THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& MUSIC OF WINTER T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
|
W e d n e s d ay, D e c e m b e r 17, 2025
$1.00N
12TH YEAR, NO. 10
Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Christmas parade winners announced The winners of the 2025 Zachary Christmas Parade float decorating contest have been announced. Best Theme Float: Louisiana Foot and Ankle Specialty Center Best on Foot: Studio Z Best on Wheels: McKey Fitness
Holiday closing and changes n Christmas is an official City of Zachary holiday. All Zachary government offices will be closed Dec. 24-25. n In Zachary, there will be no garbage or recycling collection Dec. 25. Instead, Thursday routes will be collected Dec. 26 and Friday routes on Dec. 27. n All locations of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library will close Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1. All locations will close at 6 p.m., Dec. 31. n Submissions for the Christmas Eve editions of The Watchman, The Democrat and The Plainsman are due by Dec. 18. Submissions for the New Year’s Eve editions are due Dec. 26. Share your holiday party, celebration and decorations photos at extra @theadvocate.com for the Felicianas or zachary@ theadvocate.com for Zachary. n In Baker, there will be no trash and recycling pickup on Christmas (Thursday routes will be serviced Dec. 26 and Friday routes on Dec. 27) and New Year’s Day (Thursday routes will be serviced Jan. 2 and Friday routes Jan. 3).
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
Assistant Director Anna Stanley and Copper Mill Elementary sixth grader Melani Goins play their cellos during ‘First Snow’ by Linda Rittenhouse at the Orchestra Winter Concert on Thursday. The Copper Mill Elementary and Northwestern Middle School Orchestra Winter Concert was Dec. 11 at the Northwestern Middle School Auditorium. The Orchestra
The legacy of MLK
Winter Concert
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Justice Sunday, head to the Baker Branch Library for 3 p.m., Jan. 10 for a viewing of his “I Have a Dream” speech, followed by dialogue with Charles Vincent, Baker City councilman and president of the Mwalimu Institute. School supplies will be provided by Vincent to the first eight students in attendance.
was directed by
Walk the lights at Lane The Lane Foundation invites the community to “Holiday Lights at Lane” exhibit on the walking track behind Lane Regional Medical Center, 6300 Main St., Zachary. The walking track is transformed into a winter wonderland for patients, visitors and the community to enjoy through Jan. 5.
Pick the best tree at the police station The Zachary Police Department is holding its Tree Decorating Contest — Law & Order Holiday Edition through Dec. 22. The department invites people to vote for their favorite Christmas tree decorated by
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Orchestra Director
Copper Mill Elementary fifth graders performs ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Variation’ by Mozart under the direction of Alicia Monroe.
Alicia Monroe. Orchestra students in fifth to eighth grades practiced for weeks to prepare for the concert, which was attended by family, friends, classmates and school faculty.
Northwestern Middle eighth grade violinists performs ‘Bringer of Joy.’ Rylee Day introduces the Northwestern Middle seventh grade orchestra players.
Instruments used were violins, violas, cellos and double bass. Students performed “Four String Funk,” “Pizzicato Holidays,” “Themes from the Nutcracker,” among others.
Northwestern Middle eighth grader Sage Davis recites the poem ‘Icicles’ by Savita Tyagi.
Closing out the Bronco football season Warren Brady ZACHARY SPORTS
On a cold December night in Ruston, the Zachary High School Broncos 2025 football season came to conclusion in the semifinal round of the nonselect Division 1 playoffs. With five minutes left in the game it appeared that the Broncos would be returning to New Orleans but fell 21-17 to the top-seeded Ruston Bearcats. The fact that the Broncos were even in this position is a story within itself. The 2025 ZHS season saw wild extremes with highs early in the regular season and late in the playoffs, and the lowest of the lows at the end of the regular season and in the heartbreaking loss
ä See BRADY, page 2G
Zachary School Board honors Christmas card designers BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
Festively attired horses. Stockings by the fireplace. A cup of cocoa by candlelight. The warm glow of a streetlamp on fallen snow. These are just a few of the scenes of holiday cheer that Zachary students drew as part of the school district’s annual Christmas card artwork contest. One student design is chosen each year
to be featured on the front of the card the district sends to stakeholders and other Louisiana school systems. This year’s overall winner and students whose artwork was voted best at their schools were honored at the Zachary Community School Board’s Dec. 2 meeting. Arienna Vargas, a 10th grader at Zachary High School, won the contest with a drawing
ä See CARD, page 3G