Baton Rouge news

• Actress Rose Marie of 'Dick Van Dyke Show' fame dies at 94

  28-12-2017 20:52
  LOS ANGELES - A family spokesman says Rose Marie, who played the wisecracking Sally Rogers on "The Dick Van Dyke Show," has died. She was 94.
   Spokesman Harlan Boll said Marie died Thursday in her Los Angeles-area home.
   Marie was a child star of the 1920s and 1930s who endeared herself to TV fans on the classic '60s sitcom that featured Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore.
   She appeared in numerous movies as a child and starred in the Broadway musical "Top Banana." She was
  
  Read more

• 12 dead in Bronx fire, including child

  28-12-2017 20:38
  NEW YORK - New York City's mayor says 12 people have been killed in a Bronx apartment building fire including a child around a year old.
   Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a briefing late Thursday that additional residents of the building were fighting for their lives with serious injuries.
   Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro called the fire, "historic in its magnitude," because of the number of lives lost.
   The fire was reported just before 7 p.m. at a five-sto
  
  Read more

• 'Nigerian Prince' arrested after months-long scam investigation in Slidell

  28-12-2017 20:08
  SLIDELL - Police arrested a man, claiming to be a "Nigerian Prince," who scammed people out of thousands of dollars over a period of many months.67-year-old Michael Neu was charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. Financial crimes investigators said Neu is suspected to have been a "middle man," participating in hundreds of financial transactions.Investigators said the phone and internet scams were designed to con money from victims across the country. Some of the money obtain
  
  Read more

• New Orleans panhandler accused of pulling gun on person who wouldn't give money

  28-12-2017 19:43
  NEW ORLEANS - Police arrested a pan handler after he allegedly pulled out a BB gun and threatened a people who refused to give him money.WWL-TV reported 23-year-old James Kiesner was arrested on Christmas Day.NOPD officials said Kiesner fired the BB gun when the person refused to hand over any cash.Police said they arrested the suspect soon after the incident and he gave them a fake name. Officers later identified him as Kiesner and booked him for aggravated assault and giving a false name.Perm
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Sobriety checkpoint planned in Livingston Parish Friday

  28-12-2017 19:34
  LIVINGSTON PARISH - The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office will conduct a sobriety checkpoint Friday.Officials said the checkpoint is being performed in conjunction with several other local law enforcement agencies as part of the "Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over" campaign.Specifics of where the checkpoint will be located will not be released in advance.Grant monies, available through a federal grant administered by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, will fund overtime pay for officers invo
  
  Read more

• Parish officials stress importance of recycling old Christmas trees

  28-12-2017 19:07
  GONZALES - Ascension Parish officials began their Christmas tree recycling drop-off event Thursday, hoping residents choose to recycle rather than stick their tree in the trash."There's just something about the beauty of the live tree," Ascension Parish public information officer Martin McConnell said, "the smell of the tree, I mean it just adds to the holiday season for a lot of people. But then again, at the end of the holiday season, what are you going to do with that tree?"The program invol
  
  Read more

• Officials request grant for safety improvements to North Foster Drive

  28-12-2017 18:52
  BATON ROUGE - A busy roadway could soon be receiving repairs to improve pedestrian safety."I believe there should be something done," said Curby Broom, who ofter walks alongside North Foster Drive in order to catch the bus. Officials agreed with him."Because this is a major area that hasn't seem a lot of change in many years, almost 40 years," Director of Transportation Fred Raiford said. "A lot of traffic has changed, people's wants and wishes have changed.The city wants North Foster Drive, fr
  
  Read more

• Brides still waiting on wedding photos months after wedding

  28-12-2017 18:20
  LAFAYETTE - Dozens of brides all over the country are missing their wedding photos and videos. They called 2 On Your Side after hiring a Lafayette-based wedding photographer who they say took their money and didn't deliver the product he promised.Melissa Quintel says she hired Tregg Istre of 63 Films to take photos of her wedding in Washington State. She paid him in full and says he drove to capture her small wedding."My dad walking me down the aisle was probably one of the most important pictu
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• 1 dead in 6-vehicle wreck as pickup truck spins on US 90

  28-12-2017 18:15
  HAHNVILLE - Louisiana State Police say a 59-year-old man died when his small sedan hit a pickup truck that had crossed the median of U.S. 90 and was rotating in the westbound lanes.
   Trooper Melissa Matey says in a news release that Brent Petit of Luling was killed and at least two other drivers suffered minor injuries in the six-vehicle wreck Wednesday evening in St. Charles Parish.
   She says 51-year-old Reginal Haywood of Avondale lost control of his 2008 GMC Sierra, which c
  
  Read more

• Apple sorry for slowing iPhones, cuts battery price by $50

  28-12-2017 17:04
  SAN FRANCISCO - Apple is apologizing for secretly slowing down older iPhones, which it says was necessary to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue.
   Many customers had interpreted the move as a way to juice demand for newer models.
   Apple also says it will cut the price of a battery replacement by $50 to $29. It previously cost $79 for those who didn't purchase the Apple Care maintenance plan.
   The replacement plan begins in late January for anyone wit
  
  Read more

• Nephew arrested in arson at historic home

  28-12-2017 16:20
  NEW ROADS - Authorities have arrested the nephew of a New Roads homeowner in the early morning fire at a home that dates back to 1907.John Roberts, 41, had previously threatened to set a fire at the house after Raymond Garrett stopped permitting him to drive his car, according to the Fire Marshal's Office. They had an argument hours before the fire. The car also went missing later, and Roberts was initially arrested on a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in that cr
  
  Read more

• Gonzales man arrested after using stolen gun to 'hunt' deer from his truck

  28-12-2017 15:50
  GONZALES - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents arrested a Gonzales man after he allegedly used a stolen shotgun to "hunt" deer from his truck while traveling down I-49 Tuesday.Logan M. Collins, 27, was booked with taking deer during illegal hours, hunting from a public highway, hunting from a moving vehicle, and possessing a stolen 12-gauge shotgun. He also was issued several traffic and vehicle violations by State Police. LD
  
  Read more

• California pot shops roll out hoopla as sales set to start

  28-12-2017 15:48
  SAN DIEGO - Live music. Free T-shirts. A "Fweedom" celebration with mystery prize boxes worth up to $500, and a shot at a behind-the-scenes tour.
   Marijuana legalization arrives Monday in California with lots of hoopla, but only a handful of cities will initially have retail outlets ready to sell recreational pot.
   California has issued only about 40 retail licenses. Another 150 applications are pending and regulators planned to work a second straight weekend to review them.
  &
  
  Read more

• Prosecutor needs longer on cop's killing of Australian woman

  28-12-2017 15:24
  MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota prosecutor says he needs more time to decide whether to charge a police officer who fatally shot an Australian woman who called 911.
   Prosecutor Mike Freeman had promised a decision by year's end in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. On Thursday, Freeman said he needed more time. He says he won't rush things.
   Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor shot Damond on July 15, just minutes after she called 911 to report a possible assault in the alley
  
  Read more

• Moore again calls Alabama election 'fraudulent'

  28-12-2017 15:13
  MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Defeated U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore reacted to Alabama finalizing the election results by again saying experts agree the election was "fraudulent."
   He made the comment in a brief statement Thursday afternoon, shortly after a state board officially declared Democrat Doug Jones the winner of the Dec. 12 election.
   Moore said he's had to fight not only Democrats but also Republicans and the "Washington establishment." He said he stood for the truth and ha
  
  Read more

• Computer error halts driver's license services across state

  28-12-2017 14:45
  BATON ROUGE - Computers at Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles locations across the state went down Wednesday, although it's unclear just how many offices were affected.
   OMV Commissioner Karen St. German told The Times-Picayune the system crashed for about an hour on Wednesday morning at every OMV office in the state. But the policy and communication director for the state's Division of Administration, Jacques Berry, disputed that statewide count and outage length, saying the full scop
  
  Read more

• Learn to saves lives through EMS Explorer Post program

  28-12-2017 14:06
  BATON ROUGE- Residents ages 14 through 20 that are interested in pre-hospital emergency medical care should look into the Explorer Post program.The East Baton Rouge City-Parish Department of Emergency Medical Services sponsors the program.Through the program, participants get the opportunity to go on paramedic unit observation ride-alongs and get exposure to other related fields prior to entering their choice of secondary education.The current guidelines for the program include:-Membership shal
  
  Read more

• Woman accused of ruining $300K worth of art on date

  28-12-2017 13:10
  HOUSTON, TX - Authorities say an intoxicated Dallas woman on a first date with a prominent Houston trial lawyer caused at least $300,000 in damage to his art collection, including two Andy Warhol paintings.Lindy Lou Layman was arrested Saturday on criminal mischief charges after her date with Anthony Buzbee. She was released on $30,000 bond. Online court records don't list an attorney for her.Prosecutors say Buzbee told investigators that the 29-year-old Layman got too intoxicated on t
  
  Read more

• Car drives into local hair salon Thursday morning

  28-12-2017 12:24
  BATON ROUGE- Witnesses say a car drove through a local business Thursday morning.The car crashed into High Tech Cuts in the 9600 block of Airline Highway. A witness told WBRZ that the car was occupied by two older people.No injuries were reported.Details are limited at this time.Permalink| Comments
  
  Read more

• Handgun and $6,000 worth of cocaine among items found during narcotics searches

  28-12-2017 11:30
  ST. MARY PARISH- Authorities charged three suspects on multiple drug charges after searching a house and vehicle Wednesday.One search took place at 41-year-old Dandrick Jack's home in the 100 block of Lincoln Street in Baldwin.At the scene, narcotics detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office saw a man flee on foot from the back of the house. The man was identified as 41-year-old Joseph Wade.Authorities say that Wade ran through several yards and ignored detectives commands to stop. E
  
  Read more

• Online TV series filmed in Baton Rouge and surrounding area

  28-12-2017 11:21
  BATON ROUGE - New Orleans may be known as Hollywood South, but Baton Rouge is making strides in the film industry.'Home Remedy', an online TV show, was filmed exclusively in the Capitol Region."Baton Rouge is our home base," producer Tricia Prewitt said. "This is home, this is where the doors opened for us."The vast majority of cast and crew members are from Baton Rouge and surrounding areas. Keeping the show's roots in the community was important for those involved."We have s
  
  Read more

• Report: Most sirens worked during Hawaii warning test

  28-12-2017 11:09
  HONOLULU - A report on a Hawaii siren test that drew international attention amid a North Korea missile threat shows that 28 sirens statewide played the wrong sound or had other technical problems.
   The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency report says nearly 93 percent of the state's 386 sirens worked properly.  Twelve mistakenly played an ambulance siren.
   Hawaii re-introduced the Cold War-era warning siren during a test earlier this month.
   Spokesman Richard
  
  Read more

• Judge denies legal request to grant elephants personhood

  28-12-2017 09:46
  HARTFORD, Conn.- A Connecticut judge has denied a petition by an animal rights group to grant parenthood to three elephants in a traveling petting zoo, calling the request "wholly frivolous."The Nonhuman Rights Project sued in November on behalf of elephants at Commerford Zoo, based in Goshen. The group wanted the elephants released to a natural habitat sanctuary.The group says elephants "have a sense of self, remember the past and plan for the future, engage in complex communication, show empa
  
  Read more

• Applications for US jobless aid hold at 245,000

  28-12-2017 08:52
  WASHINGTON- The number of unemployed workers filing for jobless benefits remained the same from the previous week at 245,000, a low level signaling a healthy job market.The Labor Department said Thursday that the four-week average, a less volatile measure, climbed 1,750 to 237,750.Applications are essentially a proxy for layoffs, and any reading below 300,000 is considered low in a historical context. Many employers are finding it difficult to fill their open jobs, so they are motivated to reta
  
  Read more

• WBRZ's most viewed stories of 2017

  28-12-2017 08:32
  As 2017 comes to a close, the WBRZ Web Staff is taking a look back at some of the stories you clicked on the most this year. From the community efforts of the Cajun Navy to the great Louisiana Snow Day and everything between, we've got it all below. Photos show blood leaking from ground behind Baton Rouge funeral homeAccording to our number of views, the most read story is a puzzling one from Baton Rouge.In September, a viewer sent us this picture of what appeared to
  
  Read more

• Police warn residents of phone scam asking for social security numbers

  28-12-2017 08:29
  MORGAN CITY- The Morgan City Police Department is warning residents about scam phone calls asking residents for their social security number.Authorities say victims have received a call from a number that appears to originate from the Thibodaux area stating they are with Louisiana Medicaid. During the conversations, victims said the caller asked for their social security number.The Morgan City Police Department advises that residents never provide that type of information to any untrusted sourc
  
  Read more

• Money stolen, coin box damaged during theft at car wash

  28-12-2017 08:04
  LAFOURCHE PARISH- The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office is assisting the Golden Meadow Police Department in trying to identify three suspects involved in a theft at an area car wash.On Dec. 20 officers were contacted about an incident which occurred the previous night at a car wash located on North Alex Plaisance Boulevard in Golden Meadow. Just before 7:45 p.m. on Dec. 19, two men and a woman arrived at the car wash in a white four-door pickup truck.While one male suspect washed the truck, the
  
  Read more

• Police searching for man last seen Dec. 12

  28-12-2017 07:06
  NEW ORLEANS- Police are asking for the public's help to find a man that was reported missing from his St. Claude neighborhood home earlier this month.According to WWL-TV, 51-year-old Charles Terrell was last seen by his mother in the 2700 block of North Prieur Street around 10 a.m Dec. 12.Authorities say Terrell reportedly left home with his mothers' brown 2002 Buick Rendevous. He is 6'2'' and weighs about 175 pounds.Anyone with information about Terrell's whereabouts can call New Orleans Polic
  
  Read more

• Trump, GOP congressional leaders to meet at Camp David

  28-12-2017 06:51
  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - President Donald Trump is eager for more legislative achievements before Washington's focus shifts to the midterm elections. And he plans to open the new year by meeting with Republican congressional leaders to map out the 2018 legislative agenda.After returning to Washington from Florida, where he is spending the holidays, Trump plans to host Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin at the rustic Camp David presidential
  
  Read more

• Man shot in confrontation with Louisiana sheriff's deputy

  28-12-2017 06:42
  MONROE - Police say a man was shot and wounded during a confrontation with a Louisiana sheriff's deputy.Louisiana State Police Trooper Michael Reichardt says the shooting happened about 2 a.m. Wednesday after a Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office deputy stopped to assist a stalled vehicle at an intersection near Monroe.Reichardt says the wounded man was taken to a Monroe hospital to be treated for injuries that weren't considered life-threatening. No deputies were hurt in the encounter.Re
  
  Read more

• Man arrested for assaulting sister with baseball bat

  28-12-2017 05:59
  BATON ROUGE- A man is now in custody after authorities say he hit a dialysis patient with a baseball bat.Officers from the Baton Rouge Police Department were dispatched to a home in the 5500 block of Prescott Road on Dec. 27 in relation to a battery. At the scene, officers found the victim with a cut on her forehead.According to the affidavit, the victim had been bleeding heavily throughout the house. The victim said her brother Dennis Brue had hit her in the head with a bat. After the attack,
  
  Read more

Follow @BatonRougeNews_ on Twitter!