Seven weeks ago, a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the mandate of a state law requiring that all Louisiana classrooms must display the Ten Commandments.
At its monthly Finance and Administrative committee meeting on April 9, the St. Tammany Parish School Board preliminarily approved a resolution that “directs the superintendent (Frank Jabbia) and administration to proceed with the implementation” of the new legal requirement
Final approval is expected to come at the full board meeting April 16, but the decision sending it through to the board didn’t come without 20 minutes’ worth of clarification, debate and hesitation.
Jabbia set the stage before any of the 13 board members present spoke on the subject
“We’re all on the same page, that we are instructed to move forward,” he said. “This is already happening across the state, and we were late responding because we needed clarification. We have received that clarification
According to Louisiana Revised Statute 17:2124, the Ten Commandments must be typed “in a large, easily readable font” on an 11-by-14 poster or framed document in each public elementary, secondary and charter school classroom.
In St. Tammany Parish, there are about 3,000 public classrooms
Posters were donated from a private entity to all 69 school boards across the state, and Jabbia said the school system is only allowed to use materials that have been donated
The donated posters received, which came from The Louisiana Family Forum and feature a picture of “Moses the Lawgiver” on one side and U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson on the other with the Ten Commandments in between, were the main source of debate.
“There have been many things that come across the desk of this board that we do not agree with I just want to put that out there,” committee chair Michelle Ruffino Gallaher said.
Several other board members followed by asking if they could find someone local to print the Ten Commandments “without all this other stuff.”
The resolution passed, 12-0-1, with Ruffino Gallaher abstaining and two other board members absent, and it is advanced to next week’s full meeting for final approval.
The board will also likely decide whether to find outside donors to print their own posters.
“They have to be completely donated,” Jabbia stressed. “I don’t think Mike Johnson wanted his face on there, either I don’t think anyone asked him.
Jack McGuire forges path in retirement
BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer
In retirement, one would think Jack McGuire would want to slow down, find an easy chair and smell the lovely roses in wife Sue’s garden. But five minutes into a conversation with the man makes it evident that his mind is still on drive and not ready for park.
The longtime Mandeville resident and former four-term City Council member, McGuire recently launched his latest nonfiction book, “Killing the Kingfish — The Huey Long Assassination.” Published through the University Press of Mississippi, it is the end product of years of research on the subject.
“When I retired from the Savings & Loan Association in New Orleans, Sue said I had to have a project so that I wouldn’t be under
See MCGUIRE,
TAKING FLIGHT
Gorgeous spring weather was the backdrop of a kite-flying day at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Slidell on April 11. There were also gift
and
enthusiastic church welcome. ä More photos. PAGE 2A
Jack McGuire sits in his office beneath an original portrait of Andrew Jackson painted in New Orleans during a trip commemorating the Battle of New Orleans.
BY JIM DERRY Contributing writer
Several years ago, Toby Cortez wanted to help find a way for veterans to release stress and be able to better deal with anxiety and the aftereffects of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, the stress of remembering traumatic events.
Enter mountain biking. And one of the better sets of trails for those interested in the sport can be found in Washington Parish in Bogue Chitto State Park, just outside of Franklinton.
In fact, over the past four years, the state has transformed what used to be just “a couple of trails” into an entire park dedicated to biking. It currently holds 17 miles worth of trails with areas for competitive biking, that include a pro-jump park, a slope-style course, En-
Jabbia
PHOTO BY SUZIE HUNT
PHOTOS BY MATTHEW DOBBINS
Shayann Scartino puts in the speed to get her beautiful dragon kite in the air.
Getting a kite into the air
TRAIL
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looking to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle.
That’s why so many veterans find it a perfect spot to visit
My father-in-law is a veteran of Vietnam, and I saw how much it was affecting his life and his spouse and everyone,” said Cortez, development coordinator for the Northshore Off-Road Biking Association, who led development of the mountain bike trails at Bogue Chitto Cortez said it was clear that something needed to be done for the vets, and mountain biking seemed just the answer
“Mountain biking is absolutely perfectly suited to be able to bring anyone no matter whether you’re able-bodied or disabled out here and improve their mindset. It can do so in multiple ways, whether it be through companionship and camaraderie or with the sport itself. You find another mission. You just have another purpose in life when you get together and ride.” Marine Corps veteran Carlos Pearce, of Covington, has become a regular and is involved in helping coordinate trips for other vets Last month, he assisted in bringing in a group of adaptive riders, many of whom have lost the use of their legs. With the expansion of the park, it is now open to those who have special bikes and need wider trails.
After they’re done riding for the day Pearce said group members all huddle together to “cut up, cry, laugh” or do whatever else they want to do.
“We have all lived a different life than most, and it’s really tough to relate when you haven’t gone through it,” Pearce said “When you’re able to talk to someone who knows the pain — things you’ve seen and things you’ve done and things you feel — it’s a relief.”
How it began
In 2019, after deciding that developing trails suitable for mountain biking was the way to go, Cortez rounded up some
investors and called on Lt. Gov Billy Nungesser to expand the trails at Bogue Chitto. It wasn’t a hard sell.
By 2022, the expansion began with help of a state bill that initially allocated $938,000 to the construction and design, along with about $500,000 in private investments. Since then, almost $4 million in public and private money has been spent on the trails and amenities.
Attendance at the park has nearly doubled on an annual basis over the past half-decade, from about 70,000 per year to an estimated 140,000-plus in 2025.
“When I took office, they were going to close seven state parks because we didn’t have the money I knew I had to do something long-term,” said Nungesser, who, as part of his duties, heads the state’s Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. “We started looking at private-public partnerships to bring more people in, but also to make some money
“… If you look at those trails on the weekends, you’ll see mountain bikes, horse trailers and all kinds of things,” he said. “It has changed that community.”
In addition to increased park attendance and beautification of the area, the support of local businesses has also significantly increased, and the park has become “an educational resource” for the local homeschooling community
Families now use the area as a dynamic outdoor classroom to teach their children about nature, all the while being able to use the public area as an open source of physical education.
Cortez has made it his mission to continue to build Bogue Chitto into a multi-faceted destination that serves the region. Still, it is a respite for veterans that Cortez seems to enjoy most.
“It’s a pretty simple formula: You come, you ride, we cook, you eat,” he said.
To get more information on the Northshore Off-Road Biking Association and the biking trails, visit www.norbatrails.org. More info on Bogue Chitto State Park can be found at the Louisiana State Parks website, www.lastateparks.com.
Developer seeks to build up to 154 homes in Covington
Plan for Piney Ridges Estates the first to come before Parish Council since release of a
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
A developer is planning to build up to 154 single-family homes in a new subdivision off the busy U.S Highway 190 in Covington, the latest major new housing development in a growing area of Covington that comes as St. Tammany Parish faces larger pressing questions about where and how to grow
The proposed 34-acre neighborhood, dubbed “Piney Ridges Estates,” would be near Penn Mill Road close to Covington High School, according to documents submitted to the parish laying out the conceptual plan for the project. The homes would be on a quarter-acre lots, include central sewer and water lines, and the neighborhood will feature a playground and dog park.
The conceptual plan recently received unanimous approval from the St Tammany Parish Council, meaning the developer, Derek Pelloquin of Precision Developments, based in Carencro, can now move on to the engineering phase.
The Piney Ridges Estates plan is the first new housing development the council has had to consider since the release of a major housing study that found the parish needed to build up to 17,300 homes by the end of 2030 to keep up with population and job growth.
After decades of growth, officials in recent years have become wary of approving new housing as residents complain that growth has outpaced the area’s infrastructure, leading to traffic and flooding issues.
Pelloquin first sought approval for the subdivision’s conceptual plan from the parish in 2025, but the Planning and Zoning Commission denied it and the developer did not win enough votes from the parish council to overturn it on appeal
The developer and property owner then sued in the 22nd Judicial District Court, arguing the denial was arbitrary and not based on health, safety or welfare concerns, court records show The parish never filed a response to the lawsuit, but Pelloquin said his attorney had multiple conversations with the parish’s attorney after the lawsuit. A lawyer for the parish, Emily Couvillon, declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
In February 2026, the conceptual plan came back before the planning commission and this time it unanimously approved it, but the plan returned to the council after a local environ-
mental group, Northshore Riverwatch, appealed that decision.
Investments and donations
Pelloquin said in all, he planned to invest an estimated $10 million for the subdivision to be ready for homes to be constructed on it. That would include paying for sewer and water roads, electrical infrastructure and a retention pond.
He also said he was donating over two acres to the parish for a future fire station on U.S. 190 and Penn Mill Road.
Pelloquin said that after the conceptual plan is approved, he will conduct a drainage study and will also seek approval from the Department of Environmental Quality for the subdivision’s sewage plans. He aims to use the private utility Magnolia Water for sewer and water service.
Engineering studies generally begin after a conceptual plan is approved, said Planning and Development Director Ross Liner After the engineering phase is over, the issue could appear again before the council. Pelloquin said he would be spending $480,000 in engineering on the project.
Arguing before the parish council on April 7, Northshore Riverwatch Executive Director Matthew Allen warned of potential flooding and pollution from the subdivision.
He said around 70 of the homes in the subdivision would be in the floodplain, which has seen six major floods in the last four decades, and raised concerns about the subdivision’s sewerage discharge
into a nearby tributary of the Tchefuncte river
Around a dozen people, including some potential future neighbors, also came to the council to lodge their opposition to the project, but did not speak.
While some council members expressed concern about flooding in the area on Thursday the council appeared open to the developer’s arguments that the subdivision was still in the early stages.
“This is a concept plan,” said Council member Martha Cazaubon, whose district the development would go in. Pelloquin may ultimately find he cannot put in as many homes as proposed, she said, something he said was likely
The discussion comes amid larger conversations among parish officials about how to balance the demand for growth in the parish with residents’ concerns about flooding, drainage and inadequate infrastructure.
There are a handful of other subdivisions that have been built on Penn Mill Road near U.S 190, including Simpson Farms, Cazaubon said. Another, called Vincent Heights, is under development.
“It is a dense area, but it’s on a major highway,” she said in an interview
There was also an unsuccessful plan to build hundreds of homes on hundreds of acres in the nearby Goodbee area.
Other nearby development fights have involved even more extensive litigation, such as the Covington Trace Ridge Apartments that that developer later dropped.
OFF-ROAD BICYCLE ASSOCIATION
military veterans ride the Bogue Chitto Mountain Bike Trail as a source of healing and reconnection that offers therapeutic benefits reaching well beyond physical fitness.
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD Material was ready for construction for a home in north Covington in September 2013.
PHOTOS BY MATTHEW DOBBINS
With some help from dad, Craig, Genevieve Bilgo is learning how a kite interacts with a bit of wind while play outside Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Slidell.
During Genevive Bilgo’s first lessons, dad Craig shows her how the all-important string helps guide her kite.
Look! Genevieve Bilgo has her kite up after lessons from her dad while the two attend a kite-flying event hosted by Lamb of God Lutheran Church on April 11.
Major flood work getting attention in Mandeville
BY KIM CHATELAIN
Contributing writer
A major infrastructure project along the western side of North Causeway Boulevard in Mandeville has lots of motorists along that busy main thoroughfare wondering what’s going on. Weeks ago, several trees and a chain-link fence were removed from the public right-of-way between U.S. 190 and the service road, making way for heavy construction equipment and lots of large cement pipes being buried as part of the work. It’s all a part of a $9.85 million project designed to alleviate flooding along and around La 22, a busy east-west roadway that bisects U.S. 190 in the heart of Mandeville.
At its meeting April 9, the
Mandeville City Council got an update on the project from Public Works Director Keith LaGrange, who said the work is now in full swing. In addition Mayor Clay Madden posted a video on social media to curb the public’s curiosity The project involves upgrading the subsurface drainage system along the La. 22 corridor from Dalwill Drive to North Causeway Boulevard, then south along North Causeway to Bayou Chinchuba. Larger pipes — ranging in diameter from 24 inches to 72 inches — are being installed to improve the flow of storm water from La. 22. Most of the pipes will be 72 inches, city officials said Madden said the project will add substantial drainage capacity to greatly benefit businesses and
neighborhoods along and near La. 22.
While work is currently being done along U S. 190, crews will soon be moving onto the La. 22 portion of the project. Much of the work along La. 22 will be done at night so as not to negatively impact traffic flow, Madden said. Richard Price Contracting Co., of Denham Springs, was awarded the construction contract. The state Office of Facility Planning and Control is funding 75% — roughly $7.39 million of the $9.85 million cost, with the city covering the rest. The U.S. 190 work necessitated clearing underbrush from the tree line along the roadway At least two dead trees and six pine trees were also removed to clear the way for the drainage work, Madden said.
Madisonville moves ahead with water system work
BY JIM DERRY
Contributing writer
After many months of talking and debating, the Madisonville Town Council took the first steps toward building a new water tower and well.
The council voted 4-0 on April 8, with Louis Ogle absent, to move forward with a plan for the Baton Rouge engineering firm of Forte & Tablada Inc. to begin designing a new water well to replace the town’s dying south well. Unlike past meetings, there was almost no debate and just a few questions for project leader Bianca Hillhouse, who represents Forte & Tablada. The initial plans were approved at a price of $165,300.
Hillhouse told the town their application with the state through the Local Government Assistance Program for a potential 100% loan forgiveness grant was not accepted But there are still high hopes of winning approval of a different grant that would pay 49% of the total cost of replacing the well and tower If that goes through, the town would be on the hook for about $4.6 million of the expected $9 million cost of all the work to be done.
After discussion, Pelloat said he hopes the budget can then be amended as necessary and all but be completed by the May meeting before gaining final approval in June for the July 1 start of the next fiscal year Madisonville has two water wells, both about 60 years old. The north well is running near its original capacity of 490 gallons per minute; however, the south well, located off the 1000 block of Pine Street, is seeing its output reduced by about half of its original capacity
One of the improvement phases would also include replacing the piping, which officials said would fix the town’s water issue of excess manganese a hard, brittle metallic element that is good for humans in small amounts, but can be especially harmful to toddlers and infants in larger quantities.
All members of the council publicly say there’s no question that the south well must be replaced, with the only real debate stemming from where the money will come from. That can now be debated through the introduction of the proposed budget later this month.
MCGUIRE
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her feet all the time,” McGuire said of his wife. “After reading four or five books out there about Long’s assassination, I found them to be incorrect on a lot of things. I decided it would be a good project to research.”
As the author of “Win the Race or Die Trying: Uncle Earl’s Last Hurrah,” a chronicle of Louisiana Gov Earl K Long’s last campaign, McGuire is not averse to examining historical subjects. For his latest book, McGuire filled two file cabinet drawers with old newspaper clippings, journal articles and information from other sources over a period of several years. Much of his work was done in his office, where a portrait of Andrew Jackson has pride of place over his desk. The original artwork was painted in Jackson’s hotel room during a visit to New Orleans in 1840 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans. When McGuire was ready to map out the book’s outline, he left his office and took over the couple’s oversized dining room table with all his documents and notes.
The stacks of paper became a workable chapter outline. That guide gave birth to the book that finds McGuire in the midst of a statewide book tour The upcoming schedule includes stops in Alexandria, Terrebonne Parish and an author’s presentation event at the St. Tammany Parish Library — Causeway Branch at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 7.
“I enjoy talking about Long and the background stories surrounding his time in office, so I’m looking forward to the presentation at the library,” McGuire said.
When McGuire was finished with his research papers involving Long, he donated the collection to the State Archives in Baton Rouge last August, with the stipulation that the gift be sealed until his book was published. “Killing the Kingfish” debuted in the archives in March, and his donation is now on public display there.
It’s easy to see that the McGuires are passionate about Louisiana. Their home near the Mandeville lakefront, rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, is filled with Louisiana themed art, framed antique maps and books about people and events pertaining to their home state. The house is nestled in a garden designated as a Louisiana Certified Habitat by the Louisiana Native Plant Society, with wild irises bloomed in the front yard.
Although McGuire retired from the council decades ago, he still keeps active locally as a member of the Mandeville Civil Service Commission, an entity he helped form prior to leaving his council position.
“It used to be that employees had to support the current elected officials, like the mayor or the police chief, or risk losing
“It used to be that employees had to support the current elected officials, like the mayor or the police chief, or risk losing their job That’s how the politics worked back then. Now all city employees must be nonpolitical. They cannot show support for a candidate or make political contributions.”
JACK MCGUIRE, author and member of the Mandeville Civil Service Commission
their job. That’s how the politics worked back then. Now all city employees must be nonpolitical. They cannot show support for a candidate or make political contributions,” McGuire said. He enjoys his involvement on the commission as it reviews cases during their monthly meetings.
Having finished his latest book, McGuire went looking for a new objective.
“Sue says I need another project for when this book tour winds down,” he said. A Master Gardener, she has a busy schedule of her own, according to her husband.
“Today, she’s working at Marigny Elementary School. She’s helping K-1 students learn to grow their own vegetables in the school’s garden. Yesterday, she and 12 other Master Gardeners were here in the kitchen making soup from five types of vegetables the children had grown. The kids are having their soup today at school,” McGuire said.
Keeping Sue’s directive in mind, McGuire is turning his sights on a logbook written by a British naval captain in the 1760s.
“The logbook is part journal, part correspondence record of Capt. William Cornwallis and his ship, the H.M.S. Guadalupe. It’s his records from 1766 to 1768 about his travels from Great Britain to Pensacola and into the Gulf of Mexico,” McGuire said. The captain was the brother of British General Lord Charles Cornwallis, who surrendered to George Washington at Yorktown in 1781. There is much in the logbook that piques his interest. Most importantly, according to McGuire, Cornwallis copied his outgoing correspondence to the admiralty in the journal before he sent it to Great Britain. He also included the replies he received for a very thorough record of events on the ship.
“There’s also more ordinary notes about odd things, like how many lashes sailors received as punishment and that the hardtack was full of maggots,” he said. “But then there are more exciting reports, like when his ship encountered pirates and Cornwallis chased them. I’d like to see if I can perhaps get a journal article written after working through the captain’s notes” McGuire said. It appears Louisiana’s maritime history from the time of the American Revolution will be filling Jack McGuire’s leisure time during this special anniversary year
Mayor Jean Pelloat stressed there already is $3 million allotted for this work from “surplus income” in the proposed 2027 fiscal budget, which will officially be introduced at the town’s April 22 committee meeting, followed up with an April 29 session for public comments on budget plans.
“With surplus moneys, I am recommending we approve the budget with $3 million in there for us to move forward on the water system,” he said. “That’s why it’s listed in the capital improvement section
Some constituents have expressed concern that their water bills will rise, although the total amount or percentage of increase will remain murky until the work is done and final costs have been tallied.
Over the course of the past several months, Pelloat has repeated what he said in January: “If you have a well that is over 50 years old, I would say its life is limited. If you get to 60, you are doing good, and we can’t expect more than 70. One day, one way or another, this will need to be done. This has been a capital outlay request for four years.”
Pelloat
Most of the pipe being installed in the ongoing flood project along North Causeway Boulevard are the 72-inch variety
PHOTOS BY KIM CHATELAIN Workers are installing 72-inch pipes along North Causeway Boulevard as part of a $9.85 million project designed to alleviate flooding in the area, especially along and around La. 22.
April brings a bounty of crawfish fundraisers
BY KADEE KRIEGER
Contributing writer
Ah, the scent of fresh lemons and pungent cayenne is in the air It’s springtime in St. Tammany, and that means flowers are blooming and crawfish pots are boiling all over the place.
That also means several charitable organizations are once again cooking up plenty of crawfish in April, banking on the public’s love affair with boils — both the culture of them and their tasty little 10-legged crustacean stars — to again lure patrons to their local fundraisers.
Crawfish Cookin’ for a Cause along the Mandeville lakefront on April 12 led off a series of crawfish-focused, post-Easter fundraisers that came complete with live music and water-side games for the kids.
In that one, proceeds went to Grant’s Gift Foundation — providing resources to people with special needs, especially underprivileged and disabled children and Hark ALS, which helps lessen the financial burdens faced by families battling ALS
Anyone who missed that day of crawfish and community camaraderie still has two more charitable boils happening on April 18. Just pick one, or attend both
The 15th St. Paul’s School Alumni Association Crawfish Cookoff will be held at the school campus on Jahncke Avenue in Covington from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m to benefit Hope House
This all-you-can-eat competition between dozens of teams will also feature live music from the St. Paul’s Jazz and Combo bands and other student bands. Advance tickets are $45 for adults, $35 for teens and $20 for ages 12-7. Children under 7 are admitted free Hope House Executive Director Thomas Mitchell said the event is a key fundraiser for his organization that facilitates forensic interviews with child victims of abuse. Hope House helped bring healing and justice to 643 children in Washington and St. Tammany parishes last year, at no cost to families.
“We’ve had the privilege of being part of this event since its inception, and it has generated meaningful support to help the children we serve recover from trauma,” Mitchell said. “Our staff and volunteers truly enjoy being part of the cookoff and connecting with the St. Paul’s community, whose continued support makes this work possible.”
The other charitable boil scheduled that day is the 21st Louisiana Crawfish Cookoff to benefit Hospice House from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fritchie Park in Slidell. This Hospice Foundation of the South’s signature event will boast more than 60 teams boiling 40,000 pounds of crawfish and 17,500 pounds of fixings. Competitors vie for the title “Best Crawfish in St Tammany Parish” as decided by celebrity judges and competing teams Admission at the gate is $45 for ages 13 and older; children 12 and under get in free Advance purchase tickets are $40 at www crawfishtickets.com. Included with admission is unlimited crawfish and live music. Beverages and other food will also be available for purchase.
The Hospice Foundation of the South provides resources for medical and emotional care of terminally ill patients and their families. Learn more about Hospice at TheHospiceHouse.org. For information about the cook-off visit www.visitthenorthshore. com/event/slidells-all-you-can-eat-crawfishcook-off/6352/. But the bounty continues.
There’s still another crawfish-centric fundraiser the next weekend, on April 25, when the fifth annual Crawfish Cook-off for the Corps happens from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pontchartrain Yacht Club in Old Mandeville.
The event, featuring crawfish, hot dogs and cold beer, raises money for the Pontchartrain Yacht Club Veterans Regatta and the Marine Corps League LCpl. Justin D. McLeese Detachment 1487’s Veterans and Community Service Missions. Those attending are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to listen to music by “DJ Dynamite Dave.” The yacht club’s new swimming pool will also be open, and there will be a bounce house for kids. For more information, visit www.sccacookoffs.com/event-details/5th-annual-crawfish-cook-off-for-the-corps.
There’s something special boiling on the Mandeville lakefront April 12, but for Lynette Tullos, some serious lagniappe of the 15th annual Crawfish Cookin’ for A Cause fundraiser in Old Mandeville is the venue’s splashpad and fountain in the park.
Mudbugs doing good in Mandeville
Friends, family and lovers of mudbugs turned out to revel in the sunshine, enjoy breezes off Lake Pontchartrain and generally do some good April 12 at the 15th annual Crawfish Cookin’ for A Cause boil in Old Mandeville’s Lakeside Park. All the money raised will benefit Grant’s Gift Foundation, aimed at kids with special needs, and HARK, which helps families battling the financial burden of ALS.
Live music is part and parcel of Crawfish Cookin’ for A Cause in Old Mandeville.
PHOTOS BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Brooklyn Rohwer and Sophia Goncaobes enjoy some crawfish on the lakefront.
Mama mia, just look at what happens when folks takes seriously Crawfish Cookin’ for A Cause on Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville.
Lots of good things — and some
Russ Acosta with the GMFS mortgages team cooks up some crawfish.
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! Andrew Canulette, editor, St. Tammany Farmer
PHOTO BY BOBBY GILBOY
Children’s services expanding
BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer
It was a good week for children in St. Tammany when next steps were taken by two linstitutions that are focused on improving life for the parish’s younger residents.
The St. Tammany Health System ceremoniously cut the ribbon April 7 on its new 3,000-square-foot Parenting Center at 21404 Koop Drive near Mandeville, just off the Tammany Trace Trailhead.
The facility is situated near both the Trace trail and the Kidz Konnection Playground in space previously occupied by the Children’s Museum of St. Tammany, which has relocated. The space has now been expanded and refurbished to provide the Parenting Center with dedicated spaces for reception, reading, classroom learning, craft activities, active play and more.
29th St. At the April 6 event, visitors got a tour of the construction site and heard details of what it will offer its members.
Boys & Girls Clubs provide a wide variety of programs for youth in several core areas: education, the arts, character and leadership, sports and recreation, health and wellness, and workforce readiness. Their programming includes various curriculum such STEM, Project Learn, Passport to Manhood and Smart Girls.
Leslie Durio
Personal loss drives volunteer
BY JESSICA SAGGIO
Contributing writer
After uterine cancer left Leslie Durio at a crossroads, she made perhaps one of the hardest decisions of her life: Accept the reality that she couldn’t have children or adopt.
She was already in her 40s, and although she had beat the cancer, she just didn’t want to put a child in a position to have a old mom who was too old. So she made the most difficult choice of her life right then and there. If she couldn’t have children, she would take all of her energy and put it into volunteering and giving back to her community
“I said, ‘You know, let’s just volunteer the heck out of everything,’” she said of a conversation she had with her husband.
And now, twenty-some years later she has done just that.
Involved in more than 20 nonprofits, Durio is the volunteer extraordinaire. She served as a shelter volunteer during Katrina and with the Red Cross in New York City following 9/11. She’s been the volunteer zookeeper caring for rhinos at the New Orleans Zoo, and there are few events in Covington she isn’t directly involved in. She stays busy And what’s up next on her jam-packed schedule?
Durio is the friendly face ushering guests to their seats during the Abita Springs Opry season that opened in March, something she has done for almost 20 years on Opry night in the Abita Springs Town Hall. The next Opry show is scheduled April 18. Durio started as a volunteer for the Opry in 2007 after attending the shows as a patron. She loves the music and the environment and offered to lend a helping hand after spotting a potential need. Opry management immediately accepted and put her to work as an usher She also helps hand out paychecks, she said, making her a bright spot for both guests attending and the bands and staff who get paid.
“I’m just happy to be there,” Durio said. “I feel guilty because I’m getting benefits too. I’m getting paid in T-shirts and kittens,” she joked. “I have like 20 different volunteer groups I’m in, and I love doing it, but I feel guilty I get to eat some free food at the event or meet the famous people in the concerts. And it’s like, ‘Wow I get to do all this and they’re thanking me for doing it.’” But Opry producer Bryan Gowland said her dedication is uniquely meaningful. She’s the first person guests truly interact with, and she sets the tone for the event, he said. Durio is also the one who resolves conflicts if seats get mixed up, and
ABITA SPRINGS OPRY
WHAT: Series of musical performances by bands to preserve the area’s roots by playing old-time country, Bluegrass, southern gospel, zydeco, Cajun, Irish tunes and more
WHEN: April 18, 7 p.m. –9 p.m.; doors open 5:45 p.m. WHERE: Abita Springs Town Hall, 22161 Level St,Abita Springs
HOW MUCH: $20 donation per ticket and all seats reserved. Buy in advance by calling (504) 214-7777, or buy at the door
WHO: April 18 show features Bad Penny Pleasure Makers; The Get Along Gang; The James McClaskey Rhythm Band; and Sunny Side Jazz Band
WHAT ELSE: Before the show buy gumbo, hot dogs, homemade baked treats and beverages prepared and sold outside by local nonprofits. Sometimes musicians decide to warm up on the front porch before the show; after the show, everyone invited to jam with some of the night’s musicians across the street at Abita Brew Pub.
in one case, she was first on the spot to handle a medical emergency in the crowd.
“She is just so dependable,” Gowland said. “She’s cheerful. She’s willing to help people. She’s a very charming person who is kind I’m grateful for her.”
Although the Opry is just one of Durio’s volunteer gigs, she said it has remained a special one.
A self-proclaimed people person, she just “truly, sincerely loves meeting people,” and at the Opry she gets to meet three sets of people: staff members, guests and musicians.
“It is so fun and enjoyable. I love the music and the people,” she said. “It’s just a fun, friendly atmosphere with great music and great people. What more could you ask for?”
Outside of the Opry, she works part-time at the Covington Trailhead Museum and Visitor Center, a job she said she also adores. At 66-years-old she said she’s nowhere ready to retire, and if anything wishes she could work more. And while Durio has faced dire challenges — even the obstacle of facing her own mortality she has fully embraced life.
“This has always been my mantra: For all the money and time and love my husband and I would have put into children, we want to help by volunteering with everything in our little corner of the world,” Durio said. And that she has.
In its larger, relocated facility the center will be able to better provide local parents and children the tools they need to grow together as a family, St. Tammany Health System officials said.
Through an array of programs — from parenting and babysitting classes to playdates and a variety of socialization events the center is dedicated to promoting confidence and competence in parents, encouraging optimal development for their children and enhancing the well-being of families as a whole.
Children were welcome at Tuesday’s event, which included refreshments, selfguided tours of the center and the chance to grab some time on the nearby playground.
Meanwhile, not far away in Covington, the community got its first official look at the progress of the city’s
Special guests included the new club’s namesake, Doug Brooks, president and chairman of Brooks Highway Group; St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper; and Covington Police Department Deputy Chief Kevin Collins.
“The club brings structure, fun, friends, a place where you can get help with studying and even meals,” Brooks said. “Just a little bit of security gives (the club members) a feeling that there really is a place they can go where someone cares.”
future Boys & Girls Club, the Doug A Brooks Family Donor Fund. No date has been set for the club to open, but a spokeswoman said it is expected that Boys & Girls Club members will be in the building by the start of the 2026-2027 school year in August.
It is expected to serve about 150 children ages 6 to
18, providing a permanent Boys & Girls Club home in Covington after years of using temporary space in a number of St. Tammany Parish School system buildings. The project began in September at the corner of W. 29th Avenue and N. Tyler Street, and now a colorful blue and white building stands on the site at 626 W.
The new facility will be used not just for club members after school, but for other members of the community as well. Through various local partnerships, Boys & Girls Clubs will provide professional help to those in need, such as family or behavioral services, outside of normal club hours. There are six Boys & Girls Clubs sites scattered throughout the metro Louisiana region in New Orleans, Slidell, Gretna, Baton Rouge, and soon, the club
PROVIDED PHOTO BY ELLIE RAMIREZ
namesake Doug Brooks and Angel Nelson, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana, exchange remarks April 6 on the construction site of the new club being built in Covington.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW DOBBINS
always a good time to play on the Kidz Konnection Playground, which is now
Hands-on event introduces maritime careers
BY LISA VON EBERSTEIN
Contributing writer
A smashed watermelon sent red pulp and rind splashing in every direction at the Maritime Museum Louisiana in Madisonville on March 26, becoming an unforgettable lesson in maritime workplace safety
Another watermelon was dealt the same hammer blow, but this time it was protected by a hard safety helmet. The messy demonstration by a maritime safety company drew gasps and laughter from about 200 high school students. The point was clear. On the water, safety gear can mean the difference between a close call and a catastrophe.
The demonstration was part of We Work the Waterways Maritime Interaction Day, a hands-on event designed to introduce students from high schools across St. Tammany Parish to the wide range of careers available in Louisiana’s maritime industry.
Organized through the national We Work the Waterways outreach program in partnership with Maritime Museum Louisiana, the second annual event aimed to expose teenagers to an industry many see every day but know little about. Louisiana’s maritime sector accounts for roughly one in five jobs in the state, making it one of the region’s most significant economic drivers.
“I think it’s something they don’t realize they have in their backyard,” said Samantha Fontenot, a Slidell High School teacher who accompanied the students. Students listened to presentations and rotated through stations demonstrating vessel buoyancy, radio communications, firefighting, rescue and more, speaking directly with industry professionals about jobs both on the water and on shore.
Jim MacPherson, executive director for the museum, said a main goal of the event is to keep young talent in Louisiana.
“The We Work the Waterways program opens students’ eyes to the vast opportunities within Louisiana’s maritime industry, empowering them to see that they don’t have to leave the state to find rewarding, high-impact careers,” he said.
Many of the students encountered maritime careers in depth for the first time. Some said the event broadened their understanding of the jobs and gave them new options to consider for the future.
“It’s very eye-opening. It’s just something I never knew,” said Blake Washburn, an 11th-grade student who visited with his carpentry class. He said he has considered welding, electrical and plumbing for his future, but now, becoming a captain is a new possibility
underrepresented and will slowly disappear unless more high school and college students learn about it.
He said the most critical need is for manual labor
“As educational director I see Maritime Industry Day as more than an event. It’s a launch point.
—
—
Eleventh-grade student Zion Vance, who attended with his automotive technology class, may also switch gears. “Originally I was going to try to do welding,” he said.
“Looked into carpentry I was gonna become a cabinet carpen-
ter But I do like stuff on water I personally lived on the water. I can see myself doing a lot of the — a lot of the careers here.”
Keegan Waldrop, director of development and education at the museum, said maritime trade is
We’re connecting students directly with the industries that drive Louisiana’s economy and showing them a future they can step into today,” Waldrop said “Information — first to contact, first to contract. That’s very important, especially with these kids.”
Presenter Brett Sprenger, re-
Recipients and donor families to celebrate their heroes
Staff report
In celebration of organ and tissue donations throughout this month, there will be a Path of Remembrance gathering in Covington on April 18 giving donor families and recipients the chance to honor their donor heroes.
This family-friendly gathering at the LOPA Donor Memorial Park from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. will have special events for children. It is free to attend, but registration is requested at lopa. org/path.
It will be one of five remembrances statewide in support of the almost 3,000 donor families that the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency has worked with by offering guidance, resources and compassion.
The LOPA, along with hospital and community partners, are involved in the activities as part of National Donate
Life Month in April. These tributes and ceremonies are especially poignant this year, as 2025 marked the largest number of lives saved and individuals healed through organ and tissue donation in Louisiana’s history
The year saw 336 organ donors and 838 tissue donors give the gift of life, resulting in 997 lifesaving organ transplants and thousands of tissue grafts restoring sight, mobility, and health for individuals in Louisiana and across the country The expanded use of data and recovery technologies have resulted in clinical systems that improve organ and tissue placement efficiency and reduce missed opportunities for donation, contributing to a 13 percent increase in the total number of organs transplanted.
“What’s most important to remember is that behind every number, is a person and a family whose decision to say ‘yes’ to donation has created a living, lasting
impact,” said LOPA President and CEO Brett Gordon He said recent achievements reflect a combination of innovation, collaboration and the dedication of the people behind LOPA’s mission of answering every need and every donation, every day
“Every advancement we make helps ensure more donor heroes are able to fulfill their decision to save lives, and that more families waiting for a miracle receive one,” Gordon said. “Clinical perfusion advancements have been particularly impactful, allowing us to better preserve organ function and expand transplant possibilities.”
Louisiana residents are encouraged to join the Louisiana Donor Registry through a variety of pathways: inperson at the Office of Motor Vehicles, online at lopa.org, through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, or via the LA Wallet App.
Expanded memorial to be rededicated to fallen officers
Staff report
The St. Tammany Parish Law Enforcement Memorial, recently expanded to ensure that all fallen officers can continue to be included in this legacy of honor, will be rededicated April 20 in Covington. The memorial was established almost a decade ago to honor the men and women of courage who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty But over time, the
Law enforcement officers stand at attention during the reading of the honor roll at the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at the courthouse in Covington in 2014.
gional vice president for Sabine Surveyors LTD, said outreach events like this help counter a cultural push toward four-year degrees by highlighting careers in the trades and maritime sector
“It’s like this grossly under-advertised, undermarketed opportunity for employment,” Sprenger said. “And that’s why We Work the Waterways I believe was founded, was to educate kids to kind of get more people into the maritime workforce, whether it’s as logisticians, welders, boat drivers, mechanics, admin, all kinds of things.”
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Students get a high five as they arrive at the We Work the Waterways Career Exploration Event at the Maritime Museum in Madisonville.
PHOTOS BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Northshore High School student Blake Washburn learns how to use a life jacket to pull someone out to the water during the We Work the Waterways Career Exploration Event on March 26 at the Maritime Museum.
Shawn Lingawi, of Turns Services, demonstrates during the Waterways Career Exploration Event what can happen to a watermelon
or a human head
that is not covered by personal protection equipment at work.
PHOTO
A festival without chaos or noise
BY JESSICA SAGGIO
Contributing writer
While festivals are a rich part of life for many people in this region, others simply cannot take the crowds, the nonstop noise, even some of the smells and the generally frenetic pace of the festival scene
Such large events just aren’t always a good match for people on the autism spectrum who can be easily overstimulated but have no safe, quiet place to get away from it all in a public venue.
Realizing those things, lifelong best friends Cindy Taylor and Karen Milliken knew exactly how they could make a real difference in St. Tammany Parish. They needed to create an event that would both cater to those on the spectrum, while also being a destination for their families to get needed resources.
And with that, the Northshore Autism Acceptance Festival was born and will take place for the first time April 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mandeville Trailhead.
“There’s never been one, and there’s a tremendous need,” said Taylor, founder of the newly formed Northshore Neurodiver-
NORTHSHORE AUTISM ACCEPTANCE FESTIVAL
WHAT: Festival that celebrates and supports individuals on the spectrum and their families with appropriate fun zones, guest speakers, resource vendors and a quiet area for breaks.
WHERE: Mandeville Trailhead, 675 Lafitte St.
WHEN: April 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
COST: Free admission
PARKING: Overflow parking available at the David C.Treen Instructional Technology Center and a trolly will shuttle guests to and from the event.
FOR MORE: Visit nnnautism.org
sity Network nonprofit hosting the free fest.
While Taylor and Milliken said they do not have immediate family members who face these challenges, they do have many people they love who are on the spectrum. The pair said they both have ADHD attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder — and that helps them relate to many of the sensory challenges those on the spectrum experience.
But ultimately, their interest lies in advocating for those on the spectrum who are so greatly underrepresented and often overlooked in Louisiana.
Their Northshore Autism Acceptance Festival will feature six fun zones: Balloon Zone, Bubble Zone,
Foam Zone, Jump Zone, Sand Zone and Sensory Zone. There will also be a Quiet Zone for those who need to take a break from the festivities
“We will be controlling volume levels with 15 minutes of quiet time between any kind of talking,” Taylor said “It’s truly a sensory event, which is going to be different.”
Additionally almost 80 vendors and resource sites will be set up that cater to the needs of people on the spectrum and their families Vendors will include everything from places for those with autism to get a variety of needs met, from haircuts and child care to the services of chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational
therapists, speech therapists, dentists, pediatricians and more.
The idea is to gather as many resources for the families as possible as a one-stop shop to see what services in the parish are equipped, trained or willing to work for those with autism and other neurodiverse minds, Taylor said. Police and fire departments will also be represented at the event.
Music and guest speakers will be located on one end of the event; vendors of food or anything emitting particular smells will also be in a separate area, as many on the spectrum are affected by such sensory experiences. Food and beverages will be for sale, including spectrum-friendly offerings without food dyes, a high sugar content or sugar alternatives.
Additionally, volunteers will be formally trained by those with expertise on how to interact and serve neurodivergent guests.
Any proceeds from the event will support the Northshore Neurodiversity Network, which was founded to expand access to quality education and foster community understanding. Taylor said the organization’s ultimate goal is to build a “ginormous school.”
“A campus with a giant plot of land with a building and anything for anyone from anywhere who is on the spectrum and that includes ADHD and ADD. There are a lot of other disabilities. We don’t just use the word autism,” she said.
Milliken said the campus would ideally offer education catered to these individuals, as well as areas where caregivers can get a reprieve. The project is still in its infancy, but she said brainstorming for their dream campus is still very much in the works.
In the meantime, the two friends hope the festival fills a gap in the parish and kicks off a grassroots effort to provide a more diverse and spectrum-friendly St. Tammany
“My passion is just helping people in general, and that’s how I’ve been my entire life,” Milliken said. Taylor calls them both “big-time mama bears” who just want to help.
“When we’re in, we’re all in, and what other people are going through will dictate how our day goes and whether we sleep,” she said. “We definitely take on other people’s struggles.”
Tammany Trace bridge will be replaced
BY KIM CHATELAIN
Contributing writer
A section of the Tammany Trace between the Abita Springs Trailhead and Gordon Avenue is closed to allow for the demolition and replacement of a bridge over the Abita River The roughly $1.6 million project is expected to be completed and this section of the popular recreational trail reopened by the end of the year, according to Michael Vinsanau, director of public information for the St. Tammany Parish government. The new, 300-foot steel trestle bridge’s superstructure will be built off-site and brought to the area for installation The existing wooden span, which is one of one of 32 bridges along the 31-mile Tammany Trace, has deteriorated over the years and is being replaced due to safety concerns, parish officials said.
March 30 marked the start of the project and the official closure of the bridge. The project is similar to one completed in 2023 to replace a rickety pedestrian span over Little Bayou Castine in Mandeville. When the ribbon was cut on that bridge, Parish President Mike Cooper indicated that other aged bridges along the hike and bike trail would eventually need to be replaced. Vinsanau said perhaps as many as half of the spans could be targeted for replacement, although most are shorter in distance than the ones over the Abita River and Little Bayou Castine.
Originally a corridor for the Illinois Central Railroad, the Tammany Trace is now a hike and bike trail that spans from downtown Covington, through Abita Springs, Mandeville and Lacombe and ends in Slidell. St Tammany Parish government purchased the abandoned railroad corridor in 1992 and launched what was Louisiana’s first Rails-to-Trails conversion. It laid down 31 miles of asphalt and remodeled railroad trestles into pedestrian bridges. The popular recreation trail is maintained by parish government. The Trace is used by roughly 300,000 riders, runners and walkers each year, officials said.
PHOTOS
Pfister Sisters, Matt Rhody and Amasa Miller make jazz
BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer
The always entertaining Pfister Sisters will headline the April 19 Third Sunday Concert at Christ Episcopal Church in Covington, sharing traditional New Orleans jazz and continuing the legacy of innovative jazz vocal harmony popularized by New Orleans’ own Boswell Sisters in the 1920s. The three “sisters” performing in Covington — Holley Bendtsen, Yvette Voelker and Karen Stoehr (soul sisters, not siblings) will be accompanied by Amasa Miller on piano and Matt Rhody on violin Selections will include “Sentimental Journey,”
“Heebie Jeebie Blues,” “Dinah,” “St. Louis Blues” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B.”
The original Pfister Sisters made their public debut at the 1980 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and continued on to perform traditional jazz in three-part harmony in the U.S. and Europe, appearing in venues as varied as the Lincoln Center, the Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola They made records; played themselves in an episode of the HBO series Treme; and were regulars at the Jazz Fest here at home.
Much of the Pfister Sisters’ music is inspired by their respect and affection for the Boswell Sisters, credited by some with inventing jazz vocal harmony, who attained national prominence during the twilight of the Jazz Age and onset of the Great Depression. The Pfister
Sisters’ third album was even named “All’s Well That’s Boswell.”
“If any group could ever represent the sweetness and slightly naughty nature of New Orleans’s fairer sex, it would, no doubt, be the Pfister Sisters,” wrote Mary Foster for The Associated Press. These days, children and grandchildren keep the Pfister Sisters closer to home, and they can be
heard most often now in the New Orleans area. Their one-hour concert in Covington begins at 5 p.m. and, as is tradition, will be followed by a reception in the church parish hall for the performers and audience members to meet, mix and mingle.
The church, at 120 S. New Hampshire near downtown Covington and just before the Bogue Falaya Park entrance, has a
QUACK-A-FALAYA: This annual rubber duck race is the Covington Rotary Club’s main spring fundraiser. Race begins at 10:30 a.m. April 18 with the goal of “racing” 1,200 rubber duckies in the Bogue Falaya River. A bright yellow duck is assigned for every $20 donated. The first duck to finish wins $1,000, and winners need not be present. See facebook.com/CovRotary/ for details and to sponsor a racing duck.
The Third Sunday concerts at Christ Episcopal Church in Covington traditionally fills it sanctuaries for the music. The next concert features the Pfister Sisters, and the public is invited.
handicapped-accessible entrance on the park side of the main church.
The Third Sunday Concert Series is a longtime outreach of Christ Episcopal Church, a music ministry of monthly concerts featuring local artists who specialize in their own particular variety of roots music. For more information, call (985) 892-3177 or visit christchurchcovington.com.
ONE WAY LOVE: “A Night of Hope” gala in Slidell at 6 p.m. April 18 at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 2056 Second St., brings together the community to support local atrisk youth. 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-of-hope-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 in St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 24-25. Shop large selection from regional growers: from roses, perennials and trees to
FILE PHOTO
PROVIDED PHOTO
The current Pfister Sisters include, from left, Yvette Voelker Karen Stoehr and Holley Bendtsen.
Inner Wheel members present a gift and a donation to the Helping Hands Ministry in Slidell during a meeting between, from left, Inner Wheel Vice President Pam Anderson, Helping Hands Ministry founder Betty Thomas, Inner Wheel President June Green and Secretary Renee Arsenault.
PROVIDED PHOTOS
Inner Wheel members helped serve lunch at the recent ‘Magic of Reading — Stronger Together”’event sponsored by the Rotary Club at the Slidell Boys and Girls Club They are, from left, Pam Anderson, June Green, Renee Arsenault, Sharron Newton and Debbie Sullivan.
Inner Wheel has only one chapter in Louisiana
BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer
Among the various nonprofit organizations in St. Tammany parish, Slidell is home to a unique group of women with local spirit and international ties.
The Slidell contingent of Inner Wheel USA is the only Inner Wheel chapter in Louisiana and is one of 28 chapters in the United States, according to treasurer Gay DiGiovanni.
“We may be small, but we are dedicated to serving people here and abroad,” she said proudly of the local chapter’s 33 members.
Inner Wheel is an international organization with a mission to promote true friendship service and foster international understanding. Begun in 1924 in England, the first chapter in the United States was formed in 1951.
Internationally, the organization is known for its work raising funds to provide children who have upper limb loss with custom prosthetic arms or hands, as well as Koalaa sleeves to assist with daily living and sports activities. The prosthetics are made by Hanger Clinic.
The Slidell chapter holds a yearly walkathon to raise needed funds to help with therapies and equipment those children need.
“It’s really more a stroll for fun and to build awareness of what our members do locally and internationally,” DiGiovanni said.
The February event held in Heritage Park raised almost $5,000 for the cause, according to member Dede Ricard
“The beauty of this organization is it gives people a focus. Each club is unique, and our members bring their own perspective on how we can do more for our community,” she said.
“A lot of people know us through the walkathon, but we support many different nonprofits locally and nationally,” DiGiovanni said.
Each year, the chapter votes on a oneyear sponsorship project to go along with a long-standing commitment to reading enrichment at Brock Elementary School, according to DiGiovanni. The recipient for the group’s yearly focus in 2026 is Rainbow Child Care. Members deliver support from a wish list provided by the organization’s leadership, including material items and hands-on volunteer time. Past recipients for the group’s assistance included Hope House in Covington and Savannah Smiles.
“We will work with them throughout the year The organization gives us a wish list of items or services we can provide, and we do our best to give them what they need to succeed,” DiGiovanni said This is in addition to supporting other nonprofits, such
as Helping Hands Ministry and the Rotary Club’s Magic of Reading event.
Along with their one-year philanthropy projects, a long-term commitment to a local school has made a big impact on students.
For more than a decade, local Inner Wheel members have supported a Reading Challenge program at Brock Elementary in Olde Towne. Working with third grade teachers, Inner Wheel buys books and prizes for use at the school and lend their encouragement to get students excited about reading.
“To qualify for a prize, the student must read six books and write a book report The top reader at the end of the year wins a bicycle. We’ve 100% participation and it’s great to see the kids excited about reading,” she said.
The extra attention has made a difference in the student’s reading scores on standardized tests while also gaining greater confidence in their academic abilities, according to Kim Thomas, a teacher at Brock
“This incentive-based initiative encourages young learners to develop a lasting love of reading and writing,” said Thomas.
“We see their excitement. Now there are younger brothers and sisters in the school that want to do it when it’s their turn,” she said.
On an international level, DiGiovanni has connected with Inner Wheel members across the globe. She has become pen pals with members in New Zealand, England and India.
“I was interested in what type of work chapters did in other parts of the world. I have a niece in New Zealand, so I decided to contact a chapter there. I’ve also gotten to know women in Manchester England, where Inner Wheel started,” she said. She finds that groups share a common purpose: to make their communities better
“I’ve had Zoom calls with ladies in India. Inner Wheel is growing fast there. It’s a place where women have a voice and respect,” DiGiovanni noted. “We also have much in common. Besides talking about our volunteer work, we talk about our children and grandchildren. Through emails with my friends in New Zealand, we talk a lot about knitting and crocheting.”
In 2024, DiGiovanni attended the organization’s centennial celebration in Manchester and got to meet some of her correspondents.
“It was interesting to interact with women from different cultures. We’re all part of an international community while helping at ground level. It gives you a good feeling,” said DiGiovanni.
For more information about Inner Wheel USA or the local chapter call (504) 7823448 or June at (985) 290-5008.
MUSIC
LIVE: Christian Serpas and Ghost Town will entertain at Mandeville Live’s free Friday night community concert April 17 at the city’s trailhead from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Longtime newspaper music writer and critic Keith Spera describes them: “Ghost Town has a little bit of country, a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll, a little bit of rockabilly and a whole lot of fun.” Food and beverages sold on-site, so no ice chests, eats or drinks from home allowed. Bring fest chairs and blankets for seating.
ROCKET: The next Friday Night on the Square in Terra Bella takes place April 17 featuring The Rocketmen fronted by lead vocalist and keyboardist Aaron Joseph. The band’s Ultimate Elton John Experience will be tribute a tribute to John’s energy and best-known music at 111 Terrabella Blvd. near Covington. Food trucks on site, so no outside food or drinks from home. Bring lightweight chairs and blankets for seating.
YOUTH: The free Sunday Bayou Jam concert April 19 in Heritage Park will feature Slidell High School’s Band and Choir Showcase from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy young musicians from the community perform at 1701 Bayou Lane. Visitors may bring picnics for home and use the park’s playground and splash pad. Don’t forget to bring a fest chair or blanket for seating.
ROCK MORE: A free Thursday Rockin’ the Rails concert April 16 at the Covington Trailhead features Bottoms Up, a cover band with members from the northshore and southshore playing top party rock ’n’ roll favorites. Bring a fest chair or blanket and take in the music from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Picnics welcome, but food and drink trucks are on-site.
PARK ROCK: Pelican Park near Mandeville will hold a concert on The Groves outdoor stage from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 18. ALT’R EGO will play favorite alt rock and pop tunes from the 1990s and 2000s. Local vendors will sell food and desserts. Don’t forget dancing shoes.
RIVERSIDE: There will also be a free Sunset at the Landing public concert on April 17 at the Columbia Street landing in Covington, but no performers had been announced at press time. Show takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bring your fest chairs or picnic blankets for seating and relaxing.
LA MUSIC: Northlake Performing Arts Society will sing the songs of Louisiana in a double concert weekend April 17 & 19 when the community singers present “Iko Iko” in the Covington High School Auditorium. Friday concert at 7:30 p.m., Sunday’s at 3 p.m. Tickets $15 for ages 13 and up; younger get in free. Get them online at npassingers.org
IRISH: There’s a free traditional Irish session from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on April 16 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.
CELTIC/IRISH: A free Irish slow/fast session with Madeline Hill from noon to 2 p.m. on April 26 (final Sunday) at St. John’s Coffeehouse, 535 E. Boston St., in downtown Covington. Play numbers slow to learn, then speed up the tempo. See nstms.org for details and music.
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 at 10:30 a.m. on April 21. Registration is required by noon on April 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 during a cultural show 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. For more, call (985) 317-6110.
ON STAGE
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 2635 N. Causeway Blvd. theater in the Mandeville are. Watch 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 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 the book by David Lindsay-Abaire. It’s a musical bringing all the beloved characters from the film to life on stage and proving there’s more to the story than what meets the ears. Adult tickets $35; students and seniors, $25 at Slidelllittletheatre.org.
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, and that included the prosecution of 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 “The Laramie Project.” 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 by April 20 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. The exhibit will hang from May 18 to Aug. 17 on the first floor at the Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. 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 at 7 p.m. on April 17. LACOMBE: See the Lacombe Art Guild’s spring show, “Brushstrokes and Beyond,” from April 24 to May 8 on the walls of the atrium at Lakeview Hospital in Covington. More at www.LacombeArtGuild.com.
COMMUNITY GUMBO
BIKES GALORE: The Louisiana Bicycle Fest is again happening in Abita Springs on April 18 celebrating “all things wheeled, weird and wonderful.” The fun starts at 9 a.m. at the old Town Hall. Generally, about 1 p.m., those who want can end the event by joining a leisurely, meandering bike ride about the village. Those riding regular bicycles are invited to join those who will careen around on their own weird inventions. Feel free to costume as the spirit moves you.
WALK: The Girod Street Stroll in Old Mandeville takes place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 18 when a $40 ticket buys 40 drink stops while live music plays and visitors meet up with friends and family. Get tickets at oldmandevillebusiness.com/. MEET: The Northshore Democratic Women’s Club, focused on bringing awareness to issues affecting the community, hosts a meeting at 3 p.m. April 19 in the Abita Town Hall. Speakers will be U.S.
FILE PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN Christian Serpas & Ghost Town back in Mandeville.
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Northshore artist, educator Gail Hood at Atrium
BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer
Northshore artist and arts educator Gail Hood, who was instrumental in establishing the Christwood Atrium Gallery, is being honored with a retrospective of her life’s work in that Covington gallery
There will be an opening reception for Hood and her show on April 25 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and the pubic is invited. The exhibition will hang in the Atrium on the Christwood residential campus through May 30.
“I’m deeply grateful to Gail Hood and her husband, Henry, for the role they played in bringing the Atrium Gallery to life,” said Ann Loomis, curator of the Atrium Gallery for 14 years.
“From the very beginning, they worked closely with me to shape its concept and layout, sharing their knowledge and creative insight so generously The gallery’s first exhibition, featuring artists they carefully curated, set the tone for everything that followed.”
She studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Rouen, France; Carleton College in Minnesota; Tulane University in New Orleans; The Art Institute of Chicago; the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn; and Columbia University in New York, where she received a master of fine arts degree.
for herself during years of experiencing, experimenting and learning.
Hood’s life of art stretches back to early days; she even took art classes at St. Scholasta during her time there as a young student, but that was only the start of an extensive arts education that spanned many states and took her to Europe more than once to study and paint
Along the way Hood grew to love much she found in the work of master painters in the impressionism and abstract expressionism styles, and influences of both are there in the personal style she has created
Her paintings are generally devoid of humans or modern human construction. Instead, she returns over and over to the gifts of the natural world, and while she paints what she finds in different southern states, she seems to paint most often the beauty that continues to reveal itself to her in and around the Little Tchefuncte River Hood began her career
of art instruction at Florida State University before returning to Louisiana in 1962, where in time, she met and married and began painting along the Little Tchefuncte near their Folsom home. She also taught art at St. Scholastica (her alma mater), Mandeville High School and Southeastern Louisiana University before retiring from teaching in the mid 2000s. Hood’s paintings can be found in various corporate, private and public collections, including the Historic
New Orleans Collection. In 2010, the New Orleans Museum of Art featured one of her paintings in its major exhibition, Women Artists in Louisiana, 1965-2010.
“Gail is truly a northshore treasure, admired and loved by so many Her work resonates deeply within the community and has been collected throughout the region, a testament both to her artistic vision and the genuine connection she creates through her art,” Loomis said.
‘Hunting Camp Road, Arkansas’
‘The Little Tchefuncte River’
PROVIDED PHOTOS
Longtime painter and arts educator Gail Hood is a well-known name and face on the northshore, where a retrospective of her work will soon be exhibited in the Atrium Gallery on the Christwood campus near Covington.
PROVIDED PHOTO
The pantry at Community Christian Concern in Slidell was running low when Grace Fellowship of Slidell came to the rescue, donating 262 pounds of food, 33 pounds of hygiene items and a donation check of $50 to help restock. The donations were readied, from left, by food pantry coordinator Nancy Arce and volunteers Susan Lowrie, Marilyn Finch, Baylor Hingle, Carol Carrone, Rhonda Gray and Paula Frey. Donations can always be delivered to the pantry at 2515 Carey St. “Gail
testament both to her artistic vision and the genuine connection she creates through her art.”
