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W e d n e s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 16, 2026
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School Board approves $515M budget
Abita Springs voters to choose between Saussy, Slifer for mayor BY WILLIE SWETT
Staff writer
The town of Abita Springs will elect a new mayor this fall, and the two candidates vying for the position have staked out positions on infrastructure, growth and some of the other big issues facing residents. Stephen Saussy, a Republican, and Sandra Slifer, who H H H H H H is not registered to any party, will both be on the Nov. 3 ballot. Though Abita Springs does not ä Abita Springs Town impose term limits, Mayor Dan Curtis Council candidates. opted not to seek rePAGE 2A election after eight years on the job. The town, which has a population of more than 2,500 people, has faced challenges related to its water, development, and finances in recent years. In December 2024, two former Abita Springs employees were charged with embezzling public funds, after they allegedly used town credit cards to buy things like alcohol and pillows. The town later sought guidance from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office to ensure their financial practices were in line with the law. In June, Curtis declared a state of emergency after the town’s water well became too damaged for use. The town, which is named for the curative properties of its water, has been relying on Utilities Inc. of Louisiana to provide water. And in one of the most dramatic development battles in St. Tammany Parish, a state judge tried to put Curtis in jail multiple times for not complying with court orders to let a developer build a large new subdivision on the town’s outskirts. Both mayoral candidates say they would focus on some of these issues if elected.
Jabbia says future cuts must be made
BY JIM DERRY
ELECTION
Staff writer
After months of incorporating new financial challenges, the St. Tammany Parish School Board has approved its budget of just over $500 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The approval, which was done by unanimous vote at the board’s Sept. 10 meeting, comes two months after the board agreed to give a small raise to its nearly 6,000 employees in addition to Gov. Jeff Landry’s mandated one-time stipend of $2,000 to teachers and $1,000 for support workers, which will come out of the budgets of local school districts. Of the $515 million in total expenditures, 57%, or just under $234 million, goes to salaries. Another $138 million is spent on teacher retirement pensions and insurance for employees and retirees. Though the budget has been the primary topic among board members for most of the past few months, there was little talk on it during the Sept. 10 meeting, as it was passed as part of a five-item consent agenda. District 15 representative Michelle Ruffino Gallaher asked about having it pulled for discussion but quickly relented. Superintendent Frank Jabbia said after the meeting that he expects this won’t be the last tough budget the district has to put together in coming years. Construction plans are being put on hold, he said, and “we will only focus on necessities.” “Everything will be evaluated,” Jabbia added. The budget included a series of funding measures that have been under discussion over the past several months, including the funding of local charter schools and the use of one-time funds. The board has repeatedly expressed its dissatisfaction at having to provide approximately $10 million to local charter schools. The vast majority of that figure has gone to the newly opened Academy of Classical Education charter school in Covington. Terri Prevost, the school system’s chief financial officer, has said the state’s Minimum Foundation Program funding fell by $24.8 million this year. To resolve a potential deficit, the district approved in August the use of $19.8 million in disaster relief funds. Meanwhile, the teacher’s union and central office administrators agreed in March to a Memorandum of Understanding to extend their expiring contract through the end of the fiscal year. Over the summer, they again negotiated additions, including the small raises to go with the governor’s stipends, bereavement leave, amended duties for paraprofessionals and other minor changes. “We have lost many students over the past decade and have gained hundreds of employees. It’s an unsustainable path,” said Brant Osborn, president of the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees. “I think it’s going to take an outside party to get data to the board and put them in the driver’s seat. We don’t want to hurt programs and kids, but we have to find a way to right this situation.” Neither Osborn nor Jabbia say they want to cut staffing but both say they realize the pressures of the district’s current financial situation. Jabbia has repeatedly said there are instances when employees will leave the school system and it will be uncertain on whether they will be replaced. “We have taken a hard look at staffing as the year has gone on,” he said. “Staffing is being reevaluated every day as things come open. It comes down to necessity and safety and security, and that’s No. 1. If a school can have a workaround, that’s what we’re asking them to do right now.” Osborn said that he expects negotiations to resume between the federation and the school system “no later than Oct. 15 to discuss the governor’s stipend and other issues.”
PHOTOS BY BOBBY GILBOY
Capt. Travis Katen of St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 12 rings a silver bell six times — one peal for each life of a Louisiana resident lost during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Bells toll on 25th anniversary Search for of 9/11 fireflies is on ä See MAYOR, page 1A
BY TAMMY NUNEZ
Kickstarter campaign launched for local field findings BY LISA VON EBERSTEIN Contributing writer
“I don’t see fireflies anymore.” Amber Elder hears it often from people who remember summer nights filled with tiny flashes of light, but who now struggle to find them. Elder, an independent field observer who lives near Covington, knows something about looking. She has spent several years looking for the answer in her own backyard. There is evidence that fireflies have declined in some places, but scientists do not yet know how much their numbers have changed in St. Tammany Parish. Fireflies face a growing list of pressures, including human-driven development, artificial light, pesticides and the loss of leaf litter and natural habitat where they spend much of their lives. Firefly experts say some of the insects people think have disappeared may still be there. They may be in leaf litter instead of the lawn, or along a wooded edge instead of under a porch light. They may appear for only a few weeks of the year, or flash at a time of night when most people are inside. Elder said she remembers catching fireflies
ä See FIREFLIES, page 4A
Contributing writer
Six bell tones reverberated cleanly over the din of traffic on La. 36 near Covington on Sept. 11. The solemn sounds came from a shiny bell affixed to a fire truck situated in front of St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 12. The bell was rung six single times to honor the six Louisiana residents who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 25 years ago. “We now pause in remembrance of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, those who survived and carried its wounds, and those who later died from illnesses associated with the rescue and recovery,” said Janet Pittman, Regent of the Wharton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which helped organize the ceremony. A small crowd of DAR members, EMS, and local firefighters, including District 12 Chief Terry Stuard, attended. They all fell into a reverent quiet as the names of Louisianans who died in the attacks were announced. One name in particular struck home. Mandeville resident Louis Calvin Williams III was in one of the World
Michael Martinez, plays taps while Fire District No. 12 Chief Terry Stuard bows his head during the somber occasion of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. Trade Center buildings when it was destroyed in the terrorist attack on New York City a quarter-century ago. Williams was a vice president and investment management consultant at Vestek. He was 52 years old. “May we honor those who were lost by remembering how they lived,” Chloe Coombe, the Wharton Chapter DAR chaplain, said. “May we honor those who sacrificed by following their example of courage and service. And may we never take for granted the men and women
ä See BELLS, page 5A
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2A ✦ Wednesday, September 16, 2026 ✦ St. Tammany ✦
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Abita Springs Town Council ballot loaded with 10 candidates Voters will select five to serve next four years
BY DAN LAWTON
Contributing writer
Ten candidates, only one of whom is an incumbent, are vying for five seats on the Abita Springs Town Council in the Nov. 3 election. They range in age from 38 to 82, and almost all agree that infrastructure and growth are central issues to Abita Springs, which is known for its quaint, small-town feel. Despite being heralded for its natural springs, the town has been under a water emergency since late June and has had to source its water from a nearby utility company. The water crisis is the top issue in the race, alongside perennial questions about development. The candidates are:
Carl A. Bayhi Bayhi, who spent 20 years as a law enforcement officer with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, said if elected he would seek to bolster the town’s safety with more community policing and a greater law enforcement presence on the Tammany Trace. He said the town’s chronic infrastructure issues, particularly the low water pressure caused by the town’s damaged well, also prompted him to enter the race. Bayhi, a 43-year-old Republican, said he wants to address the town’s maintenance issues and develop solutions to prevent future failures. “We are Abita Springs; our water should be what we are known for,” he said.
E.J. Boudreaux Boudreaux, 82, is the sole incumbent in the race and is seeking his second term on the council. A Republican, he is currently retired but previously worked as a quality assurance auditor in the engineering and technological fields. Boudreaux said he wants to return to the council to make more progress on infrastructure and funding issues. He believes his wealth of career experience and his history on the council make him well-positioned to help Abita Springs flourish. “I have some unfinished business,” he said. “I still want to get the water, roads and sewage where it is usable for the town.”
Earl T. Carr Jr. Carr, a contractor who specializes in disaster reconstruction, moved to Abita Springs five years ago after his home was destroyed in Hurricane Ida. He and his wife moved to be close to children and grandchildren who live nearby. Carr, a 73-year-old Republican, cited his work in the construction field as experience that makes him well-suited to address the town’s infrastructure issues. “The city is a business, and its product is infrastructure,” Carr said. “It desperately needs some assistance in that area, and as a contractor, everything you do is scheduling, budget, quality control.”
CARL BAYHI
E.J. BOUDREAUX
EARL T. CARR JR.
JOHN D’HEMECOURT
PERSONAL: 43, Born in Metairie, lived in Abita Springs for five years. EDUCATION: Graduated from Pope John Paul II High School and Southeastern Louisiana University. EMPLOYMENT: Previously worked as a law enforcement officer with St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. POLITICAL: Republican.
PERSONAL: 82, Born in New Orleans, lived in Abita Springs for 30 years. EDUCATION: Graduated from East Jefferson High School in Metairie; college degree in petroleum services from Nicholls State University. EMPLOYMENT: Served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Worked as a quality assurance auditor in manufacturing, transportation and engineering fields. Retired. POLITICAL: Republican, first elected to Abita Springs Town Council in 2022.
PERSONAL: 73, Born in New Orleans, lived in Abita Springs for five years. EDUCATION: Graduated from Brother Martin High School. EMPLOYMENT: Contractor specializing in disaster reconstruction. POLITICAL: Republican.
PERSONAL: 77, Born in Baton Rouge, lived in Abita Springs for 28 years. EDUCATION: Graduated from Holy Cross High School and the University of New Orleans. EMPLOYMENT: Entrepreneur, president of J.D. Marketing Inc. POLITICAL: Republican. Former member of the Louisiana Republican Executive Committee, Vice Chair of Republican Committee in St. Tammany.
SHELDON KERR PERSONAL: 38, born in New Orleans, lived in Abita Springs for four years. EDUCATION: Graduated from Ponchatoula High School; college degree from University of Phoenix in Project Management. EMPLOYMENT: Project Manager at Chill-Rite 32 POLITICAL: Republican. Currently Vice Chairman of the Abita Springs Planning and Zoning Commision. WEBSITE: votesheldon.com. Carr said maintaining a potable water supply is an essential service the town must provide.
John d’Hemecourt A lifelong entrepreneur, d’Hemecourt is making his first run for town council, despite having previously served in Republican leadership positions in St. Tammany Parish and statewide. He said his priorities are schools, water, gas, drainage and roads, all areas he believes have not been sufficiently prioritized in the recent past. An Abita Springs resident of 28 years, D’Hemecourt, 77, said experience running his own business and serving on a variety of boards makes him a good fit for the council.
Stewart ‘ManyLightnings’ Eastman Eastman, a 75-year-old former database administrator, has lived in Abita Springs for 14 years. Eastman has run for town council multiple times but has never won. He is a
ROBERT ‘BOB’ KRIEGER PERSONAL: 66, Born in New Orleans, lived in Abita Springs for 23 years. EDUCATION: Graduated from Jesuit High School (New Orleans); bachelor’s degree from Loyola University (New Orleans); master’s degree in broadcast management from Southern University. EMPLOYMENT: Director of Technology at Christ Episcopal School near Covington. Previously served as a Commander in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserve for 23 years. POLITICAL: No Party WEBSITE: bobkrieger.com.
JOHN PREBLE
PERSONAL: 78, Born in New Orleans, lived in Abita Springs for 54 years. EDUCATION: Graduated Chalmette High School; college degree from University of Louisiana at Lafayette (previously University of Southwestern Louisiana). EMPLOYMENT: Owns and operates the Abita Mystery House and the Abita Hotel. Previously taught art at Loyola University (New Orleans). POLITICAL: Republican. Twice ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Abita Springs (most recently in ANGELA WHITEHEAD 2018). PERSONAL: 55, born in WEBSITE: johnpreble.com. Livingston Parish, lived in Abita Springs for 30 years. er, along with other changes, EDUCATION: Graduated which he said will alleviate from Doyle High School; the town’s water crisis. holds management degree Sheldon Kerr from Southeastern Louisiana Kerr, 38, is one of the young- University. er candidates in the race and EMPLOYMENT: Paralegal. the father of two young chilPOLITICAL: Republican. dren. He emphasized the
need for Abita Springs to remain a family-oriented town that attracts new residents. “We want people to move here and plant roots and raise their families,” he said. Kerr, a Republican, currently serves on the town’s planning and zoning commission. He said if elected, he would try to improve the town’s communication by making better use of social media. He would also focus on ensuring that Abita Springs is well funded so the frequent attendee of council town can grow while retainmeetings and thinks he can ing its unique character. help the town grow responsibly and find solutions to its Bob Krieger infrastructure woes. Krieger, 66, is a former “My biggest issue is that I U.S. Navy commander and like the town the way it is, and currently works as the directo keep it unique we have to tor of technology at Christ regulate chains and overde- Episcopal School. He said he’s running to preserve the velopment.” Eastman, who originally is small-town charm of Abita from New York City, has a zo- Springs and to make sure ology degree from Amherst growth is measured and reand a paralegal certification sponsible. from the University of New “We don’t need to have a Orleans. He was previously big box store or anything like a member of the Green Party that, which would be an eyeand said he is now in the Abita sore,” he said. Party, of which he is the only Krieger, who is not affiliatcurrent member. ed with a political party, has He said what he’s most frus- lived in Abita Springs for 20 trated by is the town’s water years. He said his 23 years of issues and that he has a plan experience in the Navy will to build a second water tow- help him develop ongoing
maintenance systems to improve the town’s infrastructure.
John Preble Despite never holding elected office, Preble is a veteran of Abita Springs politics. The artist and owner of the Abita Springs Mystery House has run for mayor twice and said that he has “more business skin in Abita Springs than anyone else.” “I don’t want anybody to tell me what to do,” he said, about why he was running. Preble previously ran for mayor as an independent, but has switched to the Republican Party.
Angela Whitehead A paralegal, Whitehead said she is motivated by a need to hold elected leaders accountable for taxpayer revenue. “We should get to know where our money is going and what it is being used for,” she said. The 55-year-old Republican has lived in Abita Springs since 1996. Originally from Livingston Parish, she said she believes her work experience makes her good at listening to people’s problems, cutting through red tape and
STEWART ‘MANYLIGHTNINGS’ EASTMAN PERSONAL: 75, from New York City, lived in Abita Springs for 14 years. EDUCATION: Graduated from high school in New York; college degree from Mercy College (New York); master’s degree in zoology from University of Massachusetts Amherst; paralegal certification from the University of New Orleans. EMPLOYMENT: Retired, previously worked as a database administrator. POLITICAL: Counts himself as the lone member of the “Abita Party,” listed on ballot as “Other”. Ran several times previously for the Abita Springs Town Council. WEBSITE: voteeastman.com.
JOHN ZIMEK PERSONAL: 38, Metairie, lived in Abita Springs for five years. EDUCATION: Graduated from Northlake Christian School; bachelor’s degree from LSU; master’s degree from University of Louisiana-Lafayette. EMPLOYMENT: Financial adviser. POLITICAL: Republican. finding solutions. “I love the quirkiness of Abita, and I just want to help it continue to thrive,” she said.
John Zimek Zimek, 38, is making his first run for public office and has been living in Abita Springs since 2021. A financial advisor, he cited the town’s water issues as his number one issue but also mentioned drainage, traffic and walkability as other priorities. Zimek, a Republican, said he would like to see the town attract more tourists, perhaps by increasing the number of festivals and events. A self-described good listener, Zimek said he’s able to get along with everybody, regardless of their political affiliation. “I’m team-oriented, and that team is Abita,” he said.
Slidell can turn off water if account is 15 days past due BY JIM DERRY Staff writer
The Slidell City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night that will allow it to charge a late fee on water bills, and it can disconnect any accounts past due by 15 days or more. The ordinance, which was proposed by council members Sean
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Fadely and Shawn Jones, authorizes the city “to utilize and undertake all remedies available under Louisiana law to recover debt owed to the city.” Fadely said the city continues to lose money due to “bad debt from unpaid water bills each year,” and that it adds up to as much as “a couple hundred thousand” dollars annually.
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In addition, the council authorized the city to charge a 10% late fee to any account that goes unpaid past the due date. Also in the ordinance, the city will lower the amount of the disconnect fee from $50 to $35, but it will add a $35 fee to be charged for any reconnect. It adds, “no reconnect will be performed by the city until the city confirms all out-
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standing amounts have been paid with sufficient funds.” “The shutoff is for two reasons,” Fadely said. “One, to prevent the city from sending out three free months of water that isn’t being paid for. Two, if you’re already behind one month and can’t get caught up, you’re not going to get caught up on three months.” The ordinance does allow for
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an account holder to dispute any charges before being cut off, as long as he or she does so before it is 15 days beyond the “past due” date. Jim Derry covers St. Tammany Parish, and has been part of The Times-Picayune staff for much of the past 36 years. Jim can be reached via email at jderry@ theadvocate.com.
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✦ St. Tammany ✦ Wednesday, September 16, 2026 ✦ 3A
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4A ✦ Wednesday, September 16, 2026 ✦ St. Tammany ✦
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MAYOR
Brian Rhinehart reappointed to Mandeville P&Z board
Continued from page 1A
Saussy
Saussy, who has lived fulltime in Abita Springs since around 2010, said he hopes to bring his experience in various parts of government, including his current work on the town’s board of aldermen, to the mayor’s office. Saussy said he wants to focus on public safety, infrastructure and government accountability. “The biggest thing is rebuilding the character and integrity of the town of Abita Springs,” Saussy said. Pointing to the issues with the town’s well, “You have to do the preventive maintenance on your car. You have to do the preventative maintenance on your house. It’s not different with government.” If residents elect him, the former St. Tammany reserve police officer said, “You’ll have someone at the helm that knows the language and can have the dialogue with law enforcement.” He said he wants a Town of Abita Springs law enforcement officer to be at intersections near schools to help students walk to school safely. Saussy said as a member of the board of aldermen, he’s helped secure money for sewer improvement and has worked to make Town Hall accessible to residents with disabilities. As for commercial and residential growth, he said he wants to “maintain the character of Abita” but also wants to see growth in appropriate areas and make sure the city has sewer capacity for more people. “Abita Springs is the gem of the New Orleans metropolitan area,” he said.
Slifer Slifer, who moved to Abita Springs 10 years ago and has lived in St. Tammany Parish since 1990, said electing her as mayor would be “a way to start over, and bring people back together and bring some trust and a different attitude to the town to the table.”
BY KIM CHATELAIN
SANDRA SLIFER
STEPHEN SAUSSY
PERSONAL: 71. Born in Crystal Lake, Illinois, has lived in Abita Springs since 2015 and St. Tammany Parish since 1990. EDUCATION: Graduated from Cary-Grove High School in Cary, Illinois; Bachelor’s in mass communication from Illinois State University. PROFESSIONAL: Retired computer and technology marketing and sales; worked for St. Tammany Clerk of Court in elections. POLITICAL: No Party candidate, St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 8 board member, former president of St. Tammany League of Women Voters, Louisiana League of Women Voters, Abita Springs Garden Club and Keep Abita Beautiful. WEBSITE: voteslifer.com.
PERSONAL: 61. Born in New Orleans, lived in Abita Springs full-time since 2010 EDUCATION: Graduated from St. Stanislaus High School in Bay St. Louis, MS; Bachelor’s in psychology from University of Southern Mississippi; paramedic training at University of South Alabama; Slidell Police Academy. PROFESSIONAL: Currently works in damage prevention for Entergy in New Orleans; retired medical sales; former paramedic; former reserve police officer in St. Tammany Parish. POLITICAL: Republican, Abita Springs Board of Aldermen since 2018, former St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 8 board member.
“The town of Abita has gone through a rough four years, with the court cases with Abita Meadows, with the thefts that happened, some of the challenges regarding infrastructure,” Slifer said. Slifer said her time with community organizations such as the St. Tammany League of Women Voters is an asset in the mayor’s race, and that it gives her unique insight into town zoning issues. “We would sit down with the developers,” she said. “We worked together to make their plans better. We listened to the public. We may oppose one development, but we supported another development that the developer did.”
She said she wants to see more improvements to the city’s sewage system, including its pumping stations, and also wants to address drainage issues. She’d push for building more sidewalks, trails and other modes of transportation in town. And she wants to work with the parish and state to improve busy intersections in the area, such as where Harrison Avenue meets La. 59. Slifer said Abita Springs should aim for responsible growth. “I think that Abita has always been recognized as being unique and something that people really all over the parish treasure. It doesn’t mean we won’t grow, but it does mean we grow without losing the character of the town. We don’t lose what makes us special.”
Gulf South Commerce Park begins work on first industrial warehouse BY GRACE MAYER
ultimately draw more of those types of tenants to the industrial park. “We’re building significant interest from Nearly five years after planning began for users of all sizes, so it’s just proof that the a new industrial park near Mandeville, the plan that was kicked off years ago is comGulf South Commerce Park is more than ing to fruition,” said Matt Hubert, executive quadrupling its footprint and construction vice president of investments at Blue Steel has started on the first warehouse at the site. Development. On Sept. 9, developers said they recently acquired 300 acres of land adjacent to the Growing the industrial park existing 100-acre site in response to anCrosby Development, which is based in ticipated demand. At the same time, they Mandeville, purchased the land for Gulf also have broken ground on a roughly South Commerce Park around five years 200,000-square-foot industrial building, ago. In the last three years, the developer which they are building “on spec,” meaning has gradually built out infrastructure on the property, including a water tower and utilithey don’t have a tenant lined up yet. Taken together, the two recent develop- ties, and cleared land for development, all ments signal that the market is bullish on with the aim of getting closer to realizing a the need for northshore industrial space, 900-acre master plan. Around 1,000 acres in the area have albusiness park officials said. “We need to have projects ready to go for ready been zoned for manufacturing and these tenants,” said John Crosby, CEO of logistics projects. That zoning allows for Crosby Development, the firm behind Gulf warehouse and distribution facilities to be South Commerce Park at the intersection of built on the site, such as light manufacturI-12 and La. 1088. ers or cold storage facilities, Crosby said. “The bigger deals will come along in the He has previously said that it was unlikely future, but for the smaller companies, spec the park would add a large-scale data censpace is really important.” ter in the future, since such a facility would Blue Steel Development, an industrial de- require additional energy generation to be veloper headquartered in Florida, is work- built. An additional $2 million investment from ing with Crosby on the project and is building the warehouse, which will be located on Louisiana’s FastSites program, also an13 acres. nounced on Sept. 9, will help cover the cost The $22 million facility is expected to be of acquiring an additional 300 acres of land, completed in the first quarter of 2027, after bringing the park’s total acreage closer to which officials hope a logistics, manufactur- 400. That land will be prepped and cleared ing or distribution tenant will move in — and by the end of 2028.
Staff writer
his seat, got the nod. His previous term ended Aug. 31. The council praised It’s not always easy finding citizens willing to serve Rhinehart’s work on the on the Mandeville Planning commission and voted and Zoning Commission, unanimously for his reapwhich hears zonpointment. He has been a commissioning cases and helps guide development er since 2019 and in the city. has served as chairCity Council man of the Zoning members said it can Commission and be a time consumvice chairman of the Planning Coming and thankless job that involves Rhinehart mission since 2021. delving deeply into But members also intricate and thorny land praised the other two appliuse issues. The pay is mere cants, Charles Guinchard, $100 a month. president of the Old ManSo, when three applicants deville Business Associawith impressive credentials tion, and retired architect applied for an open seat on Dennis Horchoff. the seven-member commis“For the other two peosion, City Council members ple who are also very well qualified — Mr. Guinchard were well pleased. At its meeting Sept. 10, and Mr. Horchoff — thank the City Council appointed you for applying,” council one of the three applicants member Kevin Vogeltanz to a new seven-year term on said. “I think you are both very talented. It didn’t work the commission. Brian Rhinehart, who was out this time, but I would seeking reappointment to encourage you both to apContributing writer
ply again.” Commissioners serve staggered terms, which results in one of the seven seats opening each year. The council’s selection of a Planning and Zoning Commissioner came on the night before the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Mandeville businessman Lou Williams, a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission in 2001, was one of more than 3,000 Americans who died in the attack. Mayor Clay Madden encouraged citizens to visit the small park in the Beau Rivage neighborhood dubbed “Lou’s Lot,” which is maintained by the city as a tribute to Williams. Williams, who was a resident of Beau Rivage, was visiting New York City on business and was on the 78th floor of the south tower when the attacks occurred.
FIREFLIES
Continued from page 1A beneath a large magnolia tree at her great-grandmother’s house when she was a little girl. Decades later, she found an elusive female Photuris frontalis as a faint flicker low in the leaf litter on her own property. The discovery led her to begin studying and documenting the species, eventually participating in field work with researchers at Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Now her research is helping bring more attention to what lives in St. Tammany. “Amber’s observations are quite noteworthy,” said Christine Gambino, an LSU Agricultural Center extension associate involved in firefly research, education and outreach. She and her team have begun discussing efforts with Elder to document and characterize the firefly species found in St. Tammany. “We do not have longterm population datasets for St. Tammany Parish or Louisiana as a whole that would allow us to quantify exactly how much firefly numbers have changed over time. However, there is strong anecdotal evidence from residents across Louisiana who report seeing far fewer fireflies than they remember from childhood,” Gambino said. “One of our goals is to improve our understanding of which species are present locally, where they occur, and the habitats they use.” Elder and the LSU team are discussing local surveys to identify the firefly species found in St. Tammany. The goal is not simply to count flashes on a summer evening. It is to understand what those flashes tell us about the health of the habitats where fireflies live. “Leaf litter is often overlooked but is critically important. Many firefly larvae spend months to years in moist soil and decomposing leaf layers where they hunt prey and avoid desiccation. Removing leaves for a ‘clean’ landscape eliminates key habitat,” Gambino said. Lynn Faust of Knoxville,
PHOTO BY LISA VON EBERSTEIN
Amber Elder and her daughter Piper Elder, 9, in their firefly field gear on their home turf, where the elder Elder began studying ‘snappies’ — the Photuris frontalis — after finding an elusive female firefly on her property in the Covington/ Waldheim area. From there, her interest and research grew and ultimately linked up with researchers at LSU also doing work in firefly research, education, and outreach. The firefly enthusiasts are now planning some future work in concert. Tennessee, an advisory consultant on firefly studies who has followed Photuris frontalis for more than 30 years and is a mentor for Elder, said fireflies are remarkably easy to miss. “Most people are inside at night with artificial lights, TV and phone glare. It takes effort to go outside in the dark and look. The wilder the spot, the more likely it will have fireflies at the correct time of year — generally March to June deep down south — each species emerges at a predictable time of night and time of year once you become familiar,” Faust said. For Elder, the issue is not just scientific. It’s personal. “Fireflies have a way of bringing people together and invoking those memories of when you used to see them as a kid,” Elder said. “I don’t think I’ve known anybody who has a bad thing to say about the fireflies.” Those memories became the inspiration for “I Don’t See Fireflies Anymore” a Louisiana-based public
education project Elder developed to help families, educators, naturalists and other observers find, understand and protect the fireflies still around them. The project’s message is simple: Look down. Turn off the lights. Leave the leaves. “They’re not necessarily gone,” Elder said. “We’ve just forgotten how to look.” A Kickstarter campaign is launching to fund the educational side of “I Don’t See Fireflies Anymore,” including a firefly habitat guide, observation guide, illustrated educational presentation, public website and a firefly lapel pin with an educational backing card. To learn more about the project and campaign, log on to idontseefirefliesanymore.com and kickstarter. com/projects/fireflies/idont-see-fireflies-anymore. Residents can submit their own firefly stories and questions to I Don’t See Fireflies Anymore at P.O. Box 192, Covington, LA 70434-0192.
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Mitch Dillon shows transition program’s success BY JOLIE LINDLEY
“We knew then that he was well on his way to living on his own. It was a safe way for him to make mistakes, and he enjoyed making new friends on campus.”
totally an honor, and Sen. Boudreaux is a good guy.” Nicholls State’s program began in the fall of 2016, and is a U.S. Department of Education Certified Transition Program. “Our students have to do a certain amount of hours of internships, and they can live independently as much as they and their families want. The vast majority live in the dorms, and they love it. The goal is for them to be productive citizens. Mitch actually has two jobs now, and lives independently,” Breaud said. Mitch’s mother, Kathy Dillon, stressed the importance of the Nicholls State program to her son’s success in now being able to live independently. “If you ask Mitch what his major was in college, he’ll tell you ‘independence,’ ” she said. Kathy Dillon said that during Mitch’s first semester in the program, they would pick him up to go home every weekend, but by his last semester, they hardly ever saw him. “We knew then that he was well on his way to living on his own. It was a safe way for him to make mistakes, and he enjoyed making new friends on campus,” she said. Nicholls State’s program em-
ploys a certified teacher as the program skills specialist who, along with the program director, provides the training and guidance for graduate assistants and peer mentors to assist the Bridge to Independence students. “The primary outcomes are for our students to be gainfully employed and able to live as independently as possible upon completion of the program,” Breaud said. Kathy Dillon said learning
those skills helped Mitch to now be employed at two jobs, including in Covington at Stone Creek Club and Spa. “He learned the job skills that helped him secure employment, and he doesn’t understand his particular impact — that someone with Down syndrome can actually go to college, work two jobs and live in his own apartment,” she said. While Kathy Dillon and her husband are originally from New Or-
leans, Mitch Dillon completed his K-12 schooling in Georgia, where the family was living at the time. However, upon his high school graduation, the family returned to Covington, and Mitch enrolled in Nicholls State, which Kathy Dillon credits with helping Mitch advance his advocacy work. “He fully understands what being on the Postsecondary Inclusive Education Advisory Council means and is proud of his work. He is also very humble about it,” she said. Breaud said she hopes the council’s work will continue to build more Certified Transition Programs throughout the state, citing additional programs that have come on board in recent years to help students in all regions of Louisiana. “We have nine CTPs in Louisiana now, and when you look at programs like ours, the students have better outcomes. We work on the board that Mitch is a member of to try to increase these programs,” she said. According to Breaud, having inclusive programs benefits all students and faculty on a college campus. “Faculty and professors say having the Bridge students in their classes adds to their classes. General body students say the Bridge program provides them with life experiences that they value in their own lives. Many have friendships that have continued years since graduating and completing the program,” she said. Mitch Dillon agreed that his outcomes from the Bridge to Independence Program were all positive. “I liked learning new things about life, and I made a lot of friends. I loved watching football and baseball,” he said.
World Trade Center n Lt. Col. Robert Joseph Hymel Continued from page 1A (U.S. Air Force, retired), 55, of New Orleans, a management analyst with the Defense Intelligence who continue to answer the call in Agency in the Pentagon n Leo Russell Keene III, 33, of our communities each day.” In addition to Williams, five other Sulphur, an equities analyst in the Louisianans died in the attacks: World Trade Center n Elizabeth Ann “Betty” Farmer, n Lt. Michael Scott Lamana (U.S. 62, of New Orleans, an executive Navy), 31, of Baton Rouge, a Navy assistant at Cantor Fitzgerald in the flight officer in the Pentagon’s Navy
Command Center n Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Wayne Yokum (U.S. Navy), 27, of Lake Charles, a Navy information systems technician in the Pentagon. Pittman and Stuard placed a wreath on a piece of a beam removed from the World Trade Center wreckage and now displayed as a memorial at Fire District 12 headquarters. “As we honor those who answered
the call 25 years ago, we also recognize those who continue to answer it in our own community today,” Pittman said, acknowledging the first responders in attendance. Lives lost that fateful day were on minds across St. Tammany Parish on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Groups of first responders from several areas of the parish participated in “stair climbs,” which are workouts in full firefight-
er gear that simulated the rigorous climbs hundreds of New York City firefighters made saving lives on World Trade Center stairwells 25 years ago. Later that day in Slidell, St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 officials gathered at Heritage Park and the memorial there to pay tribute to fallen heroes and innocents who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
Contributing writer
A Covington resident’s experiences gaining life skills and independence through the Nicholls State University’s Bridge to Independence program led to him making the motion that ensured millions of dollars in state funding will support not only the program from which he graduated, but also eight other comprehensive transition programs statewide for young adults with developmental disabilities. Gerald “Mitch” Dillon graduated from the Nicholls State program in 2022 and was recommended for a position on the state’s Postsecondary Inclusive Advisory Council by Mary Breaud, associate professor of education and faculty adviser for the Bridge to Independence Program. In this capacity, Dillon made the motion to approve the recent funding. “Mitch serves the Advisory Council as a representative of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council. They reached out to me and wanted to know if I could suggest someone, and I knew he would be great, and his family would be supportive. I recommended him as a past student and graduate,” Breaud said. Legislation authored by Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, first established the council. Subsequent legislation dedicated 3% of annual online sports wagering tax revenue to the cause, which this year will give $150,000 grants to nine established campus programs. About his appearance before the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee, Dillon said, “It was
BELLS
KATHY DILLON, mother of Mitch Dillon, on her son’s last semester at Nicholls State University’s Bridge to Independence program
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Mitch Dillon is taking care of business as an appointee to the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council. During an appearance before the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee, Dillon made the motion to approve $150,000 grants to each of nine transition programs for adults with developmental disabilities as part of Bridge to Independence programs. He graduated from one of the nine programs at Nicholls State University.
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Liz Fletcher, center, reads one of her compositions as her mother, Cerlida Fletcher, and Fred Cureau listen.
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At the commemoration of the Battle of Lake Pontchartrain are, from left, Dennis Dale, Sons of the American Revolution, George Washington Chapter; Mandeville Mayor Clay Madden; Robert Freeland of the Granaderos y Damas de Galvez; and Leonard Rohrbough and Paul Guidry of the Sons of the American Revolution, Pierre G. Rousseau Chapter.
Resurrected Live Poets Society of Slidell going strong Remembering little-known
Battle of Lake Pontchartrain
BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer It is rare that a group can withstand a natural disaster, lie dormant for years and then recreate itself and flourish. The Live Poets Society of Slidell is just such a group. Highly active before Hurricane Katrina, the poets met in the original Slidell Library and Cultural Center that once stood on Erlanger Street. After the storm, the group’s members were scattered to the winds. Then, almost two decades later, a few dedicated members decided to get the writers back together. “Before Hurricane Katrina, we hosted a monthly reading session. The public came, and we’d have a great crowd. The group was thriving. Then the storm destroyed our meeting place and dissolved our group,” said Maggie Sorrels, one of the group’s original members. A serendipitous meeting of several former members at a social group for widows sparked a resurgence of interest to gather the poets to share their words again, according to Sorrels. In its current incarnation, the Live Poets Society consists of several original members and many new participants. Verse celebrating love, death, hardship, joy and other facets of daily life resonate when they gather. Bettie Brike started writing poems when she was a much younger woman, but drifted away from writing when her time was dominated by her kids and family events. After meeting Sorrels and others at the widows club, she started writing again. She recently self-published her second book of poems, mainly for family and a few friends. “My best time to write is right after breakfast. That seems to be the time when ideas pop into my head,” Brike said. She completes about two poems a month and works in rhyme. Lucy Tierney enjoys sharing her haikus at the meetings. “Some of my poems are a mixture of run-on rants. They can be about complaints or they can be cheerful,” Tierney said. “I love a good rant,” former English teacher Liz Fletcher chimed in at a recent meeting. Fletcher was attending for the first time with her mother, longtime member Cerlida Fletcher. “I like the way poetry can approach different spaces
Sept. 10, 1779, conflict not widely known part of American Revolution BY ANDREW CANULETTE Staff writer
PHOTOS BY SUZIE HUNT
Marie Smith, center, looks on as friend Lucy Tierney reads one of Smith’s original poems. Lillian Schimmeck listens with the use of a closed-caption app on her cellphone. and experiences and can tell about them in different ways.” Marie Smith read a heartfelt valentine she had written to her husband not long before his death. “It turned out to be an epitaph for him. I used to write when I was stressed, but I don’t have as much stress now,” Smith said. Topics for the group’s work range from dinosaur chicken nuggets to paper dolls to car accidents to writing poems about writing poems. While some poems are written in the third person, Heloise Grant’s depiction of the young men from her hometown of Thibodaux leaving for World War II was personal and poignant. At a previous meeting, Jackie Baptiste reflected on how poetry can be found everywhere and used today’s rap lyrics as an example. Original member Fred Cureau recently returned to the group after 20 years away. “I used to hate poetry when I was in school. In college, I had to write a term paper on the poet Rod McKuen, and I learned poetry was more about having meaning than meter or rhyme. It wasn’t necessary for me to force myself into that confined space, and I started writing free verse,” Cureau said. At the monthly meetings,
each participant shares either their own work or a favorite poem by another writer. Rebecca Hayes read a poem her father wrote and gave to her on her wedding day. From the emotion evident in her voice, the words still resonated with her even now. She also cherishes poems her father wrote to her mother. “They give me peace,” Hayes said. Cerlida Fletcher agreed with Hayes about the feelings that can come from reading poetry or hearing it read. “The way everyone expresses themselves, I find it comforting. I do appreciate what the ladies read. They are a human outlet, a voice for the words on the piece of paper,” Cerlida Fletcher said. Several of these poets have participated in open mic nights at Roots Coffee Shop in Olde Towne Slidell and look forward to sharing their work at other venues. They welcome poets and people interested in learning more about poetry to attend their monthly meetings. “It’s exciting to be together again ... and we welcome anyone interested to join us,” Sorrels said. More information about the Live Poets Society in Slidell is available by emailing Sorrels at mpsorr2133@ gmail.com.
Young professionals invited to quickly connect, do good Staff report Young professionals looking to develop leadership skills while giving back to the community are invited to attend Speed Connection, a free, high-energy networking event designed to connect emerging leaders with local nonprofits and meaningful opportunities to get involved. Presented by the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce’s Northshore Young Professionals and the Northshore Community Foundation and hosted by the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA), Speed Connection will be held Sept. 22 in LOPA’s second floor conference room at 68190 U.S. 190 near Covington. Now in its second year, Speed Connection brings young professionals together with representatives from local nonprofits in a fast-paced format. Attendees will have the
opportunity to learn about organizations making a difference across the northshore and explore ways to get involved, whether through volunteering, serving on a nonprofit board or providing support through their workplace or business. This year’s event features some two dozen participating nonprofits, giving attendees an opportunity to discover new organizations, learn about their missions and find causes that align with their interests and skills. The event includes check-in at 11:30 a.m.; the program at 11:45 a.m.; and lunch at 12:45 p.m. Attendance is free, but space is limited, so registration is required, and young professionals are encouraged to register soon at StTammanyChamber.org. Also on the site, check the events calendar for a complete list of participating nonprofits.
A wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of Lake Pontchartrain was held Sept. 10 on the Mandeville Lakefront. The event, which was sponsored by the city of Mandeville, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Granaderos y Damas de Galvez, remembered the little-known but important naval battle that took place on Sept. 10, 1779, and eventually ended a British blockade on the port of New Orleans. Though almost all of the American Revolution was fought on the East Coast of the continent, a British sloop and a Continental Navy schooner met in a fierce fight for control of the waterways surrounding New Orleans on Sept. 10, 1779. At the time, Britain controlled the northshore and its ship was a commanding presence in the lake. The south shore, including New Orleans, was led by the Spanish colonial
Robert Freeland, of the Granaderos y Damas de Galvez Louisiana Chapter, speaks during an event commemorating the Battle of Lake Pontchartrain. The Granaderos y Damas de Galvez Louisiana Chapter exists to highlight Spain’s influential role in the American Revolution. Paulette Perrin, Pam Herty and Paula Mora represent the Daughters of the American Revolution, Pierre de Mandeville Chapter, on Sept. 10. governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, who quietly helped the American revolutionaries in their quest for freedom from British rule. A marker on the Man-
deville Lakefront notes the naval battle and its significance in American history. A monument was erected on the lakefront last year, further recognizing the conflict.
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Caring for our community, together
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Covington River Sweep still needs its volunteers
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A reminder that Keep Covington Beautiful is sponsoring its annual Bogue Falaya River litter cleanup sweep on Sept. 26, and meeting in the park boat launch at at 9 a.m. to get things started. Volunteers with canoes and kayaks should bring them there to get their assignments for collecting debris from the river between the U.S, 190 Bridge and the 4th Avenue/Menetre Boat Launch. Volunteers with and without paddle craft are needed for the morning collection. Sign up by Sept. 22 and get all details at www.keepcovingtonbeautiful.org/.
People of Ukraine tell their own stories Staff report The northshore branch of the American Association of University Women will sponsor a Sept. 26 showing in Madisonville of the documentary “Transplanted Roots,” in which Ukrainian refugees who came to Louisiana following Russia’s fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 tell their own stories. Over the course of an hour in a meeting room of the branch library, refugees share their accounts of what they left behind, how they made their way here and what it has taken to rebuild
their lives in an unfamiliar place. Rather than portraying the war from a distance, the film puts individual voices at the center, creating a powerful record of displacement, resilience and the human consequences of a war that continues to this day. “Transplanted Roots” premiered at The Broad Theater in New Orleans, and will now be shared again in the library conference room at 2 p.m. in the documentary by political scientist and Fulbright Research Scholar Alla Rosca, president of the World Affairs Council of New Orleans.
This screening grew out of the Mandeville-based “Great Decisions” group discussion of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Rosca led that session and mentioned her documentary, and the group expressed interest in watching it. The Northshore branch has offered Great Decisions world civics education program as a community outreach since 1973, and in 2024, it was expanded to three sessions — one each in Madisonville, Mandeville, and Slidell — and all open to the public. The program continues in 2027. Since 1881, the American
Association of University Women has adhered to a mission to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. The branch in St. Tammany Parish was chartered in 1964 as a professional organization for women focusing on their identity as intellectual contributors. The branch prides itself on offering diverse and stimulating programs to its members and the community. For more information about the northshore branch, contact Eileen deHaro’s website at www. northshore-la.aauw.net.
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Dmytro and Tetiana Yamnichenko pose with their daughter, Emiliia, 17 months, in August of 2022, near Pearl River. The family had recently fled the war in Ukraine and were being helped by a St. Tammany Parish couple.
a l ga THE
STEP INTO THE FUTURE
PR RESENTED BY
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The Slidell Noon Lions Club sent to the Thika School for the Visually Impaired in Kenya some $6,600 that was used to refurbish one of its old, deteriorated dormitories by adding a new roof, replacing ceiling panels, installing ceramic tiles around sink, shower and toilets, and do interior and exterior painting. The work was completed this spring.
Slidell Noon Lions help school in Kenya Staff report In 2025, the Slidell Noon Lions donated $6,600 and three Braille tablets to Kenya’s Thika School for the Visually Impaired, a project that satisfied two Lions International missions to step up its long fight against blindness both in the U.S. and around the globe Slidell Noon Lions Club President Dan Ferrari strongly encouraged the club, after his visit to Kenya last year, to make donations to the Thika School. The club and its supporters managed to send $6,600 that was used by the school to refurbish one of its old, deteriorated dormitories by adding a new roof, replacing ceiling panels, installing ceramic tiles around sink, shower and toilets, interior and exterior painting. The work was completed this past spring. Ferrari urged the club to donate again this year to fund more improvements to the school itself, which was not adequate or in good repair. In response, the club
put up $2,000 from its treasury and 17 members and member friends donated the rest in order to wire another $6,650 (and send another three tablets) to the school’s manager, the Kenya East Territory Salvation Army, in late June. Penina Mutuku, the school’s head teacher, chose to expand the undersized student dining facility with the second Lions’ donation, but unfortunately, it was not enough to complete the expansion. This project is deemed critical, as visually impaired students carrying hot food in an overcrowded facility risks burning themselves and one another. In July, the club was notified that the Kenyan government has now designated the Thika School as a “Center of Excellence” and committed the equivalent of $23,000 for infrastructure improvements that, along with the Slidell Noons Lions’ donation, should easily cover the cost of the dining hall expansion, plus other infrastructure improvements,
Ferrari said. The Slidell club was formally recognized for its support of the school by the District Governor of Louisiana District 8N last August and again this May. In addition, the past president of Lions Clubs International congratulated the club for “exemplifying global service” through its partnership with the East African school, calling it a “prime example of traveling with purpose” and working with passion across borders to “to make the world a better place.” Slidell residents encouraged by the club to support its fundraising efforts, including Tuesday and Thursday afternoon bingo, the Second Saturday Pancake Breakfast, its annual Touch a Truck event and venue hall rentals. With funds raised from these activities, the club said good work can continue. Editor’s note: The St. Tammany Farmer is printing this story again as it ran with an incorrect headline in the Sept. 9 edition. We regret the error.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Sarah Peterson, and some of the Smoking Time Jazz Club players
Dew Drop opens with jazz, blues from ’20s DEW DROP JAZZ HALL
BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer
The Dew Drop Jazz & Social Hall will start its fall season with a Sept. 26 concert featuring the Smoking Time Jazz Club, performing the music of “Blues Queens of the 1920s” It will be a legitimate romp and stomp through another era, the music of an earlier age, the songs of legendary women such as Ma Rainey, Clara Smith and Bessie Smith. Led by the powerful, yet effervescent voice of of New Orleans singer Sarah Peterson, the Smoking Time Jazz Club will bring history to life on the Dew Drop stage in Old Mandeville, which is itself a piece of music history more than a century old. This performance will represent the powerful voices of early blues and jazz, blended in with Smoking Time’s lively New Orleans style. It’s an evening celebrating the music, spirit, and legacy of the strong female voices that paved the way for generations to come. Other members and/or rotation players of Smoking Time include Jack Pritchett, trumpet (also featuring Charlie Halloran at times); Joe Goldberg, clarinet, alto and soprano saxophones; John Joyce, upright bass; Mike Voelker, drums; Brett Gardner and Hunter Burgamy, guitar and banjo; and James McClaskey, banjo and vocals. For those new to the Dew
WHO: The Smoking Time Jazz Club’s Blues Queens of the 1920s. WHEN: Sept. 26, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; doors open 5:30 p.m. WHERE: 430 Lamarque St., Mandevillle HOW MUCH: All adults $15 to enter the grounds (cash preferred); kids and students, free. No advance tickets sold. WHAT ELSE: Beer, wine, sodas and water (cash only) at the bar. Hot plate dinners of fried chicken, fried fish and all the fixins’ sold next door by the Ladies of The First Free Mission Baptist Church (cash preferred). SEATING: Inside is first come, first served for about 100, but most people sit outside, so bring a lawn chair. No smoking, ice chests, outside food/drinks or pets are allowed. PARKING: In the lot across the street or on neighborhood streets — but don’t block driveways.
Drop, there is seating on pews inside the old wooden shotgun jazz hall, or for those who prefer the great outdoors, bring a fest chair from home and set up outside under the old live oaks to enjoy the music from there with friends and neighbors,
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Smoking Time Jazz Club Blues Queens of the 1920s weather permitting. It’s also easier to spread out and enjoy the homemade food cooked at the church next door especially for Dew Drop guests, but get
your drinks at the Dew Drop bar inside the hall. No food or drinks from home allowed. It’s also best to bike, carpool or get dropped off for the show.
There is limited designated parking, and once it fills up, guests need to find spots in the neighborhood without blocking driveways.
Night of major bluegrass music in Covington BY SHEILA GRISSETT Staff writer
It will be a night to remember for fans of bluegrass in Covington’s Fuhrmann Auditorium on Sept. 25 when dynamic international fiddle player Jason Carter and his band take center stage for an energetic, knee-slapping concert hosted by the Northshore Traditional Music Society. Carter was the fiddler for three decades with the Del McCoury Band, the most awarded group in bluegrass history. Carter also has three Grammy awards, including a “Best Bluegrass Album” with the Travelin’ McCourys, of which he is a founding member. In addition to the Grammys, Carter has also taken home six International Bluegrass Music Association “Fiddle Player of the Year” Awards. Carter has been featured on albums by Steve Earle, Ricky Skaggs, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Asleep at the Wheel and many more, in addition to his tireless touring and recording with Del and the Travelin’ McCourys. But don’t come late to the 6:30 p.m. show and miss the opening act by the Covington-based Spring Chickens. The local flock is warming up for the main act, and
Jason Carter it would be a mistake to miss them because they are home boys. The Chickens are a younger group of players who love the old music and are adding their own edge, hoping to bring in younger converts to the old genre — and from all all indications — they are making headway. Led by Northshore Traditional Music Society Bluegrass Chair Cody Smith on mandolin (and a half-dozen other instruments), the Chickens were recently profiled in The Bluegrass Standard; have played live on New Orleans’ iconic WWOZ radio; and are the
Spring Chickens newest house band for the historic more festivals and even shared a Abita Springs Opry, the undisput- bill with East Nash Grass and the ed nexus of traditional music on Edgar Loudermilk Band. the northshore. They are playing Tickets cost $15 to $100 at event-
PROVIDED PHOTOS brite.com. Parking is free; doors at 128 W. 23rd Ave. open at 6 p.m.; the music and knee-slapping goes until 9:30 p.m.
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AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS MUSIC
THIRD SUNDAY: Christ Episcopal Church’s Third Sunday Concert Series opens its 36th season in Covington on Sept. 20 with noted pianist Matt Lemmler, director of the New Orleans Jazz Revival, presenting his “New Orleans Stride Songs and Psalms” concert, a jubilant exploration of how the classic stride piano style (basically, the jazz piano style) can embrace a variety of different songs, including sacred pieces. Raised in a musical Lower 9th Ward family near the home of Fats Domino, Lemmler holds music degrees from Loyola University and Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He honed his early musical chops collaborating with esteemed New Orleans bandleaders Bob French and The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, Herb Tassin and The Blue Room Orchestra, and renowned jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain. Lemmler currently performs in an array of venues, from aboard the Steamboat Natchez with The John Mahoney Little Band to Sunday morning jazz services at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. He is a professor of jazz piano/improvisation at Loyola; has released 11 albums; and writes, arranges and produces a world of music, including jazz masses. Lemmler’s Third Sunday accompanist will be Lisbonborn percussionist and drummer Pedro Segundo, who has a rich background spanning both classical orchestral percussion (including working as a guest timpanist with the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields in London) and has deep roots in jazz, funk and world rhythms. He and Lemmler are both prominent fixtures in the New Orleans music community, frequently performing at Tipitina’s, Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro and the Maple Leaf Bar. Although Third Sunday shows are usually held in the church sanctuary, the free Sept. 20 concert will take place in The Atrium at the Christwood Retirement Community due to some current church campus construction. The gated entrance to Christwood is located on Christwood Boulevard, just off East Brewster Road near its intersection with La. 21. After entering Christwood, signs will direct traffic to The Atrium. As is tradition, a post-concert reception with refreshments follows for the artists and audience members to meet and mingle. The one-hour show begins at 5 p.m.; doors open at 4:30 p.m.
FILE PHOTO BY BOBBY GILBOY
Crispin Schroeder
ART STROLL: TerraBella Village in the Covington area is hosting Canvas & Chords on Sept.19 from 4:30 p.m.8:30 p.m., a white-linen-type event pioneered in the New Orleans’ arts district, but this one done in bright vivid colors, as the TeraBella hosts describe it. Come stroll among dozens of juried art vendors, live music, live art demonstrations, interactive elements, food, and open houses at participating businesses along TerraBella Boulevard. This will be a colorful evening in support of local
Euterpe (Becky Schmalz)
PROVIDED PHOTO RYAN HODGSON-RIGSBEE
Composer-producer-pianist-vocalist and music educator Matt Lemmler opens the Third Sunday Concert Series hosted by Christ Episcopal Church on Sept. 20. businesses and the northshore arts community; a portion of the event’s proceeds will support the St. Tammany Art Association. Music lineup includes Crispin Schroeder, 8 Track Acoustic, Addi Eversong and Mike Epstein, at 111 Terra Bella Blvd. Free and open to the public — and attendees are encouraged to wear their boldest and brightest at this colorful event for the arts. MANDEVILLE: Voodoo Gumbo opens the fall season of Mandeville Live! free Friday concerts from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 18. This highenergy, five-piece party band plays a mix of funk, blues, soul and crowd favorite rock numbers and pop covers, from Grand Funk Railroad and Bruno Mars to Journey and Lady Gaga. Concertgoers are invited to bring lightweight chairs and blanket for seating, but no ice chest or eats from home. Food and beverage vendors will be at the Mandeville Trailhead to keep folks fed and hydrated. COVINGTON: Al “Lil’ Fats” Jackson, a soulful New Orleans rhythm & blues singer and torchbearer of Fats Domino, will perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 in Covington’s Fuhrmann Auditorium. He will perform some of the best-loved Domino numbers, as well as other New Orleans’ classics from the likes of Frankie Ford and Huey “Piano” Smith. Get show tickets at Bontempstix.com or at Covington City Hall. IRISH: There’s a free, traditional Irish session on Sept. 17 (every third Thursday) from 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. in the back room of Abita Brew Pub, 72011 Holly St. for musicians and music-lovers to play and sing favorite pieces of Celtic music. Open to all. Visit thesession.org/tunes to find music catalogue or go to nstms.org for details. PERFORM: Open Mic Night on Sept. 24 (every final Thursday) from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. in The Reminding Coffee & Creative House, 141 TerraBella Blvd., near Covington. Great chance for musicians of all ages and abilities to perform before a supportive audience. Each performer/ensemble is invited to share a set of three songs or about 15 minutes. Arrive early to sign up for a spot. Free event. See nstms. org for more.
THEATER
HEAVENLY: “Xanadu, the Musical,” a campy comedy filled with eye-catching costumes and a familiar soundtrack by Olivia Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra, runs Sept. 18 through Oct. 4 at the Evangeline Theater in
Thalia (Barrett Baumgartner)
Kira (Megan Harris)
PROVIDED PHOTOS BY LEYLA HEKMATDOOST
Urania (Marli Freas) Mandeville. Follow the beautiful Greek Muse Kira, who descends from Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California. She is on a quest to inspire the struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time — the first Roller Disco! But, of course, Kira falls in love with the mortal, prompting her jealous sisters to take advantage of the situation. Chaos erupts. Based on the 1980 movie by the same name. Directed by Emily and Gordon Carmadelle; music direction by Brandi Lopez; and costume design by Jayna Young. Cast includes Kira/Clio (Meagan Harris); Sonny Malone (Nicci Wright); Danny McGuire (Jeffery Edwards); Melpomene (Andi Carroll); Calliope (Patty Blanchard); Euterpe (Becky Schmalz); Terpsichore (Patricia Lacoste); Erato (Sara Fontenot); Urania (Marli Freas); and Thalia (Barrett Baumgartner). Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m., at 2635 N. Causeway Blvd. Reserved seats, $32, at www.evangelinetheater.com/. FOUR OF THEM: There’s only one week left to see “Four Old Broads” at the Cutting Edge Center of the Arts through Sept. 20. The namesake “old broads” are led by former burlesque queen Beatrice Shelton (Kimberly Mueller) who wants to vacation
Corkern Air Conditioning, Heating and Electric celebrating 50 years in business!!
aboard the “Sassy Seniors Cruise” with her BFF, Eaddy
Mae Clayton (Teresa “Ms. Tee” Augustine), if she will stop praying and start cruising. Then there’s Maude (Suzette Songy Ferrari) who’s soap obsessed and planning her funeral, and new resident Imogene (Lisa Baradell Castro), who’s suddenly losing her memory — or not. Rounding out the cast at Magnolia Place Assisted Living is erstwhile ladies man Sam (William Saussaye), a retired Elvis impersonator; evil nurse Pat (Sandy Wolsefer); and sweet new nurse Ruby Sue (Heather McLemore). Veteran actor-director Sara Pagones directs this comedy, assisted by Michael Tanner. Shows at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the 767 Robert Blvd. theater in Slidell. Tickets $32 to $38 at www. cuttingedgetheater.com. FAMILY: “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” is a Tony Award-winning comedy by Christopher Durang that mixes character names and themes from Anton Chekhov plays with modern family comedy about middle-aged sibling rivalry, regret and aging. Its eccentric characters and emotional family
Terpsichore (Patricia Lacoste) dynamics play out on stage weekends through Oct. 4 with 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. curtains. Set in a Pennsylvania farmhouse, the middle-aged, unmarried siblings, Vanya and Sonia, live quietly until their glamorous, movie-star sister, Masha, arrives drops in to visit with her much younger, boyfriend, Spike, in tow. An aspiring young actress, Nina, and Cassandra, cleaning woman/soothsayer who predicts doom, round out the cast. Co-directed by Anna and Von Turner; general admission tickets, $28.29; seniors and military, $22.94; and children, $17.59, all inclusive, at 19106 Playmakers Road near Covington. A CLASSIC: See one more week of “Pride & Prejudice” in Mandeville Sept. 18-20 at North Star Theatre & Cultural Center, 347 Girod St. The wit is sharp; the romance, timeless. When the lively, independent Elizabeth Bennet crosses paths with the proud, enigmatic Mr. Darcy, first impressions ignite misunderstandings, witty exchanges and unexpected emotions. As family expectations, social status and scandal threaten to keep them apart, both must confront their own pride and prejudice before they can discover the truth about themselves and each other. One of the most beloved love stories ever written, Steele MacKaye’s stage adaptation brings Jane Austen’s timeless classic to life. Curtains for the Moonlight Productions show at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Reserve tickets online at https://www.onthestage.tickets (search by name.)
ST. TAMM MANY Y PARISH FAIR P PAGEA ANTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19*FU UHRMANN AUDITORIUM COME JOIN US TO CROWN 16 6 QUEENS AND D KINGS TO REPRESENT THE 2026 ST. TAMMANY PAR RISH FAIR! Ages 0 - 23 months Registration 9:30 - 10:00 am Pageant 10:00 am Attire: What you wear to a fair
MISS, JR MISS & PRINCESS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS, CROWN AND BANNER
Ages 2 - 11 years Registration 12:30 - 1:0 1:00 pm Pageant 1:00 pm Attire: What you wear to o a fair
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For commplete rul les and ap pplication, visit www.stpf f.squaresp pace.com Director: Melissa Primes Dottolo 985-249-1079
12A ✦ Wednesday, September 16, 2026 ✦ St. Tammany ✦
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11
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