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S T TA M M A N Y FA R M E R.N E T
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W e d n e s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 24, 2025
151ST YEAR, NO. 50
50¢N
Borchert, Fandal vie for votes Candidates ELECTION 2025 spending big ä Early voting. to reach voters with messages SLIDELL MAYOR
PAGE 3A
BY BOB WARREN Staff writer
Twice since 2002, Slidell voters have sent a police chief to the mayor’s office. Police Chief Randy Fandal hopes to become the third, joining Ben Morris and Freddy Drennan as chiefs who later were elected mayor. Bill Borchert thinks Slidell
residents have had enough. “I think the public is tired of that now,” said Borchert, a longtime Slidell City Council member who became mayor in January when Greg Cromer resigned from the office. “That’s Bill’s wish, obviously,” Fandal said. Slidell voters will cast the deciding vote Oct. 11, when Borchert and Fandal meet in a special election for the remainder of Cromer’s term, which ends June 30, 2026. Early voting begins Sept. 27.
The two veteran politicians — both Republicans with notable track records — began campaigning even before Cromer left office to take a job with Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration, raising money and putting out their messages. The candidates had healthy war chests available as of Sept. 1, the latest finance reports show. Borchert had spent almost $62,000 and has around $86,000. Fandal has spent nearly $88,000 and has just over $68,000. That money will come in handy as the candidates try to reach voters who might not be aware there’s a mayoral race on a small ballot that will have to compete
ä See VOTES, page 3A
FILE PHOTOS
Slidell Mayor Bill Borchert, left, and Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal will meet in a special mayoral election on Oct. 11.
Music fills air as Abita Springs Opry season begins
Slidell backs off plan to buy North Shore Square Mall
The Jessie Brown Family Band plays at the Abita Springs Opry.
BY BOB WARREN
Sept. 20 was opening night of the latest season of the Abita Springs Opry, and music lovers from throughout the area packed the town hall to hear the variety of music that is the hallmark of this smallä More town tradition. photos. As it often does, PAGE 2A the Steve Anderson Band opened the show with tried-and-true country and honky-tonk anthems. Building on the momentum laid down by Anderson and company, the Jessie Brown Family Band was next on stage and their Cajun songs are always a hit with the Opry audience. Also on the bill were The Crybabies, an all-female strings group from New Orleans that performs a variety of musical styles with originality and harmonies; and The Cotton Mouth Kings, a popular group on the New Orleans club scene that delivers no-nonsense, traditional jazz. Go online to abitaspringsopry. org for more information, PHOTOS BY GRANT THERKILDSEN including future performance Angelyn Brown performs with the Jessie Brown Family Band on Sept. 20 — opening night of the Abita Springs Opry season. dates and artists.
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Staff writer
After weeks of signaling its intent to purchase the largely dormant North Shore Square Mall — and even passing a new sales tax on purchases in the area to cover the cost — the city of Slidell said last week it will back off and “allow private investors to lead the redevelopment.” The city’s decision, announced in a news release, comes against a backdrop of a hotly contested mayoral election. Mayor Bill Borchert has made the redevelopment of the mall property one of the key talking points of his campaign.
ä See MALL, page 3A
PHOTO BY SUZIE HUNT
Covington Police Officer Lance Toups sits in his golf cart on the St. Paul’s campus.
Resource officers protect schools, befriend students BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer Fist bumps and greetings by name are shared with students passing on their way to classes. Endless hours of walking the hallways, checking door locks, parking lots, the exterior campus, remaining vigilant to issues, inside or out, that could impact the
ä See RESOURCE, page 2A
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