Good morning, Lafayette.

The Lafayette Community Fridge offers free meals at three sites and seeks volunteers to deliver restaurant donations to its new Scott location.

Jason Stoner and Tiffany Steward discussed the program on MidDay with Darla.

A 5-year-old playing with a lighter set a sofa on fire in a Lafayette apartment, injuring two children and an adult neighbor, and firefighters rescued everyone and treated them on site while urging parents to keep lighters out of reach (the injured children are expected to recover fully).

The Children’s Museum of Acadiana will soon unveil exhibits that blend technology and play in its renovated space — building on 30 years of service to Acadiana families.

Executive director Lore Linton said the tech-advanced addition will support local STEM initiatives.

Abby, a 24-year-old Lafayette native and medical esthetician, is one of 20 contestants on Netflix's new dating series Let's Marry Harry with the first seven episodes streaming today and the finale scheduled for Aug.

12.

Louisiana school districts are facing a bus driver shortage — caused by low wages, retirements, and post-COVID challenges — that is delaying routes and shortening school days.

Many schools plan to adjust schedules and involve staff to help manage student transportation.

Louisiana law sets the work age at 14 with limits for minors aged 14 and 15 to work only a few hours outside school and mandates an eight-hour break for teenagers aged 16 and 17 while barring them from hazardous jobs (per FLSA rules).

Governor Jeff Landry's administration is finalizing a deal with SpaceX to build a launch facility near Pecan Island later this month, promising thousands of jobs & commercial infrastructure.

SpaceX did not mention the spaceport during its earnings call.

Louisiana ended its back-to-school tax-free weekend in 2018 and will not resume the holiday eight years later so shoppers pay a combined 9 to 11 percent sales tax on school supplies (raising expenses for families).

LSU football, led by new coach Lane Kiffin, is ranked No. 13 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll ahead of the 2026 season.

The Tigers will face Clemson (Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m. on ABC) as they build momentum under Kiffin.

Two Lafayette trampoline stars Sarah Webster and Aliaksei Shostak train for the 2028 Olympic Games and will compete at the World Championships in China later this year + both athletes also coach local youth under veteran coach Dimitri Poliaroush.