Baton Rouge news

• Livingston Parish arrest two people after girl, 11, shot during weekend near Tickfaw

  13-05-2024 21:15 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVINGSTON — The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said Monday it had arrested two people following the weekend shooting of an 11-year-old girl near Tickfaw.Deputies said K'shune McGee, 23, of Ponchatoula is accused of illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. David Lee McGee, 19, is accused of illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities and two
  
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• Storms packing gale-force winds damage homes, businesses across southeast Louisiana

  13-05-2024 21:03 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Thunderstorms packing gale-force winds raked southern Louisiana on Monday afternoon, knocking trees onto home or across roadways, and leaving thousands without power before charging off to the east.Pat's Fisherman's Wharf, a popular seafood restaurant at Henderson, reported heavy damage. It posted several videos to its Facebook page saying "We got hit real bad by the tornado."Trees were reported on homes in Prairieville and south of Walker, and fell across parts of Inter
  
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• See list of school closures following severe weather, power outages here

  13-05-2024 20:53 via wbrz.com
  
  After a line of storms rolled through the area Monday evening, many school systems are closing Tuesday. The following school systems will be closed Tuesday, May 14:- Baker Schools
  - Iberville Parish Schools
  - Pointe Coupee Parish Schools
  - West Baton Rouge Parish Schools 
  - Zachary Community Schools 
  - Villa del Rey ElementaryEast Baton Rouge Parish:
  - Greenbrier Elementary School
  - Istrouma High School
  - Mayfair Laboratory School
  - McKinley High School
  - The Dufrocq
  
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• Multiple school districts announce closures due to power outages, debris from Monday's severe weather

  13-05-2024 20:53 via wbrz.com
  
  After a line of storms rolled through the area Monday evening, many school systems are closing Tuesday. The following school systems will be closed Tuesday, May 14:-Iberville Parish Schools
  -Pointe Coupee Parish Schools
  -West Baton Rouge Parish Schools 
  -Zachary Community Schools School leaders in Ascension Parish are working to assess campuses. The school system said as of Monday evening, all school should have normal class on Tuesday. If there is a change to the sch
  
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• Iberville Parish Schools closed, Ascension Parish Schools assessing campuses after line of storms

  13-05-2024 20:53 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Schools in Iberville Parish will be closed Tuesday evening after a line of storms rolled through the area Monday evening. School Board Vice President Daven Tullier said all Iberville Parish Schools will be closed due to debris on the roadways and power outages with lines down. School leaders in Ascension Parish are working to assess campuses. The school system said as of Monday evening, all school should have normal class on Tuesday. If there is a change to the s
  
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• Ascension Parish Schools assessing campuses after line of storms

  13-05-2024 20:53 via wbrz.com
  
  ASCENSION PARISH - School leaders in Ascension Parish are working to assess campuses after storms rolled through the area. The school system said as of Monday evening, all school should have normal class on Tuesday. If there is a change to the school's plan, parents will know before 6 a.m. WBRZ is still receiving reports of damage from Ascension and surrounding parishes. Shortly before 9 p.m., more than 5,000 Entergy customers in the parish were out of power. Permalin
  
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• Entergy outages linger at 26K in aftermath of heavy storms; officials say around half of outages have been resolved

  13-05-2024 20:16 via wbrz.com
  
  More than 26,000 Entergy customers are in the dark Monday night as storms rolled through the Capital area. As of 5:30 a.m., 15,992 outages were reported in EBR Parish. More than 2,500 customers were out in West Baton Rouge Parish and 1,761 were out in Iberville Parish. Pointe Coupee and Ascension Parishes have around 3,000 outages each. Entergy released a statement later Tuesday morning saying there were about 92,000 customers affected across Louisiana during the peak
  
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• Entergy outages climb to 25K as storms roll through Capital area

  13-05-2024 20:16 via wbrz.com
  
  EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH - More than 25,000 Entergy customers are in the dark Monday night as storms rolled through the Capital area. As of 8:15 p.m., 18,306 outages were reported in EBR Parish. More than 4,000 customers were out in West Baton Rouge Parish and 3,000 were out in Iberville Parish. Thirty minutes later, 25,281 outages were reported in EBR Parish. West Baton Rouge and Iberville parish numbers were the same. Permalink| Comments
  
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• 18K Entergy customers in the dark as storms roll through Capital area

  13-05-2024 20:16 via wbrz.com
  
  EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH - More than 18,000 Entergy customers are in the dark Monday night as storms rolled through the Capital area. As of 8:15 p.m., 18,306 outages were reported in EBR Parish. More than 4,000 customers were out in West Baton Rouge Parish and 3,000 were out in Iberville Parish. Permalink| Comments
  
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• LSU golf mid-pack after one day of NCAA Regional play in Baton Rouge

  13-05-2024 18:43 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The LSU Tiger men's golf team looks to improve on their first day of play at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional as they fired a team score of seven over par which has them sitting in tenth place after the first round.Tiger golfer Connor Gaunt is tied for second place after he recorded a 4-under round of 68 to lead the Tigers on opening day.As a team, LSU finished round one of the NCAA Regional at 7-over 295 and tied for ninth place at the University Club in Baton Rouge on Mond
  
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• Months-long investigation into smuggling ring at Dixon Correctional Institute leads to 9 arrests

  13-05-2024 18:29 via wbrz.com
  
  JACKSON - Nine people have been arrested at the end of a months-long investigation into a contraband smuggling ring at Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson. According to State Police, the investigation started in Nov. 2023 when bundles of contraband — containing drugs and cellphones — were stopped and seized by Department of Corrections agents and prison employees. LSP said the bust sparked an investigation that led to the arrest inmates, prison trustees, correct
  
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• Gonzales names former city attorney as its interim mayor

  13-05-2024 18:03 via wbrz.com
  
  GONZALES — Gonzales council members on Monday appointed the community's former city attorney to serve as its interim mayor.Ryland Percy will fill in for Barney Arceneaux, who resigned to become executive director of the Louisiana Municipal Association. Percy's term runs until the end of the year, when Arceneaux' term would have ended.Mayor Pro Tempore Kirk Boudreaux had been serving as interim mayor until Percy's appointment.Arceneaux had served as Gonzales' mayor since 2009
  
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• Ted James poaches donors from both candidates in 2020 mayoral race

  13-05-2024 17:44 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - For every dollar that veteran politician but first-time mayoral candidate Ted James has raised so far this election cycle, incumbent Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has picked up only 60 cents."Usually an incumbent is someone that the status quo does not want to upset, so the fact that he's out-raised her in that time period—it definitely shows a huge momentum shift in his favor," said Jason Hebert with The Political Firm.James raised nearly $508,000 to Broome's $30
  
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• Woman details moments before husband was shot by deputy Sunday night

  13-05-2024 17:31 via wbrz.com
  
  CLINTON - Shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, 22-year-old Zachary Williams was shot outside of his home in Clinton by an East Feliciana Parish deputy.Zachary's wife, Victoria, says it all started when she and her two children arrived home from church."Things started escalating right off the bat. I could tell something wasn't right," Victoria said.Victoria says she believes her husband was going through a mental episode because he was threatening to commit suicide."He was not making much sense verball
  
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• New Orleans' Homeland Security office launches program to protect children on internet over summer

  13-05-2024 15:11 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS — As the summer approaches, children will have a lot of unsupervised time on the internet that could lead to potentially dangerous situations like encountering online predators.Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans is running an awareness campaign called Know2Protect to ensure parents know the risks children can face when using the internet unsupervised. The initiative is being put in place to curb the past decade's exponential rise in online child sexual exploitati
  
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• Pierre Part man arrested after allegedly assaulting, resisting multiple deputies

  13-05-2024 14:46 via wbrz.com
  
  PIERRE PART — Assumption Parish deputies arrested a Pierre Part man after he allegedly assaulted multiple deputies.Dylan Rivere, 37, was booked on two counts of battery of a peace officer, two counts of resisting an officer with force or violence, as well as one count each of disarming an office and disturbing the peace.Deputies reportedly responded to a disturbance claim on Paul Street on Sunday night. When they arrived, deputies reportedly found Rivere, who was acting hostile and un
  
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• Legislative Auditor: Impact Charter School in Baker under investigation

  13-05-2024 14:13 via wbrz.com
  
  BAKER — Impact Charter School in Baker is currently under investigation by the Legislative Auditor, the office confirmed Monday.The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office would only tell WBRZ that they are assisting the Auditor's office in the investigation.The Legislative Auditor reviews whether government entities are spending public resources properlyWhen WBRZ contacted Impact Charter School for comment, a representative said that nothing was happening at the school.No other information
  
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• Impact Charter School in Baker under investigation by Legislative Auditor

  13-05-2024 14:13 via wbrz.com
  
  BAKER — Impact Charter School in Baker is currently under investigation by the Legislative Auditor, the office confirmed Monday.The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office would only tell WBRZ that they are assisting the Auditor's office in the investigation.The Legislative Auditor reviews whether government entities are spending public resources properly.When WBRZ contacted Impact Charter School for comment, a representative said that nothing was happening at the school.No other informatio
  
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• Deputies searching for man who reportedly committed check fraud, identity theft in Tickfaw

  13-05-2024 13:20 via wbrz.com
  
  TICKFAW — The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office is attempting to identify a forgery and identity theft suspect.Deputies say that on March 24, a white man wearing a baseball cap, sleeveless black tank top, black pants and light-colored shoes entered a store at the corner of Highway 1064 and Whiskey Lane and attempted to use a fraudulent check. He also reportedly attempted to use someone else's ID.Sheriff Daniel Edwards asks anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspect
  
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• Scheduled demolition of I-10 overpass at I-12 interchange failed; officials cite equipment issues

  13-05-2024 13:09 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said Monday that road crews ran into an unexpected problem and were unable to remove the old Interstate 10 westbound overpass near the I-10/I-12 split during the weekend and will try again later.During removal operations on the College Flyover project, the team encountered unexpected equipment issues and was forced to abandon the effort at about 4:30 a.m. Saturday. As the design-build team works toward rescheduli
  
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• Louisiana tourism delegation to attend Cannes Film Festival to encourage investment in state film industry

  13-05-2024 13:02 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The state tourism department, along with economic and entertainment development agencies, are going to Europe to promote the state's film industry and incentivize travel to Louisiana.The Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism is partnering with the Louisiana Economic Development and Louisiana Entertainment to promote filming movies, television shows and other projects in the state during a visit to the Cannes Film Festival in France on the first leg of their Eur
  
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• City-Parish, School Board offering no-cost summer meals at end of May, through August

  13-05-2024 12:36 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The East Baton Rouge Parish School System will be offering no-cost meals to students over the summer starting at the end of the month.The 2024 EBRPSS Summer Meals Program will provide free breakfast and lunch to children 18-years-old and younger from May 28 to August 2. The City-Parish and OneRouge CAFÉ are working with parish schools to facilitate the program. An interactive map showing numerous feeding sites across the community is available here.Meals will
  
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• Federal judge orders Tangipahoa Parish to change principals at Hammond elementary school

  13-05-2024 12:32 via wbrz.com
  
  HAMMOND — A federal judge ordered the Tangipahoa Parish school system to replace the principal at a Hammond elementary school, saying the district failed to adhere to anti-discrimination policies during the hiring process. Over objections from Superintendent Melissa Stilley, Hammond Eastside Elementary School will be led by Sharon Walker beginning in two weeks. Walker will replace Jenna Vial, a statement from the district said.A review panel looking into hiring practices at t
  
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• The deadline to file state taxes is this week; here's how to file

  13-05-2024 12:09 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The deadline to file state income taxes is Wednesday.Taxpayers can file returns electronically through the state's free web portal, Louisiana File Online. Taxpayers can also submit their returns via commercially available tax prep software or with printed returns available through the state's Department of Revenue.Wednesday is the regular filing deadline, but a six-month extension passed by the legislature in 2022 is also available for taxpayers who need additional time.
  
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• FranU announces retirement of president and CEO

  13-05-2024 12:00 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The president and CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU), Dr. Tina Holland, announced that she would be retiring from the board after 11 years of service. Holland will leave the position in the summer of 2025. The board will begin a national search for the next person to fill the position. FranU's Chair of the Board of Trustees’, Todd Schexnayder said, "From the moment she arrived on campus, Dr. Holland has led FranU with energy,
  
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• Plaquemine High School to reopen Tuesday after early dismissal Monday following appliance fire

  13-05-2024 09:14 via wbrz.com
  
  PLAQUEMINE - Plaquemine High School will reopen with a normal schedule Tuesday morning after the school closed early Monday morning following a science class hot plate catching fire. The fire started in the high school science lab. All students and staff were evacuated, but there was still lingering smoke in the building. Because of the fire, school officials said the school would be dismissing students at 9:15 a.m.. Checkout is available at the school's stadium. "I f
  
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• City of Gonzales to decide on interim mayor

  13-05-2024 09:06 via wbrz.com
  
  GONZALES - After its 16-year mayor decided to leave office for a new role at the Louisiana Municipal Association, Gonzales will decide on an interim mayor to take his place. The public hearing Monday evening has an item on its agenda to vote to fill the vacancy for the office of city mayor. It's yet unclear who will take that position, and whether they will hold that position once election season rolls around. WBRZ will have more information this evening. Per
  
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• Disney announces opening date for Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World in Orlando

  13-05-2024 07:04 via wbrz.com
  
  ORLANDO, Fla. - Get ready to attend a one-of-a-kind celebration with Princess Tiana in Disney's newest attraction, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, set to open next month!"You’ll join Princess Tiana on an adventure through the bayou as she prepares to host a one-of-a-kind celebration during Mardi Gras season where everyone is welcome," read a Disney Parks Blog post describing the brand-new attraction. The ride, which is replacing Splash Mountain after it closed in May 2023, will feature music
  
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• Disney announces opening date for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

  13-05-2024 07:04 via wbrz.com
  
  ORLANDO, Fla. - Get ready to attend a one-of-a-kind celebration with Princess Tiana in Disney's newest attraction, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, set to open next month!"You’ll join Princess Tiana on an adventure through the bayou as she prepares to host a one-of-a-kind celebration during Mardi Gras season where everyone is welcome," read a Disney Parks Blog post describing the brand-new attraction. The ride, which is replacing Splash Mountain after it closed in May 2023, will feature music
  
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• Sunday Journal: Make-a-Difference Moms

  13-05-2024 06:41 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - This week on Sunday Journal, join JP as he speaks with some of the most important people in our lives - out mothers. JP spoke with some local moms and found out how they're making a difference not only for their children, but for their community. Permalink| Comments
  
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