Baton Rouge news

• Scientists forecast Gulf dead zone the size of New Jersey

  20-06-2017 21:54
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Federal scientists say this summer could see the third-largest dead zone ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico: a New Jersey-sized area with too little oxygen to support marine life.  Over 32 years, those hypoxic zones have averaged 5,300 square miles (13,700 sq. kilometers), about the size of Connecticut. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a news release Tuesday that this summer's could be nearly 8,200 square miles (21,200 sq. kilometers).&
  
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• Police: Brothers arrested in 2014 homicide

  20-06-2017 21:24
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Police Department, with the assistance of the Louisiana State Police Task Force, arrested two men Tuesday in connection with a murder that took place in 2014.According to BRPD, 28-year-old Dandre Brown and 43-year-old Dorsey Sims of Baker, were arrested in connection with the January 2014 murder of Charles "C.J." Hills Jr.Hills, who was initially reported missing by his family on January 29, 2014, was identified by the Louisiana F.A.C.E.S
  
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• Uber adding option to tip drivers

  20-06-2017 20:40
  
  SAN FRANCISCO - Uber will soon enable customers nationwide to tip drivers with just one touch of their smartphones.The new tipping option is coming as part of the ride-sharing app's latest update.Passengers can either choose from a selection of preset tip amounts or enter a custom amount. They will also be able to add a personal note for their drivers.As of Tuesday, only a few cities in North America have implememted the in-app tipping. By the end of July, passengers in every U.S. city will have
  
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• Brussels train station blast being treated as terror attack

  20-06-2017 19:40
  BRUSSELS - Belgian authorities said they foiled a "terror attack" Tuesday when soldiers shot and killed a suspect after a small explosion at a busy Brussels train station that continued a week of attacks in the capitals of Europe.Federal prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said soldiers "neutralized" a male suspect at the Central Station immediately after the explosion there on Tuesday night. The man lay still for several hours while a bomb squad checked whether he was armed with more explosives.Prosec
  
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• UL Lafayette closed Wednesday due to Tropical Storm Cindy

  20-06-2017 18:21
  
  LAFAYETTE - The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has announced that it will close its doors Wednesday as Tropical Storm Cindy approaches South Louisiana.According to a statement from the university, ULL will remain closed all of Wednesday as it monitors the storm. The university plans to announce a plan for a possible Thursday closure by 6 p.m. Wednesday.Permalink| Comments
  
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• 3 ejected, killed in morning car crash in Lafourche Parish

  20-06-2017 17:53
  
  CUT OFF – Three people were ejected and killed as result of crash in Lafourche Parish on Tuesday morning. The crash occurred on LA 1 near West 57th Street as a Ford F-150 was traveling south on the road at a high rate of speed. For reasons still unknown, the Ford ran off the roadway to the right and struck a concrete driveway. The truck began to roll several times before striking a tree. All occupants of the truck were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected as
  
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• Man arrested after groping woman in Hooters restroom, running from police

  20-06-2017 17:19
  
  BATON ROUGE - Officers have arrested a man on charges of sexual battery and resisting arrest after he allegedly groped a woman in a Hooters bathroom and fled from police Monday night.Police arrived at the Hooters on Corporate Boulevard in response to a disturbance around 10:30 p.m. Monday.According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, 19-year-old Jordale Carter was arrested after he groped the victim in the women's restroom.The victim says Carter approached her as she was washing her hands and
  
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• Unattended pot causes house fire that claims life of pet

  20-06-2017 16:44
  
  CENTRAL – Central fire crews responded to a house fire in the 7500 block of Droze Road that claimed the life of a pet on Tuesday afternoon. Crews were able to get the fire under control in about 15 minutes after responding to the call at 3 p.m. One dog was saved from the fire, however another dog was not able to be rescued. According to the Central Fire Department, the fire was caused by an unattended pot on the stove. The East Side Fire Department and Distri
  
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• Ascension Public Schools summer classes, camps canceled for Wednesday

  20-06-2017 16:31
  
  ASCENSION – Ascension Public Schools summer classes and camps are canceled for Wednesday, June 21 as Tropical Storm Cindy approaches. All administrative services for Ascension Public Schools shall remain open with 12-month employees reporting to work as scheduled. Any employees who feel they cannot safely travel to or from work should contact their supervisors. A decision about canceling camps and classes on Thursday in Ascension Parish will be made on Wednesday.&
  
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• How to find Entergy power outage updates; crews preparing as storm approaches

  20-06-2017 16:14
  
  BATON ROUGE – Entergy is monitoring Tropical Storm Cindy and crews are prepared to respond in the event of power outages and downed lines. Entergy customers can report outages, access outage maps and other account, storm and safety information by downloading Entergy's free mobile app. Customers can also sign up for text alerts by texting R-E-G to 368374 or by visitng entergytext.com. To find restoration updates and a link to outage maps visit entergystormcenter.com.Customers c
  
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• O.J. Simpson getting July 20 parole hearing date in Nevada

  20-06-2017 15:48
  
  LAS VEGAS - Imprisoned former football star O.J. Simpson has a parole hearing date next month in Nevada.  State Board of Parole Commissioners official David Smith said Tuesday the 70-year-old Simpson is due to appear July 20 before a panel of four parole commissioners who could approve his release Oct.1.  Simpson will be at the Lovelock Correctional Center, where he has been serving his nine-to-33 year sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping. &n
  
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• West Baton Rouge Parish to close all schools Thursday

  20-06-2017 15:20
  WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH - The West Baton Rouge officials have announced that all schools in the parish will be closed Thursday in preparation for Tropical Storm Cindy.Officials say four to eight inches of rain are expected to fall over the next couple of days. The parish will continue to monitor the storm and advise of any other changes and closures. To find a list of locations where residents can pick up sandbags, click HERE.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Sex offender arrested after failing to register in Ascension Parish

  20-06-2017 15:00
  
  ASCENSION PARISH - The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office has arrested a man after he failed to register as a sex offender following another arrest.According to the sheriff's office, 36-year-old Sydney Fairchild is classified as a Tier I sex offender. He failed to complete his registration after he was arrested on related simple battery charges.Deputies say Fairchild was advised to notify the sex offender division of his address and other registration information within three business da
  
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• Coach Orgeron and Gov. Edwards want Louisianans to get a game plan

  20-06-2017 14:55
  
  BATON ROUGE - Governor John Bel Edwards has joined forces with LSU Football Head Coach Ed Orgeron in order to encourage citizens to plan ahead as the chance of severe weather threatens South Louisiana.On Monday, Gov. Edwards took part in briefings with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the National Weather Service (NWS) as they closely monitor the area of low pressure, which has now become Tropical Storm Cindy, in the Gulf of Mexico. Par
  
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• Governor's office preparing for potential impact of Tropical Storm Cindy

  20-06-2017 14:36
  
  BATON ROUGE - On Tuesday, Governor John Bel Edwards received the latest update on Tropical Storm Cindy, which poses a significant threat of heavy rain and flash flooding to South Louisiana.The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is currently being staffed around the clock and is coordinating with state agencies, parish officials and first responders who are putting resources in place for citizens who may need assistance.“Flash flooding c
  
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• BREC summer camp field trips canceled as severe weather approaches

  20-06-2017 14:15
  
  BATON ROUGE – BREC officials announced that all of its summer camp field trips have been canceled this week due to the severe weather that is moving into the area. BREC officials say that all summer camps will remain inside East Baton Rouge Parish for the remainder of the week. Camps may be temporarily relocated if facilities and parks are impacted by flood water. Additionally, some camp sessions may be canceled until facilities and parks are able to operate safely. B
  
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• BREC cancels all out-of-parish summer camp field trips as severe weather approaches

  20-06-2017 14:15
  
  BATON ROUGE – BREC officials announced that all summer camp field trips outside of East Baton Rouge Parish have been canceled this week due to the severe weather that is moving into the area. BREC officials say that all summer camps will remain inside East Baton Rouge Parish for the remainder of the week. Camps may be temporarily relocated if facilities and parks are impacted by flood water. Additionally, some camp sessions may be canceled until facilities and parks are able t
  
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• Senate confirms Trump's nominee to head FEMA

  20-06-2017 14:14
  
  WASHINGTON - The Senate has confirmed the nomination of President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency.The vote was 95-4 on Tuesday for Brock Long. He previously ran Alabama's Emergency Management Agency and served as that state's on-scene incident commander during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.Long takes over the agency at the beginning of hurricane season. The agency has already managed 41 disaster declarations this year and the Tr
  
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• Free speech on college campuses in the U.S. Senate spotlight

  20-06-2017 14:00
  
  WASHINGTON  - Are the nation's students and professors intolerant when it comes to free speech on college campuses?  Some senators are expressing concern that the cancellation of conservative speeches at some colleges has chilled free speech and created an echo chamber exacerbating the political divide.  The Judiciary Committee heard testimony from several witnesses on Tuesday, including students.  Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of I
  
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• Two arrested on several child exploitation charges in St. Tammany Parish

  20-06-2017 13:55
  
  BATON ROUGE - Attorney General Jeff Landry says two men have been arrested by the Cyber Crime Unit on multiple child exploitation charges.On Tuesday, Landry announced the arrest of 39-year-old Christopher Yates of Slidell and 40-year-old Derrick Lockhart of Covington. Yates was booked on 30 counts of Sexual Abuse Images/Videos of Children (under the age of 13), one count of Sexual Abuse Images/Videos of Children, one count of Indecent Behavior with Juveniles, one count of Computer Aided
  
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• How to protect your important documents during severe weather

  20-06-2017 13:41
  BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Revenue is advising residents to protect their tax records and other financial documents from flood damage and other weather-related threats as tropical storm warnings are in effect for parts of the state. Paper records can be protected by placing them in airtight plastic containers and zip-closed bags. Residents can go paperless with bank statements and other financial documents that are available as electronic records throug
  
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• Police search for two missing children, believed to be in imminent danger

  20-06-2017 13:27
  
  IBERIA PARISH - Louisiana State Police has issued a level II endangered/missing child advisory on behalf of the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office for two missing children.Police are searching for 7-year-old Easton Alfred and 2-year-old Endie Decosta of New Iberia. Law enforcement has reason to believe Easton and Endie are in imminent danger.  The public is asked not to approach Raven Decosta.Easton Alfred and Endie Decosta are believed to be with their mother, 30-year-old Raven De
  
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• Missing Iberia Parish children located

  20-06-2017 13:27
  
  IBERIA PARISH - Louisiana State Police has located two children after issuing a level II endangered/missing child advisory on behalf of the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office.Police located 7-year-old Easton Alfred and 2-year-old Endie Dacosta of New Iberia who they believed to be in imminent danger after they disappeared Tuesday. The two were believed to be with their mother, Raven Dacosta, at the time.Authorities are still investigating.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Specialized temporary dam could be deployed this week in Iberville Parish

  20-06-2017 13:06
  
  ST. GABRIEL – Newly-purchased AquaDam devices could be installed to prevent backwater flooding in low-lying areas along Manchac Road, an area that had significant flooding in August.Iberville Parish announced in letters to citizens this week, it purchased the temporary dam system recently and it was designed specifically for the area in Iberville Parish. Typically, the dam will be stored at a nearby fire station but could be deployed this week depending on the heavy rain forecast to st
  
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• Texas puts government response on standby

  20-06-2017 12:31
  NEW ORLEANS - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the State Operations Center to raise its readiness level as Tropical Storm Cindy approached the Gulf Coast.  The center's readiness would be raised from level four/normal conditions to level three/increased readiness as of noon Wednesday. Also, Abbott has activated four Texas Task Force 1 boat squads and two Texas Military Department vehicles squads of five vehicles each to respond to any weather-related emergencies. &am
  
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• Central residents prepare for Tropical Storm Cindy

  20-06-2017 12:23
  
  CENTRAL - Areas that flooded last August are not taking any chances as Tropical Storm Cindy approaches the Louisiana coast.Residents in Central are preparing for what is to come in the next few days. Lawerence Adams said he saw his neighbors without sandbags and decided to take action."I was putting them in my yard and looked at my neighbor's and realized they didn't have any so I came back and I brought them what I had and I'll just go back and get some more," Adams said.Another resident in the
  
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• Man gunned down overnight sitting in car on edge of Southern campus

  20-06-2017 12:21
  
  BATON ROUGE – A 35-year-old man was found shot and killed in his car overnight.Police said Quinton Johnson was found dead in the 800 block of Swan Street around 11 p.m. Monday. Quinton was shot multiple times, police said.The 800 block of Swan Street is west of Kingfisher and the railroad tracks and at the intersection of the gates entering Southern University. There are no suspects or motives in the case as of this post.  **************Follow the publisher of this po
  
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• At least 10 people hurt when United flight hits turbulence

  20-06-2017 12:09
  
  HOUSTON - At least 10 people aboard a United Airlines jet were injured Tuesday when the plane hit turbulence during a flight from Panama to Houston.  A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman says the Boeing 737 encountered turbulence about 80 miles east of Cancun, Mexico. Weather satellite images showed storm clouds in the area in the wake of Tropical Storm Cindy.  Emergency crews were called to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, where the air
  
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• NWS issues special local statement for coastal parishes

  20-06-2017 09:50
  
  This information was released on Tuesday Morning… for updates to these products, CLICK HERE, go to the local products tab and use the drop down menu to select New Orleans/Baton Rouge for Terrebonne Parish and points east and Lake Charles for St. Mary Parish and points west.To get a detailed forecast for the entire WBRZ Weather Forecast Area, CLICK HERE. TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT LOCATIONS AFFECTED - Pierre Part- Napoleonville- Labadieville WIN
  
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