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Jerome Puyau

Puyau’s attorney sends letter to all 8 school board members

Click on PDF at bottom to read entire letter

On Wednesday, Superintendent Jerome Puyau’s attorney Lane Roy sent a letter to all eight school board members offering them some legal advice for free.
The letter was e-mailed to each board member at around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and it will also be sent to them by certified mail.
The Meridional obtained a copy of the four-page letter and printed parts of it. You can read the entire letter on the Vermiliontoday.com website.
Roy wrote, “First, let me say that I have known of the situation in Vermilion Parish for some months now. I have followed the actions of the Board, and it has become crystal clear to me that the Board, for whatever reason it has or does not have, is intent on terminating the services of Superintendent Puyau. I remind that the Board represents the public and not its own ideas in any way. It is mandated to do what is best for the public, and again, not necessarily what a particular board member may personally want to do.”
Roy made reference to the school board thinking about letting Puyau attend high school football games in the parish. The school board, after putting him on paid leave, banned Puyau from walking onto the grounds of school board property. Puyau has a daughter who is an Erath High Extreme Dance Team member.
Roy said in his letter, “It is incredible that the Board would even consider this, because it is clearly, in my judgment, illegal. The properties involved are public properties and any member of the public, as long as he is conducting himself in a reasonable fashion, is allowed on public property. That would include even the School Board offices. Lottie Beebe, at my suggestion, continued to go to the School Board office even after she was directed not to do so by the Board. She had every right to do so. Superintendent Puyau does here and clearly, any attempt at restricting him from public property, including football games at local schools, would be a direct violation of the law and would be, in my judgment, something again that would allow Superintendent Puyau to take action against members personally.”
Roy also advised the board members to move forward and make the education system in the parish the best it can be.
“All of this is something which leaves aside the most important issue that is involved herein, and that is providing our children and grandchildren, our neighbors and friends, with appropriate public education in Vermilion Parish. All that is going on between the Superintendent and the Board, at the behest of certain Board members, take the emphasis off of the most important function of the Board and the most important duty of the Superintendent. We have got to get back to that and move forward. If the Board decides that it does not want Superintendent Puyau any longer, it should negotiate with him to do something about his staying on or simply wait for his term to end and get a different superintendent.”
Roy ends the letter by asking the school board members if the action of the school board is in the best interest of the school system in Vermilion Parish.
“I am confident that they are. If you fail to comply with the law in this matter, I assure you that there will be litigation over the matter and that the System and each of you will be damaged as a result of having to participate in such litigation, and give testimony under oath about what has taken place that led to the current turmoil.
All of the above is something that we hope to avoid, but rest assured that if the Board continues in its present course, litigation, by whatever means necessary and wherever necessary, will be the result,” he concluded.

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Ryan Adam Davidson

September 25, 1980 ~ September 18, 2018

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, September 21, 2018 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Ryan Adam Davidson, 37, who died Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at Rapides Regional Medical Center. Rev. Pres Riley will officiate the service.
Ryan was a free spirit who enjoyed dancing, drag racing, and body building. Above all he was a loving and devoted father, son and friend who will be dearly missed by all.
Ryan is survived by his son, Ryan A. Davidson, Jr. of Hammond; parents, Marilyn and Terry Davidson; one brother, Ross Davidson of Abbeville; and godparents, Jim and Jackie Davidson.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Adam and Bernice Davidson; maternal grandparents, James and Jeanny Choate; and godmother, Shannon Redwing.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Friday, September 21, 2018 from 9:00 AM until time of service.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

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Mary Margaret Foreman Clark

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00PM on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church for Mrs. Mary Margaret Foreman Clark, 84, who passed away on September 17, 2018 at 12:55PM at her daughter's residence surrounded by her loving family.
Fr. Paul Bienvenu, Pastor of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, will be Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the funeral service with musical accompaniment by Tammy Maturin. Reading from scripture will be Melana Power and Ashley Clark. Giftbearers will be Hali Reaux, Kaitlyn Ryder and Ann-Marie Lange.
Burial will take place in the St. Alphonsus Mausoleum.
Mrs. Mary, a former lifelong resident of Maurice, recently residing in Henry, was the daughter of the late Minos Foreman and the former Edia Abshire. She was the co-owner and operator of Dewey Clarks Grocery for 13 years working alongside her beloved husband Dewey. Ms. Mary enjoyed her weekly card game, playing Bingo and trips to the casino. Her great loves in life were dancing and caring for her grandchildren.
She is survived by her children, Ray Clark and wife Julia of Abbeville, Ricky Clark and wife Phyllis of Maurice, Jacqueline Lange and husband Kerry of Henry, Tammie Domingue and husband Tommy of Erath; grandchildren, Chad and Dana Clark of Maurice, Tim Clark of Cankton, Aaron Clark of Maurice, Ashley and Amber Clark of Maurice, Casey Lange of Abbeville, Ty Lange of Henry, Canen Ryder of Maurice, Jacob Domingue of Maurice, Hali Reaux of Erath; 20 great grandchildren; 1 great great granddaughter; brothers, Clifford Foreman and wife Bonnie of Judice; "T-Black" Foreman and wife "Meon" of Maurice, Elwood Foreman and wife Cindy of Abbeville; daughter-in-law, Debbie Clark of Maurice; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dewey Clark; parents, Minos and Edia Foreman; son, Sherman Clark; and 3 brothers, Eldes "Popeye" Foreman, Shelton Foreman and Leewood Foreman.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Maurice on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 from 5:00PM to 9:00PM. A Rosary will be recited by Deacon Tim Marcantel at 7:00PM on Tuesday evening in the funeral home. Visiting hours will continue Wednesday from 8:00AM until the time of service.
Pallbearers will be Chad Clark, Casey Lange, Ty Lange, Canen Ryder, Jacob Domingue and Tim Clark. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ricky and Ray Clark, Aaron Clark and Derrick Clark, Kerry Lange and Tommy Domingue.
The family would like to thank Community Hospice Care for their wonderful care and the family and friends of Mrs. Clark for all of their help, love, and support.
Personal condolences may be sent to the Clark family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 200 Chief H. Fred Road, Maurice, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

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Power to be shut off Wednesday in Erath for repairs

ERATH — The Town of Erath will be without power early Wednesday.
Mayor John Earl LeBlanc announced Monday afternoon that power will be shut off from midnight on Wednesday until 4 a.m.
This will allow crews from Entergy to make repairs.

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Coy Frederick and Emily Soirez

Couple to unite in marriage

Jimmy and Charlene Soirez of Erath are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Emily Renee’, to Coy Jacob Frederick. He is the son of Jackie-Cornez-DeRouen of Abbeville and Eric Frederick of Abbeville.
The wedding will take place Saturday, December 15, 2018, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Erath.
Grandparents of the future bride are Alice Domingue and the late Eugene Domingue and Gloria Soirez-Broussard and the late Daniel Soirez, all of Erath.
Emily is a 2011 graduate of Erath High School and a 2015 UL Lafayette graduate with a Bachelors of Science degree in Secondary Social Studies Education. She is employed at Delcambre High School.
Grandparents of the prospective groom are Virgil and Georgette Vice of Abbeville.
Coy is a 2011 graduate of Erath High School and a 2016 graduate of UL Lafayette with a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Technology. He is employed by Baker Hughes.

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Hunter Luquette and Taylor Trahan

Taylor Trahan - Hunter Luquette engaged

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Trahan of Kaplan and Mr. and Mrs. Keith Luquette of Abbeville, are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their children, Taylor Marie Trahan and Hunter Luquette.
The wedding will take place on Friday, November 16, 2018, during a 6:30 p.m. Mass at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church in Kaplan.
Paternal grandparents of the future bride are Dexter and Nancy Trahan of Kaplan and the maternal grandparents are the late Jake Breaux and the late Aline Breaux of Gueydan.
Taylor is a 2012 graduate of North Vermilion High School and a 2017 graduate of UL Lafayette with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies. She is a sixth grade English Language Arts teacher at J. H. Williams Middle School in Abbeville.
Paternal grandparents of the prospective groom are the late Edward Sing Luquette and the late Evelyn Joan Luquette of Abbeville. Maternal grandparents are the late Paul Harvey Broussard and the late Lorraine Broussard of Forked Island, La.
Hunter is a 2011 graduate of Vermilion Catholic High School. He is a rice, soybean and crawfish farmer throughout south Vermilion Parish.

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Sterling Adam Mayard

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Jules Catholic Church for Sterling Adam Mayard, 96, who passed away on Friday, September 14, 2018 at his residence in Lafayette surrounded by his family. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park. Father Dan Edwards, Pastor of St. Jules Catholic Church, will be the celebrant.
Visitation will be Tuesday, September 18, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. until time of services at Delhomme Funeral Home on Bertrand Drive, with a rosary being prayed at 12:00 p.m.
Sterling was a World War II veteran, serving in the United States Marine Corps, and a recipient of The Purple Heart, having been wounded in the aftermath of the bombing at Pearl Harbor.
Sterling is survived by his sons, John (Dahleen), Charles (Gretchen), James (Karen), and Thomas (Carrie), his daughters, Marianne Mayard, Felice (Philip) LaShute, Catherine (Kevin) Bernard, and Marcelle (Mark) Matthews, his sister, Beverly Sellers of Bayou Vista, 25 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Daisy Broussard Mayard; his parents, Oneziphore and Alida Mayard; his brothers, Fred, Gilbert, Minos, Lennis and Joseph Mayard; his sister, Mae Guidry; one daughter, Gwen Bazar and one grandson, Ritchie Bazar.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Devoted Hands, Hospice of Acadiana, and Ms. Sybil Hollier for their care and compassion in his time of need.
Personal condolences may be sent to the Mayard family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

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Steve Gardes

Fiscal priorities: Teachers and Medicaid fraud

The Edwards Administration has just released reports stating that public school teacher pay hikes are their top priority for 2019, and that Governor John Bel Edwards plans to recommend an election year salary increase of $1,000 per year (costing the state $50 million annually). However, when you follow the money you see that this teacher pay hike is a drop in the bucket compared to the increased spending on Medicaid. With that being said, what should Louisiana’s fiscal priorities be?
Louisiana has about 50,000 teachers who were paid an average of $49,800 last year, which is $1,850 below the Regional average and $8,300 below the U.S. average teacher pay. There are rising demands nationally to boost teacher pay, and there were teacher strikes last year in Oklahoma, Arizona, and West Virginia. A recent Louisiana Teachers Union survey indicated that 60% of their members were ready to strike if they did not get a significant pay raise. The last year Louisiana teachers received a raise was in 2013, and the last time they received the regional average pay was in 2007. House Education Committee Chairwoman Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, is backing a $1,850 pay raise this year if it could be done without raising taxes; this will cost the state $105 million per year. Can we find $105 million of savings?
Louisiana’s largest expenditures are on Medicaid, which have doubled by a breathtaking $1.6 billion since 2007 to $3.3 billion per year. Governor Edwards elected to expand Medicaid in 2016, and now one-third of the state’s population (i.e. voters) are on Medicaid. Medicaid costs are projected to increase another $1.5 billion per year by 2026, which is fiscal insanity. It is clear that Medicaid expansion is Louisiana’s top priority today. Should it be?
Our state legislative auditor identified numerous cases of Medicaid fraud that could easily be costing Louisiana $500 million per year, and along with our state attorney general, helped draft proposed legislation this year that would make it easier to attack Medicaid Recipient Fraud (which is illegal). Shockingly, legislative actions by the Governor and Senate Democrats killed these bills in Committee. Why – too many votes?
U.S. Senator John Kennedy, R-La., was recently quoted to say, “even if we stop just a fraction of the fraud- - we’d save the state between $150 million to $200 million per year. We wouldn’t have to worry so much about how to pay our hard-working teachers.”
Speaking of “hard working teachers”, we also need to recognize what is taking place in our classrooms today as a result of government welfare programs that have destroyed the disadvantaged family unit over the last 50 years. With the decimation of the family unit and the removal of God from our schools has come the erosion of moral values, social chaos in our disadvantaged neighborhoods, and now even 8,000 expulsions of pre-K thru 3rd grade Louisiana students as there is no respect for authority. It may take another 50 years to restore the disadvantaged family unit (assuming America does not implode first), and in the interim our classrooms may be our last line of defense as we will come to rely on teachers (and Policemen) to give these disadvantage children the behavioral standards not being taught in their homes.
Perhaps Louisiana’s priorities should be changed to instead focus on maximizing savings from Medicaid fraud prevention in order to pay for the behavioral education of our disadvantaged children. Requiring our teachers to also be “interim parents” is not presently in their job descriptions, nor in their compensation packages. Let’s use the $500 million of savings from attacking Medicaid fraud to give our teachers a $10,000 per year pay raise to teach this generation of disadvantaged children behavior standards – all without raising taxes. As Ronald Reagan’s warned us: “Freedom is never more than a generation from extinction.”

Steve Gardes is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) with over 40 years of public accounting experience.

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Abbeville's Tavion Menard rushed for a team-high 125 yards.

Abbevlle scores 50 points in win over Jeanerette

The Abbeville Wildcats needed to beat the Jeanerette Tigers on Friday.
The week before, the Wildcats committed 11 turnovers and were beaten badly by Church Point.
Abbeville head coach Kevin Kern could not afford to watch his team sink another week.
In the end, Abbeville scored 50 points after being down 14-0 in the first half. The Wildcats went on to win 50-20 against Jeanerette.
Abbeville had more than 400 yards of offense, including two running backs who rushed for more than 120 yards.
“We needed to win this game badly,” said Kern, whose Wildcats improved to 2-1 on the year. “I am proud of the way the kids played and came back after being down 14-0.”
The first quarter looked like it was going to be a long game for Abbeville.
The Tigers (1-2) took their opening drive and marched 60 yards and scored. The Wildcats took up shop on their on 38-yard line and were driving down field.
Then disaster struck when Abbeville fumbled 14 yards away from the end zone. A Jeanerette player picked up the football and ran it back 87 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, Abbeville trailed 14-0.
Abbeville did not panic. Instead, the Wildcats remained calm and took their next possession and marched 55 yards in eight plays. Deion Williams scored on a second-and-one from the 11-yard line.
Abbeville was down 14-8 after the first quarter.
The Wildcats tied the game on a Braeden Williams touchdown from the one-yard line with 4:25 to play in the second period. The extra point was no good, and the score was tied 14-14.
Jeanerette marched down field and retook the lead, 20-14, with 1:41 to play before halftime.
On the first play from scrimmage at the AHS 33 yard line, Tavion Menard showed off his speed and ran 33 yards for a touchdown with 1:18 to play. The Wildcats converted the two-point play for a 22-20 lead.
The Wildcats came out smoking in the second half and marched 60 yards and scored. Quarterback Jaidyn O’Brien scored from the one-yard line.
On the kickoff, Abbeville got creative and did a successful on-side kick. Five plays later, Abbeville was in the end zone and leading 35-20.
“We did a great job in the second half of keeping control of the ball,” said Kern.
Braeden Williams rushed for 122 yards on 11 carries and he scored two touchdowns.
Menard led with 125 yards on 11 carries. He scored two touchdowns.
Abbeville just missed having three rushers who ran for 100 yards. Deion Williams had 17 carries for 96 yards. The starters were pulled with four minutes to play in the game.
Jamal Hoffpauir scored a late TD with his only carry, a 12-yard run.
“Our offensive line played great,” said Kern. “They came off the ball well.”
Linebacker Chad Celestine led AHS with four tackles. Others with more than two tackles were Bobby Cooks, Braeden Williams, Connor Garrett and Christian Alvarez.

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