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A 15-year-old is sitting behind bars after allegedly shooting two other teens on Wabash Avenue in Abbeville.
According to Chief Mike Hardy of the Abbeville Police Department, a teen was arrested and charged as an adult with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. The teen, whose name was not released, is now in the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.
The alleged shooting occurred early Tuesday morning.
According to the press release, the shooting took place Tuesday at 3 a.m.
It happened near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Alley Street in Abbeville.
When the police arrived, they found a 13-year-old running back and forth down the street, saying he and his friend had been shot.
The officers found a 15-year-old lying face down on the side of the road.
Both teens were transported to Abbeville General.
Officers canvassed the neighborhood for houses with video cameras to get a video of the teens walking.
The city police also learned that the 13-year-old was treated for a gunshot wound in the lower leg and released by the hospital.
The 15-year-old was shot in the chest and listed in critical condition.
The officers interviewed the 13-year-old, and information was obtained identifying the alleged shooter.
Before the interview was completed, the officers were notified by dispatch that the mother of the alleged shooter had called and was bringing her son into the police station.
The alleged shooter, who is 15, was booked, charged, and transported to a juvenile facility.
According to Chief Hardy, the alleged shooter knew the victims.

The Vermilion Catholic Eagles had a season for the ages in 2022, winning their first 13 games of the season and finishing up as the Division IV Select state runner-up, dominating opponents on both defense and offense for the entire season.
The Eagles finished 13-1 and reached the state championship game at the Ochsner LHSAA Prep Classic in the Superdome in New Orleans in December, leading to VC earning nine first-team spots on the All-Vermilion Parish Team as selected by The Abbeville Meridional, along with all three individual honors on the squad.
VC quarterback Jonathan Dartez is the Vermilion Parish Offensive Most Valuable Player, while senior linebacker Ashton Belaire is the parish’s Defensive MVP and VC coach Broc Prejean is the Coach of the Year.
Dartez led an offense that compiled 4,900 total yards and scored 537 points. Dartez was his team’s leading rusher with 1,506 yards and 17 touchdowns, and threw for 1,297 yards and 18 touchdowns, completing 93 of 133 pass attempts. He also scored 102 points, fourth best in the parish. He was a first-team Class A All-State pick as selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
“Jon-Jon was everything we asked him to be in each game,” Prejean said. “There were games where he needed to carry it 20 to 25 times; there were games where we needed him to throw it 20 times; and there were games where we just told him to just manage the clock, hand it off and let everybody else be successful. He was everything we wanted him to be. He was selfless, and that’s rare to see from a sophomore.”
The Eagles rushed for 3,481 yards (248 yards per game) passed for 1,419 yards (101 yards per game), while surrendering 923 yards rushing (65.9 ypg) and 1,291 yards passing (92.2 ypg). VC averaged 38.4 points a game and allowed 6.1 per contest.
“We had so many guys stand out for us this year that it would be tough to pick MVPs for us,” Prejean said. “It’s good to hear they got it, but there’s a number of guys that could’ve got it.”
Belaire led VC with 102 total tackles, including 19.5 tackles for loss with three sacks. He also forced three fumbles, recovered three fumbles, broke up a pass and scored a defensive touchdown.
A first-team LSWA All-State pick, Belaire led a defense that suffocated opposing teams, allowing double-digit points only twice, against Ascension Episcopal in Week 2 (24 points) and against Ouachita Christian in the state finals (28 points). The Eagles also nearly scored as many points on defense as they allowed, with 54 points scored (eight touchdowns, three safeties) while allowing 86 points (including extra points, field goals and one touchdown scored by the opposing defense). The Eagles had seven shutouts on the season and allowed only single touchdowns in each of their first three playoff games.
“Ashton’s been a big part of our success for three years,” Prejean said. “He deserves all of the accolades because of what he does when people aren’t watching. He’s one of those kids that Friday nights are only a small fraction of what he does for us. It starts in February and it doesn’t end until December with how hard he works. I’m super happy for him and proud of him.”
Dartez is joined by three teammates on offense — senior lineman Alex Golden, senior running back Travin Moore and senior Tyjh Williams, selected as a multi-purpose athlete.
Moore, who was named the District 7-A Offensive Co-MVP and was a first-team LSWA All-State pick, rushed for 804 yards and 17 touchdowns on 106 carries (7.6 yards per carry). His 138 points scored was second in the parish. He also caught 13 passes for 151 yards and three touchdowns, and was a standout outside linebacker on defense with 67 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, six passes broken up and two defensive TDs.
Williams rushed for 856 yards and nine TDs on 10 carries (8.1 ypc) and caught 10 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown.
“We had a different hero emerge in every game,” Prejean said. “You go through 14 weeks of the season, and every Friday night our player of the week in our coaching office was different. We had 12 seniors that were contributors all year long, and we had a number of juniors and sophomores that stepped up, so it was definitely a group effort.”
The All-Parish team also features seven Erath players on the first team after the Bobcats went 8-4 and finished second in District 5-3A, reaching the second round of the playoffs. Six Abbeville players earned first-team honors after the Wildcats went 8-5 and reached the second round, nearly upsetting No. 1 seed Iowa.
North Vermilion and Kaplan also had five first-team picks, while Delcambre placed three on the first team and Gueydan had one.
Joining VC’s Golden on the offensive line are seniors Braden Deculus of North Vermilion, Reese Domingue of Erath and Raef Painer of Kaplan and junior Xavier Levine of Abbeville. Golden was a first-team All-State player.
Kaplan senior fullback Caden Campisi and Delcambre senior running back Jaxon Wiggins join Moore in the backfield.
Campisi led the parish and was in the statewide leaders among all classifications with 1,850 yards and 23 touchdowns on 301 carries (6.1 ypc). His 152 points scored also led the parish.
Wiggins joined Campisi and Dartez as the only players in the parish with more than 1,000 yards rushing, finishing with 1,183 yards and 16 TDs on 166 carries (7.1 ypc).
The receivers on the first team are Erath’s Christian Pillette and Gueydan’s Cohen Guidry, the top two pass catchers in the parish.
Pillette had 44 catches for 843 yards and eight TDs, all best in the parish. Guidry was second in the parish with 512 yards on 34 catches (third in the parish) with five touchdowns. Guidry also ran for 708 yards and nine TDs on 105 carries and was third in the parish with 118 points scored.
Derrian Washington of Abbeville (5 catches, 149 yards, 4 TDs) was chosen at tight end.
Abbeville senior Jaysen Shelvin and Delcambre senior Parker LeBlanc were named to the first team offense as multi-purpose athletes.
Shelvin rushed for 929 yards and 10 touchdowns on 102 carries (9.1 ypc), caught 10 passes for 84 yards and three touchdowns and also played quarterback at times for the Wildcats, completing six passes for 41 yards. Shelvin was fifth in the parish with 94 points scored.
LeBlanc, the Panthers’ quarterback, rushed for 625 yards and six touchdowns on 130 carries and passed for 396 yards and a TD.
Belaire is joined on the first-team All-Parish defense by four of his VC teammates — defensive lineman William Allen, linebacker Rhett Taylor, defensive back Clent “CJ” Briggs and utility player Lewis Briggs.
Allen, a nose guard, had 45 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Taylor finished with 81 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss, with one sack, one forced fumble and four passes broken up.
Clent Briggs compiled 35 stops on the season, including a team-high eight in the state title game, with one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, one defensive touchdown and seven passes broken up.
Lewis Briggs had 51 tackles with nine tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, five interceptions, two defensive TDs and five passes broken up.
Joining Allen on the first-team defensive front are senior Chase Broussard of Erath, senior Myles Johnson of North Vermilion and senior Ethyn Vigneaux of Kaplan.
Linebackers include senior Lane Delcambre of Erath, Jacquet Livings of North Vermilion and Dane Frick of Kaplan.
The defensive backs are Tyler Cherry of Abbeville, Nate Touchet of Erath, Landon Cheek of Kaplan and Ethan Frederick of North Vermilion.
Utility players include Tezarron Stewart of Abbeville, who was voted the Defensive MVP in District 5-3A; and Kiaron Rudd of North Vermilion, who also was a standout on offense as the Patriots leading rusher (105 carries, 840 yards, 11 touchdowns rushing, 6 catches, 109 yards, 1 TD receiving).
Chad Nolan of Abbeville is the return specialist.
Dylan Duhon of Erath was chosen as the punter and placekicker.

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
OL Alex Golden, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
OL Braden Deculus, North Vermilion Sr.
OL Reese Domingue, Erath Sr.
OL Raef Painter, Kaplan Sr.
OL Xavier Levine, Abbeville Jr.
RB Caden Campisi, Kaplan Sr.
RB Travin Moore, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
RB Jaxon Wiggins, Delcambre Sr.
QB Jonathan Dartez, Vermilion Catholic So.
WR Christian Pillette, Erath Jr.
WR Cohen Guidry, Gueydan Jr.
TE Derrian Washington, Abbeville Sr.
ATH Tyjh Williams, Vermilion Catholic Jr.
ATH Jaysen Shelvin, Abbeville Sr.
ATH Parker LeBlanc, Delcambre Sr.
PK Dylan Duhon, Erath Sr.

DEFENSE
DL Will Allen, Vermilion Catholic So.
DL Chase Broussard, Erath Sr.
DL Myles Johnson, North Vermilion Jr.
DL Ethyn Vigneaux, Kaplan Sr.
LB Lane Delcambre, Erath Sr.
LB Ashton Belaire, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
LB Rhett Taylor, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
LB Jacquet Livings, North Vermilion Sr.
DB Nate Touchet, Erath Sr.
DB Tyler Cherry, Abbeville Sr.
DB Ethan Frederick, North Vermilion Sr.
DB CJ Briggs, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
UT Tezarron Stewart, Abbeville Jr.
UT Landon Cheek, Kaplan Sr.
UT Dane Frick, Kaplan So.
UT Lewis Briggs, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
UT Kiaron Rudd, North Vermilion Sr.
RS Chad Nolan, Abbeville Sr.
P Dylan Duhon, Erath Sr.

OFFENSIVE MVP
Jonathan Dartez, Vermilion Catholic

DEFENSIVE MVP
Ashton Belaire, Vermilion Catholic

COACH OF THE YEAR
Broc Prejean, Vermilion Catholic

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE
OL Micah Marceaux, Gueydan Sr.
OL Zeb Falgout, Delcambre Sr.
OL Zaine Campbell, Vermilion Catholic Jr.
OL James White, North Vermilion Sr.
OL Jadon Soirez, Erath Jr.
OL Luis Garcia Cruz Sr.
WR Ethan Landry, Vermilion Catholic Jr.
WR Trevor Viator, Delcambre Sr.
QB Lynkon Romero, Erath Jr.
RB Blake Dautreuil, Erath Jr.
RB Braden Bearb, Kaplan So.
RB Mason Hebert, Erath So.
WR Austin Hebert, Erath Sr.
WR Cameron Soirez, Erath So.
TE Carter Petry, Kaplan So.
UT Zach Guidry, Gueydan Sr.
UT Jake Lege, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
UT Hayden Meaux, Gueydan Sr.
UT Zack Marceaux, Kaplan So.
UT Chad Olivier, Delcambre Sr.
PK Dane Richoux, Vermilion Catholic Sr.

DEFENSE
DL Britt Bass, Vermilion Catholic Sr.
DL Aivery DeJean, Delcambre Sr.
DL Laken Aubrey, North Vermilion Sr.
DL Hayes Broussard, Kaplan So.
DL Zaylun Williams, Abbeville Jr.
LB Kadyn Bourgeois, Delcambre Jr.
LB Daylon Landry, Kaplan So.
LB Lathaniel Tizeno, Abbeville Jr.
LB Riley Benoit, Gueydan Sr.
DB Trevor Viator, Delcambre Sr.
DB Grant Stelly, Kaplan Jr.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I always do. A New Year always brings with it promise and uncertainty, but this coming year brings with it a greater foreboding than we have experienced in the past. The Chinese have a saying: “May you live in interesting times.” But their definition means dangerous or turbulent. We in Louisiana and throughout America certainly live in “interesting” times today.
One resolution I make each year is to maintain my curiosity. It doesn’t matter how limited your perspective or how narrow the scope of your surroundings, there is (or should be) something to whet your interest and strike your fancy. I discovered early on that there are two kinds of people — those who are curious about the world around them, and those whose shallow attentions are generally limited to those things that pertain to their own personal well-being. I just hope all those I care about fall into the former category.
Another resolution is to continue to hope. I hope for successful and fulfilling endeavors for my children, happiness and contentment for family and friends, and for the fortitude to handle both the highs and lows of daily living with dignity.
I also ask friends and family to re-read Night, the unforgettable holocaust novel by Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Peace laureate who survived the Nazi death camps. I met him shortly before his death. I have a Wiesel quote framed on my office desk:

“To defeat injustice and misfortune, if only for one instant, for a single victim, is to invent a new reason to hope.”

Like many of you, our family welcomes in the New Year with “Auld Lang Syne.” It’s an old Scotch tune, with words passed down orally, and recorded by my favorite historical poet, Robert Burns, back in the 1700s. (I’m Scottish, so there’s a bond here.) “Auld Lang Syne,” literally means “old long ago,” or simply, “the good old days.” Did you know this song is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the New Year?
I can look back over many years of memorable New Year’s Eve celebrations. In recent years, my wife and I have joined a gathering of family and friends in New Orleans at a French Quarter restaurant. After dinner, we make a stop at St. Louis Cathedral for a blessing of the New Year. Then it’s off to join the masses for the New Year’s countdown to midnight in Jackson Square.
When my daughters were quite young, we spent a number of New Year holidays at a family camp on Davis Island, in the middle of the Mississippi River some 30 miles below Vicksburg. On several occasions, the only people there were my family and Bishop Charles P. Greco, who was the Catholic Bishop for central and north Louisiana. Bishop Greco had baptized all three of my daughters, and had been a family friend for years.
On many a cold and rainy morning, the handful of us at the camp would rise before dawn for the Bishop to conduct a New Year’s Mass. After the service, most of the family went back to bed. I would crank up my old jeep and take the Bishop out in the worst weather with hopes of putting him on a stand where a large buck would pass. No matter what the weather, he would stay all morning with his shotgun and thermos of coffee. He rarely got a deer, but oh how he loved to be there in the woods. Now, I’m not a Catholic, but he treated me as one of his own.
New Year’s Day means lots of football, but I also put on my chef’s apron. I’m well regarded in the kitchen around my household, if I say so myself, for cooking up black-eyed peas as well as cabbage and corn bread. And don’t bet I won’t find the dime in the peas. After all, I’m going to put it there.
I’ll be back next week with my customary views that are cantankerous, opinionated, inflammatory, slanted, and always full of vim and vigor. Sometimes, to a few, even a bit fun to read. In the meantime, Happy New Year to you, your friends and all of your family. See you next year.

Peace and Justice
Jim Brown

I think I knew LaLa Lalonde for a year or more before I knew his real name. He was a member of the legislature when I met him, but I don’t think I ever heard him introduce himself as “Raymond” or “Representative Lalonde.”
He introduced himself simply. “Hi, I’m LaLa,” sometimes in French. That said a lot about who he was.
He was a brilliant man with degrees in physics, math, foreign languages and education. He worked for a time on the Saturn V rocket project, and probably could have made a lot of money after he was recruited by Texas Instruments into what was not yet called the tech industry.
But for all his expertise in rocket science and whizzbang instruments, he was first and foremost a “people person,” and deep roots led him back home to the St. Landry farming community of Pecaniere. He explained that decision to me in a note written some years ago.
“My great-great-great grandfather, Guilliame Lalonde was one of the first settlers in that area, originally called La Prairie de Gros Chevreuil. I don’t know when the name was change,” he wrote. “I was born there, lived the first 18 years of my life and as they would say, mon nombril est enterrer là. In olden days it was said that wherever your navel was buried was where your heart remained throughout your life. My navel and most of my ancestors are buried there.”
He was born there in 1940, graduated from Leonville High in 1958, worked on B-52 bombers at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, then for Boeing on the Saturn V project in New Orleans, and for Texas Instruments in Dallas.
He came back to Pecaniere in 1971, after which he taught hundreds of students in St. Landry schools, and represented their families in the legislature for 16 years beginning in 1980.
As a legislator he was a staunch promoter of two of his loves, vocational education and Louisiana’s French culture.
Randy Haynie, who was a young lobbyist when LaLa was in the legislature, remembered that he “pushed heavy” to get a vocational education system in St. Landry. “He wanted to help those who wanted to learn a trade and get to work as soon as possible,” Haynie said.
His love for the French culture came naturally. French was his first language and he was reared in that culture in which family, friends, and the traditions that bind them are central.
He sometimes spoke in French on the floor of the legislature to emphasize a point, and worked with CODOFIL and other groups to keep the language alive.
“I think he’s going to be remembered as a people person because he loved people,” his daughter Cindy Falterman said. “He never met a stranger and, if he met one, he was shaking their hands and introducing himself, asking where your family’s from, all of that. He was very honest and a quiet listener … [and] very proud of his Cajun heritage. He wanted to promote that his whole life.”
His obituary said his favorite pastimes were “meeting other people and Cajun dancing.” Add to that one of his election slogans, “when you need him, LaLa c’est la, (when you need him, LaLa is there),” and you have a fair summation of a life lived simply and well, and of the man who lived it.
He was 82 when he died on December 30.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.