Baton Rouge news

• John Bel Edwards makes personal appeal for equal pay legislation

  31-03-2016 22:36
  
  "This ought to be the easiest thing we do this year," said Edwards, who has included the equal pay bill in his official legislative package.
  
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• Man wanted after human and animal remains found on an altar at his home

  31-03-2016 20:44
  
  SLIDELL – Slidell Police are looking for a man after detectives found animal and human remains on an altar in his home.Slidell Police searched Joshua Roques' home in the 200 block of Woodcrest Drive, Tuesday night. According to investigators, human skulls and bones, animal bones and dried blood were found in a large cast iron bowl surrounded by candles and other ritualistic materials.Detectives believe Roques may have been sacrificing animals and think  the dried blood, was an
  
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• Professor argues Andrew Jackson statue should be removed from Jackson Square

  31-03-2016 19:37
  
  NEW ORLEANS - A Tulane University professor told the New Orleans Governmental Affairs Committee he believes the statue of Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square should be added to the list of monuments up for removal, WWL-TV reports."Well he owned more than 300 slaves in his life," Dr. Richard Marksbury argues. "He signed the Indian Removal Act when he was president of the U.S. That resulted in more than 4,000 deaths of peaceful Native Americans. He confiscated 25 million acres of their land which bec
  
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• California lawmakers OK highest minimum wage

  31-03-2016 17:28
  
  SACRAMENTO - California lawmakers have approved the nation's highest statewide minimum wage of $15 an hour to take effect by 2022.The legislation passed Thursday now goes to Gov. Jerry Brown, who is expected to sign it into law after previously working out the plan with labor unions.Democrats who control both legislative chambers hailed the increase as a boon to more than 2 million of California's poorest workers and an example to the nation as it struggles with a growing gap between ri
  
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• FCC program to help poor get online will start in December

  31-03-2016 17:25
  
  NEW YORK - Low-income Americans are expected to be able to apply for help from the federal government in paying for Internet access in December.The Federal Communications Commissioners voted, 3-2 along party lines, Thursday to expand the $1.5 billion Lifeline program, a $9.25-a-month subsidy, to Internet as well as phone service.It's the latest federal government attempt to close a "digital divide" between those who have access to the Internet and those who don't.FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says th
  
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• Police recommend charge against girl at Trump rally

  31-03-2016 17:23
  
  JANESVILLE, Wis. - Investigators are recommending that a 15-year-old girl who was pepper sprayed at a Donald Trump rally be charged with disorderly conduct for punching a man in an altercation captured on video.Police in Janesville are investigating the altercation outside the rally on Tuesday.The girl told police the man groped her breast. But police said Thursday that they don't have evidence to support that allegation.Another man wearing a red Trump hat pepper sprayed the girl moments after t
  
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• New taxes go in effect on April 1st; that's no joke

  31-03-2016 17:07
  
  BATON ROUGE - Smokers, drinkers, car renters and every shopper around Louisiana will be paying more for their purchases starting today.In addition to tax increases on cigarettes, alcohol and car rentals, a one percent increase in the state sales tax kicks in Friday.According to the Tax Foundation, the sales tax increase will push Louisiana’s average state and local tax to more than 10 percent, the highest in the nation.Also, some items that are usually tax free will temporarily lose th
  
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• Where's your tax refund? Details on why it's taking longer this year

  31-03-2016 17:00
  
  BATON ROUGE - State tax refunds are taking longer than usual for some people since the Louisiana Department of Revenue has purposely slowed the refund process down to fight fraud.Numerous people have complained to WBRZ about the time it has taken to receive refunds. People reported waiting weeks, like Reshida Lewis of Baton Rouge who was still waiting on her refund Thursday afternoon."I haven't heard anything (about where my refund is)," she said. Lewis said she received her federal refund almos
  
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• Lawmakers criticize plan to allow US dollars to be used in dealings with Iran

  31-03-2016 16:43
  
  WASHINGTON - Some critics in Congress say Iran would be getting more than it deserves from last year's nuclear accord, if the administration eases financial restrictions that prohibit U.S. dollars from being used in transactions with that country.No final decision has been made, but officials say it's an idea that's being considered.Several restrictions would apply, but the change could prove significant for Iran's economy, battered by sanctions.Republican and some Democratic lawmakers say the a
  
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• Senate agrees to ban sex offenders from door-to-door sales

  31-03-2016 16:37
  
  BATON ROUGE - Convicted sex offenders in Louisiana would be unable to work in door-to-door sales, if the state House of Representatives agrees to a measure that won unanimous support from the Senate.Already in Louisiana, registered sex offenders can't drive a bus or taxi or work in an industry that requires going into someone's home to provide a service. The bill by Republican Sen. Gerald Long would prohibit registered sex offenders from soliciting door to door for any kind of business.The Senat
  
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• Serious crash in St. Gabriel has police reminding people to slow down

  31-03-2016 15:53
  
  ST. GABRIEL - Five people are recovering Thursday evening after a car crash on Highway 75.A vehicle turned into oncoming traffic and was hit, police said.  Earlier, sources said cars and pedestrians were involved but upon further investigation, only vehicles crashed. Injuries were described as critical.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.#BREAKING major crash on Hwy 75 near Carville. 2 AirMed helicopters on scene. @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/sS1py8Pfzn— BrettBuffingto
  
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• Gov. John Bel Edwards highlights IBM, Century Link, and Southern Lifestyle project in Monroe

  31-03-2016 15:51
  
  MONROE- Governor John Bel Edwards highlighted a ground breaking by IBM, CenturyLink and Southern Lifestyle for a 88-acre technology and mixed-use development site in North Louisiana.The site, Century Village, will be home to IBM’s newly established Client Innovation Center in Monroe.IBM will provide software technology services to clients and partner with CenturyLink on research, development and product innovation initiatives.Southern Lifestyle Development will build a community anchor
  
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• Trial set for well known pastor accused of torching her own house

  31-03-2016 15:49
  
  BATON ROUGE- A well known pastor accused of burning her house down near Zachary will go to trial this summer.Bridget Steib's case has been pending in the 19th Judicial District Court for almost four years. Investigators say Steib and her sister were caught on her home's surveillance cameras setting the house on fire. According to investigators, the insurance policy on the mansion had just increased before the fire.Steib is the pastor of the Ministry of Love Church. Two women pulled up at the hou
  
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• Developers sought for Gov't Street power plant site; construction is a year away

  31-03-2016 15:43
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Redevelopment Authority has started soliciting plans from developers about what to do with a Mid City eyesore: the old electricity facility on Government Street.“The redevelopment of this property has the potential to serve as a gateway linking to downtown, which is experiencing a renaissance of new investment, and Mid City, which is emerging as an economically vital commercial district focused on Government Street,” John Fregonese of Fregonese Associates, t
  
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• Road closures near OLOL start Friday afternoon

  31-03-2016 15:31
  
  BATON ROUGE – Traffic officials say two roads near Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center will close for construction Friday afternoon.According to the DOTD, the westbound lane on Summa Ave. from Mancuso Lane to Essen Lane will be closed at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The southbound lane of Dijon Dr. from Hennessey Blvd. to Picardy Ave. will also be closed.Officials say the lanes won’t reopen until 6:30 a.m. Monday.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Lawmakers reject domestic violence discrimination bill

  31-03-2016 14:54
  
  BATON ROUGE - A state House committee has stalled a bill that would prevent employers from firing domestic violence victims for missing work.The House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee deadlocked in a 6-6 vote Thursday, keeping the measure stalled in committee and unable to get a full House vote.Opponents say protections for victims of domestic abuse already exist and the bill oversteps in dictating business policy.Rep. Marcus Hunter, a Monroe Democrat, says he's trying to protect victims
  
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• Part of Scenic Hwy. closed until 5 p.m Thursday

  31-03-2016 14:49
  
  BATON ROUGE – Part of Scenic Highway in East Baton Rouge Parish will be closed until 5 p.m. Thursday for railroad track repairs.Officials say construction is happening near the railroad tracks parallel with Choctaw Drive. Drivers should detour to Plank and Chippewa Streets to avoid the road closure.DOTD said drivers should also use caution and be on the lookout for work crews and equipment around the construction site.Permalink| Comments
  
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• DOTD: Scenic Hwy to be closed Thursday and Friday

  31-03-2016 14:21
  
  BATON ROUGE - DOTD announced that US 61 (Scenic Hwy) will be closed at the railroad track from Thursday, Mar. 31 to Friday, Apr. 1.The Highway will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to allow for track repairs on the railroad.DOTD advises the following detours:Northbound traffic should detour at LA 67 (Plank Rd.) Eastbound to Chippewa St. westbound back to Scenic Hwy.Southbound traffic should detour to Chippewa St. Eastbound to LA 67(Plank Rd.) Southbound to back to Scenic Hwy.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Sheriff pleads not guilty to ordering inmates' beatings

  31-03-2016 14:13
  
  LAFAYETTE - A Louisiana sheriff has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he ordered inmates to be beaten in retaliation for a lewd comment and complaints about jail conditions.Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson says Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal entered the plea during his arraignment Thursday on charges of conspiracy and deprivation of rights under color of law.A March 9 indictment claims Ackal directed officers to assault inmates in the parish jail's chapel, where no surveil
  
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• Study: Amateur football hits linked to later-life difficulty

  31-03-2016 14:07
  
  BOSTON - A preliminary study by Boston University researchers shows a link between the number of hits a player takes in youth, high school and college football and the development of cognitive difficulties as an adult.The authors warn that more research is needed before parents or policy-makers draw conclusions about the safety of amateur football.The study was published Thursday in the Journal of Neurotrauma.Dr. Robert Stern of the BU School of Medicine says the study is the first of its kind t
  
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• Probe ongoing into pepper spray incident at Trump rally

  31-03-2016 13:34
  
  JANESVILLE, Wis. - Police say they're still looking for the man suspected of pepper spraying a 15-year-old girl during an altercation at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Wisconsin.Janesville police said early Thursday that investigators had located the suspect, but police Lt. Keith Lawver later said that wasn't the case. Lawver says police are still seeking the man.Lawver says investigators have talked to the man accused of groping the girl who was pepper-sprayed at
  
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• Medicare opens new push on hip, knee replacement

  31-03-2016 13:34
  
  WASHINGTON - Medicare is launching an ambitious experiment changing how it pays for hip and knee replacements, to raise quality and lower costs.
      
  The idea is to follow patients more closely to smooth their recovery and head off unwanted and costly complications.
      
  Hip and knee replacements are the most common inpatient surgery for beneficiaries. Medicare will be using financial rewards and penalties to foster coordination among hospita
  
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• Army of volunteers helps restore historic Civil War cemetery

  31-03-2016 13:27
  
  CHALMETTE - College students on spring break have joined hundreds of other volunteers at a cemetery dating to the Civil War, realigning hundreds of tilted headstones and scrubbing grime from thousands more.The cemetery holds the graves of thousands of Union soldiers, and others from later eras.The volunteers have restored thousands of the roughly 8,000 headstones and other markers at the Chalmette National Cemetery beside the Mississippi River near New Orleans. More than 260 headstones have been
  
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• Severe weather, heavy rains expected Thursday, Friday

  31-03-2016 13:04
  
  Tornado watch in effect for North Shore, Baton Rouge till 9 a.m. Thursday. Flash flood watches will be in effect for area through Friday night.
  
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• Katt Williams faces court appearance after fight with teen

  31-03-2016 12:18
  
  GAINESVILLE - A lawyer for Katt Williams says the comedian has been granted bond.Williams was jailed in Georgia following his arrest Wednesday. Police say the 44-year-old Williams and 17-year-old Luke Wash are charged with disorderly conduct after fighting at a Gainesville apartment complex. Wash is charged as an adult.Attorney Drew Findling says Williams was granted $500 bond and was expected to be released Thursday.Yvette Shearer, who is handling publicity for Williams' "Conspiracy Theory 2016
  
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• Man and woman wanted for robbery on Tracy Avenue

  31-03-2016 12:17
  
  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Detectives are looking for a man and woman involved in a robbery that occurred in the 9000 block of Tracy Avenue.According to detectives, the incident occurred on Mar. 20 when a victim was beaten and robbed of his belongings by an unknown black male.Detectives were able to locate two suspects' descriptions wanted for questioning using surveillance video from a nearby business.One suspect is a black male with a thin build about 6‘0 - 6&
  
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• 5 players accuse US soccer federation of wage discrimination

  31-03-2016 12:05
  
  WASHINGTON - Five players from the World Cup-winning U.S. national team have accused the U.S. Soccer Federation of wage discrimination in an action filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
      
  Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Hope Solo maintain in the EEOC filing they were payed nearly four times less than their male counterparts on the U.S. men's national team. The filing was announced in a press release on Thursday.
  &n
  
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• Car crash near Baton Rouge General Medical Center Thursday morning

  31-03-2016 09:34
  
  BATON ROUGE - Authorities are responding to a severe car crash Thursday morning near the Baton Rouge General Medical Center.
  The accident happened on Summa Court between Picardy Avenue.According to authorities, it appears that it is a head-on collision involving a van and truck and three people have been injured.Traffic homicide was investigating the crash however there were no fatalities.The van invloved in the crash belongs to Community Medical Transportation, LLC, the same company that hit a
  
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• Storms leave trees down and power outages

  31-03-2016 07:40
  
  BATON ROUGE- The wild weather that moved through the state early Thursday morning has caused some lingering problems in St. Helena Parish.
  Trees were reported down south of Greensburg between LA 441 and LA 10 and between Kentwood and Amite due to the storm.According to the Entergy power company, hundreds of people lost power shortly after 6 a.m. The energy company posted a message on its website, saying it was aware of the outages and was working to correct them.   The company
  
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• Heavy rain possible tonight and Friday

  31-03-2016 07:01
  
  The forecast has been tricky over the last two days. While rain coverage was less then expected, the threat for severe weather was certainly validated. The storm that did fire up was a strong one in Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana Parish into Wilkinson County. Golf ball sized hail was observed near the falls of Clark Creek Natural Area. CLICK HERE for video of that hail.A *FLASH FLOOD WATCH* is in effect from Thursday Evening to Friday Evening for the entire WBRZ Weather Forecast area except St
  
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• March 31, 2016 Morning News Pop

  31-03-2016 06:40
  
  Here are today's top stories:La. sales, cigarette and alcohol tax hikes kick in FridayDSNAP applications begin in AscensionHome burglary reports spike in Southdowns neighborhoodHeavy rain possible tonight and FridayUpdates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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• Tornado watch in effect until 9 am

  31-03-2016 05:55
  
  BATON ROUGE- The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for most of the WBRZ viewing area until 9 a.m. Thursday.
  According to the NWS, the watch is in effect for the following parishes:East Baton Rouge
  East FelicianaLivingston
  Pointe CoupeeSt. HelenaSt. Tammany
  Tangipahoa
  Washington
  West Baton Rouge
  West Feliciana
  Earlier this week, WBRZ's weather experts talked about the possibility of severe weather this week. Rainy conditions are expected to stay in the area until at least the en
  
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• Police release footage of 2 fatal officer-involved shootings

  31-03-2016 04:55
  
  NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Police Department has released body camera footage showing officers killing two suspects in separate incidents last year.Officials released videos Wednesday depicting the shooting deaths of 37-year-old Omarr Jackson and 22-year-old Jared Johnson.The officers involved in both incidents have been cleared to return to active duty. The District Attorney's Office has said it will not pursue charges in either case.Jackson was shot by an officer in January 2015 after polic
  
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• Probe launched after rapper releases song from Angola

  31-03-2016 03:26
  
  ANGOLA- Authorities in Louisiana believe rapper C-Murder recorded and released a rap song while in prison.The rapper, who real name is Corey Miller, released a video for a new single, "Dear Supreme Court," last week.
      
  The rapper is serving a life sentence at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola for killing a 16-year-old in a nightclub in 2002.
      
  State Department of Corrections spokeswoman Pam Laborde said Tuesday that officials began
  
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• Louisiana Senate votes to limit last-minute pay raises from governors

  31-03-2016 02:00
  
  During Jindal's last days in office, at least $8 million in state government worker pay raises were granted by his Cabinet members and some other statewide elected officials.
  
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• Watch a Louisiana senator advocate for teaching creationism

  31-03-2016 00:10
  
  Watch video of state Senator John Milkovich, D-Shreveport, claim archeologists and scientists have verified the biblical version of creation of the earth.
  
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