Baton Rouge news

• Trump commutes longtime friend Roger Stones prison sentence

  10-07-2020 19:53 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of his longtime political confidant Roger Stone on Friday, just days before he was set to report to prison. Democrats denounced the move as just another in a series of unprecedented interventions by the president in the nation’s justice system.Stone had been sentenced in February to three years and four months in prison for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether
  
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• Local restaurant owner shows appreciation to members of the National Guards fighting COVID-19 in BR

  10-07-2020 19:48 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A restaurant owner is giving back even though his business is being affected by the coronavirus.Raafat Roman operates a Greek restaurant named Roman's Cafe in Baton Rouge.He and his team provided free lunches on Friday for more than two dozen guardsmen from Monroe, who are in town to operate the C-19 testing site at Healing Place Church."The lunches come with chicken, Greek salad and hummus," Roman said.This Louisiana National Guard unit was deployed as part of the federa
  
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• La. launching application for front-line stimulus checks next week

  10-07-2020 19:05 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana will soon start taking applications for hazard pay. That means more money in the pockets of front-line workers.Cashiers, bus drivers, law enforcement, health care workers and more, the state of Louisiana plans to give these essential workers who performed jobs during the early months of the pandemic a $250 check.Deona Cavalier works at Calandro's Supermarket. She's worked as a cashier since the start of the outbreak."Any little bit is going to be beneficial to everybody,
  
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• Pac-12 decides to schedule conference-only play for Fall 2020 sports; delaying athletic activities

  10-07-2020 18:29 via wbrz.com
  
  SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 CEO Group announced on Friday that the Fall 2020 season for sports including football, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball will schedule Conference-only games. The conference will also delay the start of mandatory athletic activities due to the "negative direction" of health and safety indicators.  “The health and safety of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports continues to b
  
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• Baton Rouge OMV closed until further notice

  10-07-2020 17:59 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Office of Motor Vehicles on Independence Blvd. will be closed until further notice. Starting Friday, July 10 the Baton Rouge OMV located at 7979 Independence Blvd near Government Street will be temporarily closed.Permalink| Comments
  
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• LSU requiring face masks in classrooms, daily symptom checks when students return in the fall

  10-07-2020 17:57 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - LSU will mandate face masks across much of campus and require students to fill out daily symptom checks whenever they return in the fall. According to an extensive roadmap shared by the university Friday, LSU will also be establishing its own contact tracing system to determine whether anyone on campus has come into contact with a person who's contracted the virus.The plan says masks will be required whenever students or staff are in areas where six feet of distancing isn
  
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• Second Plaquemine/Sunshine ferry will be out of service for 8 weeks

  10-07-2020 17:46 via wbrz.com
  
  PLAQUEMINE - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced that the second Plaquemine/Sunshine ferry will be out of service for approximately eight weeks for mechanical repairs. The primary ferry's schedule will be extended. The primary ferry will run from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The second Plaquemine Ferry will remain out of service for approximately 8 weeks for mechanical repai
  
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• Calls continue for Connie Bernard's resignation following release of more records

  10-07-2020 17:40 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE- The calls are growing louder for East Baton Rouge Parish School Board Member Connie Bernard to resign after a public records request for all board members laptop browsing history revealed she was the only one doing things not pertaining to school board business.The records indicate two board members used their personal devices. Two used EBR issued Chromebooks with a generic board member account. Five board members: Connie Bernard, Dawn Collins, Mark Bellue, Dadrisu Lanus, and Trame
  
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• VP Mike Pence visiting Baton Rouge next week to discuss coronavirus response with Gov. Edwards

  10-07-2020 16:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Vice President Mike Pence will be in the capital area July 14 to discuss the coronavirus outbreak with Governor John Bel Edwards.Pence will be in Baton Rouge Tuesday, where he'll meet with the governor and state health experts. Afterward, both are scheduled to participate with state education leaders in a roundtable discussion at Tiger Stadium.They are expected to discuss fall reopening plans and potential changes for school athletics. You can read the full statement from
  
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• Sheriff: Rapist forced his way into Hammond home after woman answered knock at her door

  10-07-2020 16:03 via wbrz.com
  
  HAMMOND - A man allegedly forced his way into a house and raped a woman inside after the victim answered a knock at the door.The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said Travis Walker, 38, was arrested Thursday. According to Sheriff Daniel Edwards, the "young female" victim answered a knock at her door June 1 and was assaulted after Walker forced his way inside. Walker was located with help from the Hammond and Ponchatoula police departments.Walker was booked into the parish jail on cha
  
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• Juban's Creole Restaurant & Caterer closing temporarily

  10-07-2020 15:47 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Juban's Creole Restaurant & Caterer will be shutting it's doors until further notice.The popular restaurant announced their temporary closing Saturday afternoon on Facebook.Operations will be suspended starting Friday, July 10.Juban's plans to reopen in the near future "once things have settled down." Permalink| Comments
  
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• Store clerk shoots at customer after dispute over face mask

  10-07-2020 15:27 via wbrz.com
  
  SHREVEPORT - An argument between a store clerk and customer led to multiple shots being fired Wednesday night. According to KTBS, Shreveport police is charging Alvin Mitchell, 22, with illegal use of a weapon after a dispute. Around 11:30 p.m. a customer walked in the Circle-K store located on the intersection of Youree Drive and Millicent Way without a mask on. On the front doors of the building, signs are posted stating to wear a mask following the city's mask mandate order.
  
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• WBRZ will broadcast premiere episode of race relations show Sunday morning

  10-07-2020 14:54 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE – WBRZ will present a special broadcast focused on conversations about race and inequality in the Greater Baton Rouge area.The commercial-free, 30-minute program will be seen on WBRZ Channel 2 and WBRZ Plus throughout the next few weeks. The broadcast will premiere at 11:30 Sunday (July 12) morning on WBRZ Plus.WBRZ Plus is available for free with an antenna on channel 2.2, on Cox cable channel 1011 (11 SD); Eatel channel 2 and streaming on WBRZ.com, Roku and Amazon Fire T
  
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• 3 statues vandalized overnight in New Orleans

  10-07-2020 14:40 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - At least three statues of historical figures were found toppled over and vandalized in New Orleans Friday.NOLA.com reports a statue of John McDonogh was the first to be found damaged Friday morning. The monument was seen lying in the shrubbery next to its pedestal in Lafayette Square.John McDonogh statue in front Gallier Hall gone. Seems a rope was used to pull statue down. @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/kHmMXLYg0c— Duke Carter II (@dcarterII) July 10, 2020The newspaper also rep
  
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• Body of teen who jumped into Amite River found Saturday morning

  10-07-2020 14:38 via wbrz.com
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - The body of a 14-year-old who is believed to have drowned after jumping from a bridge into the Amite River was found Saturday morning.The body was discovered around nine after a search the evening before was called off because of nightfall, rapid currents and debris in the Amite River.The juvenile was not identified as of Saturday.The teenager jumped from a railroad bridge near the Frenchtown Road Conservation area Friday around 3 p.m. and did not resurface, authorities said.&a
  
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• Authorities responding to possible drowning in Comite River

  10-07-2020 14:38 via wbrz.com
  
  First responders are investigating reports of a possible drowning in the Comite River Friday afternoon. The incident was reported around 2:30 p.m. in East Baton Rouge. Acadian AirMed is heading to the area along with EMS.This is a developing story. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Mayor Broome will distribute free masks at local church on Sunday

  10-07-2020 14:25 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The public is welcomed to pickup a mask on Sunday, July 12.Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome will distribute masks at World Shakers Church International located at 851 N 48th St.The even will start at 10:30 a.m. Masks will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Filmed in Baton Rouge, Tom Hanks' 'Greyhound' releases Friday

  10-07-2020 13:51 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Tom Hanks' WWII epic 'Greyhound' is making its streaming debut Friday after the coronavirus outbreak delayed its release.The movie, which underwent a large portion of its filming in Baton Rouge, launched Friday on Apple TV+. Much of the film's production took place aboard the U.S.S. Kidd, which is docked in downtown Baton Rouge. The Kidd was used as a stand-in for the titular destroyer in the film.Hanks adapted the script from the novel “The Good Shepherd,” pub
  
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• Saints offering refunds to 2020 season ticket holders

  10-07-2020 13:18 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - The Saints are allowing fans to trade in their 2020 season tickets in exchange for either next year's tickets or a refund as surging coronavirus numbers throw a haze of uncertainty over the upcoming football season.According to NOLA.com, a form circulating among season ticket holders Friday says the Saints are the latest team allowing fans to roll over their ticket payments to 2021 season. If fans don't wish to put their money toward tickets for next season, they can also request
  
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• Florida reports more than 11,000 new coronavirus cases Friday

  10-07-2020 12:53 via wbrz.com
  
  Florida reported a spike of 11,433 new coronavirus cases Friday as the state nears a quarter-million total documented cases.ABC News reports the state's positivity rate was actually down to 12.7 percent from 18.2 percent the previous day. The latest jump brings the total number of cases in Florida to 244,151.Miami-Dade County was especially hard hit, reporting 2,360 cases Friday with a positivity rate of 20.2 percent. Federal recommendations suggest each state should keep the positivity rate fr
  
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• West Feliciana High School holds Class of 2020 graduation ceremony

  10-07-2020 12:38 via wbrz.com
  
  WEST FELICIANA - On Friday (July 10) morning, West Feliciana High School's Class of 2020 celebrated a memorable moment as they accepted their diplomas and became official graduates of high school.Their walk across a makeshift stage amid cheers of family and friends was a significant accomplishment considering the challenges they've faced in the past four months. Along those lines, the threat of COVID-19 was still a factor. So, with social distancing procedures and masks in place, the g
  
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• Two free testing sites in Scotlandville

  10-07-2020 12:15 via wbrz.com
  
  SCOTLANDVILLE - Two free COVID-19 testing sites in Scotlandville have been set up to help eradicate the virus. A press release was issued Friday morning with site location/details, which are listed below:Location: Baton Rouge Primary Care Collaborative, Inc. Jewel J. Newman Community Center Back parking lot (2013 Central Road, Baton Rouge, La 70807The hours and dates of operation are 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., seven days a week. Test sites will open for 12 days, from Tue
  
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• Wall Street drifts as week of erratic swings comes to close

  10-07-2020 09:45 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are drifting in early trading on Wall Street Friday, the latest eddies in a week full of erratic swings driven by worries about rising coronavirus counts.The S&P 500 was down 0.3%, as of 10:09 a.m. Eastern time, after flipping between small gains and losses in the first few minutes of trading. It followed up on a mixed performance for stocks in Europe and Asia.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was virtually flat at 25,706, while the Nasdaq composited fell 0.7
  
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• BR Mayor extends weekend hours for 'Geaux Get Tested' initiative

  10-07-2020 09:32 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - On Friday morning, the Mayor's 'Geaux Get Tested Initiative' continues with free testing open to all area residents and testing hours will be extended into the weekend. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced Thursday, that extended hours allow for anyone aged 5 or older to be tested for COVID-19 from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Friday July 10 – Sunday July 12.Since surge testing began on July 7, there have been 3,374 people tested for COVID-19 across all test sites
  
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• Heavy police presence on Longfellow Drive near Evangeline Street

  10-07-2020 08:52 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Multiple police units were seen on Longfellow Drive and Evangeline Street late Thursday night. WBRZ has reached out to Baton Rouge Police regarding the incident and has yet to confirm details of the event. While sources say a shooting suspect may be in custody, this has yet to be confirmed by officials. This article will be updated as authorities provide more information related to the incident. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Baton Rouge Community College modifies Fall 2020 plans

  10-07-2020 08:30 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge Community College announced a change to its Fall 2020 plans, Friday (July 10) morning.As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a special Fall 2020 session will be held from August 3 until October 30 for several courses in the Technical Education Division. Course instruction will follow the previously released hybrid classroom plan that features both online and in-person classes. All other courses will operate under the previously released Fall 2020 seme
  
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• St. Helena Farmers Market matches SNAP benefits

  10-07-2020 08:01 via wbrz.com
  
  GREENSBURG — A farmer's market in Louisiana wants to ensure everyone has access to fresh and nutritional produce. The St. Helena Farmers Market announced Thursday that it plans to match SNAP spending on fresh fruits and vegetables.The match program offers $3 in free tokens for every $1 spent on eligible foods using SNAP EBT benefits. SNAP recipients simply visit the welcome tent, swipe their EBT card and receive up to $45 extra to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at the m
  
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• Person found deceased on Scenic Highway at Navajo Street

  10-07-2020 07:39 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Officials say a person was found dead at Navajo Street and Scenic Highway, Friday morning.Police were seen across the street from the nearby Exxon plant, accompanied by a Coroner's vehicle, shortly before 7:30 a.m. At this time, authorities have not released information pertaining to the identity of the deceased or the circumstances surrounding their death.HAPPENING NOW: BRPD, the Sheriff’s office and the Coroner are all responding to what appears to be a dead b
  
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• Man died from likely medical episode after security detail stopped him from running in traffic

  10-07-2020 07:39 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A man died from a medical episode near Navajo Street and Scenic Highway across from the Exxon Mobil Baton Rouge Chemical Plant Friday morning.The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office confirmed that the deceased individual was male and said the cause and manner of his death will likely be known following an autopsy Monday. Authorities told WBRZ the man was seen running in and out of traffic when a security detail of off-duty law enforcement at Exxon responded to the in
  
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• Officials encourage voter safety at polling locations, Saturday

  10-07-2020 07:22 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Citizens are encouraged to cast their votes for the Presidential primary and other elections, Saturday, July 11, but to do so in a safe and health conscious manner.Saturday marks the first election since Louisiana's surge in cases of novel coronavirus, and though officials cannot enforce the mask mandate at voting locations, staff are taking extra precautions to keep voters safe.WBRZ's Rae'ven Jackson spoke with staff who explained that voting machines are being thoroughly sanitiz
  
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• Masks, voter safety encouraged at polling locations, Saturday

  10-07-2020 07:22 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Citizens are encouraged to cast their votes for the Presidential primary and other elections, Saturday, July 11, but to do so in a safe and health conscious manner.Saturday marks the first election since Louisiana's surge in cases of novel coronavirus, and in addition to officials urging citizens to mask up as they visit voting locations, staff are also taking extra precautions to keep voters safe.WBRZ's Rae'ven Jackson spoke with staff who explained that voting machines are being
  
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• Death of Seoul's mayor prompts sympathy and questions

  10-07-2020 06:50 via wbrz.com
  
  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The sudden death of Seoul’s mayor, reportedly implicated in a sexual harassment complaint, has prompted an outpouring of public sympathy even as it has raised questions about a man who built his career as a reform-minded politician and self-described feminist.Park Won-soon was found dead on a wooded hill in northern Seoul early Friday, about seven hours after his daughter reported to police he had left her a “will-like” verbal me
  
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• 'Glee' star, Naya Rivera, presumed drowned

  10-07-2020 06:36 via wbrz.com
  
  VENTURA COUNTY, California - Authorities say actress Naya Rivera is presumed dead following an extensive search for her on Wednesday (July 8) and Thursday (July 9) in and around the waters of California's Lake Piru. According to Variety, crews consisting of more than 100 personnel searched for the former “Glee” star after she abruptly went missing during a Wednesday afternoon boating trip.By Thursday morning, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Departmen
  
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• Louisiana state income tax returns and payments due July 15

  10-07-2020 06:20 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE – The deadline to submit 2019 Louisiana state income tax returns and payments is July 15, 2020.The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) extended the original April and May due dates for state individual, corporation, fiduciary and partnership income taxes due to the public health emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic.LDR will not apply penalties or interest to any applicable returns or payments submitted by the July 15 deadline. Taxpayers who need more time to fil
  
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• EBR Mayor declares Friday, July 10 'USS KIDD Day'

  10-07-2020 06:09 via wbrz.com
  
  Baton Rouge Mayor- EBR Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has proclaimed Friday, July 10th, as USS KIDD Day in the Capital City, to mark the global premiere of the feature motion picture “Greyhound” on Apple TV+. Mayor Broome commented, “It’s fitting that we honor USS KIDD in this way. The ship was the perfect set for this movie and we are pleased that she is right here in Baton Rouge.”Based on the novel “The Good Shepherd”
  
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• EBR Mayor Broome declares Friday, July 10 'USS KIDD Day'

  10-07-2020 06:09 via wbrz.com
  
  Baton Rouge Mayor- EBR Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has proclaimed Friday, July 10th, as USS KIDD Day in the Capital City, to mark the global premiere of the feature motion picture “Greyhound” on Apple TV+. Mayor Broome commented, “It’s fitting that we honor USS KIDD in this way. The ship was the perfect set for this movie and we are pleased that she is right here in Baton Rouge.”Based on the novel “The Good Shepherd”
  
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• Libbey wants to shut down Shreveport glass tableware plant

  10-07-2020 06:01 via wbrz.com
  
  SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — An Ohio company that bills itself as one of the world’s largest glass tableware manufacturers says it wants to shut down its Louisiana plant by the end of the year.Libbey Inc. of Toledo, Ohio, will negotiate with unions representing the 450 workers at the plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, before making a final decision, the company said in a news release Wednesday.Demand has been declining for the last few years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made things
  
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• Louisiana Democrats search for new state party leader

  10-07-2020 05:52 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Democrats will elect a new leader this summer, after state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson said Thursday that she won’t seek reelection as chair of the state party.Peterson has held the job for two four-year terms, first chosen for the post in 2012 in an election that ousted then-party leader Claude “Buddy” Leach and gave Peterson the distinction of being the first woman to win the job of party chair.The New Orleans senator an
  
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• Heavy police presence on Harco Drive

  10-07-2020 05:13 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A heavy police presence at an apartment community on Harco Drive drew spectators early Friday morning, but authorities have yet to confirm the circumstances surrounding the incident. WBRZ was on the scene around 12:45 a.m. where officials with Baton Rouge Police were seen, appearing to conduct an investigation.At this time, details related to the event have not been confirmed. This is a developing story, check back for updates.Permalink| Comments
  
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• WHO experts to visit China to plan COVID-19 investigation

  10-07-2020 04:24 via wbrz.com
  
  BEIJING (AP) — Two World Health Organization experts will spend the next two days in the Chinese capital to lay the groundwork for a larger mission to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.An animal health expert and an epidemiologist will meet Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Saturday and Sunday to fix the “scope and terms of reference” for a WHO-led international mission aimed at learning how the virus jumped from animals to humans, an agency stateme
  
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