Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
Pop and Shop coming
Downtown St. Francisville will host an evening of shopping, music, cocktails and fun starting at 4 p.m. Aug. 22. Shops will be open all day Water bash planned
The Jackson Marshal’s Office is holding an End of Summer Water Bash for Jackson. The event is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Aug. 1 at East Feliciana High School, 3501 La. 10. Water games, food, drinks, taco truck and the Audubon Regional Library Jackson Branch will be on hand.
Prayers for schools offered
The Apostolic Tabernacle of the Felicianas is hosting a Drive-thru Prayer for East and West Feliciana schools from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 1. All students, teachers and school personnel are welcome. The church will give out prayer cloths for book sacks to students
Nominate West Feliciana High’s best athletes
The West Feliciana Royal Blue Club is seeking nominations for the West Feliciana High School Athletics’ Hall of Fame.
Male and female student-athlete nominees must be a graduate of West Feliciana High School (Class of 1980 or later), have graduated at least 5 years before the nomination date, and be nominated by Sept. 1. Saints stakeholder nominees must have graduated at least 5 years before the nomination date and be nominated by Sept 1. Complete nomination forms at pdfs-of-qr-codes. s3.amazonaws.com/Ayz0HU. pdf.
Contact West Feliciana Athletics Director Shelley Genre at genres@wfpsb.org with questions.
Party like an animal
The West Feliciana Animal Humane Society is inviting party animals to a fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8 at The Mallory Attendees are invited to dress as a favorite animal or wear animal print. Food, cash bar, live sales and contests will be available. Contest categories include Best Dressed — Costume, Best Dressed — Animal Print, Best Groove — A DanceOff and Best Dressed Shelter Pup. Tickets can be purchased at the shelter or the door or at visit www.facebook.com/WestFelicianaAnimalHumaneSociety to find Venmo and PayPal links. Adults are $50 and children 12 and under are $25. Women in the Arts show
Small Works is an exhibition of paintings by Associated Women in the Arts at Art House Gallery 11931 Ferdinand St., St. Francisville It runs through Aug. 23. Angola Rodeo tickets on sale
Tickets for the 2026 Angola Rodeo, the 60th anniversary, are on sale. Rodeo gates will open at 8 a.m. each Sunday, with rodeo events beginning at 2 p.m in
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Juror leaves mid meeting after tense moments
BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
An East Feliciana Parish police juror stormed out of the jury’s July 20 meeting after claiming that another juror called her a racist during a discussion about a moratorium on new subdivisions.
“I will not be called a racist. Do you understand that?” Juror Kristin Chasteen, who is White, exclaimed as she stood to gather her belongings and leave the meeting room
EAST FELICIANA PARISH POLICE JURY
Her exchange with Police Juror Jason McCray, who is Black, came during a heated discussion about her proposal to impose up to a sixmonth moratorium on new subdivision approvals while the parish’s subdivision ordinance is amended to require more detailed drainage studies.
Police Jury President Louis Kent’s attempt to call a vote on
MAGIC LIBRARY
BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL Contributing writer
More than 100 children and adults were entertained July 8 at the Mitch the Magician Variety Show presentation at the West Feliciana Parish Library in St. Francisville.
Presented by Mitch Richard, a Lafayette-based magician and comedian, the program is promoted as a “laugh-out-loud entertainment experience.”
Offering more than magic, he used humor to interact with both the children and the adults in the audience.
Sitting on the floor in the large meeting room, the children interacted with Richard and volunteered to help when invited forward. The adults, parents and other family members, were also expected to participate from their seats and did. They were singled out and questioned by Richard, with lots of corny jokes thrown in.
Richard’s show began with balloon art as he made a dinosaur, joining in the library’s dino theme. His magic act included sleight-of-hand tricks rope tricks and pulling a “stinky bunny” from a hat — a skunk. Another simple but fascinating-to-the-kids activity, he shared how to make and hold big bubbles with your hands using a family recipe for the bubble solution.
At one point, the volume of the laughing and shrieking of the children, and some adults, got really high when a handcrafted squirrel named Cheesy behaved badly Folding a brown bandanna/handkerchief into the shape of a squirrel, Richard then attempted to control the little cloth animal’s antics. Clever hand movements by Richard had the feisty squirrel leaping into the crowd of children and scattering them. When he retrieved it, it jumped again.
Chasteen’s motion was interrupted several times by comments from jurors, but eventually a voice vote was taken that left onlookers confused as to whether it passed or failed.
But Chasteen began criticizing jury Vice President Chrissie O’Quin for voting “no, not for six months.”
“I can’t believe you don’t want to
move the parish forward,” Chasteen said to O’Quin, who replied that Chasteen had brought the moratorium to the police jury as an added item to the agenda without consulting other jurors.
The discussion shifted to McCray, who apparently told Chasteen before the meeting he would not support a moratorium. McCray said at one point he represented all the people of the parish.
Jeffrey K. Smith, of Holly & Smith Architects, speaks to the audience attending a July 21 West Feliciana School Board meeting where Brian Davis, left, executive director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation, presented the group’s 2026 Stewardship Award for efforts to save and restore the 1907 Julius Freyhan School building in St. Francisville. With the two is architect Ryan Faulk, center The architectural firm is sharing the award with the school system and the private Julius Freyhan Foundation, which worked to secure state funds for the project.
$50 million budget adopted
BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
Candidates for a variety of offices in the Felicianas will qualify Aug. 4-5 to run in the Nov 3 election. In the two-parish 20th Judicial District, elections for two judgeships and district attorney will be on the ballot. District Judge Betsy Jones, of Clinton, holds the Division A seat on the court, while Judge Sydney Picou Walker, of St. Francisville, has the Division B spot. Picou Walker, 70, quietly supported a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Louisiana judges to seek reelection after they reach 70 years of age, but voters turned down the amendment in May Soon after the amendment failed, 20th Judicial District Judge Sam D’Aquilla announced his candidacy for judge, and St. Francisville lawyer Cy D’Aquila Jr
PHOTOS BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
Lyndon Daigrepont listens for instructions after she is called forward to help Mitch the Magician at the program held recently at the West Feliciana Parish Library
Following his example, children hold their hands up to learn the simple but fun way to make big bubbles during a summer program at the West Feliciana Library.
PHOTO BY JAMES MINTON
POLICE JURY
Continued from page 1G
“I’m doing this for all the people. I don’t care what color you are, how old you are or anything,” Chasteen said.
“Yeah, right,” McCray remarked, and Chasteen abruptly rose from her chair and prepared to leave.
McCray denied calling Chasteen a racist, saying she injected race into the discussion, and later in the meeting he called for jurors to “brush up on Robert’s Rules of Order.”
“You just don’t throw things on the agenda,” he said.
With the voice vote uncertain, Kent called for a roll-call vote on the original motion.
With Chasteen voting from the doorway and Kent voting to break a tie, the moratorium passed on a 4-3 vote.
O’Quin, Kyle Fleniken and McCray dissented, and Richard Oliveaux and Dexter Armstead joined the majority in supporting the moratorium. Jurors Keith Mills and Michael Cheatham were absent.
An engineer who conducted a survey of two adjoining subdivisions off of La. 964 recommended amending the parish’s subdivision ordinance to require more detailed drainage studies before a new subdivision is approved.
The survey of Duncan Ridge subdivision showed that a large volume of storm runoff enters the development from an area to the east and that a drainage channel downstream from the subdivision is too small to handle the runoff from the total watershed.
The engineers also determined that the lip of a retention pond is a foot higher than specified in the subdivision plans
The question of when the subdivision ordinance will be amended was left undecided because the verbal request to add the moratorium to the meeting agenda did not include authorizing the engineer to assist in drawing up the amendments, some jurors said
On another matter, jurors received a report on its 2025 audit, which gave a favorable opinion on the state of the jury’s finances but also faulted it for three deviations from state law
In one, the jury bought equipment without obtaining three price quotes from vendors as required by the public bid law It also began an emergency public works project before declaring that an emergency existed
The auditors also said the jury failed to adhere to requirements to amend its budgets when revenues or expenses exceed 5% of the amounts budgeted.
The jury also agreed to support the Capital Area Finance Authority’s request for state Bond Commission authority to issue $50 million in bonds to assist first-time home buyers in a nine-parish area with down payments on new homes.
The agency is in Baton Rouge but can assist first-time home buyers in East Feliciana Parish obtain mortgage loans.
AROUND
Continued from page 1G
the arena. General admission tickets are $25 for most seating sections. Tickets are expected to sell out and should only be purchased through the official Angola Prison Rodeo website or by phone.
Visitors will have the option to purchase handcrafted items created by incarcerated individuals at the facility Hobbycraft items for sale include jewelry, leather goods, furniture, woodwork, paintings and more. Cash and major credit cards will be accepted for hobbycraft purchases.
Guests are reminded that smoking is prohibited and outside food, drinks and ice chests are not permitted. Clear or transparent bags are allowed but are subject to search. To help ensure a smooth entry, attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as large crowds and extended wait times are expected For tickets and additional event information, visit angolarodeo.com or call the main office at (225) 655-2030 or (225) 655-2607. Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@ theadvocate.com.
BALLOT
Continued from page 1G
Amanda Temple McKinney have served three or more consecutive terms. Four members of the East Feliciana Parish School Board also have served three consecutive terms: Michael Bradford Richard Terrell, Paul Kent and Joyce Kent. The board has 12 members, however
In addition to the 12 School Board races that will be decided in the fall balloting, qualifying will be open in East Feliciana for four justice of the peace positions and four constable posts. Qualifying also will open for the regular elections for mayor and three aldermen in the village of Wilson, along with special elections for the remainder of terms begun as Jackson mayor two Jackson Board of Trustees members and one Slaughter alderman.
In West Feliciana Parish, candidates may qualify for the regular elections of parishwide justice of the peace and constable. A special election also will be held to complete the term on the St. Francisville Board of Aldermen begun by Collin Howell, who resigned earlier this year Cameron DeLaney is serving as an interim alderman. Candidates may qualify for the races at their respective clerks of court offices in St. Francisville and Clinton.
Celebrating
The West Feliciana Parish School Board meets
Work is continuing to make the three-story structure into the
At the meeting table, from left, are Kelly O’Brien, Amanda McKinney, Milton Coats, Superintendent Hollis Milton and Scotty Owens. Board member Sara Wilson-Rogers participated through a Zoom call and members Helen Whitfield and Angie Norwood were absent. Business manager Misty Cook and Stacey White, foreground
SCHOOL BOARD
year, insurance renewals and additional support for employee insurance premiums, the board also accepted recognition for the Freyhan project.
Brian Davis, executive director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation presented the organization’s 2026 Stewardship Award for the project.
The award is being shared with the School Board, Julius Freyhan Foundation and the project architects, Holly & Smith.
The three-story building adjacent to the central office was a school funded by Julius Freyhan, a wealthy Jewish immigrant who was active in post-Civil War community life in St. Francisville.
Freyhan died in 1904 and left $8,000 to help build the town’s first public school.
The school opened in 1905, burned in 1907 and was quickly rebuilt in the same style on the site.
Davis said the Freyhan building had been on the Historic Trust’s list of “most endangered places” but was removed when local and state funds were pledged to prevent the structure’s loss.
The community-based Julius Freyhan Foundation secured $3.9 million in state funds to renovate the building, and the School Board pledged the remainder of the project cost. As of now, the project’s construction cost is $4,539,603.
The contractor, Cangelosi Ward General Contractors, is currently working on a “punch list” of work needed to complete the first phase of renovations, said Lee Hammer the board’s ancillary services supervisor
The board awarded the bid for the project in November 2023 after paying for $88,700 in asbestos abatement work.
In the initial contract, the board accepted some design changes to get the project into line with the available state grant, but recently awarded a contract to LCRI Contractors, of Baton Rouge, to do additional work on the building’s ground floor That
contract cost is now set at $1.18 million, and the work is expected to be completed next month. Plans for moving the staff into the building and demolishing the existing office have not been finalized, but a proposal to add additional parking and green space on the site has been discussed.
Architects Ryan Faulk and Jeffrey Smith accepted the award from Davis, while Betsy Levasseur, Nancy Vinci, Ruthie Davis, David Norwood and Pam Schwing attended to represent the Julius Freyhan Foundation On another matter, Student Services Supervisor Lee Coleman presented board member with suggested changes to the district’s “student residency” policy Coleman said a big problem to the school system is that a large number of students living in Mississippi and other parishes want to attend West Feliciana schools. The suggested changes are designed to tighten the regulations, he said. He asked the board to study the recommendations for possible action at a future meeting.
PROVIDED PHOTO
the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2026 Stewardship Award in the newly renovated Julius Freyhan School building at a July 21 meeting from left, are Betsy Levasseur School Superintendent Hollis Milton, architects Ryan Faulk and Jeffery Smith, Brian Davis (back row), Nancy Vinci, Ruthie Davis, David Norwood and Pam Schwing Levasseur Vinci, Davis, Norwood and Schwing represented the Julius Freyhan Foundation, which worked to secure state funds for the renovation project. Davis is the Historic Trust’s executive director
PHOTO BY JAMES MINTON
July 21 in a newly renovated room of the former Julius Freyhan School in St. Francisville
district’s central office with space for community and cultural events.
DEMOCRAT
Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
Pop and Shop coming
Downtown St. Francisville will host an evening of shopping, music, cocktails and fun starting at 4 p.m. Aug. 22. Shops will be open all day Water bash planned
The Jackson Marshal’s Office is holding an End of Summer Water Bash for Jackson. The event is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Aug. 1 at East Feliciana High School, 3501 La. 10. Water games, food, drinks, taco truck and the Audubon Regional Library Jackson Branch will be on hand.
Prayers for schools offered
The Apostolic Tabernacle of the Felicianas is hosting a Drive-thru Prayer for East and West Feliciana schools from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 1. All students, teachers and school personnel are welcome. The church will give out prayer cloths for book sacks to students
Nominate West Feliciana High’s best athletes
The West Feliciana Royal Blue Club is seeking nominations for the West Feliciana High School Athletics’ Hall of Fame.
Male and female student-athlete nominees must be a graduate of West Feliciana High School (Class of 1980 or later), have graduated at least 5 years before the nomination date, and be nominated by Sept. 1. Saints stakeholder nominees must have graduated at least 5 years before the nomination date and be nominated by Sept 1. Complete nomination forms at pdfs-of-qr-codes. s3.amazonaws.com/Ayz0HU. pdf.
Contact West Feliciana Athletics Director Shelley Genre at genres@wfpsb.org with questions.
Party like an animal
The West Feliciana Animal Humane Society is inviting party animals to a fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8 at The Mallory Attendees are invited to dress as a favorite animal or wear animal print. Food, cash bar, live sales and contests will be available. Contest categories include Best Dressed — Costume, Best Dressed — Animal Print, Best Groove — A DanceOff and Best Dressed Shelter Pup. Tickets can be purchased at the shelter or the door or at visit www.facebook.com/WestFelicianaAnimalHumaneSociety to find Venmo and PayPal links. Adults are $50 and children 12 and under are $25. Women in the Arts show
Small Works is an exhibition of paintings by Associated Women in the Arts at Art House Gallery 11931 Ferdinand St., St. Francisville It runs through Aug. 23. Angola Rodeo tickets on sale
Tickets for the 2026 Angola Rodeo, the 60th anniversary, are on sale. Rodeo gates will open at 8 a.m. each Sunday, with rodeo events beginning at 2 p.m in
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Juror leaves mid meeting after tense moments
BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
An East Feliciana Parish police juror stormed out of the jury’s July 20 meeting after claiming that another juror called her a racist during a discussion about a moratorium on new subdivisions.
“I will not be called a racist. Do you understand that?” Juror Kristin Chasteen, who is White, exclaimed as she stood to gather her belongings and leave the meeting room
EAST FELICIANA PARISH POLICE JURY
Her exchange with Police Juror Jason McCray, who is Black, came during a heated discussion about her proposal to impose up to a sixmonth moratorium on new subdivision approvals while the parish’s subdivision ordinance is amended to require more detailed drainage studies.
Police Jury President Louis Kent’s attempt to call a vote on
MAGIC LIBRARY
BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL Contributing writer
More than 100 children and adults were entertained July 8 at the Mitch the Magician Variety Show presentation at the West Feliciana Parish Library in St. Francisville.
Presented by Mitch Richard, a Lafayette-based magician and comedian, the program is promoted as a “laugh-out-loud entertainment experience.”
Offering more than magic, he used humor to interact with both the children and the adults in the audience.
Sitting on the floor in the large meeting room, the children interacted with Richard and volunteered to help when invited forward. The adults, parents and other family members, were also expected to participate from their seats and did. They were singled out and questioned by Richard, with lots of corny jokes thrown in.
Richard’s show began with balloon art as he made a dinosaur, joining in the library’s dino theme. His magic act included sleight-of-hand tricks rope tricks and pulling a “stinky bunny” from a hat — a skunk. Another simple but fascinating-to-the-kids activity, he shared how to make and hold big bubbles with your hands using a family recipe for the bubble solution.
At one point, the volume of the laughing and shrieking of the children, and some adults, got really high when a handcrafted squirrel named Cheesy behaved badly Folding a brown bandanna/handkerchief into the shape of a squirrel, Richard then attempted to control the little cloth animal’s antics. Clever hand movements by Richard had the feisty squirrel leaping into the crowd of children and scattering them. When he retrieved it, it jumped again.
Chasteen’s motion was interrupted several times by comments from jurors, but eventually a voice vote was taken that left onlookers confused as to whether it passed or failed.
But Chasteen began criticizing jury Vice President Chrissie O’Quin for voting “no, not for six months.”
“I can’t believe you don’t want to
move the parish forward,” Chasteen said to O’Quin, who replied that Chasteen had brought the moratorium to the police jury as an added item to the agenda without consulting other jurors.
The discussion shifted to McCray, who apparently told Chasteen before the meeting he would not support a moratorium. McCray said at one point he represented all the people of the parish.
Jeffrey K. Smith, of Holly & Smith Architects, speaks to the audience attending a July 21 West Feliciana School Board meeting where Brian Davis, left, executive director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation, presented the group’s 2026 Stewardship Award for efforts to save and restore the 1907 Julius Freyhan School building in St. Francisville. With the two is architect Ryan Faulk, center The architectural firm is sharing the award with the school system and the private Julius Freyhan Foundation, which worked to secure state funds for the project.
$50 million budget adopted
BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
BY JAMES MINTON Contributing writer
Candidates for a variety of offices in the Felicianas will qualify Aug. 4-5 to run in the Nov 3 election. In the two-parish 20th Judicial District, elections for two judgeships and district attorney will be on the ballot. District Judge Betsy Jones, of Clinton, holds the Division A seat on the court, while Judge Sydney Picou Walker, of St. Francisville, has the Division B spot. Picou Walker, 70, quietly supported a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Louisiana judges to seek reelection after they reach 70 years of age, but voters turned down the amendment in May Soon after the amendment failed, 20th Judicial District Judge Sam D’Aquilla announced his candidacy for judge, and St. Francisville lawyer Cy D’Aquila Jr
PHOTOS BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
Lyndon Daigrepont listens for instructions after she is called forward to help Mitch the Magician at the program held recently at the West Feliciana Parish Library
Following his example, children hold their hands up to learn the simple but fun way to make big bubbles during a summer program at the West Feliciana Library.
PHOTO BY JAMES MINTON
POLICE JURY
Continued from page 1G
“I’m doing this for all the people. I don’t care what color you are, how old you are or anything,” Chasteen said.
“Yeah, right,” McCray remarked, and Chasteen abruptly rose from her chair and prepared to leave.
McCray denied calling Chasteen a racist, saying she injected race into the discussion, and later in the meeting he called for jurors to “brush up on Robert’s Rules of Order.”
“You just don’t throw things on the agenda,” he said.
With the voice vote uncertain, Kent called for a roll-call vote on the original motion.
With Chasteen voting from the doorway and Kent voting to break a tie, the moratorium passed on a 4-3 vote.
O’Quin, Kyle Fleniken and McCray dissented, and Richard Oliveaux and Dexter Armstead joined the majority in supporting the moratorium. Jurors Keith Mills and Michael Cheatham were absent.
An engineer who conducted a survey of two adjoining subdivisions off of La. 964 recommended amending the parish’s subdivision ordinance to require more detailed drainage studies before a new subdivision is approved.
The survey of Duncan Ridge subdivision showed that a large volume of storm runoff enters the development from an area to the east and that a drainage channel downstream from the subdivision is too small to handle the runoff from the total watershed.
The engineers also determined that the lip of a retention pond is a foot higher than specified in the subdivision plans
The question of when the subdivision ordinance will be amended was left undecided because the verbal request to add the moratorium to the meeting agenda did not include authorizing the engineer to assist in drawing up the amendments, some jurors said On another matter, jurors received a report on its 2025 audit, which gave a favorable opinion on the state of the jury’s finances but also faulted it for three deviations from state law
In one, the jury bought equipment without obtaining three price quotes from vendors as required by the public bid law It also began an emergency public works project before declaring that an emergency existed
The auditors also said the jury failed to adhere to requirements to amend its budgets when revenues or expenses exceed 5% of the amounts budgeted.
The jury also agreed to support the Capital Area Finance Authority’s request for state Bond Commission authority to issue $50 million in bonds to assist first-time home buyers in a nine-parish area with down payments on new homes.
The agency is in Baton Rouge but can assist first-time home buyers in East Feliciana Parish obtain mortgage loans.
AROUND
Continued from page 1G
the arena. General admission tickets are $25 for most seating sections. Tickets are expected to sell out and should only be purchased through the official Angola Prison Rodeo website or by phone.
Visitors will have the option to purchase handcrafted items created by incarcerated individuals at the facility Hobbycraft items for sale include jewelry, leather goods, furniture, woodwork, paintings and more. Cash and major credit cards will be accepted for hobbycraft purchases.
Guests are reminded that smoking is prohibited and outside food, drinks and ice chests are not permitted. Clear or transparent bags are allowed but are subject to search. To help ensure a smooth entry, attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as large crowds and extended wait times are expected For tickets and additional event information, visit angolarodeo.com or call the main office at (225) 655-2030 or (225) 655-2607. Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@ theadvocate.com.
BALLOT
Continued from page 1G
Amanda Temple McKinney have served three or more consecutive terms. Four members of the East Feliciana Parish School Board also have served three consecutive terms: Michael Bradford Richard Terrell, Paul Kent and Joyce Kent. The board has 12 members, however
In addition to the 12 School Board races that will be decided in the fall balloting, qualifying will be open in East Feliciana for four justice of the peace positions and four constable posts. Qualifying also will open for the regular elections for mayor and three aldermen in the village of Wilson, along with special elections for the remainder of terms begun as Jackson mayor two Jackson Board of Trustees members and one Slaughter alderman.
In West Feliciana Parish, candidates may qualify for the regular elections of parishwide justice of the peace and constable. A special election also will be held to complete the term on the St. Francisville Board of Aldermen begun by Collin Howell, who resigned earlier this year Cameron DeLaney is serving as an interim alderman.
Candidates may qualify for the races at their respective clerks of court offices in St. Francisville and Clinton.
The West Feliciana Parish
Work is continuing to make the
At the meeting table, from left, are Kelly O’Brien, Amanda McKinney, Milton Coats, Superintendent Hollis Milton and Scotty Owens. Board member Sara Wilson-Rogers participated through a Zoom call and members Helen Whitfield and Angie Norwood were absent. Business manager Misty Cook and Stacey White, foreground
SCHOOL BOARD
year, insurance renewals and additional support for employee insurance premiums, the board also accepted recognition for the Freyhan project.
Brian Davis, executive director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation presented the organization’s 2026 Stewardship Award for the project.
The award is being shared with the School Board, Julius Freyhan Foundation and the project architects, Holly & Smith.
The three-story building adjacent to the central office was a school funded by Julius Freyhan, a wealthy Jewish immigrant who was active in post-Civil War community life in St. Francisville.
Freyhan died in 1904 and left $8,000 to help build the town’s first public school.
The school opened in 1905, burned in 1907 and was quickly rebuilt in the same style on the site.
Davis said the Freyhan building had been on the Historic Trust’s list of “most endangered places” but was removed when local and state funds were pledged to prevent the structure’s loss.
The community-based Julius Freyhan Foundation secured $3.9 million in state funds to renovate the building, and the School Board pledged the remainder of the project cost. As of now, the project’s construction cost is $4,539,603.
The contractor, Cangelosi Ward General Contractors, is currently working on a “punch list” of work needed to complete the first phase of renovations, said Lee Hammer the board’s ancillary services supervisor
The board awarded the bid for the project in November 2023 after paying for $88,700 in asbestos abatement work.
In the initial contract, the board accepted some design changes to get the project into line with the available state grant, but recently awarded a contract to LCRI Contractors, of Baton Rouge, to do additional work on the building’s ground floor That
DEMOCRAT
contract cost is now set at $1.18 million, and the work is expected to be completed next month. Plans for moving the staff into the building and demolishing the existing office have not been finalized, but a proposal to add additional parking and green space on the site has been discussed.
Architects Ryan Faulk and Jeffrey Smith accepted the award from Davis, while Betsy Levasseur, Nancy Vinci, Ruthie Davis, David Norwood and Pam Schwing attended to represent the Julius Freyhan Foundation On another matter, Student Services Supervisor Lee Coleman presented board member with suggested changes to the district’s “student residency” policy Coleman said a big problem to the school system is that a large number of students living in Mississippi and other parishes want to attend West Feliciana schools. The suggested changes are designed to tighten the regulations, he said. He asked the board to study the recommendations for possible action at a future meeting.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Celebrating the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2026 Stewardship Award in the newly renovated Julius Freyhan School building at a July 21 meeting from left, are Betsy Levasseur School Superintendent Hollis Milton, architects Ryan Faulk and Jeffery Smith, Brian Davis (back row), Nancy Vinci, Ruthie Davis, David Norwood and Pam Schwing Levasseur Vinci, Davis, Norwood and Schwing represented the Julius Freyhan Foundation, which worked to secure state funds for the renovation project. Davis is the Historic Trust’s executive director
PHOTO BY JAMES MINTON
School Board meets July 21 in a newly renovated room of the former Julius Freyhan School in St. Francisville
three-story structure into the district’s central office with space for community and cultural events.
Jackson celebrates nation’s birthday at coffee shop
BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
Contributing writer
Life, liberty and happiness was celebrated at Cotton Fields Coffee shop in Jackson on July 3
Celebrating the nation’s birthday a little early, visitors dropped by during the day’s festivities, which included music, edible offerings and patriotic vibes.
Shade was sought on the porch, under colorful umbrellas and from the nearby trees as the July heat was also in attendance. Cold coffee drinks, lemonade and sno-balls were particularly popular along with food truck offerings and the free popcorn.
Shop owner Fields Day said it was a successful way to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday
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Sharing a swing at the coffee shop festivities are Camille Corban and Harry Howell.
PHOTOS BY MELINDA RAWLS HOWELL
On the porch are some of the coffee shop regulars enjoying both the company of newcomers and the music at a July 3 celebration. From right and going back around to the left, are Nolan Fontenot, Ann Leggett, Jim Hayes, Shirley Olsen, Corban Barnes on the keyboard, Connie Landry and in front, Archie Whitehead.
Owner Fields Day, right, greets Jackson Mayor Dane Brown, left, and District Attorney Sam D’Quilla, center, in his shop.
Corban Barnes makes music on the porch.
In the shade at the Jackson coffee shop festivities on July 3 are mom, Alisha Williams, with Annalise waving the flag and Malachi in front.