Baton Rouge news

• 2 injured airlifted after US Navy ship collision

  16-06-2017 21:01
  
  Tokyo - The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet says two crew members, including the captain, have been evacuated from a Navy destroyer that collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan. Seven sailors are missing.The Navy said in a statement that Cmdr. Bryce Benson, the ship's commanding officer, was evacuated to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, home base of the 7th Fleet. It says he was in stable condition. Details on the second injured person being evacuated were not immediately available
  
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• Cosby judge denies another mistrial request

  16-06-2017 20:24
  
  NORRISTOWN, Pa - Bill Cosby's defense team is asking again for a mistrial, more than 50 hours into jury deliberations in his suburban Philadelphia sexual assault case. The defense argues jurors have talked about the charges long enough. Its latest request for a mistrial was Friday night. Judge Steven O'Neill says he's compelled by law to allow deliberations to go on for as long as the jury wants. He told jurors to keep trying for a verdict after they said Thursday they
  
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• Coroner releases results of Carrie Fisher death inquiry

  16-06-2017 20:05
  
  LOS ANGELES - Officials say actress Carrie Fisher died from sleep apnea and a combination of other factors, but they could not conclusively determine what caused her death.Los Angeles coroner's officials said in a news release late Friday that Fisher had buildup of fat in the walls of her arteries. The release states that Fisher had taken multiple drugs prior to her death, but that investigators could not determined whether they contributed to her death in December.The agency did not immediately
  
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• Crime fighters mingle with kids in effort to build relationships

  16-06-2017 18:16
  
  BATON ROUGE - The special unit assigned to work the streets of Baton Rouge and deter crime met with kids Friday in an effort to build lasting relationships early.BRAVE officers held a summer block party at Gus Young Park where kids interacted with police. Organizers said a positive interaction between youth and law enforcement is important."They don't need to just see us when we are working, it's better when we are out here in this atmosphere," BRAVE officer Robert McGarner said. "It's getting t
  
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• In first statement since latest police shooting, mayor says body cameras are coming

  16-06-2017 18:05
  
  BATON ROUGE – East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome broke her silence Friday related to the deadly officer-involved shooting earlier in the week.A statement released at 6 p.m. Friday was the first message the mayor's had on the shooting.The mayor's remarks focused on police body cameras, a program she said will eventually lead to more transparency. State Police said earlier Friday, the man killed had pointed a gun at officers who then shot the suspect.“As I pr
  
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• In campus memo, LSU President grateful of state budget deal

  16-06-2017 17:41
  
  BATON ROUGE – LSU President F. King Alexander was appreciative of lawmakers' ability to deal with state budget issues and fund TOPS at the end of a special session at the legislature this week.TOPS was funded 100% and higher education funding was restored to July 2016 levels.See the memo Alexander sent out Friday afternoon below: LSU faculty and staff,  The Second Extraordinary Session of 2017 just concluded with good news for higher education. The Governor and the Legislature
  
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• BUMP? Orange signs dot Zachary as city-wide road repairs get underway

  16-06-2017 16:56
  
  ZACHARY - Bright orange signs emblazoned with the word "BUMP" are posted near streets and through neighborhoods in Zachary as the city works on a pothole repair project.Resident Richard Stalder says the signs have been up for about two weeks. One of them is in his front yard."As long as it's temporary," he said, remarking on its unfashionable curb appeal. Mayor David Amrhein tells WBRZ the "BUMP" signs are to alert drivers about work being done in the road ahead of them. The si
  
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• Suspect known as 'Jelly Roll' rolled by police after chase Friday

  16-06-2017 16:22
  
  GONZALES – A teenage suspect tied to a crime spree in Ascension Parish couldn't get out of a sticky situation and got himself busted Friday.“Jelly Roll” Thompson, whose real name is Devontia, was arrested after a brief chase. “Jelly Roll” tried to hide in some woods on W Worthey Road but wasn't slick enough to evade police. He was booked into jail wearing his muddy clothes.Police have been looking for him for months. “Jelly Roll&rdq
  
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• Sting operation busts 51 for child sex charges across La.

  16-06-2017 15:29
  
  BATON ROUGE – Fifty-one people were rounded up on child exploitation charges.The arrests were part of a sting operation code named “Operation Broken Heart” and involved numerous police departments, sheriff’s offices, and state and federal agencies.“My office is committed to doing all we can to protect our State’s children from predators,” said State Attorney General Jeff Landry. Those arrested are from all areas of Lo
  
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• German company to open new packaging plant in Louisiana

  16-06-2017 15:01
  
  GEISMAR - A German industrial packaging company says it will build a $10 million plant in Louisiana.Mauser Group says in a news release that the plant will make custom engineered plastic containers for shipping industrial chemicals, and could expand to make other types of packaging.Mauser USA LLC will operate the 40,000-square-foot plant in Geismar, about 14 miles southeast of Baton Rouge.Officials say the initial phase will create 28 jobs with average salary of more t
  
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• New York Times sues FBI to get notes of Comey-Trump talks

  16-06-2017 14:22
  
  NEW YORK - The New York Times has gone to court to try to get copies of documents created by fired FBI director James Comey after his conversations with President Donald Trump.The Times sued Friday in Manhattan federal court, saying the government has failed to respond properly to its Freedom of Information Act request for the materials.A spokesman for government lawyers declined to comment.The Times says it made its FOIA request last month. It's seeking all memos, emails or ot
  
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• Area woman arrested in revenge porn plot

  16-06-2017 14:19
  
  BAKER – A fight between two women over the same man ended with one of the women in jail, accused of posting a pornographic video of the other on the internet.Sherica Clark, 39, is charged with video voyeurism.Investigators said Clark and the unidentified woman fought, and Clark posted the video of the other woman soon after. The woman saw the video and went immediately to the nearest police station.Detectives said Clark confessed to posting the video.***************Follow the publisher
  
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• Area contractor sentenced to prison, hefty restitution for 6-year scheme

  16-06-2017 13:49
  
  CENTRAL – A contractor was sentenced to prison and hefty fines following a conviction for bank fraud related to home renovation schemes between August 2004 and November 2010.The US Attorney announced Friday, the sentence against Carl Wright, 48. Wright was sentenced to six years in jail and must pay back nearly $3 million plus pay a fine and forfeit property.Prosecutors said Wright lied to obtain millions of dollars from banks and used fake social security numbers to conceal his sketch
  
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• Federal judge to rule on new Louisiana abortion restrictions

  16-06-2017 13:41
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana officials are urging a federal judge to dismiss most of the claims in a lawsuit challenging new abortion restrictions in the state.U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson didn't immediately rule Friday after a hearing on the request by attorneys for the state.Attorneys for a Shreveport clinic and its doctors sued last July to block seven measures that lawmakers enacted in 2016, including extending the waiting period for women seeking an abortion from 24 to 72 hours.State offici
  
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• LA 1 lane closure next week

  16-06-2017 13:40
  
  PORT ALLEN – The left, northbound lane of LA 1 will be closed around I-10 for guardrail repairs on Thursday, June 22.DOTD announced the closure Friday, a week before the planned construction.The lane will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Click HERE to monitor traffic via WBRZ's traffic-tracking technology.***************Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltzPermalink| Comments
  
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• La. Senate approves budget; TOPS fully funded

  16-06-2017 12:55
  
  BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana senators have given final passage to a $28 billion-plus operating budget, a week after a negotiating stalemate forced lawmakers into a special session.With a 26-9 vote Friday, the Senate sent the budget bill to Gov. John Bel Edwards, who supports it.Senate Finance Chairman Eric LaFleur says the budget is austere, but reasonable.The spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1 will keep most agencies free of cuts and fully fund the TOPS college tuition program.Mor
  
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• Amazon to buy Whole Foods in $13.7B deal

  16-06-2017 08:13
  
  NEW YORK - Online juggernaut Amazon is buying Whole Foods in a deal valued at about $13.7 billion, including debt.  Amazon.com Inc. will pay $42 per share of Whole Foods Market Inc.  The deal is targeted to close in the second half of the year.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Catholic group host blood drive for Congressman Steve Scalise

  16-06-2017 07:09
  
  NEW ORLEANS - A fraternity brother of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise from Louisiana State University has organized a blood drive for the House majority whip through a Catholic charitable fraternity. Scalise remains in critical condition after surgery to repair damage to his hip and internal organs from a shooting Wednesday during practice for a charity baseball game.Adrian Bruneau (BROO'-noh) says he's known Scalise for about 25 years and everyone he knows is feeling frustrated and wants to help. He or
  
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• TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash blocks lane on I-10 W

  16-06-2017 06:26
  
  BATON ROUGE - News 2's Ashley Fruge’ has you covered with live updates for your Friday morning commute.Beat the traffic every time using WBRZ's advanced traffic tracking technology. Click here to go to our traffic center. Tweets by WBRZtrafficPermalink| Comments
  
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