Good morning, Slidell.

St. Tammany will host several fall events this month — the St. Luke Pumpkin Patch in Slidell is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct 31 and the Slidell Zombie Crawl is set for Oct 24 from 5 to 10 p.m., while ACCESS Boo Fest on Oct 25 and other regional festivities offer more opportunities for families and community members to celebrate the season.

A federal government shutdown in its third week has led Northshore food banks to brace for increased demand—thousands of local families may soon rely on these services for food assistance.

Food bank staff are preparing supplies and adjusting operations as the shutdown continues.

A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business found 64% of small business owners say supply chain disruptions are hurting their businesses—14% blame inflation, and over a quarter have raised or plan to raise prices.

NFIB Louisiana director Leah Long said the group is watching policy moves and workforce training plans that may affect key industries.

South Louisiana will host a busy weekend of music as the state's largest songwriter festival begins in St. Tammany on Nov.

1–2 with special pre- and post-events, while in Slidell the NOLA Zydeco Festival takes place in Heritage Park on Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents will enjoy zydeco bands, a gumbo cook-off, dancing lessons and a Creole jam session led by Drake LeBlanc starting at 11:45 a.m.—all set to bring local culture alive.

Louisiana's average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $2.62—down six cents from last week.

AAA representative Nick Chabarria said fuel prices may drop further if crude oil stays steady—keeping the state among the nation’s lowest.

Keep St. Tammany Beautiful and parish government are hosting a hazardous waste collection on Nov.

1 at the Northshore Square parking lot in Slidell—residents must register and choose a 15-minute window from 8 a.m. to noon to drop off items. The event accepts hazardous household waste like e-waste and liquid paints but will not take trailers, large containers, or white goods.

An independent testing expert reported troubling early results from tests around Roseland after the Smitty’s Supply explosion in August—he found dioxin levels 20 times higher than those in East Palestine and warned that contaminated pond water flowing into the Tangipahoa River increases exposure risks as EPA and state crews continue cleanup and testing.

The Northshore Food Bank in St. Tammany Parish is preparing for a surge in demand if the government shutdown continues into November and SNAP benefits are cut, potentially affecting roughly 14,000 households.

CEO Yvette Roussel said the food bank, which currently helps 350 households, has already seen a few families turn to it amid job losses + a 13% drop in USDA food donations that has strained supplies.

Nurses at St. Tammany Parish Hospital read to NICU babies to help them talk and feel loved during long shifts.

The team read 431 books in a 10-day contest and ranked 28th worldwide—first among Louisiana hospitals.