Baton Rouge news

• Sheriff: Rapist forced his way into Hammond home after woman answered knock at her door

  10-07-2020 16:03 via wbrz.com
  
  HAMMOND - A man allegedly forced his way into a house and raped a woman inside after the victim answered a knock at the door.The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said Travis Walker, 38, was arrested Thursday. According to Sheriff Daniel Edwards, the "young female" victim answered a knock at her door June 1 and was assaulted after Walker forced his way inside. Walker was located with help from the Hammond and Ponchatoula police departments.Walker was booked into the parish jail on cha
  
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• LSU invention may revolutionize stem cell research

  15-04-2024 21:42 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Researchers at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine have made a breakthrough in stem cell testing through a new invention.Dr. Mandi Lopez, the Director of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, worked with LSU engineering students to create a booster physicians and veterinarians need to treat tendon injuries more effectively.“We created a kind of one-stop-shop device,” Lopez said.Dr. Lopez s
  
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• Two killed at Airline Highway motel

  15-04-2024 20:32 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Two people were shot to death at an Airline Highway motel on Monday night. Emergency officials said the shooting happened just after 8 p.m. at the Fountain Motel along Airline, close to Goodwood Boulevard. WBRZ is headed to the scene. This is a developing story. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Angel Reese selected 7th overall in WNBA draft

  15-04-2024 18:14 via wbrz.com
  
  BROOKLYN, New York - LSU's 'Bayou Barbie' Angel Reese was selected seventh overall to the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA draft.From Baltimore to the Bayou to wherever you go next in the @WNBA....Keep being you @Reese10Angel
  ?? @seimoneaugustus pic.twitter.com/VUqAyc6mXU— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) April 15, 2024Permalink| Comments
  
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• Livingston Parish Schools moves assistant superintendent to top spot

  15-04-2024 18:08 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVINGSTON PARISH - The Livingston Parish School Board voted Monday evening to move the assistant superintendent of schools into the top spot.The school board voted 7-2 to promote Jody Purvis to superintendent, effective in July. Two of the board members cast votes for Bruce Chaffin, who also works as an assistant superintendent. Longtime educator and current Superintendent Joe Murphy announced in February that he was retiring after 3o years of service to the school system. Pe
  
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• Slidell motorcycle officer hurt, ran into State Police unit while escorting Governor touring storm damage

  15-04-2024 17:31 via wbrz.com
  
  SLIDELL - A Slidell motorcycle officer was taken to a hospital Monday after he crashed into a Louisiana State Police unit while escorting Governor Jeff Landry through areas damaged by storms. The Slidell Police Department said the crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. near the corner of West Howze Beach Road and Rio Street. Landry and other officials were in Slidell and West Feliciana Parish to see areas hit by storms and a tornado that rolled through parts of southeast Louisiana last we
  
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• Work Zone Awareness Week kicks off as major projects make progress around Baton Rouge

  15-04-2024 17:21 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - While construction zones are a common sight throughout most of the capitol area, LaDOTD is reminding drivers to proceed with caution.The week of April 15 through April 19 is National Work Zone Awareness Week where transportation agencies on all levels highlight the importance of Work zone safety to the motoring public. This year's theme is 'Work zones are temporary, actions behind the wheel can last forever.'"Construction workers on our roads, our bridges and our highways face som
  
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• Gov. Jeff Landry to declare State of Emergency to allocate resources to areas damaged by severe weather

  15-04-2024 17:20 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to issue an executive order that would a State of Emergency for parishes impacted by recent severe weather and tornados, the governor's office announced Monday.Landry's call to expedite the use of state resources to aid in response efforts came just hours after he returned to Baton Rouge after visiting West Feliciana and St. Tammany parishes to survey the damage from tornadoes, hurricane force winds, hail and flooding that hit the state last
  
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• Randal Gaines defeats Katie Bernhardt to become new chair of Louisiana Democratic Party

  15-04-2024 16:47 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana Democratic Party has new leadership.Randal Gaines, a former state representative, was selected Saturday as the political group’s new chair after a set of procedural moves ended with him being the only candidate nominated for the position. His selection ousted Katie Bernhardt, who had been chair for the past four years, The Advocate reported.“It is critical that we use this unifying, watershed moment to rebuild, refocus, and rec
  
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• UPS truck overturns along Pointe Coupee road

  15-04-2024 16:29 via wbrz.com
  
  POINTE COUPEE PARISH - A UPS truck overturned along Joe Beaud Road in Pointe Coupee Parish on Monday. The Pointe Coupee Fire Dist. 2 responded to the single-vehicle wreck. Firefighters said the driver was able to get out on his own and only suffered minor injuries. The road was blocked while crews worked the scene, but is back open. Permalink| Comments
  
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• Dumping further troubles street already closed for repairs

  15-04-2024 15:02 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Piles of trash are accumulating along Greenwell Street under I-110 in Baton Rouge and some fed-up homeowners called 2 On Your Side.It's an area of the city that Savannah Perry says is being taken advantage of by illegal dumpers. It could be that the people dumping are lazy or that they can't afford to do it the right way. Whatever the reason, Perry says she doesn't want it in her neighborhood."It's like where do we go, what do we do," Perry said.Each time she sees a new pile of tr
  
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• Brandon Williams resigns from EBR civil service board after long fight to hold two government jobs

  15-04-2024 14:45 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The head of the Baton Rouge Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board quit his post Monday to comply with a state Supreme Court ruling that he cannot hold two government positions at the same time. He is also a member of the Louisiana Housing Commission.At a special meeting of the civil service board Monday, Brandon Williams stepped down as its leader and as a member, effective Tuesday.The move clears the way for the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council to name a re
  
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• Brandon Williams resigns from city board after fight to hold two government jobs

  15-04-2024 14:45 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — The head of the Baton Rouge Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board quit his post Monday to comply with a state Supreme Court ruling that he cannot hold two government positions at the same time. He is also a member of the Louisiana Housing Commission.At a special meeting of the civil service board Monday, Brandon Williams stepped down as its leader and as a member, effective Tuesday.In a statement before the committee, Williams said he felt he was under attack for
  
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• Two arrested in Port Vincent after raid yields drugs, guns

  15-04-2024 14:41 via wbrz.com
  
  PORT VINCENT — Two people were arrested after the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office raided three Port Vincent homes and found drugs and guns.Zebulon Carter, 45, and Amanda Granade, 44, were booked into the Livingston Parish Jail Friday. They are being charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of unregistered firearms, among other drug and gun charges.Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office Narcotics Agents were investigating a Port Vincent-based
  
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• Baton Rouge man accused of sexual assault with a blowtorch previously arrested on domestic violence allegations

  15-04-2024 13:53 via wbrz.com
  
  SHREVEPORT — A Baton Rouge man accused of sexually assaulting a woman with a blowtorch was arrested in Shreveport over the weekend.Jacob Jarmal Woods, 27, was booked into the Shreveport City Jail on Friday. Last week, the Baton Rouge Police Department got an arrest warrant for Woods on charges of third-degree rape, second-degree sexual battery and aggravated battery, among others.The attack occurred April 7 at Woods' home. He is accused of choking the woman until she lost consciousnes
  
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• Baton Rouge man accused of sexual assault with a blowtorch arrested in Shreveport

  15-04-2024 13:53 via wbrz.com
  
  SHREVEPORT — A Baton Rouge man accused of sexually assaulting a woman with a blowtorch was arrested in Shreveport over the weekend.Jacob Jarmal Woods, 27, was booked into the Shreveport City Jail on Friday. Last week, the Baton Rouge Police Department got an arrest warrant for Woods on charges of third-degree rape, second-degree sexual battery and aggravated battery, among others.The attack occurred April 7 at Woods' home. He is accused of choking the woman until she lost consciousnes
  
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• Gun supervisor for 'Rust' movie gets 18 months in prison for fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on set

  15-04-2024 13:31 via wbrz.com
  
  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western film “Rust,” at a sentencing hearing Monday in a New Mexico state court.Movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted in March by a jury on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and has been held for more than a month at a county jail on the outsk
  
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• Supreme Court won't hear Baton Rouge BLM activist, but says recent case could guide new lower court decision

  15-04-2024 13:09 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday a Baton Rouge police officer's trial against Black Lives Matter activist Deray Mckesson may proceed, but justices wouldn't weigh in on what they thought of Mckesson's claim that he enjoyed First Amendment protection for his actions.Former BRPD officer Brad Ford was hit in the face with a piece of asphalt thrown by protesters in the days after the shooting of Alton Sterling. Ford says Mckesson is responsible because he summoned a crowd to Baton Ro
  
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• Mom rejects deal to settle murder charge filed after boy, 2, dies of fentanyl poisoning

  15-04-2024 13:03 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge woman accused of second-degree murder after her son died of fentanyl poisoning in 2022 rejected a plea bargain that would have spared her a life term Monday, days after prosecutors turned down a request to let her plead guilty to negligent homicide.Whitney Ard, 31, faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted of second-degree murder. The state offered to let her plead guilty to manslaughter and take a 30-year sentence.Defense lawyer Sandra James Page said t
  
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• Prairieville Fire Department starts fire training program for high school seniors

  15-04-2024 12:59 via wbrz.com
  
  PRAIRIEVILLE — The Prairieville Fire Department is launching a program to provide fire safety training to high school students.The Prairieville Fire Department will launch the Ascension Parish High School Firefighter Program starting in the 2024-2025 school year. The program, available to all Ascension Parish high school seniors, will provide students with four nationally accredited certifications in firefighting and hazardous materials mitigation.The certifications students earn in t
  
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• School in East Feliciana closed Monday due to reported vandalism

  15-04-2024 09:51 via wbrz.com
  
  CLINTON - The Silliman Institute in East Feliciana Parish was partially closed Monday due to reported vandalism on campus. The East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office said students in grades 5-12 were sent home while the vandalism was cleaned up, though the extent of the damage was not specified. It was unclear when the school would be reopened. WBRZ has reached out to law enforcement for more information on what the vandalism entailed and whether any arrests were made
  
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• Middle school students partner with mentors to learn about STEM at ExxonMobil

  15-04-2024 08:32 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Saturday, students from local middle schools partnered with mentors from 100 Black Men visited ExxonMobil YMCA to learn more about STEM and career readiness. Exxon's Leaders Inspiring the Faces of Tomorrow (LIFT) initiative pairs up middle schoolers with mentors from non-profit 100 Black Men to keep the children on the path to academic and social success, and over the weekend the students got to experience a STEM Fest at Exxon to teach them about chemistry, robotics, and
  
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• FBI opens criminal investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse, AP source says

  15-04-2024 07:13 via wbrz.com
  
  The FBI is conducting a criminal investigation into the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge that is focused on the circumstances leading up to it and whether all federal laws were followed, according to a person familiar with the matter.The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.The FBI was present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court authorized law enforcemen
  
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• Police respond to reported mass shooting after 12 people shot, one fatally, in New Orleans

  15-04-2024 05:20 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Twelve people were shot, one fatally, in a reported mass shooting late Sunday night. WWL-TV reports the shooting happened in the city's Warehouse District shortly before midnight. The shooting took place on South Peters Street, which runs parallel to Tchoupitoulas Street and Convention Center Boulevard. An unidentified woman was found lying dead in the street when law enforcement arrive. Five men and six women were also shot, but there was no word on the severity
  
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• Police respond to reported mass shooting after 12 people shot in New Orleans, one fatally

  15-04-2024 05:20 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Twelve people were shot, one fatally, in a reported mass shooting late Sunday night. WWL-TV reports the shooting happened in the city's Warehouse District shortly before midnight. The shooting took place on South Peters Street, which runs parallel to Tchoupitoulas Street and Convention Center Boulevard. An unidentified woman was found lying dead in the street when law enforcement arrive. Five men and six women were also shot, but there was no word on the severity
  
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• Southern baseball sweeps Grambling, improves to 10-3 in SWAC play

  14-04-2024 21:52 via wbrz.com
  
  GRAMBLING - The Southern baseball team got the brooms out and swept Grambling State this weekend.After winning the first two games of the series against Grambling Saturday, the Jaguars won Sunday's series finale 12-9.Donny Sandifer led the way for Southern at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two doubles.The Jaguars are now 16-15 overall, 10-3 in SWAC play, and tied for first place in the SWAC west with Texas Southern.Southern hosts Dillard University at Lee-Hines Stadium Tuesday at 6 p.m.Permalink
  
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• Bullpen runs out of gas, LSU baseball gets swept by Tennessee

  14-04-2024 18:16 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - It just keeps getting worse for the LSU baseball team.LSU has lost all five series of SEC play and got swept for the second time in conference this weekend against Tennessee.The Tigers lost Sunday’s series finale to the Volunteers, 8-4.Nate Ackenhousen got the start on the mound for LSU, tossing four innings and allowing just two runs.Hayden Travinksi tied the game at two in the top of the sixth with a solo home run. But Tennessee’s Christian Moore hit a solo h
  
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• The NBA play-in games are set: Heat-76ers, Hawks-Bulls, Lakers-Pelicans and Warriors-Kings

  14-04-2024 18:09 via wbrz.com
  
  LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are staying in New Orleans for a couple more days. Stephen Curry and Golden State will head back to Sacramento to face elimination again. And the Miami Heat are back in the play-in, which started their run to the NBA Finals last year.The play-in field is set. On Tuesday, it’s the Lakers facing the Pelicans for a No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, then the Warriors and the Kings in an elimination game. On Wednesday, it’s the Heat goi
  
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• LeBron James' triple-double lifts Lakers over Pelicans and into a play-in rematch with New Orleans

  14-04-2024 18:09 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LeBron James had 28 points, 17 assists, 11 rebounds and five steals, and the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a 124-108 victory over New Orleans on Sunday that dropped the Pelicans out of a coveted top-six seeding.Anthony Davis had 30 points and 11 rebounds against the team that made him the first overall NBA draft choice in 2012 to help set up a rematch on Tuesday night in the same arena in the conference play-in. But Davis
  
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• Tiger Woods finishes Masters with his highest score as a pro, sets sights on upcoming majors

  14-04-2024 16:40 via wbrz.com
  
  AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods finished the Masters on Sunday with a record he could do without, walking off the course with a 16-over 304, his highest 72-hole score in a career that spans three decades.Woods’ previous high was 302 at the Memorial in 2015. He has only failed to break 300 one other time at the Masters two years ago when he shot 78-78 on the weekend and finished at 301.Despite the score, Woods called it a “good week” and said he’
  
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