Edge of the Lake Magazine June | July 2021

B U S I N E S S •

P E O P L E

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A R T

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F O O D

JUNE | JULY 2021

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O U T D O O R S

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H I S T O R Y

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Well, summer is finally here! After a lockdown and more than a year of restricted living, I know that everyone is ready for summer and to get back to living life to the fullest here on the Northshore. Events are picking back up: everything from concerts in the parks and art shows to a plethora of fundraisers.

We decided to take a look at the many things there are to do here on the Northshore, and we put together our first summer fun guide. We have focused on local business, which are the heartbeat of the community and put money back into our local economy, and our local non-profits, which make this a unique place to live. Truly there is something for everyone!

To celebrate the summer, our sister station Lake 94.7 is going on the road. The Morning Show with Charles Dowdy will be broadcasted from locations all around our listening area.

So, listen in for the announcements about where we’ll be and look for us in your hometown.

Lastly, congratulations to our Senior Account Executive Rebecca Blossman-Ferran on being named Ambassador of the Year by the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, and congratulations to our Account Executive Debi Menasco on being named Ambassador of the Year by the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce.

PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER Sarah Cottrell EDITOR Travis Bickle ART DIRECTOR Erich Belk STYLE DIRECTOR Patty Beal BEAUTY EDITOR Caitlin Picou COPY EDITOR Mary-Brent Brown CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Kelly Burkenstock Liv Butera Chris Massengill Liz Smith Julia Watson STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jerry Cottrell KEY ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE Eloise Cottrell SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Rebecca Blossman-Ferran ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Erin Bolton Jamie Dakin Debi Menasco Stephanie Miller INTERN Julia Watson

Cover Photo Jerry Cottrell

The entire contents of this magazine are copyrighted

by EDGE Publishing. @ 2021 with all rights reserved.

Reproduction or use without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Please email comments or story ideas to edgepublisher@yahoo.com.

EDGE PUBLISHING • 69170 HWY 190 SERVICE RD. SUITE 1 COVINGTON, LA 70433 • 985.867.5990

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RESTAURANT REVIEW

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COMMUNITY LEADERS

Mike Cooper St. Tammany Parish President

The year 2020 presented us with many challenges, testing our fortitude, willingness and determination to overcome COVID-19. Now, halfway through 2021, we are moving forward with our return to normalcy.

Today, as more citizens take advantage of vaccinations, our hospitalizations are steadily decreasing and our percent positivity rates remain under 2%.

After a year of strict requirements, through the hard work of our citizenry, we were able to safely lift the mask mandate. Though not completely out of the woods yet, our communities have worked diligently to heed the advice of our healthcare professionals, and I am confident they will continue to help us make progress.

We recently launched the St. Tammany Rental Assistance Program, which utilizes $7.7 million in CARES Act funding from the Department of Treasury. The program is available to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information may be found at www.stpgov.org/departments/grants.

Another notable improvement comes from the Department of Animal Services. In my first year as Parish President, our Animal Services’ Live Release Rate increased by 30%, from 55% to 85%. This year, in our first quarter, we achieved a 95% Live Release Rate. This is not just an accomplishment for Animal Services, but for our entire community. Even in the face of a global pandemic, St. Tammany Parish continues to make the welfare of our animals a priority.

As we move into the second half of 2021, we are steadfast in keeping up the pace of providing services for the benefit of our citizens. We have numerous projects in the works to create jobs, improve our infrastructure, and increase our overall quality of life. It has been my main focus to keep us moving forward, while balancing the health of our community with the health of our economy. We look forward to the remainder of 2021 as we complete our current projects and start new initiatives to continue serving the citizens of St. Tammany Parish.

Here in Southeast Louisiana we are entering what is commonly referred to as the “Dog Days of Summer.”

While it may feel unbearably hot standing outside during an average Louisiana summer afternoon – it is significantly hotter inside a parked car. Thirty-eight children die on average in the United States every summer due to being left in hot cars. There are ways to prevent these tragedies from occurring.

Here are four simple methods to help remind you a child is in the backseat of your car.

Randy Smith St. Tammany Sheriff

• Set an alarm on your phone to go off about the time you get to work each day. The alarm will jolt you out of auto-pilot and remind you to check your back seat.

• Put your purse or wallet in the backseat. If your scheduling has changed at the last minute for some reason, because of habit you will look for your purse or wallet before exiting the car.

• Put the child’s diaper bag in the front seat with you. By placing the diaper bag in the front seat you have a visible cue when you’re getting out of the car.

• When your child is not in the car seat, put a stuffed animal in it. When you place your child in the car seat move the stuffed animal to the front seat as a visible cue.

These are just a few of the many ways to remind yourself there is a child in the backseat.

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As an added reminder, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has printed stickers for local businesses and offices to place on their front doors as a reminder to customers and employees to stop and make sure they didn’t forget their child or pet in the back seat. To get one of these stickers for your business/office, contact the Sheriff’s office by emailing your business name, address and contact information to victoriaowens@stpso.com.

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GLOBAL WILDLIFE globalwildlife.com 26389 HWY 40 Folsom •

Take a trip to Global Wildlife to take a once in a lifetime safari trip right in the heart of Folsom, LA. Tour over 900 acres of Louisiana land complete with 12 ponds and a lake. During the tours visitors have the opportunity to feed various exotic animals such as giraffes, camels, elands and many more!

located near the Covington entrance of the St. Tammany Trace, the Mandeville Lakefront trace exit and a coffee shop in Slidell.

BREWERY TOURS ABITA BREWING COMPANY Abita.com 21084 Hwy 36, Covington 985.893.3143 •

BOGUE FALAYA PARK 213 Park Dr. Covington 985.892.1873 •

Bogue Falaya Park has a scenic water-front view of the Bogue Falaya River. The park consists of a massive children’s playground, a brand-new kayak launch, picnic tables throughout and a pavilion which is available for rent.

ST. TAMMANY TRACE tammanytrace.org 985.867.9490 21490 Koop Dr. Mandeville, •

ABITA MYSTERY HOUSE abitamysteryhouse.com 22275 Hwy 36, Abita Springs 985.892.2624 •

The St. Tammany Trace is a lovely bike trail which ranges from downtown Covington, through Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe and ends in Slidell.

The trace consists of many different stops where you can enjoy lunch, dinner, live music, museums, markets and more.

BROOKS’ BIKE SHOP brooksbikeshop.com 416 E. Gibson St., Covington 128 Girod St., Mandeville 208 W Hall Ave. • If you enjoy outdoor activities such as bike riding the trace or launching your kayak onto the Bogue Falaya but lack in the proper equipment, your first stop should be Brooks’ Bike Shop. This local bike shop houses bikes and kayaks of all sorts, and they are available for rent, purchase or repair at your convenience. Brooks is

Visit the Abita Brewing Company where endless signature and seasonal beers are produced. While you’re there, tours and tastings are readily available. On the tours, learn about Abita’s brewing process, beer and history while experiencing the entirety of their revamped brewery. They also offer a family friendly Craft Soda Tour. Ride the St. Tammany Trace to get to the brewery and enjoy some fresh beer and good company.

The Abita Mystery House has a unique twist on a traditional museum. The Mystery House experience consists of a folkart environment with 1000s of found objects and homemade inventions. Tourists see a miniature Southern town with push buttons and activate animated displays.

The exhibits consist of odd collections, memorabilia and old arcade machines that are fun to play.

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF ST. TAMMANY 21404 Koop Dr., Mandeville 985.888.1555 •

The Children’s Museum consists of interactive learning exhibits which focus on science, technology, engineering and math while embracing early learning through the power to play and to imagine and create through the arts.

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MARITIME MUSEUM Lpbmm.org 133 Mabel Dr., Madisonville 985.845.9200 •

The Maritime Museum is a small in-depth museum about the shipping and boating industry in Louisiana. The museum consists of unique interpretive programs, exhibits and publications. The museum includes endless history and culture. At the museum, one can find canoes, pirogues, bateauxs, steamboats and more.

INSTA-GATOR insta-gatorranch.com 985.892.3669 •

While you’re visiting this Alligator Ranch, tour guides ensure that you learn about alligators from the beginning of time to present day, and why the Louisiana Alligator Ranching program was created.

Throughout the alligator educational tour visitors can feed alligators ranging from 2 to 8 feet and at the end of the tour, they are given the option to even hold one of these alligators.

FONTAINEBLEU STATE PARK Lastateparks.com 62883 Hwy 1089, Mandeville, 985.624.4443 •

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Where a sugar mill once stood now exists a beautiful state park, which consists of glamping, biking, boating and beautiful nature. Visitors can rent various styles of

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camping tents, but one specific style known as “glamping” has become extremely popular. These pop ups consist of four walls and a roof above your head as well as a fullsized bed. There is also a beach overlooking Lake Ponchartrain, just across from New Orleans.

LOCAL THEATER: 30 x NINETY 30byninety.com 880 Lafayette St., Mandeville 844.843.3090 •

The 30 by Ninety theatre is a jack of all trades when it comes to theater opportunities. The offer volunteer work both on and off stage, hold open auditions of all its shows and partner with local restaurants and businesses. In 2020, they were voted the Theatre of The Decade in the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards.

They offer tickets to their shows as well as summer camps and memberships.

PONTCHARTRAIN VINEYARDS pontchartrainvineyards.com 81250 Highway 1082, Bush •

Pontchartrain Vineyards has been crafting Louisiana’s Wine since 1991. The vineyard offers an assortment of specialties including a tasting room and a wine club. It also frequently hosts different events. The tasting room is a classic wine tasting experience in which you can bring your own food and enjoy a slew of wine flights in a casual atmosphere. People of all ages are welcome.

ST. TAMMANY ART ASSOCATION ART CLASSES sttammany.art 320 N. Columbia St., Covington 985.892.8650 •

The St. Tammany Art Association aims toward helping local artists and prospects to thrive in our community. The association offers a variation of classes that offer adults and children the opportunity to learn about photography, drawing, painting, en-caustic, pottery and more. The classes are second to none, they are instructed by practicing artists and arts educators to all levels of skills and experience.

BLUE HARVEST FARMS blueharvestfarms.com 78495 LA-21, Bush •

In Bush, people can find the local blueberry farm, Blue Harvest Farms. This familyowned, U-Pick farm is a membership-based establishment in which members can visit the farm’s 3000 blueberry bushes and leave with hand-picked, fresh blueberries. The blueberry season only lasts 6 weeks.

HONEY ISLAND SWAMP honeyislandswamp.com 41490 Crawford Landing Road, Slidell 985.641.1769 •

Slidell’s Honey Island Swamp provides the community with a nature-filled boat tour along the swamp in between the East Pearl and West Pearl Rivers. This swamp is filled with a huge array of wildlife, but the tours are best known for the interactions with Louisiana alligators. Alligators rush toward the boat tours because they know they will be rewarded for it with none other than sweet marshmallows. Tour guides lead visitors through the water surrounded by beautiful cypress trees and fleeting birds.

No two tours are the same, one must never know what to expect at Honey Island Swamp before seeing it for themselves.

ELEVATION STATION elevationstation.com 250 Northpointe Ct., Covington 985.214.1888 •

Elevation Station is the Northshore’s first trampoline park. The park is equipped with endless activities including a giant open jump, an obstacle course, gladiator pits, dodgeball courts and basketball courts.

It’s fun for all ages, you can show up to jump any time or you can book your next birthday party with them! Afterall, everyone has a good time jumping on a trampoline!

TRAILHEAD MUSEUM Covington Trailhead •

TANGI LANES – BOWLING tangilanes.com 1612 W. Thomas St., Hammond 985.345.2653 •

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bowling and even a snack bar. They also host corporate, adult and youth parties. It also has a local bowling league; they really do it all!

A blast into the city of Covington’s past.

From Wednesday to Sunday, visitors and locals can learn about the city’s history with photos, interactive kiosks and short films.

If you’re looking for local fun, Tangi Lanes is the place to be. This unique bowling alley consists of fun for all ages with bowling, food, drinks and arcades. Tangi Lanes offers an arcade, billiard, bumper bowling, galaxy

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BAYOU ADVENTURE bayouadventure.com 28178 US-190, Lacome •

Paddleboard or kayak through Cane Bayou or Bayou Lacombe this summer with Bayou Adventure. This family-owned company is known as the best eco-tour in Louisiana.

Participating in these guided bayou tours will take your breath away as you become closer to Louisiana wildlife than ever before.

HAMMOND’S DREAMLAND SKATE PARK dreamlandskateparks.com W Coleman Ave, Hammond 985.514.6674 •

This 15,000 sq. ft. skate park can quite literally fulfill your skating dreams.

Dreamland Skate Park offers a free space for skateboarders of all skill levels and the opportunity to practice and accomplish goals. It is a great destination for anyone interested in skating or learning to skate.

The environment and crowd is lively and welcoming.

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THE CANDY BANK thecandybank.com 201 Carroll St. Mandeville 985.778.2750 •

If you’re ever in the lakefront area looking for a kid friendly and fun experience, take a trip to the candy bank. There is an endless list of reasons to indulge in the inviting old St. Tammany Bank building. At The Candy Bank, they offer everything from candies and icecream to old-fashioned floats and homemade fudge. What’s not to love?

BOGUE CHITTO STATE PARK lastateparks.com 17049 St. Park Blvd Folsom 985.839.5707 •

The Bogue Chitto State Park is perfect for lovers of all things outdoors. The list of features the park offers is endless. For starters, they have 81 premium campsites

PHOTO COURTESY BAYOU ADVENTURE

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equipped with water and electrical hookup.

Whether you’re looking to float or boat down the river, they offer canoe, kayak and tube rentals readily available. Additionally, the park has a disc golf course as well as water playgrounds and hiking trails. Last but not least, the park has equestrian trails.

The trails are open to all riders with their own horses.

NORTHLAKE NATURE CENTER northlakenature.org 23135 US Hwy 190, Mandeville 985.626.1238 •

The Northlake Nature Center is a non-profit corporation which offers memberships and activities. The purpose of the nature center is meant to preserve, study and publicly display the beauties of nature and wildlife in Louisiana. The trail is public and family friendly, it was created in hopes of helping visitors become more in

touch with nature and their surroundings.

The Northlake Nature Center organization offers children activities, such as Kids in the Wild. The program shows children how to use their different senses to get a better understanding and feeling of the wilderness around you. It also hosts an annual event called Bird Fest. This fest includes birding trips, workshops and southern hospitality.

COVEY RISE coveyriselodge.com 24009 Singing Waterfall Road, Husser 985.747.0310 •

Covey Rise is more than just any lodge.

Covey rise gives members and visitors the option to enjoy the Gun Club Room & Deck, shooting lessons, hunting excursions and professional guides at your fingertips.

Appreciate the outdoors while partaking in a slew of fun activities. Aside from offering luxury lodging, activities and dining, Covey Rise also holds youth camps. The camps are meant to show children how to maintain an active lifestyle, gain self-confidence and learn basic skills.

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OLD TOWN SLIDELL SODA SHOP 301 Cousin St., Slidell 985.649.4806 •

This gem is located in Slidell gives off welcoming, old time vibes. Their ice cream is second to none and the staff is happy to have you. They are infamous for their delicious malts and shakes. All of their fixings are made in house, it truly is one of a kind. Old town is the place you want to sit and stay a while.

take some lessons while you’re there. After playing all 18 holes around the beautiful course, enjoy award-winning food in the Grille restaurant and bar.

THE MANDEVILLE LAKEFRONT cityofmandeville.com 2623 Lakeshore Dr, Mandeville 985.626.3144 •

KLIEBERT AND SON’S GATOR TOURS kliebertgatortours.com 40511 W E Interstate 55 Service Road, Ponchatoula 985.345.3617 •

Kliberts is an alligator farm that offers tours and information about gators of all sorts. They also offer handmade boats and birthday parties. However, Klieberts is much more than an alligator farm. This establishment is family owned and strives to make every experience special for you and your family.

PAINTBALL COMMAND paintball-command.com 21268 Emile Strain Road, Mandeville 985.809.7668 •

Paintball Command is a 40-acre paintball field equipped for anyone to enjoy a paintball game. Paintball is fun for all ages, they even offer pee-wee paintball for younger children.

Paintball equipment is available for rent and you can show up at any time. They also offer speedball and multiple themed scenario events throughout the year for intense play.

Have your next birthday party or enjoy a friendly paintball competition at paintball command!

MONEY HILL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB moneyhill.com 100 Country Club Dr., Abita Springs 985.892.3300 •

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Located near the 183-acre artesian spring-fed lake lies a Louisiana Top Ten Championship golf course. The course is surrounded by the sound of nature and peace in the midst of a one-of-a-kind neighborhood. The golf training facilities are nationally ranked, so

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There is nothing quite like enjoying a sunset with a front row view of Lake Pontchartrain.

Grab your folding chairs and kites then head to the Lakefront. Not only is there a wide variety of restaurants and bars amid the lakefront from burgers to pizza to seafood, just sitting and taking in the beauty is more than enough to visit. Its entirety is over two miles long, it is an extremely pleasant way to exercise and appreciate Louisiana’s nature.

ST. TAMMANY FISHING PIER sttammanyfishingpier.com 54001 E. Howze Beach Road 985.649.1922 •

After the original I-10 twinspans were destroyed at the hands of Katrina, Louisianians thought to repurpose what was once a bridge used by many. This 650 ft fishing pier quickly became Louisiana’s first public fishing pier. The St. Tammany Fishing Pier is a fun adventure whether you’re with family or solo. Enjoy catching all sorts of Lake Pontchartrain’s fish including redfish, sheepshead, spotted trout, flounder, drum, blue crab and more.

SUNSET POINT FISHING PIER louisiananorthshore.com Massena St, Mandeville 985.626.3144 •

With a beautiful view of Lake Pontchartrain and the causeway bridge, Sunset Point is the perfect place to enjoying fishing and a picnic. The pier spreads over 400 ft onto Lake Pontchartrain and includes public restrooms and onshore picnic tables. It is a desirable place for people of all ages who are looking to spend quality time while enjoying a Louisiana sunset.

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GEOCACHE THROUGH ST. TAMMANY PARISH •

In simple terms, geocacheing is to take coordinates given to you downtown which will take you on adventures in hopes of finding small packages or notes known as caches. This is such a fun activity because it helps you find areas in town you didn’t know existed while appreciating the outdoors. There are hundreds of geocaches throughout St. Tammany Parish, they are all surrounding you without even noticing!

Just download the geocache app and let the fun begin!

JOYCE WILDLIFE SWAMPWALK wlf.louisiana.gov Old U.S. 51, Ponchatoula •

The Joyce Swampwalk is perfect walking, nature trips and birdwatching. The swampwalk is quick but every moment spent on the trail is filled with all types of nature. There are multiple overlooks and if you enjoy geocacheing, there is one located here!

PONTCHARTRAIN YACHT CLUB – SAILING LESSONS pontyc.org 140 Jackson Ave, Mandeville 985.626.3192 •

The Pontchartrain yacht club is located at the end of Mandeville’s beautiful lakefront.

If you’re looking to gain a new skill, the yacht club offers adult lessons which consist of four sessions, three hours each.

Additionally, they offer sailing camp for children ages 8 to 16 at both beginner and intermediate levels.

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CUTTING EDGE THEATRE cuttingedgetheater.com 767 Robert Blvd., Slidell 985.649.3727 •

Salon by day, theater by night, this unique establishment morphs into the most ingenious, intimate theater in all of Slidell.

The theater’s goal is to create a one-of-akind experience that exemplify cultural differences and similarities. The theater focuses on traditional American plays as well as more unheard-of productions. The theater draws in people of all ages and backgrounds in hopes of strengthening the community as a whole.

HOODOO ICE CREAM 405 N Columbia St., Covington 985.900.2353 •

In the heart of downtown Covington, Hoodoo offers the most premium homemade ice cream ever. Each unique flavor is made from scratch and they offer different special flavors every week. Their milk is brought in from Jersey cows and then turned into the most indulgent ice cream ever. But they don’t only offer ice cream. They also offer shakes, cookies and dairy free ice cream. There is also an ice cream flight, in which you can try multiple flavors. This is the perfect outing for you and your family on a hot summer day!

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JUNE 17-27 Disney’s Aladdin JR brings the famous movie to life, on stage.

In Agrabah, City of Enchantment, every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail!

Aladdin, a kind but wily, street urchin, falls in love with beautiful Princess Jasmine, who he knows is waaaaay out of his league.

Cutting Edge Theater 767 ROBERT BLVD. SLIDELL

JULY 9-24 SWEET POTATO QUEENS staring Mandeville’s own Christina Viers is a highpowered musical that tells the story of Jill and her closest friends and how they learn to grab life by the sequins, feathers and tiaras to live their lives on their own terms…as big as a parade! Based on the wildly-successful books

by Jill Conner Browne.

“Meet the author nightly”

985.649.3727

CUTTINGEDGETHEATER.COM EDGE June | July 2021

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COMMUNITY LEADERS

Greg Cromer City of Slidell Mayor

Robby Miller Tangipahoa Parish President

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Dear Citizens, With COVID-19 restrictions being loosened and numbers continuing to decline in our community, Slidell is starting to celebrate. I am very proud of our community for continuing to take personal and social responsibility. It’s because of your diligence and the hard work of our first responders and healthcare heroes that we are where we are today!

Numerous events are happening and being planned around the city, including Slidell Movie Nights (May 29, June 12 and 26, July 10 and 24), Heritage Fest (July 3) and White Linen and Lagniappe (August 14). It’s exciting to see things happening in our community and I invite everyone to join us in Slidell for these events.

Hurricane season is upon us once again and one of the most important things you can do is stay informed. As in years past, the City of Slidell will post all emergency information to our city website, MySlidell.com, and on our “City of Slidell, Louisiana” Facebook page. One of the easiest ways to stay updated is by signing up for email notifications on our website. It’s as easy as clicking on the “Subscribe” link at the top of our webpage and entering your email address.

All of these services can be accessed from virtually anywhere, whether it’s a cell phone, desktop, laptop or tablet. Even if you evacuate, you can still get continuous updates about Slidell. I encourage you to take advantage of these useful capabilities.

Summertime is a great time to plan an outing here in Tangipahoa! From the swamps of Manchac to the rolling hills of Kentwood, Tangipahoa Parish offers a wealth of things to do and places to go right here in our own backyard.

Our friends at Tangi Tourism have fine-tuned several staycation ideas for a one-day getaway in Tangipahoa. Check out this great list: • Ladies Day Out, complete with lots of shopping and time to pamper mind and body; • Guys Trip, to include your choice of outdoor recreation and a cool brewery tour; • Cultural Excursion, to check out the best our area has to offer in art, theatre, history, and even a Quilt Trail; • Family Fun trip, visiting sites that delight people of all ages; • Father and Son Outing to experience a wildlife adventure, spend time together outdoors, or grab a great meal together; • Mother and Daughter Getaway, spending the day learning, relaxing, or soaking up fresh air together while making last memories; and • Outdoor Experience, an opportunity to put your athletic skills to the test, explore the great outdoors, and recharge your mind and body in our rich natural environment.

You can find more information on each of these itinerary ideas on the Tangi Tourism website, at www.TangiTourism.com/Tangi/One-Day-Getaways. You can also check out their Events page to learn about the many activities we have going on in our parish every single weekend.

As always, you’ll find great things to see and do all around our beautiful parish. I hope you’ll carve out a day or two this summer to experience a getaway in Tangipahoa Parish.

We know you’ll love it here!

New Healthcare Choices Now Available on the Northshore Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group has grown, expanded and refreshed patient care services in Slidell.

In early January, the Our Lady of the Lake Physician Goup opened new offices inside the Fremaux Medical Office Building at 1810 Lindberg Drive, Suite 1100, conveniently located near the Fremaux Town Center and I-10.

Primary care and specialist providers offer a wide array of healthcare services, including rapid COVID-19 testing, sameday access to care, and on-site lab and x-ray services. Other services include preventive medicine, acute illness care, major injury treatment, wellness visits, physical exams, school and sports physicals and chronic disease management. The primary care clinic is located on the first floor of the building with 10,000 square feet of space and 21 exam rooms.

The new facility has 60,000 square feet of space on three floors and was designed to accommodate future population growth as well.

Our Lady of the Lake is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. For the past seven years, the health system has grown its Northshore region clinical network which today serves St. Tammany and Washington parishes.

The health system’s Northshore region has 20 primary care providers, nearly two dozen specialists and three pediatricians and support staff who perform more than 70,000 clinic visits each year.

Additionally, Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa employs more than 500 team members and is the center of a rural family medicine residency program that provides training for 18 LSU medical school resident physicians.

Now, you have more healthcare choices than ever before.

What’s more, next door to the new medical office building is the new Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital, which provides outpatient surgical care, connecting you to seamless service.

“We are proud to offer comprehensive health and medical services in the Slidell community,” said Rene Ragas, Northshore region president. “We’re committed to providing convenient faith-based care for Northshore residents when and where they need it.”

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STORY LIV BUTERA

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• • • • • • • • • • • •

ARTISTS

Kim Bergeron, curator Connie Born Mary Christopher Charlotte Lowry Collins Robert Dutruch Kelly Landrum Hammell Vanessa Hock Matt Litchliter Mandie Manzano Al Reisz Rose Marie Sand Abby Sands

Reinvention: Creative Pivots in the Pandemic curated by Kim Bergeron will open to the public on Friday, July 23, 2021, at the Slidell Cultural Center in City Hall. It will focus on the effects of social isolation on artistic practices due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“This may include experimentation with a new style, content influenced by the shutdown, the way artists have presented and marketed their works during the shutdowns, and more. Artists will also submit statements about the impact of COVID on their lives.” - Kim Bergeron.

The exhibit will include a 3D animated video featuring local “Shamanic Harmonic” musician Savej and animation

by Austrian artist TAS Visuals.

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GINAROSE DOES NEW THINGS

ROSE MARIE SAND Illustrated by Judy DiGiovanni Cook

ROSE MARIE SAND Rose Marie Sand will be showcasing her first children’s book, which was written during the pandemic. “The opportunity to fulfill the ambition of writing and publishing my first children’s book, Ginarose Does New Things, came in the form of an email about a children’s book workshop by Lisa Soland of Climbing Angels Publishing last summer. I would probably never have taken the time for the opportunity and followed through without the need to create during

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the pandemic. When my sister, Judy Cook, came on board to paint the illustrations – also a ‘new thing’ for her – this first in a series of books about a little girl overcoming fears came to life. The book became available on April 19, 2021, which is also my Mother’s birthday. So, you see, I’ve felt a God Wink all along to find this silver lining in the clouds.”

Ginarose Does New Things is available to purchase on Amazon.

VANESSA HOCK Sculptor and potter Vanessa Hock with The Little Potter’s House in Covington is contributing two sculptures to the show. 2020 Unmasked and Still Above Water.

“When I felt overwhelmed, I would go to the studio and make pottery. My passion has always been wheel throwing, but I found myself wanting to do something more, something different, and so I started to sculpt what turned out to be 2020 Unmasked. I found it ironic that the longer we covered up our faces, the more deep-rooted feelings were exposed.

This was the strangest, most difficult battle. No one escaped unscathed, and I just felt compelled to document it.

Throughout the pandemic, I also looked to scripture for comfort. Still Above Water was inspired by Isaiah 43:2.

It was a reminder to me that, come what may, I would not be overcome. Peace is possible in the midst of even an unpredictable pandemic. With that, I wanted to make something that was soft and spoke peace despite uncertainty and rising challenges. I used stoneware for the base, but instead of using ceramic glazes, I chose to use oil paint for her face and hair to give a softer look. Since the water was such an important element, I chose to use resin. It was so refreshing to experiment with different mediums.”

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CHARLOTTE LOWRY COLLINS Artist Charlotte Lowry Collins shared the following regarding her participation in the upcoming show where she will debut Sims’ Grace: Voice of Reason.

“The effects of COVID ran amuck in human society. We read with surprise about the implications for our health, our economy, and our mental stability. But what has had little to no coverage is the effects Covid wreaked on artists, on creativity and on the artwork we produced during COVID. Reinvention has given me, and my fellow artists, a chance to expose the aftereffects that the pandemic had on our work.”

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“Sims’ Grace: Voice of Reason requires that the viewer not try to understand my specific meaning, but rather to spend a full thirty seconds looking at colors and shapes, much like you may listen to instrumental music without trying to decipher a scene. The voice rises above the surrounding stress. Carlos’ Patience: Pursuit of Happiness is another work in which pure color and forms convey an intuitive emotion. The bursts of warmth stand out in intermittent contrast to the cool environment.”

Family is a clay sculpture set being contributed by Slidell artist Mary Christopher. “I found myself working with clay because of the immediacy of the medium. Somehow it made more sense to do something I could sink my hands into and not only see but also feel the results that very same day.” - Mary Christopher.

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KIM BERGERON Curator Kim Bergeron will also be contributing work to the group show. “My “pivot” is exploring the world of NFTs,” says Bergeron. A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unit of data stored on a digital ledger, called a blockchain, that certifies a digital asset to be unique and therefore not interchangeable. NFTs can be used to represent items such as photos, videos, audio and other types of digital files.”

Bergeron considers Reinvention to be a sequel of sorts to past exhibitions she curated, commemorating historical moments in time. “In 2015, I curated Hope for Habitat: Katrina X, which focused on ten years of post-Katrina destruction and recovery while also serving as a fundraiser for East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity. In 2016, the Stop the Madness. Artists’ Voices. Critical Conversations exhibition focused on many of the polarizing issues facing the nation and the world. The subject matter addressed included global warming, political dissension, social divides, and high crime rates. As is the case with Reinvention, each of those exhibitions included artists’ statements addressing how their lives had been impacted by those historic times.”

Bergeron details her philosophy behind the show. “As a staunch arts advocate, I believe in the power of art to lift our spirits, especially during challenging times—just look how many videos of virtual choirs and musicians, streamed Broadway performances, virtual art galleries and exhibitions brought us so much joy during the pandemic shutdowns.

The arts connected us with people all around the world and brought joy despite the dismal effects of COVID-19. Arts became our universal language of hope.

Of course, the arts play an essential role in documenting history. One need only look back to see the cave paintings in Grotte de Lascaux, which taught us so much about our ancestors via the scenes that they painted depicting prehistoric life.

(It’s really mind-boggling when you pause to think about this—those works were created an estimated 70.000 years ago!) The same opportunity to learn about the past has been the case through the years that followed, with moments in time captured in paint, in literature and in music, through varied art movements.

With the profound effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had in our community and around the world, I believed it was important for us to document this moment in time so the story is not limited to a few paragraphs in a textbook, but instead is experienced on a much deeper level. Those who join us for the event are invited to become part of each artist’s world through shared experiences and a glimpse into the mindset as shaped by the pandemic. Copies of the artists’ works will be included in a time capsule that will connect us and share meaningful, personal stories with future generations.”

Reinvention: Creative Pivots in the Pandemic is made possible through the support and contributions of the City of Slidell, Northshore Media Group (Edge of the Lake, the Highway Radio and The Lake Radio,) Slidell Magazine, Northshore Cultural Economy Coalition, Artists & Causes, and The Northshore Collaborative business network. The time capsule will be sponsored by St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs.

Reinvention will feature visual art, digital work, animation, music and literary arts. A 3D music video is to be presented on opening night and during the White Linen and Lagniappe event in Olde Towne Slidell on Saturday, August 14, 2021. The mixed-media exhibition will run through August 27, 2021.

Viewers can participate in the exhibition by submitting personal stories to a COVID-19 time capsule, preserving their sentiments for future generations. The St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce will serve as a satellite location where White Linen and Lagniappe guests can contribute notes for the time capsule.

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COMMUNITY LEADERS

Mark Johnson City of Covington Mayor

Clay Madden City of Mandeville Mayor

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Recently I had the honor of addressing leaders of the St. Paul’s School student body. The subject was leadership. I felt a great responsibility to give conscious thought to what a good leader does and does not do.

Having a title, such as Mayor, does not make one a leader. A leader is the person that has the vision of what needs to be done and encourages others to help get it done. A leader does not simply tell other people what to do.

A good leader encourages others to work toward their goals together. A good leader leads by example, willing to do both the most menial tasks and the most difficult. Never ask someone to do a task that you could do in the same time it takes you to ask them to do it.

A good leader understands the value of listening, the art of asking good questions and is a good storyteller. The great Southern art of storytelling is a wonderful way to communicate one’s point and to encourage others to participate.

A good leader chastises in private, praises in public.

A good leader understands the power of prayer. Each week, I pray for guidance on how to be the best leader that I can be. I ask for the following: 1) Lord, give me the wisdom to make the best decisions, the strength to follow through on those decisions and the patience to work with those I am to lead no matter their expertise.

Regarding the latter, I believe God has a sense of humor.

2) Lord, help me complete the work You have begun in me. I shall not be so presumptuous that I know what that work is, but I do know You have a plan.

Our community is fortunate to have many wonderful leaders in the social services sector, the private business sector and among our elected officials. For this I am grateful.

Summer is upon us! Enjoy these last few cool evenings because summertime in Mandeville is fast approaching.

All city buildings are now open to the public and there are no mask mandates. The City Council, City Planning and Zoning and Commissions, as well as all other boards and commissions are now holding their meetings in person. Please visit www.cityofmandeville. com for meeting schedules.

Since being sworn in as Mayor last August, the number one question I get when I run into a resident at the grocery store is “when are we getting our events back?” I am happy to announce a few events we have planned for late spring and summer 2021. First, we will have our “Light Up the Lake” event on Sunday, July 4 on the Mandeville Lakefront. This event will feature music from The Boogie Men and others and there will be multiple food vendors.

For Father’s Day, the City of Mandeville will host a Father’s Day Fishing Rodeo at Sunset Point on Saturday, June 19. Finally, we hope to squeeze in one or two of our “Mandeville Live” concerts at the Trailhead during the month of May. For more information on the concerts and the other events mentioned, please visit www.experiencemandeville.org Projects of interest that will be under construction in the coming weeks include a new bathroom at Sunset Point and the repair, replacement, and enhancement of the Trailhead Splash Pad. The Splash Pad will be closed during construction, but we are confident it will be open for all to enjoy later this summer.

Lastly, I am pleased to announce the addition of Ms. Cara Bartholomew as the new Director of Planning for the City of Mandeville. Cara has worked in the Planning Department for the City of Mandeville as well as St. Tammany Parish and brings a fresh look and great experience to our city.

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Supporting St. Tammany Health System and Ochsner Health's groundbreaking approach to integrated cancer care right here where patients most want to be - HOME.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12 TCHEFUNCTA COUNTRY CLUB THEGALANORTHSHORE.ORG

The Future of Cancer Care Is Here Ochsner Health and St. Tammany Health System have partnered to build a comprehensive cancer center in Covington. This innovative center will offer cancer care under one roof, caring for patients with a holistic approach throughout their cancer journey. Ochsner Health and St. Tammany Health System – together, we’re leading the fight against cancer, close to home.

For more information, visit northshorecancercare.org

• We are incredibly proud to announce that we will begin treating patients at the new Ochsner St. Tammany Cancer Center beginning Monday, June 14, 2021.

• This $50 million facility will provide patients in western St. Tammany with local access to more integrated cancer services than have ever been available in our community.

• This new dedicated space will be home to Ochsner and St. Tammany’s multidisciplinary team of expert doctors, clinicians and support specialists who offer services to treat the entire person.

• Patients will have access to the largest clinical trials network in Louisiana, including a broad portfolio of Phase 1 and 2 trials, allowing patients to stay closer to home for these groundbreaking, novel therapies.

• In addition to new treatment options, the center will provide enhanced services and a more holistic approach to caring for all patients’ needs.

On-campus physical therapy, yoga, acupuncture, meditation, nutrition, and peer and support group meetings will provide patients with many more resources throughout their cancer journey.

• The combined capabilities of Ochsner and STHS offer a comprehensive program from screening and prevention through treatment, surgery and clinical trials. As partners, we are committed to providing specialized care and expertise through Ochsner Health’s advanced care options and St. Tammany Health System’s local integrative health solutions.

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Fueled By

Battling on Behalf of Kids with Autism

LOVE

STORY LIZ GENEST SMITH PHOTOS BY GROSSNICKLE FAMILY

P

arenting is hard. No one truly understands how hard until that squalling bundle of joy arrives and introduces you to a dizzying litany of challenges that test your patience, endurance and sanity. Swap out a typical child with a child with autism, and those parenting challenges jump exponentially.

Most of us are at least vaguely familiar with the concept of autism, but just to review, individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder typically struggle with social interactions, have delayed or unusual ways of communicating, and they may have repetitive or restricted behavior patterns. As the word spectrum implies, symptoms can be so severe that they interfere with daily life, they can be mild and cause few problems, or fall anywhere in between. The fastest growing developmental disability in the U.S., one in 54 children were diagnosed with autism in 2020.

Studying definitions and statistics is a start, but to get a better understanding of what it’s like to parent a child on the spectrum, I spoke with three Northshore parents about some of the difficulties they face.

Katrina Grossnickle of Hammond has an 11-year-old son, Evan, who’s very social and loves music. He takes piano lessons, but also plays by ear, and performs quite well – and he’s also right in the middle of the autistic spectrum.

“Evan’s a happy kid 99% of the time,” she told me. “He wants to be around kids, but doesn’t know how to interact, and sometimes people don’t know how to react to him.

He doesn’t understand personal space, and it’s difficult to understand his speech sometimes. A lot of people equate speech with intelligence. Evan may not always say a lot, but it doesn’t mean he’s not thinking.”

Sherri Houin of Ponchatoula agrees that parents of kids with autism have to contend with a lot of misconceptions, even in this day and age. “Overall, things are getting better, but parents of typical kids think we don’t discipline our kids when they’re maybe reacting to sensory overload. People can still get ugly with the parents over an autistic child’s behavior.”

Katrina credits Sherri, co-founder of the non-profit organization SOAR (Strengthening Outcomes With Autism Resources), with helping her overcome many obstacles.

Much of Sherri’s knowledge comes from experience. When her son, Julian, who’s now 20, was diagnosed at three-and-a-

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half, there were little to no local resources for families affected by autism, so she and some other Northshore moms created SOAR in 2010. This Ponchatoula-based organization provides, among many other things, ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapy, speech therapy, and social skills, plus parent support groups, education advocacy, workshops, and training for caregivers and educators. The demand is so high, they frequently have a waiting list, reflecting the fact that there’s still a shortage of these services in this region and across the state.

In addition to critical judgment from other parents and the community, each of the moms I spoke with pointed to one challenge that rises above all the rest – education.

One of these moms has a unique perspective because she’s not only the parent of a child with autism, she also works in a local public school. I’ve decided to call her Eve, because she was brave enough to speak candidly with me, but I don’t want to cause trouble for her or risk jeopardizing her job by using her real name.

Eve spoke with me about her frustrations, both as a parent and as a school employee who frequently has to “light a fire” under her principal to come up with solutions when the system falls short.

“For us, navigating the school systems has been more overwhelming than getting the original diagnosis. Awareness in the community has grown, but education didn’t keep up.

The kids in my child’s school were warm and welcoming, but the services and education they offered were seriously lacking. Parents often have trouble getting the schools to address specific needs, and I wonder, are we not using resources wisely? Sometimes it feels like parents vs. schools.

The schools wait for parents to advocate on behalf of their kids, and they want the kids to fit into a specific mold.”

A very kind-hearted friend of mine, who’s in special education at the state level in another state, bristled a little when I mentioned these parents’ frustrations to her. I have to admit that I was taken aback when, without hearing the details of their particular situations, she listed several possible excuses: Special education only became a priority in the 70s, teachers and administrators don’t always understand the problem, and parents’ requests are often unreasonable. Her life’s work is lobbying to make things better for special needs children, so I sort of understand her defensive stance – but it also brought the parents vs. schools dynamic into sharp relief for me. She concluded with what finally sounded like a bit of a concession, “Parents have to keep fighting the good fight.”

As I dug deeper into this topic, I got a better sense of how exhausting and overwhelming that endless fight must be. And I developed an immense respect for these tireless parents, who sometimes must be fueled by love alone.

It’s important to point out that most parents of children with disabilities are highly dependent on public schools because private schools seldom offer the necessary accommodations and services, and even if they do, tuition

can be cost prohibitive for so many families. To get a better handle on the crucial role special education plays in our country’s public schools, I decided to widen the lens and get some historical perspective.

While the first case of autism in the U.S. was diagnosed back in 1943, it took until the 1970s to launch awareness campaigns, and for the government to pass legislation to protect and support people with developmental disabilities.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), originally known as the Education of Handicapped Children Act, is the federal law that gives children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate education and related services that allow them to make adequate yearly progress in school.

To a clueless parent like me, whose very typical child has only faced run-of-the-mill challenges in life, that snapshot of our country’s special education system sounds both reasonable and promising. I even discovered Louisiana’s Educational Rights of Children with Disabilities handbook, which informs parents of the support, services and protection they’re entitled to within their specific school districts.

Cool, that sounds like parents can review a menu of available options, then sit down with the school each year to review their child’s progress, set some goals and map out a specifically designed plan. Easy-peasy, right? Not so fast.

While each mom told me they’d had at least some positive experiences over the years, two of them admitted they’d

pulled their kids out of public school because they were, as one put it, “tired of the fight.”

Mary Jacob, executive director of Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans and Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center, was gracious enough to speak with me at length, and she made it clear that these parents are not alone “Our small staff received over 7,500 requests for support over the past year from parents who were dissatisfied with school issues. Inevitably, the school has one vision, parents have another. Our organization teaches parents their rights and how to advocate for their children. We tell them to never give up because they should have the same high expectations as they would for children without disabilities.”

Families Helping Families is a network of ten resource centers located throughout Louisiana – including one in Covington on the Northshore. These non-profit centers support – and are staffed with – individuals with disabilities and the families of individuals with disabilities, and they offer a myriad of services and resources.

Both SOAR and Families Helping Families offer advocacy support, but Mary suggests bringing a friend or family member along if parents just need emotional support, and only bringing an advocate when necessary, as access to trained advocates is limited, and their presence sometimes changes the dynamics of the meeting.

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I had a hard time wrapping my head around why advocates might be necessary, but Mary patiently explained that the laws can be subject to loose interpretations, so even parents who cite the law while presenting their cases can sometimes still experience pushback.

“It tends to be a systemic problem, not individual,” she clarified. “Both parents and schools think they know what’s best. They’re supposed to work together to identify each child’s strengths and weaknesses, and figure out where they need help, but it often comes down to expectations not aligning. Parents don’t want to be an enemy of the school, but they often feel backed into a corner – but sometimes the teachers and administrators are just the messengers, and they get blamed by the parents.”

It’s easy to see how both sides can wind up feeling frustrated and discouraged.

One of the many things parents often have to fight for is the right to have their child receive their education in a regular education classroom, typically referred to as inclusion. Each of the moms I spoke with said they noticed huge improvements in their children when this happened.

Katrina told me, “Evan is very intelligent – smarter than me, sometimes. He just struggles socially, but school has helped a lot, specifically because he’s in an inclusion classroom with typical children.”

Mary elaborated on why inclusion is so crucial to development.

“Research clearly shows that students with disabilities who were educated in regular education classes have better post-school outcomes. Conversely, a lot of evidence shows that once children are placed in a self-contained special education classroom, many stop progressing academically, and some even regress.”

Like the others, Eve is a big proponent of inclusion, but not at the expense of the other students.

“I think every kid is entitled to be in a regular classroom, as long as their behavior is under control. They can’t monopolize the teacher’s attention. Some parents push for inclusion, no matter what. Others support inclusion when behavior permits.”

There are so many elements to this very complicated issue, and Mary shared a story that shed even more light on the complexity.

This particular case involved a new kindergarten teacher who had a special education teacher to assist with the two children with autism in her classroom. She was told one was “a runner” – in that, he could and might take off running at any given time – so the special ed teacher essentially just sat with him and played games all day, while the other student with autism was taught alongside his other peers, as inclusion is intended. When the special ed teacher was out for six weeks for personal reasons, the regular teacher decided to rearrange the chairs in more of a circular formation, with the runner in the middle. Not only did he not try to run, but other than one bad day, he actually participated in class with his peers.

When the special ed teacher returned, she insisted on reverting to the previous arrangement, and all of that child’s negative behavior returned, which in turn was disruptive to the class. The regular teacher was concerned, but when she asked to see the child’s IEP, the principal basically told her to stay in her lane. She finally reached her limits and wrote to the child’s parents to express her concerns, but this has created major upheaval, and the teacher now fears retribution and the loss of her job.

So, the friction is not always just between parents and school, but sometimes within the school itself, just as Eve described earlier.

In defense of the teachers, Mary explained, “Regular and special education teachers are not given enough time to collaborate. It really does take the entire village to regularly collaborate for a child with a disability to be successful, and when that happens, it’s like magic. You see the child’s true potential and celebrate their accomplishments.”

Without wading into a political quagmire, suffice it to say, many parents and educators agree that the state of Louisiana’s education department – and specifically special education – has been in disarray for years. Mary’s convinced that there’s reason to be hopeful right now, however, thanks to the arrival of the new Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Cade Brumley. He began his tenure in June of 2020, and Mary describes him as “a breath of fresh air who truly epitomizes servant leadership.”

“Dr. Brumley wants to hear from everyone. He welcomes dialogue that helps him understand the state of affairs in education. When he meets with stakeholders, he wants to hear it all – the good, the bad and the ugly. He believes Louisiana’s children do deserve a great education and can meet rigorous standards. Most importantly, when he talks about Louisiana children, all children are included – not just regular education children.”

While education was the foremost concern for these parents, it certainly doesn’t end there. An appropriate education gives them a definite advantage in life, but many students with special needs still face limited options once they age out of the public school system when they turn 22.

So, what comes next?

Katrina hopes Evan will eventually be able to live independently, but given that he’s only 11, she’s understandably more focused on the here-and-now. Eve is planning to start a small business that her teenage son can help to build and eventually take over. And Sherri shared some exciting news – SOAR is expanding its current footprint in order to focus on employment training for special needs individuals, like her own son.

In addition to providing life skills and job coaching, Sherri and her team are actively reaching out to find businesses in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes that will give these individuals actual job experience. It’s in the early stages, Sherri admits, but it’s another reason to be hopeful that, in addition to fixing some of the issues with public education, more vocational programs like this may emerge, fulfilling the IDEA Act’s goal for “equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic selfsufficiency for individuals with disabilities.” And isn’t that what all parents want for our children?

Without a doubt, I barely scratched the surface on this complex topic. Be sure to contact SOAR or Families Helping Families, or visit their websites for advice, resources, additional information and to learn about all the services they offer.

RESOURCES FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS 504.888.9111 - www.fhfofgno.org NORTHSHORE FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIES 985.875.0511 - www.fhfnorthshore.org SOAR 985).370.2300 - www.soarwithautism.org EDGE June | July 2021

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It is with a grateful heart that we thank our community partners for a successful 2021 Falaya Fling from Home.

Angel Oak Home Loans - Randi Barrett Expressions Bert Burr's Photography Home Bank, N.A. Mesalain Consulting Group, LLC. School Time Uniforms A-1 Electrical Contractors, Inc. Jane and Bobby Harvey JDL Innovative Solutions Jan Daniel Lancaster Joe's Shoe Store KPM Construction Kelly and Jamie McHugh Abita Lumber Abita Roasting Company About Face ACT Prep Caroline Capps Air Salon & Blow Dry Bar Allure Dental American Factory Direct Art Gumbo - Whitney Jeffreys BMG Designs Balfour New Orleans Ballard Brands Bevelo Gas & Electric Lights Bill McGehee Insurance, Inc. Bistro Byronz Blue Heron Bed & Breakfast Brenchley Brooks' Bike Rentals Brown Family Orthodontics Buster's Place CJ's Florist C J Ladner State Farm Camp Bow Wow Carreta's Grill Cedarwood School Champagne Beverage Chick-fil-A Covington Coffee Rani Columbia Street Mercantile Craig's Puzzles & Toys Crescent Blu` Cupcake Concept Cynthia Kolls Art Cynthia Peed Curley's Woodworks David & Karen D'Antonio

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Denise Hopkins Art DiCristina's Restaurant DiMartino's Restaurant Dorignac's Food Center Dr. Gumbo New Orleans Cuisine Dreve` Elmer's Chocolate Emily Knatzer Art Father Gary Copping Five Girls Deli Five Guys Burgers & Fries Fleur de Wreath Gallagher's Grill/Pat Gallagher's 527 The Graceful Host Shop H.J. Smith & Sons H2O Salon Haspel Hazel Lane Heidi Bowers Photography Hemline Mandeville High Performance Cookers Hometown Textiles Hoo Doo Ice Cream Hot Rod's Creole Impastato Cellars Inside New Orleans Isabella's Pizzeria It's the Jump Off! J. Bird Pottery Jan Daniel Lancaster Art Jefferson Jellies John Devlin Art John Goodwyne Karen Van Zandt Art

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Charles A Lanaux, ca 1950, (George S Kausler, LTD)

Left: Hynson Lanaux, ca 2020, North American Insurance Agency Center: Robert W Lanaux, ca 2020, North American Insurance Agency Right: Merrick Lanaux, ca 2020, North American Insurance Agency

Therapy

GARDENING AS

Did you know Gardening can be a form of Aerobic Fat Burning Exercise? Your gym is the outdoors, surrounded by nature and fresh air. Gardening is an excellent form of a whole-body workout that tones all of the major muscle groups including legs, buttocks, back, abdomen, neck, arms, and shoulders. Whether it comes in the form of digging up soil, setting plants or carrying water, exercise is taking place. Weeding, pruning, mowing, and even walking around the yard can increase heart rate and tone up the body. Your brain even gets a chance to workout as you plan garden designs and absorb information from resource materials. Gardening provides the three important types of exercise: endurance, flexibility, and strength.

STORY DR. KELLY GILTHORPE BURKENSTOCK

Gardening 101 Tips

• To enhance the fat burning of your gardening workout breathe deeply and use wide range of motions during your outdoor time.

• Please remember to Stretch first! Just as you would stretch before going to the gym.

• Do multiple activities each time you visit your garden, be sure to switch activities every 20-30 minutes.

• Put a rock or another marker to show where you are stopping an activity like weeding for that gardening session.

• Take regular breaks and hydrate!

• Garden for 30 to 60 minutes and then stop, whether everything is planted or not so you do not strain your muscles.

• Lift heavy bags carefully. Remember to Lift with your legs. Use your biggest, strongest muscles for the heavy things.

• You can make gardening into a structured exercise routine by alternating light activities with heavier ones, then light activities, and so on.

• Be careful of torso twisting. (People sometimes tend to lift a shovel of dirt, then twist to the side to dump it.)

Move your feet without twisting instead.

• Rake for a while, then dig holes, and then prune as an example.

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Breathing

Concentrate on breathing deep while you work by filling up your diaphragm so your lower belly expands as much as possible then slowly exhale.

According to a study conducted by Anand Shetty at Hampton University in Virginia, deep breathing provides your body’s cells with oxygen, which helps you absorb nutrients. It also stimulates your lymphatic system to get rid of toxins. If your breath is shallow, also known as chest breathing, your cells are receiving fewer nutrients and your lymphatic system may be more sluggish, both of which may lead to weight gain, according to the study.

Deep breathing increases the supply of oxygen in your body and this extra oxygen supplied to your body helps in burning the extra fat deposited in the body. Breathing deeply improves blood circulation and tones the abdominal muscles.

•

Wide range of motion

Increase your range of motion while you garden by using long strides and reach to burn more calories and take the stress off of your smaller muscles like arms and lower back.

• Exaggerate your raking motion and digging motion.

You can use up 500 calories an hour that way! (Official counts put ordinary gardening activities at the 100- to 200-per-hour calorie-burning level when not using deep breathing and exaggerated range of motion techniques.)

• Another strategy is balancing the work between both sides of the body, for example raking right-handed 15 times, then left-handed 15 times.

• Double digging (going down a foot, turning the soil over, then down another foot, and bringing that soil to the top) is fabulous exercise. You will feel the burn and create a bountiful garden at the same time.

Keeping Kids Tone and Healthy

With the ever-growing epidemic of childhood obesity, Family Gardening is something parents and kids can do together to be healthy together. Outside time is far better than inside video gaming, both mentally and physically. You never know when those seeds will sprout. Many who pulled weeds as kids come back to gardening when they get their first apartment or home.

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Gardening as Therapy

Surrounding yourself with gardens or plants can create a sanctuary for us to relax. One 2010 study revealed that 30 minutes of gardening decreased more stress than 30 minutes of indoor reading. A bacteria found in soil, mycobacterium vaccae, has even been found to trigger the release of serotonin, which naturally improves mood and decreases anxiety.

The act of gardening requires a multistep thinking process. As a result, as Amy Wagenfeld Ph.D. notes:“ studies have shown that the activity can help to improve cognitive function, including the ability to concentrate.”

The benefits of gardening projects can delay the symptoms of dementia. George Papanicolaou, D.O., references one study, which followed nearly 3,000 older adults for 16 years, tracking incidents of all kinds of dementia and assessing a variety of lifestyle factors.

He notes that the researchers found daily gardening to represent the single biggest risk reduction for dementia, reducing incidence by 36%.

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Gardening stimulates all of your senses. The garden is filled with all sorts of sights, sounds, textures, scents, and tastes. It may even stimulate long-lost memories.

These stimulated senses can easily reduce unwanted stress associated with everyday life, allowing you a much deserved break from these crazy times.

Gardening can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol or prevent diabetes, heart disease, depression, and osteoporosis when practiced on a regular basis.

Tending a garden allows your creative side to shine through leaving you with a sense of accomplishment and pride!

Let’s improve our physical and emotional health as well as lose weight with aerobic gardening as exercise!

Dr. Kelly Gilthorpe Burkenstock is an Internal Medicine physician and has a fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. She is a longstanding member of The International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology.

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Tuesdays through Fridays in the Month of June - 7:00pm Seating Vintner Dinners by Reservation at Eleven Covington Restaurants Saturday, June 19th - 7:00pm - 9:00pm at St.Tammany Art Association Festa del Vino Tasting with Live Swing Jazz by Christy & the Rascals Sponsored by Parish President Mike Cooper Saturday, June 26th - 7:00pm - 9:00pm at Bogue Falaya Park Pavilion A Grand Wine Tasting with Live Music by Steve Burke’s Deja Vu Sunday, June 27th - Reservations for 10am & 1pm Champagne Jazz Brunch at Pyre Provisions Sponsored by Senator Patrick McMath

The City of

COVINGTON St. Tammany Art Association’s Covington Art Market Saturdays, June 5 & July 3 • 10 am to 2 pm • Lee Lane Tour de Louisiane Bike Race Sunday, June 6 • 7 am to 1 pm • Downtown Covington ZUMBA With The Mayor Sunday, June 13 • Noon • Bogue Falaya Hall • FREE Youth Service Bureau’s Chef Soirée Sunday, June 13 • 5 pm to 9 pm • Bogue Falaya Park Sunset at the Landing Concert Fridays, June 18 & July 16 • 6 pm to 9 pm • Columbia Street Landing Juneteenth Parade & Celebration Saturday, June 19 • 9 am to 3 pm • Peter Atkins Park Columbia Street Block Party Fridays, June 25 & July 30 • 6 pm to 9 pm • Downtown Covington Sparks in the Park Saturday, July 3 • 4:30 pm to 9 pm • Bogue Falaya Park Covington Business Association’s Kokomo Stroll Saturday, July 10 • 5 pm to 8 pm • Downtown Covington Mayor Mark’s Blood Drive Wednesday, July 14 • 10 am to 6 pm • Bogue Falaya Hall ___________________________________________ Covington Farmers Market Covington Trailhead • Every Wed. • 10 am to 2 pm 609 N. Columbia Street • Every Sat. • 8 am to Noon

www.covla.com | gottaluvcov@covla.com | 985.892.1873 EDGE June | July 2021

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Attached is a proof of your ad that will run in the February/March issue of EDGE of the Lake as is unless we receive changes by ( 3 . 1 2 . 2 0 2 1 )a t 5 : 0 0 P M . Please make any changes or app

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r ad that will run in the February/March issue of EDGE of the Lake magazine. This ad will run hanges by ( 3 . 1 2 . 2 0 2 1 )a t 5 : 0 0 P M . Please make any changes or approve via email.

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Are You Experiencing the First Signs of a Hearing Loss?

We often have our teeth checked, our eyes checked and our blood-pressure tested, but when was the last time you had a hearing test?

Hearing loss doesn’t happen overnight. It is a gradual process over the years, so it isn’t noticeable at first. But at some point, things will start to change. A few common signs of hearing loss include finding conversations hard to follow, turning the TV’s volume up louder than usual, and asking people to repeat themselves.

JJ Martinez, AuD., CCC-A, FAAA Board Certified in Audiology

You might not think too much of it at first, or, despite any frustrations it is causing you, you might decide to put treatment off for “another day.” Often friends and family are the first to notice one’s hearing loss before it becomes a real challenge for the sufferer.

Slidell | Hammond | Mandeville

Sound familiar?

If so, then SLENT Hearing & Balance Center encourages you to visit one of our hearing centers in Hammond, Slidell or Mandeville, LA for a hearing test. We’ll test your hearing, and identify if a hearing loss is at play, and if so, provide you with some treatment options.

A recent worldwide study* confirmed that eight out of ten hearing aid users reported they had a profound positive impact on their quality of life, including improved relationships at home and work and a better sense of safety and independence.

Download Our Free Guide “The Early Symptoms of a Hearing Loss to Look Out For” Written by Dr. JJ Martinez Visit slenthearing.com/free-guide *Source: Findings of EuroTrak 2015 (ET 2015) and MarkeTrak 9 (MT9) worldwide studies about hearing loss and hearing aids.

Call 985-273-5795 Visit www.slenthearing.com

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Seasonal Eating on the Northshore 062

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STORY LIV BUTERA PHOTOS JERRY COTTRELL

Y

es, the heat and humidity have made their accosting return but summer days bring summer bounty. Here on the Northshore, indulging in the fruits of the season has never been easier. In researching this idea of seasonal eating on the Northshore, I sat down with the organizers and vendors of the multiple farmers’ markets in the area.

An almost unanimous story was told. Once the markets reopened following a prolonged closure last spring, the markets saw an increase in both vendors and customers. I was given a variety of hypotheses explaining the uptick - from folks preferring the lower risk of shopping at an open-air market, community members wanting to invest locally during a time of collective hardship, and people simply just had more time on their hands. Whatever the reason, our markets are bustling and transitioning into the summer harvest.

St. Tammany Parish is home to multiple farmers’ markets. Chefs and home cooks alike flock to these markets to buy the season’s freshest produce and ingredients. Danny Blackburn, market director of the Camellia City Market in Slidell, noted that they limit vendors to about a forty-mile radius. Nothing is grown or produced too far away from home.

I sat down with Mr. Danny back in April to discuss the importance of farm-to-table eating.

“Produce found in your average grocery store is grown to be picked, not eaten. Everything you see here at the market is grown or produced within about a forty-mile radius. These vegetables on the stand were most likely picked Wednesday to be sold here on Saturday. Meat from our vendors Black Creek Farm and Honestly Beef is freshly packaged and has only been frozen once.”

There is a benefit to knowing where your food comes from. Investing in our local farmers and growers is not only advantageous for our local economy, but it is in fact an “investment.” The return being a fresher, better tasting, responsibly grown product. These are some of the reasons why so many families and restaurants like Oxlot 9 in Covington and Restaurant Cote in Slidell are committing to farm-to-table practices.

My own family has been actively committing to shopping and eating as locally as possible this past year. A few observations: Since our local growers pick at the peak of freshness, everything tastes so good on its own. We are spending less money on “filler” ingredients to complete our meal. I am also spending less time over the stove. Mr. Ernie’s tomatoes from Homegrown Produce are so good that they don’t need much “agitation.” A little salt and pepper, and you have a James Beard-worthy dish.

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Our markets have far more variety than any grocery store in town. I know where every ingredient was grown. I’m meeting the people who’s loving hands planted, picked, and/or processed the items that make up my family’s supper.

It’s fun, easy, and affordable. My family’s weekly trip to the market is the kick-start to our weekend. It gets us off the couch and outside as a family. There is always live music and activities going on around the markets. Not to mention, we are spending less on food each month by planning our weekly meals based on what “looked good” that week. Plus, most of what I’m buying is organic, which is not always affordable at your average store. We have also greatly minimized our household food-waste.

While the fruits of spring have my heart, that aforementioned summer bounty is arriving. I spoke with Amanda Faccenda of Homegrown Produce about the history of this local farm and what to expect from it this summer.

Ernie Bertucci and his wife Linda started the farm in 1982. Mr. Ernie was raised by his grandparents. His grandfather was a farmer, so Mr. Ernie has been farming his entire life. The now 40-acre farm started as a 20-acre peach grove, and they eventually diversified. “We have been selling in Slidell and Destrehan for over a decade. The farm is mostly family operated with about a half a dozen people working the grounds at any given time.”

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Homegrown Produce has made a name for itself by selling several different varieties of fruits and vegetables that many usually do not encounter at the typical store. Amanda expanded on this by saying, “We are educators. We love people’s curiosity. They come up to the stand amazed by the bright purple potatoes or the romanesco broccoli. Nature has such a bounty of color. Love that we run the gambit.”

The Homegrown Produce farm is a certified LA farm backed by the LSU AgCenter and uses all organic practices. “You can taste how fresh our produce is. Our product lasts longer too, because it was picked more recently,” says Faccenda.

“The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an online presence to stay in touch with our customers and keep the business going. Our self-promotion through Facebook and Instagram has nearly doubled the business.”

Amanda explained.

With this expanded online presence, the farm now releases a highly anticipated list every Thursday of what is expected at the upcoming weekend markets. “People wait all week for that list. They do their meal-planning days leading up to the market and come list in hand,” says Amanda. As I can personally attest, you need to arrive early for their specialty items. It goes fast!

Amanda was kind enough to share with me the upcoming summer roster: • Zucchini • Yellow squash • Several varieties of eggplant • Huge selection of tomatoes, including heirloom (Mr. Ernie’s favorite) and Creole (the local favorite) • Peaches • Plums • Watermelon • Cantaloupe • Lettuce varieties • Peas • And much, much more

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Amanda shared a few of her favorite ways to utilize the seasonal produce, including zucchini bread, peach cobbler, peach tea, and (a girl-after-my-own-heart) watermelon margaritas!

Looking for more ways to eat seasonal and shop local?

Many of our local farms have member subscription programs.

Covey Rise Farms is a great local farm which offers weekly boxes with several pick-up locations all over the North Shore.

The farm started growing vegetables on 10 acres in 2009 and has expanded to 50 acres. Covey Rise supplies to some of the finest restaurants in Louisiana. The farm grows over 30 types of vegetables throughout their year-round growing season.

Three Dog Farm in Folsom also does a Pork, Poultry, & Produce membership package. Offering delivery in some areas and farm pick-up, the $34 a week package comes with 1 whole chicken, 2 pounds of pork, 1 bag of salad mix or seasonal produce and an optional flower arrangement add on. The farm usually has a presence at the Weekly Saturday Market at Giddy Up Folsom. Russ Donald, owner and

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operator of Three Dog Farms, highlighted his passion for his family’s farm operations: “We are passionate about our quality. Who doesn’t want the consumer telling them how good their product is?

Sometimes that means slowing the process down to get the results you want.

We are passionate about keeping our products affordable.

It takes an enormous amount of time to seek affordable feed that helps a consumer family hit their food budget. Being so dependent on local support creates an awesome bond between ourselves and the consumer. That passion has to be there or nothing separates us from industrial producers.”

These are just a fraction of the opportunities in our area to source seasonal, farm-to-table ingredients.

My ideal summer menu items are grilled veggies, watermelon, mint and feta salad, fresh salsas, grilled fish, shrimp skewers, blue crab pasta, and grilled peaches for dessert on a constant rotation. I encourage you to explore your local market this summer and discover your own summer menu!

NORTHSHORE FARMERS MARKET DIRECTORY COVINGTON Covington Farmers Market 419 N. New Hampshire Wednesday 8am - noon 609 N. Columbia Saturday 8am - noon

MANDEVILLE Mandeville Trailhead Community Market 675 Lafitte St. Saturday 9 am - 1 pm

FOLSOM Weekly Saturday Market at Giddy Up Folsom 82292 Highway 25 Saturday 2 pm - 5 pm

SLIDELL Camellia City Market 333 Erlanger Ave Saturday 8 am to 12 pm

ABITA SPRINGS Abita Springs Art & Farmers Market 22049 Main St. Sunday 11 am - 3 pm

MADISONVILLE Madisonville Market 1007 Pine St. Sunday 10 am - 3 pm Summer Hours 10 am - 2 pm

HAMMOND Hammond Farmers Market District, 2 W Thomas St. Saturday 8 am - 12 pm

HAPPY SUMMER from your LOCAL radio stations and publications Bringing you everything Northshore.

NM

NORTHSHORE MEDIA GROUP

northshoremedia.net

St. Tammany NOW

St.

Tammany NOW is a curated collection of the latest economic development information and business and industry insight in our community directly from St. Tammany Corporation, the economic development organization for St. Tammany. St. Tammany NOW highlights what and who makes the St. Tammany business community thrive and illustrates the opportunities

to diversify and fortify our economy. In this issue, we are providing an overview of the St. Tammany economy one year into the pandemic. Alongside the data snapshot, we are sharing insights from industry partners on the pressing issues they are facing as our communities and businesses recover from the pandemic and providing a glimpse of what may lie ahead in the second half of 2021.

Population St. Tammany contributes to more than 20% of the total 10-parish Greater New Orleans Region’s total population. We are one of the top five fastest-growing parishes in the state.

Source: Emsi

Current Workforce Stats

62.2%

Labor force participation (2019) Percent of working-age, able adults in the labor force

39.7%

Adults over age 25 with associate degrees or higher

40.4

Median age (2019) Half of the population is older, half is younger than the median age

$46,805

Average annual wage

St. Tammany Unemployment Rate

Chris Masingill Chief Executive Officer St. Tammany Corporation

Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission

The Louisiana Workforce Commission reported that St. Tammany’s unemployment rate was 4.4% in March 2021, lower than: • the national rate (6.0%), • the Louisiana rate (7.3%), • and the Greater New Orleans rate (8.0%).

Productivity Our entire local economy is about $12 billion in size. That means St. Tammany comprises: • 5% of the state’s GDP (which totals $240 billion) • 15% of the 10-parish Greater New Orleans region’s GDP ($80 billion)

Throughout the entire pandemic, the four industries in St. Tammany most impacted by the economic downturn in terms of lost jobs have been Accommodation & Food Service, Retail, Healthcare & Social Assistance, and Construction. These are also four of St. Tammany’s largest industry sectors in terms of jobs; they make up more than half of all jobs.

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BELOW IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EACH OF OUR FOUR LARGEST INDUSTRY SECTORS: ACCOMMODATION & FOOD SERVICE, INCLUDING HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS With 10,556 jobs, the hospitality industry in St. Tammany is 37% larger than the national average. The typical hospitality worker in St. Tammany is employed at a restaurant or hotel, and the top ten jobs in the industry earn an average of $9.37 per hour. The top jobs in hospitality include waiters and waitresses, fast food counter workers, cooks, dishwashers, and cashiers. By 2030, hospitality in St. Tammany will continue to grow by another 25%.

RETAIL With 13,293 jobs, retail trade in St. Tammany is 34% above the national average. Additionally, the growth rate over the past decade is about three and a half times faster than the national average. The top jobs in retail include salespeople, cashiers, stockers and order fillers, managers, and customer service representatives.

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL ASSISTANCE • With 13,467 jobs, healthcare in St. Tammany is 2% above the national average and has grown almost 20% over the past decade, slightly higher than the national average growth of 19.5%.

• Healthcare is a major driver industry in St. Tammany, as the industry is worth more than a billion dollars locally.

• It is notable that the 10-year historic and projected growth rates are the same. This means that the momentum that we have seen in the past decade will continue into the next decade.

• Two of the ten top jobs in St. Tammany are in healthcare: nurses and home health and personal care aides.

CONSTRUCTION The construction industry in St. Tammany is 30% larger than the national average with 7,627 jobs. The construction industry has grown 14.2% over the past decade and earned $632 million in 2020 alone. Jobs in the construction industry pay well above the average hourly wage in the parish, with the top 10 jobs in construction earning an average of $24.62 per hour.

Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission

St. Tammany Corporation works collaboratively with partners throughout the community and appreciates their insights on the opportunities and challenges they experience within their organizations and industries. “Most pressing recovery issue is the disruption to the supply chain and the resulting increases in costs that escalate substantially in very short time frames,” shared Bonnie Eades, Executive Director, Northshore Business Council (NBC). Amy Ybarzabal, Executive Officer, Northshore Home Builders Association stated that new home building continues to rise, but the increased cost may further impact the availability of affordable housing. Another NBC member also noted the rising sale prices of the resale of existing homes.

Lacey Osborne, President and CEO of the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, mentioned workforce as the most pressing recovery issue, including finding employees, current employees adapting, and the emotional and mental health impacts of the pandemic. Donna O’Daniels, President and CEO, St. Tammany Parish Tourist and Convention Commission, shared a similar sentiment stating, “Without question, the most pressing recovery issue right now is workforce recruitment and retention. Hotels, restaurants, and attractions are struggling to find and retain employees.

Because that customer service and face to face interaction is such a big part of our visitor experience and what drives the very high percentage of repeat visitors we have, this is an area of significant concern for tourism.”

“COVID-19 significantly accelerated many trends that were already happening in the retail real estate industry. We have seen some vacancies, but we are encouraged by the considerable interest and activity in backfilling space. We are seeing some tenants moving, upgrading to new spaces, and new retail concepts and uses emerging. COVID-19 also fast-tracked the healthcare real estate arena by expanding patient access points through retail locations,” stated Marty Mayer, Chief Executive Officer, Stirling Properties. “The

commercial real estate landscape may look differently postCOVID, but people will always need social gathering spaces.”

Additional federal relief may also positively impact these industries, among others. The American Rescue Plan Act designated $350 billion in aid for state, local, and tribal governments, which were hit hard by declines in tax revenue during the pandemic. In our community, these funds will impact the parish and municipal levels of government. St. Tammany Parish is developing a strategic plan for allocating these funds, to support not only immediate needs, but longerterm strategic investments in our future.

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund was established by the American Rescue Plan Act to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. The food and culture industry is an important part of our local economy, and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund is a distinct opportunity for businesses in that industry to offset some of their pandemic losses after a tough year.

This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location.

Find more information about the eligibility requirements and application for the Restaurant Revitalization Program on restaurants.SBA.gov.

St. Tammany Corporation remains a resource hub for businesses and regularly shares timely, relevant information related to pandemic recovery and resiliency on our online platforms. Stay connected with St. Tammany Corporation on Facebook at @StTammanyCorporation, Twitter at @StTammanyCorp, our website at StTammanyCorp.org, and our data and research platform at StTammanyStats.com.

Ashley Llewellyn and Elizabeth Lee are the lead staff contributors to this article.

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My turn:

by Sean Blackwell

ABOUT SEAN BLACKWELL In every issue, EDGE of the Lake invites a local chef or restauranteur to visit another eatery on the Northshore. This issue we invited Cucina Cangemi’s General Manager, Sean Blackwell. The owners Serdar Tiglioglu and Tom O’Keefe were two of the original owners of Italian Pie. Cucina means kitchen in Italian, and Cangemi was the last name of one of the original owners of Italian Pie. When he passed away from cancer, Tiglioglu and O’Keefe decided to name their new restaurant as an homage to him. The menu at Cucina Cangemi is classic Italian with a splash of southern Louisiana and a Mediterranean flair.

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I went to “Cured. On Columbia.” with my father and two close friends. From the outside it had a comfortable vibe. My dad said the same thing I was thinking as we pulled up. When we walked in it was countertop service, so we grabbed menus. We were greeted by more than one member of the staff. They were real casual, but also attentive.

It is a unique spot. They utilize the space inside really well. There were a couple of stand up tables and a couple of dine-in tables. It is quiet, but it was also kind of cool. A door leads outside to a courtyard area, which during the pandemic was surely a blessing to them. It was a nice area. The outside seating was the kind of place you wanted to hang out.

The first thing I noticed on the menu was this smorgasbord cheese board. Since there were four of us, that seemed like a no brainer. They explained the other offerings on the menu in some detail, the other cheese boards and the sandwiches and all, but this thing said it was chef’s choice. And out came this giant meat, cheese and bread charcuterie board. It had several different types of bread on it, all kinds of cheese and meats.

Everybody at my table had an extensive background in restaurants, and they all – multiple times – made comments about how impressed they were with this thing. Simple but excellent. The four of us ate off of it and we barely got through the whole thing.

When we were finished with the board, we ordered more. We did not need it, we were full, but I felt obligated to try other items, since I was supposed to be reviewing this place. So, we all went in for sandwiches.

My dad and I got the Steak Churri. It was very good.

I enjoyed it.

The other two went with the Cured Club, which was kind of a game changer. My friends said the club was absolutely amazing. But that wasn’t the only review of the Cured Club that I received that day.

While we were eating our sandwiches we ran into my sister, who is a banker. We had no idea she was going to be there, but that seems to be the kind of place this is.

Then I got a text from my sister about two hours later, and she said it was the best club she’d ever had. She didn’t even know I was reviewing the place. She just texted me to tell me how good it was.

Cured was an excellent experience. The team was friendly. It is not full service – in that they do not have full-service waiters – but there was no lack of service.

Lots of smiles. Always there if you needed or wanted something. It was just a unique place.

I’m happy they asked me to review Cured because I don’t know how long it would have taken me to get there by myself. I will definitely go back, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It has a comfortable EDGE June | July 2021

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café vibe. That sit down and have some coffee or a beer vibe. It definitely was not a hustle and bustle, turn and burn kind of place. It was a “do your thing, enjoy yourself, but we’re here if you need us kind of place,” which is what we need in this world we live in right now.

The day after our meal both of my friends said the same thing. I didn’t ask them. They volunteered that they will go back.

At the end of the day, that’s the best review you can give.

Cured on Columbia is a locally minded coffeehouse with espresso drinks, kombucha & light, seasonal eats dispensed in a relaxed quirky atmosphere.

415 North Columbia Street, Covington 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday; Closed on Sunday

Northshore Media Group’s Senior Account Executive Rebecca BlossmanFarran was named Ambassador of the Year by the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce and Account Executive Debi Menasco was named Ambassador of the Year by the Tangipahoa Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations we are so proud of you.

For the 23rd consecutive year, Northlake Mandeville Rotary has announced it’s 2021 Scholarship Award recipients. The trio of $12,000 award-winners for this year are: Lauren Lacoste and Celeste Guidry, both graduated from Fontainebleau High School; and Trevor Fortier, who graduated from Archbishop Hannan High School.

As part of the annual leadership week at Saint Paul’s School, the student council hosted a breakfast for students nominated by their coaches and moderators as outstanding representatives of their individual club, team, or organization. The photo includes student council executive board members with the breakfast keynote speaker Mayor Mark Johnson, Saint Paul’s alumnus, Class of ‘76.

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Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser visited Sherri Hansen at Culinary Kids to offer small business support during the Covid Economy. He brought Louisiana Seafood samplings to their Thursday night Special Needs Class.

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RIBBON CUTTINGS Marble Slab Creamery and Great American Cookie Company

Etouffee Authentic Cajun

St. Tammany Health System

United Way EDGE June | July 2021

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Supervisory Special Agent Nick Powe and Supervisory Special Agent Chris Soyez, both with the FBI New Orleans Office, presented Sheriff Randy Smith with an American Flag, which was flown over the U.S. Embassy in Karachi, Pakistan on Sept. 11, 2020, in honor of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

United Way of Southeast Louisiana presented the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Crisis Intervention Team $15,000 in grant funding to support suicide prevention, mental health services and crisis response.

Craig Noel, CEO of American Integration Contrators LLC, presented a plaque to St. Tammany Parish Sheriff 2020 Deputy of the Year Sean Gowan.

Saint Paul’s students collaborated with students from five local Archdiocesan schools to donate an impressive quantity of food for the annual “Stuff the Bus” campaign which supports the Northshore Food Bank’s Summer Stock program. The students collected a total of 13,460 pounds of food setting a new record of donations since beginning the program eight years ago.

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EDGE June | July 2021

St. Scholastica Academy seniors last day and college t shirt day.

Meg Williams delivering signs welcoming seniors to alumni association.

St. Scholastica Academy Father/Daughter barbecue on last day for senior class.

EDGE June | July 2021

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Slidell Memorial Hospital Foundation held their Driving Out Cancer Golf Tournament at Pinewood Golf Club.

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EDGE June | July 2021

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