CouncilOKs loan to fund watertreatment improvements
WALKER
Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
Urgent need forblood donations
In the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, The Blood Center is calling on all eligible donors to help replenish the community’sblood supply.Cancellations and closures have severely impacted reserves.
Why donate? “Our community needs athree- to four-day supply of blood to handle emergencies like Hurricane Francine,” Billy Weales, president& CEO of The Blood Center,said “All citizens are highly encouragedtoDONATE NOW!”
“As emergency room visits increase, it’sour responsibility to ensure hospitals are prepared,” Dr.Tim Peterson, Medical Director for The Blood Center,said. “Blood donations save lives.” Visit bit.ly/3Xt0b9Mfor more information.
Mighty Moms raising money September is Childhood Hunger Awareness Monthand Mighty Moms is doing its part to feed children in need. Want to help make adifference? Sign up to sponsor achild for only $30 by visiting www mightymomsgo.org/donate.
TravelingVietnam Wall visiting After Hurricane Francine forced organizers to reschedule the traveling Vietnam Wall’svisit to Walker,new dates have been set. The traveling wall and Cost of Freedom Tribute is setfrom Sept. 25-29.
ä See AROUND, page 3G
In previous seasons,Walker High running back Cayden Jones has been used some at running back but mostly at wide receiver.This season, those roles have reversed and his running ability has been an important part of Walker’soffense. For Jones, it’sanextension of amindset in which he is always looking for away to help his team. So far,heismakinghis senior season ashowcase for that attitude.
“He’sbeen solid,” Walker coach Chad Mahaffey said of Jones. “He was astarter last year,but he was more of awide receiver.Welike getting the ball in his hands. He just keeps popping out of there and making big plays. Its been hugefor us.” Acase in point was Friday, when Walker was looking for some offensive consistency in its nondistrict home game with Woodlawn. In agame the Wildcats ultimately won 34-14, it was an interesting dilemma.
ä See SALZER, page 3G
BY VIC COUVILLION
Contributing writer
Actiontaken by theWalker City Council Sept. 9will clear the way for improved water treatment at thewell that serves the area south of the city in the vicinity of Our Lady ofthe Lake Hospital.
The council voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Jimmy Watson to signarevolving loan application of approximately$4.2 millionfor improvementstoWell Number 5.
The improvementswill include a processthat removes manganese from the water.Manganese, which occurs naturallyinsome water,is not ahealththreat but it does discolor thewater resulting in what is commonly called “brown water.”
Well improvements will result in thecity not having to expend funds on chemicals, especially chlorine, thatthe city now uses to treat the
manganese, Watson said. In presenting the measure to the council, Chief of Operations Jamie Etheridge saidthe loan will be forgiven and thatthe city will not have to pay it back
Theloan will come through the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund offered by the Louisiana Department of Health OfficeofPublic Health. Much of the meeting was dedicated to recognizingJuniorMarine ROTC cadets from Walker
High School whowon two national contests in 2023. Marine Lt. Col. Jason Tubbs (retired), whoheads the program and hisfellow Marine, 1st Sgt.Billietae Johnson, introduced the membersofthe winning teams who were each given certificates of appreciating from the city and memorialcoins struck in connection with the opening of Walker’s new City Hall. Tubbs said Marine JROTC units
See COUNCIL, page 4G
UNEARTHING HISTORY
Livingston Parish DeputySheriff GeorgeC.White’s portrait hasbeen preserved by his family well more than 100 years. White was gunneddown near Springfield in 1890, and his name is nowinscribed in the National LawEnforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
BY VIC COUVILLION Contributing writer
In the three decades following the Civil War, Livingston Parish, like much of the nation’sDeep South, was wracked by mayhem and violence, and law enforcementagencies weretasked with trying to maintain peace and order while vigilante groups sought to keep the Democratic Party in power through intimidation and common criminals were frequently ready to take the law into their own hands.
One result of the chaos and lawlessness was that George Calvin White, agritty Livingston Parish deputy sheriff, waskilled when hit with ahail of buckshot while riding homefrom Springfield. The story of White’sdemise was told in great detail by Lt. Cmdr.Alden Thomasson, of the Livingston Parish Sheriff’sOffice, to members of the Edward Livingston Historical Society at the group’sSept. 7meeting at the Main Branch of the Livingston Parish Library Thomasson recounted the difficulty he had in researching details related to White’sdeath and explained that he undertook the daunting project in an effort to determine whether White should be enshrined in the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Ultimately, his work wasrewarded when White earned recognition in that memorial in April.
Recounting White’ssaga reflected Thomasson’syears of dedication pouring through old newspaper accounts and courthouse record books searching forthe complicated story.He pointed out that official record books are difficult to work with because manyentries were handwritten and names were not always accurately entered in the books. “Different spellings, nicknames, wrong names make it hard to identifyexactly whois being mentioned in someofthe old record books,” he said. Further complicating research was the fact that an early parish courthouse in Port Vincent burned. Asecond courthouse was built there, but eventually the courthouse was moved to Centerville. Thomasson said that some records have been lost, such as somecensus accounts.
The connection between White and the Saturday meeting of the historical society had somespecial relevance because Maxine
Charles Salzer SPORTS ROUNDUP
PHOTO BY VIC COUVILLION
PHOTO BY JAMES MINTON
CindyAnderson Pigott, of Tylertown,Miss., looks over someitems owned by her great-grandfather,George C. White, including acap-and-ball pistol, before aSept. 7presentation by retired sheriff’sLt. Col. Alden Thomasson to the Edward Livingston Historical Association.
Hoover and Mike Jenkins, White’s great-grandchildren, were in the audience to hear about the tragic demise of their ancestor
The speaker said that in the 1870s, agroup known as the Blackburn Committee was formed to exploreways to bring undercontrol agroup known as the Bulldozers, who were terrorizing residents and burnings homes of anyone who dared to vote Republican. This was atime when violencewas part of life in Livingston Parish, and it was into this environment that White would later be immersed
Asimilar group known as the Regulatorsalso rode roughshod over all who dared to voteagainst aDemocrat in elections.
White, by all accounts, was a complicated man. Thomasson explained that White’snamefirst appeared in old criminal record books whenhewas arrested along with his brothers,for stealing apig. Apparently he was also apprehended on other occasions for petty thievery and possibly other small crimes,but despite his early brushes withthe law,he joined the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and began his career in law enforcement.
In 1887, White became adeputy and generally was assigned to bring law and order to the Springfield area. Because of distances between different population centers and basically horseback being the main mode of transportation, deputies pretty much had to concentrate on certain areas of the parish.
In Springfield, White became acquainted withJohn Settoon and V.A. Steward, who both owned a store. Both would play arole in White’sactivities in Springfield Thomasson said that three men, including Luther Morganand Sylvester Gainey,crossedpathswith White in Springfield and afight ensued.
White apparently took agun away from one of the men, busted it against atree, and then proceeded to beat the men with astick. A second fight followed and White again beat the men with his stick.
White continued to be entangled with various unsavory characters in pursuing his duties as adeputy sheriff. Apparently in theprocess of trying to maintain the law,he drew the enmityofthe criminals inthe community and this would lead eventually to his murder On the evening of Feb. 24, 1890, while he was heading home on La 22 with some other men including Settoon, the blast from ashotgun rang out, and White, critically
wounded,fell under his horse. A secondman was also killed. Word of the deadly assault quickly spread andWhite’sbrother,Jerry White, wasalerted and brought to the scene. The shooter or shooters ran off into the woods andswampand were never found.A subsequent investigation turned up the shotgun shells andthe wading that was part of
the shell but the evidence was apparently not sufficient to pin the crime on anyone.
Areward was put out for Morgan, who was asuspect because of his earlier encounters with White, and he was subsequently arrested and put on atrain to New Orleans, where he was jailed. He was later tried and exonerated. No record of the hearing for
Morgan has been found, Thomasson said. Morgan subsequently moved to Mississippi and lived into the 1930s. Also suspected in the shooting were the Gainey brothers, but they too were exonerated. Yetanother suspect, Zachery Hall, was also cleared of the crime but was later killed himself.
White’skiller was never identi-
Young readers, from left, Lundyn Arceneaux, Jeweleigh Brumfield, and Kennedi McGowan work on areading assignment in Alexis Accardo’s third grade class at Woodland Park Magnet School.
fied and the mystery of who killed him endures 134 years later White was 33 years old when his life met its tragic end. However, his name will forever be remembered through his induction into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. He is also memorialized at the First Responders Memorial in Walker’sSidney Hutchinson Park.
Gallerywalk inspires youngreaders
Students in Alexis Accardo’s third grade class at Woodland Park Magnet School recently took part in an engaging gallery walk activity to explore central messages and character development in various texts. The event allowed young readers to analyze how characters evolve throughout their stories, fostering deeper comprehension and critical thinking skills, according to anews release. The gallery walk not only enhanced their understanding of literature but also encouraged collaborative learning and active discussion among peers.
PHOTOSBYVIC COUVILLION
Lt.Cmdr.Alden Thomasson, left, presented adetailed account of the life and murder of GeorgeC.White to the Edward Livingston Historical Society at itsSeptember meeting.With Thomasson are Maxine Hooverand MikeJenkins, White’sgreat-grandchildren. White wasgunned down near Springfield on Feb.24, 1890 by unknown assailants.
Mementoes of the lifeofGeorgeC.White, aLivingston Parish deputy sheriff whowas killed in 1890, were on display at an addressabout his lifethat was delivered before ameeting of the Edward Livingston Historical Society on Saturday, Sept. 7.
James Anderson and Stiven Vasquez Santos work on areading assignment at Woodland Park Magnet School.
PROVIDEDPHOTOS
Nadya Maklary, I’dell Woolridgeand Ada Corkern-Moore work on an assignment in AlexisAccardo’sthird grade class at Woodland Park Magnet.
Walker led 28-7 at halftime, butonly oneoftheir first-half touchdowns was produced by the offense.The others came on two Zyon Russ punt returns and Jeffrey Caldwell’slonginterception return.
Somehow,Walker only ranthree plays inthe second quarter,and one of them was akneel-down to run outthe clockat the end of the half.
Jones went to work in thesecondhalf runningfor 139ofhis 179 totalyards after the break. Included in the second half total were runs of 78 and 46 yards, thelatter good for agame-clinching touchdown.
The workload and the scrutinythat comeswith it are no problem,according to Jones. “I likethe pressure,” he said afterthe Woodlawn win. “I want to perform for my team and my communitysoit’snot abad thing. Istill go outand play wide receiver and I’ll play runningback,too. It doesn’treally matter.As long as I’m on the field I’m going to dowhat I’ve got to do.”
NewWalkerturfgetspositivereception
Last Friday’sgame against Woodlawn was the second home game of theseason for Walker,and the secondonits newly renovated turf field. There is noquestion the new turf has adifferentfeel. Although it will never be mistaken for natural grass, the field has some giveto it that is noticeable even when walking on it. It’safar cry from the daysofmy youth when aturf field wasn’tmuch more than carpet laid outoverconcrete Charles Salzer covers Livingston sports for the Livingston-Tangipahoa Advocate. To reach Salzer, email livingston@theadvocate.com
AROUND
Continued from page1G
The memorial is an 80% replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall standing at 360 feet long and 8feet tall. It bears the name of the 58,307men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the nation’sfreedom during the Vietnam War.
Accompanying theVietnam Veterans Memorial Wall is the Cost of Freedom Tribute, aseriesofsmall-
Author plansbook-signings in Hammond, Ponchatoula
news report
Community
Author AnnMarie Jameson’sthird book in her“Willow Rose” book series,“Petite Rose,” has been selected by Wings ePress as itsfeatured “Spot Light” book for September
Thepublisher rereleased the book Sept. 1. All four of Jameson’s “Willow Rose” books,aswell as her one spinoff book of the series, are centered around alarge, fun-loving, close-knit, Cajun family from Natchitoches.
Jameson,a retired teacher,publishedher first book, “A Bed of Roses,” in 2016,
er panels that honor the service and sacrifices of those serving in Americans in World WarI,World War II, the 9/11 attacks, the Warin Afghanistan andIraq.
Theevent schedule includes:
n Sept. 25: The wall will be escorted from East Baton Rouge Parish into Livingston Parish and SidneyHutchinson Park.
n Sept. 26: Dedication and Wreath Ceremony,10a.m
n Sept. 27: Quilt of Valor Ceremony,10a.m. n Sept. 28: Living History Timeline,9 a.m. to 4p.m.
her second, “Belle Rose” in 2017, herthird, “Petite Rose” in 2019, her fourth, “ComingUpRoses,” in 2020, andher spinoff book of the series, “Lilly’sRedemption,” in 2023.
Jamesonwillbeatthe BayouBooksellersand Gift ShopinHammondfrom 11 a.m. to 1p.m. Sept.21and at the Country Market in Ponchatoula later that day from 6p.m. to 10 p.m.
Jameson’sbooks aresoldat Bayou Booksellers in Hammond, and atVintage 985 Gift ShopinPonchatoula or online at www.amazon.com/ author/annmariejameson.
n Sept. 29: Ride of Honor and nondenominationalchurch service, 9:30 a.m. (ride)10a.m.(service) Forvolunteer or sponsorship opportunities, email parksandrecinfo@walker-la.gov
Fall Garden Dayplanned
Southeastern Livingston Center and Livingston Master Gardeners are hosting aFall Garden Day from 9a.m. to 2p.m. Sept.21at 9262 Florida Blvd. in Walker
The event will include nursery vendors, kids activities, gardening talks and plant sale.
TangiAnimalFriends sponsors weekly spay days
Communitynewsreport
TangiAnimalFriends haspartnered withStafford Veterinary Hospital to provide low-cost spay and neuterdaysweekly on Thursdays for all who qualify TAFunderstandsthat there are many people who want to spay or neutertheir pets but cannotafford thefull cost charged by most clinics, anews release said. Tangi Animal Friends received agrant from theLamar Family Foundation. The grant proceeds in addition to TAF’s fundraisers, allows TAFtoprovide financial assistance to those on government assistance programs, such as SSDI, Medicaid and SNAP.TAF also provides assistance to veterans andcollege students receivingneedbased financial aid.
ResidentslivinginLivingston, Tangipahoa, St.Helenaand Washington parishes can submitanapplication fortheir cats or dogs to be spayedorneutered for asmall copay toward thefull costofthe procedures.
If acat or dog does nothave acurrentrabiesvaccine,TAF will cover the cost for approved clients, the release said. Theywill also payfor microchipping andwill takecare of registering each petfor theclient
“TAF accepts requests for assistance through their email, TangiAnimalFriends@gmail.com, and usually respondwithanapplication and instructions within afew hours. Once we receive the completed application, proof of eligibility and co-payment, we workwithStafford Veterinary Hospital(SVH) to get theapplicant’spet on aSpay Day
All proceedssupport community garden projects and school gardens. Florence Crowder will discuss thepreservation of camellias and horticulturist Dale Zuelke will discuss native trees. Mammographycoach coming Woman’s Hospital brings breast imaging to Livingston Parish with its mobile mammography coach. The coach makes mammograms moreaccessible than ever offering 3D mammogram technology across the state. Physician’s
schedule,” said Donna Clark, TAF treasurer Catswillbespayedorneuteredfor $35 and prices fordogs range from $50 to $100 peranimal based on the dog’s weight.For the approved clients referred by TAFtoSVH, Dr Michelle Stafford will perform a physical exam,insert amicrochip, and provide take-homepain medication. She will letanownerknow if there is something else going on withhis/herpet so theowner has the option to arrange forother services while their pet is at the clinic for spay day, the release said.
“Most people don’tunderstand that overpopulation means higher rates of euthanasia in shelters. One female dog andher babiescan have over 67,000 puppiesina 6year time frame.Another eye-opening fact: Youcan save100,000 cats forevery one cat you spay or neuter,” said Carolyn Kane, TAFpresident.
Tangi Animal Friends relieson donations, fundraising events, and private grants to fund its mission which is “… to promote companion animal welfare in Tangipahoa, St. Helena, Washington, and LivingstonParishesthrough spay/neuter efforts, humane education, and additionalprograms.”
Asaregisterednonprofit,theorganization accepts donationsthrough Venmo,PayPal andCashApp.
The group’snext fundraiser is the Tangi AnimalFriends second Gumbo Cook-Off Nov. 2inDowntown Hammond. Business/corporate sponsorships forthe eventare available andgumbo cooking teams can register at TangiAnimalFriends@ gmail.com.
orders are required and appointments are encouraged.
The coach stops at LPG Riverside Maurepas, 18740 La. 22, Maurepas on Sept. 27. To schedule an appointment, call (225) 698-3435 to schedule. For moreinformation including the full mammography coach schedule, visit Womans.org. Sendnewsand events for Livingston and Tangipahoa parishestolivingston@ theadvocate.com by 4p.m Friday or call (225) 388-0731.
PROVIDED PHOTO
AnnMarie Jameson has book-signingsset for Hammond and Ponchatoula
Campers, counselorsand volunteers at Camp Catahoula 2024
Sept. 9.
Raiders,
Raiders,a
PiperWascom,BrookeMcGee,
recognized but not present wren August Perez, Brayden Landry and StevenMcCallum
establish aRaiders team that is the equivalent of the U.S. Army Rangers. Walker’s group of Raiderswon anational competition held in Pennsylvania. He said of the Raiders, “With all due respect to our school’sathletic teams, Ibelieve that the trainingour Raidersgo through is the most physically demanding effortput forth by anyhighschool student. We were unbelievably excited when it was announced that Walker High School’steam had won the national competition.”
The competition was divided into three phases: all male, all female and mixed. Tubbs said that the Walker High teams excelled in all three phases. “This was demanding competition. For example, our cadets had to run two and ahalf miles and that was just part of the test We prevailed!,” Tubbs said.
The school’sJROTC Drill Team also won first place in competition late last year in Florida. In introducing the winning cadets in drill,
Johnson said of the competition, “Military drill is not only physically demanding but it is amental challenge. The drill teams have to memorize dozens and dozens of different commands and they must practice over and over again to master all the moves. Our team came through with afirst-place performance.”
The drill team was competing against teamsrepresenting all of the military branches.Johnsonsaid that thousands attendedthe competition which drew the best drill teams from throughout the nation.
Raiders Team members honored were Juan Ledezma, Chris Alexcel, Braiden Marvel, Zaylin Skinner, Owen Waldrop, Sra Wilkinson, Brooke McGeeand PiperWascom. Alsorecognized butnot present were August Perez, Payden Landry and Steven McCallum.
Drill Team members honored were Deandra Delarca-Dilbert, Piper Wascom, Brooke McGee, Mariah Pool, Caroline Mesearve, ChurchilleJusayan, Owen Nawakow ski, Alisha O’Daniel, TodPerez, Alyssa Vincent and Ashton Young.
PHOTOSBYVIC COUVILLION
The Walker HighSchool Marine Junior ROTC
team that won first place in nationalcompetition held last year,was honored by MayorJimmy Watson and the City Council at its meeting on
Winning
from left, were
Sara Wilkinson, Owen Waldrop, Zaylin Skinner,Braiden Marvel, Chris Alexcel and Juan Ledezma. Also
Members of the Walker High School MarineJunior ROTC Drill Team honored Sept. 9bythe Walker City Council,from left, first row, were TodPerez, Ashton Young,Caroline Mesearve,Alyssa Vincent and Alisha O’Daniel, and second row, Churchille Jusayan, Owen Nawakowski, Mariah Pool, BrookeMcGee, Piper Wascom and Deandra Delarca-Dilbert.