WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Updated: September 2, 2010 11:18 PM
Posted In: News, Sports, Sports - LSU
By Michael Kelly
Source: WBRZ Sports 2

Avery Johnson, the brother of LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, gave LSU its first committment for the class of 2012.

As a sophomore, the wide receiver led Blanche-Ely High School to an 11-2 record. He hauled in 55 receptions for 705 yards and seven touchdowns.

Johnson said he also had offers from Florida, USC, North Carolina, Central Florida and Michigan.

Tags Patrick Peterson LSU 2012 Les Miles Tigers Avery Johnson

Updated: September 2, 2010 11:12 PM
Posted In: News, Sports, Sports - Saints
By Michael Kelly
Source: Associated Press

With their opener a week away on Sept. 9, the Saints have even less time for injuries so coach Sean Payton subbed out for most of his starters. Drew Brees and Reggie Bush dressed in their New Orleans uniforms, though they stayed on the sideline all night long.

Alvin Pearman's 5-yard touchdown with 3:18 left helped the Titans beat the Saints 27-24 on Thursday night in the preseason finale where both teams thought of safety first for their key stars.

Vince Young tossed a TD, and LeGarrette Blount also ran for a score as Tennessee (2-2) protected Johnson by sitting him.

New Orleans looked ahead to the NFL's regular-season opener, when the defending Super Bowl champs host the Minnesota Vikings with most of the starters also safely on the sideline.

Harry Coleman recovered the ball off the first of two blocked punts for a TD, and Chase Daniel had a 35-yard TD pass to Adrian Arrington for New Orleans (2-2). Daniel tried to pull out the victory, but his pass to Tyler Lorenzen was intercepted by Gerald McRath in the final seconds.

Patrick Ramsey got the start for the Saints, trying to beat out Daniel for the job backing up Brees. He had been on the Titans' roster once, and they looked at him again in the spring before deciding to sign Chris Simms. He drove the Saints 53 yards before settling for a 45-yard field goal by Hartley - the first points Tennessee had given up in the first quarter this preseason.

Ramsey finished 11 of 16 for 98 yards. He was sacked twice. Daniel was 10 of 18 for 137 yards.

Tags Saints Titans New Orleans Sean Payton Drew Brees Reggie Bush Chase Daniel Patrick Ramsey

Updated: September 2, 2010 11:03 PM
Posted In: News, Sports
By Michael Kelly
Source: WBRZ Sports 2

Just a week after tying Redemptorist 6-6 in last week's jamboree, the Catholic Bears came out on a mission.

Northwestern commit Zack Oliver didn' t have to play a lot tonight as his Bears rolled to a 48-8 victory over Istrouma. It was really a tale of two games when you consider last week's jamboree. It took a QB keeper from Oliver to tie the game at 6 with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. But a missed PAT kept the Bears from securing the victory.

This week, Oliver along with senior running back Grant Thomas had big games. With the Bears up 13-0, Thomas caught a screen pass from Oliver and took it up the sideline for a 25 yard touchdown.

Updated: September 2, 2010 10:51 PM
Posted In: News, News - Defending Our Coast
By Ashley Rodrigue
Source: WBRZ

Fingers are crossed Thursday's explosion does not make the moratorium on deepwater drilling last longer.

The petroleum community said the difference between the Deepwater Horizon explosion and this one is worlds apart. The concern, however, is the government will only see the incident as another example of a still unsafe industry.

"To shut us down or to create any more additional problems for the industry other than what they already have is absolutely ridiculous," said Don Briggs, President of Louisiana Oil and Gas Association.

The oil industry said the current moratorium already has an indirect effect on shallow water drilling with only two permits being approved since April. They now fear the moratorium will be expanded to include production platforms which would cover more than 40,000 wells and involve thousands more workers.

"If this moratorium stays in place for a considerable period of time, you could probably add about another 21,000 or so jobs to the forecast that we had before," said economist Loren Scott.

Scott said that turns into a quarter billion dollars in salaries that the state's economy really needs. The environmental community said the state's coast really needs more protection.

"It does highlight the risks that are out there anytime we're trying to work in this unforgiving environment," said Paul Kemp with the National Audubon Society.

Economists said Gulf platforms rake in $350,000 a day, and if money stays gone for too long, oil companies will be gone from the Gulf. The deadline to lift the moratorium is Nov. 30th.

Tags Gulf moratorium oil industry petroleum explosion wells

Updated: September 2, 2010 10:55 PM
Posted In: News, News - 2 Make A Difference
By Heather Harel
Source: WBRZ

A classroom discussion inspired a middle school student in Baton Rouge. Now, he’s taking action.

News 2’s Sylvia Weatherspoon found out the lesson Rory McCracken teaches kids about marine life to make a difference.

Tags classroom discussion oil spill marine life Rory McCracken 2 Make a Difference

Updated: September 2, 2010 9:21 PM
Posted In: News
By Heather Harel
Source: Baton Rouge Police Department

Update: A man has been arrested for a shooting that happened around 10:15 this morning on Boulevard De Province.

Police arrested 23-year-old Dominique Rivers for the murder of 37-year-old Derrick Lucas. Authorities said Lucas came home during work and surprised Rivers as he was burglarizing Lucas’ home. Lucas confronted Rivers, who then struck him in the head with a blunt object and fled.

While Lucas was in the process of attempting to get help from nearby neighbors, Rivers returned with a handgun, forced Lucas inside his home then shot him in the head.

Lucas was found in his home with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rivers will be booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for first degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.

Tags update shooting Boulevard De Province Dominique Rivers Derrick Lucas burglary

Updated: September 2, 2010 9:56 PM
Posted In: News
By Heather Harel
Source: Denham Springs Police

Update: All lanes are open on Interstate 12 westbound near Range Avenue after a fatal accident that occurred around 6:15 this evening.

Authorities said the driver of an 18-wheeler died after the vehicle went off the roadway on the right side of I-12 a quarter of a mile east of 4-H Club Road in Denham Springs then hit a concrete drainage canal. Police said the driver appeared to have been ejected from the 18-wheeler. No one else was hurt.

A viewer who asked to remain anonymous told News 2 he was nearby, heard the accident and was one of the first people on the scene. He said he and another police officer who arrived shortly after performed CPR on the driver. The viewer said the man appeard to have had a pulse when he first arrived but eventually stopped breathing after paramedics and police attempted to pull him out of the canal.

Authorities said some oil leaked out of the 18-wheeler onto the roadway, and diesel went into the canal. They said the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Department of Environmental Quality were on the scene. Police said the oil and diesel have been contained with sandbags, and DEQ will return between 7:30 and 8 a.m. tomorow with a crane to lift the truck from the canal.

Tags accident 18-wheeler man dead I-12 Range Avenue