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Jane Husak met her Lord and Savior in Heaven on March 29, 2022. She passed away after a valiant battle with cancer. A Funeral Mass will be held for Jane at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 4, 2022 at St. Jude Catholic Church in Benton officiated by Monsignor Provenza. Interment will follow at Hill Crest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends for visitation on Sunday, April 3, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home. 
Jane was born on November 4, 1933 in Kaplan, LA to Elore and Raoul Vincent. She graduated from Kaplan High School in 1952 and the Hotel Dieu School of Nursing in 1956. After graduation she started her nursing careers in Rayne, Kaplan, Lake Charles, and Schumpert Medical Center. During her nursing career at Schumpert, Jane found her passion in the Oncology Department. 
While working in Lake Charles she met the love of her life, Captain John Husak, who was an Air Force Navigator. He fell in love with her beautiful brown eyes and they were married on December 23, 1961. John kept the promise he made to Jane after their wedding to show her the world by visiting all 7 continents. 
John and Jane had two children, Jamie Jinks and Johnny Husak. She was also blessed with 3 grandchildren, Jennifer Husak, Katie Husak, and Jackson Jinks. Jane often said that if she had known how fun grandchildren were she would have had them first!
She was a very talented painter and seamstress. Her paintings are displayed in several family galleries and she used her sewing skills to make all of her grandchildren's smocked clothing. Jane's Cajun roots are shown through her delicious cooking. No matter where John's Air Force career took their family she always had a simmering pot of gumbo to remind her of home. 
Jane was an excellent hostess, was the life of the party, and had a great sense of humor with legendary jokes. Her favorite part of the Officer Wives "coffee dates" were serving Gimlets. She was one to have never met a stranger and could gather information through her interrogations better than the CIA or FBI.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Elore and Raoul Vincent. Her older brother and mentor, Royby Vincent and his wife Leatrice; her sister, Lily Mae and her husband Ezidor Morvant; her nephews, Troy and Kim Morvant. 
Jane is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, John; daughter, Jamie; son, Johnny and wife Suellen; grandchildren, Jennifer, Katie, and Jackson.
Serving as pallbearers are Jane's grandson, Jackson Jinks, and her nephews Todd Vincent, Joel Vincent, Boyd Simon, Berney Morvant, and Dan Husak.
The family would like to thank Dr. Sanjay Shaw, Dr. Anil Veluvolus, and all the staff at Willis Knighton Bossier for their compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. 
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

MAURICE — There has been no secret that the village of Maurice would eventually become a town.
Unofficial data from the 2020 U.S. Census showed Maurice with a population of 2,118, more than enough to climb the classification ladder. However, a process that figured to be finalized a year ago remained ongoing.
On Monday, with help from Gov. John Bel Edwards, Maurice officials took a big step to push past the waiting stage. Edwards issued a proclamation to classify Maurice as a town. The Maurice Board of Aldermen voted to accept Edwards’ proclamation during a special meeting.
The board also introduced an ordinance to classify Maurice as a town that will be presented at the next regular meeting on April 13. A public hearing will be held at the start of that meeting.
“We will adopt it if everyone sees fit,” Mayor Wayne Theriot said.
There is now a sense of relief, as it took much longer than anyone ever expected. The COVID-19 pandemic factored heavily into the delay of the Census.
“It has been a very nerve-racking process to get the certified Census,” Theriot said. “We tried to go in the direction we were supposed to go. We couldn’t get a definitive answer. We reached out to various people. We want to thank the governor for issuing the proclamation to reclassify us.
“I hoped this all would have been done a year ago, but now we can move forward.”
Part of moving forward in becoming a town is the board of aldermen reflecting that growth. Two people will be appointed to increase the board from three to five. Theriot said there are currently four candidates, two of whom will likely be appointed at the April meeting. The candidates who have submitted their names for consideration are Troy Catalon, Megan Landry Lalande, Neil Arsement and Matthew Trahan.
“I am extremely happy that we have received that kind of interest,” Theriot said. “If anyone else has any interest and cares to, they can submit their names.”
Those can be submitted by either going to Maurice City Hall, located at 405 Lastie Ave., or by emailing Theriot at villageofmaurice.mayor@cox-internet.com.
“We ask that it be done in writing,” Theriot said.
Maurice will hold its regular election in November. This week’s move helps ensure that the qualifying period in July will be for five candidates for the board of aldermen. Had things continued to stall, Maurice likely would have been forced to have a special qualifying and election for the two additional board members.
“This will take care of the timeline for qualifying,” Theriot said.
Maurice may now qualify as a town, but Theriot said he hopes that Maurice residents continue to cherish the qualities of a village.
“Even though we do become the town of Maurice,” Theriot said, “we still want to embrace the identity of a village. It means certain things to people. It means a close-knit, family-oriented community.
“We want people to continue to see us as a village, but officially, we do have to move into a town.”

This week Kathleen Minnick was honored by her piers in Las Vegas.
Minnick, 52, is the recipient of the 2022 Nevada Women in Politics award.
She was recognized as an Honoree at the Urban Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business and Politics award ceremony on this past Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The award highlights her contributions to Nevada’s political landscape by serving as a state appointed Commissioner for the Nevada Commission on Minority Affairs.
“I am honored and humbled to be recognized for my commitment to serve and to be of service in my role as a Nevada Commissioner,” said Minnick. “I owe my work ethic and discipline to my parents and siblings who taught me about the importance of doing your best and being your best. Also, my teachers and classmates at North Vermilion High School gave me the support and guidance that I needed to grow and develop into a future leader.
“I will always be grateful to my Abbeville community for giving me the courage and confidence to keep striving and thriving in my professional endeavors.”
During Kathleen’s second term as a Nevada Commissioner, she serves as the Co-Chair for Workforce Development and Housing subcommittees on behalf of the Commission on Minority Affairs. 
Minnick is involved with local and statewide initiatives for Nevada in her work with the city of Las Vegas Department of Economic and Urban Development, Clark county Department of Economic and Community Development, Nevada Department of Transportation, and the Nevada Department of Business and Industry to enhance Nevada’s economic, workforce, and business development infrastructure.
She is a magna cume laude graduate of Grambling State University.
Minnick is a graduate of North Vermilion high school and is the daughter of the late Lizzie Mae Como.
Her father, Alvin Minnick Sr., resides in Abbeville.

​On March 28, at approximately 12:30 p.m. officers of the Abbeville Police Department responded to a call of a shoplifting at Tractor Supply on Veteran’s Memorial Drive.
The complainant advised that several items, including a portable welding machine, had been stolen.
Officers began an investigation of the theft. Officers were able to determine two suspects, Michael Schexnider of Abbeville and Jered Broussard of Abbeville, entered Tractor Supply and stole numerous items. The suspects fled the area upon employees calling the Abbeville Police Department. Felony theft warrants were obtained for both subjects. Upon serving the warrants, officers were able to locate over $1,100 worth of stolen merchandise from Tractor Supply.
​Both suspects also had arrest warrants on unrelated events. Schexnider and Broussard were transported to the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.
Chief of Police William Spearman would like to thank the officers for a job well done. Chief Spearman would also like to thank the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office (Criminal Investigations Division and Vermilion Parish Metro Narcotics Task Force) and the Delcambre Police Department for their assistance.
​The Abbeville Police Department is asking that anyone who has any information regarding this or any crime, to please contact the Abbeville Police Department by calling 893-2511. You may contact our “Tips” line at 892-6777. All callers may remain anonymous. Citizens may also send anonymous tips through CrimeStoppers of Vermilion by calling 740-TIPS or the P3 app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.