Zachary Plainsman-Advocate 11-05-2025

Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY

Helping others in Zachary

With the uncertainty over food benefits, people have been making suggestions on social media to help.

One reminder came in a Zachary group. It reminded people there is a little pantry in HugYourPeople Park near City Hall. The poster said they drop off food and hygiene items on a regular basis and suggests donations of shampoo, soap bars, hand pump soaps, toothpaste and deodorant. The poster said great prices on these items are at Walmart and Dollar Tree. Other suggestions include baby, toddler and kids shampoos and body wash; spaghetti; ramen noodles; and mac and cheese.

Remember that often people don’t have all the things needed to fix a dish. Things like mac and cheese need milk and butter to make the traditional blue box. Consider giving the kind that already have sauce made. If you have suggestions on how to help people in need in the community items to give, places and organizations to give to, inexpensive recipes, where to find help etc. — please submit them to zachary@theadvocate.com.

Breast imaging available

Woman’s Hospital mobile mammography coach brings 3D mammogram technology to the area. A physician’s order is required, and appointments are strongly encouraged.

On Wednesday, Nov 12, the coach will be at United Methodist Church, 4205 Church St Zachary Call 225-924-8268 to schedule.

Raise the flag for veterans

At 7:30 a.m. Tuesday Nov 11, the 17th annual Veterans Day flag-raising ceremony will take place at the Regional Veterans Park behind Lane Regional Medical Center 6300 Main St., Zachary The annual event, which began at Bank of Zachary’s main office on Main Street, moved to the veterans’ park upon its completion in 2016. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Darren T. Spears will serve as master of ceremonies, and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lawrence J. Baker, who is a veteran of both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) will offer remarks Lt. Col. (Ret.) Baker serves as the chief strategic initiatives officer and director of Physician Recruitment at Lane Regional Medical Center

Cadets from Zachary High School Army Junior ROTC Bronco Battalion and Cub Scout Pack 46 and Boy Scout Troop 46 will provide the flag detail. Former Band of Blue member and current LSU Tiger Band member Ryan Venable will serve as the program’s bugler and will play the Call to Colors and taps.

Zachary High’s band and choir, under band director Donny Alexander and choir director Cierra Fountain will perform patriotic music selections.

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Council delays decision of pay raises

BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer

Zachary City Council members couldn’t come to an agreement Oct. 28 about how much money they along with the mayor and police chief — should earn.

The council was expected to adopt an ordinance that would set higher starting salaries for the city’s elected officials at the beginning of the next term in January 2027. Although they’ve discussed the matter multiple times — at previous council meetings, at a special workshop preceding the Oct. 28 meeting and again during the meeting — members found themselves at odds over the proposed compensation changes, deciding to put off a vote until their Nov 10 gathering. The council must approve any changes to officials’ pay by the end of 2025. State law prohibits voting on such changes in the final year of an election cycle. The ordinance would significantly boost starting salaries: The mayor would go from $85,000 to $108,200, police chief from $69,000 to $89,100 and council members from $10,414 to $12,950. If passed, it will mark the first update to officials’ salaries in nearly a decade. Some council members think the pay proposed for themselves and the police chief is too low A couple are interested in making health insurance coverage part of council members’ compensation.

WHAT A TREAT

Father and sons dressing as Dragon Ball Z characters, center are Clint Douzat as Goku,

as Gohan and Abbott Douzat, 8, as Vegeta.

Zachary turns out Friday for trick-ortreating

Zachary children took to neighborhoods throughout the city Friday to celebrate Halloween

The City Council had originally decided to move trick-or-treating to Oct. 30 because of the Friday night Zachary High football game. But after the Zachary School Board moved the football game to Thursday night, trick-or-treating was moved back to Oct. 31.

Photographer Sonya Goss took her camera to the Cooper Mill neighborhood to catch the festivities.

Washington, D.C., area. Medical personnel determined she had been sexually assaulted, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

girl had traveled on a bus from Columbus, Georgia, to Pittsburgh.

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Many sports in Zachary heading into championships or finishing seasons

Tidbits and updates

Zachary Youth Park Director Gordon P-Wee Leblanc passed along information on the 2025 senior softball fall league champs Team Page at the Zachary Youth Park. Team Page had a record of 7-1 and outscored their opponents 164-105. Team Page consisted of Scott Page, Johnny Boyette, Calvin Butler, Wayne Davenport, Gary Dukes, Joel Gilbert, Don Hall, Anthony Howard, Ricardo “Chip” Peters and Ryan Picou. Pride Posse won the Fall Coed league, also at the Zachary Youth Park. The Posse went undefeated with a 9-0 record and outscored opponents 17857. Team members of the Pride Posse were Cody Shaffer Ty Shaffer, Ty Lipscomb, Joey Shaffer, Dustin Byrd, Jake Lipscomb, McKinsey Shaffer, Lauren Caldwell, McKenna Chaney, Cassie Chaney and Shelby Caldwell

Zachary Youth Park will be having a Spring league for CoEd and Senior softball. Registration will run March 23-April 19. The season will take place April 27-June 1. Girls winter softball registration is Dec. 2-Jan. 4. For all upcoming events go to the park Web page. Leblanc reminds folks: No sunflower seeds in the park. Volleyball

The Zachary High School volleyball team finished the regular season and district play with a convincing straight set win over Woodlawn (25-12, 2514, 25-19).

Coach Cheri Perry noted said, “A win over Woodlawn was a good ending not only in district but also the regular season.”

See BRADY, page 2G

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

A 13-year-old Baker girl who was reported missing last week was found alive Thursday in Pittsburgh, and three suspects have been arrested. The girl was found in the basement of a home with the assistance of the FBI, Pittsburgh Police Department, and Allegheny County Juvenile Probation Office. The girl was found with an adult male and a woman from the

Ki-Shawn Crumity, 26, was arrested on multiple charges, including trafficking in individuals, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault and selling or furnishing alcohol to minors, according to an affidavit from Pittsburgh police. He has been denied bail. Crumity admitted to officers that he had sex with the girl multiple times, according to the affidavit. The girl told police she met Crumity on Snapchat. Investigators determined the

At the time of her disappearance, the girl had been seen at the Greyhound bus station in Baton Rouge.

When the girl was reported missing, the Louisiana’s Attorney General’s Office Cyber Crime Unit reported to the Marshals Service that the child may have had online contact with an unknown adult male.

On Monday a 62-year-old male, not identified in the news release, was arrested in New Orleans by marshals on a count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. While questioning the subject, it

was discovered that he was with the child at the Greyhound station a few days earlier.

Investigators learned the child was with another subject, later identified as Ronald Smith, also 62, who was located and arrested in Columbus, Georgia, for simple kidnapping and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile The investigation is ongoing.

“Further arrests are pending and additional charges are forthcoming,” the service said in a release.

“Our precious missing child has been found and is safe,” the Baker Police Department said in an online post Friday Missing Baker girl, 13, found

But most agree that it’s time to do something.

“We’re so far behind,” said Councilman James Graves. He pointed to a survey he conducted a couple of years ago to compare Zachary’s council compensation to two dozen municipalities around Louisiana. Zachary ranked 21 out of 24, he said.

“I would like to see us in the top 3,” he said. “We’ve been No. 1 in everything for many years our fire department, our water, our football, athletics, our schools, our city our audits.”

Additionally, Graves said, 14 of the 24 cities he surveyed cover health insurance for council members. He and Councilwoman Jennifer Landry believe offering higher pay along with city insurance would encourage quality candidates to run for office.

“We’re preparing for the future of Zachary, the next council members that are going to take our seats, lead our city,” Graves said. “I would like to see the best of the best.”

“If leaders aren’t compensated fairly, the city becomes harder to grow,” Landry added. “Economic development can suffer because businesses avoid poorly led cities.”

The council in 2023 voted to allow part-time elected officials like themselves to join the city’s health insurance group so long as they paid their own premiums. That ordinance has since been repealed, Graves said.

Not everyone believes bigger paychecks equate to better leaders Councilman John LeBlanc questioned that logic, and Councilwoman Ambre DeVirgilio emphasized the community service aspect of being a council member “I understand what you’re saying that compensation attracts people with certain qualifications,” she said. “But I think to really be good

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in this chair, you have to really care about what you’re doing. This is service, and that is such in my opinion a stronger qualification to bring to the table than almost any other.”

The mayor and police chief are different, she said, because those are full-time jobs.

One of her biggest concerns with the ordinance lies in the disparity between the starting salaries proposed for those two positions. She thinks that gap should be closed.

“There is a vast difference if you look at the police chief and fire chief as well,” noted Councilwoman Brandy Westmoreland.

Zachary’s fire chief is appointed — not elected and earns $106,000 annually, she said.

Mayor David McDavid said the mayor and police chief salaries have been separated by about $15,000 since the 1980s.

“It don’t affect me one way or the other if he’s even with me, below me, above me,” McDavid said “I took an oath of office, and whatever comes out of it, I’m going to accept it and move forward.”

But he asked council members to give serious consideration to updating salaries, which haven’t kept pace with inflation and rising food and housing costs.

Graves made a motion to set the mayor’s salary at $108,200, as proposed in the ordinance, while raising the chief’s to $95,000 and council members’ to $17,000 with the ability to participate in city health insurance. Landry seconded; the other three council members vote “no.”

DeVirgilio then suggested tabling the matter, and her motion was unanimously supported. The council will take up the ordinance again at its next meeting.

The council typically meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The first meeting for November has been moved to Monday, Nov 10, because of Veterans Day

Refreshments will be served following the ceremony All veterans are encouraged to attend. Veterans Parade coming

A Salute to Veterans Parade will be held Nov 11 in Zachary, immediately following the flag-raising ceremony at the veterans park.

Veterans are invited to ride in the parade. Local antique car owners will drive them in the parade.

Antique cars will line up at the Regional Veterans Park immediately following the Veterans Day Ceremony Departure the Lane Hospital parking lot with a police escort at 9 a.m. The route begins at the Bank of Zachary at 9:15 a.m. and ends at Zachary High School.

Veterans should sign up at forms.office. com/r/TTJNW8ntu5.Car owners should sign up at forms.office.com/r/TLWs1mxdw0. Reach out to ashleigh.mchugh@ cityofzachary.org or darren.spears@ zacharyschools.org with questions. Mammograms in Zachary Woman’s Hospital mobile mammography coach will offer 3D mammogram technology on Nov 12 at United Methodist Church, 4205 Church St., Zachary. A physician’s order is required, and appointments are strongly encouraged. Call

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On the regular season, she said, “The season has been full of ups and downs and there is still room to grow, especially when it comes to the mental part of this game.”

She stressed that “through it all I am so proud of these girls and what they accomplished this season.”

The Broncos await their playoff assignment after finishing the regular

225-924-8268 to schedule.

Cancer screenings available Breast, colorectal, prostate and skin cancer screenings will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Nov 7, at Centerwell Senior Primary Care, 6404 Groom Road, Baker Call to schedule an appointment at (225) 425-8034, but walk-ins are welcome.

Screenings are free if patient has not been screened in the past 12 months. Insurances will be billed for mammograms. For those without insurance, there will be no charge. The colorectal screening is a take-home kit that requires a sample to be sent by mail Pack the pantry Schools in the Zachary Community School District will be competing in Pack the Pantry Nov 3-20. Students will try to collect the most food for the food pantry Prepare for the Zachary Christmas Parade

The 2025 Zachary Christmas Parade will be themed “Christmas Movie Spectacular.” It will roll at 10 a.m. Dec. 6 from Rouses on Church Street to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Entry fee is $100, and the deadline to apply for a spot in the parade is Nov 17. Sign up at forms.office.com/r/b8qkhsEujS. Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@ theadvocate.com.

season 18-10 and a tough district slate. At the time of writing the Broncos had a power ranking of 18.

Perry said, “Though the excitement of being in the playoffs is a great accomplishment, especially being in one of the toughest divisions in the state, the job is not done. We still have work to do.”

Playoffs start Nov 5, with finalists meeting at the Cajundome Nov 13-15 for the state championships.

Football

On Oct. 28, the North-

western Braves went on the road to defeat Central (24-6) to win the Metro middle school district football championship and finish a successful season (6-3). The Zachary High freshmen and junior varsity picked up victories over the Central Wildcats the week last week of October while the varsity fell short (33-35) on Oct. 30th. The Broncos freshman will finish their season Nov 4 at Catholic; the junior varsity will end its season and the varsity will conclude the regular season at Memo-

rial Stadium on Nov 6.

Cross-country

At the Metro crosscountry championship Oct. 29 at Highland Road, the Zachary girls finished seventh overall and the boys finished fourth. Maximo Gennaro was the top finisher for the boys at fifth overall (15:56.37), and Nala Mitchell (21:09.71) was the top girls finisher Warren Brady covers sports for The Plainsman He can be contacted at zachary@theadvocate. com.

Local Roots

Newlyweds meet Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Two Clinton newlyweds who traveled to Jamaica for their honeymoon were trapped on the island’s north shore Oct. 28 as Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 storm.

High school sweethearts Stone Town, 21, and Lexi Perkins, 20, were married at a barn in Clinton on Saturday Oct. 18.

Less than a week later, after days spent meeting locals and enjoying Jamaica’s beaches, the couple were calling family from their room at their resort and trying to get a flight off the island

“They told us the airports are in distress, there’s no way for the planes to land or to fly out,” Town said, speaking over a shaky phone connection just before noon Oct. 28.

At the same time, Hurricane Melissa was making landfall on Jamaica’s southern coast

The couple rode out the storm in Jamaica and arrived in New Orleans about midnight, Nov 3, and home to Clinton about 2 a.m. Amber Williams, Town’s mother, said, “They helped clean up. At the resort, the islanders were really great and helped them out a lot. They said that where they were at didn’t get the brunt of it.”

She added, “They’re just relieved. They said they’re not going anywhere for a long time.”

Hurricane Melissa carried wind speeds reaching 185 mph, according to news reports. In addition to being the strongest storm to ever strike Jamaica, it is one of the strongest storms in the history of the Atlantic Basin. After roaring over Jamaica, the storm was expected to reach Cuba by Wednesday morning.

At least 63 people have died as a result of the storm, according to reports.

Town and Perkins’ vacation was only meant to last through Sunday, Oct. 26. But as storm fears gathered throughout the week, their original flights home were canceled.

“We tried booking flights for Friday (Oct. 24) and they were all taken. There was no way for us to get a flight,” Town said. “We’ve been trying to arrange some private flights to get out of here, but it’s not looking good.” The couple’s resort was on the northern shore of the island and they have been told by Jamaicans that the mountains usually work to break up winds. Still, Stone and Perkins were anxious to get home and see their 1-year-old daughter Emerson. Perkins said she began to cry when she realized the storm was going to keep them on the island.

“Our daughter is not even 11/2 years old yet,” Perkins said “So I was hesitant about leaving her already And then for them to tell us that we weren’t going to be able to leave for at least another week, I was like ‘OK, I don’t wanna do this, I’m ready to go home.’

The two were moved from their ground-floor room to one on the third floor, to hopefully avoid flooding. While Town described the building as “up on a cliff,” he said the water’s edge was probably only 100 yards from where they are staying. Contacted just before 5 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 28, Town said that the storm’s eye had passed over their resort and that winds and flooding had both increased since

the start of the day He said floodwaters had reached into some of the rooms.

Food and water were provided by the resort, and internet and television access remained mostly connected during the first of the storm. Town said employees have kept them up to date and been very supportive. The resort hadn’t lost power yet and has backup generators, Town said early in the storm. The resort had other American families who trapped, Town said, as well as a few British tourists who tell him they had no experience with severe storms and were very scared.

Town said that earlier in the week most of the locals were not very concerned, telling the newlyweds not to worry about evacuating. But Monday night things changed, Perkins said, with locals telling her that on a scale of one to 10, their worries were at a 10.

“I asked, ‘Are you worried about you here, the resort, or the island in general?’ They were like ‘the island in general, our families,’ ” Perkins said.

The pair were stressed and anxious, but say they were grateful for their friends, families and church at home, who are supplying them with prayers.

“If anything, keep sending prayers,” Town said. “Keep sending love and support.”

“Especially for the people of the island,” Perkins added. “Obviously, we pray that we’re safe and everything will be fine with the storm, but the island will have devastating effects for them.”

Haley Miller contributed to this report.

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.