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Meghan Romero is not afraid of a challenge.
After all, after graduating from UL-Lafayette with an education degree, Romero and her boyfriend decided to move to Colorado, where they lived for five years. She taught school and coached different sports while in Colorado.
A combination of her boyfriend’s mother dying and Romero getting homesick was enough to pull them back to Louisiana.
Romero, 31, took a year off after returning from Colorado to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She graduated from North Vermilion in 2007 and played softball under former North Vermilion softball coach Richard Prejean.
It was not a hard decision to make. There are three things she loves doing: teaching others, math and coaching.
Abbeville football coach Roderick Moy, who knew Romero from his coaching days at North Vermilion High, approached her about being the Abbeville High softball coach.
Romero, at the time, is the new math teacher at J.H. Williams Middle School in Abbeville.
It was a no-brainer. She accepted the challenge.
“I love it,” said Romero. “I enjoy teaching math at J.H. Williams, and now I enjoy coaching at Abbeville. It is such a positive attitude.”
The Lady Wildcats lost their season open er against Centerville. Romero handled the loss well. She knows her first year is going to be a rebuilding year for the program.
“These girls only began playing softball when they started middle school,” said Romero. “They did not experience travel ball. My goal is to teach them the fundamentals of softball. We are going to have fun at the same time. I also want to build up their character.”

Bishop Douglas Deshotel issued the following statement today (March 2, 2021) on the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage populations around the globe. Worldwide over 2.5 million have died. In the United States the death toll is over half a million, with Louisiana’s death toll approaching 10,000. Thankfully, vaccines have been developed to reduce the spread and effects of this virulent killer.
As I announced in a previous communication,
“Vaccines are now being made available to various groups throughout the United States.  I have reviewed these remedies along with the Bishops of the United States and we have determined, reinforced by the Holy Father Pope Francis, that receiving the new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are justifiable and morally acceptable ways to help end this pandemic.  Being vaccinated should be considered as an act of charity toward others in our communities.  I encourage all of the faithful of the Diocese of Lafayette to take this moral evaluation to heart as you make your decision to receive the coronavirus vaccinations as they become available.”
I continue to encourage everyone to receive a vaccination, but the new vaccine from Johnson & Johnson has some moral concerns we must acknowledge. Unlike the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, Johnson & Johnson uses a line of stem cells procured from abortions performed over 30 years ago in the production of its vaccine. To the question of whether a person should receive this vaccine in good conscience, the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith stated on December 21, 2020,
“All vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience with the certain knowledge that the use of such vaccines does not constitute formal cooperation with the abortion from which the cells used in production of the vaccines derive…..the morality of vaccination depends not only on the duty to protect one’s own health, but also on the duty to pursue the common good.”
“In the absence of other means to stop or even prevent the epidemic, the common good may recommend vaccination, especially to protect the weakest and most exposed.”
This mirrors the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI in Dignitas Personae.
Given our present situation and the need to protect ourselves and one another from this virus, my guidance to the faithful of the Diocese of Lafayette is to accept as your first choices the vaccines created by Pfizer and Moderna, but if for any reasonable circumstance you are only able to receive the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, you should feel free to do so for your safety and for the common good. In addition, I have consulted with Catholic health care representatives, and I understand and appreciate their serious challenges as to the acquisition and equitable distribution of all three vaccines. I therefore support their policy of administering any of the vaccines as circumstances require.
Again, as I have stated in my original letter to the Diocese, “I encourage all of the faithful of the Diocese of Lafayette to take this moral evaluation to heart as you make your decision to receive the coronavirus vaccinations as they become available.”
With Hope in the Lord,
+J. Douglas Deshotel
Bishop of Lafayette

BATON ROUGE — Following almost six weeks of improvements in Louisiana’s COVID case counts and a sustained decrease in COVID-related hospitalizations, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced today that Louisiana will move forward to Phase 3.
This will bring most COVID restrictions back to where they were last September. Louisiana’s statewide mask mandate, which has been in place since last July, will remain in place. The Governor’s new order will last for 28 days and will expire March 31, 2021.
Overall, Louisiana’s percent positivity for COVID-19 tests is 5 percent, one third of the positivity rate six weeks ago. The state has completed more than 6 million COVID tests and administered more than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines.
“Since we stepped back into more increased restrictions more than three months ago, the goal has been to slow the spread and avoid overwhelming our hospitals, which we have done thanks to the hard work of many Louisianans,” Gov. Edwards said. “These Phase 3 restrictions will keep some common sense and lifesaving limitations in place while we work to continue keeping the case counts down and administering the vaccines to as many Louisianans as quickly as we can.
“As we are cautiously reducing some of the restrictions related to slowing the spread of COVID, it is even more critical that people take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and those around them. This includes wearing face masks, practicing social distancing, washing their hands frequently, staying home when they are sick or have been exposed and getting the vaccine when it is their turn. The last several weeks have been full of hopeful milestones, including a third COVID vaccine and the state administering more than one million doses. But we also know that COVID variants, which we know are more contagious, are active in Louisiana. In nearly a year of battling this pandemic, we have lost almost 10,000 of our fellow Louisianans, and many people have suffered greatly. It is incumbent upon all of us to do our part to help put this pandemic behind us and save lives.”
The majority of businesses, including restaurants and salons, will be able to move to 75 percent of their capacity and indoor gatherings and event centers will be capped at 50 percent of their capacity but limited to 250 people. Religious services will no longer have capacity limits, social distancing is strongly encouraged and masking will still be required.
Gyms and fitness centers will remain at 50 percent of their capacity, based on recent
research from the CDC that raises concern about the spread of COVID-19 in these settings. Bars in all parishes will be able to open for indoor service at 25 percent capacity, not to exceed 250 people, but those in parishes where the percent positivity is 5 percent or lower for two consecutive weeks may have indoor service at 50 percent capacity, not to exceed 250 people. Alcohol sales still must end at 11 p.m. and no one younger than 21 years old can enter a bar. Patrons must be masked at all times except when consuming food or drink, and they must be served at socially distanced tables.
Live music will be allowed indoors under additional guidance provided by the State Fire Marshal. Indoor gatherings may operate at 50 percent capacity with a cap of 250 people. Outdoor events may operate at 50 percent of their capacity, with no cap on attendance, but six feet of social distancing must be practiced. Conventions, conferences, indoor sporting events and fairs and festivals may operate at up to 50 percent capacity with six feet of social distancing required, if they receive approval from the State Fire Marshal and the Louisiana Department of Health.
Strict masking continues to be required for all gatherings and events.

CROWLEY — On February 19, 2021, deputies with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2400 block of South Ave F just south of Crowley. Deputies responded to a shooting incident involving a domestic matter.
The investigation revealed that the male resident had been shot by the female resident. Investigators were able to identify that a long pattern of domestic abuse had been occurring at the residence with the male resident being the aggressor. This pattern of domestic abuse had been occurring during the past 6 months. Physical evidence was observed on the victim along with witnesses to the abuse. The shooting is believed to be in self-defense.
The suspect, who was shot, was transferred to a hospital for his injuries. Detectives obtained arrest warrants for his arrest and took him into custody upon his being released from the hospital.
Arrested was Brandon S. Hebert, 32 of Crowley. Hebert has been charged with 2 counts of Domestic Abuse, 1 count of Sexual Battery, 1 count of Aggravated Domestic Abuse, 1 count of Second Degree Domestic Abuse Battery, 16 counts of Domestic Abuse Battery with Child Endangerment and 1 count of Attempted Second Degree Murder.
Hebert is being held without bond at this time.