Baton Rouge news

• Flash flood watch canceled for southeastern Louisiana

  02-05-2016 22:38
  
  Temperature inversions have helped cap thunderstorm formation, reducing rain chances, forecasters say.
  
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• Teachers unions helped get John Bel Edwards elected. What have they gotten in return?

  02-05-2016 22:24
  
  The governor hasn't been able to get much of his agenda through the Republican-dominated Legislature during his first few months in office. And nowhere is this more apparent than with K-12 education issues.
  
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• Teen who died after being ejected from carnival ride is identified

  02-05-2016 21:34
  
  EL PASO, TX - A teenage girl who was killed when she was ejected from a whirling ride at an El Paso church carnival has been identified by police.El Paso police on Monday identified the 16-year-old girl as Samantha Aguilar. Police say Aguilar and two 17-year-old girls were at a parking lot carnival at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church when they were hurled from a ride called "Sizzler" Friday evening.Aguilar died later at Del Sol Medical Center. One of the 17-year-olds was taken to a hospital wi
  
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• Tornado victims counting on FEMA assistance; it's not coming

  02-05-2016 21:29
  
  ASSUMPTION PARISH - Two months after a tornado turned lives upside down, Assumption Parish residents have been told the damage wasn't bad enough for them to receive assistance from the federal government.Construction crews are in the process of rebuilding homes, while others have been leveled."We lost everything," Terrance Williams told News 2's Brett Buffington. "Furniture, house, everything."Williams is still weeks from returning from the home he built 15 years ago. It's being reconstructed wh
  
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• Driver arrested for hitting school crossing guard

  02-05-2016 20:51
  
  SLIDELL - A school crossing guard was hurt after she was intentionally hit by a vehicle.Slidell Police say it happened Monday about 8:15 a.m. near Abney Elementary School.Witnesses say a man, later identified as 33-year-old Francis Gras, disobeyed the guard's instructions and began to argue with her. During the argument, the guard told Gras that she was going to call police. Witnesses say Gras backed-up, squealed the tires, then drove forward intentionally hitting the guard.The guard was knocked
  
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• Still chance of severe weather for New Orleans, Slidell on Monday

  02-05-2016 19:27
  
  The New Orleans area and the rest of southeastern Louisiana remain under a flash flood watch until 7 p.m. Monday.
  
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• First responders describe crash where teen was trapped for hours

  02-05-2016 18:51
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS -  After a long rescue, one driver is alive despite what could have been a deadly crash.Most say a picture is worth a thousand words, and often times many would agree especially when you come across a photo captivating first responders trying to save a teenage girl trapped in an overturned vehicle.
  An emotional moment, first responder Drew King described to us over the phone.
  "We had never seen anything like that before that was very unique," said Acadian paramedic Drew K
  
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• See what NFL scout says about 6 Saints undrafted free agents

  02-05-2016 17:44
  
  Also a look at UDAs around the NFL.
  
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• Livingston Parish Superintendent to retire in July

  02-05-2016 17:24
  
  LIVINGSTON- Livingston Parish Superintendent, John Watson, is retiring after 33 years in the school system, according to school officials.Watson has been superintendent for the parish for 3 years and 8 months.Watson’s contract was set to end at the end of December, but he decided the transition out of the position would be better over the summer.Watson has served as principal to two schools, vice principal to two schools and assistant superintendent along with many other positions with
  
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• What they're saying about LSU's 2016 NFL Draft picks

  02-05-2016 17:08
  
  Five former Tigers go in the draft.
  
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• Lawmaker shelves bill to give police access to locked phones

  02-05-2016 15:37
  
  BATON ROUGE- A proposal to allow criminal investigators with a court order to unlock homicide victims' cellphones has gotten stuck in a House committee, after lawmakers split on the idea.
      
  Rep. Ted James, a Baton Rouge Democrat, expects to bring his bill back before the Commerce Committee, saying it has more support than Monday's 6-6 vote suggested.
      
  Passcode-locked smartphones sold in Louisiana would need to have "back door" access u
  
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• Fired LSU band director files lawsuit against university

  02-05-2016 15:19
  
  BATON ROUGE - Former LSU band director, Roy King, has filed a lawsuit against the university after he was fired from his position earlier this month, according to his attorney.King’s attorney has said the school was on a “witch-hunt conducted by jealous colleagues” after the band director was placed on administrative leave on Apr. 6 while an internal investigation was carried out. King was fired from his position on Apr. 19 and an interim director was put into place
  
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• EBRSO K-9 Division wins big at Canine Trials

  02-05-2016 15:16
  
  BATON ROUGE- The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office K-9 Division attended the United States Canine Association (USPCA) Region 10 field trails hosted by BRPD/EBRSO and placed for multiple awards.The trials were for patrol canines and narcotics detection canine teams.Captain James Broussard’s K-9 “INDO” won first place in the trials for obedience, criminal apprehension, scent work, patrol K-9. INDO also placed third in agility.Cpl. Diana Wales’ K-9
  
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• BR to receive $11.4 million in grants to fight homelessness

  02-05-2016 14:41
  
  BATON ROUGE - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a total of more than $16 million to 36 homeless housing and service programs across the state.$11.4 million of the funding will go to projects in the Baton Rouge area, according to HUD with the largest portion of the money going to the Louisiana Housing Corporation/Louisiana State Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative.“As we make real progress toward ending homelessness in this country, HUD is challenging
  
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• Man sued over life insurance payout after murder-suicide

  02-05-2016 14:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - A lawsuit claims a Baton Rouge man improperly collected a $500,000 payout from his business partner's life insurance policy after the partner gunned down his estranged wife and shot and killed himself in Connecticut last year.The federal lawsuit, filed Friday, says Billy Wayne Newman illegally replaced his wife, Lauren Beebe, as the policy's beneficiary with his business partner, Todd Hines, less than two weeks before Newman killed her and himself.The suit says Hines filed a claim
  
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• Police respond to woman being chased by man with knife in North Gates area

  02-05-2016 14:32
  
  BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge Police surrounded an off-campus pharmacy Monday afternoon after reports a woman was being chased by a man with a knife.Police cars filled the parking lot of the CVS near the North Gates of LSU. Preliminary information was released, but officers said they were still investigating the complaint.As of now, the altercation has not been connected to a knife-wielding man who robbed the CVS location a few miles away Sunday. Around 6:30 Sunday evening, a man with a knife went t
  
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• Minimum wage increase stalled as negotiations continue

  02-05-2016 14:28
  
  BATON ROUGE - Gov. John Bel Edwards' push to boost Louisiana's minimum wage remains stalled in the Senate as the Democratic governor continues negotiating with lawmakers, trying to win support for the bill.The proposal to raise the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour, sponsored by New Orleans Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, was scheduled for a Monday hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. But the hearing was scrapped.Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo says the governor's office asked for a delay. He says t
  
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• BRPD offering concealed handgun permit class

  02-05-2016 14:24
  
  BATON ROUGE- The Baton Rouge Police Department is offering a concealed handgun permit class this month.It will be held at the Joint Law Enforcement Center at 999 W. Irene Road in Zachary and taught by Baton Rouge Police firearm instructors. There is a $100 charge to attend the class which is open to anyone 21 or older.Participants will have to provide their own handgun and ammunition for the class.The class will be held on May 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
   Class size is limited to 30 people
  
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• Tuesday morning commute will feature new traffic information

  02-05-2016 14:18
  
  PORT ALLEN - Tuesday morning, a new traffic sign listing drive times will be turned on.The sign, on La. 1 south of I-10, will be turned on and start showing data at 6 a.m. The sign will provide travel times from the sign’s location to the I-110, US 61 and US 190 interchange in Baton Rouge. The purpose is to help inform travelers who are going to the northern parts of Baton Rouge when using the US 190 bridge is a better option than the I-10 bridge, the state said. While the I-10 bridge
  
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• Man accused of murder after giving victims synthetic marijuana

  02-05-2016 13:47
  
  BATON ROUGE - EBR Sheriff’s deputies say they arrested a man and booked him on a murder charge after he was accused of giving synthetic marijuana to two victims who overdosed.20-year-old OJ Bonds was booked into the parish prison on charges of second-degree murder and possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs.Deputies said they responded to the scene of a possible overdose at a motel in the 10400 block of Rieger Road in back in August 2015. A pair of victims were transporte
  
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• Delta Air Lines to use new tracking system for luggage

  02-05-2016 13:46
  
  Delta Air Lines will soon roll out a new method of checking and tracking luggage.
  The airline announced last week that it will use radio frequency identification (RFID) to track luggage.The way RFID will work is that tiny radio waves will be able to send its location to luggage handlers to help track bags and prevent them from getting lost or misdirected.When passenger’s get their bags checked for flights, an RFID tag will be placed on it instead of the digital bar code tag passengers
  
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• Sheriff addresses jail employees' firing, resignations

  02-05-2016 13:30
  
  POINTE COUPEE - Two employees were fired and three resigned from the Pointe Coupee Parish detention center, according to the Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office.An investigation that started Apr. 26 led up to the terminations and resignations. The case is currently in the hands of the District Attorney.The warden said one employee,  27-year-old Darnell Van Buren, was arrested for malfeasance in office after a tip was received that revealed he was in sexua
  
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• FEMA doesn't think bayou devastation enough for federal disaster

  02-05-2016 13:24
  
  BATON ROUGE - The federal government denied the state's appeal for federal disaster assistance in areas recovering from tornadoes that tore apart bayou communities in February.FEMA said there was not enough wide-spread damage to force a disaster area, which makes federal assistance available for individual, business and government recovery. Among the areas requested to declared a disaster area was Assumption Parish where an EF3 destroyed homes and businesses. There are only two levels of more po
  
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• Fire department responds to utility fire; power restored after outage

  02-05-2016 13:15
  
  MORGAN CITY - A fire at a electricity substation knocked out power to some customers Monday morning.The fire sparked when a transformer blew at the Onstead Street substation, the city posted on its Facebook page. The fire department extinguished the fire and utility crews were assessing the damage Monday afternoon.Smoke billowed into the sky around Onstead Street, north of the US 90 bridge along the Atchafalaya River.Power was restored to customers as of this post, the city said.In June 2012, ma
  
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• Judges accused of wrongdoing face discipline at Supreme Court

  02-05-2016 13:08
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two judges from the west side of the river face serious sanctions because of their behavior. Judges Robin Free and James Best will appear before the Supreme Court Tuesday.Judge Robin Free made a mad dash away from our cameras there a year and a half ago. It happened after his attorney plead his case before the Supreme Court Justices. Then, he was suspended for a month for taking a free trip from a lawyer that won a big settlement in his courtroom.Now he's facing a year off the benc
  
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• Olympic flame set to arrive in Brazil for torch relay

  02-05-2016 13:04
  
  RIO DE JANEIRO - The Olympic flame is set to arrive in Brazil, kicking off a three-month torch relay around the country that will end at the Maracana stadium when the games open on Aug. 5.
      
  Carlos Nuzman, the head of the Rio organizing committee, will step off a plane from Geneva on Tuesday morning carrying the flame in a lantern.
      
  President Dilma Rousseff is to receive the lantern at the Planalto presidential palace, igniting the tor
  
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• Sand bags available at St. George fire station

  02-05-2016 12:45
  
  BATON ROUGE- Sand and bags are available to residents at the St. George Fire Department  Headquarters due to the severe weather from this weekend.The St. George Fired Department Headquarters is at 14100 Airline Highway.The sand and bags are free.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Louisiana's high school graduation rate continues to improve

  02-05-2016 12:39
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana four-year high school graduation rate continues its upward trend, reaching 77.5 percent in 2015. The state education department says that's an all-time high and the fifth year the rate has improved.The education department says black students remain below the average, but their improvement outpaced the state as a whole. The graduation rate for African-American students was 71.4 percent in 2015, up from 67.9 percent the year before and a growth of 12.5 percentage points si
  
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• EBRSO: Tree cuts through home after Sunday storms

  02-05-2016 12:15
  
  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office deputies reported a tree fell on a house in the 8000 block of Greenwell Springs after Sunday’s bout of stormy weather.DEMCO and firefighters were also on the scene. Deputies said the tree fell following the heavy rain, damaging two vehicles and the home at around 2:30 p.m.According to investigators, none of the nine people who live in the residence were injured.The American Red Cross will provide resident assistance in connectio
  
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• No-selfie zone: Not OK in voting booth, West Virginia says

  02-05-2016 12:01
  
  CHARLESTON, W.Va.  - If you want to share your voting experience on social media, you'll have to find some way other than taking a photo in the voting booth. West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant says it's forbidden.Tennant said in a news release Friday that it's illegal to photograph any part of the voting process, and no electronic devices or cellphones are allowed in the voting booth.She says signs are posted in every West Virginia precinct, and poll workers have been i
  
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• FDA effort aims to curb smoking in LGBT community

  02-05-2016 09:56
  
  WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration's latest anti-smoking campaign takes aim at young adults in the LGBT community, who officials say are nearly twice as likely to use tobacco as their peers.The $35.7-million effort targets the estimated 40 percent of the 2 million LGBT young adults in the U.S. who occasionally smoke. Dubbed the "This Free Life" campaign, the FDA will begin running print, digital and outdoor advertising in 12 markets this week.FDA officials attribute the higher smoking
  
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• Louisiana expected to tweak rules on training new teachers

  02-05-2016 08:05
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana education officials are considering changing teacher licensing requirements, two years after the state implemented an experimental program aimed at shoring up new teachers' classroom skills.
  The program, dubbed Believe and Prepare, was launched in 2014 with five school districts, two charter school organizations and five "preparation providers," which may be universities or alternative certification programs.
  On Monday, 41 districts, 17 charter school organizatio
  
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• May 2, 2016 Morning News Pop

  02-05-2016 06:34
  
  Here are today's top stories:Juvenile trapped in car after crash in Livingston ParishLivingston resident clean up after weather LA 1 to get new signs telling traffic info.More rain and boomers begin new weekUpdates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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