Baton Rouge news

• EXCLUSIVE: Mayor Broome goes on ride-along with law enforcement

  01-03-2017 21:48
  
  BATON ROUGE - Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome spent hours on the streets of Baton Rouge, learning from law enforcement as they responded to crime scenes across the parish.The mayor was invited by an officer to get a real-life view of what the city's cops deal with on a daily basis."I've been talking a lot about closing the gap between law enforcement and the citizens in our community," Mayor Broome said. "So I thought it would be good for me to go out first hand and see what goes on in thei
  
  Read more

• Motorcycle driver suffers severe injuries after crash in Walker

  01-03-2017 21:17
  
  WALKER - A motorcycle rider is suffering from severe injuries following a crash on Alvin Sibley Road near Walker Road North.According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, the motorcycle driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed in the 13000 block of Alvin Sibley Road, causing multiple injuries.LPSO officials say the driver was transported to the hospital for treatment. They are now investigating the crash.This is a developing story. Stay tuned for details.Permalink| Comments
  
  Read more

• Police investigating vehicle fire near LSU

  01-03-2017 20:05
  
  BATON ROUGE - Crews responded to a vehicle fire near LSU's campus late Wednesday afternoon.According to police, the vehicle was on fire on River Road at Skip Bertman Drive. It's believed the fire may have been caused by an accident.The Baton Rouge Fire Department has since extinguished the fire.Sources say there are no injuries to report.LSUPD is currently investigaing the incident. Permalink| Comments
  
  Read more

• Firefighters extinguish large house fire in Baton Rouge

  01-03-2017 19:28
  
  BATON ROUGE - Firefighters responded to a large house fire in the Baton Rouge area Wednesday night.Crews arrived at the house at 9835 Everglades Ave. around 7 p.m. and reportedly put the fire out around 7:45 pm.The cause of the fire is not known at this time.BREAKING: fire crews fighting large house fire on Everglades Ave in North Baton Rouge. @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/2qXE82MTJy— Brett Buffington (@BrettBuffington) March 2, 2017A WBRZ News unit is at the scene. We will update this story a
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Man who tased EBR deputies Wednesday recently avoided arrest in Judge Mike Erwin's courtroom

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  BATON ROUGE- A man suspected of armed robbery wrestled a taser from two East Baton Rouge Sheriff's deputies Wednesday morning, firing it at them.Jeremy Blouin, 21 years-old of Baton Rouge, also allegedly punched the deputies before being shot in the Piccadilly parking lot on Essen Lane. He was treated at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital before being booked into parish prison.Before the confrontation with law enforcement, Blouin allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint in the bathroom of the Race
  
  Read more

• L'Auberge resorts awarded AAA Four Diamond rating

  01-03-2017 18:36
  
  BATON ROUGE - The L'Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge and the L'Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles have been awarded the AAA Four Diamond rating,ranking them among the nation's elite hotels.The rating has been awarded to only 5.9 percent of the 28,000 hotels approved by the AAA.Additionally, U.S. News & World Report released its Best Hotels of 2017 recently and both L’Auberge properties were nationally ranked and listed among the top five percent of Louisiana hotels.The
  
  Read more

• Crabbers feeling impact of month-long crab ban

  01-03-2017 17:34
  
  BATON ROUGE – Lent and seafood go hand-in-hand, however crab fisherman have to sit out due to the state-wide crab ban.Local crab fishermen say, with just seven days into the ban, they are feeling a dent to their bank accounts."A lot of people at our place are pulling in right now in Baton Rouge they're looking for them there and my wife's having to turn them down," fisherman Whitney Curole said.Customers are either changing up their menus or buying from out of state. The ban is for thi
  
  Read more

• Yahoo punishes CEO in latest fallout from security breakdown

  01-03-2017 17:10
  
  SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo is punishing CEO Marissa Mayer and jettisoning its top lawyer for the mishandling of two security breaches that exposed the personal information of more than 1 billion users and already have cost the company $350 million.Mayer won't be paid her annual bonus nor receive a potentially lucrative stock award because a Yahoo investigation concluded her management team reacted too slowly to one breach discovered in 2014.Yahoo's general counsel, Ronald Bell, resigned without sever
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Flood victim claims to now be victim of government red tape

  01-03-2017 16:17
  
  GONZALES- A family devastated by the August floods can't seem to catch a break.
  The Hutchinson family applied for and was approved for an Small Business Administration loan last year. However, nearly five months after getting that approval, they still don't have their money. Patience is now wearing thin.
  "Stressful, I have enough things in my life," Jean Hutchinson said. "I'm tired of jumping through hoops for them."The hoops Jean Hutchinson are referring to involve the Small Business Administra
  
  Read more

• Legos ready to blast off with 'Women of NASA' set

  01-03-2017 16:01
  
  The women behind the NASA space program have made the big screen, and now they are being honored as little Lego figurines.Lego said Wednesday it had chosen the "Women of NASA" project as the winner of its fan design contest. The announcement comes on the heels of the Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures," which tells the story of three black female mathematicians who helped NASA during the space race.The "Women of NASA" set is the brainchild of Maia Weinstock, deputy editor at MIT News for the M
  
  Read more

• Accountants in Oscar flub off the show

  01-03-2017 15:46
  
  LOS ANGELES - The president of the film academy says the two accountants responsible for the best-picture flub at Sunday's Academy Awards will never return to the Oscar show.Cheryl Boone Isaacs tells The Associated Press that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' relationship with PwC, the accounting firm responsible for the integrity of the awards, remains under review.Boone Isaacs broke her silence Wednesday following the biggest blunder in the 89-year history of the Academy Awards.
  
  Read more

• Students to return to Galvez Primary School on Mar. 2 following August flood

  01-03-2017 15:22
  
  PRAIRIEVILLE – Galvez Primary School will return to its home campus on March 2 following the August 2016 flood.The school has spent the past six months at host sites Lakeside Primary and the old RPCC campus.According to school officials, the move-in date comes after a followup Fire Marshal inspection conducted on Wednesday of the temporary buildings on its campus.More than 600 students will attend school in temporary facilities consisting of an administration building, library, cafeter
  
  Read more

• Man drives into Dawson Creek along Perkins Road

  01-03-2017 15:10
  
  BATON ROUGE – A man drove his truck into a creek along Perkins Road near Pollard Parkway on Wednesday afternoon.WHOOPS: Some guy just parked his F-150 in Dawson Creek on Perkins Rd. EMS says no injures. @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/FneqFsQUXV— Brett Buffington (@BrettBuffington) March 1, 2017The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. The driver's truck went through the parking lot of The District Luxury Apartments complex before going into Dawson Creek.According to EMS, there were no in
  
  Read more

• FEMA denies aid to multiple parishes following February tornadoes

  01-03-2017 15:06
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has responded to Governor John Bel Edwards' request for federal aid for five parishes following February's tornadoes.In a letter released Wednesday, FEMA informed the governor it authorized individual assistance for both Livingston and Orleans parishes, as well as hazard mitigation statewide. The letter goes on to say that FEMA will not provide assistance to Ascension, St. James and St. Tammany parishes. The agency says this decision
  
  Read more

• IPSO identifies human remains found in Rosedale

  01-03-2017 14:39
  
  ROSEDALE - The Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office has identified a man whose remains were found in Oct. 2016.The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab announced Wednesday they had identified the man as 50-year-old Charles Hills Jr. of Baton Rouge.According to IPSO, the remains were found on a bayou bank in a wooded area of Iberville Parish. The LSU FACES Lab was responsible for-excavating and collecting the remains. Permalink| Comments
  
  Read more

• Suspect in Mississippi, New Mexico crimes arrested in Kansas

  01-03-2017 13:55
  
  PRATT, Kan. - Authorities have arrested a man suspected of shooting a Kansas convenience store clerk and kidnapping two hikers in New Mexico while on the run after his girlfriend was killed and a jogger was shot in Mississippi.Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Tod Hileman said in a tweet that 28-year-old Alex Bridges Deaton was taken into custody Wednesday near the town of Wilson, about 80 miles from where the clerk was shot.Kansas authorities began pursuing Deaton because he was driving a vehicle r
  
  Read more

• Idaho school led investigation in sexual assault of disabled athlete

  01-03-2017 13:30
  
  BOISE, Idaho - The investigation into the sexual assault of a disabled black football player by his teammates at a small-town Idaho high school showed that crucial evidence was collected by school employees, not law enforcement officials.The case unfolded in the tiny farming village of Dietrich, where John R.K. Howard and two teammates were charged with sodomizing the victim with a clothes hanger in 2015 in the school locker room.An Associated Press review of 2,000 pages of investigation documen
  
  Read more

• Bond tripled for drunk driver in Endymion crash

  01-03-2017 13:25
  
  NEW ORLEANS – The bond has tripled for a 25-year-old man who drove into a crowd of people at the Endymion parade in New Orleans.According to a report from WWL, Neilson Rizzuto's bond has been raised from $125,000 to $420,000 following 22 additional charges filed against him. Rizzuto's additional charges include 12 counts of vehicular negligent injury and 10 counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring.He was initially charged with reckless operation of a vehicle, hit and run dri
  
  Read more

• Man wanted for stealing $4,700 worth of headphones from Port Allen Walmart

  01-03-2017 12:45
  
  PORT ALLEN – The West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to identify a man wanted for theft at Walmart in Port Allen.The incident occurred on Feb. 27 around 2:15 a.m. when the suspect entered the store and proceeded to the electronics section. He then opened a case and took 23 pairs of Beats headphones. According to the sheriff's office, the headphones were valued at  $4,700 in total.The suspect then left in a dark colored vehicle, possibly a
  
  Read more

• VIDEO: truck flies through the air, crashes after high speed chase

  01-03-2017 12:31
  
  SHREVEPORT – Cameras captured a dramatic moment near Shreveport Tuesday when a pickup truck ran off the road and was launched into the air.Authorities in Webster Parish say the incident happened after police stopped the driver for speeding. While police were speaking with the driver, the passenger jumped into the driver’s seat and took off.Police say the pursuit ended after the truck passed over spike strips, swerved and was launched into the air. The truck landed on
  
  Read more

• Man arrested for shooting mother inside car with her children

  01-03-2017 12:29
  
  BATON ROUGE – A man was arrested after he shot a mother while she was inside a car with her four children.The Baton Rouge Police Department arrested 25-year-old Deamond Curtis on five counts of first-degree murder, attempted crime and illegal use of weapons.The incident occurred on Feb. 12 around in the 5600 block of St. Katherine Avenue. The victim told detectives that she was seated in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle when Curtis emerged and began shooting. The victim's four mi
  
  Read more

• INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Another WBR work release inmate escapes

  01-03-2017 12:22
  
  BATON ROUGE- The West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office is searching for another work release inmate that apparently walked off of a job site this morning in Baton Rouge. This is the third inmate to escape in less than two weeks.The inmate, David Graham, left around eight this morning.West Baton Rouge Colonel Richie Johnson said the Department of Corrections Escape and Apprehension center was notified within 30 minutes of the walk off. At this point it's unclear who reported Graham missing, or
  
  Read more

• Police union to honor woman who saved officer during attack

  01-03-2017 12:00
  
  BATON ROUGE – The International Union of Police Associations will be holding a ceremony on Thursday to honor a woman that saved a Baton Rouge officer during an arrest that went awry.A suspect BRPD Corporal Billy Amie was trying to arrest on Feb. 20 began striking him in the head with his officer's baton. The suspect also grabbed Aime's  firearm and attempted to remove it from the holster. During the incident, Vickie Williams-Tillman noticed the situation and contacted authorit
  
  Read more

• Couple engaged at Spanish Town parade relives magical moment

  01-03-2017 11:04
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade is known for its outrageous and over the top floats. This year's parade was put to a halt as one man decided to ask his girlfriend to marry him.Justin Capro decided to propose to his girlfriend Kaitlyn Goudeau right in front of the Oh Na Neaux float last Saturday.Each person on the float held up a sign asking for Kaitlyn's hand in marriage."I said it's been a long four years, but I'm ready to spend my entire life with you. Will you marry me? And s
  
  Read more

• EBRSO: man stole $16,000 drone from unlocked truck

  01-03-2017 09:55
  
  BATON ROUGE – Detectives are looking for a man who stole a $16,000 drone from an unlocked truck on Centurion Avenue Wednesday morning.According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the man opened an unlocked pickup truck and stole a black and yellow Sensefly Ebee Autonomous mapping drone from the backseat. Detectives say the drone is valued at $16,000.Detectives described the suspect as a black male wearing a hooded jacket, dark colored pants and Nike slippers.Anyone wit
  
  Read more

• Texas court hears case to limit gay marriage legalization

  01-03-2017 09:35
  
  AUSTIN - The Texas Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case that conservatives hope will provide an opening to challenge the landmark 2015 ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide.The all-Republican court initially refused to hear the lawsuit, which challenged Houston's decision to offer same-sex spousal benefits to municipal employees. The court deferred to the U.S. Supreme Court declaring gay marriage constitutional.But the court reversed itself last month amid pressure from Texas' govern
  
  Read more

• BREAKING: Suspect injured in Essen Lane deputy-involved shooting

  01-03-2017 08:02
  
  BATON ROUGE - Law Enforcement is investigating a deputy-involved shooting that happened around 12:00 a.m. Wednesday.EMS transported a man with non-life threatening injuries to Our Lady of The Lake Hospital after he was shot by a deputy following a foot-chase and altercation.Shortly before the shooting, deputies responded to an armed robbery call at a gas station on Essen at Essen Park Avenue around midnight.There are two other active scenes right now in two separate parking lots south of the gas
  
  Read more

• Pence says health overhaul won't leave poor out

  01-03-2017 07:12
  
  WASHINGTON - Vice President Mike Pence says "no one is going to fall through the cracks" as a result of Republican plans to replace the nation's health care law. Pence was referring to people on Medicaid, the federal-state program for low income Americans that is managed by the states.As part of the Affordable Care Act, 31 states, including Louisiana, accepted an optional Medicaid expansion, which increased federal funding for health care. Many governors from those states are now concer
  
  Read more

• Record 3 million tweets sent on Trump's speech to Congress

  01-03-2017 07:08
  
  WASHINGTON - Twitter says some 3 million tweets were sent about President Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.The numbers make it the most tweeted speech by a president to Congress in the relatively short history of the platform. The previous mark was 2.6 million tweets.The top tweeted moment was the Republican's call to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. That was followed by Trump's salute to Carryn Owens, the widow of Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens
  
  Read more

• No 'kid'-ding: Man to spend lottery win on house, goat room

  01-03-2017 07:06
  
  CHARLOTTE - A Charlotte man plans to spend his $1 million North Carolina lottery prize on a house with enough room for two goats his fiancee wants to get.Lottery officials tell the Charlotte Observer that over the weekend, Bobby Murphy bought five $10 50X The Cash tickets at 7-Eleven and saw he won the top prize on the last ticket he scratched off.Murphy told lottery officials he wants to buy a house where his fiancee's son will have space to play, and "she can have her goats."Murphy cl
  
  Read more

• As Mardi Gras revelry ends with a party, Lent begins

  01-03-2017 06:57
  
  NEW ORLEANS - The party is over in New Orleans as Mardi Gras comes to a close.Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, for many Christians a period of reflection or fasting ahead of Easter.On the last day of revelry, thousands of people took to the streets.They wore elaborate costumes and watched the parades along St. Charles Avenue.At midnight, police held a ceremonial clearing of Bourbon Street to symbolize the end of the season.Carnival starts on Jan. 6 and includes parades in various parts of
  
  Read more

• Uber CEO caught on video arguing about fares

  01-03-2017 06:03
  
  LONDON - Uber's CEO says he needs leadership help after a video has emerged of him arguing with a driver about fares.In a video obtained by Bloomberg News, Travis Kalanick is seen discussing Uber's business model with the driver. When the driver argues that Kalanick is lowering fares, Kalanick lashes back, saying: "some people don't like to take responsibility for their own s---. They blame everything in their life on somebody else."Once the video went public, Kalanick issued a statement to Uber
  
  Read more

• 2 people killed in severe weather

  01-03-2017 05:55
  
  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - At least two people have been killed after tornadoes touched down in the upper Midwest and northern Arkansas Tuesday.An emergency official in Illinois says one person was killed in the town of Ottawa when a tree uprooted.The other person was killed when an apparent tornado ripped through Perry County in Missouri.The sping-like storm system poses a risk to 45 million people.Permalink| Comments
  
  Read more

Follow @BatonRougeNews_ on Twitter!