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*Runaway teen found; another still missing*UPDATE 9/10/26: Zaliyah Butler was located in Assumption Parish Wednesday eve...
09/10/2026

*Runaway teen found; another still missing*

UPDATE 9/10/26: Zaliyah Butler was located in Assumption Parish Wednesday evening, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reported. Ish'unna Hagins remains unaccounted for.

Ish’unna Hagins, 15, was last seen Tuesday night, Aug. 18, around West University Avenue near Interstate 55. It was believed she was in the East Baton Rouge Parish area, when TPSO reported her missing last month.

Ish’unna is described as a Black female with black hair, brown eyes, standing 5-foot-4 and weighing 220 pounds.

Sheriff Gerald Sticker asks anyone with information regarding Ish’unna whereabouts to call 985-345-6150.

If you’d prefer to share information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or by visiting www.tangicrime stoppers.com and clicking on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip.

Tips received directly through Crime Stoppers are eligible for a cash reward.

Vehicles push through a flash-flooded U.S. Highway 190 in Hammond around 12:30 Thursday afternoon.
09/10/2026

Vehicles push through a flash-flooded U.S. Highway 190 in Hammond around 12:30 Thursday afternoon.

09/09/2026

*2 cultural festivals coming this month*

Two festivals will celebrate local cultural influences over the coming weekends in September.

CELTIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL – SEPT. 19

Krewe of Erin's 5th Annual Celtic Heritage Festival is set for next Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It will take place at Kiwanis Park, located at 201 W. Magnolia St., Ponchatoula.

Featured artists who are scheduled to contribute to the festival are Thomas Cain, Kilts of Many Colors, Crescent & Clover, Caledonian Bagpipes and Drums, Boston St. Ceili Band, Thistle Dancers and Pipers, Springfield Prep Irish Dancers and other local school groups.

The festival will again feature craft and food vendors and a visit from highland cows, as well as activities including workshops on Celtic culture, dancing and local history, the Men in Kilts Dance-Off, and personality and lookalike contest for Pixar's Princess Merida, and a kids' zone with games and crafts.

A full schedule is forthcoming, according to event organizers. For more information, see kreweoferin.com

HUNGARIAN HARVEST FESTIVAL – SEPT. 25-27

Hungarian Settlement's annual harvest dance will become a full-fledged Hungarian Harvest Festival this year, scheduled for Sept. 25-27.

The festival will be held at Fayard Field in Springfield. Hours of 5-10 p.m. on Sept. 25 (Family Night), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 26 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 27.

Traditional Hungarian dancing and entertainment will be on display each day, and there will be vendors, live local music, and family fun.

Carrying over from the harvest dance, there will also be delicious Hungarian foods and pastries available to guests.

For more information, call Mindy at 985-974-6883 or Marci at 225-278-3770 or email [email protected]

09/09/2026

**Road work on North Brickyard results in Monday and Tuesday closures**

BAPTIST — A portion of North Brickyard Road in the Baptist area will be closed Monday, Sept. 14, and Tuesday, Sept. 15, for road work.

Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller said bridge contractors hired by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will close North Brickyard Road at the bridge located just south of Gatlin Cemetery Road.

Miller said crews will be removing trees and clearing the right-of-way to prepare for a new bridge, which will be constructed starting later this year or early 2027.

Closure signs will be posted and motorists will be directed to utilize alternate routes while this work is being completed.

09/09/2026

Don’t miss your chance to support your favorite local businesses, restaurants, people, and more in the Best of Tangipahoa contest! 🏆

*Opportunities ahead to honor veterans*The annual National POW/MIA Day observance in Cate Square in Hammond is scheduled...
09/05/2026

*Opportunities ahead to honor veterans*

The annual National POW/MIA Day observance in Cate Square in Hammond is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 18. The keynote speaker will be retired Army Col. Joey Strickland, the nation’s longest serving secretary of veterans affairs under seven governors in two states – Arizona and Louisiana. A special addition to the program this year will be Ponchatoula Celebrates Veterans Chairwoman Strader Dufreche Cieutat unveiling the poster for the upcoming parishwide celebration. The poster is by artist Mandy Mae Fine Arts in Ponchatoula.

The second annual veterans parade through Downtown Ponchatoula will culminate with a big celebration in Memorial Park the morning of Oct 31. Deadlines regarding that event are Oct. 1 for submitting names for the Honor Wall; Oct. 15 for submitting your entry form to secure a place in the parade and for securing a booth or table at the celebration in the park; and Oct. 23 for registering for the car show being organized again this year by local American Legion Commander Brandon Phares.

Columnist Lil Mirando rounds up the details on both events and who you should contact at the link in comments⬇️

Pictured: Retired Sgt. Will Davis, wearing the “ARMY” shirt, recently enjoyed breakfast with some of his former ROTC students at Jeannie’s restaurant on US-190. Davis is the parade grand marshal for Ponchatoula Celebrates Veterans.

09/04/2026

**Arrest made in broken windshield injury case**

Thanks to tips from the public, an arrest has been made in connection with the case of an object being thrown through the windshield of a vehicle, severely injuring the driver.

A 16-year-old male from the Kentwood area was arrested for one count each of negligent injury and simple criminal damage.

In the late evening hours of Aug. 16, a semi-truck driver traveling on Highway 1054 near Forbes Road in the Spring Creek area experienced her windshield suddenly break, shattering portions into the passenger compartment. Glass from the break severely injured one of her eyes.

Dash camera video in the semi-truck captured the incident and the suspect vehicle. After sharing the video with the public, tips came in clarifying the vehicle as a red pickup truck with chrome rims, and the vehicle was tracked down in the Kentwood area. The investigation revealed the teen, who was a passenger in the truck, threw a large drink cup out of his window, which struck the oncoming semi-truck.

The TPSO wants to thank the public for their partnership in this case.

As a reminder, any information about suspicious activity or active investigations can be shared anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or www.tangicrimestoppers.com by clicking on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip.

Tips shared directly to Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.

*Annual Giving Day coming up at SLU*SLU Assistant Director of Donor Engagement Faith Peterson and Interim Director of Al...
09/04/2026

*Annual Giving Day coming up at SLU*

SLU Assistant Director of Donor Engagement Faith Peterson and Interim Director of Alumni Relations Amanda Hammonds recently spoke to Hammond Kiwanians about Southeastern Louisiana University's annual Giving Day fundraiser, set for Wednesday, Sept. 16, which allows anyone to donate to a multitude of university programs, student organizations and Greek life.

"If you're a Southeastern alum and you believe in this community ... you know how important it is to give back whether that's time, talent or treasures. If you can give, please support anything on Giving Day," Peterson said.

More details at the full story in the comments⬇️

**Teens arrested in car burglary investigation**PONCHATOULA- The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) has arrested ...
09/03/2026

**Teens arrested in car burglary investigation**

PONCHATOULA- The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) has arrested two teens in connection with several vehicle break-ins in a Ponchatoula neighborhood.

Deshun Swain, 18, and Deandre Brumfield, 17, have been booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on simple burglary charges.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 1, the TPSO began receiving multiple calls from the Arrington Place neighborhood about items missing from residents’ cars, including guns. When patrol deputies arrived at the neighborhood, they spotted two individuals who matched the description provided by the first caller.

After engaging with the two individuals, later identified as Swain and Brumfield, deputies discovered several stolen items in their possession, including one of the guns reported stolen. They were then placed under arrest.

A search of the area, which included weapons-detection K-9 Liberty, later located several missing items from other vehicles and an additional gun. Residents in and around the Arrington Place neighborhood are asked to check their vehicles for any missing items and to file a report if any are discovered stolen. In addition, TPSO detectives are asking anyone with additional video footage in the area to please share those materials.

If you’d prefer to share information anonymously, you can do so through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa’s tip line at 1-800-554-5245 or visit www.tangicrimestoppers.com and click on the P3 Tips icon or Submit A Tip. You may be eligible for a cash reward.

Lastly, as it is Gun Storage Safety Week, the TPSO advises residents to never leave weapons in vehicles, locked or otherwise, and to utilize a secured lockbox inside your home to safely limit unauthorized access to fi****ms.

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