DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND
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W e d n e s d ay, M a r c h 12, 2025
1GN
Livingston Parish new shelter space to open in 2026
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
Livingston Parish is building a new animal shelter next door to its current facility to help curb the number of stray animals running amok in the parish. A group of about 40 local
leaders and animal shelter employees gathered March 5 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new animal shelter. The building on Florida Boulevard in the Town of Livingston will expand the animal shelter’s capacity. Parish President Randy
Delatte said the $3 million shelter should be up and running by the beginning of 2026. It’s being constructed using funds that were already in the parish budget, and the property was donated by town of Livingston Mayor JT Taylor and his administration.
“Tripling the capacity with a new facility is going to allow us to run a true animal control throughout the parish, not just the municipalities but even in the rural areas,” Delatte said. The facility will focus on spaying and neutering animals to better control the
stray animal population, he said. The parish president’s office said it doesn’t know the exact number of employees the new shelter will hire yet. The current shelter has nine employees, with about half of them working full time, said shelter director
Desiree Green. Her staff spend a large percentage of their time handling animal control situations, which can sometimes take all day depending on the situation. Green and her staff are hopeful the new shelter will
ä See SHELTER, page 2G
READY FOR THE DANCE
Students shop for prom apparel to attend ‘A Night to Remember’ in Livingston BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
PHOTO BY APRIL BUFFINGTON
Walker High School’s Carah Ellis said yes to her prom dress at the formal clothing shopping event put on by the Livingston Parish School System held at LPPS Suma Center on Friday.
ä See DANCE, page 2G
Former Live Oak basketball player succeeds at next level
Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
Crusade coming to Denham Springs Go Tell America crusade set for 7 p.m. March 16-19 at Denham Springs High School’s Yellow Jacket Stadium, 1000 N. Range Ave., Denham Springs. For more information, visit www.gotell-lp.com.
Mammograms offered Woman’s Hospital is bringing breast imaging to Livingston Parish with its mobile mammography coach, which offers advanced 3D mammogram technology at convenient times and locations across Louisiana. Physician’s orders are required and appointments are strongly encouraged. The coach is stopping at LPG Riverside in Maurepas, 18740 La. 22, Maurepas, on March 17. Call (225) 698-3435 to schedule. On March 24, the coach will visit Mandy’s Primary Healthcare, 35701 La. 16, Denham Springs. Call (225) 791-2400 to
ä See AROUND, page 2G
A group of Walker middle and high school students showed off their best runway walks Friday, surrounded by racks of formal dresses, rows of glittery heels and a range of accessories. This was a glimpse inside the inaugural free secondhand clothing shopping event for Livingston Parish’s special education students before their prom. The Unique Boutique and Clothier is a twoday only clothing store for the parish’s students
Live Oak’s Bryan Bayonne during a 2017 game.
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
One of the most enjoyable things about being a sports fan is following athletes as they progress and have success in their careers. Which brings me to former Live Oak high school basketball player Bryan Bayonne, who has made a name for himself in the Continental Athletic Conference this season. A senior at Spartanburg, in South Carolina, Methodist College, he was named the conference player of the Charles year earlier this month. Salzer Bayonne led the Pioneers to the SPORTS championship game of the CAC tourROUNDUP nament, where his last-second 3-point attempt was off the mark in a 64-62 loss to Carolina University. For Bayonne, who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, it didn’t diminish what he had accomplished over the course of the season. He was named CAC player of the week six times, three times for his offense and three for his defensive work. Among his top performances, Bayonne had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 106-75 win over Bluefield College on January 3. At the CAC tournament, Bayonne was named
ä See SALZER, page 3G