Baton Rouge news

• Police make an arrest in a 2015 double murder

  29-12-2016 20:23
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police have arrested a 23-year-old man accused of killing two women on Boone Drive in June of 2015.Jonathan Robertson is charged with two counts of first degree murder.Police say Robertson shot Brandi Gilbert, 23 and Corrine Rayford, 23 in the head during an armed robbery.In a news release, Baton Rouge Police stated, "after murdering the two ladies, Robertson drove the victims' vehicle to the 8100 block of Boone Ave parking it on the shoulder of the road.""DNA processed by the Stat
  
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• Statewide fee hike for drinking water begins January

  29-12-2016 17:21
  
  BATON ROUGE- Next year water systems across the state will increase fees by about seventy-five cents per month to pay for increased state inspections. Customers will pick up the tab but Louisiana health inspectors say it's badly needed since funding was slashed back in 2012."What we witnessed was a huge increase in violations," said Jimmy Guidry, Louisiana's Health Officer. "Water systems weren't doing the appropriate tests or they weren't doing enough tests and we weren't getting the r
  
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• Felon with active burglary warrant arrested

  29-12-2016 15:59
  
  BATON ROUGE – A convicted felon with an active arrest warrant for burglary and an extensive criminal background was arrested Wednesday.The Baton Rouge Police Department arrested 33-year-old Dwayne Cossett on charges of illegal carry of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and resisting an officer.BRPD was following up on an investigation regarding individuals trafficking drugs and carrying firearms in the parking lot of 2001 Sherwood Forest Boulev
  
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• Man charged with murder in Monterrey Blvd shooting

  29-12-2016 15:36
  
  BATON ROUGE – Police say a man was arrested in connection with a deadly shooting on Monterrey Blvd on Dec. 23.According to Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola Jr., 21-year-old Da’Rashio Wicks was charged with second-degree murder.Coppola said Wicks started a fight with 50-year-old Mito Ramirez after the victim laid on the ground “in an apparent state of intoxication.” Moments after the fight, Wicks then shot and killed Ramirez in the front yard of 2080 Mon
  
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• Fight with sleeping man ends in gunfire on Monterrey Blvd

  29-12-2016 15:36
  
  BATON ROUGE – Police say a fight with a sleeping man outside a Baton Rouge home ended in gunfire last Friday.The shooting happened in the 2000 block of Monterrey Blvd around 12:04 p.m. on Dec. 23. Police say 21-year-old Da'Rashio Wicks was charged with second-degree murder.According to arrest records, Wicks said his two brothers found 50-year-old Mito Ramirez sleeping in the front yard of their home on Monterrey Blvd. The group tried to wake Ramirez, who then awoke speaking Sp
  
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• Three arrested for prostitution on Kimbro Drive

  29-12-2016 15:34
  
  BATON ROUGE – One woman was arrested for prostitution, along with two others, after police set up surveillance of a home on Kimbro Drive.Lian Ma was arrested on the charge of prostitution. Yu Bai and Yinliu Shi were also arrested, however their charges are not clear at the time of this post.On Dec. 28 around 7 p.m. Baton Rouge Police responded to a home in the 600 block of Kimbro Drive due to complaints about prostitution at the location. Detectives setup surveillance of the home and d
  
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• Serena Williams announces engagement on Reddit

  29-12-2016 15:08
  
  Tennis great Serena Williams is tying the knot.Williams announced her engagement to Alexis Ohanian on Thursday, posting a poem on Reddit that she accepted the proposal of the social news website's co-founder.Williams' agent, Jill Smoller, confirmed the engagement in an email to The Associated Press.Ohanian wrote on his Facebook page, "She said yes."Williams, 35, has been dating Ohanian, 33, for over a year.Her poem:"I came home/A little late/Someone had a bag packed for me/And a carriage awaited
  
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• House speaker calls Russia sanctions overdue

  29-12-2016 15:06
  
  WASHINGTON - House Speaker Paul Ryan says the Obama administration's new sanctions against Russia are long overdue after eight years of "failed policy" with Russia.The Wisconsin Republican said in a statement Thursday that "Russia does not share America's interests" and has consistently sought to undermine U.S. values while "sowing dangerous instability around the world."Ryan says the sanctions announced Thursday were overdue, but were "an appropriate way to end eight years of failed po
  
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• Number of officers killed in line of duty rose in 2016

  29-12-2016 14:03
  
  The number of police killed in the line of duty rose sharply in 2016, driven by shootings of police around the country - most notably ambushes in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.From Jan. 1 through Wednesday, 135 officers lost their lives. Some died in traffic accidents, but nearly half of them were shot to death.That's a 56 percent increase in shooting deaths over the previous year. Of the 64 who were fatally shot, 21 were killed in ambush attacks, often fueled by anger over police use of for
  
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• Red Solo Cup inventor Robert Hulseman dies at age 84

  29-12-2016 13:15
  
  NORTHFIELD - Former Solo Cup Co. President Robert Hulseman, who invented the now party-essential Red Solo Cup, has died. He was 84.His son, Paul Hulseman, says his father died Dec. 21 at his home in Northfield, Illinois, of complications after a series of strokes.The elder Hulseman invented the Red Solo Cup in the 1970s, but his son says his father never fully understood how massively popular it became. He says the cup was invented for families, not beer keggers.Hulseman also invented the Travel
  
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• Last of 6 inmates recaptured after Christmas jail break

  29-12-2016 13:01
  
  NEWPORT - Authorities in Tennessee say they have recaptured the sixth and final inmate who broke out of jail on Christmas Day.The Cocke County Sheriff's Office tells news outlets in a statement that 54-year-old David Frazier was arrested Wednesday in Forsyth County, Georgia.He's being held there and awaiting extradition to Tennessee.Deputies say six inmates escaped from the jail early Sunday after removing a toilet from the wall and going through a hole behind it that led to the outside of the f
  
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• Singer Trey Songz arrested after concert outburst in Detroit

  29-12-2016 13:00
  
  DETROIT - Singer Trey Songz has been charged with aggravated assault and assaulting a police officer after authorities said he threw microphones and speakers from the stage during a performance at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.The Wayne County prosecutor's office says the 32-year-old Songz, whose real name is Tremaine Neverson, is expected to be arraigned Thursday afternoon in the 36th District Court.Songz, of Virginia, was arrested Wednesday night.Police spokesman Officer Dan Donakowski says Songz
  
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• Fans create impromptu Hollywood star for Carrie Fisher

  29-12-2016 12:58
  
  LOS ANGELES - Carrie Fisher didn't have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, so fans have taken over a blank sidewalk star to pay tribute to the late "Star Wars" actress.Fan Jason Thomas tells news station KNBC-TV Los Angeles that he took it upon himself to make a star for Fisher, who died Tuesday at age 60.Paste-on letters spell out her name and the phrase "May the force be with you always." Candles and flowers surround the star.It's located in front of Hollywood Boulevard's historic Grauman's
  
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• US slaps sanctions on Russia, expels 35 diplomats

  29-12-2016 12:55
  
  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has imposed sanctions on Russian officials and intelligence services in retaliation for Russia's interference in the U.S. presidential election by hacking American political sites and email accounts.The State Department also has kicked out 35 Russian diplomats from its embassy in Washington and consulate in San Francisco, giving them and their families 72 hours to leave the U.S. The diplomats were declared persona non grata for acting in a "manner inconsistent
  
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• US senators: Russia should be sanctioned for election hacks

  29-12-2016 12:55
  
  WASHINGTON - U.S. senators visiting eastern European allies to discuss security issues have called for sanctions against Russia for interfering in the presidential election by hacking American political sites and email accounts.Their calls Wednesday came amid ongoing discussions among U.S. officials about an imminent response to ensure the U.S. takes action before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham were joined by Democratic Sen. Amy Klobucha
  
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• Alexa a witness to murder? Prosecutors seek Amazon Echo data

  29-12-2016 12:53
  
  LITTLE ROCK - Authorities investigating the death of an Arkansas man whose body was found in a hot tub want to expand the probe to include a new kind of evidence: any comments overheard by the suspect's Amazon Echo smart speaker.Amazon says it objects to "overbroad" requests as a matter of practice, but prosecutors insist their idea is rooted in centuries-old legal precedent.The issue has emerged in the slaying of Victor Collins, who was found last year at a friend's home in Bentonville, about 1
  
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• Driver in critical condition following collision with tree

  29-12-2016 12:32
  
  BATON ROUGE – The driver of a truck remains in critical condition Thursday afternoon after running off the roadway at the intersection of Florida and Lobdell.Baton Rouge Police say, the driver hit another vehicle before colliding head-on with a tree. The driver of the vehicle that was hit, is expected to recover from the injuries received during the crash.The cause of the incident remains under investigation by police.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Broome updates on transition amid inauguration

  29-12-2016 12:28
  
  BATON ROUGE – Mayor-President elect Sharon Weston Broome held a press conference on Thursday to share updates on her transition into office. Broome said that her transition teams are moving forward and she has received "glowing reports" from them on community engagement thus far.Broome also said that she has completed her meetings with City-Parish department heads and stated that the department heads will become interim positions temporarily until she decides her administratio
  
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• Pregnant restaurant server receives $900 tip

  29-12-2016 11:18
  
  PHOENIX – A pregnant restaurant server and bartender received a more than generous tip from a customer earlier this month - $900.Sarah Clark told CNN that the tip is a huge help as she is nine months pregnant and will not get any paid time off. Her fiancé will also be temporarily out of work due to knee surgery."I couldn't believe what I was looking at at first because it was such a high amount," Clark said. Clark said that the woman who left the tip had be
  
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• Woman arrested for fatal hit and run on Juban Road

  29-12-2016 11:11
  
  LIVINGSTON – State Troopers arrested a woman for a fatal hit and run on Juban Road that occurred on Dec. 20.Troopers arrested 49-year-old Debra Bridges for hit and run and obstruction of justice.It was determined that Bridges was the driver of a blue Ford F-150 that struck and killed 36-year-old Corey Peeples while he was walking on Juban Road. She then fled the scene following the accident.
  A search warrant was obtained for her vehicle and she, along with her damaged vehicle,
  
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• Man arrested after shooting on Vancouver Drive

  29-12-2016 09:39
  
  BATON ROUGE – One man has been arrested after shooting at another man, who he knew for more 15 years, on Vancouver Drive.The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office arrested 35-year-old Charlie English for charges of illegal use of weapon and attempted second degree murder.The incident occurred on Dec. 21 around 2 p.m. in the 3000 block of Vancouver Drive. The victim of the shooting states that he was working on a home when English arrived. The two got into an argument over money owed to the
  
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• 1 of 2 Mississippi men wanted in cat scalding surrenders

  29-12-2016 09:04
  
  MOSS POINT - Authorities say one of two Mississippi men wanted in connection with a widely viewed video showing a cat being scalded by hot liquid has surrendered to police.WLOX-TV reports that 43-year-old Larry Rostchild Jr. surrendered Wednesday to police in Moss Point, Mississippi, and is charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal.Police say they're still seeking a second man, 24-year-old Laderrick Rostchild, after they issued an arrest warrant for him on the same charge.Police Cmdr. Stacey
  
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• Virus found at New Orleans Fair Grounds Racetrack

  29-12-2016 08:56
  
  BATON ROUGE - State agriculture officials say they've confirmed a case of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy, an often deadly neurological disease spread by horse-to-horse contact, at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racetrack.The Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry, in a news release Wednesday, said a 2-year-old thoroughbred gelding reportedly developed a fever and neurological signs last week and was euthanized Dec. 26. Nasal swab and blood tests were confirmed positive for Equine He
  
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• Largest hispanic-owned food company in US gives to shelters

  29-12-2016 07:48
  
  JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The largest Hispanic-owned food company in the country has committed to donating 125,000 pounds of food to an agency dedicated to serving the less fortunate in northern New Jersey.Jersey City-based Goya Foods will send 10,000 pounds of food each month to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark, which will distribute the goods to shelters in Essex, Hudson, Bergen and Union counties.The company has also pledged a one-time donation of $10,000 to the archdiocese that will
  
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• Sinkhole disrupts holiday season in Detroit suburb

  29-12-2016 07:45
  
  DETROIT - A major sinkhole has disrupted the holiday season in Fraser, a suburb of roughly 14,500 people about 15 miles north of downtown Detroit.Roads have been closed and about two dozen homes evacuated after the underground sewer collapse on Christmas Eve. No injuries were reported but inconveniences are many as crews begin a months-long process of assessing the damage, making repairs and determining the cause.Officials say the resulting sinkhole is larger than one in 2004 that caused a nearb
  
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• NYPD allows Sikhs to wear turbans, grow beards

  29-12-2016 07:43
  
  NEW YORK - The New York Police Department is now allowing Sikh officers to wear turbans in place of the traditional police cap and grow beards up to a half-inch long for religious reasons.Police Commissioner James O'Neill announced the new rules that affect all religious members on Wednesday following a graduation ceremony for new police recruits. Officers must first get approval and the turbans must be navy blue and have the NYPD insignia attached.Male observant Sikhs often cover their heads wi
  
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• Police arrest man in New York City stabbing

  29-12-2016 07:41
  
  NEW YORK - Police have arrested a suspect in the random stabbing of a tourist in New York City earlier this month.Twenty-three-year-old Connor Rasmussen, of Puyallup, Washington, was stabbed in the back of the head on Dec. 18.Police announced the arrest Wednesday of 20-year-old Steven Tlapanco on charges of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.Rasmussen was attacked in the early morning hours, just blocks from popular tourist spots including Rockefeller Center and Grand
  
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• Obama names Utah, Nevada monuments despite opposition

  29-12-2016 07:38
  
  SALT LAKE CITY - President Barack Obama has designated two new national monuments in Utah and Nevada at sites that have become key flashpoints over public land in the U.S. West.The announcement Wednesday marks the administration's latest move to protect environmentally sensitive areas in its final days.The White House says Bears Ears National Monument in Utah will cover 1.35 million acres of tribal land in the Four Corners region. A coalition of tribes pushed to ensure protections for lands that
  
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• 7 killed in drug-related feud in Philippines

  29-12-2016 07:28
  
  MANILA, Philippines - Police in the Philippines say gunmen have shot dead seven people in what they suspect is a feud involving illegal drugs.The victims include three teens and a pregnant woman. Police say one of four suspects in the shooting has been arrested, after being identified by a survivor of the attack in Caloocan city.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Bomb blasts hurt at least 32 at Philippine boxing match

  29-12-2016 07:26
  
  MANILA, Philippines - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is blaming a drug feud for a bombing that wounded at least 32 people watching an amateur boxing match in the central part of the country.Duterte has led a brutal crackdown against illegal drugs since he took office in June.Police say two of three mortar rounds were remotely set off by cellphone last night as people watched a boxing match in Leyte province.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Trump responds after Kerry's speech

  29-12-2016 07:22
  
  WASHINGTON - President-elect Donald Trump says Israel is being treated "very, very unfairly."Yesterday, Secretary of State John Kerry angered Israel after saying that Israel's continued settlement-building on land the Palestinians claim is leading to an "irreversible one-state reality."Trump yesterday refused to directly answer a question about whether Israel should stop building settlements, but he said countries that are "horrible places" never get reprimanded.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Germany prosecutors probed Berlin attack suspect for fraud

  29-12-2016 07:21
  
  BERLIN - Prosecutors in western Germany say the man accused of carrying out last week's deadly truck attack in Berlin, was also suspected of collecting asylum-seeker benefits in two German towns.German officials say Anis Amri, who's believed to have driven the truck that plowed into a Christmas market, killing 12 people, was investigated for fraud earlier this year, but the investigation was shelved because his whereabouts were unknown.Days after the Berlin attack, a police officer killed Amri i
  
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• Russian plane crash probe rules out explosion

  29-12-2016 07:19
  
  MOSCOW - Investigators haven't ruled out that something was done mechanically to bring down a Russian military plane on Sunday, but they say that flight recorders show no evidence of an explosion.A Russian military official says recorded cockpit conversation contains the captain's words that indicate that a "special situation" began unfolding just minutes after taking off from Sochi, Russia.All 92 people on board were killed.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Russia invites Trump to Syria peace talks

  29-12-2016 07:16
  
  BEIRUT - Russia says that when Donald Trump is sworn in as president, his administration is welcome to joint Syria peace talks.Russia today said that it's reached a cease-fire agreement with Turkey, which has been supporting the Syrian opposition.Russia's Defense minister says the truce includes 62,000 opposition fighters across Syria and that it begins midnight local time.Permalink| Comments
  
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• One dead, two hurt after Washington Street fire

  29-12-2016 02:52
  
  Baton Rouge – Fire investigators are working to figure out what sparked a house fire, overnight, that killed one person, and sent two others to the hospital. Firefighters were called to a home in the 300 block of East Washington Street just after 1 a.m. Thursday morning. A spokesperson for the fire department said that when the first firetruck arrived fire was coming from the rear of the home. The body of one victim was found in a bedroom inside the home. Two people were able to escape
  
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• BREAKING: One dead, two hurt after Washington St fire

  29-12-2016 02:52
  
  Baton Rouge – Fire investigators are working to figure out what sparked a house fire, overnight, that killed one person, and sent two others to the hospital. Firefighters were called to the home, in the 300 block of East Washington Street, just after one o’clock Thursday morning. A spokesperson for the fire department tells News 2, when the first firetruck arrived, fire was coming from the rear of the home. The body of victim was found in a bedroom inside the house. The two p
  
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