THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& 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, J u n e 17, 2026
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12TH YEAR, NO. 36
Baker ‘field of dreams’ becomes reality BY FRANCES Y. SPENCER Contributing writer
Tiny T-ball players bobbing in helmets dwarfing their heads ran across a shiny diamond not realizing that the journey to bring their park to fruition predated most of them. The significance was not lost on the community’s leaders and residents: “Play ball” was a long time coming, The Baker Youth Baseball Field ribbon-cutting ceremony was Saturday, as leaders key to its develSTAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON opment celebrated the new facility and highlighted the field’s historical Players from the Giants race to field the ball hit by a importance and its role in fostering player from the Bayou Boyz during the first T-ball game community. on the new field June 13 in Baker. Baker Mayor Darnell Waites laud-
Zachary council mulls millage increase
AROUND ZACHARY
Lions coming to Zachary
Christmas in July The Zachary Farmers and Artisans Market will host Summer Santa from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 11.
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 be set up. A table for four is $100, which includes a table contest that the entrants set up. On-site vendors, a raffle for a tile set and door prizes will be available. Register at form.jotform.com/mustluvdogs/pungpaws.
Camp postponed The Coach Brew Mega Camp has been postponed. New date will be announced later.
Library millage election set
PHOTO BY FRANCES Y. SPENCER
ä See FIELD, page 2G
Leila Pitchford
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.
Baker Recreation Director Gerard Collins offers color commentary June 13 during a T-ball game at the Baker Youth Sports park.
ed the funding efforts and years needed to create something unique in recreational offerings. “I’m really excited to be here this afternoon to bless this field and to open it up for us and I want everybody to know that this is our field, this does not belong to BREC; this is our field,” he said. “Give us a big round of applause.” Recreation Director Gerald Collins was overcome with emotions — he celebrated the accomplishment and gave credit to those instrumental to the city and its young people,” Collins said. Collins went on to explain he didn’t share the original vision of Waites.
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
Zachary High’s baseball team hosts its summer camp recently at the John Herty Field.
HONING IN
Young baseball players sharpen skills at Zachary summer camp Community news report
The Zachary High baseball team shared throwing and batting skills June 8-11 during a summer camp. Boys and girls ages 5-14 took part in the camp at John Herty Field.
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. The millage would remain a dedicated tax, and the library’s funding is almost entirely from this tax, library leaders have said. Library staff is also holding meetings to “Write the Next Chapter.” The final talk will be held at the Main Library at Goodwood at 2 p.m. on June 25. For information and to see more meeting choices, visit www.ebrpl.com/millage.
LEFT: Adelyn McElroy, 8, participates in the ZHS baseball camp. ABOVE: Zachary High graduate Camden Massingill helps out with the camp.
Zachary High baseball summer campers take a water break in between sessions.
Save the date The fourth annual Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival will be from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 14-15 at 20055 Old Scenic Highway in Zachary. Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@theadvocate.com.
Coach Jacob Fisher teaches campers a catch and throw technique.
Campers cool down in the locker room during a break.
Emergency chief says extra $100,000 could help amid FEMA uncertainty BY OLIVIA McCLURE Contributing writer
Facing an upcoming decision about whether to raise Zachary’s property tax millage, City Council members were told at their June 9 meeting that the additional funds generated by the increase could help offset an expected lower reimbursement rate in the event of a natural disaster. Some on the council, however, questioned whether that is justification for taxing residents at a higher rate. The council has the option to keep the property tax rate at the current 5.07 mills or go up to 5.48 mills. Members have declined to increase the millage for the past couple of years. As it stands, the property tax brings in $1.24 million. If the council elects to “roll forward” the millage, the city would collect another $100,000, according to chief financial officer Kim Ford. That money could come in handy if a hurricane or other disaster strikes Zachary, said emergency preparedness director Ty Stephens. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which in the past has reimbursed 75% of costs associated with disasters, is making changes that will leave municipalities on the hook for 50% of those costs, Stephens said. “It’s obviously up to you guys,” he told the council. But even a small amount of extra money would “give the city a little cushion in case something ever were to happen like that and it wouldn’t just deplete everything we had to pay for this emergency — so just kind of a rainy-day fund, so to speak.” Council member Jennifer Landry agreed that the FEMA changes would create a “substantial increase” in disaster recovery costs. And council member James Graves said the higher millage would increase the average household’s monthly budget by only $1 or less. “We’re talking about putting less than a dollar on our constituents, on our members, for emergency situations, for us to have a little bit of funds here in the city,” he said. Landry urged her colleagues to schedule a workshop to discuss how rolling forward the millage could affect various areas of the city budget before voting on the matter in the coming weeks.
ä See MILLAGE, page 2G