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Birth Announcements for Nov. 15

Mon, 11/16/2020 - 10:28am

Ryane Kate Hebert
A daughter, Ryane Kate Hebert, was born on October 4, 2020, at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Chalice Hebert and Kevin Hebert of Erath.

Weston Ares Romero
A son, Weston Ares Romero, was born on October 7, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Romero of Abbeville. The mother is the former Amber Frederick.

Zander Dale Harrington
A son, Zander Dale Harrington, was born on October 12, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Trey Harrington of Kaplan. The mother is the former Megan Abshire.

Zoey Faye Greene
A daughter, Zoey Faye Greene, was born on October 12, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Greene of Kaplan. The mother is the former Blair Bella.

Eben James Roy
A son, Eben James Roy, was born on October 14, 2020, at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Roy of Youngsville. The mother is the former Anne Mouton.

Iselle Marie Rodriguez
A daughter, Iselle Marie Rodriguez, was born on October 14, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Ceirra Rodriguez of Abbeville.

Bryson Tyler Savoy
A son, Bryson Tyler Savoy, was born on October 18, 2020, at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. William Savoy, Jr. of Kaplan. The mother is the former Lara Shaffer.

Channing Grace Trahan
A daughter, Channing Grace Trahan, was born on October 18, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Courtney Trahan of Maurice. The mother is the former Haley Gallet.

Blakely Rose Suire
A daughter, Blakely Rose Suire, was born on October 19, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Heidi Suire of Lafayette.

Catherine Claire Meaux
A daughter, Catherin Claire Meaux, was born on October 20, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Meaux of Abbeville. The mother is the former Macy Nicole Gautreaux.

Mia Claire Rideaux
A daughter, Mia Claire Rideaux, was born on October 22, 2020, at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Blair Rideaux of Abbeville.

Isaiah Marcos Corner
A son, Isaiah Marcos Corner, was born on October 22, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital to Chantelle Nunez and John Corner, III of Crowley.

Dreamie Donnell Jackson
A daughter, Dreamie Donnell Jackson, was born on November 4, 2020, at Abbeville General to Jazzie Rhaye Daigle and Deddrick Donnell Jackson of Delcambre.

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Agents recovered a large amount of high-grade marijuana.

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Kenneth Bragg

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David Schrader

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Brylin Bessard

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Tosha Palombo

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Lavender Watson

Two from out of state arrested in separate narcotics investigations

Mon, 11/16/2020 - 9:59am

According to PIO and Narcotics Task Force Commander Drew David, the Vermilion Municipal and Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force made the following arrests for narcotics related offenses within the parish.
On Oct. 27, agents conducted an operation involving a suspected narcotics packages being delivered to 1206 Graceland Avenue in Abbeville. Agents observed the package was delivered and accepted and conducted surveillance on the residence. Agents were able to obtain a search warrant for the residence based on the investigation and it was determined that the packages contained a large amount of “high grade marijuana.” Kenneth Bragg, 33, from California, was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule I, (Marijuana), Possession of a Controlled Dangerous substance in the presence of a juvenile (2 counts), and Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance in a Drug Free Zone.
On Nov. 4, the Maurice Police Department conducted a traffic stop for speeding within the city limits of Maurice. Upon a brief investigation Officers with the department located suspected illegal drugs and called out task force agents to assist them in their investigation. After further investigation several other drugs were located in the vehicle. David Schrader, 39, from Missouri, was subsequently charged with Possession of Schedule II, (Methamphetamine), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Schedule II, (Suboxone), Possession of Schedule II, (Amphetamine), Possession of Schedule II, (Hydrocodone), Possession of Schedule IV, (Clonazepam).
The Task Force also made the following arrests recently within the parish:
• Tosha Palombo, 38, of Abbeville, was arrested and charged with Possession of Schedule II, (Methadone)
• Brylin Bessard, 30, of Kaplan, was arrested and charged with Possession of Schedule II, (Suboxone), Possession of Schedule I, (Marijuana), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Lavender Watson, 53, of Gueydan, was arrested and charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of Schedule I, (Marijuana), and Possession of a Legend Drug
Sheriff Couvillon would like to thank the Mayors, and their council, of Abbeville, Gueydan, Maurice, Erath, and Kaplan 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.

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Rita Moore Toups

Fri, 11/13/2020 - 11:31pm

October 14, 1925 ~ November 12, 2020

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Rita Moore Toups, 95, who died Thursday, November 12, 2020 at Abbeville General Hospital. She will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Rev. Louis Richard officiating the services. Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Rita is survived by her two sons, John F. Toups, Jr. and his wife, Joyce, and Michael R. Toups and his wife, Stacy; three daughters, Rita Gayle Hebert and her husband, Roy, Janet T. Benoit and her husband, Marty, and Lynn T. Trahan and her husband, Patrick; fifteen grandchildren, Amy Simon, Kristen Andrepont, Julie Bengston, Shaina Toups, Rob Boudreaux, Shaye Toups. Jeanette Chauvin, Joanie Benoit, Jennifer Moody, Mary Margaret Trahan, Joshua Holbert, Gregory Trahan, Brandon Toups, Michael Trahan, and Claire Trahan; nineteen great grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Floyd Toups, Sr.; parents, Joseph Moore and the former Anna LeBlanc; son, John Carl Toups; sister, Elita Miller, and brothers, Richard Moore, Elie Moore and Gilbert Moore; and grandson, Shawn C. Holmes.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 300 Pere Megret St., Abbeville on Saturday, November 14, 2020 from 11:00 AM until time of services.
For those preferring memorials, contributions can be made in Rita Moore Toups’ memory to Mt. Carmel School of Abbeville, Invest Scholarship Fund, 405 Park Ave., Abbeville, LA 70510.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

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Deborah Hewitt Parsons

Fri, 11/13/2020 - 12:28pm

December 10, 1959 ~ November 10, 2020

A memorial gathering will be held on Monday, November 16, 2020 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Deborah “Debbie” Hewitt Parsons, 60, who died Monday, November 10, 2020. The family asks that all who attend wear masks and follow COVID guidelines.
Deborah is survived by her only child Alexis “Lexi” Parsons who attends Carleton College in Northfield MN; two brothers Jeffrey “Jeff” Bartleson Hewitt of Arlington, VA and James “Jim” Edward Edwards-Hewitt of Fairfax, VA; parents, William Mihan Hewitt and Susan Bartleson Hewitt of Arlington, VA; step-daughter, Jennifer Clausen and Richard “Rich” Clausen; four grandsons, Harold “Alec”, Frederick “Gabe”, Richard “Graham”, and Parsons “Ashton Clausen; great grandson, Nathias Harold Clausen; and companion, Dan Dartez.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick Wade Don Parsons III; paternal grandparents, William and Mary Hewitt; and maternal grandparents, Edward and Janet Bartleson.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street, on Monday, November 10, 2020 from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers the Parsons family asks that donations be made to Faith House of Abbeville (337) 893 3033.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincent-abbeville.com.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville (337) 893-4661.

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Conrad J. Ledet

Fri, 11/13/2020 - 12:27pm

Conrad J. Ledet, age 74, passed away on November 4, 2020 as a result of complications from Churg-Strauss vasculitis. Conrad was born in Abbeville, LA and was a true Cajun. He attended Mount Carmel High School in Abbeville, served in the United States Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve from 1966 to 1972, and graduated from the University of Southwest Louisiana with a B.S degree in microbiology. Conrad retired from his work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a Microbiologist in 2008.
Conrad loved hiking and was particularly proud of the many hiking hours he spent on various stretches of the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine. His most gratifying hiking achievement was when he reached the peak of Mount Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine. Conrad loved to read, while enjoying a freshly brewed cup of Mello Joy or Community coffee. He adored the many family cats, but always had a favorite.
Conrad is preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Audrey Ledet, of Abbeville, LA. He is survived by Mischelle, his wife of 41 years. He is survived by his two daughters, Allison Fullen of Fayetteville, AR and Jessie Gower of Murfreesboro, TN and his son, Nathan Ledet of Sterling, VA. Conrad was “Poppin” to his eight grandchildren, Tucker, Evie, Troy, Mylan, Audrey, June, Clay and Micah. He is also survived by his sister, Carmen Hebert of Abbeville, LA; his brother Claude Ledet of Maurice, LA; and his brother René Ledet of Lafayette, LA.
The family is requesting that donations in honor of Conrad be made to The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Donations may be made on line at donate@rarediseases.org or by mail to The National Organization for Rare Disorders, Attn: Department 5930, P.O. Box 4110, Woburn, MA 01888.

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A flood forecasting prototype to help people and communities become more resilient during flooding events has earned a 2020 Government Innovation Award. UL Lafayette and tech company CGI developed the prototype. It discovers and curates large amounts of data that is integrated and interpreted with artificial intelligence. Photo credit: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Flood forecasting research earns UL innovation award

Thu, 11/12/2020 - 1:34pm

A flood forecasting prototype developed as part of a collaboration between University of Louisiana at Lafayette researchers and tech company CGI has earned a 2020 Government Innovation Award.
The awards are given by a group of media outlets affiliated with Public Sector 360, a company that provides information, analysis and news for government and IT sectors. The Government Innovation Awards recognize “transformative government projects, individual change agents and industry partners that are reimagining public-sector IT,” according to the awards website.
UL Lafayette and CGI’s “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Flood Prevention and Forecasting” prototype was recognized in the Industry Innovator Category. The model uses artificial intelligence to more accurately – and quickly – forecast floods.
Dr. Emad Habib, a UL Lafayette professor of civil engineering who directs the University’s Louisiana Watershed Flood Center, is leading the ongoing project. It implements a data mining prototype to discover and curate large amounts of data.
Rainfall records, river and surface water levels, soil moisture content and other information is culled from dozens of sources, including satellites, gauges and field sensors. The data is integrated and interpreted with machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence.
“Recent technologies in data sciences and machine learning, coupled with the unprecedented growth in environmental data from nontraditional sources, open the door for innovative approaches that can help our communities become more resilient,” Habib said.
The prototype also earned praise in September. It was a Top 8 finalist – among more than 220 nominations – in the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council’s Igniting Innovation Award competition. The council recognized innovative research that benefits people and communities.
Researchers from the Department of Civil Engineering, Louisiana Watershed Flood Center, Institute for Coastal and Water Research, and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are contributing to the project.
It is sponsored by CGI through the National Science Foundation Center for Visual and Decision Informatics at UL Lafayette. CVDI is the only NSF center in the nation that focuses on data science, big data analytics and visual analytics.

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Erath High football coach Eric LeBlanc had to tell his players that the remaining two weeks of the season was canceled because of COVID 19.

Erath High Football coach reacts to canceling the rest of the season

Thu, 11/12/2020 - 12:34pm

On Thursday morning, Erath High Head Football Coach Eric LeBlanc had to tell his football players something he dreaded telling them.
At 10:30 a.m., he and other coaches gathered with EHS players to tell them that their football season was over because of COVID-19.
“I never had a tougher or more emotional conversation with the team,” said LeBlanc. “It was the right decision for everyone involved, but I still can’t help feel terrible for our seniors.”
The Bobcats were scheduled to play Crowley on Friday and then end the season against Abbeville. The Bobcats were still in the hunt to make the playoffs if they won their final two games.
On Wednesday, the school learned that seven people who attend or work at the school had tested positive for COVID-19. There were 95 people (students and staff members) who were also quarantined for 14 days because they contacted some of the seven positive COVID cases.
The next day, most football players learned they came in contact with someone who had COVID. Because of that, the team had to be quarantined for 14 days. There are only two weeks left in the season.
On Thursday, Erath High students and faculty learned students will now be attending class on Google Classroom for the final six days before the Thanksgiving break.
It was not known on Thursday if Crowley had found a new game on Friday. Abbeville High picked up a game and will play Berwick next Friday.

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Erath High going virtual due to COVID-19

Thu, 11/12/2020 - 12:24pm
Seven tested positive for the virus

Because of seven positive COVID-19 tests, Erath High School has to go virtual.
On Wednesday, Erath High School learned there were seven positive COVID-19 cases on the campus.
EHS Principal Marc Turner did not release information on who were the seven who tested positive, but the Abbeville Meridional has learned it was a combo of students and teachers.
On Wednesday, 95 students and teachers were quarantined for 14 days due to contact tracing.
On Thursday, students learned they will no longer attend school on campus and will be attending virtual school for the next six days. Public school will be off the week of Nov. 23-27 for the Thanksgiving holiday break.
The EHS students are expected to return to campus on Nov. 30 after the Thanksgiving break.
Superintendent Tommy Byler wanted to explain that there is not a COVID outbreak on the campus. Those who contracted COVID-19 were away from the campus.
“We are trying to err on the side of caution,” said Byler.
On Thursday, Turner sent out an e-mail to students, parents and staff members explaining the COVID-19 situation.
He explained that starting on Friday, Nov. 13, the students will begin having virtual classes using Google Classroom.
Teachers, administration and faculty will still be reporting to the school, starting on Friday.
They will be there to address the academic needs of the students.
Turner also explained that the football team was exposed, and the entire team is now on a 14-day quarantine. As a result, the remaining two games of the season are canceled.
In his e-mail, Turner wrote, “We must work together to ensure the safety of our community. To preserve the traditional school setting that we desire, and the students need to be successful, we need to be aware of our actions’ consequences. Please consider enforcing social distancing protocol, so school and the future activities can proceed as planned.”

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