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For the second time in 72 years, the Cattle Festival in Abbeville will not happen.
Louisiana Cattle Festival President Francis Plaisance announced Thursday morning that the 72nd Annual Louisiana Cattle Festival would not be held at its regularly scheduled time in October.
Plaisance said he contacted all of the board members, and they all came to the same conclusion, that it is too dangerous to hold the Cattle Festival in October due to the virus.
“The risk is greater than the reward,” Plaisance said.
This is the second year in a row the Cattle Festival gets canceled. Last year was the first time in 72 years the festival was ever canceled.
“The Festival had been rescheduled but never canceled in its 72-year history,” Plaisance said, “but for the health and safety of the community, it is necessary to do so this year.”
As of now, there is no stay-at-home order from Gov. John Bel Edwards or large group mandate like there was last year when the festival was first canceled.
The Cattle Festival Board members have begun calling the bands, sponsors, and vendors to let them know about the cancelation.
The Cattle Festival joined other festivals around the state that have had to cancel due to COVID.
The Shrimp Festival in Delcambre was canceled earlier in the month. However, the Duck Festival in Gueydan is still a go in Gueydan at the end of August.
Plaisance thanked everyone for their patience and understanding.
He said if anyone had questions about the canceling of the festival, they could call him at (337) 652-0646 or by e-mail at ragin70510@yahoo.com(link sends e-mail).

With the departure of Cory Brodie, who took the Kaplan head football coaching job, Vermilion Catholic head football coach Broc Prejean was in the market for a new defensive coordinator.
A few phone calls here, a meeting there and Prejean ended up hiring Nathan Wiggins to take over the DC role for the Eagles for the 2021 season.
“I was looking for or someone who kind of had the same basic philosophy that I had with Coach Brodie and when I interviewed Coach Wiggins, I knew that we were on the same page when it came to defense and I hired him.”
So what does Wiggins bring to the Eagles for the 2021 season?
The former college player, who played his college ball at Adams State in Colorado, is a well-traveled assistant who is in his second year of coaching high school ball after spending the previous six years at the college or junior college level from his alma mater at Adams State to Pearl River Community College in Mississippi.
So how does a Yankee from Colorado end up at Vermilion Catholic?
“When I was at Pearl River, I coached with Zack Lockhart, who ended up getting the head football and AD job at Patterson before the start of last season,” Wiggins said. “I was in between jobs and my wife and I made the decision to come down to South Louisiana.
“We live in South Lafayette and I was looking for a place closer to home or where we could call home. It was a high priority to find something where my kids could grow up in this area.”
A linebacker by trade, Wiggins played four years at the MCAA Division II level and then one year in Germany and has spent every year since coaching linebackers/
“I did spend one season on the offensive side of the ball,” he said. “I enjoyed in and it was a fun experience for me but my heart is on defense.
“Mo matter the sport, I excelled on the defensive side of the ball and I just lover defense,” Wiggins said.
Wiggins said that this season will be his second year as a defensive coordinator and his defensive philosophy is an attacking style of defense.
“The way that football has become over time, defense has become a reactive thing,” he said. “I worrying about what we do and what our job is and making sure that it fits up to what they do so that our kids can focus more on what their job is and not have to stress too much about the different style of play that we are going to get each week/”
Prejean prefers a defense that have become the rage in football, the 3-3 stack with three down linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs.
“I like the controlled chaos,” Wiggins said. “With a four man front you can draw it up on the board everywhere in the country and people know how to block it.
“Our advantage, being a small undersized team, is that they don’t know where we’re coming from. We can keep the field balanced and we can bring anybody from anywhere which is going to be our advantage.”
Wiggins said the players at VC have accepted and adjusted to his defense and were open to the changes it entailed.
“They’ve handled it well and grasped things pretty quickly,” Wiggins said. “One thing is that they take care of it and they spend time learning it off the field. That’s made my job easier.”
What Wiggins most would like to see is the VC defense create an identity of its own.
“VC is known for offense,” the coach said. “It’s my job to make sure that people know about our defense as well.”

November 3, 1928 - August 16, 2021 

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Maurice honoring the life of Aaron Paul Lalande, 92, who passed away on Monday, August 16, 2021 at his residence surrounded by his family.
He will be laid to rest at St. Alphonsus Cemetery with Reverend Mark Miley officiating and Reverend Arockia Doss concelebrant for the service.
Serving as pallbearers will be his grandsons, Jarod Hebert, Lucien Lalande, Jace Holmes, Lane Lalande, Connor Menard, Auston Trahan, and Cauy Menard. Honorary pallbearers will be his brother, David Lalande, his godchild, Courtney Lalande, his cousins, James Lalande, Donald Lalande, and his lifelong friends, Aaron Duhon, Alvin Denias, and Irby Champagne. Lectors will be his granddaughters, Ashlyn T. Broussard and Kerry H. Hulin. Gift bearers will be his granddaughters, Kindra L. Bodin, Amanda L. Dudding, and Jada Lalande. Altar servers will be his great-grandchildren, Everett and Aliegh Pourciau. A sentimental poem “One Hundred Percent to God,” written by Floyd Sonnier was read by his grandson Jarod, honoring Aaron’s life as a Farmer. 
He proudly served his country in the United States Navy. He was stationed aboard the USS Sabine (AO 25) and served as Master-at-Arms. He was honorably discharged in 1948. 
Aaron was a humble, generous, fun-loving, and quick-witted man who never knew a stranger. He was a gentle giant who gave from his heart, who was known for his love of his family and never expected anything in return. His faith was steadfast and he started each day at 5:00 AM with a rosary in French and then in English. After lunch he always took a “cat nap” and if the grandchildren were present he would say to them, “PawPaw is taking a nap and I don’t want to hear”... and the grandchildren would giggle and respond “Pecan.” The grandbabies always knew when pawpaw was around because he made a special noise with his mouth and in return, the grandbabies would smile whether they could see him or not. As the grandchildren got older and attended school dances or formal events they would stop by pawpaw and mawmaw’s house all dressed up and his famous words to them were “tra-la-la!!” He will be immensely missed by his loving family. 
He was well-known and respected throughout the farming community and farmed rice, soybeans, crawfish, and cattle in Vermilion and Lafayette parishes. In the mid-1970’s he was the largest farmer in Vermilion parish farming rice and soybeans, as a single farm owner. Retiring in 1990, his cattle kept him busy during his retirement years. His legacy of farming is now carried on by his sons and grandsons.
Traveling was one thing Aaron and Lou thoroughly enjoyed. Together, they have traveled to every state in the United States, Canada, islands of Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and islands in Mexico. 
He is survived by his loving wife of 72 years, Lou Ella Broussard Lalande; his children, Tommy Lalande (Judy), Cathy L. Holmes (Scott), Mike Lalande (Charlotte), Pat Lalande (Rosanne), Andrea L. Menard (Dirk), and Angela L. Trahan (Kimble “Kim”); his grandchildren, Sascha L. Phillips, Kindra L. Bodin, Lucien Lalande, Jarod Hebert, Kerry H. Hulin, Neysa H. Pourciau, Jace Holmes, Kallie H. LeBlanc, Jada Lalande, Lane Lalande, Amanda L. Dudding, Lauren L. Bourque, Connor Menard, Cauy Menard, Ashlyn T. Broussard, and Auston Trahan; his 25 great-grandchildren; his step-grandchildren, Nick Holmes and Stephanie Leleux; his brother, David Lalande; his brother-in-law, Joseph Broussard (Fanny) and numerous nieces and nephews. 
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucien Lalande and Nella Broussard Lalande; his brother, Thomas Lalande; his sister, Audrey Lalande; his grandsons, Jade Holmes and Shawn Lalande; his great-granddaughter, Lily Lalande and his son-in-law, Leonard Hebert. 
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you for the compassionate and loving care given to Aaron over the last two weeks to; Lamm Hospice; his RN nurses, Patti, Heather, and Lisa; to Pro-NP, Chris, NP, his grandson Jace Holmes, NP; and especially his sitter, Leah Abshire. 
A private visitation will be held with the immediate family only. The family requests that all well-wishers please join them at the 2:00 PM Mass.
Personal condolences may be sent to the Lalande family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 200 Chief H. Fred Rd., Maurice, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

ABBEVILLE — A celebration of life for Lou will take place at United Methodist Church of the Covenant in Lafayette on Saturday, August 28th at 1 p.m. Visitation will precede the service from 12-1 p.m., and a luncheon will follow the memorial in the CCC Building. (Church address: 300 East Martial Street in Lafayette)
Usa Louis (Lou) Landry, Jr. was born to Ida Katherine Sandoz Landry and the late Usa Louis Landry, Sr. on September 1, 1968. He went to his heavenly home on August 11, 2021 after a short illness surrounded by his loving family. Lou graduated from Jesuit High School, Shreveport, LA, in 1987 before moving to Erath and will forever be remembered for his infectious laugh and endearing, dimpled grin. He never met a stranger, was quiet but quick witted, and always first to offer a helping hand to anyone in need.
During his time on earth, Lou dedicated countless hours of service as a faithful servant to his church family. He was a supervisor at AAA Cooper Transportation and previously served as a deputy for five years with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office. In his spare time, Lou enjoyed coaching his daughter’s softball team, fishing, camping with his family, and tending to his chickens. He also enjoyed being in the kitchen, cooking and feeding his family well.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 16 years, Lynn, his children, Mckenzie, Katelyn, Lyndsey, Kristina, and Louis III (Trey), as well as his devoted mother, Ida Landry, and mother-in-law, Ardella Richeson. Lou was preceded in death by his father, Louis Sr., oldest brother, Carl, and father-in-law, Jerry Richeson. He is survived by three brothers, David (Cindy), Paul, and Charles, and two sisters, Chris (Bob) Horne and Beth Fitzgerald, several nieces, nephews, and countless friends. To all who knew him, Lou cherished his faith and family above all else and his spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of so many who were fortunate to have crossed his path.
The Landry family would like to express gratitude for the wonderful care and compassion given Lou by Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, please make monetary donations in Lou’s memory to Covenant United Methodist Church Youth Ministry. Many thanks to all who have supported the Landry family through this difficult time.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Abbeville, 2600 Charity Street, (337) 893-3777 are in charge of the arrangements.