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Wednesday’s fundraiser to “Save the Cattle Festival” went well.
Gulf Coast Bank, the Rotary Club of Abbeville and others helped Cattle Festival organizers hold a jambalaya fundraiser in response to this year’s festival having to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Festival organizers also had to cancel events throughout the year, events that raise funds to keep the Cattle Festival organization going. The fundraiser took place at the Red Barn on Rodeo Road, with people picking up a meal for $7.
The fundraiser did so well that, not only are things on track for the Louisiana Cattle Festival to return in 2021, more people wanted to purchase tickets than were available.
“I want to thank the public for it being such a success,” Cattle Festival President Francis Plaisance said. “I want to apologize for not having more. We sold out.
“The public response was so tremendous.”
Plaisance said this fundraiser helped offset some of the loses from events that had to be canceled. He said another fundraiser is in the works for December, as is a “unique” Cattle Festival T-shirt that will represent 2020.
Along with people stepping up to purchase tickets, Plaisance said the event proved to be a success because of sponsors and volunteers.
“I can’t thank Gulf Coast Bank and the members of the Rotary Club enough,” Plaisance said. “To see the cooperation and joint effort was not only successful, it was a lot of fun.”
Needless to say, this year has not been much fun. Like so many of their peers, Cattle Festival organizers have seen the harsh financial strain during the pandemic.
“You hate to see a point where you don’t know if it will survive,” Plaisanc said. “We were in a position where we didn’t know in what direction we would be able to go. As a result of the help we got and the response from the community, we are able to continue.
“I want the public to know because of their effort, we are able to keep the festival going.”

BATON ROUGE — The State Legislature has announced that it will convene the 2020 Second Extraordinary Session starting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, that will focus on Hurricane Laura recovery, COVID-19 funding and the state’s unemployment fund.
According to a release from the Louisiana House of Representatives, a majority of the House and the Senate members have authorized the written petition under the state constitution to call itself into special session, which also sets the agenda for the upcoming session.
Lawmakers can file and consider bills on 70 items.
House Speaker Clay Schexnayder states in the release that the special session will focus on three main objectives:
• Hurricane Laura disaster relief and recovery efforts;
• on-going issues with COVID-19, especially relative to funding and the economy; and
• the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund.
“A special session is needed to address unforeseen problems related to the in-person education of our children and their return to extracurricular activities, the survival of our economy and the opening up of business, and the recovery of the areas of our state devastated by Hurricane Laura,” Schexnayder says in the release.
“A significant number of House members have also asked to address the continued proclamations issued by the governor during the pandemic and what many see as an imbalance of power,” adds Schexnayder.
“This special session will not end without a solution to this problem.”
Solutions are what District 49 Rep. Ryan Bourriaque, who represents part of Vermilion Parish, intends to find.
“2020 has presented its fair share of challenges,” Bourriaque said. “This special session is intended to address in-person learning and student extra-curricular opportunities, Hurricane Laura disaster recovery and relief efforts, and address the state’s depleted Unemployment Trust Fund.”
District 47 Rep. Blake Miguez, who represents part of Vermilion Parish, said he will be working to help businesses as well as those affected by Hurricane Laura.
“I want to reopen Louisiana’s economy ASAP,” Miguez said, “so what remains of our small business community can have a chance of survival and to get our citizens back to work. I want to bring a sense of normalcy back to their lives especially for all of our children’s sake. While in session, we will direct additional resources to support those families impacted by Hurricane Laura and take steps to prevent a tax increase on businesses by shoring up the states unemployment trust fund.”
Senate President Page Cortez said he does not want to see more burden fall on business owners.
“We will also be working to resolve issues with the Unemployment Trust Fund, which, if left unaddressed, could result in financial turmoil for business owners and program beneficiaries,” said Senate President Page Cortez in a release from the senate.
Vermilion Parish Sen. Bob Hensgens said he is focusing on three things during the session.
“First and most important,” Hensgens said, “we need to replenish the fund that the state uses to pay unemployment claims. Because of the pandemic, we have drained over a half billion dollars since March. If we don’t fix the fund, an automatic trigger to increase payroll taxes will kick in January.
“When you have a crisis of this magnitude, rates can’t skyrocket on businesses trying to keep their doors open.”
Storm recovery, especially focusing on how it affected some education institutions, is another area that will have Hensgens’ attention.
“We need to do some hurricane recovery work in southwest Louisiana,” Hensgens said. “Both McNeese (State University )and SWLA Tech have major damages from the storm and we need these institutions back up and running. Also, Cameron and Calcasieu may be a long way from having K-12 classes. We need to make sure the state dollars follow the child to wherever they go while making sure those two systems have the money to prepare to reopen.”
Hensgens said a good look needs to be given to the process by which the state has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We need to work on limiting the powers of the Governor in a prolonged emergency,” Hensgens said. “When emergency powers were put into legislation, no one expected six-month long emergencies. We need to fix this for current and future situations. In normal times the legislators set policy and have oversight into its implementation. During emergencies we lose the oversight, which for a month or two is expected, but after that short period legislative input is necessary. I think it would have been the intent of those who wrote the Constitution.
“These three items are my focus and I think the focus of House and Senate leadership.”
According to the release, lawmakers are also expected to address a number of local issues that were not finalized during the first two sessions earlier this year.
Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statement last Monday in response to the legislature’s call for a second special session this year:
“At a time when our state is dealing with the COVID-19 health emergency, hurricanes, and one severe weather event after another, I am concerned that the Legislature has again called themselves into a month-long session with an agenda of 70 items,” Edwards said. “This session will occur at a time when the public will again be restricted in their access to the State Capitol and their ability to give needed public input.
“From the beginning of this emergency, I have relied on public health experts and the White House Coronavirus Task Force to guide Louisiana’s response to this historic emergency. Further, this response has been in line with the measures taken by our neighboring states that have unfortunately also been enormously impacted by COVID-19.
“Put simply, the measures we have taken in Louisiana are working and we are making significant progress. However, to abandon these efforts in defiance of the unanimous advice of the public health experts and the Trump administration would seriously jeopardize the lives of our people and the gains we have made.
“Further, it is important to remember our work in containing COVID-19 is far from done, as Louisiana still has the highest number of per capita infections in the country.
“I am hopeful that the Legislative leadership will significantly narrow the scope and the duration of this session so that they can do the work they deem necessary, while at the same time working in a bipartisan and cooperative manner to address our significant challenges in an honest and transparent manner. Louisianans have come too far to have all of our effective and life-saving work upended.”
The 2020 Second Extraordinary Session will begin on Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. and must adjourn by Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.

ERATH — Funeral Services for Alvin J. “Chien” Guilbeaux,76, will be 2:00PM Saturday, September 26, 2020 in David Funeral Home of Erath. Interment will follow in Our Lady of Lourdes Mausoleum.
Visitation will in David Funeral Home of Erath Saturday, September 26, 2020 from 9:00AM until service time.
“Chien” passed away Wednesday, September, 23, 2020 at Eastridge Care Center in Abbeville. He retired in Animal Control for the Vermilion Parish Police Jury after many years of service. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. He was an avid Saints fan and loved Sunday football.
He is survived by his sons, Troy Guilbeaux of Erath, Trent Clostio and wife Kay of Abbeville, Scott Clostio and wife Jackie of Erath, Eric Clostio and wife Dawn of Abbeville, and Keith Bourque of Erath, brothers, Mike Guilbeaux and wife Rita Ann of Abbeville and Carroll Broussard of Youngsville,sisters Elaine Guilbeaux Guidry of Cecelia and Betty Ann Guilbeaux of Lafayette and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, and his beloved dog J.C.
He is preceded in death by his wife Verly Menard Guilbeaux, his parents, Lenis and Lena Comeaux Guilbeaux, son Bryan Bourque and his stepmother Rose S. Guilbeaux.
The family would like to thank the staff of Eastridge Nursing Center and Grace Hospice for the care and concern of Mr. Alvin during his time there.
Condolences may be shared with the family at www.davidfuneralhome.org
“In order to help keep the community safe we will honor the July 13, 2020 Louisiana Mandates.  All families and their guests are required to wear a face covering while at the funeral home. Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time.” 
David Funeral Home of Erath in charge of arrangements. 209 E. Putnam St. Erath, LA 70533 (337) 937-0405.

Researchers at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette are using artificial intelligence to more accurately – and quickly – forecast floods.
And they’re doing it well.
UL Lafayette – along with entities such as tech giant Google and the U.S. Department of Defense – are among the top finishers in the Igniting Innovation Award competition earlier this month. The American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council gives the award for innovative research that benefits people and communities.
Twelve projects were recognized, including an overall winner. UL Lafayette was among eight finalists. Awards were also given in several specialized categories.
The University’s “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Flood Prevention and Forecasting” project implements a data mining prototype to discover and curate large amounts of information. Rainfall records, river and surface water levels, soil moisture content and other information is culled from dozens of sources, including satellites, gauges and field sensors.
The data is integrated and interpreted with machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence. The systems are capable of “learning” from data over long periods of time and making predictions without being specifically programmed to do so.
“Advances in artificial intelligence and data science are enabling us to develop innovative methods for flood forecasting and mitigation by taking massive amounts of information and using it for community-scale applications,” said Dr. Emad Habib, a professor of civil engineering. He directs the University’s Louisiana Watershed Flood Center.
Habib is leading a group of University scientists – including undergraduate and graduate students – on the ongoing research project.
Dr. Mohamed ElSaadani, a research engineer at the flood center, said the technology “has an enormous capacity to determine patterns and trends over time.”
“It provides highly accurate information that can prompt quicker responses to flooding events, and help guide decisions about road closures, evacuation mandates, and other public safety considerations,” he said.
The forecasting model’s capabilities aren’t limited to flood prediction and mitigation – or a specific geographic region.
“The cloud-based system can be shared and adapted to help make determinations about drought, landslides, wildfires or even land usage, which are all affected by variables such as rainfall and soil moisture,” ElSaadani said.
In addition to the Department of Civil Engineering and Louisiana Watershed Flood Center, the University’s Institute for Coastal and Water Research, Center for Visual and Decision Informatics, and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are contributing to the project.