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This week Kathleen Minnick was honored by her piers in Las Vegas.
Minnick, 52, is the recipient of the 2022 Nevada Women in Politics award.
She was recognized as an Honoree at the Urban Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business and Politics award ceremony on this past Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The award highlights her contributions to Nevada’s political landscape by serving as a state appointed Commissioner for the Nevada Commission on Minority Affairs.
“I am honored and humbled to be recognized for my commitment to serve and to be of service in my role as a Nevada Commissioner,” said Minnick. “I owe my work ethic and discipline to my parents and siblings who taught me about the importance of doing your best and being your best. Also, my teachers and classmates at North Vermilion High School gave me the support and guidance that I needed to grow and develop into a future leader.
“I will always be grateful to my Abbeville community for giving me the courage and confidence to keep striving and thriving in my professional endeavors.”
During Kathleen’s second term as a Nevada Commissioner, she serves as the Co-Chair for Workforce Development and Housing subcommittees on behalf of the Commission on Minority Affairs. 
Minnick is involved with local and statewide initiatives for Nevada in her work with the city of Las Vegas Department of Economic and Urban Development, Clark county Department of Economic and Community Development, Nevada Department of Transportation, and the Nevada Department of Business and Industry to enhance Nevada’s economic, workforce, and business development infrastructure.
She is a magna cume laude graduate of Grambling State University.
Minnick is a graduate of North Vermilion high school and is the daughter of the late Lizzie Mae Como.
Her father, Alvin Minnick Sr., resides in Abbeville.

​On March 28, at approximately 12:30 p.m. officers of the Abbeville Police Department responded to a call of a shoplifting at Tractor Supply on Veteran’s Memorial Drive.
The complainant advised that several items, including a portable welding machine, had been stolen.
Officers began an investigation of the theft. Officers were able to determine two suspects, Michael Schexnider of Abbeville and Jered Broussard of Abbeville, entered Tractor Supply and stole numerous items. The suspects fled the area upon employees calling the Abbeville Police Department. Felony theft warrants were obtained for both subjects. Upon serving the warrants, officers were able to locate over $1,100 worth of stolen merchandise from Tractor Supply.
​Both suspects also had arrest warrants on unrelated events. Schexnider and Broussard were transported to the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.
Chief of Police William Spearman would like to thank the officers for a job well done. Chief Spearman would also like to thank the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office (Criminal Investigations Division and Vermilion Parish Metro Narcotics Task Force) and the Delcambre Police Department for their assistance.
​The Abbeville Police Department is asking that anyone who has any information regarding this or any crime, to please contact the Abbeville Police Department by calling 893-2511. You may contact our “Tips” line at 892-6777. All callers may remain anonymous. Citizens may also send anonymous tips through CrimeStoppers of Vermilion by calling 740-TIPS or the P3 app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

John Boudreaux, Chairman of the Hospital Board of Abbeville General, has announced the appointment of Michael Bertrand II, MS, MBA as Chief Executive Officer of Abbeville General. He will officially assume this role on May 2, 2022.
Mr. Bertrand has over 23 years of business management experience. He is an experienced executive with business operations and medical facility management. His diverse experience includes leadership roles and operational expertise.
His most recent position is Vice President of Operations at Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital since November 2020. Prior to that position, he was the Operating Room Operations Manager at the same facility from 2017-2020. He was the AVP/Executive Leader of the Neuroscience Center of Acadiana with Lafayette General Health from 2014-2016. From 2006 – 2014, Mr. Bertrand served as Administrator at New Iberia Surgery Center. He also worked as the Business Development Coordinator with Gulf States Health Services in Baton Rouge 2005-2006. Mr. Bertrand also served as First Sergeant in 2004-2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Louisiana Army National Guard in Abbeville.
Mr. Bertrand’s original employment included health positions, where he was an Exercise Physiologist, Director of Disabilities and Disease Management Program for Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette. Prior to that, he was the Employee Wellness Director at Abbeville General 1998-2000. 1n 1998, he worked as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist for Our Lady of Lourdes, Lafayette.
Mr. Bertrand’s Military Experience includes: United States Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX 2009. He is a retired First Sergeant in the Louisiana National Guard, where he was a member 1990-2010.
He earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, Lafayette, in 2012 and a Masters of Science in 1998 from Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe with a major in Exercise Physiology with emphasis in Cardiac Rehabilitation and a minor in Wellness. His Bachelor of Science Degree (1997) is also from Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe, with Exercise Science being his major.
His Activities and Honors include: Iberia Parish Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Bronze Star Medal Recipient, Louisiana Cross of Merit, President’s List, Dean’s List, Evangeline Little League Volunteer Coach, American Heart Association Walk-a-thon Volunteer, American Cancer Society Relay for Life Volunteer, and is a member of the Northeast Louisiana University Alumni Association.
Michael Bertrand was born and raised in Abbeville and is married to Nicole Bertrand. They have 2 children.
The Board of Commissioners at Abbeville General warmly welcome Michael Bertrand II back to Abbeville as their new CEO.

North Vermilion senior Emma Hebert is doing her part to make Hwy. 167 safer between Maurice and Abbeville.
Hebert is a 17-year-old North Vermilion student taking a dual enrollment English class from LSU.
She was also a best friend of NV senior Ramsie Baumgardner, who recently died in a car accident on Hwy. 167.
Hebert is writing a college English paper on why more lights need to be installed in hopes of preventing vehicle accidents. This paper requires that students make a claim, support it with credible evidence, and persuade their audience to take action. The final paper is due at the end of the month.
“I decided something needs to be done,” said Hebert. “I am writing my paper to state officials such as the head of Louisiana DOTD (Department of Transportation and Development), state representatives, and the state senate. I urge these individuals to realize how unsafe Highway 167 is and act so that tragedies like Ramsie’s do not occur again.”
In the introduction to her paper, Hebert names the four people killed on U.S. Hwy. 167 because of a head-on collision.
She names Alana Duhon and Sydney Colomb, North Vermilion students who died in a head-on collision in 2018.
Also mentioned is Brandon Isaac, who died in the Baumgardner head-on collision. Isaac was the driver of the car that hit Baumgardner head-on.
Her paper is titled: “Be the Light. Lighting Down on La. 167”
Here is part of her paper:
“Alana Duhon, 16. Sydney Colomb, 15. Brandon Isaac, 31. Ramsie Baumgardner, 18. Who are these people, you might ask? These are the names of individuals who were killed in head-on collisions on Louisiana Highway 167 in the past six years. Three of the four were students at my school, North Vermilion High School.
Alana Duhon was in her early sophomore year and had just gotten her driver’s license; she was overcome with excitement and couldn’t wait to drive.
Sydney Colomb was a freshman who had a large group of friends; she had her whole life ahead of her.
Brandon Isaac’s six-year-old daughter, Annelise, was left without a father; her dad won’t be there to guide her through life or walk her down the aisle at her wedding.
Ramsie Baumgardner was my best friend. She had turned 18 ten days before her death. In just four months, she was going to cross the stage at graduation and receive her high school diploma. Ramsie had plans to move to Orange Beach; she wanted to live life soaking up the sun and feeling her toes in the sand.
With a long and full life ahead of them, all of these people were gone in a moment due to an unsafe roadway, Highway 167. The lack of lighting and signage on this roadway makes it perilous, and Louisiana officials must take action to prevent head-on collisions. Although this won’t bring her back, help me make this Ramsie’s legacy.
Hebert set up a survey online asking about how safe is Hwy. 167 between Maurice and Abbeville. Thus far, 1,122 people have taken her survey. Here is the link to the survey: https://forms.gle/KvJkBQUAGEqc8B7
Here are the questions being asked on the survey.
One question is the age bracket you fit in with a possible five different age brackets.
What city do you live in?
Do you feel safe driving down .167 during the day? If no, why not?
Do you feel safe driving down 167 at night? If no, why not?
Update on Police Jury about making Hwy. 167 safer.
Todd Vincent of Sellers and Associates gave the police jury what it would cost to have two J-turns installed at the intersections of La. 696 and La. 697. The cost would be $4.63 million to establish two J-turns at the intersections.
The police jury took no action on J-turns. Instead, the police jury agreed to wait on DOTD to complete a study on how to make Hwy. 167 safer. The DOTD study is expected to be completed at the end of April.