SERVING THE PARISHES OF EAST FELICIANA AND WEST FELICIANA
DEMOCRAT THE ST. FRANCISVILLE
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
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W e d n e s d ay, J a n u a ry 7, 2026
$1.00N
A BULL MARKET
Mardi Gras is coming The 21st annual Feliciana Family & Friends Mardi Gras parade is at noon Jan. 31 in Clinton. The theme is Boots on the Grounds. Themed T-shirts may be ordered. Visit www. facebook.com/profile. php?id=100064329323928 for information.
Prospective students, families can visit LSMSA open house The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 19. Prospective students and their families are invited to tour the campus, explore LSMSA’s living-learning environment, and hear from students and staff. “We encourage families across Louisiana to join us and discover the exceptional resources and opportunities available to high school students in our state,” said Emily Shumate, director of Enrollment Management and Outreach. “LSMSA offers a unique educational experience that combines college-level academics with a supportive residential community. There is no better way to understand what makes our school special than visiting campus and meeting our students, faculty, and staff.” The event is recommended for students in eighth grade or higher; younger siblings may attend; however, they should accompany their parents to all parent activities. Registration is required and can be completed at www.LSMSA.edu/visit.
STAFF PHOTOS BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
An inmate goes flying after being hit from behind by a bull while sitting down around a poker table during the Angola Prison Rodeo on Oct. 12.
Angola’s prison rodeo a major economic driver for the region, and for inmates BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
The gospel music flickers into range around mile 17 on the Tunica Trace, a trail formerly used by the Tunica Native American tribe paved into a 20-mile highway in West Feliciana Parish. As hundreds of cars pass churches releasing their congregations, the broadcast of 91.7 KLSP FM — “The Incarceration Station” — sharpens. “I’m doing the best I can; I’m doing the best I can,” the Rev. Andrew Cheairs and The Songbirds sing. “While I’m traveling, I’m traveling through this land.” The broadcast emanates from the road’s end: the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. It’s a destination few ever leave, imprisoning around 3,900 inmates, with roughly 70% of those sentenced for life. However, on Oct. 12, the prison’s inmate-run radio station played for thousands of people driving toward the Angola Prison Rodeo. Every Sunday in October and one weekend in April, crowds witness incarcerated men voluntarily par-
Register for soccer Registration is open for spring soccer in West Feliciana Parish. Register at wfprec.com. Deadline is Jan. 15.
Save the date n The West Feliciana Chamber of Commerce announced Chamber Uncorked! will be March 8 at The Mallory in St. Francisville.
Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@theadvocate.com.
Catch up with court action around the Felicianas
BY RICHARD MEEK Contributing writer
Let’s take a look at boys and girls basketball in the Felicianas. First up, here’s a wrap-up on the boys’ teams.
West Feliciana The Saints ran their record to 11-3 with a 68-33 thumping of winless Wilkinson County on Jan. 2 in St. Francisville. West Feliciana was scheduled to host Episcopal on Jan. 6, the first of four games in four days that includes away games at Northeast, Central and East Feliciana. The Saints, ranked 48th in Louisiana by MaxPreps, have won five consecutive games
ä See ACTION, page 3G
An inmate rocks back and forth with a child in his arms in the crafts market of the Angola Prison Rodeo on Oct. 12. ticipating in rodeo events. Some are traditional bull- or horse-riding competitions, but there are also events like “Convict Poker,” where four inmates compete to be the last man sitting at a poker table with an angered bull charging them. Inmates generally speak highly of the event, which allows them to earn money. Under pavilions out-
side the arena, other inmates sell handcrafted items ranging from wooden swing sets to American flag paintings at a craft fair. The festival — the last remaining prison rodeo in the nation — has achieved a semi-mythic status in American culture, with books, news reports and documentaries
ä See RODEO, page 2G
Pastors, inmates at Angola honor chaplain Fontenot BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
Contributing writer
Retired chaplain Nolan Fontenot was honored by fellow pastors and current and former inmates Dec. 13 at an event held at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. At the banquet, Fontenot was presented with an engraved wooden plaque that recognized his many years at Angola. Though retired, even now, he makes occasional visits as a volunteer — talking with new inmates and staff as well as those he has known for decades. Diminished mobility and hearing hasn’t lessened his desire to minister the people — to stay in touch with the incarcerated and employ-
fered counsel, comfort, humor, music and sometimes He chose Angola small favors, like getting The message on the plaque greeting cards, for the men said, “Before you came to on the different cell blocks Angola, as a minister for and death row. His duties inthe Lord Jesus Christ, you cluded counseling men of all turned down offers to be a faiths, as needed. pastor. In being led by the Holy Ghost, you knew your Opportunities for inmates place was at Angola. It is The timing of the presenour honor to say thank you tation was at the United for your 47 years of faithful Pentecostal Apostolic Feldedication and ministering lowship’s Christmas Banto the inmates and officers quet, which was sponsored here at Angola. In Jesus’ by The Philanthropy Club. name Brother Nolan J. Fon- The mission statement of the club is ”Leading People tenot.” Over the many years of to Christ Through Worship, service a common greeting Evangelism, Discipleship & often used was calling out Service.” Fontenot was the guest of the words “my friend” to each other. He was called honor. The banquet was held Chaplain Fontenot by others. In his ministry, he of- ä See FONTENOT, page 2G ees.
PHOTO BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
Chaplain Nolan Fontenot holds the wooden plaque and souvenir placemat given to him by fellow pastors. He was the guest of honor at the Dec. 13 event held at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. His late wife, Gloria J. Fontenot, was also remembered.