Baton Rouge news

• Amid I-10 expansion announcement, WBR wishes for new bridge

  12-01-2018 19:06
  PORT ALLEN - Officials announced Friday I-10 will be expanding from the bridge to the split, avoiding the West Baton Rouge area. Folks in that area are hoping for some traffic relief, but they know the expansion won't be a final fix. They want a new bridge."We've been open for 10 years almost, and I've watched traffic get progressively worse,” said Jason Hammack, the owner of Court Street Cafe in Port Allen. “Around 2 or 3 p.m. is when [traffic] starts to build up, but if th
  
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• DOTD addresses noise mitigation options for expansion project

  12-01-2018 18:50
  BATON ROUGE - The plans to widen I-10 and I-12 are welcome for a majority of drivers in the Capitol City. But some wonder what more traffic will mean for peace and quiet in neighborhoods along the route."Our goal is to make a needed transportation improvement at the same time to try to make the community better off than what it is today," says Eric Kalivoda, the deputy secretary of DOTD.Part of Friday's announcement calls for ways to drown out noise during the construction period and afterward.
  
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• Former postal carrier admits burning US mail for months

  12-01-2018 17:47
  ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) - A federal prosecutor says a former U.S. Postal Service worker who burned at least 20 tubs of mail over five months has pleaded guilty to a single count of delaying or destroying the mail.  U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook said in a news release Friday that 50-year-old Mark Wayne Thompson took mail from his rural postal route in Louisiana to his home in Pitkin, where from Dec. 1, 2016 to May 1, 2017, he burned at least 20 tubs of mail. &nb
  
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• Window smashed, gun stolen in Baton Rouge vehicle burglary

  12-01-2018 17:02
  BATON ROUGE - Police are seeking a man believed to have stolen a firearm from a vehicle earlier this week.The burglary occurred Jan. 8 in the 11800 block of Wentling Avenue. According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, the suspect was seen "casing" the area before he returned with a brick and smashed a vehicle's window.Police say the thief stole a handgun out of the vehicle before leaving the area on a bicycle.Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact the Burglary
  
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• Trump has received physical checkup as president

  12-01-2018 15:58
  WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has received his first medical checkup as president at Walter Reed military hospital.  Trump boarded Marine One at the medical facility in Bethesda, Maryland, outside Washington, Friday afternoon after about three hours at the hospital.  Trump shook hands with his physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, and then waved before boarding his helicopter. The president is traveling to Florida later in the day for the weekend. &
  
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• Report: 2-year-old dies after choking at New Orleans preschool center

  12-01-2018 15:36
  NEW ORLEANS - A toddler has died after choking during lunch at a Louisiana preschool center Thursday.According to a report from WWL, a release from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary confirmed the young girl's death.The report says 2-year-old Isabella Magee was having lunch around noon when she began choking. Members of the preschool staff and emergency responders reportedly tried to resuscitate the child but were unsuccessful.“Our hearts are overwhelmed with sadness in the
  
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• LSU Police increasing campus patrols after armed robberies

  12-01-2018 15:21
  BATON ROUGE - The LSU Police Department says it's bumping up its on-campus presence after a pair of armed robberies within the first week of the Spring semester.According to a release from campus police, patrols are being increased all of the residence halls, Greek houses, and campus apartments at night. The school is also looking to improve lighting across the campus.The action comes after robberies were reported on both Wednesday and Thursday morning, the first two days of the new se
  
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• Husband found dead after wife searched 'how to kill someone and not get caught'

  12-01-2018 14:56
  MAYPEARL, Tex. - A woman has been arrested after authorities connected her suspicious search history to the recent murder of her husband.According to a report from the Star-Telegram, 55-year-old Sandra Garner was arrested Wednesday in connection with her husband's death.Police say Garner reported the incident on Jan. 2, claiming in a 911 call that she was awakened by the sound of two gunshots. She then reported seeing a masked man holding a gun and flashlight fleeing her home before sh
  
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• Mississippi Burnings' killer Killen dies in prison at 92

  12-01-2018 14:26
    JACKSON, Miss.- Mississippi's corrections department says Edgar Ray Killen, a former Ku Klux Klan leader who was convicted in the 1964 'Mississippi Burning' slayings of three civil rights workers, has died in prison at the age of 92.  The part-time preacher and lumber mill operator was 80 when a Neshoba County jury convicted him in 2005 of three counts of manslaughter.  He was sentenced to 60 years in prison. His conviction came 41 years t
  
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• Launch of WBRZ cable channel, News 2 at 6:30 moved to today; Will feature ongoing coverage of I-10 expansion

  12-01-2018 14:26
  BATON ROUGE – WBRZ has moved the launch of its new, 24-hour local cable news channel up from Monday to Friday to continue ongoing breaking news coverage related to the announcement of an expansion project for I-10 through Baton Rouge.WBRZ.com was first to report Thursday evening, the state had a plan to alleviate some traffic congestion along I-10 between the Mississippi River and the I-10/I-12 split. WBRZ News 2 at 6:00 and continuing with the 10:00 news Thursday, featured reporters
  
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• Groups sue over Confederate statues removal at Memphis parks

  12-01-2018 14:22
  MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's family and the Sons of Confederate Veterans are challenging last month's removal of Confederate statues from Memphis parks.  According to The Commercial Appeal , the petition with the Tennessee Historical Commission claims Memphis and nonprofit Memphis Greenspace Inc. violated numerous state laws.  The city sold the nonprofit two parks for $1,000 each last month. The nonprofit removed statues of
  
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• Butcher trapped in freezer uses sausage to bash his way out

  12-01-2018 13:43
  LONDON — A British butcher who got locked in a freezer says he was saved by a frozen sausage that he used as a battering ram.Chris McCabe says he became trapped in the walk-in freezer at his shop in Totnes, southwest England, last month when wind blew the door shut. The safety button to open the door had frozen in the -20 C chill.McCabe said he tried unsuccessfully to kick the button free before picking up a 1.5 kilogram black pudding, a form of blood sausage.McCabe told website Devon
  
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• Second house fire reported in Baton Rouge Friday

  12-01-2018 13:42
  BATON ROUGE - Authorities are responding to the second reported house fire within an hour in Baton Rouge Friday. Crews were called to the scene on Avenue F near Elmer Avenue around 1:15 p.m. Police say the homeowner was not home and no injuries have been reported at this time. Another house fire was reported around 1 p.m. on Sumrall Drive. Firefighters have confirmed no one was hurt in that fire.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.Permalink| Co
  
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• Groups sue to block construction of Louisiana oil pipeline

  12-01-2018 13:24
  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Environmental groups have sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a bid to block construction of a 162-mile-long crude oil pipeline across south Louisiana, including the environmentally fragile Atchafalaya (Uh-CHAF-uh-LY-uh) Basin river swamp.  The federal lawsuit filed Thursday claims the Corps violated the Clean Water Act and other laws when it approved a permit for the Bayou Bridge Pipeline project in December.  Dallas-based Energy
  
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• Space heater sparks house fire on Sumrall Drive

  12-01-2018 13:14
  BATON ROUGE - Paramedics responded to a reported house fire with injuries in Baton Rouge Friday afternoon.The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 4000 block of Sumrall Drive. Although injuries were initially reported, no one was hurt.The fire department believes the fire was caused by a space heater left too close to combustible material.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Crews respond to house fire on Sumrall Drive

  12-01-2018 13:14
  BATON ROUGE - Paramedics responded to a reported house fire with injuries in Baton Rouge Friday afternoon.The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 4000 block of Sumrall Drive. Although were initially reported, no one was hurt.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Firefighters rescue good Samaritan trapped under car

  12-01-2018 13:09
  CENTRAL- Firefighters say they had to come to the aid of a helpful passerby after he became trapped under a car while changing a stranger's tire.Around 11 a.m., firefighters say a person driving on Joor Road had stopped to help another driver change a flat tire. As the good Samaritan was placing the good tire on on the car, the jack slipped pinning his arm between the tire and the fender.Firefighters quickly freed the Samaritan using rescue airbags. The man suffered injuries, however authoritie
  
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• Ascension asking residents to be ready for expected cold temperatures

  12-01-2018 12:11
  ASCENSION PARISH- Water towers are full and utility crews are "on full alert" ahead of several days of sub-freezing temperatures, authorities said Friday.Last week, when the region had seven straight days with temperatures below 32 degrees, authorities had to shut down water service to Donaldsonville one night because water towers were depleted by people leaving faucets on to thwart ruptured pipes.Parish officials hope to avoid repeating that process, by recommending that residents ins
  
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• Police: one dead after fatal crash on Winbourne Avenue Friday

  12-01-2018 11:49
  BATON ROUGE - Authorities say one person is dead after a fatal accident on Winbourne Avenue Friday afternoon.The incident was reported around 1:00 p.m. in the 5500 block of Winbourne Avenue. Police say a 2007 Jeep Wrangler and 2003 Ford Taurus collided at a green light.The driver of the Ford, 67-year-old Oliver Perry, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, according to BRPD.Authorities say a passenger in the Ford was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The dri
  
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• West Baton Rouge optimistic about I-10 expansion

  12-01-2018 11:35
  PORT ALLEN - Lieutenant Ken Albarez with the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is confident the plan to expand I-10 on the east side of The Mississippi River will help with traffic woes."I feel comfortable speaking for the 25,000 people that live here in West Baton Rouge Parish, we're excited," Albarez said.The chokehold that occurs going east before hitting the bridge is notorious for causing bad accidents. Often, cars and trucks are unaware of the back-up and do not break in
  
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• Area residents prepare for freezing temperatures

  12-01-2018 11:19
  ST. FRANCISVILLE - Residents are preparing for the second cold snap of the season.Local grocery stores saw dwindling inventory heading into the weekend."When the cold weather comes people come out shopping to buy staple goods, Darrel David of Audubon Market said.Shoppers were filling their carts hoping to stay home for the weekend."I have to get ready for the cold weather," Cindy Mount said. "Got to go home and make gumbo."West Feliciana Parish officials have been monitoring t
  
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• Man booked in police bribery attempt

  12-01-2018 11:15
  BATON ROUGE- A man accused of offering deputies $100 each to let him out of a misdemeanor domestic violence arrest has been booked with public bribery, sheriff's records show.Deputies were called to Timothy Pitts' home on Ferrell Avenue after he was accused of shoving his girlfriend to the floor in front of her granddaughter after an argument over bills, arrest records show.The woman was uninjured, but Pitts was taken to the jail for booking. While deputies were writing up the
  
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• St. Tammany trust claims $1 million Powerball prize

  12-01-2018 11:01
  BATON ROUGE- A trust created in St. Tammany Parish claimed a $1 million Powerball prize on Thursday.The Nov. 18 winning ticket came from a Slidell Race Trac, which will get a $10,000 bonus from the lottery.The EDR Trust received $700,000 after state and federal tax withholds. The trust beneficiaries, who were not named, said they plan to use the windfall to build a pool.Permalink| Comments
  
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• St. Vincent de Paul's freeze plan initiated

  12-01-2018 09:47
  BATON ROUGE- St. Vincent de Paul's Bishop Ott Shelter Program has initiated its freeze plan for the upcoming freezing nights.The shelter will expand its bed capacity to serve an anticipated 100 homeless men, women and children.Shelter locations:Bishop Ott Shelter for Men- 1623 Convention Street.Bishop Ott Shelter for Women and Children (Sweet Dreams Shelter/Day Care)- 1623 Convention Street.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Man arrested in burglaries after high-speed chase

  12-01-2018 09:23
  THIBODAUX - A man accused of burglaries in Lafource Parish was arrested Wednesday after a car and foot chase.Kip Bryant, 49, has been booked with three burglaries and might face other charges because of the chase.Detectives have been investigating several burglaries in the central Lafourche area over the past few weeks. On Tuesday, someone forced open the back door of a home in Raceland and got away with jewelry and food, but investigators did get a description of the burglar
  
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• Outdoor center warns skiers of dive-bombing owl

  12-01-2018 08:37
  NEW GLOUCESTER, Maine — Officials at a Maine outdoor center are warning skiers to watch out for an “aggressive dive-bombing” owl that recently struck a man.Pineland Farms says in a Facebook post the owl cut the man’s head when it attacked, and neither skiers nor trail groomers have seen the bird since.Pineland says the owl is protecting a nest near a cross-country ski trail. They believe the bird is either a barred owl or a great horned owl.The center has
  
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• Wrong Vermilion: Louisiana arrest prompts hate mail to Ohio

  12-01-2018 08:08
  VERMILION, Ohio- An Ohio police department receiving angry emails and Facebook messages about the controversial arrest of a teacher is asking the senders to stop for one key reason: It actually happened in a similarly named community in Louisiana.  Police in Vermilion, Ohio, have received sometimes profane messages this week reacting to the Monday arrest in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. The Ohio department pointed out that detail on its Facebook page with a plea: "Please stop s
  
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• List of area road closures during Louisiana Marathon

  12-01-2018 07:04
  BATON ROUGE - As runners get ready for the 7th annual Louisiana Marathon this Sunday, residents should be aware of a few road closures for when the race begins. At 7 a.m. on January 14, the following roadways will be blocked off until after the races have ended: 4th Street North Boulevard (from 4th Street to 19th Street) Park Boulevard (From Government Street to Dalrymple Drive) Kleinert Avenue (Partial closure from Perkins Road to
  
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• State Police searching for detention center escapee

  12-01-2018 06:58
  MONROE- State Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 17 year old that escaped from a Monroe detention center.On Jan. 2, 17-year-old Teondre Wright escaped from the Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe. Wright and three other escapees were confirmed missing at 9:16 p.m.Authorities say the three others were apprehended in Monroe a short time later.Wright was being held on various charges including carjacking and armed robbery. Detectives believe he is in the New Orleans area
  
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• Man accused of robbery, assault of former roommate

  12-01-2018 06:08
  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge man is facing several charges including armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping after an attack in October.According to the affidavit, on Oct. 10, the victim was getting things out of his vehicle in the parking lot of his apartment complex when a man on a white bike approached him.The man on the bike was identified as 28-year-old Timothy Elbert. The victim said he knew Elbert because the two lived together at one point. After getting off the bike, E
  
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