Everyone Loves Butter Krisp Diner's Donuts

 Residents in Covington were heartbroken when a storm Spring of 2022 ripped the roof off of Butter Krisp Diner. After fifteen months, the hot spot finally reopened its doors. In fact, the first day back to business the diner sold over 13,000 doughnuts.

The ironic thing about the opening day was it was only supposed to be a soft opening to train the employees according to owner Joseph Bonon III. The soft opening was anything but as the Covington police had to step in to keep U.S. 190 clear as drivers waited in the long line for the drive-thru. Patrons even said they took a long lunch break to wait in the long line for the delicious treats.

“We’ve been here for probably about an hour,” said Kallye Melancon as she waited in line.

“People were used to coming here every day, and they lost it all of a sudden. It kind of tore ’em up. It’s crazy. I’m really happy,” said Bonono about the line outside his diner.

Patrons from all over came to enjoy the scrumptious delights. Ciji Wallace came all the way from Mississippi. “They have doughnuts in Mississippi but they’re not Butter Krisp,” she comments.

Those that go to the diner for the doughnuts can also enjoy a plethora of items on the menu. The 24-hour diner is the perfect place for a late night burger and BLT.

If you haven’t already stopped by for a doughnut that is the same as it was before. “Every ingredient is the same,” Bonobo said.

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A New Owner For Netchex

 GrowthCurve Capital has purchased Covington-based Netchex. Netchex, a leading provider of cloud-based human capital management and payroll software, has been acquired by GrowthCurve Capital.  

Netchex was established in 2003 and is the leading provider of human capital management and payroll software solutions. The company focuses on small to medium-enterprise markets.

“Netchex is one of the fastest growing HCM technology companies in the industry, and we’re proud of the significant differentiation and strong brand that we have developed in the marketplace,” Boudreaux said in a news release. “GrowthCurve is the ideal partner to support the next phase of Netchex’s growth, and their expertise in AI, human capital, and scaling data-centric companies will provide a strong foundation for our vision to make HCM easy, intuitive, and a core value driver for the SME market. We also thank Primus Capital for their partnership and support while they were investors in Netchex.”

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Where To Go in Covington To Get Israeli and Lebanese Dishes

 Tavi, located at 330 N Hampshire Street in Covington is a Northshore cousin to Shaya. Chef Fariz Choumali, the executive chef at Tavi, has worked for BRG Hospitality as an executive chef. He and his wife moved to New Orleans after visiting the city and felt like it was home.

“Beirut, where I’m from, shares a French culture and vibrancy with New Orleans. The first time I went to the French Quarter, with its architecture, music and culture, I felt at home. People come from all over the world to eat food here. I knew this city was for me,” explains Choumali.

Tavi opened its doors in January in Covington and shares many dishes with Shaya but he has also added some Lebanese street dishes. “Here we have so many regulars. People were waiting for this food. Covington doesn’t have a place like New Orleans, so our opening was a big deal to the community,” he says.

Tavi is located in a former barber shop that has been converted into the 85-seat restaurant. There is tons of natural lighting along with a 10-seat bar and a wood-fire oven. Tavi is named after one of the partner’s grandsons and is the Hebrew word for good.

Patrons will enjoy foods like buttermilk-soaking fried chicken spiced with turmeric and coriander, hummus, house-pickled vegetables and wild mushrooms with sage brown butter in za’atar-spiced hazelnuts. The Lebanese dishes include arayes, a grilled pita sandwich stuffed with ground kafta or seasoned lamb. Confit chicken is another dish that is cooked in duck fat and served with basmati rice.

The 10-seat bar offers some unique cocktails for patrons. The Road to Kfar is made of sumac-infused tequila, pom liqueur, lime juice and hibiscus syrup. Wines are also served that are Californian, Lebanese, French and Israeli along with beer from Greece and Lebanon.

“I still call my mom with questions about recipes. She can cook everything,” says Choumali.

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How the Mandeville Children’s Museum Rang in the New Year

 The Children’s Museum of St. Tammany Parish in Mandeville came up with a unique way for a family fun event to ring in the New Year. Children and their families can to the museum early on New Year’s Eve to celebrate ringing in 2023.

There were tons of games and activities for everyone and they celebrated by having a noon balloon drop. Kid-friendly music was performed live by the Imagination Movers.

The museum has also recently celebrated and welcomed Christy Myers as its first executive director. She has worked closely with the museum since it opened.

“I’m really looking forward to thinking in the long term now,” Myers said, expressing thanks for a board that envisions the museum as a place “where play is encouraged, creativity is nurtured and learning is enjoyed on the north shore. Our board members are very hands-on ” Myers said.

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Challenges With St. Tammany Zoning for Medline Distribution Center

 Medline had plans to build a medical equipment distribution company south of Covington. Many homeowners are up in arms about the prospect of such a project being in their community. Judge Reginald Badeaux of the 22nd Judicial District has thrown out the lawsuit filed by a group of residents.

January 12, 2021, the judge upheld the council's vote to rezone the property for the distribution center. The 70 acres between Interstate 12 and Ochsner Boulevard will be the first project of its kind in the area. Residents are concerned that the project will cause traffic and drainage issues. There is also concern that the project will need its own comprehensive zoning plan.

Many in the parish are hopeful that the original plan to build a 1-million-square-foot center in St. Tammany will still happen. Bruce Wainer of All State Financial Company owns the property and feels the judge made the right decision. He states the decision was "a matter of fact and a matter of law — I think the judge ruled correctly." St. Tammany Parish Council Chairman Mike Lorino is also in agreement with the judge's decision and feels the Parish Council did everything correctly in its handling of the rezoning and acted reasonably.

Not all leaders in the community are for the judges ruling. Nancy Wagner, president of the Flower Estates Civic Association is part of those who appeal the ruling. "We have said from the beginning when the council approved the...rezoning without following the law that we would continue to pursue all legal options," Wagner said in a text message. "We are disappointed that the ruling today mistakenly denies residents a full judicial review of our factual and legal arguments."

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Builders & Buyers Enjoying Robust Real Estate Market

Builders and buyers alike are optimistic that the recovery of the real estate market nationwide is here to stay as new home sales increased 18% year-over-year in June, 2015 compared to 2014, and new home inventory also increased by 3.4%.  Builders are discovering that bank construction loans are easing slightly on credit requirements and equity, and also with the increasing number of new home sales, builders are “turning over” the new homes that they are building so they are freeing up capital to invest in new lots for sale in traditional as well as master planned developments.

However, all of the great news regarding the real estate market was tempered by a slight drop in sales from May to June, 2015, for a total drop of 6.8%, down from 517,000 in may to 482,000 in June.  However, the summer months sometimes experience a lag because of school getting out, and potential home buyers going on vacation in the early part of the summer.  Overall, new home sales have been increasing both incrementally and expotentially since 2012.

Good news for builders is that there is an increasing demand from new home buyers for homes to purchase. This demand has not tapered off or decreased since the housing market started its recovery.  This trend has especially been noticed in the new, master planned community of Bedico Creek Preserve in St. Tammany Parish which features 11 Neighborhoods of new homes for sale, lots for sale, and new homes under construction.  Buyers living on the Northshore already find that this new home community is convenient to the cities of Mandeville, Madisonville, Covington, and Abita Springs in West St. Tammany Parish.

New lots are constantly being developed as new neighborhoods within the subdivision are opening with available lots for those new home buyers interested in building their own custom home.  There is no shortage of new homes to buy and new lots to buy at Bedico Creek in the Greater New Orleans area.  Contact Bedico Creek to schedule a tour of this Conservation Community by calling 985-845-4200 or E-mailing Info@LiveBedico.com.

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Outstanding Patient Experience Award Goes to St. Tammany Parish Hospital

Covington and Mandeville should not only be proud of their big city culture and small-town charm, but now they can also boast about their cutting edge medical care and medical facilities.  St. Tammany Parish Hospital ranked in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for patient experience and quality.  Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals, gave St. Tammany Parish Hospital the 2015 Outstanding Patient Experience Award for giving patients a positive experience during their stay as well as exceeding their expectations with their patient service.

Healthgrades does extensive research for this honorable distinction, and the standards that are to be achieved in order to receive such high recognition are thorough and very high. A 27-question survey is given to a group of patients that focuses on their overall hospital experience.  Question examples range from how they were treated by the doctors, cleanliness and noise levels of their rooms, pain management, would they recommend the hospital to friends or family and the overall responsiveness from doctors and nurses to the patients’ needs.

In addition to the recognition by Healthgrades, the hospital also received 4 stars in a Medicare patient experience survey which also happened to be one of the state’s highest scores.  St. Tammany Parish Hospital was ranked among the nation’s top community hospitals – the top 5% in hospitals nationwide – by U.S. News & World Report and WomenCertified.  This national recognition solidifies the reputation of healthcare facilities in St. Tammany Parish which has some of the most sophisticated and advanced medical tools and practices.

St. Tammany Parish Hospital’s President and CEO Patti Ellish said, “We are honored to be singled out in these ways.”

St. Tammany has a large selection of medical facilities and hospitals parish-wide both in East St. Tammany and West St. Tammany Parish. There two major hospitals, just 5 miles from each other, Lakeview Regional in Mandeville, and St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington as well as two additional major hospitals in the East, Slidell Memorial and Ochsner. In the business district of Covington, Louisiana, there are numerous, specialty medical clinics that offer medical services for specific ailments such as sleep disorders, dermatological, and orthopedics.

This is great news for St. Tammany and makes moving into this Northshore community that much more appealing.  More than ever, consumers’ opinions about anything and everything are leading factors in one of the most important decisions home buyers will make – where you and your family can move and live comfortably with all of the lifestyle conveniences you need to raise a family.   Moving to Bedico Creek Preserve will make it so that you have access to award winning medical care and that you do not have to drive too far to have access to great hospitals and specialty medical facilities.


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New Home Building Project in Covington Back on Track

As the job market gets stronger, so does the housing market.  Building supply retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement have seen a huge spike in sales in building materials and accessories this spring.  According to New Orleans City Business, “Homebuilders broke ground on more houses and apartment complexes in April, a sign that they’re gearing up for more sales. The annual pace of housing starts jumped 20.2 percent from March to 1.14 million, the highest rate since November 2007, a month before the recession began. There was also a 10.1 percent increase in

approved building permits, which suggests that construction levels should continue to improve.”
With an upward turn in the housing market, a new home building project which was put on hold during the market crash in 2008 is now resurfacing. The Oak Alley Meadows development in Covington, LA near the intersection of Orchard and Dominic Drives went before the Covington Zoning Commission May 18, 2015 and was approved.

Lonesome Development is the developer which is interested in annexing the land in North Covington for the neighborhood development project.  The 87-acre tract of land under discussion will include both residential and commercial new construction.  Plans for this new subdivision in St. Tammany Parish include 205 single-family lots and two commercial sites. The developer will use 80.4 acres of the land for homesites to build new homes and 6.7 acres of the land for the commercial development. The plan is to build the development in four phases.

Even though it is adjacent to the land that is currently in the final phases of lot development at Oak Alley Subdivision, the new Oak Alley Meadows development is a separate community from the current Oak Alley.  DSLD Homes is building the final new homes for sale in this community and once it is completed, there will be a total of 300 newly built homes.


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