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Chad Vallo (right) is the new police jury president. Chad Lege (left) is the new vice president.

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Chad Vallo, the police jury president (on the right), presents outgoing president Mark Poché with a gavel and a plaque in recognition of his two years of service as police jury president.

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Members of the Vermilion Parish Police Jury (L-R) - Ronald Darby, Scott Broussard, Brent Landry, Dane Hebert, Chad Lege, Chad Vallo, Ronald “Dago” Menard, Dexter Callahan, Liz Touchet, Brian Hollier, Errol Domingues, BrianShane Meaux, Keith Meaux, Mark Poché and Paul Moresi III (legal counsel).

Vallo new president of Vermilion Parish Police Jury

Wed, 01/14/2026 - 10:22am

One of the reasons Chad Vallo wanted to become a police juror was his father, Harris Vallo, and his desire to help others.
His dad served as a police juror in Gueydan for 16 years, and during that time, Chad learned what it truly meant to be a police juror. Harris also held the position of jury president for two years.
Well, on Wednesday, Chad Vallo was voted in as the new police jury president. He had previously been the vice president for two years before stepping up to the presidency.

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Doris Langlinais Jr.

Doris Langlinais Jr. appreciates his opportunity to lead Abbeville Fire Department

Wed, 01/14/2026 - 10:15am

Doris Langlinais Jr. has spent nearly the past 30 years with the Abbeville Fire Department.
Langlinais currently has the opportunity to lead that department as its chief. He stepped into the role on a temporary basis following Jude Mire’s retirement on Dec. 18. Mire had served as chief since January of 2014.

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Members of the Vermilion Foundation present a donation check to representatives of the Christian Service Center.

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Members of the Vermilion Foundation present a donation check to representatives of LSU Eunice to go toward parish students.

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Members of the Vermilion Foundation present a donation check for the Gifting Grace Project.

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Members of the Vermilion Foundation present a donation check for the Community Wellness, Inc.

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Members of the Vermilion Foundation present a donation check to representatives of Behold Catholic Ministries.

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Members of the Vermilion Foundation present a donation check to representatives of the Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana.

Vermilion Foundation presents checks to nonprofit projects

Thu, 01/08/2026 - 8:49am

The Vermilion Foundation, an affiliate of Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA), is proud to announce $42,800 in grants to ten Vermilion Parish nonprofit projects.
The grants were commemorated during a check presentation ceremony held on Dec. 17 in Abbeville. Foundation members attending were Richard Broussard, Gene Sellers, Arlene Collee, and Earl “Boo” Landry. Not present were board members Kevin Sagrera, Karen Hoyt, Annie Caillouet, Dr. Jack Gupta, Becky Sirmon Joy, Pat Patout, Odile Segrest, Charles Sonnier and Carl Turnley.

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Gueydan residents arrested in “The Peanut Man” sting for selling wild game were taken to a staging area in town where they were loaded onto buses and transported to Lafayette for arraignment.

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Robert “Bobby” de’Perrodil was just a teenager the morning federal agents descended upon his home to arrest his father in an elaborate sting that ended in the arrest of more than 60 residents from the Gueydan area on charges of selling wild game.

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The October 1961 edition of Sports Afield included an article by author Paul Kalman that was teased with a cover headline: “Special Expose: I Hunt the Market Hunter.”

‘The Peanut Man’

Wed, 01/07/2026 - 9:42am

GUEYDAN — It’s been 64 1/2 years, but Robert “Bobby” de’Perrodil remembers the events that unfolded here on May 5, 1961, as if it were yesterday — and how the infamous “Legend of The Peanut Man” became local lore.
His memories put a different twist on a tale that garnered national headlines, cast Gueydan in a negative light as a place with little or no regard for conservation or wildlife laws, and was lauded by a media that portrayed an ambitious federal undercover agent as nothing short of a super hero.

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LeBlanc Elementary School’s Daedra Howard is the Vermilion Parish Elementary Teacher of the Year. Taking part in the presentation are (L-R) Assistant Superintendent Marc Turner, Natalie Hebert, High School Curriculum Facilitator/District Test Coordinator, Howard, Superintendent Tommy Byler and Assistant Superintendent Kim Etie.

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J.H. Williams Middle School’s Katie Griffin is the Vermilion Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year. Taking part in the presentation are (L-R) Natalie Hebert, High School Curriculum Facilitator/District Test Coordinator, Assistant Superintendent Kim Etie, Superintendent Tommy Byler, Adrienne Theriot, Middle School Supervisor, and Assistant Superintendent Marc Turner.

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Abbeville High School’s Devin Romero is the Vermilion Parish High School Teacher of the Year. Taking part in the presentation are (L-R) Assistant Superintendent Kim Etie, Superintendent Tommy Byler, Romero, Natalie Hebert, High School Curriculum Facilitator/District Test Coordinator, and Assistant Superintendent Marc Turner.

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Eaton Park Elementary’s Briana Richard is the Vermilion Parish New Teacher of the Year. Taking part in the presentation are (L-R) Assistant Superintendent Kim Etie, Natalie Hebert, High School Curriculum Facilitator/District Test Coordinator, Richard, Superintendent Tommy Byler and Assistant Superintendent Marc Turner.

Vermilion Parish Teachers of the Year announced

Mon, 01/05/2026 - 12:08pm

Each year, the Vermilion Parish School System has the tall order of naming Teachers of the Year.
It’s a challenge in that there are so many worthy of the honor. With that said, the challenge has been met, with the district honoring four across grade levels.
This year’s honorees are:
• Elementary Teacher of the Year - Daedra Howard, LeBlanc Elementary School
• Middle School Teacher of the Year - Katie Griffin, J.H. Williams Middle School
• High School Teacher of the Year - Devin Romero, Abbeville High School

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