Baton Rouge news

• Women formally charged with murdering N. Korean

  28-02-2017 21:21
  
  KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Two women accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader, were charged with murder Wednesday after arriving in court under heavy protection.Kim Jong Nam was attacked at a busy Kuala Lumpur airport terminal on Feb. 13 and died shortly after two women went up behind him and wiped something onto his face.Both women have reportedly said they thought they were part of a prank TV show playing harmless tricks on unsuspecti
  
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• Surveys show China factory activity picks up steam

  28-02-2017 20:57
  
  HONG KONG - Surveys show that China's factory activity picked up pace last month, adding to recent evidence that a key sector of the world's No. 2 economy is stabilizing.The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index released Wednesday by the Chinese Federation of Logistics and Purchasing rose to 51.6 in February from 51.3 the previous month.The latest reading is a notch lower than November's two-year high of 51.7.It's based on a 100-point scale on which numbers above 50 indicate expansio
  
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• Trump says he's open to 'compromise' immigration bill

  28-02-2017 20:50
  
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump, signaling a potential shift on a signature issue, indicated Tuesday that he's open to immigration legislation that would give legal status to some people living in the U.S. illegally and provide a pathway to citizenship to those brought to the U.S. illegally as children.The president, in a lunch with news anchors ahead of his address to Congress on Tuesday night, said, "The time is right for an immigration bill as long as there is compromise on both sides." A
  
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• Parade-watcher dies after fall from pickup; impaled on rebar

  28-02-2017 20:45
  
  BILOXI, Miss. - A man watching a Mardi Gras parade in Biloxi, Mississippi, died after falling from the back of a pickup truck onto a piece of exposed rebar.Biloxi officials told Gulf Coast media that Tuesday's accident happened at an Interstate 110 underpass.Fire Chief Joe Boney said the man was standing or sitting on the back of a pickup truck, fell off, and the rebar pierced his body.The Gulf Coast Carnival Association parade was halted so that an ambulance could get to the man.The man's name
  
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• Trio arrested for trespassing in Tiger Stadium

  28-02-2017 20:41
  
  BATON ROGUE - Three people were arrested for trespassing in Tiger Stadium last Wednesday evening.According to arrest records, Claire Dorbandt, 22, Tiffani Harel, 21, and Kevin Nguyen, 22, jumped over a fence to enter the stadium on Feb. 22 just before midnight. A security guard located the three, secured them and contacted LSUPD, according to arrest records. They were then taken into custody.All three were arrested, charged and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one
  
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• NFL considering making referees fulltime

  28-02-2017 20:00
  
  INDIANAPOLIS - The NFL is considering making referees full-time employees and centralizing replay review at its New York headquarters as it aims for more consistent, shorter games.Those were the major topics of discussion when the league's competition committee met Tuesday in advance of the league's annual scouting combine.Falcons president Rich McKay, chairman of the competition committee, noted that the collective bargaining agreement allows the league to hire as many as 17 full-time officials
  
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• Teen rushed to hospital after accidental shooting in New Roads

  28-02-2017 19:07
  
  NEW ROADS - A 16-year-old was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after he was accidentally shot Tuesday evening.Around 6 p.m. New Roads Police responded to the scene of a reported accidental shooting on Highway 10. According to the New Roads Police Chief, four teens were traveling in a vehicle on their way back from the Mardi Gras parades in New Roads.Police say the four were playing with a gun when it accidentally discharged, shooting one of the four in the neck. The shooting
  
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• Crash shuts down I-12 east near Livingston

  28-02-2017 18:35
  
  LIVINGSTON - A crash has shut down I-12 eastbound near Frost Road, according to Louisiana State Police.The crash appears to involve a truck which veered into the median. The traffic is reportedly backed up for at least two miles.This is a developing story, we will update this story with more information as it becomes available.Keep up with local traffic using the WBRZ traffic tracker.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Community parades roll in New Roads for Mardi Gras

  28-02-2017 18:24
  
  NEW ROADS – Around 70,000 revelers filled the streets on New Roads for Mardi Gras.The city is dubbed "Little Carnival Capital" with two parades rolling on Fat Tuesday: the Community Center parade and the Lions Club parade."It's a nice fun day, the weather is perfect. It's beautiful on False River, its the place to be," parade goer Farilyn Dupuy said.The Lions Club parade featured floats decorated to reflect cultures around the world with the theme of "Nations on Parade.""There's a lot
  
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• Mardi Gras goers enjoy food along parade routes

  28-02-2017 17:03
  
  NEW ORLEANS – Faithful Mardi Gras goers lined the streets of New Orleans on Fat Tuesday.People both from both near and far enjoyed the parades, music and definitely the food."I've been up since 4 a.m. yesterday morning, preparing the ribs, 65 pounds of ribs," one parade goer told WBRZ.Others whipped up their special recipes to share on the parade routes." I'm going to the tell ya right now, I have lump crab meat, parm cheese, breadcrumbs to hold the cheese and my special sauce. That's
  
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• Beatty urges academy president to clarify Oscar fiasco

  28-02-2017 16:35
  
  NEW YORK - Warren Beatty is declining to comment further about Sunday's Oscar debacle but says Academy of Motion Pictures President Cheryl Boone Isaacs should "publicly clarify what happened as soon as possible."Beatty released a statement Tuesday to The Associated Press saying it would be "more appropriate" for Isaacs to answer questions about the incident. Since Sunday's broadcast, the academy has largely left the explaining to PwC, the accounting firm that has taken the blame for the "La La L
  
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• Georgia couple sentenced for yelling racial slurs, threatening children at birthday party

  28-02-2017 16:26
  
  DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - A Georgia judge has sentenced two people to lengthy prison terms for their role in the disruption of a black child's birthday party.The offenders rode in pickup trucks with Confederate flags yelling racial slurs and threatening partygoers with a firearm."The convoy of trucks passed by the victim's residence where the victims were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers while hosting a child's birthday party featuring a bouncy castle, snow-cone machines, and a DJ," the district attor
  
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• Youtube to offer cable alternative

  28-02-2017 16:02
  
  NEW YORK — People fed up with paying for cable the traditional way will soon be able to subscribe to it from YouTube.The Google-owned site known for cat videos and do-it-yourself makeup tutorials is the latest company to offer a version of cable that looks and feels more like Netflix. Dish, Sony and AT&T already have internet cable alternatives, and Hulu has one coming soon.None of these have been huge hits yet. YouTube is hoping its expertise in recommendations and search makes it
  
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• Report: Injured sheriff's deputy Nick Tullier is learning to live again

  28-02-2017 16:02
  
  HOUSTON – The days are long and the improvements are coming slowly, but there's never a lack of hope and thankfulness among family and medical staff working with injured sheriff's deputy Nick Tullier.“You can see there are miracles happening here,” Tullier's father, James, told WBRZ's affiliate in Texas recently.Deputy Tullier was shot and injured in the ambush in July on Airline Highway. He spent months hospitalized in Baton Rouge before moving to The Institute for
  
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• Man arrested for stalking woman at Chimes restaurant

  28-02-2017 15:53
  
  BATON ROUGE – Deputies say a man faces stalking charges after following a woman to her work then waiting in the parking lot for two hours early Tuesday morning.Randall Kelcey New, 26, was charged with stalking and remaining in places after forbidden. He was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Tuesday.According to arrest reports, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Chimes East restaurant on Coursey Blvd just after midnight. At the scene, a man
  
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• Man arrested for threatening family members by swinging, sharpening knives

  28-02-2017 15:52
  
  BATON ROUGE – A man has been arrested after he forced his family members to stay seated at a table by threatening them with knives.Terrance Stephens, 26, was arrested on charges of second degree battery, aggravated assault and false imprisonment.The incident occurred on Feb. 28 around 3 a.m. when Stephens was sharpening knives at a table in a home located in the 9200 block of Florida Boulevard. Stephens swung the knives at his mother and two other family members when they tried to leav
  
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• Man arrested for drugs, firing gun in BREC Park

  28-02-2017 15:46
  
  BATON ROUGE - EBRSO says a man was arrested after he fired several shots from a handgun in the Monte Sano BREC Park.Officers were investigating a reported burglary on 69th Avenue when they heard several shots fired at the nearby park. Officers found 23-year-old Dewayne Powell and his girlfriend in the area where the shots were suspected to have been fired.According to the arrest report, officers smelled a strong scent of marijuana emanating from Powell. Officers then found one baggie of
  
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• Papa John's testing $2.99 fee for "priority" orders

  28-02-2017 15:13
  
  NEW YORK - Papa John's is taking a page from the airline industry and testing a fee that lets people bump their pizza orders to the front of the line.The chain says the $2.99 "Papa Priority" fee was recently launched in select locations, and it's looking for ways to expand the test.It says the fee doesn't guarantee delivery within a set time, but sends an order to the "front of the line so that it is made faster." The option is limited to five orders each night per location.While customers whose
  
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• Amazon Cloud Storage failure causes widespread outages

  28-02-2017 14:51
  
  SEATTLE - Amazon’s cloud-hosting service Amazon Web Services is experiencing problems in its eastern U.S. region, causing widespread problems for websites and apps.Amazon’s service site states that its customers are experiencing “increased error rates” and notes that it is working on the problem. Affected sites including Trello, Scribd and IFTTT appear to be down. The Associated Press’ own photos, webfeeds and other online services are affected.A
  
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• Manhunt in Houston after burglary suspects shoot two police officers

  28-02-2017 14:48
  
  HOUSTON, Tx. - Houston police say two officers have been taken to hospitals for treatment of injuries after what authorities say was an officer-involved shooting.Police say the pair of officers was hurt during an altercation Tuesday on the city’s southwest side. Numerous officers have swarmed the neighborhood.According to ABC 13, the shooting stemmed from a confrontation between police and multiple burglary suspects. One suspect is dead and one or two more suspects are believed to be a
  
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• Baton Rouge General welcomes first 2017 Mardi Gras babies

  28-02-2017 14:17
  
  BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge General is celebrating its first Mardi Gras babies of 2017.Halie Branam and Jay Johnson welcomed baby Leaon Francis Johnson into the world at 9:52 a.m. Tuesday. Weighing 6 lbs and 12 oz, Leaon is the first Mardi Gras baby born at Baton Rouge General in 2017.According to a statement from the hospital, Leaon’s birth was followed by a second birth just 26 minutes later. Finley Daniel Amie was born to Danielle and Nathan Amie at 10:18 a.m.The hospital re
  
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• Face-biter said he fled demon-like figure before killings

  28-02-2017 14:05
  
  STUART, Fla. - A Florida college student accused of randomly killing a couple and chewing on the dead man's face told TV personality Phil McGraw he had been running from a demon-like figure named Daniel before the attack.In a video released Tuesday by prosecutors, 20-year-old Austin Harrouff told McGraw he only had vague memories of killing John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon last Aug. 15.The video had been scheduled to air on McGraw's "Dr. Phil" television show last October but was pulled at the
  
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• 22 additional charges filed against Endymion crash suspect

  28-02-2017 13:14
  
  NEW ORLEANS - 22 additional charges have been filed against the suspect in the Endymion parade crash that hospitalized 21 people Saturday night.According to a report from WWLTV, 25-year-old Neilson Rizzuto is facing 12 new counts of vehicular negligent injury and 10 counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring.Rizzuto was previously charged with reckless operation of a vehicle, hit and run driving that caused serious injury or death and two counts of vehicular negligent injuring.&nbsp
  
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• Officials: New Trump order drops Iraq from travel ban list

  28-02-2017 12:57
  
  WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say President Donald Trump's new immigration order will remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens face a temporary U.S. travel ban.Four officials say the administration's decision follows pressure from the Pentagon and State Department. They had urged the White House to reconsider Iraq's inclusion given its key role in fighting the Islamic State group.The new order is designed to replace an earlier Trump order that was blocked by federal courts.The officia
  
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• Pete Fountain's walking club struts to French Quarter

  28-02-2017 12:51
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Although clarinetist Pete Fountain died last year, Pete Fountain's Half-Fast Walking Club strutted from Commander's Palace restaurant to the French Quarter on Tuesday, tossing beads and doubloons to recordings of his music.This year marks the first time in 57 years that Fountain himself does not lead the float. This year's float will instead be led by Rudy Landry, one of Fountain's biggest fans and admirers."They said 'man, would you sit up there in that chair?' I said 'would I?!'
  
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• Man from BR leads Pete Fountain's walking club in his memory

  28-02-2017 12:51
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Although clarinetist Pete Fountain died last year, Pete Fountain's Half-Fast Walking Club strutted from Commander's Palace restaurant to the French Quarter on Tuesday, tossing beads and doubloons to recordings of his music.A man from Baton Rouge was among those leading the way. After being a part of the group for some three decades, Rudy Landry was asked to take Fountain's seat at the head of the walking krewe."They said 'man, would you sit up there in that chair?' I said 'would I?
  
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• LDWF: Unregistered boat stop leads to sex trafficking suspect

  28-02-2017 12:11
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says a man in an unregistered boat turned out to be wanted on a sex charge.Spokesman Adam Einck says enforcement agents arrested 26-year-old Jean Luc Williams of New Orleans on a charge of trafficking children for sex.Einck says the agents were on patrol Sunday in St. Bernard Parish when they saw a man fishing. They checked for compliance with boating regulations and found that Williams had not registered the boat or completed a re
  
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• Report: 12 hurt after car crashes into crowd at Gulf Shores parade

  28-02-2017 11:46
  
  GULF SHORES – At least 12 high school students were hurt after an SUV crashed into a crowd of people at a Mardi Gras parade in Gulf Shores Tuesday, local media reports.According to WHNT, three students were critically hurt. All 12 victims were transported to a local hospital.“A teenage band has just started to march down the parade route when they were struck from behind. The vehicle was a part of the parade,” city officials told WKRG.Police say the driver is an old
  
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• Report: 11 hurt after car crashes into crowd at Gulf Shores parade

  28-02-2017 11:46
  
  GULF SHORES – Eleven high school students were hurt after an SUV crashed into a crowd of people at a Mardi Gras parade in Gulf Shores Tuesday, local media reports.According to WHNT, three students were critically hurt. All 11 victims were transported to a local hospital.“A teenage band has just started to march down the parade route when they were struck from behind. The vehicle was a part of the parade,” city officials told WKRG.Officials made the call to cancel th
  
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• Krewe of Mid-City makes Mardi Gras debut

  28-02-2017 11:22
  
  BATON ROUGE - Mid City residents are celebrating Mardi Gras in their own special way.A small parade krewe made up of Mid-City residents rolled through the Capital Heights Community Tuesday.William Doran, one of the parade organizers, said the community realized there was nothing to do in Baton Rouge on Mardi Gras day. Doran said they wanted to change that."I'm a Mid City resident," Doran said. "And a group of us started talking about just getting together and walking down Capital Height
  
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• Pastor prays stolen tools are returned

  28-02-2017 11:02
  
  BATON ROUGE - It's been more than prayers putting Pastor H. Lewis Jones on his knees.The north Baton Rouge Pastor has been making repairs on his church since the August flood.Today, he's down on his knees, praying for a different reason. Praying someone will return his tools.On Tuesday, the pastor had to call police after someone broke in and took his tools that he was using to make flood repairs to the building.Now, the pastor is simply asking for the thief to return the tools taken."It was har
  
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• Ross sworn in as Commerce secretary

  28-02-2017 09:22
  
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has a Commerce secretary.Vice President Mike Pence has administered the oath of office to Wilbur Ross on Tuesday, a day after the Senate voted 72-27 to confirm him.Ross will help promote American business interests in the U.S. and abroad. He'll also oversee agencies that manage fisheries, weather forecasting and the Census Bureau, which will conduct the next national headcount in 2020.Ross has said the administration will work quickly to renegotiate t
  
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• Sessions: Law enforcement must 'put bad men behind bars'

  28-02-2017 08:29
  
  WASHINGTON - The Justice Department is creating a multi-agency task force to combat violent crime.Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the announcement Tuesday in his first major policy speech.He said the task force will include the heads of Justice Department agencies such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Sessions told a gathering of state attorneys general he's concerned an uptick in violent crime in some large American citi
  
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• Taco truck serves highway lunch for stranded Seattle drivers

  28-02-2017 06:58
  
  SEATTLE - A taco truck that became stranded in a massive Seattle traffic jam came to the rescue of hungry drivers by opening up and serving lunch on the interstate.A tanker truck carrying propane rolled over on Seattle's Interstate 5 on Monday morning, shutting area roads for about eight hours amid concerns about a hazardous materials spill.While waiting in the jam, Rachel McQuade tells The Seattle Times she spotted someone walking back to her car with a to-go box of food. She says she then head
  
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• Academy apologizes for Oscars best picture gaffe

  28-02-2017 06:50
  
  LOS ANGELES - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is apologizing to the cast of crews of the films "La La Land" and "Moonlight" for the mistaken announcement of the best picture winner during Sunday night's Oscars ceremony.In a statement issued Monday, the Academy says it deeply regrets the mistakes made during the presentation and apologizes to the cast and crew of the two films "whose experience was profoundly altered by this error."The statement also apologized to presenters Warre
  
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• Thousands throng to New Orleans for Fat Tuesday celebrations

  28-02-2017 06:44
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Thousands of people are expected to throng the streets for Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.Fat Tuesday is the culmination of the city and region's Carnival season.Some of the biggest parades will take place along the St. Charles Avenue parade route.Families, tourists and locals generally set up their chairs and ladders early to get a good seat for catching the trinkets thrown by riders on the floats.In another part of the city, people dressed in elaborate costumes will take
  
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• Judge to hear arguments on Dakota Access oil pipeline work

  28-02-2017 05:33
  
  BISMARCK, N.D. - A federal judge is due to hear arguments about whether to stop the final bit of construction on the disputed Dakota Access pipeline.U.S. District Judge James Boasberg scheduled a hearing for Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes.The tribes have asked him to direct the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw permission for Texas-based developer Energy Transfer Partners to lay pipe under Lake Oahe in North Dakota.The stretch under the Missou
  
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• Trump looks to refocus his presidency in address to Congress

  28-02-2017 05:24
  
  WASHINGTON - With his first address to Congress, President Donald Trump gets an opportunity to refocus his young administration on the economic issues that helped him get elected.His allies hope it will help him move beyond the distractions and self-inflicted wounds that he has dealt with so far.Trump's advisers say he will use his prime-time speech Tuesday to declare early progress on his campaign promises, including withdrawing the U.S. from a sweeping Pacific Rim trade pact, and to map a path
  
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