Good morning, Slidell.

Today, the St. Tammany Parish Library is launching a beautification project at the Slidell Library with a groundbreaking event at 2 p.m. that begins with planting a magnolia tree provided by Keep Slidell Beautiful—families will enjoy indoor and outdoor activities until 4 p.m. and trash receptacles funded by a state grant will be installed later this spring at both the Slidell and South Slidell libraries.

American Factory Direct, a family-owned furniture store in Covington, is bracing for a 46% tariff on Vietnamese imports that takes effect on April 9—co-owner David Comeaux is working to ship orders by Monday or Tuesday to avoid the fee.

Families may feel the impact at checkout as prices rise—while incomes remain unchanged.

Love the Boot Week begins today and runs through April 13 — a statewide volunteer drive to remove trash from public spaces in all 64 parishes — Lt Gov Billy Nungesser expects 1,000 cleanup teams to help cut litter costs after Louisiana spent over $92 million on cleanups last year.

State officials designated April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month—sharing preliminary 2024 data that distracted driving led to 180 fatalities and 1,295 serious injuries—and warning drivers against using cell phones while behind the wheel.

Leaders urged parents to model safe driving and announced plans to push for a hands-free law in the upcoming legislative session.

Gionni Wiltz, a Slidell senior, swept the high jump, long jump and triple jump on April 3 at Covington High and earned the overall boys MVP award by scoring 30 points at the St. Tammany Parish Championship track meet.

The Tigers claimed their fourth consecutive meet win – they narrowly beat Salmen 125 to 115 and recorded 12 top-three finishes despite injuries affecting some team members.

Old Towne Slidell Crawfish and Music Festival

11 AM – 5 PM — Old Town Slidell — Free admission — Savor delicious boiled crawfish and enjoy three stages of live music at this annual celebration.

Louisiana International Female Ride Day

2 PM – 12 AM — 38008 Browns Village Rd, Slidell, LA — Bring your own bike — Celebrate female riders with a thrilling day of camaraderie and scenic routes.