The St. Tammany Farmer 02-04-2026

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10 homicides counted in the whole of St. Tammany

in 2025

BY SARA PAGONES

Contributing writer

St Tammany Parish had a safer year in 2025, with a drop in overall crime that continues a downward trend, and saw major crimes in unincorporated parts of the parish hit their lowest level in five years, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office reported a drop in overall crime from 2,567 in 2024 to 2,058 in 2025 with 80 fewer violent offenses and 429 fewer nonviolent crimes.

Sheriff Randy Smith also pointed to the agency’s clearance rate, which he said reached the highest point ever for major crimes with just over 95% of violent crimes resulting in an arrest or otherwise solved and just over 52% for nonviolent crimes. That’s twice the national average for violent crimes and three times the national average for nonviolent offenses, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“A decrease in crime and strong clearance rates don’t happen by chance,” Smith said in a news release. “They are the result of our deputies working hand-in-hand with the community every day to prevent crime, hold offenders accountable and protect the quality of life in St. Tammany Parish.”

The Sheriff’s Office investigated six homicides that happened in 2025, including the line-of-duty death of Sgt. Grant Candies, who was killed by a fleeing vehicle in March.

Other homicides in unincorporated St. Tammany claimed the lives of two young children, a toddler left in a hot car and a 4-yearold whose adult brother stands accused in her beating death. The others include a pair of murdersuicides, as well as a man whose nephew stands accused of his slaying. A seventh homicide included in the tally was for a 2022 overdose death that was later ruled a homicide, resulting in an arrest last year

“The line-of-duty death of Sgt. Grant Candies was a profound loss for our Sheriff’s Office and St. Tammany Parish as a whole,” Smith said.

Unincorporated St. Tammany had an increase in sex offenses from 2024 but decreases in aggravated assault, simple assault and robbery

Sheriff’s Office statistics show that burglaries, thefts, motor vehicle thefts and fraud in unincorporated St. Tammany all went down in 2025. There was an increase in sex offenses from 2024 but decreases in aggravated assault, simple assault and robbery Sheriff’s Office statistics show that burglaries, thefts, motor vehicle thefts and fraud all went down in 2025. Neither Mandeville nor

See HOMICIDES, page 2A

ROLL COLD

Titans parade. ä More photos. PAGE 4A

Titans roll in Slidell

crowds

The coed Krewe of Titans, carrying 350 riders aboard 16 colorful floats, paraded thru Slidell on the night of Jan. 30, drawing big crowds despite some of the coldest weather of the year

Staff report

What a season it has been for Poseidon, one of the region’s largest parading krewes with more than 650 members and 26 floats, often rolling with super floats” and tandem units. The Poseidon parade stepped off in Slidell on Jan. 31 with plenty of pageantry, revelry and serious winter weather — not enough bitter cold to keep Carnival-lovers home, but enough to keep lots of them huddled in their vehicles until the Poseidon’s legendary throws began to fly Poseidon was ruled by its 2026 King and Queen XI, Cliff & Jammie Laigast, who were crowned at a spectacular Coronation Ball last July — and then married that same night making it a double Poseidon celebration

See POSEIDON, page 5A

time, again, in Slidell with vote set May 16

Qualifying for mayor, City Council, police chief races on tap Feb. 11-13

BY BOB WARREN and ANDREW CANULETTE Staff writers

Forgive Slidell voters if they’re feeling a sense of political déjà vu. Voters in St. Tammany’s most populous city elected a new mayor just last October Come next month, they could find themselves with another campaign for the city’s top elected post. Randy Fandal, the former police chief who won the office in a special election last fall, thinks that’s unlikely, however And given the margin of victory in that race — Fandal took 72% of the vote against Bill Borchert, an experienced, well-financed opponent who was serving as interim mayor — it would seem unlikely that Fandal would draw an opponent.

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

The new U.S. 190 bridge at Claiborne Hill in Covington is fully open. Now, drivers are waiting to see if it can be a cure to one of the worst traffic snarls in St. Tammany Parish. The state Department of Transportation and Development says the $30 million project is basically complete, except for some final adjustments to traffic signals through that stretch of 190.

The new bridge actually has been in use since August, but only in the past few days has DOTD removed the barriers that had restricted it to a single travel lane as work crews completed the job. The construction work had begun in the early summer of 2023. The new bridge over the Bogue Falaya, as well as additional lanes between the bridge and Lee Road, are aimed at taming one of the parish’s worst traffic nightmares: The long line of vehicles on U.S. 190 that

Slidell heads to bond sale for sewer issues

BY KIM CHATELAIN

Contributing writer

The Slidell City Council has cleared the way for the issuance of $5.1 million in bonds to pay for upgrades to the municipal sewer system.

By a unanimous vote on Jan. 27 the council approved an ordinance and accompanying resolution that set the stage for the bond sale, which must be authorized by the state Bond Commission. A public vote by Slidell residents is not required, city officials said.

Under provisions outlined in the ordinance and resolution, the bonds issued for the public project will mature over a period not to exceed 22 years and will bear rates not exceeding .95% per year

The resolution passed by the council also said “a public hearing has been held and that no petition” meeting the requirements under state law was filed to object to the sale. There was little discussion among council members on the sale before the vote. One citizen appeared

VOTE

Continued from page 1A

“I’d be shocked,” Fandal said. “But we’ll have to wait until Feb. 13 to find out.”

But even if a race for mayor doesn’t materialize, Slidell voters are likely to see a busy ballot on May 16. Qualifying is Feb 11-13 for all city offices, including mayor, City Council, and police chief. Slidell’s regular slate of elections had been scheduled for March but were pushed back due to the legal wrangling stemming from the congressional elections.

Any runoffs would be held June 27. The new slate of elected officials will take office a scant four days later, on July 1.

Fandal, who recently delivered his first “State of the City” address before the East St. Tammany Business Alliance, said he will definitely seek a full, fouryear term.

“I’ve been doing the job,” he said in a recent interview “I’m hoping nobody’s going to jump in the race.”

The mayoral post opened last year when Greg Cromer resigned with more than a year remaining in his term to take a job in Gov Jeff Landry’s administration. Borchert, an at-large City Council member, assumed the interim role and held it until losing to Fandal in the October special election.

Borchert has said he has no plans to run for mayor in the May election.

Meanwhile, two candidates have been hitting the campaign trail in the race for police chief, which will

HOMICIDES

Continued from page 1A

Covington had any homicides in 2025, but Slidell had three: two fatal shootings and a strangulation Slidell and Mandeville police departments reported slight decreases in overall crime for 2025, and while Covington saw a small upward tick with 21 more

City of Slidell buys youth baseball/softball complex

at the podium to question whether the bond sale would result in higher utilities fees and was told by city officials that it would not. In other business, the council also introduced an ordinance that would allow the city to annex 21.12 acres of undeveloped land at 1450 Gause Boulevard West.

The property is contiguous with the city’s corporate limits for about 160 feet along Gause Boulevard West. It is now part of unincorporated St Tammany Parish and carries a zoning designation of HC 2 – Highway Commercial.

The ordinance before the City Council indicates that the property would be given a zoning designation of R3 –High Density Residential – if it is incorporated into the city

However, Slidell Planning Director Daniel McElmurray said the plan is for single family homes to be built on the property. A public hearing on the proposed annexation has been tentatively set for the council’s March 10 meeting.

be without an incumbent seeking reelection. Brian Nicaud and Tommy Williams, both former fulltime police officers who are now in the Slidell Police Department auxiliary ranks, say they will sign up to run. Both have said the campaign could cost $50,000 or more.

“There’s no such thing as grass roots anymore,” Williams said. Nicaud said he has stepped away from his auxiliary officer role to avoid any conflict of interest. Williams, who is running with Fandal’s backing, plans to step away when he qualifies to run.

While the race for police chief could be a two-person field, the City Council races should see more crowded fields.

Five of the nine sitting council members are termlimited, including Borchert, as well as Leslie Denham in District A, David Dunham in District B, Kenny Tamborella in District E and Cindi King in District G. Denham, Dunham and Tamborella have announced their intent to run for one of the council’s two at-large seats, as has Jeff Burgoyne, who was elected to an at-large spot in 2022. Tom Abney, who ran unsuccessfully for the District A seat against Denham in 2022, has announced he’s running at-large in this election.

Other first-term council members, including Megan Haggerty in District C, Nick DiSanti in District D and Trey Brownfield in District F, all are expected to seek reelection for their district seats

Private investment group to spend $7-8 million to upgrade facility

BY KIM CHATELAIN

Contributing writer

The Slidell municipal government now owns a 24-acre baseball and softball complex that local leaders say will undergo a $7 to $8 million upgrade to drastically improve recreation programs for citizens and help make the city a youth sports tourism destination.

Under a Jan. 26 real estate closing, the city acquired the property off Terrace Avenue and Rama Drive from the Slidell Bantam Baseball Association for $310,000.

The Slidell government plans to sign a cooperative endeavor agreement with a private investment group that will pay for the multi-million-dollar renovation and manage the sports complex, according to City Councilman Kenny Tamborella, the city’s point person in the effort to secure the sale.

“This is a win for our community,” he said. “It’s a win for our children because they are going to end up having some of the best facilities…very upgraded facilities compared to what we have today.”

The three-member investment group includes two people from Slidell and another from the general area, Tamborella said, though he said the city is not ready to name them. The sports complex has been under of ownership of the SBBA for more than 40 years. The SBBA, founded in 1950, is a volunteer run non-profit organization dedicated to developing youth baseball and softball players in Slidell.

The property sustained heavy damage from a tornado that ravaged parts of Slidell in April of 2024. About half of the ballfields at the park remain unplayable, Tamborella said.

“It’s in bad shape,” the councilman said of the complex that includes multiple ball fields, parking area and concession stands.

City leaders have been working to upgrade public recreation facilities for years. Impetus was provided in 2021 when city voters rejected the proposed Camellia Bay casino and resort, which would have included a $35 million sports and recreation center paid for by the developer as an incentive to get the project approved.

With that project off the table, the City Council in 2024 approved the purchase of the SBBA property But Tamborella said the land sale stalled because of inaccurate property boundary surveys dating back to 1983.

After much ado, those problems were ironed out and the city now has clear title on the complex.

Although the city has never operated the ballfields or programs on the property, it has ties to SBBA dating back decades.

The city donated 10 of the 24 acres to the group back in the 1980s. The organization later purchased an adjacent 14 acres to expand the baseball complex.

In essence, the proposed land deal involves the group donating the 10 acres back to the city and selling the 14 acres. The purchase price was arrived at after appraisals were conducted, officials said.

The SBBA has applauded the sale of the land, which was consummated after “many hiccups and bumps in the road.”

In a statement, the SBBA board

Taylor Shay gets a piece of the ball as Red Sox Coach Jeremy Suber watches at a Slidell Bantam Baseball Association game in 2023.

thanked the city administration and the council for helping to make “this dream a reality.”

It said the city has “a partner in place to invest $7 to $8 million to completely renovate and rejuvenate the SBBA fields to the point that we will all be proud to call home for the kids in this city It is a win for SBBA, the City of Slidell, and all the surrounding businesses.”

SBBA will run its 2026 recreation season on its current footprint, with the plans to shut down for construction beginning in June

“The ultimate goal is to have a stateof-the-art facility back open for the spring 2027 season,” the SBBA statement reads.

Tamborella said the framework of the cooperative endeavor agreement is in place but the document has not been finalized. Under the agreement, the city will not provide any staffing or financial resources to the park and it will not be responsible for organizing league play

“We (the city) don’t want to be in the business of running leagues,” Tamborella said.

The investment group will be responsible for the park’s staffing, maintenance and for organizing tournaments at the complex.

The group will also work with the SBBA to schedule field time for local teams’ use of the facility

With the land purchase and the cooperative endeavor agreement with the investors, the city hopes to cash in on the traveling youth sports industry Attracting sports tournaments would help fill hotel rooms and restaurants in Slidell, officials have said.

“This project will improve recreational facilities for our families and allow Slidell to host tournaments from across the region right here at home, bringing visitors and economic activity without placing the full burden on taxpayers,” Mayor Randy Fandal said in a news release.

crimes than in 2024, Chief Mike Ferrell said that the total, 207, was still lower than in either in 2023 or 2024 and remains well below historic highs for the city Ferrell said the numbers reflect the dedication of officers, detectives and support

staff, as well as cooperation from the community.

Covington reported three rapes in 2025 compared with one in 2024 and two robberies compared with zero the previous year Burglaries were down from 35 to nine while thefts saw a jump from 95 to 120.

Slidell had nine sex offenses (compared with five in 2024) and four armed robberies (compared with two the previous year). Motor ve-

jhalm@sttammanyfarmer.net

hicle thefts rose from 50 to 55. But assaults, burglaries and thefts were all down compared with 2024.

“We live 15 miles from one of the most violent cities in America, said Daniel Seuzeneau, acting police chief. “But because of proactive police

work and subscribing to the broken windows theory, we don’t let little things fester into big things, and that correlates to a lower crime rate.”

Mandeville Police Chief Todd Schliem said traffic concerns were the number one issue reported by residents in that city, with a 7% increase in accidents. But injury-related accidents decreased by 15% and traffic enforcement actions in-

creased from 9,417 in 2024 to 9,810 last year

Mandeville showed an increase in sex offenses, with 11 last year compared with six in 2024. Residential and vehicle burglaries were up, too, with home burglaries doubling from seven to 14 and vehicle burglaries climbing from 13 in 2024 to 22 last year Business burglaries decreased from five to two. Mandeville reported no armed robberies in 2025.

Madisonville closing in on water system improvements

BY JIM DERRY Contributing writer

For nearly four years, the town of Madisonville has been looking into a new water tower and well to replace at least one of its two aging wells.

Following the Jan. 28 council committee meeting, it seems as if the town has moved closer to that goal.

While the 60-year-old North and South wells in the town are running, the South well, located off the 1000 block of Pine Street, is having problems that have diminished its output by almost half.

Meanwhile, the North well is still near its original capacity of 490 gallons per minute, but its age almost will certainly become a factor in the near future, according to David Kozan, the lead engineer of a monthslong study done by Baton Rouge firm Owen and White. Another concern is “discolored water

in the distribution system (of the North well), which causes public disapproval” due to manganese that has infiltrated into the well.

tiple times this is an issue they have talked about for years, and that “it’s not going to get any cheaper.”

Dennis

“If you have a well that is over 50 years old, I would say its life is limited,” Kozan told the five-member Town Council and Mayor Jean Pelloat. “If you get to 60, you are doing good, and we can’t expect more than 70. If you have to replace two wells, you have to replace two wells, so be it. But you have to start somewhere; you have to replace at least one.”

And later when Kozan was asked if he had “ever seen a well go to 80 or 100 years old,” he responded, “I have not.”

The total costs for the proposed new well and tower likely would be between $7 million and $9 million.

However, council member Keith Dennis and Pelloat stressed mul-

Dennis has said multiple times over the past few months replacing the wells could have been done three years ago for nearly half of what it would cost today “One day, one way or another, this will need to be done,” Pelloat said “This has been a capital outlay request for four years.”

If funding is approved, the work would be completed in three phases. The first, as outlined in the study would be to put a “new 450 (gallon-per-minute) well at the South well site with new disinfection and control equipment and modifications as needed to the existing North well site.”

Phase 2 would be to install a 200,000-gallon elevated storage

Raising livestock for auction teaches kids lessons for life

BY JIM DERRY

Contributing writer

For centuries, people have been trying to find Noah’s Ark. Who knew it was lying around the Parish Fairgrounds in Covington?

Just kidding, of course. Still, they did have everything but the boat at the 90th annual St. Tammany Parish Junior Livestock show on Jan. 24. Even the weather contributed, with cold and very wet conditions just outside the venue. About 200 youth exhibitors – ages 9 to 18 – proudly showed off hundreds of livestock they have raised including just about every farm animal one could think of Yes, there were pigs, cows, goats, chicken, rabbits and more.

And by the end of the event just about all of them were auctioned off during the 50th year of the livestock sale, with some cattle going for more than $6,000 and hogs going for in excess than $1,000.

Students from all areas of St. Tammany Parish participated, competed and sold. Some sellers were youths who live on a farm and take care of dozens of animals, while others are involved in 4-H or FFA and might have just one chicken to show or sell as part of a small project.

Hunter King, who teaches agricultural science at Covington High, knows most of the participating students, including three of his own children who were showing animals.

“We have a little homestead, but we also raise and sell pork, so they’re showing pigs,” said King, who comes from a family with ties to the event.

The agricultural center is named for his grandfather Bobby Fletcher who was the key figure in having the Southeast District event (which is held in late January / early February) moved from Arabi to the Fairgrounds in 1976.

“It has always been a great family bonding time for us, and it still is,” King said. “My kids help breed the animals, and they are there when

they’re born. The first night they’re alive, they name them. They understand their purpose and why we raise them.”

King’s mom, Denise King, says she sometimes still has trouble parting with an animal she helped raise, but she wouldn’t change anything.

“I started with steer, and my dad (Bobby Fletcher Jr.) raised sheep,” she said

“These pigs here, Hunter raised them but they’re at my house. At night, I will go check on them and feed them it is absolutely hard to leave them.

“I have gone to shows with my own animals – my steer – where I would tie them to a fence and walk away knowing I would never see them again. These (pigs) will go to district and state, and then Hunter will take them to the slaughterhouse, so we don’t have to say goodbye today The kids will be sad.”

Animals are judged in two categories: market and breeding. Several awards were issued this past weekend, including the prestigious Kathy Jo Thompson award for “Top Exhibitor,” which was handed out to Aubrey Nunez, a sophomore at Covington High.

For years she has risen before the sun came up to feed her herd of 20 cattle, go to school and then come home and spend much of the afternoon doing chores, homework and taking care of her animals.

“Last year, I was up for the award and got beat, so I had the drive to come back and win it this year I was 10

times more prepared this time,” said Nunez, who also serves as vice president of the Louisiana Junior Cattlemen’s Association. “I love it. It has taken me so many places, and I love it.

“I have been coming to this for about 10 years, and I just love the show environment Everyone is nice, and everyone wants you to be here.”

Folsom’s Peter Cannizzaro learned how to be an auctioneer decades ago from cassette tapes. Today, he spends his professional life traveling the world as a horse show announcer, but he makes sure he is available to work this event each year

He’s seen many changes since the 1980s, but the core reason he remains involved has not changed.

“The biggest thing here is we are helping students, and these are good kids. These sorts of things help mold their future and set job paths – where they might want to go to school, and this money they make on these animals is important,” he said. “More than the money, it’s the family togetherness. A kid can’t drive himself here, and a kid can’t back the trailer up by himself.

“It’s a lot like sports in that it brings people together It also teaches them discipline and responsibility An animal has got to eat whether it’s Christmas or your birthday, New Year’s, the rainy times, it doesn’t matter It instills a lot of those values in him or her, and they become productive citizens in our community because of things like this.

tank as close to the South well as possible, while the final phase would install new piping “to reduce the introduction of manganese into the system, enhance fire protection and replace piping with legacy manganese on the interior.”

The town has applied for a loan through the Local Government Assistance Program, in which — if approved could later either be totally forgiven by the state or their total repayments be cut in half, depending on what work is deemed necessary

Meanwhile the biggest concern from some Madisonville residents is that if the loan is approved, the state would require meters be installed on each structure that receives water. In turn, that could significantly raise bills, and some residents say by as much as three times what they currently pay

The meters themselves will cost about $1,500 to install, because

they are labor intensive, according to engineers from Owen and White.

Councilwoman Kristin Faison said, “I am a resident, too, and I have always said, ‘You can pry my flat-rate water from my cold, dead hands.’

“It’s great, and a lot of people feel that way, and it is going to be hard to convince them. But we could potentially get all our water woes fixed for free, and that’s a good deal, right?”

All five of the council members seemed to be working to get this written up and approved as quickly as possible. Even when they decide it’s a go the town would then be placed on a waiting list through Owen and White of “about a year,” and then the work itself would take another year

A vote on this could come as soon as the council’s next regular monthly meeting on Feb. 11.

BRIDGE

Continued from page 1A

Bogue Falaya bridge.

That old bridge remains in use, but with the addition of the new bridge alongside it has been repurposed to allow two lanes of traf-

fic heading south on U.S. 190, while the new bridge handles two lanes heading north. The hope is that by doubling the capacity of highway crossing the river, some of the traffic backups will be a thing of the past.

As western St. Tammany has grown, motorists any have clamored for improvements through that stretch of U.S. 190, which runs north of Interstate 12 and into the city limits of Covington.

DOTD data shows that around 50,000 vehicles travel that stretch of roadway each day

“It was a lot of stress,” said St. Tammany

Parish Council member Larry Rolling, a longtime Covington area elected official who has fielded a lot of traffic-related complaints over the years from constituents. “But now it’s like the nightmare is gone.

Well, maybe not entirely gone.

Daniel Gitlin, a DOTD spokesperson, said that while the work crews have left the area, some adjustments still are likely to be needed to traffic signal cycles.

“In general, it takes a full two months before everything is set, and we will have crews out monitoring lights, especially during rush hours,” Gitlin said in an email. “It’s important for people to know that it’s a work in progress

because of the change, and we want and need people to alert us to issues that are now happening.”

Gitlin said the project is “one of the most significant roadway improvements our area has seen in decades.”

And it’s only the start of work in the area. The bridge spanning the Bogue Falaya is the first of a five-phase plan that will eventually widen U.S. 190 to La 25, with roundabouts at several intersections to further ease congestion.

Covington Mayor Mark Johnson noted those projects aren’t due to come online for another seven years or more, however so traffic flow on the north side of the river could still be constricted until the entirety of the work is done. Meanwhile, the stretch of the Tammany Trace that runs beneath the Claiborne Hill bridge has also been reopened. Parish officials held a ribbon-cutting at the Tammany Trace bridge over the Bogue Falaya recently Andrew Canulette contributed to this story

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TheSt.TammanyParishClerkofCourt’sofficewillbe qualifyingcandidatesforthefollowingracesthatwillbe includedintheMAY16,2026 Election:

Custer gives little Decklan Custer plenty of warm clothes and a good vantage point at the Krewe of Poseidon parade on Jan.

POSEIDON

Continued from page 1A

and a special Carnival season for the big coed krewe Poseidon paraded to a theme of “The World is Your Oyster,” but music for all the weekend’s parades could have been “Cold Weather” by Muddy Waters, as riders and spectators alike throughout southeast Louisiana bundled themselves against an arctic cold front, bulked up their clothing, incorporated warming pieces into their costumes and crowns and looked for hacks to beat back the plummeting temperatures.

Bundled up for Slidell’s Krewe of Antheia parade

for

FROM SHADOWS TO SPOTLIGHT

The St. Tammany Parish social calendar is filled with important events throughout the year We’ve asked organizers to help us highlight people who work behind the scenes to quietly make our most beloved events successful. We’re calling the feature “From Shadows to Spotlight” and letting it be a reminder that not only is one of our area’s biggest events coming up, but also to remind readers the tremendous effect one caring person can have on our community Be well!

Andrew Canulette, editor, St. Tammany Farmer

Pharmacist

Amie Aertker fills many needs in community

BY JESSICA SAGGIO Contributing writer

Madisonville pharmacist

Amie Aertker isn’t just good at filling prescriptions.

She also knows how to fill a ballroom and a royal court while she’s at it. And come Carnival season, the Krewe of Tchefuncte volunteer is a gogetter behind the scenes, using her keen sense of detail to make Mardi Gras magic happen.

Aertker is both the Queens’ Club president and a ball captain for the krewe, handling a long list of tasks that fill up the days she isn’t behind the Walmart pharmacy counter in Covington.

Aertker specifically is in charge of handling all the communication for the krewe’s royal court, which means juggling nominations, organizing meetings and sending out announcements as to who the board has selected. She’s also the go-to gal for all of their arrangements, making sure the krewe is putting their royalty on a pedestal.

This year’s Krewe of Tchefuncte boat parade is scheduled for Feb. 7 at noon starting at Salty’s Marina and continuing down the riverfront in Madisonville This parade is a little different from others in that the boats are stationery, and spectators walk from float to float along the river catching throws along the way It concludes on the north side of the Madisonville bridge. The theme this year is “Off to the Races,” and volunteers like Aertker have been working for months to bring that to life, weaving it into every element of the event. Aertker specifically is the one making sure the royal court has a decked-out float and that all the beads are ordered for members to throw But Aertker is also notably a captain of the ball. While she is quick to say she’s not the only force

behind the krewe’s evening soiree held annually at the River Mill Center, she is the point-person handling many of the details. From booking the band, photographer and rentals to creating the centerpieces and decorations for the ball, she handles many of the arrangements, explained Tchefuncte board member Iris Vacante. However it doesn’t stop there; she’s always going above and beyond

“When everything is set up for the ball, many of us go home and get ourselves ready Not Amie. She goes home and prepares food for the band so they are well fed during the night She also makes sandwiches for the royal court and parade grand marshal so they can eat while they are on board their float,” said Vacante. “Everything Amie does helps our organization run so smoothly Amie is a treasure to our organization and the Madisonville community.”

And perhaps this is because Aertker’s roots run deep with the krewe. A Madisonville native, she was crowned queen in 1992 and has always cherished her hometown parade. But it wasn’t until 10 years ago that she got involved. That first year was rough, she said, almost pushing her to quit. But the euphoric feeling after everything was done and successful drew her back in.

“You spend all this time preparing, planning, doing all these things, then the big night comes and it’s like, ‘That really wasn’t so bad. That was kind of cool,’” she said. “You kind of see the fruits of your labor ” But as to what has kept her there after all these years? Simply, it’s still special to her “It was something I always looked forward to growing up, and I want to see the tradition continue — and we’ve grown it tremendously over the past 10 years.”

Abita Springs is pushing its Carnival parade again

BY JIM DERRY Contributing writer

With this big-time cold spell, one might think there would be little need for a mower However people might beg to differ in Abita Springs, where the Krewe of Push Mow reigns over the small northshore town this time of year

That’s right: Dozens of decorated lawn mowers will line up Feb. 7 near Danny Park at Recreation District 11 on La. 36, then travel past the Abita Springs Café and make their way back to where they started They’ll get mowing around 12:30 p.m. and be done long before the sun goes down.

And considering 2025 was such a mess, with weather forcing officials to postpone from its scheduled date of Feb. 23 all the way until March 16, even for a krewe as nontraditional as this one, they’re looking for a little normalcy

“Even though we got some backlash last year for moving the date past Mardi Gras, it ended up being really neat,” said Tayler Migues, Abita’s town events coordinator “It was cold and wet, and we took

everyone’s suggestions.

“It’s early this year, it’s crazy

We’re going to have fun like we usually do. We have a gentleman who custom-built the shell of a lawn mower the size of a pickup truck. Last year, he wore a chicken suit. He’s already planning next year.”

Participation generally is between 40 to 55 “entries,” and each is required to have an actual mower The fee is based on the size of the group, and there is free participation for any of the local schools who want to march.

The parade was created in 2002 by local artists John and Ann Preble, who wanted to start a Carnival group, but they did not want it to be like the other traditional parades. Considering no one is pushing a decorated lawn mower in Endymion Bacchus or even Eve or Olympia here on the northshore, one could say they’ve been highly successful.

While Ann passed away nearly 20 years ago, John has continued to play a role in many of the parades since, including coming up with some of the themes. This

year, the town landed on “Battle of the Bands” for the 24th procession, which strays from the past Preble creations such as “Lousy Ideas for Fast Food,” “We’re Not Mandeville” and “What’s that Smell?”

Preble, who ran the parade for several years after his wife’s passing, turned it over to the town some years ago because “we didn’t have insurance or anything, and it grew really big.” Even after he left, the krewe would continue to call for ideas on a theme, and his biggest rule was, “We can’t have a theme that Eve would do.”

Although he didn’t play a role in this year’s parade, he still looks forward to seeing the annual creativeness. And while “going to the parade is wonderful; it’s family up here,” he still hopes they call him next year for input on the theme “Battle of the Bands is going to challenge the creativeness because it’s such a broad theme. Push Mow will survive, because they had ‘Who Dat’ a few years ago,” said Preble, tongue in cheek. “It’s always got to be a little different.”

Eve is fabulous, 40 and celebrating four special women

BY KADEE KRIEGER

Contributing writer

When Mandeville’s “Forty and Fabulous” Krewe of Eve rolls on Feb. 6, it’s likely that crowds will see the biggest smiles and waves from a group of four women in the front.

Taking their spots on their own float will be four of Eve’s longest-standing board members, Joycelyn Nash, Glenda Dobson, Judy Frentz and Susan Grantham, or as Queen Eve Melody Menard said, “some of the women who started it all.”

A small group of women created the northshore’s first all-female Carnival krewe in 1986 with a ball for 260 members. The group began parading the following year, and has been growing ever since, Menard said She said membership has swelled to more than 750 with a waitlist of more than 200 others.

From Eve’s inception, Nash, Dobson, Frentz and Grantham stayed active as officers until they decided to step back 10 years ago into an advisory role. While they have turned over the reins to a younger, more social media-savvy leadership team, they say they will always remain a part of the organization.

“For as long as I can crawl up on it, I’ll be on that float,” said Dobson.

“That first group of women set the tone for the whole organization,” said Menard, who also serves as the group’s public relations officer She credited Nash, who was krewe captain for 20 years before current captain Christi Fair took over the job in 2016, for bringing “grace and poise” to the krewe and helping to create a culture of camaraderie among members.

“There is so much to be proud of, and we are so excited that the members now are so vibrant and intent on keeping thing going and growing. It’s because of them that we are here,” she said. Nash said she and the other advisers have been spending time reminiscing about the past 40 years as the days draw closer to Eve’s Ruby Anniversary and 39th roll through the streets. “I remember how excited we were to get our first light up throws,” she said. “And my have the crowds grown tremendously.”

Dobson said she remembers the commutes.

“We used to have to drive across the Causeway to get everything. Now access is so much better,” Dobson said. “There was so much footwork we used to have to do that they don’t have to do anymore.”

All of the advisers agreed that social media has helped spread the word about how much fun Eve members have throughout the year “This younger group loves to throw a party, dress in costume and just get together It’s beautiful to see.”

Frentz said she loves watching the energy of the organization flourish, showing that it is poised for another 40 years.

“We built a good foundation, and this board is taking it to the next level,” Nash agreed

The Krewe of Eve will roll Feb 6 starting at 7 p.m. with the theme “Forty and Fabulous.”

Serving along with Menard will be maids Katherine Hodgins, Megan Helwick, Beth Lossett and Denise Blanchard.

Eve is known for its brightly lit, themed floats with costumed riders; tandem units; and high-energy local marching bands. Crowds can expect 70 to 80

units, including more than a dozen dance teams and a variety of decorated vehicles. Throws include the krewe’s signature glittered apples and colorful, LED Eve logo items. For the Ruby Anniversary, crowds can also look for specialty throws including bead-dog beanies; a plush Champagne bottle — vintage 1986; and a red mint julep cup.

Beyond parade night, members support the community through their work with Safe Harbor, the Mandeville Police Foundation Toy Drive, the Northshore Food Bank, Brooke It Forward, Mina’s Mission and Granny Gertie’s Christmas Stocking Giveaway For information and parade updates, visit www facebook.com/kreweofeve.

Krewe of Eve Parade lit up the night last year when

Slidell Women’s Civic Club honors 75 years of volunteerism

BY SUZIE HUNT

Contributing writer

Queen Samaritan LXXIV Tanya Witchen was welcomed to the Krewe of Slidellians Queens’ Circle during an elegant reunion luncheon held recently at Mayfair in Slidell Witchen reigned over the Krewe of Slidellians during the past year with King Samaritan LXXIV Bill Borchert.

The Slidell Women’s Civic Club (SWCC) presents the Krewe of Slidellians, which each year selects a king and queen Samaritan who are honored for their lifetime of service to the Slidell community. The SWCC was founded in 1947 by Anita Breisacher, Blanche Carroll Virginia Madison and Peggy Sollberger with a mission to foster local civic, cultural, welfare and social interests For members of the Slidell Women’s Civic Club, their annual Bal Masqué is more than a fundraiser It is a time to celebrate tradition and the positive impact its members and other community volunteers have in Slidell and the surrounding area.

The club will celebrate its Blue and Silver 75th Anniversary Krewe of Slidellians Bal Masque’ on Saturday, Feb 7, at the Harbor Center The theme colors and diamond anniversary recognition are a curtsy to the organization’s signature colors and its longevity All club members also hold dual membership in the krewe.

“During the ball this year, we are not only highlighting this year’s royalty, but also honoring all the past king and queens,” said Ball Captain Betty Gomez. A special tribute to formal royals, going all the way back to King Samaritan I Dr W.L. Folse and Queen Samaritan I Christine Faciane is planned.

More than 450 people will be on hand to watch the tableau unfold and a special performance by the club’s royal dancers

Created by four women who saw a need and wanted to make a difference, the Slidell Women’s Civic Club was formed in 1947

According to Ball Co-Captain Judy Warnke, these women sat around a kitchen table and decided a group was needed to help serve people in need.

“I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit with Blanche Carroll over coffee and biscotti and hear her stories about when the club first started,” Warnke said of her meeting with one of the original members. One such recollection recalled how the women collected used toys to get ready for Christmas. “A maintenance man with the city would repair and paint them. She told me how they would be as good as new, and the members would pass them out to kids back in the day.”

Along with Carroll, Anita Breisacher, Virginia Madison, and Peggy Sollberger comprised the club’s original membership. According to club history, the women sold brooms, mops, and cleaning supplies door to door to raise funds for their projects,

like a park for children in Slidell. A few years later, the idea of hosting a fundraising ball was entertained and embraced. The first ball was held in 1951 and the Krewe of Slidellians was born. The ball included a program of pageantry and a traditional tableau to honor a King and Queen Samaritan, as well as maids and dukes. Members of the royal court are selected based on their volunteer service and community involvement.

“Volunteerism is the core to our organization. Each member is required to donate a minimum number of hours per year to charitable organizations and events as part of their membership. Our members go well over that minimum amount each year,” said Chappuis.

According to the club’s volunteer coordinator, Heidi Campbell, members of the Slidell Women’s Civic Club logged in more than 2,100 volunteer hours last year Working as a labor resource for local non-profits, the Slidell Women’s Civic Club members can often be seen in their bright blue shirts working at events such as the United Way of East St. Tammany’s Red Beans and Rice Cookoff and Slidell’s Heritage Fest. Cooking at the Mt. Olive Feeding Ministry, sorting canned goods at the Giving Hope Food Pantry in Lacombe, sponsoring quarterly dinner dances for STARC clients and other activities are all opportunities for members to offer their time and talent.

Another huge impact made by the club members is their Christmas gift project.

As their founding members did in the very beginning, club members participate in an annual Christmas project for children and senior citizens in need of a bit of holiday cheer Last year, 80 recipients at several local schools and nursing homes received gifts totaling more than $12,000.

“It’s one of my favorite things to do each Christmas. You’ve never met the child and you just work with their wish list. It’s a lot less stress then shopping for your own family,” said member Ruth Moore.

Volunteering and club membership is a family affair for many Marlene Cocran Luparello followed in her mother’s footsteps. The late Viola Cochran has the distinction of being the Guinness World Record holder for most volunteer hours. Her advocacy to have Slidell Memorial Hospital built and then time spent volunteering at the hospital spanned 53 years from 1959 to 2012. Her gift of time and energy totaled 77,019 hours and still stands today in the record books.

“What we all do is important and makes a difference,” said Luparello.

Presented at the ball will be King and Queen Samaritan LXXV, Elwin Ordoyne and Robin Marquez. Serving as the royal court are Maids Laura Kaufmann (Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus); Jessica Buis (Animal Assistance League); and

Toni Gebbia (Toys from Cops).

Dukes for the event are Robert Carroll (Notes for Education Northshore); Jimmy Crippin (Slidell Elks Lodge); and Joe Martin (Community Christian Concern).

With the selection of the royal court, history is coming full circle. Robert Carroll is the son of founding member Blanche Carroll.

“After World War II, there were limited social services for people in need. My mother and her friends sat at her kitchen table and came up with the idea of the club. When they first started, there were initially 30 members, and dues were a dollar,” said Carroll.

Over the years, Carroll was wrangled into some of the club’s projects, especially the annual ball.

“Husbands and sons were called in to help with the tableau and building sets. We even participated in the entertainment,” he said with a chuckle. “No one wanted to follow us.”

When the tableau is complete and the music quiets at the end of the night, members of the Slidell Women’s Civic Club will clean up the hall, as good volunteers do Then they will leave the Harbor Center looking toward new opportunities they have to serve the community they love.

Olympia holds Queen’s Toast

The Mystic Krewe of Olympia held its elegant Queen’s Toast on Jan. 24 at Tchefuncta Country Club near Covington, where former royals and friends raised a glass to their royalty. This year’s queen is Carolyn Ray Rushing, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Heath Ashley Rushing; the 2025 queen was Kaitlyn Reese Reagan Later in the day, the Mystic Krewe of Olympia presented its annual bal masque at the Castine Center near Mandeville. The krewe will parade at 6 p.m. on Feb. 7 through downtown Covington. This year’s king, Zeus LX, will be revealed on parade night

Jazz masters will share music history

BY SHEILA GRISSETT

Contributing writer

Five accomplished jazz musicians and band leaders from St. Tammany Parish and New Orleans all come together for the first time on stage in Covington to present an evening of jazz history in the Fuhrmann Auditorium on Feb. 21

The 6 p.m. show will celebrate Black History Month and is made possible by a New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival grant. The concert will feature traditional jazz classics written by and made famous by African American musicians who created jazz, North America’s only officially recognized indigenous art form, combined with an interactive audience experience

“The ensemble gathered for our ‘Swing Into Spring’ concert consists of internationally renowned musicians from the New Orleans region,” said clarinetistsongwriter-band leader-educator Ben Redwine, jazz coordinator for the Northshore Traditional Music Society “This is a concert you will not want to miss. Each will lead a set within the concert, providing for a varied and informative experience.”

The February concert is the latest community offering by the music society, a St. Tammany-based nonprofit organized by professional musicians living on the northshore. It is dedicated to fostering community by promoting, preserving, and providing access to traditional music via education, live performances, and inclusive, noncommercial, jam sessions for both amateur and professional musicians At present, the 12-year-old nonprofit hosts free monthly jam sessions open to all players. Each session specializes in either traditional jazz, bluegrass or Celtic music and is led by a professional player/ teacher The society also holds an open mic night for performers and periodically hosts special events and concerts, including their annual “Swingtime In Springtime” concert at the Fuhrmann.

This year’s show features northshore residents Redwine (clarinet) and Don Vappie (banjo and guitar). Joining them will be New Orleans guests Jason Jurzak (bass and sousaphone), Molly Reeves (guitar and vocals) and Jamil Sharif (trumpet).

n Often identified in performance circles as “Dr Ben Redwine,” a nod to his extensive music education and his broad experience teaching it, he plays Jazz Fest, clubs on Frenchmen Street, several venues in St. Tammany (including the Dew Drop Jazz & Social Club) and directs the Redwine Jazz Band, which will lead the procession of Covington’s Mardi Gras pa-

Pearl River student named king of livestock show

Staff report

Pearl River student Aiden Franatovich and Walker student Kamryn Hudspeth will reign as king and queen of the 91st Southeast District Livestock Show on Feb 5-7 at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington.

The two youth exhibitors, selected by the show, will each receive a $500 scholarship, a commemorative belt buckle recognizing their achievements, and will travel from barn to barn during the show to hand out awards.

Franatovich, a junior at Pearl River High School, has built an impressive portfolio of livestock and leadership accomplishments through his years in FFA Beginning with cattle projects in 2022 and expanding into rabbits, poultry and swine, Franatovich has earned numerous district and parish titles, including Overall Rabbit Showman, Grand Champion Mini Lop Buck and multiple Best of Breed honors. He is currently president of the Pearl River FFA Chapter, and his leadership has earned him recognition, such as the star chapter member award and selection to the FFA Area IV state nominating committee.

Beyond the show ring, Franatovich has demonstrated a passion for agricultural education and outreach. He led the creation of a community garden, an ongoing servicelearning project maintained by FFA members to support local families and teach agricultural skills.

Hudspeth, a junior at Walker High School, has been involved in livestock and 4-H and FFA leadership since elementary school With a show history of more than 25 animals, including various goats and cattle, Hudspeth is known for her dedication, work ethic and determination to take on new challenges. Her livestock achievements include Southeast District Grand Champion and Reserve Champion titles across multiple species, along with numerous parish-level awards. Hudspeth also competes in FFA events such as prepared public speaking, livestock judging, horse evaluation and dairy foods. Hudspeth is also the Walker High FFA secretary and 4-H Club president.

rades on Feb. 17. A jazz and classical clarinetist, he is widely recorded and travels to perform and give master classes nationally and internationally He spent 27 years in the U.S. military band system, most of that as a clarinet soloist with the U.S. Naval Academy Band. He and his wife, artist Leslie Redwine, relocated to Covington in 2016 to live, create and perform near the birthplace of jazz. He continues to play throughout the country — but still makes time to lead his free Traditional Jazz Jam in Covington, a Northshore Traditional Music Society event for the public.

n One of Redwine’s regular performance partners is Don Vappie, a Steve Martin Banjo Prize Winner and Banjo Hall of Fame member who has also performed extensively throughout the world. Additionally, he has received awards for his contributions to the preservation of New Orleans Creole Culture through music and film. Vappie has produced multiple albums; co-produced and starred in a PBS documentary; performed as a featured artist with orchestras on movie and television soundtracks; and at concerts and festivals around the world. His Creole Jazz Serenaders have been a staple at Jazz Fest

for 20-plus years and has been a regular guest with Wynton Marsalis & Jazz at the Lincoln Center Vappie’s highly regarded unique and original tenor banjo style is said to equal only his love of his Creole heritage and tradition.

n Raconteur of song Molly Reeves is a performer and lover of early 20th century American music known for her enigmatic approach to rhythm guitar and her ability to invoke the idiomatic tone and language of 1920s and ‘30s acoustic guitar players. She is a crooner whose vocal stylings echo historical singers and storytellers. She plays with The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, The Shake Em’ Up Jazz Band, Russell Welch Hot Quartet, and the Chloe Feoranzo Quartet, in addition to leading her own projects. She is a guitar instructor and faculty member of the New Orleans traditional jazz camp.

n Trumpeter Jamil Sharif is a New Orleans native who has performed at festivals and concert halls throughout the world and recorded with some of the music industry’s leading giants; has appeared in numerous films, plays, and television productions as music coordinator composer music producer, as well as an on-screen performer

He has been featured as a soloist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and appeared on Aaron Neville’s Christmas Special and Reading Rainbow As the president of Umdah Music, Sharif has produced three critically acclaimed albums, including Portraits of New Orleans (featuring Dr. John).

n The “All that Jazz New Orleans” edition of Whereyat describes Jason Jurzak as an entertainer, first and foremost. “He knows you’re at his concerts to have fun, and he wants you to have it. His arrangements are raucous, playful, and masterfully crafted. His father Dave Ruffner used to pull him out of high school to tour with his band, the Blue Street Jazz Band, and Jurzak still approaches his craft with the excitement of a kid who’s been given a get-out-of-school-slip.” Jurzak routinely sharing the stage with powerful female musicians, including as part of Sweetie Pies with dynamite vocalist Becky Lynn Blanca.

For more information, visit www.nstms. org or contact Ben Redwine at redwinejazz@gmail.com. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com/e/swing-into-springtickets-1142898192259.

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Grief camp gives kids the tools and safe space to mourn

BY LISA VON EBERSTEIN Contributing writer

For children learning to live with a loss, a special weekend camp in Mandeville may help make their grief more bearable.

The Hospice House will host Camp Bearable March 13-15 at Fontainebleau State Park, a grief camp for children ages 7 to 12 who have lost a loved one. Now in its 15th year, Camp Bearable offers a structured but gentle weekend away from home, allowing children to grieve alongside peers while being supported by trained volunteers, counselors and first responders.

“It’s a place where the kids can express how they’re feeling without being guarded,” said Cheryl Scaglione, community outreach coordinator for The Hospice House. “A lot of the kids at home don’t want to show that they’re upset because they don’t want to make their mom or dad upset, so they hide their feelings.”

Children will arrive Friday evening and stay overnight Friday and Saturday. Parents and guardians do not stay overnight but are invited to join in activities on Sunday morning before heading home with their children. Scaglione said the parents not staying over is central to the camp’s mission.

“If they’re there at camp, it kind of ne-

gates the whole purpose. This is a place, a free space for them to talk about anything they want to talk about,” she said.

The children are offered resources to express their feelings and process grief such as art, journaling, movement, games, puppet shows and more. For children who struggle to speak at all, Camp Bearable provides another outlet — a letter burning ceremony in which they can write a message in their own words to the people they have lost.

“If they want to use bad words, they’re welcome to do that Nobody reads it. If they can’t say it with their mouth, they can write it down in a letter, and then they burn it. So there’s no repercussions of, oh I can’t say certain things in front of certain people. Write it down, and let it go,” said Scaglione.

The ceremony is followed by a butterfly release. “There’s just many different things that the kids do to give them an outlet to express themselves. Some of the kids, unfortunately, we’re seeing more and more that have had a traumatic death murders, overdoses, suicides — and so we have the first responders come,” she said.

Joey Roberts, executive director of the Children’s Museum of St. Tammany, is one of the camp volunteers who has a fun way of getting a message to the participants.

“I’m kind of like a circus clown,” Roberts said. He uses his own artwork as a tool to inspire the children to create, and does a card trick to teach them “The 5 T’s” about life try, have a team, don’t give up when things get tough, have trust and be thankful.

“Death is something, it’s hard for anybody,” Roberts said. “To try to process that, it’s a lot. If I can be a little bit of light, that’s the goal.” Liz Garland, resource navigator for United Way Southeast Louisiana, is one of the main volunteers each year, helping market the event and serving as a camp counselor for the older girls. “The camp holds a special place in my heart,” Garland said. “The camp gives kids a safe and fun space to express their feelings freely, without the fear of upsetting the adults they love.”

All children are welcome to attend, even those who live outside the parish and state.

“It doesn’t matter where the kids come from. We will never turn a child away,” Scaglione said.

Camp Bearable is free to attend, supported entirely through sponsorships and volunteers. The cost to sponsor a child for the weekend is $250. To apply for the camp or to sponsor a child, call (985) 643-5470 or email info@thehospicehouse.org.

MUSIC

A ROCKER: Guitarist and songwriter Zack Feinberg will bring his mad skills to one 7 p.m. performance at the North Star Theatre in Old Mandeville on Feb. 21. Feinberg, who co-founded The Revivalists with lead singersongwriter David Shaw in 2007, produced his first solo album, “Call It A Miracle,” last year. He continues performing his own gigs about town and touring nationally with Shaw and their eight-piece New Orleans rock band that has produced multiple albums and made their breakthrough with “Wish I Knew You” that went platinum. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. All seats are reserved at northstartheatre.org, where VIP seats are $85; general admission, $35, plus taxes and fees. VIPs get free hors d’oeuvres and drinks at the Backstage Bar and a meet-and-greet with performers.

ROOTS: Singer-songwriterguitarist Jamie Lynn Vessels will perform Feb. 10 in the Lobby Lounge listening room inside the Harbor Center near Slidell. Vessels, who moved to the New Orleans area after graduate school, was drawn by the melting pot heart of New Orleans and its diversity of great music. Vessels now creates what she calls “original New Orleans roots rock for the wanderers, the dreamers (and) the fighters.” She will get up close and personal with her audience in this intimate, bohemian-styled listening space at 100 Harbor Center Drive. Doors open 6:30 p.m.; show at 7 p.m. GA tickets from $27.50; reserved two- and four-tops also available at Eventbrite.com.

JAZZ FOR ALL: A Traditional Jazz Jam with clarinetist and teacher Ben Redwine from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Feb. 7 (every first Saturday) at St. John’s Coffee, 535 E. Boston St. Two hours open to all listeners and players, usually a mix of students, amateurs and professional players. Confirm session at nstms.org; sheet music available at redwinejazz.com/education.

BEGINNER’S SLOW BLUEGRASS: Slow jam from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Feb 9 in the Abita Springs Pavilion, 22044 Main St. Please bring a chair. Great for beginners who need to play slower or others who want to practice at slower tempo. See nstms.org for link to lineup or other details

JAZZY HARP: First Baptist

Church of Covington invites mature residents to the Young at Heart Adults-55+ program to hear Patrice Fisher and Arpa, a jazz harpist and ensemble, in the Central Hall at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 10. Cos is $15, includ ing lunch, but registration is required at FBCCOV.or adults-55 by noon on Feb. 5.

THEATER

OTHELLO: William Shakespeare’s “Othello” as you have never seen it before opens at North Star Theatre in Mandeville on Feb. 27. See “Othello” reprogrammed for a cyberpunkinspired dystopian future See why this classic tragedy

written in 1603 still matters in 2026. Directed by Ashley Osbourn-Dukes. The cast includes Jalin Hooks as Othello; Pamela Aline as Desdemona; and Malachi Herod as Iago. Feb. 27-March includes two shows at 2 p.m. and two at 7 p.m. at the 347 od St. theater. Pick your seats online at northstartheatre. g; adults $25 and students $20, plus taxes and fees. Presented by the new Moonlight Productions.

CHOCOLATE: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the New Musical” will be presented at Cutting Edge Theater in Slidell weekends Feb. 20-March 15,

with 8 p.m. performances on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. matinees on Sundays

The musical, based on the children’s novel by Roald Dahl, centers on Charlie Bucket’s adventure in Willie Wonka’s over-the-top factory alongside characters that included Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde and Mike Teavee. Don’t miss this show by a cast of all ages, featuring a powerhouse ensemble of young actors age 6 and up. Directed by Joey Pruitt, with musical direction by Abbie Pruitt and choreography by Laurin Wilkerson. Consult www cuttingedgetheater.com for a complete schedule and get tickets, from $35 to $45.

INFAMOUS: The Slidell Little Theatre is presenting the musical thriller “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” for a final weekend, Feb. 6-8, with evening and matinee performances. The musical tells the tale of Todd, an unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th-century London seeking vengeance

against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. This Broadway smash is based on the book by Hugh Wheeler; local production directed by Gary Mendoza. See complete schedule and get tickets at slidelllittletheatre.org.

ART

ATRIUM: The Atrium Gallery at Christwood near Covington will host a new exhibition of work by mixedmedia abstract artist Nancy Hirsch Lassen from Feb. 12 to March 18. There will be an artist’s reception on Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m., and the public is invited. Most of Hirsch’s recent paintings depict the tension between nature and structures. The gallery at 100 Christwood Blvd. is open to the public at no cost from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

RED DOOR: The St. Tammany Art Association’s new show, the “Renegade Artist Collective’s Barranger Gallery Exhibition,” is available for

Deep Blue Revenge

Mandeville uses relentless effort to earn 62-57 district win over St. Paul’s

BY JIM DERRY Contributing writer

Of all the clichés used in the sports world, “we just wanted it more” might be the silliest. However, there could be a rare instance of it having fit perfectly on Jan 30 at Mandeville.

The Skippers, fueled by their 14-point loss at St Paul’s earlier in January used emotion and solid shooting from the field to take a 6257 win in front of a near-capacity, chargedup crowd.

“Coach (Josh Priola) told us in the locker room after the last one (on Jan. 13), ‘We’re going to remember that feeling, and we’re not going to lose to them again.’ We took it personally and we went hard this entire week,” said senior guard Will Blessey, who led the Skippers with 16 points.

“I took it personally, too. I went there through sophomore year, and now it feels good to get a win on them. This time was a district game, and we worked our butts off for this one.”

For much of the first 31/2 quarters, the score was within a possession or two, but Mandeville (16-8, 1-0) took a 29-27 advantage with 7:01 to go in the third quarter and led the rest of the way

Each time St. Paul’s (14-11 0-2) had a chance to tie the score or take the lead, the fired-up Skippers would not allow it. And after the Wolves’ leading scorer, Carson Michel fouled out with 5:34 to go in a threepoint game, the door was promptly shut.

“The crowd definitely brings intensity and emotion into the game. Our fans and their fans were going back and forth, and the talk on the court gets nippy,” said St. Paul’s junior guard Ethan Ballard, who led all scorers with 21 points. “This is a longtime rivalry, and it means a lot to both schools

“Coach (Monty Fontenot) always tells us it’s hard to play from behind, and basketball is a game of runs. If you’re playing from

ä See MANDEVILLE, page 2B

St. Paul’s defends district crown

Bulldogs provide stout test

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

Defending Division I state soccer

champion St. Paul’s has a singular focus to be in a position to defend its crown in late February

On the road back to Hammond, the Wolves hosted a hungry Fontainebleau team at Hunter Stadium on Jan. 30.

The Bulldogs were looking for their first district title since 1999, but the Wolves would not be denied as they

Local wrestlers focus on state tournament

BY MIKE PERVEL Contributing writer

Although there are no returning state wrestling champions from St Tammany Parish, many local grapplers have high aspirations as the LHSAA State Wrestling Tournament nears on Feb. 6-7 at the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City St. Paul’s defended its team title at the recent parish wrestling championships, and the Wolves are looking to build on last year’s fourth-place finish at state.

“It’s an outstanding group with great senior leadership,” St Paul’s second-year coach Patrick Ritchie said. “In addition to our seniors, we have seven sophomores and a freshman, who have established themselves during the season.” Senior Caleb Shartle (190 pounds) is headed to the state tournament with an unblemished 29-0 mark, while junior Connor Ayala (39-1) will compete at 113. Senior

John Martinez (37-3) has 20 pins this season and will compete at 215 pounds.

Three other St. Paul’s seniors are looking to make noise at state, including Liam Ritchie (29-7) at 120, Luke Jones (19-10) at 126 and heavyweight Gage Brown. Fontainebleau has a trio of seniors looking to cap their final high school meet with a title.

“We’re pretty excited to see our guys perform,” Bulldogs’ coach Justin Wooley said. “If things fall into place, we could possibly bring home a couple of state champions and additionally some other topplace finishers.” Fontainebleau team captain Braden Sellers (60-1) will compete at 132 pounds after setting a new Fontainebleau career win mark (218).

“His durability has been unbelievable. He’s extremely dedicated and relentless He’s very strong on

ä See WRESTLERS, page 12B

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

scored early to secure a 3-0 District 6-I victory on a chilly night.

“Today, we really just dropped all our egos and said that if we do all the little things, it will add up to a win,”

said St. Paul’s senior Carter Dantin, who scored in the 19th minute. “It felt good to get up, but we have to think like we’re down one. We have to keep playing. You’ve got to play the full 80. I think we did a lot better in the second half.”

The Bulldogs hadn’t lost since Dec. 6 and rode a 13-match undefeated streak into the contest. Fontainebleau played with zero abandon, and it nearly paid off early

To say that the District 7-5A girls basketball showdown between Salmen and Slidell on Jan. 27 was an emotional rollercoaster would be an understatement.

The battle of 20-win teams in the Top 5 of the LHSAA nonselect Division I power rankings was so packed that people were turned away at the door due to fire regulations.

Slidell had a dream start en route to a double-digit first quarter lead before the Spartans came storming back to cut the advantage to a single basket in the third quarter

But the Tigers hit their final seven free throws to secure a 62-52 victory, ending Salmen’s 20-game win streak.

St. Paul’s had to clear a Judah Benjamin header at the goal line in the first two minutes, but the Wolves would respond in the 10th minute. Senior Walker McWilliams pressured an outside defender which led to a failed clearance that McWilliams slotted inside the far post for a 1-0 lead.

Nine minutes later, St. Paul’s junior Bobby Seese played a precise cross into the box that Dantin flicked past the keeper for a 2-0 lead.

The Bulldogs (14-3-4, 5-1-1) didn’t let up as it took a pair of outstanding saves by junior keeper Jackson Katsorchis to

“We showed some composure at the end of the game. Layups and free throws win games, so you’ve got to make them when it comes down to it,” Slidell coach Kristin Twillie said. “We did not play our best basketball in the second half. We scored when we needed to, but defensively, we didn’t do as well as we typically do. Our zone offense struggled against their zone defense.” That was not the case early as Slidell held Salmen to just two first-quarter field

St. Paul’s Parker signs to play rugby with Loyola

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

St. Paul’s rugby player Sean Parker didn’t start playing the sport until his freshman year

He didn’t waste any time learning his craft, and all that hard work paid off as the 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior recently signed to be part of Loyola University-New Orleans’ first rugby team.

“I’m really excited,” Parker said. “I get to be a part of their founding team, and hopefully, I’ll get a chance to play professionally one day It’s a great opportunity to play the sport and get a scholarship to get my degree at the same time.

Parker said he became interested in Loyola last spring when

the school announced it was starting the program to compete in the Fall of 2026. Parker added that he met with Loyola Director of Rugby Ryan Fitzgerald, and the rest is history

Parker’s rugby journey actually started on the wrestling mat.

He began wrestling in the eighth grade, but his wrestling coach, Ricky Zimmer, also coached on the rugby team

Parker started playing rugby as a freshman and never looked back.

“(Zimmer) always told me that I was good at wrestling, but I could be great at rugby,” Parker said. “I listened to him, and that’s how I got here. I played in the last game of the season my freshman year, and now, I’m getting a chance to keep

playing in college and hopefully beyond.”

St. Paul’s rugby coach Eric Orphys said Parker is the first person in St. Paul’s history to receive a rugby scholarship.

“Sean has worked really hard in the off-season and with us in practices to get to this point,” Orphys said. “He came to us from wrestling, and he progressed very quickly and became one of our better players. I’m proud that there is college rugby near home for kids who want opportunities in education.”

Orphys has been a forward for his entire career but started in the second row as a lock. He will play at loose forward for the Wolves this season.

MANDEVILLE

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behind, even when you make a few runs, they’re going to have some, too It’s tough to close that gap We need to find a way to stay in front Michel’s foul trouble certainly was a problem for the Wolves not only in the end, but for much of the second and third quarters, as well. In fact, he only played 12 minutes total, as he collected his third foul in the ninth minute of the game on the offensive end before Fontenot could get him off the court following his second whistle on the previous possession

He sat the final 7:22 of the second quarter, and then picked up his fourth foul less than a minute and a half into the second half.

With Michel out, it allowed Mandeville to focus on Ballard and play a little tighter elsewhere, as well. Even with him shooting 7 for 15 from the field and 3 of 6 on 3-point attempts, the rest of the team was 12 of 38 (31.6%) from the field. Meanwhile, the Skippers were a highly effective 24 of 46 from the field for 52.2%.

Oh, and their memories were much fresher At first, Priola tried to use coach speak to describe his thoughts from the win before reality took over and he began to say what he really was thinking.

“Our goal is a district championship, and so the only thing that matters right now is Ponchatoula on Thursday It’s super hard to win this district, and Ponchatoula has got to be the focus,” he said before a pause

“It has been a long 17 days (since the last meeting against St. Paul’s); maybe the longest 17 days of my life. I just think at this school we have some of the toughest kids in the world. You don’t have to grade-check them, and they do everything right off the court. I can coach them like I am in the 1970s. They are mentally tough, and they proved it with what we have had to deal with over the past 17 days.”

As the calendar turns to February and the final few weeks of the season, the Skippers are in good shape to host a first-round playoff game.

Jan 30.

They came into this one at No. 17 in the Division I nonselect power ratings, which is one spot behind where they need to be to play at home. With the loss, the Wolves are in a tight spot with just six regular-season games remaining. There are four fewer playoff spots available in Division I select, which means a team must finish in the top 24 to even play in the postseason. St. Paul’s started a four-game winning streak by defeating

SLIDELL

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played hard, and I’m proud of everybody.”

The Spartans relied on the scoring combo of senior Akayla McMooian and junior Kendal Thomas to rally in the second half. Salmen cut the lead to two points on several occasions in the third quarter before a Gallien put-back sparked a 9-2 Slidell run to give the home team a 42-33 lead after three quarters.

“I think our coach calling the timeout after halftime and telling us to take a breath helped,” Slidell senior Payton Rowbatham said. “We started the third quarter a little rough, but just pacing and having the right people dribbling the ball up definitely helped. This was huge for us; it was definitely a great win.”

While Gallien drove the Tigers (21-1, 4-0) in the first half, senior guard Jaelynn Elliott recorded 17 of her gamehigh 23 points in the second half. Elliott scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, including going 6 of 6 from the freethrow line, as the Spartans never cut the lead to less than five in the final quarter Slidell sophomore Madyson Parker added 14 points as the Tigers shot 47% from the field and hit 13 of 18 free throws.

For Salmen (21-2, 3-1), McMooian and Thomas finished with 21 points each, but the team struggled from the field, shooting just 33% The Spartans were even worse at the free-throw line, going 7 of 21 in the game and 4 of 14 in the fourth quarter Salmen coach Daryl Thomas said his players will grow from this experience as the two teams are scheduled to play again on Feb. 12 at Salmen in the district finale. “It’s hard to come back from

being down 17-5,” Thomas said. “You’re not supposed to even get close, but we battled. We settled down a little bit, but we’ve got to come out of the gate more intense.” BOYS: Slidell 65, Salmen 60 The Tigers used a big second quarter to take control and held off a furious late rally for a District 7-5A victory Slidell outscored the Spartans 21-8 in the second quarter to build a 33-19 halftime lead. The Tigers (20-5, 3-0) looked comfortably in control until Salmen cut the lead to six points with two minutes left Salmen junior BJ Matthews’ put-back cut the lead to 57-55 with 1:27 left, but that was as close as the Spartans (14-10, 1-2) would get. Slidell sophomore Ayden Ducre came up with some key scores late to put the game away Slidell senior Jerry Birdlow led all scorers with 20 points, while junior Jalen Lucas added 17. “In practice, we work on end-game situations all the time, and that showed tonight,” Birdlow said. “We had to regroup at the end. I had a lot of points in the first half, so they

Hall of Fame on Jan. 15.

Keahey, Hunter honored with SSA Hall of Fame induction

Staff report

St. Scholastica Academy celebrated the two newest inductees to its Athletic Hall of Fame on Jan. 15. Mary Grace Gitz Keahey, Class of 2013, and Courtney Robicheaux Hunter, Class of 2015, were honored for their athletic accomplishments. Keahey excelled in volleyball and both indoor and outdoor track. In volleyball, she earned several honors, including Academic All-State, All-District MVP, All-Metro, District MVP and Louisiana Volleyball Coaches Association All-State. She was also an established track athlete as a three-time District and Regional high jump champion and All-State honoree. Keahey was the Division I Indoor and Class 5A Outdoor

high jump state champion in 2013. Keahey attended LSU and competed in the high jump on the indoor/outdoor track team. After graduating from LSU in 2017, she helped cocoach SSA’s eighth-grade volleyball team to a NIAL championship in 2022. Hunter is one of the most accomplished studentathletes in school history. A five-time letterwinner in soccer, she helped lead SSA to four district championships, state titles in 2014 and 2015 and two state runner-up finishes. She was a four-time All-District selection, threetime All-State honoree, twotime All-Metro pick and the 2013 All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year She was also named MVP of the 2015 LHSSA Division I state championship match. She was a four-year letterwinner at Mississippi State. Hunter was named to the All-SEC Watch List in 2018, played every minute of conference play in 2018 and missed just 48 minutes of SEC play over her entire career She appeared in 53 full matches and finished eighth in school history with 6,235 career minutes played. Courtney helped lead the Bulldogs to the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history in 2018. After graduating, Courtney returned to Louisiana, where she continues to give back to the game by training young soccer players while also working as an Employee Benefits Consultant at Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage firm.

Mandeville Junior High celebrates five district championships

Staff report

Five different Mandeville Junior High teams celebrated district championships this past fall. In girls basketball, the Patriots finished their second season undefeated and claimed the district title for the third year in a row Team members include assistant coach Janice Evans, Sofia Johnson, Adri Benoit Genevieve Sperry, Georgia Gros, Darby Monson, Kinley Johnson, Izzy Wilkins, Harper Lawson and head coach Melanie Gaines. The football team authored a second straight undefeated season to earn its third consecutive district crown. Team members include eighth graders Dean Moore, Garrett Smith (manager), Tristan Craddock, Jaxon Turkin, Nathan Silva (manager), Andrew Burg, Elijah LeBeau, Robby Lape, Gabe CD, Maddox Baumann, AJ Greene, Baylen “Buttercup” McDonald, Jayven Evan, Ian McCain, Syrian, Javon Davis, Vaughn Gonlag, Michael Ray, Grier Robbins, Jax Murla, Ky’len Taylor, Hunter MacMaster, Liam Harvey, Grayson Burge, Jaysen Evans and

Johnny Utah.

The girls volleyball team finished first in the district tournament to claim the district title. Team members include head coach Melanie Gaines, Karoline Liddell, Jenna Viger, Veronica Schell, Darby Monson, Kate Haley Adriana Mikalsen, Naveah Finfrock, Ava Amorajabi and assistant coach Janice Evans.

In boys basketball the Patriots won a second consecutive title with an undefeated district record. Team members include AJ Greene, Benji Pearson, Mason Flaherty, assistant coach Bobby Nelsen, Tripp Collins, head coach Jeremy Picone, Johnny Utah, DJ Penn, Baylen “Buttercup” McDonald, Syrian Wade, Ian McCain and Maddox Baumann.

The girls cross-country team won the district title for the third straight season. Team members are Charlotte Eagan, Adri Benoit, Julia Breve, Bree Upton, Faith Marengo, Harper Lawson, Izzy Wilkins, Morgan Johnson, Bailey Burris Iris Gilman, Kate Wilson and Eleanor Richard. Girls crosscountry is coached by Amy Berger

ST. PAUL’S

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keep Fontainebleau off the board. The first came in the 22nd minute on a point-blank shot by Benjamin. Then just before halftime, Fontainebleau’s Angel Junio took a hard shot in the box that Katsorchis turned away to keep the 2-0 score line.

“(Katsorchis) seemed a little nervous to start the game, but he made big saves,” St. Paul’s coach Sean Moser said. “He kept us in there. He would make a save, the ball would bounce around, and we’d clear it off the line. (Fontainebleau) could have had one or two, but as soon as we settled in and kept everything in front of us, they had nothing in the second half.” St. Paul’s pushed hard for a third goal in the second half, but Fontainebleau keeper Jackson Manale

came up with a point-blank save in the 47th minute to keep the margin at 2-0. The Bulldogs’ best chance of the second half came in the 56th minute as Katsorchis came up with two quality back-to-back saves. The Wolves put the match away seven minutes later as junior Nicholas Gristina scored on a penalty kick that an outstretched Manale nearly deflected away. The PK was set up by a handball in the box on a shot from Seese.

Fontainebleau first-year coach Beau Felder said he was happy with his team’s effort, especially since three freshmen were on the field at one point during the district-title match.

“We can really shock and awe people with the formation that we play and the people that we have up there,” Felder said “We need one to go early, and if we don’t get that, we start to try to force it. We need to make sure that we keep

our composure and follow the plan. We can get away from it when things don’t go our way, but this is just our third loss of the season. The effort was there from start to finish.”

Fontainebleau will likely host a home playoff game while district champion St. Paul’s (14-4-2, 6-0-1) could secure a Top 4 seed when the soccer brackets are re-

leased on Feb. 3.

“This is just another little milestone,” said Dantin about the district crown.

“You’ve got to take the little victories, but we’re fighting for that big one at the end.”

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