COVINGTON • FOLSOM • LACOMBE • MADISONVILLE • MANDEVILLE • SLIDELL
ST. TAMMANY
N O L A.C O M
|
W e d n e s d ay, s e p t e m b e r 18, 2024
1an
Francine slams St. Tammany Parish quickly recovers from storm
BY BOB WARREN
Staff writer
Nearly 35,000 St. Tammany Parish residents were without power on the morning of Sept. 12, the morning after Hurricane Francine knifed through the northshore. There were scattered reports of downed trees and some wind damage, but in St. Tammany, at least, officials said the damage did not appear to be widespread. Parish government reported several homes across the parish were damaged by fallen trees and floodwaters flowed into a handful of homes and businesses in lowerlying areas. St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 4 reported that several inches of water slipped into its station in old Mandeville on the morning of Sept. 12. Most of the power outages were restored by the end of the day on Sept. 12, as some 1,750 additional workers were staged in the area to repair the electrical grid following the Category 2 hurricane’s romp through southeast Louisiana. The St. Tammany public school district, which was closed Sept. 11 and 12, reopened on Sept. 13, once each campus had a thorough safety inspection. Though things returned to normal fairly quickly for most, Francine certainly made her presence felt across the northshore, with heavy rains swamping roadways Sept. 11. At midday on Sept. 12, some areas of the parish remained impassable due to flooded roadways. Palm
PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Joseph Woods waded onto Lakeshore Drive to get a photo of the thigh-deep storm surge in old Mandeville the morning of Sept. 12. Lake in Slidell still had shin-deep to hip-deep water in some spots at 4 p.m. on Sept. 12, the Slidell Police Department said. The National Weather Service reported 24-hour totals of 9 inches in Mandeville and more than 8 inches in Slidell. St. Tammany Parish government said it recorded a 45-mph wind gust in Slidell and a 43-mph gust in Mandeville.
NIFTY
As the winds died down and street flooding subsided in the hours after Hurricane Francine drenched south Louisiana, concern on the northshore turned to the region’s swollen rivers. The rivers flow south into the Pontchartrain basin, primarily into Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. When the waters rise in those lakes, the bayous and riv-
ers that crisscross St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes can’t drain into the lakes as they normally do. Coupled with the hours of rain that Francine brought, parish officials said the recipe was there for potential disaster. Still, no major river flooding was expected, they said. “Every waterway is swollen,”
BY JESSICA SAGGIO
Contributing writer
Fun abounds on the northshore during six-week stretch
Contributing writer
Fall is a wonderfully, busy time in St. Tammany Parish with lots of outdoor activities to choose from. The St. Tammany Farmer has chosen a “Nifty Nine” to help usher in the festival season. There are dozens of upcoming activities, all with their own merits, of course. But these nine are among the most tried and true festivals of the year, so in other words, expect to pass a good time at any on this list. Note: Halloween-related events are not included here, though we’ll have a list of spooky season choices for adults, teens
ä See STORM, page 2A
Businessman Stanga takes interim seat on Covington City Council
NINE
BY DONNA BUSH
St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said at a news conference on the morning of Sept. 12. “The good news is that we’re not expecting any additional rainfall in the coming days.” While none of the rivers were projected to experience major flooding, officials said they’d
FILE PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Ezekiel Bolton, 2, pets Sheep, a goat with a funny name, being shown by Zoey Symons, then a junior at Pearl River High School, during the 2023 St. Tammany Parish Fair in Covington.
and younger children in an upcoming edition. Fundraiser-styled gatherings also are not part of this list, but can be found weekly in the Farmer’s “Around the Neighborhoods” calendar. To submit your upcoming event for consideration in Neighborhoods, send complete details and contact information to editor@ sttammanyfarmer.net.
Fair Queen and much more. Fair pageants will be held Sat. Sept. 21 at Fuhrmann Auditorium and the Rodeo Queen contest is scheduled for Sept. 29 at the Fairgrounds. The annual parade will be held Oct. 4 starting at St.Tammany Parish Fair — Oct. 2-6 at the St. 10 a.m. at the C.J. Schoen Administrative Building Tammany Parish and traveling down JefferFairgrounds, 1304 N. Coson Avenue, Boston Street lumbia Street, Covington. Enjoy carnival rides, live- and Columbia Street, ending at the fairgrounds. stock showing, mini farm, For more information, go 4-H exhibits, a parade, music, magic, the crowning online to www.sttammanypof the St. Tammany Parish arishfair.info.
1.
2.
Bluesberry Music and Art Festival — Oct. 5, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Bogue Falaya Park, 213 Park Drive, Covington. This relative newcomer to St. Tammany’s entertainment scene quickly became one of its most beloved cultural events. Enjoy one full day of nonstop, world-class music, art, food and culture on the banks of the Bogue Falaya River. Tickets are $25 online, $30 at the gate, and VIP entry costs $100.
ä See NINE, page 4A
The city of Covington welcomed both a new member to its City Council and a budget proposal for the next fiscal year at its meeting on Sept. 10. Council members unanimously voted to appoint Blaine Stanga as an interim member representing District Stanga B. Stanga replaces John Botsford, who ran unopposed for an open Council at Large seat in July. Stanga was recommended by Botsford, who noted his passion for the city. Stanga is a lifelong Covington resident who graduated from LSU and is senior director of global supplier management for an international travel management company. Stanga both works and lives in downtown Covington. Stanga has spent most of his career in the travel industry, mostly working from the technical side. He has traveled abroad
for much of his work, but was always drawn back to Covington for its culture, festivals and scenic rivers, according to his bio. Stanga’s family heritage has deep roots in the area dating back to the 1800s. The interim councilman and his wife, Billie, have two daughters, Abigail and Bridget. “I wanted to find somebody that is passionate about the city,” said Botsford. “ … I twisted his arm a little bit, but he said ‘Yes’.” Council President Mark Verret added he looked forward to working with Stanga, calling him “a good choice, a good selection.” An election to finish the remainder of the Council B term will be held in March. Also at the meeting, mayor Mark Johnson presented the council his budget proposal for 2025. In his budget message to the council, Johnson said his proposal would meet increased demand for city services
ä See COVINGTON, page 2A
SAVE
1
$ 10
When You Buy 2
SAVE
7
$ 00 LB
— ONLY —
USDA PRIME BEEF
Boneless Whole Rib Eye USDA PRIME BEEF
1499
$
Boneless Rib Eye Steak
LB
12
$
99 LB
CREAMY
Hass Avocados
— ONLY —
88¢
2/
LIMIT 6
10.7 OZ CAN
Campbell’s Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup
— ONLY —
10
10/$
4 ROLL PACK
Always Save Bath Tissue
visit rouses.com for more weekly ad specials!
— ONLY —
10
10/$
Prices good at all New Orleans, Gretna, Kenner, Metairie, Marrero, Slidell, Mandeville and Covington stores September 18th - September 25th, 2024.