On Tuesday, a LaPlace man was arrested, charged with bludgeoning his 7-week-old child to near death.

Less than 24 hours later, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office officials announced the discovery of, not one, but two dead bodies in separate incidents separated by no more than a mile.

While the criminal investigation rages in the first case, detectives and crime lab officials are still working to clear up unanswered questions sorely needed by grieving families in the second and third cases.

Understandably, those stories have been some of the most read according to our tracking numbers at lobservateur.com and through our Facebook page.

The important news takes a different, but equally serious turn next week with the final build up to April 29’s election day.

Weeks and months of campaigning comes to conclusions in elections for a new property tax proposal, Parish Council representative and Louisiana Senate member.

Thankfully, the news is not all bad.

The latest edition of River Parishes Magazine was just sent to the printers and is set to hit newsstands April 29.

It’s chock-full of some of the best untold and under-reported stories the River Region has to offer.

Mary Walker, a Justice of the Peace in St. James Parish, enjoys making dolls — a talent she recently used to donate more than $2,000 to help cancer patients and survivors.

Walker would create her one-of-a-kind dolls and give them to people she saw in need. It ended up becoming so popular and in-demand that a Relay for Life fundraiser was born.

Family members jumped in and many dozens were sold.

This story is a testament to the giving nature of many in our community and the perseverance through pain that has come to define the River Parishes.

When it comes to celebration-worthy accomplishments, nobody seems to deserve more praise than Destrehan High basketball player Cara Ursin.

The senior is arguably one of the best athletes to ever call the River Parishes home. She and her fellow Lady Wildcats just won the school’s first girls basketball state championship, with Ursin earning Louisiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year for the third year in a row.

She gave us a little time (before heading off to a full scholarship at Baylor University) to answer questions like the story behind her “Moon” nickname, what is the most nervous she has been off the basketball court and what she considers her greatest accomplishment?

Just some of our other stories include:

• Chris Tregre Jr. and cousin Isabella Breaud created a lemonade stand six years ago that has turned into a growing community-wide fundraiser for St. James ARC, dedicated to helping those with developmental disabilities. The effort continues with the next day of fun benefiting a great cause on April 30

• Many don’t know that Ron Hernandez, a LaPlace native, earned two SEC championships in the discus and three in the shot put while performing for LSU in the early 1960s. He remains one of the most decorated athletes in the school’s history, something his children are working to make sure is recognized by local and regional sports halls of fame.

Please check out these stories and more, including awesome and easy tips for turning your garden into a meal paradise, in the next River Parishes Magazine, included in L’OBSERVATEUR April 29.

Stephen Hemelt is publisher and editor of L’OBSERVATEUR. He can be reached at 985-652-9545 or stephen.hemelt@lobservateur.com.