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Public notices for Nov. 12, 2025

Wed, 11/12/2025 - 6:00am

PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE: The City of Morgan City has submitted a Coastal Use Per-mit application for the project des-cribed below and hereby notifies owners of the land on which the proposed described activity is to occur. Application for the proposed work may be inspected at 617 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, LA or on the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy database at: https://sonlite.dnr.state.la.us/ords/f?p= 129:570::::: P570_CUP_NUM,P570_SHOW_APPL_EMAIL:P202507 99,N
NAME: City of Morgan City; 512 1st St, Morgan City, LA 70380; c/o C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates, L.L.C; 135 Regency Square, Lafayette, LA 70508
LOCATION: Lat. 29-42-18.6N, Long. -91-11-51.82W (see plats for additional coordinates); Mor-gan City, Louisiana. Project Area 1 is bounded by Levee Road, Sixth Street, Veterans Boule-vard, and Franklin Street. Project Area 2 is bounded by David Drive, Ninth Street, Marguerite Street and Victor II Blvd. Project Area 3 is the Lakeside Subdivision, bounded by Rod-erick Street, Justa Street, Lake Pa- lourde Drive, and Walnut Drive.
DESCRIPTION: Proposed replacement of existing gas mains (approx. 65,755’) with new, polyethylene gas mains, the installation of new service connections to residential properties, and the replacement of gas meters to ensure compliance with modern safety standards across three project areas in Morgan City, LA. The existing gas mains are proposed to be abandoned in place. The contractor will have discretion on means and methods, but the contractor is expected to utilize horizontal directional drilling for the majority of gas main installation. If the contractor were to excavate and trench for the entire project length, approximately 29,225 cy of excavation would be required. All ex- cavations will be temporary and backfilled upon in- stallation of the gas mains.
Adv. Nov. 7, 12,
14, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
Minutes
St. Mary Parish Tourist
Commission
dba Cajun Coast Tourism
October 15, 2025
St. Mary Parish Tourist Commission dba Cajun Coast Tourism held a businessmeeting on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 4 pm at the Cajun Coast Office. The members were Sandra Marshall, Dwight Smith, Herman Hartman, Kayla Ewing, Keith Leonard, Ed “Tiger” Verdin, and Alfredia Edwards. The members ab- sent were Kim Walden and Patsy Powell. Also present were Carrie Stansbury and Christal Carter.
Mr. Verdin made a motion to accept the September minutes as written. Mr. Leonard seconded the mo- tion. With all members in favor, the motion passed.
Mr. Smith made a motion to accept the financial re- ports for September. Mr. Hartman seconded the mo- tion. With all members in favor, the motion passed.
Ms. Stansbury gave an overview of the bureau’s activities.
Mr. Leonard made a motion to sponsor the Spirit of Morgan City for $1,500.00. Mr. Verdin seconded the motion. With all members in favor, the motion passed.
The Tourist Commission’s next board meeting is scheduled for No- vember 19, 2025, at 4:00 pm at the Cajun Coast Of- fice.
There being no further business to discuss, Mr. Verdin made a motion to adjourn. Ms. Ew- ing seconded the motion. With all members in favor, the meeting was adjourned.
____________
Herman
Hartman,
Secretary
Adv. Nov. 12, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
Make: 2004 Toyota Camry
Color: Silver
Vin # 4T1BE30
K84U92 5844
Plate #: FF30645- IL
Picked up: 9/12/25
Location of pickup: Hwy 90 West @ Cotton Road
Vehicle is stored at Rick’s Auto Salvage
1896 Hwy 90 West
Patterson LA, 70392
985-395-2845
Vessel is subject to privilege held & and owner is in de- fault.
Vehicle will be sold at a commercially reasonably public sale at Rick’s Auto Salvage once we receive a Permit to sell.
Adv. Nov. 5 and 12, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
Sixteenth
Judicial District Court
——
PARISH OF
ST. MARY
——
STATE OF
LOUISIANA
South Central Planning and Development Commission
Vs. No. 132557 Div “G”
Flawless Screen Printing, LLC and Edward G. Campbell as Guarantor
TAKE NOTICE, that by virtue of Writ of Fi Fa is- sued out of the Honorable 16th Judicial District Court, in and for the Parish of St. Mary, and to me directed, in the above numbered and entitled suit, I have seized the following mentioned and described property, to wit:
1) Those certain tracts or parcels of land, together with all buildings and improvements therein situated and all rights, ways, privileges and servitudes, lying and being situated in the City of Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, and being known and designated as Lots 2, 3, 4 and 5 and the East One Half of Lot 6, In Square A of Colonial Acres Subdivision, as per map recorded in St. Mary Parish COB 15-D, Entry No. 135797.
This property bears municipal addresses of 1534, 1544 and 1546 Sandra Street, Morgan City, Louisiana 70380.
to satisfy the sum of TWO HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FORTY- TWO and 69/100 ($244,542.69) DOLLARS, together with accrued interest in the amount of FIFTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED NINETY and 95/100 ($15,690.95) DOLLARS through May 4, 2018, until paid in full, De- fault Interest on the principle amount owing and due at the rate of 8.75% from May 5, 2018, until paid in full, unpaid fees and charges in the amount of ONE THOUSAND NINE and 25/100 ($1,009.25) in the amount of 8.75%, as well as all court costs and judicial interest from the date of judicial demand until paid in full, all as agreed to pursuant to the terms of the Promissory Note at issue. CONSIDERING THE ABOVE AND FOREGOING, IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED, that there be judgment herein in favor of South Central Planning and Development Commission, plaintiff in the above titled and captioned cause, and against Defendants, FLAWLESS SCREEN PRINTING, LLC, and EDWARD G. CAMPBELL, and FLAWLESS WIRELESS, LLC, as Guarantors, on Loan RCF-108, in the ONE HUNDRED SIXTY- EIGHT THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETEEN AND 15/100 ($168,919.15) DOLLARS, together with accrued in- terest in the amount of Nine Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Nine and 20/100 ($9,699.20) Dollars through May 4, 2018, until paid in full, Default Interest at the rate of 8.75% from March 5, 2018, until paid in full, unpaid charges in the amount of One Thousand Sixty-Six and 45/100 ($1,066.95) Dollars, reasonable attorney fees in the amount of Twenty-five (25%) Percent of the principle amount owing and due, interest attorney’s fees in the amount of 8.75%, as well as all court costs and judicial interest from the date of judicial demand until paid in full, all as agreed to pursuant to the terms of the Promissory Note at issue, and also, all costs, as well as all sheriff’s costs and commission.
All successful bidders must have cash, cashier’s check or a verifiable letter of credit in favor of said bidder from a solvent bank, savings and loan association or other such financial institution authorized to do business in the state of Louisiana and full payment must be made on the date of sale. Letter must state that money is available on the date of sale.
I shall expose the same at public sale, for Cash, according to law WITH appraisement to the last and highest bidder, at the principal front door of the 1st floor lobby area of the Court House in the Parish of St. Mary, Town of Franklin, Louisiana, on Wednesday, the 19th day of November A.D., 2025, between the legal hours commencing at 10 O’Clock A.M.
Sheriff’s Office
Parish of St. Mary, La.
Monday, the 10th day of October A.D., 2025.
GARY L.
DRISKELL,
SHERIFF
By: Heidi Rineholt
Deputy Sheriff
Adv. Oct. 17 and Nov. 12, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
This ordinance was introduced with a first reading on September 23, 2025. Published by title on September 26, 2025.
Pastor Bias of- fered the following ordinance, who moved for its adoption.
ORDINANCE NO. 25-06
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA TO ENACT SECTION 42-6 TO PROVIDE FOR GRILLS AND OUTDOOR COOKING/ HEATING APPLIANCES
SECTION 1
BE IT ORDAIN-ED by the Mayor and Council, the governing authority of the City of Morgan City, Louisiana, that Article I, In General, Section 42-6, Grills and Outdoor Cooking/ Heating Appliances, be enacted by adding thereto, the following paragraph.
Chapter 42 – Fire Prevention and Protection
Article I – In
General
Section 42-6. Grills and Outdoor Cooking/ Heating
Appliances
Barbecue grills and other cooking appliances intended for outdoor use shall not be used indoors of any structure within the city limits, whether said ap- pliance is using gas, propane, electricity, or combustibles (wood, charcoal, etc.)
Furthermore, in accordance with NFPA 1, Chapter 10.10.6.1, Cooking Equipment, for other than one and two family dwellings, outdoor cooking appliances, grills, or other similar devices intended for cooking, heating, or any other purpose shall not be used, kindled, or stored in any of the following locations: (1) On any balcony; (2) Under any overhanging portion of a structure; (3) Within 10 feet of any structure.SECTION 2
Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase be declared unconstitutional or repeal-ed for any reason, the remainder of the ordinance shall not be affected hereby. That all laws or parts of laws in conflict with this ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed. This or- dinance shall take effect immediately after its passage within the time prescribed by law.
Mr. Hymel seconded the motion.
The vote thereon was as follows:
AYES: Bias, Hy- mel, Hutchinson, Leonard
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Do- mangue
Certified ap- proved and adopted this 28th day of October, 2025.
Delivered to Mayor Dragna at 9:00 am, this 5th day of November, 2025.
/s/ Debbie
Harrington
Debbie Harrington
Clerk
Approved this 5th day of November, 2025.
/s/ Lee Dragna
Lee Dragna
Mayor
Received from Mayor at 9:30 am on November 5, 2025.
/s/ Debbie
Harrington
Debbie Harrington
Clerk
Adv. Nov. 12, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
This ordinance was introduced with a first reading on September 23, 2025. Published by title on September 26, 2025.
Mr. Hutchinson offered the following ordinance, who moved for its adoption.
ORDINANCE NO. 25-07
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MORGAN CITY AMENDING AND REENACTING SECTION 110-32, METER DEPOSITS; SECURITY LIGHTS, OF CHAPTER 110, UTILITES, ARTICLE II, ELECTRIC SERVICE, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF MORGAN CITY.
SECTION 1
BE IT ORDAIN-ED, by the City Council, the governing authority of the City of Morgan City, Louisiana, that Section 110-32 of the code of ordinances be amended and reenacted as follows:
Sec. 110-32. Meter deposits; security lights.
(a) Meter deposits are as follows:
(1) Homeowners, nonhomeowners, mobile homes, apartments, etc., $100.00, with valid US Drivers Li- cense, Passport, or other United States issued Picture ID. For anyone not able to produce a valid United States issued Picture ID, the deposit shall be $1,000.00. For existing homeowners, mobile homes, apartments, etc., who are delinquent, the deposit shall be an average of the highest three bills in a 12-month period.
(2) Commercial or industrial, one month’s average utility bill as follows: $200.00 de- posit at time of connect, the balance to equal one month’s utility bill to be adjusted according to average of first three months’ bills. The total deposit in any case shall not be less than $200.00.
For existing commercial or in- dustrial accounts who are delinquent, the deposit shall be an average of the highest three bills in a 12-month period.
The sum so de- posited shall be held as security for the payment of bills for electric energy consumed. Each depositor, upon ceasing to be a consumer, shall have the right to withdraw such deposit upon surrendering the re- ceipt and the payment of all bills due to the municipal water, electric light and power plant for electric energy supplied.
(b) Security lights. For customers desiring security lighting, it shall be made available and shall be in- stalled by the city’s electric transmission and distribution department as follows:
(1) An application shall be submitted to the utility office for review and approval by an authorized representative.
(2) The cost of installation shall be paid by the applicant and will be calculated at cost of installation, to include all labor, materials and equipment.
(3) The monthly charges for energy consumed and maintenance of lights shall be as follows:
0 – 50W LED, per month…..$3.00
50 – 100W LED, per month…$5.00
100 – 200W LED, per month…$7.00
200W LED or greater, per month…….$10.00
SECTION 2
Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase be de- clared unconstitutional or repealed for any reason, the remainder of the ordinance shall not be affected hereby. That all laws or parts of laws in conflict with this ordinance be and the same are hereby repealed. This or- dinance shall take effect immediately after its passage within the time prescribed by law.
Pastor Bias seconded the motion.
The vote thereon was as follows:
AYES: Hutchinson, Bias, Hymel, Leonard
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Do- mangue
Certified ap- proved and adopted this 28th day of October, 2025.
Delivered to Mayor Dragna at 9:00 am, this 5th day of November, 2025.
/s/ Debbie
Harrington
Debbie
Harrington, Clerk
Approved this 5th day of November, 2025.
/s/ Lee Dragna
Lee Dragna, Mayor
Received from Mayor Dragna at 9:00 am, on November, 2025.
/s/ Debbie
Harrington
Debbie
Harrington, Clerk

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Wheel House for Nov. 12

Wed, 11/12/2025 - 6:00am

CHRISTMAS
BAZAAR
and Jambalaya Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Patterson United Methodist Church, 1204 Main St., Patterson. Christmas Bazaar will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Items for sale include homemade jams, jellies, preserves, pepper jelly, bread and butter pickles, caponata, baked goods, and Christmas items such as ugly sweaters, ornaments, greenery, lights, stockings, Christmas candles, candy dishes, angels, and more. The Jambalaya Dinner is $9 per plate 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Brashear Family Scholarships open for applications

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 11:14am

The Brashear Family Scholarship, created in honor of lifelong Berwick community staples Nolan and Janie Brashear, is now open for applications. Four graduating seniors from Berwick High School will each be awarded $1,000. This scholarship was established by their granddaughter, Berwick alumna Brie Lieberman, through her nonprofit foundation, and is designed to support students as they move into their next chapter.
Unlike traditional academic scholarships, the Brashear Family Scholarship recognizes that every student’s journey looks different. Funds may be used for tuition, certification programs, tools for a trade, transportation, books, deposits for housing, or any expense that helps a graduate take their next step with confidence. The award honors students who demonstrate character, community involvement and a commitment to giving back — qualities that reflect the Brashears’ decades of service to Berwick.
Janie Brashear served in Berwick schools for more than 30 years and continues to volunteer in multiple community organizations, while Nolan Brashear spent many years in public service, including as Chief of Police. The scholarship ensures their legacy of service continues by investing directly in the lives of Berwick’s next generation. Applications are now available to all Berwick High School seniors.

Superintendent on medical leave; Sanders will serve for now

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:16am

BILL DECKER

bdecker@daily-review.com

CENTERVILLE — At a special meeting Monday, the St. Mary Parish School Board approved an indefinite medical leave for Superintendent Dr. Buffy Fegenbush. Dr. Rachael Sanders, the assistant superintendent, will serve in Fegenbush’s place in the interim.
There was no public disclosure of the reason for Fegenbush’s request for leave.
The board discussed the request by Fegenbush, who wasn’t present at Monday’s meeting, during a 29-minute closed door session. Returning to open session, board members approved the request for leave on a voice vote without objection.
A similar vote approved the selection of Sanders as interim superintendent. The board awarded her a stipend of $4,000 a month while she fills in for Fegenbush, plus a $1,000 vehicle allowance.
Sanders has been employed by St. Mary public schools for 27 years, 20 as an administrator.
She has served as a teacher at Patterson High, an assistant principal at Morgan City High and as principal at Patterson High. She has also directed the district’s alternative program.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence from the board,” Sanders said after the meeting.
“Dr. Fegenbush has set us up with systems and protocols in place. And she also put together a strong team of district administrators.”
Fegenbush was named superintendent in April 2023, succeeding Dr. Theresa Bagwell.
She had served as Berwick High principal 2005-17 before serving in the administration of Lafayette Parish public schools.
The School Board voted to renew Fegenbush’s contract in March 2025.
In addition to overseeing the education of St. Mary public school students, the superintendent also has board authority over personnel matters for the parish’s biggest employer. After the education reforms of the Jindal administration, school boards are limited to setting personnel policies while superintendents make the day-to-day personnel decisions.

Four St. Mary teams make football playoffs

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:15am

Staff Report

A long, tough prep football season ended Friday for St. Mary teams. For four of them, a new season begins.
Central Catholic, Patterson, Franklin and West St. Mary each earned a place in this week’s first round of the LHSAA playoffs.
Central Catholic, 3-7, will be at 6-4 Southern Lab at 7 p.m. Thursday.
In 7 p.m. Friday games:
•Patterson, 2-8, will be at Marksville, 8-2.
•Franklin, 4-5, will be at Homer, 5-5.
•West St. Mary, 7-3, will host Basile, 5-5.
In last Friday’s games, Patterson got its second win by beating Donaldsonville 28-19; A.J. Ellender beat Morgan City, 31-6; Covenant Christian was a 49-6 winner over Central Catholic; St. James blanked Berwick 63-0; West St. John shut out Centerville 46-0; Franklin was a 22-14 winner over Delcambre; Jeanerette downed Hanson Memorial 60-0; and Loreauville edged West St. Mary 15-14.
Patterson 28,
Donaldsonville 19
Both teams have quarterbacks who can throw — Hayven Keller for Patterson and Skyler Garrison for Donaldsonville. And throw, they did.
Garrison went 16-for-39 for 231 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. But Keller won the big prize, going 16-for-28 for 303 yards with two TDs and an interception.
The touchdown throws went to Gregory Johnson, who caught five passes for 77 yards, and Jamal Pollard, whose two receptions went for 159 yards, including an 85-yard TD. Pollard also grabbed a 74-yard pass that set up Daylan Jones’ 1-yard touchdown run.
Garrison threw touchdowns of 30 and 6 yards to Khy Jones and a 12-yard score to Donald Brown.

St. James downs Berwick

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:14am

JUDE TARVER, Review correspendent

The Berwick Panthers played their final game of the 2025 season last week. They faced district opponent St. James, who had two losses heading into this game.
St. James shut out Berwick, 63-0.
Berwick started off the game with the ball, but after some incompletions, St. James would take control of the ball. The Wildcats made a statement on their opening drive, as Jaden Villanueva would score a touchdown from 25 yards out.
The Wildcats would more points on the board early on in the first quarter after a touchdown by Kanye Zenon, and then Villanueva would score another touchdown to make it a 21-0 lead for the Wildcats at the end of the first quarter.
The Panthers would see some offensive success towards the middle of the first half. On the behalf of Carter Dupius and Layf Bella, the Panthers would drive all the way into the redzone, but after an interception the Wildcats would get the ball back and eventually score a touchdown off of the turnover.
Berwick finished the season 1-9 with its sights set onto 2026, where new district teams could be on the way.

First ticket for Scouting dinner

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:07am

Submitted photo
Billy Giordano, right, of Morgan City's Alumni Shop buys the first ticket for this year's Scouting steak dinner from Lenny Dartez. This year's dinner will be Dec. 11 at the AARP building, 4014 Chennault St., Morgan City. The event is a major fundraiser for area Scouting. Refreshments will be 6:30-7:30 p.m., followed by the dinner. Tickets are $75, and takeout dinners will be available. For tickets or information, call Dartez at 985-759-0515, Dan Duplantis at 985-518-7486 or Bill Cefalu at 985-397-1445.

Deal with Greece boosts LNG exports

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:02am

ALTON WALLACE, The Center Square

Greece announced on Friday it has agreed to purchase a minimum of 700 million cubic meters of liquified natural gas annually for the next 20 years from U.S. supplier Venture Global, in a move aimed at strengthening energy supply chains in western Europe.
“Fortunately, in the United States we have an amazing abundance of natural gas,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright at the Transatlantic Energy Cooperation conference in Athens on Thursday. “I think we have a tremendous opportunity right now to displace all of the Russian gas — all of it, every last molecule — from western Europe.”
Greece ranked as the eighth biggest importer of U.S. LNG among European nations in 2024. Greece’s imports of U.S. LNG totaled 58,747 million cubic feet in 2024, with more than 46 million cubic feet, or 78%, of the total gas shipped from terminals located in Cameron Parish and Sabine Parish in Louisiana.
The deal between Arlington, Virginia-based Venture Global and a partnership of AKTOR and DEPA Commercial, the state-owned natural gas company of Greece, is the country’s first ever long-term supply agreement for LNG. Under the agreement, the Greek partnership has the option to expand annual purchases to 2 billion cubic meters.
“We believe very strongly that to ensure the stability, the peace and the prosperity of the region we need to totally phase out Russian gas, and I think this is one of the areas the European Union and the U.S. see eye-to-eye,” said Greek Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou at the Thursday conference.
In September 2024, Venture Global took a 25% stake in the Alexandroupolis LNG import terminal in Greece, which feeds the so-called South-North “Vertical Corridor,” an integrated system of pipelines designed to facilitate the flow of natural gas to countries that include Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Hungary and Ukraine.
“Venture Global is thrilled to expand our energy partnership with Greece and bring additional LNG supply to this critical region, building on our previous investment in the vertical corridor through the Alexandroupolis terminal,” Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel said in a statement.
“As a major point of entry for U.S. LNG into central and eastern Europe, this strategically important infrastructure and SPA agreement are key to strengthening the region’s ability to diversify their energy mix and access a secure and reliable source of supply,” Sabel said.
Venture Global’s three LNG projects — Calcasieu Pass, Plaquemines LNG and the CP2 facility now under construction — are all located along the Louisiana coast.
In October, the Department of Energy issued the final non-Free Trade Agreement authorization required before exports can begin at Venture Global’s CP2 facility in Cameron Parish. Venture Global is developing carbon capture and sequestration projects at each of its LNG facilities.
Greece has imported 59,386 million cubic feet of LNG from the U.S. this year through August and is on pace to exceed 2022 totals, when American shipments to the country exceeded 69 million cubic feet, Department of Energy data shows.
Shipments sent to Greece accounted for about 1.3% of all U.S. LNG exports in 2024, according to energy department data.

Suspect in Hamas attack will stay in jail

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 9:51am

A Lafayette resident accused of participating in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel will be detained until his trial next November, according to court records.
A jury trial for Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi is set for Nov. 2, 2026 in Lafayette before U.S. District Judge David C. Joseph. He faces life in prison if convicted. Al-Muhtadi was indicted in October on one count of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and one count of fraudulently applying for a U.S. visa. He has pleaded not guilty to both. His name does not appear in an online search of state or federal prison inmates, and a message left with his attorney was not immediately returned.
According to an FBI criminal complaint, Al-Muhtadi armed himself and joined a group that crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israel to fight alongside Hamas in the attack that killed 1,200 people. Another 250 were taken as hostages.
In the year following the attack, Al-Muhtadi applied for a U.S. visa and said he planned to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma and look for work in the auto repair or food service industries, according to the complaint. Prosecutors say he lied on his visa application, hiding his ties to armed groups and his role in the Oct. 7 attack. Department of Homeland Security records show he arrived in the U.S. on Sept. 12, 2024 and has since lived and worked in Lafayette.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section, which leads investigations and prosecutions of domestic and international terrorism, material-support and terrorist-financing offenses.
On Nov. 6, Judge Joseph certified the matter as both classified and “complex,” and agreed to prosecutors' request to extend a 70-day deadline for trial.
One provision requires the government to identify an “Israeli document authentication witness” by May 1, 2026, with a June 15 hearing focused on authenticating Israeli battlefield documents.
There is an extradition treaty between the United States and Israel, but the Justice Department did not respond to questions about whether extradition is being sought.

Festival passes shrimp test

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 9:50am

NOLAN McKENDRY, The Center Square

For the second straight year, every food vendor at the Louisiana Shrimp Festival & Shrimp Aid in New Orleans was verified as serving local, wild-caught Gulf shrimp, according to on-site genetic testing conducted during the mid-October event.
SeaD Consulting, which markets a rapid DNA test called RIGHTTest, said its technicians sampled each vendor and returned results in under two hours.
The company reported 100% compliance at the festival — a notable contrast from last year when it found widespread mislabeling of imported, farm-raised shrimp as “Gulf-caught” at other southern festivals.
Following those findings, the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores added a “chief shrimp investigator” and hired SeaD to test vendors, with fines and temporary sales bans for noncompliance. SeaD said a round of testing prompted by rumors at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this year found one vendor out of compliance.
“It’s hard to believe that we have to ensure compliance through genetic testing, but here we are,” said chef and advocate Dana Honn, who helps organize Shrimp Aid. He framed the verification push as an answer to a flood of imports that, he says, has battered Louisiana shrimpers.