Two convicted felons are behind bars after Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives, working with Hammond Police SWAT, busted a drug operation in Tickfaw. Acting on a community tip, investigators surveilled a Johnson Lane home for several days before executing search and arrest warrants on Sept. 17. Inside, they found about half a pound of methamphetamine hidden in toolboxes and blankets, along with a stolen gun and vehicle. Sara Hughes, 35, was arrested at the scene, while Stephen Roberson, 58, was captured at his workplace after briefly eluding deputies. Hughes faces a long list of drug, weapons, and theft charges plus outstanding warrants; Roberson is charged with multiple drug and weapons offenses, possession of stolen property, and resisting an officer. Authorities credited vigilant residents and Hammond police for helping bring the pair to justice.
–In a statement released yesterday Slidell Mayor Bill Borchert announced that a private developer now has the long-abandoned Northshore Mall property under contract, calling the move a win for the community after nearly 20 years of vacancy. Borchert said his administration and the city council initially explored purchasing the site themselves to prevent further decline, but private investment is exactly the kind of development they hoped to attract. He recommended rolling the Northshore Economic Development District tax back to zero and revealed talks with another investor considering a $550 million project on 34 nearby acres. “We will not allow this property to just sit and rot,” Borchert said, pledging to keep pushing for bold steps to revitalize the entire Northshore corridor and secure Slidell’s future.
–The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues leading cleanup efforts in Roseland, Louisiana, after the August 22 fire at the Smitty’s Supply facility released millions of gallons of oil and chemicals into nearby waterways. Crews using containment booms, skimmers, vacuums, and sorbent pads have recovered more than 5.2 million gallons of material from the Tangipahoa River and surrounding ponds, and an added task force is boosting personnel and resources to speed the river cleanup, Parish President Robby Miller said. Drinking water remains safe because the river is not a source, but residents are urged to follow river closures for their safety. The fire, fully extinguished Sept. 8, prompted extensive air monitoring for VOCs, particulate matter, and benzene, with no detections above action levels. EPA officials will answer residents’ questions today at the Ponchatoula Library from 10 a.m. to noon.
–The Slidell Police Department will host its 5th Annual National Night Out Against Crime on Thursday, October 2, 2025, promising the city’s biggest community celebration yet. Highlights include the return of Trick or Treat Alley, where local neighborhoods, businesses, and organizations can reserve one of 50 spots along the walking path to hand out candy to kids, plus appearances by the Children’s Hospital New Orleans Critical Care Transport Team and the Louisiana State Police—both bringing helicopters. The Slidell Police Association will fire up the grill, Olde Towne Pizza Company will serve fresh slices, and other local vendors will provide food and drinks. Registration details are available at www.slidellpd.com.
–District Attorney Collin Sims announced that a St. Tammany Parish jury needed just 21 minutes on September 17, 2025, to convict 57-year-old Clifford Roberts of Pearl River of second-offense domestic abuse battery for assaulting his 83-year-old mother. Prosecutors Shelby Stoop and Tiffany Dover presented evidence that Roberts demanded cigarette money, forced his way into his mother’s locked bedroom, and violently threw her to the floor, causing head trauma and other injuries that required hospital treatment. Deputies Tyler Caruso and John Dalton investigated, and seven witnesses—including the victim, law enforcement, and medical staff—testified during the three-day trial overseen by Judge Vinny Lobello. Roberts, who has a long criminal history and was heard muttering an obscenity during his mother’s testimony, faces up to one year in prison when sentenced on November 5.
–Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller announced that Barriere Construction crews will begin paving East and West Prevost Lane the week of September 22 as part of the parish’s 2025 overlay program, which is already more than 90 percent complete. Additional work scheduled during the same period includes shoulder dressing on South Lewiston, Brown Road in the Village of Tangipahoa, Mandella, Jaelyn Drive, Briarwood, Trabona, West Black Cat, Frank, West Martin Luther King, and Perry roads. Parish Road and Bridge crews will also close Easley Road in the Village of Tangipahoa on Tuesday, September 30, from 9 a.m. to about 2 p.m. to install cross drains. All work is weather-dependent, and drivers should expect intermittent delays and can find updates at Tangipahoa.org or on parish social media channels.
–An off-duty St. Bernard Parish firefighter, Andrew Nixon, is being hailed as a hero after saving a woman from a burning vehicle following a crash on Interstate 10 near the Mississippi state line on Saturday night, Sept. 20. Video from St. Tammany Fire Protection District 1 shows firefighters extinguishing the blaze, but Nixon, who was driving home from a wedding with his fiancé, acted before they arrived, breaking the car’s windshield and lifting the woman out just seconds before the flames fully engulfed the vehicle. Chief Chris Kaufmann said Nixon’s quick instincts and training likely saved her life, calling the rescue “her last chance.” The dramatic rescue was also poignant for Nixon, coming five months after the death of his niece, Everleigh.
–Southeastern Louisiana University congratulates Stephen Labbe’ on receiving the College of Education’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. An experienced educational leader and former All-Conference baseball player, Labbe’ directs the Southeastern Laboratory School, where he has overseen COGNIA accreditation, improved campus safety, and expanded academic programs. Now completing a doctorate in school crisis management, he continues a four-generation family tradition in education while also teaching as a Southeastern adjunct and volunteering through church and youth sports. Alumni and friends are invited to celebrate Labbe’ and other honorees at the Alumni Awards Evening.
–The 30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville will present The Miss Firecracker Contest, a heartfelt Southern comedy set in Brookhaven, Mississippi, just before the Fourth of July. The play follows Carnelle “Miss Hot Tamale” Scott as she strives to redeem her reputation by winning the local beauty contest, all while juggling the chaos brought by her runaway cousin Elain, Elain’s eccentric brother Delmount, and a quirky cast of townsfolk. Performances run October 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees October 12, 19, and 26 at 2:30 p.m.
–The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced last week it will again construct an underwater sill near Myrtle Grove in Plaquemines Parish to stop salt water from pushing up the Mississippi River, marking the fourth consecutive year the barrier has been needed. Persistent drought has slowed the river’s flow, allowing dense Gulf salt water to creep north in a wedge along the river bottom. The Corps, which built similar sills in 1988, 1999, and annually since 2022, says the structure will protect municipal water supplies upriver; officials emphasize that New Orleans’ drinking water is not currently at risk, though memories of 2023’s bottled-water rush remain fresh.
