• Report: Cam Newton agrees to one-year deal with New England Patriots

    Report: Cam Newton agrees to one-year deal with New England Patriots
    Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has reportedly reached an agreement on a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the New England Patriots, league sources told ESPN.According to ESPN, the Patriots longtime QB, Tom Brady, who is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be replaced by Newton. The Patriots did not select a quarterback in April's draft.The Carolina Panthers released Newton on March 24 putting an end to their nine-year relationship. Newton was drafted No. 1 overall in
  • Pecue Lane enters final phase of project; expected completion mid-2026

    Pecue Lane enters final phase of project; expected completion mid-2026
    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
  • Sheriff hopeful for answers 16 years after Barbara Blount's disappearance

    Sheriff hopeful for answers 16 years after Barbara Blount's disappearance
    LIVINGSTON — After 16 years, deputies believe they are close to finding an answer on what happened to Barbara Blount.She was 58 when she mysteriously disappeared from her home in Holden on May 2, 2008.Blount's family said there were no signs of forced entry, and her silver Toyota was abandoned down the road.After she disappeared, search teams used dogs, helicopters, and four-wheelers to look for her, but months turned into years and Barbara was never found.In 2015, Blount’s
  • One found dead after apparent fall from rooftop at casino construction site

    One found dead after apparent fall from rooftop at casino construction site
    BATON ROUGE - A person was found dead at a construction site for the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino Thursday, the Baton Rouge Police Department says.According to a BRPD spokesman, the person fell from the upper deck of a roof that was under construction.No other information is available at this time.Permalink| Comments
  • Advertisement

  • Ten capital area high schools among best in state

    Ten capital area high schools among best in state
    BATON ROUGE — Ten area high schools have been named some of the best in the state, according to an annual education study by U.S. News & World Report.The list of the state's top 25 high schools, ranked based on graduation rate, college readiness and enrollment, included schools from four capital area parishes — Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Livingston and West Feliciana.The schools included were:     - Baton Rouge Magnet High School (#4)
    &nb
  • Walker High School baseball coach arrested, allegedly stole $29k in school funds

    Walker High School baseball coach arrested, allegedly stole $29k in school funds
    WALKER — The Walker High School baseball coach was arrested Thursday for the allegedly misappropriating almost $30,000 in school funds since at least September 2023.Nicholas Scelfo is being charged with felony theft of more than $25,000.Scelfo allegedly submitted multiple reimbursement invoices for equipment he purchased with his own funds for the baseball program totaling $29,360. After the team finished its 23-10 season Friday night, the school conducted an equipment inventory and f
  • Denham Springs man previously charged with sexual abuse of an animal arrested on 95 additional counts

    Denham Springs man previously charged with sexual abuse of an animal arrested on 95 additional counts
    DENHAM SPRINGS — A man originally booked in January for sexual abuse of an animal was arrested again on nearly 100 additional counts of sexually abusing an animal and filming it.Dylan Landry, 26, turned himself in and was booked Monday on 95 counts of filming or photographing sexual abuse of an animal. The arrest came after Livingston Parish Sheriff's deputies uncovered additional evidence of Landry's sexual abuse of animals, the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said.Landry was orig
  • White Castle High School receives $50,000 grant to fund STEM education

    White Castle High School receives $50,000 grant to fund STEM education
    WHITE CASTLE - A local high school is receiving a grant to fun its STEM classrooms. White Castle High School is receiving a $50,000 grant from NextEra Energy Resources through the company's charitable arm. The money will go toward helping the school enhance its STEM opportunities by purchasing things like a 3D printer, a CAD system, and drones, while other portions of the grant will go toward funding a robotics curriculum for the school. “We are grateful to
  • Advertisement

  • Man accused of trafficking women out of South Harrells Ferry Road apartment

    Man accused of trafficking women out of South Harrells Ferry Road apartment
    BATON ROUGE — A man was arrested after for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking operation.Allbert Javier Herrara Machado, 23, was booked April 27 by East Baton Rouge Parish deputies on two counts of human trafficking. Herrara reportedly came to Baton Rouge a week before the arrest after a man offered him a job messaging men to set up sexual encounters with multiple trafficking victims, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office said.Deputies began investigating the traffic
  • Transportation Secretary says liquified natural gas safety center a sure thing for Lake Charles

    Transportation Secretary says liquified natural gas safety center a sure thing for Lake Charles
    LAKE CHARLES — Sen. John Kennedy said Thursday he had received assurances from the U.S. transportation secretary that Lake Charles will be the home of the National Center of Excellence for Liquified Natural Gas Safety.Kennedy said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declared his support at a meeting in Washington of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.“We have directed the (General Services Adminis
  • Killian residents asked to conserve water as efforts continue to refill village's reservoir

    Killian residents asked to conserve water as efforts continue to refill village's reservoir
    KILLIAN — Residents in the Village of Killian are being asked to conserve their water usage while water is placed in the village's water tank after more than a week without potable water.The parish government has placed 97,500 gallons of water in Killian's reservoir . Based on the parish's estimates, the town is consuming around 5,700 gallons per hour."Every drop saved makes a difference in ensuring a sustainable water supply for our community," the Livingston Parish Government posted
  • Assumption Parish Schools preschool head appointed to state early education commission

    Assumption Parish Schools preschool head appointed to state early education commission
    BATON ROUGE — Assumption Parish School's preschool coordinator was appointed Thursday to the state early childhood education commission.Rachel Dugas has been appointed to the Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education Commission to help lead the state's early childhood care and education programs. “There is a position for the commission for only two representatives of high-performing community early childhood care and education networks, and Mrs. Dugas has been na
  • 2une In Previews: The Wiz Junior

    2une In Previews: The Wiz Junior
    BATON ROUGE - We're not in Kansas anymore - we're in Louisiana!Greenbrier Elementary School's production of The Wiz Junior is showing at BREC's Independence Park theater on May 11. You can visit the park's website here for tickets and watch the video above for more information. Permalink| Comments
  • Man says his emotional support alligator, known for its big social media audience, has gone missing

    Man says his emotional support alligator, known for its big social media audience, has gone missing
    BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man who credits an alligator named Wally for helping relieve his depression for nearly a decade says he is searching for the reptile after it went missing during a vacation to the coast of Georgia.Joie Henney has thousands of social media users following his pages devoted to Wally, the cold-blooded companion that he calls his emotional support alligator. He has posted photos and videos online of people petting the 5 1/2-foot (1.7 meter) alligator l
  • Bills in committee would allow Southern University to establish medical, pharmaceutical colleges

    Bills in committee would allow Southern University to establish medical, pharmaceutical colleges
    BATON ROUGE - Two House bills, HR 51 and HR52, would allow for the Southern University system to establish medical and pharmaceutical schools on their campuses if passed. The bills were read in committee during regular session Wednesday after both being unanimously reported on favorably in the Committee on Education. Both bills were passed to their third readings. Xavier University, another HBCU in New Orleans, has also moved closer to establishing its own medical and
  • Advocates against domestic violence pleading to lawmakers for more money to help support victims

    Advocates against domestic violence pleading to lawmakers for more money to help support victims
    BATON ROUGE - Wednesday at the Capitol, the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence spoke to lawmakers in hopes legislators would include money in the state's budget for domestic violence shelters and other related programs.For years, shelters and other programs have suffered from a lack of resources. In 2021, the Legislative Auditor released a report stating over 2,500 requests for shelter went unmet every year. Louisiana is currently ranked fifth highest in the nation when it comes to d
  • AG discusses next steps in congressional map debacle

    AG discusses next steps in congressional map debacle
    BATON ROUGE - On Tuesday, federal judges rejected the newly drawn congressional district map, saying Louisiana lawmakers relied too heavily on race when drawing up new boundaries. A bit of a 'Catch 22' considering race was the reason the original map was ordered to be redrawn in the first place."Our case is a really good example of a situation where you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't," said Attorney General Liz Murrill.The boundaries of the 6th District are important when it co
  • After a busy first 100 days, BRPD Chief Morse reflects on progress so far

    After a busy first 100 days, BRPD Chief Morse reflects on progress so far
    BATON ROUGE - It's been a busy first few months for newly-appointed Chief of the Baton Rouge Police Department, Thomas "T.J." Morse.As part of his 100 day plan, he has followed the three steps he outlined earlier this year: gather, gain and give. At a Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday afternoon, he provided an update on his progress so far. Chief Morse said he has gathered with more than 100 organizations and groups in Baton Rouge, met with every uniformed BRPD officer and held meetings
  • Kitten finds new home after Kenner firefighter saves baby animal from storm drain

    Kitten finds new home after Kenner firefighter saves baby animal from storm drain
    KENNER - A kitten has found a new home after the baby animal fell into a storm drain and was saved by a Kenner firefighter. The Kenner Fire Department shared photos of the rescue operation on Wednesday. Pictures showed a firefighter in a man hole to rescue the kitten that got trapped in the storm drain. The department said the kitten is doing well and found a loving home with one of the operators. Permalink| Comments
  • Former Lafourche art teacher found guilty of sexually abusing student in 2009

    Former Lafourche art teacher found guilty of sexually abusing student in 2009
    THIBODAUX — A former middle school art teacher in Lafourche Parish was found guilty Wednesday of sexually abusing a student in 2009.Ralph Cheramie Jr., 64, was convicted of molestation of a juvenile, sexual battery of a minor under 13 and indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13 after a three-day trial. It took the jury an hour to arrive at their verdict, which carries with it a combined sentence of over 100 years.The victim initially reported the incident to school administrators,
  • Former Lafourche art teacher found guilty of sexually abusing former student

    Former Lafourche art teacher found guilty of sexually abusing former student
    THIBODAUX — A former middle school art teacher in Lafourche Parish was found guilty Wednesday of sexually abusing a student in 2009.Ralph Cheramie Jr., 64, was convicted of molestation of a juvenile, sexual battery of a minor under 13 and indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13 after a three-day trial. It took the jury an hour to arrive at their verdict, which carries with it a combined sentence of over 100 years.The victim initially reported the incident to school administrators,
  • Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office warns people of scammers pretending to be deputies

    Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office warns people of scammers pretending to be deputies
    LIVINGSTON PARISH - The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office warned people within the parish that scammers are pretending to be LPSO deputies to get money.According to the LPSO, scammers tell potential victims that they owe fines and court costs for past citations, and then tell potential victims to send funds via CashApp or gift cards to avoid facing a warrant for their arrest.The LPSO tells those contacted by scammers to contact them at 225-686-2241 x1.Permalink| Comments
  • State agency asking for public's help to find missing cow

    State agency asking for public's help to find missing cow
    KENTWOOD - The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is looking for a cow that went missing in Kentwood. The LDAF said the cow was last seen on a property on Miller Road in early April. The cow is a white crossbred Charolais with a single horn on the left side and a circle X brand on her right flank.Anyone with information on the cow's whereabouts can call (985) 542-2250. Permalink| Comments
  • Diocese of Baton Rouge appoints new executive director of Catholic Charities

    Diocese of Baton Rouge appoints new executive director of Catholic Charities
    BATON ROUGE - The Diocese of Baton Rouge announced their new executive director for Catholic Charities Wednesday afternoon.Stephanie K. Sterling, the current Director of Family Services at Catholic Charities, will succeed David C. Aguillard, who served 15 years as the executive director.Sterling will become the new executive director on July 1.Permalink| Comments
  • Killian crews use camera to seek source of sediment in town's water supply; boil order still in place

    Killian crews use camera to seek source of sediment in town's water supply; boil order still in place
    KILLIAN — Town officials in Killian went to work Wednesday to find what's causing problems in their water supply.Dirt, sand and other sediment have worked their way into the system, leaving the one-well town without clean water. Residents said the color of their tap water varied the longer it ran. At one home last week, the water ran clear when the tap was turned on, but soon it turned brown, with dirt contaminating it.In tests Wednesday, laborers removed the wellhead and inserted a c
  • Killian crews use camera to seek source of sediment in town's water supply

    Killian crews use camera to seek source of sediment in town's water supply
    KILLIAN — Town officials in Killian went to work Wednesday to find what's causing problems in their water supply. Dirt, sand and other sediment have worked their way into the system, leaving the one-well town without clean water. Residents said the color of their tap water varied the longer it ran. At one home last week, the water ran clear when the tap was turned on, but soon it turned brown, with dirt contaminating it.In tests Wednesday, laborers removed the wellhead and in
  • Landry administration opts-in to EBT program after initially refusing summer feeding program for children

    Landry administration opts-in to EBT program after initially refusing summer feeding program for children
    BATON ROUGE — Almost three months after the state initially refused the USDA's summer EBT program, Gov. Jeff Landry's administration said they will be participating in the federal summer feeding program for needy children, Shreveport's KTBS reports.Landry said for months that Louisiana would not be participating in the program. Tuesday, however, he reportedly decided to opt-in to the program after a closed-door meeting with legislators.When Landry initially refused the federal program
  • Landry administration opts in to EBT program after 'hogwash' resistance to summer feeding program

    Landry administration opts in to EBT program after 'hogwash' resistance to summer feeding program
    BATON ROUGE — Almost three months after the state initially refused the USDA's summer EBT program, Gov. Jeff Landry's administration said they will be participating in the federal summer feeding program for needy children, Shreveport's KTBS reports.Landry said for months that Louisiana would not be participating in the program. Tuesday, however, he reportedly decided to opt-in to the program after a closed-door meeting with legislators.Louisiana House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Jack
  • NAACP, others file notice of appeal in battle over Louisiana Congressional maps

    NAACP, others file notice of appeal in battle over Louisiana Congressional maps
    BATON ROUGE — A handful of intervenors in the battle over Louisiana's proposed congressional map filed a notice of appeal Wednesday after a three-judge panel tossed out a plan that would have established a second minority-majority district extending from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.Judges on Tuesday rejected the map, saying Louisiana lawmakers relied too heavily on racial considerations when drawing up new boundaries to use in this year's congressional elections. A dissenting judge said
  • Governor Jeff Landry declares May 1 as National Heatstroke Prevention Day

    Governor Jeff Landry declares May 1 as National Heatstroke Prevention Day
    BATON ROUGE - Governor Jeff Landry declared Wednesday, May 1, as National Heatstroke Prevention Day as a reminder for drivers not to leave unattended children in their car.More than 1,083 children have died from heatstroke in hot cars since 1990, and at least another 7,500 survived with varying types and severities of injuries, according to data collected by Kids and Car Safety.Additionally, the overwhelming majority of victims are age five and younger, with rear-facing child

Follow @NewsLouisiana_ on Twitter!