Baton Rouge news

• House backs funds for lawmakers' security

  26-07-2017 21:23 via wbrz.com
  WASHINGTON - The House has voted in favor of allowing lawmakers to use taxpayer funds to beef up security at their homes.
   The unanimous vote came on a nonbinding move by Utah GOP Rep. Mia Love to allow lawmakers to use their office budgets for security systems at their homes so long as they are not structural improvements that add value.
   The voice vote comes after Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, was gravely wounded last month at a practice for the GOP ba
  
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• 1 dead, several others hurt in ride malfunction at fair

  26-07-2017 20:22 via wbrz.com
  COLUMBUS, Ohio - At least one person has been killed and several others injured in a ride malfunction on opening day of the Ohio State Fair.
   Columbus Battalion Chief Steve Martin says the Fire Ball ride malfunctioned Wednesday night.
   Martin says some of the victims were thrown from the ride.
   Republican Gov. John Kasich says he has ordered a full investigation and ordered that all fair rides be shut down until additional safety inspections can be completed.
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• Man shot with flare gun near S. Sherwood Forest businesses

  26-07-2017 20:09 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE - Emergency crews are responding to reports of a man shot in the arm with a flare gun near businesses on S Sherwoord Forest Blvd.An EBRSO spokesperson says the shooting happened in the 11000 block of Sherwood Forest Court, less than a mile from Airline Highway.According to deputies, a male victim was shot in the arm by a friend with the flare gun. The victim was burned, and his injuries are described as non-life threatening.WBRZ News 2 has a crew on scene working to learn more.This
  
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• Man shot with flare gun at hotel near S. Sherwood Forest

  26-07-2017 20:09 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE - Emergency crews are responding to reports of a man shot in the arm with a flare gun in a hotel near S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.Deputies say it happened at the InTown Suites on Sherwood Forest Court around 8 p.m., less than a mile from Airline Highway.According to an EBRSO spokesperson, a male victim was shot in the arm by a friend with the flare gun inside their room. The victim was burned, and his injuries are described as non-life threatening.Officials say the friend who fired the
  
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• Boy Scouts chief expected fiery Trump speech

  26-07-2017 19:58 via wbrz.com
  NEW YORK - The Boy Scouts of America says it anticipated President Donald Trump would spark controversy with a politically tinged speech at its national jamboree in West Virginia but felt obliged to invite him out of respect for his office.
   Boy Scouts president Randall Stephenson tells The Associated Press in his first public comments on the furor over Trump's speech he'd be "disingenuous" if he suggested he was surprised by the Republican president's comments. Stephenson also is chie
  
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• House fire on Wexford Drive under investigation

  26-07-2017 18:32 via wbrz.com
  CENTRAL – Fire crews responded to a house fire in the 5200 block of Wexford Drive on Wednesday afternoon. According to the Central Fire Department, the fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes. Fire crews located three large dogs in the backyard of the home and animal control was called to the scene. The cause of the fire has not been determined at this time and remains under investigation. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Car crashes into lower Livingston canal Wednesday

  26-07-2017 17:03 via wbrz.com
  SPRINGFIELD – A car drove into a canal along the Blood River, prompting a swift and large response from authorities Wednesday afternoon.Sources, though, said luckily everyone was able to escape the vehicle and there were only minor injuries.  A child was reportedly in the vehicle when the crash happened. The wreck happened around 4 o'clock near Blood River Landing off Highway 22 south of Springfield near the conflux of the Tickfaw and Blood rivers.  Check ba
  
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• Crews begin pavement restoration on roads in EBR

  26-07-2017 16:54 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE – City-Parish crews have started repairing roads in East Baton Rouge Parish, officials announced Wednesday.According to the city's Facebook page, crews are using a method called infrared pavement restoration to eliminate dips and imperfections in the roadway by using extreme heat. Officials say, the method of road repair is low cost, minimally invasive and could be completed in less than an hour. The City-Parish's Street Maintenance Division plans to incorporate t
  
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• Man from Denham Springs found murdered in Covington

  26-07-2017 15:36 via wbrz.com
  COVINGTON – A man from Denham Springs was found shot dead in a rented car in St. Tammany Parish Wednesday morning.Covington Police said Antoine Collar, 26, had been shot multiple times. Police said they found Collar in the car after someone called 911 to report hearing gunfire in the area north of downtown Covington.Police said they believe Collar was visiting a woman in the area where he was killed and was about to leave when he was shot.Police said they are not sure why Collar was k
  
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• Local man found dead in rental car in St. Tammany Parish

  26-07-2017 15:36 via wbrz.com
  COVINGTON – A man from Denham Springs was found shot dead in a rented car in St. Tammany Parish Wednesday morning.Covington Police said Antoine Collar, 26, had been shot multiple times. Police said they found Collar in the car after someone called 911 to report hearing gunfire in the area north of downtown Covington.Police said they believe Collar was visiting a woman in the area where he was killed and was about to leave when he was shot.Police said they are not sure why Collar was k
  
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• Essence Festival 2018 dates announced

  26-07-2017 14:52 via wbrz.com
  NEW ORLEANS - The 24th annual Essence Festival returns to New Orleans next year after the official 4th of July holiday.  Organizers on Wednesday said the dates for the 2018 event are July 5-8.  The 2017 festival drew more than 470,000 attendees to its nightly concert series inside the Superdome and the free workshops and entertainment at New Orleans' convention center. It featured first-time performances by Diana Ross and Chance The Rapper, plus keynote conve
  
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• Deputies searching for 15-year-old girl missing from Addis

  26-07-2017 14:49 via wbrz.com
  ADDIS – The Addis Police Department and the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance in finding a missing 15-year-old girl. The girl has been identified as LeeAnn Tyson, who was last seen July 25 around 10 a.m. in Addis. She is described as 5'5'' in height, weighing 120-125 pounds and was seen wearing black shorts, a bluish/gray Old Navy shirt and black rubber boots. Anyone with information on Tyson's whereabouts is urged to call the Addis
  
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• See list of suggested roads mayor's new tax would fix

  26-07-2017 14:24 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE – The mayor's new property tax proposal goes before Metro Council for its first appearance Wednesday.The council is expected to introduce the tax and debate whether or not it should make its way to a parish-wide vote on the November ballot. Voters then would have the final say on if the property tax would be levied.The property tax would cost homeowners about half of the levy for the CATS tax, a separate tax that funds operations of the city's public transit system. The tw
  
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• Nicholson Drive bridge now open to traffic

  26-07-2017 14:21 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has announced it will reopen the bridge on Nicholson Drive Wednesday afternoon. The bridge, located between Brightside Drive and Dean Lee Drive, closed on July 10 for emergency repairs and was expected to remain under construction through early August. DOTD says the necessary repairs were made to keep the bridge open until it can be fully replaced in early 2018
  
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• Child electrocuted by fence in Franklin Parish

  26-07-2017 13:57 via wbrz.com
  WINNSBORO - Authorities say a seven-year-old was electrocuted after going across a neighbor's fence in Franklin Parish.   Franklin Parish Sheriff Kevin Cobb tells local media that around 11 p.m. Monday authorities received a call reporting a missing child, later identified as Brandon McFarland, in Winnsboro. The child's parents and neighbors searched the area before contacting the sheriff's office.  Deputies arrived and joined the search. A neighbor
  
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• Trump to bar transgender individuals from armed forces

  26-07-2017 13:28 via wbrz.com
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump says he will bar transgender individuals from serving "in any capacity" in the U.S. armed forces.  Trump said on Twitter Wednesday that after consulting with "Generals and military experts," that the government "will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military."  Trump added that "Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the t
  
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• Rep. Steve Scalise released from hospital; to begin inpatient rehabilitation

  26-07-2017 12:55 via wbrz.com
  WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Scalise has "made excellent progress" and was discharged from the MedStar Washington Hospital Center, the hospital announced on Wednesday. Scalise is now entering into "intensive inpatient rehabilitation."The hospital provided the following update:"Congressman Steve Scalise has made excellent progress in his recovery from a life-threatening gunshot wound six weeks ago. Yesterday, he was discharged from MedStar Washington Hospital Center and is n
  
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• Ruby Slipper Cafe opens BR location in Acadian Village Shopping Center

  26-07-2017 12:45 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE – The Ruby Slipper Cafe, an award-winning breakfast and brunch spot offering Southern recipes , opened its newest location in Baton Rouge. The new location is on Perkins Road in the Acadian Village shopping center. The grand opening is being celebrated at the location on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon with the ribbon cutting taking place at 11 a.m. The opening celebration will feature Mardi Gras Indians, Ruby Slipper Cafe shirts and free juice from the ca
  
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• Rikers Island jail inmate goes missing, complex locked down

  26-07-2017 12:27 via wbrz.com
  NEW YORK - New York City's sprawling and troubled Rikers Island jail complex has been put on lockdown while authorities look for a missing inmate.
   Department of Correction spokesman Peter Thorne says a search is underway in coordination with the New York Police Department. The inmate apparently went for outdoor recreation on Wednesday and didn't return.
   Staff members noted the inmate's disappearance around 7:30 p.m. when the headcount of inmates was off by one.
   The
  
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• One person dead after morning crash in Watson

  26-07-2017 12:26 via wbrz.com
  WATSON – One person died in a crash on Cane Market Road, east of LA Highway 16, on Wednesday morning. According to sources, the crash involved one car and the accident occurred off the road in a wood line. According to DOTD, the crash closed Cane Market Road around 7 a.m. and the road reopened around 9:20 a.m. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Body trapped under boat recovered from river

  26-07-2017 09:33 via wbrz.com
  BATON ROUGE - First responders were dispatched to a body found, trapped under a boat along the river side of the levee near Brightside Drive Wednesday morning.The Corps of Engineers initially reported the find to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office around 9:20 a.m. while the Corps was working on the bridge. EBRSO Dive Teams brought the remains to shore and the East Baton Rouge Coroner's Office took them to make further determinations about the circumstances
  
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• LSU dental school, clinic to reopen Wednesday after flood

  26-07-2017 06:51 via wbrz.com
  NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana State University's dental school and main clinic in New Orleans are reopening after a weekend flood damaged electrical equipment.
   LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans spokeswoman Leslie Capo says both resume normal operations Wednesday.
   She says about a million gallons (3.8 million liters) of water had to be pumped out before repairs could begin.
   The school and clinic were closed Monday and Tuesday.
   Capo says in a news release th
  
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• One dead after fatal morning crash in Ascension Parish

  26-07-2017 06:30 via wbrz.com
  BURNSIDE - Louisiana State Police investigated two fatal accidents Wednesday morning. The first was a crash at the intersection of LA 44 at LA 22 around 5 a.m. Wednesday morning.According to Louisiana State Police, 36-year-old Andrew Jones Jr. was traveling eastbound on LA 22 in a Chevrolet Silverado when he was struck by a driver heading southbound on LA 44. LSP spokesperson Bryan Lee said that driver, in a Nissan Altima, failed to stop at an intersection and struck Jones.&am
  
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• Drier and warmer conditions return, cold front this weekend

  26-07-2017 05:37 via wbrz.com
  Showers and thunderstorms have all but shut down for the remainder of the week. Forecast focus now shifts to a cold front expected to approach the area this weekend.THE FORECAST: Today and Tonight: Wednesday will be mostly sunny, warm and humid with high temperatures penetrating the low 90s once again. An isolated shower or thunderstorm can’t be ruled out—especially east of Baton Rouge and near coastlines. Mostly clear and quiet conditions are in store for tonight with low t
  
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