Baton Rouge news

• Trump optimistic on health care; some doubtful

  25-06-2017 21:18
  
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump says he doesn't think congressional Republicans are "that far off" on passing a health overhaul to replace "Obamacare." But some lawmakers have doubts.  Trump tells "Fox and Friends" he believes his majority party is "going to get there."  That optimism runs counter to the public opposition of five Republican senators so far to the Senate GOP plan that would scuttle much of former President Barack Obama's health law. And sev
  
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• Outreach events planned for flood victims in Baton Rouge area

  25-06-2017 20:47
  
  BATON ROUGE - A series of outreach events has been planned for the Baton Rouge area in order to help flood victims get the assistance they need.Three outreach events have been scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday due to the high volume of flood-impacted homeowners visiting the Baton Rouge housing assistance center. Representatives with Restore LA will be available to answer questions, provide information and work directly with homeowners on a first-come, first-served ba
  
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• LSP: Unrestrained driver killed in Evangeline Parish crash

  25-06-2017 19:56
  
  EVANGELINE PARISH - Police are investigating a single-vehicle crash that left one person dead early Sunday morning.According to Louisiana State Police, the crash occurred just after midnight on Harrison Road near LA 29.Police say 36-year-old Jacob McDaniel of Boyce was traveling in his 2000 Ford F-150 when it ran off the right side of the roadway and crashed into a tree.McDaniel was not wearing a seat belt and suffered fatal injuries in the crash. He was pronounced dea
  
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• Arkansas prison inmate recaptured after 32 years

  25-06-2017 19:22
  
  SPRINGDALE, Ark. - An Arkansas prison escapee who had been on the run for more than three decades has been recaptured.  The state Department of Corrections says 60-year-old Steven Dishman was arrested Sunday at a home in Springdale in northwest Arkansas by local law enforcement and state troopers. The department initially spelled Dishman's first name as Stephen.  Details of what led authorities to Dishman and his arrest were not immediately released. 
  
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• Texas mom left 2 kids in hot car as punishment

  25-06-2017 17:43
  
  WEATHERFORD, Texas  - Authorities say a Texas woman told investigators that she left her 2-year-old daughter and 16-month-old son in the hot car where they died last month to teach the girl a lesson, and that they didn't lock themselves in, as she initially said.  Cynthia Marie Randolph, 24, was jailed Friday on two counts of causing serious bodily harm to a child.  Parker County sheriff's officials say she told investigators Friday that she found the
  
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• Bloomberg to launch $17M contest for US cities

  25-06-2017 17:32
  
  NEW YORK - New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg's foundation is putting up more than $17 million for a new contest that encourages the nation's mayors to address critical issues themselves.  The new effort, to be announced on Monday, comes as local leaders are increasingly concerned about the impact of the Trump administration's policies.  Bloomberg Philanthropies will award at least $100,000 to 35 cities and millions more to a handful of top winners that de
  
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• LSP: Man does multiple drugs with 2-year-old in vehicle, causes hit-and-run crash

  25-06-2017 17:14
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police arrested a man after they found several drugs and a young child in his vehicle following a hit-and-run crash Saturday night.According to Louisiana State Police, troopers responded to the scene of a hit and run on Reiger Road around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Police say a witness followed the vehicle and led a trooper to the suspect.Upon arrival, the trooper found three adults and a 2-year-old child inside the hit-and-run vehicle. The trooper spoke to the driver, 34-year-ol
  
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• Traffic clears on I-10 West following accident

  25-06-2017 16:15
  
  PORT ALLEN - Traffic has cleared up on I-10 West after an accident Sunday.According to DOTD, all lanes of I-10 West have reopened in Ramah after the incident. Congestion from the accident has since cleared.Check back for more updates.Keep up with Baton Rouge traffic using WBRZ's advanced traffic-tracking technology.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Heavy traffic on I-10 West due to accident

  25-06-2017 16:15
  
  PORT ALLEN - Heavy traffic has built up on I-10 West due to an accident Sunday.According to DOTD, all lanes of I-10 West have reopened in Ramah after the incident. But traffic is still lingering in the area.The queue from the incident has reached about nine miles, extending near the Mississippi River Bridge.Check back for more updates.Keep up with Baton Rouge traffic using WBRZ's advanced traffic-tracking technology.Permalink| Comments
  
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• BRFD: 18-wheeler catches fire while delivering food on Government St.

  25-06-2017 15:42
  
  BATON ROUGE - Firefighters reported to the scene of a vehicle fire in downtown Baton Rouge Sunday.The fire was spotted around 3:30 p.m. near the Jack in the Box on Government Street. According to the Baton Rouge Fire Department, the truck's trailer caught fire as it was delivering food to the restaurant. The fire, which has since been extinguished, was reportedly caused by the trailer's cooling system. No injuries were reported.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Pregnant Detroit woman ambushed, shot 4 times outside home

  25-06-2017 15:32
  
  DETROIT - Detroit police say a pregnant woman is in critical condition after being ambushed and shot four times outside her home.  Police say the 32-year-old woman was struck late Saturday in the abdomen, thigh, right forearm and right lower leg. The shooting's effect on the baby was not immediately known.  The woman had just arrived home and exited her car when she was ambushed by someone inside her home. Police say the home's front door slung open and someon
  
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• Shreveport police investigating body found in abandoned home

  25-06-2017 15:15
  
  SHREVEPORT - Police are investigating an abandoned home where a body was found Sunday.According to a report from KTBS, police say a person walked into the home in the 400 block of Davis St. in Shreveport, discovered the remains and called authorities.Corporal Angie Willhite told KTBS the area is known to be frequented by homeless people.Authorities have not released information regarding the person's identity or gender.Cpl. Willhite says the investigation will take some time to determine a cause
  
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• Man dies after falling from a waterfall in North Carolina

  25-06-2017 14:34
  
  OLD FORT, N.C. - A man has died after falling about 70 feet (20 meters) from a waterfall in western North Carolina.  McDowell County Emergency Services director William Kehler told WYFF-TV on Sunday the man fell from Upper Catawba Falls in Pisgah National Forest.  Kehler says the man was airlifted to an Asheville hospital Saturday evening.  The man has not been identified.  Kehler says he's unsure if the man was alone or wit
  
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• VIDEO: Dad, daughter catch teen as she falls from Six Flags ride

  25-06-2017 14:16
  
  QUEENSBURY, N.Y. - A father and his 21-year-old daughter had caught the teenage girl who fell 25 feet to the ground from an amusement park ride.  Matthew Howard Sr. and his daughter, Leeann Winchell, say they were about to leave Six Flags Great Escape near Albany, New York on Saturday when they saw the 14-year-old dangling from the "Sky Ride" gondola. The girl's little brother was sitting beside her and screamed for help.  Howard says he stood under the girl a
  
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• 'Transformers' film tops box office despite franchise low

  25-06-2017 13:13
  
  NEW YORK - Michael Bay's "Transformers: The Last Knight" scored a franchise-low debut but still easily topped the North American box office with an estimated $43.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend.  The Paramount Pictures release, the fifth in the "Transformers" series, totaled $69.1 million in five days, after opening Wednesday. But it was a huge hit in China, where it debuted with $123.4 million.  "Wonder Woman" and "Cars 3" tied for second place, bo
  
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• EBR Metro Council to vote on parish-wide smoking ban Wednesday

  25-06-2017 12:36
  
  BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Metro Council is once again set to vote on a parish-wide smoking ban.If passed, the ordinance would prohibit smoking in all public places throughout the parish. This would include businesses like casinos and bars.Despite the popular belief that the ban will hurt these businesses, Councilwoman Chauna Banks says it will be a boon all around."I believe it will raise revenues, because people who won't go to these establishments because of smoking now will,
  
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• LSU researchers get nearly $1M to study honeybees

  25-06-2017 12:26
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two Louisiana State University researchers are getting nearly $1 million for a two-year study of how stress affects honeybee health.  The LSU AgCenter says in a news release that Kristen Healy and Daniel Swale are working with U.S. Department of Agriculture honeybee researchers in Baton Rouge and the nation's largest beekeeper .  They'll be studying 400 hives of honeybees that are based in South Dakota, including some that are moved to California
  
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• Watson residents say new drainage ditches will do more harm than good

  25-06-2017 12:21
  
  WATSON - Big drainage ditches are being dug and huge culverts are being installed on Olivia drive in Watson. Homeowners say flooding issues needed to be addressed in the area, but also say this is too much.Jeff Garland says his driveway was removed for the drainage project."I think they are over doing it," Garland said.His truck gets stuck every time he tries to leave home, and he says he will have to pay out of his own pocket to build a new driveway."I think if the parish is the one ta
  
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• Owner of Baker cosmetology and barber school convicted of Pell Grant fraud

  25-06-2017 12:19
  
  BAKER - A cosmetology school's owner has been convicted of charges she forged and falsified students' financial aid records to steal more than $100,000 in federal grant money.  A federal jury on Thursday found 58-year-old Alden Hall guilty of charges of theft of government funds, fraudulently obtaining financial assistance funds and money laundering.  The Baton Rouge resident is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 30. Her trial lasted four days. &nb
  
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• Cosmetology and barber school owner convicted of Pell Grant fraud

  25-06-2017 12:19
  
  BAKER - A cosmetology school's owner has been convicted of charges she forged and falsified students' financial aid records to steal more than $100,000 in federal grant money.  A federal jury on Thursday found 58-year-old Alden Hall guilty of charges of theft of government funds, fraudulently obtaining financial assistance funds and money laundering.  The Baton Rouge resident is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 30. Her trial lasted four days. &nb
  
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• One hurt in shooting on E. Brookstown Drive

  25-06-2017 12:01
  
  BATON ROUGE - One person was injured in a shooting on East Brookstown Drive Sunday night. The shooting occurred around 9:50 p.m. in the 5000 block of East Brookstown Drive near St. Gerard Avenue. According to Baton Rouge Police, the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the arm.Police say the victim sustained non life-threatening injuries.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Boil order issued for part of East Feliciana

  25-06-2017 09:10
  
  EAST FELICIANA - There is a boil order for a small water system in the parish.A boil order was issued Sunday morning for District 7.  Customers who are supplied with water by District 7 Water should boil water before using it.The water system said it had an issue with its lines overnight.  Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one full minute and then allow to cool before consuming, according to the Department of Health and Hospitals. This includes water used for food p
  
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• Laryssa Bonacquisti named Miss Louisiana 2017

  25-06-2017 01:31
  
  BATON ROUGE - Miss Shreveport Laryssa Bonacquisti has been named Miss Louisiana 2017.Bonacquisti won the swimsuit competition on the second night of preliminaries and the talent competitions on preliminary night one before taking the crown.Miss Cain River Jo Hilliard was first runner up in the competition and was followed by Miss St. Tammany Parish Emily Randon.Miss Pride of Monroe Morgan Tanner took home the Miss Congeniality Award along with a $1,000 scholarship. Mis
  
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