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Acorns of Hope, a group coordinated by Bob Thibodeaux, president of Bob's Tree Preservation, traveled to Abbeville Friday as part of their Tour de Trees campaign.

This was the second annual Tour de Trees event, whose goal is to plant 2,000 trees along the coast of Louisiana. Starting at Lake Charles, some 40 cycling arborists and tree-thusiasts from around the country and Toronto, Canada, made their way through Abbeville en route to Houma, La.

by Rachel Worthy

Wednesday morning, firefighters from around Vermilion Parish were called to the scene at 123 W. Edwards St. in Erath, with a fire in progress at Shoot’s Lounge. More than 50 residents gathered in the parking lot to witness one of their local establishments meet an unfortunate fate.

Erath Fire Chief Wayne Mouton said the cause of the fire is under investigation, but he heard from first responders that the fire started in the back part of the bar.

The Abbeville Police Department is warning the residents not to get too excited if out of the wild blue someone sends you a $5,000 check and wants you to cash it it in order to get $100,000.
Members of the department’s detective unit were at the Abbeville Kiwanis Club to warn everyone that check cashing scams are on the increase, especially around the holidays.
Detective Chris Hardy showed Kiwanis Club members company checks that were sent to unsuspecting residents with a letter attached to the check.

Hurricane damage in Louisiana can become a major problem when it damages necessary infrastructure such as traffic lights and signs. But it is an even bigger problem when children’s safety is in jeopardy.

One recent example is the ineffectiveness of two School Zone signs in front of Vermilion Catholic High and Mount Carmel Elementary. The two signs, one pointed toward traffic in the northbound lane, and one pointed toward traffic in the southbound lane of Park Avenue, have been out of order since Hurricane Gustav.

One Vermilion Parish Police Juror decided not to take a $400 pay raise that the Police Jury voted to give itself two months ago.
With the raise, a juror went from making $1,200 a month to $1,600 a month, which is the maximum a police juror can make in Louisiana. The president of the police jury, Gerald Butaud, is now making an extra $400 a month for being the president, plus the additional $400 a month raise.
Butaud now earns $2,000 a month as president of the jury. He went from making $14,400 a year to $24,000 a year.

MANAGED DEER HUNTS ON FORT POLK AND PEASON RIDGE W.M.A.S CANCELLED FOR NOV. 28-30

Due to military training, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries managed deer hunts on the Fort Polk and Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) for Nov. 28-30 have been cancelled.

All future hunting season dates and managed deer hunts will proceed as scheduled on these two WMAs. Please refer to the 2008-09 Louisiana Hunting Regulations pamphlet for further information on future hunting dates and seasons.