COVINGTON • FOLSOM • LACOMBE • MADISONVILLE • MANDEVILLE • SLIDELL
ST. TAMMANY
N O L A.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, Au g u s t 12, 2026
1AN
DA Sims reelected without opposition
Race for St. Tammany Parish sheriff expected to be hotly contested BY ANDREW CANULETTE and JIM DERRY
the qualifying process is cleared by the Secretary of State’s office, those canStaff writers didates can begin readying themselves to take While voters across St. office in the not-so-distant Tammany Parish still can future. expect one of the longest Even with those races ballots in recent memory Sims now off the Nov. 3 ballot, when they head to the polls on Nov. 3, the possibilities were local voters still will decide on 31 cut nearly in half after qualifying other races that remain on the balclosed Aug. 7. lot when Election Day is held the Following the three-day period first Tuesday in November. An for candidates to qualify for local additional 10 amendments to the elected positions, 36 of a possible State Constitution will be decided 67 offices were all but decided that day, as will a proposal to rewhen only one person qualified for new a tax that funds maintenance the job. Once their eligibility and and operation of a Slidell-area
drainage district. District Attorney Collin Sims was re-elected without opposition, striking what would have been one of the most high-profile potential elections from the ballot. Sims became interim DA in 2023 after his former boss, Warren Montgomery, died in office. In early 2024, Sims easily won a special election over Vincent Wynne to complete Montgomery’s six-year term. With the 2026 race for DA never taking shape, the race for St. Tammany Parish Sheriff will no doubt get the most attention from St. Tammany voters. Four candidates qualified for
the spot held for nearly a decade by Randy Smith, who resigned in June after pleading guilty to attacking a man in a local steakhouse the month before. The men vying to complete Smith’s term are Robert Hodges, recently retired head of the Louisiana State Police; Scott Illing, a former U.S. marshal and state trooper; David Maki, who served in the STPSO for more than two decades; and Daniel Seuzeneau, former interim chief of the Slidell Police Department and a 20-year veteran of the unit. In that race, as in many others, if no one were to gain 50% or more of the vote, it would head to a Dec.
ä See RACE, page 2A
Parish Council OKs zoning changes in Goodbee
Q&A WITH ST. TAMMANY PARISH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT FRANK JABBIA
Fewer state dollars, decreasing enrollment on his mind as test scores improve BY ANDREW CANULETTE
Proposed subdivisions drew heavy criticism from area residents
Staff writer
Approximately 35,000 students and 5,900 St. Tammany Parish Public Schools employees headed back to campus on Aug. 10 for the first full day of the 202627 school year. Frank Jabbia is among them, now in his 33rd year in local public education with the past 51/2 years spent as the school district’s superintendent. Each year brings different opportunities, Jabbia said, as well as its own unique challenges. St. Tammany Farmer editor Andrew Canulette caught up with the superintendent before the school year started. Following are six questions and answers from their discussion. It’ll be six years in November since you were appointed superintendent of schools for St. Tammany Parish. What’s been the most challenging thing you’ve faced in that time? COVID (mitigation) was such an up and down time, and it went on for two years. In 2020, things were unknown. That was hard on everyone, without question. But I think the next year, when we had to go back to wearing masks and a good portion of the community had gone antimask, that was the toughest part. There were conflicting opinions, but we had to follow the rules and that upset some people. But honestly, every year has some tough moments. They might not be as extreme as that, but there’s always something that keeps you on your toes. Is it fair to say, at least right now, that unexpected something has to be the governor’s mandate that Louisiana school districts use Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) money to pay for employee stipends? (Editor’s note: MFP is the state’s annual formula for determining the cost of providing a minimum foundation of education in all public elementary and secondary schools. It calculates the baseline funding needed for each student to ensure they have the educational foundation necessary for future success. A statewide constitutional amendment that would have given educators a pay raise failed in May, and the state Legislature approved Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to cut $170 million from the MFP to pay for another year of teacher stipends, instead. Landry also urged the Legislature in June to create a school-funding task force, which it did unanimously. That committee must recommend a “revised or replacement formula” of the MFP program
12 runoff. Three of the 12 seats on the 22nd Judicial District bench also will be decided by voters across St. Tammany and Washington parishes. Two local attorneys were elected to the judiciary without opposition — Blair Alford in Division C, who will replace retiring Judge Richard Swartz; and Michael Cochran in Division I, replacing Judge Reggie Badeaux. There will be races on Nov. 3 to replace retiring judges Martin Coady, Scott Gardner and Alan Zaunbrecher. Meanwhile, judges
BY JIM DERRY Staff writer
we have and enrollment projections. We make cuts, or additions, depending on the school community (and those decisions are made before June when this decision was made.) We have to be good stewards of public dollars, of course, and there’s been a loss
An overflow crowd of residents at the Aug. 6 meeting of the St. Tammany Parish Council largely spoke against changes to the zoning map that would allow two proposed subdivisions to move forward in the Goodbee area just west of Covington. Most of the crowd left the chambers unhappy. Following more than two hours of debate and 36 speakers sharing their views, the council voted 10-4 to approve the first reclassification and 8-6 on a second, each of which changes the current rural residential district to a suburban district, allowing for more homes to be built. The requests for the changes were made by Jeff Vallee, a local developer who represents H1 Associates, who had been previously denied twice before gaining initial approval last month and final approval on Aug. 6. During the meeting, residents of the area — and some who live in other areas of St. Tammany Parish — asked council members to “listen to your constituents,” with many arguing that allowing the changes would worsen flooding and traffic concerns that have affected the area for decades. “I have had five 100-year floods since 1985,” said local resident John Dale. But council members who gave approval argued that the developer had acceded to a number of requested changes. The vote came after an April study commissioned by parish government stated St. Tammany should add more than 17,000 new homes over the next four years to keep up with growth and with a plethora of homebuyers relocating from the southshore. Martha Cazaubon, who represents the district, said she has been studying this issue for more than two years. Originally opposed to the efforts of Vallee and H1 to build these subdivisions, she said the developer has agreed to every change she has proposed to them, and she voted to approve both measures. She pointed to recent fixes to flooding infrastructure and recommendations by engineers
ä See JABBIA, page 2A
ä See ZONING, page 2A
PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
First grader Levi Landry shakes hands with Supt. Frank Jabbia on Aug. 6 at Marigny Elementary near Mandeville. by Jan. 1, in essence eliminating the MFP program and creating a new method of distributing an estimated $4 billion annually to the state’s school districts.) Losing $9.8 million from our MFP was completely unexpected. And more than that, it was the timing of it. We do annual projections, and we try to find the “sweet spot” between the amount of staff
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2A ✦ Wednesday, August 12, 2026 ✦ St. Tammany ✦
RACE
Continued from page 1A Alan Black, Tara Zeller, John Keller, Vincent Lobello, Ellen Creel, Patti Oppenheim, and Dawn Amacker were reelected without opposition. In other local races, Lance Willie was re-elected mayor of Folsom without opposition, but Pearl River will have a new leader, as current Mayor
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Joe Lee announced he was not running. There, aldermen Virgil Phillips and Cheryl Schultheis will face off. In Abita Springs, Alderman Stephen Saussy will meet community leader Sandra Slifer in a vote to replace outgoing mayor Dan Curtis. Elsewhere, eight of the 15 district races for school board ended with just one candidate, including two newcomers: Nicolle Balser, who will take over for Deborah McCollum
in Mandeville-area District 10; and Ronald Randolph, who takes Slidell’s District 14, currently held by longtime member Dennis Cousin. Incumbents reelected to the School Board without opposition are Roslyn Hanson, Adaline Rutherford, Kalinda Fauntleroy, Mike Peterson, James Braud and Michelle Ruffino Gallaher. They, along with winners in contested School Board races, will begin their term in January.
ITEMS ON NOV. 3 BALLOT IN ST. TAMMANY The following candidates qualified for the Nov. 3 elections. Some races included here will be voted on only by a portion of St. Tammany residents (such as School Board, municipal races, etc.) while others (U.S. Senator and Representative, Sheriff, seats on the 22nd Judicial District bench) will be open to all registered voters in the parish. In addition to the offices on the Nov. 3 ballot, a total of 10 Louisiana State Constitutional amendments are to be decided that day, as well as a proposed fee renewal of a Slidell-area drainage district. ALL QUALIFIERS * – Incumbent U.S. Senator “Jamie” Davis (D) Julia Letlow (R) U.S. Representative Randall Arrington (R) E. “Liddy” Glass (NP) Lauren Jewitt (D) * Steve Scalise (R) Associate Justice Supreme Court, District 1 * William “Billy” Burris (R) Public Service Commissioner, District 1 Stephanie Hilferty (R) Christopher “Chris” Justin (NP) Connie Norris (D) State BESE Board, District 1 * “Joseph” Cao (R) Angela Hershey (D) District Judge, District 22, Division A * Alan Black (R) District Judge, District 22, Division B * Tara Zeller (R) District Judge, District 22, Division C Blair Alford (R) District Judge, District 22, Division D * John Keller (R) District Judge, District 22, Division E Michele Moore Echols (R) Cameron Mary (R) District Judge, District 22, Division F * Vincent J. “Vinny” Lobello (R) District Judge, District 22, Division G “Ben” Clayton (R) Jason Cuccia (R) Theophile “Theo” Jones (R) Amanda A. Trosclair (R) Angelina Valuri (R) District Judge, District 22, Division H Whitney Germany (R) Luke Lancaster (R) District Judge, District 22, Division I Michael Cochran (R) District Judge, District 22, Division J * Ellen Creel (R) District Judge, District 22, Division K * Patrice W. “Patti” Oppenheim (R) District Judge, District 22, Division L * Dawn Amacker (R) District Attorney, District 22 * Collin Sims (R) Sheriff, St. Tammany Parish Robert Hodges (R) Scott Illing (R) David Maki (NP) Daniel Seuzeneau (R) City Court Judge, East St. Tammany D’Andrea McMooain Chatman (D) Tammy M. Nick (R) Tracey Turgeau Powell (R) City Marshal Court, East St. Tammany John Gallaher (R) Kevin O’Neill (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 1 Geoffrey “Geoff” Hingle (R) Brandi Lopez (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 2 * Roslyn H. Hanson (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 3 * Adaline Villneurve Rutherford (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 4 * Kalinda Fauntleroy (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 5 Miranda Buras (D) * Charles Brandon Harrell (R) Tammy Harwell Penton (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 6 * Amanda Reed Martin (R) Erin Oramous (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 7 “Ben” Banchs (R) * Isabelle Moore (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 8 * “Mike” Peterson (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 9 Reid Mahne (R) Samantha Ronquille (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 10 Nicolle Balser (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 11 Pamela Hotard (R) Jesse “Bert” Stephens (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 12 * Michelle Hirstius (R) Heath Panks (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 13 * James Braud (R) St. Tammany School Board, District 14 Ronald Randolph (D) St. Tammany School Board, District 15 * Michelle Ruffino Gallaher (R) Justice of the Peace, Ward 1 (Two to be elected) * “Pete” Lalanne (R) * Amy Murphree (R)
ZONING
Continued from page 1A and others who said the development met the requirements to move forward. “I was on planning and zoning for about 34 years. I know it’s tough, and I know we put subdivisions in when we didn’t have enough information years ago,” Cazaubon said. “This area will be the last subdivision we would put there, because we will hit the growth boundary, as far as I am concerned.” The reclassifications from rural to suburban affect two undeveloped tracts: A 264-acre tract
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EDITOR
Andrew Canulette editor@ sttammanyfarmer.net
ELECTION Justice of the Peace, Ward 2 (Two to be elected) * “Tim” Garlick (R) Terry Sharp (R) Justice of the Peace, Ward 3 * Connie Moore (R) Justice of the Peace, Ward 4 (Two to be elected) Carlie Bloxom (NP) * Susan Tingstrom Leonard (R) * “Anne” Thompson (R) Brett Tribou (R) Justice of the Peace, Ward 5 James “Pee-Wee” Kahl (NP) Justice of the Peace, Ward 6 Rebecca “Becky” Crawford (R) * Lisa Munday Polk (R) Justice of the Peace, Ward 7 * Shannon Bordelon (NP) Staci Sidhu Wright (D) Justice of the Peace, Ward 8 * Michael Tassin (R) Justice of the Peace, Ward 10 (Two to be elected) * Clayton Borne (R) * Rebecca Hill (D) Patricia Kennedy Richards (R) Constable, Ward 1 (Two to be elected) * P. Wallace “Wally” Gottschalk (R) * Blake Pennington (R) Constable, Ward 2 (Two to be elected) * “Greg” Galloway (R) * John Thomas Mathies III (R) Samuel Lee Provost (R) Constable, Ward 3 (Two to be elected) * Richard Ewing Moore Jr. (R) * “Rick” Moore (R) Constable, Ward 4 (Two to be elected) Jared M. Schmidt (R) * Jonathan Witman (R) * Natalie Russo Witman (R) Constable, Ward 5 * Todd Kraft (R) Constable, Ward 6 * “Jimmy” Howell (R) Scott Allen Polk (R) Constable, Ward 7 * “Greg” Chabreck (R) Adam C. Jacks (R) Constable, Ward 8 Floyd Trascher (R) Constable, Ward 10 (Two to be elected) * Byron Armand (R) Curtis Conerly (R) Lakeshore Villages Community Development Supervisor, Division A Robert Fecanin Jr. (R) Lakeshore Villages Community Development Supervisor, Division B No candidates Lakeshore Villages Community Development Supervisor, Division C *Charlyn Flanagan (D) Lakeshore Villages Community Development Supervisor, Division D No candidates Lakeshore Villages Community Development Supervisor, Division E * Anthony Caruso (R) Mayor, Abita Springs Stephen Duncan Saussy Jr. (R) Sandra Slifer (NP) Mayor, Pearl River Virgil R. Phillips (NP) Cheryl Schultheis (R) Mayor, Folsom * Lance Willie (R) Chief of Police, Pearl River Steven Ball (R) John Polk (R) Aldermen, Abita Springs (Five to be elected) Carl A. Bayhi (R) * E.J. Boudreaux (R) Earl T. Carr Jr. (R) John d’Hemecourt (R) Stewart “ManyLightnings” Eastman (Other) Sheldon Kerr (R) Robert “Bob” Krieger (NP) John Preble (R) Angela Whitehead (R) John Zimek (R) Aldermen, Pearl River (Five to be elected) “Tim” Bennett (R) Mathieu “Matt” Daigle (R) * Kristy Franatovich (R) Kory Kingston (NP) Maria Lee (R) John Masson (R) * “Tim” Moray (R) Dustin Shaffer (R) Aldermen, Folsom (Three to be elected) * Shawn Dillon (R)
* George W. Garrett (D) * DeAnna Richardson Mingo (NP) Councilman, Covington, District A Maisha Harrell-Bijou (D) Pamala McKay (D) Alva Drionne Smith (D) Proposition, St. Tammany Parish Drainage District No. 4 (Renewal of Existing Maintenance and Operation Tax, for the Kingspoint, Foxhollow, Pinehurst, Oak Plain and Springhill neighborhoods in the Slidell area.) Shall Drainage District No. 4 of the Parish of St. Tammany, State of Louisiana (the “District”), be authorized to renew the existing $253 maintenance and operation tax on each landowner of record within the District in the amount of $253 for each 10,000 square feet of each lot and parcel owned, beginning with the year 2028, and ending with the year 2032, subject to renewal for five year terms by special election, reasonably expected to generate approximately $300,017 annually, to maintain the levee system, pumping station, pumps, holding ponds, construction of pumping stations, acquisition of land therefor, and other matters related thereto, in addition to the operation of the District including cost of the pumping station operation staff, salaries of office staff, utilities and fuels, purchase of equipment necessary for the maintenance or operation of the District, contract services, insurance, personnel, and other matters related thereto or called for by law? STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS Proposed Amendment No. 1 Do you support an amendment to allow the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran with a serviceconnected disability, who receives the additional property tax exemption, to make a one-time transfer of the additional property tax exemption to a subsequent qualifying property? (Effective Jan. 1, 2027). Proposed Amendment No. 2 Do you support an amendment to allow a local taxing authority to continue to levy a lower millage rate without losing its ability to adjust to the maximum authorized millage rate from a prior year’s reassessment? (Effective Jan. 1, 2027). Proposed Amendment No. 3 Do you support an amendment to prohibit a defendant from being released on any post-conviction bail if the defendant is convicted of an aggravated offense against a minor child? Proposed Amendment No. 4 Do you support an amendment to prohibit a person who has served more than one and one-half terms as governor from being elected as governor for any future term? Proposed Amendment No. 5 Do you support an amendment to authorize a state retirement system to apply any nonrecurring state monies it receives to any of its unfunded accrued liability rather than requiring application to its oldest unfunded accrued liability? Proposed Amendment No. 6 Do you support an amendment to authorize parishes and municipalities to extend an additional property tax exemption for property subject to the homestead exemption that is owned and occupied by a person who is at least 65 years of age and who qualifies for the special assessment level? (Effective Jan. 1, 2028). Proposed Amendment No. 7 Do you support an amendment to allow for the use of public funds by a political subdivision for the purpose of identifying, inventorying, removing or replacing drinking water utility service lines made of or affected by materials as specified or prescribed by the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency? Proposed Amendment No. 8 Do you support an amendment to prohibit expropriation of property by a foreign adversary or an agent of a foreign adversary? Proposed Amendment No. 9 Do you support an amendment to increase the maximum amount of income a person may receive and still qualify for the special assessment level for residential property receiving the homestead exemption? (Effective Jan. 1, 2027). Proposed Amendment No. 10 Do you support an amendment to allow property tax exemptions for blighted or derelict properties that have been rehabilitated, and to require the legislature to enact laws providing for administration of these exemptions? (Effective Jan. 1, 2027).
to be known as the “Isadore” subdivision will be built just west of La. 1077 and north of U.S. 190, while a 31-acre piece of land will be home to the “Esperanza” subdivision that is just south of 1077 and north of 190. Council members Larry Rolling, Rick Smith, Arthur Laughlin and David Cougle voted no on approval of the smaller tract. That quartet also voted against the larger development, as did Pat Phillips and Joe Impastato. The “R-1” zoning designations allow no more than one home every 5 acres and “R-2” every 3 acres, while “S-1” and “S-2” allow for a home every 7,500 square feet. The reclassifications could
add up to 800 new single-family homes in the area, which likely means more than 1,000 additional cars driving the roads around these subdivisions on a daily basis. Some residents argued that it will increase congestion that already sees bumper-to-bumper traffic, often from just after sunrise to sunset. “There is no concern or no action being taken to alleviate the (traffic) problems,” resident Derek Guilbeau said. “You go around there from 7:30 a.m. to around 9 (p.m.), and it takes you anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes to get from the new subdivision cut-through to the (light at I-12). This is every day.”
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School officials steamed about Landry order BY SARA PAGONES Contributing writer
The St. Tammany Parish School Board agreed that it will revise its budget to provide an employee salary stipend, but only after expressing frustration with Gov. Jeff Landry’s executive order that requires local districts to pick up the tab. The Louisiana Legislature approved cutting the minimum foundation program — the state’s main education fund — by $168 million, which means school districts won’t get as much money for their budgets. Instead, that money must be used to pay teachers a $2,000 stipend and support workers a $1,000 stipend. For the previous three years, the state had provided the money for the stipends. Terri Prevost, chief financial officer, told the board that the cost for St. Tammany employees covered by the executive order will be $9.8 million. But the governor’s order excluded about 700 employees — therapists, nurses, counselors, administrators and pre-K teachers, Prevost said. Providing the pay boost to them will cost St. Tammany another $2 million. Board member Dennis Cousin said that he would not ever want to see any employees left out of a raise. The revised budget includes stipends for those employees. The board, which discussed the matter in committee last week, will make the official vote at its Aug. 13 meeting. Prevost said that the state has never included pre-K teachers when it was paying for the stipends, but St. Tammany had provided for that cost, using federal funds. The exclusion of the other categories is
JABBIA
new, she said. “Our governor thinks our administrators — our principals and vice principals — don’t work that hard, they shouldn’t be getting a stipend,” Board member Isabelle Moore said. “All legislators should be required to spend a day as a substitute teacher in a junior high and see what we’re dealing with every day.” Board members also expressed resentment at a state requirement that they vote on the issue. Prevost said that the state is requiring documentation of districts’ budgets and minutes showing board discussion and a vote. “This is borderline comical to me, that the state is requiring a vote on this,” board member Gia Baker said. “For us to take a hit like this is really unmerciful. I don’t know how else to say it. There is nobody on this board or in this community that doesn’t think our teachers deserve, not a stipend, but a true raise … and then requiring us to vote on it is very upsetting to me.” Baker said St. Tammany is being penalized for being fiscally responsible because it has a large reserve, something that ensured no employees missed paychecks during Hurricane Katrina and also helps the district’s bond rating. “I don’t think people in Baton Rouge are thinking clearly,” she said. Board member Mike Peterson asked Superintendent Frank Jabbia to invite state lawmakers who represent St. Tammany to come to a School Board meeting to answer questions about the issue. A stipend isn’t a raise, Peterson said, calling the Legislature’s action disheartening. We’ve going to have to beat this bear, too, it’s just going to be done at the ballot box.”
That said, don’t you find it odd that the number of kids in public school is dropping? And also, if Continued from page 1A fewer students are entering public schools, does that mean that the need for additional facilities to accommodate the population is far less pressing? of enrollment recently. It looks like Growth is here, but birthrates are we’re going to be down to about 35,000 down. And really, you don’t have the students this school year. That’s the lowest it’s been in a while (down some housing available that could allow the 4,000 students prior to 2020). … So, as population to grow by that much in the next 10-15 years. It would take depeople retire, we’ve not been replaccades just to get the housing in place. ing some of them, and that’s in every There is the national movement for area of our school district. school choice and really, I don’t know My concern is that there might be what education looks like in 20 years. a permanent adjustment or cut to You have private, parochial, charters, MFP dollars. I tell our (legislative) delegation all the time that we’re com- public, homeschooling, hybrids. The state’s virtual learning platform can’t mitted to doing things the right way. meet needs fast enough. We have the But when decisions are made stateLA GATOR program which pays famiwide, it might be trying to address a certain system or a certain area, but lies to not send their kids to public the policy applies to us all. And that schools. really puts us in a tough situation. Of It’s a really strange dynamic right our total budget, 87 to 88% is spent on now. It’s unprecedented. employees — salaries, benefits, insurI think we can agree though that some form ance. And there’s just not the ability to of choice is good, yes? Parents wanting to play a greater role in their child’s education shows cut in other places. they’re invested. But at the same time, it seems A permanent reduction (in MFP) would almost certainly mean a reduc- like government, or the “system,” whatever you tion in workforce, and that would be a want to call it, is trying to shrink public educagame changer. tion because of the enormous cost. There are so many people facing this scenario I totally agree. But I also know the right now. The public demands services at a quality of education our kids get and cheaper price and it wants the services yesterwe see the results in LEAP scores, the day. Anyone running a business knows that’s next ACT. We’ve seen some great things. For our students to grow two percentto impossible in any scenario. And still, no one seems to get the wake-up call until people are age points in mastery and advanced, on the unemployment line. Is that where public from 44 to 46%, that’s an unbelievable school districts are right now? number. People outside of education It is the reality of where we are. might not realize how big a deal that Take, for instance, the lower enrollis. When you have a school district as ment numbers. There are a number of big as ours, where we’re testing 23, 24,000 students per year, you have options parents have now they might to have 400, 500, 600 kids make that not have had before. There are charjump into advanced or mastery. Comter schools, there’s the homeschool movement, there’s the move to parent/ pared to districts that have 4,000 or school choice. So, we hovered around 5,000 students, our numbers are ex36,500 students for a while, then it tremely impressive. dipped to 35,700 last school year and Our composite ACT score is going I’m expecting about 35,000 this year. to be a 20.7 after factoring in the 2026 It sounds like a huge drop, but when graduates. That number blows away you have 55 schools in the parish, we the state and national average. That may lose 10 students per school, on means so many more of our kids are average. So, an elementary school TOPS eligible and that opens doors might have six first grade classes. If for them. We’re working with the St. you lose two or three of those kids, Tammany Chamber of Commerce, St. that’s not a great enough number to be Tammany Economic Development able to eliminate employee positions Corp., the business community to or programs. The enrollment drop is bring our kids home when they graduspread around. ate college, too. There are a lot of opIn Jefferson Parish, they had some tions out there after a student earns schools drop below 50% capacity and a degree, and we’re working hard to they were able to consolidate some make sure returning home to work campuses. None of our schools looks here is as strong an option there is. anything like that, and that’s the issue So much of the world’s business and economic for us. focus right now is on AI. How does that fit into loBut what we’re doing now is looking cal education and where is it trending? even further into what we might be I think it has to grow and it can be able to share. Two neighboring schools used to our benefit. For instance, we might be able to consolidate some use it as an intervention. When kids SWE (students with exceptionalities) are reading (into a computer), AI can and gifted classes. Two neighboring give immediate feedback and adjust schools may have to share a teacher. the passage to what their reading abilWe’ve got to think outside the box, and ity is. It also can adjust to their needs we have to look at everything. as they improve their skills. In some rural parishes, two small There is tremendous potential, but parishes are looking at sharing a CFO at the same time, some students have or an IT director or a food service/ tried to use the tool to give them an nutrition director. We’re taking that unfair “advantage” and let AI do their same deep dive. I have a supervisor work for them. We can’t have that, of and an assistant superintendent work- course. But really, we’re all learning about ing with me on how we can consoliAI because the capacity grows every date positions now or if we need to hold off on making some position cuts day. As great a supplement to learning as it can be, the best tool in education until a later date. remains a high-quality teacher in the We’ve heard over and over about this huge classroom building relationships with population boom that’s coming to St. Tammany. By some counts, it was supposed to be half a mil- students and pushing them beyond what they think are their boundaries. lion people by 2040, 2050. We’re nowhere close Nothing replaces that. to that and, unless something unthinkable happens, we have no chance of that number anytime soon. But there has been a steady uptick in the Email Andrew Canulette at number of residents. acanulette@sttammanyfarmer.net
✦ St. Tammany ✦ Wednesday, August 12, 2026 ✦ 3A
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White Linen for Public Art helps develop connections
BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer White Linen for Public Art is a special event where artists, local businesses and art patrons come together to celebrate art in its many forms. The long-term collaborations that stem from events like this one reach well past one night. Case in point. Howard Harper, III, of Black Flower Apparel and Records, and Mary Ann Bonura, of MBonura Fine Art Studio and Gallery. Not only do the two share a passion for art through music and painting, they also share a building with a doorway that connects their respective spaces. This year’s White Linen for Public Art event will mark the first anniversary the two share a building and their mutual admiration for each other has grown. “Howard is wonderful. When I’m away teaching at my other studio, I can leave my store open. If someone comes in and is interested in purchasing a painting, I’ve got payment information on the wall and he lets me know there’s someone interested,” Bonura said. “I was so lucky to get this space, and he’s pretty cool.” There’s a definite contrast between Bonura’s gallery with its crisp, white walls and spacious paintings and Harper’s store. Music, ranging from Run-DMC to Johnny Cash, plays in the background, and classic LP album covers hang end to end across the store’s walls. Interspersed with the albums’ professional cover art are drawings, paintings and mixed media pieces by local artists. Harper treasures the pieces for the gifts that they are. “I’ve had random people, a lot of them kids, come in and show me their drawings or small paintings and we talk about their work. I also know it can be a great stress reliever if that’s what they need. I ask that they sign and date their art before we hang it on the wall. With some of them, you can see how they have really progressed over time,” Harper said, pointing out various pieces on display behind his check-out counter. The artwork ranges in size from small, 3 by 3-inch square bookmarks to life-size portraits. “I hope my encouragement gives them confidence,” Harper said. The music store owner has partici-
COVINGTON WHITE LINEN FOR PUBLIC ART
WHAT: 13th annual community arts event featuring live music, artist markets, local business promotions and food, with proceeds to public art projects. Attendees are encouraged to wear white linen or costumes inspired by local sculptures dotting the area as part of a public art exhibit WHERE: Downtown Covington, around the Covington Trailhead and the St. Tammany Art Association on Columbia Street WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 15, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. PHOTO BY SUZIE HUNT HOW MUCH: Admission is free. Howard Harper III stands in front of MORE INFO: Visit covingtonpublicart.org/. several gifts of art mixed in with classic pated in the White Linen for Public Art album covers at his store on North event for several years. He’s hosted Columbia Street.
several artists and has had live music in-house in the past. “If you’re into music, you’re probably into other types of art. They go hand-in-hand. These kinds of special events provide the opportunity to see a lot of different types of art at one time,” he said. For this year’s event, Bonura will display several pieces in her unique style, self-described as new renaissance meets impressionism. Her paintings have an interesting three-dimensional aspect, stemming from the artist’s use of a combination of pastels, oils, hot and cold wax and even plaster on a single canvas. “Using these different materials, it’s like I’m building a painting. When I’m starting a new painting, I try to imagine what I want the audience to feel when they view it. Whether I’m trying to create a mood, an atmosphere, or should it have a message,” she said. As Harper enjoys encouraging the artists that come into his shop to share their work with him, Bonura enjoys teaching and has been doing so for more than a decade. “It’s exciting to see what they can do. Several of my students who’ve been taking classes from me for three years will be displaying their work in the gallery that night,” Bonura said. The artists joining the gallery owner will be June Foust, Allison Frobia and Tracey Bozeman.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Mary Ann Bonura with one of her oversized canvas paintings
“I’m a proud Art Mama,” Bonura said of her students’ work. Harper disagrees with friends in New Orleans who say all culture is gone once you cross over Lake Pontchartrain. “Not true. Not if you open your eyes and ears. There are artists and performers here that are always being creative. We’ve got great galleries that have been open for years here in Covington. You just have to look around,” Harper said.
Generating cleaner energy for generations to come.
NEWS ROUNDUP
Waterways cleanup across Louisiana set for September Staff report The state’s first coordinated, monthlong shoreline and waterway cleanup initiative will get started on Sept. 1, and more than 140 cleanup events are already organized and registered statewide as businesses, schools, civic organizations, outdoor groups, families and volunteers commit to cleaning rivers, lakes, bayous, beaches, canals and shorelines during the month. Inspired by the success of Love the Boot Week, the Love Our Waterways campaign aims to reduce litter before it reaches the Gulf, protect fish and wildlife habitats, improve water quality and preserve the natural beauty that makes Louisiana a Sportsman’s Paradise. The first 200 registered cleanup events are eligible to receive a volunteer supply box while supplies last. “Louisiana’s waterways are part of who we are,” said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. “They fuel our economy, support our seafood and tourism industries, and provide endless opportunities for fishing, boating, paddling and outdoor recreation. It’s exciting to see so many communities already stepping up, but we need even more volunteers to make this inaugural statewide effort a success. I encourage everyone to register a cleanup today and help us make September a month of action for Louisiana’s waterways.” Susan Russell, executive director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful, said research shows that nearly 80% of
marine litter originates on land, where wind and rain carry trash into storm drains, ditches, bayous, rivers and eventually the coast. Volunteers can participate in a variety of ways, including: n Organize or join a shoreline cleanup. n Clean waterways by kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or motorized boat. n Remove litter from neighborhood storm drains and roadside ditches before it reaches local waterways. n Volunteer with a registered cleanup event. n Share cleanup efforts on social media to inspire others. Participants are encouraged to document the types of litter collected and report larger debris, such as abandoned vessels, derelict crab traps, and other oversized items that require specialized removal. This information will help guide future cleanup efforts and support partner agencies working to improve Louisiana’s waterways. Individuals and organizations can register a cleanup event, volunteer for an existing event, or learn more by visiting LoveLAWaterways.org. Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a state program under the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation, & Tourism promoting personal, corporate and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. Learn more at KeepLouisianaBeautiful.org.
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Fremaux Town Center planning for major expansion Mixed-use development could grow to more than 1 million square feet of retail space
expansive mixed-use development around the shops called Fremaux Park. In 2021, a newly constructed Marriott hotel opened next to the property. In 2025, an Amazon Logistics facility opened. Like North Shore Square, Fremaux has experienced its share of tenant turnover. Lane Bryant, a women’s plus-size clothing store, closed after its parent company, Ascena Retail Group, filed for bankruptcy in 2020. Charlotte Russe, a women’s clothing brand, also left the location. The shopping center currently has five vacancies, Pécot said. Today, the shopping center has over 65 retailers and restaurants. In addition to the retail expansion, Stirling, which bought out CBL last year and is now the sole owner of the center, is eyeing deals for the broader campus. The firm is currently in talks with potential industrial tenants, which could include manufacturers and logistics companies, Pécot said.
BY GRACE MAYER
Staff writer
A little more than a decade after the Fremaux Town Center opened in Slidell, the owners of the mixed-use center are planning a major expansion that would significantly grow the center’s footprint with the addition of ample new retail space. Officials with Stirling Properties, which owns the development located off Interstate 10 near U.S. 190, are planning to add between 300,000 and 400,000 square feet of new retail space to the center — a roughly 50% increase that will bring the development to over 1 million square feet and enable it to attract more national retail brands, boutiques and restaurants. “There are a bunch of tenants that have wanted to be a part of this project that we haven’t had room for,” said Ryan Pécot, senior retail leasing and development adviser with Stirling. “We have enough momentum to stack three, four, five of those tenants together and put this new phase together.” Since opening in 2014, Fremaux — a “lifestyle center” that combines an open-air shopping center with restaurants, a hotel and apartments — has come to reflect the changing face of retail, creating a campus where people can live, work and play. While many malls and traditional retailers have downsized or closed in recent years due to competition from online shopping, Fremaux and other lifestyle centers in the region are demonstrating that demand still exists for in-person shopping destinations, provided they have the right tenant mix and the right location. “We have people living a golf ball stroke away from this shopping center, which is clearly good for the retailers and restaurants,” Pécot said. “Consumers come here, especially on the weekends, to shop, eat and do whatever.”
Expansion plans Stirling’s plans will involve constructing multiple buildings, likely between three and seven structures, across from the existing 650,000-square-foot retail center, which is 95% leased and counts Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dillard’s, Kohl’s and Best Buy as its anchor tenants. The new buildings will be located on undeveloped, tree-lined acreage behind
Lifestyle centers Fremaux Town Center located at Interstate 10 and Fremaux Avenue in Slidell the shopping center’s Dillard’s location, which backs up to the Town Center Parkway road. The expansion would allow for more “junior” anchor tenants, Pécot said, who are looking for 15,000 to 25,000 square feet of store space. It also would add smaller storefronts for boutiques looking for 1,500- to 5,000-square-foot locations. “We just don’t have a ton of flexibility in the current buildings because most of the spaces are leased,” Pécot said. “These new phases would allow us to bring some different size inventories to the market.” Stirling officials began thinking about the expansion around five years ago, after fielding consistent inquiries from prospective retail tenants. They held off, Pécot said, because of soaring construction costs following the pandemic. Pécot declined to disclose how much the project will cost, saying it’s still too soon to estimate. A similar project currently underway — the addition of 70,000 square feet of new retail space at Elmwood — is projected to cost $35 million, or about $500 per square foot. No deals with prospective tenants have been finalized yet, but Pécot said Stirling plans to lock in lease agreements by the end of the year. They hope to begin construction in 2027 and open in late 2028. “With this larger project, we’ve got a lot of acreage to have some flexibility,” Pécot said. “That’s what we’re moving toward, is creating some new space and taking some new risks.”
Covington police launch e-bike safety program BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer Speed limits, equipment checks and the importance of wearing a helmet were among the topics covered during the Covington Police Department’s first e-bike/escooter safety workshop on July 31. Along with the sometimes dry, but important, rules of the road covered in the classroom, the drivers course held in the courthouse parking lot that let riders learn even more while having fun. “Our primary goal is to help kids to be able to ride safely through the city,” said Covington Police Chief Kevin Collins, citing an increase in accidents involving the popular bikes as an impetus to offer the classes. The program hosted by the department’s Traffic Division opened with a few video clips about serious e-bike accidents from across the country and a personal testimony from resident Dan Fitzpatrick. He and his wife were struck from behind by a rider on an e-bike while walking home from the Krewe of Olympia parade in February. Both Fitzpatricks suffered broken bones and are still grappling with other injuries from the accident. “In no way am I anti-e-bike. I own one myself. What I hope these classes will do is teach riders how to be safe and have fun, but not at the expense of public safety,” Fitzpatrick said. Traffic division officers Matt Clanton and Gabe Peterson led the presentation, reviewing safety laws and best practices for riding e-bikes in traffic and reiterating the importance — and for people under 12 years of age the requirement — of wearing a helmet. “You’re on the road with cars and trucks. That’s metal vehicles against skin and bones,” Peterson said. With e-bikes reaching speeds up to 28 miles per hour, Peterson expounded on the increased risk for serious injury from a crash at the elevated speeds compared to falling off a regular bike. One participant was an in-house example of what could happen when an e-bike had an unexpected meeting with a car. Camden Cantrelle sat in the class with his arm in a sling, having broken it a month ago. He said he did not see the brake lights on the vehicle in front of him and rear-ended it. He and his friend Kade Mott paid rapt attention to what the officers had to say. “I learned about the importance of signs and signals,” Camden said. His mother said he really enjoys his e-bike and has been fearless when riding. “He watches a lot of safety videos now and rides his e-bike only on our property and our dead-end street,” Jill Cantrelle said.
PHOTO BY SUZIE HUNT
Officer Matt Clanton instructs Kade Mott on safe ways to pass through an intersection.
After the classroom session was complete, participants moved to the courthouse parking lot where a series of test patterns formed by orange traffic cones were set up. The junior traffic academy riding course included a slow ride challenge, a weaving course, mock-up traffic intersection drills and an emergency stop exercise. While leading the session on their own e-bikes, it was evident that officers Clanton and Peterson had as much fun riding as the younger participants. All the students passed the driving course with flying colors. In addition, the riders were reminded that e-bikes fall under the same hands-free rules that car drivers must follow concerning cellphones. They also recommended leaving ear buds at home. “They take away from your awareness, and you need to know what is happening around you on the road,” Peterson said. Eye protection was also highly recommended, as dust and bugs can blind a rider in an instant. Covington City Council member for District D Jimmy Inman and District B council member Blake Bushnell were instrumental in organizing the session in conjunction with the police department. Inman’s 10 years as a driver’s education instructor helped to motivate him to make these sessions happen. “We want these classes to have a longterm application instead of short-term consequences,” Inman said while addressing the younger class participants. “While learning the rules of the road, we hope to help you to be safer when you’re riding now and that you will be better drivers when you get your licenses.” The Covington Police Department plans to offer additional e-bike/e-scooter safety classes later this year.
FILE PHOTO
Two shopping centers, two fates In 2013, Stirling partnered with Tennessee-based CBL & Associates Properties Inc. to develop the Fremaux Town Center, taking over the stalled development from Alabama-based Bayer Properties. Bayer had announced the project in 2008, but never moved forward. When Fremaux opened a year later, St. Tammany officials hoped it would boost sales tax revenues and inject new activity in a limited retail market in Slidell. Developers with Stirling and CBL said at the time that they planned to pursue additional phases, though they knew the build out would take years. At the time, North Shore Square Mall, about six miles west of Fremaux, was the only mall in St. Tammany. The 621,292-square-foot indoor mall housed several large anchor tenants, including Dillard’s. Days before Fremaux opened, the mall learned it would lose Sears as an anchor tenant — an early sign of more of what was to come. In the years that followed, more retailers vacated North Shore Square. Today, the 41-year-old mall sits virtually empty, save for a Dillard’s Clearance Center, though that may soon change: Covington-based grocer Acquistapace purchased property at the site earlier this year. Fremaux carved out a different fate. Stirling and CBL grew the center’s footprint with two apartment complexes, additional stores and restaurants, creating an
The expansion plans for Fremaux come as Clearview City Center in Metairie undergoes demolition, part of a $100 million redevelopment that has been in the works for more than a decade. An in nearby Elmwood, the Lauricella Land Company’s plans for the nearly 50-year-old shopping center have included upgrades, attracting new tenants, renovations and the planned addition of a new apartment complex on the site of the former Kmart. The complex, called The Francis, broke ground in May. Fremaux has established itself as a major retail hub that the St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation is focused on further developing, said Keith Espadron, director of business and industry development. He noted how the shopping center, and the development that has sprung up around it, was key to attracting Horsburgh and Scott to the area in 2024. The defense contractor and manufacturer built a 32,000 square foot facility about a mile from the shopping center, creating 40 new jobs. “This is a very attractive area for growth, and there is more land available for more investment,” Espadron said. Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal, who is in his first year in office, said the shopping center’s plans dovetail with a number of economic plans aimed at growing Slidell. Next to the Retreat at Fremaux Town Center Apartments, the city is renovating the Slidell Bantam Baseball Association complex, which will have eight newly turfed baseball fields aimed at hosting tournaments. “A lot of areas are moving from indoor malls to what Fremaux is doing,” Fandal said. “I think in the next two years you’re going to see a lot of growth in Slidell.”
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Rotarians talk tourism with Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser
From left, Christopher Ford, Zach Bupp, Stuart Seiler, Julian Landry, Scott Quillin, Rachel Mauti, Melissa and Rebecca Henderson
PHOTO BY MARGARET ALBERT
On July 31, the Rotary Club of Slidell welcomed Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser to Pinewood Country Club to talk about opportunities for Rotarians to participate in and promote tourism activities in Louisiana. Nungesser, center, was joined by club officers, from left, Monique Jackson, Mark Ricard, Ken Breaux, club President Pam Breaux, Stacie Chitwood, Donna Bach, George Dupuy and Joshua Wichterich.
STHS names healthcare veteran chief nursing officer ham, Alabama, where she oversaw Patient Care SerSt. Tammany Health Sys- vices for the 505-bed teachtem has named veteran ing hospital. Throughout nurse executive Lori Sum- her career, she has led ininer as its new chief nurs- tiatives to improve patient ing officer, adding more safety, strengthen nurse than three decades of pro- recruitment and retention, gressive leadership expe- enhance patient experience and develop nursing rience in nursing leaders while mainoperations, quality, patient safety and taining an unwaverworkforce developing focus on quality and clinical excelment to the health system. lence. Sumner is schedPrior to that, Sumner was chief nursuled to begin her new assignment in Sumner ing officer at Baptist September. She sucHealth Walker Hosceeds Kerry Milton, who pital in Jasper, Alabama; retired in June following a associate chief nursing offidistinguished career dedi- cer at HCA Capital Regional cated to advancing nursing Medical Center in Tallahasexcellence and compassion- see, Florida; administrative ate patient care at St. Tam- director of Critical Care at HCA Fawcett Memorial many Health System. Most recently, Sumner Hospital in Port Charlotte, served as chief nursing offi- Florida; and held a series cer at Baptist Health Princ- of nursing leadership posieton Hospital in Birming- tions during more than two Staff report
From left, Steven Michell, Nina Magyar, Stephanie Hough, Kristyn Carver, Chandler Robertson, Keith Rider, Lindsey Olsen, Amanda Gritten and Nick Chetta.
Front row, from left, Josh Boudreaux, Karole Muller, Nicole Jackson, Lindsey Windom, Jennifer Carter and Courtney Gulledge; back row from left, Kevin Collins, Heath Miller, Orion Vantol and Chris Tusa.
decades with Lee Health in Fort Myers, Florida. “Lori is an accomplished nurse leader whose experience, integrity and collaborative leadership style make her an outstanding addition to the St. Tammany Health System family,” STHS President and CEO Joan Coffman said. “Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to supporting nurses, fostering strong interdisciplinary partnerships and creating environments where both colleagues and patients can thrive.” A registered nurse since beginning her career in 1992, Sumner earned her master’s degree in nursing from Walden University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Nova Southeastern University. Away from work, she enjoys the outdoors and being on the water.
PUBLIC NOTICE St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court
PHOTOS BY KADEE KRIEGER
Leadership St. Tammany Class of 2027 inductees from left, Greg Langham, Liz Songy, Sarah Meyer, Heather Rietschel and Bethany Boice.
Leadership St. Tammany welcomes Class of 2027
BY KADEE KRIEGER Contributing writer
Leadership St. Tammany welcomed the Class of 2027 during an induction ceremony held July 30 in Mandeville, welcoming 32 new members for a year of networking and immersive learning about the west St. Tammany business and civic community. “I’m so excited to learn more about everything and just make new connections about this community that I love,” said new inductee Courtney Gulledge, who has lived in the area for 11 years. “I have applied before and was so thrilled to make it into the program this year.” The program that began in 1993 trains approximately 30 established or emerging community leaders, including business owners, healthcare workers, volunteers, law enforcement officers, civic leaders and others of all ages and community sectors. Through classes, guest lectures and personal onsite visits, they learn about various organizations and entities that shape St. Tammany Parish. The goal is for them to bond with each other, creating new connections and networking paths, while
exposing them to segments of the community they may never have encountered otherwise, said program co-director Thomas Mitchell at the start of the event. “Relationships forged during Leadership St. Tammany have a profound impact, going beyond the individuals to measures that are great for the community,” he said. Mitchell and fellow co-director Amy Fresh formally introduced each of the new class members with a brief bio. They represent dozens of careers and facets of the community from entrepreneurs to teachers, attorneys to fire and police chiefs, volunteers to business owners. They include Bethany Boice of the Brooke it Forward foundation; defense contracts vice president Zach Bupp; businessman Josh Boudreaux; banker Jennifer Carter; licensed professional counselor Kristyn Carver; Northlake Christian associate head of school Nick Chetta; Covington Police Chief Kevin Collins; Christopher Ford of the St. Tammany Health System; Assistant District Attorney Amanda Gritten; State Farm agent Courtney Gulledge; child welfare specialist Rebecca Henderson; dentist Nicole Jackson; attorney Stephanie Hough;
CPA and Covington Rotary Club President Greg Langham; St. Tammany facilities manager Julian Landry; St. Tammany Parish Schools supervisor of curriculum and instruction Melissa Langlois; pediatrician Nina Magyar; Rachel Mauti of the Mauti Cancer Foundation; parish president executive assistant Sarah Meyer; Covington Fire Chief Steven Michell; State Police Lt. Heath Miller; Hope House forensic interviewer Karole Muller; family law specialist Lindsey Olsen; program manager and Mandeville Planning and Zoning member Scott Quillin; speech pathologist Heather Rietschel; business consultant Keith Rider, account manager Chandler Robertson; civil engineers Stuart Seiler and Elizabeth Songy; banker Chris Tusa; Covington Business Association President Orion Vantol; and architect Lindsey Windom. The Leadership St. Tammany Board of Trustees hosted a seated dinner for inductees, their family members, Leadership St. Tammany alumni and guests. For information about applications for the 2028 Leadership St. Tammany class, visit https://leadershipsttammany.org/.
Serve as an ELECTION COMMISSIONER
Register for Election General School Commissioner classes today! SLIDELL - TOWERS BUILDING 520 20 Old SSpanish i h Trail, il 5th Floor l Tuesday, August 25, 2026 10:00 AM or 6:00 PM COVINGTON - ELECTIONS TRAINING ROOM 601 N. Jefferson Ave. Thursday, August 27, 2026 10:00 AM or 6:00 PM Call the Clerk of Court’s Elections Department at (985)809-8700 to register or visit
A photo p will be b taken for your y commissioner ID badge, so please arrive at least 10 minutes before class time
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WHERE LOCAL BUSINESS GETS LOCAL DECISIONS. LOAN & DEPOSIT PRODUCTION OFFICE 424 N Causeway Blvd, Suite B
FULL OF BEANS
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PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Michelle Badon, Jackelyn Gallo, Jess Steelman of the JD Bank team in Covington
PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Eugene Priestley, Michelle Copeland and Payne Naresh in Covington
East and West St. Tammany go at it again for United Way Asher Rubio was enjoying the party atmosphere with Tara and Misael Rubio at the Red Beans N’ Rice East competition in Slidell. Asher’s vote for favorite dish went to the banana pudding.
BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer United Way of Southeast Louisiana again jump-started its St. Tammany giving season by hosting the good-natured (mostly) Red Beans ’n’ Rice competition between community forces in East and West St. Tammany. As usual, St. Tammany Fire District No. 1 Chief Chris Kauffman led the charge in the east, and Covington Fire Department Chief Steven Michell led competition from the west. Winners were based not only on flavor, but on the generosity of the supporters who donated money to the United Way to signal their favorites. The big winner of that donor battle — and taking the 2026 Community Spirit Award for it — was the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, which spans all points east, west, north and south. But when it comes to taste, it was a different story. A judges’ panel gave first through third place ribbons, while supporters who showed up to taste beans in Covington on July 27 and in Slidell on Aug. 3 bestowed the People’s Choice Award in each competition. In East St. Tammany, first place went to the St. Tammany Clerk of Court’s Office; second place to the Slidell Firefighters Association; third place to JD Bank; and the People’s Choice Award to Jim and the Bayou Beanstalks. In West St. Tammany, the team winners include first place to the St. Tammany Parish Assessor’s Office; second place to Northshore Mandeville Kiwanis; third place to Atmos Energy; and the People’s Choice Award to Aetna Better Health for Louisiana.
PHOTO BY SUZIE HUNT PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Kenneth Jarrow cooks up some beans in Covington.
PHOTO BY SUZIE HUNT
At the East cook-off, Nicole Smith gets her sample of red beans from Jessica Hester and Victoria Paz with The Harbor Center team.
Standalone Boys & Girls Club opens its doors in Covington BY LISA VON EBERSTEIN
Contributing writer
For the first time, children in the Boys & Girls Club in Covington have a real clubhouse to call their own. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana just celebrated the opening of the Doug A. Brooks Family Donor Fund Club in Covington, welcoming children to enjoy the new facility on Aug. 10. The opening marks a milestone for the Covington program, which for years has operated out of local school system buildings without its own stand-alone home. The $3.2 million, 8,486-square-foot clubhouse at 626 W. 29th Ave. features a 3,419-square-foot gymnasium, game room, teen center, STEM lab, technology center, art studio, enrichment center, cafe with a teaching kitchen and administrative offices. The facility can serve more than 150 children daily. “We actually have more kids signed up now than we did last year,” said Angel Nelson, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana. “Now we can serve teens. We couldn’t serve teens before.” Last school year, the Covington program served about 35 children a day. Twice that many have signed up for the current school year, and Nelson expects that number to grow, especially as more teenagers enroll. The new facility allows the club to serve children and teens ages 6 to 18. Children gather after school and have a snack followed by “Power Hour,” when they complete homework or educational activities. According to Nelson, volunteers
Angel Nelson, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Metro Louisiana PHOTOS BY BOBBY GILBOY gram by serving as a hub for schools, colleges and community organizations to help provide programs for workforce readiness, behavioral and mental health, exercise programs and more for parents, caregivers and seniors. their future. Building a permanent Boys & “I really want to see the wraparound serGirls Club sends a powerful message that vices for the community,” Nelson said. our kids matter and deserve a place where The clubhouse was made possible they can grow, dream and succeed,” Peter- through multiple funding sources, includson said. ing generous donations from the Brooks More than anything, Peterson said the family and others, as well as an in-kind land club is a safe, positive, supportive environ- donation, Nelson said. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiment for her son where people genuinely care about him, and it has become like a ana serves 1,000 children across its Covsecond home for him. ington, Slidell, Baton Rouge, New Orleans “Hason always says the club feels like and Gretna locations. The cost for the afterfamily,” she said. “The club has helped Ha- school program is $25 per year. For more information about memberson grow into a respectful, responsible and confident young man.” ship, partnerships or volunteering at Boys Nelson said she hopes the new clubhouse & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana, log on to will become more than an after-school pro- https://bgcmetrolouisiana.org/.
The youth of the Boys & Girls Club in Covington have a place of their own again, following the opening of a new clubhouse at 626 W. 29th Ave. The $3.2 million facility can serve approximately 150 area children per day. help with homework, tutoring, STEM programming, cooking classes, artwork, basketball and more. While the building dramatically expands the club’s ability to serve local youth, Nelson said its mission remains the same. “One thing that I do not do is turn a kid away. My kids grew up in Boys & Girls Clubs, and so I know the value,” she said. For Denisha Peterson, whose 13-year-old son Hason Peterson has attended the Covington club since he was 6, the new building represents much more than additional classrooms and recreational space. “It shows that our community believes in its children and is willing to invest in
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A black tie night for New Heights at the Southern Hotel
A sparkling black-tie fundraiser to celebrate and support equine-assisted programs offered by the New Heights Therapeutic Riding Center was held July 24 at the Southern Hotel in downtown Covington. This year’s annual Summer Gala was PHOTOS BY BOBBY GILBOY entitled “007 License to Ride: Place Your Bets for New Heights Therapy.”
Lesly Sica, Carlos Sanchez, Angele Landry
Shelby Engolia, Lance Engolia, Jose Castro
Natalie Rideau, Cheryl Prater
Rachel Bickham, Hannah Bickham, Ive Bijelic
Isabel Bailey, Jacquie Hood
FILE PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Aug. 19 and Aug. 26 would be great days to get your pets their preventative healthcare during Northshore Humane Society’s Community Paw-tection Special.
Northshore Humane Society to provide discounted care Staff report The Northshore Humane Society expects to provide reduced-cost, preventive care to some 200 local pets during a two-day Community Paw-tection Special on Aug. 19 and Aug. 26. For those two days only, the nonprofit’s Community Veterinary Clinic will offer annual wellness packages starting at $96 for cats and $132 for dogs, making essential preventive care more accessible for northshore family pets. The special includes annual wellness exams and core vaccinations for adult dogs and cats six months of age and older. Appointments are limited and expected to fill quickly. Reservations cannot be
made online, so owners are advised to schedule an appointment as soon as possible by calling (985) 8927387 or emailing clinic@ nshumane.org. “As a nonprofit veterinary clinic, our goal is to keep pets healthy and, in their homes,” said Dr. Mikala Myers, director of veterinary medical operations at Northshore Humane Society. “Preventive care is one of the most effective ways to improve a pet’s quality of life, and by offering these discounted wellness visits, we’re helping families provide that care before small issues become costly medical problems.” In addition to the discounted wellness packages, clients with appointments will also have access to
reduced pricing on select heartworm, flea, and tick prevention products, including ProHeart, Bravecto Quantum, NexGard, Credelio Quattro, Interceptor, Imoxi, Vectra, and other veterinarian-recommended preventatives. The appointments are reserved exclusively for annual wellness exams and vaccinations. Additional medical concerns will require a separate appointment. Puppies and kittens under six months of age are not eligible for this promotion. The clinic provides veterinary care to thousands of pets annually, with proceeds directly supporting the organization’s no-kill animal shelter and lifesaving programs.
Landan Brown, Brooke Brown
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ENTERTAINMENT
PHOTOS BY MATT DOBBINS
Julie Pfeffer and Dennis Steiner on guitars, center, and Steve Stuart on his upright bass, far right, back up Johnny Noble on banjo as he leads a tune during a Final Friday Bluegrass Jam in Covington.
Bluegrass pickin’ and grinnin’ beats the heat in Covington BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer
Moving inside to temporarily beat the brutal midsummer heat for a night, the latest monthly Final Friday Bluegrass Jam took on a slightly different look and feel when held indoors. Usually, this popular Northshore Traditional Music Society jam happens in a wooden gazebo on the tree-shaded grounds of the Covington Farmers Market. And when a circle of pickers gather outside under live oaks in the gathering dark, the music they make takes on a little special umph. But during the particularly nasty heat on July 31, that leafy outdoor venue was abandoned and players migrated over to nearby Lee’s Hamburgers to perform in the sweet air conditioning. In Lee’s dining room, with customers coming and going and eating at nearby tables, there was still plenty of “pickin’ and grinnin’ “ — a phrase long used to describe informal front porch or kitchen jam sessions in rural America when family and friends gathered to pluck or strum stringed instruments, trade stories, make jokes and enjoy fellowship around their music. Players picked, and those around them grinned. Some of the pickers at Lee’s have been playing together for more than 20 years, even as other players come and go. But there are always devoted bluegrass musicians somewhere on the northshore making their distinctive music, just like there has been in the U.S. for almost a century. Bluegrass is an American roots music genre popularized in the 1940s by Bill Monroe and his band of Blue Grass Boys. It blends Appalachian mountain music, Scottish and Irish fiddling, African American blues and gospel, using fast tempos, acoustic string instruments, high-pitched vocal harmonies and instrumental solo turns. Monroe, credited by many with creating bluegrass, described it this way: “It’s a part of Methodist, Holiness and Baptist traditions; it’s blues and jazz (with) a high lonesome sound.” It is music to be shared, and in keeping with that generosity of spirit, any player is welcome to join the Final Friday Bluegrass Jam monthly, March through October, at its regular Covington Farmers Market home. It is one of a half-dozen free sessions the nonprofit Northshore Traditional Music So-
Happy Heart Dancers spend time with Greenbriar residents
The residents of Greenbriar Community Care Center in Slidell were delighted to have the Happy Heart Dancers perform on a recent morning, line dancing and entertaining their Greenbriar friends. The group performs weekly at nursing homes and assistedliving facilities in the Slidell area. The dancers include, from left, Tali Guidry, Tina Stout, Dale Laborde, Lou Landry, Pauline Gay Mintz, Donna Bruskotter, Evelyn Caronia, Kathy Spadoni and Ellyn Campbell. PROVIDED PHOTO
Spencer Stribling lets it fly at the bluegrass session.
Gail Gitz Bosch and husband Joe Bosch dance to some fine bluegrass music at Lee’s Hamburgers in Covington, a familiar tableau for these two, who met at such a bluegrass gathering some time ago and are still dancing.
Darrell Myers, just back from a lung transplant, brought his guitar to the bluegrass jam at Lee’s Hamburgers in Covington. Myers knows that making music is good medicine for whatever ails you. ciety hosts each month in various St. Tammany venues. The other five are basically year-round, also open, and always have one or more professionals sitting in to give help and encouragement. They include a Jazz Jam; a Beginner’s Bluegrass; Tradi-
Marvin Poole plays the dobro, an instrument similar to the steel guitar.
Slade Long on the mandolin and Steve Buchholz on his acoustic guitar harmonize on a tune. Some of these musicians have played together for more than 20 years. tional Irish; a Fiddle Session; and an Open Mic Night for performances. The group also organizes four large concerts annually, and the next one happens Sept. 25 at the Fuhrmann Auditorium in Covington featuring The Jason Carter Band. For 30-plus years, Carter has also been fiddle player for the Del McCoury Band, the most awarded group in blue-
grass history. The locally raised Spring Chickens, a band of relatively young bluegrass players and the newest Abita Springs Opry house band, will open the show. See the NSTMS.org website for all details and a monthly calendar, plus it’s always smart to check the website in case there is a weather-related cancellation or venue change.
✦ St. Tammany ✦ Wednesday, August 12, 2026 ✦ 11A
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Slidell Newcomers Club seats new officers
ABOVE: Barbara Miller is the new president of the Slidell Newcomers Club. LEFT: The Slidell Newcomers Club installed its 2026/2027 executive board during a luncheon at Pinewood Country Club. The new officers are, from left, Second Vice President Linda Ellis, Recording Secretary Jeanie Bond, Corresponding Secretary Joyce Riedl, Members-at-Large Peggy Guelfo and Sharon Pertuit and Parliamentarian Linda Duval. (Not pictured are First Vice President Faith Stanton and Treasurer Sherry Gunderson). The club welcomes longtime residents and newcomers living in the Slidell, Lacombe or Pearl River areas to its regular monthly luncheon meetings. For more information, visit slidellnewcomersclub.com. PROVIDED PHOTOS
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS ON STAGE
resilience can be funny, and that laughter is the best way BE WARNED: Arthur Miller’s to survive the chaos of living acclaimed play “The Cruevery day. Their one standup cible,” a dramatization of the show at 880 Lafayette St. 1692 Salem witch trials, will is rated PG-13, and general be presented at the 30 by admission tickets are $32 at Ninety Theater in Mandeville 30byninety.com. Aug. 8-23. The story explores how mass hysteria, paranoia and fear can corrupt an entire community, either long ROCKING: Thomas Sanders ago or today. Driven by per& His Bandits will bring their sonal grudges and jealousy, a Julia Simon rock ‘n roll, country and boogroup of young Salem women gie woogie-style music back make false accusations of to the North Star Theatre on witchcraft against innocent Aug. 29 for one 7 p.m. show. people, leading to tragic and This Natchez, Mississippi, destructive consequences. group perform a lot of Jerry The group, led by teen Abigail Lee Lewis, Fats Domino and Williams (played by Julia the like — with a bit of their Simon), get caught performown twist. Get ready to rock. ing forbidden rituals in the General reserved seats, $31 woods. To avoid punishment (includes fees and taxes), at for dancing, they claim they northstartheatre.org. Doors were bewitched and point at the 347 Girod St. theater fingers at local outcasts and open at 6 p.m. Lindsey Ehricht innocent townsfolk. Hysteria IRISH: There’s a traditional spirals, fueled by power-hunIrish session on Aug. 20 gry judges and superstitious (every third Thursday) from villagers, and innocent people 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in back get strung up by the lies — room of Abita Brew Pub, chief among them, farmer 72011 Holly St Musicians and John Proctor (played by Sam music-lovers to play and Lee), the story’s tragic hero sing favorite pieces of Celtic and protagonist, and his good music. Visit thesession.org/ wife, Elizabeth (played by tunes to find music catalog or Lindsey Ehricht), who faces a go to nstms.org for details. tragic choice of her own. The show is directed by Courtney Calato Lee. Tickets from $14-$22 for three weekends of Sam Lee COVINGTON: The Atrium shows, 8 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., Gallery on the Christwood at 880 Lafayette St.; get them residential community campus at www.30byninety.com. continues exhibiting the work of Columbia Street Academy and Gallery owner/teacher/art”CHICAGO”: Cutting Edge Center of the Arts ist Ryan Perea and his students. The collection continues for one more weekend, Aug. 13-15, encompasses a wide range of subjects and its production of “Chicago,” Broadway’s styles, and will hang for viewing by the public longest-running American musical. The story through September, Mondays through Fridays is set in 1920s Chicago and made for audiencfrom 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the main Christwood es 18 years and older. See the story of Roxie campus near Covington. Hart, a wannabe vaudevillian star, and Velma Kelly, famed nightclub performer. When both BIG SHOW: “The Summer Show,” the 56th annual acquire the same lawyer, greedy superstar national juried artists’ exhibition hosted by the Billy Flynn, tensions come to a head Based St. Tammany Art Association, will hang through on a play by Maurice Watkins; music by John Sept. 12, at the group’s Miriam Barranger Gallery Kander; lyrics by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse; in the Art House in downtown Covington. See and choreography by Fosse. At Cutting Edge, the exhibit during regular gallery hours WednesBrian Fontenot directs, assisted by Daniel days to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Mack; music director Aaron Turnipseed; and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. choreographer Jessica Guastella. Tickets to HEALING: St. Tammany Hospital Foundation’s see it at 767 Robert Blvd. in Slidell are $33-$45 Healing Arts Rotating Gallery Series will be exat cuttingedgetheater.com. hibited for a final few days, through Aug. 17, on COMEDY NIGHT: The comedy team of Magen the first floor of the Covington hospital. King and Donna Lee will present their stand up show, “Not Our First Rodeo,” Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. on stage at 30 by Ninety Theater in MORE LINEN: Close out the summer at CovMandeville. These comediennes believe that
MUSIC
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Crowds fill Columbia Street during annual White Linen for Public Art celebrations in downtown Covington.
Church will hold two more game nights this summer, one coming up immediately Aug. 11 and the final one on Aug. 27 at the 57210 Allen Road church near Slidell. The 6-8 p.m. event includes board games, cornhole, complimentary food, snacks and beverages and great fellowship.
ART
COMMUNITY GUMBO
FUNDRAISERS GO BANANAS: The American Legion Post 16, Robert H. Burns, 2031 Ronald Reagan Highway, Covington, will hold its sixth annual Great American Legion Banana Split Celebration on Aug. 22, with profits from the sale of oldfashioned ice cream treats donated to the Northshore Food Bank. Original recipe banana splits, custom-made splits, sundaes or scoops of ice cream will be assembled and served by volunteers from various organizations. Tickets are $8 at American Legion Post 16, by contacting (985) 892-0677 or at the Northshore Food Bank Thrift Store. Tickets will be $10 at the door. CHANCES: The NorthlakeMandeville Rotary Club is selling its 2026 Big Game Rotary raffle tickets. One $20 ticket provides more than 40 chances to win big prizes, including LSU and Saints tickets (think SEC showdowns), restaurant gift certificates, hotel stays, jewelry, golf outings and a ride in an authentic World War II PT-17 Stearman airplane. Get tickets through 2 a.m. Aug. 27. The drawings will take place later that day; winners need
FILE PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
One of the banana splits that will be created and served at American Legion Post 16 in Covington.
not be present. The raffle helps Rotary support multiple local nonprofits. Buy tickets online at rafflecreator.com/ pages/30553/2026-rotary-biggame-raffle or contact club member Tom Quinn at (985) 789-2316 or tom@tomquinn. net. THE WALK: The Alzheimer’s Association will hold its 2026 Northshore Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 26 at Lakeview Hospital, 95 Judge Tanner Blvd., near Covington. Fundraising leaders include Bonnie Dinkle, an “elite grand champion giver and fund-
raiser.” Community members, companies and organizations are encouraged to join as soon as possible at alz. org/louisianawalk (choose northshore). SAFE HARBOR: Safe Harbor has set its annual 2026 fundraising spectacular for Sept. 19 and soon will list its superheroes on the nonprofit’s website for residents to review and decide where their votes (donations) will go this year. The Real Superheroes of Safe Harbor Gala will be at 7 p.m. in The Harbor Center, 100 Harbor Center Blvd., near Slidell, complete with a live auction, a silent auction, live music and the chance for guests to connect. Every dollar directly benefits Safe Harbor’s mission of providing essential services and advocacy for victims of domestic violence and their children. For sponsorship opportunities, ticket information or to donate an auction item, contact a.santos@safeharbornorthshore.org or call (985) 626-5710, ext. 201; visit safeharbornorthshore.org/ real-superheroes-of-safe-harbor to review the superhero candidates, vote for them and donate to Safe Harbor.
PEOPLE WHO MEET WIDOWS: The next general meeting of the Widows’ Social Club of Slidell will be held Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. in the John Wesley Center at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 360 Robert Blvd. Slidell City Councilman Trey Brownfield will be guest speaker. All widows welcome. Call Cindy Alberts at (985) 707-7676 with questions.
PROVIDED PHOTO
A piano bench is not always required when Thomas Sanders & His Bandits perform.
ington’s White Linen for Public Art for a night of art, music, good food, curated drinks from local businesses and more on Aug. 15 from 6-9 p.m. Guests are invited to wear white linen or other lightweight clothing to stroll downtown and enjoy everything offered. A percentage of sales will go to the Covington Public Art fund. GAME NIGHT: The Lamb of God Lutheran
FEDS: The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association chapter in Slidell next meets Aug. 14 at 1 p.m. at Aldersgate Church, 360 Robert Blvd, in the Cokesbury Building. Speaker Sandy Badinger, CEO of Slidell Memorial Hospital, will update everyone on new things at the hospital and the Cancer Center. The Lunch Bunch will meet to eat at Fatty’s Restaurant, 1300 Gause Blvd W., at 11:15 a.m. that day. All members and spouses invited, but for lunch, notify President Cindy Arsenaux at (985) 646-2296 or carsen01@hotmail.com or Lynn Brooks at (504) 495-9764.
Corkern Air Conditioning, Heating and Electric celebrating 50 years in business!!
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12A ✦ Wednesday, August 12, 2026 ✦ St. Tammany ✦
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ACCEPTED IN-STORE AND ONLINE! SNAP/EBT is accepted in-store and online for Curbside Pickup and for delivery through Instacart, DoorDash, and UberEats.
SAVE $ 53 1
SAVE 32 ¢
SAVE $ 00 5 LB
LB
— ONLY —
— ONLY —
3 - 4 LB AVERAGE PREVIOUSLY FROZEN
2
$ 46 LB
Chicken Breast Tenders
1
$ 77
11
$
Whole Shortloin (T-Bone)
Baby Back IT 3 Pork Ribs LIM PREVIOUSLY FROZEN
USDA PRIME BEEF
USDA PRIME BEEF
VALUE PACK
T-Bone Steaks
— ONLY —
99
LB
LB
1
$ 68
LB
When You Buy 2
5
2/$$ 2/
or Fuji Apples
LB
SAVE UP TO 7 Pepsi, (MUST BUY 2) Diet Pepsi or Mountain Dew
$ 49
SAVE 48 OZ CLASSICS up $ 98 Blue Ribbon to 2 Frozen Dairy
STATE GROWN 6.67 - 8 OZ PACK SAVE WASHINGTON SAVE Premium Sargento up $ 22 ¢ 2 Granny Smith Slices to 91 LB
6 PACK HALF LITERS
EA
Hass Avocados
13 99
$
67
FRESH
LB
¢
SAVE up $ 30 to 4
When You Buy 2
Dessert
5
2/$$ 2/
UP dinner GRILL DAY for dad! GAME GIVEAWAY SIX
WINNERS!
EACH WILL RECEIVE:
1 Monument Mesa 4-Burner Propane Grill
6 packs of Johnsonville Fresh Sausage or Brats
SCAN TO ENTER
No purchase necessary. Giveaway runs 8/11/26 - 9/9/26. See official rules for details. Enter at Rouses.com/GrillGiveaway.
Dollar Days Sale
YOUR CHOICE
— ONLY —
1
Dollar Days Sale
YOUR CHOICE ONLY $1
$ 00
PREFERRED
PARTNER
5.2 OZ
3 OZ BAG
Always Save Pizza
Andy Capp’s Hot Fries
Dollar Days Sale
YOUR CHOICE
15.5 – 16 OZ
2.54 – 4 OZ
Hunt’s Manwich
Nissin Ramen Bowls
Dollar Days Sale
YOUR CHOICE ONLY $3
— ONLY — 16 OZ BAG 20 OZ
Sara Lee Honey Wheat Bread
Reddi Wip Topping
Juicy Juice
Dollar Days Sale
YOUR CHOICE
Rouses All-Natural Frozen Fruit
6.5 OZ
64 OZ
Dollar Days Sale
YOUR CHOICE ONLY $5
— ONLY —
PREFERRED
PARTNER
2-PACK 24.8 – 32.6 OZ
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits or Cinnamon Rolls
16 - 16.9 OZ
New Orleans CoolBrew Coffee
10.2 – 15 OZ
Coffee Mate Creamer
8.25 – 10.3 OZ
Amy’s Single Serve Entrées
largest selection & lowest prices on wine, spirits & beer
SAVE up $ 00 to 6
750 ML SELECTED
Bonanza or Greenwing Wine
16
$
99
750 ML SELECTED
Bonterra Organic Wine
11
$
99 Barefoot
1.5 LITER SELECTED
9
$ 99
Wine
12 PACK 12 OZ
13
$
Miller Lite, Coors Light, Bud Light or Yuengling
49
30 PACK 12 OZ CANS
Busch or Busch Light
2299
$
NEW!
THC GENS
ADAPTO
750 ML
Corazon Blanco Tequila
19
$
99
1.75 LITER
Taaka Vodka
14
$
99
750 ML
Malibu Coconut Rum
16
$
99
12 PACK 12 OZ
Mike’s Hard Lemonade
16
$
99
4 PACK 12 OZ CANS
Brez THC Seltzer
19 99
$
Prices good at New Orleans, Gretna, Kenner, Metairie, Marrero, Slidell, Mandeville and Covington locations August 12th thru August 19th, 2026.