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W e d n e s d ay, O c t o b e r 15, 2025
ELECTION 2025
FANDAL ELECTED SLIDELL MAYOR
50¢N
152nd YEAR, NO. 1
Mandeville pier targeted for removal Council approves demolition of Sunset Point area
BY KIM CHATELAIN Contributing writer
A scar on the Mandeville lakefront left behind by Hurricane Ida in 2021 will soon be erased. On Oct. 9, the City Council approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Clay Madden to execute a $170,000 contract with Curranco, LLC to demolish the badly damaged public fishing pier at Sunset Point jutting into Lake Pontchartrain immediately east of the Causeway. Curranco, based in Harvey, submitted the lowest bid among the 11 companies that responded to the city’s request for proposals with prices ranging from $170,000 to $425,000, city documents show. The contractor will remove and dispose of the piles, deck and structure, shelter, roof, lighting, conduits and conductors, water piping, benches, concrete bulk debris, concrete ramp, and will cap onshore buried utilities. Curranco has 60 days from the start of work to reach substantial completion of the project. Final
ä See PIER, page 2A
PHOTO BY MATTHEW DOBBINS
Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal waves to the crowd in Olde Towne Slidell after votes were counted Oct. 11 and made him the city’s mayor-elect. Fandal won 72% of votes over current mayor Bill Borchert in the special election to finish the term of former mayor Greg Cromer. Fandal, a lifelong police officer and Slidell native, is pictured with his wife, Dania.
Police chief grabs 72% of vote in race for City Hall BY BOB WARREN
new leader will now have to be tapped to lead the Slidell Police Department. Complete but unofficial returns Randy Fandal won a special election show Fandal with 72% of the vote to on Oct. 11 to become Slidell’s mayor, Borchert’s 28%. Both candidates are capping a campaign he formally Republicans. “I love the city of Slidell and am launched in January when former Mayor Greg Cromer announced his proud to call it home,” Fandal said afresignation and becoming the third ter the returns came in. “I can’t tell police chief to make the jump to the you how ready I am to get to work. Mayor’s Office. I’ve listened to the people and look Fandal, the city’s police chief since forward to representing them with 2016, will serve the remainder of transparency, integrity and accountCromer’s term, which runs through ability. Our best days lie ahead.” June. With his election as mayor, a Fandal, 65, is the third police chief
Staff writer
to get voted into the Mayor’s Office since 2002, following Ben Morris and Freddy Drennan. Borchert, 61, was seeking to take another step up in his political history — from district council member to at-large council member to being elected mayor. The election was the culmination of months of back and forth between the candidates’ supporters, many of whom took to social media to bicker with each other. Almost from the start, it was divisive as some Fandal
ä See MAYOR, page 2A
Sheriff says he’ll pull deputies from courthouse Money disputes with parish continue
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
Come Jan. 1, there might not be uniformed St. Tammany sheriff’s deputies staffing the checkpoint at the entrance of the parish courthouse. Or at Parish Council meetings. Or at the Towers Building in Slidell. In another escalation of the skirmishes between St. Tammany Parish government and the criminal justice agencies it is required to provide money to, a lawyer for St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith told Parish President Mike Cooper that at the end of the year, the sheriff’s office will stop providing Smith security at government buildings across the parish. “We are sorry it has come to this, but your
ä See DISPUTE, page 2A
Golden Paws brings seniors together with mature dogs
John Guidry and KodaBug share a moment during a recent Golden Paws visit to The Peristyle at Beau West.
BY SUZIE HUNT
John Guidry had a surprise visitor recently at his home in The Peristyle at Beau West. His guest didn’t say much, but the time the two spent together was a welcome treat for both seniors. The guest, KodaBug, is a canine ambassador from the Northshore Humane Society’s new “Golden Paws” program. The initiative brings mature, adoptable shelter dogs to visit residents in local nursing
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shore Humane volunteer, saw Golden Paws as a great opportunity to combine his life’s work with his passion for helping animals without homes. He is the business manager for About You In Home Care. The home health care business and Vital Medical Staffing are supporting partners in the Golden Paws program. “I’m in retirement facilities with my work often and knew having shelter dogs visit would be a really good idea. The dogs
ä See DOGS, page 2A
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Maggie Stokes, the humane society’s volunteer and community outreach coordinator. “We select dogs that are good with our staff and have good manners to make these visits.” Excitable dogs that like to jump up on people need not apply, but KodaBug is a gentlemanly guest, according to Stokes. “He’s a big boy, but he is mildtempered. He understands boundaries and is happy to just let people pet and love on him,” she said. Brian Henly, an active North-
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homes and assisted living centers. The visitors are also relatively senior in dog years. KodaBug, a favorite guest, is a 7-year-old shepherd mix waiting for someone to adopt him into a forever home. And while he waits at Northshore Humane, this canine senior makes visits to human seniors who may not get out and about as much. “It is wonderful to see the residents visiting with our dogs. It’s a great way to socialize the dogs while also enriching the lives of the residents,” said
Contributing writer
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