Baton Rouge news

• White House asks Congress for $2.6 billion to help Louisiana

  13-09-2016 21:38
  
  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is asking Congress for $2.6 billion to help Louisiana rebuild from disastrous floods that have ravaged the state.The White House request is for rebuilding damaged homes and infrastructure, helping small businesses and funding community development projects. It comes as Gov. John Bel Edwards returns to Washington to press the case for money to help Louisiana.Tuesday evening's letter from White House budget chief Shaun Donovan asks Congress to "provide additio
  
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• Obama formally asks Congress to approve $2.6 billion in federal flood aid

  13-09-2016 21:38
  
  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has formally asked congress to approve $2.6 billion in federal flood aid for Louisiana.Governor John Bel Edwards initially requested $2 billion for the state's flood relief, but bumped the number up by $800,000 yesterday.The President asked that lawmakers approve the assistance before their break next month. Ultimately, Congress will decide how much assistance is paid out.Permalink| Comments
  
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• 3 boaters found safe after reported missing Monday

  13-09-2016 21:24
  
  CYPREMORT POINT - St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office launched a search and rescue operation after three boaters had reportedly not returned after launching out of the Quintana landing at Cypremort Point Monday afternoon.The sheriff's office Marine division, along with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division, Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office and United States Coast Guard used 7 vessels and 2 aircrafts to search an estimated 30 miles of coastline.According to officials,
  
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• At least 1 injured in stabbing on Gardere Ln.

  13-09-2016 20:57
  
  BATON ROUGE -At least one person was injured in a stabbing on Gardere Ln.It happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday in between Old Hermitage Rd. and GSRI Ave. Police responded to a fight at the shopping center on Gardere. According to officials, one man was stabbed multiple times and transported by EMS with non-life-threatening injuries. His condition is believed to be stable. A WBRZ photographer saw another man taken to the hospital from the scene. The second person's condition is unknown at th
  
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• Port Barre traffic clerk arrested for theft of town's money

  13-09-2016 19:50
  
  PORT BARRE - St. Landry Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested a Port Barre traffic clerk accused of stealing more than $19,000 from the town.A sheriff's spokesman says an investigation began after the town clerk reportedly suspected employee Nicole R. Duff of theft.One of Duff's duties was to retrieve bond money from the Port Barre Police Department. KLFY-TV reports an internal review showed that Duff collected $24,079 between Oct. 7, 2015 and May 2. But, bank records and signed spreadsheets s
  
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• When Baton Rouge police describe their beats as 'hell,' we ought to expect the worst

  13-09-2016 18:37
  
  Alton Sterling's death at the hands of police was the start of a bloody, chaotic Baton Rouge summer.  Twelve days after Sterling was killed and two days after his public funeral, three Baton Rouge law enforcement officers were fatally ambushed by...
  
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• Flooding damage to Louisiana agriculture pegged at $277M

  13-09-2016 17:58
  
  BATON ROUGE - A new study says the mid-August flooding's wreckage of south Louisiana crops and farmland caused an estimated $277 million in damage.The estimate released Tuesday by LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry is more than twice his original damage assessment of what farmers lost in crops, livestock, equipment and increased production costs.And it comes on top of $90 million in agricultural damage across north Louisiana during flooding in March.The largest August flooding damage hit Louisia
  
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• Written consent required for debris removal on private properties in Livingston Parish

  13-09-2016 17:25
  
  LIVINGSTON – Livingston Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness officials announced that the parish can remove up to 30 feet of debris on private property, however written consent is required.
  Written consent must be given by the homeowner of the property. For renters, written permission from the actual property owner must be obtained as well.According to officials, Livingston Parish debris contractors will begin coming to homes to have the forms signed in order t
  
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• New taxes for roads, mental health center to be discussed Wednesday

  13-09-2016 17:24
  
  BATON ROUGE - Metro Council will discuss five new tax proposals at its meeting Wednesday.Among the items are taxes on property to pay for new roads and a mental health facility. Also, the council will consider a two-percent tax on hotel rooms to raise money for the newly-created Baton Rouge North Economic Development District, the River Center and Visit Baton Rouge. There are a number of tax renewals up for discussion, too.The council will be asked to send a tax proposals to voters on the Decemb
  
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• Accident involving car and motorcycle causes delays on I-12 East at Millerville

  13-09-2016 16:29
  
  BATON ROUGE – All lanes of I-12 East at Millerville are open following a car and motorcycle accident that has caused traffic delays. The accident happened on I-12 East near Millerville Road on Tuesday just before 4 p.m. According to EMS, one person has been transported from the scene, however there are no reports on the conditions of injuries at the time of this post. According to DOTD, the left and center lanes of the interstate were blocked with traffic only passing
  
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• Man cited after gun fires on CATS bus Tuesday

  13-09-2016 16:09
  BATON ROUGE - A wheelchair-bound man was issued a court summons after his gun accidentally fired inside a CATS bus Tuesday.Police identified the man as Belin Milton, 63. Investigators said Milton was exiting a CATS bus near the intersection of Picardy and Flanders when the gun he was carrying in his backpack fell and fired after hitting the floor of the bus. The bullet hit a window.Milton was the only passenger on the bus. The driver was the only other occupant. Milton was issued a summons for n
  
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• BRPD investigating murder of 69-year-old woman following Oaklon Drive burglary

  13-09-2016 16:09
  
  BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge Police detectives are investigating the murder of a 69-year-old woman following a burglary that occurred on Oaklon Drive last month. Officers responded to the 4900 block of Oaklon Drive on Aug. 11 to the burglary of a home and found Earnestine Johnson lying on the floor unconscious. Johnson was attacked by a male suspect after confronting him inside the home. The suspect shoved Johnson causing her to fall and hit her face.Johnson was transported to an
  
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• Red Cross announces closures of EBR, Ascension, Livingston shelters

  13-09-2016 15:46
  
  BATON ROUGE – The American Red Cross has announced the closure of some of its remaining shelters in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston parishes.
  The Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Ascension Parish will close at the end of the day on Friday along with the Killian, Lockhart, and The Way shelters in Livingston Parish.The shelter at the River Center will close at the end of the day on Thursday. Residents without a place to move will be moved to Celtic Studios. A shelter in Baker will b
  
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• Three Louisiana companies announce closures and layoffs

  13-09-2016 15:36
  
  BATON ROUGE – Bradken, Trinity Marine Products, Inc. and ProActive Technologies, Inc. have announced mass layoffs or plant closures anticipated to happen next month.
  Bradken announced the suspension of operations at its foundry in Amite and stated that layoffs could affect up to 65 employees. The company says the layoffs will occur at different times based on product flow. The first layoffs are expected to begin Oct. 26.
  Trinity Marine Products, Inc. announced the permanent closure of
  
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• Nearly $80 million of disaster food assistance awarded in 21 parishes

  13-09-2016 15:02
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services issued nearly $80 million in disaster food assistance in 21 parishes impacted by last month's flood.More than $48.9 million in DSNAP benefits have been awarded and more than $30.9 million in disaster-related benefits have been awarded to regular SNAP households.DSNAP is a 100 percent federally-funded benefit program that provides food assistance for non-SNAP recipients who are eligible. Due to lost income or disaste
  
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• State announces Ascension Parish I-10 widening project

  13-09-2016 14:26
  
  BATON ROUGE - State transit leaders announced details of a planned widening project for I-10 through parts of Ascension Parish.I-10 will be widened from Highland Road in East Baton Rouge to Highway 73 in Ascension Parish.  The widening project covers about seven miles of interstate between the two parishes.  The governor said parts of the new interstate could be elevated, a necessity seen after the August flood closed parts of I-10 in the area. Constr
  
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• State Representatives to host town hall meeting on flood relief

  13-09-2016 14:24
  
  BATON ROUGE – Louisiana State Representatives will hold a town hall meeting on Tuesday afternoon for residents to receive information and ask questions about several flood relief and recovery programs.State Representative Franklin Foil along with Representative Steve Carter are hosting the meeting and will be open to all residents within Districts 68 and 70. Residents with questions regarding FEMA, the Small Business Administration and the Governor's Shelter at Home program will be abl
  
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• 26-year-old pedestrian killed in hit and run crash on LA 16

  13-09-2016 14:22
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS – Louisiana State Police responded to a fatal hit and run on LA 16 that left a 26-year-old man dead. The initial investigation revealed that the crash occurred as 26-year-old Donald Arnett and another pedestrian were walking northbound on LA 16 north of LA1034 on Monday around 9 p.m. Arnett was walking near the fog line when he was struck by a passing vehicle. That vehicle is described as a full-sized white utility truck. Troopers have not yet identified the dri
  
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• Bluff Road fully reopens to traffic Tuesday

  13-09-2016 14:10
  
  PRAIRIEVILLE - Bluff Road in Ascension Parish fully reopened in both directions Tuesday.For the first time since the August flood, Bluff Road/ La 928 will be able to support traffic in both directions. Water covered the entire highway and since September 8, two-way traffic had to share one lane as water still covered part of the highway.Water receded enough to safely open both lanes.Bluff Road was the last major highway still closed in Ascension Parish. This weekend, DOTD was able to open Highwa
  
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• LSU leader: Daily Reveille newspaper should be cut to twice a week

  13-09-2016 13:38
  
  BATON ROUGE - The LSU director of student media says the print edition of The Daily Reveille, the student newspaper, should be trimmed from its current five days per week.Steve Buttry, LSU's director of Student Media, says continuing the status quo simply is not responsible or acceptable.In a message sent to members of LSU's Manship School of Mass Communications and alumni, Buttry said he favors limiting the paper's print edition to two days per week, which he said would save $30,000 for the spr
  
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• Authorities respond to house fire on S. 11th Street

  13-09-2016 13:17
  
  BATON ROUGE – Authorities responded to a house fire in the 200 block of South 11th Street Monday morning around 10:40 a.m. EMS and the Baton Rouge fire department responded to the scene to find fire engulfing the rear of the home. The fire spread to several rooms and portions of the attic before brought under control. Thick smoke could be seen coming from the roof of the house and could be seen from I-110 near Government Street.  There were no report
  
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• Red Cross to transition residents out of River Center shelter on Thursday

  13-09-2016 12:59
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Red Cross shelter at the Baton Rouge River Center is set to transition displaced residents out of its location on Thursday.According to Red Cross officials, the shelter will begin transitioning displaced residents throughout the week to permanent or temporary housing until Thursday. The residents that are remaining in the shelter on Thursday will then be moved to another shelter located at Celtic Studios.Red Cross officials say that there were 204 displaced residents
  
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• U.S. household income increases for first time since 2007

  13-09-2016 12:47
  
  WASHINGTON - Americans finally got a raise last year after eight years of stagnating incomes.The Census Bureau says the typical U.S. household's income rose 5.2 percent in 2015 to $56,516. That is still below the median household income of $57,423 in 2007, when the Great Recession began. The median is the point where half of households fall below and half are above.The proportion of Americans in poverty also fell sharply last year, as 2.4 million more people found full-time, year-round jobs.The
  
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• Trump says he'll release new health information

  13-09-2016 12:33
  
  WASHINGTON - Donald Trump says he's planning to release detailed health information from a new physical exam in the coming days.The Republican nominee told "Fox and Friends" that he had a physical examination last week. He said he expects a report this week and he'll "be releasing very, very specific numbers."He said: "Hopefully they're going to be good. I think they're going to be good. I feel great."The announcement comes after rival Hillary Clinton became ill at a 9/11 anniversary ceremony in
  
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• 73-year-old Slidell man arrested for 500 counts of child pornography

  13-09-2016 09:43
  
  SLIDELL – The Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit arrested a 73-year-old Slidell man for 500 counts of possession of child pornography.The investigation began in April as detectives started to gather evidence that 73-year-old Lanier Lively was sharing child pornography files over the internet. On Friday, State Police detectives and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Lively's home. During the search, detectives found 23 electronic devices totaling more
  
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• FEMA extends deadline to file proof-of-loss claims for flood victims

  13-09-2016 09:08
  
  BATON ROUGE – FEMA has granted an extension for Louisiana National Flood Insurance Program policyholders to file their proof-of-loss claims.The extension allows policyholders 120 days from the date of their loss to file a flood insurance claim. The extension doubles the 60-day deadline that the Louisiana National Flood Insurance Program usually requires for policyholders to submit a fully documented, signed and sworn proof-of-loss claim.FEMA determined that Louisiana policyholders need
  
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• Man arrested for kidnapping, sexual assault

  13-09-2016 08:21
  
  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Deputies have arrested one man for multiple charges regarding to sexual assault.Christopher Johnson, 34, of Baton Rouge is charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, second degree kidnapping, first degree forcible rape and first degree robbery.On July 26, 2013, the deputies responded to a call to the 6600 block of Marionette Drive. The victim told deputies she was taking out the trash from her home on Plank Road. Johnson drove up to the victim and sa
  
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• Louisiana judge to issue mental disability ruling in October

  13-09-2016 08:17
  
  BATON ROUGE - A state judge says he'll decide in October whether a Baton Rouge man is mentally disabled and thus ineligible for execution if convicted of first-degree murder.Twenty-five-year-old Aramis Jackson is charged in the September 2010 shooting death of a 42-year-old mother during a home invasion.Jackson also is charged with attempted first-degree murder in the shooting and wounding of Alexandra Engler's then-9-year-old daughter.East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors intend to seek the death
  
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• Freeport-McMoRan agrees to sell its deepwater Gulf assets

  13-09-2016 08:09
  
  BATON ROUGE - Freeport-McMoRan will sell its deepwater Gulf of Mexico oil and gas properties to Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for $2 billion.The Phoenix-based company said Monday the sale was part of a broader strategy to shed debt and concentrate on its copper business.Richard Adkerson, Freeport-McMoRan's president and CEO, said that the company has sold more than $6 billion in assets this year.The transaction, which also includes a potential $150 million in contingent payments, is expected to close
  
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• Louisiana man sentenced to 5 years in fatal beating of dog

  13-09-2016 08:06
  
  GONZALES - A Louisiana judge has sentenced a man to five years in prison for beating his dog to death with a baseball bat.District Judge Jason Verdigets sentenced Jamari Jackson of Prairieville on Monday. Jackson had faced up to 10 years in prison.Prosecutors say Ascension Parish sheriff's deputies found the dying dog whimpering and struggling to breathe June 2014 at Jackson's home after a witness had reported seeing Jackson beating the dog with a bat. A bat matching the witness's description wa
  
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• Reports: Samsung quick fix for Note 7 is no full recharge

  13-09-2016 04:27
  
  SEOUL, South Korea - Reports say Samsung plans to issue a software update for its recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones that will prevent them from overheating by limiting battery recharges to under 60 percent.Yonhap News and other South Korean media reported Tuesday, citing Samsung Electronics, that the company will issue a software update for any users of the Note 7 who may be disregarding its recall notice and continuing to use the smartphone.The company plans to begin issuing new Note 7s with b
  
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• Sony promises VR music video, other entertainment content

  13-09-2016 03:34
  
  TOKYO - The head of Sony Corp.'s video game division says the Japanese electronics and entertainment company is readying not just games but also music, movies and other kinds of entertainment for its Virtual Reality headgear, set to go on sale next month.Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia President Atsushi Morita appeared at a Tokyo event Tuesday, ahead of the Tokyo Game Show annual exhibition opening later this week. The latest in video games, including VR, will be on display at the show
  
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• Older people underrepresented in film, new survey finds

  13-09-2016 03:31
  
  NEW YORK - A new study finds that seniors on the big screen are an "endangered species" and frequently the target of stereotypical jokes.The analysis being released today by the Media, Diversity and Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism finds that people 60 or older are significantly underrepresented in movies.The study found that while nearly 19 percent of the population is 60 or older, just 11 percent of some 4,066
  
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• U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany's wife calls prostitution claims 'false attacks'

  13-09-2016 02:14
  
  The wife of Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany is defending him against prostitution allegations raised in a new book, describing "false attacks" that she says are aimed at disrupting his bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Louisiana.
  
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