Baton Rouge news

• Gun Shop Cancels Raffle of AR-15 Rifle for Orlando Victims

  02-07-2016 16:56
  
  CHICAGO - A suburban Chicago gun shop has canceled a raffle of a semi-automatic rifle to benefit victims of the nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.The Chicago Tribune reports Second Amendment Sports in McHenry,Illinois, called off the raffle following questions about whether it would be legal. Under Illinois law, only nonprofit groups may hold raffles.Bert Irslinger Jr. and his father own the shooting range and gun store. They were selling $5 tickets to win an AR-15 rifle similar to the weap
  
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• 75-year-old man seriously injured after boats collide in Iberville Parish

  02-07-2016 16:41
  
  PLAQUEMINE – The Iberville Parish Sheriff said three people, including a 75 year old man, were injured after a boating accident in Bayou Sorrel Saturday afternoon.According to Brett Stassi, the incident happened around 4 p.m. Saturday near Plaquemine. Three people were hurt after two boats collided, pushing one boat onto a wooded area on the bank of the bayou.A spokesperson for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said the 75-year-old man was injured when another&
  
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• Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and author, dead at 87

  02-07-2016 15:42
  
  NEW YORK - Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel has died.His death was announced Saturday by Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. No other details were immediately available. Wiesel was 87.Wiesel shared his harrowing story of encampment at Auschwitz as a teenager through his classic memoir "Night," one of the most widely read and discussed books of the 20th century.He was freed in 1945, but only after his mother, father and one sister had all died in Nazi camps. Two other sisters
  
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• Trump tweets image with Clinton and Jewish star

  02-07-2016 15:29
  
  WASHINGTON - Republican Donald Trump has created a stir on social media by posting online an image of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton with what appears to be a Star of David and a background of dollar bills.Trump took Clinton's old Twitter avatar celebrating her status as the first presumptive female presidential nominee and added a background of dollar bills along with the words "Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!" written over a six-point star.The image posted Saturday quickly drew scrutin
  
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• LGBT gun group membership spikes after Florida shooting

  02-07-2016 14:27
  
  SALT LAKE CITY - Memberships have more than doubled in a national LGBT, pro-gun rights organization since a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Florida, killing 49 people.The Salt Lake Tribune reports Pink Pistols membership has grown from 1,500 to 4,000 since Omar Mateen's June 12 rampage.That's according to Pink Pistols Utah chapter president Matt Schlentz, who said it's sad that the Orlando shooting is what made some realize this need exists in the LGBT community.Schlentz owns s
  
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• Clinton interviewed by the FBI about private email server

  02-07-2016 14:24
  
  WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton has been interviewed Saturday by the FBI about her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill says in a statement the voluntary interview with federal agents took place Saturday.The interview was not unexpected and does not suggest that Clinton or anyone else is likely to face prosecution. Legal experts view criminal prosecution as exceedingly unlikely. The interview may indicate that the Justice Department'
  
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• White House: US citizen among 20 killed in Bangladesh attack

  02-07-2016 14:22
  
  WASHINGTON - The White House says a U.S. citizen was among the 20 hostages killed in attack on a restaurant in Bangladesh.Spokesman Josh Earnest has confirmed the death Saturday. An identity has not been released.Earnest says the U.S. government has offered assistance to Bangladeshi authorities as they investigate what happened.The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.Earnest says the attack was a "despicable act of terrorism" and the U.S. stands with Bangladesh and the international c
  
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• Seeking post-Brexit calm, Obama walks back UK trade warning

  02-07-2016 14:17
  
  WASHINGTON - When Britain was considering leaving the European Union, President Barack Obama urged its citizens to consider the full ramifications, including going to the "back of the queue" for a U.S. trade deal.Now that Britain is on its way out, Obama is walking back from that warning. As he tries to contain the fallout, he's insisting the relationship with Britain will be no worse off.The shift in tone illustrates how Britain's vote has abruptly scrambled Obama's reality.Where Obama had trie
  
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• Lafayette schools mull changing pledge of allegiance policy

  02-07-2016 14:13
  
  LAFAYETTE  - Instead of every student having to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, students in Lafayette may be allowed to meditate in silence or recite the pledge.The Lafayette Parish School System is reviewing its policy after a civil rights advocacy group alleged an Acadiana High teacher mistreated a student who refused to stand for the pledge multiple times at the beginning of school days.The Advertiser reports that a proposed policy designates time at the beginning of each school
  
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• 2 women arrested for leaving 2-year-old boy in hot car

  02-07-2016 14:10
  
  HARAHAN - The mother and aunt of a 2-year-old boy face charges of child desertion after they left the child inside a car and went shopping in a Walmart on a day when the temperature reached 90 degrees.Local media report that Shaun Buchanan, the mother, and Cynthia Simmons, the aunt, were arrested Friday by Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies.The two Texas women were charged with child desertion and cruelty to a juvenile. Deputies say the boy was inside the car for up to 30 minutes.Authorities sa
  
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• Sheriff's lieutenant accused of soliciting for prostitution

  02-07-2016 14:07
  
  ALEXANDRIA - A Rapides Parish sheriff's lieutenant has been fired after he was charged with soliciting for prostitution.Sheriff William Earl Hilton said he fired Stacy Bender on Friday. Bender faces six counts of malfeasance in office, two counts of solicitation for prostitution, inciting prostitution, obstruction of justice and two counts of unlawful use of criminal records.Louisiana State Police worked with the sheriff's office to investigate the case against Bender, who is 48 years old and a
  
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• Landry announces plan to bolster Quarter patrols

  02-07-2016 14:04
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Attorney General Jeff Landry says law enforcement agents from his office will join others from the New Orleans area to help patrol New Orleans' French Quarter during times when tourist traffic is high.Landry said Friday that 50 two-person teams, including personnel from the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office and Hammond Police will patrol the outskirts of the Quarter and Central Business District this weekend.He said officers from Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. John and St. Tammany p
  
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• New emergency response boat comes to Livingston Parish

  02-07-2016 12:39
  
  SPRINGFIELD - The latest weapons to fight fires on the waters in Livingston Parish Fire District 2 was built to take a beating.The new aluminum fire fighting boat can pump water by the tons and is fully equipped to save lives."It's a strong hull. I knew it can take a beating out here and It's a work boat, so it can handle the work load out here," Fire Chief Brian Drury said.Drury said the boat is equipped with medical equipment for trauma as well as EMS equipment including a de
  
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• Texas governor shuns a 'Texit' but buys UK ads after Brexit

  02-07-2016 12:23
  
  AUSTIN - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott isn't on board with a "Texit" but is seizing a chance to take advantage of Brexit.Abbott announced Saturday the state will run digital ads on British websites over the July 4th weekend urging companies to "declare independence from high taxes" and relocate to Texas.The campaign follows Britain's vote to leave the European Union and is funded through Texas One, the state's quasi-governmental marketing arm. Abbott spokesman John Wittman said he didn't have specifics
  
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• Tributes pour out to Prince at Essence Fest

  02-07-2016 12:13
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Tributes to music star Prince are pouring out at the annual Essence Festival.On Saturday, ballet dancer Misty Copeland talked about how Prince inspired her. Copeland is the first African- American woman to be named principal dancer at the American Ballet Theater.During a talk with journalist Soledad O'Brien, Copeland talked about how Prince pushed her artistically to express herself.Copeland performed with Prince and she said that the more she worked with him the more she learned a
  
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• Fire reported overnight at chemical plant

  02-07-2016 08:47
  
  ADDIS - Emergency responders reported an overnight fire at a plant, but could not provide much information about the incident Saturday.Fire crews and ambulances were sent to a plant on La. 1 near the West Baton Rouge/Iberville Parish line around midnight.  An emergency preparedness official reached later Saturday morning said crews were dispatched to a structure fire but there was no immediate information available about the fire's cause or damage.Sources, however, confirmed no one was
  
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