Feliciana Explorer August, 19 2014

PRESORT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDZACHARY, LAPERMIT NO. 6

CAR-RT PRESORTPOSTAL CUSTOMERS

ECWSS Postal Patron Local

Feliciana Explorer • Tuesday, August 19, 2014 • Vol. 4, No. 33 • Published Weekly • Circulation 17,000 • felicianaexplorer.com • © 2014

EXPLOREREXPLORERFeliciana

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

See MYRTLES 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 | Baton Rouge

*No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prize drawing will be held on Wednesday, October 1, 2014. Need not be present to win. Limit of one entry per person. The decision of the Bank management is final. Contest may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Odds of winning dependent upon number of entries received. Winner can choose between an iPad® or $500. All taxes are the responsibility of the winner. The value of the iPad® or $500 prize will be reported on form W-2G. Bank of Zachary employees, immediate family members, and their advertising agency are not eligible to win. Apple is not a participating partner in or sponsor of this offer.

Bank the way you want:• Online Account Opening• Online Loan Applications• Online Chat

• Online Education Center• and more!

Visit the NEW bankofzachary.com

Member FDICNMLS # 405412

Enter for your chance to win an iPad® or $500* (your choice!) and to learn about our mortgage special!

District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla Announces Resignation Plans of Assistant D.A. Betsy Jones

East and West Feliciana Parish District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla announced last week that Assistant District Attorney Betsy Jones will be resigning from the District Attor-ney’s office.

“It is with deep regret that I have accepted the resignation of Betsy Jones,” said D’Aquilla. “Betsy had planned to resign in order to seek the vacant judgeship on our District Court but I have prevailed upon her to push that date back to September 1,2014.” District Attorney D’Aquilla stated that this was done because of several key cases coming to court soon.

“I am resigning this job that I love so much in order to serve justice and our community in a different way,” said Jones. “I seek this judgeship because I firmly believe that my ex-perience as a prosecutor will enable me to serve effectively from the very first day on the bench.”

“The people of East and West Fe-liciana Parishes have every right to be extremely proud of the job Betsy Jones has done as a prosecutor,” said D’Aquilla. “Our entire community is a safer place because of her tireless efforts, incredible skill and unwaver-ing determination to see that guilty criminals are punished.”

West Feliciana Parks and Recreation Welcomes New Director

Rob Hunter

New West Feliciana Parish Parks and Recreation Director Rob Hunter, Jr., is on the job. As Director of Rec-reation for Murrysville, Pennsylvania, Hunter was responsible for leading the municipality’s recreation department. Beginning in 2008, Hunter developed a wide variety of programs and com-munity events. He also helped the de-partment achieve its goals as part of a multi-year strategic plan.

Hunter’s prior experience also in-cludes serving as Assistant Parks and Recreation Director in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania.

A seven-member hiring panel unanimously selected Hunter as the lead candidate before recommending him to Parish President Kevin Couhig for appointment. Members of the panel included: Government Council Chair Heather Howle, outgoing Parks and Recreation Director Megan Andrews, and Tourism Director Laurie Walsh.

Claire Vecchio represented the par-ish administration; Melvin Harvey, Miles Higgins, and Fire Chief James Wood represented economic develop-ment and local business.

Hunter said that his commitment to parks and recreation involves much more than providing a sport or an ac-tivity. “My passion for the job is help-

ing people. When we provide families a healthy outlet, they are able to escape the day-to-day and just enjoy life.” He added that his family is excited about the move and looking forward to West Feliciana’s excellent school system, friendly people, and warm climate.

Hunter is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector and holds a bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock Univer-sity of Pennsylvania, where he studied physical education and sports manage-ment.

The Myrtles Catches Fire, Local Heroes Save the Historic Home

On Wednesday August 7 a fire broke out at the Myrtles planta-tion at approximately 8:00 p.m. Firefighters from Fire Protec-tion District No. 1 arrived to find heavy smoke coming from behind the Myrtles Plantation home. The Myrtles Plantation is located in the Town of St. Francisville and is touted as one of the most haunted places in America. The Myrtles brings tourist and overnight guests to St. Francisville year round. Fire District personnel were first to ar-rive as the plantation home is a lit-

tle more than half a mile from the Fire District’s Hardwood Fire Sta-tion. St. Francisville Fire Depart-ment arrived soon thereafter and the two departments went to work to contain and extinguish the fire.

The fire occurred in the gift shop area which is attached by a breezeway to the main house. The fire was contained to the gift shop and was prevented from spreading to the historic home. Firefight-ers established a defensive posi-

2 Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Business

Cracking the Weight Loss CodeCracking the Weight Loss Code

is a program for every woman and a few smart men, who have strug-gled with their weight, tried every ‘fad’ diet, and are now FINALLY ready to be slim, trim and healthy.

Certified Hypnotist and Weight Loss Expert Linda Allred will discuss common misconceptions about weight loss, as well as share:

• How self-hypnosis is used to curb eating

• How to love food yet eat less

• How to manage emotional/stress-induced eating, and

• Tips and tools for adopting sensible weight-loss habits

Cracking the Weight Loss Code will be held on Wednesday, August 27, from 12-1 p.m., in the Staff Development Classroom at Lane Regional Medical Center, 6300 Main Street in Zachary.

Registration is REQUIRED for this free, informative program by

Linda Allredcalling 658-4587. Bring a friend and you both qualify for a special door prize drawing!

Planning for a Healthy LifeWest Feliciana Parish Hospital

believes you have the power to im-prove and protect your health. For 20 years, WFPH has been hosting an annual health fair where residents of surrounding parishes can come and have screenings, testings, and edu-cational information given to them for free. The first health fair held at WFPH consisted of free screenings on weight, height, blood pressure, blood type, hemocult, diabetes, cho-lesterol, hearing and vision. A large selection of vendors from different groups were also on hand to give in-formation regarding nutrition, AIDS, self breast examinations, vascular screenings and fingerprinting.

Today, the test, screenings, educa-

tional information and vendors have grown. New screenings and testings now include blood glucose screening, PSA, colon screenings, lipid panel, carotid artery and aortic aneurysm screening, a blood drive, fire house safety, healthy eating information, and adult flu vaccines for free. WFPH strives to make the day eventful for both adults and children. A Health Walk has also been added recently. Participants will meet at Parker Park at 8 a.m. and walk to the Hospital for the start of the Health Fair. Donations for the walk will benefit the Capital Area United Way for Mental Health agen-cies. The 2014 West Feliciana Health Fair will be held on September 27th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014 3

MYRTLES continued from page 1

Email stories and photos to [email protected]

Published Tuesdays52 weeks a year

EXPLOREREXPLORERFeliciana

4104 Main StreetZachary, LA 70791

Phone (225) 654-0122Fax (225) 208-1165

Deadline for news and advertising: Wednesday, 5 P.M.

Call for advertising rates.

Publisher & EditorDaniel Duggan

Graphic DesignerTina Adams

Account ExecutivesGeorgiana Walls

Ashley Evans

Contributing WriterJames Ronald Skains

Patricia Stallman

ZES Bureau ChiefCalla Duggan

RPE Bureau ChiefChandler Duggan

NES Bureau ChiefCecelia Duggan

Daycare Bureau ChiefColton Duggan

Jambalaya Benefit August 23 A jambalaya benefit and raffle Sat-

urday, August 23 will be held at the Zachary Fire Department at 4525 Main St. to assist with extensive Medical Ex-penses for Pamela Jones Sciacchitano.

Pam was diagnosed with a rare form of Appendix Cancer. Jambalaya dinner with vegetable, salad, bread, dessert and a chance to win a $100 gift card. Need not be present to win. $8 Donation *Pick up only* 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Pick up your tickets in Zachary at Shear Image, Nouveau Coiffure, Gra-cie United Zachary, Zachary Lumber & Hardware, Zachary Chiro-Practical or call 225-278-3817.

QUESTION: If you needed to perform CPR, would you be pre-pared for the task? What about the people closest to you, would they know what to do?

ANSWER: Attend the “Keep the Beat” Free Bystander CPR Training* to learn life-saving CPR skill through hands-on training, as well as how to recognize and provide basic care for breathing and cardiac emergencies.

WHEN: Saturday, August 23

TIME: 9 a.m. (Please arrive by 8:45)

WHERE: St. John the Bap-tist Catholic Church, 3824 Lee St.,

Keep the Beat Free Bystander CPR Training set for Saturday

Zachary

WHO: Ages 8 – 88!

COST: FREE

HOW TO REGISTER: www.lanermc.org. REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, August 21.

SPONSORED BY: Lane Re-

gional Medical Center and Cardio-vascular Institute of the South

WHY: The statistics are bleak. Only 1 in 20 people know CPR, yet cardiovascular disease is the top killer in the country claiming 2,400 lives each day. About 95% of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before they reach the hospital. Brain death starts to occur within four to six minutes. Bystander CPR helps maintain vital blood flow to the brain until defibril-lation can be administered.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please call 225-658-4587.

* NOTE: This event does NOT qualify as a certified CPR training course.

Hunter Safety Course Sponsored by the District Attorney’s Office

The Twentieth Judicial District At-torney’s Office, Sam D’Aquilla, will sponsor a Hunter Safety Course on Saturday, September 13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, September 14 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the American Legion Hall, located at 12024 Liberty Hwy, Clinton, Louisiana. Must attend both days. Contact Crystal at the DA’s office at (225) 683-8563 to pre-regis-ter. Limited seating available.

tion between the home and the at-tached gift shop using fire streams to push back fire that was moving towards the home, which was less than 10 feet away. Firefighters entered the gift shop and battled intense flames in both the upstairs attic and the downstairs gift shop. They were pushed out of the up-stairs twice as flames and heat were too intense to allow firefight-ers to reach the base of the fire. The outside air temperature also contributed to the firefighters’ troubles with an evening tempera-ture of 90+ degrees. Firefighters from Fire Protection District No. 1 were finally able to access the main fire on the second floor after the area was ventilated by cutting a large hole on the gable end of the building. The fire was extin-guished more than an hour after arrival. The fire heavily damaged the second floor attic and a back room of the gift shop; however the building can be repaired. No inju-ries to the occupants and firefight-ers occurred.

The following firefighters and VOLUNTEERS from Fire Protec-tion District No. 1 responded.

Alan Dwyer James R. Wood

Austin Loyacono Jim Wood

Bonnie Hines Jimmy Dutsch

Chris McCartney Mel Percy

Chris Hines Payton Richardson

Collin Loyacono Rudi Shoats

Darren Richardson Russell Achord

Doug Hines Steve Slone

Submit Your Candidate

Statement [email protected]


Saturday, August 23, 2014 | 9:00 a.m.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church3824 Lee St. | Zachary, LA 70791

(Open to participants 8 and older. Please arrive 15 minutes before session begins.)

Join us for HANDS-ON TRAINING to learn a LIFE-SAVING SKILL

Register Online @ LaneRMC.org

Deadline to register is Friday, August 22, 2014.

Questions? Call 225-658-4587.

Sponsored by

*Please note that this event does not qualify as a certified CPR training.letterscan save your life

CPR3

FREE BYSTANDER* CPR TRAINING

East Feliciana Schools Celebrate Successful Opening

Clinton Elementary School’s principal, Thelemese Porter, and new assistant principal, Tongia Sanders, were so enthusiastic about the beginning of the school year that they attended both the East Feliciana School Board meeting the evening of August 5 and then the 8 a.m. Kickoff for faculty and staff the next morning at the Early Childhood Learning Center.

Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr., East Feliciana Parish Superintendent of Schools, celebrated, with his faculty and staff, both the achievements of the previous two years and the joy-ous beginning of School Year 2014—2015.

First-year high school chemistry and physics teacher Elton Ferdinand and Football Coach Mike Odendahl are ready for the new year. Alpha Mu of Delta Kappa Gamma representative Beth Dawson, who is also a School Board member, announced that Fer-dinand had won the drawing for an award to first-year teachers.


demco.org

/DEMCOLouisiana

our people. your poWeR.

Every call. Every line. Every member. Every day, DEMCO is dedicated to bringing more power to you.

hurricane preparation checklist

q 3-day supply of water & non-perishable food

q Spare clothing, blankets and pillows

q Toiletries, first-aid kit and prescription medicines

q Special items/food for babies and the elderly

q Flashlights, portable radio and extra batteries

q Extra set of car keys, credit cards and cash

q Important documents kept in a waterproof container or watertight plastic bag

• Identification, copy of birth certificate, marriage certificate and Social Security card

• Insurance documents and medical records

• Bank account numbers, online passwords and log-in information

• Emergency contact list

q Emergency tools

Principals: Lead your school!Assistant principals: Be the instructional leader!

Teachers: Feed the minds of your students!Support staff: Be the first smile to great your students each and every day!

Beth Dawson, left, a longtime member of the East Feliciana School Board and of Alpha Mu of Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers’ organization, herself a retired East Feliciana teacher, welcomes first-year chemistry and physics teacher Elton Ferdinand to the fold. Dawson is a new member of the East Feliciana Tourism Board and was a founder of the Jackson food pantry. Her volunteer and community work includes assisting children who have a parent in prison, children of service members, veterans of military service, and performing other work through the United Methodist Church of Jackson.

Leslie Birdon, the new assistant principal for East Feliciana Middle School, previously served full time as Literacy Coordinator for sixth through twelfth graders at the Central Office. She is nationally board certified and earned her master’s in science education—ecology from the University of Texas, then taught 16 years for the Dallas Independent School District before coming to East Feliciana four years ago.


Jackson Animal Advocates Unite to Tackle Cat Problem, Other IssuesBy Patricia Stallman

The August 11 Town of Jackson business meeting began with a civil exchange between those not exactly on two sides of a fence but doing their best to shake hands over it.

Sylvia Brinson, Jackson resident: “I would like to see if we can come to

some solution to attract fewer feral cats in town.”

Lori D’Arensbourg, Ethel resident, Northside Humane Society:

“I have to agree: Fewer feral cats is the goal.”

Is the answer, however, to trap and humanely euthanize the animals, or to trap, neuter, and return them to their original territory, where they will even-tually die out?

An unmistakable indication of the passions surrounding the issue was the presence of eight people—representing six animal welfare and rescue groups—who came to support D’Arensbourg and her Trap-Neuter-Release effort in East Feliciana. Joining Lori and Doug-las D’Arensbourg—after having driven through a Louisiana hot-weather pop-up rain to the Jackson Fire Station—were: Alison Hawkins of the Baton Rouge SPCA, Pam Levy of the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society in Baton Rouge, Helen Moralis of the Prairieville (Liv-ingston Parish) SPCA, Shana Perault of Central for Project Purr of Baton Rouge, Stacey Orillion representing CAAWS of Baton Rouge, and Susan Trahan of Ba-ton Rouge.

Brinson, who said emphatically that she was “not against cats, not against dogs,” had filed “a report of potential or-dinance violation” regarding Jackson’s feral, stray, and homeless cats.

Jackson Mayor Charles Coleman, left, welcomes animal welfare and rescue group representatives who attended the August 11 town meeting to support Douglas and Lori D’Arensbourg, Ethel, Northside Humane Society. The volunteers are, seated, from left, Douglas D’Arensbourg, Alison Hawkins, Pam Leavy, and Helen Moralis. Standing are Lori D’Arensbourg, Stacey O’rillion, Susan Trahan, and Shana Perault.

“Person or persons” Brinson wrote, “without prior consent of property own-ers and/or residents, (have) been attract-ing stray and feral cats by leaving cat food out for feeding purposes. I am to understand the sole purpose is a spay/neuter rescue effort and then the cats are released back into the community. While it is a noble cause, this activity has resulted in the (town’s) becoming overrun with unwanted animals with no

hope of their being given proper homes and veterinary care. One person’s ideal has led to unwanted cats around the res-taurants and stores.

“On a personal note, the Jackson Square Apts. (where I reside) has numer-ous feral cats in and around dumpsters and on one occasion I had a feral cat leap from the dumpster over me when I tried to place garbage inside. The cats are unvaccinated, harbor fleas and can also

have numerous feline diseases. They fight, spray their urine, ruin flower beds and create a general nuisance. Therefore I feel the following are causes for action by the Town of Jackson aldermen and mayor:

1. trespassing by those feeding the cats

2. possible health hazard to citizens should they be scratched or bitten

3. damage to property in the form of ruined landscaping and vehicles

4. disturbing the peace by cats fight-ing and mating.”

Several speakers noted that the neu-tering part of TNR would eliminate the cats’ “spraying urine” and fighting when mating, as they would no longer mate. In addition, when the veterinarians neu-ter or spay the animals, they also vac-cinate them against rabies and slice the tip off of one ear so that residents may know that a particular animal is part of the program and cannot mate or repro-duce.

As for “ruined landscaping” and scratched cars, Levy said, she will pro-vide printed instructions for eliminating both.

Further, D’Arensbourg said, her group does not return all its animals to their place of origin. “Every summer,” she said, “every summer! Someone dumps off tons of cats at the One-Stop Texaco on Highways 10 and 19.

“Those that are tame,” she says, “I’ve found homes for them.” For some, those not quite domesticated but not feral ei-ther, “I’ve found barn homes,” where people feed the cats and the cats keep the property clear of rodents and snakes.

See JACKSON on page 8


ClassifiedsPRICE REDUCED! Country liv-ing in the City of Zachary! 1.61 Acre homesite is ready to build upon. Site prep already prepared, and you can enjoy fishing off the sandy beaches of Redwood Creek located on the rear of the property. Brokered by Monte Real Estate 225-658-1515. Listed at $69,000 and will entertain all offers. Nanny Needed. Must have own trans-portation. Call (225) 926-1900.Drivers: Co. & O/Op Teams! $2500 Sign On, $200k/Team! Dedicated, Drop&Hook, Run TX to NC, Great Hometime. CDL-A/Haz&Tanker, 2yrs T/T exp, Good MVR. Apply: www.transwood.com Or Call Mark: 855-314-8122FOR SALE BY OWNER,.814 Acre Land. 8091 O’Deal Williams Lane in Ethel. Asking $8,000. Call 225-658-9492.For Sale! Leather sofa in excellent condition. Olive Green 7 foot long, custom Flexsteel brand from Town and Country Furniture. $1150. Call 255-721-8470.Room for Rent. Private Entrance. Private Bath. Furnished. All Utilities Included. On the corner of Church and Lee Street in Zachary. Call or Text (225) 654-9900.2000 F-250 Super Duty Power Stroke 7.3 Diesel Truck. 184k miles. $9000 OBO. Call Lynn 629-5388 or 719-0280. For Sale! 2 BR, 1 Bath, Cedar Siding home, Jackson, 1.13 acre, Quiet neigh-borhood, new price $70,000. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country Office: 683-5454 or Cell: 719-18101840’s large Farm House, heart pine floors, 12 ft. ceilings, original doors, modern kitchen, appraised $260,000. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Coun-try Office: 683-5454 or Cell: 719-1810Wooded 52 acre in Ethel, potential homesite and growing timber, small creek can be made into a lake. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country Of-fice: 683-5454 or Cell: 719-18106 wooded ac. With 450 ft. road front-age, Hwy 961 Clinton, $60,000. Steve DiLorenzo, Feliciana Hill Country Office: 683-5454 or Cell: 719-1810Beautiful 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bath custom built home located in the heart of New Roads, landscaped yard, automatic sprinkler system. 2269 sq. ft. Listed at $259,900. Brokered by Gardner Realtors 225-296-0500. Agent Karen Peterson 225-772-6487Vinyl sign production and graphic installer needed. We need a well motivated individual to produce and install vinyl graphics and vehiclewraps on cars, trucks, ambulances, trailers, walls, signs etc. Signshop or screen printing experience a plus but not required.Call 225-683-9595. House Cleaner needed. One day a

Classifiedsweek. Located in The Bluffs. Call Leigh (225) 335-2027.B & D House and Commercial Clean-ing, LLC. 25 Yrs. Experience. If you would like your home or office cleaned, call Donna (225) 573-0143 or (225) 262-5157.LAWNMOWER NEEDED! Old man, widowed, needs to buy a good used riding lawnmower. Please phone 225-683-5456.Need Grass Cut? Reasonable and De-pendable. Call (225) 721-1964.Private Christian School Seeking PK3 Teacher & PK Director. Fax resume to 225-570-8258. Motivated individuals needed for chal-lenging positions at Eastern Louisiana Mental Health Systems in Jackson, LA. We a currently recruiting for part-time positions: Corrections Guard Therapeutic positions start at $13.00 hourly; Licensed Practical Nurse positions $18 per hour; Regis-tered Nurses start at $26.25 hourly. Interested applicants please call 225-634-0548 or 225-634-0559 for more information.Downsizing Furnishings. Some antique furniture and glassware. Call (225) 933-5869 for information and appoint-ment.Building for Rent starting Sept 1st. 4705 Secretary Drive in Zachary, across from Walmart. 1,000 sq feet. $950 per month. Call Johnny (225) 719-1116 or (225) 683-9677.FOR RENT Mobile Home Lots. Lot ONLY. $250 per month. Nice, quiet area in Northeast EBR Parish. Call (225) 778-1672.Zachary area dental office seeking a hard working & reliable dental assis-tant. Please email resume to [email protected] beautiful acres with mature hardwoods, magnolia, pine and a creek running throughout it. Only minutes from Zachary and Central. $225,000. Call Sally, Keller Williams Realty Red Stick Plus (225) 301-7224. “Each office independently owned and operated.”Now Hiring! Medical office in Clinton is looking for a medical assistant. Fax resume to 225-683-3350. Must have reliable transportation.Specialty Maintenance Contractors LLC. Additions, Contstruction, Re-modeling & Repairs. Whatever your needs may be, we do it. 225-572-3673.2000 Toyota Land Cruiser, 193K miles, Excellent Condition, $9900.Email [email protected] for pictures & info.

Call in or send us your Classified Ad

Only $10 Up to 20 wordsPhone 225-654-0122 or email [email protected]

TRACTORS & EQUIP

BUSINESS DIRECTORY | CLASSIFIEDS

ARTS, DANCE & MUSIC

ANTIQUES

CONSTRUCTION

CHILD CARE

CUSTOM DRAPES

225-936-8649

Fabrics, Slip Covers, Custom Drapery, Roman

Shades,Shutters & Upholstery

Credit cards accepted

“We come to you, FREE estimates”

DOG CARE

DRY CLEANERS

All Breeds Dog BoardingObedience & Retriever Training

www.y-farms.com • 225-445-5012

INSURANCE

INSURANCE

HOME & LAWN

HAIR CARE

Junior’s FurnitureService, LLC

Upholstery, Custom Built Ottomans and Headboards

Ultra Shield • Antique Restoration •RV’sCommercial & Residential • Eco Friendly Fabrics

225-654-3949“God is first in all we do”

REAL ESTATE

Lloyd’s Home Maintenance &

RepairNo Job too Small!Call 225-936-7652

CALL 654-0122 TO ADVERTISE YOUR

BUSINESSIN 33,000 PAPERS A WEEK IN ZACHARY &

THE FELICIANAS

Call in or send us your Classified Ad

Only $10 Up to 20 wordsPhone 225-654-0122 or email [email protected]


JACKSON continued from page 6

* Minimum monthly payments required. Interest will be charged at regular APR if balance is not paid in full during promotional, or if payment is late. Exclusions: Prior sales and closeouts,TV’s, bedding, appliances or in combination with any other offer.

FURNITURE & APPLIANCES, LLCSince 1957

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00 • Sat 9:00-5:00 3425 Hwy 1 S., Port Allen

225-749-0076

372 Hospital Rd., New Roads

225-638-4526www.bellelosonline.com

"A family business of 57 years, we pride ourselves in service and integrity."

False River Road

FALSE RIVER

Hosp

ital R

oad

H

•Wal-Mart

Hwy. 1 Hwy 10

2nd Location...

Ashley, Bernhardt, Broyhill, England, Flexsteel, Lazboy, Mayo, Liberty, CraftmasterNatuzzi, Legacy, Lea, Lane, Pulaski, Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Tempurpedic, Universal and more!

orig. $399

Asher ReclinerVail Recliner

Recliner SALE!

Sale! $299Pinnacle ReclinerSale! $399 Sale! $499

1 YEAR NO INTEREST*

Sale $599

Med Lift Recliner

Back to School

Bunk Bed Sale $299

Orig. $399

*12% Discount = to 12% State Sales Tax. All Sales Tax Remitted.

END OF SUMMERSofa SALE $699 orig. $899

Recliner SALE $599 orig. $699The Official Seat of Duck Dynasty

7 pc Dinning Set

Sale $1099 orig. $1499

Dresser, Mirror & Queen Bed SALE! $1199

Sofa & Loveseat SALE! $699

Queen Sleeper $599SAME STYLE

orig. $999orig. $1499

Several volunteers commented that they know many people, especially restaurant owners, who are adamant that they do not want cats returned af-ter neutering. The return, however, is the best way to keep the number of cats the same—no new kittens—and to keep other adult cats from joining the group, as cats are territorial. Returning the same group will not only keep new additions away, but the neutered cats will eventu-ally die off. If, however, volunteers re-move the cats from Bobby’s Restaurant,

for example, a favorite eating and gath-ering spot in Jackson, and then do not return them, “more will come. You need to fix the cats and let them stay.”

Levy added that when property own-ers allow the return of neutered cats, “the cat population continually decreases as the cats age.”

What led to D’Arenbourg’s deter-mination to help animals she said, was “back in 2009,” when, “on Highway 68, somebody shot a dog. When I found it, one leg was splinted. I paid for its sur-gery, and I found a home for it.”

Levy added, “Please don’t blame the cat caretakers for the problem. We are

not responsible for the number of cats. We’re just fixing them and putting them back where they already are. The stray, feral, and homeless cats in this area are a direct result of the people who have dumped cats here for years.” All animal welfare and rescue groups, the volun-teers said, educate the public to find so-lutions other than dumping the unwant-ed animals.

When Alderman Jim Parker asked, “Who pays the costs?” D’Arenbourg noted that she had secured a grant of $4,000 last year and was in the midst of applying for $5,000 for the current year.

Alderman Rafe Stewart asked, “If

you don’t get a grant this year, who pays?”

Several voices from the group of eight volunteers said, nearly at once, “Out of our own pockets.”

The volunteers added that 321 com-munities across the United States have active TNR programs because “killing doesn’t work.” Further, if the town does not opt for TNR, “the only legal way to get rid of the cats,” Levy said, “is to take them to a vet and pay to euthanize them.”

After the meeting and a photo op with the Jackson Mayor Charles Cole-man, Moralis said, “We’re all just pas-sionate about trying to help and educate the community about animal welfare and rescue.” Remarking that she has trapped cats in St. Amant, St. Gabriel, Sorrento, Baton Rouge, “and even Zach-ary,” Moralis continued, “The most im-portant part of animal rescue is the Trap and Release program. It helps to prevent over-population.”

Alderman Parker made a motion that the Council take the matter “under ad-visement.”

To reach D’Arensbourg, call 225-964-6992 or go to www.northsidehu-mane.org.

Walnut Street BridgeTown Clerk Sandy Smith reported

that the town had received three bids for the work on the Walnut Street Bridge. The mayor noted that the bridge itself was solid, but that the sides needed work, as the foundation was washing away.

Smith listed bids from:1. R.M. Dozier, $23,9502. Armadillo Dozier of Clinton,

$22,4853. J.M. Norsworthy, LLC, $19,250The Council accepted the Norswor-

thy bid.Youth Recreation CenterFrom the audience, the Reverend

Alonzo Young, who identified himself as a chaplain at Eastern Louisiana Men-tal Health System in Jackson, told the Council: “I’m here to ask you to be the solution to a problem. I see that we can do better than what we’re doing to pro-vide a recreation facility so kids have a place to go…to keep them out of trouble, out of jail.” Young, who mentioned that he had served as a prison chaplain for 25 years before coming to Jackson several years ago, said that he was particularly interested in an after-school program and facility.

After the meeting, Alderman Stewart conferred with Young, telling him that he had “looked up available grants” and that he wished to share his ideas about the needs of young people in the city.

Gas LineAn audience member, asking the

Council for information about the town gas line, said he had heard that “the cur-rent gas company is considering aban-doning our gas line. Can you give us an update?” to which Parker responded that the matter is “still being negotiated.”

CarsOn the matter of junk cars on prop-

erty along Highway 10 through town, Mayor Coleman advised resident Di-anne Wilson that Henry Bothers had promised to remove the cars as soon as the shop could find time.

Town tragedyJackson Marshall Ric Martin rose to

mark the “tragic death” of a “little child” who had died after a relative unknow-ingly ran over her in a car. “I wish to commend (Jackson Firefighter) Cheryl Scott,” Martin said, and all the others who had responded to the scene.

“You don’t have to worry in this town,” he said, “because you have peo-ple in this town who care.”

All of the responders “went to grief counseling” in Clinton, Martin said qui-etly. “And it helped.”

Feliciana Explorer August, 19 2014

Documents

Transcript of Feliciana Explorer August, 19 2014