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On October 12th, the menu spotlights National Gumbo Day for food holidays. This heavily seasoned, stew-like dish fills us up on chilly fall days. #NationalGumboDay Originating in southern Louisiana during the 18th century, Gumbo typically consists of strongly-flavored stock with meat or shellfish, a thickener, and seasoned vegetables. The seasoned vegetables may include celery, bell peppers, and onions. In Cajun cuisine, the trio is known as the “holy trinity.” Most people serve Gumbo over rice. Gumbo also falls into different categories based on the following types of thickener used: African vegetable okra Choctaw spice filé powder (dried and ground sassafras...

In a case that critics derided as a "Houdini handcuff" suicide, prosecutors have decided not to press criminal charges in the death of Victor White III, a 22-year old man who authorities said shot himself to death while handcuffed in the back of a New Iberia police car. The office of Louisiana's 16th Judicial District attorney, Bo Duhé, said Friday (Feb. 5) that the investigation by State Police and the FBI indicated no "sufficient credible evidence" to bring criminal charges against anyone involved in the case. The death of White drew national scrutiny because of its unusual circumstances and inconsistencies,...

Congressman Jeff Landry's New Iberia Office Hit by Car According to Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office a vehicle left the roadway and crashed into the side of a building at 301 East St. Peter St. Suite 102 in New Iberia. Authorities are unsure of injuries or the cause of the crash at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Lake Peigneur is in the heart of the Louisiana Bayou near New Iberia, which is a two hour drive from New Orleans. It was a freshwater lake that was up to 11 feet deep. However, that would all change on November 21, 1982. Diamond Crystal Salt Company operated a salt mine under the lake, while Texaco had a oil rig drilling down for oil. Most likely, it was a miscalculation that led up to this drastic change of Lake Peigneur. The drill hit the Diamond Crystal Salt Company's salt dome. The water starts to drain into the hole. The salt...

Trying to get Governor Kathleen Blanco's attention during a rally is not that uncommon, but when a New Orleans reverend referred to the governor using the ‘B-word' -- he not only got attention, he says he also got a few threats. Monday, Reverend Raymond Brown formally apologized to the governor, and WAFB's Jim Shannon was there. Even though Reverend Brown apologized, the governor says his comments were downright painful. They came during a rally where he and others were trying to draw attention to an incident in New Iberia last month where police used tear gas to disperse a crowd....

AVERY ISLAND, La. (AP) — On a salt dome that rises from the Cajun flatlands like an island from the sea, the plant which makes Tabasco sauce was safe from floods caused by Hurricane Rita. And it had enough stock on hand to ship out until the factory regained power. Many of its workers weren't as lucky. "We've got a lot of employees that live in Delcambre and Erath and Lydia and low-lying areas around Avery Island," Paul McIlhenny, chief executive of McIlhenny Co., said Wednesday. [snip] Power had been out since Friday night, when the storm was still offshore....