Abbeville Meridional from Abbeville, Louisiana • 2

Join the Legal Scene by contacting your local sales representatives Jessica Meaux or Emeral Hebert at 337.893.4223 jessica.meaux@vermiliontoday.com emeral.hebert@vermiliontoday.com A directory for legal services that will run daily ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE FROM HOME Call 888-220-3921 www.CenturaOnline.com By Sandra Creswell Correspondent (See HISTORY Page 3) Be sure to visit Vermiliontoday.com to view more local and state stories Page 2 Abbeville Meridional Tuesday, March 19, 2013 For the City of Abbeville to retain its State Cleanest City title, citizens need to become aware of its litter problem and be part of the solution to keep Abbeville beautiful and litter free. To achieve this goal, the Mayor and City Council has proclaimed the week of March 18 through March 23 Cleanest City Awareness Week. The long range goal is to develop civic pride in our city and to continue city clean up on a year- round basis. Many civic and youth groups have partnered with Keep Abbeville Beautiful and the Abbeville Garden Club in preparation for the District Cleanest City Contest which will be held on April 2. Citizens are urged to do their part by picking up litter, mowing lawns, and removing weeds from around posts and sidewalks.

Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza (seated fourth from left) signed a proclamation Monday morning in honor of Clean City Awareness Week. Members of the Abbeville City Council, Keep Abbeville Beautiful and the Abbeville Garden Club gathered at city hall to kick off the week. Seated (left to right) in the rst row are Councilman Francis Touchet, Sandra Creswell, Todd Travasos, Mayor Mark Piazza, Councilman Wayne Landry, Councilman Brady Broussard and Councilman Francis Plaisance. Standing on the second row are (L-R) Janice McComber, Charlene Beckett, Liz Gremillion, Patsy Hebert, Sandra Marant, Richard Watkins and Charles Dill. Abbeville recognizes Clean City Awareness Week Nathan Abshire, the legendary accordion player was the eldest of six children born on June 27, 1913, near the town of Gueydan on the vast windswept prairies of Vermilion Parish.

Several members of his family played the accordion, including his mother and father. Nathan began playing the accordion at six years of age and played in public by eight. Nathan and the famous Iry Lejeune are credited with the surge of Cajun music after the Second World War. It was the Cajun music rebirth of preserving traditional Acadian French music. And it all began, according to UL Professor Barry Ancelet, after our military heroes from World War II began returning home.

returning war veterans wanted to hear the music they grew up hearing before the accordion was pushed aside and no longer featured on said Ancelet. Nathan was part of the greatest generation that ever was. After returning home from a stint in the army during the Second World War, he played regularly at the Avalon Club in Basile, his adopted hometown. In 1949, Nathan recorded his renowned Grove According to Ancelet, Nathan was like a note and tempo was delivered on time, every time. no wonder he was one of the rst Cajun musicians to play outside the state of Louisiana.

In 1976, Nathan Abshire performed with other well-known Cajun musicians at the Smithsonian Festival of American Folk life, which is the largest an- nual cultural event in Washington, DC. After an excellent performance, which was viewed by thousands followed by an outpouring of applause from the audience, something he and many other Cajun musicians experienced before, there were countless autograph seekers wanting autograph. Much to the dismay of the music fans, Nathan politely declined their requests. This left the impression that Nathan was arrogant or stuck- up. However, they were wrong.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Although Nathan was an excellent singer and music composer he never learned to read or write. Nathan sign his name if his life depended on it, which was not only frustrating for him, it was also humiliating. Nathan spoke Cajun French and struggled to speak English. At the time, Barry Ancelet was not yet a faculty member at USL; however, he was at the folk life festival as a presenter with the group from Louisiana.

Nathan informed Ancelet about the autograph requests. Within a matter of a few moments using stick gure letters Ancelet had Nathan signing his now famous trademark signature. From that moment on, was signature, including on all legal documents. Another unfortunate incident occurred while at the folklife fes- tival. One that was so disturbing to Nathan, he was ready to call it quits and return home.

Barry Ancelet was once again called to action. Nathan was uncertain as to which restroom door to open. Barry explained to Nathan that he should enter the restroom with the shortest name on the door. For instance, the door with instead of the longer word that read Nathan explained that he had once gone into a restroom with the shortest name on the door, but instead of the usual or on the door, the signs read and Despite the two unfortunate incidents, Mark much. I want my parents or anyone else, just From there, the idea of a huggable Jesus doll was born.

When her brother passed away on 33rd birthday Jan. 6, 2011, which is also known as The Epiphany this served as affirmation to create these wonderful dolls. Since July of 2012, Hugs from Heaven has been spreading comfort and good cheer to the surrounding community. So, when Julie saw the opportunity to help those affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy, she hesitate. Romero collected over $9,500 in donations and was able to use that money to cover the costs of 96 Mary dolls and 240 Jesus dolls.

was anxious yet patient in waiting to hear from St. Rose of Lima church telling me they were ready for me to send the Romero explains, I received an email telling me that I could send the shipment of The dolls were shipped on February 20 and contact, Pam Arsenault the Director of Parish Education, received them on the 26. Pam Arsenault is quoted in an email to Julie, dolls have arrived and they are magnificent! We are so excited to get them into the arms of the children who need hugs from heaven right now! God bless you for your generosity; please know that the community of St. Rose is grateful to God for your presence in our Arsenault will oversee the delivery of the dolls to the families. In addition, the Parish plans to distribute the remaining dolls to the children making their first communion this year.

For the First Communion Mass, the dolls will be placed in the pews awaiting hugs from their new owners. Over all, Romero has considered this experience to be a blessing. She reveals, was a great privilege and honor to send the dolls to the children and families in Newtown, Connecticut. I am indebted to the people who gave donations, because without them this have been possible. these dolls can help ease the pain of many children or at least one child with this tragic event, then I know this mission from God has By William Thibodeaux, History columnist Dolls From Page 1 to begin on April 8, the big story not in the news has been the budget and the possible cuts education and health care are about to take-on.

What has grabbed the headlines is Gov. plan to get rid of personal income tax. In the state budget year that ended June 30, the state collected $2.5 billion in personal income and $374 million in corporate franchise and income taxes. Sales tax collections stood at $2.6 billion. The money helps pay for hospitals, colleges and other public services.

At rst- ever Acadiana Press Club luncheon held in Lafayette at the South Louisiana Community College, the elimination of personal income tax was the main subject of ve area legislators who attended the luncheon. Vermilion Parish State Representative Simone Champagne along with Sen. Fred Mills (R-Parks) and Reps. Joel Robideaux (R-Lafayette), Terry Landry (D-Lafayette) and Vincent Pierre (D- Lafayette). If Jindal would do away with personal income tax, the consumer will have to pay more at the register to offset the loss of revenue from state personal income tax.

Consumers pay 4 percent sales tax now. If Jindal gets his wish, the consumer would pay around 5.6 percent. However, Louisiana currently exempts groceries, medicine, household utilities and gasoline from state sales tax. Robideaux said none of those exemptions would disappear. Eliminating personal income tax, Robideaux said, would not bring in extra revenue to the state.

If eliminating personal income tax is not going to reduce the state debt, then why do it? Blanco said a distraction from what the real problem is. think this whole (personal income) tax question is a big substitute to subdue the big things that are really going on (in the said Blanco. is very disturbing. It (removing personal sales tax debate) is making us forget what the real problem Blanco said legislatures should be worried about teachers who are quitting their profession at an alarming rate or state workers who have not gotten a pay raise in ve years. The legislature should be worried about people leaving the state for other jobs.

whole system is a slow she added. are going to wake up in a couple of years and it will be scorched dirt, and it will be very hard to put back Blanco From Page 1.