Baton Rouge news

• Louisiana-specific benefits in tax bill

  21-12-2017 21:29
  NEW ORLEANS - The tax bill that won passage this week in Congress has provisions that members of Louisiana's congressional delegation say specifically benefit Louisiana.
   For instance, the Republican-dominated delegation touted a provision allowing victims of the 2016 south Louisiana floods to amend their tax return for that year to deduct their losses. In an interview, Sen. Bill Cassidy said estimates are that it will bring $500 million into Louisiana. The bill also waives a 10 percen
  
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• Louisiana one of 8 states to see population drop over past year

  21-12-2017 20:20
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana is one of only eight states to see a drop in overall population in 2017.According to the latest US Census numbers, recorded in the span from July 2016 to July 2017, Louisiana's net population saw a net drop of 2,000 people. Overall, 27,515 people left the state in that year-long stretch versus its natural growth of 18,017.Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming were the only other states to see an overall decrease in population.On t
  
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• Man arrested in Wednesday night murder in Livingston Parish

  21-12-2017 20:06
  LIVINGSTON - Authorities say a call from concerned family members led to the discovery of a dead body Thursday.According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the home on Satsuma Road in Livingston after loved ones reported that they had not seen or heard from 31-year-old Brent Pollard. Deputies found no sign of Pollard at his home, but were able to use evidence to track his actions.During the investigation, it was discovered that 39-year-old Chad Glascock&am
  
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• Airman deployed for 2 years in Japan surprises mom for Christmas, and she goes bananas

  21-12-2017 19:27
  The last thing Gwen Jackson was expecting for the holidays was having her son, Grant Jackson, an airman who has been deployed to Japan for two years, home for Christmas.But that’s exactly what she got, and her reaction is absolutely priceless.“I lost it bad,” Gwen Jackson of Memphis, Tennessee, told ABC News. “I turned around to see what my sister was saying and then I saw his face on her body and it was all blurry, then everything start
  
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• 2 Mississippi teens charged with sexually assaulting toddler

  21-12-2017 18:27
  LEAKESVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Two south Mississippi teenagers are charged with sexually assaulting a then-2-year-old girl in 2016.  The Greene County Herald reports that 19-year-old Joseph Beckwith Jr. and 15-year-old Jeremiah Beckwith, both Leakesville residents, were arrested Tuesday.  Sheriff Stanley McLeod says the case was referred by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, which has custody of the girl. McLeod says the brothers confessed after new evi
  
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• Utility trailer sitting outside house for years finally removed

  21-12-2017 18:16
  BATON ROUGE - Frances Watson tells 2 On Your Side she's been looking at a dump outside her house for the last year and a half.The problem is feet from her driveway and Watson says she's tired of looking at it."No one really looks at it every day except for me," she said.The problem is with a utility trailer that's been over-filled with garbage, scrap wood, metal, and other items. Watson isn't sure where the trailer came from but says it's been there since July 2016. It's pushed to the end of a
  
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• Deadline for flood insurance claims nears

  21-12-2017 17:53
  BATON ROUGE - The deadline is quickly approaching for flood insurance policyholders who flooded in the August 2016 flood.The National Flood Insurance Program, a federal program within FEMA, warned that insurers have until Dec. 31 to submit proof of loss documentation to initiate or supplement an NFIP claim."If you don't get your claim in, you're going be barred. You may not get any recovery at all," said Ron Henderson with the Louisiana Department of Insurance.To request more funds, yo
  
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• Baton Rouge called a dumping ground for convicted juveniles across the state

  21-12-2017 17:48
  BATON ROUGE- East Baton Rouge Parish has more convicted juveniles living in group homes and other forms of housing than any of the other 64 parishes in the state the WBRZ Investigative Unit has learned.Many of the juveniles who are being housed here are not from here. Their convictions run the gamut from armed robberies to batteries.
  Curtis Nelson is a juvenile prosecutor and sees first hand the issues plaguing our community with children acting badly.
  "We are seeing youth from other parishes w
  
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• Papa John's founder out as CEO weeks after NFL comments

  21-12-2017 17:43
  NEW YORK (AP) — Papa John’s founder John Schnatter will step down as CEO next month, about two months after he publicly criticized the NFL leadership over national anthem protests by football players — comments for which the company later apologized.Schnatter will be replaced as chief executive by Chief Operating Officer Steve Ritchie on Jan. 1, the company announced Thursday. Schnatter, who appears in the chain’s commercials and on its pizza boxes, and i
  
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• Baton Rouge man accused of shooting his aunt in the head

  21-12-2017 15:37
  BATON ROUGE - Police arrested a man Thursday after he allegedly walked into his aunt's home and fired a handgun, striking her in the head.According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, 24-year-old Kasey Gray is charged with attempted murder for the Sept. 2 attack. The victim says Gray walked into her home on Madison Avenue, which she shared with the alleged shooter, and fired a single shot from a .380 caliber pistol. The bullet struck the victim in the side of her head and sent her to
  
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• Girl convicted in Slender Man stabbing sentenced

  21-12-2017 15:09
  WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) - One of two Wisconsin girls who tried to kill a classmate to win favor with a fictional horror character named Slender Man has been sentenced to 25 years in a mental hospital.  Anissa Weier (ah-NEE'-sah WY'-ur) pleaded guilty in August to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide, but she claimed she wasn't responsible for her actions because she was mentally ill. In September, a jury agreed.  Waukesha County Circuit J
  
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• Ohio woman charged in son's death after buried remains found

  21-12-2017 14:56
  CLEVELAND (AP) - A woman has been charged with murder in the death of her 5-year-old son after authorities found the apparent remains of a child in the backyard of her Cleveland home.  Thirty-four-year-old Larissa Rodriguez was charged Thursday in Cleveland. Court records don't indicate if she has an attorney.  The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office hasn't yet identified the remains found Tuesday as those of Rodriguez's developmentally disabled son, Jo
  
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• Convicted killer hears victim's family on prison ride

  21-12-2017 14:48
  MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) - Sheriff's deputies in Michigan repeatedly played the comments of a murder victim's anguished family while they drove a convicted killer to prison.  Jeffrey Willis was granted a request to skip his sentencing Monday so he didn't hear the statements by relatives of Rebekah Bletsch. But Muskegon County Sheriff Michael Poulin had a CD made.  Poulin says the 25-minute CD was played five times as deputies drove Willis 145 miles (230 kilometer
  
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• Police believe female suspect responsible for two Slidell bank robberies

  21-12-2017 14:30
  SLIDELL- Officers from the Slidell Police Department and agents from the FBI are investigating a bank robbery that took place Wednesday afternoon.Authorities say shortly after 4:40 p.m., police responded to the First Castle Credit Union at 1402 Gause Boulevard after a female entered the bank, handed the teller a note and demanded cash. The female then fled the credit union with an undisclosed amount of money, walking towards the intersection of Rue Rochelle and Gause Boulevard.Investigators bel
  
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• Local deputies help wheelchair-bound boy celebrate Christmas

  21-12-2017 14:21
  ZACHARY - For the second time in the past couple months, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office spent quality time with a young man suffering from muscular dystrophy.On Thursday, sheriff's deputies stopped by the home of 12-year-old Aaron Clark, a local boy suffering from Duchene Muscular Dystrophy. Deputies threw a very special Christmas party for Clark, complete with an appearance from Santa Claus himself.EBRSO says it first met Aaron through Deputy Jeff Neylan, who ran into the 12-ye
  
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• Deputies arrest two men wanted for meth distribution

  21-12-2017 14:05
  LAFOURCHE PARISH- Deputies from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office arrested two men Wednesday on multiple drug charges including distributing meth in Raceland.Authorities arrested 32-year-old Jarius Griffin and 39-year-old Phillip Bell. Through prior investigations, narcotics agents had obtained warrants for both men in reference to methamphetamine distribution.On Wednesday, agents in Raceland identified Griffin and Bell traveling south on LA 308 and conducted a traffic sto
  
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• Man accused of jumping into vehicle, robbing woman at gunpoint

  21-12-2017 12:54
  THIBODAUX- Officers from the Thibodaux Police Department arrested a man for attempted armed robbery for his involvement in a incident last month.On Nov. 26 at approximately 10:49 p.m, authorities said a female suspect was sitting in her vehicle in the 1400 block of Eagle Drive when a black Chevrolet Camaro pulled up behind her vehicle.Authorities say the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Deangelo Coleman, got out of the passenger side of the Camaro and went to the victim's passenger s
  
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• Female kicker makes history at Texas high school football championship

  21-12-2017 12:52
  A female high school football player made history Wednesday in the home of the Dallas Cowboys.K-Lani Nava, a senior and the only female on her team, became the first female football player to score points in a Texas state championship game when she scored nine field goals.Nava’s 16 points helped lead her Strawn High School team to a 78-42 Class 1A Six-Man Division II state championship at AT&T Stadium.“It was really amazing," Nava, 17, told ABC News. "It&rsq
  
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• Deputies make third arrest after multiple Belle River burglaries

  21-12-2017 12:23
  BELLE RIVER- The Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office has arrested a third suspect in a ongoing investigation of multiple burglaries.On Oct. 17, deputies responded to multiple vehicle and residential burglaries. The investigation revealed that several vehicles and homes had been burglarized and items were stolen.Detectives from the Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office along with the St. Martin and Bienville Parish Sheriff's Office, initiated a lengthy and ongoing investigation and were able to iden
  
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• FCC proposes $13.4M fine for TV-station owner Sinclair

  21-12-2017 12:19
  NEW YORK (AP) - The Federal Communications Commission is proposing a $13.4 million fine on TV-station owner Sinclair Broadcast for not identifying paid programming as advertising.  Sinclair owns TV stations across the country and pays networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for the news, shows and sports it airs on those stations.  The FCC says Sinclair produced and broadcast news story-like programming during local news broadcasts and 30-minute TV programs for the Hu
  
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• Top Senate Dem wants passage of spending bill

  21-12-2017 11:33
  WASHINGTON-The Senate's top Democrat says he's committed to Senate passage of a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown this weekend - though he's not yet backing a new House measure.Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also said he'll block any attempt to pass a separate disaster aid measure, saying changes are needed.Schumer said he wants bargaining leverage for a host of issues being punted into next year, including the budget and immigration.He said it's unclear what f
  
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• Sobriety checkpoint scheduled for Friday in Livingston Parish

  21-12-2017 11:19
  LIVINGSTON PARISH- Deputies from the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office in conjunction with several other law enforcement agencies will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in Livingston Parish Friday.The checkpoint is part of the national campaign Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.Motorists are urged to drive carefully and comply with all Louisiana traffic regulations. Permalink| Comments
  
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• House narrowly passes short-term spending bill, preventing shutdown

  21-12-2017 11:04
  WASHINGTON - Congress has voted to prevent a government shutdown as the House and Senate in rapid succession approved a stopgap spending bill to keep agencies running through Jan. 19.
   The Senate's 66-32 vote sent the temporary funding bill to President Donald Trump with time to spare before a Friday midnight deadline. He has said he will sign it and encouraged lawmakers on Twitter to "keep our Government OPEN!"
   The Senate vote followed a deceptively difficult 231-188 tally i
  
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• BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo announces birth of female sable

  21-12-2017 11:03
  BATON ROUGE- A new female sable has joined BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo family.The calf was born Dec. 10 to a first time 4-year-old mother in the zoo's Africa loop. According to the zoo, new calves tend to hide for the first weeks of life and then begin to follow their mother around. The new sable appears to be progressing normally, according to the zoo.The last sable born at BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo was in 2001.Sables are native to Southeastern Africa an thrive in the woodlands and savannah.
  
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• Vehicle fire caused delays on I-12 East

  21-12-2017 08:51
  LIVINGSTON PARISH- There was  traffic congestion on I-12 East as the result of a vehicle on fire.The fire was reported near the Holden exit earlier this morning. Congestion was cleared before 10 a.m. Congestion has cleared on I-12 East from MM 24.5 to MM 27.5 (before LA 441).— WBRZ Traffic (@WBRZtraffic) December 21, 2017Permalink| Comments
  
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• Deputies arrest seven in vehicle burglary ring

  21-12-2017 08:41
  PONCHATOULA- Deputies from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office arrested seven people involved in a vehicle burglary ring.Authorities say the group is responsible for multiple vehicle burglaries in Tangipahoa Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Livingston Parish over the past two weeks.Early Tuesday morning, TPSO deputies received information that multiple suspects were creeping around in Jefferson Court subdivision pulling on car doors around 2:30 a.m.Deputies were able to track down the subjects
  
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• Recovering America's Wildlife Act could bring $19 million per year to Louisiana

  21-12-2017 08:06
  BATON ROUGE- The Recovering America's Wildlife Act will bring $19 million a year to Louisiana to conserve more than 700 non-game fish and wildlife species and their habitats.The act was recently introduced to Congress, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.U.S. Representatives Jeff Fortenberry and Debbie Dingell introduced the bill on Dec. 14.Officials say the legislation proposes to provide state fish and wildlife agencies with $1.4 billion annually to implement State
  
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• Panel rejects bid to remove judges from mayor-elect's case

  21-12-2017 07:48
  NEW ORLEANS- A Louisiana appellate court has rejected Attorney General Jeff Landry's attempt to remove New Orleans judges from issues involving his investigation of Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell.Landry said Wednesday his office would appeal to the state Supreme Court.Cantrell is a City Council member who takes office next spring after winning the November runoff election. Her opponent accused her of misusing her city credit card for personal and political expenses.Cantrell won 60 percent of the v
  
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• Two $50,000 Powerball tickets sold for Dec. 16 drawing

  21-12-2017 07:29
  BATON ROUGE- According to the Louisiana Lottery, two tickets won $50,000 during Saturday's Powerball drawing.One of the tickets was sold at NuNu's Fresh Market in Youngsville and the other at Convenience King #3 in Houma.The winning numbers were 9-35-37-50-63 and the Powerball was 11. The next drawing of the Powerball will take place Dec. 23Permalink| Comments
  
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• Police say woman with mental illnesses missing for more than two weeks

  21-12-2017 07:19
  NEW ORLEANS- Officers from the New Orleans Police Department are looking for a woman from New Orleans East last seen two weeks ago.WWL-TV reports that 53-year-old Karen Corsey was last seen Dec. 9. She was seen at the corner of Dwyer Road and Cernay Street.Corsey's daughter said her mother suffers from several mental illnesses. Anyone with information about Karen Corsey is asked to call the Seventh District Police Station at 504-658-6070.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Car rams into pedestrians in Melbourne; up to 19 injured

  21-12-2017 06:24
  A vehicle plowed into more than a dozen terrified pedestrians in Australia on Thursday, in what police called a "deliberate" and "cowardly" act.Two people were arrested at the chaotic scene, which was packed with holiday shoppers in Melbourne's central business district.A young child was among the injured, authorities said."We are all caught up in this," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. "We are all deeply sad and deeply wounded by this terrible, terrible act."The driver of the white Suzuki
  
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• Authorities arrest 63-year-old man for felony sexual battery

  21-12-2017 05:59
  CATAHOULA PARISH- Authorities arrested a man yesterday after a complaint which centered around the sexual abuse of a child in Catahoula Parish.Frank Alexander, 63, was arrested by the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations Special Victims Unit/Alexandria Field Office.LSP investigators have reason to believe there might be other victims within the state. Anyone that feels they might be a victim of Alexander's, or anyone with information regarding such, is asked to contact investigators
  
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