The City of Mandeville will host its annual Winter on the Water Parade and Festival on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, bringing holiday cheer to the Mandeville Lakefront and Trailhead. The celebration begins at 3 p.m. with the parade along Lakeshore Drive and Girod Street, featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus, festive floats, marching bands and holiday characters. The festivities continue at the Trailhead starting at 4 p.m., where families can enjoy live performances—including the Mandeville Elementary Bell Chorus, scenes from The Nutcracker by Arabesque Ballet Theater and candlelight caroling—alongside a holiday market with local vendors. A kids’ tent will offer crafts, face painting, Santa letters and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Free and open to the public, the event invites residents and visitors to celebrate the season together in Mandeville.
–Northshore mental health advocates are raising alarms over a proposal to cut $600,000 from Safe Haven, the parish’s key behavioral health campus near Mandeville, as St. Tammany Parish confronts a deficit estimated between $20 million and $30 million. The parish council has already approved the amendment targeting Safe Haven and is weighing additional reductions across departments, while also voting to forgo employee raises next year amid uncertainty over rising insurance costs. Council members say the shortfall could affect everything from the district attorney’s office to courthouse security and the jail, with some agencies already seeing proposed cuts of up to 30 percent. Budget tensions also surfaced during debate over reducing the parish president’s office, though those cuts were ultimately rejected. Behavioral health leaders warn that reducing Safe Haven funding could strain an already overburdened system, while council members say the proposal is meant to prompt a broader discussion about the facility’s long-term future. Parish President Mike Cooper has enacted a hiring freeze, and budget hearings will continue as the 2026 spending plan remains unfinished.
–The Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts will usher in the season with its 2025 Holiday Extravaganza, a two-night celebration set for Dec. 4 and 5 at 7 p.m. in downtown Hammond. This year’s lineup features Southeastern’s Big Band Christmas Concert and a special screening of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, complemented by live carolers, free hot cocoa and photo opportunities with Santa and Mrs. Claus—plus the possibility of a “live Grinch” wandering the lobby, according to Artistic Director Jim Winter. Tickets for the Big Band Christmas Concert are $25 for adults and $15 for children and students, while tickets for the Grinch screening are $20 for adults and $15 for children and students and include free popcorn and holiday swag bags. Tickets are available at www.columbiatheatre.org or by calling 985-549-2787.
–St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 announced plans to expand emergency services in eastern St. Tammany with a new Fire Station 10, made possible by the donation of 1.12 acres at 2745 Lakeshore Vista Boulevard from the Lakeshore Villages Master Community Development District. Officials say the new station will significantly improve response times and coverage for the rapidly growing Lakeshore Villages area and surrounding neighborhoods. Groundbreaking is expected in February 2026, with construction projected to take about nine months and a grand opening planned for late 2026. Fire District leaders thanked the development district for its yearlong partnership and generosity, calling the project a major boost for public safety in the Slidell community.
–A Gulfport man wanted in the killing of his uncle in Slidell was arrested in Florida over the weekend after a multistate search. Deputies from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office on Friday evening discovered Anthony Oatise, 66, dead at his home on 62200 West End Blvd., Slidell, prompting a major crimes investigation after his vehicle—a black Chevrolet Tahoe—was found missing. Detectives quickly identified the victim’s nephew, 36-year-old Cecil Hall of Gulfport, Mississippi, as the last person seen with him. With assistance from multiple Florida agencies, Hall was located Saturday in the Miami area driving the stolen Tahoe. After a pursuit during which he rammed a Florida Highway Patrol unit before crashing and flipping the SUV, Hall was taken into custody. Florida authorities recovered a firearm stolen from the victim’s apartment inside the vehicle. Following Monday’s autopsy, the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide, and local authorities have issued warrants charging Hall with first-degree murder, obstruction of justice and theft of a firearm. He will be transferred to St. Tammany Parish once released from Miami-Dade custody. Sheriff Randy Smith thanked investigators and Florida law enforcement partners for their cooperation in the case.
–The Krewe of Kringle will bring holiday spirit to Olde Towne Slidell with its 2025 Christmas Golf Cart Parade, set for Saturday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. and limited to the first 100 registered carts. Participants must submit a registration form to the city’s Department of Cultural & Public Affairs by Nov. 26 and will receive a numbered parade pass required for entry. Check-in begins at 4:15 p.m., followed by lineup at 4:45 p.m. The parade features decorated and illuminated golf carts, and riders may throw wrapped candy, beads and other soft items, while adhering to safety and conduct rules, including a 14-inch tire-size limit and restrictions on lewd or profane content. For more information, residents can contact the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at 985-646-4375 or CulturalAffairs@CityOfSlidell.org.
–A Washington Parish grand jury has indicted two Hammond men, William B. Payne and Tanner T. Beyl, on second-degree murder charges tied to a June fentanyl overdose, the sheriff’s office announced Tuesday. Deputies responded to the June 20 incident and determined the victim died from fentanyl poisoning, prompting the DEA’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team to join the investigation three days later. Sheriff Jason Smith said the indictments reflect law enforcement’s continued commitment to addressing the fentanyl crisis and ensuring overdose deaths are fully investigated and prosecuted. The sheriff’s office thanked the Hammond Police Department, DEA FORT, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and District Attorney Collin Sims for their coordinated efforts in the case.
–U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy announced that Louisiana is the first state in the nation to receive full federal approval of its plan to use more than $1.35 billion in broadband funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Cassidy, who helped negotiate the legislation, said the money will expand high-speed internet access for small businesses, students and workers across the state. He credited a broadband funding formula he advocated for during negotiations, designed to direct resources to areas with the greatest need based on updated coverage maps. Louisiana’s approved plan outlines how the state will target unserved and underserved communities as it begins deploying the federal investment.
–Hood Memorial Hospital will host its Annual Community Health Fair on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Florida Parishes Arena in Amite. This year’s theme, “Harvesting Health: Growing Stronger Together,” highlights a range of free services and activities available to attendees, including health exams, wellness education, fun interactive activities and free food. The event is open to all ages, and promotional images show community members engaging with healthcare staff and visiting informational booths.
–The Southeastern Louisiana University Contemporary Art Gallery will open its 2025 Fall Senior Exhibition on Nov. 20, showcasing work by graduating students in the Department of Visual Art + Design through Dec. 13. Gallery Director Tabitha Nikolai said the annual exhibition is one of the gallery’s most anticipated events, highlighting student talent across a wide range of media, including painting, sculpture, animation, printmaking, graphic design and theatre design. The show features pieces by 19 seniors from across the region and offers students the opportunity to present their work in a professional setting, connect with the community and receive feedback ahead of graduation. An opening reception will be held Nov. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the gallery, located in East Strawberry Stadium. Hours are Monday–Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon.
–The St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation, in partnership with the St. Bernard Real Estate Group, will host a free investor networking event on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the St. Bernard Port’s Administration Building in Chalmette. The evening will feature guest speaker Ashley van der Meulen, owner of Compass Inspection Services and a longtime leader in Louisiana’s home and commercial inspection industry. With more than 20 years of experience, van der Meulen brings expertise in property condition, moisture analysis, wind mitigation and resilient building practices, along with his service as vice-chairman of the Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors and as a Certified FORTIFIED Home Evaluator. The event will include an expert interview and Q&A, followed by networking sessions designed to connect investors, share insights and support collaboration within the region’s real estate community.
