Standing up to Donald Trump and the right-wing agenda he enables has united and emboldened liberals, even here in deep-red Lafayette.
Section Cover Story
Lafayette has relied on a bar moratorium to control nightlife Downtown; our failure to address the issue with best-practices ordinances has come back to bite us.
Lafayette laid the groundwork for our tech future a decade ago with fiber. Leaders in technology, manufacturing and other fields say it’s time to fully embrace it.
23,330 reasons why former Ragin’ Cajuns quarterback Brian Mitchell belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Lafayette is poised to appoint a police chief to lead us into a post-Ferguson future. It’s critically important we get this right.
What Better Time to Eat, Lafayette?
The local eats campaign is doing important work: Keeping our food culture afloat while we wait out the storm.
Often cited as a model for Lafayette, Toronto’s urban freeways offer a mixed message for our Connector plans.
A labor of nearly a decade, Roddie Romero and Eric Adcock’s Gulfstream bristles with hearth and heart.
Lafayette took a leap of faith three decades ago with our inaugural Festival International de Louisiane. The rest is history.
AMID A NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON CONFEDERATE ICONOGRAPHY, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, SHOULD LAFAYETTE DO ABOUT OUR OWN MEMORIAL TO JIM CROW?
MOUTONS COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND COLORS
Recent plans to renovate the small triangular green space Downtown in front of the former Lafayette City Hall and to name it Place Mouton — and The New Orleans City Council’s December decision to remove four Confederate monuments from places of prominence in the Crescent City — have offered our community an incredible opportunity: to ask important questions, seek meaningful answers and benefit from a larger dialogue about our shared histories and the things we hold dear.
Few will talk on the record. Even fewer will commit to definitive answers as to what the outcome of the project, dubbed the Lafayette Connector, will or can be.
Drug-eluting stents are tiny mesh tubes that physicians use to prop open clogged arteries in order for blood to flow freely to the heart.
They’re black, white, female, male, and they’ve helped chart a course in 2015 that will impact our future in 2016 and beyond.
In analyzing the outcome of the city-parish president race, it comes down to financial reserves and how one spends them.
The next City-Parish council and mayor will have a lot on their plate over the next four years as Lafayette faces a critical juncture where meeting the demands of growth — not to mention paying for decades of unchecked growth — and financing those demands collide.
More than a decade ago, Joey Durel and Terry Huval set off on a risky trek — bringing fiber tele-com to Lafayette. The city embraced the journey and has been on a promising trajectory since.
Mike Neustrom brought an academic, data-driven approach to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office that has paid dividends in rehabilitating offenders and reducing recidivism. Replacing him this fall with the right candidate is critically important.
Long the domain of men, Acadiana’s creative dining scene is increasingly being populated — and popularized — by women.
For most, Festival International is something they experience one week out of the year. For Lisa Stafford, it's a year-round affair.
Public need and the public good are at loggerheads in Downtown Lafayette, and the impasse has stymied a progressive vision for what the area can be.
It All Goes Back to the Charter
We probably wouldn’t be having this discussion about redevelopment of the old federal courthouse if the city of Lafayette were autonomous like the five other municipalities in Lafayette Parish.
As Zachary Richard prepares an epic, multi-media celebration of the Acadians’ arrival in Louisiana 250 years ago, a younger generation of Cajun masters, Feufollet, sets sail for a new musical shore.
Bobby Jindal is demolishing Louisiana, but we elected him and the legislators who let his wrecking ball swing.
‘Consolidation’ Remains Our Achilles Heel
When city of Lafayette voters opted overwhelmingly, 67-33 percent, in November of 1992 to consolidate Lafayette city government with parish government — voters in the smaller towns of Broussard, Carencro, Duson, Scott and Youngsville chose to abstain from consolidation — the city of Lafayette and the unincorporated parish sang a lusty verse of “Come Together.”
Making Downtown Livable — One Loft at a Time
About 17 years ago the city of Lafayette recommitted itself to its Downtown — to revitalizing a dusty central business district that had long been withering on the vine. The legal and government-administration aspect was intact, but commerce had abandoned Downtown for the greener pastures of the south side.
District 4 Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux is a well-respected, politically savvy bridge builder, and he could be a spoiler in this year’s election for city-parish president.
Status Quo v. Progress: A Fight to Control Our Schools
The last three years in Lafayette Parish have proven a difficult and tired road for longtime education advocates like Greg Davis, whose hard-fought efforts finally hit a brick wall as 2014 came to a close.
Lafayette Consolidated Government’s 2014-15 budget is a tick under $604 million. It’s a 469-page document including glossaries and appendices, yet combing through its arcane pie charts, lists, tables, graphs and diagrams it’s easy to see that we in Lafayette don’t invest much in arts and culture.
You’ve probably seen by now the public service announcements for Project Front Yard, the LCG initiative backed by local businesses and civic groups to address litter and blight issues in Lafayette.
Any day now the Future Needs/ Funding Sources Committee will make its recommendations to the City-Parish Council about how to pay for the many services Lafayette Consolidated Government provides for its roughly 190,000 residents (not counting about 35,000 who live in the smaller municipalities; see our story on consolidation for why this is even a thing).
Can anything alter Lafayette’s rosy trajectory? Well yes, a sustained slump in oil prices certainly can, along with a lack of opportunity for all of our citizens.
This year’s race for city-parish president is shaping up to be one between south side Republicans. Little surprise there.
A founding member of the Grammy-nominated Basin Brothers and a regular on Acadiana stages both as a sideman and featured performer, Berard was a gifted guitarist and fiddler player.
NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR: PAT COOPER
It’s difficult to say exactly when relations between the talented, capable and at-times mercurial administrator and a school board that once supported him began their inexorable slide toward enmity and rancor, but slide they did.
Williams had claimed he was owed the money as back pay, even though no rational person with a second-grade grasp of mathematics would reasonably conclude Williams could have possibly worked the hours he claimed..
“There’s an expiration date on clean drinking water in Louisiana, and this is because of the acts of men, greed and a failed democracy — a democracy that put the flags of oil and gas companies over our state Capitol,” Honoré says during a panel discussion at the Clifton Chenier Center in Lafayette.
It sounds like the set-up to a bad B movie, but it really happened at Negreet High School in Many, where a portrait of Jesus once hung in the school lobby and Bible verses hung on the walls — until the ACLU of Louisiana filed suit on behalf of the...
It's Good, it's Bad and it's Just Crazy! As years go, 2014 was almost remarkably average. We had our share of public officials misbehaving, a legislative session dominated by sheepish lawmakers...
Election 2014: Stutes V. ‘The Scandal'
With the DA's race too close to call and negative media coverage of Mike Harson on the ebb, will challenger Keith Stutes take the gloves off? With the DA's race too close to call and negative media...
A Q&A with the 14 challengers seeking seats on the LPSB
The following questions were posed to all of the new candidates: Have you read the Turnaround Plan? Are you for it or against it? Why or why not? The following questions were posed to all of the new...
Most Important Election. Ever.
The fate of our highly qualified superintendent and his ambitious turnaround plan hang in the balance on Nov. 4. We have to get this right. [Editor's note: Since this story went to press, new...
How Lafayette's family businesses have survived despite the odds THICKER than WATER How Lafayette's family businesses have survived despite the odds By Luke Darby Photos Photos by Robin May HUB CITY...
Why Lafayette's lone taxi company has a monopoly on business yet might not last another decade
How to keep Festival International free, funky, family-friendly and, most of all, downtown How to keep Festival International free, funky, family-friendly and, most of all, downtown Yeah, yeah, we...
Denny and Katie Culbert find personal reward in a movement that unites Acadiana's culinary scene like never before. Denny and Katie Culbert find personal reward in a movement that unites Acadiana's...
How Big Oil played a major behind-the-scenes role in LSU's legacy lawsuit' study. How Big Oil played a behind-the-scenes role in LSU's 'legacy lawsuit' study **By Patrick Flanagan / Photos by Robin...
If an Acadia Parish fiddler misses a note while swatting a fly, will a St. Martinville accordionist learn "Ma Tite Fille"? Throughout Cajun and zydeco music history there are gigantic events...
The most epic Culture War battle waged in a generation is threatening to erupt in a small town in the piney woods of rural west Louisiana. The most epic Culture War battle waged in a generation is...
With a robust economy and unique culture, Lafayette is poised for a great future. But it won't just happen. We have to seize it. Powered by People With a robust economy and unique culture, Lafayette...
Found dead in her family's bathtub, Skylar Credeur's cries for help went unanswered for more than a decade. IND Monthly investigates how the justice system failed this bright, 20-year-old UL chemistry...
Another effort to shutter a downtown mega club is full steam ahead. But is this a black and white issue?
It's time this community rallies behind Superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper and insists our students come before special interests. Every headline is a small cut against us, part of a mounting injury...
How one Lafayette kitchen is turning the macho tide "She has her little step stool and climbs right up to help me," Jeremy Conner says of his young daughter, Cecile. Conner has been...
Before District Attorney Mike Harson tees off for a fifth term in office, he should seriously consider what might be coming at him. Before District Attorney Mike Harson tees off for a fifth term in...
Abbeville native David Primeaux was a popular professor until his death late last year, and while he was successful at camouflaging a dark past, he couldn't outlive it.
This year's Cool Town issue is all about people who are not native to South Louisiana but made a conscious decision to be here, to be among us, to participate in our culture and contribute to...
There's no place like dome. There's no place like dome. (Special thanks to our freelance photographers, who joined Photo Editor Robin May in covering the 2012 New Orleans Bowl for IND Monthly: Paul...
It's good, it's bad and it's just plain crazy. It's good, it's bad and it's just plain crazy. January: Clerk of Court Louis Perret pulls a hammy trying to chase down a hand-cuffed prisoner who made a...
Shhhhhhhhh ... I voted for Barack Obama
Progressives in Acadiana often have to hide their true (blue) colors.
The Louisiana descendants of the Acadians have a rich, complex history. But being Cajun is more - and less - than you think. The Louisiana descendants of the Acadians have a rich, complex history. But...
You Can Survive the Gay Apocalypse
YOU CAN SURVIVE THE GAY APOCALYPSE The signs are everywhere: a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Studies minor offered to unsuspecting students... Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 Written by The Independent...
TOP 5 REASONS TO GET TO CAJUN FIELD EARLY With success comes greater interest, which translates into more people attending UL games. TOP 5 REASONS TO GET TO CAJUN FIELD EARLY *PARKING With success...
The term sophomore slump' isn't in Mark Hudspeth's vocabulary as he enters his second season as the Ragin' Cajuns' head coach. By Dan McDonald August 15, 2012 The attitude hasn't changed that much. UL...
A dysfunctional system designed to protect children from abuse throws an Acadiana mom and her 7-year-old daughter into a nightmarish legal limbo. Heather Miller | Photos by Robin May** Aug. 8,...
August 1, 2012 By Heather Miller • Photos by Robin May Inaccessible and ill-informed, District 9 School Board rep Rae Trahan's tenure is best characterized by two words: Missing. Inaction. "By...
Need To Know Your go-to guide for living, working, playing and raising a family in Lafayette. Roads and oil. If anything set Lafayette to becoming the vibrant, bustling city it is today, it's roads...
Lafayette native Mallory Page is swiftly ascending the contemporary art world. By Lisa LeBlanc-Berry ~ Photos by Robin May July 11, 2012 The 29-year-old has recently emerged in the vibrant New Orleans...
Still more than three years out from the race to replace term-limited City-Parish President Joey Durel, possible candidates are already lining up. But have local politics become too expensive and...
How a Lafayette public relations dynamo lost 140 pounds and seven dress sizes, and why she is more than willing to talk about it By Heather Miller Photos by Robin May A former athlete who towers at 6...
Cost of gasoline taking a bite out of your budget? Here are 10 ways to fix that. With gasoline prices still high, manufacturers are making their green cars bigger and better. And that means there are...
Researchers at UL are exploring a plethora of alternative energy models, but say economics will ultimately decide their fate. By Wynce Nolley Many might not consider Lafayette, or Louisiana for that...
What does it take to live in a 120-square-foot house? A lot of pride and $10 per month in utilities. By Elizabeth Rose Rok Haus owner Art Cormier's house is a lodge fit for one with maneuverability...
Motivated by conscience and economics, entrepreneurs in Lafayette are seeing the big picture and embracing the green movement. By Katie Macdonald Lafayette was one of the first cities in Louisiana...
The Independent steps up the effort to get diners into locally owned restaurants this summer. With EatLafayette kicking its campaign into high gear this year - Robert Mondavi Wines has joined The New...
Five tales of how the Lafayette delegation adapted to a loss of seniority, brought home the pork and navigated the most contentious regular session of recent memory. By Jeremy Alford Photos by Robin...
The federal immigration debate has ensnared some of Louisiana's most iconic industries - and the guest workers they rely on. By JEREMY ALFORD Photos by ROBIN MAY You've probably never heard of an...
Women Who Mean Music: Kristi Guillory
(First of a series) - Kristi Guillory and Her Road to Everywhere By Dominick Cross Photo by Robin May Kristi Guillory has been on a musical journey for most of her life. And as she makes her way at...
Louisiana state departments and cabinet agencies spend more than $5 million annually on press secretaries and media relations. Is it political overkill or worth every penny? By Jeremy Alford The...
The Republican wunderkind has failed Louisiana as a fiscal steward. By JEREMY ALFORD When Gov. Bobby Jindal took office in January 2008, he inherited a state budget that included a $1 billion surplus....
From ridding the system of poor-performing principals to getting kids ready for kindergarten and yanking Butler buildings from our campuses, Superintendent Pat Cooper lays out his six-year turnaround...
We don't need national surveys to tell us what we already know: Festival International de Louisiane is pure gold, baby. Is there a better time to be Lafayette, La.? That's a rhetorical question. There...
The winners of this year's INDesign Awards share a passion for excellence in their craft. By The Independent Staff It's time again to honor the brightest and best among Acadiana's considerable...
Opponents of an anti-bullying bill say it promotes a gay agenda.' But families of victims demand a change in how Louisiana schools handle bullies. By Alex Woodward Tieler Garsaud, a sixth-grader at...
Lafayette remains on a cool trajectory, but will our progress be retarded by agents of regression? Photos by Robin May OK, OK, we're drama queens at 551 Jefferson St. The sky isn't falling. The angry...
What a few local experts in the area of wine, liquor and beer have to say about having spirits. by Anna Purdy Photos by Robin May Booze. Hooch. Vino, hard liquor, spirits, beer and malted liquor -...
While Gov. Bobby Jindal might be casting a large net for his education reform package, it has so far failed to snare anything related to school discipline. By Jeremy Alford If you believe the polling,...
Three weeks into a massive overhaul of Lafayette Parish's poorest performing high school, students, teachers and outside stakeholders untap a new level of spirit at Northside. By Heather Miller ...
We view Glenn Stewart through a lens of outrage even as we try to focus on the greater good. This past Christmas morning Steve and Cherry Fisher May, The Independent's co-publishers, were driving...
An online search reveals surprisingly low property tax assessments on downtown buildings, leaving what could amount to millions in revenue - for our schools, libraries and public safety - on the...
Some critics of smart meters and the comprehensive plan cite a little-known resolution of the United Nations for the basis of their opposition. We hope their paranoia doesn't hinder progress in...
The state Department of Education is either cooking the books or simply incompetent in establishing the success of the voucher program Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to expand. Because the numbers just don't...
Girard Park residents risk way too much if they give in to attorney Jimmy Davidson's attempts to bring commercial development to their historic neighborhood. An Independent Analysis Girard Park...
Health & Fitness From the vanguard of medical technology to tried and true healthy diet tips, leaders in Acadiana's health care sector offer all you need to know about living well and living...
January 18, 2012 Youth Culture Ten young artists with ties to Acadiana portend a bright future for the Hub City's art scene. By Anna Purdy Photos by Robin May ArtWalk has been going for 15 years in...
January 11, 2012** What's the Deal?** Last week's council leadership elections were a bizarre and possibly revealing harbinger of the year to come. Is 2012 shaping up to be the Year of the Veto? By...
January 4, 2012 Leadershift As a new year dawns on our political landscape, local influence over the Legislature seems precarious at best, especially compared to Lafayette's headier days. By Jeremy...
Wednesday December 28, 2011** Pooyie 2011** It's Good, It's Bad, It's Just Plain Crazy By The Independent Staff Wednesday December 28, 2011** Pooyie 2011** It's Good, It's Bad, It's Just Plain...
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 The LPSB's Gang of Five' found common ground - and the common good - in fighting the status quo to chart a bold, new course for closing the achievement gap in Lafayette's...
Green is Money The Ragin' Cajuns have cashed in on talented tight end Ladarius Green, a finance major and certain NFL prospect who has big business plans when he's done working on Sundays. By Dan...
RE: The Benefit of Boorishness
Wednesday Decemeber 7, 2011** The Benefit of Boorishness** By: Walter Pierce Rep. Jeff Landry has been making an ass of himself, and it's paying off. The Benefit of Boorishness By: Walter Pierce Rep....
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 From elite hunting camps to brokering deals over rods and reels, Louisiana's great outdoors mean big money. By Jeremy Alford Photos by Lisa Buser, from the book Wild...
Wednesday, Novemver 23, 2011 Broussard is about to get a "substantial" bill from Lafayette Utilities System, and its wholesale contract with LUS could be in jeopardy. By Walter Pierce A...
Wednesday, November 16, 2011 The Ragin' Cajuns**'** winning ways are attracting thousands of fair weather fans this season, but the real winners are the diehards who were Cajun long before Cajun was...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Fresh off perceived victories in the Oct. 22 primary, Tea Party Republicans look to increase their influence in Lafayette Consolidated Government. But the centrists are...
The best thing I ever ate (and it's not mine)
CHEFS TAKE TO THE PLATE Acadiana's finest kitchen hands tell us where they go to eat. by Anna Purdy Photos By Robin May The only thing more exceptional than eating an amazing meal is cooking it, and...
Former City-Parish Councilman and one-time House candidate Chris Williams has his hands all over four local races. He won one Saturday, and the competition is stiff in the other three. Can the...
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 The following Election Day tip sheet was compiled by The Ind's staff using insight from more than a dozen former politicians, local officials and longtime political...
10 days Lafayette Parish will make a monumental decision about the governance that will have long-term implications for the city and the unincorporated parish. Is this union worth maintaining?
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Despite a grand jury's 'No True Bill,' unspeakable accusations left The Pig Stand's Barry and Marla Giglio pariahs in the community that once adopted and embraced them. By...
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 By Leslie Turk Photos by Robin May **The late Leebob Cox wanted Gabe Bako at the helm of his iconic restaurant, but a split with Cox's children has the La Fonda veteran...
How a 'net nerd in Lafayette turned an insipid business model into a public-shame machine, then ducked back into his cyber cave when the heat was on.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 By Heather Miller How a 'net nerd in Lafayette turned an insipid business model into a public-shame machine, then ducked back into his cyber cave when the heat was...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011** Councilman Brandon Shelvin is Beatable. Is Lloyd Rochon the man to do it? (Plus other burning questions for Oct. 22)** Wednesday, September 14, 2011** Councilman...
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 By Walter Pierce Photos by Robin May A venerable, live-music institution in Lafayette for decades, Grant Street Dancehall may stop booking bands by late this year due...
After evading angry customers since late 2010, Rene and Nina Ward of W. Home Furnishings have packed up and left town. They still insist a buyer will take over their defunct River Ranch store and make...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 By Jeremy Alford Photos by Daniel Landry Rookie Congressman Jeff Landry of New Iberia found a home in the Tea Party and an alliance with Sen. David Vitter. But is either a...
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 By Heather Miller Photos by Robin May Mismanagement at its Abbeville treatment facility and the evaporation of outside funding sources have left Acadiana Outreach Center...
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 By Heather Miller Photos by Robin May For-profit colleges advertise themselves as a quick route to career success, but do unwitting students just end up with a pile of debt...
Nearing its fourth anniversary monitoring - and busting - lead-footed Lafayette motorists, the SafeLight/SafeSpeed program is racking up millions of dollars in fines. But getting violators to pay is another matter entirely.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 By Kevin Allman and Alex Woodward Politician-turned-pundit Jim Brown's weekly column has appeared in Louisiana news outlets for years, but his words have sometimes copied...
How the federal justice system incentivizes questionable and often unreliable witnesses, including jailhouse snitches, to prosecute the War on Drugs
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 By Dege Legg Photos by Travis Gauthier Bearing the indelible mark of two decades behind bars, an ex-con sheds light on the economics of prison tattoos. Wednesday, July 13,...
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 A 7-year-old campaign to get Lafayette residents out of their homes and into locally owned restaurants is expanding its reach. And our waistlines. By Anna Purdy In 2004,...
Wednseday, June 29, 2011 By Jeremy Alford Photos by Robin May As 144 politicos settle back into their real jobs this week, we look back at the winners, the losers, the stories and non-stories of the...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 By Anna Purdy Photos by Robin May Lafayette restaurants are gravitating toward local farms to stock their pantries, benefitting the consumer, the farmer, the environment and...
Wednesday, June 8, 2011** Lafayette's fledgling mobile food vendor scene is about to get rolling. By Nancy DeVille** Photos by Robin May Our "cool town" is long overdue for its own food...
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 The quaint little St. Landry Parish town of Washington, famed for its antique malls and antebellum charm, makes a killing with its interstate speed trap. By Heather...
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 Less than a year after thousands converged in the Cajundome fearing the worst, Lafayette's economy has taken a turn for the better. By William Kalec They came in droves your...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Is the party over for Louisiana Democrats, who in the past decade have been losing their grip on voters and politicos, leaving U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu as the only one currently...
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 We urge the Lafayette Parish School Board to dig deep and look far in the selection of our next superintendent. An Independent Weekly Editorial When Lafayette Schools...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 Mark Hudspeth hasn't coached his first Cajun football game yet, and there's already talk about raising more money to keep him here. That's how optimistic Cajun fans fed up with...
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 On the heels of the one-year anniversary of the oil disaster, coastal residents say they're coming down with mysterious and frightening illnesses. By Alex Woodward "This...
How Gachassin Games the System
Board member one month, recipient of its largesse the next, a local real estate investor maneuvers government regulations for housing the poor into a pending $2.5 million payday for himself.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Lafayette state Rep. Joel Robideaux aims to become the first speaker of the House to hail from Acadiana in 50 years - and the first ever with no party affiliation. By Nathan...
Wednesday, April 6, 2011 If a penny saved is a penny earned, some of Lafayette's most affluent property owners are making a killing, and they're doing it at the public's expense. By Heather Miller ...
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Nidal Balbeisi opens his most ambitious restaurant in Lafayette. And he's not done yet. By Anna Purdy Photos by Robin May Standing on the corner of Polk and Vermilion...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 Lafayette's creative class weighs in on what makes us a vibrant community. By The Independent Staff Cool Town. The concept is borrowed from urban theorist and author...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 SMOKEOUT **Smoking in bars - is 2011 the year a ban comes to Louisiana? Health nuts, privacy whacks, cigarette lobbyists and all of our favorite lawmakers will be throwing...
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 After 35 years and multiple incarnations, Francis X. Pavy remains a work in progress. By Anna Purdy Photos by Robin May Francis Pavy's studio is impossible to miss. Located in...
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 How a Louisiana chef took the long way back. By Anna Purdy. Photos by Robin May "Call me Donald." Almost before I am done shaking his hand and greeting him formally...
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 Tony Tramel is bringing vanguard traffic engineering ideas to Lafayette, and he gets a lot of grief for doing it. By Walter Pierce The front page photo on The Daily...
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Census data paint a picture of Lafayette as a more ethnically diverse community, and one that has addressed suburban sprawl by more or less embracing it. By Walter...
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 With growing seniority and friends in high places, U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany is not only nearing his peak as an influencer, but, ironically, also fighting for his...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 Behind the precipitous fall of the Louisiana Democratic Party - and how it might climb back to relevance. By Jeremy Alford "I just know, before this is over, I,m gonna...
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys prepare to release a ground-breaking new Cajun record. By Dege Legg. Photos by Robin May "I'm pretty sure we work harder than...
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 Can anyone knock out frontrunner Fred Mills in the District 22 state Senate race? By Nathan Stubbs After Troy Hebert announced in June that he would not seek re-election to...
Wednesday, January 12, 2011** Chosen for his integrity and attention to detail, Lafayette City-Parish Attorney Pat Ottinger is leaving LCG after seven years of service marked by some major legal...
Wednesday, January 5, 2011 The controversial piles of sand that Gov. Bobby Jindal built in the wake of BP's oil disaster are now becoming bigger piles of sand, but with greater potential benefits this...
Wednesday, December 29, 2010 A rundown of all the biggest New Year's Eve parties happening in Acadiana By Dege Legg Fact: people like to party. From cavemen to the spacemen - it ain't just protein...
Wednesday, December 22, 2010 It's good, it's bad and it's just crazy. By The Independent Staff The holidays are tough for us newspaper folk. Schools and courthouses shut down, other public bodies...
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 The new owners of Lake View Park make a noble effort at keeping a cultural landmark alive and thriving. By Dege Legg The slow chord of morning twangs off the dirt like a...
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Creationists are jeopardizing science education in Louisiana public schools and once again making us the laughing stock of the country. By Walter Pierce "I am an...
Wednesday, December 1, 2010** There's no recession in Lafayette's restaurantarama. by Mary Tutwiler photos by Robin May** Mid-fall the drilling moratorium was still firmly capping production in the...
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 Inside LUS Fiber's new marketing push and why it's crucial to the business' long-term success. By Nathan Stubbs [Editor's Note: This is part two of a two-part series on...
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 Why LUS Fiber faces its most critical year yet - a behind-the-scenes look at the business' early setbacks. By Nathan Stubbs Wednesday, November 17, 2010 Why LUS Fiber...
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 There's little dispute that Lafayette Parish needs a career and technical high school. But the speed with which the school board is moving to acquire the abandoned Super...
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 A classical guitarist by training, Gerd Wuestemann orchestrates the completion of a world class arts center. By Mary Tutwiler No one would ever suspect Gerd Wuestemann of...
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 The push to pass an ordinance banning open alcohol containers in Lafayette's nightlife districts is more than a public safety- or anti-litter campaign. It's an...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Well known Lafayette insurance agent and man about town Wally Romero may be gone, but he won't be forgotten. By Erin Z. Bass Local celebrity and Lafayette icon Wally Romero...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Delicious and dazzling - wine dinners intoxicate Lafayette's finest restaurants. By Mary Tutwiler Photos by Robin May Ting, ta ting, ting. That's the sound of one knife...
Wednesday, October 6, 2010 Jeff Landry is riding a wave of conservative unrest into the 3rd Congressional District's general election, and making a few enemies along the way. By Nathan Stubbs Photos...
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 The Independent's barfly guide to the happiest hours of all by Hope Rurik and Mary Tutwiler Photos by Robin May Wednesday, September 22, 2010 The Independent's barfly...
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 Breaking with our long-standing policy, The Independent Weekly endorses candidates for Lafayette Parish School Board. Photos by Robin May Hunter Beasley, Thomas Brown,...
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 **Louisiana's collapsing marsh dwarfs the BP oil blowout as an ecological disaster. By Ken Wells **Claude Luke throttles down his 21-foot aluminum work boat. Off to the...
**Wednesday, September 8, 2010 Written by Erin Zaunbrecher Bass Photos by Robin May ** **A fire that destroyed NuNu's Town Market in Arnaudville has ignited plans for a green rebuild. ** Snapshot:...
**Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Written by Leslie Turk Ugly allegations that Lafayette Police Maj. Glen Dartez, an experienced medic, refused to render emergency aid at a domestic dispute that left a...
**Wednesday, August 25, 2010 Written by Walter Pierce Neither saint nor sinner, Broussard Mayor Charlie Langlinais is seeking re-election amid accusations he uses his political office for personal...
An audit revealing abuses in the Lafayette Housing Authority helped uncover former City-Parish Councilman Chris Williams' lucrative and super-human workload, but it also pulled back the sheets on much bigger problems with LHA Executive Director Walter Guillory's stewardship of the agency.
**Wednesday, August 11, 2010 Written by Nathan Stubbs Are strained relations with state Superintendent Paul Pastorek holding back progress for the Lafayette Parish School System?** "Who's seen...
**Wednesday, August 4, 2010 Written by Dege Legg Dockside Studio owner Steve Nails turned tragedy into triumph. The result is more than two decades of classic recordings.** **Wednesday, August 4,...
**Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Written by Jeremy Alford As Louisiana businesses and families continue to wage war against hurricanes, the developing fiscal famine and an ungodly amount of oil, Gov. Bobby...
Craft beer is making inroads in south Louisiana, and industry players are taking note. July 21, 2010 Written by Nathan Stubbs Andrew Godley had spent over a year building toward the anticipated May...
James Carville is angrier than ever about the Gulf oil disaster. 'We are at war,' he says. And he's taking no prisoners.
Wednesday, June 7, 2007 Written by Walter Pierce Photos by Robin May After five terms on the Lafayette Parish School Board and the possibility of running unopposed for a sixth, Mike Hefner is calling...
Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Written By Nathan Stubbs Photos by Robin May UL Architecture Professor Corey Saft's new town home in the center of Lafayette is the first in the entire southern U.S. to...
**Wednesday, June 23, 2010 Written by Jeremy Alford From class clowns to most likely to succeed, this year's regular session produced moments Lafayette should remember - as well as a few worth...
**Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Written by Penny Font Photos by Robin May A key vacancy on the Third Circuit Court of Appeal could help turn the embattled court's reputation around - if voters make the...
**Wednesday, June 9, 2010 Essay by Donald W. Davis Photos by Cheryl Gerber Perception may become reality as oil percolates in our wetlands.** [Editor's Note: Don Davis is a retired geography professor...
Wednesday, June 2, 2010 Written by Mary Tutwiler Photos by Isabelle Tutwiler That oyster you ate probably came from Caminada Bay. We hope you enjoyed it. It may be your last for a long, long time. Up...
**Wednesday, May 26, 2010 By Jeremy Alford Photos by Robin May With help from conservative Democrats and emphatic shareholders, the Louisiana Family Forum is advancing its policy agenda beyond the...
**Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Written by Nathan Stubbs ** Residents of Lafayette's historic Mills Addition neighborhood - commonly referred to as Fightingville - have high hopes and deep suspicions about...
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 Written by Mary Tutwiler The Elephant Room steaks out new dining territory with a rare combination of beef and burlesque Girls, girls, girls. And one guy. In a bustier. Les...
**Written by Walter Pierce Photos by Robin May ** **The Ambassador Caffery south extension has turned into a land rush, amplifying suspicions and further straining stressed relations among...
Written by Jeremy Alford Wednesday, April 28, 2010 To hear his critics lay it out, Gov. Bobby Jindal is allergic to the sunshine of good government. To hear him explain it is to hear crickets chirping...
Written byMary Tutwiler Wednesday, April 21, 2010 It's good luck for late sleepers that brunch has come to the bayou. Margaret Girouard wasn't interested in pickles and ice cream when she was...
Written by Dege Legg Photos by Robin May Wednesday, April 14, 2010 Take your protein pills and put your helmet on, Lafayette's Givers are on a rocket-like trajectory. The sound is kaleidoscopic,...
Written by Walter Pierce Wednesday, 7 April 2010 The parish's small towns are hemming in the city of Lafayette, threatening to diminish our influence and hamper our growth. About two weeks ago the...
Written by Jeremy Alford Wednesday, 31 March 2010 A state law that allows public school employees to retire and then re-enter the system is raising eyebrows in Lafayette and the Louisiana...
Written by The Independent Staff Wednesday, 24 March 2010 Lafayette is becoming a magnet for the creative class. Here's why. When Susan Shaw, a native New Yorker, visited Lafayette during Festival...
Written by Nathan Stubbs Wednesday, 17 March 2010 Poised to become the first-ever Speaker Pro Tempore with no party affiliation, Rep. Joel Robideaux is carving out a reputation as a go-to pragmatist...
Written by Mary Tutwiler Wednesday, 10 March 2010 A roundup of our favorite crawfish patios Who dat says dere's no crawfish? We can talk about the weather till we're blue in the face, but spring is...
The Problem with Brandon Shelvin
The city-parish councilman’s legal problems are catching up with him, raising troubling questions about his judgment and ethics - and his suitability for holding public office.
A fledgling civic group takes on Lafayette's most vexing challenges, beginning with the biggest of them all - public education. It's not easy making a difference. Sometimes it takes years, decades,...
After six years as the city-parish president's assistant, Ben Berthelot assumes the reins at LCG's Community Development Department. Is he up to the task? News had already broken on The Independent...
Not even old enough to drive, is the Lafayette city-parish charter already in jeopardy of being repealed? It has come to this. A 14-year relationship, rocky at times but mostly prosperous, teetering...
Pimon Thai may have a new home and a new family owner, but not much else has changed at the restaurant that hooked many in Acadiana on authentic Thai cuisine. Opening day. Jintana Guillaumin paces...
Interviews with Mark Pope, Griff Blakewood, Jon Langlinais, Collin Bercier**.** POSTHASTE WITH MARK POPE Manager, Lafayette Environmental Quality Division by Dege Legg How long does it take a milk jug...
Vegging out with EarthShare Gardens
Where did your tomato come from? Who grew that corn syrup that shows up on all of the nutrition labels? What, exactly, is some of this stuff? These are questions that so many people are asking....
Save Some Green by Going Green
Eco-friendly can be done on the cheap, and save your budget a bundle Gene and Nan Cazayoux’s house looks just like any other house on the block. The colonnaded French colonial with deep dormers...
Group seeks to realize cycling as a widespread alternative T.R.A.I.L., “Transportation Recreational Alternatives in Louisiana,” is a non-profit organization created to do what its name suggests:...
Major projects and the next phase of StreetScape will further reshape downtown Lafayette in 2010. Bad press be damned, downtown Lafayette’s turnaround over the last decade-plus has been nothing short...
A diverse panel of 24 public and private sector individuals weighs in on the big issues facing Lafayette this year — and offers up personal goals for the New Year. photo illustrations by Robin May...
From a jail cell in Oakdale, a former Louisiana governor gets his say, and the public is lapping it up Excerpts from Leo Honeycutt’s authorized biography, Edwin Edwards: Governor of...
In south Louisiana, we are immune to worldly influences, national trends and common sense. In south Louisiana, we are immune to worldly influences, national trends and common sense. But...
Downtown Lafayette bar owners cry foul as city-parish government ups the ante and forces their hand Photo by Isabel LaSala Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 Written by Walter Pierce "I'm responsible for...
The New Orleans Saints’ magical dream season earns them The Independent Weekly’s Newsmakers of the Year. When Broadway came to the bayou in early October, former New Orleans Saints quarterback and...
Behind The Badge And Under The Gun
PART 2 of The Killing Fields, a special report on the unsolved serial murders in Jeff Davis Parish Over the past four years, eight young women, ranging in age from 16 to 30, have been found dead,...
IberiaBank moves to the fore in regional banking with a savvy, calculated plan and an unconventional business model. Friday the 13th was very lucky for IberiaBank shareholders. The announcement that...
A special report on the search for a serial killer in Jeff Davis Parish. Over the past four years, eight young women, ranging in age from 16 to 30, have been found dead, their bodies, either nude or...
An aspiring architect and his home town square off over a ditch neither one will cross. Photos by Robin May Stephen Ortego has worn many hats in his brief 25 years. Intern architect for Brad Pitt's...
As the Jindal administration considers ways to consolidate government and tweak the budget, statewide elected officials have taken to meeting privately and outside the governor’s earshot. THE...
For 25 years, Charley G’s has been fusing south Louisiana ingredients with new American cooking over the flame of a wood-fired grill. “To me, it’s like Cheers.” That’s Abbeville attorney Anthony...
The Independent Weekly assesses the performance of LCG’s 13 department heads While there are certainly areas in need of improvement, local government is working — and it’s working very well. On the...
Parents are understandably upset that a local bus driver was back at work the day after receiving an off-duty OWI, but the negligence of Lafayette's school system and board is really driving their...
Disastrous consequences could define Lafayette’s future if rookie council members refuse to learn the processes and complexities of city-parish government before staking out uninformed positions. An...
Filming in Lafayette of the Disney movie about Secretariat and his owner is nearing the first furlong. In the fall of 1969, Ogden Phipps of Wheatley Stable and Meadow Stable’s Penny Chenery held a...
Joey Durel now has veteran government observers and some close friends and advisers wondering if he’s up to the vexing challenges facing city-parish government. — An Independent Weekly analysis...
Herman Mhire’s new work is a head turner, and a head scratcher. Rare is the occasion when one is confronted with something entirely new. No criticism telling us what we should think. No track record...
In an economic age where even survival seems like an accomplishment, Acadiana's radio stations are ahead of the curve. There are some 28 radio stations in the Lafayette area using 19 different...
While Charlie Melancon is ducking town hall meetings, David Vitter is shirking real answers about hookergate, making for a U.S. Senate race that’s more about games than aims. Charlie Melancon may be...
From walk-on to pro prospect, starting center Chris Fisher is the improbable star of this year’s Ragin’ Cajun team. (Editor’s Note: In the interest of full disclosure, Chris Fisher’s mother, Brenda...
Six months after its launch, LUS Fiber is lagging behind its initial sales projections. But the public utility contends it is still on track to succeed. Matt Savoy found out LUS’ fiber-to-the-home...
For a decade, Philippe Simon has been cultivating palates and preaching philosophy to Lafayette’s oenophiles.
How dirt mining operations in Lafayette Parish have residents on edge and officials digging for solutions Don’t let the old expression “dirt cheap” fool you — dirt isn’t cheap. It’s big business in a...
Why are Lafayette Parish’s newest schools all experiencing water intrusion problems? They don’t build them like they used to. The old adage rings very true when considering the issue that has...
Our off-kilter, dirty dozen guide to low-rent fun A little squeezed for cash right now but looking for some excitement? We can relate. And while it seems that south Louisiana shuts ’er down during the...
External agencies endure the annual assault on their meagre public funding. “There’s no way that government could be able to afford to provide the services that we provide,” Maria Placer says...
After being devastated by four storms in four years, Grand Isle is rebuilding with an eye toward reeling in tourists. The Starfish Restaurant has all the elements of your typical ramshackle island...
Acadiana native Cherise Angelle is becoming a rapidly rising star in the elusive women’s luxury footwear market. Champagne glasses clink as the bubbly flows. Tiny chocolate cupcakes are strategically...
As the regular session wraps up this week, we recap the brightest and bawdiest moments with our 1st Golden Boudin Awards. “There are two things you don’t want to see being made: Louisiana laws and...
After 46 years, KRVS moves into its new campus studio with the same old mission — to enlighten and entertain — and a plan to create a local news program. The Avocado Room high atop the well-built...
Behind the scenes with Scott Angelle He’s in the back corner of the House chamber, where the lobbying elite sit cramped in two rows of chairs against the rear wall (coach seating is on the other end)...
State Rep. Rickey Hardy is on a maverick’s mission to bring change to Baton Rouge. Photos by Robin May A congratulatory crowd forms outside of Bigby Hall in the State Capitol following the marathon...
A Dazzling Dozen, plus two, but who's counting?
A guide to the best cocktails in Lafayette. By Mary Tutwiler. Photos by Robin May Shake it up baby; there’s a cocktail revolution going on. New York, Los Angeles and especially the cradle of drinking,...
The state’s $1.3 billion budget shortfall is the firestorm of this year’s legislative session, and its embers have ignited smaller infernos on several fronts. Even during the first hours of the...
Hundreds of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s top donors are reaping the benefits of state contracts and choice political appointments. The first person ever to benefit from economic development aid under Gov....
Inward Looking, Forward Thinking
Introducing the winners of the fifth annual INDesign Awards For five years running, The Independent Weekly has cast a light on the very best and most innovative architects and interior designers among...
Staring down low achievement and high drop-out rates in Louisiana’s public school system, the state superintendent and a coalition of public-interest groups make a case for school board reform. Paul...
The Durel administration took a beating for its electronic enforcement program, but the numbers say it’s working to make Lafayette’s streets safer. Joey Durel has a theory about those who take issue...
By law, Louisiana’s public bodies must publish notice of their upcoming meetings in the state’s local newspapers. But in this age of cost -cutting and cheap distribution via the Internet, Joey Durel...
The Independent Weekly's investigative reporting was the nail in the coffin for the questionable deal to swap UL's Horse Farm for Lafayette attorney Jimmy Davidson's Girard Park Drive property. Now a...
In a heated campaign between bitter rivals, State Rep. Elbert Guillory aims to take down a family dynasty that has held the District 24 state Senate seat for the last 15 years. It’s just after 7 p.m....
UL Lafayette’s battle with The Humane Society of the United States over allegations of abuse at its New Iberia Research Center has turned into a public relations nightmare for the university. For now,...
Marginalized by the Lafayette art community for 40 years, George Rodrigue is finally getting a series of hometown art exhibits befitting his big dog stature. The inner circle gathers for lunch Fridays...
When Louisiana became the first state to enact covenant marriage, supporters expected it to sweep the country and lower the divorce rate in America. What happened? “A genuine covenant marriage is...
Decades before the X Games, Lafayette’s skaters had their own twisted history. This is their story, in their own words. Shannon May skates downtown Lafayette in 2008 photo by Larry...
It’s a moniker that commands respect. Why Joey Durel’s biggest hiring decision — to make a veteran broadcaster his second in command — may have been his smartest move yet. It was December 2003. Dee...
With his south Florida flamboyance, designer Michael Henry has unsettled the provincial Lafayette building establishment and won the undying admiration of his elite clients, who embrace the...
With mounting pressure from both the state and national animal rights groups, Tiger Truck Stop owner Michael Sandlin is more determined than ever to keep his roadside live tiger attraction. Joe...
In the world of junior tennis, Lafayette’s Jordan Daigle is a well-kept secret. For now. photo by Robin May Apparently Louisiana doesn’t get much respect from the tennis world. It’s even been said...
Corporate newspaper giant Gannett has ransacked The Daily Advertiser, one of its most lucrative newspapers. And every penny of profit squeezed out of the daily has been wired straight to its Virginia...
Food, wine and family are the guiding principles of Gene Todaro’s businesses, all named for his brother, Marcello.
20 Tips for a Healthy New Year
The Independent Weekly talks to Acadiana’s health, beauty and fitness experts for their advice on how to put your best foot forward in 2009 and beyond. Below are their helpful tips to meeting your...
What began as a way for friends to honor the memory of Dr. Tommy Comeaux led to a decade-long effort to raise $1 million for the first endowed chair at UL Lafayette’s College of the Arts. But the show...
Lafayette Utilities System is tight-lipped about its highly anticipated fiber-to-the-home telecommunications service, due next month. Will it live up to the hype? LUS Director Terry Huval Photo by...
A forgotten, century-old opera house reopens in Crowley. For 66 years, Crowley’s Dixie Hardware building at 505 N. Parkerson Ave. was known to locals as the place to register for fine china and pick...
Once fractured by competition from two upstart specialty hospitals, Lafayette’s health care community is reinventing itself — and investing hundreds of millions in new facilities to serve a growing...
The bizarre tale of Vince Marinello, the longtime New Orleans’ sportscaster who is about to stand trial in Lafayette for the murder of his wife. Diehard Saints fans are as attached to their...
As Bobby Jindal works to capitalize on the buzz surrounding his presidential ambitions, speculation on the political future of Kathleen Blanco is just as buzzworthy. Unlike Mike Foster, who rarely...
What’s racially divided, increasingly unpredictable and red and blue all over? Based on last week’s historic elections that propped up both Republicans and Democrats, it’s Louisiana’s new political...
UL running back Tyrell Fenroy has been shattering school and Sun Belt records all year, and on the night of his final homecoming game at UL, he charged right into the NCAA’s record books. photo by...
It’s never easy to choose the top restaurants in a region blessed with such a history of fine cooking and a wealth of creative chefs and cooks. In Acadiana, some of the best food can be found in gas...
Returning to his roots, Chef Alex Patout is cooking authentic homestyle Cajun dishes, plated on the fine china and white linen tablecloths of Café Vermilionville. photo by Terri Fensel Alex Patout...
How is the financial crisis affecting Acadiana, and what’s in store for our economy in the months to come? Three Lafayette bankers weigh in. photo by Terri Fensel The subprime mortgage meltdown, the...
State Sen. Don Cravins is seeking to do the impossible - overtake an incumbent member of Congress, Lafayette's own Dr. Charles Boustany. If you believe the polls, he has a fighting chance. If you had...
Lafayette’s annual autumn musical festival in Girard Park returns with a new stage and a new name. Since 1974, Festivals Acadiens has given the local Cajun and Creole culture an entire weekend to...
Following two devastating storms in three years, is it possible — or even practical — for towns like Delcambre to rebuild? Delcambre’s mayor, Carol Broussard photo by Terri Fensel The first thing...
With John Kennedy’s strong encampment in the north and Mary Landrieu’s impenetrable fortifications in the southeast, Louisiana’s Cajun heartland could be the battlefield that decides this year’s U.S....
That’s no lady. That’s my legislator. You never know which Fred Mills you’ll get on any given day; there are so many to keep up with. There’s the pharmacist-turned-banker who keeps popping up on local...
Bolstered by the gusts of hurricanes past, Gustav — and possibly Ike — could send a surge of change through Louisiana’s political landscape. Standing outside the Union Passenger Terminal in New...
Downtown Alive! celebrates its 25th anniversary with a little help from its friends — both old and new. What started as a brown bag luncheon staged at the corner of Lee and Main streets 25 years ago...
A local delegation visits Canadian Acadie — and finds itself going home. Philippe Landry participates as a reenactor during Festival Acadien in New Brunswick. photo by Mary Tutwiler The boy with the...
On the heels of several disappointing seasons, is this the year the Ragin’ Cajuns football program lives up to expectations? photo by Terri Fensel At 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, Rickey Bustle will...
Following a family dispute that shut its doors in 2006, Richard’s Club re-opens under new management as the Zydeco Hall of Fame. photo by Terri Fensel A line of parked cars runs for more than a mile...
Gordon Doerle’s Coteau landfill generates truckloads of cash — and enough lawsuits to paper the parish. Gordon Doerle has Hollywood good looks. His tan accentuates silvering hair and the crisp white...
A combination of seismic music industry changes and high gas prices has local venues and musicians fighting off the blues. A zydeco band playing the Renaissance nightclub is akin to a metal band...
Acadiana’s premier nature expert, Bill Fontenot, retires after more than two decades. photo by Terri Fensel To our immediate west, we’ve got about 6,000 Snow Geese milling about; and to our immediate...
An interview with new UL Lafayette President E. Joseph Savoie photo by Terri Fensel When Dr. E. Joseph Savoie — aka T-Joe — officially took over as president of UL Lafayette two weeks ago, the...
You Know You're From Lafayette If ...
When it comes to defending our turf, Lafayette never backs down from a challenge. Whether it’s our indigenous food or music or celebrating our favorite local people and places, we’ll extoll the...
The debate over Federal earmarks, commonly blasted as ‘pork barrel’ spending, is shaping up to be one of this election season’s most contested issues. Rayne Mayor Jim Petitjean photo by Terri...
or Down The Rabbit-Hole and What Bobby Jindal Found There Bobby was very tired of sitting by the other politicians on the Capitol steps and having nothing to do before his inauguration. A wave of...
Jim Phillips and Christy Leichty migrated from California to Opelousas to start up a unique elementary school. photo by Terri Fensel On the day Bo Diddley died, as the sun sets on Opelousas, the...
Donald Cravins Jr. was born with high name recognition but developed his own pit bull rep in the Legislature. Now he’s setting his sights on Congress. photo by Terri Fensel When Don Cravins Jr....
Maurice native and Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux has a revived career and a new perspective on life as he makes his second attempt at the Triple Crown. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty...
August 6, 1931 — May 18, 2008 photo by Terri Fensel The dean of Acadiana artists has left the rice fields. When 76-year-old Elemore Morgan Jr. passed away in Baltimore on Sunday, May 18, after...
Nearly two months after suffering a brain aneurysm that changed her life, Lafayette’s media darling battles her anxiety over returning to the airwaves. photo by Terri Fensel The Wednesday routine was...
How a hunt through basement archives led four Acadiana divers and partners on an obsessive 20-year quest to find an 1846 Gulf of Mexico shipwreck. Avery Munson doesn’t look anything like a pirate....
National onlookers might be impressed with the ethics of Gov. Bobby Jindal, but here at home his administration is earning a reputation for being anything but transparent. While the two men can...
The Independent Weekly's Spring Restaurant Guide
Last October, The Independent Weekly published our debut Restaurant Guide, and now it’s time for the spring 2008 edition. The mission for our Restaurant Guide is to provide you with a handy,...
Chef William Annesley envisions his ground-breaking new downtown restaurant Pamplona as an international dining destination. photo by Terri Fensel Ernest Hemingway went to Pamplona to see the running...
The Independent Weekly’s annual guide to every band playing Festival International de Louisiane It’s springtime in southwest Louisiana, and that means nirvana for music lovers. An estimated...
Meet the winners of the 4th annual INDesign Awards. Four years ago, The Independent Weekly launched The INDesign Awards to honor the most innovative and thoughtful architecture, historic preservation...
So this guy walks into a bar ...
Acadiana bartenders recount some of their unusual on-the-job experiences. “So this guy walks into a bar ...” It’s the setup that’s launched countless jokes. The variations are endless, too, often...
Cypress forests are a precious natural habitat and our best defense against hurricanes. So why does the state allow loggers to turn the trees into wood chips? Dean Wilson slams forward the throttle on...
The Jindal administration has yet to roll out the details of its education reform plans. So why are teacher unions already so leery? In November, just weeks after his election as governor, Bobby...
Tom Krueger journeys from California to New York to Lafayette to hone his cinematic craft. On the UL Lafayette campus, inside the Edith Garland Dupré Library, beneath the fluorescent lights, down the...
More than four decades after her 1962 debut single knocked Ray Charles off the top of the charts, bluesy singer/songwriter/guitarist/grandmother Barbara Lynn is still dazzling Louisiana and Texas...
By sharing the final chapter of his life, Deacon Randy LeBlanc hoped to help - and set an example for - individuals facing terminal illness and their family members. When he was a child, Randy...
Acadiana's stock in state government has plummeted in recent months with the loss of major offices and appointments, but the tradeoff is the legislative delegation's increased influence. Cars paraded...
Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel's management style and personality - reflected in how he leads and governs - is evident in the successes and failures of his first term. His mindset provides...
Is this the year that a class action lawsuit representing more than 10 years of tension between City Hall and the police and fire departments finally gets resolved? The downtown Central Fire Station...
Whisper campaigns, eligibility questions, voter alliances - welcome to the behind-the-scenes drama of the competition for the first Cajun/zydeco Grammy Award. The first-ever Grammy Award for best...
As Fat Tuesday approaches, Acadiana's devotees share a six-pack of their most memorable Carnival experiences. Joe "Dr. Feelgood" Burge Photo by Debbie Ortego Everybody has that one Mardi...
As the driving force behind the Culinary Classic and Washington, D.C.'s annual Mardi Gras ball, Joe Broussard knows how to put Lafayette in the spotlight. Photo by Terri Fensel Joe Broussard never...
An ambitious local development team joins forces with Baton Rouge's Steve Keller of Towne Center, home to Whole Foods and P.F. Chang’s, to launch one of the boldest and most innovative real estate...
Acadiana’s best pit stops pride themselves on filling up empty tanks and empty stomachs, seven days a week. Photo by Terri Fensel The sun is just starting to come up and break through the clouds when...
Occupants of FEMA trailers, already sickened by formaldehyde, also face a high risk of injury or death due to trailer fires. Ernestine Robinson was about to make gumbo. John Meyer was getting ready...
A look back at the most memorable, outrageous, humorous and flat-out dumb quotes of the year. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WISDOM OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, CANDIDATES AND THEIR SPOKESPEOPLE, AND THE...
His final years were dogged by controversy, but outgoing UL Lafayette President Ray Authement's pending retirement will mark the end of 50 years of service that leaves an indelible mark on the...
It's been 10 years since the Kyoto Accord was struck. Why has so little been accomplished? The Kyoto Accord began the race to halt global warming. On its 10th anniversary, why are we barely past the...
After six novels and more than a decade of acclaimed writing for prestigious national magazines like Sports Illustrated, Opelousas native and former LSU Tiger John Ed Bradley makes peace with his past...
For a lifetime devoted to capturing universal truths in local culture, Lafayette's Darrell Bourque earns the distinction of being named Acadiana's first Poet Laureate for the state of...
A new book by Barry Ancelet and Philip Gould looks back on 32 years of Cajun and Creole music at the Festival de Musique Acadienne. On March 26, 1974, despite a torrential downpour, 12,000 people...
Major public projects, including a new downtown theater and a fiber optics facility, suffer setbacks as local government grapples with volatile construction prices and wary contractors. When...
Two new books reach different conclusions about the 140-year-old story of the McIlhenny Co. and family, makers of the world famous Tabasco sauce. Jeffrey Rothfeder got the idea for McIlhenny's Gold...
From downhome to upscale and soul food to sushi, our debut Restaurant Guide aims to satisfy appetites across...
More than 25 years after his debut book, Louisiana's premier nature photographer comes full circle. Wildlife photographer C.C. Lockwood is a long drink of water. In his khakis and sandals, his...
District 43 state representative candidate Patrick LeBlanc is running on a platform of ethics reform and transparency in government. So why is he refusing multiple interview requests from The...
After years of corporate success and civic involvement, John Georges is spending millions in his bid to become Louisiana's next governor. John Georges appears shirtless on his campaign Web site more...
Driving northeast on Hwy. 28, just outside of Pineville, it's still dark, but the sun's starting to rise and the horizon is a hue of deep purple. The headlights of 18-wheelers and chartered tour...
Whether he's crafting a multimillion-dollar business deal, building a ranch for exotic animals or launching a strikingly independent bid for governor, tough guy Walter Boasso thinks big. Walter...
The Independent Weekly honors Acadiana's most influential and energized women professionals. Whether working in the fields of business, health care, education, art, law, or banking, this year's...
The baby can't eat a standing ovation, and extended solos don't always pay the mortgage. Sometimes it takes a 9 to 5 gig. Acadiana musicians have long embraced the belief that hard work inspires...
North Louisiana Democrat Foster Campbell is running for governor on a controversial oil tax plan touted as a panacea for some of the state's most serious issues. Will it sell? Dressed in a rare suit...
With a constant campaign that geared up following his 2003 loss and an Internet presence aimed at a new generation of voters, Bobby Jindal is poised to become the youngest governor in America ' if you...
Citing everything from health benefits to taste and environmentally friendly growing practices, an increasing number of Acadiana shoppers are turning to local farms for their food. If you ask Anne...
FEMA attorneys, fearing lawsuits, quashed early attempts to test trailers for dangerous levels of formaldehyde. Now the agency faces class action suits and Congressional ire. When Hurricane Rita...
An Independent Weekly investigative report on the Lafayette Parish Coroner's office uncovers disturbing allegations of mismanagement and a questionable autopsy contract. It was the topic of...
Breaux Bridge architect Eddie Cazayoux has resurrected Louisiana's early French colonial style in a way that's both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly. The smell knocks you out as...
Coach T and Dr. C take everybody's favorite debate to new lengths. Bob Carricker and Noland Theriot are cruising up La. 13 in the squarest car on the road, a Honda Element. Noland wears a striped...
The Lafayette attorney brokers deals with the state, big land owners, and his own oil and gas partners. Whose side is he on?
Why the school board bought out Superintendent James Easton's contract - and what it means for the future of the school system. He's surrounded by school officials seated at the rows of round...
Meet the new faces and entrepreneurs of Lafayette's restaurant scene Success can come to those who don't wait. Paul Le of Bonsai was only 32, Tsunami Sushi's Michele Ezell was 31, and Brian...
How a 30-second video clip about chapped lips propelled a local man to Internet stardom and taught the world to love Poo-Poo. You can't help but stare at his giant, yellow buckteeth. There's some...
A week of days and nights on the streets with Lafayette's homeless You step onto the pavement of Highway 90 with $10 in your pocket. Backpack stuffed with one change of clothes. The wind howls a...
With its 10th anniversary approaching, homegrown Eunice radio station KBON has defied the odds to become a regional powerhouse. In the DJ booth at KBON 101.1 FM, owner Paul Marx is ironing out the...
The state's Road Home program has been under a cloud of controversy from the moment ICF International was awarded a landmark $756 million contract. Sean Reilly leans back on a conference table and...
Calvin Borel's run for the Triple Crown with Street Sense was derailed at the Preakness Stakes, but the Catahoula native will forever be a Kentucky Derby winner. The newspapers and sports announcers...
Honoring the recipients of the 2007 INDesign Awards At its best, architecture is a reflection of a community's history, values and ideas for the future. The Independent Weekly started the...
Three out of 10 people in Acadiana parishes can't read ' a key factor in the vicious cycle of poverty. Some weeks ago, I went to pay my check for breakfast at a local diner, and set down a book on...
Lafayette's premier gardener, Marshall Mugnier, transplants his nursery after 52 years of business in Lafayette. Marshall Mugnier is hard to miss. At more than 6 feet tall and wearing a...
Profiles on FIL headliners Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Balkan Beat Box Coming of Age Roddie Romero & the Hub City All-Stars capture the past and the...
An exclusive excerpt from Louisiana in Words Last year, New Orleans' Pelican Publishing Co. put out an entry call for a unique writing project about Louisiana. Pelican asked writers to chronicle one...
Rudy Giuliani is pro-choice, pro-gay rights and pro-gun control. Why are Louisiana conservatives Charles Boustany and David Vitter endorsing him for president, and will the state's GOP base stand for...
After the death of his friend and political adversary David Thibodaux, Superintendent James Easton faces a difficult crossroads. It's Friday, March 23, a typical morning for Lafayette Parish School...
For the last three years, every Friday afternoon in front of the federal courthouse, a small group quietly protests the war in Iraq. It's an hour before quitting time on a Friday in March, a...
Saxophonist Wess Anderson on playing with legends and hangin' with Darla Montgomery Wess Anderson's saxophone playing is a reflection of his personality ' expressive, engaging, aggressive and pointed...
For this diverse crew, going to work means upholding decades of tradition. In today's tech boom and its accompanying Blackberries, Power Point presentations and wireless connections, we're always...
An open letter to Gov. Kathleen Blanco Office of the Governor Attn: Constituent Services P.O. Box 94004 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004 Dear Gov. Blanco: January 12, 2004, seems like a lifetime ago. It...
Accordionist Travis Matte's risqué zydeco is breaking cultural boundaries and packing local nightclubs. Between sets at his recent show at Grant Street Dancehall, Travis Matte sits backstage...
A band of prominent local businessmen is launching an ambitious statewide initiative ' dubbed Blueprint Louisiana ' in time for a historic election year. Over the past several months, Lafayette...
Mardi Gras is the most extravagant free party in the world, unless you're in Washington, D.C. The Beltway version costs mega bucks to buy proximity to power. One after another, they stepped into...
City-Parish President Joey Durel outlines his vision for Lafayette in 2007. If you had three goals you want your administration to accomplish before the end of 2007, what would those be? There's no...
New research helps the fight against a rare disease that afflicts descendants of the original Acadians. Even on an overcast muggy January day, Cory and Darci Heck's home in rural Albany, La., is...
Acadiana duck hunters remember the hunts that went awry. SEEING STARS Dr. Monty Rizzo, an ear, nose and throat specialist from New Iberia, travels all over the world to hunt big game. He rarely...
Lafayette officials look to other communities for "smart growth" answers to fund and maintain a viable city infrastructure. When Lafayette Planning Commissioner John Barras went online...
With the Super Bowl in sight, a transplanted New Orleans Saints fan reflects on football, faith and the meaning of the Black and Gold. Scaring a baby and making him cry was the first sign. It was...
Pushing the Basin's Boundaries
Millions of federal dollars could help clear a better path toward economic development and ecotourism for the Atchafalaya Basin. Shiny strips of moon reflect off of Bayou Teche and onto an old man...
What happens when a rising New Orleans chef is invited to cook a special banquet meal honoring "Cajun Cannon" Bobby Hebert for Ducks Unlimited in Opelousas? Part one of an exclusive...
Persons of the Year: Danica Adams and Elizabeth 'EB'Â Brooks
Two former UL Lafayette students restored the city's faith in community activism — and the spirit of its youth.
Dudley LeBlanc and the Hadacol Boogie
Thirty-five years after his death, Dudley J. LeBlanc and his magical elixir remain larger than life. "Two months ago I couldn't read nor write. I took four bottles of Hadacol, and now I'm...
North Lafayette's proposed traditional neighborhood development is mired in lawsuits and debt, and local contractors and creditors are hoping a California company will salvage the project. It was to...
After losing hundreds of thousands of dollars, 32 former Exxon employees received a near-record award from the broker they say swindled them. Together, they make up about a quarter of a 32-plaintiff...
South Louisiana's long history of drinking songs inspires an ambitious new musical project. Popular legend in Cajun music holds that fiddle great Harry Choates sold the rights to his chart-topping...
You might think you're a restaurant regular ' until you meet these folks. We like to eat. It's more than just a function of survival. It's an excuse for conversation, a reason for a party, and a...
Local rocker Dege Legg poses as an investment banker and hooks an e-mail spammer for a wild ride. Around the world, online fraud through use of e-mail is one of the fastest growing types of cons...
Charles Foti and The Memorial Three
The attorney general isn't talking any more about his controversial medical-murder investigation, but the doctor and two nurses he charged with killing four elderly patients after Hurricane Katrina...
The Ind's breakdown of the 3rd Congressional District Race The campaign vehicle rolls down Main Street behind the Boucherie Festival's junior miss queen and the mayor of Sorrento. Groups of people...
The Seventh Congressional District of southwest Louisiana used to be considered one of the Democrats' safest seats. This year, the party barely found a candidate. Down a gravel cul-de-sac in a small...
More than a year after the initial effort to rename Willow Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, politicians and leaders at every level of government have failed Lafayette. "We need a...
A former Lafayette public school teacher with a controversial past quietly resurfaces ' but some people can't forget what he did 10 years ago. Wayne Arceneaux vividly remembers a run-in he had with...
Through public documents and depositions, a clear picture emerges of the UL Lafayette horse-farm travesty.
For 37 years, Southern Mutual Help Association has defied the odds in its fight against rural poverty. The phone never stops ringing inside the little green cottage on the banks of Bayou Teche. The...
Mike Tidwell's acclaimed 2003 book Bayou Farewell predicted Louisiana's 2005 devastation. His new book shows how coastal issues affect all of America, not just Louisiana. Mike Tidwell has lived...
The Independent Weekly honors Acadiana's most influential and energized women professionals. They are dynamos of dedication, engines of progress and power, the heart and soul of their communities....
Ethnic markets are bringing new culinary horizons to Acadiana. "Puta this on your tongue," Maurizio Principata coaxes in his rich Sicilian accent, fluttering a paper-thin piece of dry...
Katrina and Rita: One Year Later
A special commemorative issue chronicling Louisiana's ongoing recovery from two devastating 2005 hurricanes Editorial One Year Later By Scott Jordan The Power Shuffle The diaspora provoked by Katrina...
Lafayette resident Don Long is the unlikely architect of one of the state's most popular Web sites. It's just after 8 a.m. on Thursday morning at CC's Coffee House on Johnston Street, and customers...
Don't believe the dire warnings about Creole and Cajun French dying out in Acadiana. Abby Thibodeaux is hovering over the pool table in Red's Levee Bar, a nearly pitch-black hole-in-the-wall with a...
As his 26th book is released, best-selling author James Lee Burke doesn't hold back on the state of America and a lifetime of writing. There goes James Lee Burke. The 69-year-old best-selling crime...
South Louisiana's Ann Savoy teams up with pop icon Linda Ronstadt for their new CD, Adieu False Heart. Singer, writer and producer Ann Savoy has emerged in recent years as the unofficial liaison...
Social service providers try to integrate New Orleans' young evacuees at FEMA's Renaissance Village into activities and schools, but many kids just want to go home. On a humid Wednesday in June at...
Developer John Montesano has less than 150 days to fulfill promises he made to the city-parish council, or his ambitious Chateau Mirage golf course community could be nothing more than a vast sand...
In a previously unpublished 1999 interview, Boozoo Chavis explains why there was only one Boozoo. Anthony Wilson "Boozoo" Chavis lived out his life in Lake Charles, on a few acres he...
The Rise and Fall of Randy Hundley
How decades of cronyism and political grudges culminated in a grand jury indictment of Lafayette Police Chief Randy Hundley
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the 2006 Legislative Session*
*but were afraid to ask "Laws are like sausages. It's better not to see them being made." Nineteenth-century German statesman Otto von Bismarck is credited with that gem, and Rapides...
A proposed new regional tourism board sparks a round of Acadiana parish infighting and angers some New Orleans legislators. Sydnie Mae Durand crushes an imaginary egg between the palms of her...
Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom is pushing for an ethanol fuel mandate in Louisiana, and the oil and gas industry is pushing back. A battle for a new energy standard in Louisiana is heating up in...
How Washington, D.C.'s biggest lobbying scandal unfolded in Lafayette's backyard. Forty-five minutes away from Lafayette, the Coushatta Indian reservation is tucked at the end of a desolate 16-mile...
With hurricane season only a week away, local and state officials assess the worst-case scenario for Acadiana. One hundred miles to the east and the west never felt so close. Last Aug. 29, Hurricane...
An unexpected bizarre series of recent events has some legislators and LSU supporters fearing that Gov. Kathleen Blanco will try to strengthen the UL System by siphoning schools away from the LSU...
Booming Acadiana development ramps up further with federal tax incentives aimed at helping rebuild the Gulf coast. When Congress passed the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act sponsored by Mississippi Sen....
An exclusive excerpt from the new memoir, Atchafalaya Houseboat: My Years in the Louisiana Swamp. Editor's Note: In the summer of 1972, Gwen Roland had just completed her master's degree and was...
Festival International headliner Irma Thomas is singing her way back home to New Orleans. Irma Thomas has traveled many miles since last September. Just weeks after Hurricane Katrina, Thomas...
Residents of Delcambre and Erath attempt to rebuild while facing confusing signals from local, state and federal officials. Michelle and Matt Bowen have been remodeling their house for the past...
Broadcasting from the Avocado Room, from high atop the well-built Hotel Biltwell, it's Lee Kleinpeter, your host for another Friday night edition of Big Band Swings. It's 10 till 7 on a Friday...
An artists community led by George Marks is changing the face of Arnaudville ' despite resistance from the mayor. It's Friday night in Arnaudville, and artist George Marks' Town Market is hopping....
Honoring the 2006 INDesign award winners The Independent Weekly is proud to honor the most innovative and thoughtful commercial and residential architecture, historic preservation projects and...
Renowned historian and Rising Tide author John Barry addresses coastal erosion, Louisiana's levee system, the political ramifications of Katrina and Rita and more. From mid-2004 through August 2005,...
How a tiny homegrown St. Landry Parish health care provider became a regional powerhouse and earned a Wall Street windfall. A little more than a decade ago, young nurse Ginger Myers was tiring of...
The joy and sorrow of Mardi Gras 2006 in New Orleans Intermittent rain and light mist is turning the ground into mud, and the boys keep trying to pick up broken glass, Lego pieces, oyster shells...
Due in part to a popular recovery plan bearing his namesake, Congressman Richard Baker has ascended to the ranks of a political superstar ' and he intends to make the most of his momentum. The back...
Lafayette's traditional black Mardi Gras celebration, shrouded in secrecy and ritual, offers a different take on the rites of Fat Tuesday. When Michael Batiste breaks out of his door on Mardi Gras...
Nine months after Guamas owners Rubens Mesa and his wife Julieta Tarazona were arrested ' and Mesa was injured by four Lafayette policemen ' they face their accusers in court. "This is...
A scathing audit and drastically revised financial statements from the Wall Street darling of Lafayette have shareholders and federal authorities questioning the integrity of Stone Energy. Norman V....
Up to 25,000 evacuees are still living in Acadiana. A number of them tell why they've made the Lafayette area their new home — and plan to stay. NINTH WARD EXODUS Walk in Cherlyn Ruffin's home and...
Two years after his election, City-Parish President Joey Durel faces tough questions on Lafayette's future and finances. At his annual President's Report on the State of Lafayette Parish last year,...
Renowned Lafayette architect Steve Oubre joins the Louisiana Recovery Authority to help design a master plan for rebuilding Louisiana. The port town of Cameron, with its rusting trawlers and...
After its last manager failed to move Grant Street Dancehall off its namesake street and gutted its autographed dressing room walls, new owners are reviving the legendary live music venue. Don...
Goldband Records founder Eddie Shuler was viewed as a saint and a snake ' and made immeasurable contributions to Louisiana music before his death. Country music superstar Dolly Parton has nothing...
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita overshadowed all in 2005. But before and after the storms, there was also no shortage of political buffoonery, bogus business deals, inspiring triumphs, sad goodbyes and...
The destruction and despair wreaked by hurricanes Katrina and Rita were unprecedented. So was the generous response of the residents of south Louisiana. They came from all walks of life. Mechanics,...
After the evacuation, a husband and wife try to go home. Three months after Hurricane Katrina, my house in New Iberia is growing quiet. Our evacuees have returned to their homes. All but one. My...
Abdalla's prepares to close the doors of its last location, after 110 years as an independently owned retailer. When it goes, Lafayette loses much more than just another place to shop. There was a...
The Politics of Hurricane Relief
Best intentions and promises of unity preceded the recent special session, but even two hurricanes couldn't shake politics-as-usual from the Legislature. It was as if a funeral were occurring on the...
A contentious disagreement over an art exhibit leads to longtime director Herman Mhire's retirement and questions about the future of the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum. On Friday,...
Jerry Luke LeBlanc was reared by one of the greats of Acadiana politics ' his father. Now he faces an unparalleled challenge that will forever define his own career. The first thing Jerry Luke...
After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the state has an even higher percentage of residents living without health insurance and less money to help cover them. The looming crisis could force Louisiana to...
Thanks to Lafayette native Anne Rolfes and the environmental group The Louisiana Bucket Brigade, residents in St. Bernard Parish don't have to trust the EPA. Anne Rolfes grew up in Lafayette's...
Sugarcane Academy, a one-room schoolhouse in New Iberia for evacuee kids, prepares to close its doors. My friend sits out on his back deck in New Orleans, where he would normally be grilling the...
Residents, business leaders and students are up in arms over a suspect land swap-deal involving UL Lafayette's horse farm property. The old UL Lafayette horse farm may be the only thing of beauty...
Rebuilding south Louisiana could take years, but mending minds and spirits is an entirely different task. Amzie Adams does a little jig on Jefferson Street then clicks his self-painted shoes...
Lafayette Postmaster Troy Southerland takes more than 30 relatives and friends into his four-bedroom Duson home following Hurricane Katrina. Lafayette Postmaster Troy Southerland is working late....
When Hurricane Rita hits Mouton Cove, residents and friends of the small Cajun community search for signs of life. When Rita makes landfall as a Category 3 hurricane at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday...
She just stares at me, the Iowan volunteer. Silver and green Mardi Gras beads drape around her neck. She pushes a blank form across the table. "It's been a long day," she says. Sitting next...
Evacuees across Acadiana wait for answers. Editorial Politics and Perseverance By Scott Jordan All Alone Residents of the outlying parishes around New Orleans feel the government ignored them in...
A collection of the special reports, editorials and overall coverage on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
With Title IX guiding the way, UL Lafayette has helped female athletics clear many hurdles over the past 33 years. But disparities in salaries and budgets remain, and some critics contend the finish...
At N.P. Moss Middle School, students and administrators hope a new innovative arts-based curriculum will turn around one of the parish's most troubled schools. Ken Douet's office doesn't resemble...
A new generation of Acadiana chefs navigates a changing environment of chain restaurants, culinary education and salary challenges. It took a move to Wisconsin for chef and Lafayette native...
Tales from the Acadiana racing circuit **KART COMMUNITY The scene is straight out of the Indianapolis 500: the rippling thunder of engines, the dust swirling over the track, the caustic odor of...
Psychologist and education expert Dr. Robert Evans says schools aren't to blame for poor student performance; it's the parents. It's sheer coincidence, but the timing of Dr. Robert Evans' upcoming...
Louisiana's commercial seafood industry has always faced challenges, but new economic factors, stiffer competition and market changes are making it harder than ever to stay afloat. Conery Durand...
How Lafayette helped shape John Kennedy Toole's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel A Confederacy of Dunces and its hero, Ignatius J. Reilly. "A green hunting cap squeezed the top of the fleshy...
Revised flood maps for Lafayette Parish are coming this fall - and a lot of residents and businesses won't be happy with the results. The engineer checked off the hours, the tension building. There...
Hamilton's Place is closed, but it's neither gone, nor forgotten. As the sun descends on the evening of Sunday, June 19, traffic on Verot School Road is at a standstill as cars wait in line to...
From class clowns to political bullies, The Independent commemorates the spring Legislative session. If you spend enough time in the State Capitol, follow the local news this time of year, or even...
After a major health scare, songwriter and piano man David Egan rebounds with another career milestone. On an April afternoon, a British film crew is packing up its audio and video equipment from...
Environmental groups, landowners, loggers and government agencies wrestle over the declining health of south Louisiana's cypress forests. Coastal Environmental Scientist Toni DeBosier is almost...
A trio of south Louisiana bloggers illustrates the medium's growing appeal. Merriam-Webster dictionary added the word "blog" to its lexicon in 1999, offering the following definition:...
A contentious lawsuit and a mysterious contract extension puts a cloud over Mosquito Control Contractor, Inc.'s 22-year reign in Iberia Parish. Mosquito Control Contractors, Inc. holds the...
A municipal fiber plan in Illinois' Tri-Cities failed twice. The region's leaders and residents offer cautionary tales as Lafayette heads toward its July 16 fiber-to-the-home referendum. After...
Councilman Chris Williams' brash style has earned him the adoration of his constituents and the contempt of fellow elected officials. How far will his support base carry him? A white '96 Buick...
Artist Robert Rauschenberg returns to the city his family has called home since 1948 to exhibit his art in memory of his late mother. After graduating from Cecilia High School in 1956, Dickie Landry...
With oil at $50 a barrel and Texas and Oklahoma striking it rich, Louisiana is missing out. Texas oilman Chris Cone walks across the vibrating deck of a drilling rig in a muddy field in Scott, the...
Longtime residents of Cypremort Point say they're being forced out by the community's biggest landowner. Cypremort Point was the perfect retirement spot for Bobbie Aycock. After working as a nurse...
The Independent Weekly's complete guide to every band playing Festival International de...
After years of languishing in the shadow of south Lafayette's growth, north Lafayette gets ready for a major wave of residential and commercial development. Designer Kevin Royston was playing a...
The Lafayette High Symphonic Band graces Carnegie Hall. The Lafayette High Symphonic Band played at New York's famed Carnegie Hall during Easter weekend, and The Independent Weekly asked...
A revised Lafayette city-parish ordinance turns up the heat on street vendor Faramarz "Frankie" Yaghobi. On March 3, a longstanding city ordinance that prohibited residents from parking...
Honoring the recipients of The Independent Weekly's first INDesign architecture and design awards At its best, architecture tells stories about our values and reflects our way of life. From the...
Why is Lafayette's cost of living ' especially in real estate prices ' higher than comparable communities? What does it cost to buy the good life in Lafayette? More than other places in the South,...
Behind the scenes with a trio of Acadiana Open Channel hosts It doesn't have star-driven sitcoms and is non-existent in the Nielsen ratings. But Acadiana Open Channel has been must-see TV for...
Some downtown business owners and residents are concerned that the weekend party scene is approaching dangerous proportions. Robert Mouton thought it would be nice to spend his retirement years in...
Acadiana businessmen Harold Schoeffler and Herman Schellstede see a billion-dollar industry in wind turbines that could help offshore oil extraction and green energy production. At his Surrey Street...
While politicians tangle with the Central American Free Trade Agreement and proposed new mills, growers and managers try to hang on. Mike Comb of the Louisiana Sugarcane Cooperative feels tired...
Entrepreneur and preservationist Dickie Breaux hopes to scoop up Borden's Ice Cream store on Johnston Street. Restaurateur Dickie Breaux drives several times a week from his Breaux Bridge restaurant...
The Independent's guide to this week's krewes, parades and throws of Lafayette Mardi Gras 2005 Mardi Gras is a sensory-overload reminder of Acadiana's unique charm. While Louisiana's indigenous...
Inside the history and leadership of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Throughout 2004, Gary McGoffin didn't mince words. The immediate past chairman of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of...
Sister Helen Prejean remembers the legal fight to save Louisiana death row prisoner Dobie Gillis Williams, an indigent man with an IQ of 65 whom Prejean believes was innocent. "Honorable...
State and city obscenity laws are being applied against a number of local retailers. When Ryan Hargroder moved back to Lafayette from San Diego a few years ago, he and his wife Erika Bordelon...
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