Southeastern Louisiana University will host its inaugural 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 8:30 a.m. in the University Center, honoring the 343 New York City firefighters who died during the 2001 terrorist attacks. Organized by the Office of Military and Veteran Success and the University Police Department, the event invites students, faculty, staff, and community members to climb 110 stories in tribute, with all participants required to sign a hold harmless agreement on site. The first 150 participants can purchase commemorative T-shirts for $15, and prizes will be awarded to the largest team, fastest team, and fastest individual climber. Those unable to complete the climb are encouraged to attend in support or register as volunteers. Registration and volunteer sign-up are available at https://forms.gle/f11ACMQXphzX64JWA.
–The OZONE Music Foundation has announced that rock legend Mark Farner’s American Band will headline the 2025 OZONE Songwriter Festival “Artist Showcase” on Friday, October 31, at Fuhrmann Auditorium in Covington, officially kicking off the festival weekend. Farner, best known as the frontman and principal songwriter of Grand Funk Railroad, will bring classic hits like “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)” to the stage in a high-energy performance. The OZONE Songwriter Festival, running November 1–2, is now in its 7th year and has grown into Louisiana’s largest songwriter event, featuring more than 120 local, regional, national, and international artists across multiple stages.
–The Northshore Young Professionals Summit, sponsored by Fussell Group, will be held Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, from 1 to 4 p.m. at The Harbor Center in Slidell as part of the Chamber’s Explore Northshore Business Expo. The free event will feature three expert-led 30-minute seminars: “How to Avoid Burnout as Young Professionals” with Dr. Lisa Brady of Southeastern Louisiana University, “Your Personal Brand Matters” with LSU’s Dr. Thomas Karam, and “Scaling Your Business” with Arena Collective Co-Founder Lauren Navarre. For details and registration, visit www.sttammanychamber.org or call 985-892-3216.
–The City of Hammond says W Minnesota Park Rd. is now OPEN between SW Railroad Ave. & S Magnolia St. after extensive work was done through that area.
–St. Tammany Parish Government announced that the intersection of Iroquois Street and LA 434 in Slidell will be closed to traffic from Sept. 9–12 as crews work to improve drainage culverts and widen the turning radius. A detour will be available along Carroll Road, and officials are asking drivers for patience and understanding during the temporary closure.
–Covington Community Church, located at 1148 North Columbia Street, will once again spread holiday cheer this Thanksgiving by distributing more than 700 baskets filled with a turkey and all the traditional fixings to Northshore families in need. Led by Pastor Nathan Young and Chairperson Debra Peters, the church will open sign-ups in October, Tuesday through Thursday, with baskets available on a first-come, first-served basis. Organizers say the annual effort ensures no family on the Northshore goes without a holiday meal, embodying the true spirit of gratitude and community.
–SAFE (Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment) and the Tangipahoa Parish Library are partnering to host an interactive workshop on teen dating at the Amite Branch on Sept. 15, 2025, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The session will help teens and families navigate challenges such as dating, relationships, and peer pressure, while providing tools, resources, and open discussion to encourage healthy decision-making and communication. Organizers say the event is ideal for both teens and parents, with registration available online at www.tangilibrary.com.
–Nunez Community College in Chalmette will host a series of Global Wind Organisation (GWO) workforce safety certification trainings this September and October, offering courses in Enhanced First Aid, Advanced Rescue, and Basic Safety Training led by GWO-certified instructors. The internationally recognized certifications, considered the industry standard in wind energy, are priced between $640 and $853, with financial aid available through Louisiana’s MJ Foster Promise Program. Students can register by submitting a Workforce Inquiry Form at Nunez.edu/Workforce, while employers may arrange special group courses by contacting the college’s Sustainable Energy Career Academy at 504-278-6410 or wind@nunez.edu.
–WWL-TV reported that Louisiana officials announced that the former “Camp J” unit at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola has been repurposed and renamed “Louisiana Lockup,” now serving as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility. Governor Jeff Landry unveiled the partnership with ICE and Trump administration officials Wednesday, describing the site as a secure deportation hub for violent offenders; the 400-bed facility already houses more than 50 detainees transferred from other states. The announcement, marked by the facility’s new “Camp 57” signage in reference to Landry being Louisiana’s 57th governor, makes it the ninth ICE facility in the state, placing Louisiana second only to Texas in the number of such centers. While Landry praised the move as a step toward public safety, critics—including immigration attorney Michael Gahagan—argue the location may strategically place cases under the jurisdiction of the conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which often rules against immigrants. ICE data shows that over the past five years, less than a quarter of detainees in the New Orleans region had criminal charges or convictions, raising further concerns about the detention of individuals for minor offenses.
–The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), with support from a $25,000 Shell grant, are reporting record results from their fourth year of sea turtle nesting surveys on the Chandeleur Islands. Biologists have documented 51 crawls so far this season—including 33 Kemp’s ridley, 15 loggerhead, one green, and two unidentified species—marking unprecedented nesting activity on Louisiana’s barrier islands. Survey teams have already recorded more than 525 Kemp’s ridley hatchlings, with 85% of nests proving successful, a major win for the world’s rarest and most endangered sea turtle. Officials say the success underscores the importance of restoration efforts at the Chandeleur Islands, which provide critical habitat for sea turtles, migratory birds, and marine life, and will be further supported by CPRA’s proposed 13-mile island restoration project to boost long-term resiliency and sustainability.
–Louisiana hunters and competitive shooters can save on firearms, ammunition, and select hunting gear this weekend during the Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday, which runs Friday through Sunday. Eligible items include archery equipment, hunting apparel, certain knives, binoculars, hearing protection, range finders, decoys, and hunting stands or blinds, but the exemption does not cover commercial sales, animal feed, hunting dogs, off-road vehicles, or vessels such as airboats. The holiday, suspended in 2018 due to budget issues, returned last year, though lawmakers have not expanded the list of exempt items.
