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Passenger Succumbs to Injuries Received in Lafayette Parish Crash

Tue, 06/04/2019 - 10:05am

LAFAYETTE PARISH – At approximately 4:30 p.m. on May 30, 2019, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I began investigating a two vehicle serious injury crash on LA Hwy 182 near Birdsong Road in Lafayette Parish. The crash ultimately took the life of 85-year-old Gurvais Matte of Lafayette.
The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as 38-year-old Ashley Berza of Lafayette was traveling northbound on LA 182 in a 2006 Nissan Altima. Berza was being pursued by a unit with the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office. At the same time, 80-year-old Doris Prudhomme of Lafayette was traveling southbound on LA 182 in a 2014 Ford Escape. Berza crossed the centerline, and as a result her Nissan struck the southbound Ford.
Matte, a front seat passenger in the Ford Escape, was unrestrained at the time of the crash. He was transported from the scene to Lafayette General Hospital with serious injuries, to which he ultimately succumbed to on June 3. Prudhomme was restrained and received moderate injuries. Berza was properly restrained and received minor injuries. Impairment is unknown at this time, but standard toxicology samples were obtained for analysis. This crash remains under investigation, and charges are pending for Berza.
Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists that all occupants in a vehicle must be restrained, regardless of seating position. While not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that the chances of surviving a crash rise significantly when properly restrained. Making good choices while in motor vehicles such as never driving while impaired and always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained can often mean the difference between life and death.

‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign leads to 121 violations in Abbeville

Tue, 06/04/2019 - 10:01am

The Abbeville Police Department, thanks to funding provided by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, participated in the “Click It or Ticket” campaign from May 20, 2019 to June 2, 2019.
This program is designed to improve driver safety for all motorists. During this period, officers were assigned to monitor seatbelt usage, as well as other traffic violations.
Within this period, officers issued 99 citations to individuals, totaling 121 violations. A vast majority of the citations issued were for drivers who were not wearing seatbelts. The Abbeville Police Department would like to once again remind all drivers to obey all traffic laws and to use caution while on state highways and city streets.
Chief of Police Bill Spearman would like to commend his officers for a job well done. Chief Spearman would also like to thank the citizens of Abbeville for their support and help they provide to the Abbeville Police Department.
Anyone with any information regarding any crime is encouraged to contact the Abbeville Police Department. You may also contact our “Tips” line at 892-6777. All callers may remain anonymous.

Margaret Landry Broussard

Mon, 06/03/2019 - 4:02pm

October 4, 1944 - June 1, 2019

ERATH – A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Margaret Landry Broussard, 74, will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Fr. Matthew Barzare officiating. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Lourdes Mausoleum.
Visitation will be at held David Funeral Home of Erath on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 from 9 a.m. until the time of the services with a recitation of the rosary at 11 a.m.
A native of Abbeville and a resident of Erath, Mrs. Broussard died at 3:55 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Eastridge Nursing Home. She was known for her cooking and sewing.
She is survived by a son, Nicholas J. Broussard of Erath; four daughters, Courtney B. Vidallier and her husband Brian of Youngsville, Erika B. Hargrave and her husband Jason of Erath, Allison B. Jester and her husband James of Lafayette, and Lindsay B. Abshire of Kaplan; six grandchildren, Jacob Vidallier, Adam Vidallier, Matthew Hargrave, Elise Hargrave, Audrey Hargrave, and Aaron Abshire; and a sister, Bertha Lormand.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Broussard; her parents, Victor and Roberta Perry Landry; a brother, Lester Landry; and a son in law, Jed Abshire
Serving as pallbearers will be Nicholas J. Broussard, Brian Vidallier, Jason Hargrave, Jacob Vidallier, James Jester, and Matthew Hargrave.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Adam Vidallier and Aaron Abshire.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Erath at 209 E. Putnam St. (337)937-0405 will be handling the arrangements.

Justin Merritt, the school board’s legal counsel and risk manager, is not 100 percent sure if he still has a job or not after Thursday’s school board meeting.

Vermilion Parish School board votes to hire outside legal counsel

Mon, 06/03/2019 - 11:32am

For the first time in 12 years, the Vermilion Parish School Board has outside legal counsel representing the school board. On ...

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Scholarship set up in honor of Roy Theriot Sr. will help Abbeville High students attend Boy, Girls State

Fri, 05/31/2019 - 3:05pm

Abbeville High School is proud to announce the Roy R Theriot, Sr. Scholarship.
The Scholarship Is Open To All Juniors Who Would Like To Attend Boys And Girls State.
The Late Roy Theriot Sr. was the former Mayor of Abbeville. He served in that role from 1954 to 1960, when he was elected State Comptroller, an office he held until his death in 1973.
Theriot was married to the former Helen Roberts and together they had three children, Barbara Horaist, Roy Theriot Jr. and Sam Theriot. The Theriot children all attended and graduated from Abbeville High School, with Sam Attending Boys State. He also entered politics. Sam Theriot served as a member of the House of Representatives and the Clerk Of Court in Vermilion Parish.
Roy Theriot founded the Abbeville Dairy Festival, now known as the Louisiana Cattle Festival. After his death, Theriot’s Family continued his efforts.
Visitors from around the world came to Abbeville because of the love Roy had for the area and state. Roy Theriot loved to entertain people from all over, sharing his humor, Cajun culture, including food and music, but especially the French language.
Abbeville High will be raising funds for this effort by accepting donations in Roy Theriot’s name. Those funds will be awarded to those wishing to attend Boys And Girls State. Along With Principal Lyndelle Theriot And Principal Brett Darby, Donna G. Libersat, Godchildof Roy R. Theriot Sr., will be working hard to ensure that every student who wants to attend Boys and Girls State will have the opportunity.
The cost per student to attend is $400. Donations of any amount will be accepted, made payable to Abbeville High School, attention Roy Theriot Sr. Fund.
“The opportunity for these students is a chance in a lifetime,” Libersat said. “Please help us by supporting the efforts and the memory of Roy R Theriot Sr.”

Around 40 vendors are expected to be at the Daylily Festival and Garden Show that will be held Saturday in Abbeville.

List of vendors for 2019 Daylily Festival and Garden Show

Fri, 05/31/2019 - 10:37am

Abbeville High Boosters— Food
Henri’s— Breads, pastries & unique items
Olde Town Farmers Market— Cherry trees and blackberry bushes
Abbeville Garden Club— Educational booth
Hibiscus Hothouse— Hibiscus plants, plant food fertilizer
Paradise Plantscapes Inc.— Plants
Bayou Gifts & Jewelry— Jewelry made from antique silverplated flatware
Imaginary Mosaics— Stained glass and yard art
Pawz Busy Hands— Plumerias Benita Designs— Painted flower pots
Jason Custom Birdfeeders— Handmade glass bird feeders
Plumeria Crazy Nursery— Plumerias
Bonsai Society of Acadiana— Educational display
Jay Mac Tropicals— Bromeliads
Pottery Gardens— Garden art & accessories
Boudreaux’s Woodworking— Cypress furniture
Judice Woodworking— Cypress benches, woodworking
Sew Crafty— Fabric crafts, bowls and baby items
Custom Hangers by Mia— Macramé plant hangers
KatKaw Landscapes— Perennials, annuals, tropical and herbs
Shirley Levine— Cracklins, roasted peanuts, etc.
Don & Shirley’s Nursery— Bromeliads, orchids
KatKaw Nursery— Assorted plants
Soulful Eats— Food
Flower Pot Nursery— Plants, Ferns, Tropicals
KGH Designs, LLC— Wooden items & jewelry
Sparks & Sawdust— Metal yard art
Fonderosa LLC— Unusual Plants, vines, passion flower
Landscape Magic— Plants for hot weather
Sweet Tea Y’all— Sweet tea, unsweet tea & lemonade
For the Birds— Stained glass garden art
Laura’s Homemade Tarts— Tarts, fig cakes, syrup cakes, pralines
The Funny Farm— Bromeliads
Friendship Garden— Daylilies and assorted plants
Lil Bits of Home— Jam and jellies
Tina’s Plants— Succulents
Gammie’s Beads— Rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.
Lucy’s Daylily Garden— Daylilies and assorted plants
Treasurer’s Adrift— Driftwood, seashells
Granny’s Junkyard Art— Plants and garden art
Lunar Chic— Women’s pajamas & loungewear
Urban Naturalist— Herbs, vegetables, plants
Guidry’s Daylily Garden— Daylilies
Niko Café Coffee— Niko Coffee: Hot and cold coffee samples
Whimsical Gardens— Plants, wind chimes, bird houses, etc.
Hebert’s Honey Co.— Honey and daylilies
Ole Fashion Things— Fountains, kettles
Young Land Design-Citrus Trees

The Daylily Festival will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Magdalen Square.

Annual Daylily Festival and Garden Show will be Saturday in Abbeville

Fri, 05/31/2019 - 10:27am

The Daylily Festival and Garden Show has something for everyone.
The festival is set for this Saturday, June 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Magdalen Square in downtown Abbeville. It is presented by Abbeville Main Street and the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce.
Nearly 40 vendors are expected to attend.
“If you are not a gardener but still like the outdoors you are sure to find something that will interest you.” said Charlene Beckett, co-organizer of the festival.
Along with visiting the various vendor booths you may be interested in the two educational speakers who will be presenting at the Abbeville Culture and Alliance Center located adjacent to the Square. The first speaker at 10:00 am will be Dan Devenport, an LSU AgCenter Associate County Agent, who will be talking about “Growing Peaches in Louisiana”. Dan has been helpful in making the festival such a success every year. The second speaker at 11 a.m. is Phillip Wallace an avid birder whose slide show presentation will be on “Louisiana Birds.” Phillip a
resident of Abbeville with his wife Pam, retired from New Orleans as a principal and teacher. He has been an active birder for 39 years.
Near the Gazebo there will be a children’s activity booth, a display of the latest Super Blooms, along with members of the Abbeville Garden Club available to answer your gardening questions.
Come to the Square and stay a while where there will be food and refreshments for purchase as you visit with the friendly vendors. A day guaranteed to be enjoyed by all. Sponsors for the event are Abbeville Garden Club, City of Abbeville and Gulf Coast Bank.
For more information please call Charlene Beckett, 337-652-2239.

Lafitte Drive-In Park, located off of South John Hardy Drive near Charity Street, will open this Saturday. It will be open only on Saturdays and Sundays.

Donated picnic tables are part of what visitors will be able to enjoy at Lafitte Drive In Park. The park will officially open on Saturd

Lafitte Drive In Park is not lacking in green space.

Abbeville’s Lafitte Drive-In Park opening on Saturday

Fri, 05/31/2019 - 9:50am

Possibilities for what it could end up being are plenty, but Lafitte Drive-In Park has something to offer now.
“It’s a beautiful space just to be out in nature,” Abbeville Councilman Francis Plaisance said.
Visitors will have an opportunity to see Abbeville’s newest park when Lafitte Drive-In Park officially opens on Saturday. It will be open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The park is located off South John Hardy near Charity Street. Those who visit the park are reminded that fishing in the pond at the park is not allowed.
Lafitte Drive-In Park is named in honor of the former drive-in movie theater that occupied the land. The city purchased the property from the deGrauww family, and city officials wanted to have a name that connected the park to the land’s past.
“I have talked to people who said they would come out here to check it out because they have such fond memories of coming to the drive-in,” Plaisance said.
Plaisance, who helped spearhead the effort to create the park, said to say that he is excited is an understatement now that it is opening.
“It’s still a work in progress,” Plaisance said. “This has been five years in the making. It has been a personal project that I have worked on as Councilman at Large. Thanks to Mayor Mark Piazza’s help, as well as Clay Menard, Public Works Director, and all the City Workers, the park is scheduled to open.
“There are still some things we want to try to do, but I am so excited that it is going to be open.”
Councilwoman Terry Broussard, whose District D includes the park, was not a member of the council when plans for the park first began. She is happy to now be part of the process.
“I’m happy to provide an outdoor space for citizens to enjoy,” Broussard said. “Lafitte Drive-In Park is in its early stages and future developments will depend on available funding.
“I’d like to thank Councilman Francis Plaisance for his dedication and work.”
For Plaisance, what will make this project thrive is a public-private partnership. That has already been the case for the picnic tables that are under the line of trees near the pond. Those tables were donated by Gulf Coast Bank, Roderick Campbell and Ray Chevrolet.
“My goal is to build a public-private partnership for this park,” Plaisance said. “We would welcome anyone who has an interest in being a part of this.”
Plans include a dog park. The city has looked into grants for a walking trail. There is currently no fishing allowed in the pond, but Plaisance said the hope is that a plan can be created for that to happen at some point in the future.
As for Saturday, people can simply come out and enjoy the green space and scenery.
“It is a beautiful park being designed for families to enjoy,” Plaisance said. “Come out and enjoy the memory of the Lafitte Drive-In, picnic and enjoy.”

Ruth Laviolette Desormeaux

Fri, 05/31/2019 - 8:47am

ERATH — Funeral Services for Ruth Laviolette Desormeaux, 74, will be at 11:00AM on Saturday June 1, 2019 at David Funeral Home of Erath with Pastor Robert Wells officiating. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Lourdes Mausoleum.
Visitation will be held in David Funeral Home of Erath at 11:00AM on Friday May 30, 2019 until time of services.
A resident of Erath, Ruth passed away Wednesday May, 29, 2019 at Abbeville General Hospital. She cherished arts and crafts and making photo albums. She enjoyed going to bingo, casinos, and shopping. Ruth loved caring for her friends and family.
She is survived by her children, Gardy Desormeaux and fiancé Renee Hebert of Erath, Ramona Broussard of Erath, Jennifer Broussard and husband Jimmy of Erath, Rhonda Mitchell and fiancé Brandon Broussard of Delcambre, and Natasha Willis and fiancé Brannon Romero of Erath; her brothers, Glen Laviolette and wife Lisa of Meaux, and Terry Laviolette and wife Suzie of Arnaudville; her sisters, Judy Laviolette of Erath, and Lona Laviolette of Abbeville; her grandchildren, Jordan Broussard, Victoria Lumpkin and her fiancé Erica Granger, Aaron Broussard, Alexis Desormeaux, and Austin Simon.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Desormeaux; her parents; Mazie Derouen and Percy
Laviolette; her brother in law, Roger Desormeaux; her sister in laws, Betty Byron and Barbara Babin; her son in law, Todd Mitchell; her granddaughter Britlyn Willis and neice Rita Laviolette; and her nephew Jorod Lavoilette.
Serving as pallbearers will be Jordan Broussard, Aaron Broussard, Gardy Desormeaux, Austin Simon, Jimmy Broussard, and Brandon P. Broussard. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Victoria Lumpkin, Alexis Desormeaux, and Romona Broussard.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Erath is in charges of arrangements, 209 East Putnam St. Erath, LA 70533 (337) 937-0405.

Gale Perrin Graham

Thu, 05/30/2019 - 3:31pm

January 30, 1956 - May 27, 2019

Gale Perrin Graham, 63, a lifelong resident of Erath passed away unexpectedly Monday, May 27th, 2019.
A service celebrating her life will he held this Saturday, June 1, 2019 art l’Eglise reception hall located at 3203 J Alcee Rd, Abbeville 70510 from 3pm-6pm. Ms. Graham is survived by her daughter, Patricia Frederick amazing son-in-law Dustin and beloved and very spoiled grandchildren Megan and Addison; all of Erath. They are joined in grief by Patricia’s brother, Bryan Perrin – a son that Ms. Graham lovingly and selflessly gave up for adoption 48 years ago; as well as Bryan’s amazing wife Jeri, beautiful daughter Gabrielle and his lovely step sons. Ms. Graham is also survived a large and beautiful family. Her sister in law Grace Perrin (wife of Huey) of Lafayette and their children: Van, Azealia, and Ivan. Her other sister in law Carmen Guidry Person (wife of Roland Perrin, Sr) also of Lafayette, and their other children: Katherine, Susan, Mary Ellen, and Michael. She is also survived by her husband’s daughter Theresia Dartez, and her husband Bernell of Sabine Pass, Texas and her children Kaci and Taylor as well as her husband’s other grandchild Kristina Graham of Terrell Texas and her two daughters: Shelby and Gracie.
Ms. Graham was proceeded in death and gloriously welcomed into heaven by her husband, Rev. Riley “Chili” Graham, originally of Groves, Texas and 45 year resident of Erath, LA. Her parents: father, Gladu Perrin and mother Egles Dubois Perrin, both of Henry. She is also proceeded by her brother and godfather Roland Perrin, Sr. and her other brother Huey Perrin; both of Lafayette; as well as her mother’s only brother Felix Dubois. She was also welcomed to heaven’s gates by her favorite nephew Roland “Flip” Perrin, Jr and great-nephew Brad Daigle who saved countless lives through the act of organ donation. She was also proceeded by her very dear friends and brothers and Christ, Elery “Slim” Landry and Andrus “Coon” Hebert, both of Erath.
Her love of music and people will live on in her children, grandchildren, family and friends. She would want everyone to remember that it costs nothing to be kind and to not waste our tears on her. She is where she has always wanted to be since she bowed her head one summer afternoon in 1988. She has fought the good fight and finished her race. To her grandchildren especially, she would want to remind them that they will be together again soon… but hopefully not too soon. To take their time. Continue to be great. She will live on in all of our hearts until it is her turn to greet us.

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Passenger Succumbs to Injuries Received in Lafayette Parish Crash

‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign leads to 121 violations in Abbeville

Margaret Landry Broussard

Vermilion Parish School board votes to hire outside legal counsel

Scholarship set up in honor of Roy Theriot Sr. will help Abbeville High students attend Boy, Girls State

List of vendors for 2019 Daylily Festival and Garden Show

Annual Daylily Festival and Garden Show will be Saturday in Abbeville

Abbeville’s Lafitte Drive-In Park opening on Saturday

Ruth Laviolette Desormeaux

Gale Perrin Graham

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