Zachary Plainsman-Advocate 03-18-2026

Strict facade rules for some commercial businesses dropped

BY OLIVIA MCCLURE

Contributing writer

Zachary is known for being strict about the 360-degree design standards in its development code Among other requirements, commercial buildings must have brick or other decorative facades — and entirely metal structures typically aren’t allowed.

Large chains, however, will soon get a break from those rules under an ordinance passed by the City Council on March 10 that also revised regulations related to bed-and-breakfasts, drivethrus and accessory buildings.

Chain stores — which Zachary has long been trying to entice

Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY

Know a ZHS Hall of Famer?

Zachary High Athletics is seeking help looking for inforamtion on former athletes. On Facebook, the school said, “We’re working to spotlight members of the Zachary High School Hall of Fame, and we want to make sure their stories are preserved.” Among the help needed is photos or information about Hall of Fame athletes. If you have them, send it them to steven.crowder@zacharyschools. org.

Compete in the lip sync show Registration and tickets are on sale for Zachary High’s fourth annual Lip Sync Battle. This event is open to anyone in the Zachary community on stage or in the audience. To enter an act, visit https://tinyurl. com/rc23fhbh. To purchase tickets, visit https://events.ticketleap. com/tickets/zhs-choirdepartment/4th-annual-lipsync-battle.

Easter run set

The Zachary Rotary Bunny Hop is March 21 in downtown Zachary A 1-mile walk and run starts at 8 a.m The 5K run and walk start at 8:30 a.m Register at runsignup.com/ Race/LA/Zachary/ZacharyRotaryBunnyHop.

Play golf to support Zachary athletics

The Zachary Athletic Foundation Golf Tournament 2026 is April 6 at Copper Mill Golf Club to support Zachary Athletic Foundation and student athletes.

Entry is $500 per four-person team, which includes mulligan package, food, soft drinks and beer on course. Prizes include first, second and third places; closest to the pin; and longest drive. Registration and lunch are at noon. Tee time is at 1 p.m. Visit tinyurl.com/3z9ey8ba to preregister and for information.

Want to be an EMT?

A 13-week emergency medical technician training program will start June 8. The class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m to 5 p.m.

Information sessions are scheduled for 10 a.m. March 21, 9 a.m. March 26, 6 p.m. April 2, 9 a.m. April 7 and 10 a.m. April

11. Registration is limited. Call (225) 389-5155 for details.

ZACHARY CITY COUNCIL

to come to the city — will be allowed to erect metal buildings if that’s how their locations nationwide are typically constructed or if they are part of the company’s branding. And although the ordinance verbiage originally called for allowing industrial facilities such as mechanic shops and warehouses to have metal exterior walls too, that section was scrapped as part of council member Brandy Westmoreland’s motion to adopt the updated rules which was supported by John LeBlanc and Ambre DeVirgilio.

Westmoreland said removing that section and keeping the general prohibition on all-metal buildings is only fair.

“There are tons of businesses in Zachary, and we made them do a storefront. And now we’re saying, ‘OK, well, you might have spent $100,000 but now if you build tomorrow, you don’t have to have it.’ We’re backing up,” she said. “I’ve said before, ‘Zachary ain’t for everybody.’ ”

The design standards help the city maintain an attractive, orderly appearance, she and others argued.

“If you want to get a good feel or know what old metal buildings look like over time, take a

ride down South Choctaw in Ba-

ton Rouge, and you’ll see just a graveyard of metal buildings,” LeBlanc said, referring to a road that is lined with warehouses and industrial shops.

DeVirgilio said she is seeing parts of Zachary turn around thanks to recently opened businesses that have followed the city’s building standards.

“Would it be fair to them and those who have made that investment to comply with our UDC?” she said. “I just don’t know that we should start watering down what has already started to work.”

The dichotomy in expectations for local businesses and chains

CHAMPS

Zachary hangs on late in back-and-forth fourth quarter to win state title

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Zachary has another championship trophy this time the boys basketball team won, a week after the girls picked up hardware.

In Saturday’s win over Ruston, the two teams traded the lead throughout the fourth quarter In three minutes, the two sides switched leads six times. As the clock ticked to less than two minutes, the Broncos showed their championship pedigree.

Junior Ethan Kimmie drove to the rim and scored a layup to put his team up by one. Junior Ian Edmond then drew a foul and hit a free throw On the ensuing possession with 1:22 left, junior Mason Newman drew a charge to give his team the ball back.

Ruston turned it over again late as Zachary made the free throws to put away a 63-60 victory at Burton Coliseum on Saturday in the Division I nonselect championship game. The win marks the Broncos’ second state title in a row and eighth overall.

“When it comes to us, our resiliency,” Broncos coach Jon McClinton said, “it’s just something about these guys. There’s no way that we’re not tough and we don’t come out victorious in that game.”

McClinton pointed to his team’s depth in helping wear down Ruston. Only three Bearcats scored, while eight Broncos found the box score.

3-pointer at the first-quarter buzz-

didn’t sit well with James Graves and Jennifer Landry, who opposed the motion.

“I want everyone included,” Landry said in registering her “no” vote.

Said Graves: “Are we really we’re going to sacrifice our morals and values for the highend chain, for someone way out of state? What about the local guys?”

Graves recounted the council’s past denial of plans for a mechanic shop that would have been housed in a metal building. That shop is now operating in another city, he said.

“I don’t want to run any more business off,” he said

City plans hearing on go-kart track after residents complain, file suit

BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer

Zachary officials are investigating reports of a divisive go-kart race track expanding with a parking lot and posting signage — possible violations of the conditional use permit the City Council granted the facility in November A hearing on the matter will take place later this month or in April.

The track, operated by 593 Motorspots Kart Club on W.J. Wicker Road, has been a source of controversy for months. It and the city are being sued by a group of residents.

Many people who live in the residential, somewhat rural area oppose the track, saying it creates noise that disrupts their lifestyle and runs afoul of Zachary’s development code. Proponents argue the facility offers much-needed activities for young people and helps the local economy When the council issued the conditional use permit allowing the track to continue operating — it had already been up and running several restrictions were included in the verbiage, something that is common when the panel grants permission for alternate uses of land in residential zones. Residents say some of those provisions are now being violated.

Joanne Saale, a W.J. Wicker Road resident, said the track has put up signage along the road. She contacted Mayor David McDavid with her concerns in February, and McDavid responded that the city’s code enforcement officer had told owner Joshua O’Neal to remove the sign, she said.

That sign is still there, Saale told the City Council at its March 10 meeting, and additional signage has been posted since then.

“Mr O’Neal is making a mockery of the City of Zachary and is showing absolute disrespect for authority,” she said, suggesting that the city issue fines.

She and Donald J. “Pete” Charlet, a former city council member also raised questions about a parking lot that has been opened next door to the track. Charlet said the track charges people to park in the lot.

er The Broncos sprinted out to a 12-2 surge at the start of the second quarter to take a 10-point lead. Kimmie started it with a pair of layups. Edmond and senior Kristion Brooks buried 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to cap the run. Ruston’s Ahmad Hudson ended the run with a pair of scores, but Zachary responded with a 3-pointer by junior Mason Newman. Ruston ripped off a 9-3 run to get within four points.

with free throws as the deficit dwindled to one during the third quarter Edmond cut through defenders to push the lead back to five late in the third. With just three seconds left, Brooks stole an inbounds pass and deflected it to junior Jerry Armwood. Just past midcourt, he fired up a 3-pointer that banked in at the buzzer to put Zachary up 48-41.

“Expanding the development of the race track operation with a parking lot development and sales without any notice or proper permitting is a clear violation of the conditional use permit issued, which warrants revocation of the conditional use permit, and the adjacent property owner should be brought to justice,” he said.

“We want to wear you down so much that when that fourth quarter comes,” McClinton said, “those legs are starting to get to you a little bit.” Edmond tied the game at 15-15 after he hit a step-back fadeaway

Zachary (28-2) led 34-28 at halftime after Newman grabbed a miss and converted a floater at the buzzer The Bearcats cut into the lead

Early in the fourth, Hudson drew a foul on a banked-in jumper and hit his free throw to cut the deficit to three points.

Ruston (26-4) cut the lead to just one point with a Darren Ford

See CHAMPS, page 3G ä See AROUND, page 4G

No one spoke on behalf of 593 Motorsports at the meeting. McDavid said code enforcement officer Ty Stephens has been investigating the alleged code infractions.

“He’s interviewed a bunch of

See TRACK, page 4G

A look back at ZHS girls hoops title

On March 7, the Zachary High girls basketball team completed a fantastic season to capture its second straight Division I Nonselect state championship. They defeated previously 30-1

Slidell in what this sports writer would call one of the most impressive wins in ZHS girls basketball history Incredible coaching, incredible team effort and a signature ending for the team’s only senior Ava “Incredible” Raymond. Where to start and where to end on this game? There will be many descriptions of this complete and “unflappable” win.

cos fought tooth and nail to get the game within reach “UNFLAPPABLE!”

After the first, Zachary had a 10-8 lead. Slidell’s three-point shooting and pressure defense gave the Tigers the momentum and they rolled out to a 10-point lead in the second. More importantly, inside presence Asia Bell picked up her third foul of the game before the half. The game could have gotten more out of hand but baskets by Raymond and Kennedi Whitfield (five points in the half) helped the Broncos stay within striking distance and only down by 5 at the half (25-20).

Nonetheless, there were concerns and Slidell made another run to get the lead back up to nine in the third before Raymond exploded for 10 points and cut the lead to two. Slidell found their offensive groove again and went up six to start the fourth. A couple of things happened thereafter that will go down in Zachary lore. Coach Tami McClure and the Broncos’ full-court press completely devastated the Tigers and the Bron-

Raymond completely took over the game as the team closed the gap. With 27.8 seconds left in the game, Asia Bell made a steal and passed it to Raymond on a beeline for the rim. As Raymond drove to the goal, and the Tigers defense collapsed, she passed to freshman Marcia Robinson who was fouled. Less than a minute left in the game and the senior put her trust in a freshman to finish with the Broncos down one. No hesitation whatsoever Robinson who at the time was 2-of-6 from the foul line, made one of two free throws to tie the game. The confidence and teamwork speak volumes about a player and teammate, that the only senior on the Broncos has shown this year

The rest gets even crazier After Slidell made 1 of 2 free throws on the other end to take the lead, everyone in Hammond and watching on TV knew where the ball was going Raymond drives through the defense and shoots her jumper from the middle of the lane for the win

Coach McClure noted that “this woman was the only one who was going to get that ball at the end.” Her advice to Raymond before the last 16.5 seconds ticked off the clock were simply “go get it.” Sometimes the will is too much to overcome.

Coaches will tell you that “you are only as good as your last game.” Consider that in Ava Raymond’s last game she scored 27 points, had nine rebounds, secured five steals, was responsible

on Saturday

for the winning basket and was the tournament MVP

She leaves Zachary with two state championships and the most points scored by a ZHS girls basketball player in program history

Though Raymond’s talents will be missed next year as she goes on to play for McNeese, she leaves four returning starters (one junior, a freshman, and two sophomores) who learned what it means to be a leader and win.

Next week, my interview with Raymond and McClure before the semifinals and last Saturday’s second championship.

Advocate reporter Jackson Reyes contributed to this column.

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BY FRANCES Y SPENCER Contributing writer

They dance, they inform and they entertain, but before the dancers don historically accurate attire, they practice. The Lagniappe Historic Dance & Pastime Society puts in the work and research that brings foregone eras to life.

Organizer and dance instructor

Roxanne Struppeck said the group performs 18th- and 19th-century routines wearing clothing unique

to the periods.

“We share our love of history and dancing at various living history events around Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Destrehan and New Orleans,” she said.

There are several big dances on the group’s agenda. They will take part in the Port Hudson Civil War reenactment on Saturday, March 28, and teach dance at the Heritage Day at Destrehan Plantation on Friday, April 10.

“One of our favorite places to

dance is the Audubon Historic Site/Oakley Plantation,” Struppeck said. “Their Revolutionary war event is Saturday, April 25. This year is particularly special since it is the 250th anniversary of America.”

The group learns historic dance Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at the Pride-Chaneyville branch of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library The class is taught by Struppeck and is free and open to the public.

TRACK

Continued from page 1G

people from my understanding, and it should be done by March 24,” McDavid said The council agreed to have

AROUND

Continued from page 1G

a hearing during its next meeting, which is March 24, with April 14 as a backup option.

McDavid also acknowledged residents’ frustrations about not being provided detailed information about what is going on with the

Nominations open for top Baker citizen

The Baker Inter-Club Council is accepting nominations for the 2025 Citizen of the Year Award.

Guidelines are:

n The individual must reside within the city limits of Baker or an unincorporated area of East Baton Rouge Parish

n The individual must have provided unselfish time/talents that improved the quality of life for the citizens of Baker for which he/she was not paid and does not fall

track. He said he’s limited in what he can say because of the pending litigation.

“By our legal department, we are told when we can speak due to the current lawsuit,” he said. “I have to follow what the lawyers say.”

within the scope of his/her job duties.

n Consideration is for the period Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2025.

n Nominations should be mailed to 3809 Epperson St., Baker, LA, 70714.

n The selection will be made from nominations received as of noon March 23.

Voting by member clubs will be held in the Baker Branch Library at 6 p.m. March 23. Club dues must be paid before the beginning of the meeting. Clubs and organizations interested in joining the Inter-Club Council should contact President Doris Alexander at (225) 778-0141.

Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@ theadvocate.com.