Baton Rouge news

• Ponchatoula man accused of selling fentanyl to teen who later overdosed in 2022 arrested

  22-05-2025 14:48
  PONCHATOULA — A man accused of murder and drug dealing was arrested this week, nearly three years after a 19-year-old died from a fentanyl overdose.In July 2022, Louis Reynier overdosed after taking a lethal dose of fentanyl. After being investigated for a year, the case ultimately went cold.However, following an unrelated April 25, 2025, murder arrest in connection to a Tickfaw man who overdosed, the case was revisited. Reynier’s sister raised awareness of her brother's cas
  
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• Student injured in stabbing at Baker High on last day of school

  22-05-2025 14:18
  BAKER - A Baker High student was taken to the hospital after a stabbing at the school on Thursday. Baker Police Chief Carl Dunn said two female students were fighting on the last day of school and one grabbed a small object and stabbed the other.The female student was taken to a hospital for treatment. As of 12:15 p.m., no arrests have been made. Chief Dunn said police are actively investigating the incident. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Northwest Boulevard closed in Franklin due to 'deteriorating road conditions'

  22-05-2025 13:55
  FRANKLIN — Northwest Boulevard between BNSF Railroad and Walmart in Franklin is closed until further notice, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said Thursday.The road, also known as La. 3211, was closed due to "deteriorating road conditions" caused by heavy rainfall over the last few weeks during ongoing road work.Traffic will be closed effective immediately, officials said.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Liberty Lagoon will not open Memorial Day weekend due to 'lifeguard shortage'

  22-05-2025 13:26
  BATON ROUGE - Liberty Lagoon Water Park will not have its traditional Memorial Day weekend opening because BREC has been unable to hire enough lifeguards.BREC officials did not say when the popular summer attraction might open."As soon as appropriate staffing levels can be reached to ensure the safety of all guests, the water park will be open this summer," a news release said.Outgoing BREC Superintendent Corey Wilson, who announced in February that he was not going to renew his contract with th
  
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• Jambalaya Festival kicks off in Gonzales for 58th year

  22-05-2025 13:19
  GONZALES - Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, File Gumbo! It's time for one of Louisiana's longest standing festivals.It's the 58th annual Jambalaya Festival in Gonzales and this year it will be held at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center for the first time!Festival goers can participate in the cooking contest, listen to live music, run in the 5k and much more! Even better, you can eat all of the jambalaya your heart desires!The festival runs from May 22nd to May 25th.To check out all that the festival has to of
  
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• WBRZ wins two Regional Murrow Awards

  22-05-2025 12:52
  BATON ROUGE - WBRZ journalists won two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for their work in 2024.Longtime WBRZ anchor Sylvia Weatherspoon won the Region 9 Feature Reporting award for her story, "Unlikely friendship sparks when boy mistakes multimillionaire for homeless man." The story was shared across the country and had millions of views. The piece was shot by Joel Bruce and Alden Simon and edited by Michael Shingleton.Investigative reporter Bess Casserleigh won the Region 9 Investigative Repor
  
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• Judge blocks Trump administration's mass layoffs at the Education Department

  22-05-2025 12:24
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order to shut down the Education Department and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs.U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from carrying out two plans announced in March that sought to work toward Trump’s goal to dismantle the department. It marks a setback to one of the Re
  
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• Multiple capital area educators named finalists for state Teacher, Principal of the Year awards

  22-05-2025 12:01
  
  BATON ROUGE — Several capital area teachers and principals were named as finalists for the 2026 Louisiana Teacher and Principal of the Year awards by the Louisiana Department of Education."Each of these finalists has gone above and beyond to ensure that students succeed," Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said. " We are proud to recognize and celebrate their exceptional work."Three of the nine finalists for Teacher of the Year are from the capital region:Tante P
  
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• RaceTrac opens 40,000 sq. ft. distribution facility in Ascension Parish

  22-05-2025 09:37
  
  GEISMAR — Gas station and convenience store chain RaceTrac opened a 40,000-square-foot distribution center in Ascension Parish.The new center in Geismar is 700 percent larger than the company's previous Louisiana-based location.The company said at the site's grand opening Wednesday that the "state-of-the-art facility will enhance RaceTrac's supply chain capabilities, create new employment opportunities throughout Ascension Parish, and support the growing demand for its products across
  
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• West Baton Rouge Parish School District breaks ground on new 3rd through 8th grade facility

  22-05-2025 07:33
  
  PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Parish School System broke ground on a new facility that officials say will usher in the next level of education in the parish.As shovels dug into the ground Wednesday afternoon, it marked the first step in building Cohn Intermediate School, a campus servicing third through eighth graders expected to open in 2026.The new complex, which combines Cohn Elementary and Port Allen Middle schools into a single facility, will have academic buildings, a librar
  
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• WBRZ FLASHBACK: The USS Kidd arrives in Baton Rouge

  22-05-2025 07:17
  
  BATON ROUGE — This week in WBRZ history, the U.S.S. Kidd first arrived in Baton Rouge on the Mississippi River on May 23, 1982. On that day 43 years ago, WBRZ reported on thousands of people lining the levy to watch the Kidd find its home on the river downtown. Then-Congressman Henson Moore found the Kidd in a Pennsylvania naval yard and played an instrumental role in getting the ship to Baton Rouge. "She's the most complete ship the Navy tells me they've ev
  
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• Two staff members of Israeli Embassy killed in shooting near Jewish museum in DC

  22-05-2025 06:37
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, police said.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel.They were leaving an event at the Capital Je
  
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• Good 2 Eat: Banana Pudding

  22-05-2025 06:27
  
  Welcome to Good 2 Eat, where every Thursday 2une In will be cooking with Chef Kevin Belton to show you a new and delicious recipe to try at home!Banana Pudding4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour1 1/2 cups sugarpinch kosher salt3 large eggs separated3 cups milk1 tsp. vanilla extract1 (11-ounce) package vanilla wafers approximately 45 wafers5-6 bananasMeringue3 egg whites reserved from above1/8 tsp. cream of tartar1/4 cup sugar1 tsp. vanilla extractPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Chill the bowl and b
  
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• Man dead, woman injured after shooting at Florida Boulevard apartment complex

  22-05-2025 06:11
  
  BATON ROUGE — A man was killed and a woman injured after a shooting at a Florida Boulevard apartment complex Thursday morning. The shooting happened around 5:41 a.m. at the Avalon Apartments near Windsor Drive, Baton Rouge EMS said. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office was called to the scene and emergency officials transported one person from the scene with injuries. The condition of the injured victim is not currently known. Permalink| Comments
  
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• WATCH LIVE: Community remembers former Mayor-President Kip Holden at Thursday morning funeral

  22-05-2025 05:53
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge community mourned former Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden at a funeral on Thursday. Funeral services for the Scotlandville native started at 11 a.m. at Greater King David Baptist Church. This followed a visitation at the Blount Road church.The service was officiated by Rev. Dr. John E. Montgomery II and include reflections from former state representative Raymond Jetson, Holden's former police chief Jeff LeDuff and Southern University Chancellor John Pi
  
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• Community remembers former Mayor-President Kip Holden at Thursday morning funeral

  22-05-2025 05:53
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge community is mourning former Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden at a funeral on Thursday. Funeral services for the Scotlandville native start at 11 a.m., but a visitation at Greater King David Baptist Church on Blount Road starts at 8 a.m. and lasts until 10:45 a.m. The service will be officiated by Rev. Dr. John E. Montgomery II and include reflections from former state representative Raymond Jetson, Holden's former police chief Jeff LeDuff and
  
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• Two vehicles damaged in North 47th Street fire

  22-05-2025 04:56
  BATON ROUGE - Two vehicles were damaged in a fire in front of a home on North 47th Street in Baton Rouge on Thursday morning.The Baton Rouge Fire Department responded to the fire around 3:30 a.m. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire and how much damage was done.Officials said no injuries were reported. Permalink| Comments
  
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