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Monday, October 13, 2008
WHERE WE LIVE
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East Baton Rouge Parish has four incorporated cities: Baton Rouge, Baker, Zachary and Central.
Baton Rouge has long been regarded as a gold mine for history buffs, with its Old State Capitol, Old Governor’s Mansion and State Capitol, where former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Huey Long was gunned down. Question: What’s 14 percent smaller than Fresno, Calif., 16 percent bigger than Little Rock, Ark., and plants $22 billion worth of annual income in people’s pockets? The Advocate Food team rolls out its annual summer list of the top 10 must-eat Baton Rouge foods. The team suggests inviting friends and family to join with you in enjoying these tastes of summer. The East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission is expanding the already diverse parks and recreation offerings available locally. Law enforcement agencies in East Baton Rouge Parish often rely on the public to report crimes and provide information that leads to arrests. The Shaw Center for the Arts is the realization of years of planning, extensive fundraising and thousands of hours of labor. It opened in March 2005 and is home to the LSU Museum of Art, the Manship Theatre, Brunner Gallery, the LSU School of Art Gallery and classrooms for the Arts Council’s Community School for the Arts. Baton Rouge is known for food, fun, family and festivals. And there’s no shortage of any of those things. The capital city finds something to celebrate year-round it seems — mouth-watering food delicacies, exciting music, arts and crafts, history, cultural events and much more. Take a look at the list below. And if you can’t find something you like, you aren’t looking hard enough. A growing downtown nightlife scene is the biggest news in Baton Rouge musical entertainment. The combination of the Shaw Center for the Arts, which includes the busy Manship Theatre, and bars and restaurants within easy walking distance of the 3-year-old arts center plus free musical events such as Live After Five! draw thousands of people to a downtown that was deserted after 5 p.m. for decades. Numbers and contacts are listed by parish. Blue Bayou Waterpark and Dixie Landin’ Theme Park provide more than water rides and thrill rides. The summer concert series will display 11 different pop and country music entertainers from May through August. The concerts are at 7 p.m. Saturdays. East Baton Rouge Parish has six full-service acute-care hospitals, as well as a number of specialized hospitals and multipractice clinics. The State Library, 701 North Fourth St., contains books, magazines, newspapers, state and federal documents and audio/visual materials. Louisiana State Parks New Orleans offers as many varied sights, sounds, tastes and attractions to visitors and locals alike as its many monikers. Check it out! If you didn’t know before, you will quickly learn: LSU sports are the heartbeat of Baton Rouge – and a good chunk of Louisiana, as well. It’s also a big source of pride, too. Here’s a quick primer on some of the things you should know about LSU sports: Year in and year out, there is plenty to root for at Southern University. South Louisiana sports fans who prefer the pros to the collegians have more than enough things to see on a year-round basis with football, basketball, minor-league baseball, indoor football, golf, soccer and horse racing. Of the 70 high schools that participate in high school sports in the Baton Rouge eight-parish metro area, 67 belong to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. There are 365 reasons why “Sportsman’s Paradise” has been on Louisiana license plates for more than six decades. Outdoors activities are year-round here. Baton Rouge serves as a hub for fishing adventures and is rated high in North America by several outdoors magazines. The real estate market in the greater Baton Rouge area tells a story contrary to the tales of woe from across the nation, according to local Realtors. Baton Rouge has not seen the housing meltdown evident in many sections of the country, they say. BAKER — This city of roughly 14,000, between Baton Rouge and Zachary to the north, was incorporated on Dec. 27, 1944, by a proclamation by then-Gov. James H. Davis. ZACHARY — This small city of 14,000, about 10 miles north of Baton Rouge, boasts its own school system in a community that offers charm, fellowship and growth. CENTRAL — Central, which incorporated in 2005, took a major step in early 2008 when it took control of its services from East Baton Rouge Parish. GONZALES — Ascension Parish, like the jambalaya for which it is famous, is a curious mix. Within its 300 square miles, the parish contains thriving petrochemical plants, antebellum plantations, vast swamps, woodlands, farms, long-established neighborhoods and upscale suburban subdivisions. GONZALES — Like the rest of Ascension Parish, this city is on the move. Already a center for community activities in the parish, Gonzales is adding to the recreational, arts and shopping attractions already available. Looking for something to do on a weekend? Try heading on out and taking in some local art and food at a couple of different markets offered in Ascension Parish. For the people of Gonzales, cooking jambalaya is not just whipping up rice, meat and seasonings in a large pot – It’s an art form. Jambalaya preparation is taken so seriously there that an entire festival is devoted to the popular dish. The Ascension Parish School System offers a vast array of academic opportunities and extracurricular activities. It’s no wonder why this parish is ranked No. 8 in Louisiana for its District Performance Score. PORT ALLEN — Louisiana’s smallest parish in land area, at 191.2 square miles, West Baton Rouge Parish is experiencing a boom in new subdivisions and commercial development. PORT ALLEN – As the word “port” in its name implies, Port Allen’s history and existence is tied to water. From the third floor of the new city hall, there is a great view of the Mississippi River as well as the Baton Rouge skyline, dominated by the State Capitol. Louisiana has become a top destination for the thriving film industry, which pumps millions of dollars into the state each year. And now, West Baton Rouge Parish is looking to get a piece of that pie. Sitting near Brusly and nestled among acres upon acres of land lies a glimpse into the role of sugarcane in West Baton Rouge Parish history. With gas prices constantly on the rise, it’s good you don’t have to go far for an experience that’s both educational and exciting. All it takes is a small amount of gas and a day to experience West Baton Rouge Parish. The state capital’s neighbor across the Mississippi River features a host of attractions that tell the story of Louisiana’s past and present. St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital/Dream Day Foundation will benefit from two days of music, food and other activities this fall. PLAQUEMINE — Located about 15 miles southwest of Baton Rouge, Iberville Parish is a place rich in many things, be it history, nature or fun. The seasons of the year offer times to take advantage of the antebellum plantation homes, the scenic spots and the festivals. PLAQUEMINE — The legacy of the state’s early history endures in Plaquemine at the heart of Iberville Parish. The city prides itself in preserving historic buildings throughout downtown and its role in the development of south Louisiana. NEW ROADS — Any list of things to know about Pointe Coupee Parish begins and ends with False River, a recreational hub in the parish. Once reliant on timber and small farms as a base for its economy, Livingston Parish still has large tracts of land devoted to timber production – mainly pine – in the northern and central portions of the parish. With its close proximity to a pair of large municipal areas to its rivers and coastline along Lake Maurepas, Livingston Parish fits the mold that makes Louisiana unique. Denham Springs is the largest of the Livingston Parish’s eight municipalities. It is immediately across the Amite River from Baton Rouge off Interstate 12 in one of Louisiana’s fastest-growing parishes. Livingston Parish’s oldest town turns 170 this year, and everyone is invited to the party. Consistent growth and high accountability scores have been the rock of Livingston Parish Public Schools for the past few years. “We are the eighth-largest system in the state,” said John Watson, an assistant superintendent for the school system. Tangipahoa Parish was named for the Tangipahoa Indians, who lived in the area when the French originally settled Louisiana. GREENSBURG — St. Helena Parish is a place still apart from the hustle of the suburban and city life to its south, a parish of 268,000 acres with an estimated 10,620 people in 2007. East and West Feliciana parishes are known for much more than artist John James Audubon’s two favorite places to watch birds. ANGOLA – From being one of the bloodiest prisons in the United States to becoming a model institution, the story of the Louisiana State Penitentiary is told through exhibits, collected items and photographs. Known for its antebellum homes, gardens and golfing at The Bluffs, West Feliciana Parish and St. Francisville offer continuous and special events that give a small-town vibe. Here are some events awaiting you for your next visit to the area. The people of the Acadiana area and its central city of Lafayette pride themselves on offering people from nearby and far off something to do on a given day or evening almost any time of the year, especially if it involves food or music. Some of the signature attractions come only once a year, while others are waiting almost any day of the year. From red beans to the sausage we put in them to the toothpaste we brush our teeth with after eating them, Louisiana-made products cover a wide spectrum of goods used by folks across the country. Baton Rouge has plenty of options for college students. In East Baton Rouge Parish, education options abound, but the more options, the greater the confusion. Here are the top 10 things to consider: From storefront chapels to mega churches, Baton Rouge houses of worship come in many styles. And in the city of the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, a televangelist, faith comes in many varieties. |
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