Diversity, social vitality and opportunity are big themes. A vibrant community is a place people from all walks of life are attracted to and can thrive.
Economy
Conversation: Is Lafayette a vibrant community?
What does it mean to have a vibrant community? A cool downtown? Great parks and recreation? A strong business sector? Access to opportunity? All of the above?
1 min read
House concurs in changes to industry self-audits, UL-city land swap, campaigning-for-kin amendment
While House members balked at concurring on Senate amendments to several important measures Tuesday, two Lafayette representatives moved to accept Senate amendments to three of their pet projects.
2 min read
Senate, House balk at each other’s changes; sports betting, kindergarten, others sent to conference
With just 55 hours remaining before Thursday’s 6 p.m. deadline for this session, the Senate in short order Tuesday morning duly and unanimously rejected the House-amended versions of the sports betting and mandatory kindergarten bills at the request of their authors.
5 min read
Legislative Roundup: Partial decriminalization of marijuana possession; environmental self-audits; abortion reporting; and more
Sprinting for the finish, the Senate blazed through some thorny legislation on marijuana, abortion rights and vaccine ‘anti-discrimination.’
7 min read
Legislative Roundup: Sales tax collections amendment headed to voters; sports betting clears House; social media censorship bill falters
Efforts to overhaul Louisiana’s tax system have picked up steam with little time to waste. Other bills are withering.
6 min read
After heated debates, House approves mandatory kindergarten at 5, kills continuing movie credits
Mandatory kindergarten at age 5 and the perennial argument over whether Louisiana is getting its $180-million-a-year’s worth from movie business tax credits consumed over an hour of debate each.
7 min read
Louisiana’s economy is changing. What does that mean for you?
Over the next month, The Current will host a series of Listening Sessions with folks on the front lines. We want to bring together people with different, even opposing, views to dig deeper into this important discussion.
3 min read
Lafayette e-commerce fulfillment company to take over closed Northside Walmart
The project fills a big hole on the Evangeline Thruway. Years of bad headlines and disinvestment have made the region a tough sell, and local officials hope news like this can polish the area’s image and attract investment down the line.
3 min read
3/23 Council Preview: Fiber buildout, outsourcing a city pool, repurposing a rec center, school sidewalks and a controversial detention pond
Here’s a selection of items on the agendas for this week’s meetings of the city and parish councils.
4 min read
COLUMN: How Lafayette can pivot from oil and gas with what it already has
A generational challenge has no easy solutions. But there are opportunities to pivot using what we already have at our disposal.
7 min read
COLUMN: Replacing lost oil jobs is a generational challenge for Lafayette
Few will admit it out loud: What has been Lafayette’s most important economic sector will likely never recover the ground it lost.
7 min read