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, J u ly 23, 2025
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11TH YEAR, NO. 41
Councilman says city attorney made threats Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
School coming soon The first days of school are happening soon. Zachary and West Feliciana schools start Aug. 7. East Feliciana schools start Aug. 11. Parents and guardians should make sure they have taken care of all enrollments and fees, checking on transportation and getting supplies.
BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
Zachary City Council members are calling for the mayor to investigate the city’s attorney, who one councilman says threatened him with a smear campaign if he did not vote to roll forward an upcoming tax millage. At a July 9 council meeting, Council member John LeBlanc told the public that an unnamed city official made threats against him and another council member. Emails obtained via a records request show Zachary City Attorney John Hopewell is the official LeBlanc was talking about. Ambre DeVirgilio was the other council member allegedly threatened, the emails show. “As a city attorney, that was so
unethical,” LeBlanc said Thursday. “He should have never been talking to me about politics like that. We go to him for legal advice. His LeBlanc business is not to get involved with with how I vote.” Hopewell denies issuing any threat against LeBlanc, and said “I have no official comment other than I am disappointed in Mr. LeBlanc.” But LeBlanc says the private conversation between himself and the city attorney was nothing but threatening. “He should resign,” LeBlanc said. The decision at the center of the controversy is a property tax
that funds city operations, which the council is scheduled to vote on July 22. When property values are re-assessed and go up, governHopewell ments can choose to “roll forward” the tax, meaning they collect the additional money, or let the tax rate fall and keep collecting the same amount.
‘Sounds like a threat to me’ LeBlanc said he and Hopewell met on May 13 to discuss city business. He said he was “stunned” when the city attorney told him that, if he didn’t support rolling forward the city’s millage rate, a group would distribute negative flyers during the next campaign
Fall baseball registration open T-ball, 8U, 10U, and 12U divisions are gearing up for a season at Zachary Youth Park. Registration closes July 31. Games run Sept. 18-Oct. 23 at Zachary Youth Park. Register players and coaches on the SportsPlus app at zacharyyouthpark.org/registration.
Pastalaya sale planned The Zachary Rotary is holding a pastalaya sale July 31 from 11 a.m. until sold out. Pick up is at Zachary City Hall, 47600 Main St. Delivery is available for prepaid orders of 10 or more within Zachary. Text (225) 936-6523 to set up delivery. The Zachary Fire Department is preparing the meal. Cash, check and Venmo @ZacharyRotaryClub will be accepted.
Zoo to host car show The inaugural Rumble in the Jungle will roll into town Nov. 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., bringing together car lovers, families and animal enthusiasts. This event will showcase an array of vehicles — from classic cruisers to custom builds — set against the backdrop of the zoo grounds. Attendees can enjoy a full day of animal encounters, family-friendly activities and cars, included with the price of admission. Vehicle registration is open through Oct. 10. Visit brzoo.org/ rumble for registration details and event updates.
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ä See COUNCIL, page 3G
New Zachary school board plan lays out areas for improvement over 5 years
Bowl your way back to school The Roll & Bowl Back 2 School Bash will be from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 2 at Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, 9700 Scenic Highway, Baton Rouge. Free food, bowling and skating will be available. Free school supplies will be given to Baker, Zachary, Scotlandville and Southern University Lab students. Registration is required at https://docs.google.com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLSeo2iMwH4tSPoS kihLwx_5xUgd5OWhy8moKeq Yq-Si8ihYM-g/viewform. Other back to school events n The Zachary Men’s Club will have food, games and other activities at 10 a.m. Aug. 2. n The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Zachary will hold its Back to School Giveaway from 10 a.m. until supplies run out Aug. 2 at the Zachary High School Gym, 4100 Bronco Lane. School supplies, sno-balls and other refreshments will be available as well as the bookmobile. Attendees are asked to bring a canned good to donate. For information or to sign up as a vendor, contact Johnnie Evans (225) 933-6431 or Tina Clark (225) 202-1076.
portraying him and DeVirgilio as tax-hike supporters to conservative voters. The next day, LeBlanc recapped his version of the conversation in an email to Hopewell. “You told me if I did not vote in favor of rolling the city’s millage forward, that the Jambalaya PAC would put myself and councilwoman DeVirgilio on a flyer containing photos of my yard with a district attorney millage sign and screenshots of councilwoman DeVirgilio’s social media during the next election cycle as a threat to coerce my vote,” he wrote. LeBlanc said he supported East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore’s proposal to increase sales taxes for the prosecutor’s
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
Southeast Community Health Systems gave away multivitamins and cough medicine for children and adults at the Back-to-School Block Party hosted by Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Zachary. Taking part, from left, are LaQuanta Fontenot, Rosa Locascio and Joi Wilson.
READY, SET, SCHOOL Block party preps students
Students lined up Saturday at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church’s BackTo-School Block Party to pick up school supplies and items needed when the bell rings in August. Inflatables, music and games drew a crowd as families prepare for the start of school on Aug. 11.
The Rev. Perry Jones Jr., pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, provided backpacks filled with school supplies to all children who attended Saturday’s Back-to-School Block Party. ä More photos. PAGE 2G
Schools in Baker quickly change locations in new, all-charter system as fall nears BY CHARLES LUSSIER
Staff writer
A yard sign popped up earlier this month in front of Bethany Church’s Baker campus announcing the arrival of a new school: “Come Home to Baker: Park Ridge! Now Enrolling.” Less than two miles north, Bethany’s previous tenant erected a sign of its own in front of the closed White Hills Elementary: “New Home of GEO Prep Baker.” The changes of address for Park Ridge elementary and GEO Prep Baker come just weeks before the start of the 2025-26 school year. They are the latest developments in the unusual school war that has engulfed this small suburban city of 12,000 residents north of Baton Rouge.
All charters
In just over a decade, Baker has gone from having five traditional public schools to five charter schools. Charters are public schools run privately via contracts. The wealth of competition is strange in part because Baker has only about 1,600 school-age children. About 1,000 have been attending the city’s traditional public schools. What makes Baker attractive to charter companies, though, is its proximity to Baton Rouge, the northern part of East Baton Rouge Parish and East and West Feliciana parishes. State Rep. Barbara Carpenter
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The new tenants at Bethany Church’s Baker campus posted signs on July 7. proclaiming the arrival of a new school, Park Ridge Achievement Academy. Park Ridge is replacing another charter school, GEO Prep Baker, that spent the ä See SCHOOLS, page 4G past three years at Bethany.
Zachary school leaders have an unveiled a strategic plan for the district. The plan lays out areas for improvement over the next five years. The School Board officially adopted the document at its meeting July 15. The plan has been in the works for the past year. Rebecca Armstrong-English, of the nonprofit Empower Schools, worked with the district — including a strategic plan steering committee — to gather input, observe classrooms, evaluate issues and set new pri“What’s good orities. S u r v e y s is it’s a living c o m p l e t e d plan, so we’ll early in the make updates process, as we move which netted forward. more than 550 respons- We’ll also be es, indicated tracking this.” that stakeBEN NECAISE, holders appreciate the superintendent school system’s familylike environment and strong community partnerships, Armstrong-English told the board. Another significant positive finding: 74% of teachers said they feel a sense of belonging at their schools. But the surveys also revealed gaps. Like many districts, Armstrong-English said, Zachary faces financial constraints that limit resources and program offerings. Recruiting and retaining top teacher talent remains a challenge, and compensation and professional development opportunities need improvement to be more competitive, she said. The plan identifies six focus areas to guide the district in the coming years. They are academic growth and achievement; positive student experiences; safety and facilities; stakeholder engagement and communications; workforce talent; and fiscal resources and technology. “What’s good is it’s a living plan, so we’ll make updates as we move forward,” said Superintendent Ben Necaise. “We’ll also be tracking this.” The plan lists several performance targets, including boosting the number of graduates who go on to college, helping more students get career credentials, increasing the number of students taking AP exams and improving state testing scores. Necaise said accountability data will be posted online, and the board will be provided with regular updates.