COVINGTON • FOLSOM • LACOMBE • MADISONVILLE • MANDEVILLE • SLIDELL
ST. TAMMANY
N O L A.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, s e p t e m b e r 25, 2024
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Work underway on crosswalks at busy intersection Pedestrian path will link Heritage Park with Olde Towne in Slidell BY JESSICA SAGGIO Contributing writer
Slidell’s Olde Towne and nearby Heritage Park are two of the city’s main attractions. Now, construction is underway on pedestrian walkways to connect the two. Crews started work earlier this month on a $1.2 million project that
will create direct paths for pedestrians and cyclists to connect the Olde Towne historic district with Heritage, which is nestled along Bayou Bonfouca just across Front Street. The crosswalks will form an “L,” or a shape similar to the number “7” that will cross on the north side of Front Street where it intersects Fremaux Avenue, and
again on the east side of Fremaux at the same intersection. The project has been discussed for years, beginning during former mayor Freddy Drennan’s administration. Plans were formalized in 2022 under current mayor Greg Cromer, and the crosswalks are expected to be complete by February.
tion at Fremaux. The path would then come back across Fremaux on the east side. Signage, striping Richard C. Lambert Consulting, and signals are planned to maxiof Mandeville, designed the cross- mize safety. Additionally, the city plans to walk project. Covington-based Kort’s Construction Services, Inc. slightly realign a block of First Street during the build, making it is the contractor. Plans call for a concrete side- more of a perpendicular intersecwalk starting at Bayou Lane in tion with Front Street rather than Heritage Park that will cross the the angled feed it is now, Slidell railroad tracks and Front Street on ä See CROSSWALKS, page 4A the northern side of the intersec-
PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Shirley Primes has been named special honoree at this year’s St. Tammany Parish Fair, which runs Oct. 2-6 at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds.
Fair dedicated to supporter/volunteer Shirley T. Primes
PHOTOS BY MATTHEW DOBBINS
B. Free dances with Ophelia Kinsley, 6, to the music of Julio and Cesar at Lago Fest on Sept. 21 at the Mandeville Trailhead.
Hola!
Julio and Cesar delight the Lago Fest crowd.
BY JESSICA SAGGIO
ä See more
Contributing writer
photos.
Hispanic heritage shines at Lago Fest
PAGE 2A
Covington’s Shirley T. Primes does not like to be in the spotlight. So when the organizers of the St. Tammany Parish Fair surprised her with news that this year’s event would be dedicated in her honor, she was at a loss. “I really don’t know how to act,” said Primes. “You don’t volunteer for recognition. You do it from the heart. That’s why I’m a little off-center in the limelight.” Primes has been a quiet linchpin of the fair for the past 18 years, working alongside her daughter, Melissa Primes Dottolo, who is past president of the Parish Fair Association. Primes first got involved while trying to convince Dottolo to take over the fair’s pageant and promised to help her if she did. In turn, Dottolo accepted and took her mom along for the ride. However, what started out as a volunteer position helping with the pageant took a surprise turn a few years later. Scrambling to fill positions, the fair’s board needed new leadership. Primes couldn’t make the meeting, she said, but Dottolo attended. “She came home and said, ‘Mom! I got elected president!’ And you know who got elected treasurer?” Primes recounted. “You!’” Primes also took over the position of secretary. And, of course, that expanded into helping with advertising, entertainment, the essay and poster contests and even cooking for fair-related events. She still helps codirect
Teachers allowed jeans once a week Board also approves $503.3 million budget for fiscal year ’24-’25 BY ANDREW CANULETTE Staff writer
After spending an hour of a recent committee meeting debating the merits of its teachers being allowed to wear jeans at work, the St. Tammany Parish School Board had nothing to say on the matter at its full monthly meeting on Sept. 19. The board passed its consent calendar by a 13-0 vote, including the item outlining changes to the district’s employee
ST. TAMMANY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD A majority of board members dress code. The amended item supported loosening the rule, but allows teachers to wear jeans on the notion of allowing denim all the last day of each workweek day, every day didn’t get enough while allowing paraeducators a traction. Schools Superintendent choice to wear denim daily. Frank Jabbia spoke against the The option to wear, or not wear, idea, saying “I understand times jeans was thoroughly vetted in a have changed but I don’t want to committee meeting Sept. 5 at the Hirstius give anyone a reason to not treat Schoen Building in Covington. us as professionals.” Board member Michelle HirsSeveral board members also questioned tius introduced an item that evening asking that the district’s 3,400-plus teachers how “dressing down’ in denim might afbe allowed to wear jeans daily if they fect order in the classroom. desired, rather than only on special ocä See BOARD, page 4A casions, which was previous practice.
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