Baton Rouge news

• St. Landry Parish elementary teachers charged with bullying student

  27-04-2017 12:46 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - Two elementary school teachers are under arrest in Louisiana after being accused of bullying a child.St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the child's mother contacted his office in February and said 44-year-old Ann Marie Shelvin had threatened students who refused to bully her child. Shelvin also was accused of telling the child to "go and kill yourself."The sheriff tells local media that Shelvin was removed from Washington Elementary School, but then her replacement, 50-yea
  
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• One person shot in Zion City neighborhood

  17-04-2024 20:24 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - One person was hurt in a shooting along Stearns Street on Wednesday night. Emergency officials said the shooting happened near the corner of Stearns and Velie streets in the Zion City neighborhood. One person was taken to a hospital in stable condition. No more information was immediately available. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Driver killed after three-vehicle crash in Houma

  17-04-2024 18:41 via wbrz.com
  
  HOUMA - One person died in a three-vehicle crash in Houma Tuesday night, according to Louisiana State Police.Police say the driver, who remains unidentified pending notification of next of kin, crossed the centerline while traveling north on LA Highway 659 before crossing the centerline, side-swiping one vehicle heading south, and hitting another car head-on.The driver died on the scene, while one other person sustained minor injuries. The driver was unrestrained while driving.Permalink| Commen
  
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• Former Baton Rouge smelter and refinery added to EPA National Priorities List

  17-04-2024 17:30 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The former site of Exide Baton Rouge, which was demolished in 2014, was added to the EPA's National Priorities list for investigation and cleanup.Exide ceased operations in 2009, and after demolition, high concentrations of antimony, arsenic, lead, manganese and zinc were found in the groundwater and soils on site.  Due to the challenges of the Exide Baton Rouge site, the state of Louisiana referred it to the EPA to avoid any interruption in the continued operati
  
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• Disagreement over housing 17-year-old offenders creates confusion as new law looms

  17-04-2024 17:16 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A law going into effect Friday has put city-parish officials and the sheriff's office at odds on how to house 17-year-old criminal suspects.City-parish wants the 17-year-olds moved to Parish Prison when state law dictates that they can be. That's Friday. The sheriff's office says federal rules make it impossible to house 17-year-olds in an adult jail without upgrades that city-parish would have to fund.After meetings to discuss next steps, the mayor and the sheriff exchanged lette
  
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• Metro Council honors Zydeco as hockey team prepares to announce plan for 2024-25 season

  17-04-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The Metro Council on Wednesday honored members of the Baton Rouge Zydeco, who in their first season set an attendance record for the Federal Prospects Hockey League. The ceremony came one day before a Zydeco news conference to announce its plan for 2024-25.City-parish government said it didn't know what the team will announce. It already has a lease in place: the city and Zydeco agreed to a three-year deal last April.Metro Councilman Darryl Hurst said the team contribute
  
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• Man convicted of August arson that set ex-girlfriend's car ablaze

  17-04-2024 15:52 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Richard Head, a man previously arrested for setting his ex-girlfriend's car ablaze in August, was formally charged Wednesday.Head, 35, was charged with one count of simple arson for the Aug. 12 incident.The Baton Rouge Fire Department arrested Head after he set the car on fire while it was parked in on 72nd Avenue near Plank Road. The owner of the vehicle was Head's ex-girlfriend. During an investigation, it was learned he called her, admitted to lighting the car on fire
  
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• Emergency response teams gather to train for upcoming hurricane season

  17-04-2024 15:51 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE With hurricane season nearing, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is gathering emergency response teams from all over the state to get ready for what they could potentially face.At this meeting, they reviewed old events that happened in Louisiana and use these real-world events to tailor them to fit their own scenario.One they reviewed was a Category 3 hurricane, but it sped up and came in much faster that anticipated. During the exercise, they hav
  
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• Utility company threatens to disconnect power, homeowner fighting security light bill

  17-04-2024 15:42 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - For the past two and a half years, Kathy King has been fighting with Entergy over a security light charge that she says she shouldn't have to pay."It's the principle of the matter," said King.The charge, which started at about $30, has grown to $124. In 2021, King says a contractor at her home noticed a security light in her backyard was not working. King says she put in a service request with Entergy for repairs but after Hurricane Ida hit she canceled the service. The light was
  
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• West Feliciana Parish man arrested for theft of over $1500 worth of livestock

  17-04-2024 15:34 via wbrz.com
  
  WEYANOKE - Inspectors arrested a man Tuesday for the theft of three cattle after he failed to deliver a purchase to the prospective buyer.According to officials with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Livestock Brand Commission, Eric M. Harris, 37, sold three head of livestock from a West Feliciana cattle producer.  Harris allegedly failed to deliver the livestock purchased by the victim and subsequently sold the livestock at a local livestock market and kept
  
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• Journalists, free speech advocates raise concerns over state bill that would limit access to public records

  17-04-2024 15:28 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Louisianans may soon lose access to great swaths of government records currently made available upon request under the state public records law.A Senate panel voted 6-2 Wednesday to advance a bill — backed by Gov. Jeff Landry and sponsored by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek — that would gut public access to information at every level of government.The proposal, Senate Bill 482, would bar access to “any records reflecting advisory opinions
  
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• Capitol region faces two cyber-security attacks this month; Department of Homeland Security urges residents to take precaution

  17-04-2024 15:27 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - In the past month, many Baton Rouge residents received notice of their data being breached. One of these breaches includes the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office hack that exposed many highly-confidential employee documents on the dark web. Just days before, it was announced that a data breach at AT&T released over 70 million former and current user's information such as social security number, pin-codes and email addresses.The Department of Homeland Security suggests
  
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• After capitol region faces two cyber attacks, Homeland Security urges residents to take precautions

  17-04-2024 15:27 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - In the past month, many Baton Rouge residents received notice of their data being breached. One of these breaches includes the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office hack that exposed many highly-confidential employee documents on the dark web. Just days before, it was announced that a data breach at AT&T released over 70 million former and current user's information such as social security number, pin-codes and email addresses.The Department of Homeland Security suggests
  
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• Police investigating shooting, 18-wheeler clipping school bus in St. Mary Parish

  17-04-2024 15:13 via wbrz.com
  
  ST. MARY PARISH - The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating two separate incidents including a shooting and a hit-and-run.The shooting happened around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday night on Irish Bend Road, where someone shot at a vehicle as a person traveled down the road. No one was injured as a result.Additionally, the administration of Glencoe Charter School complained earlier that day of an 18-wheeler clipped a bus with students inside at the intersection of Cypremort Road and Highway 83.
  
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• Sorrento man accused of child porn, sexual abuse of an animal arrested

  17-04-2024 14:40 via wbrz.com
  
  SORRENTO — A Sorrento man was arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography and sexually abusing an animal. Jayden McConnell, 20, was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail Tuesday on 30 counts of pornography involving a juvenile and one count of sexual abuse of an animal. McConnell was arrested by the Attorney General's Cyber Crime Unit.The AG's joint investigation with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and
  
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• Baker schools will offer 4-day school week for juniors, seniors in 2024

  17-04-2024 14:11 via wbrz.com
  
  BAKER - The Baker superintendent announced that the school board would be moving forward with a plan to offer a four-day school week to its high school juniors and seniors. "We have been looking at ways to motivate our students to focus on academics, behavior, and attendance," Superintendent JT Stroder said. "Next school year we will be offering a 4-day week option to our junior and senior students as long as they meet certain criteria set by the high school."Stroder did not specify wh
  
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• Jefferson Highway construction 'one month' behind schedule due to soils found while removing portion of road

  17-04-2024 14:05 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The repaving of Jefferson Highway is now one month behind schedule due to crews discovering "unsuitable soils" while removing the old roadway. The Department of Transportation of Development said that while removing the portion of Jefferson Highway between I-12 and Chelsea Drive, DOTD encountered unsuitable soils that changed the course of their work.Officials said work in the impacted section should resume by the end of the week. The project is scheduled to be completed
  
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• Blanks man arrested for the theft of a 4-wheeler, utility trailer

  17-04-2024 14:04 via wbrz.com
  
  BLANKS — A Blanks man was arrested Wednesday for the theft of a four-wheeler, a utility trailer and a side-by-side.Luther Hendricks, 45, was arrested by Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office deputies on simple burglary and theft charges. The items were returned to their rightful owners, deputies said.Hendricks also has pending charges in Pointe Coupee Parish for illegal possession of stolen things.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Mercury and fish advisories issued for 11 waterways, including Lake Maurepas

  17-04-2024 13:12 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Health has issued a mercury advisory for 11 local waterways, including Lake Maurepas. The lake is the most recent addition to the list. The ten others were issued updated warnings. The warning comes after the Department of Environmental Quality tested the local fish and shellfish and found they contained unacceptable levels of mercury. The advisory for Lake Maurepas, which can be read here, lists the specific fish, makes consu
  
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• LSU gym's Kiya Johnson returns home to Fort Worth for final match of collegiate career

  17-04-2024 13:03 via wbrz.com
  
  FORT WORTH - Kiya Johnson has been one of the biggest names in LSU gymnastics over the past few years. She's known for her difficult skills, big scores and infectious smile. Johnson has been one of LSU's most reliable weapons as an All-American and former SEC Freshman of the Year, but her road has not been east. In her fourth year with the program, Kiya tore her achilles during the second week of the season and was sidelined for the rest of the year. Now, Johnson averages 9.95
  
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• Collective effort creates a championship-caliber LSU gymnastics team

  17-04-2024 12:47 via wbrz.com
  
  FT. WORTH - Even with a team full of stars, there are no small parts on LSU's gymnastics team. "Every single person on this team contributes so much whether they're doing no events or all four events," coach Jay Clark said. Everyone knows the big names: Haleigh Bryant, Kiya Johnson, Livvy Dunne and future Olympian Aleah Finnegan. They've all helped lead the Tiger team to the biggest stage, but there are other gymnasts that have been consistent and reliable for big scored and a
  
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• Proposed law would give teachers option to carry guns in school

  17-04-2024 12:17 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - More than thirty states across the country have put students safety in teachers' hands by arming educators; now, a lawmaker from Denham Springs is pushing for similar action.Opponents worry stripping schools from their gun free one status will stir more harm than good. Rep. Lauren Ventrella, R-Greenwell Springs, says having teachers armed during an active shooting could save lives when police are minutes away. "I think that the presence of a gun, the picture of a
  
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• Ohio man fatally shot Uber driver after scam phone calls targeted both of them, authorities say

  17-04-2024 09:16 via wbrz.com
  
  SOUTH CHARLESTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man who authorities say fatally shot an Uber driver who he thought was trying to rob him after scam phone calls deceived them both has been indicted on a murder charge.William Brock, 81, also faces counts of kidnapping and felonious assault in the indictment handed up Monday by a Clark County grand jury.Court documents did not list an attorney for him and a telephone number for Brock could not be located. He has pleaded not guilty and could face a
  
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• Utah officials arrest NBA YoungBoy; What kind of time is he looking at, if ultimately convicted?

  17-04-2024 07:53 via wbrz.com
  
  LOGAN, Utah — Utah officials said Wednesday that Baton Rouge rapper NBA YoungBoy was arrested on multiple charges after a raid conducted by local and federal officials, including the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service.The rapper, whose real name is Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, was being held in the Cache County Jail. NBA YoungBoy also has faced multiple charges in Louisiana.Jail records Wednesday showed that Gaulden, 24, was booked Tuesday night, hours after a Tuesday morning raid,
  
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• Two people hurt in shooting along North 13th Street

  16-04-2024 20:28 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two people were hurt in a shooting along North 13th Street on Tuesday night.The Baton Rouge Police Department said the shooting happened around 8 p.m. at the corner of North 13th and Convention streets.Officers said two people were taken to a hospital and are in stable condition. No more information was immediately available. Permalink| Comments
  
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• At least one person hurt in shooting along North 13th Street

  16-04-2024 20:28 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - At least one person was hurt in a shooting along North 13th Street on Tuesday night.Emergency officials said the shooting happened around 8 p.m. One person was taken to a hospital in an ambulance.Sources told WBRZ more people may have been hurt but left before police arrived. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Interstate sound wall burned from fire caused by homeless encampment

  16-04-2024 18:19 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The State Department of Transportation is working on a plan to fix a portion of a sound barrier on the interstate that was partially burned in a fire.The fire happened on April 9 around 8:30 p.m. on a section of the sound wall along I-12 westbound between Drusilla Lane and Essen Lane. According to the St. George Fire Department, a homeless encampment is to blame for the blaze."It was pretty obvious that somebody had been cooking outside near the fence. It was too close to the fenc
  
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• Jewish organization fighting to ban lethal gas as execution method

  16-04-2024 17:32 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Members of Jews Against Gassing stood alongside Senator Katrina Jackson-Andrews on the Capitol steps Tuesday afternoon to protest a recently passed bill which legalized lethal gas as an execution method.House Bill 6, authored by Representative Muscarello and signed by Governor Jeff Landry, approved the use of lethal gas for death-row executions. The new precedent is set to begin in July.Louisiana became the eighth state in the country to recognize lethal gas as an execution method
  
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• Regions Bank employee indicted in embezzlement of $250,000 from Plank Road branch

  16-04-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Plaquemine man pleaded not guilty to bank fraud charges after more than $250,000 was diverted from customer accounts at a Regions Bank branch.Eric Schouest, 53, managed Regions Bank Plank Road branch. He is accused of moving customers' money into his own accounts and using it to pay personal expenses, including his house and car. The thefts happened in 2020 and 2021.Schouest, who worked at Regions from 2010 to 2021, is accused of faking paperwork to cover up the embezz
  
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• Regions Bank employee indicted for embezzlement of $250,000 from Plank Road branch

  16-04-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Plaquemine man was indicted Tuesday on bank fraud after embezzling more than $250,000 from the Regions Bank he worked at.Eric Schouest, 53, pleaded not guilty to embezzling funds from customer accounts at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch he was a branch manager at. He deposited the money into his personal bank accounts from 2020 to April 2021. He used the money to make loan payments on personal items, including a house and a car.Schouest, who worked at Regions from 2
  
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