Baton Rouge news

• Rare talks between 2 Koreas underway at border

  08-01-2018 21:38
  SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean media say North and South Korea have begun talks at their border about how to cooperate in next month's Winter Olympics and how to improve their long-strained ties.  Yonhap news agency reported that the first talks between the rivals in about two years began as scheduled Tuesday morning at the border village of Panmunjom. YTN television network carried a similar report.  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been making an appa
  
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• Groundbreaking for I-10 widening set for this week

  08-01-2018 21:11
  BATON ROUGE- Interstate 10 from Highland Road in East Baton Rouge Parish to Hwy 73 in Ascension Parish will be widened after a ribbon cutting ceremony this week.It's unclear when actual construction will begin. The seven mile stretch of interstate is often congested during rush hour.DOTD officials in previous interviews have said construction could last 2-1/2 years.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Florida governor: 'The UCF Knights are clearly champions.'

  08-01-2018 21:07
  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - UCF had a second straight day of celebrations for its undefeated season while receiving a proclamation from Florida's governor declaring the Knights national champs.  In signing the proclamation, Gov. Rick Scott said on Monday: "Florida is home to the country's best college football, and this season, UCF proved to the world that they can beat any team. By having a perfect season and beating the only team that defeated both Alabama and Georgia this seas
  
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• Second day of school cancelled as Jackson water woes drag on

  08-01-2018 20:38
  JACKSON, Miss. - Continued water woes in Mississippi's capital city mean public school students will miss another day of school.  The 27,000-student Jackson Public Schools cancelled classes Tuesday as city officials continue to try to fix dozens of leaking water mains that buckled in last week's cold snap. Low pressure means there's not enough water for sanitation or steam heating.  City officials said that as of Monday afternoon they had confirmed 116 broken
  
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• Customs officers seize $22M in cocaine hidden in furniture

  08-01-2018 20:12
  PHILADELPHIA - Federal customs officials in Philadelphia say they recently discovered more than 700 pounds of cocaine hidden inside bedroom furniture and kitchen cabinets that were shipped from Puerto Rico, making it the area's largest illicit drug bust in a decade.  The drugs, which had a street value of about $22 million, were seized in November by Customs and Border Protection officers from the Area Port of Philadelphia.  The drugs were found hidden inside
  
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• Murphy Paul sworn in as Baton Rouge Police Chief

  08-01-2018 18:24
  BATON ROUGE - Murphy Paul was sworn in as Baton Rouge's latest police chief Monday inside the metro council chambers.Taking an oath in front of his colleagues, family, friends and community, he would uphold the duties that lie ahead."I am eager about the challenges that we face as a community," Chief Paul said during the ceremony.During his call-to-action speech, Paul discussed ways the department will address crime like using technology and re-allocating officers.He discussed his plan of actio
  
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• Gov. Edwards on fixing budget hole: 'I've got to have some plan'

  08-01-2018 17:19
  BATON ROUGE - The question of how the state will be making up a $1 billion budget gap this year still remains unanswered.Governor John Bel Edwards is trying to avoid making huge cuts to the budget, but says the biggest issue right now is a lack of agreement between his proposals and state legislators."Saying no to everything and offering no alternatives is the biggest part of the problem,” the governor said in a Monday news conference at the Press Club of Baton Rouge. "I've g
  
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• Man accused of brutally beating sleeping victim with pipe

  08-01-2018 16:59
  BATON ROUGE - A man has been arrested after he allegedly took a pipe to another man's head while he was asleep inside his own home.According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, 35-year-old Demetrius Jackson was arrested in connection with the violent attack Sunday.Police say Jackson was staying at the victim's home on Winnebago Street at the time. The victim told police that he woke up in the middle of the night to Jackson beating him the head with a pipe and repeatedly shou
  
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• WBRZ to expand, adding 6:30 and 10:30 evening newscasts starting next week

  08-01-2018 15:55
  BATON ROUGE – WBRZ will expand its newscasts offerings this year, with the newest time periods of live, local news hitting the air next week.WBRZ will expand both its six and ten o'clock newscasts to an hour on the new cable news channel, WBRZ+ (WBRZ Plus). The channel is available, free, over-the-air, with a traditional antenna and Cox cable channels 11 or 1011 and Eatel 2. In addition, the channel is available on streaming services such as Roku and WBRZ.com.Beginning Monday, WBRZ Ne
  
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• Stolen rifle used in Battle of New Orleans recovered by FBI and Louisiana State Police

  08-01-2018 15:55
  NEW ORLEANS- A rifle used in the 1814 Battle of New Orleans that was stolen over 30 years ago has been recovered.On Monday, The Federal Bureau of Investigation's New Orleans Field Office and the Louisiana State Police announced the recovery of a historically significant rifle stolen from the Confederate Memorial Hall.The William Ross rifle was donated to the museum in 1894. In the fall of 2017, a member of the FBI's Art Crime Team was contacted by the New Orleans Confederate Memorial Hall regar
  
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• Four people shot dead at upscale beachfront hotel in Texas

  08-01-2018 15:49
  GALVESTON, TX- Police say the four people who were shot to death in a Southeast Texas beachfront hotel were family members.Investigators are looking at the shootings early Monday at the San Luis Resort in Galveston as possibly being a triple killing followed by a suicide in which the mother was the shooter. Galveston police Capt. Josh Schirard identified the victims as a 37-year-old woman, a 39-year-old man and their two sons ages 10 and 5. They were from Baytown about 35 miles north o
  
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• Effort to kill spider with torch causes apartment fire

  08-01-2018 13:57
  REDDING, CA- An attempt to torch a large spider at a California apartment is forcing residents to move out.Fire officials say one of the men who lives in the apartment found the spider in an upstairs bedroom. In an effort to kill it, the resident set the arachnid ablaze with a torch lighter.The burning spider scurried to a mattress, which quickly caught fire and spread to the window curtains."It was a large wolf spider," the man's caregiver said.The residents tried to put the fire out with a ga
  
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• Police arrest man accused of trying to kidnap child in Thibodaux

  08-01-2018 13:52
  THIBODAUX- Police have arrested a man accused of trying to kidnap a pre-teen child.According to the Thibodaux Police Department, the victim was taking out the trash Friday night in the 600 block of Locust Street when a man walked up wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt.Authorities say the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Ryan Zeringue Jr., asked the victim if their father was home. Zeringue then grabbed the victim.According to the release, the victim was able to scream a
  
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• Attempted kidnapping suspect arrested

  08-01-2018 13:52
  THIBODAUX- A man accused of trying to kidnap a pre-teen has been arrested, according to a release.On Friday at approximately 8:27 p.m., the victim was taking out the trash in the 600 block of Locust Street when a man walked up wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt.Authorities say the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Ryan Zeringue Jr., asked the victim if their father was home. Zeringue then grabbed the victim.According to the release, the victim was able to scream and get away as Zeringue
  
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• Man dies when he returns to burning condo to save wife

  08-01-2018 13:46
  COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A man has died after he ran back into a burning condominium in South Carolina to awaken his sleeping wife.  Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins told news outlets a woman said her husband came back into the condo Saturday morning and woke her so she could get out safely.  Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said 70-year-old Harold Morse was overcome by the smoke and died.  Jenkins said Morse's wife told him her husband had
  
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• Apple investors urge action to curb child gadget addiction

  08-01-2018 13:46
  NEW YORK- Two major Apple investors have urged the iPhone maker to take action to curb growing smartphone addiction among children, highlighting growing concern about the effects of gadgets and social media on youngsters.New York-based Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers' Retirement System, or CalSTRS, said in open letter to Apple that the company must offer more choices and tools to help children fight addiction to its devices."There is a developing consensus around the world i
  
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• Statue of Pope John Paul II at cathedral he visited in 1987

  08-01-2018 13:38
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A new statue of Pope John Paul II stands in New Orleans' French Quarter, in front of the cathedral where he celebrated Mass in 1987.  Pope John Paul II is the only sitting pope to walk New Orleans' streets.  The Archdiocese of New Orleans donated the statue for the city's tricentennial.The New Orleans Advocate reports that Archbishop Gregory Aymond celebrated a special Mass in the cathedral before Sunday's unveiling.  John
  
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• Judge dismisses former Southern University employee's wrongful termination lawsuit

  08-01-2018 13:30
  BATON ROUGE - A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Southern University's former Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Brandon Dumas, who claims he was wrongfully terminated from his position.Dumas was suspended back in June after a video allegedly depicting a sexual encounter between Dumas and a Southern student surfaced online.The university released a statement shortly after the sex tape appeared online, saying the video may have been posted in malice and possibly in violation of the law. Ho
  
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• Baton Rouge man accused of sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl

  08-01-2018 12:52
  BATON ROUGE- A man accused of groping an 11-year-old has been arrested, booking records show.The girl's father contacted the Sheriff's Office Friday to report that a man had inappropriately touched the girl on two separate occasions.The victim told investigators that Ramon Gomez grabbed one of her breasts through her clothing while she was sitting outside her home sometime in November. She said she had to push Gomez's hand away after he touched her groin through her clothing at a party
  
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• LA 1 to be closed Tuesday after last week's train derailment in New Roads

  08-01-2018 12:01
  POINTE COUPEE- Authorities say LA 1 will be closed between LA 420 and LA 10 to facilitate cleanup resulting from a train derailment that occurred last week.The roadway will be closed Tuesday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.Detours:The La. 1 southbound detour will be La. 420 eastbound to La. 10, then westbound on LA 10 back to La. 1 at Hospital Road.The La. 1 northbound detour will be La. 1 at Hospital Road onto La. 10 eastbound to LA 420 then westbound on LA 420 back to La. 1.Permalink| Commen
  
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• Car found in ditch on Acadian Thruway

  08-01-2018 11:48
  BATON ROUGE- Emergency responders found a car in a ditch Monday morning, but no one was injured.The car was found in Dawson Creek just after 10 a.m. near the intersection of South Acadian Thruway and Bawell Street. Authorities say only one car, with two occupants, was involved. The driver lost control of the vehicle possibly due to wet roads, authorities say.Bystanders stopped and called police after helping the occupants out of the vehicle. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Woman arrested for exploitation of the infirmed

  08-01-2018 11:31
  PIERRE PART- A woman was arrested in connection with an orchestrated theft from a Pierre Part man who was suffering from physical infirmities.Kasey Thomas, 33, was the fourth suspect to be charged in the case. Thomas, from Arizona, turned herself into Morgan City Police Friday and was transported to Assumption Parish for booking.Authorities say Thomas had an alternated address for Plaquemine.Thomas, 50-year old Terrie Lynn Ganel, 25-year-old Austin Albarado and 35-year-old Addie Breaux are all
  
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• LSP: Two Catahoula Parish Sheriff's Office correctional officers arrested for reportedly beating inmate

  08-01-2018 11:30
  CATAHOULA PARISH - Two correctional officers with the Catahoula Parish Sheriff's Office were arrested Monday after reportedly beating an inmate in Dec. 2017.According to Louisiana State Police, 42-year-old Charles Ray LeBlanc of Sicily Island, La., and 27-year-old Ryan Shane Mayo were both charged with malfeasance in office. LeBlanc was also charged with second-degree battery, and Mayo was additionally charged with assault and simple battery.LSP's Alexandria Field Office received information fr
  
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• LSP: Two Catahoula Parish correctional officers arrested for reportedly beating inmate

  08-01-2018 11:30
  CATAHOULA PARISH - Two correctional officers with the Catahoula Parish Sheriff's Office were arrested Monday after reportedly beating an inmate in Dec. 2017.According to Louisiana State Police, 42-year-old Charles Ray LeBlanc of Sicily Island, La., and 27-year-old Ryan Shane Mayo were both charged with malfeasance in office. LeBlanc was also charged with second-degree battery, and Mayo was additionally charged with assault and simple battery.LSP's Alexandria Field Office received information fr
  
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• Wife of chief charged with soliciting teen: Family shattered

  08-01-2018 11:05
  LEECHBURG, Pa.- The wife of a Pennsylvania police chief charged with soliciting sex online from an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl says her family has been "shattered."  Leechburg Police Chief Michael W. Diebold's wife, Danielle Reinke Diebold, released a statement Sunday saying that she "has never hurt so bad" in her life.  The 40-year-old police chief was arrested Friday at a spot where he allegedly hoped to meet with the girl he thought he'd
  
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• Police chief charged with soliciting teen, family shattered

  08-01-2018 11:05
  LEECHBURG, Pa.- A Pennsylvania police chief has been charged with soliciting sex online from an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. The chief's wife says her family has been "shattered."  Leechburg Police Chief Michael W. Diebold's wife, Danielle Reinke Diebold, released a statement Sunday saying that she "has never hurt so bad" in her life.  The 40-year-old police chief was arrested Friday at a spot where he allegedly hoped to meet with the girl h
  
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• US to end special protections for Salvadorans

  08-01-2018 09:53
  WASHINGTON- Officials say the Trump administration is ending special protections for Salvadoran immigrants, forcing nearly 200,000 to leave the country or face deportation.  El Salvador is the fourth country whose citizens have lost Temporary Protected Status under President Donald Trump. They have by far been the largest beneficiaries of the program, which provides humanitarian relief for foreigners whose countries are hit with natural disasters or other strife. &
  
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• Residents in Donaldsonville still under boil water advisory

  08-01-2018 09:17
  DONALDSONVILLE- Residents in Donaldsonville are still under a boil water advisory.The Ascension Parish Utilities Department is working on gathering the required water samples this morning. According to the Ascension Parish Homeland Security, the final tests cannot be collected until the rain stops.A boil water advisory will be in effect until the final sample results are received.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Justices won't step into Mississippi gay rights legal fight

  08-01-2018 08:47
    WASHINGTON- The Supreme Court is refusing to intervene in a legal fight over a Mississippi law that lets government workers and private business people cite their own religious beliefs to deny services to LGBT people.  Opponents say the law could lead to discrimination against those who support same-sex marriage.  The justices did not comment Monday in their decision to leave in place a federal appeals court ruling that allowed the law to
  
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• Law agencies split over selling seized guns

  08-01-2018 08:18
  SEATTLE- Law enforcement officials around the U.S. are split over the longtime practice among police departments of selling the guns they confiscate.  Defenders say it raises money to buy police gear and doesn't make much difference in the availability of guns. But some police agencies say the law shouldn't be putting weapons on the street. An Associated Press look at nearly 6,000 guns resold in Washington state found more than a dozen instances in which the weapons figured in
  
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• Oprah for President? Twitter fans make the case

  08-01-2018 07:57
  LOS ANGELES- Oprah Winfrey's moving speech at the Golden Globes has some fans and fellow celebrities calling for her presidential run.  Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman to be given the Cecille B. DeMille award at the #GoldenGlobes. Read the text of her acceptance speech. https://t.co/bFGrTldHSC AP's awards season coverage: https://t.co/UaFmDgoee0— The Associated Press (@AP) January 8, 2018The actress accepted the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award
  
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• Fire reported on Trump Tower roof in New York

  08-01-2018 07:06
  A fire broke out on the roof of the Trump Tower in New York City this morning that involved an electrical box, the fire department said.ABC News reports that no injuries were reported at the Fifth Avenue skyscraper in Manhattan. Smoke emanated from the roof-top unit of the 58-story building, fire officials said.The Trump Tower is the headquarters for The Trump Organization and was the campaign nerve center for President Donald Trump when he ran for the GOP ticket in the 2016 presidential electi
  
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• 2 injured in Trump Tower heating system fire

  08-01-2018 07:06
  NEW YORK- New York City fire officials say a fire in Trump Tower's heating and air conditioning system injured two people and caused smoke to billow from the roof.  The Fire Department of New York says the fire started around 7 a.m. Monday at the building that contains President Donald Trump's home and business offices.  Fire officials say a civilian was treated for serious injuries and a firefighter was treated for minor injuries. It took about an hour to pu
  
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• Texas A&M reporter who feared she was being followed now missing

  08-01-2018 07:04
  HOUSTON- A Texas A&M Univesity sports report has been missing since Saturday after leaving a football camp in Houston, Dallas News reports.According to a tweet from Team Texas Elite, 29-year-old Courtney Roland was last seen at 4:10 p.m. when she left the camp in an Uber. Roland's roommate said she made it home and then left in her car.Around midnight, Roland's roommate said she sent her a text saying she was worried she was being followed from Walgreens by a man in a blue truck.Roland was
  
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• Missing Texas A&M reporter found unharmed

  08-01-2018 07:04
  UPDATE: Courtney Roland's father says she has been found unharmed by police. KHOU 11 News reports that Roland was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated. An officer located Roland after a tip was phoned in, police say.UPDATE: Our officers have found Ms. Roland in the Galleria area. She appears unharmed. She'll be taken to an area hospital for an evaluation. We are not providing the location where she was found or hospital at this time. More info to follow. #HouNews https://
  
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• Edwards to discuss priorities for 2018 at Press Club

  08-01-2018 06:50
  BATON ROUGE- Gov. John Bel Edwards will speak today to the Press Club of Baton Rouge.Edwards will discuss his priorities for 2018, including addressing the fiscal cliff and ongoing discussions about shoring up the state budget.The Press Club meets on Mondays at the Belle of Baton Rouge Hotel in the East and West Baton Rouge Room. Lunch, served at 11:30, is $13 for members and $17 for nonmembers.The public is invited, but only members of the Press Club and the news media are allowed to ask quest
  
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• Louisiana state income tax filing begins Jan. 29

  08-01-2018 06:17
  BATON ROUGE- The Louisiana Department of Revenue will begin accepting 2017 state individual income tax returns on Jan 28.The date coincides with the date the IRS begins accepting 2017 federal income tax returns. Louisiana taxpayers can begin filing their state income tax returns electronically through Louisiana File Online, the state's free web portal for individual tax filers.On Jan. 29 taxpayers can also begin submitting returns to the state through commercially available tax preparation soft
  
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