By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – There is no argument about the tremendous professional contribution that came to Slidell from Pat Miramon, longtime developer and homebuilder who was credited with creating over 10,000 home sites in the area during nearly 70 years leading the St. Tammany industry.

On Monday at St. Luke Catholic Church Miramon was remembered by hundreds who turned out to pay their respects after the Slidell developer passed away on Friday night. But most of the longtime business leaders and public officials talked much more about the personal side of the man who was called “loyal, generous, a mentor and a great friend to many.”Miramon had been suffering with complications from heart problems for several years. During the past 12 months his condition worsened as he celebrated his 91st birthday, several times coming close to death, but always rallying to come back strong. Incredibly, Miramon never stopped going to work at his office on Gause Boulevard, still keeping his hand in the real estate and homebuilding business that he loved.

Last week, however, Miramon’s disease took over for the final time before he passed away in his home with his wife Gloria, four daughters and family members at his side.

On Monday at St. Luke, where he donated land and helped to build the facilities there along with other buildings at Slidell Catholic Churches in the area, many former business leaders in Slidell, and former public officials, showed up to pay their final respects to the man who was heralded as one of the most generous and giving businessmen ever, all while he went to great effort to shun the attention for all that he did.

“He was one of the most generous people I’ve ever known and I don’t think you can ever gauge his contributions to Slidell,” Deep South Gold owner Mike Perkins said.

Perkins connected as friends with Miramon in the mid-90s when a group of Slidell businessmen would meet each morning for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel restaurant.

“He would see me and we would talk about our love of going to the casino and having fun,” Perkins said. “There was one day 15 years ago he sat down with me and he never left.”

Perkins had breakfast with Miramon almost every day for the past 15 years, eventually moving to the Waffle House on Gause Boulevard where it was normal to see Miramon, Perkins and others together at 7:30 a.m.

“He was absolutely my best friend,” Perkins said. “He was kind and funny—that’s what I most remember. And he was so generous—you had to fight him to ever have a chance to pay for breakfast.”

Slidell attorney Tom Thornhill also met Miramon several decades ago and used the same words many others did. “His word was his bond. He was a leader and a developer who was extremely respectful to the business world. He was a giant professionally, but he was a helper to so many. When someone needed something, he supported you—especially the way he always helped genuinely good people.”

Former Slidell Mayor Webb Hart called Miramon “the most loyal friend I’ve ever known. As for his impact on Slidell, he built Slidell. One insurance man I knew years ago used to say that someone very special was ‘a rare bird.’ Pat Miramon was certainly a rare bird.”

St. Joe Brick owner Pete Schneider said “Pat was a leader and a mentor to many people. But he was especially a great example of giving back. I think I most like to remember him as something else—he was a cool guy.”

“Most people don’t know how generous Pat was,” former Slidell Sentry-News Publisher Terry Maddox said. “He was such a down to earth person that most people would never know he had money and was so successful.

“He did so much for this community and it seemed that he liked everybody,” he added.

Bruce Clement called Miramon “a role model for many. I remember what a great laugh he had and such a good sense of humor, but he was serious when it came to business.”

Longtime Slidell insurance agent John Case said “this whole city is his creation,” while former Slidell Councilman Ray Canada added “I can’t think of anyone who did more for Slidell.”

Former Parish President Kevin Davis was like many who said they met Miramon “because he built my parents house.” Davis later started an electrical company that handled much of Miramon’s homebuilding work.

“He was a good man, a friendly man and someone who had a tremendous impact on development in our parish,” he said. “What a lot of people don’t know is that he always believed that people of all income levels deserved a chance to have a new home.”

Miramon was among the first in the parish to help establish code enforcement, inspections of homes and fought for smaller lot sizes that would allow middle class families to afford a new home.

“He was always working for affordable housing for everyone, not just those who could afford more expensive homes,” early St. Tammany Homebuilder member Bruce Olivier said. “He was so innovative in what we were trying to accomplish here. He was a great entrepreneur, a great community leader, but also a great friend.”

David Champagne was one of Miramon’s early superintendents who worked with him for 15 years. “I always tell people I got my undergraduate at SLU, and my Master’s from Pat Miramon.”

Don McMath also went to work for Miramon after marrying one of the four Miramon daughters. He eulogized his father-in-law and friend at the Mass on Monday at St. Luke, recalling another time that Miramon’s unselfish side was seen.

“I had worked for Pat for 20 years, then one day he came to me and told me I needed to go on my own, which would mean I would compete with him,” McMath said. “I didn’t want to go. He later came to me again and said it was time.

“I now look at that as the greatest thing anyone had ever done for me. He would have been selfish to keep me and that’s why he wanted me to go, since he knew it would allow me to do my own thing and build my own business,” he recalled.

J.V. Burkes, the longtime engineer in Slidell became acquainted with Miramon in 1962 and handled his design work for over 50 years.

“The thing everyone knew about Pat was that he lived by his word,” Burkes said. “What I most remember is that if you got to know him, you couldn’t help but like him.”

Miramon is survived by his wife Gloria and his four daughters, Debbie McMath, Donna Campbell, Dolly Miramon and Denise Miramon, along with 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – Ask the four daughters of Pat Miramon about their fond memories of “daddy,” and the theme is the same.
“I remember his goofiness,” Denise Miramon said. “We would go to fancy places and the girls would be getting dressed and daddy would say ‘ya’ll are SUCH good looking girls.’ He was so playful, no matter what.”
Even in his final days, Debbie McMath said “I’ll miss his great sense of humor. Even when he was dying he never complained and was still joking.”
Dolly Miramon added, “I most remember his sense of humor. So many great memories of great trips with him. He was so much fun.”
And Donna Campbell said “he was such a rascal and so proud of his girls. He loved us to take him by the arm and act like he was with a younger girl.”
Miramon was certainly known in Slidell as the greatest developer and homebuilder in the history of the city. He developed over 10,000 lots, built over 5,000 homes and led the way for parish inspections, as well as the start of building codes.
But he was also known as a great philanthropist who gave over $1 million in land and money to build local Catholic Church buildings, donated thousands of dollars to non-profits and charity groups, and was a supporter of untold individuals who needed a helping hand. Miramon did it all with little fanfare, expressly shunning attention of credit for his giving ways.
Donna, a committed member of the Catholic Church along with her mother Gloria who attends mass at St. Luke every morning, said it was that side to her father that few in the public knew about and it was something she recognized as something greater in her father.
“I don’t think Daddy knew how much God was really using him,” she said. “But I could see that God did use him in such a powerful way to help people.
“Daddy may have liked to have a lot of fun, but I think he truly lived the example of the Christian life God would have us live,” she said. “That’s what I most admired about him.”
Miramon certainly was known by family and friends as someone who lived life to the fullest, as was stated during his funeral Mass on Monday. It was well known that he loved parties on his yachts, loved going to Colorado to ski, took numerous trips to Las Vegas for the party life and more.
Denise said that in her father’s final hours at home he called each daughter into his home individually to talk to them. She said the first thing and the last thing he told them was, “we sure had fun, didn’t we?”
In the past year-and-a-half as health problems became more of a burden to Miramon, suffering with heart problems and living in pain, Denise said she gained a greater appreciation for her parents, who were married over 65 years.
“I have been blown away by the strength of my parents, especially in the past year when I kept learning from them about how to live,” she said.
Denise said that even in the past few weeks, with her father suffering with a lot of pain, “he took the time to constantly show his gratitude to us all for taking care of him, and even to the nurses, the sitters and priest for visiting. In his worst pain he was still thinking of others.
“And through it all, he was joking until the end,” she added.
Debbie said the trips for the family to the boat, particularly in past years when the Broadwater Beach Hotel near Biloxi was the popular place to be, Miramon had “the second boat slip there.
“We had so many boating trips with Daddy and he was always fun to be with,” she said.
Dolly agreed, noting “we had so many great memories, especially on the boat, going to ski in Colorado—he was always about having fun.”
She added that “even in all my dad did for the community he was never a bragger. He was so down to earth. If you met him on the street you would never know how successful he was.”
Donna said that her father was “so proud of his girls. He loved to call me ‘Donna Marie’ and I loved that he did that.”
But true to the worker he was, she said her father was protecting his girls as they became teens and got ready for their own adult life.
“He made sure we girls knew how to work. We had to do a lot of chores at the house and we had to clean the mildew off the boats and that was a hard job. But he wanted us to understand you had to work hard in this life.”
She said that her father had a rule that none of the girls could get a driver’s license “until we proved to him we could completely change a tire by ourselves.”
Donna also remembers a line all the girls heard from their dad.
“If we didn’t do something right he would tell us, ‘girls, remember to think. Use your head.’ He showed us all how to operate the boat safely before we could go out on it,” she added. “We know he loved his girls very much.”
Miramon fought his final days so much that one daughter said “I had to cancel four vacations to come home since we didn’t think he would make it. But he would just bounce back and go have more fun until the next time.”

SLIDELL – A Slidell man was killed in a two-vehicle collision on Interstate 10 near Slidell on Monday, Louisiana State Police reported.
The victim was identified as Joseph Landon Brooks II, age 35, according to State Police spokesman Dustin Dwight.
Brooks was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer heading west in the left lane on Sunday at about 8:15 p.m. when, for unknown reasons, the sport utility vehicle ran off the left side of the highway near its interchange with I-12 and I-59, Dwight reported. Brooks then over-corrected to the right and crashed into a vehicle driven by Douglas Thibodeaux, 48, of Cumming, Ga.
The vehicles collided and ran off the right side of the highway into the tree line. Brooks, who was not wearing a seat belt, died on the scene, Dwight said.
Thibodeaux, his wife Muriel, and a juvenile passenger, all properly restrained in their 2016 Toyota Rav4, were moderately injured and were taken to University Medical Center in New Orleans.
Blood samples were obtained, police said. They will be sent to the State Police crime laboratory for analysis.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – Remember that mysterious bag of coins or fascinating watch your parents or grandparents left to you?

It’s time to dig it out of the attic and bring it to the Slidell Roadshow next week where certified evaluators will be available for five days, seeking valuable collectibles of many kinds to purchase. The show will be held in Slidell from Tuesday through Saturday, April 11-15.

The International Estate Collectors Association (IECA) is sponsoring the free local event that will be held at the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel, located at 1752 Gause Blvd., next to Ochsner Medical Center. They will review items from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday, then 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Matthew Austin and Eddie Brown will bring their many years of expertise to the Slidell Roadshow where they will be looking for much more than coins or watches. And they are only here to purchase items, not sell them, since they are brokers working for high-level collectors around the country.

“There is no pressure to sell anything you have,” Austin said. “We will be here to answer your questions and make an offer to buy many of the items we see. If you don’t want to sell, you can just leave with some good information.”

Austin said that coins and pocket watches are two of the most popular things they deal in, but they also see a lot of war memorabilia. Additionally, they are interested in vintage guitars, paper currency pre-1934, and clocks.

Much of what they see are old coins, but they will also consider class rings, sterling flatware, tea sets and any kind of silver jewelry to purchase since they also buy gold and silver.

“We work directly with collectors and that cuts out the middle man to get you top dollar,” Austin added. “Any kind of gold or silver is something we are interested in as well.”

Austin said he got interested in the antiques business when he was a young boy.

“I spent several years sifting through old coins with my grandmother,” he explained. “That’s where I learned about the 1943 copper penny and I’ve been trying to find one of them ever since.”

Austin said that the ’43 copper penny is one of the most valuable coins out there. He said there are reportedly only 10 left in existence, and only four of them have surfaced in recent years. The last time one of them was put up for sale it fetched $1.7 million.

As for their own International Estate Collectors work, Austin said they recently paid $225,000 for a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar. Last week, he said, they bought a large stash of Japanese war memorabilia during a show in Huntsville, Ala.

“Our goal is to truly give you fair market value for your items,” he said. “Like I said, there is no pressure to sell anything. We answer questions, give you our expertise on the items, and then you can do what you want.”

He said they have had their share of people who went crazy with excitement, and others who have been disappointed.

“Some people have been told they have things that are very valuable and sometimes we have to give them the bad news that it isn’t,” he said. “We never know what we are going to see when we do a show. It’s really very interesting to see what comes in the door for us to evaluate.”

“This is the time to go through your attic or garage where you have put away items you always wondered about,” he said. “Come see us at the Wingate next week and we’ll help you get a value on whatever you have.”

Austin said he recently paid over $90,000 for a Morgan Silver Dollar coin minted in Carson City, Nev.

“We have paid thousands of dollars for wrist and pocket watches,” he added. “We see it all. It’s amazing what some people have tucked away that’s been passed down through the generations, or items they simply have no more use, but don’t realize how valuable they are.”

For show information or directions, call 904-417-0720.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – For anyone who questioned Michael Strecker’s talent when he was moonlighting as a standup comedian for many years—the joke is on them.

Strecker’s true lifelong ambition has been to become a novelist. He graduated from LSU in 1986 with a Journalism Degree and has written short stories, four novels and many other things during a professional writing career in public relations.

As he kept alive his dream for fame with the written word there was always a competing love—standup comedy.

“I always enjoyed comedy, and standup in particular—the simplicity of a person with a microphone entertaining all alone and making people laugh,” he said.

Now, his dream appears to be coming true, thanks to his talent in both arenas. Released in January of this year and currently available on Amazon.com are two books penned by Strecker, Volume I and II of the “Young Comic’s Guide to Telling Jokes.”

Strecker will be performing his standup routine in Slidell this weekend with a Saturday, April 8 show at Slidell Little Theater beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and the show is G-rated. Tickets are available at 985-643-0556 or online at extremetix.com, with Strecker’s show right on the home page.

Strecker grew up one of six boys in the family of Bill and Mary Strecker in Slidell. He was the youngest of the boys and said he always admired the brothers who could make people laugh.

“I realized years later that we are a family of storytellers,” he said. “My brothers were all witty and everyone got laughs. I always admired them and wanted to be the funny person.”

He went to LSU determined to become a novelist and worked part-time with a New Orleans newspaper before heading to Alabama and writing for a newspaper there. He was always freelancing during the next 15 years when he eventually landed back in the New Orleans area where he was hired by the New Orleans Museum and Tulane University as a public information officer.

In 1995 he saw that the University of New Orleans was offering a Standup Comedy class and decided to take it out of pure curiosity. As the class wound down the students had an assignment to create their own standup act they would perform at a hotel in New Orleans.

“I remember there were eight or nine of us that performed, but of course we all had friends come in the audience so it was a friendly crowd. I remember telling myself that if I do it once and it goes well, I will try it again,” he said.

Not surprisingly, the crowd was positive and Strecker was ready to try it again. Along with a few classmates they created a small comedy team that performed for drinks at regional lounges, clubs or anywhere that would have them.

“One tip,” Strecker hinted at. “If you are an alcoholic you shouldn’t go into comedy. We performed for a long time without getting paid.”

Finally he began getting paid for his act as it was refined and people were laughing, and now he performs about twice a month at many regional locations as well as performances from coast to coast.

During it all he got married and had a little fun using pun jokes to tease his wife, Jillian.

“She finally told me the jokes were good and I should write them down for a book,” he said.

Strecker followed the advice of his wife, sent them to many publishers and was pleasantly surprised to get a response from one of the major New York publishing firms, Stirling Publishers.

“I sent in 100 jokes and they wrote back to say they liked them and wanted to publish them. But I needed enough for Volume I and Volume II all at the same time. They wanted 1,200 jokes,” he said, remembering the stunning request when he first heard it.

“At first it was daunting to try and write so many,” he said. “But once I had the well primed I could rattle them off pretty well. My wife would finally tell me, ‘will you turn that thing off!’ I could write 45 some days and finally got up to 1,200.”

Strecker was given an advance for writing the jokes and now receives 10 percent of the sales for the books that sell for $6.95. It appears to be a shot at something big and he has been asked by Stirling to write more, while also getting a request from a different publisher for a joke book entitled “Jokes for Crescent City Kids.”

“It’s so exciting and gratifying to have this happen,” Strecker said, still somewhat in disbelief that fame is apparently on its way. “This is something I truly love. It’s such a good feeling to make others laugh. The truth is that it’s about our ego—when people laugh it feels like everyone loves you. It’s very gratifying.”

Strecker has performed at the House of Blues, on New York City stages and opened for famed comedian Brett Butler as part of a comedy career that has taken him to improvs from Los Angeles to the East Coast. He still works full-time for Tulane University and said his best material continues to come from real life, including a recent incident when he went ice skating and broke both ankles in a fall.

“The best comedy is autobiographical. For me it used to be starting out and trying to find a woman, but now I have the best wife and two kids a guy could have,” he said. “My wife is the reason all this is happening since she encouraged me to try the book.”

Even the tough nights of standup provide material for him.

“I’ve had my share of terrible shows where nobody was laughing,” he said. “I haven’t had any real booing and truthfully, stone silence is worse than booing. I would ask them, ‘do you folks speak English?’”

And about that career as a novelist, Strecker may be seeing both things explode together.

“I sold one short story in a journal a few years ago and now have interest in a novel and some short stories,” he said. “The notoriety with the joke books can only help so I’m still keeping the dream alive for my novels. You have to keep trying—you never know when things might happen for you.”

Copies of his books will be on sale at the Slidell Little Theater show this Saturday.

By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – Three potential condemnations by the Slidell City Council all got a reprieve at its recent meeting due to different circumstances faced by property owners or their heirs.
Slidell continues to work on cleaning up homes in the city limits, most of which are still uninhabitable due to Hurricane Katrina damage that occurred almost 12 years ago.
Nonetheless, the City Council members have consistently been patient with homeowners in any situation where there appears to be an effort to restore the house to a livable situation.
The home at 2850 Harris St. received a building permit that was sought by the property owner on Jan. 5, 2017. But the permit was ready to expire at the end of March, bringing the matter to a head at the recent council meeting where the condemnation process was set to resume.
Councilman Glynn Pichon said he spoke with the family and they had faced difficulty obtaining funding, but now were ready to start working on the home. The family was given extra time to seek a new permit and start the renovation work.
At 3785 Brookwood Dr., Leland Landry Jr. came before the council after several previous appearances, trying to deal with what was called a “complex succession” case. City Attorney Bryan Haggerty said that Landry had been working with the city as best he can and had kept the property cleaned and maintained, but still was trying to get clear title to do the work on the home.
Councilman Val Vanney issued a list of requirements for him to ask the council to hold off on condemnation, including “maintaining the property, cutting down the rotting tree in the backyard, replace the front door within 45 days” and to seek a permit as soon as the succession was clear. He was given 12 months to work on the problems, but Vanney said “we hope to see this get going in 60 days.”
Property owner Tom Stanley has also faced some problems moving forward in renovating a property at 321 Cousin St. because it sits in the Slidell Historic Preservation District where any potential work must be reviewed by that city committee.
The group was expected to meet in days and Stanley was ordered to appear at the meeting along with Building Inspector Joe France and City Engineer Eric Lundin. He is expected to be back at the April 11 meeting to see what the next steps will be.

SLIDELL – A 17-month-old girl was killed on Monday afternoon in a Slidell neighborhood when she ran into the street, St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Capt. Daniel Seuzeneau reported.

Koreyanna Kirsh was playing outside her house on East Forest Street, near Timbers Drive, and apparently ran into the street just as a large truck was driving in the neighborhood.

The driver of the truck, 21-year-old Shane Fitzgerald, told Seuzeneau that he never saw the little girl and did not even realize he had hit her.

When he noticed residents gathering near the house he returned to the scene.

Seuzeneau said they do not suspect Fitzgerald of speeding or operating his vehicle improperly, nor do they suspect any impairment from alcohol or drugs. However, according to procedure a blood test was taken.

“Words really can’t describe what happened here today other than sheer tragedy,” Captain Daniel Seuzeneau said.

No charges are expected to be filed, Seuzeneau said.

The child was pronounced dead at the scene, the St. Tammany Coroner’s Office reported.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that former St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Walter P. Reed and his son Steven P. Reed were both sentenced this past week in federal court after being convicted by a federal jury in May of 2016.

Walter Reed received what was heralded as an extremely light sentence when he was given a four year prison term, considering he could have received up to 11 years in prison. His son received only five years probation.

After a trial last year Walter Reed was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering; seven counts of wire fraud; one count of money laundering; four counts of false statement on income tax return; and five counts of mail fraud.

Steven Reed was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering; one count of wire fraud; and, one count of money laundering,

Walter Reed, 70, thanked U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon before he even heard his own sentence, stating “I know you are about to impose a life sentence on me, but today is a good day. You gave my son probation.”

Walter Reed was sentenced to 48 months incarceration to be followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $572,000 in restitution, $40,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, and a $15,000 fine. Additionally, per a prior ruling, he was ordered to pay $609,217.08 in forfeiture. Fallon also ordered the two men to remain responsible for $46,200 in forfeiture.

Steven Reed was additionally sentenced to perform 50 hours of community service to go with his five year probation sentence.

Walter Reed had served 30 years as district attorney for the 22nd Judicial Court, serving St. Tammany and Washington parishes, but came under scrutiny three years ago for alleged misuse of public money.

Reed was convicted of using public money to buy flowers for family members, lunches for people who were his supporters and campaign money he gave to a preacher, reportedly for his support. However, that money was used to build a gym at the church for kids to use. He reportedly used thousands of dollars from the D.A. account for personal use although much of the money went to others.

Even Fallon made a point during sentencing to note that “this case is unusual” in that Reed didn’t spend much of the money on himself. It was generally directed towards individuals or groups who supported him over his 30 years as the top law enforcer in St. Tammany Parish.

Reed was also convicted of pocketing $30,000 in payment for legal advice from the St. Tammany Parish Hospital, where he was to be providing legal assistance that should have seen the money go to the D.A.’s Office.

Reed will remain free on bond as his lawyer appeals the case.

“Walter and Steven Reed broke the law and have now been punished for their crimes,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.  “We want to assure the public that with the continued assistance from our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this Office will identify and prosecute any individual who commits an act of public corruption.”

“I would like to thank the men and women of the FBI, the IRS, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work on this very important matter,” stated FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sallet.

“Today, Walter and Stephen Reed were held accountable for their actions. It is a severe abuse of the public trust when elected officials misuse campaign funds for personal purposes, and abuse their positions for personal gain.  IRS – Criminal Investigation is extremely proud of the work we do in cases such as these, and we stand ready to pursue further investigation and criminal actions against individuals engaged in all forms of public corruption,” stated Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jerome R. McDuffie.

Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation for investigating this matter and thanked the Metropolitan Crime Commission for its assistance.  The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Brian M. Klebba, Maria Carboni, and Jeff Sandman.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – A recommendation to raise pay for a number of city employees is part of the 2018 fiscal year budget currently under review by City Council members.

If the raises go through it will also bring up the question of whether the mayor, police chief and City Council members will also accept a raise they are entitled to for the 2018 fiscal year that begins in July.

Slidell Mayor Freddy Drennan is proposing the use of $429,997 a year—money from sales tax bonds that are being paid off in 2017—to bring many city employees up in pay in an effort to get them close to what is considered the “regional average” for specific job descriptions.

The Slidell Civil Service Board was asked to seek information about “average pay” for the many job titles in the city employee staff. The report concluded that many positions are well below market average, while many are being paid comparably to market conditions.

With a 20-year sales tax bond being paid off this year, a bond the city spent $636,562 on for its 2017 fiscal year payment, it will free up approximately that much money each year, so long as city officials don’t seek a renewal of that bond.

For now, with Drennan in his final term in office, the mayor is proposing $429,997 of that money go to increase pay for many city employees.

“Not all city employees will get raises, but some of them will get raises that could be as much as $3,000 a year,” City Council Administrator Tommy Reeves said. “It all depends on where they were in the report and how far below the average they were for that particular job.”

Reeves said that the intent was to “close the gap by at least 25 percent” for many workers who were far below the regional average in pay.

If the raises are approved, then a portion of the law involving city employee pay raises also allows for similar raises of the same percent go to the mayor, chief of police and City Council members. That has been determined to be raises of 5.3 percent.

Those authorities have a right to decline the raises, as has happened in the past, but they will also have the right to approve their own raises.

Currently the mayor is earning $113,493 and could get a raise of $6,015; the chief of police is currently earning $102,251 and could get a raise of $5,419; and City Council members are currently earning $20,733 in what is considered part-time positions. They are each eligible for a raise of $1,100 a year.

The matter is scheduled to be discussed at a public hearing on April 25 as part of the budget review, but is expected to be postponed into the future when a vote of the 2018 budget is ready.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – The first-ever St. Tammany criminal justice accountability study confirmed a lot about law enforcement in the parish that many have long been saying, without hard facts to back it up.

The report by the Metropolitan Crime Commission was commissioned by the Northshore Business Council and had two key conclusions while complimenting the St. Tammany justice system in general:

–Law enforcement in St. Tammany Parish is well above the national average in seeking to eradicate the most violent crimes with a focus on felony arrests.

–Crime in St. Tammany Parish is relatively low on the North Shore compared to the national average.

Violent crime rates in St. Tammany per 100,000 residents are 60 percent below the national average, and 70 percent below the Louisiana average.

Additionally, anyone who thinks St. Tammany policemen are focusing on handing out a lot of traffic tickets were surprised to see that it is an extremely low priority for lawmen when approaching crime in general.

While 26 percent of the arrests in the parish are for felony or violent crimes, compared to the national average of 14 percent, only 3 percent of arrests were for traffic offenses.

“The low rate of traffic arrests is another indication that police agencies in St. Tammany Parish are using discretion in their use of arrest to enforce less serious violations,” the report said.

For that matter, the only real criticism of any kind was a recommendation for police and prosecuting agencies to find ways to increase the time period from arrest to a decision to prosecute.

The report showed that police take an average of 28 days to submit reports to the district attorney’s office to decide if a case will be prosecuted. The DA’s Office takes an average of 19 days to review all the evidence through its screening department, which leads to the decision to prosecute or not.

The report suggested that is an unnecessary delay that frequently involves a suspect remaining in jail when they might be out, thereby costing the parish money.

“The delays increase the time that suspects are held in custody, which increases costs to taxpayers to house people in jail and requires the Sheriff’s Office to maintain a larger felony pretrial inmate population,” the report added.

The second recommendation from the report was to ensure that the ability for a suspect to be admitted to the 22nd Judicial Court Diversion Program was not hampered if an individual could not pay the costs associated with it.

District Attorney Warren Montgomery was among the speakers at the Northshore Business Council luncheon when results of the report were released for business leaders and public officials to hear it.

He pointed out that one of the early priorities after he was elected over two years ago was to increase the staff in the screening department. When he first took office there was only one part-time person reviewing cases to make a decision for prosecuting. Since that time he has added three more staff members and utilizes up to five lawyers to improve that wait time.

“When it comes to increasing the time for a decision on prosecuting you have to still remember that it is important to have good data, which leads to better results, better decisions, a better community and better business. We don’t want to rush people through the process and then have them out to commit more crimes,” he explained.

But he was in complete agreement about the continued effort with new Sheriff Randy Smith to do all they can to improve the waiting time from arrest to prosecution decision, something that has improved substantially thanks to his focus on beefing up the screening department staff.

Montgomery also said that when he took office “all these decisions and work were on paper. We are slowly moving to a paperless courtroom and that is speeding things up to have access to arrest information electronically,” he said. “It’s something we are working on and we’re already seeing it’s much more effective to have this new system.”

He expects the entire 22nd Judicial operation to be paperless within 12 months, something he said has also been assisted greatly by new Clerk of Court Melissa Henry, who has worked to make that change in her department as well since she took office two years ago.

Smith, also part of the new law enforcement leadership team in the parish that replaced a former sheriff and D.A. who had both been in office for over 20 years, said “we are moving in the right direction, but there is always room for improvement. But I think the statistics show we are focusing on violent crimes and we will continue to do that.

“We have a very safe parish and that’s thanks to the men and women we have working in our departments,” Smith added. “We will continue to have a zero tolerance approach to criminal behavior.”

The Diversion Programs in St. Tammany were started 18 years ago and seen as a model across the state, with other parishes contacting the 22nd Judicial judges for direction on starting similar programs. The new court announced on Monday aims at helping veterans who have run into trouble with the law. Currently there are specialty areas for Adult Drug Court, Family Preservation Court, Sobriety Court, Behavioral Health Court, Re-Entry Court and now the new Veterans Court.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – If you have never been the victim of a crime it is hard to appreciate the turmoil and ordeal those individuals face every day.

Warren Montgomery, district attorney for the 22nd Judicial District Court, made a point to let those victims know they are not forgotten as he hosted an open house at the St. Tammany Justice Center to commemorate National Crime Victim’s Rights Week.

Such an event had seldom been seen in the past in St. Tammany Parish, but Montgomery—newly elected D.A. two years ago—decided to not only let those victims know they are not forgotten, but did it in a positive way with a party he threw on the second floor of the Justice Center.

Not only was there a fantastic performance from the Fontainebleau High School Jazz Ensemble, along with free food and drinks, but Montgomery also invited support groups to the open house, offering many ways that victims could find assistance.

There was no attempt to invite only victims who had moved on after the crimes as there were crime victims who spoke with Montgomery, and others in law enforcement, about ongoing problems and situations that are still not resolved.

One young woman brought three little children with her after stating her house was set on fire three times and her home broken into more than 10 times from a domestic situation she was involved in. She said one of her children has cerebral palsy, which led to her losing her job.

Joe King, whose daughter Ashley King was murdered in 2012 but waited four years to ever see the case go to trial, said that Montgomery’s election was the key to finally getting justice in the case.

“We never had any help getting this case to trial until Mr. Montgomery was elected,” he said. “I drove back-and-forth so many times from Shreveport waiting for something to start and it was constantly postponed. It took four years to ever prosecute those people who killed my daughter.”

King was brutally murdered in Slidell when two men entered her apartment intent on stealing money and prescription painkillers. When they were surprised by King she was attacked and murdered. Both men are now serving time in prison for the killing, and a 22-year-old woman also pled guilty to obstruction of justice in the case.

Montgomery spoke to the crowd and said he “prays for healing, peace and reconciliation for all of you. It’s very important to me that we hold this event and make it a party to try and create better memories for you when coming to this Justice Center.

“I realize my words are inadequate to perform any real healing for you, but I want you to know that every day we will fight for you in the courtroom. We will have losers and disappointments in some cases, but we understand you are all real people and that is why it is important for me to have this event and acknowledge what you are all facing as victims of crimes,” he added.

Montgomery didn’t sugar coat how difficult many cases can be for the victims.

“The law rarely achieves perfect justice,” he said. “But we will always try to give the victims a voice when they can’t do it themselves.”

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – It’s hard to imagine what St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office Deputy Andre Ardeneaux Jr. could do for an encore in 2017.

But then, the young officer for the S.O. is probably hoping things don’t get nearly as exciting as the year he recently concluded.

Ardeneaux was named the St. Tammany Parish “Deputy of the Year” by Sheriff Randy Smith and it’s hard to see how anyone could be more deserving.

The parish motorcycle officer had a year that started in March of 2016 when he saved the lives of two deputies, three parish residents, three cats and two dogs in assisting other emergency responders during the flooding rains that  hit St. Tammany Parish.

His emergency rescue involved the use of his 6-foot, 6-inch wingspan from arm-to-arm as he held onto a truck so a rope would have the extra needed reach to an overturned boat in the flood waters, allowing the trapped occupants of the boat to be pulled to safety. Unfortunately, the rescue tore his labrum and injured his bicep so badly that he needed surgery.

Two months later during his recuperation while attending a family party the good times ended in terrifying fashion when his 3-year-old son fell into a pool and was seen at the bottom before his father rescued him, despite still wearing a shoulder strap from surgery.

Then Ardeneaux capped the year by donating a kidney to a fellow officer in St. John Parish who had been severely injured in a shooting incident.

The 33-year-old father of two shrugged off the award and attention by noting there are many others like him on the force.

“There really are so many like me, just as deserving, who would have done just what I did,” he said. “I’m not unique. People I work with are from a culture and a breed where failure is not an option. Others would have done the same thing.”

Getting near the end of high school, Ardeneaux seemed destined for some kind of emergency responder work, although it initially looked like he would be in the military. His father was a 20-year Navy man and his mother worked for 26 years as a nurse. But he said it was an uncle in Jefferson Parish who was a police officer for 36 years who might have given him the biggest push to becoming a St. Tammany deputy.

“I loved talking with my uncle about what he did,” Ardeneaux said. “He said the job was a great one since there was something new every day. There was a lot of personal satisfaction being able to help people.”

Attending Pearl River High School he played football and baseball, but was especially good as a wrestler thanks to his tall frame. He finished third in the state competition and was also among the top students academically.

“I was planning to join the military and wanted to be a Navy Seal, but I have four siblings and one is in the Navy and the closer it got the more I realized I would be away from family a lot,” he said.

In the end he went to UNO to study Engineering, excelling in math subjects. Near the end of college in 2007 he made a decision to join the Sheriff’s Office, working in Corrections and with the SWAT team as an emergency responder, then became a motorcycle traffic officer and a Field Training Officer for new recruits.

“I love the motorcycle guys and also the fact I do crash investigations where I get to use a lot of math skills,” he said.

His adventuresome 2016 began last March during the torrential rains that hit Southeast Louisiana, bringing flooding conditions to St. Tammany Parish.

“Deputy Ardeneaux was actually scheduled for vacation during that time,” Sheriff Smith said. “But when he saw Special Operations called out for the emergency, he cancelled his vacation and reported to work. He is a model law enforcement officer who brings a whole new meaning to the words ‘Protect and Serve.’”

Ardeneaux reported to work as flooding got worse and stayed on the job all day and through the night. He was working an area in Covington where a flatbed truck was moving people out of flooded areas. Suddenly he saw a boat overturn with two deputies, three people and the animals.

“They were trying to get a rope to reach the boat, but it was not quite long enough,” he recalls.

Ardeneaux grabbed one end of the rope and provided the needed 6-feet to reach the boat and the individuals who were trapped.

“I remember how much it was stretching my shoulders and arms as each one got rescued,” he said.

Incredibly, even working through the pain of it all, Ardeneaux continued to work for five days.

“I knew something was wrong, so I avoided doing physical work for five days,” he said with a smile.

Finally going to a doctor to see what was wrong he was informed of the torn labrum and damage to his bicep, requiring surgery.

Almost seven weeks later as his recovery continued he went to a family pool party in Folsom. As they were ending their day, he recalls his 3-year-old son, Noah, in a small wagon.

“We were getting ready to go and suddenly I heard someone ask where Noah was,” he said. “We were right next to the pool and he must have gotten out of the wagon and just like kids will do, stepped into the water not realizing he couldn’t swim.”

Ardeneaux remembers “people screaming that he was at the bottom of the pool.” The deputy tore off his shoulder pad and dove in, quickly getting to the bottom and pulling his son to the top.

“I flipped him over and can only remember hearing people scream. But that’s where our training kicked in,” he recalled. “I went to work, did chest compressions and CPR and in less than a minute he started breathing.”

Ardeneaux credited the Sheriff’s Office for mandatory, annual CPR training for every employee, no matter if they are a street deputy or not.

“It’s still hard to go around water and not think about it,” he said. “But I’m glad we had that training.”

Ardeneaux’s final heroic act—although he hardly sees it that way—was to respond to a story he heard about involving the St. John deputy who was shot in an incident and had lived the past four years “basically imprisoned at his house since he needed a kidney transplant.”

Since he gives blood on a regular basis Ardeneaux asked to be checked to see if he would be a match to donate a kidney and surprisingly he was a perfect match.

“I told my wife about it and she understood that I wanted to do it,” Ardeneaux said. “The deputy and I are both young fathers, we are about the same age and we have a son the same age. For me, the highlight of my day is playing ball in the yard with my kids. He couldn’t do that anymore.”

The transplant went off without a hitch and Ardeneaux was back at work within two months, saying he barely notices anything different in his body after donating the kidney.

The biggest concern for Ardeneaux during the waiting period to see if he would be able to help the deputy was “thinking I would be eliminated as a match. That is what made me nervous. It was truly an honor for me to be able to do that for him,” he said.

His efforts in all cases have been tremendously successful as his son showed no effects of the near drowning and the St. John deputy is living a normal life again.

“What I did last year was nothing my fellow officers wouldn’t do. I know the guys on my left and my right are people I can trust,” he said. “So as for as me, if I can help someone, I’ll do it.”

SLIDELL—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reported that Larry Bickham, 60, of Slidell, was sentenced on Monday to life in prison for his involvement in drug manufacturing that led to his 17-month-old daughter ingesting cocaine and landing in the hospital.

Bickham, who had more than 10 prior felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions, was on probation in 2014 when he exposed his 17-month-old daughter to cocaine, which landed her in a hospital emergency room.

Bickham was found guilty last November of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile and simple cruelty to a juvenile for allowing the victim to be present during the manufacturing, distribution, or purchasing of cocaine.  District Judge William J. Burris sentenced Bickham under the state’s habitual offender law, which increases penalties.

“People who make a career out of crime run the risk of spending the rest of their lives in prison,” Montgomery said.

The case against Bickham dates back to an incident on May 1, 2014, when his toddler daughter was rushed to the emergency room at Ochsner Hospital in Slidell and tested positive for cocaine.

A woman who had kept the toddler for Bickham in the past testified during the trial last year that he had called her that day and asked her to care for the toddler temporarily because the child was not feeling well. The caregiver said she brought the girl home, but then had to rush her to the emergency room after the child suffered a seizure.

During tests at the hospital, the toddler tested positive for cocaine in her system. Witnesses testified during the trial that Bickham used his home to cook and sell crack cocaine, while the child lived with him.

Burris sentenced Bickham to life in prison without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence on the second-degree cruelty charge and 30 years on the simple cruelty charge. The sentences are to be served at the same time.

Criminal Division Chief Collin Sims and Assistant District Attorney William Macke prosecuted the case.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – When voters in St. Tammany Parish decide on April 29 about renewing a sales tax for the Justice Center operation they will also be deciding how much they want to help those in the parish with behavioral, drug and drinking problems.

Voters will go to the polls that day to face two sales tax renewals: Both have been reduced from a quarter-cent to a fifth-cent, and both have been reduced from 20 years to 10 years.

 One tax will fund the St. Tammany Justice Center operation and the other will fund the operation and maintenance of the parish jail.

However, the Justice Center tax has also been revamped to now provide nearly $1 million a year to the specialty courts begun almost 20 years ago by the 22nd Judicial District court judges.

There is little argument the specialty courts have had great success by offering certain individuals an opportunity to become enrolled in different courts that are geared to helping them with recurring problems—usually the kind of problems that continue to send them back to jail.

Voters who say “no” to the Justice Center tax will not only be forcing the eastern parish administrative offices to close in the Towers Building, but they will also be saying “no” to the assistance provided to hundreds through the specialty courts.

Judge Peter Garcia was among those who began the first specialty court 18 years ago when a Drug Court was kicked off. Now there are other specialty courts for behavioral health issues, sobriety problems, family preservation, re-entry into society, and a brand new specialty court just announced this week that will help military veterans.

One statistic tells the story perfectly about the specialty courts and their effectiveness. Recidivism rates for those going to jail runs near the 35 percent mark when no special treatment is given.  For those who participate in the specialty courts the recidivism rate is only 5.4 percent.

Garcia said the savings for taxpayers is tremendous when individuals do not go back to jail since people are no longer committing crimes to support drug habits, the parish is not paying the high cost for incarceration, but most importantly, people are being provided hope for their lives and their families.

Garcia said he first started seeing the need for specialty courts during his early years on the bench.

“It was very quickly clear to me that when someone was jailed with a serious drinking problem you saw them back in court in no time when they had no help to overcome the problem,” he said.

That led to the start of the first Drug Court to try and get real rehab assistance for those with alcohol problems. It was followed by other courts such as the Behavioral Health Court, which finds help for individuals dealing with bi-polar disorder, depression, anxiety problems and other mental health issues.

Additionally, Garcia said he could not imagine sending someone with mental health issues into the parish jail where most are housed in dormitory settings with up to 50 other inmates.

“Can you imagine being in jail with 50 other people in a dorm? No privacy, not even when you go to the bathroom, and somehow you are supposed to be OK with that? It’s barbaric and wrong to send someone with a mental health issue into that situation,” he said.

Garcia said that “people with mental health issues are jailed at a four to six times higher rate than people without such issues,” pointing out the need to get help for those individuals.

Additionally, he said, 90 percent of the people with mental health issues were self-medicating themselves in a way that created another drug disorder so the specialty courts also helped them address that issue.

Now, the Behavioral Health Court recognizes those with such problems and rather than send them to jail, allows them into the stringent requirements of the specialty court.

“Let’s be clear about the specialty courts,” Garcia said. “We are not coddling anyone. They have very tough requirements to be in the courts and if they don’t follow through they will be out.”

To get into a specialty court the District Attorney’s Office must review all the facts in the case and recognize the need for special assistance. Then the individual must plead guilty to the charge to be allowed into the court.

From there, a case manager is assigned who will have regular meetings with the client, usually no less than weekly, which also include drug screens that the individual must pay for on their own. In some cases the individual must agree to a monitoring device attached to their body and there are high costs for rehab help.

The courts have helped families stay together and keep their children when the Office of Child Services (OCS) was ready to step in and break up the family due to continual arrests. They have helped many individuals get their GED or job training skills.

“We are trying to help people return to the norm in society and end the burden on our judicial system. In the long run, for many people who are arrested, jail is not the ideal place for them and certainly not the place to help them get their lives straightened out,” he explained.

But the courts are not inexpensive, even though the 10 judges in the 22nd Judicial District Court have taken on the additional responsibility for no additional pay.

“Yes, we all have agreed to spend the time in the specialty courts for free,” Garcia said. “We are not paid anything extra and believe me, it requires many hours.

“But it’s because we really want to help these individuals and families,” he said “And the specialty courts have positively proven to do that.”

The courts in St. Tammany are costing over $2 million a year and it has been a struggle to find state or federal grants to pay for them. With Louisiana facing serious state budget issues Garcia and the other judges are concerned about the future of the courts since there are costs for case managers and many other aspects of the operation.

That is where the idea came from by the judges to utilize part of the Justice Center funding to pay approximately 50 percent of the specialty court operation.

However, it will take a “yes” vote from parish residents to assure the money will aid the specialty courts to continue their successful work.

Currently there are over 220 people in the Drug Court and a total over 150 in the other courts, with the Veterans Court ready to begin and anticipating a large number of military vets needing that assistance.

Most individuals who agree to the courts are involved for up to 18 months to be assured they have gotten the help needed to avoid returning to the court system.

“If we don’t address the underlying problem for many of these arrests the individuals will be right back in court. That doesn’t help anyone, and it costs taxpayers a lot more money. That’s why I hope the public supports this Justice Center sales tax renewal,” Garcia said.

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – A St. Tammany Parish crime and prosecution report, conducted by the Metropolitan Crime Commission, concluded that felony cases in the 22nd Judicial Court are being handled in an expedited manner by most judges.

The Northshore Business Council commissioned the MCC to review the St. Tammany judicial system, especially focusing on felony cases.

In one portion of the study they reviewed felony case prosecution for the year of 2014, the first year that new D.A Warren Montgomery took over the job.

They found that the median number of days for a felony charge to be resolved was 82 days. Additionally, they looked at how many cases remained open for more than a year and found that only 10 percent took longer than a year to be settled.

“The St. Tammany 22nd JDC applies sound and efficient case management practices that help cases progress through the criminal justice system at a pace that is consistent with or better than courts nationwide,” the report stated.

However, the report also broke the felony cases down into each division of the court and looked at which judges were most efficient and which were not.

When looking at all the statistics involved they determined Judge Ray Childress was the most efficient and Judge Peter Garcia ranked second on the list.

Judges Rich Swartz, Allison Penzato, Martin Coady and William Burris were considered “average” while the MCC noted that Chief Judge William Knight and Judge August Hand were the most inefficient.

Those conclusions were achieved by reviewing the average number of pending felony cases judges had on their dockets, how many of their cases remained open for more than a year, and what the median case processing times were.

Garcia ranked first with an average of 67 pending felony cases during the year, with Childress, Swartz and Coady second best with an average of 68 pending cases during the year.

 The court average was 95 cases with Burris having an average of 99, Penzato having an average of 111, Knight having an average of 120 and Hand having an average of 164.

Childress maintained the lowest percentage of cases open for over a year, with only 5.6 percent, followed by Swartz with 6.5 percent, Penzato with 8.7 percent, and Garcia with 8.9 percent.

Burris had the worst percentage with 16.6 percent of his cases remaining open for more than a year.

Garcia processed felony cases more efficiently than any other judge, with an average of 49 days, followed by Childress with an average of 57 days.

Burris also ranked highly with an average of 70 days, while the court average was 82 days.

Penzato averaged 83 days, Coady averaged 95 days, Swartz averaged 97 days, Knight averaged 105 days and Hand averaged 121 days.

“As a whole, the judiciary efficiently processes felony cases,” the report added. “However some divisions of court allow caseloads to grow to more than twice the size of more efficient judges. This suggests there are some disparities in case management practices.”

By KEVIN CHIRI

Slidell news bureau

FOLSOM – St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office investigators are sorting through the details of a homicide this past weekend in Folsom that left one man dead after a domestic dispute.

Cody Couch, 27, was apparently shot to death, dying from a single gunshot wound, according to the St. Tammany Coroner’s Office.

Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Capt. Daniel Seuzeneau confirmed it was a dispute between Couch and his reported fiancé.

Seuzeneau said that the Sheriff’s Office received the call to 911 late on Friday night, responding to a residence in Folsom where there were three people on hand.

As of press time late Tuesday night, no official determination had been reached as to charges being filed as the investigation attempted to confirm if there was a justified homicide or not.

“There were no drugs involved in the situation, but it was a domestic dispute involving Mr. Couch and his fiancé. We need to be certain that we conduct a thorough investigation on this serious incident and come to the right conclusion about charges being filed or not,” Seuzeneau said. “We cannot answer any other questions or release any further information until the investigation is complete.”

Seuzeneau said the Sheriff’s Office was hopeful of coming to a final determination on charges by Wednesday or Thursday.

Brandon Scott, 40, 1271 Admiral Nelson Dr., Slidell, two counts of bank fraud.

Chad Gallavan, 37, 3033 William Tell St., Slidell, Failure to honor written promise to appear.

Jose Antonio Romero, 30, 1810 Admiral Nelson Dr., Slidell, possession of marijuana, attempt and conspiracy.

Brandon Smith, 19, 34132 Theelo Ln., Slidell, contempt of court.

James Vincent Sbisa, 50, 1012 Woodview Dr., Slidell, reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

Barry Jerome Ballay, 63, 13 Groggins Mill Ln., Slidell, injuring public records.

Benjamin Tyler Bush, 22, 556 Driftwood Cir., Slidell, aggravated battery.

James Jackson, 59, 330 Jefferson Ave., Slidell, domestic abuse/child endangerment.

Ryan Richard Mince, 27, 4480 Pontchartrain Dr., Slidell, no license on vehicle, fugitive.

Brandi Anthony, 34, 317 Charles St., Slidell, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids, possession of Schedule IV, possession of Schedule V, possession of drug paraphernalia, issuing worthless checks.

Geames A. Greene, 23, 205 Tasmania Ct., Slidell, possession with schedule I of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of schedule V, possession of schedule IV, illegal carrying of weapon during crime of violence.

Michael Allen, 20, 1017 McCartney Ct., Slidell, possession of  schedule V, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids, two counts of contempt of court.

Steven Barrios, 27, 382 Moonraker Dr., Slidell, criminal trespassing, theft (misdemeanor).

Brigitte Bellflower, 59, 101 Rue Acadian, Slidell, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, improper lane usage, ignoring a traffic signal.

Richard Simmons, 52, 64095 Carey Rd., Pearl River, failure to pay child support obligation.

Brad Fontenot, 25, 60359 Kay Dr., Lacombe, drug court sanction.

Kadeem Surtain, 19, 2995 William Tell St., Slidell, possession of firearm or carrying a concealed weapon.

Daniel Brinson, 25, 330 Brigton Ln., Slidell, drug court sanction.

Warner Larche, 30, 26275 Jackson St., Lacombe, Probation violation.

Kilian Williams, 47, 6348 Farrel Dr., Slidell, drug court sanction.

Katharina Worringer, 22, 60268 Emile St., Slidell, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, improper lane usage, establishing speed zones, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Terry Perryman, 46, 37158 W. Timberline Dr., Slidell, manufacturing or distributing of schedule II (cocaine).

Jason Griffin, 36, 37497 Lopez St., Slidell, illegal possession of stolen things, possession of schedule II (cocaine simple), possession of drug paraphernal

Richard Baylor, 51, 203 Schokley Dr., Slidell, DWI fourth or subsequent offence, DUS while under suspension for certain prior offenses, careless operation.

Michelina Moses, 21, DWI first offense, careless operation, hit-and-run, driving while under suspension, resisting an officer.

Joseph Voelker, 43, 108 Brett St., Slidell, third offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Rhonda Williams, 35, 36337 Lawrence St., Slidell, possession of paraphernalia, open container in a motor vehicle, possession of schedule I, possession with schedule II.

Lurry Royer, 44, 2059 6th St., Slidell, establishing speed zones, possession of schedule I.

Charles Alexander, 47, 57509 Sunset Dr., Slidell, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, open container in a motor vehicle, signal lamps and signal devices, possession of schedule I, possession with schedule II.

Brecan Morgan, 20, 61156 Davis Ave., Lacombe, simple battery, two counts accessory after the fact.

Patricia Brion, 18, 27419 Tag-A-Long Rd., Lacombe, attempted first degree murder, two counts hit-and-run, aggravated battery.

Bradford Ducote, 35, 105 Ames Ct., Slidell, probation violation.

Kristen Melgeorge, 36, 98 Concord Loop, Pearl River, probation violation.

Alaina Estaves, 35, 1074 St. Joseph Dr., Slidell, parole violation.

Brittney Holland, 27, 1114 Rose Meadow Loop, Slidell, parole violation.

Eduardo Doubleday, 33, 216 Tallwood Dr., Slidell, simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, theft (felony).

Taylor Artigue, 21, 168 Ranch Rd., Slidell, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of schedule II (cocaine simple).

Lauren Walker, 28, 2521 Jay St., Slidell, theft of goods.

Kyle Ruegg, 18, 5443 Clearpoint Dr., Slidell, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids.

Hunter Lassiter, 18, 102 Southpark Dr., Slidell, possession of schedule I.

Kyle Malone, 19, 3961 Berkley St., Slidell, distribution or possession with intent to distribute schedule I, failure to use a turn signal.

Tanikia Tillison, 18, 902 Asheville Dr., Slidell, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids.

Christopher Bridges, 20, 104 Westminster Dr., Slidell, possession of schedule I, no safety belts.

Bradley McQueen, 49, 39223 McQueen Rd., Pearl River, failure to honor written promise to appear.

Dexter Hawk, 73, 1550 Victoria Way, Slidell, indecent behavior with juvenile, pornography, contempt of court, indecent behavior with a juvenile, possession of schedule III, distribution or possession of legend drug without a prescription.

Charles Colson, 33, 2321 Tidewater Dr., Slidell, two counts indecent behavior with a juvenile pornography.

Rashawn Cooper, 18, 922 Pine St., Slidell, criminal trespassing, simple burglary.

Carlos Owens, 24, 216 Foxcroft St., Slidell, DWI first offense, failure to stop or yield, careless operation, failure to register a vehicle, flight from an officer or aggravated flight from an officer, resisting an officer.

Michael Pete, 40, 2518 Oriole St., Slidell, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, careless operation, fugitive.

Lucas Pippen, 32, 73213 John Polk Rd., Pearl River, contempt of court.

Courtney Boutin, 36, 1722 Tidewater Dr., Slidell, non-consensual disclosure of private information.

Anya Tu-Chai King, 18, 317 Charles Ct., Slidell, possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids, possession of schedule V, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kayla Cagnolatti, 25, 503 Beechwood Dr., Slidell, aggravated battery, aggravated assault.

Oriana Russell, 20, 264 Blue Crane Dr. 2, Slidell, contempt of court.

Michael Dunn, 21, 515 Legendre Dr., Slidell, violation of protection order.

Derrick McCullough, 23, 122 Foxbriar St., Slidell, simple battery, simple assault, contempt of court, failure to honor written promise to appear.

Terry Turnage, 58, 2519 Crane St., Slidell, domestic abuse battery aggravated assault.

Purvis McKnight, 30, 505 Cypress St., Slidell, possession of schedule II (cocaine simple).

Kasha Nix, 23, 103 Pebble Beach Dr., Slidell, aggravated burglary.

Harold Winters, 52, 64105 Hwy. 3081 Trl., Pearl River, two counts contempt of court.

Loretta Roubion, 30, 60156 Camp Villere Rd., Slidell, domestic abuse battery.

Nicholas Glover, 24, 3827 Cambridge St., Slidell, two counts failure to honor written promise to appear, possession of schedule II (cocaine simple), possession of schedule I, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Laura Colman, 35, 1538 Savannah Dr., Slidell, simple criminal damage less than $500.

Kenneth Hill, 68, 54251 Hwy. 433, Slidell, housed for marshal.

SLIDELL — The U.S. State Department recently honored the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court’s Office for exceptional customer service in the issuing of United States Passports.

The State Department has more than 7,400 public acceptance facilities where citizens can apply for U.S. Passports, required for international travel to most countries.  The St. Tammany Clerk’s Office was one of only six facilities recognized for excellence this year.

Approximately 40 percent of U.S. citizens have valid Passports.

In announcing the award, which Clerk of Court Melissa R. Henry accepted from the Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 24, State Department officials acknowledged the agency for superior customer service, providing a welcoming environment for applicants with special needs, and accommodating applicants’ children during the process.

“To be honored by the U.S. Department of State is an extraordinary achievement for the staff who handles this important service,” Henry said. 

“I was proud to accept the award on behalf of the agency, and commend all our employees who made this possible.”

SLIDELL?– St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court Melissa R. Henry is pleased to announce that Pearl Garrett has received the Deputy Clerk of the Year Award.   This first-time honor was awarded after a vote of the 140 employees of the Clerk of Court’s Office.

Garrett is a Civil Minute Clerk in the 22nd Judicial Court, and has been with the Clerk of Court’s office for 39 years. She is the longest-serving Deputy Clerk in the office.  Pearl is highly respected by her co-workers and management alike. In addition to the Deputy Clerk of the Year Award, Pearl was also voted Hardest Worker by her peers. She was also nominated for Best Problem Solver, Fastest Learner, Most Organized and Most Outgoing.

“Pearl has such extensive knowledge of the workings of our civil department that she is the ‘go-to’ person for all of her co-workers,” Henry said. “She is a great problem-solver and often stops her own work to assist co-workers.  Pearl is a dedicated employee and takes great pride in her work.  That her peers voted for Pearl to receive this honor speaks volumes about the professional respect that she has earned.”

SLIDELL – Over 100 businesses are lined up again this year for the biggest business show annually in Slidell as the East St. Tammany Chamber Business and Community Showcase is just around the corner, set for next Thursday, April 27 at the Northshore Harbor Center.

Chamber CEO Dawn Sharpe said the response to the annual Showcase has been excellent again and is expected to draw nearly 3,000 people to the Harbor Center.

With over 100 businesses already lined up for the big event, set for 3 to 7 p.m. at the Harbor Center, there are still a few booths left if any last minute businesses want to be there. You do not have to have a store front to purchase a booth as in-home businesses are as popular at the Showcase as all others.

“If you have a business and want to be seen by thousands of people in a four hour period then you need to be here,” Sharpe said. “We have been doing this for years now, and it is proven over-and-over that it gives businesses a chance to network with so many people, and an opportunity to show just what you have.”

Slidell Independent Publisher Kevin Chiri said that his family business has been in the Showcase every year since bringing the local paper back to Slidell in 2008 and it has produced business opportunities every year they have attended.

“I deal with small businesses every week of the year,” Chiri said. “And the biggest thing I see in small businesses failing is their inability to give networking and promotion of themselves enough attention.

“This Chamber Showcase is honestly the best thing we do all year to promote our newspaper,” he said. “You can’t find many other ways to get your business in front of thousands for the price of a booth.”

The Showcase is not only a great place for businesses to network together, but also a great place for individuals to attend since the free giveaways are incredible.

“One of the things people love about the Showcase is that almost every business there is giving away something,” Sharpe said. “There is food, drinks, dozens of door prizes and hundreds of different items that you will appreciate getting, especially since it is all for free.”

For more information on the Showcase, or to sign up your business, contact the Chamber office at 985-643-5678.