News | September 2019

WHAT: Pre-K4 teacher Cherie Stanley of Evangeline Elementary in Evangeline, LA will receive the “Best Early Childhood Educator Rising Star Award” after receiving 1,173 votes from the public. Mrs. Stanley and her class will receive a SURPRISE visit by the CAJUNDOME staff to share the news of her award. In addition to the award, Mrs. Stanley and her students will receive complimentary tickets to see the heroic pups PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure” at the Cajundome, October 12 & 13.

Candidates vying to represent Lafayette’s education interests were on the hot seat at a community forum Monday night, answering questions about dual enrollment availability, trust in the school board and improvement in the district’s Transformation Zone.

The 13 candidates running for the five contested seats on the Lafayette Parish School Board were each given a single question, plus an introduction, to make a winning impression on the audience at the Acadiana Center for the Arts and viewers watching from home.

One Acadiana is launching a campaign designed to capture new business and expand opportunities in the region.

2020 is fast approaching. For One Acadiana, that means it’s time to outline the next five years with this $15-million project that can help propel Acadiana forward.

“Our mission is to improve the quality of life quality of place. We do that in a couple of ways. We do it through the creation and preservation of jobs and we do that through the product,” said CEO Troy Wayman.

The Acadiana economy appears to have hit a turning point in its recovery from years of record-low oil prices that sets the stage for growth over the next two years.

Last year, an annual economic outlook conducted by economist Loren Scott predicted that Lafayette would only add 1,400 jobs in 2019 but the region has gained 2,500. It’s a major change from when the region was bleeding jobs — 20,900 lost between 2015 and 2017. This year's report was co-authored by Gregory Upton Jr., assistant professor and researcher at the LSU Center for Energy Studies.

1. Give us a brief history of your company.

This is a new concept we brought to the Acadiana area in March. Graze Acadiana came to life from a mother-daughter duo who have always had a love for hosting and entertaining others in our homes. The concept grew out of our love for being creative and also serving this lovely area we now call home. When we realized how something as simple as a beautifully curated platter of handpicked goodness brings people together, we knew we had to share.

Vermilion Parish is ripe for investment and the board of Vermilion Economic Development Alliance is excited about the work they’re doing in all areas of the parish. To help provide vision and direction for the staff and programming is the organization’s 15-member board representing Vermilion Parish cities, towns, and government organizations as well as the Chamber of Commerce.

Five candidates vying to be Lafayette’s next mayor-president faced off in a "Jeopardy!"-style forum hosted by One Acadiana Wednesday night where drainage plans and public funds took center stage.

Two upcoming events will offer Lafayette school board candidates a forum and raise community awareness about the needs of local students and families impacted by adverse childhood experiences.

Adverse childhood experiences are defined as traumatic events occurring before age 18. ACEs include all types of abuse and neglect as well as parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration and domestic violence.

On Wednesday, September 18 One Acadiana, UL Lafayette and KATC will host the five candidates for Lafayette Mayor-President in a forum at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

The forum will be broadcast on KATC on Wednesday beginning at 7:00 pm.

One Acadiana President and CEO Troy Wayman joined GMA to discuss the televised forum.

The public is invited to attend the event to hear from all five candidates on their vision for the City of Lafayette and the Parish.