Baton Rouge news

• Louisiana delegation talks cruise ships in Cuba, TV station reports

  06-10-2016 23:42
  
  Carnival has already said it is interested in launching a New Orleans-Cuba cruise route if tourism restrictions are lifted.
  
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• After weeks sitting at curb, debris removed after On Your Side report

  06-10-2016 18:50
  
  BATON ROUGE – It’s been a slow agonizing process. And Linda Randall is tired of waiting.The debris sitting outside her home has been here for weeks. She’s gutted her house and is anxious to move on. She says the parish cleanup process is slowing her down and she can’t understand why her neighbors’ yards are getting attention while hers is not.Randall said three to four trucks have passed her house. She has even spoken to one of the drivers. Yet,
  
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• Three Louisiana men indicted for scheme to sell stolen HIV meds

  06-10-2016 16:05
  
  BATON ROUGE – Federal prosecutors say four people, including three Louisiana residents, were indicted for conspiracy to sell stolen HIV medicine.According to United States Attorney Walt Green, 35-year-old Alvin Watts,III, 35-year-old Troy Taylor, 37-year-old Broderick "Chris" Landry and 38-year-old Francis Asiedu Debrah were indicted with conspiracy to possess, transport and traffic pre-retail medical products.Green said the four individuals schemed to sell HIV drugs that had been stol
  
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• Information available to residents on False River shoreline erosion and restoration

  06-10-2016 15:52
  
  FALSE RIVER – Information is available to homeowners to help them control shoreline erosion as a part of the False River Ecosystem Restoration Project.The information provides suggested modifications to ensure a more natural shoreline and to foster aquatic habitat restoration.The Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury, the False River Watershed Council and the La. Department of Natural Resources have made an informational brochure available to residents. The brochure will be offered to the p
  
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• Mosquito aerial spraying set for Thursday night in EBR

  06-10-2016 15:26
  
  BATON ROUGE – Mosquito aerial spraying will take place in the southeast part of East Baton Rouge parish on Thursday night, weather permitting, according to officials.The spray area will be along Highland Road from Huntington Drive on the west to the Country Club of Louisiana.According to the East Baton Rouge Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control, the spraying is in response to large numbers of Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes.Spraying will take place at approximately 7:20 p.m.The spray a
  
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• $46M Medicaid contract extension supported by La. lawmakers

  06-10-2016 14:26
  
  BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers have agreed to another one-year, $46 million contract extension for the firm that processes bills and handles health provider enrollment for Louisiana's Medicaid program.The contract renewal has become a yearly point of contention with House and Senate health care committee members, who feel stuck in a deal with little room to renegotiate the terms.Former Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration fired the last company hired to take over the work. Since then, new federal guideli
  
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• Man arrested for having more than $3 million worth of cocaine

  06-10-2016 14:15
  
  WEST BATON ROUGE – West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office deputies arrest a man for having more than $3 million worth of cocaine in his vehicle's trailer.A deputy made a traffic stop on I-10 east bound where the driver, 44-year-old Jesus Villafranco, consented to a search. A K-9 unit found and alerted the deputy of cocaine hidden in a compartment in Villafranco's trailer that his vehicle was towing. 31 kilograms of cocaine, worth more than $3 million, was found.Villafranco, of Deer
  
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• Police block street to investigate unfounded shots fired call

  06-10-2016 13:52
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police blocked off part of Highland Road just after lunch while police investigated a complaint of shots being fired.The area was closed, briefly, between LSU and E. Roosevelt Street.  Pictures shared with WBRZ showed yellow crime scene tape and numerous police cars.No one was injured and police left the scene.Police investigate numerous shots fired complaints each day.****************Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltzPermalink| Comments
  
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• Mall stabbing victims asked if they were Muslim

  06-10-2016 13:04
  
  MINNESOTA - Authorities say the 20-year-old man who stabbed 10 people last month at a central Minnesota mall asked several people whether they were Muslim before attacking.Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall said Thursday at a news conference that Dahir Ahmed Adan was armed with two steak knives. The Sept. 17 stabbings began outside of the Crossroads Center mall and then moved inside.FBI Director James Comey said last week it appeared Adan was at least partly inspired by extremist ideology.K
  
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• Man arrested for shooting at juvenile and mother

  06-10-2016 13:01
  
  BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge Police arrested a man for attempted first degree murder after they say he shot at a woman he had a close relationship with and a juvenile.The shooting occurred on Sept. 28 around midnight when 39-year-old Tommie Johnson began shooting into a white Dodge Challenger at a home in the 4500 block of Southwind Drive. Two black men and one juvenile were in the car at the time of the shooting.Johnson fired into the car approximately 13 times and then fled the scene, a
  
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• Child playing with lighter causes apartment fire

  06-10-2016 13:00
  
  BATON ROUGE – A child playing with a lighter was the cause of an apartment fire in the 5000 block of Mcclelland Court on Thursday morning.The Baton Rouge Fire Department arrived on the scene of the fire on Thursday around 11 a.m. to find an upstairs apartment engulfed in flames. The fire was brought under control after about 13 minutes.It was determined that the fire was started by a child playing with a lighter. The child was placed in the Juvenile Fire Setter Program. According to BR
  
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• 4 plead guilty in health care fraud scheme

  06-10-2016 12:59
  
  NEW ORLEANS - A Jan. 5 sentencing date has been set in New Orleans for four people who pleaded guilty in a health care conspiracy case.U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said in a Wednesday news release that the four were part of a scheme involving the distribution of Medicare-funded "talking glucose meters" to people who didn't need them.They operated corporations in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie and in Chatsworth, California.Those who pleaded guilty were identified in the news release as 48-yea
  
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• Denham Springs and Live Oak High Schools face off on field they share

  06-10-2016 12:31
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - Two bitter high school rivals faced off on the football field Thursday night, despite spending months in the same campus.LIke any other football game, this one had cheers and jeers. But even fans on opposite sides for reasons to get along."Live oaks definitely has bragging rights, and this year, we're going to have 365 days of bragging rights," Live Oak High School Principal Beth Jones said. His wife, Kelly Jones, is the principal of Denham Springs High School.
  LOHS and DSHS hav
  
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• FEMA disaster centers to close on Sundays, Columbus Day

  06-10-2016 12:25
  
  BATON ROUGE – All FEMA disaster recovery centers will be closed on Sundays.The closures are effective starting Oct. 9. In addition, all disaster recovery centers will be closed on Monday, Oct. 10 in observance of Columbus Day.There are currently 15 FEMA disaster recovery centers open for flood survivors. To find a disaster recovery center near you click here.  Permalink| Comments
  
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• Police searching for missing Arabi 2-year-old, say he could be in danger

  06-10-2016 12:00
  
  ARABI - Louisiana State Police are searching for a 2-year-old who was reported missing Thursday.Police issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Media Advisory on behalf of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office for 2-year-old William Flattmann V.Police describe William as a white male with dirty blond hair and brown eyes. He is approximately 3-feet tall and weighs about 30 pounds. He was last seen wearing a red and white shirt, red shorts and red tennis shoes.Police say they believe William&a
  
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• Missing Arabi child found safe, missing child advisory canceled

  06-10-2016 12:00
  
  ARABI - Louisiana State Police have located the missing 2-year-old child from Arabi.Officials canceled the Level II Endangered/Missing Child Media Advisory for William Flattmann V around 11:45 p.m. Thursday.Police issued a Level II Endangered/Missing Child Media Advisory on behalf of the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office around 9:45 p.m.Police said they believe William could have been with his step-grandfather, 36-year-old Gary Wilson. Wilson is a white male with brown hair and brown eyes, app
  
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• Man wanted for questioning for vehicle theft

  06-10-2016 09:47
  
  BATON ROUGE – The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is searching for a man wanted for questioning regarding the theft of a vehicle.The theft occurred on Sept. 29 at NTB Tires located at 4675 Essen Lane around 6:20 p.m.The suspect is described as a white man, wearing a white T-shirt, brown shirts and sneakers with bright green laces.Anyone with information regarding the incident or the identity of the suspect is asked to contact the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office at 225-389-5000. A r
  
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• Angola Prison Rodeo every Sunday in October

  06-10-2016 09:25
  
  ANGOLA, La. - The Angola Prison Rodeo kicked off Sunday and continues every Sunday in October at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.Proceeds cover rodeo expenses, help to develop arena facilities and supplement the Inmate Welfare Fund, which provides inmate educational supplies.The event is a professionally produced rodeo with contracted rodeo stock and professional judges hired to objectively judge each event.Events include bareback riding, bull riding, wild horse racing, barrel racing, bull-dogg
  
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• Aug. flooding causes longer days for East Feliciana students

  06-10-2016 09:22
  
  CLINTON - Students in East Feliciana Parish will give up two holidays this semester and go to school an extra 15 minutes each day to make up for time lost because of the flooding in August.Superintendent Carlos Sam said the floods washed out seven days of the original school calendar.Instead of taking off Oct. 14 for a teacher professional day, students will attend classes. Students also will attend school on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, instead of taking a holiday. Classes will still be dismissed on
  
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• Ascension rental properties can receive FEMA assistance for lease and repair

  06-10-2016 09:18
  
  ASCENSION PARISH – Rental properties in Ascension Parish can now receive FEMA assistance for lease and repairs. FEMA's "Multi-Lease and Repair Program" offers direct temporary housing assistance to eligible applicants who are unable to receive housing assistance due to lack of resources."Because there is such a shortage of habitable rental property in the Parish, we decided to participate in this program right away," Matassa said.Under the program, apartments and condominiums
  
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• EBR debris removal moves into second phase, deadline approaches

  06-10-2016 08:52
  
  BATON ROUGE – The City-Parish debris removal operations have officially moved into their second phase. With the first parish-wide collection now complete, crews are already in the process of moving back into impacted areas to conduct additional flood debris collection passes. The multiple pass efforts will be conducted until all flood-related debris is collected throughout East Baton Rouge, according to officials. "For those who we may have missed during our first pas
  
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• Police-involved shooting at Hurricane Matthew evacuation route

  06-10-2016 07:19
  
  Authorities say a motorist in South Carolina was shot and wounded by deputies during an altercation over a Hurricane Matthew evacuation route.Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis tells local news outlets it happened about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Moncks Corner when a motorist came to a check point, knocked down some traffic cones and sped off.The sheriff says when deputies finally caught up with the driver a few miles away he pointed a gun at deputies and started shooting. The sheriff says the depu
  
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• U.S. military helicopters to Haiti

  06-10-2016 07:16
  
  The commander of U.S. forces in the Caribbean says nine U.S. military helicopters are being sent to Haiti in response to the government's request for help with damage from Hurricane Matthew.Adm. Kurt Tidd told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday that the helicopters are to arrive in Haiti on Thursday, weather permitting, by way of the Grand Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Some are equipped for search-and-rescue or medical evacuation missions, and others to transport supplies.Tidd said his command
  
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• Typhoon kills at least 7 people in southeastern South Korea

  06-10-2016 07:09
  
  SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea says a typhoon that battered the country this week has killed seven people and left three others missing.Typhoon Chaba caused strong winds and heavy rain in southeastern areas in South Korea on Tuesday and Wednesday. South Korean officials say the typhoon has later dissipated after moving to the waters off the east coast.The Ministry of Public Safety and Security says the six dead include one who fell from a breakwater and another who fell from the roof of a hous
  
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• Rapper Fetty Wap brings $165K to court, pays $360 fine

  06-10-2016 07:08
  
  CEDAR GROVE, N.J. - Fetty Wap says he brought about $165,000 in cash to a New Jersey municipal building where he admitted to charges including driving with tinted windows and a suspended license.The 25-year-old rapper, whose name is Willie Maxwell II, was ordered to pay $360 in fines. The Paterson native appeared in a Cedar Grove court on Wednesday with wads of cash sticking out of his pockets.Maxwell also pleaded guilty to failing to replace lost, destroyed or defaced license plates and a false
  
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• 2 children, father dead

  06-10-2016 07:05
  
  BEAVERTON, Ore. - Two young children and their 36-year-old father died Wednesday in an apparent homicide-suicide at an apartment complex near Portland, Oregon. Authorities in Beaverton say officers responded after a female relative called saying three people were possibly dead inside. The children were an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy.Permalink| Comments
  
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• LA sheriff's sergeant killed

  06-10-2016 07:03
  
  LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant was shot to death while answering a burglary report. Authorities say the suspected gunman was arrested. Sgt. Steven Owen, who was 53, died at a hospital yesterday about two hours after he was gunned down behind a home in Lancaster, a desert community north of Los Angeles.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Hurricane causes major flight problems

  06-10-2016 07:01
  
  MIAMI - Officials at Florida's major airports are monitoring conditions as Hurricane Matthew bears down on Florida.On its website, Fort Lauderdale International Airport announced plans to close at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Officials advised travelers to check with individual airlines about flight plans.Officials at Miami International Airport will continue monitoring the storm and warned of possible flight cancellations. On its website, officials noted that generally "airports don't' operate in susta
  
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• Louisiana extends drawdown on Saline Lake

  06-10-2016 03:26
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Saline Lake Commission have extended the current drawdown on Saline Lake in Natchitoches and Winn parishes until Nov. 1.The extension is due to unusually heavy rainfall, which kept the area inundated for most of August.The department said in a news release Wednesday that the drawdown, which began June 14, was originally scheduled to end no later than the first week of October.The department says drawdowns are a necessary part o
  
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• Trump, once a data skeptic, spending millions on data

  06-10-2016 03:06
  
  WASHINGTON - Donald Trump once called data "overrated" in politics. But with Election Day approaching, the Republican presidential nominee is spending millions of dollars on data and digital services in an effort to land donations and win over voters.Trump was convinced by his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his digital director, Brad Parscale, that an ambitious data effort is worth the money.Modern political campaigns gather up as much data as possible to raise money and identify and turn out vote
  
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• Government to pick plans for displaced health law customers

  06-10-2016 03:01
  
  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is worried that insurers bailing out of the health care law's markets may prompt their customers to drop out, too.So administration officials have come up with a strategy to steer affected consumers to plans from remaining insurance companies.Insurers worry that policyholders could get an unwelcome surprise if their new government-recommended plan isn't what they're used to.The backstop is outlined in an administration document circulating among insurers and
  
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