Baton Rouge news

• LaPlace Denka rubber plant suspending production due to 'extraordinary losses'

  13-05-2025 21:03
  
  LAPLACE - The Denka chloroprene rubber production plant in LaPlace suspended operations due to "extraordinary losses," according to a press release from the company.The release cites pollution reduction measures and unscheduled plant outages, saying the Japanese company lost approximately "16.1 billion yen."The plant received criticism for their chloroprene emissions, which the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Protection Agency gave the plant deadlines to reduce e
  
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• City to address drainage pipe, sinkhole eating Broadmoor yard

  13-05-2025 20:58
  BATON ROUGE - A family in Broadmoor is anxious to find the source of an erosion problem in their backyard that's been growing worse for several years.Alex Domingue has an in-ground pool, a swing set, and a nice fenced-in yard for his family. He first noticed an issue with his yard sinking in 2018 and now he's scared to let his young child play in the yard or get into the pool since dirt is washing away from one of the edges."We need to be cautious because of this sinkhole that we have," said Do
  
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• Judge reduces Menendez brothers' murder sentences, putting them a step closer to freedom

  13-05-2025 19:33
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Erik and Lyle Menendez will have a new shot at freedom after 35 years behind bars for murdering their parents, a judge ruled Friday.Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic reduced the brothers’ sentences from life without parole to 50 years to life. They’re now eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law because they committed the crime under the age of 26. The state parole board must sti
  
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• Gov. Landry pushes for full funding of LA Gator

  13-05-2025 19:28
  BATON ROUGE - The state budget is headed to the state House floor for consideration, and Tuesday, Gov. Jeff Landry and others touted a tuition voucher program that would divert money from public schools.Since the LA Gator scholarship program was first introduced last year, there have been questions about how the program would be continuously funded through its three-year launch. Nicole Jefferson is the parent of a New Orleans private school student. Jefferson and a swarm of other paren
  
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• Louisiana Appellate Project will soon lose its funding, state office will takeover appeals

  13-05-2025 18:45
  BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Appellate Project (LAP) provides legal services to defendants who cannot afford an attorney, but it will soon lose its state funding.WBRZ obtained a document stating that the Office of the State Public Defender will no longer fund the project. The letter from the project director to the State Supreme Court said the state will not renew its contract for the upcoming fiscal year which begins July 1.The letter also states that indigent appellate representation
  
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• Zachary Police seeking information on missing 81-year-old

  13-05-2025 18:43
  ZACHARY - The Zachary Police Department is seeking assistance in locating a missing 81-year-old man.Jacob Hull was last seen Tuesday at 11 a.m. in a white shirt, green pants, and black shoes.Anyone with information on Hull’s whereabouts should contact ZPD at 225-955-6012.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Say it is so? Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson eligible for baseball Hall of Fame after reinstatement

  13-05-2025 16:51
  NEW YORK — Pete Rose and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson were reinstated by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday, making both eligible for the sport’s Hall of Fame after their careers were tarnished by sports gambling scandals.Rose’s permanent ban was lifted eight months after his death and came a day before the Cincinnati Reds will honor baseball’s career hits leader with Pete Rose Night.Manfred announced Tuesday that he was changing the league's policy o
  
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• State Senate considers bill to give domestic violence victims who act in self-defense more legal rights

  13-05-2025 16:49
  BATON ROUGE — A bill introduced in the State Senate would give domestic violence and human trafficking victims who act in self-defense more legal rights if signed into law.Sen. Beth Mizell's SB 152 would allow a person's history of being a victim of violence and trafficking to be considered in court. Under the proposed bill, a defendant's criminal conduct is justified if the crime is not violent, a sex offense or cruelty to juveniles. A history of domestic violence and human
  
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• LSU to open season at Clemson on Aug. 30 in primetime on WBRZ

  13-05-2025 16:45
  BATON ROUGE - LSU will begin their 2024 season against Clemson in primetime on WBRZ.LSU's Twitter announced the kickoff at 6:30 p.m. Central at Clemson on August 30.Saturday Night FootballLSU and Clemson will kick off the season in prime time on ABC pic.twitter.com/VaVB4AnTJm— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) May 13, 2025Permalink| Comments
  
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• Master plan approved by Amite River Basin Commission, work to mitigate flooding begins

  13-05-2025 16:25
  LIVINGSTON - Decades of flooding frustrations could soon turn into real progress for thousands of Louisiana residents; a long-awaited master plan to tackle flooding along the Amite Rover is finally in motion. A master plan to mitigate flooding among seven parishes along the Amite River was approved Tuesday in Livingston by the Amite River Basin Commission."Usually a master plan can take multiple years but we were given a short timeline by the legislative mandates and we maintained our
  
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• Livingston first responders rescue kitten from storm drain

  13-05-2025 16:06
  DENHAM SPRINGS - First responders saved a kitten that fell into a storm drain at Juban Crossing and got stuck on Tuesday. The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said that employees noticed the tiny kitten in the drain and called for deputies and firefighters who were able to rescue the animal. "The kitten is now safe & warm & dry & loved - with a full belly," LPSO said. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Landry signs order shielding state universities' NIL practices until settlement, federal legislation

  13-05-2025 15:51
  BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order Tuesday that protects state universities that are engaging in NIL from adverse actions that may be taken by the NCAA and any other governing bodies.Landry's order shields schools like LSU from actions that may halt or encumber the compensation of student-athletes.The order says that NIL deals will be protected as long as state-allocated funds are not used to compensate athletes.Currently, NIL funds are distributed through variou
  
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• New AI technology lead to arrest in decade-old killing of seven-year-old

  13-05-2025 15:46
  BATON ROUGE - In the decade since seven-year-old Terrez Coleman's murder, his killer has been walking free. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office says that changed Monday with the arrest of Rashad Turner."We're here tonight because of 11 years of investigative work," said EBRSO Spokesperson Casey Hicks. When Terrez was shot and killed while sitting in a car that was driving along Prescott Road in 2014, the only solid pieces of evidence investigators had were shell casings and
  
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• Bowling is the Live Oak baseball team's superstition in pursuit of state title

  13-05-2025 14:49
  DENHAM SPRINGS - The Live Oak baseball team may not be superstitious, but they are slightly 'stitious'.The Eagles are searching for the first state championship in the school's baseball history, and have gone bowling the past three weeks during their playoff run."A couple of weeks ago, we felt like the guys were a little bit tight," said Head Coach Jesse Cassard. "I think the first week that we told them, I went into the weight room and I said, 'alright for practice, we're going bowling,' I thi
  
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• Dumpster with aerosol cans, propane bottles explodes during fire in Pierre Part

  13-05-2025 14:46
  PIERRE PART - A dumpster exploded due to a fire in the dumpster that set off aerosol cans and propane bottles, according to Pierre Part Fire and Rescue.Officials said they responded to a dumpster fire Saturday at the Pierre Part store, and as they approached, an explosion that could be heard over a mile away happened. After extinguishing the fire, several aerosol cans and propane bottles were discovered in the dumpster.One firefighter was injured due to her tripping as she retreated from the du
  
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• Cardiovascular Institute of the South holding free vein screenings in Baton Rouge, Prairieville

  13-05-2025 14:33
  BATON ROUGE – The Cardiovascular Institute of the South is offering free vein screenings in Prairieville and Baton Rouge for Women's Health Month.The screenings are ideal for people experiencing symptoms of venous disease in the legs like swelling, pain, varicose veins, ulcers or discoloration, CIS said. Those who attend the free screenings will also receive complimentary thermal imaging scans that will be reviewed on-site by CIS cardiologist Dr. Shashi Gavini."For best results, wear
  
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• Mother-son duo accused of running dog fight training operation on Folsom property arrested

  13-05-2025 14:24
  FOLSOM - Deputies arrested a man and his mother after they found a dog fight training operation on their property. St. Tammany Parish deputies said a concerned neighbor called law enforcement about potential animal abuse happening on a property on South Hay Hollow Road in Folsom.When deputies searched the property, they found 28 dogs that appeared severely malnourished. They also found training equipment and medication commonly associated with dogfighting. Austin and Natia Ale
  
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• Multiple fire departments respond to Labadieville mobile home fire early Monday

  13-05-2025 13:50
  LABADIEVILLE - Multiple fire departments responded to a mobile home fire early Tuesday morning that spread to the area around it. Around 3:30 a.m., the Napoleonville Volunteer Fire Department was called to assist the Labadieville Volunteer Fire Department to assist with a large fire. The fire spread from a mobile home to a nearby storage shed, two vehicles, and the debris around it. Crews fought the fire for almost five hours before it was under control. Officials did
  
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• Assumption corrections officer fired after allegedly bringing synthetic marijuana into parish jail

  13-05-2025 13:46
  NAPOLEONVILLE — An Assumption Parish Detention Center employee was fired after being accused of bringing synthetic marijuana into the jail.Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Lonny Cavalier said that 27-year-old Ali Gant was seen on security footage bringing a bag that had paper coated in K-2 — a synthetic version of the active ingredient in marijuana — into the facility.Cavalier said that investigators first heard about the contraband in
  
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• City-parish, Waste Management plant trees at North Landfill Facility in sustainability initiative

  13-05-2025 13:42
  BATON ROUGE — East Baton Rouge Parish officials and Waste Management came together Tuesday morning to plant trees at the North Landfill Facility.WM officials say that the planting initiative highlights their commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship in the parish. To reflect their commitment to the state's natural beauty, the trees planted were bald cypresses, Louisiana's state tree.A spokesperson for Mayor-President Sid Edwards says this is also an effort to make the
  
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• EBRSO: Eight accused of starting riot, endangering child after fight breaks out in 19th JDC courtroom

  13-05-2025 13:25
  BATON ROUGE — Eight people are accused of starting a riot and injuring a child after a fight broke out in a 19th JDC courtroom Tuesday morning, East Baton Rouge Parish deputies said.The fight broke out around 10:17 a.m. in Judge Fred Crifasi's courtroom after family members got into an argument in the hallway, deputies said. The argument later turned into a physical altercation, and courtroom deputies and nearby Baton Rouge Police officers intervened.During the fight, someone fell ont
  
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• Family holds memorial to honor teen killed in double shooting who was supposed to graduate this week

  13-05-2025 13:10
  AMITE - Jarvis Brister was killed in a double shooting in the town of Amite. The family of Brister says the 17-year-old was a good kid who was only weeks away from graduating with a full-ride scholarship.  "He wasn't in reflection of what happened. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time," Schynell Thomas, the mother of Jarvis, said. "From my understanding, he was out here playing basketball. A fight broke out, and his friend got shot across the street," she
  
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• Fifth graders graduate from school's DARE program teaching them drug safety

  13-05-2025 13:05
  WALKER - Fifth graders in Livingston Parish graduated from their school's DARE program. the students from Levi Milton Elementary School gathered at Revival Temple Church on Monday for their DARE graduation ceremony. Over the last school year, they received education from Livingston Parish DARE officers about drug safety. At the ceremony, deputies were there congratulating the students and wishing them the best on their next chapter. Permalink| Comments
  
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• 8-year-old girl in critical condition after she was struck by stray bullet inside New Orleans home

  13-05-2025 12:49
  NEW ORLEANS - An 8-year-old girl is in critical condition Tuesday, one day after she was struck by a stray bullet while she was inside her New Orleans home. WWL reported that the child and her mother heard gunfire outside their house in the Algiers, so they were running up the stairs when a bullet came through the window and hit the girl in the head. CrimeStoppers of Greater New Orleans is offering a $5,000 cash reward for information that leads to an arrest and indictment.&am
  
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• Second Plaquemine ferry returns from service in Cameron Parish

  13-05-2025 12:41
  PLAQUEMINE - The second ferry in Plaquemine is returning to service in Iberville Parish on Tuesday afternoon after being used in Cameron Parish for the last month. The boat was serving Cameron Parish while the parish's ferry was being repaired. Tuesday afternoon, the ferry will be up and running in the capital region again. The second ferry runs on weekdays from 5:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Teen arrested for allegedly burglarizing car; police say accomplice left him injured on victim's porch

  13-05-2025 09:59
  BATON ROUGE - Police arrested a teen accused of a vehicle burglary that happened last week after he was brought to the hospital after his accomplice allegedly shot him. Arrest documents say that 17-year-old Alijah Dyson was arrested Monday for an alleged car burglary that happened May 9. Baton Rouge Police spoke to the vehicle's owner, who said his wife woke him up when she saw two people breaking into their car outside their home. The man then went outside to confront them wh
  
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• Drago's announces return to Baton Rouge; new location opening this summer in Perkins Rowe

  13-05-2025 09:58
  BATON ROUGE — Drago's Seafood Restaurant is coming back to Baton Rouge with a new location in Perkins Rowe's Town Square.Drago's new location, set to open over the summer, was announced by the company Tuesday morning.The Metairie-based seafood restaurant chain's previous Baton Rouge location on Constitution Avenue off College Drive closed in January after losing its lease."The Baton Rouge opening is not just a new location — it's a homecoming," Drago's said on Facebook. "Aft
  
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• 70 for 70: Reverend T.J. Jemison

  13-05-2025 08:29
  BATON ROUGE - WBRZ's 70 for 70 will profile some of the personalities who have been on Channel 2's air since it went to broadcast 70 years ago. This week on 70 for 70, it's Reverend T.J. Jemison. Most people will remember the Montgomery Bus Boycott as one of the most prominent acts from the Civil Rights Movement, but what most people don't know is that Martin Luther King Jr. was inspired by Baton Rouge resident Reverent T.J. Jemison, who lead the first bus boycott right here i
  
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• 2 THE CLASSROOM: SU Nursing school doctoral program graduates largest class to date

  13-05-2025 07:25
  BATON ROUGE - The Southern University School of Nursing is making history! The 2025 Doctor of Nursing Practice candidates will be the largest class to graduate since the program started in 2012.Twelve nurses walked across the stage to receive their doctoral degrees. That number might seem small, but it's a huge step from when the program started in 2012."Well I can remember that first class was a small class, we graduated three students," said professor of nursing Dr. Wanda Spurlock. "Today, af
  
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• TEAM 2 TRAFFIC: Disabled semi-truck just past 10/12 split

  13-05-2025 04:35
  BATON ROUGE - The left lane is blocked just past the 10/12 split due to a disabled semi. Use caution.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Shooting on North 11th Street ruled to be suicide, police say

  13-05-2025 02:23
  BATON ROUGE - Police said a shooting that happened on North 11th Street Monday night was ruled to be a suicide. 
  No one else was injured and no arrests were made. Permalink| Comments
  
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