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Vermilion Parish Historical Society held their quarterly meeting on April, 27, 2022 at the Vermilion Parish Main Library. The topics discussed were: inventory of the History of Vermilion Parish Vol II books; proposed Mural created by the Vermilion Arts Council, and election of officers. Peggy Ashley offered to give a tour of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church and update historical information on the church.

The Vermilion Parish voters defeated a 1/2 cent sales tax dedicated to school employee raises and benefits.
With only a 13 percent parish-wide voter turnout, 2,689 said no to the tax, and 2,425 said yes.
So, what is next for the Vermilion Parish School system?
“The defeat is disappointing,” said School Superintendent Tommy Byler. “ I feel disappointed for our employees who go above and beyond on a daily basis. The fact that their efforts and the results they produced did not generate enough interest in the public to ‘invest in Vermilion’ is a little discouraging. It shows that we haven’t done enough yet under my leadership to gain the confidence back from the public to make them understand the importance of a good education system and the quality of the one they currently have.”
Byler said it will now be more challenging for the parish to compete with other parishes regarding teacher pay. He said the school system is in good shape, but the school system will have to look to make cuts in the future.
“Understand we are still financially in good shape and have a great job of being fiscally responsible. This defeat, however, doesn’t allow us to move forward and execute much of the visions that I had for the parish.
“We will begin to look at all systems of operation even deeper than we have, will need to look at the number of facilities that we operate as compared to the changing populations, and we will need to look at the distribution of students because of population shifts. All of these things ultimately circle back to the fact that we have to remain competitive in the salary market for all employees, so we will have to create funding sources via different means.”
As the school system leader, what will Byler tell the school employees to keep them positive?
“Teachers never got into this profession to get rich, but they also didn’t get in this profession with expectations of working multiple jobs to run their households,” he said. “They got into this profession for the kids, and I expect them to continue doing what is best for kids. The lack of support stings more to many of them than the actual raise, so it is my job as their leader to show their worth and encourage them to continue moving forward because others depend on them.”
With summer approaching, Byler expects some teachers to jump ship to another parish because they offer a larger salary than Vermilion Parish.
“When you start talking five and six thousand dollars, upwards to 10-11 thousand in some districts, I can’t guarantee anything,” Byler added. “I do know that it will be difficult to attract the few education majors that are coming out of college.”
Byler said he will take the blame for the tax not passing and will do a better job to improving the parish.
“I would like to thank those who did go out and support this proposition and the many who openly campaigned for approval. With the onset of social media and the ability to put out false information, we have to do a better job of getting people to support our cause,” he said. “You would hope that the results of our district and the progress we have made as a system in the past 20 months would have been enough, but obviously, that wasn’t the case.
“ As the system leader, just as when I was a head football coach, I will take this and put it on me and work

Miss Laura Ann Landry of Maurice, Louisiana and Mr. Matthew Paul Fontenot of Abbeville, Louisiana were united in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony during a 6:30 p.m. ceremony on Friday, April 29, 2022 at Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, Louisiana.
Officiating the Nuptial Mass was Father Louis Richard and Father Matthew Higginbotham. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Dennis Landry of Maurice, Louisiana. Her mother is the former Cheryl Ann Waguespack of Vacherie, Louisiana. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Waguespack of Vacherie, Louisiana and Mrs. Janelle Landry of Maurice, Louisiana and the late Mr. Alvin Landry.
The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jared Mark Fontenot of Abbeville, Louisiana. The mother of the groom is the former Danielle Elizabeth Dubois of Abbeville, Louisiana. The grandparents of the groom are Mr. and Mrs. Freddy Dubois of Abbeville, Louisiana and Mr. and Mrs. Arduse Fontenot of Ville Platte, Louisiana.
Escorted by her father, the bride wore an exclusive from A-Net’s Bridal Boutique. Her stunning white gown was a timeless silhouette made of satin material with a thick seam along the square neckline. She wore a beautiful lace trim chapel length veil accessorized with a silver and pearl headpiece.
The bride carried a cascade bouquet of Eskimo roses, white dendrobium orchids, and white lisianthus accented with Italian ruscus foliage. Intertwined in her bouquet was a rosary from her maternal grandmother, which her mother and sisters also carried on their wedding days.
A handkerchief from Rome with her initials and wedding date monogrammed in light blue wrapped the stems and was also carried by her sisters on their wedding days. The bride also wore the same sixpence in her shoe that her mother and sisters wore on their wedding days.
The bride was attended by her Maid of Honor and cousin, Molly Landry, and her Matron of Honor and sister, Caroline L. Hanks. Bridesmaids were Jena L. Menard, sister of the bride, Rebekah Fontenot, Hannah Fontenot, and Rachel Fontenot, sisters of the groom, Ashley Goss and Madison Landry, cousins of the bride.
The bridesmaids wore gorgeous crepe floor length dresses featuring an elegant trumpet skirt, and a square neckline by the Dessy Group Design in the color willow green. They carried bouquets of white hydrangeas, majolica spray roses, white wax flowers, and seeded eucalyptus accented with silver dollar eucalyptus foliage.
Kambry Hebert, friend of the bride and groom , served as flower girl. She wore a beautiful dress from Bundle of Joy. The pleated silk dress featured a scoop neck, with a pearl accented waist, and was finished off with a perfectly tied bow in the back.
Her hair was adorned with a crown of fresh Baby’s Breath and she carried a Pomander ball of Baby’s Breath and Italian ruscus foliage.
Andre Picard, cousin of the groom, served as the best man.
Groomsmen were John Fontenot, brother of the groom, Jean Paul Picard, Brennan Gallet, Patrick Didier, cousins of the groom, and friends of the groom, Austin Belaire, Seth Doiga, and Cody Verret. The ushers for the wedding were Scott Frame, friend of the groom, cousins of the groom, Brandt Gallet and Luc Picard, and brothers-in-law of the bride Mathew Hanks and Connor Menard. Serving as ring bearer was John Nick Trahan, friend of the bride and groom. They wore black tuxedos with black bow ties and cummerbunds.
The mother of the bride was escorted by Matthew Hanks. She wore a glamorous blue asymmetrical neckline jacquard design gown, with a full-skirt and stunning metallic floral finish.
The mother of the groom was escorted by her son, Matthew Fontenot, along with her husband, Jared Fontenot. She wore an elegant Platinum Blue Column gown made of sparkling metallic fabric featuring an off the shoulder neckline and ruching along the bodice.
For the ceremony, scriptures were read by Caryn Didier, godmother of the groom, and Amy Landry, aunt of the bride. Serving as gift bearers, and Laura’s something blue, were Emily Gallet, cousin of the groom, Lauren-Grace Lege, friend of the bride and groom, and Ali Waguespack, cousin of the bride.
Serving as program attendants were Claire and Katherine Trahan, friends of the bride and groom. Serving as the wedding music ensemble were Laura Humble, vocalist, Tommy Guidry, organist, and Will Green, trumpeter.
Following the ceremony, a reception was held at Magdalen Place, which was decorated with beautiful floral centerpieces and candle lit tables. Guests were entertained by GTO of Lafayette, Louisiana
The bride’s cake was a four tiered confection of alternating flavors consisting of red velvet, strawberry, pecan praline and almond covered with a French buttercream icing. Fresh flowers and greenery were added as a finishing touch to the cake. The groom’s cake was a beautiful assortment of cheese cakes placed on gold dessert stands.
The groom’s parents honored their son and his bride-elect along with their wedding party at dinner on the eve of their marriage at Black’s Oyster Bar and Seafood in Abbeville, Louisiana.
The couple will be vacationing in St. Lucia for their honeymoon. After returning from their honeymoon, they will reside in Pearland, Texas.

MAURICE — Troy Catalon and Megan Landry Lalande will now be part of the town of Maurice Board of Aldermen.
During a special meeting on Thursday, the board approved their appointments. The board selected the pair from a group of four candidates that also included Neil Arsement and Matthew Trahan.
The move came after Maurice officially became a town last month. As a result, the board will grow from three members to five to give the newly certified town appropriate representation. Catalon and Lalande will join Alderwoman Phyllis Johnson, Alderman Warren Rost and Alderman Jonathan Schlicher.
“This is a monumental thing for Maurice,” Mayor Wayne Theriot said. “For 110 years, we functioned as a village.
“We transferred over to a town, and now we will have five aldermen to govern the town of Maurice.”
Lalande, a Delcambre native, is a longtime resident of Maurice. Lalande she said Maurice is her family’s home.
“My roots are planted here in Maurice,” she said. “I have chosen Maurice to be my home.”
Lalande has served as Maurice’s representative on the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance board and other civic organizations. In addition, she served as the president of the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce in 2020.
“I am a big proponent of leading by example,” Lalande said. “With the leadership skills I have acquired in my service across Vermilion Parish, I am very eager to use that here in the place I call home.”
Catalon is no stranger to the board. He previously served six years, two filling the seat of his father, Paul Catalon, and a full term.
“I have seen what Maurice was, what it is and have a vision of what it might be in the future,” Catalon said. “My family has long been involved in our community.
“I have the best interest in helping our community prosper.”
Catalon said a focus would be on what has made Maurice prosper on its way to becoming a town.
“People are moving to our area because it is a quiet place to raise a family,” Catalon said. “We have good schools and low crime. It is my sincere wish to keep these elements into the future.”
Catalon is the brother of Alderwoman Johnson. She abstained from voting during the motion to approve Catalon. According to the Louisiana Municipal Association, there is no conflict with the siblings serving on the board at the same time. However, Johnson announced Thursday that she does not plan to seek re-election later this year, citing growing outside obligations.
Maurice will hold its regularly scheduled elections in November. Qualifying will take place July 20-22. All four candidates Thursday said they plan to run for seats in November.
Maurice will send the new appointees’ names to Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s office to become official. Catalon and Lalande will be sworn in before the board’s next meeting on May 18.
“They will be seated and we will proceed with normal business,” Theriot said.