News | February 2016

Louisiana Economic Development (LED) has partnered with the Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA) and INNOV8 Acadiana, a CFA company, to deliver a high-powered CEO Roundtable series in Acadiana commencing in July 2016. EXCELERANT, an award-winning Lafayette-based leadership development and human resources solutions company, has been selected to facilitate the roundtable series.

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A poll of 500 likely voters in Lafayette Parish found that 81 percent think it’s important to complete Interstate 49 South through Lafayette, the regional economic development group One Acadiana announced Thursday.

About 55 percent of those polled believe the I-49 Connector — the portion of the interstate passing through the city limits — could improve the surrounding neighborhoods, according the poll results.

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While conducting a recent poll about the proposed Lafayette Parish School System millages (which the Lafayette Parish School Board voted Tuesday to remove from the ballot), One Acadiana polled frequent voters about the Interstate 49 South connector, according to a news release issued Thursday by the regional chamber of commerce.

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Lafayette city-parish planners have proposed a major design change for the Interstate 49 Connector, floating the idea of elevating the interstate as it skirts downtown and scrapping plans for two downtown interchanges.

The potential changes address key complaints that a preliminary design by the state Department of Transportation and Development might not be a good fit for downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Local engineers are offering their own plan on how to connect Interstate 49 through the city with less impact to surrounding neighborhoods.

Members of the Acadiana Planning Commission and Lafayette Consolidated Government presented their alternate proposed plan last week to the Federal Highway Commission and I-49 South committee members.

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The new Lee Michaels free-standing store at Ambassador Crossing sparkles with southern Louisiana flair.

You will likely be greeted by General Manager Kim Henry or one of the other friendly store employees, more than half of whom have been with the company for more than a decade.

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Once again, opponents of the Interstate 49 connector are pitching the same old tired argument that this project would be a major disaster. Just like 15 years ago, when they sued and lost. They claim that a bypass alignment like the Teche Ridge alternative through St. Martin Parish would be more efficient, "costs less" and avoid the displacements and "eyesore" that the connector would apparently impose on Lafayette.

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Baton Rouge General Medical Center announced a new partnership with Lafayette-based LHC Group Inc. this morning  by which LHC Group will serve as the preferred home health care partner for all of Baton Rouge General’s patients. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

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One Acadiana has selected IberiaBank executive Jerry Vascocu as its 2016 chairman of the board of directors for the nine-parish regional economic development organization.

Vascocu is IberiaBank president for the Acadiana region, and has served on One Acadiana’s board for the past four years, including when the organization was the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. A member for six years, Vascocu has led One Acadiana’s Finance Committee and has served on the business development, talent development and urban development committees.

One Acadiana announced today the selection of the 2016 Chairman of its Board of Directors, Jerry Vascocu, IBERIABANK president of the Acadiana Region.

Vascocu has been an active member of the organization for the past six years and has served on the board of directors for the last four years. He previously served as chair of the finance committee and is an active member of One Acadiana’s business development, talent development, and urban revitalization and development committees.