Baton Rouge news

• Man loses $14K after scammers made up story about his grandson's arrest

  15-06-2023 20:05
  
  BATON ROUGE - Thomas Fleming is still angry over what happened to him a year ago. A story about his grandson and a series of phone calls cost him $14,000."He was drunk, run a red light, and had hit a woman who was six months pregnant," Fleming said. The callers identified themselves as a lawyer and a district attorney in Florida and told Fleming his grandson was in jail in Florida facing serious charges. "He was in serious trouble."Fleming called his grandson and got no answer. Concern
  
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• Despite latest setback, new owner says long-troubled golf course is still on track to reopen

  15-06-2023 19:05
  
  ST. FRANCISVILLE - Those who opened the local St. Francisville paper on Monday may have seen "The Bluffs" property mentioned, not on the front page, but in the delinquent tax section.The new owners apparently owe the parish more than $36,000 in property taxes. However, Sheriff Brian Spillman says the property will not go to auction as a deal has been worked out.Despite what seems like a setback, owner Millard Callicott says they have hired architect Brandon Johnson with Arnold Palmer Golf Desig
  
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• Local florist staying open despite taking on fire damage Wednesday

  15-06-2023 17:23
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - Fire investigators are looking into what caused a Livingston Parish flower shop to burn Wednesday.Rickey Heroman's Florist and Gifts in Denham Springs caught fire as workers were closing shop, and cleaning crews were hard at work Thursday."I got a call yesterday afternoon," shop owner Rickey Heroman said. "My girl was locking up. She smelled something."Heroman says the fire started outside the back of the building, and it quickly spread into the store. Now the ceiling is caved
  
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• Despite taking on major fire damage, local florist keeping its doors open

  15-06-2023 17:23
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - Fire investigators are looking into what caused a Livingston Parish flower shop to burn Wednesday.Rickey Heroman's Florist and Gifts in Denham Springs caught fire as workers were closing shop, and cleaning crews were hard at work Thursday."I got a call yesterday afternoon," shop owner Rickey Heroman said. "My girl was locking up. She smelled something."Heroman says the fire started outside the back of the building, and it quickly spread into the store. Now the ceiling is caved
  
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• After taking on major fire damage, local florist still keeping business going

  15-06-2023 17:23
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - Fire investigators are looking into what caused a Livingston Parish flower shop to burn Wednesday.Rickey Heroman's Florist and Gifts in Denham Springs caught fire as workers were closing shop, and cleaning crews were hard at work Thursday."I got a call yesterday afternoon," shop owner Rickey Heroman said. "My girl was locking up. She smelled something."Heroman says the fire started outside the back of the building, and it quickly spread into the store. Now the ceiling is caved
  
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• Channel 2's Best Bet$: College World Series

  15-06-2023 16:54
  
  College World Series best bet$: 1. #TCU over Oral Roberts: -1.5 2. LSU over #Tennessee: -200 3. #LSU to win the National Championship: +375Watch the video above to see why. Permalink| Comments
  
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• INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Donaldsonville man comes face-to-face with felon who tried to kill him

  15-06-2023 15:50
  
  DONALDSONVILLE - LeRoy Batiste was enjoying a night out last month when he came face-to-face with the man who tried to kill him two years ago. Watch live newscasts hereMichael LeBlanc Jr. was on the streets — an attempted second-degree murder charge had disappeared, and the five-year prison term for aggravated assault with a firearm was reduced to time already served."For them to just get off with a little slap on the hand when you are trying to kill someone, something ain't
  
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• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cites two men for illegally fishing with car battery

  15-06-2023 15:46
  
  Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited two Evangeline Parish men for alleged fishing violations in Rapides Parish on June 9, which included the men trying to catch fish using a car battery.Agents found the two fishing in a small vessel on the Red River, and after further investigation, they found a 12-volt battery under a seat connected to a line and a can of smokeless tobacco. The two men admitted to using the device to shock and catch two catfish.Brandon and R
  
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• After board vote, EBR schools boss denied Florida superintendent job

  15-06-2023 14:58
  
  BATON ROUGE - After a lengthy series of interviews Thursday morning, the Broward County school board chose not to hire East Baton Rouge Superintendent Dr. Sito Narcisse to fill in its vacancy at superintendent. Narcisse was one of three finalists who made their case in person Thursday morning as the Broward school board sought to name its new superintendent. The board overwhelmingly supported Dr. Peter Licata, an administrator from a neighboring school district.Narcisse earned two vote
  
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• Punishing winds, possible tornadoes inflict damage as storms cross US South

  15-06-2023 14:56
  
  ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — Damaging winds and possible tornadoes toppled trees, damaged buildings and blew cars off a highway Wednesday as powerful storms crossed the South from Texas to Georgia.The National Weather Service issued numerous tornado warnings, mainly in southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia, and cautioned that gusts of hurricane-force winds exceeding 90 mph (145 kph) were possible in parts of northeast Louisiana and central Mississippi. Some areas also were pelted with large h
  
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• Baton Rouge police looking for convenience store car thief

  15-06-2023 13:38
  
  The Baton Rouge Police Department is looking for a person who stole a vehicle parked outside of a convenience store in May.According to the police, the person stole the vehicle around 2 p.m. on May 2, where it was parked outside of a convenience store in the 2700 Block of Florida Boulevard. Since then, the police recovered the heavily-damaged vehicle, but the suspect remains unidentified. Police urge anyone with information to call 344-STOP (344-7867).Permalink| Comments
  
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• BR airport reportedly hit by cyberattack; flight operations unaffected

  15-06-2023 13:04
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport was reportedly hit by a cyberattack that affected its internal systems. The airport confirmed its systems had experienced a "cyber event" and that its IT Department is working to rectify the affected systems. Reportedly, the only thing the attack hit was the airport's administration system. Flight operations were not affected. It was not immediately clear when the attack took place. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Two adults, two children rescued after disabled boat left adrift in Lake Pontchartrain

  15-06-2023 13:03
  
  A St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy and a U.S. Coast Guard vessel helped rescue two adults and two children left stranded on a disabled boat in Lake Pontchartrain Thursday morning, according to WWLTV.At around 5:15 a.m. Thursday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard requested assistance locating the boat from the sheriff's office, and a deputy patrolling in the area heard the call for help and responded.The deputy found the 24-foot Bayliner boat drifting near the Highway 11
  
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• EBR teachers promised a raise, but some faculty fear they could be unemployed in weeks

  15-06-2023 12:59
  
  BATON ROUGE - At Thursday's school board meeting, teachers and assistant principals were frustrated.In the past, teachers were promised they would receive an 8% raise, but some, like Tomara Espinoza, an assistant principal at Northeast Elementary, say her main concern right now is keeping her job."According to the budget, that was released today (Thursday) and May 15th, me and about 15 other assistant principals that were hired this school year, our positions are being eliminated," Espinoza sai
  
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• Supreme Court preserves law that aims to keep Native American children with tribal families

  15-06-2023 12:20
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday preserved the system that gives preference to Native American families in foster care and adoption proceedings of Native children, rejecting a broad attack from some Republican-led states and white families who argued it is based on race.The court left in place the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, which was enacted to address concerns that Native children were being separated from their families and, too frequently, placed in non-Native ho
  
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• Tigers' Paul Skenes named college baseball player of the year, winner of Dick Howser Trophy

  15-06-2023 09:35
  
  BATON ROUGE - Ahead of the team's first College World Series since 2017, the Tigers' Paul Skenes was named the 2023 Dick Howser Trophy winner, awarded to the year's best college baseball player. College Baseball’s Best Player@Paul_Skenes is the 2023 Dick Howser Trophy Winner pic.twitter.com/yacWvmiE9h— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) June 15, 2023Skenes was honored on the LSU Baseball Twitter with his own hype video. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Deputies searching for man accused of stealing thousands in bank fraud scheme

  15-06-2023 09:09
  
  ASCENSION PARISH - Deputies are searching for a man accused of stealing thousands from a victim in a bank fraud scheme. According to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, the man pictured is believed to have stolen card information and $4,000 in withdrawals from the victim's account. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the APSO at (225) 621-4636.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Harvard morgue manager and four others charged in theft and sale of human body parts

  15-06-2023 08:19
  
  SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A former manager at the Harvard Medical School morgue, his wife, and three other people have been indicted in the theft and sale of human body parts, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced Wednesday.Cedric Lodge, 55, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, stole dissected portions of cadavers that were donated to the school in the scheme that stretched from 2018 to early 2023, according to court documents. The body parts were taken without the school’s knowl
  
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• Denham Springs man sentenced to 20 years for fentanyl-related charges

  15-06-2023 07:02
  
  LIVINGSTON PARISH - A man was sentenced to 20 years with the Department of Corrections for fentanyl-related charges after he was arrested during a traffic stop. Trayvon Mitchell, 33, was arrested in July 2022 during a traffic stop for illegal window tint. Deputies noticed the car smelled like marijuana and made him exit while they searched the vehicle. The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office found "large quantities" of suspected methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana as well as other dr
  
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