Feliciana Explorer Feb 10

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Feliciana Explorer • Tuesday, February 10, 2015 • Vol. 5, No. 6 • Published Weekly • Circulation 17,000 • felicianaexplorer.com • © 2015

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Jackson Celebrates 200 YearsBy Patricia Stallman, with PhotograPhS By Beth DawSon

The Town of Jackson held its Founders Day Bicentennial Birthday Bash on Saturday, January 31. Whis-tles and Strings, along with Director Louis Smith and the East Feliciana High School Band provided hours of period music on the grounds of Centenary State Historic Site near the Professor’s House.

Delivering speeches touting Loui-siana’s history and culture were Lieu-tenant Governor Jay Dardenne and State Representative Kenny Havard. Also in attendance were dignitar-ies of both East and West Feliciana, including: Bicentennial Chair Mary Jo Salmon, Jackson Mayor Charles Coleman, St. Francisville Mayor Bil-ly D’Aquilla, District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla, and East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Talmadge Bunch.

Residents and visitors enjoyed free admission to trolley rides, model

train exhibits, and the museum, as well as tours of the Professor's House and the main building at Centennial State Historic Site. Adults toured and tasted at Jackson’s winery, Feliciana Cellars, shopped at the antique stores, and visited the Charter Street art stu-dio.

Children learned to play the games their ancestors enjoyed at the time of Jackson's founding.

Celebrants took part happily in contests with prizes, including a fam-ily poker run.

Jackson provided red, white, and blue balloons for the children, and ci-der and birthday cake for all.

Among Jackson’s favorite boosters and event sponsors are, from left, Al Saltus, Bicen-tennial Chair Mary Jo Salmon, and historian and preservationist Jim Hendrickson. Photograph by Beth Dawson

Gathering at the Professor’s House on the grounds of Centenary State Historic Site are District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla, Jackson Mayor Charles Coleman, St. Francisville Mayor Billy D’Aquilla, Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne, State Representative Kenny Havard, and East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Talmadge Bunch. The group helped Jackson celebrate its Founders Day Bicentennial Birthday. Photograph by Beth Dawson Contributing to the festivities was the East Feliciana High School Band led by Louis

Smith. Photograph by Beth Dawson

Pictured right: Performing period music for hours at the Professor’s House on Centenary State Historic Site grounds was Whistles and Strings. Photograph by Beth Dawson

2 Tuesday, February 10, 2015

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

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Publisher & EditorDaniel Duggan

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Account ExecutivesGeorgiana Walls

Ashley EvansJamar Franklin

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Deleting Files EditorColton Duggan

West Feliciana Parish Permit Services Now OnlineBy Jennifer rome

West Feliciana Parish is pleased to announce that a comprehensive offer-ing of the MyPermitNow permit and in-spection software launched February 1.

Contractors and residents will have the ability conduct the following busi-ness online: apply for permits, submit plans in PDF format, track application progress up to permit issuance, print copies of the permits at any time, print copies of reviewed and stamped build-ing plans, request inspections, view and print completed inspection reports, and receive real-time email notifications when an inspection is completed.

Software users may download a copy of the MyPermitNow customer portal instruction document and cre-ate a free customer portal account. The MyPermitNow software will allow us-ers to begin applying for permits on line as an alternative to traveling to the permit office. Applicants should note that when submitting an application, they must up-load, in PDF format, any required docu-ments, such as building plans.

When requesting inspections online, applicants must submit their inspection request 24 hours in advance to have an inspection performed the next business day.

West Feliciana Parish inspectors will enter inspection results while still in the field to ensure that customers will re-ceive the inspection results via e-mail or through the customer portal in near real-time.

For assistance pertaining to the use of the MyPermitNow software, please call the technical support line at 1-866-957-3764, option 1, for assistance. The agents can assist with any software-re-lated questions.

Sailing Through the War of 1812 in Jackson’s Second Grade

As part of their ongoing study on the War of 1812, students in Ms. Oerther's second grade science and social studies class designed and crafted their own trading or military vessel based on what they had learned about early 19th century ships and seafaring. Students then tested whether their ships were ready for the open sea. Pictured clockwise from left: Demarcus Perry, Aireonna Whitfield, Laquannta Parker, Zyriana Richardson, Ka'Nyria Cotton, and Jashundra Alexander test a ship's seaworthiness. Photograph by Jonathan Loveall

Tuesday, February 10, 2015 3

DAR Stirling Chapter Hears Review of St. Francisville History: Flags Along the WayFebruary Meeting in Zachary to Feature Sgt. First Class Michael McNaughton of Denham SpringsBy Beth DawSon

The Alexander Stirling Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held its monthly meet-ing at the new West Feliciana Par-ish Library in St. Francisville on January 14.

Regent Lauren Pourciau, who presided over the program, read the National Defense Report and delivered a conservation report, after which the various chapter chairmen gave their committee updates. Susan Dardard, American Indian chairman, led the group in reading an Indian prayer in uni-son. Beth Dawson, DAR Service to Veterans chairman, reported on the needs of the Jackson War Vet-erans Home residents. Mary Ann Stevens, speaking for the Flag of the United States Committee, told the group about retiring the flag that has been flying at her home since 9—11. She actually saw the twin towers in flames, she said, went into her home, and immedi-ately put up her U. S. flag.

Many members brought Camp-bell Soup labels, Community Cof-fee labels, and Betty Crocker la-bels, as well as cola tabs, for their DAR schools and education proj-ects.

Mary Ellen Duhon reported on birthday cards for the children who are living at the DAR school in Tamassee, South Carolina.

Guest speaker Patricia Hardou-in reviewed Gail Chisum's Flags Along the Way: A Pictorial Journey

Through the History of West Feli-ciana Parish, which includes pic-tures and stories of places around the St. Francisville area. The group found especially interesting Hardouin’s contributions of her own first-hand experiences at each place. For example, she told about playing the saxophone in the band at the Julius Freyhan School. She displayed her cape that the band students wore, recalling how they would put on their capes and walk down to the picture show and then give the audience a performance. She also showed the dress that she wore when she graduated from the 7th grade at the Julius Freyhan School. At that time, she said, stu-dents went through only the 11th grade; therefore, after graduating from elementary school in the 7th grade, they went on to four years

Pictured above: Patricia Hardouin holds the dress she wore for her 7th grade grad-uation ceremony at the Julius Freyhan School in St. Francisville. Photograph by Beth Dawson

of high school, as middle schools did not exist in those days.

Mary Ann Stevens, Arlene Hughes, Glenna Fallin, Ann Weller, and Lauren Pourciau pre-pared and served a delicious lunch for the group.

The next meeting, the National Defense Luncheon, will take place on February 21 at Sammy’s Restau-rant in Zachary. The guest speaker, Sergeant First Class Michael Mc-Naughton of Denham Springs, was a member of the Louisiana National Guard who was deployed to Afghanistan in 2003, where he stepped on a land mine, causing severe injuries. After his medical discharge from the military, he be-gan a career that has focused on helping wounded veterans.

East Feliciana Students Embrace Common Core Math StandardsJonathan loveall

On a day of hundreds, nearly 100 students and their parents and families came out on the evening of Tuesday, January 27, for the Jackson Elementary School Fam-ily Math Night, which celebrated the 100th day of school.

Parents and families learned how to support their students of all ages in mastering the new Com-mon Core State Standards in math-ematics. Students painted, popped balloons, and competed in timed challenges, all in the name of cel-

ebrating the joy of mathematics.Keeping with Jackson Elemen-

tary School’s commitment to com-munity, several community leaders shared how they use mathematics in their careers. Guest speakers included Oneida Jarrell, a retired accountant with the State of Loui-siana; Roderick Jarrell, supervisor with the Louisiana Relay Service; and Tammy Garig of the Wilson Police Department.

“Our families, students, and teachers have truly risen to the

occasion as we transition to new, more challenging standards in math,” explained JES principal Megan Phillips. “We are excited to continue to partner with parents to develop students who enjoy math and use it in their daily lives to solve problems and make their community a better place.”

To learn more about the Jack-son Elementary School mathemat-ics department, visit facebook.com/jacksonelementary.


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Boater Safety Course set For February 28A boater safety course sponsored

by the 20th Judicial District Attor-ney’s office will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Clinton located 12024 Lib-erty Hwy. Contact the District Attor-ney’s Office at 683-8563 to pre-reg-ister now, limited seating available!

Friends of the Clinton Library Cordially invites you to meet Debo-rah Burst Author of Louisiana’s Sa-cred Places. Light lunch of soup and saladwill be served and a $5.00 do-nation would be appreciated. Thurs-day, February 12th at Noon at the Clinton Presbyterian Church 11023 Bank Street. Her book would make a wonderful Valentine Gift, and be sure to bring a friend.

Friends of the Clinton Library

Luncheon

Zachary, Feliciana Business Leaders Meet in Slaughter to By Patricia Stallman

The Feliciana Regional Busi-ness and Industrial Council met Monday evening, February 2, at the Slaughter Town Hall, to introduce the community and surrounding ar-eas to its mission and to welcome others to join in its work. Board President Tom Moriarty, now re-tired from The Shaw Group, Inc., of Baton Rouge, emphasized that the Feliciana Board is “a forum to give ordinary citizens and busi-nesses a voice” in developing busi-ness and industry for Slaughter and its environs, while maintaining the area’s “small town feel.”

While the Board welcomes the input of elected officials, those serving the community in elected positions may not also serve the Board as voting members. Resi-dents of the region, those “ordinary citizens and businesses,” will deter-mine how the area will evolve.

The region the Board envisions includes, for starters, East Felici-ana, West Feliciana, Pointe Cou-pee, and East Baton Rouge. The vi-sion is one of working together to fuel economic development for all.

Highway 61: The Coming In-dustrial Corridor

The Board recognizes that High-way 61, from the Baton Rouge line north through Zachary, East and West Feliciana Parish, is emerg-ing as the area’s industrial corridor. Eight projects are already in the

works, though at this early stage of development those plans enjoy non-disclosure agreements.

“If we create jobs out there” on 61, Jackson says, “that won’t put tax dollars in Slaughter’s pocket, but it will position us and the rest of the Parish for the rooftops. I want to see housing come not just to Slaughter, but to all of East Feli-ciana.” All growth, he notes, will in fact benefit the entire region.

Gas Pipeline and Railway in the Works

Sheldon Day, Mayor of Thom-asville, Alabama, congratulated Slaughter on its work to provide two important requirements of in-dustry: a gas line and a railway. Following a settlement between Slaughter and MidLa in the past few months, Mayor Jackson ex-plains, his town now has “access to 22 miles of pipeline” along which “we can put two taps.” MidLa is footing the $450,000 bill for each. “It’s also putting a new pipeline un-der Thompson Creek as part of the settlement.”

Moriarty adds that the “total

cost of the two taps and the Thomp-son Creek project is approximately $1.2 million.”

The 22 miles of pipeline runs “from Slaughter almost to Heming-bough” on Highway 61, Jackson said.

MidLa still owns the gas line; therefore, it will maintain and op-erate it. “What Slaughter has,” Jackson notes, “is the potential to tap the gas line for business. Slaughter-supplied gas is provided through the Louisiana Municipal Gas Association. Pre-paid gas al-lows rates cheaper than market rates. If we can sell the gas for one to three cents cheaper than market, we can attract businesses with high gas usage and make a profit.”

As for the railway, Amzak Capi-tal Management of Boca Raton, Florida, of which KAPAC is a sub-sidiary, owns the rail line from KA-PAC across Highway 61 and then across Highway 68 to Slaughter, where a spur runs through Zach-ary toward Baker. Amzak, Jackson says, in replacing over 100,000 railway ties, 22 bridges, and 38 crossings, “is bringing the railway back to life.”

Amzak’s Joe Vidmar spoke from the audience during the ques-tion and comment session follow-ing the Board’s presentation, not-ing that “Amzak will invest capital to partner with the community.” Short lines, like Slaughter’s, he said, work well with communities and industries. Amzak presently envisions a railway use of three or four days a week, with the inten-tion of moving paper “outbound.” Vidmar promised to “find the safest window” of time so that the rail-way will not impact workers’ and schoolchildren’s commutes.

The rail line, Mayor Jackson says, “gives us transportation and ports within an hour of Highway 61.” The gas line, he points out, runs parallel to the rail line. Where

Gathering Monday evening, February 2, in Slaughter were, from left: Kenny Havard, Louisiana State Representative for East Feliciana, West Feliciana, and Zachary; Audrey Faciane, Director, East Feliciana Chamber of Commerce; Ben Cavin, Coun-cilman, City of Zachary; Charmaine Efferson, Real Estate Agent, Keller Williams of Zachary; Jon Craft, President, Anvil Attachments of Slaughter; Carla Sibille, Slaughter Attorney; Tom Moriarty, retired IT Director of Business Operations/Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, The Shaw Group of Baton Rouge; Robby Jackson, Mayor of Slaughter; Johnny Arceneaux, Director, Workforce Development, Baton Rouge Commu-nity College; Sheldon Day, Mayor of Thomasville, Alabama; Joseph Vidmar, Director of Operations and Projects, Amzak Capital Management of Boca Raton, Florida; C. J. Arnold, President, Blackbelt Energy of Jackson, Alabama; Al Bean, Clarke-Mobile Gas Authority; and J. C. Brantley, American Public Gas Association of Washington, D. C. Photograph by Patricia Stallman


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Discuss Economic Development Using U.S. 61 Corridorthe two lines reach 61 is “a key spot for development on either side.”

Mayor-to-Mayor MentoringSlaughter Mayor Jackson ex-

plains that the formation of the Fe-liciana Regional Board is the latest result of an ongoing mentoring pro-cess that Thomasville Mayor Day has provided in answer to Jack-son’s request for direction. Thom-asville, as a result of Day’s long-term planning and oversight, has seen the creation of five industrial parks in a landlocked town that had no nearby ports or other means of materials transport.

“The only way to get back on your feet,” Day told the audience, “is to get off your fanny! Get up and do what needs to be done.”

To give the Board an example of how to “start over,” Jackson says, he brought the members to Thom-asville. There they found that the industrial parks did not intrude into the lives of the residents; planners had surrounded those parks with green areas and set them out of sight and earshot of the carefully planned subdivisions. Remarking that planners must consider “the esthetics of 61,” Jackson noted, “When you drive through Thom-asville, you don’t see an industrial park anywhere…the footprint of industry is not showing.”

In fact, Day said, the coexis-tence of industry with communi-ty is so seamless that recently he engineered tours of the parks for Thomasville residents, many of whom were not aware of the extent of the town’s development, though many drive only a mile to arrive at their work in the plants.

Day advised Jackson to form a board consisting of a project man-ager to oversee data, a real estate professional, an attorney, and a person engaged in business and manufacturing. Jackson’s next ac-tion was to resume his role as May-or of Slaughter, to step back and turn over the work of planning and development to the Board.

Joining Moriarty are real estate agent Charmaine Efferson, Attor-ney Carla Sibille, and Anvil At-tachments President Jon Craft. The idea is to work with area leaders in education and government, as well as groups such as the East Felici-ana Parish Economic Development District, which created East Felici-ana’s Master Plan.

While the work of EFPEDD was visionary and detailed, audience members agreed, the Master Plan “has holes” and needs “to be tight-ened.” Though planners worried about Zachary’s possible “engulf-ment” of Slaughter as a bedroom

community, they praised its Master Plan, though noting that Zachary planners are finding that they must now and then go back and retool parts of the plan because of unan-ticipated challenges.

The Board members, three of whom share Leadership North training through the Zachary Chamber of Commerce, all wanted to improve their communities, to help develop a workforce, and to bring in businesses and new homes. The Feliciana Regional Business and Industrial Council provides the structure through which they may now serve and lead.

Workforce DevelopmentBoard Member Sibille described

the visit to Thomasville as “abso-lutely mindblowing. It still felt like home, like a small town; they’d

done so many things right.” Sibille was particularly impressed that the town’s “community college had partnered with the schools” to de-velop a workforce that could attract industry.

Board Member Jon Craft, who is the president of Anvil Attach-ments in Slaughter, also cited the necessity of training workers. “The biggest problem I’ve got is skilled labor,” he said. “I need draftsmen; I need fitters to read the drawings and build the stuff. I want to be number one in my industry, and I can’t be number one with number three and four people. We need ev-erything from engineers to people who sweep the floors.”

Craft displayed a small model


Births • Engagements • Weddings Obituaries • Anniversaries • ReunionsMilestones

Slone, Theora Margaret HaageTheora Margaret Haage Slone,

76, passed away peacefully on Tues-day January 27, 2015 surrounded by her two devoted children, son Steven Donald Slone and daughter Sherri Dawn Slone, both of St. Francisville, La. She was a retired, sharp-minded Librarian, Debate/Speech Teacher, and English Educator, dedicating her life’s work to the written and spo-ken word. Many lives were touched by her commitment to educating and mentoring others. She is survived by her Three sisters Judy Rentschler, husband Riley of Lake Ozark, Mo., Eleanor Haage, partner Cheryl of Nevada, Mo., and Carol Deveney of St. Louis, Mo.; two brothers, George Haage, wife Hanako Koyama of Ev-erett, Washington, and Phillip Haage, wife Sue of Paris, Texas; grandchil-dren Gabriella Coco and Sawyer Coco; Nieces Grace Blehm, Terri Griffith, Melanie Grafton, Dana ll-genfritz, Shelagh Deveney, Laura Deveney and Debbie Rogers and Nephews Greg Kays, George David Haage, Doug Haage, Darren Slone, Damon Slone, Mark Hiesberger, Tim Deveney, Phillip Deveney and Daryl Haage. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Doro-thy Haage; sister, Barbara Ruggels; brother Charles Haage; brother-in-law Jack Deveney and niece Tamra Ruggels. She earned her Masters of Library Science at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, her Bachelor of Science in Education at Kansas State College of Pittsburg, Pittsburg, KS. She was a member of the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in

Education. She was a United Meth-odist Youth Group Leader, a Speech and Debate Coach, and School Spon-sor “”Extraordinaire””. Those who were lucky enough to call Margaret “”friend or family”” remember her love of gardening, decorating, antiqu-ing, reading, shopping and traveling. But above all, she loved her family and friends, spending time with them, laughing, sharing a meal, or being on the lake. Margaret was the mother we wanted, the sister we never had, and the friend we could always depend upon. Because Margaret believed in free and complete library access to all, the family requests in lieu of flowers, you make a charitable dona-tion to your local Public Library. This will enable her legacy to continue to live on through the future. The fam-ily especially appreciates the care and compassion of the staff at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Dr. Lind-sey, Dr. Griffith, Dr. Brandt, Minister McGuire, and ALL of the health care providers who have provided care through the years. Visiting will be from 9am until 11am memorial ser-vice on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Tuscumbia Christian Church, 275 Highway Hh, Tuscumbia, MO. Fol-lowing the memorial service, family and friend are invited to lunch at the church. Following lunch, Inurnment will be in Boltz Cemetery. Share sym-pathies, condolences and memories at www.CharletFuneralHome.com. Funeral Home conducting services in Missouri: Reid Millard Funeral Cha-pel 902 E. North Street Eldon, Mo. 573-392-3351.

Derek and Kristen McKey proudly announce the birth of their first child, Avery Rose. She was born on January 16, 2015 at Woman’s Hospital at 12:19 a.m. Avery weighed seven pounds eleven ounc-es and was 19.5 inches long. Proud grandparents are Jim and Kathy Tate of Central and Todd and Karen McKey of Zachary. Great grandparents are Jim

& Pauline Tate of Baker, the late Howard & Rose Broussard, Larry & Joyce Bellard of Zachary, and Jack & Faye McKey of Gloster, MS.

Avery Rose McKey


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FELICIANA ECON continued from page 1

of a grip, which he had made with a three-dimensional printer. He shared his dreams for the purchase of a higher-end welding robot, “not to take jobs away, but to cre-ate more jobs by making our prices more competitive.” In Alabama, Craft said, “if you buy a welding robot, the state comes in and helps you train your people for free. Lou-isiana doesn’t do that.”

Emphasizing the importance of “partnering with the high schools and the technical and community colleges,” Craft discussed his con-tributions—monetary, instruction-al, and advisory—to the technical college in Jackson, now a Baton Rouge Community College cam-

pus. One outcome was his hiring three graduates of the machinist class he helped get off the ground.

Slaughter and other nearby com-munities will grow, the group said. Whether Slaughter becomes a bed-room community for Zachary—whether it is “engulfed,” “swal-lowed up,” or “steamrollered”—or whether Slaughter decides to deter-mine its own future depends on the people who live in the area.

Stellar AdvisorsThe speakers and audience

members came across as people al-ready united in their mission. The group included: Johnny Arceneaux, Director, Workforce Development, Baton Rouge Community College; C. J. Arnold, President, Blackbelt Energy of Jackson, Alabama; Al Bean, Clarke-Mobile Gas Author-

ity; J. C. Brantley, American Public Gas Association of Washington, D. C.; Ben Cavin, Councilman, City of Zachary; Jon Craft, President, An-vil Attachments of Slaughter; Shel-don Day, Mayor of Thomasville, Alabama; Charmaine Efferson, real estate agent, Keller Williams of Zachary; Audrey Faciane, Director, East Feliciana Chamber of Com-merce; Kenny Havard, Louisiana State Representative for East Feli-ciana, West Feliciana, and Zachary; Robby Jackson, Mayor of Slaugh-ter; Tom Moriarty, retired IT Direc-tor of Business Operations/Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, The Shaw Group of Baton Rouge; Carla Sibille, Slaughter Attorney; Joseph Vidmar, Director of Opera-tions and Projects, Amzak Capital Management of Boca Raton, Flori-

da. Also present, representing local government and education leaders, were Phil and Former Slaughter Mayor Bobbie Bourgeois, Slaugh-ter Aldermen Nick St. Germain, Amy Bellue, Liz Aaron, and Ash-ley Schwartz, and East Feliciana Parish School Board Member Tim Corcoran.

A very good beginning, Mayor Jackson remarked.

To join the Feliciana Regional Business and Industrial Council as a member, contact Tom Moriarty at [email protected]. Moriarty de-scribes the membership as a coun-cil of citizens and business and industry representatives working together to present ideas and ad-vice to the Board, which will over-see the council and vote on issues.

Feliciana Explorer Feb 10

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Transcript of Feliciana Explorer Feb 10