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, Au g u s t 5, 2026
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Race to replace DA Perrilloux begins BY GIGI LIMAN Staff writer
In one week, the field of candidates for district attorney in Louisiana’s 21st Judicial District will be set. For the first time in 30 years, it will not include Scott Perrilloux’s name. The longtime district attorney is stepping down, opening the race to succeed him as top prosecutor across Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes. The deadline to qualify for the November
election is Friday. Whoever replaces Perrilloux will hold one of the most powerful offices in the region, deciding, for some 280,000 people across the three parishes, who gets charged with a crime, who is offered a plea and who is sent to prison. They will also lead more than two dozen attorneys and set the strategy for trials. Two candidates have stepped forward so far, and while both are Republicans, they otherwise present divergent options for voters.
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Longtime Assistant District Attorney Brad Cascio is running on his experience in the district attorney’s office, and former Louisiana Rep. Sherman Mack is run-
ning on being the outside-the-box candidate. Mack is “the candidate for change,” he said. After achieving nearly all his professional and political goals, he is running for district attorney to try to give back to the community he grew up in, he said. Mack has spent his career working as a lawyer and lawmaker, but never as a prosecutor. This, he says, makes him no less qualified. Having both argued cases in the courtroom and written laws in the
legislature, he understands the law from all angles. Mack served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2012 to 2024. He chaired the chamber’s criminal justice committee and authored several bills, including one that strengthened the state’s DWI laws and another that made it a crime to electronically abuse elderly and incapacitated people. He has also practiced law for 25
ä See RACE, page 3G
Darlene Denstorff AROUND LIVINGSTON
At the library
Check out some of the programs planned at the Denham Springs-Walker Branch of the Livingston Parish Library. Contact the branch at (225) 686-4140 or visit www.mylpl. info for more details on any events at the library. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 3 p.m., Hobbit Door Wreath (ages 18+): Join the library staff for a hands-on craft where you’ll design a hobbit-door wreath. Registration is required. Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2 p.m., Seaux Easy (ages 18+): Whether you’re a sewing pro or just picking up a needle for the first time, the library’s sewing group is the perfect place to create, learn and connect. Dive into projects like tote bags, holiday decorations, or pattern-based creations — or bring your own project to work on. Bring your supplies, ideas and leave inspired! Registration is required only for new attendees. Thursday, Aug. 13, 10:30 a.m., Bilingual Storytime (ages 0-8): This interactive bilingual storytime is for children and caretakers that combines stories, songs and activities in both Spanish and English. Thursday, Aug. 13, 6 p.m., Bag Tag Bash (ages 5-18): Kids and teens can craft a backpack nametag complete with ribbons, buttons and lots of personality.
State of the Parish talk Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte will present his State of the Parish address at noon Aug. 12 during a Livingston Chamber of Commerce meeting at Forrest Grove Plantation, 8743 Stephenson Drive in Denham Springs. The deadline to register is noon Aug. 10. Tickets are $35 for members and $60 for others. To register visit, business. livingstonparishchamber.org/ events/details/state-of-livingston-parish-parish-presidentrandy-delatte-8752
Learn to be a poll commissioner People interested in becoming an Election Day poll commissioner are invited to a New Commissioner class at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Livingston Parish Courthouse, 20300 Government Blvd., Livingston. Sign-up is not necessary, just show up on Aug. 31. This is only for people wanting to become a commissioner. Current commissioners do not have to attend.
PHOTO BY RICHARD MEEK
One of the most entertaining portion of the Lady Chops performance at the Albany Library on July 14 was the audience, that included youths and their parents, joining in to sing the most popular song from the Broadway musical ‘Mary Poppins.’
Drum sounds fill room as ‘Lady Chops’ visits
BY RICHARD MEEK Contributing writer
With the lyrics of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” still ringing in her young ears, 7-year-old Eberleigh Sambola looked up at her mom and asked, “Can I have a set of drums?” which was met with a quick “no.” For 8-year-old Hayden Duffy, the news was a bit more promising, whose mother, when asked the same question, left open the wee bit of a possibility. Sambola and Duffy were among more than 30 children who were entertained in a lively musical presentation by Elizabeth Vidos on July 14 at the Albany-Springfield branch of the Livingston Parish Library. Vidos, whose stage name is “Lady Chops” because of her acumen on the drums, used the Broadway musical “Mary Poppins” as the backdrop for
her performance, which included the youngsters playing such instruments as spoons, foot tambourines and wrist jingles. “I love to choose music that is a throwback for a lot of the parents and grandparents that are coming to my shows,” Vidos, who performs in 130 to 150 shows annually in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas, including 80 in June and July, said. “I love having all ages at my shows.” Vidos said she started performing as Lady Chops in 2012, following a career that led her to New York City and a 10-year run in the off Broadway musical “Stomp.” In the beginning, her mission was to be entertaining to all, regardless of age. She said no performer wants to see “someone on their cellphone” during their show. “But that means it’s on me to make sure I am entertaining enough to hold everybody in that room,” she said. “I
am also choosing things the parents are going to recognize and will want to talk about with their kids later. “Their smiles say it all.” Vidos’ show was a frenetic 60 minutes but the intensity level went up a couple of notches during the musical’s signature song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Much to the delight of the young people, Vidos was interactive throughout the show, dancing and singing with the children, allowing them to play an array of offbeat musical instruments such as spoons and most important providing a morning of memories. “That is number one, I want the kids to have a positive experience with music,” Vidos said. “There should never be a negative association with playing instruments or making music.”
ä See DRUM, page 2G
Marching band preps for upcoming season With high school classes set to begin this week, its worth noting that the fall sports lineup will include volleyball, crosscountry, swimming and, of course, football. There is also Charles another group, anSalzer other team at local SPORTS schools that is deep ROUNDUP into preparation for the coming school year — high school bands. To be sure, like any sports team, the local bands have their own uniforms, and unique skills are required for members to be able to contribute. There are also
The Denham Springs High School band prepares for its marching season. many hours of practice, some that have been taking place in recent weeks and much that will continue during the school year. It certainly sounds like any other team sport. I stopped by Denham Springs
High late in the afternoon Thursday, hoping to catch a glimpse of some football players or perhaps a volleyball workout. Neither of those ideas panned out, but the football field was filled with band members as they worked on some
PROVIDED PHOTO of their basic formations and configurations like the pregame setup that they will use during the football season. On this day, the band members
ä See SALZER, page 3G