A unique Christmas tradition held every Christmas Eve for the last hundred years at the levees in St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes will now have a 72-foot alligator and large Santa that will light up the night sky.

The century-old bonfire festival consists of 120 to 130 fires that light the way for Santa Claus or Papa Noel on Christmas Eve. The fires along the levee were also used to light the way for river ships to make their way to Midnight Mass.

Every Christmas Eve thousands flock to the levees as the huge elaborate wooden structures are set ablaze at 7pm.

In the past the structures just consisted of pyramid sculptures but now there are a few who are using their creative talents to create artistic pieces such as the gator and Santa Clause.

Josh Weidert, who is from Sorrento, is part of the Blood, Sweat and Bonfires group who are responsible for the large gator. Weidert, now 33, has been building bonfires for the event since he was a young boy. Through the years his sculpting has become more creative. He has built a giant pelican, snapping turtle and a guitar. His work has been noted on the DIY Network for an upcoming documentary on quirky traditions.

This year he is taking it to the next level. The 72-foot alligator weighs approximately 500 pounds and is made up of dozens of trees from a nearby swamp. The scales are made up of the tree bark and knots to add a textured look. The mouth will be able to open and close by a controlled mechanism.

The creation took about 2 months to build but will turn to ash in one night. This is okay with the group because it is all about the experience of creating the sculpture with friends and family.

“We’re up here making memories,” Weidert said. “If we didn’t burn ’em down, it’d eventually rot away.”

As for the huge 16-foot tall Santa, Corey Zeringue and his group are responsible for the massive sculpture. Zeringue said it took him about 160 trees to make Santa.

“I look forward to it every year,” said Zeringue, 31. “It brings all the family and friends around.”

“We’re lighting the way for Papa Noel,” said Josh Weidert.

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Medline Industries Inc. will build an 800,000-square-foot distribution center in St. Tammany Parish close to Covington announced Governer John Bel Edwards. The new $53 million project will replace the existing Medline distribution center located between Covington and Goodbee. The new location will be built on the north side of Interstate 12 at La. 21.

Medline is a family owned business and one of the largest healthcare companies in the country. They work directly with hospitals, surgical centers, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospices and physician offices to provide healthcare programs and products. The company distributes everything from exam and surgical gloves, face masks, isolation gowns, reusable textiles, incontinence products, electrosurgical products, housekeeping supplies to durable medical equipment, monitors and other medical equipment.

The fourth-generation owned company is the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor in the country for medical supplies. In fact, Medline made the Forbes largest private companies ranking at number 32. Medline manufactures, distributes and provides solutions for the overall operating performance of health care. The company headquarters is located in Northfield, Illinois and has over 24,000 employees across the world. Medline has business ties to over 90 countries and operates 60 distribution centers worldwide.

Currently the smaller Medline distribution center has 36 jobs which will be retained. The new building will also add 464 new direct jobs along with 611 new indirect jobs totaling more than 1,070 new jobs for the parish and Southeast Louisiana. The company also plans to create an additional 170 new jobs within the the first two years of opening its doors.

Medline chose the location because it is well positioned in both the country and the state. CEO Chris Masingill of St. Tammany Corporation, the economic development organization for St. Tammany Parish, is happy such a well-respected, global company chose St. Tammany Parish.

“With excellent infrastructure on Interstate 12, and ready access to Interstates 10, 55 and 59, St. Tammany Parish is extraordinarily well-positioned to provide state-of-the-art logistics along the Gulf Coast and into the interior U.S.,” Gov. Edwards said. “We’re delighted that the largest privately held provider of medical supplies recognizes the value proposition that Louisiana delivers in logistics, workforce and business climate. This project will be a game-changer for St. Tammany Parish, with new opportunities for our people and economic diversification for our state.”

The new project will house storage, warehousing, shipping and associated management office space in the 800,000 square feet facility. There will be another 200,000 square feet for future expansion to the 70-acre site. It is predicted that when fully developed close to 700 jobs will be available to the community.

“As a member of the Louisiana community for more than a decade, we are very pleased to continue to grow as an employer and investor in the state,” said Bill Abington, executive vice president of global operations for Medline. “With health care growing so rapidly in the region, the location is ideal for easy access to health care providers while also letting us maintain and grow our current team. We are grateful to the state, Louisiana Economic Development and officials in St. Tammany Parish who have recognized the potential of the project and worked to bring it to fruition.”

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