Beautification of post-Katrina St. Bernard Parish has been a top concern for local government and civic organizations, especially over the last year, and a huge part of that has been tackling blighted or prohibited business signs that dot the parish’s main thoroughfares. After a recent zoning sweep netted 156 businesses for out-of-compliance signs, a hearing [...]
A man and a woman who said they were homeless were arrested in Chalmette after they left two loaded handguns in a vehicle with their six children ages seven years to just five months old as they shopped 20 minutes in a store, Sheriff James Pohlmann said. “This could have easily ended in a tragedy,’’ [...]
In August, 18-year-old Arabi resident Brittaney Smith’s future was anything but certain. After several years of rebellion and fights at school and at home, Smith was expelled less than a month into her Senior year at Chalmette High School. Her parents were fed up and exhausted. “Brittaney had a track record of behavioral problems, that [...]
The 15-mill property tax to fund the Sheriff’s Department for the next 10 years was approved by 61 percent of voters who turned out for the April 6 election. The measure was approved: 2,390 votes for, 1,531 against. The additional 15-mills doubles SBSO’s budget to $9 million annually for the next 10 years. Currently, SBSO [...]
After hearing the pleas of local commercial fishermen, the council on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution requesting state and federal delegation to exempt victims of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill from paying taxes on any settlement money. The intent of the resolution, introduced by District E Councilman Monty Montelongo, is to give a push [...]
It’s often said that doing business with family is a risky move, but the Ybarzabals wouldn’t have it any other way. The store was honored on April 1 by the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce and Parish Government for half a century of selling bicycles and lawn mowers to locals. “We grew up here, we [...]
Over 30 suspected drug offenders got a harsh wake-up call on Wednesday morning by St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s deputies as the department began phase II of last September’s “Operation Summer Heat.” When Phase I ended, undercover officers hit the streets soon after, SBSO says, and through their efforts warrants for 32 suspects were secured. On [...]
In light of St. Bernard Parish’s new preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (pre-FIRMs), FEMA held an Open House meeting on March 26 that allowed homeowners to get one-on- one assistance with identifying their new flood risk from officials. “I tried getting on there [Region 6 website] to look at the maps myself but I had [...]
Senior Alexis Gordon was upset in her speciality, the discus, but came back in the shot put to claim the iron ball throw by a mere one-half of an inch to highlight the Chalmette girls’ performance at the Northshore Invitational track and field meet at the Slidell-city school the second Friday in March. Gordon missed [...]
The St. Bernard Library Club recently held its annual Book Drive. Students brought in over 600 paperback and hardback books ranging in reading levels from early childhood to adult. All donations went to benefit the Community Center of St. Bernard. Pictured above, St. Bernard Middle Library Club Members count books and prepare them for delivery. [...]
