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Former Mayor Mark Piazza does the honors on the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for the Harmony Park Community Garden on June 29.

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Harmony Park Community Garden is located at the corner of Lamar Street and Martin Luther King Drive in Abbeville.

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Many of the people involved with the garden, including members of the Abbeville Garden Club attended Wednesday morning’s ribbon cutting. The Garden Club adopted the flower bed.

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Charlene Beckett shares her thoughts and thanks everyone involved during Wednesday’s
ribbon cutting for Harmony Park Community Garden.

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Members of the Rotary Club of Abbeville helped to construct the fence that surrounds Harmony Park.

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This is what the lot at the corner of Lamar Street and Martin Luther King Drive looked like before being transformed into Harmony Park Community Garden.

Opening of Harmony Park Community Garden celebrated in Abbeville

Tue, 07/05/2022 - 8:55am

If planting a seed can grow something beautiful in a garden, creating a garden on a once derelict property can sprout lasting beauty in the community.
That is exactly what organizers of Abbeville’s Harmony Park Community Garden have in mind.
City officials, representatives of multiple organizations, benefactors and volunteers gathered Wednesday morning to cut the ribbon on Harmony Park. The community garden is located at the corner of Lamar Street and Martin Luther King Drive, a property adjudicated to the city in 2008. It is eligible to serve a public purpose.

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Unrestrained Man Dies in Single-Vehicle Crash in Vermilion Parish

Tue, 07/05/2022 - 8:46am

VERMILION PARISH – Shortly after 7:15 a.m. on July 3, 2022, Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop I were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 35 near W. Liberty Farm Road in Vermilion Parish. The crash took the life of 49-year-old Larry August Ragas, Jr. of Franklinton.
The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as Ragas was driving a 2014 Nissan Armada north on LA 35. For reasons still under investigation, the vehicle ran off the roadway to the right, struck a bridge rail, and overturned.

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Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza sits in his office on Wednesday afternoon, his wall still adorned with recognition of his appointments to statewide boards and other achievements earned during 20 years.

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Councilman Francis Touchet Jr., Councilwoman and Mayor-elect Roslyn White, Councilman Francis Plaisance and Councilwoman Terry Broussard (L-R) present Mayor Mark Piazza (middle) with a plaque to commemorate his 32 years of service, including the past 20 as mayor.

Piazza ending record run as Abbeville Mayor

Mon, 06/27/2022 - 11:40am

Mark Piazza has spent the past 32 years, half his life, serving the city of Abbeville.
For the past 20 years, that service has come with the title of mayor. Piazza will wrap up an Abbeville record five terms as mayor when his retirement becomes official later this week. Abbeville will swear in a new administration on Thursday.
Piazza provided a farewell speech during his final city council meeting on June 21.
“Since 1990, for the past 32 years, I’ve had the distinct privilege of serving the City of Abbeville and having a seat at this table,” Piazza said.

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Councilwoman and Mayor-elect Roslyn White, Mayor Mark Piazza, Councilwoman Terry Broussard and Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. (left to right) present Councilman at Large Francis Plaisance (middle) with a plaque during his final city council meeting on
Tuesday.

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Francis Plaisance shares some thoughts during his final Abbeville City Council meeting on Tuesday.

City thanks Plaisance for his 16 years on Abbeville Council

Fri, 06/24/2022 - 11:35am

Francis Plaisance will admit that he did not have a complete understanding of the inner workings of local government when he first joined the Abbeville City Council in 2006.
“All I thought you did was flip a switch and the lights came on,” Plaisance said with a laugh.
Next week, he will leave with a much better understanding, and an even greater appreciation.

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet sits in the District 5 seat at the Vermilion Parish Police Jury special meeting Tuesday after being appointed to fill the remainder of the term that her husband Wayne had served until his death last week. District 4 Police Juror Ronald Darby, right, holds a photo of Wayne Touchet

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet holds the nameplate for her late husband Wayne’s District 5 seat on the Vermilion Parish Police Jury with their daughter Victoria Touchet Richard.

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet addresses the Vermilion Parish Police Jury after being appointed to serve out the term of her late husband, District 5 juror Wayne Touchet.

Historic move: Touchet appointed to fill out late husband’s term; will be first woman to serve on Vermilion Parish Police Jury

Thu, 06/23/2022 - 9:20am

Liz Touchet was involved in her husband Wayne’s political life for 18 years as he served on the Vermilion Parish Police Jury.
She will continue that work as the first female to serve on the police jury after being appointed to fill the District 5 vacancy left on the board by his death on June 15. The VPPJ voted unanimously to appoint her to fill the remaining 17 months of his term at a special meeting held Tuesday in the police jury room at the Vermilion Parish Courthouse in Abbeville.

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