Louisiana
Sad News As Ambulance Company Executive Has Died
Officials with Acadian Ambulance have confirmed that Richard Zuschlag, one of the men to form the company, has died following complications after surgery.
Zuschlag was 76 years old and in recent years he had battled cancer. He also recently had surgery associated with his treatment.
He was the CEO and Chairman of Acadian Ambulance Service. Zuschlag was born in Greenville, Pennsylvania. He held a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical from what was known at the time, as Capitol College in Washington, D.C.
Before coming to this area he worked for Greenville Broadcasting and Westinghouse Electric Space and Defense.
Acadian Ambulance staff photo
The employee-owner private ambulance service was started in the 70s in Lafayette and quickly branched out to multiple parishes in Acadiana and then to the entire state. The growth of the company only continued to accelerate in recent years.
Zuschlag along with Richard Sturlise and Roland Dugas formed Acadian Ambulance. While it was tough raising capital for the company, they made the decision to hire medics home from Vietnam to staff the ambulances.
They also decided to sell memberships to be a part of Acadian Ambulance.
Acadian Companies
It was in 1971, that the partners secured a contract with Lafayette Parish via the police jury system in place at the time to provide ambulance services to the parish.
The following is the statement released this morning from Acadian Ambulance:
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share with you the passing of our friend, mentor, and leader Richard Emery Zuschlag. Richard fought the hard fight that so many with cancer and its complications have endured. While we mourn our extraordinary loss, we are comforted in knowing that he is no longer suffering. He is now in the loving arms of his Lord, in whom he had unwavering faith.
Richard was a much loved and admired agent of change, not only in the state of Louisiana but across the nation. The lives he affected through his vision, generosity, inspiration, and leadership are countless. Whether a friend, employee, peer or patient, all of our lives were changed due to his undeniable determination to make a difference.
His legacy endures through his beautiful family, every life saved, every patient helped, and every battle he waged to ensure that all people had access to high-quality medical care. He never backed down when fighting for the things he loved most: his family, his employees, and the communities he served.
His legacy also lives on in the company he tirelessly worked 53 years to grow and nurture. Acadian Companies is not just a successful organization but also serves as an example of how servant leadership, high integrity, and unwavering determination create success, not for one but for all.
We will forever be changed, forever be grateful, and forever be better because of who Richard was and the lessons and legacy he has left us. He treated everyone with respect and was constantly striving to bring people together for the greater good. It is up to all of us to honor this legacy by living and leading by his example and his faith. Because of Richard, Acadian is stronger than ever, and in his honor, we will carry on his life’s work.
Special thanks go out to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Dr. Charles Burnell, Dr. Jason Breaux, Paul Hamilton, and the many friends and healthcare providers who attended to him.
Please continue to pray for Richard, his family, friends, and all those whose lives have been forever changed by this loss.
Information regarding services will be provided when available. We humbly ask you to please respect the privacy of the family while arrangements are being made.
The following is just one example of how Zuschlag served the Acadiana community and the whole state of Louisiana:
LOOK: Oldest Disneyland Rides From 1955 to Today
Gallery Credit: Angela Brown
MONROE, La. (KNOE)—Over the past week, average gas prices in Louisiana have fallen 6.8 cents. That averages to $3.41/g today, according to a survey of 2,436 stations conducted by ‘GasBuddy’.
Compared to a month ago, prices in Louisiana are 45.3 cents lower per gallon. The lowest price of gas in Louisiana was $2.59/g on Sunday, with the highest being $4.99/g.
For reference, the national average price of gas has fallen 6.9 cents per gallon in the last week, which averages to $3.78/g, and is down 55.6 cents per gallon from a month ago.
On this date for the past five years, here’s how Louisiana’s gas prices compare to the nation’s average:
June 29, 2025: $2.75/g (U.S. Average: $3.14/g)
June 29, 2024: $2.93/g (U.S. Average: $3.48/g)
June 29, 2023: $3.02/g (U.S. Average: $3.51/g)
June 29, 2022: $4.37/g (U.S. Average: $4.85/g)
June 29, 2021: $2.76/g (U.S. Average: $3.12/g)
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Julia Letlow and Jamie Davis will face off this fall for U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s seat after winning their respective party runoffs Saturday night.
Letlow won the Republican runoff over John Fleming with 57% of the vote, less than an hour after polls closed on June 27. Davis won the Democratic nomination in a landslide, securing 80% of the vote over Gary Crockett.
Letlow, Davis claim victories
“I’ll fight for our families, I’ll fight for our farmers. I’ll fight for our teachers. I will fight for our parents. I’ll fight for our law enforcement. I will fight for everyone in this room, and we are just getting started,” Letlow said.
Davis said the issues driving his campaign cross party lines.
“Everybody wants better healthcare. Everybody wants better education for their children. Everybody wants a leg up with affordability. And everybody wants the Constitution to be upheld. Those issues are nonpartisan. I don’t have to change nothing but keep working,” Davis said.
Low turnout, Trump endorsement shaped Republican race
Estimated turnout was about 18% of registered voters. Political analyst Jim Engster said the low turnout actually benefited Fleming, who captured 43% of the vote, but was not enough to overcome President Trump’s endorsement of Letlow.
“He really had the 8 ball against him when President Trump endorsed Julia Letlow. President Trump is Hercules of Republican politics, and he’s carried this state three times by about 60 percent of the votes each time,” Engster said.
Engster said the results reflect the broader political landscape in Louisiana.
“It says that it’s more of the same. We’re a Republican state, and until further notice, we vote red in major elections,” Engster said.
New closed primary system draws scrutiny
Saturday’s election was the first major cycle under Louisiana’s new closed party primary system, in which Democratic voters could only choose Democratic candidates and Republican voters could only choose Republican candidates.
Engster said the change had a significant impact on participation, pointing to Cassidy’s vote totals as an example.
“Bill Cassidy might very well have held onto his seat in an open primary. After all, in the last open primary, he got 1,228,000 votes. This time he got 99,000 votes, so that’s a big difference,” Engster said.
Engster said critics of the closed primary system will use the turnout figures to make their case.
“It’ll be a case in which those who are against the closed primary will make the case that ‘The open primary may have its flaws, but more people participate. And after all, that is what we want. We want more people voting in our elections,” Engster said.
Road to November 2026
History suggests Republicans hold the advantage heading into the general election. Engster noted that Louisiana’s last elected Democratic senator was Mary Landrieu in 2008.
“It would really be a political miracle for Jamie Davis to win. Those things happen, but right now it’s a long shot, and there’s a lot of heavy lifting for him to do and for the Democratic Party to do to try to make up the inherent gap that is evident in Louisiana politics,” Engster said.
Letlow and Davis will face off in the general election on November 3.
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WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE) – The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council announced the winners of the 40th Annual Northeast Louisiana Arts Awards during a ceremony held Thursday, June 25.
Winners in nine categories were revealed during the program, where top nominees in each category were also recognized. Members of the Arts Council, its board of directors, and invited guests joined friends and family in celebrating the honorees.
2026 Northeast Louisiana Arts Awards winners
- Edmund Williamson Visual Artist of the Year: Stacy Thomas Medaries
- Tommy Usery Performing Artist of the Year: The John L. Brown, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Band
- BART (Business Art) Award: Creative Exchange
- Volunteer of the Year: Jennifer Haynes
- Dorothy Bassett Emerging Artist of the Year: Jari Richardson
- Region 8 Arts Educator of the Year: Joni Dollar
- Region 8 Higher Education Arts Educator of the Year: Emily Ezell
- Literary Artist of the Year: Jamie Mayes
- Community Arts Impact Award: Dr. Alicia Jones
For more information on the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council and its programs, click here.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
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