Southeastern Louisiana University will celebrate the grand reopening of D Vickers Hall on Friday, Oct. 17, with alumna and Good Morning America Co-Anchor Robin Roberts cutting the ribbon for the building’s renovation and expansion, which includes the new Robin Roberts Broadcast Media Center. The project adds 33,000 square feet to the 80,000-square-foot academic facility, funded through state Capital Outlay dollars and a significant donation from Roberts, and now features three broadcast media studios, updated classrooms, modern labs, a renovated Vonnie Borden Theatre, and expanded office space. University officials say the 113,000-square-foot facility will not only enhance instruction for communication and media studies students but also improve resources for English, theatre, and foreign language programs.
–The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, safely recovered a 2-year-old and arrested the suspect accused of kidnapping him early Wednesday morning. A passerby in Pike County, Mississippi, spotted the suspect’s vehicle, which had been the subject of a BOLO and Amber Alert, and alerted deputies who, with help from Louisiana State Police and the FBI, located the child unharmed inside the vehicle near a storage building off Highway 51 in Kentwood. The suspect, identified as Mercier, was arrested without incident and booked with Aggravated Kidnapping of a Child, while Cooper was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Sheriff Gerald Sticker praised the collaborative effort that led to the safe recovery, noting that while the child is safe, many questions remain about the suspect’s relationship with the child’s mother and the events that led to the abduction.
–The Krewe of Bogue Falaya announced Tim Lantrip, owner of the English Tea Room and Eatery in downtown Covington, will be Grand Marshal for its 2026 Mardi Gras parade, unveiled during a celebration at the Southern Hotel with community leaders and officials in attendance. Known for his dedication to culture, hospitality, and community, Lantrip has been honored with the St. Tammany Parish President’s Award and the Patron of the Arts Award and is active in local organizations including the Covington Garden Club and Church of the King. Parade Captain and Parish Councilman Larry Rolling praised Lantrip as a beloved business owner and community leader, while Co-Captain Amy Tucker revealed this year’s theme, “Reality of Imagination,” will feature 24 floats, 800 riders, marching bands, community groups, and the inaugural Krewe of Karts competition with 20 decorated golf karts. Festivities begin on Lundi Gras, Feb. 16, 2026, with Lantrip’s ceremonial riverboat arrival and presentation of the keys to the city, followed by a champagne and king cake celebration, culminating in the Mardi Gras Day parade through downtown Covington on Feb. 17.
–At a press conference in Amite, EPA officials reported that cleanup efforts on the Tangipahoa River are progressing well, with most of the oily waste already removed, and confirmed that the ongoing government shutdown will not affect the work. Officials noted that additional equipment and boats are being deployed to accelerate the cleanup, though many local residents have expressed frustration with the pace of progress. Governor Jeff Landry expressed full confidence in the EPA’s efforts to restore the river.
–The Hammond Regional Arts Center (HRAC) will host its 15th annual Brews Arts Festival on Saturday, Oct. 25, in downtown Hammond behind the Arts Center at 217 East Thomas Street, offering one of the Northshore’s most anticipated cultural events that blends craft beer tastings, food, live music, and art. Festival-goers can sample from regional and national breweries including Abita, Gnarly Barley, Parish, Urban South, New Belgium, and Paulaner, while enjoying food vendors, artisan booths, and a live painting by Southeast Louisiana artist TJ Black, whose work will be auctioned off that evening. Music kicks off at 4 p.m. with Phaze Band, followed by headliner Byron Daniel and the Five Dead Dogs at 6 p.m., with sponsorship from the Rocker Family Foundation. The event also features a VIP Experience from 4–5 p.m. with early access, complimentary appetizers, prize drawings, and a special gift, while general admission runs from 5–8 p.m.; tickets are $65 for VIP and $40 for general admission, with discounts for HRAC members and higher prices at the gate. Proceeds from the festival directly support HRAC’s mission to provide exhibitions, arts programming, and educational opportunities across Tangipahoa Parish and surrounding communities.
–The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the shooting of 18-year-old Lawrence Wilson is now being investigated as a homicide after he succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head sustained on September 29. Authorities clarified that an individual initially thought to be involved was actually a good Samaritan who helped Wilson reach the hospital. The shooting stemmed from incidents earlier that afternoon, when reports of gunfire between two vehicles came from Miley Niquiporo Road and Highway 1064 near Rufus Bankston Road. Detectives believe the incidents are connected and are pursuing multiple leads, urging anyone with information to call the Criminal Investigations Office at 985-902-2088 or provide an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa, where tips may be eligible for a cash reward.
–The City of Mandeville has announced that Monroe Street will be closed for maintenance repairs on Thursday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Oct. 3, at Park Avenue and West Beach Parkway between Galvez and Carondelet streets. Detour signs will be posted at Galvez Street and Carondelet Street to help direct traffic. Residents with questions can contact the Public Works Department at (985) 624-3169 for more information.
— NOAA is warning that increasing moisture later this week will bring unsettled marine weather and minor coastal flooding concerns along the Gulf Coast, with forecasts calling for strong east winds of 25–30 mph, gusts up to 35 mph, and wave heights of 6 to 9 feet in open Gulf waters. Officials urge boaters and coastal residents to remain weather aware and to follow all advisories and warnings as they are issued.
–Southeastern Louisiana University’s 40th season of Fanfare continues next week with a lineup of lectures, music, and art celebrating the region’s culture and creativity. On Oct. 8 at 11 a.m., the History and Political Science Department will host its “Then and Now” lecture in the Student Union Theatre, featuring Cody Scallions, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Louisiana State Museums, who will speak on “Leading Innovation at the Louisiana State Museum.” That evening at 7 p.m., the Southeastern Chamber Orchestra, directed by Victor Correa-Cruz, will present “Timeless Vivaldi” in Pottle Auditorium, free and open to the public. The week also includes the Hammond Regional Arts Center’s opening reception for the Hammond Art Guild’s 63rd Annual Judged Exhibition, “Beauty in the Bayou” by Marceo Brim, set for Oct. 10 from 5–8 p.m. and running through Nov. 6. Most Fanfare events are free; more information is available by contacting the Columbia/Fanfare office at 985-549-2999.
–Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) arrested 33-year-old Christopher Barnhill on September 29, 2025, in Pearl River for distributing child sexual abuse material. Barnhill faces 16 felony counts for distributing material involving children under 13 and five felony counts involving children under 17. The investigation began after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and was conducted jointly by LBI’s Cyber Crime Unit, the State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Covington Police Department in coordination with the 22nd Judicial District SVU Task Force. Barnhill was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail, and the investigation is ongoing.
–Effective October 1, 2025, several programs formerly run by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) have officially transitioned to new agencies under the state’s One Door initiative to streamline services. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) will now oversee the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP), and Disability Determination Services (DDS), while the Louisiana Works (formerly Workforce Commission) has assumed administration of the SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) and Strategies to Empower People (STEP) workforce programs.
–A partial government shutdown began at midnight after funding for some federal agencies, including portions of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), expired, leaving key programs temporarily suspended even as most VA services remain operational. President Trump, who opposed a lapse in appropriations, backed a House-passed continuing resolution on September 19 to keep the government funded through November 21, but the measure has stalled in the Senate amid partisan disputes. While Veterans will continue to receive health care, compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits, and VA hospitals, clinics, Vet Centers, and the Veterans Crisis Line will remain open, several services are halted during the shutdown. Impacted programs include Veteran career counseling, transition assistance activities, and operations of the GI Bill Hotline, as well as closures of VA regional benefits offices. The shutdown also halts public outreach, permanent headstone placement, grounds maintenance at national cemeteries, pre-need burial applications, and the printing of presidential memorial certificates. Despite the disruptions, VA officials emphasized that essential medical services and benefit processing remain protected as the political impasse continues in Washington.
–Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) agents arrested 42-year-old Quinton Mitchell of Maurepas on September 30, 2025, following a criminal investigation into alleged fraud within the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The investigation, prompted by information from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office, found that Mitchell, a landlord, submitted fraudulent applications to the Louisiana Division of Administration’s Office of Community Development to receive emergency rental and utility assistance for tenants who did not apply, did not reside at the properties, or for properties he did not own, and overstated rental amounts. Between May 2021 and March 2022, Mitchell allegedly obtained over $60,000 in emergency rental funds across Ascension, Livingston, and St. John parishes. He was booked without incident at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on felony charges of Theft by Fraud over $25,000 and Government Benefit Fraud.
