News

Louisiana officials devise safety plan after record number of auto crashes in 2021

Wed, 07/27/2022 - 9:48am

(The Center Square) — The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced a new Strategic Highway Safety Plan this week following a record increase in fatal crashes in 2021.
Preliminary data shows a total of 971 people died in motor vehicle crashes in Louisiana last year, a 17% increase from the 828 fatalities in 2020. The jump marked the highest year-to-year percentage increase in fatal crashes since Louisiana started tracking the statistic, Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

Louisiana approved to issue Summer P-EBT benefits

Wed, 07/27/2022 - 9:45am

BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), received federal approval to expand the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program to cover the summer months for eligible children in K-12 schools.
This is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer P-EBT program to provide food benefits for the summer months to eligible children.

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Man Featured on Crime Stoppers Arrested in Vermilion Parish

Wed, 07/27/2022 - 9:39am

According to Eddie Langlinais (Director of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Task Force and Coordinator of Crime Stoppers of Vermilion), on July 19, 2022, Narcotics Agents, along with the Vermilion Parish Special Response Team, acting on a Crime Stoppers Tip, were able to apprehend Colby Comeaux (B/M, DOB: 9-29-1983), at his residence located at 15900 Ire Private Road in Rayne Louisiana without incident.

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Laura LeBeouf

LeBeouf decides not to run for third school board term

Tue, 07/26/2022 - 1:57pm

Due to health reasons, Laura LeBeouf decided it was time to leave the Vermilion Parish School Board after serving for eight years.
LeBeouf, in a surprise move, decided not to qualify for her third and final four-year term as District C’s school board member.
Gregg Meaux qualified last week and is the only candidate for District C. He will be sworn into office in January of 2023.
LeBeouf, a former educator for 30-plus years in Vermilion Parish, explained why she did not seek a third term.

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Photos by Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet is sworn in by Vermilion Parish Police Jury legal counsel Paul Moresi III as the District 5 representative on Wednesday.

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Liz Touchet, center, is joined by, from left, Victoria Richard, Carrie Durke, Becky Sonnier and Renee Touchet on Wednesday. Richard is the daughter of Liz and Wayne Touchet, and Durke, Sonnier and Touchet are the daughters of Wayne Touchet, the former District 5 Vermilion Parish Police Juror. Liz Touchet was sworn in on Wednesday to serve the remainder of Wayne Touchet’s term on the police jury.

Touchet sworn in as first female Police Juror in Vermilion Parish

Fri, 07/22/2022 - 8:50am

It was an emotional start to the Vermilion Parish Police Jury meeting Wednesday night as Liz Touchet was officially sworn in as the first female police juror.
Touchet will serve out the remaining 17 months of her late husband’s term. Wayne Touchet served 18 years as the District 5 representative before his death on June 15.
As she was sworn in, fighting back tears at one point, sniffles could be heard from family members in attendance for the ceremony, including their daughter Victoria Richard and Wayne’s daughters Carrie Durke, Becky Sonnier and Renee Touchet.

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