COVINGTON • FOLSOM • LACOMBE • MADISONVILLE • MANDEVILLE • SLIDELL
ST. TAMMANY
N O L A.C O M
|
W e d n e s d ay, J u ly 15, 2026
1AN
Teacher pay raises get OK
scribed the tough position they say Landry’s for the upcoming school year despite con- budgets of local school districts. School Board approved cerns Nearly all of the 10 school board members order has put them in. of a looming potential budget deficit Prevost said the stipends will cost the and the possibility that open positions won’t in attendance at the monthly finance and admove despite worries about be filled. ministrative committee meeting in Coving- school system $9 million, while an additional budget, staff reductions The raise will give certificated employees ton fired questions at school system admin- $9 million of their funding must be trans-
a bump of $500 per year, while support staff will get $350 annually, starting in the 20262027 school year. This does not include the Staff writer expected additional $2,000 one-time stipend After hours of debate, the St. Tammany recently mandated by Gov. Jeff Landry’s Parish School Board agreed on July 9 to give executive order for teachers and $1,000 for its nearly 6,000 employees a one-step raise support workers, which will come out of the
BY JIM DERRY
istrators. Most of the queries focused on the potential deficit and weighing whether the modest raise was more important than the possibility of having to eliminate positions. Superintendent Frank Jabbia and Chief Financial Officer Terri Prevost repeated a message throughout the meeting that de-
ferred to charter schools. There also is a potential loss of up to $5 million in state funding through what’s known as the Minimum Foundation Program — due to expected lower student
ä See TEACHER, page 4A
Fish.Crab.Explore.
Sheriff’s Office lists delinquent properties for tax sale auction
Second outing for event lives up to its name
Staff report In anticipation of its annual tax lien auction on July 29, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has advertised the list of delinquent properties in the July 15 edition of The St. Tammany Farmer. The list also is posted under “Public Notices” on the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office website. In accordance with L.R.S. 47:2153, this is the public notice of properties still delinquent for the 2025 tax year. There currently are approximately 1,800 properties with taxes and/or related fees due to the parish and the municipalities of Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Pearl River, Abita Springs and Madisonville. Property tax bills for 2025 were mailed Nov. 11, 2025. Delinquent notices were sent on Feb. 23, 2026. The STPSO has contracted with SRI, Inc. to utilize its online tax lien auction platform. The auction will take place online at www. zeusauction.com, beginning at 8 a.m. and closing at 4 p.m. on July 29. Those interested in participating in the auction are required to create an account on the website and register for the St. Tammany Parish auction. Registration closes July 22 at noon. Registrants will have access to a practice auction specific to Louisiana to become familiar with the features of the program. For more information with this process, SRI can be reached at (800) 800-9588. The tax lien auction laws were significantly changed starting Jan. 1, 2026. It is imperative that any party interested in partaking in the process to read these new laws before participating. It is important that properties are given due diligence as STPSO is not responsible for erroneous listings. Delinquent taxpayers are strongly encouraged to make their payments by noon on July 28 so payments can be recorded and those properties removed from the website before the auction begins. The tax lien auction process completes the annual property tax collection cycle. The tax lien auction is not for the structure or land itself, but the delinquent monetary obligation of taxes, fees, and the percentage of interest that is to be collected. This places a lien and privilege against the delinquent property. A tax lien auction party pays the tax due, as well as interest and other costs incurred in the collection process. Owners of property that sell at the tax lien auction have a three-year period during which they can extinguish the tax lien certificate with the STPSO by paying the required payoff amount. The amounts collected are then used to reimburse the tax lien certificate holder. For additional information on taxes owed or the tax lien auction process, call the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Property Tax Department at (985) 809-8217.
BY SUZIE HUNT
Contributing writer On a recent sunny Saturday morning, Alice Harrison learned a bit about crabbing, biology and the waters that surround her hometown during the Fish. Crab.Explore. day at the Lake Road Boat Launch in Lacombe. “I think I’ve got one,” the excited girl called out, slowly pulling in the string holding her bait and a little lagniappe. Her crabbing partner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officer Lake Road is Matthew a great place Sieja, stood ready with a to come and long-handled bring a net and net. As Hara chicken leg rison jumped up and down, and go crabbing. Kids under 18 Sieja removed the can fish for small crab free.” from the net and held it BECKY LARKINS, up for her U.S. Fish and Wildlife inspection. ranger “It’s a girl!” Harrison said proudly pointing at the little crab. She had learned to check its underbelly for the telltale triangle markings identifying it as a female. Then she learned another very important lesson. “We need to put her back,” Sieja said, showing her how to gently hold the crab without getting pinched. And in keeping with new lessons learned, Harrison then tossed her catch back in the water before throwing her bait back in the bayou. For the day, children and adults could also borrow a fishing pole and drop a bobber in the water to fish for perch, as well as learn how to kayak or take a PHOTO BY MATTHEW PAYZANT boat tour in the marsh. The boat launch is located near Greyson Tumminello puts some oomph into practicing his casting skills during the second where Bayou Lacombe annual Fish.Crab.Explore day out event recently held at the Lake Road Boat Launch in
Lacombe.
ä See FISH, page 2A
SAVE $ 00 1
EXCLUSIVELY AT ROUSES!
LB
SAVE $ 22 1
SAVE up $ 74 to 4
SAVE up $ 50 to 6
When You Buy 2
When You Buy 10
LB
— ONLY —
Ground Fresh In Store Several Times Daily!
VALUE PACK
93% Lean Ground Beef
— ONLY —
5
$ 77 LB
JUICY SWEET
Lori Anne Peaches
2
$ 99 LB
— ONLY —
— ONLY —
5.3 OZ
Chobani Greek Yogurt
10
10/$ 10
10 PACK 7.5 OZ CANS OR 8 PACK 12 OZ BOTTLES
Pepsi, Coke, 7-Up or Dr Pepper
visit rouses.com for more weekly ad specials!
10
2/$
Prices good at all New Orleans, Gretna, Kenner, Metairie, Marrero, Slidell, Mandeville and Covington stores July 15th - July 22nd, 2026.