Baton Rouge news

• Leonard Fournette absent, Big Cat is back for LSU: Spring practice report

  15-03-2016 22:33
  
  Tigers work outside under sunny skies.
  
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• Commission discusses ways to move Comite Diversion Project forward

  15-03-2016 21:49
  
  BATON ROUGE - As residents and business owners are waiting for floodwater to go down, the Amite River Basin Commission met Tuesday for a regularly scheduled meeting. Board members spoke about the number of phone calls they have received in the last few days about the delayed Comite River Diversion Canal project.The project, in the works for decades is supposed to keep thousands of residents dry during high water events. Once complete, it would divert about 45 percent of the wat
  
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• Tangipahoa Parish residents blessed with arrival of more flood relief groups

  15-03-2016 19:59
  
  ROBERT - Help arrived Tuesday in Tangipahoa Parish, and a new relief effort will begin Wednesday morning.An estimated 2,000 home were damaged by water in the southern end of Tangipahoa Parish alone. Some of those homes were inundated with several feet of water. Homeowners now have help in the days of clean-up ahead.A convoy of supplies arrived in Robert following a day on the road. Operation Blessing is one of many relief services finding themselves in Louisiana following historic flooding.Start
  
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• State supreme court justice: Public defender system going broke

  15-03-2016 18:39
  
  BATON ROUGE - The head of the Louisiana Supreme Court told lawmakers the court is concerned about financing for the public defender system for the poor. Chief Justice Bernette Johnson says public defenders in 33 of the state's 42 judicial districts have restricted services, and half of the offices are predicted to be insolvent within months. Johnson says about 85 percent of all criminal defendants in Louisiana are represented by public defenders. She says the state is constitutionally obligated
  
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• For those in storm shelters, future still uncertain

  15-03-2016 18:34
  
  TICKFAW - The Eagle Heights Community Church has been home for about 80 flood victims since Saturday.For four days, the people who have been staying here have been getting help from church members and Red Cross volunteers. The church gym has been transformed into a shelter with cots and supplies for people to be as comfortable as they can in a stressful situation."It's been hard, but they have good spirits," Ducan Freche, a volunteer with the Red Cross, said. "Clothes are coming in, donations ar
  
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• Poster outside EBR library prompts talk about how police are perceived

  15-03-2016 18:04
  
  BATON ROUGE - A controversial mystery is unfolding in the front yard of a library.As library officials constructed a display of posters made by Woodlawn Middle School students, one struck a nerve: a poster depicting police brutality featuring a shadowy figure appearing to be a police officer pointing a gun at a crying child holding a teddy bear. Text appeared on the poster reading, "Police brutality. STOP IT!" Area law enforcement officers were taken back by the display. Frustrated, they said it
  
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• Cowboys CB Mo Claiborne: LSU ring was stolen, would 'never sell' it

  15-03-2016 17:52
  
  Claiborne releases statement of apology.
  
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• When police brutality is declared 'a victory': JR Ball

  15-03-2016 17:45
  
  One Baton Rouge police officer stomps so hard on the head and neck of Brett Percle, lying face down on the ground during a 2014 marijuana-related raid, that it knocks out a tooth and bloodies the mouth of the New...
  
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• College football players used in EA's NCAA video games to get about $1,200, report says

  15-03-2016 17:33
  
  Thousands of players to be compensated.
  
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• Flooded areas of Livingston under curfew Tuesday night, Wednesday early morning

  15-03-2016 16:44
  
  LIVINGSTON - A curfew for Livingston Parish has been issued for parish residents for Tuesday night by Livingston parish officials.Livingston Parish President Layton Ricks, Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard, and Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (LOHSEP) Director Mark Harrell jointly decided to implement the curfew.The curfew will be implemented from dusk Tuesday night until dawn Wednesday for areas still flooded. According to officials, the curfe
  
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• Amite River crests in French Settlement

  15-03-2016 16:36
  
  FRENCH SETTLEMENT - The Amite River reached its crest Tuesday morning in French Settlement as residents looked on at flood waters.That flooding around lower Livingston Parish has turned some homes into islands. People are parking cars on higher ground and using boats to get to and from homes.
  "Every several years we have to deal with this and have gotten used to it. It doesn't really bother us a whole lot anymore," French Settlement resident William Ray said. "The pluses outweigh the minuses whe
  
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• U-Haul offers 30 days of free self-storage to La. flood victims

  15-03-2016 16:25
  
  NEW ORLEANS - U-Haul Company of Southern Louisiana is offering 30 days of free self-storage to East Baton Rouge, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington Parish residents and other areas who were have been affected by the flooding.Several areas of Louisiana were struck with heavy rain that caused flooding resulting in property damage or loss for many and the need for storage options."We want to help our neighbors in these communities during the recovery process," Patrick Allen, president of U-Haul
  
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• LSU special teamers Jamie Keehn, Reid Ferguson show wares at Pro Day

  15-03-2016 16:03
  
  Ferguson runs 5.05 in 40-yard dash.
  
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• BRPD: Searching for Sallys Beauty Supply armed robbery suspect

  15-03-2016 15:57
  
  BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge Police detectives are attempting to identify a suspect responsible for robbery at Sally’s Beauty Supply in the 6200 block of Plank Road.According to police, the incident occurred early Tuesday morning at around 8:45 a.m. when the suspect entered the business demanding money.The suspect grabbed an unknown amount of money from the business and then fled on foot, police say.According to police, the suspect is a black male around 5 feet 6 inches to 6 feet tall, li
  
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• LAPD rejects report on knife linked to O.J. Simpson case, report says

  15-03-2016 15:46
  
  LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department rejected a report from TMZ claiming that tests on a knife linked to O.J. Simpson did not detect any DNA that could shed light on the 1994 murder case of Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman, according to a report by USA Today.
  The knife was allegedly found on the property of Simpson’s former home years after the murders and given to a retired officer.The officer put it in a toolbox until he rec
  
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• Noranda alumina plant keeps workers; holds off on possible layoffs until May

  15-03-2016 15:42
  
  GRAMERCY - The alumina plant here is hoping to stay open by relying on changes to its operation model but Noranda executives said if changes do not work the company could temporarily close the plant in May.Already, Noranda had announced plans to layoff workers this week but the plant remained operational. Tuesday, the company said layoffs would not happen any earlier than May 2016.Noranda said a tax dispute with the government of Jamaica and a decrease in product needs by another company coupled
  
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• State utilized rare cell phone alert to warn drivers of interstate closure Tuesday

  15-03-2016 15:32
  
  BATON ROUGE - The state used the federal Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system to send notifications to cell phone users across Louisiana warning them about an interstate closure Tuesday.Mike Steele, the spokesperson for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said the notification was sent after discussions with officials in Texas who were making decisions about closing I-10 west of Lake Charles at the state line because of flooding. Steele said given the unusual
  
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• Former LSU Tiger Karl Dunbar 'surprised, disappointed' in dismissal by Bills

  15-03-2016 15:14
  
  Former LSU player and coach, former Saints player.
  
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• Google reveals 77 percent of its online traffic is encrypted

  15-03-2016 14:37
  
  SAN FRANCISCO - Google is disclosing how much of the traffic to its search engine and other services is being protected from hackers as part of its push to encrypt all online activity.
      
  Company statistics released Tuesday revealed 77 percent of the requests sent to Google's data centers are encrypted. That's up from 52 percent at the end of 2013.
      
  The numbers exclude Google's popular YouTube video site.
      
  
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• State Capitol simulation event to show dangers of driving with phones

  15-03-2016 14:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana State Capitol will host a virtual reality simulation to show the consequences of using phones while driving.The event is a part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign which urges drivers to keep their eyes on the road and not their phones.The campaign started in 2010 and initially focused on not texting and driving, but now it has expanded to broader dangers of smart phone use behind the wheel.Samsung, Bose, and Google are supporting the ev
  
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• UPDATE: Endangered baby monkey born at zoo dies

  15-03-2016 13:40
  
  BATON ROUGE - BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo announced the death of its newborn golden lion tamarin that was born at the zoo last Wednesday.
  Zoo keepers found the baby in extremely weak condition on Monday and then placed it into veterinary care at the zoo’s George Felton, Jr. Veterinary Hospital. It died later that day. The cause of death is currently unknown. The golden lion tamarin is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
  
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• Gov. Edwards amends request for disaster funds

  15-03-2016 13:02
  
  BATON ROUGE - Gov. John Bel Edwards has requested that the existing federal Major Presidential Declaration for Louisiana be amended to include additional parishes affected by recent flooding.
      
  Edwards said Tuesday he decided to amend the request after travelling to the disaster areas.
      
  Edwards has asked for individual assistance and seeks public assistance to repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities in the following new pa
  
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• Mo Claiborne releases statement over unauthorized sale of LSU championship ring

  15-03-2016 13:00
  
  BATON ROUGE - LSU officials released a statement on behalf of former LSU football player Mo Claiborne related to the online sale of his 2011 championship ring.Claiborne, now part of the Dallas Cowboys, said he did not know the ring was for sale. In fact, he said in the statement, he blames someone for taking the ring from him and trying to sell it on eBay for $100,000.The auction for the ring ended Monday evening. The seller was asking $100,000 for the ring. Yahoo! Sports reported there was litt
  
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• Police: Man arrested after parking truck in middle of I-12

  15-03-2016 12:49
  
  LIVINGSTON - A trucker was arrested after police say he parked his truck in the middle of I-12 East near a construction zone in Livingston Tuesday night.Louisiana State Troopers and the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office responded to the call. A News 2 crew was on scene when the man was pulled out of the truck. The man was detained.We've reached out to State Police for additional information.Permalink| Comments
  
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• What former LSU players said after Pro Day

  15-03-2016 12:42
  
  Jalen Mills, Lamar Louis and Deion Jones work out for NFL teams.
  
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• TPSO: Houma man arrested for stabbing ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend

  15-03-2016 12:40
  
  BATON ROUGE - Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested 34-year-old Ivan Moreno for attempted murder of his ex girlfriend and her boyfriend.According to Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on Saturday morning, Mar 12, at around 4 a.m. when Parish deputies responded to a home in the 200 block of Idlewild Drive in Houma.Deputies learned that a 35-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were stabbed by the woman’s ex-boyfriend. According to the sheri
  
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• River levels in flooded areas falling

  15-03-2016 12:23
  
  FRENCH SETTLEMENT - Area rivers swollen by torrential rain last week will start falling after cresting over the last few hours.Most recently, the Amite River at French Settlement crested Tuesday morning. Already, the Amite at Denham Springs, Bayou Manchac and Port Vincent has crested and has started falling. The Amite River is forecast to be below flood stage in most areas by Thursday.The Comite and Tickfaw rivers were under flood stage Tuesday and were falling, too.The Tangipahoa River, which o
  
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• Trump, Clinton win big; Rubio suspends campaign

  15-03-2016 11:56
  
  BATON ROUGE - Tuesday night Donald Trump (R) and Hillary Clinton (D) expanded their leads in their parties presidential primaries.Trump won the winner-take-all state of Florida, as well as North Carolina and Illinois. At the time of this post, he's currently in a back-and-forth race with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for first place in Missouri.The republican frontrunner was delivered a blow Tuesday night when Gov. John Kasick (R-Ohio) won his home state, another winner-take-all battle to prevent Trum
  
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• Unlikely qualifier Holy Cross plays Southern in First Four

  15-03-2016 11:32
  
  DAYTON, Ohio - NCAA Tournament teams don't come much more unlikely than Holy Cross, which finished the season with a 14-19 record.
      
  Yet the Crusaders will play Southern University (22-12) in a First Four game Wednesday night, by virtue of winning four games on the road and becoming the Patriot League tournament champs.
      
  Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts, managed only a 5-13 mark in regular season league games.
   &nbs
  
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• Baton Rouge Area Foundation starts disaster relief fund

  15-03-2016 11:20
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has seeded a charitable fund to assist people affected by widespread flooding across Louisiana. The Foundation has seeded the fund with a $100,000 grant and is taking contribution at a new web site.Contributions collected by the Foundation will be granted to worthwhile non profits that are working to improve affected areas.
  President and CEO of the Foundation said that “history has shown that people of Louisiana are very resilient&rdquo
  
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• La. Supreme Court to hold court at S.U. Law Center

  15-03-2016 09:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Supreme Court will hold court at Southern University Law Center on Tuesday afternoon to hear oral argument on a family law case.The session is a part of an ongoing effort to educate and inform students as well as the general public about the work of the Louisiana Supreme Court.The oral argument will begin at 2 p.m. in Rooms 129-130 AA in Lenior Hall.
  The session will be open to law students, university and high school students, faculty and the general public as space
  
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• LSU to offer car sharing service to students

  15-03-2016 08:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana State University will host an event on campus to launch a car sharing service, Zipcar, now offered to its students.Zipcar, is a car sharing network that allows consumers to rent and drive cars by the hour or day. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc., a leader in rental car services, and offers 50 models and makes of cars. Students will have to apply and once accepted, they will receive a university discount. Students can pay an annual $15 fee for the service,
  
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• East Baton Rouge School Board to consider online school

  15-03-2016 08:07
  
  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The East Baton Rouge Parish school system is poised to launch a new online school that caters to both struggling and advanced students. The board hopes to grab a share of the burgeoning virtual education marketplace in the capital city.
      
  The Advocate reports the system will join dozens of other school districts in Louisiana that have launched their own schools to compete with for-profit, publicly funded online schools. It also will be a seco
  
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• UPDATE: DOTD closes I-10 La./Texas state line

  15-03-2016 08:06
  
  BATON ROUGE- The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced that is has closed I-10 West (before Texas/Louisiana State Line) to traffic due to flooding.
  The closure comes on the heels of a flood warning that was issued for the area by the National Weather Service.
  DOTD did not initially announce an exact time that the closure would go into effect, but it happened around 2 p.m. Tuesday
  Drivers traveling through Louisiana are advised to stay on I-20. The following routes can
  
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• At least 1 injured in early morning shooting

  15-03-2016 07:44
  
  BATON ROUGE- At least one person was injured in a shooting in the 4500 block of Wyandotte St. early Tuesday morning.
  Officers with the Baton Rouge Police Department responded to a call about shots fired shortly after 12 a.m.According to BRPD, at least one person was transported from the scene with non-life threatening injuries.
  Authorities are still investigating the case and have not released any more details at this time. Continue to check back for updates.Permalink| Comments
  
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• March 15, 2016 Morning News Pop

  15-03-2016 06:15
  
  Here are today's top stories:Lawmakers entering the first full day of the legislative sessionPort Vincent, French Settlement brace for more high water LSU partnering with Zip CarRiver flooding update; unseasonable warmth Updates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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• Alaska's Iditarod could end with a 'family photo finish'

  15-03-2016 05:03
  
  NOME, Alaska- There's a little bit of deja vu in this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
      
  GPS tracking on the Iditarod website shows defending champion Dallas Seavey in the lead of this year's race. He's about 10 miles outside of the finish line in Nome, and traveling at about 9 mph.
      
  The man in second place is Seavey's father, Mitch Seavey. GPS tracking shows him to be about 6 miles behind his son.
      
  I
  
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• Man found fatally shot near car with toddler sons inside

  15-03-2016 02:49
  
  NEW ORLEANS- Authorities in New Orleans are investigating after a man was shot to death near a car where his two young sons were found.
      
  Local media outlets report New Orleans police say 30-year-old Shedric Morgan was shot in Gentilly around 9:45 a.m. Friday.
      
  Orleans Parish Coroner Dr. Jeffrey Rouse said Morgan died of gunshot wounds, and police at the scene said it appeared he had been shot several times.
     &n
  
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• LSU TE Dillon Gordon appeal unlikely to be settled before spring practice ends

  15-03-2016 01:29
  
  Hoping for a fifth season of eligibility after playing four games in 2015.
  
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• Louisiana National Guard says proposed cuts would have slowed flooding response

  15-03-2016 01:22
  
  The Louisiana National Guard said their response to the widespread flooding that occurred over the last week would have been slower had a round of budget cuts initially approved by the state House of Representatives gone into effect.
  
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