Baton Rouge news

• Baker Police Department short of officers, searching for more

  05-10-2016 17:30
  
  BAKER – Along with dealing with flood issues, the city of Baker is also short officers.Baker Police Chief Carl Dunn said that since taking the position seven months ago, he has had to juggle his staff."I recently had two officers to leave, but I was short five when I came in," Dunn said.The town approved a budget to hire six new officers since the force is lacking presence on the street."I wouldn't say a spike in crime but when you're running your shifts to just a skeleton crew there's
  
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• Assistant principal indicted on pregnant woman's murder

  05-10-2016 17:28
  
  BATON ROUGE – The assistant principal of a Baton Rouge magnet school was indicted Wednesday for the murder of a pregnant woman.According to District Attorney Hillar Moore, 39-year-old Robert Marks, who is married, is accused of shooting Lyntell Washington. The two were allegedly having an affair and Washington was pregnant with Marks’ child.Baton Rouge Police found Washington’s blood spattered car in June. Her three-year-old daughter was found wand
  
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• Red Cross shelter at Celtic Studios closes Wednesday

  05-10-2016 17:03
  
  BATON ROUGE – The last Red Cross shelter at Celtic Studios for residents impacted by the August flood closed on Wednesday.More than 300 people hit by the flood stayed in the shelter and called the studio home for several weeks."These folks here in the Celtic Center for the last few months, their home has beenand couple a feet around it and that's what they called home and the have held up well under those conditions," Todd James, of the Red Cross, said.One resident, Josh Wilson, has be
  
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• Train, vehicle collision in Satsuma area

  05-10-2016 15:19
  
  SATSUMA - Authorities responded to a vehicle-train collision Wednesday afternoon in Livingston Parish.The town of Livingston Fire Department responded to the crash at the crossing on Cane Market Road where Cane Market meets Florida Boulevard. Authorities advised drivers in the area to be cautious as emergency crews work to clear the scene.A red car can be seen underneath the train. Check back for updates.
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• Mall of America to close for Thanksgiving holiday

  05-10-2016 14:56
  
  MINNESOTA – Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping mall will be closed for Thanksgiving shopping, taking a stand against the growing trend of shopping on the holiday.The mall, in Bloomington, Minnesota, has been open on Thanksgiving since 2012, however mall officials say that they will be closing to offer workers time with their families.The mall will re-open at 5 a.m. on Friday after the holiday. However, the mall's tenants may choose to be open on Thanksgiving. Security along
  
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• Trump takes credit for Pence debate performance

  05-10-2016 14:53
  
  WASHINGTON - Donald Trump is taking credit for Mike Pence's strong debate performance because it was "my first hire."Trump, speaking Wednesday in Nevada, said Pence did "an incredible job" and "I'm getting a lot of credit" because the Indiana governor was his choice to be vice president.The Republican nominee also said that Tuesday's debate allowed voters "to look first-hand at my judgment." And he said "you need judgment for people, for deals."Trump chose Pence in July after days of ve
  
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• Obama hails climate change deal as potential turning point

  05-10-2016 14:51
  
  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is welcoming the news that the Paris agreement on climate change will take effect in a month as a historic achievement.Obama, speaking in the Rose Garden, says that on this day, "the world meets the moment."Obama says that if nations follow through on their commitments under the agreement, "history may well judge it as a turning point" for the planet.The president says that while there is still much to be done, the agreement will help to delay or avoid some of
  
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• Convicted felon pleads guilty to tailgating deputy, possessing handgun

  05-10-2016 14:48
  
  BATON ROUGE –  United States Attorney Walt Green reports Thursday that a Baton Rouge man pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon.According to Green, 27-year-old Deontez Mayfield was arrested after tailgating a marked EBRSO cruiser with his high beams on July 6, 2016. The deputy attempted to change lanes and Mayfield followed him, staying behind the EBRSO unit by just a few feet.The deputy was able to maneuver behind Mayfield and tried to initiate a traffic stop. Mayf
  
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• Woman breaks into ex-boyfriend's home, tries to shoot him

  05-10-2016 14:23
  
  ASCENSION PARISH – A woman faces an attempted murder charge after she broke into her ex-boyfriend's home and tried to shoot him.Deputies of the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office responded to a home in Gonzales around midnight on Wednesday in reference to a burglary. Deputies learned that 49-year-old Lisa Snowten forced her way into her ex-boyfriend's home and attacked him. Snowten tried to shoot her ex-boyfriend, however the gun did not discharge.Snowten left the scene before deputies
  
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• Federal grand jury indicts Gonzales district Fire Chief on child porn charges

  05-10-2016 14:17
  
  BATON ROUGE – A federal grand jury decided Wednesday to indict a former Gonzales district fire chief with distributing and possessing child pornography.United States Attorney Walt Green, 36-year-old Kristopher Johnson distributed text messages with child pornography on four different occasions between Nov. 6 and 7, 2015.Johnson also possessed images of minors who were under 12-years-old.Booking records indicate the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office made the arrest, but the WBRZ Investi
  
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• Federal grand jury indicts former Gonzales Fire Chief on child porn charges

  05-10-2016 14:17
  
  BATON ROUGE – A federal grand jury decided Wednesday to indict a former Gonzales district fire chief with distributing and possessing child pornography.United States Attorney Walt Green, 36-year-old Kristopher Johnson distributed text messages with child pornography on four different occasions between Nov. 6 and 7, 2015.Johnson also possessed images of minors who were under 12-years-old.Booking records indicate the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office made the arrest, but the WBRZ Investi
  
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• DHH director pleads guilty for kickbacks and money laundering scheme

  05-10-2016 14:05
  
  BATON ROUGE – Attorney General Jeff Landry says the DHH director accused of laundering $100,000 from state and local organizations pleaded guilty Wednesday.Landry said Curtis Mack pleaded guilty to felony charges of malfeasance in office and money laundering.“His guilty plea highlights our office’s commitment to bringing those who violate the public’s trust to justice,” Landry said.Mack was arrested with two others in March for using a scheme to
  
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• House fire started after man drove into gas meter

  05-10-2016 13:51
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Baton Rouge Fire Department responded to a house fire on Wednesday morning that was started after a man ran into a gas meter.The fire was deemed accidental after the homeowner left for work in his truck and ran forward into a gas meter on the home. The meter started burning and spread to the Leonidas Drive home causing an estimated $25,000 worth of damage.  Entergy shut off the gas line that was still burning when they arrived on scene. There are no
  
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• Shooting victim found at area event hall

  05-10-2016 13:43
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two people have been shot and one victim was found at an event hall, sources told WBRZ Wednesday.Shortly after 11 a.m., a person was shot and left the scene near the corner of Plank and Chippewa. A second person was found shot at the Renaissance Center. The Renaissance Center, 2783 Plank, is at the corner of Plank and Chippewa.Check back for updates.*****************Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltzPermalink| Comments
  
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• Some Nonprofits May Qualify for FEMA Disaster Grants

  05-10-2016 12:06
  
  BATON ROUGE, La. – Nonprofit organizations that experienced damage or losses from the August floods may apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance grants to help them get back to the business of helping others.As part of its mission, FEMA provides grants to state, tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofits through its Public Assistance program. For the August floods, these grants reimburse 90 percent of eligible costs for emergency protective measu
  
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• EBRSO looking for man accused of stealing purse from OLOL chapel

  05-10-2016 12:03
  
  BATON ROUGE – Deputies are looking for a man who they say stole a purse from the Our Lady of the Lake Chapel located on Hennessy Blvd in August.According to East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 9, a victim reported that her purse was stolen inside the office. Security footage from the office showed an unknown black man leaving the chapel with the purse.Investigators described the suspect as a heavy set man with a full black beard, wearing a red shirt with a silve
  
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• 2 Mississippi police officers fired in child's death

  05-10-2016 09:45
  
  LONG BEACH, Miss. - Reports say two Mississippi police officers have been fired after the death of a 3-year-old girl, who authorities say was left alone in a parked patrol car for four hours last week.Local media organizations report the Long Beach Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday night to terminate Officer Cassie Barker and Sgt. Clark Ladner.Chief Wayne McDowell recommended the immediate termination of the officers, who were also suspended without pay during the investigation. Report
  
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• LSU, Florida game still set for 11 a.m. Saturday in Florida

  05-10-2016 09:32
  
  GAINESVILLE – University of Florida officials confirmed that Saturday’s football game against LSU planned for 11 a.m. is still on at its regularly schedule time in Gainesville.Latest UPDATE on #LSUvsUF: pic.twitter.com/4DBNehnFBw— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 5, 2016Kickoff is still set for 11 a.m. central time at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. Officials from both LSU and the University of Florida said that a final decision will be made by 12 p.m. c
  
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• All lanes now open on I-10 EB, heavy traffic for six miles

  05-10-2016 09:12
  
  BATON ROUGE - All lanes are now open on I-10 eastbound.Wednesday morning, the right lane was blocked on I-10 eastbound at Perkins Road due to a breakdown.Right lane blocked due to breakdown on I-10 E @ Perkins— WBRZ Traffic (@WBRZtraffic) October 5, 2016The delay from this incident remains beyond LA 415. There is heavy traffic for over six miles headed east.News 2's Ashley Fruge is monitoring the roadways. We will have updates on WBRZ.com and Twitter.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Evacuations underway in 2 Florida counties

  05-10-2016 09:09
  
  MIAMI - Mandatory evacuations are already underway in Brevard County, and voluntary evacuations have been activated in St. Lucie County, but Gov. Rick Scott urged other coastal residents potentially in harm's way not to wait to be told to leave.The governor said during a Wednesday morning news conference that "if you're able to go early, leave now."The slow-moving storm was expected to drench the coast from the Keys through central Florida, storm surge up to 5 feet deep was expected alo
  
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• Architect develops plan for flood-damaged Ascension schools

  05-10-2016 09:04
  
  DONALDSONVILLE - Ascension Parish School Superintendent David Alexander has hired an architectural firm to design the setup of temporary classroom buildings for schools damaged by the August floods.School officials have said that the temporary classrooms will serve as a kind of bridge measure to get displaced students back on their campuses while school officials work on restoring damaged brick-and-mortar school buildings.Record floods in the Amite River Basin in August displaced about 5,000 stu
  
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• Baker school system to seek loan from state Bond Commission

  05-10-2016 07:55
  
  BAKER - The Baker School Board has voted to ask the state Bond Commission for approval to sell up to $12 million in bonds to repair damage to Baker High, the only Baker school affected by the August flooding.The Advocate reports board member Elaine Davis says the bonds would not affect the amount of taxes for the citizens of Baker.School board attorney Winston DeCuir says the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to pay ninety percent of the cost of restoring Baker High and th
  
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• Red Cross closes shelter in Celtic Studios

  05-10-2016 07:24
  
  BATON ROUGE - Red Cross is closing the last shelter for flood victims in Celtic Studios at noon on Wednesday.The shelter has been housing people displaced from the flood and people who were in the shelter in the Baton Rouge River Center. The shelter housed about 11,000 people after the flood. As of Monday, 69 people were in the Celtic Studios shelter.According to Red Cross officials, those who still do not have a place to go will receive help. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Matthew causes concerns in US

  05-10-2016 06:56
  
  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Hurricane Matthew is causing concern up and down the Eastern Seaboard. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says she will issue an evacuation order today so that 1 million people would have time to leave the coast. Residents of areas where Matthew could conceivably hit have been flocking to hardware stores, grocery aisles and gas stations to prepare for the powerful storm.Permalink| Comments
  
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• 2 young children injured in drive-by shooting

  05-10-2016 06:48
  
  CLEVELAND - Two young children have been injured in a drive-by shooting in Cleveland.Police say shots were fired into a home from a dark-colored vehicle Tuesday night, wounding a 3-year-old and 9-year-old who were inside the home at the time.Police say the 3-year-old was shot in the face and the 9-year-old was shot in the back. They were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately available.No arrests have been made.The investigation is ongoing.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Regulators expand protections to prepaid debit card users

  05-10-2016 03:46
  
  NEW YORK - Federal regulators announced new rules Wednesday governing the quickly growing prepaid debit card industry, an effort more than two years in the making which should bring basic account protections to its customers, who are often financially disadvantaged.Prepaid debit card issuers will have to provide their users with basic account information like balances and transaction history free of charge to customers. Protections for lost or stolen cards will also be expanded to prepaid debit
  
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• Yahoo adds new social features to its renamed mobile app

  05-10-2016 03:13
  
  SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo has overhauled its main app for smartphones and tablets by emphasizing "social" features aimed at people who like to share and chat about news topics online.The revamped Yahoo app, now called Yahoo Newsroom, will augment its general news feed with more than 200 specialized channels that users can choose to follow on particular topics - such as a favorite celebrity, a political issue of interest or a breaking news event. The format encourages users to post comments on news i
  
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• ACC picks new sites for 8 championships pulled from NC

  05-10-2016 03:11
  
  GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference has picked new sites for eight of the championships it is moving from North Carolina because of a law that restricts the rights of LGBT people.League officials on Tuesday said four championships are moving to Georgia, three more are headed to South Carolina and another is set for Kentucky.The ACC last month said it would move 10 neutral-site championships out of North Carolina because of the law.Last week, the league awarded this season's football
  
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• Deadline approaching for some debris removal requests

  05-10-2016 03:07
  
  BATON ROUGE - The deadline for homeowners in Baton Rouge to apply for private property debris removal after the mid-August flooding is this week.The program allows debris collection to go beyond curbside and into yards, with a signed right of entry agreement from a homeowner.Applications for the program must be filed by Friday, according to the city-parish government. Renters need their landlord to complete the application.The program is only available in the city of Baton Rouge and unincorporat
  
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• Judge blocks enforcement of Louisiana stripper age limit

  05-10-2016 03:04
  
  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of a new Louisiana law aimed at keeping people under age 21 from performing in strip clubs.U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier (BAHR'-bee-aye) issued the order in a lawsuit filed last month by three anonymous women - ages 18, 19 and 20.Backers called the law a tool to fight human trafficking. The women argue it violates their right to free expression, illegally deprives them of income and discriminates against them based on age and g
  
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• Our Lady of the Lake College changing its name

  05-10-2016 03:01
  
  BATON ROUGE - Our Lady of the Lake College is changing its name to Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.Sister Barbara Arceneaux says the change honors the ministry's founding sponsors and its Franciscan ideals and values. In Tuesday's announcement, Arceneaux said expansion of programs in recent years, including doctoral level degree programs, prompted the name change to university to reflect the advanced programs being offered.Our Lady of the Lake was founded in 1923 as a nursing scho
  
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• Louisiana, Cuba commit to trading more -- if embargo is lifted

  05-10-2016 02:48
  
  The governor is visiting Cuba all week.
  
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