Baton Rouge news

• Louisiana Flood: 8 things you need to know about the aftermath

  25-08-2016 22:40
  
  "It is not a Katrina event."- Mark Riley, Louisiana's deputy director for disaster recovery
  
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• Belgium media reports explosion at sports stadium

  25-08-2016 20:36
  
  BRUSSELS - A Belgian newspaper is reporting that an explosion has rocked a sports center in the Belgian town of Chimay, with reports of at least one person dead and two injured.
      
  Het Laatse Niews quoted a rescue services spokesman as saying early Friday that the blast happened just after midnight and that several people were in the building at the time.
      
  The spokesman, who was not named, said that a large section of the building had c
  
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• Sunday fundraiser to help families of slain, injured police

  25-08-2016 19:07
  
  Live music, food, games, silent auction from noon to 6 p.m. at Pelican Park near Mandeville
  
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• Drywall in high demand as flood victims recover

  25-08-2016 18:11
  
  MILLERVILLE – Hundreds of thousands of sheets of dry wall has been coming in by the truckloads. They are selling just as quickly as they are coming in as residents impacted by the flood are rebuilding.Now that flood water has started to recede, the need for supplies is growing."Everyday I've been picking up anywhere from 20 to 40 sheets of drywall," James Newkirk, Lowe's customer, said.People are pulling up, loading up and driving away with the essentials to get their recovery process
  
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• Louisiana flooding range shown in new interactive map

  25-08-2016 17:57
  
  Tens of thousands of acres under water across 200-mile swatch between Lake Charles and Franklinton
  
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• Texas law enforcement helps Livingston parish deputies

  25-08-2016 17:54
  
  LIVINGSTON – About 70 of the 300 deputies at the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office are displaced due to last week's flood. As they continue to work long hours, their family members in blue from Texas are stepping up to support them.Tammy Bowden's husband is a Sergeant for Livingston Parish and a member of the SWAT team. She said that he left for work at 4:30 a.m. the day the flood waters came."He was out basically rescuing people and I don't even remember when I saw him again that nig
  
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• Watch flyover of debris-filled neighborhood after Louisiana flood

  25-08-2016 17:48
  
  With cleanup ongoing, flood-damaged neighborhoods are lined with pile after pile of debris
  
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• Tangipahoa approved for supplemental SNAP benefits

  25-08-2016 17:08
  
  BATON ROUGE – Tangipahoa Parish has been added to the list of parishes approved for automatic supplemental SNAP benefits.According to a release Thursday, the federal Food and Nutrition Service approved Tangipahoa SNAP recipients to receive automatic DSNAP benefits. Those recipients will not need to complete signed affidavits in order to receive disaster benefits.Parishes approved for automatic supplemental SNAP benefits include Acadia, Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Livingston
  
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• Housing aid theft: probation for bounce artist Big Freedia

  25-08-2016 16:41
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Bounce entertainer Big Freedia has been sentenced to three years' probation and fined $35,000 after admitting to bilking the federal government out of housing aid.U.S. District Judge Lance Africk imposed the sentence Thursday. The 38-year-old artist pleaded guilty in March to the theft of federal Section 8 housing voucher funds and had faced up to 10 years in jail.Africk told the performer, whose given name is Freddie Ross Jr., he was pleased with Ross' acceptance of responsibility
  
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• Post flood 'normal' means more traffic in BR; Road repairs underway

  25-08-2016 15:38
  
  BATON ROUGE – State road engineers are busy checking highways and bridges as water recedes from areas inundated by the flood last week.More than 1,400 bridges have been checked and every highway that was flooded has also been scrutinized by experts, Shawn Wilson, the head of the state Department of Transportation and Development said in an appearance on WBRZ's morning show, 2une-In, Thursday. Wilson said crews are transitioning from inspections to repairs.All parts of infrastructure ar
  
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• Additional Pointe Coupee zip codes added to DSNAP program

  25-08-2016 15:22
  
  POINTE COUPEE – Additional zip codes in Pointe Coupee are now eligible for the first phase of the DSNAP program.Starting on Thursday, Aug. 25 Pointe Coupee parish zip codes 70715, 70732, 70747 and 70753 may apply for the disaster food benefits.The Pointe Coupee DSNAP site is located at the Pointe Coupee Multi-Use Facility located at 1400 Major Parkway in New Roads. The site will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services reminds residents that
  
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• Additional Pointe Coupee and Iberia zip codes added to DSNAP program

  25-08-2016 15:22
  
  POINTE COUPEE – Additional zip codes in Pointe Coupee and Iberia parish are now eligible for the first phase of the DSNAP program.Starting on Thursday, Aug. 25 Pointe Coupee parish zip codes 70715, 70732, 70747 and 70753 may apply for the disaster food benefits along with Iberia ZIP code 70544 on Friday, Aug. 26. The Pointe Coupee DSNAP site is located at the Pointe Coupee Multi-Use Facility located at 1400 Major Parkway in New Roads. The site will be open from 8 a.m.
  
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• Police officers penalized for taking recruits to play 'Pokemon Go'

  25-08-2016 15:13
  
  COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Two officers in a suburban Denver police department that's under federal investigation are no longer allowed to train recruits after taking them to play "Pokemon Go" instead of teaching them.The Denver Post reports that a pair of Commerce City officers were removed from field training duties last week after their superiors found they were playing the popular game that involves searching for virtual creatures in real-world locations.City spokeswoman Julia
  
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• Some flooded homes may require elevating

  25-08-2016 15:06
  
  CENTRAL - City building officials in Central want residents to make sure their houses have properly dried out and meet proper elevation standards before repairs begin.Does your home meet elevation standards?Building officials in Central and East Baton Rouge Parish stress that FEMA is still determining elevation standards. A town hall meeting for Central residents will be held on Friday at 6 p.m. at Zoar Baptist Church on Hooper Road.Officials say some older homes in high-risk flood zones may req
  
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• Debris drop off for Ascension residents opens at Lamar Dixon Expo Center

  25-08-2016 14:46
  
  ASCENSION – A public drop off point for debris removal for Ascension Parish residents has been established at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.Residents are asked to enter through the back gates of the center off of Ashland Road. The drop off point is located in the confined gates of the sewer treatment plant towards the back of the center. Residents' driver licenses will be checked before dropping off debris. No contractors may drop debris at the location.The drop off
  
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• State troopers find infant covered in vomit during DUI stop

  25-08-2016 14:14
  
  PRINCETON, W. Va. - It must have been a heartbreaking sight during a routine traffic stop -- a baby in the backseat, covered in vomit.But no worries, because West Virginia state troopers knew just what to do.The baby was found after troopers pulled over a suspected drunk driver earlier this week in Princeton, Lt. Michael Baylous told CNN affiliate WCHS.The female driver appeared to be drunk, trooper D.C. Graham said about the traffic stop, and the car was a mess: trash throughout and an overwhel
  
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• Clinton warns of 'radical fringe' in GOP

  25-08-2016 14:07
  
  WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton is warning that the Republican Party is being taken over by "a radical fringe," motivated by "prejudice and paranoia."Clinton's comments, released as excerpts ahead of her speech in Reno, Nevada Thursday, targeted Donald Trump. She said he "built his campaign on prejudice and paranoia," which is "taking hate groups mainstream."Clinton also said that Trump's "disregard for the values that make our country great is profoundly dangerous."The Democratic nominee
  
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• Homeland Security investigating Leslie Jones website hack

  25-08-2016 13:59
  
  LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Thursday it is investigating the hack of Leslie Jones' website that revealed several private details of the actress-comedian's life.Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of Homeland Security, said Thursday that its New York office is looking into the breach that exposed the driver's license, passport and intimate photos of the "Saturday Night Live" star, along with hateful and racist images.ICE Public Affairs Officer Rachael Yong Yo
  
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• Public input meetings for phase 2 of Green Light Plan start next week

  25-08-2016 13:38
  
  BATON ROUGE – Some of the public meetings set to discuss the next phase of the Green Light Plan are set to start next week.The proposed next phase of Mayor Holden's Green Light Plan call for a parish-wide 5-mill property tax over 30 years to fund an estimated $452 million in road and street improvements that will be determined in part by input from public meetings. An estimated $260 million of the project funding would come from bond sales, with the other $192 million coming in the for
  
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• For 10 Years, possible world's largest pearl was hidden under bed

  25-08-2016 13:36
  
  PUERTO PRINCESA - A Filipino fisherman in western Palawan island has found possibly the world's biggest pearl, but he didn't know it.For 10 years, the 34-kilogram (75-pound) pearl was hidden in a bag under a bed. The fisherman's family would rub it with their hands before going out to sea in the belief it would bring them luck, said relative Aileen Amurao.Amurao, who is also Puerto Princesa city's tourism officer, said Thursday that the man gave her the pearl last month for safekeeping because h
  
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• Troopers investigate second fatal pedestrian crash this week

  25-08-2016 13:24
  
  HAMMOND - State Police say a pedestrian was killed on US 190 in Hammond just after midnight on Thursday.Troopers have yet to identify the victim who they described as a black female pedestrian.State Police say a pickup truck was traveling westbound on US 190 with the pedestrian walking eastbound in the westbound lane when she was hit by the truck. The fatal accident happened near the intersection of Shadow Creek Drive and US 190 in Hammond.The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by the T
  
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• Some Louisiana sugarcane fields still flooded

  25-08-2016 13:15
  
  BATON ROUGE - Experts in Louisiana say some sugarcane fields remain flooded, with water unable to drain into full rivers and bayous.Sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois of Louisiana State University says farmers have been able to plant only 15 to 20 percent of their expected acreage - and need to finish planting and start harvesting, since sugar mills are expected to begin grinding in a month.He says that even before the August floods, wet weather had delayed planting, which ordinarily would hav
  
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• Albany church giving out free items for flood victims Thursday

  25-08-2016 13:04
  
  ALBANY – Volunteers and church officials of the Blood River Baptist Church in Albany will be assisting flood victims on Thursday afternoon.Volunteers will be giving out basic need items such as all household essentials, clothes, food and water.
  Items will be placed in boxes for those receiving them and will be available for pickup at the church until 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.The church is located at 31183 Pea Ridge Road in Albany. Permalink| Comments
  
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• GOHSEP, LANG release new flood statistics

  25-08-2016 12:52
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana National Guard says more than 19,040 citizens and 2,660 pets were rescued in the first seven days that came after the start of this month’s historic flooding.As of Thursday, the National Guard has distributed more than 250,220 MREs and 683,520 bottles of water. They also issued a total of 994,195 sandbags, 2,200 cots and 1,700 blankets during their support efforts.More than 280 high-water vehicles, 55 boats, 11 bridge erection boats and nine helicopters were
  
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• Office hours extended to accept disaster unemployment claims

  25-08-2016 12:51
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Workforce Commission announced extended office hours for their call-center to accept disaster unemployment assistance claims.LWC staff members will answer calles made to 1-866-783-5567 and assist those who file for disaster unemployment assistance from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. until further notice.Individuals can also file claims online at www.laworks.net through LWC's HIRE (Helping Individuals Reach Employment) portal.The deadline to apply for disaster
  
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• Iberville Parish officials making second cut to drain Spanish Lake basin

  25-08-2016 12:40
  
  PRAIRIEVILLE - Officials hope a second cut in Alligator Bayou Road will help water levels in the area decrease quicker.Residents in the area say the water started coming into their homes Tuesday and remained."It's dropped a couple of inches within the last couple of days," Prairieville resident Wayne Henderson said.While many residents are cleaning up after flooding destroyed their homes, Henderson says he cannot, becuase he doesn't know just how much damage his home took."It's hard to say," Hen
  
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• Livingston school officials surveying parents before announcing return date

  25-08-2016 12:20
  
  LIVINGSTON – Livingston Parish Public School officials are close to announcing a date for students to return back to school since last week's flood, however officials are still trying to locate students.
  Officials say that in order for them to decide a start date, they need to know if their students are in the parish or have relocated.Parents are urged to fill out a survey by clicking here to better plan their students' return.The survey asks questions such as if students are displaced
  
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• Welcome to the Trump-Clinton conspiracy election

  25-08-2016 12:05
  
  LOS ANGELES - It's a conspiracy: The 2016 campaign features one candidate who warned against the "vast right-wing conspiracy" and another who was a leader of the so-called "birther" movement.Donald Trump and his surrogates hint at a mysterious "illness" afflicting rival Hillary Clinton. She's warning of murky ties between Trump and the Russian government, suggesting that her Republican opponent may be a puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Rumors and innuendo which have been long confined
  
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• Blue Cross, Blue Shield eases some restrictions

  25-08-2016 09:59
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's largest health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, has relaxed some restrictions to ensure that customers affected by the recent flooding can get health care, medicine and medical supplies.The company said in a news release Blue Cross is expanding its more extensive Preferred Care PPO network to provide in-network coverage to its HMO Louisiana and Community Blue members living in areas affected by the flood. The company also will allow early refills and the re
  
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• Pizza drones to rain pies from New Zealand skies

  25-08-2016 09:51
  
  AUCKLAND, New Zealand - It was bound to happen eventually. Domino’s has received the approval necessary to begin testing pizza delivery via drone in New Zealand.The pizza giant has partnered with drone operator Flirtey to establish the first commercial drone delivery service of its type in the world later this year.Domino’s executives say they’ve been investigating the futuristic delivery method for some time, and now they say the use of a drone to drop pies would b
  
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• Thousands remain under boil water advisory in Ascension Parish

  25-08-2016 09:34
  
  SORRENTO - Large swaths of Ascension Parish remain under boil advisories following recent catastrophic flooding in the region, according to the APOHSEP.Parish officials recently posted an updated list of public water systems currently under boil water advisory due to the recent floods.According to the population totals, more than 2,000 people are affected by the remaining areas under the advisories.The list is as follows (mobile users can tap the image for a larger version):Permalink| Comments
  
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• Prince's Paisley Park to be turned into museum

  25-08-2016 09:27
  
  CHANHASSEN, Minnesota - Fans will get a chance to visit the famed studio where the legendary Prince wrote and recorded many of his songs.According to a statement today from Bremer Trust, the firm in charge of Prince's estate, public tours of Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota will begin Oct. 6. The firm says this realizes "Prince’s long-term vision for the property.""Millions of Prince fans worldwide will have the unprecedented opportunity to tour the legendary, 65,000-square-foot c
  
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• Canine candidate re-elected Minnesota town mayor

  25-08-2016 08:26
  
  CORMORANT, Minn. - The four-legged mayor of a northwestern Minnesota village greets voters like a true politician.
  Duke, a 9-year-old Great Pyrenees, won a third one-year term as honorary mayor of Cormorant Township on Saturday.
  The big, shaggy white dog was overwhelmingly re-elected at the sixth annual Cormorant Daze Festival. Anyone could pay a dollar and cast a vote.
  Cormorant resident Karen Nelson says Duke "greets everyone" who comes to the village of about 20 people nestled among lakes abo
  
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• 4.3-magnitude aftershock hits Italian town

  25-08-2016 08:23
  
  AMATRICE, Italy - A strong aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 4.3 has hit an earthquake-struck area in Italy, causing more damage to buildings in a town nearly destroyed a day earlier.The aftershock caused one building to partially collapse, sending up plumes of smoke and panic in Amatrice.Wednesday's earthquake killed at least 241 people in Amatrice and other towns in central Italy.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Flood grants available for small businesses

  25-08-2016 08:19
  
  BATON ROUGE - Business and economic development groups from across south Louisiana have teamed up to launch the Louisiana Small Business Rebirth Fund, which aims to give grants to companies hurt by the historic flood.Ansley Zehnder, a spokeswoman for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, said in a news release the fund will give grants of between $1,000 to $10,000 to small businesses.While the exact scope of the damage from the flooding that started Aug. 12 is still being determined, the chamber said th
  
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• Patrols stepped up in Livingston Parish after looting reports

  25-08-2016 08:11
  
  FRENCH SETTLEMENT - Officials in Livingston Parish say they are stepping up patrols after reports emerged that looters have begun to pick through the debris left by recent historic floods.French Settlement Mayor Toni Guitrau told WWL-TV that she’s been working non-stop to make sure her residents get the food, water, clothing and supplies they need, but she remains concerned about one other thing."It’s everywhere and it’s spreading out this way,” Guitrau sa
  
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• Prairieville man arrested in Alabama for pickax home invasion

  25-08-2016 08:00
  
  PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A Louisiana man is in Alabama facing outstanding charges after bonding out of a Mississippi jail.
  The Sun Herald reports 36-year-old Anthony Smith Jr., of Prairieville, Louisiana was arrested Aug. 12 by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office on charges of home invasion and commercial burglary.
  Residents of a home in Vancleave told deputies that they heard booming noises that woke them in the early-morning hours. They got up and found a shirtless man armed with a pickax in their
  
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• 2 Orlando hospitals won't bill nightclub shooting victims

  25-08-2016 06:23
  
  ORLANDO, Fla.- The Orlando hospitals that treated dozens of people injured in the Pulse nightclub massacre are not billing survivors for out-of-pocket medical expenses.News outlets report Orlando Regional Medical Center, which treated most of the survivors of the June 12 attack, announced Wednesday that it would seek payment from other resources such as insurance plans and a victims' fund established by city officials.Florida Hospital, which treated 12 survivors, says it would not bill for any o
  
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• Death toll in Italy now at 247

  25-08-2016 03:33
  
  AMATRICE, Italy - Italy's civil protection agency says the death toll from Wednesday's pre-dawn earthquake has climbed to 247.Searchers continue to go through piles of rock and sand that were once buildings.Three towns were hard hit, including one where travelers had come for a pasta festival.Crews have been using bull dozers and even their hands to go through debris.Permalink| Comments
  
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