Christopher Randall Higinbotham
March 21, 1977 - January 9, 2026
February 10, 2026
Jail Death in Amite Under Investigation
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of an inmate at the jail Monday evening.
Around 5 p.m. on February 9, 2026, inmate Ernest Holden, age 65, was found dead in bed in a medical observation area of the facility where he had been receiving treatment for abdominal pain since Sunday. Holden had been in jail since December following a drug arrest by Hammond PD.
The TPSO Criminal Investigations Division is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this death, which will include an autopsy to determine the cause.
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Areas of dense fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 75. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind.
Thursday Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind.
Thursday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Calm wind.
February 09, 2026
Slidell Man Arrested On Charges Related to Child Sexual Exploitation
In January, 2026, the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit (LSP/SVU), working in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Covington Police Department concluded a multi-week investigation into child exploitation in St. Tammany Parish. The operation concluded with the arrest on February 6, 2026 of 42-year-old Joshua W. Dugger of Slidell. LSP reports that Dugger sent sexually explicit conversations with whom he believed to be a 15-year-old minor.
Dugger was arrested at his residence and charged with Computer-Aided Solicitation of a Minor, Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile, and Child Grooming. Dugger was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center. This case remains under investigation.
This investigation highlights the continued collaboration among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in combating sexual crimes that threaten the safety of Louisiana children.
The Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit works to rescue and seek justice for victims of child exploitation and human trafficking through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as public education. The public plays a crucial role in identifying suspects and reporting criminal or suspicious activity. An anonymous reporting form is available online at http://la-safe.org/ by clicking the “Suspicious Activity” link. Your vigilance helps protect vulnerable members of our communities and supports the fight against exploitation and trafficking.
This Week in Louisiana Agriculture
From community rodeos to preserving Louisiana traditions, this week’s episode covers the people and stories shaping agriculture across the state. In this week's show, Josh Meeks takes us to Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles to see this year’s BRODEO, a rodeo created especially for special needs children. Neil Melancon introduces us to one man working to preserve cypress pirogues and the history tied to them. Karl Wiggers takes us to Vermilion Parish and shows us how grassroots involvement allows Aaron Lee to continue farming some of Louisiana’s most iconic commodities. Plus, we look ahead to the 83rd Southern University Livestock and Poultry Show and the warmth Winter Storm Fern left behind in a heartwarming TWILA Boost.
LSU AgCenter's Weekly Message
Amaryllises Can Provide Lovely Flowers Now and in the Landscape
My mother gave me an amaryllis bulb for Christmas this past year. The plant is flowering beautifully next to my west-facing window. It has several blooms right now, and it looks like there will be more before this year’s show is over.
At the same time, a couple of amaryllis plants that Mom gave me in previous years are in the ground in my perennials bed. They had green leaves until the current stretch of hard freezes began. I just planted one in the ground last spring, so it hasn’t bloomed in the landscape yet. I planted the other one in 2024, and it flowered in early April last year, before the Easter lilies and giant plume ginger. I plan to add my new amaryllis to the bed this spring, after the last hard freeze.
What we most often call amaryllises are plants in the Hippeastrum genus. There is an Amaryllis genus, but those species aren’t commonly grown here. Hippeastrum plants are descendants of ones in South and Central America, while true Amaryllis species are from South Africa. All of these are in the amaryllis family.
After amaryllis plants growing indoors have finished flowering, cut off the flower stalk, but allow the leaves to die back naturally. To grow them in the landscape, plant bulbs in a site with full sun to partial shade and good drainage. If you don’t have an in-ground spot that fits these criteria, you can plant them in containers.
Don’t plant amaryllis bulbs too deeply. Place them so that the narrow part at the top of the bulb is above the soil. In parts of Louisiana that get cold enough to be in USDA Hardiness Zone 8, about 3 inches of mulch can be spread over the bulbs during the winter to protect them.
You can fertilize amaryllis plants after they finish flowering.
Since amaryllis bulbs like the ones I have are sold largely for flowering indoors, I suspect that there is a good deal of variation in terms of how well they survive in the landscape and how much they spread. If you’re looking for something that survives reliably and spreads vigorously outdoors, you might consider the one that’s often called St. Joseph’s lily or hardy amaryllis (Hippeastrum x johnsonii). It has red flowers with white stripes and has been around since the late 1700s. It’s one of the most cold hardy Hippeastrum hybrids, surviving temperatures as low or lower than those found in USDA Hardiness Zone 7.
Let me know if you have questions.
Click here for previous LSU AgCenter's Weekly Messages
Dr. Mary Helen Ferguson is an Extension Agent with the LSU AgCenter, with horticulture responsibilities in Washington and Tangipahoa Parishes. Contact Mary Helen at mhferguson@agcenter.lsu.edu, 985-277-1850 (Hammond), or 985-839-7855 (Franklinton).
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Tonight Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 53. Calm wind.
Tuesday Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind.
February 08, 2026
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Tonight Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 49. Calm wind.
Monday Areas of fog before 11am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Monday Night Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind.
Tuesday Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night Cloudy, with a low around 56. Calm wind.
February 07, 2026
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the afternoon.
Tonight Clear, with a low around 37. Calm wind.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Sunday Night Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. Calm wind.
Monday Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind.
February 06, 2026
Marrio Haynes, Jr. - Caught in Kentwood - Gets Life Plus 60 Years Sentence for 2023 Lacombe Ambush Murder
District Attorney Collin Sims reports that on Monday, February 2, 2026, 27-year-old Marrio Haynes, Jr. of Covington, Louisiana was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 60 years following his conviction for the 2023 murder of 23-year-old Juwarren Martin. The sentencing took place in Division J before the Honorable Vincent J. Lobello.
Click here for previous related stories
In a packed courtroom, Judge Lobello handed down the following sentences:
- Second Degree Murder – Life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
- Obstruction of Justice – 40 years at hard labor.
- Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of Certain Felonies – 20 years at hard labor.
Judge Lobello ordered the sentences for Counts 2 and 3 to run consecutively to the life sentence, effectively totaling Life plus 60 years. During the proceedings, Judge Lobello addressed Haynes directly, stating, “You have zero remorse for what you did. It was the most cowardly act that I’ve seen.”
The sentencing was marked by emotional testimony from the family of Juwarren Martin. One family member spoke to the lasting void left by the defendant’s actions, noting that Martin’s son must now grow up without a father. “You’re a coward,” the family member told the defendant. “Your life had potential and you threw that away – nobody else but you.” Another family member also addressed the court, expressing her disdain for the defendant’s lack of sympathy throughout the trial. Haynes declined to make a statement before the court.
The sentencing follows a guilty verdict returned by a St. Tammany Parish jury on January 8, 2026. The evidence presented at trial by Assistant District Attorneys Tiffany Dover and Shelby Stoop detailed a “deadly ambush” on December 26, 2023.
Following a verbal grievance involving Haynes’ girlfriend, Megan Ayanna Coleman, and the victim’s sister, Haynes sought out Martin at a gas station in Lacombe. Armed with an AR-15 style rifle, Haynes approached Martin from behind and fired a single fatal shot into his torso. Haynes, a previously convicted felon, was later apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service in Kentwood, Louisiana.
“Today’s sentence ensures that Mr. Haynes will never again be a threat to the peace and safety of our community,” said District Attorney Collin Sims. “This was a calculated, cold-blooded execution of a young man. While no amount of time can return Juwarren to his family, we hope this life sentence provides them with the justice they deserve. My office remains committed to holding violent offenders fully accountable for their actions.”
The co-defendant in this matter, Megan Ayanna Coleman, is charged with Principal to Second Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice. Her trial is scheduled to begin in April 2026. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Independence Man Arrested for Inappropriate Relationship with a Juvenile
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) reports the February 5, 2026 arrest of 47-year-old Chad Basso, an Independence man, for having an inappropriate relationship with a teenager. Basso was booked on one count of Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile.
In the past few days, TPSO was alerted to allegations of sexual abuse involving Basso. Detectives determined that Basso met an individual online last year who was actually a 15-year-old from Tangipahoa Parish. Basso was an area school teacher at the time, but the teen is not a student at the school where Basso is employed.
The investigation confirmed Basso and the teen eventually met in person and had a sexual relationship including interactions at Basso’s home. A warrant was then issued for Basso’s arrest and he was taken into custody.
***All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty***
This investigation is still ongoing and includes the full cooperation of the Tangipahoa Parish School System.
Sheriff Gerald Sticker encourages parents to closely and consistently monitor their children’s activities and conversations on the internet, especially on social media.
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Sunny, with a high near 71. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight Clear, with a low around 41. West wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 62. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night Areas of frost after 5am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 36. Calm wind.
Sunday Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Calm wind.
February 05, 2026
WPSS Invites Homeschoolers to Take Leap!
The Washington Parish School System invites homeschool students to participate in LEAP testing
this year!
To sign up, contact the school within your district by March 2, 2026 if you would like your child to participate.
If you have questions, please reach out to your local school for additional details.
Louisiana's New Closed Party Primaries
Closed-Party Primaries are coming to our elections beginning in 2026. In videos below, Louisiana's Secretary of State outlines a process for Democrats, Republicans, and No Party voters to select a candidate to represent Louisiana’s two major political parties for certain elected offices. How can you best prepare for the new Closed-Party Primaries in Louisiana? Watch the five videos below.
For more information on 2026 Elections, click here
One Dead, Several Injured in Hammond-Area Crash
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reports that 30-year-old Maricia Casnave of Lacombe has been identified as the victim of a fatal crash with multiple additional injuries that occurred in the Hammond area last week. Just after 7 p.m. on Thursday (January 29, 2026), TPSO was notified of a one-vehicle crash at the traffic circle on North Hoover Road and Sisters Road.
The initial investigation revealed that a 2011 Toyota Camry was traveling south on North Hoover when it entered the roundabout at Sisters Road at a high rate of speed. The vehicle lost control, traveling into the yard of a business, where it hit a tree. Casnave, the front seat passenger, was not wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene. Four other people in the vehicle, including a juvenile, were all unrestrained and were hospitalized with various levels of injuries. Two remain hospitalized today (February 5, 2026).
This investigation is ongoing pending possible criminal charges. The TPSO is asking anyone with information about this incident, who witnessed the crash or who stopped to help at the scene, to contact detectives at 985-748-8147 ext. 2081.
The TPSO wants to remind all drivers that while not all crashes are survivable, wearing seat belts correctly can be the difference between life and death and can significantly reduce the severity of injuries sustained in a crash.
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Widespread frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight Areas of frost between midnight and 2am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 36. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight.
Friday Sunny, with a high near 69. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night Clear, with a low around 43. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Saturday Sunny, with a high near 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Calm wind.
February 04, 2026
Fire Safety Reminder for Washington Parish
February 4, 2026 Burning Memo - Fire Safety Conditions
We are currently experiencing very dry conditions, and much of the vegetation across Washington Parish is dormant and highly combustible. With seasonal dry vegetation and windy conditions, outdoor burning poses a serious risk. Just this past weekend, our parish responded to three separate fires. Forecasts also show little to no chance of rain over the next several days, which will only increase the danger. We strongly urge residents to be mindful of these conditions and to avoid burning at this time. A single spark can quickly turn into a dangerous situation. Please help us protect lives, property, and our first responders by using extra caution during this dry period.
Washington Parish President
Local Forecast for the Next Few Days
For an extended forecast and more details, go to our weather page.
Today Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight Widespread frost after 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 30. North wind around 10 mph.
Thursday Widespread frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the afternoon.
Thursday Night Areas of frost after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight.
Friday Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
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