DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND
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W e d n e s d ay, J u n e 4, 2025
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Kiwanis Club honors law enforcement
Livingston Parish Sheriff Deputy Dakota Naquin, center, receives the Nick Tullier Service Above Self award during the 52nd annual Kiwanis Club of Denham Springs Peace Officer of the Year award ceremony May 22 at Forrest Grove in Denham Springs. With Naquin are Nick Tullier’s parents Mary Tullier, left, and James Tullier.
Community news report Livingston Parish Sheriff Deputy Dakota Naquin received the Nick Tullier Service Above Self award May 22 during the 52nd annual Kiwanis Club of Denham Springs Peace Officer of the Year awards ceremony. The event was at Forrest Grove in Denham Springs. In addition, the group announced the dedication of a bench in the memory of the late Cpl. Shawn Kelly at Denham Springs Elementary. Kelly was shot in the line of duty on May 11, 2023. He died from his injuries on June 2, 2023.
Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
PHOTO BY DAVID NORMAND
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TO THE DOGS
Leadership Livingston accepting applications The Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the Leadership Livingston Class of 2026. In its 13th year, the program has graduated nearly 300 local leaders. Leadership Livingston is a 10-month experience that starts with a retreat in August and includes monthly field trips from September to May. Participants learn about key areas of the parish and work in teams on community improvement projects. The program concludes with a graduation in June. Applications are open through July 15. Apply at www. livingstonparishchamber.org or call (225) 665-8155 for more information.
Walker opens disc golf park Walker has opened a Disc Golf Park on Milton Old Field, 13620 Aydell Lane, Walker, next to city hall. The course opened May 30 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Amite River poker run Manny’s Bar is hosting its Christmas on the Bayou poker run June 10. Check out the group’s Facebook page for details. The group raises money for local charities.
Farmers Market Saturday Four Seasons Farmers Market opens every Saturday morning at 116 North Range Ave., Denham Springs. The event includes fresh produce and crafts items. For more information, call (225) 366-7241 or email thefourseasonsfarmersmarket@gmail.com.
Amite art, drama camps set The Amite Arts Council is hosting summer visual art and drama camps this summer for students in fourth through eighth grades. The drama camp, June 16-20, is presented by the children’s theater troupe The New Octavians in Hammond. The students will learn acting and stage movement skills, which will be displayed in a short play staged on the last day of the camp. The camp will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Center. The visual art camp is June 23-27. The camp will be taught
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Jeri Gill
PROVIDED PHOTO
Kidney donor wins title
PHOTO BY MOLLY BAHLINGER
Cherri Foster, Australian shepherd breeder and Denham Springs native, grooms her show dogs before competing.
Baton Rouge and New Orleans clubs host Jambalaya Cluster Dog Show in Gonzales Center in Gonzales. Hundreds of dogs and their ownThe Baton Rouge Kennel Club ers competed in the show ring: and Riverside West Kennel Club May 29-30 for the News Orleans of Greater New Orleans Inc., held group and May 31-June 1 for the the annual Jambalaya Cluster Dog Baton Rouge contestants. In addition to watching the judgShow at the Lamar Dixon Expo
Community news report
ing, spectators will able to meet and greet a variety of dog breeds, learn about responsible dog ownership, and speak with breeders, owners, and handlers. On-site vendors sold treats, leashes and gifts for pets.
Raising awareness of need for organ donation motivates Springfield woman
BY DARLENE DENSTORFF Community News Editor
Jeri Gill is no pageant girl, but at 61, she’ll represent Louisiana in the Ms. Senior World 60s pageant later this year. Winning would be nice but Gill is hoping to use her reign as Ms. Senior Louisiana 60s to promote her mission: to encourage more people to become organ donors — a subject she knows well. Gill, of Springfield, donated
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Summer offers chance to review success of sports in Livingston Parish Wossman for the fourth consecuWith the summer break givtive year, but they showed the ing Livingston parish studentprogram was still on solid ground athletes a chance to catch their collective breath, its a convenient under first-year coach Rebecca Buisson. time to reflect on the athThe Walker and Doyle letic accomplishments of girls cagers lost semifinal the past year. games in their respective And what a year it was, divisions while Denham particularly for the parish Springs and French Settlegirls. It started in the fall ment each reached the Charles quarterfinals. It was all when Doyle’s volleyball Salzer team continued to look like part of the most impresSPORTS a program more mature sive overall showing for ROUNDUP than its four years of exthe parish in any sport. In the spring, the Doyle istence. The Tigers went softball team picked up undefeated in District 7-IV and advanced to the regional Livingston’s lone team championround of the playoffs for the secship, and it was one to savor. The Tigers were seeded fifth in Diviond consecutive year. Basketball got going in the sion III select, but a senior-laden winter, and there were Livingston lineup powered them past No. teams making strong playoff runs 4 Sterlington, No. 1 Kaplan and in multiple divisions. Three teams No. 3 Jena to their first title since made it to the state tournament 2018. in Hammond while two more Boys basketball was highlighted just missed out after quarterfinal by Denham Springs, which went losses. 30-7 and advanced to the LHSAA Of note was the showing by Alsemifinals for the first time since the glory years of Tasmin Mitchbany, which put together a string of playoff wins to advance to the ell. The Yellow Jackets were Division II non select final. The ä See SALZER, page 2G Hornets fell to playoff nemesis
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
Sterlington forward Evie West (20) drives the rebound past Albany forward Maggie Richardson (15) and Albany forward Katlyn Duhe (1) in a Division II nonselect semifinal game on March 5, 2025, at the University Center on the campus of Southeastern University in Hammond.