RSS Feed

Vermilion Catholic point guard Jay Demouchet may only be five feet tall, but she plays a lot taller than that.
Her great ball handling skills, coupled with her ability to shoot the rock, earned her the Vermilion Parish’s Player of the Year Award.
As the point guard, she took over the team towards the end of the season and dominated. She orchestrated her team past two opponents in the Division IV playoffs, reaching the semifinals for the second year in a row.
When it was over, Demouchet averaged 18 points and nine assists a game.
VC head coach Kim Guidry enjoys coaching Jay because of her selfless attitude.
“I think she is a very giving person,” said Guidry. “She is a compassionate person and a compassionate player. Because of her assists and willing to pass off to others, gave us many weapons than just her. She is also a hard worker.”
Landing on the all-parish first with Demouchet was teammate Ainsley Mallet. Mallet was the off guard and scored an average of 14 a game.
Rounding out the first team are NV’s Kaylee Lopez (15 a game), Rilee Frick of Kaplan (16 a game) and NV’s Kyler Walker (12 a game).
Earning Vermilion Parish’s only coach of the year award is Kaplan head coach Amelia Broussard.
Broussard coached the Lady Pirates to 27 wins, including a first-round playoff victory.

Girls Team

First Team Points

Jay Demouchet, VC............20 ppg
Ainsley Mallet, VC............14 ppg
Kaylee Lopez, NVHS.........15 ppg
Kyler Walker, NVHS...... 12 ppg
Rilee Frick, Kaplan............16 ppg

Second Team

Kelli Frith, VC....................13 ppg
Tory Riggs, Kaplan.............10 ppg
Lexie Gisclair, Erath......... 12 ppg
Ashari Terry, Gueydan.......14 ppg
Alyia Broussard, Kaplan.....12 ppg

On July 1, William “Bill” Spearman takes office as the new police chief for Abbeville.
With 38 years of law enforcement beneath his belt, Spearman’s plans for the city that has been drawn out for many years, and now is his chance to watch those plans unfold, one of which includes creating community action groups as his top priority.
In his announcement to run for Chief of Police, Spearman credited his long list of experience in law enforcement as the perfect candidate for the position.
“I am prepared to be the next Chief of Police and can think of no greater privilege than to serve the great citizens and community of Abbeville,” Spearman said.
Spearman, in his earlier years of experience, was involved with several law enforcement and Community Organizations such as Louisiana DARE Officers Association, Louisiana Association of Crisis Negotiators, and The Vermilion Parish Domestic Violence Intervention Board, just to name a few.
“I am a devoted Christian and know that without God, none of this would be possible,” Spearman said. “Since I was very young, I have wanted to be a Police Officer. In 1984, this dream came true when I became an auxiliary patrolman and then full time officer with the Abbeville Police Department.”
Upon winning the election, Spearman discusses what is next once he is officially the new police chief.
“First, I want to have our community behind us again, that’s going to be one of my biggest priorities,” Spearman said. “We cannot accomplish much without having everyone on board including our Police Department and our community; we could surely come together with having the same goals in mind to make our city great again.”
Some of Spearman’s plans include implementing a mentoring program for the city’s children as well as having an open door policy on behalf of the department.
With the crime rate for the city being too high for comfort, Spearman’s plan to bring back the neighborhood watch program would be a step in ensuring civilians, as well as visitors, a safe place to live or visit.
Spearman promises to work diligently in creating a TIPS line. A TIPS line would aid the department tremendously, allowing the community to report any unusual or illegal activity anonymously, prompting an investigation in order to bring the crime rate down.
Another proposition that Spearman is passionate about is creating activities and programs for our youth community as well as having a mentoring program. A mentoring program would allow minors to be a part of a positive program if they are first time offenders or before they become offenders. It would be a program for mentors to show an interest in troubled minors, understand the reasons behind the trouble, and create a step by step community service which would include tutoring.
“There are several different aspects that we would like to explore,” Spearman said, “so once everything is in place, the community will know all of the ins and outs of this particular program. I think it would be a great idea to bring in mentors who have been through this sort of program, maybe, or people who have had hardships as a juvenile, as a stepping stone to build a better future.”
Spearman’s motto has always been “Together we can make Abbeville safe again.” He wishes to have everyone’s support, being on one page with fellow officials, otherwise, these plans will not be able to pan out.
“I’d like to thank God,” Spearman said, “because without God I couldn’t have won, my family who had the patience for me while I was running, as well as the community for their support and for standing behind me.
“Without the community I couldn’t be in the position I am now.”

Neither Terry Broussard nor Roslyn White set out to make history when each decided to run for a seat on the Abbeville City Council.
They each wanted to work hard for the people of the place they call home.
Sometimes making history is simply a happy coincidence.
Broussard defeated incumbent District D Councilman Wayne Landry on March 24, and White topped three others vying for the seat in District A. In doing so, this marks the first time two women will serve on the five-person council at the same time. The late Pam Gaspard previously served as the lone Councilwoman in the city’s long history.
Broussard and White will officially be sworn in on June 29.
White, who took 51 percent of the votes on Saturday, recognizes the significance of the moment as well as what it means moving forward.
“I would like to thank the citizens of District A for their overwhelming support,” White said. “Your vote clearly expresses your concern for the future of our city.
“Although it is important to acknowledge the significance of two women serving on the City Council for the first time in history, this vote was not about sex or race, it was about progress.”
Broussard said she appreciates the opportunity to be a part of this.
“It’s an awesome, awesome feeling,” Broussard said. “Women rock!”
However, like White, Broussard said when it comes down to what matters most, it is not about Councilman or Councilwoman, but what is best for the people who are being served.
“This is not my win,” Broussard said. “This is our win. District D won. I look forward to working with constituents and getting to know them. I am excited.
“I am excited to go to work for the people.”
And that means everyone who lives in Abbeville.
“I am going to work for my district,” Broussard said, “but I am going to work for what is best for the city. I understand that I was elected to represent District D, but we have to be concerned with the city as a whole.”
White agreed.
“Our community longs for growth and responsibility in government,” White said. “I think Saturday night was not just a victory for myself and Councilwoman Broussard but a victory for our City. I look forward to working with Mayor (Mark) Piazza and the rest of the Council to continue to improve to Abbeville and serve the needs of District A.”

Donald and Glena Gaspard of Gueydan and Carley and Bernetta Daniels of Maurice are announcing the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Jenna, to James Godwin.
The wedding ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at Le Barn Rouge in Lafayette.
The bride-elect is a graduate of Gueydan High School and graduated from LSUE with an Associate of Applied Science in Management in 2011.
She is also a graduate of SLCC with an Associate of Applied Science/Clinical Laboratory Technician in 2013 and is currently employed at Iberia Medical Center and Our Lady of Lourdes as a Medical Laboratory Technician.
The groom elect is James Godwin the son of Jim and Carlene Godwin of Abbeville.
The groom-elect is a 1999 graduate from Abbeville High School and was in the United States Army from 1999 to 2002. He currently works for Baker Hughs as an Electromechanical Technician.