• Local couple burglarized twice in three months finds stolen items being sold on Facebook

    BATON ROUGE- Landon Chastant and his girlfriend, Kindra Schultz, are trying to shake the feeling of insecurity after being burglarized for the second time. "Three months ago the same exact thing happened," explained Chastant.The first time, the thief made off with a TV, gaming console, jewelry, and a handgun. They installed cameras after the first burglary, and were able to catch the thief in action the second time around."It said 'there's b
  • Police: Florida officers fatally shoot armed 84-year-old man

    HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say Florida police officers fatally shot an elderly man who had been threatening to kill himself.A Miami-Dade Police Department news release says officers responded to a Homestead-area apartment complex Monday afternoon after a report of an 84-year-old who was armed and threatening to take his own life.Police say four officers opened fire on the armed man and rescue workers determined he died at the scene.Permalink| Comments
  • Video shows robots opening doors, internet freaks out

    The latest video released by robot builders at Boston Dynamics feels like a scene lifted straight out of a horror movie, and the internet has taken notice.Monday, the company shared its new video entitled "Hey buddy, can you give me a hand?"While that title alone sounds perfectly benign, the actual video may come across i bit creepy if you've watched a science fiction film within the past 20 years.Folks all across social media had a variety of reactions, but most were obviously jokes about Skyn
  • Tenants claim landlord shut off water, tried to force them out

    BATON ROUGE - The Spanish Villa Apartments in Baton Rouge have been without water since last week."I'm going back and forth buying water by the jug. Refilling water jugs!" Tericca Simmons told WBRZ.Simmons and her family are one of three tenants who still live in the apartment complex. She recently received a text from the apartment manager saying they are being evicted because they complained to Channel 2 news about not having water.The landlord refused to give WBRZ an on camera interview, so
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  • 14 worms pulled from the eye of woman with rare infection

    NEW YORK (AP) - An Oregon woman who had worms coming out of her eye is being called the first known human case of a parasitic infection spread by flies.Fourteen tiny worms were removed from the left eye of the 26-year-old woman in August 2016. Scientists reported the case Monday.The woman was diagnosed in August 2016 with Thelazia gulosa, a type of eye worm seen in the northern United States and southern Canada - but only in cattle.The woman had been horseback riding in Gold Beach, Oregon, in a
  • Fake shooting call causes scare, large police presence in Gonzales Monday

    GONZALES - Authorities say a fake shooting call prompted a large response from Ascension Parish deputies Monday evening.The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and emergency responders were called to the scene around 5 p.m. in the 12000 block of Roddy Road. A witness at the scene said she saw a number of officers sprinting through the area around the time of the call. Authorities at the scene soon confirmed that the shooting call was actually called in by an emotionally
  • Meet Louisiana's longest-married couple

    BENTON - They been happily married for more than eight decades, and now they hold the honor of being the longest-married couple in the state.Varrie and Lawrence Player have been married for 83 years. The pair met first met in 1925 and were married by the time they were ages 21 and 15 respectively.The two are reportedly proud parents to nine children, grandparents to 35 and great-grandparents to another 21.The two, now 104 and 99 years old respectively, are life-long residents of the family's pr
  • Texan objects to daughter, 12, drawing slave picture of self

    LEANDER, Texas (AP) - A Texas parent has objected to a Civil War-related history assignment in which her 12-year-old daughter was told to draw a picture of herself as a slave.  Tonya Jennings of Austin contacted the Leander Independent School District Friday about seventh-graders studying slave life in Texas in the 1850s.  Students were told to draw a picture of themselves as slaves, color the picture, then write a sentence that describes the surroundings usi
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  • No charges for dad who tried to attack Larry Nassar in court

    CHARLOTTE, Mich. (AP) - No charges will be filed against a man who tried to attack former sports doctor Larry Nassar in a Michigan courtroom.  Eaton County prosecutor Douglas Lloyd says Nassar and his attorneys didn't want charges against Randy Margraves. He says he gave those views "considerable weight" because they were potential victims.  Margraves is the father of three daughters who say they were sexually assaulted by Nassar, the former Michigan State Un
  • Caddo Parish deputies corral lost goat named Rowdy

    SHREVEPORT- A Louisiana sheriff's office is looking for the owner of a brown male goat named Rowdy. He's not a baaaad goat, but will be sold at auction if his owner cannot be found.The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office says in a news release that its livestock patrol picked the goat up Monday in a Shreveport neighborhood about a half-mile from Caddo Lake.Rowdy has a heart-shaped collar tag with his name on it.Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick says the tag doesn't include an address. She s
  • Satellites show warming is accelerating sea level rise

    WASHINGTON (AP) - New satellite research shows melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are speeding up already rising seas.Sea level rise is caused by warming of the ocean and melting from glaciers and ice sheets.Scientists say at the current rate, the world's oceans on average will be at least 2 feet (61 centimeters) higher by the end of the century compared to today, and possibly even higher than that.The study is based on 25 years of satellite data that found the trend is accelerating
  • Nassar scandal leads to flurry of legislation in Michigan

    LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Larry Nassar scandal is prompting Michigan lawmakers to propose policy and funding changes to address sexual assaults, particularly on college campuses.  Democrats announced legislation Monday to create a state Title IX ombudsman in the wake of criticism of how Michigan State University handled a 2014 complaint against Nassar, who was then a campus sports doctor. Other proposals would boost state spending on rape prevention and services for victims of
  • WATCH: Officers rescue shivering puppy found under bridge

    DAYTONA, FL- Two police officers rescued a puppy that was found shivering beneath a freezing bridge in Florida.The Daytona Police Department posted a video of two officers inside of a police unit, attempting to warm up the freezing dog with a blanket, and even give the puppy warmth by holding her up to the vehicle's blowing heater.One of the officers eventually decided to adopt the pup, and gave her a very suiting name: River.The department wrote on Facebook:"For the last couple of weeks we've
  • Wedding dress returned 32 years after dry cleaner mix-up

    WILLOWICK, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio woman had given up hope of seeing her wedding dress again after a dry cleaner mix-up three decades ago until her daughter's friend saw photos of the dress on Facebook.   Michelle Havrilla was nearly speechless after getting the dress back last week for the first time since her 1985 wedding.   Her dress was put in the wrong box by a now-defunct dry cleaner in Willowick and stored in another family's attic.   The
  • Police: Donald Trump Jr.'s wife exposed to white powder

    NEW YORK (AP) - Police say Donald Trump Jr.'s wife opened an envelope that contained white powder, felt ill and has been taken to New York City hospital.They say Vanessa Trump called 911 Monday morning after opening a letter addressed to Donald Trump Jr. at their midtown Manhattan apartment. Police say she said she was coughing and felt nauseous.The Trump Organization didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. It's unclear what the powder was.Detectives from the New York Police Depart
  • New hat proclaims 'Make crawfish $1.97/lb again'

    NEW ORLEANS - An uncharacteristically cold January has led to a slow, expensive start to crawfish season. But one Louisiana artist is taking his frustration and channeling it into his merchandise.Aaron Angelo, a New Orleans native, first shared his creation on Facebook back in January and it's taken off in a way he never imagined.Angelo's custom hat is a parody of President Donald Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" hat. However, instead of calling for political change, Angelo just wan
  • National Portrait Gallery unveils Obama portraits

    WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Portrait Gallery is unveiling portraits of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.  Barack Obama's portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley - an artist best known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African-Americans. For Michelle Obama's portrait, the gallery commissioned Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald, first-prize winner of the Portrait Gallery's 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.  T
  • Trump budget calls for building 65 miles of wall

    WASHINGTON (AP) - The first stage of President Donald Trump's proposed border wall in Texas' Rio Grande Valley would be 65 miles (or 104 kilometers) long, costing an average of $24.6 million a mile. That's according to administration budget documents for 2019.  The administration had previously disclosed the amount of money it wanted to spend on the wall but hadn't said where it would be built or how long it would be.  Walls currently cover about one-third of
  • Olympics 2018: Sisters competing for different countries

    A pair of sisters are competing this year at the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea -- but one is suiting up for Team USA, the other for Team Korea."It's surreal, this whole thing, we never could have dreamed of," Marissa Brandt told ABC News' Amy Robach of competing in the Olympics with her sister, Hannah."To be here in my birth country, to have my family come, being here with my sister and sharing this journey with her," she added. "It's incredible."In 1993, South Korea-born Mar
  • Family desperately seeking bone marrow donor for 6-month-old with rare disorder

    A Michigan family is searching for a bone marrow donor for their 6-month-old who suffers from a rare immune disorder.Doctors initially did not think that baby Elias would make it to 7 months, his mother, Evelyn Argirokastritis, told ABC Detroit affiliate WXYZ. The immune disorder he suffers from is so uncommon that he's only the 22nd person in the United States to ever be registered with it, WXYZ reported.Time is of the essence for Elias, who is kept in sterilized isolation to prevent him from
  • Deputies remove alligator from grocery parking lot

    SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say deputies have removed a four-foot alligator from the parking lot of a Florida grocery store.The Herald Triune reports that Sarasota County deputies responded Thursday to a Sarasota Winn-Dixie. Sgt. Mark Tuls and Deputy Lincoln Dilling wrangled the reptile, which had been hiding under an SUV.A sheriff’s office spokeswoman says the alligator was relocated to a less populated area in the eastern part of the county.Permalink| Comments
  • Authorities looking for man after Raceland shooting

    RACELAND - Lafourche authorities are looking for a man accused of shooting someone in the knee after an argument Friday.Johnny Poindexter, 34, is wanted for attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.Poindexter accused the man of nearly hitting him while backing up his truck on Brocato Lane Friday afternoon. They argued and Poindexter pulled out a gun, authorities said. The victim reached for the gun, according to the sher
  • New Roads parades set to roll on Fat Tuesday

    NEW ROADS - Boasting one of the oldest and largest Mardi Gras festivals in Louisiana, two parades are set to roll Tuesday in the city on False River.Community Center Carnival Mardi Gras Parade; starts 11:00 a.m.New Roads Lions Mardi Gras Parade; starts at 2:00 p.m.Revelers are encouraged to arrive early.Permalink| Comments
  • One injured in domestic stabbing on O'Neal Lane

    BATON ROUGE - One person was injured in a domestic stabbing on O'Neal Lane Monday night.According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, the stabbing took place around 9:00 p.m. on O'Neal Lane near S. Harrells Ferry.A female reportedly cut a male, who suffered non-life threatening injuries as a result.It is unknown if the female will be charged for the incident. Check back for updates.Permalink| Comments
  • Zoo in Louisiana considers move to grounds prone to flooding

     BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A zoo in Louisiana is considering a move to grounds that are prone to flooding.  The Advocate of Baton Rouge reports that the Baton Rouge Zoo's park system is pursuing a move to Airline Highway Park.  Hydrologist Bob Jacobsen says most of the site appears to be below FEMA's projected water levels for a 100-year-flood, which is a flood that has a 1 percent chance of occurring annually. The area surrounding Airline Highway Park
  • Coast Guard: 100 gallons of oil released into Mississippi River

    NEW ORLEANS- The Coast Guard responded to an oil spill in the Mississippi River, about 40 miles upriver from New Orleans.WWL-TV reports, that officials received a report from the National Response Center shortly around 12:30 a.m. Sunday that a potential maximum of 4,200 gallons of fuel oil was released into the lower Mississippi River at Pin Oak Terminal.The Coast Guard incident management teams determined that the maximum amount of oil released was 100 gallons and the agency has concluded its
  • Geological groups, universities plan 'Geohazards Atlas'

    BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - An atlas focusing on geologic conditions that can affect land use in coastal Louisiana is being developed under the leadership of the Louisiana Geological Society and the New Orleans Geological Society.A news release from Louisiana State University says experts from LSU, Tulane, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and the University of New Orleans will write sections of the Louisiana Coastal Geohazards Atlas. Two environmental consulting firms and the petroleum industr
  • Trivial fundraising: Louisiana college hosts trivia contest

    THIBODAUX, La. (AP) - Got a knack for remembering random, somewhat useful information? A southeast Louisiana college wants you for its trivia contest this month, aimed at raising money for student programs.  Nicholls State University is hosting a Big Bayou Trivia Bash on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. Cash raised from the competition is planned for student travel scholarships, technology upgrades, and other items in the College of Arts & Sciences.  Winners of the triv
  • Prosecutors: psychiatrists, marketer had kickback plot

    NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Federal prosecutors say two New Orleans-area psychiatrists and a health-care marketer are accused of participating in a kickback scheme, and the doctors also are accused of health-care fraud.  The 17-page indictment handed up Thursday alleges that the three plotted with a home health agency owner to refer patients for unnecessary home health services. The agency owner pleaded guilty in 2017.  The doctors are Muhammad Kaleem Arshad of New Or
  • Spanish Town house fire ruled as arson

    BATON ROUGE- Authorities say arson is the cause of an early morning house fire.The fire was reported early Monday morning in the 1800 block of Spanish Town Road. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find fire coming from the house.Authorities say the fire was quickly placed under control with most of the damage being done to the outside of the house.Permalink| Comments
  • WBRZ morning news expands; Additional hours seen after 7 a.m. on WBRZ+

    BATON ROUGE - More local, morning news is available to the Baton Rouge audience as of Monday morning.WBRZ's 2une-In continues with two additional hours after 7 a.m. on the all new WBRZ+.  Earlier this year, WBRZ News 2 at 6:00 and 10:00 expanded to a full hour on the new, local cable news channel.WBRZ+ is seen on Cox Cable channel 11 (1011 HD); Eatel channel 2; WBRZ.com live stream HERE; the WBRZ Roku app and with an antenna on chan

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