Baton Rouge news

• WATCH: Thousands enjoy WBRZ's fireworks show, largest in state

  04-07-2016 20:44
  
  BATON ROUGE - Thousands of people enjoyed the annual WBRZ fireworks show on the Mississippi River Monday."It means a lot to us. It means everything, that we can live in a free country and do everything that we do," volunteer Chad Ford said about the Independence Day celebration. Ford was setting up an area for kids near the levee in downtown Baton Rouge when he talked to WBRZ ahead of the show.For nearly 50 years, WBRZ's Fireworks on the Mississippi has paid tribute to America's legacy. The disp
  
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• BR-based competitive eater graces stage at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

  04-07-2016 16:18
  
  NEW YORK - The Capital City was well-represented at this year's world famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York by Baton Rouge-based competitive eater Adrian Morgan.While 33-year-old, 200 pound Morgan appeared on the stage with some of the most prolific eaters in the “sport,” he was unable to catch up to legendary Joey "Jaws" Chestnutt, who smashed the previous Nathan's contest record. Chestnutt chowed down on an even 70 weiners in 10 admittedly kind of gross minutes
  
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• Father arrested, accused of knocking out 5-year-old son

  04-07-2016 15:59
  
  BATON ROUGE - A father who was enraged over chicken being left out on the counter punched his 5-year-old son so hard, it gave the child a concussion and left a large hole in the sheet rock of their apartment, arrest records show.The affidavit of probable cause says 33-year-old Chancey Knighten lost his temper after some chicken was left out on the counter at his residence in the 6600 block of Harry Drive.The affidavit said Knighten is a father of four children, aged 10, 8, 5, and 3. Whe
  
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• New Roads celebrates Independence Day with 34th annual boat parade

  04-07-2016 15:50
  
  NEW ROADS - Thousands of residents from New Roads and surrounding Pointe Coupee Parish turned out on Monday for the annual Independence Day Boat Parade.Dozens of boats decked out in patriotic decoration appeared in this year's version of the event, which is held in New Roads every Fourth of July.The theme for the 2016 parade was "American Hero" with the participants celebrating the sacrifices made by the men and women who are serving or who have served in the U.S. military.The judges on
  
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• Sharp-shooting US Army Veteran rescues bald eagle hanging from a high tree

  04-07-2016 14:22
  
  RUSH CITY, Minnesota - A U.S. Army veteran used his sharp-shooting military training to rescue a bald eagle who became entangled in a rope and was hanging upside down from a tree, 70 feet off the ground.
  Last Thursday, Jason Galvin used a .22-caliber rifle with a scope to fire 150 shots at the distant rope that was tangled around the eagle's leg. The bird was hanging upside down in a tree near Galvin’s Rush City, Minnesota cabin, according to his wife.Galvin’s wife, Jackie, w
  
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• Juno spacecraft comes ever closer to Jupiter

  04-07-2016 14:00
  
  LOS ANGELES - After a nearly five-year journey, a solar-powered spacecraft is passing Jupiter's inner moons as it readies for the closest encounter with the biggest planet in the solar system.NASA's Juno spacecraft will fire its main rocket engine late Monday to slow itself down from a speed of 150,000 mph (250,000 kph) and slip into orbit around Jupiter.Juno chief scientist Scott Bolton said at a morning briefing that the spacecraft is expected to survive rings of debris and a hostile radiation
  
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• 2 teens arrested after stolen LSU golf cart joyride

  04-07-2016 13:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police said two teens were arrested after officers put an end to their joyride on golf carts stolen from LSU on Monday.A 14-year-old and a 16-year-old were taken into custody, but the rest of the group of teenagers escaped.Officers responded to the scene in the area of Louisiana and St. Rose avenues at around noon after they received reports of kids riding around in LSU golf carts. The group of 8 to 10 teens scattered when BRPD arrived on the scene.Police did not release details ab
  
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• Louisiana shifts tone on tax breaks for business

  04-07-2016 13:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - After years of generosity with tax breaks and subsidies, Louisiana’s leaders are taking a new approach with business, responding to years of budget problems with scaled back support for companies and questions about the value of such investments.Gov. John Bel Edwards said he wants to make sure Louisiana’s limited tax dollars are spent wisely, focused on investment returns rather than giveaways. State lawmakers in some instances have been harsher, suggesting comp
  
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• Driver was watching Harry Potter in Tesla during fatal autopilot crash

  04-07-2016 13:15
  
  WASHINGTON - A driver so enamored of his Tesla Model S sedan that he nicknamed the car "Tessy" and praised the safety benefits of its sophisticated "Autopilot" system has become the first U.S. fatality in a wreck involving a car in self-driving mode.
  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the driver's death Thursday, and said it is investigating the design and performance of the Autopilot system.
  Forty-year-old Joshua D. Brown of Canton, Ohio, the owner of a technology comp
  
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• BRPD out in force as Downtown Fourth of July festivities begin at 4 p.m.

  04-07-2016 12:24
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police presence will be ramped up in Downtown Baton Rouge starting early this afternoon as a full slate of Fourth of July festivities gets underway in the Capital City.The action downtown will kick off at 4 p.m. with events scheduled all the way up until WBRZ's Fireworks on the Mississippi lights up the skies at 9 p.m. Choice viewing spots for the fireworks display will be available in the Downtown area and across the river in Port Allen.BRPD is encouraging all attendees who plan t
  
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• Dad, son fight FAA over gun-firing, flame-throwing drones

  04-07-2016 08:20
  
  HARTFORD, Conn. - The Federal Aviation Administration and a Connecticut father and son are headed for a court showdown over whether the agency can force them to disclose information about drones shown in YouTube videos firing a gun and deploying a flame thrower in their backyard.Nineteen-year-old Austin Haughwout of Clinton and his father, Bret Haughwout, are refusing to comply with FAA subpoenas.A hearing on the dispute is set for July 6 before federal Judge Jeffrey Meyer in New Haven.The Haugh
  
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• Missing toddler, grandfather reunited with family in Livingston Parish

  04-07-2016 06:18
  
  LIVINGSTON PARISH - A teary reunion took place on the Fourth of July as a grandfather and toddler who were reported missing were reunited with their family.The New Orleans Police Department contacted Louisiana State Police at about 3 a.m. to report a missing child from the New Orleans area. 3-year-old Roshei Selmon was last seen with his 45-year-old grandfather, Roland Williams. Both had been reported missing their familes hours before.A Level II Endangered/Missing Child Advisory was issued by L
  
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