SERVING THE PARISHES OF EAST FELICIANA AND WEST FELICIANA
The
W atchman
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, A p r i l 1, 2026
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The Art House Jam Band performs during the 10th annual Tunica Hills Music Festival held in St. Francisville Saturday, March 28, 2026.
PHOTO BY DAVID NORMAND
Music rings out during 10th Tunica Hills Music Festival St. Francisville resident Joe Roppolo
played harmonica Saturday during the 10th annual Tunica Hills Music Festival.
ä More photos from the festival. PAGES 2G AND 3G
The harmonica wasn’t the only
Around the diamond update for local teams BY RICHARD MEEK Contributing writer
West Feliciana continued its excellent play this week by winning three of four games. The Saints defeated Tara 15-0 on March 24 and garnered a District 6-4A win with a 9-3 victory over Plaquemine on March 26. West Feliciana, 15-11, 2-1, fell to Glenmora 6-1 on March 27 before rebounding with a 5-4 win over Central-Florence, Alabama, one day later. Saints senior Myles Callegan picked up his first win of the season against Tara, allowing no hits and striking out seven. Seniors Cole Schexnayder and Caden Bell each had two hits against Tara. Schexnayder hit a home run and Bell had three RBIs. East Feliciana had 12 hits
against Plaquemine, led by senior Jack Leak with a home run and Schexnayder with three RBIs. Junior Mason Rogillio is batting .373 with three home runs for the Saints. Against Plaquemine, sophomore Emmet Whitman pitched 4.2 innings, striking out five and giving up two earned runs to pick up the victory. Sophomore Jackson Rachel pitched 6.2 innings and gave up all six runs in the loss to Glenmora. Against Central-Florence, junior Tanner Savoy was able to get the Saints back on track, giving up two runs and striking out five in the victory. Whitman has 1.815 ERA, Rachel a .797 ERA and Savoy has 22 strikeouts.
ä See SPORTS, page 2G
on three stages in downtown St. Francisville. Wooden guitar-shaped art pieces were
instrument being played at the event.
FELICIANA SPORTS
More than 20 musicians performed
auctioned throughout the event.
Wednesday Club of Jackson learns about railroads, dine in a former club car BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL Contributing writer
The topic was trains — old and new, near and far, one proposed for the future and even trains that once transported homeless children. Members of the Wednesday Club of Jackson listened as they sat in a vintage train car — a former club car named the Southern Belle. Outfitted now as a dining car/ event venue, the car was once part of the Kansas City Southern line that ran from Kansas City to New Orleans through Baton Rouge. It is part of the Southern Belle Station Antiques Mall in Jackson and was the location of the March meeting hosted by member Susan Vidrine. Club member Nannette Egros, who is a native of New Orleans, a longtime resident of Baton Rouge and now lives in East
PHOTO BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
Wednesday Club members enjoy refreshments in the Southern Belle dining car. The train car was part of the Kansas City Southern passenger railroad line, then used as a hunting camp before it was moved and ä See RAILROADS, page 4G refurbished in 1994 by Jackson entrepreneur businessman Leroy Harvey.
West Feliciana library hosts Louisiana Orphan Train Program Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
The West Feliciana Parish Library is inviting the community to explore an often overlooked chapter of American history: the Louisiana Orphan Train. For more than 70 years, groups of children were placed on trains in New York and sent to communities across the United States. In towns such as Opelousas, Breaux Bridge and Lafayette, adults gathered at train depots to receive a child. The movement ultimately shaped the lives of more than 200,000 children and their
descendants, with connections that may reach into your own family tree. Martha Aubert and James Douget, of the Louisiana Orphan Train Museum, will present a program at 6 p.m. April 17 at the library, 5114 Burnett Road, in St. Francisville. They will share historical insight, stories and information about how this migration of children influenced families throughout Louisiana. For information, email Aubert at laorphantrain@gmail.com.
Area markets
Celebrate trains
n The Clinton Community Market at the Courthouse Square will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 4. n The St. Francisville Farmers Market is Thursdays at 9961 Wilcox St. n The St. Francisville Community Market will be the same days at the same address. Spring vegetables should be available in a few weeks. On April 24-26, several of the vendors will set up at the Tunica Hills Yard Sale Trail.
The Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders, which meets in Jackson on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, will be part of a family-friendly celebration of trains and transportation. Enjoy hands-on activities, model train demos, live steam trains, exhibitions and planetarium shows inside the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, which is an old railroad depot.
ä See AROUND, page 2G