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According to PIO and Narcotics Task Force Commander Drew David, the Vermilion Municipal and Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force made the following arrests for narcotics related offenses within the parish.
On Jan. 19, agents with the narcotics task force along with officers with the Abbeville Police Department executed a search warrant at 1101 Greene Street in Abbeville. Upon a search of the residence agents located a large amount of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a 9mm pistol, an AK 47, crack cocaine and a large amount of US Currency.
Agents arrested two juvenile subjects ages 16 and 17. The 17-year-old was charged with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and proceeds involved in drug transactions, while the 16 year old was charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
More arrests are expected in this case after further investigation.
Sheriff Couvillon would like to thank the Mayors, and their council, of Abbeville, Gueydan, Maurice, Erath, and Kaplan 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.
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.

Boy, have things changed since Dale Stelly was the president of the Vermilion Parish School Board.
In 1981, he became the second-youngest school board member ever elected in Lousiana. He was only 26 years old.
In 1985, at the young age of 30, he was named the School Board president.
What was happening that year?
•Pecan Island, Meaux, Maurice, Indian Bayou and Henry still had high schools in their communities.
•Ronald Reagan was the United States president, and interest rates for a home loan were 10.75 percent.
• The popular movie in 1985 was “Back to the Future,” and an all-star group of musicians recorded the song, “We are the World.”
• The AIDS virus was on everyone’s mind at that time.
Exactly 36 years later, Stelly is again the new school board president.
The School Board elected Stelly by a vote of 7-0 as the new president. Dr. David Dupuis is the vice president of the school board.
Things have changed since Stelly’s last term as the president.
• There are no longer high schools in Meaux, Maurice, Henry, Indian Bayou and Pecan Island.
• Interest rates for home loans are only 2.75 percent and the COVID-19 Virus is on everyone’s minds.
Stelly, who is 66 years old, said the most significant challenge he and the board are facing is educating the students through the pandemic.
“I am hoping the vaccine works and we can get past this pandemic so that things can get back to normal,” Stelly said after the meeting. “It will be a tough year because of COVID and having to spend money to repair buildings.”
The school board approved taking the figure of up to $30 million as a line credit based on the bond commission. The school board can borrow as much as $30 million to repair school buildings damaged by two hurricanes this school year.
Superintendent Tommy Byler informed the board members that it is still too early to lock down a price on how much damage to some buildings suffered this past hurricane season. Byler is still waiting on estimated repair costs from architects.
“We are shooting for a $30 million line of credit, but we do not need to borrow that much,” Byler said. “We want our line of credit to be high.”
Byler said the school board needs to borrow money now because it needs to repair the building as soon as possible.
It could take FEMA four years to pay the school board the money to repair the buildings. The school board does not have an extra $30 million lying around to pay for the repairs.
Byler said FEMA would eventually pay the school board back once the repair projects are completed. When FEMA reimburses the school board, the school board will pay back the money it borrowed with FEMA’s money, Byler explained.

Gene Richard Landry, 83 years old, of Milton, Florida, passed away peacefully at his residence, surrounded by his family, on Friday, January 15, 2021.
Gene, also known as “Richard” to some, was from Abbeville, Louisiana, was a graduate of Mt. Carmel High School and a retired Master Chief in the U.S. Navy. After his Naval service he had a career in the oilfield industry working for UniCal where he also retired.
Richard is preceded in death by his sister, Laura L. LaPlace; his son, Mark Landry; his sister, Seva Landry; his brother, Joseph P. Landry; and his parents, Marie Belanger Landry and Sulie Landry.
Richard is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Sharon Landry, of Milton, Florida; a sister, Velma M. Landry, of Abbeville, Louisiana; a son, David Landry, of Foley, Alabama; a daughter, Christine (Robert) Zube, of Pace, Florida; a daughter, Jennifer (Brady) Choate, of Lafayette, Louisiana; and his grandchildren, Alaina, Erika, Racheal, Mark Jr., Katelyn, Courtney, Robert, Richard, Marie.
Services will be announced at a later date. Richard will then be laid to rest in Barrancas National Cemetery at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. This webpage and facebook post will be updated when service arrangements have been settled. Lewis Funeral Home of Milton has been entrusted with arrangements.
The family would like to thank the staff of Vitas Healthcare for their loving compassion and care given to their husband, father and grandfather during his illness.
The family requests, memorial donations may be made, in Richard's name, to Vitas Healthcare (1230 Creighton Road, Pensacola, FL 32504.)

Abbeville officials do not believe that every rental property in the city is going to end up with a pile of trash being left by the street when tenants move out.
However, members of the Abbeville City Council have seen and heard of enough situations where renters have haphazardly left piles of trash by the road, with the property owner not properly taking care of the situation.
In an effort to alleviate this problem, Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. suggested that if trash is not left by renters in an orderly fashion, the property owner would not be able to have utilities reconnected for the next tenant.
“It’s the responsibility of the landowner to make sure the renters are doing what they are supposed to be doing,” Touchet said. “We’re not going to turn on your utilities until this stuff is picked up. I guarantee you that they will make sure it is picked up.”
The Vermilion Parish Police Jury, not the city, handles trash pickup.
During Tuesday’s regular City Council meeting, members of the council heard from an Abbeville resident, Bonnie LeLeux, who said she is frustrated with this situation.
“Some land owners are renting to people who don’t care about the properties of others,” LeLeux said. “My property value will go down because of things like this.
“I have been here 40 years. I don’t want to move out of my subdivision.”
Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. said putting the onus on property owners is the key.
“They have a vested interest in this problem,” Broussard said.
Councilwoman Roslyn White said she has seen this issue.
“We do have a huge problem with some rental properties,” White said during the meeting. “There is a problem with lax landlords. It’s a crime to litter, so the responsibility lies ultimately on the one who put the litter there.
“Putting trash like that is littering, and it is a crime.”
White stressed that not all landlords are an issue.
“We do have good landlords,” White said.
For those who may be causing an issue for neighboring properties, Touchet moved to have City Attorney Ike Funderburk research something that could create accountability for rental property owners.
“We could hold people accountable,” Touchet said, “in reference to turning on and turning off city utilities. We would go to check that everything is in order, prior to utilities being turned on.”