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
Bible school planned for Jackson Jackson United Methodist Church will have vacation Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon July 20-24. Children ages 4-12 are invited to “Snowball Mountain Challenge.”
Clinton High alumni picnic The fourth annual Clinton High Picnic is Sunday through June 20. On Sunday, pick up a parking pass and wristbands at a class rep meeting. On June 19, an Alumni Kickback for ages 30 and up will be from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Jefferson’s Place, 10591 Spurlock Lane, in Clinton. On June 20, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Alumni Picnic will be at the former Clinton High, now East Feliciana Middle, 10410 Plank Road.
|
W e d n e s d ay, J u n e 10, 2026
$1.00N
Fees set for solar arrays, farms BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
The East Feliciana Parish Police Jury adopted an ordinance June 1 that sets standards for large-scale solar arrays for generating electricity. The new regulations will not apply to a solar farm now under construction in the southeastern part of the parish, known as
Willis Pond. Its construction has been delayed for months, but it was authorized under a zoning law that had to be adopted when the owner first approached the jury about the project. The new ordinance sets up a permitting scheme for future projects, including submission of site plans, a drainage study, environmental study and a traffic plan for clearing the site and
hauling in equipment. The ordinance does not apply to solar collectors intended to provide electrical power to a single residential or commercial building. The ordinance sets a permitting fee of $5,000 for a solar farm of 500 or fewer acres. For larger tracts, the fee was set at $10,000, plus $5 per acre for areas greater than 500 acres.
flower power
Troubled zoo seeks fresh start PHOTOS BY FRANCES Y. SPENCER
An estimated 5,000 visitors made their way to the third annual Feliciana Wildflower Festival Saturday. The event promotes native wildflower species and includes an art show, shopping, and several food and product vendors.
BY FRANCES Y. SPENCER Contributing writer
PROVIDED PHOTO
Flag collection box put at library The West Feliciana Parish Library has received a Retired U.S. Flag Collection Box, donated by Rebecca Corkern at Woodmen Life. The box has been placed next to the flagpole and is a great resource for proper and respectful disposal of worn or damaged flags. Woodmen Life is also donating a new American flag to the library.
Dave May set out on the short journey to embrace unappreciated parts of Louisiana’s history and identity. The road led him to Clinton, a blooming mecca of color and culture. The thousands who joined him were drawn and fueled by flower power. Feliciana Wildflower Project celebrated a wet but wonderful third annual Feliciana Wildflower Festival on Saturday in its continuing quest to bolster the environment and draw tourism dollars to the Felicianas. May, decked out in a large straw and False River T-shirt, treated every inch of the festival like his own classroom. He learned about plant and flower species native to Louisiana and had questions about the two types of wood used by one vendor to make furniture and crafts. His
Baton Rouge resident Dave May takes a moment to plan his next move and soak in a variety of experiences at the festival.
ä See FESTIVAL, page 3G
Basketball camp planned Slaughter Community Charter School will host a Summer Basketball camp. Grades 5-7 will meet June 22-24 from 9 a.m. to noon. Grades eight to nine will meet July 9-10, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. More dates follow in July. Space is limited, so sign up soon. Fee is $150.
ä See AROUND, page 3G
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Among the controversial offerings at the Magnolia Wilds preserve, formerly Barnhill Preserve, in Ethel is swimming with otters.
Clinton hosts third annual festival focused on environment, tourism
A Retired U.S. Flag Collection Box has been donated to the West Feliciana Parish Library.
ä See SOLAR, page 3G
THOUSANDS BRAVE SHOWERS FOR A GLIMPSE OF
Letlow hosts satellite hours U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow’s district staff will host satellite office hours in West Feliciana Parish from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. June 17 at West Feliciana Parish Government Office, 5934 Commerce St., in St. Francisville. The staff will also be in East Feliciana Parish the same day: from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Jackson Town Hall and Marshall’s Office, 1610 Charter St., in Jackson, and 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at East Feliciana Parish Government, Police Jury Office, 12604 Marston St., in Clinton. Staff will be available to help constituents of Louisiana’s 5th District with federal agency related issues.
In earlier meetings, Juror Richard Oliveaux pushed for a larger permitting fee, suggesting the jury follow Washington Parish’s lead and base the fee on a percentage of the total construction cost. During a public hearing before the jury vote, Clinton resident Debbie Kemp said calculating
Feliciana Wildflower Festival organizer Arlene Culpepper and founder Paul Davidson discuss wrap-up logistics near the conclusion of the third annual event.
Aunt and nephew duo Christina Seal and Mark Seal traveled from Holden to display their wood working and crafts products.
New owners ending controversial animal encounters
BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer
Employees at an embattled private zoo in East Feliciana Parish say they are trying to start over by converting the preserve into a nonprofit and ending controversial hands-on animal encounters that once drew crowds from around the country. Magnolia Wilds, formerly Barnhill Preserve, has been owned and operated for more than 14 years by local conservationist and Clinton native Gabe Ligon. By 2023, the preserve in Ethel had swelled to 100 acres, housing hundreds of exotic animals alongside a safari park and Louisiana’s longest zip line. Ligon’s company also ran a traveling program that brought animals to schools across the Gulf South. But the zoo’s signature handson animal encounters, including swimming with otters and penguins, and holding and feeding sloths, drew criticism from animal welfare groups, while the zoo’s overall conditions accrued repeated federal violations. In 2024, the park rebranded after U.S. Department of Agriculture officials seized a sick giraffe over failure to provide it adequate veterinary care. When Ligon announced plans to sell the property in January, he said the incident had damaged the park’s reputation and strained its finances. A month later, Ligon was arrested at an airport in connection with a failed business deal involving another Louisiana zoo owner. In the aftermath, many former employees alleged widespread negligence at the park, resulting in frequent animal deaths and escapes, as well as unsafe working conditions for a mostly inexperienced staff. In April, Ligon said no buyer had emerged. Now, the handful of employees who remain say they want to rebuild the operation themselves. Rachael Hovis, a senior zookeeper at Magnolia Wilds, said staff approached Ligon about purchasing the property. In response, she said, he agreed to donate the remaining 125 animals. “We, as the employees, presented to the owner that we wanted to
ä See ZOO, page 3G