News

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The Gulf of Mexico has a new name, the Gulf of America.

Vermilion Parish Parish’s OEP Office will call it ‘Gulf of America’

Fri, 02/21/2025 - 9:26am

The Vermilion Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness, led by Homer Stelly, is clear about the Gulf’s name off Louisiana’s coast. Stelly mentioned that the Office of Emergency Preparedness has adopted the new name, “Gulf of America.”
“Google refers to the Gulf of America on its maps, so to avoid confusing anyone, we are going with the new name.”
Google and Apple are using the Gulf of America name. 
OEP pays close attention to the Gulf of America during hurricane season or when an oil rig blows out or leaks.

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Gracyn Meaux keeps busy at North Vermilion High School.

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Gracyn Meaux was part of the North Vermilion dance team that recently won a national dance team title.

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Gracyn Meaux is also a member of the North Vermilion High
marching band.

Meaux Excelling

Fri, 02/21/2025 - 9:23am

North Vermilion senior Gracyn Meaux took the ACT for the second time as a junior and scored a 35. On her first attempt, she scored a 32.  Most people would have been over the moon and never retook it.  But Meaux is not like most people.
Her motivation came from two sources:  She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it, and she also had brothers and a sister to beat.

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Photo caption: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has again earned the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s prestigious R1 designation, which is evaluated every three years. R1 status places UL Lafayette among the nation’s top tier of public and private research institutions. Photo credit: Doug Dugas / University of Louisiana at Lafayette

UL Lafayette again earns Carnegie’s prestigious R1 designation

Fri, 02/21/2025 - 9:01am

LAFAYETTE — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has again earned the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s prestigious R1 designation, which is evaluated every three years.
R1 status places UL Lafayette among the nation’s top tier of public and private research institutions, those with “very high research spending and doctorate production,” according to a recent report from Carnegie. The American Council of Education produces the Carnegie Classification.

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Lee “Woody” Wood stands next to the photo of the Maurice council meeting taken in 2002. The photo is on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Wood was in Boston this past week.

Maurice meeting photo on display in the Boston Fine Arts Museum

Tue, 02/18/2025 - 10:36am

 Have you ever considered how many people can stroll into the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and spot a picture of themselves hanging on display? That’s what happened to Maurice resident Lee “Woody” Wood.
Last week, Wood traveled to Boston to see a photograph taken by national photographer Paul Shambroom. The color photo was captured at the Village of Maurice City Hall during a city council meeting on May 15, 2002.

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U-Haul area field manager Kenneth Fredette (right) hands John Craig Hebert a 45 year service plaque.

Craig’s Exxon Service Station turns 47 years old this week

Mon, 02/17/2025 - 1:12pm

John Craig Hebert has a reason to celebrate this week.
This past Friday, Feb. 14, John Craig Exxon, located at 1708 Memorial Drive in Abbeville, turned 47 years old. It is one of the longest, if not the longest, full-service gas stations in Abbeville.
Hebert was around 22 when he opened the gas station on Feb. 14, 1978.
He purchased it from his uncle, Cladu Hebert.
“I enjoyed the service station business,” said Hebert, explaining why he purchased the gas station at a young age.  I got in the business to stay in the business.”

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