Baton Rouge news

• How can we survive without Louisiana nanny state regulating eyebrow threading?

  02-08-2016 22:23
  
  Who has time to deal with the trivial -- like funding education and building roads -- when personal groomers are running amok plucking eyebrows with a spool of thread?
  
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• Sidewalk to get fixed following calls from WBRZ

  02-08-2016 18:51
  
  BATON ROUGE - A hole in the sidewalk has some Baton Rouge folks concerned, especially since the start of school is about a week away.The hole has been there for weeks, but will soon be fixed after WBRZ started making phone calls Monday.The hole, near the intersection of E. Buchanan Street and Tennessee Street is marked by a barricade and orange fencing, that neighbors say gets knocked down almost daily. It's about a six inch hole in the sidewalk, but below there's been a cave-in creating a foot
  
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• Residents concerned on how to fight Zika in Louisiana

  02-08-2016 18:01
  
  BATON ROUGE – With the recent spike in Zika cases in Florida, Louisianians are wondering what they can do to prevent infection and how they can get tested.Health officials have urged pregnant women to away from north Miami where ten additional Zika cases have been reported, totaling to 14 cases. Officials have confirmed that it is the first transmission from mosquitoes locally."What is important to know is we don't have any cases of local transmission here in Louisiana, We don't have i
  
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• Truck driver injured after falling into pit at Walker landfill

  02-08-2016 17:51
  
  WALKER - Officials say a truck driver was injured after he fell into a pit at a Walker landfill on Tuesday.The incident happened at Woodside Landfill. Officials reported the driver fell into a solidification pit and received heat burns as a result. Liquid waste is loaded into the pit where it is combined with a compound that makes it solid, generating heat in the process.He was taken to an area hospital with two others to be treated for minor injuries.The Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Sec
  
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• BRPD looks to ID suspect in Tuesday morning armed robbery

  02-08-2016 17:20
  
  BATON ROUGE - Detectives are looking to identify a man behind the armed robbery of a Government Street convenience store that happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday.Police said a male suspect entered the business, located in the 5300 block of Government Street, at around 2:45 a.m. and posed as a customer while approaching the front counter. The man then pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the cashier.After he obtained an undisclosed amount of cash, the man grabbed the merch
  
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• BPRD looks to ID suspect in Tuesday morning armed robbery

  02-08-2016 17:20
  
  BATON ROUGE - Detectives are looking to identify a man behind the armed robbery of a Government Street convenience store that happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday.Police said a male suspect entered the business, located in the 5300 block of Government Street, at around 2:45 a.m. and posed as a customer while approaching the front counter. The man then pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the cashier.After he obtained an undisclosed amount of cash, the man grabbed the merch
  
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• Flares over ExxonMobil result of ongoing maintenance work

  02-08-2016 16:39
  
  BATON ROUGE - Gigantic columns of flame were visible over the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Chemical Plant on Tuesday afternoon as maintenance work continues at the facility.ExxonMobil officials said last week that intermittent flaring would be visible at the plant at the outset of this week while maintenance continues.The flares are safety control devices that burn up excess hydrocarbons during the shutdown and startup of various operations at the plant. ExxonMobil says the safety of plant wo
  
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• Man who recorded Kenny Matassa offering bribe lifts his silence

  02-08-2016 15:58
  
  GONZALES- Tonight, the man who claims he received $1,200 and the promise of a parish job from Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa and Businessman Olin Berthelot is lifting his silence.
  Wayne Lawson said he was wearing a recording device the entire time and quickly gave the money back.
  "It was the responsible thing to do," Lawson said. "I would like them (my voters) to realize this race is not new to me. I've been in it quite a few times. I promise them the same things I did before. There wi
  
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• Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals agree to 5-year, $62.5M deal

  02-08-2016 15:42
  
  GLENDALE, Ariz. - A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that the Arizona Cardinals and All-Pro defensive back Tyrann Mathieu have agreed to a five-year, $62.5 million contract extension, with $40 million guaranteed.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the agreement had not been officially announced.The big contract comes despite Mathieu's major injuries to each knee in two of his first three NFL seasons.The agreement is further eviden
  
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• Autopsy of Alton Sterling sealed from public by court order

  02-08-2016 14:52
  
  BATON ROUGE – A court order has been issued by a federal judge to keep the autopsy results of Alton Sterling sealed from the public.An additional court order was issued to seal the initial order to seal the autopsy, according to East Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark."Our office has been issued a Federal Court Order out of the Middle District of Louisiana prohibiting the release of this report. We have been issued a second Federal Court Order prohibiting the release of the first court ord
  
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• Starbucks recalling 2.5M stainless steel straws due to laceration risk

  02-08-2016 14:44
  
  Starbucks is recalling about 2.5 million stainless steel straws following reports of mouth lacerations to three children in the U.S., the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the company announced today."Customers should not allow children to handle or use the stainless steel straws," Starbucks said in a statement.According to the company, a fourth child was injured in Canada, where more than 301,000 additional straws were sold."The stainless steel straws may pose an injury hazard for young ch
  
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• First Lady Donna Edwards joins Facebook and Twitter

  02-08-2016 14:18
  
  BATON ROUGE – Louisiana's First Lady Donna Edwards is now on social media.An official Facebook and Twitter account was launched on Tuesday for First Lady Edwards in order to better connect with Louisianians.The first lady's social platforms will include information about upcoming events and appearances, in addition to the issues she advocates for on behalf of the people in the state.You can find First Lady Edwards' accounts here:She also has two new sections on the governor's
  
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• Baton Rouge General announces CEO transition

  02-08-2016 13:49
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Baton Rouge General/General Health System announced that president and CEO, Mark Slyter, is leaving the organization and transitioning to another leader.Slyter has been serving as president and CEO for the past three years."The Board of Trustees appreciates Mark's contributions over the past three years and wishes him the best in his future endeavors," said Joe Juban, chair of the BRG/GHS board of trustees.Edgardo Tenreiro, Baton Rouge General chief operating officer,
  
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• APSO searching for stolen trailer with $100K of equipment, motorcycles inside

  02-08-2016 13:28
  
  GONZALES – The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance is finding a stolen trailer with more than $100,00 worth of equipment and motorcycles inside.The trailer, a 2007 Continental cargo box trailer, was stolen on Thursday, July 28 at a residence on Coontrap Road in Gonzales.The trailer is black, missing its fenders, has the logo "Southern Flow" on the sides and back of it and only has back doors for access. The license plate is L089514.Anyone with informati
  
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• Deputy Nick Tullier's family: We're waiting for God's miracle

  02-08-2016 13:21
  
  BATON ROUGE - There has been no change in the condition of injured sheriff's deputy Nick Tullier, his father, James, posted in a message on Facebook overnight."No better but no worse. So that's not a bad thing," he wrote. The message was shared to a public page set up to provide updates on Tullier's condition and allow people to share memories and emotional support. The page is titled 'Nick Tullier Strong.'"This phenomenal medical staff is doing everything they can for Nick. He is still (extreme
  
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• Parents sue over crash that killed 'Star Trek' actor Yelchin

  02-08-2016 13:17
  
  LOS ANGELES - The parents of "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin have sued the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee that killed the 27-year-old when it rolled down his driveway and crushed him.Victor and Irina Yelchin filed the wrongful-death lawsuit Tuesday against Fiat Chrysler in Los Angeles Superior Court. The suit contends that the gear selector in Anton Yelchin's Jeep was defective and poorly designed and manufactured.The SUV was among those subject to a recall because its gear shifters have conf
  
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• Officials: Aug. 5-6 is Louisiana's annual Sales Tax Holiday

  02-08-2016 13:11
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Revenue is reminding shoppers that they can take advantage of the state's annual Sales Tax Holiday on Friday and Saturday.On Aug. 5 and 6, shoppers will pay three percent sales tax rather than the full five percent. The discount applies to many purchases, including back-to-school supplies, electronics, furniture and most other retail items.The sales tax exemption applies to the first $2,500 of the purchase price of each eligible item.Local sales taxes ap
  
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• Louisiana's sales tax holiday on Fri. and Sat.; 3 percent to be paid by shoppers

  02-08-2016 13:11
  
  BATON ROUGE - The state's annual Sales Tax Holiday is on Friday and Saturday this year, however unlike past years, customers will end up paying some tax.On Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6, shoppers will pay three percent sales tax rather than the full five percent. The discount applies to purchases including back-to-school supplies, electronics, furniture and most other retail items.For Erinn Shaw, who runs a school uniform store, the sales tax holiday for back to school shoppers is usually
  
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• Future of Green Light Plan to be determined at August meetings

  02-08-2016 13:00
  
  BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Mayor's Office has pitched a plan to extend the Green Light Plan program, and this time around, the aim is to have property owners foot the bill for the series of road improvement projects.Since 2005, hundreds of millions of dollars have paid for additional roads and improvements to existing streets throughout East Baton Rouge Parish.Burbank Drive is just one of the roads that saw widening work completed thanks to Green Light Plan within the past decad
  
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• District attorneys drop bid to save 'age verification' law

  02-08-2016 12:57
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's district attorneys are dropping their bid to preserve a Louisiana criminal law that requires online booksellers, publishers and other website owners to electronically verify customers' ages before providing access to material that could be deemed harmful to children.A court filing Monday says the district attorneys are no longer contesting the American Civil Liberties Union's efforts to have the 2015 statute declared unconstitutional. The filing says they're engaging in
  
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• Signaling another council discussion, councilwoman to host police residency meeting

  02-08-2016 12:21
  
  BATON ROUGE - A week after a heated argument among city leaders and community activists over where Baton Rouge Police should live, Councilwoman Chauna Banks announced she will hold a community meeting on the issue this week.Banks proposed the ordinance that died at last week's Metro Council meeting requiring future police officers to live within city limits. The agenda item, from the start, was labeled controversial since it appeared on the first council meeting after the deadly ambush of two Ba
  
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• Rape suspect arrested after victim's dream turned into nightmare

  02-08-2016 09:33
  
  BAKER - A 33-year-old Baker man was arrested Monday after a woman reported that he raped her in her sleep.Police say the victim, who described Christopher Griffin as a family friend, said he visited her home on July 21. After he left, she took a Xanax and went to sleep.The 49-year-old victim said Griffin must have returned without her or her adult daughters noticing. She told police she was dreaming of having sex with her boyfriend, but awoke to find Griffin assaulting her.Auth
  
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• West Monroe man dies in fall from roof near Natchitoches

  02-08-2016 07:50
  
  NATCHITOCHES - Sheriff's deputies say a 54-year-old West Monroe man working on a home construction site in Natchitoches Parish died after he fell from the roof.The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office said in a news release Donavan Labbe died Sunday at University Health in Shreveport after he'd been airlifted from the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.Deputies said Labbe fell about 18 to 20 feet from the roof to the ground.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Estranged husband opens fire on family home in Luling

  02-08-2016 07:37
  
  LULING - St. Charles Sheriff's deputies are investigating early morning dispute between family members in Luling, WWL-TV reports. According to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, William Canada, Jr., the estranged husband of a woman who was staying with her parents in the Ashton Plantation neighborhood, arrived at the home around 4 a.m.Canada opened fire on the home and the woman’s father got his weapon and returned fire. The father was able to shoot th
  
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• Deputies investigate domestic shooting in Luling

  02-08-2016 07:37
  
  LULING - St. Charles Sheriff's deputies are looking into an early morning dispute between familiy members in Luling.WWL-TV reports the estranged husband of a woman who was staying with her parent came to visit her early Tuesday morning. The man got into an argument with the woman's father.According to deputies, the husband allegedly shot the woman's father. The father was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Will you evacuate for a hurricane? Governor's office wants to know

  02-08-2016 00:03
  
  Calls coming to residents of 13 parishes
  
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