By KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauSLIDELL – St. Tammany Sheriff RandySmith was officially arrested late last week following the fight he wasinvolved in against alongtime Social Mediacritic after an investigation was handled by theLouisiana attorney general. Smith remains inhis role as sheriff untilthe matter is settled bythe courts.According to SpecialAgent Steven Brens withthe A.G.’s Office, Smithattacked Bobby Couvillion at Keith Young’sSteakhouse restaurantin Madisonville on Friday, May 29, at approximately 4:30 p.m.,surprising him from behind as Couvillion sat atthe bar. Smith reportedlylunged at Couvillion, according to video camera evidence securedfrom the restaurant, puthim in a choke hold ashe threw him to theground, kicked him inthe back, then jumpedon top of him and proceeded to punch him inthe face before customers pulled Smith off.Bren’s report said the attack was “unprovoked.”While that may havebeen the case that nightat the restaurant, Couvillion has used his Podcast, The Couyon Show,to attack Smith “for 10years, including stalking, threats and harassment,” a source to TheSlidell Independentsaid. Smith has endured thecriticism and attacks foryears as sheriff, but a recent incident involvingCouvillion reportedlyescalated the situationin such a way that Smithapparently took mattersinto his own hands.(See Smith, Pg. 8A)By KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauSLIDELL – Over 140deputies with the St.Tammany Sheriff’s Office, currently keepingparish residents safe,are hoping that the critical millage renewalcoming up for voters onJune 27 won’t be confused with another highprofile tax vote gettinglots of attention thesedays.The Sheriff’s Office isasking voters to renewits 10-year 4.31 millageon Saturday, June 27,which provides fundingfor salaries and benefitsto approximately 142deputies.Without passage,Sheriff Randy Smith saidhe would have to cut hisforce by 20 percent—the 142 deputies.(See Millage, Pg. 9A)By KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauSLIDELL – The pastfew years when conservative and liberalgroups clashed manytimes at public meetings concerning sexually explicit books thathad been discoveredavailable to children inSt. Tammany public libraries, it was the farleft voices that wereaccused of frequentlysuggesting violent actsas a way to win the battle.That situation surfaced once again lastweek following thereappointment of ChuckBranton to the LibraryBoard of Control when aCovington lawyer, a Democrat, made a Facebook post on the site ofthe St. Tammany LibraryAlliance—a leadinggroup that fought tokeep the books accessible for minors in thepublic libraries.(See Threats, Pg. 7A)Celebrations are being plannedall over our great United States forJuly 4 when America recognizes its250th birthday.The Slidell Independent plans tojoin the fun and pageantry as welland is announcing today that wehave opened nominations of individuals in our communities who willbe considered for “The Slidell Independent Patriot Award.” The winnerwill be named in our special section, “Celebrating America’s 250th,”which will be published with ourJuly 2 newspaper.(See Patriot, Pg. 7A)142 to be laid off if pay funding failsThreats follow defeat by left groupsCorbin derail attempt failsSheriff charged after fightin North Shore restaurantA.G. releasesincident detailsThe Pirogue ShowNEW! West Parish CoverageSunset Point Pier breaks ground in Mandeville - 2B2009 | NEWS THAT MATTERS COMMUNITIES THAT CONNECT | 2026Thursday, June 11, 2026 Vol. 17/No. 24TODAY’S INSPIRATION“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test meand know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me alongthe path of everlasting life.” —Psalms 139:23-24 With over 280,000residents in St. Tammany, theSheriff ’s Office answered 238,408calls in 2025, and hasmaintained an overallsolve rate for crimes at95 percent, far abovethe national average of44 percent.Nominations are now open forSlidell Independent ‘Patriot Award’ Full statementto the publicfrom RandySmith on page 8A.The second year of the return of the Bayou Liberty Pirogue Racesbrought out a huge crowd this past Sunday. Will Walsten (top), isthe director of the new Bayou Liberty Heritage Foundation that revived the races along with Phil Galatas and Craig Sollberger,aided by the partnership with Foggy Waters Marina. Highlightinghistory in the region, as well as fun on the waters, not everyone(bottom photo) made it through the race staying dry. See morephotos on page 12A. (Staff Photos by Neill Fleck.) # \" \" fi ! fi ff fifflff ffifl $ fi ! fi fiffl ffl %\" $ fi ! fi ff fiffl fi ! ffff &ffl ! fi # \" \" fi ! $ fi ! ff ffl fffflBy KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauSLIDELL – St. Tammany Library BoardChairman Chuck Branton was reappointed tothe board at the ParishCouncil meeting lastweek, but not beforeone councilman did hisbest to derail whatended up a 9-4 vote inBranton’s favor, one thatnow appoints Brantonfor a full, five-year term.Branton was first appointed to the board in2025 for a one-yearterm, but according tostate law, the second appointment for any boardmember will then be forfive years.(See Branton, Pg. 6A)Branton reappointedto Library BoardSheriff’s Office deputies pushmillage renewal set June 27 Chuck Branton
Page 2A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTTimber Creek halts potential $4 million payoutBy KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauSLIDELL – A Slidell insurance company is doing its part to reduce autoand truck insurance rates with an aggressive policy against those who arefiling fraudulent claims.Timber Creek Insurance recentlycompiled a case that they forward toLouisiana State Police about four individuals who tried to file a fraudulentclaim against their company, a claimthat would have netted them $4 million if they had been successful.Timber Creek Insurance ownersDennis Neyland and Chris Workman,also heading Workman Insurancebased in Slidell and Bogalusa, created their own approach to sellingtrucker insurance by offering lowerrates for drivers who allowed videocameras to be put into the cab of theirtrucks.That effort not only allows them tooffer lower rates, but has resulted intwo fraud case arrests against thosetrying to file fraudulent claims.“This is our way to do somethingthat could ultimately reduce insurance rates across the board for everyone,” Neyland explained.The most recent case occurred lastweek when Louisiana State Police arrested four individuals following aninvestigation into the alleged insurance fraud scheme in Iberia Parish The investigation began after Timber Creek referred a case to theLouisiana Department of InsuranceFraud Division regarding allegationsof fraudulent insurance claims involving 29-year-old Rayshonte Oppenheimer, 32-year-old Briannie Butler,24-year-old Passion Keal and 33-yearold Quandalyn Bernard, all of NewIberia. The investigation determined thesuspects made false statements during the insurance claims process following a 2025 crash involving aPelican Waste & Debris garbage truckthat was insured by Timber Creek. Neyland said one of the individualscalled their office to file the claim ofbeing in the accident, but their investigation later revealed the person wasnot in the truck when the accident occurred. More questions led to additional inaccurate informationprovided that proved it was a fraudulent claim attempt.Neyland said that even though Timber Creek is a smaller company thanmany of the insurance giants in theUnited States, they spend time and resources to put together cases for StatePolice when they deal with potentiallyfraudulent claims.“If more of the big insurance companies would do this, and stop thefraud, insurance rates could comedown for everyone,” Neyland said.“That’s why we are committed to doour part. Unfortunately, the biggercompanies don’t want to spend thetime to put the cases together forstate police, which is what authoritiesmust have to move forward and arrestthese people.“Instead, they are content to raiseinsurance rates on the people doingthe right thing,” he said.Neyland said they also had a fourthperson come forward later and saythey were also in the truck, which wasdisputed by the video.Between April 30 and May 1, 2026,investigators obtained arrest warrants for all four suspects for Automobile Insurance Fraud (Felony). Thesuspects were later apprehended orturned themselves in and booked intothe Iberia Parish Jail. Louisiana State Police reminds thepublic that insurance fraud is a serious criminal offense that increasescosts for consumers and businessesthroughout the state. The public playsan important role in helping identifyindividuals involved in these crimesand is encouraged to report criminalor suspicious activity. Reports can besubmitted through the LA-SAFE website at la-safe.org by selecting the“Suspicious Activity Reports” link,calling the LSP Suspicious ActivityHotline at 1-800-434-8007, or usingthe See Send Smartphone app. Slidell insurance agency aids State Police in fraud casearehociAWine W h cquistapasndsuse’sctionpiriteaEnormof VWine, & Spalue Branmous SelecBeerThrougof aHVghout the ot DealsBranHalueStorendsull line ofwine and spirit t f dap f dTop major is ba fantastic every ay pricMore Than Wine!F f mixersCheeses & CharcuterieCentral Grocery Original Muffulettas100% guarantee on everything wcomM Sun: 10AM–6PM85-259-4136nbeatable prices.ouseTFridays 3–5 PMWeeklyTastingsbrandsces! we sellOpen: Mon - Thurs: 9AM191 Gause BlvdLouisiana’s leading dSlidell100% gua acquistapace.cM–7PM Fri&Sat: 9AM - 8Pd West, Slidell | 98destination forwine and spirits at unl Wine Warehoarantee on everything wNOW OPEN IN SLIDELL!30 Years in Business - 9 locations1533 GAUSE BLVD - SLIDELL, LA 70458(985) 364-0128
By KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauMANDEVILLE – TheSt. Tammany ParishCouncil made it officialat their meeting lastweek—parish voterswill be asked onceagain to approve a taxmeasure that will guarantee long-term funding for public safety.The council votedunanimously at theirmeeting to put a measure on the December 12ballot that will ask residents to approve a ¼-cent sales tax, less thanthe originally discussedtotal of a one-third cent.The tax will be for fiveyears and is expected toraise approximately$18.3 million in its firstyear, with parish government supplementing that total withmonies already in theirgeneral fund. Revenueraised from the tax willbe dedicated specifically to criminal prosecution and courtservices, including theDistrict Attorney’s Office, the judge’s operations in the JusticeCenter, the Coroner’sOffice and jail maintenance. Should the measurefail, the key prosecutorial public safety agencies in the parish will belooking at a budget cutof approximately 55percent for fiscal year2027, something councilmembers say will“crash public safety inSt. Tammany if it happens.”Parish governmenthas been seeking a permanent funding mechanism for the past 10years after a sales taxwas defeated six consecutive times, startingin 2016. The funds werededicated to the maintenance and operationof the Justice Centerand jail, but voters haveclearly grown tired ofwhat is a parish withsome of the highesttaxes in the state, turning thumbs down overand-over for the recentattempts.This time, however,council members believe things could bedifferent since they willhighlight the reductionin some of those taxesover the past two years,including a $3 million ayear reduction in the library millage, the expiration of two millages tosave $13 million, the St.Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District reducing theirmillage and saving taxpayers nearly $4 milliona year, plus nearly $5million reduction in lawenforcement and SchoolBoard millages.Additionally, thecouncil has hired consultant Sam Caruso Jr. tohead the campaignfrom now until December to educate and inform the public aboutthe need for this salestax. Caruso, who led thecampaign to get the library millage renewedlast year during whatwas still a controversialtime for that board, saidhis plan to victory willbe vastly different thanprevious campaigns.“This has to be different, very different,” saidCaruso. “We must getthe voters to meet withus and give us their concerns and complaints,but also listen to ourpresentation about whythis is critically needed,and why it deservestheir support.”The problem for theparish is that only 9 percent of the $202 millionbudget is available tothem to pay for the statemandated departments,including the D.A.’s Office, the judges operations in the JusticeCenter, the Coroner’sOffice and jail maintenance. In 2026, the minimum total for thatfunding was $22 million,but the parish only had$16 million. In futureyears it will only getworse.Caruso said he plansa campaign to reach outto voters who have beena consistent “no” voteon taxes, invite them infor meetings to talkabout it, and try to convince them the requestfrom government is critical if they care to maintain the great quality oflife known in St. Tammany.“We will hold morepublic meetings thanyou have ever seen, butwe also plan to actuallyinvite the critics to thesemeetings. And I mean,send them a mail invitation,” he said. “Believeme, we know people arefed up with their totaltax bill. I get it, I’m a taxpayer too.“But we have a superquality of life here and ifwe don’t fix this problem, the public is notgoing to like what happens to it,” he added.Caruso said the taxreductions in recentyears has actually totaled nearly $15 million,but most residents don’tunderstand that, whichis why he said his team,plus public officials,must meet face-to-facewith residents to explain what the situationis.“We want them to understand that 91 percent of that money isdedicated through millages to over 40 taxingagencies,” he explained. “Parish government cannot touch apenny of that for thepublic safety agencies.“Then we want toshow them what willhappen to our parish ifthis problem is not fixedand we cut the D.A. by55 percent,” he added.Page 3APublic safety ‘will crash’ in parish if vote fails in DecemberThursday, June 11, 2026Sam Caruso Jr.THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTGet an auto insurance quote fromBUSINESS OF HELPINWORKMAN INSURANf A oruto oTired of P TOOor Truck InyTPa in O MUCHsu a ce?m our agency and you mayNG PEOPLE...NCE GROUP IS IN THEM t l ITV InsuranceBoat InsuranceAuto Insuranceminutes to find save thousandsAout how much we can save you!s of dollars a year. It only takes a few e InsuranceUmbrella CoverCommercial InsRV InsuranceHomeowner InsMotorcycle InsuLifragesurancesuranceuranceRenters InsuranGeneral LiabilityFlood InsuranceWorkers CompLife Insurancenceyemanins.comnformation:workmanins.com (98Sli3rd2285) 732-410470461d Floor250 Gause Blvdidell, LAEagentry@workmFor more inast,Parish seeking reduced amount of ¼-cent sales taxow vailable DITN AREADigitallyslidelITAVAIllindependentILABLE ON
Don’t look now but we are almost ready for our July 4 celebrations. The biggest one in Slidell is coming earlier than normal with the Slidell Heritage Festival set for Saturday, June 27, at Heritage Park, so I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of the early date—especially since it’s the 250th anniversary of America and you can expect an extra big crowd and celebration. Every community needs to have a great Fourth of July party and thanks to the two Slidell Rotary Clubs partnering up with the city of Slidell, we are fortunate to have one that has to be as good as anywhere. The Heritage Festival has everything a summer get-together should have. Starting when the doors open at 5 p.m. (good idea a few years ago to avoid the middle of the day heat, the fun continues with live music all day until the fireworks extravaganza at 9 p.m., wrapping up with more good music to end the fun. Our longtime favorite band Witness kicks things off at 5:30 p.m., followed by two more of the top regional bands—The Molly Ringwalds at 7 p.m., followed by Zebra 50 on their 2026 anniversary tour following the fireworks. Admission is only $15 per person for anyone age 13 and up, then kids are in for free where they will have lots of games to keep them amused, while mom and dad enjoy great food, beverages, music and maybe even a little dancing. There will be a magician on stage at 5:15 before the music kicks off, then there are other great attractions for the family, including water slides, a petting zoo, face painting, a firefighter challenge (getting to be one of the most popular events), Infinity Science Center with a great display, a sing-a-long, adoptable pets and Home Depot wood projects. All the proceeds go to specific charities that have been selected, who then provide some of the volunteers along with Rotary Club members. It’s a great approach for a Slidell community event that has raised an incredible total of over $1 million for charity since it started 27 years ago. Way to go Rotary. No outside food or drinks allowed, nor ice chests and tents. Mark your calendar now—earlier than July 4 with the Saturday, June 27 Slidell Heritage Festival, a great family event for all. ---- I must say that I have had some great e-mails and text messages in the past few weeks since we started our expanded distribution of The Slidell Independent to Mandeville and Covington, making it clear the west side wants a great community newspaper since they had none before we came along. One of the best emails was a longtime friend from my earlier newspaper days. Trey Folse, known by most of you as the former superintendent of St. Tammany public schools, sent me an email which showed him taking a copy of the paper from the box at Acquistapace Grocery in Covington. He thanked me for bringing a paper to the west. Trey and I go way back for sure. He was a skinny kid at Slidell High who I began to cover in basketball during my sports days. He was one of those guys the coach probably wasn’t too sure about since he was as green as could be. But Trey was a kid who outworked everyone, then four years later he graduated and went on to play for Southeastern. Years later he was back in Slidell and became the superintendent of schools before retiring. I will always remember his dad Bill and I sitting at every SHS game watching Trey pour in the points. Thanks for the e-mail Trey. Kevin Chiri can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. If you wonder why many Americans question the validity of our elections you need look no further than the state of California. Election workers are still counting the votes from the June 2 election, and expect to keep counting for up to three more weeks. California law says the Secretary of State has 30 days after the election to certify the results. What is going on? Since when does it take anyone, especially in today’s high-level technological world, 30 times as long to count votes as it did decades ago when people voted on one day, and we knew who won in the morning. Somehow, perhaps in the twisted thinking of the California political leadership, they decided over the years that there should be other reasons they should wait for results, and they came up with new rules allowing the votes to be counted and recounted over days and weeks. It was virtually unheard of many years ago for anyone to challenge the results from an election, short of it being a very small margin of victory. Instead, even in our simpler versions of counting the votes, the public trusted the outcome and a system was always in place to have results by the next morning, if that late. Yet, California is now counting ballots for days and days, thanks to new rules and regulations that have been changed, and allowing mail-in ballots to arrive as much as a week after the election. It is truly madness. The only real excuse California election offices point to as the reason this takes so long is because 80 percent of the 23 million registered voters now mail in their ballots. But what would be so wrong to move the deadline up earlier so mail-in ballots HAD to be received by election day or they don’t count. As easily as someone can mail in their ballot the day before an election, they should be forced to do it a week or 10 days earlier—whatever it took to give the post office enough time to get them in by election day. In today’s world of technology it is mind blowing to think we have a state that shows so little intelligence to fix the system. Instead, the rest of the country is forced to stand by accepting this clown show. It’s just one more reason why many people look at California as living in a different world than the rest of us, when you consider some of the ridiculous liberal policies. Among only a few are the worst homeless situation in our country, out-of-control drug use on the streets, the highest gas prices in the U.S., environmental polices that stifle business, and taxes so high that they are now the state with the highest exodus of population in our country. Thank goodness we live in Louisiana. Page 4A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTSlidell Independent Submission GuidelinesThe Slidell Independent is interested in publishing your information and need pictures and/or stories submitted to the newspaper through e-mail. We run any newsworthy information for free, and generally have it in the paper within two weeks of the time it is submitted. Here is how you can have your information published in our paper: E-mail: [email protected] Please make your story a text file of some kind, preferably a Word file, then attach it to the email. Pictures should be saved as jpg files and also attached. If you have a special event you would like reporter coverage for, please e-mail that in also, and we will consider it for our staff. We assign reporters to local schools for special events. If you have any further questions, call Publisher Kevin Chiri at 985-607-8852 or email him at [email protected] Slidell OpinionsEDITORIALHeritage Festival returns on June 27BY KEVIN CHIRI The Slidell Independent Prehensile[pre-HEN-sәl]\"The monkey used its prehensile tail to turn the doorknob and free itself.\" \"My cat’s tail is so strong, it’s almost prehensile.\"Some monkeys in Central and South America have prehensile tails, while those across Asia and Africa do not. Prehensile tails are often associated with monkeys, but they appear in many different types of mammals, including rodents and marsupials, as well as some reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Not all prehensile tails are equal: Some have bare patches of skin for friction and are better equipped for gripping and climbing, while others are hairy and best used for balance.“Prehensile” was drawn directly from the French “préhensile,” based on the Latin prefix “prehēns” (meaning “to grasp”).Latin, 18th century — Part of Speech: Adjective(Chiefly of an animal's limb or tail) Capable of grasping.What it meansAbout PrehensileExamples of Prehensile in a sentenceDid you Know?Origin:The Slidell Independent welcomes “Letters to the Editor.” Letters must be no longer than 500 words, and The Slidell Independent reserves the right to edit the letters as needed. Please e-mail letters to: [email protected]. ‘Letters to the Editor’A clown show in California with elections THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT STAFFTHE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTP.O. BOX 3130 Slidell, La. 70459 985-607-8852 [email protected] Slidell Independent is a locally owned and operated newspaper that serves the eastern St. Tammany Parish area, including Slidell, Lacombe and Pearl River. It is distributed through free circulation in the eastern St. Tammany region, while also available for purchase at local stores. The Slidell Independent is published once a week on Thursday, distributed as an A.M. publication. Reproduction of any portion of the paper is not permitted without authorization of The Slidell Independent.‘Your Community, Your Slidell Newspaper’The Slidell IndependentKEVIN CHIRI: Editor and Publisher [email protected] JENNY WEISHEIT: News Editor [email protected] longtime friend Trey Folse
By KEVIN CHIRISlidell news bureauSLIDELL – Talk to almost anything financialservices expert andthey will agree on onething—a vast majorityof Americans know verylittle about how to makeplans for a successfulretirement by managingtheir money properly.Jonathan Lee knowsas well as anyone andafter a successful careeras a financial servicesspecialist, has decidedto give back to communities across the countrywith a free—yes, totallyfree—financial literacyprogram for anyone interested to show up.“Without doubt thereare about 80 percent ofAmericans who knowvery little about their investments, planning forretirement, how to create a proper estate planor how to make the rightdecisions to ensure theyhave the money andprotection they need inretirement,” Lee said.To that end, Leefounded Financial Education Partnership (FEP)over 20 years ago andafter a successful startin the Washington D.C.area, is now reachingout across the countryto find local individualswho will partner withhim to teach the classes.Slidell’s ChuckSabadie has over 40years of working withevery aspect of financialservices and has joinedFEP as one of theirmany volunteers toteach the classes andhold seminars where individuals can get the information they need.Most surprisinglywith the FEP program isthat, unlike many otherfinancial seminarshosted that are designed to follow up byselling financial products, FEP is not like that.“Not only do we nottry to sell you something, but it is againstour policy to try and sellanything,” Lee explained. “This is truly afree education resourcefor the public. I wasvery successful in mytime working as a professional and as aCatholic who is a Christian, it is our way to giveback to the communities we live in.”“This is totally a volunteer driven organization,” Lee added. “Wehave about 300 volunteers who have donethis for the past 20 yearsin the D.C. area, but nowwe are ready to expandnationally and we arelooking for people, justlike Chuck, who is willing to volunteer his timeand expertise to teachfinancial education.”Among the topics tobe handled will be: College Planning, Continuing Education forAccountants, CharitableAssets, Multiple Employer Plan, FederalEmployee concerns,Small Business Advice,and even a course onDivorce Advice.FEP was founded as aresult of an urgent needto eliminate financial illiteracy and has helpedthousands of individualsbecome more financially fit by understanding financial pitfalls thatthey may encounter intheir lives.Local volunteer industry experts contributetheir time and expertiseto conduct financial webinars and workshopsto companies, churches,municipalities, and nonprofit organizations atno cost. FEP workshopsare informative, educational and entertaining!“The host organization benefits from theseseminars, by creatinggoodwill and strengthening morale amongstits employees or members,” Lee noted. “Theparticipants benefitfrom the knowledgethey gain and the financial experts benefit byhaving the opportunityto give something backto the community inwhich they serve.”While the workshopand webinar presentersare businessmen andbusinesswomen, theseare not sales events. Thepurpose of the webinarsand workshops is toprovide valuable financial information to theparticipants that attend,and no specific products or companies areever endorsed.“We do not have amarketing budget sothe only way to spreadthis is through grassroots efforts, thanks topeople like Chuck, whois well connected, anexperienced professional and willing to volunteer his time,” Leesaid.The men connectedwhen Sabadie came to anational seminar andmet Lee, hearing abouthis plan to expand theD.C. program nationally.“Some people thinkwe are trying to getclients, but that is totallynot true,” Lee said. “I realize it might be hard tounderstand this is totally free and simply aservice to our communities, but that’s what itis. And at the end, it is awin for everybody.”Sabadie will soonschedule his first program, which is about financial pitfalls too manypeople slip into, discussing the seven mostcommon financial mistakes made. From there,the different specifictopics will be held—some in person andsome online.Lee said that 80 percent of the public is financially illiteratebecause banks andcredit card companiesare happy making highinterest.“They have no incentive to teach people howto avoid mistakes,” hesaid. “Banks and creditcard companies aremaking too muchmoney off very high interest rates to want people to know how toavoid that.”Additionally, Sabadiesaid, a lot of people facedeep financial problems, but are embarrassed to admit themistakes they made,and consequently, neverget help.For more informationabout the programs, goonline to: Feponline.orgTHE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2026HaAOPEN at 1 OPEN at 11am 7 daysWE ARE BAAuthentic MexicMargaritaappy Hour Everya weekACK!an foodasy day: 2-6OPEN at 11am, 7 days In former SteakhouseBack area of a weekTSaltgrasse building -Town CenterNational program expands withgoal to help, not sell productsFree financial educationsoon to be offered here ffi fl ffl ffi ff fi ff 2054 Gause Blv &%$ffi # \" ! ' \" 2054 G' fi vd. East S lidell | 98 \" # $ffi ($ ' & # &ffi & # ' v ffi on| L \" 85 445 1042 ffi )*# # \" # $ffi ! 85-445-1042 | L ngogroup.net &ffi \" # $ffi \" &ffi - ,&+'#ngoSLIDELL BUSINESS News and NotesPage 5ASlidell City CouncilJune 15, 7:00--Planning & Zoning.Council Chambers.June 23, 6:30—City Council.Council Chambers.--Council Chambers—2045 Second St.--Slidell Auditorium, 2056 Second St.St. Tammany School BoardJune 11, 6:00--Full Board meeting. (Slidell)--Unless designated elsewhere,meetings at C.J. Schoen Bld., 321 N.Theard, Covington.** Slidell meetings: Robert C.Brooks Education Complex, 2544Sgt. Alfred Dr., Slidell.St. Tammany Parish CouncilJune 24, 1:30—Agenda Review.July 9, 6:00—Parish Council.---Parish Council Chambers,21490 Koop Dr., Mandeville.Fire District #1Board of CommissionersJune 16, 6 p.m., Towers BuildingSt. Tammany Levee BoardJune 17, 6:00--Committee meetings start at 5p.m.--All meetings at Slidell Auditorium, 2056 2nd St., Slidell.St. Tammany Library BoardJuly 27, 6:30—Regular meeting.--Parish Council Chambers,21490 Koop Dr., Mandeville.Upcoming Meetings ‘Slidell’s Chuck Sabadie has over 40years of working with every aspect offinancial services and has joined FEPas one of their many volunteers toteach the classes and hold seminarswhere individuals can get the information they need.’
Page 6A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTCLASSICDISHES. DISHESMANYWITHARECLASSICFUNIQUE985-288-4634Slidell, LA 70458348 Robert Blvd.7 D YS A WEEKOpen 6am to 3pm AORITE?DISHES.ARTY HEREwith all your specialty drinks.Fully stocked COFFEE BARBOOK YOUR SPECIAL PWHAT’S YOUR FAVO2 0 2 2R E A DERS’ C HOI C E A W A R D SBRANTON: Library Board Chairman reappointed(From Pg. 1A)Branton, who was unable to makethe meeting after going to Coloradofor his daughter’s wedding then having a plane flight cancelled, had lotsof support from the public anyway,with well over a dozen individualsspeaking in his favor. The support referenced Branton’sleadership for the past year that wasbacked by his own board voting himinto the chairmanship twice in a row.Branton was credited for leading theeffort to hire a new library director,working to get the library millage approved during perilous public timesregarding tax votes, crafting and getting passage of various new librarypolicies, creating new library policiesto aid veterans and more.“Mr. Branton is the right choice toremain on the board. He has reignedin a circus of antics and tempertantrums by activists, even with attacks from his critics,” said DevinMcgee.Andy Frisard from Slidell said Branton has turned “an embattled program into something we can be proudof him. Resist temptation of changejust for change. Let him continue theirgood work.”Concerned Citizens of St. TammanyPresident Rick Franzo said Brantonhas done an amazing job and “turnedchaos into making this a stable, forward moving board. He has cleanedup our libraries, and in my businessexperience, you don’t remove someone who is doing a good job.”However, Branton’s harshest criticon the night came from a parish councilman who served on the LBOC manytimes after being appointed to theseat to serve for Parish PresidentMike Cooper.Councilman Jeff Corbin had severalclashes with Branton during his timeson the board, and read a long speechdetailing the most recent incidentwhen he said he was not allowed tospeak, which later led to a confrontation with a board member after themeeting. “I was not allowed to talk by Mr.Branton at a recent meeting. My opinion was dismissed,” he said.However, Corbin had several otherclashes with board members besidesBranton, including one meeting whenhe was upset with several femalemembers of the board after the meeting for an amendment he could notget passed, taking them to task afterthe meeting. More recently he had aclash with Board Member GlennBaham in the parking lot after themeeting that required police to stepin to ensure the peace, something thatwas mentioned by a speaker from thepublic at last week’s meeting.Corbin noted that he voted for Branton in the first appointment and saidhe has known Branton for 35 years,complimenting him on helping getthe millage passed and leading moreresources for veterans.But Corbin said he was not happythat Branton had refused to meet withmembers of the Library Alliance, aleft-leaning organization that foughtfor three years to keep sexually explicit books on the public libraryshelves, accessible to minors with noparental approval.Branton said he has always beenwilling to meet with others wanting todiscuss library policies, but admittedhe refused to meet with the Alliancedue to their personal attacks andthreats. Branton noted one meetingwhen he was leaving and an individual told him, “you better watch out because we know where you live.” Eventhough Branton was not in the roomduring Corbin’s criticism of him,Councilman David Cougle immediately defended Branton’s decision notto meet with the Alliance. “That group has mocked JesusChrist, mocked veterans with disabilities, criticized LBOC members forchurches they attend and encouragedviolence against elected officials,”Cougle said. “I support Mr. Branton’sdecision to not meet with extremistgroups.“I have seen Mr. Branton lead thisboard from the front even in the faceof political opposition. He remainedcalm when someone screamed the ‘F’word at him from the podium and hesaved taxpayers tens of thousands ofdollars in the search for a new director,” Cougle added. “And he has doneit all when being threatened simplyfor doing his job.”Col. Jason Trew was the only othernominee for the board seat, but in theend, Branton was reappointed 9-4with Corbin, Jimmy Strickland, MarthaCazaubon and Larry Rolling votingfor Trew. Rick Smith was absent. Branton said he was very thankfulfor all the people who showed up andsupported him, especially since hisplan to be at the meeting waschanged by plane flight problems.“I’m grateful to those who are goingto give me a chance to do this work,”he remarked. “What I especially appreciate is that the support for me tocontinue serving has come from across section of our community.”Branton named a list of projects hewill move forward on, in the midst ofthree major construction projects theboard is already overseeing.He noted the tremendous success ofthe summer reading program, whichhas several thousand kids and teensenrolled, and said he has key issueshe plans to tackle in the way of continued help for veterans with more resources for them, expanding aprogram to bring books to the shut-inpopulation throughout the parish, setting up a policy with guidelines ofwho steps in as library director whenthere is a vacancy and work with thepublic schools to coordinate resources to help students.“When Kelly LaRocca resignedthere was no policy of who becomesthe director,” he said. “We need thatspelled out very clearly. Also, I am especially interested in helping the elderly and disabled population whocan’t get out. When you can’t leaveyour house, you become invisible andwe need to provide help for them.”This eyesore on Pontchartrain Drive has been targeted by areasbusinesses and residents for several years, trying to have it demolished. The Slidell City Council finally took care of the placewith a final order, as this heavy machinery came in and leveled theentire stretch along Pontchartrain. (Staff photos by Kevin Chiri.)TEAR. IT. DOWN.
THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2026 Page 7AITREADNow Available DigitallyAVAILABLE AILABLE ON slidellindependentsignature sidesspecialties thatexquisite steakScarlet’s SteaksEAKS & S elegant dessertst are paired with and seafoodood offersSTs & SeafSEAFOODMississippi Gulfmost memorabMake your reseand high-class ture sidesY-SPC or viFor reservations plesigna888-PLAf Coast.ble experience on theervation today for the customer service.serts,sit OPENTABLE.COM, elegant desease call9380 Central Avenue • D’IbervillMust be 21 or older. Scarlet Pearl Cae, MS 39540 • 888–752–9772 • ScarletPasino Resort reserves all rights. Gambling proPearlCasino.com •oblem? Call 1-800-522-4700.INTEGHONESTfor over 40 Our comm Our commfor over 40 HONESTINTEGRITYTY ANDyears...mitmentyears...TY ANDRITYAFTER in all we in all weDon’t waMARKET AND EXTENDEWE ACCEPTe do.ait:ED WARRANTIES!Faster, Better S ,Don t waService!ait:THREATS: Online commenters threaten conservatives(From Pg. 1A)“Sometimes bad things have tohappen to the bad people personally,before the bad people change theirworld view,” posted Annie Spell.She was commenting on the original post from the Alliance regardingBranton’s appointment by stating, “Iam not surprised by the pitiful andpathetic performance last night bythe party of pedophile protectors andpedophile apologists. The theme theypromote is (to) take us all back to atime before progress.”Spell quickly had over 20 “likes”clicked on her post.The Library Alliance post wascalled out by a frequent conservativespeaker at Parish Council and LibraryBoard meetings.“These people are ISSUING aveiled threat to the Parish Council because they didn’t get their way,” saidDevin Mcgee. “This is just more evidence to pile onto what has alreadybeen shown regarding these radicalactivists and their agenda to pervertour children. All Branton and the director did was reclassify works in thecatalog to other sections and restrict‘access’ to the most egregious offenders.“When their lying, filibustering, coordinated Social media smear campaigns, slogans and otherpropaganda don’t work they fall backto violent threats because they’vebeen rejected. This is why you haveLOST and will continue to LOSE,” headded in his Facebook response.The Library Alliance, using a PRIDElogo on their Facebook page, turnedout at the Library Board meetings forthree years as the battle went onabout the sexually explicit books.Over 150 books were challengedby conservatives, not to ban them, butto move them to a restricted sectionneeding parental approval for minorsto access. The Library Alliance andmany of their supporters consistentlyfought to keep the materials availablewith no restrictions.Many of the books had story lineswith pedophiles, sex including various sexual preferences, as well assome books with graphic pictures ofpeople having sex—including minors.Additionally, many books werefound in the children’s section promoting and supporting the gay, lesbian and transgender lifestyle.Branton, who was appointed for thefirst time a year ago, helped lead thefinal decisions by the board to movethe last 60 books into the restrictedsection and was attacked frequentlyby the far-left crowd for his stance. Healso said he and his family werethreatened more than once, includingone man who confronted him after aparticular board meeting and said, “Iknow where you and your family live.”The Library Alliance is the organization that Parish Councilman JeffCorbin supported for a meeting withBranton, and the reason Corbin gavea long talk before the Branton voteand said Branton’s unwillingness tomeet with them was the reason hesupported Branton’s opponent for theboard seat. Branton ended up beingreappointed by a 9-4 vote.Branton said he has met with dozensof individuals about Library Boardmatters, but refused to meet with theAlliance because of what he said were“threats against my family.”PATRIOT: Nominations open for ‘Patriot Award’(From Pg. 1A)This amazing country we are all fortunate to live in was built on the principles from our founding fathers, thenheld up for two-and-and-a-half centuries to ensure the incredible freedoms we all have.“The United States is truly the greatest country on this planet, and mainlythanks to freedom for each one of usto live our life as we desire,” Slidell Independent Publisher Kevin Chiri said.“Each of us can become whateverwe want in our life,” he added. “Andthose freedoms have been maintainedthanks to many individuals in our localcommunities who have stood up forthe rights of all. Many have done itthrough public office, some have doneit as church or community leaders, andmany have done it simply throughtheir own family examples.“That’s why we want to recognizemany of our own ‘Patriots’ in Slidelland St. Tammany Parish,” Chiri said.A ‘Patriot’ is defined as a person wholoves, supports and defends theircommunity and their country, as wellas the community values where youlive.If you know of someone you believewould deserve recognition for the lifethey have lived and the contributionsthey have made to our community andour country, please e-mail in theirname, contact information, and a fewcomments about why they are a greatPatriot and deserve to be consideredfor our special award.Deadline to submit a nomination willbe June 25, and the special section willbe in our July 2 newspaper.This special section “CelebratingAmerica’s 250th” will also containother stories about the people andevents that made our country great. Ifyou or your business would like a paidadvertising spot in the section to joinus in celebrating America, please email to: [email protected] – Sponsorships are beingsought and tickets now for sale for theannual Casino Night to supportNicholas’ Journey.The foundation helps families thatare going through a difficult healthjourney, as Nicholas Eirich wentthrough several years ago when hewas in need of a heart transplant.Nicholas received his first transplant in his younger years, but then ashe approached his senior year of highschool at Pope John Paul, he needed asecond one that never came to be ashe waited in a hospital, before hepassed away.During the trials the family wentthrough, including endless days,weeks and months in the hospital,Nicholas asked his father Ross, ownerof Nathan’s Restaurant, if they coulddo something for other pediatrictransplant families who were not asfortunate as they were. The result was the first Nicholas’Journey fundraiser at Pope John Paul,when over 300 people turned out tohelp raise money for the start of thenon-profit organization. A board of directors is now in place to receive applications from families in need toconsider how they can be helped.This year’s event will be held on Saturday, July 18 from 7 to 11 p.m. at thePope John Paul Gym, and theNicholas’ Journey board of directors isnow seeing sponsorships, which arefor sale at levels from $250 to $2,500.General admission tickets to thesuper fun night are also on sale for$100 each.To support the event or purchasetickets, go online to:Nicholasjourney.orgNicholas EirichSponsorships sought for Casino Night insupport of the Nicholas’ Journey foundation
(From Pg. 1A)The Social Media postby someone namedJoseph Chaisson, whomSmith said he does notknow at all, was not onlyaccusing Smith of contacting women throughdirect messaging eventhough he is married,but then makes othercrude, critical remarksabout the sheriff. Thepost particularly showsinappropriate interestin Smith’s wife Adele.The post was seen byCouvillion and not onlyre-posted on his ownSocial Media site, butthen Couvillion reportedly direct messaged itto Smith’s wife.While no one has directly condoned Smith’sattack that night, a hostof public officials andhighly successful businessmen have spoke toThe Slidell Independentanonymously sayingthat Couvillion steppedover the line when hebrought Smith’s wifeinto the situation.“And speaking aboutany husband who hadthat happen—whoeverthey might be—howlong can anyone takesomething like that?”one businessman said.“You can’t be surprisedif there are repercussions when someonegoes after a wife.”Smith issued a statement to the public andaddressed that particular situation.“As an elected publicofficial and as a lifelongpublic servant, I fullyunderstand and acceptthe fact that with this position comes not onlygreat responsibility, butalso heightened publicscrutiny.... Another unfortunate aspect of public service is the effectsuch public scrutinyand criticism can haveon one’s family. This too,is accepted and endured by the family…toan extent,” he said.“For the past ten yearsI have ignored hundreds of personal attacks directed at me byan individual who hidesbehind a computerscreen. As Sheriff, I haveignored the attacks,threats and lies directedat me. As a husband andfather, the continuedand worsening publicharassment of my wife,the false statementsagainst her and thebody shaming of herare not only despicable,but unacceptable. Seeing the frustration andpain caused to your wifeand family is somethingmuch harder to ignore,”Smith stated.Attempts to reachCouvillion for commenthave been unsuccessfuland in several New Orleans TV interviews hedoes not discuss the actual fight with Smith,most likely on advicefrom his attorney. However, he did make thisremark on a WDSU storyin reference to Smith’sstatement.“Thank you to all ofthose who are supporting me and my familythrough this difficulttime,\" Couvillion said.\"The ‘so-called’ apology(Smith’s statement) wasdisingenuous and verymisleading. It soundedmore like a defense of aspecific person’s negative actions. I have faithand always will havefaith in the investigatorsas they will continue todo a thorough jobthrough this process. Itrust in our judicial system. I look forward tomy day in court. Thetruth is and always is undeniable.”Regardless of the reasons that led Smith tothe attack, the sheriff isnow facing seriouscharges. Louisiana A.G.Liz Murrill filed arrestcharges against thesheriff for Second Degree Battery, which is afelony, as well as twocounts of disturbing thepeace, the second onehighlighted by “Appearing in an Intoxicated Condition.”Brens’ full investigation report included information about therestaurant bill that nightfor Smith’s table, whichwas $346 and includedfive glasses of wine, 12vodka drinks and onedrink with gin. The report did not indicatehow many of thosedrinks were consumedby Smith.The sheriff turnedhimself in for thecharges last Thursday,and is ordered to haveno contact with Couvillion. His arraignment isAugust 20.Couvillion was takento a hospital after the attack, which Brens saidhappened so quicklythat he had no time todefend himself. Couvillion suffered a seconddegree concussionwhen his head struckthe floor, then two of hisfront teeth were“moved” from thepunch to the face, aswell as abrasions to hisback from beingkicked. The report saidCouvillion could have“long term or permanent disfigurement forthe teeth.”Page 8A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTSheriff Smith statement to the public following fight incidentI would like to begin by publicly expressing a heartfelt apology to the citizens of St. Tammany Parish; thededicated men and women of the St.Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office; theowners, staff and patrons of Young’sSteakhouse; and anyone else affectedby this incident. To my family, and especially my wife, Adele, I apologizefor the stress and burden caused tothem by this situation.As an elected public official and asa lifelong public servant, I fully understand and accept the fact that withthis position comes not only great responsibility but also heightened public scrutiny. I understand and respectthat the actions I take as Sheriff areopen to examination, question andcriticism. I accepted this fact when Iput on the badge, and I know that it isone of the unfortunate aspects of public service. All law enforcement officers know and accept this, as theyalso know and accept the daily threatto their personal safety. It comes withthe job.Another unfortunate aspect of public service is the effect such publicscrutiny and criticism can have onone’s family. This too, is accepted andendured by the family…to an extent.For the past ten years I have ignored hundreds of personal attacksdirected at me by an individual whohides behind a computer screen. Hisactions were direct and intentional. AsSheriff, I have ignored the attacks,threats and lies directed at me. As ahusband and father, the continuedand worsening public harassment ofmy wife, the false statements againsther and the body shaming of her arenot only despicable, but unacceptable. Seeing the frustration and paincaused to your wife and family issomething much harder to ignore.In closing, I would like to thank ourfriends, family and the many citizensof St. Tammany Parish who havereached out with prayers, encouragement and support during this difficulttime. Your kindness and compassionmeans more to my family than wordscan adequately express. To the menand women of the St. Tammany ParishSheriff’s Office, keep your heads upand continue to perform the excellentwork you always do.As I continue through this, I want tomake a few things very clear. Actionshave consequences. I will fully address my actions through the legalprocess. While doing so, I remaincommitted to serving the citizens ofSt. Tammany Parish as your electedSheriff.Respectfully,Sheriff Randy C. SmithSLIDELL – An apparent acquaintance of St.Tammany Sheriff RandySmith has been chargedwith Principal to SecondDegree Battery in conjunction with the recentarrest of the sheriff forhis fight with a longtimeSocial Media critic.Gregory Saurage wasarrested for allegedlyencouraging Smith togo after Bobby Couvillion at the Keith YoungSteakhouse restaurantin Madisonville on Friday afternoon, May 29, afight that ended up withSmith getting arrestedand being charged withSecond Degree Batteryand two counts of Disturbing the Peace.According to the investigation by LouisianaA.G. Special AgentSteven Brens, additionalvideo footage they reviewed in recent daysled them to believeSaurage saw Couvillionshow up at the restaurant, sitting at the bar,and then told Smithabout him, making asign with his fists that indicated Brens was “signaling Randy Smith toexecute an attack onRobert Couvillion,”Brens said in the report.“Because Saurage isseen on the video making a positive identification of Couvillion’slocation in the bar before signaling in an aggressive posture withhis fists as to entice afight,” Brens said, “webelieve Saurage is in violation of Principal toSecond Degree Battery.”The report from Brenssaid that Saurageshowed up at the restaurant at approximately11:45 a.m. and shortlylater met Smith. The attack on Couvillion didnot occur until approximately 4:30 p.m.Brens said that Smithand Saurage met at thebar and had somedrinks and food beforean unknown man approach Smith and “toldhim that Bobby Couvillion was sitting at thebar and to ‘watch yourback.’”When Saurage was interviewed by investigators at his house he didnot mention motioningtowards Couvillion orbanging his fists together, Brens said.When later asked aboutit again he said he didnot remember doingthat, something the recent video footage disputed.Saurage said thatwhen the fight started,he helped break it upand ushered Smith outof the restaurant. Smiththen asked Saurage todrive him home in hisdepartmental vehicle.Sheriff’s acquaintance booked for aiding the fightGregory Saurage SMITH: Incident details released by Louisiana Attorney General, sheriff charged after fightMostAffordableSenior Living in Slidell!• One Level Community Living• On-Site Library and Computer Room• Beauty and Barbershop• Pet-Friendly• Private Dining Areas for Parties and Special Occasions• Individually Controlled Heating and Air Conditioning• Various Sizes of Suites Available with Fully Equipped Kitchens• Outdoor Walking Paths and Blooming Gardens on Landscaped Grounds• Courtesy Transportation for Shopping, Errands, and Local Doctors’ Visits(985) 641-2827Come Visit Us. Schedule a Tour.354 Robert Blvd - Slidell slidellazaleaestates.comIndependent Living. Assisted Care. Let us make life wonderful for your loved one. Serving Slidell over 25 years
THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2026 Page 9A(From Pg. 1A)While law enforcement tax measures havemanaged to have goodsupport in St. TammanyParish, part of the reason crime numbers arethe lowest in five yearson the North Shore, supporters of the strong officer force are trying tomake sure residentsknow this millage hasnothing to do with aseparate tax scheduledfor December from theParish Council.The vote in Decemberis a sales tax increasethat will be an attemptby the council to provide long-term fundingfor public safety, butwould be earmarkedonly for the Justice Center court operation andthe District Attorney’sOffice.“I am concernedabout people confusingour millage with theparish sales tax vote inDecember,” said Smith.“This millage is only fordeputies’ salaries andbenefits and it is criticalwe get support for this.”Even though expenses continue to riseeach year for the Sheriff’s Office, includingtheir contribution tohealth insurance fortheir deputies, the officeis lowering this particular millage in an attemptto reduce taxes for residents.Originally approvedin 1978 for 4.89 mills,the sheriff has loweredthe millage this year to4.31.“Every agency in theparish is trying to showtaxpayers we are doingmore with less money,so I felt it was importantwe dropped this millagea bit, even though wecould take the voter approved maximum,”Smith noted.“The main thing wewant voters to know isthat voting yes on thismillage will not increaseyour taxes in any waybeyond what you already pay,\" he added.The newly-set millagewill cost the averagehomeowner only $8.08 amonth (based on a$300,000 home), andfunds the strong forceon the street that continues to see calls go upevery year. With over280,000 residents in St.Tammany, the Sheriff’sOffice answered238,408 calls in 2025,and has maintained anoverall solve rate forcrimes at 95 percent, farabove the national average of 44 percent.“We have such an outstanding force ofdeputies on the streetand that’s how we keepour residents safe,”Smith said. “We can’tallow that force to be cutby 20 percent becauseit would absolutelymake a big difference toour crime numbers.”Smith said that if themillage failed, he wouldalso have to cut some ofthe special divisionssuch as Search and Rescue and Special Operations.“Strong public safetydepends on retainingtrained, experienceddeputies,” the sheriff remarked. “This renewalensures continued protection for St. Tammanyresidents, and we aredoing it with a loweredmillage rate.”Smith has givendeputies a raise everyyear since he took officein 2015, and said themillage is a big reasonhe can do that.“We constantly haveto compete with otherarea law enforcementagencies when it comesto pay. We increase ourpay, then the others increase theirs, so wemust be able to paythem well for the jobthey do,” Smith said.“This millage allows usto keep doing that.”Early voting for theJune 27 decision beginsthis Saturday, June 13and continues until June20.Instant shade at the touch of a button. Enjoy more quality time with family and friends. Up to 10-YearLimited Warranty. MILLAGE: Renewal set for June 27 gets pushed backThe Slidell Photography Club will hold theirnext meeting on Wednesday, June 17 from7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the First PresbyterianChurch is located on 9th St. across fromthe Slidell High football field. For further information visit the website atwww.slidellphotoclub.com.Winners from the May competition are (topphoto) “Coral Honeysuckle” by RichardHale and “Family Photo” by Don Dahl.Photo Club to meet June 17THE CABILDOVISIT THE LANDMARK SITEOF THE HISTORIC LOUISIANA PURCHASE CEREMONY.LOUISIANASTATEMUSEUM.ORG
NEW COMMERCIALLISTINGSCommercial lots for sale in great locations and greatwitch on Galleria and 1 on BABJaSCommercial lots for sale in greaprices. Call me for information aS it h G ll ia and 1 on Frem985-290-0935 (Cell)Broker AssociateBR, CRS, GRI, SFRan Brownt locations and greatabout 2 off of Brown maux. LiceEach Officejanjbensed In The State of LouisianaIndependently Owned and [email protected] ESTATE - FOR SALELooking to promote your services or find a newhire? Deliver your classified message statewidefor as little as $265 per week through theLouisiana Press Association’s Classified Network.Pre-payment required. To learn more, email [email protected] or call 225-344-9309. HOME SERVICESHOME IMPROVEMENTFor SalePearl River 2 and 3 bed mobile homes Owner financed at 8%.504-577-9219504-512-2940REAL ESTATE - FOR RENTFURNISHED EFFICIENCY (Studio) APARTMENTALL UTILITIES PAID; (Wi-Fi; CABLE Electricity;water; sewage; garbage) NO PETSAMENITIES include:Private driveway Private gated entrance PatioSecurity cameras75 inch screen SMART TV; Digital Air Fryer; Microwave oven, toaster, can opener, KEURIGcoffee pot, Stove and Refrigerator.(985-768-9622)1,200 Monthly Plus $1200 deposit MISCELLANEOUSDIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing onyour roof! Sign up for Directv and get your firstthree months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime,Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choicepackage $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. CallDIRECTV 1-866-734-0452 (LA-SCAN)Dish Network: Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet!Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In GiftCards. Call Today! 1-855-654-8207 (LA-SCAN)BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONEDAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs.Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-877-496-0371. (LA-SCAN)We Buy Houses for Cash AS-IS! No repairs. Nofuss. Any condition. Easy process: Call, get cashoffer and get paid. Call today for your fair cashoffer: 1-225-545-1983. (LA_SCAN) We Buy Houses for Cash AS-IS! No repairs. Nofuss. Any condition. Easy process: Call, get cashoffer and get paid. Call today for your fair cashoffer: 1-225-545-1983. (LA_SCAN)PROFESSIONAL LAWN SERVICE: Fertilization,weed control, seeding, aeration and mosquitocontrol. Call now for a free quote. Ask about ourfirst application special! 1-877-691-1898. (LASCAN)PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME frompests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs,Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locallyowned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-877-728-0264 Have zip code ofproperty ready when calling! (LA-SCAN)Donate your car, truck, boat, RV and more tosupport our veterans! Schedule a FAST, FREE vehicle pickup and receive a top tax deduction! CallVeteran Car Donations at 1-844-742-5188 today!(LA_SCAN) Mobile Homes for rent 2 and 3 bedrooms availablePets welcomeMulti-family and roommates welcomeOn site maintenance providedBest school district Pearl RiverCall 504-577-9219Anyone knowing the whereabouts ofJuangabriel Juradd, a/k/a Juangabriel Jurado, lastknown address 42181 Downey Road, Slidell,Louisiana 70461, please contact Jeremy H. Call,Esq. at (985) 302-5630.Page 10A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTWhereaboutsSpectators Sports Bar & Grill LLC dba Spectators Sports Bar & Grill is applying to theOffice of Alcohol & Tobacco Control of the State ofLouisiana for a permit to sell beverages of highand low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of St.Tammany at the following address:1541 Gause BlvdSlidell, LA 70458Spectators Sports Bar & Grill LLCSpectators Sports Bar & GrillMember/owner: Michael BanghartAlcohol PermitLEGAL2 Bedroom 1.5 bath 1,000 sq ft units$895 month / $895 depositIncluding Slidell &Surrounding AreasApartment guideVillage Townhome Apartments1500 East I-10 Service Road Mgr: Marion B Real Estate Inc.Accepting ApplicationsCall to Check Availability 985.643.4452www.stonecreekslidell.com1 and 2 Bedrooms 1501 Gause Blvd.,Locally owned a, Ste. 1 Slidell LA 70458 nd operated. WE ARE HE 985-643-3111RE FOR YOU!!!INVESTOR ALERTch. TIncome-producing unit for sale in Parkway North off Brownswit Two-bedroom, one-bath condominium close to Interstate 12. Situated just a few miles away from shopping, dining, and entertainment.MLS# 2558406 $ 113,750106 PARKWAY NORTH19-2654CENTRAL LOCATIONoom/Enjoy quick access to major Interstate systems, making travel to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast convenient. This floor plan features a spacious living r /den, asunroom, a large laundry room, and an enclosed garage with its own AC.tie T 2 106 PARKWAY NOR Matt Wood 985-502-82 Kris Tousinau 985-640-tie T Matt W 2 1587 RIDGECREST Wood 985-502-821 Kris Tousinau 985-640-DR.19-2654CONDO LIVINGEmbrace bayou living in this spacious, freshly painted waterfront condo—granite kitchen, large bedrooms, walk-in closets, garden patio, and all-inclusive fees. Perfect for snowbirds or investors. MLS# 2530945 $ 219,000eSlidell.comtie T 2 4854 PONTCHARTRAIN Matt Wood 985-502-82 Kris Tousinau 985-640-DistinctiveMLS# 2547343 $ 65,000N DR. #219-2654 flffifflfffi !\"#!$ffi%&'(flffifflfffi !\"#!$ffi$$!ff%)*+ ,-. *ff! - / \"!0 %1&+2-2*2.3444.&+2-2*2.3products &local buCheck ouBUSINESSSLID& services!usinessut theseS CENTERDELLproducts & services!DAVID J. HILDEBRANDPARKER BALL, D.Dall agesDT, D.D.Sell, LAD.S.ld Spanish TrailA 70458Dental Wellness for a(985) 643-0304 1430 Olslidellfamilydentistry.com Slide flffifflfffi !ffl\" #$% &'()*++),**)-(..* With purchase of a new Safe Step Stairlift . Not applicable with any previous stairlift purchase. Off er available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present off er at time of purchase. Not available in every state. Expires 12/31/26. CSLB 1082165, NSCB 0083445, 13VH11096000, CGC1537181, ROC 312990, CCB 244331, SAFESSW784PS, PA127501, MHIC 134223, TN 5887, RL.884533, RBB.49248, UT 13229623-5501 /
Page 11ASlidell group to hide specially painted rocksTHE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2026 d f f tAssisting you to \"\"!\"\"RetirementAnnuitiesLife Insurance\"ture.oday, $#\"! fiff ffl\"ffi!fl ffiffi% R% A% L% Planning% Investment StrategiesOUR SERVICES:and for your fut \"\"!\"\" Jay Badeaux, FinanciaAmbey , al Advisor; Megan Otillioer Andre, Financial Adviso; g o, Office Manager;org ; ff ffSouthern ffiliated.11/2025 Member FINRA/SIPC. www.lincolninvestment.com Investment ffered through Lincoln Investment, Broker r,Advisory services offered through Capital Analysts or Lincoln Investment, Registered Advisers. Securities of -DealerAnchor Financial Group and the above firms are independent and non-afSLIDELL – The St. Tammany Chapter of theLouisiana SocietyDaughters of the American Revolution is celebrating our nation’s250th birthday througha variety of meaningfuland engaging community projects.One project they areespecially excitedabout is painting 250patriotic rocks to beplaced throughoutSlidell prior to July 4,helping spread patriotism and raise awarenessof this historic milestone.A Facebook group,“Rocking Patriotism,”has been created to follow the fun. Each rockwill be placed in a plastic bag with a note encouraging the finder tosnap a photo and shareit in the “Rocking Patriotism” Facebook group.The finder can keep orre-hide the rock to keepthe fun going. SLIDELL -- Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal, the Slidell City Council, and theSlidell Commission on the Arts arepleased to present the 24th annualSome Enchanted Evening concert onSunday, June 14, 2026, at the SlidellMunicipal Auditorium. The concertbegins at 3 p.m. Admission is free.Some Enchanted Evening is theperfect family event for both theyoung and young at heart. A celebration of family, friends and fellowship,this event encourages the communityto come together to enjoy timelessmusic from the Northshore Community Orchestra.The Slidell Municipal Auditorium islocated at 2056 Second Street in OldeTowne Slidell. Doors will open at 2:30p.m. and seating is available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Concessionswill be available for purchase.For more information, call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairsat (985) 646-4375. For the latest information about City of Slidell news andevents, visit MySlidell.com or followthe “City of Slidell, Louisiana” onFacebook.Between a rock and a hard place?SLIDELL — M.R.A.president RobertBroome has announcedthat the Military RoadAlliance (M.R.A.), anumbrella organization ofa dozen homeowner associations in eastern St.Tammany Parish, willmeet Wednesday, June17, 2026, promptly at 7p.m. As always, allM.R.A. meetings areopen to the public.Please note the alternate location of the JuneM.R.A. meeting, whichwill be held in the St.Tammany Parish LeveeBoard Building, at 61134North Military Rd., nearits intersection withBrownswitch Rd. Thistemporary location isonly about 10 minutesfrom East Gause Blvd.June’s guest speakerwill be Russell Richardson, the new presidentand CEO of the St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation(STEDC.)M.R.A meeting to be held June 17,STEDC CEO to be guest speakerEnchanted Evening set for Sun., June 14
Page 12A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTStaff photosby Neill FleckThe Bayou Liberty Pirogue Races were back on this pastSunday for the 69th year, thanks to three area residentswho started the Bayou Liberty Heritage Foundation as theanchor group to head the popular event. St. GenevieveChurch grounds and Foggy Waters Marina have nowpartnered for the big event that had well over 1,000 attendees out for the music, races, food and historicalbooths displaying crafts of old.Tom Fitzmorris rated 5-Star Restaurant11 9Tues-Sat11am - 9pmWill Walsten, Will's Son, Kaleb MathewsCraig Sollberger Bayou Liberty Race Committee ChairmanBrian SollbergerBrian Sollberger, Kenny Bowser, Brian KleinSutton Landry, Addison Cutright, MandyCutrightGlenn Hinton and theblindfolded racers.Claire Brown, 14, from Nashville, TN, won theage 13-16 race.From right, CarlLamarque, LynnRitchie, Morgan Tadlock, Breanna LauffKaleb Mathews,Micheal Newbill, BootsieGo! Go! Go! It’s time to Pirogue!
THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2026 Page 13AOpen Mond y - SuurbaWhiskey & Boundaybon MenurThursday Steak Night / Half Price BMimosa Brunch, starts 1Outside Patio Seating AvaiBottles of Wine(Select Bottles)0AM Sat & Sunlable (pet friendly)348 Robert Blvd. | Slidell, LAOur own 'Sedra BlenBreakfast & Lunch 7 DAYS A A 70458 | 985-288-4634fee' WEEK | 6am – 3pmnd CofA th ti MWE AREi f dE BACK!Happy Hour EvMargarAuthentic MeOPEN 7 DAYS A very day: 2-6ritasexican foodWEEK at 11AMCCST recommends position points for consideration of funding solution SLIDELL ‘Letters to the Editor’Editor,(As written to Parish PresidentMike Cooper and St. TammanyParish Council members.)As the deadline approaches, Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany(CCST) extends its appreciation tothe Parish Council for its diligenceand commitment in working to develop a funding solution for the Criminal Justice System that is botheffective and acceptable to the taxpayers of St. Tammany Parish. Whatever proposal ultimatelymoves forward, full transparency willbe essential. Residents of this parishunderstandably feel burdened by rising taxes, insurance costs, and theoverall cost of living. At the sametime, most people choose to live in St.Tammany because of the quality oflife it provides. For that reason, transparency is critical to building andmaintaining trust between taxpayersand government. The recent situation involving theSheriff will undoubtedly have an impact on the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office millage renewal electionon June 27th. It is also likely to affectpublic perception of any new tax proposal. In this environment, transparency and accountability are moreimportant than ever. We are concerned that if this initiative is not structured properly, it couldfail regardless of the merits of the underlying need. Over the past 28 days,CCST's Facebook page alone hasgenerated more than 1.1 millionviews, providing us with significantinsight into public sentiment. Withthat in mind, we respectfully ask theParish Council to consider the following points. This initiative cannot afford to fail.Therefore, it may be wiser to take additional time to develop and explainthe proposal rather than rush it ontothe November ballot. While we areuncertain of the legal and proceduralrequirements, our understanding isthat a short delay may allow placement on a later ballot. In our view,placing a proposal before voters thathas a higher probability of rejectionwould be a mistake. Ultimately, however, that decision rests with theCouncil. CCST Position Points for Consideration: •Public-sector funding decisionstypically follow a process that includes budget requests and justifications from the affected entities, reviewand due diligence by the governingauthority, public hearings, and approval of the necessary revenue-generating mechanism. If we aremistaken, we welcome correction, butit does not appear that this processhas been fully followed. • Based on the information currentlyavailable, the amount being discussed appears excessive and resembles the significantly largerproposal that voters rejected duringformer Parish President Brister's administration. A detailed breakdown ofthe funding needs for each entityshould be made available to the public. •Each entity's funding needs shouldbe presented separately. Bundlingmultiple agencies or functions into asingle proposal reduces transparencyand limits the ability of voters to makeinformed decisions. Even if the Council ultimately decides to keep the proposal bundled, taxpayers deserve aclear understanding of the financialneeds of each individual entity. •Assuming the requested fundingamounts can be justified through detailed budget presentations, the duration of the tax should be limited. Inour opinion, a term of three to fouryears would be far more acceptableto voters than a longer commitment.The longer the tax duration, thegreater the likelihood of voter resistance. •During the life of the tax, both theAdministration and the Parish Councilshould commit to evaluating structural reforms and working with statelegislators to modernize and improvethe organization and funding structure of parish government. Several aspects of the current system appearoutdated and warrant a comprehensive review aimed at improving efficiency and long-term sustainability. •Taxpayers must be assured thatany revenue generated by this initiative will be dedicated exclusively toCriminal Justice System entities andwill not be diverted to unrelated government purposes. •To maximize the likelihood of voterapproval, we recommend postponingfinal action for approximately 30 daysand conducting a series of publicmeetings. These meetings shouldallow each affected entity to presentits financial needs, explain the reasons behind those needs, and answerquestions from the public. Simplyasking taxpayers to provide additional funding without detailed explanations and accountability will not besufficient in the current climate. It is our position that residents deserve to hear directly from the ParishCouncil and/or the Parish Presidentregarding any proposed tax initiativefor the Criminal Justice System. Thesystem faces serious challenges, andthe public deserves a clear and transparent explanation of those challenges, the factors that created them,the financial requirements involved,and the solutions being considered. We appreciate your considerationof these recommendations and standready to assist in facilitating constructive public dialogue on this importantissue. Respectfully, Rick Franzo President, CCST, Inc. cc: CCST Board of Directors andAdvisors
SLIDELL -- Junior Auxiliary of Slidellhosted Teens In Service and CollegeBound Scholarship Banquet. Teensand their families gathered to celebrate their year of service and hearwords of inspiration from Councilwoman Leslie Denham. One project of The Junior Auxiliaryof Slidell (JAS) is Teens In Service.Through this project, local highschool junior and seniors commit to ayear of service and have the opportunity to experience service with manyother organizations within the Slidellarea. This year, the 21 TIS membersparticipated in over 25 events andserved over 2500 people. They collectively earned 323 service hours.TIS members volunteered at the following: First United MethodistChurch’s pumpkin patch deliveryday, Olde Towne Slidell Pumpkin Festival, Aldersgate’s Trunk or Treat,Keep Slidell Beautiful’s CitywideBeautification Day, Veterans Appreciation Reception, Project Christmas,Clearwood Junior High’s Trunk orTreat, Bayou Woods’ STEM night,Community Thanksgiving Dinner, Animal Assistance League,BackPacks4Kids, Fun Day with JA’ssenior events at Summerhouse andHappy Feet events at Cross Gates. In addition to service opportunities,TIS members participate in socialevents like game night and Disconnect To Reconnect. JAS awarded the following withmost hours: Harold Juluke, 38 hours,Audrey Lewis, 33 hours, CharlieSteele, 29 hours. During the banquet, JAS alsoawarded the College Bound Scholarships. This year we were able toaward $4,000 in total funds to the following recipients:Charlie Steele, University ViewAcademy, Priscilla Hall, Slidell HighSchool, Genevieve DeBarbieris,Salmen High School, Ja’Miya West,Salmen High School, Xintong Xou,Slidell High School, Kaytlyn Moten,Slidell High School, Koven Bacino,Northshore High School, Austin Cohn,Northshore High School, Harold Juluke, Pope John Paul II High SchoolTIS membership applications for2026-2027 will be available just afterthe start of the school year. CollegeBound Scholarship applications areavailable in March. For more information, please visitjaslidell.org or follow us on Facebook.SLIDELL -- The St.Tammany Chamber ofCommerce awarded$1,000 scholarships tothree outstanding St.Tammany high schoolseniors: Aubree Arthurof Mandeville HighSchool, Leah James ofLakeshore High Schooland Gianna LeBreton ofSlidell High School. Thescholarships werefunded with proceedsfrom the Chamber'sMarch 2026 Swingingfor Scholarships GolfTournament.St. Tammany ParishSchool SuperintendentFrank Jabbia joined St.Tammany ChamberCEO Lacey Osborneand Membership Director Meredith Wright forthe presentations,alongside representatives from Chamber investor organizationsincluding CGB Enterprises, Lakeview Hospital, Ochsner Health, andOnPath Federal CreditUnion.\"Our Chamber iscommitted to businessgrowth and keepinglocal talent in our community,\" said Wright.\"We started our annualscholarship golf tournament to support thismission. Our selectioncommittee was very impressed with the manycompetitive applications received, and weare proud to awardscholarships to thesedeserving students.\"Applications wereopen to St. TammanyParish residents with aminimum GPA of 3.0and planning to attend aLouisiana college oruniversity. Applicantssubmitted a 250-wordessay on what influenced their decision topursue a college degree and two letters ofrecommendation fromnon-family members.Aubree Arthur andGianna LeBreton will attend University ofLouisiana at Lafayettethis fall. Leah James willattend Louisiana StateUniversity in BatonRouge this fall.\"Having Superintendent Jabbia and our investor organizationsparticipate in these presentations shows thestrong partnership between education andbusiness in St. TammanyParish,\" said Osborne.\"Keeping our best students in Louisiana benefits our entire businesscommunity, and we appreciate their continuedsupport of education inour parish.\"Page 14A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTHarold Juluke fills backpacks atBackPacks4Kids.Charlie Steele and Priscilla Hall fillplates at community Thanksgivingdinner.Students from St. Tammany Parish were recognized at the Southeastern Louisiana University College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ annual honors convocation. Recognized were, from left,Caroline Dominique of Madisonville, Kinesiology and Health Studies Dean’s award; Maddison Batiste of Lacombe, College ofNursing and Health Sciences Ambassador; Elizabeth Ryan ofSlidell, Communication Sciences and Disorders OutstandingGraduate; and Jordan Cole of Covington, Social Work OutstandingStudent Award and CNHS Ambassador.SLU honors College of Nursing studentsFrom left, Joseph Montelepre with OnPath Credit Union, Kim Melvin with Lakeview Hospital, Gianna LeBreton, St. Tammany Parish Public Schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia, Leah James,Chamber Chairman Ronnie Simpson with Ochsner Health, Aubree Arthur, Kimberly Brechtel withCGB Enterprises, Inc. and Taylor Meyers with OnPath Credit Union.JAS hosts special banquet for Teens In Service and College BoundSt. Tammany Chamber awards $3K in college scholarships our Only Locally Owner UPelican Urgent Care: SymptomsWalk ins Welcome •UrinaryYo• s Treated: a, Stomach Pains, Fracturesashes, Abscesseshroat, Ear Achesv r, Cough, Coldy PainUrgent Career • Most Insurances • Treat Ages 2 and• Access to EPIC &• Seamless Referra• 90% Cheaper tha•Walk-ins Welcom •Nausea• Sprains• Cuts, Ra• Sore Th• Flu, Fev•UrinaryAccepted Up My Chartalsan ERme West End Blvdri 8am-6pmn 9am-5pm-607-6400 ens Dr 2375 Gause Blvd EMon-Fri 8am-8pmSat-Sun 9am-5pmP. 985-645-9000Mandeville802 Heav r. 63025 WMon-FrSat-SunP. 985 802 Hea ens DrMon-Fri 8am-6pmSat-Sun 9am-5pmP. 985-338-5400Schedule YoScan th our Visit Today!he QR CodeSLIDELL — Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has announced its Spring 2026 President’sand Dean’s List honorees. The springterm runs from January through May.Students named to the President’sList earned a grade-point average of3.7 or higher during the term, whileDean’s List students earned a GPA between 3.5 and 3.699. Full-time students must complete 12 creditsduring a 16-week term or paired 8-week terms to qualify.President’s List honorees fromSlidell are: Desiree Johnston, TrinellFranklin, Denecia McGee, NathanielCallaway, Justin Yingling, SandraGrieco, Horace Mitchell, AlexandriaBurton, Jonathan Brown, Hannah Bienvenu, Taylor Bennett, Kristen Clark,Angelle Juster, Hannah Joseph andPaula Rodriguez Rodriguez.Dean’s List honorees from Slidellare: Kelsey Pennison, Audrie-AnnaRepass, Analaina Martindale, LaurenWintzel, Keyshawn Donley, DylanMerna, Dyrione LeMalle, ThomasMitchell and Shemecia Vanison.SNHU Slidell students named to 2026 spring honors
Page 15AEXTRA!! EXTRA!!THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENTWILL PUT YOUR BUSINESSIN FRONT OF OVER20,000 READERSEACH WEEK!Best News Coverage in St. Tammany Parish.The most affordable way to reach customers just got better!Our free paper on Facebook now has 35,000+ visitors a month, and those numbers are growing.Our regular free paper, available at 130 business locations in eastern St. Tammany, has 10,000 weekly readers. No papers thrown on driveways.Why advertise with us?The Slidell Independent puts you infront of 20,000+ people every week. If you want an affordable way to reach customers…If you need to build your brand name…If you want great exposure for your business…If you want a free half page business story published…LOOKING FOR RESULTS?Weekly Rates As Low As $75 a weekDining Guide: $30 a weekFor More Information on Advertising Rates:Email: [email protected]: 985-774-1352THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT Thursday, June 11, 2026
(For more information on services,contact Honaker at 985-641-1900 oronline at: honakerforestlawn.com)Judy Marie Moore, age 65, ofSlidell, LA, passed away on Sunday,May 10, 2026 after a hard-fought battlewith COPD and congestive heart failure.She will be remembered for her bigheart and generosity to many as sheworked as a school bus driver formany years.Phillip D. Adams, age 89, of Slidell,LA, passed away on Monday, June 1,2026.Born in Shreveport, LA, he graduated from Northwestern State University and then served in the U.S. Navyduring the Korean Conflict aboard theU.S.S. Iowa BB-61.He later worked for Exxon Mobil inthe exploration division before retiring in 1969, then was active with manycharitable organizations, particularlythe Wounded Warrior Project and St.Jude Children’s Hospital.Ismael Benasco, age 85, of Slidell,LA, passed away on Friday, May 29,2026.A native of the Canary Islands,Spain, he was a contractor working inNew York for over 40 years.Joycelyn “Joy” Rodrigue Leto, age87, of Slidell, LA, passed away onThursday, June 4, 2026.Born in New Orleans, LA, sheresided in Slidell for the past 41 yearsand was a devoted homemaker whoenjoyed family gatherings, vacationsand playing cards.Jesse Simon Israel, two days ofage, of Slidell, LA, passed away onThursday, June 4, 2026.Fred A. Zuviceh, Sr., age 86, of Lacombe, LA, passed away on Sunday,May 31, 2026.A native of New Orleans, LA, he wasan auto mechanic who owned a Volkswagen repair shop.He was a dedicated Christian manwho enjoyed hunting, fishing, crabbing, trapping and his coin collection.Michael Emeric Watson, age 72, ofSlidell, LA, passed away on Saturday,June 6, 2026.Born in Alexandria, LA, he had asuccessful career in oil field sales andwas an avid hunter and fisherman wholoved the outdoors.He volunteered his time with veteran organizations to show his supportfor our country and the military. Page 16A Thursday, June 11, 2026 THE SLIDELL INDEPENDENT(For information on services, contactAudubon at 985-645-0600 or online at:audubonfuneralhome.com)Berton James Brand, Jr., age 71, ofSlidell, LA, passed away on Monday,June 1, 2026.Born in Kewannee, IL, he worked as ahospital cook and was a volunteer withthe Slidell Animal Shelter.He enjoyed fishing, hunting andpoker.Cathleen A. Kelly, age 66, of Slidell,LA, passed away on Wednesday, June 3,2026.She worked professionally as a paralegal for the Social Security Administration.In her spare time, she enjoyed painting and crocheting.Audubon Funeral Home Obituary ListingsRITA CLOVER PORTERRita Glover Porter, age99, of Slidell, LA, passedaway on Thursday, May28, 2026 at GreenbriarNursing and Care Facility.Born in Melbourne,Australia, she came tothe United States at theage of 20 and lived inmultiple states beforeresiding in Slidell.Beloved wife of thelate Beverly “Frank”Porter.Daughter of the lateWilliam Glover and LilyMay Glover of Melbourne, Australia.Sister of Alice Power(Tom), May Dunphy(Don), William “Bill”Glover (Andy) and Lindsay “Cobber” Glover(Mavis) who preceededher in death. Mother of EdwardJames Poppler (the lateLynn), and the late ZaneRandall Poppler(Karen).Aunt of Robyn Dunphy, Great Aunt ofDaniel Dunphy, Grandmother of Wendy Poppler Friend (Daniel),Rita Poppler Davis andAmy Lynn Poppler. Great Grandmother ofJenna Lynn Arabie,Matthew EdwardFriend, Lillian ReadeauPoppler and Reese Elizabeth Davis. Rita was an Australiannative war bride ofWWII who arrived in theUnited States via ship in1946 at the age of 20.She lived in multiplestates across the countrywith her husband whileraising her two sons.Those states includeWashington, California,Colorado, Kansas andLouisiana. Her career includedopening her own dancing school, teachingdance and a long careerin Law Enforcement. Hercareer in law enforcement began when herhusband, who workedfor Martin Marietta/Boeing, transferred toLouisiana. Rita began her longcareer in Law Enforcement in 1965 at SlidellPolice Department as aradio room dispatcherunder Chief Ed Schilleci. Rita left Slidell Police Department tocontinue her dispatching career at the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’sOffice under SheriffGeorge Broom. After afew years she advancedher career by taking theopportunity to becomethe first female communications officer for theLouisiana State PoliceTroop L. Rita alwayslooked at her fellowcoworkers as family. She was known for herstrong personality, accent, making otherslaugh, and the love forher family, friends andcoworkers. She was amother figure to fellowofficers and always hadtheir six. After her retirement from Troop L, sheworked part time forseveral agencies including Mandeville PoliceDepartment and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’sOffice. She was a jokester who loved to cuss.Many quarters weresaved in her swear jar.She had many friendsfrom around the worldthat loved and admiredher. She was a strongwoman who could takecare of herself, living lifeto the fullest. She did notlive in fear, she lived instrength and leadershipwhile having a bigheart. Don’t let hersweet, funny Aussievoice fool you becauseshe absolutely told youexactly how she feltwhether you liked it ornot. Rita was an exampleof confidence andknowledge along withwisdom from a life thatwas fully lived. Sheworked with her headheld high in her besthigh heel shoes knowing her beauty insideand out. She loved herchildren, grandchildrenand great-grandchildren fiercely, with herwhole heart. Every timeshe spoke with any ofthem, she would ask“Has anyone told youthey love you today? Shewould aways say, “I do”and meant every wordof it. Rita loved gettingdressed up for a nightout in the town, dancing,singing, her scotch onthe rocks, knitting,sewing, cooking, gardening and making newmemories. No matterwhere she went, shemade plenty of friends,had a good time andhad everyone laughing. She had a blessed lifethat she lived her way.She missed her son,family, and friends thathad passed before her.She would say she hadlived her life, was readyto see all of them againbut felt blessed to stillbe able to get aroundand have her mind. Sheswore that everyone wasjealous of her beautifulskin because she moisturized with COCO Butter daily for a lifetime. She was looking forward to her 100th birthday party on June 15th.God had other plans butwe know she will be celebrating along with herfamily and friends for alife well lived. Relatives and friendsof the family are invitedto attend the Celebration of Life at HonakerFuneral Home, 1751Gause Blvd,. (In ForestLawn Cemetery) Slidell,LA on Monday, June 15,2026 from 10 a.m. tillnoon.Arrangements byHonaker Funeral Home,Inc., Slidell, LA.OBITUARIESHonaker Funeral Home Obituary ListingsCertified Financial PlanAl ® an Knight, CFPnner™ EstatRetire appropriate professional.fered through s Financial Services, Inc. Securitiesrvices.com70458te Planningrement and eAadvisory services of22-RJFST A 12/22/2022Raymond James does not provide legal services. Please discuss these matters with theRaymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.f / SIPC. Investment Knight Wealth Advisors is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James985.641.0111 | knightwealthser506 Robert Blvd | Slidell, LAoffered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRAransitioning-1272 Tid