Baton Rouge news

• Vice President Mike Pence to visit Baton Rouge on Wednesday: report

  22-05-2017 22:58
  
  He plans to discuss health care, the federal budget with business leaders
  
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• Trump budget slashes safety-net programs

  22-05-2017 20:40
  
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is proposing a $4.1 trillion federal budget that slashes safety net programs for the poor, targeting food stamps and Medicaid.It also relies on rosy projections about economic growth to balance the budget within 10 years.The cuts are part of a budget blueprint for the upcoming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. It protects retirement programs for the elderly and provides billions of dollars more for the military. The rest of the government bears the bulk of the r
  
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• NAACP: Lawmaker should resign over lynch comment

  22-05-2017 20:38
  
  JACKSON, Miss. - The Mississippi NAACP is calling for the resignation of a Mississippi lawmaker who said Louisiana officials should be lynched for removing Confederate monuments.Republican Rep. Karl Oliver apologized Monday for the lynching remark that he made Saturday in a Facebook post.Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson says the apology is not enough and Oliver should step down. Johnson says: "Anyone who champions a fond remembrance of such a violent, racist history is unworthy of ele
  
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• Zack Snyder exits 'Justice League' after daughter's death

  22-05-2017 20:28
  
  LOS ANGELES - The recent death of director Zack Snyder's daughter has driven the prominent filmmaker to step away from finishing the ensemble superhero movie "Justice League."A source close to production who was not authorized to speak publicly said Monday that Joss Whedon would take over completing the film, which should still hit its Nov. 17 release.Snyder and his wife and producing partner Deborah Snyder told The Hollywood Reporter they will be using the time away to focus on their family and
  
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• Trump approves disaster aid to Mississippi governments

  22-05-2017 20:23
  
  JACKSON, Miss. - President Donald Trump has approved disaster assistance to governments and certain nonprofits in nine Mississippi counties following April 30's tornado and weather damage.Counties approved are Adams, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Holmes, Jefferson, Montgomery, Webster and Yazoo. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will help governments pay for debris cleanup, repairs to damaged public property and overtime for emergency workers. Electric cooperatives and are also eligible for
  
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• Louisiana lawmakers approve $368M increase for Medicaid expansion

  22-05-2017 19:53
  
  BATON ROUGE - State lawmakers have agreed to boost federal financing for Louisiana's Medicaid expansion program by another $368 million.More than 428,000 people have enrolled in the government-financed coverage, more people than the health department projected for this year. And those who have signed up are older and costlier patients than expected.The joint House and Senate budget committee agreed Monday evening to add the extra available federal money into the health department budget to keep
  
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• House lawmakers refuse to lessen hunting sales tax holiday

  22-05-2017 17:55
  BATON ROUGE - Purchases of off-road vehicles and airboats in Louisiana will continue to be tax-free on the first weekend of September.The House tax committee rejected a Senate-approved bill that would have scaled back Louisiana's sales tax holiday for hunting supplies.The proposal by Sen. Barrow Peacock, a Bossier City Republican, would have kept sales taxes from being charged on firearms, ammunition and archery supplies on that September weekend.But the sales tax holiday would have no longer ap
  
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• TOPS could get fully funded

  22-05-2017 17:54
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana Senate President said Monday he expects his colleagues to pass a budget that fully funds the TOPS scholarship program."In order to do that we may have to move some monies around that the House of Representatives did not allocate," said Alario.Three weeks ago the House passed its version of next year's state budget. TOPS was fully funded but services for poor people took a big hit."There's some things like Family and Children Services that would be left u
  
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• Man sentenced to 12 years for Ascension Parish vehicle burglaries

  22-05-2017 17:40
  
  ASCENSION PARISH - A man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of vehicle burglaries in the Prairieville area.According to District Attorney Ricky Babin, 32-year-old Eric Troquille, of Prairieville, was sentenced Tuesday after he was found guilty in 2016 rash of burglaries in Ascension Parish.Troquille was arrested after deputies received a vital tip in October 2016. One of the victims was able to provide surveillance footage that was used to identify Troquille and sever
  
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• Home owner burned on solar panel investment

  22-05-2017 17:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - A promise of big savings on his electric bill convinced a man to make an investment into solar power, only to be burned when tax rebates never materialized.Frank Masanz purchased solar panels for his home in 2015 when a salesman with Global Efficient Energy knocked on his door. In addition to saving on his electric bill, the panels were installed for free and he anticipated big tax rebates to help off-set the costs.With the future of his family in mind, Masanz took out a loan for t
  
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• Louisiana politician Scott Angelle chosen to head federal offshore oil safety agency

  22-05-2017 17:25
  
  Public Service Commission member ran for Congress in 2016, for governor in 2015
  
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• Man dies in California botulism outbreak from nacho-cheese

  22-05-2017 17:16
  
  SACRAMENTO - California authorities say one man is dead in an apparent botulism outbreak stemming from nacho-cheese dip sold at a gas station.Health officials on Monday confirmed one death among what the state says is 10 people sickened by the cheese dip.Authorities did not identify the dead man.California health officials say the illnesses appear caused by botulism carried in nacho-cheese dip sold at a gas station in the Sacramento suburb of Walnut Grove.Authorities said Friday all 10 people si
  
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• At 'doomsday' seed vault, melting arctic permafrost raises alarms

  22-05-2017 17:01
  
  Buried deep in arctic mountainside, vault took on water; seeds said to be safe
  
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• Former Assumption Parish deputy arrested for allegedly pointing gun while at school

  22-05-2017 16:59
  
  NAPOLEONVILLE – A former Assumption Parish Sheriff's deputy was arrested after deputies say he pointed a gun at someone while at a school following a dispute.The Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office arrested 22-year-old Javon Lacy on five counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon by a non-student on school premises.The sheriff's office says deputies received a complaint of a man pointing a gun at someone while at a Napoleonville school on Frid
  
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• Police: Florida man slays neo-Nazi roommates for 'disrespecting' Muslim faith

  22-05-2017 15:08
  
  TAMPA, Fla. - A young man arrested after leading police to the bodies of his two roommates told officers he killed them because they were neo-Nazis who disrespected his recent conversion to Islam.The Tampa Police Department says 18-year-old Devon Arthurs told police he had until recently shared his roommates' neo-Nazi beliefs, but that he converted to Islam.Arthurs told police he was angry about anti-Muslim sentiment.Arthurs was arrested Friday after police say he held hostages at a Tampa smoke
  
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• After 9 months in space, mouse sperm yield healthy mice

  22-05-2017 15:01
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL - After nine months in space, mouse sperm has yielded healthy mice.That's the word from Japanese scientists whose results were published Monday.The freeze-dried sperm samples were launched in 2013 to the International Space Station and returned to Earth in 2014. The intense radiation of space caused slight DNA damage to the sperm. Yet following in vitro fertilization on the ground, healthy offspring resulted. The baby mice grew into adults with normal fertility of their own.The re
  
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• Scott Angelle to head federal offshore drilling agency

  22-05-2017 14:57
  
  BATON ROUGE - A Louisiana state utility regulator has been tapped to lead an energy oversight agency for President Donald Trump's administration.Scott Angelle, a member of Louisiana's Public Service Commission, has been named director of the U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.The agency, which regulates offshore oil and gas drilling, says Angelle will start his new job Tuesday.Angelle, a Republican, worked for eight years as Louisiana's natural resources se
  
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• Judge denies bail for 3 men in 6-year-old's shooting death

  22-05-2017 14:42
  
  CANTON - A judge has denied bailed to three Mississippi men accused of killing a 6-year-old boy.Madison County Justice Court Judge Bruce McKinley sent co-defendants Byron McBride Jr., Dwan Wakefield Jr. and D'Allen Washington back to jail until at least a late June hearing.District Attorney Michael Guest told reporters after the hearing that prosecutors haven't decided yet whether they will seek the death penalty against McBride.The other two are ineligible for the death penalty because they wer
  
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• Tulane unveiling $1.1M clinic for former pro athletes

  22-05-2017 14:31
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Tulane Health System has a new $1.1 million clinic for former pro athletes. A news release says its focus is supporting former athletes' health and safety both on and off the field.Former New Orleans Saint Jabari Greer is among people scheduled to speak at Monday's opening ceremony for the Professional Athlete Care Team clinic, called PACT for short.It's part of the Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine, which already is involved with the NFL's Neurologic Care Program.The Institute o
  
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• Police: Mom killed 2 kids to save them from 'evils of the world'

  22-05-2017 14:24
  
  DAYTON, Ohio - Police in Ohio say a woman told them she fatally shot her two children to save them from the world's evils.The Dayton Daily News reports that Dayton police Detective Rod Roberts wrote in court documents that police interviewed Claudena Helton after the May 18 shooting. Her 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son died Sunday.Roberts wrote that the 30-year-old Helton "made admissions to shooting the children to save them from the evils of the world."Municipal Court Judge Christopher
  
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• Police: Body found inside of New Orleans trash can

  22-05-2017 14:24
  
  NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Police Department has launched a homicide investigation after a body was found inside of a trash can Monday.NOPD says the body, belonging to an unidentified male, was discovered around 9:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of St. Ann Street. The body was reportedly found by New Orleans sanitation workers when they attempted to empty the container into a trash truck.Due to the location where the body was found, the case has been assigned to NOPD's Homicide Division.Th
  
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• FEMA awards $1 million for debris removal in Central

  22-05-2017 14:23
  
  BATON ROUGE – More than $1 million in a federal grant has been awarded for debris removal for the City of Central, FEMA announced Monday.The grant has been awarded for debris removal for the August flood. The funds come from FEMA's Public Assistance program and continues to reimburse eligible Louisiana jurisdictions for reasonable costs involved in debris removal. The categories are household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, household hazardous waste, white goods (i.e.
  
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• Ambulance with wreck victim crashes into Metairie canal

  22-05-2017 13:32
  
  METAIRIE – An ambulance transporting a car crash victim ended up in a Metairie canal Monday after trying to avoid collision.According to WWLTV, the incident happened around 9 a.m. on West Esplanade Avenue near East Jefferson Medical Center.Deputies said the ambulance was returning from a one-car crash on West Esplanade near Aztec Avenue with an elderly victim. As the ambulance was turning onto West Esplanade, it had to swerve to avoid hitting another vehicle.The ambulance struck a curb
  
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• TRAFFIC ALERT: Heavy delays I-10 west in Ascension

  22-05-2017 13:21
  
  PRAIRIEVILLE – Traffic officials say “an incident in the median” is causing heavy traffic delays on I-10 in Ascension Parish Monday morning.According to DOTD, the incident happened around 10:20 a.m. Monday morning. As of 11:10 a.m., congestion stretched for at least five miles.Traffic congestion on I-10 West is now from MM 173 to MM 168 (past Prairieville) due to an incident in the median.— Baton Rouge Traffic (@BR_Traffic) May 22, 2017Beat the traffic eve
  
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• Pregnant Maryland teen not allowed at graduation ceremony

  22-05-2017 13:14
  
  BOONSBORO, Md. - A Maryland high school senior has been barred from participating in her school's graduation ceremony because she is pregnant.Media outlets report 18-year-old Maddi Runkles discovered she was pregnant in January. The teen attends Heritage Academy, a small private Christian school in Hagerstown. Upon Runkles' pregnancy announcement, school officials also suspended her for two days and removed Runkles from her student council position.Runkles says she feels she has been treated mor
  
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• Stray bullet from fight travels through window killing Ky. boy

  22-05-2017 12:56
  
  LOUISVILLE - Police in Kentucky say a stray bullet fired during a fight outdoors traveled through the window of a nearby home, killing a 7-year-old who was eating a bedtime snack at his kitchen table.Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Lt. Emily McKinley says the boy wasn't targeted. McKinley said it appears a fight broke out among a group of people in a yard near the boy's home and someone pulled a gun and began firing.On Monday, she urged anyone involved in the fight, including the shooter, to
  
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• 'Costume jewelry' diamond really worth hundreds of thousands

  22-05-2017 12:50
  
  LONDON - Some people have all the luck.Consider the person who dropped about 10 pounds (about $15) around 30 years ago on what was thought to be a piece of costume jewelry — it turned out to be a 26.27 carat white diamond.The gem bought at a flea market is expected to fetch about 350,000 pounds ($454,000) when it is auctioned by Sotheby's next month.The buyer had no idea of the ring's value because 19th-century diamonds were not cut to show off their brilliance and clarity.The auction
  
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• $368M budget boost sought for Louisiana Medicaid expansion

  22-05-2017 12:40
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana lawmakers are being asked to add $368 million in federal funding to the health department budget to keep from running out of money for the state's Medicaid expansion.
  The Louisiana Department of Health has enrolled more people than expected in Medicaid expansion since Gov. John Bel Edwards began the program. Those signing up for the free insurance coverage are older and costlier patients than projected.More than 428,000 people have enrolled in the government-financed cove
  
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• State tax holiday for hurricane preparedness this weekend

  22-05-2017 12:37
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Revenue announced a sales tax holiday for Hurricane preparedness emergency supplies.The Louisiana Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 27, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 28.The sales tax holiday provides a 2 percent exemption from state sales tax on specified hurricane preparedness items. Those items are only subject to three percent state sales tax.The 2017 sales tax exemption applies to the fir
  
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• AP Source says Flynn will invoke Fifth Amendment

  22-05-2017 08:49
  
  WASHINGTON - Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn will invoke his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination on Monday as he notifies the Senate Intelligence committee that he will not comply with a subpoena seeking documents.That's according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private interactions between Flynn and the committee.Flynn's decision comes less than two weeks after the committee issu
  
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• Official: Storm triggered sensor that halted roller coaster

  22-05-2017 08:35
  
  ARLINGTON - Six Flags Over Texas says stormy weather including high winds triggered a safety sensor that halted a new roller coaster and left eight riders stranded for hours.The 120-foot-tall (36-meter-tall) Joker ride shut down early Saturday during an overnight high school senior event at the park in Arlington, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) west of Dallas. Firefighters using ladder trucks reached the riders and helped them down in a three-hour process during rainy weather.The Joker ride, name
  
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• Mississippi rep: Lynch people removing Confederate monuments

  22-05-2017 08:01
  
  NEW ORLEANS – A Mississippi lawmaker is saying Louisiana leaders should be "lynched" for removing Confederate monuments.Republican state Rep. Karl Oliver of Winona says in a Facebook post that the destruction of monuments is "heinous and horrific." He accused Louisiana officials of acting in a Nazi-like fashion.The post was made Saturday night, after three Confederate monuments and a monument to white supremacy were removed in New Orleans.Oliver did not immediately respond to email and
  
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• Woman trying to buy birthday card trapped inside Florida CVS

  22-05-2017 07:21
  
  TITUSVILLE - A woman trying to buy a birthday card called police when she was accidentally barricaded inside a central Florida CVS store.Lillian Rimmel stopped at a Titusville CVS at 9:50 p.m. Friday to make a quick purchase, unaware the store was about to close. As she walked toward the check out just after 10 p.m., she triggered a motion sensor alarm and found herself barricaded inside. A metal security gate blocked the front entrance as sirens blared.Florida Today reports Rimmell was worried
  
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• Mark Zuckerberg: I'm not running for public office

  22-05-2017 06:52
  
  NEWPORT - Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says his quest this year to visit every state he hadn't before is about building relationships, not politics.The 33-year-old billionaire says in a Facebook post that some users have asked if the trip means he's running for public office. Zuckerberg says he's not running for anything. Instead, he says the visits around the country are in order "to get a broader perspective."He says Facebook is looking to connect users beyond people they already know. He writ
  
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• Senate Republicans quietly working on health overhaul bill

  22-05-2017 06:50
  
  WASHINGTON - Washington is fixated on President Donald Trump's firing of FBI chief James Comey and burgeoning investigations into possible connections between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia.But in closed-door meetings, Senate Republicans are trying to write legislation dismantling President Barack Obama's health care law. They would substitute their own tax credits, ease coverage requirements and cut the federal-state Medicaid program for the poor and disabled that Obama enlarged.The H
  
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• Trump's budget proposal includes huge cuts to food stamps

  22-05-2017 06:49
  
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's budget would drive millions of people off of food stamps, part of a new wave of spending cut proposals that already are getting panned by lawmakers in both parties on Capitol Hill.Trump's blueprint for the 2018 budget year comes out Tuesday. It includes a wave of cuts to benefit programs such as Medicaid, federal employee pensions, welfare benefits and farm subsidies.All told, according to people familiar with the plan, Trump's budget includes $1.7 trillion
  
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• Texas set to pass transgender bathroom law for schools

  22-05-2017 06:46
  
  AUSTIN - Texas lawmakers have revived a more narrowly focused version of a transgender "bathroom bill" like the one in North Carolina that sparked a national backlash, but the Texas law would apply only to public schools and not all bathrooms.A broader proposal mandating that transgender Texas residents use public restrooms according to their birth certificate gender sailed through the state Senate. It had stalled in the House until Sunday night, when supporters attached it to a separate bill. I
  
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