Our Crepe* Myrtles Are Getting a Little TLC | |
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An article last summer on nola.com gave a great overview on the care and attention crepe myrtles need to flourish. When properly cared for they live for many years and look beautiful. When ignored, they do poorly and look terrible. Two key take-aways:
1) Prune the "suckers" from the main trunk. These are the small offshoots emanating from the main trunk. I invite any of you to join me in this never ending task.
2) Do not weedeat against the trunk. The outermost bark is very thin. Cutting or damaging it opens the tree up for disease.
The City, along with volunteers, is making a concerted effort to address these trees on city property. I ask the same of our residents that have crepe myrtles.
For the full story: Crape myrtles are the colorful gem of Summer.
Big thanks to the Downtown Dynamic Duo (Public Works employees Kevin Bradford and Calvin Bickham), to Priscilla Floca and all the Keep Covington Beautiful volunteers, to the downtown business owners / residents and to the city Tree Board for all their help making our historic district sparkle. Despite all the sewer line repairs and street repairs taking place, downtown is blossoming (literally ; ).
*The traditional Southern spelling is "Crepe Myrtle" because the delicate flowers resemble crepe paper. However, across the US, it is more commonly found as "Crape Myrtle". In addition, the American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia uses the spelling "Crape Myrtle". Hence, my spelling vs. Dan Gill : ).
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Finally, please do not commit crepe murder: | |
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The Pool is Open!
Peter Atkins Park
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Corner of 27th Ave. and Polk Street
We finally overcame the Lifeguard shortage!
Beat the heat and cool off at the City Pool (free) Tuesdays through Sundays from 11:00am - 5:00pm.
Mayor Mark did : )
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US Hwy 190 Bridge
Claiborne Hill to Collins Boulevard
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The construction of a new bridge over the Bogue Falaya River and the widening of Collins Blvd is LA Department of Transportation and Development's (DOTD) jurisdiction. Boh Brothers has been awarded the contract and will soon begin the clearing and grubbing work necessary for the existing utility lines to be relocated.
The improvements of Phase I will extend from the river to Lee Road.
And that's a good thing.
As with most projects, speculating on a completion time is an exercise in futility. That said, it will take a few years.
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Mayor Mark Talks Money and Taxes | | |
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Thursday, July 28th
9:00am - 10:00am
Firehouse Events Center
I'll discuss the recent mid-year budget amendment, inflation's effects on City Finances and increased sales tax revenue.
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Eat More Beans
(And Support the United Way)
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Playmakers Makes a Play ...
Choose Your Own Oz
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Planning and Zoning Administrative Assistant
Job Opening
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The City is now taking applications for a Planning and Zoning Administrative Assistant / Occupational License Administrator.
This and other job openings may be found at Human Resources.
Also, a great webpage to know about is the City's "How do I" page.
Click here to visit: How Do I?
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A Little St. Tammany Trivia
Mayor Mark's Fun Facts.
Let's play along ...
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Unincorporated St. Tammany | | |
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Slidell, 13th Largest City in LA |
1) The population of Slidell proper is 27,000. Question: What is the population of greater Slidell?
(Answers to all questions at the bottom of the page)
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2) True or False: In 1830, Slidell’s Founder, John Slidell, settled on the west side of the Pearl River. He then built a lumber mill on Bayou Bonfouca near Front Street. He traversed from home to the mill on a pathway which today is Gause Boulevard.
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Bernard de Marigny's Sister's Grandson | |
Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville
3) True or False:
Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville’s sister’s adopted
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Governor William CC Claiborne
daughter’s son married Governor CC Claiborne’s daughter and they lived in Lewisburg.
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4) True or False: In 1973, Sean Connery filmed the James Bond movie “Live or Let Die” on Bayou Liberty and Bonfouca in and around Slidell. | | | |
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Chinchuba Village
Ain't Dere no More
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5) True or False: In 1902, the Chinchuba Institute for Deaf Mutes complex accommodated 49 children and was run by 14 Sisters of Notre Dame. The settlement once included a post office, a train station, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, the Institute, numerous homes and farms. Located northwest of Madisonville on Dummyline Road, all that remains today is the cemetery.
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1) Greater Slidell's population is about 90,000 people with only 27,000 living in the city limits. The rest, like most residents of the Parish, live in unincorporated St. Tammany Parish. Similarly, the residents of Metairie do not live in a city. They live in unincorporated Jefferson Parish.
The City of Covington has a population of almost 12,000, but the Covington zip code (people with Covington addresses) numbers over 60,000.
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Bernard de Marigny's Sister's Grandson | |
2) True: Bernard’s sister, Celeste Marigny Livaudais had a ward, Marie Tabiteau, who married Covington’s founder, John Wharton Collins. Collins received $2,000 dowry from the Livaudaises, then bought the property we know today as Covington from Jacques Dreux, great-great-great (not sure how many greats) uncle to Donald and Keith Villere, former respective mayors of Mandeville and Covington. John Wharton Collins served as aide-de-camp to Governor Claiborne in the Battle of New Orleans. Governor Claiborne had a family compound near the Chimes restaurant, the area we know as Claiborne Hill. The white building in front of the Chimes is the Claiborne Courthouse built in 1818. | |
3) False: In 1830 a settler named John Gause (not John Slidell) settled on the west side of the Pearl River, then built a sawmill near Front Street and Hwy 190. He traversed from his cabin to the mill on what we know today as Gause Blvd.
In 1888, John Slidell's father-in-law helped finance the construction of the railroad, the New Orleans and Northeastern, around the east side of Lake Ponchartrain. The depot near Front Street and US Hwy 190 was named Slidell after the son-in-law.
To my knowledge, John Slidell never visited Slidell.
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Roger Moore filmed "Live or Let Die" in and around Slidell in 1973 (not Sean Connery ; ).
He was such a Saint.
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Chinchuba Institute for Deaf Mutes | |
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5) All is true except the location: Founded in 1890 by the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Chinchuba Institute for Deaf Mutes complex accommodated 49 children and was run by 14 Sisters of Notre Dame. The settlement once included a post office, a train station, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, the Institute, numerous homes and farms.
Chinchuba Institute was actually located in present day Mandeville along Hwy. 190 between the Post Office and Parc du Lac subdivision.
After burning down in about 1940, the school relocated to Marrero where it continued to operate until June of 2019.
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Chinchuba Institute was one of the first schools in the nation devoted specifically to teaching hearing-disabled children to speak.
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... but there is a Dummyline Road | |
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The Dendinger family had a sawmill located on the Tchefuncte River in downtown Madisonville (next to the old Friend's Restaurant, now Tchefuncte's). Dendinger descendants include the Poole family we know today.
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The family owned all the property from the Tchefuncte River to the other side of Ponchatoula ... all the way to Springfield. The sawmill had a train that ran out into the forest. The loggers could cut trees and load them onto rail cars bound for the mill. The track did not go anywhere.
It was a "dummyline." Today, we know it as Dummyline Road.
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Please share this e-mail with whoever you believe may find it of value.
Replies to this e-mail go directly to Mayor Mark.
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Rooted in History, Focused on the Future | | | | | |
