A significant redevelopment effort is now taking shape at the former Northshore Square Mall in Slidell, a once-thriving enclosed shopping center that opened forty years ago as the Northshore’s first major mall and later declined amid shifting retail trends and competition from newer developments. A large portion of the property, including two vacant anchor stores formerly occupied by Conn’s and JCPenney, has now been purchased by a local St. Tammany Parish family. Adam Acquistapace of Acquistapace’s confirmed the transaction, noting he has worked on the acquisition for several years and intends to return the long-vacant properties to active commercial use. Acquistapace reportedly has plans for his company to occupy one of the buildings, with hopes of opening later this year, though no specific timeline has been announced. The mall originally featured nearly 100 stores and multiple anchor tenants, including Dillard’s, Sears, JCPenney, and later Conn’s, and at its peak included a food court and an arcade. The mall has been in the news the last few years as local officials and private interests have explored various redevelopment strategies, including expanded economic districts and private investment, to try to reimagine the site’s future.
–Family members confirmed to local media on Wednesday that Alvin Garabold, an assistant principal at Salmen High School in St. Tammany Parish, was found shot to death earlier this week in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. New Orleans Police said Garabold’s body was discovered around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, near the intersection of Gov. Nicholls Street and North Villere Street, though investigators have not released details about the circumstances of the killing and the homicide investigation remains ongoing. St. Tammany Parish Public Schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia described Garabold as a dedicated educator who made a meaningful impact on students and colleagues, and district officials notified staff and parents of his death Wednesday, placing mental health counselors on campus. Garabold was appointed assistant principal at Salmen High School in August 2023 after previously serving as dean of students at Bonnabel High School and held multiple degrees in science and educational leadership. Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact NOPD Homicide detectives or Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans.
–Republican First Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Blair Downing Edwards announced Wednesday that she will run for Louisiana Supreme Court District 1 in a special election to fill the seat vacated by Justice Will Crain, who was recently confirmed as a federal judge. Edwards, a longtime conservative jurist, cited her commitment to judicial independence, constitutional fidelity, and applying the law as written as the foundation of her candidacy. She currently serves on the First Circuit Court of Appeal and previously was a district judge in the 21st Judicial District Court, where she established the court’s first Juvenile Division and oversaw one of the state’s largest juvenile caseloads. Before taking the bench, Edwards worked as a children’s attorney and began her professional career as an accountant after earning a degree from Nicholls State University, later obtaining her law degree from Loyola University. Married to retired Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards, she emphasized her background in public service and law enforcement as key influences in her decision to seek a seat on the state’s highest court.
–The National Weather Service in New Orleans is monitoring a weather system expected to affect the region Friday into Saturday, bringing rain and a potential risk of freezing rain in northwestern areas through the weekend. Officials said the greatest threat for freezing rain is in southwestern Mississippi and nearby Louisiana parishes, where impacts could include slippery roads, downed trees, and power outages, while areas further south may see only cold rain or minor effects. Forecasters noted that specific details on timing, accumulation, and precipitation type remain uncertain, and residents are advised to stay tuned for updates as confidence in the forecast gradually increases.
–Organizers at Gnarly Barley Brewing announced a weather-related change to Saturday’s planned celebration, moving the event indoors due to the rain forecast. The brewery said festivities will still run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include special beer releases, a performance by the 610 Stompers, gumbo and other food from DineGnar, and King Cakes from Candlestick Bakery, though reduced indoor capacity means additional vendors, bands, and bounce houses will no longer be part of the event. Gnarly Barley Brewing is a locally owned craft brewery based in Hammond, Louisiana, known for its community-focused events and popular beer offerings that draw visitors from across the region.
–The race to succeed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow in Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District is taking shape after she announced Tuesday that she will vacate the seat to run for the U.S. Senate, with no clear front-runner emerging in the heavily Republican district. Several potential candidates have signaled interest or plans to enter the contest, including state Sen. Stewart Cathey of Monroe, state Sen. Rick Edmonds of Baton Rouge, and Livingston Parish Republican activist Larry Davis, while attention is also focused on whether former U.S. Rep. Garret Graves will seek a political comeback. The reconfigured district, which spans parts of metro Baton Rouge, the Florida Parishes, and northeast Louisiana, favored President Donald Trump by large margins in recent elections, and candidates will have a three-day qualifying period beginning Feb. 11 to formally enter the race.
–A federal appeals court on Tuesday heard arguments in a high-profile challenge to Louisiana’s 2024 law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments, a case with potential national implications that is widely expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed a lawsuit brought by a multifaith group of families seeking to block the law, which mandates posting the Ten Commandments in public K–12 classrooms and colleges, alongside a related challenge to a similar Texas statute. The rehearing follows a prior ruling by a three-judge panel that found Louisiana’s law unconstitutional, prompting renewed scrutiny from the full court, where judges questioned whether the requirement improperly favors one religion while others expressed doubt that the displays amount to unconstitutional coercion. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill attended the hearing in defense of the law, which supporters say reflects the nation’s Judeo-Christian foundations, as conservative lawmakers in multiple states pursue similar measures.
–Students at Walker High School have launched an online petition calling for changes to a dress code policy that restricts hair to “natural” colors after school officials announced stricter enforcement beginning Jan. 26. The petition, which gained more than 400 signatures in its first week, followed a Jan. 14 social media notice reminding families that students with non-natural hair colors could face disciplinary consequences ranging from detention to suspension. Livingston Parish Public Schools spokesperson Delia Taylor said the policy has been in place district-wide since at least 2022 and is intended to maintain an orderly learning environment, though students and parents argue the rule had historically been enforced leniently and that the sudden crackdown was unexpected. Walker High School enrolls approximately 2,000 students, and petition organizers are asking administrators to update the policy to allow bright hair colors without punishment.
–Northshore Humane announced that its rescue team safely returned overnight with a van full of dogs after joining forces with Paws of War and Guardians of Rescue to remove more than 200 dogs from a rural Mississippi property where they had been left to suffer in severe neglect, exposed to hunger, repeated breeding, and freezing conditions. Officials said the rescue effort was urgent due to the threat of extreme cold weather, and while community support has been overwhelming, the organization is now urgently seeking temporary foster homes, particularly for puppies and adult dogs in need of warm, safe environments to begin recovery. Northshore Humane’s medical team is scheduled to assess the dogs’ health needs, and the organization is also requesting donations to help cover medical care and ongoing expenses associated with the large-scale rescue.
–Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in McComb on Wednesday that prompted school lockdowns in the area. McComb Mayor Quordiniah Lockley said officers encountered a man displaying a weapon between Denman Junior High School and the McComb Public Library; when the man did not comply with commands to drop the weapon, an officer discharged their firearm, striking him. The man was transported to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, and officials have not confirmed whether he is a student. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the probe, with findings to be reviewed by the state Attorney General’s Office to determine if the use of force was justified. Schools in the vicinity were locked down as a precaution but are no longer under threat, and Lockley said he believes the officer acted professionally.
–Washington Parish officials joined Governor Jeff Landry, the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction Bridge Bundle Program, and project partners RNGD, Crescent, and Duplantis Design Group for a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday at Morgan Branch for the Highway 424 bridge project. Parish President Ryan Seal praised the rapid progress, noting that planning for the bridge, which typically takes a year or more, was completed in just a few months after the project’s inception in mid-September 2025. Seal described the project as a model of strong partnerships and efficient planning aimed at delivering tangible improvements for the residents of Washington Parish.
