Jena

Jena, city (1994 pop. 100,090), Thuringia, E central Germany, on the Saale River. Manufactures of this industrial center include pharmaceuticals, glass, optical and precision instruments, and lasers. The Zeiss works, among the best-known camera and optical equipment manufacturers in the world, implemented massive layoffs in the 1990s due to economic hardship following German reunification. Jena was known in the 9th cent. and was chartered in the 13th cent. The city passed to the house of Wettin in the 14th cent. and in 1485 passed to its Ernestine line. In 1806, Napoleon I decisively defeated the Prussians at Jena. The Univ. of Jena was founded in 1557-58 and reached its height in the late 18th and early 19th cent. At that time the dramatist Friedrich von Schiller, the philosophers Hegel, Fichte, and Schelling, and the poet August Wilhelm von Schlegel taught there. Schiller wrote the Wallenstein trilogy and Goethe wrote Hermann und Dorothea at Jena; Karl Marx was granted a doctorate in 1841. In 1934 the university's name was changed to Friedrich Schiller Univ. of Jena. Noteworthy structures in the city include the Church of St. Michael (13th cent.), a 15th-century city hall, and parts of the city's medieval fortifications.

Jena, University of: see Friedrich Schiller University of Jena.

Jena (pronunciation: ) is a town in and the parish seat of La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,971 at the 2000 census.

In September 2007, Jena became the focus of national news stories in the United States for a racial controversy involving its school system and a group of students known as the Jena Six.

History

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

Jena Six

Jena has gained international attention for supposedly being an example of the "new 'stealth' racism" and "reverse discrimination" in the United States with focus through a National Public Radio prime time story on July 30. The town was also featured in a BBC documentary, This World: "Race hate in Louisiana".

Geography

Jena is located at (31.689993, -92.124781) and has an elevation of .

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.9 km² (5.4 mi²), all land.

Surrounding communities

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

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,971 people, 1,135 households, and 749 families residing in the town. The population density was 552.7 people per square mile (213.2/km²). There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of 235.2/sq mi (90.7/km²). 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 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.

Economy

• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has built a . Supercenter on U.S. Route 84 West, a main east-west route between Interstate 49 and Natchez, Mississippi.
• Ace Hardware opened a new store in downtown Jena.
• Southern Heritage Bank opened its new two-story, . 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.
• GEO Group is currently expanding the former Wackenhut Corrections Facility to house detainees, costing $30 million dollars.

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 (Trout/Goodpine)
• Jena Elementary School, PreK - 3 (Jena)
• Fellowship Elementary School, Pre-K-8 (Belah)
• Nebo Elementary School, PreK-8 (Nebo)
• Temple Christian Academy, Private PreK-8 (Jena)

Infrastructure

Hospital Service District #2 of LaSalle Parish, also known as LaSalle General Hospital, is a 60-bed medical facility, with a 24 hour Emergency Department, a home health, a 101 bed nursing home, and physical therapy. The hospital is currently undertaking a $4 million dollar expansion project.

Notable natives and residents

• George Reuben Trussell (1911-2008) served on the elected La Salle Parish Police Jury (county commission in other states) for more than a quarter century and as president of the body for fifteen years.
• Mike Francis, former Louisiana Republican state chairman, was born in Jena.
• Ralph Weyland "Bo" Trussell (1948-1983), son of George Trussel, a former magazine journalist.
• Speedy O. Long (1928-2006), a member of the popular Long political dynasty.

References

External links

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