ST. TAMMANY

• Morris, council conduct duel via presser
Weeks after Mayor Ben Morris called a news conference to tout a state attorney general's opinion outlining the authority of the mayor and City Council for making budget decisions, council members called their own presser on Wednesday to respond.

• Plant would replace eyesore
Residents who live in the Hickory community north of Pearl River will have a chance Tuesday night to learn more about a natural sewage treatment plant that a New Jersey company wants to build in their area.

• School calendar set for 2010-11
The St. Tammany Parish school system has finalized its calendar for the 2010-11 school year, with students reporting to school on Aug. 9 and finishing on May 20, 2011.

• 2 arrested as drug package is picked up
Slidell Police arrested two men after they picked up a package containing about a pound of cocaine hidden in a baby bath, blanket and clothes, authorities said Thursday.

• Judge gives Folsom man life sentence in drug case
A Folsom man on Thursday was sentenced to life in prison after a state judge determined he qualified as a career criminal after a recent drug conviction.

• Man guilty of sending sexual texts to minor
A Franklinton man this week was convicted of sending sexually explicit images and lewd messages to a 12-year-old Mandeville girl's cell phone.

• Man guilty of sending sexual texts to minor
A Franklinton man this week was convicted of sending sexually explicit images and lewd messages to a 12-year-old Mandeville girl's cell phone. James E. Tate, 25, was convicted of indecent behavior with a child under 13. A 12-member St. Tammany Parish jury took two hours to return a verdict at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

• Man pleads guilty to sex images of children
A 47-year-old Pearl River man this week pleaded guilty to 300 counts of possessing juvenile pornography.

• Student booked in Mandeville stabbing
A Mandeville Junior High School student was arrested Wednesday after stabbing a classmate with a pen, authorities said Thursday.

• Student booked in stabbing
A Mandeville Junior High School student was arrested Wednesday after stabbing a classmate with a pen, authorities said Thursday.

• Teacher, retired cop vie for seat
Voters selecting the District F Slidell City Council member on March 27 will decide between a high school math teacher who has long held an interest in local politics and a former police captain who says he is not finished serving the public.

• THE CANDIDATES Slidell City Council District F
Jay Newcomb

• Treen's legacy is reflected at Tammany tech center
Less than five months after his death, former Gov. Dave Treen -- a longtime resident of the Mandeville area -- was honored Thursday morning with the renaming of the St. Tammany Parish public school system's technology center in Mandeville.

• Treen's legacy reflected at technology center
Less than five months after his death, former Gov. Dave Treen -- a longtime resident of the Mandeville area -- was honored Thursday morning with the renaming of the St. Tammany Parish public school system's technology center in Mandeville.

• District C race draws three rivals in Slidell
In the race for the District C Slidell City Council seat, two challengers say they're running to give their district better representation. Incumbent Warren Crockett says he wants another four years on the council because, "We've got more work to do."

• Four vie to be Slidell's top cop
The race for Slidell's next police chief is focusing on maintaining a low crime rate and moving the department into the future while dealing with an economy that threatens to constrict the department's budget.

• Look of new library raises static
Displeased with design plans for the new Madisonville library, residents and elected officials are calling for the St. Tammany Parish Library Board to delay approving the plans until their concerns can be addressed.

• Man is guilty in juvenile sex case
A St. Tammany Parish jury took about five hours to convict a Bush-area man of attempted oral sexual battery involving a juvenile.

• Meeting will look at reviving Covington's West 30s
The latest set of meetings on revitalizing Covington's West 30s neighborhood will be held tonight and Monday evening.

• Spring break a little early this year
Spring break for public school students in St. Tammany Parish begins March 29 and will run through April 5.

• THE CANDIDATES: Slidell City Council District C
WARREN CROCKETT

• THE CANDIDATES: Slidell Police chief
"J.J." Jennings

• Visitors to sing in Covington
A church youth group from Huntsville, Ala., will perform a free concert in Covington this afternoon.

• Pickup's driver gets 8 years in fatal crash
A Lacombe man was sentenced to eight years in prison this week after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide and negligent injuring for a two-vehicle accident that killed a 36-year-old Slidell man and injured two other people in March 2009.

• Tax rolls getting a closer look
Roughly two-thirds of the land in St. Tammany Parish qualifies for a special tax assessment, with the owners on the honor system to tell the assessor's office what's on their property and how it's used.

• THE CANDIDATES: SLIDELL CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT B
SAM ABNEY

• Two men seek spot on Slidell council
The two candidates vying for the District B seat on the Slidell City Council are both fighting for the future of Slidell.

• Donald Primes, was on Covington council
Donald Primes, a former Covington City Council member, died Friday. He was 63.

• Gunfire triggers possible felony
A Mandeville man faces felony charges after firing a shotgun at the fence around his home in the Beau West subdivision to "blow off steam" after an argument with his wife, authorities said Monday.

• Levee planned for south Slidell
Slidell and St. Tammany Parish officials are moving forward with plans to build a levee near south Slidell after storm surge from Hurricane Ike in 2008 breached an earthen mound and threatened to flood homes near First Baptist Church.

• School remap options weighed
An 11-member committee is scheduled to meet tonight at Bayou Woods Elementary School in Slidell, and likely will vote on recommending one of four proposed maps for the boundary lines of the new Henry Mayfield Elementary.

• Spring break a little early this year
Spring break for public school students in St. Tammany Parish begins March 29 and will run through April 5.

• Spring break a little early this year
Spring break for public school students in St. Tammany Parish begins March 29 and will run through April 5.