Good morning, Slidell.

St. Tammany Project Christmas is accepting donations and identifying families for a Christmas program that gives qualifying children and adults at least three gifts and a full meal along the northshore.

President Jewell Bayhi said the volunteer effort operates solely on donations—money, goods or services—and relies on volunteers to assemble needed items like bikes, bedding and sports equipment to keep the magic of the season alive.

Northshore Humane Society’s Golden Paws program sends KodaBug, a 7-year-old shepherd mix, to visit seniors at The Peristyle at Beau West while rotating visits among 10 care facilities in Mandeville and Covington—helping both residents and shelter dogs bond—while KodaBug awaits a forever home.

St. Tammany Parish hosts many farmers markets that offer live music, local produce, and prepared food with vendors that change with the season.

Shoppers in Slidell should check market updates when weather may affect hours or vendor availability.

Madisonville's Jessica Valladares became executive director of the Covington-based Brooke It Forward Foundation and is steering efforts to deliver birthday joy to children in need — she will expand the foundation's reach with new Birthday Buddy and Birthday Crew programs.

After losing their newborn son, Kimberly and Aaron Novod founded Saul’s Light to help NICU and bereaved families across Louisiana.

The non-profit will offer essential support and resources to families in need.

More than 30 Slidell residents completed the police department’s Citizens Academy in a six-week course that offered practical talks on crime scene investigations, gun safety, and traffic patrol along with a hands-on SWAT team simulation—demonstrating local law enforcement work while strengthening community ties. The program, resumed after a COVID pause, ended with certificates, a handshake from the chief, and volunteer opportunities for future community events.

The Tedesco family will run the Mardi Gras booth at the Slidell Food & Fun Fest on Oct.

17-19 at the St. Margaret Mary Church and School campus where visitors can win prizes by drawing a colored doubloon. The family, who have volunteered for 43 years— including first-grade teacher Kristi Tedesco Griffith and her brother Chris, now assistant fair director— continues a long-standing tradition while supporting the local church and school.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office and partner agencies warned that green fentanyl—a drug that can look like chalk, gel, or tar—is now seen on the Northshore and Greater New Orleans area, and its extreme strength means even a tiny amount can cause a deadly overdose, so people should call 911 if they see signs of an emergency.

EquipmentShare, a nationwide construction equipment rental company, opened a $33 million branch in Lacombe on Krental Road — part of a $187 million expansion in Louisiana that will eventually add 13 locations statewide.

Local officials said the new facility will bring 25 jobs to the parish — marking an early step in the company’s broad growth plan.

Independence High Magnet School will crown its Homecoming King and Queen on Friday, October 17 at 7 p.m. The event offers cashless entry to the game—admission is $10.

Forecasters say La Nina conditions have met the threshold and NOAA has issued a La Nina Advisory—this may lead to a busy end to hurricane season.

LSU Climatologist Barry Keim said no major storms are expected for the Gulf Coast and that La Nina winters bring warmer, drier weather.

At a Monday press conference, SLU coach Frank Scelfo said that small colleges may soon stop playing bigger teams for lucrative paydays because scheduling challenges, long travel, and injury risks strain programs—he added that rising athletic costs and new schedule mandates could reshape matchups, including the Lions’ 70th meeting with Northwestern during homecoming week.

A local sports writer shared four football predictions after six weeks in the season, noting that teams must block and tackle well to avoid costly mistakes.

The forecast states that the Oct. 16 game at Pope John Paul II will decide District 9-2A while Slidell’s Week 10 road test at Northshore will decide the District 7-5A race—making these matchups key for district play.