RSS Feed

A man is fighting for his life in a Lafayette Hospital after being struck by a vehicle on Hwy. 14, near Tractor Supply Store in Abbeville.
According to Abbeville Police Chief Mike Hardy, a male was found unconscious in the middle of Hwy. 14 Tuesday at around 7 a.m.
A Sheriff’s patrol car was first on scene, followed by the Abbeville Police Department.
The man was rushed to Abbeville General and then flown to a Lafayette Hospital, where he had to have two surgeries because of head injuries.
Chief Hardy said he still does not know the name of the man who was hit because there was no identification located on him.
Chief Hardy planned to send an officer to the Lafayette Hospital to take fingerprints of the man, who is still unconscious as of Wednesday.
The Chief said someone in a white SUV may have hit the man. That SUV may also have a broken windshield because of the impact of the man hitting it, the Chief added.
If anyone may have seen the accident or knows the name of the man hit, they can call the Abbeville Police Department Tip Line at 337-892-6777 or Crime Stoppers 337-740-TIPS.

Vermilion Catholic remains first in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s latest Class A football poll after crushing Central Catholic 48-14 this past week, but defending Select Division IV state champion Ouachita Christian moved into a tie with the Screaming Eagles this week.
Each team had 148 points in the statewide poll of LSWA members, with VC (9-0) getting seven first-place votes and OCS (8-1) getting six first-place votes.
The Eagles remain the only Vermilion Parish team receiving votes in the polls.
None of the polls saw a new No. 1 team.
Edna Karr (8-0) remains the No. 1 team in the Class 5A poll.
In Class 4A, St. Thomas More (9-0) is No. 1 and Lafayette Christian (8-1) is No. 2 with Teurlings Catholic (6-2) ninth.
University Lab School (8-1) tops the 3A poll, while Calvary Baptist (9-0) is first and St. Charles Catholic (9-0) is second in the Class 2A poll.
Catholic High of New Iberia (7-2) is ranked No. 9 in the 2A poll.

LSWA Football Polls
Class 5A
School (1st) Rec Pts Pvs
1. Edna Karr (8) 8-0 149 1
2. Destrehan (4) 9-0 140 2
3. Zachary 8-0 126 3
4. Ruston (1) 9-0 123 4
5. John Curtis 6-2 90 6
6. Catholic-BR 6-2 77 7
7. Acadiana 7-2 75 9
8. Carencro 8-1 62 5
9. Captain Shreve 8-1 41 NR
10. West Monroe 8-1 40 NR

Others receiving votes: Holy Cross 33, Brother Martin 20, East St. John 13, Southside 13, Airline 12, St. Paul’s 9, Dutchtown 3.

Class 4A
School (1st) Rec Pts Pvs
1. St. Thomas More (12) 9-0 155 1
2. Lafayette Chr. (1) 8-1 143 2
3. Neville 8-1 128 3
4. North DeSoto 8-1 119 4
5. West Feliciana 8-1 91 T5
6. Archbishop Shaw 7-2 84 T5
7. Cecilia 8-1 76 7
8. Lutcher 6-2 63 9
9. Teurlings Catholic 6-2 48 10
10. Assumption 7-2 40 NR

Others receiving votes: Westgate 19, Opelousas 15, Warren Easton 14, Tioga 11, St. Michael 5, Evangel Christina 2, De La Salle 1.

Class 3A
School (1st) Rec Pts Pvs
1. University (9) 8-1 151 1
2. E.D. White (3) 9-0 142 2
3. St. James 8-1 129 3
4. Sterlington 8-1 119 4
5. Jena (1) 9-0 108 5
6. Parkview Baptist 8-1 87 6
7. John F. Kennedy 8-1 76 7
8. Wossman 8-1 69 10
9. Bunkie 8-1 27 NR
10. Madison Prep 6-3 25 NR

Others receiving votes: Union Parish 24, St. Louis 22, Iowa 21, Amite 10, Jennings 4, Pine 1.

Class 2A
School (1st) Rec Pts Pvs
1. Calvary Baptist (11) 9-0 154 1
2. St. Charles (2) 9-0 145 2
3. Newman 8-0 130 3
4. Oak Grove 7-2 115 4
5. Dunham 7-2 104 5
6. Notre Dame 6-3 82 6
7. Many 6-3 76 7
8. Episcopal-BR 7-2 68 8
9. Catholic-New Iberia 7-2 47 9
10. South Plaquemines 7-2 30 10

Others receiving votes: Pope John Paul 7, Ascension Episcopal 6, Northlake Christian 6, Loreauville 3, Houma Christian 1, Mangham 1, Mansfield 1, Oakdale 1.

Class A
School (1st) Rec Pts Pvs
1. VC (7) 9-0 148 1
(tie) Ouachita Chr. (6) 8-1 148 2
3. Southern Lab 7-1 129 3
4. Riverside Academy 8-1 108 5
5. Kentwood 7-2 102 4
6. Homer 6-2 84 6
7. Logansport 8-1 76 7
8. Haynesville 8-1 70 8
9. St. Martin’s 7-1 51 9
10. Ascension Catholic 7-2 39 NR

Others receiving votes: St. Mary’s 21, Glenbrook Academy 16, St. Frederick 8, Jeanerette 4, Opelousas Catholic 3.

Nov. 6 holds a special significance for General Robert J. LeBlanc as it marks his date of birth, his discharge from active service in WWII, and now his date of burial.
On Nov. 6, 2021, the LeBlanc family celebrated his 100th birthday with a party, during which he spoke of his discharge from active duty on his birthday 76 years prior.
Sadly, LeBlanc passed away Saturday at the age of 101, days before he would have turned 102. He died peacefully surrounded by his family at his home.
He was 101 years old and would have turned 102 on Nov. 6.
Funeral services will take place at Vincent Funeral Home in Abbeville, starting on Sunday. Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, November 6, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church.
Up until a couple of months ago, LeBlanc was able to walk and loved to visit his family, watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren play.
“It was a peaceful death,” said his daughter, Donna LeBlanc Thibodeaux. “He never complained. He slowly stopped breathing.”
LeBlanc graduated from Abbeville High School in 1938 and received a bachelor’s degree from LSU in 1942 in geology and mathmematics.
From 1943-1945, LeBlanc served as a liaison officer in the 3rd U.S. Army Headquarters, Special Operations between Gen. Patton’s Third U.S. Army and the French Underground. He also spent time with the VIII and XII Corps and the Fourth Army Division in France. In 1945, he was transferred to the China-Burma Theater, where he served as a special operations officer with an OSS detachment in Kunming, China.
Thibodeaux, one of the General’s daughters, mentioned in an Advocate article that during his training, her father was taught the differences between Cajun French and European French customs.
She added that he was surprised to learn that the French in Europe used utensils, such as forks and glasses, differently and had distinct eating habits and behavior.
After serving as a liaison officer between Gen. George Patton’s Third Army and the French Underground during the war, LeBlanc was transferred in 1945 to the China-Burma Theater, where he worked as a special operations officer with the OSS detachment.
Upon completing his active duty, LeBlanc returned to Abbeville, attended Southwest Photo Institute in Dallas, and after graduation, opened LeBlanc’s Studio.
After WWII, LeBlanc joined the LANG and organized H Company, 156th Infantry Regiment, 256th IBCT in Abbeville. He served as the deputy brigade commander of the 39th Infantry Division, then commanded 1st Brigade, 39th Infantry Division.
He later commanded the 256th Infantry Brigade and went on to become the commanding general of the Louisiana Army National Guard Command.
Thibodeaux said that as a young boy, her father held a door open for one of his teachers, who told him that he was going to do good things with his life.
“He has always just wanted to serve people,” she added. “He knew how to set a mission, execute it and be productive.”
In 1949, he became a rural carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, and in 1960, he was appointed Postmaster in Abbeville.
He rose through the postal ranks and by 1972, he was promoted to Sectional Center Manager, overseeing 93 post offices in Southwest Louisiana.
After Hurricane Audrey, he was asked to lead the operations of the Civil Defense Office to restore damages to Vermilion Parish.
He was appointed as the director of emergency operations in March of 1972 and assumed command of the Louisiana National Guard in May of the same year.
In 2007, he retired at the Operations of Emergency Personnel Director.
Becky Broussard worked under Gen. LeBlanc from 1997 to 2007. When he retired, Broussard was named the OEP Director from 2007 to 2020.
“He was a knowledgeable man,” said Broussard. “He loved to share is knowledge with everyone.”
Gen. LeBlanc also served on the board of commissioners of Abbeville General Hospital from 1986 until his passing.
He was married to Helen LaPlace, who passed away a few years ago.
They had three children, namely, the late Bobbie LeBlanc Tinker, Helen LeBlanc Zielger and Donna LeBlanc Thibodeaux.
In 2008, LeBlanc authored a book about his life titled “Another Acadian Citizen, Soldier, Public Servant.”
During the release of the book, those who knew Gen. Bob shared their views on the author.
“As the new mayor of Abbeville, I was able to observe his professional abilities as the OEP Director. The guidance and assistance given to us were undoubtedly expert,” said then-mayor Mark Piazza.
Former Secretary of the Vermilion Parish Mike Bertrand said, “He never ceases to amaze me with his energy, love of his job, and desires for community improvement.”
Before she passed away in an auto accident, his daughter, Bobbie Lane Ticker, said, “Daddy told us that when you were in school, you had 5 Rs instead of three: Reading, Riting, Rithmetic, Respect and Responsibility. You showed us the value of an education, but even greater, the value of people skills.”
He was inducted to LSU Cadets of the Old War School Hall of Honor in November 2000 and the Order of Living Legends by the Acadian Museum of Erath in October 2001. He was also inducted into the LANG Hall of Fame in March, 2006.
Here are some of the awards that Gen. LeBlanc received during his military career:
Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three stars, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with one star, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Louisiana War Cross, Louisiana Longevity Medal, and France’s Legion of Honor for his war service in France and the Congressional Gold Medal.

The share of Americans identifying as Independent has never been higher, but beneath that reluctance to identity with either major party is growing distaste for the Biden Administration’s destructive agenda.
A portion of the public has always chosen to identify as Independent, but that number is rising, and the data reveals Independents are much more likely to lean Conservative or Moderate than liberal, which poses a huge threat to Biden’s reelection prospects.
Polls show Independents could swing nearly twenty percentage-points to the right in 2024 compared to 2020 if the Democratic Party continues on this unsustainable course, with crime, inflation, and foreign policy being key concerns for Independent voters.
According to a recent Gallup poll, the share of Americans identifying as Independent is the largest in modern history and significantly outnumbers those identifying as Republican or Democrat.
Polling conducted in September shows 41% of Americans identify as Independent, compared to just 28% who identify as Republican and the same number who identify as Democrat. Typically, Democrats and those who lean Democrat outnumber Republicans and leaners by a few percentage-points, but that advantage has disappeared.
Independents represented a quarter of voters in the 2020 election and were crucial to Biden’s election as he won them by thirteen percentage points, 54% to 41%. However, new recent polls show at the same time as a record number of Americans are identifying as Independent, Independent voters are deserting the Democratic Party.
YouGov polling in a two-way race between Trump and Biden shows Trump winning Independents by 6-percentage points, 33% to 27%, after losing Independents by 13-percentage points in 2020. This represents a 19-percentage point swing in favor of the GOP candidate in three years.
Biden’s disapproval rating among Independents has climbed to 63%, with just 31% approving of his job as president. Nearly 40% of those who disapprove of Biden do so strongly.
While about a fifth of Independents (18%) identify as Liberal, a greater share (25%) say they are Conservative and the greatest number (49%) identify as Moderates according to Suffolk University polling data.
The driving forces behind Independent voters turning against Democrats are crime in our cities, our unsustainable taxes and government spending, and globalist foreign policy. Independent voters may not be aligned with the GOP on all of these metrics, but they are strongly signaling their distaste for the Biden Administration’s approach to rampant crime, out-of-control spending, rising inflation, and inept foreign meddling.
Biden’s disapproval rate among Independents is the absolute highest on crime and on inflation, with Independents disapproving of Biden’s handling of crime by 32-percentage points, 56% to 24% and his handling of inflation by 32-percent, 59% to 27%.
Independents are also particularly concerned about our nation’s rampant spending and crippling tax rates. Independents disapprove of the Biden Administration on taxes and spending by 30 percentage points, 58% 28%.
Economic issues are a glaring factor for Independents as well, with Independents disapproving of Biden’s handling of the economy by 17 percentage points, 51% to 34%. A full 61% of Independents say the U.S. is in either a recession (35%) or a period of stagnation (26%). This number is nearly equal to the share of Republicans (64%) who say the same thing, while far fewer (42%) of Democrats say the economy is in a recession or stagnation. The bottom line is Independents reject Bidenomics, even as Biden embraces it like a lead life preserver.
Independents also strongly disapprove of Biden’s handling of foreign policy, disapproving of the Biden Administration’s approach to foreign affairs by 21 percentage points, 52% to 31%.
Even on issues like gun control and climate change, Independents are far from satisfied with the Biden Administration’s radical agenda. Independents disapprove of Biden’s assault on the Second Amendment by 25-percentage points, 51% 26% and disapprove of Biden’s climate change agenda by 15-percenatge points, 45% to 30%.
More Americans than ever are identifying as Independents, but if we look beyond that reluctance to identify with either major party, the vast majority disapprove of the direction the Biden Administration is taking the country.
This represents a massive opportunity for conservatives to make their case for America First approaches to issues like crime, inflation, and foreign affairs, as well as the Second Amendment and climate issues. There are certainly far-left progressives who identify as Independent as well, but a majority of Independent voters identify as moderates and conservatives and are troubled by the direction of the country under Biden.

Bill Wilson is the former president of Americans for Limited Government.