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According to Eddie Langlinais, Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, Crime Stoppers Coordinator, and Violent Crimes Task Force Director, the Vermilion Municipal and Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force made the following arrests for narcotics-related offenses within the parish.
On March 7, the Vermilion Municipal and Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force was contacted for assistance in a narcotics investigation initiated by the Maurice Police Department.
While Officer Frankie Brooks was conducting a traffic stop on John Michael Road in Maurice, the driver continued until he pulled into a residence off of Michael John Road, which was later identified as his residence. The driver exited the vehicle, while the passenger attempted to discard something. After securing the scene, officer Brooks located a backpack which was the item the passenger had attempted to get rid of earlier. Officer Brooks located a large amount of possible synthetic marijuana and several multicolored pills in Ziplock bags.
Officer Brooks contacted the Task Force at this time to assist with the investigation. Once a narcotics task force agent arrived, a search warrant was applied for and granted for the residence where the driver had pulled into. After a search of the residence, agents located approximately five pounds of synthetic marijuana within the residence. According to Langlinais, narcotics agents seized approximately six pounds of synthetic marijuana, more than 2,500 ecstasy pills, $1,978 in suspected drug proceed currency and drug paraphernalia.
The following persons were arrested and charged with the following crimes:
Thomas Jenkins III, 51m of Donaldsonville
• Possession with intent to distribute Synthetic marijuana,
• Possession with the intent to distribute MDMA, Ecstasy

Courtney Davis, 33, of Maurice
• Possession with the intent to distribute Synthetic Marijuana
• Transaction involving drug proceeds
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

The juveniles will remain unidentified due to their age but were subsequently charged as well.
Sheriff Mike Couvillon commends MPD Officer Brooks on the job he did on the traffic stop, his attention to detail which led to his discovery of the illicit drugs, and his forethought of bringing in the Narcotic Task Force to further the investigation. "This is another great example of law enforcement working together on the streets. This united effort allowed the investigation to find more of the dangerous synthetic marijuana. The term "synthetic marijuana" is very misleading because the actual substance has nothing to do with marijuana except in appearance only. This is a highly toxic and dangerous drug that uses chemicals which induce psychotic episodes to the user and sometimes includes death. I am encouraged when I see this kind of teamwork in the never-ending battle against illegal drugs”, said the Sheriff.
“When law enforcement unites, there is no limit to what we can achieve. We must never relent in our fight against the illegal drugs that poison our streets and communities. We must continue to build on this success, echoing what the Sheriff said, that when we work together, great things can happen”, said VCTF Director Eddie Langlinais.
Sheriff Couvillon would like to thank the Mayors and their council of Abbeville, Maurice, Kaplan, Gueydan, and Erath, along with their Chiefs of Police, for their support of the Vermilion Municipal and Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force. Sheriff Couvillon also applauds the concerned citizens of Vermilion Parish for their awareness and assistance in helping the Task Force in fighting the war on illegal drugs. He encourages all citizens with information in regards to illegal drug activities to contact the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office or the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit at (337) 740-4501 or E-mail the Task Force anonymously at taskforce@vpso.net and your e-mail will be held in the “strictest of confidence” and replied to in a very timely manner.
More information on reporting drug activities can be seen on our Web Site at www.vpso.net. Click on Narcotics and fill out the TURN IN A PUSHER information.

After leading the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance for over seven years, Anne T. Falgout will step down as Executive Director on March 17, 2022. Falgout was hired in November 2014 to get the organization off the ground - the economic development agency had been legislatively dedicated in July of that year, but had no name, mission, or program of work.
Falgout’s ability to execute a robust action plan, and strengthen new and existing businesses has earned VEDA national attention and improved Vermilion’s regional reputation, working in-step with colleagues from around Acadiana on business and community development initiatives.
Some of Falgout’s most notable contributions have been the launch of the Vermilion Parish Job Fair and subsequent Community Job Board, Keep It Local, Vermilion program, and most recently, the work she did to help Abbeville secure the Louisiana Development Ready Community designation and organize the Accelerate Vermilion program. Falgout was a proud partner in Kaplan’s Retirement Community designation, the Acadiana Seafood Hub’s formulation, and helped successfully advocate for grant funding across the community. Falgout secured funds from USDA and EDA to benefit Vermilion’s entrepreneurs and cattle farmers through multiple grant cycles. Under her leadership, VEDA was awarded the “Forward Vermilion Award” from the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce in 2019, and Falgout landed an Acadiana Women Who Mean Business Award that same year.
In addition to providing services to starting, existing, and relocating businesses, Falgout also represents Vermilion Parish on the Acadiana Economic Development Council and One Acadiana boards. She also serves as a board member for the Vermilion Arts Council and United Way of Acadiana. Falgout earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She is a graduate of Leadership Vermilion and Leadership Lafayette and has spent a great deal of time and energy ensuring that new leaders are cultivated throughout the Acadiana region.
In her resignation letter to the VEDA board, Falgout states, “The work we have done together has not only improved Vermilion, but it has improved me. I am better because of your confidence, partnership, and leadership. I hope that I have left you with a clear understanding that my love for Vermilion Parish runs deep and I hope that we can continue to work together towards our community’s brilliant future.”
Falgout says the timing of this is great for the organization to transition to “VEDA 2.0” and serve the community in new and improved ways.
“I think it’s important for organizations like VEDA to maintain relevancy and be willing to undergo change to be what the community needs. Vermilion Parish is full of untapped talent and great ideas, and I can’t wait to see what the next phase looks like!” Falgout adds.
Falgout has been hired to join the team at South Louisiana Community College where she will be responsible for executing a communications strategy across the institution’s nine campuses.
The board of the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance has appointed an ad hoc committee to serve as the organization’s transition team. Board President Ben Rivera, Board Secretary Megan Landry-Lalande, and Board Members Richard Guilbeaux and Gerrod Brasseux will be joined by Falgout to ensure that the organization can meet all the needs of the public and existing clients.
The VEDA board is excited to prioritize its projects and create a new pathway forward to build off of Falgout’s legacy.

ERATH — Three years ago, members of the Erath council and Mayor Taylor Mencacci ran their election campaign with the promise of lowering electricity rates for Erath residents. Well, they may have finally figured out a way to make that promise come true.
At the last two aldermen meetings, the aldermen and mayor have been looking into building the town’s electrical substation.
It would cost the town around $3 million, and the town would borrow the money to build the facility. In addition, an extra amount would be added to Erath residents’ electrical bill, which would go towards paying off the $3 million loan.
According to Erath Mayor Taylor Mencacci, by the town having their own electrical substation, the town could buy electricity at a cheaper rate, which is good news for Erath residents. There would be no middle man, he said.
He used the example of Abbeville. Abbeville is buying electricity from a company in Maryland. Abbeville also has one of the cheapest electrical rates in Acadiana.
Abbeville residents also do not have a “fuel charge” on their electricity bill. They have a flat rate. If Erath builds its own electrical substation, the words “fuel charge” would go away on people’s bills, Mencacci said.
“This should have been done 10 years ago,” said Mayor Mencacci about building an electrical substation. “There would be a fixed rate.”
There is a small electrical substation located in Erath, but Entergy owns it. The main job of a substation is to transform voltage from high to low or vice versa.
Before the power reaches the consumer from the generating station, the electric power is likely to flow through several substations at different voltage levels.
Today, Erath buys electricity from Cleco. Erath then marks up the price and sells it to the homeowner. Erath’s markup brings in around $1 million of the town’s $3 million budget.
In the past, municipalities like Erath, tried to negotiate the lowest rate possible with companies like Cleco, Slemco or Entergy.
That is where Erath is today. They are shopping around for the lowest electrical rate possible and running into a snag. Large electrical companies are not offering cheaper rates.
“They do not want to be in the wholesale business anymore,” the Mayor said.
At the last Erath Board of Aldermen meeting, the aldermen voted to hire Sellers and Associates to research what size electrical substation would be needed for Erath and the cost to build one.
Mencacci predicts it could take anywhere from 18 months to two years before an electrical substation is built.
The town also has to purchase land in Erath to build the electrical substation.

November 12, 1955 - February 10, 2022

Kent Davis Nunez, flashy dresser, entrepreneur, dance enthusiast, registered historian and world traveler, died unexpectedly on February 10, 2022, just in time to be named King of the New Orleans Box of Wine parade where he reigned posthumously.
He was a descendant of Spanish nobility Marques de Nunez, French colonial pioneer Pierre Chauvin dit Le Grand, governor of Acadia Charles de St. Etienne de La Tour y de Salazar, and American Revolutionary War artillery engineer Lt. Pierre Borel.
“The Marquis” as Kent liked to be referred to was born in Erath, Louisiana on November 12, 1955 where his family raised cattle from the Spanish colonial era until 1986. Kent attended Eaton Park Elementary where Homer’s Iliad was required reading in fourth grade, sparking his interest in recorded events, people and artifacts of the past. He graduated from Abbeville Senior High in 1973. During the 1970s and 1980s he majored first in Architecture and later in Communications at LSU in Baton Rouge, the University of Houston and Texas A&M. At that time and into the 2000’s he also raised cattle, worked for his stepfather’s oil field consulting company, was a Hollywood model and actor, hair dresser and salon owner, worked in conceptual art, was a New Orleans historical tour guide, and fundraised for New Orleans’ Bravo Ballet, Opera Ball, Symphony, Southern Rep Theatre, HHF Azucar Ball, Save our Cemeteries and Tulane Shakespeare Festival. After Hurricane Katrina he relocated from New Orleans to Lafayette to obtain his Bachelor of General Studies and later pursued a Master of Public History degree at UL Lafayette. After graduating, he seized an opportunity to co-own and establish the hair salon, All Cuts in Lafayette.
Kent’s hobbies included reading every history book he could get his hands on in almost any language, researching everyone’s family history, encouraging friends and strangers to dance to his “favorite song” which could be any song that came on the radio, restoring his historic 1800’s home, re-landscaping friends’ and family members’ yards into showcase gardens, and recalling historic facts about ANY place you happened to be visiting. He reveled in being a founding member of the New Orleans Box of Wine Krewe where he reigned in the past as King Larry VI and was the Krewe’s Flag Boy for Life.
Left with decades of colorful memories and sage advice are his siblings Troi Ann Nunez Reppart (Tom) of Germany, William Jason Massey of Lafayette, Michael Juan Nunez (Tammy) of Erath, Robin Massey LeBlanc (Chad) of Erath, Step-sister Cynthia Simon Noble of Georgia, numerous aunts, nieces, nephew, and cousins. He was revered by a myriad of friends, his business partner, employees, clients (aka his adoring fans), and of course, Webster, the neighborhood cat. He was preceded in death by his brother Shane Nunez, step-siblings Fred Simon and Jena Simon Dauphin, mother LeeOla Marie Chauvin Nunez Massey Lahasky, father Joseph Davis Warren Nunez, stepfathers William “Bill” Massey and Dr. Bernard Lahasky, stepmother Verna Boudreaux Nunez, grandparents Felicien Nunez, Marie Esmee Delcambre, Otto Marcel Chauvin and Elda Saltzman. We are confident he is presently reunited with his beloved, departed dogs Chewy, Caesar and Brutus.
The family will be holding a celebration of his life at 2 PM on Saturday, March 12, 2022 at 503 West Port Street in Abbeville where Kent has requested all of his favorite songs be played, memories immortalized and bubbly liquids flow.