RSS Feed

According to Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Public Information Officer Eddie Langlinais, the Vermilion Municipal and Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force made the multiple arrests for narcotics related offenses within the parish.
Agents assisted the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol division with an investigation into a burglary in progress.
As a result of the swift response of patrol deputies, a suspect’s vehicle was identified and located. Upon stopping the vehicle, several items were observed being discarded from the vehicle, some of which were later determined to be suspected illegal narcotics. As a result of the investigation three subjects were identified and arrested and charged with the following:
• Drake Mouton, (W/M, DOB: 9-13-1991 of Kaplan), was charged with Possession of Schedule I, (Marijuana) and Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II, (Methamphetamine)
• Joshua Cessac, (W/M, DOB: 2-9-1978 of Abbeville), was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II, (Methamphetamine)
• Chad Mayers, (W/M, DOB: 2-16-1979 of Kaplan), was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II, (Methamphetamine).
• Agents conducted a traffic stop in the Mouton Cove Community that lead to the arrest of Kevin J. Guidry, (W/M, DOB: 8-14-1962 of Abbeville) Guidry was arrested and charged with the following:
• Possession of Schedule II, (Methamphetamine)
• Possession of a Firearm in the Presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Agents conducted an Investigation that led to the Arrest of Steven Rizzuto, (W/M, DOB: 9-4-1985 of Abbeville). Rizzuto was charged with the following:
• Possession of Schedule II, (Methamphetamine),
• Possession of Schedule IV
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Possession of Schedule I, (Marijuana)
Agents conducted a search warrant in Kaplan after a lengthy investigation into the sale of narcotics from the residence.
Upon execution, Agents located Brandi Simon, (W/F, DOB: 7-26-1979 of Kaplan). A thorough search of the residence yielded a large amount of suspected illegal narcotics. Simon was arrested and charged with the following:
• Possession with Intent to Distribute Schedule II, (Methamphetamine)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Transactions Involving Drug Proceeds
• Possession of a Legend Drug
• Possession of Schedule III, (Suboxone)
• Possession of Schedule I, (Marijuana)
Agents conducted an investigation into the suspected sale and use of illegal narcotics from a residence inside the city limits of Abbeville. As a result of the investigation multiple people were arrested and charged.
• Michael Vincent, (W/M, DOB: 3-24-1958 of Abbeville) was charged with Possession of Schedule II, (Methamphetamine) and Possession of Schedule I, (Marijuana)
• Jhad Davis, (B/M, DOB: 10-31-1983 of Abbeville) was charged with Possession of Schedule II, (Methamphetamine) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Sheriff Couvillon would like to thank the Mayors, and their council, of Abbeville, Gueydan, Kaplan, Maurice, Delcambre and Erath, 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. Citizens can also report crimes by calling the Crime Stoppers of Vermilion Tips line at 740-TIPS (8477) or download and logon to the P3 app on your mobile device to report your tips anonymously, where you can earn a cash reward.
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.

The independent audit of Vermilion Parish Police Jury finances for the year ending Dec. 31, 2021, was largely positive, Rob Carter of accounting firm Kolder, Slaven & Co. told the police jury’s finance committee Wednesday evening.
“All three reports in your case were very good reports this year,” Carter said.
The independent auditor’s report was unmodified, or unqualified, he said.
“Unmodified is the best opinion you can get on your audited financial statements, so the readers of your financial statements will be comfortable that the data that they’re looking at is comparable to other parish governments, municipalities, etc., and they can get good, sound financial data by reading these financial statements," Carter said. “So that is a good independent auditors report.”
The report on internal controls and compliance also was positive, with the findings dwindling down to one item, Carter said.
The auditors looked at the general fund and the consolidated funds, with the general fund revenues exceeding expenses for the first time in recent years.
“Most of that is grant related, but it is a positive trend because for many years you guys saw a lot of negatives for that general fund,” Carter said. “So last year you were able to get it to a positive, a difference of about $195,000 surplus this year. The increase from ’20 to ’21 is pretty much grant related. You have your FEMA moneys that were in here, you have RESTORE Act, you have some Shoreline stuff that was going on. So everything was easily explained, but again, it’s a positive this year, so that’s a plus in your general fund for this year.”
Public works spending was a little higher percentage of the general fund spending than usual because of grant money that came in, he said.
“Your public works is about 27 percent, up from 18 percent the prior year, so the expenses pretty much mirror what we would expect based on how the revenues came in, so nothing out of the ordinary there,” Carter said.
One thing the auditors would like to see is for the general fund to have 90 to 120 days of operating expenses available.
“In your case you have cash available about 81 days and fund balance about 79 days, so you’re close, but you’re not there,” Carter said. “You would like it to be 90 days or 120 days.”
Lafourche Parish ran into issues this year after having to reassess and operate without ad valorem taxes collected for a full year.
“That’s why that reserve, especially on the coast, you might want to look at that a bit closer,” Carter said. “But again, not a lot of negatives this year. The numbers look a lot better than they have historically.”
The committee praised the parish staff for its good work and voted to accept the findings.

Folks along the way were “astounded” in the fall of 1902, when the first car was delivered from the railroad stop in New Iberia to its buyer in Abbeville.
R. S. McMahon and W. E. Satterfield made what the New Iberia Enterprise described as a “novel trip, which took them an hour and fifty minutes, “allowing ten minutes for oiling in Erath.”
The newspaper said it was “the first trip ever made to that thriving town in an auto and the gentlemen are the pioneers of this wonderful method of locomotion.”
People along the route “were completely astounded, and their surprise and consternation in some instances was shown in the most ludicrous manner,” according to the Enterprise.
The Abbeville Meridional of that week noted “to Dr. F. F. Young belongs the credit of bringing to Abbeville the first automobile ever seen here. It arrived Wednesday evening and operated very nicely.”
Country doctors like Young who had far-flung practices seemed to be among the first to take advantage of the new technology in several places — probably for the convenience, but also because they were among the few who could afford a car. For some of them it required a leap of faith that they could learn to run it once they got the machine.
Dr. Guy Shaw brought the first automobile to Loreauville, also in 1902. According to a long-told story, when the car was unloaded from the train there. Dr. Shaw sat down behind the wheel, read the directions on how to drive it, then had a friend run ahead of him to clear the way as he steered home.
Clearing the way became a point of contention as the number of cars grew. The Alexandria Town Talk reported after the first car got there that “how our horses will like the new visitor is a subject much discussed. Some think that when the auto comes steaming down the street at a speed surprisingly rapid that horses will climb the trees or anything else at hand to get out of the way.”
They didn’t always do that. The Welsh newspaper reported in 1909 that its “first serious Auto accident” was caused by a man who deliberately pulled his horse-drawn buggy into the path of a car, forcing the driver to take to the ditch.
By 1910 they had become nuisance enough that towns across south Louisiana were adopting laws to slow down cars traveling at “dust-raising speeds,” besides drawing general ire.
Everybody paid to maintain the streets and roads, the Opelousas Clarion complained in 1910, but “the streets and highways today are practically monopolized by … owners and operators of automobiles … Horse-drawn vehicles, the only kind that can be generally afforded by the average citizen, are practically banished from … streets, and are frightened from the main highways.”
Something, the newspaper said, had to be done.
The ordinance adopted in Crowley was typical. It made it “unlawful to drive an automobile on a public road at a speed exceeding twenty miles an hour,” required that “when a car is within a distance of three hundred feet of any vehicle to which is hitched any domestic animal a rate of four miles an hour must be observed,” and that “when an animal hitched to a vehicle becomes frightened … the machine must be stopped for a full period of three minutes.”
Laws like that were the first attempts in many towns to try to regulate cars, and also the beginning of a long-standing habit of drivers generally ignoring them.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Words are powerful. They have the ability to evoke any human emotion. Words can start, or end fights. They can make you a friend, or create an enemy. You are judged by the words you use. Use the wrong words and you risk being misunderstood. If the words you choose aren’t clear, no one will know what you’re talking about. We all know the frustration of interacting with people who can’t convey a cogent thought, regardless of how much they say or write.
Words are the essence of human interaction. They are used for teaching and learning. The ability to clearly communicate your thoughts is priceless. Not being able to explain yourself is frustrating. Shouting or yelling is never a replacement for using the appropriate words.
Words once used can’t be recalled. Everyone has their own examples where they regretted the words they used. Thinking before speaking always works in your favor. Attempting to communicate when you are angry, upset, resentful, or are experiencing any other negative emotion doesn’t improve a situation.
Whatever you put in writing, email, text, social media, or voicemail is a permanent record of your words. Anything you say which is mean, disparaging, or negative will never be forgotten. You want to use words you will be proud of and never regret.
When emotionally stressed, allow enough time to cool off before figuring out how to respond. Don’t communicate in any way until you are calm enough to think logically. If you need to let off steam, write down your feelings but don’t send it to anyone.
Before deciding what words to use, determine what result you are looking to achieve. Ideally, you should be striving to improve a situation rather than degrade it. If you are addressing a problem, your words should be solution oriented.
When faced with conflict, the goal is to deescalate and resolve the situation. Don’t make accusations or tell the other person what they should do. Talk about how the situation affects you and ask, “What do you think would be a good way to resolve this?”
Since the words you use make such a difference, it makes sense to select them carefully. The time spent thinking before speaking or writing is well worth it. If you are dealing with a problem, focus on solutions. If you are faced with a behavior issue, use encouraging words which lead to corrective action.
Use words that guide rather than dictate. Ask instead of demand. Questions are a gentle approach to guiding a conversation. Making statements causes people to become defensive and shut down.
Use words which are considerate. Please, thank you, and I really appreciate it, create a positive energy which encourages reciprocity. People love to be acknowledged. Someone who feels appreciated is a lot more pleasant than a person who feels ignored.
The words you use when speaking to yourself are just as important as the words you use when communicating with another person. You mind believes whatever you tell it. If you tell yourself all that is possible, you program your mind accordingly. Conversely, when you tell yourself what you can’t or won’t do, your mind restricts your actions.
There are numerous opportunities each day to practice using words that have a positive impact. Thank the person who holds open a door for you. Encourage a friend or family member to pursue their goals. Say hello to the person in line behind you in a store. Call a friend to say hello and see how they are doing.
Pay attention to the words you use. If you are not getting the desired results, change what you are saying or writing. With practice, picking the right words becomes automatic.