Baton Rouge news

• Watch Karen Carter Peterson's speech on faith, hypocrisy on Senate floor

  25-05-2016 22:43
  
  The New Orleans Democrat was responding to an email she received from a Shreveport pastor who questioned her faith after she helped kill the "Pastor Protection" bill.
  
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• Watch Louisiana's prisons chief complain about death row air conditioning

  25-05-2016 22:32
  
  "When you start air conditioning our prisons, it could be a real problem." -- Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc
  
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• Louisiana Death Row costs

  25-05-2016 21:09
  
  The Department of Corrections talks about the burdens of air conditioning death row during a budget hearing about the large costs of running prisons.
  
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• John Bel Edwards' LGBT protections can't be enforced: Attorney general

  25-05-2016 21:05
  
  Attorney General Jeff Landry can't declare Edwards' LGBT executive order null and void simply by releasing a legal opinion. But it could be used as the basis of a lawsuit.
  
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• Blogger kicked out of Metro Council during NBR healthcare discussion

  25-05-2016 18:51
  
  BATON ROUGE - A popular community blogger was escorted out of the Metro Council meeting Wednesday afternoon during a heated debate over a plan to bring emergency health services back to North Baton Rouge.Watch the exchange between Metro Councilman Chandler Loupe and Gary Chambers here:#WATCH: Community blogger escorted out of Metro Council Wednesday @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/QtwpMajhaZ— Hunter Robinson (@hunterWBRZ) May 26, 2016
  After Chambers said "Y'all the most disrespectful bu
  
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• House panel rejects bill eyed to force vote on minimum wage

  25-05-2016 18:45
  
  The bill could have been changed on the floor of the House to raise the minimum wage.
  
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• Senate sends 'ban the box' bill to governor, who supports it

  25-05-2016 17:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - State agencies would be prohibited from asking job applicants about their criminal histories before interviewing them for a position, under a bill that has received final legislative passage.A 30-6 Senate vote Wednesday sent the "ban the box" bill to Gov. John Bel Edwards, who supports it and is expected to sign it into law.Supporters describe the measure, which received bipartisan support, as trying to help former inmates get jobs, to reduce recidivism and lessen prison costs. And
  
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• LSU and LCTCS to sign transfer agreement

  25-05-2016 16:34
  
  BATON ROUGE- A signing ceremony will be held to announce an LSU and Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) transfer agreement and Honors Promise Scholarship between the two colleges.LCTCS and LSU are aiming to provide more opportunities to Louisiana residents and transfer students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree after completing an associate’s degree at an LCTCS college.The two entities seek to remove economic obstacles that prevent students who are a
  
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• Neighbors concerned after teacher is arrested on sex charges

  25-05-2016 16:06
  
  PRAIRIEVILLE - Neighbors of a teacher who was arrested on accusations he had an inappropriate relationship with a student say Louis Aguillard kept to himself.Gonzales Police arrested the 34-year-old occupational health teacher and assistant athletic trainer at East Ascension High School, Wednesday afternoon. He has been fired from that position.Police say the arrest comes after a week-long investigation that began following allegations that Aguillard had inappropriate sexual contact with a 17-ye
  
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• Vehicle upside down after hitting I-12 mowing operation, city reports

  25-05-2016 15:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - Public works crews are investigating the possibility a person driving westbound on I-12 Wednesday somehow crashed into a mowing crew working on the side of the interstate.The impact flipped the private vehicle, which was seen upside down on state traffic cameras just before the Millerville Exit after lunchtime. There did not appear to be any life threatening injuries but a large emergency presence was seen on scene. A Baton Rouge public works manager was headed to the scene. More i
  
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• Former BR councilwoman and philanthropist, Mary Frey Eaton, dies at 91

  25-05-2016 14:52
  
  BATON ROUGE – Former East Baton Rouge Metro Council member Mary Frey Eaton died Tuesday in Baton Rouge.Eaton was an admired community servant and volunteer. She served on the Metro Council, where she rose to the ranks of Pro-Tem.Colleagues described Easton as “the grande dame of Baton Rouge” who worked to improve the city.But she was most known for her philanthropy and charity work. Eaton was honored with the prestigious Golden Deeds Award, the Volunteer Activists A
  
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• Acadian Ambulance members help deliver baby on side of road

  25-05-2016 14:40
  
  LOCKPORT- A pair of Acadian Ambulance paramedics shared an emotional moment after assisting a mother who delivered a baby on the side of the road in Lockport, LA.Paramedic Filed Supervisor Stephanie Blanchard and her partner, EMT Ashlind Chouest, were dispatched on Sunday, May 22 to a patient that was ready to deliver a baby on the side of the road.After arriving on the scene, Blanchard and Chouest found mother, Jamie Pitre. Pitre and the medics welcomed a baby girl.“It was a surreal m
  
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• TOPS 'Peformance,' 'Honors' GPA requirements likely going up

  25-05-2016 14:31
  
  The bill doesn't raise the requirements for the basic TOPS award, but it does increase the GPA standards for the more exclusive TOPS awards that include additional stipends.
  
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• Manhunt underway in Livingston after possible burglary

  25-05-2016 14:15
  
  KILLIAN - Deputies in Livingston Parish are conducting a manhunt for two men after a possible burglary near Killian Wednesday afternoon.The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies are investigating a possible burglary near East Bates Road.Deputies told WBRZ News 2’s Brett Buffington that the manhunt includes both helicopter and K-9 units.This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WBRZ News 2 online and on Facebook and Twitter for updates as more inf
  
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• AG: Edwards' anti-discrimination order not binding legally

  25-05-2016 14:05
  
  BATON ROUGE - Attorney General Jeff Landry's office says provisions in an LGBT rights anti-discrimination order issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards have "no binding legal effect."In April, the Democratic governor banned discrimination in state government based on sexual orientation and gender identity. State contracts also were to be required to comply, except contractors that are religious organizations.The opinion, requested by a group of Republican lawmakers, was posted to the GOP attorney genera
  
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• New Orleans mayor to travel to Cuba for mayors' conference

  25-05-2016 14:01
  
  NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is traveling next week to Cuba as part of a delegation of mayors from around the country.The trip was announced Wednesday in a news release from the mayor's office. It will take place May 25 through May 29.The trip is the first by a delegation of the U.S. Conference of Mayors since 1978.It comes as the U.S. is opening up diplomatic relations with the Caribbean island nation after decades of isolation.Louisiana's lawmakers are pushing trade
  
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• Louisiana lawmakers encourage trade relations with Cuba

  25-05-2016 14:01
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's lawmakers are pushing trade talks with Cuba, now that President Barack Obama has moved to normalize relations with the island nation.The House and Senate have passed a legislative resolution urging the state economic development department to "develop and improve" trade relations with Cuba, within the limits of state and federal law.The request, given final legislative passage this week, also asks the department to study possible business opportunities with the country
  
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• Louisiana, 10 other states sue over federal transgender directive

  25-05-2016 13:50
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana and 10 other states are suing the Obama administration over a new directive about transgender students in public schools.The lawsuit announced Wednesday also includes Oklahoma, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Georgia. The challenge follows a federal directive to U.S. schools this month to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.Conservative states had vowe
  
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• Bill aimed at identifying sex offenders online gets final OK

  25-05-2016 13:49
  
  BATON ROUGE - A proposal described as helping parents keep their children away from sex offenders when they play video games or participate in other online activities has received final passage.The bill by Republican Rep. Cameron Henry, of Metairie, would let the public have access to email addresses and online screen names of registered sex offenders.It calls for "limited disclosure" to someone who requests the information to identify or monitor registered sex offenders.The Louisiana State Poli
  
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• Bid for REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses passes House

  25-05-2016 13:38
  
  BATON ROUGE - House lawmakers have unanimously agreed to allow Louisiana to issue driver's licenses that comply with federal identification law.The House voted 97-0 Wednesday to support the Senate-backed proposal to create REAL ID-compliant licenses. It now awaits final Senate approval.State residents would need to carry only one card by choosing between a compliant or noncompliant license, under the measure. The option to opt out, and choose a noncompliant license, quelled opponents' previous d
  
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• Lawmaker shelves Declaration of Independence in schools bill

  25-05-2016 13:36
  
  BATON ROUGE - A Denham Springs lawmaker shelved her bill requiring Louisiana public school students to recite the Declaration of Independence daily, under pressure from her African-American colleagues.Republican Rep. Valarie Hodges pulled her bill from House debate Wednesday before lawmakers could vote on the proposal. The measure would have required public school students in fourth through sixth grade to recite a passage from the document.Opposing lawmakers questioned whether the requirement wo
  
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• Police: 1 dead, 3 wounded in shooting at NYC concert venue

  25-05-2016 13:33
  
  NEW YORK CITY - Police say one person has been killed and three others wounded in a shooting inside a concert venue in New York City, where hip-hop artist T.I. was scheduled to perform.It happened around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday at Irving Plaza, near Manhattan's Union Square.Police say a 34-year-old man was shot in the chest and a 33-year-old man was shot in the stomach. One of the men has died, police didn't say which one. A 26-year-old woman was shot in the leg. Police said a fourth person walked
  
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• Former property manager accused of charging $2K to company credit card

  25-05-2016 13:29
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police have arrested a woman accused of running up thousands of dollars on a credit card that belonged to her former employer.31-year-old Danielle Matherne, of Walker, was booked on charges of theft and unauthorized use of an access card after she was taken into BRPD custody.Managers at the Northgate apartment complex contacted investigators to report that Matherne, a former employee, had charged her company credit card multiple times without their permission.According to apartment
  
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• Decision on fired police chief's appeal delayed until next week

  25-05-2016 13:27
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - Following more than 4 hours of testimony Wednesday night, an appeals hearing for the Denham Springs Police chief who was fired in April ended without a decision.It was the second consecutive night the hearing continued for more than four hours. At the conclusion, a motion was made to recess until Tuesday, May 31st at 6 p.m.Scott Jones and Captain Steve Kistler were fired in April at a special council meeting. The pair were accused of mishandling a domestic violence case involvin
  
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• State budget concerns cause change of location for LSU nutrition building

  25-05-2016 13:18
  
  BATON ROUGE - A new athletic nutrition center planned for LSU's campus won't be built where it was planned because of the state's uncertain budget situation.The $12 million facility was supposed to be built on Skip Bertman Drive, near the old Box. Instead it will be built inside Tiger Stadium.Funding for the project has already been secured through donations. In March 2015, the University announced it was delaying construction on the facility because looming budget cuts made it not the right tim
  
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• 6-month-old skis across lake; parents say it's a record

  25-05-2016 13:15
  
  ORLANDO, Fla. - A 6-month-old girl whose professional water-skier parents put her on junior-size water skis last week glided 686 feet across a man-made lake in what her parents say sets a youth record.Keith St. Onge said in an interview Wednesday that his daughter Zyla could have kept going if the boat hadn't reached the end of the lake.The 30-inch Zyla, who doesn't yet walk, skied across Lake Silver in Winter Haven, Florida, last Thursday.She stood on junior-size water skis that were attached t
  
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• USDA to offer free meals for all EBR children this summer

  25-05-2016 12:58
  
  BATON ROUGE - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program will offer free meals this summer to East Baton Rouge Parish children regardless of income.The Mayor’s Office says the program is sponsored by school districts and other community organizations for activities for children and youth including summer schools, camps and vacation Bible schools. However, children don’t need to be a part of a summer school or camp to receive free meals.&ldq
  
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• BRPD searching for suspect in Highland gas station armed robbery

  25-05-2016 12:56
  
  BATON ROUGE- Baton Rouge Police Detectives are attempting to identify a man accused of robbing a gas station on Highland Road.The incident happened at the Chevron Station in the 2900 block of Highland Road Tuesday night around 10: 15 p.m.According to BRPD, the suspect walked into the store armed with a handgun and demanded money from the clerk. The suspect obtained an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing the scene on foot.There were no reported injuries.According to BRPD, the suspect is id
  
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• Council approval paves way for new hotel in Downtown BR

  25-05-2016 12:36
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Metro Council approved a tiff Wednesday night that paves the way for a new hotel to be built in downtown Baton Rouge.The Third-Florida Economic Development District allows the Courtyard Marriott Hotel planned for the corner of 3rd and Florida to levy a 2 cent tax on guests after its built to pay for the project. The site is across from Raising Cane's where they're currently a parking lot. Groundbreaking could happen as soon as this summer."It helps the River Center, it helps so
  
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• Feds: Company hasn't done enough to end slow-motion oil leak

  25-05-2016 09:53
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Justice Department is urging a federal court to let industry regulators decide if a New Orleans company has done enough to end a decade-old oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico that could last another century.Taylor Energy Company sued the federal government in January to recover more than $400 million that it set aside for work to stop the leak off Louisiana's coast.Late Tuesday, Justice Department attorneys asked the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to dismiss the lawsuit. They argue t
  
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• Court asked to toss company's suit over decade-old oil leak

  25-05-2016 09:53
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Justice Department is urging a federal court to let industry regulators decide if a New Orleans company has done enough to end a decade-old oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico that could last another century.Taylor Energy Company sued the federal government in January to recover more than $400 million that it set aside for work to stop the leak off Louisiana's coast.Late Tuesday, Justice Department attorneys asked the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to dismiss the lawsuit. They argued
  
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• Congratulations, Sylvia!

  25-05-2016 09:30
  
  BATON ROUGE - WBRZ anchor Sylvia Weatherspoon has been named one of the city's most influential women.Wednesday, the Baton Rouge Business Report released its annual list of Influential Women in Business. Weatherspoon, who anchors the 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 10 o'clock newscasts for WBRZ Channel 2, was recognized for her work in the community as a mentor and motivator.Weatherspoon discussed her passion for telling stories with the Business Report, talking about her memories of reading the newspa
  
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• Hearing begins on future of New Orleans jail

  25-05-2016 09:13
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Demonstrators who want a federal judge to strip the local sheriff of his authority to run the New Orleans jail gathered outside a federal courthouse ahead of a hearing on the issue.Roughly two dozen supporters of "receivership" for the violence-plagued jail rallied outside the federal courthouse Wednesday as the hearing was getting underway. A day earlier, Sheriff Marlin Gusman's supporters gathered outside the jail to speak against receivership.U.S. District Judge Lance Africk ord
  
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• State Dept audit faults Clinton in emails

  25-05-2016 09:11
  
  WASHINGTON - A State Department audit has faulted Hillary Clinton and previous secretaries of state for poorly managing email and other computer information and slowly responding to new cybersecurity risks.The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report by the agency's inspector general Wednesday.It cites "longstanding, systemic weaknesses" related to communications. These started before Clinton's appointment as secretary of state, but her failures were singled out as more serious.The review
  
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• Social media outrage sparked by West Point cadet texting while marching

  25-05-2016 09:08
  
  WEST POINT, NY - A viral video of a West Point cadet occupied by her cellphone while marching in formation during Saturday’s graduation has sparked social media ire.The video appeared on the academy’s Facebook page before quickly going on the amass more than 650,000 views. Several thousand reactions from users followed with a large majority of them critical of the cadets."Cadets on phones while marching, some cadets marching in platform heels, others sneakers, some with socks
  
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• Obama uses light moment with Vietnamese rapper to promote free speech

  25-05-2016 08:50
  
  HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - President Barack Obama's parting shot before leaving communist Vietnam: let people express themselves.He may have been referring to rap but the subtle message was aimed at his hosts who have been criticized for muzzling dissent.During his three-day visit, Obama had spoken out strongly for human rights and free speech. On Wednesday, he brought it up again during a light moment after providing a supporting beat to a female rapper who asked him a question at a town hall
  
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• Protests for $15 wage expected at McDonald's headquarters

  25-05-2016 08:33
  
  OAK BROOK, Ill. - Protesters demanding a higher minimum wage are expected to march on the McDonald's Corp. headquarters near Chicago ahead of the fast-food giant's annual shareholders' meeting.
  Organizers say the protests will begin Wednesday morning with a strike at the Rock N Roll McDonald's in downtown Chicago. Striking cooks and cashiers will later join a march on the McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook.
  Demonstrations are also expected Thursday during the shareholders' meeting.
  Home care,
  
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• Website, job fair set up to help laid-off oil, gas workers

  25-05-2016 08:28
  
  BATON ROUGE - An effort is underway in the Bayou Region of Louisiana to help workers affected by oil and gas industry downsizing to find training options and new jobs in south Louisiana.
  BayouOpportunity.com, a new website, will serve as a gateway to employment opportunities.
  A news release says job seekers can register there for an Industrial Trades Job Fair on June 10 at the main campus of Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever, between Houma and Thibodaux.
  In addition to job fair i
  
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• May 25, 2016 Morning News Pop

  25-05-2016 07:04
  
  Here are today's top stories:Disturbing details emerge over EFP School Board Member's murderPETA calls for Mike VI to be last live tiger mascot at LSURally possum lives! LSU comes back to beat Tennessee, advance in SEC tournamentWarm with increased humidityUpdates all day, every day:FACEBOOK | TWITTERPermalink| Comments
  
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• Louisiana Senate kills bill to protect LGBT people from discrimination

  25-05-2016 02:44
  
  "If I close my eyes, I can almost hear the exact same arguments being made in this body many, many years ago about African Americans." - Sen. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans
  
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• PETA demands LSU stop using captive tigers

  25-05-2016 01:50
  
  Activists urge "a new tradition ... of using only willing, costumed human mascots."
  
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• House passes defense for medical marijuana possession

  25-05-2016 00:44
  
  The defense applies to parents who are in possession of medical marijuana that is used for their children.
  
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• University researchers discover Lego products more 'violent?' Really?

  25-05-2016 00:13
  
  In what clearly is a sign some of us have way too much time on our hands, five -- count 'em five -- university researchers have uncovered this shocking truth: Lego sets are becoming increasingly "more violent." Let's all pause...
  
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