Good morning, Lafayette.

Louisiana shipyards will build 30 crewless drone ships after the Navy announced a $1.2B purchase; Saronic Technologies, Huntington Ingalls Industries & Edison Chouest will deliver the first models by Oct.

2027 to boost local shipbuilding.

UL Lafayette Symphony presents its Halloween concert at Angelle Hall Auditorium this Thursday, Oct.

29 at 7 p.m. Attendees can enjoy a Star Wars medley and classical pieces with costumed musicians and Ballet Studio dancers, and tickets are $10 (free for UL ID holders).

Preparations are underway at Girard Park for the 52nd annual Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, which will feature local art vendors and a visiting Smithsonian Center for Folklife team—festival founder Barry Ancelet and vice president Pat Mould discussed plans with Al Hebert.

The Shake Your Trail Feather festival will hold its final paddle on Oct.

17, featuring a 4.5-mile parade beginning at 10 a.m. from Poché Bridge in Breaux Bridge and ending at Parc des Ponts. Paddlers (registration $30 advance or $35 day-of) join a free festival with food and music.

Women-led Cajun band Amis du Teche will premiere its new music video 'Quand Ça Danse' today at noon Central.

Directed by Cory St. Ewart (a local filmmaker) and produced by longtime musical mentors, the video celebrates Cajun music with a spirited battle of the bands and promotes women’s roles in the tradition.

The Martha Graham Dance Company will perform Oct.

16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette — the only Louisiana stop on its 100th anniversary tour. PASA also will host a Graham Technique workshop Oct. 14 and a discussion Oct. 15 with required registration.

Green Fuels Operating may not build its $110 million net-zero refinery in Acadia Parish after negotiations with TriStar failed, and the company now seeks a new site for the project that would have employed 60 people at the former Evangeline Processing facility along the Mermentau River.

The Lafayette Parish School Board approved redirecting $14 million to convert former Comeaux High into the soon-to-be Ovey Comeaux Workforce Innovation Academy with construction beginning soon to meet rising student demand (the project is planned to open for the 2028-2029 school year).

Congressman Cleo Fields led his 'Congress to the Classroom' initiative at Northside High School and Lafayette High School on Thursday; he explained how government works and stressed the need for civics education as schools scale back on the subject.

Hurricane Isaias strengthened Wednesday night and is forecast to hit the northern Gulf Coast Friday afternoon; Louisiana may see storm surge flooding and damaging winds, with up to two feet of flooding in its southeastern region.

The storm will move inland on Sunday.

Site work has begun on a 27.5-acre commercial property at 4800 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, across from Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center.

Managed by Ryan Pecot (Stirling Properties), the Tennessee-owned site will feature five tracts and may start construction next summer.