Jena, LA

 

Town of Jena
Town
Country	United States
State	Louisiana
Parish	La Salle
Area	mi² ( km²)
- land	mi² ( km²)
- water	mi² ( km²), 0%
Center
- coordinates	31°41′24″N 92°07′29″W / 31.69, -92.12472Coordinates: 31°41′24″N 92°07′29″W / 31.69, -92.12472
- elevation	ft ( m)
Population	(2000)
Density	/mi² ( /km²)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	71342
Area code	318
Location of Jena in Louisiana
Location of Louisiana in the United States

The town of Jena is the seat of La Salle Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana.^[1][2] Its population was 2,971 at the 2000 census.

In September of 2007 Jena made headline news in the United States for the racial tension surrounding the school system and the Jena Six.

History and politics

Jena was named for Jena, Germany, where the French emperor Napoleon won the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806.

U.S. Representative Speedy O. Long (1928–2006), a Democrat, practiced law in Jena prior to his congressional service (1965–1973). He was later the La Salle Parish district attorney from 1973–1985. Long twice lost bids for governor of Louisiana and once for insurance commissioner. He was a state senator from 1956–1964.

Jena and La Salle Parish have been heavily Republican since the end of the Solid South era. In 1972, Jena supported the Republican gubernatorial canidate David C. Treen, who lost that year to Edwin Washington Edwards. In the 2003 gubernatorial race, however, La Salle Parish voted for the Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, rather than the young Republican challenger, Bobby Jindal, an Indian American who went on to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Metairie in Jefferson Parish. Blanco received 2,974 votes (61 percent) to Jindal's 1,917 ballots (39 percent). Jindal is running for governor again in the forthcoming October 20, 2007 jungle primary.^[3] In the 2007 Primary Election, Jindal carried LaSalle Parish with 3,125 ballots (55.08 percent). Walter Boasso, a Democratic challenger, carried 833 ballots (14.68%), was the closest candidate to Jindal.

Surrounding communities

• Midway
• Trout
• Nebo
• Webb Quarters
• Summerville
• Eden
• Goodpine
• Possum Point
• Belah
• Fellowship
• White Sulphur Springs
• Mackeral
• Rogers
• Searcy
• Whitehouse
• Rhinehart

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 2,971 people,^[2] 1,135 households, and 749 families residing in the town. The population density was 213.2/km² (552.7/mi²). There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 90.7/km² (235.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.56% White, 12.02% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.21% of the population.

There were 1,135 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were 21 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town of Jena, the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,938, and the median income for a family was $39,848. Males had a median income of $31,332 versus $18,317 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,761. About 9.9% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

Business development

• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has built a 100,000 sq.ft. Supercenter on U.S. Route 84 West, a main east-west route between Interstate 49 and Natchez, Mississippi.
• Ace Hardware opened a new 28,000 sq ft store in downtown Jena.
• Southern Heritage Bank opened its new two-story, 12,000 sq.ft. building.
• Homeland Federal Saving Bank from Columbia, Louisiana has opened a new branch in Jena.
• Arrows Industries opened a new expansion. They now employ over 100 people.
• Jena Town Hall has moved into the old Southern Heritage Bank building in downtown Jena.
• Dollar General has re-located to a larger facility across from McDonald's.

Education

The La Salle Parish School Board is also located in Jena.

The following schools serve Jena

• Jena High School, 9–12 (Jena)
• Jena Junior High School, 7 & 8 (Jena)
• Goodpine Middle School, 4–6 (Unincorporated La Salle Parish)
• Jena Elementary School, PreK - 3 (Jena)

Racial tension and the Jena Six

Main article: Jena Six

Jena has gained international attention for alleged "new 'stealth' racism" that lives on in the United States^[4][5] with focus through a National Public Radio prime time story on July 30.^[6] The town also featured in a BBC documentary, This World: "Race hate in Louisiana".^[4]

References

External links

• LaSalle General Hospital
• LaSalle Parish School Board
• Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge

Municipalities and communities of La Salle Parish, Louisiana
Parish seat: Jena
Towns	Jena | Olla | Tullos | Urania
Census-designated places	Midway

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