DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND
ADVOCATE THE LIVINGSTON -TANGIPAHOA
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, M a r c h 25, 2026
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Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
Food Truck Festival Saturday Denham Springs Main Street Association is hosting another Food Truck Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday on Mattie Street in the Denham Springs Historic Downtown District. Serving up food and treats for the event are a variety of food trucks and vendors. For more information, email info@ denhamspringsmainstreet.org, bontempstix.com, or check out the Facebook page at facebook. com/DenhamSpringsMainStreet.
Walker’s Easter in the Park is Sunday Celebrate spring from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday in Sidney Hutchinson Park in Walker. The day will include Easter egg hunts, photos with the Easter Bunny, face painting, Red Barn Petting Zoo, food truck, vendor market, children’s village and music.
Calling all DSHS band mates The Denham Springs High School band and color guard have a rich legacy of excellence and community. Past members are updating an alumni registry and need your help. Visit forms.gle/soTpymy7ZYjA9Cp58 to fill out the needed information.
PHOTOS BY RICHARD MEEK
David Doughey shucks oysters during the Amite Oyster Festival on March 21. Doughey said he has been shucking oysters for more than 30 years.
Amite Oyster Festival takes over downtown Amite for 3-day event Thousands of visitors enjoyed an early spring day at the Amite Oyster Festival, celebrating a 50-year tradition.
Class of ’76 reunion planned
Originally launched as Amite Oyster Day in
If you’re an alum of the Denham Springs Class of 1976 — my class — your help is needed to organize the upcoming reunion. The event is planned for June at Carter Plantation. To volunteer or share your information with the organizers, email daleh76DS@gmail.com.
1976 at the Tangipahoa Parish Fair Grounds, the event moved to Amite in 2013. Today, the festival occupies a large footprint in the downtown area for its three-day event. Events such as the oyster eating contest, ribbon-cutting ceremony, carnival rides and
Calling all jambalaya cooks The Louisiana Friends Against Childhood Cancer’s annual St. Jude Mini Pot Cook-off is Saturday at Manny’s Bar in Maurepas. Cooking starts at 1 p.m. and judging is at 4 p.m. For information, call (225) 571-5250 or the bar at (225) 6983001.
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entertainment by local bands are popular venues. Royalty for 2026 included Miss Oyster Queen Sarah Katherina, King Douglas Kent, Pearl
Faith Green lets out a cry of excitement as she goes down the slide during the Amite Oyster Festival. To her right and not far behind is her sister Laila Green. Both girls are 5 years old.
Amy Kent and grand marshal Carla Tate. ä More photos from the festival. PAGE 3G
Doyle Tigers off to Livingston begins restoration strong start in baseball on former courthouse It is rare for high school the middle of its five-game baseball teams to have stretch, Doyle shoehorned multiple ace pitchers, but in a home-and-home disthat’s exactly what has futrict series with Springfield. Doyle won both of eled a near-perfect start those games, and then for the Tigers this season. Charles finished off its week with a With three reliable Salzer 3-2 win at Episcopal. starting pitchers as well SPORTS “There were times we as steady relief pitching, ROUNDUP were down,” Beatty said. Doyle was 18-1 after win“We told the team, ‘Hey, ning five games in five just outlast them. Get to days last week. The grutheir bullpen, stay in it, and don’t eling schedule tested the depth get down.’ We just find ways to of Doyle’s pitching, but it didn’t win. Its been a great season so break it. far.” Heading into this week, Doyle The highlights have been nuhad a 16-game winning streak, was 18-1 overall, and rated No. merous thanks to a trio of right1 in the Division III nonselect handers — senior Parker Taylor, power rankings. sophomore Zach Ray and fresh“We’ve been getting some conman Chandler Parker. The numsistent starting pitching, which is bers back everything up. Parker, a Hines Community Colalways a key,” Doyle coach Tim Beatty said last weekend. “Our lege commitment, is 5-0 with 33 guys are just not taking no for an strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA. Ray, answer.” who splits time at catcher when Part of not taking no has been he isn’t on the mound, is 3-0 with a 4-0 start in District 8-3A. The 31 strikeouts and a 2.30 ERA. The unbeaten start is even more imä See SALZER, page 3G pressive considering last week, in
Town plans to move operations into building once complete
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
For a decade, the old Livingston Parish courthouse has sat empty, collecting dust — but now it’s getting a second chance at life due to a restoration project that will set it up to house a town’s government operations. The town of Livingston officially began construction in January on the vacant, 85-year-old former parish courthouse, with the goal of moving municipal operations into the building and ultimately reviving that corner of town. The total cost of the project is about $7.5 million and is expected to be done in the next two years, pending state funding.
JAVIER GALLEGOS
Town of Livingston Mayor J.T. Taylor gives a tour inside the entryway of the under-renovation former Livingston Parish courthouse on Friday. “I think it’s great for our town … it’s exciting to be able to do this not just for the town but for the parish,” said Livingston Mayor JT Taylor. The courthouse on Iowa Street was built in 1941 and has been
vacant since the new parish courthouse opened down the street at the beginning of 2015. Occasionally, the sheriff’s department
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