Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
Food Truck Festival
Saturday
Denham Springs Main
Street Association is hosting another Food Truck Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday on Mattie Street in the Denham Springs Historic Downtown District.
Serving up food and treats for the event are a variety of food trucks and vendors For more information, email info@ denhamspringsmainstreet.org, bontempstix.com, or check out the Facebook page at facebook com/DenhamSpringsMainStreet.
Walker’s Easter
in the Park is Sunday
Celebrate spring from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday in Sidney Hutchinson Park in Walker
The day will include Easter egg hunts, photos with the Easter Bunny, face painting, Red Barn Petting Zoo, food truck, vendor market, children’s village and music.
Calling all DSHS band mates
The Denham Springs High School band and color guard have a rich legacy of excellence and community Past members are updating an alumni registry and need your help. Visit forms.gle/soTpymy7ZYjA9Cp58 to fill out the needed information.
Class of ’76 reunion planned
If you’re an alum of the Denham Springs Class of 1976 — my class — your help is needed to organize the upcoming reunion. The event is planned for June at Carter Plantation
To volunteer or share your information with the organizers, email daleh76DS@gmail.com.
Calling all jambalaya cooks
The Louisiana Friends Against Childhood Cancer’s annual St. Jude Mini Pot Cook-off is Saturday at Manny’s Bar in Maurepas. Cooking starts at 1 p.m. and judging is at 4 p.m. For information, call (225) 571-5250 or the bar at (225) 6983001.
Amite Oyster Festival takes over downtown Amite for 3-day event
Thousands of visitors enjoyed an early spring day at the Amite Oyster Festival, celebrating a 50-year tradition.
Originally launched as Amite Oyster Day in 1976 at the Tangipahoa Parish Fair Grounds, the event moved to Amite in 2013. Today, the festival occupies a large footprint in the downtown area for its three-day event.
Events such as the oyster eating contest, ribbon-cutting ceremony, carnival rides and entertainment by local bands are popular venues.
Royalty for 2026 included Miss Oyster Queen Sarah Katherina, King Douglas Kent, Pearl Amy Kent and grand marshal Carla Tate
ä More photos from the festival. PAGE 3G
Doyle Tigers off to strong start in baseball
It is rare for high school baseball teams to have multiple ace pitchers, but that’s exactly what has fueled a near-perfect start for the Tigers this season With three reliable starting pitchers as well as steady relief pitching, Doyle was 18-1 after winning five games in five days last week. The grueling schedule tested the depth of Doyle’s pitching, but it didn’t break it.
Charles Salzer SPORTS
ROUNDUP
Heading into this week, Doyle had a 16-game winning streak, was 18-1 overall, and rated No. 1 in the Division III nonselect power rankings.
“We’ve been getting some consistent starting pitching, which is always a key,” Doyle coach Tim Beatty said last weekend. “Our guys are just not taking no for an answer.”
Part of not taking no has been a 4-0 start in District 8-3A. The unbeaten start is even more impressive considering last week, in
the middle of its five-game stretch, Doyle shoehorned in a home-and-home district series with Springfield. Doyle won both of those games, and then finished off its week with a 3-2 win at Episcopal.
“There were times we were down,” Beatty said. “We told the team, ‘Hey just outlast them. Get to their bullpen, stay in it, and don’t get down.’ We just find ways to win Its been a great season so far ” The highlights have been numerous thanks to a trio of righthanders senior Parker Taylor sophomore Zach Ray and freshman Chandler Parker The numbers back everything up. Parker, a Hines Community College commitment, is 5-0 with 33 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA. Ray, who splits time at catcher when he isn’t on the mound, is 3-0 with 31 strikeouts and a 2.30 ERA. The
Livingston begins restoration on former courthouse
Town
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
For a decade, the old Livingston Parish courthouse has sat empty, collecting dust — but now it’s getting a second chance at life due to a restoration project that will set it up to house a town’s government operations. The town of Livingston officially began construction in January on the vacant, 85-year-old
JAVIER GALLEGOS
Faith Green lets out a cry of excitement as she goes down the slide during the Amite Oyster Festival. To her right and not far behind is her sister Laila Green. Both girls are 5 years old.
PHOTOS BY RICHARD MEEK
David Doughey shucks oysters during the Amite Oyster Festival on March 21. Doughey said he has been shucking oysters for more than 30 years.
COURTHOUSE
would use the building for training, but that’s been the extent of it.
Conversations about the project began in 2021 said Taylor The project stemmed from population growth and a wish to “bring that area back to life,” because it was once a downtown or main street area for the town. This part of Livingston was hurt by declines in business, retail and community activity that began when the courthouse was still active, the mayor said.
“We are running out of room at our town hall,” the mayor said, talking about the town growing in population.
Right now, the town of Livingston’s government is operating out of a 4,000-square-foot building on Circle Drive. The courthouse is 20,000 square feet Phase one of the project includes plumbing, electrical and landscaping work, and it is contracted to be done this year The police department’s office will move first, setting up in the courthouse after this phase in the fall. Officers will move into a part of an additional building of the courthouse that was added in the 1960s. The new space is triple the amount of space the department has now The outdoor space is also being redone to host community events such as food truck Fridays, car shows and more, potentially before the project is fully completed.
“I’m big about community and getting people outside,” he said. Then, phase two will take contractors about 10-12 months and includes finishing the courthouse restoration. That’s when the rest of the town hall will move its operations there.
Taylor emphasized the support from state legislators for their help so far in securing $3.3 million in state grants and capital outlay funds. There is a pending capital outlay funding request under consideration
in the current legislative session.
Ultimately, residents should expect the project to be completely finished by 2028 if Livingston is able to continue procuring capital outlay funds from the state.
“It was a lot of work to get to this point,” Taylor said while walking through the courthouse as contractors worked inside Friday morning. In the courthouse, there is even additional room for state legislators to have offices and extra space that could be leased, the mayor said.
The one part of the courthouse that does not have a designated plan yet is the old jail cells Taylor, thinking out loud, said it could be perfect for a stop on a school field trip — or even more fittingly, a local haunted house.
AROUND
Continued from page 1G
Boil & Berries Crawfish Cook-Off in Springfield
Boil & Berries Crawfish CookOff Fundraiser is coming to Springfield from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m April 18 at Fayard Field. Bracelets for the event are $20 for adults and $10 for children
Kids 3 and under are free. You’ll get to sample from all the crawfish pots and strawberry desserts. The day includes crawfish cookoff, strawberry dessert bakeoff, strawberry patch contest, Hungarian treats and cultural performances, strawberry-eating
contest for kids, music, vendors and inflatables. Fayard Field is at 32127 Church St., Springfield. All proceeds benefit the Árpádhon Hungarian Settlement Cultural Association to help preserve our Hungarian heritage. If interested in participating in crawfish cook-off or dessert bakeoff, call (225) 278-3770 or (985) 974-6883. If interested in being a vendor, call (225) 955-8239. Livingston schools kindergarten registration underway
Livingston Parish Public Schools is accepting online registrations for incoming kindergarten students for the 2026-27 school year A child must be 5 years old on
or before Sept 30 to register for kindergarten. Online registration is available at www.lpsb.org/parent_resources/ registration_info/register_for_kindergarten_2026-2027. Currently enrolled Pre-K students are automatically rolled over and do not need to register More information about the registration process, visit www.lpsb. org/parent_resources/registration_info. Pre-K application open in Livingston Parish Livingston Parish Public Schools is accepting applications for pre-kindergarten enrollment for the 2026-27 school year across the district.
A child must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 30 to qualify Round 1 of the online Pre-K application period runs through May 1. The online application can be accessed at applytolppsearlychild.schoolmint.com. Documents needed to complete the application include the child’s birth certificate, the child’s social security card, immunization records, the parent’s or guardian’s ID, proof of residency (which must be verified through current utility bills), and proof of income (which must be verified with two current consecutive paycheck stubs) for every working adult 18 and older or proof of SNAP benefits for the child. Anyone
The under-renovation Livingston Parish courthouse
Town of Livingston Mayor J.T Taylor points to the blueprint of the Livingston Parish courthouse.
Dilapidated jail cells inside the former Livingston Parish courthouse
The site of office spaces that will be available to lease inside the under-renovation Livingston Parish courthouse
Triston Triagle, with T3 Electrical Solutions, drills a hole through a metal frame in the underrenovation Livingston Parish courthouse.
STAFF PHOTOS BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
The front view of the under-renovation former Livingston Parish courthouse pictured on Friday.
Library Board of Control appoints interim director
Community news report
The Livingston Parish Library Board of Control unanimously voted to appoint Scott Kleinpeter as interim director of the Livingston Parish Library Kleinpeter, a Livingston Parish native, has been with the Livingston Parish Library for more than a decade, serving as the manager of the Main Branch in Livingston before the appointment.
“I am honored to be appointed interim director of the Livingston Parish Library, and I am grateful for the trust that the board has given me,” Kleinpeter said. “I look forward to continuing to serve our amazing community and ensuring that the library continues to fulfill its mission to the residents of Livingston Parish.
“My primary objectives in this role are to guide us through the Summer Reading Program and to maintain stable operation of the system as the board conducts its search for a permanent director.”
Kleinpeter has more than 20 years of experience in libraries, getting his start at the Walker High library in 2006. In college, he was a student worker at Sims Memorial Library at Southeastern Louisiana University before later joining the Livingston Parish Library in 2010.
Kleinpeter left for the Jackson-Hinds Library System in Mississippi in 2015, eventually being promoted to manager of the Bolden-Moore Branch. He returned to Livingston Parish in 2017 and has been with the system ever since Since 2017, Kleinpeter has served as manager of the system’s Denham Springs-Walker and Main branches.
Kleinpeter spearheaded the design and implementation of a systemwide knowledge base, streamlining internal documentation and procedures for improved efficiency and accessibility He has also created a comprehensive video onboarding series for new employees.
Kleinpeter holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from LSU.
Kleinpeter will serve as interim director of the Livingston Parish Library until the Board of Control fills the permanent position.
SALZER
Continued from page 1G
freshman is Chandler Parker, and he sports a 4-1 record, 23 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.13.
A fourth pitcher, junior Judah Morales, has also sparkled with an 0.50 ERA a record of 3-0.
“Its special,” Beatty said of the pitching production. “I knew we were pretty talented, but I thought we would take some lumps early They’ve outperformed what I thought we would do, at least for this early in the season.”
The impressive win-loss mark, the winning streak and the lofty power rankings haven’t come without a price. They serve as motivation for every team the Tigers play, but that’s just part of baseball, according to Beatty
“Baseball is a game of peaks and valleys and we’ve been fortunate,” he said. “We’re getting everybody’s best shot, and I’m sure that will continue from here on out.”
Email Charles Salzer at livingston@ theadvocate.com.
225-388-0289
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AMITE OYSTER FESTIVAL
PHOTOS BY RICHARD MEEK
The Amite Oyster Festival offered several carnival rides during the three-day event.
Visitors enjoy an early spring day at the Amite Oyster Festival, celebrating a 50-year tradition.
Hadley Leblanc gives her mother, Alaina Leblanc, a high-five on one of the many carnival rides.
Kadelynn Brumfield, 7, and D’myrie Dominick, 4, are all smiles as they sail their miniature boats.
Chili cooks compete, raise money for Hammond-area community projects
BY RICHARD MEEK
Contributing writer
Amateur chefs put their skills to the test during the sixth annual Hammond Ponchatoula Sunrisers Rotary club chili cook-off on Feb. 28 in downtown Hammond.
But for four teenagers who have already experienced the wrong side of the legal system, the event was more than a culinary competition. For each of them, it was a personal victory, another positive marker on the difficult road to leaving behind a troubled past A team consisting of four youth offenders who are serving time in the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center in Tangipahoa Parish dished out their chili made with a recipe that consisted of two kinds of meats, beans, black beans and a wide array of seasonings to give it a kick.
Detention center executive director Joey Dominick said the four team members did all of the cooking, with guidance from the center’s food service director Wayne Cooper Dominick said Cooper is instructing the youth in competition cooking and in fact they are scheduled to participate in several upcoming contests, including a spaghetti cookoff at the Italian Festival in late April.
The lessons learned extend far beyond culinary skills, Dominick said. He explained the teenagers are learning teamwork because they all have to work together and all have specific duties when preparing the food.
“The teamwork is invaluable because when they were on the streets they were just fending for themselves,” he said. “And now they learn how to work with oth-
ers, how to get along and work out their differences.”
He said each of the four budding chefs have earned their high school diplomas, no small feat, and each have earned certifications in a number of areas through Northshore Technical College.
“They have skills already and now we are bringing them out in the public and have them (learn) social behaviors,” Dominick said.
“We are just trying to break down barriers to employment.” Ken Useyuc admitted he likes “to sweat” when eating chili but conceded he tones it down when preparing the dish for he and wife. He said the secret is the chili powder, saying “that is the reason they call it chili is because they cook with different kinds of chilis but the flavor comes from the correct chill powder.”
“The meat is all the same; the love is in the powder,” he said
He is also a “no beans” kind of person, emphasizing real chili does not have beans.
But chili chef Fran Manchack disagreed, saying he does add beans to his chili. And what about those bean haters like Useyuc?
“If you don’t like the beans, pick them out,” Manchack said, noting he only uses a small amount in his recipe.
Rotary President John Guerin was all smiles as he watched several hundred people visit the 31 chili tables that were protected by the shade of the pavilion the City of Hammond completed this past summer
“I love the pavilion,” he said, after the cookoff’s debut under the new structure. “If you look around there are no tents but you are also protected with shaded cover.”
He expected the cookoff to raise close to $10,000, with the funds being distributed throughout the community, depending on needs.
Guerin said he was planning on sampling all 32 chili dishes, evaluating each on consistency He likes his child meaty but with a “little pop” of pepper
“I look for all of that combined,” he said. “The meatier the better
“I don’t like beans but I do not discriminate.”
“When someone asks us for our assistance, we are always able to provide,” he said “This allows us to assist to whatever is going in the community Whether it is a family in need, an organization in need, a natural disaster that happens in our state or outside of our state we are able to step up and help wherever it is needed.”
Denham Springs High Robotics Team wins regional, earns spot at FIRST World Championship
Community news report
The Denham Venom Robotics Team recently returned from Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a victory at the FIRST Robotics Pikes Peak Regional Competition and a secured berth to the 2026 FIRST World Championship later this spring in Houston, Texas.
The Denham Springs High team defeated a field of 33 teams that included international competitors from Mexico and Taiwan The victory advances Denham Venom’s rankings to No. 15 in the world, No. 13 in the United States, and No. 1 in Louisiana, according to Statbotics.
“This is the farthest our students have travelled to compete, and they made certain the outcome was worth the extra effort,” Denham Venom Coach Daniel Eiland said.
In addition to the competition victory, the team earned the Quality Award and was recognized for excellence in robot design and pit efficiency, spotlighting the team’s attention to engineering detail both on and off the competition
field, a news release said
“The trip to Colorado Springs was about more than competition. For several students, it was their first time on an airplane,” Eiland said. “Between matches, the team hiked mountain trails, threw snowballs, and explored a new city far from home — even pushing their robot through the snow on the way into the venue.”
Members of the
Eiland noted that not all the team’s members were able to travel for the competition. He said those not travelling gathered at the DSHS STEM and Robotics Center to watch the competition live, through streaming video, where they scouted matches and relayed data to the onsite team in real time.
“All that we do is a real team effort, and everyone’s role is a valuable part of our success,” he said.
The team’s competition season continues with the Magnolia Regional in Laurel, Mississippi, this weekend, followed by the Bayou Regional at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Louisiana, April 2-3, and then the FIRST World
their robot
a
Championships in Houston, Texas, April 29-May 2.
The Denham Venom Robotics Team extends its gratitude to its major sponsors that help support the team’s financial costs: NASA, Weyerhaeuser, DoD STEM, West Coast Products, Fabworks, the Gene Haas Foundation, and Limelight, as well as individual sponsors who support the program.
Eiland said the team is seeking new corporate and community sponsors to help underwrite the team’s journey to the FIRST World Championship competition. To learn more about the program or to become a sponsor, contact Eiland by email at daniel.eiland@ lpsb.org.
Useyuc’s daughter, Madison Breaux, said she has her own simple chili recipe.
“I call my dad whenever I want chili and go over (to her parents’ house),” she said, looking at her dad, indicating a visit may soon be on tap. “I bring my own container and I bring it back home.” And light on the beans.
Email Richard Meek at livingston@theadvocate.com
report
Community news
The Air Products Foundation has donated $18,000 to the Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department’s High School Program to support emergency training and education for 10 high school students during the 2025-2026 school year
The fund is supported through Air Products Lake Maurepas Community Fund. The $18,000 scholarship funding will allow 10 students to participate in the Louisiana High School Firefighter Training Program, starting their education in emergency response. These students will have the opportunity to earn International Fire Services Accreditation Congress and ProBoard certifications, including hazmat awareness, hazmat operations and fire suppression.
“Safety and emergency preparedness are at the heart of everything we do at Air Products. We are excited to be able to help future emergency responders get
a head start on their education,” said Danna Leblanc, commercial executive director of Air Products’ Louisiana Clean Energy Complex. “We are proud to support the great work of the Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department and its focus on providing opportunities to our future firefighters.” Fire Chief Stormy Joiner thanks Air Products for supporting the next generation of firefighters. Air Products has also previously supported the Manchac Volunteer Fire Department with grants totaling $575,000 for emergency water vessels and for improvements to its firehouse and training center Air Products has additionally funded fish stocking operations on Lake Maurepas, free field trips for nearby schools to Southeastern Louisiana University’s Turtle Cove Research Station, funding toward a fire and emergency response boat
PHOTOS BY RICHARD MEEK
Amateur chefs put their skills to the test during the sixth annual Hammond Ponchatoula Sunrisers Rotary club
chili cook-off on Feb 28 in downtown Hammond
Chili lovers line up to sample entries in the sixth annual Hammond Ponchatoula Sunrisers Rotary club chili cookoff.
Denham Venom Team pull
through
snow flurry upon arrival at the competition arena in Colorado Springs, Co.
PROVIDED PHOTOS
The Denham Venom Colorado Travel Team, from bottom left, includes Dominic Esposito, Evan Durbin, Jacob Duke, Nicholas Carpenter, Nathan Engles, Avery Gann, Gabriel Johnston, Baileigh O’Neal, Adam Goslinga, Nathan Thompson, Juan Rendon, Adrian Robinson and Sophia Echegoyen.