THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Lions coming to Zachary The Zachary Mid City Lions Club inaugural Charter Banquet is at 6 p.m. June 26 at the Zachary High Auxiliary Gym, 4100 Bronco Lane. Hosted by the Baker Lions Club, the banquet celebrates the chartering of the Zachary club. For tickets or information, contact Sherri Collins, (225) 916-6542 or cortellia914@gmail.com, or Gloria Johnson, (225) 937-2868 or gharrj@bellsouth.net.
|
W e d n e s d ay, J u n e 10, 2026
$1.00N
12th YEAR, NO. 35
Old town hall, train depot for rent BY OLIVIA McCLURE Contributing writer
Want to open a business in downtown Zachary? Two historic, city-owned buildings might have just the space you are looking for. City officials recently announced they want to lease out Zachary’s former town hall and train depot to retail businesses for up to two years. Written proposals are due by 5:30 p.m. June The former train depot is also 30 at City Hall, 4700 Main St. up for lease. Zachary officials The old town hall sits at the will accept written proposals at corner of Florida Street and VirCity Hall, 4700 Main St., through ginia Street. The 1,000-squarePROVIDED PHOTOS June 30 at 5:30 p.m. foot, brick building was constructed in 1931 to replace Zach- Zachary’s former town hall is up for lease as a retail business for up ary’s original wooden town hall, to two years. items. Volunteers repainted the which burned in the 1903 fire building in October. that consumed much of what the mayor’s office and council used as a public library. More The train depot, located on chamber along with a lone fire recently, it has served as storwas then a small town. ä See RENT, page 2G The structure initially housed truck and jail cell. It later was age for historic documents and
Christmas in July The Zachary Farmers and Artisans Market will host Summer Santa from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 11.
NOTHING BUT
NETS
Meeting for Baker parks Residents of Baker are invited to attend the Baker Parks Community Meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, June 15, at the Baker Municipal Center Auditorium, 3325 Groom Road, Baker. This meeting is to inform the public about plans and initiatives for the development of Baker parks, provide project updates, and gather community feedback to help guide future improvements.
Hoops and Spikes camp teaches basketball, volleyball skills
Community news report
Bible school
Zachary High School girls volleyball and basketball summer camp Hoops and Spikes was June 1-3 in the school’s gym. The camp was for girls ages 5 to 14.
Zachary United Methodist Church, 4205 Church St., will hold its vacation Bible school from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. June 15-18. Dinner is provided, and there is no cost to attend. Preregistration preferred at tinyurl. com/3xwx9zrv.
LEFT: Fourth grader Sophia Johnson dribbles down the court during drills at the Zachary High Hoops and Spikes girls basketball and volleyball summer camp on June 3.
Play mahjong to support dogs Pungs for Paws, a fundraiser for Must Luv Dogs Rescue, is at 2 p.m. June 20 at First United Methodist Church, 930 North Blvd., in Baton Rouge. The mahjong fundraiser is presented by Magnolia Mahj. Individual entry is $30 and the event will set up. A table for four is $100, which includes a table contest the entrants set up. Onsite vendors, a raffle for a tile set and door prizes will be available. Register at form.jotform.com/ mustluvdogs/pungpaws.
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
Fishing in Baker The Get Hooked on Family Fishing Tournament is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 13, at 2640 N. Magnolia Drive, in Baker. Bring your fishing poles, bait, lawn chairs, tents, coolers, etc. Register at tinyurl.com/4dj36zak.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Zachary High girls volleyball hosted a summer camp on June 3. Sixth grader Lorynn Jackson, fourth grader Adaire Hess and fifth grader Karter Johnson take part in the camp. Camp leaders include former Zachary Broncos basketball player Alissa O’Dell and 10th grade varsity basketball player Marcia Robinson. More on 2G.
Summer sports camps n The Coach Brew Mega Camp is June 19 for students entering grades one to nine. Visit zacharyathletics.org/news/2026/5/12/ football-coach-brews-z-megacamp-set-for-june-13-at-zachary-high-school.aspx for details and a registration link. n The ZHS Wrestling Summer Camp by Ben McHugh is June 15-18. It is for boys and girls ages 6-14 and costs $150. Call (225) 302-4509 or email benjamin.mchigh@zacharyschools. org. Register at https://tinyurl. com/447dtdsw.
Library millage election set Election day for the East Baton Rouge Parish Library millage continuation is June 27. The proposed action is the same dedicated millage for the library that expired in 2025 but at a reduced 9.5-mill tax rate.
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Popeyes, other groups help feed area as part of tour Community news report On May 27 at Zachary Youth Park, Feed the Children, the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and the Popeyes Foundation partnered to provide $125,000 worth of food and personal care items to 400 low-income families facing food insecurity in the Zachary area. The distribution was part of the “Serving with Love Tour,” a 15-city campaign aimed at combating summer hunger across the United States. From March through the summer, the initiative will provide 250,000 meals to 12,000 families. Zachary marked the 14th stop on the tour, with New
Orleans, the home of Popeyes, set to host the final event. The timing of this effort is especially critical, as the need for food assistance increases during the summer months when school is out, a press release said. Volunteers, including Popeyes employees, assisted with organizing, setting up and distributing supplies as families drove through the site to receive food and essentials. Zachary Mayor David McDavid expressed his gratitude to Renee Hobbs, executive director of the Popeyes Foundation; Elizabeth Pfifer, president and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food
ä See FEED, page 3G
On May 27, volunteers help load food and personal items into cars of recipients in Zachary. PROVIDED PHOTO