THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
W e d n e s d ay, J a n u a ry 14, 2026
12TH YEAR, NO. 14
$1.00N
Zachary schools mull expansion
Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Annual MLK Day march planned The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Zachary Committee will host its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. march, leaving from Zachary City Hall, 4700 Main St., at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, and arriving at New Pilgrim Baptist Church, 4277 Old Weis Road. A memorial celebration will begin immediately after the march. The 2026 theme is: “Mission Possible II: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way.” Transportation will be provided from New Pilgrim Baptist Church to Zachary City Hall for those participating in the march. Participants are asked to arrive at the church by 5 p.m. to access transportation to Zachary City Hall. Parents of Zachary youth and surrounding areas are asked to bring their children to participate in this event.
The legacy of MLK In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and Justice Sunday, head to the Baker Branch Library at 3 p.m. Jan. 10 for a viewing of his “I Have a Dream” speech, followed by dialogue with Charles Vincent, Baker City Council member and president of the Mwalimu Institute. School supplies will be provided by Vincent to the first eight students in attendance.
It’s Carnival time Zachary Mardi Gras, in partnership with the city and the Zachary Police Department, is presenting Zachary’s first Mardi Gras Parade. The theme is “Celebrating Everyday Heroes.” Local businesses, organizations and community partners can join by entering a float or group in this inaugural celebration at 2 p.m. Feb. 15. Entry fee is $100 and applies to floats and approved vehicles and to walking groups (bands, dance teams, cheer groups, etc.). Priority sign-up is by Jan. 20, which gives priority parade placement and potential marketing inclusion. Final sign-up is by Jan. 31. Visit tinyurl.com/mv4uvxks to sign up. Details about participating in the parade and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.zmardigras.com.
Urgent care moves FastLane, an urgent care clinic, has moved to 2335 Church St. within Lane Family Practice. Clinic hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@theadvocate.com.
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Property eyed for new campus
Zachary United Methodist Church, which is next door to the high school, approached the district about the possible sale, schools Superintendent Ben Necaise told the board during a committee of the whole meeting BY OLIVIA McCLURE Jan. 6. Contributing writer The church has leased the land Zachary Community School to the district previously. Necaise described the properDistrict leaders are thinking about buying a piece of property ty, appraised at between $94,000 adjacent to Zachary High School. and $96,000, as prime real estate
that’s “ready to build on.” “In the future, we don’t know what we may need it for,” he said. While Zachary’s elementary schools have seen declines in their student populations in recent years, upper grade levels have grown, Necaise said. More than 1,700 students attend Zachary High School. “We could in the future put some classroom space there, science labs. Could you put a mul-
Mayor says city’s ‘In the Mix in ’26’ McDavid lists Zachary’s successes in 2025 and priorities for the upcoming year
Community news report Zachary Mayor David McDavid released comments for the start of the new year, saying the city is “in the mix in ’26.” “Our city continues to move forward with momentum, vision, and a commitment to making our community a place where everyone can thrive,” McDavid said. “From 2024 to 2025, we saw a 6.7% increase in sales tax — a clear sign that our local economy is strong, businesses are growing, and Zachary is increasingly recognized as a vibrant place to live, work, and invest.” He said economic development remains a top priority for his administration. The city is advancing strategic annexation efforts along U.S. 61, the Mississippi River, and the diversion canal, he said in the statement. “Expanding to the river opens long-term opportunities, including a potential future port, barge-related commerce, riverboat access, and partnerships with natural gas providers,” the mayor said. “With emerging technologies like artificial intelligence shaping our growth, positioning Zachary along key transportation and infrastructure corridors has never been more important.” Retail recruitment is delivering results, the mayor said. In partnership with Retail Strategies, the city has engaged more than 50 retailers in 2025 and welcomed businesses such as Aldi, 7 Brew and Planet Fitness. “We are actively pursuing additional grocery options and supporting planned renovations at Rouses Market,” McDavid said. “Health care expansion represents another major milestone. Lane Regional
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Zachary Mayor David McDavid Medical Center has completed a $90 million, fourstory patient tower and will soon begin Phase II, adding additional operating rooms. This strengthens healthcare access, attracts top medical professionals and supports our growing economy,” the mayor said. McDavid also pointed to growth in the downtown area. “An updated Downtown Plan, set to launch in 2026, along with a new Master Plan, retail incentives, and innovative tools for entrepreneurs, reflects the teamwork, vision, and commitment that are
building a stronger Zachary for generations to come,” he said. “Zachary is also a welcoming community for seniors, offering low-maintenance housing, easy access to healthcare, recreational opportunities, and a tight-knit, friendly atmosphere—truly a place where residents of all ages can enjoy life to the fullest,” he said. “As we move ‘In the Mix in ’26,’ let’s continue shaping a future filled with opportunity, growth and community pride. Together, we are making Zachary stronger than ever.”
tipurpose building there?” Necaise said. “There’s just a lot of opportunities. You never know.” He added that the high school campus is “pretty landlocked,” with the surrounding neighborhood limiting potential expansion. No action was taken during the meeting. Necaise said his team will present a formal proposal for the board to consider later.
Library tax vote planned for June
BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library announced Wednesday it will be presenting a new tax millage to voters in July, should the Metro Council approve it. The 9.5-mill tax, estimated to raise around $59.6 million annually, would fund 100% of library operations for the next 10 years, a release from the system said. It comes after voters rejected Prop. 1 in November, which would have funded the system through an 11.1-mill annual tax, with 2.8 of those mills going to the parish’s general fund. That was part of Mayor-President Sid Edwards’ Thrive plan to rededicate taxes for several parish agencies to fix a hole in the parish’s general fund caused by the new city of St. George taking over its share of sales tax revenue. Voters rejected all three measures Edwards had pitched. A mill represents $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. This proposed tax would equate to $142.5 in taxes for a household with a home valued at $225,000. The library system’s previous tax millage, which expired at the end of 2025, was set at 9.89 mills. The tax announced Wednesday would be lower than the taxes approved by voters in 1995, 2005 and 2015, and would still give the system more money than it would have received under Prop. 1. “It’s key that people understand that this is lower than what they paid last week,” said Mary Stein, assistant library director. “When they paid their property taxes last week, they paid 9.89. So we’re asking for less.” The proposed tax will be presented to the Metro Council on Jan. 14, with public comment opening at the Feb. 11 meeting. Should it be approved, it would come before voters on June 27. “The East Baton Rouge Parish Library is pleased to present a new, stand-alone proposition at a lower millage of 9.5 to our community,” Library Director Katrina Stokes said. “We examined the fresh information as it
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Don’t flinch if you want to play championship basketball The Zachary High basketball team entered 2026 with an 18-2 record and sit at the top of the 2025-26 Boys Division I power rankings. The challenge awaiting them in a bid to repeat is a loaded Division I that includes district teams with high power rankings like
Warren Brady ZACHARY SPORTS
Central (No. 2 with a record of 12-1) and the Broncos Jan. 6 opponent, the Denham Springs Yellow Jackets (No. 3 seed with a record of 16-3). Thus far the Broncos have
lost a single game to an in-state opponent but that was a year ago in 2025. The Broncos have rolled out many wins since then playing top-notch competition from across the state. Coach Jon McClinton indicated that the theme for this year’s Broncos is “don’t flinch.” McClinton said he anticipated, “The team was going to come into lots of big moments this year and you can’t blink. You have
to be prepared and ready to go because you trained for these moments. So don’t flinch.” A constant theme every year for McClinton is making sure that the Broncos defend the culture and “respect the work, blood, sweat and tears from the guys before you that built the program.” Against the Denham Springs Yellow Jackets on
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Zachary High’s Kristion Brooks shoots against Denham Springs High. PHOTO BY WARREN BRADY