Baton Rouge news

• Life-saving heroin overdose medication could become widely available in Louisiana

  27-04-2016 23:48
  
  Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is administered to people who have overdosed on heroin or an opioid narcotic.
  
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• House medical marijuana bill dies, sets up debate for Senate version

  27-04-2016 22:50
  
  State Sen. Fred Mills, R-Parks, is set to present his medical marijuana bill in House committee next week.
  
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• More racist text messages uncovered among San Francisco police officers

  27-04-2016 22:00
  
  The latest texts were uncovered during a department investigation into allegations that an officer off duty had committed a sexual assault.
  
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• Missing boaters found in Galveston Bay

  27-04-2016 21:29
  
  HOUSTON - A Coast Guard crew located and rescued two missing boaters on platforms in Galveston Bay, Wednesday.Michael Watkins and Raymond Jacik disappeared Monday, after leaving for a fishing trip Monday morning. The wife of one of the men, called for help when they didn't come home. The Coast Guard searched all day Tuesday with help from the Chambers' County Sheriff's Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife crews and the Houston Police department dive team."We never gave up on these two gentlemen, and
  
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• Last-minute votes? Not so fast, Louisiana Senate committee says

  27-04-2016 21:02
  
  During the fiscal session, the majority of Louisiana lawmakers had to vote on bills that raised hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes without a chance to review them first.
  
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• Alabama city passes transgender bathroom ordinance with threat of $500 fine, 6 months in jail

  27-04-2016 20:47
  
  Oxford Police Chief Bill Partridge said the law will be enforced like any other city ordinance.
  
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• Firefighters extinguish blaze at apartment complex off Sherwood Forest

  27-04-2016 19:47
  
  BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge firefighters are working to put out hot spots after a fire broke out at an apartment complex off Sherwood Forest Drive.911 dispatchers sent crews to the complex in the 11000 block of Stan Avenue, near Choctaw around 7 p.m. Wednesday.A spokesperson for the fire department tells News 2 flames are under control, and that fire damage was contained to an upstairs unit where the fire is believed to have begun. Some other units received smoke damage.A WBRZ cr
  
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• Movie theater metal detector mandate fails to win support

  27-04-2016 18:50
  
  BATON ROUGE - A Shreveport lawmaker's bid to require movie theaters across Louisiana to install metal detectors has been rejected by the House criminal justice committee.Rep. Barbara Norton, a Democrat, proposed a mandate that every theater-goer be scanned for weapons after a Lafayette movie theater shooting in July that left three people dead and nine wounded.Lawmakers on the House committee voted 6-5 Wednesday to shelve Norton's bill. Rep. Tony Bacala, a Prairieville Republican, made the motio
  
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• Construction in Zachary aimed to ease LA 64 traffic

  27-04-2016 18:28
  
  ZACHARY -  A widening project is tying up the commute for some people passing through Zachary.Louisiana Highway 64 is one of the busiest roads along Zachary, and the Department of Transportation and Development is expanding the road.Murphy Express is located in the middle of the construction. Assistant Manager Tabitha Martin says businesses are still trying to adjust to the construction.  "With the construction, it actually made our electricity go out here, but people
  
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• Metro Council votes to override Mayor Holden's veto for NBR development

  27-04-2016 17:47
  
  BATON ROUGE- The Metro Council voted to override Mayor-President Kip Holden’s veto for a proposal to create an economic development district.The vote was 8-4. Council members Trae Welch, Chauna Banks, Donna Collins-Lewis, Erika Green, Lamont Cole, Tara Wicker, Ryan Heck and John Delgado voted to override the veto.Council members Scott Wilson, Buddy Amoroso and Joe Boe voted in agreement with the mayor’s veto.Mayor Holden talked to WBRZ after the vote."There's an agenda here f
  
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• Man accused of stealing boat from firefighters

  27-04-2016 16:40
  
  MANCHAC - The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office arrested a man they say stole a boat belonging to the Manchac Fire Department.58-year-old Douglas "Chip" Davis of Hammond is charged with felony theft, since the estimated value of the boat was more than $18,000, our news partner Action News 17 reports.The Manchac Fire Department reported the 21-foot Reno Skiff stolen on April 7th. Deputies began investigating and say that led them to develop Davis as a suspect.Investigators say he confessed to st
  
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• Lawsuit filed over April 2015 shooting of teen by deputies

  27-04-2016 16:17
  
  FRENCH SETTLEMENT - An attorney for a teen injured after being shot by sheriff's deputies last year claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Livingston Parish Sheriff's deputies are inadequately trained.The suit filed on behalf of Matthew Peyronnin named Sheriff Jason Ard and three sheriff's deputies in the lawsuit.  In court documents, attorney Franz Borghardt said Peyronnin was also put in a choke hold and handcuffed after being shot and accuse deputies of being negligent.In prev
  
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• Baton Rouge ranked number seven city for first-time home buyers

  27-04-2016 16:13
  
  Baton Rouge was ranked number seven out of ten cities for first-time buyers, according to Realtor.com, the official website of the National Association of Realtors.The city, according to the site’s findings, has a median home price of $217,000 and has the highest share of mortgages (52 percent)  purchased by 25 to 35-year-olds among the markets that were studied.The site filtered the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas based on affordability, inventory, mortgage availability a
  
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• Cruz introduces Fiorina as running mate

  27-04-2016 15:31
  
  INDIANAPOLIS - Ted Cruz is calling her new running mate in the race for the GOP nomination an "extraordinary leader" who has "shattered glass ceilings" in business and politics.Cruz introduced former technology executive Carly Fiorina, his pick for vice president, at a rally in Indianapolis Wednesday.The announcement comes the day after Cruz lost five states to GOP front-runner Donald Trump.The 61-year-old Fiorina previously served as the chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, but has never held el
  
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• Florida school board blocks transgender kids from choosing restroom

  27-04-2016 15:28
  
  OCALA, Fla. - A north Florida school board has approved a measure to limit restrooms to students based on their birth sex, not their gender identity.The Marion County School Board approved the ban - effective Wednesday morning - during a meeting Tuesday. The decision came despite a warning from the American Civil Liberties Union that the ban is unlawful.Board member Carol Ely says transgender students shouldn't get to choose which restroom to use, adding it's "reverse discrimination."The distric
  
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• Body found in Apple conference room

  27-04-2016 15:24
  
  CUPERTINO, Calif. - Authorities responded to Apple's main campus in California for a report of a body in a conference room.KTVU reported that Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies say they were called to the scene shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday.The gender, name, and age of the dead person were not available.The sheriff's office did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press. Apple representatives did not respond to emails for comment.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Request to spend more on pump stations not unusual, officials say

  27-04-2016 15:17
  
  BATON ROUGE - Despite asking city leaders to approve a four-percent increase in cost and nearly a year of additional work, engineers of the city's $1.2 billion sewer upgrade say the project is on budget and on time.Wednesday, the SSO asked the Metro Council to approve spending $859,659 on various items needed to do work on sixteen pump stations around O'Neal Lane. The work requires an extra 309 days. Construction started at the end of 2013 on this specific project.The entire SSO project is expec
  
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• LSU fraternity under investigation after alleged incident

  27-04-2016 14:50
  
  BATON ROUGE- LSU is investigating the campus chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity due to an “alleged incident,” according to university officials.
  “We take behavioral issues or anything that impacts student safety seriously," LSU media relations director, Ernie Ballard said.According to Ballard, the university will follow the university's Policy Statement 52 in handling the incident.“Anytime a student organization violates the values of their organizatio
  
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• Career education making a comeback in US high schools

  27-04-2016 14:47
  
  ANTIOCH, Calif. - Decades after "shop class" became known as a lesser alternative for children deemed unfit for college, vocational education is making a comeback in American high schools.States such as California, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee are looking to rebranded "career pathways" as a way to get more young people to pursue some post-secondary education and the stable, middle-income jobs employers say they can't fill.The pathways in fields such as engine
  
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• Judge sets $1,500 bond in Johnny Manziel assault case

  27-04-2016 14:32
  
  DALLAS - A Dallas judge has set a $1,500 bond for former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel in his misdemeanor domestic assault case.
      
  Manziel's attorney, Robert Hinton, said Wednesday that the 23-year-old quarterback is expected to turn himself in for booking next week, though no date has been set.
      
  The Heisman Trophy winner and former Texas A&M star was indicted by a grand jury this week after his ex-girlfriend alleged
  
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• Dog carcass found in fire pit in New Orleans City Park

  27-04-2016 14:18
  
  NEW ORLEANS - A woman walking her dog in a remote part of New Orleans City Park stumbled upon the remains of a dog that appeared to have been thrown in a fire, according to the Louisiana Humane Society.*WARNING* - Some descriptions of what was found may be disturbing to some readers.*WWL-TV reports that earlier this month, the woman made the discovery of the carcass and the fire pit while on Scout Island in the park. The fire pit was close to a fishing dock that can be seen from nearby Diagonal
  
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• BRPD arrest man for rape, kidnapping and domestic abuse

  27-04-2016 14:16
  
  BATON ROUGE- BRPD arrested 38-year-old Damion Thompson for the kidnapping, rape and beating of a Baton Rouge woman on Tuesday.
  According to BRPD, the incident took place late Monday night when the victim was with two of her friends at her apartment in the 2100 block of 75th Avenue.Thompson showed up to her home around 11:00 p.m. without permission. The victim did not want to let Thompson in her home as they have had previous domestic abuse incidents.Thompson pried the screen door of the home ope
  
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• LSU mock NFL Draft 3.0: Jalen Mills to the Saints in 3rd round

  27-04-2016 13:42
  
  Deion Jones to be first Tiger taken
  
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• Mayor Holden hints that council members got cozy with developer

  27-04-2016 13:30
  
  BATON ROUGE - After the Metro Council voted to override Mayor-President Kip Holden's veto of an economic development district in north Baton Rouge, he hinted that some council members might be getting comfortable with developers.After nearly two hours of discussion Wednesday, eight Metro Council members voted to overrule the mayor, paving the way for the district that will offer benefits for businesses to develop or redevelop property.The mayor turned down the plan last week, saying there's no r
  
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• Prince's estate to be temporarily managed by trust company

  27-04-2016 13:22
  
  MINNEAPOLIS - A trust company has been appointed to temporarily oversee Prince's multimillion-dollar estate.
      
  Bremer Trust was named special administrator of Prince's estate on Wednesday after an informal telephone conference with some of the musician's possible heirs and a judge.
      
  The judge says Bremer Trust now has the authority to manage and supervise Prince's assets and determine his heirs. Bremer will act as special administrator
  
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• Police investigate shooting at Univeristy of Arizona Wednesday

  27-04-2016 13:12
  TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Police are looking for a person of interest after finding shell casings and blood while responding to a report of shots fired at the University of Arizona on Wednesday night.
      
  University of Arizona Police Department officers found the casings near the Thomas W. Keating Bioresearch building.
      
  A police spokesman says a person called in saying they heard three shots fired and then screaming or yelling.
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• Intrusive alligator surprises homeowner in Monroe

  27-04-2016 13:07
  
  STERLINGTON - Workers were in for a big surprise, when they found a huge alligator in a new home, under construction.David Bradford found the reptile in the living room."Never, never in a house, never. I've never seen one that big..and in a matter of fact, in a house at all," said Bradford.He called for professional help, to wrangle the gator, and drag him out of the home."He was hissing at me a little bit. He was pretty upset I was fixin' to take him out of his house," said Jeremy Pruitt, a pro
  
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• Fundraiser for top Arizona Republicans accused of running meth lab

  27-04-2016 12:22
  
  PHOENIX - An Arizona woman who worked for top Republicans in the state and is now a political fundraiser is facing several felony drug charges after sheriff’s office deputies raider the home she lives in with her boyfriend and two children.A sheriff’s spokesman says 35-year-old Emily Pitha was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon after her boyfriend signed for a package that contained more than 250 grams of ecstasy.KNXV-TV in Phoenix reports undercover detectives and postal i
  
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• Once-fugitive property heir's plea deal approved

  27-04-2016 09:57
  
  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge in New Orleans has approved a plea agreement for real estate heir Robert Durst to serve 7 years, 1 month in prison on a weapons charge.Judge Kurt Engelhardt approved the sentence Wednesday. The 72-year-old Durst agreed to the sentence as part of a guilty plea in February.Durst still faces a separate murder charge in California. He is accused of killing a female friend in 2000 to keep her from talking to prosecutors about the disappearance of Durst's first wife in 19
  
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• Durst forfeits $117K sent to him in New Orleans

  27-04-2016 09:57
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Real estate heir Robert Durst was fined $5,000 as part of his sentence on a weapons charge in Louisiana, but his lawyer says that's not all the money involved.Defense attorney Richard DeGuerin (duh-GEHR-in) says Durst will also forfeit $117,000 in cash that he asked a friend to send to New Orleans and arrived after his arrest in New Orleans. The FBI confiscated the money. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McMahon said Durst will also forfeit $44,000 that was in his hotel room when he
  
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• McDonald's plans to introduce new 'clean-label' McNuggets

  27-04-2016 08:54
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. - McDonald’s says they’re testing a new “cleaner-label” version of its long-standing menu favorite, the Chicken McNugget.The revamped nugs, which contain 32 individual ingredients including what is hoped at least be maybe some chicken, are expected to roll out nationwide ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics.So far, the McNuggets have been tested since early March in 140 McDonald’s franchises in southwest Washington state and metro Por
  
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• Lieutenant governor plans statewide tourism promotion tour

  27-04-2016 08:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is launching a statewide tour next week to promote Louisiana's tourism efforts and to celebrate National Tourism Week.
  The Republican lieutenant governor, in office since January, will have multiple stops at visitors' centers, historic sites and other tourist locations around Louisiana from Monday through Friday.
  He'll begin Monday in Port Allen and wrap up the tour Friday in Lake Charles. Other stops include Lafayette, St. Francisville, New Orleans, Houma,
  
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• Industrial hemp pilot program backed by House lawmakers

  27-04-2016 08:18
  
  BATON ROUGE - State Rep. Jack Montoucet wants to study the growing of industrial hemp. But first he had to persuade his colleagues he wasn't creating a path toward legalizing marijuana.
  Montoucet's proposal would allow public colleges or the Department of Agriculture to set up a pilot program to explore whether Louisiana should make growing industrial hemp available to farmers throughout Louisiana.
  If the pilot program is successful, Montoucet says he hopes the plant will become a way for farmer
  
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• I-10 East on Miss. River Bridge sees delays due to stalled big rig

  27-04-2016 08:15
  
  BATON ROUGE - Wednesday morning traffic is off to a not-so-running start as a stalled tractor trailer is causing heavy delays on I-10 East.As the 8 a.m. hour arrived, the right lane of I-10 East on the Mississippi River Bridge was blocked by the truck. Traffic is passing through in two lanes. Congestion has stretched out to LA 415 at Lobdell.LA DOTD will provide updates on the stall and you can check back here for updates as the situation develops.Permalink| Comments
  
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• April 27, 2016 Morning News Pop

  27-04-2016 07:24
  
  Here are today's top stories:LSP: Missing kid from Mamou in dangerOne injured after stabbed at Greyhound on Florida BlvdActress and activist Gabrielle Union spoke to LSU students about sexual assaultMidday showers and storms, a few could be strongUpdates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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• Louisiana House wants to make it easier for ex-convicts to apply for state jobs

  27-04-2016 06:20
  
  The House narrowly voted to support "banning the box" on certain state job applications, thereby eliminating the requirement that people automatically disclose prior felony convictions.
  
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• Verne Lundquist to be replaced by Brad Nessler, website reports

  27-04-2016 02:42
  
  Nessler to call NFL games and later take over for veteran Lundquist.
  
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• What did John Bel Edwards promise on school vouchers?

  27-04-2016 02:38
  
  It's not clear yet what Gov. John Bel Edwards' proposed funding cut to the Louisiana school vouchers means, but a pro-school choice organization is going on the offensive.
  
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• Does John Bel Edwards' vouchers funding reduction mean he's cutting kids from the program?

  27-04-2016 02:38
  
  It's not clear yet what Gov. John Bel Edwards' proposed funding cut to the Louisiana school vouchers means, but a pro-school choice organization is going on the offensive.
  
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• Chance of severe storms in New Orleans, Baton Rouge on Wednesday

  27-04-2016 00:56
  
  There's a chance of showers on Thursday, the first day of New Orleans Jazz Fest's second weekend, but the rest of the weekend will be dry.
  
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