A man was fatally shot by a neighbor while allegedly attacking his girlfriend in a Mandeville-area neighborhood early Monday morning, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office. Deputies were dispatched shortly before 3 a.m. Dec. 15 to Richland Drive in the Greenleaves Subdivision after reports of gunshots and found a deceased man in the 200 block of East Richland Drive and a woman suffering from apparent stab wounds. Investigators determined the woman had escaped through a window of a nearby residence and was seeking help from neighbors after being attacked inside the home by her boyfriend, who was armed with a knife. As the attack continued outside, a neighbor confronted the man and demanded he stop; when he refused, the neighbor fired his weapon, striking him. The man, identified by St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Christopher Tape as 49-year-old Shawn Quinn, died at the scene from gunshot wounds, with the manner of death ruled a homicide, a medicolegal term that does not automatically imply criminal intent. The woman was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Sheriff Randy Smith said the situation was violent and dangerous and noted that, based on preliminary information, the neighbor’s actions may have prevented further serious injury or loss of life. All individuals believed to be involved have been accounted for, there is no threat to the neighborhood, no charges have been filed at this time, and the investigation remains ongoing.
–U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) held an event yesterday hosted by the Southeast Louisiana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to mark President Trump’s signing of Cassidy’s SUPPORT Act into law, legislation aimed at strengthening prevention, treatment and recovery services for Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness. The event also honored “angel families” who have lost loved ones to fentanyl, with speakers including families affected by addiction, people in recovery and Washington Parish Sheriff Jason Smith. Cassidy said the law provides nurses, therapists and first responders with additional resources to save lives, noting his broader work with President Trump to address the opioid and mental health crises. Earlier this year, Trump also signed Cassidy’s HALT Fentanyl Act into law, permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I to give law enforcement another tool to combat drug trafficking. NAMI Southeast Louisiana Executive Director Nick Richard thanked Cassidy for his leadership, saying the legislation offers hope for earlier intervention, crisis prevention and expanded access to compassionate mental health care.
–The Hammond Regional Arts Center will host the ninth annual Art of the Cocktail fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, bringing back the popular event with a “Golden Ticket” theme that promises an evening of elevated indulgence, discovery and friendly competition in support of local arts programming. Held at HRAC, 217 East Thomas Street in downtown Hammond, the event will feature a cocktail tasting experience with inventive entries from participating bars and restaurants across the region, all vying for the title of “Best Cocktail 2026.” Executive Director Melissa Griffin said the event continues to showcase the creativity of area venues while bringing the community together to support arts and cultural initiatives throughout Tangipahoa Parish. Participating establishments include The Spot, Our Mom’s Restaurant, Mariner’s Inn, Cate Street Seafood Station, Cena; Hammond, Truth Courtside Hookah Lounge and Jacmel Inn, among others. The fundraiser is supported by community partners including UMS, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, Picsey Photobooth, Northshore Media Group, Lamar Advertising, Sophisticated Woman Magazine, Nortech, Anderson Traylor Edwards, Elite Title Solutions and Gabriel Building Supply. Tickets are on sale now, with additional information available at www.hammondarts.org.
–The U.S. National Weather Service in New Orleans is tempering hopes for a white Christmas in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, as the Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-average temperatures heading into Christmas week. Snow on Christmas Day is rare in the region, with the last notable occurrence in 2004, making a traditional white Christmas unlikely this year.
–The 26th Annual Holiday of Lights in St. Tammany Parish, presented by St. Tammany Health System and Northshore Media Group, will continue this weekend as a special walk-thru experience. Visitors are invited to stroll through thousands of twinkling lights along Koop Drive and Santa’s Enchanted Forest on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19–20, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The popular holiday attraction offers families and community members a chance to enjoy the festive displays on foot during the designated walk-thru nights, with additional information available through the parish’s Holiday of Lights website.
–Classes at all three Loranger schools, including Loranger High School, have been canceled for Tuesday, Dec. 16, due to heating issues. School officials said the boiler serving the Loranger campus is down and the heating system will not be operational, prompting the closure. Families are expected to be notified by 6 p.m. Tuesday with an update on the status of the heating system and whether classes will resume.
–Brandon Chenevert, a 31-year-old Livingston Parish man awaiting trial in a fatal hit-and-run case that killed 20-year-old Jody Mann, is being held without bond following his arrest on Dec. 8 on multiple drug charges. Chenevert faces possession with intent to distribute Schedule I and III drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful sale of a legend drug, failure to signal, and improper turn. Livingston Parish Sheriff’s deputies said he was found with numerous THC vape carts at a Denham Springs convenience store, and a subsequent search of his home allegedly recovered about one pound of marijuana, anabolic steroids, multiple prescription medications, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, and $8,100 in cash. Prosecutors successfully requested Chenevert remain jailed, with the motion to revoke bond continued to Feb. 10, 2026, at his defense’s request. The victim’s mother, Holly Crow, attended Monday’s court hearing and said the ruling provides some relief.
–Nearly two weeks into a federal immigration enforcement operation in the New Orleans area, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports more than 250 arrests, though it has not disclosed how many people were detained and later released or deported. The operation, which DHS says targets the “worst of the worst” offenders with criminal histories, has drawn scrutiny after reporting indicated that fewer than 10% of those apprehended have any criminal record. Immigration advocates noted that arrests may occur during routine check-ins or other administrative interactions, emphasizing that being in the country illegally is typically a civil, not criminal, violation. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said enforcement generally receives public support when focused on violent criminals but raised concerns about cases involving individuals without criminal histories, reflecting questions about the scope and application of the operation.
–Staff at the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office will donate a monthlong collection of hygiene products to the Family REACH Alliance on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. at the coroner’s office in Lacombe. The donation drive focused on often-overlooked necessities such as dental care items, feminine hygiene products and daily-use toiletries, which Coroner Dr. Christopher Tape said can be a significant expense for families facing homelessness. Family REACH Alliance Associate Director Heather Levin will accept the donation and discuss the organization’s work helping families transition to stable living environments, as well as her own experience with homelessness.
–St. Tammany Health System has again been named one of the best places to work in the New Orleans metro area by CityBusiness magazine, earning the 2025 recognition for the fourth consecutive year. The health system was honored in the large-employer category for organizations with 250 or more employees and is one of only four employers to receive the distinction in that category. Founded in 1954 as St. Tammany Parish Hospital, St. Tammany Health System now employs more than 3,000 people across more than two dozen clinics and specialty sites on the Northshore, making it the second-largest employer in St. Tammany Parish. President and CEO Joan Coffman said the honor reflects the dedication of the system’s healthcare professionals and their commitment to a Culture of Caring. The Best Places to Work program, created by CityBusiness and Best Companies Group, evaluates employers based on benefits, compensation and employee feedback, with 60 companies recognized across all size categories in the Dec. 15, 2025, issue of the publication.
–A proposed federal rule from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could strip Clean Water Act protections from millions of acres of Louisiana’s inland wetlands, potentially opening large areas to development. The proposal would limit federal jurisdiction to wetlands that have a continuous surface connection to relatively permanent waters, excluding seasonal, intermittent and storm-connected wetlands that are common across inland parishes. Environmental groups warn the impact in Louisiana could be severe, with the Natural Resources Defense Council estimating that up to 3.9 million acres—roughly half of the state’s remaining wetlands—could lose protection, much of it away from the coast in parishes such as Avoyelles, Concordia and St. Tammany. While coastal wetlands directly connected to the Gulf of Mexico would likely remain protected, inland wetlands that flood seasonally or connect only during heavy rain events would fall outside federal oversight. The rule is intended to align with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett decision, but critics say it goes further by narrowing definitions and removing long-standing categories of protected waters. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the change would provide clarity for landowners and reduce regulatory uncertainty, while environmental advocates counter that inland wetlands play a critical role in flood control, water filtration and wildlife habitat in a state that has already lost more than 2,000 square miles of wetlands since the 1930s.
–The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office has identified the victims of a murder-suicide at the Money Hill gated community near Abita Springs earlier this month as 55-year-old Ni Huang and 57-year-old David Ladner, according to coroner spokesperson James Hartman. Deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office found the two deceased at their Orchard Row home on Dec. 8 after a neighbor called 911. The coroner ruled Huang’s death a homicide and Ladner’s a suicide, with gunshot wounds listed as the cause for both. A neighbor who reported the incident said he discovered Huang’s body near the front of the home and had suspected he heard gunshots the night before, though he initially thought someone might be test-firing a gun in the area, which is common in the neighborhood.
–District Attorney Collin Sims announced the arrest of a 23-year-old Slidell man following a cyber tip that led to multiple felony charges related to child sexual abuse material within the 22nd Judicial District. The investigation began Dec. 1 after the District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit Task Force received a tip from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office alleging the possession and distribution of illegal material. Cameron Powell was arrested Dec. 15 by officers with the Covington and Slidell police departments, along with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, after a forensic examination of electronic devices allegedly uncovered numerous images involving victims under age 13, including material investigators say was produced and distributed by Powell. He was booked on hundreds of counts of possession, as well as charges of production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, sexual battery, molestation of a juvenile, and video voyeurism. If convicted, Powell faces a possible sentence of 25 to 99 years in prison. Sims credited the Special Victims Unit Task Force and partnering agencies for the arrest, noting the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges are possible.
