Today we shine a spotlight on Louisiana Grass Roots, a compelling new documentary produced by Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard and directed by Jillian Godshall. This film captures the voices of everyday Louisianians working to preserve our state's environmental and cultural heritage, highlighting powerful grassroots movements shaping our future.



Jillian and Phyllis join us to share the inspiration behind the documentary, the stories that moved them most, and why community-driven action matters now more than ever.



This episode is also special on a personal note—Jan Swift’s daughter, Kelly, who works in the film industry at the Manship Theater, made this introduction. Even though we all live and work in the same region, this documentary brought us together in a way that highlights what community truly means in South Louisiana.











About the Filmmakers – In Their Own Words



Director Jillian Godshall began by expressing gratitude for the local connection that made this collaboration possible.



“I am a filmmaker. I’m also an educator. I’ve been doing both for over 15 years at this point. It’s taken me all over the world. I’m really glad to be here in Lafayette doing that work as well.”



Her background is deeply rooted in documentary storytelling: “My background in filmmaking is mostly in documentary filmmaking. I’ve worked on big budget, large scale reality TV show stuff—don’t tell anyone—and all the way down to where I feel most comfortable now, which is working on smaller-scale independent projects, having more of the creative leadership role, directing and being super involved in every aspect of production.”



Jillian also teaches video editing to incarcerated students through an organization called The Last Mile: “I currently teach video editing to incarcerated students… and work with Phyllis, hang out with Phyllis, plant plants with Phyllis.”



Producer Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard shared her deep Louisiana roots and her global experience in science education: “I’m from Lafayette originally, grew up all over the South… I got a degree from USL in zoology and then went off to graduate school in biochemistry. I came back to Louisiana and started teaching at Xavier University, and I knew then that’s what I wanted to do.”



Phyllis’ work has always focused on connecting people to the land and ecology around them:



“Even as a biologist and teaching university students, I always was looking for local examples and to reconnect students outside the textbook to the biology that’s in their own backyard.”



She emphasized the importance of place in identity: “When I came home, I heard French, I heard the music—you can really connect to this place.”







The Origin of Louisiana Grass Roots: A Story Rooted in Place, Memory, and Rediscovery



Jillian and Phyllis did not come together through a traditional film industry channel; they were united through a local experience that awakened something deeper. Phyllis explains that after returning to Lafayette and connecting with the Acadiana Master Naturalist Program, she began to understand the importance of the Cajun Prairie through firsthand fieldwork.



“One of the topics is about the Cajun prairie… I had learned about the prairie, and I knew about it more from when we lived in Texas, because the people in and around Houston just ooh and ah about the prairie scientists we have over here: Larry Allen, Charles Allen and Malcolm Vidrine, who discovered what they have since called the Cajun Prairie. 2.5 million acres. Most of Southwest Louisiana was part of this prairie,...

Heidi McDonald and Jason Stoner, the passionate duo behind Foodies of Lafayette and the Lafayette Community Fridge Program, join Discover Lafayette. Their mission blends a love for local restaurants with compassion for those facing food insecurity — all while promoting dignity, kindness, and connection within the Lafayette community.











The Origin of Foodies of Lafayette



Heidi McDonald founded Foodies of Lafayette as a Facebook group to celebrate good restaurants and people in the region, with one caveat — no negativity allowed. “I basically have two careers at this point,” she shared. “I don't think that I fully comprehended in the beginning what it could be, what that impact could be. Jason came on board early on and made me see some things that I didn't — just how it could grow, the organicness of the friendships that were happening and the power behind that.”



With over 112,000 followers at the time of recording this interview (and 113,700 a week later), Foodies of Lafayette has become a true culinary movement that uplifts both local restaurants and the people who enjoy them.







The Birth of the Lafayette Community Fridge



The Lafayette Community Fridge Program came under Foodies’ umbrella in late 2024. Jason explained, “The Lafayette Community Fridge was started in 2021 by another group of individuals. By the end of last year, only a couple of people were left, and Erinn Quinn, reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, would you like to take this over as a Foodies thing?’”



Jason admitted he felt an instant calling: “I really wanted to take this on. Heidi let me have it. I said, ‘I’ll handle most of the work, but I really want this.’ So she allowed me to have this baby, and it’s dear to me.”



Through Foodies’ reputation and community reach, people came forward to help. Jason said, "One of our first needs was to collect $30 a month for the electricity at McMillan's Pub to run the utilities for the fridge. We don't want Robin to come out of her pocket. We need to provide that. We had so many people donating that $30 and they're like, how much do you need? Some would say, here's six months. That paid us through 2026.“











How the Fridge Works



The Lafayette Community Fridge has two locations — at McMillan’s Pub (2905 East Simcoe) in Lafayette and T-Boy’s in Abbeville. It is open 24/7 to anyone who needs food or wishes to contribute. And it is not just food that is needed; the sites also need power, regular maintenance, and clean outs.



Jason described how restaurants donate fresh, ready-to-eat meals rather than just shelf-stable goods. “There’s so much waste,” he said. “Why can’t we just be a little more efficient with organizing where it goes instead of the trash can?”









He praised Toby and Joey Lagneaux, owners of Lagneaux's, for stepping up early: “We’ve got a lot of food coming off the buffet daily. Toby said, ‘Absolutely. We’ve been throwing it away. I would rather it go somewhere.’”



To keep meals safe, Taylor’s International donated 6,000 three-compartment Styrofoam containers, and Seth Randall of Logic Refrigeration provided a double commercial fridge. “No one touches the food between Lagneaux’s and the fridge,” Jason emphasized. “It’s picked up and taken directly to the fridge.”







Community Participation and Dignity



For Heidi, the heart of the program is dignity. “It’s not less dignified to need something,” she said. “We just don’t know people’s stories.

Our guest, Dr. Caroline Jurisich, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her inspiring work with The Quad, a Lafayette-based program helping adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities continue learning, building independence, and forming meaningful social connections after leaving school.







A Lifelong Passion for Education and Inclusion



Originally from North Louisiana, Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from LSU and initially worked in that field. But her career path changed after she began working with students who had emotional and behavioral challenges. She went on to earn her Master’s at UL Lafayette and taught in the Lafayette Parish School System before being recruited to help develop and teach in UL LIFE, an inclusive post-secondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities.



“When I started with UL LIFE in 2014, there were about 200 programs like it in the country,” she recalled. “Now, there are 364.” The program, which began as a small pilot with local students, has since expanded to 35 students from across the U.S. who live on campus, participate in university classes, and are fully integrated into campus life.



As the program grew, Caroline noticed a troubling pattern: “Once these students graduated, they secured employment, but there was still a gap in opportunities for continued learning and in maintaining the skills they’d developed.”



That realization led her to found The Quad in 2023.











Filling the Gap After Graduation



Located in the Oil Center at 1021 E St Mary Blvd., Suite A, The Quad serves adults aged 18 to 62 who have completed high school or college-based programs and are seeking continued education, social engagement, and life skills training.







“I’m a big believer in building a strong foundation before branching out,” Caroline said. “We’re focused on what we call learning sessions—structured, engaging opportunities to develop practical skills without feeling like school.”



The Quad offers 26 sessions a week, each about real-world abilities:




Money Smarts: budgeting, banking, and financial literacy.



Vocational Training: preparing for, securing, and maintaining employment.



Social and Relationship Skills: navigating family, friendship, and workplace dynamics.



Independent Living Skills: cooking, meal planning, grocery budgeting, and household management in their full kitchen lab.




Each session is small and tailored. “We want to make sure it’s meaningful for every individual,” she said. “Independence doesn’t necessarily mean doing it all by yourself—it means knowing when to ask for help, knowing your strengths, and building on both.”



The Quad also emphasizes community engagement. Members participate in service projects such as filling the Lafayette Community Fridge, supporting Second Harvest, and organizing toy drives. “We remind our members that to be an active, engaged part of your community, you also have to give back,” Caroline said.







Creating Belonging and Connection



Social isolation after leaving school is a major challenge for adults with disabilities. Caroline has seen firsthand how The Quad helps bridge that gap.



“There’s so much research on the impact of isolation—higher rates of depression and anxiety once individuals leave school,” she explained. “At The Quad, they have a space for connection, shared experiences,

Fabian Patin, a Lafayette architect whose name has become synonymous with the preservation and beautification of Rotary Point, a peaceful sanctuary on the Bayou Vermilion, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his decades-long dedication to Lafayette’s waterways and the enduring spirit of civic service that drives the Rotary Club of Lafayette. He has been a loyal member of the club for decades.











Origins of Rotary Point and the Bayou Vermilion Revival



Rotary Point came to life in the 1980s through a partnership among the Rotary Clubs of Lafayette, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and the creation of Bayou Vermilion District. At the time, Lafayette was in the throes of the oil bust, and the once-vibrant bayou had fallen into neglect and pollution. Patin recalled how his colleague, attorney, Bob Cole, then Lafayette Chamber president, looked beyond the downturn: “Rather than worrying about it, Bob said, let’s do some things to improve it. We’ve got a bayou; it’s not the best one now, but it can be.”



Cole’s optimism led to the creation of a master plan for the Vermilion River. Half the funding came from private citizens and companies, the other half from the City of Lafayette. That plan inspired state legislation to create the Bayou Vermilion District, a nine-member commission—of which Fabian was an original commissioner—charged with implementing restoration and access projects.



To secure federal funding under the Dingell-Johnson Act, Lafayette needed a 20 percent local match. Fabian and local leaders convinced the Parish Council to contribute the unused 400-foot right-of-way from West Bayou Parkway to the Vermilion as the local match. The federal funds, championed by then U.S. Senator John Breaux, completed the financing. Fabian recalled, "If you give us the right to use that land for our 20 percent match, that can be our 20 percent—and it worked.”







How Rotary Point Got Its Name



Initially conceived as a simple boat launch, the site evolved when Fabian—active in both the Bayou Vermilion District and Rotary—saw an opportunity:




“If I can go to our Rotary Clubs and say, look, if we call it Rotary Point, I think I can get our clubs to pay for the overlook.”




That promise birthed Rotary Point, with local Rotary Clubs funding the overlook while the Bayou Vermilion District handled access improvements. It became one of the first public boat launches on the Vermilion and a shared symbol of civic collaboration.











Stewardship and Beautification



Through the years, the Bayou Vermilion District has continued major maintenance—most notably replacing the aging wooden bulkhead with steel reinforcements—while the Rotary Club of Lafayette maintains and beautifies the grounds. Fabian, now 81 years of age, can still be found there almost every day: mowing, planting, spreading mulch, or supervising upgrades.







The site now features benches, picnic tables, irrigation, flowering azaleas, and majestic live oaks—many planted to honor international Rotary presidents. Fabian explained how community partnerships brought the space to life:




Azalea Trail volunteers donated 35 azaleas.



Trees Acadiana, led by Sarah Schoeffler, provided and planted dozens of plants and live oaks.



Compost from Lafayette Parish enriched the soil, coordinated by Rotarian Stan Messenger, who negotiated increased deliveries of mulch and soil for the park.



Dr. Jim Rees established a Peace Pole inscribed in...

Amanda ("Mandy") Osgood and Tracy Lindberg of Graze Acadiana join Discover Lafayette to discuss their love of creating beautiful food presentations and what it is like to open your own small business.



A mother–daughter team who have brought the art of grazing to Lafayette since 2019, this episode is presented in partnership with Lafayette Travel and Eat Lafayette as we spotlight locally owned restaurants and eateries.



Located at 113 Arnould Boulevard in Lafayette, Graze Acadiana was built upon the Australian concept of gather and graze, which connects people with beautiful, high-quality food and creating shared experiences around the table.

















Building a Business Together



Mandy reflected on what it means to run a business with her mom:




“We spend every single day together and call each other a million times. Building this business together brought us closer. And we just have a really close friendship. So it’s been great. And being business partners, I know a lot of people can’t manage that with family, but it’s been really good for us.”




The two are originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. “We’re both actually from the Gulf Coast in Mississippi, the Biloxi/Ocean Springs area. And we moved here… Mom moved here about 15 years ago, and I moved here about 13 years ago,” Mandy explained. “I had my first child and she needed to be closer to her grandson. So here we are.”



Mandy Osgood and Tracy Lindberg, owners of Graze Acadiana



They quickly felt at home. “We fell in love with Lafayette. It’s just so family oriented. Family friendly. Of course, the food’s wonderful and the people are wonderful. And so it was really a place that I wanted to raise my family and wanted to be closer to."



Mandy describes herself as “the creative one” while Tracy brings her restaurant management background and entrepreneurial mindset. “We both love entertaining. We love gathering people together and just making beauty out of simple things,” Mandy added.







The Early Days of Grazing



Before “charcuterie” was a household word, Tracy and Mandy were already creating lavish spreads.




“Back in the day, friends and family would have us do weddings and birthdays and stuff like that. We used to make these massive grazing spreads. We didn’t even know they were called that at the time. We put gorgeous food on the table.”




In 2018, they saw the grazing trend explode in Australia. “There were about five places in the entire United States that were doing the grazing thing at that time. Like big cities—Austin, New York. My mom was like, let’s do it.”



From the start, they chose to run things professionally. “So from day one, we started in a commercial kitchen. We didn’t do it out of our house,” Mandy explained. But that came with hurdles.



Tracy recalled: “What really surprised me… was when we went down to the health department and found out that we had to have the commercial kitchen, and then we had to have a grease trap. Normally people make things at home, but incorporating this in the way we wanted to do it—right or not do it at all—cost tens of thousands of dollars.”



Mandy added: “I don’t think any of us knew that we were going to know this much about a grease trap at this point in our lives. My mom scoured plumbing department rules and laws… because grazing was such a new concept. There were no set standards for that. We had to figure all that out.”

We welcome Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque, a lifelong resident of Broussard who has dedicated his career to public service and business. Before being elected mayor in 2018, he served eight years as a city councilman for District 3 and has co-owned Touche Printing and Signs for more than three decades. He also served as board president of the Broussard Chamber of Commerce. Most importantly, he has supported community projects that enhance quality of life for his city's residents, such as expanded recreational facilities and infrastructure improvements that keep up with Broussard's rapid growth.



A Growing City with Deep Roots



Mayor Bourque highlighted Broussard’s rapid growth:




“Our recent census estimate from LSU in the state puts Broussard at 17,300 people, roughly. And back in the 2020 census, we were 13,400 people. So we are growing rapidly, exponentially.”





Despite the growth, the mayor emphasizes community values: “I always say to people in Broussard that we're all neighbors. I've grown up there. I have so many lifelong friends that knew me since I was a child that are in Broussard. But we also have so many new residents because we're a growing community.”




The Three Pillars of Leadership



When making decisions for the city, Mayor Bourque and the City Council focus on “Public safety, quality of life and economic development. When we're making decisions on a project or an initiative, we try to make sure it checks at least two of those boxes.



"Those three things are very relatable, that one cannot wholly exist without the other. If you're doing a quality of life initiative, it is generally good for economic development and vice versa. And public safety is just an umbrella that captures it all. If we don't have a safe community, then all the other things are held back. We can't invite people to move, or to spend time, or to come spend money in our community without providing a safe community. But it starts with a culture of our employees in Broussard, really focusing on hospitality. If you call city government, do you feel like that person is trying to help you on the other end of the phone? Or if you have a question or a problem and we come out and meet with you, sometimes the answer is no, but you can say no in a professional way. The goal is to try to help people, because everyone deserves to be valued, especially by their city government, because we're really serving those people. We have to do intentional work, and that intentional work is to grow our community, to invest in our own economy, to control that economy if we can, because it's the driver to help us fund police departments and fire departments and all the initiatives that we want to do in Broussard. So getting new customers in our city for our businesses to be able to work with is important."



Business-Friendly Policies



Broussard has long attracted businesses by not levying a city property tax or inventory tax: “It's worked for us. Sales tax is our driver, which means we have to have people working in our city. We have to have commerce in our city. That’s how we drive our tax revenues and can fund police, fire, etc.”



He sees the city’s role as being a partner to business owners: “Our job is to cultivate an environment where people can be successful and businesses can be successful. Ultimately we win or lose together.”



Infrastructure and Economic Development



Preparedness is key:




“If a business wants to place a facility in your city...and I have to say no, but in two years I can be ready, they're going somewhere else. We're not waiting on that. We're building it now.”

Our guest today is Chad Sonnier, Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP) for Lafayette Parish.



With over four decades of service in fire protection and emergency response, Chad Sonnier brings unmatched experience to the role of coordinating disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts across federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector.



"I was 18 years old, hired to be in the fire service and helping people in their time of need. It is something I've really become accustomed to, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I mean, people call 911 at their worst time of day or worst time in their life, and, we're there to help them, that's what we're there for."







Chad served as City of Scott’s Fire Chief before being named to his current post. He had served with the Lafayette Fire Department for years before his appointment with the City of Scott.



Over the course of his career, Chad has worked as a hazmat technician, fire engineer, fire coordinator, and hazmat chief. In 2020, he was inducted into the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Hall of Fame—a testament to his lifelong passion for public safety.



“Helping people is my passion. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Chad Sonnier shares.







A Newly Formed Office



The department was officially created in 2024 by Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet, who recognized the growing federal and state mandates in emergency management and the need to keep her community safe. It now operates independently of 911 services, with a broader scope that includes emergency responses to events such as hurricanes, mass gatherings like Mardi Gras, hazardous material accidents, and unexpected “no-notice” events such as train derailments.



This year in 2025, for the first time, Lafayette’s Emergency Operations Center partially activated its services during Mardi Gras. Agencies including fire, police, Acadian Ambulance, local hospitals, and even federal partners like the FBI and ATF, worked side by side to ensure public safety. “When you’re face to face in the same room, communications are so much better,” Chad explains.







Beyond Hurricanes: Preparedness in Action



While hurricanes are top of mind for many residents, Chad addressed the wide range of emergencies his office addresses to help those most in need:




Warming and cooling centers – Established for residents without reliable heating or air conditioning, with help from partners such as Catholic Charities, Red Cross, and even private companies like Stines, which donated large cooling fans.





Volunteer organizations – Hundreds of volunteers with local nonprofits and faith-based groups (VOADs) play an essential role in long-term recovery. These groups often provide building supplies, roof repairs, and mold remediation for families still suffering from past storms.





College partnerships – Student-athletes contribute required service hours by assisting disaster victims, creating meaningful community connections.




Chad reflects, “I was taken aback by how many people are willing to help, especially in Lafayette Parish. If it wasn’t for these nonprofits, I don’t know where a lot of people would be today.”







Planning Ahead and Responding Fast



Chad contrasts his years as a firefighter—where speed and immediate action are critical—with the long-term strategic planning required in his current role.

Today we welcome Warren Abadie, Director of Traffic, Roads and Bridges for Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG). A Lafayette native, Warren has spent his entire career with LCG, steadily rising through the ranks after graduating from UL Lafayette in 2003 with a degree in electrical engineering (computer option). He started as an engineer aide, moved on to traffic maintenance supervisor, traffic signal/system engineer, and city-parish transportation engineer before being appointed director in 2020.



“I affectionately refer to myself as the director of misery and unhappiness,” Warren joked, but his love for his job is clear. He explained that a professor once told him, “Your first job will determine your whole career,” and in his case, that proved true. His engineering background in coding and electrical systems naturally aligned with his first promotion into traffic signals.



Managing 190 Traffic Signals Across the City



Warren oversees a vast system of about 190 traffic signals, many of which LCG maintains through agreements with the state.



He explained how the signal network functions:




“If you’re on a minor street at a major street, it’s going to feel like the signal is taking forever. A minute in your car feels more like five minutes. But we run the system as a network. All the signals on Pinhook have to have the same cycle length… so there’s some inefficiencies there. But the main street always takes precedence.”




With a central server syncing up internal clocks, Warren and his team can monitor complaints in real time, using traffic cameras and logs to identify problems, often adjusting signals remotely:




“We’re always tinkering. We’re always changing. We’re always trying to make 10 pounds of fluff fit in a 5-pound bag.”







Balancing Capacity, Convenience, and Safety



Warren described the essence of traffic engineering as a balancing act:




“Traffic engineering is a balance of three things. Capacity. Convenience. And safety. If safety was first, your car wouldn’t go more than five miles an hour… If it was all about convenience, there’d be no pavement markings on the road. And if it was all about capacity, I wouldn’t allow left turns on signals.”




This balance is one reason he strongly supports roundabouts, which check all three boxes by being safer, more efficient, and accommodating U-turns. He acknowledged, however, that roundabouts are more difficult to design and build, and some—like the Ridge Road and Rue de Belier roundabout—are already over capacity, with plans in place for upgrades.



Traffic Growth and New Projects



“Traffic is a sign of economic activity and growth,” Warren noted, pointing out Lafayette is one of the few parishes in Louisiana still growing. He listed several new roundabout projects in the works, including:




Broussard and Robley



West Broussard and Duhon (near Acadian Village)



Ridge and Domingue Road



Rue de Belier and Ridge (expansion to multi-lane)



Vincent Road in Broussard



LA 92 and East Broussard (toward Milton)





Safety, Motorcycles, and Crash Data



As a father, Warren is deeply concerned about motorcycles:




“Don’t let anybody you love drive a motorcycle because your target value is just too small and the margin for error is just way too small. It’s exciting, but the reality is there’s just not any room for error.”

Russ Hosmer, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, certified life coach, former national-champion bodybuilder, and founder of Constant Progression, an online life coaching and personal development platform serving clients worldwide, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to help others reach their full potential.



Russ grew up in New Jersey, just outside of New York City. At 17, his parents retired and moved to Alabama. He studied at Jacksonville State University and worked in health club turnarounds: “We found the gyms and the health clubs that were in the red, and we brought them into the black. We got the management together, the business side of it, and got them better and rolling.”



Russ was a bodybuilder alongside business: “I was a state champion when I was a teenager… top five in the national championship. I was a national champion twice. Two times. Two years in a row as the first one to ever do that.” That era cemented discipline: “I was blessed. I was doing what I love… when you do that, you don’t ever work a day in your life.”







Choosing the Marines, Special Operations, and What Service Really Looked Like



“My family is Marine Corps. My grandfather was a WWII veteran and my brother was a Marine… it was almost like, well, I have to do that.” He enlisted on a whim, calling it “probably the greatest decision of my life.”



Boot camp at Parris Island: “They start drilling leadership principles into you the day you get there… It’s a transformation process. It’s the title,, being a Marine. So you have to earn it.” After graduating top of his class in the School of Infantry, he went to amphibious reconnaissance / special operations: “We’re like 1% of the Marine Corps.”



Operational reality: “Less than 1% of the Marine Corps see combat. We do more hospitable missions than we do combat missions. It’s urban warfare, small unit tactics. We don’t actually fight other countries like uniform military. it’s a different world we live in.” He traveled extensively: “I was in 37 countries in three year. I was deployed a lot. But I volunteered because that’s what I wanted to do.”



PTSD, Loss, and a Five-Year Turning Point



Russ is candid: “I do have severe PTSD… I didn’t know I had it for years. Then all of a sudden, it was really bad.” Compounding events:“I lost my corporate job during COVID. I had been a senior executive of a Fortune 500 company for twenty years. Then my dad died, and my mom died, then my older brother died." It left him “in a very dark place, kind of lost."



"I decided, you know what? I need to help people overcome the PTSD, get the resilience and the mindset, and learn how the mind works and how the body works. And why is this happening?"



On the rate of veterans committing suicide, Russ says, “They say it’s 22 a day. There’s a lot more than that. They don’t have help, they think it’s a sign of weakness. But you admitting it and talking about it, that’s a sure sign of strength.” From a five-year journey, he created Constant Progression: “We’re always looking to be our best self. We’re all on that journey of constant progression.”



Training the Marines & A Vanderbilt Recovery Study That “Changed Everything”



After instructing at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Russ became a Physical Training Advisor for the Eastern Recruiting Region—“anything east of the Mississippi River… the whole East Coast.” His remedial programs “went before Congress and they actually enacted those into standard operating procedures… now a part of the Marine Corps training standards.”



Russ helped run a muscle recovery study with Vanderbilt University to reduce injuries and ...

Today we welcome Tim Metcalf, a Lafayette entrepreneur whose name is tied to some of Acadiana’s most beloved establishments. Owner of Deano’s Pizza, Prejean’s Restaurant, and Marcello Wine Market, along with ventures in real estate, storage, and assisted living, Tim has built his life around preserving local traditions while bringing fresh ideas to our community.



A Family Legacy in Restaurants



Tim’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to his father, who left behind a thriving restaurant career in California where his pizzeria drew in celebrities and locals alike. Fess Parker and Steve McQueen were regulars as they could hang out in the days before paparazzi. “He left very successful restaurants in California just because he didn’t like the political, sociological climate. He was a country boy, an Idaho potato farmer, and the fast lifestyle of California didn’t sit well with him.” A Korean War veteran, his father moved the family to Lafayette in 1970, opening Deano’s in 1971.



"Lafayette was booming. Oilfield, oil and gas. You know, he just didn't come to Lafayette on a whim. He read entrepreneurial magazines saying how it was one of the fastest growing cities in the country at the time," says Tim Metcalf.



The original Deano’s on Bertrand Drive was a simple pizzeria: counter service only, draft beer, pizza, a little green salad, and fountain drinks. “You wouldn’t recognize it at all today… when Dad first started, there was no waitress. It was counter service. That didn’t work in Lafayette. He soon changed it.”



Deano's menu from the 1970s. Posted by Mona Bernhard on Lafayette Memories's Facebook Page.



Tim, then ten years old, adapted quickly to Louisiana life after growing up in Santa Barbara. “They said, well, you can trade your surfboard for maybe a horse or a mini bike. I’m like, I’m okay. That sounds good to me.” He helped his dad around their rural property on Ridge Road and learned the value of hard work.



"“We had pigs, sheep, rabbits, chickens… and a pretty big garden. Dad had a rototiller — an old Sears knuckle buster — and it was a lot of work, and it all fell on me.”



As the youngest of four, Tim shouldered much of the responsibility for cutting grass, working the compost pit, and tending to the garden. “The older ones were in high school and had jobs. So from cutting the grass to road tilling, to manure, to compost, it all fell on me.” Looking back, he credits that hard work with shaping his character. “It taught me some really solid work ethic. I was never afraid of work, and still I’m not.”



By the 1980s, Tim had taken over the reins of Deano's. Recognizing the need to adapt, Tim expanded both the hours and the menu. “When I got aboard, we started lunches and then we started other food and expanding the menu. 1983–84 — we had to do something else.” His biggest shift was weaving Acadiana’s food culture into the pizza kitchen. “That was an awakening — to start taking the Cajun food, the great food that we have in this area, and incorporating it into our pizzas and our menu. Sausages, boudin, shrimp.”



Photo by Paul Kieu for the Advertiser



Expansion and Adaptation



Tim later partnered with his son to open a South Lafayette Deano’s, which quickly became a success. “My son and I have this great working relationship.” When COVID hit, they pivoted to selling pizzas and ranch dressing in grocery stores, personally delivering orders across Acadiana. “We kept our whole staff busy. We didn’t have to lay anybody off.”



That resilience fueled further growth. When the Guilbeau family approached him about Prejean’s, Tim stepped in. “I wanted to keep it as pure and original as possible… I wan...

Discover Lafayette welcomes Paul Eason, founder of Eason Advertising, a marketing and public relations firm based in Lafayette, to share his family history as a member of the Billeaud family. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Billeaud Companies.



A native of Lafayette, Paul graduated from Cathedral-Carmel High School and USL. He has built a successful career in advertising and PR since launching his firm in 1999, representing clients across industries ranging from banks to automotive dealerships.



Paul’s story, however, is deeply intertwined with the legacy of the Billeaud family. As a descendant of this influential family, Paul has served on the board of Billeaud Companies since 2013 and has chaired the board since 2021. He is the first chairman in the company’s history who does not carry the Billeaud name, a point of pride and responsibility.



The Billeaud Family Legacy



The company's origins began when Pierre Jean Billeaud (1806-1877) and his wife, Rosalie Felicite Grizeau, immigrated to Louisiana with their son, Martial Francois, from Bourgneuf, France in 1840. Pierre made his living as a wheelwright (blacksmith). When Martial was 16 in 1852, he followed in his father's footsteps and established a blacksmith shop near the Vermilion River, on the site presently occupied by the DoubleTree Hotel.



In 1872, Martial brought new stalks of sugar cane to the area, purchased a mule driven-cane crushing machine, built a mill and began buying land to start a sugar cane business. The endeavor evolved into Billeaud buying more land and building up the sugar company. Martial Billeaud was the first in his family to begin the history of the Billeaud family's commitment to responsible use of land resources and active involvement in the community.



Billeaud Companies can be traced back to 1914, when Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. sold the business to his children. who originally incorporated it into the Billeaud Sugar Factory, Inc. Built upon earlier cane-crushing operations started in the late 19th century, the enterprise grew into a powerhouse of sugar production. Over time, multiple plantations—including Comeaux and Broussard—were consolidated under the umbrella of the company, reflecting its family-driven nature.




Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. (1836 - 1916) was the driving force behind the current family-owned Billeaud Companies. The family is proud to have facilitated the building of Martial F. Billeaud Elementary School at 500 E Fairfield Dr, Broussard, LA, on property formerly owned by the company.




Paul recalls childhood visits to the factory in Broussard, where the machinery left lasting impressions. The sugar factory had been part of the daily life of his family for generations.







"Popie Billeaud jokes that I'm the first chairman of Billeaud Companies that doesn't carry the Billeaud name. As a child, I went to the sugar factory a bunch. In those days, my uncle was running the sugar factory, and as I remember we'd go there to see the them crushing the cane and bringing the cane in and the smokestacks. It was a big operation, located about where Mike's Marine is in Broussard. I knew that I was always going to be involved with Billeaud Companies. We have a swing set in my backyard that was made at the sugar factory and syrup bowl in the front yard. It was always a part of my life."







As time went on, and Lafayette and Broussard expanded, economic realities, environmental issues, and federal policy shifts made sugar production less sustainable. In 1979, the sugar factory closed. The company pivoted to land development, real estate, and commercial property investment.

Discover Lafayette welcomes Marcelle Bienvenu, cookbook author and food writer who has been preparing Cajun and Creole dishes since the 1960s. A St. Martinville native, she still lives there with her husband, Rock Lasserre.







Marcelle has written about Creole and Cajun cooking for The Times-Picayune, Time-Life Books, and has been featured in Garden & Gun, Food & Wine, Saveur, Southern Living, Redbook, The New York Times, Louisiana Life, and Acadiana Profile. She authored Who’s Your Mama? Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux?, as well as Who’s Your Mama? The Sequel, and Cajun Cooking for Beginners.







She co-edited Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2009.







Marcelle worked with Emeril Lagasse for 15 years and coauthored several cookbooks with him, including Louisiana Real & Rustic, Emeril’s Creole Christmas, Emeril’s TV Dinners, and Every Day’s a Party. She also owned and operated the beloved restaurant Chez Marcelle in Broussard, at the former Billeaud Family Plantation site.







She has worked at legendary restaurants including Commander’s Palace and K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans, and taught for 11 years at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University.







Growing Up in St. Martinville



“When I was a youngster, it was idyllic. You could ride your bike anywhere. Nobody cared where you were going. We could go around the block and ask all the ladies, ‘What do you have for supper tonight?’ If I liked hers better than mine, I could stay with her. Everybody on our block was related.”



Her father’s family owned The Teche News, and she grew up folding papers and helping with printing: “Besides the newspaper, Daddy did wedding invitations, football programs. I used to hate it because my hands were always full of ink… Mama would fix the sandwiches at the newspaper office because we never went home on paper day until late. The ink was all over your bread.”



She credits her early love of cooking to meals at family camps on Vermilion Bay: "My father was a Boy Scout leader, and we had a camp at Granddad's on Vermilion Bay, at Sycamore Point, and we had one in the Basin. A lot of our meals were cooked on an open fire wood bar. And I thought that was absolutely fabulous. So I would sit at my daddy's elbow with his beer. I was beer holder. I would say, shouldn't you go medium low? You don't have a dial, you'd have to move it. I became infatuated with that. I thought that was just marvelous. “We were laughing the other day about when we were little, nobody said, oh, we're going to have Cajun food. Are we going to New Orleans? Can we have Creole food? We never would. Nobody ever said that."



An interesting side note: Marcelle is the aunt of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry. His mother and Marcelle's sister, Edna Bienvenu Landry, died in 2019. Our governor also unfortunately recently lost his father, architect and business owner, Al James Landry, on July 30, 2025.







The Start of a Culinary Career



In 1971, while working at The Times-Picayune, Marcelle met the Time-Life Books crew.



“They were thinking of doing a book on Acadian Creole cooking… We were supposed to be only a chapter in the Southern book, but we ended up with a whole book.”



Working with the Brennans and legendary chef Paul Prudhomme shaped her approach:



“He really brought Cajun cooking up to another level… It was absolutely wonderful to se...

Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit, a man who has devoted 46 years to protecting our community, recently announced his retirement. A Lafayette native, Chief Benoit joined the department in May 1979 and made history in August 1993 when he became the first Black fire chief in Lafayette’s history. Under his leadership, the department expanded from seven to fourteen fire stations, modernized equipment and training, and earned improved fire ratings, saving money and lives.



Chief Benoit has been inducted into the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Hall of Fame and served as President of the Southwestern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.



As he prepares to retire on August 15, 2025, Chief Benoit reflected on the calling he discovered as a child, the trials and triumphs of leading during economic downturns and political shifts, and the deeper sense of purpose that led him to seminary and prison ministry.




“I think it was a gift that God placed in me, probably from birth… getting to how I got there was looking at a firefighter in a book at school at seven years old… and I said, ‘I want to be a firefighter.’”








From Stockboy to Chief



Chief Benoit’s journey began with humble jobs—first at Lafayette Drug Company, then Martin Mills in St. Martinville—while waiting to meet the age requirement to become a firefighter. When the age was lowered to 18, he took the civil service exam, passed, and began training at the fire academy. His first assignment was the Central Fire Station, where he spent 99% of his career.



"The first thing you get is an interview with the fire chief. The fire chief at that time was Wayne Prejean. He told me he was going to give me a shot. I remember walking out the fire station realizing that I was going to get a job. Even though I had to go through the physical process. And then from there, once I cleared the physical, I went to the academy which lasted three months. It was exciting. I did everything I needed to do."



My first station was at Central Downtown, which is where I work today. At that time, we had a pumper truck and a ladder truck and a rescue truck in the station. That's where I started to learn the business of firefighting. Learning that business, reading on my own time, a lot of time in the fire station. We were very short on firefighters."










“They called it ‘The Rock’... because everything comes through the Central Fire Station. That was administration, firefighters, and the communications center.”




A Rapid Rise Through the Ranks



Benoit was known for his drive and initiative. He became a truck driver within three years (something that on average takes about eight years), communications officer, arson investigator, and captain—a rank he reached in just six years.




“I wanted to learn every section of the fire department... Didn’t realize I was going to be chief. I just wanted to understand how this organization worked.”




In the 1980, the local economy tanked. "I used to hear people make the comment. Last one out. Turn the lights out. They had a lot of vacant buildings and having a lot of fires that was arson.Kids were setting buildings on fire. And of course, unfortunately, some businesses were setting their businesses on fire. The fire chief at that time was Jack Massey who needed some help in the fire prevention bureau in the arson section. He asked me to go work in there just for a couple of months, just to help him out. I wound up going in there and found a home in fire prevention. So this is seven years later. I'm in fire prevention.

Jonathan Booth, Chartered Financial Analyst and CPA accredited in business valuation, joins Discover Lafayette to share his remarkable journey from being a young boy of 11 years of age falling in love with stock investments to CEO and Managing Partner of Booth Laird Capital Management, a boutique investment firm based in Lafayette.



“My uncle would buy me stock in McDonald's…that was my birthday and Christmas present every year from all the family members instead of toys.”



Jonathan’s early exposure to investing—paired with a deep appreciation for Warren Buffett’s philosophy of buying undervalued companies with strong fundamentals—set the tone for a career defined by rigorous analysis and long-term strategy. He emphasizes patience and discipline, especially in volatile markets:




"I loved it. My uncle and I would go over the earnings releases. By the time I was in high school, I was managing my own portfolio of stocks. When I was 19, he took me to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, Warren Buffett's company. They call that the Woodstock for capitalists. It's a chance to listen to Warren Buffett talk for six hours. I didn't know what to expect, but you just sit there and listen to the Oracle of Omaha, as they call him, spew wisdom."




A passionate and disciplined financial strategist, Jonathan also serves on the board of FlyGuys, the Lafayette-based drone data company in which Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank fame recently invested $3 million in a $13 million Series A-1 funding round and led the round; O’Leary’s Wonder Fund investment will accelerate software innovation, expand global reach, and strengthen the commercial drone workforce.




Quote from Kevin O'Leary on LinkedIn: "Big news. I recently led a $13 million Series A-1 round through the Wonder Fund North Dakota. The investment went into a company that’s redefining how the physical world feeds the AI economy.Meet FlyGuys — a national network of over 16,000 FAA-certified drone pilots powering the capture and delivery of reality data at scale. From thermal roof scans to solar inspections, agriculture, and infrastructure, they handle it all. FlyGuys is the connective tissue between AI platforms and the physical world.I backed this team because their software is built to scale, their operations are rooted in service and precision, and their impact is real. AI platforms depend on clean, reliable inputs, and FlyGuys delivers exactly that. They’re not just serving today’s use cases, they’re building global infrastructure for tomorrow’s AI economy, while creating new income opportunities for drone pilots around the world. Data is the new oil. AI can’t function without it. FlyGuys is building the pipeline."




A native of Baton Rouge, and graduate of Catholic High and LSU, Jonathan originally pursued accounting. "I got a scholarship from the College of Business, and I chose accounting because I already did it. After my first semester, my professor hired me to work at his private accounting practice because I did pretty well in the class. And so I just kept getting pulled along into accounting and got my bachelor's and master's in accounting.



Jonathan's performance earned him a rare honor: “I passed the CPA exam in 2006 with one of the ten highest scores in the world, known as the Elijah Watt Sells Award.” He also passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam (a minimum of three years of exams) on his first attempt.



While working at Ernst & Young, Jonathan maintained his passion for investing, ultimately founding Booth Laird Capital Management. Alongside his partner Kevin Laird, Jonathan focuses on concentrated investment strategies, targeting exceptional businesses and waiting for undervaluation.

Annie Wingate Spell, Louisiana State Representative for District 45, joins Discover Lafayette to share the journey that led her to public service. Annie’s story is one of unwavering determination, professional excellence, and personal resilience.



A licensed clinical child psychologist, Annie holds degrees from UL Lafayette and LSU. In 2024, she was honored with the Angel Award by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for her long-standing advocacy on behalf of Hearts of Hope, which supports survivors of sexual assault victims in Acadiana.







A lifelong learner and self-starter, Annie recounted the early days of her path to becoming a psychologist. While studying at USL, she pivoted from business to psychology after realizing her passion for understanding human behavior. She reached out to 16 local psychologists listed in the Yellow Pages, offering to pay for their time to learn more about the profession. “They didn’t charge me.” One of those who answered her call, Dr. Kenneth Bouillion, became an influential mentor, helping her determine that child psychology was her calling: “I always thought it was easier to build up a child than build up an adult. There's so much flexibility in a child's development and fluidity that if we can affect change on their environment, we could have better outcomes for them. ”




A Lafayette native, Annie credits her parents, Joan Babineaux Wingate and Keith Wingate, with instilling a deep sense of faith, gratitude, and service. “God will provide. But don’t act as if He will. Don’t take anything for granted.” Her mother, she said, is “the epitome of a servant leader. My father was one of those dads that was ever involved. Having three girls, he learned that shopping malls could be fun. He learned that cheer camps are the best thing ever."




Annie’s grandfather, Judge Allen Babineaux, was also a defining influence in her life. A former Louisiana State Representative for District 45, he served as a judge in the 15th JDC. He championed CODOFIL, advocated for the recognition of Acadiana as a geographic and cultural region, and played a key role in bringing about the Acadiana flag. “He wasn’t just a politician… He was a neighbor, a friend, and a leader.”




The flag of Acadiana was first displayed on Feb. 22, 1965, the centennial of the Acadian arrival in this area. Shown are Thomas Arceneaux, president of the Bicentennial Celebration of France-Amerique and the designer of the flag; Roy Theriot, president of the Acadian Committee; and Judge Allen Babineaux, who sponsored the flag's creation. Photo credit: Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Louis Perret




She also spoke of her experience helping children and families after Hurricane Katrina, both in New Orleans and later during her residency in Houston, where she worked with evacuees from Louisiana. “The strength of a community and the ability for people to mobilize together is really critical. "The need for a strong community was ever evident to me in those moments when crisis hits, in those moments when what you thought was certain, which you had taken for granted, was no longer there. The strength of a community and the ability for people to mobilize together is really critical. I saw children who are by far very resilient most times when it comes to tragedy. So a lot of what I did was supporting the parents in those moments because they were the ones that were obviously dealing with the very serious consequences of their home, their work, all of that.”



Annie married Joe Spell, founder and CEO of Tides Medical, in 2006. She described him as “a generous person, generous in spirit and time” who waited for her while she pursued her goals. The strength of their relationship was evident when Annie was diagnose...

Discover Lafayette: Senator Brach Myers on Public Service, Family, and Revitalizing the Oil Center of Lafayette



Louisiana State Senator Brach Myers, who began serving Senate District 23 in March 2025 after representing House District 45, joined Discover Lafayette to reflect on his deep-rooted commitment to public service, his childhood journey, and his ongoing mission to uplift Lafayette and the state of Louisiana.



A Lafayette transplant by way of Palmetto and New Iberia, Brach shared, “Lafayette was always the big city to us. I joked and said that many days in the back of a hatchback car ride in the back to Lafayette.” He shared his love of Lafayette: “Lafayette has unmatched culture. You can see the most beautiful parts of the U.S., but there’s nothing like coming home.”



His upbringing was a blend of blue-collar life and entrepreneurial ambition, split between a trailer park in New Iberia and the early days of LHC Group, the home health care giant his father and stepmother, Ginger and Keith Myers, started in Palmetto, Louisiana.



“My mom worked at the General Mill. She was a seamstress. My stepfather was a railroad engineer. She still is a hard worker. She owns a small embroidery business here in Lafayette.”



A 1999 graduate of Cecilia High, Brach moved to Lafayette to attend UL, met his wife Carly soon after, and the two were married just six months into dating. “She’s my absolute soul mate… We’re residents of Bendel Gardens right here by the Oil Center.”



Brach’s day job is as Senior VP of Corporate Development at LHC Group, which provides care in over 40 states and employs more than 30,000 people. A humble public servant, he brings his business acumen, heart for his fellow man, and a drive to make things better in his position as State Senator.



His son, Emile, shares the family’s spirit of service. After seeing the mob of traffic each year at their neighbor's “Christmas Light House" (owned by Dr. Andy Blalock), Emile started selling hot chocolate to people stuck in line, to benefit local nonprofits. “He raised over $2,000 in one night the first year. Last year, he raised over $30,000.” It’s now a full-scale community event with music, food trucks, and hundreds of visitors to Bendel Gardens. “He chooses a different charity every year. It’s all on him.”



Emile Myer's hot cocoa fundraiser has grown into quite a success over the years! Sen. Myers indicated that Emile will probably pass the baton soon to a younger entrepreneur who can carry on the fun event which benefits local charities.



Brach brings a deeply thoughtful and humble approach to public service. “I never thought I’d be in the legislature… but I felt called to do it.” Inspired by conversations with his wife during long walks, he felt compelled to act: “I can sit on the sideline and complain about it, or I can roll up my sleeves and jump into the pit.”



His campaign mantra has been to lead with transparency and openness. “I said, I’m going to contact everybody back. I’m going to give everybody a fair ear, even if we vehemently disagree.” His legislative office “looks more like a counseling office… People can come and sit down.”







As a Senator, Brach now represents three times the constituents he did as a State Senator and works with six mayors instead of one. “It’s a lot busier...but I don’t take it lightly.”



One of his legislative focuses has been health care, drawing from best practices across the nation. His H.E.R.O. (Healthcare Employment Reinvestment Opportunity) Healthcare Workforce bill, modeled after Kentucky and Florida legislation, aimed to reverse Louisiana’s healthcare staffing crisis by broadening the program’s...

Jacoby Landry, the new owner of Lafayette’s oldest indoor shopping center, Northgate Mall, shares his vision to bring hope, commerce, and fresh energy to North Lafayette. Jacoby's energy and can-do attitude is a beacon of light for a community waiting to see how he will transform the mall into "The Hub."



Jacoby, owner of JL Construction and Pont Breaux Plaza in Breaux Bridge, is the first local owner of Northgate Mall in years. Originally developed by Isan Fontenot, Dr. Daniel Voorheis and Joseph Angelle who opened it in August 1969, Jacoby paid $2.8 million for the property.



His journey started under the wing of his grandfather, a framer, and his father, who ran dirt construction, trucking businesses, and in the oil field industry. “My entrepreneurial skills came from my dad. He’s always been a business owner.”



After studying engineering at UL Lafayette, Jacoby discovered his love for business and numbers, opening a tax office in his early twenties. Real estate soon became his passion, with his first major commercial property purchased from cousin Dominick Williams (formerly Dominick Davis of LSU and the Houston Texans). “There’s nothing that I didn’t try,” Jacoby shared, reflecting on his entrepreneurial spirit.



In 2016, Jacoby earned his residential contractor’s license, followed by obtaining his commercial license a year later. “I went from building custom homes to developing my own lots and building spec homes and selling them.”



His interest in North Lafayette grew when he purchased seven acres on Louisiana Avenue at Butcher Switch Road in 2020 with plans for a med spa and gym. Facing zoning challenges, Jacoby joined LEDA’s Elevate North Lafayette program, where he connected with Monte Anderson, a Dallas-based developer. Monte’s advice led Jacoby to consider revitalizing existing properties, prompting Jacoby to set his sights on Northgate Mall. "I was always infatuated with the I-10 and I-49 crossing. I just always had it in my mind that it (development) was going to come to the North one day."







“Before I started the program, I had goals of doing something bigger, but they really pushed me to actually go do it. They gave me the courage and knowledge to do it.”



Once Jacoby walked the property, he couldn’t sleep at night thinking about its potential. “Ever since the day I walked on the property, I couldn’t sleep at night, thinking about it. I think I want to do it.” Despite initial nerves, Jacoby embraced the risk, saying, “I’m a risk taker. I could do this.”



Jacoby Landry at the Northgate Mall in June 2025. Photo by Brad Kemp, Acadiana Advocate.



Jacoby is rebranding Northgate Mall as “The Hub,” inspired by Lafayette’s nickname, Hub City, and the I-10/I-49 cloverleaf, which will be reflected in its new logo. The redevelopment will focus on mixed-use commerce, green spaces, and lighting to ensure safety and create a welcoming atmosphere.



“I want to change the whole theme of the mall. I want to have trees, green space, make it nice, have a lot of lighting and make it feel safe.”



Contrary to negative perceptions, Jacoby says, “Statistically, there’s no crime at the mall. There’s more crime in other places. The mall’s been dead for so long, there’s nothing to steal.”



Jacoby’s vision includes a grocery store, children’s entertainment options, and a health club and spa in the former Planet Fitness space in partnership with his sister, Rachel McCorvey of BeLuxxe Health and Wellness Center. “Our whole motto is to add ten years to your life.” The facility will feature a nutritionist, weight management services, Botox, IV drips, sauna, hot tub, salt room, cold plunge, a health bar,

We welcome UL - Lafayette Football Head Coach Michael Desormeaux, a graduate of Catholic High in New Iberia and standout UL Lafayette quarterback, who became the eighth quarterback in NCAA history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.



He joined the UL coaching staff in 2016, helping lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to four consecutive Sunbelt West Division titles and their first outright Sunbelt Championship before being named head coach.



Home Bank CEO John Bordelon, Ul Lafayette Coach Michael Desormeaux, Chris Rader, and Jan Swift at recording of Discover Lafayette podcast.



Joining us to guide the conversation is John Bordelon, a 1977 graduate of USL, former football player, and current President and CEO of Home Bank. John has worked with Home Bank for over 44 years and loves beng a part of this community along with his wife, Suzanne. Jan Swift, the host of Discover Lafayette, knew she needed a football voice on this episode.



Coach Desormeaux reflected on growing up in New Iberia: “New Iberia was a really good place to grow up. Catholic High has been great for us… my whole family's life revolved around sports and chasing kids around and watching them play. We grew up in ballparks.”




"When we were young, our whole life revolved around sports and we grew up in ballparks. Catholic High in New Iberia was a cool place because we went from football to basketball to baseball. When I got to middle school, I started track. Our coaches made it easy for us to be able to do all four. For me, it was just part of the way that we did it. My parents expected us to do well in school. They expected us to play sports. was really just what I grew up doing. I realized after the fact how unique it was to be able to do all four sports in high school. I was always grateful for that."




Coach Desormeaux shared how recruiting has changed dramatically since his high school years: "When I was coming out, I didn’t hear from UL or other colleges. or meet anyone on the staff, until probably week five of my senior high school year season. They came and watched us play… I had a really good game, and the next week they called back and offered me a scholarship. That was the beginning of my recruiting.”



John Bordelon shared how relationships drew him to UL: “My brother was seven years older and came to USL to play football, and I fell in love with the people… my heart was set on being part of this community.”



An injury in high school changed John Bordelon's recruitment experience: “My senior year, I actually had an injury, so I missed five ball games… LSU, Tulane, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss dropped me. One of my coaches from high school played at UL and helped me get an interview, and they offered me a scholarship.”



Reflecting on how UL shaped his life, Coach Desormeaux noted: “Coaches have always been people I really admired. My dad was my first coach. When I got to Catholic High, Coach David Comeaux got the head job, and I saw the impact he had on our school.” Coach Des's experience with three different offensive coordinators while playing at UL turned out to be a blessing: “At the time, we had several coaching turnorvers, and it wasn’t what I expected. But I got to learn three different systems and three different offenses… the coaching experience was really good for me.”




"I'd love to tell you that I've created anything. But football coaches are thieves. I mean, we just take things from different people and make it our own. The whole journey and all these coaches are people that I've always admired. I tell our staff all the time, if you got into coaching for anything other than to help kids and for anything other than to help them achieve their goals,

Real estate expert Bill Bacque of Market Scope Consulting, whose career has spanned over 53 years in the housing industry, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss real estate trends.



Formerly with Van Eaton & Romero—later acquired by Latter & Blum—Bill is now retired, but his passion for tracking housing statistics and analyzing market trends remains strong. In this episode, Bill shares a data-rich, thoughtful overview of how the housing market in Lafayette has evolved and what lies ahead.



“If you look at average sales price over the last 50 years, the overall trend has been up,” Bill began. “That being said, there have been periods… where sales and average prices actually drifted downward. But values were always recouped.”



Bill dug into what he called the “Covid years,” pointing out the extraordinary surge in home sales from 2018 to 2021. “In Lafayette Parish, we went from 3,380 transactions in 2018 to 4,830 in 2021—a 43% increase.” Much of this, he explained, was driven by families realizing during the lockdown that they needed more space, "after six months of living together with your wife and three children, working out of your house, eating at your house, living in your house. People began to say, I need a bigger place. Maybe double the size." And this phenomenon was coupled with historically low interest rates. “By January of 2021, the interest rate was 2.65%.”



But as quickly as the boom came, it corrected. From 2021 to 2024, Lafayette experienced a 34% drop in sales. “We literally gave it all back,” Bill said. “Sales are back to 2018 levels. Statistics through May of 2025 show that we are about equal to where we were in May of 2018."



Bill broke down the dramatic rise in average sales prices during COVID, noting that from 2018 to 2022, the average price of a home rose from $223,500 to $285,000, a $50,000 increase in the average cost of a home in four years. However, from 2022 to 2025, the average price has only nudged upward 2.6%, reaching $292,200. “So the average sales price is beginning to stabilize.”



He further explained the numbers shared: "I would put some clarification that the average sales price takes into consideration the upper income properties as well as the lower ones. This average sales price includes new construction sales and existing sales. If you back out the new construction sales, the average sales price in Lafayette Parish is about $275,000.00."



Photo of Bill Bacque at his home by Leslie Westbrook, Acadiana Advocate.



One big issue affecting today’s buyers? Affordability. “There's been a significant erosion,” Bill noted, citing both rising home prices and higher interest rates. He shared that the average age for a first-time homebuyer in the U.S. is now 38 to 39 years old—compared to 22 when he bought his first home for under $10,000 in Lake Charles.




"What we're seeing on a national standard basis is that the average age now for a first time buyer is 38 to 39 years old. When I bought my first house in 1973, I was 22 years old. That was the thing that happened then. I can't remember what the first house cost, but it was less than $10,000. It was a little bitty house. It was about the size of an apartment."




Homeowners insurance is now a major wildcard. “My son found a home under $300,000, qualified, but the deal fell through because insurance added another $500 a month,” Bill shared. This isn’t a unique story—buyers across South Louisiana are finding it harder to afford not just a mortgage but the added costs of ownership.



We also talked about the evolving design of homes. Post-Covid, people want dedicated workspaces, and Bill said square footage is being used more efficiently.

In this episode of Discover Lafayette, we shine a light on a unique community tucked away in South Louisiana: veterans who find healing, camaraderie, and fun on the ice rink.



Our guests, Eric Iorio and Danielle ("Dani") Francis, share their inspiring journeys from military service to building a new mission at home — through Acadiana Veterans Hockey.



“I was born here in Lafayette, Louisiana. Graduated from Teurlings back in 2008, which seems like forever ago,” Eric begins. After joining the 101st Airborne in 2013 and deploying to Afghanistan, he recounts how life changed on July 28, 2013, when his base came under attack and he took two rounds from a sniper. “I always say it could have been a lot worse. I have all my digits,” he says humbly, remembering the buddy he lost that day. Eric was the recipient of the Purple Heart in honor of his service to our country and sustaining injuries due to enemy action.



For Dani, the path started in Illinois. “I actually went into the military right out of high school. I did a bunch of sports in high school and then didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she shares. Inspired by her older brother, she became a military police officer, serving in Guantanamo Bay and later alongside Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq where she was one of four females selected. “It was truly incredible because it was the sense of I was actually doing something with a purpose. There was a bigger purpose at the end of that mission.”



Both Eric and Dani's stories highlight the resilience and discipline they built in uniform — and how they carried that into civilian life.



Now, they channel that same spirit into Acadiana Veterans Hockey — an open-arms, non-contact league for veterans of all ages and skill levels. “For us as an organization, being able to play hockey together is absolutely amazing, for physical reasons and mental health,” Eric explains. “If they didn’t have hockey here… they don’t know where they would be at this point.”







Dani laughs about how she was pulled onto the ice by Courtney Dugas, who along with her husband, Max, are active with the team: “I said, Courtney, I’ve never played hockey before. She goes, it’s okay, come on out. Next thing I knew, I was meeting her and the team at the rink on a Tuesday night and they were giving me all the gear.”



Eric also recounted how fun it is to play with his dad, Angelo ("Pops") Iorio, who is retired from the Lafayette Police Department. "He is known as a Goon, someone that is like an enforcer. They go out and hit people on the ice. He's not meaning to do it. He just can't stop. So he uses other people to stop for him. We'll have to let the other teams know, hey, he didn't mean that, you know? It's just he's learning."



More than just a game, Acadiana Veterans Hockey is a lifeline. The group connects veterans to resources, benefits, and — most importantly — each other. They help with VA ratings, build wheelchair ramps for local VFWs, and make sure no one feels alone. “We want everyone to feel included… call us at two, three in the morning if you’re having something wrong and someone’s going to be there,” says Eric.



But ice time and equipment aren’t free. The team welcomes local support — whether you can sponsor a practice, donate gear, or come cheer them on at their next scrimmage. “Hockey is very expensive, from just the ice alone to the gear involved,” Dani points out. “Any donation or sponsorship truly helps.”







Save the Date:📅 June 28th, 10 a.m. — Acadiana Veterans Hockey vs. the A-Team📍 Planet Ice, Johnston Street, LafayetteExpect Robby’s famous jambalaya, a 50/50 raffle with a growing pot (drawing July 5th),