RSS Feed

What the old rice mill in Abbeville could end up transforming into remains to be seen.
However, officials with the city of Abbeville don’t want to see the facility torn down and scrapped for parts.
On Tuesday, they took a step to potentially keep that from happening, as well as a step that could see the 13-acre property eventually become a vibrant part of the city’s downtown area.
During its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Abbeville City Council voted 5-0 to authorize Mayor Roslyn White to execute a letter of intent as a mutual good faith agreement and to exercise reasonable efforts to finalize a Donation Agreement between Riviana Foods, Inc. and the City of Abbeville for the Mill Properties at 405 S. Washington Street and 406 S. Main Street.
Riviana Foods, Inc. owns the properties.
“These are two buildings on a national historical registry and 13 acres in our historic downtown,” White said. “That includes river frontage that is somewhere between 250 and 500 feet of river front.”
Riviana Foods is owned by Ebro Foods, a Spanish corporation. Riviana leased the property to Planters Rice, which ceased operation at the facility two years ago. The mill has sat vacant since.
“They could demolish two buildings on our national historical registry,” White said, “sell it for parts, and possibly put the property up for sale.
While moving toward that plan, Riviana contacted the city in May.
“At some point after talking to them,” White said, “they made an offer to donate the property to the city.”
White acknowledged that such a move could be a challenge for the city.
“It could also be a huge opportunity,” White said.
Tuesday’s non-binding move had that in mind.
“I think it’s prudent that we move forward with at least doing our due diligence,” White said. “It is my recommendation that we actually accept the donation, depending on what the due diligence unveils.
“I think we absolutely should move forward with the signing of this letter of intention.”
Upon signing of the letter of intent, the city will have 60 days to negotiate the execution of a donation with Riviana.
“That actual donation would come back to this council for approval,” White explained.
Members of the council will be able to tour the facility as part of the due-diligence phase.
“We will bring in some experts to look at the structural integrity of the property,” White said.
Developers have already shown interest.
“We would bring them in to let them see,” White said.
If all aspects go according to plan, the city could take ownership of the properties by the end of this year.
Chad LaComb of the Acadiana Planning Commission attended Tuesday’s meeting. He said there are plenty of resources available for whoever would embark on development.
“These are amazing assets,” LaComb said, “having two national registered historical buildings already there and available. With that national registered listing, plus their existence in a state cultural district, whoever redevelops it, as long as they are able to take full advantage of the tax credits, have access to federal and state preservation tax credits. That could cover 40% of the qualified rehab costs.
“That’s a big carrot, which makes it attractive for a potential developer to come in because it covers a good chunk of your cost.”
LaComb said old buildings do come with possible environmental issues.
“There are funds available that could help cover some of those costs,” LaComb said. “That’s another carrot in terms of making these buildings attractive.”
White, who took office for her first term in July, said the city would work closely with the Acadiana Planning Commission through any potential processes. LaComb said the organization has been involved in similar projects in other areas.
“I have been involved with about a half dozen,” LaComb said. “We break it down and run through all the pain points and then make it a jewel.”
Former Mayor Mark Piazza, who attended Tuesday’s meeting, commended the move to looking into receiving the donation.
“This is obviously a monumental undertaking,” Piazza said. “It’s a huge building, right in the middle of downtown Abbeville. If this governing body doesn’t take this task on, nobody else is going to do it. You are going to end up with an empty lot, instead of a beautiful, historic building. My grandfather helped lay the bricks on that building, 120 years ago.
“That (property) is a real treasure that I would hate to see Abbeville lose.”
Piazza’s successor agreed.
“It’s going to take work,” White said, “but you know me, I’m not afraid of hard work. We have an opportunity to make this an attractive deal for the right community partner. And we get an opportunity to control what happens in our historic downtown.
“I will say that it’s a no-brainer that you take it.”

April 11, 1949 - September 5, 2022

We are sad to let you know Barbara “Dianne” Hagood, born on April 11, 1949, passed away after her second courageous fight with cancer on September 5, 2022.
Dianne lived in Abbeville, LA, she was one of five children born to the late Clifton Earl Hagood, Sr. and Mary Kitchell Hagood. Dianne is preceded in death by her uncle James R. Kitchell, Sr. (Heloise "Doll"), her aunts Isabel Kitchell, Louise Kitchell Burroughs, Bird Kitchell Speer, her siblings Clifton Earl Hagood, Jr. and Rose Mary Hagood, and her cousins Howard Speer and Rebecca “Becky” Kitchell Belaire. She will be forever remembered by her brothers Lawrence (Michelle) and William "Bill" (Debbie); her sister-in-law Judy; her #1 nephew and niece; William "Billy" and Amanda "Mandy" Hagood. Dianne will be missed by her first cousins—who were more like siblings as they grew up together—James "Paw Paw" (Marilyn) and  Reed (Beth) Kitchell, along with countless other cousins and friends who were blessed to know her. She also leaves behind her beloved dog, Odette Mary Marie.
Dianne grew up on Charity Street in a house filled with her parents, four siblings, her uncle and his wife and their three kids, and two aunts—there was never a dull moment. She graduated from Abbeville High School in 1967. After moving to Houston she matriculated from University of Houston and began her life-long career as a landman. From Mobil, to WT Offshore, to Ajax Resources—to name a few—she was a powerhouse in this male-dominated field for over 40 years. She was an active member of AAPL, chairing many committees and serving as a Director at the national level and the HAPL regionally.
Outside of her professional career Dianne believed in giving back. She was on the Board of Directors of Cancare, Board of The Chaplaincy Fund at M.D.Anderson, and was a patron of the Houston Opera and Ballet. She was also very active at St. John the Divine serving as a Stephen Minister for over 30 years, Associate Vestry, and Lay Eucharistic Minister. Dianne enjoyed international travel and was lucky enough to visit many countries with various family members—she never met a gift shop she didn’t love.
Dianne will forever be remembered for her friendship and constant generosity. Houston friends and family are invited to a memorial service on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 11am at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, TX 77019. Abbeville friends and family are invited to a memorial service on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 11am at the First Presbyterian Church, 109 N Louisiana Street, Abbeville, LA 70510.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to Julie Cripe, Sue Haynie, Sabrina Keeler, Beth and Reed Kitchell, Mimi McGehee and Ellen and Donald Popejoy for their friendship and care especially in Dianne’s final days. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. John the Divine Episcopal Church (Stephen Ministers), 2450 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, TX 77019 or St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 101 E Vermillion Street, Abbeville, LA 70510.

The Grand Reveil Acadien/Great Acadian Awakening will undoubtedly end up as its name indicates.
On Saturday, Abbeville and Vermilion Parish helped set a tone for the multi-day event.
Downtown Abbeville served as the site for the opening ceremonies for the event, held every five years and initially scheduled for 2020. From morning through Saturday night, music, food, and a celebration of Cajun culture filled Magdalen Square.
Abbeville Mayor Roslyn White said she is proud of the work everyone involved put in to highlight the area in front of the Cajun world.
“The team did a great job,” White said. “I think the event was a wonderful showcase of our culture and all our parish offers. My favorite part was showcasing the French immersion children and their excitement over being part of the day. In addition, I visited with both local and international guests, who all shared their appreciation for the program.
“It was a great day for Abbeville and Vermilion Parish.”
Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. couldn’t agree more.
“The grand opening of the 2022 Great Acadian Awakening in downtown Abbeville exceeded all expectations as a tremendous success,” Broussard said. “Crowds and participation did reach and likely exceeded the pre-event estimates of 1,000 visitors who filled Magdalen Square to reconnect with Acadian cousins and neighbors. At the same time, the highest caliber of our legendary Cajun music was played from morning until evening.”
Abbeville Main Street Manager Charlene Beckett said she spent the entire day speaking to many visitors. How she talked to them is part of what made the day extra special for her, personally.
“I had so much fun speaking French to all these people,” Beckett said. “I also met some cousins I didn’t know I had.
“It was a terrific event and wonderful to showcase the parish.”
Alison Miller, Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission Executive Director, said this event did allow Vermilion Parish to be placed front and center.
“It was a great day to showcase what Vermilion Parish offers,” Miller said. “The weather was beautiful. The food was delicious. The music was outstanding and the crowd was tremendous.”
Broussard echoed the sentiment of White, Beckett and Miller.
“This was for all of Vermilion Parish,” Broussard said, “and we were pleased for our neighbors in Erath, Kaplan and Maurice who participated and contributed to this success.”
Broussard added that it is an honor for Abbeville to have kicked things off.
“In Abbeville, we are thankful for the Louisiane-Acadie board who chose us for the grand opening of this week’s activities.”
St. Martinville, New Iberia, Arnaudville, Rayne, Church Point, Houma, Thibodeaux, Lafayette, Broussard and Port Allen will serve as other locations. Closing ceremonies, set for Sunday, Oct. 9, will include a 9 a.m. French mass at St. John’s Cathedral in Lafayette, followed by a Tintamarre to Warehouse 535 and concluding activities at St. Luc’s Immersion School in Arnaudville.
“The Grand Reveil continues this week throughout Acadiana,” Broussard said, “but the memories of the grand opening here in Abbeville will not be forgotten.”

Most people profess a desire for success and happiness. Surprisingly, it’s not uncommon for someone to sabotage their own chances for success. This usually happens subconsciously and the person is probably not even aware of it.
There are numerous reasons for this, all of which are correctable. Striving for success entails venturing out from your comfort zone. It may mean working for a promotion, going back to school, changing jobs, starting your own business, making new friends, finding the right romantic relationship, or any one of a virtually endless array of possibilities.
Regardless of how an individual defines success, they have the potential to undermine it if they are not careful. Working towards success involves a perceived risk of failure. This being the case, someone can sabotage their success through behavior that will enable them to justify why they didn’t succeed without having to admit failure.
Here are some examples. Ralph really wants to get a promotion at work. He is competent, reliable, and conscientious. His company routinely posts listings of available positions. Ralph watches the bulletin board for jobs he would like to move into.
Over the last several months, Ralph spotted three openings he was especially interested in. But he didn’t want to rush into things and apply until he was absolutely sure it was the right decision. So Ralph always waited several weeks before submitting his name.
Each time, he was too late and the job had already been filled. Each time Ralph had diminished his chances for success by procrastinating. In Ralph’s mind, he was doing everything he could to get promoted. But due to circumstances beyond his control, (someone else was selected) he couldn’t catch a break. From Ralph’s perspective, he had not failed.
Irene, in her early forty’s, wants to go back to college part time to complete her degree. It had been over twenty years since she was in school, and Irene was insecure about her ability. Each semester Irene found some “legitimate” reason not to take a class. She motivated herself by committing to start the following semester.
But each time something “unexpected” emerged, forcing Irene to once again postpone her plans. Just like Ralph, Irene sabotaged her chances for getting her degree in a manner that absolved her from blame. By never taking a class, she avoided having to face the unknown of how she would fare in school.
Jim has been divorced for about a year and wants to start dating. It had been over 15 years since he asked someone out. He’d always been shy and was afraid of being rejected. Jim spends all his free time doing things with his friends or by himself. He never became involved in any activities where he would have an opportunity to meet other singles.
Jim has also sabotaged his success. By avoiding any situation where he may fail, he eliminated any chance of success. Just like Irene and Ralph, Jim was able to justify his stagnation by pointing out how difficult it was to meet someone.
In all of the above examples, the people did not consciously or intentionally sabotage their success. Rather, they created reasons and excuses to justify not risking failure. We all have this tendency.
To avoid sabotaging your success, don’t make excuses to avoid reaching for your goals. Although it may be easier and more comfortable to eschew the unknown, the results are 100% predictable; nothing will be accomplished.
Every person who succeeded at attaining their goals had to first venture where the outcome was not guaranteed. You can accomplish virtually anything if you will simply take the first step.