Community news report
Livingston Parish Sheriff Deputy Dakota Naquin received the Nick Tullier Service Above Self award May 22 during the 52nd annual Kiwanis Club of Denham Springs Peace Officer of the Year awards ceremony
The event was at Forrest Grove in Denham Springs.
In addition, the group announced the dedication of a bench in the memory of the late Cpl. Shawn Kelly at Denham Springs Elementary Kelly was shot in the
The Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the Leadership Livingston Class of 2026. In its 13th year, the program has graduated nearly 300 local leaders.
Leadership Livingston is a 10-month experience that starts with a retreat in August and includes monthly field trips from September to May Participants learn about key areas of the parish and work in teams on community improvement projects.
The program concludes with a graduation in June.
Applications are open through July 15. Apply at www livingstonparishchamber.org or call (225) 665-8155 for more information.
Walker opens disc golf park
Walker has opened a Disc Golf Park on Milton Old Field, 13620 Aydell Lane, Walker, next to city hall.
The course opened May 30 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
Amite River poker run
Manny’s Bar is hosting its Christmas on the Bayou poker run June 10. Check out the group’s Facebook page for details. The group raises money for local charities.
Farmers Market Saturday Four Seasons Farmers Market opens every Saturday morning at 116 North Range Ave., Denham Springs. The event includes fresh produce and crafts items. For more information, call (225) 366-7241 or email thefourseasonsfarmersmarket@gmail.com.
Amite art, drama camps set
The Amite Arts Council is hosting summer visual art and drama camps this summer for students in fourth through eighth grades.
The drama camp, June 16-20, is presented by the children’s theater troupe The New Octavians in Hammond. The students will learn acting and stage movement skills, which will be displayed in a short play staged on the last day of the camp The camp will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Center
The visual art camp is June 23-27. The camp will be taught
ing, spectators will able to meet and greet a variety of dog breeds, learn about responsible dog ownership, and speak with breeders, owners, and handlers. On-site vendors sold treats, leashes and gifts for pets. Baton Rouge and New Orleans clubs host Jambalaya Cluster Dog Show in Gonzales
Orleans group and May 31-June 1 for the Baton Rouge contestants. In addition to watching the judg-
awareness of need for organ
Summer offers chance to review success of sports in Livingston Parish
With the summer break giving Livingston parish studentathletes a chance to catch their collective breath, its a convenient time to reflect on the athletic accomplishments of the past year And what a year it was, particularly for the parish girls.
It started in the fall when Doyle’s volleyball team continued to look like a program more mature than its four years of existence. The Tigers went undefeated in District 7-IV and advanced to the regional round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year Basketball got going in the winter and there were Livingston teams making strong playoff runs in multiple divisions. Three teams made it to the state tournament in Hammond while two more just missed out after quarterfinal losses.
Wossman for the fourth consecutive year, but they showed the program was still on solid ground under first-year coach Rebecca Buisson.
Charles Salzer SPORTS ROUNDUP ä See AROUND, page 2G
Of note was the showing by Albany, which put together a string of playoff wins to advance to the Division II non select final. The Hornets fell to playoff nemesis
The Walker and Doyle girls cagers lost semifinal games in their respective divisions while Denham Springs and French Settlement each reached the quarterfinals. It was all part of the most impressive overall showing for the parish in any sport.
In the spring, the Doyle softball team picked up Livingston’s lone team championship, and it was one to savor The Tigers were seeded fifth in Division III select, but a senior-laden lineup powered them past No. 4 Sterlington, No. 1 Kaplan and No. 3 Jena to their first title since 2018. Boys basketball was highlighted by Denham Springs, which went 30-7 and advanced to the LHSAA semifinals for the first time since the glory years of Tasmin Mitchell. The Yellow Jackets were
ä See SALZER, page 2G
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a kidney 2018 to someone she didn’t know For Gill, it was something she had to do after learning about a woman who needed a kidney Her journey to donating a kidney started in 2017 when she saw a Facebook video about a women letting her husband know she was going to be his kidney donor
“That story sort of planted the seed for me and left me thinking about kidney donation,” Gill said. “But, it wasn’t until the end of that year when someone I knew was receiving a kidney from his brother that I watered the seed.”
On Dec. 26, 2017, while on vacation in Orange Beach, Gill completed the Mayo Clinic online kidney donor screening form Six days later, on New Year’s Day, Gill was scrolling through Facebook when she saw a post from Angela Robertson talking about her need for a kidney
“What stood out to me were two things; her words of, ‘God willing I will find some special person to donate me a kidney.’ And, secondly, her blood type on the photo card attached, O+. I didn’t know what was involved to be a match, but I knew I was O+ and that had to be a good start.”
She communicated with Ochsner Transplant Institute and started the long testing process
“But I just knew I was going to be a match,” Gill said. “I knew there was some divine intervention.”
After six months of testing, the transplant team agreed and the transplant was set Aug 20, 2018 the donor’s birthday. Gill and Angela Robertson, who lived in Marksville had not yet spoken, only communicated through Facebook. So, 10 days before the transplant the two families met in a private room at a Hammond steakhouse. Since the transplant, Gill and Robertson have tried to get together for advocacy work, but issues prevented that from happening.
So when friend Kim Little suggested Gill apply for the pageant, Gill realized this would be a chance for her to advocate for organ donation
“I felt Ms. Gill’s strong passion for organ donation advocacy made her a
great candidate in her age division for Ms. Senior World Louisiana,” Little said. “She is a reliable and admirable friend and I look very forward to sharing this pageant experience with her in November.”
Gill learned she had been selected as Ms. Senior World Louisiana 60s on Living Donor Day, April 2. Gill, a mother to four children and grandmother of seven, was in operations and sales in the television industry and occasionally does background acting, as a hobby Gill worked for the state of Louisiana in the 1980s and has worked in print media advertising
sales. She is a former CASA volunteer
As an organ donor advocate, Gill is joining efforts with various donor organizations, including Donate Life Louisiana and the Legacy Donor Foundation.
Gill will compete Nov 15 for the title of 2026 Ms. Senior World 60s in Biloxi. She arrives for this weeklong event on her 61st birthday Meanwhile, she looks forward to continuing her organ donor advocacy efforts throughout the year
Email Darlene Denstorff at ddenstorff@theadvocate.com
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rated No. 1 in the power rankings for much of the season.
Live Oak baseball earned a national ranking as well as the top spot in the Division I non select ratings. The
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Eagles advanced to the finals before being upset by No. 11Sam Houston 2-1 in a best-of-three series. More thrills are just around the corner when fall football practice starts up. But, while football players will be preparing in the weight room, other sports will keep busy by playing their games. In addition to traditional summer baseball leagues, basketball and
volleyball players will have camps and leagues to hone their skills. Its never too early to get a head start.
Charles Salzer covers Livingston sports for the LivingstonTangipahoa Advocate. To reach Salzer, email livingston@ theadvocate.com.
Community news report
Ochsner Health has added four new orthopedic and sports medicine providers to the Baton Rouge region, including one in Denham Springs. Patrick Arcement, practices orthopedic medicine at Ochsner Health Center-Denham Springs and Ochsner Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute at Elite Training ComplexBurbank.
His experience includes spine care, orthopedic evaluations, interpreting diagnostic imaging, injections and assisting in sports medicine surgery, according to a news release.
Arcement earned a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge. He is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Louisiana Academy of Physician Assistants and Physician Assistants in Orthopedic Surgery Lindsey Thompson is a board-certified family nurse practitioner specializing in orthopedic medicine at Ochsner Health Center-Prairieville and Ochsner Health CenterGonzales.
She has experience in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions, including fracture and wound management. She is experienced in performing injections, evaluating and interpreting diagnostic imaging and assists in orthopedic surgery She has managed patient care from diagnosis through post-surgical recovery
Thompson earned a master’s degree in family nursing from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. Joseph Halphen practices orthopedic medicine at Ochsner Health CenterCentral. He has experience in diagnosing and treating various orthopedic injuries. His services include fracture management, wound care and joint injections to relieve pain and inflammation. Halphen earned a bachelor’s degree in physician assistant studies from LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge. Callie Amedee practices orthopedic medicine at Ochsner Medical Complex-The Grove. Her experience includes trauma surgery, critical care and emergency medicine, along with patient evaluation, surgical assistance and procedural interventions. Amedee earned a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi. She also earned a master’s degree in biology-medical sciences and a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Louisiana State University To schedule an appointment at any Ochsner location, call (866) 624-7637 or visit www.ochsner.org/ info. Online appointments are available through the MyOchsner patient portal.
Community news report
Chefs from Independence and Hammond has been selected to compete in the Lt. 18th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-off set for June 27. Lt. Gov Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board announce the selection of chefs from across the state to represent their areas in the cook-off. This year’s competition will be held for the first time on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain in Slidell at The Harbor Center on Friday
Jeylen Cherry, head chief at The Depeaux, in Independence, and Trenton Oliphant, executive chef and owner of Benteaux CajunAsian Fusion, Hammond, are taking part in the cookoff, which is being held in conjunction with eight annual Tammany Taste of Summer, running Aug. 1-31, as St. Tammany Parish restaurants serve up exclusive dining deals showcasing the region’s rich culinary scene
“One of the biggest parts of Louisiana’s culture is the connection between good food, good friends, and family In all corners of our state, you can find culinary creations from recipes passed down through generations,” Nungesser said.
Community news report
On Tuesday, May 6, Sunshine Ladies held its monthly meeting at Joe’s Italian Restaurant. Current and future projects were discussed and members divided into groups to deliver donations for two club projects.
The first project for this month was at Tangi Humane Society Members collected bags of dog food, cat food, biscuits, treats, sweaters, and other items. They also donated cleaning items, laundry detergent and a large bag of towels.
Other members went with members from their sister group, Wednesday Volunteers, to North Oaks Medical Center where they delivered items for the Raise-A-Reader project.
Twice a year, club members donate items to new parents, including burp pads and story books, as part of the literacy program, to encourage new parents to read to and with their children. In addition to the Raise-A-Reader items, Sunshine Ladies also donated crayons and coloring books for the pediatric patients, and 78 pairs of bright-
ly colored socks. Club members also made a monetary donation to Woman At The Well Ministries, in
“The outstanding chefs we have competing this year have taken those recipes and put their own spin on them and use Louisiana seafood to help create the culinary identity Louisiana has today,” said Lt. Gov Billy Nungesser “This event is the perfect opportunity to celebrate our diverse heritage, the great contributions of chefs around our state, and the hardworking people of the Louisiana seafood and restaurant industries that make Louisiana truly a place to Feed Your Soul.”
The winner of the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off will represent the state at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans Aug. 2 at the Ernest M Morial Convention Center GASCO is held in conjunction with the Louisiana Restaurant Association Expo and features chefs from around the country competing for the title of “King or Queen of American Seafood.” Tickets are on sale for $65 each. To purchase your ticket online, go to Visit the Northshore’s Tammany Taste of Summer website. One ticket provides admission to the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off and the Tammany Taste of Summer event.
Science and Technology students honored
Community news report
Southeastern Louisiana University’s College of Science and Technology recognized students for outstanding academic performance at the college’s honors convocation held May 8. Joshua Cantu of French Settlement, accepted the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Information Technology; and
Casandra Saxon, of Livingston, re c e ive d the Outstanding Grad u ating Senior Award in Physics.
Saxon
Samuel Kliebert, of Hammond, received the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Industrial Technology
Community news report
Suburban Reviewers Book Club ended its 60th year May 7 with a Fais Do Do celebration at Le Chien Brewing Company in Denham Springs.
Twenty-one members enjoyed crawfish, jambalaya and dancing and singing to the Capital City Cajun Band.
Members received buckets containing spring flowers. In appreciation for their service, the following officers and committee members were presented with a personalized Suburban Reviewer tote bag commemorating the 60th anniversary of the club: President Theresa Dendinger, Vice President Elise LeBlanc, Secretary Earline Sceroler, Treasurer Sharman Rainey, Parliamentarian Judith Nesom, Special Events Committee chair Angela Mashon and members Kenna Karnish and Judith Nesom, Library Committee Ann Harris and Elise LeBlanc, and Club Librarian Paula Kelly.
Kelly has served the club as librarian for 25 years. Highlights from this 60th club year include:
n Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry presenting a proclamation of Jan. 8 as Denham Springs Suburban Reviewers Book Club Day “in honor of their 60 years of literary discussion, and building lifelong friendships.”
n Members brought back a tradition in honor of founding members and performed a tongue-in-cheek three-act play “The Legend and Lore of the Suburban Reviewers.” Act 1 reimagined the founding of the book club in 1965 and featured Sara Sue Easterly playing the role of Sara Wilson, Lisa Waldrep as Betty Waldrep, Judith Nesom as Elaine Nesom, Teri Sullivan as Joyce Odom and Elise LeBlanc as JoAnn Graul. Act 2 took place in 1995 and depicted the work of the club in support of our parish library system. Joining the cast was Cissy Grantham playing the role of Nook Benton and Ann Kemp as Mary Parent. Act 3 occurred in the present day, with Kathy DeGeneres joining, in which the club was visited by The Ghost of JoAnn Graul, played by Judith Nesom, challenging members to continue support of the Livingston Parish library system. Members signed a letter to the Livingston Parish Council requesting them to reinstate the library budget
n Donations to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s toy drive and to Southside Elementary ELL small groups enabled every child in the small groups to receive a book for Christmas.
n For the first time, the club performed a Library Usage Research Study which yielded insights into members’ use of the club library Members’ favorite genre is Fiction/ Nonfiction — Women, followed by Biography/Autobiography. Sara Easterly and Ann Kemp were awarded gift certificates to Cavalier House Books for donating the most popular books to the club library Judith Nesom was declared the most well-read member for checking out the most books from the library
LSU’s 319th commencement cer-
emonies were May 16-17
Separate diploma ceremonies were held for each college.
Area graduates include:
LIVINGSTON PARISH
Denham Springs
n Anna Jeanne Ambeau, bachelor’s
n Dylan Armstrong, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Morgan Elizabeth Averette, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Joseph Felix Aycock V, bachelor’s
n Adam Azmi, bachelor’s
n Adrianne Lee Bajon, bachelor’s
n Abbey Elizabeth Barbay, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Julianna Ashleigh Bayog, bachelor’s
n Hunter Joseph Bourg, bachelor’s
n Kahner Noelle Boyer, bachelor’s
n Nicholas Joseph Budde, master’s
n Charles J. Burchfield, bachelor’s
n Jess Burroughs, master’s
n Claire Audrey Button, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Benjamin Edmond Calmes, bachelor’s
n Lara Grace Grace Cartwright, bachelor’s
n Trevor James Chapman, bachelor’s
n Mikael R. Collett, bachelor’s
n Logan Alexander Collins, bachelor’s
n Jennifer L. Cook, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Ethan C. Cooper, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Caroline K. Covington, bachelor’s
n Colburn Harvey Crenshaw, bachelor’s
n Alyssa Sheree Daspit, bachelor’s
n Christian Elise Davis, bachelor’s
n Josie A. Dean, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Brielle Knox Denton, bachelor’s
n Jamie Brooke Elenbaas, master’s
n Robert Eugene Ferrell III, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Cade R. Fontenot, bachelor’s
n William J. Frazier, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Parker Joseph Giering, bachelor’s
n Hannah Elizabeth Guidry, doctor-
ate
n Ashlyn Grace Guillaumin, master’s
n Alexis E. Guinn, bachelor’s
n Jami Maria Gwyn, bachelor’s
n Hailey Renee Hairford, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Hannah Renee Hartmann, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
A graduate wears a decorated mortar
n Hannah Marie Hudnall, bachelor’s
n Reese Loren Jones-Clark, bachelor’s
n Kaden Gage Keller, bachelor’s
n Lance Joseph Kerry, bachelor’s
n Madelyn Grace LaBorde, bachelor’s
n Gabrielle Landry, master’s
n Dylan M. Levy, bachelor’s
n Erin Kay Loup, master’s
n Keegan C. Mayeux, bachelor’s
n Riley Paige Mayeux, bachelor’s
n Mendy Rae Mayne, master’s
n Solomon Manasseh Miller, bachelor’s
n Hannah Denise Mills, bachelor’s, cum laude
n Megan Carroll Mincey, doctorate
n Camren Charles Monson, master’s
n Leo Cruz Montanez, bachelor’s
n Huy Nguyen, bachelor’s, magna
cum laude
n Lisa Xuan Mai Nguyen, bachelor’s
n Jadyn Alyssa Nicholson, bach-
elor’s
n Ainsley Paige Nunneley, master’s
n Chris B. Ortego, bachelor’s
n Michael John Papierski, bachelor’s
n Hannah Populus, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Kellie N. Price, bachelor’s
n Kristen Aleen Pulliam, bachelor’s
n Blaze Restivo, bachelor’s, cum laude
n Lauren Elizabeth Rogers, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Calley Marie Ruiz, bachelor’s
n Madison Paige Sibley, bachelor’s
n Benjamin Lee Sickels, bachelor’s
n Samuel David Silverman, bachelor’s
n Anna Slack, bachelor’s
n Gage Kirkpatrick Smith, bachelor’s
n Matthew Griffin Smith, bachelor’s
n Susannah M. Smith, master’s
n Ronald Everett Steed III, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Erin Parker Stepp, bachelor’s
n Sydney Ann Stepp, bachelor’s
n Chloe Yvonne Stewart, bachelor’s
n Haley Christina Stewart, bachelor’s
n Kerryanne E. Suire, bachelor’s
n Aron Francis Gabriel Ballester Tapalla, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Madsion Lee Wagner, bachelor’s, cum laude
n Lillian Waguespack, bachelor’s
n Gavin Scott Weidenbacher, bachelor’s
n Charles Rayvion Whitley, bachelor’s
n Emily Caroline Wroten, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
French Settlement
n Malikai D. Hebert, bachelor’s
n Cedric Jared Witkowski, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
Holden
n Marnita Rae Blount, bachelor’s
n Alyssa Marie Floyd, master’s
n Joel McKinley Penalber, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Mason Eugene Woessner, bachelor’s
Livingston
n Morgan D. Blades, bachelor’s
n Trent Lawrence Fischer, bachelor’s
n Callie Anne Hardy, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Luke Chase Neale, bachelor’s
n Grace Taylor, bachelor’s
Maurepas
n Kameron James Aime Aime, bachelor’s
n Daniel Alday, bachelor’s
n Blain Michael Seale, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
Springfield
n Trevor John Freeman, bachelor’s
Walker
n Ayla Allen, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Avery Lane Archer, bachelor’s
n Ethan Zane Archer, master’s
n Victoria Grace Arledge, master’s, graduate certificate
n Trevor Belleau, bachelor’s
n Victoria Troi Boyle, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Barrett Nicholas Broussard, bachelor’s
n Alexandra G. Canova, bachelor’s
n Madeleine Lorraine Cranford, bachelor’s
n Madison Taylor Diaville, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Abby Marie Dibble, bachelor’s
n Gabryel Marie Duncan, bachelor’s
n Lewis Wade Gilbert, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Justin C. Green, bachelor’s
n Sterling Joseph Perkins III, master’s
n Jordan Micah Pool, bachelor’s
n Alex T. Purcell, bachelor’s
n Ryan Louis Reine, bachelor’s, walk
n Abby Lorraine Selser, bachelor’s, cum laude
n Savanah Lyn Stafford, bachelor’s
Watson
n William Andrepont, bachelor’s, cum laude
n Chloe Marie Baumann, bachelor’s
n Phoebe Marie Baumann, bachelor’s
n Alyssa Gail Bueche, bachelor’s
n Mason A. Dukes, bachelor’s
n Andrew Christopher Nickel, bachelor’s
Amite
n Moon Amick, bachelor’s
n Emilee Isabella Casanova, graduate certificate
n Hunter Dane Lambert, bachelor’s
n Roger E. Robertson Jr., bachelor’s
Robert
n Catherine C. Rodriquez, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
Hammond
n Jena Reese Anderson, master’s
n Amber Joi Ashton, bachelor’s
n Anon Amaziah Cage, bachelor’s
n Isabel Nicole Clague, bachelor’s
n Amelia M. Fritz, bachelor’s
n Chassity Renea Hamilton, master’s
n Donovan Cole Harrison, bachelor’s
n Ashley Rene Hickman, master’s
n SaraBeth Rome Hoover, bachelor’s
n Jacob Moreau Kinchen Jr., bachelor’s
n Aubree Lavergne, master’s
n Anthony Le, master’s
n Siri Lopinto, bachelor’s
n Caitlyn Grace Martinez, bachelor’s
n Emma Elizabeth Miranda, bachelor’s, cum laude
n Ella Caroline Paddock, bachelor’s
n Alaina Randazzo, doctorate
n Emery Jeanette Stonis, bachelor’s
n Dykia K. Williams, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
Kentwood
n Jakevis Callahan, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Taylor Nicole Franks, bachelor’s
Loranger
n Cassie Lynne Faunce, master’s
n Bowen Keith Williamson, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
Natalbany
n Tiyana M. Corbin, bachelor’s Ponchatoula
n Collin M. Babin, bachelor’s
n Grace Maria Fortson, bachelor’s, summa cum laude
n Emily Rebecca Guagliardo, master’s
n Madeleine Haulard, bachelor’s
n Sydney Hemphill, master’s
n Natalie Lois Hudspeth, bachelor’s
n Ann Marie LaCour, bachelor’s
n Aidan P. O’Donnell, bachelor’s, magna cum laude
n Daniel Ordeneaux, bachelor’s
n Hannah B. Samrow, doctorate
n Jacob Houpy, bachelor’s