Felician Explorer Mar 24

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PRESORT STD US POSTAGE PAID ZACHARY, LA PERMIT NO. 6 CAR-RT PRESORT POSTAL CUSTOMERS ECWSS Postal Patron Local Feliciana Explorer • Tuesday, March 24, 2015 • Vol. 5, No. 12 • Published Weekly • Circulation 17,000 • felicianaexplorer.com • © 2015 EXPLORER EXPLORER Feliciana Proud to be the Felicianas' only locally owned, managed, and staffed newspaper. See ASSEMBLY on page 3 BANK of ZACHARY (225) 654-2701 bankofzachary.com MAIN OFFICE: Main Street | Zachary PLAZA OFFICE: Church Street | Zachary CENTRAL OFFICE: 13444 Hooper Road | Central Member FDIC See BOARD on page 2 West Feliciana Parish School Board Celebrates Student Accomplishments, Extend Superintendent Celebrations were at the top of the agenda as West Feliciana Parish Schools honored students at its regular March 17 board meeting. School prin- cipals shared glowing anecdotes about their 2015 Students of the Year. An- drew Dantin, 5th grader at Bains El- ementary, is the Elementary Student of the Year; Landry Higgins, 8th grade, represents West Feliciana Middle School; and Ngozi Nwabueze, a high school senior, was chosen at West Feli- ciana High School. In addition, Landry Higgins received recognition as the winner of the Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution essay, and Nwabueze is a finalist in both the National Merit Scholarship Program and the Baton Rouge Coca Cola Essay Contest. The School Board also recognized the students in Ms. Leneeta Ewing’s Financial Mathematics Class who won top honors, placing both first and third in their first-ever participation in the State Fall Stock Market Game, which the Louisiana Council for Economic Education sponsors. Mr. Charles Savoie was in atten- dance to present a $500 check to the district from the Knights of Columbus in support of special education. The board approved a contract with Terracon Consultants, Inc., for environ- mental work at the Pecan Grove site. Members also approved the school cal- endar for the 2015–2016 school year and the 2015–16 Head Start Refunding Application. Jackson Assembly’s 50th Anniversary Show and Sale this Weekend A Plethora of Antiques, Arts, Eats, Tours, Trains, Books Converge on the East Feliciana Town BY JAN WORTHY AND PATRICIA STALLMAN There's nothing like a Golden Anniversary to add a special luster to the well loved and familiar, and this year's 50th Annual Jackson As- sembly Antiques and Art Show is no exception. Adding to the festivity is the celebration of the Town of Jack- son’s 2015 bicentennial. Antique dealers and artists, chefs, model train hobbyists, and authors will gather in the picturesque little town of Jackson, Louisiana, this Fri- day, Saturday and Sunday—March 27, 28 and 29—from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visitors will find the pop- ular antique dealers' displays and art show, as well as tours of three historic churches, four early-1800s buildings, and the old Jackson Cem- etery. Add scrumptious home cook- ing, model train exhibits, and book signings, and you’ll find something to delight at every turn. Assembly Antique Show and Sale For guests’ browsing pleasure, the Assembly has invited dealers from eight states— Alabama, Flori- da, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas—to dis- play their fine antiques and incred- ibly varied collectibles, all fittingly displayed in two historic buildings that Assembly members have sal- vaged with proceeds from past shows. The antique show and sale will occupy the Pipes—McKowen building; the Old McKowen store, which is now The Charter Street Artists Studio, will host the art show and sale. The assembly also bought and restored the old Feliciana Court- house, which had lost its roof and was in a state beyond disrepair. It now serves as the Jackson Assem- bly’s headquarters; in addition, the Chamber of Commerce and Feli- Sue Spaht of the Old Homestead in Baton Rouge has been exhibiting at the Assembly show almost since its beginning. Clinton Walk Together Event set for April 2 BY P ATRICIA S TALLMAN After the March 11 Clinton Town Meeting, Mayor Lori Ann Bell asked that Clinton residents take part in the National Autism Day walk-a-thon April 2. Police Chief Frederick Dunn, she noted, had called for unity during his report. Welcom- ing citizen input, Dunn had said, “It’s go- ing to take a unified effort” to fix the town’s challenges, whether roads, revenue, or re- spect for one another. During the meeting, the Chief put it directly: “We have to come together. We have to stick together. The towns around us, St. Helena and St. Fran- cisville, are coming together. We’re going to be left behind if we don’t find unity.” Mayor Calls for Town’s Support of Autism Walk-a-thon Resident Pam Matthews earlier had announced the walk for autism aware- ness, asking that all of Clinton meet at 5 p.m. April 2 in front of the Town Hall to join area autistic children, their parents, and their extended families to support an equal Mayor Lori Ann Bell asked that Clinton residents come together April 2 at 5 p.m. in front of the Town Hall to demonstrate support for children meeting the challenges of autism. Jamie S. Tindle, Executive Director of Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge, right, had addressed the Mayor and Council. Assisting in awarding the autism aware- ness proclamation are, from left, front, Aldermen Clovis Matthews, Sr., Lisa Davis Washington, and Johnny Beauchamp. In back are Maintenance Supervisor Daryl Harrell and Fire Chief Douglas Beau- champ. Photograph by Patricia Stallman See CLINTON on page 8

description

Tuesday, March 24, 2015 • Vol. 5, No. 12

Transcript of Felician Explorer Mar 24

Page 1: Felician Explorer Mar 24

PRESORT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDZACHARY, LAPERMIT NO. 6

CAR-RT PRESORTPOSTAL CUSTOMERS

ECWSS Postal Patron Local

Feliciana Explorer • Tuesday, March 24, 2015 • Vol. 5, No. 12 • Published Weekly • Circulation 17,000 • felicianaexplorer.com • © 2015

EXPLOREREXPLORERFeliciana

Proud to be the Felicianas' only locally owned, managed, and staffed newspaper.

See ASSEMBLY on page 3

BANK of ZACHARY.com

BANK of ZACHARYBANK of ZACHARY

(225) 654-2701 • bankofzachary.com

Main Office: Main Street | Zachary

Plaza Office: Church Street | Zachary

central Office: 13444 Hooper Road | Central

Member FDIC

See BOARD on page 2

West Feliciana Parish School Board Celebrates Student Accomplishments,

Extend SuperintendentCelebrations were at the top of

the agenda as West Feliciana Parish Schools honored students at its regular March 17 board meeting. School prin-cipals shared glowing anecdotes about their 2015 Students of the Year. An-drew Dantin, 5th grader at Bains El-ementary, is the Elementary Student of the Year; Landry Higgins, 8th grade, represents West Feliciana Middle School; and Ngozi Nwabueze, a high school senior, was chosen at West Feli-ciana High School. In addition, Landry Higgins received recognition as the winner of the Daughters of the Ameri-can Revolution essay, and Nwabueze is a finalist in both the National Merit Scholarship Program and the Baton Rouge Coca Cola Essay Contest.

The School Board also recognized

the students in Ms. Leneeta Ewing’s Financial Mathematics Class who won top honors, placing both first and third in their first-ever participation in the State Fall Stock Market Game, which the Louisiana Council for Economic Education sponsors.

Mr. Charles Savoie was in atten-dance to present a $500 check to the district from the Knights of Columbus in support of special education.

The board approved a contract with Terracon Consultants, Inc., for environ-mental work at the Pecan Grove site. Members also approved the school cal-endar for the 2015–2016 school year and the 2015–16 Head Start Refunding Application.

Jackson Assembly’s 50th Anniversary Show and Sale this WeekendA Plethora of Antiques, Arts, Eats, Tours, Trains, Books Converge on the East Feliciana TownBy Jan Worthy and Patricia Stallman

There's nothing like a Golden Anniversary to add a special luster to the well loved and familiar, and this year's 50th Annual Jackson As-sembly Antiques and Art Show is no exception. Adding to the festivity is the celebration of the Town of Jack-son’s 2015 bicentennial.

Antique dealers and artists, chefs, model train hobbyists, and authors will gather in the picturesque little town of Jackson, Louisiana, this Fri-day, Saturday and Sunday—March 27, 28 and 29—from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visitors will find the pop-ular antique dealers' displays and art show, as well as tours of three historic churches, four early-1800s buildings, and the old Jackson Cem-etery. Add scrumptious home cook-ing, model train exhibits, and book signings, and you’ll find something to delight at every turn.

Assembly Antique Show and

SaleFor guests’ browsing pleasure,

the Assembly has invited dealers from eight states— Alabama, Flori-da, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas—to dis-play their fine antiques and incred-ibly varied collectibles, all fittingly displayed in two historic buildings that Assembly members have sal-vaged with proceeds from past shows. The antique show and sale will occupy the Pipes—McKowen building; the Old McKowen store, which is now The Charter Street Artists Studio, will host the art show and sale. The assembly also bought and restored the old Feliciana Court-house, which had lost its roof and was in a state beyond disrepair. It now serves as the Jackson Assem-bly’s headquarters; in addition, the Chamber of Commerce and Feli-

Sue Spaht of the Old Homestead in Baton Rouge has been exhibiting at the Assembly show almost since its beginning.

Clinton Walk Together Event set for April 2By Patricia Stallman

After the March 11 Clinton Town Meeting, Mayor Lori Ann Bell asked that Clinton residents take part in the National Autism Day walk-a-thon April 2. Police Chief Frederick Dunn, she noted, had called for unity during his report. Welcom-ing citizen input, Dunn had said, “It’s go-ing to take a unified effort” to fix the town’s challenges, whether roads, revenue, or re-spect for one another. During the meeting, the Chief put it directly: “We have to come together. We have to stick together. The towns around us, St. Helena and St. Fran-cisville, are coming together. We’re going to be left behind if we don’t find unity.”

Mayor Calls for Town’s Support of Autism Walk-a-thon

Resident Pam Matthews earlier had announced the walk for autism aware-ness, asking that all of Clinton meet at 5 p.m. April 2 in front of the Town Hall to join area autistic children, their parents, and their extended families to support an equal

Mayor Lori Ann Bell asked that Clinton residents come together April 2 at 5 p.m. in front of the Town Hall to demonstrate support for children meeting the challenges of autism. Jamie S. Tindle, Executive Director of Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge, right, had addressed the Mayor and Council. Assisting in awarding the autism aware-ness proclamation are, from left, front, Aldermen Clovis Matthews, Sr., Lisa Davis Washington, and Johnny Beauchamp. In back are Maintenance Supervisor Daryl Harrell and Fire Chief Douglas Beau-champ. Photograph by Patricia StallmanSee CLINTON on page 8

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The West Feliciana School Board also approved a four-year contract for Superintendent Hollis Milton, with a pay increase that takes the superinten-dent from a #44 salary ranking among Louisiana superintendents to a top 25 ranking, in keeping with a top-20 rat-ing for West Feliciana school leaders, a top-10 salary ranking for West Feli-ciana teachers, and the district’s top-10 ranking in school accountability each year.

The superintendent then shared ad-ditional points of pride for the district:

§ The WFHS Culinary Arts Team came in 2nd overall and 1st in manage-ment at the Pro Start Competition! The Management Team is off to the nation-al competition later this spring.

§ On March 9, Mr. Milton was on the Clarence Buggs Talk Radio show (107.3 FM). Topics of discussion were PARCC, which assesses college and career readiness, Opt Out, and our Su-perstar Principal 2016–Jim Carroll–recently named Principal of the Year Semi-Finalist by the Louisiana State Department of Education.

§ Mr. Milton was a guest speaker at Apple’s “Leadership and Learning” event on March 12 and will be present-ing on our successful partnership with Capital Area United Way in Grapevine, Texas, on April 30: “Summer Learn-ing Initiative with Head Start.”

§ John Warner Smith, CEO of Education’s Next Horizon, toured our early childhood program on March 13. Mr. Smith, the former Secretary of Labor, was complimentary of West Fe-liciana’s focus on preschool education and believes it is the next step for our state’s future.

§ Kylie Dixon of Channel 2 will

highlight Ngozi Nwaubeze’s accom-plishments in a “Star Students” feature on March 24.

§ The end of the third nine weeks is March 12. Report cards go home on March 20.

§ On March 24, Bains Lower El-ementary and the Family Service Cen-ter will hold their Spring Open House gatherings for parents of children en-tering prekindergarten, Head Start, or Early Head Start in the Fall of 2015.

The superintendent announced the following upcoming meetings:

Special Board Meeting for Strate-gic Planning: Thursday, March 26, at 3:30 p.m.

Upcoming Board Meeting: Tues-day, April 28, at 5:00 p.m.

Pre-School and Kindergarten Registration

for East FelicianaThe pre-school and kindergarten reg-

istration schedule for the 2015—2016 school year in East Feliciana Parish is 8:30 a.m. at the following locations: Slaughter Elementary on Tuesday, March 24; Clinton Elementary on Wednesday, March 25; and Jackson Elementary on Thursday, March 26. Please note:

1. Bring a copy of the child’s birth cer-tificate, social security card, immunization record, and, if applicable, SNAP number (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro-gram).

2. A child must be 4 years of age on or before September 30, 2015, to enroll in pre-school, and 5 years of age on or before Sep-tember 30, 2015, to enroll in kindergarten.

3. Children who did not attend kinder-garten during the 2014—2015 school year but were eligible to attend must register for the first grade on the same day.

4. Request for first-grade placement of a child of legal age, regardless of circum-stances, must be made by the parent or guardian to the school principal within five school days of the child’s date of entry.

5. Parents will be able to complete lunch applications on site.

6. Attendance in East Feliciana pre-kin-dergarten programs shall be available only to residents of East Feliciana and children of East Feliciana School Board employ-ees. Registrants also must show proof of residency. First preference will go to those students residing in the attendance zone of the school.

Those who have questions concerning pre-registration should contact the elemen-tary school principal in their school zone. It is essential that all students pre-register so that the system can make necessary ar-rangements over the summer months for August entrance.

Friends of Cat Island to MeetThe Friends of Cat Island will

meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at the West Feliciana Parish Library meeting room. Members will pro-vide light refreshments. Prospective members may contact Pat Heurtin at [email protected].

Baker High School Class of 1975’s 40th Reunion will be held on Saturday May 23, 2015, from 7-11 pm at the Embassy Suites in BR. Cost is $50 per person. Make check payable to BHS Class of 1975. Deadline is April 30 and should be mailed to Karie Liddell P O Box 81 Zachary LA 70791. You may also check us out on Facebook at Baker High School, Class of 1975.

BHS 40th Reunion Set

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ciana Tourist Commission use the building for their offices.

Antiques ExhibitorsWilliam Cawood of Heritage An-

tique Maps in Rome, Georgia, will make his debut at the show, bring-ing hundreds of printed and mostly hand-colored maps from the 1500s to the 1900s, including maps of ev-ery country. Cawood joins dealers exhibiting antique books, tools and the usual collection of fine furniture and collectibles.

Returning as she has for many years is Sue Spaht of the Old Home-stead in Baton Rouge, who has been exhibiting at the Assembly show al-most since its beginning. She missed only the very first show in 1965 and has been coming ever since.

The Finchers, who have also at-tended the show for many years, are from Greenwood, Mississippi, where their shop, Fincher's An-tiques, features furniture and deco-rating accessories.

Dennis and Janet Eckstein of Shingle Horse Antique Tools from Mansfield, Ohio, deal in antique tools, work benches, and tool chests. They exhibited in Jackson for years until Dennis' declining health made the trip impossible. His sons will re-sume the family’s exhibit this year after an absence of almost 10 years. The men always enjoy browsing this booth.

Baton Rouge exhibitors The Highland Collections and Penny Nichols of Vintage Linens are more familiar faithfuls, as is Clementine’s Antiques of Fairhope, Alabama.

ASSEMBLY continued from page 1

Another returning favorite is Alex-ander Safdari of heritage Rugs in Germantown, Tennessee, who will once again display his Persian rugs of every size and design.

Stovall's of Gallatin, Tennessee, a new participant last year, returns with first edition and rare books.

Art Show and Sale at Charter Street Studio

Art Show Coordinator and Clin-ton Artist Donna Kilbourne notes, “In recognition of Jackson’s Bicen-tennial year-long celebration, this year’s show offers more participat-ing artists than shows of previous years.”

Charter Street artists exhibiting their work for sale at the show are: Linda Broderick, Frances Durham, Merry Hobgood, Alice Kent, Kil-bourne, Roger Persons and Carolyn Thornton.

In addition, also exhibiting are: from Baton Rouge—Judi Betts, Ju-dith Braggs, Roberta Loflin, Keith Morris, and Stan Routh; from Chauvin—Dot-Tee Ratliff; from Clinton—Catherine Rouchon; from French Settlement—Peggy Carbo; from Jennings—Ronnie Collins; from Patterson, Cleo Scott; from Pollock—Stephen Kimball; from St. Francisville—Craig Roth and Mar-tha Singer; from Slaughter, Della Storms; from Zachary—Stephen Causey and Jenny Mills; from Lib-erty, Mississippi—Sandra Maltese.

For a preview, an online browse of the artists and their works, visit: http://jacksonassemblyantiquess-how.com. For further information, contact Donna Kilbourne at 225- 202-6047 or [email protected].

Gumbo KitchenAfter enjoying the fascinating

Artist Judi Betts of Baton Rouge offers Savannah Remembered. Photograph provided by Beth Dawson

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4 Tuesday, March 24, 2015exhibits filling the vintage build-ings, visitors can feast on homemade soups and steaming seafood gumbo, sandwiches, and delectable desserts prepared by Feliciana's finest cooks and served in the 1835 McKowen Store's basement, below the Char-ter Street Studio where regional fine artists will exhibit their work.

Historic District Walking Tours and Open Houses

The Town of Jackson, which cel-ebrates, throughout 2015, the 200th year of its founding, offers many 19th century buildings. Preserva-tionists and history buffs will enjoy self-guided walking tours of the His-toric District, where they will visit the interiors of three historic church-es and the original 1820 Courthouse of the Felicianas. The exteriors of many Greek Revival structures can be viewed from the sidewalk. At Centenary State Historic Site, two blocks from the Antiques Show, visitors may tour the two-story col-umned 1837 West Wing Centenary College dormitory and a restored professor's residence that holds his-toric exhibits and period furnishings.

In addition to the First Presbyte-rian Church, circa 1852; the Unit-ed Methodist Church, circa 1854; and the First Baptist Church, circa 1860—1865, visitors may tour St. Alban's Masonic Lodge, a restored 1849 Greek Revival building, and enjoy open houses at the 1818 Brown Cottage, at the original 1816 Feliciana Courthouse, and at the massive circa-1848 Greek Revival Administration Building at Eastern Louisiana Mental Health Hospital. Tours of historic buildings will take place from noon to 4 p.m. daily, and transportation to sites will be pro-vided.

Trains, TooIn conjunction with the Assem-

bly show, the Model Railroaders will hold its Spring Open House and Steam Up at the Republic of West Florida Museum on College Street, where the club, according to website sources, “operates one of only two

publicly accessible outdoor garden railroads in Louisiana.” Members will demonstrate “real live steam model locomotives” as well as both indoor and outdoor electric trains in all scales. The hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.

Regional Authors’ Book Sign-ing

During this year’s show, regional authors from Jackson, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans will sign their books. On Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, visitors may meet Author Sal-ly Morgan, widow of Kenny Mor-gan, native of Jackson and author of America, Wild Turkeys and Mongrel Dogs. On Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., book lovers may meet Jack-son’s Michael Howell, author of Journey to War’s Eve: An Antebel-lum History of Jackson, Louisiana.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, meet Gary Stewart, originally of Baton Rouge, author, with jour-nalist Susan Mustafa, of The Most Dangerous Animal of All: Searching for My Father and Finding the Zo-diac Killer. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Author Richard Sexton of New Orleans will sign copies of Creole World: Photographs of New Orleans and the Latin Caribbean Sphere.

Fees and InformationThe $10 admission fee includes,

for all three days, entrance to the Antiques Show and the Art Show, as well as tours of the historic build-ings and Centenary State Historic Site. For more information contact: The Jackson Assembly at P.O. Box 494, Jackson, LA 70748, or (225) 634-7155, [email protected].

Founded in 1962, the Jackson Assembly is a non-profit volunteer organization whose proceeds fund historic preservation.

See www.jacksonassemblyan-tiquesshow.com. and www.felici-anatourism.org. for further informa-tion.

Everywhere the eye falls, a treasure. Photograph provided by Beth DawsonThe Mississippi Baptist Association, organized in 1806 and composed of churches from a large area in both southwestern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana, met with First Baptist, Jackson, in 1838. This association included First Baptist Church of New Orleans and First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. At the organi-zational meeting the church elected a committee to examine several "brethren of color" who were unable to attend the Saturday conference of the church. By 1862 the church at Jackson had 70 white members and 170 black members. The first place of worship was located two blocks to the west of the present church building. The second place of worship was located across the street and down one block. The building was begun in the Fall of 1860 and completed in the Spring of 1861. The new church building was the last edifice to be constructed in Jackson be-fore the carnage of war descended on the area.

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The 1852 Presbyterian Church, a red brick Colonial, features, outside, perfectly proportioned windows and a tiered steeple and, inside, a loft where many decades ago enslaved persons attended religious services. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

This year's featured home is the 1818 Brown Cottage, believed to be the oldest stand-ing structure in Jackson. The home will be open for tours throughout the weekend from noon until 4 pm. Rarely seen by the public, it's filled with remarkable family antiques and has been occupied for 145 years by direct descendants of Dr. Ancil Carruth, one of the early owners. The 1818 Brown Cottage now also serves as the East Feliciana Par-ish office of State Representative Kenny Havard. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

Methodist preaching in Jackson dates back to the early 1800s, when the church was part of the Natchez and Wilkinson circuits. It was put on the Feliciana circuit in 1827, and then on the Jack-son circuit in 1851. It was a part of the Mississippi Conference until 1894. On January 10, 1854, Centenary College donated a tract of land, one block from the college, to the church. A new church was built under the leadership of Rev. A.T.M. Fly and was dedicated on March 4, 1855, when the Mississippi Annual Conference was held there. The church, built at a cost of $9,000,was pastored at that time by Reverend Almerin G. Miller. Documentation for an earlier church is lacking, though there is a document that notes the Baptists bought a lot at the old post office site from the Methodists. The original church bell was donated to the Confederacy during the Civil War and melted down for bullets. The present bell comes from plantation owner Stephen E. Beauchamp, who donated it to the church after the war.

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Train Show in Jackson this Weekend

Pictured: A steam locomotive rumbles through the Greater Baton Rouge Model Rail-roaders’ outdoor garden railroad in Jackson. All Aboard! The Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders will host their annual Spring Open House at their facility in Jackson LA, on Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28. Times are 11 to 3 on Friday and 10 to 3 on Saturday. Located behind the museum on the grounds of the Old Hickory Railroad at 3406 College Street, the club will demonstrate indoor and outdoor model trains in all scales. The club moved to Jackson in 2003 and expanded into a second building in 2010. The added space has enabled the club’s 33 members to build five major indoor layouts and two outdoor layouts, including one of only two publicly accessible garden railroads in Louisiana. The club is unique in operating all popular American scales: G, O, HO, N, S and Z. Most clubs operate only a single scale. The Open House is free and open to everyone. Before or after their visit to the trains, guests can visit the annual Jackson Antiques Festival and enjoy lunch at the Festival’s Gumbo Kitchen on nearby Charter Street, as well as visit the historic open houses in Jackson. For more informa-tion go to www.greaterbrrailroaders.com.

East Feliciana Fights LitterThe East Feliciana Parish litter crew works to keep the roadways clean. Photograph provided by J. R. Rouchon

By John “J.r.” rouchon

The Police Jury and Sheriff Tal-madge Bunch have joined forces in East Feliciana to combat the grow-ing litter problem. Our parish is one of the few in the state that enjoys a good working relationship between the sheriff and the governing body. Where others struggle to get along, we sit down and work out what is best for East Feliciana Parish.

Sheriff Bunch is providing a truck, a trailer, and four inmates daily to the Police Jury, while the Jury has hired a full-time person to supervise the litter crew. In the first two weeks of the endeavor, the crew has picked up 69 of the 304 parish roadways. A litter rotation has been established so that every parish road will receive

equal attention. At the current pace and allowing for weather conditions, the crew should complete the cycle of parish roads about every three months. The only discouraging part of the program is that the pick-up lasts only about a week, but only we, the residents, can change that.

When a special event (i.e., church homecoming, family reunion, funer-al, wedding) will occur on a particu-lar road, call John Rouchon, Parish Manager, at 683-8577, and we will make every effort to pick up the road prior to the event.

I would encourage all residents to stop Sheriff Bunch and your Police Juror and thank them for working together and supporting this much-needed program.

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Page 8: Felician Explorer Mar 24

8 Tuesday, March 24, 2015

CLINTON continued from page 1chance at life for all children. The Council approved Dunn’s providing police assis-tance and oversight of the event.

Bell asks that educators and students from all area schools, business owners, government leaders, and church lead-ers and members, including children and young people, come together to walk with these children. Though the walk is short, it is, she said, of great symbolic importance.

The Need for Citizens to Come To-gether

Most citizens trace Clinton’s need for unity to last summer’s competing 4th of July celebrations, town officials said. Though the town had for many years held its Red, White, and Blueberry festival to celebrate the 4th, in 2014 the Clinton Li-ons Club held a very successful competing festival on the same date. The crowds for the two events separated to a great degree along racial lines, the officials said. Bell's take on this turn of affairs was simple: "Di-vision but not the vision!”

There followed accusations at town meetings of fiscal impropriety, charges that the Council, Dunn said after the meet-ing, was “hiding something.” Citizens appeared at meetings to contend that the town was “broke” and “not paying the bills.” The truth, the Chief said, was, “We inherited a rats’ nest. We took a negative and turned it into a positive. We didn’t borrow any money, and we paid all those bills,” past and current.

Questioning the integrity of his office or of the mayor’s office will not change

who he is, the Chief says. “When I get a call, I don’t ask, ‘Are you black or white?’ I respond according to the oath I took.”’

As for questions about the town audit, citizens may check www.lla.state.la.us on line. Although Auditor Sue Stages reported to the Council several months ago that she had had to request an exten-sion for the audit due to an unavailability of data, the audit has now been filed. The new town accountant, Tim Butler of Ham-mond, said during his report that although “all the computers were dead” when Bell took office, all is now well. Although “the data base was lost” and records of checks, including payroll checks, were lost, due to moving the records to and from “an out-side source,” he has done away with that informal system, which “set up a place for mistakes. The integrity of our data is good now,” Butler said. “A few more checks on the data and we should be good.”

Mayor Expresses Faith in Citizens’ Good Will

After the meeting, once again Bell avoided assumptions or conjecture regard-ing the causes of problems or the intentions of others. She stood by the words she had spoken during the meeting: “I’m going to (run this town) according to the books, by the law. If there is a problem, once again: We have an open door policy. This town belongs to everybody.”

Clinton is a small town, Mayor Bell says, and its people have known each other for many generations. Refusing to see any deliberative action to cause hurt, she had considered instituting a new 4th of July event for the Friday before the Lions Club 2015 festival, an event that would

not compete with it. Then, quite recently, she says, she received an inquiry about the entire community’s participating, as in the past, in one event to celebrate the 4th.

She hopes Clinton will take advantage of the autism walk-a-thon to touch hands once again.

In another effort to bring the commu-nity together, Alderwoman Kim Young announced “Mingle and Mix After Six,” an event with a band, Little Tyrie Blues Band, and vendors in front of the Court-house. The kickoff is March 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., a few days before the walk-a-thon. Vendors will pay a fee of $25. The sale of Mingle and Mix t-shirts will also raise money for the town. The purpose, however, is to enjoy each other’s com-pany.

Alderwoman Young said, “If every-one can just mingle, we’ll be an awesome town.”

After the meeting, the Mayor, like others before her, mused that the old high school on Plank Road could serve as a sorely-needed community center, a place where people could come together for a variety of events and projects. Without a physical space—other than the street around the Courthouse—where people can work together and socialize, coming together as one town is not an easy under-taking.

Streets and SewersThe town certainly speaks with one

voice when it comes to its streets. Bell says she consulted Representative Kenny Havard, asking for a letter of support for a grant proposal. “He asked which streets we wanted to fix, and I told him, ‘All of them.’” Although the town did not receive a grant in the first round of applications for state help, Bell recently took a grant-writing class at the Grantsmanship Center in Baton Rouge. Participants, she said, “wrote actual grant proposals.” For the next year, she will be able, as an alumna, to send her proposals to the Center for cri-

tiquing at no charge.She is now preparing for the second

round of state Capital Outlay grant appli-cations. “Any time they say there’s money, we’ll apply for it,” she said.

Town Engineer Gary McClure re-ported that the United States Department of Agriculture now has funding for streets, “but it’s not grants…it’s loans.” He agreed that the town should continue “going the grant route first.”

McClure also reported that the lowest bid for sewer tank repairs and sewer line replacement at the oxidation pond and four lift stations was $949,575. The bidder is Wharton—Smith, Inc. of Lake Monroe, Florida. The funding will come through the state Office of Community Develop-ment Sewer System Projects fund.

Fire Chief Douglas Beauchamp report-ed the installation of lighting at the helicop-ter landing pad behind the fire station.

The Council appointed Maintenance Supervisor Daryl Harrell alternate director for the Louisiana Municipal Natural Gas Authority, authorizing him to attend meet-ings in the Mayor's absence.

The Mayor reported her attendance March 11 and 12 at the Police Chief Con-ference in Marksville and her plan to at-tend a meeting in St. Francisville on the 12th concerning the gas line agreement.

Bell noted in comments before the meeting the town’s plan to own the equip-ment it needs to run the town adequately. She stated that in the past the town has had to pay for the use of dump trucks from other governmental entities, which at times has exceeded the cost of the materials it bought for the projects. Purchasing its own truck, she said, is therefore a more logical course. She expressed her appreciation, however, for the help provided by Jackson Mayor Charles Coleman. "When we had a sewer problem, he sent the equipment and two workers to help us... after hours, at no charge."

"We've got to help one another."