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The Franklin Art Walk will be Saturday, Aug. 11. Entry forms will be available Monday, April 2.
The types of art that are accepted include drawing, basketry, painting, pottery, recycled art, quilts, handmade accessories, mixed media, photography, sculpture, fiber arts, wood art, stained glass and published books of literature and poetry. All art, literature and poetry displayed must be the original work of the artist or author.
“The arts and culture are an important part of our heritage and are essential to Louisiana’s economy. We have a lot of talented people who should be a part of the Art Walk. I hope to see everyone who has participated in the past, as well as our budding artists,” Mayor Raymond Harris said.
For more information about the Franklin Art Walk, contact the Community Development Department (ashields@franklin-la.com or 337-828-6345) and follow the City of Franklin on Facebook: City of Franklin, Louisiana-Mayor’s Office and City of Franklin, Louisiana-Economic Development.
Also, registration for the Bayou Beaux Art and Dance Summer Arts Program will begin Feb. 5.
Students must be at least 5 years old by June 1 to participate in the dance portion of the program and at least 13 years old by June 1 to be a part of the art portion of the program.
Registration forms will be available at City Hall. Registration forms and fees are due by March 30 at noon.
Fees for the dance program are $20 per student, and the art program fees are $20 per course. Fees are due when the forms are returned to the tax department.
Fees can be paid by debit card, credit card, cash, money order or cashier’s check only. Money orders and cashier’s checks should be made payable to the City of Franklin. Registration forms will not be accepted without full payment.
Dance classes will be taught by LaDaisha Bowles. All art classes will be held in the Art Room on the second floor of City Hall. The 2018 Bayou Beaux Summer Art Program Schedule is as follows:
Beginning Drawing (Jeanne Wattigny): June 4-6 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Beginning Acrylic (Laura Zuniga): June 6-8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Beginning Portrait (Marissa Verrette): June 20-22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Intermediate Drawing (Jeanne Wattigny): June 11-13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Intermediate Acrylic (Laura Zuniga): June 13-15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Intermediate Portrait (Marissa Verrette): June 27-29 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information about registration or the course schedule, contact the Community Development Department (ashields@franklin-la.com or 337-828-6345).
The Bayou Beaux Arts and Dance Program is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts and by a Community Partnership Grant from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation.

Almetra J. Franklin, St. Mary Community Action Agency Chief Executive Officer, announced that Baldwin Mayor Donna Lanceslin will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 2018 Krewe of Head Start Parade.
The first female mayor of Baldwin said she is proud to lead St. Mary CAA’s 24th annual parade, which is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 3.
“St. Mary CAA, led by Mrs. Franklin and her staff, has done so much for the communities and people they serve,” Lanceslin said. “It is a privilege and an honor to be this year’s Grand Marshal.”
Mayor Lanceslin is married to Joseph E. Lanceslin and they have three children: Kim, Kwan and Keona. She is also a grandmother and a great-grandmother.
Mayor Lanceslin is the daughter of the late Lawrence “Mamou” and Alberta Colbert Lewis of Ashton. She has three sisters and is a member of Macedonia Baptist Church, whose pastor is the Reverend Ulysses Mitchell Jr.
Lanceslin is a long-time resident of Baldwin and graduated from Park Avenue High School in 1968. She is a graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge. Upon graduation from Southern, the future mayor returned home to begin her career as a lifelong educator.
Even after her retirement from teaching in 2011, Lanceslin maintained a love and passion for nurturing, educating and being a positive role model in the lives of children. Her faith in God, deep love for her community and its residents, and longtime involvement in community organizations, prompted her to run for mayor of the Town of Baldwin. She was elected as the town’s first female and first African American mayor on Nov. 4, 2014. She honors God for His favor in allowing her to continue using her life to actively minister to His people.
Lanceslin constantly seeks out ways to help and give back so others can benefit. She is an active member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Ashton, a charter member of the Ladies of Essence Civic and Social Club, a lifetime member of Southern University, a member of the National Education Association, and numerous other organizations.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her grandchildren, family, friends, taking road trips to anywhere and talking by any means necessary, whether by phone or in person. Her motto is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Her favorite scripture is 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
The annual Krewe of Head Start Recruitment Parade for 2018 will roll through the streets of Franklin Saturday, Feb. 3 at 1:00 pm. Since the early 1990s, the Krewe of Head Start Parade has served as St. Mary CAA’s major recruitment tool for Head Start’s pre-school children aged 3-5, and also allows the agency to market other services available to our Head Start families and Individuals.
This year’s Krewe of Head Start Recruitment Parade’s theme is “Soaring into the Future.” Line up begins at 10 a.m. at the Franklin Senior High School parking lot. The parade route leaves Franklin High School, proceeds onto Main Street and travels through downtown Franklin.
There is still time to participate in the parade, and entry forms may be retrieved at the St. Mary CAA Central Office, located at 1407 Barrow St. in Franklin. Anyone completing this form must also provide a copy of your driver’s license and your own insurance. For more information, please contact David Teno or Jeffery Beverly at 337-828-5703.
Fees are:
Floats and Flatbeds, $35
Trucks and cars: $25
Dance/Drill teams: $10
Motorcycles/4-wheelers: $10
Walkers: $5
There will also be a “Best Truck Contest” for the best looking pick-up truck on the road, and entry fees are being waivered for all DJs wanting to participate in the parade.
Also, beginning at 10 a.m. the St. Mary Parish Early Childhood Network will host a Coordinated Enrollment Event in the Franklin Senior High School parking lot. The event will continue until noon. Parents of pre-school aged children are invited to come and early enroll their child for any of the following schools in St. Mary Parish:
—A Child’s Place Learning Center
—Barney & Baby Bop #2
—Chitimacha Tribal School
—Glencoe Charter School
—Joslyn’s Fun Learning Center
—Pam’s Personal Touch Child Care
—St. Mary CAA Head Start St. Mary Parish School Board (All schools serving Pre-K)
—Verdunville Outreach Daycare, Yaamahana Child Development Center.
For more information on the Coordinated Enrollment Event, call Mary Grimm Howard at 337-828-5703.

Three Tri-City area high school football players — one from Berwick and two from Central Catholic — were named to the Louisiana Football Coaches Association All-State Football second teams in their respective classes.
Berwick High School senior wide receiver Josh Carver was a second-team selection in Class 3A, while Central Catholic senior running back Chris Singleton and senior linebacker Cooper LeBlanc were second-team picks in Class 1A.
Carver finished his senior season with 74 receptions for 1,480 yards and 20 touchdowns. He averaged 20 yards per catch.
He has been named first-team All-District, an honorable mention Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 3A All-State selection and a first-team 2017 ALL-USA Louisiana Football pick.
Singleton finished his senior season with 1,500 yards rushing, while LeBlanc recorded 97 tackles, including 11 for loss. He forced five fumbles and recovered two. Both earned first-team All-District 7-1A honors and Class 1A Honorable Mention All-State status from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Other District 7-1A selections on the Louisiana Football Coaches Association All-State Class 1A team were senior wide receiver Kris Constantine and senior defensive back Nick Langlinais, both of Vermilion Catholic, and junior kicker Colin LaHaye of Lafayette Christian, who all were first-team selections. Second-team selections were wide receiver Sage Ryan, offensive lineman Beau Badon, quarterback Zachary Clement and linebacker Martin Lee, all of Lafayette Christian; and Vermilion Catholic defensive back Ethan Lege. Honorable mention selections were Vermilion Catholic’s Quinton Marshall and Gueydan’s Spencer Broussard.
Class 1A Co-Offensive MVPs were Logansport senior wide receiver John Stephens and St. Mary senior athlete Aaron Howell. Southern Lab senior linebacker Damone Clark was named Defensive MVP, while the Staff of the Year went to Ascension Catholic
In Class 3A, West Feliciana High School senior return specialist Davon Harris was the Offensive Most Valuable Player, while De La Salle senior defensive lineman Jamiran James is the Defensive MVP. West Feliciana High School was named the Staff of the Year.
Other District 8-3A representatives making the squad were running back Macaylon Thibeaux, defensive lineman Quintlan Cobb and linebacker Rhett Menard, all first-team selections from Kaplan; and Drake Griffin of North Vermilion, an honorable mention pick.