DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND
ADVOCATE THE LIVINGSTON -TANGIPAHOA
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W e d n e s d ay, O c t o b e r 21, 2026
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Two vie for Denham Springs city judge Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
French Settlement celebrates with Creole Festival Stop by the French Settlement Town Pavilion on La. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday for the Creole Festival. Jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp and crab pistolettes and hamburgers will be sold as the Enuf Band performs. Vendors will be selling their wares, including handpainted art, Berthelot’s Red Pepper, vintage decor, jewelry, wreaths and oyster shell crafts.
BY GIGI LIMAN Staff writer
For the first time in 10 years, Denham Springs City Court Judge Jerry Denton is facing an election opponent. Denton and Steven Farber are competing for the lone judicial seat on the court, which hears misdemeanor cases, traffic violations and civil cases up to $20,000 in damages. The court handles cases in Wards 2 and 7 of Livingston Parish, from Magnolia Beach Road down to Port Vincent. Election Day is Nov. 3; early voting runs Oct. 20 to 27.
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and moved to Denham Springs after earning his law degree at Southern University. His wife, a Denham Springs native, owns Fleur-de-Farber flower shop on Florida Boulevard. Farber spent the majority of his career in government civil service roles, including more than 10 years ‘Make it the way it should be’ as an attorney for the Louisiana Farber, a 58-year-old Republican Department of Public Safety. He and father of two, said he is run- then represented the Louisiana Ofning to give voters another option. fice of Juvenile Justice in juvenile Farber was born in New Orleans care litigation.
Jerry Denton and Steven James Farber
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For the past 11 years, he has Department of Health that prooverseen compliance and litiga- vides services for individuals with tion for the Metropolitan Human behavioral health needs, addiction Services District in New Orleans, ä See JUDGE, page 2G a local office under the Louisiana
Inclusive trunk-or-treat in Denham Springs The Ata Lopez Foundation is hosting the second Inclusive Truck-or-Treat event from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Purple Cow on South Range Drive in Denham Springs. This free, inclusive community event is designed to provide a fun, welcoming and sensory-considerate Halloween experience for children and families of all abilities. Costumes are encouraged. There will be food and local vendors, a race car, bingo, face painting and other activities.
Trick-or-treat hours in Livingston Parish In Livingston Parish, official trick-or-treating hours are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
Exhibit at Old City Hall Old City Hall in Denham Springs has a new exhibit about the Old South Jamboree music venue, which opened in Walker in 1969 and provided weekly live country music entertainment until March 2020. Musicians who went on to become some of the greatest country stars performed there, including Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams Jr., George Jones, Ronnie McDowell, Faron Young, Mel Tillis, Porter Wagoner and Marty Robbins. The exhibit will remain open through December at 115 Mattie St. in the Denham Springs Antique Village, located in the Louisiana Main Street District.
Live Oak makes late season push to playoffs
Bayhi’s Landing Veterans Day Parade Nov. 8 Bayhi’s Landing is hosting a Veterans Day Parade at 3 p.m. Nov. 8 from downtown Springfield to Bayhi’s Landing. Car clubs, truck clubs, motorcycle clubs, Jeep clubs, families, businesses and proud Americans — decorate your vehicles, fly those American flags and join us for an old-school, hometown jamboree. Then, everyone will gather at Bayhi’s Landing for the Bullets and Bacon Fest. Event grand marshal is Walter Penalber and music will be provided by the Fly by Night Band. Send news and events for Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes to livingston@ theadvocate.com by 4 p.m. Friday or call (225) 603-1998.
PHOTO BY CHARLES SALZER
Live Oak’s Peyton Shields (6) finishes off a kill.
Charles Salzer SPORTS ROUNDUP
The Live Oak volleyball team got some good news last week as it makes a late season push to earn a spot in the LHSAA Division I playoffs. After starting off with seven consecutive wins, the Eagles have battled injuries and illness, as well as their opponents. Last week, the going got a little better when junior Victoria Bond, one of the Eagles tallest players, returned to action. With Bond on
The annual Brews Art Fest in Hammond is moving from its previous location in the parking lot behind the Hammond Regional Arts Center to the downtown pavilion. The event is scheduled Oct. 24. PROVIDED PHOTO BY PHILLIP COLWART PHOTOGRAPHY
the court, the Eagles posted two District 4-I wins. The first was a 3-0 win at Baton Rouge High, but it was the second win at Central that signaled the Eagles are starting to click in much the manner as they began the season. After dropping the first set to the Wildcats 25-23, Live Oak won the next three by scores of 25-19, 25-23 and 26-24. With playoff implications a factor
for both teams, every set was hard fought until the end. After the match, Live Oak coach Kenedi Stephens said her team is beginning to hit its stride. “We needed that,” she said. “This the biggest game we’ve had in a while, to be honest, where we’ve competed well. With the lineup changes, we haven’t been competing at the
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Beer, art highlighted at Brews Art Festival BY RICHARD MEEK
Oct. 24, beer aficionados can sample brewskis from Hammond’s own homegrown brewPerhaps not typically known ers or the more exotic from as a craft beer haven, but for one around the country and benight a year, Hammond trots out yond. And all while celebrating its own version of Bavaria. Oktoberfest. At the annual Brews Arts ä See BREWS, page 2G Festival, scheduled Saturday,
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level that we can, but everybody’s starting to settle in and we’re playing well as a team.” No one was settled in better than senior hitter Peyton Shields against Central. Stephens minced no words in describing Shields, who led the Eagles with 14 kills. “I have to mention Peyton Shields. She’s my dog,” Stephens said. “She’s the one I’ve got to get the ball to because she’s going to score.” Having healthy Bond didn’t hurt either, and she finished with 8 kills and 5 blocks. With Live Oak chasing St. Joseph’s Academy in district, the Eagles got a much-needed boost in the power ratings thanks to the win. Going into the match, Central was sitting at No. 32, one spot ahead of Live Oak. The Eagles nudged up to No. 31 after the win, which is good news since the top 32 teams will qualify for the playoffs. With seven matches remaining in the regular season, Live Oak is 16-11 overall, and has a chance to continue moving up in the power ratings. “This was a big achievement for us because we’ve struggled sometimes,” Bond said after the Central win.”Today we figured it out and we brought it all.”
and disabilities. “I’m No. 2 under the executive director, so I’m over population, I’m over legal, I’m over compliance. I’m over everything that makes it run,” Farber said. Farber believes his background in law and agency oversight has prepared him to manage legal matters before the court and increase its administrative efficiency. “The first thing I want to do is audits, to see if there is any waste, fraud and abuse,” Farber said. As much Farber’s campaign is about his own platform, he also has framed the race as a referendum on Denton. In online posts, Farber accused Denton of misspending court funds on personal dry cleaning, taking the official court vehicle to extrajudicial events, skirting around tax law and handling cases sluggishly. “I’m here just to get in there, try to fix things and make it better for the city, the broader area. And to make it right, to make it the way it should be, unbiased,” Farber said. Denton has denied Farber’s allegations.
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Most important qualification: experience
Charles Salzer covers Livingston Parish sports for The Advocate. To contact Salzer, email livingston@theadvocate. com
PHOTO BY CHARLES SALZER
Live Oak coach Kenedi Stephens, left, instructs Gracie Harrouch (11), Victoria Bond (8), Taylor Mattingly (4) and Charlie Janise (12).
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ers and everybody who is coming out,” Griffin said. “People can expect more art than we have ever had because we have more space under the pavilion.” Also on tap are food vendors and entertainment, with the proceeds benefitting the mission of the arts center. The regional arts center offers art exhibitions, classes for young and adult art lovers, and spring and fall camps. The exhibitions are no charge for patrons. “(The proceeds) really help us to keep the doors open and provide low-cost services to the community,” Griffin said. The event also helps bring much needed exposure to the hub of Hammond’s cultural center. Although the regional arts center opened 44 years ago, Griffin admitted it might be the area’s “best kept secret.” “I would imagine that is a good way to describe it because there are people in Hammond and Tangipahoa Parish that never realized we are here,” she said, adding she is working with the city and the Hammond Downtown Development District to help gain exposure. “I encourage everybody to check it out and even if you are not interested in the arts or feel intimidated or don’t have a lot of experience, this is for everyone,” she said. “Research shows that engaging in the arts without ever creating anything is good for your health, good for your longevity. “It offers all kinds of benefits for the community to check what we have on the walls.” For information, visit hammondarts. org/brews-arts-festival.
Melissa Griffin, director of the Hammond Regional Arts Center, which sponsors the event, said Hammond not being known for its suds is “definitely a misnomer.” The city already sports two breweries, Gnarly Barley and Deadbeat Brewing, both of which will be featured along with 16 additional regional, national and international breweries. “It is exciting for us and has become a well-anticipated event,” Griffin said. “Brews Arts Festival gives someone an opportunity to taste beers without having to buy an entire six-pack and then getting home and you realize you don’t even like it. “You get the opportunity to taste it but you also get the opportunity to talk to the brewers about what it took to make that beer and what varieties they have. You get the whole experience.” The festival began in 2009 as a collaboration matching local brewers with the regional arts center, providing a marketing opportunity for the center by dialing into people’s appetite for their favorite suds. For the past 16 years, the festival has been held in a parking lot behind the center. Now, the center has a new home in the city’s downtown pavilion, which in its short history has quickly become Hammond’s most popular outdoor entertainment venue. “The covering for us, whether it is sunny or raining, should provide a lot Email Richard Meek at livingston@ of security for the art vendors, brew- theadvocate.com
FILE PHOTO BY RICHARD MEEK
Melissa Griffin, director of the Hammond Regional Arts Center, said the annual Brews Art Festival offer the opportunity to sample a wide range of beers, from those brewed locally to national and international selections as well as peruse what will be the largest art collection in the event’s 17-year history. Brews Fest is scheduled Oct. 24 at the downtown pavilion in Hammond,
Denton, a 67-year-old Republican and also father of two, was first elected just months after the historic 2016 floods. Denton said he oversaw the rebuilding of the courthouse after its destruction and has helped transform it into a fully functional, modern facility. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to do to bring this court up to modern standards,” he said. Denton was born in Houma and has lived in Livingston Parish for the past 30 years. Before serving as judge, Denton was the Denham Springs marshal, worked as a prosecutor for Walker, Baker and East Baton Rouge Parish and as an assistant attorney general and special legal counsel to two state attorneys general. Denton said his years on the bench, along with decades of courtroom experience as an attorney, give him the most important qualification for the role: experience. On any day court is in session, he goes through hundreds of cases, dealing not only with the legal intricacies of cases but also the specific problems often present in the neighbor squabbles and personal disputes that come before the bench. “As far as we know, (Farber’s) never been to court here, he’s not a trial attorney, he’s not experienced,” Denton said. “He probably wouldn’t have the first clue how to open up court or to do anything.” Denton has had one documented ethics violation since his election in 2016. The Louisiana Supreme Court in 2022 handed him a six-month suspension without pay after he violated ethics rules when he befriended and advised the maternal grandmother in a child custody case he oversaw. The Louisiana Judiciary Commission found that his actions included privately offering the grandmother a “special order” and sending her a private investigator’s contact information. Denton described the situation as the “perfect storm of events,” born of his natural inclination to help people, and said he learned from the experience.
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Denham Springs church blesses pets, collects food, needs for animals
The Rev. Tim Grimes, of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, blesses dogs belonging to Seth Bordelon, left, and Brayden Bordelon during the fourth annual Blessing of the Pets on Oct. 3 at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Denham Springs.
The Rev. Tim Grimes, of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, blessed a variety of pets Oct. 3 during the fourth annual Blessing of the Pets on the grounds of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Denham Springs. People also stopped by to donate food and other items for pets in need at the event held in conjunction with Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
PHOTOS BY DAVID NORMAND
Georgette Harris puts a bag of cat food in the back of a truck during the fourth annual Blessing of the Pets at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Denham Springs.
The Rev. Maggie Sullivan, of St. Francis Episcopal, hugs a three-legged rescue named Stew during the fourth annual Blessing of the Pets on Oct. 3 at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Denham Springs.
Tangipahoa receives six Keep Louisiana Beautiful grants Community news report Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful awarded more than $500,000 in grant funding to communities and organizations across Louisiana to help prevent litter, reduce waste, improve recycling, beautify public spaces and strengthen enforcement of the state’s litter and illegal dumping laws. Tangipahoa Parish entities received several grants. These include Adolesco Preparatory Academy, $6,520, Healthy Communities Grant; Tangipahoa Parish Government – Amite Oyster Festival, $8,200, Greener Grounds; city of Hammond, $6,100, Healthy Communities Grant, city of Ponchatoula, $10,000, Beautification Grant; Tangipahoa Parish Government, $4,800, Litter Camera Grant; and village of Tangipahoa, $8,500, Beautification Grant. The state 2026-27 grants total $510,797 to local governments, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and other eligible organizations throughout the state. The four grant programs support a range
of local efforts, including: n Beautification Grants for projects that improve and enhance public spaces. n Healthy Communities Grants for projects that encourage positive behavior change while improving the appearance and environmental health of communities. n Greener Grounds Grants to help reduce waste and increase recycling at large outdoor community events. n Litter Enforcement Surveillance Camera Grants to support local efforts to identify and prosecute littering and illegal dumping. The grant programs were developed to address key findings from KLB’s 2023 Louisiana Litter Study, which found that maintained and beautified spaces have 87% less litter. The study also found that 68% of Louisiana residents support increased litter enforcement, while only a small portion of the overall cost of litter is directed toward prevention and education. Additional information about Keep Louisiana Beautiful grants is available at https:// keeplouisianabeautiful.org/grants/.
Pelican Credit Union partners with Live Oak High School to invest in students, teachers and the Watson community
Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank debuts mobile grocery store BY JOY HOLDEN
Staff writer
Kyra Muse was three weeks into her job as the nutrition services manager at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank when she was assigned as the program director for a mobile grocery store project. She said she felt overwhelmed with the large task, but she put her whole effort into it. Now, that project has come to life with the introduction of the food bank’s “Groceries on the Geaux” initiative, a 22-foot truck that will expand grocery store access in the city by providing fresh and affordable food. On Sept. 28, food bank employees, leadership and board members gathered to celebrate the launch of the mobile store. “This mobile market will travel into communities throughout our service area, particularly communities where access to fresh food is limited,” said Liz Pfifer, president and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank who has been with the nonprofit for 11 months. “Inside, our neighbors will have something that is extremely important to us: choice.” To start, Groceries on the Geaux will debut in Modeste in Ascension Parish this month, but it will eventually serve all 11 parishes in the Greater Baton Rouge area, including Livingston and West Feliciana Parishes. The goal is to bring affordable and nutritious food — fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, frozen proteins, shelf-stable foods and cooking essentials at discounted prices — closer to communities with limited access to full-service grocery stores. The truck has refrigerated sections for proteins and dairy and metal shelving for dry goods, canned goods and fruit. “A primary goal of the program is to increase food access,” Muse said. “We’ll partner with local organizations, our own pantry partners, community centers, parks and other trusted community locations to establish reoccurring market sites.” CF Industries out of Donaldsonville part-
By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Pelican Credit Union.
STAFF PHOTO BY JOY HOLDEN
Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank’s new Groceries on the Geaux mobile market truck.
nered with Mitsui & Co and JERA to provide a $1.797 million donation from Blue Point Number One, which has made the grocery truck possible. The money will cover costs associated with operating the mobile market for three years. Jackie McCreary, the community relations manager for CF Industries and one of Feeding Louisiana’s Hunger Action Ambassador for 2026, attended the launch with representatives from Blue Point Number One. “We believe that being a good neighbor means investing in the places where our employees live and work at CF Industries,” said McCreary, who was integral in the grant process. “Our mission is to provide clean energy to feed and fuel the world sustainably. Feeding the world is about supporting communities and helping ensure that local families have access to nutritious food.” “Groceries on the Geaux” will be a certified SNAP retailer and accept cash, credit or debit as well. “There’s been an enormous amount of work behind what you see here today: months of work, months of lots of meetings, planning, logistics, operations, communications, coordination and countless details to bring us to where we are today,” Pfifer said in her closing remarks.
A new partnership between Pelican Credit Union and Live Oak High School is giving students, families and community members another way to support their school while expanding access to financial education and resources for teachers. The collaboration includes the launch of a Live Oak High School Pride Debit Card, financial literacy support for Live Oak students and assistance with creating a professional development space for the school’s teachers. It also establishes Pelican as Live Oak’s official credit union, reflecting a shared commitment to investing in the growing community of Watson. “The people of Watson have a growth mindset and the schools there have done a wonderful job investing in their community. We have the same mindset and believe in communities, so we saw that alignment,” said Melissa Ott, President of Pelican Credit Union. “We also have many employees who live in Watson and have seen its progress firsthand. I’m from that area myself. It’s an inspiring time, and we really felt it was an ideal time to give back.” One of the most visible components of the relationship is the new Live Oak High School Pride Debit Card, which is available to anyone with a checking account at Pelican Credit Union. Ott said Live Oak will receive five cents from every transaction using its school pride debit card. School leaders will determine how to use the funds, based on its priorities and needs. “This is a way for people to support the school as they go about their normal behavior and daily lives. There’s no need to do anything extra or spend money in a certain way,” Ott said. “We want it to feel rewarding and prideful for people to give back to the school.” Pelican launched its school pride debit cards in 2020. Since then, participating schools have received approximately $65,000 through members’ card transactions, separate from other contributions Pelican has made through its school relationships.
“These are mutually beneficial relationships,” Ott said. “We pay it forward to the schools so they can invest dollars into making their campus everything they want it to be.” Beyond the school pride debit card, Pelican is working with Live Oak to address other priorities identified through conversations with school leaders. Louisiana high school students must complete one credit hour of financial education before graduation. Ott said Pelican plans to support Live Oak students in meeting that requirement through its financial wellness, literacy and outreach resources. “We have tools and individuals who focus solely on financial education. We have everything the schools need to help students fulfill that credit hour,” Ott said. “We can bring people to the school, enrich students’ lives and help them get started on their financial education journey.” In addition, Pelican is helping Live Oak create a professional development room where its teachers can continue building their skills and collaborating with colleagues. “The school leadership has a desire to invest in their teachers. We told them we wanted to help make that a reality,” Ott said. “That is another area where we are very aligned. We are all people helping people.” By combining financial resources with personal investment, Ott said Pelican hopes to build a long-lasting relationship with Live Oak and contribute to the community’s continued growth. “We place a lot of emphasis on human connection, and there’s no better way to show that than working with schools,” Ott said. “When you can balance the evolution of digital banking with the human touch, that’s how you solidify relationships with people on their financial journeys.” Get a Live Oak High School Pride Debit Card at pelicancu.com/LOHS!
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SLU student journalists, faculty lead hands-on AI session Community news report
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Haunted Library set for trick or treating The Livingston Parish Library invites the community to the annual Haunted Library, a family-friendly Halloween celebration, on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Haunted Library will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Main Branch, at 20390 Iowa St. in the town of Livingston. This is open to all ages, and there is no cost to attend. During this event, rooms throughout the library will be transformed with Halloween decorations, creating a spooky setting for guests of all ages to explore. Candy stations will be set up along the way, and library staff in costume will help bring the haunted experience to life. “The Haunted Library is a chance for families to enjoy Halloween together in a fun, welcoming setting,” said Livingston Parish Library Director Scott Kleinpeter. “Our staff always puts a lot of thought and creativity into turning the library into something unforgettable for this special event, and we can’t wait to share it with the community.”
Southeastern Louisiana University editors from The Lion’s Roar teamed up with two assistant professors of communication and media studies, including its faculty adviser, to lead a handson session on AI use in the modern media landscape at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference in New Orleans. Chelsea Slack, faculty adviser to Southeastern’s Student Publications, moderated the pre-conference session titled “Visualizing the Beat: An AI Prompting Challenge.” Slack is also an AI researcher and author. Joining her on the panel were Laura DiMattia, whose research focuses on name, image and likeness in college athletics, and The Lion’s Roar Editors Chase Gispert, Sean Hoffman, Tyra Johnson and Roselyn Rivas, as well as outgoing Editor-inChief Kennith Woods. The session comes as AI skills are increasingly in demand for new graduates. In its spring 2026 Job Outlook update, the National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that 35% of entry-level jobs now require AI skills, with demand more than doubling in the past six months. “These are skills employers are increasingly asking for, and one of our most significant goals at Student Publications is for students to walk out the door job-
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Southeastern Louisiana University editors from The Lion’s Roar teamed up with two assistant professors of communication and media studies to lead a hands-on session on AI use in the modern media landscape at the AEJMC conference in New Orleans. Attending the conference, from left, are Laura DiMattia, Kennith Woods, Roselyn Rivas, Chase Gispert, Tyra Johnson, Sean Hoffman and Chelsea Slack. ready. We want students to understand the nuances of these tools, understand what they can and cannot do, and think critically about when AI use is and is not appropriate, in all contexts,” Slack said. “Ultimately, I want my student reporters to be prepared and to be AI haves, not AI have-nots. The reality is that if they are unprepared, they will be AI have-nots.” Rather than a traditional panel, the ticketed session ran as a roundtable workshop built around three beats — hard news, sports and NIL, and public relations and features. Hoffman and Woods led the hard news group, where the conversation centered on AI ethics in the newsroom and where its use can be appropriate: lightly, and
always with a human in the loop. They demonstrated building breaking news graphics from real photos from The Lion’s Roar with in-app social media tools, Canva and generative AI, and the ethics questions that came with each sparked a lively backand-forth among scholars, working journalists and faculty advisers about where the line sits. The AI ethics conversation was not limited to their table, as Hoffman found it to be a running theme throughout the conference. “Everyone knows AI can be a touchy subject, and the conference had multiple sessions trying to determine the rightful ethics of using such programs, which, strangely, I enjoyed when most people
were open-minded, and I was shown ways artists used it to create artwork while historians used it to teach history,” Hoffman said. Woods closed out his run as editor-in-chief in May, and leading the hard news table was only part of the draw. “Getting to speak on a professional panel at AEJMC on student journalism was a tremendous honor, and I’m thankful to Dr. Slack for providing me and others the opportunity. I had a wonderful time in New Orleans. I listened to panels on the nature of political journalism, the ethics of photojournalism and the necessity for journalistic voices in the Global South, among many other worthwhile discussions,” Woods said. For sports, Gispert and
DiMattia demonstrated how student-athletes can use these tools to market themselves in the college sports and NIL landscape. Johnson and Rivas, on the PR and feature side, showed how AI can create custom design elements, serve as a brainstorming partner for design ideas and, through the AI tools now built into graphic design programs, help users level up their own skills. Rivas spent the rest of the conference on the other side of the table, picking up techniques from panelists in other fields. “I’m so thankful to have attended the AEJMC Conference, as it allowed me to not only engage in a panel myself, but also learn from other panelists from various backgrounds. My favorite panelist taught me brandnew skills in animation and graphic design that I didn’t know were even possible. This was an experience that I believe every college student should partake in,” Rivas said. The students also met with representatives of the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont, which named Slack a 2026 Faculty Champion earlier this year. Her pilot project builds a pipeline that moves student work from writing classes into The Lion’s Roar and, where appropriate, local publications, with the editors on the panel serving as the ones who shepherd that work to print.
Denham Springs student honored Zachary McMenis, of Denham Springs, was named to the University of Alabama president’s list for the summer semester. A total of 624 students enrolled during summer semester 2026 at the University of Alabama were named to the dean’s list with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the president’s list with an academic record of 4.0. The UA dean’s and president’s lists recognize full-time undergraduate students.
Students named to dean’s list More than 12,900 University of Maryland Global Campus students were named to the dean’s list for the summer 2026 term. To be eligible for the honor, a student must complete at least six credits during the term, earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the term, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UMGC. Included on the dean’s list were Slade Bales, of Amite City, and Charles Barr, of Loranger.
Upper Iowa U. lists honored students Four Livingston Parish Upper Iowa University were named to the dean’s list for the 2026 summer semester. To be honored, a student must have earned a minimum 3.50 grade point average and be enrolled as a full-time student. Making the list were Walter Brooks, Kiera Crawford and Shelita Jack, all of Denham Springs and Fionn Paul, of Walker.
Area students graduate in spring Two Denham Spring students were among the more than 7,300 students who graduated from University of Maryland Global Campus in the spring 2026 term. Caleb Naugle and Joshua Opperman were among the graduates.
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Members of the 2026 Southeastern Louisiana University Homecoming Queen Court are, seated, from left, Rayya West, Mackenzie Bergeron, Hope Adams, Meghan Persick, Ragan Hoover, Taniece Delestre, and Anyla Jones; and standing, Camron Benjamin, Kaleb Melancon, Christian Bankovic, Charlie Stewart III, Travers Benoit, Tyler Hollowell and David Mustapha.
SLU celebrates homecoming
reigning over festivities during homecoming week Fourteen Southeastern Oct. 12-17. Members of the queen’s Louisiana University students served as members of court were seniors Hope the 2026 homecoming court, Adams, Springfield; MackCommunity news report
enzie Bergeron, Hammond; Taniece Delestre, Houma; Regan Hoover, Loranger; Meghan Persick, Denham Springs; and Rayya West, Hammond; and junior Anyla
Jones, Baton Rouge. Members of the king’s court were seniors Christian Bankovic, Hammond; Camron Benjamin, Belle Rose; Travers Benoit, Covington;
Tyler Hollowell, Denham Springs; Kaleb Melancon, Prairieville; and Charlie Stewart III, Hammond; and sophomore David Mustapha, Nigeria.
Some books on library shelves becoming movies, shows this fall Community news report Some of this year’s most anticipated movies and television shows started on the page. From long-anticipated sequels and fake-dating romances to dystopian games and desert empires, these books are making the leap to theaters and streaming. Read the book first, spot the differences, and decide which version wins. Whether you’re a “the book was better” purist or just here for the casting news, we have your copy ready. All of the books listed below are in the Livingston Parish Library’s catalog. To view the entire catalog, visit https://www.mylpl.info/ . “The Book of Magic” by Alice Hoffman The Owens women face a family curse in Hoffman’s final Practical Magic novel. Nearly three decades after the beloved 1998 film, superstars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return for the long-awaited sequel, now in theaters. “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
Collins returns to Panem on the morning of the 50th Hunger Games, as a young Haymitch Abernathy faces the Second Quarter Quell. The film is the newest chapter in the blockbuster Hunger Games series, arriving in theaters in November 2026. “Verity” by Colleen Hoover A struggling writer hired to finish a bestselling author’s series discovers a disturbing manuscript of chilling confessions. Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett star in the film based on Colleen Hoover’s psychological thriller. “The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood A Ph.D. student fake-dates a famously grumpy professor, and the chemistry gets complicated in this Prime Video adaptation starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman. “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck This classic of American literature, a sweeping family saga echoing the story of Cain and Abel, is being brought to life as a Netflix limited series starring Florence Pugh. “Whalefall” by Daniel Kraus
A diver searching for his father’s remains is swallowed by a sperm whale with one hour of oxygen left. Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin star in the film, co-written by Kraus. “In a Holidaze” by Christina Lauren After a romantic mistake, a directionless twentysomething is trapped reliving the same Christmas at her family’s cabin. Maddie Ziegler and Rob Lowe star in Netflix’s holiday time-loop comedy. “Sense and Sensibility” Jane Austen Jane Austen’s debut novel follows sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne Dashwood as they navigate love, money, and heartbreak after losing their home. Daisy EdgarJones and Esmé Creed-Miles lead this fresh take coming to theaters in October. “The Dog Stars” by Peter Heller After a pandemic erases most of humanity, a pilot survives in an airport hangar with his dog and a wary neighbor until a mysterious radio signal appears. Ridley Scott directs Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, and Margaret Qualley in the film adaptation. “Klara and the Sun” by Kazuo Ishiguro
Klara, a solar-powered Artificial Friend, watches the humans around her with hopeful devotion. Acclaimed filmmaker Taika Waititi directs stars Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams in this adaptation of the Nobel Prize winner’s novel. “The Bodyguard” by Katherine Center A no-nonsense bodyguard is assigned to protect a charming action star, and sparks fly. Netflix’s holiday rom-com, retitled “Guarding Stars,” stars Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki. “The Whisper Man” by Alex North A widowed crime writer and his young son move to a quiet town haunted by a serial killer, and then a boy vanishes. Adam Scott and Robert De Niro star in the Netflix thriller. “Dune Messiah” by Frank Herbert Paul Atreides rules the known universe, but conspiracy and the staggering cost of his holy war threaten to bring it all down. Denis Villeneuve’s epic trilogy concludes with Dune: Part Three, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, in theaters in December.