Until recently, children in St. Bernard Parish who faced abuse or neglect were left without essential advocacy or guidance within the court system. To address this critical gap, the Meraux Foundation took the initiative by providing a seed grant to establish a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) pilot program in 2016. Recognizing the program's significance, the Meraux Foundation further solidifi ed CASA's presence in the parish in 2017 with a substantial financial commitment, ensuring its permanence. Over time, CASA has expanded its reach, successfully serving children in need. However, the local program has recently faced uncertainty due to an unforeseen decline in funding, leading to the depletion of its financial reserves. Without hesitation, the Meraux Foundation once again stepped forward, generously donating $50,000 to enable CASA to continue its vital operations and develop plans for long-term sustainability.

The 2023 Louisiana Legislative Session officially ended on June 8, and St. Bernard Parish was often the focus of the state legislators. While this was mostly due to a controversy surrounding state funds allocated to the Port of New Orleans container terminal project in Violet getting slashed in the final hours of the session, St. Bernard itself also received some more positive attention.

St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District Executive Director Drew Heaphy was honored with Global Maritime Ministries Inc., Crystal Lighthouse Award, an award that celebrates the Maritime Person of the Year. Heaphy has a long history of being with the port, starting with his career as Director of Administration in 1999. He worked closely with the late Dr. Robert J. Scafidel, the former Executive Director of the St. Bernard Port.

Once again, the St. Bernard Fire Department (SBFD) was a major focus for St. Bernard Parish Government (SBPG) council members during their June 20 meeting. For several months now, council members and the administration have been debating multiple aspects of the fire department, its issues, and the best way to go about addressing these issues. At the June 20 meeting,councilmembers— specifically, district E council member Fred Everhardt— emphasized the need to reopen fire stations 11 and 12.

St. Bernard Parish’s Performing Arts Academy will bring history to life through song, dance, and humor when it stages the musical 1776. Shows are on June 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. and July 1 and 2 at 2 p.m.

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The performances at the Performing Arts Center at Chalmette High are works of magic. That success is not by chance but by hard work and dedication. It takes a real team effort” all handson deck.” The play “1776” is the upcoming performance.

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an immune system disorder in which your lungs become in_amed as an allergic reaction to inhaled microorganisms, plant and animal proteins or chemicals. St.

My family and I are currently on an extended vacation to Paris and Provence in central France. Relations with our country never have seemed better. Our welcome was quite warm everywhere we traveled. President Biden has developed a close and warm relationship with current French President Emmanuel Macron. And that’s good news for Louisiana.

25 YEARS AGO • Lexis Landry graduated as valedictorian of Cabrini School’s eighth grade class on May 26. • Sherri Thomas received a B.A.