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Livingston Parish prison bookings,
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ADVOCATE THE HE LIVINGSTON-TANGIPAHOA
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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 H
DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND • PONCHATOULA THEADVOCATE.COM
Christine Morgan AROUND LIVINGSTON
CMARCENEAUX@ THEADVOCATE.COM
Chamber hosts annual gala The Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce will host its 2015 Gala and Casino Night from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at Forrest Grove Plantation, 8743 Stephenson Drive, Denham Springs. For reservations, call the chamber at (225) 665-8155.
Republican Women
The Livingston Parish Republican Women will hold its monthly meeting at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Big Mike’s Sports Bar and Grill, 123 Aspen Square, Denham Springs. The guest speaker will be Jeff Landry, candidate for Louisiana attorney general. The public is invited, a news release from the group said. There is a charge for lunch. Reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting Darla Steagall at (225) 337-0490 or darlasteagall@ gmail.com.
Program started to curb pet population ‘We can’t kill our way out of this’
forces to promote Fix It Denham Springs, a campaign to spay and neuter both pet and stray cats, said program head Maurice Durbin. “Cats have so many litters,” BY CHRISTINE MORGAN Durbin said. “They can easily cmarceneaux@theadvocate.com have three in a summer.” While the program heavily DENHAM SPRINGS — Several animal organizations are getting targets cats because of their together to address the over- ability to produce large numpopulation of pets in Livingston bers of offspring during shorter periods of time compared to Parish. The Denham Springs Animal dogs, the program accepts cats Shelter, Pet Aid, Petco and the and dogs, both personal pets Feral Cat Coalition have joined and stray animals, Durbin said.
“It’s all about responsibility,” Durbin said, emphasizing the goal of the program. “We can’t kill our way out of this,” said Durbin, adding that spaying and neutering is also the answer to reducing the number of animals in both kill and no-kill shelters. “We have to spay and neuter.” Durbin, who also works at the Denham Springs Animal Shelter, said some animals have been housed at the facility since 2006 and 2007. The Denham Springs Animal Shel-
ter has been a no-kill shelter for the past 12 years, Durbin said. The group will provide financial help to Livingston Parish residents who regularly feed large groups of unaltered stray animals, and provide traps to capture stray cats, Durbin said. Once stray cats are caught, they are spayed or neutered and their ears are clipped so residents and area veterinarians know the animals have already undergone the procedure in case they’re trapped again. Personal pets that are spayed
MINDYOUR MANORS
äSee PETS, page 2G
Benefit helps center aid others Nonprofit holds fundraiser for facility
BY KATE STEVENS
Special to The Advocate WALKER — Sometimes even a place known for helping others requires a little assistance, too. That’s why the Friendship Community Benefit Center, operated by a nonprofit organization created to raise money for those in need through the sale of jambalaya, pastalaya and spaghetti meals, hosted a benefit for itself Saturday. The annual fundraiser will help cover maintenance costs at the benefit center’s facility near the intersection of La. 447 and La. 1019 in Walker, said Paul Kelly, president of the
Banquet
The Livingston Coastal Conservation Association will host its chapter banquet at 6 p.m. March 19 at Forrest Grove Plantation, 8743 Stephenson Drive, Denham Springs. Cocktails will start at 6 p.m., dinner at 7:30 p.m. and an auction at 8 p.m. The cost is $65 per person or $500 for a table of eight people. Spouses must pay $35 and youths $25. Contact Nolan Reynerson at (225) 952-9200.
Women job corps
Volunteers and organizations interested in serving local unemployed or underemployed women are invited to attend an informational meeting about Christian Women’s Job Corps, a national program being formed in Livingston Parish. The one-hour program, hosted by Hebron Baptist Church, 24063 La. 16, Denham Springs, will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Community organizations and churches of all denominations are invited to send representatives to learn how to help local families become selfsufficient, a news release from the Christian Women’s Job Corps said. For information or to register, call the Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association office at (225) 664-9309.
or neutered are tattooed. “As long as we have the money, we’re going to spay and neuter,” she said. The program accepts donations and hosts fundraisers throughout the year to help. While they receive money from video bingo, proceeds from the games haven’t brought in much money lately, Durbin said. When the program first started in 2001, the program spayed 67 animals. Today, the nonprofit
äSee AID, page 3G
Advocate staff photos by ANGELA MAJOR
Gloria Flick, left, waits patiently for tea Feb. 19 during Albany-Springfield Library’s ‘Downton Abbey’ Tea. Fans of the British PBS series gathered to share tea and scones with fellow fans and answer trivia questions about the show.
‘Downton Abbey’ center of attention at Albany-Springfield Library
Longtime Livingston deputy dies from ALS BY STEVE HARDY
shardy@theadvocate.com
Jeanann Haughey, right, and Gloria Flick enjoy tea Feb. 19 during Albany-Springfield Library’s ‘Downtown Abbey’ Tea.
Tea party attendees eat scones Feb. 19 during Albany-Springfield Library’s ‘Downton Abbey’ Tea.
School anniversary
Seventh Ward Elementary, 24495 La. 16, Denham
Elaine Edwards Graves, a longtime Livingston Parish deputy and wife of former Sheriff Willie Graves, died Monday. She was 52. She was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in April 2013. Leaders around the parish united to spread awareness of ALS following Elaine Graves’ diagnosis. In September, current Sheriff Jason Ard reached out to the parish president,
äSee AROUND, page 3G
äSee GRAVES, page 3G
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