Baton Rouge news

• Delta Queen Steamboat to return to service after decade-long retirement

  27-11-2018 20:17 via wbrz.com
  MISSOURI - The U.S. House of Representatives has reinstated an exemption to let a one-of-a-kind vessel return to cruise the waterways of the Deep South and other areas of the nation.A 1966 law prohibits overnight excursions on wooden vessels. The Delta Queen was given an exemption, but the exemption expired in 2008.Since approval has been granted, the legendary riverboat is set to undergo extensive renovations at a shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. In 2020, it'll cruise the waterways of the Mississ
  
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• Garret Graves among lawmakers to meet with Biden on infrastructure; 'top priority' is new bridge

  12-04-2021 21:27 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - Louisiana had a seat at the table as President Joe Biden met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers Monday to discuss infrastructure.Among the congressmen and senators was Rep. Garret Graves."The president's opening salvo was talking about how he was open to negotiation, open to discussions on costs, and size and scope, and definition of infrastructure." Graves told WBRZ following the Oval Office meeting. "All those things were all things I wanted to hear."That meeting, the first sin
  
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• Japan to start releasing Fukushima water into sea in 2 years

  12-04-2021 21:19 via wbrz.com
  
  TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government decided Tuesday to start releasing massive amounts of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean in two years — an option fiercely opposed by local fishermen and residents.The decision, long speculated but delayed for years due to safety concerns and protests, came at a meeting of Cabinet ministers who endorsed the ocean release as the best option.The accumulating water has been stored i
  
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• Former LSU basketball player injured in deadly car crash

  12-04-2021 19:19 via wbrz.com
  
  HOUSTON, Texas - The family of a former LSU basketball player is asking for donations following a deadly car crash involving a drunk driver. Daryl Edwards Jr. was one of the victims left injured following a head-on collision on the Westpark Tollway in Houston around 2 a.m. Wednesday. A drunk driver, identified as 32-year-old Bobby James Brown, was traveling the wrong way in a gray Infiniti and collided head-on with a Honda containing four passengers. Edwards Jr. sustained seri
  
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• WATCH: Governor Edwards delivers State of the State address

  12-04-2021 18:19 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Governor Edwards is expected to discuss the coronavirus and the start of a new legislative session during his "State of the State" address Monday.Watch live below.Permalink| Comments
  
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• LSU Shreveport med school administrators accused of sexual harassment, bullying

  12-04-2021 17:48 via wbrz.com
  
  SHREVEPORT - Employees of the LSU medical school in Shreveport filed complaints with the federal government about Chancellor Dr. Ghali E. Ghali and other senior leadership members for sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliatory actions.The complaints, which were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by four employees, also had been filed weeks ago with the LSU System’s Title IX office.According to The Advocate, 16 medical students reported sexual harassme
  
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• Lawmakers seek more oversight in university Title IX policies as 2021 legislative session begins

  12-04-2021 17:41 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE – LSU Title IX failures are front and center as lawmakers go to work for the 2021 session. There are multiple bills outlining how universities should handle sexual misconduct, including who to report it to.“My bill would call for a reporting mechanism to the Board of Supervisors and to the Board of Regents,” Senator Beth Mizell said.Mizell wrote legislation with a handful of other lawmakers to make sure what happened at LSU won’t happen again.
  
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• Hit-and-run victim says he forgives driver; benefit planned for this weekend

  12-04-2021 17:19 via wbrz.com
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - A man in Denham Springs is still healing after police say he was hit by a car while walking his dog. Now, some friends are stepping in to help with the cost of his medical bills.There's a benefit this Saturday, April 17, for Todd Thomas. He was hit by a car on Sept. 13, 2020 right by his driveway on Myrtle Street in Denham Springs."Definitely in God's hands that day, because I was a DOA out there on the street and was in a coma for six days," Thomas said.Since then, he's had 14
  
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• Police: Minnesota officer meant to draw Taser, not handgun

  12-04-2021 17:12 via wbrz.com
  
  BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) — The police officer who fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb apparently intended to fire a Taser, not a handgun, as the man struggled with police, the city’s police chief said Monday.Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon described the shooting death Sunday of 20-year-old Daunte Wright as “an accidental discharge.” It happened as police were trying to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant.
  
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• 'Skilled predator' FBI boss harassed 8 women, watchdog finds

  12-04-2021 16:14 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — One woman carried a ruler at FBI headquarters so she could smack James Hendricks’ hands when he reached for her legs and breasts. Another went home shaken after he tugged on her ear and kissed her cheek during a closed-door meeting.And when Hendricks went on to lead the FBI’s field office in Albany, New York, in 2018, colleagues described him as a “skilled predator” who leered at women in the workplace, touched them inappropriate
  
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• Police report multiple victims, including officer, in Tennessee school shooting

  12-04-2021 15:22 via wbrz.com
  
  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Multiple people including a police officer were shot Monday at a high school in the east Tennessee city of Knoxville, authorities said, adding that the scene had been secured.There was no immediate report on the exact number of people shot or the extent of the victims’ injuries.The school was the subject of media reports in February after three students were shot to death over a three-week span. Those earlier shootings did not take place in the school
  
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• Police: Officer wounded, 1 dead in Tennessee school shooting

  12-04-2021 15:22 via wbrz.com
  
  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A confrontation in a Tennessee high school that involved police officers responding to a report of a possible armed man, left one person dead and an officer wounded, authorities said.No other persons were killed or wounded, police said, adding the scene had been secured at the Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville following the afternoon shooting. Authorities said only that a male was deceased but added another person was detained for -further investigati
  
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• Multiple people hurt in Tennessee high school shooting, including one police officer

  12-04-2021 15:22 via wbrz.com
  
  KNOXVILLE, Tn. - Multiple gunshot victims were reported at a high school shooting, including one police officer.Authorities are still investigating the Monday afternoon shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School. A reunification site has been established at the baseball field behind the school.Multiple agencies are on the scene of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School. Multiple gunshot victims reported, including a KPD officer. The investigation remains active at this time. Plea
  
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• Port Allen police officer facing charges after tasing complaint

  12-04-2021 14:36 via wbrz.com
  
  PORT ALLEN - An area police officer was placed on leave after a citizen complained to the department about being tased.The Port Allen Police Department released a statement Monday saying the officer is being charged with malfeasance and aggravated battery over the incident. The department confirmed the officer was also placed on leave but did not identify that person.The incident allegedly happened March 29. The victim claimed to have been "unnecessarily tased," but no other details were availa
  
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• Long-troubled Clinton water system under new management

  12-04-2021 14:35 via wbrz.com
  
  CLINTON - Officials announced East Feliciana Parish's water provider is taking over the town of Clinton's water system, which state officials said was mismanaged for over a decade.The East Feliciana Rural Water System announced Monday it received $2.5 million through the Louisiana Department of Health's Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund to consolidate with the town's water system, which has been plagued by frequent boil advisories and other issues. The money will help pay for new piping, an up
  
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• Sopranos star, Joseph Siravo, dies at 64

  12-04-2021 14:06 via wbrz.com
  
  Hollywood is mourning the loss of an actor widely known for his role in the HBO series, The Sopranos.Joseph Siravo, who played Tony Soprano's father Johnny in the popular TV drama, has died at the age of 64, according to BBC News.Siravo was also featured in the Tony Award-winning stage musical Jersey Boys and in The People v OJ Simpson - part of the American Crime Story TV series.The actor's death was confirmed by his daughter, Allegra Okarmus who posted news of his passing on Instagram,&nb
  
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• West Baton Rouge holding mass vaccination event Thursday

  12-04-2021 13:40 via wbrz.com
  
  PORT ALLEN - West Baton Rouge will host another mass vaccination event Thursday. The parish said the event will April 15 at the Erwinville Community Center at 5110 Rougon Road in Port Allen. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m..All shots administered at the site Thursday will be the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. No appointments are necessary, but recipients must bring their IDs and medical insurance card if they have one.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Hundreds of teachers absent Monday amid EBR proposal to cut summer break short

  12-04-2021 13:13 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Hundreds of teachers did not show up for work Monday as East Baton Rouge educators protested the school system's plan to push up the start of the 2021 school year.The East Baton Rouge school system confirmed that 531 teachers were recorded absent Monday, about 16 percent of its instructional staff. Officials said no schools were closed Monday.Read the full statement from a school system spokesperson below."While we experienced a slight uptick in total absences today, we were able
  
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• Huge explosion rocks St. Vincent as volcano keeps erupting

  12-04-2021 13:13 via wbrz.com
  
  KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (AP) — La Soufriere volcano fired an enormous amount of ash and hot gas early Monday in the biggest explosive eruption yet since volcanic activity began on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent late last week, with officials worried about the lives of those who have refused to evacuate.Experts called it a “huge explosion” that generated pyroclastic flows down the volcano’s south and southwest flanks.“It’s d
  
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• Federal aid may push aside gas tax bills

  12-04-2021 12:48 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - As lawmakers gather at the capitol for fiscal session, two bills are expected to be heard regarding gas taxes."In Louisiana, we have a huge infrastructure problem and the problem is a lack of investment," Representative Jack McFarland said.There are two bills filed in the current session. The first bill is by Representative McFarland to re-appropriate the 16 cents per gallon that drivers pay now, to a construction sub-fund of the transportation trust fund (ttf). That fund would so
  
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• Kevin James to star as Saints coach Sean Payton in upcoming movie

  12-04-2021 12:42 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Comedian Adam Sandler's production company is working with Netflix to produce a comedy based on New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton and his 2012 suspension from the NFL.According to NBC Sports' Peter King, actor Kevin James will play Payton in the film 'Home Team', which is expected to premiere on the streaming service.The film is reportedly based on Payton's one-year suspension over the Saints' bounty scandal. During his time away from pro football, Payton helped coach his
  
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• La Health Dept: 486 vaccine providers in all 64 parishes to receive COVID vaccine this week

  12-04-2021 09:43 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - According to the Louisiana Department of Health, this week, 486 vaccine providers across the state will receive very limited doses of COVID vaccine. These providers include national and independent pharmacies, public health providers, clinics and physician offices, hospitals and others. The full breakdown is below:-232 chain pharmacies (including 116 Walmarts, 7 Sam's Club, 75 CVS, and 21 Winn Dixie from retai
  
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• Speeding concerns near River Road chemical plant move Iberville officials to implement daily road closure

  12-04-2021 09:32 via wbrz.com
  
  IBERVILLE - According to a Monday, April 12 social media post by the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office a road that sees quite a bit of traffic will now close at 4 p.m., daily.The Sheriff's Office stated the following on Facebook: "Due to numerous complaints of speeders, and the safety of our residents, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office will begin closing River Rd north bound (Hwy 405) at Evergreen Rd Monday, April 12 at 4:00PM.""This closure will cause plant traffic to turn on Eve
  
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• Speeding concerns move Iberville officials to implement daily road closure near chemical plant

  12-04-2021 09:32 via wbrz.com
  
  IBERVILLE - According to a Monday, April 12 social media post by the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office a road that sees quite a bit of traffic will now close at 4 p.m., daily.The Sheriff's Office stated the following on Facebook: "Due to numerous complaints of speeders, and the safety of our residents, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office will begin closing River Rd north bound (Hwy 405) at Evergreen Rd Monday, April 12 at 4:00PM.""This closure will cause plant traffic to turn on Eve
  
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• Traffic Alert: Crash along I-10 West near College Drive cleared

  12-04-2021 09:08 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - According to Total Traffic and Weather Network, a Monday morning crash that occurred on I-10 WB at College Dr/Exit 158 has been cleared.The left shoulder was temporarily blocked, but as of 9:30 a.m., all vehicles involved have been removed from the scene of the incident. WBRZ will continue to monitor Baton Rouge traffic throughout the day and provide viewers with updates online, traffic advisories are tweeted via @WBRZTraffic. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Traffic Alert: Crash along I-10 West near College Drive blocks shoulder

  12-04-2021 09:08 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - According to Total Traffic and Weather Network, a Monday morning crash occurred on I-10 WB at College Dr/Exit 158, and the left shoulder is blocked.WBRZ is monitoring area traffic and providing viewers with updates online.Traffic advisories are tweeted via @WBRZTraffic. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Daunte Wright death in Minnesota traffic stop sparks unrest

  12-04-2021 08:44 via wbrz.com
  
  BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) — A Black man died after being shot by police in a Minneapolis suburb during a traffic stop and crashing his car several blocks away, sparking violent protests that lasted into the early hours Monday as officers in riot gear clashed with demonstrators and the man’s mother called for calm.The man was identified by family as 20-year-old Daunte Wright, and he died Sunday in a metropolitan area already on edge and midway through the trial of the first
  
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• Shooting outside of Paris hospital kills one, injures a second

  12-04-2021 08:19 via wbrz.com
  
  PARIS, France - One person was killed and a second injured during a shooting that took place Monday, in front of a private hospital in Paris, CNN reports.A source told the news outlet that after the attack, the suspected gunman fled by means of a two-wheeled vehicle.The shooting occurred just outside of Henri Dunant Hospital, in the 16th arrondissement of the French capital.Reports indicate that after several gunshots were fired, killing one person and wounding a second, the i
  
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• Update: Suspect killed, multiple officers shot during police pursuit in Georgia

  12-04-2021 07:54 via wbrz.com
  
  VILLA RICA, Ga. (AP) — Authorities in Georgia said three officers were wounded in a police chase that ended Monday morning with one suspect killed and another in custody.A Georgia State Patrol trooper clocked a car going 111 mph (179 kph) on Interstate 20 and initiated a traffic stop around 3:30 a.m., Georgia State Patrol Capt. Brandon Dawson said. The driver stopped initially and then took off again with the trooper in pursuit. The trooper bumped the car to try to stop it but the dri
  
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• Multiple officers shot during Monday morning police pursuit in Georgia

  12-04-2021 07:54 via wbrz.com
  
  CARROLL COUNTY, Georgia - During a Monday, April 12 police pursuit that ended in Carroll County Georgia, at least three officers sustained gunshot wounds, CNN reports.According to Ashley Hulsey of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, the chase unfolded early Monday with members of Georgia State Patrol pursuing a suspect and eventually "multiple agencies joined the pursuit.""There were multiple officers shot resulting in multiple injuries," Hulsey told reporters.In regards to the Office
  
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