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W e d n e s d ay, n ov e m b e r 20, 2024
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11TH YEAR, NO. 6
Installation of fiber optic cable causing damage, officials say BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
Progress often comes at a price — and in Zachary, the installation of fiber optic cable for internet has resulted in damage to residential properties and public utilities, officials say. Council member John LeBlanc brought up the issue at the council’s Nov. 12 gathering. He said he has received several questions and complaints in the past year about internet providers causing damage as they lay cable to expand their services. The latest incident happened on Sophie Anne Drive not long before the council meeting.
“They bored into the lady’s landline,” LeBlanc said. “Her husband has a heart problem. They need that landline. Not just that, but I’ve heard of people having really nice trees in their yard — bored into the root system, bored into other internet lines.” He said the companies are beginning work as soon as they get permits, not giving the city enough time to send workers to mark utility lines. “I think we all know that it’s progress, and these things are good,” LeBlanc said of expanding internet access. But something must be done, he said, to avoid additional damage and inconveniences during the installation process.
Mayor David McDavid shared LeBlanc’s concerns, saying he encountered problems when an internet company installed fiber optic cable in his neighborhood. Workers, he said, littered his yard with empty water bottles and cigarette butts. Residents aren’t the only ones incurring damage, the mayor said. City-owned utility equipment located underground has taken a hit, too, and officials have had to press companies to pay for repairs. McDavid said he has asked City Attorney John Hopewell to draw up an ordinance setting clear procedures for internet providers “so that when they come in here and damage something, we can recoup our money.” “A lot of times when they damage some-
thing, four or five months later, we find it,” McDavid added. He plans to meet with representatives of internet companies about the issue. He also hopes to persuade them to broaden their expansion efforts beyond densely populated neighborhoods to include Zachary’s outlying areas. “Get up there and start laying the fiber up there so these people don’t have to go to the library all the time to do reports. … I’ve got teachers living on Brian Road complaining about it. I’ve got people up on Old Scenic that don’t have it,” McDavid said. “We need to hit those areas, too. They’re important also — not just the business district and the big neighborhoods.”
Questionable ownership of roads leads to repairs issues
Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Library closed for Thanksgiving
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
The Broncos recorded wins over the Gators (4335) and the Catholic Bears (40-32). One of the referees for the matches was former Bronco wrestling coach J.P.
Off Old Scenic Highway in the northern reaches of Zachary city limits is a narrow, crumbling, dead-end road called Shellmire Lane. People who live there pled with the City Council Nov. 12 to make repairs — a project officials said they’re open to but that could be complicated by several issues, including questions about who owns the road and the potentially lengthy process of acquiring a right of way from residents. Shellmire Lane is among a handful of roads in Zachary with unclear ownership. The situation creates headaches when repairs need to be made. “We believe that it’s an East Baton Rouge Parish road,” said City Attorney John Hopewell. But there are longstanding disagreements between Zachary and East Baton Rouge Parish about road ownership and maintenance responsibilities. “This has been a back-and-forth issue since 1992 with the parish,” said Mayor David McDavid. “The parish denies it’s their road. I can tell you that right now for a fact.” A similar issue came up about a year ago when a large hole had to be fixed on W.J. Wicker Road, another route Zachary leaders believe to be owned by the parish. In the end, the two entities both contributed resources to get the job done. In the case of Shellmire Lane, residents said they don’t care who owns the road or performs the repairs. They just want a solution. A few of them spoke to the council, describing rocky road conditions and drainage problems that result in snake-infested floodwaters whenever it rains. “Please, please, please, I plead with you all — help us,” said Ledoris Allen, a longtime Shellmire Lane resident. “I don’t know what else to do.” Allen said repairs have been needed for many years, and the issue of who owns it has always created a roadblock. Long ago, her father and some neighbors decided it was easiest to simply do the maintenance work themselves.
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All locations of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library will close at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 and be closed Thursday, Nov. 28, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Christmas is coming Christmas in the Village is Dec. 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Zachary. It will include lights in the park, a snow globe photo opportunity, Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as the Grinch’s sleigh, let it “snow,” train rides, a tree lighting and a gingerbread wonderland. Christmas parade: The Zachary Chamber of Commerce announced it will have its first Christmas Parade grand marshal, a role that will be filled by Zachary Mayor David McDavid. The Christmas Parade, which will march Dec. 14 down Main Street, is themed “Luau Under the Mistletoe.” The deadline for entry in the parade is Friday, Nov. 22. Visit www.zacharychamber.com to register; it must be done online. All rules are on the registration page. The parade begins at 10 a.m., with lineup starting in the Rouses Market parking lot, 2300 Church St., and continues east along Church Street to Main Street in downtown Zachary. Chase Santa: The Zachary Charity League Chasing Santa 5K & Kids Half-Mile Fun Run is Dec. 14 at 4100 School St. Chase Santa through the streets of Zachary and win a special prize if you catch him. Hot cocoa and cookies will be served after the race. All runners who register by Dec. 1 will receive a T-shirt. Kids half-mile finishers will receive a toy from Santa’s bag. Register at runsignup.com/
PROVIDED PHOTO BY BATON ROUGE ZOO
Tanvir, a 15-year-old male Malayan tiger, is moving to the Baton Rouge Zoo, as part of conservation efforts. Nicknamed ‘Tan,’ the tiger will not be on public display, the zoo said.
Malayan tiger Tanvir joins Baton Rouge Zoo BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer
Baton Rouge Zoo will soon be getting a new tiger named Tanvir — nicknamed “Tan” — from the Tulsa Zoo, the Oklahoma zoo said in a Facebook post Nov. 12.. BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo shared the announcement from Tulsa on its own Facebook page. The 15-year-old Malayan tiger, Tan, previously arrived at his Tulsa home on a breeding recommendation, “but was not compatible with our female tiger, Ava,” the Tulsa Zoo said. “With the birth of our five cubs, more space is
ZHS wrestlers win in meet with St. Amant, Catholic
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Warren Brady ZACHARY SPORTS
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needed, so we worked collaboratively with Baton Rouge and AZA’s (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Malayan Tiger Species Survival Plan to ensure Tan has an amazing new home,” the Tulsa Zoo said. No timeline was given for Tan’s arrival. The Baton Rouge Zoo currently has two other Malayan tigers and one Sumatran tiger. The zoo had a fourth tiger, Intan, but he was humanely euthanized at 21 years old last summer after being treated for age-related ailments. “If you wish to say farewell, visit the Helmerich tiger exhibit in the Lost Kingdom at the Tulsa Zoo,” the zoo told its visitors.
The Zachary High wrestling team on Nov. 13 hosted the St. Amant Gators and Catholic Bears in a meet at the ZHS gym. Coach Ben McHugh’s 2024-25 ZHS wrestling team put in a strong team per-
formance as he welcomes 47 returners from last year team. The ZHS team also has 13 girls wrestling this year to fill all 12 weight classes. The ZHS girls return four from last year’s team including a state champion.
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