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S u n d ay, a p r i l 5, 2026
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St. George school district nears vote BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer
Lead pharmacist Kellie Elisar works recently at St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy in Baton Rouge.
STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE
‘Truly just a blessing’ St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy marks 30 years helping community
BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer
Nestled on a block between Florida and Convention streets is the St. Vincent de Paul Shelter. On the outskirts is a smaller building that has housed the nonprofit’s volunteer pharmacy for more than 30 years, where more than 1,000 people receive services every year. The St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy has been a place for people in need to
safely get prescription medication, durable medical equipment and anything else needed to stay healthy since its inception in 1995. Open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., it runs like a well-oiled machine under the watchful eyes of lead pharmacist Kellie Elisar, her technician Lesa Smith and their team of dedicated volunteers. In 2025, the pharmacy had 1,148 visits, saw 392 patients and filled over 95% of the prescriptions with donated
medicine. Each pharmacy customer gets a free hygiene bag, which includes toiletries like toothpaste, toothbrush and soap. “We have such a great support system of volunteers that work with us; it’s truly a great environment,” Elisar said. “Everybody wants to be here, everybody wants to help those who walk in. It’s truly just a blessing for everyone involved.”
ä See PHARMACY, page 6A
Voters across Louisiana on May 16 will be asked to say yes or no to forming a new school district that matches the city of St. George. It’s on the ballot after more than a decade of struggle. If approved, the new district would be Louisiana’s 70th public school district and fifth in East Baton Rouge Parish. Starting in July 2027, St. George would join Baker, Central and Zachary in breaking from the parish school system and forming independent school districts. Backers of the proposed new school district say it is an overdue answer to the poor quality of many Baton Rouge public schools. The East Baton Rouge Parish school system has an overall academic letter grade of a C and is ranked 55th out of 69 districts in the state. Opponents argue that a St. George school district would exacerbate racial segregation in the parish, reduce the quality of education for poorer children left behind in the Baton Rouge public schools and encourage more breakaway school districts in the future.
ä See VOTE, page 5A
La. abandoned oil wells hit high of 6,500 BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer
At least 18 injured at Lao New Year Festival Police: Driver crashed into Iberia Parish crowd
Todd Landry, 57, of Jeanerette, was booked on counts of driving while impaired and firstdegree negligent injuring, careless operation and open container, officials said. Deputies responded to the corner of SavanBY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer nakhet and Melancon roads in connection with a vehicle that struck multiple people A driver was arrested Saturday afternoon attending the festival near Broussard, the after he drunkenly drove into paradegoers at Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office said. During the investigation, Landry showed the Louisiana Lao New Year Festival, injuring more than a dozen attendees of the inter- signs of impairment and submitted a breath nationally recognized festival, according to sample indicating a blood alcohol level of 0.137%, according to state troopers. In LouiLouisiana State Police.
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siana, anyone with a blood-alcohol limit of or over 0.08% is considered intoxicated. At least 18 people suffered injuries in the crash, according to State Police. “We are profoundly saddened by the news of the incident near the festival grounds. We are awaiting additional details from authorities as they become available. All security resources have been redirected to the scene, and we currently do not have security personnel available due to the circumstances,”
The number of abandoned oil and gas wells in Louisiana has surged over the past year despite efforts to address the problem, reaching a record high and placing a heavy financial burden on the state to plug them. The recent increase follows a trend that has been building for years, partly due to industry fluctuations and shifting regulations, officials say. More than 2,100 wells have been officially labeled as “orphaned” since the start of 2025, leaving the state with nearly 6,500 in total, according to the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy.
ä See FESTIVAL, page 5A
ä See WELLS, page 4A
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101ST yEAR, NO. 279