Baton Rouge news

• Some residents concerned with proposed location of Diocese archive building

  21-03-2016 21:15
  
  BATON ROUGE - An application to make a rezoning modification to property owned by the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge was pulled from Monday's Planning and Zoning commission meeting.The property located on Parker Street near Hundred Oaks is currently zoned A-1 residential. The Diocese is planning to build an 8,000 sq/ft archive building to store church records.It's sparked the attention of residents living in the Hundred Oaks area who like the idea of an archive building, so long as it's not in
  
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• Armed robbery suspect arrested after being identified by his mom

  21-03-2016 21:04
  
  BATON ROUGE -  Police say a man arrested for an armed robbery at a Circle K in Baton Rouge earlier this month was busted after being identified by his own mother.Tevin Gunter, 24, is charged with armed robbery. Investigators released surveillance video from the incident at a Circle K on Florida Blvd. According to an arrest report, Gunter's mom called police to tell them it was her son in the video.Police say Gunter admits to stealing a carton of cigarettes, a bottle of liquor and $89.00
  
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• FBI finds way to unlock terrorists' phones; Dispute brought national attention to Baton Rouge woman's murder

  21-03-2016 20:05
  
  SAN BERNARDINO, CA - The FBI has cancelled a Tuesday hearing to discuss a dispute with Apple over their desire to unlock the Iphones of terrorists.The agency says they've found a 3rd party with the capability to unlock the phones of the two terrorists who killed 14 people in an attack in San Bernardino, CA in Dec. 2015. Getting that information won't be immediate; the government wants to make sure using this method won't compromise any of the data on the phone.The dispute between the FBI and App
  
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• In live WBRZ interview, congressman calls for progress dealing with I-10 traffic

  21-03-2016 18:24
  
  BATON ROUGE - Congressman Garret Graves argued there needs to be more solid communication among traffic engineers and state lawmakers about planning construction projects in I-10 through Baton Rouge.Graves, the newly-elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives, appeared on WBRZ's morning news program, 2une-In, Monday to discuss possible projects on the interstate. Graves, of Baton Rouge, said he hopes to develop a project timetable based on key traffic areas."We really need to l
  
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• BRPD officer on leave, criminal investigation underway

  21-03-2016 17:59
  
  BATON ROUGE- A Baton Rouge police officer is on administrative leave. He's accused of having sex with a woman while he was on the clock.
  Baton Rouge Police say there are two investigations. One is administrative, while the other is criminal and being handled by the District Attorney's Office.
  Brad Bennett is a uniform patrol officer. He has been with the department since August of 2009.
  In the early hours of the morning outside the Bulldog back in August, three Baton Rouge Police Officers came i
  
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• House budget hearings begin with uncertainty about cuts

  21-03-2016 16:59
  
  BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers in the House have opened their hearings on next year's budget, while Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration is still working to cut another $70 million this year.
      
  Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told the House Appropriations Committee the governor will unveil the reductions to rebalance this year's budget later this week. The cuts will have to be made before June 30.
      
  Because the Edwards administrat
  
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• Apple unveils 4-inch iPhone SE

  21-03-2016 16:03
  
  CALIFORNIA - Apple unveiled its newest iPhone Monday at an event at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino.The newest smart phone from Apple is called the iPhone SE and is smaller than the iPhone 5S and 6S.The new phone is 4 inches and will have an A9 chip equal to the iPhone 6S and double the performance of the iPhone 5S. It will also feature better battery performance compared to the 5S, include a 12-megapixel iSight camera, True Tone Flash and panorama pictures up to 63 megapixels.
  
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• Obama and Castro wrap up historic meeting

  21-03-2016 14:59
  
  HAVANA - President Barack Obama says he and Cuban President Raul Castro had a "frank and candid conversation" on human rights and democracy, and are making progress in tearing down barriers between the two nations.In extended remarks after the first private meeting between the leaders, Obama declared it a "new day" in relations between the U.S. and Cuba.The president noted the two nations have "very serious differences," particularly on areas regarding freedom of speech, assembly and religious l
  
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• Former Sorrento police officer sentenced for indecent behavior with juvenile

  21-03-2016 14:23
  
  SORRENTO - A former Sorrento police officer, 36-year old Owen Ockman Jr., was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections for indecent behavior with a juvenile.Ockman, of Gonzales, was found guilty on one count of the above charge by an Ascension Parish Jury back in April 2015 after inappropriately touching a juvenile girl between May 2009 and August 2011.Ockman was taken into the custody of the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office on Monday. Permalink| Comm
  
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• Officials to announce April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Louisiana

  21-03-2016 13:21
  
  BATON ROUGE - State and local officials will announce April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Louisiana.An official proclamation will be read by Gov. John Bel Edwards or a representative during a press conference on Monday, Apr. 11 at 10:30 a.m.Others to attend include Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana, State Police Col. Mike Edmonson, East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, East Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark, Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie, Department of Children and Family Services Secret
  
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• When learning suspect's charges dismissed, Emanuel Augustus asks: 'Did I get shot by this guy or didn't I?'

  21-03-2016 13:03
  
  BATON ROUGE - Charges were dismissed against the man who was accused of shooting popular boxer Emanuel Augustus in 2014.Augustus was shot walking home from an evening workout at the 14th Street gym where he got his start. The shooting left Augustus in a coma and he was transferred to a hospital in New Orleans.Police said at the time of Christopher Stills' arrest, Augustus was not the intended target. Stills was apprehended a few days after the shooting by U.S. Marshals on Greenwell Street. He wa
  
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• 5 things we learned from 6 LSU spring practices

  21-03-2016 13:00
  
  The Tigers take off for spring break, coming back for 9 more practices.
  
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• Ascension Parish president announces top 10 projects for the year

  21-03-2016 12:48
  
  GONZALES - Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa announced Monday that his administration will focus on ten top projects to complete this year.1) Road projects involving the St. Landry Road/Endenborne extension and the St. Landry Road/Ashland Road connector to ease traffic congestion along Hwy. 30.2) Two waste water projects: an upgrade and connection of waste water treatment facilities in Darrow and Hillaryville and the construction of a waste water discharge line into the Mississip
  
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• Head-on car crash kills Kentwood man

  21-03-2016 12:21
  
  KENTWOOD -  A head-on car crash on LA38 resulted in the death of 59-year-old, Phillip Williams from Kentwood.Louisiana State Troopers from Troop L responded to to the crash around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.  38-year-old Matthew Peek was driving a GMC truck westbound on LA 38 and Williams was driving a Dodge truck eastbound when Peek’s truck crossed into the east bound travel lanes.Williams drove onto the right shoulder to avoid Peek’s truck, but Williams&rsquo
  
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• No timetable to replace giraffes at Baton Rouge Zoo

  21-03-2016 12:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Zoo hopes to replace two giraffes that died over the weekend eventually but says there's not currently a timetable to make that happen."I miss the one with the light beige tan," Margaret Selver says.Zookeepers had to put two female giraffes down this weekend: One from a longterm injury; the second after she was attacked by the zoo's male giraffe."As soon as we opened the door, he went over there and slammed into her and knocked her down," a zoo curator told News 2.T
  
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• Police: Suspect stole hundreds of dollars worth of tools

  21-03-2016 11:59
  
  HAMMOND - The Hammond Police Department is asking for help identifying a thief caught on camera stealing several hundred dollars worth of tools from a truck parked at a business.This happened at Honey Do Services on South Morrison Boulevard. The suspect is identified as a white male driving a blue SUV believed to be a Chevrolet Trailblazer.If you know anything about this crime contact the Hammond Police Department at (985) 277-5739.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Mississippi River levels require levee inspections from Baton Rouge to Venice

  21-03-2016 11:58
  
  BATON ROUGE -The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began phase II of flood inspections along the Mississippi River on Monday. The phase begins after the river rose 15 feet at the Carrollton gage in the New Orleans District.The phase II activation applies to levees along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to Venice. Current plans do not show activation of phase II will be required for levees upriver from Baton Rouge.
  River projections show the need for activating phase II on the Atchafalaya River
  
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• APSO: Woman arrested for failure to register as sex offender

  21-03-2016 11:34
  
  ASCENSION - Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested 35-year-old LaKeisha Marshall, from Donaldsonville, for failing to register as a sex offender.Marshall did not complete her semi-annual registration in February and detectives tried to contact her multiple times, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office.Marshall is classified as a Tier II sex offender. The classification is a sex offense against a minor and has a 25-year registered period conducted semi-annually
  
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• Disaster Recovery Centers open in Monroe and Slidell

  21-03-2016 11:25
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two disaster recovery centers will be open Monday, Mar. 21 in Monroe and Slidell to help Louisiana residents recovering from flooding.The centers are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The centers are closed on Easter Sunday, Mar. 27.The disaster recovery centers are located here:Monroe Civic Center
  401 Lea Joyner Expressway
  Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LAThe Towers Government Building
  520 Old Spanish Trail
  Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, LAM
  
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• Regions Bank to offer financial services to flood recovery residents

  21-03-2016 09:02
  
  BATON ROUGE - Regions Bank is now offering financial services to  Louisiana and Mississippi residents who are recovering from the recent flooding and severe weather.Financial services include personal and business loan payment deferrals, unsecured personal lines of credit to help with flood recovery, and penalty-free withdrawals. Louisiana and Mississippi residents interested in the offers can visit a local Regions branch from Mar. 21 to Apr. 30 to sign up and receive details r
  
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• Volunteers clean up Terrebonne Parish waterways

  21-03-2016 08:20
  
  HOUMA - Along the banks of Lake Houmas and Bayou Petit Caillou, volunteers found tires, a golf club, cigarette butts, fast-food trash, vodka bottles and a pair of underwear.
      
  It was the first time the Wetlands Discovery Center had organized a Terrebonne Parish Bayou Cleanup.
      
  Executive director Jonathan Foret said hopes to make it an annual event.
      
  About 20 volunteers showed up for Saturday's cleanup. It
  
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• Public defender's office in crisis mode

  21-03-2016 07:54
  
  BATON ROUGE- Overnight auditors revealed there could be no public defenders in Baton Rouge by the summer. According to the audit, released early Monday morning, the state may not have enough money to keep the public defender's office open past June 30th.
  Public defenders say they're entering a crisis mode. Some have suggested letting accused criminals out of jail without a trial, in an effort to save money.
  According to the new report, the EBR public defender's office went over budget by 9% last
  
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• EBR Public Defender's office is going broke

  21-03-2016 07:54
  
  BATON ROUGE- There could be no public defenders in Baton Rouge by the summer, an audit released Monday found.The state may not have enough money to keep the public defender's office handling cases in East Baton Rouge Parish open past June 30th.  Already, public defenders said they're entering a crisis mode. Some have suggested letting accused criminals out of jail without a trial in an effort to save money."We've been bare bones for a while now and we're going to be facing a much worse
  
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• March 21, 2016 Morning News Pop

  21-03-2016 06:53
  
  Here are today's top stories:Pre-registration begins for DSNAP food assistance Snakes out and about after flooding2 new eagles born at US National ArboretumCrystal clear and cool Updates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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• BRPD: 1 killed in overnight crash

  21-03-2016 04:49
  
  BATON ROUGE- Multiple emergency crews responded to a deadly wreck overnight in Baton Rouge.
  Authorities say one person was killed when the truck they were riding in smashed into a tree in a vacant lot on North 22nd Street at Spanish Town. It wasn't immediately clear if the victim was driving the car at the time of the crash.
  Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the vehicle to crash into the tree.
  Police haven't released any other information at this time.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Police: inmate escapes hospital, tries to get in woman's car

  21-03-2016 03:28
  
  NEW ORLEANS- Police say a Jefferson Parish inmate being treated for heroin ingestion escaped from a New Orleans hospital and was arrested after trying to get inside a woman's car.
      
  New Orleans police spokesman Tyler Gamble says Jefferson Parish deputies shot at 26-year-old Domonique Battle as they chased him down a stairwell and down the street outside University Hospital. But they didn't hit anyone.
      
  Gamble says that at some point, B
  
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• Mississippi authorities rescue people in 2 boating accidents

  21-03-2016 02:03
  
  Mississippi authorities say they had to rescue four boaters after accidents about a half-hour apart
  
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• Here comes the opposition book: Clinton and allies prepare for Trump

  21-03-2016 00:48
  
  The focus is shifting past her hard-fought primary campaign against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
  
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