DENHAM SPRINGS • LIVINGSTON • WALKER • WATSON • AMITE • HAMMOND
ADVOCATE THE LIVINGSTON -TANGIPAHOA
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, D e c e m b e r 31, 2025
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Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
Sober driving campaign underway The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with several other local law enforcement agencies will increase patrols in Livingston Parish through New Year’s Day as part of the Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over campaign aimed at deterring people from driving while impaired. Motorists are urged to drive carefully and comply with all Louisiana traffic regulations. Specific locations of the patrols will not be released in advance. Overtime officer pay for the officers involved is being funded through a federal grant administered by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
Gumbo cook-off planned The Watson Bird and Sausage Gumbo Cook-off is set for Jan. 31 at Livingston Fairgrounds. Gates open at 10 a.m. and opening ceremonies are at 11 a.m. A $15 donation gets you samples of the gumbo. Entertainment starts at noon, and awards will be presented at 4 p.m. All proceeds donated to Honor Flight Louisiana, Baton Rouge Soldier Outreach and Books for Boots. For information, call (225) 3370041.
Merriest Mile in Livingston The Merriest Mile Christmas Light Drive-thru is open through Dec. 31 at the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds. The light display is open every day from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 13325 Florida Blvd. in Livingston. For tickets, visit https://tinyurl. com/7fyhzsxt.
SLU holiday closures Southeastern Louisiana University offices are closed for the annual holiday break through Jan. 5 at 7:30 a.m. University police officers will patrol campus buildings and will request identification from anyone found in buildings officially closed for the break. The University Police Department is open around the clock to assist with all inquiries or special needs.
PHOTO BY DAVID NORMAND
Four-year-old Brynleigh Stewart, left and Michael Reine, 5, make snow angels in their Watson neighborhood Jan. 21. The Watson area received more than 6 inches of snow.
A look back at 2025 through our favorite photos Krewe of Denham Springs king Scooter Keen leads a second line during the krewe’s Feb. 1 Mardi Gras ball.
BY DARLENE DENSTORFF Community News Editor
As the year comes to an end, many of us reflect upon how the year went. As an editor, I like to look back on the photos published on these pages. I’m lucky to work with some talented photojournalists who tell stories with their images. I also receive a wealth of submitted photos from readers who want to share their news with our readers. It’s been a rough year for my family and my newspaper family. The death of my husband in August was unexpected and disrupted things for quite a while. I’m thankful for my friends, relatives and readers who have helped me through these difficult times. Here are my favorite shots and memories from the first half of 2025.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY BARCLELL STUDIO
January Photographer David Normand ventured out when the area received a rare snow event on Jan. 21.
February The Krewe of Hullabaloux transformed North Park Recreational Center on Feb. 1 into a big top circus tent for this year’s theme, “The Greatest Show,” as the Krewe of Denham Springs
ä See PHOTOS, page 4G
Cornhole in Walker Play cornhole every Friday at the Walker Community Center. The weekly tournaments are $10 for the lower division and $20 for the upper division. For information, call (225) 3057183.
Denham Springs parade The Krewe of Denham Springs Mardi Gras parade rolls at 3 p.m. Jan. 31 through the historic Denham Springs Antique Village and down Range Avenue.
Chamber plans events The Livingston Chamber of Commerce is planning its installation of board members and committees on Jan. 7, the annual meeting and awards banquet Jan. 22 and gala on March 13. Send news and events for Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes to livingston@ theadvocate.com by 4 p.m. Friday or call (225) 388-0731.
Children learn history of, create pickle ornaments
Growing Coffee business plans to open cafe BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD
BY RICHARD MEEK
Staff writer
Contributing writer
Luke Hopkins’ 6-year-old hands worked with purpose, putting the final touches on an ornament that would soon join the other decorations on the Christmas tree in his Central home. But this was far from a traditional ornament. There was not the face of Santa Claus, Noel or even Lane Kiffin on the work in progress. Rather, Hopkins and several youngsters spent Dec. 20 at the Arts Council of Livingston Parish making pickle ornaments.
PHOTO BY RICHARD MEEK
Laila Altazan, left, and her cousin, Luke Hopkins, put the final touches on a Christmas pickle ornament at a workshop ä See ORNAMENTS, page 2G at the Arts Council of Livingston Parish on Dec. 20.
A coffee brand founded in a small Louisiana town and now available in grocery stores, on LSU’s campus and even in Washington, D.C., is working on a new venture: its first cafe. French Settlement Roasting Co. was founded by Billy and Shannon LaGrange, of French Settlement, over a decade ago, using a popcorn popper to roast coffee. Now, the couple operates a fullscale roasting facility in Holden,
ä See COFFEE, page 3G
New Walker game announcer displays singing talent Charles Salzer SPORTS ROUNDUP
One aspect of having covered high school and collegiate sports, as well as occasional professional sporting events, for more than 30 years, is that I have heard countless renditions of our national anthem — live and recorded.
Many of these have been very good and some have been exceptional, although it is the live versions that stand out most. On the other end, there were numbers that sometimes came up short of their intended marks, but I recall a
reverence and dedication associated with each of the performances, regardless. The most revered seems to be the recording of Whitney Houston’s Super Bowl XXV performance, which many
consider to be the gold standard. Besides performances by school bands, I have also heard students, teachers and other unheralded singers deliver
ä See SALZER, page 3G