn’t in his hands, but in a flimsy holder under his belt, and that it was found under his body its safety mechanism still engaged, as Goodson laid mortally wounded on the kitchen floor of his grandmother’s house.

Meade, now 47, retired from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department in 2021. He’s also a Baptist pastor His defense attorney cited Meade’s oral and written accounts of what happened, and said the shooting was justified.

Colorado demonstration firebomber sentenced

BOULDER, Colo. — A man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty Thursday to killing one person and injuring a dozen others in a 2025 firebombing attack on a demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Speaking to the court through an interpreter, Mohamed Sabry Soliman apologized to the victims and said, “If I went back, I would not have done this, as this is not according to the teaching of Islam What I did came out of myself and only myself.” He has meanwhile pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges for the attack last June. Prosecutors are weighing whether to seek the death penalty in the federal case, according to his attorneys. Soliman is an Egypt national who federal authorities say was living in the U.S. illegally Investigators allege he planned the attack for a year and was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.” Despite Soliman’s claims he doesn’t hate people who practice the Jewish faith, Judge Nancy Salomone concluded Soliman targeted the victims because they were Jewish.

Plan to paint Eisenhower building may cost $7.5M WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s proposal to put a coat of white paint on the exterior of a 19th-century historic landmark building next to the White House could cost at least $7.5 million, a White House official involved in the project said Thursday Ryan Erb, the construction operations and facilities manager in the White House Office of Administration, which is spearheading the proposal, discussed details with members of the National Capital Planning Commission as the federal agency opened its review process. The commission did not approve the project on Thursday, instead directing the White House to provide additional information to the agency at a future date. The proposed painting of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building is one piece of a broader plan the president has said will make Washington more beautiful.

U.S. says it intercepted attacks on ships

Officials say Iran targeted 3 Navy vessels in strait

BY ADAM SCHRECK, DAVID MCHUGH and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

The U.S. military said it intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and “targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S forces.”

The exchange occurred Thursday as U.S. Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said in a social media post. U.S. forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defense strikes, it said.

The U.S. military said no ships were hit. It said it doesn’t seek escalation but “remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”

Iranian state media said the country’s armed forces exchanged fire with “the enemy” on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. It is the largest Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, home to about 150,000 people It also houses a water desalination plant.

Iranian state media also reported loud noises and defensive fire in western Tehran. In southern Iran, explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas, semiofficial Iranian news agencies said The reports from the Fars and Tasnim agencies did not identify the source of the blasts.

Earlier in the day, a shipping data company reported Iran has created a government agency to vet and tax vessels seeking

and

with graphic showing Strait of

passage through the cru-

cial Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran said it was reviewing the latest U.S. proposals for ending the war

The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping, with hundreds of commercial ships bottled up in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach the open sea. Still hope that the two-month conflict could soon be over buoyed international markets.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the Islamic Republic was reviewing messages from Pakistan, which is mediating peace negotiations, but Iran “has not yet reached a conclusion, and no response has been given to the U.S side,” Iranian state TV reported.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Middle East

peace efforts at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV, whose opposition to the Iran war has led to open sparring with President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration has sent mixed messages on its strategy to end the war A tenuous ceasefire and previous declarations that military operations were over have given way to new threats of bombing if Tehran does not accept a deal that allows for resumption of oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict.

Trump also suspended an attempt by the U.S. military to open a safe passage for commercial ships through the strait, saying the pause would allow more time to reach a peace agreement. An official in Saudi Arabia said Thursday that the kingdom and U.S. ally refused to support Trump’s effort to reopen the strait by force.

The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has largely held since April 8. But in-person talks between the two countries hosted by Pakistan last month failed to reach an agreement. The war began Feb. 28 when the U.S and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone Thursday with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. “We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday. “We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well.” He declined to give a timeline.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking

in televised remarks, said Islamabad remained in “continuous contact with Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the ceasefire.” In other regional developments, direct talks between Israel and Lebanon were scheduled to resume next week in Washington, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss plans for the closed-door meetings. The official said talks will be held May 14 and 15. Iran established a new government agency to approve transit and collect tolls from shipping in the strait, shipping data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence said Thursday The move has raised concerns about eroding the freedom of navigation on which global trade depends. The agency called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, is “positioning itself as the only valid authority to grant permission to ships transiting the strait,” Lloyd’s reported in an online briefing. Lloyd’s said the authority had emailed it an application form for ships seeking passage. Iran has effectively closed the strait, a vital waterway for the shipment of supplies of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, while the U.S is blockading Iranian ports. The disruptions have sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy The new Iranian agency formalizes an existing, albeit murky, vetting lane that takes vessels through the strait’s northern waters near the Iranian coastline. Iran controls which ships are allowed to pass and, for at least some vessels, imposes a tax on their cargo.

Court rules against Trump’s new global tariffs

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON A federal court ruled Thursday against the new global tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. A split three-judge panel

of the Court of International Trade in New York found the 10% global tariffs were illegal after small businesses sued.

The court ruled 2-1 that Trump overstepped the tariff power that Congress had allowed the president under the law The tariffs

are “invalid” and ”unauthorized by law,” the majority wrote.

The third judge on the panel found the law allows the president more leeway on tariffs.

If the administration appeals Thursday’s decision, as expected, it would

Officials tracking dozens who left cruise ship amid outbreak

BY MOLLY QUELL, SUMAN NAISHADHAM, ISABEL DEBRE AND GERALD IMRAY Associated Press

MADRID — Health authorities across four continents Thursday were tracking down and monitoring passengers who disembarked a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship before its deadly outbreak was detected, and trying to trace others who may have come into contact with them since then.

In Argentina, a team of investigators has yet to leave for the southern town where they suspect the outbreak originated, officials from the country’s Health Ministry told The Associated Press on Thursday The Argentine investigators suspect a Dutch couple may have contracted the virus while on a bird-watching trip before they boarded the cruise ship.

On April 24, nearly two weeks after the first passenger had died on board, more than two dozen people from at least 12 different countries left the ship without contact tracing, the ship’s operator and Dutch officials said Thursday

Three passengers have died in the outbreak — a

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MISPER APAWU Health workers in protective gear evacuate patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship into an ambulance on Wednesday at a port in Praia, Cape Verde.

Dutch couple and a German national and several others are sick. Symptoms usually show between one and eight weeks after exposure.

None of the remaining passengers or crew on the ship are currently symptomatic, the Netherlandsbased Oceanwide Expeditions cruise ship company said Thursday

The World Health Organization says the risk to the wider public is low Hantavirus is usually spread by the inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings and isn’t easily transmitted between people.

“We believe this will be a limited outbreak if the public health measures

are implemented and solidarity is shown across all countries,” said Dr Abdirahman Mahamud, the WHO’s alert and response director on Thursday

Three people, including the ship’s doctor, were evacuated Wednesday while the ship was near the West African island country of Cape Verde and taken to specialized hospitals in Europe for treatment

The body of the Dutch man who was the first to die on board on April 11 was taken off the ship on the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena on April 24, when his wife also disembarked. She then flew to South Africa a day later and died there.

first turn to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, based in Washington, and then, potentially, the Supreme Court.

At issue are temporary 10% worldwide tariffs the Trump administration imposed after the Supreme Court in February struck down even broader doubledigit tariffs the president had imposed last year on almost every country on Earth. Those tariffs, invoked under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, were set to expire July 24.

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Senate to unveil congressionalmap next week

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

The big question in Baton Rougeatthe State Capitol is: Will the LouisianaLegislature eliminatejustone majority-Black congressional district that favors Democrats? Or willthey get rid of both and try to ensure that Republicanswin allsix of Louisiana’sHouse seats in this year’smidterm elections?

Key leaders in the Senate saidThursday they haven’t answered those questions yet and don’texpect to publicly unveil aproposed new congressional map until next Wednesday But House Speaker Phillip DeVillier,R-Eunice, said he hopes senators willconsider aversion of the map that state lawmakers originally passedin2022 butlater discarded in the face of court challenges.

That map had five majorityWhite Republican districts, and one majority-Black district,which includes parts of East BatonRouge and Orleans parishes and elected U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,aNew Orleans Democrat.

“I think that the map we passed last time —the 5-1 map —was agood map,” DeVillier said. He noted lawmakers settled on it after traveling around the statetogather

FIGHT

Continued from page1A

state. The court ruled that states cannot use raceasa factor in drawing district lines.

White Republicans hold four of Louisiana’scongressional seats, while Black Democrats hold the other two.

Republican lawmakers say they want to pass amap in the coming days that would eliminate the seat held by either U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, of New Orleans, or U.S. Rep Cleo Fields, of BatonRouge —orboth.

President Donald Trump is pressuring Republican-controlled legislatures across the country to redraw maps to create more GOP seats as midterm elections approach in the fall.

Carter and Fields have decried the Supreme Court ruling repeatedly in interviews and in publicforums

Looking for away to express their displeasure —and perhaps with few options available —Black House Democrats met Tuesday night at the Capitol and decided to skip the game.

TwoBlack memberswho spoke on condition of anonymity said the meeting got heated at times as they debated whether staying away was the best tactic.

In the end, the Black Democrats said, they didn’t feel like they could have fun on the basketballcourt when their Republican colleagues are planning to take such pointed moves against

public testimony and hear from constituents.

“We’ve done alot of work on that mapalready,”hesaid. “SoI’m hopeful that the Senatelooks at that,and we’ll see what they comeup with.”

Proposals for the maps will start the legislativeprocess in theSenate andget an initial vettinginthe Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is holding ahearing at 9a.m. Friday for public testimony.

Senate President Cameron Henry,R-Metairie,said the committee will take that input and work on themaps over the weekend. He hopes “rough drafts” of map proposals will be ready for review by members of theSenate on MondayorTuesday, ahead of their publicunveiling in committeeWednesday

Some at theCapitol speculate that the Legislaturewill ultimately pass amap with five majority-White districts that favor Republicans and one majority-Black district that favors aDemocrat and that drawsonpopulation centers in both Baton Rouge andNew Orleans— like the mapDeVillier mentioned.

SomeRepublicans say including one Democratic district ensures left-leaning voters don’tget sortedintoGOP districts and weaken incumbents’ chancesofreelection.

At the same time, last week’sU.S. Supreme Court

Democrats.

“While we sincerely appreciatethe effortsofRep (John) Illgand everyone who helpedorganize and sponsor last night’scharity event, we are now confronted with the very real prospectofour colleagues advancing acongressional map thatwould eliminate —ordrastically diminish —minorityrepresentation in Louisiana’s congressional delegation for partisan politicalgain,” Rep. Kyle Green of Marrero, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, said in atext on Thursday.“Given the gravity of that movement, members believeditwas more important to conveneand discuss ourpath forward in the congressional redistricting process and how best to protect fair andmeaningful representation for the people of Louisiana.

The game builds camaraderieamong legislators and, with thehelp of the New OrleansPelicans, raises money to refurbish abasketball court in the district of one legislator each year.Illg, R-Harahan, organizes the game. The Senate won this year’sgame, 56-43.

In general,Republican and Democratic legislators express apersonal warmth and willingness to work with members of the other party in ways thatseem absent in Washington.They jointo sing Happy Birthday” regularlyonthe House floorfor colleagues and theirfamilies, and theysit together at crawfish boils during nightly receptions.

Black Democrats said they are also unhappy with

ruling that requires Legislatures to disregard racial considerations when drawing district lines —coupled with PresidentDonald Trump’snationwide push to use redistricting to guarantee more Republican seats in Congress— is prompting speculation that Louisiana may pass amap that has six Republican districts.

ButHenry said it’stoo early to say either way whether lawmakers will approve so-called 5-1 or 6-0 maps. There are alot of ideas, but no definitive plans,hesaid Thursday

“Drawing these maps isn’t averysimple process,” Henry said. “We’ll probably have multiple iterations of a5-1 map,and multiple iterations of a6-0 map.”

DeVilliersaidthat, while he wants lawmakers to consider Louisiana’sprevious 5-1map,ultimatelyhewants the Legislature to pass one that is “fair and defensible.”

Both legislative leaders batted down theideathat Trump was influencing redistricting in Louisiana.

“I haven’thad asingle conversation with anyone from Trumpthrough his administration,” DeVillier said.

Said Henry: “I haven’t heardaword from the White House.

He added: “UntilIget a feel of wheremembersare, and an actual map that we

how Gov.Jeff Landryand Republican legislators voted to eliminate theposition of Calvin Duncan, aBlack man whowas supposed to becomethe clerk of criminaldistrict court in Orleans Parish on Monday. Lawyers for thestate and for Duncan arebattling in court over whether he can hold thejob.

BlackDemocratsare also expressing unease thattheir Republican colleagues may soon begin trying to eliminatetheir seatssince the SupremeCourt ruling appears to apply to the state House and Senate districts as well.

Illg, who serves as abridge between Republicans and Democrats, said he learned on the House floor Wednesdayafternoon that Black Democrats were planning to miss the game. Noneof them gave him aheads-up.

“I’m sorry they chose not to participate,” Illg said, adding, “Weraised alot of money.”

ButIllg couldn’thide his disappointment.

“They made apolitical statement aboutacharity event,” he said.

Rep.Jack McFarland, a Republican from Jonesboro who chairs the AppropriationsCommittee, said he didn’tfully understand the Black Democrats’ move, sayinglawmakers aremoving to redraw thecongressional boundaries because of aSupremeCourt ruling.

House Speaker Phillip DeVillier,R-Eunice, met Thursdaywith Green and Rep.Edmond Jordan, D-BatonRouge, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, to discuss redistricting.

thinkmemberswill support, it’skind of hard to guess on thehypotheticals of redistricting.”

Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter,RPort Allen, who chairs the committeethat handles redistricting, said Thursday discussions were still underway

“I don’tthink there’samap out there that is drawn that everybody’sOKwith,”he said.

And he noted there are risks to drawing amap with sixdistricts that lean Republican.

“You can drawa strong5-1 andbesafe, or youcan draw a6-0 that waters down your Republican districts so much thatyou could possibly have twoDemocrats or aDemocrat and amoderate,”hesaid.

Meanwhile, Louisiana’s BlackDemocratsinboththe Legislature and Congress have continuedtodemand that state lawmakers pass a plan that keeps two majority-Black districts.

Among themare Carter and U.S. Rep.Cleo Fields, DBaton Rouge, who emphasized thepoint to Times-Picayune columnist and WBOK radio host Will Suttonon Thursday morning.

“Wedon’t have to settlefor one. We can have two,” Carter said. “Allyou have to do is use the fundamental principles of reapportionment.”

Carter warned that discussions about creating just one

Green said he appreciated that DeVillier keeps an open dialogue withthem.

“The speaker andIhave been very deliberate in trying to makesure we maintain arespectfullevel of decorumaswedebatecontentiousissues,”Green said.

Rep. Beau Beaullieu, a Republican from New Iberiawho chairs theHouse andGovernmentalAffairs Committee, welcomed their efforts.

“Cooler heads have to prevail,” he said.

Black district are an attempt to sowdiscordbetween the twocongressmen.

“That’swhateverybody wants to do: They’re trying to pit us against each other,”

Carter said. “Everyone’strying to create this us-againstthem scenario.”

Fields echoed that point, and he panned the idea of packing Black voters into a single voting district.

“Why put twoofthe heaviest African American popu-

lations in the samedistrict?” Fields asked. “I just think that’sputting all Black voters in one place so that you would have the luxury of creating otherdistricts that are much moreWhite.”

If that is the eventual outcome, Fields said he has “no desire… of runningfor Congress against another African American congressman.”

“I don’tfeel good about that,” he said.

request of Gov.Jeff Landry’s administration precluding themfrom discussing specifics about the bills or apotential aerospace company Hensgens is the firstelected official to go on record confirming it.

He said he did not sign the NDA because he did not believe it was fair to his constituents.

If the deal happens,it would bring billions in revenue to the parish along with about $100 million for coastal restoration, Hensgens said.

Hensgens said he does not have firsthand knowledge of how much property theaerospacecompany or companies are looking to acquire. But he saidatleast one company is in talks with large landowners in the area

The largest landowner in Vermilion Parish is the Exxon Corporation, which owns 136,000 acres, or 212 squaremiles— roughlythe size of Chicago of mostly swampland and marsh along thecoast. Apopular spot for local sportsmen andhunting and fishing camps, the land is managed by the Abbeville-based Vermilion Corp.,which subleases the land to hunters.

The board chair of Vermilion Corp., New Iberia attorney Porteous Burke, did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment.

Exxon has owned the land since the late1950s. In 2022, the company announced it would pursue acarbon capture sequestration facility on the property.Company officials at the time did not anticipate the need to terminate existing leases for the project.

The projectreceived approval from the Environmental Protection Agency in mid-2023 and was submitted for approval by the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resourcesin February 2024. But the project never received adminis-

Officials with Louisiana Economic Development have declinedtocomment on apotential deal. But when thelegislativeincentive package was introduced last month, LEDSecretary Susan Bourgeoissaid, “Since the beginning of Gov.Jeff Landry’s administration everyeffort and initiative out of this department has been centered around positioning Louisiana to compete and win. These measures putLouisiana on equal footing with ourpeer Southern statesand create pathways foropportunities forour people.”

Speculationgrows

In recent days, speculationabout apotential deal has been thesubject of local real estate blogs and coffee shopchatter in the Acadiana area and has also found its way ontointernet message boardsthatmonitorSpaceX, Musk and aerospace companies.

ville, Texas, resident who lists SpaceX as his employer on LinkedIn purchased a14acre tract along Front Ridge Road that liesjust south of Pecan Island Food Store. No evidencehas emerged publicly connecting the purchase to the larger negotiations.The deal had been pending since March, asource indicated.

The employee did not respond to arequest for comment. Theseller,Anthony Fontenot, of Youngsville, said he nevermet the buyer and was unaware of his plans for theproperty.

“Maybe people are speculatingalready,”Fontenot said.

Several police jurors in Cameron and Vermilion parishes reached Thursday saidthey had not signed confidentiality agreements andwere in the dark about apotential deal.

generate jobs and activity.”

Ideallocation?

Thepotential location in Vermilion Parish could be an ideal one for SpaceX between its Brownsville, Texas, headquarters and Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to Lafayette real estate broker Jim Keaty,who has been monitoring andblogging about local developments. The company’srockets are too large to be transported by rail and would have to be shipped by barge.

The Freshwater Bayou Lock providesdirect,deepwater access to the Gulf of Mexico for SpaceX’sautonomous drone-ship recovery vessels, Keaty said.

The nearby Port of Iberia hasmorethan 100 marine fabrication yards already equipped to build launch mounts, modify barges andsupply offshore-grade steel.

gines andloading completed rockets on barges bound for Florida. The development could also erasealarge portion of huntingand fishing land that has been used for generations.

“Nobody knows howall of this is going to shakeout and to what impact,” said Brennan Billeaud, whose campis just south of Pecan Island. “Wehaveacamp downthere, andfrom apersonal standpoint, that’salways kind of been ourhappy place.”

trative approval and sat in limbo for two years before being withdrawnonFeb. 20 of this year,adepartment official confirmed.

Exxon neither announced the withdrawal nor offered updates after releasing plans for theproject in 2024.

It is unclear whether the withdrawal is related to the reported negotiations with the aerospace company Aspokesperson for Exxon confirmed the company withdrew the permit applicationinFebruaryand said it will “continue assessing its (the property’s) competitiveness aspartofour portfolioofstorage sitesacross the state.”

In the tiny town of Pecan Island, whichhas afulltime population of about 100 people in raised fishing camps along atwo-lane highway, gas station clerks and grocery shop owners say everyonehas astory about SpaceX coming to the community, though no onehas any specifics.

“It’s all anyone is talking about,” saidVicky HarringtonatMarsha’s Corner Store,about 15 milesnorth of PecanIsland.

“We’ve all heardthe rumors butwe don’tknow who tobelieve.

Fuelingthe speculative fire was aland sale in Pecan Island filed May 1inthe Vermilion Parish courthouse. Records show aBrowns-

“But Ihopesomething comes,” said Vermilion Parish Police Juror Dexter Callahan. “Weneed something in this part of thestate to

Keaty said the location could support activities such as manufacturing Starships, testing itsRaptor en-

Said Billy Broussard, a one-time commissioner for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: “Hunting has existed sideby-side with the oil and gas industry for decades now The rumormill hasgone wildwith speculation about what this could mean. The truth is we just don’tknow enough to say whether this would be good or bad forPecan Island.”

Staff writer Joel Thompson contributed to this report.

homes and levees, designed to lessen the extent of damage, take about 27 months of application andreview before local governments can receive federal funding, said Robert Fenton Jr., aformer regional FEMA administrator

That usually is after rebuilding from adisasteris well underway

“Our recommendation hereinthe council is to really turn this program over to thestate and let the state manage this program by providing the resources and an architecture that will ensure that priorities arenaturallyalignedand that some of the complexitiesof the environmental review and some of the other reviews aredone locally,”Fenton said.

For individual assistance, the council recommends consolidating the various programs into aless complex, direct payment package that would include more focus on emergency housing.

PLEADS

Continued from page1A

administration for the alleged violations.

On Thursday,Guillory pleaded not guilty before 16th JudicialDistrict Court Judge Vincent Borne.

Atrial date of Aug. 3was set, subject to rescheduling.

“I pled thetruth,”Guillory said after the arraignment hearing. “This is very much apolitical event.”

Decades ago, the Corpsof Engineers dredged the Vermilion River and deposited thespoil along the bankin St. Martin Parish.

During the night of Feb. 21-22, 2022, acontractor hired by the Guillory administration removed about

Another of the recommendationsforwarded to Trump is to transfer much of theNationalFlood Insurance Programfromfederal oversight to privateinsurers, which would lower taxpayer costs and give state

6feet off thetop of thespoil bank in St. Martin Parish and depositeditinLafayette Parish without permission from the St. Martin Parish governmentorpermits from the Corps.

St.Martin Parish officials say the spoil bank stopped theriver from floodingsome partsofthe parish.Guillory maintains that the project helpsLafayette andSt. Martin Parish property from flooding by allowing water to be held in theCypressIsland Swamp when theriver is high.

Guillory is chargedinthe indictment with: n Removingspoil banks alongthe Vermilion River without aCorpsofEngineerspermit in violation of the federal Rivers and Harbors Act.

regulatorsmore power

Nearly ahalf-millionLouisianapropertyownershave federal flood insurance policies —manyrequire it to get ahome mortgage.

“Wewould recommend launching atakeout pro-

gram wherewetransfer thosefederal policies to

theprivate sector,” Fenton said. “Weneed to incentivize states and communities to adopt better land use policies, where they build and how they buildcan’t be in risk areas.”

Five percent of the insuredpropertiesaccount for almost 40% of the program’s payouts. Flood insurance is morethan $20 billion in debt and could collapse with a single significant event, Fenton said.

Panelists doubled downon Risk Rating 2.0, which raised floodinsurance premiums for many in Louisiana. The process better aligns policy pricing withthe property’s risk forflooding.

Fenton said perhaps some accommodation could be added to buy out frequently flooded properties.

“Wesought the input from everyone. It wasn’t based on redstates, blue states,” saidMarkCooper,former chief of staff for Gov.John Bel Edwards and amember of the task force. The panel

held 16 “listening sessions” nationwide.

“Wefelt like it was very importanttohear from everyone, whichiswhatwe did, whether it be emergency managers, governors, citizens,private sector nonprofit, faith-based organizations,” Cooper said.

Trump appointed the committeeaftercriticizing FEMA’s reactiontoHurricaneHelenein2024, which caused billions of dollars in damage from coastal Florida to mountain communities in North Carolina and southwestVirginiathat rarely see tropical storms. Trump suggested that the best fix might be to close the agency altogether

The U.S. House haslegislation that revamps the agency.That bill is waiting forthe White House’sinput, which is waiting forthe panel’sdraftreport.

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate. com.

n Removing spoilbanks along the Vermilion River without aCorps of Engineerspermit in violation of thefederal Clean Water Act.

n Instructing employees to do work in violation of the U.S. and stateconstitutions and laws by removing spoil bankswithoutpermission of aSt. Martin ParishFloodplain administrator per two St.Martin Parish ordinances.

n Intentionally causing barges to be placed across the Vermilion River,a navigablewaterway,and rendering movementonthe river more difficult, in violation of astate law: simple obstruction of ahighway of commerce.

ContactClaire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Jobless claims rise but remain historically low WASHINGTON U.S. jobless claim applications rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation and other economic headwinds.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to 200,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday That’s fewer than the 205,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting The previous week’s new claims figure, which was the fewest since 1969 was revised up by 1,000 to 190,000. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

Long-term mortgage rate bounce back

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose again this week reflecting ongoing bond market volatility as surging oil prices due to the war with Iran heighten inflation worries.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.37% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday That’s still down from one year ago, when the rate averaged 6.76%. This is the second straight weekly increase, bringing the average rate back to where it was four weeks ago.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also moved higher this week. That average rate rose to 5.72% from 5.64% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.89%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.

The average rate on a 30-year home loan echoes the trajectory of U.S. 10-year Treasury bond yields, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.37% in midday trading Thursday on the bond market

The yield was at just 3.97% in late February, before the war with Iran broke out.

When mortgage rates rise, they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for home shoppers, limiting what they can afford to buy

As recently as late February, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage had slipped just under 6% for the first time since late 2022. It’s hasn’t fallen below that threshold since.

Last month, the number of homes for sale rose 4.6% from a year earlier, as properties took longer to sell, according to Realtor.com.

Gas prices could affect McDonald’s spring sales

McDonald’s posted betterthan-expected sales in the first quarter but said high gas prices and consumer anxiety over the Iran war could dent sales this spring.

The average price of a gallon of gas in the U.S. was $4.55 on Thursday, according to AAA That was 44% higher than a year ago.

McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company has been making progress bringing lowerincome customers back into its stores with value meals. But fast food visits by customers with household incomes of $45,000 or less are still declining overall, and the spike in gas prices won’t help, he said.

“Clearly, when you have elevated gas prices... that is going to disproportionately impact low-income consumers. And so we expect the pressures there are going to continue,” Kempczinski said Thursday during a conference call with investors.

McDonald’s said same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell in the U.S. and some international markets in April.

THEADVOCATE.COM/news/business

Trump gives deadline for trade deal

President says EU has until July 4 to approve last year’s framework

BY JOSH BOAK Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said in a Thursday social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc

fails to approve last year’s trade framework by July 4.

The announcement appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25% tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a “great call” with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Still, the U.S. president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade

arrangement reached last year which was further complicated in February by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks. “A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!” Trump posted “I agreed to give her until our Country’s 250th Birthday or

unfortunately their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels.”

It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.

His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.

Gas price spike hits lower-income Americans hardest

Research shows gaps in spending worsening ‘K-shaped economy’

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON Lower-income Americans sharply reduced their gas consumption in the month following the Iran war, yet spiking prices still forced them to spend more at the pump, worsening the economy’s economic disparities, new research released Wednesday showed.

Higher-income households, meanwhile, ratcheted up their spending on gas while barely reducing their consumption, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Middle-income households fell in-between.

The gaps between how each group reacted were larger than in 2022, when a similar gas-price shock occurred after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the report found Higherincome households cut back more on their gas consumption four years ago than in March, while poorer households likely benefited more from government stimulus programs in 2022. Wealthier households have seen significant increases in the value of their stock and real estate holdings since then as well.

The figures suggest the gas-price surge has worsened what many economists call the “K-shaped economy.” The K-shape label refers to upper-income Americans continuing to do well while lower-income households fall behind. The disparate outcomes can help explain the generally gloomy attitude most Americans have toward the economy even as headline figures, such as the unemployment rate and economic growth, remain mostly solid.

“We find that households had very different experiences with gasoline spending,” researchers at the New York Fed wrote. “With the sharp increases in gasoline prices in March, a K-shaped pattern in gasoline consumption emerged showing faster consumption growth for high income households relative to lowincome households.”

The Iran war began Feb 28, and by the end of March gas prices had risen about 25%, according to govern-

ment consumer price data. Overall gas consumption, according to the New York Fed, fell 3% that month. As of Tuesday, gas prices have leapt 50% since the war began.

Poorer households, defined as those earning less than $40,000, cut their gas consumption by 7%, the report found, but still spent 12% more on gas in March. Higher-income households, defined as those earning $125,000 a year or above, lifted their spending on gas 19% in March, while reducing their overall consumption of gas just 1%. The report didn’t specify the middle-income figures.

The figures suggest lower-income Americans have cut back on driving, perhaps by carpooling, taking public transportation, or combining errands into fewer trips, while richer Americans have had to make few, if any, changes

The New York Fed report estimates that total spending at gas stations jumped 15% in March from the previous month. If sustained, that extra spending on gas will siphon money away from other areas, reducing overall inflation-adjusted spending and slowing the economy So far, there are only limited signs that is happening. Americans do spend less on gas than in previous decades as cars have become more efficient

Consumer spending, adjusted for price changes, ticked up 0.2% in March, slightly below February’s 0.3% gain, the government said last week. Still, there is evidence that for many lower-income people, the spike in gas prices is a big drag on their finances. A separate report from the Bank of America Institute, released last week, found that among the poorest one-third of households, one-tenth now spend 10% of their incomes on gas. The figure is far above the average for higher-income households, who spend just 2.7% of their incomes on gas. Data from the institute, which compiles reports from the anonymous accounts of its customers, also showed that more expensive gas has pulled some spending away from discretionary items, defined as those outside groceries, gas, and utilities. The annual growth in poorer households’ discretionary spending slowed in March from February, while it rose for middle- and upperincome households.

U.S. stocks fall from their records as oil prices yo-yo

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK U.S. stocks fell from their records Thursday after oil prices yo-yoed as Wall Street waits to see whether its hopes for a deal to end the Iran war are warranted or just wishful.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil settled at $100.06, down 1.2%, and continued its decline from more than $115 early this week. But it swung sharply before getting there, as Iran said it was reviewing the latest U.S. proposals on ending their war

The hope is that an end to the war will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers trapped in the Persian Gulf to deliver crude again to customers. Oil and gasoline are still much more expensive than they were before the war began because of the strait’s closure.

Brent’s price briefly fell near $96 per barrel Thursday after a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said, “We expect an agreement sooner rather than later.” Pakistan has been mediating talks between the United States and Iran. But Brent later erased much of that drop and briefly topped $102, which in turn sent stocks lower on Wall Street.

The S&P 500 fell 0.4% from its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 313 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1% from its own record.

Wall Street saw even sharper swings earlier in the war when hopes rallied for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, only to get quickly dashed. That could happen again. And Iran has created a government agency to vet and tax vessels seeking passage through the strait, a shipping data company reported Thursday a move that could add to costs for fuel.

Despite all the uncertainties about the war, a powerful parade of U.S. companies reporting even bigger profits for the start of the year than analysts expected has helped support the U.S. stock market. Stock prices tend to follow the path of corporate profits over the long term.

Datadog leapt 31.3% to help lead the U.S. market after the monitoring and security platform for cloud applications topped analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter Albemarle rose 3% after the lithium products and specialty chemicals company likewise delivered better-than-expected results. Taser maker Axon Enterprise rallied 10.6% after raising its forecast for revenue this year in part because of big growth for its counter-drone products. On the losing end of Wall Street was Whirlpool, which tumbled 11.9% after reporting much weaker results than analysts expected. It’s instituting the largest price increases in a decade for its major appliances in North America, while accelerating cuts to its costs, as it contends with weaker confidence among U.S. consumers.

Shake Shack dropped 28.3% after its results for the latest quarter fell well below analysts’ expectations. In the bond market, Treasury yields rose after oil prices pared their drops. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.38% from 4.36% late Wednesday Higher yields can raise rates for mortgages and other kinds of loans going to U.S. households and businesses, which in turn can slow the economy Higher yields also tend to push downward on prices for stocks and other kinds of investments. The 10-year Treasury yield was at just 3.97% before the war

BY MATTHEW LEE AP diplomatic writer

WASHINGTON — The United States is not looking at imminent military action against Havana despite President Donald Trump’s repeated threats that “Cuba is next” and that American warships deployed in the Middle East for the Iran conflict could return by way of the island, U.S. officials say The officials involved in preliminary discussions with Cuban authorities also told The Associated Press that they are not optimistic the communist government will accept an offer for tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid, two years of free Starlink internet access for all Cubans, agricultural assistance and infrastructure support.

But they say Cuba has not yet outright refused the offer which comes with conditions that the government has long resisted, even after the Trump administration imposed new sanctions Thursday on Havana.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks, say there is still time for the government to accept. They cautioned, though, that Trump could change his mind at any time and that military options are still on the table.

The Treasury and State departments announced those sanctions after Trump signed an executive order last week expanding the administration’s authority to impose penalties on Cuba.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez described the measures as “collective punishment” and denounced the U.S.

government’s “genocidal intent against Cuba.”

“These actions rely on the assumption that the United States can impose its will on the world while threatening foreign citizens and businesses with illegitimate coercion,” Rodríguez wrote on X.

Shortly after signing the order Friday, Trump gave a speech mentioning that “Cuba’s got problems” and suggesting that a military show of force there may be in the offing.

He said one of the U.S aircraft carriers on its way back from the Middle East could “come in, stop about 100 yards offshore, and they’ll say: ‘Thank you very much. We give up.’”

One official involved in the discussions said the new sanctions authority was intended, however, to make clear to the Cubans that the Trump administration’s immediate goal is “not regime change, but changing the regime’s failed policies.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has long taken a hard line against Cuba’s leadership, has said repeatedly that the country’s government has failed. He said this week that Cuba’s economic model doesn’t work and those in power “can’t fix it.”

“And the reason that they can’t fix it is not just because they’re communist. That’s bad enough,” he told reporters Tuesday at the White House. “But they’re incompetent communists. The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent one.”

Rubio is visiting Rome and Vatican City, meeting Pope Leo XIV on Thursday in part to discuss Cuba, where the Catholic Church has significant influence.

Tennessee enacts new House map

Plan carves up majority-Black district in Memphis

BY TRAVIS LOLLER, KIM CHANDLER, JEFFREY COLLINS and DAVID

A. LIEB

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Amid rau-

cous protests Thursday, Republicans in Tennessee enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up a majorityBlack district in Memphis, reshaping it to the GOP’s advantage as part of President Donald Trump’s strategy to hold on to a slim majority in the November midterm elections.

The final Senate vote unfolded as demonstrators chanted loudly in the galleries and hallways. Democratic state Sen Charlane Oliver stood on her desk in the Senate chamber, holding a banner denouncing the redistricting as a “Jim Crow” effort, then clapping and dancing. Other Democratic senators linked arms in the front of the chamber Republican leadership quickly adjourned the special session, sending the new map on to Republican Gov Bill Lee, who promptly signed it into law

Protesters in the galleries also had disrupted the Republican-led House as it voted for the new map — yelling, chanting and blowing air horns. In the hallways, other shouting protesters were held back by Tennessee state troopers.

Tennessee is the first state to pass new congressional districts since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week significantly weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities. But more Southern states could follow Republicans in Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina also have taken steps toward re-

time to craft a new House map. Legislation awaiting a final vote Friday in Alabama also would upend the state’s congressional primaries if courts allow changes to its U.S. House districts. In South Carolina, meanwhile, Republican state House members released a proposed new congressional map designed to give them a clean sweep of the seats. The states are the latest to join an already

districting. More legal challenges are expected.

The Supreme Court ruled that Louisiana relied too heavily on race when creating a second Black-majority House district as it attempted to comply with federal law The high court’s deci-

sion altered a decades-old understanding of the law, giving Republicans grounds to try to eliminate majorityBlack districts that have elected Democrats.

Louisiana has postponed its congressional primary to give state lawmakers

•

Fields criticizes La. redistricting effort

‘We’re trying to silence those voices,’ congressman says

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields spoke in Lafayette on Wednesday evening regarding Louisiana’s redistricting effort that, if successful, will likely lead to his ouster Fields represents the 6th Congressional District that was the

‘You couldn’t help but love her’

Grieving family mourns 9-year-old girl killed in Duson fire

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

The family of Tynaysha Ben says although they are grieving an unimaginable loss, they want the community to remember the 9-year-old for the joy and love she brought to those around her

According to authorities, Tynaysha died Sunday after a fire broke out at a four-plex apartment building in the 100 block of Barracks Street near Duson. Investigators later determined the fire was intentionally set, and 28-year-old Julian Jacob was arrested and booked with first-degree murder and other counts in the case. As the investigation continues, family members say they are leaning on one another while trying to preserve the memory of a little girl they describe as loving, affectionate and full of energy

“She had the biggest personality,” said Katrice Ben, Tynaysha’s aunt on her father’s side. “I’ve never seen her with a frown on her face. She was the light of day.” Ben said the family wants the community to remember the little girl they affectionately called “Naysha” not for the tragedy surrounding her death, but for the joy she brought in life.

PHOTO

Following a fire that claimed the life of 9-year-old Tynaysha Ben, her family urges the community to remember her bright spirit and loving nature.

focus of a recent landmark Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. The court ruled that the district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander not protected by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It’s a departure from prior court precedent on the subject.

“I still don’t understand it,” Fields said. “We went down this

road 150 years ago with Reconstruction. Louisiana was the first state to elect a Black member of Congress, and now we’re trying to silence those voices.”

The event is the third Fields has conducted this week as part of his “Redistricting Information Town Hall” series, with the prior two events taking place in Shreveport and Alexandria. One of Fields’ primary purposes in holding town halls has been to inform constituents about an ongoing legal appeal he signed onto that aims to strike down an executive order issued by Gov Jeff Landry following the court ruling.

Landry’s executive order required the state Legislature to redraw congressional districts in order to comply with the decision.

However, Fields pointed out that the Supreme Court did not issue an opinion on whether the elections should be delayed.

“Nothing in the opinion required the state to delay primaries in order to redistrict. People were

THE POWER OF PRAYER

A program, prayer cards and a small wooden cross make up a place setting during the National Day

expected to dampen area through weekend

But chances lessen on Mother’s Day

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

ing into the weekend. Forecasters warn that periods of heavy rainfall could lead to localized flooding in low-lying areas. According to the National Weather Service, rain chanc-

es will increase Friday, with showers and thunderstorms expected mainly before 4 p.m. Forecasters

Semifinalists to lead McNeese La. natives

Two

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

McNeese State University is one step closer to seeing a new leader The McNeese State University Presidential Search Committee selected three Louisiana natives as semifinalists for the position out of 16 considered individuals during a Thursday meeting. The committee unanimously approved selecting Dee Dee An-

derson, University of NebraskaLincoln vice chancellor for student life; Wayne Brumfield, Buffalo State University interim vice president for student affairs; and state Sen. Michael “Mike” Reese, R-Leesville. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the search committee will be performing on-campus interviews with Anderson, Brumfield, and Reese before announcing the finalists. “As with previous practices, we will

OPINION

Newboard on prescriptionscould hamper patientaccess

As aLouisiana residentand longtime patient advocate, Iunderstand the frustration many families feel when we look at our pharmacy receipt. Affordability is an important arm of defining access. Unfortunately Louisiana Senate Bill 401, which would create aso-called “Prescription Drug Affordability Board” (PDAB), risks doing real harm to patients while failing to address the true drivers of high drug costs. SB401 is being sold as asolution, but experience from other states tells avery different story. Eleven states have already established PDABs. Not one hassaved patients or states money.Instead, these boards haveconsumed millions of taxpayer dollarsthrough staffing costs, consultants and litigation, while producingno measurable relief at the pharmacy counter.Indeed, nothing in these bills or SB401 would save patients or states money

Worse, this bill is structurally flawed in waysthat directly threaten patient access. The bill excludes patientrepresentation entirely,repeating a familiarand harmful pattern in healthcare: decisions made about patientswithout consulting patients. You cannot improve accessfor people living withserious or chronicconditions while shuttingthemout of the process. The legislation relies on an overly simplistic view of “cost” by focusingonwholesale acquisitioncost (WAC), alist price that doesnot reflect what insurers, pharmacybenefit managers (PBMs) or government programs actually pay. Indeed, WACis ametric that the Federal Trade Commission has alreadyfoundPBMs abuse and manipulate. This approach unfairly targets innovative medicines that servesmallerpopulations, such as patients with HIV, hepatitis C, cystic fibrosis,cancer and rare

diseases, while ignoring real cost drivers such as pharmacy benefit manager practices, abusive prior authorization and benefit designs thatpush costsonto patients.

We have seen this movie before. In other states,PDABs follow a clear pathtoward“upper payment limits,” thus imposing price controls thatdon’taccount for their effectsonsupply chains. These policies reduce reimbursement to pharmacies,harmrebate retentionfor the state’sMedicaid program and will ultimately make it harder for patientstoget medications we need. That is why New Hampshire disbanded its PDAB, Vermont abandoned the idea of implementing aPDABand even Oregon’sboardhas openly questioned whether it should continue at all. In fact, among Oregonand Ohio’s only formal recommendations, PBM reform is at thetop of the list, and we already have numerous bills this sessiontoaddress this very issue. SB401 is not one of those There is also abroader concern

Bill Cassidyisdoing hisjob by demandingcompetence

As aphysician and formerU.S. surgeon general, Ihave alwaysbelievedthat health should never be partisan.Thatconvictionis precisely why Iamreluctant to speak out during the heat of apolitical campaign. YetI do so now because Ifear America is drifting toward adangerous precedent: one in which competence and merit no longer determine who holdscritical government roles, and where the Senate may abdicate its constitutional duty to protect American families As President DonaldTrump’sfirst (and so far only confirmed) surgeon general, Isaw dailyhow muchour nation’shealth depends on having qualified, science-driven leaders. Each day, we make decisions that touch every American household.

about how these types of policies areimplemented over time. In other states, affordability boards have relied on cost-focused frameworks that can undervalue treatments for people living with disabilities or chronic conditions. Some of these approaches are similartometrics like the “Quality-Adjusted Life Year,” whichassigns less value to treatments for those populations in order to deny coverage of those medications because “it’snot worth it.” Federal law rightly limits the use of these measures in federal programs, but SB401 specifically seeks to import these discriminatory metrics by looking at countries that use them. At atime when Louisianapatients are already facing pharmacy closures and increasingly restrictive insurance practices, SB401 moves our state in thewrongdirection. When reimbursementisartificially constrained, or uncertainty is introduced intothe supply chain, it results in delayedtreatment, narrower formularies andfewer pharmacies able or willing to stock

critical medicines.For people living withHIV,hepatitis, cancer or rare and complexconditions, even short disruptions have lifelong consequences. Any policythatrisks creating those barriers cannot credibly claimtoput patients first. Louisiana lawmakers have already identified and are working toward meaningful reform involving PBM accountability, benefit design reform focused on protecting patients and transparency —areas that actually reflect how medications are paid for and accessed. SB401 does none of that. Patients in Louisiana do not need to repeat the failed and costly experiments of other states. We need policies that expand access, protect patients and focus on the real barriers standing between the people and our care. SB401 fails that test. For the sake of patients, it should be rejected.

Jen Laws is president and CEO of theCommunity Access National Network (CANN) and is basedinSlidell.

Sheriffsneedclear rules to fight crypto crime

And that is precisely whyIrespectSen. Bill Cassidy’sthoughtful approach. As aphysician and chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, he has shown thekindofresponsible oversightthe Senate’s constitutional “advice and consent” role requires.His reluctance,and thatofotherHELP Committeemembers, to advancethe nomination of Casey Means as surgeon generalwas notanobstruction. It was prudent vetting that ultimately contributed to the nominationbeing withdrawn.

Means did not complete herresidency training,nor does she hold an active medical license. When pressed under oathather confirmation hearing, sherepeatedlydemurred on supporting measles vaccines— in the midstof aworst-in-decades nationalmeaslesoutbreak. These are foundational requirements for arole that relies on credibility and the public’strust that its occupant can function as an actualdoctor, much less serve as the nation’sdoctor America is already paying the price for weakeningthat standard, asvaccine-preventable diseases are roaringback. Louisiana data show MMRvaccination ratesamong kindergartnersfellfrom96% in the 2020-21 school year to 91.65% in the 2024-25schoolyear,well below the 95% thresholdneededfor community protection. Nationally,the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention reports 2,288 confirmed measles cases in 2025,with major outbreaks in South Carolina, Texasand Utah. Already in 2026, the UnitedStates has recorded 1,792 cases through late April, putting us on track to far exceed last year’stotal. Even afew cases can trigger expensive, disruptive responses: contacttracing, quarantines, school exclusions and medicalcare. Exposed children whoare notfully vaccinated may miss up to 21 days of class. Those who contract measles mustisolate for four days after therashappears. The classroom time lost, the family stress, the community disruption— these are real costs measured in missed learning, lost wages and preventable illness. The financial toll is equally stark. One recent measles outbreak in South Carolina, nearly

1,000 cases withjust 20 hospitalizations, carried an estimated public-health response cost of $35.5million, roughly 6.7% of thestate’s entire public healthbudget.Vaccinating that samepopulation would have cost between $66,000 and $134,000. In plain terms, everydollar spent on prevention could have saved morethan $500. Those numbers translate into higher taxes, strainedhospitals and, mostheartbreakingly,suffering thatfamilies should neverhave to endure. For morethan twocenturies,the Senate has served as acrucialcheck, insisting thatthe surgeon general be a licensed physician capable of practicing medicine and credibly guiding the nation’spublic healthefforts. Arecent statement from theHELP Committee underscores that while Cassidy has taken muchofthe public criticism, others clearly and rightly shared concerns about Means’ qualifications. When senators on the HELPCommittee demand minimum standards of competence andan unequivocal, evidence-based commitment to longstanding childhood vaccines, they protect everyLouisiana child, Democrat, Republican or independent

The reality is that theadvise and consent processworked as designed: The committee exercised independent judgment,Means lackedthe necessary qualifications and support and theWhiteHousewithdrew the nomination. This is precisely how theConstitution saysthe Senateissupposed tofunction —not as arubber stamp but as asafeguard.

Fortunately,wehave now seen positive movement with morequalified nominees. Erica Schwartz,aformer deputy surgeongeneral with extensive public health experience, has been nominated to lead the CDC. And Nicole Saphier, apracticing radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with clinicalexpertise and clear credentials,has been named as thenew surgeon general nominee.

After earlier missteps,these new appointees are being met withexcitement —and appreciationfor Trump —asboth better meet the standards of competence and experienceour nation’shealth leadership demands.

Iapplaud theHELPCommittee’seffortsand hope Cassidy and his colleagues continue their diligent vetting. With nominees like Schwartz and Saphier, they can now appropriately advise and, in due course, likely consent to strong appointments that strengthenpublic health.

Senators who demand competence and stand firmly for childhood vaccines are simply fulfilling theirsolemn constitutionalduty to protect American children and families. We shouldall applaud them for doing so.

Jerome Adams was U.S. surgeon generalfrom 2017-2021. He is currently adistinguished professor at Purdue University.

In St.Charles Parish and across Louisiana, sheriffs pride themselves on knowing our communities. We know our neighborsand our streets. And increasingly,weknow the devastation that follows when residents lose theirlife savings to ascam thatbegan with aphone call, atext or an online message. What has changed is not criminal intent. Scammers have existed for centuries. What has changed is the speed, scale and sophistication of their tools. Cryptocurrencyhas become afavored weapon, allowing criminals to move money instantly,anonymously and acrossborderswith little oversight. Our department has warned residents about an overwhelming surge in scams from romance fraud and impersonation schemes to complex cryptocurrency cons thatare nearly impossible to trace. These crimes are not isolated. They victimize families, seniors and small businesses across Louisiana. We have seen theconsequences firsthand. Cybercriminals exploited digital transaction systems to steal more than $1 million from our own parish. Around the state,scammersincreasingly direct victims —far too oftenseniors in our communities —towithdraw cash and deposit it intocryptocurrency ATMs. In seconds,their money is converted into digital assetsthat vanish beyond recovery. The playbook is familiar.Avictim receives an urgent call fromsomeone posing as agovernment official, bank representative or even lawenforcement.The victim is told there is aproblem, such as an outstanding warrant, an unpaid bill or acompromised account, and instructed to “fix” it by sending money through acrypto walletorATM. Once the transaction is made, the money is gone. We arealso seeing the rise of “pig butchering” schemes: long-term fraud operations in which criminals build trust over weeks or months before luring victims into fake cryptocurrency investments. These scamscombine emotional manipulationwith financial deception, leaving victims financially ruinedand deeply shaken. As sheriffs, we are responding. We areeducating thepublic, coordinating withfederal partners and pursuing criminals wherever the evidence leads. But we face afundamental challenge: The regulatoryframework governing digital assetsisinconsistent and incomplete. Traditional banks operate under clear Bank Secrecy Act(BSA) and Anti–Mon-

ey Laundering (AML) requirements. They must know their customers, monitor transactions and report suspicious activity.Those rules give law enforcement the transparency needed to track illicit funds and hold criminals accountable.

In the digital asset ecosystem, however,those same standards do not apply uniformly.Criminals know this, and they exploit it. Cryptocurrency transactions are fast, borderless and often pseudonymous. When bad actors can move money across jurisdictions in seconds through lightly regulated platforms, it creates adangerous imbalance between criminals and law enforcement. That is why Congress must act. Louisiana is fortunate to have strong leadership in Washington, including U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy and Speaker Mike Johnson. We need them to lead on this issue. The goal should be straightforward: Create alevel regulatory playing field that allows law enforcement to prevent, detect and prosecute financial crime. Any legislation creating the market structure for new currencies should include these provisions. We also need rules to enable law enforcement to trace funds and quickly obtain information about accounts, account holders and transactions —and, whenlaw enforcement agents have probable cause to link an account to acrime, seize the contents of an account.

If aplatform moves money,itshould follow consistent BSA and AML standards, whether it is atraditional bank or adigital asset company.That means robust customer identification, transaction monitoring and suspicious activity reporting across the board. It means closing loopholes that criminals exploit. And it means ensuring law enforcement has timely access to the information needed to do our jobs.

Congress must also provide clear authority and resources for state and local law enforcement. Sheriffs’ offices are navigating apatchwork of regulations, unclear jurisdictional lines and rapidly evolving technology,all while criminals operate globally with impunity.That imbalance is not sustainable. The people of Louisiana deserve better We are not asking Congress to slow technology down. We are asking it to catch up.

Greg Champagne is sheriff of St Charles Parish.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES AFTERTHE CALLAIS DECISION

Falloutfromlandmarkcase will be felt fora long time

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued what will surely be alandmark ruling in the case of Louisiana v. Callais,in which it declared the state’scurrent congressional district map unconstitutionaland vastly limited the scope of the Voting Rights Act’sSection 2. Columnists Stephanie Grace,QuinHillyer and Will Sutton recently discussed what it means and what comes next Grace: So what was everyone’s initial reaction to theCallais decision?

Sutton: Ithink the absolutely worst-case scenario would have been for them to say,“To hell with the Voting Rights Act, we’re throwing this out.” Ithinkthis is the next worst-casescenario. It’s like saying, “Here are the guidelines for your workplace and here’syour workers’ bill of rights, except we’re going to takeaway the list so there’s nothing that is really in your favor.”

This has been somethingthat hasbeen relied on for decades, and we’ve made so much progress, and the progress isn’tjust for Cleo Fields or Louisianaor Black people. And now we’re taking away theresources and tools that don’tguarantee anythingexcept to see whether districts can stand atest that gives people an opportunity for representation.

Hillyer: As alongtime opponent of the formula from an earlier case known as Gingles,Ishould be very happy with this decision becauseitdid say that Section 2 still stands. The problem isthat the reasoning was not necessarily internally consistent. Iliked the immediate result and theimmediate top-line explanation, butthen when Iread closer,the reasoning didn’tseem to hold up and kepta situationwhere there is going to be alot more litigation andtrying to decipher the meaning

Grace: Whatdid you like about the top-line reasoning?

Hillyer: Thatitdoesn’trequire proportionalrepresentation, but that —and they made it very clear —itdoes allow race to be taken into account when there is obvious discriminatory intent.

Grace: Ihave so many reactions to this decision, and Ifeel like there are alot of things that kind of lead to the same place, andthat is areal potential loss of trustin elections.

One is the timing. We maynever know why the Supreme Court decided to issue this decision just in time for Louisiana to change its election, but that is what happened, andnow we’reinthe middle of litigation over the fact that people have started voting in an election that’scalled off. That’s upsetting.

There’salso areality check element to it. The Supreme Court essentially said that states can gerrymander based on partisanship. We alreadyhad this zero-sum constant fight, even in mid-decade, over redistrictingfor partisan advantage. Andthis just kind of lays out that that’swhere we are aroundthe country,that if you’re notinthe majorityyou don’thave aright to representation. Ithink it’sadestructivemessage, and peopleare goingtolose confidence in electionsand in government,and alsointhe ability to work together

What is representation?

Hillyer: Let me just sayitdepends on how you definerepresentation. AndIthink conservatives define it differently than some liberals. Butthe second thing is, Ithink in the longrun what’sgoing to come outofthis, assuming that it doesn’tget endlessly bogged down in litigation, is that it is goingtopush both sides to moderate, because themore that districts are notchosenbyrace, the more they’re closer to 50/50. And when they’re closer to 50/50, suddenlyyou’re goingtohave Republicans having to actually pay attention to Democratic voters and payattention to Black voters in order not to lose close elections.

Grace: That goes to one of the dirtysecrets about thevoting rights era. We haveanexample aroundNew Orleans. Steve Scalise hasavery safe Republican district. He does not have to think aboutDemocrats. Troy Carter has avery safe Democratic district. He does not have to think about Republicans. Oneexistsbecause the other exists, becausevoters have been divided that way Idowant to takeyou up on defining representation.Inthis context, Idon’tmean that if you are aBlack person, you are represented by aBlack person. Imean that your pointofview is representedingovernment

Hillyer: In the short run, you’re goingtohave allkinds of people running to take advantage of what they thinkthe decision means.And they’regoing to probably misinterpret it in their own favor.But in the long run, Ithink it’sgoingtoincrease the ability to be heard forthe veryreason you just talked about, because if the district is 54/46 rather than 70/30, then theguy who’s on the 54 side is going to have to pay alot more attention to the46.

Sutton: Ithink one of the things that gets lost in conversations like this is that Black people, for the most part, vote for White people andBlack people and other people.And in so many places,

Whitepeople do not vote for Black people. This really is more of aSouthern issue. We might go to thesame events, cheer for thesame teams, enjoy the same church service, but when we go in the voter booth, it’s something totally different.

So Isay that to address Quin’s point about representation. It is not true withopportunity districts with theVoting RightsAct’sSection 2that it meansBlack people always elect Black people.

Hillyer: There are anumber of Black Republicans in theSouth representing very strongly majority Whitedistricts. There is Wesley Hunt in Texas. There is Byron Donalds in Florida. There is TimScott from South Carolina, who, before he was asenator,got elected in avery White Republican district, defeating the sons of two former White governors. Ithink that the more we concentrate on race, the more we deter developmentslike this, where people are voting not because of race but on completely different grounds, better grounds, than that.

Grace: We haven’thad examples of that in Louisiana.

Hillyer: Butthe point is that it’s just not true across the South.

Drawingnew districts

Grace: Let’stalk about the redistrictingfight that is about to take place. What do we think is going to happen in terms of how many majority White seats the Legislature will draw?

Hillyer: Well, let me first say that I don’tthink that they should be doing this at all. Ithink that because theSupremeCourt came out with thedecision so late, after votes had already started tobecast, that the balance of rights being offended goes in favor of the current districts. They should have gone ahead withthese districts for this election and changed it for thenext election cycle. Ithink thatthis redrawing of districts when votes have already been cast is unfair to everybody involved.

Sutton: Yeah, Iagree.

Grace: Me too. Andit’sjust one thingatthis momentthat Iworry contributes to distrust in the electoral process. There’salso the Calvin Duncan situation, where thegovernor and Legislature basically nullified an election in New Orleansfor clerk of criminal court.

There’sthe change toparty primaries, so voters’ choices are restricted in waysthey’re not used to. There’sa lot going on right now

Butgiven that lawmakers are poised to do this thingthat none of us thinkthey should be doing, what’sgoing to happen?

Sutton: I’m hoping that there will be enough conversations after hours and over dinner and lunch that they slow it down, and say,

“Let’s take our time to do agood job,toessentially pursue what Gov.Landry has said recently, which is to do it right.”

Ithink Idisagree with him on what right would look like, but I agree with the concept of stopping thesituation of doing this over and over and over again.

Grace: Do you really think that’s within the realm of possibility?

Sutton: Iamhoping, and I’ll even go so far as to say aprayer

Hillyer: Idon’tthink that’sapossibility. As much as Idisagree with therush to change the districts, I thinkthat thegovernor and most Republicans in the Legislature are determined to do it. The question is how.And Ithink it would be bothfairer and wiser to make sure that they have districts as compact and as sensible as possible, rather than ones that overwhelmingly tilt the scales in a partisan direction.

Grace: So does that mean five Republican districts and one Democratic district, as opposed to trying to get them all Republican?

Hillyer: It meansavoiding these crazy shaped districts that are clearly designed only to do incumbent protection, or conversely,only to disadvantage people, including other Republicans they don’tlike.

What happened this last time was an abominable, intentional job of goingafter Garret Graves because he had displeased the powers that be, namely Gov Landry.They could have done a second Black majority district without creating this crazy district that looked like E.T.being chased by apterodactyl.

Not that they want to, but they could do asecond Black majority district that would look normal and have actual communities of interest, rather than trying to shoehorn people together from 250 miles apart.

Grace: They did target Graves, absolutely.They also wanted to protect Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House. And Ithink that’s why we will not see somescenarios people are talking about now, one being an attempt to draw six RepublicanorWhite majority districts,and the other giving Cleo Fieldsa seat, as opposed to Troy Carter,because Fields is close to Landry

The problem is that you’ve got abig chunk of Democratic voters, majority Black but not only Black,inNew Orleans in Carter’s current district. If you divide them up, you’re putting them in Republican districts, which makes it harder forthose Republicans to have an easy ride. Idon’t thinkthey wantthat.

Something else we need to talk about is Congress —the fact that there is alarge and powerful Congressional Black Caucus that’sthreatened.That could really change what our government looks like.

Sutton: Well, this is true of people in Congress generally,but some morethan others, where you’re elected to represent adistrict but people in other parts of the country feel like you’re their second representative because of the issues that are important to you, because of the lived experiences that you have.

When it comes to something like the Congressional Black Caucus, from the time it wasjust a handful of people to now,where it’sdozens of people, members represent farmore than their districts. Bennie Thompson was born, raised, lives in, will never leave Mississippi, and people everywhere —and Black people in particular —see him as another representative forthem

One of the things that happens when you have tenure, as Troy Carter has developed, he’snow moved up the ranks in Congressional Black Caucus leadership because there’sthis persona that he has outside of Louisiana. It’s likely he’ll be the CBC chair with aDemocratic House. And Cleo Fields has that persona. Awhole bunch of prominent people were at Jesse Jackson’sfuneral, and they did not all get their names called. Fields’ namegot called in Chicago.

So that’sadifferent kind of representation that Ithink people don’tthink about.

Asilverlining?

Hillyer: Let me makeaprediction that’sgoing to go against the conventional wisdom:That in the short term,there will probably be about five fewerBlack Democratic representatives from the South, but that when the smoke clears after the next census and the first elections after that, there will be just as many, if not more, Black representatives in Congress. One reason Iamless bothered by this decision is because Ireally believe that within about eight years, things will balance out, and then there will not be fewerBlack representatives.

Sutton: Iwish Iwere that hopeful. I’mnot right now

Grace: This is kind of related, but we’ve had this intense polarization. There are so fewmoderates, there are so fewswing districts in the country.Now,this could lead to what somethink will happen in Texas, where they tried to create moreRepublican districts because Donald Trumpasked them to, but in doing so, they created districts that are less completely Republican. So maybe this could lead to moremoderation in Congress.

Hillyer: Ithink you will get more moderate Whites and moremoderate Blacks, moremoderate Republicans and moremoderate Democrats in the intermediate term because of this decision.

Grace: That would be the bestcase scenario.

NASA leader promotes vision for future

Michoud will play big role in moon missions, official says

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Less than a month after four astronauts splashed down on their return from NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years, the agency’s top administrator visited Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East where the rocket that took them there and the pressure vessel of their crew module were built.

But Jared Isaacman, who became administrator of the space agency in December, said last month’s Artemis II mission, which spurred a renewed enthusiasm for the space program, was “just the opening act.”

Speaking to reporters following a tour of the facility with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois, Isaacman said hiring at Michoud is ramping up as NASA sets its sights on building a permanent moon base, a new

MCNEESE

Continued from page 1B

“We’re looking for someone who will put students first and then someone who understands the relationship between the university and the broader community,” Gallot said at the March 26 meeting Anderson, a Pineville native attended Louisiana Tech University, earning four degrees with the highest being a doctorate in educational leadership She also began her higher education career at the university, serving as coordinator of residential life, director of student development and dean of student development. From there, Anderson worked in a variety of leadership positions at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for more than 11 years before moving to the University of Southern Mississippi as the vice president of student affairs for nearly five years. Most recently, Anderson served as the vice chancellor for student life and professor practice at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, working with student affairs and leading the division with strategic planning, assessment, and staff development, according to her curriculum vitae. Brumfield, who also has

RAIN

Continued from page 1B

heavy rainfall. Saturday carries a 90% chance of precipitation and a high near 80 degrees.

Mother’s Day will be mostly

MOURNS

Continued from page 1B

“You couldn’t help but love her,” Ben said. “If you were down, you could not sit around her I could hear her now she called nearly everyone, including me, ‘nanny.’” Tynaysha especially adored her 5-year-old sister, Paisley, relatives said. They said she naturally stepped into the role of a protective big sister despite being only 9 years old herself. Ben recalled how Tynaysha encouraged and comforted her younger sister, especially after the loss of Paisley’s mother several years ago. The two girls were inseparable, family members said.

“That’s the part that hurts me so bad,” Ben said. “Paisley can’t have that sisterly love anymore.”

Evangel Eubanks, the twin sister of Tynaysha’s mother, Angel Eubanks, said Tynaysha was a daily presence in her home, often stopping by

generation of spacecraft and the capability to send astronauts to another planet for the first time.

“There is going to come a day when these big doors open and we roll out space hardware, and it’s going to look like a nuclearpowered spaceship,” Isaacman said. “That’s going to be the capability that’s going to take astronauts to Mars.”

Ramping up

The administrator’s site visit served as a vote of confidence in the future of the 829-acre Michoud facility and the 3,500 jobs it supports

The NASA-owned site houses 18 federal agencies and private contractors, among them Boeing and Lockheed Martin the prime contractors on the rockets and crew modules, respectively

Last week, the core stage Space Launch System rocket for NASA’s next mission, Artemis III, arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida following its completion in Michoud. Construction of the SLS rockets for Artemis IV and V has already begun, and supplies are being collected for the Artemis VI rocket.

Louisiana roots, earned a bachelor’s in history from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a master’s in history from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Ph.D in educational leadership and research and counseling from LSU, according to his curriculum vitae

Starting in 1989, Brumfield has held several administrative positions at universities and colleges throughout the state of Louisiana, including assistant director of enrollment services at Southeastern Louisiana University, registrar and director of admissions at Louisiana State University-Eunice and vice president for student affairs at University of Louisiana at Monroe. Since 2016, Brumfield has held interim vice president of student affairs positions at the State University of New York at New Paltz, Humboldt State University (now California State Polytechnic University) and Buffalo State University Reese, a Vernon Parish native, is a graduate of ULMonroe, where he served as the student body president and earned a bachelor’s in business administration, finance and commercial banking. Since 2001, he has been a managing partner and CEO at Reese Companies. He has also served on several boards and committees, including Central Louisiana Economic

sunny with a high near 84 but still carry a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Isaacman said hiring at Michoud is aimed at meeting demand for moon base equipment For instance, one NASA vendor is increasing the rate it produces uncrewed robotic landers from about three a year to nearly one every month, he said, though it wasn’t clear if he was suggesting that work will be done at Michoud.

But Isaacman, who commanded two SpaceX missions before taking over the space agency, also acknowledged the growing role of the private sector in space flight.

“Now, will there be a day at some point when we have other vendors that are going to be able to take over certain obligations for putting crew and cargo on the surface of the moon?” Isaacman said. “What does that mean NASA should be doing next? We should be recalibrating to the near impossible.”

No matter how the next generation of spaceships is built, Scalise expressed confidence that it will be built in Michoud.

“Capabilities will change, technologies will change, but you have to build it somewhere, and you cannot

Development Alliance, Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, and Rapides Foundation. In 2019, Reese was elected to the Louisiana State Senate for District 30. His curriculum vitae states that in his tenure on the Senate, he has provided oversight on legislation that affects higher education and has collaborated with colleges, universities and technical institutions.

The other candidates for consideration, who were not named semifinalists, listed on the UL system website are:

n Jonathan Ambrose Mississippi College vice president for the student experience & dean of students

n George Arasimowicz, Albany State University dean and professor, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

n Tierney Bates, University of South Carolina-Upstate vice chancellor for student affairs

n Sarah Coakley Georgia Highlands College provost and chief academic officer

n André L. Fortune, University of West Georgia vice president for student affairs

n Eric Freedman, Maryland Institute College of Art provost and vice president for academic affairs

n Guiyou Hang, most recently Western Illinois University president and professor

Meteorologists at KATCTV said Acadiana could receive between 3 and 4 inches of rain by early next week. The rainfall is expected to provide relief for areas dealing with ongoing drought conditions.

after school to play with her cousins.

“She was a very outgoing child,” Evangel Eubanks said. “Very bright, very smart.”

While family members continue grieving Tynaysha’s death, they are also supporting Angel Eubanks, who remains hospitalized following the fire. Angel Eubanks is recovering from severe burns to her hands and arms and is undergoing physical therapy, family members said

“She’s learning how to walk again,” Evangel Eubanks said. “She’s still not good mentally and emotionally.”

Family members said Angel Eubanks initially was unable to speak because of tubes placed in her throat after the fire, but she has since regained the ability to talk as she continues her road to recovery in the hospital.

Relatives say the family’s focus now is making sure Angel Eubanks knows she is not alone.

replicate a facility like this,” he said.

Public to private

The NASA administrator’s visit to Michoud, which also included a town hall meeting with hundreds of workers, comes as a series of bills that would offer sweeping incentives to commercial space companies is moving through the Louisiana Legislature.

The rumored target of the package of tax breaks, liability shields and public records exemptions is landing a massive new space complex.

As Congress works on next year’s appropriations bills, Scalise said he and Isaacman regularly discuss the agency’s budget

President Donald Trump’s initial 2026 budget proposal called for cutting NASA’s budget by 24% and phasing out the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft programs after Artemis III in favor of private sector systems.

Congress rejected those proposed cuts, restoring NASA’s budget to near the prior year’s levels and adding language to explicitly block the termination of the Michoud-made rocket and capsule programs.

n Marc Manganaro, Saint Catherine University interim dean of the School of Arts, Humanities and Sciences

n Vipin Menon, McNeese State University associate professor of computer sciences

n Wendi Palermo, Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges System chief education and training officer

n Kamal Shahrabi, most recently president of the Rochester Institute of Technology

n Toyin Tofade, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences president and professor

n Lok C Lew Yan Voon, University of Findlay College of Sciences dean.

FIELDS

Continued from page 1B

already voting. They had already received ballots,” Fields said. While the delay of the primary elections is unprecedented in Louisiana, it isn’t the first time Fields has been involved in a contentious redistricting fight. Fields first served in Congress in 1993-97, representing a majority African American district that stitched together minority neighborhoods in Shreveport, Alexandria and Baton Rouge with rural communities throughout the state. The district was ruled an unconstitutional gerrymander in 1995, resulting in the state’s districts being redrawn. Fields did not stand for reelection in 1996, instead mounting an unsuccessful campaign for governor that he lost to Republican candidate Mike Foster Fields returned to Congress in 2024 after Louisiana added a second majority African American district to comply with a lower-court ruling. The new district was met with near instantaneous legal challenges. Fields pointed out the similarity between the two situations on Wednesday “I have not spent a single day in Congress where there has not been a federal lawsuit against the district that I represent,” Fields said. “These districts are really important here, because while almost half of Black members of Congress represent districts that are not majority-Black, very few of them are from the South.” Fields continued to urge voter participation in the May 16 election, with primaries for U.S. Senate and five constitutional amendments remaining on the ballot.

One of the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, Tensas Parish farmer Jamie Davis, was in attendance and spoke in support of Fields’ legal challenge. “I support everything

you’re doing, congressman, and I’m with you all the way on trying to prevent this delay from happening.”

The primary for U.S. Senate remains unaffected by Landry’s executive order and will continue as scheduled on May 16.

Caleb Walker, who had mounted a campaign for the House of Representatives in the 3rd District, also spoke during the open comment portion of the event. Walker’s campaign for the district seat has also been put in limbo due to the sudden redistricting plan. He expressed frustration over the change as well as what he termed a “media erasure” of Black candidates for public office.

“I feel a certain frustration in getting our voices heard right now I’ve seen it in my own campaign where I struggled to be taken seriously as a candidate for office,” Walker said.

Similarly, Fields argued that the Supreme Court decision was a direct attack on African American voter rights, evoking civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr and John Lewis, as well as comparing the decision to Plessy v. Ferguson, an 1896 case that famously established the “separate but equal” doctrine, and allowed for continued segregation in Southern states.

“Our fight is not about me. Our fight is about whether a person who looks like me will be able to serve in Congress in the state of Louisiana,” Fields said. “That’s what’s under attack right now.”

Fields did not indicate whether he would continue to run for office if the state’s redistricting efforts are successful While no timeline for Louisiana’s congressional elections is currently available, it is estimated that new maps will be approved in time for a July filing deadline for new candidates, with party primaries being held in November alongside the general election for U.S Senate. Under this plan, a general election would be held in December

While thunderstorms are expected throughout the weekend, forecasters say storms are expected to remain below severe weather criteria.

Drier conditions are expected to return early next week.

“She has the biggest support system,” Ben said. We’re not going to leave her side.”

As loved ones remember Tynaysha, they say they hope people hold onto the image of the smiling little girl who loved Minnie Mouse, the color pink and hugged everyone she saw and brought comfort to the people around her “We want Tynaysha to be remembered by her bright smile,” Evangel Eubanks said “Always smiling, always loving on people.”

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Alleyes on Saints rookie camp

Position clues, hidden gems to look foras playerstakethe field

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

We already know whichuniformnumbers the New Orleans Saints rookies will wear andnow we geta chance tosee what they look like in them.

The Saints are holding their rookie camp this weekend at their Airline Drivefacility, offeringthe first glimpseatwhattheir 2026 class of draftpicks —including No. 8 overall pick Jordyn Tyson —and undrafted rookies can do as professionals. Rookie camp is essentiallyonboarding forthe newestSaints, andwiththat understood, there’snot aton of meaning that can be gleaned from acouple of light practice sessions.

But that doesn’tmeanthe information cupboard will be bare this weekend.Here are afew things to be on the lookout for when the Saints rookies take the field for the first time.

Line ’emup

Remember back to this time ayear ago, when it was abit of amystery exactlywhere then-rookie Kelvin Bankswas goingtoslide into the starting rotation? Washealeft or

Are the Saints mistreating AlvinKamara?

Tyrann Mathieu thinks so. On hispodcast this week, the Honey Badger criticized team officials for not “dealing with (Kamara) in good faith” or having the couragetocut thestar running back

“This is not the way you treat your franchise all-time touchdown leader,” Mathieu said.

Mathieu is biased.He’s aformer player and views the situation from aplayer’s perspective. And given the longhistory of NFL teams shafting players, his takeis perfectly understandable. ButI don’tsee howanyone can saythe Saintsare mistreating Kamara. All things considered, I’d say they’re going out of their waytodo right by him.

Let’sdive into the situation,and yoube the judge. First and foremost,the Saints clearly understand the sensitivityofthe situation. Kamara, after all, is oneofthe most accomplished and popular players in franchisehistory.Hedeserves to be treated with respect after everything he’sdone for the organization and in the community

COM UE’

Browntalksmentoring teammates, hand injuryand possible return

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

After JakeBrown broke his right hand, the lastthing he wanted wastobeawayfrom theteam He continued traveling with LSU on road trips. He beganbuildingcloser relationships with the freshmen: William Patrick, Mason Braun and Jack Ruckert. He always wanted to be therefor his teammates, even if he couldn’tjoin them on thefield.

No momentexemplified thisnew reality better than Sundayagainst SouthCarolina, when he got ejected in theseventhinning for “trying to back up our guys.”

“Their pitcher was talking to our dugout and doing all this different type of stuff,”Brown saidinanexclusive interview with The Advocate. “… Iguess Isaidsome stuff that the umpire didn’tthink that I should have said.”

Getting tossedfromagame isn’t anormal occurrence forBrown. He wouldn’thave said what he said if he werestill playing. But the moment still showed how he would stopat nothing to support his teammates

“I trytohelp out anyway that I

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

It’samazing howquickly things can change. After sweeping GeorgiaState this past weekend, so manythings appearedtobe gettingupfor UL Ragin’Cajuns. Since the final out,not very much has. First came the news that secondbaseman Rigoberto Hernandez is out for the season with abroken arm. Then the Cajuns enduredtheir worst loss of the season —9-6 defeat to UNO in 10 innings, thanks largely to 10 walks and seven hit batsmen. With the Privateers’RPI being over 200, theloss dropped UL to No. 53. And in the process, emerging sophomore outfielder Mark Collins was injured on an aggressive slide at the plate to score on awild pitch and is out at least three weeks. Now, coachMattDeggs’ club must regroup in time for the start of the AppalachianState road seriesat5 p.m. Friday at Beaver Field in Boone, North Carolina. “Wehave no choice but to bounce back, or we’llbedoing exitinterviews way quicker than we planned,” Deggs said after Tuesday’shome loss.

can,” Brown said. “And Ithought thatwas the way Icould help the team.” Brown will continue trying to help his team from the dugout this weekend in Athens, Georgia, as LSU travelstotake on the Bulldogs for a three-gameseriesbeginning on Friday (5 p.m., SEC Network+).

That’s where he’ll continue his effortsasa leader for his teammates, even if he can’t jointhemonthe field.

“Jake has been aleader since he was nine yearsold on abaseball

team,” Chance Brown, Jake’sfather, said. “It’ssomething that he’salways embraced.”

Over the first three months of the season,Brown was arguably LSU’s best hitter. He hada career-best 1.047 on-base plus slugging percentage, 16 homeruns and a.309 batting averagebefore he broke hishand fouling off apitch in the sixth inning of LSU’sseriesfinale withTexas A&M.

ä See LSU, page 3C

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

March Madness tourneys will expand to 76 teams

The NCAA announced Thursday that it will expand its two March Madness tournaments by eight teams each next season, a long-expected move that will drop more games into the first week of the highly popular and lucrative showcase without substantially changing its overall form.

The new, 76-team brackets will jam eight extra games for a total of 12 involving 24 teams — into the front half of the first week of the men’s and the women’s tournaments. It will turn what’s now known as the First Four into a bigger affair that will now be called the “March Madness Opening Round.”

UL golfer Potgieter headed to NCAA championship

BY DAN MCDONALD

Contributting writer

It’s been quite a week for UL golfer Malan Potgieter

On Tuesday, Potgieter was selected to the prestigious Arnold Palmer Cup matches in early July

On Wednesday, the native of Kirkwood, South Africa, officially advanced to the NCAA Division I men’s golf championships for the third time.

UL’s senior standout was selected to the field Wednesday and is the top-ranked individual at the Athens Regional, being played at the University of Georgia course.

Potgieter is one of four Sun Belt Conference individuals playing in the Athens Regional, along with Southern Miss, who earned an atlarge entry into the championships as one of three Sun Belt teams in the field.

Potgieter played in the NCAA’s as a freshman when the Ragin’ Cajuns won the Sun Belt title and competed in the Norman Regional in Oklahoma and made the field as an individual last May and tied for 11th to lead all individuals at the Tallahassee Regional in Florida.

“The day we got back from the conference championships, he was at the course first thing the following day,” said Cajuns coach Theo Sliman “He wants to make sure he takes another step forward, and he wants to get to the national cham-

CAJUNS

of eliminating “freebies” which did not happen in Tuesday’s loss — could work better than originally thought.

Making the matchup even more interesting is UL’s pitching has allowed an extremely high total of 68 homers, compared to 41 for App State.

“We’ve got to get back to throwing strikes,” Deggs said.

Defensively, UL’s relied heavily on an everyday infield, which is no longer possible with Hernandez out. In Tuesday’s loss, right fielder Donovan LaSalle (.212, 8 HRs, 26 RBIs) started at second base and finished at first.

First baseman Lee Amedee (.313, 3 HRs, 36 RBIs) started at first and finished at second

“I wouldn’t say (Tuesday) was a good read on how we’re going to deal with that moving forward, because this game was a mess,”

pionship after he came close his last two times. He definitely has the ability to get there.”

The Division I field includes 81 teams and 45 individuals playing in six regionals around the country

The field was announced Wednesday afternoon on the Golf Channel. The top five teams and the low individual from each region will qualify for the NCAA Championships May 29-June 3 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

Meanwhile, Potgieter is the first Ragin’ Cajun to ever participate in the 30-year history of the Palmer Cup, generally recognized as the world’s premier international collegiate match-play event.

“This is an incredible honor and accomplishment for Malan,” said Sliman, “and a very deserving one. He had the best season of any UL golfer in history this year, and this will be a great wrap-up to his collegiate career.”

The Arnold Palmer Cup was cofounded by the golf legend and the Golf Coaches Association of America and began play at Palmer’s home course at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida, in 1997. Palmer, the most iconic and revered figure in the history of golf and himself a former standout collegian and coach, was actively involved in the international event for many years before he died in 2016.

ULM softball ends Cajuns’ season with SBC tourney shutout

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

It was an intense staredown for four innings, then UL blinked.

Top-seeded UL-Monroe was more than ready to pounce on the opportunity with two runs in the bottom of the fifth on its way to a 3-0 win over the Ragin’ Cajuns in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinal round Thursday at Lamson Park.

UL starting pitcher Bethaney Noble had matched ULM ace right-hander Ashanti McDade going into the bottom of the fifth.

Carys Platt got the trouble brewing with an infield single out of the 9-hole. Brooklin Lippert then hit a hard grounder up the middle, seemingly for a double play, but the throw to the bag was wild to put runners on the corners with no outs.

At that point Noble was pulled for reliever Julianne Tipton, who got a groundout and then intentionally walked Morgan Brown to load the bases with one out.

Olivia Faggard hit a shot to third, but a slight hesitation before the throw to the plate allowed Platt to cross the plate with the game’s first run.

Pinch-hitter Hollie Thomas then added a sacrifice fly to right for a 2-0 Warhawks’ lead.

Noble finished the game with four-plus innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits, two walks and one strikeout.

Tipton gave up one run in two

innings of relief for the Cajuns.

The rest of the work was handled by McDade, who claimed her third win to go along with a save in ULM’s 4-0 season series over the Cajuns. For the game, McDade threw 71% strikes, giving up only four hits, no walks and one strikeout in seven innings and 89 Pitches. In four appearances against UL this season, McDade allowed one run on 16 hits, two walks and five strikeouts in 19 innings to power those three wins and a save. The Cajuns stranded two runners in the first and didn’t have another threat until Kennedy Marceaux and Haley Hart singled in the sixth, but yet another groundout ended the threat. Of McDade’s 21 outs in the win, 16 of them were groundouts. UL’s season ends at 29-27, while the Warhawks improve to 38-19 and advance to play the South Alabama-Southern Miss at 6 p.m. Friday in the tournament

Deggs said. “This whole game was a mess.”

The Cajuns are hoping the rock of freshman Blaze Rodriguez at shortstop continues to anchor the defense.

“That shortstop we’ve got, you can say what you want about his

offense — it’s kind of up and down but the defense is elite,” Deggs said. “It’s definitely next level.

“He’s very sure-handed. He’s got a good, accurate arm He’s always in position and he’s high energy.”

Officially, the Cajuns’ projected

weekend rotation is Cody Brasch (4-2, 2.42, 5 saves, 52 IP, 65 K) Friday and Andrew Herrmann (6-2, 3.90, 80.2 IP, 87 Ks) in game two.

Ty Roman (2-4, 5.114, 61.1 IP, 63 K) typically starts on Sunday, but it’s ‘TBA’ as of now

The Mountaineers are expected to go right-hander Nick DiRito (41, 4.50, 64 IP, 72 K) in the opener, followed by right-hander Gage Peterson (7-0, 3.18, 68 IP, 88 K) and left-hander Tanner Nolan (40, 6.23, 47.2 IP, 39 K).

“Everything we want to do is still in front of us, but nobody is going to give you anything,” Deggs said. “This game is cruel, man. It owes you nothing. Whatever you get in this game, you’re going to have to go for it and earn, and play good when it matters.”

UL has also depended heavily on freshman southpaw Hayden Pearson of late. The Ascension Episcopal pitcher is 1-0 with a save and a 1.50 ERA. In 24 innings, he’s only allowed 11 hits, 12 walks and struck out 21. Opponents are only hitting .139.

The 12 winners will move into the main 64-team bracket that will begin, as usual, on Thursday for the men and Friday for the women

Knicks forward Anunoby questionable for Game 3

NEW YORK OG Anunoby has a strained right hamstring, but the New York Knicks forward appears to have avoided a serious injury after leaving late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Anunoby will be listed as questionable to play in Game 3 at Philadelphia on Friday, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press on Thursday Anunoby will be considered dayto-day

Anunoby was having another strong game on Wednesday before appearing to suffer a leg injury and motioning to come out of the game. He went to the locker room and did not return to the bench before the end of the Knicks’ 108-102 victory that gave them a 2-0 lead.

U.S. midfielder sprains ankle ahead of World Cup MADRID United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso has sprained his right ankle five weeks before the World Cup, his club Atlético Madrid said on Thursday Atlético said Cardoso was hurt in practice and suffered what the club called a “high-grade sprain in his right ankle” and will undergo rehab. La Liga has four rounds or regular-season play left and Atlético is eyeing a top-four finish.

The U.S. opens its World Cup campaign on June 13 against Paraguay in Inglewood, California. It will then also play Australia and Turkey in Group D.

The 24-year-old looked poised to make the World Cup roster and possibly be a starter Now it seems unlikely he will heal in time to make the roster which will be announced on May 26.

USA Basketball names

Women’s WC assistants

Nate Tibbetts, Natalie Nakase and Stephanie White will assist Kara Lawson coaching the U.S. women’s basketball team at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in September The trio of WNBA coaches was on staff for the World Cup qualifying tournament in March. The U.S has won the past four World Cup titles and will try to make it five in a row in Berlin. The team will be selected this summer and could feature young stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, along with four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.

Tibbetts is in his third season as head coach of the Phoenix Mercury while Nakase is in her second year with the Golden State Valkyries. White is in her second year in charge of the Indiana Fever

Ex-Gamecocks

QB

Garcia reveals cancer diagnosis

Former South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia announced on social media that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer

“Wasn’t overly excited to share this news but it is what it is,” Garcia wrote on his Facebook page. “We have a great team of doctors and staff that’s confident we can beat this! It’s the only option.” Garcia, 38, shared the news to raise awareness about the cancer

“If there’s one lesson to be learned, get checked and don’t be afraid to visit the doctors’ office when you don’t feel 100%,” Garcia wrote. “We got this and I appreciate all yall!”

As of Thursday, Garcia was close to reaching his goal of $150,000 through a GoFundMe page created by his wife Maria Garcia.

Eighth grader alreadyhas twostate tennis titles

AscensionEpiscopal’s Morrow haswon

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributingwriter

McAllister Morrow hasn’tsimply won two consecutive high school tennis state titles. Along the way,she hasannihilated the competition. Morrowwon 109 consecutive matches to claim lastyear’sDivision IV crown —asaneighth grader “I like winning,”she said.“I have very high goals for myself. Oneway to get there is if you keep working theprocess, theend result will come.”

Last month,Morrow repeated as state champion in Monroe. As usual,she didn’t lose aset during the five playoff matches, which culminated in a6-1, 6-3 win over a competitor from Holy Savior Menard in thefinal.

Outside of thefourgames she droppedinthe final, Morrow lost only three games (vs.48wins) during the rest of the tournament. She hasn’tlostamatch during her high school career “It’sgreat to have aplayerthat

is so disciplined,” saidEmilyOry, whocoaches the Blue Gators along withTonya and Paiul Anderson.

“She encourages other players to be the best version of themselves andhas agreat influenceonthe whole team.”

Her coaches have known McAllistersince she was a6-year-old whowas introduced to tennis at Oakbourne Country Club. Her fatherJeremy enrolled McAllister in lessons, which she found boring until they started keeping score.

That’show competitive Morrow is.

“Wewatched her father feed her tennis balls for hours,” Tonya Anderson said. “There wasthis fiery, blonde curly-haired kid with ared, hot face andahuge smile just as happy as she could be. It wasalways her idea to do that.”

MarthaOdom, theAscension Episcopal senior killed in the Mall of Louisiana shooting last month in BatonRouge, was atennis teammate of Morrow’s. At 4:30 a.m.on the dayofthe state final match, Martha’smom Brooke sent theten-

nis parent’sgroup an inspirational note.

“Marthawentthrough my mind every single match,” Morrow said. “She was watching and smiling down at me.”

Morrow,who participates in the United State Tennis Association circuit when the high school season isn’tinsession, has adominant first serve and is apowerful baseline player with authoritative groundstrokes, her coaches said.

At the state tourney,Morrow and her teammates wore ribbons on their uniforms in honor of Martha,and it spread throughout players from other schools.

“It meantsomuch more to win this year because it wasn’tme playing formyself,” Morrow said. “I was playing forMartha.”

She sees herself playingtennis at Duke or Vanderbilt one day in the future and plans to pursue acareer in medicine. Morrow wants to perform the samesurgical procedure on others that she had to mend an injured wrist.

SCOREBOARD

(Burrows1-4) at Cincinnati (Lodolo 0-0), 5:10 p.m. Athletics (Lopez 2-2) at Baltimore(Bradish 1-4), 6:05 p.m. L.A. Angels (Detmers 1-2) at Toronto (Cease

at Kansas City(Bubic 3-1), 6:40 p.m. N.Y. Yankees (Fried 4-1) at Milwaukee (Misiorowski 2-2), 6:40 p.m. Seattle (Hancock 2-1) at Chicago White

BaltimoreatMiami,n St. Louis at San Diego, n Friday’s games Houston (Burrows 1-4)atCincinnati (Lodolo 0-0), 5:10 p.m. Colorado (TBD)atPhiladelphia(Luzardo 3-3), 5:40 p.m. Washington (Griffin 3-1)atMiami (Snelling 0-0), 6:10 p.m. N.Y. Yankees (Fried 4-1)atMilwaukee (Misiorowski 2-2), 6:40 p.m. Chicago Cubs (TBD)atTexas (Rocker 1-3), 7:05 p.m. N.Y. Mets (McLean 1-2)atArizona (Nelson 1-3), 8:40 p.m. St. Louis (McGreevy 2-2) at San Diego (Canning 0-0), 8:45 p.m. Atlanta (Sale 6-1) at L.A. Dodgers(Sheehan 2-1), 9:10 p.m. Pittsburgh (Mlodzinski 2-2)atSan Francisco (Ray 2-4),9:15 p.m. Pro basketball

NBAplayoff glance SECOND ROUND (Best-of-7;x-if necessary) Wednesday’s games New York 108, Philadelphia102, NewYork leads series 2-0 San Antonio 133, Minnesota 95,seriestied1-1. Thursday’s games Cleveland at Detroit, n L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City,n Friday’s games New York at Philadelphia, 6p.m. San AntonioatMinnesota, 8:30 p.m. College softball

State scores, schedule

SECtournament Wednesday’s games Game 7: No. 9Georgia 7, No. 8LSU 3 Sun Belt tournament

Wednesday’s games Game 1: No. 10 Coastal Carolina6,No. 7 Georgia Southern 2 Game 2: No. 8UL5,No. 9Troy 0 Thursday’s games Game 3: No. 3Texas State 5, No. 6James Madison, 2 Game 4: No. 10 Coastal Carolina6,No. 2 Marshall 0 Game 5: No. 1ULM 3, UL 0 Game 6: No. 4SouthernMissvs. No. 5South Alabama, n Friday’s games Game 7: No. 3Texas State, No. 10 Coastal Carolina, 3p.m. Game 8: ULM vs.Game 6Winner,6p.m. Saturday’s games Championship: Game 7Winner vs.Game 8 Winner,1:30 p.m. SWAC tournament Wednesday’s games Game 8: Florida A&M 5, Southern 4

ON DECK

Continued from page1C

The injury—abrokenhamate bone —will likely keep him out for the rest of the season, even if Brown hasn’truled out areturn.

“It’sgoing to depend on how I’m feeling, how the team’s doing,” Brown said. “There’salot of variables, but I’m just trying to takeit oneday at atime.”

Forhim to comeback,LSU would almost certainly have to makethe NCAA Tournament, a longshotmadeslightly more possible when the Tigers swept South Carolina overthe weekend.

Their path to the tourney won’t be easy.They face No. 5Georgia and No. 21 Florida to finish the regular season, buttheir young and ascending offense has provided some hope for ateam that has already lost Brown and junior righthanded starter Cooper Mooreto injuries. Since his injury,Brown hasbeen impressed by four freshmenwho have filled his void.

that thoseguys are out there,and they’re starting to getcomfortable playing on abig stage like this, you can see they’re performing well.

“(Patrick) is doing really good. He’smadesome great plays in the outfield. Jack Ruckert’shitting the ball all over the field, and he’splaying great defense. Imean, Mason and Omar (Serna), those guys have beendoing it for alittle bit longer Butobviously,their production is even still getting better just as theseason goes on. Imean, that’s atotal of fourguys just right there that are goingtobereally good for the Tigers.” Brown has been there to support the freshmenevery step of the way.That’sbeen especially true with Patrick, who filledBrown’s spot in right field afterthe injury Patrick only hassix hitsin25atbats againstSEC competition, but he’splayed solid defense while flashing his supreme athleticism all over thefield.Last summer, he was atop-90 player in theMLB Draft, according to MLB.com and TheAthletic’sdraft rankings.

WHO: LSU (29-21, 9-15 SEC) at Georgia (38-11, 18-6)

WHEN: 5p.m. Friday

WHERE: Foley Field,Athens, Ga.

ONLINE/TV: SECNetwork+

RADIO: WDGL-FM,98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWL-AM, 870 (NewOrleans); KLWB-FM, 103.7 (Lafayette)

RANKINGS: GeorgiaisNo. 5in

D1Baseball’stop-25 rankings

PROBABLESTARTERS: LSU —RHP William Schmidt(5-4, 3.90 ERA); Georgia— Joey Volchko(7-2, 3.63 ERA)

PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate.com/lsu ON X: @KokiRiley

WHATTOWATCH FOR: Schmidt gave up just one earned runinsix inningslast weekend against SouthCarolina. It was hislongest outing in SEC play.Volchko tossedsix scoreless inningsa week ago against Missouri. He gave up four earned runs in 52/3innings the week prior against Ole Miss. KokRiley

Thursday’s games Southern 2, Bethune-Cookman1 Southern vs.Alabama State,n McNeese State vs.Lamar, n College baseball

State scores, schedule Thursday’s games Nicholls at Southeastern, n TexasA&M-Corpus Christi at UNO,n

Friday’s games

LSU at Georgia, 5p.m. UL at App. State,6p.m. Nicholls at Southeastern, 2p.m. TexasSouthern at Southern, 6p.m. South Florida at Tulane,6:30 p.m. TexasA&M-Corpus Christi at UNO,6:30 p.m.

Saturday’s games

TexasA&M-Corpus Christi at UNO,2p.m.

UL at App State,3p.m.

TexasSouthern at Southern, 3p.m.

LSU at Georgia, 6p.m. Nicholls at Southeastern, 2p.m. South Florida at Tulane,6:30 p.m.

Sunday’s games UL at App State,1p.m. South Florida at Tulane,1p.m. TexasSouthern at Southern, 1p.m.

LSU at Georgia, 2p.m. Hockey

NHL playoff glance

SECOND ROUND (Best-of-7) (x-if necessary) Wednesday’s games Buffalo 4, Montreal 2, Buffalo leads series 1-0. Anaheim3,Vegas 1, series tied1-1 Thursday’s game Carolina at Philadelphia,n Friday’s games Montreal at Buffalo, 7p.m. Vegas at Anaheim, 9:30 p.m. Pro golf

PGA Tour statistics Through May4

FedExCup Season Points 1, Scottie Scheffler, 2,431. 2, Matt Fitzpatrick, 2,394. 3, Cameron Young, 2,371. 4, Collin Morikawa, 1,727. 5, Jacob Bridgeman, 1,501. 6, Si WooKim, 1,374. 7, AkshayBhatia, 1,322. 8, Chris Gotterup, 1,317. 9, Rory McIlroy 1,226. 10, Ludvig Aberg, 1,143. Scoring Average 1, Scottie Scheffler, 69.367. 2, Jake Knapp, 69.571. 3, Cameron Young, 69.817. 4, Matt Fitzpatrick, 69.868. 5, XanderSchauffele, 70.028. 6, Collin Morikawa, 70.121. 7, JacobBridgeman, 70.205. 8, Si WooKim, 70.222. 9, Nicolai Hojgaard, 70.263. 10, Chris Gotterup, 70.294. DrivingDistance 1, Aldrich Potgieter,326.7. 2(tie),Michael Brennan and Gary Woodland, 323.1. 4, Chris Gotterup, 320.7. 5, Jesper Svensson, 319.9. 6

just go out there with freedom and peace of mind and just go out there andcompete.’ And he’sdone areally good job of that.

“I tell himall the time, he’sprobably the best athlete that I’ve ever played with.” Brown hadhamate surgery on April 22.Since then,the stitches have been removed from his hand, andhe’sslowly beguntoincrease thestrength in it. His pain fluctuates,but whenhespoke with The Advocate on Tuesday,hewas able to lightly lift weights with it that day

Theinjuryhas providedhim a newperspective on what Daniel Dickinson accomplished last season,when the second baseman played with abroken hamate bone throughoutLSU’srun in the NCAA Tournament.

(tie),JakeKnapp and Marco Penge, 319.8. 8, Rasmus Hojgaard, 319. 9, Nicolai Hojgaard, 318.7. 10, Min WooLee, 317.4. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Russell Henley,70.24%. 2, Matt Fitzpatrick, 70.20%. 3, Si WooKim, 69.79%. 4, Corey Conners,69.51%. 5, Aaron Rai, 69.46%. 6, Andrew Putnam, 69.35%. 7, Collin Morikawa, 68.33%. 8, LucasGlover, 67.05%. 9, Kensei Hirata, 66.94%. 10, TommyFleetwood, 66.52%. GreensinRegulation Percentage 1, 11 tied with .00%. Total Driving 1, Michael Brennan, 51. 2, Matt Fitzpatrick 53. 3, ScottieScheffler, 64. 4, William Mouw 66. 5, Jordan Smith, 67. 6, Min WooLee, 68. 7, Cameron Young, 71. 8, Ludvig Aberg, 72. 9, 2 tied with 82. SG-Putting 1, Jacob Bridgeman, 1.106. 2, Vince Whaley, 1.046. 3, AkshayBhatia, .848. 4, Robert MacIntyre,.832. 5, Matthieu Pavon, .790. 6, Jake Knapp, .744. 7, Chad Ramey, .738. 8, Beau Hossler, .735. 9, Karl Vilips, .630. 10, Sam Burns 625. Birdie Average 1, ScottieScheffler, 5.03. 2, AkshayBhatia, 4.86. 3(tie),Ludvig Abergand JacobBridgeman, 4.75. 5(tie), Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young, 4.69. 7, Collin Morikawa, 4.63. 8, PiercesonCoody,4.61. 9, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, 4.6. 10, Robert MacIntyre, 4.53. Eagles(Holes per) 1, JakeKnapp, 43.7. 2, Sahith Theegala, 63.7. 3, Nicolai Hojgaard, 68.4. 4, Max McGreevy,81. 5(tie), Ludvig Abergand TommyFleetwood, 82.3. 7, Joe Highsmith, 83.3. 8, Aldrich Potgieter, 84.9. 9, Max Homa, 85.5. 10, ChrisKirk, 87. Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. All-Around Ranking 1, ScottieScheffler, 174. 2, Ludvig Aberg, 228. 3, Collin Morikawa, 263. 4, AkshayBhatia, 296. 5, Matt Fitzpatrick, 300. 6, Min Woo Lee, 302. 7, Chris Gotterup, 314. 8, Cameron Young, 315. 9, JakeKnapp, 324. 10, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, 328. Transactions

Major League Baseball American League ATHLETICS —ReinstatedCShea Langeliers from the paternity list. Designated CAustin Wynns for assignment. BALTIMOREORIOLES—Sent2BJackson HollidaytoChesapeake(EL) on arehab assignment. BOSTON REDSOX —Agreed to terms with LHP RaymondBurgos on aminor league contract. Placed OF Roman Anthonyonthe 10-DayILretroactive to May5.RecalledUTL Mickey Gasper from Worcester (IL) CHICAGOWHITESOX —Activated RHP Trevor Richards. OptionedRHP JordanLeasure to Charlotte (IL). DETROIT TIGERS —Sent3BZackShort and RHP Yoniel Curet outright to Toledo (IL)

from his timeinBaton Rouge. “It’sreally meant the world (playing forLSU). I’ve kind of been able to do it all here,” Brown said.“My freshman year,wegot bounced from aregional.Last year,wewere fortunate enough to go and wina national championship. And then this year,Igot to step up andbealeader forthese young guys, use my experience to help them.”

“I think coach (Johnson) saidit best. There’s reallynoteacher like playing time,” Brown said. “Now

WhenPatrick initiallytookhis role, Brown joked to him thathe hadbig shoes to fill. “We’re really good friends, just both ofusbeingfrom Louisiana,”

Brown said. “And so Ijust toldhim, ‘Dude, you’reinthe same spot that Iwas my freshman year.You’ve dreamed aboutthis your whole life. There’snoreason youshouldn’t

“I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’tknow how he did it,” Brown said. “Because, like Isaid, Icould barelygripthe batfor oneat-bat after it happened.” Dickinson fought and clawed his way to stay on the field and helped LSUwin anational championship. He left the program as achampion, alegacy Brown also shares as amember of the 2025 team. But for Brown, winning atitle has been far from theonly thing he’sgained

This season hasn’tgone to plan forBrown or LSU. He’s technically eligible to return next year, but he’llalmost certainly takehis talents to MLB instead. Brown, according to MLB.com, is atop-45 prospect in this summer’s draft. That meansareturn from injury would likelytakeplaceinprofessional baseball. But even if he never steps on the fieldinthe purple and gold again, Brownwill end his LSU career without any regrets. A kid from Sulphur was able to live out his dream

“I wouldn’ttrade it for anything,” Brownsaid. “I wanted to come heremywhole life,and it’s really been adream come true, and I’mreally thankful forthat.” Email Koki Rileyat koki.riley@theadvocate.com. LSU

DUNCAN

Continued from page1C

Head coach Kellen Moore and general managerMickey Loomis know this better than anyone. Nevertheless, the realityis Kamara is no longer the player he once was. He’sentering his 10th season and will turn 31 in July,making him one of the oldest backs in the league. And theyears and miles are starting to show

Injuries have prevented Kamara from finishing eachofthe past two seasons, and his production declined dramatically ayear ago, when he recorded career lows in rushing yards (471),yards per carry (3.6), receptions(33), receiving yards (186) and touch-

downs (one). The advancedmetrics were even worse. His rushing success rate of 32.06% ranked 63rd out of 65 backs with 50 or moreattempts last season. His 18.7 attempts per broken tackle were well worse than theleague average of 16.4. He ranked last among 49 backs with an average of 1.4 yards after contact per rush and 53rd of 58 backs in elusiveness, aPro FootballFocusproprietary metric that measuresthe successand impact of arunner with theball independent ofthe blocking. He has managed to produce one runofmore than 20 yards in the last three seasons.

By comparison, Audric Estimé, who joined theteam in Week 10 of last season, produced alonger

run (32 yards) in 46 attempts than Kamara has produced in 1,002 attempts over the last fiveseasons. (Tobefair,Kamara has produced two 50-plus-yard receptions during that span.)

If that weren’tenough, the Saintswere forced to replace Kamarawith rookie Devin Neal in key passing situations last season because theveteran’spass protection was so poor.Heallowed six sacks in only 48 pass-blocking reps, ranking 59thout of 60 backs. If Kamara were making the league minimum, his performance would be easier to stomach. Buthewas among the top 10 highest-paid backs in theleague. In aproduction-based league like the NFL, Kamara had the kind of year that earns you apink slip, especially at age 30. Butthe

Saintsare not mostNFL teams. They are loyal —some would say to afault —especially to core players like Kamara.

“Welove Alvin,” Moore said earlier this spring. “He means theworld to all of us. Again, this is afull offseason process. Certainly,wefeel like, ‘Hey,he’sin that room.’ Youcan findroles for all those different guys. We’ll go through the whole offseason process andcontinue to grow and develop this team.” Still, while team officials have said all the right things publicly about Kamara, their actions have spoken louder.First, they restructured his contract in away that will soften the blow if they elect to cut or trade him later this offseason. Then,they signed veteran running back Travis Etienne to a

four-year deal worth $11.8 million per year in free agency

The contract tells you exactly who the Saints view as their lead back. At this point, the Saints appear willing to give Kamara amulligan forhis subpar season and keep him on the roster foratleast one moreyear to share backfield duties with Etienne. And that would be somewhat unprecedented. The club moved on from Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas immediately after they turned 30. They cut ties with Reggie Bush, Ricky Williams, George Rogers and Chuck Muncie earlier than that. Considering his age and declining production, Kamaraisbeing rewarded with an extra year —a bonus forservices rendered. Iwouldn’tcall that “mistreatment.” I’dcall it lagniappe.

right tackle? Would he getreps at guard?

As it turned out, the Saints exclusively worked Banks at left tackle during rookie camp, and while the team downplayed the significance of that, Banks then spent his entire rookie season at left tackle.

The positional questions aren’t as substantial in this year’sclass, but this week’srookie campshould offer some insight about what is to come.

Take Christen Miller,for example. The Saints spoke abouthis versatility after selecting himinthe second round of last month’sdraft, and that makes sense considering his usage in college.

At Georgia, Miller played almost athird of his career snaps as anose tackle, buthealsolined up as a2i(inside shoulder of the guard) and a5-technique(outside shoulder of the offensive tackle) His best trait as aplayer is his ability to defend the run,and New Orleans maywant to take its longest look at him as anose, but it will be worth watchinghow much he moves around the line

The same thought applies to receivers Jordyn Tyson and Bryce Lance, for different reasons. One of Tyson’sappealing traitsishis ability to line up anywhere in the formation, and that should continue to be the case in the NFL.Lance has amore limited profile as an outsidereceiver,but maybe the Saintswill see how he can move across the formation. Finally,while it would be asur-

mind: Offensive tackle AlanHerron signed acontract that included almost$300,000 guaranteed which simply meansNew Orleans really wantedtoget him into the building to get alonger look at him Former Central Michigan edge rusher Michael Heldman is another popular pick to stick at this stage. Heldman, who racked up 101/2 sacks and 161/2 tackles forloss forthe Chippewas lastseason He’ll need to prove he can hold up against NFLtalent, which he won’t be able to do until training camp, but the size andmeasurablesare there.

An extended stay?

prisetosee eitherofthemcompete for astarting role, it will be interesting to seeifDay 3picks Lorenzo Styles andTJHall take anysnaps as aslot defender.New Orleans does not have aclearly defined starter in that role after Alontae Taylor’sdeparture in free agency

Hiddengems?

It will be next to impossible to get agood read on which of the undrafted rookie free agents might make acase for the roster based off rookie camp alone, but it’snever too early to make aguess for who could be the next Carl Granderson, Juwan JohnsonorRashid Shaheed. Here are acouple to keep in

Rookie campisn’tjust about the guys who have already signed contracts. New Orleans invited several undrafted rookies to attend on atryout basis, as well as afew established veterans. That can turn into ajob. Just last season, the Saints signed veterans Terrell Burgess andDonovan Peoples-Jones following arookie camp tryout, and Burgess ended up playing in 16 games last season. New Orleanswas also impressed enough with tryout quarterback Hunter Dekkers to sign him to the 90-man roster fortraining camp. Among the veteran tryout players this year: Former Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo, former Buccaneersquarterback Kyle Trask and former Chargers quarterback Easton Stick.

Email Luke Johnsonat ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

NEWMUSIC FRIDAY

CJ Solar’s relaunch tour is stopping in BR

Twoother Louisiana artistsrelease tunes

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

Baton Rouge native and veteran Nashvillesinger-songwriter CJ Solar, relaunching his artist career as CJ Solar &the Old Souls, is bringing his new music homefor aFriday concert at the Manship Theatre.

Longtime collaborator Rick Huckaby will open the 7:30 p.m show with his bluesband Big Shoes.Singer-songwriterHuckaby has written hits for Thomas Rhett (“Beer With Jesus”), Trace Adkins (“Muddy Water”), Tracy Lawrence and others.

“BlackLabelBlues,” thelead singleand titletrack from Solar’sforthcoming album, was released April 17. The second single, “Dizzy,” drops on Friday.

“The reinvention marks acreative resurgencefor Solar,who has spent the past several years rediscovering hisartisticvoice, deepening his connection to the musicthat shaped him and leaning into his Baton Rouge roots,” according to anews release.

PROVIDEDPHOTO CJ Solar is bringing his new music home in aFridayconcert at the Manship Theatre.

As asongwriter,Solar,33, earnedmultiple hits on country radio including Morgan Wallen’sfirst No. 1single, “Up Down,” andJamesonRodgers’ “SomeGirls.” He’s also had songsrecorded by Jason Aldean, Justin Mooreand Jerrod Niemann, among others. As an artist, MusicRowMagazine named him“Independent Artist of the Year” in 2019.

“I’ve found Isurround myself with alot of oldsoulsand folks thatshare an appreciation for the classics,sothe band name came pretty naturally. Ialso wanted to give anod to the years we’ve spent together as aband already,” Solar says in the release. “‘Black Label Blues’ encapsulates everything Ilove about this new project, from the bluesyguitar riffs to the soulful background vocals. …Ithink it’sa great intro to what this whole recordisgoing to feel like, so I’m excited it’sthe first one rolling off thelot.” The album melds swampy soul, blues-drenched guitar work and Nashvillestorytelling. Influences reminiscent of Southern rockicons and roots-driven storytellers like

ä See MUSIC, page 6C

Halfway to Halloween

The spooktacular annual Blackand OrangeBash runs from 7p.m.to 10 p.m. Saturdayatthe Main Library at Goodwood. The event ser vesas theofficial announcement party for the 2026 Fifolet Halloween Festival in October.Food, cash bar,music and more. $40, adults; $15, children. 1031consortium.com.

LIVING

THEROOT OF IT ALL

Dirk Powell is Acadiana’smusical Renaissanceman

BYJOHN WIRT Contributingwriter

INmusic, Dirk Powell does just about anythingthat can be done.

He’samulti-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter

He’s aproducer and recording engineer.He’sa valued sideman on the stage and in the studio.

Amember of roots music star Rhiannon Giddens’ band since 2015, Powell performed alongside JoanBaez for adecade, until the folk music starstoppedtouring in 2019. His other performance and/ or recording work includesEric Clapton, the Raconteurs, Loretta Lynn, Linda Ronstadt and Irma Thomas’ Grammy-winning,re-

corded-in-Acadiana,postHurricane Katrinaalbum, “After theRain.” Speaking last week after aflurry of festival season gigs, Powell talked about his new solo album,his musicalfamilyand collaborations withGiddens, the Grammy winner and MacArthur Fellowship grant recipient Powell’s concert dates withGiddens this year include Lafayette’s FestivalInternational, theNew OrleansJazz and Heritage Festivaland on Friday, oneofthis nation’spremiereperforming arts venues, Carnegie Hall in New York City. At Carnegie Hall, Powell said,

ä Watch videos of Dirk Powell’s performances at THEADVOCATE.COM.

“Rhiannon wants to celebrate the music of the people of this country, whichissuch an amazing thing.”

Dubbed the Old-Time Revue, the Carnegie Hall concert’s12musicians include Giddens’ former Carolina Chocolate Drops bandmates Leyla McCalla andJustin Robinson,Italianmulti-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi and Powell’sdaughter Amelia. Amelia Powell, a24-year-old singer and guitarist, joined Giddens’ band last year.She first performed with herfather at 12. They’ve

ä See POWELL, page 6C

Southern Screen Fest in Lafayette

Staff report

The 2026 Southern Screen Festivalwill takeplace Nov. 1922 in Lafayette, and film submissions are nowbeing accepted. “Celebrating itscontinued growth as ahub for independent storytelling, Southern Screen

collaboration,and culturalexchange,”anews releasestates. For the 16th year,filmmakers from around the world are invited to submit documentary and narrative feature-length films, short films, animations, music videos, student films and more. Submission fees are $10 forshort films under

ä See FILM FEST, page 6C

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC: CaneRiver Pecan CompanyPie Bar, New Iberia, 5p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette,6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m.

LAST MANGOS: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT JAM: La Maison de Begnaud, Scott, 6p.m.

PAPER JAM: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

YVETTE LANDRY: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge

6:30 p.m.

POISSON ROUGE: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

“FABULATION, OR THE RE-

EDUCATION OF UNDINE”: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

SUPERCOLLIDER: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

MITCH REED +NILLZ!+JMS

+MILOHEART: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m

JCMELANCON: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.

BAGOFDONUTS: Rock ‘n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 9p.m.

SATURDAY

DONNY BROUSSARD BAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8a.m.

RUSTY METOYER THE ZYDECO

KRUSH: Buck &Johnny’s Breaux Bridge, 8a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park Lafayette, 9a.m.

SATURDAY MORNINGJAM

SESSIONS: TheSavoy Music Center, Eunice, 9a.m

CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge,11a.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC JAM: VermilionvilleLiving History Museum &Folklife Park,Lafayette, 1p.m.

ZYDECO CAPITAL JAM: St. Landry Parish Visitor Center, Opelousas, 1p.m

CAJUN JAMSESSION: Touchet’s Bar, Maurice, 2p.m.

TET DUR: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson,4:30 p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m.

MYLES &MACKENIZE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m.

KEN HOLLOWAY: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

KEITH MEYERS: TapRoom, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

RIVER SMOOTH BAND: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

CHARLES &WENDYTRICHE: Whiskey &Vine, Lafayette, 7p.m.

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday,May 8, the 128th day of 2026. There are 237 days left in the year Todayinhistory: On May 8, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced in aradio address that Nazi Germany’sforces had surrendered, stating that “the flags of freedom fly all over Europe” on V-E(Victory in Europe) Day

Also on this date: In 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River,the first recorded European to do so. In 1886, the first serving of Coca-Cola, which contained cocaine, was sold at a pharmacy in Atlanta, Geor-

MUSIC

Continued from page5C

Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Allman Brothers and Tedeschi Trucks Band are woven throughout the project, the releasestates. To celebrate the forthcoming album, Solarhas partnered with Sugarfield Distillery in Gonzales to craft aspecialBlack Label Blues bourbon, finished in orangeliquor barrels. Solar will host an on-site bottle signing at Sugarfield,481 W. Eastbank St., at noon Saturday For more information, visit cjsolar.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO Rapper Boosie Badazz will host his seventh Boosie Bash for the firsttimein Lafayette atthe Cajundome on Saturday.

MIKE LARSON &THE ONES

THATGOT AWAY W/OPENER

JACKYLYNX: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

SUBLIMINAL LANDMINES, PHANTUM SUN, DOOGIE, &WE ARE THE VIRUS: The Devil’s Den, Lafayette, 7p.m.

“FABULATION,ORTHE RE-

EDUCATION OF UNDINE”: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

BOOSIE BASH VII: Cajundome, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

COLBYLATIOLAIS &AMBUSH: Lakeview Park,Eunice, 8p.m.

DYLAN AUCOIN&THE JUDICE RAMBLERS: La Poussiere CajunDancehall, Breaux Bridge, 8p.m. LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m. THE SLACKERS: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

TRAVIS MATTE AND THE KIN-

PINS: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.

ORDINARYWORLD: Rock ‘n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette, 9p.m.

SUNDAY

LIVE MUSIC: TanteMarie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

THE SUNDAY PEOPLE: Whiskey&Vine,Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro, 11:30 a.m.

BALDUDIMANCHE —CEDRIC WATSON &BIJOU CREOLE: Vermilionville LivingHistory Museum&Folklife Park Lafayette, 1p.m.

“FABULATION,ORTHE RE-

EDUCATION OF UNDINE”: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 2p.m.

CAJUN JAM: BayouTeche Brewing, Arnaudville,2 p.m.

WAYNE TOUPS,JAMEYBEARB &FRIENDS: Cypress Cove Landing, Breaux Bridge, 3p.m

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LEXI &CHYNNA: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m

DAVID KOECHNER: DoubleTree by Hilton, Lafayette,8:30 p.m.

MONDAY

PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Cafe Habana City,Lafayette, 11 a.m

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill,Lafayette, 6p.m.

TODAYINHISTORY

gia.(Thedrink became fully cocaine-free in 1929.)

In 1978, David R. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in aBrooklyn courtroom to murder,attempted murder and assault in connection with the“Sonof Sam” shootingsthat claimed six lives andterrified New Yorkers. (Berkowitzwas sentenced to six consecutive life prison terms.) In 2020, U.S. unemployment surged to 14.7%, a level last seen when the country was in thethroesof theGreat Depression;the government reported that more than 20 millionAmericans had lost their jobs in April amid the economic falloutfrom thecoronavirus pandemic.

It’sBroussard’sfirst full albumoforiginal bluessoul songs.

BLUEGRASSJAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’sSeafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

POET THE BAND,THE ALMAS,

&BURN ABSOLUTE: Epic Entertainment, Scott, 6p.m.

TERRYHUVAL &FRIENDS: Prejean’sRestaurant, Lafayette, 6p.m

GREENLIGHT SESSIONS OPEN MIC: The Jefferson Street Greenroom, Lafayette, 7p.m

WILL FONTENOTPIANO: Whiskey&Vine, Lafayette, 7p.m

OOF COMEDYHOUR OPEN MIC: Citédes Arts, Lafayette, 8p.m.

WEDNESDAY

DULCIMER JAM: St.Landry Visitor Center,Opelousas, 10 a.m.

ANDREW WAIN &LOGAN

TURNER JAZZ: Whiskey& Vine,Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’sSeafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

MERCREDI SHOW FEATURING

KEVIN NAQUIN: Pelican Park Mercredi Stage, Carencro, 6p.m

WANTED WEDNESDAY KA-

RAOKE NIGHT: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 6p.m

ROCK NROSE: TapRoom, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon,Lafayette, 8p.m

THURSDAY

LADIES NIGHT WITH DJ DONOVANINTHE MIX: Cowboys Nightclub,Scott, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6p.m.

JON MELANCON: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

KIP SONNIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville,6:30 p.m.

GARY CATHYTRIO: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 7p.m.

GOLGOTHANWITH CHRISTWORM AND FROM MISERY TO MALICE!: Feed ‘N’Seed, Lafayette, 7p.m.

THEHAS BEANS: Hideawayon Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

ATCHAFALAYA REUNION: Acadiana Center forthe Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

KARAOKEPARTY —PANDA ENTERTAINMENT: Black Bull, Youngsville, 8p.m.

THECOLLABORATORY OPEN

JAMNIGHT: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

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

In 2025, apapal conclave chose Robert Prevost as the first U.S.-born pope, making the69-year-old cardinal the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church after thedeath of PopeFrancis on April 21 of that year

Today’sbirthdays: Biologist/TV presenter David Attenborough is 100. Poet GarySnyder is 96. Singer-songwriter Toni Tennille is 86. Pianist KeithJarrett is 81. Singer Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire) is 75. Rock musician Chris Frantz(Talking Heads) is 75. Rock musician AlexVan Halen is 73. Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher is 69. Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott is 67. Filmmaker Michel Gondry is 63.

corded “Ledbetter Heights (The30th Anniversary Sessions).”

POWELL

Continuedfrom page5C

performed ever since then, but thefrequency of those appearances grew in the past three years. This year, the duo appeared at both Festival International and Jazz Fest.

At Giddens’ Old-Time Revue concert at Carnegie Hall, Powell will play guitar,banjo, fiddle, Cajun accordion and sing. Rhythm guitarisAmelia Powell’s forte.

“Not everybody can generate thegroove the way Amelia does,” Dirk Powell said.“She’s gotthatmagical feel for old-time andCajun music. It glues everything together,elevates everything, excites everything. Rhiannon recognized that.”

In another of his many roles, solo artist,Powell released his latest album, “Wake,” in April. Giddens is aguest on the album, as are his daughters, Amelia and SophiePowell. Having his daughterssinging on the album, Powell said, “means alot to me, because alot of what Ising about is tiedto thingsIshare withthem.”

The Powell sisters are membersofafamous Cajun music family.Their mother is singer-guitarist Christine Balfa. Dewey Balfa, thereveredCajunfiddlerwho performed withhis brothers in theBalfa Brothers band, is their grandfather

FILM FEST

Continuedfrom page5C

25 minutes and $20 for feature films60-120 minutes through Aug. 1. Student submissions are free.

In addition to film screenings, Southern Screen offerseducational programming, industry panelsand networking opportunities, all infused with the region’s signature Southern hospitality “The festival has built a

PROVIDED PHOTO

The duo of Amelia and Dirk Powell appeared at both FestivalInternational and JazzFest this year

Powell began workonhis beautifully contemplative “Wake” album in 2020.

“Some of this recording startedwhenCOVID-19 first hit,” he said. “Itwas an introspective time. Someof the songs came outofthat moment, like ‘Red Bird Road,’ whichisabout feeling nature,something we’d been missing. WhenCOVID happened,suddenly, we were nottraveling. We werestaying home, returning to the natural world.”

Making music in families is atraditioninLouisiana as well as the state Powell has deep roots in, Kentucky Born in Ohio though he was, his family’sKentucky history stretchesback 200 years. His grandfather,James Clarence Hay,played oldtime Appalachian Mountain music with banjo, fiddle and guitar,mostly in informal

reputationfor connecting emerging voices with established industry professionals, creating meaningful dialogue andopportunities forgrowth,” therelease also states. The 2025 festival, marking the organization’s15th anniversary,welcomedaudiences to the downtown area for four days of screenings, panels and events. Highlights included: n Discussions such as “Film +Brand: How Entertainment Can Advance the World” and “Fromthe

Othernew La.-tied music

Carencro soul singer Marc Broussard released his new studio album, “Chance Worth Taking,” on April 18

Coinciding with the album launch, Broussard also dropped the latest single andvideo for the fiery track, “You’llBeSorry,” featuring Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith “Though ‘Chance Worth Taking’ marks astylistic pivot, it remains unmistakably Broussard,” according to anews release. “His signature ‘bayousoul’ vocal,equal parts grit and grace, anchors the album, tying together blistering guitar work,brawnyshuffles, pleading soul-blues,horndriven blues-rockand Mardi Gras— infused funk.”

Shreveport’s platinum-selling, six-time Grammy-nominated guitarist KennyWayne Shepherd recently released “OneFootonthe Path.” It’spart of his newly re-

“One Foot on the Path” was originally featured on Shepherd’s1995 debut. At just 16, Shepherd recorded “Ledbetter Heights” while still in high school, splitting histimebetween classesin Louisiana and sessions in Memphis,according to a news release.

“This is thealbum that put me on the map, and Istill enjoy listening to it because my goal hasalwaysbeen to make musicIwanttolistento,”Shepherdsaysin the release. “Unfiltered and straight from theheart.”

Shepherd’s“Ledbetter Heights 30th Anniversary Tour”isongoing.The tour stops in Louisiana on June 13 for aconcert at Paradise Theater at Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City For moreinformation, visit kennywayneshepherd. net/tour

social gatherings. “I learned at his feet,” Powell recalled. “I would go visit him by myself. We were close. He was kind of my hero,and that was a real special thing for him, to know that Iidolizedhim in that way.”

Despite having to board a bus at 3a.m. last week for ashowinHouston,Powell feelslucky to have something his grandfather never had —along and thriving career as aprofessional musician

“I’m grateful,” he said. Powell’scollaborations with Giddens are amongthe most rewarding in his career.They co-produced her 2017soloalbum,“Freedom Highway,” as well as 2019’s Grammy-nominated “Songs of Our Native Daughters,” Giddens’ projectwithAllisonRussell, Amythyst Kiah and New Orleans musician Leyla McCalla.Both albums were recordedat Powell’s CypressHouse studio in Breaux Bridge. Powell and Giddens also write songs together

“Somehow we tune into the same wavelength,” he said. “Itcould be lyrics, melody,chords. Either oneofuscouldstep into those zones. I’ve never experienced anything like it.She’llstartsinging, I’ll start playing and, suddenly we’ll have asong. It’s really special.”

Email John Wirt at j_ wirt@msn.com.

Bayou to the Big Screen” n Aslate of filmsranging from acclaimed documentaries to narrative features and locally produced shorts Festival attendees can access programming through avariety of pass options, including general, industry,student, screening, sessionsand virtualpasses, ensuring accessibilityfor both in-personand remote audiences. Formore information aboutsubmissions or to submit afilm, visit SouthernScreen.org/Submit.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) A personal opportunity is within reach. Changes to your living arrangements, home environment, location or how you feel about someoneclosetoyouwillreflecthowyou move forward.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Your ability to think definitively will help you zigzag your way forward. You'll thrive under pressure and outmaneuver anyone who tries to challenge you.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Gather information, and specify what you want and expect from others. Your ability to negotiate will help you turn a negative situation into a positive event.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Refuse to let stubbornness stand between you and what you want. Choose to meet in the middle andtoputothersatease.Letyouractions lead the way. Focus on greater unity and make fewer demands.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Trust in your ability to do the research and to come up with a realistic plan before you give someoneelsethereins.Learnfromexperience, and dedicate your time to being diverse.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Simplify your routine and concentrate on what you enjoy doing most. It's time to make life choices that put your mind at ease and offer the benefits that are most important to you.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Keep your thoughts and emotions to yourself. Pay attention to how others respond, and dis-

tance yourself from those looking for an argument. Discipline and originality will give depth to your aspirations.

sAGIttARIus (nov 23-Dec. 21) Follow through with your intentions, and you'll get the boost you need to bring about positive change. A job change can offer relief from a situation that is holding you back.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) An opportunity to change the dynamics of your relationships with those close to you will help you put the past behind you. Refuse to let ego and emotional anger seep into conversations.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb 19) When confusion sets in, discipline and ingenuity will come in handy. Reflect and establish what's most important and what's necessary to reach your destination.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Explore and expand your interests, friendships and skills. Refuse to let the changes going on around you push you in a direction that doesn't fit your lifestyle.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Look for a creative outlet, and use your imagination to help those who may have lost their focus or direction. How you relate to others will change how they perceive you.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

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

toDAy's cLuE: V EQuALs c

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InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 gridwith severalgiven numbers Theobjectistoplace the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row,each column andeach 3x3 box contains the samenumber onlyonce. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’sPuzzle Answer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

George Saunders, who is aprofessor atSyracuse Universityand has won the National Magazine Award for fiction four times, said, “I’m always aware of writingaround things Ican’t do, and I’ve come to think that that’sactually what ‘style’is—anavoidanceofyourdeficiencies.”

Apublisher once told me always to write about things that Iknow. He and Saunders are clearly in agreement.

Overthelastthreedays,wehavelooked at theovercalls that vary in meaning when made in thefourthseat instead of the second seat. Aone-no-trump overcall is weak, not strong; asingle jump overcall in asuitisintermediate, not weak; anda two-no-trump overcall is natural, notunusual—asintoday’s deal South’sbalancingjumptotwono-trump showed abalanced hand with some 20-21 points (or slightly fewer points witha good six-card minor).North might have advanced withthree clubs, Stayman, to look fora4-4 spadefit

After West leadsthe heart queen, how should Southplan the play?

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TheLafayette City Coun‐cilmet in RegularSes‐sion on May5,2026 and introduced thefollowing ordinances CO-033-2026 An ordi‐nanceofthe Lafayette City Councilamending theFY25/26 operating budget of theLafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government by increas‐ingrevenuesinthe amount of $28,616 re‐ceived from the LouisianaCommission on LawEnforcement (LCLE) authorizing the transfer of matching fundsinthe amount of $9,539 from Fund 101 and appropriatingwithinthe Lafayette Police Depart‐ment

CO-034-2026 An ordi‐nanceofthe Lafayette City Councilamending theFY25/26 operating budget of theLafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government by increas‐ingrevenuesinthe amount of $25,843 re‐ceived from the LouisianaCommission on LawEnforcement (LCLE) andappropriating within theLafayette Po‐lice Department CO-035-2026 An ordi‐nanceofthe Lafayette City Councildeclaring theJohnstonSt./LA. Ave. Infrastructure Improve‐ments, SegmentIII (Rail‐road to LewisStreet)Pro‐ject apublicnecessity andauthorizing theac‐quisitionofthe neces‐sary rights-of-way, im‐movablepropertyand otherpropertyrights requisitetothe construc‐tion of said project, ei‐ther on an amicable basisorthrough the proper useofthe expro‐priation processifneces‐sary CO-036-2026 An ordi‐nanceofthe Lafayette City Councilauthorizing theLafayette MayorPresidenttoexecute an

movable property as perthe at‐tached list.

SECTION6:Itisspecifi‐callyrecognized that all requirements of the Statelaw pertaining to thesaleofsurplus mov‐able property including noticeofthis proposed di h bli

PROCEEDINGSOFTHE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, TAKEN AT AREGULAR MEETING OF MAY5,2026 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) and Kelly Comeaux (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), Karen Fontenot (Chief Financial Officer), Robbie Mahtook (City-Parish Attorney) and Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney)

(4:32:00) COMMENCEMENT

Call to order

Chair Richardcalled the Regular Parish Council Meeting of May 5, 2026 to order

AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The Chair called upon Councilmember Stansbury to cite an invocation and upon Councilmember Guilbeau to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Richardmade the following announcements:

•Item #14- JO-015-2026-(LDC amendments ordinance) -Legal has submitted five (5) floor amendments to be considered individually, as follows:

•Anamendment to clarify plat vacation application procedures and requires mailed notice to non-applicant property owners within the affected area;

•Anamendment to update stormwater design standards to include townhomes/rowhouses under commercial and multi-use drainage criteria;

•Anamendment to allow the Council or Planning Commission to waive the two-year reapplication restriction for denied bar/ lounge conditional use permits in the Downtown “D” district, with conditions;

•Anamendment to refine landscaping installation standards to ensureproper soil preparation and plant growth conditions; and

•Anamendment to establish minimum water line sizing and provider approval requirements for utility infrastructurein unincorporated parish developments.

•Item #24 -JO-017-2026 The CAO requested that this item be deferred indefinitely,asthe employee for whom the adjustment was being proposed is no longer with the PARC

•Department.

•Wished ahappy birthday to Karen Fontenot, Chief Financial Officer,which she celebrates on May 10th.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS Rubin discussed the shooting at the Mall of Louisiana and offered condolences to the Odom family.He talked about the need for summer programs as crime rates arehigher at this time. Rubin would like to see moremoney being invested into summer programs for the youth.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT

a. Budget-to-Actual Comparison of Major Parish Funds –March Preliminary Boulet noted that the monthly Budget-to-Actual Comparisons areto comply with statewide auditing procedures.

b. Audit Findings Update –April 2026 Boulet noted that they arerequired monthly to give an update to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor on the report findings.

Boulet’sannouncements:

•The audit is down to only five (5) findings. She stressed how proud she was for all the hardwork done and thanked all that were involved in the process.

•The new FireChief, Earl Borden was introduced and spoke on how he was honored and privileged to be herein Lafayette.

•National Day of Prayer will be held May 7th at 7:30am at the St. John’sCathedral Hall and all areinvited.

•The final Drainage meeting will be May 12th at 6PM at Dupuis Recreation Center

•Condolences wereoffered to the Odom family on the loss of their daughter in ashooting.

•Danny Gillane, the Library Director,spoke about the upcoming vote to renew amillage that provides 65 percent of the revenue for libraries in the parish. He stressed that this is not anew tax but a renewal and encouraged all to go vote.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Mackenzie Brashier v. Lafayette Consolidated Government and Clinton Joseph Docket No. C-20253466 Division L

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 Guilbeau, seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to enter into executive session was approved.

Motion to returnfromexecutive session 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 returnfrom 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 Guilbeau, seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to accept recommendations was approved.

ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: PO-013-2026 An ordinance of 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 arenolonger needed for public purposes, as per the attached list (Public Internet Auction), 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.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: PO-014-2026 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) Equipment Operator III position within the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department-Streets Division., motion to adopt by Tabor,seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt wasapproved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: PO-015-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and St. Landry Parish concerning surface improvements to Mendell Road, motion to deferred indefinitely by Guilbeau, seconded by Stanbury,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to defer indefinitely was approved.

Richardstated that he was not in favor of passing this until agrowth study was finished and Guilbea agreed.

The CAOmentioned that Saint Landry Parish was prepared to help pay for morethan half of the cost.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: PO-016-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring $82,150 from the Gravel Road Conversion account to the IGA-St Landry-Mendell Road account and appropriating within the Capital Improvements Department for additional funding needed., motion to deferred indefinitely by Guilbeau, seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to defer indefinitely was approved.

JOINT ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO.9:JO-010-2026 Ajoint 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 Stansbury,seconded by Rubin, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.10: JO-011-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council adjusting the manning tables and amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital improvement budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to reflect certain adjustments and amendments relative to the reorganizations of the Parks, Arts, Recreation &CultureDepartment, the Capital Improvements Department, the Drainage Department and the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department, motion to adopt by Rubin, seconded by Tabor,and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.11: JO-012-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into amaintenance agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and the State of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development concerning the maintenance of state roadways to include mowing and litter pickup and amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by decreasing the use of fund balance and increasing reimbursement revenue from the State of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development in the amount of $3,920, motion to adopt by Guilbeau, seconded by Tabor,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.12: JO-013-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 26, Article XI, Division 2ofthe Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances related to flood damage prevention, motion to adopt by Tabor seconded by Rubin, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury, Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 13: JO-014-2026 Ajoint 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 acertain portion of a20’ drainage servitude and the dedication of anew 20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20 of the BrookshireSouth Phase ISubdivision, located at 207 RutherfordCourt, and authorizing the Lafayette MayorPresident to execute an Act of Abandonment in order to effectuate the abandonment on behalfofthe City of Lafayette, Parish of Lafayette, and the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, motion to adopt by Tabor,seconded by Guilbeau, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 14: JO-015-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 89 of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances a/k/a the Lafayette Development Code (LDC), motion to adopt by Stansbury,seconded by Rubin.

Amotion to clarify plat vacation application procedures and requires mailed notice to non-applicantproperty owners within the affected area, offered by Stansbury,seconded by Guilbeau, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to update stormwater design standards to include townhomes/ rowhouses under commercial and multi-use drainage criteria, offered by Guilbeau, seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to allow the Council or Planning Commission to waive the two-year reapplication restriction for denied bar/lounge conditional use permits in the Downtown “D” district, with conditions, offered by Tabor seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to refine landscaping installation standards to ensureproper soil preparation and plant growth conditions, offered by Rubin, seconded by Tabor,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to establish minimum water line sizing and provider approval requirements for utility infrastructureinunincorporated parish developments, offered by Tabor,seconded by Stansbury,and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

The Chairthen called for avote to adopt, as amended, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt, as amended was approved.

Comments on Amendment #2:

Stansbury asked for clarification on the amendment and Jessica Cornay explained that town homes

to be residential.

Comments on Amendment #3: Rubin asked for confirmation that if an appellant wasturned down, that they could come back beforetwo (2) years. Legal con

possible.

Comments on Amendment #4: Guilbeau inquired if therewould be inspectionstocheck on this and Neil Lebouef stated that Environmental Quality is already doing this.

APPEAL

AGENDA ITEM NO. 15: Appeal of Notice of Judgment of Condemnation and Order of Demolition: 110 Limoges St., Duson, Louisiana 70529

A.A.B. Case #26-0996

Stansbury made amotion to grant the appeal, seconded by Tabor,and the vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to grant the appeal was approved.

Kathy Trahan gave asummary of the case. The Appellant, Hunter DeVillier,was present and confirmed that he had a buyer lined up to purchase the property that would complete all needed improvements.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES ON BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 16: Avacancy exists on the Keep Lafayette Beautiful Committee for the remainder of atwo-year term which expires March1 2028.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 17: Avacancy exists on the Industrial Development Boardfor the remainder of asix-year term which expires March31, 2030. Individuals wishing to submit aresumefor the above volunteer vacancies must be aregisteredvoter and aresident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all appointees is required as is financial disclosureunder certain circumstances. Resumes aretobeforwarded 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,May 19, 2026 with appointment(s) to be made at the Tuesday,June 2, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Lafayette Parish Council.

CONSIDER APPOINTMENT(S)BYTHE COUNCIL, AS AWHOLE, TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 18: Appointment of Brecky Lavigne to the Atchafalaya Trace Commission for athree-year term effective June 1, 2026, Guilbeau nominated Brecky Lavigne, and the vote wasasfollows: LAVIGNE: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Brecky Lavigne was appointed.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 19: LCVC -Appointment of Aadi Patel to the Lafayette Convention &Visitors Commission for the remainder of afour-year term which expires December 31, 2027. Nomination list provided by the Hotel/Motel Association.Rubin nominated Aadi Patel, and the vote wasasfollows:

PATEL: Tabor,Richard, Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Aadi Patel was appointed.

INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

Amotion to introduce, in globo, items 20 thru 22 was offered by Guilbeau, seconded by Rubin.

20. PO-017-2026Anordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by transferring $10,000 from the Parish Council District 5Capital Appropriation to the Council OfficeParish Tourism account for additional funding needed for obligations associated with the closing reception of the 2026 National Association of Counties Annual Conference &Exposition and for the hosting of the Police Jury Association of Louisiana Region 3Meeting.

21. PO-018-2026Anordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring $35,000 from the Parish Council District 2Capital Appropriation to the Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture(PARC) Department for atennis court-to-pickleball court conversion project at Judice Park and by transferring $15,000 from the Parish Council District 2Capital Appropriation to the PARC Department for an archery range project at Duson Park.

22. PO-019-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 capital budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by transferring$100,000 from Fund 2060 Fund Balance to the LASCC Livestock BarnProject and appropriating within the Elected Officials CAO Department, Animal Shelter and CareDivision. The Chair then called for avote to introduce the ordinances (items 20 thru 22), 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 INTRODUCTORYORDINANCES

Item #24 has been pulled for separate vote and discussion.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 23: JO-016-2026A joint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting the manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide funding for asalary adjustmentwithin the Office of Finance &Management, motion to introduce by Tabor,seconded by Stansbury,and the vote wasasfollows: YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None

ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 24: JO-017-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget and adjusting the manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to provide funding for asalary adjustment within the PARC Department, motion to defer indefinitely by Rubin, seconded by Stansbury,and the vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Richard, Tabor,Stansbury,Guilbeau, Rubin

NAYS: None

ABSENT:None ABSTAIN: None Motion to defer indefinitely was approved.

COMMENT(S) FROM THE PUBLIC

AGENDA ITEM NO. 25: Comments from the public on any other matter(s) not on an agenda and arewithin the legislative power of the Lafayette Parish Council. Therewas no public comment.

(5:53:00) ADJOURN

Therebeing no further business to come beforethe Council, Chair Richard declared the Regular Meeting adjourned.

/s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz

JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ, LAFAYETTE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL

of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto, or upon override of aveto, whichever occurs first. *** **

ORDINANCE NO. JO-011-2026 AJOINT ORDINANCEOFTHE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL ADJUSTING THE MANNINGTABLES AND AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING AND CAPITALIMPROVEMENTBUDGETSOFTHE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TO REFLECT CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS AND AMENDMENTS RELATIVE TO THE REORGANIZATIONS OF THE PARKS, ARTS, RECREATION &CULTURE DEPARTMENT,THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT,THE DRAINAGE DEPARTMENT AND THE TRAFFIC, ROADS, AND BRIDGES DEPARTMENT

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that:

WHEREAS, Ordinance No. JO-023-2025 implemented the administrative reorganization of the Parks, Arts, Recreation &Culture Department and Ordinance No. JO-071-2025 approved the renaming of the Public Works Department to the Capital Improvements Department and implemented the administrative reorganization of the Capital Improvements Department, the Drainage Department and the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department; and

WHEREAS, certain administrative realignments and/or reallocations and budget revisions werenot reflected in the manning tables and budgetary revisions attendant to the respective administrative reorganizations; and WHEREAS, adjustments and/or revisions to the manning tables and amendments to the FY 25/26 operating and capital improvement budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government arenecessary to reflect the administrative adjustments to the manning tables and budget revisions that wereomitted from the revised manning tables and budget amendments provided at the time of the respective administrative reorganizations.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that:

SECTION 1: All of the aforesaid “Whereas” clauses areadopted as part of this joint ordinance.

SECTION 2: The Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council hereby authorize, approve and ratify the amendments, adjustments and/or revisions to the manning tables associated with the prior reorganizations of the Parks, Arts, Recreation &CultureDepartment, the Capital Improvements Department, the Drainage Department and the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department, which werepreviously omitted and arenow reflected in any pertinent documents which areattached hereto and made apart hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council.

SECTION 3: The Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council hereby further authorize, approve and ratify the amendments to theFY25/26 operating and capital improvement budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government relative to the prior reorganizations of the Parks, Arts, Recreation &CultureDepartment, the Capital Improvements Department, the Drainage Department and the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department, which werepreviously omitted and are now reflected in any pertinent documents which areattached hereto and made apart hereof and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Council.

SECTION 4: All ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith arehereby repealed.

SECTION 5: After first having been adopted by amajority of the authorized membership of both the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council, this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signatureofthis joint ordinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto, or upon override of aveto, whichever occurs first ** ***

ORDINANCE NO. JO-012-2026 AJOINT ORDINANCEOFTHE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE LAFAYETTE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO ENTER INTO AMAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT AND THE STATEOFLOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT CONCERNINGTHE MAINTENANCE OF STATEROADWAYS TO INCLUDE MOWING AND LITTER PICKUP AND AMENDING THE FY 25/26 OPERATING BUDGET OF THE LAFAYETTE CITYPARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT BY DECREASING THE USE OF FUND BALANCE AND INCREASING REIMBURSEMENT REVENUE FROM THE STATEOFLOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,920

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council, that: WHEREAS,pursuant to the provisions of LSA-R.S. 48:193, the State of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (hereinafter referred to as “DOTD”) is directed to repair and keep in operating condition, at its sole cost and expense, all municipal roads and streets within the State Highway System as it is defined in LSA-R.S. 48:191; and WHEREAS, further,LSA-R.S. 48:193 authorizes municipalities to request that the repair and maintenance of said State Roadways located within their respective municipalities be performed by the municipality,at the State’sexpense; and WHEREAS,DOTD lacks sufficient personnel and equipment to perform mowing and litter collection on aroutineand continuing basis and wishes to enter into an agreement with the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government (hereinafter referred to as “LCG”) to perform maintenance directly related to mowing and litter collection on certain StateRoadways located with the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette; and WHEREAS,DOTD and LCG desiretoenter into aMaintenance Agreement (hereinafter referred to as “Agreement”) to set forth each party’sresponsibilities as to the Project; and WHEREAS,Article VII, Section 14(C) of the 1974 Constitution of the State of Louisiana and LSA-R.S. 33:1324, et seq. provide that, for apublic purpose, public entities, parishes, municipalities and political subdivisions may engage in and make cooperative endeavor agreements/ intergovernmental agreements between

hereto.

SECTION 3: SYNOPSIS.The

by the

of the Agreement shall be on the date on which the last signing has affixed its signaturethereto and the termination date shall be June 30, 2027.

SECTION 4: The FY 25/26 operating budget of LCG is hereby amended by decreasing the use of Fund 2600 PY Fund Balance

6:

ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith arehereby repealed.

SECTION 7: After first having been adopted by amajority of the authorized membership of both the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council,this joint ordinance shall become effective upon signatureofthis joint ordinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signatureorveto, or upon an override of aveto, whichever occurs first.

ORDINANCE NO. JO-013-2026

AJOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING CHAPTER 26, ARTICLE XI, DIVISION 2OFTHE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATED TO FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council,that:

WHEREAS,the Lafayette City Council and Lafayette Parish Council desiretoamend Chapter 26, Article XI, Division 2ofthe Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances related to Flood Damage Prevention, the same being necessary to further the health, safety and welfareofthe citizens of the City of Lafayette and unincorporated Lafayette Parish.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council and Lafayette Parish Council,that:

SECTION 1: All of the aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses areadopted as part of this ordinance.

SECTION 2: Chapter 26, Article XI, Division 2, Section 26-701 “Definitions” of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Code of Ordinances is hereby amended in the following particulars, with words in strikethrough being deletions from existing law,and words underscored and boldfaced being additions: Sec. 26-701. -Definitions.

Appeal: Arequest for areview of the floodplain administrator’s determination of certain provisions of this division. The director of the development and planningdrainage department shall hear all such appeals and render judgment.

Appurtenant Structure: Astructurethat is on the same parcel of property as the principal structuretobeinsured and the use of which is incidental to the use of the principal structure. Area of future conditions flood hazard: The land area that would be inundated by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood based on future-conditions hydrology

Area of shallow flooding: Adesignated AO, AH zone on a community’s flood insurance rate map (FIRM), with aone percent chance or greater annual chance of flooding to an average depth of one to three feet, wherea clearly defined channel does not exist, wherethe path of flooding is unpredictable and wherevelocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow Area of special flood hazard: The land in the floodplain within a community subject to aone percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year.The area may be designated as Zone Aonthe Flood HazardBoundary Map(FHBM). After detailed ratemaking has been completed in preparation for publication of the FIRM,Zone A usuallyisrefined into Zones A, AE, AH,AO, A1-99, VI-30, VE or V. For purposes of these regulations, the term “special flood hazard area” is synonymous in meaning with the phrase “area of special flood hazard”.

Base flood: The flood having aone percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year,also referred to as the 100year flood. Base flood elevation (BFE): The water surface elevation of the base flood in relation to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) or other datum wherespecified. The elevation shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and found in the accompanying Flood Insurance Study (FIS) for Zones A, AE, AH, A1-A30, AR, V1V30, or VE that indicates the water surface elevation resulting from the flood that has a1%chance of equaling or exceeding that level in any given year –also called the Base Flood.

Base flood elevation determination: An engineering evaluation of a flooding source performed through detailed methods of study of the floodplain geometry or topography,hydrology and hydraulic analyses to determine the base flood elevation as aresult of the peak flood discharges during the base flood event or the flooding having aone percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.The determination shouldprovide the basic information on the scope and methodology of the topographic, hydrologic and/or hydraulic analyses that areprepared in support of the existing conditions of the area of special flood hazarddesignated as “Zone A”. All analyses must be completed in accordance with the applicable sections of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations.

Basement: Any area of the building having its floor subgrade (below ground level) on all sides.

Breakaway wall: Awall that is not part of the structural support of the building and is intended through its design and construction to collapse under specificlateral loading forces, without causing damage to the elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system. Community rating system (CRS): Aprogram developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide incentives for those communities in the Regular Program of the NFIP that has gone beyond the minimum floodplainmanagement requirements to develop extra measures to provide protection from flooding. Critical feature: An integral and readily identifiablepart of a flood protection system, without which the flood protection provided by the entiresystem would be compromised.

Development: Any manmade change in improved and unimproved real estate, including but not limited to, buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage equipment and materials.

Development and planning: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Development and Planning Department. Development and planning director: The Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government Development and Planning Department Director Elevated building: Anon-basement building: (1) Built, in the case of abuilding in Zone A1-30, AE, A, A99, AO, AH, B, C, Xand D, to have the top of the

developments to ensurethat all necessary permits have been obtained from those federal, state or local governmental agencies (including permits required by Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, 33 USC 1334) from which prior approval is required.

(5) Whereinterpretation is needed as to the exact location of the boundaries of the area of special flood hazard(for example, wherethereappears to be aconflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions), the floodplain administrator shall make the necessary interpretation. Any appeal of the floodplain administrator’s interpretation shall follow subsections 26-704 (F) and (G).

(6) The floodplain administrator shall notify,inriverine situations, adjoining communities and the state coordinating agency which is the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency

(7) The floodplain administrator shall ensurethat the floodcarrying capacity within the altered or relocated portion of any watercourse is maintained.

(8) When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance with subsection 26-702 (G), basis for establishing areas of special flood hazard, the floodplain administrator shall obtain, review and reasonably utilize any base flood elevation data and other floodway data available from afederal, state or other source, in order to administer the provision of the administration and enforcement section of this division.

(9) When aregulatory floodway has not been designated, the floodplain administrator must requirethat no new construction, substantial improvements or other development, including fill, shall be permitted within Zone A1-30 and AE on the community’sFIRM, unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood morethan one foot at any point within the community

(10)Under the provision of 44 CFR chapter 1, section 65.12 of the National Flood Insurance Program regulations, acommunity may approve certain development in Zones A1-30, AE and AH on the community’sFIRM which increases the water surface elevation of the Base Flood by morethan one foot, provided that the community first completes all of the provisions required by Section 65.12 of 44 CFR.

(11) After adisaster or other type of damage occurrence to structures in the community of the City of Lafayette and the unincorporated areas of Lafayette Parish, determine if the residential and non-residential structuresand manufactured homes have been substantially damaged, and enforce the substantial improvement requirement.

(12) Maintain arecordofall actions involving an appeal from a decision of the director of the drainagedepartment.

(13) Prepare, obtain, and maintain all documentation necessary for the annual certification of the community rating system program review and designatedrenewal period to complete certification of the program.

(c) Floodplain administrator review

(1) Subdivision plan review

a. The floodplain administrator will review the proposed project to determine if the subject property is located in a special flood hazard area.

b. If it is determined that the subject property is located in aspecial flood hazardarea, the floodplain administrator ensures that the provisions of this division and the appropriate section of the 44 CFR National Flood Insurance Program regulations arefollowed pertaining to floodplain management.

(2) Building permit review

a. Application for adevelopment permit shall be presented to the floodplain administrator on forms furnished by him/ her,and may include, but shall not be limited to, plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the location, dimensions and elevation of proposed landscape alterations, existing and proposed structures, and their location in relation to areas of special flood hazard. The following information is required:

i. Elevation in relation to mean sea level of the lowest floor,including basement, of all new and substantially improved structures.

ii. Elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any nonresidential structureshall be floodproofed.

iiiii. Acertificate from aregistered professional engineeror architect that the nonresidential floodproofed structure shall meet the floodproofing criteria of subsection 26704 (B)(2)(b)(1)(b) &(b)(2)(b).

iiiiv For all final elevation certificates, the certifier must provide at least two photographs showing the front and rear of the building taken within 90 days from the date of certification. The photographs must be taken with views confirming the building description and diagram number.Ifthe building has split-level or multi-level areas, provide at least two additional photographs showing side views of the building. All photographs must be in color and measureatleast three inches by three inches. Digital photographs are acceptable.

v. Adescription of the extent to which any watercourse or natural drainagewill be altered or relocated as aresult of proposed development.

vi. The floodplain administrator shall maintain a recordofall such informationinaccordance with subsection 26-703(Bb).

b. Adescription of the extent to which any watercourse or natural drainage will be altered or relocated as aresult of proposed development. The floodplain administrator shall maintain arecordofall such information in accordance with subsection 26-703(B).

c b.Approval or denial of adevelopment permit by the floodplain administrator shall be based on all of the provisions of this section and the following relevant factors:

i. The danger to life and property due to flooding or erosion damage.

ii. The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner.

iii. The danger that materials may be swept onto other lands to the injury of others.

iv.The compatibility of the proposed use with existing and anticipated development.

v. The safety of access to the property in times of flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles.

vi. The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of streets and bridges, public utilities and facilities such as sewer,gas, electrical and water systems.

vii. The expected heights, velocity,duration, rate of rise and sediment transport of the floodwatersand the effects of wave action, if applicable, expected at the site.

viii. The necessity to the facility of awaterfront location, whereapplicable.

ix. The availability of alternative locations, not subject to flooding or erosion damage, for the proposed use.

x. The relationship of the proposed use to the comprehensive plan for that area.

(3) Driveways, streets, roads or similar constructionprojects.

a. The floodplain administrator will review the proposed project to determine if the subject property is located in a special flood hazardarea.

b. If it is determined that the subject property is located in aspecial flood hazardareathe floodplain administrator ensures that the provisions of this division and the appropriate section of the 44 CFR National Flood Insurance Program regulations arefollowed pertaining to floodplain management. SECTION 5:Chapter 26, Article XI, Division 2, Section 26-704 “Flood HazardReduction”

minimum lowest floor elevation be one foot above the higher of the following four measurements: i. Base flood elevation as determined by the latest flood insurance rate map (FIRM) as issued by the FEMA; ii. Centerline of the nearest street across from or adjacent to the structure;

calculation requirements result in an unreasonable elevation, awaiver may be requested.

d. Alicensed land surveyor or engineer will be required to certify ii. and iii. above through the use of an elevation certificate (b) Specificstandards. In all special flood hazardareas wherebase

flood elevation data has been provided as set forth in subsections 26-702(G), 26-703(B)(8) or 26-704(D)(3), the following provisions arerequired: (1) In all special flood hazardareas wherebase flood elevation data has been provided as set forth in subsections 26702(g), 26-703(b)(8) or 26-704(d)(3), the following provisions arerequired:

1. a. Residential construction: New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structureshall have the lowest floor (including basement and garage, or carport) elevated to aminimum of 12 inches above the base flood elevation elevated to meet freeboard requirements set forth in 26-704(a)(2).Attached garages and utilities (including electrical,heating, ductwork, ventilating, plumbing, and air conditioning equipment) must also be protected to 12 inches above the base flood elevation meet these requirements.Aregistered professional engineer,architect or land surveyor shall submit acertification to the floodplain administrator that the standards of this subsection have been satisfied

2.b.Nonresidential construction: New construction and substantial improvements of any commercial, industrial or other nonresidential structureshall either have the lowest floor,including basement and garage, or carport, elevated to aminimum of 12 inches above the BFE elevated to meet freeboardrequirements set forth in 26-704(a)(2) or together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, be designed so that below the BFE this requirement the structureiswatertight with walls substantially impermeabletothe passage of water and with structural components having the capabilityofresisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy.A registered professional engineer or architect shall develop and/or review structural design, specifications and plans for the construction and shall certify that the design and methods of construction areinaccordance with accepted standards of practice as outlined in this subsection. A recordofsuch certification which includes the specific elevation, in relation to mean sea level, to which such structures are floodproofed, shall be maintained by the floodplain administrator

3.c.Enclosures: New construction and substantial improvements, with fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor that areusablesolely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than abasement and which aresubject to flooding shall be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. Designs for meeting this requirement must either be certified by aregistered professional engineer or architect or meet or exceed the following minimum criteria:

a.i. Aminimum of two openings on separate walls having atotal net area of not less than one squareinch for every squarefoot of enclosed area subject to flooding shall be provided.

b.ii.The bottom of all openings shall be no higher than one foot above grade.

c.iii.Openings may be equipped with screens, louvers, valves or other coverings or devices provided that they permitthe automatic entry and exit of floodwaters.

4.d.Wet floodproofing of qualified accessorystructures: Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 26-704(b)(1) (a)(B)(1) above, accessory structures meeting the following requirements may be wet floodproofed in lieu of elevation. For purposes of this subsection, “wet floodproofing” shall mean permanent or contingent measures applied to astructureand/or its contents that prevent or provide resistance to damage from flooding by allowing waters to enter the structure. Requirements for wet floodproofing areasfollows:

a.i. Use of the accessory structuremust be limited to parking or limited storage and not human habitation.

b.ii.The structuremust be no larger than 1,000 square feet. Any structurelarger than 1,000 squarefeet, must meet the regular flood protection requirements (e.g., elevated above the BFE plus one foot freeboard elevated to meet freeboardrequirementsset forth in 26-704(a)(2)).

c.iii.The structuremust meet all other requirements of this division. For example, if the site is in a floodway,it must be demonstrated that the structurewill not cause and obstruction to flood flows.

d.iv The accessory structuremust be built with floodresistant material for the exterior and interior building components and elements (i.e., foundation, wall framing, exterior and interior finished, flooring, etc.) below the BFE freeboardrequirements set forth in 26-704(a)(2)

e.v. The accessory structuremust be adequatelyanchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement of the structure. All of the building’sstructural components must be capable of resisting specific flood related forces, including hydrostatic, buoyancy, hydrodynamic, and debris impact forces.

f.vi.The accessory structuremust meet the NFIP openings requirements spelled out in subsection 26-704(b)(1)(c) (i)-(iii) (B)(3)(a-c) above.

g.vii.Any mechanical, electrical,orother utility equipment must be located 12 inches above the BFE elevated to meet freeboardrequirementsset forth in 26-704(a) (2) or floodproofed so that it is contained within a watertight, floodproofed enclosurecapableofresisting damage during flood conditions to the same elevation.

h.viii.Major equipment, machinery,orother contents must be located at aminimum of 12 inches above the BFE. elevated to meet freeboardrequirements set forth in 26-704(a)(2). ix. Aproperty owner must provide aNon-Conversion Agreement prior to the issuance of the permit for the qualified accessory structures and attached

(1)

(D) and (E).

(2) All proposals for the development of asubdivision, including manufactured home parks and subdivisions, shall meet the development permit requirements of subsection 26-703(C)(2) a.i., andthe provisionsofthe flood hazardreduction section of this division in subsection 26-704.

(3) Base flood elevation data shall be generated for subdivision proposals and other proposed developments, including manufactured home parks and subdivisions, which aregreater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is less, if not otherwise provided pursuant to subsection 26-702(G) or subsection 26703(B)(8).

(4) All subdivision proposals, including manufactured home parks and subdivisions, shall have adequate drainage provided to reduceexposureto flood hazards.

(5)All subdivision proposals, including manufactured home parks andsubdivisions, shall have public utilities and facilities such as sewer,gas, electrical and water systemslocated and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage.

(e) Standards for floodways. Located within areas of special flood hazardestablished in subsection 26-702(H) areareas designated as floodways. Sincethe floodway is an extremely hazardous area due to the velocity of floodwater, which carries debris and potential projectilesand haserosion potential, the following provisions shall apply:

(1) Encroachments areprohibited, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements and other development; unless certification by aprofessional registeredengineer or architect is provided demonstrating that encroachments shall not result in any increasein flood levels within the community during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.

(2) If subsection (1) of this section is satisfied, all new construction andsubstantial improvements shall comply with all applicable flood hazarddeduction provisions of the flood hazard reduction section of this division.

(3) The placement of any manufactured homes is prohibited except to replace an existing manufactured home in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision.

(f) Variances (1) Request for avariance or variances of the application of any provisions or requirements of this article must be submitted in writing within ten days of the floodplain administrator’s determination to the LCG Development and PlanningDrainage Department.

SECTION 6:All of theaforedescribed amendmentsofChapter26, Article XI, Division 2, contained hereinabove shall be effective November 1st, 2026.

SECTION 7: All ordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof, in conflict herewith, arehereby repealed.

SECTION 8: After first having been adopted by amajority of the authorized membership of both the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette ParishCouncil,this joint ordinance shall becomeeffective ten

(10) days after signatureofthis joint ordinance by the Lafayette MayorPresident, the lapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette MayorPresident without signatureorveto, or upon override of aveto, whichever occurs first.

ORDINANCE NO. JO-014-2026

AJOINT 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 Acertain portion of a20’ DRAINAGE SERVITUDE AND THE DEDICATION OF ANEW 20’ DRAINAGE SERVITUDE ON LOT 20 OF THE BROOKSHIRESOUTH PHASE ISUBDIVISION, LOCATED AT 207 RUTHERFORD COURT, AND AUTHORIZINGTHE LAFAYETTE MAYOR-PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN ACT OF ABANDONMENT IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATETHE ABANDONMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, AND THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT

BE IT ORDAINED by 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,and jointly, as the governing authority of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, that: WHEREAS,a20’ drainage servitude was dedicated to the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, on Lot 20 of the Brookshire SouthPhase ISubdivision, by that certain act of dedication and plat of survey conveyance prepared by Walter S. Comeaux R.P.L.S. dated 05/27/2015, recorded under Act No.2015-00019825 of the Lafayette Parish Conveyance Records; attached hereto and made apart hereof as ExhibitB;and WHEREAS,the 20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20, has been proposed for abandonment and is clearly shown on aplat of survey prepared by Joe Maniscalco Jr.R.P.L.S. dated January 29, 2026, attached hereto and made apart hereof; and Exhibit C;and

WHEREAS, it has been determined by 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,and jointly,asthe governing authority of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government, that acertain portion of a20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20 of BrookshireSouthPhase ISubdivision in the City of Lafayette in the City of Lafayette is no longer needed for public use and, accordingly,itisappropriate to abandon that certain portion of the 20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20, subject to the conditions detailed herein.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Counciland the Lafayette Parish Council,acting in their capacity as the governing authorityofthe City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette, respectively,and jointly,asthe governing authority of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government, that:

SECTION 1: Allofthe aforedescribed “Whereas” clauses areadopted as part of this joint ordinance.

SECTION 2: 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,and jointly, as the governing authorityofthe Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, hereby abandon that certainportion of a20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20 of BrookshireSouthPhase ISubdivision in the City of Lafayette, as shown on the plat of survey prepared by Joe Maniscalco Jr.R.P.L.S. dated January 29, 2026, acopy of which is attached hereto and made apart hereof as Exhibit C; said abandonment herein, pursuant to Louisiana law,shall be subject to those certain Utility &Drainage Servitudes, and the termsand conditions related thereto, as established in that certainDeclaration of Utility &Drainage Servitudes by Destination of Owner Dated March 20, 2026, and recorded under Entry No.202600010050 of the Conveyance Records of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.

SECTION3: 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 Government in order to effectuate the abandonment of certain portion of a20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20 of Brookshire South Phase ISubdivision in the City of Lafayette, as shown on the plat of survey prepared by Joe Maniscalco Jr.R.P.L.S. dated January 29, 2026, acopy of which is attached hereto and made apart hereof as Exhibit C

SECTION 4: The Act of Abandonment authorized in Section3 shall be substantiallyinthe form attached hereto as Exhibit C,but may be revised, and may contain such additional provisions, as the Lafayette Mayor-President, in consultation with the Lafayette City-Parish Attorney may deem necessary,convenient,ordesirable to carry out the intent and provisions of this joint ordinance.

SECTION5: Allordinances or resolutions, or parts thereof,inconflict herewith arehereby repealed.

ORDINANCE NO. JO-015-2026

AJOINT ORDINANCE OF THE LAFAYETTE CITYCOUNCIL AND THE LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AMENDING CHAPTER 89 OF THE LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISHCONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT CODE OF ORDINANCES A/K/A THE LAFAYETTE DEVELOPMENT CODE (LDC)

BE IT ORDAINED by the Lafayette City Council andthe Lafayette Parish Council, that: WHEREAS,onDecember 16, 2020, by Ordinance JO-111-2020,

SECTION6: After first having been adopted by amajority of the authorized membership of boththe Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette City Council,this joint ordinance shallbecome effective upon signatureofthis joint ordinance by the Lafayette Mayor-President, the elapse of ten (10) days after receipt by the Lafayette Mayor-President without signature or veto, or upon override of aveto, whichever occurs first

PROCEEDINGSOFTHE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A

REGULAR MEETING OF MAY5 2026 HELD AT 705 W. UNIVERSITY

AVENUE, LAFAYETTE, LA.

ATTENDANCE

COUNCIL: Kenneth Boudreaux (Chair,District 5), Liz Hebert (Vice-Chair District 3) Andy Naquin (District 2) and Thomas Hooks (District 4)

ABSENT: Elroy Broussard(District 1)

COUNCIL STAFF: Joseph Gordon-Wiltz (Clerk of the Council), Cindy M. Semien (Associate Clerk for Legislative Affairs) and Kelly Comeaux (Assistant Clerk for Legislative Affairs)

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Monique B. Boulet (Mayor-President), Rachel Godeaux (Chief Administrative Officer), Karen Fontenot (Chief Financial Officer), Robbie Mahtook (City-Parish Attorney), and Paul Escott (Assistant City-Parish Attorney)

(6:02:00) COMMENCEMENT

Call to order

Chair Boudreaux called the Regular City Council Meeting of May 5, 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 Hooks to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

WELCOME AND CHAIR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Boudreaux made the following announcements:

•Elroy Broussard, City Council District 1, will be absent due to illness.

•Item #16- JO-015-2026-(LDC amendments ordinance) -Legal has submitted five (5) floor amendments to be considered individually as follows:

•Anamendment to clarify plat vacation application procedures and requires mailed notice to non-applicant property owners within the affected area;

•Anamendment to update stormwater design standards to include townhomes/row houses under commercial and multi-use drainage criteria;

•Anamendment to allow the Council or Planning Commission to waive the two-year reapplication restriction for denied bar/ lounge conditional use permits in the Downtown “D” district, with conditions;

•Anamendment to refine landscaping installation standards to ensureproper soil preparation and plant growth conditions; and

•Anamendment to establish minimum water line sizing and provider approval requirements for utility infrastructureinunincorporated parish developments.

•Item #25 -JO-017-2026 The CAO requested that this item be deferred indefinitely,asthe

•employee for whom the adjustment was being proposed is no longer with the PARC Department.

•Wished Karen Fontenot, Chief Financial Officer,aHappy Birthday which she celebrates on May 10th.

Joseph Gordon-Wiltz, Clerk of the Council, announced that all the suggested amendments for Item #16 werepassed by the Parish Council

AGENDAITEM NO. 2: COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS TherewerenoCouncil announcements.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: EXECUTIVE/MAYOR-PRESIDENT’S REPORT

a. Budget-to-Actual Comparison of Major City Funds –March 2026

Preliminary

Boulet noted that the monthly Budget-to-Actual Comparisons areto comply with statewide auditing procedures.

b. Audit Findings Update –April 2026

Boulet noted that they arerequired monthly to give an update to the Louisiana Legislative Auditoronthe report findings.

Boulet’sannouncements:

•The audit is down to only five (5) findings. She stressed how proud she was for all the hardwork done and thanked all that were involved in the process.

•The new FireChief, Earl Borden was introduced and spoke on how he was honored and privileged to be here in Lafayette.

He thanked the Councilmembersfor their participation in the interview process.

•National Day of Prayer will be held May 7th at 7:30am at the St. John’sCathedral Hall and all areinvited.

•The final Drainage meeting will be May 12th at 6PM at Dupuis Recreation Center •Condolences wereoffered to the Odom family on the loss of their daughter in ashooting.

•A reminder about the upcoming vote to renew amillage that provides 65 percent of the revenue for libraries in the parish was given and it was stressed that this is not anew tax but arenewal and encouraged all to go vote.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Tararra Babaz, Aubree Babaz, and Catherine Zembower v. Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, et al Docket No. C-20256952 Division G

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: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to enter into executive session was approved.

Motion to returnfromexecutive session by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None

Motion to returnfrom executive session was approved.

Motiontoaccept 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 budgetaryadjustments contingent on the execution of relevant settlement documents, in connection therewith by Hebert, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to accept recommendations was approved.

RESOLUTIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: CR-010-2026 Aresolution of the Lafayette City Council recognizing and commending the Jay &Lionel Hebert Municipal Golf Course upon the occasion of its historic legacy,community impact, and enduring contributions to the game of golf in the City of Lafayette, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

Boudreaux announced it was the Centennial Celebration and had Chris Arceneaux and his emplyees and volunteers step forwardtothe podium while the entireresolution wasread aloud.

Chris Arceneaux spoke and gave thanks. He gave some history on Jay Lionel and encouraged all to come out to the golf course.

Cecile Holt spoke of event for women to participate in.

Matthew Marsiglia spoke about programs for the young at the golf course. Naquin gave thanks also for all the programs that Chris provided.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: CR-011-2026 Aresolution of the Lafayette City

Council granting authority to take preliminary action relative to approval of one (1) or morecontracts related to natural gas service for the electric system and providing for other matters in connection therewith, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: Naquin, Hooks, Boudreaux

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

REPORTAND/OR DISCUSSION ITEMS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Lafayette Transit System service routes

Warren Abadie, Director of Traffic, Roads, and Bridges, thanked Boudreaux for putting this item on the agenda. He provided apresentation outlining all the services offered and said that they would love to accommodate all requests but studies would need to be completed due to limited capacities. He also spoke about Real-Time tracking apps and mentioned that feedback from the public was important to them in the decisionmaking process. More drivers arenow currently employed than before.

Mike Mitchell,Transit &Parking Manager spoke Title IV Meet and Greets provided to the public.

Provisions arestill being made for LPSS students with their student ID’s.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Discussion of the Status of the Adjudicated Property Disposition Process within Lafayette Consolidated Government

Naquin mentioned concerns about the process being put on hold and also expressed concerns about asituation wheretwo (2) applicants applied for the same property.Hestated being worried about the futureand how this wouldmove forward.

The CAOmentioned that they would not wait for the state’schanges to move forwardwith updating the process.

Dayries provided information on aconsultant they would like to use to help in changing the process and that the service would be provided at no cost to LCG.

Boudreaux suggested acommittee be formed to work on changes. He is concerned that most properties fall into District 1and District 5.

Tina Bingham spoke about the Mccomb area and their challenges and that the process needs to be faster and moreefficient.

Margaret Hebert shared heresituation at home with trying to get rid of a renter and not being able to speak with aperson on the phone and having to complete the application online.

Dominique Mouton mentioned issues on the Northside of town with the process also taking too long and encouraged the Councilmen to visit the Northside.

ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: CO-028-2026 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 arenolonger needed for public purposes, as per the attached list (PublicAuction and Public Internet Auction), motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 10: CO-032-2026 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 the Systems Analyst per Civil Service recommendation and to provide funding for theCommunications Sales Representative incentive pay plan within the Communications Department, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

JOINT ORDINANCES FOR FINAL ADOPTION

AGENDA ITEM NO. 11: JO-010-2026 Ajoint 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 Hooks, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 12: JO-011-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council adjusting the manning tables and amending the FY 25/26 operating and capital improvement budgets of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government to reflect certain adjustments and amendments relative to the reorganizations of the Parks, Arts, Recreation &CultureDepartment, the Capital Improvements Department, the Drainage Department and the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 13: JO-012-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to enter into amaintenance agreement between the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and the State of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development concerning the maintenance of state roadways to include mowing and litter pickup and amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government by decreasing the use of fund balance and increasing reimbursement revenue from the State of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development in the amount of $3,920, motion to adopt by Hooks, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows: YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 14: JO-013-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 26, Article XI, Division 2ofthe Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government

Code of Ordinances related to flood damage prevention, motion to adopt by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 15: JO-014-2026 Ajoint 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 acertain portion of a20’ drainage servitude and the dedication of anew 20’ drainage servitude on Lot 20 of the Brookshire South Phase ISubdivision, located at 207 RutherfordCourt, and authorizing the Lafayette Mayor-President to execute an Act of Abandonment in order to effectuatethe abandonment on behalfofthe City of Lafayette, Parish of Lafayette, and the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government, motion to adopt by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 16: JO-015-2026 Ajoint ordinance of the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council amending Chapter 89

Amotion to clarify plat vacation application procedures and requires mailed notice to non-applicant property owners within the affected area, offered by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to update stormwater design standards to include townhomes/ rowhouses under commercial and multi-use drainage criteria, offered by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to allow the Council or Planning Commission to waive the two-year reapplication restriction for denied bar/lounge conditional use permits in the Downtown“D” district, with conditions, offered by Hooks, seconded by Naquin, and the vote wasasfollows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to refine landscapinginstallation standards to ensureproper soil preparation and plant growth conditions, offered by Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

Amotion to establish minimum water line sizing and provider approval requirements for utility infrastructureinunincorporated parish developments, offered by Hebert, seconded by Hooks, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to amend was approved.

The Chair then called for avote to adopt, as amended, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to adopt, as amended was approved.

Comments on Amendment #1:

Joe Maniscalco signed in to speak but only if there werequestions.

Comments on Amendment #3:

Hebert asked for arecap of this amendment by Legal.

Legal explained the language and said that the Council was allowed some flexibility to waive the two (2)years.

APPEAL

AGENDA ITEM NO. 17: Appeal of City Planning Commission Action Trahan Real Estate Group, Tracts C-1, C-2, C-3, &C-4

Case No. 2026-6-PC

Hooks made amotion to grant the appeal, seconded by Naquin, and the vote was as follows:

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT:Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to grant the appeal was approved.

Neil Lebouef gave asummary of the case.

The Appellant, Lance Robicheaux, waspresent. He is an engineer with Trahan Real Estate Group and spoke about the impacts of connecting the two roads involved.

Naquin and Hooks agreed with Robicheaux.

Joseph Gordon- Wiltz, the Clerk of the Council, said that apetition had been provided in which 168 signatures wereincluded and supported the connection being built. He also provide that one (1) person signed in support but did not wish to speak and that therewere6people signed in to speak and that Lance Robicheaux was one of them and already spoke.

Todd Trahan wasadeveloper and also in support of the connection not being built.

Wayne Johnson signed in, but passed on his turntospeak.

David Connellasked for support in stopping the road from being built. He is worried about all the extra trafficincluding coming for the hospital. John Tilly mentioned that he wasDavid’sneighbor and had the same concerns. He said his children would not be able to play outside in their yardifthe road wasbuilt.

Chris German is against the appeal and would like for the road to be constructed as it would provide an extra exit from the neighborhood.

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF VACANCIES ON BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

AGENDA ITEM NO. 18: Five (5) vacancies exist on the Transportation Policy Committee (the governing boardfor the Metropolitan Planning Organization) effective immediately.Applicants must be either 1) local elected officials, 2) officials of public agencies that administer or operate major modes of transportation in the metropolitan area, including representation by providers of public transportation.

AGENDA ITEM NO. 19: Avacancy will exist on the DowntownManagement Committee for athree-year term effective July 1, 2026. Applicants must ownproperty or work in downtownLafayette.

Individuals wishing to submit aresumefor the above volunteer vacancies must be aregisteredvoter and aresident of Lafayette Parish. Yearly ethics training for all appointees is required as is financial disclosureunder certain circumstances. Resumes aretobeforwarded 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,May 19, 2026 with appointment(s) to be made at the Tuesday,June 2, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Lafayette City Council.

INTRODUCTORY ORDINANCES

Amotion to introduce agenda items 20 thru 23, in globo, was offered by Naquin, seconded by Hebert.

20. CO-033-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $28,616 received from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) authorizing the transfer of matching funds in the amount of $9,539 from Fund 101 and appropriating within the Lafayette Police Department

21. CO-034-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council amending the FY 25/26 operating budget of the Lafayette CityParish Consolidated Government by increasing revenues in the amount of $25,843 received from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) and appropriating within the Lafayette Police Department.

22. CO-035-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council declaring the Johnston St./LA. Ave. InfrastructureImprovements, Segment III (Railroad to Lewis Street) Project apublic necessity and authorizingthe 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

23. CO-036-2026 An ordinance of the Lafayette City Council authorizingthe Lafayette Mayor-President to execute an act of cash sale by and between the City of Lafayette and G&M Partnership for the price and sum of $280,000 for the acquisition

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to introduce was approved.

AGENDA ITEM NO.25: JO-017-2026 Ajoint

Naquin, seconded by Hebert, and the

YEAS: Naquin, Hebert, Hooks, Boudreaux

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Broussard

ABSTAIN: None Motion to defer indefinitely was approved. (8:23:00) ADJOURN Therebeing no furtherbusiness to come beforethe Council, Chair Boudreauxdeclared the RegularMeeting adjourned. /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH