May’s closed primary brings challenges
Commissioners, voters prepare for new election rules
BY SUZIE HUNT Contributing writer
Voters and election commissioners will experience a new way of voting during the closed primary election to be held Saturday, May 16, according to St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court Jessica Brews-
ter
“It is very important that voters understand the changes that were made when the Louisiana Legislature implemented the ClosedParty Primaries Act in 2024, especially for voters who were registered as independents,” Brewster said. “We used to have a jungle party primary with every man for themselves, and people could vote across party lines You cannot do that in a closed primary.
In the new closed primary system for statewide races, people registered as Democrats or Republicans will only be able to vote for candidates of their own party, according to Gavin Billiot, chief deputy for the St. Tammany Parish Registrar of Voters
“If you are a registered Democrat, you will only be able to vote for Democrat candidates down the ticket. The same for voters registered as Republicans,” Billiot said This is for statewide elections. The same rule does not apply for local elections or constitutional amendments. In May the races affected by the change include the contests for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the Board for Elementary and
ALS in black and white
less demanding
Photographer expresses gratitude with his art
BY TED JACKSON Contributing writer
The medical test felt routine. The mood, casual. Then-60-year-old photojournalist Rusty Costanza — known for his ethical introspection, particularly when documenting human suffering lay relaxed on an examination bed. The neurologist rolled his stool closer to Costanza’s feet and pierced a thin needle probe into the muscle of his leg. A technician watched close by as the computer’s audio sounded a faint background hiss. Normal. Routine. Exactly what the neurologist had hoped to hear from the electromyography
test that measures the electrical activity of muscles and nerves.
Next, he moved the needle to Costanza’s right foot. This time, an abrasive static tone caught Costanza off guard. Weird, he thought. The neurologist abruptly shifted his posture and asked Costanza to push his foot as hard as possible against the examiner’s hand.
Again, a crackling static, sort of like really heavy rain on a tin roof. Odd. Costanza suddenly felt tension in the room. In the retelling, his voice cracked and his eyes teared.
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
If it hopes to keep pace with population and job growth, St. Tammany Parish should add up to 17,300 new homes in the next four years, a significant increase over the current pace of home construction, according to a new parish housing study
11,500-17,300 new homes should be built by 2030, most of them rentals. At the same time, the study recommended stricter regulations in flood-prone areas, similar to the coastal resilience zoning that the parish implemented south of U.S. 190 between Mandeville and Slidell last year
New rental units for senior citizens and those making less than $50,000 annually are especially needed, according to the study noting that renters make up 23% of occupied homes in the parish, compared with 39.6% in Jefferson Parish and the state average of 34.3%.
The study, commissioned by parish government, comes as new Census data shows that while New Orleans lost population for the fourth time in five years in 2025, St. Tammany gained 1,400 people last year
The housing study says that
The housing study, compiled by consultants and presented to the Parish Council last month, found that the number of new homes built in St. Tammany had failed to keep up with growing demand since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the COVID-19 pandemic nearly 15 years later
The lack of cheap rentals in the parish is impacting retention and recruiting in the parish’s largest industry, the health care and social assistance sector, which the study said employed 15,537 people in 2025.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW PAYZANT
A young, determined hunter sneaks up on the next colored eggs he has spotted during the March 28 Easter
PHOTO BY TED JACKSON
After his ALS diagnosis, photojournalist Rusty Costanza traded his heavy cameras for a lighter fixed-lens model that is physically
But his photographer’s eye for the decisive moment remains as sharp as ever.
PHOTO BY AMY COSTANZA SMITH
The Costanza family poses for a beach portrait on Nov. 25 as they adapt to the new reality Standing from left are family friend Dana Moore; son Kyle Costanza; son Chris Costanza; with Rusty and Ann in front.
ALS
Continued from page 1A
“I looked at the technician. She turned to the side and wiped her eye. And I knew I just knew.”
The doctor ran a couple more tests in heavy silence, then solemnly excused himself to fetch Costanza’s wife, Ann, from the waiting room. When the doctor returned, he confirmed the news to them almost apologetically:
“You have ALS.” Rusty and Ann cried. What else could they do?
The longest diagnosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a progressive disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord, robbing people of muscle control.
There is no cure. Most patients live two to five years after diagnosis, though about 10%-20% survive a decade or longer
“But at the same time, it’s like I expected it. I’ve been dancing around it for so long now now I’m dancing with it.”
The hardest conversation came with a phone call to his two grown sons, Kyle and Chris. “They responded like you would expect children to respond when they hear the news that they have a terminal parent,” Costanza said. “There was a long pause. A long silence.”
In the months that followed, Costanza’s community rallied with the same empathy and compassion that he had shown to so many over the years. Friends raised nearly $24,000 through a GoFundMe. The Team Gleason Foundation provided a wheelchair, guidance on benefits and mu ch -n ee de d advice for home renovations as the disease progressed.
“I’m not afraid of dying I’m afraid of missing out. I’m afraid of not being there for my kids. But I’m here now, and I concentrate on that.”
For Costanza, the Feb. 6, 2025, confirma tion capped nearly 15 years of anxious ambiguity
RUSTY COSTANZA
The first signs began in 2010 with excruciating cramps while photographing the NCAA Sweet 16 for The Times-Picayune.
The pains perplexed the professional photographer since he kept himself in excellent shape — running 30 miles a week, playing competitive volleyball and chasing stories in a fastpaced, high-energy city
From shooting a Super Bowl one day to flying inverted in a biplane over the Mississippi River the very next, Costanza had done it all. He always got photos to remember, but as any professional news photographer will tell you, it all takes a toll on the body
And at first, doctors blamed those terrible cramps on back issues, a photographer’s occupational hazard from lugging heavy lenses, then contorting their bodies to get the must-have shot, over and over again. But when “drop foot” emerged — difficulty lifting the front part of his foot — they tested for ALS.
The timing was eerie.
The wall-to-wall local news coverage of former Saints safety Steve Gleason’s 2011 diagnosis of ALS made the three letters feel like daggers. But Costanza’s tests returned inconclusive.
“Highly unlikely,” he was told. No need to worry
Easier said than done
For 14 more years, symptoms came and went In 2024, students at Archbishop Rummel had to help Costanza to his feet during a field day The deeper nerve study finally confirmed what he had halfexpected — and dodged — for so long.
“All those years of dodging it, I thought I was bulletproof,” Costanza said
Costanza’s tone lifted.
“I’ve decided that I will go that route. And I’m calling mine ‘Jay’ — you know, like JPEG,” he chuckled, enjoying his wisecrack reference to a JPEG image format preferred by newspapers for transmitting digital photos.
The great influx of love he is experiencing inspired Costanza to give back the only way he knows: through his photography But what started as an idea for a small neighborhood coffee shop display grew when his former photo editor at the newspaper, Andrew Boyd, looked over the collection.
“It’s really hard being on the receiving end,” Costanza said. “But the financial burden of ALS is huge. I do not want to die and leave my family in a financial hole because they’re already suffering enough.” That fundraiser cash will help finance required house renovations.
On a recent afternoon, Costanza welcomed visitors with coffee and Klondike bars — a decades-old tradition among photographers in the bustling Times-Picayune photo lab to ease tough days. During the visit, he shuffled between rooms on a standing walker yet he still instinctively snatched up his camera, now a lighter, fixedlens model better suited for his weakened condition.
His photographer’s eye for the decisive moment remains as sharp as ever.
A new vision
Costanza, now 62, says he rates ALS zero out of five stars. Lately, he’s bumped it to one because “the silver lining is the love you receive from people. Sometimes, I feel like I’m living my wake.”
He recalled his father’s funeral; hearing mourners share stories the man never got to hear “I get to hear those things,” Costanza said, voice thick with emotion. “If you’re looking for silver linings, that’s one of them Do I deserve that? It’s humbling. I get goose bumps.” What he fears, and what he doesn’t.
“I’m not afraid of dying,” he insists. “I’m afraid of missing out. I’m afraid of not being there for my kids. But I’m here now and I concentrate on that.”
Still, practical realities intercede. “Don’t let anybody fool you. Dying is a lot of work,” he advised. Endless procedures, treatments, wills, living wills, decisions about a tracheotomy or feeding tube, known as PEGs. At the mention of that,
“I’ve always thought of Rusty as a great sports photographer,” Boyd said. “But these images were different. They were quieter, warmer, more intimate.” He instantly recognized the power of the collection and imagined a serious gallery showcase. As fate would have it, the St. Tammany Art Association was actively exploring ideas for their upcoming Spring for Art exhibition in Covington, and Boyd’s wife, Sarah, served on the arts advisory committee.
With that, a show was born.
A new face
The gallery exhibit is “Love in the Face of ALS: A Photographic Journey,” and it is one that captures this talented artist’s spectacular shift in vision.
Costanza appears to be experiencing his illness as a window into a previously unknown world, and his newest work delivers that profound transition The images speak like a man on a journey, one deeply personal, yet strikingly universal, stark — but so richly layered, a subtle negotiation between mortality and the inevitable.
Of the 35 black and white curated images to be exhibited, Constanza shot one of his favorites as a self-portrait through a car’s passenger rearview mirror, his face etched with raw vulnerability of the fresh diagnosis, that “deer-inthe-headlights look,” as he describes it. Another photo shows his own elevated feet during home therapy, with Louis Armstrong’s lyrics to “What a Wonderful World” visible on the wall beyond. He and Ann danced to that song at their wedding 33 years ago.
“Seeing it up there is a reminder of just how lucky I am,” Costanza said. “ALS is truly terrible, but that doesn’t mean life is terrible. Sometimes I need a reminder of all the good things.”
Costanza’s show opens with a reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 at the St. Tammany Art
Association’s
Barranger Gallery in the Art House at 320 N. Columbia St. in down-
town Covington. The exhibit will hang through late May Additional information can be found at www.sttam-
PHOTO BY RUSTY COSTANZA
Not everywhere Rusty Costanza goes is accessible to him. That’s when friends, family and other good people step in to help him step up. In this trip up sister Amy’s front steps in Oregon, Costanza has his arms around son Chris and brother in law, Lindsey Smith.
PHOTO BY JOHN MCCUSKER
Rusty Costanza signs prints on March 20 for his upcoming gallery show with the help of former Times-Picayune photo editor Andrew Boyd, left, who recognized the power of Costanza’s collection and imagined a serious gallery showcase. John McCusker, another friend and longtime Times Picayune colleague, took this photo.
PHOTO BY RUSTY COSTANZA
Rusty Costanza says elevating his feet helps with circulation. It also gives him a perfect view of the lyrics to ‘It’s a Wonderful World,’ the song he and wife, Ann, danced to celebrating their wedding The lyrics hang on the wall of their home.
PHOTO BY RUSTY COSTANZA
Costanza now photographs a lot from the passenger seat of vehicles, using the rear view mirror. That’s how he took this self portrait.
Covington to repave streets in 7 locations
$3.5 million plan approved by City Council on March 31
BY KIM CHATELAIN
Contributing writer
A plan to upgrade seven streets in Covington at a cost of $3.5 million was approved by the City Council on March 31. The council unanimously approved an ordinance amending the city’s 2026 operating and capital budget in a way that allows money from the Growth Management Area fund to be used for the roadwork
The ordinance spells out the seven repaving projects that will be paid for with the GMA funds:
n West 11th Avenue from President Drive to South Tyler Street, n West 19th Avenue from South Johnson to South Taylor streets, n West 33rd from North Columbia Street to North Collins Boulevard, n Hornsby Street from North Collins Boulevard to Lee Road, n North Theard Street from East Boston to North
STUDY
Continued from page 1A
“I know that a lot of our workers come in from Mississippi because you can live cheaper over there,” said Walter “Dub” Lane, a commissioner on the board that oversees Slidell Memorial Hospital.
“If we’re going to solve our affordability problem, it’s got to be a change in policy,” said Lane, who is also a health care economist at the University of New Orleans.
“We like these big lots, but people working minimum wage can’t afford those types of lots.”
Of the new homes that are built by 2030, 70% to 77% of them should be rentals, according to the study’s rec-
ELECTION
Continued from page 1A
Secondary Education, the Public Service Commission and the State Supreme Court.
While the rules are straightforward for registered Republicans and Democrats, people formerly registered as independents will need to make a choice, albeit temporary, to cast their ballot, according to Billiot.
“There is no longer an Independent Party For voters previously designated as independent, they are now listed as no party voters We have almost 60,000 voters in St. Tammany Parish with this designation When they go to vote, they will have to make a choice, although it is temporary one,” Billiot said A no party voter will have to choose a path for voting in the closed primary. They can choose to vote for Democratic candidates, Republican candidates or no party candidates, and only along those party lines.
“Once that voter declares for one party in the first primary in May they will be stuck with that same declaration in the case of a runoff in June. It’s important to note that this does not permanently change their party affiliation,” Billiot said. “For example, there are no statewide candidates that are not Democrat or Republican for the May primary Voters who choose the no party ballot will only get to vote on local races, any local propositions as well as constitutional amendments.” Brewster believes an informed voting population will make the primary election proceed more smoothly
Columbia streets, n South Taylor Street from West 21st to West 11th avenues, n South Madison Street from West Eighth to West 11th avenues.
St. Tammany Parish, in collaboration with some of its municipalities, has in place growth management areas and associated revenue-sharing agreements to manage development, infrastructure and sales tax collections.
Johnson
Mayor Mark Johnson said he reached out to the city’s five district council members and asked them to provide a list of streets in their respecti ve districts most in need of repair, “based not only on the condition, but the amount of traffic on the roads.”
After reviewing the lists, Johnson said it became evident that the city may be able to dip into a nontraditional funding source for repairs.
“We saw a number of the streets were candidates for the Growth Management Area tax that we share with
ommendations Currently, 78% of the parish’s homes are detached, single-family homes, according to the study
Russell Richardson, the CEO of St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation, said housing frequently comes up in discussions with employers in the parish. “When it comes time to think about hiring and retaining workers, they want to know how far away do those workers live and is it affordable for them to live in the area of where that workplace is,” he said
“It’s not a big surprise, knowing the growth we’ve had as a parish, but now it’s up to us to collectively and very collaboratively respond to that,” Richardson said.
The study’s recommenda-
CLOSED PARTY PRIMARY TOWN HALL MEETINGS
APRIL 13, 10 A.M.: Folsom Town Hall, 82378 June St.
APRIL 13, 2 P.M.: Madisonville Town Hall, 203 La. 22
APRIL 13, 6 P.M.: Paul Spitzfaden Community Center 23090 E Causeway Approach, Mandeville
APRIL 20, 1 P.M.: Pearl River Town Hall, 39460 Willis Alley
APRIL 20, 6 P.M.: Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 2056 2nd St.
“It’s important for people to understand this new system prior to going to the polls. We hope people will take advantage of the information available to help explain their options,” Brewster said. There will be a series of informational town hall meetings sponsored by the registrar of voters and the clerk of court offices where voters can learn details about this new voting format. There is also information on the GeauxVote.com/CPP website and on the Geaux Vote mobile app.
“We encourage people to be informed prior to going to vote, to take advantage of early voting and to be patient and kind to our commissioners at the polls on election day,” said Brewster In-person early voting will be held May 2-9 at the Towers Building in Slidell, the St. Tammany Justice Center parking garage in Covington and the Parish Council Chambers, 21490
the parish, something (a source) we have money in,” Johnson said.
The measure approved by the council allows for that GMA money to be used for the specific road projects outlined in the ordinance.
In other action, the council approved a resolution designating Council President Mark Verret to serve as acting mayor while Johnson is away on a trip for 18 days beginning April 24.
The city’s home rule charter requires that the council “certify and designate the president of the council” to serve as acting mayor when if the mayor’s absence exceeds 14 days.
Johnson is scheduled to return from his absence on May 14, according to the resolution.
Also, at the start of meeting, Johnson presented a proclamation honoring longtime Covington resident Robert Celestine for his outstanding contributions to the community
Celestine has served as a member of the city’s planning and zoning commission since 2007 and has played a major part in Covington’s historical preservation efforts, Johnson said.
tion to build more housing at a faster rate is sure to spark controversy
Residents regularly show up to parish meetings to oppose new housing developments, arguing that the parish’s infrastructure has not kept up with development and caused traffic and flooding. Community groups like “Keep Bush Rural” have cropped up in opposition to proposed growth.
Parish Council members, in turn, have been wary to approve new housing in recent years, at times passing moratoriums on some new construction in their areas.
Council member Kathy Seiden, who headed the parish’s Economic Development Work group that spearheaded the study said she thought the study should not be interpreted as a call to
Koop Drive, Building A in Mandeville.
Adding to the challenge of hosting a smooth-running election with a new format is that several precincts in St. Tammany Parish have moved since the last election and there is always a need for more election commissioners, according to Don duQuensney, St Tammany director of elections.
Voters who will place their ballot at a new polling place in May should have received a notice by mail with the new location, according to Brewster Precinct information is also available on the GeauxVote.com website and the Geaux Vote app. The last day to register in person for the May primary is April 15. People can also register to vote online until April 25 at www.stprov.org.
“We have 171 voting precincts in 65 locations parishwide Each precinct needs a commissioner-in-charge and three commissioners on election day. We need people to serve as commissioners, especially in the spring elections when many people have family obligations and travel plans,” duQuensney said.
To be an election commissioner, the person must be a registered voter, 17 years of age (a senior in high school) or older, take an online class and come into a Clerk of Court’s Office for a brief voting machine tutorial. For the new closed primary election, an additional class is required. Commissioners receive compensation for their work on election day
For more information about being an election commissioner, contact the Clerk of Court’s Office at (985) 8098700 or by email: elections@ sttammanyclerk.org.
immediately start building more, but as a way to help the parish develop thoughtful policy
“We didn’t get this way overnight and it’s not going to be a quick fix, but I do think this is a really good start,” said Seiden, who represents a western St. Tammany district that has seen growth in recent years.
The parish is now forming a housing task force that will include council mem-
SCRAMBLING FOR EGGS
ABOVE: Folsom holds its Easter Eggstravaganza on March 28, with multiple egg hunts in categories separated by age and degree of difficulty
LEFT: Siblings Lyria and Gabriel Powell share a happy pose with the Easter bunny
bers, planning and zoning commissioners, the parish administration and the St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation, said St. Tammany Director of Planning and Development Ross Liner Liner pointed to recent changes to the parish’s zoning code that he thinks will allow more construction, including expanding where town houses and accessory dwelling units can be built.
But he said it might be a while, if it is even necessary, before any staffing changes need to be made his department or the permitting office to process the study’s recommended thousands of new homes. “We don’t have thousands of lots sitting out there ready to go,” Liner said. Email Willie Swett at willie.swett@theadvocate. com.
PHOTOS
Spring for Art has it all, from photography to dance
BY SARAH G. BONNETTE
Contributing writer
Jessica Boudreau loves all aspects of dance.
For 26 years, she’s shared that love through her business, Dancescape Studio.
“It’s just the learning and bringing my love of dance to my students, to see the joy on their faces and give them a positive outlook,” Boudreau said, adding that she’s now teaching second and third generation students.
Dancescape’s dancers will take to the streets during Spring for Art in downtown Covington on April 11 to perform a piece to Will Smith’s song “Friend like Me” from the 2019 live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1992 animated film “Aladdin.”
“It has a touch of hip-hop, but it’s theater It’s something a little fun and different, something to be able to get out and perform,” said Boudreau, who choreographed the piece and will perform with her dancers.
Known for their performances of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” during Fall for Art and their yearly Christmas show, Boudreau said her goal with Dancescape is “to bring dance to the community, share our love and joy of dance with everyone, and celebrate what happens in Covington. We love this city,” she said.
Boudreau discovered her love of dance at 3 years old under the tutelage of Rosemerry Emelia Fuhrmann Hanian at the Creative Dance Center Hanian, known for her roles on Broadway, taught “modern
Covington. This year’s
riences.
dance, ballet, and East Indian courses to girls ranging from 5 to 18,” according to a 1973 article about her on the website Tammany Family Many of her students went on to excel in professional dance careers, the website states.
“When I started with Ms. Rosemary I never left,” Boudreau said.
During Spring for Art, festivalgoers also can shop for local art at the sprawling art market along Columbia Street, see art demonstrations, and enjoy the Mix Masters Cocktail Contest. Red Freeman’s Honky Tonk Revue will play at the Art House, while Molly Taylor will perform at Lockwood Street. Additionally businesses will extend their hours to feature live music, artists, and shopping expe-
Inside STAA’s Art House, moving images from the new exhibition, “Love in the Face of ALS: A photographic Journey by Rusty Costanza,” will be on display in Barranger Gallery
The photographs by the longtime New Orleans photographer document his life after being diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in February 2025, after many years of unexplained medical issues.
The black-and-white photographs, shot with a digital, point-and-shoot camera, document Costanza’s life with the disease, among them portraits of friends who have helped him, rearview-mirror views as a passenger while friends and family drove him to medical appointments, and even the
SPRING FOR ART 2026
WHAT: An evening of art and community presented by
medications he takes.
“It became a way for me to raise ALS awareness,” he said “This disease is horrible, and I want to do what I can. I doubt I’ll ever live long enough for a cure, but maybe our kids’ generation will. And maybe what I’m doing will help. I want to do
what I can to raise awareness and sort of show (ALS) in a different way I think we’ve seen a lot of patients, but I want to show another side of it.”
Beyond Spring for Art, Boudreau said she is readying the studio on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway for summer camps, and this December the group will celebrate the 60th anniversary of “A Joyful Noise,” the annual holiday performance that combines poetry dance and vocals. It will take place Dec. 5 in Covington’s Fuhrmann Auditorium.
Two St. Tammany educators still in running for state awards
Staff report
The Louisiana Department of Education selected two St. Tammany Parish Public School System educators to advance in Louisiana’s statelevel award programs. Mandeville Junior High Principal Gina Brown has been named a Principal of the Year Semifinalist, and Fontainebleau High Teacher Katie Weber has been named a New Teacher of the Year Finalist. Brown is among 24 principals selected to continue in the competition to be chosen as Louisiana Principal of the Year She brings more than 20 years of experience in education to her role. She began her journey in St. Tam-
Brown Weber
many Parish as a math teacher at Covington High School in 2006 before moving into administration as assistant principal at Mandeville Junior High in 2015. In 2020, she was named principal, where she continues to lead with purpose and vision. She believes one of a principal’s most important responsibilities is hiring educators who share a deep commitment to the school’s
mission and community As a former teacher, she views herself as a lifelong learner and as an administrator, she is dedicated to ensuring every child’s unique potential is recognized, nurtured, and fully realized.
“Gina does an incredible job at Mandeville Junior High and launches excellence every day,” said Superintendent Frank Jabbia. “It’s an incredible honor to have her continue on in the competition and represent our amazing school district.”
Weber is among nine firstyear classroom teachers selected to continue in the competition for Louisiana New Teacher of the Year She teaches ninth-grade English
at Fontainebleau High School and is a proud graduate of Lakeshore High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and her Master of Arts in English literature from The University of Southern Mississippi. As an undergraduate, Weber was recognized as the student with the highest GPA and the most credit hours in her graduating class. She is passionate about inspiring a love of reading and writing in her students and strongly believes that a strong foundation in English empowers students for success.
“I can’t say enough about the difference Katie is already making with our students in just her first year
teaching,” said Superintendent Frank Jabbia. “This recognition is a tremendous honor and an inspiration for our entire school system.”
Winners in both categories will be announced at the Educator Excellence Awards Gala in New Orleans this summer Pupil progression meeting
St. Tammany Parish Public School System officials will soon begin conducting meetings to discuss proposed changes to the School System Pupil Progression Plan. Members of the community will have an opportunity to give input on the proposed changes on April 23 at the Lakeshore High
School library at 6 p.m. Only the proposed suggestions will be presented for discussion.
The plan establishes placement, promotion, retention and grading policies for students within the St Tammany Parish Public School System. Annually, a Pupil Progression Plan Advisory Committee is formed consisting of school administrators, teachers, and parents to review the proposed changes for the plan. Following the public input meeting, the committee will meet to finalize the proposed plan, which will then go to the St Tammany Parish School Board for its consideration.
Young Entrepreneurs Academy ready for new students
BY DARREN COOPER
Contributing writer
Dane Pritchard said yes to YEA, and he’s forever grateful.
“I mention YEA all the time when I tell people how I got my start in business,” said Pritchard, now 19. “It was an immense joy I can’t sing the praises enough.” Young Entrepreneurs Academy — or YEA — is a program open to students in seventh to 12th grade in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes who have a business idea, a business plan or something in between. It’s a free, 23-week after-school program where students are connected with business mentors, craft their ideas and eventually pitch their business, “Shark Tank” style. Every graduate is given seed money Applications for this year’s class are now open through June 30 at YeaNorthshore. org/apply
Pritchard’s idea was to use drones to help real estate agents sell homes faster by providing a unique look at a home’s interior floor plan, yards and design from a drone point of view Ace Drone Solutions isn’t making him rich, but the current Southeastern Louisiana junior feels more confident, has made lasting connections and is positive YEA gave him lessons he can apply “What was most helpful to
me was getting confident in public speaking to the point where I didn’t have to prepare to give my speech. I knew it like the back of my hand,” Pritchard said. “I also enjoyed doing the market research to find out whether or not my idea was really valuable.”
John Widlitze said that kids in the program learn how to plan and pitch
“I think the biggest thing that kids get out of it is their ability to develop an idea and then be able to pitch that to a demographic or generation that they are re-
moved from,” said Widlitze, a YEA mentor for several years. “It teaches them to be comfortable talking with an adult and pitching their business plan to someone who can make a change in their lives.”
Students must fill out an online application and are interviewed by a member of the YEA staff. At the interview, candidates must bring a recent transcript showing their GPA and a letter of recommendation from someone outside of their family Widlitze is retired after a career in the banking indus-
try He gets energized by all of the different ideas the candidates bring forward. He remembers one young woman who had the novel concept for a business that cleans out industrial-size waste bins and another who was ready to start their own landscaping business as a sophomore in high school
“I think this country was built on and is maintained by that entrepreneurial spirit and the desire and freedom to chase your dreams and make their financial future what they want it to be,” Widlitze said.
That spark of ingenuity is what YEA seeks to provide.
“My advice is to be open to learn new things,” Pritchard said, “even if you don’t want to open your own business yet, because the concepts YEA teaches are useful in any professional environment.”
“These kids are very bright and they have different ideas and they’re in a country where these ideas can be created and honed and sold on the market.”
Corkern Air Conditioning, Heating and Electric celebrating 50 years in business!!
PROVIDED PHOTO
Dancescape Studio performers are
PROVIDED PHOTO
Young Entrepreneurs Academy graduate Dane Pritchard, seen here with his drone, says he will always be grateful for the lessons he learned in the program.
Hope House champions come in all shapes, sizes, ages
BY DARREN COOPER
Contributing writer
Hope House is a place where lives are changed for the better Seven key individuals who help make these changes possible will be honored at the Hope House Champions for Children Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. April 22 at The Greystone in Mandeville
“I was so excited when they told me,” said Nicole Cox, one of the honorees and founder of Abba Educational Center in Mandeville. “I have been to the breakfast before, and I have seen these people who have done so much get recognized. I just feel like I am doing what I am called to do, which is fun, but I am trying to bring attention Hope House in any way I can.”
Cox laughed, saying she has no official title at Hope House, which is an organization devoted to helping the victims and their families through abusive situations. She just does whatever she can. Paint a room? Teach a young man how to read? Bring over some pizza for the staff?
“Hope House is literally taking care of our most vulnerable and being the voice for children who have had no voice in the past, and they don’t know that what happened was not OK,” Cox said. “The victims’ advocates come in and say, ‘Life can be better, people can be nice, and that’s not what love looks like.’ They take this whole
CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN BREAKFAST
WHAT: Hope House, an organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse, recognizes seven members of the community for helping the cause during a special breakfast.
WHERE: The Greystone, 935 Clausel St., Mandeville
WHEN: Wednesday,April 22, 7:30 a.m to 9:30 a.m.
HOW MUCH: Tickets are $35 for an individual and $350 for a reserved table of 10.
EXTRAS: Katie Rose McConnell, a member of the Hope House Board of Directors, will be the keynote speaker
MORE INFO: https://www.cachopehouse.org/
group of people, open their eyes and help restore their humanity.”
Zachary Popovich is another of the seven honorees. He became connected with Hope House through his work as an assistant district attorney in the Special Victims Unit. He is part of a multidisciplinary team at Hope House that works to find the best possible outcome in each case.
“It’s hard, but it’s also ultimately rewarding,” said Popovich, who grew up in Madisonville. “If I wasn’t doing this work, I don’t know what I would be doing. I like sitting down with the child and being a part of the team of people that can guide these kids through a difficult process and get them to the other side stronger.”
Popovich can quote the stats about Hope House, how it has doubled the number of kids it’s helped in the past nine years
He may be just one piece of the overall mission, but it’s a mission he said he is dedicated to.
“There are people at Hope House that I speak with almost every single day,” Popovich said. “I respect and admire everyone who works for Hope House tremendously, so to be recognized in this group is great.”
Here’s a look at all of the Hope House champions:
Kristine Bush, a caseworker with the Youth Service Bureau, works closely with Families in Need of Services, and homeless teens and children in need of support and encouragement. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Bush is actively involved in philanthropic efforts that promote youth development, family stability and educational advancement.
Nicole Cox, the owner of Abba Educational Center, has volunteered in a variety of
This year’s champions, from left, are Marie Jefferson, Louisiana DCFS; Youth Champion Colby Stewart, Ben’s Ford Christian School; Kristine Bush, Youth Service Bureau; Nicole Cox, Abba Educational Center; Katie Ragan, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office; Sunny McDaniel, St. Tammany Health Foundation; and Zachary Popovich, 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Special Victims Unit.
roles, including T-ball coach, Miracle League buddy, summer camp counselor and children’s ministry leader
In addition to her work at the center, Cox provides free dyslexia classes after school and has partnered with Hope House to offer free math and reading tutoring in Bogalusa.
Marie Jefferson, child welfare supervisor with Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, has a commitment to serve that began in 2006 when she joined the U.S. Army National Guard and served both stateside and abroad. In 2013, she began her career with Children
Irish performer shares traditional songs and stories
Gaelic speaking singer, songwriter and storyteller Danny O’Flaherty from Connemara, Ireland, spent an afternoon with fans in Covington on March 29 performing traditional Irish ballads, sea songs, original compositions and storytelling done the old way — close enough for his audience to hear what was being said and follow the stories being spun. It was a listening concert at Playmakers Theater, unhurried and welcoming, one that connected the performer his audience.
district attorney with the Special Victims Unit, 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, is part of the multidisciplinary team that collaborates with Hope House, the state Department of Children and Family Services, Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, and local law enforcement to ensure that children who have disclosed abuse receive the care and resources needed to remain safe and begin healing.
and Family Services, first in Tangipahoa Parish and later transitioning to Washington Parish.
Dr Sunny McDaniel is a St. Tammany Health Foundation board member and Certified Autism Specialist who has incorporated innovative communication methods and sensory adaptations into her practice to better serve people with autism and sensory needs. In 2022, she joined the St. Tammany Health Foundation Board, where she launched the St. Tammany Health System Autism Initiative.
Zachary Popovich, an assistant
Katie Ragan, a detective with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, has been in law enforcement for more than 14 years. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with children and families navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives, experiences she said have deeply shaped her commitment to protecting and serving the most vulnerable in her community Colby Stewart is a Ben’s Ford Christian School student and is this year’s Youth Champion. The 17-year-old Washington Parish resident lives in Bogalusa and has a commitment to service throughout the community including volunteering with the Youth Service Bureau’s annual Breakfast with Santa, coaching youth soccer with Bogalusa Youth Sports, and competing as a member of the Ventura Post 313 Competitive Canoe Race Team. He also contributes to community improvement efforts through Louisiana’s Love the Boot cleanup campaign.
Library invites community to design special card
BY JACKIE RIECKE Contributing writer
The St. Tammany Parish Library has kicked off a contest asking residents to submit designs for a special library card commemorating the country’s semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, this year Not only will the special card be designed by a member of the community the winning design will also be chosen by patrons who will vote on their favorite, much like the library’s 75th anniversary card was created.
A limited number of cards will be made and given to patrons on a firstcome, first-served basis.
The card will showcase the spirit of patriotism, the American Dream, and
the importance of reading and community Artists of all ages who are residents of St. Tammany Parish are encouraged to participate. Although the top designs will be selected by library staff, patrons will cast the final vote on the winning card design from that pool of finalists. Voting will take place inside branches and online from May 1 through May 7. The winner will be announced on May 11, and cards will be available for patrons in July The contest opened March 30 and will continue through April 27 Visit any branch for a list of guidelines and an entry design form, or visit sttammanylibrary.org/DesignContest for a digital copy and digital art guidelines.
PROVIDED PHOTO
PHOTOS BY JOE TROMBATORE
Performer Danny O’Flaherty gets the Playmakers Theater audience involved in his afternoon performance.
Les O’Regan assists Danny O’Flaherty performing ‘Waltz with Bears.
Abita Springs celebrates 18 years of En Plein Air
BY SARAH G. BONNETTE Contributing writer
Architect Ron Blitch lives on six acres in Abita Springs and often invites en plein artists to paint his property’s unique pavilions and gazebos, picturesque ponds and trees, abundant azaleas, and its river
Often those works wind up in the En Plein Air Exhibition, the popular annual show that celebrates this painting style Now in its 18th year, the exhibit will take place April 10-12 in the Abita Springs Trailhead Museum.
Exhibiting artists “pretty much know that if they paint something on my property, it’s going to sell to me,” said Blitch, an avid art collector and the show’s chair.
En plein air is a French term meaning “in the open air” and is used to describe the act of painting a landscape or scene completely outdoors. It’s a style that gained popularity during the Impressionist art movement when the advent of paint tubes and packable easels allowed painters to move out of the studio and into the great outdoors.
“Abita Springs has always been an arts community. This is one way of promoting the arts in St. Tammany It’s hard to believe it’s been 18 years,” Blitch said. “We started with a core group of artists, including Auseklis Ozols, who’s probably one of the most famous en plein air artists in the region (who) just passed away last fall.”
Ozols, a renowned painter and founder of the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, died Sept. 24, 2025, just two days after his 84th birthday A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
2026 EN PLEIN AIR EXHIBITION
WHAT: A showing of art created out of doors, or en plein air
WHEN: April 10-12, with an opening reception on the first day from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Show continues April 11-12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., coinciding with the Abita Springs Busker Festival on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Abita Springs Trailhead Museum 22049 Main St. located on the Tammany Trace in downtown Abita Springs MORE: www.trailheadmuseum.org/en-plein-air
and winner of its Cresson Prize, he emphasized “the art of seeing” or “observation” as it intersects with visual arts.
Ozols, along with renowned pastelist Alan Flattman and Covington painter Patricia “Pat” Skornik Richardson — Flattmann and Richardson passed away within weeks of each other last summer will be honored during this year’s show All three were regular En Plein Air exhibitors, and some of their not-for-sale pieces will hang on the Trailhead Museum’s walls.
The eldest of Ozols’ three daughters, Saskia Ozols, will exhibit artwork a small painting of irises painted from direct observation — for the first time. She has been invited to participate “many times in the past” but never did. I decided to make time this year,” she said.
That’s because the show “really meant the world to him,” Saskia Ozols said of her father, recalling how he would travel from his home in New Orleans to Abita Springs to paint a selected landscape or the live oaks he loved, bring the in-progress piece home to add finishing touches, and come back to Abita Springs to deliver it to the Trailhead Museum. He also was known to assist in curating and hanging the
exhibition’s pieces.
“He loved the local art community,” she said, recalling her own connections from a young age to those who work en plein air and from direct observation.
Her 30-year career includes roles as an accomplished painter, art educator, independent curator, and founder of the Fine Arts Preservation Society of New Orleans.
In addition to Ozols, this year’s participating artists will include Jo-Ann Adams, Ben Bensen III, David Blackwell, Muriel Dauterive, Josh Duncan, Claude Ellender, Oksana Fogg, Sean Friloux, Diego Larguia, David Ledet, Andrew Liles, Julie Marshall, Renee Mithun, Mary Monk, Louis Morales, Judy Newman, John Preble, Julia Rubin, Phil Sandusky, Sabrina Schmidt, Drew South, Peg Usner Helen Valenti and Hal Wilke.
“We have such a variety of artists who are watercolorists or work in oil and pen-and-ink. Some of them have become quite accomplished over the past 18 years,” Blitch said. “So, it’s a big honor for the new artists to get in and be around their peers. That’s one of the great things about the show.”
Each artist submits up to
four paintings completed between Jan 1 and the show’s opening. “Some of the paintings are wet when they’re delivered. We’ll have between 95 and 100 works for sale,” Blitch said, and 30%
of the sale proceeds will go to the museum. “We’ve probably brought in almost $75,000 to $80,000 over the years, and it’s funded improvements to the museum, the park pavilion, and
other things in Abita
good relationship
artists, and they love it and want to come back every year.”
Garden volunteer helps ready the Busker Festival scene
BY JESSICA SAGGIO
Contributing writer
As music fans funnel into the town of Abita Springs for this year’s Busker Festival, it won’t be just the sounds of New Orleans area street music that set the scene. Beyond the cadence tickling the eardrums of visitors, the grounds of the festival have been meticulously prepped, adding a backdrop most wouldn’t necessarily notice — unless it wasn’t done.
Weeks prior to the event, volunteer Cindy Davenport, alongside others from Keep Abita Beautiful and the Garden Club, have been tending to the grounds of the Abita Springs Trailhead Park where the event will take place. Davenport, now a passionate gardener, has been weeding, putting down mulch, trimming and making sure planters outside the facility are filled with fresh spring flowers. She was also among those who scoured the area, making sure every little piece of trash or abandoned cigarette butt were removed as the grounds were tidied for the event
“Everyone has been to Disney World, and they know just how clean it is, and that is kind of how Abita is,” Davenport said. “People are always commenting on how lovely the plants are, and that’s because the Garden Club puts a lot of effort into maintaining them.”
Busker Festival is hosted by the Abita Springs Opry and will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 12 outside the Abita Trailhead Museum on Main Street. Admission is free and will feature six acts from a variety of different street music performers. The event will run in tandem with the museum’s “En Plein Air” Art Show Works from the show will be on display and available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the festival. As for Davenport, she will also be in attendance working behind the scenes, picking up any litter, and emptying trash cans during the event. She insisted the weekend was a “light duty” event weekend because vol-
Weeks prior to Busker Fest, volunteer Cindy Davenport, alongside others from Keep Abita Beautiful and the Garden Club, have been tending to the grounds of the Abita Springs Trailhead Park where the festival will take place.
ABITA SPRINGS BUSKER FESTIVAL
WHAT: Music festival hosted by the Abita Opry featuring a variety of busking street performers from all different genres of music.
WHERE: Abita Springs Trailhead Park, 22044 Main St.
WHEN: April 12, 11 a.m. — 7 p.m.
COST: Free admission; food and drink available for purchase
MUSIC: T-Marie & Bayou JuJu, Lily Unless & The If Onlys, Crybabies,Tropicals, James McClaskey & the Rhythm Band, and Tuba Skinny
EXTRAS: Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, but no outside food or drink permitted. FOR MORE: townofabitasprings.com
unteers will also be able to enjoy the festival. But being a part of community events is a special feeling, she said, and one she will particularly enjoy during Busker Festival.
“I can stand back behind the crowd enjoying the music with them but also knowing I played a part, along with my fellow volunteers, to make all this happen for them,” she said. Davenport has been involved with Keep Abita Beautiful and the Garden Club since moving to the area five years ago She
started with KAB and was instantly drawn in by the people involved.
“They were so dynamic, so passionate about being involved in the community and doing things for the community, and I thought, ‘I want to hang around with these people,’ ” Davenport said. And she dove in from there. She got involved with KAB cleanups and eventually the garden club, as much of the membership has some overlap. While she wasn’t an avid gardener prior she learned so much from men-
tors in the club it became something she truly enjoys.
“The passion and the mentoring I got and continue to get from the members just really sparked something in me to where I really literally dug in deep,” she said.
Now, she’s the corresponding secretary for the Garden
Club and board member for KAB. The two groups work diligently behind the scenes prepping areas for many of the town’s events.
Outside of her volunteer work, Davenport is mother to her son, daughter-in-law and “fairy dogmother” to a granddog golden retriever
She’s been married to her husband for 35 years, and she loves “piddling around” with a good craft. It’s always about the people, she said. Whether she’s at home with her family or in the community, it’s the people who energize every experience, she said.
within the mission of the museum,” he said. “It’s been a very
with the
PROVIDED PHOTO BY GEORGE H. LONG
A previous opening night reception for the En Plein Air exhibit in Abita Springs is attended by exhibition founder and art collector Ron Blitch, seated, en plein air exhibiting artists and other lovers of art created out of doors.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY GEORGE H. LONG
An earlier opening night reception for the En Plein Air exhibit at the Abita Springs Trailhead Museum.
PHOTO BY ANDREW CANULETTE
THE BEAUTY OF QUILTS
Generations of women who quilted didn’t think of themselves as artists, especially those who pieced and sewed with whatever leftover or recycled bits of cloth were at hand — often old clothing and flour sacks. Their quilts were simply considered the work of thrifty homemakers aiming to keep their families warm. But without doubt, those who quilt do create art, and examples of that art were on display during the open house held last month by the Ozone Layers Quilt Guild in the Abita Springs Town Hall. There are as many methods of making quilts as there are quilters making them, and that diversity of style, pattern, color and technique adds to the impact of seeing numbers of them displayed together in a communal space.
This quilt of many colors was pieced from more than two dozen different fabrics, a beautiful example of a patchwork quilt.
Women in business meet in empowerment symposium
BY MARGARET ALBERT
Contributing writer
The East St. Tammany Business Alliance recently held their Business & Bubbles Women’s Empowerment Symposium at the Harbor Center, an annual women-focused, signature event that brings together women in business from Slidell, St. Tammany Parish and the greater northshore for an afternoon of connection and learning.
Designed to support womenowned and women-led businesses, the March 19 event was attended by professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners eager to discover new products, grow their networks, and strengthen the local business community Curated sessions provided opportunities for conversations and business building.
“It’s important for women in power to come together and learn to grow and improve together as a team,” said business owner Brianna Ford. Jordan Williams and Raquel Fleming are new to the community
“We were excited to see this event posted because we’re bringing our business franchise here to Slidell,” said Williams “This day has been so productive — all about women empowering other women.”
Participants met, networked and strolled through the vendor’s tables, sipping Champagne and
local
Includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, gourmet buffet, open bar, live entertainment, silent auction and 50/50 drawing. Get tickets, $125 each, and more info at https://www.onewaylove.org/events/a-night-ofhope-2026. BRAWLING BULLDOGS: This April 18 Car and Craft Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.at Fontainebleau High School will raise money for FHS wrestling competitions, travel, uniforms and equipment. Fun for the family with food, crafts and music. Vendors and auto participants should contact fhswrestlingdawgs@gmail. com/. NORTHSHORE AUTISM ACCEPTANCE FESTIVAL: A day of fun, inclusive activities April 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mandeville Trailhead. Funds raised will help the Northshore Neurodiversity
Network’s mission of expanding educational opportunities for individuals on the spectrum. For ways to get involved or to find out more about the festival, see www nnnautism.org or email info@ nnnautism.org.
NORTHSHORE GARDEN & PLANT SHOW: Annual St. Tammany Master Gardeners Association event
PHOTOS BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Toni Maggio and Erin Wojtala look over a National Parks themed quilt in Abita Springs.
PHOTO BY MARGARET ALBERT
Christy Goss and Christine Pittman
Jennifer Hord, Katie Gennusa, Jamie Seals and Jessie Freeland
Brittany Ford and Brianna Ford
Jordan Williams and Raquel Fleming
Tara Brouuilette and Rebecca Hernandez
This handcrafted treasure sure to thrill grandchildren for many years was created by a member of the Ozone Layers Quilt Guild.
Dew Drop Jazz Hall to swing with Matt Rhody’s Hot Club
BY SHEILA GRISSETT Contributing writer
If any music-lovers out there like to swing, the Dew Drop Jazz & Social Hall on April 11 will be the time and place to do it. That’s when Matt Rhody’s Hot Club of New Orleans will bring the infectious energy of swingera jazz to life in Old Mandeville, but playing it with a modern edge and virtuosic flair
While the group draws inspiration from the gypsy jazz tradition, the players expand from there with contemporary rhythm, improvisation and showmanship, and they have a blast doing it. At the heart of the band is lightning-fast guitar work, tight rhythmic interplay and a sense of joy in the music they are making.
DEW DROP JAZZ HALL SHOW
WHO: Matt Rhody’s Hot Club of New Orleans
WHEN: April 11, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m; doors open
5:30 p.m.
WHERE: 430 Lamarque St., Mandeville
HOW MUCH: Cost is $15/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 Ladies of 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.
“So these guys, the Hot Club of New Orleans, have challenged themselves with an awesome task: Take the swing era music of Duke Ellington, Django Reinhardt, and Stephan Grappelli (among others), retain the classic groove, avoid sounding like a museum piece and then infuse it with their own modern sensibilities,” writes the Jazz Music Archives. “ These guys can all swing like mad.”
Led by well-known virtuoso violinist Matt Rhody, critics say his command of the style roots the ensemble, blending technical precision with playful spontaneity The result is music that feels both timeless and fresh in classic jazz forms but delivered with a vitality that appeals to modern listeners.
Whether playing swing standards, jazz classics or
The Krickets to perform at Lobby Lounge
Staff report
The Krickets will give the next Up Close and Musical concert on April 16 in the Lobby Lounge, Harbor Center’s intimate music listening room that features nationally touring acts performing acoustic or lightly amplified music. Music by this trio from the Gulf Coast combines elements of Americana and country — with dashes of bluegrass and all seeped in their signature folk harmony They are two-time IMA song-of-the-year win-
ners in both folk and alternative country categories. The Krickets also produced their third album late last year All three singer-songwriters, Emily Stuckey Sellers, Lauren Spring and Rachel Grubb, also have solo projects. The women originally came together to play a breast cancer benefit, and then just kept performing. But what hasn’t changed over time is the band’s passion for supporting their namesake, TheCricketFund. org, which provides cancer
MUSIC
LIVE: Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz will perform a free Mandeville Live! concert at the city’s trailhead on April 10. Vappie, a New Orleans native (now living in St. Tammany) and Creole master of the tenor banjo, who is a member of the American Banjo Museum’s Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. Vappie tours the world with his music, but is bringing it to Mandeville from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Food and beverages sold on-site, so no ice chests, eats or drinks from home allowed in the park. Bring fest chairs and blankets for seating.
ROCK: Rockin’ the Rails welcomes the Bucktown All Stars on April 9 to give the city’s free Thursday community concert. Sing and dance along with this brass-driven party band specializing in ‘60s classic rhythm and blues and soul, 70s funk and New Orleans jams. Their shows are legendary throughout the Gulf South. Take in the show at the Covington Trailhead from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Picnics welcome, but food and drink trucks are on-site and there are lots of restaurants throughout the historic district.
ROCK MORE: The next free Rockin’ the Rails concert on April 16 at the Covington Trailhead features Bottoms Up, a cover band with members from the northshore and southshore. The group specializes in top party rock ’n roll favorites and energizes crowds wherever they perform. Bring a fest chair or blanket and come out for the music from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
BEGINNER’S BLUEGRASS: Free slow bluegrass jam April 13 from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. in Abita Springs Pavilion, 22044 Main St. Bring a chair. Crafted especially for beginners who need to play slower or others who want to practice at slower tempo. See nstms.org for link to the lineup or other details.
IRISH: There’s a free traditional Irish session on April 16 from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in back room of Abita Brew Pub, 72011 Holly St., where musicians and music-lovers can play and sing favorite pieces of Celtic music. Visit thesession.org/tunes to find music catalog or go to nstms.org for details.
YOUNG: Young at Heart, a monthly program for adults
55+ at First Baptist Church Covington, invites residents to attend a program featuring solo vocalist and acoustic instrumentalist Brett Thomassie in the Central Hall on April 21 at 10:30 a.m. Registration is required by noon on April
UP CLOSE AND MUSICAL CONCERT
WHO: The Krickets
WHEN: April 16 at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lobby Lounge inside the Harbor Center, 100 Harbor Center Blvd., Slidell.
HOW MUCH: $27.75 per ticket; two- and four-top tables also available; get tickets at eventbrite.com.
EXTRAS: Free parking
MORE INFO: Lobby Lounge Facebook page
aid to the uninsured. This is a repeat performance for them at the Lobby Lounge, where there are no bad seats in this cozy, smokefree, bohemian-styled venue designed for customer comfort. Get the best choice of
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS
16 at FBCCOV.org/adults-55. A hot lunch will follow for a cost of $15.
HERITAGE: On April 18, the guqin, a 3,000-plus-year-old string instrument known as “Father of the Ancient Chinese Music,” will be played for the first time in St. Tammany Parish in a concert at AVanti Senior Living Community, 2234 WaterCross Parkway, in Covington. The guzheng, xiao, piano, dancing and singing will also be featured. The “Timeless Melodies from the East and the West” concert will be held from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the guqin will be introduced and played by Cuilan Li. In 2003, UNESCO added the ancient instrument to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. For more, call (985) 317-6110.
ON STAGE
LAUGHS: It will be Comedy Night 17 at 30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville at 7:30 p.m. April 10 when the Mandeville Theatre welcomes Garrett Nelson to open and Caroline Picard to headline. It will be an evening of stand-up comedy with Nelson, who earned the title “Shreveport’s Funniest” in 2025, and Picard, known as the “Cajun Queen of Comedy.” A Grammynominated comedian, Picard has played in multiple spots worldwide, from entertaining U.S. military troops in the Middle East to entertaining passengers aboard Carnival Cruise Line voyages. Re-
served seats for the 7:30 p.m. show at 880 Lafayette St. are $30 at 30byNinety.com.
CUTTHROAT: The Evangeline Theater Company will present “Glengarry Glen Ross,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama written by David Mamet. The local production, directed by Emily Carmadelle, will show April 17 through May 2 at the newly located theater at 2635 N. Causeway Blvd. in Mandeville. This play tells the story of four salesmen competing tooth and nail to sell mostly worthless properties to unwitting customers. The stakes are huge for the winner and the loser, so the men will do anything to come out on top. Set in Chicago’s 1980s real estate market. Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Contains strong language and is intended for mature audiences. Reserved seats $27 at evangelinetheater.com/.
A HERO: “Shrek, the Musical” will be presented at Slidell Little Theatre, 2024 Nellie Drive, April 17 through May 3, with Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. This Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure features new songs from Jeanine Tesori and book by David LindsayAbaire. The musical brings all the beloved characters from the film to life on stage and proves there’s more to the story than meets the cute ears. Adult tickets $35; students and seniors, $25 at Slidelllittletheatre.org
Krickets will perform April 16 in the Lobby Lounge located inside The Harbor Center near Slidell
POLITICAL ARTS
ART
SEE IT: The work of Zac
Maras, known for his colorful interior and exterior murals throughout the New Orleans region, and Steve Hasslock, fine artist and sculptor, will be featured during an opening reception at The Artwalk/ JFortier Studios, 829 Asbury Drive No. 2, in Mandeville, on April 11 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will also feature musical artists Cactus Thief; performance artists with Ballet Apetrei; small bites and fine drinks. A presentation of the artists and artist talks begin at 8 p.m. The Artwalk and studios are part of the Ballet Apetrei Studio complex. Free and open to the public.
MEET: The Northshore Democratic Women’s Club, focused on bringing awareness to issues affecting the community, hosts an April 19 meeting at 3 p.m. in the Abita Town Hall. Speakers will be U.S Senate candidate Gary Crockett and Dr. Kevin Caillouet, director of the St Tammany Mosquito Abatement Board. The public is invited.
COMMUNITY GUMBO
KITES: The Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Slidell is holding a Kite Day on April
TRAGEDY: Because he was gay, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old college student, was kidnapped, severely beaten, and left tied to a fence in the middle of the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming, in late 1998. His bloody, bruised and battered body was discovered the next day, and he died several days later in an area hospital. Members of the Tectonic Theater Project made six trips to Laramie in the 18 months following Shepard’s death, including the trial of the two young men accused of killing him (Both now serving consecutive life terms). The theater group conducted more than 200 interviews during their visits and have constructed a deeply moving theatrical experience from these and their own experiences in Laramie. “The Laramie Project” is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable. Patrons beware. This is a PG-13 performance due to mature subject matter, language and discussion of violence, so plan accordingly Tickets from $14 to $22 at 30byninety.org; shows April 18 to May 3 at 880 Lafayette St. in Mandeville.
HEALING: St. Tammany Hospital Foundation’s Healing Arts Committee is seeking entries to include in its next exhibition of the Rotating Gallery Series, part of its annual Healing Arts Initiative. All community artists, including St. Tammany Health System employees, are invited to apply. Applications will be accepted through April 20, and the exhibit will hang from May 18 to Aug. 17 on the first floor at St. Tammany Health System’s flagship St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. Visit STHFoundation.org/ArtApp or call (985) 898-4110 for guidelines and an online application.
VOTE: The People’s Choice Spring Art Show, hosted by the Slidell Art League, will hang in the St. Tammany Parish Library’s Slidell Branch, 555 Robert Blvd., through April 22. It is the community’s art show, and community members are invited to come into the library, see the art and vote for their favorite. Awards will be given at a reception of the artists and their art on April 17 at 7 p.m. LACOMBE: See the Lacombe Art Guild’s spring show, “Brushstrokes and Beyond,” from April 24-May 8 on the walls of the atrium at Lakeview Hospital in Covington. More at www.LacombeArtGuild.com.
FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
Not even a broken string stopped banjo virtuoso Don Vappie from continuing to play at last year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
PROVIDED PHOTO
The Bucktown All-Stars of New Orleans
original arrangements, fans say the band always creates an atmosphere that’s as
PROVIDED PHOTO
Matt Rhody’s Hot Club of New Orleans will bring the infectious energy of swing-era jazz to life in Old Mandeville on April 11.
Shepard
