Nine from area sign to play college football. Page 1H
SERVING THE PARISHES OF EAST FELICIANA, WEST FELICIANA AND ST. HELENA THEADVOCATE.COM
1st Year, No. 18
Resident complains about road work quality
THURSDAY
FEBRUARY 12, 2015 H $1.00
Clinton
carnival
A troop of four-wheelers passes through the crowd Saturday at the end of the Clinton Mardi Gras Parade.
BY STEPHANIE WARREN
swarren@theadvocate.com
St. Helena Parish officials are looking into a complaint from a resident who says he does not believe enough asphalt was used to pave the road in front of his church, Rocky Hill AME Church. St. Helena resident Larry Freeman voiced his fury to the St. Helena Parish Police Jury during a Jan. 27 meeting, requesting that it look into the recent road improvement project that included paving Rocky Hill Road in Greensburg. Freeman told the jury that when the road was St. Helena paved, he does not believe the asphalt company, Diamond B Construction Company, laid enough asphalt, making the road much smaller. But parish officials said the road appears to be the same size as before. Freeman said he does not want the taxpayers to pay for something that they are not getting. Freeman asked the jury if they would get someone from the engineering company that was hired, Professional Engineering Consultants of Baton Rouge, to find out if the parish is getting the right tonnage of asphalt. Juror Warren McCray said he contacted PEC and voiced his concerns and requested that someone from their company go out and figure out exactly how many tons of asphalt it took to pave the roads. “Once they measure and give me a figure, I can then go ask another engineer if the numbers are correct and, if they are not, then we have a problem,” Warren said. “If the numbers do not add up, then we will go from there.” Police Jury President Theo McCray said Rocky Hill Road was a gravel road before it was paved with asphalt and that may be why the road appears smaller to Freeman. Crumbling roads are a major problem the St. Helena Parish Police Jury has been trying to solve for years. In January 2013, jury members were trying to figure out how they were going to come up with the money to pay for repairs. They considered at that time rededicating money from a parish property tax and also pulling money from the solid waste funds for the road project, Juror Major Coleman said. The discussion came after voters in May 2013 approved the rededication of a 5-mill property tax that had funded a now-defunct parish health unit and one-half of 1 percent of a 1-cent sales tax that funds the parish’s solid waste collection and disposal services. That provided about $3 million dollars to repair about 50 miles of dilapidated roads, jurors said.
INSIDE East Feliciana............4G West Feliciana...........5G St. Helena .................2G Sports .......................1H
Advocate staff photos by ANGELA MAJOR
A parade-goer catches beads Saturday during the Clinton Mardi Gras Parade. Clinton residents raise their arms to catch beads as floats pass.
MARDI GRAS 2015
More photos online
THEADVOCATE.COM A child rides a horse Saturday during the morning Clinton Mardi Gras Parade.
Dancers perform for the crowd and judges Saturday during the Clinton Mardi Gras Parade.
Board negotiates old high school demolition BY HOWARD ARCENEAUX
West Feliciana
ST. FRANCISVILLE — The West Feliciana Parish School Board agreed at its January meeting to begin negotiations with an environmental consulting firm for the demolition of the old St. Francisville High School on Pecan Grove Road. Jim Ferguson, director of public works for the parish, is assisting the School Board
with contract negotiations with the firm, Terracon, which has offices in Baton Rouge and across the country. Ferguson said he would like to have the pact finalized and recommend to proceed at the next board meeting on Feb. 26. Ferguson estimated a bestcase scenario would be for the project to be completed within
Special to The Advocate
a year. “The long-term benefit for the parish is getting the property back into commerce and providing greatly needed housing opportunities for more families that would like to live in our great community,” Ferguson said. Terracon will provide a total project cost to clear the site, and if given the go-ahead by the board, would manage the entire project, he said.
“I believe the next step will be in the next few months for all stakeholders to get together and determine what the property shall be zoned and have the school board apply for a zoning map amendment to the town. With the buildings demolished, site environmentally clean, and desirable zoning in place, the school board can put out a Request For Proposal to developers to purchase the site with all of the intangibles
removed,” Ferguson added. The project includes the demolition and removal of the old Pecan Grove site including buildings and slabs. The project summary indicates the buildings, approximately 40,000 square feet, are roughly 40 years old and need to be demolished and cleared for future commercial development. Included in the remediation äSee DEMOLITION, page 2G
Oil Changes, Brakes, Alignments, Check Engine Lights, A/C Repairs, Shocks, Struts, Tires
2G n Thursday, February 12, 2015 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate
The old St. Francisville High School on Pecan Grove Road has been closed since 1979. The site is the focus of a clean-up initiative by the West Feliciana Parish School Board that would revitalize the property and provide housing opportunities.
Editor: Darlene Denstorff, (225) 336-6952 or email extra@theadvocate.com Subscription rates: Inside the 3-parish area: $31 for 12 months Outside the 3-parish area: $42 for 12 months The St. Helena Echo is published weekly in Baton Rouge and at additional mailing offices. Periodicals-postage paid at Baton Rouge, LA ISSN: 1061-3978 Capital City Press, proprietor The Advocate, 7290 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810-1611 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Circulation Accounting, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588
Advocate photo by HOWARD ARCENEAUX
USPS NO. 476-000
Reporter: Stephanie Warren, (985) 517-4869 or email swarren@theadvocate.com P.O. Box 190, Greensburg, LA 70441 Need to talk to a reporter, place an obituary or wedding announcement, inquire about advertising or discuss newspaper delivery issues?
n For subscription or delivery issues, contact the circulation department at (225) 388-0200 n To place a death notice, contact the obituary department at (225) 388-0289 or obits@theadvocate.com n For ad inquiries, contact the advertising department: Kristi Lynch: (225) 247-1030 or klynch@theadvocate.com Gary Miller: (225) 773-6056 or gmiller@theadvocate.com n For legal advertising, contact the legal notices department at (225) 388-0128 or weeklylegals@theadvocate.com n To place an ad in the Classifieds section, contact the classified department at (225) 383-0111 or go to classifieds.theadvocate.com n To place a wedding or engagement announcement, call (225) 388-0738 or email nuptials@theadvocate.com
DEMOLITION
property could be used for facility improvement to existing Continued from page 1G schools or toward the purchase of property near the campus. “After cleanup, we would are asbestos and other envi- place the property on the marronmental hazardous material ket,” Milton said. “We feel that abatement that cannot be dis- the property is ideal for resiposed of as regular construc- dential development.” One complication is the retion debris. Ferguson said Terracon will determine when the location of the West Feliciana Food Pantry and Clothes Closet, site is “clean.” The site is ideally suited for a which are in outbuildings from neighborhood-type residential the main, old school structure. Ferguson said Parish Presidevelopment and would provide additional revenue to the dent Kevin Couhig is looking school through property taxes, for a suitable permanent locasales taxes and additional stu- tion. “They will need to be relocatdents, meaning state funding. Superintendent of Schools ed, and I expect the time line Hollis Milton said any net rev- for that to be this summer at enue from the direct sale of the the latest,” said Ferguson.
FISH DAY
Now Is The Time For Stocking
*3-5" Channel Catfish $40 per 100 *6-8" Channel Catfish $57 per 100 * Bluegill (Coppernose & Hybrid) *Redear *Largemouth Bass *Black Crappie (If Avail.) *Fathead Minnows (by the cup) *Koi
Feliciana Farmers Co-op
Clinton, LA Wed Feb. 18, 1:30-2:30 pm To Pre-order call Arkansas Pondstockers 1-800-843-4748 • Walk Ups Welcome
in Clinton, LA
ECHO’S FROM THE PAST BY STEPHANIE WARREN swarren@theadvocate.com
School board sworn in
Photo submitted by LEATRICE REID
Each week, we’ll take a look back at photos published in The Echo. The feature photo for this week’s Echo’s From the Past is from the Oct. 22, 1965, edition of the St. Helena Echo.
The St. Helena Parish School Board members for 2015 took the oath of office during a Jan. 8 ceremony in Greensburg. The ceremony was performed by St. Helena Clerk of Court Mildred Cyprian, prior to the first board meeting of the year. Being sworn in, from left, are, Byron Hurst, Linda Chaney, President Joyce Porter, Virginia Bell, Barbara Whitley and Vice President Alton Travis.
Stars shining bright this February Campo, James Tillman, NichHappy Birthday greetings to Mark Wall, of New Orleans, olis Carruth, Brittany Dover, Richard Mitchell, Devin BoFeb. 10; Tricia Anthony, of naventure, Dean Burnett, Din Natalbany, and Barbara VenCarter, Denise Caraable Arnold, of Denham way, Ben Denham, and Springs, both Feb. 23; Mary Jo Carter. and Sean Snyder, of nnn Madisonville, and my A Philippines misgreat-nephew, Pace sion presentation Dawkins, of Woodstock, was made by Phillip Georgia, Feb. 14. Snoddy on Jan. 27 nnn at Tom and Janice Anniversary blessings to Mr. and Mrs. Tommy BUTTERFLY McNabb’s home. Great WINGS food and fellowship Zachary, of Woodland, FRAN SNODDY were enjoyed by those Feb. 12; Mr. and Mrs. present, along with deNathan Snoddy, Feb. licious birthday cake 14; Mr. and Mrs. Danny for yours truly. Carruth; Mr. and Mrs. Carey nnn Dover, Feb. 23; Mr. and Mrs. Congratulations to Amite Mitchell Warren, Feb. 18; Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Wascom, Feb. High football coach Alden 25. Wishing all those celebrat- Foster. He’s taking on the head coaching post at East ing a joyous, loving day. St. John in Reserve. Coach nnn Foster started out at St. HelFebruary Greensburg ena High, then went to Amite First Baptist Church stars High. Wherever you go, coach are Hunter Caraway, Paula
Alder, there’s bound to be a winning team. nnn Happy belated 60th anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Larry Mobley, of Amite, Dec. 21, who celebrated with their children at Amite Boston Restaurant. nnn A ribbon-cutting was held Jan. 16 for the St. Helena College and Career Academy. nnn When Jesus is within us, then it will shine outside of us. As the Apostle Paul says, we are to “be imitators of God and walk in love, as He also loved us” (Eph. 5:1-2). Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control, will shine through, as we so do. Fran Snoddy writes Butterfly Wings for The Advocate Extra. Contact her at (225) 777-4363.
The original publication from 1965 reads: ‘Wearing the crown of 1965 Homecoming Queen, Miss Theresa Walker, of Greensburg High, reigned over homecoming activities Friday night, October 22. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ocy Walker, of Greensburg. Members of her court were Pat Doyle, Kathy Phillips, Ginger Phillips, Kathy Carruth, Lyn Smith, Imelda Smith, Nancy Drewry, Laureen Cooper, Belinda Redmond and Beverly Birch.’
Serving the Baton Rouge area. *APY = Annual Percentage Yield (as of 2/1/2015 and guaranteed through the term of the certificate). Minimum balance of $500.00. Other rates and terms available. Rates are subject to change. Includes Step-Up (option to exchange the existing rate for the current rate once during the term of the certificate). Early withdrawals subject to penalty. Federally insured by NCUA to at least $250,000.