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All 14 people killed in New Orleans terrorist attack identified • Louisiana Illuminator

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All 14 people killed in New Orleans terrorist attack identified • Louisiana Illuminator


NEW ORLEANS — All 14 people killed in Wednesday morning’s terror attack on Bourbon Street have been identified, either through family members or verification from the local coroner.

LaTasha Polk, 47, of New Orleans was the final person whose name was unknown until family members confirmed she had died to The Times-Picayune. She was celebrating New Year’s Eve in the French Quarter with her brother, Prentiss Polk, who is still missing, according to the report.

BBC News confirmed Edward Pettifer, 31, of England was also among those killed. He was the stepson of  the former nanny for Prince William and Price Harry..

Orleans Parish Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna did not share Pettifer’s name Friday when he released the names of 12 of the deceased, citing the wishes of his family. The remaining victim, Polk, was identified only as a Black woman on the coroner’s list. 

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As of Friday, McKenna said he has yet to release the body of Shamsud-Din Jabbar at the direction of federal investigators.The 42-year-old Texas native tore through a three-block section of the French Quarter in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

More than three dozen people were injured, including two New Orleans police officers who were shot during a gunfight with Jabbar, who was killed after firing at law enforcement after he crashed his rented Ford F-15o pickup truck into a lift vehicle.  

A large crowd gathered Saturday night for a vigil ceremony at a memorial site that has materialized on Bourbon, just feet from where Jabbar entered Bourbon Street. Flowers, crosses, stuffed animals and candles are being placed next to a hydraulic street barrier, which wasn’t in place ahead of New Year’s Eve.

Other fatalities

Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi. The Times-Picayune reported she had accompanied her cousin and friend to the French Quarter for New Year’s Eve, her mother said.

Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, of Gretna. He graduated from Archbishop Shaw High School in 2021 and was remembered as a bright and promising young man, according to the school representative.

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Martin “Tiger” Bech, 28, of New York. Bech was a graduate of St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette who graduated from Princeton University, where he played on the football team. KLFY-TV in Lafayette reported Bech worked for a financial firm in New York.  His brother Jack, who played for LSU before transferring to Texas Tech.

Reggie Hunter, a Baton Rouge father of two, is pictured in a photo his family provided for a GoFundMe page.

Reggie Hunter, 37, of Baton Rouge. WAFB-TV reported the father of two made a last-minute decision to travel to the French Quarter with his cousin, who was also struck by the truck and injured.

Kareem Badawi, 18, of Baton Rouge. The 2024 graduate of Episcopal High School was a student at the University of Alabama. WAFB-TV reported the school sent a message to parents Wednesday about Badawi’s death. His classmate, Parker Vidrine, was also injured in the attack.

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Nicole Perez is pictured with her son, Melo, and his birthday cake.
Nicole Perez of Metairie is pictured with her son, Melo, in a photo posted on a GoFundMe page.

Nicole Perez, 27, of Metairie. The Times-Picayune reported she was the mother of a 4-year-old son and was recently promoted to a manager at the deli where she worked.

Drew Dauphin, 26, of Montgomery, Alabama. He was an engineer who worked for Honda, according to a report from AL.com. 

Matthew Tendorio, 25, an audiovisual technician at the Superdome from Carriere, Mississippi. His family has created an GoFundMe donation page to help cover the cost of his funeral. 

Billy DeMaio, 25, of Homedel, New Jersey. He was an account executive with Audacy Inc.

Terrence Kennedy, 63 of New Orleans. WDSU-TV first confirmed his death in the attack. Kennedy’s family told The Times-Picayune he had gone out for a drink in the French Quarter to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

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Brandon Taylor, 43, of Terrytown. The Times-Picayune reported that Taylor was with his  fiancée at a club in the 300 block of Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning. He stepped out onto the street near a lift vehicle just before Jabbar crashed his truck into it. It’s believed Taylor was the last person he struck.

Elliot Wilkinson, 40, of Lafayette. His brother, Cecil, posted on his Facebook page that he was notified Friday morning that his brother was among the fatalities. KPEL-FM reported that the Orleans Parish coroner had contacted the family.

The injured

The University of Georgia, whose football team took part in the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game against Notre Dame, confirmed that one of its students was critically injured in the terror attack. WBBH-TV confirmed the student is 19-year-old Elle Eisele of Fort Myers, Florida.

Eisele’s high school classmate, Steele Idelson, 19, was also hurt. She is a student at San Diego State University.

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Adam Coste, an employee of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans,  suffered “extensive injuries to his lower extremities,” according to a friend who created a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses. He identified Coste as an Army veteran.

Jeremi Sensky of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was paralyzed from the waist down before Wednesday’s attack. He was in his wheelchair going back to his French Quarter hotel room after dinner when Jabbar’s truck struck him on Bourbon Street, NBC News reported. He sustained two broken legs and needed surgery.

 

Alexis Scott-Windham of Mobile, Alabama, was struck by Jabbar’s truck then shot in the foot when he exchanged gunfire with police, The Times-Picayune reported. Her friend, Brandon Whitsett, was also hit by the truck and suffered multiple injuries. Two others in their group received minor injuries.

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Two visitors from Mexico were also among the injured, WVUE-TV Fox 8 reported. Both are in stable condition at a local hospital, and the Mexican consulate in New Orleans is working to keep their families informed.

ABC News reported that two Israeli nationals were injured. Israel’s consulate is sending a representative to New Orleans.

Lone actor

Jabbar posted five videos on his Facebook page in the two hours before he made his fatal drive down Bourbon Street. In one video recorded while he was driving from Houston to New Orleans, Jabbar said he “joined ISIS before the summer,” FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia said at a news conference Thursday. 

The pickup Jabbar drove was rented Monday in Houston, and he made the trip to New Orleans on New Year’s Eve. Investigators believe he built improvised explosive devices at a short-term rental property 2 miles from the French Quarter.

One of the IEDs was found inside the pickup truck, which featured an Islamic State flag on a pole attached to its trailer hitch. The FBI said Friday a working remote detonation device was also found inside the truck.

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Raia said surveillance video shows Jabbar placing a cooler with a homemade bomb inside at the intersection of Bourbon and Orleans streets and a second device two blocks away. Both were safely detonated after the French Quarter was cleared and police swept the neighborhood for evidence and other explosives.

“Precursor chemicals” for bomb making were found in the mobile home where Jabbar lived in north Houston, according to the FBI. Agents broke down the door of the residence Thursday and returned to the site Friday in search of more evidence.

The FBI is saying their investigation to this point indicates Jabbar acted alone in planning the terror attack. Agents do not currently believe there are any links between the incident in New Orleans and Wednesday’s explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

The driver of the truck, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, 37, left notes on his iPhone praising President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk and criticizing Democrats, the FBI said. Livelsberger committed suicide before the explosion, according to investigators.

This report was updated at 8 p.m. Saturday.

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How 2025 became a big year for tech in Louisiana

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The landmark announcement last November of Meta’s $10 billion investment to build a data center in Richland Parish, along with news two months later of Hut 8’s plans to build a $2.5 billion data center in West Feliciana Parish signaled that the AI juggernaut had spread to Louisiana, Business Report writes in its latest issue. 

In August, Alabama-based Radiance Technologies, which has offices in Baton Rouge, announced plans to invest $370 million in a new microchip packaging facility in Ruston, part of a national priority to reshore components of the microchip industry.

The business wins suggest Louisiana is positioned to respond to current tech trends, including soaring demand for large language model data centers—massive facilities that benefit from reasonably priced available land and access to energy. Meta’s planned hyperscale data center in north Louisiana is the largest of its more than 20 centers around the world, according to Louisiana Economic Development.

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But there’s more to the state’s tech strategy than just big announcements, officials say. Singular projects, while significant, are joined by a new economic development strategy that sees tech not just as its own vertical, but as a complement to existing legacy industries, including oil and gas, advanced manufacturing, health care and shipbuilding.

Read the full story and check out the full issue. Send comments to editor@businessreport.com

 

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Louisiana Outdoors Forever Technical Advisory and Project Selection Board to Meet November 10

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Louisiana Outdoors Forever Technical Advisory and Project Selection Board to Meet November 10


The Louisiana Outdoors Forever Technical Advisory and Project Selection Board will meet at 2:00 PM, November 10, at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, located at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.


AGENDA:

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  1. Call to Order – Bryan McClinton, Chair
  2. Roll Call – Angela Morejon
  3. Project Selection Board Approval of April 14, 2025 Meeting Minutes
  4. Technical Advisory Board Approval of October 21, 2025 Meeting Minutes
  5. Approval of November 10, 2025 Agenda
  6. Updates on 2023 Funded Projects – Angela Morejon
  7. Technical Advisory Board presents full application scores to the Project Selection Board
  8. Project Selection Board selects funding for projects for the 2025 Application cycle
  9. Receive Public Comments
  10. Adjournment

A live audio/video stream of this meeting will be available via Zoom.  To view via webinar, register at: https://wlf-la.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_keZmM260RO6Ch5WcRlqPaQ

The Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program provides funding for outdoor conservation projects in the state. For more information regarding Louisiana Outdoors Forever, visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/louisiana-outdoors-forever.

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10 must-attend Louisiana fall festivals you can still enjoy this year

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10 must-attend Louisiana fall festivals you can still enjoy this year


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Louisiana’s fall festival season is in full swing, and there’s still plenty of time to enjoy food, music, arts and culture across the region before the holidays arrive.  

From long-running community traditions to niche cultural celebrations, residents can expect a mix of live entertainment, family-friendly activities and regional cuisine as communities showcase the best of Louisiana. 

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Whether you love zydeco music, crave a plate straight off the pit or want to stock up on handmade gifts before the holidays, there’s a festival for every interest. Many events also highlight fundraisers for schools, churches and nonprofits, bringing families and community members together. 

Here are 10 festivals still ahead on the calendar this fall across Acadiana, with opportunities to dance, dine and discover the region’s heritage before the season winds down. 

10 Louisiana fall festivals you can still catch 

  1. Port Barre Cracklin Festival 

Nov. 13‐16, 2025. A festive four‑day event featuring cracklin’ cooking competitions, carnival rides, parades, and live music. Address: 129 Park St., Port Barre, LA 70577 

  1. Christmas on the Bayou Festival 

Nov. 7, 2025. A holiday‑themed fest with lights, vendors and seasonal treats. Address: Bryan Street, Cottonport, LA 71327 

  1. Bayou Teche Brewing Fall Fest Nov. 15 – Dec. 25. Craft beer, wood-fired pizza and local music set the mood for a relaxing autumn weekend. Address: 1002 North Ln., Arnaudville, LA 70512 
  1. Christmas in the Park 

Nov. 30, 2025. Holiday lights and community gatherings to wrap up the fall season. Address: Moncus Park, 2913 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503 

  1. Holiday Lights at Baton Rouge General 

Nov. 20‑22, 2025Multi‑day celebration of lights and holiday activities (still within fall‑to‑holiday transition). Address: 8585 Picardy Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809 

  1. Reindeer Trails  

Nov. 20‑22, 2025. A local holiday‑themed festival with family activities and trails of lights. Address: 629 Spring St., Shreveport, LA 7110 

  1. Holiday Light Safari 

Nov. 27‑28, 2025. A night‑time festival of lights, food vendors, and family fun. Address: Alexandria Zoo 3016 Masonic Dr., Alexandria, LA 71301 

  1. Logansport Christmas Festival 

Nov. 22, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026. An extended festival, including the tail end of fall and the start of the holiday season. Address: 192-198 Elm St., Logansport, LA 71049 

  1. Light Up the Lake Christmas Festival 

Nov. 28, 2025. A one‑night event with fireworks, lights and local vendors; still in the broader fall festival window. Address: 900 Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70601 

  1. Noël Acadien au Village 

Dec. 1 to Dec. 23, 2025. An evening market/festival celebrating Acadian heritage and holiday spirit. Address: 200 Greenleaf Dr., Lafayette, LA 70506 



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