RSS Feed

On June 8, at around 9 p.m., , the Abbeville Police Department responded to a shots fired call at the corner of Dutil and Franks Alley.
The police received eight other complaints about shots fired in that area.
The suspects were Southbound on Dutil in a white Cadillac SUV. Three occupants of the SUV exited the vehicle and shot an excess of 40 rounds at two people in parked cars.
Both victims were struck in the leg area. They were transported to Abbeville General where they were stabilized and transported to another local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Abbeville Police Department is seeking the white Cadillac SUV .
This case is still actively under investigation and Chief Mike Hardy urges the public to provide any further information regarding this crime or any other crime by calling the Abbeville Police Department at (337) 893-2511.
You may also contact our “Tips” line at (337) 892-6777. All callers may remain anonymous. Citizens may also send anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers of Vermilion by calling (337) 740-TIPS or the P3 app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or at Google Play Store.

Brady Broussard Jr. has a deep connection to Abbeville.
Broussard’s father served as mayor for 20 years; he has represented District C since 2011 and is a member of the Rotary Club of Abbeville, having recently held the role of club president.
Broussard recently brought that love for his home city to another Abbeville, a much older one located across the Atlantic Ocean. Broussard visited Abbeville, France, as part of a Rotary International trip. 
During the trip, Broussard and fellow Rotarians met with officials from Abbeville, France. That occurred on May 27.
“A ceremony was held in the salon of Legion of Honor at city hall for arrival of our entourage,” Broussard said, “to meet with Mayor Pascal Demarthe, his chief of staff Sebastian Colombel, Deputy Mayor Danielle Vasseur, municipal staff, citizens, dignitaries, military officials, Rotarians from there, region and America, and media.”
Planning for the event began much earlier.
“The planning and repeated Zoom meetings that led to this perfectly orchestrated event began in June of 2024,” Broussard said. “It’s important to note the huge role that Rotary International plays in the world.  For without this assistance, it could not have been that tremendous success for all in attendance.”
Broussard credited Rotarians, including Bart Cleary, DDS, Rotary Club of Oxford North Carolina, President of USA Section of USA-France Intercountry Committee for Peace, who also served as translator and “wonderful ambassador” on Broussard’s behalf, Jean-Marie Poinsard, Rotary Club of Melun Fr. and President of the France Section of USA-France Intercountry Committee for Peace.  
“It is Rotary that makes it possible to create connections between people and countries in the hope of making the world more peaceful,” Broussard said.
While there, Broussard helped to make a stronger bond between the two Abbevilles. Broussard made a presentation that included a proclamation signed by Mayor Roslyn White and the Abbeville City Council, along with a city flag.
“The proclamation from Mayor (White) and council was read aloud and translated perfectly,” Broussard said. “Our beautiful city flag was unfolded to ‘ooohs and ahhs’  in the audience. I also presented the booklet that described our founder, his origins in Abbeville, France, and finally, the struggles to establish our community, called La Chappelle, briefly and ultimately Abbeville (priest city) after requests from the earliest inhabitants of our community.  My reminder to the audience  is that we share so much together, not just food, language,  and culture, but genetics, with our ancestors originating in France.”
Demarthe is encouraged and supportive of twinning the two Abbeville communities for a long and productive relationship.
“Great time of exchange and fellowship with Brady Broussard, Deputy Mayor of Abbeville, Louisiana, USA!” the Abbeville, France, mayor said in a post on social media. “Passing through France, he came to testify to the friendship of his city towards our Ville d’Abbeville and the appreciation that the locals have to the Capuchin father Antoine Désiré Megret, who gave the name of his hometown, our city of Abbeville, to this city founded in Louisiana in 1850. Our two cities are, therefore, linked by a common history and a will to create exchanges for the future.
“Brady Broussard was carrying a message from the mayor of Abbeville, Louisiana, about us. She indeed wishes that our two cities can cooperate in the framework of a strengthened friendship and, why not, a future pairing.”
Broussard offered an invitation to French counterparts. He highlighted fall as a time to visit when events such as the Grand Reveille (Oct. 11 in Magdalen Square), the Louisiana Cattle Festival (Oct. 3-5), and the Giant Omelette Celebration (Nov. 1-2) will take place.
“The individuals who do visit us this Fall will receive the same warm welcome that was given to us,” Broussard said.
Along with new friends, Broussard also met with some familiar faces, a group of college students who visited Vermilion Parish in ‘24. Notably, with the help of their local Rotary Club, the students traveled here to see the town of Gueydan, named after Jean Pierre Gueydan, a native of their hometown in France.
“We met with the Rotary Club of Gap Fr., and that was like old friends at a reunion,” Broussard said.  “They are the club that raised large sums of money over two years to send the College’ Vivian Maier students that our Abbeville Rotary Club helped make so comfortable and well fed and ultimately go to Gueydan to see the community that their native Jean Pierre Gueydan founded. Those students were there to receive us and thank us for the great time they had in our Abbeville.  They were accompanied by their teacher, Nicolai Cottin, who visited us last year. Not to lose an opportunity to promote our charming community, I invited them to come back.”
Broussard made a presentation to that group, centering on growing closer together by sending French Immersion students and local Rotarians there one year from now.
“They are ecstatic about that and agree our clubs should twin and grow closer,” Broussard said. “We may very well see some of these Gap Rotarians this Fall at one or more festivals. When I told them the local native, Jean Pierre Gueydan, actually opened the first business in our Abbeville, they understood the necessity to stay close and cultural exchanges are essential.”
As deeply as Broussard’s affinity for Abbeville runs, it’s matched by his love for a shared French culture.
“The more each of us who do travel to French-speaking regions of the world,” Broussard said, “the more often we can promote and sell our unique Cajun French culture to insist they come and visit us for our Joie de vivre.  If you are skeptical, visit the Abbeville Cultural Center and see the guest book with signatures from Canada, France and several more French language areas of the world.”

On Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, the Louisiana Cattle Festival Association proudly welcomed a new group of royalty to reign over the 75th Louisiana Cattle Festival, scheduled for October 3-5, 2025.
The newly crowned kings and queens are tasked with promoting the Festival during their year long reign in addition to representing the Festival Association, the state’s cattle industry, and the City of Abbeville and Vermilion Parish.
The Louisiana Cattle Festival would like to congratulate the 2025 Louisiana Cattle Festival royalty, including Baby Cattle King,Ezra Soudy ; Baby Cattle Queen, Landry Barker; Petite Cattle Queen, Effie Bergeron; Deb Cattle Queen, Anna Kate Thibodeaux; Junior Cattle Queen, Lily LeBlanc ; Teen Cattle Queen, Kamille LeBlanc; Ms. Cattle Queen, Brooke LeJeune; and the 75th Louisiana Cattle Festival Queen, Isabelle Douet and Louisiana Cattle Festival King, Randall Perrin.
Isabelle Douet is the 20 year old daughter of Jeremy and Melissa Douet and a native of Lafayette. She is currently a student at LSU in Baton Rouge majoring in Animal Science and currently works as a Veterinary Technician for a local center. In her free time, Isabelle enjoys reading a good book, spending time with animals of any size, and volunteering.
When asked what the Louisiana Cattle Festival meant to her, Douet replied, "To me, the Louisiana Cattle Festival means family. We’re all part of one big herd, and from the moment I became involved, I was welcomed with open arms. Even before my time as queen, when I was volunteering, I felt like I belonged—it’s truly special to experience that sense of community during festival weekend.
Beyond the festivities, this event is a tribute to the hardworking men and women who dedicate themselves to the cattle industry, ensuring we have food on our tables, milk to drink, and leather to wear. It represents 75 years of a remarkable legacy—one that I am profoundly blessed and grateful to be part of."
Douet is excited to reign alongside her 2025 Louisiana Cattle Festival King, Randall Perrin. of Vermilion Parish. Randall Perrin’s roots in cattle ranching run deep—traced all the way back to his Acadian ancestors in Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Henry, Louisiana, Randall continues to live and work on the same land, raising cattle just as his family has done for generations. For the past 50 years, he has dedicated himself to raising registered Hereford cattle, building a legacy that now spans three generations.
Randall shared 46 wonderful years with his late wife, Nina, and together they raised three children: Jeanne, Chip, and Stephanie. Today, his children and his eight grandchildren are proudly carrying the family tradition forward, actively involved in raising and showing Hereford cattle. Randall not only supports his own grandchildren in the show ring but also gives back to the community by sponsoring local 4-H youth, allowing them to exhibit his cattle and gain valuable experience.
A respected leader in the cattle industry, Randall is currently serving his second term as President of the Vermilion Parish Cattlemen’s Association. He remains highly active in the American Hereford Association, frequently attending national sales across the country and consigning high-quality cattle from his herd. His show cattle have seen success on the national stage, including a National Reserve Champion Senior Bull, National Reserve Champion Pen of Three Yearling Heifers, and National Reserve Champion Pen of Three Two Year Old Bred Heifers. With a broad network of fellow breeders and a lifelong passion for the industry, Randall Perrin is a cornerstone of the Hereford community—committed to excellence, tradition, and the next generation of cattlemen and women.
The Louisiana Cattle Festival Association would like to sincerely thank each contestant, family members and friends, board members and festival members, past LA Cattle Festival Queens and volunteers for the support of all contestants as well as the festival throughout the pageant weekend.
Mark your calendars to attend the 75th Louisiana Cattle Festival in the downtown streets of Abbeville on Oct. 3-5.

The Vermilion Parish Police Jury has approved Waste Connection Bayou to collect the parish’s garbage for another five years.
Waste Connections, a national company, has collected the parish’s trash for the past 10 years. The company began its service after the Police Jury discontinued its garbage collection operations a decade ago.
The Police Jury solicits new bids every 10 years, and five companies submitted proposals for the contract.
Waste Connections was not the lowest bidder, but it did score the highest in a point system, giving it the edge over other companies.
The Police Jury voted 12-0 to rehire Waste Connections. Jurors President Mark Poché and Liz Touchet were absent from the meeting.
Jamie Gilbert, the Division Market Development Manager, attended the meeting. Gilbert promises the residents will continue to see a solid effort from the company.
“We have been in the parish for the last 10 years and have experienced drivers in this parish,” said Gilbert. “We are glad to continue to be a part of this community.”
Gilbert said to look for Waste Connections to be more visible in the parish. He gave the example of supplying at least six dumpsters to certain parish festivals.
Gilbert said one example was the Shrimp Festival. The company will supply six dumpsters for free and empty them daily to prevent them from becoming smelly with shrimp.
“We are going to go dump the dumpsters so the police jury does not have to pay its employees,” he added. “We are going to do it at no charge. It is part of giving back to the community.”