Baton Rouge news

• 'For parents it's so overwhelming': Lawmakers pushing for online safety for children

  28-04-2025 18:55
  BATON ROUGE - Some lawmakers are concerned about children's safety online, especially when strangers have easy access to unmonitored children.In an ever-changing world of technology, State Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Jefferson Parish, said she wants to find new ways to make sure kids are safe.Online, predators can be anonymous, and that can have dangerous consequences."Sometimes predators lie and pretend like they are also teenagers," Schlegel said. "For parents it's so overwhelming."Earlier this y
  
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• St. George City Council approves agreement with East Baton Rouge Parish

  28-04-2025 18:50
  ST. GEORGE - The St. George City Council approved an agreement with East Baton Rouge Parish to share tax revenue with the newly-formed city on Monday evening. As part of the agreement, EBR will pay St. George more than $17 Million in tax dollars that date back to April 2024.St. George will begin collecting the two-percent sales tax starting July 1. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Sunday fire damaged Iberville school's softball locker room

  28-04-2025 18:44
  ST. GABRIEL - An air-conditioning unit caught fire Sunday in the softball locker room at East Iberville Elementary and High School, but firefighters were able to extinguish it quickly.Superintendent Louis Virion said no one was in the building, which is separate from the school, at the time of the fire.School opened normally Monday, Virion said.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Public defender's office supports DA's tax proposal

  28-04-2025 18:34
  BATON ROUGE — The public defender's office is backing the District Attorney's tax proposal on Saturday's ballot.District Attorney Hillar Moore has said his office has a backlog of cases because it's underfunded and understaffed.Stephen Sterling, an attorney in the public defender's office, said it has the same problems and hopes to also benefit from additional funding. Public defenders are assigned about 90 percent of the cases prosecuted in East Baton Rouge Parish, Sterling said, and
  
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• Addis American Idol contestant John Foster moves on to Top 10

  28-04-2025 18:24
  BATON ROUGE - An American Idol contestant from West Baton Rouge Parish has sang his way into the Top 10 of the competition. Addis native John Foster sang the 1987 Randy Travis song, "I Told You So," which was performed by current Idol judge Carrie Underwood in 2009 during her American Idol run.The show will return on Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m. on WBRZ.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Man suspected of theft from Zachary retailer identified

  28-04-2025 18:02
  ZACHARY - Police in Zachary have identified a man who is suspected of stealing from a retailer in the town. The Zachary Police Department posted a photo of the person Monday and had identified him by the afternoon. They have not shared his name or what charges he is facing, but said he was driving a red Toyota SUV with an unknown license plate at the time of the theft. Anyone with information can call the police department at (225) 654-1921.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Suspected drunk driver arrested at end of chase with Assumption Parish deputies

  28-04-2025 17:55
  BELLE ROSE -  A reportedly drunk man was taken into custody after leading deputies on a chase in Assumption Parish over the weekend. The Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office said deputies went out to break up a crowd outside of a liquor store along La. 1 near Belle Rose and found 22-year-old Dequincy Dominic Louis in his car, slumped over the steering wheel. As deputies walked up, Louis woke up and took off, leading deputies on a chase and driving more than 80 miles per
  
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• Eligible La. families to receive one-time grocery benefit over the summer

  28-04-2025 16:59
  BATON ROUGE - Families of children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals will get extra money to help cover food costs over the summer, the Department of Children and Family Services announced Monday.In most cases, children will be automatically enrolled for the one-time $120 supplement, said Sammy Guillory, assistant secretary for family support at DCFS.Last year, 1,500 children were determined to be eligible via the application process. The rest of the nearly 670,000 children who got th
  
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• FedEx prepares notice to close facility off Coursey Boulevard; 74 would be laid off in June

  28-04-2025 16:51
  BATON ROUGE — FedEx said Monday it was preparing a formal notice that it would lay off 74 people at one of its facilities just off Coursey Boulevard and close operations there. The official notice will be delivered Wednesday, the company said, under Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) guidelines and the facility will close in June. The shipper said the closure is part of previously announced changes to its transportation network. Eleven other facilities in th
  
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• Diocese of Baton Rouge launches new program to help feed community

  28-04-2025 16:46
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Diocese has launched a new program where volunteers pick up leftover food from retail stores and redistribute it to people in the community in need. The Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (CCDBR) has partnered with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to launch the initiative, called the Faith-Full Food Program,“There’s no better way to support our community than by distributing to those in need of food that would otherwise g
  
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• U.S. Coast Guard monitoring oil and gas mixture release into bay south of Venice

  28-04-2025 16:41
  NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring an oil and gas release south of Venice, near the Southernmost Point of Louisiana. The agency said the mixture of oil and gas was released near a well owned by Garden Island Bay Production Facility.The Coast Guard is working with Spectrum OpCo, LLC, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Forefront Emergency Management and other federal,
  
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• Sound wall near new College Drive exit more than just a sound barrier

  28-04-2025 16:30
  BATON ROUGE — For 14 years, the constant drone of Interstate 10 has been a familiar sound for residents in a neighborhood nearby. Steve Quartano, who lives in the area, described the persistent noise from the busy highway."There’s going to always be cars that pass by, so there’s going to be some sound," Quartano said.However, recent construction has brought hope for quieter days. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is putting up a sound wall
  
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• SPARE NOTES: Scoring Pace Much Better For Doubles-Singles At USBC Open This Time Around

  28-04-2025 16:29
  BATON ROUGE -As we get ready to turn the calendar to May over at the Raising Canes River Center in the USBC Open Championships and I think we are seeing the scoring pace we had hoped we might get.It’s always a tricky thing when the pattern designers have to come up with patterns that will play on newly constructed lanes. That was shown in 2012 when the pattern proved on new lanes to be one that caused more problems on spare shots than the first ball.In 2005 at the River Center, there
  
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• Child advocate urges continued funding for education programs

  28-04-2025 16:28
  BATON ROUGE — An advocate for early childhood education told the Baton Rouge Press Club today that policymakers should ensure that funding continues for programs targeting pre-schoolers.Libbie Sonnier, the executive director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, said that many parents cannot afford pre-kindergarten programs because they have to balance their household budgets.“Birth through age 4 actually can be more expensive than a four-year college degree," Sonn
  
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• North 28th Street house destroyed by fire Monday; cause under investigation

  28-04-2025 16:18
  BATON ROUGE - A fire on North 28th Street Monday took more than an hour to bring under control.No one was injured and the cause of the fire has not been determined, a  fire report said.The fire at 836 N. 28th was reported just before 3:30 p.m. Firefighters found smoke and flames coming from the side of the house when they arrived.While working to extinguish the fire, firefighters had to withdraw from the inside of the house when its roof collapsed.No one was home at the time of the fir
  
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• Home along North 28th Street catches fire Monday

  28-04-2025 16:18
  BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge Fire crews responded to a house fire along North 28th Street on Monday afternoon. The fire was reported at a home along North 28th Street between Boyd Avenue and Gracie Street around 3:30 p.m. Photos from a WBRZ crew at the scene show a hole in the side of the home where firefighters were spraying high-pressure hoses. No information about potential injuries or what started the fire has been released. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Lane closures set across three nights so road crews can hang signs for new College Drive exits

  28-04-2025 16:17
  BATON ROUGE — With a new traffic pattern in place at Interstate 10's westbound College Drive exit, state highway workers will take the next three nights to hang new signs.The right westbound lane just past the I-10/I-12 split will be closed from 9 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday. During the overnight hours Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the left lanes will be closed between Bluebonnet Boulevard and the 10-12 split. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Developm
  
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• Firefighters respond to house fire along Little John Drive

  28-04-2025 15:56
  BATON ROUGE - Firefighters are working to put out a house fire along Little John Drive. A home along Little John near the intersection of Manorwood Drive caught on fire Monday afternoon and firefighters were called out around 3 p.m. WBRZ is at the scene and actively looking for more information. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Fire on Little John Drive caused by overloaded outlet

  28-04-2025 15:56
  BATON ROUGE - A fire that caused $100,000 in damage to a home on Little John Drive was caused by an overloaded outlet.The fire at 433 Little John, near Manorwood Drive, caught fire around 3 p.m.A resident came home from a trip to the store and saw that the house was on fire. That person was able to wake up the other resident, get them out safely and call 911.When firefighters arrived, smoke and flames were coming from the roof. It took them 45 minutes to get the blaze under control.After exting
  
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• Derek Curiel named SEC Freshman of the Week

  28-04-2025 14:51
  BATON ROUGE - After his performance over the weekend against Tennessee, it should come as no surprise that LSU left fielder Derek Curiel was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week. Curiel helped guide the Tigers in their series victory over the Volunteers, as he hit .417 over the weekend with two doubles, a homer, three runs and six RBIs. That includes a 4-for-4 performance at the plate on Sunday with one homer, two doubles and a career-high five RBIs. For the
  
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• LSU baseball climbs the polls after series victory over Tennessee

  28-04-2025 14:32
  BATON ROUGE - LSU baseball is creeping back towards the top of the polls after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers in a rubber match on Sunday afternoon.  The Tigers are now ranked No. 2 in all three major polls: Baseball America, D1Baseball and Perfect Game. Last week, the Tigers ranked as high as No. 3, but they also ranked as low as No. 7 across the trio of polls.LSU mounted a comeback on Friday night against the Volunteers after trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of
  
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• Pot of grease left unattended causes fire that displaced four

  28-04-2025 13:59
  BATON ROUGE - A pot of grease left unattended on the stove started a fire that displaced four people Monday morning. The Baton Rouge Fire Department was called to a home on Baylor Drive Monday morning at around 10:30 a.m.. Officials said the homeowner and her young child were outside when they arrived and they were able to control the flames within half an hour. Firefighters went inside and said the fire was contained to the home's kitchen, but the rest of the home sustained s
  
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• Armed burglars hit Hammond apartment complex, stealing guns, cash and credit cards from vehicles

  28-04-2025 13:43
  HAMMOND - Tangipahoa Parish detectives are investigating a wave of vehicle burglaries at an apartment complex on South Baptist Road.The sheriff's office released surveillance video Monday showing the armed burglars breaking into vehicles at the Oakwood Apartment complex on April 14.The thieves got away with guns, credit cards and cash from the vehicles in that parking lot.Anyone with information about the burglaries can call the investigators at 985-902-2035 or can submit an anonymous tip throu
  
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• Barge runs aground along Mississippi River levee with water levels high

  28-04-2025 13:27
  BATON ROUGE - A barge ran aground on the Mississippi River levee near downtown Baton Rouge Monday morning. Pictures from the scene showed the barge perpendicular with the levee, and with the high river waters the boat was much closer to the levee walking path than it would be otherwise. The barge ran aground near Skip Bertman Drive. Officials were already on scene evaluating the potential damage shortly after the incident.According to the Corps of Engineers, they are
  
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• 2une In Previews: EmployBR Job Fair

  28-04-2025 13:18
  BATON ROUGE - Looking for a job? Wednesday is the day to put your best foot forward!Wednesday at the Raising Cane's River Center, EmployBR is hosting a job fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m..From 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., veterans and disabled job-seekers will get priority. On Monday morning, event organizers spoke on 2une In about what attendees can expect from the fair. Permalink| Comments
  
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• East Baton Rouge School Board unanimously votes to approve realignment plan

  28-04-2025 12:39
  BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge School Board voted Monday to close nine schools and consolidate several more.The unanimous vote to accept Superintendent Lamont Cole's realignment plan will move more than 10,000 students and about 1,000 staff members in the parish.Students will finish this school year at their current schools, with big changes coming in the fall."Sometimes doing something better means doing something different, so this is our effort to do something different, and we firmly be
  
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• Loss of FEMA program spells disaster for New Orleans communities and their projects

  28-04-2025 12:36
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The textile mills that once served as the backbone of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, have long been shuttered, and officials believed federal money would be key to the town’s overdue revitalization. They hoped an improved stormwater drainage system and secured electrical wires — funded through a program to help communities protect against natural disasters and climate change — would safeguard investments in new businesses like a renova
  
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• Bill to ban balloon releases fails House

  28-04-2025 12:33
  BATON ROUGE - A bill that would ban balloon releases failed during a House vote on Monday. Authors and supporters of the measure say that releasing balloons is dangerous for the environment, possibly being ingested by animals. The bill had the majority of support but did not have the two-thirds necessary to pass. A motion to reconsider is pending. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Twice the gift of life: Baton Rouge mother saves daughter with kidney donation and a shared dream

  28-04-2025 12:12
  When a Baton Rouge mother brought her baby girl into the world, she never could have imagined that one day she would give her the gift of life again.More than 100,000 people across the U.S. are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. And about 86 percent of those are in need of a kidney. This national donate life month and now two women share their remarkable story for the first time.“We tell our kids all the time that I’ll die for you. I don’t think kids unders
  
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• Sorrento man arrested on hundreds of counts of child sexual abuse materials

  28-04-2025 12:10
  SORRENTO - A Sorrento man arrested Friday after a search of his home is now accused of having nearly 800 images and videos of child sexual abuse, police said.Matthew Corkern, 35, was initially booked with 62 counts of possession of pornography involving children under 13 years old after an investigation that began in December culminated in the search of his home, according to a State Police news release. The tip that launched the investigation included information about a social media account,
  
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• Foster father who sexually abused children sentenced to more than 300 years in prison

  28-04-2025 09:18
  BATON ROUGE — Michael Hadden, a foster father who was found guilty of ten counts including sexual battery and molestation of a juvenile, was handed down his sentence Monday morning. Hadden, 54, was found guilty on 10 counts, including sexual battery, molestation of a juvenile and aggravated crimes against nature.He was sentenced to 311 years in prison for all counts. His counts are to be run consecutively.Prosecutors said Hadden's victims, one of whom was an autistic
  
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• Cyclist who died after being hit by car on Jones Creek hadn't been home in days, deputies say

  28-04-2025 08:35
  BATON ROUGE - Law enforcement is investigating after a cyclist was hit and killed on Jones Creek late Sunday night. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene on Jones Creek around 11 p.m.. Sunday. Deputies said a man, identified as 60-year-old Michael Sterling, was sitting in the southbound lane next to his bicycle when he was hit by a vehicle. He was taken to a hospital where he later died. Deputies said the driver of the vehicle said they believed t
  
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• Cyclist hit by car on Jones Creek late Sunday night dies from injuries

  28-04-2025 08:35
  BATON ROUGE - Law enforcement is investigating after a cyclist was hit and killed on Jones Creek late Sunday night. Officials arrived at the scene on Jones Creek around 11 p.m.. Sunday. The parish coroner's office identified the victim as 60-year-old Michael Sterling. WBRZ has reached out to law enforcement for more information on whether anyone was charged or if they are looking for a suspect vehicle. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Vacherie man killed in Livingston Parish crash early Monday

  28-04-2025 07:46
  FRENCH SETTLEMENT - A 26-year-old from Vacherie was killed in a Livingston Parish crash early Monday morning. State Police said Chandon Hickerson of Vacherie was driving along La. 16 near Old Ferry Road when a different driver headed in the opposite direction crossed the center line and hit Hickerson's vehicle head-on. Troopers said Hickerson was not wearing his seatbelt and died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was also not wearing a seatbelt but was taken to a h
  
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• Crash in French Settlement leaves one person dead Monday morning

  28-04-2025 07:46
  FRENCH SETTLEMENT - A crash on Highway 16 Monday morning left one person dead, officials confirmed. The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said the crash happened on highway 16 between Highway 22 and La Trace around 7 a.m. Monday. Louisiana State Police later confirmed there was one fatality in the crash, but the identity of the victim was not immediately clear. Another person was also taken to the hospital in non-critical condition. "Traffic is being turned
  
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• 2une In Previews: 11th annual Asthma Awareness Walk

  28-04-2025 07:39
  BRUSLY - This Saturday, walk to raise awareness for asthma with the TUFF Project!The 11th annual Asthma Awareness Walk is being hosted on May 3. Registration for the walk opens at 8 a.m. and the walk kicks off at 9 a.m.. The walk will take place in Lukeville Park in Brusly. Monday morning, event organizers spoke with April Davis about what the walk means to them and how you can get involved. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Conclave announces chosen date to elect Pope Francis' successor

  28-04-2025 06:16
  VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals arriving for the first day of informal meetings after Pope Francis’ funeral were swarmed at the city-state’s gates by journalists eager for hints of whether any consensus was building around the election of a successor. Sources told CNN the date for the conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor would be May 7. In a chaotic scene, journalists shouted out questions about the mood inside, whether there was unity, and whe
  
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