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October 6,1980 — January 15, 2026

Caleb Duke Landry, 45, passed away on January 15, 2026 at his residence in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Caleb was a kind and compassionate soul who touched the lives of everyone he met. He had a deep love of books, travel and movies, and he loved getting lost in a good story or setting off on a new adventure. Caleb enjoyed the company of others, always focusing fully on the person he was talking to, showing sincere interest in every conversation. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Caleb is survived by his life partner, Wedon Brown, of New Orleans. The two shared many lifetime experiences filled with joy and love. Caleb and Wedon were inseparable.
Caleb is also survived by his mother, Catherine Trahan (Michael) Herpin of Abbeville; his father, Carl Duke Landry of Krotz Springs; step-sister, Amanda Herpin Lemaire; step-brother, Jacob Herpin; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Paul Julius Trahan and Lou Ella Weber Trahan; his paternal grandparents, Bradley Landry and Belva Barras Landry; cousin, Rex Herpin; and godfather, Barry Landry.

March 2, 1945 - January 18, 2026

ERATH – Mass of Christian Burial for Emma “Maw” Lee Touchet Floris, age 80, will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Fr. Sensat officiating. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Lourdes Mausoleum.
Visitation will be held at Frioux-David Funeral Home of Erath on January 20, 2026 beginning at 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. with a recitation of the rosary at 7 p.m. Visitation will resume on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 beginning at 8 a.m. until the time of services.
Emma “Maw” Lee Touchet Floris, age 80, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at her home, surrounded by the love of her family.
Emma was born on March 2, 1945, in Lafayette, Louisiana. She was the beloved daughter of the late Caesar J. Touchet Sr.  and Daltie “Dorothy” Touchet.
On September 26, 1961, Emma married the love of her life, Alwin Floris, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Erath, Louisiana. Together they shared 64 wonderful years of marriage, building a life rooted in love, family, and faith.
Emma, affectionately known as “Maw,” found her greatest joy in spending time with her family. She cherished casino trips with her husband, attending school and sporting events, camping, drinking coffee, listening to music, playing BINGO, and doing what she loved most—cooking and feeding those she cared for. Her home was always a place of warmth, laughter, and full plates, and her love for her family knew no bounds.
She is survived by her devoted husband, Alwin Floris; her children Patricia Fourroux, Yvonne Floris (Heriberto), Phil Floris Sr. (Shawntina), Patrick Floris, Veronica Guidry (Michael), Samantha Peltier (Roland Jr.), and Christopher Langlinais (Kim), whom she lovingly called “her adopted son.”
She also leaves behind 20 grandchildren, 13 grandchildren in-laws, 38 great-grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren in-laws, and 3 great-great-grandchildren, all of whom were a constant source of pride and joy.
Emma is also survived by her siblings Lovelace Touchet (Darlene) and Josie Forrester, along with numerous Godchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will forever cherish her memory.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Caesar Sr. and Daltie Touchet; her great-grandson, Eden Mitchell; her siblings Clarence “Tony” Touchet, Willis Touchet Sr., and Caesar “Joe” Touchet Jr.; and her parents-in-law, Antoine and Mildred Floris.
Pallbearers will be Alwin Broussard, Bruce Fourroux, Phil “Pika” Floris II, Ridal Broussard, Derrick Fourroux, and Lovelace Touchet.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Kolby “Koko” Floris, Zachary Fourroux, Drake Guidry, Trevor Peltier, and Christopher Langlinais.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Simmie G. Soileau, NP, Dr. Philippe E. Prouet, and Southern Grace Hospice for their compassionate care and support.
Emma “Maw” Lee Touchet Floris will be remembered for her kind heart, generous spirit, and unwavering devotion to her family. Her legacy lives on through the many generations she nurtured and the countless lives she touched.
Frioux-David Funeral Home of Erath at 209 East Putnam Street (337) 937-0405 will be in charge of the arrangements.

In 2022, the city of Abbeville added turf to the infields at A.A. Comeaux Park to enhance the facilities and become more competitive in attracting tournaments.
The city utilized $3 million in revenue bonds to fund the project. During the Abbeville City Council meeting on Jan. 6, Councilman Francis Plaisance said he has some concerns about what return the city is receiving on that investment.
“We had hopes for big things with the turf, so we took that step,” Plaisance said. “I think our note is $30,000 a month,” Plaisance said. “I appreciate everything about what it is doing. However, I’m hoping we can focus on generating more revenue. I’m the finance chair, so I see money going in and money going out at the park. I’m really concerned with our budget in ‘26, and that $30,000 note is a liability for us.”
Crowley, New Iberia, Broussard, and Youngsville have all made similar investments to various degrees. Plaisance, along with Councilman Brady Broussard Jr., Councilwoman Terry Broussard, and current Mayor Roslyn White, served on the council during the project’s approval. White, along with the new council, took office after the project had gotten underway. White said at the meeting on Tuesday that the city is not looking at a situation where it will net $30,000 solely from the baseball fields. She said lodging for families coming in for baseball and softball tournaments is vital.
“If you want to increase revenue,” White said, “the first place you should start is holding the hotels in town accountable for being hotels, and not apartment complexes, so that we will have more rooms for these families to stay in, so that we can keep revenue here in the city, as opposed to them staying in Lafayette.”
Along with its own rec league, the city worked with Quality Sports Authority (QSA), which handles rec, to host nine tournaments in ‘25 that brought dozens of teams.
“Another step is to attract some additional hotels, “White said. “Until we have the hotel facilities to accommodate these big tournaments that QSA is bringing in, we’re missing out on the biggest revenue stream we can bring in.”
Councilman Broussard, whose district includes the park, said restaurants are seeing some benefits during the days that tournaments are being played.
“The visiting teams have figured out,” Broussard said, “that there is only one Dupuy’s, one Shucks, one RiverFront, one Tito’s. You can go in and not recognize a single person in there during these tournaments.
“That’s something that people enjoy traveling to Abbeville for.”
Broussard added that the investment also benefits teams from Abbeville High and Vermilion Catholic that enjoy success on the upgraded fields.
“There are more benefits to the city than our restaurants serving these visitors,” Broussard said after the meeting. “High School boys and Girls Softball can be seen on these fields.”

Vermilion Parish Police Juror Errol Domingues, who is also a sugar cane farmer, asked his fellow jurors to help defend the sugar cane industry in Vermilion Parish when people or social media users complain about its presence.
In the past 20 years, the sugar cane industry has grown steadily in the parish and is now Vermilion’s top crop. Planting started in the Erath and Delcambre areas and has gradually moved west toward Gueydan.
It is now almost impossible to find rice fields east and north of Kaplan, since sugar cane has replaced them. Sugar cane is more profitable for both landowners and farmers.
As the sugar cane industry has grown, local residents have voiced more criticism. Some complain about heavy 18-wheelers damaging parish roads or sugar cane debris from trucks blocking the roads.
In the past 20 years, Domingues and other sugar cane farmers have heard both praise and criticism about the industry.
At last week’s police jury meeting, Domingues shared his concerns about the complaints he has heard regarding the sugar cane industry. He warned that if these complaints continue, the industry might leave the parish.
“We do not have many industries left in Vermilion Parish,” Domingues said. “Our rice industry has left us. We do not have a rice mill. The market is tough on rice farmers. The oil field has left our parish, and there is no drilling in deepwater.
“As a sugarcane farmer, we get beat up.”
Sugar cane covers 44,000 acres across the parish. This means more than 60,000 sugar cane trucks travel on Vermilion Parish roads during planting and harvesting seasons. The Erath farmers said the sugar cane industry generates close to $50 million a year, which is spread among the landowner, the farmer, and parish businesses. Over the years, Domingues said one of the complaints he has heard from parish residents is why should the parish care about sugar cane farming because it does not generate tax dollars that go back into the parish.
Domingues reminded the other jurors that sugar cane trucks use diesel, so they often refuel in Vermilion Parish or Acadiana. When trucks break down, owners sometimes buy parts or refuel locally. Another plus to having the sugar industry in the parish is that it provides jobs for residents who live in the parish, he said.
“Everywhere we go, as an industry, we are getting bashed,” said Domingues. “I am pleading to the police jury, when you hear people bashing the sugar cane industry, help us a little bit. We want to be goods stewards in the parish, and I think we are, but we have problems. Every industry has problems.”
Domingues was not holding back. Erath Mayor Taylor Mencacci was in the audience because he sits on a police jury committee. Domingues addressed Mencacci about how sugar cane trucks have to travel extra miles in order to avoid driving on new paved roads through the town of Erath. He also complained that sugar cane trucks had to make more turns onto different roads to avoid downtown Erath.
“We have to do that, every day, all day, because certain people did not want the noise through town (Erath),” said Domingues. “They did not want the trucks to go through town. Nobody wants the trucks, no one wants the industry, but everyone wants our tax dollars.
Taylor, imagine what it would do to the town [Erath] if we had an industry that got together and said, ‘You know what, you do not want our trucks, and we have to bypass everything, now we are not buying anything in town (Erath) anymore. Think of that!”
There are certain farmers who will not shop in Abbeville because it has a higher sales tax than other cities in different parishes, he continued.
“It is the industry of what it is. I hope it stays. It is my livelihood.”