THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, M ay 14, 2025
11th YEAR, NO. 31
$1.00N
Proposed apartment plans rejected again
Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Celebrate retiring band director
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
A site plan for a controversial apartment complex again failed to win the favor of Zachary’s Planning and Zoning Commission on May 5. The proposed 144-unit complex, Sherwood Park, would be located on about 9 acres on Lower Zachary Road. Variations of a site plan for the project have been presented to
the commission in recent months, drawing in audiences made up of neighbors concerned about the complex’s potential to increase traffic and lower property values. The commission’s votes serve as recommendations to the City Council, which will have the final say on Sherwood Park at its May 27 meeting. When commissioners heard the site plan at their April meeting, they recommended denial. One of
their main problems with the plan was the fact that it included only one entrance and exit. The plan, though revised to include a second access point, met the same fate at this month’s gathering. “This new access was just shy of being 67 feet in distance from the initial planned entrance,” said Mindy Slaughter, chairwoman of the commission. “Section 10:403 of the UDC defines spacing for
access on arterial roadways. The distance of the current development plan access points fell short by multiple hundred feet.” The commission also felt that the second access point would be too close to the entrance to the neighboring Fountain View Estates subdivision, Slaughter said. The commission’s vote to recommend denial of the site plan was unanimous among the six members present.
A celebration for the retirement of Zachary High band director Jason Venable will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. May 24. It is a come and go event. Alumni and current students are invited to bring their instruments to play the fight song at 1:45 p.m. Bring photos and memories or email celebrating mrv@ gmail.com.
Summer reading is coming Beginning June 1 through Aug. 15, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library will have free programs, workshops, storytimes, concerts and performances for all ages through the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge, Color Our World. Learn more at www.ebrpl.com/ SummerReading. Track your reading and earn rewards. Sign up at your library branch or online at ebrpl.beanstack.org. Log books there as you read them to earn virtual badges and completion rewards, as well as entries for weekly prize drawings. Program includes kids, teens and adults.
Teen summer film camp Local filmmaker and puppeteer Clay Achee is partnering with the East Baton Rouge Parish Library to bring free filmmaking summer camps to teens ages 13 and up. Students will learn hands-on the basics of video production, including design, writing, production, filming, effects and more. The camp will meet from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. June 9-13 at the Zachary Branch. Visit www. ebrpl.com to see other locations and times. Space is limited to 15 teens per camp. Registration is required. To register, call (225) 2313770. The final projects from each camp will premiere at the Main Library at Goodwood at 6 p.m. July 30.
Chamber to host Business Expo The Zachary Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Zachary Business Expo on Sept. 9 at the Americana YMCA. Businesses that want to have a booth must be active chamber members. Contact Chloe McCreary at (225) 654-6777 or chloe@zacharychamber.com.
Festival seeks vendors Downtown Live will present the third annual Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival from 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8 and from 4 to 9 p.m. Aug. 9 at BREC Zachary Community Park, 20055 Old Scenic Highway. The Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival is seeking artisan and craft vendors. To sign up, visit form.jotform. com/250956272325156. Send news and events for the Zachary area to zachary@ theadvocate.com by noon Friday or call (225) 388-0731.
At Zachary High, 20 athletes agreed to play in college on National Signing Day 2025.
PROVIDED PHOTOS BY TAYLOR WATSON-LEE
Zachary High celebrates National Signing Day On May 7, Zachary High School celebrated 20 student athletes on National Signing Day. Zachary Athletics held a signing event to honor the athletes. Athletics Director and coach David Brewerton and other coaches spoke about the student athletes and what they have accomplished. The athletes signed their letters of intent as coaches, teachers, family, friends and teammates looked on.
Friends and family applauds as Xavier Ferguson signs his letter of intent to take his talents to the next level during Zachary High’s National Signing Day.
Zachary High celebrates National Signing Day with, from left, Ian Boyd, Zachary High’s Sean Hamilton at the school’s National Signing Day ceremony. Abigail Thompson and Nyllah Allen.
Baseball Jake Lipscomb: Baton Rouge Community College Boy’s Basketball Xavier Ferguson: Trinity Valley Community College Girl’s Basketball Kaitlyn Blake: LSUA Ti a r r a M c P i p e : Loyola University (New Orleans) Cimiya Rideaux: Seward County Community College Dance Nyllah Allen: Southern Cal Abigail Thompson: University of Louisiana at Lafayette Football Ian Boyd: Mississippi Christian Community College Trey Chaney: Mississippi Christian Community College
Javon Dent: Lafayette Community College Caleb Gonzales: Kentucky State University Sean Hamilton: Southern University Da’vekio Ruffin: Mississippi Christian Community College Clifton Webb: Southern University Ranch Horse Team Kaylea Marionneaux: West Texas A&M University Softball Audrey Mitchem: LSUA Addysen Thornton: Baton Rouge Community College Swim Matthew Hughes: William Carey University Kelvin Ridgley Jr: Centenary College Wrestling Jacury Johnson: Wheaton College
ZAF Scholarship Award goes to Jazmine Patterson As graduation is just around the corner, the Zachary Athletic Foundation has selected both a male and female senior as annual ZAF scholarship award winners. The scholarships were developed to recognize character, leadership, work ethic, team spirit and attitude. Applicants are required to document their academic and sports history, extracurricular activities and submit an essay that describes how participating in team sports at Zachary High prepared them for life after high school. The female winner, Jazmine
Warren Brady ZACHARY SPORTS
Patterson, represents the characteristics listed above and more. She maintains a 4.3 grade-point average and is close to the top in the class academic rankings. Athletically, Patterson competed in junior varsity and varsity basketball as a forward/center for coach Tami McClure.
Patterson and her teammates efforts paid off this year with a Division I Nonselect State Championship. In addition to basketball, Patterson was busy during her fouryear career, participating in Beta and Key clubs where she gave back to the community through fundraising events and working at food banks and the farmers market. In her essay, Patterson reflected on learning by example to “hold my teammates accountable, push them to be there best and motivate my teammates on and off the court.”
She believes that this experience will in the future help her “become a more confident and proactive leader.” Patterson also reflected on the value of practice where habits like “constant improvement and rigorous effort” she can look back on as she starts her life after high school. Other things Patterson keyed into for future success were opportunities at Zachary High where she learned to communicate effectively — including listening to others — contribute to
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