Baton Rouge news

• Pecue Lane enters final phase of project; expected completion mid-2026

  02-05-2024 17:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A major project to widen Pecue Lane and add interstate ramps is expected to wrap up in due time. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced Thursday that crews have entered the third and final phase of construction. The current work includes paving the southbound lanes, constructing the southbound Pecue Lane bridge over Ward’s Creek, grading the new on and off ramps at I-10 and installing catch basins for drainage. DOT
  
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• Head of Council for a Better Louisiana says legislators, Landry will find a balance eventually

  20-05-2024 19:37 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — While Gov. Jeff Landry has enjoyed a honeymoon with members of the Louisiana Legislature over the past four months, the day will come when the settles into its multi-branch system of government, according to the head of the Council for a Better Louisiana.Landry became governor in January, and lawmakers have largely followed his agenda. They've balked, it appears, at gutting the state's open records law, but a proposal to bypass an independent panel's recommendations for
  
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• Driver narrowly misses gas meter after crashing into school bus in Central

  20-05-2024 19:18 via wbrz.com
  
  CENTRAL - A driver nearly ran into a gas meter after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a school bus Monday afternoon. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said the driver of a pickup truck ran into a school bus near the intersection of Joor Road and Core Lane around 4:15 p.m. There were no children on the bus.Chief Corcoran said the crash pushed the truck off the road and the vehicle was close to hitting a gas meter. The driver of the truck allegedly fell asleep while drivin
  
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• Baton Rouge entrepreneur develops barter system for small business owners

  20-05-2024 16:56 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A community-backed currency is gaining traction among business owners across the state.The alternative form of payment is called Moxey, and it is used within a network of small business owners as a barter system. Currently, more than 3,000 businesses in the United States accept Moxey as a valid payment method. "It's like a giant family, where we keep the money in the family. So the more money you spend with local business owners, the more money those local busine
  
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• Lawyer under restraining order caught on video setting ex's home on fire pleads guilty

  20-05-2024 16:46 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A man arrested in 2023 for setting fire to an ex-girlfriend's home after repeatedly violating a restraining order she filed against him pleaded guilty Monday, court records show.Texas-based lawyer Christian King, 31, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated arson, with 17 of those years suspended. King will also be credited with time served since the arrest in January 2023. Judge Eboni Johnson Rose also sentenced him to be on probation for five years after his
  
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• Zachary High student killed in New Roads shooting Sunday

  20-05-2024 16:45 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ROADS - Police officers in New Roads are looking for information about the killing of a 16-year-old Zachary High student over the weekend. The New Roads Police Department said a juvenile, later identified as Jonathan Johnson Jr., was found with a gunshot wound around 3 a.m. Sunday along Carver Drive near Wilkins Street.First responders took the Johnson to a hospital where he died.Chief Cedric Epps told WBRZ that the department does not have a suspect yet but officers are investigat
  
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• Teenager killed in New Roads shooting, officers searching for information

  20-05-2024 16:45 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ROADS - Police officers in New Roads are looking for information about the killing of a teenager over the weekend. The New Roads Police Department said a juvenile was found with a gunshot wound around 3 a.m. Sunday along Carver Drive near Wilkins Street.First responders took the teen to a hospital where they died. Their name has not been released. Chief Cedric Epps told WBRZ that the department does not have a suspect yet but officers are investigating all leads. 
  
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• Judge recusal request denied in case involving Metro Councilman

  20-05-2024 15:54 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - An effort to delay a case yet again involving a Baton Rouge Metro Councilman and his neighbor has been reversed.Metro Councilman Cleve Dunn's attorney, Representative Edmond Jordan, tried to get judge Beau Higginbotham recused from the case. That recusal was reversed by the First Circuit Court of Appeal because the paperwork was filed late.Last March, Higginbotham ordered Dunn to pay $57,000 to his neighbors Donna and Eugene Michelli after adding a cabana and a fence in a place th
  
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• Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office investigating fatal Hammond crash following hit-and-run

  20-05-2024 15:12 via wbrz.com
  
  HAMMOND — Tangipahoa Parish deputies are investigating a fatal crash that left one man dead over the weekend.The crash, which occurred late Saturday night near the Copper Hill Subdivision on Bankston Road, claimed the life of an unidentified Hispanic man. He was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.Deputies said that the Jeep Liberty responsible was involved in a hit-and-run in the area before the fatal crash. After fleeing the scene, the vehicle left the road and travelled thr
  
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• Tiger baseball noticeably absent from SEC honors list

  20-05-2024 15:07 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A year after dominating the award circuit, the LSU Tiger baseball team was noticeably absent from the Southeastern Conference 2024 baseball awards and All-SEC teams after a tough year on the diamond.No Tigers made the All-SEC first team and only third-baseman Tommy White and pitchers Luke Holman and Griffin Herring were voted to the second team.The awards were voted on by the league’s head coaches.The future looks brighter for the Tigers as freshmen Ashton Larson and Ste
  
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• LA-22 closed near Crawford Leblanc Boulevard in Sorrento after 18-wheeler overturns in roundabout

  20-05-2024 14:56 via wbrz.com
  
  SORRENTO — LA-22 at Crawford Leblanc Boulevard in Sorrento is closed after an 18-wheeler overturned in the roundabout.The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said that there is no timeline as to when the roadway will reopen but will be providing updates.In the meantime, deputies will be redirecting traffic. The Sheriff's Office says to expect major delays while travelling in the area.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Police searching for two men who broke into car, used owner's credit cards

  20-05-2024 14:53 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Police are searching for two people who broke into a car and stole a wallet on March Street near City Park.Baton Rouge Police said that the men burglarized the vehicle on May 1. They then used stolen credit cards from the theft victim's wallet to make unlawful purchases, police said.The men were each seen in surveillance footage wearing black hoodies. One was wearing a Hollister hoodie, while the other wore a Grambling State University football hoodie.Permalink| Comments
  
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• St. Helena schools finally seeing repairs years after Hurricane Ida

  20-05-2024 14:42 via wbrz.com
  
  GREENSBURG - After three years of recovery following Hurricane Ida, some buildings still damaged from the storm are finally being repaired. The damaged roof at the central office for the St. Helena Parish School District is getting a refurbishment as well as the gym floor at the St. Helena College and Career Academy. "These long-awaited projects, funded by FEMA, will put an end to the persistent issues we have faced throughout this period," the school district said in a Facebo
  
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• Central Police searching for man who damaged gas station with truck, drove off

  20-05-2024 14:40 via wbrz.com
  
  CENTRAL — Central Police are searching for a man wanted for a hit-and-run that damaged a gas station earlier in May.Police were called to Romero's Food Mart on Joor Road on May 10 after the store owner said that a man driving a white Ford pick-up truck backed into a gas pump, disabling it. Police said that workers at the store attempted to approach the driver, but he left the scene.The man and his truck were seen in security footage from the store, police said. The footage is timestam
  
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• BRFD: Sunday morning fire at South Harrells Ferry Road storage unit complex was arson

  20-05-2024 13:39 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A fire that set a South Harrells Ferry Road storage unit complex ablaze Sunday morning was a result of arson, firefighters said Monday.The Baton Rouge Fire Department arrived at the Storage Rentals of America building just after 5:15 a.m. Sunday. Nearly two hours later, BRFD called in another fire department to help suppress the flames.Firefighters worked together to get the fire under control by 10 a.m. Two firefighters were treated for dehydration and released
  
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• Interstate 12 eastbound at I-10 scheduled for closure again Monday night

  20-05-2024 12:34 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Highway workers plan to close the eastbound lanes of Interstate 12 at its interchange with I-10 Monday night and try again to remove an overpass.The bridge must be taken out to accommodate new lanes on I-10 westbound. Equipment problems 10 days ago prevented its removal. Earlier attempts at the work were delayed by weather.Beginning about 10 p.m. Monday, crews will divert I-12 traffic onto I-10 toward Essen Lane, then northbound on Essen back to I-12.The road is schedule
  
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• BRFD: Vacant Mid City home catches fire, declared total loss; no foul play suspected

  20-05-2024 09:59 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Monday morning fire that damaged most of a vacant Prescott Road duplex is being investigated by the Baton Rouge Fire Department.The fire started around 2 a.m. Monday morning, with firefighters arriving shortly after to see flames coming from the windows of one side of the duplex. They brought the fire under control within 30 minutes but the blaze damaged 75% of the structure, with the rest receiving substantial water and smoke damage. The structure is consider
  
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• BRFD: Vacant home catches fire, declared total loss; no foul play suspected

  20-05-2024 09:59 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Monday morning fire that damaged most of a vacant Prescott Road duplex is being investigated by the Baton Rouge Fire Department.The fire started around 2 a.m. Monday morning, with firefighters arriving shortly after to see flames coming from the windows of one side of the duplex. They brought the fire under control within 30 minutes but the blaze damaged 75% of the structure, with the rest receiving substantial water and smoke damage. The structure is consider
  
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• 2une In Previews: Motorcycle Awareness Month

  20-05-2024 08:57 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - May has been proclaimed Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, and a local campaign is working to reduce the number of deaths in motorcycle crashes each year. This morning on 2une In, we talked with Scotty Drake with the Motorcycle Awareness Campaign, who said the goal of the campaign is to make drivers more aware of the motorcyclists they share the road with, and for those same motorcyclists to be cautious and safe. Watch the full interview above. Perma
  
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• Sunday Journal: Countdown to a Dream

  20-05-2024 06:45 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The countdown is on: soon we'll know who the winner of the St. Jude Dream Home is!JP previewed the home and gave inside details on the giveaway during this week's Sunday Journal.For $100, your name will be entered into a drawing to win a beautiful home in Baton Rouge. The home is a four-bed, three-bath with 3,000 square feet of space. A spacious open kitchen with built-in island seating boasts a breakfast nook with panoramic windows. The master bedroom has a freestanding tub with
  
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• One displaced in early morning fire on Louise Street

  20-05-2024 06:24 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Fire Department is investigating a house fire off Louise Street early Monday morning.The fire started at a home on Louise at McCalop Street near I-10.One person was displaced and there were any injuries. The cause of the fire was under investigation.This is a developing story.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Cigarette reportedly caused early-morning fire that left home total loss

  20-05-2024 06:24 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Investigators said a cigarette started a fire that left a home a total loss. The fire started at a home on Louise at McCalop Street near I-10 shortly before 6 a.m.. A firefighter on his way to work reportedly saw smoke coming from the home and contacted 911 before helping the resident out. One person was displaced and there were no injuries. The Red Cross was called to assist the resident. Permalink| Comments
  
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• St. Amant fishing team heading to national championship in Tennessee

  19-05-2024 20:48 via wbrz.com
  
  JASPER, Texas - A pair of anglers from the St. Amant High School Fishing Team are headed to the National High School Bass Championship. The school congratulated competitors Cade and Jerry for placing third in the qualifying tournament held in Jasper, Texas. The teenagers competed against other high schoolers from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The national championship will take place the first week of August on Chickamauga
  
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• Hammond man killed in Livingston Parish motorcycle wreck

  19-05-2024 18:31 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVNGSTON PARISH - A Hammond man died Sunday after a motorcycle wreck along South Frost Road in Livingston Parish. State Police said 42-year-old Billy Ray Collins of Hammond was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle southbound on South Frost Road around 11 a.m. Sunday. Troopers said Collins hit the front bumper of a Subaru that was in the opposite lane and turning onto Grand Lake Boulevard. It is unclear if Collins was driving above the posted speed limit, but troopers said he w
  
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• Report: Human remains found in New Orleans canal near City Park

  19-05-2024 16:32 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Some decomposing human remains were spotted by fishermen in a New Orleans canal near City Park, officials told WWL. WWL reported that the New Orleans Police Department is investigating the death after officers were flagged down by fishermen who saw human remains just before 1 p.m. Saturday. The body parts were found at a fishing spot near Mirabeau Avenue and Wisner Boulevard in a canal that borders the eastern part of City Park. No more information was i
  
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• No. 9 LSU Softball advances to Super Regional, will face Stanford

  19-05-2024 16:32 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - No. 9 LSU Softball swept through the Baton Rouge Regional to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals after the Tigers defeated the Southern Illinois Salukis 9-0 in just five innings.Starting pitcher Kelley Lynch threw all five innings. After walking the first batter of the game, Lynch retired the next 12 batters in a row before giving up her first hit in the fifth inning. In total, Lynch only allowed one hit, no runs, one walk and six strikeouts.The Tiger bats were hot on Sunday, as R
  
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• Person found dead inside a home on Voss Drive; police investigating as homicide

  19-05-2024 14:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police are investigating a man being found dead inside a home as a homicide, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.BRPD says Collin Johnson was found dead inside a home on the 2900 block of Voss Drive Saturday around 9 p.m. He was previously last seen on May 9.The cause of death is unknown at this time, pending autopsy results. Anyone having information relative to this homicide investigation is urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 389-4869.Permalink| Comment
  
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• Man last seen 10 days ago found dead, decomposing in home; BRPD investigating as homicide

  19-05-2024 14:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Police are investigating a man being found dead inside a home as a homicide, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.BRPD says Collin Johnson was found dead inside a home on the 2900 block of Voss Drive Saturday around 9 p.m. He was previously last seen on May 9.Officials with BRPD said the body was decomposing when it was found. Additionally, trauma to the victim's torso led investigators to suspect homicide as the reason for Johnson's death.The cause of death is unknown a
  
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• BRPD: Man last seen 10 days ago found dead, decomposing in home

  19-05-2024 14:15 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A man who was last seen more than a week ago was found dead and decomposing in his home Saturday evening. The Baton Rouge Police Department said 33-year-old Collin Johnson was found dead inside a home along Voss Drive near the corner of Frey Street on Saturday around 9 p.m. Police said he was last seen on May 9.Officers said Johnson's body was decomposing when it was found. Trauma to the victim's torso led investigators to open a homicide investigation.The cause
  
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• Irans president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site

  19-05-2024 13:59 via wbrz.com
  
  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and several other officials were found dead on Monday, hours after their helicopter crashed in a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, state media reported.The crash comes as the Middle East remains unsettled by the Israel-Hamas war, during which Raisi, who was 63, under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile
  
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