Issuu

Scan here to sign up for our

Advocates staging third Sleep Out for Vets

BY JESSICA SAGGIO

Contributing writer

For 20 years, Eddie “Nighel” Anderson was homeless.

Addicted to drugs and alcohol, he spent most nights under the Interstate 10 bridge in New Orleans. That was, if he wasn’t picked up and put in jail or in the VA hospital

The Vietnam veteran ping-ponged a few times between New Orleans and California, but stayed homeless nonetheless, taking up residence in local parks or living on the streets. He knows a thing or two about a cold night with nowhere to go.

SLEEP OUT FOR VETERANS

WHAT: An overnight sleep out event to highlight the struggles of homelessness, with speakers, food, activities and vendors; also a fundraiser for the host nonprofit — Project Blessings All Year Round organization and home for veterans.

WHERE: American Legion Post 16, 2031 Ronald Reagan Highway, Covington WHEN: Nov 22-23

11 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. HOW MUCH: Free admission, but donations welcome MORE INFO: Facebook. com/ProjectBlessings33

The v et w as drafted into the Vietnam conflict at just 17 years old, and has never been the same since. He came home to what felt like an ungrateful country that scorned him for his participation, despite it being against his will. And what he saw in Vietnam scarred him.

“They took a 17 year-old kid from the projects and sent him to the jungle to kill people,” said Anderson. “You had little kids that would grab your leg and then they blow up. You think you’re doing something good for your country and they mistreat you.”

He developed PTSD and schizophrenia, and nightmares took over There were few resources at the time, and he eventually turned to drugs to self-medicate He left a wife and two children in the path of his self-destruction.

“Being Black and being a junkie out there, nobody cares about you,” he said That was until four years ago.

While completing a rehabilitation program, the now 75-year-old vet met Tiffany McGaryCyprian, founder and operator of the Project Blessings All Year Round organization and home for veterans. The rehab program

ä See SLEEP OUT, page 2A

ABOVE: The Mandeville High School U.S Marine Corps Junior ROTC unit presents the colors. From left, are Emma Jones, Gavin Nadeau, Cillian Kinney and Brantleigh Jones.

RIGHT: The fun-loving 610 Stompers bring their groovy dance routines to the lakefront on Nov. 8.

Covington Council adopts a slimmer 2026 budget

BY KIM CHATELAIN

Contributing writer

The Covington City Council unanimously approved a slimmed-down $32.47 million budget for 2026 during its Nov 4 meeting. Mayor Mark Johnson’s spending plan reﬂects a decrease in spending of just over $4 million from the amount approved for the current year

In his budget message, Johnson said the 2026 budget does not include new major projects. However, that “planned pause” in government expenditures that will leave the city with a healthy fund balance. The 2026 budget estimates approximately $28.8 million in operating expenditures and about $3 million in capital expenses. Another $654,091 will go to debt service. Last November, the council approved a budget that allocated similar amounts for operating costs ($28.1 million) and debt service

($646,230). But that 2025 budget included $7.9 million for capital projects.

“A drive around town will reveal that our city staff is operating at 100% and that adding more projects to their plate at this time would cause a decline in the quality of work project,” Johnson said in his message. “This pause allows us to not only rebuild our coffers but also to strive for private sector quality work

ä See COVINGTON, page 2A

SALUTE TO VETS

Mandeville parade honors American heroes

BY ANDREW CANULETTE Staff writer

from

ä More

Organizers couldn’t have asked for a better day than the one they got Nov 8 for the annual Mandeville Veterans Day Parade. Everyone attending was greeted by postcard-perfect weather and a host of marching units (ranging from ROTC groups to the vivacious and outrageous 610 Stompers), as well as scores of veterans who were both in the parade and scattered around oak-lined Lakeshore Drive.

Many hands were shaken and necks were hugged as veterans of America’s armed forces were greeted by the appreciative crowd — gathered a few days before the actual date of Veterans Day (Nov 11) so more people could attend the annual parade.

A jambalaya cook-off followed, as did a concert by Rockin’ Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters. Proceeds from food sales were dedicated to veterans causes.

The parade was organized by NextOp, an organization devoted to helping recent veterans and post 9/11 service members ﬁnd meaningful employment. Since 2017, the company has helped more than 1,200 local vets ﬁnd work in Louisiana.

Meadows subdivision in Abita Springs. The town and the developer have been locked in a dispute over the subdivision that has bounced around the courts.

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

More than a month after a state judge ordered Abita Springs’ mayor to jail for not allowing a controversial housing development to be built, the ﬁrst phase of the development has won “conditional approval” from a town board. The Abita Springs Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 30 granted conditional approval to the “ﬁnal plat” for phase 1 of the Abita Meadows subdivision, meaning the developer could soon seek building permits to

ä See ABITA, page 2A

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW PAYZANT

One of the more popular items handed off this float was, no surprise, small American flags.

photos

the parade. PAGE 2G

wanted to put him in a hotel for 30 days and then send him out on his own, but McGary-Cyprian intervened

“If he would have (gone) there, he would have been back on drugs,” she said “Why put somebody back in the same environment?”

The organization currently houses 16 veterans and helps them navigate their recovery, medical care, beneﬁts and wellbeing.

Anderson’s story is just one of many as homelessness continues to be an issue among military veterans More than 32,000 homeless vets are estimated to be in the state, said McGary-Cyprian.

“These people served our country; they’re the reason we have the freedom we have, and they shouldn’t be going through this. No one should be going through homelessness, but veterans should deﬁnitely not be,” she said And that’s why her organization partnered with American Legion Post 16 in Covington to have an event to showcase these hardships and encourage the community to dip their toe in the discomfort of homelessness.

In just a few days, the third annual Sleepout for Veterans event takes place Nov. 22 in the ﬁeld behind Post 16. There the community is encouraged to spend

the night, whether on wooden pallets or boxes, in tents or in cars. There will be vendors, resources for veterans, speakers, games and activities. The resource market runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Sleep Out begins at 1 p.m. and runs through 6:30 a.m. the next day S’mores and breakfast will be provided.

This is a free event, but Project Blessings All Year Round will be accepting donations for its veterans home. The organization is also requesting blankets, linens, towels, socks, personal care items, laundry detergent pods, utensils, plates, bowls, pots and pans or monetary donations. The event is for all ages, and sleeping overnight is optional.

“The main idea of it is to (give people the) practical experience of what the homeless have to endure,” said Dennis Charlesworth, ﬁrst vice commander of American Legion Post 16 This is part of why the event is held during the cold month of November, he added.

Charlesworth said the ﬁrst year he slept on a wooden pallet with only a cardboard box for warmth, and the experience was a little too real. He ended up needing physical therapy. Guests are encouraged to do only what works within their abilities.

McGary-Cyprian added she hopes it gives people perspective and compassion for veterans in this position.

“What people I don’t think realize is homelessness to me is situational,” she said “Something has happened in that person’s life to get them there.”

MANDEVILLE VETERANS DAY PARADE

The event is a place where the community can ﬁnd resources and perspective, but it’s also a fundraiser for Project Blessings All Year Round.

McGary-Cyprian started the home four years ago when she got the call from the rehabilitation facility regarding Anderson. She and her husband had just purchased a large home, but saw the need and felt it in her heart to turn the house into what is now the Welcome Ministries Community Home. The nonproﬁt, however, started in 2013 to help people affected by one of St. Tammany’s frequent ﬂoods. Now, the organization has grown and has an additional veterans home in Abita Springs.

American Legion Post 16 also serves as an ongoing resource for veterans, and Charlesworth said while the organization has tried to help homeless veterans, many do not want to be helped.

As for Anderson, McGary-Cyprian’s intervention was life-changing. The home has helped him get proper medical care so that his conditions are managed and he’s now receiving Social Security

Anderson has remained clean, free from the bonds of addiction, and has found religion. And perhaps most impactful, he’s reunited with his family Both his ex-wife and daughter have visited and after 40 years, he ﬁnally reconnected with his mother, who is now 96.

“I probably wouldn’t be living right now if it weren’t for Miss Tiffany,” he said. “That’s the kind of love you need.”

COVINGTON

Continued from page 1A

as opposed to public sector.”

Revenues projected for 2026, which Johnson described as conservatively estimated, include $17.52 million in sales taxes, $3.52 million in ad valorem taxes, $1.62 in licenses/permitting fees, and $797,945 in utility franchise fees.

An additional $2.2 million in assorted money, from sources such as intergovernmental fees, facility rentals, ﬁnes and forfeitures, and interest on city accounts, also is expected to ﬂow into Covington’s coffers.

“When projecting rev-

ABITA

Continued from page 1A

construct 71 of the development’s 390 homes, so long as the developer completes a list of agreed-upon items like installing street signs and burying exposed wires.

But while the developer, Lonesome Development, is closer than ever to making the subdivision a reality after a six-year legal dispute, Lonesome still believes Abita Springs Mayor Dan Curtis is in contempt of court.

The conditional approval represents “real progress,” said Lonesome Development’s lawyer, Howard Sinor But he noted there are a number of phases that need approval before the full subdivision is complete.

This little one is decked out in red white and blue to honor the U.S. armed forced veterans who were celebrated with a parade, jambalaya cook-off, concert and more on Nov. 8 on the Mandeville Lakefront.

If the town gives ﬁnal approval to the subdivision’s later phases and provides the subdivision with water, sewer and natural gas services, that “would go a long way to resolving the contempt issue,” Sinor said.

In September, Judge William “Billy” Burris of the 22nd Judicial District Court ordered Curtis to spend every weekend in jail until Curtis took steps to allow the subdivision to be constructed.

But after Curtis’ lawyers raised concerns about an upcoming back surgery, Burris agreed not to immediately send Curtis to jail.

In the meantime, Curtis appealed Burris’ order to the state First Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge.

On Nov 4, Curtis’ lawyer, Andrew Wilson, said the appeal was proceeding.

Wilson said he doesn’t think the Planning and Zoning Commission’s conditional approval of phase 1 renders the contempt charges against Curtis moot.

enues, we chose to be conservative, using the past 12 months of (revenue) activity as a base for our budget,” Johnson said. “We build no growth expectations on top of this activity, thus producing a realistic revenue projection.

No one from the audience spoke on the budget ordinance before the council’s vote.

Council President Mark Verret thanked his colleagues on the council and city administrators for their work on the 2026 budget.

“People don’t realize the number of meetings, text messages, emails” that are involved in hammering out next year’s spending plan, he said.

But Wilson said he does think the conditional approval helps show Curtis is not ultimately responsible for whether construction proceeds. He argued it is ultimately up to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Burris’ September ruling marked the second time he had ordered Curtis to jail for not allowing the development to proceed.

Last year, Burris also found Curtis in contempt of court and ordered him to jail, but on appeal, the Louisiana Supreme Court sent the case back down to Burris after it found Curtis had not been properly notiﬁed about the original contempt hearing.

The case stretches back to 2018, when the Town of Abita Springs made an agreement with Lonesome Development to allow it to build Abita Meadows.

The following year, Abita Springs reversed its position, accusing Lonesome of breaching the development agreement.

Lonesome sued, and Burris and the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal sided with Lonesome. The company argued in 2023, however that despite the courts’ findings, the town was not letting the development proceed. Since then, the town has argued, based on an engineer’s ﬁnding, that its sewage collection system did not have the capacity to accept sewage from the new development. Under the conditional approval for phase 1, the developer must install a new sewer force main and upgrade a sewer pump before going on to phase 2, though the town’s operator could delay the requirement to a later phase depending on what they ﬁnd, according to Kristin Tortorich, the Planning and Zoning director for Abita Springs.

PROVIDED PHOTO

The movers behind last year’s Sleep Out for Vets fundraiser in Covington, Tiffany McGary-Cyprian, founder of the nonprofit Project Blessings, and American Legion Post 16 Commander Dennis Charlesworth, are pictured before the 2024 event. This year’s event takes place Nov. 22.

Sheila Motichek and Charlie Gerace let their patriotism show at the Veterans Day parade.

Gloria Mendoza, 97, flies her favorite colors along the parade route.

Ron Harrist, U.S. Army veteran

Brigadier Gen Michael Cushman, USAF (retired.), a Mandeville resident, greets a friend along the route.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW PAYZANT

Penny and Fred Krause, of Slidell, were thrilled to attend the Mandeville Veterans Day Parade on Nov 8. Fred served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and last year, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, he parachuted into Normandy — the same place his father, Edward Krause, jumped as part of the June 6, 1944 invasion of German-controlled France during World War II.

The Abita Springs Middle School cheerleaders bring some pep to the step of the Veterans Day activities.

Mosquito Abatement District sues council

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

Facing intense scrutiny over its finances and taxing structure, St. Tammany’s mosquito-fighting agency has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to stop the St. Tammany Parish Council’s investigation into the agency’s budget. In the petition filed in the 22nd Judicial District Court in Covington on Nov 5, the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District argues that a review of the district’s finances that the Parish Council conducted in conjunction with District Attorney Collin Sims was “illegal and unauthorized.”

In February, ahead of a March referendum in which parish voters were deciding on a tax proposition to fund the parish’s criminal justice system, the council formed a transparency committee along with Sims to look for ways to save taxpayers money With Sims as the lead fact-finder, the committee

launched a review of the ﬁnances of Mosquito Abatement, which has a $9 million budget controlled by a volunteer board of commissioners and funded by a dedicated property tax.

Meanwhile, the voters shot down the criminal justice tax proposition, leaving Sims’ ofﬁce, the courts and the judges with 30% less funding in the 2026 budget and potentially even larger cuts in the 2027 budget.

In October, Sims’ ofﬁce and a group of business leaders presented the results from their investigation into the mosquito district to the council. Their report questioned, among other expenditures, the district’s recent purchase of a $4 million helicopter to spray for mosquitoes and $8 million in facility upgrades that included a new lab The report suggested the parish consider consolidating Mosquito Abatement an independent agency, into parish government as a cost-saving measure.

Mosquito Abatement claims in its lawsuit that the council’s review of its ﬁnances was a “sham investigation” under the “guise” of government efﬁciency that sought to smear the district with the goal of taking control of it and its dedicated funds.

The district argues that neither the original resolution forming the transparency committee, nor the parish’s home rule charter, authorized an investigation into Mosquito Abatement. The district has also published on its website a lengthy rebuttal to Sims’ report, which they plan to publicly present at the district’s ofﬁces on Nov 18. While the mosquito district is run independent of parish government, the Parish Council approves the members of its board.

The council was scheduled on Nov 6 to consider removing Mosquito Abatement Board Chair Vicki TrainaDorge, prompting a group of mosquito district supporters to show up at the meeting with signs that read “Hands

off my dedicated tax dollars!” and “We demand subject matter experts.”

Council member Joe Impastato decided to withdraw the resolution to remove Traina-Dorge, saying he wanted to meet with her ﬁrst and give the mosquito district the opportunity to appear before the Government Efﬁciency Committee, a group that replaced the parish’s transparency committee. Impastato said in an interview that the lawsuit by Mosquito Abatement was “utterly ridiculous.”

“In the government world, the ﬁrst thing people do is hire a lawyer,” Impastato said, taking issue with the cost of the lawsuit to taxpayers.

resolution

The district has separately ﬁled a bar complaint against Sims over his involvement in the inquiry Sims is the mosquito district’s legal representative and the district claims he violated his obligations to them as his client by participating in the investigation. The lawyer for Mosquito Abatement in its lawsuit against the parish is New Orleans-based attorney Dwight C. Paulsen III. Sims has called the bar complaint an “act of desperation” and said it was a distraction from the larger goal of restructuring the parish’s dozens of independent taxing districts, which control their budgets independently of the Parish Council.

Mosquito Abatement’s lawsuit has been assigned to Judge Alan Black. But the mosquito district has filed a motion for the appointment of an ad hoc judge, arguing the 22nd JDC judges should be recused because the goal of the council’s investigation, the district claims, is to find funding for the court, as well as Sims’ office.

Parish will require septic system inspections

Proponents say goal is to improve polluted waterways

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

In what proponents say will be an important step in cleaning up St. Tammany’s polluted waterways, the Parish Council adopted regulations on Nov 6 requiring inspections of home sewer systems every three years.

Homeowners with chronically malfunctioning systems could also face ﬁnes.

The 8-5 vote follows years of research and debate, as St. Tammany officials worked out a way to address the parish’s thousands of failing onsite sewage disposal systems that leak raw or partially treated sewage into the parish’s waterways.

Starting in January, a team of parish inspectors with the Department of Environmental Services will begin examining the decentralized, on-site disposal systems, commonly called “septic systems,” across the southern half of the parish. Their goal will be to educate residents about how to fix their systems. But residents who do not make an effort to ﬁx malfunctioning systems could also face ﬁnes of up to $100 a month.

Homes north of the parish’s urban growth boundary, an east-west line that partly tracks La. 36 across the parish, will be exempt from the inspections. The parish also plans to prioritize which neighborhoods it will inspect based on water samples taken from ditches and waterways. Residents are also allowed to pay for third-party inspections.

Council member Jeff Corbin, who introduced the legislation with council member Joe Impastato, said he was “ecstatic” after it passed. Impastato estimated the ordinance involved 30 meetings and hundreds of hours of work.

“We climbed Mount Everest to get to the top of an ant hill,” Impastato said.

Some council members who voted against the ordinance argued it was an expensive program that handed too much power to the government. Council member Arthur Laughlin, meanwhile, said the parish should instead focus on providing centralized sewage.

In 2022, Parish President Mike Cooper convened a task force to address water quality issues that stemmed from the under-treated or partially treated wastewater Some estimates put the percentage of the parish’s 36,000 on-site sewage disposal systems that are not working at 50%.

Though the problem of impaired waterways and

failing sewer systems was widely agreed upon, the solution was not. Council legislation introduced in 2023 to require inspections was postponed indeﬁnitely, and some residents at the time took issue with the $100 fee the inspection required.

The council conducted a pilot study of the inspection program in 2024 to look at 1,000 different home sewer systems in seven different council districts. In August of this year, Corbin and Impastato brought the legislation back, this time using funding from the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District to cover inspections.

Even so, the August version of the ordinance failed to initially win over some Parish Council members like Cheryl Tanner, who represents a largely rural area in the north of the parish, and it was delayed by two months. In the ﬁnal version of the ordinance, Corbin and Impastato added an exemption for homes north of the urban growth boundary, a line that Planning and Zoning Director Ross Liner said was established over 30 years ago to allow for different regulations in the less populated northern part of the parish. That removed large parts

of Tanner and council member Martha Cazaubon’s district and won their support for the ordinance. Addressing critics who claimed the exemptions were purely political in nature, Cazaubon said, “If this is what you want to call political, then yes, it is dealing with the parish side that needs more help.”

Joining Laughlin in voting against the ordinance were council members Pat Phillips, Jimmy Strickland, Maureen O’Brien and David Cougle. Council member Pat Burke was not present at the meeting.

The majority about 92% — of the homes in subdivisions above the urban growth boundary are on lots greater than one acre, which tend not to have home sewer systems that discharge into ditches, said Department of Environmental Services Director Tim Brown.

Brown also sought to address critics’ concerns about the costs residents may face to repair or replace their home sewer systems if they are failing.

A full replacement can cost around $6,000, Brown said. But he said a replacement would only be required if a resident had a conventional septic tank

3 PUBLIC AUCTIONS

STARTS AT 9AM

THURSDAY |NOV 13TH|

LiveOnsiteAuction

City of New OrleansDPW Impounded Vehicles 10200Almonaster| NewOrleans, LA 70126

Preview: Wed11/12from 9AMto3PM Must be 18 or older,have validID& $50 CASH registrationfee 100+ Vehicles: GMC, Saturn, Dodge, Nissan,Chevy,Jeep, Buick, Nissan, Audi Mazda, Honda, Ford, Volks, Acura, Hyundai &More. 10% buyer’s premium & $25 notary fee applies All vehicles are sold without keys & the running condition is unknown Some vehicles may be branded salvage reconstructed, water damaged, etc

TUESDAY |NOV 18TH| STARTS AT 10AM

LiveOnsiteAuction with OnlineBidding

SurplusfromSEFlood Protection AuthorityEast,Orleans EastJefferson& LakeBorgneBasinLevee Districts& LakefrontManagementAuthority 6920Franklin Avenue| NewOrleans,LA70122

Preview: Mon 11/17from9A-3P | Case Skidsteer’s,CAT D5G Dozer, Chevy Tahoe’s, Dodge Durango’s, Ford F250’s, Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer’s, Ford F150’s, Ford F350 Flat Bed, Ford F250 ServiceBodyTrucks, Int’lDumpTrucks, Interstate Trailer, JD Tractors, BoatswithTrailers, WoodsFinishing Mowers,JD750J Dozer, Chevy 3500 Welding Truck, TigerLineTrailer,Northwester AircraftTractor Tug’s, Kohler Generator, Hyster Forklift, JD Terrain Cutter, Kubota Tractor, Miller Welder,Tires,ACUnits,BoatBuster Buoy’s, Electronics &IT Equipment, Office Furniture, Luggage Conveyor Cart,& Much More! Buyer’s Premium of 10% for onsite bidders & 16% for online bidders applies $25 Notary fee applies THURSDAY |DEC 4TH| ONLINE ONLY

St Tammany ParishGov’t Surplus| Starts closingat10AM 620 N. TylerSt, Covington LA Preview: Wed 12/3 from 9A-3P| Ford F150's, Ford F250's, Ford F350, JD 570A Motor Grader,NH Tractors,Case580 Backhoe, TeledyneHydraulicCompactVibrator, PressureWasher Generac Generator,OnanGenerator, Auto Cranes,BombContainer, Forklift, Electronics,Motorola Radios, Nightlight Generator,Office Items andMore! 16% buyer s premium applies $25 notary fee applies Visitslidellauction.com formoredetails,terms &conditions. For onlinebidding viaProxibid, visit: https://bit.ly/3J9zAM5

that was discharging into a ditch, which it is not supposed to do. Septic tanks are supposed to discharge onto properties.

More typically, St. Tammany residents have aerobic treatment units, in which air

is pumped into the system to treat the sewage before it is discharged into drainage ditches, Brown said. Residents will also be able to apply through the parish for grants from the Department of Housing and Urban

Thestage is set, andexcitementisbuildingonce againasSTartUP Northshore prepares forthe return of theNSpireStartup Slam,the Northshore’spremierebusinesspitch competition. Backed by renewedpartnerships with Chevronasthe Presenting Sponsorand CapitalOne as theGrant PrizeSponsor,the 2026 NSpire StartupSlamwillmakeits highly anticipated return to thehistoricColumbiaTheatre forthe Performing Arts in Downtown Hammondon Thursday,January 8, 2026

Sincethe inauguralcompetition in 2023, the NSpire StartupSlamhas become oneofthe most highly anticipatedentrepreneurial events in the Gulf South, drawinghundredsofattendees and garneringnationalrecognition,including the InternationalEconomicDevelopment Council Gold Awardfor Excellence in SpecialEvents. During itsﬁrsttwo years, thecompetition has distributedmorethan$170,000incashand in-kindprizestolocal entrepreneurs, fueling growth,job creation, andnew investment in the Northshore’s innovation ecosystem Forentrepreneurs,the NSpire Startup Slam offersanunparalleledopportunity to secure funding, connectwithinvestors,and access high-quality in-kindservicestofuelbusiness growth as theevent continuesits role as acatalyst foreconomicempowerment andinnovation. Whetheryou’relaunchinganew ventureorscalinganexistingbusiness, this competitionwill providethe tools, mentorship,and resources needed to succeed.

“Gratitude ﬁlls ourheartsasweembarkon this exciting journey, leveling up ourbusiness with theinvaluableresources from theNSpire StartupSlam,”said AlanaScott,Founder & CEOofKinkz,winnerofthe 2023 Nspire StartupSlam. “Theexperience of being surrounded by incredible,competitive founders hasbeennothingshort of inspiring, propelling us toward ourlimitless potential.”

Each year,the NSpire StartupSlamdelivers a spectaculareveningﬁlled with live music, networking,and some of themostexciting business ideascomingthrough theNorthshore. The2026NSpireStartup Slam willtakeplace at theColumbiaTheatre forthe Performing Arts in Downtown Hammond, beginningwith a networking receptionat4:30p.m.followed by an exhilarating live battle of innovation whererisingentrepreneurs willshowcase theirgroundbreakingideas,connect with industry leaders, andcompete forone of the

largeststartup prizepackagesinthe Gulf South. The2026prize packageisvaluedatmorethan $100,000 and includes $50,000 in funding througha renewedpartnership with Capital Onepairedwithmorethan$50,000 of wraparound in-kindprofessionalservices “Tobebornand raised just down thestreet in atownwithone redlight,and to come home awinner, knowingthe impact we canhave on this area—it’sspecial!” said Rich Simmerman, Cofounder& CEOofCantaloupeAI, winner of the2025NspireStartup Slam “We’ve got majorproduct improvements to make with the launch of Cleo,our conversational AI interviewer.The $40,000 in non-dilutive cash and more than $65,000 in in-kindserviceswillmake abig impact forus.

TheNSpireStartup Slam is open to any business with operations basedinorwilling to relocatetothe Northshore (St. Tammany, Tangipahoa,orWashington Parish)for at leasttwo yearsand actively participateinthe STartUPNorthshoreentrepreneurial ecosystem. Startups from allindustries,backgrounds, andlocations areinvited to apply. Theventure must be legallyincorporated, have been in business forfive yearsorlessorbeanexisting business creating anew division or entity,and have generatedlessthan$1,000,000 in annual revenuein2025. Nonprofit organizations and previous NSpire StartupSlamwinners arenot eligible to enter. NSpire Startup Slam applicants willbeevaluated on core criteria includingconcept,business model, market viability, scalability, traction investment readiness,presentationskills, as well as theability andcommitmenttogenerate asignificantpositiveimpactonthe region

Thedeadlinetoapply forthislive, shark-tank stylepitch competitionis11:59 PM on Sunday November 16,2025, andall eligible businesses areencouragedtovisit www.startupnorthshore. com/nspire or contactExecutive Director, CenzoCaronna,atvcaronna@sttammanyedc. orgtolearn more andapply Forthose just interestedinattending, admissionisfreeand open to the publicwithregistrationavailable at www.startupnorthshore.com/nspire. Stay connectedwithSTartUP Northshore on Facebook andLinkedInat@STartUP Northshore andcheck outour website at www.startupnorthshore.com

STAFF PHOTO BY WILLIE SWETT

A supporter of the St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District holds a sign of support at a Parish Council meeting on Thursday, Nov. 6. The council ultimately did not vote on a

that would have removed Mosquito Abatement Board of Commissioners Chair Vicki Traina-Dorge.

Low turnout expected Nov. 15

BY ANDREW CANULETTE

Staff writer

Voters in several areas around St. Tammany Parish will head to the polls Nov 15 to cast ballots on one of three tax proposals, relegated to a certain political district in the parish. There are three items on the ballot. They include:

n Voters in Recreation District No 11 in the Abita Springs area are being asked to supplant a current 10-year, 10-mill property tax with a 20-year, 9.26-mill property tax.

The 10-mill tax was approved by voters in 2021 and was estimated to raise approximately $730,000 annually for operation and maintenance of recreation district facilities. The tax is set to expire at the end of 2032.

Property owners would get a slight tax break if the proposal passes, but the district would nearly double its intake (an estimated $1.35 million annually) because of rapid growth in the area.

n Fire Protection District No. 3 in the Lacombe area is asking those voters to accept a single 34.95-mill property tax and do away with a 25.01-mill tax passed in 2021 and another 9.94mill tax approved in 2017

The 34.95-mill levy is a 20-year proposal that would net approximately $3.464 million annually for ﬁre protection services in the district.

Fire Protection District No. 7, which covers a large portion of east-central St. Tammany seeks to renew a 5.21-mill property tax that would bring in approximately $315,900 annually, beginning in 2027 and running through 2036. Polls in those particular political wards will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov 15. Bring ID to vote. For more information on this ballot, future elections and more, go online to www.sos.la.gov or www stprov.org.

Proposed high school science materials available for viewing

The St. Tammany Parish Public School System is considering the adoption of new high school science instructional materials. Community stakeholders are invited to review the proposed materials from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Nov 17 and lasting through Jan. 7 at both the Harrison Curriculum Center, located at 706 W. 28th Ave. in Covington, and the Brooks Educational Complex located at 2544 Sgt. Alfred Drive in Slidell. The instructional materials also will be available for review at all high schools during regular school hours. For more information, call Katie Fuller at (985) 898-3309.

Heroes cook up record amount of money for Hope House

Staff report

Supporters of Hope House and the work it does on behalf of victimized children gathered again atop the Justice Center parking garage on Nov 2 for the nonproﬁt’s biggest Heroes Who Cook fundraiser of the year and raising a record $562,000. Celebrity-restaurant teams battled throughout the campaign to raise the most money, as well as to prepare and serve the best food to beneﬁt the care of abused children in St. Tammany and Washington parishes. There might also have been some bragging rights on the line for the event’s winners, and those included:

MOST MONEY RAISED (Online before the event)

First Place, Nick & Patrice LaRocca and Roux 25; Second Place, Adam Acquistapace and Acquistapace’s; Third Place, Anthony Rutledge & Connor Brown and Farm To Fire Louisiana

JUDGE’S CHOICE (A blind tasting by three guest judges) First Place, Roux 25 and Nick & Patrice LaRocca; Second Place, Valencia Covington & Michele Echols; and Third Place, Farm To Fire Louisiana and Anthony Rutledge & Connor Brown

PEOPLE’S CHOICE (Tip tickets collected at the event) First Place, Valencia Covington & Michele Echols; Second Place, Roux 25 and Nick & Patrice LaRocca; and Third Place, Bon Sake Sushi & Bar and state Sen. Beth Mizell & Joan Coffman

MOST CREATIVE CAMPAIGN Adam Acquistapace and Acquistapace’s, with 2,000-plus individual donors contributing to the 2025 campaign.

Lia Enriquez, Dareni Chastain

Lauren Happel, Steve Happel, Thomas Mitchell

Lisa Naquin, De’Anne Lucario, Phoebe Wheldon

Allison Maudlin, T.J Maudlin

Vanessa Jenkins, Ashley Pregeant, Stephanie Zerinque

PHOTOS BY BOBBY GILBOY

Katie Pallazzo, Kristin Billiot, Lauren Lee, Sarah Shipman

Angela Ferrara, Mary Duarino, Cameta Cervili

Touching, teaching, learning with big trucks

SMH Ochsner and the Slidell Noon Lions Club hosted their annual Touch-A-Truck event for kids Oct. 26 on the hospital grounds, giving children the chance to see, touch, sit in and even pretenddrive ﬁre trucks, law enforcement vehicles, big rigs, garbage trucks and more. It was a special time to connect big vehicles with their big wheels and horns with their young fans. Proceeds from the event will be used for

Slidell police honor woman who helped nab suspect

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

The Slidell Police Department gave its Citizenship Award on Nov 4 to a preschool teacher who assisted a police ofﬁcer chasing suspects in a shoplifting incident that garnered heavy media attention.

The resident, Leslie Smith, 46, was in her car in the Fremaux Town Center shopping area’s parking lot on Nov 1 when she saw Slidell Police Sgt. Jeff Kahrs pursuing someone who had allegedly tried to steal a Michael Kors bag and two Coach purses worth a total of $581.80 from the Dillard’s department store

The suspect had discarded the items after Kahrs noticed her, police said and tried to ﬂee the store. Kahrs, who was working a security detail at the store, pursued the suspect on foot until she got into a car with another person and drove off.

After watching the incident unfold, Smith offered a ride to Kahrs. Kahrs, who was not near his patrol unit, hopped in with Smith. Kahrs had also radioed to other officers a description of the getaway vehicle.

Smith and Kahrs drove after the two suspects’ vehicle, as other police ofﬁcers also responded.

STAFF PHOTO BY WILLIE SWETT Leslie Smith, 46, was awarded the Slidell Police Department’s Citizenship Award on Nov. 4.

Kahrs and other officers soon after stopped and handcuffed a woman, Kelsey Baird, 34, of Navarre, Florida, and Eric Boudreaux, 43, of Biloxi, according to police cam footage posted on the department’s Facebook page. Baird and Boudreaux were booked with theft and resisting an ofﬁcer by ﬂight. Baird was also booked with possession of meth Kahrs and acting Slidell Police Chief Daniel Seuzeneau thanked Smith at a news conference on Nov 4 before giving her the award.

Though Baird discarded the bags before ﬂeeing Dillard’s, Slidell police said on Facebook that under Louisiana law, concealing merchandise from a store with the intent to steal “is considered theft.”

Slidell-area stables lost in Nov. 1

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

Gregory Lewis got word just after 3 a.m. on Nov 1 that the stable where he housed four of his horses was on ﬁre. By the time he made it from New Orleans to Slidell “30-40 minutes” later his heart was breaking.

“I thought it was maybe a small ﬁre at the barn or something. I was hoping it was just the barn and the horses got out,” Lewis said. But soon after arriving from New Orleans, Lewis discovered not all the horses made it to safety, and that three of his four had perished in the ﬂames.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it,” he said.

“These weren’t just animals — they’re my family.”

Investigators with St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 spent the weekend combing through the debris at Lewis Stables. The fire district said nine horses died in the blaze, but that 28 others had managed to get out safely

The owner of the stable was not immediately available for comment.

Brian Macaluso, assistant chief of fire prevention for the Slidell-area fire protection district, said the blaze was reported at 3:19 a.m. and firefighters were on the scene at 3:26 a.m. Twentytwo firefighters were on the scene, he said. He said as of Nov 3, that a cause had not yet been identified. “We’re still investigating several different avenues,” Macaluso said.

Macaluso said there are several different stables on the site, and the ﬁre was contained to one of them.

He said initially ﬁreﬁghters thought 10 horses had perished, but later found one of the horses in the neighborhood near the stable Lewis, who is no relation to the stable owners, said he’s kept horses there for years. He and other horse owners often work together to take care of the animals there, a time-consuming and demanding process.

“Horses require a lot of care. It’s every day,” Lewis said. “It’s not a hobby when it comes to horses. It’s part of your life.” Lewis said he was thankful his mare called Lotto survived. “At least one made it,” he said.

Lewis, a former member of the Buffalo Soldiers Horse Riding Club, said his four horses marched in a multitude of parades and second-lines

PROVIDED PHOTO BY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

and Luke Newton check out EMT gear with Maggie Billiot.

PHOTOS BY MATT DOBBINS Weston and Ava Reybon have fun climbing inside a fire truck and blasting the horn.

Mason Sliger enjoys being behind the wheel of an Acadian ambulance. Where’s the siren button?

BY GRANT

New Athena Young Professional Leadership Award winner Lauren Kaufmann Navarre and new Athena Professional Leadership Award winner Kathryn Townsend

Athena women’s group honors their own in Slidell

BY KADEE KRIEGER

Contributing writer

Kathryn Townsend credits her family and Indian Village community where she grew up for instilling in her a strong faith, a dedicated work ethic and a service-minded heart, all qualities that Athena of East St. Tammany members applauded in giving her their 2025 Athena Leadership Award.

Townsend received the title given annually to honor Slidell women for their professional excellence, commitment to community service and active support of other women — during a Nov. 5 luncheon at Pinewood Country Club.

Other nominees were Megan Haggerty, director of Advancement for Pope John Paul II High School and member of the Slidell City Council; Wendy Keller, Federal Bureau of Investigations Community Outreach Specialist and founder of Our Friends Closet; Beth Melton, third grade teacher at Bayou Woods Elementary School; and Kristen Stanley Wallace, attorney and chair of the Slidell Memorial Hospital Board of Commissioners.

A previous nominee for the award in 2023, Townsend said she ﬁrmly believes in living her faith and giving the community where she lives. “Growing up in the Indian Village area of Slidell, we always supported each other; if someone had a need, we provided it. It’s a way of thinking I’ve always carried with me.” Townsend said she was diagnosed with a tumor in 2016 that she thought would end her life. She survived, but the experience inﬂuenced her to increase her efforts to “make a positive impact” on her community

“After pulling through that, I made up my mind that I would do all I can to make a difference,” she said.

Townsend retired in 2018 from the Naval Oceanographic Ofﬁce at Stennis Space Center, spending decades working in the ﬁeld of oceanography

She led an initiative in the Mississippi Delta mentoring minorities to inspire them to pursue ﬁelds in ocean science. For her efforts in that project and others, she received the U.S. Navy’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Townsend is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Northshore; a charter member and current vice president of the Northshore chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority service organization; a commissioner on the board of St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement; a member of the Hartzell Mt Zion United Methodist Church; and winner this year of the Slidell Rotary Club’s “Service Above Self’ award. Athena members also honored Lauren Kaufmann Navarre received the Young Professional Leadership Award

A lifelong resident of Slidell, Navarre is the COO and co-founder of the Arena Collective, a law ﬁrm and title company. In accepting the award, she joked that she turned 40 earlier this year and “just snuck by” to earn the title that honors women 40 and younger She praised the Slidell community for its culture of women who “lift each other up.” “We show a commitment to excellence,

and feeding into each other’s energy helps our community grow,” she said.

Navarre said she strives to teach her young daughters that “being a leader isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room but about authenticity and seeing the potentials of others.”

The East St. Tammany Athena organization has honored women since 1989. Community members submit nominations and past winners select a recipient yearly

The international organization includes prestigious recipients such as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, journalist Nina Totenberg, tennis player Billie Jean King, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, astronaut Christina Koch and actress Mira Sorvino.

“It’s amazing when you think of the magnitude of what the organization stands for and that on the local level, we share the honor with astronauts and Justice Ginsburg,” said 2023 award winner Lesley Beard. “We are a diverse group, and the way we make an impact on the lives of other women in our community is impressive.” For more information, visit https://athenaest.org/.

25 years ago

Former President George Bush was late, but he delighted the highly partisan and joyous Republican crowd

Monday at the Castine Center east of Mandeville.

In a short speech, Bush extolled the virtues of his son, George W. Bush, and took some shots at Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and running mate Joe Lieberman. The former president pounded on themes Republicans have been hammering away about for the past eight years.

“I said right here in Louisiana that character counts, that it means something. I want to see respect, honor and dignity restored to the White House. I know that George W. Bush will make that happen,” he said.

Bush said it was hard for him to stand on the sidelines while people were talking about his son.

“It was easier to deal with things they said about me, easier than it is to deal with what they are saying about my son,” Bush said.

He also told more than 1,500 attending the rally that the Democrats did not deal properly with the laws of economics, particularly in the case of oil prices.

“George W. knows that if you increase the supply, prices will go down,” Bush said.

In a short talk about Lieberman, who Bush said was a decent guy, the former president said he was sold out to the guys in the witness protection program — a reference to alleged wrongdoing by people in the White House.

Other St. Tammany Republican dignitaries also spoke at the rally, including state Rep. Diane Winston, Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price and Parish Councilwoman Pat Brister, who is also state Republican Party Chairman.

The former president was late arriving by about 30 minutes due to heavy fog on the Causeway 50 years ago

Acting upon the advice of juror Malcolm Stein, the St. Tammany Parish Police Jury has decided to withdraw two referendums dealing with the courthouse relocation issue from the Dec. 13 ballot. Instead, the jury will arrange for meetings with numerous individuals, civic and other groups to develop a package proposal for the improvement of courthouse facilities.

This action came after a lengthy debate last Thursday The ﬁrst question would have asked voters whether they wanted the courthouse in Covington or Slidell and the second question asked if they wanted to split the parish east to west.

Webb Hart was instrumental in calming the debate when it threatened to get out of hand. Sid Crawford insisted that the matter be left like it was, and Ogise Richardson insisted that he was trying to split the parish. In the middle of the discussion, Stein unrolled the map and told the jury of another courthouse location which had been proposed, that being the northeast corner of the I-12 and La. 22 intersection near Flower Estates.

75 years ago

Our boys in the Army, Navy and Marines will be on the high seas this Christmas, and they too will enjoy opening a Christmas package. Let’s all put our shoulders to the wheel and do our part to make this possible. So that every man will receive at least one

the

Christmas package, the Armed Services are requesting the following articles: greeting cards, writing portfolios, pencils with clips, gum or LifeSavers, hard candy in tight cellophane bags, photo folders, crossword puzzle books, joke or cartoon books, small ﬂat clothes brushes, wallets, toothbrushes, razor blades, pipe and pipe tobacco.

Also, stationary, cigarettes, soap, pocketsize books, decks of cards, small games like dominoes, checkers, miniature chess, oil scan pouches, handkerchiefs, washcloths, camphor ice, nail ﬁles and manicure scissors and combs.

100 years ago

The New Orleans Item, commenting editorially on the Watson-Williams bridge proposal, says that “If they make proper provision for the reversion of their bridge to the state at any time the state comes to buy it at a fair price, we are for their project.” The editorial goes quite extensively into “bridge fundamentals” and on the face of it is ingenuous in its statement that no free bridge ever existed except as a “freak of nature” is on a par with the argument that there is no such thing as a grammatical error because if it were grammatical, it would not be an error Money is a medium of exchange. It represents value bridges, highways buildings, materials, labor, etc. In other words, there is no such thing as free money But if Henry Ford were to offer the city of New Orleans a donation of $200 million, would the Item maintain that because this money came from the pockets of the people it is not to all intent and purpose free money?

The same principle is involved in the Causeway Association plans for a free Causeway across Lake Pontchartrain It will cost money, but the development itself in the island Causeway will ﬁnance it. Every man who buys an island lot will pay for it, but he gets value received. The public generally will ride over the Causeway free. A toll-free bridge is paid for by the people but it is an investment by the people it earns for them more than it costs through increased value of property and opportunity for development.

125 years ago

The hook and ladder truck of Covington Fire Company #1 arrived last Monday It has ﬁve ladders, 24 buckets and four ﬁve-gallon babcocks. It is, at present, stored in the shed of Mr Hardy Smith’s warehouse.

Treva Bown, Karen Vander Jackelyn Gallo, Ashley Rodrigue

Kristen Stanley-Wallace, Trudey Shaddinger

Robin Marquez, Lisa Frasier

Michelle Schellinger, Judi Buckner

PHOTOS

THERKILDSEN

Dania Fandal, Nancy Barthelemy

Victoria Paz, Lesley Beard

FILE PHOTO

Former President George H.W Bush delivers

keynote address at the Acadian Ambulance Luncheon at the Lafayette Convention Center in 2006.

Three Rivers poster reflects a love of Covington, art

BY SARAH G. BONNETTE

Contributing writer

Art has always been a refuge through times of loss and disappointment for artist and art educator Rachael Lagarde Walker, as well as “my rebellion and my reminder that beauty can bloom in unlikely places,” she says. It’s why she encourages other artists — both the students she teaches in the St. Tammany Parish School System and those she guides in her north Covington studio — to keep creating through life’s “hills and valleys. The view from the hill is only breathtaking because you’ve walked through the valley,” she says. Lagarde Walker’s paintings are surrealist stories where birds take on female forms and where shells, frayed ribbons, pearls, and hair appear as recurring symbols. “My work is a visual diary of the feminine experience,” the Covington native says of her own experiences growing up with three sisters, surviving cancer and becoming a mother Lagarde Walker’s selection as the poster artist for this year’s Three Rivers Art Festival “feels like standing at the intersection of past and present — a reminder that dreams are not just wishes, but destinations reached through persistence, authenticity and care,” she says, referencing the artwork her art teachers submitted to the festival’s student competition when she attended Covington Elementary and later Pitcher Junior High.

While she never won any awards, she says “the experience itself was a kind of quiet triumph. Seeing my art displayed among the vibrant tapestry of the festival was like catching a glimpse of my future self.

“I remember standing in front of my piece, surrounded by the work of professional artists, wondering if one day I’d have a tent of my own. That dream felt distant, but it stayed with me — a guiding light,” she adds. “That’s why I now submit my own students’ work to the exhibit. I know ﬁrsthand how a single moment of recognition can plant a seed that grows for decades.”

In creating the painting used on the poster, Lagarde Walker interpreted the festival’s role in nurturing creativity Titled “Over the marsh, the nest thrives,” the oil painting depicts an egret guarding a pearl egg-filled nest built in an antique chair

“Covington, to me, is like an antique chair — worn but cherished, full of stories and comfort. It’s a place that holds you even after you’ve

COVINGTON THREE RIVERS ART FESTIVAL

WHAT: An annual festival of juried art by 200 creators, live music, food and special activities for children WHEN: Nov 15 & 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. WHERE: The 200 to 600 blocks of N. Columbia St. in downtown Covington HOW MUCH: Admission is free.

MORE: No pets; only service dogs allowed. INFO: www covingtonthreeriversartfestival com

left it,” Lagarde Walker says, adding that the egret symbolizes “grace and resilience, ever-present reminders of what it means to live in the South, close to water and memory

“The nest represents the community this festival builds a place where artists, families, and students gather, share, and grow The eggs rendered as pearls, symbolize the three rivers that give the festival its name: each one a vessel of life, beauty, and connection.”

Now in its 29th year Three Rivers will feature 200 juried artists from across the Northshore and around the country Come Nov 15 and 16, they’ll turn six blocks of north Columbia Street into a colorful collage of paintings, photography three-

Rachael Lagarde Walker’s paintings are often surrealist stories where birds take on female forms while shells, frayed ribbons, pearls, and hair appear as recurring symbols. ‘My work is a visual diary of the feminine experience,’ she says.

dimensional works, jewelry and more.

In addition to the art, the festival will include food, music, and a children’s area with booths of hands-on activities and a stage featuring dance, theater, and other performances. Jodi “Shen” Goldman-Hallford — known as the first female graffiti artist on the West Coast and now based in Nashville — will do art demonstrations in the Arts Alive! tent.

This year’s festival will mark the third time Lagarde Walker will exhibit her paintings as a juried artist. “Each time feels like returning to a place where my roots and my wings meet,” she says.

TheMandevilleCityCouncilis solicitingresumes foranappointment to the MandevilleParks and Parkways Committee. Applicantmusthaveinterestin treesasa majorcomponent of Mandeville’sphysical andaesthetic environmentand cannot be an electedofficial,anemployeeofthe City,ora member of it’s Planning andZoningCommission.

Please send your resume to theattention of:

Mandeville City CouncilClerk 3101 East Causeway Approach Mandeville, LA 70448 or awatts@cityofmandeville.com

Deadline: Friday,December5,2025, 4:00 pm

FROM SHADOWS TO SPOTLIGHT

The St. Tammany Parish social calendar is ﬁlled with important events throughout the year We’ve asked organizers to help us highlight people who work behind the scenes to quietly make our most beloved events successful. We’re calling the feature “From Shadows to Spotlight” and letting

it be a reminder that not only is one of our area’s biggest events coming up, but also to remind readers the tremendous effect one caring person can have on our community Be well!

Like mother, like daughter at 3 Rivers Art Festival

BY JESSICA SAGGIO

Contributing writer

Madison Tripp has been volunteering at Covington’s Three Rivers Art Festival since she was 10 years old. Now, 17 years later, she’s not only still volunteering, but learning to take over the planning of an event that has been a staple in the community all her life.

The now-mom of three is being passed the torch as current organizers look to the next generation to keep the juried art tradition alive for decades to come.

The festival, set to return Nov 15 and 16, will feature 200 juried artists lining the streets of downtown Covington, presenting art in a host of different mediums. The event will also feature live music, food, drinks and a children’s area.

But the logistics of a festival this size are complex and require hours upon hours of work to arrange work Tripp has eagerly taken on while juggling a family and a full-time job.

Tripp volunteers alongside her mom, current Three Rivers Director Sarada Bonnett, as they launch the jury each January This is followed by judging in June, where Bonnett and Tripp work through the 16-some hours of critiques as jurors score each artist. Tripp then helps organize all of those results, sends invitations to the festival and meticulously arranges where artists will set up along Columbia Street. In the days prior, she is out with a measuring tape carefully plotting where booths can be arranged and who will go where. Then there is coordinating merchandising,

food and alcohol vendors, the children’s area and musical performances. At the festival, she will be on site, with a baby strapped to her “putting out ﬁres,” helping artists set up and doing her best to make sure everyone is having a good time.

It’s a big job but one she feels lucky to be a part.

“I feel really blessed and lucky I was chosen to start learning all of this,” said Tripp. “ It brings so much to the community and I love Covington. It’s my favorite place on Earth.”

Tripp, who has also performed at the event for years singing, said the festival is particularly special to her and is something she’s passionate about continuing She has formed many relationships with artists from across the country, and even her own home is ﬁlled with their work.

“A lot of people who started the festival are getting to that age, and it’s important for us to take over and honor what they have done and car-

ry on their love for the arts,” said Tripp “We just love art around here, and I think it’s so important for us to carry that and to keep it alive.”

However, it’s also a family affair for Tripp, who says she has always idolized her mom.

“I’ve always loved planning events, and I always followed my mom’s lead, but however I could spend time with her, that’s where I wanted to be,” she said of how she got involved Now, Tripp is putting her own skills to work, and it’s being noticed Three Rivers Board Member Michele Echols said Tripp is truly amazing “Her commitment and passion make our jobs as a board not only easier, but genuinely enjoyable,” said Echols. “It’s the countless hours she spends behind the scenes planning, coordinating and problem solving that transform the festivals into the incredible experience our community looks forward to every year.”

Andrew Canulette, editor, St. Tammany Farmer

PHOTO BY BOBBY GILBOY

Perennial Three Rivers Art Festival volunteer Madison Tripp has learned what makes Covington’s big art festival work at the side of her mother current fest director Sarada Bonnett. Tripp has volunteered at the festival since she was 10 years of age and learned by listening, watching and doing

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Three Rivers Art Festival poster artist Rachael Lagarde Walker’s largely surrealistic work often features birds as symbols of female strengths, attributes and instincts In the painting used for this year’s poster, she explains the nest as representing the community that this festival builds.

DEW

DROP JAZZ HALL SHOW

WHO: Rev & the Congregation

WHEN: Nov 22, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m; doors open

5:30 p.m.

WHERE: 430 Lamarque St., Mandeville

HOW MUCH: Cost is $10/adult (cash preferred) to enter the grounds; kids and students free No advance tickets sold

WHAT ELSE: Beer, wine, sodas and water (cash only) at the bar Hot plate dinners of fried chicken, fried fish and all the fixins’ sold next door by the First Free Mission Baptist Church (cash preferred).

SEATING: Inside is first come/first serve for about 100, but most people sit outside, so bring a lawn chair. No smoking, ice chests, outside food/drinks or pets are allowed.

PARKING: In the lot across the street or on neighborhood streets — but don’t block driveways.

Rev & the Congregation head to Dew Drop Jazz Hall

BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer

Saxophone virtuoso Roderick “Rev” Paulin and his players often billed as Rev & the Congregation — will bring their spirit of New Orleans to the Dew Drop Jazz Hall in Old Mandeville on Nov 22 with a soulstirring blast of jazz, gospel and funk

The music will “move your feet and lift your heart,” the Dew Drop promises. “The group delivers high-energy performances steeped in the city’s rich musical traditions with a fresh, joyful twist. Every show is a celebration — part revival, part street parade, all groove.”

In addition to blowing his tenor sax and clarinet, Paulin is a bandleader arranger and music educator who learned at the busy feet of his father, Ernest “Doc” Paulin, a trumpeter who spent 70 years as a jazz brass band leader marching, playing, organizing and dispatching brass bands onto New Orleans streets to execute hundreds of marches for funerals, social aid clubs, Carnival groups, celebrations and community events of all kinds.

Roderick and his ﬁve brothers all played with their father, absorbing the music, the traditions, the marching and the tough lessons he taught about personal responsibility (Scuffed shoes got a player sent home, as did tardiness, with clean white shirts

and black pants a must for all.)

Roderick is recognized as a gifted teacher of music at all levels, from his decade on the faculty to the celebrated Louis Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp of New Orleans to his time teaching sax, clarinet and the fundamentals of music. He holds his own degrees in music from Southern University and LSU and is currently enrolled as a third-year doctoral candidate pursuing his Ph.D. in music education at the state’s ﬂagship university See Rev & the Congregation up close and personal at the Dew Drop, and as always, the music starts at 6:30 p.m.

Sunpie Barnes and his Hot Spots will play in

BY SHEILA GRISSETT Contributing writer

Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and his Louisiana Sunspots band will ﬁll Christ Episcopal Church with their distinctive fusion of zydeco, blues, gospel, jazz, Afro-Caribbean and African music on Nov. 16 as the Third Sunday Concert series continues in Covington.

Barnes’ powerful voice and the group’s distinctive sound are part of the rich soundtrack that deﬁnes New Orleans It’s also a sound heard yearly at the city’s most signiﬁcant music venues, including Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival and other major music events inside and outside of Louisiana

But Barnes (born Bruce Barnes) and his band will curate and present a special hour of music for their 5 p.m. concert audience in Covington, and there’s plenty to choose from, having released six albums and played in more than 50 countries across Africa, Europe, Central America and South America. Selections at Christ Episcopal are expected to include “Bunny Bread,” “Irene,” “Trouble In Mind” and “Island Man,” with Barnes on his accordion and harmonica; Matt Hampsey on guitar; Leroy Etienne on drums; and Kerry Lewis on bass. In addition to the music Barnes (who plays more than a half-dozen instruments)

St. Tammany is home to an abundance of farmers markets, each with its own unique ﬂavor. Most even have live music and prepared food to eat on site or or take home

All the markets have some regular vendors, but there are usually a few that join up or drop out from time to time And while vendors always have their specialties, the produce and products change with the growing season and the holiday calendar

It’s a good idea to sign up with your favorite farmers’ markets to get their weekly newsletters; or check individual market websites or Facebook pages to see if they are posting the week’s list of conﬁrmed vendors and products; or simply go and be surprised. It is prudent, however, in the case of inclement or threatening weather, to go online to determine if a particular market is set up to tolerate the rain or closes up shop until things dry out.

The markets listed below are currently available THE PADDOCK FARMERS MARKET AT THE GIDDY UP FOLSOM

n 82292 La. 25, Folsom

n Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

n Live music, local produce, prepared food, local art handcrafted goods n (985) 705-1091; gufolsommarket@gmail. com.

ABITA SPRINGS ART AND FARMERS MARKET

n 22049 Main St. Abita Springs n Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. n Art, food, live music n www.townofabitasprings.com; (985) 8920711.

COVINGTON FARMERS MARKET

n Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, 609 N. Columbia

CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH THIRD SUNDAY CONCERT

WHO: Sunpie Barnes & The Louisiana Sunspots WHAT: A performance of fusion music incorporating their unique blend of zydeco, blues, gospel, jazz, and African and AfroCaribbean music.

WHEN: Nov 16, show 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; doors open 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Christ Episcopal Church, 120 S. New Hampshire, near downtown area HOW MUCH: Free and open to the public. WHAT ELSE: Reception on church campus immediately after the concert for artists and audience members.

MORE: Get additional information by calling (985) 892-3177.

was a college All-American and NFL player; a book author and photographer who currently leads an iconic Mardi Gras Indian tribe in New Orleans and continues his longtime National Park Service employment as a ranger Come to the show for the music — this concert is just the latest concert in the church’s decades-long music ministry — and then meet Barnes and his band members in a reception immediately following the show

St n Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire St.

n Local produce, dairy products, meat poultry seafood, prepared international foods, bakery items, candy and plants n covingtonfarmersmarket.net; (985) 9563715.

MANDEVILLE TRAILHEAD COMMUNITY MARKET

CAMELLIA

FILE PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN

Bruce ‘Sunpie’ Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots performing as part of the Abita Springs Opry.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Roderick ‘Rev’ Paulin

Lakeview

Hospital Project Christmas drive opens Nov. 17

Staff report

On Nov 17, Lakeview Hospital will kick off its three-week drive collecting new unwrapped toys and gifts for area children. The items collected will be handed off for distribution to St. Tammany Project Christmas, a nonproﬁt that provides presents for children and food for family Christmas dinners.

The donations can be dropped off through Dec.

5 in the hospital’s first floor Human Resources office at 95 Judge Tanner Blvd. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday After hours and on weekends, drop them in the first floor Guest Services ofﬁce.

Below is the organization’s suggested gifts.

n Creative and educational items: Art supplies and sets, books, board games, LEGOs, DUPLOs, puzzles, Me Readers, MagnaTiles and building toys;

n Items for active play: Bikes, scooters, ripsticks and sports balls;

n Imaginative play: Kitchen play sets, trucks & cars, dolls & accessories and dress-up clothing;

n Tweens and teens: Jewelry, hair accessories, hair products, nail polish sets, duffel bags, rolling suitcases, pajamas, robes and socks;

n Winter clothing: Coats, hats, scarves, gloves sweatshirts, zip-up jackets and hoodies;

n Toddler gifts: Bath toys, stuffed animals, small handheld toys;

n Electronics and accessories: Headphones and earbuds;

n Gift cards: Old Navy, Ulta, Barnes and Noble, The Grand Movie Theater, Bath and Body Works, iTunes, GameStop, Chick-ﬁl-A, Raising Cane’s, Crumble Cookie, Starbucks and PJ’s Coffee. For more information, call Tiche Bodet at (985) 867-4166.

MUSIC

ÇA C’EST BON: Homegirl and Cajun fiddling phenom Amanda Shaw will fill the intimate Lobby Lounge listening room with a double dose of Cajun culture, stage exuberance and a sound uniquely her own in an “Up Close & Musical” performance on Nov. 20. A fiddle player since childhood, Shaw grew up in New Orleans and the music gumbo of south Louisiana, steeped in fais do-dos on one hand and a jazz-blues-funkrock ‘n’ roll mix on the other. By age 15, Shaw had her first record deal and has since released nine EPs and albums; with her Cute Boys band, has performed far beyond her beloved Louisiana, including tours in North America, South America and Europe; and in 2020, she was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Doors at the Lobby Lounge in Slidell’s Harbor Center open at 6:30 p.m. with music at 7 p.m. Get tickets at Eventbrite; none sold at the door.

MORE CAJUN: The Northshore Cajun Dancers will feature music by Louisiana Hall of Fame ﬁddler Waylon Thibodeaux, the Houma-born and bred musician known in Cajun circles as “Louisiana’s Rockin’ Fiddler,” on Nov. 22 in Abita Springs Town Hall. Never done the two-step? Never tried a Cajun waltz? Never fear. There will be dance instruction at 7 p.m. before Thibodeaux and the band set the old town hall rocking from 7:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. The evening (lessons, music and dancing) costs $12 at 22161 Level St. For more information, call (504) 250 7561.

TRIBUTE: Sixteen-year-old rockabilly and blues tribute artist, musician and singersongwriter Finley Watkins will perform “The King’s Country and Blues Christmas” show on Nov. 21 & 22 at the Cutting Edge Theater, 767 Robert Blvd. in Slidell. The show will feature a high-energy mix of country and blues hits, some classic seasonal favorites and perhaps some of Watkins’ original music. Watkins started as a preteen Elvis impersonator and has expanded into tribute performances celebrating Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and more. General admission tickets for the 8 p.m. shows are $35 and VIP seats $45, plus taxes and fees. Get them at cuttingedgetheater.com.; by calling (985) 649-3727; or texting (985) 288-2933.

MUSIC TIME: The First Baptist Church in Covington’s Adult 55+ Young at Heart group invites the public to its Music Lovers Special program and lunch on Nov. 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the church’s Central Hall The morning will feature a variety of musical talent. The cost is $15 by cash or check at the door. Registration and/ or any cancellation is required by noon on Nov. 13 at FBCCOV. org/adults55+

ART

SLIDELL: The Slidell Art League and Slidell Memorial Hospital are exhibiting “Love Happiness & Art” — a juried

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS

St. Tammany Project Christmas, an annual holiday tradition on the northshore, accepts new gifts, toys and gift cards for distribution. Corkern Air Conditioning,Heating and Electric

show featuring the work of regional artists — at the hospital through Dec. 2 for the pleasure of patients, their families, the medical staff and visitors.

ATRIUM: Contemporary Louisiana artist Pamela Sills is exhibiting in the Atrium Gallery near Covington her “Joie de Vivre” show depicting Louisiana landscapes and botanicals in impressionisticﬂavored oils on canvas. The exhibition will hang through Jan. 3 in the Atrium Gallery in the Christwood residential community complex at 100 Christwood Blvd., where it is open to the public for viewing, also at no charge, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

STTA: Michael Guidry’s exhibition in the Art House in downtown Covington continues through Dec. 20. This New Orleans artist creates vibrant, layered works, drawing from the rich landscapes and waterways of South Louisiana, his imagination, myth and a dose of whimsy. His paintings push into contemporary terrain through bold color, experimentation with materials and narrative symbolism.

THEATER

TUNA MELT: The annual Christmas Yard Display Contest in the small town of Tuna, Texas, is on the verge of a meltdown in “A Tuna Christmas” at the Cutting Edge Theater, 767 Robert Blvd. in Slidell. Something’s wrong in Tuna, a place so conservative that its residents believe Patsy Cline is still alive. There’s a mysterious Christmas Phantom vandalizing yard decor and threatening to throw the current contest into turmoil. Come spend the holidays in Tuna 24 hours before Christmas; residents are trying to cope with a disastrous Christmas Carol pageant and someone is sabotaging Christmas yard decor. But the best part? A pair of experienced local

— Michael Tanner and Daniel Mack — will play each of Tuna’s 22 eccentric residents grappling with (or creating) the problems. This satirical look at the workings of a small town at Christmas is guaranteed to inject audience members with an early shot of the Christmas spirit. Shows Nov. 14-16; 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets $35-$45 at cuttingedgetheater.com.

COMMUNITY GUMBO

T’GIVING: Noon on Nov. 24 is the deadline to place an order to receive a turkeywith-all-the-trimmings meal prepared by Slidell’s annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner volunteers. Meals can be delivered, picked up or

enjoyed communally at the church — so long as it is reserved and conﬁrmed before the deadline. Request a meal by calling (985) 690-3460 or emailing slidellthanksgiving@ gmail.com and providing all required details. Anyone 16 years or older is also invited to volunteer to help by signing up as soon as possible at www.aldersgate-slidell.org.

ROADEO: The American Public Works Association Northshore Branch is holding a heavy equipment “roadeo” Nov. 21 at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Large machinery drivers will compete by maneuvering a backhoe, mini-excavator, skidsteer (bobcat) and ZTR

actors

PHOTO BY MATT DOBBINS

Fiddler Amanda Shaw

Waylon Thibodeaux

FILE PHOTO

METRO SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP

Eric Ring of Pope John Paul II High School, swims the boys’ 500-yard freestyle during the Metro Swimming Championships Meet on Nov. 8.

ä Story, photos. PAGE 14B STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA

GERMER

LHSAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS BREAKDOWN

Joseph Halm

It’s playoff time in Louisiana, and St. Tammany Parish will be well represented when the football postseason begins this week.

Nine St. Tammany teams are headed to the postseason. Three teams will be at home in the ﬁrst round Five teams will be on the road, and Lakeshore will enjoy a ﬁrst-round bye in Division II nonselect.

Below are outlooks and recent histories for all nine playoff teams from St. Tammany Parish. DIVISION I NONSELECT

Mandeville (6-4)

SEED: 18 (travels to No. 15

Thibodaux)

2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS: Mandeville was the 5 seed, defeating (28) Thibodaux, 31-16, in the ﬁrst round; before falling to (21) West Monroe, 20-9, in the second round.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Mandeville has never won a state title.

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE

SEASONS: 4-2.

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEA-

SONS: Semiﬁnals in 2023.

NOTABLE: The Skippers opened with a 38-25 home win over Salmen, but third-year starting QB Ben Hendricks suffered a season-ending injury. … The injury forced freshman Krew Collura under center a year early, and the Skippers struggled as they searched for a new identity on offense. … Mandeville seemingly took a huge step forward with a 26-9 road win over Covington to open District 6-5A play in Week 6. … But Mandeville fell at Hammond, 20-17, the following week to even their district record. … The Skippers and

Craig Jones gets win No. 100 on ﬁeld where he learned the game

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

Mandeville coach Craig Jones knew the moment was coming.

As the clock ticked down on the Skippers’ 42-20 win over Fontainebleau in the regularseason ﬁnale, the victory represented many things.

Jones

First, it assured that the Skippers would be playing in the postseason. Second, it meant the home crowd would see another victory at Sidney Theriot Stadium, where the Skippers were a perfect 5-0 in 2025. But it also meant that the 44-year-old Jones had hit a special milestone in his 13th season it was win No. 100 in his career

“You want to focus on your opponent, and you want your kids to stay focused, so it’s not even been a topic of conversation with the kids,” Jones said earlier in the week.

Now his face was plastered on Mandeville’s video board as his players gave him an ice water shower in celebration of the milestone.

“I think it is one of those records or stats where it is clearly not an individual thing,” Jones said. “That’s a long period of time with some really good coaches and some really good players, who I have had the opportunity and the luck to be able to work with and to coach with.”

Jones, a 1999 Mandeville graduate and three-year varsity player, got his ﬁrst coaching experience with the Skippers in 2001 as a volunteer assistant while still in college. He was hired as a teacher in 2005 and continued to coach at Mandeville through the 2010 season. Then, he moved to Lakeshore, where he spent nine seasons as head coach, compiling a 71-35 record, including a Class 4A state runner-up ﬁnish in 2017

Jones returned home as he was named Mandeville’s head coach on May 18, 2022

Now in his fourth season, he celebrated a special milestone on the same ﬁeld where he developed a love of the sport and eventually coaching.

“Obviously, I loved to play,” Jones said. I knew I wasn’t going to go play in college. Originally, I went to college to do sports broadcasting, and I realized that I didn’t really want it to be my job. I wanted to be involved in a different way, so I started

Collura grew from that experience as Mandeville won two of its ﬁnal three games to close out the regular season and secure a postseason berth.

OUTLOOK: Mandeville has averaged 31 points over its last last three games. Collura has looked more and more comfortable under center as the offense has grown. At the same time, the defense has played well and continued to put more and more pressure on opposing teams. That’s a good sign for a relatively young team. The Skippers seem to be peaking at the right time and will be a tough out.

PREDICTION: The Skippers will pull off a road upset in the ﬁrst round before falling at Neville in the second round.

Salmen (6-4)

SEED: 20 (travels to No. 13 Zachary) 2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS: Salmen was the 26 seed, falling to (7) Northwood-Shreveport, 54-27, in the ﬁrst

round.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Salmen has won three state titles (1994, 1995, 2000). PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE

SEASONS: 1-4.

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Second round in 2023.

NOTABLE: Just like a year ago, the Spartans dropped their ﬁrst two games of the season to Mandeville and East Ascension, but this time, the scores were much closer. It was a good sign for the rest of the season. … Salmen reeled off three straight wins after that including an impressive 35-28 home victory over Lakeshore in Week 5. … District 7-5A play was a wild ride as Salmen fell 31-28 to Northshore in the district opener in Week 6, only to rebound with wins over Fontainebleau (32-7) and Slidell (35-21). … Those victories set up a Week 10 showdown with defending district champion Chalmette. The Spartans scored 14 points in the ﬁnal two minutes to

earn a thrilling 28-24 victory and a share of the district crown.

OUTLOOK: Salmen seems to have a found a little magic in the second half of the season. Junior QB Da’John Howard has been impressive with both his passing and running ability, and

St. Paul’s runs over

Covington, 34-14

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

St. Paul’s coach Kenny Sears said his team had a singular offensive focus against District 6-5A rival Covington — run the ball. The Wolves did that in spades, racking up 307 yards rushing, to secure a third straight undefeated district title with a 34-14 victory on Nov 7 at Hunter Stadium.

“We did what we do best, and that’s run the football,” Sears said. “We wanted to wear them down in the second half We knew they were really good on defense, but we liked our game plan.

And we made some good adjustments at halftime. We wanted an undefeated district title, and we wanted to go into the playoffs on a high note.”

The victory was also their third straight in the Battle for the Little Brown Jug, a series that dates back to 1935.

Leading 13-7 at halftime, the Wolves (8-2, 4-0) set the tone on the opening drive of the second half as Troy Willis returned the kickoff to midﬁeld. Cody Corales scored on a 43-yard run on the third play of the half for a 20-7 lead, but the Lions could not go away Braeshun Weary took a screen pass 67 yards for a score to cut the lead to 20-13, but the Wolves’ offense continued

to grind on the Lions. St. Paul’s junior quarterback Brady Pierson connected with senior Brennan Villa for an 11yard TD catch to push the lead to 27-13.

After a Christian Martin interception, Pierson scored on a 5-yard run with 9:27 left to put the game out of reach.

“It feels awesome, especially my ﬁrst year starting,” Pierson said. “It was a big win tonight because we knew they would give it their all. We faced some adversity in the ﬁrst half, but we came out in the second half and put it to them. We knew we could run the ball, and we just dominated.”

Six local volleyball teams are headed to Lafayette

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

Led by defending state champions Slidell and Northlake Christian, six St. Tammany Parish volleyball teams are headed to the Cajundome this week to compete in the LHSAA state tournament. On Thursday all six teams will play in the quarterﬁnals, and those who advance will play in the semiﬁnals on Friday The championship matches begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday

Who has the best chance to move on, and how did they get here? We take a look at where

PHOTO BY MATT DOBBINS

Northshore’s Riley Porter, left, and Hannan’s Bailey Bevolo battle for a ball at the net on Sept 9.

PHOTO BY JOEY MICHEL

St Paul’s junior Adam Connell finds some running room against Covington on Nov. 7.

since 2018 and 2019.

PLAYOFFS

has won two state titles (1944, 1945).

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 1-3

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Second round in 2022.

NOTABLE: After managing just two wins during the 2024 season, the Tigers opened the 2025 season with three wins in their ﬁrst four games including a dominating 28-14 home victory over Mandeville in Week 4

The Tigers struggled a bit over their next four games with three losses including a 35-21 defeat at home to District 7-5A rival Salmen in Week 8. Slidell showed its resolve over the ﬁnal two weeks as the Tigers earned a 36-28 overtime win at Chalmette in Week 9, and followed that up with a 42-3 dismantling of Northshore to lock up a share of the District 7-5A title.

OUTLOOK: Slidell grew up a lot this season. The Tigers are guaranteed a winning record after ﬁnishing with just two wins last year. It’s been fun to watch what is still a relatively young team ﬁnd its way to a district title. Junior running back Ja’Kwan Jones is a difference-maker on an offense full of talent, and the defense has improved from its earlyseason struggles. Slidell is a dangerous team

PREDICTION: The Tigers will lose a close ﬁrstround game on the road.

Covington (6-4)

SEED: 27 (travels to No. 6 Parkway) 2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS:

Covington was the 16 seed, defeating (17) Barbe, 36-29, in the ﬁrst round; before falling to (1) Neville, 44-13, in the second round.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Covington has won one state title (1976).

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 1-4

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Second round in 2024.

NOTABLE: The Lions opened the season with a 4-1 record, capped by a 28-7 win at Fontainebleau before District 6-5A play began. Covington outscored their opponents, 171-56, over those ﬁve games. … Covington suffered its second loss in Week 6 against Mandeville as the Lions fell 26-9 in the District 6-5A opener for both teams. It was a see-saw season from that point forward as Covington scored back-to-back wins over Slidell (28-7) and Hammond (25-14) before dropping its ﬁnal two games to Ponchatoula (24-14) and St. Paul’s (34-14) to end the regular season.

OUTLOOK: Covington’s season has been a rollercoaster to say the least. When the Lions are good, they are very solid, but when mistakes, both mental and physical, creep into their play, they struggle. After averaging 34 points per game through the first half of the season, the offense bogged down, averaging just half of that over the final five games. The Lions simply can’t overcome mental mistakes or penalties that put them behind the chains as the defense has spent too much time on the field in the second half of the season. If Covington has any hope of making a run, it will take a disciplined effort on both sides of ball to pull off a first-round upset.

PREDICTION: The Lions will fall on the road in the ﬁrst round.

DIVISION I SELECT

St. Paul’s (8-2)

SEED: 9 (hosts No. 24 Pineville)

2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS: St. Paul’s was the 7 seed, falling to (10) C.E. Byrd, 37-15, in the second round. STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS:

St. Paul’s has never won a state title.

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 3-5

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Semiﬁnals in 2021.

NOTABLE: This is the 23nd consecutive season the Wolves ﬁnished the regular season with a non-losing record. … St. Paul’s weathered a tough pre-district schedule that included tight losses to Brother Martin and University High. … The Wolves reeled off ﬁve straight victories to end

the regular season by a combined score of 18974. … The Wolves locked up the District 6-5A title with a 31-24 victory over Mandeville in Week 9. … St. Paul’s secured its 19th consecutive district win and third straight undefeated district title with a 34-14 victory over Covington in Week 10 in the Battle for the Little Brown Jug.

OUTLOOK: St. Paul’s has scored 30 or more points in each of its last ﬁve games, and the Wolves are averaging 34 points per game overall. Most importantly, St. Paul’s has found its identity as a ground and pound offense led by senior running back Cody Corales, who now has over 1,400 yards and 17 TDs on the season. He’s a huge weapon to have, and the defense is coming into its own. The Wolves are playing complimentary football at the right time, and if that continues, St. Paul’s can compete against anyone.

PREDICTION: St. Paul’s will win its ﬁrst-round game at Hunter Stadium before falling on the road in a close second-round contest at Evangel.

DIVISION II

NONSELECT

Lakeshore (8-2)

SEED: 4 (ﬁrst-round bye)

2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS: Lakeshore was the 8 seed, defeating (25) Rayne, 48-12, in the ﬁrst round; knocking off (9) Iota, 17-10, in the second round before falling to (1) Franklinton, 41-40, in the quarterﬁnals.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Lakeshore has never won a state title.

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 5-5.

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Quarterﬁnals in 2024.

NOTABLE: Lakeshore opened the season on a 4-game win streak, outscoring its opponents 128-40. … The Titans stumbled against Salmen as the Spartans turned three fumbles into 21 points en route to a 35-28 defeat in Week 5. … Lakeshore opened District 7-4A play with a 41-27 home victory over Franklinton, who knocked the Titans out of the quarterfinals last season … Lakeshore carried that momentum to three more district wins by a combined score of 122-34 to lock up an undefeated district title, their first since 2022. … The Titans dropped the regular-season finale 28-21 against Class 5A Hahnville.

OUTLOOK: The Titans have been the most consistent team in the parish this season. When they hold on to the ball and take advantage of their scoring chances, they are tough to beat. Mid-season injuries showed this team’s toughness as the Titans adjusted and were still successful. Junior QB Brody Loudermilk has grown into the position but Lakeshore will need to vary the offense a bit to have success deeper in the playoffs. The Titans have all the tools for a deep run, but they need to play clean football to achieve their goals.

PREDICTION: The Titans will make their ﬁrst semiﬁnals run since 2019 before falling on the road at top-seeded North Caddo.

Pearl River (4-5)

SEED: 14 (hosts No. 19 Opelousas) 2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS: Pearl River was the 15 seed, losing to (18) Cecilia, 50-29, in the ﬁrst round. STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Pearl River has never won a state title.

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 0-5. BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: First round in 2020-24.

NOTABLE: The Rebels started the season with a 30-20 road win at St Martin’s to give first-year coach Jerry Leonard his first win after an 8-year hiatus from coaching. … Pearl River dropped five of its next six games as injuries especially on the offensive and defensive lines reeked havoc on the team’s offense. … The Rebels stayed the course and finished the season with back-to-back wins over Pope John Paul II (35-21) and Loranger (41-20) as the ground game took over. … The late surge means that the Rebels will play in the postseason for the 10th consecutive season and will host a home playoff game in back-to-back seasons for the first time

OUTLOOK: The Rebels have seemingly righted the ship in the ﬁnal two games of the season. Injuries up front have been the story of the season, but to Pearl River’s credit, they have not made excuses for the adversity. Players and coaches went to work on solutions, and Pearl River is averaging 371 yards rushing in its last two victories. That is winning football. Now, they have a chance to win their ﬁrst playoff game since 2018.

PREDICTION: The Rebels will win a ﬁrst-round playoff game at home before falling on the road in the second round at Belle Chasse.

DIVISION III SELECT

Northlake Christian (6-3)

SEED: 12 (hosts No. 21 St. Louis Catholic)

2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS: Northlake was the 10 seed, defeating (23) St. Louis Catholic, 48-16, in the ﬁrst round; before falling to (7) CatholicNI, 59-22, in the second round.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Wolverines have never won a state title.

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 2-4. BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Second round in 2022 & 2024.

NOTABLE: The Wolverines stumbled out of the gates losing 14-13 at Hannan to open the season. … After a convincing 37-20 win at Episcopal in Week 2, NCS dropped to 1-2 with a tough 28-8 home loss to Lakeshore in Week 4. …

Then, Northlake caught ﬁre and reeled off four straight victories by a combined score of 161-7.

… The hot streak was snapped by St. Helena in Week 9 as the Hawks earned a 30-24 victory that eventually led to the district crown. The Wolverines bounced back with a commanding 57-15 win over Independence in Week 10 to lock up a home playoff game.

OUTLOOK: Northlake has plenty of talent highlighted by senior skill players Kameron Casnave, Charlie Gilmore and Jordan Willis. That trio is special in terms of skill and speed on both sides of the ball. They are hard to defend on offense, and Gilmore and Willis are ballhawks in the secondary. The X-factor for NCS is the play of senior QB Sam Grant along with the offensive and defensive lines. If the Wolverines can control the line of scrimmage, they are hard to beat.

PREDICTION: Northlake will win a ﬁrst-round home playoff game before falling on the road in the second round at Dunham.

Pope John Paul II (5-5)

SEED: 19 (travels to No. 14 Slaughter Community Charter)

2024 PLAYOFF RESULTS:

The Jaguars were the 11 seed, defeating (22) Holy Savior Menard, 39-14, in the ﬁrst round; before falling to (6) Episcopal, 24-7, in the second round.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS:

The Jaguars have never won a state title.

PLAYOFF RECORD THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: 1-3.

BEST FINISH THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: Second round in 2024.

NOTABLE: The Jaguars opened the season with tough losses to Pearl River Central (34-16) and Riverdale (36-14) sandwiched around a 50-6 domination of Varnado in Week 2. … PJP II reeled off three straight wins after that by a combined score of 126-25. … But the Jaguars stumbled down the stretch as they dropped three of their last four games. It all started with a 14-0 district loss to Northlake Christian in Week 7. … After a 40-8 rebound win over Independence in Week 8, the Jaguars lost to Pearl River (35-21) and St. Helena (34-24) en route to a road playoff game.

OUTLOOK: Coming off a season where they won a playoff game for the ﬁrst time since 2011, the Jaguars had plans to host another postseason contest this season, but it was not to be. Senior running back Dominik Smith has been dynamic, but PJP II will need to develop other offensive threats if they want to make a postseason run. The talent is there, but the Jaguars have to play a clean game if they want to advance.

PREDICTION: PJP II will win on the road in the ﬁrst round before falling

Rebels run by Loranger, 41-20

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

Through seven games, the Pearl River football team had managed just two victories. However, the Rebels kept their heads down and went to work to improve, despite mounting injuries. Pearl River turned to two seniors — running back Gage Durand and quarterback Brayden Hutchison to carry the load on offense.

That duo rolled up 338 of the Rebels’ 416 yards on the ground as Pearl River earned a 41-20 District 7-4A victory over Loranger on Nov 6. “With all our injuries, a lot of kids stepped up tonight,” Pearl River first-year coach Jerry Leonard said. “We played with a lot of heart and toughness against a very good football team.”

Hutchison rushed for 177 yards and a score on 16 carries, while Durand ran 21 times for 161 yards and 3 TDs. Andrew Sikes carried it four times for 40 yards and a TD, and Angel Perez had a 37-yard TD run. Pearl River had five runs of 25 yards or more. With their second straight win, the Rebels (4-5, 2-2) locked up a home playoff game for the second straight season. No. 14 Pearl River will host No 19 Opelousas in the first roun Loranger (4-6, 1-3) scored first on a 68-yard TD pass midway through the first quarter The Rebels answered quickly as Durand scored on a 4-yard TD run to tie the game at 7. Pearl River sophomore Ja’ty Maryland picked off a pass near midfield on the ensuing Wolves’ drive and returned it to the Loranger 35. Durand scored on a 1-yard run for a 14-7 lead early in

the second quarter After a Rebels’ defensive stop, Ryan Dean returned a punt 35 yards into Loranger territory Perez scored on a 37-yard reverse, and Hutchison added a 16yard TD run for a 28-7 halftime lead.

The Rebels continued that momentum into the third quarter as Durand scored on a 9-yard TD run — his third of the game — to take an insurmountable 35-7 lead late in the third quarter Sikes added a 28-yard TD run in the ﬁnal seconds of the third quarter as the Rebels would eventually kneel out the victory Defensively Hutchison, who averaged 43 yards on four punts, had six solo tackles and two assists. Dakota Johnson had two solo tackles, four assists, a PBU and a fumble recovery Charlie Rickoll added four solo stops and two assists.

St. Paul’s takes the top spot

With the regular season officially in the books, this will be our final Farmer 5 football rankings. A total of nine St. Tammany teams made the playoffs. Three of those teams will host in the first round, while Lakeshore earned a first-round bye. Check out our final Farmer Football 5 rankings.

FARMER FOOTBALL 5

1 | St.Paul’s | 8-2,4-0 (Last week: 2)

St. Paul’s made it 19 straight District 6-5A victories with Friday’s 34-14 win over Covington It was also the Wolves’ third straight win in the Battle for the Little Brown Jug. The most impressive thing about the Wolves’ third straight District 6-5A title is that it seems like they have found their identity on offense. St. Paul’s is a downhill running team, and they took over the game against Covington with their offensive line. Cody Corales, Adam Connell and quarterback Brady Pierson were effective and ran hard. The defense played well after a sluggish ﬁrst quarter, so it seems like the Wolves are peaking at the right time as they welcome No. 24 Pineville to Hunter Stadium in the ﬁrst round of the playoffs

2 | Lakeshore | 8-2,4-0 (Last week: 1)

The Titans competed well against a tough Class 5A Hahnville team, but mistakes in key situations proved to be too much to overcome. The good news is that Lakeshore earned a ﬁrst-round playoff bye, which will serve the team well as they try to heal up a bit. The Titans have the ability to make a run in the Division II nonselect bracket, but they need two things to happen — ﬁrst, they

ST. PAUL’S

Continued from page 1B

Pierson ﬁnished with 81 yards rushing on nine carries, while Corales ran for 122 yards and two TDs on 11 carries. Junior Adam Connell added 60 yards and a score on seven carries.

Defensively, senior linebacker Brett West recorded a pair of late sacks to seal the victory

“They ran a spread offense, but we adjusted to that pretty well,” West said. “We put pressure on them and it deﬁnitely went well. We struggled a little in the ﬁrst quarter, but we came back together and finished as brothers. This feels good.”

For Covington (6-4, 1-3), junior QB Matthew Fussell was 11-of-19 passing for 169 yards with two TDs and an interception. Mason Cryer hauled in a ﬁrst-half scoring catch.

“I thought (St. Paul’s) did a really good job up front,” Covington coach Greg Salter said.

need to ﬁnd a little more balance on offense and second, they must clean up their mistakes. After a season ﬁlled with adversity the Titans have proved they are certainly up to the challenge.

3 | Mandeville | 6-4,2-2 (Last week: 3) Freshman quarterback Krew Collura keeps improving while the defense turned in its best performance of the season against Fontainebleau. The Skippers will be a tough draw in the ﬁrst round at No. 15 Thibodaux It’s a testament to Craig Jones and his staff. Mandeville learned from its Week 8 loss at Hammond and improved. The future is bright for a relatively young team with a ton of talent.

4 | Slidell | 6-4,3-1 (Last week: 4)

The Tigers earned a share of the District 7-5A crown for the ﬁrst time since 2022 and guaranteed themselves a winning record after managing just two wins last year That’s quite the turnaround for second-year coach Damon Page although it was not entirely unexpected The Tigers will be on the road in the ﬁrst round of the playoffs at Hahnville, and they will be a tough out.

5 | Salmen | 6-4,3-1 (Last week: NR)

After fading down the stretch last season, the Spartans won three of their last four games this year They needed a little Salmen magic to rally from 10 points down to Chalmette, and senior quarterback Da’John Howard was happy to provide that spark. Now, the co-District 7-5A champions are looking for a ﬁrst-round playoff upset at Zachary

Contact Joseph Halm at jhalm@ sttammanyfarmer.net.

“Their offensive line controlled the second quarter and the third quarter We made some mistakes and couldn’t get off the ﬁeld. We just couldn’t make the play when we had a chance to get off the ﬁeld. You can’t do that against good teams.”

The Lions dominated the time of possession in the ﬁrst quarter but untimely penalties killed both drives as the Wolves used two second-quarter touchdowns to take a 13-7 halftime lead.

St. Paul’s ran just 11 offensive plays in the ﬁrst quarter, but the Wolves scored ﬁrst on a 38-yard Corales TD run just over a minute into the second quarter for a 7-0 lead. Corales’ score was set up by a bruising 22-yard Connell run. Connell scored on the ensuing drive on a 7-yard TD run to take a 13-0 lead with just over three minutes left in the half.

The Lions answered by driving 80 yards in 2:21, capped by a leaping 6-yard Cryer TD catch as Covington pulled to within a score. SCORE BY

SCORING SUMMARY

QUARTER No scoring SECOND QUARTER SPS: Cody Corales 38 run (Carter Pierson kick), 10:42, 0-7 SPS: Adam Connell 7 run (kick failed), 2:51, 0-13

CHS: Mason Cryer 6 pass from Matthew Fussell (Jackson Aleman kick), 0:30, 7-13 THIRD QUARTER SPS: Corales 43 run (Carter Pierson kick), 10:21, 7-20

CHS: Braeshun Weary 67 pass from Fussell (Aleman kick), 5:49, 14-20

SPS: Brennan Villa 11 pass from Brady Pierson (Carter Pierson kick), 2:17, 14-27 FOURTH QUARTER SPS: Brady Pierson 5 run (Carter Pierson kick), 9:27, 14-34

STATISTICS COVINGTON: 375 total yards (217 pass, 158 rush)

RUSHING: Jake Pompa, 9-34; Rodney Clark, 4-26; Matthew Fussell, 11-95.

RECEIVING: Jiwaun Brock, 5-69; Braeshun Weary, 3-77, TD; Mason Cryer, 2-24, TD. PASSING: Matthew Fussell, 11-19, 169 yards, 2 TDs, INT; Andrew Reynolds, 3-3, 26 yards; Brady Graham, 1-1, 22 yards. ST. PAUL’S: 350 total yards (43 pass, 307 rush)

RUSHING: Cody Corales, 11-122, 2 TDs; Adam Connell, 7-60, TD; Brady Pierson, 9-81, TD

RECEIVING: Brennan Villa, 2-24, TD; Connell, 1-15, Troy Willis, 1-5.

PASSING: Pierson, 5-7, 43 yards, TD

Mandeville’s Berglund, Northshore’s Keene claim regional cross-country titles

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

The cross-country season is winding down, and St. Tammany Parish was well represented at various regional meets last week. Mandeville senior Brayden Berglund and Northshore’s Grace Keene took home individual titles at the LHSAA Division I, Region 3 match at City Park on Nov 7. Berglund posted a time of 15 minutes, 50.96 seconds to best Jesuit’s Andrew Nimmo by nearly eight seconds. The Skippers ﬁnished third as a team behind regional champion Brother Martin and Jesuit. St. Paul’s, Northshore, Slidell and Fontainebleau finished fourth through seventh to claim team spots at the LHSAA State Championship meet. Other Top 15 boys finishers from St. Tammany included Fontainebleau junior John Krennerich (16:40.44, ninth place), St. Paul’s senior Callahan Arch (16:51.59, 12th place) and Mandeville sophomore Maxwell Newman (16:56.06, 13th place).

On the girls’ side, Keene continued her stellar season by taking the individual title with a time of 18:33.24. Keene, who won the regional title last year, has now finished either first or second in each of her races this season Northshore senior Emelia Hope was third (20:14.43) as the Panthers, who won their ﬁrst district title in over 20 years, finished second as a team behind Mount Carmel. There are three other St. Tammany finishers in the Top 10, including Mandeville senior Genevieve Blanc (21:14.07, seventh place), Slidell senior Grace Williams (21:22.32, eighth place) and Covington freshman Amelia Brouillette (21:22.6, ninth place). Mandeville, Covington and Slidell finished fourth through sixth, respectively, to qualify for the state meet. Division II

Joseph Halm

QB Collura shines as Mandeville rolls

BY TREASURE WASHINGTON

Contributing

writer

Craig Jones’ 100th victory as a head coach isn’t about him by any means. It’s about all the players and coaches that have been an even greater part of this accomplishment.

The Mandeville football team is already focused on the District I nonselect postseason as the Skippers want to continue showing what they’re made of in the ﬁrst round.

Mandeville will get a chance to do that after the Skippers earned a 42-20 nondistrict victory over Fontainebleau on Nov. 7 at Sidney Theriot Stadium behind four touchdown passes from freshman Krew Collura.

“They’ve earned the right to be (in the postseason) to have an opportunity to continue their season another week,” Jones said. “Everybody puts it on the line next Friday We’re going to have to ﬁnd a way to see if we can extend our season another week after that.”

Two of Collura’s TD pass went to junior Luke Demelo, while the Mandeville defense swarmed the backﬁeld and created takeaways. But for the Skippers to make a postseason run, limiting their miscues will be critical.

Following a Collura interception right before the end of the half, Fontainebleau made it a one-possession contest just three plays later when sophomore Sawyer Shane went up the middle for a 1-yard TD run. The Skippers fumbled away the ball earlier in the half as well, and the Bulldogs even extended a drive following a Mandeville roughing the kicker penalty

While the Bulldogs’ 2025 season has come to a close

JONES

Continued from page 1B

following a 2-8 mark, they look to their youth movement to continue trending in the right direction.

“Almost our entire offense is coming back next year Very excited about the future,” Fontainebleau coach John Kavanaugh said But I can’t say enough about this senior group and how they fought to the end. They fought for the team, family, school and coaches. Couldn’t be more proud of that.”

While Collura’s four TDs were the highlight of the night, the Mandeville defense also made with several big plays. Senior defensive linemen Marques Zenon and Chance Grant came up with key tackles for loss against Fontainebleau’s junior QB Logan Astugue. Mandeville senior Dylan Gali also returned an interception 29 yards for a score as the Skippers

volunteering back here I just really fell in love with coaching and working with the kids. I was fortunate to have the opportunity at Lakeshore to serve as the head coach. And now, we’re sitting here 13 years later.”

Jones credited his start in coaching to former Mandeville coach Rodney Corkern, who coached Jones as a player and gave him his ﬁrst assistant position. He was later an assistant under Guy LeCompte and coached under Larry Route at Lakeshore before tak-

turned an early deﬁcit into a 21-7 second-quarter lead.

“It was good to know that big plays like that are going to help, and we’re able to do them,” Gali said of the pick six. “We’re going to need more plays like that if we want to go far in the playoffs.”

The Skippers will travel in the first round of the postseason, but they were able to finish give their home fans a perfect 5-0 record at home. Celebrating a special coaching milestone wasn’t too shabby, either

“We know how good we can be, but we’ve just got to clean up those little things,” Collura said. “The postseason, it’s completely different from the regular season. Those little things can cost us a whole game.”

SCORE BY QUARTERS

FONTAINEBLEAU | 7 |

ing over as the Titans’ head coach in 2014.

“The more people you coach under, you get different ideas, and you see what you like and don’t like,” Jones said. “When I got the opportunity to run a program myself, I had some different things to look back on. It’s deﬁnitely been a learning process.”

One hallmark of Jones’ staff has been its family focus. A large portion of his current coaching staff has been together since 2016. Those coaches include brothers, Andrew and Richard Guillot, along with Zach Vicknair Paul Beebe and Jones’ brother, Matthew Zach’s brother, Jordan, joined the staff in 2017.

Covington volleyball wins ﬁrst playoff match since 2012

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

Covington fourth-year volleyball coach Brennon Coker knew his team had a chance as the Lions traveled to 14th-seeded Lafayette on Nov 5. Unlike in years past, the 19thseeded Lions entered the playoffs on a hot streak, having won eight of their ﬁnal nine matches.

“The goal of this senior class was to get the playoff win that they have been working for the last three years,” Coker said. “The season was up and down, but I think we picked up the momentum toward the end. We were on the rise going into the playoffs. They believed that they could do this, and they did.” Covington dropped the first set in extra points but rallied for a 24-26, 25-18, 25-18, 25-11 Division I firstround playoff win, the school’s first since 2012.

“It was awesome,” Coker said. “That was our ﬁrst playoff win for Covington High volleyball since 2012. That’s phenomenal We knew if we could pass well and lock in mentally, that we’re tough to beat

The passing was top-tier, and KK (Sharp) showed why she’s going to Southeastern. It was a really special night.”

The Lions also have eight seniors led by Southeastern commitment

Kaelyn “KK” Sharp, who recorded a match-high 16 kills and 16 digs.

Senior setter Peyton Mcbee had 36 assists, and senior libero Marlee Bassetti added 12 digs.

“It was a total team win,” Coker said. “KK might have led in kills, but without her senior setter Peyton Mcbee or her senior libero Marlee Bassetti, it couldn’t have happened.

Our senior middle blocker, Izzy Baham, was lights out. When KK was in the back row, Baham was option No. 1 It was really awesome.”

The Lions (18-22) led for the majority of the ﬁrst set, but they struggled down the stretch in servereceive, putting Covington in a 1-0 hole. The team didn’t blink as Sharp led an impassioned team huddle between sets Covington never looked back en route to its ﬁrst playoff win in over a decade.

The Lions were swept out of the playoffs in the second round by third-seeded Slidell on Nov 8.

Northshore survives 5-set thriller against Mandeville

BY MIKE PERVEL Contributing writer

Whenever Northshore and Mandeville meet on the volleyball court, it is sure to be an entertaining affair Add in the fact that this rendition of the parish rivalry would decide who advanced to the state tournament, and it has all the ingredients to be an instant classic.

Martin (41 assists, 21 digs, six kills, three blocks) delivered two straight points as the Panthers sealed a 15-8 victory

“It was so much fun playing before a great vocal crowd,” Martin said. “The fans were cheering for both sides, and they were loud. It’s great to have such tremendous fan support, especially when the playoffs roll around.”

FIRST QUARTER

FHS: Carter Matherne 32 fumble recovery (Jack Hearn kick), 7:13, 7-0

MHS: Jax O’Quin 3 run (Carson Champagne kick), 0:18, 7-7

SECOND QUARTER

MHS: Luke Demelo 68 pass from Krew Collura (Champagne kick), 8:20, 7-14

MHS: Dylan Gali 29 interception return (Champagne kick), 8:16, 7-21

FHS: Sawyer Shane 1 run (Hearn kick), 0:10, 14-21

THIRD QUARTER

MHS: Connor Konopka 5 pass from Collura (Champagne kick), 9:49 14-28

MHS: Jake Jacketti 8 pass from Collura (Champagne kick), 2:21, 14-35

FOURTH QUARTER

MHS: Demelo 54 pass from Collura (Champagne kick), 11:14, 14-42

FHS: Shane 1 run (conversion failed), 2:23, 20-42

STATISTICS

FONTAINEBLEAU: 181 total yards (29 pass, 152 rush)

RUSHING: Landon Suhre, 9-38; Sheldon Ashmore, 8-32; Conner Tyson, 6-93; Sawyer Shane, 3-5, 2 TDs

RECEIVING: Semaj Whittine, 3-16; Suhre, 2-5. PASSING: Logan Astugue, 7-10, 29 yards, INT

MANDEVILLE: 375 total yards (245 pass, 130 rush)

RUSHING: Will Estep, 10-31; Krew Collura, 6-27; Jax O’Quin, 4-40, TD

RECEIVING: Luke Demelo, 6-153, 2 TDs; Jake Jacketti, 3-23, TD; Landon Lips, 2-50; Connor Konopka, 2-11, TD PASSING: Collura, 14-24, 245 yards 4 TDs, INT

“It’s been a good run with those dudes,” Jones said.

While the wins have been fun, Jones said that coaching has provided him with other rewards as well.

“I would like to say the key to our success mine included is building relationships with the kids and having a lot of trust with the kids,” Jones said. “I love when players come back after they have graduated and tell us how they are doing in college or out of college, and now some of them are married and have kids. I think that is the special part of it. The wins and losses are whatever I think if you do things right, you’ll get more wins than losses.”

TEAMS

Continued from page 1B

winner in the semiﬁnals.

OUTLOOK: The Panthers survived an all-out war in the second round to advance, but that is nothing new. Northshore has played in 11 matches that went the distance this season. That’s a crazy stat. The Panthers are one of the most battle-tested teams in the postseason. Senior setter Emily Martin has been playing at a high level, and it is her ability to control the ﬂow of the game that could be the difference-maker. The Panthers will face a murder’s row of teams at the state tournament, but they are prepared for the challenge.

(8) Fontainebleau (29-15)

ROAD TO THE CAJUNDOME: Defeated (25) Baton Rouge in straight sets in the ﬁrst round and (9) Dutchtown in ﬁve sets in the second round.

WHO’S UP NEXT: (1) Dominican in the quarterﬁnals on Thursday. If they win, they’ll advance to face the (4) St. Joseph’s vs. (5) Northshore winner in the semiﬁnals.

OUTLOOK: The Bulldogs survived an absolute battle against Dutchtown in the second round to advance. Fontainebleau had several people step up as they were playing without senior Marley Lange, who broke her ankle during the last week of the regular season. Lange was an offensive power, so it leaves a huge hole. The Bulldogs embraced the challenge as several underclassmen stepped up, while senior outside hitter Ava Frerman took her game to another level. Fontainebleau will need a total team effort to keep its postseason run alive.

It did not disappoint as the fifth-seeded Panthers survived with a 25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 24-26, 15-8 secondround playoff victory over 12th-seeded Mandeville on Nov 8.

“After a fast start, it ended up being a lot closer than I had hoped, but to our kids’ credit, they continued to battle,”

Northshore coach Danny Davis said. “Both teams played with incredible energy throughout, and the large crowd was fantastic. That’s what high school volleyball playoffs are all about.”

Northshore (29-11) seized the early momentum, taking the ﬁrst two sets by six points each, before the Skippers rallied to force a ﬁfth set.

Northshore junior libero Gracie Schaff reeled off four straight serves as the Panthers took a 5-0 lead in the deciding set.

“I have faith in my serve, so I don’t put any added pressure on myself, regardless of the situation. It’s kind of a mindset to stay locked in when serving,” said Schaff (37 digs).

“I had so much energy, and I had jitters throughout the match. I just had to do my part for my seniors, so we could advance.”

Mandeville sophomore Addison Hunter, who ﬁnished with 10 kills and a matchhigh seven blocks, snapped the service run. Freshman Grace Piattoly and sophomore Soraya Amorajabi (14 kills, six digs, four blocks) recorded back-to-back kills to cut the lead to 6-4, but that was as close as the Skippers would get.

Northshore built a 10-6 lead, and senior setter Emily

DIVISION II

(2) St. Scholastica (27-10)

ROAD TO THE CAJUNDOME: Defeated (31) A.J. Ellender in straight sets in the ﬁrst round and (15) North Vermilion in straight sets in the second round.

WHO’S UP NEXT: (7) Sam Houston in the quarterﬁnals on Thursday. If they win, they’ll advance to face the (3) Academy of Our Lady vs. (6) Teurlings Catholic winner in the semiﬁnals.

OUTLOOK: The Doves are in a prime spot to make their ﬁrst state championship match appearance. This team is very talented and even more battle-tested. How tested you ask? The Doves have played 21 matches against teams in the state quarterﬁnals and boast a 12-9 record. That’s how you get a Top 2 seed — you compete and succeed against the best. There is no reason to think that trend will not continue in Lafayette.

DIVISION III

(2) Hannan (34-10)

ROAD TO THE CAJUNDOME: Defeated (31) Livingston Collegiate in straight sets in the ﬁrst round and (15) Acadiana Renaissance Charter in straight sets in the second round.

WHO’S UP NEXT: (10) Vandebilt Catholic in the quarterﬁnals on Thursday. If they win, they’ll advance to face the (3) Parkview Baptist vs. (6) E.D. White winner in the semiﬁnals.

OUTLOOK: Despite some ups and downs in matches, the Hawks have been steady competitors this season. Yes, the team has made

Davis praised his senior setter: “Emily makes us go, running our offense. She makes timely, smart decisions, knowing when, where and who to set in the ﬂow of the match, which is a big advantage for us.”

Northshore senior outside hitter Kalyssa Tolis recorded a match-high 27 kills. Junior Laynie Guileau contributed 17 digs and 12 kills, while freshman Riley Porter had eight kills and four blocks.

Mandeville sophomore setter Julia Marengo led the way with 40 assists and 14 digs. Junior libero Alyssa Gaudet and Kinsley Windom had 24 and 18 digs, respectively For Mandeville (17-15), it was a bittersweet moment as Skippers’ coach Rachel Schulingkamp coached her final match during a successful nine-year run. Schulingkamp, a member of the 2005 Division I state championship team, was emotional after the match.

“I’m super proud of how my team fought back with their backs against the wall, fighting to the very end. I love the level of respect they have for the game. Stepping away from coaching is extremely tough, but I’ve got so many wonderful memories,” Schulingkamp said. Davis said Schulingkamp will be missed in the coaching ranks.

“I have total respect for Rachel and her coaching ability,” Davis said. “She’ll be sorely missed in our district, and I’ll miss coaching against her.” The Panthers will play fourth-seeded St. Joseph’s in the quarterﬁnals on Nov. 13 at the Cajundome.

things more difﬁcult than Coach Rebekka Bonnaffee would like at times, but they almost always ﬁnd a way. Most importantly, they have never stopped competing. That’s why they are the No. 2 seed after a state runner-up performance last season. Junior setter Josie Pathoumthong surpassed 2,000 career assists while senior libero Avery Lewis eclipsed 1,000 digs. Senior middle hitter Bailey Bevolo is dynamic at the net, and freshman middle Aubrey Ethridge has been a powerful offensive weapon. The Hawks are very good and poised to compete for a state title again.

DIVISION IV

(3) Northlake Christian (27-12) ROAD TO THE CAJUNDOME: Defeated (30) North Caddo in straight sets in the first round and (14) Calvary Baptist in four sets in the second round. WHO’S UP NEXT: (11) Catholic-NI in the quarterfinals on Thursday. If they win, they’ll advance to face the (2) Newman vs. (10) Lafayette Christian winner in the semifinals. OUTLOOK: Stop me if you have heard this one before, Northlake Christian is the No.

PHOTO BY MIKE PERVEL

Mandeville coach Rachel Schulingkamp talks to her team during a timeout on Nov. 8.

PHOTO BY JOE TROMBATORE

Mandeville freshman Krew Collura threw for four TDs against Fontainebleau on Nov. 7.

Slidell locks up share of District 7-5A title

BY MIKE PERVEL Contributing writer

The final football game of the regular season was worth waiting for if you are a Slidell Tiger Slidell saved one of its best and most dominating team performances for Week 10, rolling past Northshore for a 42-3 District 7-5A road victory on Nov 7 to lock up a share of the district title.

Slidell junior Ja’Kwan Jones rushed for 235 yards on 20 carries, scoring on runs of 63, 7, 19 and 2 yards. Jones’ big night started midway through the first quarter as he took a handoff around left end and raced 63 yards to give the Tigers a lead they would not relinquish.

“I just felt right heading into tonight’s big game, knowing a victory would give us a share of the district crown. My O-line did a great job of opening some big holes. The holes were big enough to drive a bus through,” Jones said.

“On my ﬁrst score, Carlos (Flemings Jr.) got a good seal block on the outside, and I made a cut, running out of a tackle and taking it home. We had a solid team effort, both on offense and defense.”

Slidell second-year coach Damon Page said his team’s effort was outstanding.

“Our kids just kept making plays,” he said. “It was a great, well-balanced outing, and I’m extremely proud of what this group has accomplished. They just know how to ﬁnd a way to win.”

Slidell amassed 410 total yards, including 174 through the air, while the defense allowed just one score — a William Lachney 30-yard ﬁeld goal early in the second quarter

Just two minutes after that ﬁeld goal, the Tigers (64, 3-1) started to pull away on Jones’ 6-yard TD run

Slidell put together a late ﬁrst-half drive with Ricky Williams III, entering at quarterback and connecting with Jamar Spencer Jr for a 17-yard TD pass and a 21-3 halftime lead.

Williams, the Tigers’ starting QB for the majority of the season before being replaced by junior Stanley Lange, finished

PHOTO BY MATT DOBBINS

Northshore QB JJ Gonzales is pressured into an errant pass by Slidell’s Javonte Watkins on Nov. 7.

6-for-6 passing for 120 yards and two TDs. His favorite target was senior Carlos Flemings Jr., who finished with six catches for 80 yards, including a 28-yard TD reception Senior middle linebacker Tyler Roberts spearheaded Slidell’s stubborn defense, recording a sack and two tackles for loss.

“Our defense played well,” Roberts said “The D-line did its job, freeing up our linebackers to close on plays. The secondary covered the receivers, keeping everything in front of them. We made some key defensive adjustments at halftime and really shut them down.”

Northshore senior running back Ramon Williams battled through a sprained ankle, finishing with 80 yards rushing on eight carries. Sophomore Justus Carlton ran for 71 yards on 13 carries.

Northshore junior QB JJ Gonzales was harassed and pressured throughout the game, ﬁnishing with 34 yards on 13 carries, while going 4-of-16 passing for 90 yards.

Northshore coach Bobby Sanders said the Panthers (3-7, 2-2) simply couldn’t keep up with Slidell’s offense.

“We knew coming in that it would be a major challenge for us to keep pace with Slidell. They have such talented, speedy athletes, especially at wide receiver, along with their running back who we didn’t have an answer for,” Sanders said.

“Give credit to Slidell’s defense. They stopped our running game. We couldn’t make the plays we needed to, and they seemed to make all the big plays.”

Onside kick turns game as Salmen rallies for 28-24 win

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Obituaries

BY DAVE WOODALL

Contributing writer

Things looked bleak for Salmen. The Spartans trailed District 7-5A rival Chalmette by 10 points with less than ﬁve minutes to play as the district title was on the line. Salmen junior quarterback Da’John Howard scored twice in the ﬁnal 64 seconds as the Spartans rallied for a 28-24 home victory on Nov 7.

“It’s always what we preach to our kids about Spartan magic,” said Salmen coach Eric Chuter

CHALMETTE | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 — 24 SALMEN | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 — 28

SCORING SUMMARY FIRST QUARTER

SAL: Rey’sean Coleman 5 pass from Da’John Howard (Issac Plinski kick), 6:59, 0-7 CHS: Rashawn Bangham 25 pass from Breez Wilson (Tristan Dubose kick), 3:13, 7-7 SECOND QUARTER

CHS: Dubose 23 FG, 7:42, 10-7 SAL: Raheem Scott 42 pass from Howard (Plinski kick), 5:06, 10-14 THIRD QUARTER

CHS: Brandon Booker 5 run (Dubose kick), 2:39, 17-14 FOURTH QUARTER

CHS: Dana Antoine 6 pass from Wilson (Dubose kick), 4:59, 24-14

SAL: Howard 5 run (Plinski kick), 1:04, 24-21

SAL: Howard 23 run (Plinski kick), 0:18, 24-28

STATISTICS CHALMETTE: 254 total yards (96 pass, 158 rush)

RUSHING: Breez Wilson 15-72; Marion White, 2-20; Brandon Booker, 9-45, TD RECEIVING: Jackson Nunez, 3-22; Rashawn Bangham, 1-25, TD; Dana Antoine, 2-17, TD PASSING: Breez, 9-14, 96 yards, 2 TDs.

SALMEN: 333 total yards (226 pass, 107 rush)

RUSHING: Da’John Howard, 12-88, 2 TDs; Jimmy Chanzy, 15-29. RECEIVING: Rey’sean Coleman 5-75, TD; Kashius Sampson, 3-39; Raheem Scott, 4-91, TD PASSING: Howard, 14-24, 107 yards, 2 TDs.

“There is a mojo about this place and about how we need to keep fighting until it’s zero on the clock. We were dead in the water behind by 10 points late in the fourth quarter But we kept fighting and fighting and got the onside kick. Miraculously, I held on to my three timeouts to the end, and they paid off.” With the win, the Spartans (6-4, 3-1) captured a share of the District 7-5A crown with Slidell, but it wasn’t easy Down by 10 points, the Spartans put together an 11-play drive capped off by a 12-yard Howard TD run with only 1:04 left. The Spartans recovered the ensuing onside kick at the Chalmette 40-yard line. Four plays later, with 18 seconds on the clock, Howard raced into the end zone from 23 yards out to secure the dramatic win. “It was a great game,” said Salmen wide receiver Rey’sean Coleman. “Our quarterback and offensive line pushed through in the fourth quarter to win All I can say is that miracles really do happen.” Howard, who threw for two TDs and rushed for two more scores, said the Spartans never stopped ﬁghting. “Even when our team was down and out, it was all about staying in the ﬁght and coming out on top,” he said. “Our special teams gave us the ball back and I was able to execute our offense to get the win. I didn’t know I would get a second chance, but I kept my head in the game and it all worked out.”

Clyde Roger Buras 88, of Lacombe, Louisiana, on the quiet and early Sunday morning of October 19, 2025, while surrounded by his devoted family passed from this temporal life to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ He is now with his people which is who he often said that he wanted to be with. Roger, as he was affectionately known, was a native of Boothville, Louisiana, which he still called "down home," while being a long‐time resident of Lacombe, Louisiana. Roger was a proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in North San Diego County CA, from 1956 to 1958. After his mili‐tary service was com‐pleted, he married Ruth Dennis Roger was the skipper for the crew boats Ava, Cat and Dan B that transported workers to and from offshore oil plat‐forms. Thereafter, he was employed by the Louisiana Department of Transporta‐tion as a navigation locks operator at the Ostrica Locks in Plaquimines Parish He retired as a fore‐man after 20 years of dedi‐cated service Roger was the quintessential family man who deeply loved his family and the solitude of his home He was a stead‐fast Christian who loved studying his Bible, medi‐tating on God's word, and sharing the Gospel with others. He loved God’s beautiful Earth where he spent a lifetime of fishing duck hunting, fur trapping, trawling for shrimp, crab‐bing harvesting oysters, including the cultivation of oyster beds He was profi‐cient at shucking oysters, filleting fish drying and stretching local wildlife hides such as nutria and coons. These efforts were for both personal enjoy‐ment and profit. Many times he mentioned to family how he marveled at the beauty of the night sky above the silent serene waters. His interests were many: gardening, photog‐raphy, music, playing gui‐tar, reading, and sports. His favorite sports were especially boxing and foot‐ball This included watch‐ing the Chiefs and the Saints games with his beloved brother, Harold Buras The watch parties were truly an event he looked forward to every week These events were joyful days filled with com‐panionship and conversa‐tions about exploits from their younger days that brought heartfelt laughter to all Special times for sure Refraining from work was not on Roger’s agenda His strong work ethic was forged during his very early youth Friends and family commented many times on how amaz‐ing his stamina and strength was; like a fully supercharged battery. Even in his later years, he demonstrated more energy and grit than younger gen‐erations that lived around him. A couch potato he was not! His daily life as a retired person was demon‐strated by rising early with the sun to eat a light breakfast and drinking cof‐fee while reading every page of The Times Picayune newspaper His daily projects outside in‐cluded tasks such as mani‐curing his yard using both a push mower and some‐times a riding mower. His manicuring efforts in‐cluded trimming the lawn with a weed eater raking grass clippings and leaves, and burning yard debris. His other odd jobs included tractor work and bush hog‐ging repairing everything from small engines, auto‐motive repairs or what‐ever a friend or family member who needed as‐sistance with would bring him. If that was not enough to tire you out, he also took joy in caring for his chick‐ens and vegetable gar‐dens To relax after a long productive day outdoors, his evening activities in‐cluded faithfully reading his Bible, playing his guitar occasionally, listening to his favorite music, or visit‐ing his favorite Internet news aggregator service, Whatfinger News Addi‐tionally, he loved to cook; his specialties were red beans and pasta soup corned beef stew, and seafood gumbo At the close of the day, he thor‐oughly enjoyed watching old classic black and white and colored movies, in‐cluding silent movies from bygone eras before falling asleep Roger was recog‐nized by many family and friends as a consummate Do-It-Yourselfer and a man

and white and colored movies, in‐cluding silent movies from bygone eras before falling asleep Roger was recog‐nized by many family and friends as a consummate Do-It-Yourselfer and a man of many talents There was little he could not accom‐plish and was in large part a self-taught man who was always learning something new. In summary Roger was a man of honorable character who was not only a man of sincere faith but was a great provider for his family He was a loving and devoted hus‐band father grandfather great-grandfather, and uncle Likewise, he was a trusted friend to all those who knew and respected him. An "old school" hard‐working homebody, Roger loved to be outdoors. He was a person who could be tough on the outside, yet to those who knew him best they knew that he was a softy on the inside He was very giving and generous to a fault, and was always willing to help others to the point where he would do without him‐self Roger was prede‐ceased by his parents Clyde Walter Buras and Irene Marie Chanove Buras; his beloved son Gavin Neal Buras; his sib‐lings: Gerald, Harold, Sylvia Marilyn Cashio Ruby Carpenter Magee, Ralph, Burke and Russell Buras-Wilkes Those he left to cherish his memory is his beloved Ruth Buras; his beautiful children: TashaTammy Lynn Buras, Ve‐randa Robin Buras Daigre‐pont (Gary), Alisa Lori Lee Buras, Veronica Ellen Buras Lewis (Marcus), and Donna Marie Buras He is also sur‐vived by a host of loving and beautiful grandchil‐dren and great-grandchil‐dren His surviving siblings are Evelyn Delrie and Robert Buras Roger's fa‐vorite Bible verse was from the Gospel of John, Chap‐ter 14; Verse 15: “If ye love me keep my command‐ments.” You are missed al‐ready, and will forever be missed and in our memo‐ries Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell, LA.

Patsy Craft Fortenberry, of Slidell, Louisiana passed away peacefully on Octo‐ber 28, 2025. She was 89 years old. Patsy is survived by her daughter Karen de‐Bram (Mike); and her grandchildren, Randy Michael Fortenberry (Melissa), Michael Edward deBram Jr (Brooke), Han‐nah Grace deBram (Was lovingly supported by her late boyfriend, Jeremy), and Chad Joseph GoughFortenberry (Dana). She is also survived by her great grandchildren, Sam Turner Fortenberry Gray Michael Fortenberry, Anna Lisa Fortenberry, Hartlee Grace Latulippe Charlie Rose Lat‐ulippe, Blake Issac deBram, Grahm Randy GoughFortenberry; her sister, Joan Craft Blakney; as well as many nieces and nephews. Patsy was pre‐ceded in death by her hus‐band of 64 years, Lewis Jerry Fortenberry; her son, Randy Michael Forten‐berry; her parents Clarence Craft and Vinnie Jones Craft; her sisters Ro‐marea Craft Melvin, Grace Craft Counts, and Ellouise Craft Cook; her brothers, Joseph Lincoln Craft Jack Dempsey Craft, and Clarence Wilton Craft Patsy married Lewis in 1955. She was a devoted wife mother and grand‐mother She was kind, gen‐tle, and full of love for everyone in her presence She had a way of making everyone feel special whether it was through her warm hugs, her thoughtful words, or the delicious meals she always seemed to have ready. Her cooking brought our family to‐gether No one could make a table feel as full of love as she did Every recipe she made was with care and comfort and every mo‐ment spent with her was a blessing. Though she is no longer with us, her warmth and the memories of her kindness will remain in our hearts forever. Arrange‐ments by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell, LA.

everyone in her presence She had a way of making everyone feel special whether it was through her warm hugs, her thoughtful words, or the delicious meals she always seemed to have ready. Her cooking brought our family to‐gether No one could make a table feel as full of love as she did Every recipe she made was with care and comfort and every mo‐ment spent with her was a blessing. Though she is no longer with us, her warmth and the memories of her kindness will remain in our hearts forever. Arrange‐ments by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell, LA.

Zeb Mayhew, Jr, 82, of Vacherie Louisiana, died peacefully at his second home in Slidell, Louisiana, on October 31, 2025. Born on October 30, 1943 in Venezuela, where his fa‐ther worked for Creole Pe‐troleum he was the son of Zeb and Ruby Odom May‐hew. When his father was promoted to an executive position with Standard Oil of New Jersey in 1953, the family moved to Green‐wich Connecticut where Zeb and his siblings, Jonathan and Sheridan spent their formative years. Zeb attended St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire for four years, from which he grad‐uated in 1962, continuing a four-generation tradition He then attended Tulane University in New Orleans where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and graduated in 1966 with a B.A. degree in Political Sci‐ence. Upon graduation, Zeb began his professional ca‐reer as a Spanish teacher at Metairie Park Country Day School and subse‐quently engaged in the New Orleans commercial real estate business. Throughout his tenure in New Orleans, his affinity for Oak Alley Plantation then owned by his great aunt Josephine “Tita” Stewart and a place of meaningful childhood vis‐its, including spending summers there in his youth, continued to grow He assisted Aunt Tita in in‐formal tours of the historic home, and upon her death in 1972, found himself play‐ing an ever growing role in the management and restoration of the planta‐tion, with the house, its quarter mile alley of oaks, and 25 (later increasing to 63) acres of the 1,200 acre plantation being placed in a nonprofit foundation and opened to the public. Shortly thereafter, Zeb’s role grew into the full-time duties of Executive Direc‐tor of the Oak Alley Foun‐dation, a role he held until his death. Concurrently, his vision for creating a worldrenowned historic destina‐tion extended to building a complementary hospitality business on his adjoining plantation land, a business that he owned and oper‐ated As the Louisiana tourism industry grew, and notably as visitation to the historic plantation homes along River Road in‐creased, the importance of Oak Alley, and Zeb’s vision for preserving and present‐ing its historical signifi‐cance to visitors, ex‐panded into a broader leadership role in Louisiana tourism and eco‐nomic development He worked tirelessly in pro‐moting all of Louisiana’s treasured historic loca‐tions, viewing communal success as critical for all.

His extensive roles, among others, included board ser‐vice on the Louisiana Travel Promotion Associa‐tion (past President), the Louisiana Bed & Breakfast Association (past Presi‐dent), the Vacherie Area Chamber of Commerce (past President) the St James Parish Economic De‐velopment Board, the Greater New Orleans Tourist and Convention Commission, the Louisiana Preservation Alliance, and the River Parish Tourist Commission He was previ‐ously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Louisiana Travel and Tourism Associ‐ation Beyond his profes‐sional pursuits, Zeb was very well known for his wide circle of friends, his loyalty, and his “generous” commitment of his time to discuss any topic, and upon which he always left one with his clear point of view While sometimes his legendary conversational skills might have taken cir‐cuitous routes across innu‐merable topics, there was always some embedded logic, at least to him! That said he cared for everyone in his universe and was generous to a fault in as‐sisting those in need Zeb is survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Debra Daigle Mayhew, and three children: Elizabeth Shelby Mayhew Saer (John), of Greenwich, CT; Zeb May‐

Havingaplaninplacewill easetheburdenonyourloved onesandbeoneofthelast,best giftsyoucangiveyourfamily Takethenextstepandcallus todaytoscheduleyourfree pre-plannningconsultation

tion (past President), the Louisiana Bed & Breakfast Association (past Presi‐dent), the Vacherie Area Chamber of Commerce (past President) the St James Parish Economic De‐velopment Board, the Greater New Orleans Tourist and Convention Commission, the Louisiana Preservation Alliance and the River Parish Tourist Commission He

and his “generous”

any topic, and upon which he always left one with his clear point of view While sometimes his legendary conversational skills might have taken cir‐cuitous routes across innu‐merable topics there was always some embedded logic, at least to him! That said he cared for everyone in his universe and was generous to a fault in as‐sisting those in need Zeb is survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Debra Daigle Mayhew and three children: Elizabeth Shelby Mayhew Saer (John), of Greenwich, CT; Zeb May‐hew III, of Prairieville, LA; and Aaron Munro (Amanda), of Frankfort, KY. He was the adored Paw Paw to his seven grand‐children being John Ken‐neth Saer III, Tobin May‐hew Saer (Erin), Julia Arm‐strong Saer, Zeb Mayhew IV, Mary Katherine May‐hew, Skyler Nova Munro, and Summer Ella Munro. Zeb is also survived by his brother, Jonathan (Chichi); his nieces Ashley Mayhew Dineen (David), Cristie Mayhew Veeder (Gerrit); and six great nieces and nephews. Zeb is preceded in death by his parents his sister, Sheridan and nephew Trevor The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the extended family of employees of Oak Alley Plantation and Mayhew En‐terprises, whose dedica‐tion to Oak Alley and tire‐less efforts in its preserva‐tion were greatly appreci‐ated by Zeb and Debra. Zeb’s wide circle of friends provided unrequited mean‐ing to his life, and so often inspired his joie de vivre and, at times, loquacious‐ness. Debra and Zeb’s fam‐ily are also grateful for the devotion and expertise of Zeb’s doctors the skilled assistance of his hospice caregiver Sonny Small, and the comforting care of Montrell Bacchus and Brenda Njike Arrange‐ments were entrusted to Honaker Funeral Home.

Buras, Clyde Roger

Mayhew Jr., Zeb

Fortenberry, Patsy Craft

Mandeville’s Daigle dominates at metro swim meet

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Mandeville sophomore Avery Daigle did not anticipate swimming some of the fastest times in the country when she arrived at the New Orleans Metro championship meet at Franco’s Health Club & Spa on Nov 8.

Her focus throughout the season had been on perfecting her form and increasing the power with which she swims.

On Saturday, she did better than she expected when she posted her fastest times in three events, including an All-America qualifying time in the 100-yard butterﬂy at 53.72 seconds.

Daigle set that mark while swimming against Dominican junior Kendall Jollands, whose 54.48 mark earned her an All-America consideration placement — meaning she will become an All-American in that event if it remains among the top 100 at the end of the year

“There was no other competition greater than Jollands,” Mandeville coach Robby Fritscher said

The strong competition allowed Daigle to earn the All-America honor in an event she did not expect.

“Going into when I ﬁrst started high school, I always thought the

ﬁrst event I would get an automatic All-American would be the 50 free or the 100 free because those are my main events When it was in the 100 ﬂy, I was like, ‘Huh, maybe I should be doing that more,’” she said.

event at metros. She put extra focus on “using my whole body” when swimming that stroke, and “that really helped with this so far,” she said.

PUBLICNOTICE

Daigle, whose father, Patrick, is a former Brother Martin standout who swam for LSU, has put greater focus on improving her butterfly technique because Fritscher told her when the season began in August that she would swim that

Newrez, LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mort‐gageServicing vs Kentrell Anthony Nunnery a/k/a Ken‐trell A. Nunnery a/k/a Kentrell Nun‐nery and Keitrel Nasjiah Lacour a/k/a Keitrel N Lacour a/k/aKeitrelLacour, Heirs Kentrell An‐thony Burton a/k/a Kentrell A. Burton a/k/a Kentrell Bur‐ton

PUBLICNOTICE

9 S., R. 14 E., City of Slidell, St Tam‐many Parish, Louisiana, as shown on map of survey of said subdivision made by Joseph Pugh, Parish Sur‐veyor, dated June 7, 1929. Being the same property acquired by Andrew Nelson from Mattie Robert‐sonbyactdatedJuly 26, 1996, and recorded at Instru‐ment No 1008939 of the official records of St. Tam‐many Parish Louisiana. Municipal Address: 2777 10TH ST, SLIDELL, LA 70458 WritAmount:$0.00 Plaintiff Attorney: US Assets, LLC

Parish of St. Tam‐many StateofLouisiana Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable 22nd Judicial Dis‐trict Court for the Parish of St. Tam‐many in the above entitled and num‐bered cause dated July 8, 2025 and to me directed I, Randy Smith Sher‐iff, have taken pos‐ session of and will offer for sale at pub‐ lic auction to the highest bidder in the courthouse located at St Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N Columbia St, Covington, LA 70433, beginning at 10:00 am Wednes‐day, December 17, 2025, the following property: Property Descrip‐ tion: Lot 2 and Square 2, Live Oak Hills Sub‐division as refer‐enced in the Mort‐gage recorded at in‐strument number 2334506

Municipal Address: 53 ADRIENNE ST MADISONVILLE, LA70447-9741 Writ Amount: $238,069.89 Plaintiff Attorney: DeanMorris,LLP 1505NORTH19TH STREET MON‐ROE,LA71207 TermsofSale:With‐out appraisal, 10% at adjudication and balance within 30 days RANDY SMITH, SHERIFF $61.67

(52)202513382

Civil Divi‐sion Parish of St. Tam‐many StateofLouisiana Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable 22nd Judicial Dis‐trict Court for the Parish of St. Tam‐many in the above entitled and num‐bered cause dated July 9, 2025 and to me directed I, Randy Smith Sher‐iff, have taken pos‐ session of and will offer for sale at pub‐ lic auction to the highest bidder in the courthouse located at St Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N Columbia St Covington, LA 70433, beginning at 10:00 am Wednes‐day, December 17, 2025, the following property: Property

Descrip‐ tion: Lot 7-A Abney Es‐tates Subdivision as referenced in the Mortgage recorded at instrument num‐ber2206806

Municipal Address: 737 ABNEY DR SLIDELL, LA 70458 Writ Amount: $179,799.76 Plaintiff Attorney: Law Offices of Her‐schelAdcock,Jr P.O BOX87379 BATON ROUGE, LA70879

TermsofSale:With‐out appraisal, 10% at adjudication and balance within 30 days

RANDY SMITH, SHERIFF $69.85

(52)202415778 Sheriff's Civil Divi‐sion Parish of St. Tam‐many StateofLouisiana

Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable 22nd Judicial Dis‐trict Court for the Parish of St. Tam‐many in the above entitled and num‐bered cause dated July 14, 2025 and to me directed, I, Randy Smith, Sher‐iff, have taken pos‐ session of and will offer for sale at pub‐ lic auction to the highest bidder in the courthouse located at St Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N Columbia St, Covington, LA 70433, beginning at 10:00 am Wednes‐day December 17, 2025, the following property:

Property Descrip‐ tion: Lot 57, Masters Point of Oak Har‐bor Phase One as referenced in the Mortgage recorded at instrument num‐ber2174417

Municipal Address: 316 West HONORS POINT CT, SLIDELL, LA 70458 Writ Amount: $297,361.00

Plaintiff Attorney: Law Offices of Her‐schelAdcock,Jr P.O BOX87379 BATON ROUGE LA70879

Terms of Sale: With appraisal, 10% at adjudication and balance within 30 days RANDY SMITH, SHERIFF $68.89

PUBLICNOTICE

U.S. Bank National Association, Not in its Individual Ca‐pacity but Solely in its Capacity as In‐denture Trustee of CIMTrust2020-R1 vs Charlie A Estes, Jr and Debra Pitre Estes (52)202416270 Sheriff's Civil Divi‐sion Parish of St Tam‐many StateofLouisiana

U.S. Bank National Association, Not in its Individual Ca‐pacity but Solely in its Capacity as In‐denture Trustee of CIMTrust2020-R1 vs Charlie A Estes, Jr. and Debra Pitre Estes

(52)202416270

Sheriff's Civil Divi‐sion Parish of St Tam‐many StateofLouisiana Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable 22nd Judicial Dis‐trict Court for the Parish of St. Tam‐many in the above entitled and num‐bered cause dated December 6 2024 and to me directed I, Randy Smith Sheriff, have taken possession of and will offer for sale at public auction to the highest bidder in the courthouse located at St Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N Columbia St , Covington, LA 70433, beginning at 10:00 am Wednes‐day, December 17, 2025, the following property: Property Descrip‐ tion: Tantela Ranch Es‐tates, Phases 1-A and 1- B Lot 15 as referenced in the Mortgage recorded instrument number 1677986

Municipal Address: 77046 TANTELLA RANCH RD Cov‐ington,LA70435 Writ Amount: $116,913.60

Plaintiff Attorney: Dean Morris, LLP 1505 North 19th Street, Monroe, LA 71207

Terms of Sale: with appraisal, 10% at adjudication and balance within 30 days RANDY SMITH SHERIFF $64.56

PUBLICNOTICE

Bank, Na‐tional Association, Not

events but swam on two winning relay teams, including the 200 medley relay that set a metro meet record at 1:47.78.

“It’s super fun for me, getting out there against another of Louisiana’s high swimmers,” said Jollands, who helped reigning Division I state champion Dominican win the metro team title with 373 points ahead of runner-up Mount Carmel (317.5 points).

Mandeville finished third in the girls’ team competition, but senior Emma Cate Dobie was a double event winner in the 200 IM (2:11.64) and 100 breaststroke (1:05.33). Sophomore Sydney Eagan won the 200 freestyle (1:55.85), while freshman Lilly Daigle was third in the 500 freestyle (5:31.66).

The Skippers also won the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.06).

PUBLICNOTICE

Other events for Daigle included winning the 100 backstroke with an All-America consideration time of 55.31 and setting the meet record in the 50 freestyle at 23 14 when she swam the ﬁrst leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay For Dominican, Jollands ﬁnished second to Daigle in two individual

Pope John Paul II sophomore Braylee Ladner won the 50 freestyle (24.54). St. Scholastica senior Emma Mae Smith ﬁnished second in the 200 freestyle (1:56.16) and third in the 100 freestyle (54.63).

UMB Bank, Na‐tional Association, Not In Its Individual Capacity but Solely as Owner Trustee forVerusSecuritiza‐tionTrust2023-5 vs NawaungMaran

Northshore junior Addison Provenzano was second in the 200 IM (2:12.88) and third in the 100 backstroke (59.06) Northshore senior Ryleigh McCreary finished third in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.59).

(52)202513612 Sheriff's Civil Divi‐sion Parish of St Tam‐many StateofLouisiana Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable 22nd Judicial Dis‐trict Court for the Parish of St. Tam‐many in the above entitled and num‐bered cause dated July 7, 2025 and to me directed, I, Randy Smith, Sher‐iff, have taken pos‐ session of and will offer for sale at pub‐ lic auction to the highest bidder in the courthouse located at St Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N Columbia St Covington, LA 70433, beginning at 10:00 am Wednes‐day, December 17, 2025, the following property:

Property Descrip‐ tion: THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TION OF GROUND, together with all the build‐ings and improve‐ments thereon, and all the rights, ways means, privileges,servitudes and ap‐purtenances there‐unto belonging or in anywise appertain‐ing, situated in the State of Louisiana, Parish of St. Tam‐many in WOODRIDGE ON THE LAKE SUB‐DIVISION, PHASE 2, being more fully described as fol‐lows,to-wit: LOT 307, WOODRIDGE ON THE LAKE SUB‐DIVISION, PHASE 2, ST TAMMANY PARISH, LOUISIANA. Lot 307 is bounded by Ridgewood Drive, the South boundary of Subdivision, the West Boundary of Subdivision, and Ridgewood Circle; the southwesterly rear corner of the lot commences 193.35 feet from the corner of the South Bound‐ary of Subdivision and the West Boundary of Subdi‐vision; said lot mea‐sures 57.16 feet in the rear, along the WestBoundaryLine of the Subdivision, by a width and front on Ridgewood Drive of 63.10 feet, by a depth on both sidelinesof125feet According to a sur‐vey by Gilbert, Kelly & Couture Inc. dated October 20, 1992, copy of which is annexed hereto said lot has the same location, designation and

tion: THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TION OF GROUND, together with all the build‐ings and improve‐ments thereon, and all the rights, ways, means, privileges,servitudes and ap‐purtenances there‐unto belonging or in anywise appertain‐ing, situated in the State of Louisiana, Parish of St Tam‐many, in WOODRIDGE ON THE LAKE SUB‐DIVISION, PHASE 2, being more fully described as fol‐lows,to-wit: LOT 307, WOODRIDGE ON THE LAKE SUB‐DIVISION, PHASE 2, ST TAMMANY PARISH LOUISIANA. Lot 307 is bounded by Ridgewood Drive, the South boundary of Subdivision, the West Boundary of Subdivision, and Ridgewood Circle; the southwesterly rear corner of the lot commences 193.35 feet from the corner of the South Bound‐ary of Subdivision and the West Boundary of Subdi‐vision; said lot mea‐sures 57.16 feet in the rear, along the WestBoundaryLine of the Subdivision, by a width and front on Ridgewood Drive of 63.10 feet, by a depth on both sidelinesof125feet

Northshore was third (318) with St. Paul’s in fourth. St Paul’s junior Jake Bergeron won the 200 freestyle (1:41.75) and was second in the 500 freestyle (4:45.16). Pope John Paul II senior Eric Ring won the 500 freestyle (4:42) and was second in the 200 freestyle (1:47.31). Fontainebleau’s Alex Chehebar placed second in the 100 butterfly (52.44), while teammate Cole Boisseau was third in the 100 backstroke (54.54). Northshore junior Gustavo Castilho won the 50 freestyle (21.13) and finished second in the 100 freestyle (46.23). Both of those times are new school records. Senior Sam Naffa won the 100 breaststroke (58.76) and set a new Northshore school record, while sophomore Asher Socarras was third in the 200 IM (2:04.20) The Panthers also won the 200 medley relay (1:37.40).

Northshore took home the combined team title for a second straight season.

On the boys’ side, Jesuit won the team title with 359.5 points, while

According to a sur‐vey by Gilbert, Kelly & Couture Inc. dated October 20, 1992, copy of which is annexed hereto said lot has the same location, designation and measurements as set outabove

Municipal Address: 415 RIDGEWOOD DR, Mandeville, LA70471 Writ Amount: $236,964.40 Plaintiff Attorney: Halliday, Watkins & Mann, PC 376 East 400 South, Ste. 300 Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Terms of Sale: With appraisal, 10% at adjudication and balance within 30 days RANDY SMITH, SHERIFF $91.99

PUBLICNOTICE US Bank Trust Na‐tional Association, Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Trustee For VRMTG Asset Trust vs William Joseph Farmer, Jr., Kaitlyn Farmer a/k/a Kait‐lyn Marie Farmer Oliver and William Farmer III a/k/a William J. Farmer III (52)202416012 Sheriff's Civil Divi‐sion Parish of St. Tam‐many StateofLouisiana Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a Writ of Seizure and Sale issued out of the Honorable 22nd Judicial Dis‐trict Court for the Parish of St. Tam‐many in the above entitled and num‐bered cause dated December 27, 2024 and to me directed I, Randy Smith Sheriff, have taken possession of and will offer for sale at public auction to the highest bidder in the courthouse located at St Tammany Parish Courthouse, 701 N Columbia St , Covington, LA 70433, beginning at 10:00 am Wednes‐day, December 17, 2025, the following property: Property Descrip‐ tion: Certain parcel of ground situated in Section 10, Town‐ship 9 South, Range 14 East measuring 209.4' x 209.4' x

“I am so unbelievably proud of them,” Northshore coach Anastasia Megilligan said. “I’m very thankful for them because they are such a great group of kids. I could go on and on about them. Every one swam great, but most importantly everyone was cheering each other on. It was a special day.”

RD, PEARLRIVER,LA 70452

Writ Amount: $95,458.09

Plaintiff Attorney: Dean Morris, LLP 1505 North 19th Street Monroe, LA 71207

Terms of Sale: With appraisal, 10% at adjudication and balance within 30 days RANDY SMITH SHERIFF $69.85

STAFF PHOTOS BY SOPHIA GERMER

Sam Naffa, of Northshore High School, takes off for the boys’ 100-yard breaststroke.

Emma Cate Dobie, of Mandeville, celebrates after she won the girls’ 200-yard IM during the New Orleans Metro Swim Championships.

Avery Daigle, of Mandeville High School, swims the girls 100-yard backstroke during the GNOHSSL Metro Swimming Championships Meet at Franco’s Health Club & Spa in Mandeville on Nov. 8.