Daniel Laborde of Hammond has been re-elected President of the Tangipahoa Parish Economic Development Foundation Board of Directors for the 2025-26 term, continuing his leadership of the 13-member board that supports the parish’s economic growth. Dev Patel will again serve as Vice President, with Beezie Landry as Secretary/Treasurer. New board members Jared Lauderdale, Bridget Keyser, Lee Emery, and Trent Anthony were sworn in alongside returning members, including Parish President Robby Miller, who used the annual meeting to highlight the creation of over 7,500 jobs in the past decade. The event, themed “Business Milestones,” also featured a broadband update from sponsor REV Business and recognition of outgoing members Ben Dutruch, Rhonda Sheridan, Melissa Stilley, and Heather Tassin. Executive Director Ginger Cangelosi and Miller both expressed optimism for the parish’s continued economic success. For more information, visit www.tedf.org.
–Momentum is building north of the Louisiana state line as advocates in Jackson, Mississippi, mobilize support for the Pearl River Revitalization Project—a controversial development that could have lasting impacts downstream, including on the Pearl River ecosystem in Louisiana. With new leadership at Jackson City Hall and a push for urban renewal, the project is being billed as a transformative effort to turn the long-overlooked Pearl River into a vibrant hub for recreation, flood protection, and economic growth. Proponents say the project promises public trails, parks, improved flood control for thousands of residents, and billions in potential development. Two public meetings are scheduled for Thursday, July 31, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and at 6:00 p.m. at the Mississippi Public Broadcasting Auditorium. Environmental and community voices in Louisiana, particularly in Slidell and surrounding areas, have raised concerns about how changes upstream could affect water levels, wetlands, and wildlife habitats downstream. The public comment period is now open through www.pearlriverproject.org/take-action, with feedback accepted for the next two weeks.
–The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the DEA, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Independence Police, arrested Jaronge Durr, 47, and Tashaundra Wilson, 45, in connection with a major drug operation based in Independence and Tickfaw. Acting on a tip and after days of surveillance, authorities executed search warrants on July 29 at two residences, uncovering nearly $180,000 worth of drugs—including fentanyl, heroin, meth, and cocaine—along with four firearms, $21,000 in cash, and other assets. Durr, a convicted felon on active parole, and Wilson face multiple charges including conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute. The investigation remains ongoing.
–The Southeastern Food Pantry is now accepting fresh produce donations! Items like bell peppers, apples, peaches, onions, potatoes, and oranges are welcome — and other fresh fruits and vegetables are appreciated as well. Donations help Southeastern Louisiana University students, faculty, and staff access nutritious food and thrive. If you’d like to donate, drop off your items during regular pantry hours. For questions, call 985-549-2120 or visit www.southeastern.edu/foodpantry.
–St. Tammany Fire District 1 has begun conducting familiarization visits at the new Amazon facility in Fremaux Town Center ahead of its scheduled opening on August 20, 2025. Over the next two days, Slidell firefighters will review the building’s layout, sprinkler systems, utility shutoffs, alarm panels, and potential hazards to enhance emergency preparedness. These proactive visits are designed to ensure a swift and effective response should an incident occur at the site.
–Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that 25-year-old Kylin Sexton of Hammond was sentenced on July 24, 2025, to time served for possession of marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride with intent to distribute. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown also ordered Sexton to serve three years of supervised release. The charges stem from a May 18, 2022, incident in Ponchatoula, where police responding to a firearm complaint found drugs in a backpack near Sexton after discovering a loaded Glock with a machine gun conversion device in the vehicle. Sexton’s cousin, Tyshon Coleman, was previously sentenced to 106 months in federal prison for firearm-related offenses.
–Slidell Police say a routine traffic stop turned into a high-stakes — or rather, high-steaks — bust earlier this week, when officers uncovered a bizarre case of meat theft. The incident began when the department’s Canine and Narcotics Division observed a vehicle traveling along Old Spanish Trail without functioning brake lights. Officers initiated a traffic stop, and upon making contact with the two male occupants, they noticed both individuals appeared unusually nervous. Initially suspecting drugs or outstanding warrants, officers soon discovered the source of the anxiety: roughly $1,500 worth of USDA ribeye steaks and beef brisket packed inside the vehicle. Further investigation revealed the meat had been stolen just moments earlier during what police described as a “five-finger discount” shopping spree. The suspects — 55-year-old John Garriga of Gulfport, Mississippi, and 66-year-old Charles Walker of Biloxi, Mississippi — were taken into custody and charged with felony theft and possession of stolen property. Both men have extensive shoplifting records, according to police, and their latest attempt at a “prime” getaway was foiled by something as simple as faulty brake lights. Slidell Police took to social media to share the bizarre encounter with a touch of humor, stating, “We can’t make this stuff up,” and joking that there won’t be any backyard cookouts in the suspects’ near future.
–The New Orleans Police Department has arrested a Slidell man, Dyllan Parr, in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred Sunday night on Interstate 10 near the Read Boulevard exit in New Orleans East. According to police, Parr rear-ended a 53-year-old woman who was reportedly stopped due to car trouble. The impact caused her vehicle to go airborne and slam into a concrete guardrail. Parr later turned himself in with his attorney on Wednesday and admitted to fleeing the scene. He has been charged with hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death and was booked into the Orleans Justice Center.
–The Southside Café announced the passing of its beloved patriarch, Dan DeBlanc, expressing deep sorrow over the loss. In a heartfelt message shared Wednesday, July 30, the café stated it would close for the day out of respect and remembrance, with plans to reopen Thursday for regular business hours. “Please keep our Southside friends and families in your thoughts and prayers,” the statement read. “Oorah Dan! You will be missed by so many.”
