SERVING THE PARISHES OF EAST FELICIANA AND WEST FELICIANA
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T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
Apply for Leadership North program 2026 Leadership NORTH is an annual leadership development program for the north Baton Rouge region. The Zachary Chamber of Commerce hosts the program. Participation in the program is open to people living or working in Baton Rouge, Zachary, Central, Baker, Pointe Coupee, East and West Feliciana Parishes who have the full support of the organization or business they represent. The program is designed to engage emerging leaders in the region and prepare them to meet the future needs of their communities. Through the exchange of viewpoints and experiences, participants are exposed to the challenges, opportunities and vital issues affecting the northern Baton Rouge region. The application is at forms. office.com/r/7feLGC5qtF. Deadline is Feb. 27.
Bird art displays coming The Art of Birds will be from noon until on Feb. 28 at 5689 Commerce St., St. Francisville. Bird-themed art will be displayed in three galleries at the 3V Tourist Court. Refreshments and shopping will also be available.
Update pesticide certifications A private pesticide applicator recertification training session will be at the Zachary Branch of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 10 a.m. to noon March 12, 1900 Church St., Zachary. Attendees needs to bring a current pesticide card and two checks — one made to the LSU AgCenter for $15 and one made to LDAF for $25. To reserve a spot, call Donna Gentry at (225) 683-3101 or dsgentry@agcenter.lsu.edu.
Tunica Music Festival scheduled The Tunica Music Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 28 in Parker Park, in the amphitheater across the street on Chris and Cherie Fry’s property, and in Bayou Sara Brewing in St. Francisville. The event is free to attendees. Food vendors will be available. It will feature 30 bands on three stages. Bring an instrument and join some jam sessions. Chairs, blankets and coolers are allowed.
Farmers Market Every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., deals on a wide variety of fresh produce and other locally sourced goods will be available at the St. Francisville Farmers Market, 9961 Wilcox St. Visit facebook.com/stfrancisvillefarmersmarket for information.
Save the date The West Feliciana Chamber of Commerce announced Chamber Uncorked! will be March 8 at The Mallory in St. Francisville. \Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@theadvocate.com.
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W e d n e s d ay, F e b r u a ry 11, 2026
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‘It was a living, breathing scene’
East Feliciana schools to try four-day week BY AIDAN MCCAHILL Staff writer
STAFF PHOTOS BY HILARY SCHEINUK
At least five people were injured during a Mardi Gras parade shooting in Clinton on Jan. 31.
Clinton parade may not roll again after recent shooting BY OLIVIA TEES
Staff writer
The Mardi Gras parade in Clinton on Jan. 31 ended in unexpected violence after multiple people were shot in front of the town courthouse, and now the annual event is not expected to return anytime soon, according to Clinton’s Mayor Mark Kemp. Many Clinton residents support this idea and want the autumn Homecoming Parade canceled too. “Someone’s life is more important than going to a parade and acting stupid. It only takes a few people to ruin the fun for everyone,” Kemp said. The organizer of the parade, Sheilla Flowers, said on Facebook how thankful she was the police were there to quickly respond and help those who were injured. She also called on the community to reflect on why this violence had to happen at an event that was supposed to bring the town together. “I would also like to ask the young parents to please get a hold on your children. It starts at home and this shouldn’t have to happen at all,” Flowers said. Kemp was horrified by the situation and said the town is a tightknit community that always tries to get along with one another. “It’s sad that there are these young people out here living with no compassion,” Kemp said. Kemp was not at the parade when the shooting happened, but was on his way. He said he had high hopes for the parade because there would be a large police presence for security. According to East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Jeff Travis, the Sher-
Law enforcement work the scene of a shooting at the Clinton Mardi Gras Parade. iff’s Office has had issues with a rambunctious afterparty that occurs each year after the parade, prompting the high police presence. “We’re going to send a strong message that this type of behavior is not going to be tolerated,” Travis said. Despite the bitter cold over the weekend, with temperatures near freezing, people lined the streets to celebrate the 21st “Mardi Gras in the Country” parade. It’s a large event for a town of less than 1,500 people, often drawing crowds from the surrounding areas. Just 15 minutes after the parade started, gunfire in front of the East Feliciana Parish courthouse injured at least five people. Four other people were also injured in the chaos that ensued after the gunshots, with one person trampled by the crowd and another hit by a car, according to the East Feliciana Parish Director of Homeland Security Darryl Buhler. A 6-year-old girl and a woman
who is expected to be paralyzed for the rest of her life were quickly airlifted to local hospitals. All the victims are in stable condition. “It was a living, breathing scene,” Buhler said. Four people, including a 16-yearold, were arrested in the two days after the shooting, and two other were arrested throughout the following week. The day of the parade, Linda McKnight was in her store, FarmHaus Square, on St. Helena Street, with her doors locked. She said she never really liked the parade and the “out-of-towners” it brought. She wanted to work in peace, without people bothering her. The parade hadn’t yet made it to her street before it was halted in its tracks. McKnight stayed in her store until 1:30 p.m., when she was escorted across the street to her car and went home. “I’ve been here, my family’s been here for 70 years, and nothing like this has ever happened,” McKnight said.
Contributing writer
In the wake of a mass shooting Jan. 31 at the Mardi Gras parade in Clinton, an Ethel resident criticized the East Feliciana Parish Police Jury for allowing an after-parade party to proceed as planned. The jury agreed on a 7-2 vote at its Jan. 5 meeting to grant a variance to its noise ordinance to allow music to be played at the Jarrell Event Center at 8596 La. 963 in Ethel from noon until 6 p.m. on parade day. The event was advertised on social media as a party to wind up the parade festivities in Clinton. Randy Devall, who had opposed the noise variance, told jurors at
their Feb. 2 meeting the “party on” response to the shooting spree that left nine people wounded was in his opinion, “despicable, disturbing and disappointing.” Devall was among a delegation of property owners in the area who opposed the variance, citing problems with a similar event in 2023. They said crowds of people flocking to the site blocked traffic in the neighborhood, trespassed on private property and threw trash in the road and ditches. They also complained of loud music and vulgar lyrics from the 2023 event, which the East Feliciana Sheriff’s Office halted because of traffic jams. Juror Jason McCray said because of an October court ruling, the police jury had no choice but
Email Aidan McCahill at aidan.mccahill@theadvocate. com.
Waste Pro keeps contract despite concerns
Police Jury also considers solar farm ordinances BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
to allow the event to be held. He said the jury only granted the noise variance at the request of the sheriff’s office, which had planned to concentrate on the traffic. “That event was going to go on regardless,” McCray told Devall. When the Jarrell family announced plans to hold a party in 2024, the Police Jury went to court to get an injunction barring the event on the grounds that commercial ventures are not allowed on property, because it is zoned for agriculture. The Jarrells charged $10 admission to the 2023 event and planned to charge $20 per person in 2024. The Jarrells appealed the
The East Feliciana Parish Police Jury reversed course Feb. 2 and extended a contract with its garbage collection contractor rather than seeking new bids for the service. The jury decided in December to seek bids from interested contractors and upheld the decision in a Jan. 5 meeting despite warnings that the cost of providing the collection service likely would rise significantly. The jury now pays Waste Pro a monthly fee of $14.65 per household for weekly collections, but the decision to seek new bids followed complaints by some jurors about the company’s service record. Other jurors defended the company. The reversal followed a meeting of jury employees and jury President Louis Kent after the Jan. 5 session. Kent said Waste Pro agreed to extend the contract for a collection fee of $16.65 per household with $200 penalties for incidents such as collecting garbage before 5 a.m. or after 7 p.m., except when permitted, failing to pick up garbage that was missed
ä See PARTY, page 3G
ä See POLICE JURY, page 3G
Party after shooting draws complaints BY JAMES MINTON
East Feliciana Public Schools will move to a four-day school week at the start of the 20262027 school year, according to an announcement from the School District. The East Feliciana School Board approved the shortened week on Tuesday, Feb. 3, after a “thorough evaluation,” the release said. Officials said the model is intended to give students longer, uninterrupted, and higher-quality instructional days. Students will attend school Tuesday through Friday. East Feliciana Schools also said the four-day week has demonstrated benefits in improving student attendance and teacher retention and recruitment. The school district had previously instituted the model, but voted to reinstate a full school week in 2013 over concerns of low test scores. East Feliciana joins a growing list: at least 10 school districts in Louisiana — Acadia, Cameron, Evangeline, Grant, LaSalle, Avoyelles, Caldwell, Beauregard, Franklin and Bogalusa City Schools — have some or all schools with four-day weeks.