Baton Rouge news

• Sessions to interview FBI candidates Saturday

  12-05-2017 21:39
  
  WASHINGTON - Justice Department officials on Saturday will interview four candidates to succeed ousted FBI Director James Comey.They include acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe.Two people familiar with the process say others set to be interviewed include Alice Fisher, who formerly served as assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Criminal Division.Michael J. Garcia, an associate judge on the New York's highest court, is also on the list.So is Sen. John Cornyn, a former Texas attorn
  
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• Intel chair says 3 Trump associates cooperating

  12-05-2017 20:31
  
  WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says three associates of President Donald Trump have responded to requests for information and documents related to the panel's investigation into Russia's election meddling.North Carolina Republican Richard Burr notes, however, that former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn hasn't yet responded to a subpoena demanding documents. It was just issued Wednesday.Burr said Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina, that "we're trying t
  
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• Engineer charged in deadly Amtrak crash

  12-05-2017 19:49
  
  PHILADELPHIA - Pennsylvania's top prosecutor has charged a speeding Amtrak engineer with causing a catastrophe, eight counts of involuntary manslaughter and other crimes in a 2015 derailment that came after he accelerated to 106 mph in a 50 mph zone.Prosecutors said Friday they have been in talks with engineer Brandon Bastian's attorney to have him surrender and be arraigned on the charges. A judge says Bostian lives in Massachusetts. Bostian's lawyer hasn't returned messages seeking comment thi
  
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• 3 siblings killed, relatives hurt in house fire

  12-05-2017 19:43
  
  CONROE, Texas - Authorities say a house fire north of Houston has killed two brothers and their sister and injured another brother, their grandparents and an uncle.The fire broke out around 4 a.m. Friday near Conroe. Investigators say police tried to reach the second floor to rescue children but were driven back as flames engulfed the home.The Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office said the children who died were 13-year-old Terrance "TJ" Mitchell, 6-year-old Kaila Mitchell and 5-year-old Kyle
  
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• $4.2 million penalty in deadly 2012 platform fire

  12-05-2017 19:39
  
  NEW ORLEANS - An energy company has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, avoiding manslaughter charges and agreeing to a $4.2 million penalty in connection with a 2012 offshore oil platform fire that killed three workers.Court documents show Houston-based Black Elk Energy pleaded guilty Friday to nine criminal charges involving safety and environmental violations related to the Nov. 16, 2012, fire off Louisiana's coast. Prosecutors agreed to seek dismissal of three involuntary manslaugh
  
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• Nearly 700 Southern University graduates at 2017 spring commencement

  12-05-2017 18:20
  
  BATON ROUGE – Nearly 700 graduates received their degrees from Southern University on Friday.South African Ambassador to the United States Mninwa J. Mahlangu delivered the commencement address at the F.G. Clark Activity Center in front of the graduates.Severe weather delayed the start of the commencement ceremony for a few minutes, however that did not stop Ambassador Mahlangu from sharing his encouraging words that echoed the late Nelson Madela when he visited Southern University in 2
  
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• LSU graduates largest class at 2017 spring commencement ceremony

  12-05-2017 16:29
  
  BATON ROUGE – Louisiana State University graduated its largest class at Friday's spring commencement ceremony.The university awarded a total of 4,163 degrees. The overall class of 2016-2017 included the most degrees awarded to women, African American and Asian American students.According to the university, the 2017 graduating class represents 53 Louisiana parishes, 48 U.S. states and 50 foreign countries. Women made up 57 percent of the class and men made up 43 percent of the class. Th
  
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• Boyfriend proposes to Southern University graduate at ceremony

  12-05-2017 14:58
  
  BATON ROUGE – One Southern University student received more than a diploma after walking across the stage Friday morning.After hearing “Audreana Marshall” called to receive her degree, Julian Singleton waited by the stage steps with an engagement ring. WBRZ cameras captured the next moments forever. Mashall’s fellow graduates clapped as her boyfriend bent on his knee.Marshall later told WBRZ that she had no idea that it was going to happen.“It&am
  
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• Car, train involved in crash on Kingfisher Street

  12-05-2017 14:23
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS – A crash involving a car and train occurred on Kingfisher Street on Friday morning.The crash involved a brand new Dodge Charger. It appears the car was over the crossroads and was pushed by the train. The front of the train appears to have gone through the driver’s side window.Reports of injuries are not known at this time.This story will be updated as more information becomes available.Permalink| Comments
  
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• BRPD: One man dead after shooting on Cannon Street

  12-05-2017 13:22
  
  BATON ROUGE – One man is dead after a shooting in the 4000 block of Cannon Street on Thursday night.The shooting occurred around 11:20 p.m. after 22-year-old Jarivs Williams had an argument with a man at 4343 Denham Street. According to BRPD, Williams was shot while walking between Denham Street and Cannon Street.BRPD says Williams was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.Anyone with information on
  
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• Former NFL player, driver killed in crash on US 51 in Tangipahoa

  12-05-2017 13:12
  
  TANGIPAHOA PARISH – A former NFL player and a woman were killed in a crash on US 51 in Tangipahoa Parish early Friday morning.According to Louisiana State Police, the crash claimed the lives of 48-year-old Michael Dwayne Jackson Dyson and 20-year-old Destiny Alexus Gordon.The crash occurred around 1 a.m. on US 51 as Dyson was riding a 2013 Kawasaki motorcycle northbound on US 51 at a high rate of speed and Gordon was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. As Gordon was backing from a parking
  
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• 12 indicted after deadly inmate attack in Tangipahoa Jail

  12-05-2017 13:03
  
  TANGIPAHOA PARISH – A Tangipahoa Parish grand jury indicted 12 people for beating an inmate to death.On January 30, 40-year-old Tommy Joe Smith, of Independence, was attacked and beaten to death by multiple inmates while he was in custody at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.The 12 people indicted are as follows:Herman Bagent, age 20Randall Holmes, age 27Lionel Brister, age 23Tyquan Davis, age 22Ronald Faulkner, age 39Eric Newman, age 18William Patterson, age 22Travis Robertson, age 28Antwon
  
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• Man charged with attempted murder in officer involved shooting

  12-05-2017 08:21
  
  MOREAUVILLE – State Police identified the suspect they say was involved in a standoff and officer involved shooting in Avoyelles Parish Thursday night.According to Louisiana State Police, Hessmer Police department started a pursuit with Brandon Arthur Carpenter, 35, Thursday night. The chase ended at a home near Moreauville on LA Highway 114 and Carpenter barricaded himself inside the home. Officers then attempted to negotiate with him to surrender.“During negotiations, Carpe
  
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• United flight delayed after scorpion reported aboard

  12-05-2017 07:05
  
  HOUSTON - A United flight from Houston to Ecuador was delayed after a scorpion was spotted aboard.
  United says Flight 1035 returned to the gate Thursday night after a scorpion "reportedly emerged from a customer's clothing." Paramedics examined the man and determined that he hadn't been stung. It's unclear whether a scorpion was found.United says it found a new aircraft for the flight and all passengers were given a meal voucher for the inconvenience.The flight eventually got underway 3&frac
  
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• US prosecutors told to push for more, harsher punishments

  12-05-2017 06:57
  
  WASHINGTON - Attorney General Jeff Sessions is telling the nation's federal prosecutors to pursue the most serious charges possible against most suspects. That is sure to send more people to prison and for much longer terms by triggering mandatory minimum sentences.Sessions announced the move in a policy memo sent to U.S. attorneys. It's long been expected from the former prosecutor who has made fighting violent crime the Justice Department's priority.The change undoes Obama administration polic
  
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• Trump says Comey 'better hope that there are no tapes' of conversations

  12-05-2017 06:54
  
  WASHINGTON -  President Donald Trump is warning that former FBI Director James Comey "better hope" that there are no "tapes" of their conversations.Trump tweeted Friday, "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"Trump fired Comey on Tuesday, later saying that "he wasn't doing a good job."In the termination letter to Comey, Trump thanked him for telling the president "three times" that he personally is not under investi
  
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• Trump contradicts White House on reasons for Comey firing

  12-05-2017 06:54
  
  Eds: APNewsNow. Will be updated. AP Video. With AP Photos.
  By JULIE PACE, EILEEN SULLIVAN and JAKE PEARSON
  Associated Press
  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is contradicting previous White House explanations for the firing of James Comey as FBI director.Trump says in an interview with NBC News that he had planned to fire Comey all along, regardless of the recommendations of top Justice Department officials.Initially the White House cited a Justice Department memo criticizing Comey's han
  
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• GOP lawmaker cautions health care bill is Obamacare 'tweak'

  12-05-2017 06:51
  
  MARSHALLTOWN - A Republican congressman who campaigned on repealing the Affordable Care Act is cautioning constituents that the House GOP replacement bill is just "a tweak of Obamacare."Two-term Iowa Republican Rod Blum indicates that the GOP bill would have gone further if he had his way.Blum represents a swing district that includes Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. He is among the conservative House Republicans who campaigned angrily against then-President Barack Obama's signature health law for two
  
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• East Baton Rouge Parish schools get an extra $1.1M from FEMA

  12-05-2017 06:47
  
  BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is getting an additional $1.1 million in help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency following the August flood.The disaster funding will help with demolition, cleaning, remediation costs of classrooms, offices, bathrooms and storage areas at four facilities. The additional funding, announced Thursday, brings the total amount awarded to the school system to $5 million.16 school campuses flooded throughout the parish.FEMA has awarded a
  
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• Mormon church cuts some of its ties to the Boy Scouts; Trump creates voter fraud panel (10 Things to Know for Friday)

  12-05-2017 06:10
  
  Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Friday.
  
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