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Taijah Rankin and Ricky LaCour Jr. are announcing their engagement and forthcoming plans to marry.
The wedding will take place this winter in Lafayette, La.
The future bride is the daughter of Allison Levy Lewis and Lloyd Rankin of Abbeville.
The future groom is the son of Dana Fergins and Ricky LaCour Sr. of Shreveport.
Taijah is a 2007 graduate of North Vermilion High School and a USAF veteran. She is currently a senior at Arizona State University, pursuing a BA in Psychology.
Ricky is a 2009 graduate of Captain Shreveport High School. He is currently serving in the USAF as an Armament Systems Journeyman on the F-35 at Luke AFB.

Kennedi Paris Green
A daughter, Kennedi Paris Green, was born Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at Abbeville General Hospital to Jameka Shunta Landry and Kirby Paul Green, Jr. of Abbeville.

Channdler
Reese Dupuis
A son, Channdler Reese Dupuis, was born Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at Abbeville General to Paige Nicole Dupuis of Kaplan.

Jermani
Elizabeth Campbell
A daughter, Jermani Elizabeth Campbell, was born March 13, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Ginjer Campbell of Abbeville.

Karson Paul
Lanclos
A son, Karson Paul Lanclos, was born March 14, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Jessie Connor and Anthony Lanclos of Abbeville.

Victoria Lynn Aucoin
A daughter, Victoria Lynn Aucoin, was born March 14, 2017, to at Women’s and Children’s Tonya Touchet and Steven Aucoin of New Iberia.

Rosalie Noelle Laperouse
A daughter, Rosalie Noelle Laperouse, was born March 14, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Laperouse of Maurice.
The mother is the former Noelle Hebert.

Dylan Brigg Hargrave
A son, Dylan Brigg Hargrave, was born March 13, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Derek Hargrave of Kaplan.
Mrs. Hargrave is the former Danielle Foreman.

Waylon James LeBlanc
A son, Waylon James LeBlanc, was born March 11, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Claire Landry and Harley LeBlanc of Kaplan.

Nixon Grey
Lapeyrouse
A son, Nixon Grey Lapeyrouse, was born March 10, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Chase Lapeyrouse.
The mother is the former Alyssa Clark.

John-Tyler Walker Boone
A son, John-Tyler Walker Boone, was born March 9, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Boone of Erath.
The mother is the former Jammie Sims.

Jasper Joseph Broussard
A son, Jasper Joseph Broussard, was born March 10, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Justin Broussard of Abbeville.
The mother is the former Melanie Breaux.

Freya Ann Miller
A daughter, Freya Ann Miller, was born March 9, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Miller of Lafayette.
The mother is the former Amanda Mire.

Derrick Anthony Perkins
A son, Derrick Anthony Perkins, was born March 8, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Perkins, Jr. of Abbeville.
The mother is the former Kellie Monnin.

Brooklyn
Nicole Duhon
A daughter, Brooklyn Nicole Duhon, was born March 5, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Amber Duplantis and Trevor Duhon of Kaplan.

Eli Thomas Guidry
A son, Eli Thomas Guidry, was born March 6, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Brianna Baudoin and Grant Guidry of Kaplan.

Amelia
Michelle
Geoffroy
A daughter, Amelia Michelle Geoffroy, was born March 1, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Geoffroy of Erath.
The mother is the former Shoshannal Metzel.

Jhori’ Ma’Khai Leger
A daughter, Jhori’ Ma’Khai Leger, was born March 2, 2017, at Women’s and Childrens’ to Khaila Leger of Abbeville.

Jaxson Tra’maine Walker
A son, Jaxson Tra’maine Walker, was born March 1, 2017,at Women’s and Children’s to Brittani Fuselier and Fabion Walker of Maurice.

Kawhi Eddie Edward
A son, Kawhi Eddie Edwards, was born on February 27, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Magon Touchet and Dalton Edwards of Kaplan.

Dakoda Rylee Vice
A son, Dakoda Rylee Vice, was born on February 1, 2017, at Women’s and Children’s to Cytashous Francis and Joseph Vice of Abbeville.

Samarie Machell Vallery
A daughter, Samarie Machell Valery, was born Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at Abbeville General to Katie Lee Vallery of Abbeville.

September 2, 1930 ~ March 29, 2017

Abbeville — Funeral services will be held Monday, March 3 at 1 p.m. honoring the life of C.L. (Charles Lucius) Broussard, 86, who died Wednesday, March 29 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center.
He will be laid to rest at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery with Fr. Michael Richard officiating the services. 
A sergeant in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953, he also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1953 to 1956, and was a member of the Louisiana National Guard. He received the American Spirit Honor Medal in 1951. A graduate of Mt. Carmel High School, he also attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute. He worked for Consolidated Western Steel Company before embarking on his 32-year career with Unocal.
He is survived by three sisters, Frances Bickham of Baton Rouge, Dolores (Dibby) B. Faulk of Abbeville, and Florence (Flo) Rageur of Baton Rouge; his four children Bill Broussard and his wife Cindy Landry Broussard, Kathy Broussard Bourgeois, Jules Broussard and his wife Marie Foret Broussard, and Barbara Broussard Louviere and her husband, Gerald; and twelve grandchildren Brandon Broussard and his wife Emily Theriot Broussard, Heath Broussard and his wife Rani Primeaux Broussard, Ryan Broussard and his wife Chrissy Marie Broussard, Lauren Trahan and her husband Jeremy Trahan, Joshua Broussard and his wife Katie Ortego Broussard, Jason Broussard and his wife Stacey Touchet Broussard, Andre Broussard, JP Bourgeois, Jessica Claire Bourgeois, Brennan Louviere, Taylor Louviere, and Emma Louviere. He also leaves behind six great grandchildren: Anna Claire Broussard, Evan Broussard, Triston Daigle, Elise Broussard, Mason Hargrave, and Emmie Broussard; niece Leah Sonnier Bernard, and many other nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Jules Joseph Broussard; mother, Marie Eunice LaSalle Broussard; sisters, Sister Marie Therese Broussard, Martha Marjorie Broussard, Thelma Heloise Broussard, Ruby Irene Broussard DeHart, Eunice B. Duchamp, and Laurence (Lolo) B. Sonnier; brothers, Roy Felix (R.F.) Broussard and Andre Earl Broussard: and his son-in-law, Terry Bourgeois.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home in Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street, on Monday, April 3 from 9:00 a.m. until the 1:00 p.m. service, with a rosary to be prayed at 11 a.m in his memory.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mount Carmel Elementary Capital Campaign or SOLT Haiti Mission, Attn: Max Wells, Fr. Glenn’s Haiti Mission, 600 SW 3rd Street, Pampano Beach, FL 33060.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

LAFAYETTE — As Louisiana officials have looked for cost-cutting measures amid budget issues, one option that has come up is reforming the criminal justice system.
Gov. John Bel Edwards received a plan from the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force two weeks ago. The plan covers a year of examination of sentencing and trends.
If the Legislature passes a criminal justice reform bill, experts say the plan could cut Louisiana’s prison population, one of the largest in the world, by 13 percent during the next decade. The plan would also cut the people supervised in the community by 16 percent. In all, the plan could save tax payers $305 million.
Speaking Thursday morning at a preview of the upcoming regular Legislative session conducted by One Acadiana, Sen. Jonathan Perry (R-Kaplan) said the criminal justice reform issue will receive a long look and much debate. With that, Perry said he does not feel the issue will be finalized by the end of the 60-day session, which begins on April 10.
“My involvement in the upcoming session will be more in the criminal justice
reinvestment,” Perry said, “simply because of my background as a police officer and prosecutor.
“However, I don’t think we are even at first base.”
Perry explained that discussion last week in Baton Rouge indicated that the plan would be presented in one bill, by one author.
“In my opinion,” Perry said, “that wouldn’t even get out of committee. It’s too much to have in one bill.
“It needs to be broken down. To what degree? That is what we are going to talk about during the session.”
Terry Landry, who represents parts of Lafayette, Iberia and St. Martin parishes, has been a strong advocate for reform and served on the reinvestment task force. He said Thursday morning during the event that the issue has to be given an extensive look.
“I spent 30 years in law enforcement,” said Landry, who served as superintendent of Louisiana State Police. “I worked every facet from homicide to traffic. I am sensitive to a safe community. Incarceration should be a rehabilitation process, for those who can be rehabilitated. It shouldn’t be a money making process. Data shows that 52 percent of the people incarcerated in Louisiana are for non-violent and non-sexual crimes.”
Landry said the numbers are simply too high.
“No one can convince me that we have so many bad people that we have to incarcerate at the highest rate in the world,” Landry said. “We have 4,000 people in private prisons that are a business and provide no rehabilitation.”
Along with supporting serious prison reform, Landry also stated on Thursday that he plans to introduce a bill that would put a moratorium on the death penalty.
“If you believe in right to life,” Landry said, “it ought to be from the womb to the tomb. I am not suggesting there be no consequences. Life is life. There are people who should be locked up for the rest of their breathing days. We spend up to $10 million a year defending in the appeals process.
“We are getting a lot of support in and conversation about it.”
In terms of criminal justice reform, Perry said he is not against supporting some variation of it, but serious discussions, especially how reform affects victims, need to be had before anything takes place.
“My personal opinion,” Perry said, “is that I am not key on simply saying this is the most important area that we can save money. I told the governor’s staff last week that I will not try to just stand in the way. I will be open minded on every single thing. First and foremost, I am concerned how this will affect victims of crimes if this does move forward.
“If you are going to bring some reform and show us how we are saving money, I am good with that, but not at the expense of the victims.”